Summary: It’s Christmas and a Nishikino-Kousaka tradition is to get up at midnight to flirt, chat and open up those Christmas presents they received from Santa and also gifted to each other.
The sound of the seconds moving toward 12midnight to signal the change of Christmas Eve to Christmas Day drawled closer. But even before a minute to Christmas. Even before an hour to Christmas. Even, even before a week to Christmas! The redhead who was now “sleeping” in bed with her partner had been waiting for this moment.
Tick…tock!
“Merry Christmas.”
The voice of one Kousaka Honoka sounded from the side table as the redhead flipped over to grab her phone, confirmed the date with glowing with excitement, wide eyes before she swiped the alarm off.
Up and slipping her feet into the warm and fluffy house slippers her wife has bought for them, Maki reached the lights by the door and flicked it on.
She turned around to face her bed, she knew what to expect, but it didn’t stop from pulling her grin even higher. Her wife, Honoka had already propped herself up on one arm and smiling in that mix of cheeky-playful-cute-and-loving manner.
“Merry Christmas, darling~” Honoka sings.
“Merry Christmas, Honoka.” Maki’s eyes sparkled in all the lights of joy. “Shall we open those presents? Santa would have-”
“Already sneaked in and put the presents by our trees. I know~” Honoka rolled out of bed into her own pair of fluffy slippers – Maki-coloured, the way she loved it. “But surely you can at least look forward to this Santa’s presents too~”
Honoka feigns a pout which Maki poked away when the gingerhead reached her side. “I am.”
Honoka giggles silly-cute up at Maki before they exited the bedroom together and made their way downstairs where the excitement of gifts waits.
.
.
.
True to the spirit of one Nishikino Maki, the joy of Christmas could be seen and felt from how big their Christmas Tree is and how decked up in decorations they are. But of course, it wasn’t just Maki. It was so magnificent thanks to the bubbly, ball of excitement from Honoka too.
The bright colours, the musical notes, the bright star on the top and cute little toys all hung on the tree. And then…there was four boxes of presents by the tree.
Maki nods. “I’m glad Santa doesn’t forget your presents anymore.”
Honoka chuckles more to herself, remembering her first Christmas with Maki after they got married.
She remembered to prepare Maki’s gift, but she left herself out since she didn’t write to Santa. Maki went from ecstatic about her present to depress that her wife didn’t get any, and Honoka had to make up a reason she was on the Naughty List this year.
Maki being Maki. So honest and adorakable on Christmas Day, stood on Honoka’s side saying she could never be on the Naughty List. So Honoka had to suggest Santa being old and forgetful.
Maki bought that tale. Next year, Honoka made sure she got two presents for herself to appease Maki. Inclusive of a heartfelt letter from herself to herself.
“So! Which would you like to open first, Maki-chan?” Honoka pats the Christmas boxes.
“I’ll open Santa’s first.” The pianist reached over. “I already what this will be after all.”
“You do?” Honoka picks up her own gift from Santa too. “I guess I know mine too.”
“We write to Santa remember? Why do you always forget?” Maki softly chides as she unravelled the big yellow strings on the box.
“I didn’t forget, Maki-chan~~ I just think Santa chooses from that big list of yours.” The gingerhead grins back at Maki’s pointed look.
“Hm. Well, he knows what I want.” Maki grumbles like a child and if Honoka was being honest, which she is, she felt her heart melt at that honesty.
Her wife was simply too cute on Christmas!
And truly, Honoka stopped opening her present just to watch Maki’s expression changed from passive to that huge, huge smile; and Honoka knew all her efforts to keep up the Santa tradition for her wife was all worth it.
Maki scooted closer to Honoka, pushing her present into the gingerhead’s face, turning Honoka cross-eyed but since Honoka already knew what it was, she didn’t really have to look.
“Look! It’s the book that I’ve been looking for in twenty over bookstores and even libraries!” Maki was starry-eyed as she lowered her arms to pull the book into a hug.
Honoka chuckles softly, shaking her head. “You even ‘trespassed’ our school library to look too.”
