The True Gift Of Christmas
Disclaimer: I had this idea in January of this year. Since Christmas had past I kept it in my head but expected to forget it. The year has come and gone and I still remember it as plainly as I did the first day I thought of it. So finally, with the season, here it is. And I don't own anything here. This story is from Duo's POV
I knew my face was smashed against that store window, but I didn't care. I had my eyes on that action figure. Someone had created an action figure of my Gundam and me from what they had seen on TV a few years ago, when I had been captured by Oz. I had to see myself in my perfectly modeled perfection. But all I could do was stare. My Gundam was going to be THE gift for kids that Christmas. It wasn't selling anywhere for less that $50, and those were fifty bucks I didn't have. So I did the only thing I could. I pouted and walked back home. I shut the door quietly and headed for the kitchen. Quatre would be the only one at the house. I headed for the kitchen to drown my sorrows with a lot of cookies and milk, didn't matter that Wufei would always smirk and call me Old Saint Duo when I did. It was help for me.
When I stepped into the kitchen, the first thing I saw made my eyes pop out. On the table, as if
waiting for me, was a fifty dollar bill. Quatre had his little blond head in the fridge, so I figured he had planned to put it away and save it, like he always did. I grinned a bit. The kid was rich, and he had the Maguanacs to care for him still. With the skill I had earned in my street days, I snatched it off the table and silently ran out of the room and house.
When the door closed behind me I bolted towards the closest store. Which wasn't very close mind.
Nothing was going to stop me from getting that action figure. But a little boy tried. He was dressed in torn clothes and was shivering. A little street kid, I'd recognize the type anywhere. I used to be one.
"Got any cash to spare mister?" the kid asked me. I had my eyes on that action figure. I shook my head.
"Sorry kid," I said, and kept on my way.
I had a few more buildings to pass before I reached the toy store. It was basically within sight. I slowed down my pace a bit. Then I stopped. Outside a church across the street was a group of carolers
standing by the usual child in a manger scene. As I listened, I began to think of that kid I had passed a ways back. As the carolers song echoed towards me, my fist crumpled the bill I held. I knew what I had to do and I was going to do it.
I turned and walked back to the kid and tapped his shoulder. He faced me and looked up at me with eyes full of hopefulness and innocence. I smiled down at him and opened his hand. Then I put the fifty in it. Something inside me was saying: are you crazy?! What are you doing?! The boy stared in amazement at the bill in his hand.
"Merry Christmas kiddo," I said to him, smiling still. He paused for a second then hugged me in the biggest hug I ever had in my life.
"Thank you sir! Thank you!" he said before running off to where his home was. I stood in my spot in stunned silence. I felt like beaming. I felt like smacking myself. Had I done a good thing or was it wrong? As I stood there, a single snowflake drifted down in front of me. I put out my hand and it landed in my palm. That's when I realized what had happened. With the echoes of the carolers surrounding me, a warm feeling warming me, and a cold, small snowflake in my hand, I realized I was experiencing the true gift of Christmas, the love of giving, and the gratitude of a small child and his family.
Christmas day I opened my presents to find the action figure I had wanted to get so much, and a fifty dollar bill. I spent it on Quatre. I saw that little boy on the street again. He didn't recognize me, but I knew that he was still, and always, remember me. And I would never forget him and the gift the gave me. It was the best gift anyone could receive, gratitude. And I will never lose it either.
Disclaimer: I had this idea in January of this year. Since Christmas had past I kept it in my head but expected to forget it. The year has come and gone and I still remember it as plainly as I did the first day I thought of it. So finally, with the season, here it is. And I don't own anything here. This story is from Duo's POV
I knew my face was smashed against that store window, but I didn't care. I had my eyes on that action figure. Someone had created an action figure of my Gundam and me from what they had seen on TV a few years ago, when I had been captured by Oz. I had to see myself in my perfectly modeled perfection. But all I could do was stare. My Gundam was going to be THE gift for kids that Christmas. It wasn't selling anywhere for less that $50, and those were fifty bucks I didn't have. So I did the only thing I could. I pouted and walked back home. I shut the door quietly and headed for the kitchen. Quatre would be the only one at the house. I headed for the kitchen to drown my sorrows with a lot of cookies and milk, didn't matter that Wufei would always smirk and call me Old Saint Duo when I did. It was help for me.
When I stepped into the kitchen, the first thing I saw made my eyes pop out. On the table, as if
waiting for me, was a fifty dollar bill. Quatre had his little blond head in the fridge, so I figured he had planned to put it away and save it, like he always did. I grinned a bit. The kid was rich, and he had the Maguanacs to care for him still. With the skill I had earned in my street days, I snatched it off the table and silently ran out of the room and house.
When the door closed behind me I bolted towards the closest store. Which wasn't very close mind.
Nothing was going to stop me from getting that action figure. But a little boy tried. He was dressed in torn clothes and was shivering. A little street kid, I'd recognize the type anywhere. I used to be one.
"Got any cash to spare mister?" the kid asked me. I had my eyes on that action figure. I shook my head.
"Sorry kid," I said, and kept on my way.
I had a few more buildings to pass before I reached the toy store. It was basically within sight. I slowed down my pace a bit. Then I stopped. Outside a church across the street was a group of carolers
standing by the usual child in a manger scene. As I listened, I began to think of that kid I had passed a ways back. As the carolers song echoed towards me, my fist crumpled the bill I held. I knew what I had to do and I was going to do it.
I turned and walked back to the kid and tapped his shoulder. He faced me and looked up at me with eyes full of hopefulness and innocence. I smiled down at him and opened his hand. Then I put the fifty in it. Something inside me was saying: are you crazy?! What are you doing?! The boy stared in amazement at the bill in his hand.
"Merry Christmas kiddo," I said to him, smiling still. He paused for a second then hugged me in the biggest hug I ever had in my life.
"Thank you sir! Thank you!" he said before running off to where his home was. I stood in my spot in stunned silence. I felt like beaming. I felt like smacking myself. Had I done a good thing or was it wrong? As I stood there, a single snowflake drifted down in front of me. I put out my hand and it landed in my palm. That's when I realized what had happened. With the echoes of the carolers surrounding me, a warm feeling warming me, and a cold, small snowflake in my hand, I realized I was experiencing the true gift of Christmas, the love of giving, and the gratitude of a small child and his family.
Christmas day I opened my presents to find the action figure I had wanted to get so much, and a fifty dollar bill. I spent it on Quatre. I saw that little boy on the street again. He didn't recognize me, but I knew that he was still, and always, remember me. And I would never forget him and the gift the gave me. It was the best gift anyone could receive, gratitude. And I will never lose it either.