Mistletoe Memories
10 - A Reason to Celebrate
"That's it, I'm going round to the side," Suigintou snapped, floating around the corner of the house as the others trailed behind. "Maybe I can break through a window or something..."
"Ahh, about the windows, Gin-chan – "
"I wonder why Jun couldn't hear us from inside?" Tomoe wondered aloud. "He's not that oblivious, is he?"
"Maybe he's really busy with something?" Kanaria frowned at Suigintou, who had stopped and was staring through the window to the living room, frozen stiff as marble.
"Er...Suigintou?"
"Hmph! Busy? I'll say. He's in there with Shinku! Why are they standing so close to each other?" the silver-haired doll growled under her breath.
They all pressed up against the window to see Jun kneeling on the floor, slightly dishevelled and tired-looking, as the fifth doll stood in front of him. As they watched, they appeared to be speaking, when Shinku smiled suddenly. Jun moved his head fractionally, and the pompom suddenly went swinging around and knocked him in the eye. Suigintou snorted with laughter, but Suiseiseki began to panic.
"Oh no, that's the hat I was going to make Souseiseki – " she faltered, realising her twin was staring questioningly at her. Suigintou's chuckle quickly turned into a venomous hiss as she watched Shinku cup Jun's face in her hands.
"What the hell is going on in – " Suigintou broke off abruptly and paled. Her entire body seemed to tense up as she watched with eyes widened in horror and rage Shinku lean in towards Jun. At that moment, gathered outside the window, everyone's jaws dropped open simultaneously as they witnessed the astonishing spectacle of the proud, cold fifth doll of the Rozen Maiden kissing her medium.
There was a second of pure, complete silence – a silence that was, in itself, deafening and heavy with a mixture of unspoken, unsaid emotions and words.
And then, Suigintou exploded.
Like a raging, vengeful angel of death, she descended on the window with a rampaging fury unseen ever before in this world.
"BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING TO HER? THAT LECHEROUS MAN-SLUT!" Suigintou screamed, summoning her sword in a blaze of blue fire. She held it over her head and was about to bring it down on the window with monstrous strength, but found herself held back by the combined strength of Suiseiseki, Souseiseki, Kanaria and Hinaichigo, who had grabbed a limb each, whilst Tomoe, Megu, Micchan and Nori were pulling her back with their arms wrapped around her waist, clinging on for dear life to the crazed doll.
"LET GO OF ME! I'LL CUT IT OFF! I'M GOING TO GO AND BLOODY CUT IT OFF!"
"What is she going to cut off?" Hinaichigo wailed.
The others made an unspoken agreement that it was better to leave that to the imagination.
"GET OFF ME! I SWEAR I WILL BLOW UP THIS WHOLE BLEEDING HOUSE IF HE DOESN'T GET HIS FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!"
"S-Suigintou! Calm down! Please!"
The silver-haired doll was practically frothing at the mouth with blind rage, struggling against her restraints and slashing blindly at the window, sending razor-sharp black feathers at it in a lethal, stormy flurry that was somewhat reminiscent of a wildly out-of-control machine gun.
"HOW DARE THIS WINDOW DEFY ME?" Suigintou broke free from the hands holding her back with a great heave, and began to throw herself against the window as if to break through it with the sheer force of her flying weight.
"That is strange," Suiseiseki observed. "Usually they can't even take the force of a suitcase flying into them."
"I guess you know that from experience..."
"Why are they unbreakable now, then?" Tomoe eyed Suigintou worriedly. "Someone should get her in a straitjacket."
"I don't know. We didn't get bulletproof glass like Jun wanted to..." Nori replied.
Behind them, Suigintou was still screaming obscenities and hurtling her sword, feathers and herself against the window. Souseiseki sighed.
"We might as well get started."
Kanaria stared at her, bewildered.
"On what?"
"Jun's grave."
Shinku drew back finally, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
You promised.
A Christmas I'll remember.
"Jun," she said loftily, turning and flicking her hair to the side. "Get me tea."
"Y-yes..." the medium whispered in reply, his head spinning. "Of...course..."
The blonde glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, and for the briefest of moments, there was a soft tenderness in her expression that passed so quickly it could almost be a figment of his imagination.
He thought he could just about die happy right now.
Oh, if only he knew.
"How long d'ya think she'll go on for?"
"Oh, I don't know," Souseiseki shrugged and took another slice of fruit cake. Having decided it was impossible to enter the house, Mrs Shibasaki suggested they just sit outside and have some cake until Jun realised they were locked out. They were lounged out now on the grass outside the house, like a picnic party. Suigintou, was currently occupied with other matters of great personal importance.
"SON OF A B#*&$! I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Masterfully done, I must say," Kirakishou clapped, peering with one glinting yellow eye into the clear bauble she held in one hand. "Well done, Laplace."
"Even the smallest works of art can become masterpieces."
"The self-locking door, the mysterious disappearance of the spare keys, a house sealed from outside sound, and an impossibly unbreakable window..." Kirakishou giggled, twirling a strand of hair in her fingers. The white rose quivered in its socket, as if it laughed too. "What a wonderful performance."
"Perhaps." The demon rabbit let out a rare smile. "But it lacks the finishing touch."
"You are an artist, Laplace no Ma."
It was these quiet moments that were to be treasured the most.
Shinku sat on her seat in the couch, tranquilly sipping her cup of tea. Beside her, Jun was sitting sprawled untidily, his head tilted back on a cushion, catching up on some much-needed sleep. She stiffened slightly with surprise as music started to play in the background, softly at first, before getting gradually louder.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
"What a strange contraption." Shinku observed the CD player with mild alarm. She was quite sure it wasn't supposed to turn itself on and start playing without warning, but as the music enveloped her, she relaxed back into her seat. There were some things that lost their magic when understood.
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
"Do you hear that?" Tomoe frowned slightly. "It's music."
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
The faint sound grew louder until they could all hear it.
"Ohh, I love this song," Micchan sighed.
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
"I like it too," murmured Megu, gently stroking Suigintou's hair. The livid doll had finally completely exhausted herself trying to break through the window and now instead lay in her medium's lap, apparently sleeping, though every now and then she would grimace and mutter "...bastard...get your filthy hands off...I'll cut it off..."
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Hinaichigo was sitting between Nori and Tomoe, happily finishing off the last of the fruit cake. Mr and Mrs Shibasaki were speaking quietly to one another whilst Suiseiseki and Souseiseki sat a little beside them, Suiseiseki having fallen asleep on Souseiseki's shoulder. Micchan was avidly taking photographs of Kanaria, who was obligingly making various poses.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
Jun stirred slightly, seemingly having half-woken from his drowse. He blinked, slightly bemused, and frowned. Something tugged at the edge of his mind, though couldn't remember what it was. Like the soft drop of a snowflake, something had brushed lightly against his nose, rousing him from sleep. He looked down to see Shinku peering at him with strange intensity, a faint rosy blush seeped into her cheeks.
Make my wish come true
"Merry Christmas, Jun."
And looking down at the doll he'd come to love more than life itself, Jun realised, surrounded by the shimmering lights and tinsel, surrounded by the warmth and joy of giving, surrounded by the love and laughter that came with Christmas.
He realised that she already gave him a reason to celebrate every single day of the year.
All I want for Christmas
Is you.
Happy New Year, to all my beloved readers, reviewers and everyone else~~!
Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, I love you all from the depths of my heart. XD
It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
~ W.T. Ellis