This story was made for Phandalory over at AO3. I just forgot to post it on this account.

Summary: Yuu justs want Mika to have a nice Christmas.

Notes: follows the anime (season 2) ending. This fic also made me realize I literally have no skill for writing gift fics. So I probably will never engage in one again. But it was a fun, very stressing experience.

This Merry Christmas

Yuu thought he hated nothing more than abandoning his friends.

But he was wrong.

He hated watching Mika suffer more.

He hated having Mika not tell him what's wrong. He hated having Mika smiling and telling him nothing is wrong. He hated not being able to do a single damn thing when something is so very clearly bothering Mika.

Yuu hated that more than anything.

Yuu stood outside Mika's door, fingers drumming against his thigh. How should he handle this? Brashly like he always does or with more tact? For the past two months, he did nothing but ask Mika every single day to tell him what's wrong. Obviously, that tactic didn't work. But tactfulness isn't exactly his strong suit. If anything, Mika will question his strange behavior and thinks something is wrong with him.

Ah, screw it and he opened the door, "Hey, Mika!"

Mika sat on the windowsill, a knee hooked underneath his chin. The setting sun cast an unearthly glow on Mika and Yuu felt his heart skipped. An angel clad in white clothes with golden, glowing hair and skin that seems to sparkle sat where Mika was. Then Mika turned, blond curls swaying side to side, and eyes the color of the dawn sky met his, "Oh, Yuu-chan."

Yuu coughed into his hand, hoping his blush wasn't too noticeable. He walked over to Mika and patted him on the back. "What are you doing alone, Mika?"

"Mmm, no reason, Yuu-chan." And Mika looked back to the window and at the setting sun.

"Oh, well, it's almost Christmas, isn't it?" Yuu said, climbing onto the windowsill.

Mika nodded. "In three days."

"So what's your plan for Christmas, Mika?" Yuu asked.

Mika quickly reciprocated, "How does Yuu-chan spend Christmas?"

"Eh, Guren usually takes me out to get some curry while I pester him to let me fight. How about you, Mika?"

"Ah, I don't really recall any Christmases…"

"But there has to be one Christmas you're fond of?" Yuu asked, leaning forward.

"No, there really isn't."

"Not even one?"

"Yuu-chan, vampires don't participate in human traditions," Mika stated quietly.

Yuu stopped and pictures of Mika, alone, bleeding on the white tiles, flashed through his mind. Left behind because he ran away. A vampire because of his cowardice. Mika spends four years by himself all because he left him.

Mika looked away from the window when Yuu didn't say anything. "Yuu-chan?"

"I'm sorry. Mika, I'm sorry I left you. Because of me, you're…" Yuu blurted

A hand rest on his shoulder and Yuu looked up. Mika was smiling. "It's not your fault, Yuu-chan. I'm glad you were happy all those years. As long as you're happy, I'm happy too."

As long as you're happy, I'm happy too. But that isn't enough. Mika deserves more. He deserves the best. And Yuu is going to make sure this Christmas is going to be amazing.

Mika leaned on their makeshift shack they call home for the last 2 months. He watched the sun slowly peaked over the trees and onto the horizon. Another day of living, another day of hiding. At least one plus of being a vampire is seeing the sunrise. Everyday. For the rest of my eternal life, Mika thought bitterly.

"Mika!"

Mika winced at the screech. He glanced over his shoulders knowing only one person who would ever wail his name this loud in the morning.

"Yuu-chan, you shouldn't be this loud in the morning. Everybody is still asleep." Mika scolded as Yuu came running up.

"Sorry, sorry." But there was a bright smile on Yuu's face that showed not even a speck of remorse. Yuu tugged the scarf closer across his neck. "Aren't you cold, Mika? It's like 8 degrees out. You know what? Forget that. I have a surprise for you! Guess!"

Yuu continued to grin, one hand hidden behind his back. Mika raised an eyebrow and tried to lean over to see what Yuu was hiding. Yuu leaped back with a sly grin. Mika sighed and asked "I don't know, Yuu-chan. What?"

