FICLET 8: PRECIOUS GIFTS

By the time Yué and Natsume started dating, he was familiar with most of the holidays held in the Kanto region. Christmas, particularly the commercialized version, where gift-giving between friends and lovers was at its core, had been one of the easier ones for him to grasp. Even so, it was one of the more difficult ones for him to master, since finding the right gifts for people wasn't a strength of his. For one thing, he'd never had people to give gifts to in his youth – and honestly, he still didn't have that many.

It was out of obligation, more than anything else, that made him purchase herbs and spices for Erika and Takeshi, knowing the plant-user and amateur chef would make good use of them. To Natsume's parents, he gave the books and coffee they'd expressed interest in during their last few dinners together. He also set out a dish filled with chocolates for his first class of students, who'd stared at the candies for ten minutes before he'd lifted an eyebrow and gestured for them to go ahead and have some. He wasn't sure who else they'd thought those were for.

Those gifts were easy enough, but finding Natsume something was another matter entirely. What could he give someone who had – and had probably always had – everything she needed? There was nothing in her home that needed fixing or replacing, so a practical gift wasn't an option. He didn't even know if he would have given her such a thing if he could. That seemed too impersonal, considering what they now were to each other.

He'd already given her little trinkets during her birthday and in the months afterwards. He hadn't been able to help himself when he'd seen something that reminded him of her, or when he caught her looking at something with just a touch of longing (Natsume was well-off, but she tried to buy only what she needed), and the smiles she'd given him afterwards had been well worth it. Especially when she'd leaned up to give him those long, tender kisses that warmed him even when they were standing out in the snow together, their breaths misting out into the winter air.

So now he wanted to get her something special for Christmas. Last year it had been a scarf he'd saved up for, cherry red and deliciously soft to the touch. She'd worn it every day until the thaw, which had made his lips quirk whenever he'd seen her. She'd taken to wearing it again since the first frost this year, so he knew she would appreciate a similar gift...but he wanted something even better for her. After all, they weren't just friends anymore. They spent most of their nights in each other's arms, pressing kisses to each other's skin and making each other's hearts quicken. That deepened intimacy merited something more valuable – some sort of treasure, even.

When he'd asked her what she wanted though, she'd smiled and said, "You don't need to get me anything. You've already given me what I wanted the most." Which, of course, was the kind of sweet thing that made him draw her into his arms and eventually back into the bedroom, but ultimately hadn't been very helpful.

It was Takeshi, fretting over what ring to get Erika – which effectively eliminated that option for Yué, even though he didn't think Natsume or he were ready for that – who'd suggested getting her flowers. "Erika says she really likes them, but no one ever gets her any. Something about being worried she'll turn them into dolls."

"Where did that rumor come from?" Yué had asked, since he'd heard it more than once.

"I have no idea," Takeshi had admitted. Then he'd pointed to one of the rings. "Do you think she'd like this one?" The ring had had a flower design and yellow and green stones around the diamond. Yué had nodded and said it would do just fine.

So it was flowers he settled on. He ruled out freshly cut ones automatically, since those would wither and die in a couple of weeks, no matter how carefully he might tend to their stems. No, he needed something Natsume could care for – something small that she could have in her office, perhaps. He spent a ridiculous amount of time scouring the internet for ideas. He even borrowed a few of Erika's books, which was risky, because Erika shared just about everything with Natsume whether she intended to or not.

Finally, Yué decided to get Natsume an orchid. They were beautiful little flowers, needing warmth and careful tending to bloom, rather like their relationship. And like their relationship, some of them were rare and hard to find, like the one he set his eyes on: the obsidian orchid, with its curling black petals and red hearts. They were notoriously difficult to locate – some indigenous tribes had even made the search for them a coming-of-age journey, centuries ago – and even now, botanists had trouble finding them. Yué decided that if he was going to set his sights high, he could do no better than this.

Of course, that the orchid could only be found in a tiny patch of rainforest in South America posed some difficulty. He made all of the preparations he could, including making a small glass incubator to house the plant in once he found it, as well as booking his plane tickets as discreetly as he could – but even so, Natsume found out. Or rather, she found out he was planning to leave for a good part of Christmas week and confronted him on why.

