Chapter Text
It was the eve of Christmas in the Yugi estate. Amane slept in peace until there was a clatter that made him sit up straight.
He expected to be wrapped in his bed—but he was halfway in wrapping paper instead…
…..
The noise caused the boy to sit straight up from the makeshift wrapping. He looked around wide-eyed to see his room. Scanning the room, he caught sight of a bundle covered in velvet red and white fur, tangled in his homemade anti-donut thief security system.
Is that... Santa of all people?
'Did he avoid every Tsukasa trap around the house but fall for this one?' he thinks to himself.
He gets up to move but doesn't budge, looking to see himself tied in rope—and halfway wrapped in wrapping paper next to a sack of what looked like only a few presents.
Is he getting kidnapped by Santa Claus?!
The sight of a clear bottle labeled "chloroform" and a cloth lying on the floor beside his bed.
He really is getting kidnapped....
Is the jolly old man finally getting back at him and his brother for all their stunts? Sure, they weren't the nicest, and Tsukasa did drag him into kidnapping and tying up that mall Santa last year—but isn't this extreme!?
Amane starts panicking, wriggling himself a bit loose. At that same moment his ears perk up at the sound of struggle coming from the net of the so-called saint.
He squints, noticing how the person is smaller than a chubby old man.
He squints with only the limited light to further see the culprit; it was hard to tell who is in there. There was the sound of struggle and a rope braid of cream sticking out.
But he still couldn't figure it out.
It wasn't until the sound of struggle turned into a frustrated whine, "We were almost done. How could this happen now..."
That voice...
the cream and turquoise-tipped braid…
and the boots…
The boots that were wide in the ankles.
He finally puts it all together.
He goes to say something but is muffled by something over his mouth. He quickly wiggles and twists an arm out of the rope, peeling the tape off his lips. There is a momentary sting, but it is quickly forgotten.
"Yashiro?" He questions uncertain.
The figure stills, now silent. Slowly they poked their head out from the side.
"H-Hi Yugi kun..." the girl answers awkwardly.
"What are you doing in my house? And—why am I tied up like a Christmas present ready to be shipped to the North Pole?!" He cries.
"L-look, I can explain. This is a bit of a misunderstanding—the wrapping thing I am unsure about—but everything else I have a perfectly logical explanation."
"I really hope so because I don't want to call the police on you Yashiro San" he states as he uses his free hand to untie the rest of his binds. The rope falls to the floor as he stands up, brushing dust off his pajamas, getting a smile that could rival the Grinch, "Unless you were kidnapping me to have all to yourself to do dirty things, maybe?~"
At that moment the net shook, and a string of protests and name calling were exclaimed at him.
"Hey! Hey! no need to freak out; I'm not entirely against the notion or anything~" He smirks.
"You are such a pervert, you—" She swings around, trying to at least get one of her limbs free.
"Shh, calm down and stay still so I can get you out of there," he tsks, opening the closet loosening the rope.
A thud is heard as the net plopped on the wood planks.
"Ow..." Nene groans as she rubs her tailbone.
"Are you alright?" He holds out a hand to her.
"I think so..." She grabs it.
He grins, giving a chuckle.
"So what brings you into my house at this hour, Daikon Claus?~"
Her grip on his hand tightens as she yanks him down while throwing her head into his stomach.
He withers in pain, holding his torso. She now stands proud and strong. "That's Santa NENE to you!"
He springs up immediately and puts a finger to her mouth. "Keep it down. Yashiro san are you trying to wake the whole house? and Tsukasa is usually right across the hall; you are lucky he is sleeping downstairs right now."
Tsukasa was sleeping in his death trap rooms? How? Why? And how did Nene not see him when looking in?
It took them a moment to realize they were face-to-face. To which they backed up, looking away with a small tint of red on their cheeks.
"R-right, sorry, Amane-kun..." Her gloves held the hem of her dress sheepishly.
"It's fine," he fidgets with his hands.
He glanced at her, taking in her festive attire. For some reason, his heart skipped a beat. Then, he grabbed his noticeably childish-looking star pajama pants and looked around his room, filled with Godzilla figures and posters.
Suddenly that fluttering in his stomach turned to a churning, maybe even embarrassment.
Of all the times or ideas to invite her to his house, this was the farthest thing from his bingo card.
He then looks everywhere to escape the feeling of shame when he sees his former trap still lying on the floor for another. Luckily reminding him what's important right now.
"So... tell me again what you are doing here?" He questions.
"Well..." she starts.
She explains everything from start to finish.
.......
"So you are telling me... that you decided you wanted to go all out with gift-giving. Decided to try to do it like the magic man who can fit into the smallest of places, going house to house, in which you essentially searched up addresses and broke in with the help of these rabbit things, all to give someone a measly present?"
"Yes... and for the record, it wasn't a present; it was multiple. And these are more than "rabbits"; they are my helpers. And it's not breaking in if the door is unlocked and I am leaving a gift with good intention." She crosses her arms.
Amane stands silently. A moment or two goes by, then he lets out a snort, which then turns to a chuckle, which trickles into a laugh.
"Hey, what's so funny, Amane kun?" She furrows her brows.
