Yukito & Erin Maki's Apartment

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He felt her eyes on him the whole time as he painted his face into a different person. Yukito was the analytical of the group, the unofficial leader, and he looked to himself to try harder than the others, to perfect everything first so they could follow his example. The band had been his chance for control, to lead their direction. And he wanted it to be their absolute best, which meant he'd gone a little overboard sometimes. When they'd decided - mostly by his vote - to go more Visual Kei, it had been more for a dramatic, expressive effect that he was sure they could project some of that extra energy into. He also had to admit they weren't an ugly bunch. For the most part. And fans love costumes, so what was the harm? Eventually he'd fallen in love with it, more than the other members. Hence his eerie skill with the numerous tools at his fingertips.

He still felt Erin's eyes on him as he finished, a changed face for her to see. "It's not the same without the hair, and the costume... and... yeah.." He shrugged.

"Y'all did all that for every show?" Erin asked incredulously. He smiled a little.

"Yeah...pretty much. Some days we'd do more, some days less. Once in awhile we went on just as ourselves, without characters or extras, but even then you have to have your bases, compensating for the lights and such." Another shrug.

"Man... why don't we do any of that?" She giggled, reaching over to examine more of his supplies. He chuckled a little. "What else did y'all do?"

Instead of actually answering, he slipped off the bed and dug through a pile of books until he found an edition of Shoxx magazine from last year. "It's about making a certain look or aura. An expression of something. Ours wasn't as feminine as some, but it was kinda... young, if that makes any sense. It was more like... we were trying to find a place for ourselves, but we'd already come with so much from before. And it's tough to find a look that seemed to say that." Yukito offered her a smile, then looked down at the makeup kit. "Want me to try it out on you?"

He lifted one shoulder, holding the magazine out to her while he crawled back onto the bed beside her. She leaned against him "I wish I could've seen y'all play... You should play with us, like, officially."

Yukito smiled down at her. "I'd like that."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Y'all did all that for every show?" Erin asked incredulously. It earned her a faint smile.

"Yeah...pretty much." Wow...! "Some days we'd do more, some days less. Once in awhile we went on just as ourselves, without characters or extras, but even then you have to have your bases, compensating for the lights and such." Another shrug.

Erin, however, found the ideas all totally fascinating. It was like a whole new dimension added to the music. A total sensory experience or something like that, only way less stupid-cheesy sounding. "Man... why don't we do any of that?" She giggled, reaching over to examine more of his supplies. He chuckled a little. "What else did y'all do?"

Instead of actually answering, he slipped off the bed and dug through a pile of books until he found what he was looking for. A magazine. A music magazine, she could see from the cover. "It's about making a certain look or aura. An expression of something. Ours wasn't as feminine as some, but it was kinda... young, if that makes any sense. It was more like... we were trying to find a place for ourselves, but we'd already come with so much from before. And it's tough to find a look that seemed to say that."He looked over at her, catching her in a moment of daydreamy expression, and she laughed a little. If she could only listen to him go on and on just like that. A different part of him sparked up when he got on talking about music, about his band, about his old friends even. And the way he was talking about this now, it made her profusely curious. She wondered if he would be willing to go on all night talking about his music to her.

Yukito offered her a smile, then looked down at the makeup kit. "Want me to try it out on you?"

Her expression lit up at the suggestion. "You can do that?"

Yukito offered her the magazine, which she immediately began examining excitedly. The entire premise of the genre as Yukito described was fascinating. For the most part, her definition of genre was nearly entirely rooted in sound, but his was so much more dimensional. It had intrigued her immediately, and now her eyes darted between Yukito and the pages in her hands. He sat back down, and she leaned happily against him. "I wish I could've seen y'all play... You should play with us, like, officially."

Yukito smiled down at her. "I'd like that."

For what seemed the millionth time that day, Yukito managed to elicit a squeal from Erin, and another very happy hug tight around him. Then she sat back and grinned at him. "Okay, my turn."

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Sample images of Shoxx magazine: Enjoy! BIC:

Yukito Maki

"What else did y'all do?" Her utterly unabashed curiosity about this part of life he was revealing to her was somehow so amusing to him. Eagerly she inspected all the pencils and brushes, and she was eerily quiet as he explained to her about the ideals he saw behind Visual Kei.

"It's about making a certain look or aura. An expression of something. Ours wasn't as feminine as some, but it was kinda... young, if that makes any sense. It was more like... we were trying to find a place for ourselves, but we'd already come with so much from before. And it's tough to find a look that seemed to say that." He looked over at her. She had a strange expression on her face, that brightened in laughter moments after he caught her eye. He smiled at her, then looked down at the kit. "Want me to try it out on you?"

Her expression lit up at the suggestion. "You can do that?"

Yukito smirked at her, "Only if you have a face." He offered her the magazine, with its dark figures inside glaring up at them. She immediately started going through it. The emotional stares and elaborate outfits tried to convey something exotic and unaccepted by millions. It was a part of his world he hadn't been able to show Erin, because there was never the right time to try and explain what it meant to him. She leaned against him with a sigh.

"I wish I could've seen y'all play... You should play with us, like, officially."

Yukito smiled down at her. "I'd like that." The response allowed another happy scream from Erin. He just grunted into the tight embrace she captured him with. When she sat back, he was shaking his head and grinning, rubbing the sore bits. "Okay, my turn."

