DR: FELIZ NAVIDAD! Merry Early Christmas, everyone! Look, I know I really should be updating for my current *counts on fingers* eight stories that I already have running, but I can't seem to find any time. Believe me, as soon as finals are over this week, I will work like hell to get each and every one of them updated. Think of this as a Christmas present to all of you, inspired by the classic song, Baby, It's Cold Outside! Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, it's still nice to get presents, right? Right! So, R&R! This is my first DN Angel story (one-shot or not), so tell me what you think! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME FOR CREATING ANOTHER OC! THIS IS SOMETHING NICE I DID FOR MI ESPAÑOL PROFESSORA! Also, this is not a songfic, it's just based off one. A song, not a story.
I OWNS NOTHIN!
Baby, It's Cold Outside
A big house, filled with an even bigger family, all together for Christmas. This is where we set our scene this Christmas Eve. Inside, there's a girl sitting on the couch with short and choppy red-brown hair, blue eyes, simple jeans and a black, long-sleeved, lacy blouse. In the kitchen is her older sister, washing dishes after the big family had a late lunch. There's a white rabbit with a black patch over his eye in a cage in one side of the room, where the girl on the couch is watching the news.
"The police are not letting down their guard at the museum even for the holiday," A TV reporter announced, "They expect Phantom Dark to appear tonight. They haven't gotten a warning letter yet, but it could arrive at any moment."
"Ugh," The girl sitting on the couch groaned, shutting the TV off, "If I hear one more word about Phantom Thief Dark, I am going to kill something."
"Fwuu!" The rabbit, Bandit, said.
"What do you have against Phantom Dark, Roma?" The sister, Midori, asked as she finished cleaning up lunch.
The redhead sighed. That's me, Roma, the girl on the couch. Christmas Eve, and I was in a majorly bad mood. Not only that, but no one could stop talking about that Phantom Dark, even when they hadn't even gotten a note from him. That's another thing, he's gotta be really cocky to leave notes before he comes to steal an artwork. I mean, seriously, could he get any more conceited that he has to challenge himself with telling the police where he's gonna be and when, and then just flip them off as he flies off with the art under his arm.
There was one more reason why I didn't like Dark Mousy, but that's not something I was going to tell any of my family, much less my three older sisters (they're all obsessed with him).
Just thought I'd mention, I have a GIANT family. I have three older sisters, a younger brother, and nine cousins (on my mom's side; she's only got one brother…), and they were all at my house for the holidays. My nine cousins vary in age, the youngest being eight and the oldest being nineteen.
I dragged myself off the couch, went over and took Bandit out of his cage, and took him up to my room, tossing a comment over my shoulder as I went, "I'm gonna go kick Amiko off my computer and see if Miha is on Chatroom." Miha was my bestest friend in the whole world that moved away two years ago. We're pen pals.
"Kay. Tell her I said hi." Midori called back.
I got up to my door, and, as I grabbed the doorknob, I yelled, "Amiko, if you're on my computer, I'm gonna…" I stopped dead in my tracks as I opened the door. Laying on my bed was a black feather and a note. I put Bandit down on the floor, then I inched over to the note. Knowing full well where that feather came from, I picked up the note and read what I've been dreading for the last two months. In flawless calligraphy in the center of the page, was this message:
Roma,
Hey, you never answered my question the last time we met. I know you're not my biggest fan, but I know I'm yours, and I want to get to know you a little better. Just between us, huh?
So, how 'bout it? Do you want to go on a date with Phantom Dark?
Meet me where we first met, and give me an answer, if you please. You remember that street corner, right?
I'm asking you sincerely, Sakura Blossom. Please?
I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous, even for Dark. I mean, I always knew he was a ladies' man, but to sneak into a girl's room just to ask her on a date? You gotta be kidding me.
I trashed the note, but then I looked at the feather. I flashed back to that night two months ago, when I met Dark for the first time…
It was somewhere around nine or ten at night. I was walking home after my piano rehearsal ran late. I had my messenger bag over my shoulder, containing my sheet music, my laptop, my phone and iPod, and many assortments of colored ink pens. I was wearing my favorite brown half-length duster, a white fleece scarf, and a black velvet dress that reached my knees with pantyhose underneath. I was warm on the outside, but inside, I was cold as the icy wind that tugged at my clothes.
