Ten Feet Below

                                    

                                          
Ten Feet Below
(A Christmas Story)
After meeting each other by chance, Shun and Hyoga only have one wish for Santa this year.
˚✧₊⁎ ☆ ⁎⁺˳✧༚




Snowflakes fell softly on the pavement, dressing the streets in white and filling them with the beauty of winter. Happiness could be felt all along the city, as well as the buzz and fuss from the holiday shopping that came with the season. People were coming and going with bags filled with the most beautiful presents, and some more with all the required ingredients to make delicious dishes that were only made once a year. Traffic, of course, couldn't be left out; cars were abundant as they usually were, especially at that time of the day when everyone was commuting back home from work; except this traffic was a bit more festive, since it not only included all the tired people eager to get home and rest, but also a bunch of loving relatives trying to get back to their hometowns for such a special time.
All that winter wonderland in Athens could be seen from Shun's apartment window, as he enjoyed the view with a cup of hot chocolate and a Christmas film in the background. He really enjoyed that time of the year and the way the celebrations were carried out in Greece. It was more grandiose than in his homeland Japan, and the environment that filled every corner of the Hellenic metropolis during that time was indescribable. Perhaps the only downside of that magical celebration was that he didn't have anyone to share it with.
After taking a long sip of chocolate and giving a last look at the Christmasy picture outside, he left his comfortable spot by the window; that tree wasn't going to decorate itself.

₊☆𓂃·₊˚౨ৎ˚₊𓂃☆·₊

Hyoga plumped down on the couch, exhausted; he had had a rough night at the bar. When he said he wanted a bar of his own, he never thought it was going to be that hard, especially during the Christmas season. Company's New Year gatherings, catch-up meetings of longtime friends and distant relatives, not to mention blue people who wanted to forget everything about that time of the year.
He stared at the ceiling for a couple of hours, trying to relax himself from the weight of the holidays. Even if that was one of the busiest times of the year, he still enjoyed the overall enthusiasm of the season, though he was more of a New Year guy.
In the middle of his relaxation session, he overheard what sounded like a Christmas carol or a scene from It's a Wondeful Life, from his upstairs neighbor, most likely. Hyoga grinned; the soft sound, besides bringing some joy to his night, reminded him that his apartment was still not ready for Christmas; he needed to look for a tree right away if he wanted to receive the holidays properly.
He'll deal with that tomorrow; he had some time in the morning; he'll use it to buy a New Year tree.

₊☆𓂃·₊˚౨ৎ˚₊𓂃☆·₊

Hyoga got up earlier than expected; he skipped his regular breakfast, and after half a toast and a sip of coffee, he was out to get his New Year tree, but first he needed to make some errands.
He took the subway, the fastest and easiest way to get anywhere. Busy as usual, and much more since Christmas was getting closer. He sighed. Too many people for him, but it was better than being stuck in traffic for an hour or two.
He arrived at the crowded station, and the train did not take long to show up. Full, naturally. He thought of letting it pass; the wagon was stuck, and he didn't think it was possible for another person to fit in there. But when it comes to commuting, people somehow always manage to get inside their respective transportation. He was practically pushed into the wagon and squashed against the people already inside. He ended up standing in front of a young man.