"Hm? Wanna come over again?"
"Yeah, I mean my family doesn't celebrate Xmas so I wondered if I could celebrate it at your place for once?"
"Well, my folks will be with me during that time, is that alright with you?"
"No problem! In fact I'm pretty excited to see them! But would they be okay with me, I wonder..."
"Oh, they would be more than okay. They're just as excited to meet you in person as well. Though if they learn of our first date, yeah one guy will not let me live it down..."
"Hehe~, now shall we go prepare groceries?"
"Heh, got pretty eager, huh?"
I've gotten a driving license in during those three years we spent and I finally get to use it for good use. Yukino goes to front seat and puts on a seatbelt. She looks so pretty...
"Look to the street, man. No distractions."
"Yes ma'am."
The grocery trip went without a hitch - at this point, I didn't care if people saw us as a couple or not. I've become pretty close to Yukino and proud to have her as my lady. Even if it's awkward to lower my guard in front of her, my feelings gave away to the floodgate of repressed feelings of comfort.
"We're home! I brought a guest with me!"
My grandparents look around to see Yukino, who waves at them with a partial grace in spite of her anxiety. Grandpa rushes in to take a good look in her "Damn, Denjirou, you took in such a refined lady. Lucky guy you are."
"Please do not cat call my girlfriend." My tongue slipped, which made Yukino blush bright red at the confession.
"Y-Yeah, I-I am Denjirou's girlfriend - Yukino Minamoto, n-nice to meet you!!..."
"Minamoto-san, it is with great pride I say that you've managed to stumble across such a gentleman like Denjirou. Jumping in to defend your honour like that—"
"Please forgive him. Getting the rise out of people is essentially a hobby for my husband." My grandma interfered before my grandpa goes full in with his theatrics.
"I apologise. But we did look forward to meeting you in person. Denjirou said nothing but praise towards you."
"R-Really?!" Oh shit...
"C-Come on, he's just over-exaggerating! Don't trust a word he says!"
"I feel like that part wasn't an over-exaggeration."
"Gulp..."
Yukino agreed to help us with the dinner, staying close to me as I give her instructions. While it's not the first time I've been this close to her - this time I feel so... Weak, but in a good way. The kind that just wants me to embrace her and stay like this for a while.
Yet I must keep together, we are cooking after all - and food mustn't go to waste.
"Thank you, Minamoto-san. While all three of us could've done the dishes by themselves - with you the process had sped up significantly."
"Hehe~, well - I am Denjirou's partner, no? It would make sense that I help around the house with him."
"You're so sweet! Denjirou's in go—" Grandma smacked her husband on the nape and expressed her gratitude once more. "Shall we dine on our fruits of our labour?"
""Yes!!""
We sit down on the kotatsu, feeling the warm air of the heater. Yukino's feet made sure to entangle mine as she sat by my side.
"Ahh, sad that there's no booze here." Grandpa grumbled as he was forced to drink plain water as a substitute.
"Why?" Yukino asked.
"Because that young man near you will not allow it on account of "health problems"!"
He furrowed his brows at me in a dramatic fashion and Yukino glanced at me, as if to teasingly say "Guess nothing gets past you, huh?"
We've had many pleasant conversations about our past, present and future. My grandparents had a lot of hope for the future, given that the worst of their lives is already far behind them, enjoying the finite time they have on this earth. Yukino was more pessimistic about the future - while she also wants to enjoy the present to the fullest, she worries that it might be taken away from her.
Me?
Well I had no aspirations. I feel like I've achieved everything I could've wanted. Likewise with my grandparents, the worst of my life is already far behind me, and I think nothing worse can come my way now. We've exchanged small presents as per tradition and me and Yukino retreated into my own room.
"Don't worry, I already brought my clothes with me."
"Planning ahead, huh? Guess you really wanted to spend Xmas with us..."
"W-Well, I wanted to spend it with you only - but it's alright. Your grandparents love you a lot, hm?"
"Yeah, they're doting. Though at times it does feel a little too late - as if they're compensating."
I wait for Yukino to change clothes, averting my gaze to not look at her body, and she sits next to me.
"What do you mean by that, Denji?"
"When you're constantly bombarded with abuse, you accept it as something more normal. Of course, no one likes being beaten black and blue or being scolded - but you begin to think that this is the natural conclusion of things. That love has to be earned, or else you're unworthy of it.
And yet when that warmth suddenly starts flooding in, you become to feel like you've not earned it. And when you do realize that your life was a cruel lie up to that point - you begin to loathe those who seemingly have a change of heart all of a sudden. I mean, I can't exactly blame my grandma, she is moreso trying to compensate for my mother's lack of love - and my grandpa is trying to fit in with our family, but...
I can't change the way I feel.
It all feels cruel."
"... Well, I certainly wish that my parents actually snapped out of their delusions. I mean, I'm a grown woman now - I shouldn't be bound by those bastards."
"I guess there's some truth to it. It would've been nice if your parents finally stopped clutching their jewels."
"Haha."
We both lay down on the bed and look at each other.
"Can't believe we've become a couple lIke that. I thought you would never reciprocate my feelings with how often stand-offish you were."
"Well, I was afraid after all. You're still of a higher standing than me. It feels like I am not even supposed to be this close with you. Holding you like that. Looking at you like that."
"Aww, stop having such low self esteem. Ever since I laid my eyes on you, I knew that you're different from the rest. You are... Not cruel, no matter how venomous your tongue is. So I wanted to see more."
"It's still surreal, you know? I thought I would be a lone man through and through. Again, it's not like I had genuine connections beforehand."
"You're still scared. It's alright, I can hold your hand."
She clasps my rough hand in her much softer ones. That's where the difference between her and me lies, rough and soft. And right there I felt awful about myself. Would I be that persistent to pursue my own happiness?
"..."
Before I knew it, Yukino leaned closer and pressed a kiss on my lips. It took a while for me to react and reciprocate.
The kiss was warm. And obscene.
"Mm..."
And at that moment, I felt rather... Prone to suggestion.
Eventually the kiss ends.
"Oh my god... Ah..."
"Hah..."
"Denji..."
"Yukino..."
At this point, nothing could stop us. As shameful that act may be, it's better to do it now than never.
...
...
...
"Ahh-ahh... Damn. I feel so overwhelmed right now."
"Good thing I pulled out. Don't want to saddle you with a baby inside."
"Hmm... It would be nice if we had one of these. Feeling it kick inside me, wouldn't that be awesome?"
"Well, I want our child to have a safe future - the one that doesn't know neither poverty or neglect. I want to safeguard it, that's why I'll put in my all into studies, so that after that... I'll be able to spend time with you."
"Aww, you're so sweet, Denji~"
"You gotta work hard too, you know?" I lightly bonk her and she giggles, before her expression turns sorrowful.
"You always say things like these, as if my fate wasn't set in stone."
"I say them because I care about you. You just gotta... Weather through it. It helped me, and it will help you."
"..."
Yukino scooted closer, pressing her face against my chest, closing her eyes.
"Then do not leave me. Never.
I love you, Denji."