Yukito & Erin Maki's Apartment

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"It's not like that, you know," Yukito said seriously, "It can't be. Just having her around, and knowing she might touch me in the wrong way... it's hard enough for me. Besides, I wouldn't want to ruin this for us."

Cassie stared. "So you mean...you guys haven't done it?" Yukito's face went hot, and he glared at the string of lights in his hands. Did she have to put it so bluntly? She clamped an embarrassed hand over her mouth, looking as surprised at her words as he was."Oh, God. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to say that...at all...I'm so sorry. It's just...everyone at school is..."

Yukito frowned deeply, his forehead crinkling from the effort of leveling his temper. "I know what they're saying, but it doesn't mean **** to me. It never did. And you should know that everyone at school always got me wrong, anyways..." Except for the selfish jerk part. That was pretty accurate.

"I should never have said anything in the first place...I'm sorry, Yukito. If I could remember it in Japanese I would say it..." She looked down, twisting a strand of lights around her finger. Yukito scowled, fussing with the tangles that had now developed in his hands and trying to toss them at a specific spot on the tree. "Just forget it.." he growled. It's not her business, anyways... it's between Erin and I, so why does everyone else have a comment to make about it? He turned over to actually look at her face, surprised by the expression he found there. He was angry that she'd totally bought into the idea of what 'everyone at school' was saying, but he also saw how torn she felt. After all, he was the boyfriend who'd taken Erin away from her, right?

"Cassie?" he started quietly, "I don't know what I said, but.. it probably didn't come out how I meant it. I'll let you hit me, if you want to..." It was a lame attempt at making amends, but he'd never been very practiced that, anyways. It was mostly for Erin, and...well...he couldn't very well use the same tactics with Erin's best friend as with Erin herself. His blush intensified, and for the hundredth time he wondered if he hadn't come as messed up from his dad as he was, just how true the rumors at school would have been right now.

"I'm fine. Really. Just...this is weird for me."

It grew quiet then, and the tree eventually got lit-up by the colorful strands. Breaking the silence with as metaphorical a depth as he could get into while still having a scarlet stripe across the middle of his face, he asked, "Why? Why is it weird and awkward all the time, I wonder? Seems like nothing is ever as easy as it sounds."

"Well," Cassie began quietly, "first...you can't really blame anyone for thinking that. It kinda goes hand in hand with living together, that's what everyone's gonna assume." Another deepened frown crossed his face, morphing into a scowl.

"I heard that assuming just makes an a--"

"But it's also awkward because we kissed. And because I don't even know if you've told Erin yet." Her words shut him up quickly and sent another, deeper blush on his cheeks. Cassie was not supposed to be able to make him blush this much, and he knew for certain it was totally visible on his face. He turned from her to reopen a box that had ornaments in it. They were all new and heavily detailed, and he ran his thumb across the gold engraving on one for a moment before answering her in a petulant tone.

"No, I haven't told her yet. Don't you think she would have mentioned something to you if she knew?" He hung the ornament on the tree. Yes, Erin would definitely have something to say to Cassie, no matter how he painted it. He would be lucky if she forgave him without leaving visible marks on him. Though the invisible marks were obviously longer-lasting... His expression fell into a guilty one for a moment. I can only hope she'll forgive me. Or forgive us.... He shook himself, trying to will away the pressure in his head.

Two more ornaments went on as he muttered, "This should have been our second Christmas together. But she thought I was using her as a shield to cover up how I felt about Blair, and I was too stupid to just tell her otherwise. So I didn't celebrate Christmas." He sighed. "I decided not to tell her until after this first Christmas. I don't want to lose our first one again. Even if she never thinks of you or me the same afterward... we have this Christmas. You know?" He sent Cassie a determined look. "I don't want to mess up any of our other first ones either. So people can think what they want, but Erin is the exception, like she always is. And I'm always trying to make things up to her, and I'd like her to at least have a freakin' Christmas without being mad at me."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

This wasn't the way that Cassie had wanted it to turn out. It was as if everything she said was backfiring on her, making this whole decorating escapade ten times harder than it had to be. Why did life always have to be this way? Why couldn't things just work out okay for once? Not right, not perfect, just okay? What was so difficult about that?

Because it's me, that's why. This is me we're talking about. And when I'm concerned, life just doesn't work that way, does it?

"I know what they're saying, but it doesn't mean **** to me," Yukito said darkly. "It never did. And you should know that everyone at school always got me wrong, anyways..."

Cassie stared at him. "I never said it meant anything to me either," she said levelly, slightly offended. "I never said I believed them. I thought what I thought for totally different reasons. Just because I hear them talking about it and they ask me about it doesn't mean I hold them to be the definitive authority or something. They don't know anything. They never do. They just think they do." She sighed heavily. "I should never have said anything in the first place...I'm sorry, Yukito. If I could remember it in Japanese I would say it..." She focused on mummifying her finger with a strand of lights, twisting it as tight as it would go.

"Just forget it.."

"Gladly," Cassie muttered.

A few moments of silence passed before Yukito made a fumbling attempt at an apology, one which Cassie accepted with a lame excuse about how the whole situation was strange and foreign to her. More silence, and then, "Why? Why is it weird and awkward all the time, I wonder? Seems like nothing is ever as easy as it sounds."

"Well," Cassie began quietly looking down and releasing her poor index finger. It throbbed as the blood started flowing back, turning from purple to red back to peachy-pink again. She shook it hard to relieve some of the pain. "First...you can't really blame anyone for thinking that. It kinda goes hand in hand with living together, that's what everyone's gonna assume."

Her words didn't help Yukito's sour mood at all. "I heard that assuming just makes an a--"

Cassie scowled. "Yeah, I know that saying. It's one of my dad's favorites. Anyway...But it's also awkward because we kissed. And because I don't even know if you've told Erin yet."

She cringed as her words sent another silence through the room, this one like a hurricane bearing down on both of their heads. Yukito immediately busied himself with hanging ornaments, and Cassie followed suit, opening up the packaging of one she'd bought almost as a joke, a glass sushi roll one. She hung it up on the tree and reached for more to hang up, this time more sentimental: The carved wooden Nativity scene one, and the Christmas stars with their birthstones. Yukito and Erin, sapphire and opal. September and October. She'd never realized how well they fit together like that before.

"No, I haven't told her yet," came Yukito's voice. "Don't you think she would have mentioned something to you if she knew?"

Cassie only shrugged.

