Work Text:
Togami/Fukawa
***
Blunt mint edges the chamomile in the tea. Touko sips, and sips, and her eyelids droop, and droop, and creep shut. When she opens her eyes, she twitches, accidentally hitting the back of her head against Byakuya’s chest. Byakuya stops breathing. A moment feels like ten seconds.
He starts snoring again.
She slips off his lap and takes care that her cup doesn’t rattle against the matching saucer on the coffee table. Then she darts out of the living room, returning with an antique radio in a box soon set on the table a safe distance from the muttering fireplace.
***
Byakuya hears a sneeze.
“Hey,” he says, not looking up from his book.
“Yes, Darling?” comes the reply.
“Touko,” he determines. “Did Genocider eat the chicken noodle soup that I prepared for you both?”
Touko sniffles. He pulls a face.
“I can’t taste anything,” she tells him.
Byakuya lifts his gaze. The skin underneath her red nose shines.
“Find it and bring it here,” he says. “I’ll have to feed you it myself.”
She runs out of the living room, but then sneezes.
“Did my darling want me?” asks Syo, skipping back in.
He pinches the bridge of his nose.
***
The screen built into Touko’s camera shows a trembling image due to her shaking hands. Makoto judders as he crosses from one edge to the other, an indistinct blur rolling a snowball. Then there’s Byakuya, a blond orb floating above a strip of black. No, not that. Not simply that. His hair sticks out in gentle spikes and though his back is to her, of what she can see, his face is pulled into a slight frown...
They meet each other’s gaze. She squeaks and aims the camera to the side. He turns away, and she finally takes a photograph.
***
Kirigiri/Maizono
***
“Surprise!” says Sayaka with a smile fitting of an idol. She holds out a cylinder wrapped in red foil that reflects light in fragments.
“What’s this?” asks Kyouko, who had been about to go into her dorm room.
Sayaka shrugs a shoulder. “My present for you. Open it now, please!”
Kyouko frowns.
“You’ve mostly lived abroad, yeah? In some countries, people give presents on Christmas, but here, couples usually exchange presents on Christmas Eve,” explains Sayaka.
Warmth creeps up Kyouko’s neck. She takes the present and unwraps it.
“Thank you,” Kyouko says, looking at the rose in the test tube.
***
Sakakura/Munakata/Yukizome
***
“Big Bear, do you copy? Over.”
“I told you I’m not going by that code name.” Juzo isn’t in the bedroom, but Chisa can picture him slapping himself on the forehead. “They wrapped the locket in the store for me, so I just need to put it under the tree.”
“The window’s open,” she says into her walkie talkie, quiet enough not to wake Kyosuke from the nap that he entered with his two datemates, who had only feigned sleep.
“Can’t I come through the door?” Juzo asks.
Chisa pouts.
Juzo somehow senses it and sighs. “Window, got it... Over.”
***
Kimura/Tsumiki
***
Mikan’s favourite part is tying a bow with the ribbon. Place the gift face down, wrap the ribbon around it and twist, pull tight, flip the gift right way up, tie a knot, create bunny ear loops and form the bow. She does it again, and again, constant like a dripping faucet.
“Let me help,” comes a voice. It belongs to Seiko, from the doorway of the living room. Footsteps indicate her walking in.
“I’ve got it,” says Mikan, but Seiko likes to be useful as much as she does and kneels beside her.
They finish in half the time.
***
Kimura/Ruruka/Sonosuke
***
In another room, the front door creaks open, cracking like the logs in the fireplace. Ruruka smiles, painted peach lips pressed against Sonosuke’s rough pair.
Seiko trudges snowy sludge to the doorway of the living room. “S-Sorry I’m late...”
She spots them lying on the rug and stiffens.
“I’ll come back...” Seiko starts, but Ruruka interrupts.
“Mistletoe,” says Ruruka with a smirk, pointing above Seiko’s head. “Come here.”
