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Chapter 9

"It's cold."
"It's bracing."
"Yuri, if it were any colder you could use me as brace. I swear I'm freezing."
The long haired male rolled his eyes, "So go buy a cup of hot cider; I've got another few minutes before I'm off."
"What are they thinking keeping the fair open this late in fall?" he complained, leaned against the booth and waiting for Yuri's temporary job to end.
Yuri snorted, "Raking in a profit, apparently. I'm going to see tickets every time I close my eyes for the next two weeks." Flynn opened his mouth to complain about the weather again when Yuri grabbed his hand, "Come on. Shift's over, let's go have some fun."
Flynn let Yuri lead the way, not sure what they should do, and shivered again,"How can you stand these temperatures?"
Yuri gave one of his signature shrugs, "I ran away from a bad foster home one winter, I've been colder than this."
Flynn's chest clenched. He hated how casually Yuri mentioned things like that. He was glad he was trusted enough for the other to share parts of his past, but the lackluster way Yuri waved off things that would break most other people was painful.
Flynn was dragged first to the hot cider stand, where Yuri gave him a cup of the stuff to help warm him up; and he sipped at the hot liquid while Yuri tried to buy out the cotton candy stand. Ten minutes later, Flynn a bit warmer and Yuri hopped up on enough sugar to power four six-year-olds, they moved on to the games. Flynn was honestly surprised by how many people were around, Yuri caught the look and grinned at him, "Everyone wants to get out for one last bit of fun before it's too cold to do anything."
Before he could say something biting about how it was already too cold to be out by the ocean, he was dragged into playing carnival games with Yuri. The dark-haired male knew all the tricks after working here for a few weeks and whispered how to get around them into Flynn's ear when it was their turn. The milk bottles were no obstacle for Yuri and his outstanding aim, ring-tossing fairing no better; they walked away with a mushroom plushy that was destined for Repede, and Yuri was now sporting a pair of black bunny ears that he'd won. Flynn couldn't look his way without smiling and snickering– which, when he thought about it, may have been why Yuri got them.
"Cheery enough now to tell me what has you so down?"
Flynn sighed, "Just exams. Half of my teachers want their assignments turned in before the break so they have time to grade them over it, I suppose, which is more time when I need the library for research. Which is costing me money because this is one of the best times of year for the shop when people start checking around for odd gifts to get inspired. I'm also just... Christmas used to be this really big thing for my family, and though this is hardly my first year without them–"
"You still miss your parents. It's understandable. Consolation prize: you've got me and Repede, at least."
"You aren't a consolation prize." He missed Yuri's shocked look as he pulled him forward to try out that bell-ringing thing he'd always heard of. Flynn took up the hammer, lifted it high, and let it crash down with as much force as he could... and didn't quite make it. He sighed in disappointment and gave it to Yuri to try next. Yuri hefted the hammer and gave it his best shot... and didn't make it beyond the half-way point.
Dark eyes glared down at the hammer, "They're cheating, I know it. Who in the world is strong enough to hit that thing with enough force to ring the stupid bell?"
"It's a carnival, Yuri, they're kind of notorious for cheating. What can you do about it?"
Yuri looked from the sledge to the bell and back, then grinned, "There's only one thing to do when your opponent cheats. Cheat better." He handed over two more of the tickets he'd been paid in and pulled Flynn over with him, when the woman made to step in Yuri pinned her in place with a look, "Do you have our tickets?"
"Yes..."
"Then it's our turn." Yuri stood Flynn in front of him until he took the handle, then slid his hands in with Flynn's and looked at him with a grin, "Ready?"
The blonde nodded, ignoring the heat Yuri seemed to be radiating– no wonder he wasn't cold, he felt like a furnace! "Ready." They lifted up and the same time and brought it down together with all of their combined strength.
Ding!
Yuri crowed with laughter and jumped up, "Ha!" he beamed hugely and turned to the prize booth with his arms crossed, "If you're going to cheat, dammit, cheat fair." Flynn smiled at Yuri's enthusiasm, and accepted his own pair of bunny ears graciously.
They walked from stall to stall after that, spending more time talking than playing: Flynn's mood was a lot brighter now. Yuri seemed to have that effect on him, "Estelle wants to decorate the whole university to 'encourage holiday spirit' and Rita's been trying to talk her out of it since she first brought it up. I've been staying out of it entirely."
"Why?"
"I am not about to put myself in the middle of two women with opposing agendas: I'm blond, but I'm not that blond."
Yuri's question cam between his snickering, "So who are you actually hoping will win?"
"I don't know, really. I like the whole holiday decorations, but I don't want to be part of the group putting them up everywhere..."
"That's a sentiment I can understand. Come on, let's head back, you're starting to shiver and Repede is probably climbing the walls."
"Just when I was having fun."
Yuri grinned, "Ah, but you see, that's the trick: Always leave them wanting more."

Chapter 10

Flynn woke up to banging downstairs and didn't bother to grab his bat on the way down. Honestly, the chances of it not being Yuri were small enough that he was willing to take the risk. If Yuri broke his door again, though...
He turned the light on on the way to the door and blinked at the scene on the other side, the little bell tinkling merrily overhead, "Yuri? What's wrong?"
Yuri stood on his step in his coat, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and Repede at his knee, "My building lost heat, which kinda made the water pipes burst, so Repede and I have no heat, no drinkable water, and a soggy carpet. I was really hoping you wouldn't mind us crashing with you for a while."
Flynn moved aside and Repede took that as an open invitation, making a break for the second floor with his Yuri doll firmly in his mouth while his master was more hesitant and shifted from foot to foot when Flynn realized he still hadn't answered yet, "Yeah, of course." they were practically living there already. From the time he came home to however late it got before Yuri was nearly falling asleep on his feet and dragged himself back to his place, "Why didn't you just come in and camp out on the couch until the morning and ask me then?"
Yuri slid past him, "Trying to cut back on the whole B&E thing. You know, go straight... so to speak."
"You picked an absolutely horrible time to grow a set of morals; I have a massive test in the morning."
Sure enough, Yuri grinned, "Sorry, I'll remember that the next time I'm tempted to change my nefarious ways. Want me to prepare some coffee?"
"My coffee or your coffee?"
"Your coffee... Though I'm sure the sugar rush could only help–"
"No, thank you."
Yuri shrugged as he ascended the steps and flicked the light off right before Flynn got there, which the blonde was used to and didn't even complain about– he'd learned early on that complaining only made Yuri do it more, and didn't help the pain of his stubbed toe; he'd just learned the exact number of steps from the front door to the first of the stairs– forty-seven, if Yuri ever got curious.
Yuri's voice called down from above, "Which of us made dinner last night?"
"You can't remember?"
"I'm tired, cold, wet, and not in a good mood. Indulge me."
"I did. Ham sandwiches, remember? You complained that I put too much mayo on yours and it slid down."
"Ah, right. Paninis and soup for breakfast, then."
"...It's four AM."
"Early breakfast."
"What can I help with?"
"I'm already buttering the bread; go ahead and get out the fixings. We'll slum it today and go with canned soup, because I really don't feel like tending a soup pot for a few hours right now. I have to remember to make some soon and freeze it..."
Flynn got out the ham and cheese, setting the mayo next to Yuri since he knew what he was doing, then went to get ready for an early day. Repede was curled up in his dog bed with his Yuri doll and fast asleep. Flynn ruthlessly quashed his jealousy for the canine. By the time he came back out dressed for the day, he was wide awake and hating it; Yuri held out a cup of coffee in his direction that immediately brightened his outlook, sipping his own coffee-flavored syrup.
The scent of coffee and crisping cheese and ham significantly perked up his morning and Flynn actually felt half-way human, "Remind me what paninis are."
"Squashed grilled sandwiches." Yuri moved to reveal two large sandwiches squished between the stovetop-grill and –he assumed screaming hot– cast iron skillet.
"Any lessons for this meal?" Always best to check just in case.
"Make sure you remember to butter the bottom of the skillet, too."
Flynn nodded and made a mental note of that, because he probably wouldn't have thought of that– then again, he probably wouldn't have thought of making a home-made panini press. He didn't think of a lot of the things Yuri came up with when cooking. By the time his second cup of coffee was gone, breakfast was ready and they sat down to a hot meal. There were no fancy grill marks and Yuri hadn't bothered cutting them into charming triangles, but his sandwich proudly proclaimed it was made in china courtesy of the skillet and the fact that it wasn't cut into preschool shapes didn't seem to affect the taste any– which was always fantastic whatever Yuri made. How they could both make something as simple as sandwiches and come up with completely different flavor profiles– a phrase he had never needed to know before meeting Yuri– he didn't know.
Flynn was on the way to the sink when he facepalmed; it was a good thing he was up early anyway, he hadn't gotten to complete all his homework yesterday because he'd been working on that course project he had to turn in before the holiday. He got out his books and settled in to finish his work when Yuri stood up, "I'm gonna go take a shower and see if I can warm up some."
"You may have a little trouble with that; I think something's wrong with the hot water heater."
Yuri waved him off, "I can fix that." Flynn didn't doubt it.

