There's a huge snowstorm on the night of the 29th and Toji wonders if Y/N is going to able to get back as planned. He's running into work for a couple of hours in the morning, mostly to check on everything and head back out home. Toji almost never takes sick days, which leads to a surplus of sick and vacation days, which mostly means getting kicked out of the office solidly at Christmas and for the summer camping trip.

Unfortunately, everything is fine, so he doesn't have anything to distract him from the text he gets at nine- flight a little delayed, just got in! see you tonight, 7?

you need a ride from the airport? Toji sends before he can think better of it.

nah, thanks we left the car out here we're fine to drive. Need me to get anything for dinner?

nope see you then he sends back after torturing himself for a couple of minutes and burying his head in his hands.

Toji is really only proficient at a limited number of foods- but he makes a good chili that's perfect for days like this, when the wind stings your face and your fingers feel stiff and numb on the steering wheel. So he stops at the supermarket, avoids being howled at by any five year olds, and picks up the ingredients he needs.

Megumi "helps" and Tsumiki actually helps, measuring out ingredients while Toji browns the meat. It's best if it can cook for longer than two hours, so he tries to get everything done quickly. He doesn't even attempt cornbread anymore, just buys it at the store. But the house smells like cooking chili all afternoon while Megumi and Tsumiki watch cartoons on the couch. Toji tries to distract himself- working out in the basement- but even after he pushes himself through a fairly grueling work out, he's just tired and restless.

He just has enough time for a shower before Y/N should get there, checking the chili before he gets in. Toji's dressed and finishing toweling his hair dry when he hears the door open downstairs.

"Hellllllo? Cold woman carrying presents here!" Y/N calls.

Toji can hear Y/N yelling and Tsumiki talking over each him as he heads toward the stairs.

"Ms. L/N! We missed you!" Megumi says, joyfully hugging her, as Y/N crouches down to hug back.

"It was pretty boring here," Tsumiki sighs. "Without you around."

"Dad makes the worst cocoa!" Megumi whines.

"Dad missed you. A lot." Tsumiki adds.

Toji scrambles down the stairs before this gets any more embarrassing.

"Well, I missed all you guys, too," Y/N says. She glances up at Toji. "Hey, Sourpatch."

"Y/N," Toji says, trying to sound normal.

"Smells great in here- chili?" Y/N asks, standing up out of her crouch. Y/N's cheeks are bright pink from the cold, the tip of her nose red. She looks like she got some sun. Toji wants to pull her close and kiss every single spot.

"Yeah," Toji says. "You want to come try it, see if you want it spicier?"

Y/N groans. "God, I ate the spiciest food while I was in Valencia. No extra spice, I beg of you, I thought I was going to die." But she drops the presents off under the tree and follows Toji into the kitchen anyway; takes a beer and helps the kids set the table. Toji feels like an itch between his shoulder blades has finally been scratched, like a tightness in his skin has been loosened.

The kids demand to know all about Y/N's trip, the beach, her family, the flight. Toji just sits back, nurses his beer and feels his body relax. Y/N keeps glancing over, as if she's checking in with Toji and Toji can't do anything but smile. Y/N stumbles through the stories, forgetting parts and going back to add things- obstacle courses and zip lines; a close encounter with a crab. Toji is strangely comfortable, completely the opposite of how he'd felt before Y/N had gotten to the house.

After seconds, Toji still feels loose and unaccountably amused. "Well, presents or dessert?"

The look of paralyzed indecision on both kids faces is good enough that Y/N bursts out in laughter.

"Do you mean we can have presents or dessert, or do you mean which do we want first, presents or dessert?" Tsumiki finally asks carefully.

Toji rolls his eyes. "Which first."

Megumi and Tsumiki stare at each other like gunslingers.

"Presents," Tsumiki says as Megumi says, "Dessert!"

Y/N bursts into laughter again.

"Well?" Toji tries again. Neither of them are looking like they'll budge.

"How about this, I'll make cocoa, we'll open presents, then dessert?" Y/N offers.

Both kids stare at each other, then nod solemnly.

"Deal," Tsumiki says.

"Ok, you guys go get ready in the living room, get all the presents together," Toji tell them and follows Y/N into the kitchen, helping clear plates off the table.

"Are you trying to spy on my hot chocolate making prowess?" Y/N asks when Toji just folds his arms and leans against the counter instead of heading out to the living room with the kids.

"Watching the master at work," Toji says, deadpan.

Y/N snorts. "I'll never tell," she says, getting the milk out of the fridge and pulling out spices Toji has never touched.