"You didn't even guess," Yuu whined but in the same breath, "But, ta-da, we are going tree hunting!" Yuu brandish an ax, raised above his head like a warrior showing off their sword. He pressed it into Mika's hand eagerly. "It's a Christmas tradition to have a tree so we're going to go find one!" Mika shook his head and smile at Yuu's antics. With unbounded enthusiasm, Yuu took Mika's hand into his and tugged. "Now come on! Let's find a tree!"

They spent an hour walking around the perimeter looking for a tree. Yuu insisted they need a pine tree so it's as close as to the Christmas traditions as possible. Mika told him pine trees don't grow in Japan naturally. They walked for 30 minutes before Yuu finally succumb to Mika's pleads of "any tree will do." They spend the next 15 minutes finding the "perfect tree"

"It needs to have the right proportions," insisted Yuu to a skeptic Mika.

After further pleading, Yuu gave into Mika's wishes of picking the tree and Mika choose the first tree he saw.

"It's not even a pine tree. It's not even shaped like a pine tree," Yuu complained, pouted.

Mika raised his hands in defeat, "It's the best we have, Yuu-chan. Now come on. Let's chop the tree down."

Mika gripped the ax in his hands, raised it, and swung it across the trunk. There was a loud crack and Mika paused. He pulled the ax from the tree. A crooked line ran from the base to the tip and Mika give Yuu a look with eyebrows raised.

Yuu looked away, scratching the back of his neck. "Ahahaha…I found the ax in an old warehouse. I guess they're not the newest of the new." Yuu said sheepishly.

Mika sighed. "It's no problem, Yuu-chan." and unsheath his sword. In one single swipe, the tree felled. Yuu sparkle with delight but Mika looked away in disdain and sheath his sword.

"Oh, wow, Mika! You're so strong! Man, I wish I could do that."

"Mm, it's no problem, Yuu-chan."

"Okay, let's get the tree back home. Now how do we get it back? I guess we can always ask Narumi and Kimizuki to-"

Mika bend down, grasp the trunk of the tree with his hands and lifted.

"Come on, Yuu, let's go," Mika said, logging the tree forward with ease. But he paused when he noticed the brunette wasn't following him. Mika looked back and found Yuu was standing still, giving him a weird look.

Tree decorating.

The whole idea turns Mika off. He only tolerates the other humans but to actually spend 3 hours in their presence, frantically searching for anything to put on the tree, was hell. Seriously, why the hell does it matter if the tree has a star at the top? Place a cup on top of the tree and it would have been fine.

Mika stroke the fire with the metal rod, throwing in more branches. Shinoa was mentioning whining earlier how cold it was in the room. If she's cold, then Yuu-chan might be cold too. I'm not doing this for her. This is for Yuu-chan. Mika looked over to their hurriedly decorated Christmas tree. He does have to admit it looks nice, homely, cozy. Mika absentmindedly reached for the metal rod.

"Ow," Mika hissed, dropping the rod. God damn it, I left the rod in the fireplace. How did that even happen? The smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils and Mika wince. He moved to their rusty sink, intending to drench the wound in cold water but paused at the tingling sensation. He watched with interest as his burned hand bubbled and healed. Within minutes, the wound was gone, no scars visible. Weeks of healing done within minutes. Mika sat down on the table and picked at the healed flesh, frowning at the coldness beneath his fingertips.

Wounds never healed this fast when I was half human.

"Mika!"

Startled, Mika banged his knee on the table. He cursed when he heard the table splintered into two. Damn it. Now I got to find a new table. "Yuu-chan?" Mika asked, turning around in the chair.

Yuu stood at the doorway, a large smile on his face, "Come with me! I got a surprise for you!"

"But I have patrol in a few minutes and the fire…"

"Ah, don't worry about that! Kimizuki will cover it!" Yuu said, pulling Mika along and out of the home.

Yuu lead Mika down the beach, bubbling with excitement, and Mika couldn't help but smile at Yuu's enthusiasm. Mika was led to a building, one of the few with a sound structure and few shattered windows. So excited, Yuu forgot the door was a push rather than a pull and struggled opening the door.

When Mika entered, he was bombarded with an assortment of smells. It was not unpleasant nor appealing. A mixture of spices and sweets. A low table lay in the middle. A single candle lit in the center surrounded by two bowls of rice, curry, fried fish, and some kind of black gunk Mika doesn't recognize.

"Yuu-chan…did you make all of this?" Mika asked incredulously.

