Koi no Christmas

Koukou no Koi: Yumeno Makoto and Hinokawa Reiji

Wagamama na Koi: Bara Hideki and Tsukino "Mitsuko" Yuujiro

Kiken na Koi: Hinokawa Reiichi and Mizuno Itawaru

T'was the week before Christmas and all through the town, not a creature was stirring, save for one clown.

He had one week to go, only one week it's true, he needed a gift for his boyfriend and he hadn't a clue.

So he-

"What are you typing?" a voice interrupted Reiji's most recent stanza. He turned to see his boyfriend Makoto, slightly sleepy, wearing one of his shirts. "Come to bed, I'm tired."

"Ah, Mako-kun," Reiji slammed his laptop shut. It was December 18 and he had yet to think of a present for his boyfriend. It didn't help that Christmas also happened to be their four month anniversary. He was stumped and had a feeling that Makoto would be deeply upset if he didn't get him the perfect gift. "Just finishing up some homework."

"During winter break?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. Reiji chuckled nervously. He was too smart for him; he'd have to change the subject. Reiji quickly jumped from his computer chair and pulled Makoto to the bed, successfully pinning him down.

"Is this how you wanted me to come to bed, Mako-kun?" Reiji purred. Makoto flushed and looked away. This was the perfect way to distract his lover. In the past four months, Reiji had gotten over his initial nervousness and took way more control during their lovemaking.

"I'm tired…" Makoto said without making eye contact. Reiji smirked, but instead of teasing the poor boy until he begged for it, he just gave him a kiss on the cheek and nuzzled him. "Reiji…?"

"You said you were tired," Reiji said, without opening his eyes. He heard Makoto sigh heavily. "Is something the matter?" The younger boy said nothing. Reiji opened his eyes on propped himself up on an elbow so he could get a good look at his lover's face. "What is it?"

Now, Makoto couldn't just tell Reiji they he had no idea what to get him for Christmas, let alone their anniversary. If only the two boys would be honest with each other, they wouldn't find love nearly as stressful.

"Reiji," Makoto said, without making eye contact, a flush appearing on his cheeks. "Do it." Reiji smiled knowingly and leaned down to kiss the raven-haired boy.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Bara Hideki was having some serious problems. Alright, perhaps he was having one serious problem.

"You're taking who?!" Mitsuko screamed at the top of his lungs. Hideki had to put his hands over his ears to keep them from bleeding at the younger boy's pitch.

"Yuu-chan," the blonde tried to soothe his boyfriend, "it's just a silly ball."

"A silly ball on Christmas!" Mitsuko crossed his arms over his chest. "Why do you have to take some stupid girl anyway?"

"She's not some stupid girl," Hideki began, but changed his tune when the pig-tailed boy glared daggers at him. "She's the daughter of my father's business associate and she doesn't have a date for the annual Benefactor's Christmas Ball." Mitsuko just glared. He wanted to cry. He wanted so badly to weep and be comforted by his blonde lover, but he would not stoop to that level.

"Why can't you take me?" Mitsuko whispered so quietly that Hideki had to struggle to hear him. Before Hideki had a chance to answer, Mitsuko started up again. "If you tell your parents that you have a girlfriend, they'll have to let you take me."

"Yuu-chan…" Hideki reached out to him.

"Don't you 'Yuu-chan…' me!" Mitsuko hissed. "Either tell your parents that we're seeing each other, or it's over!" The blonde's eyes widened at his comment.

"Over?" Hideki couldn't believe it. He couldn't lose someone again. No, he wouldn't lose his Yuu-chan. He'd think of something. He'd find a way out of it. "Hey, Yuu-chan, what if I took you to meet my parents?" The dark-haired boy's ears perked up at that.

"And you would introduce me as your lover?" Mitsuko raised a delicate eyebrow.

"I would tell them that you are the person I'm in love with and that I must take you and only you to the Christmas Ball," Hideki got down on one knee in front of the short boy. "Will that please you, Princess?" Mitsuko, despite himself, blushed heavily.

"I suppose it'll do," he said without looking at the blonde. "Now, I must choose a perfect dress for the ball," he paused, "oh, and a cute skirt and sweater combo for when I meet your parents!" There was a flurry of moment around the room as clothing was thrown in every direction. Hideki barely missed getting hit in the head with a pair of fuzzy boots.

"Yuu-chan?" Hideki began, but what hit in the face with a bra. "Do you actually wear these?" he asked, holding up the cups. Mitsuko's eyes widened and he blushed.

"Ah, no, I was going to, but I decided that I looked better flat," the short boy giggled and snatched the bra away. Hideki quickly grabbed his hand and yanked him so he fell against the larger boy.

"I think you look the best naked, though…" Hideki purred.

"I could say the same for you," Mitsuko said, straddling the blonde. He was not to be outdone. Hideki just chuckled and pulled the small boy down into a kiss. "Thank you," Mitsuko said as they pulled apart. Hideki just grinned and kissed him again.

Way up north where the air gets cold, or, rather, further north at Himawari College, two other men found themselves in the same position.

"Let go out me," Reiichi growled as he tried to pull free with Itawaru's grasp. The taller boy just pulled him back down on top of him.

"C'mon, Rei-tan, it's cold and I need you to warm me up," he teased. Reiichi just hit the bespectacled man over the head and walked back into the kitchen where he was trying to make a late dinner. "Ooh, that looks good," Itawaru walked up unfazed.

"It should, I'll have you know I'm a great cook," Reiichi stuck his nose in the air. Itawaru just chuckled and walked up behind the brunette, wrapping his arms around him. "Please don't hang on me while I'm cooking," Reiichi said, calmly, though it sounded as though he was about to explode.

"Hey, Rei-tan, what do you have planned for Christmas?" the raven-haired man asked suddenly. "It's only a week away and I noticed that you haven't started packing."

"Well, my parents are going out of town to visit with my dad's family," Reiichi said as he chopped some carrots to add to his stew. "Reiji isn't going with them because they promised he could stay over with the Yumeno family."

"Oh, is that his lover you were talking about before?" Itawaru said as he rested his chin on Reiichi's shoulder. Reiichi shrugged him off and continued to cut some celery.