"It is a surprise," he tried.

"It certainly is," she said, arms crossed over her chest. "We have plans, remember? We're going to the theatre on Friday. Are you going to be back in time?"

"Of course I am." He went over to her and set his hands on her shoulders, since she stepped back from him when he tried to hug her. "I am only going to be gone for a few days. I will be back in time to celebrate with you and your loved ones. You have my word," he assured her.

"I just don't understand why you're going to Guyana, of all places. What if you get malaria?"

"If I start to feel ill, I will teleport back here immediately. Coming back will be easier than getting there." He smiled and tried to lighten the mood. "Are you not worried about me being attacked by a panther?"

She gave him a sour look. "A panther wouldn't be a problem for you. A blood-borne pathogen would be."

She really didn't look happy. He sighed and kissed her forehead. "I will be back before you know it. I promise."

Her shoulders sagged under his hands. "I wish you wouldn't go."

"I know, but I must. Try not to worry about me while I'm gone. Just make sure you have all of your Christmas preparations ready - and that you are ready for our date when I return," he teased.

She managed to smile at that. "Have you ever known me to not be prepared?"

"No. It is one of your more endearing qualities," he said. "You will see me off, won't you?"

"Of course I will." As upset as she was about this unexpected development, she didn't seem willing for them to part on bad terms. That was a relief.

The plane ride over was lengthy and tedious, especially when it came to the questions on why he'd come to Guyana in the first place. He answered them as thoroughly as he could, while omitting the part about going to all of this trouble to bring his girlfriend – because even though that word seemed inadequate, that was what Natsume was to him – a pretty flower. He didn't think that would endear him to the locals, even if they all turned out to be romantics at heart. Even if the plant wasn't endangered, Yué decided not to risk it.

There were numerous tours that went into the rainforest, some of which were more reliable than others when it came to not getting their tourists lost and killed in the wilderness. Yué had already booked a spot on the one that would lead him closest to the obsidian orchid's habitat. He actually ended up staying with his group longer than he'd planned, because the guide knew so much the native plants and pokémon species. Yué didn't think he would have seen as many tropical birds had he split off earlier, and Natsume, he knew, would appreciate the memories of their colorful plumages, even if they did come second-hand. Eventually, though, it was time for him to set off on his own, so he muddled the minds of his companions so they'd forget he'd ever been there. Then he headed deeper into the forest.

The obsidian orchid grew in low, swampy valleys, so Yué picked the direction that went downhill. Off the path, branches and vines snagged on his clothes, but once he shed them and his human form, walking became much easier. It felt odd to be in his true body again, though. He felt as if he were off-balance, which didn't make sense because his tail was helping with that. It must be because he'd taken so strongly to his other form these past few months. He didn't doubt that his deepened and much more physical relationship with Natsume was the reason why.

Yet as strange as it felt, something inside of him also resonated with this place. The bird songs around him sounded like ones he'd heard long ago, the drenched air and dappled sunlight felt delicious against his fur, and the smell and taste of the forest was almost as sweet as those of his beloved's body. Something about this forest seemed achingly familiar, as if he'd dreamed about it once and was only now remembering...

It was both a haunting and good feeling, but one he set aside as he waded into the swamp. He sent out a psychic pulse to discourage the snakes and alligators from gnawing on him. That same pulse fried the insects around him, making them burst into blue sparks. He could hear others buzzing farther away, eager to bite and burrow into the tender flesh of his ears. They wouldn't, but even with those discomforts held at bay, moving through the bog was nasty work. Algae soon coated his fur, trailing vines fell across his shoulders, and he snarled as his paws caught on the roots and branches embedded in the riverbed. Even so, he pressed on, peering across the water to find the orchid he sought. Its dark hue and the fading light made his search all the harder.

He didn't find one the first day. After hours of searching, Yué levitated himself from the swamp and found a tree to sleep in for the night. Using vines, he tied himself to it, not wanting to risk plummeting down into the water and being eaten by whatever lived there. He ate what seemed like the least poisonous looking fruits in the area – and while they made his stomach cramp, they stayed down – and managed to sleep for a few hours.

