Title: Handmade: Decorations
A/N: A Christmas themed one-shot I like to call "The Handmade Series". I'll be updating my fics and the stories will revolve around handmade fluff. I hope you like it, Merry Christmas everyone! ^^,=
Disclaimer: Look, if I own this, this would've happened in the series! But I don't own so you don't sue okay?
It is very natural for children to be very enthusiastic about Christmas.
Nill is no exception and she will not deny it.
In fact the Bishop is very enthusiastic too. One could only wonder who's rubbing enthusiasm to who. The Bishop's enthusiasm came from decorations. It started since the last time the Bishop and Nill went grocery shopping. Despite the chaos engulfing the city the streets managed to light up with colorful lights and fancy lanterns. Shops were decorated with different kinds of trinkets that can be given as gifts to almost anyone. Mouth watering delicacies graced the counters of restaurants. Nill's eyes would glow with glee just looking at one shop to another. And maybe the Bishop sensed her glee which would explain his enthusiasm for decorations.
However the church doesn't really have many funds so the talk about decorations had to be very considerate about the budget. It was quite a dying budget as well which brought Nill a little bit down the dumps. But she was persistent and she wanted to find another alternative and so she thought of making decorations out of used items.
With that thought in mind Nill walked back and forth inside the church thinking of what could she possibly use for decorations.
There's not really much to use here and the Bishop wouldn't want me going outside either…
She stopped midway and sighed, What can I use?... She continued her walk and kicked a small object on the ground. Getting down on her knees she searched the small object that she kicked away. She picked it up and was unable to clearly identify the object so she raised it up to the light.
Ah! A bullet! It must have dropped when Haine gave his jacket earlier.
The bullet looked like it hit a wall rather than a person. The small copper object was splat and had four rays spread out. Nill had to to close her nose since the smell of gunpowder was still fresh. She raised it above her a little higher and the small object glittered and she just stared at it for a long time.
Of course!
*~*~*~*
"Nill?"
Naoto found it strange that the petite angel winged figure didn't welcome her as soon as she entered the church. The Bishop wasn't around either so she walked around the church hoping to find the petite angel. She heard loud banging sounds coming from the back and followed it. The noise was coming from behind Nill's room. Curious Naoto knocked first before deciding to go inside.
"Nill is that you? I'm coming in okay?"
As soon as Naoto entered Nill scrambled to her feet and hid both hands behind her back.
"What are you doing?"
Nill fervently shook her head and smiled nervously, Nothing! Nothing really!
Naoto wasn't really convinced but since Nill was trying hard to hide it she decided to drop it, "Okay if you say so."
Nill took a deep sigh of relief…. Which caused her to accidentally drop the hammer on her hand onto the heel of her foot.
OOOUUUUUCCCCCHHHHH!
Nill instantly dropped on her knees, chewed her lips and kept her tears down. Naoto was already by her side, "Nill are you alright?" She faintly nodded in reply. "Are you sure?" She nodded again and Naoto helped her on her feet As soon as Nill recovered from the pain she quickly apologized to Naoto for hiding it behind her back.
"It's not your fault. I should be the one apologizing since you have to hide it because of me. So…. What were you hiding from me anyway?"
Promise you won't laugh okay?
"Don't worry I won't." Nill revealed to her the bullet she picked up earlier. She used the hammer to straighten out the four rays of the bullet and to even out the core. Naoto also saw a small knife by Nill's bedside table and it sparked her curiosity more.
"What's this for?"
Christmas decorations. I'm trying to make it look like a star.
"A star?" Naoto held it up and stared at it intently. Although she could understand it with the help of Nill's imagination, Naoto figured it would take quite a while for Nill to achieve what she wanted.
It doesn't look like one does it?
Not meaning to hurt her feelings Naoto quickly shook her head, "I think it would take a while before you could make it into a star."
Nill sighed, Yes I know…
"It would be nice if we could fill up the church though."
Nill's expression instantly brightened. Naoto beamed, "I'll have to help you out with this okay?" She looked around to see if the necessary tools were present there was just one problem. She swallowed hard and hid her troubled expression from Nill.
"We'll need a lot of bullets…" And I know exactly where to find them…
In fact the apartment is flooding with them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haine came up home late at night only to be welcomed by the strong whiff of gunpowder.
He never really bothered to be cautious but he really wasn't in the mood for night blasting. He took a peek at the door to scan around for any attempts of an ambush. Seeing nothing he went ahead and kicked the door open.
"Oi you here?"
It took some time before Haine got used to the idea of living under one roof with a woman. Under normal circumstances he probably scared the woman shitless by threatening to blast her to smithereens. Ironically he was already in a situation he tried so carefully to avoid and it was like what his animal instinct said… He would have to get use to her existence.
