Secret Santa 2019 - Story collection

[Mirage_GSM]

Seasonal Greatings everyone!

It's time for the annual Secret Santa!
The prompts have been sent out, so I'm opening the collection thread in case some submissions come in early. I've been told there are 23 participants this year, so let's look forward to what is to come!

As always using this thread to post your story is encouraged but not mandatory. If you decide to post it elsewhere I will just put up the link the the story in here.

For those interested the previous years' story collection threads can be found here:
Secret Santa 2018 - Story collection
Secret Santa 2017 - Story collection

Happy Holidays!

Index
From PsychicSpy for nuclearstudent - 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
From nuclearstudent for KSFFWriter - Hothouse
From KSFFWriter for EurobeatJester - Christmas Double Date
From EurobeatJester for ProfAllister - Next Step
From ProfAllister for Mirage_GSM - Dreams By Firelight (other thread)
From Mirage_GSM for Lap - Total Eclipse of the Heart
From Lap for Feurox - A Katawa Christmas Carol
From Feurox for cpl_crud - Writing on the Wall (other thread)
From cpl_crud for MoashLannister - A Winter at Home
From MoashLannister for Monkeywitha6pack - untitled

From PsychicSpy* for Emi - The Two Santas
From Emi for Hanako Fancopter - SX Entry
From Hanako Fancopter for NoticeMeOppai - Christmas Confessions
From NoticeMeOppai for StilesLong - A Festive Flashback
From StilesLong for sgtpepper - The Secret Santa (other thread)
From sgtpepper for Tetrax333 - untitled
From Tetrax333 for brythain - An Unseen Play
From brythain for PKMNthiefChris - Winterhome (other thread)
From PKMNthiefChris for Craftyatom - Almost Home For Christmas
From Craftyatom for Oddball - The Waiting Games (other thread)

From Brythain* for Downix - A Bear Discovers Christmas
From Downix for PabloPabloPablo - untitled

From Feurox** for Shiranai - Away We Go Wassailing
From Shiranai for Gibzx - Is It In Gingerbread That One’s Cake is Dough?

From XXX for YYY - ZZZ
*extra story
**extra story (was supposed to be written by Gibzx)

[Hanako Fancopter]

Looks like I'll be first!

---

Victim: NoticeMeOppai
Prompt: One of the characters gets way too drunk at the Christmas party, but for some reason their usual friends aren't there to look after them so someone you wouldn't normally expect ends up looking after them.

Christmas Confessions

“Okay, g-good night everyone!” Hanako said cheerily, rising from her seat. All around her the Christmas party spun on, mostly oblivious to her announcement, different groups of students talking and laughing, playing games, or flirting openly with each other. Most of the people hoping for action saw this party as their last opportunity to get laid for the year; it showed in some of the behavior on display. Even Hanako was letting loose as well, though in a different way.

“I’ll just… t-take this…” she added, snatching up an open bottle of wine from the nearby table before attempting to steal away with it.

“Uh uh uh!” Miki said, intercepting her with a strong grip. “Hey, you might not need any more of that, huh?”

“But it’s y-yummy…” Hanako protested, holding the bottle tightly to her chest like a beloved teddy bear.

Miki sighed in exasperation.

“Then sit back down and settle in. You’re not going back to your room alone with a whole bottle, not in the state you’re in.”

“B-but… I have to go the bathroom… my tummy is sp-spinning…”

“Oh boy. Hey Emi?”

Emi bounded over from a conversation nearby. Miki shoved Hanako at her and then bolted.

“What the—? Hey! Miura! What’s the big idea!”

“Oh, L-Lilly! You really lost w-weight!” Hanako exclaimed, looking down at the top of Emi’s head. “You’re so l-little!”

“Not funny!” Emi said, batting Hanako’s hand away as it ran through her hair.

“Ah, Emi? S-sorry, your hair…”

“You thought I was a midget Lilly because my hair is down? Hanako, how drunk are you?”

Emi wasn’t totally sober herself, she wasn’t sure that anyone here was, but she was more or less in her right mind. Unlike this poor wallflower, it seemed.

“Umm… ehehe…”

Hanako blushed and she shrunk into herself a bit, suppressing a hiccup as she once again hugged the wine bottle in both arms.

“Where’d you get that?” Emi asked, grabbing for the bottle.

“N-no!” Hanako protested, holding on to it more fiercely than ever.

“…Alright, Miura. Now I see what’s going on here…”

“Wh-what’s that?” Hanako asked innocently.

“Nothing, Hanako. Look, let’s go bother Rin, okay?”

“Rin? Aha, she’s f-funny, haha…”

“…Yeah, that she is. Rin? Yeah, over here?”

“Hi, Emi. Hanako. You’re out of your room a bit late,” Rin observed.

Emi tensed up. That was the Rinnish kind of comment that might send Hanako fleeing from a conversation.

“Y-yep, I am, aren’t I?” Hanako said, beaming with a proud smile.

Well, at least there was one upside to her being incredibly drunk, Emi thought.

“What do you need?” Rin asked.

“Oh, nothing, you know. Just hanging out,” Emi said, trying to make her point with purposeful glances at Hanako.

“Why did you bother me then? Misha was saying something really interesting.”

“Really? Wh-what was it?” Hanako asked.

“I don’t remember. But Miki was really giving her a very Miki look, so it must have been interesting.”

Hanako gasped.

“Ohhh! Oh R-Rin, you don’t th-think she’s…”

“She’s what?”

Hanako dropped her voice to a whisper for this scandalous suggestion.

“…do you think M-Miki likes Misha?”

“I don’t know why she wouldn’t. I like Misha. She’s nice. Loud. But nice.”

“Ohmigosh R-Rin! It’s okay, I w-w-won’t tell anyone your cr-crush!” Hanako said, all semblances of secrecy gone from her voice.

Emi resisted the urge to facepalm. This situation needed to be corralled somehow. Because of this, now she was in for a couple weeks of Rin giving everyone the idea she had a crush on Misha, because she said Misha was nice, and that was what crushing meant, or some other Rin logic like that. If Emi let this go on uninterrupted there was no telling what kinds of rumors might be born from it. Fortunately Hanako’s stomach addressed the situation for her. The drunken girl swallowed hard, looking like she might have been fighting to keep something down.

“I don’t feel s-so good…” Hanako said, swaying a bit as her eyes drooped.

“Oh jeez. Come on Rin, we have to get her to the bathroom.”

“Shouldn’t Lilly do that?” Rin asked.

“No, Rin, we—actually. That’s a good point. Where is Lilly?” Emi asked.

“She said… sh-she had to show Hisao something… in her r-r-room…” Hanako said.

“Pffftt. Yeah, show him a new position, I bet,” Emi said.

“She did s-say she was studying for n-new… ch-chess moves…”

Emi snorted in laughter and did her best to loop one of Hanako’s arms over her shoulders, allowing the other to keep clutching on tightly to its wine bottle.

“Come on, Rin.”

“Why do I have to go?”

“Because I’m not dealing with this alone, that’s why.”

“Alright. I kind of have to pee too.”

“Oh boy. Of course you do,” Emi said dryly. “’Scuse us… coming through… sick girl here, better stay clear!”

“Is that a wine bottle?” Rin asked.

“Y-y-yes… he’s my new fr-friend…” Hanako answered shyly.

“Can I have some?”

“Mr. Wine says you have to ask n-nicely.”

“I always thought of wine as being female, actually.”

“Just hush and take the drink,” Emi said.

