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Kurama had been in the human world long enough to see multiple Christmases. The brightly colored string lights and extravagantly priced seasonal decorations had puzzled him at first, but he’d gotten the hang of it over the years. He’d even done a few special concerts lately featuring the most popular Christmas songs, which were mostly, if not all, in English.
He didn’t celebrate it personally, however. From what he’d gathered, it was supposed to be shared between lovers and families, and he just, quite frankly, didn’t have any. He’d see couples walking in the snow, sharing puffs of breath as they laughed, or he’d pass by an ad in the window of a storefront featuring a joyful family, and he’d feel a strange emotion constrict his chest. It wasn’t quite jealousy, and definitely not resentment—truly, he was happy for those people. He supposed he was just grieving something he didn’t have, and had, honestly, never had.
This sentiment was how he had rationalized the utter giddiness he’d felt when he’d received an invitation from Nanami to come to a Christmas party at the Mikage Shrine. He’d stared at the letter for a solid five minutes, eyes wide with realization. He hadn’t really thought about it before, but the relationship he’d developed with Nanami, and in turn her familiars, was something akin to familial, if not, at least friendship. Especially with the snake.
Now, he stood just outside the gate to the shrine. The gate, as well as the surrounding trees and the outside of the shrine itself, were decorated with string lights, emitting a colorful glow onto everything they could reach. Red velvet bows had been placed on every pillar and beam, and the door was hung with a wreath. Candles were lit in the windows, and from the gold light coming from inside the shrine, he could tell there were many more. The entire thing made Kurama feel some sort of warmth, even in the frigid weather.
When he knocked on the door, it was immediately opened, and he had to step back in order to not be hit by it. The shrine spirits jumped excitedly, and even behind their masks, he could tell they were grinning.
“Kurama’s here!” They called in unison.
Kotetsu opened the door wider and motioned for him to come in. When Kurama did, it was like he had stepped into a cloud of warmth. Onikiri took his coat for him while he looked around.
There weren’t many others there, but the ones that were here were certainly important. There were gods scattered throughout the room, most of whom he’d never met, and familiars bustled around, helping with the food and cleanliness. The loudest one, a redheaded god who was dressed in a festive outfit that would be considered obscene had it not been for his status, was laughing obnoxiously as he handed a cup of sake to a much quieter god. Actually, Kurama wasn’t sure if that one was a god—he looked far more casual and mysterious than anyone else here, but if he’d been invited to this party, he must have meant something to Nanami.
Onokiri tapped on his sleeve to get his attention. “Lady Nanami and her familiars are right down that hallway, through the door to the left.”
Kurama nodded and followed their directions, grateful to be away from the annoying gods. When he pushed open the door, Nanami was already smiling at him. The fox was feeding the fire in the fireplace, and he glared at Kurama as he entered. Mizuki was counting the gifts under a small yet heavily ornamented tree.
Kurama sat down beside Nanami. “Nanami, you really outdid yourself with this party, I must say.” He smirked charmingly at her, and he could see Tomoe snarling in anger in his peripheral.
“Aw, thank you, Kurama! I was really hoping—” Nanami was interrupted by Tomoe shoving Kurama to the side so he could sit in between them. She scolded the fox immediately, and his ears drooped the longer it went on.
Kurama chuckled in satisfaction. He felt shuffling on his right side, and he looked over just as he was tackled with a hug from the snake.
“Kurama! I haven’t seen you in so long!” Mizuki exclaimed dramatically.
He was right. The last time they’d truly talked was when he’d found Mizuki wandering about the city and invited him to a wrap party. He hadn’t seen him leave, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t stay afterward for a few minutes trying to find him.
“You’re crushing me,” was what he chose to say, attempting to look annoyed despite the affection blooming in his chest.
Mizuki eventually got off of him, but he stayed leaning against Kurama as the night progressed. Kurama would say he didn’t mind had his heart not been hammering all the while, which was most definitely felt by the snake.
Kurama entertained himself by flustering Nanami, and in turn baiting the fox. It seemed Tomoe’s anger was already bursting at the seams when it was finally time to open the gifts.
He didn’t pay much attention to it, in all honesty, since he didn’t know most of the people there. When the gods from the other rooms started filing into this one to watch, he didn’t stick around long enough to get suffocated by the crowd.
Kurama escaped to the beverage and snack table. He wasn’t feeling the sake, so he took the last cookie from the tray. It was halfway to his mouth when he felt pleading eyes boring into him, and he glanced to the side to see Mizuki standing a few inches away, staring at him.
“…Do you want it?” He finally asked after a short staring contest.
Mizuki’s face lit up. “Are you sure?” he asked, even as Kurama handed it to him.
He waved off the concern. “I’m not that hungry anyway.”