I breathed out, exasperated. Why do I never feel for anything? Outside of family, I'm cold as ice. No real friends, no admirers, no nothing. But I don't care.
I stopped and looked up at the moon. Why don't I care?
Suddenly, a black shadow like a bird crossed the great silver disk. I squinted at it. That thing is too big to be a bird, I thought. In a flurry of feathers, there was a purple-haired teenager in tight black clothes standing in front of me, right there on the corner of 2nd and Main. My eyes went wide. I'd seen that boy on the news too many times to count.
Dark, I thought, Phantom Thief Dark Mousy, standing right in front of me! I smirked to myself, Oh, what Momo, Midori, and Asagi wouldn't give to be in the position I'm in right now.
Dark stood up straight, then, he seemed to notice me. He smiled and started walking smoothly (and with definite swagger) towards me.
"Well, hello," He said, his baritone voice ringing deep in his (well-muscled) chest, "Who might you be, my beautiful Sakura Blossom?"
"Really, that's the best you can do?" I said, an eyebrow raised, "My name's Maishite Roma."
"Roma," Dark slurred, trying it out, "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl, my Sakura."
"Why do you keep calling me Sakura?" I asked him. He chuckled and flicked my nose.
"Because your cheeks are so pink. Are you blushing because you finally get to meet the famous Phantom Dark?" He asked cockily.
"No, my face is pink because it's October and it's windy and I'm cold." I said, rolling my eyes.
Dark laughed yet again, "Need me to warm you up?" He stepped closer to me, and I stepped back in response. We continued going back and forth until my back was pressed up against the wall of the nearest building and there were mere inches between my body and Dark's.
"What would you say to a date with Dark Mousy, huh?" He murmured. I just stared at him dumbly, not believing this was happening to me, of all people.
My cell phone buzzed, signifying I had a text message. It was probably my dad, wondering where I was. I came to my senses, shoved him off of me, and took off down the street. I ran all the way home and didn't look back once. I ran all the way up to my room, ignoring my parents' worried questions, slammed the door, and pressed my back against it. I took a deep breath and slid slowly to the floor. Did that just happen? I felt my chest; my heart was pounding faster than a snare drum playing at march tempo (which is really fast).
I sighed. He really was a womanizer. Was he really that desperate? Geez.
Picking up the feather, I made a split-second decision. I pulled my coat, hat, and snow boots on, then I ran down the stairs, grabbing my cell phone along the way.
"And where are you going?" Asagi, who was reading her magazines on the couch, asked without looking up.
"I'm going for a walk." I lied quickly.
"Should I tell mom or dad?"
"No! Just…" I was pressed for time, "I'll be back soon!"
"Alright," Asagi allowed, still avoiding eye contact, "I'll turn off the alarm so you can come in quietly when you do come back."
"Thank you!" I said as I went out the door.
I didn't know what I was doing, but I wasn't about to stand anyone up, no matter who he was. Phantom Dark or no. I wasn't planning to go on a date with him, but I at least wanted to tell him to his face that I didn't know him, nor did I want to. I may not be a giant Dark fan, but I wasn't one to leave a boy waiting out in the cold for an answer. Especially on Christmas Eve.
I took off down the streets of Azumano, taking the route I usually took to get to my piano rehearsals. There were only a few people out, probably doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. I tried not to run anyone over as I dashed to get to my destination. Only when the few people that were actually out disappeared did I realize how deserted this side of town was. Finally, I reached the corner of 2nd and Main, and I stopped dead. Leaning against the lamp post, holding a bouquet of tiny pink flowers that could only be described as Sakura blossoms, was the Great Phantom Thief himself.
He looked up as he noticed my presence and smiled, "You came, Sa—"
Before he could call me by that absurd nickname, I cut him off. "Where would you go?"
"Come again, Sakura?"