"Alright then, but you have to hold still until I'm done..." He gave a meaningful tug on the magazine, hoping she could be distracted with it at least until he got through most of his task. Yukito himself paused, studying her face and looking for a spark of inspiration. After a moment he grabbed a brush, lightly held up her chin with his hand, and started work with a base color.

"We should probably call Cassie...let her know we're alive or something..." he mumbled out of nowhere, then chuckled as he added, "Hold still. You can't talk while I'm doing this." He stuck his tongue out at her and continued. Her eyes would be the most striking part of it, so he practically went with no lip color at all. "Close your eyes," he ordered quietly, painting her lids darker and darker. Her eyelashes were lengthened and thickened, surprising him since he didn't think they could. The dark purple and black was emphasized with a lighter-purple. He made the long, smooth strokes of eyeliner beneath her eyes, reaching all the way across to connect the painted artwork on her skin. He mumbled, "Open," and smiled as her brown eyes appeared again in a different light than before. The stark contrast was indescribably beautiful. "Wow..." he breathed, "Very hot."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Want me to try it out on you?"

"You can do that?" she asked, the excitement blatant in her voice.

Yukito smirked at her. "Only if you have a face."

Giggling, Erin retorted, "Oh, well, guess that leaves me out. This is all a mask." She puckered her lips and poked her cheek by "demonstration."

Accepting the magazine from him, Erin immediately began perusing it eagerly. When he sat down beside her, Erin leaned over to him and told him, "I wish I could've seen y'all play... You should play with us, like, officially."

Yukito smiled down at her. "I'd like that." Thrilled, Erin let out another squeal of glee and sprung a hug on him before sitting back and grinning at him. "Okay, my turn."

"Alright then, but you have to hold still until I'm done..."

"I will!" she promised with another little laugh, glancing back down at the magazine. Maybe she was biased-- okay, so she was biased, but Erin felt sure that Yukito's handiwork made many of the magazine shots pale in comparison.

"We should probably call Cassie..." Yukito mentioned as he started powdering her chin. Wow... this is kind of funny... my boyfriend is putting makeup on me better than I could myself... Ha ha! Awesome! "Let her know we're alive or something..."

"Oh, yeah!" she started, remembering Cassie's request. "Where's your phone? Oh! Where's my phone?"

Yukito chuckled. "Hold still. You can't talk while I'm doing this."

Erin was about to protest, then realized she would just be giving him more ammunition. So she just grinned instead as he continued, only pausing for a moment to stick his tongue out at her.

"Close your eyes," he ordered quietly, and Erin followed. Meanwhile, her fingers twirled in the hem of her shirt, then the cloth of the bed and back again until he finally was finished. "Open."

Again, she obeyed, opening her eyes to see him watching her intently. She smiled expectantly. "Wow..." he breathed, "Very hot."

Erin smiled smugly. "So I've heard." She giggled before hastening to her feet, grabbing Yukito's hand, and tearing off to the bathroom to see herself in the mirror.

"Wow." She looked totally different. And it was all from Yukito's hand. It was awesome. What she wouldn't give for a decent camera to capture their picture together right now. "I need my phone!"

She darted back into the bedroom to fetch the phone, then came to a halt at Yukito's side. "Come closer," she prodded, until their faces were directly side by side. She glanced upwards at the camera angling down to them with her best mimicry of a stoic model's expression, and snapped the picture.

Turning the screen back to her, Erin grinned at the satisfactory result. "I'm gonna share this with Cassie!!" she chirped, nailing the buttons quickly with her thumb. Then after it was sent, she actually called her friend.

"Cassie! Did you get the picture I sent you? You need to look at it! Yukito did that!" She laughed, linking her arm in Yukito's and pulling him back into the bedroom, to the bed. ...Their bed? Wow...

"Yukito was talking to me about stuff with his old band and everything, and then we decided he's gonna be a real part of our band, and tomorrow he said we can go shopping and get stuff for our kitchen and everything!" she gushed, tugging a little on Yukito as she spoke. "You know he's been trying to live off of pizza and coke? Can you believe that? He said tomorrow we can actually get real food and I can make whatever I want. You wanna talk to him?" Erin held up the phone to Yukito.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Okay, my turn."

"Alright then, but you have to hold still until I'm done..."

"I will!"

"We should probably call Cassie...Let her know we're alive or something..."

"Oh, yeah! Where's your phone? Oh! Where's my phone?"

"Hold still. You can't talk while I'm doing this."

It wasn't a quiet little moment, but it was a fun little moment, just the same. Yukito smiled at her upturned face as she stuck out her tongue at him. He returned the gesture, brushing across her face slowly. "Close your eyes," he ordered quietly, and Erin obeyed, fidgeting all the while. It reminded him of seeing her childhood pictures. She must've been ADD even then. It would've been cute, then. It was still somehow cute in her, with all her eagerness contrasting his own stoic behavior. He wondered if it was even possible for him to act like that, all bouncy and excited. I think I'll just let Erin do it for the both of us. "Open." The brown eyes flickered into view again, and he stared at her, inspecting the handiwork with an approving eye. She smiled expectantly, making something in his stomach clench. "Wow..." he breathed, "Very hot."

Erin smiled smugly. "So I've heard." She managed to giggle before tugging them both to the bathroom for her to see. They looked so strange in the mirror, with their street clothes and dramatic makeup. Yukito, of course, wouldn't have been able to recognize his own face if he hadn't painted it like this a million times before. With Erin, however, it was different than he thought it would be. "Wow." Yukito smiled. It was the sort of eloquent comment he would have made. In fact, it was the comment he had made moments ago.

