Sternbild City was decorated richly in celebration of the holiday season, lights glittering like stars and branches of fir softening the edges of the city's harsh tiers. After Tiger and Bunny successfully stopped a bank robbery – well, mostly Bunny – Kotetsu and Barnaby were in the transport changing out of their suits back into their civilian clothes. Tonight, Hero TV was marathoning the best moments of the season so far, and, excepting the end of the world, the heroes' coms would be silent. It was Christmas Eve, and, until the morning of Boxing Day, the heroes were normal citizens.

As Kotetsu buttoned his vest, he glanced over at his partner. Barnaby was putting on his glasses, the flash of the lenses obscuring the bright green of his eyes. But, after all the time they'd spent together, fighting with and against each other, he could tell by the set of his shoulders that something unpleasant was on Brooks' mind. Sitting to tie the laces of his shoes, Kotetsu waited until Barnaby joined him on the bench, buckling up his trademark red boots. Bumping their shoulders together lightly, he waited until the blond looked over.

"You OK, Bunny?" Barnaby rolled his eyes at the unfortunate nickname, the tiny smile curling along his mouth a little strained.

"Fine," he answered shortly. But Tiger wasn't buying it. He nudged him again.

"Seriously. Something wrong, Barnaby?" The younger man opened his mouth to repeat his answer, his brows already beetling in irritation, but apparently he caught the seriousness of Kotetsu's expression. He couldn't decipher the emotions that flickered in Barnaby's opaque eyes, but waited for him to speak. When it mattered, he'd discovered, Barnaby Brooks Jr. took his time.

"Nothing. Seriously," he repeated, his voice a little sarcastic. Then it softened, along with his expression. "I just don't like the holidays very much," he conceded quietly.

"You don't like the holidays? But it's one of the best times of the year! Presents and snow and eggnog with rum! What's not to like?" Kotetsu enthused. Barnaby looked away, but not before Tiger caught the flash of grief and pain on his face, quickly controlled. He smacked his palm against his forehead, bracing his elbows against his knees before looking back over at his partner. "Sorry, Barnaby. It was about this time of year, right? When your parents… died?"

"They were murdered on Christmas Eve twenty four years ago," Barnaby clarified, his voice clinical but his eyes drenched in sorrow. Kotetsu opened his mouth, closed it, then straightened.

"OK. Listen, Kaede is with my mom for some ladies' holiday get-away at a spa down south. So why don't you come over to my lame bachelor pad and drink some good scotch?" Barnaby stood, intently focused on fastening his white belt instead of answering. Once finished, he reached up to adjust his glasses in a gesture Kotetsu had learned to recognize as a move of contemplation and discomfiture.

"You have good scotch?" the blond asked, his tone disbelieving. Kotetsu scoffed as he too stood.

"I have excellent scotch. Johnnie Walker Blue Label, my friend. Fire Emblem's idea of a birthday present." Barnaby tilted his head.

"That is excellent scotch." He rubbed a hand against the back of his neck, and Kotetsu shoved his hands into his pocket, rocking onto his heels, displaying surprising patience. "I don't know, Kotetsu… I'm not exactly good company tonight." he murmured. The older man just settled his signature hat on his head, aiming a sharp smile at his partner.

"I'm not going to let you wallow in your mausoleum of an apartment. It's Christmas Eve, Bunny. And I'll be damned if I let a good friend of mine sit at home alone tonight. Come on," he urged, hardly giving Barnaby a choice as Kotetsu prodded his shoulder blade. The younger man just shook his head, fighting unsuccessfully against the small smile as they fell into step.

"You just don't want to sit at home alone tonight," Barnaby accused gently as they exited the transport. Kotetsu held up his hands in surrender.

"Yep, you caught me. Nothing worse than listening to Christmas carols all by your lonesome." Barnaby had to agree – carols were a close second to the music that triggered intense, brutal pain, that torturous opera the only sound more heinous.

