#servamp fandom

“You could dodge that, loser.”

“Apparently I couldn’t!”

“Loser.”

Sakuya represses the urge to throw the joystick at Kuro’s face. The boy does not even seem angry, sitting perfectly still on the carpet, his eyes stuck on the TV screen. 

“I’ll get done with that stage in a minute. Watch and learn.”

Sakuya mimics the self-proclaimed e-sport champion. Why does he even ask Sakuya to play with him? It is not as if he needed his help… Well, guess at least it means he is part of the furniture now. Sakuya sighs. He can hear the vacuum cleaner from the other room. He would go and help Mahiru, but the brunette has forbidden his mates to cross the kitchen’s threshold. It is his kingdom, after all. 

Sakuya squints back at the screen. Kuro has effortlessly completed the stage, and the list of his achievements appears. He stretches out. 

“Mahiru! Can I eat chips?”

A muffled scream comes from the kitchen. Sakuya muses:

“Translation: you will wait for dinner in due time like everybody, you lazybones.”

“But I need to refill my energy…”

Kuro lets himself fall on the carpet, mumbling about how hard that floor is. Sakuya does not dare saying that he could play on the couch, like any normal human being – first, they do not belong to this category; second, he knows the answer. 

“I can’t bring out all my skills by just sitting normally!”

Hence both of them playing right in front of the TV, on the floor. Most of the time, Mahiru keeps an eye on them from the couch, encouraging their progress and giving Sakuya knowing looks each time Kuro auto-congratulates for his own successes. As for today, Christmas 24th, Shirota has been too busy completing his angel in the house duty. Since the first lights of dawn, the boy has been up, rummaging in every room of the tiny flat. The others started to be really concerned when he locked himself up in his bedroom. From the living room, they could hear thuds and scrapings. But Mahiru would always answered that he was perfectly okay. As usual. 

“You are not focused, Watanuki”, Kuro snaps. 

His avatar comes just in time to rescue Sakuya’s, about to fall from a cliff for the nth time. 

“Do you even know how to hold a joystick?”

Sakuya rolls his eyes as the blue-haired boy crawls behind him. Kuro places his hands over Sakuya’s, and guides his fingers. The avatar performs a perfect backflip.

“Was that necessary?” Sakuya mutters.

“Absolutely not. But it was super awesome.”

Despite his choice of words, Kuro’s voice sounds as bored as usual. He puts his head on Sakuya’s shoulder and whispers:

“I’ll train the shit out of you. We’re going to become video games super stars. After all, we got a huge refund incoming…”

“Shh!!”

Sakuya knocks Kuro’s head with the joystick. How could one be such a goofball! The boy lets out a forced moan. He brings all of his weight on Sakuya’s shoulders, proceeding to make his fall on the carpet. Maintaining the green-haired boy on the floor with his arm under his neck, Kuro whines:

“Mahiru! I’m being tortured!”

“Who’s persecuting who?!” 

“Help me…”

The vacuum cleaner stops. They hear a few steps coming their way. Sakuya struggles his best, but Kuro is surprisingly strong. He has not moved an inch when Mahiru’s face appears above theirs.

“Can’t you stop being dorks for a few seconds?”

Dishevelled and upside-town, the boys glance at each other, kids caught in the act. Mahiru stares at them, his arms crossed, trying hard to look like a strict father figure. As they sit back quietly, the TV produces the jingle of a “game over”. Kuro lets out a deep sigh and grabs one of Mahiru’s legs:

“I’m desperately hungry.”

“You’ve done nothing all day long!”

“And you’ve been doing way too much,” Sakuya steps in. “And refused our help. Meanwhile, night is falling, and all we’ve done is sitting on this carpet, doing close to nothing, as you said…”

“Green bean is right. Not that I’m against lying on the carpet, though.”

Sakuya elbowed the blue-haired boy. Kuro goes down as if he had been severely hurt by the attack. He goes on:

“Mahiru… It’s only Christmas Eve, and with just the three of us. What about watching a movie on the couch until we fall asleep?”

“We already do that every day,'' Sakuya sighs.

