Hey! The second part of this fic is up! And let me say... HAPPY NEW YEAR! May this new year be better than the last and filled with many joys and blessings!

Enjoy this update!

Home for Christmas

Pairing: Kai/Popuri (Kaipuri)

Popuri had never seen such a thing before…

So many people, walking the streets, all going to so many different stores to buy presents… It was amazing…

When Kai had taken her to the mall, as he called it, to choose presents for each other, Popuri's gaping and awe had made the seasoned traveler break out into fits of chuckling whenever Popuri would stare too long at a particularly revealing dress, or the price tag on a pair of earrings at an expensive jewelry store.

Yes, Popuri felt like Dorothy in Oz as she walked through the streets of the city, her husband as her guide…

But after a few days of being in the city, Popuri began to think back…

To her Christmases in Mineral Town…

Her mother would get in spirits and would somehow acquire the will to make Christmas dinner, the smile never leaving her face even as she and Rick would try to dissuade her from working too hard. Rick would bring home a tree with Karen's help and they would have to rearrange all the furniture to fit the tree in there. It was so chaotic, Christmastime… but why did Popuri love it so much, then?

Elli would make cookies for everyone, Ann would invite everyone into the Inn on Christmas day to exchange presents, Zack would always give Popuri a beautiful present her ordered from the city, a fatherly smile on his face. And Stu and May would play with her in the snow, and Mary would tell stories by a bonfire on the beach while the townspeople drank cocoa.

Back then, Popuri had always wished that Kai could join them during that joyful time. She thought that all it was missing was Kai; that if he were to come back then she would truly have the most wonderful time.

But she learned that she could only choose one; Kai or Mineral Town… Kai or her family and friends…

So Popuri chose love, and although she would always miss being Rick's little sister, or Lilia's little girl, or Stu and May's playmate in the snow, or being one of the townspeople of Mineral Town, she put those aside to be Kai's wife…

And she's never regretted it…

Until now.

The city that they were staying at wasn't home. Heck, it wasn't even snowing! How could it be Christmas without snow!? There weren't even any festivals! It seemed like everything about this city revolved around buying things and working… not friendship and love like it had been back home.

Over her time there, Popuri began to act more and more childish, even throwing a tantrum when Kai told her they couldn't go ice skating because, well… there was no ice to skate on. Poor Kai had stayed outside the bathroom as she wallowed in there, wondering what it is that he had done wrong.

Popuri did feel guilty for feeling that way. She was married; she should be devoted to her husband, not wishing that she was back home. The fact was that she had married a traveler. It was wrong to try and change his way of life just because she was part of it. Wasn't it…?

But she couldn't help the way she felt.

She would snap at Kai and throw fits and tantrums and make his life difficult as much as she could. Kai was a patient man; that was one of the things that Popuri loved about him. To wait so long to see her each year and not see any other girl… Popuri had always flushed deep scarlet when she thought of how muck Kai was devoted to her…

But even Kai's patience had limits…

It was on Christmas Eve.

Kai had made plans to go have dinner with his friends, but after Popuri locked herself in the bathroom again and had refused to come out, his plans for the evening were foiled.

Popuri had never had a fight with Kai. Yeah, she had fought at him but Kai had never fought back; he'd been calm and collected and had never raised his voice at her. But that day was different; Kai was fed up with Popuri, and well…

"I did not marry a child!" Kai suddenly yelled from behind the bathroom door. She could imagine Kai making fists, running his hands through his jet black hair in frustration, "What the heck is your problem!? It's like you're trying to make my life miserable!"

"Well then maybe you should divorce me!" Popuri screamed from where he was curled up on the bathroom floor.

"Maybe I should!" Kai screamed back even louder than she had.

"Fine!" Popuri shrieked.

"Fine!" Kai screamed back, and then he slammed the door to the hotel room.

A few seconds of an unnatural silence passed in the room, and Popuri stayed equally silent, not even breathing. Finally, after a full minute, she spoke. "Kai?" she whimpered.

The door creaked open again. "What?" Kai asked, voice angry.

"I thought you left…"

Kai snorted. "Where would I go, Po? To my other wife's house?" he asked sarcastically.

"I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Popuri asked cynically, pulling out a piece of toilet paper and dabbing at her puffy eyes.

Silence again. "No." Kai said simply.

"No what?" Popuri asked, holding her breath.

"I wouldn't like that…" Kai muttered, his voice barely audible because of the door that stood between them.

"You wouldn't?" Popuri asked, sounding very childish and vulnerable at the moment.

"Of course not, Po," Kai said, sounding a bit closer now, "I love you, why would I want another wife when I have the perfect one right here with me, locked in our hotel bathroom on Christmas Eve?"

Popuri got up, hand on the doorknob. "You mean it?" she sniffled.

"Of course."

The lock clicked and she opened the door slowly, revealing a very worried looking Kai. "Can I be you wife again…?" Popuri asked, her eyes avoiding Kai's and looking down at his shoes instead, "Can we not get a divorce?"

Kai brought her into his arms and she rested her head in the crook of his neck, taking in the familiar smell of sea salt and of the kitchen. "I wouldn't divorce you for all the money in the world…" he laughed a little, "And you are and always will be my wife… so I don't know why you're asking me if you can be my wife again."

They stayed like that for a little while, until Popuri sniffled a little into Kai's shirt and muttered, "I'm sleepy…"

Kai said nothing. He just picked Popuri up bridal style and carried her over to their bed. He set her down as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Popuri snuggled into the covers contentedly while Kai sighed and sat down.

"Why are you so sad all the time?" he asked.