"Yes, they're lovers, but they've also been friends forever, so it's normal for him to spend Christmas there," Reiichi explained coolly. Itawaru just nodded and began kissing up the other boy's neck.

"Ah…" Reiichi moaned and flushed a bright red. "P-please let me finish making dinner, Ita," he begged. Itawaru couldn't stop his grin. He pulled away and put his hands up in surrender. Reiichi went back to chopping the vegetables while Itawaru went to go sit on the couch.

"But after dinner's over, you're free game," Itawaru smirked and Reiichi looked at his knife, seriously considering if the time in jail would be worth it.

Reiichi woke up the next morning completely naked and thoroughly, well, you know. He limped his way over to their bathroom and started to wash his face. He dried off and grabbed his toothbrush. As he brushed, he began limping around the house, looking for his lover. He spied on a note on his nightstand.

"Dearest Rei-tan," he read aloud with the toothbrush still in and rolled his eyes. He took out the toothbrush and continued. "I'm heading out to do some early Christmas shopping. I'll be back before lunch." Reiichi glanced over at the clock and noticed it was nearly eleven. "Bastard always keeps me up too late," he growled as he turned on the shower. After last night, it was going to take more than a face wash to get him feeling clean.

Reiji wandered through the mall contemplating and scouring every store for something to get for Makoto. He sighed as he walked into the fifteenth store in a row. It sold mostly beauty products like lotions and creams. It also had bubble bath. He saw a very tall man with dark hair and glasses perusing the bubble bath section, so he thought he'd ask him for advice.

"Ano…" he began and the tall man turned to him. He saw the older man's eyes widen, but ignored it. "Would bubble bath be a good present to get someone that you've been dating for four months?" he asked, avoiding the taller man's gaze.

"That depends," Itawaru smirked, recognizing a Hinokawa anywhere, "have you done it yet?" Reiji's head snapped up, a blush adorning his features. "You see," Itawaru went on, "if you get bubble bath you're implying that you want to take a bath together or at least think of hi-ah-her in the bathtub." Reiji nodded dumbly.

"I guess I should keep looking," Reiji's blush was still evident on his face. Itawaru suddenly wondered why Reiichi's younger brother was so far away from where he said they lived. "Do you come to this mall often?" the older boy tried to make it sound nothing like a pick up line. It seemed to work.

"Well, I've been to every mall and shopping center by me, so I figured I'd check this one out," he sighed. "On the bright side, my brother's school isn't too far away, so I was thinking about visiting him."

"How did you get here, do you have a car?" Itawaru was honestly curious about his lover's little brother. He wanted to learn more about his family.

"No," Reiji chuckled, scratching the back of his head; "I actually took the bus." It was at least a three hour drive from his home to Himawari College. Itawaru was impressed.

"If you want, I can give you a lift to the college," Itawaru said as he found the perfect scent of bubble bath and went on to grab the body wash, lotion and shampoo. "I attend that school, myself."

"That would be great!" Reiji grinned and then got an extremely serious expression on his face. "You're not a suspicious person, are you?" he folded his arms over his chest.

"No," Itawaru laughed. "Let me pay for this and then I can drive you up," he smiled and walked to the cashier.

Reiichi was enjoying his shower. It had been awhile since he had just let the water fall on him without worrying about going anywhere or getting to class on time. He didn't even notice when the door to their apartment opened.

"How do you have a key to Aniki's dorm?" Reiichi could have sworn he heard his little brother.

"Ah, you see, it's a coincidence," Reiichi knew he heard Itawaru's voice. "You see…" but Itawaru was interrupted by a dripping Reiichi, whose towel barely covered the necessities.

"He's my roommate," Reiichi answered, coolly.

"Aniki!" Reiji jumped up and hugged his brother, getting his sweater damp in the process. Reiji nuzzled his older brother and Reiichi ruffled his hair. Itawaru got what Reiichi called a 'pervy' look on his face, so he pushed his brother away from him.

"Reiji, what are you doing all the way up here?" he asked, excitement of getting a visit from his little brother outweighing his annoyance with Itawaru.

"Well, I can't find a good present for Makoto," Reiji went into his whole story. Reiichi put a hand to his chin as he thought about it.

"I suppose jewelry would have been good," Reiichi chuckled, "of course, I can't picture Mako-kun wearing it." Reiji joined in.

"I feel a little left out," Itawaru voiced, giving Reiichi puppy dog eyes. The older Hinokawa rolled his eyes.

"Makoto is my boyfriend," Reiji explained and then blushed. "Uh, I hope you're not creeped out by that."

"Not at all," Itawaru said as he got up and made his way over to Reiichi. "You see," he began, but the older brunette elbowed him in the ribs. Itawaru pretended it hurt way more than it did, but Reiichi ignored him. Of course, the emotional pain was a little stronger than the physical.

"It's not nice to hit others, Aniki," Reiji tried to look stern. "Besides, you interrupted him." Itawaru liked Reiji already. He seemed much nicer than his brother. Then Reiji looked at his watch and gasped. "Ah! It's already twelve-thirty and I promised I'd be home by four!"

"I can give you a lift to the bus station," Itawaru offered, but Reiichi, who was afraid to let Itawaru have any more alone time with his brother, decided to butt in.

"I just got to see my toutou-chan!" he made a sad face. "I'll take you to the bus station, so you'll make it home on time." Reiji smiled and hugged his older brother. Itawaru 'tch'ed and sat down on the couch. Reiichi could tell by the look in the bespectacled man's eyes that he'd pay for this later, but right now, he wanted to keep his relationship a secret from Reiji.

With his brother's help, Reiji made it home before four. He waited patiently for his text message. He had barely taken his phone out before it went off. He was glad he and Makoto had decided to ditch their old, useless phones and get new ones. Not that they spent much time apart.

"Reiji," he read the message. "I'm done with my shopping, did you finish, too?" Reiji sighed heavily. Makoto had probably gotten him the best gift and he still had nothing, with only six days to go! He quickly sent back a 'Yes.' His phone began to ring, he pressed the answer button.

"Sending text messages takes too long," Makoto's voice came from the other line. Reiji always smiled when he heard his sweet voice. He couldn't help it.

