Evil Eye
Alleged ability of some people to harm others by looking at them.
As young professional millennials, the Davis twins knew precisely how lucky they were. Their parents had been in the fortunate position to gift them enough money to put a deposit down on a small house just outside of the town where they worked. The twins had then rented out the spare room to a young lawyer, which gave them enough income to cover the mortgage.
Of course, they had had to furnish the house themselves. They had bought beds from a charity shop. Their dining table was donated by a neighbour that no longer wanted it. And their two long squishy sofas and the matching chair had been bought, heavily reduced, in a January sale.
As the only ones in their group of friends fortunate enough to have a place of their own with a suitable space for entertaining, the twins were almost forced into holding the Christmas get together.
It was not a fanciful affair. Yasuhara, their lodger, took it upon himself to cook a Christmas dinner for them all. He took help from his dear friend, Mai, and her flatmate, Masako. As they prepared the food, the twins' work colleagues began on the tree.
Once everything was prepared, while the turkey was cooking, the whole lot of them would pile onto the sofas and watch a suitably festive film.
Lin refused to sit on either sofa, and so commandeered the only chair. He also, for the sake of everyone's sanity, took control of the TV remote. He was the only one trusted not to do something petty with it.
Gene and Yasuhara took up one half of one sofa. Although, it must be pointed out, that they were not dating. Nope. They were just completely coincidentally always sitting next to each other and always laughing at each other's jokes and always blushing when they complimented each other and…
Madoka joined them on that sofa. If only because it put her closest to Lin and the remote.
On the other sofa sat Oliver, Mai and Masako. In that order. This trio was the cause of most of Gene and Yasuhara's amusement.
Lin had started the film some time ago, but on the other sofa, only Mai was paying attention. She had never seen Die Hard before and was thoroughly enjoying the action. The other two though…
"Do you think they are in pain?" Yasuhara whispered to Gene.
Gene replied with a frown.
"Masako is glaring at Oliver so hard, she must be burning a hole through him!" Yasuhara hissed.
Gene giggled.
"Noll is made of tougher stuff than that. But Mai is throwing them both off."
"What?"
"Watch, she switches between them. She'll whisper something to Masako, but every time she jumps at something, she clings to Noll," Gene said in a low voice.
Yasuhara observed the trio for a few minutes and saw Gene's words to be true.
"She has no clue, does she?"
"What she's leading them both on?" Gene clarified. "No, not at all."
They watched the trio for a few more minutes.
"Which way does she swing?" Gene asked.
Yasuhara shrugged.
"You're her best friend," Gene accused.
"It never came up," Yasuhara muttered, looking away.
Gene frowned, but did not press the issue.
"Lin!" Madoka declared suddenly. "Can you pause it? I need a wee."
"TMI, Mads," Gene muttered.
Lin paused the film.
Madoka jumped up and headed to the loo. Masako, meanwhile, began looking around for something.
"You okay?" Mai asked.
"Yeah, just a bit chilly, Gene, do you have any blankets?" Masako asked.
Gene jumped up from the sofa and located a large fluffy blanket.
"Ooh, I want one too!" Yasuhara said. "Find me one, I'm just gonna check on the food."
Gene and Yasuhara disappeared for their respective tasks as Masako spread the blanket over herself.
And Mai.
"There," Masako said, "Now you won't get cold either!"
"But what about Oliver?" Mai asked, completely innocently. She turned to him and gestured to the blanket. "Do you want to join us?"
"Yes."
Mai spread the blanket further, so that it covered Oliver too, oblivious to Masako's glowering stares.
"Ooh, Oliver is nice and warm, Masako, maybe he should sit in the middle," Mai suggested. "If you're really that cold—"
"Yes, I do not mind," Oliver said quickly, smirking behind Mai's back.
"No," Masako said hastily. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Mai asked.
Masako was given no chance to answer, as the others had all returned. Yasuhara had thrown their blanket over himself and Gene.
"Madoka, do you want to—"
"No. I am not third-wheeling," Madoka said. She looked around at the trio and added, "Or fourth-wheeling…"
Only Mai frowned at this, not understanding Madoka's comment. Before she could ask, however, Lin started the film again.
Hidden by the blanket, both Yasuhara and Gene felt a little bolder. Gene's hand crept over to Yasuhara's and interlinked their fingers.
"Just in case it gets scary," he whispered.
Yasuhara did not complain.
"I have an idea," Yasuhara whispered back.
"You do?"
"Yes. But it'll have to wait until the end of the film."
Gene pouted in the hope that Yasuhara would give away more information. But upon seeing Gene pout in the most kissable way, Yasuhara had looked away so that he did not give into any inappropriate cravings.
Gene tried occasionally to get Yasuhara's attention back on him with the occasional poke or exploratory hand, but Yasuhara resisted all temptations.
When the film ended, Yasuhara jumped up to check the food. Gene followed after him and instantly saw Yasuhara's idea.
"Where did you get that?"
"The supermarket, duh. What do you say?"
Yasuhara held up the offending item and grinned.
"Well you know what they say about people under the mistletoe…" Gene said, stepping closer.
"Oh shush you, I meant we'll put it over Mai!"
"So I don't get a kiss?" Gene asked.
"Now is not the time."
"So there is a time?"
"Maybe." Yasuhara coughed pointedly. "Where can we put it that Mai will end up?"
"The doorway, easy. Hand it over, I'll stick it up, then you call Mai in."
Gene snatched the mistletoe from Yasuhara and grabbed some tape from a kitchen drawer. He stuck it to the middle of the door fame and indicated to Yasuhara to call—
"Mai! Can I have a hand?"
Mai, ever the dutiful friend, hurried to help.
As soon as she passed the threshold, Gene grabbed her by the shoulders and planted her firmly in the doorframe.
"Would you look at that?" he called loudly through to the living room.
"Gene, what are you—"
"Mai is under the mistletoe!" Gene finished.
He heard scampering and let Mai's shoulders go free. Mai, being Mai, looked straight up at the mistletoe instead of escaping it's clutches. By the time she looked down, she had several people in front of her.
"Uh…" Mai mumbled.
"Well, it is traditional," Oliver muttered.
"I think you'll find it's lady's first," Masako hissed.
Yasuhara and Gene laughed heartily as the two young people fought — not so subtly — over Mai. They fought for so long, that Madoka swept in and kissed Mai, just to free her from the mistletoe.
"What?" Oliver and Masako both exclaimed.
"You can't—"
"I can and did," Madoka said, laughing. "Come on Mai, let's get some of this food on the table."
Mai, dazed from the entire affair, nodded. Oliver glared. Masako scowled.
"Stop trying to burn a hole in my head, you two," Madoka muttered as she sauntered past, a plate of potatoes in hand.
"Why are they trying to burn a hole in your head?" Mai asked.
"You'll find out when you're older."
Author's Note: Written for Flychan's challenge!
