It was a lazy late afternoon, and Bambi closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the hammock rocking back and forth slightly. There was a cool breeze coming up off the ocean, easing the equatorial heat of the atoll.

She sighed in contentment, feeling completely relaxed for the first time in ages, ever since she entered college. This is her graduation year, and things have been tough to get a handle on.

After too many sleepless nights, having a holiday on a warm beach with her newly-wed husband seemed providential. They have not had time alone together since their wedding on Spring the year before, and even that was a brief stop-over on his tour around the world.

Seiji was cuddled next to her, his arm around her carefully. His breathing was low, and Bambi was sure that, in another fifteen minutes or so, he would doze off, despite his hang-ups about daytime sleeping.

Bambi, in turn, smiled. Their vacation was a much-needed one. Between Seiji pursuing his piano playing in theatres and competitions and orchestras around the world and her trying to finish her piece for her graduation project, the pair was busy. They rarely had time to be together or do anything, they were rarely in the same time zone.

When her husband had suggested the two of them going away for the holiday week, she had jumped at the idea of being alone with him.

Vacationing in Bora Bora had been an excellent idea. The weather was perfect, it was too far away for them to be bothered with anything from back home and she loved the alone time with the pianist, who likewise enjoyed having her for himself.

Yet…

"I can't help but feel like there's something missing here…" Bambi commented, lightly. "Don't you feel so?"

She rolled over to look at Seiji.

He rose his head. "Are you dissatisfied for having come all the way here with me? If you want to go back to Japan, you're going alone."

"I don't want to go back to Japan!" The young woman exclaimed. "It's just that… It's like as if it's not Christmas, that it's not even December. There's something important missing and I'm wrecking my brain trying to figure it out."

"Did you have any luck so far?" He asks, disinterested.

"None. I still don't know." Bambi admitted. "Being here on vacation for the holidays was an incredible idea, and I just can't put my finger on what could be making me so anxious."

Seiji sighed and looked deep into her eyes. "Are you happy?"

"Of course, I am!" The younger musician exclaimed. "How can I not be? I'm in Bora Bora with my husband, whom I love and appreciate for it. What more could a woman want?"

Seiji chuckled warmly at Bambi, as always holding his age status over her head.

He smiled at his young wife with sympathy and contemptuous amusement. "I think I have an idea on what it could be."

"Oh? Well, do tell." She replied, tearing her gaze from the reddening sea to look at her husband once more.

"You think that it doesn't feel much like Christmas." He argued. "There is no snow, no decoration and no family members or friends. It's Summer and we're alone together, stranded on the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and you are rather afraid that Santa won't know where to send your presents this year."

Ignoring his teasing, Bambi nodded. "That's exactly it. I mean, I know it's Christmas, but it doesn't feel like Christmas. Not that I regret our decision to vacation for this holiday week. I'm glad that you made the time."

"I'm well aware." Seiji soothed her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I hate the season, and I hate all those endless parties, and I hate the decorations, and I hate above all the smirk on Konno's face when he speaks about the seasonal cheer, but even I am a little sentimental. I regret that we won't be able to go to the temple this year, and I regret we won't pull our fortunes together. We've been doing that every year for so long…"

The wife kissed him gently. "That's okay. The temple will always be there and this is more the reason for us to stay together and go next year. I love you."

"I love you, too, Bambi." He replied in unusual candour, kissing her back with gusto.

"All that matters to me is that we're together, and I mean it. As much as I appreciate the candy canes and the gingerbread houses, I'd trade it all for being here with you." She linked their hands and smiled at him. "I still can't believe we've been married for nearly eight months!"

"Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?" Seiji chuckled in almost self-derision and looked up at the soft clouds. "It's so beautiful here."

"Yeah, it is." Bambi agreed.

Suddenly, Seiji bolted upright, startling Bambi with the quickness of his movements.

"I just thought of something. I'll be right back." The man said, in a rush.

He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before dashing inside their hotel room, leaving Bambi on the balcony alone.

Soon after, he returned, the closing of the screen slider door alerting his wife to his presence. Sitting up, she saw that he had two mugs in his hands.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Well, I was thinking about how we were saying it didn't feel like Christmas, and the solution just popped right into my head." He handed her a mug. "I thought that hot cocoa would get you in the mood."

Bambi smiled. "You know cocoa is my favourite, don't you?"

"Of course, I do." Seiji said, carefully sitting on the hammock next to Bambi so that neither of them spilt their drinks. "So much so that I had stashed a few packets in my luggage before we left."

The woman sipped her cocoa in great satisfaction. "Seiji, this is perfect. Thank you."

She leant over and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Well, you know that I love my chocolate," Seiji admitted, his cheeks turning red slightly.

"Of course. I would never assume you bought the cheap brand just because that's the one I love the most." Bambi teased.

The man is always so embarrassed and so self-aggrandizing that he is unable to admit he did a romantic gesture. It was almost charming.

"Is it helping?" He asks.

"Definitely." The woman assured him. "Hot cocoa and cuddling with you are just how I like to spend Christmas. Only this year, we're doing it under the open sky and not feeling terribly cold."

"Definitely an improvement." He smirked at her. "It makes me want to come back here next year too."

She hummed. "That would be nice, maybe just not for Christmas next time."

"Of course. Konno would be so sad all alone." Seiji mumbled, contrarian.

He sipped at his hot cocoa.

Bambi inhaled the sweet smell on the breeze, a mixture of sea and smoke from the nearby bonfire next the pool area. It was not cinnamon and spice, but it was just right for their Christmas abroad.