hey hey hey...i know...its been hella long since i updated this story...unfortunately...i have NO excuse other than the fact that...i lost the desire to write...-shrieks- THE HORROR...i know right...but...what's a girl to do when her one and only muse up and takes off on holiday with another writer's muse?...absolutely nothing...thank GOD she decided to return...bringing with her not only pictures of her enjoying her vacation...but also the inspiration i was lacking in her absence...so...you dear readers can consider this an early christmas gift...or a very belated one...lol...either way..merry christmas in JULY...its fucking hot as hell so perhaps a nice wintry story will help cool us all off...-face palm- what am i saying...of COURSE my story can't do anything about the frakin heat...but...it will give you something to do as you stay nice and cool inside your apartment...or house...or trailer...or cave..or where ever it is that you call home...so...ummm..yeah...thanks to all who have sent little notes to me in my absence...they made me smile...do enjoy my little story...and as per the norm...concerning the wherewithalls and whodidthats and other bullshit disclaimers...let me just say that I.D.O.S. =) feel free to leave a lil review if you wish...if not...feel free to enjoy the read...
"Back of every creation, supporting it like an arch, is faith. Enthusiasm is nothing: it comes and goes. But if one believes, then miracles occur." ~Henry Miller~
CHAPTER FOUR
The scene spread out before them as Haruka opened the double doors to the private dining room was everything one could ask for in a Christmas get together. And everything Natsuki Kuga had expected to avoid. The private dining room was decked out in the usual stuff one tended to see in expensive restaurants and boutiques during the holiday season. Strands of clear lights hung caught in a net over the table and bar area, branches from real pine trees with gold bows wrapped around them festooned several places along the walls and a miniature Christmas tree occupied a corner close to the small, wooden dance floor. The tree was garbed in its own raiment of softly glowing lights, these fashioned in the shapes of small candles. Permeating the room was the smell of fresh pine and cinnamon.
Natsuki had arrived tonight anticipating a small, intimate dinner with a few friends. But somehow, the few friends had turned into a crowd. She saw Akira Okazaki playing darts with Mai's younger brother Takumi. Natsuki's eyebrows rose as she watched the girl place three darts in her hand and with a casual flick of the wrist, send the darts like precision, projectile missiles toward the dart board. All three of the darts hit the bulls-eye dead center. Akira then turned and stuck her tongue out at Takumi, who was laughing and applauding his girlfriend's throw. Reito Minagi, Mikoto's older brother, had a tall, thin girl that Natsuki had never seen before out on the dance floor. Reito was dressed impeccably in a dark gray tuxedo with a white carnation pinned in his boutonniere. The young woman in his arms was wearing a sleek, black dress with some type of white fur around the cuffs and collar. The two of them together made a picture perfect couple as they danced, their arms locked around each other, swaying in unison on the empty dance floor. The sounds of a smoky saxophone filled the air by the empty D.J. booth as the speakers pumped out smooth Christmas jazz. The hum of simultaneous conversation and the tinkling of ice cubes in drinks as they were lifted drifted lazily above the music in a cloud of subdued noise.
Hearing the sound of a flirtatious laugh float above the cacophony in the room, Natsuki felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck stiffen. NAO! Before she could do much more than silently curse the girl's name AND Mai for inviting Nao here to begin with, she felt a strong hand on her back followed by an ungentle shove forward.
"Move it Kuga! This is a dinner party NOT a peep show. So stop standing around gawking like a spectator at a seedy sideshow. Get outta the way so I can get through the door!"
More like a Christmas FREAK show than a PEEP show, Natsuki amended, turning to tell the always annoying Haruka where to stuff it. But she suddenly found herself at a loss for words, literally, as even the breath was knocked out of her when she was ambushed by an...elf?
"Hey Natsuki! Thanks so much for the Christmas present. I just love it!" Trying to regain her breath and pry the arms of her would be attacker from around her waist, Natsuki belatedly realized that the elf in question was Mikoto; dressed in a green sweatshirt two sizes too big with a green elf hat pulled down over her head. Releasing her hold around Natsuki's middle, Mikoto pointed to the shirt she was wearing. On it was a picture of a malevolent looking elf filling the house shoes of sleeping children full of tacks with the words "Elves Are Evil!" stenciled beneath. The younger girl suddenly frowned, her nose sniffing at Natsuki's clothes. "Ewwww!" Mikoto made a face and sneezed, shaking her head like a cat with an ear infection. "You stink Natsuki. Smells like you've been standing too close to the fireplace and singed your clothes. You smell like smoke."
Opening her mouth to comment, Natsuki was denied the satisfaction of a glib rebuttal when just as unexpectedly as she'd appeared, Mikoto bounded away in another fit of hyperactivity, shouting something at Takumi as she scampered towards the couple playing darts.