"Not quite a super-power, but fun, nonetheless..." he managed before she raced off, calling out, "I need my phone!" Yukito rolled his eyes and trailed behind her yet again. It was becoming a sort of habit of his. "Come closer," she prodded, until their faces were directly side by side. He didn't have to look very far upwards at the camera, tilting his head a little towards Erin and staring at up at the phone with a blank look, as if he had just noticed it there but had expected it all along, and had something to express in the glance. The small indication of a picture being taken made them both sift to look at the photo. Erin beamed.

"I'm gonna share this with Cassie!!" she chirped, punching buttons frantically.

"I want one of just you..." he told her, reaching to his pocket for his own phone before realizing that he had forgotten it in the living room. Not only that, but his stupid go-phone couldn't take pictures anyways. "Can I take it on your phone and send it to mine?" Hers would have the best quality, anyways. Erin was already calling Cassie with news. He was sure she would reassure Cassie in her own way that they had made it safely and were settling in.

"Cassie! Did you get the picture I sent you? You need to look at it! Yukito did that!" She laughed, linking her arm in Yukito's and pulling him back to sit on the bed. He loosened her hold enough to let him fall backwards onto the mattress, hearing the slight groan of the futon from the bottom of it. "Yukito was talking to me about stuff with his old band and everything, and then we decided he's gonna be a real part of our band, and tomorrow he said we can go shopping and get stuff for our kitchen and everything!" She was tugging on him a little.

"We have to talk to the other members first, you know..." he pointed out gently, smiling. "They do have some sort of say in that. I just said I wanted in, too." Hopefully we won't have Trent trouble. Or Yukito's-done-it-again trouble...

"You know he's been trying to live off of pizza and coke? Can you believe that? He said tomorrow we can actually get real food and I can make whatever I want. You wanna talk to him?" Erin held up the phone to Yukito. He sent her an amused look and took the phone, lying back on the bed as he pressed it to his ear.

"Hey, Cass? Yeah...she's a little excited..." He glanced over at Erin and stuck his tongue out at her, reaching over to tickle at her side while she was still in reach. "I wanted to let you know that we're alright. We just have a lot to do...the place is pretty empty right now."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

They hadn't called. Why hadn't they called? Cassie had waited. And waited. And waited. And still, they had forgotten her, had gotten so wrapped up in their new wonderfully perfect life together that they had forgotten that a person called Cassie even existed. What had she done to deserve that? All she had wanted was for Erin to stay a little longer, and she'd gotten taken away from her. And left alone. Helpless Cassie, alone again.

Kristen hadn't come home yet, even though she should have by now. Cassie had no idea where her sister was--how long did it take to finish a test at school, anyway?--and the house was silent as Cassie stared at her Calc homework, her pencil poised at the top of the blank sheet of paper. She had stayed in this position for at least half an hour, waiting--it had been her original idea to finish her homework while she waited for Erin and Yukito to "get settled--Cassie wasn't even sure she knew what they meant by that--but she still had yet to start a single problem. The words and numbers in her textbook blurred before her worried eyes, melting together until they might as well have been Swahili for all the sense they made to Cassie's eyes. Come on, you two...where are you?! Call me! You promised you would! Don't you remember that? Don't you remember me?

Another fifteen minutes and still nothing. It had started to grow dark in Cassie's bedroom, but she made no move to turn on a light. She remained staring at her book, waiting. Waiting for a call that might never come.

Cassie jumped about a foot in the air when her phone rang. With shaking hands, she opened it, trying not to drop it onto the floor. "Hello?"

There was no answer. Cassie took the phone away from her ear to stare at it in disbelief. Was it a trick? A wrong number? Did the phones even work in their new apartment? What was going on...Cassie took a closer look at the screen. Not a phone call, then. A picture message. Before Cassie had time to look at it, the phone rang again. "Hello?!"

"Cassie! Did you get the picture I sent you?" Erin chirped. Cassie almost sighed with relief as she sank back into her desk chair, propping her elbow on the desk and resting her chin upon her hand. "No, not yet, I just--"

"You need to look at it! Yukito did that!" Before she had time to ask what Erin meant, her friend plowed on "Yukito was talking to me about stuff with his old band and everything, and then we decided he's gonna be a real part of our band, and tomorrow he said we can go shopping and get stuff for our kitchen and everything!"

"Yeah, okay, Erin, but..."

"You know he's been trying to live off of pizza and coke? Can you believe that? He said tomorrow we can actually get real food and I can make whatever I want. You wanna talk to him?" Again, before Cassie could even get a word in edgewise, she heard the unmistakable sound of the phone changing hands, and then heard Yukito's voice in her ear. "Hey, Cass? Yeah...she's a little excited...I wanted to let you know that we're alright. We just have a lot to do...the place is pretty empty right now."

"It's okay..." Cassie began. "I mean...why didn't you call sooner, though? How long have you been there? Did you..." she swallowed. "Did you forget about me or something?"

Great. Now it sounds like I'm not happy for them, which I'm really not...but I can't let them know that. Fix it, before they get mad... "No, never mind. That was a stupid question. Um...so you guys are all right over there? Anything you need me to bring you? According to Erin, y'all have no food or something...are you sure you two are gonna be all right?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I'm gonna share this with Cassie!!" It didn't take long to send the picture to her friend.

"I want one of just you..." Yukito started. "Okay!" Erin waited a second for Yukito to get his phone, then his face fell for a second. "Can I take it on your phone and send it to mine?"