"Yeah, I know," Reiji stood up and began pacing in front of his house, his other hand in his pocket to keep warm. "So what do you want to do today?" It took Makoto a few seconds to answer. He thought he'd lost the signal.

"I really just want to spend some time with Reiji," Makoto answered, blush evident in his tone. Reiji smirked.

"That can be arranged." A few minutes later, Natsumi pulled into the Yumeno's driveway and a bouncing Makoto hopped out of the car, bags in hand.

"Let me just stow these and then you can come in," Makoto called and Reiji just smiled and waited outside of the door. Natsumi let him in after a few seconds.

"Rei-chan," she hugged her 'other son' and invited him in. "Mako-chan had such troubles shopping today," but before she could continue, Makoto interrupted from the top of the stairs.

"You can come up now!" he called. Natsumi hugged Reiji one more time and let him climb the stairs. Makoto smiled down as he boyfriend ascended. Though, deep behind that smile was worry. He had looked in over thirty stores and could still not find the perfect give for his lover. Of course, if he'd just be honest and tell Reiji that and if Reiji could reciprocate, perhaps they wouldn't have to worry so much. But, where's the drama in that?

"Mako-kun," he said when he reached the top. Makoto grabbed his hand and pulled him into his room. Reiji liked it when Makoto took the lead. It reminded him of their first time. He blushed at that. Makoto noticed and stuck his tongue out.

"Not that," he said, reading his thoughts, "I wanted you to see this new book I got," he pulled out a novel. "This guy is definitely going to become my favorite author if he keeps this up." Reiji took the book and flipped through its pages. It seemed pretty interesting. This guy could definitely write a love scene, that was for sure.

"So, who is this guy?" Reiji read the name. "Mizutani Jikei," he scratched his head. "Never heard of him."

"Well, that say that's not his real name," Makoto giggled. "I did some research," he turned to his laptop that was already humming with life, "and it turns out that no one knows his real name, but I got a picture." Makoto faced the screen towards Reiji and the brunette gasped. "What is it?"

"I just met that guy today!" Reiji pointed to the picture that was either Itawaru or his twin. "His name is…" he thought about the ride to the apartment, "Mizuno Itawaru!" Makoto's eyes lit up like Christmas trees. "He's my brother's roommate." Makoto could have died right then.

"You have to introduce me to him!" Makoto clasped his hands together. "Please, Reiji!" Reiji smiled, of course he would. Then he thought of the perfect gift for his Mako-kun. If he could get signed copy of his latest book and set up a meeting, Makoto would have the happiest Christmas ever. He needed to get to work.

"I'll see what I can do," Reiji beamed as he whipped out his cell phone and dialed his older brother.

Back at Himawari College, Reiichi was in the middle of dinner. Itawaru was gone when he got home from dropping Reiji off at the bus station, so he had avoided that. He was just about to start the stir-fry, when his cell phone rang. He looked down and saw Reiji's smiling face.

"Moshi moshi," Reiichi greeted.

"Aniki!" Reiji's cheery voice came through. Reiji went on to tell Reiichi about how Itawaru was actually a famous writer and how he was Makoto's favorite. By the end of the conversation, Reiichi agreed to drive down and visit with the Yumeno's for Christmas with Itawaru in tow.

"I just hope he's not busy," Reiichi said, hoping that the raven-haired man would be, so he wouldn't have to spend his Christmas with him, but at the same time, he wanted to make his little brother happy. "And you made it home safe?"

"Yes, of course," Reiji snickered, "how could I be able to call you with Makoto here?" Reiichi laughed, he was sort of a worrywart when it came to Reiji.

"Okay, I'll try my best with Ita," he paused, "see you later." He hung up the phone and was about to take the beef out of the fridge when he felt strong arms engulf him from behind.

"Try you best with me, eh?" came Itawaru's velvety voice. "You mean I've only been getting a mediocre Rei-tan? I can't wait to see what his best is…" he purred as he reached his hand to caress down Reiichi's front and down, dipping below his waistband.

"I was talking to Reiji," Reiichi said as he pulled away. "He was hoping that you could join us, with the Yumeno family, for Christmas." Itawaru looked overjoyed for a second and then a deep sadness overtook his features.

"I'd love to, but I'm going to be busy on Christmas," Itawaru sighed. Reiichi wasn't sure how he felt about that. He was happy that he didn't have to drive all the way home with a horny Itawaru, but he was still sort of disappointed.

"What do you have a signing on Christmas day?" Reiichi said while pulling the beef out of the fridge and beginning to season it.

"Christmas Eve, actually," Itawaru said, somewhat surprised that Reiichi knew about his writing. "How did you know?"

"Reiji's boyfriend is a huge fan of yours," Reiichi explained, "he showed Reiji a picture of his precious Mizutani Jikei and Reiji recognized you." Itawaru's face fell. So that was the reason he wanted him to join them for Christmas.

"Hey Reiichi, what do I mean to you?" Itawaru said suddenly. The brunette froze for a second and then continued to make dinner.

"You're my roommate," he began, "who occasionally assaults me." Reiichi was silent for a few seconds, but Itawaru dared not interrupt him. "And I guess I kinda love you…a little." Itawaru smiled brightly.

"Are you embarrassed by me?" Itawaru asked.

"Yes." That was blunt.

"Well," Itawaru tried again, "are you ashamed of me?"

"No." Reiichi continued to season the beef and put it in the wok.

"But you love me," Itawaru grinned.

"Kinda," Reiichi said, blushing hotly.

"I love you, too, Rei-tan," he purred and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see what I can do about moving the signing."

"But you'll be in big trouble if you don't go," Reiichi argued. "Who would choose a Christmas with someone else's family over keeping your promises and making your fans happy?"

"If that's what you want…" Itawaru adjusted his glasses, sighing.

"I think you should keep your promise to your fans," Reiichi said over to sizzling of the meat. Itawaru walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. For once, Reiichi didn't fight him. Itawaru nuzzled his lover's neck and kissed his shoulder.

"I love you, Rei-tan." The brunette just nodded and stirred the beef.