Blushing behind her respirator mask, Seiko obeys. Ruruka wrenches Seiko’s arm, bringing her down to her level, and forces a rough kiss onto her.
Seiko looks so funny when embarrassed.
Cute, even.
***
Striped legs stick out from the bottom of the woolen cocoon, the only indication that there is someone in there.
“Help me, Seiko-chan,” whines Ruruka, sitting on a large snowball that Sonosuke rolled. A smaller one lies by her feet, way too heavy to lift all by herself.
Ruruka slips off.
Padded arms emerge from the cocoon and lift the smaller snowball onto the larger one.
“Yay, Seiko-chan!” cheers Ruruka.
Soon, Sonosuke returns from the woods near Ruruka’s garden and attaches branches to the snowman.
“We could use macaroons for the eyes,” suggests Seiko.
Ruruka frowns. “We could always not.”
***
Pekoyama/"Togami"
***
Peko follows Byakuya into the lodge’s storeroom, standing back as he rummages through boxes of Halloween decorations further in. A minute later, he waves her over. She crouches beside him.
“I thought as much... One box was mixed in with these,” Byakuya says, pulling out a sprig of mistletoe and holding it between them.
Monomi’s head pops out from the discovered box of Christmas decorations.
Byakuya raises his clipboard to use as a shield while Peko reaches for her sword.
“Mistletoe! Mistletoe!” squeaks Monomi. “You’ve gotta kiss!”
“No, we don’t,” Byakuya retorts, but Peko kisses his cheek.
He goes pink.
***
Sonia/Tanaka/Souda... kind of
***
“This isn’t cheating, is it?” asks Mahiru, referring to Kazuichi’s catapult.
Hiyoko peeks over the top of the wall of snow they built on their side of the field. “It’s survival of the fittest. If they’re too dumb to make their own, that’s their fault.”
Satisfied with its alignment, Kazuichi reaches for a pile of snow...
... that turns out to be Nagito’s head. Nagito beams.
Kazuichi screams and falls into the catapult. It somehow activates by itself and flings him across the field, where he lands on Gundam.
Sonia pays the hospital wing daily visits over the next few weeks.
***
Naegi/Kirigiri
***
Whenever Yasuhiro says, “You can count on me!” with that salesman grin of his, Makoto’s stomach flips over. Yasuhiro has the best intentions, probably, but Makoto can’t help but squirm on the couch in the recreation room.
“You wanted me?” says Kyouko, appearing in the doorway.
He stands. “Y-Yeah! I’ve got a surprise for you in my room...”
Chocolates that Yasuhiro recommended.
She nods. Makoto comes over. They take two steps before Yasuhiro jumps out from behind a potted plant.
“Mistletoe!” he says, pointing above their heads.
Kyouko looks up. “... That’s holly.”
Yasuhiro winces.
Even so, she pecks Makoto’s cheek.
***
“It always snows at Christmas on television,” says Makoto wistfully, staring out of the window at the plain red sky that Christmas Eve wears this evening. “But I don’t think we’re going to get any this year...”
Kyouko sips some eggnog. “It’s not the end of the world.”
“It almost is,” says Makoto.
She lowers her glass. He has his back to her..
“You could pretend the ash is snow,” she says.
Makoto throws a smile at her from over his shoulder. “One day, we’ll have a white Christmas together, Kirigiri-san.”
Kyouko blushes.
“I look forward to it,” she says.
***
Naegi/Ikusaba
***
Snow crunches under Mukuro’s boots like breaking bones. Mukuro knows the sound, so she can make the comparison. Her eyes dart around in search of movement as she rolls her snowball between her hands.
A twitch to her left. She jumps into an offensive stance, arm pulled back.
A plastic bag tumbles past.
Mukuro tilts her head to one side.
“Ikusaba-san!” comes a voice from behind Mukuro.
Her head snaps around. Makoto, a comrade in the snowball war between Class 77-B and 78, waves.