Toji draws the line when she gets out a saucepan. "This is already too complicated for anyone," Toji protests, watching Y/N heat the milk.

"This is a L/N secret. Passed down from generation to generation, facing the harshest of winters." Y/N says, giving Toji an amused look over her shoulder. "And the rest of the year too, really."

When she's done, Y/N hands Toji a mug. "Go on. Eat your words."

Toji rolls his eyes, but he can feel his mouth curving into a smile around the rim of the mug.

It's pretty much the most perfect thing he's ever tasted. It's chocolate and cinnamon and other things he can't identify. He can't help the surprised noise he makes.

Y/N looks endlessly smug. "Mmhm," he hums as Y/N pours three more mugs.

"This has got to be illegal," Toji says, staring down at the mug.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to get arrested for it in this country," Y/N counters cheerfully, laughing when Toji chokes on his next sip. "C'mon, presents!"

The kids are waiting anxiously, sitting next to the tree as Toji and Y/N sit on the couch. Y/N hands out mugs and after Megumi and Tsumiki take their first self-satisfied sips they start handing out presents.

"These two are for you, Ms. L/N," Megumi explains, passing them both over.

"Thank you, Megumi," Y/N grins at him, putting them both in her lap.

"Dad," Tsumiki hands over the reasonably light box that looks suspiciously like Y/N's own present. It feels too heavy for clothes, though.

Both Megumi and Tsumiki have their own presents in their laps and look like they're going to pass out if they don't finally get to open them.

"Go on," Toji says, watching as they both rip through the paper in a frenzy. Megumi has something about wolves that he's exclaiming over and Tsumiki has something with... jesus, books. Megumi starts bringing out all the tiny, step-on-able pieces immediately.

"Thanks for my present," Toji says dryly, nodding toward the general chaos on the floor.

Y/N laughs. "Totally welcome. I don't know what you're waiting for, I'm opening my presents."

Toji had wrapped them so that Y/N's shirt was in a smaller box, making sure Y/N would open that one first. He blinks for a second after opening it before laughing. "I totally forgot I had lent you that shirt, I'd been wondering where it was. Did you wash it?" she teases, sniffing at it. "Smells clean."

Toji rolls his eyes. "No, I bled all over it, forgot to return it and didn't wash it. Merry Christmas."

Y/N laughs delightedly, putting the box between them on the couch to open the next one. "Toji," she says, surprised, feeling the soft black sweater, glancing over at him questioningly.

"That's from the kids," Toji tries, unconvincing, even to his own ears. "You're always cold."

"Well, tell- tell "the kids" thank you," Y/N says, her hands still buried in the fabric.

"Hey, Ms. L/N, do you like it?" Megumi asks, distracted from building a wolf for the moment. "I tried to tell Dad to get you something awesome, but he got you a sweater, sorry."

Toji resists the urge to smother himself with a couch cushion.

"It's just what I needed, Megumi," Y/N says firmly. "See, I'll put it on right now." she tugs the sweater on over her head. It's a perfect fit and Toji spends a second being embarrassed about that, too.

"It's like being hugged by a cloud," Y/N insists, clutching at her own arms.

"Awesome!" Megumi chirps.

Tsumiki is watching them like a hawk, but quietly, from behind the book box as she pretends to read the summaries.

"Um, you should open your present, too," Y/N says, playing with the cuff of her new sweater.

Toji fumbles with the wrapping, still stuck on the way Y/N looks in the sweater, her collar bones sneaking out into view. And the completely unnerving way Tsumiki is staring at him.

Inside the box is the most eye-searing, horrifying tropical shirt Toji has ever seen.

"Merry Christmas," Y/N is biting her lip on a laugh.

"This is an atrocity," Toji says, amazed.

"I looked through every store in Valencia to find that for you," Y/N loses the battle with the laughter. "Oh my god, your face, I can't even."

"I'm not wearing this, no one should wear this," Toji says, still staring at the shirt in wonder and terror.

"You're totally wearing it. If you want the real present underneath it, you're wearing it," Y/N is adamant.

"This is the year Christmas died," Toji says, but he's pulling it out of the box almost against his will.

"They only had it in a 2XL, but I saw it and I knew it was the one," Y/N explains, as Toji lifts out the tent of a shirt.

Toji puts it on. God help him, he puts it on.

"Whoa, Dad," Megumi says, blinking.

"Smile, guys," Tsumiki is grinning, holding up Toji's phone.