With Christmas now two days away, it was getting hectic. Reiji was saddened to find out that his perfect gift for Makoto was ruined, but Makoto seemed patient enough to wait for another time. Itawaru had already packed his belongings and was ready to go to the hotel by the bookstore he'd be signing in all of Christmas Eve. Reiichi had planned on staying home alone in the dorm rather than driving to the Yumeno's house.

Last, but not least, Mitsuko was getting ready to meet his lover's parents. He picked out his cutest, though modest, skirt and his fluffiest pink sweater. He chose white stockings, rather than black and picked out a cute pair of pink shoes. Hideki looked on as his lover got ready.

"Does this look okay?" Mitsuko would ask every few seconds and Hideki would nod or agree. No matter what he wore, Hideki always thought that Mitsuko looked absolutely adorable. About an hour later, Mitsuko was ready.

"Now, Father and Mother have decided to have dinner at our estate, is that okay?" Hideki was worried that Mitsuko might be getting cold feet. The short boy nodded, ready for anything. "It should just be the four of us." Mitsuko said nothing, but nodded again. "You'll do just fine," Hideki took a hand off the wheel and held onto his lover's. "I love you, so they'll love you."

A few minutes later, Hideki pulled up in front of the Bara Estate. The gate opened when he arrived and he thanked the guard. The gate master said something that Mitsuko couldn't quite hear and Hideki looked over at his lover and then back at the man, thanking him.

Hideki parked his car behind three others in the driveway. The blonde had a puzzled look on his face, but Mitsuko was too nervous to notice. They walked up to the door and it opened before they even had a chance to knock.

"Ah, Hideki-sama," a butler bowed before them. "We are so glad to have you home." Even though Hideki was still in high school, he had moved out into his own apartment the year before. "Please, come this way." Hideki and Mitsuko handed their coats to a maid and followed the butler.

"Wow, you did a great job decorating for Christmas, Alexander," Hideki said to the butler.

"Thank you, Hideki-sama," he smiled. "It was a team effort to fulfill Mistress's dream." Hideki's Mother had a new vision on how to decorate or renovate the estate every other day. He was amazed that the staff could keep up. "Master and Mistress have been waiting for you in the study," Alexander said as he opened the doors.

"Wow," Mitsuko couldn't stay silent. The study was huge and filled with so many books it made a library look small. Hideki smiled, happy that Mitsuko had broken his vow of silence. In the middle of the study were two chairs and a table. There were two people seated. They smiled when Hideki approached.

"Hideki-chan, welcome home!" his mother said as she got out of her seat and walked over him. She wasn't what Mitsuko had been expecting. The short boy had expected a stern woman with a bun, but Hideki's mother let her long blonde hair flow free. Hideki's father just looked like an older version of the boy.

"Is this the little lady, son?" Hideki's father looked at Mitsuko, who blushed.

"Mother, Father," Hideki walked Mitsuko over to them, "This is Mitsuko."

"Ah, I can see how you wanted to ditch Aiko for her," Hideki's mother looked at Mitsuko with an appreciative eye. "I suppose Hiroshi or Hitomu could take her." Mitsuko looked at Hideki with a puzzled face.

"Oh, they're just my brothers," Hideki answered.

"Just?" came a deep voice from the doors to the study. They boys turned around to see two incredibly handsome blonde men. "Is that all we are to you, toutou-chan?"

"That's not what I meant, Hiroshi," Hideki said to his oldest brother.

"But that's what it sounded like," his second brother, Hitomu said as they walked into the room.

"I didn't know you two would be coming home for dinner," their father smiled. "This is wonderful; Hideki has brought his girlfriend home to meet the family." To say that Mitsuko was extremely nervous would be a gross understatement.

"Mitsuko," Hideki's mother smiled at him. "This is Hiroshi," she pointed to the oldest brother, who just looked like a taller version of Hideki, "and Hitomu," she gestured toward the blonde with the ponytail. "They are my oldest sons."

"Nice to me you," Mitsuko curtsied. "Bara-san, you have lovely sons." The Hideki's mother gasped.

"Oh! I didn't even introduce myself," she put a hand to her face. "Please call me Hazuki," she ran up and grabbed Mitsuko's hands in hers. "I'm sure we can be the best of friends." Hideki laughed nervously while his brother's rolled their eyes.

"You're scaring the girl, Mother," Hiroshi, the oldest, pulled Mitsuko away from blonde woman and held him against his chest. "So, how exactly did little Hideki snag such a cutie?"

"Nii-san!" Hideki shouted at his brother, who kissed Mitsuko's hand and let him go. Mitsuko definitely knew where Hideki got his flirting from. Hitomu just smiled and took Mitsuko's hand in his. He seemed the nicer of the two, not that Hiroshi was mean.

"Well, shall we have some dinner?" their father suggested. Mitsuko later found out that his name was also Hiroshi, but decided to call him Bara-san.

Dinner went very well. Hazuki just girl-talked with Mitsuko, who easily answered all her questions. Even if Mitsuko was a boy, he knew how to be a girl very well. Bara-san, Hiroshi and Hitomu just smiled as they learned more about the youngest Bara's girlfriend. Before the meal was over, Hiroshi had to leave because of work and Hitomu left for a date he'd nearly forgotten about. So, it was just Bara-san, Hazuki and our lovely couple.

"I'm so glad that Hideki has finally settled down with a nice girl," Hazuki smiled at Mitsuko. It was meant as a compliment, but it hurt him a little. Even if he was the perfect girl in their eyes, he was still a boy. "I have a great dress for you to wear to the ball, if you'd like to come see it," Hazuki pulled Mitsuko up the stairs.

"Ever since you told us about your girlfriend, your mother has gone crazy with her seamstress," Hideki's father laughed. "But she's very happy, and I, too, think that this Mitsuko of yours is a wonderful girl." Hideki felt bad about lying to his parents, but he was glad they approved.

"Thank you, Father," Hideki smiled. Then he realized something. If his mother had made dresses, she'd surely want Mitsuko to try them on and then she'd find out! He made to move, but his father stopped him.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, son?" he asked, a knowing smile starting to show up on his face. Hideki just chuckled nervously. "Your mother is going to find out, you know."

"How did you…?" Hideki's eyes were wide. Bara-san just smiled.

