AN: Hey all! It's been a good while since I wrote my last Ami and Makoto fanfic...and I figured why not give it another go. I still love these girls together. c: So woo. First chapter!
Ami Mizuno sighed. It was that time of the year once again. You couldn't walk down the street without seeing a window display of Santa and his elves in the shops or through a café without having to smell the overpowering aroma of gingerbread. People, although in good cheer, we're rather rude when it came to shopping. Ami had experienced this first hand three years ago while searching for a Christmas present for her mother. She learned valuable lessons that night; never stand between a menopausal woman and a nice shawl. Yes, Christmas was surely upon them she thought as she watched in mild amusement as a child threw a tantrum outside a toy store.
Clearly Christmas wasn't top on Ami's favorite Holiday list. It never was. She was always pawned off on some unlucky babysitter the night of Christmas Eve when she was young. There was no Santa Clause, no magic; just promises from her mother that she could have anything she wanted when she came back from work late the next morning.
Ami shoved her hands deeper into her coat pocket, keeping close to the road as she went. Maybe, just maybe this year would be different. After all, she had her friends. And by some miracle, her mother had gotten off on Christmas Eve. She had the evening preplanned in her head already. Ami would prepare a traditional Christmas dinner then she and her mother would exchange gifts and maybe watch a few Christmas movies while sipping homemade eggnog. A perfect, quiet evening.
All the others had been disappointed when they revealed each of their plans. Most of them would be away and had no time to plan a party. Usagi was going away with her family to visit her grandparents and Minako to England with Rei. (As the two we're officially an item.) Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and Hotaru would be spending the evening with one another as a happy family, just as they should. Makoto hadn't revealed her plans but Ami figured she'd be out and about. She blushed slightly, remembering she herself was a bit disappointed that there would be no pre-Christmas party. She would have loved to have had spent time with Makoto.
Ah, well Ami said to herself with vindication. That was life; and the reason why they were meeting today, nine days before Christmas. They would spend their last day together trying to find gifts for one another to exchange when they all got back.
"Ami-chan!"
Ami's head snapped up and she smiled as she spotted Usagi jumping up and down excitedly, animatedly moving her arms in a windmill motion. The others stood around her, laughing at her antics.
Ami jogged closer to the group, just now realizing how cold it was. She shivered slightly and squeaked as Makoto pulled her into a hug with a smile.
"You look cold! Why are you wearing this thin little jacket? No mittens either! For shame, Ami!"
Ami swatted her arm playfully, "Mako-chan! I'm perfectly fine. I don't like wearing those big jackets. They get in the way."
Usagi grinned, lumbering around the pair of them, "But they're so warm! And when I fall, it hardly hurts!"
"I don't think Ami is as ungraceful as you are, odango." Rei said, smirking slightly. Ami giggled. Rei's voice held no malice but still it managed to set Usagi off.
"Minakkkkooo!" She mewled pathetically, her lower lip jutting out in a grandeur pout, "Your girlfriend is being mean to me! Make her stop!"
Minako pulled Usagi closer to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "There, there Usagi. Don't let mean ol' Rei bother you. Mina will make it all better!"
Rei crossed her arms, stifling a laugh at Usagi's blush, "Mamo will have a fun time hearing about this, won't he odango? Stealing my girlfriend…the very nerve of you!"
Usagi cried out flustered, "I would never Rei! I promise, never! I have Mamo!"
Makoto laughed, grinning, "Enough, enough. Look what you're doing to the poor girl!"
Ami smiled, patting Usagi on the shoulder, "Rei's kidding, Usagi. She knows you're only teasing."
Usagi flashed her a grin, the light-hearted bantering now behind her, "Right! Let's go shopping then! We've only got four hours until the district closes and I need all the time to pick out the right gifts!"
With an enthusiastic whoop Minako charged forward, dragging behind a bewildered Rei through the snow. Ami finally broke down into laughter, holding on to Makoto for support. Leave it to her friends to make the holidays fun.