All I Want For Christmas
by Alexis (Lexarose)

Type: Yaoi, AU
Pairing: OishiEiji
Rating: PG
Challenge: Nostalgia, 75 minutes
Disclaimer: If I owned Prince of Tennis, all the boys would be paired with each other, so that's why I write fanfiction.
Summary: Eiji remembers Christmas past.
Notes: Second time writing for [info]temps_mort, this is a gift fic for [info]alleyquat. Characterizations and events are based on the RP [info]college_pot, on the characters that she and I play.



Eiji's favorite time of year is Christmas. It isn't because of the gift-giving; he had moved past that youthful anticipation of gifts years ago. It isn't about the religious aspect of the holidays; he had never been very big on going to church and all of that. It isn't even the family gatherings; although he does cherish them, because he has a very large, very extended family, and it was rare for them all to get together, except at the holidays. No, the reason why Eiji loves Christmas was because of the memories contained within the holiday. Twenty years earlier, he had gotten his greatest gift; Oishi.

The former gymnast - now veterinarian - had met the other boy while overseas for college, attending Greenwich University in New York City. To think, that if he had stayed in Japan, he never would have met the man who made his life complete. Though, it wasn't a smooth course for the two of them, not in the slightest. Eiji remembered just how much they had to work at their relationship; a lot of which he knew was his own fault. Staring into the fireplace, Eiji found himself lost in the memories of twenty years earlier.

The yelling, the accusations, Oishi leaving him alone in his dorm and flying off to North Carolina the evening before they were to go to Japan for the holidays. Eiji's hand rose to touch the chain hanging around his neck, the one he had thrown back in Oishi's face that night. He had come so close to losing everything for a second time in his life on that night. Although, with the hindsight that only time can give us, Eiji realized that the fight had probably been best for their relationship, allowing a lot of issues to come to light.

Eiji returned to Japan the following day, miserable, and the fact was only driven home even more so by his entire family being around him, being happy, and expecting him to be the same way. But how is one supposed to be happy and cheerful when they've had the ground tugged out from beneath them, and were just falling, with no one there to catch them?

Then it was time for the gift exchange, something his family did traditionally at midnight, at the transition of Christmas Eve into Christmas. Waiting downstairs in front of the large fireplace was the only thing he really wanted for the holidays. Standing there, in the middle of all of Eiji's relatives, was Oishi, looking scared, sad, happy and hopeful all at the same time.

Convinced that the vision in front of his eyes couldn't be real, Eiji reached out and was surprised when he was able to touch what he was sure was a figment of his imagination. It was then, in front of everyone in the room, that the two boys first said 'I love you'. That was the best gift Eiji could have ever received, and he had never asked for another thing for Christmas again.

Every year, it was their tradition to curl up in front of the fireplace (they had insisted on one when they bought their first house, it was the only feature they insisted on) and they would make love right there. And as the years passed, every Christmas was like going back to the first time they were ever together.

Hearing Oishi pad into the room, bare feet making almost no sound against the hardwood floor, Eiji smiled, never turning away from the flickering flames. Finally when Oishi sat down beside Eiji on the soft fur rug, handing him a glass of champagne, did he turn and look at his husband.

"Merry Christmas, love."

Oishi smiled in return, emerald eyes sparkling with the reflected firelight. "Merry Christmas. Did you get everything you wanted this year?"

Crawling onto Oishi's lap, Eiji's fingers trailed through the dark hair that was only now starting to turn grey at the temples. His lips hovered inches from their counterpart, quirking upward in a smile. "Nya, I've got all I want right here."



Alley's back! I am so freaking happy I want to cry! I love you and missed you so much, and Eiji missed his Oishi sooooooo much too! Welcome back! This fic is for you, because you are such an amazing friend and I don't know what I'd do without you.