Chapter 11

Flynn was astonished when he came home, his jaw dropping and his bag hitting the floor. Yuri grinned up at him from behind the counter, "Welcome home. Dinner's ready upstairs."
Flynn couldn't stop looking around, "What...?" The entire shop was decked out in holiday fair: metallic green tinsel hanging from the walls with red bows holding it up; strung across the ceiling with ornaments hanging from it, wreaths in the windows, and his few sparse christmas lights blinking from select corners, "You did all this while I was at school?"
Yuri shrugged, "I did this before I opened the shop this morning. You were right about people pouring in for the season."
"You were open?"
"Yeah; no problem. Found all your folders and binders in the bottom draw, so I knew everything I had to. Oh, fixed the water heater, too."
"...And dinner's ready?"
"Yeah."
Flynn looked around the shop again before turning back to Yuri and said, completely seriously, "I take back what I said before: you really are the perfect housewife."
Coal-dark eyes narrowed, "Shut up. Don't make me kick your ass."
"...Um, you know I'm a trained martial artist, right?"
"Didn't seem to do much the first time we met."
"I will remind you that you had a knife to my throat."
"So what, your awesome skills only work on the non-deadly threats? Very helpful."
Already seeing it coming, Flynn instinctively dropped into a defensive stance, "Yuri... Don't."
The long haired male smirked and ran at him, Flynn reacted without thinking and grabbed Yuri's wrist– which he noticed after the fact had that damn knife in it again– and effortlessly flipped him onto his back, twisting his wrist to dislodge the blade.
The look on his friend's face reminded him of the time he splattered the kitchen in cheesecake batter, "I warned you..."
Instead of getting angry like he thought, Yuri beamed up at him, "You have to teach me that!"
"...Okay?"
Yuri rolled over and shook out his hand, picking up his knife and closing it, putting it away Flynn knew not where. "Let's go; I'm hungry and tired of waiting."
Flynn followed him upstairs, the smell of homemade stew and dumplings filling the kitchen and living room. Yuri set a cup of hot chocolate– also homemade, which Flynn hadn't even known was a thing– for him while drinking his own; which was probably more marshmallow than anything, Yuri was considerate enough to have made Flynn's with dark chocolate and he sighed happily as his hands and throat finally warmed up. The walk home seemed to get longer every day as the temperature dropped. He was brought out of his thoughts when a bowl of stew was placed in front of him, digging in with gusto. It didn't even need saying anymore: anything Yuri made was excellent. "Thanks. This is great."
Yuri paused from inhaling his own to smirk at him, "Of course it is, I made it."
"I'm getting better!"
"Canned soup."
"I can defrost things, too." he stated proudly.
They grinned at each other when Repede walked into the kitchen and went to the window, whining like he wanted to be let outside. Yuri looked over and groaned, "Oh, well; it was nice while it lasted, I suppose."
"What?"
He nodded towards the window, "First snowfall. Repede loves snow. I can't keep him away from the stuff. Snowball fetch, chasing snowflakes, snow mysterious-shapes."
" 'Mysterious-shapes'?"
A shrug, "He's a dog, angels are a little out of reach considering."
"Ah. So that means I get to watch you two play in the snow?"
"Don't look so smug. We're living together, that makes him your dog now, too; don't think he won't drag you out if I'm not close enough."
Flynn stared open-mouthed for a minute, "He wouldn't."
Yuri just smirked at him until Flynn got uncomfortable and looked away– to see Repede staring at him with that uncanny intelligence. Flynn swallowed hard at the look in the canine's eyes.

Chapter 12

Flynn groaned as he trudged through the snow, never happier to see the shop come into view, shaking off all the sticking frost that clung to his clothes before he dragged it all inside to melt everywhere. As soon as he opened the door, the smell of gingerbread filled his nose. Yuri seemed to be on a cooking spree lately, Flynn had been taking enough treats to school to share with the rest of the student council and when he got back, there seemed to be even more.
He suspected it was because Yuri hadn't found another job since he'd moved in, too busy tending the shop, but Flynn knew from personal experience how boring that could get on a slow day. Yuri was probably cooking to keep from getting bored. Flynn was certain he'd gained at least five pounds since Yuri had moved in.
"I'm home!" Yuri wasn't in the shop, but that wasn't surprising, he seemed to close up about an hour before Flynn got home so he could get dinner ready. Zaphias University had been flooded with all manor of christmas and winter-themed treats of Yuri's crafting, everything from gingerbread to sugar cookies to snowballs– little balls of cake covered in marshmallow and rolled in shredded coconut– to yule logs and more. He'd even taken to making dog-safe treats for Repede. Flynn was becoming of the opinion that he couldn't wait for the holiday season and winter in general to be over. A stir-crazy Yuri was not a fun person to be trapped in a room with.
At least he wasn't tortured with endless renditions of christmas carols at home like at school. Estelle was way too into the whole holiday thing and had Christmas songs playing constantly in the background after having Rita high-jack the backup speaker system. Instead, when Flynn got home, he was greeted with up-beat, fast-paced dancing songs. Yuri liked music, and he liked it loud and fast and heavy; something with a quick rhythm and harsh base beats. He said it helped him drown out his thoughts and gave him something to move to while he cooked.
Sure enough, approaching the stairs, Flynn could already hear feel the vibration of the song– something with a latin beat. Flynn stopped just off the stairs where he was mostly hidden by the fridge and leaned in to look into the kitchen. Yuri was shirtless– his preferred state when the house was heated and working in the warmth of the kitchen– his hair pulled up in a clip, barefoot in black jeans, hips swaying to the rhythm of the music while he mixed something, an enormous smile on his face. He hummed along to the tune, occasionally mouthing the words when he got to a part he particularly liked.
Repede was nowhere to be found– probably hiding in the bedroom under the bed to protect his ears. Flynn could feel the music thumping against his eardrums already, but decided to ignore it, leaning against the fridge to watch Yuri in motion. His hips flicking back and forth were distressingly hypnotizing, and Flynn thought he should probably find that more worrisome than he did. Yuri didn't move like a fighter, he moved like a dancer, whole body swaying. He didn't just tap his feet, either, he twisted them at the ankles in a way that made Flynn want to see him with jangle-anklets on, the bells tingling with every movement.
Flynn didn't dance– at all. He didn't even tap his feet. He didn't hum, he might, if no one else was around, mouth the words to his favorite songs, but that was it. Yuri put his everything into anything he did: cooking, dancing, singing...
Yuri spun in place on his heels and grabbed a pastry bag from the table before twirling back around, filling it with whatever he'd had in the bowl and moving over to pipe it onto a sheet tray. Flynn ran through the options: eclairs, cream puffs, marshmallow snowmen... He got momentarily distracted when the song paused in the beats for a languid instrumental and Yuri went from flicking to swiveling his hips in figure eights. He went beyond merely distracted when Yuri bent over to open the oven and put his confection inside.
Flynn wasn't prepared in the least when Yuri straightened up and spun around, meeting him eye-to-eye and jumping a foot in the air, reaching over to turn the boombox down to a mere hum, "Jesus, Flynn, give me a heart attack, why don't you?" Yuri cocked his head, "You alright?"
Releasing the cheek he'd been biting, Flynn nodded and stood up, "Yeah, just cold."
"Well come in and sit down, then, I finally got around to making chicken soup like I planned. I just got done putting meringues in the oven."
The thought of more sweets made Flynn hold back a wince, "I think we should have a bake sale." Well, that hadn't been what he'd meant to say at all...
"You think so?"
He wasn't going to pass up the chance his subconscious had given him, though, "Yeah. Everyone on the student council loves your treats, it's the season for them, and it can help bring in some money, too."
Yuri tilted his head, then smiled, "Alright; I'll do a little more baking and pack up, then come with you to school tomorrow."
Flynn nodded before freezing. Yuri coming to school with him. Yuri meeting Estelle and Rita and them meeting him. Oh, god, what did I just get myself into?

