Merry Christmas/Winter Solstice everyone! Hope you have a great, yuri filled time ;)
I was going to make this the last Chapter but the way it panned out I think I'll add a last one on New Years Eve. So will save New Years wishes till then.
Christmas Present
Christmas Eve 7.26pm: Setsuna's POV:
Beep! Beep! Beep!
It's done! Good! It's nearly time to go. Do I look okay?
Apparently we're supposed to be in fancy dress although I'm not entirely sure about the outfit Konoka got me. A fur lined Santa costume which, well it looks a bit revealing. It shows a good deal of my shoulders and stomach and the red shorts are really rather, well short.
I'm really not sure about this. But then she made me promise yesterday in that honeyed tone with puppy eyes and took the opportunity to add on that I shouldn't be a spoilsport when I started to feebly protest. Sigh. I just can't resist her. Still I'll wear my fleece over the top on the way there.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Shoot! The cake! It better not be burned! I spent all afternoon making it. Rushing into my small kitchen I switch the oven to zero. Opening the door I dodge a cloud of steam and relax. It's a little brown but okay. Carefully I remove the baking tin containing the fruit cake from the oven and place it on the counter next to bulging tubes of red, green and white icing.
Okay! Time for a master class in icing! Hehe! Hmm, cooking is actually rather fun! Okay first 'Happy Christmas' in red icing across the middle. Then two green pine trees above and below. Hmmhm. Then white for the snow over the rest...
...and done! Yay! It actually doesn't look too bad. I clap my hands and catch sight of my watch. It's 19.49. Ah! Gotta go! Grab coat and gloves, good. Cake and door key, good. Right then, I'm good to go. I really hope I don't meet anyone on the way, and I'll have to be careful not to drop the cake…
It seems that almost no time at all has passed from when I left my own room before I find myself standing outside ojou-sama's room. Thank God this place is pretty deserted with it being Christmas Eve and the holidays! I bang the edge of the cake box a couple of times on the door. Its eight O'clock so I'm perfectly on time as usual. Not that Konoka, Asuna or Negi would really care if I was late but I tend to be rather paranoid about being on time; it comes with having to watch over someone 24/7.
As I wait I can't help but think how many times I've come here in the last year. How close we've become and how much happier we are now...
Footsteps. Her footsteps! Then the door opens slightly. Konoka's face peeks out adorned with a felt green hat and...Is that a long pointy right ear? Seeing me bundled up she giggles and swings the door wide open.
"Welcome Set-chan!"
Her tone is warm. Behind her I can see a dizzying array of coloured lights, gold and silver tinsel adorning the sofa and some strange but pleasant music is playing. But that's not the reason I freeze and almost drop the cake or nearly shower it in a trail of blood.
Konoka is dressed in an incredibly cute outfit. Green leggings up to her knee caps, a very short green skirt showing off her long smooth legs and a green waistcoat with a rather low V-neck and three large, dark green buttons running down the lower half. Thankfully she appears not to notice the effect it's having on me.
"Wow! Is that the cake Set-chan?" A note of admiration suffusing her tone. "It looks great!" I blush in delight.
"D...does it ojou-sama?" I respond happily as she turns and walks in. Still, how am I gonna keep my composure with sharp eyed Asuna watching all evening? Konoka's outfit dips low at the back as well, exposing rather a lot of her skin. Beautifully soft and touchable. Ahhhn! This is not good! Asuna's sooo going to notice me crushing on her...
Entering the main living area two things catch my attention. The first is the fantastically overwhelming lengths that have been gone to in order to decorate the room. Fairy lights in blue, pink, red, yellow and green dance across the walls and gold, blue, silver and red tinsel entwines the windowsill, sofa and any other ledges where it can lodge. Best of all is the Christmas tree against the wall to my right on entering the main room. It's lined with small Santa and elf chocolates, glass prisms, baubles, pine cones, tinsel and topped with a star.
