Chapter Twenty-Five: Frolic! Silent Night

OH LOOK AT THAT, A HOLIDAY SPECIAL when it's nowhere near winter. Had MJ actually done this right, she would have had this chapter out so long ago, when it was you know, Christmas. Then again, it takes her so long to write chapters that it could end up getting uploaded on Christmas. Either way, here we are. Mid of January and now we get some wholesome winter content. Anyway…

When it comes to the holidays, Akari is somewhat partial to them. Sure, on Halloween, it's somewhat cool to get dressed up, it's nice to get presents on Christmas, and free days off from school are an added bonus. One thing that is always certain with holidays is the celebration between her family and Kusuo's family. Ever since the two families had known each other they had spent every holiday that they could together. Birthdays had to be one of the most celebrated times between the families, Christmas had to be number one, however. 

Which is where Akari found herself in the Kusuo's family kitchen, helping out with finishing the preparations for dinner. She was tasked with finishing up the udon while her father and Kurumi(Kusuo's mom in case you forgot because MJ might have) were bustling around the kitchen putting the finishing touches on their dishes. Meanwhile, Miku and Nendou were hanging up some Christmas decorations around the Kusuo home. Obviously, that included a Christmas tree that they were putting the final ornaments on. Yes, Nendou was there as well. Apparently, Kurumi had run into him and invited him over. While that's a sweet gesture, Rikuto wasn't all too happy about it as he retreated back into Kusuo's room for refuge. Even with his mother's scolding, he was not coming back down to face that monster. What a rude boy. So Nendou then took up his job of helping with decorations.

As far as holiday spirit, Akari would say that she doesn't have all that much of it. Celebrations just means having to be around a lot of people when her family forces her to go out. Sure, they know to an extent that she desperately despises being out in public for a celebration, but sometimes they just want to spend family time at an event of some kind. At that point, Akari just has to suck it up and go with it. Really the only upside that Akari saw out of it was that Kusuo had to be there with her. That way they could stick together and suffer through it with each other. 

The front door then opened up, and it was Kusuo as he came home. "Oh, Ku. Welcome home." Kurumi greeted her son happily.

"Good evening Kusuo." Miku greeted the boy while finishing up her decorating.

From the kitchen, Yamato exclaimed, "Ah, Kusuo! Merry Christmas!" Just from his shout, Kusuo could hear the sunny smile from the older man who was cooking in his family's kitchen. 

Nendo also greeted his best friend, "Hey, where have you been, pal?"

Kusuo just stared at them for a moment before shutting the door in their faces. He certainly didn't want to have to deal with Nendo of all people tonight. The door then opened up again, this time it was Akari who had opened it up. There was an undertone of an apologetic smile on her face as she thought to him, 'You should probably just come in, you can't avoid them.' She could mentally hear him sigh heavily before he came back inside. 

"Watch me."

Kusuo could hear the mental sigh from her, 'Kusuo…' So he could do nothing but go back into his house. Last thing he wanted to do was annoy or upset Akari, especially on a holiday, so he'll come inside.

"We just ran into each other at the grocery, so I invited him." His mom explained happily, "Parties are better with more people after all!"

Nendo let out a goofy laugh, "Yeah, I really lucked out."

"Give me a break." Kusuo mentally grumbled, "Now, my own interests aside, this is what you would expect from a typical Christmas episode."

"So, what's this garbage?"

"Are you my love interest?" No, Kusuo, that's a different fanfiction.

The door then opened up again as the last member of the party came in, "I'm home."

Kurumi gushed as her husband came in, "He's home!"

"Good grief. I forgot about the other pain in the butt."

Akari rolled her eyes at his thought, 'looks like you're going to have such fun tonight.' She certainly didn't mind Nendo or Kuniharu. They could get annoying at times, but she didn't detest them right off the bat like Kusuo did. Though there are times when they could be a little too much. Though she'd let their annoyance slide for the night, that'll be her present to them.

Everyone else greeted the costumed man as he bounced around, "Merry Christmas! Santa's here!" He shouted out before noticing that there was one new guest in their home. The strange looking teen was not someone that he had ever seen before. He pulled his wife to the side to have a sidebar with her, "You should've told me that we have guests. I just made a fool of myself."