Chapter 13

"Uh, Flynn?"
"Yeah?"
"Is there any particular reason you're strangling my hand?"
He looked down and noticed he'd actually cut off circulation to Yuri's fingers; he immediately loosened his grip, "Sorry. Just... tense."
"Last few days before the holiday and those projects are due, right? No wonder."
Flynn wasn't even thinking about the stupid projects– which he still had to proof and go over a final time before turning in– he was more worried about whether the school would still be standing when the day was through. It wasn't that he doubted Yuri's ability to behave... much, it was just that Flynn knew Rita didn't have that ability, at all. Rita was caustic and snappy and– well, Rita.
They entered the school building and Flynn closed his eyes to take a fortifying breath– "Eeek!"
Yuri shoved his duffle at Flynn before he could register what was happening and then went down in a huff, "Oof!"
Flynn blinked at the empty space his best friend had been in a moment before, his gaze drifting downward to find Yuri and Estelle sprawled out on the floor... and face-palmed. It was starting already. "Yuri, this is the student council president, Estelle."
The pink haired girl scrambled up, "Oh, hi! I'm Estelle."
"Yuri." He looked up, "What were you doing, anyway?"
"Oh! I finally got them to agree to the holiday decorations, so I was putting them up. ...I fell off the ladder." Flynn held in a groan at the thought of spending hours putting up the decorations just to take them down again at the end of the week.
"So I noticed. How about I help with that? I already did the shop; and you can sell my baking."
Estelle clapped her hands together, "Oh, you're having a bake sale?"
"Yeah, Flynn thought it'd be a good idea."
The pink haired girl's eyes narrowed as she looked between them, "How do you know Flynn?"
Before Flynn could stop him, Yuri answered, "We live together."
Flynn ducked away as Estelle tried to slap him with her scarf, "Flynn! You never told me you had someone!"
"I–"
"And how long has this been going on?"
Again Yuri spoke before Flynn could warn him, "A few weeks now, since that first cold snap, but we've known each other for a long time now."
Flynn sighed as Estelle's mouth dropped open in shock. It wasn't like he was ashamed of Yuri or anything. It wasn't even the thought of the awkward 'how did you meet?' questions that had kept him quiet. It was just... Yuri was Flynn's. He'd dropped into his life from nowhere and made a place for himself, and Flynn was for the first time in his life being selfish in keeping Yuri all to himself instead of laying their entire relationship out for Rita and Estelle to dissect; they'd just ask a whole bunch of embarrassing and confusing questions he didn't know the answers to. Flynn envied how Yuri could communicate with Repede and wished he had someone that non-judgmental he could talk to about things.
Estelle set them to work putting up decorations while she laid out all of Yuri's baking dishes, but she mostly left them alone since Yuri seemed to know what to do when it came to putting up decorations. Flynn held the ladder while Yuri stuck tinsel to the walls, "Estelle is now going to be convinced we're dating."
"I noticed that after I spoke. Is she always so–"
"Energetic?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
"Yeah. She's the sugar to Rita's spice, I'm just the errand-runner."
"You don't have any trouble standing up to me when you've got an opinion, what's so different about her?"
"Says the guy who's on the ladder for her."
Yuri blinked down at him before looking at the tinsel in his hand, "I'll be damned. How does she do that?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, but that's why she's the president."

Chapter 14

"I'll get the last of these set up in the council room, you go see what Estelle wants." Yuri shooed him off. Flynn could only watch as the other marched off towards the council room. Once again, Yuri had thrown his everything into the task, continuing to decorate when Flynn had been forced to head off to class.
Estelle was practically bouncing when Flynn got to her, and he recognized well those symptoms, "...How much of the product did you eat yourself?"
The pink haired girl glanced down at the floor, "The little 'snowball' things are so good... I paid for them all, though! So it's not like I stole them!"
"I didn't say you did." Boy, was Rita going to have fun trying to get their president to calm down for their partner-presentation project. Flynn wasn't sure if he envied them for being able to get it over with early or was glad he didn't have to turn in his own yet.
"Everything sold out."
"...How much of it did you buy?"
"Well... Some of everything, but it really is good."
Flynn shook his head as he helped put everything away, "Thanks."
Estelle smiled at him, "I'm still upset with you for not telling me about him, but I'm still your friend. So, don't be strangers, okay?"
He winced, "We'll try."
"That's all I ask for."
They found Yuri being grilled by Rita in the student council room, "I aged out of the system and lived on my own until I met Flynn, alright? Would you like my social security number and thumbprint to verify who I am?"
Estelle put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks, "Rita, it's rude to interrogate people."
"He's just been living with Flynn for over a month and we know nothing about him!"
"And I haven't murdered him yet." Yuri interjected, casting a wry smile Flynn's way that made him want to both smile, and beat his head against the nearest wall. Of all the– "He's too quick with that flippy-thing for me to stab him."
"Yuri! Don't get them ideas about you!"
The long haired male smiled over at him, "Why not? We already gave Estelle ideas, it's not fair to leave her out of it."
"My name is Rita; Rita Mordio, not 'her'."
"Hi, I'm Yuri Lowell and not 'you hooligan with the long hair'."
Estelle gasped, "Rita, you didn't..."
The short brunette attempted to burn a hole through Yuri's head before sniffing and turning away with her arms crossed. Estelle pulled her aside to whisper something– Flynn hoped it was about manners, and he moved to the opposite side of the room by the window with Yuri.
"Sorry about, well, both of them."
Yuri shrugged, "You've got good friends."
Flynn smiled at him, "Yeah, all three of them."
Yuri smiled back at him when Estelle drew their attention by gasping loudly, one hand over her mouth and the other pointing at them. Rita chuckled evilly next to her while the boys exchanged confused looks, "Look up."
Blue and black both looked skyward at the same time to spot leafy green foliage with bright red berries tied in a bundle: mistletoe. "I don't think it counts–"
"It does." both females said, scarily in sync.
Flynn was near panic as he looked between Yuri and the girls. Yuri shrugged, "It's Estelle, right? Are you going to argue with her?"
Between Rita's menacing look and Estelle's innocently hopeful one, Flynn mentally cursed before turning back to Yuri, "I... I'm sorry."
Flynn was already leaning forward when Yuri answered him, breath whispering across his lips, "I'm not."
Before the blonde could register the meaning of the words, his mind was robbed of all thought when Yuri's mouth met his. Weeks of frustration of watching Yuri's every motion in the kitchen, watching those haunting hips swish, smelling the scent that was everything Yuri every time he sat on the couch, all the holding back: gone. Yuri gasped against him and that was it, Flynn swept his tongue into the warm cavern of Yuri's mouth, arms coming up around his neck to pull him closer. Yuri groaned into his mouth and Flynn put his hand out to catch himself and he crushed Yuri to him, groaning himself when fingers tangled in his short locks and tugged pleasantly, sending lighting shocks down his spine.
"Oi! Kiss, not make-out under!"
They broke off with a gasp as Rita pulled them unwilling from the deliriously pleasurable haze they'd lost themselves in. Flynn glared at her over his shoulder, Yuri panting against his throat, when he realized he'd pushed the other up against the cold glass of the window. He blushed and backed off a bit, looking down, "Sorry."
Yuri leaned in close, breath ghosting across Flynn's cheek as he whispered, "I'm not."

