Welcome Home - December
For kitty-chama. Merry Christmas! :D
Series: Welcome Home
Month: December
Title: Idiot, It’s Cold Outside
Note: Written for part of the “Fai and Kurogane’s first full year in Nihon, post-series” series of ficlet that kitty-chama and I are working on. This is a mirror/remix of her Rebirth: December ficlet (written in Fai’s POV), which could be found here. A sub disclaimer - there's one lengthy quote from Fai in here that is exact verbatim of what she wrote in hers fill. Her words, not mine. Once again I went with an unconventional POV - this time, second person POV since it begged to be used.
You really been grand
(I thrill when you touch my hand)
But don’t you see
(How can you do this thing to me?)
There’s bound to be talk tomorrow
(Think of my life long sorrow)
At least there will be plenty implied
(If you caught pneumonia and died)
- “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” - Chris Colfer & Darren Criss
It’s winter and that means anticipating the cold air and fortifying the place with warmer insulation as well as keeping the fire well stoked. Any responsible and sensible person such as you would make sure to keep his domain hospitable and protected from the frosty weather. Today happens to be the first snowfall of the season, and with the sudden and expected dip in the temperature you immediately layer the pit with piles of chopped firewood and set them on fire. The embers turn bright red and eventually blazing white, sustaining the flames that soon warm up the entire room. Your hands hover over the emanating heat and it instantly warms them up. Satisfied you retreat back and expect any minute that your beloved will come running in the room and gush over your, supposedly, hard labor when in fact it really isn’t much. But then again, Fai was born and cultured in two worlds where snow and ice were the dominating elements so you wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t head over immediately and feel immensely grateful for the warmth provided by the fire pit.
Speaking of the oni, where is he?
Shaking your head, you fasten on a thick robe and head back into the halls, calling out for him. However, the surrounding area is met with silence as there is no response. No, “hai!” or “coming, Kuro-sama!” or even “now don’t be an impatient grouch~”; just the echoes of your deep voice bouncing around the manor. Baffled, your pace quickens down the hall, and there are still no traces of the blond lounging around in any other rooms. There’s a hitch in your breath when you realize that Fai must be outside in the frigid weather. Idiot. For gods sake he better not be poorly clothed. Nevertheless you grab a spare blanket from a stash and hurry to the garden where snow has already accumulated significantly on the icy grounds.
Fai’s there, standing close to the tall garden wall with his back facing you, and just as you suspected, his clothing is thin. He isn’t wearing a thick robe or even shoes, and already so many snowflakes had landed softly on his hair that looks so pale in this wintry backdrop. He doesn’t seem to hear or even notice you from far away as his pale fingers start to slowly trace the cold stone. Immediately your chest tightens, and it isn’t only because the air is so cold that it constricts your air pipes. Horrible images start to flash in the back of your head of the mage’s memories. Memories of a boy who was barefoot and wearing thin clothing and was frozen in time, scaling up the tall tower’s cold stone with bloodied and bruised fingers in hopes of freeing his twin brother so they could escape - but escape together they never did.
Is that what Fai’s doing? Is that why he is out there in the cold snow, nearly in the same conditions as when he was a child, in order to relive the painful memories of being punished for his very own existence? Something tells you that there may be more to why your beloved is doing this to himself, and it isn’t until your numb head thinks about it that you realize that you should have went to throw the blanket over your idiot as soon as you had stepped outside of the manor, away from the warm and inviting fire. Silently cursing, you trudge your way through the snow to meet up with him.
Why are you-
It’s okay, you’re no longer there…I’m here -
“The hell you’re doing out here?” are the indignant words that tumble out of your mouth as you thrust the woolen blanket over Fai’s shoulders, arms wrapping around him as well. Perked, the blond finally turns around and throws himself against your chest, burying frozen hands on the sensitive spot under your throat. It stings and you flinch. By the gods Fai is freezing, and you won’t have a peace of mind until you drag the idiot back inside the manor where the fire and warm bed are waiting, but as much as you try to tug him back inside, he digs his heels in the snow and presses his palm on your chest.
“Kuro-sama…”
The soft tone in his voice makes you stop, and you finally gaze down to see placid blue eyes looking back. Fai wants to talk to you, obviously, about whatever it is on his mind and why the hell he’s out here in the first place, and you’re willing to be there for him because he’s asking for it.
“What were you doing?” you ask again. Fai then smiles, a gentle and sweet one, and cold fingers brush over your jawline. You know he’s doing this to let you know that he’s still here and that maybe you don’t have to be as worried and alarmed as you initially were, but still you want to chase that coldness and pain away, so you bring up a hand to cover his.