"This should have been our second Christmas together. But she thought I was using her as a shield to cover up how I felt about Blair, and I was too stupid to just tell her otherwise. So I didn't celebrate Christmas. I decided not to tell her until after this first Christmas. I don't want to lose our first one again. Even if she never thinks of you or me the same afterward... we have this Christmas. You know? I don't want to mess up any of our other first ones either. So people can think what they want, but Erin is the exception, like she always is. And I'm always trying to make things up to her, and I'd like her to at least have a freakin' Christmas without being mad at me."

Cassie was quiet. He was right, and she hated him for it. Erin inevitably would forgive him, but her? She was lost. Lost without any hope of a way back.

Peace on earth, goodwill to men...

"She'll hate me," she said, allowing it to sink in. "I've lost so much, I have a new house for Christmas and a new stepmother and a new sibling, and I can't sleep at night without waking up screaming and I've lost the picture-perfect Christmas I always took for granted and I can't lose her, too, Yukito, I can't..." She sucked in a shaky breath, staring at the ornaments in her hand.

"Look for the ones with y'all's names on them. Those are special," she said in a tiny voice.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I know what they're saying, but it doesn't mean **** to me," Yukito said darkly. "It never did. And you should know that everyone at school always got me wrong, anyways..."

Cassie stared at him. "I never said it meant anything to me either," she said levelly, "I never said I believed them. I thought what I thought for totally different reasons. Just because I hear them talking about it and they ask me about it doesn't mean I hold them to be the definitive authority or something. They don't know anything. They never do. They just think they do." She sighed heavily.

"Then why did you even mention them?" He couldn't resist growling under his breath, turning from her. But the frustration didn't last very long, and awkward apologies laid stagnant on the air instantaneously after being voiced.

"Anyway...But it's also awkward because we kissed. And because I don't even know if you've told Erin yet."

This sent them both into another long silence, which Yukito had to admit were easier to slip into than any conversation they could have right now. Both started hanging ornaments in the quiet, and Yukito wished he'd had some music playing in the background, at least. But his choices wouldn't be very Christmas-like...

"No, I haven't told her yet," he said at last, "Don't you think she would have mentioned something to you if she knew?"

Cassie only shrugged.

"This should have been our second Christmas together. But she thought I was using her as a shield to cover up how I felt about Blair, and I was too stupid to just tell her otherwise. So I didn't celebrate Christmas. I decided not to tell her until after this first Christmas. I don't want to lose our first one again. Even if she never thinks of you or me the same afterward... we have this Christmas. You know? I don't want to mess up any of our other first ones either. So people can think what they want, but Erin is the exception, like she always is. And I'm always trying to make things up to her, and I'd like her to at least have a freakin' Christmas without being mad at me."

Cassie was quiet. He put another ornament on the tree, of an elaborate cross that he was sure mingled a few eras, and turned to her, his hands held helplessly at his sides.

"She'll hate me," she said. He stared at her quietly, not sure if he was feeling surprise or agreeing. "I've lost so much, I have a new house for Christmas and a new stepmother and a new sibling, and I can't sleep at night without waking up screaming and I've lost the picture-perfect Christmas I always took for granted and I can't lose her, too, Yukito, I can't..." She sucked in a shaky breath, staring at the ornaments in her hand.

"Cassie..." he started, too quietly for her to hear.

"Look for the ones with y'all's names on them. Those are special," she said in a tiny voice.

"Cass..." he muttered, a little louder, reaching out to slowly take the ornament out of her hand. "The only things you listed off are things that you've gained. You gained a new family, and a new house, and the nightmares. They weren't there before...they hadn't been a possibility for you. And the Christmas thing? I don't know... I always had weird Christmases, so all I can say is that each one is different. Family to family, house to house, year to year.." He hung the ornament on the tree, struggled for a minute with getting it to stay, then moved his hand back slowly, testing it, "You gained a new perspective on it, is all. No Christmas is gonna be perfect, I don't care what you call it." He stepped back from the tree to gain another ornament, digging through the box still as though he was picking among broken glass. "I'm not gonna lie and say she's not going to be totally ticked at you. But I don't think she's capable of really hating anybody. Not really. We have to give her credit, she can get pretty hurt and angry." He crossed his arms, giving up for a moment his ornament pursuit, and looked at Cassie for a moment. "I don't think she could hate you. But this isn't going to be easy." He sighed, ran a hand across his face. "It never is.. is it?"

He lapsed from his little speech, turning back to the decorating, until he saw the little sushi ornament on the tree. He sent it a confused look, doing a double take, then arching one eyebrow. With a little smirk he looked toward Cassie, pointing at the ornament. "Really, now?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"This should have been our second Christmas together," Yukito explained, sounding far more logical than Cassie felt she could deal with. She wasn't logical or rational by nature, not in the slightest. And yet... "But she thought I was using her as a shield to cover up how I felt about Blair, and I was too stupid to just tell her otherwise. So I didn't celebrate Christmas. I decided not to tell her until after this first Christmas. I don't want to lose our first one again. Even if she never thinks of you or me the same afterward... we have this Christmas. You know? I don't want to mess up any of our other first ones either. So people can think what they want, but Erin is the exception, like she always is. And I'm always trying to make things up to her, and I'd like her to at least have a freakin' Christmas without being mad at me."

His words made sense--so much sense that Cassie wanted to slam his head against a wall. Once again, he was being the thoughtful one, with Cassie left behind as the villian. She honestly didn't know if she could handle this, not right now...he was thoughtful and courteous and just what Erin needed. Of course she would forgive him. Of course she would take his side.

"She'll hate me," she said, as if the thought had just occured to her. Which, in a way, it had. When Yukito didn't interrupt her or protest or anything, she continued. "I've lost so much, I have a new house for Christmas and a new stepmother and a new sibling, and I can't sleep at night without waking up screaming and I've lost the picture-perfect Christmas I always took for granted and I can't lose her, too, Yukito, I can't..."

She thought she might have heard him say something, but she wasn't sure.

"Look for the ones with y'all's names on them. Those are special," she told him, sounding helpless, hopeless, lost.

"Cass..." he said, gently taking the ornament from her. "The only things you listed off are things that you've gained." Cassie stared at him, not comprehending. "You gained a new family, and a new house, and the nightmares. They weren't there before...they hadn't been a possibility for you."

