It's Christmas time...

[greatseal]

Who: Minako Arisato, Shinjiro Aragaki, and anyone who wants to run across them
Where: Libra district, then around Virgo and Scorpio districts
Summary: Despite the weird weather, Minako attempts to take Shinjiro out on a Christmas Eve date.
Warnings: Embarrassing lovey-dovey stuff. We'll see if Shinji's dignity survives.


Around 10 in the morning, Dec. 24th, a short text message appears on Shinjiro's COMP. Hopefully, it's not that unexpected.

Hey Senpai, merry Christmas Eve! ヾ(＾∇＾)*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Don't make any plans for this evening, okay?

Of course, he's actually free to make plans, as long as they involve her. This is the first Christmas they've gotten to spend together. She wants to monopolize his time, at least for a little while.

In the late afternoon, as the sun is just beginning to set, the two of them set out into the city, trying to avoid the worst of the Jack mess. It isn't the best conditions for a date but Minako isn't about to let a little fight between demons get in the way of enjoying the holiday. Minako's chosen a coat that is easy enough to unbutton in the warmer sections of the city, but still protect from the snow.

The goal is to view the Christmas decorations around the city, see some interesting venues, go somewhere nice for dinner and basically spend time together. That is... as long as nothing, or no one, gets in their way.

Comments

[themortalhalf]

He snorts, rounding the corner, picking out sounds of chatter in the distance, and streaks of more festive color farther down. The slight warmth to the air is almost a relief as the snow starts to recede, giving way to dry ground. "Yeah. Looks like it." He hesitates, adding, "Guess we should probably find you a different coat."

[greatseal]

"...If this one doesn't dry soon, probably."

She sighs, as they step off of snow and ice and back into melting slush. "I'm sorry, senpai... this isn't exactly a great start."

At least this time, he hadn't gotten hit with a geta when she fell.

[themortalhalf]

It's a Christmas Miracle, that.

He turns around another corner, and can finally see the shopping district properly. Given the lack of snow, he can only assume it will be warmer as they get closer. He can see the tinsle and the lights, and can even hear some of the music, low and barely audible, over the noise of the busy crowd. Christmas Eve is going to carry on whether or not they do.

Tch. "You apologize over the stupidest things. The day ain't over yet, is it?"

[greatseal]

"Of course not. Let's go have fun, senpai!"

And, as though she'd never been delayed at all, she tugs on his arm to get him to move a little faster towards the Christmas lights and displays. "There should be a really big tree around here."

[themortalhalf]

His response is a second or two of resistance—a few seconds of almost playful stubbornness—before he relents, arm relaxing, allowing his pace to quicken in time with hers. It doesn't take long to reach the main shopping district, slipping into the crowd.

For being a one of the last cities in the world, Hinoto-ri certainly doesn't spare any expense decorating for Christmas. He'd almost call it a waste of resources, but he can't quite.

"That it?" he says after a few seconds, the line of shops opening up into a wide circular rest area, decorated with Christmas lights, wreaths, and red ribbon—and just about damn everything—with a tall tree at its center.

[greatseal]

"I'd guess so!"

It really is an impressive tree. The tree looks to be a live tree that stands there undecorated the rest of the year. "I'm glad they have an actual tree here. Paulownia Mall was pretty, but they just had lights, not a real tree."

[themortalhalf]

"Don't think I remember it ever having one." Not that he had ever much paid attention to the decorations the city put up once Christmas came around. It was something he had learned to ignore over the years—put it to the back of his mind, even though he always ended up thinking about it during the quieter moments anyway. It was suddenly strange to be with someone who actively seemed to enjoy Christmas again.

Besides Miki. She had loved the lights and Santa and all of it. ...and still does, as far as he knows. She had probably seen Christmas coming around every street corner, while all he sees is a tree with lights on it, branches laden with ornaments that hold very little significance to him. But it is impressive, at least. Be even better when it's dark enough. This place will probably be more like Tokyo than Iwatodai, given the fact that Hinoto-ri seems prone to showing off than the island was ever prone to. Iwatodai was still a city, but nothing as large as this one.