The drive to Kotetsu's apartment in West Bronze was short, one Barnaby didn't make very often. His own apartment on North Gold was closer to Appollon offices, and was the more common meeting ground. He tried not to think about memories, twisted and warped as he followed Kotetsu into his average condo. He tried to appreciate the fact that Tiger's place was delightfully bare of decorations, nothing to sparkle and glint with hateful holiday cheer. It always ended up making him feel worse. At the first slide of smooth, strong alcohol down his throat, though, Barnaby felt a little better.

His muscles slowly unlocked one by one, and smiling didn't feel like dragging ice across his face. It felt so good, in fact, that he had no compunction about going in for another. A delightful buzz spread across his skin, the grief that had been weighing on him all day evaporating into the air. By the time the clock ticked past midnight, and the date was officially Christmas, he'd long since lost count of how many glasses of scotch he'd downed as the two men talked and joked. God, it felt good to laugh.

When Kotetsu carefully opened the door to his bedroom the next morning, he allowed himself a full smile at the sight of Barnaby Brooks, Jr., decorated hero and icon of a city, sprawled over his mattress. His golden locks, usually so carefully arranged, were slightly matted and sticking up like he'd been electrocuted. In his own comfortably drunken haze last night, Kotetsu had somehow remembered to yank off Barnaby's glasses before he'd passed out so they didn't get crushed during the night. It was a good thing too, since Bunny's face was firmly smashed into the pillow, snoring softly.

His black t-shirt was rucked up, baring the strong, smooth curve of his lower spine. The sheets were intricately tangled around his legs, one of his socks hanging half off his foot. He looked like a train wreck, and refreshingly human.

Setting the glass of water down on the nightstand next to Barnaby's glasses, Kotetsu winced when the glass clinked loudly against the wood. Barnaby started with a snort, eventually managing to push himself upright from his nest with a few hissing groans. As he swayed slightly, Kotetsu had to press his hand to his mouth to hide and stifle his smile. Bunny's eyes were hazed an incredibly unattractive red, one side of his face finely marked from the creases of the pillow.

"Good morning," Kotetsu said quietly, pretty unsuccessful at hiding the amusement in his voice. Bunny winced, pressing his palms to his temples like he was trying to hold his skull together as he leaned forward with a gut-deep moan.

"Stop screaming at me," he rasped, and for a second there, Kotetsu thought he was going to lose it and actually laugh in the poor sucker's face. Finally, though, he got his voice under control.

"You alright?" It was a silly question, but this was way too hilarious to just ignore. Barnaby finally managed to lift his head, peering at Kotetsu through the mild gloom with heavily squinted eyes.

"What the hell… happened last night? I feel as if I got run over by a truck," he murmured, his voice sounding like it was being scraped through sand. Never one to pass up such a chance, Kotetsu crossed his arms and propped his hip against the nightstand.

"You don't remember? Well, after knocking back a good couple shots, you decided that you wanted to see what all the fuss what about, and we ended up making out on the couch, murmuring sweet nothings all night long…" Finally, Kotetsu couldn't take it anymore, his voice cracking. He started cackling at the look of abject horror on Bunny's ragged face.

"Are you joking?" he managed in a dismayed whisper, if possible going even paler than the stark white he already was.

"Of course I am! You did no such thing. And even if you did, well. A, I'm straight. And B, there's a little matter of consent. You were so blitzed, even if you had gotten all handsy, you were in no condition to make that kind of decision."

"You're a terrible person. That's not even kind of funny," Barnaby growled into the palms of his hands, his fingers digging into his eyes. Taking pity on his bedraggled partner, Kotetsu straightened, still smiling a little.

"Here," he said, holding out the glass as a peace offering. There were a few ibuprofen pills nestled in his palm too, but there was no point if…

Yep. One glance at the water made Barnaby's face go an interesting shade of green, and he pressed his fist to his mouth as his cheeks slightly puffed. Before he could even ask, Kotetsu gestured over his shoulder with a jerk of his thumb.

