hallmark jingles in the snow

Vexen watched as the snow fell, breath misty as he waited outside the store for Ienzo to finish with his shopping.

Usually, he would have never let his son enter unattended—but his son insisted that he was already going to be nine this year and that this was the first part in the process to enter adulthood. Plus, the store clerk assured Vexen that all would be well, and if there were any trouble, she would signal the doctor through the store window.

He wrapped his arms around himself, sighing. Time flew by much too fast for his liking.

“Oh! You’re here!”

Vexen turned to the voice, blinking slowly as a basket crowded his vision. From the look and smell of the steam slowly rising from beneath the small plaid blanket, food was seated comfortably within its confines. Carefully, he took the basket, now staring at the person who was beaming up at him brightly.

He blinked once more, pointing to himself. “Me?”

The smile seemed to brighten. “Yeah, you!”

It wasn’t exactly uncommon for him to receive gifts, seeing as he was the town’s primary doctor, especially ’round this time of year. Still, Vexen held the basket awkwardly, the corner of his lip twitching up oddly. “Ah, yes. It is…  I.”

His new company laughed. “Xion did say you had quite a way with words.”

It clicked, Vexen’s face burning fiercely. “Oh, you are… her guardian.”

“Yeah! Name’s Sora,” he chirped, adjusting his scarf and holding up a peace sign. “It’s nice to finally meet you, doctor.”

Vexen held the basket close to his chest, standing a little straighter. “And I, Dr. Vexen,” he tried to squash down the embarrassment he felt at that moment. Of course, Sora would know who he was; aside from it being a small town, Xion was a frequent patient. “Though, I assume you are well aware of that fact already. It is a… pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Sora stepped forward, peering up at him curiously. “Yeah, but I never knew how nice it was next to you.”

Vexen almost dropped the basket, startled. “I b-beg your pardon?” His grip tightened on the basket, trying to calm his rapid heart. It would do no one any good if he fainted outside the store.

Sora scratched his cheek, pulling back a little, something that Vexen found made him want to reach forward and pull the other in close again. “Ah, like, you have this real calming presence,” he rocked on the balls of his feet, arms crossed behind his back, “Sorry, too honest?”

“Nonsense!” Vexen practically shouted, shuffling the smallest bit forward. He held a hand to his chest, leaning down so that he could stare Sora properly in the face, “Honesty is one of the most vital virtues a person could possess. It is without a doubt much appreciated and not a thing you should be ashamed of, Sora! If I, as a man of science, were ever to shy away from the truth,” he closed his eyes and scoffed. “I would consider myself a fool.”

It was quiet.

Vexen opened his eyes, brushing aside some of the snow that had landed on his face.

Sora stared at him with wide eyes, mouth slightly agape, and a hint of red on his face that did not appear to be from the cold weather.

“W-What I meant to say,” Vexen hurried, hand unsure if he should reach out to Sora or remain placed at his side. In the end, he decided to grip the basket with both hands, as not to do any more embarrassing things. “That I— “

Sora giggled, clasping his hands together in front of him. “You’re pretty neat, know that, doctor?” Sora bit his lip and spoke quietly, “I like that.”

Before Vexen could say anymore—not that he was sure he even could, frozen by the weight of Sora’s open affection—a door chimed. Sora’s smile widened, and he crouched down, arms wide open to catch the blur that rushed past the doctor.

“Hey there, Ienzo!” Sora said, patting his son’s head fondly, “Long time no see.”

Ienzo leaned into the embrace; the small grocery bag clutched tightly in his hand. “Mm.”

Vexen broke from his shock, observing the scene closely. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure as he spoke slowly. “Ienzo… I see that you have finished your shopping.” He raised a brow, adjusting the basket in nervous habit. “Any complications?”

Ienzo shook his head, comfortable in Sora’s arms. “No,” he held a hand out, the receipt and change peeking out of his fist, “Thank you.”

The doctor found himself feeling self-conscious as he took note that Sora had been watching the entire interaction. He quickly took the money and shuffled on his feet, trying to find interest in anything but Sora. “You two… are already acquainted, I presume?”

Ienzo seemed to glow. “Sora’s my future wife.”

Vexen stared at his son, incredulously.

