Chapter 24: Advanced Merry Christmas

Yukino tugged the base of Azami's blouse. "Azami-chan."

"Yes?" she grunted.

"I think Lei's turning blue…"

Azami looked at Yukino. "Maybe it's because the emergency lighting is blue?" Yukino gave her a stark look and wove her finger disapprovingly. "Please let go of him." Yukino said sternly. Azami let go and brushed her fingers against the hem of her skirt. Yukino was looking at her with the slightest hint of a frown. "I dunno where he's been." Azami blurted out.

Lei turned around without even giving Azami an afterthought, he sluggishly walked to an empty corner of the elevator and plopped himself down there. Yukino took a step closer but Lei raised his hand in protest. "Id rather not… I was actually planning to visit the library and get some silence…" she smiled in Yukino's direction. "Don't take it the wrong way, Yukino-chan."

"Ah, sure." Yukino sat on another corner of the room. Azami sighed and sat beside Yukino. After a few minutes of silence Azami looked at Lei. He wore a blank expression on his face and seemed strangely depressed. "Is something wrong?" the question left Azami's lips before she could stop it. Lei shook his head slowly without even looking at Azami's way.

"I don't like being ignored." Azami said in an uproar. Lei finally turned to look at the woman, he lifted a hand and pointed it towards her. "I can see your… You know." He breathed. Azami blushed and looked down at her exposed privates. She quickly pulled her skirt down. "Why didn't you tell me earlier!" she half-shouted.

Lei shifted his gaze back to his shoes. "Angry?" it was more of a statement than a question. That was it, she wouldn't take this sitting down. Azami went for Lei's collars and his neck. "Do you know what kind of—" Azami found an arm pulling her back and Yukino's hands on her mouth. "He's not supposed to know anything." she whispered into Azami's ears.

"What's wrong with you?" Azami shouted at Lei. "Nothing, really." From here Azami could smell the stench of Ale from his breath. "I thought you didn't drink!" Azami literally chocked Lei with both hands. He took her hands by the wrist trying to wrench her fingers from his throat.

Lei relinquished his grip on Azami's wrists and flashed her a look of pure resentment. Azami let go of him and took a step backwards. No way this was gonna happen, she shook her head, no way in hell she'd let a presumptuous bastard give her that look. She reached for the handle of her sword, only finding out that it was missing.

Azami nervously groped her side, she cursed the dim light. How could she forget her contacts at a time like this! "Tell me something." his voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"What?" she growled in response.

"Nevermind." he said as if he were talking to himself. "So I suppose you guys will be going back to your homes this holiday break." he stated calmly. Azami nodded in response. Yukino kept her head bowed. "I'm going to visit lutie, I have an aunt there." Yukino exhaled. Azami stretched her arms. "I'm heading to Payon for the winter, Mother wrote to me a week ago, I should visit…" she stopped her sentence.

Lei chuckled weakly. "I'm going to miss you guys…"

Yukino and Azami looked at Lei with lightened expressions on their faces. Yukino stood up and approached Lei, she knelt down and cupped his face with both hands. Yukino had a whimsical, almost sad expression on her face. "I will--" she rubbed away the tears on her misty eyes and forced a smile. "—miss—" then she suddenly lunged forwards in a warm and tight embrace. "—you." she broke into tears. Lei blushed and wrapped his arms around her too. "…Its ok, it's just going to be a month…"

Yukino bit her lip and tried hard not to cry. "I'd be worrying about you—" she rubbed her eyes and took in ragged breaths. "—so much." she said in a whisper. Lei patted her head. "I'll be fine." He tentatively pulled away. "Ill be fine." Lei said.

Azami cleared her throat. "Lei… I'm actually leaving for Payon tonight. I wont attend the dance, so—" she started rubbing her index fingers together and shuffled her feet. "—would you help me carry my stuff outside. My carriage is waiting already." She said. Lei gave her a weak smile. "You didn't have to ask…"

Azami suddenly walked up to Lei, with little or no warning hugged him. "Thank you."

"I suppose this is goodbye…" Lei muttered to himself. "It's too bad Yukino couldn't come and see you off." he muttered.

Azami brushed her hair away from her face and forced a smile. "Yeah. I guess." she sighed. Lei smiled back and started fiddling with something in his pockets. "Well you better hurry then." He said.

"I suppose, so sayonara…" Azami turned around and started walking towards her carriage. Lei frowned, a chilly wind blew in her direction sending her hair flying. "damn it." Lei muttered under his breath. He pulled himself together and ran after her, he took on of her hands in his and said. "Wait."

