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Anaxagoras wasn't fond of staying in Okhema, but he was doing what he had to do. One upside was that he did occasionally get visited by his former pupils and he was closer to the dromases he so adored, but other than that, he much preferred the Grove. Despite the light of the Dawn Device, there was an undeniable chill in the air as the Month of Fortune was soon drawing to a close. He wasn't the type to attend the celebrations at the end of the year, he much preferred to stay warm at home and take the days to rest.
Unfortunately, he no longer had the choice to rest. His "favorite" pupil wouldn't allow such a thing.
Anaxagoras had been preparing for bed when it happened. Clad in his favorite dromas onesie, he was careful not to disturb Vigethos and Nanus as he moved the blankets. Tomorrow he would use the holiday as an excuse to lounge around, perhaps catch up on reading… But his plans were disturbed by the sounds of crashing and familiar clumsy swearing. Of course.
If it were anyone else, he would ignore him until he went away. Unfortunately, if he did, then the other would just cry at his door like a sad chimera. And so, while making a show of false reluctance, Anaxagoras slowly trodded over to the balcony and pulled back the curtain, doing his best to keep a straight face.
And that is a frankly difficult feat when presented with Phainon clad in ridiculous red and white clothing, complete with a fake beard. What an utterly ridiculous sight.
"Merry Christmas, Professor…! I mean— Merry Christmas, scholar of the Grove!" Phainon tried to put on a false hearty voice, like it isn't immediately obvious who is on his balcony right now.
He makes sure to let out a particularly loud sigh, as if it's such a bother, but he plays along anyways. "And who might you be? I wasn't told to be expecting any visitors, especially not on my balcony of all places."
"I am the Deliverer! Here to deliver presents to every good Chrysos Heir!" Phainon is obviously grinning under that fake beard, it makes him want to pull on it and watch it snap back to his face. Just because.
"Then you might as well come in, I can't have the… Deliverer stand out there and get a cold," he shook his head with mock disapproval, stepping aside to allow Phainon inside. He dislikes referring to him as just "Deliverer", he hates how Phainon tries to hard to live up to the heavy expectations that come with the title, but he plays along for now.
Because he has his own trick up his sleeve. Professor Anaxa isn't the type to let his students get the upper hand, after all, no matter if they've already graduated or not.
As Phainon stepped over the threshold into his chambers, Anaxa reached a hand out to stop him, "Not so fast, Deliverer. Isn't there something you're missing?"
A little smirk grows on his face as he watches Phainon look up, right into his professor's trap. While Anaxa may not be the type to decorate for the holidays that much, he did already predict that Phainon would try something troublesome. So he hung up one solitary mistletoe, a trick of his own to counteract whatever Phainon would end up pulling.
"Oh! I see…" And it's worth it, Phainon does still get so easily flustered around him, treating every kiss and brush of hands as if it were their first.
"I refuse to kiss you through that ridiculous beard, though," Anaxa then tugged down the offending accessory, directing Phainon to lean in for a kiss, which he does, of course.
Phainon's kisses are always so soft and warm against Anaxa's, admittedly, much more dry lips.
"You can drop the act now," Anaxa murmured as he pulled away, "I would rather spend tomorrow with Phainon, not the so-called Deliverer."
"Once again, you see right through me, Professor…" Phainon let out a light laugh, rubbing the back of his neck out of habit.
"You act as though that fake beard was a particularly clever disguise… Just get in here already." Once Phainon fully stepped inside, Anaxa shut the curtains. It's much more comfortable in the low lighting, and Anaxa returns to sit on the bed, the little chimeras still snoozing comfortably together.
"Come on, it's festive…" Phainon sighed and sat with him, putting the white sack he brought with him on his own lap. "I do have gifts for you though, Professor! Here, let me just…" Phainon then began to dig through the sack, placing down some carefully wrapped, small boxes on the bed.
"So many gifts… It's as if you're trying to make me feel guilty for not getting something for you beforehand," Anaxa sat back and watched Phainon dig through the sack, pulling out a very obviously shaped present. But Anaxa won't acknowledge that it's clearly a dromas-shaped pillow, he doesn't want to spoil Phainon's fun just yet.
"Well, I know what I want for a present," Phainon smiled, poking at Anaxa's side. "But you should open yours first. I worked hard to make sure everything was ready in time."
"Of course. Never any rest for you, hmm?" Anaxa brushed Phainon's hand away gently, and then began to make his way through opening each gift Phainon had given him. He doesn't pretend to be excited or overjoyed, he trusts that Phainon can tell he appreciates such a gesture.
And it's no surprise that the things Phainon got for him are a majority dromas themed, pens and pencil toppers made to look like little dromases. Maybe to some it'd look like it's a bit much, he realistically doesn't need these little things, but in his eyes it's quite cute seeing just how many dromas things Phainon tries to get for him, including…
"Dromas chapstick? Really?" Anaxa let out a small huff, looking at Phainon. Of course, Phainon's concern for him and his health is limitless, and Anaxa can't protest too much otherwise he'd be a dirty hypocrite. Phainon has a recurring weird fixation on the thought of accidentally ripping Anaxa's lip, a weird fear that never quite goes away, even though Anaxa certainly doesn't protest the thought of having a little scar on his lip due to Phainon kissing him so hard.
"Well, your lips are always so dry… I thought it might motivate you. It's even scented." He watched Phainon point to the spot on the label that says it's scented, as if to try to prove his point.
"Very motivating… Let's see what else there is," he shook his head, opening one of the last two gifts. Saving the best for last, of course. Only because it's so obvious. He opens the gift, then immediately looks at Phainon with a deadpan expression. It's a dromas themed bath set, something that if he received from someone else, he'd find it a bit insulting, like he's being told he doesn't clean well enough. But from Phainon? He knows it's just the other being incredibly concerned for him. He can't get mad at those puppy eyes.
"Well? I got the teal ones since it, well, matches everything else that you have. If you don't like it, I can return it and…"
He sees Phainon's hands fiddle together, how cute. As Phainon speaks, Anaxa opens the chapstick he was given, and the sight of him applying it is what interrupts Phainon.
"You're right. I don't like it," he brushed the gifts off his bed and back into the sack, leaning close to Phainon. "I, infact, love it."
Anaxa pulls Phainon in for another kiss, making sure to get some of the chapstick on Phainon's mouth. He doesn't have any cute trinkets or items to give to Phainon, but he does have something better:
Himself.
"Now come unwrap your present, Deliverer," he leans back against the bed, undoing the first button of his onesie.
Okay, sure, a dromas onesie isn't the sexiest thing in the world, but…
That doesn't stop Phainon from absolutely pouncing on the man that was once his professor and eagerly unwrapping his present.