***

“Ugghhhhh… Lirrryy…” Hanako slurred up from the bathroom floor, having taken a liking to it after unloading the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Thankfully, with Emi and Rin’s combined assistance—which consisted of Emi holding Hanako while Rin watched and commented—the puking had gone about as well as it could have, with no mess made or clean-up required. Emi and Rin sat on the floor for the time being, the wine bottle between them and well out of Hanako’s reach.

“I’m still here, don’t worry,” Emi said, not bothering to correct Hanako about her identity.

“No… you’re not…” Hanako said weakly.

“Oh? I’m not? Is this all in your head?” Emi asked with a chuckle.

“I mean you’re not… Lilly…”

“I’m not either,” Rin assured her.

Hanako gave her a glare of annoyance, uncharacteristic and surprisingly scary, Emi thought. Rin was unfazed, and in her inebriated state, Hanako dropped the glare as quickly as it had appeared.

“What I mean is… Lilly… she…” Hanako continued, frowning and clearly struggling for words.

“What about her?” Emi asked innocently.

Hanako gulped, then crawled across the floor to her and Rin. Emi moved immediately to guard the wine bottle but Hanako didn’t try for it again. Instead she laid her head down next to Emi’s legs, looking up at her with an apprehensive expression.

“E-Emi, Lilly, she… I liked… I r-really like… the way y-you and Rin l-like each other, and then…”

“So, you’re saying you like Lilly—wait, the way me and Rin like each other?! I don’t—I don’t like Rin!”

“You don’t? I like you…” Rin said, sounding slightly hurt.

“No, Rin, I don’t mean—I like you as a friend! A friend! I think what Hanako is saying, is…”

“Like a girlfriend. Not like a girl that is a friend,” Rin said.

“Y-yeah…” Hanako whispered.

Looking down at her again, Emi saw her eyes misting over with tears. Her heart broke for the poor girl and she felt her own eyes widening in sympathy. She reached down and brushed Hanako’s hair away from her face, attempting to comfort her, but Hanako reflexively covered her scars in response. Emi hated to see that, too, so she wrapped her arms around the thin girl and hauled her up to sitting position, holding her in a tight hug.

“A-and the worst thing, the worst th-thing is… she th-thinks she’s quiet, but sh-she’s not…” Hanako said.

“…Yeah, we noticed that too,” Emi replied. “Look, it’s—you’ll find someone, okay? Everyone finds someone.”

“…L-like you found R-Rin?”

“No, not—I mean. Sure, yes. Yes… like I found Rin.”

Hanako replied by nuzzling her face into Emi’s shoulder. Then she stretched an arm out past Emi’s face towards Rin.

“Hug,” Hanako said. “Girl hug.”

“Sorry, but I’ve got no arms to hug you with,” Rin said.

“Th-then I’ll hug you.”

“Aww, Hanako, you’re gonna make me…” Emi started, sniffling back her own tears as Rin shuffled over and they huddled together.

“This is nice,” Rin observed.

“Mm-hmm,” Hanako agreed.

They sat in silence for a short while before Hanako spoke again.

“I just don’t know wh-what to do. It was hard, so h-hard to make friends, and now I feel like I lost them both!” she said into Emi’s shoulder.

“Don’t they still hang out with you?” Emi asked, but she felt dumb for even asking it. Hanako had been alone at the party, then in here with Emi and Rin. Lilly and Hisao were nowhere in sight. No wonder she’d gotten so drunk.

“It’s not the s-same… it hurts just seeing them…”

“Did you try a ménage a trois?” Rin asked.

“…A wh-what?”

“It’s an artist thing. Or so I’ve heard.” Rin clarified.

“Rin, is that what you were telling Miki about? No, no! Don’t listen to her! Don’t look that word up! Okay, Hanako? Don’t!” Emi said.

“Okay… I really d-don’t know what to do, though…” Hanako said.

“Well, I think you might need to talk to them, but I also think maybe this isn’t the best time to be going over advice. I, uhh. Dunno if you’re gonna remember any of it tomorrow,” Emi said.

“Ehe… probably not… hic…”

“So… let’s just get some rest, okay? And tomorrow we can talk about it some more. Me and Rin will hang out with you and keep you company if you don’t want to be around Hisao and Lilly. Won’t we, Rin?”

“Will we? I don’t know if—” Rin started to say.

“Won’t we, Rin?” Emi cut her off.

“—Right. We definitely will,” Rin corrected herself.

“Th-thanks… hey, E-Emi?”

“Yeah?”

Hanako pushed herself up to her full sitting height, which put her chin level with Emi’s forehead, then leaned down and gently kissed the top of Emi’s head.

“Girl kiss! Teehee!”

“Hanako! You rascal!” Emi said, touched by the gesture nonetheless.

“Can I have one?” Rin asked.

“Ah! Of c-course, Rin! Can’t leave friends out!” Hanako agreed, pulling Rin close enough to peck her on the cheek.

She gave them both one more group hug, then fell over across both their laps, hair fanned out like a pillow as she began to snore loudly. Emi shook her head in consternation.

“Jeez, she doesn’t look heavy, but I guess compared to us…” she said, wiggling a bit under Hanako’s weight in a fruitless effort to extract herself. “And it’s not like you can help me pick her up…”

“Guess we just have to sleep in here,” Rin observed, turning over and laying down in immediate acceptance of the situation.

Emi sighed, leaning back against the wall and stroking Hanako’s head absently.

“Guess so. Crap, now I have two weirdos I have to take care of. How did that happen?”

“When did you start looking after weirdos? You didn’t tell me that.”

“…just go to sleep, Rin.”

[Mirage_GSM]

Very nice! Everyone was well in character and it didn't even devolve into smut.

[PsychicSpy]

Really good work! Very much enjoyed the mix of emotions from Hanako’s perspective, as well as the dialogue for Rin. Good work!

[PKMNthiefChris]

Victim: CraftyAtom

Prompt: Hisao plans on going home for winter break. One (or more) of the girls must convince him to stay at Yamaku with her - or else convince him to bring her along (and thus meet his parents).

I tried my best. Merry Christmas, Crafty.

***

Saki closes her phone and takes a deep breath. Winter break starts in a few days and it seems her parents’ business trip will be lasting far, far longer than they’d expected or desired. Since her parents wouldn’t be home, there was no reason for her to go home for the break even if she could’ve gotten herself there on her own. To her surprise, her phone chimes, the arrangement of notes revealing it as Hisao without the need for seeing the message.

Mom and Dad want me back for the break. Had been planning on staying here, but since you’re going home anyway, I’ll probably just go home.

She had been planning to invite Hisao to come home with her for the break. Her parents had taken a shine to him when they’d met back in July and this would’ve been a good opportunity for part of her Yamaku family to meet up with her family outside of its little world again. She’d just been waiting for her parents to let her know when they’d be back to talk to him about it. But her parents weren’t coming home and now he wasn’t going to be at Yamaku either… She sent him a quick reply and asked him to meet up with her in the cafeteria shortly.

***

Saki smiled as Hisao sat down beside her, trying to calm her nerves. She didn’t want to be alone for the holidays. And she really didn’t want to spend them without Hisao. It was their first Christmas together after all, she wanted to spend it… well, together.

“What’s wrong?” her boyfriend asks, startling her a little.

“W-What do you mean?” Saki asks, certain she hadn’t been that obvious.

“Well,” Hisao says, “you’ve been fidgeting and staring at your food since I got here. So something’s on your mind.”