“It’s not trespass!” Maki protests; defensive as she pouted. “I was visiting…”
Honoka simply nods with a pleased smile that all her efforts in getting this book for Maki pulled through. A stroke of luck in knowing someone who is well-versed in books got her this book. And thus she gets to see Maki’s cute side like this.
“You’re so cute, Maki-chan~”
“Wha- What are you saying so suddenly, Honoka! Hurry a-and open your present from Santa!” Maki lifted her book to cover half her tomato-red face, making Honoka’s heart grow.
The jolly “Santa” picks up her rather large present bag and started pulling at the ribbons and pulling out a lovely, soft pillow. “My present! Yayyy!!!”
Honoka jumped up for joy and spun around with the pillow, even stuffing her face into the softness for a muffled “mmmm~”
“I got a great present this year too!” Honoka plops back down to the floor with Maki who looks stunned. “Maki-chan..?”
“You asked for a pillow, Honoka?” Maki cocks her head to the side, perplexed.
Honoka smiles nervously; this is what she wanted, but if the present from Santa doesn’t impress Maki…that’s not good either!? Honoka scrambles for a good answer.
“Y-Yeah. I wanted to have a new, fluffy one for some time now.”
“But we could-”
“And! How many people get to say they sleep on a pillow from the North Pole!” Honoka raises her pillow gift like a trophy.
Maki’s lips pull up; she can’t stay frowny on Christmas and she certainly can’t stay frowny at Honoka’s logic and energy. “…That is true. Share it.”
Honoka laughs aloud and winks. “Without said.”
They share a hearty laugh together before looking to their next present for each other; Maki’s being much larger than Honoka’s.
“May I?” Maki taps her present twice with a finger.
Honoka beams, putting her pillow aside and nodding. “Of course! Maki-chan gets all the priority on Christmas!”
The redhead grins a blushy grin. “I should be getting priority every day from you, Honoka.”
Honoka chuckles as Maki unravels her present from her wife. “You do get priority~ I do it unconsciously! Don’t I?”
Maki nods before taking a deep breath. “Ready?” One tear and her present will be revealed.
Honoka leaned forward, excited. “Yeah!”
Maki tears the wrapping paper off to see a huge brown bear looking back at her. All soft and cute looking as soft toys are and holding something. The redhead raises an eyebrow as she took the box from the teddy bear’s paws.
“I gotta open this?”
“Yes, you do, darling.” Honoka’s blue eyes shined with eagerness and Maki couldn’t help but take in that extra energy as she opened the box.
“This…” Maki took up a rather thick slab of papers.
“Honoka NANDEMO tickets! You can ask me for anything, Maki-chan~”
“Why..?” Maki flips the pieces of paper to see various, sketches and doodles Honoka drew on each hand-drawn tickets; her smile really couldn’t be wiped off.
Honoka licks her lips nervously. “Well…We’ve been married for 3 years now…right?”
“Yes.” Maki prompts.
“So. I know you’re super mature and can handle a lot of things on your own. And you like pampering me as much as I love to do to you. And, and. I just want you to not hold back in making requests from me! Sometimes I feel like you still do!” Honoka blurts out, her eyes wide and desperate.
Maki blinks and takes a moment before she places the tickets on the floor gently, shuffling over to pat Honoka. “Funny how I feel the same way.”
“Eh?” Honoka almost gets distracted by the headpat. “What do you mean..?”
“Open your gift, silly.” Maki waits patiently.
Honoka unwraps her gift to see an expensive-looking scarlet box. Opening it, Honoka sees Maki’s handwritten words “NANDEMO tickets just for Honoka”. Honoka looks up to see Maki smiling knowingly.
“I feel like…you sometimes still hold back when asking things from me.” Maki puts on a pout.
Honoka quickly explains. “I don’t want to tire you out-”
“I know my limits, Honoka.”
“But-”
“I know how to say no…unlike you.” Maki flicks Honoka’s forehead.
“Ouch! Hey! But…” Honoka still finds that Maki’s doctor job makes it-
Maki tears a piece of Honoka NANDEMO ticket and holds it up at Honoka’s face. “No more ‘buts’. And make a request from me now.”
