"And you want to do this together?" Valentino raised an eyebrow at him.
"It'll be fun," he said, pulling him into a hug. He couldn't help it. The man was too easy to wrap his arms around. And it felt too good having him relax in his hold.
"Isn't the whole point of Christmas shopping not doing it with others so that they don't see their presents?"
"Are you saying that I'm going to peak?" Casimir whispered into his ear. He liked teasing him more than anything. Valentino always acted like he didn't want all the sappy things that Casimir did, but it was clear that he did by how he leaned into him. Little things that changed about his body told Casimir otherwise, and he quite enjoyed testing it out.
"What?" Valentino asked. "Are we going to have separate carts and everything?"
"We could if you want," he told him. "Or you could just tell me when to not look. Or we could just go off in our own direction and meet up afterwards."
"That sounds so complicated," the man groaned, burying his face in his chest. "Why do the holidays have to be so stressful?"
"Then I promise I won't peak," Casimir kissed the top of his head. "It's nice to have some company Christmas shopping anyway."
"Where are we even going to go?" Valentino sighed. Casimir knew that he didn't like going out too much. But he also knew that once he was able to get him to go out, he enjoyed himself a lot. Sometimes it was good to push him a little to get out. As long as he didn't do it as much, it was good.
"Which place do you want to go?"
"Don't make me pick," Valentino groaned. "I suck at Christmas shopping."
"Alright," Casimir laughed. "Why not start in downtown then? Maybe that will give us both some ideas."
"Who do you need to get presents for?" he asked as they walked to the garage. Casimir was eventually going to convince the man to take a ride in his car, but for now he could enjoy the classic sportscar. Valentino spent a lot of free time to wax and maintain it. He really cared for it.
"Besides you?" he pecked him on the cheek before they strapped themselves in. This car had some fun memories already tied into it. That was another reason why he quite enjoyed riding in it. From a speedy surprise to a heated welcome back, it always seemed to leave his heart pumping in all the fun ways.
"If you're going to get presents for me, then this trip is going to be even more difficult," Valentino said, starting up the car. He would just park it by Casimir's apartment and they'd start walking from over there. That was one of the smaller dates that they would go on, when neither really wanted to go out to eat. A short walk through the city could be just as romantic as a fancy restaurant.
"That's what's going to make this fun," he told him. "But I do have a few others to find presents for."
There weren't really many, if he were being honest with himself. When he lived in Miami, he always had presents to get for everyone. There were so many friends he had over there. They even had a Christmas party where they would exchange presents. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of stress.
This time he didn't have all those presents to get. He used to be able to find the perfect one for all of them. But now none of them really wanted to talk to him. He supposed he already burnt that bridge. They all decided to choose his ex over him, and he guessed he could accept that. It wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. Besides, he wasn't exactly a saint.
"Who?"
"Well, there's this one old man that I've talked to a few times," Casimir said. "I was thinking about getting him a twelve pack just because I always see him drinking."
"Can't go wrong with that," Valentino laughed. "There's always some crazy people in downtown. It's interesting, I'll tell you that."
"I feel like that can describe every city's downtown area," Casimir chuckled. They parked and got out. It never took too long for them to get downtown. Especially not with that Corvette.
"Except for the richy areas," Valentino rolled his eyes. "You should hear Anton talk about it though. He has some crazy stories about people messing with him."
"Anton?" he looked at him curiously. "The man in the coffee shop?"
"Oh yeah," Valentino laughed. "There was one that was absolutely hilarious."
"And what was that?" he asked.
"Some gym rats were about to leave while he was heading to work," Valentino said, almost laughing as he spoke. "And he noticed that they left their can of tea on top of their car. He tried to tell them, but it was too late and it spilt all over their passenger window."
"I've had that happen to me plenty of times," Casimir said.
"Yeah, but this time, these guys decided to be dumb," Valentino laughed. "He told me once they realized that they had left their drink, they got out of the car and saw Anton standing there. Just standing there. And they immediately decided, instead of just taking the loss, to blame him for them leaving it on the roof."
