Rosario + Vampire "A Confession and a Vampire: Reboot"
Chapter 33 "White Christmas"
Based upon characters created by Akihisa Ikeda.
Original idea and story written by Gamera68.
Pairing: the real Moka Akashiya and Tsukune Aono
Rated T.
Alternate Reality, set after the events of the now-finished manga series.
Comedy / Drama / Romance
Moka and Tsukune are 19 years old.
…
A/N: Well, here it is. The long-awaited Christmas chapter which I dedicate to my dear friend, Kazuki2292 on fan-fic dot net. It was her idea to go ahead with a certain story element which will add to the overall plot which I ran by her, first. Also the title was named by her, as well. :)
The original character of "Tamiko Aono" was created by myself and cannot be used in any way, shape, or form.
By the way, as of this writing, this story has just a bit over 68,800 views. Thank you everyone, so much for your continued support.
Beta by Train48, ColressLawliet, and Jacoblee0463 from deviantArt. Thanks!
...
December 24, Kanazawa, Japan.
.
Moka was a bit excited, yet moderately nervous.
So anxious in fact, that she had barely gotten a decent night's sleep the night before. It was the very first Christmas she had ever celebrated. But what made her so nervous was the fact that Tsukune's grandmother had planned to visit the Aono household and had made a special request to meet her in person.
The house was already brightly decorated for the festive holiday that focused mainly on being with the love of your life and she would make sure that she would do her very best to not only make a good impression on the elder, Aono matriarch but make her mate Tsukune, happy as well.
"Moka, please try to calm down. Grandma's gonna love you."
"I'm trying to Tsukune, but what if she doesn't like me?" Moka asked with a dejected sigh.
The couple sat in the living-room on the plush loveseat next to the two-meter tall Christmas tree which was set up in the far corner. Hundreds of multicolored lights and ornaments decorated the symbolic representation of the yuletide season. Numerous, gift-wrapped presents were neatly piled up underneath it that waited to be opened by the members of the family.
"She's gonna love you, Moka. You're smart, beautiful, strong, and confident. What's not to love?"
"Oh thank you... but I do hope you're right, love."
"I meant every word of it Moka. And of course I'm right. Have I ever let you down before?" he asked as he reached over to her and placed his right hand atop hers and gave it a light, comforting, squeeze.
"Well, no. You do have a good point though," she replied as a small smile graced her features.
Moka was simply dressed in a long, red, sweater 'dress' that came down to just above her knees along with a silver pair of leggings. On her head she sported a red 'Santa' hat complete with white, fuzzy trim, and topped off with a white 'puff' ball on the top of it.
Her mate decided to wear a cranberry-red dress shirt along with black, pinstriped slacks.
"Well, she'll be here soon, so just try to relax until then."
"Oh, okay love. Thank you," she replied as she leaned next to him and closed her eyes for a few minutes as she did her best to calm her racing heart. Honestly, she felt quite eager to a certain level.
* ding dong *
"Crap! She's already here!" Tsukune yelped as he jumped off the couch and ran towards the front door to answer it. Moka then slid over with a loud "oof".
"Tsukune! You baka!" Moka shouted, as she sat up and sighed yet again. She brushed her long, brunette hair behind her ear and got up from the sofa, then followed behind her mate to greet Grandma Aono in a proper fashion.
"Tsukune, slow down. Grandma's not going anywhere" Kasumi advised as she and Koji just arrived at the front door themselves and waited for the Shinso vampire couple, so everybody could greet her at once.
Koji stepped forward, unlocked the door, turned the brass handle and then pulled the door open.
"Hi mom. Merry Christmas. I hope you had a good trip," Koji said as she walked inside with a smile on her lips.
"Hello son, Merry Christmas to you as well. Yes it was not as packed as I though it was, and the cabbie was very sweet to give me a senior discount," she said.
"That's good to hear" he happily replied. She had insisted on taking the bullet train from Osaka and a taxi to their house since a cold front had swept in overnight and covered the entire region in a blanket of snow.
They had gotten their wish of a white Christmas, after-all.
Tamiko Aono was around five foot five tall, with salt and pepper hair, tied into a simple bun. Her eyes matched her son Koji's, naturally. She gave her son a hearty hug for a brief moment. Kasumi closed and locked the door behind her once she was inside the front hallway.
"Hello Mom, it's so good to see you" Kasumi added as she joined in the hug for a moment herself.
"Hello Kasumi, dear. It's so good to see you too" Tamiko added once the group hug ended a few, moments later.
...