Chapter 15

Flynn watched Yuri through the window, thoughts in a jumble. Two days later, he still wasn't sure exactly what that kiss meant. Yuri hadn't pushed him decide one way or the other, which left him just all kinds of confused. Yuri'd said he wasn't sorry about it, but he didn't make any attempt to initiate anything more– not that Flynn did, either.
He sighed as he watched Yuri putting Repede through his paces, making and throwing snowballs every which way; Repede didn't miss a one. Then Yuri brought out the frisbee, sending it spinning off with the same skill and accuracy he showed with snowballs, the disk making unexpected turns mid-flight that had dog and owner reaching for their limits. After running off some of the canine's seemingly endless energy, Yuri took him through tricks together that had Flynn gaping.
Yuri bent over and said something, Repede hopping up on his back, then he tossed the frisbee over his shoulder where Repede caught it while backflipping from him and landing in the snow. Yuri would roll the disk across his shoulders and toss it high into the air for Repede to go after, using his owner as a springboard. Then he went over to where several other frisbees were laying and picked them all up, giving a command that had Repede dancing in place, then Yuri threw the disks one after another in several directions. Flynn was certain there was no way the dog would be able to get them all. But Repede took off in a blur of color, jumping to get the first disk and dropping it as soon as he had it, turning on a dime and launching for the next nearest on, which he only had to hop a bit to get, then spinning around and racing towards the third that he had to crouch to get before it hit the snow. Flynn thought it was over; he'd never get the last one, but Repede ran pell-mell for it and rolled over as he dove under the fluffy snow, catching the last frisbee.
Yuri jumped up in excitement and Repede got up, tail going a mile a minute. Yuri tapped his chest and the dog took off for him, jumping at the last minute for Yuri to grab him and spin around in victory before falling back into the snow and panting with exertion. Flynn found himself smiling at them and got up to get his coat and winter gear on, blue knit hat with pompom on it to match Yuri's red one.
Yuri was still puffing when Flynn got outside, owner and dog both laying in the snow to cool off after their workout. Flynn sat in the snow beside them and Yuri smiled up at him, "Hey."
"Hey." And he still didn't know what to say about everything.
"What do you want to do?"
He looked over at the duo, "Hmm?"
"Actually seeing your school sorta brought it home, so... what do you want to be?"
Flynn shrugged, "I'm actually not too sure. I'm taking lots of courses so I have options, but I don't know for sure. When... when my parents died, I sold the house, bought and moved into the shop, and used the life insurance money to put myself through school. The past three years have been about doing the best I can, you know, to make them proud. But I haven't really thought about anything after that. Actually, if I'm honest, I've been trying not to think about it. I've always been go-go-go, better-faster-more, have to do the best. I don't think I've ever really just taken the time to relax and enjoy myself until I met you."
"Don't focus too much on the future, Flynn, or your present will be past before you get the chance to live it. Appreciate what you have while you have it."
"That easy?"
"That simple, at least; easy is another matter entirely. Don't dwell so much on what should be or what could have been, live in the moment and take it for what it is."
Flynn let out a short whistle that had Repede on his paws again, and he tossed the first disk within reach, sending him running after it and getting him off Yuri. The dark haired male shivered without Repede's warmth on him, watching calmly as Flynn took his place, leaning down over him until their foreheads were almost touching, "Just... enjoy the moment, huh?"
"That's it. Appreciate what you've got while it's yours."
"Are you mine, Yuri?" Flynn almost wished he could physically shove the words back in his mouth; unsay them. At the same time, they were a weight off his chest; that was what he'd been holding in for two days, and it was such a relief to get it out.
Flynn's life was measured in heartbeats: one, two, three; then Yuri smiled up at him, "I've been waiting for you to ask."
Flynn's breath erupted from him in a gasp of relief, "That simple?"
"Simple? Do you have any idea how difficult it was for Rita and I to time our 'argument' for when you and Estelle came in and pick the right spot to hang the mistletoe?"
The blonde's head snapped up and he stared down at Yuri in shock, "What?!"
Yuri shrugged, the smirked at Flynn's continued flabbergasted expression, "Remember that screaming little banshee I helped out way back?"
"Rita?!"
"Uh-huh. She owed me, so she was pretty willing to help me get you under the mistletoe. ...You mad?"
Flynn closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I am... very, very upset... that you thought you had to trick me into kissing you with mistletoe. I have been torturing myself by watching you dance around the kitchen while cooking all month. I was about ready to say to hell with it all and do... well, something, I hadn't quite decided what. Then we kissed and you said you weren't sorry, but didn't do anything else."
"You were the one who said you were sorry."
"...We're both idiots, aren't we?"
"...Yup. So, ready to open your christmas present?"
Flynn blinked, sure he'd heard that wrong– or at the very least that his libido had interpreted it wrong, "What?"
Yuri didn't look away, "I'm cold, it's christmas eve, and I just said I'd be yours. You're in collage; the math shouldn't be too difficult here."
Flynn didn't let himself think too much on that and smashed their lips together, Yuri opening for him instantly, chill fingers brushing across Flynn's neck and sending goosebumps across his skin. It was freezing and his knees weren't happy with the hard ground and he couldn't feel his nose and it was just... completely perfect.

Chapter 16: Epilogue

"Judy, get your mits off my man; we're both gay."
"Then he shouldn't have an issue with me hanging on him."
"He's not the one with the issue of you hanging on him, I am!" With an amused huff the blue haired woman walked off and Yuri let his head fall against Flynn's shoulder, "Tell me we can go home."
"Sorry, we promised."
"I hate you."
"You love me."
"Prove it."
"You're still here."
Yuri scowled at him, "You've been taking lessons from Estelle, haven't you?"
"Does it show?"
Yuri and Flynn had cleaned out the shop earlier and shoved everything up against the walls or put it in the back room, leaving the tables free for the homemade dishes of Yuri's celebratory feast. Flynn wasn't ashamed to admit to himself that he was nervous about the future, and his anxiety must have shown, because dark eyes looked at him in amusement, "You okay?"
"Yeah, fine."
"You sure? Cause you're shaking."
"You're kidding."
"Yeah, I am." He tilted his head, "Ready for the next big step forward?"
"...Marriage?"
Yuri punched him in the shoulder, "Oh, very funny. I meant getting a job, you bum."
"I guess I have to to support my perfect housewife."
"If you don't take that back, I swear–" Flynn never got to find out what his potential punishment would have been, because someone appeared behind Yuri and put his hand on Yuri's shoulder before Flynn could warn him– either the stranger about his boyfriend's reflexes or Yuri about the person. The rest of the room fell silent as the new-comer was flipped over the long-haired man's shoulder to land on the floor.
"I'm not sure which hurts worse, my heart or my body..."
Yuri's expression was nothing short of astonished, "Old Man?!"
The scruffy man grinned up at them, "Hey, there, kiddo."
"Uh, Yuri, who is this gentleman on our floor?"
Yuri glanced between Flynn and the man still on the ground, straightening up and turning half away and starting to fiddle with his hair, "His name is Raven and he's, I guess, technically, sort of... my dad."
"Excuse me?!"
Yuri gave him a quick look before mumbling, "Raven was my last foster before I aged out. I only barely kept in contact with him." Then he glared at Raven, "He's also the one who gave me your address."
Raven spoke up, not seeming in any hurry to get up, "Brought Karol along, too."
Yuri stiffened before he forced himself to relax. He took a deep breath and let it out, "I'll talk to him later." Yuri looked at him away and jerked his head to the side. Flynn nodded and they found a quiet spot, "You have questions."
"A couple. I've been waiting for the right time to ask them for a long time now."
Yuri spouted off what was quickly becoming his motto, "No time like the present."
"Why did you leave Raven and your... Foster brother?"
Yuri nodded, confirming his guess, "I was... really stupid before I met you, Flynn. I did a whole lotta stuff I'm not proud of. I didn't like who I was, and I didn't want to be a bad influence on Karol so I... took myself out of the equation. I was an idiot and got in a lotta trouble: gang shit, busting cars... breaking and entering. I did six months in juvie and I hated who I was. Hated other people more, like Alexei. His stupid bill put a lot of people in bad places, people I knew, people like Karol. I was desperate, and again, stupid. So I asked the Old Man, and then he gave me your address."
"Random luck you wound up in my shop?"
"The luckiest I've ever been."
Flynn blinked, "What do you mean?"
"Flynn, you gave me a chance when everyone else had already given up on me. Before I met you, nothing would have convinced me to see Karol again. I wasn't someone I wanted him to be around."
"What's changed?"
"You. Me. You changed me. No matter how bad I messed up, you believed I could do better, and I wanted to prove you right." Yuri looked away, "I applied to the Wonder Culinary Institute..."
Flynn leaned forward, "And?"
"...I begin next semester."
"Yuri, that's great! You'll make a great chef!"
His boyfriend looked away, cheeks red, "Yeah, I think I will."
"Yuri, you aren't the only one who's changed, you know. You helped me see that there was more to life than work. I've also finally decided: I'm going into politics, I want to make things right, help correct things that people like Alexei have screwed up. I don't think I'd ever have been able to relax enough to live my life if you hadn't broken in that night."
Yuri leaned against him, "I've fucked up a whole lot of things in my life: you're the one thing that I got right." he held out his hand.
Flynn twined their fingers together, "Yuri, what if I said I wasn't kidding earlier about the next big step?"
He felt Yuri tense against him, "...Are you asking me to marry you?"
"I am."
Dark locks tickled the side of his neck as Yuri leaned into him, fingers tightening, "I'd say yes. We may not have forever, but it'll be a long road together, and I'll be there with you every step of the way."
"Together."
"Together."