“N-Naegi-kun...” She draws out a small smile.
A snowball smacks against Mukuro’s cheek.
“Gotcha!” crows Akane.
***
A blizzard rages outside. Even from her room, Mukuro can hear music pound in the gymnasium, though she can’t distinguish any words. Junko didn’t give chase after Mukuro slipped out of the party, but Junko must have known.
Junko would let it be known tomorrow morning.
Someone knocks, earlier than expected. Her heart sinks. Mukuro slinks over to the door.
To her surprise, it isn’t Junko.
“Naegi-kun?” she says, blinking.
Makoto, chilled bluish, holds out a box. “For you.”
“A Christmas present?”
“And a birthday present. Happy birthday, Ikusaba-san.”
Someone remembered. “Stay until the blizzard passes... please.”
&&&
He leaves mid-morning.
***
Mukuro watches Makoto blow on his hot cocoa. The steam disappears as it curves, but as soon as he stops, more steam rises. He keeps puffing.
She thinks it silly, but she brings her cup to her mouth and scalds her tongue almost instantly. Her body twitches and a squeak pops out.
Makoto turns his head sharply. “Ikusaba-san?”
“I’m fine,” she says, tongue sticking out.
He laughs, but not in a mean way like Junko would.
“What’s so funny?” she asks.
“Sorry, it’s just... nice seeing this side of you,” he explains.
She looks down, not understanding why she’s smiling.
***
Kuzuryuu/Pekoyama
***
Peko keeps glancing at the door.
“She won’t look here,” says Fuyuhiko. He cranes his neck, trying to glimpse the cafe counter. “It’s been ten fucking minutes. They better have remembered to use water...”
“Should I remind them?” asks Peko, for some reason still wearing the Santa hat that Byakuya gave her earlier.
Fuyuhiko lowers his head and flaps a hand. “I’ll remind them if they bring hot chocolate with milk... and ensure they don’t forget.”
Finally, a tray of drinks appears before them.
He raises his head. “What took-?”
Ibuki winks. “The random matchup occurs yet again!”
“GODDAMN IT!”
***
While Peko crouches, checking the edge of the pond for signs of flowing water, Fuyuhiko and Natsumi take advantage and hobble onto the ice. Peko snaps her head up without much delay, but Natsumi speeds off and Fuyuhiko makes a decent effort to pursue his sister.
“W-Wait,” says Peko with her arm outstretched.
Fuyuhiko stops and clenches his fists so hard he wobbles a bit. “It’s fine, Peko. Quit fussing and come on! I didn’t buy you those skates so you could carry around a heavier bag.”
Peko blushes and puts on the skates he spent his pocket money on.
***
Kirigiri/Ikusaba/Naegi
***
“You’ve never seen a Christmas Carol?” asks Makoto as Jacob Marley’s chains rattle like chattering teeth.
Mukuro shrugs, hands on her lap. “I never lived anywhere with a television, and Junko-chan always ruined movies at the cinema...”
“She can’t do that now,” Kyouko assures her, sat on the other side of Mukuro to Makoto, and she squeezes Mukuro’s hand.
“Y-Yeah,” says Mukuro quietly, and she glances at the door, as if Junko might thunder into their apartment, and she doesn’t know if she wants her to.
Makoto holds Mukuro’s other hand. Mukuro decides things are fine just as they are.
***
Fujisaki/Ishimaru/Oowada
***
Chihiro breathes in slowly. Christmas lights had been wound around the trees in the city centre and stud the bushes around them, glowing blue flecks almost otherworldly.
“They did an excellent job,” remarks Kiyotaka.
Mondo sniffles and nods.
Kiyotaka’s smile loses strength. “Kyoudai, you should have worn more layers! Here, borrow some of my scarf.”
It’s long enough for both to wear it. Chihiro watches, grinning, and then sneezes.
“You too, Fujisaki-kun,” says Kiyotaka, whose ridiculously long scarf accommodates all three when they press close.
