By JUU-1-2-3
It was Christmas Eve and Usagi was happy. She couldn't wait to show Motoki her new snow set. It consisted of a pink hat, scarf and mittens. They were decorated with bunnies playing in the snow.
It was so cute that she couldn't resist buying it. On the down side she spent all her allowance. Now she had no money to play Sailor V.
"Hi Motoki!" she called gaily, stepping into Crown Game Center. "Hi Usagi. Excited about the holidays?" "Am I ever! Mom and I have been baking since the beginning of December!"
A new voice entered the conversation, "and how did they turn out, Odango? Charcoal?" Usagi's eyes narrowed, "that's all you are going to get in your stocking, Baka."
Mamoru looked thoughtful, "uh huh. Well, I won't be the only one. You are arguing with me."
Her eyes widened, "as much as I hate to say this, you're right! I can't be here. I want a present! Good-bye Motoki. Bye, baka." With that she rushed out leaving one mitten. Mamoru took it and raised his eyebrow.
It was pink and it had rabbits playing on it. Motoki passed him carrying a milkshake, "that's Usagi's. You should take it to her."
Mamoru nodded and left. As he went out, four girls went in. "Whoa, where is he going in such a hurry?" Rei asked as the girls took their usual booth.
Motoki looked up, "oh, him? He went to return Usagi's mitten." Makoto's eyebrow raised, "her mitten? I think we missed something."
Motoki sighed, "It all started when Usagi came in to show me her winter set. I asked her if she was excited about the holidays. She said yes and that she and her mom had been baking since the beginning of December. Mamoru asked how they turned out and World War 3 started. Then Usagi left 'cause she wanted a present, not coal. She left her mitten in her rush. I told Mamoru to return it. So, he left to do so. The rest is history."
He finished with another sigh, "I need water."
"Well, that was detailed." Minako commented. The other girls agreed. Suddenly Ami sighed, "I wonder if they will kiss when they make up?" the other girls stared.
Mamoru was about to go up to Usagi's house when he got an idea. He grinned, turned the other way and went home. This was the best idea he had ever had.
Christmas Day
Ikuko was in the kitchen making last minute cookies. Her daughter loved cookies.
It was always a good idea to have extra. "Ohayo, Okaa-san!" Usagi called as she came down the stairs.
"Ohayo, Usagi. Could you pop the turkey into the oven?" "Sure mom." She answered. "Thank you, dear. Then could you set the table?" "Sure."
"Thanks. I am the luckiest mother in the world." Usagi looked up, "how so?" Ikuko smiled, "I have you as my daughter." Usagi smiled back. "Thanks, mom."
Just then the doorbell rang. "Could you get that?" Ikuko asked. Usagi nodded.
She opened the door to find- "presents!" she took them to reveal – "Baka? What are you doing here?" he looked unhappy.
"Well, Merry Christmas to you to, Odango. I'm here to deliver presents from the girls and Motoki." She nodded, "thanks"
She was just about to close the door when Mamoru said, "wait! That's not all." Usagi's eyes widened, "there's more?" he nodded wearily. "A lot more."
Usagi shook her head, "ok. I'll just put these under the tree." Soon all the presents were under the tree and Mamoru was resting on the couch.
Shingo walked into the room and smiled, "good haul this year."
Usagi rolled her eyes and smacked Shingo's shoulder. "Shingo! We have a guest! Now behave yourself." She went into the kitchen.
"Mom, can I have a plate of cookies and a cup of hot chocolate?" Ikuko looked up, "sure. Whatever for?" Usagi looked at her, "for Chiba Mamoru." Ikuko nodded, "the boy who calls you Odango Atama?"
Usagi frowned and nodded. "Yes, him. However, he just made 3 trips to the car to bring in presents from the girls and Motoki."
Ikuko laughed and handed her a plate of cookies, "here. You made all the cookies on this plate, with no help from me. You be sure and tell him that." Usagi nodded enthusiastically, "ok! Thanks again mom."
When she got back to the living room she saw Mamoru playing video games with Shingo. And from the looks of things, Mamoru was winning. "Ha! Shields! I have shields and you have none!" Mamoru gloated.
Shingo raised an eyebrow, "oh yeah? Well, I just got weapons back! Ha! I have weapons and you have none!" Usagi rolled her eyes, "if you're done gloating, I have a snack."
She set down a tray. On it was a large plate of cookies, a cup of hot chocolate for Mamoru and a glass of milk for Shingo. Then she went back to the kitchen. Mamoru took a cookie. "Hey, this is good!"
Shingo looked up, "ya know, that's a surprise. Usagi made those cookies." Mamoru looked at the cookies on the plate, "how can you tell?" Shingo rolled his eyes, "look at the colour of the icing. Pink. Usagi." Mamoru shrugged, it was a cookie. A good one at that, the colour of icing made no difference to him.
"Prepare to die!" Shingo laughed manically. Mamoru raised an eyebrow, "oh yeah? How old are you, kid?" Shingo frowned at being called 'kid', "11." He answered.
Mamoru smiled, "well, I'm 19. That makes me eight years older than you. Plus, I have this game at home. I'm very good at it." Shingo nodded suddenly feeling afraid, "uh huh."
Half an hour later
"Dinner!" Usagi yelled. Ikuko sighed, "Usagi, dear, don't yell. Some of them may want to keep their hearing."
Usagi blushed, "sorry." Mamoru looked up, "it's dinner time!? I'm sorry I stayed so long."
Usagi stared at him, "why?" He looked back at her, "I'm not family. Christmas is a time for family." Usagi smiled, "and friends." She reminded him.