"If," I put major emphasis on the word, "I was to say yes to your…request…" I took a deep breath, "Where exactly… would you take me?"
Dark got a cocky smile, and was about to say something smart, but I cut him off again, "And I'm not saying yes! I just wanted to give you an answer to your face, since it's Christmas and I don't like the idea of giving someone the cold shoulder at this particular time of year! Plus, I was curious… what did you have in mind?"
Dark came forward and held up the flowers. He placed them in my grasp, then he said softly, "I actually didn't think I'd get this far," I nearly laughed, "But, I do know someone who's throwing a little Christmas party downtown. If you say yes, that is."
"How exactly do you know this person?" I asked, wondering if it was the kind of "party" I was thinking of.
"He's my little bro. Sweet kid. He and his girlfriend are celebrating their first anniversary." Dark replied.
I bit my lip. So it wasn't what I had thought it was. I had a momentary inner struggle; should I go with him, should I not? I looked at him, his amethyst eyes glittering, matching the gleam of his perfect white teeth, waiting for my answer.
What the heck, it's Christmas.
"Fine."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'll… I'll go on a… date with you." I forced out. Dark smiled, and moved to stand next to me. He put his arm around me and began walking.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you." He said, setting a steady pace for downtown.
Now, I don't want to seem like I was starting to like him—it was one date—but, somehow, I did feel safe with him. Ha, that's almost an oxymoron: I felt safe with a thief. I knew I really shouldn't be trusting him like this, but everyone needs to be shown just a little kindness on the holidays. That was the only reason I was doing this.
By the time we got to where the party was supposed to be (I noted how big the house was), the place was jumping. Jazzy Christmas tunes blasted out of the open windows, and it seemed like a teen party more than anything.
"How old is your brother?" I shouted over the music.
"Fifteen."
"And how old are you?"
"Four hundred and thirty-nine."
"No, really." Dark laughed.
"I'm seventeen." Funny. I would've pegged him for at least eighteen.
"Roma, were you listening?" Dark asked.
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked you how old you are."
"I'm… sixteen."
"Really? With as mature as you act, I would have thought you were older." I nearly decked him right then and there.
"Be careful what you say around girls, Dark." He cringed.
"Sorry. Guess I'm just nervous." I looked at him like he'd just grown a second head.
"Are you Dark Mousy? The famous Fantastical Phantom Thief? Nervous?" I asked mockingly. He laughed.
"Hey, I'm only human."
"Then how do you explain the wings?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Dark thought about it, as if trying to figure out the best way to explain it.
"It's a long story." He finally decided, "And besides, we got a party waiting for us." With that, he opened the door for me.
There were teenagers of all sorts there. I would guess nearly the entire Azumano High School was there. I saw some people I recognized, and they all waved at me. It seemed like everyone from the sophomore class was there, and they all knew me, even though their own names evaded me.
"You seem pretty popular," Dark said after a while.
"I don't know half these people!" I laughed.
"Hey, Dark!" The thief turned around, and I looked over my shoulder to see a boy with spiky hair so red he looked almost like a tomato exploded on his head. On his arm was a beautiful girl with brownish-red hair cut in a bob. They were both dressed a little formally, the boy wearing a suit and the girl wearing a poofy green and red dress.
"Yo, Daisuke! This is my date, Roma Maishite. Sakura, this is my little brother, Daisuke and his girlfriend, Riku Herada."
"It's nice to meet you, Miss Maishite." Daisuke bowed politely.
I bowed back, "Nice to meet you too, but you can just call me Roma."
"It's nice to meet you, Roma," Riku smiled. Then, her smile disappeared as soon as she laid eyes on Dark. "Thief."
I like this girl.
Riku turned back to me, her brown eyes glittering once again, "So, how'd Dark pick you up? I feel sorry for you, you seem so nice! He probably just shot you a look and tricked you into coming with him, the pervert…"
I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Dark had fallen over sometime during this, and was now laying facedown on the floor.
"Actually, no," I said, "He's been trying to get me to go out with him for the past two months, and I finally said yes, since it was the holidays and I'm not that cruel a person." Daisuke was now stone white, and Dark had not gotten up from the ground.