“My parents aren’t going to be home for the holidays,” she says, finally looking at him. “And I really don’t want to be alone for Christmas.”

“You want me to stay?” Hisao asks, with far less surprise than she was expecting.

Maybe he was having similar thoughts, Saki muses. “I mean, if you don’t mind,” she says aloud, with some embarrassment. “And if your parents won’t mind.”

Hisao laughs a little at her words. “I doubt it,” he says. “They sounded like they’d be busy. I mean I should call them to make sure, but I doubt they’ll think twice about saying I can just stay.”

Saki frowns a little at his words. “You haven’t seen them since the fall though, right? Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“I haven’t seen them much less this year than I did before coming to Yamaku,” Hisao says with a shrug. He seems largely indifferent to this fact.
“They were always working late and by the time they made it home from work I was usually in bed. We might’ve crossed paths in the morning, but that was about it. I doubt they’ll even be home for most of the break.”

Not for the first time is Saki struck by the difference in her boyfriend’s life and her own, despite their similarities. Hisao’s matter-of-fact acceptance that his parents won’t be around is nothing like her surprise her own would be stuck away from home during the holidays. “This is normal?” she asks, tone betraying her shock.

“Yeah,” Hisao confirms. “This is pretty much what happens every year.”

She doesn’t really have anything to say to that, and they both finish their meals and head for the girls’ dorms in a vaguely uncomfortable silence.

***

After he’s left a message for his parents and they’ve finished their mutual tutoring; he sits on her bed as she pulls her laptop out of her bag, his phone chimes. He flips it open, punches something quick in, and closes it again. “That was my mom. She says it’s fine,” he says. “I told you it wasn’t a big deal.”

Having finally freed her laptop of her bag, Saki joins him on the bed. “Christmas is a time for family, for home,” she says, resting her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here but…”

“I’m with you, aren’t I?” he asks, smiling. “We’re family, remember? You said so yourself, back in July when I met your parents. And while Yamaku isn’t quite home, it’s close enough. It’s almost home.”

She leans against him as she pulls up a movie on her laptop. “I suppose that’s true. We’re not quite home for Christmas, but this is still nice.”

“So what’s the movie for tonight? Something fittingly Christmasy?”

“A sci-fi Christmas classic, one of the worst movies of all time, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!”

***

“Are… Are those aliens abducting Santa? What the heck is a ‘sleep shower’?” Hisao asks, eyes wide as the cinematic disaster unfolds.

Saki giggles. “I told you this was one of the worst movies of all time, Hisao.”

Hisao’s face is contorting in strange ways as he tries to comprehend the badness that is Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. “I mean, I’m used to watching bad movies with you. But this… this is like a whole new level of bad. How did Santa and those two kids escape the vacuum of space?!”

“Because he’s Santa Claus, apparently,” Saki says, gesturing to the screen and laughing at her boyfriend’s attempts to make sense of a movie that doesn’t follow any real logic while a Martian dressed up like Santa is chased by his bosses.

“I should show this to Kenji,” Hisao says. “It would almost be worth dealing with him to see what kind of nonsense this makes him dream up.”
Saki laughs loudly. “If what you’ve told me is true, I’d be inclined to agree.”

As Santa teaches the Martians the true spirit of Christmas and the movie cuts to credits, she kisses him lightly. “Merry Christmas, Hisao. Thanks for spending it with me.”

Hisao smiles against her lips. “Merry Christmas Saki,” he says as they pull apart.

[NuclearStudent]

I have read all of the above.

Chris wrote a functional fluff piece. Normie wrote a party piece with just a hint of a smutty atmosphere with ultimately no sex. Nothing too out of the norm.

[Lap]

Victim: Feurox
Prompt: This Christmas, the cast are putting on a play (any play) as a performance for the students who are staying for the Christmas break. It can be any and as many of the characters (main or secondary cast) and it can be any play. I'm a sucker for some Greek tragedy, but I'm more excited to see what you'll come up with. Good luck, and merry Christmas!


A Katawa Christmas Carol

________________________

I sat at my desk in 3-3 and paged through the script in my hand, trying to figure out just how many stage sets we needed to construct to put on A Christmas Carol. The fewer the better, given our time constraints.

“Hisao~!” I flinched at the sound of Misha’s voice from the door. More precisely, I flinched at the person behind the voice. I grimaced before turning with a smile plastered on my face.

“Yes, Shizune?”

Misha pouted at me. “How do you know it’s not me who wants to talk to you?” she asked.

“Because Shizune has been harassing me all day—don’t translate that!—and she’s standing right beside you.”

“Oops. Sorry~!” giggled Misha, and I guessed from that, and the glare that Shizune gave me, that Misha had automatically translated everything I’d said anyway. Shizune’s hands moved in an incomprehensible blur, and Misha continued, “If you would get your cast and crew under control, the producer wouldn’t have to ‘harass’ the director.”

I rolled my eyes. “Does the producer have any tasks besides harassing the director?”

Misha laughed, “Wahaha~!” Her whole body shook with her laughter, and I tried not to get distracted by how pleasantly she jiggled as she did so. She glanced at Shizune’s waving hands, then leaned in close to whisper to me, “We can find many ways to harass you, if you like~!” Her tongue traced a circle around her soft pink lips, and I blushed as I realized that they both were stepping closer to me, reminding me of lionesses on the hunt.

“Yes, well, ah, I need to talk with Taro about the costumes!” I blurted, sidling away from them and leaving room.

“Wahaha~!” echoed down the halls as I went.

I found Taro in the art room, in the midst of dozens of bolts of cloth. He was humming happily as he pinned fabric to Suzu, who looked like she was falling asleep on her feet. I assumed she needed to be in her underwear in order to make sure the costume fit properly, but I still blushed and looked away. I’d never imagined the sleepy girl would have such pretty, lacy lingerie.

“Yo! Hisao! How goes it?” asked Taro heartily.

“Fine, fine, just checking up on how it’s going with you,” I said, staring around at all the cloth spread out all over the room.

“Doing great.”

“Oh, good, that’s a relief.”

“How did you become the director of this play? You’re not even in the drama club,” asked Suzu curiously.

I shrugged helplessly. “In the wrong place at the wrong time, I guess?”

She and Taro laughed. “Yeah, I’ll say. I don’t envy you,” said Taro.

“So, do you think you could get costumes made in time for the play? It’s not that different from cooking, right?”

“Sure!” He beamed happily at me, and I felt a small sliver of relief. At least something was going right.

“Hisao, there you are!” said Emi behind me. I turned around and tried to smile at my smallest actor. She scowled. “You know, casting me as Tiny Tim is just typecasting! I’m more than just a short adorable cripple!”

“Yes, you’re also a thorn in my side,” I muttered.

“What was that?”

“I said, Rika said the same thing.”

“What, that I’m just a short adorable cripple? I’ll punch her lights—”

“No, she complained about being typecast as the Ghost of Christmas Past, just because she’s albino. But think of all the money we’ll save on white makeup!”

“Hmph. Well, I don’t care about Rika, I care about me.” She sidled up closer to me, pressing her diminutive but sweet breasts against my chest. Or belly, anyway. “Isn’t there anything I can do to make you change your mind?” she purred, running a finger down the center of my chest, tracing my scar.

I blushed, trying to suppress the surge of blood flowing south in my body. “No! Stop that! I’m already in a relationship!”

“I’m not looking for a relationship, just a better role,” she whispered in my ear, then she licked the side of my neck.

