Christmas Comfort

Summary: Although Christmas is a time to be spent with loved ones, Kasumi has to spend her Christmas all be her lonesome. ...or does she?

Ship: SetsuKasu

AN: This story takes place some years after they've all graduated Nijigasaki.

Snow fell gently on the busy streets of Tokyo, coating the crowds of people with an enchanting layer of winter magic as they bustled about. In her small apartment, Kasumi finished her evening meal, a cheap bento box from the convenience store just down the street coupled with a koppe-pan she'd plucked from her stash. The TV displayed the credits to an animated movie, some feel-good picture where the power of holiday cheer turned out to be the solution to all of the protagonist's problems.

If only reality could be so simple. The brunette was usually a cheery person, but being alone on such a special day dampened her mood considerably.

Kasumi sighed as she considered what her friends were doing for their Christmas Eve. Emma was spending the holidays in Switzerland. Kanata was having a special dinner with Haruka. Karin had an upscale modeling event to attend, and Shizuku was likewise involved in a live holiday production. Ai and Rina were having a quiet night in, as were Ayumu and Yu.

And as for Setsuna? Kasumi's girlfriend was sadly out of the country on business, having a vital yet unfortunate responsibility that only she could be trusted with.

Just as the brunette was contemplating her own schedule for the holiday, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Kasumi-chan! Do you have plans tonight?!" came Setsuna's excited voice.

"...good evening to you too, Setsuna-senpai," deadpanned Kasumi. "To answer your question, yes, I do have plans. It's Christmas Eve after all. What about you? Aren't you busy with work and stuff?"

"Work's been taken care of," she replied dismissively. "And I pushed the after work celebration onto my kouhais. So I'm free!"

"...That's good?"

"It is!" chirped Setsuna. She paused for a breath. "You know... I'm only a couple hundred miles away from you right now. I could hop on a flight and be there in half an hour," she suggested confidently.

"Excuse me?! America is NOT a couple hundred miles away!" protested Kasumi indignantly.

"Same difference."

She sighed. "You're going to book a same day flight on Christmas Eve and be back before Christmas Day?" asked Kasumi skeptically.

She could practically see Setsuna shrugging nonchalantly. "Why not?"

The brunette pursed her lips. To cross the entirety of the Pacific Ocean, Setsuna was looking at a 10 hour flight. It was already past 7pm. "Setsuna-senpai, how are you as successful as you are without realizing how impossible life can be?"

"School idols exist to do the impossible!" declared the ravenette.

"And we haven't been in school for years," retorted Kasumi with the faintest hint of a smile. "You know what? Fine. I'll cancel my plans because I'm such a generous and wonderful person. But I expect you here before the clock strikes midnight!"

"You can count on it!" exclaimed the older girl, "Setsuna Scarlet Storm!"

And then all Kasumi heard was silence. No doubt her girlfriend had charged off to find the nearest airport.

"...there's no way she's getting back tonight." Initially, the young couple had planned to hold their Christmas festivities later in the month when they could be together. And though Kasumi appreciated her girlfriend's attempt to move up that timetable...

She sighed. "It's a good thing all I planned to do was bake," she said to herself. "Well, whatever!" She rolled up her sleeves. "Let's try and make a cake worthy of Setsuna-senpai's belated Christmas!"

The delightful aroma of baked goods filled the air of Kasumi's apartment, the brunette having taken her final creation out of the oven for inspection. Setting this last cake on the counter next to her previous creations, Kasumi cast a critical eye over the pastry.

"The color looks good," she mumbled to herself. She inhaled deeply. "The smell is right too. I guess the only thing left to do is taste it."

But before she could stick the fork in, the sound of excited knocking began to hammer away at her front door.

Startled, she looked to the clock. It read 11:59 PM.

She blinked. "That couldn't possibly be-"

"Kasumi-chan!" called a familiar voice eagerly.

"Coming!" replied the brunette automatically as she rushed over. As she opened the door, Kasumi was hit immediately as Setsuna all but tackled her into a hug.

"Kasumi-chan!" exclaimed Setsuna affectionately, nuzzling into her neck.

"UWAH! Setsuna-senpai!"

"I missed you so much, Kasumi-chan~!" she cooed. She inhaled deeply before letting out a sigh of contentment. "You smell like home..."

"Setsuna-senpai," chided Kasumi fondly. "You really are like an excitable dog, aren't you?"

"I can't help it! I've spent so long away from you, my heart longs for your touch!" declared Setsuna dramatically. "Oh, and incidentally..." She reached into her coat pocket and retrieved a sprig of mistletoe, holding it between their faces with shimmering eyes. "Now we have to kiss. It's the rule."

The brunette smiled and leaned in, meeting Setsuna's lips halfway as she gave her a wonderful welcome home kiss. "I missed you too," she said when they separated.

Setsuna beamed with happiness. Then, true to Kasumi's canine comparison, she caught a particular scent on her nose. "Why do I smell pastries?" She looked over to the kitchen. "Whoa! You made SIX cakes?!"

Kasumi looked away sheepishly. "I wanted to make the perfect cake to welcome you home with..."

"Aww! How sweet~!" She walked over the inspect the lineup, the desserts virtually identical save for slight variations in the recipes. "But what are we going to do with all these?"

"Let's see," considered the brunette, "One for us, one for your family, one for my family, one for Shizuko, and one for Rinako."

"That still leaves one left over."

Kasumi shrugged. "We can just give it to Karin-senpai. She's getting up there and she's still single, so it's fitting to give a Christmas cake to the Christmas Cake."

"Kasumi-chan, that's mean."

"But we're doing it anyway?" asked Kasumi with a knowing smirk.

"Well... we do need to get rid of it somehow."

"Then it's settled! I'll be sure to write an encouraging message on top with some frosting. Maybe something like, 'Enjoy the calories, try not to get fat!'"

"No deliberately antagonizing our friends!"

As the clock ticked into the early hours of the AM, Setsuna and Kasumi curled up together in front of the TV, cuddled beneath a blanket as they shared a plate of frosted cake. Yet another animated holiday film was playing, but this time Kasumi could feel the Christmas cheer within her breast, nourished by the warmth and comfort of her beloved at her side.

Resting her head against Setsuna's, Kasumi turned to place a light kiss on her cheek. "Setsuna-senpai? Thank you for coming home for Christmas. It really means a lot to me."

"Anything for my dearest Kasumi-chan," returned Setsuna softly. She set the plate on the table and wrapped her arms around the brunette for another hug. "I love you," she said unabashedly.

"I love you too. Merry Christmas."

~END~

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Omake:

"So how did you get here on time anyways?"

"I was already on the plane when I called."

"What?! How?!"

"As it turns out, Ohara-san also wanted to spend Christmas in Japan."

Elsewhere...

"Since it's the final day of Christmas, I've brought a shiny surprise for you~!"

Kanan and Dia spent the rest of the night fending off seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a mikan tree