Nearby, Yasuhiro tugs on Leon’s sleeve, other hand pointing. “Why can’t we be like that?”
***
Ishimaru/Oowada
***
The hot chocolate will grow cold like the air outside if Mondo doesn’t return soon, so Kiyotaka carries the two cups out on a tray to the shed at the bottom of their garden. He opens the door, letting light from the askew lightbulb affixed to the ceiling peep out.
Mondo hears, twists around and flings his arm toward Kiyotaka, his hand’s position screaming ‘halt’. “Don’t look!”
“It’s past ten,” Kiyotaka chastises, to which Mondo sneezes. “And you’ve caught a cold! You should install heating!”
Though, on Christmas Eve, Kiyotaka can’t deny he’s thrilled with his height adjustable kendo dummy.
***
“There.” Mondo steps off the chair. “That should hold.”
Kiyotaka slinks over to Mondo’s side and looks up, admiring the mistletoe taped to the top of the door to Byakuya’s room.
“Excellent, Oowada-kun,” says Kiyotaka. “This should teach Togami-kun not to purposely avoid joining in the festive activities!”
Mondo opens his mouth.
“Bing-bong-bang-bo!” says not Mondo but Monobear, appearing out of nowhere. “There are two bastards under the mistletoe.”
Realising Monobear means them, they redden.
“W-Well, I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t,” says Kiyotaka. Mondo expects a chaste kiss, but Kiyotaka yanks him closer and kisses Mondo’s lips.
***
Hinata/Tsumiki
***
No one bumbling past - and at this time of year, a lot of people are in the mall - knows Hajime’s conundrum. Not even Mikan nervously looking around beside him.
What could he buy his girlfriend? Gag ball? Too brazen. Silver ring? Too impersonal. Kokeshi Dynamo? Too confusing. One present could be bandage wrap, which always brightens Mikan’s day. Hajime slips away while she visits the bathroom, planning to be quick.
He isn’t quick enough.
She throws herself at him, ploughing him into the hard floor. “Hajime!”
At home, she hums as she wraps her early Christmas present around his head.
***
Mikan tries to extract a tinsel snake from the box between her and Hajime. As if foreshadowing, the tinsel twists around some Christmas lights. She winds her end around her hand and tugs, dragging the lights out too.
“I’ll put the tinsel on the tree,” offers Hajime.
“I’ll m-manage,” she says, wiggling a tangle that joins the two different decorations. She’s just squatting on their living room rug yet a pull proves enough to send her toppling backward.
“It’s fine, Tsumiki,” he says firmly, his eyes on her pink face. “You don’t need to. You do enough.”
Her legs close.
***
Mioda/Tanaka
***
Ibuki wishes she brought a wooden cup-and-ball to this stake-out. She pouts, sitting cross-legged on the walkway between the boys’ cottages.
Finally, a door opens, and she jumps up. “Gundam-chan!”
He shrinks back as she runs over. “What business does the songful one have? Confess!”
“You’ve been inside all day, so Ibuki thought she’d check if you’re a vampire!” Ibuki reaches down her top for some garlic and then thrusts out her hand. “Ah! This isn’t garlic... Ibuki accidentally brought mistletoe. Whoopsie!”
She pecks his earring. Gundam flushes as cutely as she predicted.
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t that accidentally.
***
Owari/Kuzuryuu
***
Akane screws a finger into her ear as they walk into the Christmas tree shop. “We could just chop one down ourselves.”
“Enough trees are being cut down as it is,” says Fuyuhiko, hands deep in his pockets. He twitches his head. “This way, we’re not adding to the problem.”
She pulls a face.
“Whatever. So which one do you want?” she asks.
Before he can answer, she spots the biggest one in stock and runs over to it.
“Idiot! You’ll hurt yourself,” he says as she tries to pick it up.
“Help me then.”
He sighs and comes over.
