escordvi | Through the Years we all will be together--

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Through the Years we all will be together--

Who: Ryotaro Dojima, Professor Turo, Kieran
Status: Closed
Where: Turo and Dojima's Cabin
What: A blending of cultures and worlds to warm the weary soul, Dojima and Turo invite Kieran over to share Christmas Dinner.
Warnings: Fluff, the effects of American Consumerism on Japan (Fried Chicken)

They had settled the cabin for the colder months, made sure everything was winterized but still accessible for the menagerie that they owned. Dojima would joke this was the warmest house he'd ever had for winter, since Japanese houses tended to be more drafty...

But, they still broke out the Kotatsu for the winter, and immediately the various Pokemon and creatures they had taken guardianship of, as well as themselves, appreciated it.

Today was a little special though- they had invited Kieran over for Christmas-- which was interesting that it was a holiday that they shared between their worlds-- with a proper dinner prepared. Some parts bought ahead of time (Dojima making a joke about fried chicken being the Japanese 'tradition' that Kieran may recognize--) while others carefully prepared by them.

And it would be Dojima that opened the door at the knock, a warm smile on his face.

"Hey, Kieran-kun, Merry Christmas-- come on in."

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Even though Kieran has been spending a bit more time over at Hero's Rest helping his crew make the island more hospitable and to their liking, Kieran still keeps in contact with Dojima and Turo. He still pops over for visits, still brings his Pokemon over for them to see, and even has a room for himself here when he comes to visit. The two older men have become figures he can rely on, and so when he received the invitation to spend Christmas with them, of course he was going to accept.

When Dojima opens the door, Kieran will be there, bundled up in a warm winter coat and scarf. In his hands he has a bundle as well; he was taught by his grandmother that you should bring something over if you're going to someone's house for the holidays. He grins up widely at Dojima.

"Hi, Dojima-san! Merry Christmas!" Beside him, his Furret (wearing his own little scarf) chitters happily and waves a paw. Hello!

"Hello, Kieran," from just within the kitchen; everything was prepared, Turo was simply making sure everything was properly covered still and ready to be set out. Valiant had been doing a very good job ensuring none of the other creatures within got into anything after all.

So he was able to lean out that kitchen door-way, a smile on his face and—

"Do come on in where it's warm, the kotatsu has plenty of space for you and Furret both once you have your coat and all hung up."

"Let me give you a hand--"

Offering to help take the parcel from him, careful to not disrupt the wrapping it came in, moving out of the way to let both waddle inside. And then once they were and the parcel was placed on a nearby table, offering to take their coats and scarfs.

Furret really gave the Dratinis a run for their money on 'cutest pokemon'. It felt odd saying that, but... seriously cute...

"Hope the trip over wasn't too rough. Want something warm to drink to start with?"

"Hi Turo-san!" Kieran greets as he enters, allowing Dojima to take the parcel. There's actually two items within; a carefully wrapped gift for the two of them, and a little bundle of baked treats from one of the nearby bakeries. He would have tried making something, but his last attempt was... well, it left much to be desired. At least Incineroar wasn't a picky eater and so it didn't go to complete waste.

"No, the trip was alright! It's gettin' cold out though, Hydrapple didn't even wanna leave his Pokeball!" The cooler weather certainly was hard on a couple of his Pokemon. He begins to shed his coat to offer it to Dojima. "Honestly, though, I'm excited to sit under a real kotatsu again!"

Furret paws at his own scarf, loosening it a bit to allow Dojima to take it. If the older man wants to pet the Pokemon, well, Furret won't turn it down. He might even be waiting for pets.

Turo hummed a little, lingering at the doorway; he would be the one to fetch drinks since he was already at the kitchen after all—

"Even Eltrut tends to veer towards colder waters during Winterstide, likely to allow those who live upon them to experience snow despite how sleepy the cold makes them," being a giant turtle and all, but the thought was nice. Always moving, he supposed it was one way to help seasonal changes along as naturally as possible.

Valiant did peer from around Turo as well, and Kieran along with his pokémon would be rewarded with the brief 'smile' that came with the Paradox 'mon's digital call of a greeting. "It was rather interesting to build, but I can at least assure it is a proper enough once according to Dojima.

"By the way, we have the choices of tea, hot cider, and hot chocolate for whatever you may like to drink- no alcohol in that cider so you do not have to worry, Kieran."

