AN: Merry christmas! A friend of mine urged me to write a christmas-themed oneshot for this holiday season (even when I'm in the midst of working on a new chapter for my main Angel Beats! Story grumble grumble) and after some brainstorming, this is what I came up with: some nice and romantic, domestic fluff between Yuzuru and Yuri. This oneshot will be set at an unspecified time (though obviously during christmas) in the story of my main Angel Beats fic, "Changing Fate"/"Shaping Fates", but can probably be read as a standalone thing – there will be no major spoilers regarding the plot of my main fic. Maybe. Hopefully.
In any case, let's get on with it!
A Fated Christmas Eve
"Tadaima."
A sigh left my mouth as I stepped over the threshold of mine and Hatsune's shared apartment. Setting the grocery bag I was carrying on the floor, I quickly shed away the multiple layers of clothing that I had enveloped myself with to protect myself from the cold of the outside world. This winter will definitely set some records, that's for sure… Shivering at the mere thought of going back outside – the dread of the prospect made all the more real due to my plans for tonight unfortunately involving it – I picked up the groceries again and made my way inside.
"Hatsune? You in here?" I asked with a raised voice as I stepped into the living room, my eyes scanning the area, until they landed on a pair of legs resting on one of the armrests of the sofa. Is she asleep..? Walking over to the sofa, I leaned over it to see Hatsune lying down on it, her eyes firmly fixated on her phone screen and with faint music coming through from her earbuds. "Hatsune?" I tapped my little sister on the forehead, which caused her to yelp in surprise and drop her phone, landing square on her face and making her groan in pain.
"Oww… Onii-chan? You're home?" My sister asked as her eyes met mine, one hand rubbing her nose as the other moved to take out her earbuds.
"Yeah, I just arrived." I replied to her, beginning to move towards the kitchen as my sister sat up straight on the sofa.
"Weren't you supposed to spend today with Yuri-nee-san? You know, your girlfriend? It's Christmas Eve after all." Hatsune questioned as I lifted the grocery store bag onto the dinner table, getting ready to unpack. If this were at the beginning of our relationship, I'd probably be a blushing mess right about now from just the prospect of thinking that Yuri was my girlfriend, but… Now all the thought brings me is utter happiness and pride.
"Yes, and I will. But since I still had to go to Uni for the last day of the semester, we made plans to meet up later in the afternoon. So, I went to pick up some groceries and stuff while I had the chance." In the corner of my eye, I could spot Hatsune perking up as she observed me unpacking things, a hopeful glint in her eye.
"Did you get any… you know..?" My sister carefully asked, and I couldn't help the smile on my face as I looked at the white-and-red sealed tub in the grocery bag. Turning to look at Hatsune again, I grinned as I slowly lifted the tub out of the grocery bag, watching as my sister's eyes and smile widened.
"One tub of fried chicken for my cute little sister." I said as I placed the tub onto the table, chuckling as Hatsune lifted her arms up into the air and squealed in delight. "You'll probably have to reheat it before eating, though. It's pretty darn cold out there."
"That's fine, I'm not planning on eating yet anyway. Ah, but I'll be so lonely… This will be the first christmas I spend without Onii-chan… sob sob." Hatsune dramatically wiped the corners of her eyes of imaginary tears while muttering 'They grow up so fast…' under her breath, and all I could do was shake my head at my sister's antics. This will also be my first christmas after regaining my memories of my past life… But the memories I have with Hatsune from this life far outweigh any negative memories from my previous one.
"Well, you'll probably have to get used to it from now on. Yuri might kill me and then chase me to the next life if I missed out on spending a day like this with her in the future." I said and chuckled at the little 'inside joke' I had made as I finished taking everything out of the grocery bag, moving to put everything into the fridge. "In all seriousness, though… Will you be fine on your own?" I then asked with a serious tone, my eyes flicking to Hatsune as I sorted all the groceries away.
"You don't have to worry, Onii-chan. I'll manage." Hatsune replied with an understanding smile, slowly turning on the couch to plant her feet on the ground while she reached for the TV remote. "You just go out and have the best christmas ever with your beautiful girlfriend, promise?"
"...Alright, it's a promise."
