Work Text:
Chuuya had always been a fanatic when it comes to Christmas. Not because he liked receiving presents (with as much money as he has, he'll simply go out and buy anything he wants regardless of the cost), but the joy he experiences in giving them. Seeing the expressions of people light up when tearing open the wrapping paper and peering at what's inside, eyes aglow, there's nothing that makes Nakahara happier than being able to give to those he holds dearly in his heart, as well as the people that are less fortunate.
During the holidays, there are two established rules he had addressed to Dazai: the first, let him consume however much alcohol he wants without complaint of being the designated driver, and secondly, do not make any comments regarding how much he buys and spends on presents. Those are the only conditions that must be met to keep Chuuya Nakahara pleasant this holiday season, and Osamu agreed so long as his husband allowed him to hang mistletoe above every doorframe in their apartment, as well as their bed. That was quite a heavy negotiation to abide to, but begrudgingly so, he did, honestly not minding being peppered with the affection so often despite the expressed complaint.
Besides, once they have their annual new years eve party hosted at their place, Osamu will be quick to have second thoughts in regards to that decision if he catches him walking past his little mousetraps alongside Tachihara or Kunikida. If it's Mori, then the mistletoe will be off the ceiling in an instant, and probably the man's head too.
Dazai and Chuuya kept busy during the Christmas holiday as is, but now with two twin girls at the perfect age to celebrate it to the fullest, there's barely enough time to breathe, Christmas Eve and Day especially.
Currently, it is four o'clock in the evening, and their little family had just arrived to the skating rink where they have plans to meet up with Akutagawa and Atsushi along with their son to have themselves a little fun. Chuuya woke up this morning around seven so he could swiftly get ready for the day and take off before the girls woke up at around 8:30 as per the routine often goes, having a few last minute gifts to pick up from the mail and other shops.
Usually, he would already have everything done and wrapped weeks ago, but by god is it ever harder to get your hands on kids' toys than it is on adult presents. They fly off the shelves as fast as you can blink, and the last thing Chuuya wants to do is ruin his little girls' first Christmas with disappointment. He never really has to track down any specifics when buying surprises for his friends and mafia family, because they don't usually ask for anything in particular, and while Chuuya gets a rush in having to complete a scavenger hunt list at this time of year, it fills him with just as much anxiety.
He managed to get his hands on two of the three items, one finally coming in the mail after causing him three emotional breakdowns and a lot of crying in the shower after being notified that it's currently stuck in another country and wouldn't arrive until January 16th, and the other finally being restocked in store. He honestly could of kissed Akutagawa when he phoned him on his way back home to say he managed to find the DS game he had been searching literally everywhere for Akira and bought the only copy they had left for him, but the hug he tackled him into was sufficient enough. Ryuunosuke has it easier because Kazue is not yet at an old enough age to really know what to be asking for, yet at the same time he could have it the hardest, because their three year old is also at the age to wish for something unrealistic. He can recall Atsushi telling him something once before about Kazue wanting to move some random duck from the park into their apartment for Christmas, but he's not quite sure if he dreamt that or not.
So once finishing his last minute shopping and meeting up with Akutagawa to do the exchange, that was when he brought up the idea of going ice skating together later if they didn't already have plans. They all had their own pairs of skates from previous outings, but Akane was the only child with a set, so that would be their only hurdle to jump. However, they had plenty of time yet to go out and get Akira fitted for a pair beforehand, to which they made a fun little excursion out of it in visiting the café for a pastry and going to the mall to get pictures with Santa.
They were standing there barely a minute before their closest friends arrived, Atsushi smiling warmly as he gave them a wave. Akutagawa had Kazue up on his shoulders, a giant pompom on the top of their son's dark green hat and matching mittens that Haruno had knitted him for as an early Christmas present. Akane immediately dashes and launches herself at Atsushi, the weretiger barely catching her in his arms in time as they fall back in a nearby snowbank with a fit of laughter vibrating off their chests.
Once Akutagawa's slow approach finally reaches the remaining three, Chuuya's face lights up like a Christmas tree as he and his favorite little boy make eye contact, smile soft and hands gentle as he touches the teary-eyed toddler on the shoulder.
"Hey, what's the matter, my baby?" Nakahara chimes in tenderly, Kazue's earnest stare closing when the man's leather-gloved thumb begins to stroke his cheek. "Don't be sad, it's Christmas Eve! Santa is coming tonight!"
