Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ My Christmas Wish ❯ My Christmas Wish ( One-Shot )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

My Christmas Wish

Author's Notes: Reasons as to why I wrote this will be explained afterwards. I would hate to give away the meaning, but please understand this is more about conveying a message, than what is wrong in the story via grammar / plot/ character attitudes/ ect, so I ask of you not to place in your pet-peeves or what you think on each character I portrayed if it is opposite to mine, okay? I have other stories you can take your critique desires out on so please head to those. This is a very, very personal story. And just a reminder that this couple means a great deal to me, so no perverted or narrow-minded responses about how `gross' yaoi is or the couple is.

There will be boys kissing in this and loving on one another so BE WARNED!

Description: Touya and the gang celebrate their first Christmas at Yuske's in Human World… (Jin x Touya) (yaoi)

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho's characters were created by Yoshihiro Togashi, and I in no way, shape, or form own them. I am merely using them to entertain myself and to try to touch others.

Musical Inspiration: “Grownup Christmas List” - Amy Grant

“God Bless Us, Everyone” - Celine Dion

“Little Drummer Boy” - Alabama

“Where are you Christmas?” - Faith Hill

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Snow had fallen from above, mating with the many buildings and roads in Japan that winter season. Apartment complexes and stores, which lined the snow covered streets, were festooned in Christmas decorations to welcome the holiday. Lights were strung of many colors, flashing their holiday light to try and keep the spirit of Christmas glowing bright during the day and night hours. People passed by one another on the streets in with their clothes bundled tightly about their cold form as they dared walk the streets at such a time.

Amongst the many people there in the falling snow, the elder Spirit Detective walked amongst them, kicking the snow with his boots as he did so. He kept his gloved hands hiding within the pockets of his jacket to keep them warm as he nodded to those who passed him by to wish him a Merry Christmas. “I sure hope the guys will be there,” he murmured to himself with a brief clicking of his teeth. “It's so damn cold out here.”

Yuske had offered to meet with the demons he had befriended a long time ago and continued to stay in touch with whenever a new tournament revved up every three years or so. As the years seemed to press on, Yuske's body would change ever so often while the demons' remained the same. He had celebrated his twenty-sixth birthday that year and always joked to the others that he was getting old.

Yuske stopped on the sidewalk under a sign, which said “Bus Stop”, to wait for the bus to come and pick him up. He leaned against the frozen iron of the sign, waiting with another chatter of his teeth to express that the temperature was quite low that day. Pulling back his sleeves to glance at the time on his watch, he sighed at the time knowing that the bus wouldn't be there for ten more minutes or so depending on the snow and traffic.

When it finally arrived, the former detective for Spirit World got on board quickly in hopes of warming up. He tried not to slip on the wet puddles of melted snow, which people managed to drag inside of the vehicle when they boarded. Sitting down at a window seat, Yuske watched the city in snow pass him by with a nervous frown. I sure hope this Christmas will go well, he thought to himself. The last thing I want is for hell to ensue.

The trip seemed to take forever. Eventually the bus did stop at Yuske's departure point; he hefted himself up to jog cautiously to the front so he could get off. Jumping off of the last step back into the snow covered sidewalk, he eyed the forested area about him in wonder. With the cold still determined to bite at Yuske's flesh, he took his scarf out of his coat pocket to wrap about his neck. The snow crunched underneath his feet as he headed further into the woodlands stretched out before him. Stopping at the edge of the woods, Yuske looked everywhere curiously.

“Guys?” He called within the snow covered woods. “Guys, are you here?” When nobody answered, but the creatures of the woods, he stepped under the forest's canopy. “You guys better be here. I am freezing my ass off,” Yuske grumbled mostly to himself, pushing some of the bare tree limbs out of his face. Cupping his hands about his mouth, Yuske called out through the trees. “GUYS!”

Birds took flight quickly at the frightening sound of Yuske's booming tone, snow falling from the limbs they had previously been roosting upon.

With his dark russet eyes, Yuske watched the animals hide due to the explosion of his tone. His hands still within his pockets, he was determined to find the demons he had agreed to meet within the woodlands. “Don't tell me those guys stood me up.”

A branch cracking within the area caught Yuske's attention as he nearly threatened to turn back for the city. Staying alert, he looked about the snow capped trees and shrubs, wondering who was making the sounds he could hear echoing throughout the woods. The noises seemed to get louder the more he focused upon it until it suddenly stopped. The footsteps he once heard crunching through the snow ceased as did the breaking of the tree limbs. Yuske stood still and silent a moment longer, not budging from where he was as he expected someone to make themselves known eventually to him.

“It's probably just the snow breaking some of the limbs,” Yuske said aloud, scratching an annoying itch within his coal black hair. As he turned around to head back to the outer part of the woods so he could wait a bit longer for the demons, Yuske jumped back with a brief yelp of surprise when coming face-to-face with the playful redheaded wind master, Jin.

Outstretching his arms with a laugh at Yuske's expression, he embraced the former detective tightly. “Ah, ha, you should have seen your face! How are you, Yuske?” Jin asked in excitement, as he pulled the young man off of the ground to spin him around to show his happiness in meeting his friend once more.

Yuske cringed at the tight hug he was given though able to laugh at the flighty wind demon. “Jin, it is good to see you too,” he managed to say though he was having a hard time breathing at the moment with the strength of joy Jin was releasing on him.

Jin finally released Yuske, placing him down on the snow covered ground. “Sorry about that, we just wanted to surprise you.”

“Alright, alright, you big lug,” Yuske chuckled, elbowing Jin in the chest. Cupping his hands about his mouth, he called back into the forest. “Come out, come out wherever you are!”

The forest emitted sounds of laughter and cheer, the bushes being pulled apart as Chuu and the others made their way towards Yuske and Jin. Embracing Chuu and shaking the hands of the other demons, who preferred not to be touched in such a manner, Yuske was glad to see the guys once more. He felt it had been forever, and he wanted to celebrate a special time with the demons even if this event was new to them.