Smiling to my sister, I finished filling up the fridge, making sure to have the tub of fried chicken in an easily-accessible and prominent place. I've still got a bit of time to burn before I meet up with Yuri for our date… Suddenly feeling a bit giddy, despite us already having been dating for quite a while, I hastily made my way to my room, avoiding Hatsune lest she sees me smiling and starts teasing me. After closing the door behind me, I let out a sigh and flicked on the light switch, my eyes being drawn towards the neatly-wrapped christmas present sitting on the night stand. The sight of it made the smile on my face wider.
Today's going to be great.
"Here you go, Nakamura-san."
"Thanks, Kashou. By the way… you look ridiculous in that."
I grinned at the cafe owner while stifling the chuckles his expression brought to me. The festive season had made Kashou decorate his entire cafe – La Soleil – with appropriate decorations, and he himself had replaced his usual outfit and apron with bright red and white variants, topped off with a small Santa hat on top of his head.
"Well… 'Tis the season', as they say." Kashou replied to me with a slightly awkward smile, then let his gaze wander around his cafe. "Have to say, you look somewhat out of place here without Otonashi-san. I thought you'd want to spend today together with him?" He then asked as he met my gaze again.
"I came here to wait for him, actually. We… made plans to go out on a date, but Yuzuru's winter break doesn't officially start until tomorrow, so he had to go to Uni today. He should be arriving soon enough." I replied, and let my gaze wander around the rest of the cafe. Like Kashou had pointed out, the cafe was full of couples of all age groups – though they were mostly university students, given the proximity of the university Yuzuru went to – all chatting away while enjoying the atmosphere and refreshments provided by the large but still homely cafe. "...Should you be standing around here chatting away with me, though?" I asked after a few moments of silence, noting that the amount of customers present was above the average – I would know, being a regular at the cafe despite not even going to Uni.
"I've had a month to prepare for tonight, and I also got some extra helping hands." Kashou replied and pointed towards a waitress I didn't recognize, dressed similarly to Kashou himself. She was currently serving beverages to a couple consisting of a green-eyed girl with long, blonde hair holding her phone and pointing at it while talking excitedly with a shorter, more timid-looking boy whose dark violet eyes were staring at her intensely from behind his messy bangs of dark-brown hair. "...And, I think with all the hustle and bustle today, I think I'm allowed a small moment to just breathe – don't you think so too?"
"That's the same answer you always give when I ask this question – no matter the season." I replied with a deadpan expression but Kashou only smiled.
"Well, that just means I only spend my 'breathers' with very special people like yourself, Nakamura-san." Kashou said with a wink, and I rolled my eyes.
"I'm flattered, truly." Kashou chuckled, and I brought my tea up to my lips to take a sip. My eyes wandered towards another table, where a tall, black-haired young man sat while expressionlessly staring down at a slice of cake being offered to him by a pouting, busty young woman with long, reddish-burgundy hair. When the man eventually opened his mouth and allowed her to place the slice of cake within, the woman's blue eyes lit up, and she smiled as she pressed herself against him affectionately. ...Kashou is kinda right, though, I am starting to feel out of place here, even if I am waiting for my own boyfriend… Suppressing a sigh, I looked up at Kashou, who was looking around at the various couples in his cafe with a slight smile on his face. "Say, Kashou…" Hearing my voice, the cafe owner turned to me with a raised eyebrow, and I felt a tinge of mischievousness going through me – similarly to whenever I bantered with or teased Yuzuru. "...You've got all these couples in your cafe, but… how's your own love life doing, out of interest? Not got anyone you'd rather spend Christmas eve with over being here?" Kashou seemed initially surprised by my question – understandably, as he was the type of person to inquire more about others' lives than talk about his own – and then smiled awkwardly.
"...Well, I've been single since high school, so no, I don't have anyone to spend Christmas eve with. This cafe's basically my life, anyway, so there's not many places I'd rather be, to be honest." Kashou finished with a proud look as he stared off into the distance, and while I did acknowledge his words as admirable, I couldn't help but want to push a little more.
"Really? I thought you'd have found someone by now. Not even got anyone on your radar? Come on, you can tell me." I leaned slightly closer so I could nudge him lightly, and Kashou gave me a somewhat uncomfortable look back.