Christmas present? Natsuki ruminated, confused. I didn't give ANYONE a Christmas gift.
She jumped at she sound of Shizuru's voice purring in her ear. "That was very sweet Natsuki. Sending everyone a Christmas novelty shirt as a gift this year. I especially enjoyed the witticism on the shirt you gave me." The girl laughed as if at a private joke that Natsuki should understand, brushing against her arm as she moved forward into the dining room.
Natsuki's emerald tinted eyes followed Shizuru's languorous stroll towards the banquet table occupying a prominent place in the hall, the epicenter where most of the laughter and activity in the room seemed to generate from, a prisoner in the confusion of the moment. Is this a dream? She wondered dully. The smarting sting of the burn on her finger from the cigarette a few minutes ago convinced her otherwise. She brought her hand up to her face, noticing a small, pink blister forming on the tip of her index finger. If it's a dream, it sure as hell FEELS real!
Two arms snaked around her neck and an all too familiar voice broke through her dazed thoughts. "Be a good doggie and give me one of those cigarettes you got stashed in your pocket. Hmmm?"
Great! Just what I needed. Natsuki grumbled silently, not in the mood to fend off Nao and her barbed comments and criticisms.
The girl hanging so familiarly around her neck obviously felt the muscles in Natsuki's shoulders stiffen and she responded quickly in a pouty voice. "Oh come on! Don't even try to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I could smell the smoke on you halfway across the room. Now come on, be a pal. Slide one of those cancer sticks my way. I'm like, jonesing for a smoke." Nao's mouth turned down in disgust as her narrowed eyes scanned the room. She gave an overly dramatic shudder. "Surrounded by all these goody-two shoes in here is starting to creep me out. I need a reality check. And one of YOUR cigarettes would do the trick quite nicely."
Natsuki turned, too stunned at the girl's greeting to even glower. Nao had released her hold on Natsuki's neck and stood grinning, hands behind her back. She was dressed in a dark green and plaid skirt with a dark green sweater. A somewhat conservative outfit, considering the girl's reputation who was wearing it. A green Santa hat was perched atop her head. Pinned to the hat was a large sprig of mistletoe tied with a red bow. Natsuki would've laughed if she hadn't been further shocked to see the girl's impertinent grin twist into a simpering frown.
"Hurry UP Suki! Are you gonna give me the damn cigarette or not? If you let me bum one, I'll make sure you get a chance to corner Fujino while wearing this hat." Nao flicked the plastic mistletoe with a perfectly manicured nail. "No better excuse to steal a kiss from your sweetie at a Christmas party then when standing beneath the mistletoe." She ran her tongue over her top lip and winked slyly. "Although I'm not sure you even need this lame ass prop in order to get a little action tonight, huh? You've been doing nothing but talking about this night for weeks!" The younger girl threw her head back and chortled.
"Suki?" Natsuki stammered. "The hell?" Since when did Nao call me anything other than 'mutt' or some other derogatory name. And why is she being so...friendly?
She was snapped out of her reverie of inner reflection by the feel of Nao's hand snaking inside her jacket, sliding down her ribs and into the pocket of her vest where she'd stashed her smokes. Filching the box quickly, Nao pulled out a cigarette and slid the box of Dunhill's back into Natsuki's pocket with alarming ease. "Fine. I'll get it myself. Thanks. And don't bother with a light. I really don't want Fujino catching me with my hands down the front of your pants in search of a lighter." She laughed, a high pitched giggle coupled with a snort, a gleam of mischief reflected in her almond shaped eyes. "Although, that might be amusing in itself." She turned to leave, concealing the cigarette in the palm of one hand then stopped, whirling back around with a grimace. Leaning in close, she whispered conspiratorially. "Oh, and if Mikoto comes looking for me, don't tell her where I went. Mai would KILL me if her precious Mikoto started smoking. Besides, I promised I'd try and be a better role model to the lil twerp." The affection in her voice gave the statement a soft edge, totally blowing Nao's reputation as the girl who cared for no one other than herself. "Who knew having friends would come with such a price?" she confided, straightening her skirt and running her eyes across the room full of people. "And for God's sake, stop standing around spacing out like a dork. It's Christmas Eve and Santa brought an open bar. Have a drink...or three!" Nao laughed, giving the bell on the end of Natsuki's braid a flick before heading towards the door; one hand thrown in the air over her head in farewell. Natsuki caught the sound of Nao's flirtatious voice calling out to someone she met in the hall before it was lost amidst the noise in the room.
Shizuru is acting like the scene five months ago never happened. Nao seems to think that she and I are friends. Could things BE any stranger? Further consideration of these enigmas were halted by the sound of her name being called. Sticking her hands into her jeans pockets, she slouched her way towards the center of activity in the dining room.
