Yawning and looking at the clock was a normal routine for Adora. She would get up from her bed and get dressed. Either going to work or relaxing with Ritsu. On Christmas Eve everything changes.
Adora woke up to the sun shining on her face. She yawned and rubbed her eyes and blinked a couple times. Looking at the ceiling she realized what the date was and she sat up instantly. 'Today will be awesome.' She thought as she jumped out of bed an ran into Ritsu's room. He wasn't there. She sniffed the air and smelt bacon. Running down the stairs, she collided into the person she was looking for; Ritsu.
"Good morning to you too." Ritsu chuckled.
"Today. We must make the place look awesome!" Adora said excitedly.
----------
"Just one more…" Emiko said as she looked at a small box of ornaments. "Only one more box to go."
"I don't see why you saved tree decorating for Christmas Eve." Hiroshi said as he placed a ornament bulb on the top of the tree.
Adora sighed and placed two bulbs on the tree and went to hang up garland around the inside of the house. Emiko emptied the box of ornaments and hung them up and decided to hang up the garland and have Adora make the cookies. Hiroshi on the other hand said he was going to take Sanyu out to lunch and then they would be back for the party.
Ritsu was upstairs doing his thing in his room. Adora told him to stay up there till everyone was done decorating. Adora went into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl to fill with the ingredients for the cookies she was going to make. She hadn't decided what other cookies to make besides sugar, gingerbread, and chocolate chip.
After making a long decision, Adora finally decided to make mint chocolate chip cookies with little pieces of candy cane in them. She thought that would be a big hit since everyone she knew loved mint and chocolate. Emiko almost tripped a couple times while putting the garland around the living room and dining room.
It took awhile but it was worth it to make all the dough for the cookies Adora was baking. After Emiko hung up the garland, she helped Adora out by making little balls out of the dough and putting them on a cookie sheet. Adora made so much dough that there was enough of each mixture to make at least fifty cookies. Emiko tried her best to fit about ten to twelve cookie balls on each sheet. The process would be long but hopefully it would get done.
Batches and batches of cookies went into the oven and came out. Ritsu couldn't help but sniff the air happily and trail to the scent. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he was really surprised at the look of the house. A beautiful tree, original, and stuffed with presents. He looked at the garland running along the walls in small waves and something caught his eye as he noticed the entrance from the dining room and kitchen to the living room. Hanging from the ceiling was mistletoe. He smirked and walked over to Adora and Emiko.
Emiko noticed him and poked Adora and she turned to see him. "Well it took you long enough to come down."
"You told me to wait." Ritsu said while looking at some of the hot and fresh baked cookies on a giant platter.
"Yeah I did but I thought as soon as the cookie smell reached you, you would come down but I guess that took too long." Adora said as she stuffed another cookie sheet into the oven.
"Oh. How many cookies are you making?" Ritsu asked as he leaned over to see a platter that was already full.
"More than we expected." Emiko answered for her.
Ritsu smiled and sneaked a sugar cookie and ran upstairs do continue what he was doing.
Emiko was watching him till he disappeared up the stairs and she kept wondering what he was doing that made him stay up there the whole time. She didn't feel like being nosey because there were way to many cookies to be baked to have time to do so.
Adora got the last batch of cookies in the oven and Emiko sighed. "That took up three hours."
Adora whipped her forehead. "It's not over yet. After we get this batch out, everyone will start arriving." She looked at the clock. "It's going to be a crazy day."
"Yeah it is." Emiko said as she looked at the stairs.
Adora looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You've been staring at the stairs a lot. What's going on?"
Emiko quickly looked at her. "Don't you wonder what Ritsu has been doing for the past hours? Maybe he's wrapping gifts, or planning something for a secret Sohma mission or something."
"A secret mission? Emiko, you have a crazy imagination." Adora said. She looked at the stairs again and smiled. "I would like to find out what he is doing though…"
As both of them reached the first step the timer for the last batch of cookies went off and both of them jumped at the sudden noise. Adora quickly made her way to the oven and pulled out the cookie sheet and placed it on the counter. Emiko was growing impatient while waiting. When Adora finally came back both of the were extremely eager to see what Ritsu was doing.