Shingo came back into the living room, "are you two coming? Mom says I can't eat 'til all are present."
Mamoru smiled down at him. "I have to go home now." Shingo blinked, "why?" " 'Cause I- you two are exactly alike, did you know that?. Because I've intruded long enough already."
He answered. "NOOOOOO!!!" Shingo shrieked and clung to his foot.
Mamoru was starting to get freaked out. "Um… Shingo? I kinda need my foot." "NO, YOU DON'T!!"
" What is all the yelling about? SHINGO! LET GO OF MISUTA-CHIBA'S FOOT THIS INSTINT! I'm sorry."
Ikuko apologized. Shingo sniffled, "why does he have to go? I was just starting to beat him!"
While Ikuko and Shingo 'talked', Usagi sighed, "I'm really sorry for all this, Mamo-baka."
He smirked, "its ok, Odango." Usagi shifted from foot to foot, "Mamoru?" He looked up sharply; she had called him by his name.
"Yes, Usagi?" "Would you like to stay for dinner?" he smiled, "yes, I really would like to. Thank you."
When they entered the dining room, Shingo gave a long-suffering sigh, "can I eat now? Hora! There they are!"
Ikuko rolled her eyes and Kenji chuckled, "yes, we can eat now." Usagi cheered, "Yatta!"
After dinner
Usagi pushed her plate away, "I'm stuffed." Everyone raised an eyebrow.
"Honto ni?" Mamoru asked. She nodded, "honto ni. That was the best yashoku I've ever had. I made the turkey, you know."
Mamoru looked down at his half finished turkey, "honto ni? Well, I'm not poisoned, so I guess you can cook! Congrats."
Usagi made a face and pushed his shoulder, "you're lucky I have to go do the dishes." After she was done (ah, the wonders of modern technology!) she went into the living room to find Mamoru intently playing one of Shingo's video games and her parents and Shingo watching him.
"Nani sannyuu oite?" Shingo looked up, "Mamoru-kun is playing this game and we are watching him. He is really good."
Usagi turned to the TV. He was good. She turned to study him.
He wore a look of intense concentration. The one strand of ebony hair kept falling into his eyes.
He was right. He was good looking. "Ok. I'm ready for deza-to, anybody else?"
Mamoru looked up, "I thought you were so full you could never eat again?"
she scowled at him, "that was then, this is now. And I'm hungry. So, we all get cookies!"
she went back into the kitchen to get the cookies. Mamoru followed her hoping to get a cookie that she made herself.
When Mamoru entered the kitchen, he saw Usagi going to and from the freezer humming a tune and dancing a little. Mamoru instantly spotted his favourite kind, gingersnap. "Make sure you put on lots of that kind." Usagi jumped. She hadn't been aware that he was in the kitchen.
"What kind?" she asked shakily. He pointed to the growing pile of cookies, "that kind. Gingersnap." She nodded. In no time at all she made two trays, one with cookies and one with hot chocolate.
Mamoru and Usagi each picked up a tray and went back to the living room. "All right! Present time!" Shingo cried. Usagi put down her tray and took Mamoru's and put it down too.
"C'mon, we're picking Santa!" Usagi pulled on Mamoru's arm. Everyone put his or her name into a hat and Usagi picked one.
"Mamoru! You get to be Santa!" Mamoru smiled weakly, "Yatta." He said quietly.
He sighed and moved towards the tree grabbing a cookie on the way. "All right. This first present is for… Shingo! From Grandma and Grandpa."
With that he handed the gift to Shingo. "Oh, wow! A new video game! Do you have this one, Mamoru?" Mamoru smirked, "sure do, kid. Later I'll teach you all the tricks of the trade." Shingo hugged him. "Thanks, Mamoru-kun."
Mamoru smiled down at the boy. "No problem."
Usagi watched as Mamoru interacted with her family. It was like he belonged here, with them. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Mamoru call her. "Usagi? Usagi! Odango!" she stiffened and turned around, "don't call me that, baka!" "Well, you didn't answer me when I called you the first 3 times!" he protested.
She blushed, "gomen." He sighed, "here. From Minako." She opened it. "Perfume! That is so like Mina-Chan!"
So far Ikuko had received all scarves, Kenji all ties and Shingo all video games, All of them different.
Usagi got perfume from Minako, a box of recipes from Makoto, a necklace with matching earrings from Rei and a huge textbook from Ami. Mamoru was just barely able to lift it.
"Well, that should be it." Ikuko said. "Wait, last one." Mamoru answered.
He handed it to Usagi. "Who is it from?" she asked. He looked down, "touhou."
She raised an eyebrow, "honto ni?" "Hai." He whispered.
She opened it to find- "my mitten! Arrigatou Mamo-Chan!" she reached over and meant to kiss him on the cheek, but he turned at the 'Mamo-Chan'.
In result, her lips met his. Both were so surprised that neither broke the kiss. Then he kissed back. Usagi was so lost in the kiss that the mitten and everything else lay forgotten.
Kenji and Ikuko sighed remembering their first date. Shingo sighed turning back to his video game. It was indeed a perfect Christmas thanks to the matchmaking mitten.
Owari
Japanese Dictionary:
Odango – Dumpling – Usagi's hair looks like a dumpling to Mamoru.
Baka – Idiot, fool, blockhead, and jerk – it can mean any of these and more.
Ohayo – Good Morning
Okaa-san - Mother
Misuta – Mister
Hora – Look
Yatta – Yay or Yippee
Honto Ni - Really
Nani Sannyuu Oite – What's Going On?
Deza-to - Dessert
Touhou – Me
Hai – Yes
Arrigatou – Thank You