“I never thought I would be seeing you again,” Suzuka said, accepting Yuske's hand into his own for a brief moment.

“So what is this `holiday' you people celebrate?” Shishi asked curiously though with a slight scoff. He wasn't too interested in coming to Human World for this celebration Yuske explained to them in Makai, but Suzuka made him come.

“Can I explain on our way back the house?” Yuske begged. “Maybe you can handle the cold, but I am about to go numb from the waist down, and I need that area.”

Chuu placed his hand on Yuske's shoulder, edging him onward. “You'd think with being part demon, you would have a thicker skin than this, partner.”

“Yeah, well, I guess my human side is a bit thicker than my demonic,” Yuske chuckled, heading out of the woodlands with the group. His hands back into his coat pockets, he made it to the snow covered sidewalk with the demons. “Alright, so about this holiday—it is Christmas Eve, which is just as special as Christmas Day. It is where people, namely humans, are thankful everything they have, and they exchange gifts to people during this month of December to show their love to others.”

“So it's a holiday filled with saps,” Shishi chortled, placing his hand upon the sheath of his sword.

“Hey, look at it this way, Shishi, you get gifts and a bunch of food for two days straight,” Yuske clarified with a simple gesture of his hand. “So if you want to be spoiled rotten, this is the day for you.”

“It sounds like a nice holiday to me,” Jin chimed in from the back of the group. He was walking behind everyone with his hand holding onto Touya's as they continued their way to the city.

Touya kept a hold of Jin's in return, watching in interest as the snow began to fall from above. One of the snow flakes landing upon his nose, he looked at the flake cross-eyed to see it there upon his pallid skin.

Jin caught the snowflake Touya was gazing at on his nose. Taking his finger, he wiped it off of the slope of the ice demon's nose with a chuckle. “You act as though you have never seen snow before.”

“You know as well as I that everything in Human World is different from that in Makai,” Touya replied, twisting his smile sidewise at Jin. “The snow here is a lot cleaner and somehow…lighter in feeling than the snow released in Makai from time to time.”

Yuske could hear the two shinobi demons in the very back talking to one another. He gazed over his shoulder at the two to catch them hand in hand. “Hey,” Yuske said in a soft whisper, elbowing Suzuka next to him while the other demons chatted amongst themselves. “Are Jin and Touya both still going with one another?”

Suzuka looked over his shoulder as well at the two shinobi demons, which were oblivious to the two up front talking about them. “When have they not been? Jin and Touya have been with one another since the last time you saw them. Why would you ask that now?”

The former detective shrugged his shoulders, crossing his arms upon his chest to try and keep himself warm. “I don't know. Jin used to write me letters all the time telling me about the two of them, and how hard it was to put on such a relationship in public down in Makai.” Yuske looked back over at the two once more for a brief moment. “I thought by now they would have called it quits.”

“Why do you say that?” Suzuka asked, cocking his brow at Yuske's assumptions.

“With the relationship being so hard recently, I thought for sure they would have given up on it by now.” Yuske could just see the city coming into view, making him feel relieved. “Thank God we're almost home. I need to warm myself up by the fire.”

Suzuka couldn't help but chortle at Yuske's response to Jin and Touya's relationship. “Come now, Yuske, you know them better than that. Their fighters for goodness sake, so I highly doubt they are going to let a few annoyances, who disapprove of their relationship, stop them from being together.”

“I sure hope you are right. Jin just sounded…so tired in his recent letters.” Yuske couldn't help but feel for the couple. He joked and poked fun at the thought of same sex relationships or marriages but innocently enough. He never could really imagine anyone being hateful towards such a topic, but that was where right and wrong of both human and demon conflicted. It worried Yuske more so with the thought of demons attacking the two due to their sexuality, and he feared one or the other would meet their match.

Never did Yuske thought he would be so happy to see the front of his house once he finally led the gang back to his place. He rushed quickly down the driveway to make it to the front door carved in mahogany wood. The house kissed mostly by the snow, the demons could tell it was made of red brick. Opening the front door with a quick turn of the door handle, Yuske motioned for everyone to quickly get inside.

Once everyone was inside, Yuske shut the door and shook the snow from his attire. “Damn, it's freezing out there!” He exclaimed in obviousness. Shaking off his coat, which had quite a bit of snow upon it, he placed it on the coat rack before bothering to mess with the heater. “You guys can unload in one of the many rooms in this place if you want to. I can make something hot for the sake of me not going numb.”

“Well, if you can actually make something, try not to burn the house down,” Jin joked as he flung his small luggage bag over his shoulder. He turned to Touya, placing his hand upon his partner's back to guide him into the hallway, which was not too far from them. Following it down past the staircase, he turned to the first room on the right to make it to a small bedroom with a single bed with an aero-bed mattress. It was big enough for the two of them even if the room was sort of cramped. It had merely a bed a few feet from the doorway, a vanity next to it, resting against the right side of the wall and the smallest closet in the entire house at the foot of the bed next to the radio Yuske often left in there.

Touya offered a smile that lingered only for a moment whilst Jin dealt with their belongings. He at upon the bedside, so he could take in the look of the small room Yuske used to use for a small storage area. “I guess it is nice to finally take a break from Makai for once,” Touya said, stretching with a yawn seeing as they had been training and traveling since dawn.

“Yeah, it is a nice change in scenery,” Jin grunted as he tossed the bag down near the closet, so he could unpack later.

The ice demon gasped slightly when he saw Jin just carelessly sling the bag near the door at the foot of the bed. “Jin, be careful with that!” Touya pushed himself up off of the bed to hurry over to the bag the wind demon had tossed. He knelt down in front of the duffle bag to unzip it to pull out the item he was worried over. Touya pulled out a Celtic cross, which held an Amethyst circular gemstone in the center of the cross.

Jin scoffed as he messed up Touya's hair with his hand. “Are you worried over that thing? Please, it won't break with all of that clothing to comfort it.”

