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They say it's where the heart is

They say it's where your family is

Where dinner is served and where you sleep at night

But mine isn't like that

Mine is slowly decaying

Mine broke my heart instead of keeping it

Mine is missing the family aspect

And despite sleeping every night here, I don't eat

Just give me a place to call home

Once Yuri has finished her poem, she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were normally filled with fantasies about her and some of her novel characters, like the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come from her read of A Christmas Carol not too long ago.

Her phone alarm woke her the next morning early at 6am, and after checking for any new texts from the club members she stretched, got dressed, and poured a bowl of cereal for breakfast.

After breakfast, Yuri headed outside for her morning jog around her neighborhood. She had recently started jogging before school and she definitely didn't regret it, even with how cold it's been. It got her energized for the day none the less.

Once back home, Yuri made one last check before officially leaving the house for school.

"Yuri, hey!" The voice was none other than Sayori, who was chasing Yuri into the school.

Yuri stopped for a moment, "Good morning Sayori, how are you?"

"Great, just like any other day, but I wanted to suggest an idea before I do it in club." Sayori said, walking alongside Yuri into the school.

Yuri awaited a response.

"Secret santa! It IS near Christmas time, and we're off for break Thursday, so that gives us practically all week to pick out gifts for our person," Sayori took a deep inhale to catch her breath, "whatd'ya say?"

"Well, I think it would be a great idea Sayori." Yuri smiled.

"Really?!" Sayori squealed.

"Yes, but Natsuki is my only problem..." Yuri sighed.

With a swift glance to the right, Yuri saw just who she wanted to. Natsuki.

"How so?" Sayori asked.

"Well," Yuri started to walk to the right in Natsuki's direction, "you see, after working alongside Natsuki in countless situations, I've come to realize she isn't the one to accept things nicely..." Yuri looked to Natsuki through a side glance, and had guessed her words caught the girl's attention.

"Huh, well she is a bit of a baby at times.." Sayori added.

"Just keep adding fuel to this flame.. A fed up Natsuki is pretty adorable after all..."

"Yes, and she seems to throw tantrums like one too." Yuri stated.

"I do NOT throw tantrums you LIAR!" Natsuki stomped over to Yuri's side and looked up at the purple haired girl, pointed a finger to the tip of her nose.

"Oh please," Yuri smiled softly, "what are you doing right now then?"

Huffing, Natsuki crossed her arms and stormed ahead of both Yuri and Sayori. Yuri and Sayori shared a small laugh before going back to their conversation about secret santa.

"What if we had Natsuki draw you on purpose! Like, make her draw last or something." Sayori suggested.

Yuri had that warm feeling again. Like a rush of adrenaline right in your heart. It felt good, and Natsuki seemed to give her this feeling. Yuri wanted more of it.

"That sounds great, and maybe I could draw Natsuki on purpose?" Yuri asked.

"No prob, I'm alright with Monika any day." Sayori smiled.

Yuri still couldn't get over Natsuki's reaction to Sayori and Monika being together. It seemed harsh, and scared Yuri slightly. Yuri knew she liked Natsuki, but after the reaction she gave...

As classes past, club time drew nearer and nearer. Yuri couldn't want to purposely draw Natsuki's name to get her something for Christmas.

"Hey, that's MY sandwich Sayori! Get your own!" Natsuki snatched her sandwich back from Sayori. This was how lunch naturally went for them, but today was different.

"Hey Yuri, could we maybe talk for a few? Away from the others?" Natsuki asked Yuri.

"Ah, uh.. Sure.." Caught off guard, both Natsuki and Yuri threw their lunch trash away and headed outside for Natsuki's wanted talk.

"So, I wanted to write a story... And I know what I want it to be about... But I'm not sure how to write it..." Natsuki sighed.

"Oh, uhm, well..." Yuri thought for a moment about the situation, unsure of what to say. "What is your story going to be about?"

"Eeh... Uh... Why would I tell you?!" Natsuki suddenly snapped, startling Yuri.

"Alright, but I can't help if you don't tell me the plot." Yuri replied, nervously rubbing the back of her head.

"Well I don't want to! So much help you are..." Natsuki grumbled, waddling over to the nearest bench.

"Cold?" Yuri asked, taking a seat beside Natsuki.

"Erm.. no, why would I be...? Natsuki replied through chattering teeth.

"Here, wear this." Yuri took off her fuzzy, deep purple jacket and layed it across Natsuki's back. "Better?"

"Uhh... Yeah... Thanks..." Natsuki hesitated.

The two sat there for the rest of recess, chatting about random thoughts and occasionally making the other laugh. Yuri had the warm feeling in her heart once again, and this time it wasn't as overwhelming as the past times. She mearly pushed it aside to focus more on Natsuki until they were called back inside.

The rest of the day flew by, and before Yuri knew it club was in session.

"Everyone, Sayori and I think it's a fun idea to do a secret santa the last week before break, so we have everyone's names in this box--." Monika was cut off.

"HEY! That's MY Parfait Girls manga box! Where did you put the books!?" Natsuki freaked.

"Adorable.."

"That's not our concern right now Natsuki, heh, but they're in a safe place for now." Sayori reassured.

"Anyways, Yuri c'mon up and choose a name." Monika finished.

Yuri stepped up and felt around the box, and on the side was a small slip of paper wedged into the corner of the box. Yuri knew that was Natsuki, so without a second thought she grabbed it and walked back to her seat.

