Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or any of the characters depicted in the story. Proper rights are owned by the respected owners individually.
Note: Holiday/Christmas gift-fic for Cheeky-Eyes! Hope you enjoy!
Pristine
by. Satari-Raine
It was a simple thing.
Rei blinked down at the small package in her hands, a cutely wrapped box in pink paper and a bright, red bow. The presentation of the box left much to be desired, but the ridges and slight crinkles on the wrapping paper held a strange quality, one Rei saw as careful consideration and pure care. As her gaze remained fixed on the gift, she didn't register the open door in front of her nor the rush of snow slipping into her apartment to tickle the bare skin of her legs.
She turned the box over in her hands once, twice, and then looked up to a pair of emerald eyes watching her with a sheepish gaze, one filled in simple mirth and amusement. "Johan-kun, why did you give me this? What's going on?" Johan shrugged once in reply, bundling his overcoat around him while shaking some snow from his eccentric blue spikes.
"I just came to visit, that's all." 'That and Judai couldn't do this himself, too busy apparently.' He offered the younger girl a smile as he tapped the present in her hands. "And here, check the tag." Rei blinked at him before making a face, a soft frown of confusion as she glanced down at the small box. After a careful glance, she noticed a tag peeking out from underneath the small bow. Fingering it with a gentle touch and pulling it out from the bow, she read it aloud as it came into view.
"To Rei, from…Judai-sama?"
Johan grinned at her surprised tone, yet his smile was a tad amused and awkward. 'I highly doubt it says "-sama", but at least she's happy. Judai'll be happy.' Suddenly, Johan gasped as he was yanked into Rei's home, smells of vanilla and warm air engulfing him as he staggered against her pulling on his arm. She smiled at him over her shoulder as she dragged him inside, simultaneously kicking the door shut with one fuzzy slipper-clad foot.
She glanced back at him, and Johan smiled as her brown eyes seemed to say: Sorry for leaving you out in the snow for so long.
He smiled and replied back just as quietly: It's fine.
"Come on, Johan-kun. Let me get you something warm to eat." Rei offered softly, not waiting for Johan to answer as she led him into the small kitchen. Johan blinked as the sight of small vanilla cakes resting on sleek wooden counters came into view, and the white-cream walls stared back at him as he rested into a comfy, wooden chair.
He laughed sheepishly while she dashed off towards the cabinets above the counters and small stove. "Oh, that's fine, you don't–"
"Please. I insist." Johan blinked as the words left her lips, then shrugged, accepting defeat at the hands of Rei. He knew that when a woman was intent on something, especially someone like Rei, they wouldn't budge.
Somehow, Johan found himself enjoying the hospital stubbornness.
Rei reached up into the cabinets and pulled out a box of easy-cook noodles, humming to herself as she prepared the stove. Johan glanced over while he sighed, taking in Rei's appearance with an amused sweep; she'd grown since the last time they had talked at Duel Academia.
That was during Judai's and the others graduation.
Now, it was during Rei's second year, and she'd grown even more - Johan could see a hint of a curvy figure underneath her pink sweater and black cotton shorts, and a confident, strong aura surrounded her. She was slowly turning into the woman she was destined to be.
It made Johan smile, happy that his and Judai's friend was doing well. Judai'd be pleased to hear she was doing well, too.
"So, Johan-kun…"
"Hm?"
Distant clattering was heard, followed by Rei's exclamation as found the seasoning for the noodles. "How did you find where I lived?"
Johan smiled, his eyes an endless depth of sheepish emerald. "Phonebook." A soft nudge pressed against his cheek. 'And, of course, I had some help with the directions.' He sent Ruby a grateful smile as she appeared on his shoulder, and reminded himself to thank Judai later.
Rei just nodded once, and proceeded to stir the softened noodles. "Sorry it's quiet. My family is out shopping for Christmas." Her tone seemed lonely, almost sad, but it was well masked under a nonchalant lit, one anyone would look over if they weren't observant or familiar with her.
