Author's Note: Yay double updates!! Although, technically, this one's a day late as well. Oops…Anyway! After this, only two more days. Oh my!

Reindeer Games

Chapter Four: December 23rd

For the entirety of Saturday, Sora had forgotten how to forget. He couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Riku, which had occurred the day before. There was something there then, some strange twist of Christmas in the air that seemed to make up for the lack of snow.

But there was also something else, which Sora spent all of Saturday trying to grab onto once more.

Sora also spent all of Saturday scourging the mall, again.

"Riku," he groaned, almost snapped, finally, "This is getting ridiculous. Can I please just try to pick your gift myself?"

Riku shook his head. "I've got something really specific in mind this year, Sora. Sorry."

Sora sighed and slumped against a nearby railing, forcing his friend to halt his trek across the mall.

"Well," the older boy said with a sympathetic smile, "I guess if you'd thought of something too, I could give you a chance."

Brows furrowing together, Sora looked up questioningly at Riku and cleared his throat.

"I…well…I didn't really have an idea," he lied quickly. He was still harboring the slight desire to confess this Christmas.

"Really? Nothing comes to mind?" Riku's words were slow and his gaze scrutinizing.

"No," Sora drawled, confusion clearly written on his features. The other boy's tone was almost dark, and Sora was slightly scared.

"Oh. I kind of figured…I mean, you've never been so impatient about this before. I assumed you'd come up with something."

Riku's reply was stumbling, almost as if he was trying to cover something up. It wasn't like him at all.

"Well, you've never really taken this long to decide on a present before. I'm just tired, I guess," Sora explained.

"Yesterday, I told you that what I have in mind is hard to find," Riku responded almost immediately, completely disregarding his friend's words.

"Yeah, you did."

"Well, for a second, I thought I might have seen it."

"Really? Where?" Sora asked, excited, bounding up from his slumped squat.

"It was really more of a glimpse of it," the silver-haired boy stated almost apologetically. "I'm not sure if it was really there."

As he continued, Riku locked eyes with Sora, his gaze strong and unrelenting as the brunette squirmed underneath it.

"Was it?"

"Was what?" Sora asked, worrying his lower lip.

"Never mind," Riku sighed, turning to continue his way through the mall, "Let's go."

He didn't even wait for Sora to rise, and the younger boy was left to hurry after him.

It was only when both of their names were called out, high and squeaking above the bustle of the crowd, that Riku slowed and Sora managed to catch up.

Smiling widely, Selphie bounded towards them, disregarding the existence of anyone in her path.

"Hey guys!" she cried, waving enthusiastically, "I've gotten a lot of bets so far! Wanna see?"

As she jump-stopped in front of the two boys, shoving an open notebook in their faces, both of them grumbled a short 'no'.

She showed them anyway.

Sora scanned the list of bets quickly. There were around 7 bets. Two in favor of himself, four in favor of Riku, and a bet – Leon's - that was covered by Selphie's thumb.

"Well, good luck! I've got to go!" the girl chirped, bounding away and disappearing through the crowd.

Sora's heart sank.

He knew that the bets would favor Riku; all along he'd known it. And he'd never really cared.

But Riku had looked kind of smug as he'd read the list.

"Hey Sora," the older boy said softly.

"Yeah?" the brunette replied, his voice low and his eyes on the ground.

"My second Christmas present for you is ready. Come over tomorrow and I'll give it to you."