“You're such a knucklehead,” Touya grumbled, fastening the necklace on to smile at the item that Jin gave him years ago. It was a trinket he kept close to him since Jin gave it to him while dating one another secretively. “Just be careful with it from now on, okay? I don't want it to break in half. It means a lot to me.”

“Please, you worry too much,” Jin chuckled. Picking up Touya in his arms, he nearly body slammed him into the bed they were going to sleep within, playfully.

Yuske made his way into the kitchen once he could feel his fingers again after they had been numbed via the cold. Running them through his coal black hair that had dampened thanks to snow melting within the strands, he grabbed a few mugs and hunted for the marshmallows as well as the hot chocolate mix he could use. His knees meeting with the cold, tile flooring, he pulled out what he needed from the lower cabinet. Hefting himself up off of the floor, Yuske jumped back with a brief cry of profanity at the bubbly Grim Reaper startling him.

“Botan! You know, this is not what we mean by Christmas surprises,” Yuske scoffed, opening his arms to accept Botan within them to hug her briefly. “You people really need to stop scaring me, or I won't live to Christmas day!”

Botan accepted Yuske's hug before pushing him back so she could glare at him with her cherry colored eyes. “Yuske Urameshi, you know better than to make a party and not invite me! I have only put up with you for so many years!”

Yuske smirked, patting Botan's shoulder to excuse himself, so he could finish working on the hot chocolate he had in mind to make for the others. “Now there's a reason to invite you. Botan, you know I love you, but I doubt you will have much fun here. There are only men here, and Keiko isn't here, and my mom sure as hell isn't going to be here, and I didn't invite Kuwabara and his sister because they are out of town. Keiko went to visit some relatives for this season, so you won't find your bubbly friends here.”

“And I cannot talk with the guys?” Botan asked her hands upon her hips. “If you won't at least let me talk to everyone, I can at be your hostess.” She shooed away Yuske from the kitchen with a shake of her head. “Go on, go on, I can handle this since you cannot boil water without making it burn.”

“One little tiny fire in the kitchen, and you're labeled for life,” Yuske grumbled with a sigh. He eyed Botan with a sidewise smile, as if to determine whether she could stay or not until Christmas was over. “Alright, fine, you can stay to be the hostess if that is your wish.”

“Oh, thank you!” Botan squealed, embracing Yuske briefly. “I promise, you will enjoy it—!” Pausing for a moment, she turned to look out at the frost covered window with her fingers tapping upon the side of the sink. “—and with the friends I invited,” she mumbled under her breath.

Yuske paused in his footsteps when he caught Botan's words. “What friends you invited? Botan—Botan, I heard that! What friends did you invite?”

“Wellllll, I figured you were only going to invite the guys, so I wanted to invite the girls—that I knew—from Makai,” Botan explained, fidgeting slightly.

Yuske tilted his head slightly with a raise of his brow. “And—who would they be?”

The doorbell rang before Botan could explain. Offering a smile to Yuske in hopes of it wearing off on the frown he was expressing, she excused herself quickly from the kitchen. “I will get that,” Botan said just as quickly as she was dashing out of the doorway, which led from the kitchen into the hallway that emptied to the front door.

Yuske turned on his heels to follow after Botan, wondering who it was she invited without his consent. When Botan opened the door to invite the guests inside, he was surprised to see Koto and Juri from the tournaments he often went to in his doorway. “Well, this is certainly a surprise. Koto, I didn't think you would be here unless somebody pulled out a butcher knife and cut off somebody's head.”

Koto wiggled her fox ears at Yuske as she embraced the champion of the Dark Tournament he often attended when he was able. “I have my reasons for being here.” Spying Suzuka down the hallway, Koto grinned from ear to ear. “Suzuka, I got something for you!” She said excitedly, showing off the gift in her hands wrapped in red wrapping paper and a bow.

Yuske crossed his arms, looking at Botan with a shake of his head.

“What?” Botan asked innocently, showing off that mischievous smile of hers. “I read her diary, and I know she wants to try and hook up with Mr. `Beautiful'.” Turning to Juri, she guided the water demon into the house with a smile.

The muffled sounds of the new arrivals speaking beyond the closed door touched the sensitive hearing of the two shinobis. Both of the demons looked at the closed door from where they were upon the bed with one another. Jin remained on top of Touya as he had been playfully wrestling with him. Recognizing the voices, Jin turned to gaze at the narrow eyes of the ice master, resting beneath him.

“I see that Botan is here with Miss. Koto and Juri,” Jin announced the obvious as he moved off of Touya. Backing up against the wooden arch of the headboard, he supported his slightly thin figure with his palms digging into the mattress below him.

“So I see,” Touya murmured slightly, his eyes still fixed upon the closed door. An embarrassing incident caught up in his mind, he shook his head to try to relieve himself of it. “Guh, I didn't expect Yuske to invite her here.” Placing his head in his hands, he massaged his forehead as Juri's voice touched his ears yet again, as the young demon made her way down the hallway.

Juri had announced to Touya that she had a crush on him a long time ago, but sadly, Touya had to turn her down due to being with Jin at the time. He felt awkward in the situation, as did Jin, and the two of them tried to avoid the young waitress and former announcer girl after having to witness her heart break. It's never easy for someone to find out that the person they adore from afar is in love with someone else, let alone from the same sex, and Touya knew this.

“Do you plan on hiding in here all day until Christmas?” Jin snickered, wiggling his toes slightly since he was slightly energetic at the moment. He needed to get his pent up energy out somehow within the stuffed, cramped room he was within.

“No,” Touya answered, turning around on the bed covers to lie on his belly with his hands cupped in front of him. “I guess it would be best to just try and get over what happened between the three of us. It's just still so embarrassing to think about…”

Jin fidgeted slightly, picking at his nails for a moment with a slight movement of his elfin ears, which were apparent. “Embarrassing, how?” He wondered, bending his fingers so he could gaze at his nails he was messing with. “Was it embarrassing for her to find out you were taken, or was it embarrassing because she found out you were taken by me?”

