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learashiTitle: Gingerbread Wars #5 (2021 Christmas Drabbles)
Characters: Aiba Masaki, Dog!Nino, Cat!Jun
Genres: Christmas fluff, Pet!Arashi
Rating: G
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Aiba is spending the evening alone.
Notes: Final drabble of the year is a gift for our beloved Aiba-chan's birthday. Merry Christmas everyone! Stay safe and healthy in 2022.
Sho hovered in the doorway of Aiba’s apartment, holding the wicker pet carrier tightly enough to make his knuckles turn white. "I feel bad about leaving Jun-chan here over Christmas. I hope that I'm not ruining any plans you might have."
"Your parents miss you, and I'm sure that you miss them just as much," Aiba replied as he tried to pry the basket from Sho's hands. "Jun-chan will be fine, and I didn’t make any plans since I have some patients who will have to stay at the surgery over Christmas anyway."
Sho looked relieved and finally handed over the basket. Aiba held it up to eye level so that Sho could say goodbye to his disgruntled looking pet.
Guilt gnawed at Sho, but at the same time he was eager to be off and on his way to his parents. His mother's Christmas baking was legendary, especially her intricate and crazily decorated gingerbread houses. He stroked the velvet fur on Jun's nose and tried to ignore the unhappiness in the cat's huge and luminous eyes. "Be good for Aiba, and play nicely with Nino."
Jun mewed unhappily as Sho took a step back into the corridor. "I really appreciate you doing this for me. I promise to take you out for belated birthday drinks, and bring you one of my mother's gingerbread houses as a thank you; they're a real work of art."
"Sounds great," Aiba gave Sho a thumbs up as Jun rumbled his unhappiness.
After waving Sho off, Aiba opened the basket and coaxed the grey cat out into the open. The Russian Blue immediately shot under the sofa where Aiba’s small yellow dog was sitting.
Nino yipped excitedly at the sight of his friend and slid down onto the floor from his usual spot on the sofa. He dropped down onto his belly and wagged his tail hopefully, but Jun hissed a warning that he wasn't in the mood to play.
"Nino, leave Jun-chan be." Aiba pulled Nino away and lifted him back onto his place on the sofa. "He's upset right now, and needs a little space."
Nino whined and his tail drooped as he settled back down on the yellow t-shirt which protected the seat of the sofa. He sighed as he settled back down to watch one of his favourite seasonal variety shows.
Aiba sat down beside Nino and absently tugged on one of his silky ears. Even though he was trying to keep his spirits up, Aiba couldn't help feeling at least a little bit sorry for himself. It was no fun to celebrate your birthday alone. "Seems like all three of us are out of sorts tonight."
Although Aiba had received cards and messages from friends and family wishing him a happy birthday, somehow nearly everyone else had made plans which didn't include him. Which was fine really since his patients deserved his full attention anyway.
The thought of the sick animals downstairs in his surgery propelled Aiba up off the sofa. Their families would be eagerly waiting for updates on their condition.
He squatted down and looked under the sofa, where a grey tail was lashing angrily. "Cheer up Jun-chan. I've ordered an assortment of food including sushi, to be delivered in an hour or so, and I promise you can have the anago."
A moment later a smooth grey head popped into view, and Jun miaowed happily at the mention of his favourite food. He emerged and wound himself sinuously around Aiba’s ankles.
"That’s much better." Aiba smiled and ran his hand through the grey cat's thick fur, making Jun's back arch with pleasure.
Aiba patted Nino's head and grabbed his keys. "I won't be long. Look after Jun-chan for me, Nino. The doggie door to the balcony is unlocked if Jun-Chan needs any fresh air, but I guess that you won't be joining him."
Nino yawned and settled deeper into the sofa, proving Aiba right.
Aiba headed down to the surgery, and the small yellow dog wagged his tail and moved over a little to make space for Jun on his t-shirt. Jun hopped up onto the sofa beside him and settled down next to him so they were almost, but not quite, touching. Nino immediately flopped over on his side so that he was half laying on the elegant cat, who began to purr loudly, despite his attempts to push Nino off him with a disdainful paw.
