064 [Action] CHRISTMAS TIME... and another time.

[vulcanblazer]

[Action, Backdated to December 23rd]

[SImply put, today is Luka's birthday.  Adell's been ready for this since she told him when it was.  It occurred to him that her birthday was awfully close to Christmas, but he figured getting her a gift now and a gift for then was the right thing to do.  A birthday is still a birthday and deserves to be celebrated.  So whenever Luka goes out, probably to the library, Adell will be ready for her whenever she gets back...

With a freshly baked cake, with 18 candles... as well as with a large wrapped present.   Of course, she won't find those immediately, but Adell intends to lead her to them when she walks in that front door.]

[Action, December 25th]

[It's time for Santa Adell to make his rounds about Luceti.  He's more subdued in giving this year than in past, opting to keep the list of people he's getting gifts for shorter.  Either way, he'll be delivering them where you live, if he knows that.  If not, he simply will leave a short note to them in the journal to come take it.


Terra:   Considering she had disappeared and was sent home, Adell went and found her a new sword, this time opting for a solid Netherworld made weapon.  It's a rune sabre, and is exceptionally well made and sharp.  It also provides a slight boost to INT, which will probably strengthen her magic just a little, though the difference between Netherworld magic and Esper magic might prevent this from working.
Stahn: A cookbook filled with several different Netherworld recipes, including a seriously big section on spicy food.  As well, a few Netherworld spices to use in those recipes.  Beware, they pack a punch if used improperly.
Noel:  Adell can't really top the Laser Blade he got her last year, and he knows it.  Still, he figures that first notebook he got her has been put through its paces, so he got her a new one... as well as a set of nice watercolors and heavy paper for it.  Maybe she'll enjoy the new hobby.
Luka:  Gets a few books, mostly fiction, for recreational reading, and a simple, gold bracelet.
Fatima:  A very heavy winter blanket, in deep indigo colors and a new pair of winter boots.  Hopefully he got the right size, he had to guess.  But also, Fatima gets a laser pointer with a small note on it that says "trying using this to play with Valerie." 
Sheena:  A very nice tea making set, attached with a note stating that this set is for her use only, not for the tea shop.  As well, a new set of hardened fighting gloves.  In a pinch, they can't hurt.
Yukari:  An assortment of teas, some from the Netherworld. 
Daisy:  A gun.  It appears like a .44 Magnum revolver, but it's actually a Netherworld Peace Maker, an exceptionally well-crafted weapon that fires a very powerful round.  The SPARTAN should be able to handle the monstrous recoil on the weapon, because the weapon was built with demons in mind.  Attached is a small label that says "Prinny Deterrent."
Rydia:  A bottle of perfume with a light, airy sort of fragrance. 
Valvatorez:  ...He gets a couple of tins of sardines.  Basically, to act as an emergency supply one day, should the need ever arise that he is out of those fish he loves so much.


Either way, he can be caught making rounds, or during deliveries.  Or after.]

(OoC: Apologies for the previous entry's slowness, but the timing on it really could not have been worse.)

Comments

[vulcanblazer.livejournal.com]

[What's the meaning of what?]

Hey Luka. ...Merry Christmas!

[And from behind his back he produces her presents. They're wrapped of course, and the smaller box, containing the bracelet, has a nice big bow on it.]

[imxperfectlife.livejournal.com]

[She stares at the wrapped presents. She had a feeling this would happen, Adell is turning out to be quite predictable. She looks at him again.]

You already gave me presents.

[vulcanblazer.livejournal.com]

...Yeah, birthday presents. Those weren't your Christmas presents.

[Predictable or not, there's still that simple honesty to him.]

[imxperfectlife.livejournal.com]

[Silence, still staring.]

My birthday was just the day before yesterday.

[Said as if that proves a point... It does, for her at least.]

[vulcanblazer.livejournal.com]

So? They're two separate days, with two separate meanings and reasons to celebrate.

[Think about it that way.]

[imxperfectlife.livejournal.com]

No, both days celebrate a birth. It just differs in whose birth it was.

[Listen to reason Adell.]

You gave me more than enough.

[vulcanblazer.livejournal.com]

...And don't you think whose birth it was makes a difference? Besides, I don't celebrate Christmas because of the birth of someone. I celebrate it because I like the idea of a holiday meant to celebrate the bonds of friends and family as a whole.

I celebrated your birthday because it was about just you.

[And you're important to him, dammit.]

Besides, I wouldn't be getting you presents if I didn't want you to have them anyway.

[imxperfectlife]

((From here))

I-If you ce-celebrate it like that i-it's not r-really Christmas... C-Christmas i-is a r-religious holiday a-and it has a re-religious meaning.