"But you are a fool," Kusuo scoffed, "And the Watanabe's always come over."

Akari chuckled lightly, 'You think he's actually smart enough to remember that?'

"Good point."

Kusuo's parents then went to have a sidebar with each other. Kuniharu asked, not as quietly as he thought, "So, who is he?"

She explained, "That's Ku and Kachan's friend Nendo."

"A friend of Kusuo's?" He sounded astonished that Kusuo even had a friend outside of Akari. Like it was some sort of feat that he was able to make any sort of relationship other than Akari or his family. Then again, he wouldn't say that they are friends, after all. The only friend he has and that he cares about having is Akari.

Kusuo groaned, "Not you, too."

"I see. That cheeky and uncooperative Kusuo, who I would have smacked if he didn't have powers, has made another friend." Seemed like all he was doing was belittling his son and saying that he's quite a piece of work. Which he isn't exactly wrong about, Kusuo isn't exactly the most approachable person nor the nicest.

Kusuo's eyes seemed to twitch, "You want a beating?"

"Nice to meet you, Nendo!" He exclaimed happily, "I'm Kusuo's father, Kuniharu."

Nendo blinked owlishly, "Oh, you're my pal's dad? Nice to meet you."

"Is that really his friend?" Stepped away to ask his wife, once again not exactly that quiet, "His face is like a gangster's!"

"He's a good boy," Kurumi insisted.

Miku leaned over to her own husband and said in a hush tone, "they do know we can all hear them." Yamato just shrugged his shoulders.

Kusuo deadpanned, "Are you done yet?"

Seemingly the only one who actually didn't hear them talking behind his back, Nendo held up the santa costume with wonder in his eyes. "This is really well-made. I actually thought you really were Santa."

Akari stared at her friend as he admired the costume with furrowed eyebrows, "It's a decent costume…"

Though Kuniharu's eyes sparkled, "What, really?"

"That makes you happy?" Kusuo asked with a raised eyebrow.

So the families plus Nendo sat themselves down at the table and started to dig into their dinner. Miku was able to tell Rikuto to come downstairs, despite his obvious fear of Nendo. Well, she more likely bribed him with getting a manga or two if he sat through dinner. He hesitated slightly, but the urge to get more manga was too strong for him, so he accepted and sat down at the table. He made sure to sit in the seat as far away from Nendo as he could, however. Also placing Saiki and his sister close to Nendo to protect him, just in case.

They all cheered, "Merry Christmas!"

"You know, Nendo! You really get it, don't you?" Kuniharu said as he slung an arm around Nendou's large shoulders, "I like how you believed I was Santa."

Kusuo blinked at the demeanor of his father, "You really turned around quick there."

"Ever since he was an infant, Kusuo would look at me like I was human waste when I dressed up like Santa." He explained as the flashbacks of how disgusted his son had always been with him. The glares from a baby Kusuo were just as intimidating as a grown Kusuo, in Kuniharu's opinion.

"Then why didn't you just stop?" Kusuo asked blandly, his bored eyes narrowing at his father.

Though Kuniharu just ignored that burning stare from his son and swung an arm around Nendo's shoulders. He smiled widely, "You're such a good-natured boy, Nendo."

Rikuto grumbled, "he doesn't look like it."

"What?" Nendo asked in confusion, "I'm not that good or anything. I mean, Santa's never come to me before."

"What did you say?" Kuniharu asked in confusion, "What has your father been doing?"

"I don't have a dad," Nendo explained, "He died before I was born." The parents blinked at the news, now everyone becoming silent. With such heavy information, what were they to say now? Even Rikuto became a bit sad for Nendo. Even if Rikuto thought he looked quite ghastly, he wouldn't wish something like that on someone.

"What?"

"I had no idea…" Kurumi said shakily.

"Oh, we're so sorry," Yamato said to the young boy. One of the worst things was to not have a parent be around, especially due to something like that.

Kuniharu apologized, "I'm sorry if we brought up painful memories."

