Chapter Text
"Here, can you bring this around the front for me?"
Kaito nodded, taking the entire string of lights and laying a section across the branches of the tree before passing it back into Meiko's outstretched hand.
The two of them had been hard at work all morning setting up the Christmas tree and wrapping it in garlands and lights. Once they were finished, the twins would start on hanging ornaments from its branches—which was the decidedly easier task, but they were children, after all, and they seemed to enjoy the process of decorating. Already, the living room looked much livelier than before, albeit cluttered and very, very messy.
Meiko grunted as she looped the mass of wires around one final time, then straightened and clapped her hands together. "There, that should do it!" she said, a satisfied look on her face.
Kaito smiled back, taking the free end and making his way over to the wall outlet. "Ready for the big reveal?"
She nodded, squeezing out from behind the tree and joining him. "Plug it in."
Taking a deep breath, Kaito obeyed, and at once, the Christmas tree was alive with all manner of colors. The warm yellow lights twinkled merrily, and the red, green, and blue ones reflected softly off the wall. A robotic holiday melody began to play from the music box connected to the wires. It was magical—Kaito's mouth formed a small O as he took in the sight.
Next to him, Meiko exhaled softly, shuffling closer to wrap an arm around his waist. "It's lovely, isn't it?" He hummed in response.
They were interrupted by the pattering of footsteps. "You're done! Wow, it's so pretty!" Rin said, and they drew apart with matching smiles, moving aside to give the twins room to work. As Rin and Len bickered over which ornaments to hang from which branches, the two of them set to sweeping up pine needles and moving the temporarily empty boxes back into storage.
Kaito sighed, rolling his aching shoulders as he returned to the living room, which was now thankfully clear. Meiko was sitting on the floor, and when she saw him she patted the ground beside her with an inviting expression. Obligingly he lowered himself next to her, wincing at the cramping in his legs from standing for so long, and this close to her he realized with a start that she was humming under her breath. He strained his ears, trying to place the familiar song.
Finally recognizing it as the very same one playing from the music box, Kaito joined in at a lower pitch, instinctively harmonizing with her. At that, her voice grew slightly bolder, and he matched her in turn, providing a solid bass to support her melody. Their individual lines weaved together, building off one another and rising above the simple robotic framework provided by the music box.
For once, the twins didn't complain, and they seemed content to listen to their parents' song. It was comfortable, Kaito decided as he rested his head atop Meiko's, and he was content. Happy. Despite the differing qualities of their voices, it felt as natural as breathing for them to sing together, allowing them to blend seamlessly and create their own unique flavor of sound. His eyes fluttered shut as he lost himself in the music, and somehow his hand found hers in the minute space between them.
Once the holidays were over, they would return to the mundaneness of everyday life, of trying to scrape time together between the compound demands of work and children and a thousand other things. But sitting here now, with Meiko at his side, it felt like this moment would truly last forever. He couldn't imagine anything he wanted more.