"Mitsuko-chan may have the mannerisms down, but there's no missing his Adam's apple," Hideki's father said without breaking his smile. "You know that we'll support you no matter who you choose, right?" Hideki nodded, solemnly. A few minutes later, Hazuki and Mitsuko reappeared downstairs. Mitsuko had a box in his hands.

"I think that this dress is the one," Hazuki giggled. Mitsuko had a telltale blush on his small face. "Now you two had better head home before it gets too late," she patted Mitsuko on his head. "Hideki," she said as the two boys were leaving, "you have a truly lovely boyfriend." Hideki offered his thanks and the two left the house and headed to his sports car.

"They knew the whole time," Mitsuko said as Hideki started the engine.

"I suppose they wanted to keep it from Hiroshi and Hitomu for us," Hideki pulled out of the driveway and through the gate. "I guess they're not sure how they'll handle it."

"Well, I'm glad they liked me even though I'm a boy," Mitsuko grinned.

"I told you," Hideki caressed Mitsuko's cheek with a hand, "I love you, so they'll love you." Mitsuko smiled and leaned his hand on Hideki's shoulder.

"Let's go home," Mitsuko purred, "my parents will be out until really late." Hideki smirked and switched gears.

The morning of Christmas Eve, Reiichi woke with a start. He could have sworn he heard Itawaru's voice, but it could have been his dream. He looked around the dorm to see an empty bed.

"That's right, Ita has his book signing today," the brunette sighed. Even though he'd swear up and down that he hated the man, in truth, he'd grown to care for him; even love him, not that he'd ever say such a thing to anyone. Reiichi pulled himself out of bed and began getting ready for the day.

When Reiichi got out of the shower, his phone was flashing.

"I must have missed a call," Reiichi said as he flipped it open. It said that Itawaru had called him, his heart flip-flopped, but his rolled his eyes.

"Rei-tan," the recording began, "I'm sorry I can't be with you today, but I'm going to try and get out of here tonight," Reiichi's eyes widened. "I'm done at eight and it's a two hour drive, but I'll speed if it means spending Christmas with you," there was silence for a couple of seconds. "I love you." Then the message ended.

"Bakawaru," Reiichi said as he put his phone down. "Getting my hopes up," he sighed and began to make breakfast for himself.

Reiji's morning was much better than his brother's. He awoke next to a slumbering, and naked, Makoto. He smoothed down the boy's raven hair and kissed his forehead, causing the younger boy's eyes to flutter open.

"Morning, Reiji," he slurred, still sleepy.

"Good morning, Mako-kun," the brunette nuzzled the other boy's neck. "Merry Christmas Eve," he grinned. Makoto smiled and snuggled up against the taller boy. They were going to spend the whole day together and get to celebrate their first Christmas as a couple, not to mention their four month anniversary.

"Let's stay in bed a little longer…" Makoto purred and kissed the brunette's neck. Reiji just smirked and threw the sheets up over them.

Mitsuko's morning was hectic. After dinner with Hideki's family, he had invited his blonde lover to spend the night. Hideki was still slumbering in bed, while Mitsuko was desperately searching for something that would go with the gown the blonde's mother had given him.

"No, that'll look tacky," Mitsuko said as he threw a tiara across the room.

"Yuu-chan…?" a groggy voice came from the bed.

"And this is way too cheep looking," the small boy threw a necklace to the floor.

"Yuu-chan, what are you doing?" Hideki said, a bit more awake.

"Uh, these are actually ugly!" Mitsuko yelled and tossed a pair of heels across the room, successfully hitting Hideki in the face.

"Oww…" the blonde held a hand to his nose. "What are you doing, Yuu-chan?"

"Ah, Hii-chan!" Mitsuko ran over hugged his boyfriend. He pulled the blonde's hand from his nose and kissed the injury. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you."

"What is all this?" Hideki looked around the bed at the piles of various accessories that had begun to accumulate.

"I'm trying to find the perfect thing to wear tonight that will compliment the dress your mom gave me," Mitsuko said in a very serious tone. Hideki smiled. He was so glad that, even though they knew Mitsuko was a boy, his family approved of his choice.

"I think just you and the dress will be perfect," Hideki cooed and made to kiss the younger boy, but Mitsuko pulled away.

"Gah! You're such a boy!" the dark-haired boy pulled away and began to rifle through his closet. "I need shoes at least!" Hideki just chuckled as he watched his lover search. He had a nice view. Mitsuko was just in his t-shirt and boxers and he'd taken his long dark hair out of its usual pigtails.

"Can't you find something later?" Hideki said as he pulled himself out of bed and hugged the short boy from behind. Mitsuko was about to yell at him, but Hideki caught him in a kiss. He struggled a bit and then gave in. He absolutely loved kissing his Hii-chan.

"Okay, we'll do it," Mitsuko sighed and Hideki actually blushed at his bluntness, "but then I get to find the perfect accessories…the ball is tonight!!" Hideki smiled and agreed.

Itawaru had spent most of the day with the press. It was part of his deal. He was to reveal himself as Mizutani Jikei. Sure, there were a few websites that had gotten his picture, but those were inconclusive. He was going to 'come out' so to speak.

"Mizuno-sensei," his editor called to him, snapping him out of his daze. "We just have one more reporter to talk to and then we'll head to the bookstore to begin the first signing," he took out a clipboard and flipped a few pages, "after that we have the interview on live television with Kyou no Nippon and then we have the final book signing." Itawaru looked out of the limo window and sighed. He then pasted on a smile and turned to his editor.

"Thank you, Yasuhiro," he grinned. His editor blushed slightly and nodded. Itawaru looked back out of the window, his smiled disappearing. He had finally gotten Reiichi to love him and he wanted to spend Christmas with him. He would never tell this to the man, but the only reason they were roommates was because of Itawaru's request. Being a successful writer, he could have easily paid for an apartment, but he had fallen in love at first sight with Reiichi during orientation.

"Sensei, we're here," Yasuhiro called and Itawaru put his plastic smile back on. He still had a long way to go until he could even think about leaving to see his Rei-tan.