"There you are Natsuki!" Mai shouted joyfully, jumping up out of the chair she'd been occupying and throwing her arms around her friend's neck, giving her a warm hug. "Happy Christmas...and you're late." Releasing the choke hold she had around the girl's neck, she stood, hands on hips, violet eyes narrowed, staring into the still slightly dazed looking expression on her friend's face. Mai was wearing a short red skirt and sweater, a red Santa's hat cantered at a lopsided angle on top of her head full of red-orange hair. Knee high black boots hugged her shapely calves and she had a white lacy garter belt with a red bow on it strapped around one thigh. The entire outfit gave her the appearance of a walking advertisement for Christmas chic.
"Late!" Natsuki blurted accusingly. "You specifically instructed me to meet you out FRONT at 8:15. So wanna tell me why I was freezing my ass off outside waiting for YOU to show up when you've been inside all along?"
Mai put one hand over her mouth and giggled. "Oops. Sorry bout that. I guess I forgot to text you that I was arriving a bit early in order to put up the decorations. Mikoto and I had to make an emergency run to the dorm room for more green glitter. We just got back about fifteen minutes ago. I should've texted you the change in plans. My bad," the girl put in sheepishly. "Anyway" she continued, waving one hand in the air as if to erase something from a chalkboard, "forget the miscommunication error on my part for a second and tell me...doesn't this place look fabulous?" Mai gazed approvingly out across the room, a self-satisfied smile flashing across her face. "Mikoto and I worked over two hours to get all this stuff put up before you guys arrived. It's awesome, huh?"
Natsuki, not at all appeased by her friend's apology, hunched her shoulders and shrugged. "Looks like an elf threw-up in here."
"Hey!" Mai shouted, smacking her friend on the arm. "A little bit of appreciation and a lot less skepticism, HUH? You weren't the one stapling the lighting nets to the ceiling an hour ago. Not something that is easily accomplished. The least you can do is thank me for the hard work I put into making this place festive for tonight's party."
"What?" came a hard voice as Haruka sauntered over, a tray of hors d'oeuvres balanced on the flat of one hand, a drink clutched in the other. "Did I just hear you say you 'stapled' the lighting net to the ceiling? Mai Tokiha, if you've ruined my uncle's..."
She was interrupted from further chastisement by the sound of a cool voice. "Relax, Haruka. I'm quite certain Miss Tokiha took the utmost care in her decorating endeavors for this evening. Have another drink and DO be quiet." Shizuru winked at Mai's gratified smile and placed a drink in front of Natsuki as she took up a spot beside the girl standing at the head of the table beside Mai. "Shall we toast the hostess whose Christmas spirit made all this possible for us to enjoy tonight?"
A loud "Harrmmph!" from Haruka caused the corner of Shizuru's mouth to twitch up in a small smile as she added, "As well as a toast to Haruka Suzushiro for appealing to her family's...philanthropic sense of holiday cheer in their donation of this lovely setting for our Christmas get together?"
"Cheers to you Haruka!" slurred a slightly tipsy Yukino as she slapped a hand against her friend's back, causing Haruka to almost drop the plate of food. Without even waiting for anyone else, the usually mousey Yukino downed her drink, gave an undignified hiccup and grinned. "Just a minute...I need a topper on this drink before we toast Miss Tokiha." With a slight sway in her stride, Natsuki watched as Yukino made an unsteady beeline for the bar.
Even amidst the strangeness of the evening, Natsuki couldn't contain a snort of laughter at Yukino. "A drink sounds damn good to me too."
"Well then," Shizuru chimed amiably, "let's get you out of that wet jacket and into a dry martini." She giggled at the look of disgust that passed over Natsuki's face. "Or rather...let's get ME into a dry martini. I brought you," and here Shizuru wrinkled her nose in distaste before finishing, "a nasty ole beer." She was well aware of her friend's distaste for any drink containing gin. And Shizuru only drank gin martinis. Besides, Shizuru had never seen Natsuki drink anything other than beer.
"Thanks Shizuru. I could use a drink. Or three," Natsuki replied gratefully, slipping out of her jacket and hooking it on the back of a vacant chair.
As she turned back towards the table, one hand reaching for the cold bottle of Nip-Zai, she cringed at the sound of Mai's high pitched squeal. "Oh My God! Natsuki! Look at you! You DID manage to wear something festive. And doesn't your hair look adorable." She reached out and gave Natsuki's braid a gentle tug, causing the tiny silver bell to chime softly.