"Come here sweetie and give your grandma a hug" she said as she saw her grandson hold hands with a very attractive, young, woman dressed in red and silver.
Tsukune walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her short frame, and gave her a warm embrace.
"Hi grandma. I missed you," he said with a smile.
"I know, sweetie. I missed you as well. Oh my! I can't get over how big you've grown. The last time I saw you, you were barely taller than me" she said with a tear in her hazel eyes.
"Grandam, not in front of Moka" he said as he ended the hug a minute later. He then walked over to Moka and held her hand once again.
"Oh, I'm just kidding you sweetie. You should lighten up a bit before your hair turns white" she said with a giggle.
"Grandma, please allow me to introduce you to my fiancée, Moka Akashiya."
"Hello Misses Aono, It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Tsukune's told me all about you," Moka offered with a proper bow of respect.
"Hello Miss Akashiya. It's a pleasure to finally meet you as well" Tamiko replied similarly.
"Here mom, let me take your coat for you" Koji said as he helped her to remove her winter jacket and walked over to the closet and hung it up for the time being. Underneath she wore a bright, red, silk kimono with a silver obi. She then removed her shoes and slipped on a pair of house slippers.
"Thank you, son" she replied with a small smile.
…
Everyone then walked into the living-room room until dinner time so Moka could be properly introduced to Tsukune's grandmother.
"Well, sweetie. I'm very surprised to hear that you're already engaged to be married. You're growing up so fast," Tamiko said to Tsukune who was seated next to Moka on the loveseat, per their regular habit.
"Well, like I told you on the phone, we've been best friends since we met in our freshman year of high school. And she confessed to me a few days before graduation" Tsukune explained.
"I see. Well, I just can't get over how pretty she is. And so polite. And here I thought you'd end up all alone, since you never had a girlfriend before," Tamiko teased. Moka blushed hard from the simple compliment, of course.
"Grandma... please," Tsukune answered with a flustered blush of his own.
"I don't mean to tease you so much, sweetie. But you never had any interest in girls before you went to high school, since you were so shy," she answered with a playful grin.
"Well, I've grown up a lot since then" he said as his complexion eventually returned to normal. Moka just observed silently the exchange of pleasantries between Tsukune and his grandmother.
"I can see that. So Miss Akashiya. What is it that you love so much about my grandson, if I may ask?" Tamiko said as she fixed her gaze on the vampire princess.
Moka then cleared her throat and focused her attention towards the elder woman.
"Well Misses Aono, Tsukune was my very first friend and he's been so kind to me. Not only is he the sweetest and bravest man I've ever met, he was always there for me throughout our high school years. I never met anyone like him before. He actually saved me on the first day that we became friends. I won't go into any details but if it were not for him, I would not be here today" Moka said with a sniffle as the painful memory from the past bubbled to the surface and caused her eyes to water a bit.
Tsukune picked up on her emotions which had taken a negative nosedive and held her hand even firmer. He then told her through their blood-bond that he was there for her, no matter what.
"I see. Well, that's how he's always been. I won't press the issue any further but I can see that you do love and care for him very much. So, you now have my blessing" Tamiko added which caused both teens to smile.
"Thank you very much Misses Aono for your blessing and accepting me into your wonderful family. You have my word that I will love, honor, and cherish him for as long as I breathe," Moka said as she stood up and bowed towards her.
"You're very welcome, dear, And please, call me grandma" Tamiko said with a warm, loving smile.
"Do you really mean that?" Moka asked with a bright grin, when she sat down next to her mate again. The vampiress never had a grandparent to look up to, but now she had her chance.
"Well yes, of course. Since you'll be a member of our family soon, I'd be more than happy to have you call me that."
"Oh thank you very much... grandmother," Moka replied as her face flushed bright pink.
"Wah! She said it! How cute!" Tamiko squealed like a child on her birthday who had gotten a pony as a present, as she folded her hands in front of herself and fluttered her eyes closed.
Tsukune and Moka both sweat-dropped at her rather odd reaction.
"So, Moka dear, is it true?" Tamiko asked a moment later as Moka held Tsukune's hand in an affectionate manner once she regained her composure.
"Is what true, grandmother?" Moka asked as she arched her right brow.
"That you're a vampire and so is my grandson now."
Moka froze for a moment, as she was unsure of how to respond to her rather direct inquiry.
How did the older woman know, the vampiress wondered to herself.
"..." Moka truthfully had no idea how to react.
