The soft scrape of something dragging against stone drew Ienzo's curiosity. Said being sated as Riku appeared in the labs open door, a dark cloak around pale shoulders, one arm hidden by its fold, the second was latched onto a small side table which he was promptly dragging into the lab itself.

Silver quirked at the sight, puzzled. "Does Master Ansem know you're rearranging his furniture?" The questioned slipped free.

Teal met his gaze, a look of concern within depths as he shot a glance back towards said furniture. "I got this from Aerith." he explained.

"Oh," Noting how the table was drug behind, and not seeing a viable reason to it being only pulled by one hand, Ienzo found himself offering. "Would you like some help with that?"

"I'll take it," Riku admitted a slight slump of relief to his shoulders. "I wanted to put it next to Kairi, if we can?"

With one teen on each side they drew the small table to Kairi's side, setting it at the head of the chair. "If we set it here, it will be out of the way." Ienzo assured.

"Thanks," A moment later, Ienzo found the answer to why the teen had been dragging a table around with only one hand, discovering the second; he would admit to being the most important was that Riku was cradling a small pine tree to his chest. Barely a foot and a half tall, the silver teen settled it upon the table, drawing something from one pocket only to hang it on the small tree. A small wooden star shape, Ienzo only realized later that it was to represent a Papou Fruit.

"I didn't even realize it was that time," Ienzo murmured, realizing only after Riku cast him a glance that it had been spoken aloud.

"Neither had I," Riku admitted, setting to decorating the small tree with a string of lights which were battery operated, a tiny gold star placed at its top. Then around its base a small piece of red fabric was tied, with Ienzo's help. The apprentice having been offered the job when he'd continued to stare with a gleam of longing within gaze.

Finished, the two teens stepped back, gazes ghosting over the brightly lit and decorated tree. Bright red and green ribbons streamed from the tree topper, mingling with the small spool of garland they'd used. Gently brushing the Papou Fruit ornament, his gaze shifted to Kairi then. "Merry Christmas, Kai." he murmured, the tone borderlined broken, the faintest of smiles brokered otherwise.

/ / /

Beneath the tree rested the simplest of gifts, wrapped in pale green paper, a bow of glittering red. Alone it awaited for its recipients waking.

/○-^ 🔔🔔🔔 /○-^

And Ienzo has appeared! Out of the team at Radiant Gardens, the Nobodies who were recompleted there, not including Lea and Isa, he is my favorite character. As for the lab itself- the characters in it, Ansem, I really don't have much respect for, Even just creeps me out, so Ienzo was the only one left I was willing to work with. Not only that, I could see him being the most fascinated by what Riku was doing. The kid ended up a Nobody, as a kid. . . then as a Nobody for how long? Let's just put it this way, I highly doubt he's had a Christmas in how many years? The tree would be a novelty for him.

And, okay- I might have projected a bit of my life into the story. Six words, Foot. In. A. Half. Christmas. Tree.

I have one, I adore it, and I do wrap it up with battery operated lights. Though I don't have a Papou Fruit for mine.

The note of it being wooden was a bit of a hint to it being homemade. My thought is that Terra wood carves things, maybe Riku asked him to make it, or Riku himself made it. I even picked Aelues to have made it. As for who actually made it. . . that's up to you to decide.

Also, the present. . . you have to decide that one too. Because on that, I have no idea what is in it. I can only guess.

As always, Thanks everyone who's read this story and new chapter! Excuse the typos, I'm human.

Last note, before I say later, tomorrow's chapter. Yes, the last one. One word- Reunition. That's it, your on your own until tomorrow to see what I mean.

Until next time! LRW