Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Kao’s POV

“I know you guys are quite excited for the holiday but please make sure to complete the homeworks before the celebrations or you will be struggling during new years.” I shout over the chatter of the class, “And Merry Christmas guys, I hope you have a great holiday.”

“Merry Christmas Mr Kao!” the children holler in unison. I smile at the beaming faces and say the last words that are expected, “Class dismissed.” In a flurry all the children start packing up and the bell rings for the end of class. The chaos starts after that, everyone is busy rushing out or talking to their friends promising to catch up and have sleepovers over the holiday.

I can’t but look at them a bit enviously. Its another year, another Christmas away from home. Because I lived in York the commute takes a whole day and is quite expensive to go by the train. Usually my mom and sister visited but this time, they have gone back to our home country to spend the holidays. They had invited me to join them but due to school holiday being short, I decided not to go.

“Mr Kao?” Sarah calls me out from my thoughts, “I- I mean my mom got you something for Christmas.” She holds out a small wrapped gift towards.

“Aw, thank you darling and tell you mum as well that I said thank you.”

“Its Christmas after all.” Sarah shrugs and walks away saying, “See you after the holiday, Mr Kao.”

Some other kids follow her lead and before I know it there’s a small pile of gifts on my table. The kids this age are so sweet and innocent. I love teaching the elementary classes. I wave them goodbye and wishing them happy holidays. Atleast, these gifts will keep me company for a while. I collect all of them in a bag and walk towards the staff room when Sandee from the Admin shouts my name across the hall.

“Hey Sandee, you alright?” I ask her as she catches her breath from power walking in hallway.

“Yeah, just wanted to ask you if you got any plans for Christmas?” she asks looking hopeful. I didn’t have any plan per se but I wouldn’t spending some alone time at home either. Thinking about watching home alone the series and elf with a small chicken sounds appealing in my mind but I can see it looks depressing.

“No, not really, why?” I ask her out of curiosity.

“That’s great!” she looks way more enthusiastic than before, “I’m having a small party on christmas eve and day. You should come. It’s going to be a friends christmas. You can get 5 small gifts under twenty quid and we’ll all exchange them. It will be fun.” She rapid fire in quick succession.

“If its a close friends group, you don’t have to invite me really.” I was hoping she would say it was a close friends.

“There are going to be some acquaintances from college so don’t worry, you’ll enjoy it.”

“What about your family?” I had a vague idea that Sandee has some sisters and her husband’s family lives not too far off.

“My family lives far away and Thada said we would spend the new years with his family so we thought why not have a friends Christmas instead.”

“That’s pretty cool.” I nod along to her ideas.

“So you’re in right?” She asks again looking hopeful.

“Yeah, count me in.”

“Noice, I’ll send you my address later. Bye now!” She starts walking in the direction of the office.

That’s great, Christmas won’t be so lonely anymore. I think to myself while entering the staff room.

Chapter Text

Kao's POV

I usually walk home but it was a long day so I took the bus. The invite kept running through my mind while walking back home. Sandee has her lunch with me most of the days but this is going to be the first time we will be meeting outside of work. It’s an exciting as well as scary prospect. I prefer to hang out with the few close friends in the cat cafe in York and my favourity company was the cats. But there as there’s no cat cafes or any exciting social events that I can attend, it had been really hard trying to make friends.

Though I attended some events in Plymouth city library but they all felt very close knit groups somehow. The people here are quite friendly but not close enough to spend holidays together. I smile to myself thinking about being invited again.

Once back home, I put on the rice cooker and start opening the gifts from school. Many of them are card saying the best teacher or happy holidays. Some kids have given pens and others have made handmade cards. Each gift warms my heart a little till I’m ready to burst. The few presents I like the most are a planner notebook, a sticker pack (def used for grading paper and nothing else), a coffee mug (that was quite generous actually) and a toy as well. I’ll make sure to get these kids something small as well after the school starts.

That remind me to put down to buy some gifts for Sandee’s party as well. She said to get 5 gifts but I don’t know the people so I might have to get something generic that’s suitable for everyone. The evening goes by in planning gifts and making dinner. Before I know it, its already late and then it dawns to me that its just a couple of more day before holidays starts for the teachers as well. Giddy with that prospect, I fall asleep.

***

The next morning, I wake up at the usual time and walk to the school. I put away my bag and change into my running clothes for a quick jog on the path behind the school. I set my clock, put on my headphones and start running. Half way through the run, I see him. He looks especially dishevlled this morning, his bed hair is sticking out in places and under the lamplit his eyes shine like a cats in the dark. I smile to myself picturing his tufts of hair shaped into cat ears and me petting him.

I quickly shake my head to clear that image as I get closer to him. He is wearing a rumpled shirt and neat trousers this morning but no tie.

“Good morning!” I greet him slowing down my pace.

“Morning.” he replies noticing me for the first time.

“Long night?” I ask him.

“My dog woke me up this morning otherwise I could have gotten a few more minutes in bed.” This is new information, its some endearing to know he has a dog that he takes care of.

“Pets can be a nuisance at time but they are lovely.” I nod along with him, “Do you want to jog till the business park?”

“Sure.”

We fall into a gentle jog pace back the path he came. I don’t know his name but we have been seeing each other almost everyday. Its a recent development that we have started greeting each other. He’s work in one of the offices in business park that comes at the end of the path I often run on. It’s two and half kilometers track but having someone this early in morning is a blessing. As the sunrises late and only a few other people are running on the track it can get pretty lonely. But this guy, he’s a regular and that how’s I met the him, Pete.

Chapter Text

Pete’s POV

Khai woke me up this morning by barking outside my door. That dog was born to disturb my peace but I love him anyways. After a quick walk in the dark and breakfast, khai went back to sleep in dog bed. Sometimes I get jealous of his lifestyle, he get food on time, get a walk whenever he demands and has a person to attend him always. By the time Khai is taken care of, its my time for a jog. I get dressed in the first shirt that’s hung up on the hanger and grab a trousers to make a run to my car. The winter morning air hits me the second time. I pull the jacket tightly and feel a bit drowsy. Winter mornings aren’t made for work, I swear under my breath while getting into my cold car.

The drive to work is pretty quiet as its early. The car hums slowly under me while blasting heat through the AC. I reach my office in record time and sit in the car for a couple of minutes to enjoy the warmth a bit longer. I don’t feel like getting out in this sort of cold weather but i collect my self and leave the warmth.

I start walking on the path behind the office in the dark with birds chirping for company. Atleast it’s not drizzling today. The leaves left from last of autumn crunch under my feet and I watch the naked branches moving slowly with breeze. Then I see him.

Jogging towards me with his headphone on. In shorts and t-shirt as usual. I wonder if he comes from the north pole to survive such cold morning just in short. I’m definitely sure he’s family is from someplace up North. He slows down his pace as he gets closer and greets a good morning.

“Good morning.” I reply back and start jogging beside him.

“The school holidays have started yesterday.” he says while jogging.

“Oh, so it means I won’t be seeing you till New years now?” I ask. The thought of not seeing flip my stomach backward.

“I have some school work left for a couple of days, then I’m off.”

“Good, you’ll have some days off then” I envy his work now. The green monster lives inside me constantly. Why can’t I ever be happy with the things I got.

“Any plans for Christmas?” he looks towards me. Dad has told his plans for Christmas and as much as I would like to spend time old people I don’t want that.

“I’ll probably stay at home and watch Netflix, what about you?”

“My friend from school has invited me, I’ll be there.”