Nendo just blinked, "What? It's fine. I have got my mom. Yes, Santa never came, but I'm not sad or anything."

Kuniharu said, near tears upon hearing about this, "I see." With that he and Kuniharu backed away, tears running down their cheeks after hearing Nendo's story.

"Wait, what?" Nendo was completely unaware of the mood change. The somber mood that took over the room was not detected by him in the slightest. "You know, pal, I can't believe your dad dressed up like Santa."

Kusuo rolled his eyes, "You haven't seen anything yet."

Akari glanced at her best friend from the corner of her eyes, 'things are going to get chaotic now, I suppose.' Kusuo just gave her a bland look that said 'we all knew this was gonna happen'. It wouldn't be a night at the Kusuo household without something strange happening.

Nendo tapped his chin in thought, "Would my dad have done the same?"

Kurumi then came back towards the table, "I'm sorry for stepping out like that."

"Where's Pal's dad?" Nendo asked.

"Oh, he had to step out to lick a client's shoe or something." Kurumi nervously explained, "Let's just continue without him."

Suddenly, there was a bang as the glass door attempted to be pulled open. It was Kuniharu now trying to get back into the house after getting dressed back into his Santa costume. He certainly was making quite a ruckus just to get back in.

"How did he get out there so fast?" Rikuto asked, while blinking owlishly.

Yamato shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe Kusuo teleported him out."

"I didn't," he denied.

"What? What the heck?" Nendo shouted out in fright, "Someone looking like Santa is trying to open the window!"

Kurumi was quick to rush over to the door, "Oh, no!"

The Santa imposter whisper-shouted at her, "I told you to open it for me!"

"I'm sorry, I just didn't think you would come so soon." She responded back in the same hushed tone.

Yamato leaned over to Miku and stage-whispered, "they aren't very good at the secret surprise thing?" Miku just grunted in agreement. Though they've known the Kusuo's for quite a while, so they shouldn't expect anything less from the couple.

Kusuo rolled his eyes, "They're a mess."

The counterfeit Santa was eventually let inside, with his large bag of presents in tow. "Hi there," Kuniharu shouted out with a jovial laugh, "Nendo. Nice to meet you, I'm Santa."

"See?" Kusuo rolled his eyes and thought to Akari, "He's a pretty strange father, isn't he? There is no way this is going to work again. Even Nendo is going to realize…"

"It's the real Santa!" Seems like you overestimated Nendo, Kusuo. You honestly should have expected this. The other teen was more than excited to see a costumed Kuniharu, completely fooled like a small child.

Kusuo blinked, "I guess not."

Nendo's eyes sparkled, "This is freaking awesome."

"Well, it is Nendo."

Still sitting at the table, Yamato cooed, "look at how happy he is, he certainly still has the heart of a child." Oh, how he wished he could go back in time when his own children were still little and believed in Santa as enthusiastically as Nendo. They grow up so fast. It nearly caused tears to come to his eyes, but Miku already knew what he was thinking so he gave him a tissue.

Still in astonishment, Nendo asked, "Will you shake my hand, Santa?"

"Okay." Nendo then aggressively shook Kuniharu's hand, which caused the man to cringe just a little bit at the strength behind it.

"You guys are way too excited. Good grief."

'I think it's a bit endearing…' Akari thought, not really attempting to project the thought to Kusuo. Obviously, he heard it regardless. He knew that there are moments when Akari could get sappy about something, they are few and far in between, but they always made him think. Were they really endearing? Was it really something to coo over and find cute? If Akari thought so then should he?

Akari isn't the greatest at expressing her feelings, only ever showing genuine excitement over something she truly enjoys. Well, she hasn't done that since she was a child. She's obviously mellowed out as a teen, but she has her moments. So it was something for Kusuo to think over.

"Oh, I know!" Nendo shouted, breaking Kusuo from his thoughts, "If you're Santa, you must have reindeer with you."

Kuniharu blinked, "What?"

"Actually, I'm more excited about meeting the reindeer."

It took a moment for Kuniharu to process that information before clearing his throat, "Okay, I have one waiting outside. Why don't you take a look?"