Riku and I began talking about this and that, and she suddenly became the first friend I'd made since Miha and I met. I met her twin sister, who kept eyeing this boy with blue hair.
"You should go dance with him, Risa," Riku said, elbowing her sister playfully.
"No, what if he turns me down?" Risa blushed.
"Aw, go for it! It's a party!" Riku and I all but shoved her over to the guy—who's name I later learned was Satoshi Hiwatari—and Risa asked him to dance. We began to laugh as he said yes and led the now red-faced Risa onto the dance floor.
"This is a beautiful house," I commented, "Is it Daisuke's?"
"No, it's mine," Riku said, "Niwa wanted to have it at his house, but it's not big enough for the amount of people that we wanted to invite. We thought it easier to move the location than to shorten the guest list."
"Wait, Niwa?"
"Yeah, that's Daisuke's last name, didn't you know that?"
"But… if Dark is his older brother, and his name is Mousy…"
"That's a stupid nickname the thief gave himself," Riku huffed, "His last name is Niwa, too."
"I'm starting to think you don't like Dark very much." I pointed out.
Before she could answer, the Thief himself showed up.
"I'm sorry, Miss Herada, would you mind if I borrowed my date for a moment?" He asked, putting an arm around my waist.
Riku sighed, "Fine. It was fun talking to you, Roma. Make sure to keep in touch."
I promised her I would, then Dark led me onto the dance floor. We began waltzing to a slower song, and I prayed to God that I wouldn't have a spaz attack and trample his feet.
"So, having fun, Sakura Blossom?" Dark asked as he twirled me around.
"Why do you insist on calling me by that silly nickname and not by my actual name?" I sighed.
I could swear that was a pout, "You don't like it?"
"It just… sounds so feminine," I said, sticking my tongue out, "And I am the farthest thing from feminine."
"You don't look like a tomboy to me." Dark said.
"Oh, really?" I asked sarcastically, "And what do I look like to you?"
Dark stopped us, "You are a beautiful young woman who speaks her mind to anyone who will listen."
Talk about deep. "You don't mean that…"
"I do," He said it like he was saying a marriage vow, "Roma, I haven't thought as much of a girl as much as I think of you. Ever. You're beautiful, you're down-to-earth, and you're very trustworthy. You would never let anyone down, even someone you don't like. And I'm here to tell you, you are as much of a girl as Risa Herada."
I looked up at him. Either he really liked me, or he had rehearsed this. I doubted the latter, but I didn't want to believe the former. Even if he was in love with me, I didn't like him at all. I hope he understood that I wouldn't have said yes to a date except for the holiday…
However, he took my silence differently, and bent down to kiss me. I froze. I didn't want this to happen, but I couldn't move myself to stop him. He stopped short and whispered, "I love you, Roma."
"You barely know me," I argued. He shook his head slightly.
"I'll bet you think no one notices you," How did he know that? "But you actually are quite popular. You shut people out, that's why you think you have no friends. I've noticed you for a while now. Did you know I was in your art class?"
Actually, I didn't know he was in my art class. He chuckled and kissed me sweetly.
After the party was over, I insisted that I needed to go home, but Dark held me back.
"Aw, come on," I really hope he was joking, "Are you sure you don't want to stay over?" It took all I had to keep from slapping him square across the face.
"I do have a family, you know, and they're waiting for me." I said, pulling on my coat. Dark snatched up my hat and held it out of my reach.
"Can't leave without your hat." He laughed. I jumped up to get it, and he kept it away from me. He was very quick, snatching the hat out of range just as my fingers brushed it. He whipped behind me and twined a strand of my brown hair in his fingers.
"Come on, Dark, give it back!" I said, reaching for the hat, "If I don't get home soon, my parents will come looking for me! And if they find me here, my sisters will never let me hear the end of it!" Dark put a finger to my lips, that damn cocky smile on his own mouth yet again.
"And why is that, My Roma?"
"Well, my sisters are in your unofficial fan club, and I… well, I'm not."
"I'm not following you." Dark said, his smile disappearing.