The tone Jin expressed seemed to hide a hint of insult within it. Touya caught it with his excellent hearing as he hung his head in between his arms. “Jin, don't say it like that.” He looked back up at the wind demon to see Jin waiting for him to explain what he meant by `embarrassing'. Sighing through his nostrils, Touya opened his hands as he explained, “I meant embarrassing by the fact we were nearly caught with our pants down…literally when she came back to try and talk to me.”

“And after all this time you cannot let that go?” Jin asked with a scoff. “We didn't scare her that badly, so get over it, Touya.” Gently he brushed the four aqua colored bangs of the ice demon with his hand.

“I guess I will. In light of this human, holiday tradition,” Touya smirked, wincing at Jin's hand coming too close to his face.

A knock coming from the other side of the door interrupted the time the two were having with one another. “Jin, Touya,” Botan's muffled tone called, “hot chocolate will be ready soon if you want any. Yuske also plans on going out to do some last minute Christmas shopping, so you can come with us all if you wish to.”

Jin and Touya both looked at one another with a shrug to express their thoughts on the plans ahead.

“I'll go get the hot chocolate,” Jin said with a grunt as he hefted himself up off of the bed to head to the door. “That way you won't have to worry about Juri.” Opening the door to walk outside into the hallway, he offered a smile to Botan with a simple nod. “Hey, Botan, it's good to see you again.”

“Same to you, Jin,” Botan replied cheerfully, waving towards the kitchen. “You can get the hot chocolate for Touya, wherever he is too.” Being as nosey as she was when it dealt with gossip and relationships, Botan was aware of the relationship both Jin and Touya had going on in Makai. Just as Yuske was aware, she was too that the demon's relationship was very difficult.

“Thank you,” Jin said with a simple wave of his hand. “Touya is in the bedroom. I promised him to snag him something to drink—and maybe some goodies from the fridge if Yuske has anything such as that.”

“Be careful then,” Botan advised. “Yuske might get onto you about eating such things before dinner.”

“Oh, let him cry about it,” Jin said with a laugh in the back of his throat. “And Touya is in the bedroom. He's resting for the time being, so don't wake him up.” Placing his hands into his jean pockets, the wind demon headed further down the hallway to get to the kitchen area, where he found Yuske chatting with Chuu and Rinku. “Hey guys.”

Everyone acknowledged Jin with a `hi' or a nod at the demon. Yuske watched Jin as he hunted for something to snack on in the refrigerator. Tapping his finger upon the white mug he was holding, Yuske thought about some of the letters Jin used to send him. Chuu's laughter snapped his attention away from Jin's actions. Punching Chuu in the shoulder in a friendly manner, he smiled at the towering, Aussie accented demon. “I'll see you guys in a moment. You can watch the current tournaments in Makai in the living room.”

“What kind of cable do you have?” Rinku wondered, playing with his yo-yo in his other free hand. “Humans cannot get anything from Makai.”

“It's bootleg cable,” Yuske said seriously, though he was joking. “Koenma fixed me up with it so that I can see what is going on down there.”

Jin pulled out a container filled with cool whip, listening to Yuske with a throaty laugh once Chuu and Rinku left the area. “So is the radio in that room I am in connected to Makai's radio waves too?” He pulled the top open to dip his finger into the creamy topping to have a taste of it before Yuske took it from him.

“It probably is,” Yuske answered, putting the cool whip back where he had it in the refrigerator. “I hardly listen to it nowadays.” He pointed at the cabinet off to the left, slightly above Jin's head. “Try up there. I am sure you will find something to eat.”

Jin followed where Yuske was pointing. He opened the cabinet to reveal a few boxes filled with cookies. “I thought you got all of your holiday shopping done,” Jin said, digging into the cookie box he found.

“Yeah, well, I didn't plan on playing host to you guys till later on this month,” Yuske admitted, sipping the hot chocolate in his hand. “And now Botan is party crashing with Koto and Juri, so I have a few more things to buy. Let's just hope the crowds aren't ridiculous.”

“I am sure you can find something for them,” Jin mumbled, stuffing one of the Christmas cookies from the box in his mouth. “Neither of the girls are too picky, expect for Botan that I know of.” When Yuske went silent, Jin eyed the former detective with a raise of his brow. “What is it?”

“So how are things going with you and Touya?”

“Good,” the redhead answered simply, placing another cookie in his mouth. “It's been a bit difficult with nobody being too accepting of same sex relationships, but that is where I get to beat up on people who dare touch me or him.”

“I guess that makes things interesting,” Yuske sniggered, rapping his fingers upon his mug once more.

“It just makes things a bit difficult for us,” Jin sighed, putting the cookie box down for a moment. “It is very inconvenient when we are trying to just be with one another and not be bothered. And, really, I don't care if people make fun of me, but if they start bothering Touya, it becomes an anger issue with me.”

“Do you ever regret being with him?” The former Spirit Detective asked.

Jin stopped drinking from the hot chocolate, twisting his ears slightly forward at Yuske's words. He lowered the cup slowly away from his mouth. “Why would I? Just because a selective group of people want to point and stare and mock us, I should regret the feelings I have for him?”

Yuske merely expressed a smile to Jin. “Why don't you take that hot chocolate to Touya before it is just chocolate? We will be leaving in an hour to go shopping. Maybe you can find something for Touya while you are there.”

“That sounds good to me. See you then.” Jin turned on his heels to head back into the hallway to make it to the bedroom he had taken for himself and Touya. Knocking on the door with the side of his foot, since his hands weren't free with two cups of hot chocolate and a box of cookies, he hoped to get Touya's attention on the other side. “Touya, open it up! My hands are full.”

The doorknob moved as Touya opened the door from the other side. “Did you go all the way to Makai to get the hot chocolate?” He asked seeing as it took Jin awhile to return back to the bedroom.

“Shut up and drink it,” Jin joked as he closed the door behind him. “Just make sure you don't melt when you do so.” Placing his hot beverage on the floor near the radio, he worked on turning it on to the nearest station broadcasting the tournament fights in Makai.

