Kid put on his black jacket and red scarf and headed out into the December air. It was nearing Christmas and Kid was having trouble finding a gift for Liz. Kid had already bought Patty a some coloring supplies and a stuffed giraffe. He was headed to meet up with Soul who also couldn't figure out a gift for his partner as well. Kid turned corner approaching Soul and Maka's apartment building. On the steps sat Soul waiting.
"Hey ready to go?" asked Kid.
"Yea." said Soul. They headed down the snow covered streets of Death City. Soon they arrived at the towns mall. People swarmed everywhere shopping for gifts.
Soul let out a sigh, "This is so un-cool. I've never been good at shopping. Where are we supposed to go?"
"Well what does Maka like? that may help you pick something." Soul let his thoughts wander for a moment. He finally said "Well she loves to read, and cook."
" See!" exclaimed kid. " Now lets go to the book store"
Soul ended up buying Maka two things one book filled with short stories and a new cooking apron that said " kiss the cook".
" Thanks man. Maka will love this!" said Soul slapping Kid on the shoulder." Now what are you goanna get Liz?"
Kid sighed. " Well I got her some fashion magazines and nail polish…..but it doesn't seem , enough."
" Well does she have any jewelry?" asked soul.
" No she's never had any." said Kid.
Then it hit him. " Soul you're a genius!" exclaimed Kid.
" Glad someone finally noticed,."
They rushed to the jewelry department of the mall. They walked up to the counter and women who looked very familiar to them turned around. "Tsubaki?" said Kid and Soul.
"Soul! Kid! What are you doing here?" asked Tsubaki happily.
"We were shopping for Liz and Maka. Why are you her?'
" I got a job so I could get Black star a really nice present." she said. " So Soul what did you get Maka?" Soul lifted up his bag and showed her. "Oh my she will love that!" squealed Tsubaki. " So kid what did you get Liz?"
"That's why we're here I don't know what to get here." he said sadly.
"So what kind of jewelry are you looking for?" she asked.
Kid thought for a moment. " Something nice but she can wear it all the time." he said.
Tsubaki's face lit up and she said " I know what your looking for." She went in a storage room. After a minute she returned with a white box. She opened it up and inside where four medium sized bangles. " It's perfect and symmetrical" said Kid.
" You know what's the best part?" she said. I can engrave them for you."
Suddenly Kid had a really good idea. Kid told Tsubaki what he wanted written on the bangles. Tsubaki got to work quickly engraving each bangle carefully. Once she was done she handed kid a gift rapped box which contained bangles. Kid paid her and gave her a nice tip so she could buy Blackstar his present.
"Thanks Tsubaki." Kid said giving her a kind smile.
" Oh its no problem! Liz will love it!"
" I hope so." said Kid
Kid and Soul left the mall as soon after. White snow fell to the ground as they walked home. Kid shivered at the cold and pulled his jack on tighter. Soul turned to him as they were walking and said, " Liz is seriously going to love you for getting her that gift."
" I sure hope….I mean I really want to impress her. I mean how did you confess to Maka?"
" Well it was hard with Maka. It took me a while to tell her but, it was so worth it."
Kid sighed " I don't know if I'm ready to tell her."
"Well to be honest everyone but, Liz knows you love her."
" Yea well… I'll find away to tell her someday."
Soon they approached Soul and Maka's Apartment building. On the steps sat an annoyed looking Maka. " Soul where have you been?"
" Uh.. shopping. Sorry babe." said Soul rushing over to her and kissing her on the cheek.
Kid stood in the back round chuckling. "Oh sorry I snapped Soul its just when I got home and you weren't here… I worried." she said hugging him.
"Well I better leave you lover birds alone." interrupted Kid.
" Yea.' said Soul. " See you at the Christmas party this week."
Then Kid head home. Once Kid got home he was greeted by Liz. "Oh Kid your home! Where have you been?"
" The mall. I was shopping for presents." said Kid holding up his bags.
Liz was wearing a blue sweater with white snowflakes on it. In her ears were cheap snowflake earrings. her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She had some flour on her shirt and face. Even though she was a mess she looked cute to him. At this thought he started to blush.
" Um…. Kid are you okay? Your all red." she said feeling his head. "Do you have a fever?"
At her touch he got even brighter. " I-Im fine!" he stuttered.
"Okay. Patty and I are making cookies for party. Wanna help?"
"Sure give me a minute." he said He threw his jacket and scarf off. Then went and put his bags in his room. He was now left in jeans and a black long sleeve shirt. he went into the kitchen. Liz and Patty sang Christmas songs and were making cookies. Kid put on his apron and got cooking. He'd always been good at this. He made six cookies in a short time. Liz was having trouble mixing some ingredients.
