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Chris released a sigh as he straightened up and felt his back crack, looking down at the box he just carried up from the basement. He looked to his left and saw Eijun setting down a box right beside his own, before looking to see a bright smile gracing Eijun's lips.
Chris returned the smile as he set his hands on his hips. “I swear this box gets heavier each year.”
“I don’t think so~.” Eijun covered his snicker behind his hand as he moved to kneel down by the box Chris had carried up. He opened it up and saw an array of colourful globes that he has purchased over the years.
“You sure?” Chris smirked as he too looked at the contents in the box. “Because last time I checked, you by a different set of ornaments each year.”
“I can’t help it! I like to do a theme for our Christmas tree.” Eijun smiled as he looked up at his husband with a cheeky grin.
“Yes, how could I forget...” Chris chuckled. “Our first Christmas here, you did an all-white theme because of Yukino.”
“She was such a cute puppy!” Eijun laughed as he looked over towards their samoyed who was laying on her bed and chewing on a toy baseball. “My precious little snowball~! It was such a perfect idea and looked good with the contrast of our green tree.”
“I’m not arguing against it.” Chris shrugged. “But the next year was a bit…on the nose, don’t you think?”
“Nothing was wrong with a Yakult Swallows theme Christmas tree.” Eijun protested.
“Yeah, not until you invite our friends over for a holiday party. Who just so happen to be a part of other teams we compete against.” Chris stated.
Eijun turned away and moved back to the box he carried up. “It’s off-season. There is no competition between us then and it was just good fun. Though that damn Miyuki Kazuya teased me on my decorating choices!”
“Nothing new there.” Chris said and watched as Eijun pouted before moving to help him unpack their Christmas tree, and organize the sections so they can start putting them together. “Last year was a yellow theme, which kinda gave more spring vibes rather then Christmas.”
“It looked like a sunflower. I thought it was nice.” Eijun said before he saw their dog rush towards one of the bundles of branches. “Ah. Yukino! No, girl. It’s not a toy. Sit, Yukino.”
Yukino halted in her approach right in front of the tree’s branches and planted her bum on the ground.
“Good girl.” Eijun sighed in relief as Chris laughed fondly while giving Yukino a rub behind her ears.
“Come on, Yukino. You can play outside until we finished.” Chris said as he walked over to the back sliding doors and opened it up for the samoyed who bounded outside, excitedly.
“You know she is going to be soaking wet when she gets back inside.” Eijun pointed out as he looked at the snowfall and the snow that was already on the ground.
“It was your idea to get a dog.” Was Chris’s comeback.
“You love her just as much as I do.” Eijun retorted.
“So, what was the issue again~?”
“I….”
“That’s what I thought.” Chris smirked as grabbed the main frame’s pole of the tree to put on its stand. When he finished with that he grabbed the largest bundle of branches and started taking off the rubber bands which had been keeping them together.
Eijun came to help him and they work their way from the bottom up of the 8ft tree, Chris even had to use a small stepping stool to get the top done. When he stepped down, he turned to see the arrangement of ornaments Eijun has chosen for this year.
“….Wow.”
“I know.” Eijun smirked as he looked at his pick of colourful globes. “I thought I would switch it up this year!”
“By choosing normal Christmas colours?!” Chris laughed as he looked at the arrangement of red, green, and silver ornaments.
Some were a plain design, others were covered in sparkles or glitter -either way, they will be dealing with that annoying stuff being everywhere until they take down the tree-. There were ones of different shapes, crystal ornaments of stars, icicles, and small angels.
There was even tinsel of each colour as well, and the wheel of white -cool tone- lights which Eijun had pulled out. Though it was thanks to Chris that they were not as tangled as the previous years when Eijun had just shoved the lights back in the box.
“Let’s get to it, Yuu. Or else we are going to be here all day.” Eijun beamed as he started handing over the wheel of lights. “I’ll take one side and you can just pass them around.”
“Sure thing.” Chris nodded and they proceeded to wrap the lights around the tree, starting from the top and going down in a spiral moment. After that was done, Eijun shooed Chris away as he had an idea of what he wanted to do with the tinsel.
So Chris decided to go to the kitchen and focused on making them some hot chocolate, which he topped off with some whipped cream and peppermint shavings. When he came back to the living room, he was welcomed with the sight of the red and silver tinsel intertwined and wrapped around the tree. Seemingly looking like a candy cane.
“Nice job, it looks good.” Chris said as he handed over a mug towards Eijun who grinned as he appreciated his hard work.
“Thanks! But it’s not done yet.” Eijun said before taking a sip of his hot chocolate and blissed out at the taste.
Chris looked at him and saw that Eijun had a white mustache from the whipped cream, the sight warmed his heart as much as the hot chocolate warmed his body. He brought a hand up and watched as Eijun leaned into his touch and closed his eyes.
Chris’s thumb brushed against his upper lip briefly before wiping the remaining whipped cream that his spouse had not licked off. He moved his hand up to his own mouth and licked the cream from the digit, all while keeping eye contact with Eijun.
The tips of Eijun’s ears took a reddish hue as a pink dusted his cheek and Chris had to hold back a shit-eating grin as the thought of him still being able to make his husband blush like this came to mind.
Eijun broke eye contact first and muttered something incoherent into the rim of his mug before chugging the rest of his hot chocolate and then setting it down on the small table near the tree.
“I-I’ll start first!” He said immediately after and began placing ornaments on the branches of the tree, all while trying to hide his very much prominent blush.
Chris chuckled into his mug as he slowly drank its contents and paid a glance into the backyard to see Yukino jumping up and down, nipping at the falling snowflakes around her.
He soon finished his hot chocolate as well and joined Eijun in covering every possible inch of the tree with ornaments. Even the portion that would go unseen, as it was going to be hidden from view once the tree gets pushed back further into the corner of the living room.
