Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU
A/N: Don't ask me why, I just don't see Neku and Eri being exactly friends. So Neku finds her a tad annoying....don't ask, that's just how I see it...its probably not right but oh well.
The Perfect Gift
No......No....I highly doubt she'll like that, Neku browsed over all the different items before him. Any of these things could be Shiki's gift, but only one could be the right gift. He ran his hand through his orange hair. Since when is shopping for your girlfriend's Christmas gift so hard? He wanted something that would give Shiki that surprised look. That would take her breath away. That would be exactly what she wanted....
He knew Shiki like the back of his hand. He knew Shiki would like anything that had to do with trends and whatnot...the one thing Neku possessed absolutely no knowledge of. He felt like a fish out of water shopping here for her gift. Now is when he wished he hadn't spaced out during all those shopping sprees he had been dragged to.
And now it was Christmas Eve. And he had no present.
Hmmm....This was so much harder than he expected.
He needed to get her something. He had already searched all over the place. Nothing gave him the "This is defiantly it" thought when he saw it. There had to be something in the 104 building. She always squealed at something when they came here. But then again, she would squeal over something one day, and frown upon it the next. But when she found something she really enjoyed, her face would light up and her eyes would be filled with excitement....but Neku never payed much attention to what she was holding....he would usually be focused on how excited she looked...
But there had to be SOMETHING. Something, anything. He didn't care where, he didn't care how much. But he had to find something. Something that would at least show her a fraction of how special he was. He looked at the clothes all lined up...They looked like just pieces of fabric to him.
"Hey Neku," he heard a familiar voice.
He looked up,"Oh, hi Eri."
He found it hard to believe Shiki looked like that, he couldn't picture Shiki as any different from what she really looked like.
"I didn't know you shopped at Natural Puppy," she laughed
"It's not for me," he corrected.
"Oh, are we looking for a last-minute gift for Shiki, perhaps?" she asked in a rather mocking tone.
"Yeah..." he admitted and kept looking, hoping that would give Eri the hint to go away.
"Did you want help? After all, I do know exactly what Shiki likes," she said.
This was true. And Neku was at a completely lost right now. Eri did know what Shiki would like. She could help him prevent coming to the most important person in his world empty handed on Christmas... But the way she said that implied that Neku didn't know what Shiki liked. Eri probably thought this because in her book Neku and Shiki had only known each other for a month or so before they were together. And in Eri's head, that wasn't good enough for Shiki. He always got annoyed at that. Eri had no idea how well Neku DID know Shiki. Eri had no idea how much he cared about Shiki.
But because he didn't want to hurt Shiki's feelings, and he did need help...he could sucked up all those thoughts. And for Shiki he could stand Eri for a bit....only a bit....
Eri noticed Neku spacing out,"So did u want my help or not?
"Sure, thanks," he said.
"Yay! I need to make sure my BFF has the perfect gift anyways," she replied.
And with that, she dived into the pile of clothes. She quickly pulled out a elegant black jacket.
"How about this?"
He looked at it for a second.....then shrugged in rejection.
"Okay then," she kept searching.
Now he would find something for Shiki.
Shiki. He pulled out his phone. Her smile occupied the wallpaper. A soft smile came over him. It had taken him over a month to tell her how he felt about her, and to his surprise she felt the same....
"Okay, you gotta say yes to this one," she held up another piece of clothing.
"...."he studied it,"Naw, I don't think so."
"Fine," she put it back. "A little picky are we," she mumbled.
The decision process became a cycle: Eri found something she was sure to please Shiki, Neku disagreed and rejected it, Eri would put it back, and look for something else, and it would start up again.
Finally, the last item had been rejected.
"Well, that's about everything here," Eri said in defeat. She looked thoughtful, as though making a decision.
Now what,Neku thought. The store was closing, nothing was picked out, let alone bought. He looked carefully through his thoughts. There had to be something Shiki had told him she wanted.
"Hey, you wanna know what Shiki really wants for Christmas?" Eri asked.
"What?" had there been something that Eri had been hiding all this time?
"You guys have been going out for - what a month?"
"Yeah..."A month and 13 days, he thought.
Eri pulled out her cell phone and started pressing buttons.
Neku looked at her with a puzzled look.
"We were texting about a day or two ago and I asked her what she wanted you to get her. Here," she handed him the cell phone.
Neku looked at the small screen, it read: "Hmmm...idk. Oh! I know, i want a kiss under the misletoe, lol jk"
Neku's eyes widen. He was not expecting that.
They had been together for a month, but Neku had never kissed her. It's not that he didn't want to....he really did...he just never got enough courage to actually do it.
"Does that give you a clue?" Eri smirked.
"....."no response form Neku.
"Well, I gotta get going," Eri took back her cell phone.
She started form the door.
"Be sure to give her what she wants, okay?" she gave him a wink and walked away.
Neku looked down at his cell phone for the time.
Oh crap, I'm gonna be late, he noticed it was almost time to go meet Shiki.
He walked out of the store into the cold city. He buried his hands in his pockets and started for his desired destination.
Is that what she really wanted? A kiss for Christmas? Of all things she could ask for....
Well, he couldn't blame her. Neku wasn't exactly the most affectionate person. A while ago he hated people, and now Shiki was the most important person in his world. He really did care about her. Neku knew that Shiki knew that he loved her, it was no secret....but maybe he wanted him to show it more often...
Maybe that's what she really wanted....
Okay, it's decided. He reached the Statue of Hachikō, to find it beautifully decorated with the season. Calming light around trees, a red bow on each light post, a nice writhe on the podium of the statue itself. It really looked like Christmas.
But one thing glowed brighter out of the rest. Someone he couldn't miss.
Shiki.
Standing there, waiting observing the Statue of Hachikō. She turned his direction. Her face light up and she waved. Neku couldn't help but smile. She hurried over to him, walking right into his embrace.
"Hey Shiki," he said as he hugged her. The world seemed so much fuller with her in his arms. He let go, she smiled up to him.
He noticed she had a colorful bag with her, tissue paper sticking out the top...probably his present.
"They really went all out," Neku said referring to the decorations.
"He, yeah, but it looks really nice," she smiled.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Sure thing," and they started walking.
The streets were crowded as always. One reason why Neku used to dislike this city. Huge crowds, noisy. But he knew Shiki loved this place.
"I love Christmas," Shiki smiled at the whole town decorated in lights.
Neku looked down at her. She was looking ahead all smiley.
Neku blushed and looked way, and wrapped his hand around hers.
Shiki looked down at her hand, she blushed and smiled. They went to the WildKat and got a bite to eat. After that they just wondered around just talking. Enjoying each others company, that's all they needed. All they wanted. All the shops were closed so there was no way Shiki could drag Neku to any shopping spree.
Before they knew it, two hours had past. And they had made it back to the Statue of Hachikō.
"Hey, Shiki?"
"Yeah?"
"Um, well, Eri told me what you wanted for Christmas...."
"What?" she asked puzzled.
"Well...." he turned to her. She looked up at him confused.
He took something from his pocket. He raised his arm above their heads and dangled a mistletoe over their heads. Shiki looked up.
"A mistletoe....?"
"Merry Christmas," Neku leaned in and their lips met.
Shiki kissed back and Neku held her close. The world melted away. There was no one else in the world but each other.
They finally pulled back, and the surrounding city came back to their awareness.
"I-Is that what Eri really told you I wanted for Christmas?" Shiki looked down blushing.
"Y-yeah," he responded.
"I'm gonna kill her, after I thank her," she smiled.
He smiled back and kissed her again.
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