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Christmas Cake





"Ishida!"

Uryuu Ishida stopped walking and turned around to see a familiar and very tall figure working his way trough the crowd towards him. It was near dinner time, so the streets were alive with people hurrying home or on their way to meet loved ones at restaurants offering holiday specials. In spite of the unexpected meeting, a small smile graced Ishida's lips at the sight of pedestrians quickly moving out of the path of his classmate. Sado Yasutora was not someone you easily overlooked, but despite the intimidating appearance, he was a shy and gentle person.

"Oy, Sado-kun, merry Christmas. Doing some last minute shopping?" he asked as the other teenager approached.

"Merry Christmas," Chad returned warmly. There was a large sack slung over his shoulder that he adjusted the weight of as he came to a stop in front of Ishida. Despite the cold evening, Chad was wearing a light denim jacket with only a red scarf tied around his neck. It never ceased to amaze Ishida how impervious his classmate seemed to be about everything, but it still made him hunker down into his white, knee-length, wool jacket for warmth.

"I was on my way to do some laundry," Chad said in his usual soft-spoken tone.

"On Christmas Eve? You're not spending it with a girlfriend or your family?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Ishida remembered that Chad didn't have any living relatives to be spending this or any other holiday with. He cringed in embarrassment, inwardly cursing himself for his stupidity. "I-I'm sorry, I forgot about..." Ishida blurted out and then trailed off as he realized there was nothing he could really say to a social blunder like that. He pushed his glasses up on his nose to try and hide the humiliated blush coloring his cheeks.

Chad shrugged, seemingly unaffected by Ishida's remark. "It's okay."

The shorter boy nodded and the two lapsed into a very uncomfortable silence. Ishida stared down at his feet, unsure what he should do next. Chad was probably the only person he knew that was less talkative then he was. Well, there was Nova, but he never really spent much time with the reticent Mod Soul. Chad was simply a person of action, not words. Ishida respected that greatly. Chad's silences were filled with warmth and understanding, not the condescending analysis that always seemed to come from the awkward times he interacted with his father.

When Ishida shifted his hold on the small box he was carrying, it drew Chad's attention. The taller boy's eyes widened with realization. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must be keeping you from your family."

Ishida barked out a short, sarcastic laugh. "I don't have any family to speak of either, least not one that I'll be joining up with tonight."

"Oh," Chad said with what sounded like genuine regret. "A girlfriend?"

Ishida laughed again. "No, don't have one of those either."

"But you have a Christmas cake."

"I know it's silly, right?" Ishida looked away again, his long black bangs covering his face.

Chad didn't seem to think so. He shifted his weight and waited patiently for Ishida to finish.

After another quiet moment, wistful blue eyes slowly made their way back up to meet Chad's soft brown. "I guess I didn't want to feel like a total looser that spends Christmas Eve by himself."

"Spending Christmas Eve alone doesn't make you a loser," Chad said simply and Ishida scoffed.

"Yeah? Tell that to every television studio and advertising agency." His own scathing tone made Ishida pause before his rant escalated any further. He sighed wearily. "My mother used to pick up the cake every year because my father was usually working. Honestly, I haven't had one in years. Not since....she died, but with everything that happened this past year, I guess I was feeling nostalgic." Ishida felt his throat tighten with emotion. He didn't speak about his past very often and most certainly not on a crowded city street. "Yoshino...she reminded me of my mother and I-"

The large hand that settled on his shoulder efficiently halted his words. "You don't have to tell me things that are painful," Chad said softly, his voice as soothing as the low buzz of a hummingbird's wings. "I've been on my own for a while now and as much as I miss my abuelo, I know he would not want to see me sad."

Ishida nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right," he said after taking a deep, cleansing breath. Chad gave his shoulder a light squeeze before withdrawing. "I guess I should head home now. Thanks."

Chad nodded and tightened his grip on his laundry bag.

"Say, Sado-kun?" Ishida looked up expectantly at the other teen. He couldn't believe what he was about to do, but before rational thought stepped in to stop him; his mouth was already saying the words. "My apartment has its own washer and dryer. If you want, you can come over and do laundry there...that is, if that's not too much trouble. I mean, I'm sure you have other plans afterwards." Ishida adjusted his glasses nervously, wishing for the ground to suddenly swallow him up.

Chad's eyes rolled up in thought. "Does that mean I get to have a piece of that cake?"

Ishida stared at him, dumbstruck. "Well, yeah, of course. I thought that was a given."

Chad smiled down at him. "Then lead the way."



-End-


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AN: It is tradition in Japan for families to eat "Christmas cake" on Christmas Eve. These cakes are not homemade; they are purchased, usually by the father on his way home from work. Christmas Eve has been hyped by the T.V. media as being a time for romantic miracles. It is seen as a time to be spent with one's boyfriend or girlfriend in a romantic setting, so fancy restaurants and hotels are often booked solid at this time. It is often also a time when girls get to reveal their affections to boys and vice versa. Because of this, extending a girl an invitation to be together on Christmas Eve has very deep, romantic implications. I hope you enjoyed this little peak at a possible beginning for this couple. Feedback is never demanded, but always appreciated. Happy Holidays everyone!