"I lost my ability to draw," Cassie whispered, blinking back tears. "I haven't drawn anything since it happened. Nothing. I've lost my creativity, Yukito. I lost the person I used to be. I don't know who I am anymore. And I don't think that'll ever change. I'm less trusting. I hate to be touched, and I used to love hugs. What's your trigger spot, Yukito? When you freak out when people touch you the wrong way? For me it's my shoulders, because he held me there and I couldn't move. My shoulders and...below." She shook her head, her breathing shallow and uneven. "I can't sleep. I...I wake up screaming, and then I run to the shower and get in in my pajamas and I turn the water on full-blast, scorching hot. As if I can wash away the memories, or even burn them away. And I have scratches all along my arms. I give them to myself when I'm asleep and I don't even know it, because in my dreams I'm always trying to get away, and fight back."

"And the Christmas thing? I don't know... I always had weird Christmases, so all I can say is that each one is different. Family to family, house to house, year to year..You gained a new perspective on it, is all. No Christmas is gonna be perfect, I don't care what you call it." But I want it to be. "I'm not gonna lie and say she's not going to be totally ticked at you. But I don't think she's capable of really hating anybody. Not really. We have to give her credit, she can get pretty hurt and angry. I don't think she could hate you. But this isn't going to be easy." He gave a sigh. "It never is.. is it?"

Cassie shook her head, watching him catch sight of the little sushi roll ornament. A strange expression came over his face, almost disbelief. "Really, now?"

"I thought you'd like it," she said, a little defensively. "You can't have them all relating to Jesus and Christmas and stuff, can you? I also ordered a bunch of music-related ones for you two." Digging through the box, she held up one of the ornaments she'd been in pursuit of--the red glass ball, shiny and reflecting her distressed face back at her, with Yukito's name written across it in white script, just like hers at home. "There," she said. "We have these at my house, and I wanted you to have them too. For you and your new family, too, whenever that happens. Erin has one too. And I got you personalized stockings. But the ornaments are the most special. Erin's I found really easily, but I had to special-order yours, since they usually only have really common names." She held it out to him, a makeshift peace offering.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Cass..." he said, gently taking the ornament from her. "The only things you listed off are things that you've gained." Cassie stared at him, not comprehending. "You gained a new family, and a new house, and the nightmares. They weren't there before...they hadn't been a possibility for you."

"I lost my ability to draw," Cassie whispered, blinking back tears. "I haven't drawn anything since it happened. Nothing. I've lost my creativity, Yukito. I lost the person I used to be. I don't know who I am anymore. And I don't think that'll ever change. I'm less trusting. I hate to be touched, and I used to love hugs. What's your trigger spot, Yukito? When you freak out when people touch you the wrong way? For me it's my shoulders, because he held me there and I couldn't move. My shoulders and...below."

She shook her head, her breathing shallow and uneven. He didn't answer her. He had his response, all ready and waiting on the edge of his tongue. But he really didn't know if she wanted to hear it. Or if she did, if he was capable of getting it out. “So?” he started, his voice low. “You'll be able to draw again. I can promise that.” He paused, looked back at the tree, “I mean, I didn't do anything for several weeks, much less touch an instrument. I almost gave up music entirely because of that night.” I'd almost given it up before that, of course, but..it was different, afterwards. It's connected with him. But I learned that it isn't connected with only him. There are parts that he'll never be able to touch when it comes to music. Even if I got it from him.

"I can't sleep. I...I wake up screaming, and then I run to the shower and get in in my pajamas and I turn the water on full-blast, scorching hot. As if I can wash away the memories, or even burn them away. And I have scratches all along my arms. I give them to myself when I'm asleep and I don't even know it, because in my dreams I'm always trying to get away, and fight back."

He nodded, “I know.” Looking away from her, he put the ornament on the tree and quickly hid his hands in his pockets. “I once broke my arm from trying to escape through my window because my dad was in the house.” He shrugged, "And the Christmas thing? I don't know... I always had weird Christmases, so all I can say is that each one is different. Family to family, house to house, year to year..You gained a new perspective on it, is all. No Christmas is gonna be perfect, I don't care what you call it. I'm not gonna lie and say she's not going to be totally ticked at you. But I don't think she's capable of really hating anybody. Not really. We have to give her credit, she can get pretty hurt and angry. I don't think she could hate you. But this isn't going to be easy." He gave a sigh. "It never is.. is it?"

Cassie shook her head, watching him catch sight of the little sushi roll ornament. He sent her an amused look, "Really, now?"

"I thought you'd like it," she said, a little defensively. "You can't have them all relating to Jesus and Christmas and stuff, can you? I also ordered a bunch of music-related ones for you two." Digging through the box, she held up one of the ornaments she'd been in pursuit of--the red glass ball with his name written across it in white. An ironic color for font, if ever he thought of one. "There," she said. "We have these at my house, and I wanted you to have them too. For you and your new family, too, whenever that happens. Erin has one too. And I got you personalized stockings. But the ornaments are the most special. Erin's I found really easily, but I had to special-order yours, since they usually only have really common names." She held it out to him, a makeshift peace offering. He smiled softly, reaching out to take it from her.

“It's actually a pretty common name, in Japan..but I appreciate the effort, and I know Erin will go giddy over it...” he looked down at the ornament, thinking on what Cassie had called this.. 'you and your new family'... could it really happen? A new family, with plenty of its own problems, but hopefully, just maybe, they could be surpassed to something better than he would have ever imagined.

He glanced up at her face, “It's my stomach, okay?” he whispered, “That's where he pinned me down. Any hugs I get, they bother me. Annoying people who like to poke or grab on to you as they talk to you...I avoid them like the plague. Which makes 'Erin and I' a very confusing thing for me to deal with...” he reached up and slipped the ball onto the tree, and it immediately looked like it belonged. A curios thing. “I've already asked her to deal with a lot...but she stays. That's a big deal, you know? She's stays, and she tries to understand, even if I push her away. And I'm getting much better with her to help me than I ever did on my own. Way better.” He let out a sigh. “I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't forgive us for this. I need her.”

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

“So?” Yukito said. Cassie's mouth dropped open, and she went as if to glare at him, but he continued. “You'll be able to draw again. I can promise that. I mean, I didn't do anything for several weeks, much less touch an instrument. I almost gave up music entirely because of that night.”