Emiko let Adora up the stairs first and quickly followed her as she walked up the stairs quietly. When they reached the top they paused and stared at Ritsu's door. His door wasn't open at all which got them both even more curious as to what he was doing.
"I thi--" Adora was cut off by Emiko's shushing. Emiko nudged Adora to go forward and she did, slowly though. When she got to Ritsu's door she beckoned to have Emiko come. They both sat in front of Ritsu's door, staring at it. They both had the same thought; 'What if we get caught?'
They were acting like little kids searching for their presents while their parents were at work. Adora put her ear to the door to listen. Emiko was watching her to see if she had any expression to show what was happening. Adora listened carefully, but there was nothing coming from the other side of the door. Was he sleeping?
Emiko was watching carefully and then she felt light breathing on her neck. She turned slowly and saw a boy. "Why are you on the floor?" He asked.
Adora turned to the boy and noticed that it was Momiji. "Momiji. What are you doing here? You're early." Adora whispered.
"I asked you a question first." Momiji replied.
Adora looked at him and sighed. "We're spying on Ritsu."
"Wouldn't you need to see him?" Momiji asked. Mind you that he was still not whispering.
"I guess. Now you answer my question, and whisper." Adora replied quickly while glancing at the door a couple times to make sure she didn't see a shadow from the small crack under it.
"I wanted to see you. I couldn't help coming early." Momiji said honestly, this time whispering.
Adora leaned on Ritsu's door and sighed. "We'll never know what he is doing…"
"Who?"
They all turned as soon as they heard that question. Ritsu was walking out of Adora's room with a curious face. "You were in my room?" She said weakly.
"Yes." Ritsu looked at everyone sitting on the floor in front of his door. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked.
"Nope." Emiko said as she pulled herself up. Adora and Momiji stood as well. Adora coughed. "I should go take those cookies off the sheet now. I'm sure they've cooled down enough." She walked slowly until she knew no one could see her and from there she ran down the stairs.
Emiko and Momiji stared at Ritsu; waiting for him to go downstairs so they wouldn't get asked anything. Ritsu on the other hand, wasn't going to move until he figured out what was going on. Momiji ended up blurting out that they wanted to see what he was doing and all he did was chuckle and walk downstairs.
"Trying to find out what I was doing?" Ritsu said as he walked up behind Adora. She slightly jumped and turned around to face him. "Stop scaring me like that." She said with a half smile.
"Habit I guess." Ritsu said while a big smile plastered his face.
"What are you smiling about?" Adora asked while sitting on the couch and sighing in a job well done.
"You." He said while sitting next to her and looking at all the decorations.
Adora looked at him curiously and shrugged. He was always a mystery to her. She also noticed he was changing more and more. Some changes made her smile, other changes made her want to kiss him till he couldn't breath. Although you are suppose to breath through your nose, Adora found out Ritsu wasn't really good at that.
"Do you really want to know?" Ritsu said, apparently cutting off Adora's thoughts. She looked at him with a blank expression. He stared at her for awhile and she blinked back to the real world. "What?" She asked nicely.
Ritsu chuckled at Adora's airy thoughts. "Do you really want to know what I was doing?" He asked her.
"Yeah. I'm not going to force you to say it though." Adora said truthfully.
"I will say it anyway. I was…preparing something." He looked at the mistletoe and smiled.
"Preparing for something in my room. Why in my room?" Adora asked him.
"So many questions. Just wait for the right time and you will find out why the preparation was in your room." Ritsu stood up as Momiji and Emiko ran to the front door to answer it. The doorbell rang a few times and Emiko quickly opened the door.
Emiko was confused as to who the person was. "Adora…..you might want to come here." Adora got up and walked to the door and gasped at the person she saw. "James!" Her old friend James who she hadn't expected at all had arrived. "The bag boy?" Emiko asked Adora.