Reiichi wandered aimlessly around the dorm. After having enough of that, he put on his jacket and a scarf and headed outside to wander aimlessly around campus. He sighed as he saw a few people scurrying about, trying to make it home in time for Christmas with the family. Even if Itawaru said he'd be back that night, Reiichi secretly hoped he'd come home early so they could have a Christmas Eve dinner and exchange presents. The box felt heavy in his jacket pocket.

"I wonder if he'll even like this," Reiichi said as he took the small box out. It was a ring. Okay, it wasn't anything serious. He and Itawaru had only been together for a little bit, but it would look really good on the man. At least that's what he told himself. If Reiichi would just be honest with himself, he could say it was because he had fallen deeply in love with his roommate. "I should have just gotten him a sweater," Reiichi groaned as he snapped the velvet box shut and shoved it back into his coat pocket.

That night was pleasant for at least two of the couples. Reiji and Makoto were enjoying a huge Christmas Eve dinner with the Yumeno family. It was just Natsumi, her husband and her 'two' sons. It was a quiet evening.

After dinner, the Yumeno's opened their presents. Makoto's parents had gotten Reiji a really nice sweater and a gift certificate for a store that Reiji could honestly say he'd never been to, but had a feeling that it was from Natsumi. She winked when he eyed the gift card covered in kiss marks and objects that should not be viewed outside of one's home. Then, it was time for the moment of truth. After having a discussion with his older brother, Reiji had decided on the perfect gift for Makoto, of course, he wasn't sure why Reiichi had bought one, too.

"Mako-kun," Reiji said in a nervous tone. Natsumi quickly grabbed her husband and said something about needing help with cookies in the kitchen. "I wasn't sure what to get you and it was driving me crazy," Reiji blushed, "but I think I found the perfect thing." Reiji took out a velvet box. "I know that it's the day before our anniversary, but this is a Christmas present, too."

"Reiji, what…?" Makoto glanced down at the box.

"We're still young, but I know you're the only person that I can see myself loving forever," Reiji's blush had darkened. He opened the velvet box to show a beautiful silver ring. It appeared plain on the outside, but it had an intricate carving of the characters for their names on the inside. "I hope you like it," he thrust the box into Makoto's hands.

"Reiji…" tears were forming in the raven-haired boy's eyes. Reiji immediately felt terrible. He was moving too fast. He hurt his feelings.

"If you don't like it," Reiji made to take the box back, but Makoto pulled it away from him.

"I love it," he took the ring out and put it on his left hand. It fit perfectly. "I'm never going to take it off." Reiji smiled and kissed his boyfriend.

"I love you," he said after they broke apart.

"Now, for your present," Makoto grabbed a huge box from under the tree. It had to be at least three feet tall and it left Reiji wondering how he had fit it under the small fir in the first place. "Go ahead," Makoto beamed. Reiji ripped off the wrapping paper and saw that it was a big white box. He shot Makoto an excited looked and opened the huge white box to find…another box. He gave Makoto a puzzled look, but the younger boy urged him on.

"How many boxes are there?" Reiji asked when he was five boxes in and it was about the size of a shoe box.

"Oh, just a few more," Makoto giggled. Reiji opened about six more boxes and he was finally at a small velvet box much like the one he'd given Makoto. He looked up at the boy with question in his eyes, but Makoto just smiled and blushed slightly.

"Mako-kun," Reiji gasped when he opened the small box. It was a ring just like the one he'd given Makoto. Actually, it was exactly the same. "How did you…?"

"Your mother can't keep a secret," Makoto giggled. Reiji immediately regretted telling his mom about his talk with Reiichi and finding the perfect gift for Makoto. "Now we match," the younger boy said as he took the ring out of its box and put it on Reiji's left ring finger. "I love you, Reiji."

"I love you, too, Mako-kun," Reiji leaned forward and gave his love a passionate kiss.

"Yes!" Natsumi whispered loudly from her hiding spot by the stairs. Her husband tried to calm her, but she immediately got out her cell phone. "Haruka-chan," she whispered, "they did it!" She giggled a bit and then put the phone away. "Thank goodness."

The other aforementioned happy couple was just making to the ball. It was held at the home of Hideki's father's business associate. When Hideki and Mitsuko arrived, they were greeted by the butler and shown to the ballroom.

"Hideki-san!" a tall, lanky girl with long red hair ran up to the two. "I'm so glad you could make it." She then turned to Mitsuko. "Oh, is she the one?"

"Pardon me for not introducing you," Hideki looked toward Mitsuko. "This is the person I love very much," he hugged him close, "Tsukino Mitsuko."

"Ah, Mitsuko-san, it's so nice to meet you," the girl held out her hand. "My name is Nakamura Aiko." Mitsuko's eyes widened at the name. She was the girl that Hideki was supposed to take and also the young mistress of this estate. Aiko shook her head at Mitsuko's reaction. "Don't worry about it, there are no hard feelings, to tell you the truth," she leaned so only Mitsuko could hear, "as handsome as Hideki-san is, I really wanted to attend the ball with my girlfriend." Aiko pointed to her left where a petit young woman was helping herself to some punch. "Anyway, it was great seeing you, please enjoy the ball," she said in a normal tone and rushed off.

"Well, I'm glad that she isn't upset," Hideki sighed with relief, then he ran a hand through his blonde hair, "I know I'm hard to resist." Mitsuko just snorted and hit him in the arm. "Okay, okay," Hideki grinned and kissed his lover on the cheek. "Shall we enjoy the ball?"

It was eight-thirty and Reiichi was getting impatient. Itawaru had said that he would be done with his signing at eight and home by ten. The brunette glanced at the clock. It read eight thirty-one. He sighed loudly. Would it kill the man to call him at least?

Meanwhile, back at the book signing, Itawaru was just finishing up with his last fan. The signing had gone over a half an hour, but at least he was done. He made to grab his cell phone and call Reiichi to tell him he was on his way, but his phone didn't have any signal. He furrowed his brows and asked if Yasuhiro's phone was having the same problem.

"I am sorry to say, Sensei," Yasuhiro began, "but it appears that a snowstorm has come into the area rather quickly." Itawaru tried not to show his anger too openly with his editor. "I'm sure it will pass soon, apparently there was no forecast for it and no one was prepared."

