Christmas had never been Yukimura's favorite holiday.
In fact, he didn't like Christmas at all.
There was something about the cheesy decorations and cute little presents and spirited smiles everywhere that made the whole thing seem fake on every level.
It wasn't that Yukimura despised merriment, no - but the same anticipating grin plastered on everyone's faces kind of unnerved him. Seriously. The streets were bustling with love-dovey couples and last minute shoppers like them, and literally every person they passed was grinning ear-to-ear. It was... unnatural. And really creepy.
"It's too happy around here," he muttered to no one in particular.
"Oh? That's something we'd expect Sanada to say, but not you, buchou," Niou Masaharu noted, ducking behind a purple-haired teen to avoid his vice-captain's glare.
"Really, now? I've never quite liked Christmas."
"Christmas is exceptionally commercialized around here," Yagyuu agreed, "Niou-kun, you can come out, Sanada-kun isn't going to kill you on a holiday."
The trickster obeyed, but kept his distance to be safe.
Yukimura gazed thoughtfully at the clear, blue sky. "Pity," he murmured, "Akaya was hoping for snow."
"Less than ten percent chance of snow tonight."
"Speaking of the bratling, where is he?"
The five of them looked around, but their baby ace was nowhere to be seen. Sanada groaned inwardly. No doubt the kid was getting into some kind of trouble again. "Remind me, why are we here again?"
"Because Marui is a dumba-"
"Language, Niou," Yukimura scolded.
"Marui is a... fool," (Yukimura nodded approvingly,) "and he ate our Christmas cake before the party even started."
"I believe it was his brothers that ate the cake," Yagyuu corrected, never one to place accusations on his friends.
"That's what he claims, but we all know it was really Marui."
"..."
"Anyway, Genichirou, we're here to buy another Christmas cake after Marui's distress call, remember?" Yukimura filled in.
"Yes, I know, but why do we all have to be here? Couldn't we have just sent one or two people?"
"No," Yukimura said, and that was that.
For a while, the group walked in silence, enjoying the sharp taste of the winter air and not really missing Kirihara. And by "a while", I mean no more than thirty seconds, because exactly thirty seconds later a high-pitched wail interrupted their momentary peace.
"Akaya, please, we really can't-"
"BUT I WANT IT! If you just get it for me I'll never ask you for anything ever again!"
"That was what you said last week when we got you a remote-control firetruck..."
"But-"
"And the week before that when we got you a pack of two-hundred multicolored party balloons..."
"But-"
"And the week before that when we got you a Sanada."
"IT WASN'T EVEN A REAL SANADA!"
"And then you tried to kill Sanada by strapping the Sanada-voodoo-doll to the truck, strangling him with the balloons and driving him off the school roof."
"SHUT UP! YOU HAVE PINK HAIR! AND YOU'RE BALD!"
Yukimura decided to step in before his dear kouhai started insulting his upperclassmen about their hair - oh, wait, too late - and calmly shoved them apart.
"Jackal, Marui, you really should be kinder to Akaya, or I'll have to dock your pay."
"But we're not getting paid for this!"
One threatening glance from their captain was enough to make the pair shut up.
"Akaya, what's the problem this time?"
The first-year ace sniffed and pointed an accusing finger at his two "babysitters". "I... I just wanted this train set, that's all... I saw it in the window of that toy store over there, see, it was really cool and made all these noises and spun around this little track, and there was even this conductor man with the teeniest head you've ever seen, but... but they won't let me get it! Not even to run Sanada-doll over with! Not even 'cause it's Christmas!"
"Now, now, it's ok, Akaya. Marui and Jackal are just concerned we won't have enough money to get that cake, but I have some spare cash here. Let's go back and see what we can do."
Yukimura took the crying boy's hand and led him in the direction of the store.
"Genichirou, Renji, I'm leaving you two in charge. Put Niou on a leash if you have to. We'll meet back at Marui's house in thirty minutes."
Yanagi nodded, "We'll call you if there's any trouble," he assured his captain, pointedly shooting a warning look towards their silver-haired trickster. His glare might have rivaled Sanada's if his eyes had been open. Niou was just glad they never were.
"To us! For making it through more than half of sophomore year!"
The eight boys raised their glasses (of soda, don't worry, Marui's parents would never serve alcohol to minors - at not this group of minors) and cheered.
Though they certainly saw a lot less of each other, they had all pretty much stuck together throughout high school. Tennis was something they could all connect and relate through, and daily practice was always eagerly anticipated.
"Except for baby Akaya," Niou pointed out, "Hey, how's it feel being a first year?"
"You're going to die first!" Akaya retorted, crossing his arms.
"Did you know that stupidity decreases a human's average life span by twenty years?"
Kirihara's eyes widened. "Is that true, buchou?"
"Oh, Akaya, you aren't stupid," Yukimura said. ("Stupid enough to believe anything Niou says," Marui muttered.)
"Miyagi-sensei says I am sometimes."
"That's because you failed four consecutive English tests in the last month," Jackal reminded him.
"Thirty-four percent," said Yanagi, who appeared to have been calculating something.
Niou choked on his Coke. "You got a thirty four on Miyagi's English test?"
"No. I mean, he's thirty-four percent."
"... Thirty-four percent what?"
"Thirty-four percent stupid," Yanagi replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"But the other seventy-six percent of him is intelligent as bubblegum!"
"Marui-kun, one-hundred minus thirty-four is sixty-six."
"And bubblegum isn't intelligent. Hence... you."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
As Niou and Marui began their regular bickering, Kirihara Akaya turned to Yagyuu.
"Yagyuu-sempai, is buchou acting strange today?"