Description

Chapter 9

"It's cold."
"It's bracing."
"Yuri, if it were any colder you could use me as brace. I swear I'm freezing."
The long haired male rolled his eyes, "So go buy a cup of hot cider; I've got another few minutes before I'm off."
"What are they thinking keeping the fair open this late in fall?" he complained, leaned against the booth and waiting for Yuri's temporary job to end.
Yuri snorted, "Raking in a profit, apparently. I'm going to see tickets every time I close my eyes for the next two weeks." Flynn opened his mouth to complain about the weather again when Yuri grabbed his hand, "Come on. Shift's over, let's go have some fun."
Flynn let Yuri lead the way, not sure what they should do, and shivered again,"How can you stand these temperatures?"
Yuri gave one of his signature shrugs, "I ran away from a bad foster home one winter, I've been colder than this."
Flynn's chest clenched. He hated how casually Yuri mentioned things like that. He was glad he was trusted enough for the other to share parts of his past, but the lackluster way Yuri waved off things that would break most other people was painful.
Flynn was dragged first to the hot cider stand, where Yuri gave him a cup of the stuff to help warm him up; and he sipped at the hot liquid while Yuri tried to buy out the cotton candy stand. Ten minutes later, Flynn a bit warmer and Yuri hopped up on enough sugar to power four six-year-olds, they moved on to the games. Flynn was honestly surprised by how many people were around, Yuri caught the look and grinned at him, "Everyone wants to get out for one last bit of fun before it's too cold to do anything."
Before he could say something biting about how it was already too cold to be out by the ocean, he was dragged into playing carnival games with Yuri. The dark-haired male knew all the tricks after working here for a few weeks and whispered how to get around them into Flynn's ear when it was their turn. The milk bottles were no obstacle for Yuri and his outstanding aim, ring-tossing fairing no better; they walked away with a mushroom plushy that was destined for Repede, and Yuri was now sporting a pair of black bunny ears that he'd won. Flynn couldn't look his way without smiling and snickering– which, when he thought about it, may have been why Yuri got them.
"Cheery enough now to tell me what has you so down?"
Flynn sighed, "Just exams. Half of my teachers want their assignments turned in before the break so they have time to grade them over it, I suppose, which is more time when I need the library for research. Which is costing me money because this is one of the best times of year for the shop when people start checking around for odd gifts to get inspired. I'm also just... Christmas used to be this really big thing for my family, and though this is hardly my first year without them–"
"You still miss your parents. It's understandable. Consolation prize: you've got me and Repede, at least."
"You aren't a consolation prize." He missed Yuri's shocked look as he pulled him forward to try out that bell-ringing thing he'd always heard of. Flynn took up the hammer, lifted it high, and let it crash down with as much force as he could... and didn't quite make it. He sighed in disappointment and gave it to Yuri to try next. Yuri hefted the hammer and gave it his best shot... and didn't make it beyond the half-way point.
Dark eyes glared down at the hammer, "They're cheating, I know it. Who in the world is strong enough to hit that thing with enough force to ring the stupid bell?"
"It's a carnival, Yuri, they're kind of notorious for cheating. What can you do about it?"
Yuri looked from the sledge to the bell and back, then grinned, "There's only one thing to do when your opponent cheats. Cheat better." He handed over two more of the tickets he'd been paid in and pulled Flynn over with him, when the woman made to step in Yuri pinned her in place with a look, "Do you have our tickets?"
"Yes..."
"Then it's our turn." Yuri stood Flynn in front of him until he took the handle, then slid his hands in with Flynn's and looked at him with a grin, "Ready?"
The blonde nodded, ignoring the heat Yuri seemed to be radiating– no wonder he wasn't cold, he felt like a furnace! "Ready." They lifted up and the same time and brought it down together with all of their combined strength.
Ding!
Yuri crowed with laughter and jumped up, "Ha!" he beamed hugely and turned to the prize booth with his arms crossed, "If you're going to cheat, dammit, cheat fair." Flynn smiled at Yuri's enthusiasm, and accepted his own pair of bunny ears graciously.
They walked from stall to stall after that, spending more time talking than playing: Flynn's mood was a lot brighter now. Yuri seemed to have that effect on him, "Estelle wants to decorate the whole university to 'encourage holiday spirit' and Rita's been trying to talk her out of it since she first brought it up. I've been staying out of it entirely."
"Why?"
"I am not about to put myself in the middle of two women with opposing agendas: I'm blond, but I'm not that blond."
Yuri's question cam between his snickering, "So who are you actually hoping will win?"
"I don't know, really. I like the whole holiday decorations, but I don't want to be part of the group putting them up everywhere..."
"That's a sentiment I can understand. Come on, let's head back, you're starting to shiver and Repede is probably climbing the walls."
"Just when I was having fun."
Yuri grinned, "Ah, but you see, that's the trick: Always leave them wanting more."

Chapter 10

Flynn woke up to banging downstairs and didn't bother to grab his bat on the way down. Honestly, the chances of it not being Yuri were small enough that he was willing to take the risk. If Yuri broke his door again, though...
He turned the light on on the way to the door and blinked at the scene on the other side, the little bell tinkling merrily overhead, "Yuri? What's wrong?"
Yuri stood on his step in his coat, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and Repede at his knee, "My building lost heat, which kinda made the water pipes burst, so Repede and I have no heat, no drinkable water, and a soggy carpet. I was really hoping you wouldn't mind us crashing with you for a while."
Flynn moved aside and Repede took that as an open invitation, making a break for the second floor with his Yuri doll firmly in his mouth while his master was more hesitant and shifted from foot to foot when Flynn realized he still hadn't answered yet, "Yeah, of course." they were practically living there already. From the time he came home to however late it got before Yuri was nearly falling asleep on his feet and dragged himself back to his place, "Why didn't you just come in and camp out on the couch until the morning and ask me then?"
Yuri slid past him, "Trying to cut back on the whole B&E thing. You know, go straight... so to speak."
"You picked an absolutely horrible time to grow a set of morals; I have a massive test in the morning."
Sure enough, Yuri grinned, "Sorry, I'll remember that the next time I'm tempted to change my nefarious ways. Want me to prepare some coffee?"
"My coffee or your coffee?"
"Your coffee... Though I'm sure the sugar rush could only help–"
"No, thank you."
Yuri shrugged as he ascended the steps and flicked the light off right before Flynn got there, which the blonde was used to and didn't even complain about– he'd learned early on that complaining only made Yuri do it more, and didn't help the pain of his stubbed toe; he'd just learned the exact number of steps from the front door to the first of the stairs– forty-seven, if Yuri ever got curious.
Yuri's voice called down from above, "Which of us made dinner last night?"
"You can't remember?"
"I'm tired, cold, wet, and not in a good mood. Indulge me."
"I did. Ham sandwiches, remember? You complained that I put too much mayo on yours and it slid down."
"Ah, right. Paninis and soup for breakfast, then."
"...It's four AM."
"Early breakfast."
"What can I help with?"
"I'm already buttering the bread; go ahead and get out the fixings. We'll slum it today and go with canned soup, because I really don't feel like tending a soup pot for a few hours right now. I have to remember to make some soon and freeze it..."
Flynn got out the ham and cheese, setting the mayo next to Yuri since he knew what he was doing, then went to get ready for an early day. Repede was curled up in his dog bed with his Yuri doll and fast asleep. Flynn ruthlessly quashed his jealousy for the canine. By the time he came back out dressed for the day, he was wide awake and hating it; Yuri held out a cup of coffee in his direction that immediately brightened his outlook, sipping his own coffee-flavored syrup.
The scent of coffee and crisping cheese and ham significantly perked up his morning and Flynn actually felt half-way human, "Remind me what paninis are."
"Squashed grilled sandwiches." Yuri moved to reveal two large sandwiches squished between the stovetop-grill and –he assumed screaming hot– cast iron skillet.
"Any lessons for this meal?" Always best to check just in case.
"Make sure you remember to butter the bottom of the skillet, too."
Flynn nodded and made a mental note of that, because he probably wouldn't have thought of that– then again, he probably wouldn't have thought of making a home-made panini press. He didn't think of a lot of the things Yuri came up with when cooking. By the time his second cup of coffee was gone, breakfast was ready and they sat down to a hot meal. There were no fancy grill marks and Yuri hadn't bothered cutting them into charming triangles, but his sandwich proudly proclaimed it was made in china courtesy of the skillet and the fact that it wasn't cut into preschool shapes didn't seem to affect the taste any– which was always fantastic whatever Yuri made. How they could both make something as simple as sandwiches and come up with completely different flavor profiles– a phrase he had never needed to know before meeting Yuri– he didn't know.
Flynn was on the way to the sink when he facepalmed; it was a good thing he was up early anyway, he hadn't gotten to complete all his homework yesterday because he'd been working on that course project he had to turn in before the holiday. He got out his books and settled in to finish his work when Yuri stood up, "I'm gonna go take a shower and see if I can warm up some."
"You may have a little trouble with that; I think something's wrong with the hot water heater."
Yuri waved him off, "I can fix that." Flynn didn't doubt it.

