All I Want for Christmas

"Okay, reach in and grab a name. Remember, you're buying a gift for whoever you get to be swapped at our Christmas party on Sunday!"

Present Mic reached in and dug around in the baseball cap when it came to him. He grabbed a piece of pare, hoping against hope, and passed the hat on to his left.

Please please please please PLEASE let it be Cheshire

His heart beating crazily, he opened his palm and stared down at the ticket. It read:

Eraserhead

"Ah, shit!"

As soon as Elly left he started talking to every teacher left in the room, trying to find out who had gotten her.

"Eraser? 'Zawa? No?"

"I got Thirteen," he grunted shortly and trudged off.

Midnight's eyes lit up as she held out her scrap of paper. "Hey, Yamada," she called out casually. "Guess whose ticket I pulled?"

Hizashi groaned loudly. "Oh, c'mon," he shouted up at the ceiling, his hands balling into fists as he sank dramatically down to his knees.

"Well, you're in the right position," she chuckled evilly. "I want you to not only beg for this opportunity, I've got some requests I've been dreaming up!"

He whimpered and cringed away from her. "Please, it's Christmas. Just try an' remember that this isn't all about me, yanno? I want her to get the best gift ever!"

"Hmmm." She tapped the paper on her lip thoughtfully. "Okay, Yamada. You win - if I get to help you pick the gift out."

He made a small face but nodded. "Anything."

She grinned as they swapped tickets. "Aizawa is too easy to buy for, anyway. I want a challenge."

They went immediately to the mall after school to try and find a gift. The exchange had a money limit, and that wasn't the only problem that was bothering Mic.

"I don't know what would be best," he fretted, brows drawn up tightly on his forehead.

Kayama shrugged. "We'll figure something out."

They got off the escalator and looked around to get their bearings.

"This is gonna be impossible, yo," he whimpered, staring at all the stores.

"Pay attention!" She pointed into the general center of kiosks and stores lining every square foot they could squeeze into. "What does she like more than anything?"

"Alice in Wonderland stuff."

"And?"

"Uh..." He scratched his head. "Her favorite color is purple. Food, fried chicken - tenders and nuggets an' stuff count, too. Oh! She likes music, like me, an' her current fave band is that new alternative one."

"That one with the long acronym for their name?"

"Uh huh."

"But what gift would make her absolutely freak out within budget... hmm." She absently adjusted her glasses.

Hizashi swayed a little on his feet, a dazed smile on his face. "What'd make her kiss me, that's what I wanna know."

"That shit's illegal," she snorted. "Of course, you could just get her really drunk."

"Kayama!" He frowned, hurt.

"Well? If you want a kiss you'd be best off just wrapping yourself or some hokey junk like that. If she likes you enough, it would be perfect."

His eyes slowly squinted as he stared at her. "You can go home, Kayama," he said in a thoughtful voice. "I know what I'm getting her."

"But! We just..."

He ignored her and wandered into a nearby card store.

Christmas was in a few days and the staff was holding their party after school in the lounge. It was a simple event so they could hang out, exchange gifts and eat if they wanted. Everyone was still in their hero garb and a few had given their gifts on the run to other events. Mic was extremely nervous as he peered around the room looking for his unwitting recipient. He spotted her making her way back from giving Ectoplasm a special microphone he could take with him to karaoke.

"Hi, Mic." She smiled warmly at him and his legs grew weaker.

"Ches? I got you this."

It was a pretty envelope with a gold seal on the back. She slid a nail under the flap and broke it, pulling out such a beautiful card that she exclaimed softly upon seeing it. She opened and read what was written inside, her face starting to flush and her ears perking out of her purple hair.

"I - oh my god. Are you..?" Elly read the card again, turned even darker, and stammered out, "Hi - Hizashi? You mean it?"

He bit his lip and grinned at her nervously, nodding.

She shook her head and then grinned back, taking hold of the giant leather lapels on his jacket. One brisk tug and he stumbled down to her level, where she ducked slightly to avoid crashing into his neck speaker. She pressed her lips to his in a gentle, yet soulful kiss. His eyes slipped closed in bliss and his left leg kicked out.

"Now I know why Present is in your hero name," she gasped as they parted. "That was amazing!"

"I'm glad," he wheezed, out of breath from the kiss. "I thought ya might slap me for a minute there."

"It's the best gift I've ever gotten," she told him firmly, and moved to throw her arms around his neck. Of course their gear prevented this so she grasped him around the waist instead, rubbing her cheek against his chest and purring. Mic shakily raised his right hand and gave a weak thumbs up to Midnight. His eyes were dazed and his mouth stretched into a goofy, trembling smile of sheer happiness.

Aizawa wandered over with a pair of earmuffs on that had cat's ears sticking up on the headband. "The hell happened here?"

"Now I really want to know what he wrote on that card." Midnight chuckled, mystified. "Hey!"

It took the two cuddling heroes a moment but they realized she was calling out to them.

"What does the card say?"

Elly smiled. "It says he'll treat me to a snack and coffee at the cafe down the street."

The 18+ Hero stomped her foot on the floor. "There is no way that's all it says!"

Mic gently took the card and handed it to the pouting woman. "Calm down, Kayama. Here."

Merry Christmas, Ches.

I'm nervous as hell writing this & will be even more freaked when you read it but here goes. I wanna take you to that coffee place you love down the street for whatever you want. Just the 2 of us.

You can choose me to go as:

* Present Mic, fellow hero & colleague
* Yamada, your friend & colleague

or

* Hizashi, a man that is hopelessly in love with you and wishes with all his heart you'll want him as your boyfriend ♡

Please please please don't be offended. If you want just call me by the name you choose. I promise to respect your decision & not talk about #3 ever again if you pick 1 or 2.

But I do love you.

~ Hizashi

Midnight looked up, barely believing what she had read. The new couple were facing her with equally large grins. Mic's arm was slung about Cheshire's waist and he reached out with the other to take the card from her nerveless fingers.

"I think shuttin' Midnight up is a bonus gift, don't you?"

Elly giggled wickedly and even Aizawa's lips twitched in a smile.