“Funny,” Touya mumbled with a smirk as he plopped back down on the bed to drink what he was given. He watched from where he was sitting as Jin messed with the radio. “Are you going to leave that thing on during the night?”

“Why not?” Jin asked, finding the right station, heading over to the bed where Touya was. “I thought you liked the tournament match ups and such as much as me.”

“I do, but not when I am going to try and sleep or read,” the ice demon pointed out, watching as Jin crawled up close to where he was resting against the headboard of the rickety old bed.

“Well, don't plan on trying to sleep now or read, because we'll be leaving for the human mall within the hour,” Jin announced, checking the watch on his right wrist.

“Jin, it is early in the afternoon,” Touya felt need to remind the wild wind master. “Why would I want to sleep now?” He took a sip of the chocolate, which was starting to cool itself down. “Makai and Human World's times aren't exactly hours apart.” After a few more sips of his chocolate, Touya put his mug down on the vanity near the bed.

“Normally you are always eager to lie down and take a nap, so that was why I asked.” Jin finished the rest of his hot chocolate, placing the mug down on the floor near the bedside. “I'll put that up later.”

“I am feeling a bit energetic than usual.” Touya opened his hand, curling his fingers towards his palm to motion for Jin to hand the mug over to him. Once it was in his hand, he placed it upon the vanity next to his. “Since I know what an airhead you can be, and we don't want it to sit in here for years.”

Merely laughing since it wasn't the first time he had been called something like that, Jin motioned for Touya to lie down in his lap if he wished to. Touya took the invitation and lied down upon the wind demon's opened lap. He let the chocolate he had consumed warm his body with a subtle sigh of contentment. The two demons sat within the room, listening to the radio throughout the hour, waiting to be called to join Yuske and the others for shopping at the mall.

The mall was packed as Yuske had feared it would be so with it being so close to Christmas. Yuske was a bit nervous about taking the demons to such a place filled with so many humans, but he took a chance with it. “Just promise me you all will try not to draw attention to yourselves,” Yuske begged as he made it beyond the automatic doors.

“Yuske, I don't think you've noticed, but one of us is a seven foot tall man with a blue Mohawk,” Rinku pointed out, referring to his partner. “I think it will be a bit of a problem for one of us.”

“Just—try,” Yuske begged after Chuu pummeled Rinku on top of the head with his fist.

“So this must be a human mall,” Koto said aloud as she headed off with Juri and Botan. “Not at all like the ones in Makai.”

Jin watched as the girls took off to do their own kind of shopping while Shishi and Suzuka joined Chuu and Rinku as he remained close to Touya and Yuske. “Are there any good jewelry stores around here?”

“Yes, but they are pretty expensive,” Yuske explained, waving in front of him to lead the way.

“You forget, Yuske that being former mercenaries had its benefits in human money,” Touya reminded the former detective. “And it still does from people who won't let us forget where we learned most of our skills.”

“We may have gotten rid of our shinobi sect, but people still hire us for our knowledge when in the sect,” Jin continued, placing his hand upon Touya's shoulder to bring his partner closer to him. “At least if anything it helps pay for the essentials and things in between.” Bringing Touya closer to his side, he embarrassed the ice demon with a tender kiss upon his sky colored hair.

A group of teens were walking in the opposite direction to Yuske and the two ninja demons. One of the young men in the group couldn't help but turn his nose up at the sight he caught when passing by the three. “Damn fags.”

Jin's elfin ears caught the name given to them as did Touya and Yuske. Stopping for a moment, Jin tilted his head slightly in confusion at the word. “What is a `fag'?” He asked Yuske since the group, which took care in insulting him, continued on their way.

Yuske growled in the depths of his throat hearing such an insult. “Don't—worry about it, Jin. I think the store you might like to look at is up here around the corner.” Allowing the two of the demons to head onward without him, he narrowed his eyes at the young man, who dared to insult his friends with such a demeaning term. His fists clutched at his side, he remembered that he promised even himself that he wouldn't try to stand out or cause problems.

Jin and Touya made it to the store Yuske had been referring to. Walking on inside, the redhead examined the diamond, incrusted items closely with an unimpressed expression. “Is this all they have?” Jin asked Yuske, not all that impressed with the diamonds, which glittered from every prospective. “In Makai, they have gems of different color—not all made of diamonds.”

Yuske grabbed onto Jin's shoulders when the clerk behind the glass display cases looked at the demon funny when he mentioned `Makai'. “Jin—blending in, remember? You cannot tell people here you're from Makai!” He whispered in warning.

“Sorry,” he apologized to Yuske while Touya cupped his face in his palm.

“Anyways, you are at a jewelers, Jin,” Yuske pointed out. “They normally only have diamonds to spare you. This isn't like Makai where demons make the jewelry with their powers or innards of other demons.”

“You humans are so boring,” Jin grumbled under his breath.

Touya placed his hands upon the cases in front of him, advertising the expensive diamond studded items. He appeared just as enthusiastic as Jin was until his eyes came across a necklace with a snowflake in the talons of a soaring dove. “Oh, wow, that looks beautiful!” He exclaimed softly, pointing to the necklace he had his eyes upon.

Turning his attention from Yuske to Touya, Jin headed over to the display case the ice demon was gazing at. His hands upon his thighs, Jin examined the necklace with a slight frown. “You want that thing? It doesn't look very attractive.” Jin was used to items in bright, moving colors. He found the diamonds to be awfully boring to him.

Touya scoffed at Jin with a shake of his head. “Even if it is bland, I like what it means to me.”

Jin didn't bother asking Touya what he meant as he smiled, hefting himself up to wave the clerk over. “Hey, can I see that necklace right there?”

The clerk did as he was asked, showing the necklace to the demons who had taken an interest within the piece.

Touya grabbed onto the box it was within to see it better. “Wow, it actually looks better outside of that case.” Looking up at the tall redhead beside him, he showed it off to the wind demon. “What do you think?”

“I still think it looks boring in color,” Jin answered honestly. Smiling down at Touya when the ice demon sighed at his response, he placed his hand upon Touya's shoulder. “But I know it will look good on you, love.”

