You stared at your cluttered desk. A nice warm shower and pajamas would be great right now. But I need to organize my lab and clean up. Exhausted, you glanced at your (F/C) clock. It read 10:02. It's way too late to be at SFIT, you thought wearily. 

Staggering tiredly to your desk, you collapsed into your desk and began organizing your papers. This is the last task, you thought. And the biggest. 

After a painful thirty minutes of filing papers, you grabbed your backpack and walked out of your lab. Finally. I can go home. You walked through the empty halls. Everyone else had gone home almost three hours ago.  

Oh, come on, you groaned to yourself when you saw the light drizzle of rain outside. Lucky me, I get to walk almost a mile in the rain. 

You pushed through the SFIT doors and immediately water began falling on your head. Sighing, you walked down the concrete steps. Suddenly, you slipped on the wet steps and hurtled downwards. The concrete spun towards you, and suddenly a hand wrapped around your arm, catching you. "Steady," a familiar voice said. "Don't want you to fall." Then it stopped raining on you.

You turned around and saw Tadashi, your friend. He held his umbrella over your head while the rain began to soak his baseball cap. "Oh, hi, Tadashi," you said, blushing. "I didn't know you were still here."

"You think I would leave you in the school alone?" Tadashi pulled you up. "And why didn't you bring an umbrella?"

"Well, I didn't know," you mumbled. You shifted uncomfortably since Tadashi was staring at you. "It's no big deal."

Tadashi took your hand. "You're freezing! You didn't bring a jacket either?"

You shrugged meekly. 

"You're going to catch a cold," Tadashi said, furrowing his thick eyebrows. "Come on, you can walk home with me." He turned his baseball cap backwards, which made him look cuter. 

"Thanks," you said gratefully as Tadashi held the umbrella over both of you. He slipped off his jacket and draped it on your shoulders. "You can drop by Lucky Cat Cafe," he offered. "And wait until the rain stops."

"That would be great," you smiled. 

The both of you walked in awkward silence as the rain fell around you. As you passed by a brightly lit shop with its window filled with stuffed snowmen and reindeer. "So . . . it's that time of the year again," Tadashi said quietly. You nodded and glanced at the Christmas lights strung all over the trees and streetlight poles. Too bad you couldn't celebrate it with your parents. They were on a business trip. In fact, they weren't even at home right now.

"Are you doing anything for the holidays?" Tadashi asked, obviously trying to make conversation. 

"No," you admitted. "My mom and dad aren't here."

Tadashi wrapped and arm around you sympathetically. "You can always come and celebrate with us," he said. "I even got you a present."

You blushed. "Really?"

"Yep," Tadashi turned the corner. "Hey, we're here. Want to come inside?"

You followed Tadashi into Lucky Cat Cafe, which was decorated for Christmas. "Hi, Aunt Cass," you both chorused as you walked inside. "(Y/N)'s staying for a while," Tadashi added. "Is that okay?"

Aunt Cass nodded. "Oh, and (Y/N)! Are you doing anything for Christmas this year?"

Embarrassed, you shook your head no. 

Aunt Cass immediately pulled out a red envelope and handed it to you. "It's for our Christmas party. Tadashi told me he was going to ask you-"

"Aunt Cass!" Tadashi interrupted, his ears red. 

"Oopsie! My bad!" Cass smiled. "Anyway, I hope to see you there, (Y/N)."

You nodded and slipped the envelope into your backpack. Then you took off Tadashi's jacket and handed it to him. "Thanks, Tadashi," you said, smiling.

"No problem," he tousled your (H/C) hair. "Hey, you said your parents aren't home right now, right? You can stay here. No point being lonely and walking another half-mile home."

"You sure I won't be a burden?" you asked, following Tadashi upstairs. "Hey, Tadashi, what was Cass saying about you asking me something?" 

"It's, uh, nothing important," Tadashi stammered. "Anyway, you can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll be on the couch."

After borrowing Tadashi's old clothes, you snuggled into his bed. Outside, Christmas lights from other stores twinkled into the room. This is a moment that I can't share alone, you thought. "Tadashi, you can sleep with me," you said when he was about to leave the room. "Not sexually," you added. "Just sleep. Like, lie down and close your eyes." Sheesh, what am I even saying.

Tadashi smiled, amusement sparking his eyes.

After you both were cozily snuggled under the covers, he asked quietly into your hair, "You wanted to know what I was going to ask you, right?"

You immediately perked up. "Yeah."

"What would you say if I asked you to be my girlfriend?"

You were so stunned you just lay there in Tadashi's arms, motionless. You were so quiet that Tadashi shifted uncomfortably. "It's okay if you don't want to. . ."

"No, wait! I would be really happy, and I would say yes," you said. You were grateful for the fact Tadashi couldn't see your red face in the dark.

"Really?" Tadashi asked after a moment. "For real?"

You smiled and hugged Tadashi. "Yeah."

* * *

THROW THE CHEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!!

ASDF reference.

So cheesy oh my goodness.

Happy Holidays :D JK it's not even Thanksgiving yet.

Later Naturians~

~Clover