He woke up itching from the insects crawling over him, and after clawing futilely at his ears and eyes, cut the vines and plunged back into the water. This got rid of the problem, but another soon took its place: he found himself at the center of a school of fish who were eager to eat the feast he'd delivered, and saw shapes emerging through the murky waters to eat them. Wanting no part in that, Yué went to the surface and used his psychic energy to propel himself as fast and as far away as possible from that spot. The scenery around him didn't change much – there might be a few more mankey looking down at him, perhaps – and he briefly wondered if he was getting lost. Then he remembered that he could teleport home and had no reason to fret.

When the sun rose and it was light enough for him to see in color again, he continued the search. As hours passed by and he was left panting from the heat, his frustration mounted. He saw all kinds of gorgeous flowers growing in the swamp, including several kinds of orchids. If he were a lesser man, he would have picked one of those and called it a day - it was not as if Natsume would know the difference - but he was nothing if not determined. None of those were the obsidian orchid, so he heaved his pack up his shoulders with a sigh and pressed on. He pushed vines and leaves out of the way with his paws, which were grimy with mud. He shuddered to imagine what the rest of him looked like.

He knew he wasn't going to find it the second day, either, when the shadows across the water grew and blackened the water. He looked at the trees around him, hoping his next awakening wouldn't be so unpleasant, and climbed into the one that looked the least likely to contain something nasty. This time, he slept through the night mostly undisturbed, though he did have to wake up to shoo off an eagle who wanted to make his tail its dinner. Yué, being rather fond of his tail, was having none of that, and smacked at the bird when it got too close. It squawked indignantly and flew off. He settled back down to sleep until dawn and then resumed his hunt.

Around midday, he started to panic. He had only a handful of hours left for his search. He couldn't be late for his date with Natsume. He'd made her a promise. So, with time running out, he turned to the native pokémon for help. He hadn't wanted to before now, both due to pride and wanting to find the flower for Natsume all by himself, but he refused to go home empty-handed.

Many pokémon, oddly, ran away from him when he approached. Despite him saying he only wanted their help, they seemed to think he was dangerous. Yué knew he had a fearsome appearance, made worse by the slime in his fur, but he'd only ever eaten fruit here, so no one should be afraid of him eating them. He had the strangest feeling that maybe they were scared of something else – something he reminded them of – but since they fled as soon as he saw him, he didn't get the chance to ask. Eventually, though, he found a pokémon willing to talk to him, and when he did, he could have kicked himself for not doing so sooner.

"Sure, I know where one is. You gotta do something for me too, though," said the vivillon, whose wings were a dark green color.

"What is it that you want?" Yué asked warily.

"I want to give my mate something pretty, something no one else here has. You got anything like that?"

Yué blinked, set his pack down on the nearest patch of dry land, and pulled out some crumpled but still glossy ribbons. He'd been intended to put them on the incubator for the flower, but they might be what the butterfly needed. "Would these do?" he asked, holding up the red ribbons.

The vivillon fluttered over and made happy insect noises, which sounded just as odd as one might imagine. "Oh yes! These are perfect! They'll look great with her wings! She's from a sunny region, you know," he told Yué, as if this should have some significance to him.

Yué forced a smile. "I am pleased for you. Now if you could direct me to the orchid?"

"Right! Follow me, cat-thing!"

Yué followed the butterfly and, after a trek that lasted precious hours, found his quarry. Smiling in earnest this time, he transplanted it into the incubator and stored it in his pack. Then, giving the vivillon his thanks, he teleported back to his home. The cold struck him like a slap, and he hurriedly hid his pack and went into the bathroom to shower. He stayed under the spray for a long while, scrubbing the grime from his fur and feeling as if he'd never get the taste of mud out of his mouth. Eventually, though, he was clean and had barely enough time to prepare for his night with Natsume.

He dressed in one of the suits she'd bought for him, complete with shoes that shined with oil. He pulled on his jacket, still shocked by the cold he hadn't felt in days. Wrapping the incubator was a challenge in itself. It was only about the size of a canister of American ground coffee, but its circular shape made covering it that much more difficult. After he managed it, he set it in the center of the table. He didn't want to risk it overturning. He then wrapped up a book on caring for orchids, figuring that was safer to bring along, and tucked it into his coat pocket. Then he hurried on his way, catching a cab to the theatre.