Natsuki shrugged away from Mai's fingers as dark eyebrows lowered threateningly. "Can it Tokiha. I'm in no mood for any of this tonight. I've had a really strange evening. Which just seems to get stranger by the minute. What I want to know is..." One hand reached for the beer in front of her as the other came up in front of her, an accusatory finger pointed in Mai's face, the gift tag she'd wrapped around her wrist dangling from its red string.
Mai's eyes went round in surprise at her friend's comment and she interjected hotly, "How could you possibly NOT be in a good mood tonight? Just look around you Natsuki Kuga. You're surrounded by people who care about you. It's a beautiful, snowy Christmas Eve and...an open bar." She laughed, putting one hand over her mouth as the other hand squeezed Natsuki's shoulder. Turning her attention away from the frowning Natsuki, Mai addressed her next comment to Shizuru, who had been watching the exchange between the two friends with amusement. "Shizuru. Will you see if you can't instill a bit of Christmas spirit into this Grinch."
"Why, it would be my pleasure Miss Tokiha," Shizuru responded smoothly, sliding her hand into Natsuki's. She leaned closer to the girl in question, her breath a soft whisper against the side of Natsuki's face, "I think I have just the thing to...melt that Grinch heart of yours." Giggling at the expected blush that stained her friend's cheeks following the comment, her eyes dropped to Natsuki's hand. "But first...what do we have here, hmmm?" She reached out with delicate fingers and gave a little tug to the gift tag wrapped around the girl's wrist. "An unclaimed present?" she declared in mock surprise. "Why that's just scandalous! We can't have that on a Christmas Eve, now can we?"
Rummaging around in the small brown leather hand bag clutched under one arm, Shizuru smiled triumphantly as she pulled out an expensive looking pen. "Here. Let's fix this real quick." Holding Natsuki's hand down against the table, she bent and began writing on the gift tag. Beaming, she glanced up from beneath a fall of her hair and winked at Natsuki. "There. I believe this should do."
Natsuki glanced down and read the words Shizuru had written in an elegant script on the decorative tag. To: Shizuru. From: The Spirit of Christmas.
Eyes wide, Natsuki wet suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue. "Why..I mean...Shizuru. What made you write that? Those particular words?" The words on the slip of paper she'd pulled from the candy cane earlier materialized in her mind and she stared at the girl beside her in confused wonder.
Dropping the pen back into her bag and tilting her head, Shizuru gave Natsuki a curious glance before answering. "Isn't it obvious? Who else would this particular package be for? And who else but the Spirit of Christmas himself could deliver me the one thing I desired most this year?" Pressing closer against Natsuki, Shizuru ran her thumb across Natsuki's wrist. "I am going to enjoy unwrapping my present later."
Fortunately, Natsuki was spared from trying to respond to her friend's innuendo as all eyes, including her own, were pulled to the door of the private dining room as it was thrown open and a male voice shouted joyfully, "Merry Christmas everyone!"
Yuuichi Tate stood framed in the open door, his hair and shoulders wet from melting snowflakes, cheeks ruddy from the cold. He grinned at the boisterous round of greetings he received and strode forward, headed right towards Mai. Grabbing her by the arms, he drew her to her feet and placed a cold kiss on her warm lips. "And a very merry Christmas to YOU Miss Tokiha."
Mai giggled and blushed, absently running her fingers through his wet hair. "Merry Christmas to you too, Mister Tate. And...you're late."
Yuuichi frowned. "Better late than never though, right?" His eyes locked onto Natsuki's and his grin grew even bigger. "Yo! Kuga! Thanks for the shirt." His laugh was genuine and warm. "Although, I don't think Mai here will think it as awesome as I do."
Natsuki could only stare blankly into his twinkling eyes. She still had no idea why everyone thought she'd sent them t-shirts for Christmas.
"Oh reeeealy now," Mai interjected, leveling a curious quirk of her eyebrow at her friend. "And just why would you assume I wouldn't approve? Hmmm?"
Natsuki's only defense was a shrug. How the hell should I know? she quipped silently, still reeling from the events of the evening.
Tate answered both of the girl's questions with a boisterous laugh. "Well," he began and then pulled up the sweater he was wearing to reveal a red t-shirt beneath. On it were the words "Pimp Yo Christmas!" and a picture of eight provocatively attired women with reindeer antlers on their heads, all hitched up in front of Santa's sleigh. Each girl had a highly suggestive name stenciled beneath them. There was Bambi and Vixen and Roxy and Teaser. Bunnie and Nikki and Lexxxie and Pleaser. Santa himself was decked out in a red hat with a white feather holding a pimp cane in one hand and a whip in the other. "The Best Part of Christmas is the Hos! Hos! Hos!" was in black letters above his head.
"Pimp yo Christmas!" Tate said, then smiled. "Has a much better ring to it than the old fashioned "Merry Christmas"...right Kuga?" The boy had the audacity to WINK at her.
