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To anyone but Chigiri’s family, his birthday was never very special.  It always got caught up in the rush of Christmas, when everyone was tired from shopping and preparing and doing things with their families.  His birthday also always fell during the break from school, so he never got to celebrate even with his classmates.  

Though his birthday never felt important, he also never got forgotten. Quite the contrary, really.  His phone was always flooded. Text messages from friends new and old, saying that they should get together in the new year, because at that point, everything would be quite calm and they could spare a few moments for dinner or a party or anything else that made Chigiri feel loved and special. 

It had stopped bothering him a long time ago, and he had grown used to it.  Really, it wasn’t anyone's fault, and there was nothing he expected anyone to do about it.  It was the misfortune of having a mid-December birthday, and missing out on things that were typically shared between friends for a birthday never made him feel any less loved.  

But even so, the tinge of sadness that came from staying home all day on his birthday, wrapping presents with his older sister while they watched a Christmas movie on TV always lingered.  His parents were finishing up their last day of work before their own holiday, and his mom would be home early to start preparing his favorite foods for dinner.  His sister tried to keep his spirits high, reminding him that he had a very special guest coming to visit that evening.  

Chigiri flushed at the thought, letting his hair fall over his face as he taped down the edges of the wrapping paper.  

He knew that.  Karasu had been texting him all day, asking if he should bring anything, or dress in a special way, or just to simply express his excitement at joining Chigiri’s family for dinner.  It wouldn’t be the first time Karasu had come over to meet his parents, but there was almost a different expectation linked with this evening.  It would be the first time that he had brought a partner to a major family event, and Karasu knew this, and wanted to make a good impression as he always did.  

Chigiri’s parents loved him. They thought he was smart, and charming, and that he treated Chigiri well.  They never stopped talking about it once he left, and requested regular updates from Chigiri about how he was doing and how their lives were going together. 

Chigiri couldn’t even disagree with them, because he felt exactly the same about Karasu.  He was smart, to the point where Chigiri would at times have to sit and think about what he just said in order to respond to him.  He was charming, and he consistently made Chigiri so flustered that he didn’t know what to do with himself, his heart beating so quickly that it might burst out of his chest.  And he did treat Chigiri well. So well that sometimes, Chigiri wondered if he was even real, or if he had been plucked off the pages of one of his romance novels.  

Karasu liked to do things perfectly. He had a very specific idea of how things should be in a relationship, including very high standards for himself.  He wouldn’t stand for Chigiri being sad or upset, and he always molded their dates and times together into something that would fit Chigiri and his interests exactly.

Dates to bookstores, cafes and teas and sweets, everything Chigiri liked, and very rarely something he didn’t. Karasu was beyond thoughtful, and Chigiri could only imagine what his surprise for him would be that evening. 

As the afternoon went on, Chigiri’s birthday woes began to subside, and the excitement of seeing Karasu began to increase.  He received pictures of Karasu’s outfit, ready and waiting on his bed, and another came while Chigiri was helping his mother get ready for dinner of Karasu fully dressed and ready for their evening.  

Chigiri bit his lips, trying to hide the smile on his face as he slipped his phone back in his pocket. Karasu announced that he was close, just a few blocks away from the Chigiri household.  And noting it was quite cold, and that he was ready for Chigiri to warm him up.

“Karasu is taking you somewhere after dinner, right, Hyouma?” His mother asked, setting out the dishes and cutlery around their dining table while Chigiri stood back and watched.  He had offered his help, and yet his mother held a hand out, insisting he stand back and not lift a finger on his birthday. 

“He said he had something planned,” Chigiri nodded, holding his hands behind his back so that he didn’t reach out and straighten the napkin his mother just set down. “Hot chocolate at that one cafe-”

A knock on the door, sharp and precise, disrupted Chigiri from his conversation with his mother.  She could hear all about their date after it happened. He immediately turned on his heel and headed to the front door, nervous excitement bubbling in his stomach and a broad smile covering his face before he even touched the door.  

Opening the front door, Chigiri was greeted with a bouquet of flowers being shoved into his face.  He sputtered, and heard Karasu laugh as he stepped inside out of the cold, closing the door behind him.  He pressed the flowers into Chigiri’s hands, before pulling him into a tight hug.  He felt Karasu press a quick kiss to the top of his head before stepping away to remove his winter coat and scarf, throwing them over his arm before following Chigiri into the house.

“Happy birthday, Hyouma,” Karasu said, his voice bright and sing-song.

“How many times have you said that today?” Chigiri asked, a laugh lacing his voice as he led Karasu into the kitchen to find a vase.  