Y/N throws an arm around him and Toji just has enough time to raise his eyebrows before the flash goes off.

"I'm deleting that as soon as I get my hands on that phone," Toji tells him.

Y/N smiles sweetly back. "Not before Tsumiki emails it to me. Now you can have the rest of your present."

Toji looks in the box- there's a single framed photograph. The frame is nice and heavy without being fussy and the picture in it is... perfect. Tsumiki is trying not to smile as Megumi jams his grinning face right up against Tsumiki's to get in the picture. Toji is completely unaware that he's in the picture, instead watching Tsumiki and Megumi and he looks stupidly happy, everything right there on his face.

Toji glances up to see Y/N watching him a little nervously.

"I um, sort of noticed there weren't a lot of family photos- well, recent ones- around. I was taking a picture of the kids and my hand slipped and well, I got this one instead and I thought, um, it was really great," Y/N says in a rush. "It's not a lot, I mean, you got me-"

"Y/N," Toji starts and it's enough to make Y/N break off immediately. "It's perfect. Thanks."

Y/N's face floods with relief. "Good. Good. And I know I made you put it on, but you have to take that shirt off. It's just unnatural."

Toji snorts as he pulls it off.

They eat dessert and Tsumiki tries to manipulate Y/N into reading to them, but Toji puts his foot down.

"It's already nine," Toji points out.

"We're on vacation from school," Tsumiki tries. "Tomorrow is a federal holiday."

Toji snorts. "Bed."

Megumi and Tsumiki are reminded to thank Y/N for their presents before they march resentfully up the stairs.

"Thanks, Ms. L/N, the wolves are awesome," Megumi says happily around a yawn.

"The books looks pretty interesting, I'm gonna get Maki to come over so we can read some together. Thanks." Tsumiki says, showing a spark before she goes back to sulking about her bed time.

As soon as they're upstairs, Toji realizes that he's left himself alone with Y/N, which, while the plan, is... intimidating.

"You want another beer? Coffee?" Toji offers.

Y/N pauses, mouth half-formed around a reply.

"Tomorrow is a federal holiday," Toji tries.

Y/N laughs.

"Ok, ok, clearly I'm much more susceptible to the 'federal holiday' line than you are," Y/N says. "Coffee it is."

The pot is already brewed- they'd both had a cup with dessert- so Toji sits Y/N down on the couch and brings her her coffee.

"Thanks. For the whole night, you know," Y/N says. They'd unplugged one of the lamps to make room for the tree and its lights, which means it's mostly multicolored light strings providing all the light in the room. Y/N's skin seems warmer in the rosy glow from the tree, the stark contrast between the sweater and skin making Y/N seem sharper, more real. "Made it fun to come home."

Toji means to say "You're always welcome here," but what comes out is, "You're always wanted here." It's still true, but a little more obvious than Toji would like.

Y/N stares at Toji for a second. "I pretty much always want to be here. I know maybe it's a little weird, I'm Megumi's teacher but- we're friends, right?"

Toji tries not to flinch away from the word. "Of course. Yeah." He isn't sure if his voice comes out level. Friends. That's a pretty clear message.

"I mean, I think Megumi and Tsumiki are great. They're great kids. But I'm not here just to hang out with them. I like y- I like spending time with you, too." Y/N says. "Right?"

"Yeah, me too," Toji nods. He can't quite meet Y/N's eyes, no matter how hard he tries.

Y/N is staring at him, looking almost frustrated, like she's willing Toji to understand; Toji understands too well. "Do you want to talk- is there anything you want to talk about?" Y/N tries, sounding a little desperate.

Toji suddenly feels drained. "Same old stuff here. Pretty quiet at Christmas without you around."

Y/N looks confused and maybe a little annoyed. "You- I-" she works his mouth for a moment like she doesn't know what she wants to say- or maybe there's so much she wants to say, it's all jamming up into silence. Y/N exhales a big noisy sigh. "I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I'll just head home."

It sounds like a statement, but the way Y/N is looking at him, it's a question.

"Sure. See you tomorrow," Toji finds himself saying.

Y/N stares at him for another long moment before nodding. "Okay. Yeah. Tomorrow." She grabs her coat and heads out the front door.

The knob rattles a little in the frame and Toji can't figure out how this night turned into such a fucking disaster. He's about to lock up when the door flies open again.

