Reincarnation Fic - Written years ago on my LJ. Time to spread more ChixTas love!

Tezen - Tasuki
Kane - Kouji
Chirin - Chichiri

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"I want to put something else there, Gammy," Tezen whined to his grandmother as he glared at the single white candle that she had put on the windowsill. "Why do we have to have that there?"

"What a baby," Tisa, his older sister teased. "You can't even remember that you'd already asked that last year."

"I'm not a baby! I'm six!" Tezen protested and stamped his feet. "And you're only…" he paused, trying to count on his fingers, but since he had no clear idea how old his sister was, he promptly gave up. "Anyway, you're not that much older than me!"

"Old enough, squirt."

"Are not!"

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"AM-"

"Children!" Gammy chuckled as she watched them. "You're both old enough, so now, can we please finish decorating the house?"

"But why can't I put my toy soldier there?" Tezen still wasn't done with the subject. He'd really wanted his new soldier to stand guard at the window.

"You would never understand the meaning of true love," Tisa said with her nose stuck up high in the air.

Tezen frowned at the candle, not wanting to admit that he hadn't a clue as to what she was talking about. What had the candle to do with stuff in his fairy tales? He didn't remember that any of them had a candle in it.

Or…?

"Is it going to turn into a prince?" He asked Gammy, his amber eyes so large, they were in danger of popping out.

His grandmother laughed while Tisa glared at him.

"Brat," his sister muttered. "You must remember the story Gammy told us about the candle and how special it was. You said you're not a baby."

Tezen stuck his tongue out at her. "Maybe it was stupid and I didn't want to remember." But as he said it, he gave it a sidelong glance and couldn't help but want to know.

Gammy ruffled his hair affectionately. "How about we finish with all this," she gestured to the boxes of decorations they brought down from the attic. "And then I'll tell it to you again…"

===

When lit on Midwinter Eve, it will bring the two lovers together again.

Tezen stared at the white pillar candle on display through the glass, his mind still bogged in the past where his grandmother was still alive and telling them stories by the fireplace. That was years ago and he was no longer that wide-eyed little boy… and he hadn't thought about the story of the candle in such a long time. Why was he remembering it now?

Put a white candle by the window facing east and you will also find your true love.

That has got to be the lamest legend ever. Tezen sighed and walked past the department store window. He was too old to believe in fairy tales, been in too many relationships to believe in a happy ending. One freaking candle wasn't going to make miracles…

Yet…

The flickering light led the candle-maker home… to his lover.

Tezen couldn't explain the tugging in his heart… the one that whispered of hope…

Later, he found himself cradling a bag as he rushed home along the snow-covered sidewalk - a bag containing one single white candle.

When he got home, his housemate blinked at the purchase skeptically. "You were supposed to get beer," Kane reminded him.

"I got that earlier. This is… something else." He clutched the bag tighter to his chest and moved to his bedroom.

He didn't want to share this idiocy with Kane… nevermind that Kane was his childhood friend and had shared many of those story-telling times with Tezen and his family and undoubtedly knew the one about the candle. That was his grandmother's favorite story.

"You're not still moping after Shiro, are you?" Kane, the nosy bastard, had followed him into his room. "I know it's your first holiday after the break-up but-"

"Nah!" He scoffed, putting down the bag on his nightstand. "He wasn't all that special, you know." It wasn't like he hadn't gone out after Shiro.

"Yeah." But Kane didn't look convinced. He craned his neck to try and see what was in the bag.

Tezen sighed. Kane was stubborn as well as nosy and he would find out about the candle anyway, seeing that they lived in the same house. Tezen pulled out the candle and held it up for Kane to see. "Happy, now? It's not a bottle of booze or some other weird shit you got going in that sick little mind of yours. It's just… a candle."

Kane scrunched up his face and looked like he was trying very hard to remember something. Idiot. Tezen sighed again but this time he wasn't going to provide the relief for Kane, the man would just have to remember on his own… and it would be better for Tezen if he couldn't remember it at all.

"Does it have something to do with your grandma?" Kane's voice took on a softer and gentler tone.

Tezen shrugged. That was damn close already.

"I missed her too, man. She was great-" Kane took in a sharp breath. "The Midwinter Candle! Is that the Midwinter Candle?"

Crap.