I jumped back, my heart pounding hard and erratic. Which was not the only hard thing I had to deal with at the moment. She was undeniably attractive, leaning forward with her pointy little breasts thrust out at me, but I was going to remain true, be a good boyfriend.

“Talk with Shizune about it,” I blurted, then ran out of the room. Her laughter trailed after me as I fled.

I ended up backstage, where Rin was busy painting the flats to depict the various settings in the play. I wondered why she was working dressed in just her panties (green and white striped) and a tank top (white, and distractingly translucent), but, well, artists are noted for their eccentricities. Maybe it was to keep from getting paint on her clothes. I stopped to admire her work, then did a double-take. “Rin? Is that supposed to be…Scrooge’s bedroom?”

“Yes.”

I shuddered. “Bedroom walls don’t usually have eyes and ears, Rin.”

“These do.”

I sighed and rubbed my eyes tiredly. “I suppose I should be grateful they don’t have anything more salacious,” I muttered.

I heard a snicker behind me. “Did you look at the bedside lamp?” asked Miki, a leer audible in her voice.

I glanced briefly at the lamp in question—Georgia O’Keefe immediately sprang to mind—then I turned around to see Miki.

“Hey, Miki.” I was impressed to see that she was dressed up like a Victorian accountant. She made a fine looking Bob Cratchit. “Your costume is looking good.”

She beamed at me. “Thanks! Though I don’t know how I’m supposed to be an accountant if I can only count on the fingers of one hand.”

I laughed, then trailed off when she didn’t laugh with me. “Um. Seriously?”

“Yeah! I should be one of the ghosts! I could even wear a fake hand and cut it off to demonstrate my other-worldly nature!”

“Ah…well, yes, that could be…an interesting interpretation, but I’m not sure—”

“Here! Lemme show you.” She peeled out of her costume in a blink, then stood there naked looking around for something. “Where’d I put that bed sheet?” she muttered.

“Ah…Miki?” I squeaked.

“Huh?” She looked back at me, and I wrenched my eyes back up to her face. “Oh! Right, the hand thing, I should show you that first.” She pulled a disturbingly realistic looking hand out of a pile of junk on what was supposed to be the props table. She slipped it onto her stump. I’d never seen her without a bandage on her stump. Of course, I’d never seen her without clothes, either. I gulped, and wondered if runners shaved to make themselves more aerodynamic.

“See!” She waved the fake hand in my face, flexing the fingers. “Pretty convincing, right?”

“Uh. Yeah.” The fingers in my face made it easier to ignore the naked body in front of me. A little. Some.

“Here, let me show you,” she said with a grin, and grabbed my crotch, where my interest in her nudity was rather manifest. I jumped back, stumbling over one of Rin’s paint cans. The red paint spilled everywhere, and when I fell into the puddle I suddenly looked like I’d just visited an abattoir.

“Shit!” I swore, then clapped a paint-covered hand over my mouth, looking around. Fortunately, there was no one nearby to hear my rude language. I looked down at my paint soaked body and groaned. I peeled off my ruined clothes, and tried to clean myself off using the stage curtains.

I heard a gentle tapping noise, then, “Hisao?”

I looked up, frozen in terror at the notion of being caught naked on stage, then I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the query had come from Lilly. “Up here, Lilly,” I called from the stage. She came down the aisle of the auditorium, finding her way up the steps onto the stage with practiced ease. I felt a little uncomfortable being naked in front of her, but she’d never know, so—no harm, no foul, right?

She was in costume as one of the ghosts, a gauzy white gown flowing off her body. I needed to speak to Taro about his material choices—it was thin and translucent, hiding nothing at all of Lilly’s magnificent assets. The walk through the snow from the dorm to the auditorium had had some interesting effects on her anatomy, and I wondered if she knew just how visible she was. I was overly aware of just how visible I was, and I was getting more visible by the moment as I stared at her. I blushed as I realized that I could freely admire her body and she’d never know I was ogling her. “What’s up, Lilly?” I asked, then winced at my unintentional pun.

She gave me a tight, refined smile, as if she’d heard my pun but was politely ignoring it, which immediately made me feel like a cad for leering at her. I struggled to keep my attention on her face. “I was wondering if you might consider casting Hanako in the play,” she asked, coming to a stop a meter in front of me.

“Hanako? She didn’t even audition,” I said, not bothering to note that her stutter and shyness would probably make her freeze on the stage. “But we still need stage and lighting crews.”

“Yes, I’m afraid she got so caught up in preparing her audition piece that she lost track of time,” Lilly said. “But she’s ready now.”

Hanako stepped out from behind Lilly, where I hadn’t even noticed her. I squeaked and tried to wrap the curtain I’d been cleaning myself with around my waist. It tented rather noticeably, but Hanako apparently didn’t notice, thank heavens.

She was wearing a long white flowing gown, and a crown of flowers on her head. The gown was asymmetrical, with only one long sleeve, the right one, which looked natural on her. The cold apparently affected her too, and she jiggled enchantingly as she stepped to center stage and struck a dramatic pose. Had all the bras on campus gone missing overnight?

I tried not to cringe in anticipation of her humiliation. She took a deep breath, then began:

“O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!
The more my hair, the lesser is my grace.
Happy is Naomi, wheresoe’er she lies;
For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.
How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
If so, my eyes are oftener wash’d than hers.
No, no, I am as ugly as a sloth;
For men that meet me run away in troth:
Therefore no surprise that Hisao
Do, as a monster pry at my virtues thus.
What warped and pale source of distress,
Made me compare with Lilly’s spheric breasts?”

I stared at her, my jaw on the floor, as I struggled for something to say. The sheer eloquence of her words, and the passion with which she declaimed them, was stunning. And not a single stutter. Lilly beamed at Hanako with a quiet pride on her face.

“That was amazing, Hanako,” I said. “Beautifully done. Truly remarkable.” She smiled at me with a face full of shy pride, and I felt like I was stomping on a box full of kittens when I added, “But…we’re doing A Christmas Carol, not A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Her upright posture wilted, and she looked down at the stage floor. “Oh. R-right. I forgot,” she whispered, and ran out of the auditorium.

“Wait!” I called after her, but she hit the door running and ran out into the snow.

Lilly glared disapprovingly in my direction. “That was not well done, Hisao. You didn’t even give her a chance on the casting couch. Which we had also practiced for, at length.” She sighed dramatically, chest heaving, and turned to follow Hanako out.

I stared dazedly at the retreating women, then jumped slightly as someone tapped my shoulder.

“Um. Excuse me, Hisao. Where do you want me to put these props?” asked Yuuko, holding a box full of puppets. Thankfully, she was demurely dressed in her Shanghai uniform.

“Huh?”

“Props. Where should I put them?”

“Oh. Uh…” I pointed at the table beside the lighting board. “Over there would be great, thanks.” I looked closer at her, and added, “You look tired, Yuuko.”

Yuuko dropped the box where indicated, and smiled wearily at me. “Well, yes. I don’t want to complain, but...how are we supposed to memorize our lines, build all the sets, and get all the props and lighting set up in just one day before winter break starts?”

“Ah…” That was a damn good question, now that she mentioned it.

“You look tense, too. You need to unwind, Mister Director,” she said, stepping closer to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist. “I can think of a few ways to relax,” she whispered.

“What? No! I’m already in a relationship!” I protested.

Yuuko leaned in close, her lips just brushing mine. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

I sat up in my bed, startled awake, shouting, “No! I’m a good boyfriend!”

The bed beside me rustled, and I heard a yawn. “Whazzat?”

