Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas! Today I bring the gift of KaiHil!
Kai: *wearing a santa hat* Moonlight Serenity doesn't own or affiliate with Beyblade or Mariah Carey.
AJ: Nope!
Kai: On with the fic!
The Christmas Wish
"I don't want a lot for Christmas: there is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own – more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true: all I want for Christmas is you."
On Christmas Eve, the pallid snow was fluttering from the sky in heavy sheets. It blanketed the courtyard of the dojo, the sidewalks, and the streets. It was accumulating quickly.
Tachibana Hiromi pressed her cheek to the cool glass of an overlooking window. She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her ruby orbs again, she looked to the night sky. In the midst of the clouds, only a few, intermittent twinkling stars could be seen in the velvet darkness. She allowed herself to hope to see a shooting star skitter across the blackness so she could make a wish. She'd already been waiting for a while, though.
The BBA was having its annual Christmas party; as usual, Kinomiya Takao was the host. All of their past opponents in world tournaments were present that evening at some point or another. A few people had already left because of the weather, but many remained and planned on sleeping over. Hiwatari Kai slipped from the main room unnoticed to steal another glance at a brunette hiding in the shadows at the end of a hall. When his amethyst eyes landed on her figure, he frowned. She was sitting on the windowsill like she had been for the last hour or so. He cursed softly in frustration. She'd managed to extricate herself from the festivities seamlessly and no one had even bothered her to come back. He wanted her to come back. She hadn't seen him in the last two months and now she wouldn't even talk to him! She always talked to him…
Hiwatari Kai steeled his resolve as he stared at the small girl. He would bring her back to his company. He paced to the end of the hallway and loomed above her. She didn't look away from the sky.
"Hey, Kai," she said tiredly.
"They're doing Secret Santa," he tried to coax her into looking at him. She still didn't turn from her position.
"I know. I already gave my person his stuff – I got Tala a subscription to Play Boy."
Kai's frown became more pronounced if possible. She still wouldn't look at him. She seemed so devoid, distracted, and disinterested. He was quietly disheartened. He and Hiromi always got on so well. Before he'd left for Russia for business, they'd been nearly inseparable. They were always so intimate. She was always by his side. She was always smiling when she looked at him.
Why wouldn't she look at him!
Frustrated, Kai picked up her feet in the sill and moved them so he could sit down across from her. A start shot across the sky in the background. Finally, she looked away from the night and her striking ruby eyes met his orbs. He drank in her appearance. She was a little flushed as the heat returned to her cheeks. She wasn't smiling at him, though. He wanted to see her smile. He wanted to reach out and touch her face. Suddenly, she seemed a little shy and made a strange sound in the back of her throat.
"Hiromi-chan?" he questioned. She made the sound again. It sounded like a mouse being strangled.
Hiromi remembered one of the reasons she'd sat in that particular spot. It wasn't merely because it was conveniently out of the way or a good place to look for shooting stars. It was because Ojii-san had hung mistletoe in that alcove a few weeks ago. She gulped as she looked up at the offender.
Wasn't this what she had wished for?
Kai, startled by her continuing odd behavior, followed her gaze. His eyes widened. "Mimi-chan, I," he started to say. Hiromi cringed and mentally cursed the wishing star. It sounded like he was working out a way to let her down gently. "Don't you want your present from your Secret Santa?" he finally asked.
"No," she tried to control her voice. She started to turn to the window again – she could make more wishes. "I want to stay here."
"You don't have to move," he said slowly. He wanted her to leave this accursed corner and move to his side, but he could be patient.
"I doubt I want whatever my Secret Santa has to offer, Kai-kun," she muttered unhappily. She tried to keep her gloom out of her tone, but failed miserably. "I don't really feel like seeing anyone right now, anyway."
"You don't have to see anyone else," he answered. She felt her heart stutter when she read into another possible meaning of his words. We can see each other exclusively. We can be together. She cherished the idea for a moment before tossing it aside so it couldn't hurt her when it didn't happen. He was going to leave for Russia again after this party like he'd left several months ago.
"What do you mean?" she inquired after she tamed her mind.
"I'm your Secret Santa."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh," she breathed. He rustled around in his pockets for a few moments before pulling something from within the confines. It was a newspaper. He handed it to her. Her brow puckered. It was the housing advertisements for the local community. One of the apartments had been circled in red. The caption under the neat little apartment read sold. She quirked a brown eyebrow.
"It's mine," he contested her unspoken query, "I bought it. I couldn't be away any longer." She blinked slowly. He fished around in his pockets again and produced a small box. He took her hand tenderly and placed the gift in her palm. She looked at him and opened it unsurely. On a pillow, a key rested on a very delicate white gold chain. "It could be yours, too, one day – if you'd like."
The girl raised the key from the box and held it in front of her. She felt a few tears prickle in her eyes and swallowed a lump in her throat. "Oh," she repeated breathily. She scrambled to put the chain around her neck. In her haste, she struggled with the latch.
"Here," her companion murmured and moved closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. His breath tickled her throat as he secured the clasp. When it clicked into place, his nose skimmed across her skin and he pressed a kiss to her cheek as he pulled away. She made a strange sound again.
"I won't leave you again, Hiromi-chan," he promised as he gazed into her eyes. His hand sought the key hanging around her collar and he caressed both the metal and her flesh. She stopped breathing as the same hand rose to her brown tresses and tangled in her hair. He leaned forward and claimed her awaiting lips. He was gentle as his lips moved against her pliant mouth and very pleased when she returned the kiss. After a few moments, they broke the kiss. Kai looked deep into Hiromi's eyes. He looked happy, but also slightly vulnerable. He was searching for something in her expression. "Do you want what your Secret Santa has to offer?"
"Yes," she murmured breathlessly. He'd given her the key to his heart. She twined their hands and nestled into his side. From the corner of her eye, she saw another star streaking across the sky. She no longer had a wish to make, though, as hers had been granted.
"Daisuke desu, Hiromi-chan," he confessed. "Merry Christmas."
"I won't ask for much this Christmas. I won't even wish for snow. I'm just going to keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe. I won't make a list and sent it to the North Pole for Saint Nick. I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeers click. Because I just want you here tonight – holding on to me so tight. What more can I do? Baby, all I want for Christmas is you."
I am embarrassed to admit that I actually like this Christmas song. It's "All I Want for Christmas Is You!" by Mariah Carey. I hope this made sense. I wrote it in an hour. I had time to kill. I'm actually in the Christmas spirit (which is weird for me). I love the gift of KaiHil... so here it is. I wanted to post it today because I know it's already Christmas for some people! It's only Christmas Eve where I am! Heehee! Hilary is all silly wishing on stars and waiting under the mistletoe. Kai gave Hilary a key to his apartment that he bought to prove he won't leave again. Or the key to his heart if you want to check out those underlying meanings. There were a few in this. Oh, and Hilary was wishing for Kai - maybe not a key to an apartment, but still! I mean, that's a pretty good way to confirm that someone likes you - especially if they're not the most verbose.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year! Review, review, review! Pretty please! *holds out virtual candy canes* PWEASE?
Lots of love,
AJ