Ficcikirjasto

Ship: Subaru x reader
Summary: There wasn’t even a hint of Christmas in the Sakamaki mansion when you looked out from the living room window on Christmas Eve. The night was just one among others, until someone literally teared you out of the house. Translation of Joulu tässä ja nyt.

This fanfic is written as a gift to Rabu via OtomeFI's Secret Santa.

Nothing Else Mattered

Christmas Eve wrapped up with darkness as the snow danced silently down from the sky. The familiars had already shoveled the drifts of snow from mansion's garden during the day. You glanced back at the living room, which held no hint of Christmas. No tree, no gifts, nothing. As if the evening had been just one among others.

A sigh escaped from your lips before you could stop yourself. You should have seen this coming. You should have known. What were you expecting? A Christmas tea party hosted by Reiji? Triplets in elven cloaks? You shook your head. None of that was going to happen. If you hadn't been upset, the absurdity of the idea might even have made you laugh.

There was a clatter from somewhere, followed by a hysterical roar. You sighed again. Just one night among others.

"Che... why are you standing there?"

You flinched when the voice came from behind your back. You turned around only to meet a sharp red gaze staring from behind blonde hair. The gaze met your eyes briefly but almost immediately averted. There was a glimpse of something you couldn't quite put your finger on it. You shook your head.

"Not for any particular reason, Subaru," you replied. There was no point to bring up Christmas, but your thoughts were inevitably diverted to the tiny box you had stashed in your room in advance. Hit or miss, you were going to give it to him the next morning.

"...do you’ve to... make this..."

"Excuse me?"

"Che... you wanted... Shit!"

Subaru's cold fingers wrapped around your wrist as he tugged you along. You barely had time to shove your shoes into your feet in the entrance hall and grab your jacket from the hanger before he was already dragging you out of the mansion and straight into the street. You stumbled as you tried to keep up with him while tugging on your coat to keep the winter air from blowing right through your sweater.

"Subaru... Hey, Subaru, slow down!"

"What...? Oh..."

Subaru turned to look at you. You had managed to put on only one of the sleeves of your jacket, and your breath steamed into the air, forming a thin cloud of mist between you two. Subaru's grip released your wrist, and you finally managed to get the jacket all the way on you. You quickly zipped it up, already knowing there was no point in trying to go back. Not now, when Subaru was in such a foul mood... whatever had caused it this time. Maybe Ayato had said something. Maybe Kanato's screaming had pushed his buttons, who knew.

Subaru shoved his hands into the pockets of his own jacket and continued walking after you had properly dressed. With the jacket on, the light frosty air actually felt more pleasant, even though it pinched your cheeks and made the snow on the pavement crunch with your footsteps as you set off to follow Subaru again. This time at a more humane pace.

"Well... where are we going?" you asked.

Subaru gave you a quick glance but immediately turned his gaze back ahead. Small red spots began to appear on his cheeks as if they were pricked by frost, but you strongly suspected that the cold weather had little effect on the vampires.  

"...oesn't matter..."

You sighed, a cloud of breath wiping your face damply. Maybe walking in the light snowfall beat huddling in the mansion, anyway. Without speaking a word, you two wandered side by side in the dim light of the streetlamps, and you let your gaze drift stealthily to Subaru. The shoulders of his jacket were white from snowflakes and the blush never left his cheeks. His hands were still stuffed deep into his pockets, his posture stiff and a little stooped. You followed him from the road to the narrower alley without complaint. Actually, an evening walk together in the light frost wasn't a bad idea at all.

Suddenly, Subaru stopped. You stood beside him and forced yourself to take your eyes off his hair, which was being tousled by the light night wind. The colorful lights caught your eyes for a moment. A huge fir stood in the middle of the marketplace, reaching for the dark, night sky and competing with the stars with its twinkling lights. You couldn't help the gasp that escaped your mouth as you stared at the view.

"...you said... that really stupid thing ‘bout Christmas lights... so..."

"It's lovely, Subaru!" you exclaimed, slapping your hands together. You raised them and pressed your fingers to the front of your mouth, lest you giggle more. Subaru had listened to you after all, when you had talked a few weeks ago about how much you wanted to celebrate Christmas a little, and at least go see the Christmas lights in the city. You remembered that Subaru hadn't said anything at the time, just snorted at your pointless blather, but...

"Thank you..." you whispered and turned to look at Subaru again.

His red eyes strayed to the side; hands jerked out of pockets. The spots on Subaru's cheeks had grown larger, as if he were hot, though that was completely impossible in this weather.

"Hpmh, who... needs thanks from you," he grumbled, stepping closer. You heard the snow creaking at the same moment that his manly, slightly musky scent was already lingering around you, and you could smell a hint of rose in it. You smiled as the faint scent reached your nose.

"Well, I'll say anyway. Thank you! I really appreciate it!"

"Che...!"

Subaru's all-pervasive intense gaze swept over you but quickly flicked upwards. Instinctively, you followed it with yours and gasped again as you saw the green branches hanging over the narrow alley and the white berries dotting directly above you. They swayed slowly back and forth in the night wind in an almost hypnotic way.

"Are those -"

You didn't have time to finish your question. Subaru's fingers stroked your cheeks, slid over your ears, and tangled in your hair, pressing your head closer to his. His other hand wrapped around your waist as if he was afraid you would slip from his grasp. You sighed against his mouth before opening your lips and turning your head slightly. Your nose brushed his as you wrapped your arms around him, and at the same moment he pressed your head harder to deepen the kiss, thrusting his tongue into your mouth as if his life depended on the kiss. Tiny sparks ignited a flame deep inside you.

Nothing else mattered. Your Christmas was here and now.