After a while, Jun became bored with watching TV. He hopped down and padded around the room, giving the Christmas tree a wide berth. He still remembered being attacked by Sho's glittering tree a year earlier, and definitely didn't trust the glittering monster. He nudged the door flap and made his way out onto the balcony.
Nino was startled when Jun dashed back inside a few minutes later, shaking his paws with every step. When Jun jumped up beside Nino, his coat glistened and his cold nose made Nino shiver when he pressed it against Nino's shiny black one.
Nino gave an excited yelp and went out onto the balcony. Jun followed him as far as the door, watching as the little dog bounced around in the crisp night air.
++
Aiba's hands were full, but he nudged the door open with his foot and called to the two animals. "Food's here. Come and get it. Since it's my birthday, you two can eat with me."
Nino wagged his tail, and sat down obediently as Aiba placed a cardboard box containing a juicy hamburger steak with extra cheese on the floor next to the coffee table. Next, Aiba placed a delicate slice of anago on a small porcelain plate for Jun-chan.
Both animals waited to begin eating until Aiba picked up a piece of fried chicken and nodded at them. Nino allowed Jun-chan to nibble on the edge of his hamburger, but the grey cat puffed up his fur and glared when the little dog looked at his anago.
When they had all eaten enough, Aiba cleared away the empty boxes and carried in a small cupcake from the kitchen with a single lit candle on top. He blew it out with a deep sigh. "Happy birthday to me."
As if sensing his melancholy, Nino caught the hem of Aiba’s jeans and tugged him towards the balcony, while Jun-chan wound himself around his ankles as he tried to walk, steering him towards the door.
"What’s up with you two? It's too cold to go outside." Aiba grumbled, but allowed himself to be coaxed by the insistent pair.
Aiba’s eyes widened, and a smile lit up his face. It was snowing. Not heavily, but it was enough to make the railing of the balcony sparkle. It was a perfectly unexpected gift.
With the yellow dog on one side of him, and the grey cat on the other, Aiba watched the delicate flakes of white drifting down from the sky, and was content.
Characters: Aiba Masaki, Dog!Nino, Cat!Jun
Genres: Christmas fluff, Pet!Arashi
Rating: G
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Aiba is spending the evening alone.
Notes: Final drabble of the year is a gift for our beloved Aiba-chan's birthday. Merry Christmas everyone! Stay safe and healthy in 2022.
Sho hovered in the doorway of Aiba’s apartment, holding the wicker pet carrier tightly enough to make his knuckles turn white. "I feel bad about leaving Jun-chan here over Christmas. I hope that I'm not ruining any plans you might have."
"Your parents miss you, and I'm sure that you miss them just as much," Aiba replied as he tried to pry the basket from Sho's hands. "Jun-chan will be fine, and I didn’t make any plans since I have some patients who will have to stay at the surgery over Christmas anyway."
Sho looked relieved and finally handed over the basket. Aiba held it up to eye level so that Sho could say goodbye to his disgruntled looking pet.
Guilt gnawed at Sho, but at the same time he was eager to be off and on his way to his parents. His mother's Christmas baking was legendary, especially her intricate and crazily decorated gingerbread houses. He stroked the velvet fur on Jun's nose and tried to ignore the unhappiness in the cat's huge and luminous eyes. "Be good for Aiba, and play nicely with Nino."
Jun mewed unhappily as Sho took a step back into the corridor. "I really appreciate you doing this for me. I promise to take you out for belated birthday drinks, and bring you one of my mother's gingerbread houses as a thank you; they're a real work of art."
"Sounds great," Aiba gave Sho a thumbs up as Jun rumbled his unhappiness.
After waving Sho off, Aiba opened the basket and coaxed the grey cat out into the open. The Russian Blue immediately shot under the sofa where Aiba’s small yellow dog was sitting.
Nino yipped excitedly at the sight of his friend and slid down onto the floor from his usual spot on the sofa. He dropped down onto his belly and wagged his tail hopefully, but Jun hissed a warning that he wasn't in the mood to play.