The rest of club was spent with Natsuki. Yuri had accidentally fallen into Natsuki's manga trap, and spent club against the wall just infront of the closet holding the right side of a Parfait Girls manga book. Everyone was so occupied that poem sharing was skipped.

Once home, Yuri knew just what to get Natsuki. She made a quick jog to the library, where she walked around searching for the manga section.

"Ahh, here we go.."

There were many choices, and many different covers and plots to pick. Yuri narrowed it down to ones that were revolved around baking after twenty-five minutes of looking at the pink covered manga sets.

"Is Parfait Girls romance..?"

Yuri had her eyes set on a certain series called Bending Our Reality. It was focused on two best friends who were total opposites, yet still besties. One day, one of the two starts to develop feelings for the other, and spirals down a short depression period until she watched a movie in class about a universe traveller, who can travel into different parallel universes and make them real. She decides to make the parallel universe she wants to live in real, but doesn't know how her bestie will react in doing so.

"Cute, romance, has baking, high schoolers, and..." Yuri hesitated, "Lesbian..."

She still didn't know if Natsuki's view would ever change, but if it was for Natsuki it was worth a shot. Yuri purchased the set and was off to the nearest super market for any kind of pink wrapping paper.

After Yuri's journey, she immediately wrapped the present and wrote for it to be to Natsuki.

Yuri: Hey Sayori, when are the presents due?

Sayori: You already got yours?!

Yuri: just did, so when are they due?

Sayori: Before Thursday afternoon, as long as they're in the club room before club time. Put them in the closest at the start of the day and we'll wait until club to open them

Yuri: Alright.

The rest of the week were some of the best days of Yuri's life. Natsuki and her were talking lots more, and it truely felt like they were best friends. As much as Yuri wanted to confess at any given moment, she held back in fear of Natsuki's opinion. Even when one girl in Parfait Girls admitted to liking a girl, Natsuki didn't have a large reaction. That was the downfall of the days leading up to Thursday, but the rest was easily summed up by that warm feeling inside when around the one you love most.

"Closest looks full Monika!" Yuri heard Sayori squealed once she and Monika entered the room. Yuri and Natsuki had been reading Parfait Girls again, and had gotten pretty far since the first time they read together.

"Okay girls, go find the present with your name on it!" Monika said, and everyone headed for the closet but Yuri, who saved their place in the book first.

Upon opening hers, Yuri was not expecting it to be so well wrapped.

"Wait..."

Yuri and Natsuki exchanged glances.

"I didn't expect you to um... Eh..." Yuri stuttered.

"Get the... Same thing..." Natsuki finished.

Then Natsuki started to laugh a little, and walked over beside Yuri and gave her a pat on the head.

"Well I guess now you don't have to suffer through Parfait Girls, and we can read this instead." Natsuki grinned. "Plus I've re-read Parfait Girls too many times."

"That..." Yuri took in the moment for a second. "I guess we could.."

The rest of club was spent reading both their new mangas together. They gave each other an assignment, and it was to read one manga per day over break to see if they wanted to second set.

"Club time's up! Have a great break guys, and merry Christmas!" Monika grinned as her and Sayori walked out of the club room hand in hand.

"Lovebirds..." Yuri heard Natsuki grumble.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it... Right..?" Yuri asked. This had to be her shot. She was given the same manga she gave to Natsuki. Natsuki just had to have changed.

"Nah, it's all good. Before it was just," Natsuki sighed, "I wasn't used to seeing things like that in my actual life before. I just thought it was some type of character plot."

"Well, guess it's more than that," Yuri smiled softly, "now lets get this manga put back before break."

Both girls put the Parfait Girls manga back into the closet and before leaving Natsuki reached up and grabbed Yuri by the shoulder.

"You know my house address right? Becauseifnotletmewriteitdownsoyoucansendmelettersoverbreakbecauseibrokemyphoneandicantbuyanother." Natsuki threw her bag onto a nearby chair and whipped out a crumpled piece of paper and proceeded to tear off a corner.

"Hey, hey slow down Nat," Natsuki with a pen and a corner of a piece of paper in hand, turned to Yuri, "again, just slower this time alright?"

"Heh, well anyways.. I kind of dropped my phone into my cupcake mix the other night, COMPLETELY on accident, and I can't afford another at the moment..." Natsuki admitted, nervously lowering her head and giving a nervous smile.

"Hah, well you want my address now, correct?" Yuri guessed.

"If you could write it down for me..." Natsuki outstretched her hands to Yuri, who proceeded to place the corner of paper on a nearby desk and write down her address.

"There, now lets leave before break starts." Yuri handed the paper back and both girls headed in their way.

On the way home the girls talked about things they were going to do over break.

"Maybe one day you can come over and we can bake cookies! I don't do them often, so it would kinda be like both of our first time making them." Natsuki suggested as they got to the point where Yuri had to go in the other direction to get home.

"Maybe one day, but don't forget to read okay? At least one a day." Yuri reminded her.

"Fine MOM." Natsuki jokingly snapped back before they both went their separate ways until winter break was over.

A/N: happy with your chapter? Without this note its around 2000 words, plus I kinda had to get it out around Christmas for it to make sense. It's the 26th now, but hope you had a great Christmas! If you don't celebrate Christmas,  happy Hanukkah or Quanza. Love ya! 💜💗💚💙🖤💝💞💟