At the mention of Santa, Kazue's face buries into Akutagawa's head, tiny fists death-gripping the material of his father's leather coat. Puzzled, Chuuya receives clarity when Atsushi, jeans damp, trots back with a much less affected Akane in tow and provides an explanation upon witnessing the exchange while making his way over.
"Let's just say pictures with Santa wasn't a very good time," Nakajima chuckles, rubbing up and down the little one's back when he stands alongside Ryuunosuke again.
"He kicked and screamed and cried, the works," Akutagawa mutters, a shiver crawling up his spine at the memory of this afternoon. "Then, as for the very cherry on top, he unleashed Rashomon on Santa. In front of the entire mall, and a bunch of now very traumatized children who were in line."
"He WHAT?!" Chuuya shrieks, expression clearly showcasing the shock and fear he was experiencing at hearing of such a disaster all the while Dazai nearly keeled over with laughter, wheezing so hard he couldn't breathe. "P-Please tell me he didn't put that poor man in a hospital bed or worse... For the love of god, Akutagawa, Kazue better not have murdered Santa!"
"No, it was okay," Atsushi is quick to reassure him. "He only discovered he even had that kind of power just last week, so Kazue doesn't really know how to do anything but release the tendril and wrap it around something as you already know from being there with me when it happened. Ryuu told me himself that it took him a lot of time and practice for his ability to reach it's highest potential, so I think it's seemingly harmless at least for right now. All he managed to do was unleash it out of his back in the midst of his panic, so nobody got hurt, thankfully."
"The concept of Santa itself has him terrified," Akutagawa adds as the three of them take a seat at one of the long benches to put their bags down and get their gear on, glaring at Osamu while he spoke when he eyes the man giving Kazue a fist bump as if to praise up his wrong doings. "I felt the exact same way when I was young, despite never receiving anything for Christmas. The thought of a giant old man with immortality breaking into one's home in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping is enough to scare the shit out of anyone."
"Well, when you put it like that, yeah, but you're not supposed to convey it that way! You've got to hype it up as something magical and wonderful or else you've ruined the entire holiday for them!" Chuuya replies matter-of-factly, fetching Akira's skates out of the giant duffle bag they lugged with them prior to crouching down on the ground before her, sliding the winter boots off his daughter's feet. With an entire change of tone, he adds with much more pep than seriousness when addressing his girls to prove the truth in his words, "We're all excited for Santa to come tonight, aren't we?"
"I can't wait!" Akane boasts, Dazai unable to wipe the smile off his face in seeing her beaming expression while he followed in Chuuya's footsteps, currently tightening the laces of the skates to make sure they are on nice and snug. She's currently in both figure skating lessons and ballet, so this ritual isn't too foreign to her, but this would be Akira's first time on the ice. "I hope Santa likes the cookies we baked for him!"
"Don't worry, mini chibi, Santa happened to tell me once that shortbreads are his all time favorite!" Dazai winks in Chuuya's direction, a knowing smirk on the latter's face before he's taking both of Akira's hands into his own to assist her in standing up.
Legs wobbling, Akira releases Chuuya's squeeze on her hands and instead throws her arms around his torso, trembling. Nakahara smiles down at her, running his fingers through her brown hair before glancing over at the rest of their company, eyeing Akutagawa who was currently helping Atsushi stand up with both their skates on after having quickly assembled the little skating trainer for Kazue to use, a contraption made up of red poles that he can hold onto and push around. How successful that's going to be, who knows, and now Chuuya regrets not having thought to of bought one for Akira too. Perhaps next time, if she doesn't get the hang of it today, but for now she can just hold his or Dazai's hands the entire time if she feels like it.
"Hey, Atsushi, you ever been on skates before?" Chuuya snickers in good nature as he watches the trio make their way over, Ryuunosuke supporting both him and Kazue. He's been skating with Akutagawa enough times in the past to know that both he and himself are pros, but given how awkward it was for Nakajima to walk with those on his feet, he screamed newbie.
With a sheepish smile on his lips, Atsushi blushes and shyly shakes his head no, a little embarrassed. "I can't say I have," he admits, despite how obvious that fact already stood out. "Which is a shame, because rather than taking care of Kazue together, Akutagawa is going to have to rescue the both of us."
"Jinko, I've saved you from much worse many times in the past, I can assure you. I think a frozen lake is an easy foe to challenge," Ryuunosuke reassures him in his own... special way, Atsushi giggling as he pecks him on the cheek. "You can make it up to me when we teach Kazue how to swim; he and I will be drowning together."
