Author's Notes: Anyone who knows me knows that I love Christmas time. Anything connected with Christmas makes me go all gooey. I've decided to make a little romance out of Christmas and two young lives. Let's see how it turns out. I rather like the title, so, maybe you'll tell me how cute it is by the end of the story…Here we go.
The Secrets of Santa
"Have yourself a merry little Usako," Mamoru Chiba sang-mumbled to himself as he walked down the icy, snowy street and into the wonderfully warm arcade. As the bells jingled above him, Mamoru noticed a group of girls connected with the aforementioned "Usako" and his best friend Motoki leaning on a counter and scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. This was not looking good. When the blonde one, Minako was it, was actually sitting still to do something, that meant trouble.
"What's up," Mamoru asked warily as he sauntered over to the counter and sat down on a just-barely-tall-enough stool.
Minako spun around quickly, trying to cover up whatever was behind her. "Oh, nothing, nothing. We were just uh…just uh--"
"Writing a letter to Santa Clause," raven-black haired Rei supplied quickly.
Mamoru snorted. "Aren't you guys a little old to believe in Santa Clause?"
"You're never to old to believe," the Amazon Makoto muttered quietly. "Christmas is a time for miracles; Santa will bring you a miracle if you deserve one."
"No, really guys. What are you doing," Mamoru asked, really suspicious now.
"Well, if you must know," Motoki sighed, "We're having a Secret Santa gift exchange for the Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Care to join us?"
"And get some crazy socks and some tweezers? No, thank you." Mamoru was not a frivolous person, and having an extra pair of socks and tweezers that he would never use lying around the house was a waste of space. That space could be better used for collecting dust on his medical textbooks, as well as for stashing his beloved chocolate supply.
"Come on, Mamoru, it'll be fun! All of the girls are doing it, and so am I." Motoki grabbed Mamoru's elbow and led him away from prying ears. "Who knows, you may even get your precious Usagi."
"What!"
"Keep it down! Sheesh! You might as well admit it, bud. I can see the way you look at her and it's nowhere near annoyance. Well, maybe every once and a while it is, but generally, you go all gooey. Frankly it makes me sick, but if it improves your sulky manners, hey. Why not, Mamoru?"
Motoki had a point. Perhaps if he did get Usagi maybe he could impress her with a gift, and then she'd fall head-over-heels in love with him. Maybe that part would take some time, but this could be the opportunity he was looking for. "Well…I guess I could try it. But if anything goes wrong, I'm blaming you."
"Perfect," Motoki muttered. Then, turning around to face the girls he asked, "Who wants some hot chocolate?" After the girls had finished their chorus of yes's , Motoki walked to the back of the counter and began to fill some mugs.
"I bet the Odango-Atama will show up now," Mamoru said petulantly, trying to disguise his elation at this thought.
"Mention the word chocolate and Usagi's there," Minako laughed. "Not that the rest of us wouldn't come running, but Usagi'd get there first."
"Well, with all the practice she gets from running to school in the morning, I'm not surprised," Mamoru mocked. He felt a sharp pain suddenly, as a hand connected swiftly with his head.
"Making fun of me behind my back, Mamoru-baka?" Usagi's angry voice carried from behind his stool, and Mamoru turned around to match the face with the words. Yup. Angry, red face? Check. Hands balled up into fists? Check. Adorable scowl gracing my vision? Sigh. Check.
"That hurt, Odango. Maybe you should take boxing lessons."
"I suppose I don't need them, what with the way I just slapped you upside the head and you didn't notice."
He decided not to mention the fact that he hadn't heard her coming and his back had been turned to her.
"Why don't you two just chill out? You'll ruin the festive atmosphere," Rei sighed, exasperated and perturbed that the annoying duo hadn't just admitted their feelings when they first met. Then, none of the incessant bickering would be present, and she could have a headache-free day, for once.
"Why don't we all pick our Secret Santa's now," Ami suggested. "I have to get home to read Moby Dick before third period tomorrow."
"Shouldn't you already have that done," Usagi sneered, pleased that Ami was behind in her homework for once in her lifetime.
"Yes, but--"
"But she was on a date last night, and couldn't read it then," Minako teased.
"Ami went on a date," the girls cried, shocked.
"Just some coffee! A-And it was more like a study session, anyway," Ami said, desperately trying to recover her image and dignity.
All of the girly chit-chat was getting on Mamoru's nerves. As amusing as he found the idea of Ami out on a date, he couldn't stand female gossip. "Can we just get this over with?"
"Can you just lighten up? You're so negative all the time, Mamoru," Usagi complained.
"Everyone ready," Motoki queried loudly. "Good. Since my sister Lizzy won't be able to join us at the Christmas party, she will be keeping track of who has who."
Lizzy passed around a scrap of paper to everyone for them to write their names on and then passed around a large coffee mug, into which they stuffed the little pieces of paper. Usagi drew first, surprising everyone with a little squeak and a pink face.
"Anything wrong, Odango?"
Usagi, fully aware of the irony of receiving her arch-nemesis as her Secret Santa, lowered her eyes and tried to look away, mumbling, "Nothing."
Mamoru drew next, and daring to hope, opened his eyes. He stared at the tiny piece of paper that he drew out of the pit of the mug, and received, much to his delight, the name that he had hoped for. In squirrelly writing was written the name: Usagi. Mamoru felt like doing cartwheels, but he settled for leaping out of his chair and running out of the arcade with a silly grin plastered to his face.
Motoki couldn't help but snort. Merry Christmas indeed. If Mamoru got his way, hell would finally freeze over, and Usagi wouldn't know what hit her. The pair of them would also have to endure the wrath of Minako if tradition was not observed at the Christmas party when they were inevitably caught under the mistletoe.
Usagi made her excuses and ran out of the double doors moments later. She was headed home to moan and gripe about what to get that miserable man for Christmas. All of the ideas that she had so far involved a rather large rubber mallet, which, she ended up deciding, would not make for a pleasant present.
"Oh, well. I've got…" Usagi counted out the number of days until the Christmas Eve party on her fingers, "twelve days to think of something. That should be enough time, shouldn't it?"
Author's Notes: I really should stop putting updates in my stories; I never do them in order anyway. What's significant about the number of days left 'till Christmas? Will our 'loving' couple be caught under the mistletoe? Or, will they drive each other insane? Stay tuned for some Christmas magic! Ja!