[Closed/Log] Secretest Santa

[koishi_komeiji]

Who: Koishi and Belle
What: Belle gets a Secret Santa gift.
Where: Library
When: Dec 23rd
Warnings: Excessive cute

Koishi was good at following people around. Very good, in fact, her unconscious nature keeping her hidden from pretty much anyone who wasn't a robot. And so she followed Belle. She followed her from home and to work and all around. Some people might call it stalking, but how else was Koishi supposed to find out about Belle while still remaining secret? Ask someone to talk to her? That would give it away for sure!

After several days of this, Belle would walk into work to find what was probably someone's idea of a present wrapped up in brown paper and tied with string sitting in the lounge. In fact, it was several somethings stacked up nice and neat. They were all marked as for Belle and from 'Secret Santa.'

Well, only one way to find out what was inside!

Comments

[clevermind]

At first, Belle wasn't sure what to make of the wrapped gifts. She found the paper choice charming and the simple string pleasant; it reminded her of gifts from her home which were very different from the brightly colored wrapping she'd been seeing around Genessia.

Once she saw that they were from her secret Santa her smile grew. She had signed up for the game and knew that someone would have been assigned to her but she hadn't been able to guess who it was. She thought that she might have had some clue which meant that maybe she knew her secret santa? Her mind was racing with possibilities as she gently took the first package from the small pile.

Belle took a seat, placing the parcel in her lap. She was very careful when she unwrapped the gift, as if she was planning to safe the paper for later and folded both it and the string neatly to her side before looking at the present inside.

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi wasn't far. In fact, she was perched up on a bookshelf, observing as Belle went for the presents. She was completely unseen and unheard, smiling as usual as she watched.

It was heavy. And a very familiar shape. If she didn't know any better she might guess it was- yes! A book! Thick and heavy with a leather binding, the cover boasted about containing youkai stories. Fables and myths originating from a land that Belle had never been to.

Likewise, the next book was another collection of fables and tales followed by three novels. Two of them Belle might find in the library with a bit of searching, but the last was unique. Bound in burgundy leather it was slimmer than the others. The title was stamped in silver leaf as 反省 with the word "Hansei" underneath it. There was no author or publisher name but there was a silver leaf calligraphic eye on the base of the spine and a matching one on the title page.

It was a dark tale written as a metaphor outlining the importance of perseverance through adversity but steeped in the weight of actions and consequence. One of a young adult attempting to carve out a place in the world and repeatedly failing. In the end she got what she wanted in a vague and roundabout sense, her ambition and shortcomings leading her to lose her left arm.

[clevermind]

She opens each package carefully, her smile growing wider with each new addition to her personal library. She's never seen the exact copy of these books however she already knows that they're absolutely wonderful.

Belle's fingers fondly brush over the leather cover of the final book. Her expression was warm and enamored, saying more than any word of thanks might. It was more than she would have expected from the exchange and she wished she knew who to thank for them.

Light brown eyes looked around her, as if she might catch her secret Santa but no one looked out of place.

"If only you could speak and tell me who it was." She spoke to the book in a soft whisper though one that Koishi would likely over hear.

[koishi_komeiji]

Unfortunately Koishi was nowhere to be seen... probably. If Belle looked long and hard enough she might see the little youkai up on her perch. Or maybe she would hear the giggle that came shortly after as Belle spoke to the cover. Or maybe she's sense a presence. One that glowed faintly with reflected approval.

And even if Koishi wasn't spotted, a bit of research it probably wouldn't be difficult to track the uncredited book to the likely author: Satori Komeiji.

Koishi would remain in place, unmoving and observing to see what Belle might do next. Then, perhaps she would leave. Or perhaps she would browse the selection of books here. Whatever task caught her unconscious fancy.

[clevermind]

Belle didn't look up. She had never considered that someone might be hiding above her head, in the one of the many rows of books that she so protectively coveted. Instead her gaze dropped down towards the book, her fingers running along the cover. She turned over the first page and then the second. It wasn't a book that she's ever seen before and she wondered if that was intentional. She'd have to find an appropriate place to keep it safe.

She paused and then looked around again, this time daring to glance up towards the higher rows of books. She hadn't expected to see anyone and inhaled a sharp breath at the sight above her.

"Oh, Excuse me. Are these from you?"

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi was stretching her arms, her third eye bobbing a little bit, satisfied that her gift was well-received. She was just about to leave-

"Oh, Excuse me. Are these from you?"

Koishi blinked, looking around and then down at Belle. She tilted her head, putting her hands down. "... You can see me?" Honest surprise. "Hehehe. Yeah. That's from me. But You must be really observant to notice me, Miss."

[clevermind]

Belle shook her head. "It was quite by accident. You are a talented hider." She complimented Koishi with her usual kind smile.

"If you were leaving I don't wish to interrupt you. I merely wanted to thank whomever my secret Santa was. I suppose that's silly since the idea of the game was not to know but they are truly lovely gifts."

[koishi_komeiji]

"Oh! Thank you. My power is to be unnoticed so usually I'm very hidden. And I was trying to hide just now. People with good imaginations can see me more easily though. And I can see so many colors in your mind. It's really lovely."

Koishi was absolutely beaming now.

"I was thinking about going but maybe not. But maybe so. There's so much paper in here it reminds me of the biggest room in the red house at home. I like it a lot."

[clevermind]

"I see." Belle smiled at the veiled compliment in Koishi's choice in words. She had a very good imagination and as much as the town folks told her that her head was up in the clouds, her father had never once stopped her from day dreaming.

"Thank you."

She laughed softly. "Yes. You must have a library in your home too." She didn't think it was odd that Koishi didn't know the name of where they were. In Belle's time, women weren't often taught to read.