"You got that right," Dazai laughs busily, currently strapping Akane's helmet underneath her chin, being very careful not to pinch the skin. "Poor man can't swim to save his own life, let alone someone else's. If it weren't for Chuuya barging in to save him all the time, the old me would have left him to drown ages ago."
"That's not very nice, Daddy," Akane comments as Dazai takes her by the hand and stands them both up straight, walking to where the others stood with much more ease than the other pairs. "Poor Uncle Ryuu."
"Poor Uncle Ryuu is right!" cries Chuuya, but he knows better than to rub salt in that unhealable wound any more than Dazai himself already does, especially when aware of how much it would break Osamu for his kids to know of how horrible a person he was before. "But that is all in the past with everything else! The present right now is much more beautiful, don't you think?"
"Anything that involves our girls is beautiful, so of course I would agree," Dazai winks down at a giggling Akane, then fumbling forward when a passing stranger accidentally bumps him and apologizes.
Snorting into his gloved hand, Chuuya uses the other to playfully slap Atsushi on the arm as he says to him, "Don't worry, weretiger, Dazai here can't skate for shit either, and he's gone with me countless times over the years!"
Atsushi can't help but chuckle in reply to that as well, seeing as Akane was the one currently keeping her father balanced. Osamu manages to regain his footing after they take several more steps towards the entry gate after Chuuya announces they hit the ice before it melts, the light snowfall that had just begun challenging that statement.
The grasp he held in her hand was gentle and effortless, but as soon as she guided him out onto the smooth sheet of ice, it turned into a desperate squeeze that failed to match the easy-going attitude his facial features expressed.
"Daddy, are you okay?" Akane peers up at the man innocently, Dazai immediately pulling away at the stares that question drew so he was now stable and grasping the side boards for safety. She frowns momentarily, but once he gives a forced smile and a thumbs up, a grin is plastered on her face, the man sighing in relief as her attention gravitates towards her other parent.
"Dad! Dad! Watch this!" she cries out with glee as the man slowly eases Akira out onto the rink as well, the man crouched down on the ice as he guided her by the hand. Without moving from his current position, Chuuya simply halts for a moment and provides her with devoted awareness, smile on his lips as he watches her do a perfect pirouette, spinning at a careful pace but with impressive movement all the same.
His smile turns into a proud grin, and once bringing Akira so far out, the little girl is immediately shaking her head in resistance and extending her arm in Dazai's direction, wanting to lean against the boards like he was doing. With no pressure at all, Nakahara let's her go once his daughter's fingers had securely intertwined with Osamu's, which is when Chuuya skates toward Akane and commands with confidence, "Watch this!"
With one foot lifted off the ice, Chuuya snickers and winks at Akane before twirling at frightening speed, crouching his body to the ground and up again all the while he spun. Akane, both impressed and flabbergasted, gasps and applaudes like it was a professional display, Nakahara simply laughing and patting the top of her helmet.
"Keep up the hard work and you'll be able to do that someday too, I have no doubt about it. If you've got drive and dedication, you can do anything in this world, my love," the executive builds up her hope and motivation, taking both her hands into his own before quickly stringing out afterward, "But now, today, we don't worry about those things!"
Akane erupts into a fit of giggles as he spins them both around, still attached at the limb as he begins to skate in fast strides backwards, practically shouting despite it being his usual volume of voice with just an added touch of excitement, "Let's just mess around and have some fun!"
As the two disappear amongst the small patches of other people, they never truly did, for Dazai could almost always immediately spot their bright orange hair that stood out amidst the strangers. The smile on his face is soft and inerasable, gloved hand absentmindedly rubbing up and down Akira's arm as she clung to his leg. His eyes were fixated on the duo for about a minute or so until it redirects upon hearing a clunk strike the ice, casually turning his head to see Akutagawa dropping Kazue's skating trainer onto the slippery surface as the little boy stared out at the wonderous new sight before him. Despite the three year old being terrified of him aside from the rarest of days, Osamu had to agree with Chuuya that he is unbelievably adorable, which provides a charm of its own.
"Ryuu, are you sure he's ready to do this? Do you think he's too young yet?" Atsushi's last minute concerns rise up like word vomit, already nervous enough about going out there himself.
