"Wake up, Yuri! Wake up!" Hikari bounced on him energetically. Yuri groaned. What time was it? It couldn't even be past 6 o'clock yet. "Come ON lazy butt!" Now Hikari started shaking Yuri.
"I'm up." Yuri mumbled sleepily.
"Doesn't look like it. Hurry! I have to show you something!"
"What could possibly be so important? Even so, can't it wait 'till later...?" Yuri closed his eyes again.
"No! Get uuuuup!" Hikari dragged Yuri onto the ground. He didn't take to this kindly.
"All right, give me a minute." Yuri sat up, his hair ruffled into a birds nest, the sleep still in his eyes. Rubbing his eyes, Yuri managed to untangle himself from the knot of blankets he wound up in, and slowly got up.
"You have 23 seconds!" Hikari dashed madly out of the room, blonde tufts bobbing with his every step. Yuri managed to stand up, and went into the living room, where a sweet surprise swelled the happiness inside of him. Martha smiled kindly from an armchair she had planted herself in, and rose with open arms upon seeing Yuri. He ran into her arms and squeezed tightly, the fragrance of a rose garden filling his nostrils.
"Ohoho," Martha chuckled. "Surprise." They broke apart, Yuri still bewildered.
"I'll say! When did you get here?"
"Just a few minutes ago, to be exact. This is quite a pleasant house, if I may say so." She looked around, admiring the various classical decorations.
"Why thank you, Miss Grimmrock." Ms. Ricole bowed beside her husband, and gave him a shove in the ribs. Roy cleared his throat, pulling at his collar.
"Er- yes, the pleasure is all ours. You are welcome here anytime."
Martha waved a hand. "Please, call me Martha, and I'm grateful for the offer, however my teaching and students will come first. Normally I stay up listening to music
and grading papers!" She laughed. "Though I shall find time to visit so fear not." Yuri felt something pulling his sleeve, Hikari was getting antsy.
"What?" Yuri questioned.
"It's Christmas."
"Your point?"
"Presents!" Hikari shoved a blue striped purple box into Yuri's palm. It was quite small, a silvery bow placed neatly on its top. Yuri felt his face burn, a gift?
"Y-you didn't ha-"
"Yes I did. Now open it." Yuri gulped, and pulled one of the metallic ribbons off, allowing the top to come off easily, like pulling a tuke off. Inside, a single necklace was contained. A silver chain supported what appeared to be a set of wings surrounding a mystical, colourful orb of sorts. It was beautiful, to Yuri at least, and he looked to Hikari, who was beaming at him.
"It's... Wow." Yuri managed.
"I thought you might like it, it reminded me of you when I first laid eyes on it." He smiled.
"I feel bad now, I don't have anything to give you." Yuri said. Hikari shook his head.
"Doesn't matter." Yuri felt his face crack into a broad smile, and he started to laugh uncontrollably. Hikari joined in, for what reason was unknown, but at least he didn't look like a lunatic alone.
"Oh dear, I need to go pick up my granddaughter from the station. Terribly sorry to cut this short." Martha checked her watch, and scuttled about to pick up her handbag.
"Bring her over later Ms. Grimmrock!" Hikari grinned a goodbye. "She might be cute." He mumbled the last part.
"I'll be sure to, toodles!" And with that, Martha dashed off outside. For the rest of Christmas Yuri and Hiakri enjoyed each other's presence, as well as Mr and Mrs Ricole, who decided to stay the night. It was the first time any relative of Hikari's actually stayed in the mansion, and it gave Yuri an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Did he have any relatives, or was Yuri one of the test tube babies rumoured to be experimented on? He shuddered. It didn't do well to ponder on these things, so Yuri forced the thought to the back of his mind. He smiled at another thought though. Just a couple days until his first sleepover, and with Kazumi as well. Giddy with excitement, Yuri counted the minutes until the event.
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