-:- Chapter Eight -:-

The next couple of days seemed to roll by without much hassle. Michiru hardly spoke to Mina and Mina hardly spoke to Michiru. Their nights consisted of sleeping in the same room still, Mina on the bed and Michiru on the floor. In the mornings Mina would wake up and find that Michiru had left to work and come back terribly late. Jake accompanying him. She found it rather lonely, but everyday she put a smile on a helped the maids with certain tasks. Today though was different, today was quite lovely for a day in winter and Mina wanted to do some Christmas shopping.

“I don’t think Michiru would be too fond of you going out without Jake or any escorts,” Mei said.

Mina shrugged, “Oh well, they haven’t been around lately and Christmas is almost here” she put on her coat. ‘Besides if I don’ do the Christmas shopping who will?’ she thought to herself. Before escorting herself out the house.

She looked in her purse, she had some money that Michiru would give her every week and she would save it instead of asking Jake to take her out. At this point Jake was too busy with Michiru to notice that Christmas shopping had to be done. Mina went in a few stores and bought some things for Michiru, Jake and Mei. She also found a few things that she could use around the house. Christmas decorations were definitely a necessity in the Kenyuu household. No tinsel was on a Christmas tree, for they had none. No mistletoes were hanging from the door. No presents, no beads, no lights, nothing. So after a long day of shopping Mina went back home, satisfied at all the things she bought.

--/---

“All I’m saying is Michiru, that the installments are---“ Jake’s words had trailed off in Michiru’s head. Their car was pulling up the driveway when Michiru was in complete shock what he saw. Workingmen in uniforms were on his roof, doing something.

“Oh my god, what the hell did she do?” Michiru jumped out of the car the moment it stopped, the mayor, Jake and Michiru looked at the house in bafflement. What did Mina do now and what was she planning on doing?

“Guys!” Mina’s voice yelled out from the door. She waved for them to come inside, but they were to in shock to do so. Their mouths open in a relatively stunned manner. “Guys!” she called out again, “come in here, it’s just so great!”

Michiru’s face was the first to regain seriousness. His eyes narrowed at the woman in front of him. He walked hastily up the steps and to the door, followed by Jake and Shichou who didn’t bother closing the door. “Mina, why the hell are there men on my roof?”

She didn’t answer and just smiled at him. It took him a while, but Michiru had then looked up and spun around for the house was all adorned in Christmas decorations. The stair’s banister was garlanded with tinsel and very few white lights. There was mistletoe hanging from the door that was never there before and in the middle of the living room next to the hearth was a beautifully full-undecorated Christmas tree. “I figured we could all help put on decorations” Mina suggested when she saw Michiru’s gaze land on the tree. Both Shichou and Jake smiled happily at the thought, but Michiru’s expression remained grim.

“What are the men doing outside?” he asked her, ignoring her words. Mina frowned, “Well---“

“Mrs. Kenyuu, we’re all done!” a man shouted from the roof. Mina smiled again, “I’ll show you Michiru” she grabbed his arm and walked outside with the rest. She waved her hand up in the air, “See?”

There standing outside his house, Michiru saw lights outlining his home. Mina looked sideways to see his expression. Michiru’s mouth was open, but she didn’t recognize that as a good or bad thing. “Do you, do you like it?” she asked.

“My house is going to catch on fire” was all Michiru said. He looked at her and then closed his eyes, “My head is beginning to hurt, excuse me” Michiru walked passed her and into the house. Leaving her with the mayor and Jake.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Shichou said smiling, “don’t worry about Michiru, I’m sure he likes it too”

Jake nodded, “You know he isn’t one with showing emotion, besides he had a long day”

Mina wanted to cry, she even began to tear, “No, no, I um, I understand” she forced a smile.

“How about we start decorating the tree?” Jake asked happily, hoping everyone agreed and they did.

--/---

Michiru was trying to read in his room, but all he kept hearing was audible laughter coming from the living room. He got so fed up with it that he stood up from his bed and went to the little balcony overlooking the little library and living room. “WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE BE QUIET?”

Silence. Mina, Jake and Shichou remained silent looking up. “Thank you!” Michiru spun around and went back inside his room and closed the door with a ‘thud’.

Michiru sighed in relief. Finally, silence. He continued to read for a minute or two before there was a knock on the door. Michiru grunted in annoyance. “Come in!” he yelled out and Jake came in through the doors.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Michiru got up, “Excuse me Jake”

Jake shook his head, “You heard me, what the hell is wrong with you? You have this girl down there that’s trying to please you and you’re acting like a jackass” Jake’s anger was beginning to show and this hardly happened.

“Lower your tone of voice with me Jake” Michiru demanded and Jake laughed. “That’s your problem you think everyone is at your command, at your disposal, I’m talking to you like this as your friend, because you need to hear it. She’s making this place a little better for us”

“She’s ruining everything!”

Jake sighed, “No, she’s not, you are.”

Michiru stood quiet. There came a whimper from the other side of the door and Jake went to open it, but with giving Michiru a look first. “Mina?” Jake sounded surprised, but really wasn’t it was just Michiru’s luck. Mina raised her head and smiled as if she didn’t hear anything. “Hey, um, I just wanted to know if Michiru wanted to put the star on the tree. We finished decorating and everything” she looked pass Jake and at Michiru. He shook his head, “No, maybe tomorrow”

Mina stared at Michiru, “oh, well, alright, um, I’ll just finish cleaning up”

“I’ll help” Jake said and left through the door with Mina, not giving Michiru as second glance.

--/--

Michiru was on his back, nestled in blankets on the floor, but for some unknown reason he couldn’t sleep. He looked on his end table and saw the clock flashed, “2:14”

“Goddammit” he grunted and sat up. He looked at the bed, but was surprised to not find Mina sleeping. He listened a little more closely to see if she was in the bathroom, but he heard nothing. “Mina?” he called out. Nothing still. He got up and went towards the door. He peeked out the door and saw Jake’s bedroom lights were off. She couldn’t possibly slept in Jake’s room would she? Was she that angry with him?

‘I don’t care,’ Michiru told himself mentally.

He peaked down at the library and living and saw Mina sleeping on his recliner. He walked down slowly making sure not to wake her up and finally stood right in front of her. Her hair was sprawled all over and she looked very much like a Christmas angel. Her face was pale and her cheek rosy. He looked quickly at the hearth that was already burned out. He sighed when he looked back at Mina for he realized she was holding the star that he was to put on the tree. He silently took the star away from her and walked over to the tree.

He placed the star on the tree.

He then went upstairs and brought down blankets and pillows. He made a little bed beside her and gave her some blankets and a pillow. He then had laid himself down and tried again to fall asleep. He got tired again almost immediately. “What are you doing sleeping there?” came a groggy voice. Michiru’s eyes were closed, “I can’t sleep without you…” he said unaware of his honesty.

Mina positioned herself sideways towards him, “Oh, I see…” they both then drifted off to sleep.