"Okay, I don't get you," Y/N says, walking back in, pulling the door shut behind her. Toji hasn't moved though, so they're barely inches apart. "You blow hot and cold at me, I mean one minute we're fine, I'm flirting, I think you're flirting back, you bought me this fucking sweater! This isn't a 'just platonic friends' gift, it's not, Toji, I can't-"

Toji has Y/N up against the door in less than a second and he's kissing her before her back even hits the door.

Y/N makes this noise, like she's so surprised that she's still talking for a moment, but then it just melts into something that's almost a whine- high, needy. Toji has thought about kissing Y/N for months, memorized the shape of her mouth- smiling, laughing, frowning- but none of that means that he's ready for the way it makes him feel. Y/N has both of her hands fisted in Toji's shirt, like she has to keep Toji close, like she would- could- go anywhere when she finally has Toji here, warm and promising, holding onto Toji like she's drowning.

"Oh my god, you asshole," Y/N gasps when Toji has to breathe. "You asshole, do you know how long I've wanted you to do that, and you just-"

Toji kisses her again.

Y/N is open, open, open to him, letting Toji press into her space, close as she can get, letting Toji deepen the kiss, offering herself up. Y/N wraps her arms around Toji's neck in a frantic stretch. Toji has to kiss the corner of Y/N's mouth, the place where her jaw flexes when it's clenched, under the hinge of her jaw, in front of her ear, her neck- back to her mouth when it drops open and full and impossibly suggestive.

"Toji," Y/N says, when Toji has to her neck again. "Toji- oh, fuck, do that again."

Toji scrapes his teeth carefully along the tendon and Y/N swears low under her breath.

"I should have known you'd- fuck- be a biter," Y/N moans, but she's arching her neck to give Toji better access and digging her nails in just a little on Toji's shoulders.

"I haven't bitten you yet," Toji says, letting himself nip just at the base of Y/N's throat, where there should be teeth marks, always.

"Ah!" Y/N cries softly. "I bruise like a peach, I hope you know what you're doing to me, here."

"You could tell me," Toji suggests. He can feel Y/N's pulse racing right under the skin, pressed up against Y/N's mouth. Toji wants to make it race faster.

Y/N sucks in a quick breath. "God, you're killing me. I've been trying to figure out if you're interested in me since September. And now, now after you've been making me crazy- you gave me a key, I can't even- you just, I couldn't tell."

"It was obvious," Toji argues, just seeing what it feels like to bury his face right there in the place where Y/N's neck and shoulder meet.

"It was not," Toji groans. "You're obtuse. I invited you to Thanksgiving with my father!"

"Your postcard is on the refrigerator, writing side out," Toji points out, slipping a hand just under Y/N's sweater, the warm skin demanding to be touched constantly. Toji goes still under Toji's hands.

"Oh my god, you love me," Y/N breathes out, staring at Toji. "You wore the shirt, you love me. You totally love me."

Toji pauses, thinking about denying it, but it's true anyway. "I told you it was obvious."

"Shit," Y/N keeps murmuring, sounding stunned. "Come here, I want to kiss you until I die from it."

Y/N drags Toji up to kiss him, wet and promising. She's insistent and demanding, like she's not going to let go and Toji pulls her in just as tight.

"Fuck, I've been dying to get my hands on you," Y/N says, close in the inch of space between them, arching against Toji, making Toji pin her harder against the door.

Toji just bites at Y/N's lower lip, lets her run her hands down Toji's back. "Stop squirming." Toji's actually pretty sure that 'don't stop' is what she actually means.

"I'm stuck between a doorknob and a hard place," Y/N protests, shifting again and she can feel that Toji's hard. All Toji wants is to take Y/N upstairs, but upstairs is-

"Okay," Toji takes a deep breath and a step back.

"No, wait, that was the opposite of what I wanted," Y/N says, reaching out for Toji's shirt again.

"Y/N, if I keep kissing you, I'm going to try to fuck you, which I can't do because my kids are upstairs and they're probably not even that asleep." Toji points out.

Y/N makes a face, then another face, then a third. "Okay. Totally right. Okay." she still looks at Toji like she wants to kiss him, though, which isn't helpful at all. "But um, you still want... to, right?"

Toji huffs out a sigh. "Of course I do." He figures he can risk one more kiss. "Come here."

Y/N raises his eyebrows but steps forward. "So, you just said-"

Toji just cups Y/N's face in his hands. "Y/N, shut up." He kisses her quiet again.

"Now go home," Toji says, smiling.

Y/N groans. "You're the worst. I don't know why I love you. Like, a lot."

Toji takes a deep breath in satisfaction. "But you do."

Y/N laughs, happy. "Yeah, I do."