"I… well," I avoided his purple gaze, "I don't… like you that way…"
I dared to look back up at him, and his once-cocky expression was now neutral, as if he understood where I was coming from. He backed up, out of my bubble, holding my hat out to me. In silence, he walked me to the door. I suddenly felt guilty; he'd actually put his heart out for me, and I shot him down. The poor boy went out of his way to get me to go on a date with him, and all I did was pity him and go out because it's the Season of Giving. As I stepped out of the house, I turned back around to face him.
"Dark, I'm sorry, I—"
"No, I get it." Dark said, a cold undertone in his voice, "I didn't realize you only accepted this date because you felt sorry for me."
"I never said that—!"
"Kudos for sneaking out without your parents knowing though," He continued bitterly, "Be safe on your way home." He just about shut the door my face, but I would have none of that.
"Stop it!" I shouted, "Feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help your cause at all! Snapping at me just because I don't reciprocate your feelings just pushes me farther from you! If I were you, I'd shut down the Pity Party, get up off my ass, and show the person I love that I really care!" I cooled down a bit, and my heart refroze in the freshly fallen snow after Dark had been able to unfreeze it.
"But I guess you really don't love me then."
He looked at me, shocked, then he snapped out of it, "I do love you."
I turned away, "Make me believe you." Before he could reply, I began walking down the pathway to the street, then I took off running.
What is with me today? I thought, Before, I didn't care that Dark liked me. Now, I'm giving him advice about dating me? He doesn't have a chance, so why am I helping him out?
There was a voice in the back of my head that said, Because you like him back, stupid!
Shut up; I do not!
Do too!
Do not!
If you didn't, then why did you say yes to the date? And why did you tell him to make you believe him?
I stopped. I didn't have the answer to that. Yes you do:
You love him.
I'd only known him for a day, though.
Doesn't take that long for love to sprout.
I shook off that thought. True Love takes more than just a single day to come to. There's no such thing as 'love at first sight.'
Yes there is. The nagging voice just wouldn't shut the hell up!
How the hell do you know? I shot back.
You just experienced it.
I ignored the voice the rest of the way home and snuck into my house. Well, it was past one in the morning, after all. I slipped into my room and, there, on my bed, was the black feather from before. With it was a new note:
Roma,
I'm sorry I acted like such an idiot tonight. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, at least. Just let me say good bye, then I'll leave you alone for good.
But Dark, I thought, I thought you loved me… It brought a tear to my eye.
And it's like they say, if you love something, let it go. Now, I have something for you.
Turn around.
I did what the note said, an eyebrow raised, and saw Dark standing in the doorway to my balcony, black wings extended. I walked up to him, eyes wide with wonder. He smiled sadly and held up a little black choker necklace with an ivory Sakura on it. I allowed him to put the necklace around my neck in silence. He stepped back and began to apologize, but I didn't give him the time. I threw my arms around him in a hug.
He chuckled after a second of shock, "Did I prove it?"
"Yes, yes you did," I laughed quietly. Dark's eyes moved quickly to the square arch of a doorway above us, then back to me.
"There's more, if you'll accept it," He said. When I gave him a questioning look, he winked and gestured upward, "Look up." I bent my head backwards, only to laugh when I saw the tiny branch of mistletoe hanging on a red silk ribbon above my head.
"You really are a ladies' man." I chuckled as the Phantom Thief leaned down to press his lips to mine.
My heart hadn't stayed frozen for long.
Baby, it's warm inside…
DR: So, yeah, I changed the words at the end there. Only because I felt it needed something other than her heart unfreezing. This was inspired by two things. One, mi español professora wanted me to draw her a picture, so I drew a girl in a white shirt, black jacket, and red plaid skirt, with brown-red hair and blue eyes (sound familiar?). And two, I watched Elf recently, and one of my favorite parts is when Jovi is singing Baby, It's Cold Outside in the shower and Buddy goes in the bathroom and sings with her. I had been writing a future fanfic for DN Angel at the time, and I thought, THAT'S PERFECT! No seriously, I shouted that right out in the middle of the movie and my sister looked at me funny.