by: darkestbeforedawn
disclaimer: i do not own houshin engi in any way, shape, matter, or form. however, i do own the plot and idea for this fanfic. besides, i am poor and hardly worth a penny. ^^;;
summary: someone is walking the streets on christmas eve. can you guess who it is...? [no yaoi/shounen ai]
notes: basic knowledge of terms used in houshin engi is reccomended, some soft swearing.
[/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/]
The streets were cloaked with layers and layers of snow, the snow fleeting remanants of white grazed the tops of people's cars, themselves, and anything within the vicinity.
I was tredding along beside many other people, all out for last minute Christmas shopping and some there just for the hell of it. Children were singing carols and couples were exchanging hugs and kisses, families at their friends' houses for celebrations.
Me? I'm bored. Actually, I've been terribley and painstakingly (what did pain feel like again? hmmm where was that damn doushi when you need him...) bored for the past century or so. Sadly enough, after the Houshin Keikaku, nothing interesting has happened to grab my attention.
I'm not sure what even happened to the little group of humans and youkai that was in this little scheme of things- not that I really care, or that it matters. But my mind wanders without my permission, and I don't mind about that either.
I look up and I find myself at the Times Square Plaza. This happens sometimes, when I am thinking, and then my feet carries me off to nowhere in particular. I felt a tugging on my sleeve.
"Mister, want a candy cane?"
The child was... cute. Yes, that was the word. Two brown pigtails and a big, toothy grin.
That smile, that goofy look reminded me enough of a certain doushi...
"Sure... why not?"
My gloved hand reached out, taking the offered... stick thing with red stripes. What were these called again?
"Bye bye mister! Hope you enjoy your candy cane!"
Oh yeah... candy canes. That's it... I watched as the happy child raced through the crowd, stopping here and there to hand out more candy canes.
How cute.
I continued my way, twiddling the curvy candy thing between my fingers. I was never good at remembering names, but it doesn't matter. One day, that little girl will grow up, find a potential mate and have offspring. Perhaps, her children will do what she did this Christmas Eve, and continue a legacy.
Maybe, maybe not.
Does it matter? Do I care? No.
I found myself wandering off again, the dimmed street lights pale and dulling against the hanging red and green bulbs from houses, which constantly blinked on and off, candles lining the windows.
I walked up to a house. A familiar one that I've been visiting for a good decade or so, after I found out who the occupant was.
If I remembered correctly, I had something to retrieve. I rung the doorbell and knocked on the door twice, no movement from inside the house whatsoever detected. I smirked a little, amused at my own forgetfulness.
This is /him/ we're talking about. Not even a hurricane can wake him up. Actually, nothing less than a threaten to his life would wake him up.
I pulled out from my coat pocket a set of keys and inserted one in, turning the knob and peeking in, taking off my boots in exchange for a pair of blue slippers. I locked the door behind me.
"You ready to get your kitty back?"
I chuckled. So the man was awake.
"I thought you were asleep old man."
He finally got up from his couch, that folded out to be a bed. Truth to be told, all his furniture could probably fold out to be a bed. Very likely of him.
Those dazed but wise amber-honey eeys gave me a sleepy expression- meaning eitehr to 'shut up' or 'get out of my house'. Probably the latter.
"You know, if you don't enjoy my company, you should've never let me have those keys..."
A fluffy white cat appeared from the other room and meowed, pawing playfully at my pant legs. I smiled and picked him up. My companion yawned and placed a sleeve over his mouth, and began to gush forward with mock tears.
"You've got your kitty now... so you can leave me alone. Besides, you took those keys. I never gave them to you..."
I poked Kokutenko's nose lovingly- or as affectionately as I can muster, and pulled a face at my companion.
"I must say time hasn't changed you a bit..."
"Shinkouhyou..."
I gave my shisou a half-hearted smile.
"Same goes for you... Taijouroukun."
I reached into another one of my pockets while balancing Kokutenko. When I found what I was searching for, I threw the green-haired man the candy... thing.
He caught it, and his eyebrow began twitching.
"Merry Christmas." I whispered.