"..."

Damn it.

Dojima knelt down next to the Pokemon-- really, it was a pretty big one, almost the size of a kid-- and carefully took off the scarf, and...

Well, he wasn't so cruel as to not pet an animal that was looking for pets. Giving the critter a gentle fur ruffle on it's head...

...

That... lead to more pets.

"So damn soft..."

Give him a moment, he was distracted. He'd be right there.

Edited 2025-12-30 02:08 (UTC)

"Furret!"

Furret looks downright delighted for those pets, leaning right into Dojima's hand in order to receive more. In fact, if Dojima will allow it then the long ferret Pokemon will dart around him not unlike a snake, pressing his entire furry body against the older man so that he can get more pets. Aw yis, all according to plan~

While Furret distracts Dojima, Kieran turns to Turo and Valiant, waving to the robotic Pokemon. Will it accept a pat on its head or shoulder?

"Thanks, Turo-san. I'll have some hot chocolate, please! Do ya need any help with anythin'?" He says it cheerfully, before glancing back at Furret. He chuckles. "Furret, c'mon! Remember how I said manners?"

Furret chirrs, but keeps leaning into Dojima. He's behaving! Honestly!

Turo at least kept a chuckle at Dojima losing himself to petting a soft pokémon. The man did have a bit of a weakness for cute and furry creatures.

Valiant would accept a pat on the shoulder, since it was the easiest to reach, that bit of a smile with those LED eyes remaining visible. All of them had grown friendlier over their time in this world, which was something that Turo had been rather glad to see. Even they deserved to relax and be happy despite circumstances as they had been.

"You're welcome to help me fill up the mug—it's a Paldean recipe I know for that hot chocolate," so a little bit spiced with cinnamon. Also meant it was home made.

"Heh, alright, alright..."

Two hands reaching now to rub those fuzzy cheeks. When did he become such a softie?

Maybe he always was one, deep inside, but felt like he had to put on a more stoic front before-- as a detective, a man back home.

It had become easier to let that side of himself out around Nanako and Souji, and here now... even easier. He was reminded by Furret of especially affectionate dogs.

"I think I'll get the good sake out for this meal, if that's alright with you both."

He'd get up eventually, but let Furret follow him around.

"Its especially good warmed up."

"Woah, really? My friend from Paldea used to talk about how they make hot chocolate there!" Namely, that it had cinnamon in it. He's never had any Pladean hot chocolate before, so he's eager to try it.

After a good pat to Valiant's shoulder Kieran goes into the kitchen proper to help fetch some of the mugs. But turning to Dojima, he grins a little sheepishly.

"Oh, I don't mind if you have some, but uh... I'll just have a little bit." He knows better than to indulge in alcohol at his age, but his grandparents would sometimes let him have a small bit of sake on special occasions. It should be fine if it's just a little bit.

"So how've things been with you two? I feel like it's been a bit since we all had a meal like this!"

"Mm, a little bit thicker as well with a little pepper spice as well. Still sweet, and warms you up from inside out; a pleasant warmth, no burn." Just enough to enhance the taste and have it blend together smoothly.

Turo chuckled a bit-

"I believe that will be fine, and there are a few new glasses for you to find for that sake if you would like something than the traditional ones I found." Which meant that Turo would partake in a bit of it as well, just for the sake of it. Special occasion meant there'd be no argument from him about Kieran having some as well.

Dojima already knew where the beer was if he wanted some of that to go with dinner as well.

Turo was approaching the stove as he spoke, picking up the small pot that he'd had some chocolate melting in already. Just adding the dash of spice and cinnamon, along with a bit of creamy milk to make it a little easier to drink as he stirred it.

"Things have been well, both of us taking it a little easier to simply enjoy the month. Keep watch over some of the animals coming to the conservatory to hibernate while Eltrut is in colder waters as well."

The house was so much more quiet, even the various creatures had gone in to settle for the night. Things cleaned up well after dinner some hours ago, anything uneaten packed away for later in the ice box and so on. One of the curtains pulled back just to see the snow falling beyond the warmth of the cottage.

"Ryo, is everything locked up now?" The doors and anything else that Dojima liked to check over at the end of the day when no one else would be coming by, and of course neither of them about to leave or anything.

Turo was sitting on the couch, just a low light on given too much wasn't needed at the time. A few candles still lit.