'Please, Kusuo!' Kuniharu mentally begged his son.

Kusuo glared, "Don't get me involved."

"Please, Ku!" His mother begged him and grabbed his arm, "Help us, okay?"

Kusuo looked over to Akari who just shrugged her shoulders, 'Wouldn't hurt to help them.' She didn't see anything too difficult in this situation. After all, he wouldn't have to do much to get this to happen.

"Oh, fine." He huffed, not really able to say no to Akari, "I guess it'd be good enough." He barely exerted his powers to conjure a deer in their backyard. Wasn't that hard, honestly.

"Wow! It's a reindeer!" Nendo shouted in excitement, "Awesome!"

"It's just a regular deer," Kusuo explained, though he expected nothing else from Nendo to believe it to be a real life reindeer. The child-like wonder in Nendo's face was quite astonishing to see up close. 

Miku blinked at the sheer stupidity of the boy, "how is he this… oblivious." She really has never encountered someone like this before.

Her son, having been keeping refuge behind his parents grunted, "you'd be surprised about this guy, mom."

Now rummaging through his large bag, Kuniharu pulled out a box, "Here's your present, Nendo."

"Wow!" Nendo exclaimed, "Are you sure?"

Kusuo's eyes narrowed, "It was supposed to be my present."

"Alright!" Nendo cheered, "That's my second one this year."

"What? Second?" Kuniharu blinked, "I thought you never received a present before."

He shook his head, "No, not from Santa. But my mom always gets me one." Nendo explained, "Every year she leaves me a present by my pillow while I'm asleep. I don't understand why, though. She could just hand it to me directly." It took a moment for everyone to think it over, before realizing just how oblivious Nendo was. The group collectively questioned just how stupid Nendo could be. The only ones who didn't seem to be as surprised were Akari and Kusuo, though they're used to Nendo at this point.

'How does she do it?' Akari asked dumbly, referring to Nendo's mother.

Kusuo blinked, "She's a good mother."

"Now that we have that settled, let's have dessert!" Yamato exclaimed to usher everyone back to the table. No need to dwell on Nendo and his obliviousness, they had some food to eat. There was already an array of some lovely looking deserts on the table. He hopped around taking away dirty plates and replacing them with new ones."Here you are, my dear." He placed a kiss on the side of her head lovingly.

Miku took the plate from her husband, "Thank you, Yamato."

He went around the table, presenting everyone with their desert, and came to the last person. His beaming smile blinded Kusuo momentarily as he was presented with his glorious treat. "Of course, some coffee jelly for you Kusuo." Kusuo's mouth was watering at how delicious it looked, almost too perfect to be eaten. Something he would obviously expect from Yamato's food. "Akari was adamant about making it special for you this time." Kusuo looked over at Akari with a slightly raised eyebrow. So it wasn't Yamato who made it?

Akari flushed at the attention and focused herself on her own dessert, "You liked it last time…" After he liked it the last time she made it, Akari had made sure to perfect the recipe. She asked for tips from her father about techniques and the best ingredients. While she knew she could just use the same exact recipe that he used, she attempted to make it her own. Her recipe was a bit sweeter, since she knows Kusuo enjoyed sweets even if he wouldn't admit it, but kept the bitter undertone of the coffee in it. It was strange how she got an unnatural balance between sweet and bitter, but nothing about her was natural.

As they enjoyed their delicious desserts, the parents talking about something uninteresting to the teens, Akari noticed something from the corner of her eyes. She thought for a moment that she was hallucinating as there was a bit of a smile and pink blush to Kusuo's face. Though it was gone the moment that Akari blinked. She must have been seeing things.

By the time everyone was done eating, it got late enough for Kurumi to suggest Nendo to head home. Which he did, knowing that his own mother would be wondering where he is. So he thanked them and headed off happily full of food and a new present. Kusuo was still a bit salty about the present that was meant to be his going to Nendo, but didn't say anything. He just had to deal with it, oh well. 