Kuro fails to see the issue of this perfectly sane routine. Before they start to bicker again, Mahiru takes a deep breath. Then, he crouches to be at the boys’ level, and puts his hands on their shoulders:

“I’m almost done...”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Actually, I even need you to do something.” 

Kuro and Sakuya exchange a look. They nod – as long as it doesn’t imply running errands in a crowded supermarket as they did this morning. Mahiru smiles softly.

“You go get ready in the bathroom.” 

The boys glare at him:

“That’s not actual help, you know.”

“But this room is the only one left! Once you come back, I swear everything will be ready and I’m all yours for the evening!”

Jointly, Kuro and Sakuya leap on Mahiru. The brunette lets out a scream as he ends up stuck on the floor under his mates. Sakuya pokes his forehead:

“What do we win by letting you go?”

“We do not look like it, but we can be very demanding,” Kuro adds.

Mahiru cannot help but chuckle. Which is difficult with such a heavy weighs on his body. 

“I’ll be… the nicest… Christmas present…”

As he seems ready to suffocate, they decide to free him. Reluctantly, they even oblige to his request. Left on the carpet to catch his breath, Mahiru shouts:

“Oh, and don’t go in the bedroom!”

Sakuya stops to voice what has been on his mind for a few hours now:

“Oh yeah, about that… Have you like, destroyed it earlier?”

“Talk about a zealous housewife,” Kuro says from the bathroom.

“Just don’t get in!” Mahiru articulates.

Shrugging his shoulders, Sakuya turns around to help Mahiru getting up:

“What, have you hidden our presents in it?”

“I might,” Mahiru secretively smiles. 

Sakuya raises an eyebrow. Why so secretive? He strokes the brunette’s hair, attempting to put it back into order. Despite having worked all day, Mahiru’s face still glows. The green-haired boy pouts:

“You already are a perfect present in our lives every day, you know.”

Mahiru slightly blushes. His smile broadens. Sakuya feels his cheeks heating as well. Sakuya! Focus! You’ve got a mission! He claps his hands and shouts:

“Kuro, wait for me, you have no idea how to dress up!”

“I am a free and independent man!”

“Yeah, my ass, you lazybones…”

Sakuya disappears in the corridor. Mahiru laughs – they may be dorks, but they are cute ones. He rolls up his sleeves. Chores are not going to do themselves!

Table has been laid. Candles lit. A small tree adorned with way too many decorations for his height. Sakuya has just put the star at the stop of it when Mahiru joins the living room, finally ready to celebrate Christmas as well. Kuro is busy playing with the multi-coloured light bulbs of one of the wreaths. Upon this sight, Mahiru burst into laughter:

“You’re really cute!!” he manages to say. 

Sakuya looks down to Kuro. He opens his hand to the skies – maybe chores have finally driven their friend crazy. 

“We should take a pic,” Mahiru offers, taking out his phone. “Also, we have to call Licht, it’s his birthday!”

“I have no wish to hear my little brother’s voice on this holy eve,” Kuro sighs.

“Kuro! Don’t be an ass! Come on, raise up, you’re not on the pic.”

The selfie taken and posted on Instagram, the trio sits down to dinner. 

As expected of him, Mahiru has thought of everything. And most likely become the grocer’s number one client. An assortment of grilled food is followed by fried rice, with seasoned vegetables. Kuro and Sakuya fight over the remaining ginger, only to decide to let it to Mahiru in the end. They find comfort in the mandarin desserts Mahiru baked on his own. Drowned under the compliments of his mates, the brunette cleverly changes subject by offering to exchange presents. Kuro and Sakuya agree – as one, they go to the room, closely followed by Mahiru. Before opening the door, Kuro hesitates:

“Wait. We can come in, now?”

“Yeah, sure,” Mahiru answers with a polite smile. 

Not very convinced, the boys open the door together. They stay on the threshold, bewildered. 

  Inside the small room, right where Mahiru’s bed used to be, lies a king-sized bed, so ridiculously enormous that it seems the walls are pushing themselves to make some space. The boys’ eyes go from the mattress to their host. Mahiru opens his arms, a pinched smile on his face, as he is obviously repressing laughter. 

“Merry Christmas from uncle Tohru to the three of us!”