"Oh, don't be so surprised Moka, dear. I already know. Koji told me everything last night on the phone. I must say, I am quite – surprised – by this, but as long as Tsukune is happy with you and that you treat each other with love and respect and nobody gets bitten tonight, then I guess I can accept it... as hard as it sounds to actually believe."
"How about a demonstration, grandma?" Tsukune asked once the initial shock wore off.
"What sort of demonstration, sweetie?" Tamiko asked as she furrowed her wrinkled brow.
"To prove that we're vampires" was his upfront reply. Moka was aghast at his sudden answer but silently hoped that he had a clue as to what he had suggested. What was going on with all of the blunt questions all of a sudden? Did anyone not know how to keep a secret anymore?
"Tsukune... what are you saying?" Moka asked in a whisper.
"I just wanna prove to grandma they we're vampires, that's all," he replied in a similar manner.
...
A broad variety of emotions played across the vampiress' face; everything from astonishment to extreme embarrassment. After she digested his idea, she finally spoke.
"Tsukune, are you sure about this? It's kind of... um... you know... but only if you're absolutely certain," she murmured as her cheeks burned bright red from such a request.
"Why not? If she actually saw it, then she might believe that we're vampires. Besides, what could it harm anyways? Grandma is family. Remember Moka, no more secrets," Tsukune offered in reassurance with a warm smile that calmed her pounding heart a small degree.
'Aside from being extremely awkward!', he reminded himself.
Moka had complete faith in Tsukune even if his so-called plan was moderately questionable in context. It was not some "party trick" to act out on a whim, just for the sake of establishing credibility of who she really was. She had a little pride as an "S" class vampire after-all, even if she had lightened up a great deal since she had moved to the human world as his blood-mate and fiancée.
"Alright Tsukune, but I'm a little nervous, though," the vampiress replied in a small voice.
Truthfully, Moka was beyond mortified at the very notion as it was something to generally be done in private between vampire blood-mates. Especially since Moka had a bad habit of being quite vocal, anytime she drank his blood or vice-versa.
She quietly hoped that the elder woman would accept the truth once she saw for herself and not faint. The last thing the vampiress wanted to do was to spend the rest of the day in the emergency room just because her mate wanted to make a point.
"Moka, it's fine. Don't worry about it. Besides, I'm the one who will be way more embarrassed than you."
'Trust me…', he whispered.
She smiled at her mate whom she had complete faith in, moved by his sincere words. Moka then gestured yes in agreement as she stood up from her seat. Tsukune sat up and stepped back a bit so his grandmother could get a good view of the 'presentation'.
"Okay, grandma. This will prove that Moka really is a vampire. Don't blink, okay?" he told his grandmother as he tilted his neck to the right. Tamiko just simply nodded yes.
'Well, here goes nothing…', Tsukune told himself.
Moka's fangs extended to their full length as she neared her blood-mate. Tsukune gently placed his left hand on the back of her head as he slowly guided her mouth to the crook of his neck.
She in turn held him around his waist, just as her fangs bore down, pierced the base of his flesh, and then fed on his precious blood. A few, stray, drops of his sweet ambrosia slid down as she continued to suck his blood for a few more seconds, as her hot, moist, tongue gently lapped at the puncture marks.
'Oh my Kami... I can't believe I'm doing this in front of his parents and grandmother! How embarrassing! Ahhh... but it feels so good... ah-hah... Tsukune...', the vampiress thought in humiliation. She felt her heart wildly hammer against her ribcage as her mind began to slowly numb in her ecstasy.
Tsukune sucked in a gasp, as his body began to react to the loving affection from his one-and-only mate.
'Oh man! Ah... Moka! N-no, calm down, calm down! I dunno if I hold myself back... ah... I want her...', the teen thought in desperation as he felt himself shudder.
'Still… it feels r-really... good…', his mind told him.
Moka could not help the soft purr that escaped her lips as she allowed her fangs to sink a little deeper into his soft skin. She lightly trembled when she felt him shiver positively in response.
"M-mmm...", Moka moaned aloud since she no longer had control over her voice.
His parent's and grandmother's eyes bugged out at the display right in front of them, only a meter or so, away. Tamiko was startled a little as well, but smiled; she could see for herself just how much the young couple genuinely cared about each other. Vampires or not, it was quite obvious to her that they were very much in love.
It was kind of romantic in its own way, the elder woman thought.
Once Moka was satisfied, she retracted her fangs from his neck and licked the small puncture marks clean, which sealed them up in an instant. They then dulled to a purplish bruise, which somewhat resembled a hickey (love bite) more than the scary, gaping holes that Tsukune's grandmother had half-expected.
