I've become aware that all of my chapters thus far (which is only 3) have ended with Zero thinking something. Well, I'm pretty sure this is the last chapter that ends that way. I hadn't noticed I'd been doing it. If it bothers anyone, I apologize. If not, well, then I don't!
Onward!
Yuuki bounced into the living room from her bedroom, sporting her winter favorite: a dark blue sweater knitted by none other than her foster father (with a white snowman in the bottom left corner), a pair of black leggings which tucked into her dark uniform knee socks, and a long green-plaid skirt that flitted about her hips like water from a waterfall. Her hair, tousled from her towel-drying it, was darker from the wetness but seemed to fluff in an almost afro-like manner. She was glad it flattened when she brushed it, she'd look positively silly.
"Zero, are you ready yet?" Zero had been in the shower for about twenty minutes, which was plenty long! She managed to shower for only fifteen, and she had more to wash than he did! Jeesh, he sure was a lazy…
"Will ya' quit nagging me?" his laid back voice rang through the hallway and the brunette spun to let his figure sink into her mind; he was taller, lither than she was, but his skin was much paler, as was his hair. Certain things brought out his eyes and the light that danced within them, which is why he usually let Yuuki do the shopping… anyway. He sported a new top she'd gotten for him; a black Tee with the school's emblem painted in silver in the middle and a pair of dark blue jeans with a rip in the right knee. Yuuki bit back her squeal; he was one of the few people she knew who could probably pull this look off.
Over his shoulders was an unzipped, dark blue sweatshirt with the strings pulled one longer than the other. This irritated Yuuki and she crossed the living room just to fix it. Her friend didn't seem to care as he shook his wet mop, and she couldn't help but groan rather loudly and glare up at him, her cheeks and nose covered in water. "You jerk!"
"What? Water can't hurt you." The silver haired boy deadpanned.
"It could've if I got some in my eye!" The brunette shot back.
The Level D, bored with where this conversation was going, rolled his eyes and grumbled an apology, though it was half-hearted. Content with his having given-up, Yuuki squealed with glee and tugged on his sweatshirt and Tee, making sure he looked perfect before they went into town.
As the Headmaster was still away at his meeting at Association Headquarters, Yuuki and Zero were left to decorate the house without him. It was a pity, he always managed to have the house just the right amount of Christmas-spirity before Zero became his usual uncaring self. Well, now that it was the two of them, Yuuki was determined to get that smile out of him yet! With a swish, she spun on her heel and stretched her arms behind her back. "You ready to go?" she asked sweetly.
The boy nodded, not saying another word; he'd have been mortified if Yuuki had seen the look on his face when she'd been adjusting him. His cheeks resembled her puffy jacket, which was a rosy shade of pink, as his hormones ran rampant inside of him. With a small grunt, he tugged his sweatshirt close and went over to the coat rack to pick up his long trench coat, settling it over his sweatshirt as not to ruin what Yuuki had been so obliged to fix, only to have her rush right over to fix him again. This time, he batted her hand away. "We're going into town for decorations, not to a fashion show."
Yuuki pouted; he was always so mean. She was only being nice, it wasn't like she had licked her thumb and was pressing his hair down to tame it… though, and he did have his cowlick that seemed to stick up no matter wha – stop that! Yuuki pulled her thinner fleece from the coat rack and tugged it over her sweater, smiling gleefully as she looked at herself in the wall mirror before headed toward the door. Zero followed her, digging his hands into his coat pockets.
-x-
"Oh, Zero, what do you think of these?" Yuuki held a string of yellow-white lights in her hand attached to dark green wires; the lights blinked and shimmered in the light of the Convenience store, and illuminated the natural fair glow of Yuuki's skin under the fluorescence of the dimmed bulbs above them. Lips pursed as Zero took in the sight, not sure whether to grin and tell her perfect, or do what just came natural and deadpan his way out of answering her so that she may do what she wanted. The latter sounded much less embarrassing, so he went with it.
"They're fine," he drawled, combing his fingers through his silver locks. Man, he hated shopping. Especially when Yuuki joined him; mind you, it wasn't because he didn't like her, quite the opposite. She seemed to drag him everywhere he didn't want to go, but it wasn't like he could stand up to her (be a man) and say "Hey, I don't want to look at new skirts!". But, and he knew this quite well, she had him wrapped tightly around her little finger.
Yuuki's cheeks puffed out and Zero thought he saw smoke blow from her ears. "Zero, quit being so grumpy! Please, I want your honest opinion!" Yuuki grabbed a handful of colored lights in her other hand, now holding the yellow lights in one hand and the colored in another. Zero wanted to hit his head against a wall; he really, truly didn't care. But, he saw the way Yuuki's eyes twinkled upon seeing the colored lights, and once again he refrained any sort of signification that he cared, pointing a bored – supposedly – finger at the colored. Yuuki squealed in excitement and put both back, taking two boxes of the colored and putting them in her shopping cart. "Oh, this is so much fun! C'mon, it's time to pick out ornaments!"
Zero offered to push the cart as Yuuki practically skipped down the aisles until she stopped in front of many different sets of ornaments; themed, glittery, ones with lights inside them, shaped, round, glass, plastic… it was annoying, honestly. But, he would deal with it, because it's what Yuuki wanted to do. The only thing he'd get to choose was the Christmas tree, which they'd be getting later tonight.
Just as Zero was about to grin at how much fun she was having as she put in three different sets of ornaments, the dreaded words left her lips so casually. "C'mon, Zero, now it's time to pick out my Christmas outfit!"
…Damn it.
Wahaha~ Poor Zero; I know firsthand that boys aren't very into shopping, especially when it happens to be with the girl you like, shopping for something she's getting for herself. Clothes, moreover. Bleck. -is a girl and doesn't like clothes shopping-
... anyway. Please tell me how you like it. In the next few chapters, we get to see ... well, I won't spoil it. (I used to have this habit where I'd spoil information before you guys get to read it. I'd weened myself out of that habit, and almost fell right back into it. Bahaha!)