In the background some Christmassy music is playing and if I push myself I can translate the words to Japanese thanks to Negi 's teaching. 'Oh holy night, the stars are shining brightly..." On the central glass table sit a couple of plates filled with odd looking delicacies and a pile of games is stacked next to it.
"Shall I take the cake Set-chan? Then you can hang up your fleece."
"Kay."
The second thing I notice is that there is no one else in the room. I guess Asuna's cooking, so maybe Negi's helping? I hand Konoka the cake very carefully and proceed to unzip and hang up my fleece and then put on the Santa hat I'd stuffed into my fleece pocket. I catch sight of myself in a mirror and admire my figure. This outfit really does look good on me. But a growing chill is creeping through me. Something's not quite right. Konoka went into the kitchen and yet I didn't hear Asuna or Negi say anything!
I move round to look past the Christmas tree. Konoka's stirring a saucepan and humming to the carol in the background, but there's no sign of Asuna or Negi.
"Errr..." Konoka looks round and smiles brightly. I feel my right eyebrow quivering. I'm slowly learning that the more innocent she looks the more likely she's executing some sort of plan. I just haven't ever managed to figure out at the time what she's up to. "Where are Asuna-san and Negi-kun, ojou-sama?" Konoka gives me an apologetic smile.
"Ah yes, didn't I tell you Set-chan? They had to dash off at the last minute and couldn't make it. Some magic business that Evangeline wanted them to take care of."
Oh, okay...Argh! Why do I feel so nervous and excited? Baka!
"Don't worry Set-chan! We can still have fun together tonight right? After all you're the person who always makes me happy."
This time her smile is one of pure gold. The type that melts my heart, calms my nerves and leaves me wanting to praise the maker of this world for creating someone like her. I'm blushing but now only because I'm so happy.
" Okay, err...yes! That sounds great ojou-sama." Konoka's eyes suddenly take in what I'm wearing.
"Wow! You wore it! And you look fantastic Set-chan!"
Are her eyes lingering on me? Surely not! But I'm suddenly glad I chose to wear this ridiculous garb.
" Ah, thanks. You too ojou-sama." Mustn't let my own eyes linger but...drat am looking then glancing away. That's suspicious too, she'll notice. Think Setsuna...
"Do you need help with anything ojou-sama?" Konoka nods.
"Yeah I could do with a second pair of hands. So if you could stir this."
She hands me the ladle and I continue to gently stir the red liquid with its spicy aroma whilst Konoka starts checking the oven. In the background a new tune is playing:
'Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!'
I wonder if Konoka actually has any idea what this whole celebrations about?
"Say ojou-sama, do you know why people celebrate Christmas?"
"Hmm? Not really, it's to do with some mythical saviour child right? With a star and shepherds and angels and stuff." I flash her an amused look.
"So you don't actually know?"
Konoka gives me a doe eyed and childishly innocent stare.
"Welll...No. But does it really matter Set-chan? It's really a festival of peace, goodwill and love after all. Need there be a better set of reasons than that?" I laugh at her earnestness and how refreshing her words, as ever, are.
"Yes ojou-sama. By the way what is this stuff I'm stirring? It smells good."
"Ehehe. It's mulled wine Set-chan."
"Wine?" I can feel my right eyebrow twitching again but my protest lacks any strength and my will to continue to protest over even this is demolished by Konoka pouting.
"Yes, but it's much nicer than normal wine and Christmassy. Set-chan there's gonna be no training tomorrow as its Christmas Day plus I prepared it specially so?" Her chocolate brown eyes are fully open and churn my insides up so much that I can barely muster a nod.
"Okay ojou-sama. I guess I can try it just this once."
"Yay!" Konoka claps her hands in delight and if I wasn't stirring the mulled wine I swear I'd have been jumped on. And as ever her delight quickly settles inside me to become a source of my own joy.