"Natsuki!" Mai shouted, yanking her boyfriend's sweater back down to cover the offensive picture on his t-shirt.
"What?" the dark haired girl stammered, unsure what to say in her own defense. She merely deflected Mai's glare with a sniff and replied nonchalantly. "I can't help it if your boyfriend's a perv."
Mai smacked a laughing Tate's stomach with the flat of her hand, causing the boy to double over with an audible 'Ooof', and frowned. "Well YOU'RE the one who bought it for him!"
Smiling at the easy banter that she and Mai excelled at, Natsuki gave a firm nod of her head. "He's the one wearing it!" She was halted from further friendly bickering when a wheedling voice from the door made her stop what she was going to say and stare openly.
"Merry Christmas everyone. Look what Santa brought me for Christmas this year Mai!" In the door stood a grinning Shiho...her arm linked through the arm of a very embarrassed looking...Takeda Masashi.
"My my," Shizuru drawled softly, her voice pitched low enough to be heard by Natsuki's ears alone. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who got what they wanted for Christmas this year." She chuckled quietly, watching the pair in the door. "Pardon me one second Natsuki. I hear a second martini calling my name." She squeezed Natsuki's fingers gently before moving off toward the bar where a slightly intoxicated Yukino was holding forth as acting bartender. The alcohol the young woman had imbibed seemed to have transformed the usually introverted Yukino into an extroverted exhibitionist. She was flipping bottles and handing out drinks as if she'd worked behind the bar for years, shouting merrily, "The Doctor Of Mixology is in da HOUSE! Step up to get your prescriptions filled!"
Natsuki, however, found nothing amusing in the sight of the young man standing in the door. Feeling the muscles of her stomach clench in exasperated tension, she watched Takeda's eyes nervously darting about the room, shifting from foot to foot in obvious embarrassment. Shiho, on the other hand, was nothing but the picture of a confident conqueror as she half dragged the blushing boy into the dining room, making a beeline straight for Mai. And Natsuki.
"What the hell is HE doing here Tokiha?" Natsuki asked through gritted teeth, pulling her gaze away from Shizuru at the bar and putting her head closer to Mai's so as not to be overheard. "Didn't we JUST spend the better part of the morning avoiding him? I swear to God Mai, you're just full of surprises tonight, aren't you?" Natsuki growled, fighting the growing urge to run as she watched the boy in question being pulled ever closer to their position in the room.
Mai cut her eyes towards Natsuki's darkening face and frowned. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about Natsuki. What surprises? And what do you mean 'WE' were avoiding Takeda this morning?" Mai made an annoyed sound and shook her head in exasperation. "You can be so antisocial at times Miss Kuga. I don't know why it still surprises me. I HAD to invite Shiho," she hissed vehemently, covering her irritation at Natsuki's comment with a forced smile. "She and I are getting along quite well now that's she's been dating Takeda. And of course she was going to bring him along as her date. Sheesh! Get over yourself Natsuki."
"I'm not antisocial...just...anti Takeda," the dark haired girl shot back, watching as Tate greeted his friend with a handshake and a wink, pulling up his sweater to show him the shirt beneath; the one that everyone apparently still thought SHE had sent him. Something Mai said buzzed for attention in her brain and Natsuki had to blink twice before it finally hit home. "Shiho? And Takeda? When..? How? I thought...?"
But here she was interrupted by an incredulous snort from her friend. "You really DON'T listen to a thing I tell you, do you Natsuki Kuga." Mai crossed her arms beneath her breasts and huffed, giving her friend a withering glower before continuing. "I told you several months ago that Shiho had gone all goo-goo eyed for Takeda after Tate rejoined the kendo team. They've been dating since the Kendo regionals." Violet colored eyes narrowed in vexation as Mai continued, "TWO months ago Natsuki. This is the same conversation we had TWO months ago. Jeez! Either you really don't care about anyone other than yourself or you have selective memory. I'm not sure I care which because both excuses piss me off!" Mai's mouth was stretched tight across her face as she verbally harangued her friend while trying to keep up the appearance of a good hostess.
Any other time the smarmy cut from her friend would've elicited an acidic remark in return, but at the moment, Natsuki's brain was still trying to come to grips with what her friend had just said. It took a moment for the information to penetrate the thick shell of Natsuki's confusion. "Wait! What? Those two are..." she pitched her voice even lower as she watched Shiho frowning at Tate's Christmas novelty shirt before shooting her a murderous glare.
Mai threw one arm in the air and made a 'come here' motion with her hand before shaking her head at Natsuki. "I believe the word you're looking for is 'dating'. And it's your own fault if you're surprised by it. This is old news. If you don't care enough to listen the first time I tell you something about..."