“I was making new memories,” he finally answers.
“Che, c-cold must be getting to you,” you retort. It’s certainly getting to you, but since Fai isn’t ready to leave yet, you refuse to leave him out here freezing alone. “Memories of freezing are still memories of freezing, idiot. Besides, I’d rather we make memories of keeping each other warm in bed.”
Fai shakes his head. “No, not that.” He then scuffs his bare foot against yours, and when you feel sudden cold shock you then realize that you too had ran out into the garden carelessly without putting on any shoes. The knowledge that you and he are barefooted together is oddly amusing.
“Memories of being warmed,” he explains. “I know what it is to starve; now I know what it is to enjoy the ache of being hungry when I know I'll be fed. I know what it is to be lonely; now I know what it is to enjoy a moment of solitude because I know you'll come and find me. Snow is beautiful again because I know spring is coming, and the cold is delightful because I know you'll warm me."
Of course, you finally register, and immediately you pull him tighter into a warm and loving embrace. If he wants warmth, hell you’ll give him warmth. Fai wasn’t dwelling in his past in a self-destructive way, nor was he trying to completely let go of it. What happened in the past, happened, but they could never truly go away. Yet new memories, new associations can be brought upon here in the winter. And no one understands him better than you because something like this happened to you in the beginning of autumn when you finally returned to Suwa and decided to restore it, and even Fai had wholeheartedly agreed to become the head priest. Because this - you mull over as you tip his head back to capture his mouth in yours at last, rekindling warmth against his soft lips - means that from this day to the rest of your lives together you will form new memories with him, just as you stated on yours and his wedding night. Nothing could make you happier than this.
“Come back inside with me now, Yuui,” you finally urge the other, flushed, but with warmth and affection. You kiss him again and he smiles into it, murmuring yeses happily before you hurry him off back into the manor where the fire and warm bed are waiting for the two of you. Under the cozy, warm sheets your lips deliver a multitude of kisses, making sure to cover each and every inch of his flushed body. He holds onto you, smiling and even laughing, and it thrills you because never have you wanted to indulge him as much as you are now.
Later that night, as snow continues to fall and the fire starts dying down, Fai snuggles against your body for warmth and you hold him, skin against skin and feet laced around each other, and this is honestly something you will never get tired of.
Series: Welcome Home
Month: December
Title: Idiot, It’s Cold Outside
Note: Written for part of the “Fai and Kurogane’s first full year in Nihon, post-series” series of ficlet that kitty-chama and I are working on. This is a mirror/remix of her Rebirth: December ficlet (written in Fai’s POV), which could be found here. A sub disclaimer - there's one lengthy quote from Fai in here that is exact verbatim of what she wrote in hers fill. Her words, not mine. Once again I went with an unconventional POV - this time, second person POV since it begged to be used.
You really been grand
(I thrill when you touch my hand)
But don’t you see
(How can you do this thing to me?)
There’s bound to be talk tomorrow
(Think of my life long sorrow)
At least there will be plenty implied
(If you caught pneumonia and died)
- “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” - Chris Colfer & Darren Criss
It’s winter and that means anticipating the cold air and fortifying the place with warmer insulation as well as keeping the fire well stoked. Any responsible and sensible person such as you would make sure to keep his domain hospitable and protected from the frosty weather. Today happens to be the first snowfall of the season, and with the sudden and expected dip in the temperature you immediately layer the pit with piles of chopped firewood and set them on fire. The embers turn bright red and eventually blazing white, sustaining the flames that soon warm up the entire room. Your hands hover over the emanating heat and it instantly warms them up. Satisfied you retreat back and expect any minute that your beloved will come running in the room and gush over your, supposedly, hard labor when in fact it really isn’t much. But then again, Fai was born and cultured in two worlds where snow and ice were the dominating elements so you wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t head over immediately and feel immensely grateful for the warmth provided by the fire pit.
Speaking of the oni, where is he?
Shaking your head, you fasten on a thick robe and head back into the halls, calling out for him. However, the surrounding area is met with silence as there is no response. No, “hai!” or “coming, Kuro-sama!” or even “now don’t be an impatient grouch~”; just the echoes of your deep voice bouncing around the manor. Baffled, your pace quickens down the hall, and there are still no traces of the blond lounging around in any other rooms. There’s a hitch in your breath when you realize that Fai must be outside in the frigid weather. Idiot. For gods sake he better not be poorly clothed. Nevertheless you grab a spare blanket from a stash and hurry to the garden where snow has already accumulated significantly on the icy grounds.