Cassie shrugged, looking down to dig through the box once again. "It's been a lot longer than a few weeks for me, though. It's been almost six months," she said quietly. "And I know that sounds stupid because it's been so much longer with you, but...I don't know, Yukito, to me you just seem so much more with it than I am, you know? I can't sleep. I...I wake up screaming, and then I run to the shower and get in in my pajamas and I turn the water on full-blast, scorching hot. As if I can wash away the memories, or even burn them away. And I have scratches all along my arms. I give them to myself when I'm asleep and I don't even know it, because in my dreams I'm always trying to get away, and fight back."

“I know. I once broke my arm from trying to escape through my window because my dad was in the house.”

Cassie winced. "Ouch," she commented, getting quiet for a second. "But with the shower thing...I'm getting better. I've been seeing a therapist, you know, her name is Laura, and...and I guess she's been helping me. But I haven't been doing that so much anymore. I haven't even had to do it in the past few weeks or so. But the nightmares, and the scratching my arms? I still can't seem to stop that from happening."

"And the Christmas thing? I don't know... I always had weird Christmases, so all I can say is that each one is different. Family to family, house to house, year to year..You gained a new perspective on it, is all. No Christmas is gonna be perfect, I don't care what you call it. I'm not gonna lie and say she's not going to be totally ticked at you. But I don't think she's capable of really hating anybody. Not really. We have to give her credit, she can get pretty hurt and angry. I don't think she could hate you. But this isn't going to be easy. It never is.. is it? Really now?" he said, his last comment being directed towards the sushi roll ornament Cassie had just hung.


"I thought you'd like it. You can't have them all relating to Jesus and Christmas and stuff, can you? I also ordered a bunch of music-related ones for you two." After a few unsuccessful minutes of searching for said music-related ornaments, she held up Yukito's name ornament, looking at it thoughtfully. Yukito. Cassie. Erin. Three almost identical Christmas ornaments, but with three very different names for three very different people...with very different stories. "There. We have these at my house, and I wanted you to have them too. For you and your new family, too, whenever that happens. Erin has one too. And I got you personalized stockings. But the ornaments are the most special. Erin's I found really easily, but I had to special-order yours, since they usually only have really common names." She gave him the ornament.

“It's actually a pretty common name, in Japan..but I appreciate the effort, and I know Erin will go giddy over it...”

"Make sure you hang it in the front, it's what we always do." She winced again. "God, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm trying to give you a carbon copy of my Christmases and I shouldn't. Hang them wherever you want. Erin's should be around somewhere." Her thoughts wandered to the pocket of her jacket, where the ornament she had yet to give them sat waiting. The car ornament from her parent's wrecked marriage, the Precious Moments one...that one that she considered the most important of all.

“It's my stomach, okay?” he whispered, and Cassie looked up. “That's where he pinned me down. Any hugs I get, they bother me. Annoying people who like to poke or grab on to you as they talk to you...I avoid them like the plague. Which makes 'Erin and I' a very confusing thing for me to deal with...I've already asked her to deal with a lot...but she stays. That's a big deal, you know? She's stays, and she tries to understand, even if I push her away. And I'm getting much better with her to help me than I ever did on my own. Way better. I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't forgive us for this. I need her.”

"Yukito, you've got to give her a little more credit than that," Cassie said with a faint smile. "She loves you. She's gonna forgive you. Trust me." She paused. "So, no hugs, huh? So, if I share a special bonding moment with you or something, should we, like, fist-bump?" she asked, a feeble attempt at a joke. "And I know what you mean. People can't even grab my hand or arm or anything like that without me flying off the handle. I cussed out my poor pregnant stepmother yesterday because she grabbed my arm, and she was just trying to get my attention while I had my headphones on." She shook her head. "I felt horrible about it."

She stepped back to look up at the tree. "How's it looking so far?"

[Elda Forever]

OOC: I'm thinking this would be a good point for Erin to drop in. What do you think, Pops? > D BIC:

Yukito Maki

“So?” Yukito said. Cassie's mouth dropped open, appalled by his apparent lack of sympathy. Unfortunately, Cass, I'm not good at the whole cry-on-my-shoulder thing. You should know that. But his mind flashed to how Erin had reacted when he had been the one breaking down, and he tried to reflect more gentility in his tone. “You'll be able to draw again. I can promise that. I mean, I didn't do anything for several weeks, much less touch an instrument. I almost gave up music entirely because of that night.” He unknowingly was making it sound less than it was. The words 'I waited a year to tell anyone' sounded so dramatic and unnecessary to her cause. I

Cassie shrugged, looking down to dig through the box once again. "It's been a lot longer than a few weeks for me, though. It's been almost six months," she said quietly. He was tempted to ask her why any timeline really mattered in something like this. Especially after eight years and feeling like he'd gotten nowhere. "And I know that sounds stupid because it's been so much longer with you, but...I don't know, Yukito, to me you just seem so much more with it than I am, you know?" Yukito gave a harsh snort at that. He'd never seen holing himself up in his head as being 'with' anything. But that was part of it, wasn't it? He closed himself off and didn't say much, so everyone though he was either smarter than he actually was, or was full of himself... "I can't sleep. I...I wake up screaming, and then I run to the shower and get in in my pajamas and I turn the water on full-blast, scorching hot. As if I can wash away the memories, or even burn them away. And I have scratches all along my arms. I give them to myself when I'm asleep and I don't even know it, because in my dreams I'm always trying to get away, and fight back.

“I know. I once broke my arm from trying to escape through my window because my dad was in the house.” Cassie winced, even though there was so much more the statement that he didn't add. She winced from the little she could imagine, and he was sure she wouldn't want to hear about the rest of it. The memories flashed through his mind of the hospital room with the barred window, the fact that the days had blurred and flown by too quickly to be normal because he'd been sedated. There weren't words for the feeling of vulnerability and exposure in those weeks, the fear of eyes, of the eyeball-burning lights, not to mention the fear of the questions and the tightly-gloved hands. His face went grave and harsh as carved stone.

"Ouch," she commented, getting quiet for a second. "But with the shower thing...I'm getting better. I've been seeing a therapist, you know, her name is Laura, and...and I guess she's been helping me. But I haven't been doing that so much anymore. I haven't even had to do it in the past few weeks or so. But the nightmares, and the scratching my arms? I still can't seem to stop that from happening."

Yukito didn't say anything, biting his tongue from muttering about how he didn't care in the least what her therapist's name was. But he knew the embittered thoughts in his head were stirred by his own experiences, and not Cassie's. If she wanted to believe in that kind of thing, then he'd go ahead and let her. "Yeah...they say time's a healer. I'm still waiting for that." His eyes caught sight of an amusing ornament, and the conversation picked up for a few moments, until the ornaments Cassie had bought with their names on them came up.