"Mmhmm!" She held out her phone to him, waiting for him to snap the picture. As soon as he'd taken it, Erin took back the phone and pressed the speed-dial button for Cassie.

"Hello?!" The eagerness in the voice surprised her, and encouraged her.

"Cassie! Did you get the picture I sent you?"

"No, not yet, I just--"

"You need to look at it! Yukito did that! Yukito was talking to me about stuff with his old band and everything, and then we decided he's gonna be a real part of our band, and tomorrow he said we can go shopping and get stuff for our kitchen and everything!"

"Yeah, okay, Erin, but..." Cassie spoke at the same time Yukito was muttering to her, "We have to talk to the other members first, you know..." he pointed out gently, smiling. "They do have some sort of say in that. I just said I wanted in, too."

"Oh, it's fine, I'll take care of it," she brushed off easily, then turned her attention back to Cassie. "You know he's been trying to live off of pizza and coke? Can you believe that? He said tomorrow we can actually get real food and I can make whatever I want. You wanna talk to him?"

Erin held up the phone to Yukito. He sent her an amused look and took the phone, lying back on the bed as he pressed it to his ear.

"Hey, Cass? Yeah...she's a little excited..." He glanced over at Erin and stuck his tongue out at her, and she let out a mixture of a squeal and a laugh as he reached up at tickled her. "Yukito, stop!" She shifted, still giggling, to lay down next to him as he talked on her phone.

"I wanted to let you know that we're alright. We just have a lot to do...the place is pretty empty right now."

Erin snuggled closer against him. We, we, our, ours, us... I love this!! "Oh, Yukito!" she piped up as an idea struck her, and she sat herself up a bit with her hand on Yukito's stomach. "It'll be our first Christmas together! Oh my god!" She leaned up to give his cheek a quick kiss. "We'll have our own tree and mistletoe and stockings and I can make our cocoa and sugar cookies and gingerbread and oh my god, I'm so excited!!" She hugged Yukito again, her head on his chest.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I want one of just you..." Yukito said quietly, referring to her VK makeup job. She agreed, but he saw problems in the plan. He was beginning to sorely miss having a decent cell phone. "Can I take it on your phone and send it to mine?"

"Mmhmm!" She held out her phone to him, and he found the camera option quickly, holding it up and trying to hold it steady on her face. You're beautiful, Erin. He smiled and clicked the picture, hurrying to send it before Erin took her phone back. Moments later, he heard rock music coming from the living room. He let it ring, because Erin linked her arm in his. "Cassie! Did you get the picture I sent you? You need to look at it! Yukito did that! Yukito was talking to me about stuff with his old band and everything, and then we decided he's gonna be a real part of our band, and tomorrow he said we can go shopping and get stuff for our kitchen and everything!"

"We have to talk to the other members first, you know..." he pointed out gently, smiling from his place on the bed. "They do have some sort of say in that. I just said I wanted in, too."

"Oh, it's fine, I'll take care of it," she brushed off easily, then turned her attention back to Cassie. "You know he's been trying to live off of pizza and coke? Can you believe that? He said tomorrow we can actually get real food and I can make whatever I want. You wanna talk to him?" Without waiting for a response from Cassie, she passed the phone off to Yukito. He sent her an amused look and pressed it to his ear.

"Hey, Cass? Yeah...she's a little excited..." He glanced over at Erin and stuck his tongue out at her, and she let out a mixture of a squeal and a laugh as he reached up at tickled her. "Yukito, stop!" She tried to wriggled away from the tickle until he stopped, laying down next to him.

"It's okay..." Cassie began. "I mean...why didn't you call sooner, though? How long have you been there? Did you...Did you forget about me or something?" Yukito arched an eyebrow at the tone of her voice. She sounded kind of scared to him. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"No...we didn't." he muttered uncertainly.

"No, never mind. That was a stupid question. Um...so you guys are all right over there? Anything you need me to bring you? According to Erin, y'all have no food or something...are you sure you two are gonna be all right?"

"Well, yeah," he told her as though she shouldn't have expected anything less, "I mean, it's not gonna be easy, with Christmas coming and all, but..."

Erin snuggled closer against him, then seemed to realize what he had said. "Oh, Yukito! It'll be our first Christmas together! Oh my god! We'll have our own tree and mistletoe and stockings and I can make our cocoa and sugar cookies and gingerbread and oh my god, I'm so excited!!" She sat up, her hand pressing down on his stomach. He fought not to react, but there was no way to hide the expression on his face as he stared at her hand. When she hugged him, laying her head against his chest, he frowned, putting his own hand beneath hers like a barrier, pushing it lightly away as his stomach churned violently.

"Not my stomach, Erin..." he warned gently, trying not to move her away entirely. "Yeah, it's our first Christmas. Our first holiday in the same house.. a whole lot of scary firsts." He hoped she knew all the things he meant by that. "I'm afraid it's gonna be kinda... well, Erin.. there's not a whole lot of money, so we're gonna have to make do with little or no decorations.." Yukito met Erin's eyes with an apologetic look in his eyes. "Sorry..."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"It's okay..." she told Yukito, lying through her teeth once again. "I mean...why didn't you call sooner, though? How long have you been there? Did you...Did you forget about me or something?" She sounded whiny, like a child. Like a spoiled little rich girl who got everything she ever wanted and didn't like waiting for people. Like a spoiled little rich girl...a spoiled, lonely little rich girl. A scared little rich girl.

Which I guess I am. Even though I hate it. All of it. ALL of it.