[Stubborn, also, see the stutter begin to appear again. Why do you always do this to her, man?]

M-My birthday w-wasn't just a-about me... M-Many other people w-were born that day a-and I'm j-just a normal g-girl w-with nothing special. I-it didn't need t-to be celebrated...

[She flushes at the last part.]

Y-You already g-gave me a g-gift with M-Mr. Whiskers. W-Why more?

[vulcanblazer]

I don't pay attention to the religious part of the holiday. ...Besides, in Japan, isn't Christmas more of a secular holiday anyway? I don't see what's so wrong about making it about spending time and giving gifts to the people you're close to.

[Didn't they just go over the whole birthday thing a couple of days ago?... Well, whatever.]

Your birthday is about you. December 23rd might have a lot more history attached to it. But it just so happens your birthday falls on that day. I wouldn't really care what date your birthday fell on, it'd be worth celebrating all the same.

...You may not feel like you need to be celebrated, but the other people in your life might feel differently.

[Meaning you're important to people, Luka. Him, especially, but... still.]

And do I really need a reason to give you something nice?

[imxperfectlife]

Y-yes... B-but...

[No, she doesn't have a way out through there. Okay, backing off now to take another detour.]

E-Even if you w-want to celebrate... W-Why more gifts? Y-You can c-celebrate it wi-without gifts.

[And no, he doesn't need a reason. But he doesn't need to give her something nice either.]

[vulcanblazer]

Yeah, I could do it without gifts, but I didn't. This is one of the ways I choose to celebrate it.

...Why are you so worried about me giving you stuff, Luka? It's not like it's any trouble.

[And he just wants to do something special for her this time of year.]

[imxperfectlife]

[And now she just falls into silence. Hugging Whiskers as if her life depends on it.]

I... I don't understand w-why do you want to g-give me stuff?

[vulcanblazer]

...Because I'm your friend. Wanted to do something nice for you. Was hoping it'd make you happy. I know I don't need gifts to do that, but... it was another way to tell you I cared.

[imxperfectlife]

T-Telling me directly w-would be cheaper.

[Let's ignore the fact that everything is cheap in Luceti since it's free.]

I o-only have one thing for you...

[vulcanblazer]

You have a point, but sometimes it's the gesture of giving that can make all the difference.

[He smiles gently to her before he continues, though.]

And I'm not worried about numbers of things, Luka. I'm just thankful to have people I care about around. Gifts are just icing.

[imxperfectlife]

[She pouts.]

T-Things aren't s-so simple as you m-make them sound...

[vulcanblazer]

...Maybe. Or maybe you're making it too complicated.

[Sometimes overthinking things just makes it way too difficult, after all. He isn't calling her wrong, of course, but he's hoping she'll loosen up just a little and relax and have fun.]

[imxperfectlife]

[She shakes her head stubbornly at that, convinced that that's not it. But she also sighs right after.]

You w-won't let it go, right?

[It has to be his way no matter what, right? Fine, she will let him be and say nothing on it, because if she does she's afraid of what it could mean in the bigger picture. So she keeps her words and feelings for herself and just accepts the gifts. Accepting what was planned for her is always easier than going against it after all.]

[vulcanblazer]

Well, why don't you tell me why you don't feel it's that simple? I'm willing to listen, at least.

[...Make it good, Luka, he may yet listen.]

[imxperfectlife]

[She shakes her head again. Avoiding a full confrontation, or maybe it's because she really has no reasons other than it's how she prefers it. She could say that, she could voice how she hates that he's forcing this on her even when she says 'no'... But she doesn't. She can't.]

T-Thank you for the gifts. M-Merry Christmas.

[It doesn't sound merry at all, but it doesn't sound as if she wants to keep discussing this any further.]

[vulcanblazer]

[Adell resists the urge to scratch his head. Maybe he pushed too hard. But Luka clearly doesn't want to talk about it anymore... he's learned this much at least.

Trying not to keep an awkward pause, he speaks too, though a little more subdued.]

You're welcome, Luka.

[imxperfectlife]

[She nods... And turns to leave. Actually she plans to go to her room to pick the present for Adell but with her habit of not saying where she's going it may seem as if she's trying to escape.]

[vulcanblazer]

[Considering how awkward he's feeling at the moment about the whole thing, he's just going to let her go, thinking she's heading out.]

[imxperfectlife]

[No luck. She's back two minutes later with a package for him.]

[vulcanblazer]

[He looks at Luka, a little surprised she's back, but he smiles as she brings in the package.]

...Thank you, Luka.