“Uh…” I blushed in the darkness. “Nothing. Sorry. Weird dreams.”

“Did you just say you were a good boyfriend?” My lover sounded amused.

I sighed. “Yeah. Sorry to wake you.” I lay back down and snuggled in close. It didn’t take an expert psychologist to see that my dreams were about my relationship. It was breaking new ground for me, true, but still, it somehow felt right.

Kenji gave me a gentle kiss. “Don’t worry, you’re the perfect boyfriend for me.”

I smiled, glad that there was enough light coming in through the windows that I could see his beautiful eyes. The first thing about him that I had fallen in love with. “And you for me,” I said, as I kissed him back.

“G’night, sweetie.”

“Good night,” I replied. And I drifted back off. Hopefully to a sleep with no more disquieting dreams.

[brythain]

Lap's piece is indeed a... Greek... tragedy.

[Feurox]

Now Prof says that she assigns these randomly... I'm not so sure.

Anyway, what a wonderful story. I gave you a bit of a tough challenge, but you really gave us a hilarious and fantastical tour through the Yamaku cast, culminating in a hilarious and quite unexpected ending. I'll admit, I wasn't sure it was a dream until the Hanako scene, which either tells you a lot about me or a lot about your writing!

Brythain probably said it all with his comment, but honestly, wonderful job and thank you so much Lap! Have a wonderful Chanukah, and a fantastic new year! I look forward to the next year's inevitable and vast proofreads I'm sure we'll both inevitably be doing!

[NuclearStudent]

I'll admit, I wasn't sure it was a dream until the Hanako scene, which either tells you a lot about me or a lot about your writing!

Lap's work has more sex than a hospital has death. You can smell it all over. I get tired of it easily myself, because it's not quite my thing, but I respect what it's all about.

[Mirage_GSM]

Now Prof says that she assigns these randomly... I'm not so sure.

When I got my promt I explicitly asked Prof if this was truly random...
You will see why shortly, though the prompt-giver will probably know what I'm talking about already

Also, yes the whole thing being a dream explains A LOT. Great story!

[ProfAllister]

So, MoashLannister asked me to post this on his behalf. I'm not exactly certain why, but I guess that's his business.

I'll get around to paying my own comments on the stories so far at some point in the future, but it's not my turn in the spotlight, so without further ado...

Victim: monkeywitha6pack
Prompt: Shizune and Hisao, first Christmas living together trying to decorate the apartment together in a way they both agree on

As the elevator dings, I step off of it and onto my apartment floor, a plastic bag in my hand. The cold air of winter makes me shiver despite all the layers of clothing I’m wearing, but soon I’ll be back home. To where warmth and affection are waiting for me.

Walking down the hallways, I greet several neighbours as they pass by, preemptively wishing me a Merry Christmas. Truth be told, I’ve never held much value in the holiday. Before, it was just an excuse for me to get presents from relatives and the like. This year in particular however, Christmas is going to be of far greater significance.

After a bit of walking, I finally reach my the entrance to my home at the end of the hallway. I open the door and take off my shoes, the heater here immediately providing a comfortable warmth. As I walk down the hall to our living room, I’m met with quite a sight.

Despite the actual holiday being days away, the living room already seems like it’s celebrating the Christmas spirit. The walls are adorned with lights, the table is already outfitted with a green and red tablecloth, and right next to the small TV is a small Christmas tree. I’m dumbfounded at the sight of it all, feeling as if my apartment somehow traveled forward in time.

Of course, there’s only one person responsible for this, and she’s currently coming out of our bedroom in a green and red sweater.

[Oh, you’re home.] Shizune signs once she sees me, without surprise or even the slightest bit of excitement. [Well, what do you think? And if you say that you aren’t impressed, you’re sleeping on the couch.]

[I…] I can’t find the appropriate words to sign to her, so I simply put my package down on the table and sit down on the couch. Honestly, considering how thorough Shizune decorated the living room, I’m surprised the couch itself isn’t green and red. [Where did you find the time for this?]

[You underestimate my ability to work efficiently. Shameful.] Shizune adjusts her glasses in a smug manner, approaching and sitting on the chair beside the couch. [For that transgression, I won’t be sitting next to you on the couch.]

[Are you seriously going to punish me for that?] I sign, an incredulous look on my face. Shizune always seems to think of something I do wrong and punish me in the most roundabout ways imaginable. [What’s next, a ban on sleeping together when I forget to buy dinner?]

[Don’t give me ideas.] Shizune gives me a smirk, as if she’s really considering the thought. Thankfully, the last time we had a ban on that ended rather badly for the both of us, so I doubt she’ll want a repeat of that. I know I don’t.

[Seriously, tell me what you think.] She asks, her features softening a bit. [Great? Amazing? Meticulously perfect? All those adjectives are acceptable.]

[...I don’t like it.] I respond as bluntly as I can, causing her to actually look shocked. [Not that it isn’t beautiful but…]

[But what? Is what I’ve done not satisfying enough for you? Should I buy a sleigh and two dozen reindeers too?] Shizune retorts, looking extremely annoyed. I was hoping not to have another argument so close to the first Christmas we’re celebrating while living together, but it seems that was too optimistic. Arguments are part of our relationship, for better and for worse.

[It looks beautiful, and you did a wonderful job.] I repeat, trying to placate her. If there’s one thing that’ll set her off, it’s insulting her competence. [I just wished it were different…]

[How?] Shizune signs, her frustration growing. [How different? Do you want the lights to be five inches to the left? Do you want me to throw out the tree? Do you want me to rearrange the entire room so that it’s facing east instead of west? What do you want me to change?]

[I don’t know.] I answer without thinking, my frustration building up as well. It’s funny to think that after all this time together, something as simple as Christmas decorations can drive us to this point. [I just...I don’t know. Something about it just makes me feel a little sad, alright?]

[Well you can keep feeling sad.] Shizune gets up, glaring at me. [Until you give me a good reason, the decorations stays. If you don’t like it, pay this month’s rent in its entirety.]

And with that, she walks to our bedroom and slams the door. I don’t know if it’s because she couldn’t hear it or she’s just that angry, but that slam is probably the loudest thing I’ve heard in a long time. Even in our more heated arguments, it’s never gotten this bad.

Again, I note how this all started because of Christmas decorations, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of that.

I look again at the decorations she’s spread out, which must have taken quite the effort, regardless of what she might say. It all looks so good, and yet...I don’t like it. Not in any visual sense, but from some reason I’ve yet to fully internalize.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Knowing that confronting her now would simply lead to another heated argument, I decided to watch some TV to cool off. Predictably, most of the channels are currently showing Christmas shows. I pick one at random and decide to stick to it, putting the remote down and simply letting my mind wander for a while.

It’s funny to think that we’ve gone almost an entire year of living together, when sometimes it feels as if we’ve only been here for a week. An argument over a missing item, or a minor delay in doing the chores, or even who’s supposed to make the bed. One would think time would do away with those things, but it hasn’t.

Some might consider that grounds to move out, and yet we’ve stuck together through it all. Our mutual stubbornness, while being the cause of our verbal sparring, is also the thing binding us together. Nothing less than that would be enough to keep one of us from simply breaking off from the other out of frustration.

Hell, we’ve been in a relationship for so long, it’d be crazy to think of us breaking up over something as stupid as that. Arguments are par for the course, and it’s not as if we hold any grudges over them.

I hear her sitting down next to the couch, but I don’t break my gaze away from the TV. Not because I’m still mad, but because I know what she’s going to do next. Shizune leans her body against mine, one arm wrapping around my body. I can feel her warmth enveloping me, and I return the favour my leaning my head down to rest on hers.

