Luna had nearly all her Christmas shopping done with her presents wrapped under the Cram School tree. New sweater knit knee high socks for Shiemi, Kamiki, and Paku, a popsicle maker for Rin, a new reading light for Yukio, for Takara she bought a pajama set for his bunny along with an eye pillow for him, a brightly colored orange graphic tee for Shima, and a life like stuffed cat doll for Konekomaru. She had even gotten gifts for Lightening and Shura. The only person she had left on her list was Suguro. What do you get the hot headed, fitness obsessed, hottie that is Suguro Ryuji? She was at a loss. They had been dating for only a few short weeks so she didn't want to get him something that was too outlandish, but at the same time she wanted it to come from the heart. She knew how important gift giving was in Japan and she didn't want to offend him by getting him the wrong gift. She walked with Shiemi around the shops of the downtown district.

"What about a tie?" Suggests Shiemi as they pass a shop with men's clothing in the window.

"Well he always wears his uniform tie for classes, and when he's not in uniform he likes to dress more casually." Luna rattles her tongue in her mouth making a raspberry sound. "This stinks! How did I let Christmas Eve sneak up on me and not have a gift for Ryuji?"

Shiemi wraps her arm around her friend's hooking it into the crook of her elbow. "Don't worry Luna. You'll find the perfect gift." She smiles and rubs her arm with her other hand while looking at the window of the next shop.

Luna stops, turning she touches the glass with her gloved hand. "That's it. That's exactly what I want to get Ryuji!" Luna had stopped in the window of a leather shop.

Shiemi looks into the window. "You want to get him a new belt for Christmas? That's not a bad gift… I guess."

Luna shakes her head. "No, look at those leather gloves. They are perfect. He always has his hands shoved in his pockets because he hates knitted mittens and gloves. He says he can't do anything until he takes them off, but with leather he could easily grip things and his hands would stay warm." Luna smiles and then looks at Shiemi excitedly. "Let's go in."

Luna leads the way and Shiemi follows. When she opens the door a bell rings and the smell of leather fills their noses.

"Ohayōgozaimasu!" The clerk calls out.

Luna and Shiemi answer back. "Ohayōgozaimasu!"

Luna walks up to the desk. "May I see the men's leather gloves like the ones in the window?"

The desk clerk nods and pulls out a wooden box with several different pairs, sizes, finishes, and colors of leather and then another. "Do you want to look at fur lined leather gloves too?"

Luna was overwhelmed by the sheer number of gloves that were already in front of her. "I had no idea you would have so many options. Is it okay if I just start with this for now?"

The clerk nods, "Yes, of course. Let me know if you need me to help you with anything else." She then walks over to a shelf and starts straightening things.

Shiemi runs her hands over the gloves. "These are beautifully made. I wonder if my mom would like a pair."

Luna looks up at her teasingly saying. "Are you stealing my Christmas gift ideas?"

Shiemi doesn't get the joke and she looks down at the ground tucking her hands into her kimono. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"

"Shiemi, I'm teasing!" She smiles and pats her on the shoulder. "If you think your mom would like a pair then get her a pair. She and Ryuji will never know that we double gifted."

"Okay." She smiles sifting through the white and pink ones. "What color do you think I should get?" She looks up just as overwhelmed as Luna felt when they first came out."

"What color is your mom's winter jacket?" Luna grabs a pair of black gloves putting her hand in one of them to see the size and what the regular lining felt like.

"Purple."

"A dark or a light purple?" Luna asks looking up.

"Light purple." Shiemi looks up at Luna's hand. "Those are nice."

Luna looks at her hand too. "Yeah, I'm not sure on the size though. The lining on these are so soft. I bet the fur lined ones are amazing but I worry that Ryuji's hands will get too warm."

"Oh that's a good point." Shiemi scuffs her foot on the floor. "My mom's hands are usually cold so I think the fur lined ones are what I should get her."

"Should we ask the clerk to get those out for you?" Luna looks at her shy friend.

"Yeah… could you call her over for me?"

Luna smiles with a nod. "Sumimasen." She waves at the clerk. "Can we see the fur lined gloves too?"

The clerk smiles and nods walking quickly behind the counter to help them. "Are you done looking at these ones?"

Luna shakes her head. "I'm still looking but my friend would like to see the other ones."

"Hai!" She bows and then disappears around the corner coming back with two more boxes. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita" Luna bows.

The clerk bows back.

"So Shiemi I think if your mom's jacket is light purple you should go with white… or the pink is really nice."

"I like this shade of pink the best." She slides her hand into the glove. "Oh these are so soft." She wiggles the fingers till her hand is completely in the glove. "Luna you need to check these ones out too."

