Christmas "Meme"

[snakewithbaggage]

Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!
Suzu ga naru
Suzu no rizumu ni hikari no wa ga mau
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!
Suzu ga naru
Mori ni hayashi ni hibikinagara

Welcome to the Dinohouse Christmas "meme"! This is going to work a bit differently from most memes, but still free free to do what you want here!

The idea:
Following this post I will be making an assortment of Universe/Location "thread" comments. These will define the specific scene and universe being worked in. Comments by applicable characters will follow under that comment.

Example:
Mushverse; Shiba Mansion; open to Shinkengers

Comments following that would all be set in the Mushverse universe, be by any Shinkengers that want to participate, and take place at the Shiba Mansion Christmas party. Think of it sort of like every "top level" comment is its own post to the community.

Following that example, if your desired AU/Canon/etc isn't there, feel free to make a "thread" for it! Say there's already a Mushverse Go-busters "thread", and you want to do something in Aibouverse, or something more canon, maybe just between two characters? Make one!

Comments following the "thread" headings can be group setting free for all, or between individuals. Say it's a canon GokaiGalleon party, and Gai and Luka want to go off alone, or are on their way to the Galleon together? Their thread can be a separate second level comment thread beneath the main Canon Gokaiger thread.

I know that's a lot of information/qualifiers, but don't let it make you nervous to post, "rules" are fluid, and mainly set for added organization.

HAVE FUN. And enjoy the season!

Comments

[greypleather]

"You'd be mistaken," I say to Hiromu as I pass by, leaning close, teasing, as I point up towards the ceiling. Indeed, there's a clump of mistletoe right there. So... Well, to hell with it. I kiss him.

Right on the tip of his nose.

"I doubt Usada was the one to hang it, I mean."

I turn to Ryuuji with a smirk. "Do you know where Gorisaki is? I got him another ornament to add to the tree."

[blue_pleather]

"He's cleaning, I think. Try the hallway. He wants everything to be perfect for this party."

Usada can't even reach to hang any mistletoe. If he did, it's only because sempai gave him a boost up.

[note: if Don shows up here, Jin has a plaid hat for him]

[goldenikemen]

"Merry Christmas!" I shout as the others arrive at the command center, shoving a Santa hat in their color down on their heads.

Mine is of course a dashing shade of gold, and Kurorin's is green because it was the last color left. I contemplated pink, but settled on green as the safer option.

After the hats are giving out I shove a box of ornaments into each pair of hands. "We should all decorate the tree first!"

Re: [note: if Don shows up here, Jin has a plaid hat for him]

[loveenetronkurorin]

I feel a presence behind me, and as I turn something is shoved onto my head.

There's a floppy white blob dangling in my eyes. I hold it between thumb and forefinger, and inspect the rest of the monstrosity Jin's decided I need to wear. Well, I don't take it off, or anything. It'll keep him happy.

"Green?" I rumble at Jin.

[goldenikemen]

I decided to give Kurorin his hat while the others were otherwise occupied with the tree and some of the games, sneaking up on him and plopping the it down on his head. I slide my way back around in front of him, a lopsided smile on my face.

"Green because I knew you would've killed me for pink, and those were the only two colors left that I could find." I flick at the little puff ball, smile softening just slightly.

"It looks good on you."

[loveenetronkurorin]

I sigh, but I keep the hat on. "You're irrepressibly you," I murmur, teasing just a little. "I have a gift for you."

[goldenikemen]

I flash him my winning grin, which softens a little into a slightly more honest one at the mention of a gift.

"Oh?" I tilt my head, knowing my hair will fall nicely when I do that. "I have one for you too."

[loveenetronkurorin]

It is so, so tempting to muss his hair when he does that. I've often wondered how many times he used to practice that in the mirror.

"You do?" I raise my eyebrows. "Mine's just small. You'd better go first."

[goldenikemen]

I laugh, and shake my head, looking up at him through my bangs after. "No, mine really needs to go last."