But Natsuki didn't hear anything else Mai had to say, her friend's voice nothing but muted static in her ear as her thoughts turned inward. She brushed absently at the braid tickling the side of her face before finally pulling a comment from the swirling vortex her mind had become. "This morning, the only reason we were avoiding Takeda was because he'd been hounding me for months to go out with him. When I saw him this morning..." she broke off here, trying to hold herself together. What's the matter with me? Am I losing my mind? She questioned herself silently, grasping for answers. She swallowed, her throat dry. "We did go out shopping today, right?" she asked uncertainly, her voice quivering with fragile need.
Mai gave her Santa hat a quick adjustment, then straightened the hem of her skirt, her eyes narrowed curiously. "Of COURSE we went shopping this morning! What's the matter with you tonight Natsuki? How much did you have to drink before arriving? You MADE me go with you this morning so you could pick up the gift for..." here she broke off as her attention was turned to someone who'd just walked up behind Natsuki. "Thank God," Mai breathed in perturbed relief. "Shizuru, could you take this girl off my hands please? And see that she gets a drink. Or some coffee. Anything. She's acting a little strange tonight."
The sound of Shizuru's melodious laughter floated through the sea of sound as she wrapped her fingers around Natsuki's arm, causing the girl to jump at the unexpected contact.
"Oh my, but this one excels at strangeness, Miss Tokiha. It's one of her more charming attributes, wouldn't you agree? I would be delighted to entertain Natsuki for a while. At least until the alarm clock goes off." And here the tawny haired girl broke into a merry peal of giggles.
Mai could only shake her head at the pair of them. Weirdos! She scoffed to herself, watching as Shizuru led a dazed looking Natsuki away. But the analysis of her friend's strange behavior tonight would have to wait, as Shiho chose that moment to swagger forward, grinning and pulling her date behind her, already chattering away.
Natsuki, on the other hand, was too stunned to speak. She was too preoccupied with the thoughts swarming like tiny kamikaze pilots in her mind to do anything other than let the strong, yet gentle, hand on her arm guide her to the other end of the room, away from all the noise and confusion. The area Shizuru led Natsuki to was a small conversational nook sequestered in a corner of the private dining room. Just a couple of comfortable sofas with a glass and metal table between them; two low walls boxing off the corner, giving the illusion of privacy in an otherwise open area.
But Natsuki was more than grateful for this seemingly quieter area of the dining room. She was still reeling from the absurdities of the evening and the tempering of the drone from the voices of her exuberant friends was a much needed respite. Besides, she needed a moment to talk with Shizuru privately. Too many things just weren't making any sense at all. What WAS she doing here? Had Shizuru forgiven her for all the hurtful things she'd said that night five long months ago?
Flopping unceremoniously down onto one of the sofas, Natsuki let out a rattled breath, leaning her head back against the top of the sofa, one arm slung over her eyes. "Thanks, Shizuru." she mumbled gratefully. "I don't know what's wrong with me tonight. I'm feeling...I mean this whole thing is just so..." she paused, uncertain how to continue before laughing nervously. "I guess I'm just not a fan of these holiday get-togethers," she finished lamely, giving one shoulder a shrug, uncertain how to broach the entire subject with Shizuru now that they were finally alone.
She felt the the cushion of the sofa shift slightly as Shizuru eased herself down onto the couch beside her, their legs almost, but not quite touching. The other girl smiled sympathetically at the comment and gave her head a rueful shake. "There's no need to apologize, Natsuki. I can almost understand and commiserate with that feeling of... I myself seem to be a bit..." and here she broke off, biting down on her bottom lip as if trying to decide what to say. Taking a deep breath to clear her own muddled thoughts, Shizuru folded her hands serenely in her lap and looked up at Natsuki from beneath a fall of chestnut colored hair. "Let's just say I'm delighted to see you and leave it at that. Okay? No matter the circumstances. Even if it IS at a 'lame holiday get-together'."
Natsuki's heart gave a sudden thud as the sadness underlying Shizuru's words broke through her own self-centered confusion of the night, causing her to feel ashamedly guilty. "Uhhh..." was the only sound she was able to make as she lowered her arm, her eyes rising and locking onto the red orbs watching her so intently. The look burning in Shizuru's eyes was at once both beautiful and heartbreaking, as if she were gazing at something she had wanted all her life, but knew, deep down in her heart, that she could never possess. It was an expression that cut Natsuki's soul to the quick.
