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I wanted to be careful in case you had something by the door.

[He was also feeling shy about it. He doesn't give gifts often. Kaneda is the first gift he's giving! Even Dipper hasn't gotten anything yet, because he'll get his later tonight. But Ken holds up the bag.]

Merry Christmas... but thank you, more than that. I've been in your care a lot.

[It's a bit too formal for the two of them, but this sort of courtesy is Ken's natural state.]

[His eyes widen, completely taken aback by the bag in Ken's hands. A Christmas gift was...surprisingly not something he expected. Not that he didn't think Ken would ever give him something, but their relationship was a lot more complicated than that.

The tone is surprisingly formal for the two of them, and the words sink in as he takes that bag, eyes not really leaving Ken just yet. Mostly because...well, a part of him didn't feel like he deserved thanks for that. Early December he'd made a bad call, and Ken had been the casualty. Sure, he'd given him up to Minato to take in for awhile, and he'd taken care of it--kept Nonah 05 safe...but Ken came back on his own, as strong as he was before all of this.

Maybe Kaneda just had to learn to forgive himself a little.

His body slumps against the doorframe as he inspects it, gingerly reaching his hand into it to ruffle around that tissue paper. Getting a little feel for it before he pulls it out.]

A gift... You're spending your lunch money on me? [He can't help but tease, it's natural. And the meaning is obvious to anyone who knows Kaneda.

You didn't have to, you know.]

Yeah, I'm giving up a meal for you, so you should be grateful.

[Ke's school has been on break for a week now so there is no real need to buy lunch, but after the one formal thanks they can be back to their usual attitude. He grins as he leans against the other side of the doorframe, hands in his pockets -- it's a mimicry of Minato's motions that he picked up over the months.

Inside the bag are a few things, but they all have something in common: they're all tools to care for, clean, and condition leather. Kaneda's jacket is old and worn already, but it's surprisingly in good condition; caring for it starting even now would help it last a while longer. Ken isn't aware of the jacket Minato got for him though.]

[That comment gets an amused glint in his eye--that was more like the banter he knew. His hand fishes out the tools, inspecting them in his palm as he turns one over with his finger. Sure, he'd seen this stuff, maybe stole some of it back home...

But with everything else going on here, it's safe to say that his jacket was knocked down a few pegs on the priority list.

A smile.]

...

Just what I needed.

Kaneda-san without his jacket isn't Kaneda-san at all.

[He's embarrassed by the smile, and it shows in the way he looks down. His hair flops down over his eyes and obscures all but the curl of his own lips. He feels... fuzzy, inside.]

So you have to take care of it. Or else people will stop recognizing you.

[He notices, things that are as plain as day by now that might've slipped by had they not known each other as long as they have. The way he averts his gaze, the way that hair rests over his eyes when he tilts his head ever so slightly...

Maya called them brothers. Funny how easily he'd come to accept that, looking down at the tools in the bag.

His hand reaches out, threading fingers through that mess of mop Ken called his hair, smiling.]

What about my charming personality, huh?

[Ken's not answering immediately. He's still looking down as Kaneda's fingers run through his hair, but under his hand and that mop of hair, it's visible: the darkening flush, the wider curl of his lips, and the way he grasps the hem of his hoodie in his subtle show of embarrassment.]

I guess there's that, too. If you want.

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