We can’t talk like this, but we don’t need to. Sometimes things are just better when we’re conveying our feelings without the need for words.

Coincidentally, the program we’re watching is a romantic movie, the couple on screen being everything we weren’t: overly affectionate, never speaking up against one another, and completely boring. It almost seems unrealistic how they never seem to even have differing opinions, to the point where they might as well share one mind.

Perhaps I’m a masochist, but I’d prefer Shizune’s energy than this...lazy way of proving that you’re in love with one another.

Unsurprisingly, she breaks away from me. I turn to look at her, and her face looks oddly shy. [Are you ready to talk now?] She signs slowly. [Or do you want to keep doing this for another hour?]

[I’m ready to talk now, and I think I can give you a proper reason this time.] I respond, not bothering to turn off the TV. [I wanted to decorate this place with you. It’s our first Christmas together, after all.]

[Is it really that important to you?] Shizune asks, not a hint of sarcasm in her expression.

[Well, yeah.] I feel my cheek heating a little at the admission. [We’ve been in a relationship for three years now, and this is our first year living together. Remember last Christmas?]

[...No] Shizune replies, looking mildly confused. [I can’t say I do.]

[Exactly. We didn’t do anything last Christmas, or the year before that.] I try my best not to seem frustrated or angry at that fact, and find it surprisingly hard to.

[We were completely separated during that year and a half, only visiting once every few months, if even that. Our birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines, they went by and all we could do is send crappy postcards and letters to each other because we were stuck with college duties.]

[We agreed that was for the best.] Shizune argues, though she doesn’t seem like she really wants to. [We couldn’t let our relationship get in the way of our education, and in the end we did manage to reunite and rent a place together. Isn’t that worth it?]

I nod my head in agreement, then gaze at her seriously and sign. [Did you feel lonely during that time? Did you ever want to break our agreement and take a train down to where I was?]

[That isn’t relevant now.] Shizune answers, trying to sidestep the question entirely.


[Perhaps it doesn’t, but humor me.] I implore, feeling just a bit desperate for an answer. [Did you, during the year and a half spent away from me, feel lonely? I’ll tell you right now that I did, that I wanted to come see you, even knowing you’d be angry. It got so bad one day that I had one foot in the train station, ready to buy a ticket...]

She glares at me for a bit, seeing if I’m going to falter. I’m not, and when it’s made clear to her, Shizune gives up and answers. [Yes, I did.] Her hands are fast, as if she’s embarrassed to even answer that. [Perhaps not as...extreme as you, but yes. Being apart from you for so long wasn’t easy, I’ll admit that much.]

[Maybe I’m being greedy.] I start to sign to her, my face inching closer to get a better look at her. [But now that we’re finally living together...I don’t want us to just do things separately anymore. I want this place to be home. Our home, our Christmas.]

Shizune places a hand on my cheek, cupping it slightly. She smiles at me, a humorous one at first, but eventually softening to be genuine affectionate.

[You’re being silly.] She signs once she pulls her hand away. [This is our home, no matter who’s doing the decorations or the chores. As long as you return here every night, sleeping next to me on our bed, that’s enough for me.]

Just as soon as she signed those words, Shizune suddenly gets up, adjusting her glasses and looking down at me with a smirk on her face. [...Dishes and laundry for an entire month. Mopping the floor for two months. Those are my terms if you really want to me to take down and redecorate the place with you.]

[...Alright.] I agree without even putting up a fight. [If you wanted me to do that, you could have just asked.]

[And be in debt to you? Not a chance.] Shizune looks incredulous as she signs that, and oddly adorable too. [Shall we get started or do you still want to see more of this romantic drivel.]

[Glad to know you don’t like this stuff.] I tease, closing the TV and getting up from the couch. [I’d move out if we were going to watch things like that all Christmas.]

[God, no.] Shizune gets up and starts to walk towards the spare room, motioning me to come. [Seeing those two on screen makes me skin crawl. All compliance with hardly a challenge or even so much as a reasonable discussion. Absolutely disgusting.]

[And unrealistic.] I add as she opens the door. The spare room is technically supposed to be for guests who decided to stay overnight, but seeing as that’s never happened it’s basically become a repository for all our junk and equipment.

Of course, Shizune forced us to organize the place regardless. As I’m thinking about how that made things convenient for us, I suddenly felt her lips touching mine in a quick kiss before breaking away to grab a ladder.

I let out a sigh. As much as I want to return her kiss, I know she won’t allow it until we’ve completely redecorated the entire living room, so I simply start helping her get the ladder out of the room, though I’m unable to get rid of the smile I’m currently wearing.

Who knew such a silly thing as taking down decorations just to put them up again could make me so happy?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[A bit to the left.] Shizune demands, tapping her foot in irritation. [No, not your left. MY left.]

[Last time you said left, you were referring to my left.] I counter, the ability to sign being difficult with a bunch of Christmas lights in my hand. [I thought you pride yourself on consistency.]

[...Two months of laundry.] Shizune says simply, her face tolerating no argument against it. [And make sure the green and red lights are alternating. There, I’m giving you that consistency you so desire by reminding you of things you should remember yourself.]

[Thanks, I appreciate it.] I reply sarcastically before setting up the last of the lights. My body is tired from doing the labor, both in taking down the decorations and in rearranging them. Discussing how to rearrange things took up an entire half an hour by itself, as Shizune insists on changing it as much as possible, while I insist on keeping it mostly the same. A weird inverse of our stances earlier.

I’m sweating, my girlfriend is shouting orders at me, and I haven’t even gotten a minute of rest or something to eat. And yet, I’m satisfied. Doing this with her is more than worth the effort.

As I finally set up the lights on the wall and step down from the ladder, Shizune flips the switch. The lights look pretty, though they’d probably look even prettier if the main lights were off. I turn to Shizune, who simply looks at the lights with a look of acceptance.

[There’s a reason I decorated things so early.] Shizune signs, her face turning towards me. [Well, a few reasons actually: you were tired from college recently, my own ability to do the job correctly, among others. But the main reason is that I plan to throw a Christmas party here, and Misha is going to attend.]

The sudden news almost makes me fall from the ladder. Once I balance myself, I immediately sign back. [Wait, is she really? Isn’t she really busy in America?]

[She’s apparently found time for herself, though I have my suspicions about how true that statement is.] Adjusting her glasses, Shizune immediately points to the Christmas tree. [Move it closer to the couch. That’ll be the last of the redecorations...for now.]

Despite feeling fatigued, I make my way near the TV and lift up the small tree. It’s lighter than I thought, though still a strain to my already dwindling strength. I quickly move it right next to couch, placing it down with a thud.

[Good job. It was completely unnecessary, but good job nonetheless.] Shizune gives me a teasing smile as she lays down on the couch. [All this ordering around is making me thirsty. Care to grab me some juice from the fridge?]

[Orange or apple?] I respond, feeling as if I’m barely able to stand.

[I was being sarcastic.] Shizune gives me a disapproving glare. [Three years together and you still can’t discern that. Shameful.]

[Well, I’m not exactly in the best mental state.] I reply, though immediately sign again when her glare intensifies. [And it’s my own fault. I know, I know…]

[Good. Now sit.] Shizune lifts her legs up from the couch, motioning me over. Eager to get a break, I drop down on the couch as her legs come down to rest on my lap. Having been in this position before, I immediately put my hands on her legs and begin rubbing them. [Ah, you don’t need me to tell you. Good.]