"No, it's not the…" Tezen sighed and hung his head. "It's not what you think."

"I think it is." Kane took the candle from Tezen's hand and stared at it. "It looks normal enough."

Tezen snatched it back. "Idiot. It is normal."

"I don't know… I remember it being… well, bigger."

"That's because you were smaller."

"Oh."

"Idiot."

"Hey, I'm not the one that went and bought the candle, okay?"

"I told you, it's not what you think." Tezen frowned and placed the candle back on the table. "I just… it reminded me of Gammy and I just bought it. It's not because I want a true love or anything."

"Right." Kane still eyed him dubiously. "And it can't be because you want the souls of those two lovers to find each other again, right? I mean now that Gammy is gone… who's lighting the candle, eh?"

"I'm sure Tisa is." His sister was always so sappy about that story. "I don't believe in any of that lame shit, you know that."

"Right," Kane said again, a little too patronizingly.

"Right! And don't you have a date tonight?" He shoved Kane out of his room. "Get ready or you're going to be late!"

===

The morning of Midwinter Eve found Tezen suffering from a lingering hangover - the product of way too many holiday parties. Tezen didn't think his stomach could handle any more alcohol tonight, no matter how ironclad it was supposed to be.

"Come on," Kane urged, tugging on Tezen's blanket. "You know my mom thinks of you as a second son, so… come home with me."

"Nah," Tezen made an attempt to shake his head but gave up when it throbbed warningly. "You go. Say 'hi' to your family… I'll just die here quietly."

"I don't like leaving you alone. You don't look too good."

Tezen sighed and peered at his long time friend over the edge of his blanket. "Thanks, buddy," he replied sarcastically. "But if you're not here, no one is going to drag me off drinking in the middle of the night! That means I won't be in any more danger of alcohol poisoning!" He playfully kicked his friend off the edge of the bed. "Besides, you're taking your girlfriend to meet your family. That is just way too mushy for me."

"Fine." Kane gave up. "Call if you change your mind."

Tezen mumbled unintelligibly under the covers.

"I'll be back in a couple of days."

More mumbling from Tezen, who just wanted to be left the hell alone. Soon he heard Kane open the door and shut it again. He risked a peek over the blanket and was glad to find that his housemate had gone.

He loved Kane. He really did. Kane was the best friend any guy could ever have… but sometimes he just behaved like he was the appointed mother hen or something. A few days by himself was just what Tezen needed. He sighed contentedly and went back to sleep.

====

"No, Tisa, I don't want to come over." Tezen held the phone away from his ears and winced as his sister began shouting at him. He brought the phone back just in time to hear her apologize and tell him how much she loved him.

"I know… I love you too… but I have a deadline, Tisa and my editor is practically camping on my doorstep as it is. I'll be there on New Year's Eve. I promise."

It took him a few more minutes of assuring Tisa that he was fine, and that he was eating and resting and 'yes', he would spend New Year with her even if he'd have to drag his editor with him, before he could hang up.

All of a sudden, the house was strangely quiet. He wasn't sure he liked it this way… but he didn't exactly hate it either. It was just different. His eyes drifted to the white candle flickering merrily on the windowsill and he couldn't help wondering what the hell he was doing. What could he possibly hope to find?

Put a white candle by the window facing east and you will also find your true love.

Tezen turned out the lights but left the candle burning by the window. He stared at it one last time before going into his bedroom. The single flame shone brightly, its light reflected on the glass, making the room brighter than Tezen thought was possible.

He felt a strange tugging in his heart, a faint feeling of nostalgia that he couldn't explain. Swallowing a strange lump in his throat, Tezen dismissed the sensation as homesickness. Yes, that was it.

Sleep did not come easily and when it did, Tezen was plagued with strange dreams. In them, he was in a small cottage on a snow-white mountain and he was waiting for someone; he kept going to the window and looking out…

Another dream had him wandering the snowdrift, looking for someone and calling out a strange name.

Then he was back inside the hut and lighting a candle…

And then there was a man with light brown hair and a ragged scar over his left eye. In his dreams, Tezen threw himself at the man and sobbed hysterically.

Suddenly, Tezen jerked awake, his heart pounding almost painfully in his chest. He found that he was still sobbing and brought a hand to his face… but it was dry. Tezen sighed. Of course… it was only a dream after all.

