A/N: *shrugs* That's what happens when you write every day, the fiction takes a life of it's own...it's not a big deal, just saying... it is primarily fluffy...or in this case, comedic humor... for the record, our tree ended up having a birds nest in it, complete with bird...not a fun morning when we discovered a finch flying around the house and two cats trying to eat it.

It was around this time of the year that I realized just how busy my holidays get, and I never really finished my entry for the 14th day. I had to come back and finish it on the 15th, because of that, this entry is for two days at the same time...this challenge was becoming hard since this was literally exam week for most people where I live. That and family gatherings meant very little time for writing.

December 14th/15th

She didn't know why, but there was something about fresh pine that bugged her. The smell was reminiscent of something faint, something she felt shouldn't be bothered, and rather, left to its own devices. It was after all a tree, normally a tall thing, majestic and proud. Yet, here it was reduced to an annoying little yard, looking for all the world like it had been the last of the pickings. "Told you we should have come last week." Nao told Natsuki, knowing there wasn't much left to pick from.

"We couldn't have done it last week, we didn't have the truck." Natsuki said then. "It's not like I can fit that on my bike, and we can't very well carry the thing all the way back to campus."

"We could have used the van." Shizuru said gently, leaning into Natsuki's warmth. The day was sorely lacking it, even if the sun was bright, and the sky free of most clouds. "I didn't realize this was so important to Mai."

"It isn't." Natsuki said pointedly. "It's a tree."

"Hey guys, I found one that I think might work." Mai called out from the very back corner of the lot, in a place Natsuki has assumed was the reject section.

"Now that is truly a sad state of affairs." Natsuki grumbled, looking at the tree that was sticking out of the ground at an angle.

Nao couldn't agree more. "You'd have a better chance at decorating Midori than that twig." Then she looked to Natsuki. "Hey, think we could?"

Natsuki shrugged. "Get her drunk enough."

Shizuru worked hard to suppress her chuckle. "Natsuki, that's not nice."

"True though." Natsuki said before looking back at Mai's choice of a tree. "That's not coming home with us."

"I think it's cute." Mai said then. It was shorter than she was, thin, and missing several bits of needles.

"It's depressing." Natsuki shook her head. There was nothing redeeming about the one Mai had picked.

"Not to mention how dumb it looks." Nao went on to say after she stretchered and looked around a bit more. "You know Mai, there are other lots."

"I want this one!" Mikoto chanted, sitting on the top branch of the tallest tree in the lot.

"For the last time, that's not going to fit!" Natsuki shouted, her hands curling into fists. "Get down here before you tip it over."

"Oh, stop being so cranky." Shizuru hushed the angry mutterings that was slipping from beyond Natsuki's lips. "That's a very nice tree, isn't it, Mikoto."

"That's why we should go for this tree. It's perfect for the dorm." Mai continued on, trying to defend the dying little sapling. "Not only can we fit it on the back of the truck, but, we can also carry it up the stairs easily. Remember, nothing will fit in the elevator."

"That is a point." Natsuki muttered, taking a glance over at Shizuru, who was also selecting a tree for her home as well. "Why can't we just get a fake tree?"

"That's not any fun." Mai frowned with a sigh. "Where's the spirit of the season, Natsuki?"

"What spirit?" Natsuki groused. "Hacking a tree to bits just to cram it in the corner, hang weird crap on it, only to throw it away later?" Natsuki leaned on the fence that went around the entire tree lot. "How in the hell is that festive?"

"It just is!" Mai fired back. "And this tree is cute."

"It's shedding." Natsuki muttered lamely.

"You speak of them as if they're animals." Shizuru said then.

"They might as well be." Natsuki pointed to the tree Mai was insisting to have with a sigh. "Look at that."

"And if it was a mangy dog with scruffy looking fur, covered in mud, ticks and fleas, you'd still be the first one to pick it up and take it home with you." Shizuru said with a small laugh.

"Shut up." Natsuki hissed quietly. "That's not helping."

"Besides that, if you buy a fake tree, someone has to put it together." Nao's voice of reason made Natsuki sigh.

"Let me guess." Natsuki said, looking over to the redhead. "Little bits and pieces that we're going to lose before we even get the damn thing together."

"Sounds about right." Shizuru nodded. "I say you should let Mai pick the tree. You won't take any joy out of it anyway."

"Alright fine, damn it, we'll take the dilapidated tree!" Natsuki growled pulling her wallet out of her pocket, throwing it at Mai before pointing to Mikoto. "If she get's needles in my bed, I swear to god, you're both sleeping in the hall!"

"If it bothers you so much, why not just stay with me over the holidays." Shizuru mentioned, causing Natsuki to sigh.

"At this rate, I'll just move in." She meant it only as a joke, but some how, in the back of her mind, she saw the logic to that. "In any case, did you pick the tree you wanted?"

"Mikoto chose it for me." Shizuru smiled pointing to the tallest one that Mikoto was still on top of.

"And just how do you plan to get that through the front door?" Natsuki asked afraid of the answer.

"We'll carry it." Shizuru said then. "How else?"

"This is asking for trouble." Natsuki sighed, going off to find a sales person to help them with the purchases.