[There’s never a break with you. I know that much.] I retort before my hands go straight back to rubbing her legs. [If I don’t get a job as a teacher, I can at least make a living as a masseuse.]

[Don’t get too confident. I’m still more skillful in that regard, or are you forgetting the time your face looked like it was in climax?] Shizune smirks as she sees my face go red from the memory.
[Still, I appreciate the service. My legs were rather sore after making so many trips to the mall for all those decorations. You cannot fathom the depths I had to go to in order to get a Christmas tree that can fit into our living room.]

[You really went all out on this, didn’t you?] I say, once again stopping my massage. A minor inconvenience about our relationship, but something we’ve grown accustomed to. [...I feel bad about redecorating now.]

[Oh, for heaven’s sake.] If Shizune could have let out a sigh at that moment, I have little doubt she actually would. [No use feeling bad after the deed is done. Stand by your choice like a real man, or have you not grown a backbone after all that time spent with me?]

[Sorry, sorry.] I say, immediately proving her right. [So, Christmas party? How big is it going to be?]

[Well, an early Christmas party, seeing as it’s one day before the actual day.] Shizune shifts her body, now laying on her front with her head turned to face me. [My back, if you would.]

[As my master commands.] I reply sarcastically as my hands move to her back, rubbing it gently at first before slowly getting harder and harder, only stopping to sign something to her. An inherent disadvantage that we negated by placing a mirror whenever she wants a massage...in the bedroom, which isn’t where we are.

[I’ve taken the liberty of inviting your parents.] Shizune continues as I keep massaging her. [And mine, though I doubt my father will actually attend. The same goes for Lilly’s branch of the family, who I also sent an invite out of simply courtesy. A few of my old associates at Yamaku, Misha included.]

[Sounds like a lot of people.] I note as I move to her upper back. [Are you sure they’ll all be comfortable with how little space we have.]

[That’s assuming they bother to come.] Shizune corrects me. [Truth be told, I expect it’ll simply be me, you and Misha. She’s the only one who’s accepted my invitation, in any case.]

[Just like the old days.] I feel a bit of nostalgia while signing that. It’s been quite a while since the three of us spent time together. We’ve been in touch ever since she left for America, but the distance sometimes makes it difficult for us to maintain our bond, which bugs Shizune more than she cares to admit.

[Just like the old days.] Shizune repeats, looking a bit wistful. [I wonder what she looks like now. She told me she got rid of the pink dye her hair had, and lost a lot of weight.]

[I’m sure she’s still the same person, deep down.] I say, trying to assure her. [The moment you two reunite, it’ll be as if nothing really happened. After all, isn’t that how we were like when we finally got together, after all that time apart?]

[I don’t know, I feel like she’s no longer the Misha we knew. At least not entirely.] Shizune actually looks worried as she signs that, looking away from me for a split second. [I wonder if it’s better if we keep our distance. That reuniting will simply expose how far we drifted off from one another.]

[Do you believe in Misha?] I ask, a simple question to deal with a simple problem. If there’s anything that Shizune’s taught me, it’s that sometimes things are simply less complicated than we make them out to be. [Do you still believe that you two are friends? That you want to be her friend?]

[Yes!] Her answer is immediate, and she seems almost offended that I insinuated otherwise.

[Then believe that she feels the same way.] I give her a calm smile as I sign that, feeling amused that I’m playing the rational one for once. [She wouldn’t put in the effort to maintain communications with you if she didn’t want to talk to you, and she certainly wouldn’t come all the way here if she didn’t believe that you two are still friends.]

She takes a moment to think about it before signing back. [I hate to admit it, but you’re probably right. I’m simply letting our distance influence my perspective.]

[Wow, you’re admitting I’m right. Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?] I respond sarcastically, chuckling a little.

[Shut up and massage me.] She commands, and I go back to rubbing her back, my face showing a smug grin. We don’t say anything further as I continue rubbing her back until my arms start to get tired.

[Thank you.] She says just as I finish, somehow knowing that I’m done. [Not for the massage, that was only above average.]

[Ouch.] I sign as I lean back onto the couch. [Sorry that I’m not in the best of shape, I just redecorated my apartment room.]

[Bah. Work out more.] Is all Shizune says as she sits up on the couch, staring at the package on the table. [So, when are you going to tell me about the cake?]

[So you knew it was a cake, huh?] I respond. [The bakery I frequently go to happened to have a discount, even more so since I was a regular customer.]

[Cheap and efficient. I’m impressed.] Shizune compliments me, reaching for the package and opening it to reveal a rather nice looking chocolate cake. [...This isn’t your Christmas present, isn’t it?]

[It’s part of it.] I confess, not wanting to give anything away. [I figured we should make up for not spending the last two Christmases together, so I’m planning something else. But you’ll just have to wait and see.]

Shizune flashes me a predatory grin. [I’ll wring the secret out of you soon enough, but for now I’m content with simply eating this cake along with you. 70-30 my way, of course.]

[I bought the cake.] I claim, rolling my eyes. I don’t really care how much of the cake I eat, but I also know that giving Shizune any leeway would be tantamount to surrendering, something she’ll never let me live down. [65-35. My way.]

[You forced me to redecorate.] Shizune inches herself closer to me, her grin persisting. [60-40.]

[50-50 and I’ll grab the untensils from the kitchen. Final offer.] I cross my arms, indicating that this is as far as I’m willing to go.

After a second of consideration, Shizune finally relents. [Deal.]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[I can conclude.] Shizune says after finishing her last slice. [That you’ve bought a good cake.]

I can only chuckle in response, knowing the rather satisfied look she showed after eating her first bite of it, and the bite after that, and the bite after that. The cake was really good, and I almost find myself sad that it’s all gone now.

[Glad you agree. I’ll buy another one during Christmas itself.] I offer as I turn on the TV again, showing another Christmas special. [It’s not a part of my surprise gift, but it’s something I feel like I should do.]

[Because you’re the man of the apartment?] Shizune asks, the snark practically oozing from her face.

[No, because I love you.] I respond earnestly and without any hint of sarcasm on my face. It seems to work as Shizune looks like she’s caught off guard, actually flustring for a split second.

[I love you too.] She answers, and then gets up. [I suppose it’s only fair.]

[What’s fair?] I ask, raising my eyebrow. What I’m met with is an almost shy smile from Shizune, meaning that it’s something really romantic or really unpleasant.

Without answering me, she walks to our bedroom and closes the door, meaning I probably shouldn’t follow her. Instead I sit back and watch the Christmas special, only half paying attention as my thoughts wander into other things.

It’s already been three years that we’ve been together, but it only feels like the last year, and specifically the last few months, where we’ve started progressing at breakneck speed. In that span we’ve finished our college educations, are now looking into promising job opportunities, moved in together and have spent more time with each other than ever before.

And yet…

I still feel like doing more with her. Not immediately, and perhaps not even for a while yet, but I don’t want the momentum we gained to stop. I want to keep going, both in my career and in my relationship with her, to see how far I can go. No matter what, I refuse my life to grow stagnant and unsatisfying.

First things first, create an unforgettable memory when Misha gets here. I think both Misha and Shizune deserve that most of all.

As I continue musing about the future, I hear the door open and I can’t help but open my mouth at the sight of what comes out, even if part of it is obscured by the TV. As Shizune walks back to the couch, I get a better view of what she had in mind, and my jaw drops even further.