"There. We have these at my house, and I wanted you to have them too. For you and your new family, too, whenever that happens. Erin has one too. And I got you personalized stockings. But the ornaments are the most special. Erin's I found really easily, but I had to special-order yours, since they usually only have really common names." She gave him the ornament with his name on it, and he gave a little smile as he took it from her.

“It's actually a pretty common name, in Japan..but I appreciate the effort, and I know Erin will go giddy over it...”

"Make sure you hang it in the front, it's what we always do." She winced again, but this time almost as though she had been struck. Yukito didn't move, his face passive as he watched her and waited for an explanation. "God, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm trying to give you a carbon copy of my Christmases and I shouldn't. Hang them wherever you want. Erin's should be around somewhere."

He could feel Cassie's nervousness, and decided to break hers with a little of his own. “It's my stomach, okay?” he whispered, and Cassie looked up. “That's where he pinned me down. Any hugs I get, they bother me. Annoying people who like to poke or grab on to you as they talk to you...I avoid them like the plague. Which makes 'Erin and I' a very confusing thing for me to deal with...I've already asked her to deal with a lot...but she stays. That's a big deal, you know? She's stays, and she tries to understand, even if I push her away. And I'm getting much better with her to help me than I ever did on my own. Way better. I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't forgive us for this. I need her.”

"Yukito, you've got to give her a little more credit than that," Cassie said with a faint smile. "She loves you. She's gonna forgive you. Trust me."

There was no response from him. He wanted to believe her, more than anything. But it went against everything he had learned in life before. Everything he had come to believe, with himself, with people...

"So, no hugs, huh? So, if I share a special bonding moment with you or something, should we, like, fist-bump?" she asked, attempting to lighten the mood with her comment - because their previous discussion wasn't exactly Christmas-y anyway. He sent her a look, arching a playful eyebrow.

"Please...don't."

"And I know what you mean. People can't even grab my hand or arm or anything like that without me flying off the handle. I cussed out my poor pregnant stepmother yesterday because she grabbed my arm, and she was just trying to get my attention while I had my headphones on." She shook her head. "I felt horrible about it."

Before answering her, Yukito turned to gaze off into the distance, seeing again the yellowed hospital room, and himself against the wall. Dark hotel rooms. His mother, with the fearful eyes and the pleading voice that strained to sound comforting to him. Yes, there were definitely times he had hurt her. And he wasn't so sure it was only with his words. "I don't know if it would be better or worse if I remembered my nightmares... There's no way for me to know what I've done, and I'm sure none of it was pretty. I suppose it's a selfish thing, but the only thing we can do is hope and pray they'll forgive us, and know it isn't really us that's doing it.."

She stepped back to look up at the tree. "How's it looking so far?"

Yukito moved to stand beside her, following her gaze to the twinkling lights and dozens of decorations that had somehow found their proper place among the prickling pine needles. "She's going to go absolutely giddy over it. But I think we could add some of that tinsel-stuff..." He reached behind him to pick up one of the packages of it they'd pulled out earlier, opening it up as he added, "I'm willing to take turns vacuuming it up until next July if it makes it just a bit shinier for her..." His eyes flickering up to Cassie, Yukito moved on impulse and suddenly dropped a huge handful of the tinsel in Cassie's hair, rubbing it in until it entangled in the red locks and letting his chuckle grow into a laugh. "Well, we know you're not going to star in Twilight anytime soon...sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you don't do so well with sparkles.."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"I once broke my arm from trying to escape through my window because my dad was in the house.” Cassie gave what she hoped was an apologetic wince, mentally cursing and kicking herself. It seemed that every time she thought that she had it worse off, that all of Yukito's problems seemed at least on the surface to be completely behind him while hers were still fresh, he would bring up something like that. Cassie didn't know what she would do if she were to be confronted with a sighting of Mike on the street one day or something, but she wasn't sure whether or not she would risk physical harm to get away from him. The whole thing made her feel selfish, worthless, a horrible friend to Yukito to make him relive things like that. But you're the only one who really understands, aren't you? I just...I don't know how I can do this without making both of us feel ten thousand times worse than we already would. But I wish I did.

"Ouch," she said sincerely. "But with the shower thing...I'm getting better. I've been seeing a therapist, you know, her name is Laura," at this, she thought she saw Yukito pull a face, and she realized she was rambling once again about things no one cared to know about. She continued, slightly faster, "and...and I guess she's been helping me. But I haven't been doing that so much anymore. I haven't even had to do it in the past few weeks or so. But the nightmares, and the scratching my arms? I still can't seem to stop that from happening." Did your nightmares ever stop? Even for one night?

"Yeah...they say time's a healer. I'm still waiting for that." His voice sounded skeptical, and together they turned the conversation back to the topic of Christmas ornaments, with Cassie finally unearthing the elusive personalized ones she had ordered for Erin and Yukito. "Make sure you hang it in the front, it's what we always do." She winced again, but this time almost as though she had been struck. Yukito didn't move, his face passive as he watched her and waited for an explanation. "God, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm trying to give you a carbon copy of my Christmases and I shouldn't. Hang them wherever you want. Erin's should be around somewhere." Cassie knelt to dig through the boxes again, her face coloring.

“It's my stomach, okay?” Yukito said after a while, causing Cassie to look up at him. “That's where he pinned me down." She nodded, understanding immediately lighting in her eyes. "Any hugs I get, they bother me. Annoying people who like to poke or grab on to you as they talk to you...I avoid them like the plague. Which makes 'Erin and I' a very confusing thing for me to deal with...I've already asked her to deal with a lot...but she stays. That's a big deal, you know? She's stays, and she tries to understand, even if I push her away. And I'm getting much better with her to help me than I ever did on my own. Way better. I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't forgive us for this. I need her.”

This might have been the most vulnerable Cassie had ever seen him, but she couldn't be sure. "Yukito, you've got to give her a little more credit than that," she said in her best effort to reassure him. "She loves you. She's gonna forgive you. Trust me." He didn't respond, and she continued, trying once again to lighten the mood. "So, no hugs, huh? So, if I share a special bonding moment with you or something, should we, like, fist-bump?"