"I really hope they didn't try and fight him," he said. The man who made them all coffees throughout the day didn't seem like he could fight too much. He wasn't exactly a twig, but he didn't seem like much of a fighter. He seemed more like the type to fight with his words rather than anything else.
"Oh, no," Valentino said. "His uncle was there. And if there was anyone that could get some crazy guys to leave you alone, it's Anton's crazy uncle."
"I'm not sure if I've met him yet," he said. "What did he do to get them to leave?"
"Oh, I don't know," Valentino shrugged. "I'm not even sure if Anton remembers, he didn't exactly say. But those gym rats found out where he worked and decided to come in every now and then for a whole year just to ask if they had their favorite cans of teas."
"And they didn't try and start a fight?"
"I don't think so," he answered. "There were always too many people in that café for them to get away with anything anyway. But they always called him Brisk Can, just because of that one stupid time."
"I would be surprised if it were any other place in the world but Florida," Casimir chuckled a bit. They walked into one shop and were looking around. There was always something magical about Christmas shopping that he enjoyed so much this time of year.
"There's always a bunch of people that come and go in this town," Valentino smiled as he looked at some knickknacks on the shelves. "The ones who stay are the people you really get to know, though."
"You really seem to like this city," Casimir smiled at him. It was nice to see him talk so happily about the different stories that he had of this place. "Don't you?"
"Yeah," he told him. "Everyone's connected to each other, even in the smallest of ways, here. It's nice, even if you don't always talk to those people every day."
"Really?" Casimir asked. "But there has to be thousands of people who live here. Surely you can't know everyone."
"No," he answered. "But there's always the ones who've stayed through thick and thin of this city, and watched it get to the beautiful place it is today." He put something in his handbasket as he walked. "Like Solomon, for instance," he gestured outside the shop to a man who was pulling things out of a work van. The curly haired man had a jumpsuit on and long hair that was put up in a loose bun. "Solomon's one of the few who were born and raised here. He had to go through a lot, but he still stayed."
"How do you know him?"
"He's a good repair man," Valentino shrugged. "I don't talk to many people, but I see them out and about in the city from time to time. Solomon also used to go to the café all the time. And, when I was in college, that place was the best to study at."
"I see," he said, throwing on a Christmas hat randomly. He wanted to see Valentino's response when he finally noticed it. "And here I thought you didn't like this place because of its tourist attracting ways."
"I don't like the fact that saying was used as a means to make a bunch of people come here," Valentino said. "It brings more money to the city, I guess, but it also makes a lot of the ones who've been here annoyed. All these tourists get pissy when they don't find love at first sight. It's pretty annoying when they all try hitting on you, too."
"Was I an exception to this?" Casimir asked, putting an arm around his waist to move him out of the way of some other people who were passing them.
"I guess," Valentino frowned a little. He still looked so handsome when he frowned. Casimir could never get over it. "What about you, though? You have any crazy stories from Miami?"
"Well, not that I can recall at the moment," he answered. "There's been so many things that have gone on in those streets that they all seem to mush together. It's nothing like what you were talking about this city though. This one truly must be unique."
"It is," Valentino smiled again. Then he sighed. "Alright, are you ready to check out?"
"I think I have everything from this store," he checked his basket to make sure. "Let's get out before the rush of last minute shoppers come."
"Yeah, let's-!" Valentino finally looked at him before they went in line. Casimir watched as the man made so many faces in a matter of seconds, trying not to laugh or smile.
"Casimir."
"Yes, Darling?" he tried to seem like he had no clue what the man was going to say next.
"Why are you wearing a mistletoe hat?" he asked. He looked so serious when he asked, too. He had even stopped in the midst of the tiny little shop to look at him confusedly.
"I thought it would be fun," he winked at him, then he made his voice lower and leaned into him just a little more. "Or would you rather I get the mistletoe belt instead?"
"Ew!" Valentino pushed him away. "You are not getting that thing for sure."