Dojima had just slid back inside quietly after excusing himself to lock up-- and take a smoke outside.

He had seriously cut down since coming here-- it turned out the lack of convenience in having factory made and boxed cigs, combined with being out at sea and having spent those two months in the hospital worrying about Nanako's health had made it easier to ween himself off the habit.

But... he still did partake. Maybe down to a few times a week now, thought he had started within the last few days going out once a night.

He at least used that time to check around the outside building, lock up anything needed to lock up... Make sure all the animals were inside or outside as they wanted to be.

"Yeah. Everything looks good. Every thing cleaned in the kitchen?"

Coming over to take a seat next to Florentino, nudging him with his shoulder.

"...you've gotten really good at cooking, since we first met, you know?"

The back deck, with its sliding door, made it that much easier for Dojima to go out for a smoke at night. Of course the front covered porch wasn't bad either, but one was a little bit more private since anyone coming up wouldn't be arrive from the back.

"It is, and anything that could be wrapped up and put away from later has been. Enough leftovers for a little while at least," even with all three of them for dinner, and the pokémon being allowed to partake in what Turo knew was more than safe for them to consume.

Of course he leaned into a nudging back, a smile well in place despite how soft it seemed.

"... I must admit, that is good to hear."

"Leftovers were a godsent when it was just me and Nanako... but I wasn't always great with keeping up on them."

More than a few times he was sure Souji got a stomach ache from eating something he shouldn't.

"Well, I'm not surprised. You put your all into it, just like everything else you've accomplished here."

...His heart was beating fast. His hand was... sliding behind one of the couch cushions, where he had hidden away his gift.

Feeling the weight of it in his palm, it shifting back and forth. He was really doing this, huh...?

"...Hey, so."

Breathe. In and out...

And pulling the small, round, slightly haphazardly wrapped gift out for Turo to take.

"...Merry Christmas, Florentino."

"Mm, some foods can be tricky as components can have differing 'shelf lives' when it comes to being tucked away—fridge or no fridge." So one part could go bad and spoil the entire thing before one might know it.

Or someone might be too caught up in work and anything else that it easily slipped their mind, but he was pretty sure Dojima already had that in his own head.

His head tipped a little as he watched the other, even while they were speaking-

"I try, and hopefully other dishes I learn will be just as good. Still allow for us to eat out, but... it was nice being able to make as much of it here as we did." Something satisfying about it.

His eyes drifted when he caught more movement from Dojima's arm a bit after that hand had moved and he was pulling out- oh. A hidden gift?

Turo shifted just a little closer to Dojima on the couch, his own hand moving to easier accept that messily wrapped gift. "Merry Christmas, Ryotaro—I.. I do have a couple of gifts for you if you would like them?"

Said even as he looked down at the round gift he was holding, some flush of color present there on his face.

" 'A couple of gifts'?"

A soft, if sheepish chuckle.

"You always spoil me, you know that?"

Once the gift was taken from him, Ryotaro shifted his arm to wrap around Florentino's shoulders, hanging over one. Fighting to keep himself... relaxed.

They had goddamn built a house together, he couldn't go back home, he probably wouldn't reject it outright, right?

"I would... but you open that first."

Inside would be... a clam shell-- a beautifully ornate, real clam shell box with pearls and other sparkly stones embedded in the shell--the clam having naturally grown around them. It was a little obvious that something was inside the box, of course...

That soft flush of color did darken into more of a noticeable blush—

"Mm, because I want to. It can be rather difficult to pick simply one thing as well," given that one of those gifts was something handmade. Had been so very careful to keep it hidden despite the larger size of it.

Turo still relaxed there against Dojima, more so when the arm went around his shoulders, eyes dropping back down to the wrapped gift. Open it first, huh? Easy enough to comply with, careful of unwrapping it simply because it made it easier to pick up larger pieces after.

A soft noise was made just in his throat as his eyes met the ornate nature of that natural clam shell box, turning it in his hands slowly. Already that was beautiful, and given the nature of this world even he could believe from sight alone it simply was- "This is beautiful, Ryo." Even as his eyes narrowed a bit as—there was something inside, he couldn't help but notice.

So, after glancing up at Dojima, he did carefully open the box.

"That'd be from the Mermaid I managed to rescue from the Auction House."

Fingers ever so slightly tightening on Turo's shoulder. Not intentionally, just-- an unconscious motion.