Azami turned around. They both looked at each other blushing and embarrassed. "Hey, since I'm not going to see you—" he pulled out a small silver ring, it resembled two wings touching each other's tips. In it's center a heart-shaped stone. "—Merry Christmas." He slid the ring on her ring finger. Lei quickly turned around and marched like a soldier towards the Geffen tower's steps.

Azami stared at the ring. It suddenly came to her, when they were shopping.

"Azami, were here to get a dress, not to ogle at jewelry." Lei said.

Azami leaned in closer to the window. "Wow…" she sighed in wonder. Lei leaned over to see what had caught Azami's attention. "A ring?" he muttered in surprise.

"Yeah… look at that one, the one that looks like two wings touching each other's tips! And that heart-shaped diamond in the middle! Kawaii!" she pointed out enthusiastically.

"Wow… Look at the price too." Lei placed his finger on the ten-thousand zenny plaque. Azami frowned at Lei and elbowed him on the chest. "I didn't ask for your opinion."

"I'm sorry." Lei apologized.

"You shouldn't be, No guy would ever give me something like that…" she rubbed her misted eyes. "Its ok, ill never have a boyfriend anyway…"

She stirred from her stupor. 'Baka! Do something!' she castigated herself.

Azami blinked twice, she lifted the silver jewelry in the moon's light. Azami brought the ring close to her chest, she looked at Lei with a genuine smile plastered on her face. "Lei!" she shouted. Lei stopped in his tracks.

Azami chased after him and stood in front of him panting. "I'll give you—" she unzipped her jacket, Lei's eyes couldn't help but stare at her chest. "—this—" she undid the buttons of her blouse. "—locket." she finished. Lei stammered. "I—I—Uh…"

Azami stuck out her tongue. "You have such a dirty mind sometimes… But today… I'll forgive you." She placed the pendant around his neck. "Oh… and there are two pictures of me in there…" Azami opened the heart-shaped locket revealing a black and white picture of her face. "Pathetic ne? I haven't replaced the other yet."

"How about when we get back… We could get a picture together…" Lei said. Azami looked at him with a glowing face, a charming smile and a look of absolute need in her eyes. "What do you think?" he asked. She stood on tiptoe, placed a hand behind his neck and pulled him down. She parted his lips with hers and stuck her tongue in. Lei's eyes widened as his arms found their way around her hips and back.

'She's… good…' he thought. He found himself responding fiercely to her kiss. Azami pulled away with a dreamy look in her eyes. Lei scratched the back of his head embarrassed. "I.. uh…"

"Care to walk me to my ride?" she asked. Azami extended an arm and Lei happily took it. Lei couldn't help notice Azami leaning her head on his shoulders. When they arrived in front of the carriage Lei was surprised to find a beautiful woman who looked very much like Azami inside. She stepped out of the carriage and gave Azami a tight hug.

"Mother… It's good to see you." Azami said in her native tongue. Her mother smiled and then turned her attention to Lei. He suddenly felt a spine tingling sensation. "Good Evening mam." Lei said as he bowed.

"So you are Lei?" the woman asked.

Lei nodded silently. The woman lifted his chin and looked at him as if she were trying to determine his value. "My daughter does have good taste. Like her mother." She said calmly. Azami blushed furiously. "Mother… It's not—" Azami kept her mouth shut when her mother shot her a cold glance. "I'm glad my daughter has finally found a boyfriend." She said with a soft smile.

Lei felt the color drain from his face. "What?" he breathed. Azami took Lei's hands and shook him. "It's not like that Mother! Lei—" she flashed Lei a look of urgency. "—Tell her."

Lei nodded vigorously. "At least your boyfriend is proud of having a girl like you. You should be more open about these things Azami." Lei was beginning to think Azami would kill him when she got back. Her mother took his nod as something else.

Azami's mother placed a hand on Lei's shoulders. "Lei, I hear this summer break you plan to stay here." Lei nodded in silence. "I'd like to have you visit Payon this coming summer. I don't want to hear a no alright." she pinched his cheeks.

Azami shook her head in protest. "Mother!" she gasped.

"But I may be a burden… or there may—" Azami's mother placed to fingers on Lei's lips. She shook her head disapprovingly. "You will go and that is final."

"Yes mam…"

"I'm sure you'll enjoy summer in Payon." she turned towards Azami. "You may bring any other friends of yours as well Azami."

To the people who are reading this little project of mine. I am really glad that you guys are able to take some time off your busy sked to read this lil project of mine. I'm sorry if my updates have been slow, I've been busy… Well I hope you guys enjoy this one and keep on reading till I'm finished with this fic. Anyway… all I really wanted to say is: Thanks.