Some of the people within the store caught wind of the words the two demons were exchanging as well as the affections towards one another. People who had other things to worry about ignored the two as did those who thought same sex relationships were only fair to those who loved differently. Others, however, scrunched up their faces in distaste at the sight of two `men' holding onto one another affectionately. It disgusted them, and prompted them to elbow their friend or partner to point it out with an added derogatory term.

Yuske could hear some of the terms and it made his blood boil. Clutching his fists at his side yet again, his palms began to turn red with his inner rage. His hand gracing Jin's shoulder, he pulled the demon down towards him so he could whisper in the demon's ear. “Jin, maybe we should go now.”

“Why?” He wondered softly in return.

Yuske looked over at the elder gentleman and his son and wife, who were looking over at his friends with whispers of distaste at the homosexuals. Jin followed his gaze to see the small family jeering privately at him and Touya. His elfin ears wiggled slightly at the words he could hear as clearly as ever—only part of them making sense to him.

“So what?” Jin said with a shrug. “If they want to point and stare, let them.”

Touya on the other hand couldn't handle the words, which were being directed at him and Jin. “Yuske is right. Let's go with him and finish the shopping.”

Jin placed his hand on Touya's hip, looking over at the selective few that were disgusted at his open affections to his icy partner. Sighing with a shake of his head, he nodded reluctantly. “Alright, fine, let's go finish shopping for the others. I can always come back for the necklace.”

“Come on then,” Yuske said with a simple wave of his hand. “I have quite a few things to snag before the mall closes, and let's hope I don't get my ass kicked by the Christmas shopping mob. There are many things I can handle in the fighting arena in Makai, but mad shopping mobs are not one of them.”

The three exiting the jewelry store in hopes of returning to it later made it through the crowded mall to get to the next store Yuske had on his mind in hopes of finding something simple for the girls.

After strenuous shopping on everybody's part, they all met up at the food court to get something to eat. Yuske relaxed in his chair with the large pretzel he ordered with a stretch and a loud groan over the chatting, mall crowd. “Okay, I think I got everybody's gift for Christmas. Now all I have to do is wrap them up, or just try and fit some of them into bags.”

“You never were good at wrapping, were you, Yuske?” Botan asked as she sipped on the coke she had ordered with her meal. “You know, I could help you out if you want me to.”

Yuske pointed at Botan even with his head reclined back on the chair he was within. “You are not getting a peek at your present, Botan.”

“Then I will wrap her present!” Juri offered with a quick raise of her hand. “That way Botan won't get a peek at her gift and your gift wrapping won't look like the gift fell from a dump truck.”

“You guys are so kind,” Yuske said sarcastically as everyone else laughed at the girls poking fun at the half demon.

Touya finished up the late lunch he had ordered. “I am going to throw this away,” he said to Jin, excusing himself. Taking his tray, he headed over to the trashcan to dump his small leftovers and containers. As he made his way over to the nearest trashcan, a young man passing by purposely bumped into Touya to force him to drop the tray in his hands.

The sound of the tray hitting the floor caught Jin's attention as he turned his sights on Touya, who was bending down to pick up the things he dropped on the floor. When he witnessed the young man making it difficult for Touya to do such a thing by slapping the plates and cup out of his partner's hands, Jin shot to his feet angrily. “Hey!”

Yuske and the gang stopped talking amongst themselves upon Jin's sudden outburst towards the young man pestering Touya. “Please, please don't do something stupid,” Yuske mumbled under his breath as he watched closely.

“What the hell is your problem?” Jin asked as he helped Touya with his dropped tray.

“Get the hell out of here,” the man demanded angrily as he was appalled at the two demons affections. “I had to sit and witness you two fags and your disgusting display while I was trying to eat. God hates fags, you know!”

Jin tilted his head to the side with a raise of his brows, confused yet again at the term he was being dealt. “Ex—excuse me? What is a `fag'?” He looked down at Touya to see his partner there with his head lowered slightly. It was a side of the demon he wasn't used to seeing.

“A `fag' is what your kind is called!” The stranger growled vaguely. “Loving someone of your same sex is fowl and disgusting! You'll burn in hell for it!”

Jin growled in return as he grabbed onto the man by the shirt collar. “What business is it of yours who I love?” He demanded to know in an irritable whisper. “As far as burning in hell…I am already there.”

Yuske quickly got up from where he was sitting to stop Jin from becoming physical with a stranger in the mall. Grabbing onto the wind demon's fist he witnessed about to veer back in anger, Yuske tightened his grip about it to send a harsh signal to his friend. “Jin, stop it! If you deck him, you'll regret it.” When the wind demon refused to budge to Yuske's advice, he jerked Jin's hand slightly to try and send a painful shock through the demon's arm. “Drop him! I mean it!”

Jin pushed the stranger away from him irritably with a furious expression set upon his face. “Fine, I promise I won't hurt him.” Turning to his abused partner, he extended his hand to Touya only to have it rejected as the ice demon quickly ran off. “Touya!”

“Don't worry about him,” Yuske insisted softly with a sorrowful sigh. “I am sure he is just heading back to my house, so let's gather up everything and everyone and head there.”

Everyone was silent on the way back, not sure what to say after the display in the food court at the mall. As soon as Jin made it into the house, he hurried down the hallway past the staircase to make it to the bedroom he and Touya were spending the night in. His knuckles rapped gently on the paint, peeled door. “Touya, are you in there?”

There was no answer for awhile until Touya finally found the energy to speak up. “Yes,” he merely mumbled.

Jin turned the doorknob to allow himself inside with a worried frown. “You know, you scared me,” he admitted once he shut the door behind him to allow their words to be shared only between one another. He looked at Touya's back, which was facing him as he entered the bedroom, as he sit down on the side of the bed they were sharing. “So, why did you run off?”

Touya was silent for awhile once more, remaining there on his side with the covers over his body. “I am just sick of it,” he said, turning around to face Jin so the demon could clearly see his disappointment. “How many times do we have to be ridiculed for loving one another? Why can't we just be accepted like those who are with someone of the opposite sex?”