“Eh!? So suddenly? I can’t think of anything so soon, Maki-chaaaaaannnn..!!” Honoka with her slightly red forehead from the forehead flick whines with duck-billed lips.
“Even so.” Maki sat smugly; waiting for her wife’s request with hands across her chest.
“Eh…Ehhh…Er…” Honoka looked left and right and searched her brain desperately for a request…something to ask from Maki…something… “Er…Um! Hug me!”
Honoka’s face was a bright blush and Maki’s was a reflection of hers. “That’s what you choose?” Maki averts her eyes from Honoka’s staring right at her. “But okay…”
Maki shifts closer to her quietly blushing wife and pulls her into a hug, having Honoka’s head lay against her chest. Honoka could hear Maki’s heartbeat; racing, beating, singing ‘I love you’s without verbalizing it.
Honoka wraps her arms around Maki too and whispers. “When we sleep too…”
Maki swallows audibly, face heating up further. “S-Sure…”
Honoka smiles blissfully as she nuzzles against her loving wife. “Thank you, Maki-chan.”
Maki smiles as she rests her chin on Honoka’s head, whispering into the Christmas night, “Anything for you.”
These two lovebirds aren’t always honest with each other. But it’s tenfold, ho ho when it’s Christmas day. Hehe~ XD
I had a rather hard time coming up with the presents. After all, Maki, our Diamond Princess pretty much has everything she wants after she has Honoka. And Honoka is so carefree, happy go lucky, it can make you wonder what to get her! ^w^
Let me know what you think~? And also maybe other presents you have in mind. So next time I know what I could write :P hehe~
Leave me a comment if you like!
And my fellow Honoka lover, I hope you enjoyed this to the max!
“something christmasy? since tis the season” prompt from @myonmukyuu
HonoMaki.
Word count: 978
[Ao3] [FF.net]
A/N: I don’t remember when was the last time, if at all, I had to google “ugly christmas sweater”
Through immense trials and tribulations, she had finally done it. Maki was dumbfounded for a few moments, staring at the tray of freshly baked cookies now cooling on the countertop.
Batches of failed attempts of baking cookies wished they could gloriously stand where the perfectly baked ones stood, instead their either burnt crispiness or uncooked gooiness rested in the bin. Nico would probably have a heart attack if she found out just how much money on ingredients Maki went through before getting these cookies right, but screw her, these cookies weren't for her.
They were for the jolly man who came to visit every 25th of December.
Maki took a glance at the clock, it was almost nine o’clock. Crap. Hoping some sort of Christmas miracle would clean the kitchen for her, the medical student rushed to her bedroom to clean herself up and dress up. Who would have had known cooking could be so time consuming? The girls would be arriving any minute now and she still had flour in places she never knew flour could get to. Everyone had agreed that they should bring “ugly” Christmas sweaters for the occasion; Maki frowned as she inspected the one her mother had bought for her, a silly design of Santa Claus riding a unicorn. What was even ugly about it? Sure, it was peculiar, but Maki could not fathom the idea of an ugly Christmas sweater. Christmas was anything but ugly. Putting it on, Maki finished her outfit by matching it with a pair of fluffy red sandals, casual enough for what should be a fun reunion.
Bzzzt.
Maki rushed to the door when she heard the doorbell, briefly stopping by a mirror to quickly fix herself before answering to the door.
“Maki-chan!”
Santa getting eaten by a dinosaur. Now that was an ugly Christmas sweater.
Maki almost fell down when Honoka lunged herself at her, arms wrapping around her neck and pulling her to a tight embrace. “I've missed you!” Honoka laughed as she huddled Maki. Maki simply patted Honoka’s back in response. At least she didn’t have to see Honoka’s sweater like this.
“You mean we've missed you,” Umi corrected her. Right behind Honoka were Umi and Kotori, each holding small cake boxes. Umi’s sweater design made it look like she was wearing gift wrapping, while Kotori’s was a simple design, barring the big red letters on the middle that said “Christmas sweater”.
“You can put those in the living room. And you can let me go now, Honoka.”