A raised eyebrow was her only response for a moment, followed by a, "Please...don't." She gave a shrug at that. "And I know what you mean. People can't even grab my hand or arm or anything like that without me flying off the handle. I cussed out my poor pregnant stepmother yesterday because she grabbed my arm, and she was just trying to get my attention while I had my headphones on." She shook her head. "I felt horrible about it," she admitted.

Yukito paused. "I don't know if it would be better or worse if I remembered my nightmares... There's no way for me to know what I've done, and I'm sure none of it was pretty. I suppose it's a selfish thing, but the only thing we can do is hope and pray they'll forgive us, and know it isn't really us that's doing it.."

"Yeah," Cassie agreed quietly, getting back to her feet and taking a few steps backwards in order to get the full effect of the Christmas tree. "How's it looking so far?"

"She's going to go absolutely giddy over it. But I think we could add some of that tinsel-stuff..." Yukito said, reaching for a package. Cassie laughed. "There's still so many ornaments though...look at all the boxes! And more decorations and lights, and..."

"I'm willing to take turns vacuuming it up until next July if it makes it just a bit shinier for her..." She laughed again, but stopped abruptly as Yukito dropped a handful of tinsel in her wavy hair, moving it around until it became all snarled up and, for all intents and purposes, permanently stuck. "Hey!"

"Well, we know you're not going to star in Twilight anytime soon...sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you don't do so well with sparkles.."

"Oh, your words, they wound me," Cassie said drily, grinning as she threw a handful of them at Yukito. "Careful, you might not want to mess with me. I grew up with an older brother, I am not afraid to tackle you to the ground until you are just as sparkly as me." She laughed, punctuating her words with another tinsel attack.

[GGJ5]

OOC: Mascii volunteered me to go ahead and send Erin in.... hope that's okay. :3 BIC:

Erin Spenser

Shopping had taken her longer than she'd thought it would. Going by herself made it super easy to get distracted. They had all the Christmas stuff out, and she'd wandered up and down the green and red sparkling aisles, gazing with longing at so many of the decorations, of the pieces of Christmas she and Yukito would miss out on this time around. Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully more years would come, and they would have their chance for a Christmas. Erin had even tried to skimp enough on food to get some of the less expensive stuff she'd looked at. A little fiber-optic tree, two stockings, tinsel and lights.... but it wasn't working. She already had to skimp on the food just to get what they really needed-- apparently, shopping skills weren't as developed as she'd estimated.

Finally, letting go of the attempts to squeeze some Christmas out of the grocery budget, Erin loaded up the back seats of Yukito's car and headed back home. Grabbing a couple of the bags, Erin scampered up to the door and pulled it open, then freezing in surprise, her mouth agape and eye wide.

The little home looked filled to the brim with more sparkling Christmas objects than Erin could have possibly gotten at the supermarket even if she'd had unlimited funds. The smell of the gorgeous, full tree hit her before the sight registered. It was absolutely resplendent. And in the middle of it all was Cassie, hair glittering from tinsel, tossing some of the stuff at Yukito. The quick rise of giddiness she'd felt at the onset of entering the room evaporated, leaving her flabbergasted. Why did it look like her best friend and her boyfriend were having way too much fun without her? Why did it look like they'd just been sharing a moment... without her... The tree even had its angel on top, and it wasn't even finished decorating yet.

Her face fell.

"What are you doing?" Erin asked, her tone injured. "You... you were... doing it all without me..." Sadly, she ran her fingers along the needles of the tree. "You're not supposed to put the angel on first.... it's supposed to go on last... Why didn't you wait for me?" Guilt welled up more, then, only making her feel worse. Cassie had done this for them... why did she feel so miserable about being left out of it? Because it's our first Christmas and you left me out of it... "How come y'all are all tinsel-y, anyway?" she tacked on with a pout.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

She stepped back to look up at the tree, and asked, "How's it looking so far?"

"She's going to go absolutely giddy over it. But I think we could add some of that tinsel-stuff..." Yukito said, reaching for a package.

Cassie laughed., "There's still so many ornaments though...look at all the boxes! And more decorations and lights, and..."

"I'm willing to take turns vacuuming it up until next July if it makes it just a bit shinier for her..." he said, instead of telling her that he thought there were already way too many ornaments on the poor dead tree anyways. Then, with a smirk, he cut off her laughter with a handful of tinsel in her hair, rubbing it in so it became entangled.

"Hey!" her jaw dropped open in surprise, making him laugh aloud.

"Well, we know you're not going to star in Twilight anytime soon...sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you don't do so well with sparkles.."

"Oh, your words, they wound me,"Cassie said drily, grinning as she threw a handful of them at Yukito. He tried to duck, but the ammo spread out to divide and conquer, and he knew some had gotten stuck in his hair. "Careful, you might not want to mess with me. I grew up with an older brother, I am not afraid to tackle you to the ground until you are just as sparkly as me." She laughed, punctuating her words with another tinsel attack. He leapt away, taking the open tinsel box with him and going to hide around the other side of the tree.

“Holy crap, no! I am not going sparkly!” he shouted, tossing half the remaining box at her in one twisted mess, ducking to avoid getting glittered, then adding, “And you can't make me!”

Just then, the door opened, and Yukito froze as Erin walked in unexpectedly, bags in her hands, face full of shock and her mouth agape. Yukito looked back over at Cassie, feeling a cold shift from the relaxed moment to unbearably guilty so abruptly he had whiplash. “Erin..” he began, glancing down a the tinsel in his hands. “I, uh..” One look at her face and he knew that this wasn't right. This was totally wrong, and instead of a giddy squeal or happiness, he was getting something very, very different.

"What are you doing?" Erin asked, her tone injured. "You... you were... doing it all without me...You're not supposed to put the angel on first.... it's supposed to go on last... Why didn't you wait for me?"

As she moved forward, brushing the colorfully-adorned branches, he tried to explain, sounding as remorseful as he felt, “We were going to surprise you with it all being done when you got home. Cassie didn't want you to go without Christmas, and neither do I, so we....” He trailed off, hopeless to make it better because he wasn't quite sure what they'd done wrong. He got the vibe he shouldn't have done it without telling her first, though.

"How come y'all are all tinsel-y, anyway?" she tacked on with a pout. Yukito didn't really have an answer for that one, but he reached up to pull the tinsel out of his hair, looking numbly at it.

“Ehh...tinsel has a natural attraction to hair, I think...?” he mumbled, uncertainly adding, “Erin, I'm sorry...if you want, we could take it all off and start over.”