“Because…we are damned, Touya,” Jin explained, rubbing his right ankle. “We are shunned everywhere we go, because no matter the soul, damned, living, or dead, not all of them can be open minded.”

“Why, why does it matter to others how we love!” Touya demanded to know angrily, his fist beating into the bed mattress.

Jin sighed, cupping his partner's head within his lap when Touya managed to calm down. “You know that there is a simple way to remedy this,” he spoke softly, running his fingers through the ice master's bi-colored tresses. “You know you can always leave me, and then nobody would ever bother you or call you names about your sexual preference.”

“But I don't want that choice,” Touya mumbled somberly, his head remaining within Jin's lap seeing as he needed the comfort.

The wind demon's fingers continued to rake gently across his partner's hair. He didn't like being shunned either, but he was willing to put up with it for the sake of being with the demon he loved. Jin rested the back of his head against the headboard of the bed. “It's late,” he sighed. “Why don't you go to sleep? Tomorrow will be Christmas, and I am sure you will want to be awake for that.”

“Goodnight, then Jin,” Touya said, suppressing a yawn with the back of his hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Touya,” Jin said in return without hesitation. Keeping on with the petting motion, Jin rolled his head back on the headboard to close his eyes. The radio continued to run there in the dark room but on a low volume. Its hum was quite soothing to both of them. It lulled them both to sleep late that evening.

The sound of cabinets squeaking quietly in the kitchen not too far away roused Jin from his slumber later on in the night. The wind demon opened his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the darkness within the room. With the radio hissing in difficulty of finding a connection in Makai, Jin moved from the bed to turn it off first. Jin stood at the foot of the bed with a concerned expression upon his face there in the darkness as he gazed at Touya, who was there asleep still on the bed. He was worried for Touya. He wanted to keep the ice demon as his own, but all of those around them were making him think extra hard on their relationship.

The soft squeaking of cabinets catching his ears once more turned Jin to the bedroom door. Still a bit tired from only getting four hours of sleep, he expressed a yawn once he made it into the kitchen doorway. “Hey, Yuske,” he mumbled, recognizing his scent.

Yuske turned around quickly with a coke in his hands. “Hey, Jin, what are you doing up so late?”

“I heard you messing around in here,” Jin answered as he dragged his feet over to the dining table so he could sit down. “What about you? It's a bit late to be sneaking sugar drinks.”

“It's caffeine, not sugar,” Yuske corrected the wind demon as he sat across from him. “And I got up because I couldn't sleep.” He ran his fingers through his messy, coal black hair to keep the strands out of his face.

“Caffeine, sugar—same thing,” Jin chuckled lightly in the densely lit room. The thought of what happened at the mall rang like a bell in his mind as he sat there across from Yuske at the circular table. He tapped his fingers upon the smooth wood with a subtle hum in his throat. “I am sorry about what happened at the mall. People like that just really get to me when they seem to take so much business in my relationship.”

“Jin, Human World isn't like Makai. You can't just go around beating up people without having someone care,” Yuske said with a sigh. “But I understand why you wanted to beat that guy into the ground.” The former detective stole a sip from the coke he had in his possession. “How is Touya? Is he doing okay?”

“He is sleeping right now. He was really upset over what happened at the mall.” Jin scratched an annoying itch near his horn with a slight shake of his head afterwards. “I just don't understand people. Why do same sex relationships have to be shunned?”

“Well, it is mostly shunned because of the hatred people advertise on the streets, in courts after a murder case, and it's vastly advertised on the net,” Yuske answered. “I don't understand it either. You would think people would take more joy in telling the world about something they love, not something they hate immensely. But, to most people, it is a sin or it is considered unclean or morally wrong.”

Jin's palm met harshly with the table top, startling Yuske at the demon's reaction. “If I want to sin, or be unclean, or be `morally wrong', then let me! What should it matter to anybody, but myself, what happens to me!”

“Jin, keep it down!” Yuske demanded in a hushed whisper.

“I just don't see the problem!” Jin growled in a softer tone. “I am not killing anybody! I am just in love in a different way!”

Yuske cupped his forehead in his hand, lidding his eyes in thought. “I cannot explain other people for you, Jin. I wish I could make the world more open-minded and open hearted to love, but humans are stubborn as mules when it comes to their views. You can kick and scream and cause a scene all you want, but they won't change even if you threaten their lives or make them witness a murder of someone who was immensely hated for their love life.” Finishing the last bit of his drink, he tossed the bottle in the trashcan before excusing himself from the table. “It's late, and I guess I better try and sleep now. Why don't you do the same? I am sorry for waking you up. I will try to be quieter next time.”

Jin pushed himself up as well after Yuske with a nod to the half demon. “Thanks for at least listening. I'll see you later today then.” His palm meeting gently with Yuske's back, he managed a smile for his close friend before departing from the kitchen to head back to the bedroom. “Goodnight, Yuske, and Merry Christmas to you.”

“Same to you, Jin,” Yuske said in return with a slight salute in the dark. Putting his hands in his black, baggy pants pockets, he went to the end of the hall to turn to the staircase, so he himself could get back to bed.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The snow continued to fall during the night, making the inches pile up during the hours it fell. The temperature within the house dropped, but only a few of the demons could feel it and scrambled to get the heat working. Hearing the sound of the others shuffling across the floor, Touya roused from his slumber with a groan.

“What time is it?” He wondered mostly to himself, seeing as Jin was apparently not in the room with him. When he didn't get a response, and with no clock nearby to show him the hour, Touya collapsed back on the bed mattress with the comforter pulled up over his head in attempts to block out the noises he could hear.

The door opening a few minutes later, Jin allowed himself inside so he could wake up Touya. Making it to the bedside, Jin shook Touya gently. “Touya, wake up. It's almost noon, for goodness sake.”

Hearing the time, Touya groaned regardless as he shifted himself up in the bed to rub the sleep from his eyes. “Is it Christmas morning all ready?”