Luna leans over the box and reaches in looking at a peacock blue pair. "This color reminds me of a scarf my mom used to have." She starts to tear up. Clearing her throat she shakes it off. She missed Christmas with her family and even though it had been nine years since her parents' deaths she still felt the sting of them not being there. Every Christmas she wished that she could be with them.

"Try them on." Says Shiemi.

Luna runs her hand over the brightly colored soft leather as she pulls them from the box. She looked at the tag. "Size Medium rabbit lined fur gloves." She slides her hand in wriggling her fingers in the holes. "These are really soft." They reminded her of Wendall and Alfred's wolf ears. "I wish my mom was still here so I could buy these for her." She sighs. "I'll just have to live vicariously through you today Shiemi." She smiles and puts the gloves into the slot they were in. Looking back at the gloves in front of her. "I think I'm going to get these for Ryuji. The leather is just thick enough to keep out the cold but still malleable for working outside."

Shiemi nods, "And I'll get these ones for my mom." She holds up the pink pair that she was eyeing up the whole time.

"Excuse me! I think we are ready to check out." Luna calls over the clerk.

The clerk smiles while walking over. "I'll meet you at the register." She puts the gloves away before meeting up with them. "Good choice these are a nice sturdy pair of leather gloves." She says to Luna. "Do you want this gift wrapped?"

"Yes please." Luna smiles with a slight bow.

"3500 yen." She slides the payment tray over to Luna.

Luna puts her money on the tray and slides it back with a nod.

The clerk takes the money putting it into the till. She then quickly wraps Luna's present in a box with festively colored wrapping paper. "There you are. Thank you for shopping with us." The clerk says while handing Luna a bag with her gift inside.

Luna bows, "Thank you so much."

Shiemi pays and had her mother's gloves wrapped too.

She and Luna then start to walk out. As they are opening the door to leave Konekomaru and Ryuji are coming into the store.

"Moryama, Luna, hello. Doing some last minute shopping?" Konekomaru says while holding the door open for them.

Luna and Shiemi walk out into the street to talk to them as Konekomaru closes the door.

"I just checked off the last person on my list." Luna says with a smile.

Suguro smiles rubbing the back of his neck. "I imagine in a place like this you were here shopping for Lightening."

Shiemi starts to speak but the clerk from the store interrupts her. "Excuse me Miss but I believe you forgot your purse on the counter."

"Oh!" Shiemi looks in her kimono where she would normally keep it. "I did. Thank you I'll be right there. Excuse me guys." She bows.

"I'll come in with you Moryama-san." Says Suguro holding the door open for her.

"Thank you." Smiles Shiemi.

She and Suguro go into the shop.

"So are you going to the party that the Okumara's are throwing tonight?" Konekomaru asks Luna.

"Yes, I'm pretty excited. I haven't been to a Christmas party in a long time. Plus I can't wait to eat Rin's food again. He's an amazing cook."

Konekomaru laughs. "Yeah, I bet he's going to be making something super fancy for Christmas." He scuffs his foot on the ground. "So what should I get Neko for Christmas? I have no idea what to get her."

Luna brushes her hand along her chin and grabs her lip with her forefinger and thumb sliding it down until she runs out of lip. "Well she's always keeping track of everything she does in an agenda book. I think the one she has goes until the end of this year. So that would be a great gift for her. I would do one with a cute picture on the front of it like Buddha or a kitten. She likes cats a lot."

Konekomaru beams bowing to her. "Thank you Luna that's very helpful."

She bows slightly back. "You're welcome. Do you have all the rest of your shopping done?"

Konekomaru nods his head. "I'm really just out here shopping with Bon. Lightening has kept him from getting to do any of it until today."

Luna nods. "Lightening definitely keeps us on our toes."

"Oh that's right you apprentice with Lightening now too. How did you manage to get all your shopping done?"

Luna shrugs her shoulders. "The right gifts just fell into my hands for everyone. Except Ryuji I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to get him." Luna pats her bag. "But I think I have the perfect gift for him now."

"The perfect gift for who?" Suguro says walking up behind Luna with Shiemi by his side.

Luna turns with a start. "Everybody!" She says louder then she intended. "Did you get your purse Shiemi?"

She nods her head. "I also helped Suguro pick out a gift for Lightening."

"Oh nice! Did you get him a new leather hat to go with his gloves and jacket he always wears?" Luna asks looking up at Suguro.

"You'll just have to find out later on tonight." He smiles at her teasingly.

"You're no fun." Luna jokes.

He reaches out and brushes some hair off her cheek with a cold ungloved hand.

Luna smiles looking up at Suguro. "Come on Shiemi I want to stop at the sweets shop and see if I can find something to bring to the party."

"Mmm… Sweets!" Shiemi says in a trance.

"Bye guys see you later." Luna waves and then winks at Suguro.

His face blushes and he turns to walk with Konekomaru to their next destination.