"No...we didn't," Yukito protested. Cassie knew how to study the tones in people's voices well enough to know he was lying to her, the same way she was lying to him and Erin. It was one of those "good" lies, a lie that protected people, but it was still a lie. She sighed, trying not to show how upset she was. "No, never mind. That was a stupid question. Um...so you guys are all right over there? Anything you need me to bring you? According to Erin, y'all have no food or something...are you sure you two are gonna be all right?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, it's not gonna be easy, with Christmas coming and all, but..." Christmas. Cassie hadn't even thought about Christmas when he'd taken her away. What were they going to do about Christmas? Was Erin really not going to spend it with her family this year, just because she and Yukito were moving in together? Was she really just going to abandon her parents on Christmas?

Erin, don't do that...I wish you know how much I want to spend Christmas with my family this year. My real family, not this new one with Dad and Ilaria and a baby on the way...in a new house...for a whole week. Christmas is gonna suck this year, and you don't even know what I would give to have a Christmas like yours...

"Oh, Yukito! It'll be our first Christmas together!" came Erin's voice. It was quieter than Yukito's, at least to Cassie's ears, but Cassie's phone was high-tech enough for her to hear Erin's words clearly. "Oh my god! We'll have our own tree and mistletoe and stockings and I can make our cocoa and sugar cookies and gingerbread and oh my god, I'm so excited!!"

We'll have that too. All that and more, because Dad loves Christmas. Mom isn't even gonna decorate since we won't be here...but Dad will go all out like he always does. But it still won't be the same.

"Not my stomach, Erin..." she heard Yukito say, his words sending Cassie into a vivid blush. What's going on over there, and why are you talking about stuff like that when you're talking to me? Can you just not wait for me to hang up or something? "Yeah, it's our first Christmas. Our first holiday in the same house.. a whole lot of scary firsts. I'm afraid it's gonna be kinda... well, Erin.. there's not a whole lot of money, so we're gonna have to make do with little or no decorations..Sorry..."

Cassie drew in a breath, a little smile coming over her face. Maybe they had forgotten about her, but she was going to show them that she would never forget about them. She was going to help them in the only way she knew how.

She was going to buy them things. Because even if Cassie didn't know what her Christmas was going to be like, she could take comfort in the fact that she could give her friends a Christmas to remember.

"No, you're not," she said loudly. "Erin, Yukito, I'm gonna get you your Christmas decorations. Tons of them. And I'm gonna get you a Christmas tree. Seriously. I mean, come on. It's your first Christmas together, and that's a big deal. I'll get it. Everything. Whatever you want." She smiled more broadly. "I'm gonna give you guys the best Christmas ever. If y'all will let me, of course," she added as an afterthought.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She wished Yukito would just press the speaker button and save her the frustration of listening to half a conversation.

"Well, yeah," he was saying, about who knows what. "I mean, it's not gonna be easy, with Christmas coming and all, but..."

Erin had just snuggled up close to him, then sat up a little on her side with the excitement that came with the mention of Christmas. "Oh, Yukito! It'll be our first Christmas together! Oh my god! We'll have our own tree and mistletoe and stockings and I can make our cocoa and sugar cookies and gingerbread and oh my god, I'm so excited!!" She sat up more, using Yukito as a little lever, her hand resting on his stomach. Her stance turned into a hug, her expression fading a little as she felt him separate her hand from contact with him. Crap... I did it again to him... She wanted to kick herself every time she realized it. Erin pulled her hand back, already feeling reprimanded by his silent gesture.

"Not my stomach, Erin..."

"Sorry..." I'll never get this right... I can kiss you, but touching your stomach is bad? I can hug you, but a kiss besides on your lips or cheek is bad? I don't understand what hurts you and what doesn't... there's not even a pattern to it, and if there was, I wouldn't notice it! I'll never get this right for you... Out of fear of screwing up even more, Erin scooted back from him a bit more, sitting on her knees and watching him on her phone. I'll be better about it, really... just give me time... I'm sorry..

"Yeah, it's our first Christmas. Our first holiday in the same house.. a whole lot of scary firsts."

That made her smile a little. "Scary? What's scary about Christmas?"

"I'm afraid it's gonna be kinda... well, Erin.. there's not a whole lot of money, so we're gonna have to make do with little or no decorations.." He looked over at her, and she was pretty sure he was at least half as disappointed about it as she felt the moment the realization hit. Of course they couldn't go all out. He'd been living off of freaking pizza. And now he was going to have to halve his income to support her, too... a little twinge of guilt tweaked the inside of Erin's stomach. Because of her being there, they wouldn't have the Christmas she wanted for Yukito... Not even a tree...

"Sorry..."

Aww... How could she let herself be disappointed after all that Yukito was offering her? Erin smiled at him, shoving the disappointment to the back of her thoughts. "It's okay, Yukito, I'd take you over a stupid tree anyway." Still, she said these words to him sitting back on her knees. No way she would screw up again so soon.

Yukito was listening to what Cassie was saying on the other end. "What is she saying?" Erin prodded. "Can't you just put it on speakerphone already? Please?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Oh, Yukito! It'll be our first Christmas together! Oh my god! We'll have our own tree and mistletoe and stockings and I can make our cocoa and sugar cookies and gingerbread and oh my god, I'm so excited!!" He wished he could have been able to just focus on the bliss in her tone, the air of excitement in the air as she sat up. He didn't want to always be interrupting her joy with something like this. Erin leaned over him to hug him, her hand still pressing on his stomach and feeling like a lead weight, causing his pizza to churn ominously. Yukito could have ignored it, and in moments, he wished he hadn't said anything. His hand moved hers off his belly, and he muttered to her gently. "Not my stomach, Erin..."