Souda/Tanaka
***
“Merry Christmas,” Kazuichi says when Gundam opens the door, and is given a nod. “Oi, it’s cold. You guys want your gifts or not?”
Gundam steps aside. “You speak with plurals.”
“‘Cause I got something for the furballs too,” explains Kazuichi. In the living room, he whips out four little boxes and sets them on the floor.
The Four Dark Gods of Destruction leap from Gundam’s scarf and tear open the boxes, which contain battery-operated bumper cars.
“What the-?”
“You’re welcome,” says Kazuichi.
Gundam watches them drive around for the rest of the morning, pouting in his new beanie hat.
***
Oogami/Asahina
***
Aoi watches the flames dance in the fireplace, relaxing in the warmth that her caramel macchiato settles in her stomach. On the neighbouring couch cushion, Sakura kneads Aoi’s feet, placed on her lap. After her next sip, Aoi rises a bit and leans forward. Her cup thuds against the circular coffee table. She yawns and flops back, wiggling lazily as she tries to return to her previous position.
“My girl, I think it’s time we retire,” says Sakura, lowering her cup of protein coffee.
All Aoi can do is yawn. Sakura scoops Aoi up and carries her to their bedroom.
***
Mioda/Tsumiki
***
Ibuki’s balance seems unaffected by the ice on the pavement while squeaks and yelps pop out of Mikan as she stumbles, right up until Ibuki skids to a halt.
“It’s there!” Ibuki points upward, releasing Mikan’s hand.
High up in the tree does appear to be a nest, but Mikan shakes her head. “That’s actually yadorigi. Mistletoe...”
“Huh?”
“A-American mistletoe is poisonous, but extracts of European mistletoe can be used to treat headaches, possibly even cancer.”
“Kah! Smart and cute! But Ibuki knows about mistletoe too! Like, if you’re under it with someone...”
Ibuki taps their lips together.
“... you kiss!”
***
Ibuki/Ishimaru
***
First, Ibuki kisses Hajime under the mistletoe in the doorway of their homeroom, then Peko later on her way out. By the end of the week, she has kissed all of her classmates, so she moves onto another class.
Why? Ibuki just loves kissing.
She targets Class 78 and works through them all until one remains. Kiyotaka, who always leaves class way after everyone else. The poor guy must never kiss anyone.
“Kiyotaka-chan!” she says as she runs up to him in the hallway before dinner.
“Yes, Mioda-kun?”
Ibuki whips out some mistletoe from behind her back and smooches him.
***
Oowada/Tsumiki
***
Mondo jogs over to the front gates of Hope’s Peak, where his girlfriend, Mikan, stands alone, hugging herself. Hearing his heavy footfall, she lifts her gaze from her feet, which lets him see her jaw twitch as her teeth chatter.
“Where’s your coat?” he asks, staring at her bare arms. “And your scarf, hat and gloves?”
“On a snowman.” She tenses. “S-Saionji-san borrowed them... It’s fine.”
“Like hell it is!” he says, making her flinch. His first thought is to shout again, but he flushes and manages to stop himself. “Here, take my coat.”
He drapes it over her shoulders.
***
Mioda/Kuwata
***
“Do you think you could hold still for a few seconds?” asks Leon, already panting even though they’ve barely done anything yet.
Ibuki doesn’t stop bouncing on his lap, even as she talks. “No way, Leon-Kay! Ibuki would freeze and turn into a popsicle.”
“What? Even if that was possible somehow, we’re right by the fireplace... You can’t be cold.”
She pauses, but her body trembles, either because she actually is cold or because she has too much pent-up energy. Leon’s inclined to go for the second explanation.
“Weirdo,” he says fondly, and he pulls her back into a kiss.
Togami/Fukawa/Kirigiri
***
Touko swaggers into the cafeteria like her long, green, woolen winter coat is her coronation outfit and her pink bobble hat a crown.
“Was there no power in your room this morning, Fukawa-san?” asks Celes.