Adora looked at Emiko. "If that's how you want to remember him." She looked back at James. "What are you doing here?" She asked excitedly. James smiled and looked at all three people standing in the doorway. "Well I wanted to say hello and wish you all the best."
"You sound so sad." Momiji said right after James spoke. "You do…What's wrong?" Adora asked. "I have to leave for the US to visit my grandmother who is very ill." He said while Emiko and Momiji pulled him inside and sat him at the kotatsu. "Have a cookie. Adora's cookies are amazing and will liven you up." Ritsu said as he brought over one of the huge trays of cookies.
"So this is the wonderful Ritsu." James said as he grabbed a cookie and nodded in thanks. "I don't know about wonderful…He can't beat me." Everyone heard the voice and looked at the front door which was wide open. Hiroshi stepped in with a big grin. "I am the most wonderful person out of them all."
It went quiet for a moment and Hiroshi looked at them. "What? I can't have some fun?" Adora walked over to him and smiled. "Glad you came. Where's Sanyu?" "She's coming. She had to stop by her parents house and pick up something." Hiroshi said. "Alright." Adora said in reply.
"Do you want me to stay?" James asked everyone. Everyone looked at him and Adora smiled. "You are welcome to stay for the party."
"Okay." James looked around. "When are people suppose to be getting here?" Adora looked at the door and sighed. "Hopefully sometime soon."
----------
"These cookies are divine!" Ayame said while nibbling on one. Kyo sighed and looked around from the couch. Tohru was next to him while enjoying a cookie as well. They all had finally arrived.
"Don't eat too many cookies before dinner." Emiko said as she popped out from the kitchen. She wanted to check up on everyone for Adora while she was checking on the ham.
"I'm sorry!" Adora was heard from the kitchen and everyone relaxed and sniffed the wonderful scented room of pineapple, cherries, ham, mashed potatoes, and much more. Shigure called and said he would be a little late and Adora was told to continue without him.
"Ritsu and Yuki were setting the dining room table. Of course they were the only ones to offer because everyone else was transfixed on the television. Tohru wanted to help but Ritsu refused her offer. 'You should not be doing this. You are a guest.'" Adora was talking to herself again. "That's what Ritsu said, right? He's such a gentleman."
"Gentleman? Who?" Ayame was walking up to Adora to help her and Emiko. "I'm just talking aloud again. Don't mind me." "Ayame can you help me carry some food out to the table?" Emiko asked while grabbing the giant bowl of mashed potatoes. "Oh goodness! Let me carry that." Ayame rushed over to her and took the bowl gently from her hands.
"Thank you." Emiko smiled as Ayame walked to the table and put down the big bowl. "You are so nice Ayame." Emiko said while placing the two small bowls she had onto the table. Ritsu and Yuki finished setting the table and helped Emiko and Ayame put everything on the table.
"Dig on in!" Adora called as everyone stared at the glistening food before them. Stomachs were being filled with delicious food and sweet treats galore. "This is…good." Kyo said after a long moment of silence. At the exact moment after he finished that sentence, everyone grew quiet.
"Did you just compliment something?" Yuki looked at Kyo. "So what. Is that a problem?" Kyo spat at Yuki, but not rudely. "It's fine with me." Yuki smiled at Adora and she smiled back. She didn't expect Kyo to like it, but he did and that made her very happy.
----------
"Presents!" Momiji jumped around the tree as the lights reflected onto the colorful wrapped boxes of all shapes and sizes. "Calm down Momiji." Shigure chuckled. The whole gang was there, finally together at last. "Look at this pretty blue wrapping paper with the golden bow!" Momiji gasped as he spotted it.
"That's yours." Adora smiled at Momiji as he gasped again and grabbed it slowly, as though it were glass and the only one of it's kind. He unwrapped the present and pulled out a light blue pajama long sleeve shirt and pants to go with it. "Oh cool! I've needed pajamas too!" "You're not done. Check the very bottom of the box." Sanyu noticed something else that was light blue.
"A night cap to go with it!" Momiji ran to Adora and gave her a big hug. "Thank you!" "Anytime." Adora hugged him back with a huge smile.
