I don't own the characters; I just write them for my own amusement.

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The list was daunting.

The paper, thin, delicate, and slightly torn at the edges from constantly shuffling it around in his pocket, was no wider than Sora's thumb. Yet in length, it extended from his hand to the floor, through the doorway to his bedroom, around the corner…

"Do you really know this many people?" Riku picked up the list somewhere around the halfway mark and peered at it. Leon: pair of gloves.

"Yeah," Sora replied distantly, scrutinizing his end of the list. The paper slid through Riku's fingers as he continued through names. Max: skateboard.

"Sora, how are you going to get presents to all these people in time for Christmas?"

"What do you mean?" Sora snatched a pen off of his desk and scrawled something on the list, careful not to rip the paper. "It's only the beginning of December… If Santa can deliver all those gifts in one night, who says I can't do it in a month?"

Riku didn't answer, instead focusing on names as they curled like ribbons around his hand. Olette??? (Think about it later). Pence: something with computers (???)

Sora continued talking. "All I need is my Gummi ship and a little determination, right? Besides, I'm already past the J's, even if Jack Skellington ate that tarantula I gave him… Riku, what are you doing?"

His finger was resting between Rabbit: Carrot Seeds and Roo: sweater. Riku almost felt betrayed. He quickly tossed the paper to the ground and shrugged, trying to brush off his hurt. "I was just… looking."

It wasn't difficult for Riku to imagine Sora forgetting him, anyway. The gift list was lengthy already, and Sora was going to have a hard enough time finding the munny for everybody else. What did a stupid list- or even a gift- matter anyway?

But in that moment it tore Riku up inside, shattering any belief that he was good enough,finally, for Sora's friendship.

Sora's grin could have stretched out the door along with his list. "I don't have to have your name on here to tell me what the perfect gift for you is."

Riku looked up, smiling awkwardly, feeling a little silly for doubting Sora- no, for doubtinghimself. "What are you getting all sentimental for?" he quipped. "These gifts aren't going to fetch themselves."

A small piece of paper, unbeknownst to Riku, remained carefully hidden in Sora's pocket:

Riku: Something… something that shows him how great he is.