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"There's still so many ornaments though...look at all the boxes! And more decorations and lights, and..." Cassie said, amused that Yukito thought they were finished already. And not just for the tree, there's stuff for the entire apartment, even the first house of a Christmas village for them! I love those things. Cassie thought of her own Christmas village, beautiful little houses that lit up when plugged in and depicting Victorian Christmas scenes, set up on display at Christmas. Cassie's family's own resembled more of a Christmas metropolis than a village, and she wanted Erin and Yukito to share in that. Why? Because I'm pathetic and borderline creepy, apparently, that's why. I hate this, I really do. Why can't I just stop hovering and let them have their own freaking Christmas already?

"I'm willing to take turns vacuuming it up until next July if it makes it just a bit shinier for her..." Yukito said, opening up a package of tinsel before attacking Cassie's head with it, rather ruthlessly. "Hey!" Thanks, that'll never come out of this mess, thanks a lot...

"Well, we know you're not going to star in Twilight anytime soon...sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you don't do so well with sparkles.."

"Oh, your words, they wound me," Cassie said, more sarcastic than she usually was she served Yukito a taste of his own medicine. "Careful, you might not want to mess with me. I grew up with an older brother, I am not afraid to tackle you to the ground until you are just as sparkly as me." He darted away from her, but she was too quick for him, grabbing his arm for a second before letting go as if burned. "God, sorry!"

“Holy crap, no! I am not going sparkly! And you can't make me!”

Cassie laughed. "Oh yeah? Well--"

And then Erin was there, and the mood of the room vanished in a flash. Erin was looking upset and Yukito started stammering an explanation as if they had been doing something wrong instead of something special for her, and Cassie just stood there, wanting to shrink small enough so that she could fit into one of the boxes and hide. "What are you doing? You... you were... doing it all without me...You're not supposed to put the angel on first.... it's supposed to go on last... Why didn't you wait for me?"

Yukito sounded guilty. “We were going to surprise you with it all being done when you got home. Cassie didn't want you to go without Christmas, and neither do I, so we....”

"Yukito said it was okay," Cassie piped up, her voice sounding hurt and slightly childish. "And at my house the angel always goes on first...so you can plug it in with the lights without messing up the ornaments!"

"How come y'all are all tinsel-y, anyway?" Erin accused. Cassie felt her face go crimson as she frantically tried to pick the sparkly pieces from her hair, to no avail. See?

“Ehh...tinsel has a natural attraction to hair, I think...? Erin, I'm sorry...if you want, we could take it all off and start over.”

Cassie took a step forward. "Erin, I'm really sorry...should I just go now? Yeah. I think I should...I'll just go..." her voice choked on the word 'home' as she shrugged into her jacket.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

“Erin..” Yukito started, and Erin felt her irritation with him welling. With both of them. How could they do all this without her?! “I, uh..”

"What are you doing?" Erin asked, injured. "You... you were... doing it all without me...You're not supposed to put the angel on first.... it's supposed to go on last..." She touched the tree sorrowfully, her fingers running across the little needles. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

“We were going to surprise you with it all being done when you got home. Cassie didn't want you to go without Christmas, and neither do I, so we....”

She cast him a glare. That's not what I meant, and you know it.

"Yukito said it was okay," Cassie said defensively, only making the guilty feeling worsen. And she hated feeling guilty like that. It only served to irritate her more. It wasn't that she didn't like what Cassie did, it's that Cassie was the one to decorate with Yukito for their first Christmas, and she was messing up all the traditions! "And at my house the angel always goes on first...so you can plug it in with the lights without messing up the ornaments!" she added, as though Erin's opinion didn't matter.

"How come y'all are all tinsel-y, anyway?" Erin accused, sending a leery glower toward the sparklies around them both. Yukito plucked a piece between his fingers, as if he had been unaware of it earlier.

“Ehh...tinsel has a natural attraction to hair, I think...?" She rolled her eyes at him and dropped all her new bags onto the little counter. "Erin, I'm sorry...if you want, we could take it all off and start over.”

"No, Yukito, I don't want you to take it all down," she replied quickly, pouting. "It's just--" she paused, gave an exasperated breath, gesturing to everything. "I love it... I do... but you didn't even ask me..."

Cassie took a step forward. "Erin, I'm really sorry...should I just go now? Yeah. I think I should...I'll just go..." She sounded like she might cry as she shrugged into her jacket, and Erin winced, biting her lip. "Cassie, stop it, just stop!" She stepped in front of her friend stubbornly. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I did mean it when I said I loved it, I love Christmas and I love that you wanna do this with us. I do. I just thought I was gonna do it with you... so we could make our own Christmas together, since it's our first..." For some reason, this whole thing was making her all flustered and upset and feeling like she might cry, maybe because Cassie sounded like she was. "Cassie, I dunno, I'm psycho about traditions or something like that, I dunno, I'm weird, and I'm sorry, I just-- I thought I would be able to help set it all up, so it would be special... Please don't go, okay?"

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Let's wrap this up soon, guys! BIC:

Yukito Maki

"How come y'all are all tinsel-y, anyway?" Erin accused, sending the offending articles a glare as Yukito pulled some out of his hair.

“Ehh...tinsel has a natural attraction to hair, I think...?" he muttered lamely, making her roll her eyes and drop her bags in the kitchen. Worried, he hovered behind her, unsure of what to do or say. "Erin, I'm sorry...if you want, we could take it all off and start over.”

"No, Yukito, I don't want you to take it all down," she replied quickly, pouting. "It's just--" she paused, gave an exasperated breath, gesturing to everything. "I love it... I do... but you didn't even ask me..."

His hands dropped to his sides in defeat - he had no excuses now. Just a feeling of remorse. Cassie took a step forward. "Erin, I'm really sorry...should I just go now? Yeah. I think I should...I'll just go..." Yukito sent her an apologetic look - really, she was right, it had been his idea to surprise Erin, and he'd said it would be alright.

"Cassie, stop it, just istop!" She stepped in front of her friend stubbornly. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I did mean it when I said I loved it, I love Christmas and I love that you wanna do this with us. I do. I just thought I was gonna do it with you... so we could make our own Christmas together, since it's our first..."

Even when she was hurt, somehow Erin managed to do her best to make everyone feel better, while at the same time making him feel horribly guilty.

"Cassie, I dunno, I'm psycho about traditions or something like that, I dunno, I'm weird, and I'm sorry, I just-- I thought I would be able to help set it all up, so it would be special... Please don't go, okay?"