"Do you want to stay the night, Akari?" Kurumi asked the teen

Akari looked at Kusuo, 'that's okay with you?' He just silently nodded at her, as she answered his mother, "Sure." She just wanted to make sure that Kusuo was okay with it. The last thing she would want to do is annoy him even more after having to deal with the unexpected cameo from Nendo.

So after that, the two teens found themselves lounging in Kusuo's room. They had already changed into their pajamas as Akari was now laying on Kusuo's bed and he was sitting in front of the television. He surfed through some channels to occupy their time until they fell asleep, but nothing was too interesting.

Akari gnawed at the inside of her cheek for a moment, an internal debate taking over her mind. One that Kusuo could hear quite clearly, "I can hear you overthinking."

She huffed, "I know."

"You can just give it to me," he said, having already heard that she was thinking about giving him a present. What the present was, he couldn't tell since she was keeping that part a bit secretive even in her own thoughts.

So Akari used her shadows to grab a present from downstairs and drag it up the stairs. A lazy move, but wouldn't we all do that if we could? Why go downstairs yourself when you can just be lazy. Lazy, but smart.

The shadow pulled in the present wrapped up in simple purple paper and a small box. It was brought into Akari's hands as she sat up on Kusuo's bed. With a slight hesitation on her porcelain face, she leaned over and handed the box to him. There was no need for her to be nervous about this, at all. Why she was hesitant about this at all is confusing to her. It's just her best friend, and she knew he was going to love this gift, so what does she have to worry about?

Kusuo ripped open the wrapping and found that it was a ring box. He isn't one for jewelry, at all, but he'd consider it if it was from Akari. He might not wear it, but he'd accept it, only because it was from her.

So he opened up the box and found that it was a small silver ring. Nothing about it was too special or flashy. If he were to wear jewelry, it would be something simple and inexpensive. So he could at least appreciate that. Still didn't change the fact that he found jewelry to be completely useless.

However, that thought changed when he picked up the ring and there was nothing but silence. Complete, blissful silence. For the first time in forever, Kusuo couldn't hear a thing. The stray thoughts from people within the 200 meter distance were not in his own head. How was this possible!?

"I found it on a whim," Akari softly said, seeing his confusion and wonder. "There's a new psychic shop by Rikuto's favorite manga store and I got bored. I took a look around and found this." Her wide yellow eyes blinked at him, "I wasn't sure that it worked but I'm glad that it did." She sounded a bit giddy, with the prospect that it actually works and she wasn't just scammed into buying a useless ring.

Kusuo blinked, staring at the ring for a moment before looking back up at her. They've given gifts before, it's not out of the ordinary. It would be strange if they hadn't given each other gifts during their long friendship. However, it felt different this time. A lot of things have felt different between them for a while now, but neither knew how to address it. What could they say or how would they question it? Was it even worth questioning?

Though this just felt so… heart felt. Super heart felt. A ring that could alleviate his own annoyance with having to hear people's thoughts 24/7? This had to be the best present that he had ever gotten in such a long time. Of course, it had come from his best friend as well. That just seemed to make it even better. Kusuo wasn't sure what to say to it. He wanted to question just how it worked or where it came from exactly, but he couldn't with how amazed he was over it.

Even with the silence, Akari could easily see the astonishment in Kusuo's eyes and appreciation. He didn't need to say anything for her to understand his thanks. It brought a small smile to her face as she hid her eyes behind her hair. 

A voice then broke them out of their little moment. And of course it was the annoying little brother who was smirking in the doorway. "Akari and Kusuo sitting in a tree K-I-" Before Rikuto could even finish, he was strung up by his midsection as a shadow grabbed him and stuck him to the ceiling. Yet another shadow shut the door, to make sure that no one else came to tease or bother them. Though even with the intruder gone and stuck to the ceiling for a bit as punishment for intruding on the teens, it didn't help the slightly awkward atmosphere that took over Kusuo's room. Akari nearly allowed the shadows to envelop her due to her embarrassment. Why she was embarrassed, she wasn't completely sure. Neither was Kusuo. Both of them couldn't explain the fluttery feeling in their stomachs either, though they would have to just brush it off. Suddenly, the pointless television show seemed far more interesting than talking.