The question makes Touko waver. “What?”
Celes points. “That green clashes dreadfully with the pink.”
“A-All my other winter clothes got wet yesterday...”
“That coat clearly belongs to your boyfriend.” Celes quirks her brow. “But the hat isn’t Togami-kun’s style, or yours...”
Byakuya and Kyouko arrive together.
Kyouko gives Touko matching pink mittens. “You forgot these.”
“... They’re your girlfriend’s,” states Celes bitterly. The others smirk.
***
'Togami' & Hinata
***
When some distance still lies between Hajime and the Old Lodge, he catches sight of a large figure by the door. The person’s heavy build suggests it is Byakuya. No, it can only be Byakuya, yet Hajime hesitates in the glow of the porch light. Realistic wrinkles crease whatever isn’t hidden by a white beard or the fur lining of a Santa hat.
“Togami...?” says Hajime.
“Hm?” says the Santa. “Is something wrong, Hinata?”
“I didn’t recognise you for a moment,” Hajime says.
Byakuya narrows his eyes. “It’s just a costume.”
Hajime nods and steps inside to join the party.
***
Saionji/Koizumi
***
Once inside the girls’ dormitories, Mahiru slips her phone into her puffer coat pocket and heads to one of the rooms.
She knocks.
“It’s unlocked,” comes Hiyoko’s muffled voice.
“Did you forget already?” asks Mahiru as she enters, but not unkindly.
“Uh huh,” says Hiyoko from her bed, legs hanging off the end.
“Here, I’ll show you again.” Mahiru bends over and starts tying Hiyoko’s obi, but a giggle from her friend makes her look up.
Hiyoko dangles mistletoe over their heads, finally at a suitable height.
Confusion warms into a smile and Mahiru rises to press their lips together.
***
Koizumi/Souda
***
The stepladder wobbles, one leg slightly shorter than the rest, as Kazuichi shifts his weight on the top step, as he fiddles with the ribbon looped around a nail embedded to the top of the doorframe to his homeroom.
“Souda!” squawks a voice from below.
The stepladder lurches. He flails his arms but the stepladder steadies before he might fall.
Confused, he looks down, and sees Mahiru slipped her satchel under the shorter leg.
She stands. “What are you doing, anyway, you silly boy?”
Kazuichi hops down and points up. “Mistletoe.”
“Honestly,” she says, and pecks him on the cheek.
***
Souda/Hinata
***
“How come you’re always the big spoon?” Kazuichi asks Hajime, pouting. They aren’t spooning now on the couch, though they could even if the person in front might be an accidental wiggle away from toppling off.
Hajime lowers his hot spiced apple punch, frowning. “I thought you liked being the small spoon.”
Kazuichi squirms. “Yeah, but...”
“You want to have a try?”
“It won’t count as my Christmas present, right?”
“... Right,” says Hajime.
They put their drinks down and get into position. Hajime wiggles but doesn’t topple off. Instead, his ahoge prods against Kazuichi’s eye.
Now Kazuichi remembers how come.
***
Oowada/Owari
***
“I’m like, so drunk or something,” says Leon, waving a glass of something green. Red stuff like granulated sugar lines the rim, probably to make the drink more festive. Mondo doesn’t know the name of the guy Leon has his arm on the shoulders of, but the guy nods in fierce agreement, pink braid writhing like a snake.
A girl in a tight white blouse parks herself at the same table in the cafeteria as Mondo. “Yo.”
“Those guys know those drinks don’t have alcohol, right?”
“Doesn’t seem so.”
He snorts.
“The name’s Owari,” she adds.
“Oowada.”
They clink glasses.
***
Utsugi/Shingetsu
***
“You never learned to ice skate?” asks Kotoko with a small smirk, so talented and amazing that she can skate backward while holding Nagisa’s hands as well as talk at the same time.
Nagisa splutters, “It’s not scholarly, is it? School doesn’t grade you on it, so it can’t matter much.”