I stir the mulled wine a few more times before Konoka comes over. Alerting me to her presence by bumping my behind with her hand.
"Ah! Ojou-sama?"
"Kay well if you go sit down now Set-chan I'll doll out the mulled wine and the fun can begin!"
This evening has been amazing. We've spent it playing a variety of games from Pictionary to cards, watching one of our favourite movies and gorging ourselves on a ton of hand baked mince pies, small sausages and drinking mulled wine. The mulled wine was surprisingly tasty and had a gentle warming quality to it. Rather like what I imagined brandy to taste like as its used to warm up snow survivors, but this is perhaps a little spicier and sweeter.
I'm slumped across my beanbag with my back to the kitchen as Konoka emerges with the cake I baked.
"Ta-Da!" She bends over to cut the cake and I hastily turn over one of the 'game cards' Konoka made to stop myself staring at the mesmerising sight before me.
'Truth or dare.' Oh Crap! I wonder if I have enough time to turn it back over, but do I really want to? Too late...
"Truth or dare? Hmm, I guess we should only do a few rounds as it's not long till Christmas Day." Konoka plonks herself back down onto her beanbag having handed me a slice of the cake. "Wow you sure put a lotta currents in the cake Set-chan." Ah...
"I'm sorry ojou-sama. I kind of used up the packet as I didn't want to waste any." Konoka giggles.
"It's okay Set-chan. I like fruit." Then she takes a bite. I watch enraptured and on edge. What does she think? She chews for a long time then swallows. I copy but for a different reason.
"Bleurgh!" Konoka makes an insanely horrified deathbed face and keels over backwards and then lays still. At first I'm tempted to think its a joke but when she doesn't get up I start to worry.
"Kono-chan!" No! I killed her! Poisoned her! Crap! I dash round to the other side of the table and kneel over her prostrate form. Is she breathing? Should I use CPR?
Konoka opens an eye and stares at me for a second before giggling.
"What? You!" I'm not sure why when I'm so cross but a tear rolls down my cheek and cuts short her giggles. "You worried me ojou-sama."
"Ah! Sorry Set-chan! I guess I did kinda overdo the acting." She embraces me in a tight hug. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. The cake was delicious." Her praise and closeness dispel most of my panic induced anger.
"Even so," I murmur and feel Konoka run a hand through my hair.
"It wasn't funny," she finishes. "I know, I know. There's still so much more I have to come to understand about you yet, Set-chan."
Yet! It's amazing how true it is to say that few words can better many. She releases me and glances up at the clock and then the window where she points in excitement.
"Look Set-chan, SNOW!"
Well at least she seems to have forgotten about the truth and dare game. She stands up and offers me a hand which I grasp. I follow her over to the desk by the window where Konoka slides up onto the desk to get closer to the window. Leaning against the desk next to her I also peer out.
At first I can only see the odd flake lazily drifting past the window but in the streetlight beneath it quickly thickens until shoals of snow dance across the world outside and start dusting the ground white. I smile. Konoka's so excited she'd practically bouncing up and down on the desk.
"We're gonna have a white Christmas Set-chan! A WHITE Christmas!" I laugh as she continues watching the snow enraptured. To be fair I'm the same. The patterns it weaves as it falls are so intricate and absorbing...
"It's beautiful," I sigh.
"Um!" Konoka responds happily before glancing round and up.
"Ah! It's one minute to mid-night Set-chan, which means it's nearly time!" Konoka leavers herself up off the desk and dances over to the sofa. Nearly time? I pull myself upright and follow her to the sofa where she's plumped herself down on the end nearest the window. She pats the seat next to her and I obligingly dump myself down next to her looking a little bewildered. We're back to playing Christmas music. I can hear some song about jingling bells in the background but I'm more concerned with Konoka who's bending over and round the sofa. Then she pops up holding something behind her back with an excited smile. Glancing at the clock she beams.
