#❛ ♡ › keiji : 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.

[truethes]

          @heartsealed​ asked: "Dad dad!!!" Rui's voice breaks the quiet morning as she throws open the door to his bedroom, climbing atop the bed and shaking him excitedly. "Daaaaad wake up!! It's Christmas!!! Santa came!!" 

She doesn't wait for Keiji to climb out of bed before she runs out, footsteps echoing down the hall & heading downstairs. Waiting for him to follow after her she picks up a present purchased for him, hiding it behind her back. It hadn't escaped her that this is the FIRST Christmas they're spending as a family, and she wanted to make it special. 

Not being old enough to buy him something adults always enjoy (Seriously why wouldn't any cashier believe the alcohol or cigars she wanted to buy was for her dad?!) She saved up her allowance for the occasion & was able to buy  something meaningful; a new coffee mug proudly branding the phrase "Worlds Best Dad." Accompanying the mug is a handmade Christmas card, a gift card to a coffee shop he enjoyed and a picture of them together, all wrapped up lovingly inside a pretty box.

"Here." Rui says in a shy tone. "Um, Merry Christmas Dad!"

christmas unprompted asks! ( accepting until the new year! )

          it’s odd, perhaps, to think that even just a year        ago he would never have celebrated this holiday in any capacity, despite the scattering of both homemade and store brought decorations across their floors, the large tree that had taken him mere minutes to haul from the back of his attic, the abundance of brightly wrapped presents nestled at it’s base he had spent wrapping until the early sunrise. this year, he’s tried his best to make it a celebration; full of presents, food and cake. the product of hours upon hours of badgering old co-workers and those he knew had children on just how a parent could manage to make today so much better and uses the generosity of kanna’s brother in order to tick off the last few items on his list, distracting both children at the right times, even when their suspicions begin to sink in —— not that he knows he couldn’t handle them, really. the reward much grander than the challenge.

          there’s someone in the house who sees the beauty of it now, considers it a festivity over a passing phase to a point he finds himself investing in it, too. the holidays mattering too little to him, even as a teen of his own; finding it much more comfortable, for once, to pick up the shifts that none of the other officers fancied taking, a amplifier of the well known fact he would be taking his time to spend that day alone once again, any semblance of family far too gone to join such a special day / any semblance of family far too gone to do anything to stop his home from feeling cold. it was, as much as he would hide it from rui, another night for drinking until the shadows escaped his mind day after night but now ... now it isn’t. now it exists as an affinity to create some of his best memories possible no matter what the consequences may bring, the fact emphasised by the shaking hands that jolt him awake far too early in the morning, the excited voice that almost yells against his ears, the wide smile that is there but runs off the moment any sign of alertness crosses his features. he is aware rui has a surprise for him of her own, she tends to like to; he is also aware that she never has to, that her joy, eagerness, is a gift for him enough, already honoured with the ability to wake up and know that somebody would only find such a day so special so long as he remained part of it, the first one to count as a predecessor for many more.

         ❛    ... did he leave any instructions to not open them ‘til ten?   ❜  he calls after her, though its purely in jest as he finds himself strolling downstairs not even five minutes later so that he may meet rui by her gifts, smile teetering on the edge of fond as he watches the way she fiddles with something behind her back. he should, admittedly, arm himself with a cup of coffee before they begin such events to keep himself more alert but ... he doesn’t want to waste the authenticity of this, even if he’s certain she’d be happy to wait; it’d be a shame, to see such brightness before his eyes even waver against his words but he supposes an afternoon nap wouldn’t be too bad and settles for such a suggestion instead. he opens his palms then, a pleasant surprise slapping upon his features as a neatly wrapped box is placed between them, fingers trailing across the fabric and ribbon in the form of bows and snowflakes, unfamiliar shapes. he doesn’t recognise the paper, or the bow. it’s a reminder of just how far she has thought of this, thought of him.

          ❛   eh...? never thought a guy like me end up on the good list.   ❜  he knows its better to start off these things sounding thankful, that he is thankful, even. but his tone of voice comes out a little shocked, gasping, the interlude of a man who wants to take his time with the first personalised gift he’s received after all these years.  ❛   well, i know i gotta put it down to a bright spark like you ... thanks, rui.    ❜  a second of pause, two; he catches himself in a momentary thought, still focused on the joy across her own features before his own actions but soon does he find himself reacting in turn. it’s only natural for one to open their present before another, and so he does ( far too gently than what paper needs to be, but he, for once, can’t help himself ), fingers pulling at the box to reveal the mug, gift card and picture. he’s been looking for these sorts of things for quite some time; he considers himself lucky. 

          ❛   ... you manage to catch me off guard every time.   ❜  he admits, quietly. something misty catches the end of his eyes, and he looks back down at her.  ❛   i’ll be making space for this on my desk when i get back into it, but for now ... are you willing to give your ‘world’s best dad’ a hug?   ❜ he drops himself then, placing the gifts in a safe place by his side as he reaches his arms to pull her in close for just a moment; the joy is now shared, faces equally happy, and this —— this is the first christmas of many for them to enjoy.  ❛   merry christmas to you too, kid. wanna go see what i managed to wrangle out of that old man for you?  ❜