Casimir couldn't do a single thing but laugh. It was too much fun to tease the man. More fun than he had teasing anyone else.
"And who's going to stop me?"
"If you're thinking about some dumb Christmas foreplay with that thing, count me out," he shook his head. "That's the corniest thing you could ever do on Christmas."
"I'm just playing, Darling," he laughed again, wrapping his arm around his waist.
"You better not get the belt of that," he folded his arms. It looked almost like he was pouting, it was cute. Everything about this man was adorable, even when he was angry.
"I promise you I won't," he kissed his cheek. "But I think I'm going to keep this hat. It's far too fashionable for me to not buy it."
"It's made out of the shittiest materials, and probably won't last the years," Valentino said.
"I don't need it to last years," he whispered into his love's ear. "I just need it to last one day. Besides, I think your brother would get a kick out of it."
"Lou would probably ask where you got it so he could try to nab one for himself," Valentino rolled his eyes. "Even though he'll never use it."
"Maybe he'll be able to make a woman laugh," he said. "And win her over that way."
"That sounds like my dad," Valentino groaned. They were waiting in line now. "That was his way of winning women over. He was a horrible cook, so it wasn't like he could try and win them over that way."
"I take it you don't like your dad?"
"Like I said before," Valentino sighed, his face falling into a sadder one. "He was an idiot. And not one that I want to ever have to deal with again."
"Ah," Casimir nodded, pulling him closer. He didn't want to end this on a sour note. They still had plenty of stores to go and find more presents, but he didn't want to end this shopping spot off sadly. So, he stayed quiet for the rest of the time they were waiting in line. As soon as they checked out, he took his hat off and put it on Valentino.
"No," he tried to take the hat off immediately, "I'm not wearing thi-!"
Casimir interrupted him by kissing him in the middle of the store. He didn't care if they were in the way of some of the shoppers or if they were causing a scene. Valentino might be the type of person who kept many things to himself, including his relationship, but Casimir was the type to flaunt it to everyone he could. He was in love, why not tell the world?
It didn't help with that kiss. Valentino was the best at kissing. Casimir could easily get lost in it, and that's exactly what he did. Neither of them wanted it to end each and every time one of them started it. It was like they were glued to each other, and Casimir was rather enjoying just how strong this glue was.
He was the one to break it off, though. He loved seeing that face flushed red after a kiss like theirs. It was the only time he would ever see the man so lost and out of place as he tried to come down from the high that they always shared whenever their lips met. Those dark blue eyes were wide as he tried to catch his breath. It was the most beautiful moment in time Casimir ever had the pleasure of having in his life.
"I have a feeling this is going to be a great Christmas," Casimir smiled. Then he went next to the man's ear again, holding him close to him. "You look great in everything, you know that?"
"And you," he pushed him a little bit, his voice breathy. "Are an asshole, and I'm not ever wearing this."
Casimir laughed as Valentino threw the hat at him. His face was so red, it said it all. Now, instead of thinking that the man was hurt by what he had done, all Casimir could think about was how many more times he wanted to do it to him. There were always people that were shy about doing anything in public, and that was one thing that Casimir enjoyed getting them used to. That, and it allowed him to see some adorable faces this way.
"Did anyone ever say that you were adorable when you blush," he pulled him closer again, chuckling the whole time.
"Stop," Valentino pushed him away again. "We're supposed to be Christmas shopping, remember?"
"I don't know," Casimir hummed as they walked out of the tiny store. "I think I already found the best Christmas present."
"Oh really?" Valentino crossed his arms, looking skeptical.
"Really," he winked at him. "And the best thing about it is it's not even anything that money could buy."
Author's Note: Hi guys! I hope you enjoyed the fluff in here. This story is one of the more serious ones in this series. And I didn't entirely realize that until I looked back at the first one I wrote. While each and every one of the stories that I have for this series are going to be different in their own way, there will always be fluff and cuteness, no matter what. I hope you enjoy this dramatic couple and their interesting relationship.
Thanks for all the votes and comments!
-Saturn