"I suppose I can just call when it's over," Itawaru sighed and put his phone away. "Shall we head to the car?"

"I'm afraid we can't," Yasuhiro said without meeting his eyes. "All of the roads are closed and they're not sure when they'll be able to get the plows here to open them back up." Itawaru's eyes widened behind his glasses. "I'm sorry to say that we're stuck here for now."

The ball was going very well. Hideki had introduced Mitsuko to all the elite and they all seemed to be taken in with the young man, of course, they all believed him to be a girl. It was around the sixth dance that Hideki suggested they take a break. He led Mitsuko off of the dance floor and two a very comfortable looking couch.

"You know, I never asked you," Hideki said suddenly, "how were you able to spend the holiday with me?"

"Oh," Mitsuko said after taking a sip of punch of the table next to them, "my brother and I put our money together and sent Mama and Papa to Paris for Christmas." Hideki's jaw dropped.

"Where did you get the money?" Hideki was sure that Mitsuko had a pretty good standard of living, but he had no idea he had money squirreled away.

"Well, I only put a few hundred from my savings," Mitsuko said sheepishly, "you see, Nii-chan is actually a pretty popular author and he's loaded."

"He has that much money and he lives in the dorms?" Hideki said incredulously. What he really wanted to ask was why Itawaru would send a man who wasn't his father on a vacation, but he supposed that Mitsuko's Papa could have raised him. He'd have to ask later.

"Well, funny thing about that," Mitsuko giggled, the champagne punch starting to kick in, "you know your Senpai?" Hideki nodded. "Well, Nii-chan said that he fell in love with him at first sight and arranged for them to be roommates." Hideki was shocked, but couldn't keep the smile form his handsome features.

"Ah, I'm glad that Senpai found happiness," Hideki grinned. Mitsuko just giggled. Knowing Itawaru, Reiichi may be feeling the closest thing or the furthest thing from happiness. "Shall we dance some more?" the blonde offered his hand and Mitsuko took it.

"We shall!" Mitsuko said with a fancy accent and the two went back out onto the floor.

Reiichi had glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time that night. It now read ten fifty-two. He sighed and looked at his cell phone. Still no call from Itawaru. Reiichi blew out the candles he had set up for his lover's return and began packing up the late night dinner he had made for the two of them.

"Bakawaru," he cursed as he put the food in the refrigerator and returned to the couch to wait for his boyfriend's arrival.

"What do you mean the roads are still closed?!" Itawaru was openly showing his anger now. A policeman had come to the bookstore to tell its trapped occupants that the roads could be closed until morning. Itawaru tried calling Reiichi again, but he still had no signal. He silently prayed that Reiichi was watching the news and knew about the storm.

"Sensei, I know you're upset," Yasuhiro came up and put a hand on Itawaru's shoulder. "But I'm sure they'll have the roads clear soon." His editor had been saying that for the past two hours. He knew that he meant well, but he also knew that Reiichi could be at home possibly crying. Itawaru shook his head off that thought and tried to think of a way to get out of here and see his lover.

Reiichi had to jerk his head up quickly to keep himself from nodding off. He shook his head to try to stay awake, but he was so tired. He looked over at the clock. This time it read three thirty in the morning. He took the velvet box out of his pocket and flipped it open. He looked at the ring and immediately felt like a complete idiot.

"I should have known," Reiichi sighed, closed the box and tossed it to the floor. "He's probably with one of his adoring fans right now. He pictured Itawaru in a state of undress, mindlessly thrusting into one of his crazed fans. Reiichi immediately shook the thought from his head. He got off the couch and walked toward their sleeping area. He looked down at saw the mess that was Itawaru's half of the room.

"Can't even keep his room clean," Reiichi muttered and began to pick up the articles of clothing and random reference books. He stopped when he picked up a sweater. He had torn this off of the man the night they… Reiichi blushed and held the sweater close. He inhaled his lover's scent and sighed. "Bakawaru…"

"Sensei," Yasuhiro interrupted Itawaru's thoughts on how he could kill the policeman who was telling him he couldn't see his Rei-tan. "Let's head back to the hotel," the editor suggested, "it's four in the morning and it's just across the street, I'm sure that the officer wouldn't have a problem with it." Itawaru hung his head in defeat.

Of course, once the kind policeman let them outside, Itawaru made a run for it. He ran passed the limo and got to his car. He started it before Yasuhiro even had a chance to notice his absence. He called out an apology and drove off. The policeman didn't even notice through the heavy snowfall.

Itawaru was speeding, he knew. He was driving faster than he should have been even if the roads weren't covered in snow and ice. The sky was beginning to clear and the moon reflected off of the power. He could finally see more than a few feet ahead of his car and slammed the gas pedal down even more. He had to make it to his Rei-tan.

Itawaru finally made it home three hours later. Even though he was speeding, he did slide off the road a few times and that slowed him down. He parked his car in the garage and raced up the stairs to his dorm. He threw the door open and held himself up against the frame as he panted heavily.

"Rei-tan?" he called out hesitantly. "Are you awake?" He looked down at his watch. It was already seven in the morning. He sighed. Itawaru walked over to their sleeping area and saw Reiichi curled up on his bed, holding on tightly to his sweater. A smile broke out on the bespectacled man's face. He leaned down and kissed the brunette who opened one eye groggily and then both flew open.

"YOU ASSHOLE!" Reiichi screamed and started hitting him over the head with the sweater. Itawaru pulled it away and leaned down to kiss Reiichi. The brunette turned his head away and pushed the taller man.

"Rei-tan…" Itawaru said sadly.

"First you get my hopes up by calling me and telling me you'd be home," Reiichi started, still not looking at him, "then you don't even call to tell me you'll be late." He paused, tears beginning to fill his eyes. "Was he better than me?"

"What?" Itawaru furrowed his eyebrows. "Who?"

"You know who," a single tear rolled down Reiichi's cheek. "The fan you decided to spend your night with." Itawaru's eyes were wide.

"Rei-tan, I," he began, but Reiichi interrupted.

"Save it," he growled and pushed passed the taller man and walked into the living area. "I suppose that I should just return this," Reiichi picked up the velvet box he had thrown down earlier. Itawaru's eyes flew to the object in his hands.