Kid laughed and came over to her. "Let me help." He said as took her hand. He took her hand and moved it in the proper motion. "You have to mix it quickly and thoroughly."
"Thanks Kid your so helpful." she said giving a gentle nudge. This brought a warm smile to Kid's face.
They baked two dozen cookies in shapes of snowflakes, stockings, Santa hats, etc. Patty decorated the house with tinsel, lights ornaments. Soon it felt like the house was a winter wonderland. By noon tomorrow everyone would be here for the party. Later on Liz sat on the couch rapping presents. Kid sat next to her trying to take a peek. "No looking!" she said waving him off. "Aw, Liz just a peek." he said moving closer.
"Nope. You'll see them tomorrow." she said sticking her tongue out at him and then scampering of to her room. Kid sighed. She was beautiful. How could he ever admit his love. Saddened by this thought he went to bed.
The next morning was full of preparation Liz got up early and laid the cookies on table. She hung hand cut snowflakes from the ceiling, and hung mistletoe from door way. She then prepared breakfast for Kid and Patty. She made patty a smile face pancake, and Kid eggs and bacon with coffee. In the coffee she put a sprinkle of chocolate and cinnamon just the way he liked it. Kid and Patty dashed down stairs. "Liz, we slept in!" shouted Kid. " why didn't you wake us?"
"I'm sorry I wanted to make you breakfast." She said happily.
Kid couldn't help but smile. The fact that Liz who was not a morning person went out of her way to wake up early and make them breakfast.
"Sis is the best!" exclaimed Patty. The young blonde sat down and started aggressively shoving her face full of pancake.
Kid pulled out his chair and sat down. He picked up his mug, and gently sipped his coffee. It was wonderful Liz had made it the perfect blend of cinnamon and chocolate. It was the little things like this that made him appreciate her so much. He looked and saw Liz staring intently at him. As if waiting for approval. He simply nodded, and her face lit up.
"I'm so excited for today!" she sighed happily.
Kid laughed, "I agree today is going to be quite interesting."
"I love having all our friends together." Liz gushed.
"Yeah those crazies always make me laugh!" piped in Patty.
The events of the day quickly continued onward. Kid was preparing dinner when the guest arrived. First arrived Soul and Maka, and then Tsubaki and Black Star a bit later. This was a relief to Kid because Maka was able to help finish preparations for dinner with out Black Star drooling over the food. Once everyone arrived and all the presents were placed under the tree, they sat down for dinner. The meal prepared was a beautiful feast, everyone's favorites on the table. The second the food started being dished Black Star and Patty began stuffing their faces.
The air was filled with warmth and joy, the Christmas time was among them. This warmed Kid's heart. For many years he had spent Christmas alone or at the academy with his father, this was a change of him, and he was enjoying every second.
Liz was laughing at some remark Maka had made about Black Star's eating habits. Her laughter along with everyone else filled the room. For once Death Manor didn't seem so gloomy, and Kid joined in on it.
After dinner was over Liz and Patty cleared the table, and then brought in dessert. Dessert being the cookies they made the afternoon before. Everyone took a couple, along with coffee, and tea over to the sitting room. In the sitting room awaited a mountain of presents. Kid went over to the stereo and turned on the Christmas music as everyone took a seat along the couches'.
"So? Who want's to give out the gifts first boys or girls." asked Soul.
"Oh! The girls!" exclaimed Liz jumping up.
They all ran over to tree and grabbed their gifts for the boys. Tsubaki presented hers to Black Star. It was an envelope, confused he took it. Once he opened it though he screamed. Inside was a picture of a state of the art gym equipment she had ordered online.
"YAHHOOO!" he yelled. "Tsubaki how on earth did you afford this?"
"I've been saving up. I wanted to get you something really nice, and I noticed your old gym, equipment is getting wrecked, so I wanted to get you the best I could find! Sorry it's not here but its being shipped over!"
"I always wanted to surpass a god, but I could never surpass your kindness Tsubaki." He grinned giving her a hug.
"Thanks Black Star, Merry Christms." She cooed.
Next was Maka, she gave Soul a new head band, a hand knitted scarf, a magazine on motor cycles and picture frame with a picture of them after their first assignment. Soul put the head band on right away.
"Damn, I love this head band. I need a new one" He smiled.