Natsume was waiting for him there, her jacket bundled around her and her scarf wrapped around her neck. There was snow glittering in her hair and her cheeks were red from the cold. She looked worried, in that contained way of hers, with her eyes darting around to search for him. He paid the driver and got out of the car. When she saw him, she looked visibly relieved and walked over to him quickly.

"I thought you might not make it," she confessed.

"I am sorry I worried you. I am here now, though." He took her hand and squeezed it, not caring who saw. If they ended up in the papers tomorrow, so be it. Their relationship had to come out to the rest of the world sometime.

She squeezed his hand back. "So you are. Are you feeling alright?"

"I am tired and a little hungry," he admitted, "but I will not let that interfere with our enjoyment of the show."

She smiled. "I'll get you some ice cream. That should help tide you over until dinner."

"They have ice cream at a place like this?" he asked dubiously as they entered, noting the crystal chandelier and the sweeping arches of the ceiling. Soft piano music played in the background and everyone here was finely dressed, even the servers.

"Mmhm. In tiny portions in tiny dishes."

"Why is it that the more expensive food is, the less of it there seems to be?"

"Because the quality is supposed to be that good."

"Do you think the ice cream here is better than the ice cream in the parlor we went to a few weeks ago?"

She gave him an amused look. "No, but don't tell them I said that. We Kurosawas are only supposed to enjoy the finest in everything."

"Does that include in your mates?" he teased.

She laughed and leaned up to kiss him. "It might be," she said when they parted.

He smiled back, wondering at how easy that seemed to happen with her. "I am honored." He tried to say the words lightly, but he meant them in earnest, so that was how they sounded.

Her eyes softened and she looked like she wanted to kiss him again, but then there was an announcement that the play would begin soon, so it was time for everyone to take their seats. Natsume led him up to a box that actually had her family name on it, purchased some ice cream for him and some bubbly wine for both of them, and took a seat. He took the one next to her, savoring tiny spoonfuls of the frozen dessert. He offered her some, but she declined with a shake of her head and rested her hand on his knee. He tried not to let himself be too distracted by that.

He finished his treat and was sipping experimentally at his wine – it was drier than the others he'd tried – when the play began. It was a noh play, despite being performed in a Western style theatre, and consisted of five short stories, punctuated by comedic skits in between. The actors, all masked, demonstrated emotion with hand gestures, which Natsume explained to him in telepathy whenever she sensed him becoming confused. The stories were largely about supernatural beings who'd been transformed into humans and completed heroic quests, encountering numerous people, spirits, and magical creatures along the way.

Once he got used to the style of the play, he let himself sink into the stories and found – as a pokémon who lived his life as a human – that he rather enjoyed the experience. Natsume seemed to like it too, though she had a few more reasons for that. She loved the arts, acting especially, but she also loved sharing new parts of the world with him. Seeing him enjoying them was a private delight of hers, which she was reluctant to share with others. She liked being his guide, just as he liked having her as his. It was not as pronounced a part of their relationship as it had been – he was not dependent on her guidance anymore – but it was still there for them to explore and enjoy.

Yué was a little disappointed when the play was over, but his stomach was eager for dinner, so they relocated to the restaurant Natsume had booked them a table at. They had a meal of grilled greens and strips of beef, with savory sauces and bottles of sake to warm them. The best part was that they could shut the door to their room, so after a few minutes, he went over to her side of the table and kissed her soundly, the way he'd been wanting to since he'd returned. She laughed and pushed him away, telling him to eat, but her shove was half-heartened. He went back to his cushion even so, glancing up at her between bites and seeing her struggling not to smile.

There was a window they could look out of which gave them a view of Saffron's western hills and, on a clear day, a glimpse of Mount Silver. Today wasn't one of those days, but they had a charming view of the city nonetheless, which was shimmering with colored lights and Christmas trees. He sipped his sake and looked back at Natsume, who'd been looking out of the window as well. Her garnet earrings and necklace sparkled, but so did her eyes, and he found those much prettier.

He cared for her so much it hurt sometimes - but now wasn't one of those times, when the tenderness he felt for her was so keen it made him ache. He just felt warm and peaceful instead. He reached over and took her hand, stroking his thumb across her knuckles and the little bones of her fingers. She smiled and eventually, reluctantly, drew her hand back to reach into her purse.