[greatseal]

"That's disappointing... But I guess it would be difficult for them to do that." It would probably be a lot of effort to bring in a tree every year...

"Hinoto-ri seems to really be into holidays, though. First that big festival, and now this... I wonder if New Years will be big, too?"

Whether it's big in the rest of the city or not, though, she knows it will be for most of SEES. Last year, New Years had meant something very different.

[themortalhalf]

"Probably." Soon as tomorrow's over, the city will probably be taking down all the Christmas decorations and making room for New Years, and it will almost seem like Christmas had never been on their minds. At least, if it's anything like the Japan he remembers. "Don't see why it wouldn't, in a place like this. The people here probably need somethin' to look forward to."

When you're just hanging on, living in a world mostly dead and gone, existing long enough to see a new year turn over is probably something worth celebrating.

"You cold still?"

[greatseal]

"Holidays are good for that."

'Existing long enough to see a new year'... is something she can appreciate, as well. Although she'd never even think to say it out loud.

His question draws her attention back to the wet coat. "I'll be fine. It's warming up." Which is mostly true - the sunlight in this part of the street makes her less cold, but she's still wet and uncomfortable. It's clear that she needs to find a better coat for the snow.

[themortalhalf]

He stares at her and her coat dubiously, though her coat is the victim of most of it. He had hoped the area would be a bit warmer. The fluctuations in temperature tended to be ridiculous, and part of him was expecting to step into near-desert weather as the other Jacks responded to the threat of winter. Then she could just take the it off and not worry about wearing a cold, wet coat around.

"Let me see it."

[greatseal]

"Okay..."

She's not sure what he's planning to do with the coat once she has it, but she dutifully shrugs it off and hands it over. Underneath, her dress is a bit damp, but should dry more quickly.

[themortalhalf]

He takes the wet coat from her, frowning. "You're gonna catch something, wearing this around."

He doesn't hesitate so much as inwardly debate whether it would be better to let her dress dry as much as it could in the sun they're getting, before going against it, and unbuttoning his own coat and stripping it off, revealing one of his customary stone-grey turtlenecks underneath. His coat isn't soaked through like hers. The cold and snow hadn't penetrated all the way through. It would be warm enough until they found her another one. It's a bit big for her, but... it was better than letting her walk around wet, uncomfortable, and cold. Unless she was one of those girls who would rather that than wearing something that didn't quite fit, though that kind of mentality wasn't worth catching a cold over, as far as Shinjiro's concerned.

And he didn't know if she wanted to walk around and see the ward before it got too dark to see some of the decorations, or if she'd rather just shop around.

"You can wear this until we find you something else."

[greatseal]

She's seen him without his coat many times before, but him willingly giving it up in public and in daylight is something new. She accepts the offer, but she seems a little hesitant. "Are you sure? Won't you be cold instead if we end up back on a snowy street?"

[themortalhalf]

If he was destined to be cold next time they were forced to walk into Frost-controlled street, then what would she be, if he let her wear her own coat around? What she needed was a decent coat. ...And probably a bag and a good towel for the coat he is carrying. Help it dry—absorb some of the moisture that's gotten to it. He doesn't know how durable her coat is, but he doesn't want it to be ruined on account of a thirty second-long snowstorm. ...Though perhaps that is his own practicality talking.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Ain't anything worth worrying about."

[greatseal]

"You can't scowl at germs and chase them away, you know. Take care of yourself."

But she doesn't hand the coat back, so it seems his proposal has been accepted. For now.

The coat itself is one she brought from Iwatodai. It's meant for the light snow flurries, not Frost-created blizzards. Still, since it's from home, she would rather not have it completely ruined.

[themortalhalf]

He catches her eyes in challenge. "Last I checked, neither could you." Though it had been a typhoon weather instead of a blizzard, but still, he remembers the last time she had gotten soaked through. She had been out for almost three days. His body might be going to hell soon enough, but he hasn't been knocked out by sheets of rain yet. He figures he has a slight advantage. "Guess I could be wrong."

