Disclaimer: I don't own digimon. Never have, unfortunately. Certainly never will.
Special Gift: A holiday Taiora.
As he walked past windows, Taichi Kamiya searched hopefully for the perfect gift. Christmas was tomorrow and he couldn't show up empty-handed, not when the girl hosting the party was his best friend and secret love. It wasn't that he procrastinated. In fact, he had been searching for a gift for weeks now.
He sighed as he took a seat on a bench. It seemed like he'd searched the entire city looking for one gift. He'd even taken his chances on the internet, which hadn't turned up anything. Burying his face in his hands, Tai wondered if he should just give up.
"So what has you sitting out here by yourself on Christmas Eve?" He looked up, knowing that sweet voice too well.
"Hey Sor. I was just out taking a walk, clearing my mind." A lie. But she couldn't know the real reason.
"I see. You should know how excited I am to give you your gift. I searched for ages, but I finally found it. I can't wait to see what you've gotten for me." She smiled joyfully at him.
"I can't wait to see your face when you open yours. It's gonna be great." He didn't quite understand how he had gotten so good at lying, but it was coming in handy. He wouldn't allow for anything similar to the hair pin incident to happen again.
"Well, I suppose I should be going. I still have tons to do for the party tomorrow. See ya!"
"Yeah, see ya." He waved half-heartedly, sighing again. What was he going to do? Just when he thought all hope had been lost, he spied a shop across the street from him. 'This looks promising,' he thought.
As he entered the store, something didn't feel quite right about it. Sure, the lights were inviting, the fireplace was cozy, but there seemed more to this place than met the eye. He began to browse the selection of gifts when a man approached him.
"Hello there, son. Looking for a present for a special someone?" He was short, probably no taller than five feet. He had short gray hair with a medium length gray beard. His cheeks were rosy, and he seemed wider than he was tall. Tai did a double take.
"Why, yes I am, sir. A very special someone. Would you be able to help?" Tai asked. The old man laughed heartily, his belly shaking in the process.
"Son, that's what I'm here for. I had a feeling you'd be stopping by, a mere hunch." Tai looked at the peculiar man. Had he just said what he thought he had?
"Oh, so you had a feeling some poor lad would come strolling through without the slightest clue of what to get for someone special to him. I'm sure this happens every year, right?" He said this more to comfort himself than to receive an answer.
"Of course." The man's eyes twinkled as he said it, a smile played at his lips saying there was more to it than that. Tai shivered. "Let's get down to business then." He began looking down the long rows of display cases, searching for something in particular.
"I don't really know exactly what it is I want to get her, but when I find it I'll know," he stated absently. This man really was freaking him out.
"Nope, it's not here," the man said as they reached the last row.
"What's not here, exactly?"
"What you are looking for, of course. Now, I know exactly where to find it, but I'll need you to come with me to the back to get it." His gaze met Tai's, awaiting his reply. Tai stepped back a pace.
"Why can't you get it yourself? This is your shop after all, I wouldn't want to intrude." That's it. He was making a run for it as soon as the old man stepped away.
"No, you see, the gift finds its way to you. Without your being there, I might never find it. After all, who better to know what you want to give than yourself?" Tai's eyes were wide now. What had he gotten himself into this time?
"It's okay, I'll just make her something. I'll be going now." But as he turned to leave, he felt a gentle hand on his wrist.
"Come now, I insist. You want to get her the perfect gift, don't you?" For some reason, he felt himself being pulled in by the old man. He laughed at himself. Really, what could an old man do to him?
They walked along a corridor, and through a long hallway. When they came out a door, he gasped. The room in front of him was full of elves! All he could do was stand completely still, his brain not knowing what was going on.
"What? But how?"
"Son, I'm full of magic, you have to know. I can go wherever I please in an instant. And when I found that this boy who was full of goodwill and caring couldn't find a gift for the person they loved most, I just knew I had to help. Come now, it's in here somewhere." Tai couldn't help but follow. The poor boy was dumbstruck.
"So you're. . ."
"Not important. What is important is finding this young lady something she will love. Oh, I do believe we've come across it." They both turned to a shelf, where Tai spied the perfect thing for Sora. It was a beautiful shiny silver necklace with a heart pendant. But this wasn't just any heart pendant. It was the heart from her crest. In the center was a red orb which pulsed like fire. He was in awe.
"It's amazing."
"Then it's what you will be getting her. Let's find you a box for that."
After a box had been found and they had made their way back to the front of the store, Tai turned to the little old man.
"What do I owe you for this?"
"Just continue to have as much Christmas spirit as you do now and we'll call it even, Crest of Courage." Tai began to speak when he felt himself being pushed out the door. "Don't wait too long to ask her." He turned around to find the shop had become vacant.
The next day at the party, everyone exchanged gifts with their respective person. Tai had already opened his, which had been a soccer ball signed by David Beckham. He handed Sora hers, and waited to see her response.
She carefully tore at the paper and lifted the lid off gingerly. When the light emitted from the box hit her face, her eyes lit up in more than one way.
"Tai, it's beautiful. Where on earth did you find this?"
"My little secret." He beamed, knowing she'd never believe him if he told her. Tears filled her eyes. "What's wrong Sor? Don't you like it?"
"Tai, it's amazing. I've just never received something this thoughtful before." She threw her arms around him.
"There's something I'd like to ask you." She backed away from him and looked in his eyes.
"What is it?" He had never found the courage before to do it. But after what the old man had said to him, somehow he found it in himself.
"Would you be my girlfriend, Sora Takenouchi?" Her eyes began to well with tears again, this time a huge smile spreading across her face.
"I thought you would never ask." She threw her arms around him again, this time kissing him as passionately as she could. When their lips broke apart, she whispered in his ear, "I love you, Taichi Kamiya."
"And I love you Sora. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." And from somewhere in the distance, he could have sworn he heard a far off 'Ho Ho Ho.'
Hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it. Just a little thing I whipped up last night before bed. Have a Merry Christmas, or whichever holiday it is you celebrate.
~Megumi Fire