"Hmm... no, I don't think so. Why do you ask?"
"Well, he hasn't laughed once today. Usually, Sanada in a reindeer suit always gets him, but he hardly cracked a smile this time."
Before Yagyuu could say anything, the first-year was calling out to Yukimura from across the table.
"Buchou, is something making you sad? Is it 'cause it's not snowing? Did something happen with your girlfriend, cuz it always gets me down when An- mmph!"
Yanagi had clamped a firm hand over Kirihara's mouth. "We need to have a talk," he said before dragging the boy into the next room.
But at this point, it was too late. The room had gone silent, and everyone was sneaking glances at their captain, waiting for something to happen. Only they weren't doing a very good job of hiding their peeks, which made the silence even more heavy and awkward.
After it seemed like not one, but two eternities had passed, Yukimura spoke.
"I should go." He stood from his chair and grabbed his coat.
"Wait, Seiichi, you don't have to-"
"My sister will be getting worried. It's late."
No one else tried to stop him as he strode out of the dining room and through the front door, making as much distance as he could between him and the Marui residence.
Great job, Seiichi. The one night his team had to finally relax, loosen up, and have fun together - and he had ruined it.
The way they acted like he would break down or something, the way the room grew silent and all eyes turned to him - was he really that weak in their minds? Did he really have such power, to strip away their happiness in a matter of seconds, with one simple question from a woefully-uninformed Akaya?
Are they making too big a deal of it, or am I not making enough?
There was no doubt about it, this Christmas was turning out to be more than thirty-four percent stupid.
He hadn't really planned on going home, and the thing about his sister had clearly been a lie (his sister was at another Christmas party with his parents; his whole team knew it).
Instead, he was currently standing before a black iron gate, searching the darkness for a familiar figure.
He spotted her in their usual place, leaning against a smooth rectangular stone.
"Merry Christmas," she greeted as he sat down beside her.
He glanced at his watch. It was nearly 2 AM. "It's not Christmas anymore."
"Oh."
They watched their breath form in translucent swirls, sides pressed against each other for warmth.
"Here," she said after awhile, placing a soft bundle in his lap. White pointed petals poked out from long, green stems.
"You said you like flowers, right?"
Yukimura smiled. She really was a good listener. "Thank you. These are lovely."
Another bundle caught his eye. "You have two."
"This one's for Hiro," she replied, moving the bundle to the foot of the stone, "Merry not-Christmas-anymore, nee-san."
She whispered the last part so softly that Yukimura wasn't sure she'd said anything at all. It was the first time she'd mentioned Hiro in the past week, something tightened inside his chest when she'd said her name.
"She would have loved them."
"I know. She likes pink orchids the best, but I couldn't find any."
"She'd still love them because they're from you."
It must have just been a shadow, but he thought he saw her expression darken.
"Oh, that's right." Yukimura reached into his coat pocket, "This is for you."
He pulled out a small red box. Inside was a silver charm bracelet that he'd gotten at a local jewelery shop. "All chicks dig jewelry," Niou had told him, and seeing as how the trickster had dated nearly every female in school, Yukimura trusted his girl advice.
Niou had been right.
"Pretty," she breathed. The box lay open at her feet and she was holding the bracelet up to catch the glint of the moonlight. She turned the single charm - a tiny angel wing - over in her palm, running her fingertips along the intricate detailing. Engraved in tiny characters on the back was her name, and the name of the jewelery shop.
"This is from Hiro's favorite shop," she said.
He didn't miss the slight tremble in her voice. Was she angry?
No, he must have imagined it.
She looked up at him with a dazzling smile. "I love it."
"Thank god." He returned her smile with one of his own.
"Can I ask you something, Seiichi-kun?"
"Go ahead."
"She can see us right now, right?"
"I'd like to think so."
"Can she read our minds?"
He thought for a moment. "I don't know, maybe. Do they get special powers up there?"
"I don't know, maybe," she mimicked, "Sorry. That was a stupid question, wasn't it?"
"Only thirty-four percent."
"What?"
"Thirty-four percent stupid." It had been the first thing that came to mind, but perhaps the combination of being sleep-deprived and on a sugar high (from all that cake and soda) had put his brain in a coma and was currently running his mouth.
"What does that mean?"
"It means the other seventy-six percent was as intelligent as bubblegum."
The bewildered look on her face was enough to drive a chuckle out of him, and when he realized he was laughing for the first time that night, it only made him laugh harder, and one more glance at her expression sent him into full-blown hysterics.
It felt good to laugh.
"Seiichi-kun, I don't get it."
"That's ok, neither do I," he told her, quickly recomposing himself, "But why do you want to know if she's become a mind-reader?"
"I was just wondering."
"Are you thinking naughty thoughts?"
"No," she mumbled, a deep blush creeping across her cheeks. This earned another chuckle from her companion.
"What are you thinking about, then?"
She closed her eyes, ignoring the question.
"Let's go home," she said when she finally opened them. They helped each other to their feet.
"Do you want me to-"
"No, I can go by myself. Mother will be coming home tonight." There was something in her voice that told him she was lying, more to herself than to him.
"No, she won't be." No point in pretending he believed her. He was sick of pretending.
"I'll be fine."
Her tone was firm and final.
He held the iron gate open for her and watched her walk away. Her perpetually fluctuating behavior never failed to baffle him.
"Good-bye, then, Megumi-chan."
Rikkai Dai is fun to write, but do they seem OOC? Feedback is always appreciated! Review and you get a Sanada-voodoo-doll, perfect for releasing that bottled-up stress we all get from daily life. Just take out all your worries on Sanada! Best of all, this one won't even slap you back!
Peaces!