Johan saw through it with a careful, calm stream of patience.
"I see. I hope they don't mind me suddenly showing up." He stated. At her confirming noise, he continued, not wanting to allow her to focus on it. "Anyway...uh..." He glanced around the kitchen, peeking in through the doorway to sneak glances in the living room, at the tree in the corner decorated in satin red ribbons and decorative, shimmering orbs. Presents were wrapped and placed neatly underneath. "Did you finish your Christmas shopping yet?"
"Nope. I still have to get something for Maruchii." The lonely tone was a bit more prominent, and Johan, as he leaned his cheek into his palm, took a careful note of it. A note for what or who, he didn't really know.
"Oh, well, that's good." Johan replied.
Ruby bounced up on the table, and smiled at Rei with an invisible smile placed on her muzzle. Johan laughed quietly as the little spirit proceeded to bounce on the counters, sniffing the cakes and pawing at the present Rei had placed carefully on the counter. Rei looked over her shoulder once as she noticed Johan's laugh, in Ruby's direction yet seeing nothing, then she turned back to the noodles.
"Ah, done."
Johan offered her a lazy smile as she placed the bowl in front of him and took her place next to him at the table. Johan scooped up the noodles as his stomach roared its hunger, offering Rei a simple "Thank you" as he proceeded to eat. Rei watched quietly, resting her cheek in her palm.
"Johan-kun…"
The gem Beast duelist looked up, stands of saucy noodles hanging from his lips. "Mm?"
"I…" A hint of red tinted her cheeks. "I never got to say thank you."
Johan tilted his head, his blank stare causing Rei to sigh slightly, shaking her head with an amused smile than seemed slightly annoyed, yet somewhat comforted. She ran lithe fingers through long raven locks.
"Remember back at the Academia, when I was…sick and Judai-sama was dueling Ayukawa-sensei? Judai-sama told me you took care of me."
The room was quiet, only a soft rushing outside of unnoticed falling snow was heard before Johan slurped up the noodles with a slow gulp. "That was a while back, Rei." He smiled again, a surprised curve of his lips. "I mean, you're more than welcome, but what brought that up?"
Rei only flushed lightly, giving a quiet scoff. "I…hadn't seen you much since then, and I didn't get to thank you when you left back to your school. I just remembered it when you arrived, honestly." She glanced away, her eyes strong yet she seemed uncomfortable. Johan tilted his head, but remained quiet.
"I don't…forget things like that, Johan-kun. Or people like you, for that matter."
Johan blinked, then leaned back into the chair, hearing the chair creak softly. He offered the younger girl a genuine smile, and rubbed his electric spikes with a calloused palm sheepishly. "I see. Well, it was nothing really." The smile on his face faded, a soft change as it shifted into a frown, and Johan allowed his gaze to glance out at the falling snow. Rei frowned, slightly bothered by the sudden stillness in the room, but allowed Johan the silence; he seemed to be contemplating something.
"Oh, that reminds me…"
The young teen tilted her head.
"Your present from Judai. Why don't you open it?"
Rei deadpanned. 'Well, that's not what I was expecting…' She gave him a teasing smile. "But it's still three days until Christmas, Johan-kun."
"So? You can make an exception for Judai, right?"
Rei shook her head lightly, and then laughed. "Anything for Judai-sama!"
Bouncing up to retrieve the gift, Johan smiled as Rei picked it up, watching as an unseen Ruby waved at her with a happy swish of her tail before going back to sniffing the small cakes. Rei plopped down into the chair and kicked her bare legs, the sound of the rubber bottom of the slippers sliding against the floor as she kicked her feet in excitement.
Carefully unpeeling the paper as she sent Johan an excited giggle, she ripped open the awkwardly-wrapped paper with eager tears. The red bow drifted to the floor as it followed the shreds of paper, and Ruby pounced on the bow, kicking it into the air with her small purple paws.