She lifts her chin. “They don’t grade breathing and blinking and being cute either.”
They reach one of the ice arena’s corners and glide off in another direction.
“Being cute isn’t a life necessity,” Nagisa points out.
“It got me an adorbs date, didn’t it?” she counters.
Nagisa blushes.
***
Kirigiri & Kizakura
***
Koichi pulls tight the bow made by the laces on Kyouko’s ice skate. Then, with a smile, he taps the knot on the line of symmetry. “There we go, Kyouko-chan.”
He straightens and steps back. Kyouko hops off the stool, takes his hand and hobbles toward the ice arena on double blade ice skates while he walks on singles.
On the ice, she wobbles, but doesn’t fall over. She won’t, not when he’s there.
“Hold onto the rail, Kyouko-chan,” he says.
“I’m going to get good and show Mama when she leaves the hospital,” Kyouko declares, obeying.
His smile tightens.
***
Tsumiki/Gundam
***
“Tanaka-san, you made yourself really sick,” says Mikan as she places a damp washcloth, recently subjected to a minute in the microwave, onto his forehead.
“Keh,” Gundam goes. “I shake hands with this fate, Meek One.”
She bites on her lip. “Was it... really worth it?”
He barks a laugh. “Fool! Of course! They can’t break the ice on the troughs, or towel dry their legs or apply sulphur powder... They depend on me, and I can’t disappoint their expectations. If you hadn’t tied me down, I would go to the stables right now!”
Mikan offers a small smile, understanding.
***
Fukawa & Komaru
***
The hotel room door opens with a bang that causes Touko to scribble a jagged line across her notebook. She whips her head up. Her lips disappear into her mouth, and then her face disappears behind a woolen red Christmas jumper that Komaru throws.
“What’s this?” asks Touko as she examines the article of clothing.
“I found Christmas jumpers,” says Komaru, already wearing one with Santa Claus wielding a sword on a unicorn. “They’re not infested. I remembered to check this time.”
Touko stares at a reindeer humping another reindeer.
“They’re playing leapfrog,” says Komaru innocently. “Or is it leapdeer?”
***
Pekoyama/Tanaka
***
Like the fountains in the other courtyards, the one Peko sits at won’t have its pump returned until the weather improves.
Hugging herself, she looks up and spots Gundam, the only other person nearby. He nods at her. Peko nods back and sneezes. Her eyes only shut momentarily but when she opens them, Gundam stands in front of her.
Gundam unravels his scarf and holds it out.
“You trust me with it?” she asks, putting it on.
“You speak few words, so as far as humans go... yes. Return it tomorrow.”
Hamsters pop out from the folds to nuzzle her.
***
Celes/Kirigiri
***
Kyouko isn’t at all surprised that Celes’s favourite Christmas movie turns out to be The Nightmare Before Christmas.
They watch in silence that bothers neither, with Celes leaning against Kyouko’s side, made possible by the lack of twin drills. At the end, on a sparkling cliff that tapers off into a spiral, Jack and Sally sing together, and Celes brushes her hand against Kyouko’s under their blanket.
“So, what do you think?” asks Celes.
“The last song was pretty corny.” Kyouko tucks some hair behind her ear. “Despite that... no, including that... this movie reminded me of you.”
Celes frowns.
***
Hinata/Nanami
***
Hajime strokes his snowman’s cheek with the side of his gloved hand, smoothing over bumps. Then, satisfied, he looks over at Chiaki’s taller snowman.
“Is everyone in your class busy today, Nanami?”
“Not really,” she replies, flattening snow onto one side of her replica of Luigi’s body to make it more symmetrical.
He scratches his head. “Wouldn’t you rather make a snowman with them than a reserve course student? I don’t want to embarrass you.”
More patting.
“No. You don’t embarrass me either.” She hesitates. "I guess... you’re easier to talk to. And I enjoy your company.”
His face warms.
***