49 - Vignette- Post Game

xxxxx


Under the Mistletoe

"Yo! Phones, you made it!" Beat rushed Neku through the door excitedly as Rhyme joined her brother in greeting their guest.

Both siblings had very merry red Santa hats placed upon their heads - Neku supposed that they were replacements for their usual beanies.

Since their parents were out together on Christmas, the Bito children decided to throw a Christmas party for their friends. Neku thought it would be a hassle but he changed his mind at the last minute. Fine, Shiki threatened to add fluffy embellishments to all his clothes if he didn't go. He liked the way his clothes were already, okay?

Speaking of Shiki, the brunette was busy chatting away with Eri and two other girls. Weren't they the girls from his first week during the game?

He guessed either Beat or Rhyme knew them...huh. There were a lot more people here than he expected. When Beat said 'party', he assumed that he meant just their Hachiko gang.

...Evidently not, judging by how that Tin Pin freak was here too. (Rhyme's friend, maybe?)

Maybe he should just sneak his way to the food table... it seemed quieter there - wait, was that Kariya? And Uzuki?

Did they really invite them?! ...Well, by the end of the game they all had been on better terms so he guessed he was alright with it. Perhaps Joshua wasn't heartless after all - the Reapers got a holiday on Christmas.

Neku quickly looked around again. The Composer himself was not present. He felt a mixture of disappointed and relieved at the same time. It was weird.

Shiki was still talking to her friends. Thanks Shiki. Make me go along to the party then ditch me. Does she even know I'm here?

Feeling the familiar creep of discomfort due to the overload of noise, Neku slipped onto the balcony, shutting the glass sliding door behind him.

That was better.

The cold wrapped around him and he shivered slightly. Should have brought my headphones. At least it was quiet.

Before he could fully enjoy the tranquillity, he heard the door slide open and close again.

Oh, so Shiki had noticed that he arrived.

"Too noisy?" she asked as she joined him in leaning on the balcony.

"Yeah," he answered; he was still not used to being surrounded by that many people at once.

Shiki seemed to understand because she nodded. "It was a little bit loud in there but that's what makes it fun."

Same old Shiki - of course she would say that. He turned to look at her as she rubbed her hands together, blowing air over them. It was cold enough that he could see her breath ad she did.

"Hey, if you're cold you should go back inside, "he said. "I'm fine out here on my own. I'll go back too eventually."

Shaking her head, she said, "I know. I just wanted to give you something, since we're alone."

She rummaged around the bag slung across her body and retrieved a neatly wrapped present. It was a circular package and Neku didn't really know what to expect.

"You got me a Christmas present?" Neku accepted the present hesitantly. "Uh...I didn't exactly get you anything." Presents had completely slipped his mind; he hadn't got presents for anyone. I never had anyone to give presents to.

"Silly, I'm not expecting one in return. You're not a present-giving type but I for one like giving presents." Neku nodded and then looked down for a moment. "Yes, you can open it!"

He unwrapped the present carefully, discarding the wrapping on the small table beside him. The sight of the present made his lips tug upwards into a smile. "Earmuffs?"

"Yup. Aren't they cute?"

By Shiki's definition, they certainly would be. They were almost the same colour as his headphones, only with some white fluff around the edges.

"…Thanks, Shiki."

Shiki grinned. "Oh good, you like them."

"Didn't say I did." He saw her frown and he put the ear-muffs on. "I'm joking. Really, I do like them."

"That's a relief aaand you're welcome!" Shiki turned on her heel and reached for the sliding door. "Now let's go back in. Your ears might feel warmer but my hands are still freezing!"

...

"Why's the door locked!?" Shiki exclaimed, pulling at the sliding door more frantically.

Neku didn't have to look twice to figure the answer to that. Eri and the other girls were standing on the other side of the glass door, looking very smug. The pink-haired girl pointed to the decorations above Neku and Shiki's head.

"Mistletoe," Eri mouthed.

Shiki let out a squeak and started to profusely apologise on behalf of her best friend while Neku could only roll his eyes.

Typical.

"Seems like we have no choice." Taking charge of the situation, Shiki yanked Neku closer to her so that she could plant a kiss on his cheek. It was over as soon as it started and Shiki started to knock on the glass door, mouthing what Neku assumed to be demands to let them back in.

The girls looked disappointed but Eri seemed to be teetering towards the decision to give in. Behind them Beat looked confused about what to do and Rhyme merely shrugged. Kariya and Uzuki were giving Neku amused 'kids these days' looks.

This isn't going to get us anywhere.

"Hey, Shiki?"

"Yes, Nek – mmph!?"

Okay. This kiss might have lasted longer than Shiki's cheek-kiss but that was only because it was cold and for some reason kissing Shiki warmed Neku up.

When they broke apart, both their faces were as red as the santa hats.

"…Uh. Uh. Umm."

"Consider that my Christmas present." Yeah, Neku, because it's not as if there are any better things you could have said.

"O-Okay."

Click!

The door slid open and the noise consumed them once more.

"Kyaaa!"

"Ohmygosh Neku I was really just about to open the door but ohmygosh that was intense!"

"Heh, so the brats are all grown up, huh?"

"Bro. Bro!"

"Bwaaaaah!"

…Neku should have just let them keep the door locked.


A/N: Tadaaa! Merry Christmas! This chapter actually turned out pretty long. Lol, I don't even celebrate Christmas, but since I'm sure loads of you do I thought I'd do a Christmas chapter this year as well.

You should all just go on the TWEWY fanfic section and prowl about because there are so many good Neshiki Christmas fanfics around and I'm too tired to list them all out. But go read 'em.

Thanks to – B.A.G-GOMEZ, RagnartheSemiGreen, A Paper Flower, Xerzo LotCN, The Professor of time, salamancachristopher, Omega Zekrom, I'll Break Your Heart, Aizen135 and Alice and The Mad Hatter. [Nimew sure is popular xD]

- Dina (26/12/2013) A little late because wouldn't let me login.