Sensing that the girl beside her was quickly becoming withdrawn and moody, Shizuru's instinct to protect slid reflexively into place. Wanting nothing more than to ease the girl's sudden discomfit, she shifted her body closer to Natsuki's, pulling one corner of her mouth up in a playful grin. Giving a confident toss of her hair, she reached her hand out towards Natsuki's, pausing only momentarily, before softly covering the back of one of her friend's hands with her own. "Nothing really matters, Natsuki. Nothing but the fact that you are here...and I am here. Let's just be...content in the moment and leave it at that. Shall we? No pressures or obligations. It is Christmas Eve after all. And I believe..."
At this word, the sound of a loud voice rang out above the normal hum of the conversation causing both girls to jump in their seats, their heads swinging around in unison as one pair of emerald colored eyes and one tinted with crimson scanned the room for the source of the commotion. As expected, the shouting was coming from Haruka.
Neither girl had to strain their ears in order to hear what all the hub-bub was about. The sound of the blonde girl's voice was amplified to near megaphone volume, even when she wasn't shouting at the top of her lungs, and at this particular moment, she was practically bellowing. Natsuki winced in sympathy as she spotted the unfortunate target of Haruka's tirade; a slightly bewildered looking...Mai.
"...TOLD you it would cause damage to my uncle's ceiling MAI TOKIHA! Just look at the mess YOUR wildcat of a friend made?" Haruka's face was red with self-justified outrage, hands on her hips, the murderous glare she was giving poor Mai sharper than most daggers.
"Oh my. Haruka never changes. No matter where she is." Shizuru commented, putting a hand over her mouth to hide an amused giggle. "Poor Miss Tokiha," she commiserated, giving a rueful shake of her head. "Although I empathize with her predicament, I must confess I harbor a guilty conscious in the fact that Miss Shuzushiro has someone other than myself to bicker at."
The words hadn't fully left the tawny haired girl's mouth before they heard a bellowed, "FUJINO! This is all YOUR fault! If you hadn't coerced me into letting this group of juvenile delinquents have their party here in the first place, this never would have happened. Come see what that...that...GIRL did to the hanging lights! Grrrr! MIKOTO!
"I sometimes think I should have studied mediation and diplomacy instead of majoring in fashion design," Shizuru sighed in vexation, giving Natsuki's hand a quick pat. "It seems the job of a Student Council President is never finished. Let me go step over and see if I can't defuse this situation with a bit of smooth talk. Haruka is, as always, overly excitable and I think Miss Tokiha could use some backup. Excuse me a moment, Natsuki," Shizuru apologized, standing up and smoothing the wrinkles from the expensive fabric of her skirt. "I'll just be a moment. Perhaps I can..."
Her words were halted as Natsuki suddenly reached out, grabbing Shizuru's hand in hers, a desperation like she'd never felt before welling up inside her on a flood of emotion. "No! I mean, wait...Shizuru! I...I need to talk to you. I mean I have something I want to say!" The desperation in her voice was thick with a mixture of regret and urgency. There were so many things she wanted to say. So many things she needed to ask Shizuru. Questions that she still had no plausible answers to.
Shizuru's eyebrow arched sharply above one eye as she replied smoothly, "Why Natsuki Kuga. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you actually missed me lately."
The words were patent Fujino, a teasingly innocent comment issued in that sexy Kyoto-born accent of hers, but Natsuki could sense the unvoiced pain and sadness underlying her friend's attempt at buoyant congeniality. Oh GOD she's still hurting from what I did. From all the hateful things I said to her. She's hurting because of...the LIE I tried to force her to believe. The lie that I tried to make myself believe through hurting her. Natsuki had to swallow the lump of regret that threatened to choke her, trying to work moisture into her suddenly dry mouth.
"I DID miss you," she finally manged to say. "You must believe me Shizuru. I...I missed you and I...I..." Natsuki continued, before faltering, her heart spinning out the words she needed to tell Shizuru too fast for her mind to grasp, leaving her momentarily speechless, lost in the fog of an emotional mire.
Shizuru reached out, giving Natsuki's little braid a playful tug. "You are sweet to say so, Natsuki. Even if this is just a..."
But she was interrupted from finishing her thought by the sound of Mai's outraged shout. Shooting a quick look toward the commotion, Shizuru gave Natsuki a small smile. "Now don't you go anywhere Natsuki, you here? I'm not quite finished with you...yet. And mind you don't let anyone ELSE go unwrapping that gift meant for ME!" And with a mischievous wink, Shizuru turned and walked back towards a now positively raging Haruka.
Natsuki watched Shizuru's graceful strides away from her in stunned silence. This just has to be a dream. Right?she asked herself in numb amazement. I mean, what other reason could possibly justify the strange turn of events which have defined this evening thus far? It's gotta be a dream! She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, which pounded blood in her ears with each heavy THUMP. One just doesn't WAKE UP beneath a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and find their lives, their mistakes...the things they wish they could change, miraculously transformed into the perfect life. Miracles like that only happen in fairy tales. At least that's what she'd always believed. Believe. The word resounded throughout her like a gong. BELIEVE.