"There… Well… If I say there might be, will that satisfy you?"
"Hmmm… For now, I suppose it will have to. I'll be cheering for you!" I gave Kashou a thumbs-up and a grin, and he awkwardly scratched his cheek. Hehe, Kashou likes to meddle in other people's affairs, but I guess he's quite shy when it comes to the opposite?
"Haha… Thanks, I suppose. But, I've probably had enough of a breather, now. And it looks like I don't need to keep you company any more." Kashou smiled at me, moving out of the way and gesturing towards the cafe entrance, where I could see a familiar figure opening the door to let in a pair of individuals – a tall woman with long black hair whose violet eyes looked around curiously holding onto the hand of a short brown-haired boy. As the figure removed his hat, revealing his reddish-orange hair, I felt a smile growing on my face. Yuzuru.
As he glanced around the cafe, I rose from my seat and waved broadly, successfully managing to capture his attention. As soon as our eyes met, Yuzuru's face was overtaken by a smile, and he began making his way over to me, saying a word of greetings to Kashou as he passed by.
"Hey, Yuri. Sorry I made you wait." Yuzuru said as he moved to sit down opposite of me.
"Don't be, I didn't wait that long." I replied, watching as Yuzuru somewhat hesitantly loosened his clothing, a visible shiver going through him as he did so. "Did you get cold on the way?" I then asked, reaching a hand towards his as he laid them on the table, instantly feeling how cold his skin was.
"A little, yeah. Are we… gonna get going soon, or..?" Yuzuru asked hesitantly, and I smirked inwardly, clearly seeing how he dreaded going outside again. Well, at least my present will be a good one, then...
"We'll let you warm up first, okay? I only just got my drink a few minutes ago, so we've got no hurry. Those christmas decorations on the main street aren't going anywhere." Yuzuru nodded to me in reply, then began to look around for Kashou or one of his employees to order something warm to drink. Ah, I've been looking forward to this… Even if it's just another date like the hundreds of ones we've been on before, there's something special about Christmas Eve… Hmph, look at you, Yuri. I wonder what the SSS members would think if they saw their fearless leader like this…
When Yuzuru got his drink, we settled down and relaxed, talking about very mundane topics. Gradually, I could feel Yuzuru's hand warming up, and eventually our fingers became interlocked. I wanted to do so much more with Yuzuru right now, but felt embarrassed about us being in public, so our intertwined fingers were the only indication of us being a couple to the people around us.
Couple.
I spun the word around in my head a few times, starting to feel giddy about it. Of course, Yuzuru and I had been dating for a few months now, so it wasn't anything new, but every second I spent with him, knowing he was my romantic partner, was utter bliss. We had met by chance, pulled together by fate due to our shared experiences in the Afterlife, and our friendship – having managed to transcend reincarnation – evolved into romantic love in this life. And while all the experiences, hardships and regrets shaped us, what truly mattered was right now.
And right now, I was a girl happily spending Christmas Eve with her boyfriend.
After we finished with our drinks at La Soleil, we bid farewell to Kashou and returned to the cold outside, interlocking our arms and pushing our bodies close as we walked towards the main street. Every year, the city set up absolutely astonishing christmas decorations along it, complete with a large – though unfortunately fake, from what I knew – christmas tree at the edge of the park that bordered the main street. However, this was the first year that either of us would be seeing the splendour together with a partner, making our first christmas together just that more special.
It didn't take long for the blindingly bright lights of the main street coming into view, and we could only gasp in awe as we walked under the glowing arches. The streets were somewhat packed with people – some alone, but most as couples like us – but the crowds thinned somewhat as we came closer to the christmas tree, which had been looming ahead of us for quite some time, now. Without the tightness of the streets restricting them, the crowds of people were spread around the area that connected the park to the main street, allowing us some breathing room. Yuzuru and I walked up closer to the tree together, stopping a fair bit away from the other couples around also admiring the sight, and we simply stood in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the sights around us and each other's company.
"...It really is beautiful up this close." I commented to break the silence, my eyes still glued up to the christmas tree, the only reason I hadn't yet taken out my phone to snap a picture being the fact that it would have needed me dislodging myself from Yuzuru – which I wasn't planning on doing any time soon.