"Is that for me?" he asked.

"It was," Reiichi threw the box at him, but Itawaru caught it without a problem. "You can just throw it away for me," he shouted and crossed his arms. Itawaru opened the box and gasped. He looked back at a blushing Reiichi.

"Rei-tan," he put the box on the counter and walked over to his lover. "Please let me explain." Reiichi didn't yell, but instead said nothing. Itawaru took it as a sign to continue. "I tried to call you, but I had no reception." Reiichi still said nothing. "There was a snow storm that came out of nowhere and the police weren't prepared to deal with the road closures." Itawaru reached out for the brunette, but he pulled away. "I broke the law to drive here and see you." Reiichi snapped his head up.

"What do you mean?" Reiichi tried to hide his interest.

"The officer said that the roads were closed and wasn't sure when they'd be open again, so my editor suggested that we walk back to the hotel," Itawaru began and Reiichi immediately felt jealousy welling up inside him. "But before we made it, I ran to my car and sped all the way home." He grabbed Reiichi and hugged him. "I wanted to see you so badly."

"So you…" Reiichi said into the taller man's shoulder, "you weren't with a fan?" Itawaru chuckled and squeezed Reiichi tighter.

"No." He said as he began kissing down the brunette's neck.

"S-stop it!" Reiichi said as he pulled away. "I'm still mad at you!" Itawaru smirked and started to advance on the other man. Reiichi moved so that the coffee table separated them. "You still shouldn't have gotten my hopes up!" Reiichi yelled.

"Oh, so you were looking forward to spending the evening with me," Itawaru said and made Reiichi blush furiously. "And I suppose that," he pointed to the ring on the counter, "wasn't anything special?"

"Shut up," Reiichi growled and then walked around the table to Itawaru. "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

"I know," the dark-haired man smiled and kissed his lover.

"A-ah…" Reiichi moaned as Itawaru kissed down his chest. He had been stripped of all clothing and pushed down onto the taller man's bed. Itawaru still had his pants on.

"Hey, Rei-tan," he purred, "what do you want me to do?" Reiichi just moaned as Itawaru pumped his member a few times. "You're not going to answer?" the brunette gasped and looked away. "I guess I should stop then."

"No!" Reiichi yelled and then blushed. "I mean…I want you," he looked into the taller man's eyes. Itawaru smiled and set his glasses on the nightstand. He then began unbuttoning his pants. Reiichi put a hand over his. "Let me." Itawaru let the shorter boy push him down.

"While you're down there," Itawaru joked, but then gasped when Reiichi wrapped his lips around his length. "Ah, Rei-tan…" The brunette just hummed and lapped at his lover. "If you keep that up, I'm not going to be able to please you." Reiichi reluctantly pulled away, sad at having to stop the one thing that gave him power over the author.

"Alright," Reiichi said and laid back down, his legs spread apart, a beautiful blush covering his body. "Take me, Ita." The raven-haired man's lips curved into a smile and he crawled his way over to his prey.

Back at the Yumeno's house, Reiji and Makoto were just waking up Christmas morning. They had already opened their presents from the family the night before, but Natsumi insisted that they open their presents from Santa. Makoto rolled his eyes, but Reiji said they should just indulge her.

Mitsuko woke up to find a warm pair of arms around him. His head hurt a little from the punch he drank the night before, but he was still comfortable.

"Everyone fell in love with you," Hideki purred against his naked back.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Mitsuko hmphed and Hideki chuckled.

"Not at all," he nuzzled the younger boy's neck. "But you'd better not leave me for any of them."

"I don't know…" Mitsuko pretended to think about it. Hideki bit him on the shoulder. "Hey!" Then the blonde soothed the wound with his tongue. "Okay, okay, you're the only one for me."

"Thank you," Hideki nuzzled him again. "I love you and, oh, Merry Christmas."

"I love you, too, Hii-chan," Mitsuko turned around to face him and snuggled with his head in the blonde's chest.

Reiichi woke up to find that he couldn't see. He blinked a few times and realized there was an arm over his eyes. He quickly threw it off of him. He turned to see Itawaru passed out next to him in bed. He smiled and then quickly wiped it away.

"I suppose he did stay up all night," he ruffled the man's dark hair. Reiichi turned to check the time. It was ten in the morning. "I guess I can let him sleep a little longer. Reiichi sneaked away to the kitchen and grabbed the ring off of the counter. He then walked back into the bedroom and slipped it on Itawaru's finger. "I love you, Ita," he whispered and kissed him on his cheek.

"I love you, too, Rei-tan!" Itawaru proclaimed and glomped the poor boy.

"You were faking, you bastard?!" Itawaru yelled and tried to pull away.

"Ah, but my Rei-tan loves me, it pleases Papa so!" Itawaru squeezed him so tightly, Reiichi thought he may lose circulation.

"Don't say such perverted things," Reiichi rolled his eyes and made another attempt to escape. Itawaru pulled him close and whispered in his ear.

"Ne, Rei-tan, would it be alright if I got you a ring, too?" he asked and nuzzled against the brunette's neck. Reiichi said something, but Itawaru couldn't quite hear it. "What was that, honey?"

"I said 'yes'," Reiichi said in an angry tone and then blushed.

"I love you so much, Rei-tan," Itawaru turned the brunette so he faced him and kissed him on the lips.

"Idiot."

End!

Gah, so I'm glad I got that out of my system! I just wanted to write a story that had all my little Koi Couples in it. I've definitely fallen in love with Reiichi and Itawaru. They are my faves (you can probably tell that) Well, the story only lasted 20 pages on word. If it went over that, I was going to stop and change something (haha, we all know that's a lie)

I hope you enjoyed reading! Please Review if you liked it and make sure to read the other stories in the Koi series:

Koukou no Koi (Makoto and Reiji)

Wagamama na Koi (Mitsuko and Hideki)

Kiken na Koi (Reiichi and Itawaru)

Does anyone else find it funny that Reiji is the Seme while his older brother is an Uke? Maybe just me.

-Darby-chan-

P.S. Let me know if you want to read more about my couples (or Hideki's family cuz they're so cute)