Mako's Wrapping Party

by Vchanny

All characters are copyright of the talented Naoko Tacheuchi. I own nothing.

~*~V~*~

It was the week before Christmas, and just a few days before the holiday party Makoto was throwing. They had decided on Makoto's apartment because Ami, Minako and Usagi still lived at home, and Rei's grandfather had some event planned at the shrine. Mamoru was still away at school—much to Usagi's dismay. This was his last year abroad, however, and next year things would be much more cheerful.

Mako didn't mind—no matter how stressful planning such a thing was. The holidays had always been kind of rough for her since her parents passed. Any time she could be with her friends instead of being alone was a blessing. She loved Christmas anyway. The presents, the decorations, and baking. Oh how she loved to bake. She may be able to wield magic as a senshi, but she always felt the real magic was in the kitchen.

The party just a few days away, she had invited the girls over to wrap gifts and help with any last minute decorations. Minako and Usagi were the only two available—Ami busy studying, and Rei helping her grandfather—so she decided to decline any help in the kitchen. Those two were both a disaster when it came to cooking. And she honestly wasn't sure if she'd replaced her last fire extinguisher or not yet, now that she thought about it.

Makoto loved Christmas time.

That morning, however, she'd received a wedding invitation in the mail from an old friend. The friend her old senpai choose over her. To say her mood had been soured was a vast understatement.

Kino Makoto would carry on, though! She would have fun with her friends, and forget about that, now burned, invitation. It was now a pile of ash sitting in her trashcan. Nothing to fret over.

The girls had just settled in the middle of her living room with all the gifts. Strategically, Mako had separated gifts for the two blondes, and decided to wrap them on her own later. She began wrapping some things, while the other two fought over who got to use which roll of wrapping paper.

"Oh, guess what!? You'll never believe what Naru told me today!" Usagi exclaimed, after winning the prized roll.

Minako looked up from the gift wrap she was struggling with, trying to get the tape off her finger, "Oh? What's that?"

"You won't guess?" their princess whined.

"Oh come on, Usa, we know you want to tell us. Don't make us guess," Mako replied, as she expertly tied the ribbon on her package. It became clear to her when she looked up at what they'd wrapped, that it'd be pretty obvious which gifts she'd been in charge of. One of these days, she'd whip these two into shape when it came to these things.

"Oh, fine!" Usagi pouted. "Well," she looked at them both, making sure she had their attention, "Apparently, Umino proposed last night."

Minako squealed. Mako crushed the paper roll in her hand. Both set of blue eyes looked in her direction, as she violently began opening a shipping box with a pair of scissors.

"Uh... Mako?" Minako questioned. "You alright over there?"

Mako's eyes snapped up, completely unaware they'd been staring. "Oh. Yeah. I, uh... yeah. I'm fine."

"You sure?" Usagi asked suspiciously.

"Don't tell me you had eyes for Umino!" Minako teased.

Makoto glared and then stood up. "I have to go check on the cookies."

As she left the room, both blondes shared a glance at each other. Usagi shrugged her shoulders. Minako peered over at the entrance to the kitchen before returning the shrug, and they silently went back to what they had been doing.

Only a few moments passed before there was a loud noise from the kitchen. Usagi and Minako sprung up, alarmed. "The COOKIES!"

The two scampered across the apartment, tripping over boxes and wrapping supplies to the entrance to the kitchen. They arrived to see a red faced Makoto, and a stack of baking sheets on the floor.

"Uh, Mako...?" Minako repeated herself.

"Are you okay?"

Mako balled her fists before grabbing another sheet pan and slamming it down on the ground. "Those stupid idiots are getting MARRIED?"

"I didn't realize you felt that way about Umino and Naru..."

"No! No, no, no.' She frantically waved her hand, dismissing the statement. "Not them. The idiots!"

"You're going to have to help us out here, Mako. Who?" Minako asked as she bent down to start collecting the pans.

"Senpai!"

Both blondes made an 'o' with their mouths as they realized what she meant. Makoto had revealed to them years ago that a boy she had liked choose her friend over her, and ever since, she couldn't help but compare other men to him. Instantly, they both had their arms wrapped around their friend.

When the tears dried, Makoto found her voice. "I'm so sorry, you guys. It's just this time of year, and the stress from this party, and then I get this wedding invitation in the mail today... I lost it. I'm so sorry. I always wanted my own family, and to have it thrown in my face like that..."

"But, Mako," Usagi said warmly, placing her hands on her friend's face, so she'd look at her. "You have a family. We are your family. And we will always be here for you."

Now, all three were crying. And now, Mako needed to bake—whether or not there were two blonde disasters trying to help her. Baking would make it all better. It was magic, afterall.

"Ooh!" Minako squealed. "Let's make gingerbread people to be them. And then you can snap them in half!"

"I like it!" Mako replied with a thumbs up, her mood completely cheerful again.

FIN!

AN: Just a quick thing that popped in my head the other day while I was wrapping. I was going to have her just stressed from the holidays, but then I felt like there needed to be something much worse than just party planning stress.

I'm hoping to add to Crystal Tokyo Shorts, soon! Especially now that V Returns is completed.

Happy holidays!