"...Yeah, it is." Yuzuru's words were accompanied by the feeling of a hot breath on my cheek, so I turned and saw him looking directly at me, instead of at the tree. Oh, Yuzuru… Normally I'd punch him for something so corny, but I don't want to ruin this mood that's making my heart trying to burst out of my chest. "I love you, Yuri." Yuzuru's eyes looked into mine lovingly, and I couldn't help but smile broadly.
"I love you too, Yuzuru." Without hesitation, I rose to my tiptoes and captured Yuzuru's lips with my own. They felt slightly cold, but the warmth emanating from the kiss overwhelmed that feeling soon enough. I closed my eyes as I wrapped my arms around Yuzuru's back, and felt his own arms slowly doing the same to me. Ah… If this isn't true happiness, I don't know what is… I love you so much, Yuzuru.I didn't know how long our lips stayed connected for, but by the time we separated, both of our faces were red for reasons other than the cold air. "Shall we… continue down to the park?" Yuzuru nodded to me with a smile, then gave me a quick kiss on the forehead, before we linked arms again and continued on.
Like the main street, the central park was also decorated, though here the lights were much more modest, helping to preserve the natural look it had, only amplified now that everything was covered in a thin blanket of snow. We circled around the large tree to admire it from all angles and weaved our way through the pathways, passing by other couples along the way, though Yuzuru and I were so enamoured with each other that we scarcely paid attention to them, and I figured they were just the same. Coming across a choir singing a rendition of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" from his famous Ninth Symphony, we stayed to listen to their performance, like the many others gathered. I wouldn't say that either of us particularly liked classical music, but we listened anyway and applauded the beautiful performance after it finished.
Eventually, we reached the other end of the park, both of us having thoroughly enjoyed our date so far, even if it had been very uneventful. This fit perfectly for both of us, though – as long as we were together, we'd be able to find joy in anything, I figured. By this point, we were both feeling peckish, and started to head towards my apartment, where I had prepared food for us. Originally, Yuzuru had planned for us to go to a restaurant as the culmination of our date, but I wanted to cook for him this christmas so I could prove to him once and for all that I was a good cook like I claimed.
Saying that, I felt more and more nervous with each step we took, and I doubted that I was able to hide it all from Yuzuru. I knew he'd be happy with whatever I presented to him, but I truly wanted to make him feel proud about having me as his girlfriend. Just calm down, Yuri. You've already made the food, there's nothing to worry about there, just have to prepare it all for the meal.
Preparing a christmas dinner for your boyfriend is nothing compared to herding a group of idiots against God in the Afterlife.
…
...Though it sure as hell is making me a lot more nervous.
As soon as we arrived at Yuri's apartment, my girlfriend shooed me away from the kitchen while she got everything ready for our christmas dinner. The food had been mostly cooked already, but there was still obviously still some things she could only do right now, so I left her to it. While it was perhaps "tradition" for couples to book restaurants for Christmas Eve, I was very much looking forward to what Yuri had whipped up for us, feeling my mouth watering as I sat patiently in the living room. I know she's been practising her cooking basically ever since we got together, and tonight is going to be the culmination of all that. She seemed quite nervous on our way here, but I have faith in her.
Eventually, the smells of prepared food started to waft towards me from the kitchen, but I fought against the urge to peek, feeling that I might have various kitchen utensils thrown at me by Yuri if I were to do so. The most prominent smell that my nostrils picked up was that of fried chicken, but judging by how much Yuri was preparing, and knowing she had spent the most of yesterday cooking in advance, this wasn't the same store-bought fast food I had gotten for Hatsune. The amount of effort Yuri was putting into this meal was admirable, and I felt lucky for being her boyfriend.
"Alright, Yuzuru, you can come here, now." Finally, after almost half an hour, Yuri called out to me from the kitchen, and I leapt to my feet in anticipation. Walking over to the small table in her kitchen, I was greeted by the sight of Yuri with an apron on and the sleeves of her christmas jumper rolled up – something I hadn't seen before and very much liked. "Sit."