Everyone continued opening their presents until all that was left was a small black box with a silver ribbon around it. "It's for Ritsu." Adora picked up the box and looked around but couldn't find him. "Where is he?" She asked everyone, incase they had seen him.
"He went upstairs earlier. He said something about when you go up there, that everyone should leave." James said while grabbing a cookie. "I wonder what's wrong." Adora looked at the time. "It is pretty late…we should end the party."
"I don't want to leave though…" Momiji said sadly. "I'm sorry Momiji." Adora patted his head. "We should go." Yuki looked at the clock and noticed how late it was.
Adora excused herself as Hiroshi and Sanyu left. James left and she said goodbye but made sure that he would call her at least once a week to see if everything in the US was good. As she was walking up the stairs she heard her name being called. "Adora. He wasn't being rude by going upstairs and saying for everyone to leave when you go up. I think he just wants to spend time with you without interruptions from us." Adora nodded, she knew it was Ayame telling her.
The sound of the door shutting reminded her to give Ritsu his present that was in her hand. 'In my room…' She thought as she remembered Ritsu saying something about preparations in her room.
She opened her door slowly and shut it behind her. Her room was slightly lit with three candles on one of her black shelves on her wall. The dim light wasn't good enough to see what was going on or where she was. "Hello?" She whispered as she took a step forward.
She took another step and a shiver went up her spine. She dropped the small box as she felt a hand move across her right arm. It was warm against her fragile body. Another hand did the same to her left arm and she turned her head slightly. She could hardly see who it was, but she had an idea.
The figure backed up a few inches away and Adora's whole body begged for more of the warm touch from the dark figure. It was as if the warmth of the person beckoned her body forth, for she moved closer and closer to it. The candles flickered madly and she recognized the figure as Ritsu.
She knew it was him. There was no mistake in his gentle touch and warmth that it wasn't him. Adora reached out to Ritsu and felt his bare chest against her soft hands. Her body wanted more, and she knew it wasn't just her body. She wasn't going to resist Ritsu any longer.
Ritsu gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him so they were touching. He wrapped his arms around her waste and pulled her closer, Ritsu feeling her upon him, wanting more. Adora was growing weak in patience, wanting to remove all clothing from both of them and have their desires and fantasies become reality.
Ritsu moved back slightly and tugged at Adora's shirt and slowly started pulling it up. Adora wanted to let things take their course, but also slightly wanted to resist the man she loved before him. To some he might have looked weak, but Adora knew he had strength. He could easily wrestle her into the desires he had and the lust his virginal body needed.
The cold chill of the air roamed Adora's body as her shirt was removed. She drifted into a very quick thought of resistance once again. A very quick thought, erased as the heat of a kiss was placed on her neck and moved closer and closer to her dry lips.
Her breathing was steadily getting heavier and heavier and breaking off a few times as a kiss sent shivers throughout her. Ritsu was tugging gently on Adora's skirt, begging for it to disappear, invitation to take it off and everything else on her. Adora pulled Ritsu into a deep kiss that surprised him.
Ritsu had gained the acceptance to move further as soon as the kiss was broken and Adora slightly nodded. Ritsu pulled her closer and once again was surprised when Adora slid her tongue into his mouth, teasing him as she brushed her tongue along his and the roof of his mouth. He decided to play with Adora as she had teased him.
He slid her skirt off slowly in a teasingly way and she slightly smiled. Their clothes were the only thing keeping them from having complete bare skin against each other in a rough competition for power.
Ritsu sat on the bed, pulling Adora with him. "Everything…off." Adora said after slightly calming. Ritsu didn't argue with that at all. He was unbuckling his pants. Adora pushed him back on the bed gently and sat on top of him, her legs on each side as she finished unbuckling his pants and slid them off.
Ritsu leaned back up, Adora in his lap, facing him with a smirk plastered on his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her into another deep kiss. In the process, they both stripped themselves of the rest of their clothing. Ritsu switched their position so Adora was laying on the bed and Ritsu was looking over her.