I shift a little closer to him, and reach for his hand. No one's paying attention to us, not that that would stop me, but it's nice having a private stolen moment of affection like this.

And someday I'll be able to really feel them again, beyond clinical information about hand shape and his pulse rate and such.

Hopefully.

[loveenetronkurorin]

I enfold his hand carefully in mine, smiling. No one can see, and of all times, it's all right to relax a little now.

We've refused to let Christmas become too dour.

"All right. It's under my desk."

I lead him over, mindful that no one else can see this particular exchange, and hand it to him.

It's soft, rectangular, a glossy gold/brown, with a gold ribbon tied around it.

A pillow. Cost me a small fortune.

"I know how fussy you are about the poor quality of the pillows I use," I say, voice a little hoarse. "I'll keep this for you. Until you're back."

[hakaseheart]

I'm not entirely sure how welcome I am at the EMC Christmas party, but with nothing else to do I swallow my anxiety and make a batch of cookies to bring along.

Okay, two batches.

Three.

They're not as good as Joe's, but I abandon that line of thinking before it goes any further and carry the heaping tray through the door to be almost immediately blinded by something being plopped on my head.

"I-I, what??"

[greypleather]

"Jin-san!" I cry when he accosts our newcomer. The hat is a little too big and Don looks about two shakes away from toppling over and sending those lovely cookies all over the floor. I dash over to take the cookies from him with a little laugh.

My hat is pretty somber compared to the rest, but. Well, the perils of color coding.

"Thank you for these, Don." I say quietly. I bet he's still fretting about.. well, everything, he seems the fretful type. "Very kind of you. Come in, get comfortable."

[hakaseheart]

A pair of hands takes the tray away from me, and my hands immediately fly up to push the hat away from my eyes. It's fuzzy on the bottom, and I know without looking it must be of the 'Santa' sort that's so popular on Earth this time of year.

"Ah, thank you, Kurosawa-san," I say with a smile as I see him place the tray on the table. Thank goodness, it doesn't look like any of them were dropped. "I wanted to...well, I just wanted to contribute."

Mainly because I'm not sure what else to do at this sort of thing. We had a party last year, but...that was more of a regular celebration with Gai telling us of another Earth tradition every five minutes. I just remember losing track at the wooden shoes.

[goldenikemen]

I sigh at Eti. "What? I wanted him to feel included!"

I'm growing fond of our new little engineer, he already seems more capable than any of the other engineers now working under me here. Greenhorns the lot of them.

Once the cookies are out of Don's hands I shove a box of ornaments into them, giving his shoulder a hearty smack - probably a bit too hard, I'm used to smacking J around - and gesturing at the tree.

"Come help us decorate. There's also games and Christmas cake. Make yourself at home."

[hakaseheart]

I'm about to clutch tightly to the bottom of my hat and protest that I'm very happy to get something from Jin-san, but then he's shoved a box into my arms and I have to rush to keep from dropping it. Upon closer inspection, it's a selection of ornaments for the tree.

Then he smacks me on the shoulder, although nowhere near as rough as Luka used to, and directs me to decorate.

"I, ah, okay?" It comes out more of a question than an acknowledgment, but to be honest, I'm just glad to be given a direction. Parties are fairly out of my element, so having something to do is a relief. I head over towards the tree, opening the box when I get there and starting to space the ornaments out as evenly as I can on the green branches.

[greypleather]

"He can feel perfectly included without nearly causing an avalanche of cookies, Jin-san." I inform him kindly. I'm a bit to confident in an unscathced Christmas to be too upset, and I move along with Don towards the tree to help him hang the ornaments.

"How are you settling in?" I ask quietly once we're elbow deep in pine branches.

[red_pleather]

"Don't mind him," I say, long suffering. "How are you, Don-san -- or do you prefer Hakase?" I'm sure I've heard some of the others call him that.

[hakaseheart]

I can't help but freeze slightly as Sakurada-san calls me by my nickname. It's the name I call myself by, sure, but...I still haven't gotten used to other people calling me by it.

