Disclaimer: YnM belongs to Youko Matsushita-sensei and others.

It's Christmas, and Tsuzuki invites his friends over for dinner
Main Cast in order of appearance
Tatsumi, Tsuzuki, Watari, Hisoka, Wakaba & Terazuma

"Merry Christmas, Tatsumi-san!"

Tatsumi stared blankly at the haphazardly wrapped box on his desk, then looked up to Tsuzuki, sweetly smiling down at him.

"I baked cookies for you," said Tatsumi with enthusiasm and pride.

A heavy feeling settled in his stomach, and Tatsumi smiled back weakly.

"... That's nice," Tatsumi said faintly. Passed Tsuzuki, he saw Hisoka and Watari holding similar presents with expressions of dread on pale faces.

"Not only that," said Tsuzuki so happily, "I'm cooking dinner tonight. You'll come, won't you, Tatsumi-san?"

"..."

"Everyone will be there, even him. It will be the best Christmas ever!"

***

*slap*

"Tsuzuki, no eating," Tatsumi said warningly at Tsuzuki, who was nursing his injured hand. Tatsumi grimaced when Tsuzuki looked at him with soulful eyes.

"Onegai, Tatsumi-san..." Quickly, he looked away, tightening his grip on the spatula he was holding. There was no way he would allow himself to give in.

"You can eat when the others arrive," he said sternly, moving away to check the contents in the oven.

Tsuzuki sniffed mournfully. "It smells so good, and you won't even let me help."

"You've done your share," reasoned Tatsumi with thinly disguised apprehension. "We're celebrating in your home, and besides, there's only room for one cook in your kitchen."

Tatsumi's lips flattened with disapproval, giving Tsuzuki's kitchen another look over. There was barely space for one person to cook. There were few utensils. Dirty dishes filled the sink, and the fridge was bare. To think, Tsuzuki planned to cook dinner for them.

Tsuzuki's mouth quivered. Tatsumi winced, backing away when tears filled those purple eyes.

"I can't afford a better home on my salary..." Tears dropped, and Tatsumi's hackles rose.

Tsuzuki wept, "Dai Oh-sama won't give me a raise, and I've worked for more than 70 years."

Tatsumi's back hit the counter behind him.

"... It's not fair..." Tatsumi threw up his hands defensively when Tsuzuki grabbed him by lapels of his shirt and cried brokenly into his chest. "Ev-veryone gets p-paid more than m-me..."

*sob*

"..." Tatsumi patted Tsuzuki's shoulders tentatively, then tried to push the other man away. Tsuzuki held on tighter, continuing to drench his shirt in tears.

*sob*

Tatsumi sighed, "I'll try," he said, giving in unwillingly. "Maybe you'll get a Christmas bonus this year."

"Really?!" Tatsumi leaned away from Tsuzuki's brilliant shimmering eyes and nodded once.

Tears still falling, Tsuzuki hugged him exuberantly, wailing, "I love you, Tatsumi-san!" Then, he cried happily into Tatsumi's shirt.

***

*knock knock*

"I'll get it." Hisoka stood up, brushing tinsel from his clothes, and went to open the door.

Behind, Watari nodded absent-mindedly, his eyes on 003, who was fluttering above his head with the Christmas tree star clutched in his talons.

"Ah, Wakaba-san, Terazuma-san, come in please."

"Hisoka-kun, Merry Christmas!"
"Hey, boy."

Watari glanced, giving the newcomers a cheery wave. "Kannuki, Hajime, welcome to Asato's abode."

"Doesn't look like much," said Terazuma with a smirk while Wakaba nudged him with her elbow. Watari noted with interest that Terazuma didn't went berserk at her touch.

"Behave, Hajime-chan," Wakaba reprimanded her partner with an indulgent smile. Terazuma looked at her pointedly then shrugged, saying, "Ah well. I'll be nice to him in his house as long as he's not cooking."

Hisoka chuckled. "Don't worry. Not one dish by Tsuzuki," he reassured softly.