Once they were done, they took a step back to admire the work done before Eijun turned to him and grinned before taking out the decorations that would be going around their living spaces.
Red and green scented candles, smelling like apple cider and pine tree/Everest respectively. Tinsel garlands were wrapped around the counter's edges, and they just hoped that Yukino would not rip them down within a week.
Eijun’s mom gifted them a weaved basket last year, and Eijun decided to fill it with some of the themed ornaments that could not fit on the tree. He placed snowflake stickers along the top cabinets of the kitchen, some on the walls, and the floor-to-ceiling windows that separated the living room from the backyard.
Eijun let out a giggle when he saw Yukino doing zoomies around the expanse of backward, just a blur of white against white. He was surprised he was able to see her at all.
Chris changed the throw pillows on the couch to some red ones his father had gifted them as a housewarming gift because Jorge proclaimed that the house needed a more pop of colour. Much to Chris’s dismay, though Eijun was all for it.
Not that Chris was against colour, he just preferred monochromes and neutral tones. If he were to get all sentimental and sappy about it, he could say the only colour necessary in his life is his sunshine husband.
But back to the pillows, they had some smaller white fluffy ones to go with the red ones and they definitely made the plain grey couch look a lot better. “Festive” even, especially when he paid a glance over his shoulder and saw Eijun hanging theirs and Yukino’s stockings along the fireplace.
Looking around the area, you could really begin to see the Christmas coming to life. All that was missing would be the Christmas presents under the tree, but Eijun was always too curious for Chris to ever put anything there until Christmas Eve at the earliest.
Eijun preferred to have a little more fun when it comes to presents. It mostly depends on when they put up the tree but if it is before December, then he will do 24 Christmas presents. One present will go under the tree each day.
If the tree goes up during the month, then he will stick to 12 days. If there is more presents, then he will just place the rest underneath the tree in the middle of the night of Christmas Eve, despite Chris calling him out on it.
“Yuu.”
Chris snaps out of his reminiscing and turns to Eijun before responding. “Yeah?”
“Can you push the tree back now? I think we’ve done everything.” Eijun said, proud of the work he has done with decorating the house.
“I can hear Miyuki now. ‘Walking in a winter wonderland~’.” Chris singsonged with a smirk as he walks over to the tree.
Eijun rolls his eyes. “He needs more spirit in his life. He should be happy that our annual Christmas party gives him a chance to be merry and bright.”
“He’s never been the ‘merry and bright’ type, and hasn’t been for the last two years we’ve had this party. So, I don’t think he’ll start now.”
“I’ll convince him.”
“I….and everyone else for that matter would like to see you try~.”
“Mark my words! This Takigawa Eijun will make The Miyuki Kazuya a joyous, festive, jolly soul!”
Chris laughed as he kneeled down and reached under the lower branches to get his hand around the mainframe of the tree. “The only way that’s happening is if you spike his eggnog.”
“You’re reading my mind.” Eijun’s grin twisted in a mischievous manner. “Mochi and I have been planning-”
“Well, that’s never good.”
“Hey! Mochi and I have great ideas!”
“I’m sure. Just, try not to explode any kitchens….again.”
“It was one time.” Eijun muttered under his breath before blowing out a puff of air and walking back to the box of decorations.
Chris chuckled before setting his attention back to the tree, slightly lifting it so the legs would not scrape the hardwood floors, and moved it back into its spot in the corner for the next month. Or whenever they get to take it down, which always seems to be a longer process than putting up all the decorations.
Chris moved to grab the cord of the light and plugged it into the outlet, making the lights turn on and cementing the fact that the tree was finally done.
“Oh! Yuu, we miss one more thing!” Eijun called out.
“What could we have possibly missed?” Chris laughed softly as he stood up and faced his husband before his eyes widen slightly at the thing held just above him.
“A kiss under the mistletoe!” Eijun beamed as he waves the small plant above them.
Chris looks at Eijun with a fond expression before moving a hand up to cup Eijun’s cheek. He began to lean in and Eijun met him in the middle for a soft and warm kiss.
Eijun brought the arm that he was using to hold the mistletoe over their heads down and instead moved them to drop over Chris’s shoulders and then around his neck. One of his hands went upwards and began playing with the small hairs on the back of Chris’s neck.
His husband groaned while his own hands moved to wrap around Eijun’s waist and drew him flush against him before deepening their kiss.
Chris loves chocolate and at this moment, he was getting that and more. As Eijun granted him entrance without fuss, Chris could taste the lingering hot chocolate and peppermint on the younger’s tongue.
It was not until a few moments after, that the taste became so intoxicating that Chris started to suck on Eijun’s tongue. Which caused Eijun to whimper as a shiver ran up his spine from the feeling, and it did not help the goosebumps he was feeling from one of Chris’s hands which had slipped underneath his sweater and was now rubbing up and down his back was getting to him too.
“Yuu…” Eijun moaned, his knees wobbling from the sensation but he still moved to chase after Chris when the older pulled back.
Chris had to hold back a smirk seeing Eijun’s red-tinted cheeks up close, and his slightly swollen lips were only an added bonus.
But the entrancing moment did not last long when they both jumped at a sound coming from outside. They turned to see Yukino with a huge smile on her face standing on her hind legs with her front paws resting against the window.
“I guess she’s ready to come inside.” Eijun chuckled while Chris turned to look back at him. Eijun planted another kiss on Chris’s lips before pulling away with a smile and leaving a promise. “Later.”
“Later.” Chris agreed though it sounded like a growl of sorts before he released a long sigh and turned to look back at their samoyed who was happily pawing at the window, tail wagging enthusiastically. “I’ll get the towels.”
“I’ll get the pet dryer.” Eijun laughed.