Honoka simply giggled as she let go and turned around to take one of the two boxes Umi was holding before letting herself in with Umi and Kotori following her.
Maki and Kotori exchanged greetings after Maki closed the door to stop the cold winter air from coming in any more.
“Something smells really good!” Maki heard Honoka exclaim before she saw her following her nose from the living room, across the hallway and into the kitchen. Knowing Honoka, Maki was certain that her hours of effort were in severe danger if Honoka was not stopped.
“Honoka, step away from those cookies!” Maki’s warning had been too late, for Honoka turned around with a cookie already in her mouth and the tray on her hand.
Maki could barely make out a What? with Honoka’s mouth half full of the cookie that was not meant for her. The redhead could not hold back her grunt nor her frown, clear danger flags for Honoka, but dammit the cookies were good. Maybe a Christmas miracle would save her from the medical student's wrath. Maki made her way to Honoka and and with one quick movement snagged the tray of cookies away from her. With a big gulp, Honoka swallowed the cookie and tried to reach for another one, only for Maki to move the tray away and keep Honoka at bay with her other arm.
“Come on, Maki-chan! Where's your Christmas spirit? Share!” Honoka pleaded as she kept trying to reach the tray. Curse her short couple of height centimeters to Maki’s.
“These are not for you!” Maki struggled to keep shoving Honoka away, what with balancing the cookie tray and all the flour and bits of dough on the ground. How was Honoka even this strong?!
“You didn't bake them for us? C’mooon, just one or four!” Honoka’s pleads were not very convincing when she was showing about as much strength as a dinosaur trying to gobble up a jolly red man.
“No! These are for San-!”
Maki knew it was no good to dwell on what-if’s but she could not help it when her fluffy footwear slipped on the flour-y floor, sending the tray and the cookies to the air and the image of Santa Claus being eaten whole by a tyrannosaurus Rex being the last image before she smacked her back on the floor.
Sweet.
The pain on her rear and back most certainly was not sweet, but the sugar in her mouth was. Honoka was just as shocked as Maki when she had realized that her lips had completely acquaintanced with each other when Honoka landed right on top of Maki. The two remained frozen still, each trying to process what had and was happening.
A loud metal crash startled Umi and Kotori, who had busied themselves opening and setting the cake boxes on the living room table. Exchanging concerned glances, the two wasted no second to get to the kitchen.
“Are you two okay? What happened here?”
All the two could see was what seemingly had been a tornado go through the kitchen: the countertops were all covered in flour, dirty bowls and baking utensils, on the floor layed a metal cooking tray, several cookies, and two of their friends with ugly Christmas sweaters covered in flour and faces just as red as Maki’s face.
No.32. “I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified.”
Author Notes
Happy Belated Birthday, Maki! This story came out later but your birthday was spent Makiliciously~ :D hehe.
May you enjoy~ XD
The sounds of bells ringing, people moving and chattering and festival music was the background, while the sound of a plastic spoon stabbing into shaved ice every few seconds before being eaten and the mouth going “mm~” and “ah~” the foreground to a certain redhead’s ears.
Violet eyes blink once as she has been watching her girlfriend downing ten bowls of shaved ice on their Summer Festival date. Her girlfriend was on the sixth bowl now; Maki is amazed.
…
Maki blinks again, but nothing changes. The gingerhead sitting beside her and enjoying the cold dessert with that blissful smile was still right there. The girl shakes her head and her orange-brown tresses fell from her shoulders to rest on her back instead.
She’s just eating and I can’t help but think she looks so pretty…ugh…
The redhead lowers her gaze to the rubble they were seated on. She was never fond of being straightforward and honest. So when her thoughts are all messed up because of her love for her senior, she can’t help but groan and whine about it to herself.
I wonder if it’ll be weird or bad to start a conversation while she’s eating…
Maki raises her line of sight only to be enraptured by the blue of Honoka’s eyes; it could just be the lamp’s doing or the festival light contrasting with the night’s darkness, reflecting in Honoka’s eyes. But regardless of the scientific reason, it didn’t change the fact that Maki loves those blue hues.