"Bathroom," he directed. Bunny barely managed a nod before he was extracting himself from the bed, stumbling a little as the sheet clung to his legs. For being in such a bad state, he was still pretty fast, considering the way he tripped over his loosened sock and almost planted his face in the door frame. Even through the slammed door, Kotetsu could make out the wheezing hurls in the bathroom. Sighing, he made his way over, opening the door just as he heard the toilet flush.

Barnaby was practically draped over the toilet where he knelt on the fuzzy dark blue bathroom rug, his pale, clammy cheek pressed against the ceramic, his bruised eyes closed as his chest still heaved a little. Setting down the glass and tablets on the counter, Kotetsu wet a washcloth. Squatting down, he draped it over the back of his partner's neck. His long, dark lashes fluttering open at the contact, Bunny frowned at him.

"Am I dying?" he grumbled. Kotetsu braced his elbows against his knees, and couldn't quite hold back the smile.

"No, you're not dying. You're just magnificently hung over, my friend." Those green irises disappeared again as Barnaby closed his eyes and groaned into the toilet bowl.

"This is your fault," he moaned.

"Hey, I didn't pour it in you. You were drinking like it was going out of style. I assumed you knew what you were getting into, Bunny. The way you talked, it seemed like you knew that when you chase JW, it chases you back. Like a bull," Kotetsu said wryly, speaking from bitter, bitter experience. Hence his general restraint the night before.

"I hate Christmas," Bunny responded, his voice harsh and, under the hoarse fuzz of the hung over, pained. Taking pity on him, Kotetsu tugged him away from the toilet, brushing back the hair now stuck to his forehead and temples by sweat. Jesus, he was a mess. Smiling warmly, feeling weirdly protective of his grumpy, sick friend, Kotetsu reached up for the water and pills. He offered them again, Barnaby's chest jerking a little as he swallowed frantically and looked away.

"Trust me, Bunny. See if you can get this down. One of the reasons why you feel so craptastic is because you're dehydrated." The blond glanced back, his eyes narrowed in skepticism. Bravely, he sipped at the water and, when it decided to settle, managed to toss back the pills as well. Taking Barnaby's hands as he stood, Kotetsu slowly tugged him to his feet, waiting until he stopped tilting to release the long bones of his hands.

"Take a shower. I'll lay out some sweats for you, and once you're feeling a little better, come down to the kitchen." Kotetsu had a feeling that at any other time, Bunny would have likely ignored his suggestion and tagged on some snippy rejoinder. But considering the truly ugly headache he was undoubtedly battling and the way his jaw kept clenching, Tiger would bet serious cash that Barnaby was too queasy to defend even his precious distance.

So instead, the younger man just nodded in acquiescence, squeezing his eyes shut as the movement made his head feel like it was going to roll off his shoulders. Under the averagely pressured spray of the shower, Barnaby actually started feeling semi-human again. He very rarely indulged in alcohol, and only in the light rose wine he usually favored. Barnaby had actually never had scotch before last night, but knew of Johnnie Walker by reputation. He also knew drowning his sorrows and memories with such a potent liquor would be like killing a fly with a sledgehammer, but it had seemed like a plausible idea at the time. Certainly better than standing idly by as the wave of all the hateful anniversaries preceding last night that had bowled him over before took him under yet again.

The hangover was distinctly unpleasant, but the relief at seeing Kotetsu's goofy grin on this of all mornings had made the nausea bizarrely worth it. Luckily, Kotetsu preferred his sweats long and baggy – Barnaby's slightly longer frame was comfortably attired in softly worn black pants, a gray t-shirt, and a bright blue hoodie emblazoned with the TopMag emblem. He had to admit there was something about a hot shower and soft, comfortable clothes that did a heart-sore man good. Scraping his wet hair back into a rough ponytail, Barnaby squinted and fumbled around the bedroom until he located his glasses. When he shuffled out to the hallway, he recoiled like he'd been slapped at the first ray of light. In reality, the sunlight was muted at best and only one lamp was lit, but it felt like hot lances in his eyeballs.