"Happy Christmas Set-chan!" From behind her back she produces a crumpled bundle in silver wrapping and holds it out.
"For you!"
For me! Wow! But...but I didn't get her anything. My mouth goes dry.
"Th...thanks, oj..." Ojou-sama suddenly feels too distant when she's given me a gift but I'm still nervous about referring to her casually as Kono-chan unless it's an emergency and I'd only ever use Konoka if…I unwrap the present carefully to reveal a pair of smart leather gloves and a soft black thermal hat.
"I thought it would come in handy when you were cold," Konoka adds brightly. I feel terrible. How was I to know about presents? They were never mentioned! I mean I was vaguely aware of the tradition but it never occurred to me. Argh! And it's too late now to get anything unless I brought a late one or a New Years gift. I'm sweating and I can't look up from her present.
"Are you okay Set-chan? Don't you like it?" Konoka asks sounding worried.
"Ah! No! No I love it! It's wonderful ojou-sama. It's far more than I deserve. I...It's just that I forgot to get you a present."
"Hmmm…" Konoka hums thoughtfully then says in a low voice that sends shivers of excitement running through me. "You know there is a present you could give me Set-chan that I'd like more than anything you could ever buy."
I glance up confused until I look into her eyes and see a hopeful longing within them. Suddenly her words over the last few weeks begin falling into place. The comments about me being less rigid, the danger of losing something important, the sigh and comments about the couple kissing and I know that my future with Konoka is hanging on my response.
The question really is do I love her in that way? The answer is a thousand billion times YES! Then I can do this one of two ways. I can let her crush each of my stupid doubts as she's always been doing before giving in, or I can actually take the lead and be a man about it. Did I just say be a man about it!? Gazing into her eyes I slip my arm round her back and a whisper escapes my mouth,
"Konoka."
She smiles as I start to move closer and then touches a finger to my lips.
"Before you get carried away Setsuna have you fully considered what giving me my first romantic kiss will mean?"
What it will mean? Romantic kiss? Oh yeah that time we saw that couple kissing she said she could only have her first romantic kiss if she were going out with...Oh! I think my face is warm enough to melt ice. Hang that, enough to steam ice.
"Well Setsuna?" She breathes out in a tone of seductiveness and anxiety. Her hand is fidgeting with her skirt. A sure sign she's nervous. My answer's unavoidable, but only because my heart makes it so. I should have done this so long ago but never found the confidence and I can't keep letting Konoka make all the moves and drag me along with her. I have to be strong now I know for sure what she truly wants.
"Will...Will you go out with me Konoka?" Konoka's muscles relax and her hand stops shaking. She flashes me brilliant smile.
"You mean on a date Setsuna?" I nod. She pauses and gives me the 'I'm thinking over this very hard' treatment but I think I'm getting better at spotting when she's pretending so decide to seize the initiative.
"How about I pick you up at 5pm on New Years Day?"
Seeing Konoka stunned out of her pretend trance gives me all the courage I need as she gasps in delight.
"That sounds great Setsuna!" Slowly I move in until our noses brush and eyes lock.
"Then Happy Christmas Konoka." Her eyes close in submission and mine follow as I feel my lips start to brush hers. I'm kneeling with my legs either side of hers and my arms have slipped underneath her flimsy green elf costume to run against her smooth skin.
An electric tingle and soft pressing of lips, rubbing sideways and up and down and deepening. My tongue between my lips runs against her top lip and then her bottom. Her lips parting slightly then squeezing against my tongue as it starts to edge between them. Her tongue tickles and rubs my trapped one. I want her so much! Want her to be so much closer!
Her lips release my tongue that slips underneath hers. My lips grasping hers as my tongue dips to the bottom of her mouth. Ah! Rearing in excitement at a lick from her tongue along its top and another and another. I think a moan escapes me as I lick back and definitely hear her moan as our tongues twist and dance against each other. Two soft, warm, moist organs sending shivers through our bodies as they wrap, lick, flick, tease and stir each other and send saliva spilling between our mouths to lubricate our hungry lips. And I need air! As I pull away Konoka gives my bottom lip a final nibble with her lips.