"He'll be alright, don't worry. I have a secret weapon, don't forget," Akutagawa attempts to reassure him, signaling to Rashomon who was snugly wrapped around Kazue's torso like a protective leash of sorts. "Even if he happens to let go of the bars, I can easily scoop him up if I think he's going to fall."
"Not to mention the thick helmet and bars shielding his face," Dazai chuckles, staring at the munchkin who looked like a tiny marshmallow with his snowsuit and giant helmet on his head. "You can't keep the boy in a bubble forever, Atsushi. If you don't let him get hurt and experience hardship, it'll only make his life that much more difficult."
"Well aren't you and Chuuya just a splendid book of motivational quotes today," Akutagawa teases, currently sitting on the icy floor as he doublechecks the helmet strap to ensure that it is secure. "I think the eggnog is infecting your brains."
"Fuck off, you know I'm right!" Dazai fires back all in good nature, well aware that Ryuunosuke is just as overprotective of that boy as Atsushi.
Biting his lip, Nakajima agrees with what he's saying, despite wishing otherwise. His throat felt thick as he gulped nervously, watching Kazue take a single step forward and hold onto the bars Akutagawa beckoned towards. When Ryuunosuke finally coaxes him into pushing his foot against the ice to glide forward, Atsushi had to physically shield his eyes, only looking up when he hears Dazai's cheers and applause accompanied by Akutagawa's pleasant call of, "Atsushi, look!"
Re-exposing his vision to the world, his eyes widen at hearing Kazue giggle while he pushes around his little ice-skating cane, that laughter only intensifying when he does trip and almost fall on his face if not rescued by his dad's Rashomon. Atsushi felt the weight lift off his lungs, and with Kazue all settled in and more blissful than ever, sticking his tongue out to catch the flakes on his tongue just as Chuuya reappears to ogle over him as to be expected, that left only one more person to throw off the deep end.
Skating back over to the entrance that Atsushi stood at, Akutagawa wastes no time in picking his fiancée up, chest to chest with the weretiger as he squeaks and wraps his legs around his hips, arms locking around the man's neck for support. With a smirk on his face, he backs out onto the ice, Nakajima's grip around him tightening as he held on for dear life, whining for Ryuu to knock it off when he starts to chuckle and spin them around. The PDA was starting to look very embarrassing, and yet as he buried his face in Akutagawa's shoulder to hide from the few stares he felt on them, there was a smile still plastered across his lips.
Gently, Akutagawa eases his feet onto the ice when they are far enough away from the gate so he couldn't pull a last minute escape, legs flailing a bit at first until his lover's hold steadies him. They were in the perfect waltzing position; Atsushi's arms around his neck, as Akutagawa's settled at his hips. And the very same way one would teach somebody to dance, he would teach him to skate, coaxing him into following suit with the movement of his feet and catching him if he were to stumble. It felt so ridiculous yet fun at the same time, and at one point as they glided across the ice, slowly getting a rhythm and an adaption, they were blinded by the flash of Chuuya's phone as he snapped a photo of them.
Dazai and Akira, for the past ten minutes, have remained stuck to the sideline, even still when Akutagawa and Atsushi return close by after receiving Kazue back from the short line he skated with Chuuya and Akane as his guides. By her expression, Dazai could tell she really wanted to get out there and join the others, but at the same time scared to conquer it.
"Daddy," Akira begins suddenly, after being silent for this long, "what if I fall and someone's blade cuts off all my fingers?"
Squeezing her shoulder reassuringly, Dazai says to her, "Don't worry, I would never let that happen to you. And even if by some very slim chance that it does happen, Yosano's ability can repair it to perfection. She can fix all types of physical injuries, no matter how severe."
At that, Akira quietly nods her head, gripping Osamu's hand tightly when he feels his fingers slip between her own, ashamed of how her eyes glossed with tears. He, with much fumbling, kneels down so they can see eye to eye, kissing the tips of his fingers and booping her on the nose because he couldn't properly do so with the helmet she had on her head. He murmurs to her,
"You know, I really can't skate either, so don't feel embarrassed about this being your first time. It was Uncle Atsushi's too, and look how much fun he's having!"
They both redirect their gazes to where the happy family smiled and laughed without a care in the world, Rashomon still a security belt wrapped around Kazue's tiny waist as the little boy giggled and continued to push himself along, in his absolute glee.
To be honest, Akira felt more jealousy and disappointment than anything else, but starts to feel a little bit better when Chuuya and Akane suddenly skid to a halt in front of the pair, the family of four now all together again.