With a little defeated gesture with his hands, Yukito let out a sigh and attempted to make amends, "I'm sorry, Erin... I didn't know it was like that for you. I really didn't." That sounded so weak, and so lame. And so useless. "Do you want to do the rest with us?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

She'd done it again. She'd tried so hard to make things right again and had once again only succeeded in making them worse. Her newfound strength and optimism from before had all but vanished, leaving Cassie feeling more fragile than the glass ornaments twinkling merrily on the boughs of the Christmas tree. Everything seemed so fragile these days--fragile like their relationships, fragile like Cassie's family, fragile like the very ground they walked on. It's happening again, I know it! That feeling again...like we're all balancing on a freaking tightrope and if any one of us steps the wrong way, we'll all fall.

And I really, really don't want to have to fall again.

"Erin, I'm sorry..." Yukito told the very put-out Erin gently, clearly at a loss for what to do. "if you want, we could take it all off and start over.” Cassie's heartbeat quickened. But we worked so hard and it looks so pretty...it's not fair...

No, Yukito, I don't want you to take it all down," came Erin's disdainful reply, making Cassie feel stupid as well as worthless in Erin's eyes. She was obviously feeling left out, but Cassie had no idea how to fix it for her. Erin...can't you just let me share this Christmas with you, just this once? Can't you see I need this just as much as you do? Can't you...

"It's just--I love it... I do... but you didn't even ask me..."

This was too much. Cassie felt like she was intruding on something she was never meant to see, and that fact scared her. She needed to get out. She couldn't take much more of this. "Erin, I'm really sorry...should I just go now?" she asked tentatively. "Yeah. I think I should...I'll just go..." She made as if to leave as she threw on her jacket, wishing the lining could protect her from the coldness she cold feel emanating from Erin. Erin blocked her way immediately, making Cassie look up. "Cassie, stop it, just stop! Look, I'm sorry, okay? I did mean it when I said I loved it, I love Christmas and I love that you wanna do this with us. I do. I just thought I was gonna do it with you... so we could make our own Christmas together, since it's our first...Cassie, I dunno, I'm psycho about traditions or something like that, I dunno, I'm weird, and I'm sorry, I just-- I thought I would be able to help set it all up, so it would be special... Please don't go, okay?"

Cassie nodded softly. "It's my fault too--my Christmas is going to be so different this year, and I thought if I gave y'all the Christmasses I've always had, I wouldn't feel like everything was changing all around me. So I did, thinking I could share it with you...I should have realized it was stupid...I'm sorry." Her voice broke again.

"I'm sorry, Erin..." Yukito chimed in, apparently feeling as though he too had something to apologize for even though all he had done was attempted to make a nice surprise for his girlfriend for the holidays. "I didn't know it was like that for you. I really didn't. Do you want to do the rest with us?"

That did it--a tear slipped down Cassie's cheek. She wiped it away immediately, sniffling. "God, I'm sorry--I'm such a baby sometimes! I'm really really sorry, Erin...and I wanted to give y'all something else too. I was saving it for later, but I guess now's a good a time as any."

Gently, she took the ornament from her jacket pocket, peeling back the tissue she'd wrapped it in to reveal the Precious Moments bride and groom in their car, the words 'Our first Christmas together' displayed proudly across it. "I just...really wanted you to have this. Just, um...ignore the year, please? I didn't have time to fix it."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Cassie, I dunno," Erin tried to explain, desperate to make up for her poor reaction and to keep the whole thing from unraveling too quickly. It was just... hard... "I'm psycho about traditions or something like that, I dunno, I'm weird, and I'm sorry, I just-- I thought I would be able to help set it all up, so it would be special... Please don't go, okay?"

Cassie nodded softly. "It's my fault too--my Christmas is going to be so different this year, and I thought if I gave y'all the Christmasses I've always had, I wouldn't feel like everything was changing all around me. So I did, thinking I could share it with you...I should have realized it was stupid...I'm sorry."

She sounded like she was about to cry, and it wasn't doing much to make Erin feel better. "Don't say that," she responded quickly, firmly. "It wasn't stupid. It was sweet, I'm just..." She sighed, her words falling heavy on her tongue. I'm just a dramatic freak. I'm just a spoiled brat who likes things my way. I'm just too freaking impulsive for you to handle me. I'm just here to ruin your fun. I'm just--

"I'm sorry, Erin..." Yukito's voice drew her attention to him. "I didn't know it was like that for you. I really didn't. Do you want to do the rest with us?"

After a moment of hesitation, Erin nodded, trying her best to ignore the feeling at the back of her mind that in this scenario, she was the kid everyone else wanted to pacify. It was really an awful feeling, mostly because it felt true. She was just about to speak when Cassie cut in, now really crying. Not heavily or anything, but still.

"God, I'm sorry--I'm such a baby sometimes! I'm really, really sorry, Erin..." Erin wanted to tell her to stop, that it was okay, that she just overreacted-- again, and that she was sorry even if she really had been hurt by being left out, and by all her traditions being forgotten. But nothing came out, and Cassie plunged on. "And I wanted to give y'all something else too. I was saving it for later, but I guess now's a good a time as any."

That peaked her curiosity, despite the guilty feeling and ignored feelings still brewing inside her. "What?" she asked as Erin peered closely at Cassie's fingers unwrapping a little ornament. Despite herself, or maybe in spite of herself, a smile immediately began to grow on her face at the sight of the little couple in the car. It was a bride and groom. And Cassie was giving it to them. All the ideas behind the little figure made her face light up. A little sound of glee, and Erin's fingers wrapped around the ornament as she took to examining it with delight.

Cassie was saying something. "...really wanted you to have this. Just, um...ignore the year, please? I didn't have time to fix it."

"Our First Christmas Together," she read aloud and heard the thickness in her voice, giggles welling up inside her and spilling out a bit. "Look, Yukito!" she squealed, running to his side and lifting the figure close to his eyes. Erin was laughing more freely now. She turned back around to Cassie and gave her friend an excited hug, still clinging to the little ornament. Just as quickly, Erin turned back to Yukito and pulled him into a kiss. "You put it on the tree," she said, handing him Cassie's gift and bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. Then she kissed his cheek for good measure.

Erin turned around and started pulling things out of boxes. "Okay, let's use all this stuff! Ooh, I like this one," she bubbled, strategically placing a new ornament on the oversized tree.

'Our first Christmas together...!'