http://clampfix.fanworks.net/others/giftmagi.txt </head><body><pre>Heyla! Okay, it's a little late, but in the midst of holiday preparations, this story didn't quite get finished in time to be posted before Christmas. It's based (very loosely) on the Christmas story of the same title by O. Henry. Merry Christmas, everyone! ^_^ -Jonna ******** Chobits Gift of the Magi by Jonna Coombs posted December 30, 2001 ******** DISCLAIMER: The characters of Chobits don't belong to me, but instead belong to CLAMP and their associates. This is a work of fanfiction, and is written for non-profit, entertainment purposes only. ******** Hideki's wallet was empty. He should have known. He *had* known. After all, the wallet had been empty for a week now. The only cash he had was a bit of change in one pocket, barely enough to buy a can of natto for his dinner. Hideki thumbed through all the compartments of the scrawny-looking billfold, just in case it held some hidden stash he might previously have overlooked. Of course, it didn't. He put the wallet away, his gaze going back to the brightly decorated store window in front of him. It wasn't fair, he thought. It just wasn't fair that Christmas was at the end of the month, when he never had any cash left, instead of the beginning. Today was the day before Christmas. Up until now, he'd convinced himself that his holiday shopping was all done. He'd bought his family presents when he'd gotten his last paycheck from his part time job, back when he'd still had some money. Shinbo was already taken care of, too. They'd agreed not to exchange gifts this year, since Shinbo understood Hideki's situation, and said he was saving up to buy something big for someone else anyway. So that took care of nearly everyone on Hideki's gift list. There was only one small thing left for his conscience to bother him about. He hadn't gotten anything for Chii. He'd talked himself out of buying something for her more than once already. People didn't buy presents for persocon. They were only machines, after all. Sure, it was okay to buy stuff that would make them more useful--memory upgrades, security features, things like books and videotapes that would provide information for their learning programs. But you wouldn't get them presents like you would for a real person. Still, Hideki imagined the look on Chii's face when he brought her home a box with a big red bow. He'd have to explain to her how to open it--but once she understood that it was for her, she'd get all cute and happy, and probably give him this big flying hug that would knock them both to the floor. Just thinking about how happy it would make her was enough to cause him to start grinning like a maniac. Until he remembered that he had no money. Then he clapped his hands to his head and howled. "UWAAAA! This could have been such a great Christmas! But now it's ruined because, as usual, I'm totally broke! It's SO NOT FAIR!!!!" His tirade was interrupted as something smacked into his shoulder hard enough to bruise. "I didn't think I'd see you out shopping today, Motosuwa-senpai!" By now he could identify the owner of that voice without even turning his head. No one else could injure him just by saying hello. He repressed the urge to rub his shoulder to ease the pain. "Hi, Yumi-chan." She smiled brightly. "Getting the rest of your Christmas shopping done?" That was apparently what she was doing as well, there was a large paper bag with handles clutched in her mittened hands. She looked so cute standing there, Hideki couldn't help but return her smile. "Well, kind of," he hedged. <Window shopping, at least.> "I see." She peered into the store window in front of him. "This is a place that sells accessories and upgrades for persocon." She turned to him with curious eyes. "Are you going to buy something for the persocon that's staying at your house?" "I was thinking about it." Hideki gave a little sigh. <Who am I kidding?> he thought wryly to himself. <I don't even have the money to buy clothes for Chii. Everything she wears comes from Hibiya-san.> Contemplating that depressing thought, it took him a moment to notice that Yumi had gone very quiet. "Yumi-chan?" Yumi gave her head a quick shake. "It's nearly Christmas, and everyone should try to think good thoughts on Christmas. So." She brightened again, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "I have a present for you, Motosuwa-senpai." She reached, not into the bag she was carrying, but into the large pocket of her winter coat, and pulled out a package wrapped in blue paper with little white snowflakes and a white bow. "This is for you!" Hideki could only stare at her a moment, unable to think of anything to say. "F-for me?" he stammered, when he could manage a coherent thought. "Yeah!" she beamed. Hideki turned bright red. "B-but…I…." He froze for a moment in panic and indecision as she held the package out to him. It didn't seem right to accept it from her. He couldn't accept it. He didn't have anything to give her in return. "It's okay. I wanted you to have this. So please take it." "Yumi-chan…." Numbly, Hideki reached out and took the package from her. "Go on, open it," Yumi said insistently. "It's still the day before Christmas, but you can open it now anyway. " "O-okay." Hideki started to unwrap the package, glancing over at Yumi as he did so. She was watching his hands raptly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. <Wow,> he thought, <Yumi-chan is really into this. She must like Christmas a lot.