The familiar downed the cookie in one bite, humming a thanks. Then, he gently grabbed Kurama’s wrist and led him to another room with a porch entrance.
The freezing air stung his face, but he was so distracted by Mizuki twining their fingers together that he barely noticed it. The snake’s hand was abnormally cold, and Kurama instinctively held it tighter. Mizuki blinked up at him, his white eyelashes fluttering.
“Snakes are cold-blooded,” he murmured, seemingly reading his mind. He pressed against Kurama’s side, and this time, Kurama gave him no unpleasant look.
They stood there together in silence for a long time, listening as the wind rushed through the branches of the trees. Then, Mizuki spoke again. “Why’d you leave?”
Kurama huffed. “Too many people. I didn’t want to actually get crushed.”
The snake nuzzled his cheek into Kurama’s shoulder, and Kurama hoped Mizuki didn’t look up and see the red dusting his cheeks. “I thought you liked crowds. The humans are always gathering around you, so…”
Kurama shrugged, cupping Mizuki’s hand between his own two in hopes of warming him up. “I do. Well, I do when the crowd likes me.” He furrowed his brow, suddenly worried he might be revealing too much.
Mizuki met his eyes, silently encouraging him to go on. He looked genuinely interested.
“Those gods in there, they’re much more important than I am, y’know? I mean, if my own kind doesn’t even like me, why would they?” By now Kurama’s voice had quieted to a mutter, and he was more so talking to himself than the familiar.
He glanced down at Mizuki. The snake was practically hugging him now, his face buried in Kurama’s chest. After a long moment, he lifted his head to speak.
“You shouldn’t internalize what others think of you. That’s what Lady Nanami told me.” He said this matter-of-factly. Then, his tone became softer, more genuine. “Besides, you don’t know them, and you don’t care enough about them to dislike them. So why would they care enough to dislike you?”
Kurama stared at him, perhaps for an unnecessary amount of time. There weren’t any Christmas lights on this side of the shrine, so the moonlight could illuminate Mizuki’s pale face without interruption. His eyes were deep pools of green, more beautiful than any gemstone, and his eyelashes cast across them like dashes of snow over the leaves of a spruce tree. Their faces were close together, only a few inches apart. He could feel the urge to lean in, to finally…
“What on earth are you doing out here?” Tomoe’s sharp voice cut through the moment, and Kurama sighed as he turned to glare at him.
The fox yokai looked them up and down, not caring to hide his judgement. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Lady Nanami was wondering where you two had run off to. I suggest you finish whatever…this is, and see to her before I burn you to a crisp.”
The fox left as quickly as he’d arrived, going back to the festivities. Kurama pulled away from Mizuki, afraid that if he looked at him again, he might not be able to leave. He got to the doorway when he felt a hand on his sleeve.
“Kurama, wait,” Mizuki said softly, joining him in the doorway. He glanced at the floor. “I…I’m glad we can talk like that. You mean very much to me, and I would be sad if you didn’t feel comfortable enough to discuss those things with me.”
Kurama was surprised at the confession, his face heating up. He turned, about to respond, when the top of his head brushed against something. He looked up, and hanging in the center of the doorway was a small cluster of mistletoe.
“Mistletoe?” he muttered, and gazed down at Mizuki. They seemed to realize it at the same time, and if his cheeks had not already been red, they were certainly burning now.
“Lady Nanami told me what it means when she was hanging it,” Mizuki whispered, his eyes wide as he looked at Kurama hesitantly.
Kurama glanced at the party further into the shrine. Surely Nanami could wait a few moments.
He reached out and held Mizuki’s cheek gently, pulling their faces closer. “Can I…” he trailed off.
Mizuki smiled, and before Kurama could do it himself, he closed the distance between them. The snake’s lips were infinitely soft, and Kurama could have spent forever doing this. It didn’t go deeper than lip contact, but it still caused his blood to run with adrenaline.
When he pulled back, he noticed that some of his lipstick had rubbed onto Mizuki’s face, and he wiped it off with a swipe of his thumb. Mizuki looked dazed, his hands gripping Kurama’s jacket as if he never wanted to let go. Kurama would have let him.
Eventually, they managed to find their way back to the party room. It was much later by then, and most everyone had left already besides the shrine’s god herself and the two gods he’d noticed when he’d first entered. Kurama was now in such a good mood that he helped Tomoe with keeping the fire going. The fox looked at him like he was crazy.
It was late at night, and the weather outside was cold and harsh. But inside the shrine, Kurama sat with a snake curled up against his side, basking in the warmth of the fire. If anyone else noticed the change in him, they didn’t comment.
Kurama smiled at Mizuki, who was fast asleep. Perhaps he would have someone to share this Christmas with after all.