Moka's face burned bright red from embarrassment, despite the fact that she was told that it would be the best way to prove who she really was. Once they were finished with their little "show", the couple returned to their seat next to each other, and held each others hands.
"Oh my... that was... something else," Tamiko commented once what she saw with her own, two, eyes registered with her brain. Even she was somewhat flustered from the couple's little "presentation".
"So, that proves it grandma. Moka's a vampire," Tsukune said since nobody else decided to say anything afterward.
"Oh, um, I can see that. So, does it hurt, sweetie?" she asked her grandson.
"Well at first it did but now, not so much. I guess I've kinda gotten used to it, since I'm a vampire too. As mates, we actually share blood regularly."
"I see. Well, whatever makes you happy, sweetie," she offered with a small smile. She had not expected that sort of answer, but Tsukune seemed to be quite content with the way his life turned out, which for him was far better than he had ever hoped. Even though it was quite difficult and trying, not to mention emotional, from time to time he always had Moka by his side. They had literally saved each other in more ways than one.
As for Moka, well she was not as scary to Tamiko as she originally imagined. She had no idea what to expect when she had learned that her only grandson was engaged to a vampire.
"Thanks, grandma," he said with a smile of his own. He was quite thankful that she did not pass out from information overload.
Moka on the other hand felt at ease since it went a lot smoother than she had initially thought. Besides, it seemed as though her new grandmother had accepted her for who she really was, which she was considerably grateful for.
…
"So, um, who's hungry?" Koji asked to get the holiday mood back on track. Kasumi had placed their dinner in the oven to reheat before Tamiko arrived. Everyone sat up from their seats and wandered into the dining room. The table itself was decorated with a beautiful, red flocked, tablecloth adorned with silver and gold stars, with matching plates and cutlery.
The traditional, Christmas, dinner consisted of KFC roasted chicken (it's a big deal in Japan, since turkeys are not imported to the island nation), mashed potatoes with gravy, green-bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, as well as fresh biscuits smothered in butter.
For dessert was the traditional "Christmas Cake" topped with sugar-glazed strawberries.
Once everyone was properly seated, they took turns to serve themselves. Moka was quite excited since she had never celebrated the holiday before and found it rather difficult to contain her exhilaration since she smiled brighter than she normally would when she was quite happy. After dinner the presents were to be exchanged per the Japanese custom.
Moka had literally gone out of her way to find her one-and-only, the perfect gifts. As did Tsukune for his Moka. He wanted to give her something she would never expect and knew that she would love whatever she received from him, since it came from his heart.
"Itadakimasu!" everyone called out in unison after that had helped themselves to a generous portion of food. All the adults had a glass of red wine. The vampire couple both had a tall, chilled, glass of tomato juice to help ease their desire for each others blood.
"Wow, this is really good!" the vampiress announced as she tried her first traditional, Christmas dinner.
"Oh, yes. This is our family tradition every year, Moka, dear" Kasumi explained to the vampiress.
"I can see why, mom. It's quite delicious!" Moka merrily agreed.
Everybody else gladly hummed in harmony.
"So Moka, I understand that this is your first time celebrating Christmas," Koji asked the vampiress, who seemed to be deep in thought and still had a slight blush across her cheeks.
"Oh, yes dad. Growing up in the yokai realm we never celebrated human holidays except birthdays which were never as elaborate as I have experienced here," Moka explained with a hint of sadness in her reply.
"I see. Well, I guess we do tend to put a lot of effort into birthdays and holidays," Koji mused.
"That's true. But New Year's is more of a low-key holiday. We usually visit the local shrine, say a few prayers, and have a simple dinner beforehand. Some families even stay up all night to watch the first sunrise of the New Year, too," Kasumi added.
"That's right. And New Year's usually means most local businesses are closed until January third," Tsukune told her.
"I see" Moka replied.
…
Once the holiday meal was finished, Koji helped his wife clear the plates and the remainder of the leftovers. Kasumi returned a minute later and carried clean plates for the strawberry-topped sweet.
Tamiko enjoyed the last of her wine as she seemed to be more attentive than earlier.
Koji then cut a slice of cake for everyone while Kasumi distributed the delectable dessert.
"M-mm-mm. This is really good," Moka exclaimed with great enthusiasm, after she tried her first piece of Christmas cake which placated the vampiress' sweet-tooth.
"Yeah, we have this every... year..." Tsukune replied to his mate.
"Tsukune? What's wrong?" Moka asked as he suddenly stopped eating his cake and stared blankly at the table. His grandmother took notice as well and saw that Moka had quickly interjected, almost as though she had a sixth sense or something along those lines.