Following my girlfriend's orders, I took a seat at the table – plates and cutlery already laid out for both of us – and watched while my mouth watered in anticipation as she moved back to the kitchen counter. With Yuri picking up a large-ish tray and bringing it to the table, I was greeted with our main dish for tonight: fried chicken katsu topped with curry sauce. Alongside it, Yuri brought in bowls of rice and salad consisting primarily of shredded cabbage and nori, topped off with sesame seeds. For drinks, Yuri provided us with a bottle of chanmery – a fitting choice given her understandable wariness towards alcoholic drinks. After setting everything down, Yuri took off her apron and put it away, then stood still next to the table, her hands fidgeting awkwardly as her gaze flitted between me and the food.
"W-well?" Yuri questioned, not quite meeting my eyes – she was clearly waiting for my opinion on everything. She is so adorable, squirming like that. Knowing I'd likely get punched if I were to tease her or make my innermost thoughts known, I instead took a moment to take in the smells of the meal presented before me.
"It smells and looks wonderful, Yuri. I've been anticipating this the whole day. You did well." I said to her with a smile, taking delight in watching Yuri's cheeks redden slightly.
"A-as expected, obviously." Yuri replied, masking her embarrassment with a huff as she moved to take a seat. "But, you should… taste it first before giving your final verdict."
Both having sat down, we didn't waste any more time and each muttered a quiet "itadakimasu" before getting to work on filling our rumbling stomachs. As I lifted the first chicken cutlet to my mouth, I could spot Yuri staring at me intently, gauging my reaction to her cooking. A brief thought about teasing her entered my mind, but it vanished the moment I bit down on the chicken, the crispy crust giving way to the deliciously tender meat beneath, all the while the sauce spread a deep umami taste within my mouth. My reaction must have been pretty obvious on my face, given the expression of pride I saw on Yuri's face, but I had to vocalize it as well.
"Yuri, this… I love it!" Perhaps surprised by my sudden declaration, Yuri jumped slightly, then averted her gaze from me as her cheeks reddened again, though she was unable to hide the wide smile on her face. Fate, thank you again for bringing us together.
We continued on with our meal in silence, only occasionally breaking it to talk about something or other, the domesticity of it all bringing a relaxing comfort to my heart. Right now, we still lived separately, but perhaps one day in the future, days and meals like this could become the norm. At the very least, I very much hoped so.
By the time we finished, I was quite satisfied and full, but there was definitely something still missing if were to go all-in with the christmas traditions – a cake.
"Haa… That was some great food. You've definitely outdone yourself with this, Yuri." I praised my girlfriend as she collected the dirty dishes, moving them over to the sink to be cleaned later.
"Thanks, Yuzuru. But it's not quite over yet." Yuri replied while sending me a glance accompanied by a mysterious smile over her shoulder. "To be honest, I was really nervous about making and preparing the food, but knew that if I failed somewhere, I'd still have this ace up my sleeve." Lifting an eyebrow in question at my girlfriend's words, I watched as she walked over to the fridge, opened it up and took out something covered by a metal dome-shaped covering. Could this be… dessert? "I had to find and buy this thing-" Yuri began and lightly tapped the metal cover as she placed the object on the table. "-yesterday right before the shops closed, so I'm hoping it will be of some use in the future as well. In any case…" Yuri placed a hand onto the handle at the top of the cover and looked me in the eyes, a proud smile on her face. "Ta-daa!"
With a swift motion, Yuri lifted up the metal cover, revealing what had been hidden on the platter underneath. My eyes landed on a small-ish strawberry shortcake, the top of it decorated with strawberry slices arranged to form a heart and coloured frosting spelling out the words "Merry Christmas" in English. For a few silent moments, I simply marvelled at the tasty-looking dessert, before my eyes caught onto something interesting. The text seemed… wobbly at certain points, as if the creator's hands had been shaking in the process of creating it, and the main vanilla frosting was uneven here and there. As the realization hit me, I looked back up to meet Yuri's eyes.
"Yuri, you… you made this… yourself..?" My girlfriend's smile only got wider as the words left my mouth, and she nodded to me happily.
