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[antisocialable]

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[nuraridouman]

....


I don't know what to think about that. [Ouch? Or Yay? He's getting pretty mixed signals on whether he's actually being wanted here or not.

His hand wanders to a coat pocket. No matter. What he wants to do won't take long.]

[antisocialable]

[ food is food. sakura can eat any time. ]

What're you even thinking about?

[nuraridouman]

You.

[said without any thought or filter]

[antisocialable]

[ sakura splutters, face going red. ]

W-What for?!

[nuraridouman]

Hm?

[He stops and brushes his mask to the side to get a better look at Sakura.]

What's wrong? You're suddenly acting strange.

[antisocialable]

You're the one acting strange!!

[nuraridouman]

Me!? What about me is acting strange!?

[antisocialable]

Yeah, you!!

Why are you suddenly thinking of me anyway!!

[nuraridouman]

Wh- I was thinking about how to give you your christmas present!

What were YOU thinking?!?

[antisocialable]

I wasn't — Wait, what.

[nuraridouman]

Ugh, great! Now I blurted the surprise out...

[Don't look at him, the tips of his ears are already burning up enough again! Douman quickly pulls his mask back on properly and hastens his steps.]

[antisocialable]

[ what. sakura ambles after him, easily catching up. ]

You got me a present?

[nuraridouman]

[Douman just huffs and pushes his hands into his pockets, squaring his shoulders.]

Yeah, so? It's not unusual to give the people you like a small something toward the end of the year. And it's also not like it's entirely not selfserving...

[antisocialable]

I didn't mean it was surprising because it's you.

It's just . . . surprising? I don't usually get presents.

[nuraridouman]

So? That's not my fault. Now that I'm here, you get one.

[So it's as he suspected. Now Douman is glad again that he decided to call.

Still, he'll stubbornly keep his eyes on the road and his hands in his pockets. Already because he doesn't know what to do with them anymore.]

I'm not good at all this personal business, so you will just have to deal with it. If you don't like it, you can give it back or give it to somebody else. [not that he wants him to, but he won't pout (much)]

[antisocialable]

[ oh. that's . . . really nice. it reminds him a little of makochi. for a moment, he can believe things can work out. that he can find a place, no matter where he goes.

that feeling fizzles quickly, but the gratitude remains.

so sakura reaches out to grab the edge of his sleeve, his cheeks red. ]

Thanks . . . for the present.

[nuraridouman]

[Feeling the tug on his sleeve has Douman stop for a split-second before he adjusts his step so he won't accidentally shake Sakura off.]

Don't thank me before you even know what it is, i-silly. I'm just sticking my nose into things that aren't my business again, and hope that nothing will explode in my face for once. ...and it's not like I can keep beating Ebisu-kun up for fun all the time either, so I was free.

[This lady doth protest a bit too much, but don't call him out on it.]

[antisocialable]

[ that's a long explanation which doesn't make any sense to sakura so he merely shrugs it off. ]

You did 'cuz you wanted to, right? So I'm thankin' you 'cuz I want to.

[nuraridouman]

...Right. Anyway, there we are. After you.

[antisocialable]

[ a light huff. ]

Okay.

What do you wanna order?

[nuraridouman]

[Douman takes a moment to take in their new surroundings and the cozy atmosphere. It's pretty warm inside, so he'll have to take off that coat soon and sadly there's also no longer an excuse to wear his mask. He can't help the way his shoulders stiffen and how his mouth presses into a thin line when he takes it off and feels the curious looks some of the other patrons present give him, but thankfully it's only brief looks.]

Since it's Christmas... Let's go with some cake and a hot drink. How about you?

[antisocialable]

[ weird. but then again, sakura's used to getting weird looks. he doesn't exactly fit in. ]

Yeah, I can try that. Usually I just get omurice.

[nuraridouman]

Omurice? You can get that here? [Douman blinks and shrugs his shoulders.]

You can get whatever you want. Actually, just order this one and this one for me [he points at what he wants on the menu] and I'll get us a table ready in the meantime. I'll pay.

[which is already a HUGE christmas miracle by itself]

[antisocialable]

Yeah? I asked once and I got it. But it's probably not a normal item.

[ haru doesn't seem to mind. anyway, sakura nods, following douman's instructions without making a fuss. he makes his order before heading back. ]

Should be here soon.

[nuraridouman]

[In the meantime, Douman is going to spot a free table for them and get out of his outdoor clothes, although he still keeps the scarf and mask nearby. There is also a small gift-wrapped parcel in plain red with a purple ribbon waiting for Sakura on the table.]

Here you go. ....Merry Christmas ...or whatever.

[Inside it Sakura will find his very own copy of The Laid-Back Youkai Dictionary, with a personal note scribbled onto the first empty page. (It's literally scribbled, after the first attempt with fancy, beautifully flowing script and the second with an overly formal type of writing have been crossed out.)

Explaining our whole world to you would be a pain, so read one entry of this every day or two. If something interests you, ask me and I'll explain it more. And tell me something about your world in return, so that we're even.

- Ashiya Douman

There's a big seal in the form of a grid drawn above his signature, almost as if Douman had forgotten that Sakura wouldn't know that the kuji-kiri was his signature mark. (He did.)]