"Sorry Moka, I was just thinking... is... all," Tsukune sadly answered. He suddenly choked up and could no longer hold in is emotions.. He then began to lightly sob.
Moka then stood up from her seat and then gave her mate a loving hug from behind. She knew what had him so upset and it broke her heart. She realized why he missed spending time with his parents and had not celebrated Christmas in three, long, years.
"It's okay love. I know. It's alright Tsukune. I'm here for you," Moka said as tears rolled down her pink cheeks since she shared his pain through their special bond.
Tsukune's grandmother in truth had no idea what happened and how the vampiress knew that something had bothered her grandson so much. And had caused her to cry, as well. Maybe Moka was not so different from an ordinary, teenage, girl even if she was a vampire that drank Tsukune's blood on a regular basis. As for Tsukune, he had not changed much at all except he had matured quite a lot, she realized.
Tamiko truthfully had not a clue to what type of powers or abilities vampires had, beside from what she had seen in movies or on television which were never accurate in the first place.
She had no indication just how close Moka and Tsukune actually were thanks to the unique blood-bond between themselves. It allowed them to know how the other was feeling or thinking at any given moment as long as they were within a hundred meters of each other. The closer in proximity they were to one another, the more powerful the connection was.
"Thanks, Moka," Tsukune said a few awkward moments later once he had calmed down with her help and his tears ceased. He wiped his face with the clean side of his napkin and weakly smiled at her.
"You're quite welcome, love. I'm glad that you're feeling better now. Just remember that I'm always going to be here for you Tsukune. Never forget that, okay?" she happily replied once she returned to her seat to finish her slice of holiday treat.
...
Once everyone's appetite was assuaged, Kasumi asked for them to have a seat in the living-room, as the time came to exchange presents. Since Tsukune was now considered an adult and was engaged, Japanese tradition dictated that they only gave gifts to each other.
Tsukune walked over to the Christmas tree to retrieve the presents he had chosen for his one and only. Moka did likewise as she followed his example.
"Merry Christmas, Moka" Tsukune said as he handed her several gift-wrapped boxes. The largest easily weighed over 8.2 kilograms (15 pounds) and was on the bulky side, wrapped in metallic red paper with a shiny, silver bow placed on the top. The smaller gifts were wrapped in a similar fashion.
"Oh... um... thank you, Tsukune. And...M-merry Christmas to you," she said as she handed him a large, rectangular-shaped box wrapped in metallic, gold paper topped with an iridescent, blue bow and a smaller one adorned in bright green paper with a silver bow.
"Thank you, Moka," he replied as their hands brushed momentarily which caused the both of them to blush yet again.
"Ooh... I don't know what it is, but I love it," she said as she gave the largest gift a good shake.
"Go on Moka. Open it" he gently nudged, as he indicated the largest of her three presents.
With great speed, Moka tore off the candy-colored paper and set it on the floor in front her. Once she understood what her first present was, she placed both hands over her mouth and started to gently cry, as tears ran down her pink-tinted cheeks.
"Moka, is something wrong? Don't you like it?" Tsukune panicked. She softly shook her head 'no' from side to side, then jumped into his arms, and hugged him firmly.
"T-thank you, Tsukune... I love it," she said between sobs of joy.
It was a portable Karaoke machine.
He returned her embrace and kissed her left cheek, as he attempted to lift her mood. Kasumi, Koji, and Tamiko were moved just as much if not more so. They could see for themselves, just how cheerful the young woman was. Once the vampiress' spirit had lifted, she examined her new gift with great intent.
Moka then opened her next holiday present. It was a large, stuffed, brown teddy bear that held in his paws a red, fuzzy, heart with the inscription "I Love You". She then hugged her new plush animal up to her ample bosom and brightly smiled.
Her last gift was a small, rectangular box wrapped in silver paper with a red ribbon. Once she opened it, she nearly broke down in tears yet again. It was a Sterling Silver necklace with a heart-shaped, garnet, pendant. She had never seen a necklace so beautiful in her entire life.
On the back of the pendant was inscribed: "To my one and only, Moka. I will continue to love you for as long as my heart beats. Forever yours, love Tsukune".
Moka then stood up, tackled Tsukune off the loveseat, and smothered him with kisses on his face, neck, and ears. A few minutes later, she then realized she was in a rather vulnerable position; she gave Tsukune a hand up from the carpeted floor and blushed crimson the entire time.
"Thank you again, my love. The gifts are truly wonderful," she stated as she was genuinely moved by his honest generosity.