"Of course I did!" Yuu stated proudly, but at Mika's raised eyebrows, falter slightly, "Well, maybe not the food part. Kimizuki cooked for us but I found the ingredients! Having dinner together is one of the best parts of Christmas!"

Mika smiled and patted Yuu's shoulder, "Yuu-chan. I'm a vampire. I can't eat human food."

"What?" Yuu grew red in the face and his hands moved to his neck, "I-I-I'm so sorry, Mika! I totally forgot, um, uh, oh, here you can feast on my blood and I'll just eat."

"It's okay Yuu-chan. I'm content watching you eat." Mika pushed past Yuu and sat on the ground. Yuu frowned but otherwise buttoned up his uniform. He sat across from Mika and picked up the bowl. Suddenly, the food doesn't look or taste as good. Yuu dumped a spoonful of curry on top of his bowl and ate. Mika was silent on the opposite side, watching Yuu eat with a curious expression. "Hey, Yuu-chan. Is the curry as good as Akane's?"

Yuu gulped. "No, Akane's was much better. Much, much better."

"I'm glad hers was the last human meal I had."

"...Mika."

Mika sat on his windowsill, watching the setting sun. The sun's rays hot across his face. Absentmindedly, Mika touched the UV band on his arm. It's the only thing keeping him from bursting into flames. Mika still remembers the day he went out without his band on. His insides burned. His head felt like a drummer's drum set. His whole mind was being scrambled on a sizzling platter. It was a wonder how he made it back into the shade as discombobulated as he was. And that was only as a half-human. Now he wonders what it will be like as a full-blooded vampire.

His life now depends on a single accessory. Humans certainly don't have that burden.

"Mika, Mika! Are you here?" A voice shouted in the hallway and a few seconds later, Yuu bursts into his room.

Mika turned his head and sighed. "Whatever happen to knocking?"

Yuu ignored him and shoved an object into Mika's hands. Something crinkly and brightly colored. Mika looked down to see a (poorly) wrapped gift in his hands. "Oh, Yuu-chan. You didn't have too."

"Come on, open it!"

"I don't even have a present for you."

"Who cares about that? I got tons of presents in the past. This is for you."

Mika easily undid Yuu's wrapping and place the paper to the side. It's a stuffed animal. Mika realized after a few seconds. With yellow and brown patches. And button eyes… ? A warm, fuzzy feeling flowed from Mika's chest.

"...Did you make this, Yuu-chan?" Mika asked. Yuu's heart fell at the sight of Mika's hesitancy.

"Yeah, I-I-I know it isn't very good but-"

"I love it," Mika stated, a bright smile coming forth then his eyebrows creased. "But, what is it suppose to be? A mutated cat?"

"No,"

"A mutated dog?"

"No, Mika, come on. It's obviously a teddy bear!"

"... oh, oh! I see it now."

"You're lying," Yuu said with a laugh. He got on top of the windowsill with Mika and watched Mika flip his bear over and back. "So what do you think?"

"Yuu-chan, this is the best Christmas ever, thank you…" And Mika pulled Yuu into a hug. Quietly, almost like it wasn't supposed to be uttered, Mika whispered, "I don't think I deserve someone as kind as you."

Yuu blinked at what Mika said and pulled away. "I think I finally understand."

"Understand what?"

"Why you're so sad." Yuu leaned forward until their foreheads touch. A faint blush covers Mika's cheek. "Mika, I don't care if you're a vampire. I don't care if you're not human. Vampire, human, seraph. You're still Mika to me."

"But, I'm a-"

"You're not a monster. You're Mika. Promise me, promise me you'll try to love yourself more."

"I'll try, Yuu-chan. For you, I'll do anything."

Extra:

"You...You...You brought me a car?"

Mika nodded, "I felt bad for not giving Yuu-chan a gift so I found this for you."

"Found? Mika, I-I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't like it?"

"No! I love it! It just that it... makes my gift to you seem lame."

Mika laughed, "Yuu-chan doesn't have to repay me. I like my gift. My cute, mutated teddy bear."

"No, no, no! This is supposed to be your best Christmas! Give me one more day! I'll find you a better present! A present more cooler than a car!"

"Ahahaha, okay, Yuu-chan!"