Author Notes: Just a short little story written for my friend maarith for Christmas. Hope you enjoy!
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Mistletoe Misunderstanding
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Inaba would admit that the entire idea of Christmas was a bit foreign to him. At the Bureau, they just had a big party and that was that. But on Earth, things were quite different. Oh sure, they had their parties just as lively and crazy as the Bureau did, but they also had gifts and apparently it was a major deal.
It was a few weeks before Christmas, after a nice afternoon tea with Shinobu, that the importance of gifts was impressed upon Inaba. This came namely in the form of Lum insisting that he gave Shinobu the best gift in the world, because that's what boyfriends did, and then Ataru would have no choice but to give Lum an equally impressive gift to live up.
"But what should I get her?" He asked the oni-girl nervously.
Lum pondered this a minute, obviously thinking more on what she'd like her Darling to give her than what Inaba should give Shinobu.
"An exclusive sign of love, that's what!" She replied cheerfully.
"Like a locket, perhaps?"
She grimaced, thinking back to her fiasco with Rei, "Oh no, lockets are messy. Rings, jewelry, or even just a kiss would be the best."
Inaba blushed at the thought, "A kiss?"
Lum nodded, "A kiss under," she paused, thinking of the right word, "I think they call it missile-toe. Funny name, missile-toe."
"Missile-toe? What's that?"
"It's a plant that grows in a doorway. I suppose it looks like a missile... Oh wait! I know!"
Lum flew down to Inaba's level, whispering in the boy's ear.
"Just do that, I'll set up the rest."
Inaba nodded, not sure what else he could do given his unfamiliarity with Earth gift-giving. Surely, Lum knew what she was doing.
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As Christmas Eve came around, Inaba waited nervously at teashop for Shinobu. He could hear Lum humming to herself as she set up the Missile-toe in the doorway, Ataru was sulking in the corner, and the shopkeeper just kept looking between the oni-girl and the bunny-boy and muttering about "That damn Moroboshi, turning my business into a place for weirdoes."
The small bell rang as the door opened and Shinobu entered.
"Inaba? What's this?" She asked, gesturing to the strange adornment in the doorway.
"M-Miss Shinobu," he gulped as he stood and walked over to her, "Please, come this way."
He took her by the hand and led her to the door.
"I wanted to give you something special for Christmas, Miss Shinobu. I'd heard about this Missile-toe and so...so..."
Unable to help herself, Shinobu started laughing, "Oh I get it now, Missiletoe."
Inaba looked crushed, "Miss Shinobu?"
Glancing up, she saw his eyes and knew at once that he thought he'd done something wrong. Leaning around the large hanging missile, that Lum had gotten from who knows where and decorated with a sprig of green pine and red ribbon, Shinobu whispered.
"Kiss me."
Inaba blushed, fidgeting with his hood a moment before pushing it back and leaning forward as well. The kiss was sweet and gentle and they both smiled as they pulled apart.
"Merry Christmas, Shinobu."
She reached down and squeezed his hand, "Merry Christmas to you too, Inaba."
The couple walked out of the store, hand-in-hand into the snowy winter night. In the shop behind them, Inaba could hear Lum trying to forcefully drag Ataru under the missile-toe for a kiss, and Ataru protesting rather loudly about it. He smiled to himself as he glanced over at Shinobu. Perhaps this Christmas-gift thing wasn't so bad after all.
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THE END