"Sorry..." She said sincerely, scooting away a bit more to sit up on her knees. Despite the relief under his skin, he frowned mournfully at her. Yukito felt even more determination to overcome his fears with her, so she wouldn't be afraid to touch him in normal, innocent ways that she wanted to. He wanted her to be able to. But how was he supposed to do that?

"Yeah, it's our first Christmas. Our first holiday in the same house.. a whole lot of scary firsts." He tried to smile a little at that, and Erin followed suit, tone questioning.

"Scary? What's scary about Christmas?"

Better to be up front about it and honest, he told himself. As if he would believe that. "I'm afraid it's gonna be kinda... well, Erin.. there's not a whole lot of money, so we're gonna have to make do with little or no decorations.." He looked over, watching her face fall. You should be able to hold me, and to have a big, expensive Christmas. But it wouldn't be smart to spend a bunch of money on decorations. At least not this year. "Sorry..."

Somehow the apology brought a smile to Erin's lips, "It's okay, Yukito, I'd take you over a stupid tree anyway." He half-expected her to lean closer, but she didn't, still sitting a little distance away. He smiled.

"We'll just do something small this year or something, and we can make up next time." Yukito said with a shrug, the hand not holding the phone reaching up to play with the ends of Erin's hair that dangled down. Thanks...

"No, you're not," Cassie said loudly. He sort of wished she hadn't been on the phone for that discussion. It was like he was forcing her to listen to their problems. She didn't need that. Yukito arched an eyebrow at the phone.

"What is she saying?" Erin prodded, seeing the look on his face. "Can't you just put it on speakerphone already? Please?" Yukito didn't answer, pulling the phone away to press the speaker button. Cassie's voice crackled over the connection, but her words came through clear, as well as the conviction in her voice.

"Erin, Yukito, I'm gonna get you your Christmas decorations. Tons of them. And I'm gonna get you a Christmas tree. Seriously. I mean, come on. It's your first Christmas together, and that's a big deal. I'll get it. Everything. Whatever you want." Yukito looked over at Erin, wide-eyed. "I'm gonna give you guys the best Christmas ever. If y'all will let me, of course,"

"Aww....Cass..that would be awesome. But I dunno if we could let you could that..." All he could see in his mind's eye was dollar signs. Until he looked over at Erin. Yukito smiled more brightly, then let out a sign. "Yeah. Okay. I guess we accept..." he chuckled, "We'd appreciate that more than you know, Cassie. Seriously. This is a big deal to us."

We. Us. Ours. He liked the sound of those.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

As upset as she was, even Cassie had to smile as she heard the giddiness in Erin's voice as she detailed her Christmas plans. She sounded so happy, so childlike, so much like a little girl on Christmas morning. I remember getting that excited about Christmas...Shelby never did, since she's got that love-hate relationship with it going on, and Jake always considered himself too cool to get excited, but I always was. Is Jake even coming for Christmas this year, I wonder? He hasn't said so...I know it's awkward, but it's Christmas, and... Still, Cassie couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as she realized that when Erin said these things, she was saying that she wasn't planning on spending the holiday with her parents. What kind of a blow would that be to them, in addition to her being taken away from them like that? What would that feel like? In all honesty, probably ten times worse than any divorce could ever be. Erin was their child, didn't she remember that? Didn't she remember how important family was, especially this time of year? Was she even thinking about anyone besides herself and Yukito anymore?

If she blows them off for Christmas, I'll go visit them. And bring them presents. And hang out with them if they want me to.

And apologize for not fighting harder for her to stay with them.

"Yeah, it's our first Christmas. Our first holiday in the same house.. a whole lot of scary firsts." Cassie gave a vague nod. She didn't want to think about 'scary firsts' right now. "Scary? What's scary about Christmas?" Erin asked, her tone more distant but clear all the same.

It was then that Yukito dropped the proverbial bombshell on Erin's happiness. "I'm afraid it's gonna be kinda... well, Erin.. there's not a whole lot of money, so we're gonna have to make do with little or no decorations.." he said, his tone contrite. It was as if someone had popped a balloon labeled 'Erin's hopes and dreams', from the silence that greeted her on the phone after these words were spoken. Cassie's face fell, a perfect mirror to what she imagined Erin's face looked like right now. "Sorry..."

That's not fair...after all they've been through, they deserve a nice Christmas together. Better than nice. The perfect couple deserves the perfect Christmas, right? Isn't that how the world works, in those cheesy Hallmark movies and Christmas specials? Someone always comes in to save Christmas for those who deserve it...

"It's okay, Yukito, I'd take you over a stupid tree anyway." Erin was lying, Cassie was sure of it. It was hard to detect, but it was there--her disappointment, her guilt, everything.

Someone comes to save the day...well, why can't that someone be me?

"We'll just do something small this year or something, and we can make up next time," she heard Yukito tell Erin. She shook her head, even though she knew they couldn't see her. "No, you're not," she told them, determination evident in her words.

Apparently Erin couldn't hear her. "What is she saying? Can't you just put it on speakerphone already? Please?" On her end of the line, Cassie heard a button being pressed, presumably the speaker button, and continued.