"You're welcome, Moka. I just... want you to be happy. After everything you've been through, you really deserve it the most."
"Oh Tsukune!" Moka said as she flung herself into his arms once more and nearly knocked him off the loveseat. She hugged him for all she was worth as a few tears of absolute joy trickled down her still-pink, tinted cheeks. She fell deeper in love him even more, if that were possible. He always went out of his way to put her happiness before his very own. And that's the way he had been since the day that she met him.
Moka was most definitely overwhelmed by his thoughtful presents, which caused her heart to hammer heavily and grinned cheerfully the entire time.
Several moments later, the vampiress released her mate from her "hug of doom" and recomposed herself.
"Okay, now it's your turn, love" she told him as she pointed to his presents that still waited to be opened. He picked up the long, oblong-shaped box first, tore off the paper, and set it off to the side.
As he pried the box open, he was not only shocked but speechless as well. It was a black Armani two-piece, men's suit, custom-made just for him. He also received a few silk ties and dress shirts in various shades of greens and blues. He tore open the smaller present and was surprised to find a large bottle of his favorite cologne, called "Chrome".
He gave his thoughtful fiancée a warm hug followed by an affectionate kiss on her plump, pouty, lips.
"Thank you, Moka. I really don't know what to say" he replied once they ceased their embrace.
"You're welcome, love. I just knew you'd like your gifts. You deserve to be happy as well," she said with a warm smile while she hugged her new teddy bear once more.
Kasumi and Koji had opened their gifts as well.
Koji had ironically received two new silk ties and dress shirts from his wonderful wife; his happened to be beige and light gray.
Kasumi's presents consisted of a new house robe, light pink in color with matching, fuzzy slippers and a pair of Silver, hoop-shaped earrings with small stars that dangled in the center of each from dainty chains.
Tsukune then reached into his pants pockets and pulled out a simple, red envelope and handed it to Moka.
"Here Moka, I have one more present for you" he said.
"Oh Tsukune, you shouldn't have. This is more than enough," she replied with a bashful smile.
"It's okay. Anyway, um, why don't you open it?" he suggested with a grin. She smiled again as she tore the envelope open, ever so gingerly.
Moka's mouth dropped open as soon as she saw what her last gift was.
"Tsukune... are these what I think they are?" she asked in astonished disbelief.
"Yep. Two tickets to Ayumi Hamasaki's New Year's Eve concert in Tokyo."
"How did you manage to get them? I heard they were sold out almost immediately."
"Well, I bought them from an online auction site, since I know how much of a fan of hers you are."
"Oh Tsukune... I really don't know what to say... thank you... thank you so much... for the best Christmas I could ever ask for," she replied as she leaned forward and kissed him passionately. He returned her fervent kiss as he became stimulated in a brief, few, seconds.
"Ahem... I have a gift for you as well, sweetie," his grandmother interrupted, as she could tell just how much in love the two vampires actually were and not the least bit shy around each other when it came to showing any sort of affection. Sure, they would get embarrassed easily, but she found it to be quite cute how they acted around each other. She was very happy for them of course.
…
"Sorry about that, grandma." Tsukune answered with a sweat-drop as they ended their display of affection. He sat up from the loveseat and walked over to where she sat. She had pulled out an envelope from her purse and handed it to him with a smile.
"It's alright, sweetie. I know how much you love each other, that much I'm certain of. And I know you're almost an adult now and you're getting married soon. But I wanted to give this to you for your graduation, but I had forgotten to about it when your folks came down for Golden Week. It's also part of your Christmas present as well," she explained with another warm smile.
The raven-haired vampire then tore the envelope open with great efficiency. He was quite shocked at its contents. It was 200-hundred thousand yen in cash.
"Grandma... thank you," he said as he knelt down to her level, gave her a loving embrace, and a kiss on her right cheek.
"You're very welcome sweetie. I know how hard you tried to get through high school. At least you had Moka by your side who truly loved you and kept watch over you. This is for the both of you, okay? Just listen to each other and never hold any secrets. Never go to bed angry. And most importantly, always be there for each other, in good times and in bad. I love you Tsukune."
"Thank you grandma. I love you too. And you can count on me to always be there for Moka, no matter what," he answered then stood up once they finished their hug. He then walked over to the loveseat and sat down by Moka. He then showed her the envelope which he then promptly stuffed into his rear, pants pocket.
"And Moka dear? Please don't drain my grandson dry, no matter how delicious he is," Tamiko said which caused Moka's face to flush over. She buried her hot face against Tsukune's chest and held it there for a few moments until she calmed herself down.