"I know it's early, but I got you something," she told him, taking out a small, wrapped box. "I hid the rest of it in your apartment."

He took the box and held it in his hand. It was very light. "You did not have to get me anything."

"I wanted to. Go on."

He opened it. Inside was a metal object he vaguely recognized, but couldn't put a name to. He gave her a quizzical look. "It's a tea strainer," she explained. "I bought you a tea set. You always say how my tea is so much better than yours, which I think is partially flirting and partially you not having quality tea to begin with. So I bought you several kinds and a replacement kettle to brew them in, since yours is so worn out. I hope you like it." She looked nervous as she told him this, as if she thought he might not like her gift.

He did, though. Drinking tea with her was one of his favorite parts of the day, even from the earliest days when he hadn't even considered her a friend. Getting to try the kinds she'd picked out for him sounded wonderful. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Relief radiated from her. "There are a few other things back at the house, too. I hope you like them."

"You spoil me," he said warmly.

"You make it easy to." There was a touch of sadness in her voice, as if she wished that wasn't the case – as if she wished he took kindnesses like hers for granted.

He was glad he never would. "I have something for you as well."

"Did you bring it from South America?" she guessed.

"As a matter of fact, I did. Here." He handed her the book and watched her unwrap it with a tight feeling in his stomach. He was, ridiculously, nervous.

She gave him a perplexed look as she read the cover. "'A Guide to Caring for Orchids'? Did you get me flowers from Erika?"

That would have been easier but much less satisfying. That and Erika had not had the orchid he'd wanted. He held out a hand to Natsume. "Not exactly. Let me show you."

Natsume put down the payment for their meal and took his hand. He teleported them back to his home and gestured to the wrapped gift on the table. "This is your gift. Be careful, it's fragile."

She leaned over and peeled the paper back. Her eyes widened when she saw the orchids. "Oh! They're beautiful! What are they?"

He smiled. He hadn't only found her one flower, but two. He'd been assured by the vivillon that Natsume would be able to breed more from this pair if she wished. "They are obsidian orchids, which can only be found in the wetlands of Guyana. They aren't endangered," he assured her, "but they are difficult to find, so only a few gardens around the world have them. I..." He trailed off when he saw the expression on Natsume's face.

She looked stunned and horrified. "D-did you get these at a flower shop there or...?"

"No. I searched a swamp for them for a few days. Why?"

She sat down and buried her face in her hands. Worry washed through him. Had he given her the wrong gift? Did she not like it? "Natsume? What's wrong?" he asked, going over to her.

"You – you went to another continent to get me flowers. And I got you tea."

Oh. "You are worried you did not get me enough?"

She looked up at him. "Of course I am! You brought me someone's Holy Grail for Christmas!"

He struggled not to smile. "You know I enjoy a challenge."

She gave him a sour look. "And I got you tea and some other things that aren't worth nearly as much as these," she said, gesturing to the orchids.

He knelt down and took her hands. "You are being silly," he said, trying to keep the humor from his voice and failing.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because what you have given me makes my gift look worthless."

She stared at him. "Excuse me? The tea I bought for you isn't that expensive."

He couldn't help but laugh at that. "No, I do not mean the tea. I mean..." He sighed. "You accepted me. You gave me a purpose and a place to belong. You gave me friendship and so much more than that." He gave her hands a gentle kiss.

"You don't owe me anything for that," she said, her voice sounding strained.

"I know." She would never have asked him for anything in return. It was another one of those endearing things about her. "But I want to give you the world for it. But since you will not have that, I will settle for giving you parts of it instead - like pretty flowers."

"Why these ones, though? Surely there were easier ones to get."

"There were, but these reminded me of you." That was all the reason he needed.

Her eyes glistened. "You can be amazingly sweet sometimes."

"You bring it out in me," he told her, straightening. "So is this alright? Do you like them, at least?"

"I love them," she assured him with a smile.

"I am glad to hear it," he said, sighing with relief.

"Why would you go to all of that trouble, though?"

He hesitated. He knew what he felt for her and he was fairly certain she knew, too. He just hadn't dared say it yet. Now, though...now seemed like a good time. "I love you," he said softly.

