Title: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Disclaimer: Gravitation or it's charas are not mine, but that of Maki Murakami-Sensei
Pairings: Tatsuha/Ryuichi/Tatsuha
Warnings: POV, Fluff, Romance, Crazy, Randomness, Holidayness, sexyness
Author's Notes: Chapter two! Yes, it DOES exist! I put this fic on hold for the holiday season to come around again, and lo' and behold, it is December once again! SO we are continuing the craziness from last year. Hope you enjoy

Chapter 2 - The Second Day of Christmas

I awoke the next morning with a sense of impending doom. Ryuichi was sleeping soundly on his day off while I shuffled out of the room, grumpy and seriously wanting some caffeine before braving the streets of Tokyo to go try inject holy knowledge into my brain.

The chicken pigeon – oh, sorry, ‘Ophelia’, which is very hard to pronounce, by the way, though Ryu does it flawlessly – was still sitting in that tree when I passed by. I swear to whatever deity you believe in, she smirked at me. I was this close to making an Ophelia Special for breakfast after all the shit she pulled the night before.

Hey, I said I was grumpy.

While I knew I should have been giving myself a little brain food before heading out, I couldn’t help but look around the apartment for any sense of Ryuichi’s next surprise. Unfortunately all I found was a black sock I’d lost over a month ago, an old candy wrapper, and one of Ryu’s used coloring books.

Failing my quest, I begrudgingly shut the front door behind me and left to catch a bus. Yeah, I know I have a bike to ride, but traffic can be total hell downtown; sometimes public transport really is the best option.

But through every note I took, all I could think of was what Ryuichi had in store, trying to convince myself nothing could be worse than the chicken pigeon.

Oops.

Ophelia.

At the bus stop, I got an unexpected call from my ever cave-dwelling darkness-loving brother. He rarely calls me, and if he does, it’s because he actually needs me to do something for him, or he thinks I’ve done something stupid and wants to tell me what an idiot I am – it’s his way of being concerned, really. Really.

“Hey, Aniki” I answered in a singsong voice. All I got at first was a grunt on the other end. “Wait up, you called me, bro, you’re the one supposed to be initiating conversation.”

I could hear the sigh. “I’m not calling for idle chit-chat.”

Rolling my eyes, I looked down the street, keeping an eye out for the bus. “I assumed as much.” There was a long silence, and I knew it’d become my duty to yank the info out of him. “So, what’s the occasion for gracing me with your voice?”

Eiri made a snorting noise, and I think I heard him scratch his nose. Or something. I know you want to know the details.

“Mika wanted you and that old man you’re dating to come to dinner the 22nd.”

I blinked, watching the bus pull up in front of me. One day after my birthday. Not that I expected them to care much, but acknowledging the fact I was one year older would be a nice change.

“Why? What’s she got-wait, what’d you call Ryuichi?”

Another sigh. “Just say you’ll come, okay? I’ve got better things to do than play messenger for you or her.”

It was my turn to sigh. “Yeah yeah, we’ll be there, I’m sure. Why didn’t she ask me herself, though?”

“Hell if I know.” The pause was almost nonexistent. I boarded the bus. “Whatever. I asked. You answered. I’m going.” Click! Connection lost.

Not even so much as a cheerful goodbye from my dear brother! But he actually told me he was going to hang up before he did. That’s more miraculous than you think, trust me.

See? He does love me

My hand stayed on the door handle forever. Part of me was ready to burst into the apartment, and the other half was not looking forward to whatever mess had built up over the few hours I was gone.

But I am a man! I could take it, and reassured by the fact that I have a penis, I gripped the handle and swung the door open.

The apartment was quiet – not silent, thankfully. Silence with Ryuichi is always a bad sign. Kicking my shoes off, I called out to my sexy little twisted love,

“I’m home! Ryu?”

I was met with a muffled, “Welcome back! I’m in the bathroom.”

Raising an eyebrow, I was quickly replacing any bad thoughts with the idea of a nice, long, warm shower. We could wash each other and all that – we’d certainly need to after what I was planning.

Dropping my bag on the floor, letting fate decide where it would lay, I rushed down the hall towards our bathroom, and was met with a very nice view of Ryu-ass. Pants or no pants, it’s a lovely sight to behold. So I did, literally.

He jumped at the friendly grope, swinging around and quickly pulling the shower curtain over the tub – Ryuichi had installed a more western style bathroom, liking what he’d become accustom to in America more than what I’m used to. Bathtubs aside, he was grinning there and looking positively mischievous.

I liked it!

Striding forward, going in for the kill like the sexy predator I am, I grabbed my Ryuichi by the waist, smirking against his lips. “Mmm…preparing a bath?” He was puddy in my hands. As it should be.

“Mmmm…” The nipping at my lips was the best way to be welcomed home. Like EVER. Why didn’t other people think of that?

On second thought, scratch that. I don’t like the image of my dad or my sister or –ew. Gross. Fuck. That’s wrong on so many levels.

