25 days of fic days 11-15

11.            Eggnog

To be perfectly honest, Hikaru had never tried eggnog. But he was so eager to prove himself as “in touch” with Haruhi’s way of life that he had claimed it was his favorite. It couldn’t be bad, of course. He betted it was delicious. But there it sat in front of him, and there was something ominous about it. Maybe it was the fact that Haruhi would be watching him drink it and what if he didn’t like it?

She had already finished half of hers.

Pressure, pressure! Hikaru slowly brought the mug to his mouth, trying not to make eye contact with Haruhi.

The drink slid into his mouth like a slug or something, he didn’t even know. It was all he could do not to spit it out again. The grimace quickly disappeared as he forced himself to swallow and grin.

“You know, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to pretend.” Haruhi said.

“No, I- I like it.” Hikaru protested, but it was a weak argument.

He took another gulp. It slunk down his throat like a creepy uncle. That was exactly what it felt like. That creepy uncle you always keep an eye on and avoid being alone with. Slinking.

“Hikaru!” Haruhi snatched the mug away. “You’ll make yourself sick.”

“I like… I promise… creepy uncle…” Hikaru’s head was buried in his arms on the table.

Haruhi shook her head in disapproval. “I’ll get you some cocoa.”

“Thanks.” Hikaru gave up on pretending. It was stupid anyway. He didn’t have to be just like Haruhi. He just had to like her.

12.            Cider

さくらの大好きなのみものはサーイダです。さすけの大好きなのみものもサーイダです。さくらはレストランへいきます。「すみません。サーイダはありますか。」でもサーイダじゃありません。さくらとさすけはスーパーへいきます。スーパーにサーイダがあります。スーパーは学こうとしょくどの間にあります。さくらのアパートに近いです。くるまで２分ぐらいです。とてもべんりですよ。スーパーは大きいです。「すみません。サーイダはどこですか。」

「二かいです。」

「ありがとございます。」

なるとはスーパーにあります。「おはよう！」なるとのかばんは大きいです。「かばんのなかになにがありますか。」

「サーイダです！」

「なるとはサーイダが好きですか。私とさすけもサーイダが好きです。」

「ほんとうですか。」

「ええ。わたしはサーイダが大好きです。」

いまごぜん１０じです。あさです。このスーパーは有名です。にぎやかです。なるとはつまらないです。「じゃまた、なると。」

「サーイダおおねがいします。いくらですか。」

「３００円です。」「これ、３００円です。」「ありがとございます。」

さすけとさくらはえいがかんへいきます。デエトです。えいがかんはぎんこうの左にあります。スーパーから遠いです。ちょっとふべんです。さくらとさすけはえいがかんへあまりいきません。

さくらは日本人です。日本語おはなします。さすけも日本人です。さすけも日本語おはなします。アメリカのえいがが好きです。でも、えいごは分かりません。

きょうはどようび。えいがかんはしずかじゃないです。おおきくないです。どんあところですか。やすい、いいところです。さすけとさくらはきんじょが好きです。２３８人はえいがかんにあります。

13.            Peppermint

Autumn sat in her room and wondered what to do about this spinny glowy thing that was apparently a kernelsprite. You had to put something in it, right?

Well, better not be too hasty. These decisions must be made with precision. What was that timer counting down to? Thinking under pressure was stupid. It made the actual thinking stupid, and stupid things resulted. Meanwhile, she messed with her cruxite dowels and the totem lathe and the alchemiter. Taking her mind off of the subject would allow the best answer to present itself quite clearly. But the clock kept ticking. With thirty seconds left, Autumn was ready to play that cruxite pinball machine. But of course, she /had/ to prototype something, or so said the online walkthrough. In a frenzy, she dug through a pile of her dad’s books. No books. Never! She touched something plastic. Whatever it was, it was going in.

She flung the wrapper (and the candy cane inside of it) and it landed right in the kernelsprite.

Nice. She didn’t even like peppermint.

Wasn’t Christmas six months ago?

14.            Gingerbread

Amy Pond was making gingerbread men. She also made a gingerbread time lord. “That’s brilliant. I’m finally ginger!” The Doctor exclaimed.

15.            Presents

“Don’t you have any presents for me?” Kaito Kid stood on Hanabi’s balcony with a smirk.

Hanabi ignored him.

“Come on.” Kaito jumped in through the window. “Not even a firecracker?”

Hanabi creased her brow and leaned into the wires she was assembling. Kaito picked up a bunch of her long hair. Hanabi didn’t seem to notice… or care.

“Is that for me?” Kaito leaned over Hanabi’s shoulder. To her, he wasn’t there. There was nothing but the fragile system of the wires.

“Hanabi!”

Her arm acted of its own accord, her focus not breaking. She snatched a small package from her desk and shoved it in his face.

“Thanks, Hanabi!” Kaito grinned, sweeping his cape dramatically as he turned to lean against the desk. “I’m going to open it.”

Hanabi didn’t even expend the effort to grunt in acknowledgement.

Kaito knew there could be any sort of thing in here. It was probably a grenade or a self-lighting match or something. How would he evade it? The anticipation coursed in his fingers. He was ready.

Kaito opened the corner. Nothing happened. Another corner. Nothing happened. He took all the wrapping off. It was just a lighter.

It was definitely rigged. Cautiously, holding it away from himself, he flipped it open and lit it.

Nothing happened. It was just a lighter.

Kaito laughed quietly. Just a lighter. How useless. Thanks, Hanabi.