"Grandmother... I cannot help myself. He really is delicious, after-all," Moka replied after a few moments. Tamiko then laughed at her adorable behavior.
"Sorry Moka, dear. But you're so easy to tease," she answered with a wide grin.
"It's okay..." Moka said once she had gotten herself together.
…
Everyone had returned their presents to under the Christmas tree for the time being as they made small talk.
"Um Tsukune? I was wondering. Could I try out my new karaoke machine? Please?" Moka begged her mate who just held her hand in his own.
"Sure Moka. That sounds like a great idea" he agreed as he assisted her to remove it from the large box and plugged it into the power outlet located next to the Christmas tree after it was put together.
It sat about a meter tall since it was mounted on a tripod-type stand which locked in place with a loud 'click'. After Moka read the instruction manual, she finally figured out the controls and she decided on a song to perform for her 'adopted' family.
Once she chose her holiday-themed tune, Moka removed the wired microphone and paused for her musical cue. She faced the illuminated LCD screen and waited for the lyrics to appear.
City sidewalks... busy sidewalks...
Dressed in holiday style -
In the air...
There's a feeling...
of Christmas.
Children laughing...
People passing...
Meeting smile after smile...
And on every street corner... you'll hear -
Silver bells... silver bells -
It's Christmas time... in the city...
Ring a ling... Hear them ring -
Soon it will be Christmas day...
Strings of streetlights...
Even stop lights -
Blink a bright red and green...
As the shoppers rush
home... with their treasures...
Hear the snow crunch...
See the kids bunch -
This is Santa's big scene...
And above all this bustle -
You'll hear...
Silver bells... silver bell...
It's Christmas time... in the city -
Ring-a-ling... Hear them ring...
Soon it will be...Christmas day.
Once the song was finished, Moka politely bowed as everybody gave her a warm round of applause. She returned the microphone to its home on the side of her new karaoke machine and turned the power off for the time being.
"Moka, that was... absolutely beautiful!" Kasumi gushed as Moka returned to her seat next to Tsukune and held his hand in a loving fashion. Her new grandmother, Tamiko was moved to tears as well. She was quite surprised to hear Moka's impressive singing voice.
"Yeah Moka. We had no idea just how amazing your voice was" Koji agreed.
"Not only are you very pretty, but your voice is like that of an Angel's," Tamiko added.
"Oh thank you everyone. Like I mentioned before, I only sing as a hobby. I do enjoy it, but not as a career, even though I was already scouted by Avex Records," she replied as she blushed yet again from their genuine, honest, compliments.
"Well dear, you are quite talented. That much is certain. However, it's a real shame that you don't reconsider becoming a singer," Tamiko replied.
"Thank you grandmother, but if I became an Idol, I'd most likely have to leave Tsukune, since they are usually single. He means more to me than any amount of fame or fortune. He's my everything... and I honestly do not know where I would be today if it were not for him," Moka said in a semi-serious tone.
"Oh I apologize dear," Tamiko sadly replied.
"It's alright grandmother. I meant no disrespect, of course. Do you have a particular song that you'd like to hear? Something of a favorite, perhaps?" Moka suggested as she could see that the elder woman felt sad to a certain extent.
"Oh um... how about 'Over the Rainbow' from 'The Wizard of Oz'?" Tamiko answered with a small smile after she gave the question some thought.
"Oh yes, of course. I'm familiar with it" Moka replied as she sat up and walked over to the karaoke machine. She switched it back on and searched for the song on its LCD screen. As soon as she found it a minute later, she removed the microphone from its holder on the side and stood up and faced her grandmother with a smile.
As she waited for the music and lyrics to begin, she closed her hazel-green eyes for a moment or two.
The musical cue then began.
Somewhere... over the rainbow -
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of...
Once... in a lullaby.
Somewhere... over the rainbow...
Skies are blue...
And the dreams... that you dare to dream...
Really... do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far -
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops -
That's where you'll... find me.
Somewhere... over the rainbow -
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow...
Why then, oh... why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly...
Beyond the rainbow...
Why, oh why... can't I?
…
Once the song came to its conclusion, everyone once again gave the vampiress a hearty round of applause. Tamiko broke down in tears as that song in particular was by far her absolute favorite. Moka replaced the microphone in its holder and switched the karaoke machine off.
The vampire princess then walked over to where her grandmother sat, bent down to her level, and gave her a loving, warm, embrace.
"I'm so very glad that you liked it, grandmother," Moka said.