Chapter 11

Flynn was astonished when he came home, his jaw dropping and his bag hitting the floor. Yuri grinned up at him from behind the counter, "Welcome home. Dinner's ready upstairs."
Flynn couldn't stop looking around, "What...?" The entire shop was decked out in holiday fair: metallic green tinsel hanging from the walls with red bows holding it up; strung across the ceiling with ornaments hanging from it, wreaths in the windows, and his few sparse christmas lights blinking from select corners, "You did all this while I was at school?"
Yuri shrugged, "I did this before I opened the shop this morning. You were right about people pouring in for the season."
"You were open?"
"Yeah; no problem. Found all your folders and binders in the bottom draw, so I knew everything I had to. Oh, fixed the water heater, too."
"...And dinner's ready?"
"Yeah."
Flynn looked around the shop again before turning back to Yuri and said, completely seriously, "I take back what I said before: you really are the perfect housewife."
Coal-dark eyes narrowed, "Shut up. Don't make me kick your ass."
"...Um, you know I'm a trained martial artist, right?"
"Didn't seem to do much the first time we met."
"I will remind you that you had a knife to my throat."
"So what, your awesome skills only work on the non-deadly threats? Very helpful."
Already seeing it coming, Flynn instinctively dropped into a defensive stance, "Yuri... Don't."
The long haired male smirked and ran at him, Flynn reacted without thinking and grabbed Yuri's wrist– which he noticed after the fact had that damn knife in it again– and effortlessly flipped him onto his back, twisting his wrist to dislodge the blade.
The look on his friend's face reminded him of the time he splattered the kitchen in cheesecake batter, "I warned you..."
Instead of getting angry like he thought, Yuri beamed up at him, "You have to teach me that!"
"...Okay?"
Yuri rolled over and shook out his hand, picking up his knife and closing it, putting it away Flynn knew not where. "Let's go; I'm hungry and tired of waiting."
Flynn followed him upstairs, the smell of homemade stew and dumplings filling the kitchen and living room. Yuri set a cup of hot chocolate– also homemade, which Flynn hadn't even known was a thing– for him while drinking his own; which was probably more marshmallow than anything, Yuri was considerate enough to have made Flynn's with dark chocolate and he sighed happily as his hands and throat finally warmed up. The walk home seemed to get longer every day as the temperature dropped. He was brought out of his thoughts when a bowl of stew was placed in front of him, digging in with gusto. It didn't even need saying anymore: anything Yuri made was excellent. "Thanks. This is great."
Yuri paused from inhaling his own to smirk at him, "Of course it is, I made it."
"I'm getting better!"
"Canned soup."
"I can defrost things, too." he stated proudly.
They grinned at each other when Repede walked into the kitchen and went to the window, whining like he wanted to be let outside. Yuri looked over and groaned, "Oh, well; it was nice while it lasted, I suppose."
"What?"
He nodded towards the window, "First snowfall. Repede loves snow. I can't keep him away from the stuff. Snowball fetch, chasing snowflakes, snow mysterious-shapes."
" 'Mysterious-shapes'?"
A shrug, "He's a dog, angels are a little out of reach considering."
"Ah. So that means I get to watch you two play in the snow?"
"Don't look so smug. We're living together, that makes him your dog now, too; don't think he won't drag you out if I'm not close enough."
Flynn stared open-mouthed for a minute, "He wouldn't."
Yuri just smirked at him until Flynn got uncomfortable and looked away– to see Repede staring at him with that uncanny intelligence. Flynn swallowed hard at the look in the canine's eyes.

Chapter 12

Flynn groaned as he trudged through the snow, never happier to see the shop come into view, shaking off all the sticking frost that clung to his clothes before he dragged it all inside to melt everywhere. As soon as he opened the door, the smell of gingerbread filled his nose. Yuri seemed to be on a cooking spree lately, Flynn had been taking enough treats to school to share with the rest of the student council and when he got back, there seemed to be even more.
He suspected it was because Yuri hadn't found another job since he'd moved in, too busy tending the shop, but Flynn knew from personal experience how boring that could get on a slow day. Yuri was probably cooking to keep from getting bored. Flynn was certain he'd gained at least five pounds since Yuri had moved in.
"I'm home!" Yuri wasn't in the shop, but that wasn't surprising, he seemed to close up about an hour before Flynn got home so he could get dinner ready. Zaphias University had been flooded with all manor of christmas and winter-themed treats of Yuri's crafting, everything from gingerbread to sugar cookies to snowballs– little balls of cake covered in marshmallow and rolled in shredded coconut– to yule logs and more. He'd even taken to making dog-safe treats for Repede. Flynn was becoming of the opinion that he couldn't wait for the holiday season and winter in general to be over. A stir-crazy Yuri was not a fun person to be trapped in a room with.
At least he wasn't tortured with endless renditions of christmas carols at home like at school. Estelle was way too into the whole holiday thing and had Christmas songs playing constantly in the background after having Rita high-jack the backup speaker system. Instead, when Flynn got home, he was greeted with up-beat, fast-paced dancing songs. Yuri liked music, and he liked it loud and fast and heavy; something with a quick rhythm and harsh base beats. He said it helped him drown out his thoughts and gave him something to move to while he cooked.
Sure enough, approaching the stairs, Flynn could already hear feel the vibration of the song– something with a latin beat. Flynn stopped just off the stairs where he was mostly hidden by the fridge and leaned in to look into the kitchen. Yuri was shirtless– his preferred state when the house was heated and working in the warmth of the kitchen– his hair pulled up in a clip, barefoot in black jeans, hips swaying to the rhythm of the music while he mixed something, an enormous smile on his face. He hummed along to the tune, occasionally mouthing the words when he got to a part he particularly liked.
Repede was nowhere to be found– probably hiding in the bedroom under the bed to protect his ears. Flynn could feel the music thumping against his eardrums already, but decided to ignore it, leaning against the fridge to watch Yuri in motion. His hips flicking back and forth were distressingly hypnotizing, and Flynn thought he should probably find that more worrisome than he did. Yuri didn't move like a fighter, he moved like a dancer, whole body swaying. He didn't just tap his feet, either, he twisted them at the ankles in a way that made Flynn want to see him with jangle-anklets on, the bells tingling with every movement.
Flynn didn't dance– at all. He didn't even tap his feet. He didn't hum, he might, if no one else was around, mouth the words to his favorite songs, but that was it. Yuri put his everything into anything he did: cooking, dancing, singing...
Yuri spun in place on his heels and grabbed a pastry bag from the table before twirling back around, filling it with whatever he'd had in the bowl and moving over to pipe it onto a sheet tray. Flynn ran through the options: eclairs, cream puffs, marshmallow snowmen... He got momentarily distracted when the song paused in the beats for a languid instrumental and Yuri went from flicking to swiveling his hips in figure eights. He went beyond merely distracted when Yuri bent over to open the oven and put his confection inside.
Flynn wasn't prepared in the least when Yuri straightened up and spun around, meeting him eye-to-eye and jumping a foot in the air, reaching over to turn the boombox down to a mere hum, "Jesus, Flynn, give me a heart attack, why don't you?" Yuri cocked his head, "You alright?"
Releasing the cheek he'd been biting, Flynn nodded and stood up, "Yeah, just cold."
"Well come in and sit down, then, I finally got around to making chicken soup like I planned. I just got done putting meringues in the oven."
The thought of more sweets made Flynn hold back a wince, "I think we should have a bake sale." Well, that hadn't been what he'd meant to say at all...
"You think so?"
He wasn't going to pass up the chance his subconscious had given him, though, "Yeah. Everyone on the student council loves your treats, it's the season for them, and it can help bring in some money, too."
Yuri tilted his head, then smiled, "Alright; I'll do a little more baking and pack up, then come with you to school tomorrow."
Flynn nodded before freezing. Yuri coming to school with him. Yuri meeting Estelle and Rita and them meeting him. Oh, god, what did I just get myself into?