Adora swallowed hard as her whole body begged angrily and impatiently. Lust clouded their eyes completely as they looked at each other. Ritsu traced little swirls on Adora's stomach and she felt it do a flip.
"Ritsu…" Adora looked into his eyes. They were gentle as though slightly afraid to hurt her and yet clouded still by the lust they both desired. A slight smile appeared over Adora's face and then Ritsu's.
Positioned right, Ritsu slid himself slowly into Adora, slightly afraid at first. Adora nodded quickly as she felt him move deeper into her core. Her whole body commanded more. Ritsu knew he wouldn't have to worry any longer, she was fine.
Swirls of sweat and heat filled the room, the windows fogging. Dry lips gone swollen and desire fulfilled. Ritsu motioned himself at an even pace but a pleasurable one.
With every gasp and moan that escaped Adora, Ritsu grew more aroused. He loved the sound of her wanting more of him. He knew he was hers and she was his.
Ritsu removed himself from her moist core and they both gasped for air. Adora sat up, sweat dripping down her body as she made her way to the standing Ritsu. She stood next to him and raised an eye brow at him. He knew what was coming.
Adora moved downward and moved her mouth over Ritsu's erection, teasing him with different paces. Ritsu shivered as Adora engulfed him, bringing him pleasure he didn't even know existed. Ritsu gasped and moaned loudly. He couldn't take it, if she kept it up he would reach his peak.
He moved her to the bed and entered a finger into her. Adora shivered madly as she entered a second and then a third. Adora let out a soft scream. It made her feel so great. Ritsu moved his fingers in and out of Adora, pushing back in and curling his fingers slowly as she screamed louder.
Adora grabbed the head board of her bed for support as Ritsu sent his hard erection back into her at a fast pace. Their release was coming soon and they both knew it. With ever shove Adora moaned and Ritsu gasped. Steam shed through their bodies as they both let out gasps as they both reached their climax.
----------
"What a night." Adora rubbed her head as she walked into the shower. She turned the water on and stared at the ceiling as the water got warmer on her back. Ritsu had already taken his shower and was roaming around the house.
As Adora was washing her hair she smirked as she looked back in her memories of what had happened last night. "Pretty darn good for a first for both of us…"
After drying off she slid into one of her robes and walked downstairs and saw one gift under the tree. "I thought all the presents were given out…" As she walked over to the gift she noticed a tag on it. Lifting the tag and reading 'To Adora' surprised her. "This wasn't here yesterday…was it?"
She picked up the box and opened it. All there was in it was a sheet of paper that read, '!Riddle!: Enjoy the peace in hot yet wet to relax yourself to a prune.' She stared at it for awhile and looked around to see if Ritsu was playing a joke on her.
"The hot springs." She finally figured that the note meant to go to the hot springs. She ran upstairs to her room and noticed the little black box she had dropped the night before and picked it up with a big grin. She put it on Ritsu's side table and grabbed a towel from the closet. She rushed out to the hot springs after calling Emiko, Sanyu, and Tohru to join her.
She changed her clothes into the towel quickly and slid her way into the hot springs. Closing her eyes as the hot water collided with her skin, it reminded her a lot of the night before. Those images kept popping up in her mind. Maybe because it was their first time? She didn't know, but she did know that Ritsu planned the night perfectly. They both seemed to be wanting lust more than ever the night before.
Adora heard footsteps and she turned her head and saw Sanyu, Emiko, and Tohru walking towards her in their towels with smiling faces. "Hot Spring Chat is now in session." Adora said playfully.
"Can we do confessions today?" Emiko asked excitedly. "That sounds good." Sanyu said with an evil grin plastered across her face. Tohru looked at the sky, it was snowing. "It's snowing…" She said calmly as everyone looked up and smiled.
"Sanyu goes first!" Adora said quickly, getting herself out of any confession trial. "I don't know what to confess." Sanyu said honestly. "Confess if…" Emiko looked around and smiled. "Confess if you and Hiroshi have…yah know…did 'it' yet." Sanyu blushed like mad, that was the exact thing she didn't want anyone to ask her to confess.
