Title: Loving the Snow
Summary: Hayate dislike snow. It reminds him that he nearly lost the one he loved. Himeno loves the snow. It reminds her that the one she loved brought her back. And now, she wants to make him love it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Prétear.
Pairing: HayateHimeno.
Warning: May contain spoilers for the final episode, fluff.
Loving the Snow
" Where is he…?" Himeno kicked at the piling snow.
" Where's who, Himeno?" A voice asked behind her. Himeno nearly jumped and turned around.
" S-Sasame!!" Himeno exclaimed. The Knight of Sound gave her his usual smile.
" Who were you looking for, Himeno?" Sasame asked.
" …Have you seen Hayate anywhere?" Himeno asked, exasperated.
" Hayate… I think he's back in Leafenia." Sasame replied.
" …He's hardly around these days…" Himeno muttered.
" Well… I think… he doesn't want to see the snow." Sasame smiled sadly.
" What do you mean?" Himeno raised an eyebrow.
" You could say that Hayate doesn't really like the snow… After that time." Violet eyes watched the Prétear carefully. Himeno frowned.
" But… That's no reason to hate it…" Himeno said in a voice of a rebelling child.
" Himeno, you have to understand. He thought that he had lost the one he loved." Sasame reasoned.
" That person is still alive." Himeno argued. " And I'm going to make him like it, the snow, I mean; and Christmas, too, while I'm at it." Himeno placed her hands on her hips. Sasame smiled.
" If you need any help, I'm at your service." Sasame said.
" Thanks. I think I'll need it." Himeno laughed.
" Christmas is in five days." Sasame noted.
" Yeah, and 'kaa-san is holding a Christmas… party… Sasame, you're a genius!!" Himeno smiled. The confused Knight of Sound blinked. Himeno gave him a hug, along with a quick goodbye before she ran off.
" Otou-san!!" Himeno called as she dashed into the workshop.
" Yes, Himeno?" Kaoru said, confused.
" Is Hayate coming in to work?" Himeno asked.
" No, I don't think so. He said he wanted to take a break and he won't be coming in for a while." Kaoru replied.
" Damn. Otou-san, could you do me a favor?" Himeno asked. Kaoru nodded. Himeno smiled brightly. Outside, Sasame had followed the Prétear, and had grasped a little of what Himeno is planning.
" …Alright!!" Kaoru gave his daughter a matching grin. Himeno skipped out of the workshop and stopped, once again startled by the Knight of Sound.
" This is the part where you ask for my help, right?" Sasame asked. Himeno nodded.
" I'm counting on you." Himeno replied. Sasame merely gave a smile.
Hayate grumbled as he heard Sasame calling him in the distance. The Knight of Wind got up and turned around, folding him arms in annoyance. " What?!" He said.
" Don't get angry at me. Himeno's father was calling for you. He said he needed your help in the work he was doing, and it's urgent." Sasame replied. Hayate glared at his best friend before he disappeared in a blue light. Takako came along and shot him a suspicious look. Sasame chuckled. " …Just helping Himeno." He answered to her unspoken question.
Himeno looked down from the far end of her balcony. Well, more like, she peeked from her balcony. As soon as she said the familiar figure of Hayate walking towards the workshop, she knew the first phrase was starting. She sneaked down to the workshop and stood outside the door, listening.
" A Christmas party?" Hayate questioned.
" Yes. I want to invite you. You're my employee, after all." Kaoru smiled. ' And for Himeno.' He added mentally.
" Well… I…" Hayate muttered.
' Please… Come on…' Himeno thought.
" …The more the merrier. We would be happy if your friends came along too." Kaoru tried, referring to the other Leafe Knights.
" …Alright." Hayate finally agreed.
' Yes!!' Himeno cheered mentally. ' I only have five days. I gotta hurry.' Himeno thought, smiling. She took another peek inside and ran off before Hayate could see her.
Five days later, the seven Leafe Knights, along with Takako, found themselves heading for the Awayuki Mansion. As they neared the mansion, they spotted Himeno stood anxiously at the large double doors, waiting for them to show up.
" You came!!" Himeno called happily. Hayate grunted.
" Well, your father invited us." Sasame replied, feigning ignorance.
" Otou-san, huh? I couldn't find any of you guys, or I would have invited you guys myself." Himeno replied.
" Himeno nee-chan!! Let's go in!!" Hajime called happily. Himeno nodded and looked at the grumpy Knight of Wind. A grin crossed her face for a moment before she frowned and stomped over to him.
" Are you that unhappy to see me!?" Himeno puffed her cheeks, glaring at Hayate, who was in turn, startled.
" Err… That, no…" Hayate lied. " I…" He turned to others for help. The older Knights and Takako had apparently decided it's time to have revenge against whatever Hayate did before and walked off to the doors, leaving the couple alone. Himeno gave him a smile.
" Come on, Hayate." Himeno said happily, tugging him along. Hayate nearly blinked. ' She… did it on purpose!!' He sighed before smiling lightly.
" Halt!!" Kaoru's voice rang out just as Himeno and Hayate stepped into the ballroom, where the party was held.
" W-What?!" Himeno asked, blinking rapidly.
" Oh nee-chan~ Look up." Mannen said in a sing-song voice. Nearly everyone in the room had matching grins on their face. Himeno regretted the moment she did as told.
Mistletoe.
" T-T-That w-w-wasn't there when the decorations were finalized yesterday!!" Himeno argued, which wasn't very convincing, given the amount of stuttering.
" It was a last minute addition." Mayune replied.
" Now, now. We're all waiting." Sasame said, smiling widely. Himeno glared and blushed pressed her lips on Hayate's cheek and pulled away quickly. Sure, the two were together and dating, but they weren't comfortable in public.
" Himeno!!" Yayoi called, frowning.
" It wasn't my fault. You guys didn't specify." Himeno replied, quickly stepping out of under the mistletoe before anyone could add anything. Hayate hadn't said anything nor done anything for the past few minutes. Apparently, he didn't find the need to do anything and had been admiring Himeno's dress.
It was a simple dress, actually. She had a pale blue strapless dress that went just above her knees. A light pink bow was tied around her neck at the side and she wore white woolen boots.
" Anyhow, let's start the Christmas party, shall we? It's a casual party so don't worry about anything." Kaoru announced.
The group played party games and had snacks to go along the way. After a good two hours or so, the three young Knights asked for present time and the others promptly agreed. The presents were placed according to the recipient and they each took their time opening their presents and thanking each other. Hayate raised an eyebrow. He received gifts from everyone, even Mayune, but he didn't see Himeno's anywhere.
Himeno shifted as she peeked at the others opening their presents. She had gotten Sasame a new music player, Goh a recipe for various desert, a portable hard drive for Kei, a pair of skates for Mannen, Hajime had a blue-green lava lamp, a lavender flower press bookmark for Shin, a better software for Kaoru, a brooch for Natsue, a new tea set for Mawata, a new dress for Mayune and finally, the lastest novel Yayoi was craving for.
Suddenly, Himeno jumped out of her seat and ran out of the room, despite the cries of her name. Sasame shot Hayate a look, and the Knight of Wind chased, well, more of flew, after the Prétear. Himeno ran all the way to her bedroom and pulled open her desk drawer. " Dammit, didn't you hear me?!" Hayate cursed as he landed on the floor.
Himeno ignored him and took a box from the drawer. " Here." Himeno said, shoving the box into Hayate. " Let's… go back first." Himeno added before Hayate could open the box. She dragged him back to the ballroom and continued to open her present. Hayate sighed. He stared at the box in his hand, ignoring the other Knights and Takako that walked over to see it. The box was dark blue in color, with a silver ribbon tied in a small bow.
It was a necklace, no, two necklaces, actually. The necklace had a thin, metal chain, and a metal pendant of a dove. Hayate nearly jumped as Takako swooned over the necklace. She ran over and dragged Himeno with her in a flash.
" Himeno, where did you find this?" Takako asked, her smile threatening to split her face into two.
" Well… I got it… custom-made. I was so worried that it wouldn't be done on time." Himeno confessed.
" …Will somebody tell us what this is?" Sasame injected. Takako and Himeno exchanged amuse glances before Takako spoke for the blushing Himeno.
" It's a turtle dove. They symbolizes devoted love and it is said that if two people who are in love each have a turtle dove each, their love will last through eternity." Takako explained. T
hankfully for Himeno, Natsue declared that it was time for a ball dance, albeit for only an hour. Mannen, Hajime and Shin went off to have more snacks and play some games among themselves after deciding that they don't really dance.
Takako paired with Sasame, Kaoru with Natsue, Goh with Mawata, and Himeno, despite her internal self screaming at him to just disappear somewhere, paired with Hayate, leaving Kei to deal with Yayoi and Mayune.
As the music started, Himeno looked at anything but Hayate's face. Of all dances, Natsue just had to choose slow-dancing. Hayate pulled Himeno closer to him and removed a hand from her waist to force Himeno to look at him. " Thank you." Himeno smiled.
" You planned all this, right?" Hayate asked.
" Not the party. It was already decided that there would be a party. I just made use of the party." Himeno replied, laying her head against Hayate's chest.
" Why, though?" Hayate asked.
" …Because you didn't like the snow. I wanted to make you like it." Himeno replied.
" …! This… Sasame told you…?" Hayate questioned. Himeno made an agreeing noise. " Himeno…" Hayate started.
" Don't you dare start it with me. I'm here, Hayate. I'm not dead. To you, the snow may remind you of something really bad… But to me, the snow reminds me of something much more important." Himeno said, pulling away to stare into deep blue eyes. Hayate smiled. He reached into his pocket and got out the necklace. Himeno watched him with a surprised sparkle in her eyes.
The Knight of Wind put on the necklace on Himeno as well as his own. He then continued the slow dance, deliberately pulling them close enough to hear the sound of the metal hitting each other.
If anyone asked them, they wouldn't know who moved first. Himeno leaned up and Hayate closed the distance between them. The smiles and feelings lingered on their lips as they pulled apart.
" Now… What do you feel about the snow now?" Himeno giggled.
" …I think… I'm going to get addicted as this rate." Hayate replied, chuckling. The two danced close, simply enjoying the current atmosphere.
" …Hayate?"
" Hmm?"
" Merry Christmas."
" Merry Christmas to you too, Himeno."
A/N: Merry Christmas to everyone out there!!