> It was a little odd, though, that she had been carrying the present around in the pocket of her jacket. Had she expected to run into him on the street today? <She's so nice to give out presents to her co-workers. Although, come to think of it, I didn't see her giving one to anyone else at work yesterday.> Did that mean that she'd only gotten a present for him? The wrapping paper came away from the bundle, and immediately Hideki's hands sank into soft, warm wool. "Oh, wow," he said, separating the knitted material from the paper. The scarf was the exact same color as his jacket. "It's gotten really cold out," Yumi continued quickly, "and I never see you wearing a scarf or gloves. So I thought I could give you the scarf first. The gloves will have to wait until I get a little better." Hideki looked at her. "You made this?" She blushed. "I know it's not very good, I'm still learning…." "No, no!" Hideki said quickly, looping the scarf around his neck. "It's great! The wool is nice and warm. I really like it." "You do?" Yumi's eyes were shining. "I'm so glad! I…." Whatever she was going to say was interrupted as her name was called from across the street. Hideki saw two other girls with shopping purchases standing there, motioning for her to hurry up. "I'd better go," she said reluctantly. "I'll see you after Christmas at work, right?" "Yeah. I'm scheduled for the day after." "Me, too," Yumi took a step back, smiling a bit. "Well, I'll see you later." "Sure." Hideki held up the end of his new scarf. "And thanks." Yumi's smile broadened, and she waved to him as she headed over to re-join her friends. "You're welcome!" she called back. "Merry Christmas!" Hideki returned the wave, watching as the group of giggling girls walked away down the street. Yumi-chan was so nice. He really felt awful that he didn't have a gift for her. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his apartment keys and then turning the pocket inside-out. The only items that emptied into his hands were a few small coins and a slip of paper. Hideki immediately tucked the slip of paper safely away. He didn't want to loose it, it was his train ticket for tomorrow. His parents had wired him the money a month ago so that he could come home and visit for Christmas day. That left only the coins. He stared at them, feeling another wave of depression coming on. Nobody was going to sell him anything for that much money. It really was hopeless. Unless. He shook his head violently, as if the motion could knock the sudden idea back out of his head again. No, he couldn't do it. He'd never be able to forgive himself if he sold *that* to get money to buy Christmas presents. Shinbo would think he had gone crazy. His parents just wouldn't understand. "But still," Hideki mumbled to himself, staring down at the measly coins in his hand, "But still I want to get something for Christmas. For Chii and Yumi-chan." His hand closed into a fist as he made up his mind. He'd have to move quickly. There was only about an hour left before he had to show up for the afternoon/early evening shift at the tavern today. That didn't leave him much time. Shoving the coins back into his pocket, he took off down the street at a run. ******** "Chii, I'm home!" Hideki called as he came through the apartment door. "Welcome back!" Chii responded, looking up from her picture book. She was wearing a black dress with white lace around the collar and cuffs, an outfit that had been in the last batch Hibiya-san had given her. The skirt trailed appealingly across the tatami mats on the floor, revealing quite a bit of one graceful leg. "Did you have a good day?" "A great day." Hideki set down three packages on the futon. The package wrapped in brown paper was from work. As he'd left the tavern tonight, the manager had drawn him aside and told him to help himself to whatever food was left over in the fridge for Christmas dinner, if he wanted to. No natto for dinner tonight, or tomorrow! That manager really was a nice guy. The second package, a green and gold striped box, was for Yumi-chan. It was a new watch in a fashionable design. Hideki had been stuck, with absolutely no idea what he should get. But a kindly saleswoman had taken one look at his lost expression, and recommended this. He had decided to take her word for it. The third package was a silver box with a big red bow. Hideki took off his jacket and his new scarf, carefully hanging them up on a nail by the door. "Chii, come on over here. I have something for you." "Chi?" "Here." He held the silver box out to her. "It's a Christmas present. Really, you're supposed to wait until tomorrow--but since I have to leave so early in the morning, it's okay if you open it tonight. I want you to open it tonight." Chii accepted the package, gingerly touching the red bow. "The paper is decoration for Christmas, right?" she said. Hideki blinked. "That's right. It's so the boxes look nice before the person unwraps them. You know about Christmas presents?" "Hibiya-san explained it to me," Chii said. "I can open this now?" Hideki beamed. "Yep. Go ahead." He looked on with something like pride as Chii carefully tore at the paper, encouraging her when she hesitated. Underneath the bright wrapping was a plain brown box. Hideki felt a pang of nervousness as the last of the paper fell away. <She'll like it,> he told himself. <I'm sure she'll like it.