'I should have chosen something else!' She yelled at herself in her mind. She took a deep breath and looked at all of them. "Maybe…"
"Maybe?" Adora looked at Sanyu curiously. "How can you say that? It's a yes or no." Emiko said quickly. "It's personal!" Sanyu said quickly.
"She's not saying she didn't, but not admitting she did. She must have." Adora said after a long pause. "How did you come up with that conclusion?!" Sanyu asked.
"I see how she got it." Tohru giggled and spaced out for a bit. "I don't!" Sanyu slightly blushed and pouted. "You're in denial! Denial!" Adora said while giggling. "Denial!" Emiko said with her.
"Fine! I am in denial! I have!" Sanyu blurted out and quickly blushed like mad and grew quiet while Adora and Emiko started laughing at Sanyu's cute way of trying to get out of the confession.
"Tohru's turn!" Emiko said happily. Tohru snapped out of fantasy land and looked around at them. "What?" She asked slowly. "You have deep feeling for Yuki or Kyo?" All three of the girls asked Tohru.
Tohru blushed and looked down. "Oh come on. We're all adults here. I would easily confess." Adora said happily. "Fine then we'll go to you after Tohru." Sanyu said with her evil grin again.
"I really don't know." Tohru said honestly. "She's telling the truth." Adora said while stretching her arms out. "Adora now." Sanyu looked at her, knowing the perfect question combo to ask. "Have Ritsu and you lost your virginity to each other yet? If you have…then when." Sanyu smiled, proud of herself.
"Yes and last night." Adora said as though it was an everyday thing that she said. "Wow…Okay she really does confess easily." Emiko said after everyone was silent.
"You did?! Last night?!" Sanyu asked excitedly. "Hey. One question at a time. You already got two for me so you have awhile to go." Adora smirked. "Tell us." Emiko said eagerly.
"Why are you so eager Emiko?" Tohru asked her. "She's my cousin and I care about her. I have to invade her privacy, it's my job." Emiko smiled. Tohru smiled at Emiko and Emiko let out a little laugh.
"So funny Emiko." Adora looked at her. "Tell us what happened." Sanyu demanded. "How come you all want to know mine and yet you don't want to know about Sanyu's?" Adora asked questioningly.
"Not as interesting as Ritsu…and you!" Sanyu said with a smile. "Tell!" Emiko begged. Tohru was listening silently next to Emiko.
"When you guys left, Ayame said something about him wanting to spend time with me without interruption from everyone else. I think he knew about it. As I was going upstairs I remembered he said that he had my present in my room. I walked in…and well…yeah. Things happened." Adora rubbed the back of her head, wondering why she was telling them that. "I know for a fact that if you guys stayed…you would probably have needed ear plugs." Adora joked.
"Too much information Adora." Emiko said with a look of disgust on her face. Sanyu was laughing at Emiko's expression. "It was a joke." Adora laughed. "Yeah right! I bet we would have." Emiko said as her face looked even more disgusted as she pictured what happened and shook her head.
"Tohru you're so quiet." Adora looked at Tohru who was spaced out. "Dreaming about Yuki and Kyo!" Emiko and Adora said together. "Tohru can't decide if she wants Yuki or Kyo! Let's sing a song to cheer her up! Tohru and the boys sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" The girls sang the song to Tohru and she tried ignoring it as she looked at the sky, but blushed madly anyways.
They continued chatting until Adora noticed something on top of one of the mini waterfall rocks. She stood up and grabbed a box. "Another box?" "Another? You've gotten these already?" Sanyu asked. "Only one." Adora said as she stared at it.
"Open it." Tohru said half excited, half intrigued. Adora slowly opened the box and saw another sheet of paper. She pulled it out and read, "The breeze cools you as you glide against it. Chains beside you and ground under you. Friends should come and enjoy it too." Adora read it out aloud.
"Where would chains be beside you and the ground under you?" Tohru asked. "I can only think of one place that has chains." Adora said as she reread the note to herself. "Where?" They all asked.