Watari nodded fervently, holding up his and Hisoka's Tupperware. "We bought our favorites, and Tatsumi is making sure he's not cooking anything by cooking his dishes here. How about you two?"

Wakaba gestured at the wicker basket her partner was carrying. "I cooked both our shares. I hope you like it. It's Hajime-chan's favorite."

"Ohhh... do you hear that, Hisoka? Kannuki cooked his favorite!"
"I hear. I hear, Watari-san."
"Shut up, you two!"

***

"Wakaba-chan, you cooked my favorite!"
"What do you mean your favorite, Tsuzuki?!"
"It is too my favorite, Terazuma."

Tsuzuki stuck his tongue out at Terazuma, who looked like he was about to explode.

Hisoka sighed, "Terazuma-san, he's only baiting you. Any food is his favorite."

"Hear. Hear," confirmed Watari, who was sitting beside Tsuzuki. "I just hope we brought enough," he added, playfully punching his friend's shoulder.

"If there's not enough, I can cook," Tsuzuki volunteered immediately.

"No!" When Tsuzuki looked at him questioningly, Watari smiled rather sheepishly, saying, "I'm sure there's enough. If there isn't, Tatsumi will cook some more or me or Hisoka or Kannuki, even Hajime, right?"

"Hear. Hear," they all said. Tsuzuki looked crestfallen. "But I found Ruka's old recipe book. It has all the dishes she used to cook for me."

"I'll cook them for you, Tsuzuki-chan," offered Wakaba warmly.

"Arigatou, Wakaba-chan," returned Tsuzuki just as warmly ignoring Terazuma's angry glare, "but I really want to cook for my dearest friends."

"You're so sweet, Tsuzuki-chan!" Wakaba said fondly, clapping her hands, not noticing Terazuma's fallen expression. "Please let me help you cook. I would love to learn from your sister."

"I'll go get it," Tsuzuki declared, jumping to his feet then dashing out of the room.

...

"We're dead," Watari said somberly
Tatsumi silently began eating with Hisoka following suit.
Terazuma looked at his partner. "Kannuki, I'm going with you. He might make you taste something."
"Hajime-chan, I'll be all right."
"By the way," Hisoka said conversationally, "Why didn't Kachou-san attend?"
Tatsumi answered, "He says his hip is giving him pains again."

***

*bite*
*chew*
*gulp*

"I don't believe this," Watari said loudly. "Are you sure Tsuzuki cooked this?"

"Of course, I did," said Tsuzuki happily. He then turned, presenting the tray to Hisoka and Tatsumi, who looked at its contents suspiciously.

They took only after Watari made hand to mouth gestures at them from behind Tsuzuki.

In the kitchen, Terazuma was trying to comfort Wakaba.

"It's all right, Kannuki. It's over now."
"Oh, Hajime-chan. It was so scary. I've never seen anyone cooked so badly."
"It's okay. You managed to fix all his mistakes."

Wakaba shivered and suddenly pressed close to him. Terazuma froze, bracing against insanity. He was surprised to feel pleasure instead. It felt right. Hesitantly, he lifted his arms to support his partner in a loose embrace.

"Thank you for being here with me, Hajime-chan."
"... You're welcome, Kannuki."

Hisoka smiled as he closed himself off from Terazuma. He had planned to check on them and was glad that he had decided to check first using his empathic powers. To feel peace and contentment from a strong personality such as Terazuma's was a pleasant experience. It helped him find some peace of his own as well.

"Here, 003, taste this." Hisoka turned to see Watari feed his pet owl a tidbit of Tsuzuki's cooking. 003 hooted his approval.

Merry Christmas
Peace and Joy to All

Fin.

Author's note:
There's really no ending to any story. I can imagine many other things happening from a kiss to opening of presents, but none brings closure, and I really do not want it to end. Many times, it is best left unsaid or unwritten. Imagination grows best unfettered. Once set, it is a log.