We part breathing heavily and faces flushed. I've never seen Konoka so radiant. At least not since our pactio kiss. She licks a drop of saliva off her lip and laughs. I thought I'd heard her laugh before but this seems clearer and sweeter as she wraps her body round mine and snuggles against my bosom.
"Finally," she whispers happily. Finally? Aha, more pieces drop into place.
"Did you plan all this oj, Konoka?" I whisper as I wrap my arms about her. There's a long pause.
"Perhaps a little," she says.
"Hmmm? So were Negi and Asuna in on this too?"
"Just Asuna, but I knew they'd be gone a while ago."
"And what would have happened if I hadn't got the hint?" Konoka giggles.
"Well I had a few backup plans Set-chan if you hadn't got it at first." She points upwards at a green sprig attached to the roof, above the sofa, by cello tape. "I'd have kinda pointed out that there was mistletoe above us and if that didn't work I'd have skipped tracks to this." Konoka reaches out a hand to the controls on the sofa arm and starts jumping tracks until she reaches the one she wants.
'Last night I took a walk in the snow
Couples holding hands, places to go
Seems like everyone but me is in love
Santa can you hear me?
I signed my letter that I sealed with a kiss
I sent it off, and it just said this:
I know exactly what I want this year
Santa can you hear me?
I want my baby, baby
I want someone to love me, someone to hold
Maybe, baby
He'll be all my own in a big red bow.'
"Kono! Ojo, Kon…" Damn so many names! Konoka isn't quite right now but ojou-sama's so formal. Konoka puts a finger to my lip again.
"How about Kono-chan when we're together Set-chan. Save Konoka for when we're getting more in-ti-mate."
Konoka slides her hands under my red felt jacket and up my sides and then round to my back as her head plants a teasing kiss on my neck.
"Ohhh! Konoka."
"Ehe! That's right Setsuna," she says as she eases me back and plants another on my neck. "You have to admit my planning was pretty flawless though, eh?"
"Mmmhmm, it was, but what would have happened if even the Santa song didn't work?" Konoka chuckles.
"Then I'd have given up hope of you being anything other than an a-sexual and resigned myself to a life as a nun. But I'm kinda happy it didn't turn out like that."
A nibble at my ear...
"I think we should go play in the snow in a minute Setsuna and later today I'll cook a proper Christmas lunch," Konoka whispers with her body snuggled against mine. "But for just a little while lets stay like this."
"Mmm," I sigh in blissful agreement. Behind Konoka's head snow is falling thickly and the CD player has aptly started playing a song with the lines:
'Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it Snow!"
Christmas lights continue to flash cheerfully and the aroma of the spiced mulled wine suffuses the air.
Christmas. It truly is the ultimate celebration of love if done right. My arms slip a little closer about Konoka's waist and a tear of joy rolls down my cheek.
setchan-1995: Thanks for the review :) I wasn't sure how well she'd do at the cake making before I wrote this but in the end she didn't do badly at all.
LoneWolfx03: Heh, hope it was a good 'what happened next'...no reason for her to be jealous anymore now at any rate.
ShadowCub: Thanks! Well there's a way for her to go yet, but at least she's started walking in the right direction :)
Lance58: Yep, but t'was necessary to jolt her out of her complacency.
chatterbox-hikaru13: Advanced Merry Christmas to you too! :D...Ahhh I don't think Setsuna deserved quite such harsh treatment, but she did need to have her eyes opened to the truth.
Tainted-Raven: He! Yay for Christmas! Merry Christmas xD and thanks! Definitely KonoxSetsu Ftw! (I'm still a little disappointed they haven't danced at the ball in the manga) They are an amazing pairing! :D