> Chii opened up the box. Inside, on a nest of tissue paper, was something that looked very much like a plastic cartoon rabbit on a key chain. "Do you know what it is?" Hideki asked anxiously. "A friend of mine has one. It's a device that allows a person to communicate with their persocon, even when they're very far away. I'm going to be away all day tomorrow. So I thought that if I got this, we'd still be able to share Christmas, even if we can't be together." Hideki trailed off, worried. Chii was staring down at the device, not moving at all. "Chii? Do you like it?" There was a sudden blur of tan and black as Chii launched herself at him. "Hideki!" He hit the floor hard with Chii on top of him, and he had to yank her skirt back down, before the frilly white cloth that was visible underneath could cause him to have a nosebleed or worse. She lifted her head from his chest. There was a small smile on her lips, and her soft brown eyes were full of gratitude. "It's perfect," she said. "Thank you." Hideki blushed; a dark, glowing red that felt like it went all the way to the roots of his hair. <She likes it!> he thought, elated. "Um, well…good," he managed. "Whew! I'm really glad!" "Oh!" Chii scrambled up, climbing off of him quickly. "Now I have a present for you." "For me?" Hideki pointed at himself. "A Christmas gift? When did you…?" But Chii was already moving across the room. She pulled a paper bag out from behind the television stand and brought it over, pulling out a package done up in holiday gift wrap. "For you," she said, presenting it to him. "Chii, when did you go shopping?" he asked, confused. "Did you get this when I was with you?" "No," Chii said. "Hibiya-san and I went the last time I visited her house. This is a present from both of us." "Oh." Hideki perked up immediately. "That was awfully nice of her. I wonder what it is." Chii placed the wrapped box into his hands, and settled down beside him on the tatami to watch him open it. The wrapping came off. Hideki stared. It was a videotape. The picture on the front was of a beach with white sand and a crystal blue sky, and a close-up of a gorgeous woman who wasn't really wearing anything that could be mistaken for clothes. Hideki's eyes bulged. He fumblingly turned the tape over to look at the screen captures on the back. There were more scantily clad women pictured there, women in various compromising and provocative poses. "Th-this is a present from *both* of you???!!!" "Yes," Chii said. "Hibiya-san let me pick it out." Hideki didn't know if he should feel happy or mortified. He started to tear open the shrinkwrap, then froze, caught in a slowly dawning realization. "I just pawned the VCR," he said, stricken. Chii looked at him cluelessly. "Chi?" "I pawned the VCR in order to get money to buy Christmas presents." He managed to remain calm for another five seconds, then lost it. "AUGH!!! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I have to go and give up my VCR at a time like this! I could be watching babes in a tropical paradise, but now the tape is useless, and all I can watch on the screen is snow! AUUGGHH!!" Hideki buried his face in his arms and moaned. Chii was watching him with wide eyes. "It's useless?" she asked blankly. "Did I get a bad gift?" Hideki immediately lowered his arms and blinked at her. "A bad…. No! No, it's not a bad gift at all!" He spoke quickly, watching her face for some sign of sadness or pain. But she continued to look at him, appearing genuinely puzzled by his reaction. "Geez, Chii. Finding you was the coolest thing that ever happened to me. Nothing you could give me would be a bad gift." He should have known better. He barely had time to brace himself before the full force of Chii's weight hit the center of his chest. For the second time in ten minutes, he landed flat on his back on the floor with Chii's arms around his neck. "Hideki," she said happily, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Heh." He patted her on the head as she snuggled warmly against the front of his shirt. It was really kind of sweet, once one got over the initial surprise. "Merry Christmas, Chii." It had been worth it to give up his VCR. Hideki glanced over at the futon, where Yumi-chan's gift was, and smiled. Christmas really was a wonderful time of year. ********</pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>