“At least ten, but that doesn’t mean I have to stop.  Your birthday isn’t over yet.” Karasu grinned, his smile promising more things to come later.  Chigiri shook his head in playful exasperation, grabbing Karasu’s hand to drag him into the dining area where his parents greeted him with hugs and handshakes.  Chigiri’s sister looked positively giddy watching her little brother and his partner, her fondness of their relationship never ceasing to be embarrassing.  

Dinner was a quiet affair, everyone tired from the week, but still excited to be celebrating their favorite person.  Karasu kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, an anticipatory look on his face as if he was trying to not rush through dinner so they could move on to their date afterwards.  Every once and a while, Chigiri felt Karasu’s fingers dancing over the top of his thigh, touches so teasing and light as they moved through dinner.  

The meal ended with a cake and some candles, Chigiri not even wanting to count how many mismatched candles his mother pulled out from the drawers in their kitchen.  His favorite had to be the pink sparkly candle that likely came from one of his sister’s birthdays, years ago when she still had birthday parties with her friends.  Chigiri suffered through the singing as his family and boyfriend stared him down, Karasu’s eyes glinting in amusement as his deep, off-key voice melded with his family’s. 

As his mother set about cutting the cake, Karasu leaned in close to him, whispering in his ear. 

“Hot chocolate, Hyoma.”  

Chigiri’s mouth rounded out in an O, remembering the specifics of the plans Karasu had put together for him.  He stood from the table, Karasu following suit, as his parents fussed in disappointment.

“Are you two heading out already?” His mother asked, setting down the knife as she walked around the table to wrap her youngest child in a hug.  

“Tabito’s plans involve sweets, so save me some cake for later,” Chigiri stated, voice muffled against his mother’s shoulder as she hugged him tightly.  Her hugs turned to Karasu next, swooping his tall boyfriend up in a much briefer hug, before he turned to Chigiri’s father to shake his hand. 

“He won’t be back too late,” Karasu promised, waiting patiently as Chigiri’s sister squeezed her brother tightly. 

“Don’t wait up though,” Chigiri added, wanting to monopolize as much of Karasu’s time as he could, despite his boyfriend’s promises.

With a few casual waves goodbye, they finally managed to escape.  His family turned back towards the dinner table, continuing to slice up the cake (setting a large slice to the side for the birthday boy), as the pair walked towards the door to don their winter coats.  

Chigiri stuffed his arms into his coat, accepting assistance as Karasu wrapped his scarf around his neck, careful to pull out his hair from under the fabric so it wouldn’t tug at his scalp.  Chigiri tugged on his gloves as Karasu followed suit with his own scarf and jacket, opening the door for Chigiri, standing patiently by his side as Chigiri locked the door.  

Extending an arm to him, Karasu nudged him once, expectantly waiting for Chigir to slip his arm through the nook of Karasu’s elbow.  Satisfied, Karasu walked him down the street, away from the residential houses and into a small shopping area lit up with rainbow lights.  People scurried around from shop to shop, getting their last minute presents and grocery shopping done before Christmas Eve.  

“You know,” Chigiri said as they casually strolled along, looking for the little cafe that they both favored.  “I’m an adult, so I could stay out as long as I wanted.You don’t need to tell my dad you’ll have me home by 10.”

“Well, I just remember not making the best impression on your last birthday…” Karasu shivered, not from the cold, but from the unfortunate memory.  They had started dating just over a year ago, a couple of months prior to his last birthday.  Karasu had wanted to do as much as he could to make Chigiri’s birthday special, and he had done just that. Until they realized they had spent hours talking and inconveniencing the waitstaff at a restaurant.  “Last year, I got you home close to one AM. No one was very happy with me then.”

“I was…” Chigiri mumbled, lowering his face into his scarf to muffle his voice.  “That was the best birthday I had in a long time.”

Karasu smiled fondly, looking down at Chigiri and his pink, flushed cheeks.  It was quite cold outside, and the evening chill of a December night nipped at their faces.  Luckily, the cafe was not very far from Chigiri’s house, and a brisk walk was all they needed to arrive at the location.  

Dropping Chigiri’s arm, Karasu jumped a few steps ahead of him to open the door, the bell ringing as they entered.  The warmth of the shop was appreciated, and Chigiri sighed as Karasu led him to a table near the window.  There, they could watch the passerby rushing about to finish the last of their errands before rushing home, while they enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere around them.  

Laying his coat over the back of his chair, Karasu held up a finger, letting Chigiri know that he would be right back.  Chigiri nodded, folding his hands in his lap as he leaned back in his seat, enjoying the lights and softly playing Christmas music.  A few others were patrons of the cafe tonight, piles of shopping bags around their feet, and a few others wandered in from the adjoining bookstore, the interior doors between the two shops very welcomed on these cold days.  Chigiri wondered if Karasu would let him wander the shelves after they finished their hot chocolate, and if he would let Chigiri have a few volumes for his birthday.    