"Hey, you two still haven't hit the ice yet?" Chuuya states more than asks, genuinely surprised they haven't at least attempted it. He knows Dazai would without batting an eyelash — despite being unable to skate, he doesn't give two fucks about falling down or making a fool out of himself so long as he's having fun while doing it — but Nakahara also knows that he wouldn't dare chase behind them and leave his poor daughter here by herself. If the mafioso knew her nervousness was this strong, he definitely wouldn't have gotten so swept away.
Osamu shakes his head no in reply, but he tries harder this time to gently beckon her into giving it at least a small try.
"How about you and I go for a slow loop around the rink just once to get a feel of it? We can even stick close to the boards incase you have the impulse to suddenly grab on to something, although I'll of course be holding your hand the entire time anyway, if that's what you want," Dazai pitches an offer, and while she wasn't opposed to the idea, Akira still felt a little uneasy.
"Akane and I will be there with you too, sweetheart," Chuuya assures her with the warmest smile he could muster, reaching out to take the little girl's free hand into his own. "What is it you always say to me whenever I'm feeling down in the dumps?"
"That you're Nakahara Chuuya: god of gravity and the bravest superhero I've ever met," she mutters with a deep frown on her lips, the sentiment tugging at Chuuya's heartstrings all the same.
"Well," he follows, tone light and sincere, "You are Akane Dazai-Nakahara: bearer of No Longer Human and the strongest, most resilient girl who is going to be an impeccable woman someday. Trust me, a lousy chunk of frozen water can't hold you back from anything."
By the grand, show-stopping grin that stretches across Akira's lips, Dazai knew he had her sold as easily as that. Chuuya has a knack for lifting Akira's spirits simply by giving her a confidence booster, which works on her but never on Akane. Dazai's special talent comes in boosting the morale of his other little girl, who requires the comfort and reassurance that doesn't quite work as well on her twin. At the end of the day, all that matters is that they overcome the towering obstacles standing in their way, regardless of who or what takes them there.
Akane approaches her sister with a smile, Dazai and Chuuya both pulling away when she extends her gloved palm. "Come with me, sis. You can hold onto me!"
"...Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Of course not! You're always looking out for me, so it's about time I return the favor! Let's go!" she practically gleams, the gentle snowfall still raining down on them like fragments of a broken cloud. It stuck to Akane and Chuuya's curls especially, but it evoked such a Christmassy feel that there was no room to complain.
Akira, with no more fear, accepts it without a beat of hesitation, allowing the younger twin to pull her off the boards and guide her along. Nakahara, happy tears in his eyes, has his palm slapped over his mouth while he records them skating off together, Akane moving at a slow enough pace so not to overwhelm her. Dazai simply laughs and pushes himself forward enough so he could latch onto Chuuya from behind, arms wrapped around his shoulders to keep himself from falling.
"I love our babies so much," Chuuya sniffles, then redirecting the camera to the other three still close by. "And my other baby. I love you, Kazue."
Kazue, who had already been pushing himself towards him, hums a laugh, saying in his adorable tone of voice, "I love you, Chuu-yah!"
Nakahara could collapse at how cute that boy is, but of course that wouldn't be a very pleasant fall right now. Well, for Dazai anyway, since he would act as his cushion.
"Now, chibi, I think it's your turn to take me out for a spin," Osamu whines, wearing a smirk when Chuuya playfully rolls his eyes and begins to pull him along with an exasperated, 'alright, shitty mackerel, let's go for a twirl' rolling off his tongue despite feeling no burden.
Watching as they disappear, Atsushi giggles as he proceeds to link his arm around Akutagawa's for balance, especially when he can easily hear them laugh and bicker even from all the way on the other side of the rink. Akutagawa only let's out a snort when he sees Dazai face-plant on the ice after Chuuya let go, because of something the man must of said or done, he would assume.
"I think this might just turn out to be the best Christmas I've ever had," Atsushi beams, cheeks cold and rosy red from the temperature.
Akutagawa slings his arm around his shoulders and leans in to press a kiss to his temple, Rashomon relocating from Kazue's torso to wrapping around the pole of his skating trainer now that he was getting the hang of it so they could pull him along as they glided. With a smile that blossomed to life at seeing Kazue laugh and laugh and laugh at being dragged, even more when he accidentally let's go and falls on his hands and knees, Akutagawa can agree, "I think it just might."