Then he heard it. Someone was knocking on the door. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand and saw that it was midnight. Had Kane changed his mind and came back? But why would he knock?

Tezen frowned but got up nonetheless. Whoever it was better have a good explanation for this.

When he yanked the front door open, he nearly had a heart attack - not that he would know what that felt like but judging by the activity his lurching heart was doing… he was pretty sure he came damn close.

"I'm so sorry," the stranger said contritely while shivering almost uncontrollably. "Your window is the only one with a light on," the stranger glanced briefly at the candlelight. "I hope I haven't disturbed you."

Tezen blinked and turned to the candle as well. Was it possible that it was shining brighter than before? He shook his head briskly and turned back to the stranger - the one that looked remarkably like the man in his dreams.

"Can I help you?" Tezen was acutely aware that he had just squeaked.

The stranger smiled and Tezen felt his heart answering - there was no other way to describe it.

"My car," the stranger started and turned to indicate a white sedan parked in front of the house. "I have no idea what happened. It just… stopped. Right in front of your house, and my cell phone," he took that out and looked at it quizzically. "I just charged it a couple of hours ago… but it's not working now." He held that out to Tezen as if presenting evidence.

"That's okay." Tezen waved the phone back. "You can come in and use my phone if you like."

The stranger smiled brighter. "Thank you so much. I won't be long. I'm sorry to trouble you."

"Not at all." Tezen moved aside and allowed the man to come inside. The stranger was wearing a light jacket, no wonder he was shivering so violently. "Look, would you like to warm up a bit before going back out there? Can I get you some coffee or tea?"

The stranger looked aghast, "I couldn't possibly ask you to go to so much trouble."

Tezen wasn't sure why he was blushing. It was stupid, really. "It's no bother, I'm making myself a cup of tea anyway."

The stranger smiled again. "Then tea is fine. Thank you."

Tezen smiled back. "The phone is on that table by the window. I'll be right back."

"Thank you."

Tezen wasn't sure how he'd managed to make the tea; he really didn't have any recollection of ever making it… his mind was so filled with the strange man in his living room. What was the meaning of this? Was it just coincidence? What the hell was going on?

When he came back into the living room, the stranger had finished his phone call and was by the window, staring at the bright flame of the candle as if drawn by its warmth. He had stopped shivering.

Tezen had turned on the light in the room earlier but the glow of the candle was still strangely bright.

"Here's your tea," he said softly. He put the tray down on the coffee table and sat on the loveseat, leaving the large sofa to the stranger. "I forgot to ask if you wanted sugar."

"This is fine, thank you." The man sat down on the sofa opposite Tezen and picked up his cup, his expression troubled. "It looks like they won't be able to come get my car until tomorrow."

Tezen would have liked to say something nice immediately but he wasn't sure he could when his heart was fluttering like crazy. What the hell was wrong with him?

"If I may bother you for one more call, I'd like to get a cab to a hotel."

"Hotel?" Squeaked Tezen. See? How was he supposed to carry on a conversation when he sounded like a mouse? Tezen cleared his throat and tried again. "You're welcome to stay here if you don't mind the couch."

The stranger - whom Tezen wondered when he would get a name - blinked at him in surprise. Generosity to this extent was very rare indeed. "I couldn't… impose." Though he looked like he would very much like to do just that. This sense of… connection between them was indescribable.

"You wouldn't be. I would love some company."

The stranger smiled. "In that case, I'm once again in your debt." He put down his cup and extended his hand. "My name is Chirin. I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I should have introduced myself sooner."

Tezen clasped Chirin's hand, his heart pumping too enthusiastically. "Tezen, and don't worry about it, you had a lot on your mind. So… what brings you out here at this time of night?"

Chirin relaxed into the cushions of the sofa. "I was called here to supervise a marketing campaign for our new line of product. The call didn't get through until late and with the snowstorm, the traffic was pretty bad."

Tezen nodded. "So what product are you marketing?"

Chirin turned and gazed at the candle on the windowsill. Then he turned back to Tezen, his expression a mixture of amusement and puzzlement. "We… manufacture candles."

The flickering light lead the candle-maker home… to his lover.

A candle-maker…

Tezen's jaw dropped as well as his teacup. He turned sharply to the candle and could have sworn it winked at him.

- end -