Their apartment was wide enough for the both of them. One room each, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room, nothing too fancy but Naoto's taste in furniture bothers him a bit. Like the pale purple curtains, the bright red, yellow and green pillows on the sofa and, the flower vases in the kitchen and living room table with only three stalks of irises.
What is it with women trying to make everything look cozy anyway?!
He caught another whiff of gunpowder coming from the direction of her room. He walked towards her room and flicked the light on. He was expecting an earful of ranting about privacy and minding your own business but he heard nothing of it. Instead he found the blade maiden splayed on the bullet decorated floor sleeping with a knife on one hand and a small copper like trinket on the other.
"What the hell?"
The first thought that actually struck him was that Naoto and gunpowder don't look good together. It was an absurd thought but if the blade maiden would even think if picking up a gun he would, without second thought, go through all his fights barehanded. Scattered somewhere on the floor was what Haine assumed to be the supposed finished product of whatever the blade maiden was doing. He picked it up and scrutinized the little trinket. It was the same trinket that Nill was holding when he passed by the church earlier.
"So this was the decoration the stupid Bishop was ranting about."
Despite being thoroughly cleaned the trinket reeked of gun powder. The four-point star was really well carved. The rough edges were smoothened out neatly but based on the craftsmanship just one star alone takes a lot of time to make. Haine wasn't that impressed. He thought that Naoto just took the opportunity to treat it as practice.
"All this trouble for practice? You can do better than that." He was about to drop the trinket on the floor when the blade maiden moved slightly.
"We'll fill up the church Nill don't worry…" Her grip on the knife loosened but the other hand the hand that was holding the trinket tightened its hold.
Haine took a deep breath and clicked his tongue, "Don't be talking in your sleep damn it!" He watched as her chest rose up and down as she continued sleeping. He looked back at the trinket in his hand and walked out the door and straight to his room. As he expected his room was clear of the bullets, even the corner where he trashed yesterday's garments was clean of bullets. She actually dared enter his room without permission and took off with what she needed. He walked back to her room watching her chest rise and fall just the way he left her.
With a bucket full of reluctance Haine took of his coat, "All right! All right! Damn It!!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Naoto woke up with her sides aching. The moment she opened her eyes she instantly realized that she fell asleep on the floor. She quickly sat up and felt that the knife and the trinket on her hands were missing. What's more there's a thick unfamiliar black coat that served as her blanket.
"Wha---"
And the biggest surprise of the morning was the sight of Haine in her room. He was slumped by the door with a knife on one hand and a finished trinket on the other. Looking around the room she saw more of the finished products rather than the raw bullets she had last night. Not really knowing what she was about to do her body moved on her own and crawled towards the albino's sleeping place. Seeing him in peaceful slumber really bothered the blade maiden. After all she is used to seeing a murderous glare and his cocky mouth forming into a smirk or a growl. Leaving a safe distance she took the coat that was wrapped around her and slowly wrapping it back to its rightful owner.
Suddenly blood red orbs opened and caused purple orbs to wince.
None of them said a word and stayed there speechless. Until Haine grabbed his coat from Naoto and walked out of her room.
"Quit dragging me into your business."
Everyone who entered the church could only stare at awe as they wonder what the tiny stars decorating the church were made of…
And where the smell of gunpowder was coming from.
They stood outside by the doorway of the church as snow slowly decided to grace its presence upon the ground. Haine fixed his gaze at the lead stars hanging above them. He found it ironic that bullets were used to make recycled decorations but the more he stared at it the more it didn't look like bullets. They were cleaned and carved thoroughly into the shapes they are now. She watches the snow land on her feet as she considered her thoughts long and hard. Naoto glanced at the man standing a few inches at her side.
Quit dragging me into your business.
She didn't ask for his help. In fact the thought never even crossed her mind! Surprisingly he did and to be honest without his help they wouldn't be able to fill up the church like it is right now. It was probably for Nill's sake since Haine is quite fond of her. But that day still bothered her. For him to stay in her room until she woke up was very un-Haine, something definitely not normal for someone suffering severe gynophobia. Maybe it's because of the season. She's heard stories about the holiday season considerably affecting everyone. Well technically Haine is still human, so yeah, maybe that's just the case.
Maybe.
"Haine." White smoke comes out from her lips as she calls out his name.
Despite standing outside the church it strangely felt warm, "What?"
"Merry Christmas."
Haine stared long and hard at the tiny twinkling lead stars above them and back at the petite figure standing beside him, "Yeah."
R & R please and thank you. Once again Merry Christmas! ^^,=