"Nino, leave Jun-chan be." Aiba pulled Nino away and lifted him back onto his place on the sofa. "He's upset right now, and needs a little space."
Nino whined and his tail drooped as he settled back down on the yellow t-shirt which protected the seat of the sofa. He sighed as he settled back down to watch one of his favourite seasonal variety shows.
Aiba sat down beside Nino and absently tugged on one of his silky ears. Even though he was trying to keep his spirits up, Aiba couldn't help feeling at least a little bit sorry for himself. It was no fun to celebrate your birthday alone. "Seems like all three of us are out of sorts tonight."
Although Aiba had received cards and messages from friends and family wishing him a happy birthday, somehow nearly everyone else had made plans which didn't include him. Which was fine really since his patients deserved his full attention anyway.
The thought of the sick animals downstairs in his surgery propelled Aiba up off the sofa. Their families would be eagerly waiting for updates on their condition.
He squatted down and looked under the sofa, where a grey tail was lashing angrily. "Cheer up Jun-chan. I've ordered an assortment of food including sushi, to be delivered in an hour or so, and I promise you can have the anago."
A moment later a smooth grey head popped into view, and Jun miaowed happily at the mention of his favourite food. He emerged and wound himself sinuously around Aiba’s ankles.
"That’s much better." Aiba smiled and ran his hand through the grey cat's thick fur, making Jun's back arch with pleasure.
Aiba patted Nino's head and grabbed his keys. "I won't be long. Look after Jun-chan for me, Nino. The doggie door to the balcony is unlocked if Jun-Chan needs any fresh air, but I guess that you won't be joining him."
Nino yawned and settled deeper into the sofa, proving Aiba right.
Aiba headed down to the surgery, and the small yellow dog wagged his tail and moved over a little to make space for Jun on his t-shirt. Jun hopped up onto the sofa beside him and settled down next to him so they were almost, but not quite, touching. Nino immediately flopped over on his side so that he was half laying on the elegant cat, who began to purr loudly, despite his attempts to push Nino off him with a disdainful paw.
After a while, Jun became bored with watching TV. He hopped down and padded around the room, giving the Christmas tree a wide berth. He still remembered being attacked by Sho's glittering tree a year earlier, and definitely didn't trust the glittering monster. He nudged the door flap and made his way out onto the balcony.
Nino was startled when Jun dashed back inside a few minutes later, shaking his paws with every step. When Jun jumped up beside Nino, his coat glistened and his cold nose made Nino shiver when he pressed it against Nino's shiny black one.
Nino gave an excited yelp and went out onto the balcony. Jun followed him as far as the door, watching as the little dog bounced around in the crisp night air.
++
Aiba's hands were full, but he nudged the door open with his foot and called to the two animals. "Food's here. Come and get it. Since it's my birthday, you two can eat with me."
Nino wagged his tail, and sat down obediently as Aiba placed a cardboard box containing a juicy hamburger steak with extra cheese on the floor next to the coffee table. Next, Aiba placed a delicate slice of anago on a small porcelain plate for Jun-chan.
Both animals waited to begin eating until Aiba picked up a piece of fried chicken and nodded at them. Nino allowed Jun-chan to nibble on the edge of his hamburger, but the grey cat puffed up his fur and glared when the little dog looked at his anago.
When they had all eaten enough, Aiba cleared away the empty boxes and carried in a small cupcake from the kitchen with a single lit candle on top. He blew it out with a deep sigh. "Happy birthday to me."
As if sensing his melancholy, Nino caught the hem of Aiba’s jeans and tugged him towards the balcony, while Jun-chan wound himself around his ankles as he tried to walk, steering him towards the door.
"What’s up with you two? It's too cold to go outside." Aiba grumbled, but allowed himself to be coaxed by the insistent pair.
Aiba’s eyes widened, and a smile lit up his face. It was snowing. Not heavily, but it was enough to make the railing of the balcony sparkle. It was a perfectly unexpected gift.
With the yellow dog on one side of him, and the grey cat on the other, Aiba watched the delicate flakes of white drifting down from the sky, and was content.