He watched her eyes widen. He smiled at her, though his smile felt strained. "You do not have to say it back, now or at any point. But that is how I feel."

Then she was standing and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Idiot." She kissed him and pressed herself against him, the heat of her radiating through her dress. That feeling, along with her smell and her taste and his confusion over her calling him an idiot, made his thoughts cloud. After they parted and before he could ask, though, she held his gaze and said, "Of course I love you."

Of course, she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Perhaps it even was to her, but to him, a creature who'd only glimpsed love in the past, it wasn't half so clear. Yet he felt something bursting inside of him like a seedpod or a supernova, spilling out warmth and light and joy. She loved him. He was loved by Natsume.

He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her over and over, with those sorts of eager, breathless kisses that led to stumbling back into the table, which they did, and then, somehow, in a haze of passion and need and excitement, finding their way to the bedroom. His suit lost a couple of buttons and her dress ripped along one hem, but neither of them cared. Yué felt her hands raking through his hair, felt her heel digging into the base of his spine, felt her teeth nipping at his lip, and felt echoes of his hands on her body, equally desperate to draw her as close as possible to him.

I love you, I love you, I love you, they thought, moving together….

Afterwards, when they were both satisfied, she murmured, "You're ridiculous."

He stroked her side, savoring the softness of her skin underneath his fingers. "Am I?"

"You could have brought me any flower and I still would have liked it."

"Maybe so, but I wanted it to be memorable."

She smirked. "I'd say you succeeded at that." She stretched, her spine arching against the sheets. "Do you want dessert? We skipped it at the restaurant."

"This doesn't qualify?"

Her smirk widened. "Maybe, but one of my other gifts for you is a cheesecake. Have I ever made you try it?"

"No. Is it what it sounds like it is?"

"Essentially. Most of it is made of cream cheese, though it's flavored to be sweet. I think you'll like it."

He sat up and tried not to smirk at how her eyes wandered over him. "Then how could I say no?"

She got up and threw on a robe, drifting out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. He pulled on some pants and followed her. She pulled a box from the fridge and gestured for him take a look. Inside was a dense white cake with red swirls in it and a golden, crumbly looking crust. It smelled like cream and strawberries. The combination made his mouth water.

She cut them both slices and dished them onto plates. She handed him one and a fork. "Try it," she prompted.

As if he needed prompting. He took a bite and nearly moaned at the rich taste. It tasted ten times better than it had smelled: the strawberries offered a tangy contrast to the sweet cream, with the graham cracker crust adding a touch of honey to the flavor. "This is delicious," he breathed.

"I knew you would like it," Natsume said, sounding pleased. She ate some of her own with clear delight.

As they enjoyed their treat, she took his tea set out of hiding and brewed them berry tea. They shared it and cake and sweetened kisses for an hour more, before drowsiness overtook them. Yué slept heavily, the exertion of the past few days – and making his absence up to Natsume – catching up to him. He woke in the morning to the smells of hot chocolate and gingerbread, the latter of which had been toasted and liberally coated with frosting. He ate more of it than he should have, if the resulting sugar rush was anything to go by, but it made dinner preparations at the manor go by that much faster. Soon enough it was time for them all to settle down to indulge in the feast they'd put together. Between Natsume's parents telling stories about Christmases past, Takeshi and Erika announcing their engagement, and Satoshi and Kasumi stumbling in, dressed in festive costumes and carrying presents, it was a very pleasant gathering.

And between the good food, gifts, and company, Yué and Natsume also put the mistletoe hung around the manor to good use. After all, their most precious gifts to each other had not been the flowers or teas or sweet treats, as wonderful as those were. Their most precious gifts had been the words they've spoken to each other the night before, which they'd both longed for but dared not ask to receive. That they had made this the best Christmas either of them could remember – and they would lead to even sweeter Christmases to come.

Yet for now, they stood together under the sprig of leaves and little white berries, smiling against each others lips. When they parted, Yué stroked her hair and murmured, "Merry Christmas, Natsume."

"Merry Christmas, Yué," she returned - and when she leaned in for another kiss, he followed suit, the sound of silver bells and delighted laughter in his ears.

He couldn't have wished for anything better than this.