“More like Christmas noon,” Jin corrected. “Everybody is getting ready to open presents and eat lunch.” Fidgeting with a box in his hands, he forced on a smile for his weary partner. “Touya, I know you are upset about yesterday, and I am sorry. All I can do is say `I am sorry' for other people's actions. You know there is no changing people's view on us.”

The ice master brought his knees to his chest with a nod to acknowledge he was listening.

“But, if you're willing to put up with it and remain with me, I have something you may like.” Jin shifted on the bed to show Touya the box he had in his hands. Opening it up, he revealed the necklace that the ice master had stated clearly he wanted.

The diamonds glistening clearly off of the necklace he had eyed yesterday made Touya finally smile. “Oh, Jin, you actually bought it!” He exclaimed softly in excitement, taking the box from his partner.

“I bought it before leaving the store yesterday after you ran out of the mall,” Jin said with a smile. “Even though Yuske wanted us to open them all up out in the living room, I thought I would give you yours now.”

Touya took the necklace out of the box so he could look at it better from all angles. “You know how you said this looked bland to you, and you wondered why I wanted it.” He paused, letting the dove with the snowflake sparkle before his eyes. “The reason I loved it so much was because the snowflake reminds me of myself, and the dove reminds me of you.”

Jin blinked a few times at Touya's explanation before chuckling in the depths of his throat. “I remind you of a dove? That's a new one.”

“A dove here is a bringer of peace,” Touya reminded Jin as the wind demon helped him put on the necklace, to give his Celtic cross company. “And while you do it in strange, brutal ways, you always manage to bring peace into my life.”

“Well, I am glad I can do it in interesting ways,” Jin joked, kissing his partner on the cheek. “Now, come on, I promised Yuske I would drag you out into the living room with the others kicking and screaming if I had to.”

Touya didn't say a word. He merely smiled as he took Jin's hand within his own. Following his partner out into the living room, which was filled with everybody talking and sipping on a drink of their choosing, Yuske was the one to point out to the others that Jin had reappeared with the ice master.

“I see you're finally awake,” he said, raising his mug up to the demon briefly. “And I see Jin was steadfast as ever and gave you your present—Jin!”

“What!” Jin asked, rubbing the back of his head. “I wanted to give him something to help him feel better!”

“Oh, don't be mad at him, Yuske,” Botan insisted with her hand against the half demon's chest to keep him from pummeling Jin. “Now that we are all here, we can open up the gifts we bought one another.”

Touya and Jin watched from the tree Yuske had decorated with Keiko before she left to spend time with her family as everyone else enjoyed the presents they were given. The ice master rested his head against the wind demon with a feeling of guilt. “I am sorry I never got you anything for this holiday.”

“Don't worry about it,” Jin insisted, holding Touya close to his body. “Besides, what I want, I doubt you could give me.”

Jin's voice sounded serious and a bit stern. Touya peered into the demon's deep, blue eyes with a risen brow of concern. “What is it? What did you want for Christmas?”

Jin looked down at Touya before peeking up at the star Yuske put on top of the Christmas tree next to where he was standing. “What I want more than anything is to just be accepted in my feelings for you. I am just as tired as you are of feeling shunned by everyone we meet all because we love differently.” Sighing through his nostrils, he continued, “My Christmas wish would be that every soul could be a bit more open-minded and less hateful.”

“That's a big wish, Jin,” Touya expressed with a somberly sigh. “And it's funny how that is mine too.” Embracing his lover's side, he felt Jin's lips caress his forehead as he did so. “But at least if anything, we have friends who accept us, and that is all I could ask for now.”

“I feel the same way,” Jin murmured so only they could hear. “Merry Christmas, Touya. I love you no matter what anybody else has to say towards it.”

“Merry Christmas to you too, Jin,” Touya said in return, staying buried into his side. “I love you as well.”

The snow continued throughout the Christmas day as the demons remained at Yuske's side throughout the afternoon and well into the night. While there were only few gifts exchanged, it was a joyous time for everyone as they spent the rest of the holiday wrapped within one another's company. The fire once strong and fierce within the fireplace, parted with its last ember when the moon was high up in the night sky that midnight. And the house, which was once so full of laughter and cheer, was now quiet and empty once more.

Yuske threw away the last bit of wrapping paper that night and cleaned up the rest of the house so Keiko wouldn't really let him have it. Turning out the lights on his way up to his bedroom upstairs, he stopped at the desk near the foot of the staircase to pick up a small picture frame that caught his eye. It was a Polaroid picture he took earlier that day and decided to frame until he could blow it up once the holiday rush was over. Smiling at his friends he had over for the Christmas day, he put the small framed picture back down where he had before heading to his bedroom at the end of the hallway. Turning out the last light in the house for the night, Yuske went to sleep as he wished all of his friends the best of luck and hoped to see them next year.

THE END

End Notes: I can understand people advertising their dislike for a fake, anime couple and I can understand people advertising their dislike for a certain food, or maybe even a holiday—but when you go around posting up anti-gay, anti-lesbian, anti-yaoi/yuri, it kind of hits close to something that is not within the `fan' base. It's a real sexual orientation, and it always upsets me to the point of tears (or anger) when I see such tasteless banners.

If you don't like yaoi or yuri or anything of that nature, either avoid the stuff, or keep it to yourself. I am sorry if you think guys on guys is gross or girls on girls is, but why don't you stop wasting your time feuding about such a thing and draw or write about something you maybe DO like. Advertising hate is so unappealing and not to mention not necessary when this isn't just a fan base, a genre, ect—it actually goes on outside of the internet. This is my grown up Christmas wish—for the world out there to become more open-minded and stop being so hateful towards others, but I guess it may take a few more centuries before that even happens.

For those who don't know, Koto and Juri actually admit in the manga that they had feelings for Suzuka and Touya though “Suzuka appeared too stuck on himself to care for Koto” and “Touya probably didn't know Juri existed” as they said on their little program in the manga. Just thought I would clarify that for those who don't know.

Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you all have a wonderful time spending it with your family and or friends.