[greatseal]

It takes her a moment, but she realizes what incident he's alluding to and frowns.

"That had extenuating circumstances." Like pushing herself through Tartarus, the Velvet Room, and... being an Arisato. Sadly, she and Minato are just pretty susceptible to illness when they're tired and stressed. But she hasn't spoken with him on the right topics to realize they have that in common.

[themortalhalf]

And, at the very least, she is still very much an Arisato. Stronger than most, but just as mortal as any of them.

"No reason to make this an exception." He smirks faintly, looking around at the shop windows and the numerous, bright decorations. "Sure that would ruin Christmas."

[greatseal]

"Neither of us is allowed to get sick." How she's going to hold him to that.... is a mystery, but it's still true.

And then, her face turns into a smile. "And I have the way to make sure of it." She reaches into her bag and pulls out the flat, gift-wrapped box she'd been concealing inside it, pressing it into his hands. "I was going to give this to you later, but you should open it now."

[themortalhalf]

He has a pretty good guess, as he feels the weight of the package in his hands, at just what's inside the box. He stares at her briefly, his face trying to come up with an expression more emotionless than the subtle ones that normally call his face home, and opens the package, stopping to lean against the back of one of the unoccupied benches.

[greatseal]

The problem is, the more he tries to look expressionless, the more obvious his emotions become. And right now, he's pretty obvious.

What's inside is what he's already guessed: a nice red plaid hooded jacket. She grins at him.

"See, now we match!" Which they do - beneath her coat, and now his, is the exact same plaid jacket in a smaller size.

[themortalhalf]

Well, no good deed goes unpunished, as they say.

He stares at the duplicate coat. "...Guess we do.."

And he does appreciate the gift, in his own way, and the sentiment that's behind the gift when weeded out of whatever amusement she might be getting out of this this; but his thrifty upbringing and his staunch ideas of what true practicality entails still balks at the idea of a second coat when his works just fine: he's never owned a better coat in his life and it is goddamn flawless, aside from the fact it won't last forever. Though it's... also kind of a novel thing that he isn't sure what to do with, because owning more than what you strictly need has never been a luxury he's ever really had much or ever afforded himself, even when he had the chance—and he certainly has such liberty here. He'd rather use his paycheck on decent food.

"Thanks." And he means it. But his coat that she's holding hostage (and has a feeling he won't see returned to his possession for what remains of the day) is still the best there is.

He guesses the only thing to do is put it on. So he does.

[greatseal]

"I thought you could use something for spring... or to wear under your coat, if it gets much colder." See, it is practical. She's never been a girl who shops just for the sake of shopping. Frequent moves make a person just as thrifty as lack of funds. She couldn't accumulate a huge wardrobe when she never knew when she'd have to pack up and leave.

But being unable to splurge on yourself also tends to make gifts to others more important... which, is most of the motivation behind this now. That, and she wants to see him in something other than grey turtlenecks and a maroon overcoat.

[themortalhalf]

He zips up the jacket. It blocks off the rest of the remaining cold the warmth hasn't driven off.

He could use it, really, in the practical sense of things. He may only need one, but it's not like it's functionally necessary for him to keep living off of a mere handful of clothes and a single coat with as many pockets as he has fingers anymore, and he knows it. And he could wear it under his coat. It had looked like it was reversible when he had initially put it on, all black on the opposite side. Solid, unambitious colors agree with him.

It's may not be something he'd have ever bought for himself, but it's still a gift from someone else, which makes it important.

He'll live.

"I'll wear it."

And he means it. Though how much of its lifespan will be spent hanging in the closet is still up for debate.

He smiles a little bit. "Guess you might as well open yours, then." He gestures to his coat she's wearing. "It's in the right inside pocket." It's a small, square box. Wrapped. It's not hard to find if she digs for it. He doesn't think the fall did anything to it—he would have felt it if he did. Though if it had gotten damaged, the items inside aren't that fragile.