Upon hearing the man’s name, the faces of the other two become even more amazed – and red. Mahiru cannot hold back any longer. He burst out laughing – now those faces would be worth the pic! 

Sakuya scrapes his neck, slowly getting a grip on himself. He opens the mouth to say something, but Kuro snaps out of it first:

“This… Is another level of dad joke.”

“It sure is! But well, you know my uncle, that’s just how he is. Also, you can’t sleep on the floor or the couch for the rest of your lives.”

There is nothing to be said against that. However, Sakuya comes across another realisation:

“So this was all the hustle and bustle earlier!”

Kuro freezes:

“Stupid Mahiru, did you just build a bed this size on your own?”

The boy chuckles, kind of proud. Luckily, the boys had accepted to go shopping when he received the parcel. And no, they were not to worry, the delivery man helped him hiding the bed base and the mattress in the huge closet. Though it was true he had all the troubles taking them out of it, hence the noises… Apart from that, the instructions were rather easy to follow! Most of all, he was astonished about how his uncle had the dimensions of the room correct. One inch more, and the whole thing would never have fit in… 

“But well, not that you care about that stuff! For the serious presents now!” declares Mahiru suddenly. 

Still in shock, each of them go and fetch theirs, before sitting on the new bed, very gently, as if it were that fragile. Sakuya looks carefully at the others – after all, he never had a proper Christmas, it was just his sisters and him exchanging home-made gifts… He has no idea how to proceed. Moreover, he is sure Kuro’s not the best example either. How many years has it been since the ancestor has had a Christmas party? Decades? Or centuries?

  Ignoring the embarrassment of his mates, Mahiru holds to them one present each. They are neatly wrapped in red paper, adorned with little Christmas trees. Sakuya squints. Kuro’s is bigger. The blue-haired boy seems to notice Sakuya’s looks. He sighs:

“We open them together… 3…”

“2…”

“1…”

Kuro holds out a small white pillow. On one side “Sleepy” is written in gold letters. He blinks at Mahiru.

“Still better than the carpet, right?”

Voiceless, Kuro slowly nods. He turns to Sakuya. The boy seems as stunned as he is: he has found two soft wristbands, one firefly green and the other fuchsia. He puts them on with extreme carefulness. Mahiru puts his hand on his shoulder. Sakuya cannot but notice he is wearing the very wristband he has offered him, it seems so long ago…

“It matches with your headphones,” Mahiru smiles.

Then he turns back to Kuro:

“Well, that’s all for me! It’s not muc-“

“Oh come on, you know you are already everything to us,” Kuro mumbles. 

Mahiru is taken aback. Sakuya as well, kind of – hasn’t he said something very similar just earlier this afternoon? Before he could add anything, Kuro holds out to him a parcel, wrapped in a funny way, as if he had asked a random kid on the street to do it for him. Sakuya accepts the present without any comment, though. The wrapping paper was disproportionate in comparison to what is inside: a video game tape, probably from the previous century. Sakuya is not even sure he has ever heard of the console.

“Not the kind of game you can finish on your own,” Kuro explains. “Even for a pro like me.”

Sakuya shakes in head in surprise. He actually… Wants to play with him? He does really enjoy it?

“Well don’t look at me like that! Never heard of retro gaming?”

The blue-haired boy looks away. However he is not quick enough to hide the blush of his cheeks. Without letting him any rest, Sakuya gives his present. 

“It’s soft…” Kuro remarks, making the other chuckles. “You do really think I’m a big baby, don’t you?” 

They laugh even more as he opens the wrapping paper. It is a black cat kigurumi! Mahiru can barely catch his breath upon this discovery. Too bad for him, the phone rings precisely at this moment. Trying to calm down, he tells the boys to test their new bed, and hurries to pick up. 

“Hi dearest nephew! Just calling to say that the three of you are the coolest and cutest!! Also, merry Christmas!”

A lot of noise is surrounding Tohru. Mahiru does not want to know where his uncle has decided to spend Christmas – after all, he was kind enough to let him having the flat. However…

“You’ve checked on Instagram, haven’t you?”

Tohru has a small laughter. Mahiru sighs:

“You know you could simply have left a comment, like basically anybody does?”

