The knowledge that he'd managed to pull something off that could cause this kind of reaction was truly the greatest gift at all. Look at this boy. Kai smiled even warmer, and here came another very fond ruffle of Shinji's hair.

"'Course," he murmured as he leaned in, gently bumping his shoulder. "You deserve some spoiling." All the spoiling, really, but let's keep it easy going for the moment.

"You're not done yet though." There was still this much neater bundle for him to contend with.