"The park's swings." Adora stood up and got out of the springs. "Let's go."
----------
"You can go higher!" Sanyu called from the ground. "No." Emiko said while looking down at the ground from the tree. "Come on. I'm already passed you." Adora said from six branches up, sitting down while enjoying the view of the sky.
"It's cold and slippery. How did you get up there?" Emiko said while trying to make her way up higher. "I've climbed trees my whole life. I am a monkey!" Adora laughed as she pictured Ritsu taking pride in that even though he's not a very skilled climber. He would fall easily and break something.
"I'm getting down." Emiko said while stepping down and making her way to the ground. "It's so beautiful up here though!" Adora said while swaying her legs back and forth. "Where do you think the next box will be?" Emiko said as she reached the ground with a sigh. "Near the swings." Adora sighed and jumped to the ground and landed lightly.
"You just jumped from a…really tall tree." Tohru said for the others. They were all speechless, even Adora. She just had the instinct to jump, she did. Landing perfectly without harm from at least a 10 foot drop. "That is strange." Adora looked at herself and shrugged. "I'm a cat now I guess." She said playfully. "She can climb like a monkey and land like a cat." Sanyu said quietly to herself. "She did say her family has strange abilities to do the unnatural."
"I found it." Adora said while picking up a box that was sitting on a bench near the swings. "Down the path the meeting was made. Surrounded by greens and sound." She read out aloud but to herself. "The side walk where we met each other after so long? It was a sidewalk path…where we met…the field was across the street. The noises from everything pulls it together."
Adora looked at small writing at the bottom of the card. "Send everyone home if they are with you." Adora felt like someone was behind her and she quickly turned around and fell. Tohru, Sanyu, and Emiko were standing right there, apparently reading the note over her shoulder. Adora got up quickly and brushed herself off. "You ha--"
"We saw." Sanyu said. "We'll go." Emiko said with a big smile. "This was interesting." Tohru added. They all waved goodbye and walked off together.
Adora on the other hand, walked all the way to the sidewalk where Ritsu and Adora had reunited after ten long years. No one was there, and no box. She looked up and down the streets and then heard a bell. She turned around and Ritsu laughed. "I've been here for a long time. It sure does take you a long time to find the boxes." "I was having fun with the girls." Adora said while a silly smile appeared over her face.
"What was the point of the boxes?" Adora asked curiously. "For this box." Ritsu pulled out a semi small velvet box and opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond bracelet. "Ritsu, no. I won't allow you to spend so much on me."
Ritsu got closer to her. "I want to. Jewelry and items cannot buy love. I don't want to buy love. I am already in love and I am loved. I wanted to give you this because I knew you would like it." He said, shyly.
"I do like it. It's so beautiful." Adora threw herself into Ritsu's arms. "I have a gift for you too." She said after pulling away from him. "You do?" He asked. "Yep. I was going to give it to you last night but…I didn't expect what happened. I ended up dropping it." Adora laughed as she said the last part and Ritsu blushed.
He was thinking about the night before a lot just like Adora. "Let's go see what it is." Adora grabbed Ritsu and pulled him all the way home and when they got into her room, she reached out and put the black box into Ritsu's hands. Ritsu slowly opened it and saw a very handsomely made silver watch with a black face. "I need a watch." He laughed. "It must have been expensive."
"The price doesn't matter. Flip it." Adora stuck out her index finger and swirled it in the air to show him to flip the watch over. He flipped it over and on the back it read in engraved words, 'Ritsu, my love, my friend, my partner'. "Thank you." He had a big smile on his face.
"This has been a nice Christmas." Adora said while putting on her beautiful silver diamond bracelet and then helping Ritsu put on his new watch.
----------
Journal, 12/25
I have learned so many more things about Ritsu and yet he still seems to have some things that he has yet to shed. Christmas Eve was fun, festive, and fantastic! I won't get too into detail though. I think…working and giving to others was a great thing to do. I received lots in return! Everything was worth it.
Adora