“I know, I know,” Tohru chuckles. But you see, you three remind me of the good old days! I wanted to wish you all the best in person!”

“You’re the one who refused to spend the night with us, uncle…”

“I sure did! Y’know, I wasn’t going to step in your intimacy!”

Mahiru sighs. He cannot help but being amused by his uncle’s behaviour. Tohru has always tried his best to be here for him – backing off must be pretty difficult. Apart from the fact that Tohru is not exactly the subtle type. 

“The boys loved your present.”

“Oh, did they? I’m glad then! You definitely couldn’t let them on the floor, right? It fits in your room?”

“Just fine. Though we don’t really have space for any other furniture now, but well. As long as Kuro’s got his console and Sakuya his music, we’re fine.”

“Great, great! Well then, I guess I’ll leave you to whatever juicy meal you’ve concocted…”

Mahiru nods. For a moment, he tries to focus on Tohru’s surroundings again. Music, but not directly near him. No one is speaking. Could it be – 

“Merry Christmas, uncle.”

“Same to you, son! Salute the boys for me!”

“I will…”

He hesitates. Lowers his voice.

“Tell Touma I wish him a merry Christmas as well. Wherever he is…”

Tohru makes a pause. Mahiru hears what sounds like a mused sigh. But it is with a composed tone that his uncle answers:

“I will. Have fun, Mahiru.”

He hangs up. 

With a concerned look on his face, Mahiru opens the door of the bedroom. His distress vanishes as soon as he enters. Kuro, wearing his kigurumi and holding his pillow against his chest, rolls over himself on the whole width of the bed. Doing so, he disturbs Sakuya, who is spreading his limbs all over the mattress. He looks just like a starfish, being rolled over by some kind of dangerous but limited creature. The giggles are back for Mahiru. 

  He crashes on the mattress, falling on Sakuya. Kuro, unshakable, goes on rolling. Mahiru grasps his ankle, pulling him next to him. Conscientious, the cat rolls just over his master. Upon the protestations from the boys, he meows. Sakuya moans, but there is not anything he can do really – so he just ends up laughing as well. Kuro quickly joins the hilarity.

  The fit of laughter behind them, the boys help Mahiru sitting up. Kuro hides the brunette’s face with his pillow, while Sakuya swiftly holds out a small envelope from his shirt’s pocket. After the brunette has struggled a bit, Sakuya decides the suspense has lasted enough. He winks at Kuro, who obliges to set Mahiru free. Bewildered, the boy discovers the envelope. He gazes at his mates. What could these two have worked out?

“Open it”, Kuro whispers.

“Oh thank you, he’s not that stupid”, Sakuya sighs.

They stare each other out, but their soft bickering is interrupted by Mahiru’s startle.

“G – Guys! What the…”

Kuro pats the boy’s shoulder.

“I guess that’s holidays for you, dear.”

“Holi – Oh my…”

He fails to find words. For all he can remember, he has never gone on holidays… His mother could not afford it, and Tohru is always so busy…

“Told you”, Sakuya grins at Kuro.

“B-But with what money…?”

Kuro cuts him:

“No, no, no, we’re not having this discussion right now.”

Mahiru raises up his glistening eyes to meet Sakuya’s gaze. The boy raises his shoulders. A week of holidays for the three of them… Doesn’t seem that bad, does it? And deeply deserved. The brunette vaguely nods, breathing heavily. Kuro jokes:

“Do not worry, we’ll become e-sport champion and take you with us on tour.”

“You, and the bed. We can’t let it here.”

“He’s right. We absolutely can’t.”

Mahiru still manages to laugh. He lets himself fall onto the bed, followed by his partners. To be in such good company for Christmas… Yes, that is definitely something to be proud of. 

  The bells ring midnight. Outside in the starry night, fireworks are launched. They can hear the neighbours raising up from their chairs and cheering at Christmas. But here, holding hands in silence, the three of them are just at peace. And they are more than proud of it. Slowly, the agitation settles down. Dinners have to be over, guests are taking their leaves, fireworks have stopped lighting the festive city. And a soft voice whispers:

“Merry Christmas, guys.”