"Ah, either is fine," I say with a forced grin. "Whichever you prefer! And I'm doing well enough, thank you."

[red_pleather]

"Don-san it is," I say calmly enough. I'm not good at interpersonal reactions, I know, I know, Nick's thumped me often enough about them, but when I'm watching for something I can read it well enough. And that name makes him tense...

"I've heard nothing but good things about your work."

[hakaseheart]

My hands fumble together behind my back, and I wonder why I'm feeling so awkward around Sakurada-san. If anything, I should be most comfortable with him, since he was the first person from the EMC that I met.

"Thank you," I reply, somehow able to keep my head up and my words clear. I guess I'm not that bad around him after all. "Thank you again for bringing me in here. It's...a lot better than what I'd been doing up until now, I really appreciate it."

[goldenikemen]

I'm still floating a little from exchanging gifts with Kurorin, but I've come down enough that I can give the others their gifts.

I spot our new little engineer near the tree, still carefully putting up ornaments. He looks distracted by his own thought though, so maybe I'll give him his first.

I drape an arm around his shoulders and tug him off for a moment. "Are you enjoying our little Christmas party?"

I release his shoulders and move to lean back against the table, grabbing his gift and handing it off to him.

It's the plans, blueprints, and all information pertaining to Ene-tan, as well as special clearance to work with her however he deems necessary.

"This was a prototype Buddyroid I worked on back before Messiah. She's still semi active, and can fight, but I would like you to look into upgrading her. Making her more viable for use in the field."

I smile at him, and clap a hand on his shoulder. "It's something I would normally do myself, but I don't have the time what with also being an active Buster. So, given your skills, I've decided to entrust her to you."

[hakaseheart]

Jin-san hands me the gift and I'm staring at it, still wrapped and fresh, just for me. For me?

He goes on to tell me what it is and I nearly drop it, managing to catch myself in time to clutch it to myself instead. "A, a Buddyroid?" I stammer out, looking at him with wide eyes. "And, y-you want, me, to upgrade it?"

I stare back down at the present, not sure how I'm even reacting. Is this fear? Concern?

No, wait. I know what this is. I look back up at Jin-san with tears of excitement brimming in my eyes. "Thank you, Jin-san. I...I promise I'll try not to let you down." I fall into a deep bow, still clutching the package tightly against my chest.

[goldenikemen]

I offer his nervous excitement a warm laugh, and I give his hair a fluff at his low bow. An irreverent gesture, as irreverent as me.

"She's a bit of a headstrong brat." I glance briefly over at J, where he's lying under the tree sipping on a can of Enetron. "But I'm sure you'll get along with her. If not at first, then soon enough once she realizes what you're there to do for her."

"And if she gives you any real trouble," I offer him a warm, if lopsided smile. "Don't hesitate to ask me to step in and talk some sense into her, okay?"

[hakaseheart]

I come up from my bow and follow his brief gaze over to J, suddenly reminded of the sorts of Buddyroids Jin-san has managed to engineer. Still, the weight of the package is reassuring - something physical, tangible that I can do. Something he's trusting me to do.

"I'll do my best," I say resolutely. Hopefully I won't need to draw on Jin-san's assistance at all, but then again, hopefully I'll know when to cave and as for help.

I worry at my lower lip, already wanting to dash out of the party and sit down with my present. But I'm not so socially awkward to think that would be a good idea, so instead I'm shifting between my feet, trying to keep still. "Thank you. I really mean it."

[goldenikemen]

I wave away his thanks, looking sheepish at the gesture. "Honestly you're the first engineer I've spoken to since I came back here that seems at all competent."

More than competent, but I'm not going to gush all over the kid right now. My gift should speak for itself, and maybe he'll start to feel a little more confident as he works with Ene-tan, start to understand his own skills in relation to the work we do here at EMC.

"I look forward to working with you more." I smile, genuine and gentle this time. "How have you been settling in so far?"