Okay, so only Ryu could do that. And he was doing it quite well, I might add. Returning the favor, I reached for the curtains to begin our little bathtub excursion when Ryuichi suddenly yanked them back into place. Blinking, I pulled away a bit, trying again.

Only to get the same reaction.

I raised my eyebrow at him, and he smiled innocently. “You don’t want to take a bath, love? I’ll wash your back…you wash mine.” I grinned. “I assure you, I’m feeling quite dirty right now and could use a good scrub down…”

Ahh, I loved the light blush to his cheeks, but Ryu kept his hand firm on the curtains. “Na why don’t we move this someplace else…?”

I frowned at that. No, dammit, I wanted Ryuichi sexy and wet and I wanted it right then and there. Especially since that chicken pigeon turkey thing could be watching easily if we left the safety of the bathroom. I don’t want any more sex ruined on account of animals Ryu decides to let into the apartment.

So, with resolve, I shoved Ryuichi against me and yanked the curtain away from him, revealing, as I thought, a made bath.

But there was something…odd about it.

Odd and greenish.

Two reptilian-like heads turned towards me, little beady eyes staring me down. I stared back, unblinking. They sat too contently in my bathtub for my liking.

Ryuichi seemed horrified. “You weren’t supposed to see until later, no da!!”

“Ryuichi…love…” My eyes didn’t waver from the…guests, to use my beloved’s term. “…Tell me what I’m seeing?”

There was a long sigh, but Ryuichi pulled up a good face for me with a smile. And he began singing that little tune that was quickly becoming something akin to a forbidding song.

“On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me” And as last time, he gave me a little kiss on the lips at that line – this part of the ritual I could become accustom too very easily. “Two turtle doves,” he motioned to the new guests, “and a partridge in a pear tree”

A long silence dragged on. He was watching my reaction expectantly.

Finally, I said the only thing I could.

“Buh?”

He laughed, snuggling against me, all worry over ruining the surprise gone – which he didn’t need to, I was very surprised either way.

“Aren’t turtle doves birds?”

“Yes,” he said sheepishly.

“Those are turtles.”

Ryuichi nodded.

“Sitting on soap bars.”

Another nod and a cute smile. “They’re DOVE soap bars!”

You know that anime drop to the floor with your legs in the air thing you see? I really felt like doing that right about then.

“…So we have two turtles floating on dove-brand soap bars in our bathtub?”

“Right!” He clung, blue eyes sparkling in a way that made me want to make all of him sparkle in the best ways, but the black little eyes watching us was quickly killing my libido. “I originally got real turtle doves in here, but when I did Ophelia had a fit! So, I got replacements”

Ryuichi was crazy. But I wouldn’t have him any other way.

“Happy day number two, Ta-kun!” The kiss that followed momentarily erased all doubt of his sanity in my mind, turtles and soap blissfully ignored.

The turtles weren’t nearly as bad as the chicken pigeon. We eventually drained the tub and let them stay in an aquarium Ryu had got just for the occasion – with a realistic environment, thankfully. He did, however, put dove soap on the side just in case they wanted to take another bath.

That was when he told me they weren’t guests, but permanent residence from now on.

“…Um…why?”

He gave the most adorable pout! His lips are wonderful. “Because we need pets in here! The place gets soooooo boring when you’re gone, no da, and Kumagorou says he wants more animal friends to talk to too!”

This could quickly become a growing obsession, and therefore a problem for my own sanity. But turtles were quiet, well mannered enough. Tilting my head to the side, I regarded the little guys and decided that they’d be pretty cool.

They seemed to be giving me the same appraisal.

“What do you want to name them?” I asked.

“Mmmmmmm…” Ryuichi thought while tapping his chin, looking up towards the ceiling. You could see his entire face light up when he’d made the decision. “Beethoven and Mozart!”

Once again, my Ryuichi never ceases to surprise me with the way his mind works.

Rather than asking why dead European composers were their namesakes, I settled for a milder question, “Which one’s which?”

He pointed to the one with a white spot on it’s back. “This one is Beethoven, because Beethoven was deaf and this one is special like that.” I just shrugged and nodded in response. Whatever made my love happy.

So, Beethoven and Mozart joined our little family. Kumagorou was quite pleased, as was I with Ryuichi’s mood for the rest of the evening. It definitely paid off in his performance, if you know what I mean.

But as I turned off the lamp to my desk, clock reading 4:28 AM, I realized it was not just another day, another night staying up too late studying for a test I couldn’t care less about. And after chicken pigeons, sparkly tropical trees and famous turtles, that were clean nonetheless, the realization gave me a strange mix of anticipation and fear.

That kind of fear where you’re not terrified, but you know there’s something waiting for you just around the corner, waiting to steal your wallet, gum, whatever you have on you. That sends your e-mail to dating websites and Viagra ads.

Yes, I knew that the mildness of the turtle surprise would not last long. Because it was a new day with new possibilities that Ryuichi would take without a second thought on living space or practicalities.

It was the third day of Christmas.

------------------- To be continued...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree