AN: Here we go, another Christmas ditty, by me, the all great Strawberry-chan! This is going to be a little like Open Eyes, if any of you still remember that XD Three Christmas one shots about our favourite Shaman King Pairings: RenXPirika, AnnaXYoh, & TamaoXHoro. Um, they're all going to be AU, and that's about it. Thanks for reading and hope you have a happy Christmas!
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Envelope
By Strawberry Promises
Christmas one shot
RxP Pairing
12.22.04
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Ren had always grumbled about this annual trip to the orphanage. Every Christmas, his parents suddenly got into a Christmas-y mood and decided to go to the nearest orphanage and choose a child to spend the day with and dote upon.
Of course, since Ren would not participate, his parents or Jun would choose for him.
Ren was still adjusting to the new country. He had lived in China for most of his life and his family had decided to move to Japan.
He already knew the language so that was of no problem. It was the whole I'm-leaving-the-one-place-I've-known-so-now-I'm-going-to-be-surly thing.
So each year when he had to go to a stinkin' orphanage to spend his money on some worthless person, you knew Ren would protest.
Ren was never one for the Christmas spirit but this year, something changed.
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The Tao family walked into the orphanage and was greeted by the familiar faces of the patrons that worked there.
"Good afternoon," said one of them and bowed.
Ren's father responded to the greeting.
As the two of them talked, Jun looked around the orphanage and saw a young girl, around Ren's age. A mischievous twinkle formed in her eyes and she turned to her mother.
"Mama, this year, can I choose Ren's child?" Jun asked her.
The mother looked at her daughter with a strange look. "Sure, dear, is there any apparent reason?"
Jun nodded and let her mother in on her little plan.
The mother and daughter both split into identical grins.
--
"Look, I don't know why I had to get stuck with you, but don't hassle me or talk to me, or do anything that involves me, alright?" Ren spoke harshly to the girl who had to follow him around the whole day.
At first, a frightened look came into her eyes. "No."
"What?"
"I said NO." Pirika raised an eyebrow. "What, you can't hear or something?"
"Why you little --" Ren was cut off by his mother and sister.
"Now Ren, don't hurt this one like you did the others." Jun winked. "And Pirika, don't be too hard on him, he's the only brother I have."
Pirika and Jun had become good friends in the short time that they had known each other.
She smiled. "Of course not," Pirika said, only being a little bit sarcastically.
Jun and her mother smiled. "We'll see you two later then," They waved and walked off.
"Well, I guess we're stuck together for the rest of the day." Ren said, grumpily.
Pirika nodded. "So what do you want to do first?"
"Honestly?" Ren said. "I want to go jump off a bridge."
Pirika raised her eyebrow again. "Well, by all means," she bowed mockingly, her arm pointing in the direction of the nearest bridge.
Ren rolled his eyes. "Haha, funny."
Jun and her mother watched from a distance away. "Those two make quite the couple." They smiled again.
--
An hour had passed and Ren was, surprisingly, enjoying himself. It had been a long time since he had someone to banter insults with.
They were just walking down the street, randomly insulting the other when Pirika stumbled upon a poor, homeless man.
Her eyes widened and turned to Ren, full of pity. "Do you have any extra cash for this man? He doesn't have a home or a family."
Ren scoffed. "Why would I give my money to him?"
Pirika's eyes saddened, instead of sparking up in anger like he had predicted. It was quite a sight.
She turned to the man. "I'm so sorry, sir. If I have anything to give you, I would. I know only too well how it feels to be all alone."
The man nodded to her, smiling. "It's alright, dear. I appreciate the thought."
Pirika smiled back, her eyes bright. She bowed to the man and waved to him as Ren started to pull her down the road.
"Why wouldn't you give him anything?" Pirika asked, sad.
"Because men like him drink their money away and even if you give them money, they probably use it for liquor."
"That's not true." Pirika shook her head and frowned. She suddenly held onto Ren's arm and closed her eyes.
"Hey! Wha..!" Ren sputtered.
After a few moments of trying to get used to the sensation of having a girl on his arm, Pirika opened her eyes again. She did not withdraw her arm.
"What did you do that for?" Ren asked.
"I was praying." Pirika answered simply.
"Praying? In the middle of the street? What for?" He asked angrily.
"For everyone to be fed and warm and happy this Christmas." Pirika flipped her hair over her shoulder, "accidentally" whipping him in the face. "People like you have too much and it's the least you can do to give a little."
Ren shrugged. "Whatever."
The next few hours were strange. As Ren got to know his strange girl, he began to notice things he hadn't noticed before. Like how to snow glistened on the trees, when she pointed it out. Like how the ocean sparkled like jewels under the sun's gaze.
He began to feel this strange and entirely new sensation in the pit of his stomach.
Ren had a feeling he knew what it was, and was scared.
This girl was doing things to him, making him feel things that he had never had any reason to feel before.
All too soon, the day ended. They made their way back to the orphanage and even Ren had to admit, he had fun.
Pirika made him take her ice skating and it turned out that she was natural born skater, while Ren, was as good on the ice as a hippopotamus.
He smiled ruefully as the memory of what happened came to mind.
They both stepped onto the ice and Ren fell. Pirika didn't, obviously and so she began to laugh at him.
Ren didn't like that and tried to get up, only to fail. This made Pirika laugh harder. But she extended a hand for him to get up. He gladly took her offered hand and pulled her to the cold, cold ground which he was currently sitting on.
Pirika stopped laughing abruptly.
Ren chuckled softly as he recalled the indignant look on her face.
"Well, we're here." Pirika said quietly.
Ren started. "Oh,"
Pirika nodded at him. "I had fun. Thanks."
Ren could only nod again. Pirika stood there, maybe waiting for something. It never came.
She sighed heavily and turned to go into the orphanage.
Ren had half a mind to grab her arm and stop her, but had no reason as to why he would.
He let her go.
That night, he regretted it.
As Ren tried to sleep, images of that short azure-eyed girl kept flashing through his mind.
Especially the one when he said he wouldn't give the homeless man money. Her sad eyes were the only thing he could remember when he got up that morning.
Ren looked at his clock. 9:30 it read.
He got out of bed and dressed quickly.
Leaving a curt note for his late-rising family, Ren hoped into his car and backed out onto the street.
He drove aimlessly.
Soon, Ren found himself at the orphanage.
He smiled grimly and walked in.
His eyes swept the room and immediately noticed a head of blue hair.
Ren walked up to Pirika and opened her hand.
He looked anywhere but directly at her. He took an envelope and pressed it into her hand.
"You're welcome." Ren started to walk out of the orphanage when her cry stopped him.
"What's this for? This is over 2,000 yen!" (AN: ok, I have no idea of Japanese currency, and hopefully 2000 yen… is uh… more than 10 dollars.) Pirika gasped.
Ren flushed a bit and turned towards the door.
Pirika practically flew to him. Her arms went around him and she hugged him tightly. "This is for the man, isn't it?"
Ren blushed hotly. "I-I suppose so." He tried to disentangle her arms from him.
"Come on! I want to give this to the man! I want to see his expression!" The look on her face was worth more than 2,000 yen.
Ren would have given five times the amount if he knew this was going to be her reaction.
He realized that she had dashed off and started to run after her.
"Come on, slowpoke!" Pirika grabbed his hand and ran down the street.
Trying to ignore the butterflies that erupted in his stomach the second she had touched his hand, he ran after her.
They found the man quickly.
Pirika grinned at him. "Here, take it." She held out the envelope. "I'm not going to take it back, so you might as well take it."
Ren stood in the background, flushing a bit.
The man nodded dumbly. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me!" Pirika said cheerfully. "It's all thanks to this grumpy dude here!"
Ren muttered something.
The man, grinning as he noticed how tightly Ren was gripping Pirika's hand and how her eyes twinkled with happiness, put an innocent look on his face.
"Oh, would you look at that." He pointed upwards. "Mistletoe."
Ren's eyes widened and Pirika blushed.
The man grinned again and started to back up, "I'll leave you too alone." He winked at Ren.
Ren flushed again.
Pirika stood on her tippy-toes and lightly kissed Ren on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Ren-kun." She said.
He blinked and pulled her into his arms.
"Merry Christmas." He said. And he meant it.
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Whew! That was a pretty long one shot! :D Well, hope you guys liked that! I have a lot of Christmas things to post so keep your eyes peeled! ;)
Like I said, there are going to be two more chapters after this; a Yona chapter and a HoroXTamao. All will be AU and of course, Christmas themed.
Thanks for reading and please review!