"I did! This is what I spent most of yesterday working on, and it's probably not perfect, but I'm still very proud of it. I didn't want to just buy one straight from a store, so I ended up pouring over different recipes online until I found one that I liked, and this is what I ended up with. So, what do you think, Yuzuru?" Yuri explained to me while proudly puffing out her chest.
"It's… just wow. I don't think I could make anything like this. You… really went through a lot of effort to make all this…" I scratched my cheek awkwardly, now feeling like my date plans for today had been somewhat lackluster in comparison to Yuri's cooking.
"I… really wanted to impress you with my cooking. And… also… to make you feel proud about calling me your girlfriend." Yuri replied, fidgeting in place slightly as she looked down at the cake, and her words made me blush somewhat. Yuri… I swear, every day, she finds some new way of making me love her even more.
"...You don't need to cook fancy meals or bake cakes for me to feel that way, Yuri." I said to my girlfriend with a smile, my face still feeling a bit warm. "You make me feel proud to call you my girlfriend every single day we're together." I watched as Yuri's face became tinted crimson again, and before I knew it, she had suddenly appeared by my side, lifting my up from my chair by the collar as she buried her face in the crook of my neck.
"...I love you so much, Yuzuru." She mumbled into my neck, and I wrapped my arms around her while leaning onto her head.
"...And I love you at least as much back, Yuri."
After sharing a deep and loving kiss with each other, we cut up the cake into slices, then relocated to the small sofa in Yuri's living room, planning on watching movies for the rest of the evening while snuggled together under a blanket – nice and cozy. We had each picked out two movies, but figured we probably wouldn't be bale to watch all four of them, settling for being satisfied with just two of them tonight – one from each of us.
Starting with one of Yuri's choices, we began our "christmas movie night" with an animated classic from Japan, Tokyo Godfathers. Yuri hadn't told me why exactly she had chosen this particular movie, but given its themes about family, I could hazard a good guess as to why that had been the case. Though she didn't quite cry, I could definitely hear sniffles from her at the more dramatic and tragic parts of the film – and even I had to admit that the story about three homeless people bonding as a family as they searched for the mother of an abandoned child was quite touching.
After Yuri got over her emotions (which involved a lot of hugging, kisses and cuddling – something which I was more than happy to give to my girlfriend), we moved on to the second movie of the night, one of my choices. While Yuri had gone for a movie made in Japan, I had turned my sights to the west (where both of my choices had come from) and the one I ultimately chose for us to watch first was a slightly different kind of one: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. I had stumbled across it some time ago on an internet forum, where it was described as a "christmas-themed action horror film", a combination that peaked my interest. It had taken quite a bit of effort to find a Japanese-subtitled version of the Finnish-made film, and Yuri was intially sceptical when I told her that we'd be watching a horror film on Christmas Eve, but I reassured her that it wasn't that scary – at least, based on the information I had, as I hadn't seen the movie myself.
Thankfully, my guess had turned out to be correct – though there still were moments when Yuri's hold on me tightened to near-dangerous levels – and we found ourselves pleasantly surprised by the film. Its mix of dark humour, Northern European folklore and elements of suspense horror wrapped up in a christmassy theme worked perfectly to bring about an enjoyable experience.
"...Well, I will admit, that was better than I was anticipating." Yuri said with a sigh as the credits rolled, squirming slightly underneath the blanket to get into a better position, as she had been practically glued to me for the entirety of the film's climax. "Don't think I'll ever look at Santa Claus the same way, though." a slight shudder went through Yuri, and I couldn't help but chuckle, reaching up a hand to pat my girlfriend's head affectionately.
"You are very welcome, Yuri. So… what now? Want to watch another one?" I asked from Yuri, who seemed to pause for a moment, reaching for her phone on the armrest of the sofa and then checking the time on it.