"Erin, Yukito," Cassie said, unable to mask the smile on her face, "I'm gonna get you your Christmas decorations. Tons of them. And I'm gonna get you a Christmas tree. Seriously. I mean, come on. It's your first Christmas together, and that's a big deal. I'll get it. Everything. Whatever you want. I'm gonna give you guys the best Christmas ever." She grinned before a thought struck her. Would Yukito like the idea of her taking care of their Christmas? She knew him well enough to know that he would feel guilty if he didn't do it himself, and she also didn't know whether he would consider it charity or not. Erin, she knew, would be fine with it, but she wasn't sure about Yukito. She amended her words with an added, "If y'all will let me, of course." Please say yes.

"Aww....Cass..that would be awesome. But I dunno if we could let you could that..." It was the answer she expected, more or less. Fine, but Cassie wasn't going to go down without a fight. "Sure you can. Come on, Yukito. I want to to this. It's Christmas."

"Yeah. Okay. I guess we accept...We'd appreciate that more than you know, Cassie. Seriously. This is a big deal to us."

Cassie relaxed, a smile coming over her features once again. "Then it's a big deal to me." Discarding her forgotten math homework, she ripped a fresh sheet of paper out of her notebook and clicked her pen, scrawling 'Erin and Yukito's Christmas List' across the top of the page. "Okay. Now you've got to tell me what you want--not specifics, because I want to surprise you, but like a general idea. You said mistletoe, right? And stockings? And I already said I'm gonna get you a tree. What else? Don't be afraid to ask. I'll get it all. Anything y'all want." She already knew one thing that would be going to Yukito and Erin--a Christmas ornament that had hung on the Wright tree since before Cassie was born. It was one of those 'Precious Moments' ornaments, depicting a bride and groom in a car and bearing the words, 'Our first Christmas together' across it. It was also engraved with the year of the Wrights' marriage, but Cassie could fix that. Kristen had gone so far as to throw it away when the news of her cheating came out, but Cassie had rescued it and hidden it in her room, just in case. She took it out now, opening her desk drawer and taking it out of the box she'd put it in. So Erin and Yukito weren't married yet, but she felt they deserved this.

At any rate, they needed it more than she did, and she couldn't think of a better couple to give it to.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"What is she saying? Can't you just put it on speakerphone already? Please?" Yukito finally took the time to pull the phone away and press the speakerphone on so both could hear. "Thank you!"

"Erin, Yukito," she heard Cassie saying with conviction, "I'm gonna get you your Christmas decorations. Tons of them. And I'm gonna get you a Christmas tree. Seriously. I mean, come on. It's your first Christmas together, and that's a big deal. I'll get it. Everything. Whatever you want. I'm gonna give you guys the best Christmas ever."

As Cassie's speech progressed, Erin's excitement returned to her face at the prospect of actually having an all-out Christmas, despite what she knew would be their very frugal next few weeks-- probably months, if things worked out in their favor, actually. She knew it was a lot of weight on him now, but still, Erin couldn't help but having been a little disappointed by the idea of a meager Christmas. Cassie's offer had revitalized her temporary deflation.

"Oh my god, really?!"

"If y'all will let me, of course."

Erin's face was bright with her smile, but Yukito answered for them first. "Aww....Cass..that would be awesome. But I dunno if we could let you could that..."

"Aw, Yukito, come on, please?" He looked over at her and smiled. She grinned back, excited again. "It's just like her gift to us!"

"Sure you can. Come on, Yukito. I want to to this. It's Christmas."

"Exactly! It's Christmas!" she echoed, sitting up straighter, hands pressed against her knees.

"Yeah. Okay. I guess we accept..."

"Yes!!" Erin shouted, laughing and punching the air with both fists in "victory." It was her alternative to hugging Yukito again-- she would try twice as hard right now not to make him feel that way again. Maybe he'd be okay with it later... just not now, she guessed.

"We'd appreciate that more than you know, Cassie. Seriously. This is a big deal to us."

"Then it's a big deal to me."

"Aw, Cassie, thank you!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands tight together, and trying not to lean too far into Yukito so that Cassie could hear her well. "You're the best friend ever!"

"Okay. Now you've got to tell me what you want--not specifics, because I want to surprise you, but like a general idea. You said mistletoe, right? And stockings? And I already said I'm gonna get you a tree. What else? Don't be afraid to ask. I'll get it all. Anything y'all want."

"Aw, Cassie!" Erin called again, her tone higher pitched from her excitement. "I love you so freaking much!" She giggled. "You said mistletoe first." Then she shifted gears, remembering how Yukito didn't want to have her too close right now. Weird, since she had assumed they would be sharing this room... and the bed in it. Maybe that was a bad assumption... "And a tree-- but it can't be a tree from a box. Those don't count as real trees. And, um, oh, a wreath for our door! And um, garland and stuff for the tree and all that, and stuff we can make Christmas cookies and food and stuff like that! And, um... oh, what if we had those giant yard candy-canes, but we could put them in the windows instead? Like, in an X style, so they don't fall over but still look cool and Christmasy?" Erin paused, looking over at Yukito for his approval. "Oh, and lights! We can put lights around the door, too, right? Oh my god, I'm so excited!!" She was bouncing a little on her knees, and by now they were starting to hurt, so she shifted to sit flat and crossed her legs, still watching Yukito with a smile. "What do you want, Yukito?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Erin, Yukito, I'm gonna get you your Christmas decorations. Tons of them. And I'm gonna get you a Christmas tree. Seriously. I mean, come on. It's your first Christmas together, and that's a big deal. I'll get it. Everything. Whatever you want. I'm gonna give you guys the best Christmas ever."