Soul picked up the picture frame and laughed, "Wow that seems so long ago. Look at us covered and dirt. These gifts are amazing babe"
Maka smiled, "I'm so glad you like them." She placed and light kiss on his lips and sat next to him.
Next was Kid turn Liz and Patty, they approached me each holding something. Patty gave me a giant gift bag, inside was a a bright blue sweater that said " I HEART MY WEAPONS"
Kid laughed at this cause honestly it was true. His life had changed drastically since they come into it. Next Liz gave him a smaller box, he ripped of the paper and opened it. Inside was a gold pocket watch. On the front of it was skull, and when you clicked it open there was a beautiful clock that made a quiet ticking noise but, that wasn't even the best part. On the other side opposite a clock was an inserted picture of Kid, Liz, and Patty from the first day he brought them home.
In the picture Liz looked annoyed and Patty had a devious grin on. It brought a smile to Kid's face to see how far they had come since then.
"I love it." he said giving her a hug.
"Oh yay!" She smiled.
The girls sat and the guys went and got their gifts for them. Soul gave Maka her book and apron which to his delight she adored. Black Star gave Tsubaki a beautiful flower kimono, and necklace.
Tsubaki squealed, "It's incredible!"
"I thought flowers since you really bloomed over the years. You were always so shy but, your friends before yourself. You who was so shy, became strong than me. :Like a flower in full bloom" said Black Star shyly.
"You are so crazy wonderful." she pulled him into a hug.
"So I did good?" He asked.
"better than good" smiled Tsubaki
"YAHHOOOOO." He exclaimed.
Laughter erupted in the room for a moment. The Kid stood ready to present his gifts to Patty and Liz. He gave Patty her coloring supplies, and stuffed giraffe. She screamed at the sight of the giraffe and snatched away, tightly hugging it by the neck. If had been real it may have been suffocating.
"OH KID-KUN I LOVE IT." She yelled.
"I'm glad Patty." he smiled.
Then Kid gave Liz her Magazines and Nail Polish.
"Oh Kid! Thank goodness! I need some more of these!" She smiled brightly.
Before Kid could giver her the next gift Pattty screamed.
"GUYS! IT"S SNOWING OUTSIDE." She yelled and along with her giraffe sprinted outside. Everyone got up to follow her outside. On the way to the door Kid grabbed Liz's wrist.
"Liz wait I have another gift for you. Wait for me by the door." He said nervously.
"Oh okay I'll wait over there." She smiled.
Kid dashed back into the room, grabbed the gift and went back to Liz who was watching everyone play in the snow from the door.
"Here" He said handing the delicately wrapped gift to her.
"Kid I didn't need another gift." She insisted
"Please Liz just open it."
"Alright fine" she sighed.
Liz ripped off the wrapping paper, and opened the box to reveal 4four silver bangles. Each one engraved something special. One said, "Strong." The second read, " Beautiful"
The third. "Loving." The fourth, "Kind" Liz stared in awe for a bit, saying nothing. Kid adjusted his shirt collar nervously.
"Kid they are amazing…" She said in awe. "What are the words for?"
"Each word is a word that describes you for me." He admitted shyly.
Liz's face grew a little pink hearing this. She looked away for second, then smiled back at him saying, "Help me put them on."
Kid took the bangles out of the box and put two on each of her wrists. She gave him a huge hug.
"Kid you know the picture I put in your pocket watch?" She began. "Do you remember that day?"
"How could I not remembered!" He said. "It was the day I brought you guys home."
"Yeah that was one interesting day for us." She sighed. "When we first moved in with you all I thought about was money and safety for Patty and you were rich."
Liz paused for a second, "Thinking back I'm ashamed of how awful I used to be. Believe it or not your craziness changed me. The reason I put that picture in was because it was a fresh start for us. A chance for us to be better, and you gave us that. Well not just that…you gave us a home. You are home for us…"
Kids face grew warm, and he was 99 percent sure he was blushing Liz couldn't look at him.
"I can never repay you for what you did for us." She said.
"You don't have to Liz." he said taking her hand.
"I want too. You have no idea. You haven given Patty and I so many nice things."
"Yes, I have because I love you." He said. "Liz I love you so much."
"Kid, I love you too. These bracelets are the best gift I've ever had." she said. "But, they aren't the perfect gift."
"What's the perfect gift?!" exclaimed Kid. "I'll get it for you! Anything for you to be happy."
"I already have it." She smiled. "It's right here, it's you."
Kid smiled brighter than he had, then he realized hanging above him was mistletoe. Then he expressed emotion in the best possible way during Christmas, with a mistletoe kiss. In that moment of bliss, he got his perfect gift.