"Hmmm… Not… right away, at least…" Yuri said, a hint of mysteriousness in her tone. "Yuzuru, why don't you… wait here for a little bit? I'll be back in a moment." She looked at me for a moment, and I lifted an eyebrow at her, but then nodded. What's she up to now? Seeing my affirmation, Yuri lifted up the blanket and stood up, stretching a little before beginning to make her way towards her bedroom. "Wait right there, alright? This won't take long." My girlfriend said to me before she entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She's definitely planning something…
While I waited for Yuri to return, a sudden thought entered my head, and I quickly rose up from the sofa as well. This will be the best chance for this… Quietly making my way to the entrance of Yuri's apartment, I reached into one of the pockets of my coat and took out a small box from within – Yuri's christmas present – before making my way back to the sofa. Repositioning myself, I hid the present underneath the blanket, now smiling to myself as I waited for my girlfriend to return. I'm sure she'll love it…
Just like Yuri had said, it didn't take long until I heard the door to her bedroom open again. Before I could say or do anything, though, Yuri loudly ordered me to stay still and close my eyes. Curiosity welled up inside me, but I obliged to her request. With my eyes closed, I could hear Yuri slowly approaching the sofa, circling around it before stopping to stand in front of me. As I was about to question her, I felt something soft pressing against my face, before said softness was dragged down to around my neck, wrapping all around it and the lower half of my face. What is..? Eventually, the movement around my head stopped, and I heard Yuri taking a deep breath.
"You… can open… your eyes now." I heard my girlfriend's voice, and did as she asked.
Slowly opening my eyes and looking down at what Yuri had put on me, I saw bright, reddish-orange fabric spreading down and wrapping around my neck. Feeling the soft fabric around my fingers, I quickly realized what the object was.
"...A scarf? Is this… my christmas pres-" As I lifted my eyes to look at Yuri, my sentence was cut short as my breath hitched in my throat, the sight before me making me freeze.
Previously, Yuri had been wearing a grey and blue christmas jumper with a snowflake design, the long hem of it stretching down to her mid-thighs, her legs covered by black leggings. However, the fresh memory of her wearing that had not prepared me for what I was faced with currently. Gone were the leggings, replaced by red thigh-highs that left most of her thighs on full display in all their glory, the edges of the tight fabric digging into her flesh deliciously. Gone was the christmas jumper, replaced by a red skirt with a fluffy white hem, covering just enough to hide whatever she wore underneath and accentuating her thighs. A white belt squeezed down on her waist, keeping the skirt below in place but leaving her smooth belly exposed. One of her pale hands was covering her belly button, perhaps from embarrassment, and above it, her upper torso was covered by a red top that left her cleavage exposed, the edges white and fluffy like the hem of the skirt. More red fabric rested atop her shoulders, held together by a white and fluffy ring around the base of her neck, and the bottom edges of the shoulder pieces covered in a white fluff just like the rest of the outfit. And her face was overcome with a blush almost the same shade of red as the Santa hat atop her head.
To put it in short, Yuri looked absolutely gorgeous, as well as sexy, and I was stunned. My staring only seemed to deepen Yuri's blush, and my girlfriend squirmed uncomfortably for several seconds, before she grabbed the edge of the scarf she had put on me and flipped it up so it covered my face.
"D-don't just stare at me! S-say something! This is r-really embarrassing…" Yuri spoke out, and her words finally got me out of my stupor. I moved the scarf out of the way of my vision – idly noting how hot my face felt – and took a second look at Yuri, whose gaze was now directed away from me as she hugged herself, covering her chest with her arms. ...Wow. Just… wow.
"I… I'm speechless." I managed to finally say, and Yuri cautiously looked back at me. "How..? Where..?"
"I-I got some… help from a certain doctor. I-it's not… too… revealing, is it..?" Yuri tugged at the hem of the skirt and the top, as if trying to get it to cover more. ...I mean, it definitely is revealing, that's for sure… But not too much. It covers just enough to be considered somewhat modest – though the exposed belly is definitely the opposite to that – and reveals the key parts, accentuating them while leaving just enough to the imagination… Realizing that Yuri was waiting for me to respond, I cleared my thought and averted my gaze for a moment.
"A-ah, well… It's… definitely somewhat revealing, but… I think it looks fine. I-I mean, it looks more than fine, Yuri. You're… absolutely gorgeous in that." I met Yuri's eyes again, and she covered her face in embarrassment at my words.
