Maybe I'll write a more proper holiday-themed one-shot for these two later in December. The fact that Sucy's birthday is December 31st does open up some possibilities now that I think about it.
Birthday.
The single most overrated date in one's life. What there is to celebrate about a person getting one year closer to imminent death anyway?
Normally, that point of view would come from people much older than Sucy Manbavaran was. However, considering just how her childhood usually went, and how the other kids or caretakers at the orphanage never celebrated the violette's birthday, she just treated it as just any other day – the right day to just get back to her usual potion work. Even the fact that her birthday coincided with one of the rather commonplace holidays didn't change her perception of that date either.
If anything, she often wanted to just get to sleep on that particular day as early as possible, because she knew she wouldn't ever get any gifts, so staying up late was pointless anyway.
Nowadays, not much has changed. Sucy's girlfriend Akko, however, did not understand her problem with her birthday in the slightest. Getting to celebrate two holidays in one day? In Akko's opinion, anyone would be jealous of a person with such a possibility! Twice the gifts, twice the fun, right?
Except that her opinion on the matter had crashed right into a magisteel wall the moment Sucy specified her problem with the holiday.
…Only for Akko to try and bash right through.
"Well, that just plain won't do! Since we're staying over at the Academy for this year, I absolutely must make sure to at least make this holiday worthwhile for you! " – Akko remarked after Sucy's explanation, and soon enough ran off to get the necessary permission to fly out into Blytonbury, as she was very much intent on getting Sucy some sort of gift.
"Jeez. That marmot just plain never gives up. She didn't even give me any time to object to her decision." – Sucy remarked to the empty room, groaning.
"Now, now, Sucy. It only means she is just that determined to make this holiday memorable for you. True, she is a little too bull-headed and forward, but you somehow find even those quirks of her rather endearing, do you not?' – An all-too prominent voice in Sucy's head remarked, once again making her groan in frustration.
Seriously, her love for Akko was very often a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she got to feel genuinely happy for one of the few times in her life whenever that dummy actually did something good for her, but a curse because it very often ended up contradicting her other thoughts in some situations.
"She sure loves you a lot if she went for that even despite the fact that, for her birthday this year, you mailed her the Love-Love Bee jar. Without the bee, mind you. Subtle, aren't we?~" – The voice teasingly remarked.
"I'm going crazy because of that airhead." – The violette grumbled out as she fell back down onto her bed.
"Actually, it's more like you're crazy for that airhead~" – The "Love Sucy" teased.
The fateful day arrived pretty soon. The few other students that stayed over at the Academy for the winter holidays either didn't know Sucy well enough to know it was her birthday, or the most they gave her was just an off-handed "happy birthday" or "happy new year". As for Akko…
Well, Sucy knew something was up the moment Akko asked her to fly them over to Blytonbury past curfew. Turns out the girl had to go to extra lengths to get the permission to go out into town on a New Year's Eve night. But at the very least, all she really needed to do was take care of a couple formalities, like a promise not to be too careless with magic and to return back to the Academy as soon as possible.
And even though Sucy would much rather stay back at the Academy for the holiday, she just had to follow through with Akko's odd celebration plan. Plus how could she say no to those red puppy-dog eyes?
So there the two witches were, standing in the middle of a crowd near the clock tower in Blytonbury. Sucy didn't seem to complain much about winter, and the cold weather didn't bother her the tiniest bit, but Akko looked to be borderline freezing.
"Look, you don't have to go to such extra lengths for me, bunny." – Sucy remarked with noticeable concern when she noticed that Akko had clenched her teeth from the cold, shivering like no tomorrow.
"N-n-nonsense! I just h-h-have to give you that gift in an appropriately romantic setting!" – The brunette replied defiantly. The alchemist merely sighed and remarked: "At least get a little closer to me so I can let you warm up, you know."
Akko didn't need to be asked twice as she inched close enough to her girlfriend for a hug.
"Look! There it goes!" – Akko shouted out as soon as the clock chime started. – "Make a wish for the New Year!"
Sucy just rolled her eyes. Akko witnessed genuine magic more than once, and yet she still believed in such superstitions? What a dork. But she was Sucy's dork, and admittedly, Sucy couldn't help but think of a possible wish.
"She knows what you're wishing for. You know what you're wishing for. You wish to just spend the rest of your life with her by your side. " – The all-too-overprominent-lately voice remarked, and Sucy certainly agreed with it.
The crowd was honestly getting a little overwhelming for Sucy. Just standing there with her girlfriend, with so many people around them…It honestly made Sucy feel rather uneasy. But if Akko was tolerating the extreme night cold weather for her, then it would only be fair if Sucy toughed her anxieties out for Akko.
"By the way… About the gift…" – Akko remarked, getting Sucy out of her thoughts, and reached for a surprisingly well-hidden jewelry case, handing it to the violette. – "I know you don't care much for jewelry, but… I figured you might like it."
As much as the violette didn't want to admit it, she was thoroughly intrigued. As soon as she opened the oddly unwrapped case, she was… Rather surprised.
The gift that Akko got her was one of those two-part heart necklaces with first letters of their names each on different halves, "SM" written on one half and "AK" on the other. Naturally, Sucy blushed heavily at such a gift.
"Akko… Akko, you're… You're such a dork." – The violette remarked, her face as red as her girlfriend's eyes.
"I guess that's one thing that won't change in the following year!" – Atsuko replied in a sing-song voice, then reached on to get the matching necklaces out of the case, but was promptly stopped by Sucy.
"Let's wait until tomorrow to try them on, shall we? For now…" – She was interrupted by the last chime of the clock and the crowd around them cheering. – "Well, Happy New Year to you."
"Aww… And Happy Birthday to you!" – Akko replied, then, as soon as Sucy closed the jewelry case in her hands and the brunette tucked it back into her pocket, reached forward to kiss her. Sure, they probably weren't the only kissing couple here, but right now, it's not like it mattered.
As for Sucy, she was undoubtedly happy.
That was the kind of holiday she liked - no tacky overblown celebrations, just being with the one you love the most.