When Karasu returned to him, he carried two steaming mugs of the promised hot chocolate. The mug he placed in front of Chigiri was piled extra high with whipped cream and crushed peppermint, and Chigiri couldn’t help but scoop the top of the whip off with his finger, stuffing it into his mouth before grabbing the mug. Holding the mug with both hands, Chigiri sipped his hot chocolate, sighing happily. He almost didn’t notice the wrapped package Karasu was pushing across the table, the sparkly ribbons catching the light. 

“What’s this?” Chigiri asked, setting down his mug to grab the present with a frown. “I said no presents.”

“This one’s different,” Karasu promised, hand over his heart as he waited with anticipation for Chigiri to open his gift. “I had the owner of the bookstore work on a little something for you.”

Chigiri frowned in confusion, plucking the ribbons off the top of the package before picking at the tap, meticulously pulling it back so as to not damage the pretty wrapping paper or the item inside. 

It was a book, Chigiri could just tell from the weight and the feel of the package. But as he peeled back the paper, he was surprised to see a leather cover instead of a normal hardback book like he preferred.  The title of the book was also one he knew well, as it was one of the first he and Karasu had read together.  

Reading books had quickly become a casual pastime for the pair of them, ever since they started dating.  Karasu enjoyed reading too, and while his preferred genre and Chigiri’s didn’t align, he was curious to know what about what Chigiri was reading. They had started a routine of reading books together by trading them every couple chapters, so no one got too far ahead of the other.  In their wake they would leave little annotations and notes for the other to read about their impressions or feelings about the book. 

Chigiri’s favorite notes from Karasu were the ones where he simply highlighted a line, and wrote in his sharp, precise handwriting “this made me think of you”.

Fully releasing the book from the wrapping paper, Chigiri held the book between his hands, smiling as he thanked Karasu for the gift.  It was a nice reminder of the last year of their relationship, and such a thoughtful present, even if he hadn’t wanted anything.  

“Open it.”  Karasu nodded towards the book, the mischievous grin on his face never ceasing as he tapped on the cover.  

Flipping through the covers of the pages, Chigiri discovered that it was not simply a new edition of the book they had first read together. It was in fact the first book they had read together, with all of their hand scrawled notes and colorful tabs lining the pages.  

“How’d you get this?” Chigiri clutched the book to his chest, no longer scared of damaging the tattered cover that had seen so much wear and tear from their hands.  Karasu had had it rebound in leather, even though most wouldn’t have thought the book so special or significant to warrant that.  But the mystery was when had he managed to sneak it out of his bedroom without noticing it?

“Your sister, of course.” Karasu leaned forward, resting one elbow on the table with his chin in his hand.  “I re-read it, and left some extra notes in there for you.”

Reaching across the table to open the book, Karasu pointed out the parts there were specifically written and underlined in blue ink.  Flipping to the last page, where they had left there initial ratings and reviews under the back cover, Karasu gestured to the new note written there.  

Taking a moment to read the note, Chigiri felt his cheeks begin to flush, quickly slamming the book shut.  Karasu was too much sometimes, and while the gift was absolutely perfect, he couldn’t look at the note any longer without embarrassing himself by crying. 

“That’s so cheesy.” Chigiri huffed, his fingers playing with the soft leather cover of the book, knowing exactly where he was going to place it when he got home.  While he pretended to be annoyed, a smile cracked through the facade to let Karasu know he was only playing, and that he absolutely loved the gesture. 

“You love cheesy.  You love romantic.  I had a whole year to plan this one, so, I think I did a pretty good job, eh?” 

Chigiri rolled his eyes, knowing all Karasu wanted was to be praised.  “You did alright. Thank you.”  

Karasu shook his head with a laugh, urging Chigiri to lean forward with one curled finger. Once Chigiri was close enough, Karasu reached a hand out, carding his fingers through Chigiri’s hair to pull him into a sweet, soft kiss.  Though it was so brief, it left Chigiri breathless as always, and he leaned back with a goofy grin on his face.  

“Happy Birthday, Hyouma,” Karasu said as he redirected Chigiri’s attention back to his cooling hot chocolate.  “Love you even more than last year.”

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A/N :

Happy Birthday Chigiri! It's officially Capricorn season, and I'm so happy to share a Zodiac with Chigiri~ I've been wanting to write Chigiri for a while, so I decided to do one of my favorite rare pairs for his birthday, ft. lots of hc's I have about their relationship. I wonder what Tabito's note said?

This will probably be my last fic until after Christmas, so I hope everyone has a safe and warm holiday season!