"Gaaaah! I knew this would be so embarrassing! But…" Yuri slowly removed her hands, her green eyes piercing into me, and before I realized it, my girlfriend had lowered herself down and straddled me on the couch, placing her hands on my shoulders while leaning close. "...Seeing that blush on your face and knowing how happy this makes you definitely makes it worth it." Our faces were mere centimetres away, Yuri's chin nearly touching the scarf still wrapped around me. "Merry Christmas, Yuzuru. I love you." Yuri said and planted a kiss on my nose before leaning back with a smile. She is so beautiful...
"...This might just be the best christmas present I've ever received." I replied with a smile of my own, then reached up a hand to run my fingers over the fabric of the scarf Yuri put on me. "I mean the scarf, of course. This thing is sure to keep me warm." Yuri's expression shifted into annoyance, and she lightly poked me on the forehead, eliciting a chuckle out of me. "Sorry, sorry. I like the scarf, of course, but… Seeing you go this far for me… Thank you, Yuri. I love you too." I then said with sincerity, and a satisfied smile appeared on Yuri's face, before it twisted into a smirk as she leaned closer again, pressing herself against me and bringing her hands to cup my cheeks.
"Oh, I am sure that you're loving it, alright." Yuri pressed her cheek against mine, breathing hot air at my ear as she whispered her next words. "Pervy Yuzuru." Finishing with a light kiss on my earlobe and a slow, short grind of her rear against me, I suddenly felt very lucky that the blanket still separated us as I blushed madly. S-she really knows how to turn me into putty in her hands… Yuri giggled at my expression as she pulled away, though I could see that she herself was also blushing. "So… How about my present, then?" I sensed an opportunity to further tease Yuri, but decided against it due to our current position – she would have far too easy of a time to take revenge on me – and instead reached around under the blanket for the present I had hidden.
"Well, since you did it to me… would you close your eyes, Yuri?" Acquiescing to my request, my girlfriend closed her eyes and sat up straight on my lap. Watching her so she wouldn't peek, I took out the present box from underneath the blanket, placed it in front of her in my lap and moved her hands to allow her to grasp it. "Unwrap it, but keep your eyes closed." Yuri nodded to me, and I helped keep her present in place as she felt around it, finding the ribbons binding it, then slowly undoing them and taking off the wrapping paper. "Good, now give me your hand." Yuri extended her right hand out, and I opened the box to take out the object within – a custom-made bracelet with both of our names carved letter by letter on small wooden blocks on it surrounded by other decorations – before taking her hand in my own. I kissed Yuri's hand lightly, eliciting a giggle out of my girlfriend, then took the bracelet and put it on her gently caressing her hand and wrist. "Alright, you can open your eyes, now." Yuri did as asked, her eyes meeting mine before they landed on her wrist, and she lifted her hand up to inspect the bracelet more closely.
"Yuzuru… This is…" Yuri smiled warmly as she ran her fingers over the small wooden blocks and the red and green faux-gemstones that bordered them, as well as the pearls that decorated the rest of the silver chain. "Are these… real? How… expensive was this..?"
"The gemstones are fake, but they look pretty. I chose them to… match our eyes. The pearls are real, though, and the chain is made of silver. Honestly, the most expensive part was probably getting those wooden parts on and our names carved on them. But, it wasn't too expensive overall – though still nothing short of the best of the best for you, Yuri." I explained to my girlfriend. Taking a hold of her hand and interlacing our fingers, I looked deep into her green eyes. "I love you, Yuri. Merry Christmas."
Yuri smiled at me lovingly, then leaned back in for a kiss, this time moving the scarf out of the way to properly allow our lips to meet. With my free hand, I reached up behind Yuri's head, pulling her closer to me, and my girlfriend did the same, deepening our kiss as we mashed our lips together. We kissed intimately for what felt like an eternity, before we were forced to separate by lack of oxygen, both of us breathing heavily while staring deep into each other's eyes. Our separation didn't last for long, however, as Yuri soon enough claimed my lips in yet another heated kiss, and we would not be leaving the sofa any time soon.
The dark curtain of evening falls upon mine and Yuri's first Christmas Eve together as a couple, but our story together is far from over.
AN: First time writing something specific like this, but I dig it. I think this little oneshot definitely brought to surface some of the things I particularly enjoy. Such as… scarves! I think they're really neat, and a very convenient and stylish form of clothing!
Merry Christmas again to all of you, and a happy new year!