As Barnaby recovered in the soft darkness of the hallway, he could make out Kotetsu talking down in the kitchen. His brain still addled by the nausea, it took Barnaby a moment to realize that his partner was speaking to his daughter on the phone, not himself.

"I know, sweetheart. But come on, can't a dad wish his daughter 'Merry Christmas?' I don't think it's embarrassing. No, I do not. Well, did you like the present I got you?" As Barnaby slowly, carefully made his way down the stairs, he caught a glimpse of Kotetsu with his eyes raised to the ceiling and his fingers crossed. He had his old-fashioned mobile smashed between his ear and shoulder, frying his ubiquitous rice as he spoke to Kaede. Apparently, her reception of the gift was positive, as relief washed over Kotetsu's face.

"Well, I'm glad you like it, Kaede. Hey, I love you. Tell Grandma I love her too, OK? Bye, sweetie." The connection clicked off just as Barnaby stepped off the stairs. He made his way over to the kitchen table like he was crippled, which wasn't too far off the mark considering the way he felt.

"Hey there, champ!" Kotetsu said brightly once he saw him. Barnaby closed one eye and slightly turned his head away from his partner, wincing at his loud voice. Realistically, he knew it was hardly louder than his normal tone, but it felt like Kotetsu was talking to him through a bullhorn.

"Hello," Barnaby managed huskily, swallowing against his dry throat as he sat down at the table like his bones were made of old newspaper.

"Here," Kotetsu offered, sliding a plate with two pieces of dry toast over towards Barnaby along with another glass of water. "Your blood sugar is rock bottom, and this shouldn't piss off your stomach too badly." Carefully, Barnaby nipped into the toast, relieved when his guts shuddered only slightly. Kotetsu settled across from him with his platter of completed rice, humming happily as he scooped up the mayonnaise-scented meal.

"You're surprisingly skilled at this caretaking business," Barnaby murmured, all of his focus arrowed on making the sentence sound even slightly like his usual tone. Kotetsu glanced up under the dark hair that fell into his eyes, a smile curving his lips. Still chewing, he dropped his spoon and held up his left hand, pointing towards the silver ring that dully glinted there.

"I was married, Bunny. Not to mention, I went through the toddler phase. Hell on wheels, toddlers are. Kaede was tricky, too – her two's were a dream. But as soon as she turned three, she turned into demon spawn. Not to mention Tomoe and I were a little party hardy our first couple years of married life. I've learned the hard way how to deal with a hangover."

"I think it just means you're a good father." Kotetsu beamed at the quiet compliment, revealing the rice grain stuck next to one of his canines. For some reason, Barnaby thought it was kind of…endearing.

"You'd be a good dad, too." Barnaby choked a little on his toast, telling himself it was just because it was dry. Taking a quick sip of water, he cleared his throat, but his voice still came out croaky.

"What?"

"You would," Kotetsu insisted. "You'd always remember birthdays and important dates, and could hold a line without giving in. It makes you feel like a bastard, but going back on the rules you set down just comes back to bite you in the butt later." He spoke with the weariness of experience. Barnaby didn't know what to say. He was struck even more speechless by what Kotetsu said next.

"You have a lot more heart than you give yourself credit for, Barnaby." The blond just mutely stared at Kotetsu, the older man returning his look with a surprisingly compelling gaze. Scraping his plate clean, Kotetsu pushed back from the table, depositing his plate in the sink, sipping at the coffee cup he'd left cooling on the counter. Immobilized for a moment longer, Barnaby collected himself in a rush, taking another bite of toast to keep himself from blurting something untoward. Or stupidly heartfelt.