"Oh my god, really?!" Erin exclaimed. Like a kid at Christmas. Yukito's jaw dropped a little bit.

"If y'all will let me, of course."

"Aww....Cass..that would be awesome. But I dunno if we could let you could that..." He added skeptically. Did Cassie know how much that could cost? Being independent made dollar signs a strange creature. And he couldn't imagine feeling in-debt to her, even if she called it a gift.

"Aw, Yukito, come on, please?" He looked over at Erin's delighted face. The clincher was Erin. How could he say, 'no, I don't want you to give my girlfriend and I a chance at a terrific first Christmas'? Knowing that this could possibly be one less thing on his list of worries, he smiled over at Erin. She beamed at him, her large brown eyes sparkling with mirth. "It's just like her gift to us!"

"Sure you can. Come on, Yukito. I want to to this. It's Christmas."

"Exactly! It's Christmas!" she echoed, sitting up straighter, hands pressed against her knees.

He sighed, as if the decision had been more difficult than it was. Didn't Erin know she could have asked once and his conviction would start to crumble? "Yeah," he gave in, "Okay. I guess we accept..."

"Yes!!" Erin shouted, laughing and punching the air with both fists in "victory."

Yukito laughed at her reaction, muttering a more quiet quote, "Yatta..." Then he turned back to Cassie, sincerity in his words, "We'd appreciate that more than you know, Cassie. Seriously. This is a big deal to us."

"Then it's a big deal to me." She responded.

"Aw, Cassie, thank you!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands tight together, "You're the best friend ever!" He smiled up at her.

"Okay. Now you've got to tell me what you want--not specifics, because I want to surprise you, but like a general idea. You said mistletoe, right? And stockings? And I already said I'm gonna get you a tree. What else? Don't be afraid to ask. I'll get it all. Anything y'all want." Yukito's eyes widened again at that one. He couldn't think of anything in that moment. Nothing. Luckily, Erin was rarely at a loss for words.

"Aw, Cassie!" Erin called again, her tone higher pitched from her excitement. "I love you so freaking much! You said mistletoe first. And a tree-- but it can't be a tree from a box. Those don't count as real trees. And, um, oh, a wreath for our door! And um, garland and stuff for the tree and all that, and stuff we can make Christmas cookies and food and stuff like that! And, um... oh, what if we had those giant yard candy-canes, but we could put them in the windows instead? Like, in an X style, so they don't fall over but still look cool and Christmasy?" She looked over at Yukito, as if for his approval. He gave a nod, trying to picture it as he glanced over at the window in the bedroom. "Oh, and lights! We can put lights around the door, too, right? Oh my god, I'm so excited!!" She was bouncing a little on her knees, then just as quickly shifted to sit flat and crossed her legs, still watching Yukito with a smile. Wordlessly, he reached up and started to tug her back down toward the spot next to him on the bed, wrapping one arm around her. "What do you want, Yukito?"

"Christmas lights hung up all around the ceiling inside," he said, "Christmas Cake... a gingerbread house... and enough tinsel that the carpet will glitter until next July."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

They had agreed. The hard part was over, and now the fun could begin: the buying. And buying, and buying. She hadn't been kidding when she had promised them the best Christmas ever, and it was a promise that Cassie intended to keep. She scrawled a few more things on her list: hot chocolate mix, and 'Bronner's', the name of the country's biggest Christmas store, located in Michigan. Cassie's family always made it a part of their trips to Michigan each summer to stop at Bronner's for the day, just wandering around and shopping in a store so big it was easy to lose a family member or two along the way. I can't go there myself, but I'll order stuff online for them. God, I wish I could take them...going there is enough to make anyone believe in a little Christmas magic. It makes me feel like a little kid.

"You said mistletoe, right?" she asked, holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder while her hands stood poised to write down their requests. "And stockings? And I already said I'm gonna get you a tree. What else? Don't be afraid to ask. I'll get it all. Anything y'all want."

"Aw, Cassie! I love you so freaking much! You said mistletoe first. And a tree-- but it can't be a tree from a box. Those don't count as real trees."

Cassie shook her head. "Nope. You're getting a real tree. The kind that has needles and smells good and makes my sister miserable because she's allergic."

"And, um, oh, a wreath for our door! And um, garland and stuff for the tree and all that, and stuff we can make Christmas cookies and food and stuff like that!" Everything Erin said, Cassie wrote down on her rapidly-growing list. "And, um... oh, what if we had those giant yard candy-canes, but we could put them in the windows instead? Like, in an X style, so they don't fall over but still look cool and Christmasy? Oh, and lights! We can put lights around the door, too, right? Oh my god, I'm so excited!!" Cassie laughed quietly, finding Erin's enthusiasm contagious. "What do you want, Yukito?"

"Christmas lights hung up all around the ceiling inside," he said immediately. "Christmas Cake... a gingerbread house... and enough tinsel that the carpet will glitter until next July."

Another laugh. "Seriously? Do you want that much tinsel? 'Cuz be careful, I'll get it for you." She wrote down the rest of the things and was about to go on when she heard the unmistakable sound of a key in the door. Her ears perked up as she strained to hear who it was. Mom?

"Cassandra? Shelby?"

Cassie smiled, going back to the phone. "Hey, listen, my mom's home. I should go. I'll get the stuff you asked for and deliver it soon, okay? If you think of anything else, let me know." She paused. "And...good luck. I'll see you later. Bye."

She hung up the phone and set the list on her desk, standing up and walking towards the door. "Mom?"

Cassie is done here, I believe.