December 6th - Christmas Market
Afternoon at a Christmas market anyone? Time to see what they have to offer!
Okay, lowkey this one and December 1st - Decorations have been my favorite two yet. I said all the way back at the beginning of this blog, literally my second or third post, that I surprisingly really liked writing for Ibe and this fic certainly continued that trend. Can’t wait to write for my boy Arthur again soon, though, Arthur Arby’s has been lacking.
Meticulous and rigid were perhaps the best words to describe his afternoon plans for the two of you. Everything had to go off without a hitch for your much-anticipated date to be a success, or at least in Ibe's mind it did. You were just along for the ride, excited to visit a Christmas market and hopefully get some holiday shopping with your partner done.
Stalls filled with a grand assortment of items stretched across the square as far as the eye could see, broken up only by standing tables here and there or ginormous Christmas trees, decorated in gaudy fashion. Ornaments, glass lamps, picture frames, knitwear, anything you could think of and one vendor or another had it somewhere in their stock. In between booths selling trinkets and goodies, hot food and cold beverages called out to hungry visitors.
Was there a better way to spend your day together than to visit a Christmas market? It'd be harmless holiday fun!
Or, it should be by all means. Instead, Ibe had spent the previous days pouring over the schedule he'd devised, unbeknownst to you, terrified that anything,anythingat all, could go horribly wrong. In all fairness, things going "horribly wrong" for your worrisome boyfriend could translate to everything from being late to the market by a minute or so to being shot at by gangsters on your way home.
While the latter did sound ridiculous, apparently it was quite possible. Ibe had explained to you once that the reason he and his cheerful assistant Eiji had visited the US in the first place was to document the lives of local gangs. Whatever had happened during their project resulted in a fair number of people after them at one point or another. Naturally, they would have returned to Japan. Or, at least, they should have.
After Eiji had become involved with his own partner and you'd met Ibe, neither of them had the hearts to abandon either of you.
But with that came your boyfriend's protective nature, terrified that danger was waiting for you two just around the corner. Even after you'd sat him down time and time again to explain that you twomost likelyweren't being hunted down by gangsters with grudges, let alone the mafia, he still worried for your wellbeing constantly.
It was a miracle you'd convinced him to join you at the market at all.
Nevertheless, today would be fun! You two would find tasty treats to share amongst gifts for friends and family while having a nice afternoon together. No amount of paranoia on Ibe's part would ruin that, you swore it.
"Shunichi, look at this! Don't you think Eiji and Ash would love this for their place?" Excitement rang through your words, warming Ibe's heart to see you so joyful. Were you normally like this during the holidays, more easily excited and in awe at the world around you? This would be your first Christmas together, so suffice to say he was eager to find out.
He hummed in agreement, eyes sweeping across the glass lamps. "Which one though? The green and blue ones are nice, but-"
"How about the yellow one?"
Chuckling, he smiled warmly at you. "Exactly. I think that's perfect."
As the vendor boxed up the lamp for you two, you listed aloud, "Okay, we got Eiji and Ash's gift, now we just have to grab things for the others. I already bought my parents their gift, so we just have to worry about Max and Jessica, and I'm assuming a toy or game for Michael. We can't forget Shorter, or Nadia and Charlie. What about that Sing kid?"
A hot, unpleasant feeling burrowed in Ibe's gut, painful and unwelcome. Of course you'd be thinking about others while out Christmas shopping, it was impossible for you to not do so. Still, hearing you fuss over presents for everyone else on your date with him stirred up sickly feelings of jealousy within Ibe as he walked silently beside you.
Maybe this whole Christmas market was a mistake, you could've easily bought things online or not at all. Did you really need so many people in your life when you had him? And besides, half of those people were directly involved with or a part of the very organizations he was so terrified of you being caught up in.
"And then there's- Hey, Shunichi? You alright?"
Your concerned voice reached his ears, shaking him from his paranoid and protective delusions. With a shake of his head, bewildered umber hues met yours, laughing nervously as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Heh, I'm fine, really." An obvious lie, one you caught immediately.
Deadpanning, you questioned, "What's troubling you this time?"
Ibe froze for a moment before averting his eyes. He knew you would only try to calm him down and talk him through his worries, and while he appreciated it, he didn't want to let you in on his worries pertaining to the others. You'd see how jealous he got and how that fed into his paranoia and you'd understand, but hereallydidn't want that. Not here, and not now.
Thinking quickly, he stuttered out, "I just, well- It just sounds like you have gifts for everyone, or know what to shop for at least."
You didn't follow, co*cking your head to one side in confusion.
Trying again, he stated, "We-well it just doesn't sound like y-you got me anything."
God, that sounded pathetic, maybe even worse than if he'd admitted his jealousy. Or maybe you perceived it that way? sh*t, he really hadn't thought this through. His grand plan for the afternoon didn't account for this!
"Well duh, you dummy. Of course I got you a present, you just can't know about it yet," you sang cheekily.
"You did?"
With a giggle, you told Ibe, "What, you think I wouldn't have the perfect present picked out for my boyfriend? Who do you think I am?"
His heart raced at your words, astounded that you had, based on your phrasing, already purchased the perfect gift for him. Maybe he had no reason to be so worried after all.
"If you're really that bothered, Shunichi, we can always go buy aFirst Christmasornament. It'll be to commemorate our first holiday season together for years to come!"
That sounded wonderful, an ornament to forever remind you two of your very first Christmas as a couple; Ibe was certain you'd appreciate that, especially after you received your gift from him. Whatever your perfect gift to him was, it had nothing on his to you, moving you back home to Japan with him where no one could endanger you ever again. And as the years would go by, you'd always have that one ornament to remind you how it had all started.
It'd be perfect, all according to plan.