"It's not you," Popuri said sleepily, "I just… miss home…"

Kai sucked in breath through his teeth, making a hissing sound. "It's nor\mal for you to miss your friends and family… especially during the holidays. I used to miss you so much when I during winter back then. I'm just really happy you're here with me."

Popuri smiled. "Me too… I just miss mama, and Ricky… and Karen… and Zack. I miss Ann, and Elli and Mary's stories and making snowmen with Stu and May and the way Doug makes hot chocolate. I miss the snow… and the festivals. I miss home."

Kai sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I can't give you home… I told you that."

"I know. And I'm happy, Kai. I just, miss them."

And with that, she fell asleep, leaving a very sad Kai alone. That is, until, a light bulb flickered on in his head.

…-…

"Po, wake up!" Kai said happily, shaking his bride awake.

Popuri woke up slowly, but when she did she furrowed her brow. It wasn't morning yet… why was Kai waking her up in the middle of the night.

"What… happened…?" Popuri asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes drowsily.

"I have an… early Christmas present for you," Kai said, loving the way Popuri instantly got out of bed and regarded him with alert, sharp eyes.

"Really?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Yup," Kai nodded, the big smile never leaving his face.

Popuri squealed like a little girl and Kai dutifully covered his ears until she finished. "It is a necklace? Or a bracelet? Ooh! Or a ring! Or that dress we saw in the mall that I loved so much!?"

"None of those things," Kai said shaking his head, that secretive, excited smile still not wavering at all, "It's a surprise… and, well… I can't give it to you here, so… get dressed."

Popuri obeyed and threw on some clothes that Kai had prepared for her, a bit suspicious when she saw that it was winter clothing. Why did they need winter clothing? It was eighty degrees out there!

Kai wouldn't answer any of her questions, and when she was finally dressed he lead her out of the hotel room and out onto the street, where a taxi was waiting for them. "Now, you have to close your eyes until I tell you, okay?"

Popuri nodded excitedly and let Kai cover her eyes with gloved hands as he helped her into the backseat of the taxi.

…-…

"Are we there yet?" Popuri asked for the millionth time.

"No," Kai replied, happy as ever.

Five minutes passed. "How about now?"

"Almost."

"Are we there yet?" she asked five minutes later, a bit annoyed by the darkness.

"Yes," Kai said cheerfully as the taxi came to a stop.

He helped a giddy Popuri out of the car, told the taxi driver something and took her by the hand, leading her up some stairs. "No peaking," he warned her.

"Or else what?" Popuri challenged him.

"I'll be very sad…" Kai said with a pout, that although Popuri couldn't see, she laughed at, imagining it in her mind.

"Okay… I wont look…" she told him in defeat.

"That's all I ask," Kai said with a smile.

A few blind steps later, Kai opened a door and Popuri cringed when she was hit by a wall of freezing air. "What happened!?" she demanded.

Kai just shushed her and kept walking, leading her down a hallway. "No peaking, remember…"

Popuri just grunted in response. Finally, when it had gotten even colder and Kai led her down a few steps and had whistled shrilly at someone, he leaned into her and whispered that she could open her eyes, his warm breath ticklish on her ear.

When she finally opened her eyes, she gasped…

It was an ice skating rink! And it was… snowing!? Snow was falling from the ceiling!

Popuri shrieked with glee as Kai smiled to himself in satisfaction and pulled out two pairs of ice skates, putting them down again when Popuri jumped on him, still shrieking. "Oh my Goddess! Kai! How did you do this!?"

"I have connections, Po," he said happily in a bragging manner.

"I love you! I love you! I love you!" she repeated over and over, nearly strangling her husband.

After she calmed down, Kai regarded her with another secretive smile and brandished two slips of paper. "What's that…?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in an effort to read the writing on it.

"These?" Kai asked, playing the fool, "Oh, they're just tickets," he shrugged dismissively, "No big deal."

"Tickets… to what?" Popuri was almost afraid to ask.

"To a ferry," Kai said, dragging out every syllable as he twirled the paper in his fingers, eyes focused on the wall.

"Where…?" Popuri asked, hope welling inside of her.

"Oh…" Kai said, scratching the hair behind his bandana, "Silly me. I forgot to tell you?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, sorry… They're to Mineral Town, naturally," he finally said, dark eyes looking at Popuri, eager to see how she would react.

If the prior reaction was big, this one was even bigger. She shrieked, screamed, hugged Kai, kissed him, shrieked some more, jumped up and down…

It took her even longer to calm down this time, but when she did, Kai gave her even bigger news. "We're going to get there early tomorrow morning so we won't miss out on anything," Popuri shrieked again, "Look Po," Kai said, drawing her close to him, "It was selfish of me to take you away during the best time of the year to be with family. I have no family, at least not the type you want to be with… and I should've known that it's better to spend it with your- well, our family than just by ourselves in any random town… From now on, we'll be staying at Mineral Town summer and winter… if it's okay with you, you know…?"

Popuri couldn't help it. She started crying. "You're the best man ever…" she told him.

"I know," Kai said, acting smug, "Now.. we have an hour to enjoy the rink… so, shall we, miss?"

Popuri nodded. "Yes, Kai…" she said tearfully.

And they skated for an hour. Well, Popuri skated. Kai just fell on his butt several times. And after that, they boarded a ferry where they slept almost the whole night… And guess what?

They made it home by Christmas.

I LOVED this one. A LOT. Probably as much as the Grary one. I guess I now like Kaipuri a lot too!

Well, please review and I hope that you liked this one! The next pairing I'll do will be Cliann! So tune in next time!