Chapter 13

"Uh, Flynn?"
"Yeah?"
"Is there any particular reason you're strangling my hand?"
He looked down and noticed he'd actually cut off circulation to Yuri's fingers; he immediately loosened his grip, "Sorry. Just... tense."
"Last few days before the holiday and those projects are due, right? No wonder."
Flynn wasn't even thinking about the stupid projects– which he still had to proof and go over a final time before turning in– he was more worried about whether the school would still be standing when the day was through. It wasn't that he doubted Yuri's ability to behave... much, it was just that Flynn knew Rita didn't have that ability, at all. Rita was caustic and snappy and– well, Rita.
They entered the school building and Flynn closed his eyes to take a fortifying breath– "Eeek!"
Yuri shoved his duffle at Flynn before he could register what was happening and then went down in a huff, "Oof!"
Flynn blinked at the empty space his best friend had been in a moment before, his gaze drifting downward to find Yuri and Estelle sprawled out on the floor... and face-palmed. It was starting already. "Yuri, this is the student council president, Estelle."
The pink haired girl scrambled up, "Oh, hi! I'm Estelle."
"Yuri." He looked up, "What were you doing, anyway?"
"Oh! I finally got them to agree to the holiday decorations, so I was putting them up. ...I fell off the ladder." Flynn held in a groan at the thought of spending hours putting up the decorations just to take them down again at the end of the week.
"So I noticed. How about I help with that? I already did the shop; and you can sell my baking."
Estelle clapped her hands together, "Oh, you're having a bake sale?"
"Yeah, Flynn thought it'd be a good idea."
The pink haired girl's eyes narrowed as she looked between them, "How do you know Flynn?"
Before Flynn could stop him, Yuri answered, "We live together."
Flynn ducked away as Estelle tried to slap him with her scarf, "Flynn! You never told me you had someone!"
"I–"
"And how long has this been going on?"
Again Yuri spoke before Flynn could warn him, "A few weeks now, since that first cold snap, but we've known each other for a long time now."
Flynn sighed as Estelle's mouth dropped open in shock. It wasn't like he was ashamed of Yuri or anything. It wasn't even the thought of the awkward 'how did you meet?' questions that had kept him quiet. It was just... Yuri was Flynn's. He'd dropped into his life from nowhere and made a place for himself, and Flynn was for the first time in his life being selfish in keeping Yuri all to himself instead of laying their entire relationship out for Rita and Estelle to dissect; they'd just ask a whole bunch of embarrassing and confusing questions he didn't know the answers to. Flynn envied how Yuri could communicate with Repede and wished he had someone that non-judgmental he could talk to about things.
Estelle set them to work putting up decorations while she laid out all of Yuri's baking dishes, but she mostly left them alone since Yuri seemed to know what to do when it came to putting up decorations. Flynn held the ladder while Yuri stuck tinsel to the walls, "Estelle is now going to be convinced we're dating."
"I noticed that after I spoke. Is she always so–"
"Energetic?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
"Yeah. She's the sugar to Rita's spice, I'm just the errand-runner."
"You don't have any trouble standing up to me when you've got an opinion, what's so different about her?"
"Says the guy who's on the ladder for her."
Yuri blinked down at him before looking at the tinsel in his hand, "I'll be damned. How does she do that?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, but that's why she's the president."

Chapter 14

"I'll get the last of these set up in the council room, you go see what Estelle wants." Yuri shooed him off. Flynn could only watch as the other marched off towards the council room. Once again, Yuri had thrown his everything into the task, continuing to decorate when Flynn had been forced to head off to class.
Estelle was practically bouncing when Flynn got to her, and he recognized well those symptoms, "...How much of the product did you eat yourself?"
The pink haired girl glanced down at the floor, "The little 'snowball' things are so good... I paid for them all, though! So it's not like I stole them!"
"I didn't say you did." Boy, was Rita going to have fun trying to get their president to calm down for their partner-presentation project. Flynn wasn't sure if he envied them for being able to get it over with early or was glad he didn't have to turn in his own yet.
"Everything sold out."
"...How much of it did you buy?"
"Well... Some of everything, but it really is good."
Flynn shook his head as he helped put everything away, "Thanks."
Estelle smiled at him, "I'm still upset with you for not telling me about him, but I'm still your friend. So, don't be strangers, okay?"
He winced, "We'll try."
"That's all I ask for."
They found Yuri being grilled by Rita in the student council room, "I aged out of the system and lived on my own until I met Flynn, alright? Would you like my social security number and thumbprint to verify who I am?"
Estelle put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks, "Rita, it's rude to interrogate people."
"He's just been living with Flynn for over a month and we know nothing about him!"
"And I haven't murdered him yet." Yuri interjected, casting a wry smile Flynn's way that made him want to both smile, and beat his head against the nearest wall. Of all the– "He's too quick with that flippy-thing for me to stab him."
"Yuri! Don't get them ideas about you!"
The long haired male smiled over at him, "Why not? We already gave Estelle ideas, it's not fair to leave her out of it."
"My name is Rita; Rita Mordio, not 'her'."
"Hi, I'm Yuri Lowell and not 'you hooligan with the long hair'."
Estelle gasped, "Rita, you didn't..."
The short brunette attempted to burn a hole through Yuri's head before sniffing and turning away with her arms crossed. Estelle pulled her aside to whisper something– Flynn hoped it was about manners, and he moved to the opposite side of the room by the window with Yuri.
"Sorry about, well, both of them."
Yuri shrugged, "You've got good friends."
Flynn smiled at him, "Yeah, all three of them."
Yuri smiled back at him when Estelle drew their attention by gasping loudly, one hand over her mouth and the other pointing at them. Rita chuckled evilly next to her while the boys exchanged confused looks, "Look up."
Blue and black both looked skyward at the same time to spot leafy green foliage with bright red berries tied in a bundle: mistletoe. "I don't think it counts–"
"It does." both females said, scarily in sync.
Flynn was near panic as he looked between Yuri and the girls. Yuri shrugged, "It's Estelle, right? Are you going to argue with her?"
Between Rita's menacing look and Estelle's innocently hopeful one, Flynn mentally cursed before turning back to Yuri, "I... I'm sorry."
Flynn was already leaning forward when Yuri answered him, breath whispering across his lips, "I'm not."
Before the blonde could register the meaning of the words, his mind was robbed of all thought when Yuri's mouth met his. Weeks of frustration of watching Yuri's every motion in the kitchen, watching those haunting hips swish, smelling the scent that was everything Yuri every time he sat on the couch, all the holding back: gone. Yuri gasped against him and that was it, Flynn swept his tongue into the warm cavern of Yuri's mouth, arms coming up around his neck to pull him closer. Yuri groaned into his mouth and Flynn put his hand out to catch himself and he crushed Yuri to him, groaning himself when fingers tangled in his short locks and tugged pleasantly, sending lighting shocks down his spine.
"Oi! Kiss, not make-out under!"
They broke off with a gasp as Rita pulled them unwilling from the deliriously pleasurable haze they'd lost themselves in. Flynn glared at her over his shoulder, Yuri panting against his throat, when he realized he'd pushed the other up against the cold glass of the window. He blushed and backed off a bit, looking down, "Sorry."
Yuri leaned in close, breath ghosting across Flynn's cheek as he whispered, "I'm not."