Opening the box, Johan saw the surprise take over her expression as a soft gasp left her lips. He leaned over the table slightly, curiosity taking over as he peeked into the box.
Rei smiled, a soft blush painting her cheeks as she pulled out a copper-brass oval hairpin, decorated with a small ruby gem in the center surrounded by gold studs, outlined with sleek obsidian metal that shimmered underneath the kitchen's florescent lights. Rei tracked the curved outline, smiling at the small, intricate patterns of bells at the top and bottom of the pin.
Johan smiled as the joy that radiated from her filled the room. "It suits you, Rei."
With a laugh, Rei pulled up her flowing hair and rolled it into a bun, nudging her head to call Johan over to place the pin in the center of the bun. Johan laughed and obliged, standing and walking over to pick the accessory with gentle care, clipping it into her hair with a smile.
'Good job, Judai.'
As he took his place back in his seat, he saw Rei fumble around in the box to pull out a small sheet of cardstock. Johan watched as her eyes scanned the paper, and then a smile tugged at her lips. "I'm going to go get changed, and then meet you outside." She stated, bouncing off to slip through the kitchen doorway, down the short hallway to the living room and then up the stairs, whistling happily. Johan shrugged to himself, deciding to humor her as he shot a glance at Ruby.
"C'mon girl, let's go."
Ruby gave a content trill and leaped onto Johan's shoulder in a fluid jump, swishing her tail as Johan walked out from the warm house and into the cold world of chilly wind and falling snow. He stuffed his hands into his baggy black jeans, feeling the cold air slip and burn the empty space of his lungs. He let the chilled air burn and exit his body in a steady rush. Ruby looked at Johan and tried to copy him, eliciting a laugh from the Gem Beast duelist as her strained, confused expression.
Casting his face sky-ward, he let the snow kiss his skin and he found himself being pressed with a sense of unnerving calm, a rough punch of jitter nerves and anxiousness that seemed to plague him whenever peace and quiet was at the strongest levels around him.
"Looks like we'll have to travel soon again, huh, Ruby? Maybe enter some more tournaments?" Johan said aloud, absently, almost as if it was a forced habit, a practiced questioning to the silence around him.
Suddenly, a blast of snow surrounded him at all sides, and as he watched the flakes fly past him, he staggered forward with a surprised gasp.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Rei standing near the doorway, a coy smile on her lips as she tossed a snowball in her gloved hands. Her red sweater was slowly being covered in snow, the frozen rain more visible against her black slacks.
"That…" He grinned at her as he scooped up snow. "…was a cheap shot."
Rei laughed, the sound happy and proud. "Just following orders, Johan-kun." She replied as the rolled the snowball carefully in her hands. Ruby jumped down into the snow, darting at falling snowflakes as her friend eyed the younger girl curiously.
"Let me guess, Judai told you to?"
"Maybe."
Johan laughed loudly, the sound booming in the quiet snow, and Rei soon chimed in with a softer laugh, giggling loudly as Johan started to throw snowballs with lazy accuracy. She shook the crystals from her hair, batting thick eyelashes to sweep away the snow and sending the male a friendly grin, throwing a snowball and laughing as it landed just below his neckline.
Several neighbors nearby peeked outside at the two teens, smiling as they continued their snowball fight in blissful peace as the snow fell to the ground, the world around them faultless and alive.
Rei fell to the snow-laden ground, spreading her arms out wide as she laughed, out of breath. Feelings of gratitude swept through her as she smiled, glad that Johan had come to visit to chase away the loneliness in the house for a little bit – her family was always so busy during the season until the last minute, and even though she didn't want to focus on it, Martin wasn't able to come down to Japan like she had hoped. Even though the loneliness was still there, and even though she didn't know Johan all that well, she was happy.
She was even happier when he gave her one of the best gifts she had ever gotten – and from Judai, someone of un-measureable importance and meaning to her, no less.
To Rei, even though all of it was simple in theory, she knew it was important, vital to her happiness.
It was a simple thing.
Comments and critique are always welcomed.