"Might not be a bad idea to see if you can manage a nap," Kotetsu suggested over his shoulder from where he stood freshening his coffee. Turning and leaning against the counter, he looked at Barnaby with a slightly lifted brow. "You may not feel up to, but it could be a good way to get rid of that headache."

"I don't have a headache," Barnaby automatically denied, despite the fact that he felt like the bones of his skull were trying to squeeze his eyes out of their sockets. Kotetsu just pursed his lips slightly, somewhere between a smile and scowl, as he sipped his coffee, considering Barnaby over the rim of his mug.

"Mm-hmm," he grunted shortly. "Well, I'm going to take a shower. The couch is free." It was only then that Barnaby realized Kotetsu was still in the clothes he'd worn last night. Glancing over his shoulder as Tiger trotted up the stairs, Barnaby winced at the heavily dented couch cushions complimented with a rumpled throw. Not only had he made an absolute ass of himself last night and behaved like a complete idiot this morning, but he'd kicked Kotetsu out of his own bed. Lovely.

Taking a final bite of the toast, Barnaby slowly stood, gripping the back of the chair for a moment as a wave of dizziness nearly sent him toppling to the floor. Once he'd regained control over his equilibrium, he tottered to the couch, gratefully sinking down. Considering he still felt like he was rocking on a boat out in the bay, he slowly flopped over on his side, carefully positioning his head on one of the couch's arms. Since it was there, and he was stupidly tired, Barnaby blindly groped, finally snagging the edge of the fleece throw. As he dragged it over his shoulder and tucked in his feet, he could make out the dim thunder of water against porcelain upstairs.

Closing his eyes against the thudding in his temples, Barnaby was suddenly assaulted by the image of Kotetsu in the shower. God, because this morning wasn't difficult enough. Scrunching his brow as he forcefully cleared his brain, Barnaby contented himself with the faint rhythm of the plumbing. He was asleep in another seventy seconds.

Refreshed and having shed his own headache, Kotetsu jogged down the stairs in an outfit not dissimilar to Bunny's, ready for his second cup of coffee. It was only once he was in the kitchen that he realized how noisy he'd been. Wincing a little, he crept to the living room, relieved and smug at the sight of Barnaby conked out on the couch. Instead of pivoting to pour his second cup, though, Kotetsu stood still for a moment, studying his partner.

His color was up, if only a little. Always fair, Bunny had been downright ashen that morning. He was still a little pale, but there was the faintest brush of color along his cheekbones. Those spooky green eyes were closed, his girlishly long eyelashes fanning along the delicate skin under his eyes that still had the tendency to bruise from lack of sleep. His breathing was soft and regular, his brow now smoothed. Long frame tucked under the throw, Kotetsu thought he looked… vulnerable. And that was not how one usually thought of Barnaby Brooks, Jr.

Moving with an admirable attempt at stealth, Kotetsu edged closer to the couch, reaching out to slowly remove Barnaby's glasses. It was a testament to how badly he was out of it and how much his head hurt, Kotetsu thought, to have him forgetting to take off his glasses twice in a row. Carefully depositing them on the living room table, Kotetsu paused before returning to the kitchen. Bunny's pretty hair was back in a slightly lopsided, roughly tamed tail, his mouth – lush, he supposed it could be described as – finally relaxed instead of thinned in a grimace of pain and sickness.

Looking at Bunny, the man he'd known and trusted for four years, Kotetsu experienced a bizarre throb in his chest, a pulse that hurt and felt weirdly good at the same time. Rubbing the heel of his hand against his breastbone, Kotetsu frowned before shaking his head and turning to get his damn coffee.

Fell in love with this series very, very hard. These two goobers make my goddamn day. I have this one and an AU I'm toodling around with in between Phoenix updates. What is it with me and characters voiced by Yuri Lowenthal?

Hope you like it!

Love, Tango