Tamiko repeated the simple act of affection and gave Moka a heartfelt hug in turn. Moka remained glued in place so she could properly bond with her due to her natural, singing ability. A few, awkward moments later, the elder, Aono woman finally had an opportunity to speak up.
"Thank you Moka, dear. I haven't heard such a pure, lovely, voice such as yours in years. You've made this old woman very, very happy."
"You're very welcome, grandmother. Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure that we have finally had a chance to meet one another."
"It's quite alright dear. The pleasure was mine as well."
…
Everyone just sat around and had a light conversation that lasted well into the later hours of the evening.
"Oh my, is it this late already?" Tamiko asked as she glanced at her wristwatch and noticed the time.
"I guess it is. I'll walk you next door mom," Koji offered as he stood up and helped her to her feet.
"You're leaving already?" Tsukune asked as he stood up. Moka followed his lead.
"Sorry sweetie. I promised your Uncle Kenji, Aunt Kimiko, and cousin Kyoko that I would stop by this evening as well," his grandmother explained.
"Oh I see. Well it was nice seeing you grandma and thank you for everything," Tsukune said as he gave her a warm hug. Moka joined in likewise.
"Yes, grandmother. It was an honor to meet you. Thank you for accepting me into your family once again," the vampire princess added.
"You're both very welcome. Just take care of each other and you'll be just fine," Tamiko replied once the group hug ended a few moments later. Kasumi then gave her mother-in-law a warm hug as well, since she felt left out.
"It was good seeing you mom. We'll see you in April for the wedding of course," Kasumi said.
"Same here, Kasumi dear. I'm really looking forward to it," the elder Aono woman replied as she was released from her hug.
The quartet then walked to the front hallway. Koji retrieved his mother's winter coat from the closet and helped her into it. He found his jacket a second later and bundled up to face the winter wind outside. Once they were both ready to head out with their shoes on their feet, Koji unlocked, then opened the front door, and held his mother's hand in case there was any ice or snow on the sidewalk.
"Bye grandma. Take care."
"Yes grandmother. We shall see you in the springtime."
"Koji dear, come home soon and keep me warm," Kasumi said as the pair disappeared down the sidewalk then made a left. He waved to his wife, who then closed the door to keep out the blast of cold air that had chilled her to the bone.
"Hey mom, if it's okay we're gonna turn in early."
"Okay sweetie. I guess you had quite an exciting day. So Moka, dear, how was your first Christmas?"
"Oh it was wonderful mom. And I agree, I am a bit tired now. It was a rather busy day, which I thoroughly enjoyed," Moka answered as she covered her mouth as a yawn had accidentally escaped.
"That's good to hear. I can see that. Have a good night you two."
The vampire duo gave Kasumi a firm, yet brief, hug then walked up the stairs, hand-in-hand.
"Goodnight mom," the pair said in unison which Kasumi snickered at, since they acted as though they were an old, married couple who had been together for many years.
...
A few minutes, later the pair were dressed and ready for bed. Moka decided to wear a long, silky nightgown, deep red in color to sleep in since the weather had grown much cooler. Her fiancé wore a simple pair of flannel pajamas, royal blue in color. They were both reasonably tired from such a rather, busy day.
They had celebrated their very first Christmas together and it would be a day that neither of them would ever forget for as long as they lived.
"Goodnight Moka. I love you."
"Goodnight Tsukune. I love you, too."
As the pair snuggled up to each other, they kissed one another goodnight. They eventually fell into the peaceful pull of slumber as they both dreamed of the next, upcoming holiday: New Year's Eve. It would be another holiday to celebrate as one of their 'firsts' as a real couple in love.
They could hardly wait!
...
...
Author's Notes: I worked on this chapter for about 2 and a half days. It came out better than I expected and decided to add an original character (which I rarely ever do) Tamiko Aono, Tsukune's grandma and Koji's mother. No other relatives were mentioned in the manga so I decided to add a few to my fan-fic.
I hope I portrayed her well. I never had any grandparents so I just went with my gut instincts to make her a doting, loving, person who enjoys teasing her grandson and son. It wasn't easy but I hope everyone liked her.
The next chapter will be New Year's Eve which I set up in this chapter. I already have it planned out and it will be out in a week or so, since this chapter is actually one day early.
If you liked this chapter please feel free to leave a comment. I am not begging for reviews. I would just like to know what you liked about this or any, previous, chapters. It only takes a minute, since I have spent literally hundreds of hours writing in my free time for you, the fans of 'Rosario + Vampire'. Thank you for your continued support.