Fai’s there, standing close to the tall garden wall with his back facing you, and just as you suspected, his clothing is thin. He isn’t wearing a thick robe or even shoes, and already so many snowflakes had landed softly on his hair that looks so pale in this wintry backdrop. He doesn’t seem to hear or even notice you from far away as his pale fingers start to slowly trace the cold stone. Immediately your chest tightens, and it isn’t only because the air is so cold that it constricts your air pipes. Horrible images start to flash in the back of your head of the mage’s memories. Memories of a boy who was barefoot and wearing thin clothing and was frozen in time, scaling up the tall tower’s cold stone with bloodied and bruised fingers in hopes of freeing his twin brother so they could escape - but escape together they never did.
Is that what Fai’s doing? Is that why he is out there in the cold snow, nearly in the same conditions as when he was a child, in order to relive the painful memories of being punished for his very own existence? Something tells you that there may be more to why your beloved is doing this to himself, and it isn’t until your numb head thinks about it that you realize that you should have went to throw the blanket over your idiot as soon as you had stepped outside of the manor, away from the warm and inviting fire. Silently cursing, you trudge your way through the snow to meet up with him.
Why are you-
It’s okay, you’re no longer there…I’m here -
“The hell you’re doing out here?” are the indignant words that tumble out of your mouth as you thrust the woolen blanket over Fai’s shoulders, arms wrapping around him as well. Perked, the blond finally turns around and throws himself against your chest, burying frozen hands on the sensitive spot under your throat. It stings and you flinch. By the gods Fai is freezing, and you won’t have a peace of mind until you drag the idiot back inside the manor where the fire and warm bed are waiting, but as much as you try to tug him back inside, he digs his heels in the snow and presses his palm on your chest.
“Kuro-sama…”
The soft tone in his voice makes you stop, and you finally gaze down to see placid blue eyes looking back. Fai wants to talk to you, obviously, about whatever it is on his mind and why the hell he’s out here in the first place, and you’re willing to be there for him because he’s asking for it.
“What were you doing?” you ask again. Fai then smiles, a gentle and sweet one, and cold fingers brush over your jawline. You know he’s doing this to let you know that he’s still here and that maybe you don’t have to be as worried and alarmed as you initially were, but still you want to chase that coldness and pain away, so you bring up a hand to cover his.
“I was making new memories,” he finally answers.
“Che, c-cold must be getting to you,” you retort. It’s certainly getting to you, but since Fai isn’t ready to leave yet, you refuse to leave him out here freezing alone. “Memories of freezing are still memories of freezing, idiot. Besides, I’d rather we make memories of keeping each other warm in bed.”
Fai shakes his head. “No, not that.” He then scuffs his bare foot against yours, and when you feel sudden cold shock you then realize that you too had ran out into the garden carelessly without putting on any shoes. The knowledge that you and he are barefooted together is oddly amusing.
“Memories of being warmed,” he explains. “I know what it is to starve; now I know what it is to enjoy the ache of being hungry when I know I'll be fed. I know what it is to be lonely; now I know what it is to enjoy a moment of solitude because I know you'll come and find me. Snow is beautiful again because I know spring is coming, and the cold is delightful because I know you'll warm me."
Of course, you finally register, and immediately you pull him tighter into a warm and loving embrace. If he wants warmth, hell you’ll give him warmth. Fai wasn’t dwelling in his past in a self-destructive way, nor was he trying to completely let go of it. What happened in the past, happened, but they could never truly go away. Yet new memories, new associations can be brought upon here in the winter. And no one understands him better than you because something like this happened to you in the beginning of autumn when you finally returned to Suwa and decided to restore it, and even Fai had wholeheartedly agreed to become the head priest. Because this - you mull over as you tip his head back to capture his mouth in yours at last, rekindling warmth against his soft lips - means that from this day to the rest of your lives together you will form new memories with him, just as you stated on yours and his wedding night. Nothing could make you happier than this.
“Come back inside with me now, Yuui,” you finally urge the other, flushed, but with warmth and affection. You kiss him again and he smiles into it, murmuring yeses happily before you hurry him off back into the manor where the fire and warm bed are waiting for the two of you. Under the cozy, warm sheets your lips deliver a multitude of kisses, making sure to cover each and every inch of his flushed body. He holds onto you, smiling and even laughing, and it thrills you because never have you wanted to indulge him as much as you are now.
Later that night, as snow continues to fall and the fire starts dying down, Fai snuggles against your body for warmth and you hold him, skin against skin and feet laced around each other, and this is honestly something you will never get tired of.