Title: Christmas Gift
Rating: G
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Hiiragi Asuka/Kurashiki Shiori
Wordcount: 1416
Short summary: Asuka comes to Mayu needing help for a Christmas gift.
Mayu was polishing some tools when the door to Blacksmith -Kuguraya- was flung open and Asuka came barreling towards the counter. Mayu quickly set down the tool she was holding and ran over to check on her friend.
“What’s wrong, Asuka?” It was rare for Mayu to see Asuka so flustered.
After a few deep breaths to calm herself, Asuka asked, “Christmas Eve really is a romantic thing?”
Christmas Eve? Wait, did Asuka not… Oh yeah, Asuka might not have known since she hadn’t lived in Japan since she was a young girl. While none of Mayu’s school friends were dating, they fantasized about the high schoolers that were going out on Christmas Eve dates. If Asuka was worried about this, then maybe... “Have you not scheduled anything with Shiori yet?”
Asuka shook her head. “I do have plans, but I just thought since we had exams we hadn’t gone on a date in a while, and maybe because I spent time in the States she thought to do something related to America… I need to get her something, right? There’s only 6 days and I didn’t plan any extra money-”
“Maybe I can help you make something?” Mayu interrupted.
Asuka jerked back in surprise. “You mean-“
“If you get me some stuff from the Eclipse, I could make an accessory.” Mayu smiled reassuringly.
“Like a charm?”
Mayu had initially thought maybe a bracelet or necklace, but a charm could work. “Yeah!”
Asuka bit her lip. “Are you sure?”
“Of course!” Mayu exclaimed. “I want to help. Plus it’d be good practice for me.”
“What would be good practice?” Grandpa Jihei asked, his voice startling Mayu. Mayu had been so absorbed in her conversation with Asuka that she had forgotten that her grandpa was here, had been here, the whole time. He must have finished the armor he was smithing earlier.
“Making a charm?” Mayu said quietly. She was a little worried that she and Asuka had annoyed Grandpa Jihei with their conversation.
Grandpa Jihei crossed his arms across his chest, clearly thinking and not dismissing the idea outright. Mayu sighed in relief. After a minute he spoke. “Hmm. Well, that’s not a bad idea actually.” Mayu perked up at those words. “I’m not sure what you actually can get, but if you get some wings or fangs, and maybe some type of wood or metal base… Just get these types of materials and Mayu can fashion something out of it.”
Asuka looked hesitant. “Anything more specific?”
“Let me take a look at your Xiphone.” Mayu and Grandpa Jihei looked over Asuka’s shoulder as she pulled up the NiAR database of eclipse Greed item drops. “Hmm, well one of those wings from a flying greed would be fine,” Grandpa Jihei mused aloud. “The warrior god ore from the void eater, if you could get that, would be a good base option. The ecstasy fang from the orc could put a nice flair on it…”
“Alright, got it.” Asuka put her Xiphone away. “Thanks!” Mayu could tell she had mentally bookmarked which Eclipse gates she needed to visit and which Greeds she needed to defeat.
“You are off to get those now? By yourself?” Grandpa asked just as Asuka turned to leave.
Asuka smiled. “It shouldn’t be a concern going into those gates alone. It’ll be good training too.”
Grandpa Jihei shrugged. “If you say so. Good luck.”
“Good luck Asuka!” Mayu sent her friend off with an enthusiastic shout. It wasn’t like anyone could really stop Asuka when she got that determined to do something. Mayu hoped everything would go well. She couldn’t wait to try her hand at making charms.
*****
Over the next three days, Mayu received just two messages from Asuka. The first came a few hours after her visit and was double-checking what materials Asuka needed to get and the quantities. The second came two days later and asked how much time Mayu needed to make the charm. Mayu reassured Asuka that she only needed a few hours to make the charm. She wondered if Asuka was having trouble getting the materials and was about to send Tokisaka a request, but Grandpa Jihei dissuaded her. “Asuka’s pride would be wounded if she asked for any more help with this,” he told Mayu.
Mayu couldn’t help but sketch designs while in class, where she should have been taking notes… Shiori liked small flowers, but should it just have flowers or also have cute animals like kittens or bunnies? There was a lot of potential ideas, though Mayu was more about arranging and melding together and not carving… Mayu was really excited about this because as much as she wanted to become a master soul device blacksmith, a chance to craft something cute and custom for her best friend was a rare and special opportunity. After school Mayu practiced hammering on some scrap materials and chipping ore into various shapes. She wanted to be ready to work when Asuka came through the door with the goods.
2 days before Christmas Eve, Asuka finally returned to Blacksmith -Kuguraya-. She brought way more than Mayu and Grandpa Jihei asked for and when questioned, she shrugged sheepishly. “I just wanted extra, in case I changed my mind.”
Grandpa Jihei shook his head. “You know Mayu will just make multiple then?” Mayu was already trying to choose her top two, no maybe her top three to make?
Asuka laughed. “Give me the sketches, Mayu.”
With that Asuka and Grandpa Jihei helped rank which ones Mayu should make. Grandpa Jihei warned that she was only allowed to make one today and the rest could be made tomorrow. Asuka would come back on Christmas Eve to pick up the charms. She had some other preparations to make. Before Mayu could ask for more details on Asuka’s Christmas Eve plans, Grandpa Jihei shooed Asuka away.
“You promised to make multiple charms, right? You better get started young lady!”
*****
Conveniently December 23 was a holiday so Mayu spent all of that day making charms. Of course she prioritized making ones that Asuka could gift, but she figured with the leftover material Asuka could keep one for herself, right? Also, while Grandpa Jihei wasn’t watching, Mayu made one that she could maybe give to him.
When Asuka came striding in the afternoon of December 24, Mayu presented her with 2 sets of matching charms. Mayu watched as Asuka’s nervous expression transformed into uncontrollable excitement.
“These are amazing, Mayu! I didn’t even think…matching ones…this will be wonderful!”
“You can have all of them, if you want?” However, Asuka had already decided on the set of charms with flowers made from feathers.
“Sorry I can’t stick around but thank you so much! I’ll be back with a proper return gift!”
“You don’t have to-“ Mayu protested, but Asuka was already out of the door. Mayu just wanted to say that knowing the details of Asuka’s date with Shiori would be good enough repayment… Mayu supposed she would just have to wait and see.
*****
On December 26, Asuka came back, ready to repay Mayu for her work. Mayu hadn’t gotten much warning, but Grandpa Jihei allowed Mayu to leave with Asuka and head to Café -Coffee Shop 17- in Brick Alley.
After getting a free hot chocolate and small piece of cake on the house (the owner insisted), Asuka presented Mayu with a cute stuffed bear dressed in Japanese-style clothes like the ones Grandpa Jihei wore. She also took out her Xiphone to take a selfie with them and the stuffed bear. It was then when Mayu noticed the new phone charm hanging off Asuka’s Xiphone. Mayu had made much larger charms meant to decorate handbags, which meant…?
“Shiori got me this,” Asuka replied. “It’s kind of funny we had similar ideas. But at least they were different in the end. We can match each other.”
“Does that mean…?”
“Yes.” Asuka showed off her schoolbag. “We have the same charms on our schoolbags and on our phones. Kohinata was the first to notice yesterday.” She chuckled. “Tokisaka didn’t notice until Rion asked Shiori about it. Ibuki tried making fun of him for that, but was soon called out for not noticing either…”
Mayu smiled as Asuka continued to talk. She was glad that the Christmas gift worked out. Maybe one day in the future she would make her own charm for her own boyfriend/girlfriend? It may be a fantasy right now, but one day…