Sora laughed, “Ienzo likes to stop by the bakery after school.” He rose to his feet, Ienzo going along with him. “Sometimes he stays to help me, and Xion set up for the next day. Sorry, doc,” Sora stuck his tongue out, seeming a tad bit embarrassed, “Slipped my mind to mention it to you earlier.”

It all made sense, Ienzo asking if he could go with Xion every time she left the clinic, even when it seemed that the two fought over “who had the right to marry the sweetest person to exist” with increasing frequency. 

He shook his head. “No, no, it’s… alright.” He held his arms out for Ienzo to come, but the boy refused. His eyebrow twitched. “We do live in a… rather small community, so it makes sense. After all,” he grabbed Ienzo, the boy struggling as he attempted one last cling onto Sora, “I have never encountered you despite all the times Xion has been coming to the clinic. And what a shame that is, seeing as how you’re such lovely company.”

Sora’s mouth opened slowly, and a realization hit Vexen a second later.

“W-W-What I meant to say—”

“Father,” Ienzo pitched in, his feet dangling in his father’s grasp as he grabbed hold of the basket by its handle, “It is rude to try and flirt with my future wife.”

“Ienzo!”

Sora moved in close, patting Ienzo on the head. “I’m sure that’s not what the doctor was doing, Ienzo.”

Vexen mulled the words over. Would it have been bad if he tried…?

He mentally slapped himself at the idea.

Ienzo seemed to perk up at that. “Yeah, my father isn’t very fun,” he leaned in and whispered to Sora, “I’ve heard him say sweets are gross—”

Vexen clamped a hand over his son’s mouth, his eyebrow twitching almost violently. “Please, forgive my child’s rudeness, Sora.”

Sora looked up at him and hummed. “Not a big fan of sweets,” he tilted his head, a teasing smile on his features, “Huh, doctor?”

“W-W-Well I wouldn’t exactly say that—” Vexen stammered out, trying his damndest not to note how nicely Sora’s bangs framed his face or how he caught sight of a charming necklace that sat around the other’s neck from beneath the scarf.

Was the snow getting warmer?

“Maybe I can stop by with Xion and help you guys finish the treats,” Sora said playfully, shifting his weight, “Though maybe I can try to see if the doctor will like anything I make.”

Vexen’s eyes widened.

Ienzo wiggled in his arms. “Your cooking in our home?” He turned pleading eyes up to Vexen and whispered loudly, “Father…. Father, you always said it was rude to turn down food, right?”

Of course, his son would remember his advice when most convenient. Vexen couldn’t help but sigh, ruffling Ienzo’s hair. “I… suppose it wouldn’t hurt to become better acquainted—”

“Sora!” Ienzo exclaimed excitedly, “See? I got my father’s blessing!”

Vexen rolled his eyes, Sora laughing.

“Can we get married tomo—”

“Ienzo.”

“Well, seeing as how we’re gonna be such great pals,” Sora readjusted his scarf, the snow glistening in his hair, eyes bright beneath his lashes as he looked toward Vexen. “How ‘bout tonight?”

Vexen readjusted Ienzo, wondering for whatever reason if his hair appeared too messy today. “That’s fine,” he tried to subtly straighten out his sleeves, a difficult task with Ienzo in his arms, wondering why today of all days, the wrinkles in his clothes seemed so prominent. “I can give you more details on Xion’s new medication…?”

“You can see your new room with me, too—”

“Ienzo.”

“I’m gonna go pick up some ingredients with Xion,” Sora winked at Ienzo, notching up the playfulness. “And then we can all look at those things together, ’kay?”

For the first time since the beginning of their encounter, Ienzo tried to cover his face. With his hands full, the boy had no choice left but to pull in his head, reminding Vexen of a turtle.

“... ’kay.”

Sora turned his attention back to him, and Vexen wondered if he could pull the same stunt Ienzo did.

“See you later?”

“Yes… We will be expecting you two,” Vexen wanted to kick himself for how stiff that sounded, but it pulled a laugh from Sora, so the doctor marked it down as a win in his book. “For our… dinner date?”

Sora beamed brighter at that, and Vexen wondered if he would need to invest in a new pair of sunglasses. “Yeah,” he said, tilting his head in a way that Vexen had come to find increasingly charming, “For our date.”