She’s wearing what can only be described as an outfit for a very sexualized version of Santa Claus. Her Santa hat is normal enough, but below that is a strapless red crop top with white fur trimmings, allowing her black bra straps to show on her shoulders. Accompanying that was an extremely short mini-skirt, red and with white fur trimmings as well.

As she saunters towards me, holding up a mistletoe and smiling devilishly, I can’t help but be awe-stricken by how utterly effortless she looks right now. Guess I wasn’t the only one with the idea of creating an unforgettable Christmas memory.

[This WAS supposed to be for after the Christmas party.] She signs, stopping just in front of me. Her pose gives off a domineering impression as she looks down upon me with a playfully menacing look. [But seeing as how you’ve already given me a present early, I figured it’s fair that I do the same. Besides, I need to let off some steam after being forced to decorate this place twice.]

[I would imagine. Are the other presents related to this...outfit?] I pretend to be dismissive about the whole situation, but both of us know who’s in control here. She jumps onto me, sitting on my lap as I wrap my hands around her to keep her from falling.

[You’ll find out when it’s time. Trust me when I say that it’ll be more than worth it.] Shizune signs, playfully dangling the mistletoe in front of me before pulling me in for a long kiss. She tastes sweet, and there’s hints of the chocolate we ate just a few moments ago. When we finally part, she looks straight into my eyes, her gaze having affection and lust in equal measure.

[Now then…] She signs with her chest pressed to mine. [Shall we…”redecorate” one last time?]

The only response I give her is a kiss on her neck as any pretense of holding back vanishes. Christmas may not be here yet, but this is certainly the time to be merry.

[Mirage_GSM]

Total Eclipse of the Heart
From Mirage_GSM for Lap
(As last year, the prompt as well as comments will be at the end of the post for spoiler reasons)

It was swelteringly hot as was to be expected for late August - just a few days before the end of the summer holidays. There was a lot still to do for the coming trimester, but for that evening Hisao had asked me out for a date.

He’d made a big secret out of it, too, adamantly refusing to tell me what we were going to do. All my three guesses had been wrong, so I reluctantly had to give up my desert at lunch today… Well, I thought I’d at least have to give him points for creativity, even if I wasn’t confident he had come up with something actually good.

We met up at the gate at half past five. He was wearing the shirt I’d picked for him when we’d been shopping the week before and had a jacket casually slung over his shoulder, waving to me with his free hand. All in all he made quite the dashing figure, and I felt an approving smile form on my face.

I remembered how my father had complained about his sweater vest when that day had been literally the only time I’d ever seen him wear it. But it wouldn’t do to think about my father that day, so I banished those thoughts from my mind and greeted him with a peck on the cheek.

“So, are you going to tell me where we are going now?”

He held his jacket awkwardly between his chin and his shoulder before he replied, “Not quite yet. For now, we’re taking the bus to the city.”

During the drive we did some small talk about our respective days, because other than lunch we hadn’t seen each other much. I’d had a lot of paperwork to manage in the student council, while he was helping Misha with what was left of her summer homework – apparently quite a substantial amount…

In the city he led me to a small restaurant. Nothing too fancy, but it seemed nice, and I knew he couldn’t afford any more expensive places at the time. Still I gave him a mock-annoyed smile.

“You know that a dinner-date was my second guess, right? If that’s your plan, you’re going to return my desert – with interest!”

He waves his hands in denial before responding. “Don’t worry, this is not the main event. Let’s just eat something first.”

So we had a pleasant dinner. The food was good, and the interior was rather tasteful. I wondered if Hisao had scouted out the location beforehand. Anyway I mentally awarded him passing marks for the dinner date so far, though I still had no idea what he was up to.

After we left the restaurant we headed for a small park nearby to take a walk. It was now half past seven, the sun had already set, and twilight had set in.

I was increasingly curious about what Hisao was up to. The park was quite the romantic location, but Hisao made no move to find a place to sit down. Instead he seemed to be quite nervous, alternately checking his watch and staring up into the sky.

“Is anything wrong? Are we meeting someone here?”

“No, that’s not it, I just…” He trailed off still looking up to the sky as if searching for something. Then he grabbed my hand and started to march off swiftly, almost dragging me behind.

We left the park and marched on through the city, Hisao checking his watch a few times on the way. Since he was holding my hand, I couldn’t talk to him, and I was starting to get a little angry at his antics.

The street was snaking up a small hill, and when I noticed Hisao starting to breathe heavily I finally decided to put an end to this.

I stopped walking and pulled my hand away from him. “I have no idea what is going on here, but it can’t be worth you risking a heart episode like this!”

He turned to me guiltily. “I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right. Let me catch my breath for two minutes. We’re almost there, and there is not much time left.”

I shook my head exasperatedly but went along with his antics for the time being.

Ten minutes later we arrived at the top of the hill, rounded a street corner, and…

Hisao stopped abruptly. “Damn, we are too late. It is already ending,” he cursed and then pointed up at the sky.

I looked up to see the moon just starting to leave the earth’s shadow – a lunar eclipse just starting to end.

Hisao looked at me apologetically. “I’m sorry, I thought we’d watch the eclipse from the park, but it seems the moon wasn’t yet high enough in the sky to be seen from there, so I thought coming up here…”

I silenced him with a sharp gesture. “Do you mean you dragged me through half the city to this…” I look around me. “…rather run-down area and risked a heart attack, just to show me a lunar eclipse?”

“Yes.” His reply was so meek I can hardly decipher it.

I was shaking. I was thinking I could hardly contain myself much longer.

“Hisao, you know what you are?”

“No.”

“You’re a dork!” At this point I couldn’t contain my laughter anymore. “But you’re my dork.”

And I kissed him straight on the lips.

***

“…and that’s the story of the first date your father ever took me on.” I finish the tale looking across the table at our seven year old daughter.

The other guests around the Christmas dinner table – Hisao’s parents, Hideaki, Misha and her girlfriend Lynda – are all smiling while Hisao is trying his best to sink into the floor. Misha has just finished translating for those of our guests who don’t understand sign.

“You’re already finished? But I wanna know what happened next!” our daughter complains.

From the grimaces of our guests Misha has just let out one of her trademark laughs. Then she replies both in sign and out loud. “That’s a probably a story you’re not nearly old enough for, Lilly-chan…”

The End.

And now as promised the prompt for this story:
Prompt:

On Aug 28, 2007, there was a lunar eclipse visible in Japan. Who did Hisao view it with, & what happened next? If you really need/want to make it holiday themed, move the eclipse to December, I'm sure only Mirage will check the date to see if it actually occurred then .

Comment:
OF COURSE I checked the date! I also checked the time, duration, maximum elevation etc – all of which gave me the inspiration for how to write this story in the first place…
And in the end I didn’t move the eclipse to December but the story as a whole.
It’s been a few hectic weeks for me, so I’m glad I was able to write this before Christmas.

[Lap]

OF COURSE I checked the date! I also checked the time, duration, maximum elevation etc – all of which gave me the inspiration for how to write this story in the first place…
And in the end I didn’t move the eclipse to December but the story as a whole.
It’s been a few hectic weeks for me, so I’m glad I was able to write this before Christmas.

I love it! Of course you got my prompt, since I mentioned you. I'm glad you came through. Clever way to make it Christmas-themed despite the astronomical limitations.

I literally LOL'd at

“You’re a dork!” At this point I couldn’t contain my laughter anymore. “But you’re my dork.”

Thank you for a delightful story.

[Mirage_GSM]

You're welcome.
Just for the record: Prof insists the drawing was indeed totally random...