“I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified…” Maki accidentally spouts and she clams a hand over her mouth, searching Honoka worriedly for signs of disgust or upset.
“Eh? Why?” Honoka simply blinks twice, confused as to why Maki would be terrified of loving her. Honoka loves her and isn’t scared at all.
Ah… Figures Honoka wouldn’t think negatively when it comes to love…
Maki shifts her gaze to the shaved ice lined up beside Honoka then back to the gingerhead; letting Honoka think it’s the food that’s concerning Maki at the moment. This isn’t entirely a lie since the first-year does find the amount of shaved ice Honoka is consuming right now rather ridiculous.
“Ah, don’t worry. I won’t eat you up too, Maki-chan~”
“I wasn’t thinking that.” The redhead sends the glutton a soft glare before averting her gaze again, her cheeks reddening.
And I don’t mind if you want to eat me…
Maki looks to Honoka taking another big scoop of ice down with a blissful “Mm~”. And she sighs softly through her nose.
What am I even thinking of?
Honoka gets her girlfriend’s attention back on her with a question. “Then what are you thinking of?”
Earnest blue eyes stare at all of Maki which makes Maki’s lips twitch upwards, breaking her aloof exterior. It didn’t stop Maki from trying to cover up the love she has for Honoka that keeps threatening to overflow, however, as she makes up a “thought” to tell. “If I’ll still love you when you’re huge, fat and slow.”
“Ehhh~ You’ll stop loving me just because I’m a little fat, Maki-chan?? That’s so mean!” Honoka pouts then gobbles down the current bowl of shaved ice before putting it aside to free her hands, that now tugged at Maki’s arms.
Maki turns away, smiling.
Of course not.
“Maybe.”
“Maki-chaaaaaannn..!” Honoka puffs her cheeks out as she rocked Maki back and forth, back and forth, whining. A giggle vibrates out of Maki, though Honoka doesn’t notice from being so loud.
I’m afraid I can only keep loving you more and more from now, Honoka.
“Maki-chaaaann, even though I’ll love you even if you’re fat!”
The pianist’s lips pull higher at that but responds in a passive tone. “I won’t get fat, Honoka.”
Will you grow sick of my love for you someday?
“I meant if! If Maki-chan grew fat, I’d still love Maki-chan. If Maki-chan grew out your hair, I’d still love Maki-chan. And if Maki-chan grew smarter, I’d still love Maki-chan!” Honoka’s outburst of…confessions make Maki’s face grow hot and be the colour of her favourite food.
“S-Stop that, Honoka… You’re being too loud.” Maki opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish; part of her wants to scold Honoka and the other part of her wants to admit her true thoughts to Honoka, and just tell her how much she loves her.
G-Guess I was overthinking things..? Honoka is an idiot…An idiot that loves this big idiot…
Maki the big idiot puts her hand over Honoka’s that was holding her arm.
Warm…
When that made Honoka quiet and smiling jubilantly at her, Maki blushed harder and pushed Honoka’s hands off her hurriedly. “Eat your shaved ice, Honoka.”
Honoka laughs happily and does as told.
Idiot…
“I love you, Maki-chan.” Honoka says; clear and genuine.
Maki’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Honoka – Honoka who lifted the bowl up to cover her face, the bowl wasn’t large enough to cover all of her beautifully blush-covered cheeks, and the way Honoka’s blue eyes held a meek and sincere shine made Maki’s heart skip beats.
Maki sighs loudly. She doesn’t conceal her lopsided grin directed at Honoka who was still looking her way. “Eat your shaved ice, Honoka…”
Honoka giggles shyly and eats her shaved ice.
Author Notes
Maki had nothing to be terrified of, did she? :)
I had a few scenarios. Confession scenario, married HonoMaki scenario, Honoka says it scenario, and well, this. XD It took me a while to decide which I wanted to write…:’)
Hope you like this, parana! :D
Hope everyone who read this enjoyed the read~ ^w^
HonoMaki is so cute~ Maki being dishonest never gets old, and is never not endearing~ :D
Leave me a comment if you like! (There’s like…4 bowls of shaved ice to go? XD)