"She insisted I take it as a thank you... but it's not, really my style."

But that wasn't the real gift. Because inside the box was...

A ring. The shape was a crescent moon with two gems side by side-- Amethyst and Garnet? connected to a star shaped gemstone. The star centered in it was clearly a terastal shard-- brilliant, almost glowing with some inner light. The metal--clear that it was made by... hand? Was there the barest sign of a finger print inside the metal of the ring?

"..."

And just when he should say something, he choked. Just-- waiting to see the other man's reaction.

Oh! He remembered Dojima telling him of that rescue, nodding a little as his head tilted.

"That was very gracious of her, and it was very fortunate for the both of you that you were able to find her in time and get out of it all."

Of course there was silence once Turo did get the clam-shell box open, eyes widening a little the more he took in the object within. A slight twitch of his fingers as he moved the box to one hand, all the better for the other to move and oh-so-very-carefully pick the ring up.

The gems, the terastal shard's shape. Even the fingerprint was taken in, all that much more proof that Dojima had made this himself; it was—

His head turned to see Dojima, movement made at the sound from him, Turo more than a little stunned; trying to identify the exact feeling that was there.

"Ryotaro... I—" Voice just soft, yet there was emotion packed into it, "This- it's beautiful."

"I... I'm glad you... think so."

Fuck. His voice was still a little choked. Having to glance away from just- the intensity of those feelings in Florentino's eyes.

How could anyone think he wasn't human, Dojima would never know.

"It's... I, uh..."

Fuck...! Forcing himself to look back at Florentino, to meet him eye to eye--

"---I want you to come to Inaba with me."

"You—"

Those eyes filled more with what had just been some faint underlying confusion; not because he didn't understand of course, but more out of surprise than anything else. So much more there was that wonder, the very love that he felt for Dojima and... some mix of other things that were much more difficult to identify individually.

A part of him certainly didn't expect that want, however. Resigned for so long, without much thought, to living out whatever life he made for himself here. Where else could he go? Certainly not back to his own world, given why he had been about to throw himself into the time machine.

Turo didn't look away from Dojima.

"You want me to come with you?" There the surprise was more present in his voice, but there was not a single trace of the answer being no. Dojima wouldn't be hearing a refusal at all. "Truly?"

"Yeah, I do."

Immediately said, voice a bit-- more steady, now that he realized Turo's surprise, shifting more fully to look at him.

"--I have for a while, even... before I was certain... that I was ready for it."

His desire versus his socialization. His love versus his fear. He knew now which won out.

"--I know things happen here, and we can't predict the future. But if there's a way for you to come with me..."

Just... reaching to take 'Tino's free hand, giving it a soft squeeze.

"--I want to wait until... we can figure that out."

Oh.

Dojima had been thinking about this for a while, by the sounds of it at least. How long had he been working to make the ring and likely... work up to saying all of this? Turo could only guess at that of course but- that wasn't what was on his mind at the moment.

Frankly his mind was blank for a moment as he took it all in, fingers curling when his hand was taken, eyes still locked on the other.

A squeeze of hand in turn, pulling out of that state slowly but surely.

"I-" Needed a few seconds to remember words. "I do want to come with you, back to your world," and not just because he knew well he couldn't go back to Paldea.

Wrestling with it. Wanting to say something, but the fear of backing out or backing off and hurting 'Tino kept him silent.

Bringing him back to Inaba... being with him there, would... be a lot. For him, for Nanako, for 'Tino. Could he even ask for that from him--?

Ganondorf's assault on Turo made him act. Made him realize that even with that fear, even with that stress--

He didn't want to lose Florentino Turo, and he didn't want to be without him.

And oh-- the smile on Dojima's lips. Bright, and for once, unguarded. Smiling like a teenager when his crush accepted his request for a date--

He leaned forward--kissing Florentino, his other arm around his shoulders pulling him close into a hug--

What that sort of smile could do to him—

It was enough that it took a second longer than usual for that kiss to even register, but the very moment it did Turo was returning it; an arm moved around Dojima while that other hand still had the ring held. Clam-shell box had slid and was resting just safely on the couch still, more into a cushion than not.

Turo leaned into Dojima with that, breath having hitched just briefly before he was sinking into it. Letting his feelings show just a little more with it.

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Through the Years we all will be together--

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So much later that night—

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