"Nothing, nothing, it's just this entire idea of yours. Next thing you are going to tell me is that you used a sled and your helpers pulled you and your sack of goodies around the town or something," he laughs.
Nene looks away, not answering that.
"Wait, you actually did?!" He laughed more, holding his stomach.
At last he finally breathed.
"You really take the whole 'Secret Santa' to the next level," he smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Hey, I thought it would be more impactful for everyone if I did it like this." She puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms.
"Impactful? You realize they won't know it is you, right? Admit it, you only did this because you wanted to look cool."
Nene argues, denying him, "W-well not every house had presents—Tsuchigamori sensei for example, had a—"
"Wait—you went into one of our sensei's houses? And Tsuchigamori of all people?" he questions.
"W-well, yeah, but I—"
"What did it look like? Was it cold and dark? I bet he had a lump of coal in a sock," Amane chuckles.
"You're one to talk. Didn't you used to give him a hard time at one point? I wouldn't be surprised if you have gotten coal in yours." Nene chides.
Amane shakes his head at the questionable matter, "But you went into that man's house of all people?!"
"I went to other teachers too, so it's not bad; I just wanted to leave them something."
"Other...teachers?" He deadpans.
"Mhm, here." She pulls out her small book with people's names in clean writing with a check next to the ones she already visited as well as their address.
"... I hope you know this is illegal. You're giving me literal evidence that could prove you're guilty of break-ins. It's a Christmas miracle in itself you didn't get arrested already." He pinched the bridge of his nose.
Nene taps her gloves together. "B-but it's not illegal; their windows and doors were completely unlocked...oh…"
Amane just blinks.
Nene blinks.
The 2 mokke helpers sitting on her side try to blink but do more of an odd wink.
"Oh Yashiro san, whatever are we going to do with a silly girl like you? It would be a shame if you were to get stuck wearing stripes when you look so good in that red." He tsks, shaking his head.
"Uh—what?" She perks up, slightly red in the face.
Amane seemed to do just the same as he realized the words he just said, "What?" He parrots like an idiot.
He cleared his throat, narrowly avoiding a voice crack.
"So I guess I know why you're here now. Can you tell me why I woke up wrapped beside your sack?"
"That... I don't know." Nene plays with her braid.
"Oh, that's not…much of an explanation."
"Look—I was just opening my bag, and you were at the very bottom. I had no clue you were in there, nor how you didn't wake up sooner." She shakes her head. -
"Uh—I feel like this might be a good explanation." He holds up the bottle labeled 'chloroform.'
"Well, I swear I had nothing to do with this."
"I hope so because you already tried to take my donuts. I would hope you aren't trying to steal something of more value."
She pushes him playfully, removing excess wrapping paper on his pajamas.
"Hold still," she tsks.
Amane finds he can do nothing but stare at the floorboards.
As Nene goes to pull off the final pieces, she comes across...
A tag?
Nene flips it over and almost throws herself back.
To: Nene
From: your helperz
Suddenly she feels warm in the face.
Due to her panicked/confused noise, Amane perks up.
"What's the matter?"
"N-nothing!" She stutters. "I just found a tag on you."
"Oh? Did it have your name on it or something?" He jokes.
"Yes, actually..." she mumbles.
"Huh?" Amane stands frozen.
"Here, look." She gives it to him to read.
"Eh… EHHHH??!!! Yashiro YoU WERE MAKING ME YOUR PRESENT?!"
"I swear I had nothing to do with this." She shakes her head rapidly.
He stops for a moment, then leans in. "All you wanted for Christmas… was me?~", he smirks teasingly.
"This must have been one of their doing!" she exclaims, pointing at the culprits.
"Shhh, you are going to wake up my house." He covers her mouth.
They both immediately freeze and move away from each other, Amane immediately bringing his hand back.
"Right, right, sorry. I believe they need to apologize as well." She holds her helpers in her arms. , "Go on, tell him you're sorry."
"Sorry for breaking in…"
"Sorry we took you from your bed…"
"Sorry we didn't use enough sleep juice…" One squeaks.
"See, they are—" The two looked at the rabbits, more startled. Amane takes a step back. Nene follows, shielding him with her arm.
"I apologize Amane kun- they are much more naughty. I think after this they are getting no more treats."
The 3 helpers slump. "No fair." "It was just an oopsy."
"Hey, didn't you have more?"
"Right, they are, um—"
"Up here," a voice squeaks.
They look above and see a few mokke helpers stacked and…
mistletoe…
their cheeks both red as sugar plums,
Amane suddenly seemed even more aware of his room and the childish pajamas he was wearing. The chances… of all places to be stuck in the traditional evergreen, it wasn't at a party or even a night on the town bumping into her on shopping errands or ice skating; it was on Christmas Eve, in his room, while wearing the new pajamas his mom gave them both this evening…
Nene, on the other hand, was absolutely flustered; she was standing next to Amane Yugi, a longtime friend whom she told herself is all he is. She tried to at least, but somehow it was difficult. All month she has been looking to kiss a cute boy under the mistletoe, but not like this.
It was so sudden, too quick….
Under the mistletoe, a boy in star pajamas stood next to the girl acting as St. Nick.
……