She ran a trembling hand through her hair and swatted at her hand in surprise as the gift tag she'd tied around her wrist brushed against her cheek, startling her. Pulling her arm down, she absently fingered the tag, reading the small, stiff paper. To: Shizuru. From: The Spirit of Christmas. It can't be! She wondered silently in a growing sense of amazement. Can it?
Speak truth to dispel the lie lived.
Believe.
The Spirit of Christmas is upon you.
The words on the fortune in the candy cane swam before her eyes. But...how? Had the heartfelt admission of her guilt in lying to Shizuru, of lying to herself, somehow altered the course of time, changing everything to the way...it was meant to be? Was this the way everyone's life would have turned out had she but braved her own insecurities and fears and admitted to Shizuru the truth five months ago? Green eyes turned to the people...her friends...scattered around the private party room.
Reito was laughing, his hands full trying to hold a bristling Mikoto away from Haruka, who was standing, one hand on her hip, the other in Mai's face, yelling and gesticulating at a mess of nets and lights hanging haphazardly from the ceiling. Shiho had her arms around a blushing Takeda's neck, a love-sick grin plastered across her face. Yuuichi Tate had taken seat in Mai's empty chair, chopsticks a blur as he gobbled down the goodies spread out on the banquet table. A sudden shout followed by a loud crash emanated by the dining room door, and Nao fell backwards into the room, some random guy she'd nabbed from god knows where, falling in on top of her, their arms still locked around one another. It was obvious that their make-out session in the hall had been interrupted by the unfortunate opening of the door by Nao's hip. A chorus of laughter and hoots accompanied the pair as they unceremoniously clambered to their feet, the guy grinning sheepishly, bowing to the roomful of people apologetically and Nao glaring heatedly, the latter giving her skirt a furious tug and callously raising her middle finger to the onlookers. Which of course made everyone laugh even louder.
Natsuki couldn't stop the quirking of her own lips as she shook her head in amusement. Never in her wildest imaginings would she have dreamed that she and Nao would be on friendly terms. Not only that, but everything was so different than it was...YESTERDAY! All the drama, the pain, the recriminations of the past year seemed to have been smoothed away, like wrinkles in a piece of fabric. Was this new tapestry unveiled before her very eyes now possible because of that fortuitous meeting with the stranger from the street this morning? Did she herself MAKE all this into a new reality simply because she finally did as the fortune advocated and admitted to herself the truth. The truth that she loved...no, the truth that she was IN love with Shizuru?
Pulling her eyes up, Natsuki turned her gaze back on Shizuru. She was standing alone now, one arm across her stomach, her right hand cradling her elbow. A look that Natsuki couldn't immediately define was displayed across her friend's face. A look that was at once breathtakingly beautiful but also comprised of such a sad vulnerability that it caused Natsuki to whimper softly, feeling tears at the corners of her eyes. It was as if Shizuru were staring at a puzzle that had her utterly confounded and a more than a little frightened. So out of character for Miss Shizuru Fujino.
What is it? What is she thinking? Natsuki wondered, rubbing her suddenly sweaty palms on the knees of her jeans. But before she could do much more than speculate at the strange look on her friend's face, Shizuru became aware of Natsuki's eyes on her and glanced up, red orbs locking with green.
Having noticed Natsuki's gaze upon her, Shizuru gave her eyes permission to stare adoringly at the girl across the room, sharing a silent connection between the two of them for as long as she dared. Or rather, for as long as Natsuki would let her. When Natsuki didn't shrug their shared look away in a blush of embarrassment, but instead, kept her eyes locked onto her own, Shizuru felt a tingling of apprehensive worry hit her in the pit of her stomach. She tilted her head to the side, burgundy eyes narrowing slightly, confused a little by the intent look the dark haired girl was still giving her. "What is it? Is something wrong?" she mouthed the words at Natsuki.
I have another chance to make this right, Natsuki realized, reading the questions falling from Shizuru's silent mouth, trying to blink away the tears that threatened to fall. For some unfathomable reason, she'd been given this...gift for lack of a better word; this Christmas miracle to make amends for the lie she had been living. And that's exactly what she planned to do. Shizuru, it can be as if nothing bad ever happened between us! she thought, a feeling of growing exuberance causing her to radiate from within. I've been given this gift to start over...with you...with us! Noticing that Shizuru was still watching her curiously, Natsuki rose to her feet, snagging both of their drinks from the table.
Flashing her friend a cocky smile as if to assure her that all was well, Natsuki sauntered towards Shizuru, feeling for the first time in a very, very long time...that all was right with the world. Of course...things are not always as easy as they seem.