((Just a cute piece in my AU written in about an hour for my friends. :) ))
The Christmas Stake Out.
Naoto's toes wiggled beneath the warm plushy blanket as she kept an unblinking eye on the back door. From her vantage point on the couch, she had a clear view of both the front and back entrances to the Dojima residence. Everyone had decided to stay over at Yu's uncle's house on Christmas Eve, mostly because they were so worn out from the party. Naoto, however, planned ahead. She picked up a mini cup in both hands and sipped on tea. It had gone cold about an hour ago.
The lights were turned way down low, save for the multicolored soft aura of the Christmas tree casting its glittery net through the room near the television set. Her friends were spread out through the house, fast asleep.
The padding of tiny feet across the mat didn't even draw her watchful gaze from the back door. One sniff of the air told her who it was.
"What are you doing awake?" Yosuke rubbed at his tired eyes.
"I'm on a mission," Naoto's ears stayed forward to listen as she took another sip of cold tea.
Confused, the little fox scratched at his own ears and jumped up onto the couch. "What mission?"
"What are you doing awake? I thought you were sleeping with everyone else?" She ignored his question.
"I had to pee and saw you out here on the way back and wanted to know why." He pulled part of the blanket around himself and sat in the crook of the armrest. It was a large enough blanket that it could easily shield Kanji, the tallest member of the group, from the cold. Consequently, he was asleep on said couch. "What mission?" He yawned.
Her eyes narrowed sternly at the door. "I await the coming of Santa Clause."
Yosuke grinned broadly. "Great! I'll stay up with you." His tail tapped the couch cushion excitedly. He'd heard so much about this fabled bringer of awesome presents. They even went to the trouble of making cookies earlier that day for him. Seeing as it was the first Christmas for these two animal demons, it seemed only right they should have the full experience. "You can't wait to see what he'll bring you, either? I want a new bike, and a new handheld console, and some CDs, and maybe a hoola hoop."
"A hoola hoop?"
He nodded.
She shook her head. Silly fox. "I'm not interested in any of that. I intend to catch him in the act."
One of his pointy ears cocked downward in curiosity. "Of...giving...presents?"
She kicked his hip in a light. "No, you idiot," she stated.
He yipped softly. "Then why? I don't get it. Why else would you want to catch him?"
Naoto straightened her back with a serious air, putting on the most adult mien she could manage while exhausted. "Rumor has it that for years, a large man in a white beard driving an unregistered sleigh pulled by -whatever reindeer are- chooses this one night out of the year to systematically hit every house in Inaba, aiming for world domination. He's become known as a master of stealth, breaking and entering into hundreds of homes, and no one has caught him once. Whether he's Human or Yokai, no one knows. I intend to changed that."
"You mean, Santa Clause could be from our world?" Yosuke's eyes widened in wonder at the possibility. "That would be so cool!"
"He drives a flying sleigh, and he manages to rack up an impressive amount of break-ins in the course of a single night, so it's a possibility we can't ignore." She pulled her giant phone -left unchanged by her transformation skill-from beneath the blanket and propped it up against the side of Kanji's leg so the camera faced the tree and the back door. Her resolve strengthened. " I will capture video evidence proving his guilt, and take him into custody. Tonight, Santa Clause's dubious days of home larceny will come to an end. Inaba will no longer await the coming of this criminal every year. They will sleep soundly in their beds, and I, Naoto Shirogane, cat demon bound to Kanji Tatsumi, will be the one to bring them a new era of peace."
Yosuke just blinked at her soliloquies as the snow drifted down lazily from the night sky, unaware of the plan hatched within the warm home. He opened his mouth to speak, but soon closed it again. "You're kinda weird, Naoto."
"This is going to be a long night. You should go back upstairs to your Human. This is a stake out for professional, serious detectives."
He glanced to the stairs, then back. Normally he'd leave her be to her own devices, but this was a rare opportunity to see Santa Clause. He couldn't let it pass. "Can I eat steak with you?"
"...There's no steak involved."
"Then why call it a 'steak' out?"
"You sound like Chie. And it's spelled 's-t-a-k-e.' Not 's-t-e-a-k.'" She looked to him, not prepared to have the option of a partner involved. It curled a smile on her tiny lips. This might be enjoyable, dare she venture to say...fun. "An extra pair of eyes would help the investigation." She gestured to the door as he scooted over next to her to cozy in and watch. "This house doesn't have a fireplace, so that is the most logical point of entry."
Both cat and fox stared at the door.
And stared.
And stared.
The little fox-boy yawned deeply.
The minutes dragged on. His head bobbed in fatigue, his eyes holding up the lead weights sleep. He'd been tired to begin with, and this waiting wasn't helping. Gradually, he slid to the side until he was resting on her shoulder. The last thing he remembered was the lights of the tree, and wondering which presents would be his. Also, how come the word 'stake' hadn't drawn Chie downstairs?
As suspected, her fox partner failed to defeat the sandman. Naoto would be strong for both of them. She adjusted the phone, ready to click record, and waited. Though in a matter of minutes, she, too, fell asleep. "Hands up where I can see 'em," she muttered, curling up with her Human and the fox. "Your days of breaking and entering are over. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say... can and..." Snooze. The vigilant phone now lay on its side, forgotten, its task left unfulfilled.
Very early that morning, Yu shuffled downstairs with his uncle to help him put together a new bicycle for Nanako. He spotted his fox and the cat asleep on the couch. He smirked, yawned, and went outside to help his uncle as promised, though he would rather be asleep.
The house was warm, his bed was warm, and dammit, it was cold outside.
*Scene.*