Chapter 15

Flynn watched Yuri through the window, thoughts in a jumble. Two days later, he still wasn't sure exactly what that kiss meant. Yuri hadn't pushed him decide one way or the other, which left him just all kinds of confused. Yuri'd said he wasn't sorry about it, but he didn't make any attempt to initiate anything more– not that Flynn did, either.
He sighed as he watched Yuri putting Repede through his paces, making and throwing snowballs every which way; Repede didn't miss a one. Then Yuri brought out the frisbee, sending it spinning off with the same skill and accuracy he showed with snowballs, the disk making unexpected turns mid-flight that had dog and owner reaching for their limits. After running off some of the canine's seemingly endless energy, Yuri took him through tricks together that had Flynn gaping.
Yuri bent over and said something, Repede hopping up on his back, then he tossed the frisbee over his shoulder where Repede caught it while backflipping from him and landing in the snow. Yuri would roll the disk across his shoulders and toss it high into the air for Repede to go after, using his owner as a springboard. Then he went over to where several other frisbees were laying and picked them all up, giving a command that had Repede dancing in place, then Yuri threw the disks one after another in several directions. Flynn was certain there was no way the dog would be able to get them all. But Repede took off in a blur of color, jumping to get the first disk and dropping it as soon as he had it, turning on a dime and launching for the next nearest on, which he only had to hop a bit to get, then spinning around and racing towards the third that he had to crouch to get before it hit the snow. Flynn thought it was over; he'd never get the last one, but Repede ran pell-mell for it and rolled over as he dove under the fluffy snow, catching the last frisbee.
Yuri jumped up in excitement and Repede got up, tail going a mile a minute. Yuri tapped his chest and the dog took off for him, jumping at the last minute for Yuri to grab him and spin around in victory before falling back into the snow and panting with exertion. Flynn found himself smiling at them and got up to get his coat and winter gear on, blue knit hat with pompom on it to match Yuri's red one.
Yuri was still puffing when Flynn got outside, owner and dog both laying in the snow to cool off after their workout. Flynn sat in the snow beside them and Yuri smiled up at him, "Hey."
"Hey." And he still didn't know what to say about everything.
"What do you want to do?"
He looked over at the duo, "Hmm?"
"Actually seeing your school sorta brought it home, so... what do you want to be?"
Flynn shrugged, "I'm actually not too sure. I'm taking lots of courses so I have options, but I don't know for sure. When... when my parents died, I sold the house, bought and moved into the shop, and used the life insurance money to put myself through school. The past three years have been about doing the best I can, you know, to make them proud. But I haven't really thought about anything after that. Actually, if I'm honest, I've been trying not to think about it. I've always been go-go-go, better-faster-more, have to do the best. I don't think I've ever really just taken the time to relax and enjoy myself until I met you."
"Don't focus too much on the future, Flynn, or your present will be past before you get the chance to live it. Appreciate what you have while you have it."
"That easy?"
"That simple, at least; easy is another matter entirely. Don't dwell so much on what should be or what could have been, live in the moment and take it for what it is."
Flynn let out a short whistle that had Repede on his paws again, and he tossed the first disk within reach, sending him running after it and getting him off Yuri. The dark haired male shivered without Repede's warmth on him, watching calmly as Flynn took his place, leaning down over him until their foreheads were almost touching, "Just... enjoy the moment, huh?"
"That's it. Appreciate what you've got while it's yours."
"Are you mine, Yuri?" Flynn almost wished he could physically shove the words back in his mouth; unsay them. At the same time, they were a weight off his chest; that was what he'd been holding in for two days, and it was such a relief to get it out.
Flynn's life was measured in heartbeats: one, two, three; then Yuri smiled up at him, "I've been waiting for you to ask."
Flynn's breath erupted from him in a gasp of relief, "That simple?"
"Simple? Do you have any idea how difficult it was for Rita and I to time our 'argument' for when you and Estelle came in and pick the right spot to hang the mistletoe?"
The blonde's head snapped up and he stared down at Yuri in shock, "What?!"
Yuri shrugged, the smirked at Flynn's continued flabbergasted expression, "Remember that screaming little banshee I helped out way back?"
"Rita?!"
"Uh-huh. She owed me, so she was pretty willing to help me get you under the mistletoe. ...You mad?"
Flynn closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I am... very, very upset... that you thought you had to trick me into kissing you with mistletoe. I have been torturing myself by watching you dance around the kitchen while cooking all month. I was about ready to say to hell with it all and do... well, something, I hadn't quite decided what. Then we kissed and you said you weren't sorry, but didn't do anything else."
"You were the one who said you were sorry."
"...We're both idiots, aren't we?"
"...Yup. So, ready to open your christmas present?"
Flynn blinked, sure he'd heard that wrong– or at the very least that his libido had interpreted it wrong, "What?"
Yuri didn't look away, "I'm cold, it's christmas eve, and I just said I'd be yours. You're in collage; the math shouldn't be too difficult here."
Flynn didn't let himself think too much on that and smashed their lips together, Yuri opening for him instantly, chill fingers brushing across Flynn's neck and sending goosebumps across his skin. It was freezing and his knees weren't happy with the hard ground and he couldn't feel his nose and it was just... completely perfect.

Chapter 16: Epilogue

"Judy, get your mits off my man; we're both gay."
"Then he shouldn't have an issue with me hanging on him."
"He's not the one with the issue of you hanging on him, I am!" With an amused huff the blue haired woman walked off and Yuri let his head fall against Flynn's shoulder, "Tell me we can go home."
"Sorry, we promised."
"I hate you."
"You love me."
"Prove it."
"You're still here."
Yuri scowled at him, "You've been taking lessons from Estelle, haven't you?"
"Does it show?"
Yuri and Flynn had cleaned out the shop earlier and shoved everything up against the walls or put it in the back room, leaving the tables free for the homemade dishes of Yuri's celebratory feast. Flynn wasn't ashamed to admit to himself that he was nervous about the future, and his anxiety must have shown, because dark eyes looked at him in amusement, "You okay?"
"Yeah, fine."
"You sure? Cause you're shaking."
"You're kidding."
"Yeah, I am." He tilted his head, "Ready for the next big step forward?"
"...Marriage?"
Yuri punched him in the shoulder, "Oh, very funny. I meant getting a job, you bum."
"I guess I have to to support my perfect housewife."
"If you don't take that back, I swear–" Flynn never got to find out what his potential punishment would have been, because someone appeared behind Yuri and put his hand on Yuri's shoulder before Flynn could warn him– either the stranger about his boyfriend's reflexes or Yuri about the person. The rest of the room fell silent as the new-comer was flipped over the long-haired man's shoulder to land on the floor.
"I'm not sure which hurts worse, my heart or my body..."
Yuri's expression was nothing short of astonished, "Old Man?!"
The scruffy man grinned up at them, "Hey, there, kiddo."
"Uh, Yuri, who is this gentleman on our floor?"
Yuri glanced between Flynn and the man still on the ground, straightening up and turning half away and starting to fiddle with his hair, "His name is Raven and he's, I guess, technically, sort of... my dad."
"Excuse me?!"
Yuri gave him a quick look before mumbling, "Raven was my last foster before I aged out. I only barely kept in contact with him." Then he glared at Raven, "He's also the one who gave me your address."
Raven spoke up, not seeming in any hurry to get up, "Brought Karol along, too."
Yuri stiffened before he forced himself to relax. He took a deep breath and let it out, "I'll talk to him later." Yuri looked at him away and jerked his head to the side. Flynn nodded and they found a quiet spot, "You have questions."
"A couple. I've been waiting for the right time to ask them for a long time now."
Yuri spouted off what was quickly becoming his motto, "No time like the present."
"Why did you leave Raven and your... Foster brother?"
Yuri nodded, confirming his guess, "I was... really stupid before I met you, Flynn. I did a whole lotta stuff I'm not proud of. I didn't like who I was, and I didn't want to be a bad influence on Karol so I... took myself out of the equation. I was an idiot and got in a lotta trouble: gang shit, busting cars... breaking and entering. I did six months in juvie and I hated who I was. Hated other people more, like Alexei. His stupid bill put a lot of people in bad places, people I knew, people like Karol. I was desperate, and again, stupid. So I asked the Old Man, and then he gave me your address."
"Random luck you wound up in my shop?"
"The luckiest I've ever been."
Flynn blinked, "What do you mean?"
"Flynn, you gave me a chance when everyone else had already given up on me. Before I met you, nothing would have convinced me to see Karol again. I wasn't someone I wanted him to be around."
"What's changed?"
"You. Me. You changed me. No matter how bad I messed up, you believed I could do better, and I wanted to prove you right." Yuri looked away, "I applied to the Wonder Culinary Institute..."
Flynn leaned forward, "And?"
"...I begin next semester."
"Yuri, that's great! You'll make a great chef!"
His boyfriend looked away, cheeks red, "Yeah, I think I will."
"Yuri, you aren't the only one who's changed, you know. You helped me see that there was more to life than work. I've also finally decided: I'm going into politics, I want to make things right, help correct things that people like Alexei have screwed up. I don't think I'd ever have been able to relax enough to live my life if you hadn't broken in that night."
Yuri leaned against him, "I've fucked up a whole lot of things in my life: you're the one thing that I got right." he held out his hand.
Flynn twined their fingers together, "Yuri, what if I said I wasn't kidding earlier about the next big step?"
He felt Yuri tense against him, "...Are you asking me to marry you?"
"I am."
Dark locks tickled the side of his neck as Yuri leaned into him, fingers tightening, "I'd say yes. We may not have forever, but it'll be a long road together, and I'll be there with you every step of the way."
"Together."
"Together."