"Don't open your eyes! I messed the bow up!"
The bow was, ultimately, very inconsequential to the gift, but Chie paid good money for this wrapping job, darn it!
Which was saying a lot. She'd cheap out on most things, especially if it was her own stuff, but this was special. Very special, and it needed to be... not perfect, 'cause she's seen where that can lead you. But it needed to make Ryuji... happy. Smile, if only for a second. That'd be the best gift in her eyes, she thought.
"Okay, you can get to unwrapping!... what the heck, you sit pretty for a second!"
Once the storm of paper receded, a boxful of goodies was on display for Ryuji's curious eyes.
"First up! I know last year I got'cha something similar, but because you loved it so much, I saved for this one! It's a vintage game system! You can tell, 'cause you need those yellow and red cord thingies to hook it up into your TV. I've tested it too, it works like a charm! And of course, I had to pick you up some games for it--and I got a party game for us both to test run! I think it's Nario Marty? 'Dunno, but it looked fun!"
Nervously, the last item is plucked and held in her hands.
"And these are leg warmers! Not just any, though; they got a 'lil pocket inside where you can slide in a heating pack. I thought, you know, since you can't run much, we could work up your stamina together. And if your leg starts hurting, we can use this pretty baby's heating function! Heat usually soothes those things, I think. But... I mostly just wanted us to do it together, y'know? Maybe it'll make it less scary."
From @ofhope. ( Christmas 2025. )
"I'm keeping my eyes closed...! Scout's honor...!"
He couldn't help but suppress a chuckle as much like a child, his hands were entirely covering his eyes - maybe he snuck one or two peeks, but for the most part he was being very good and patient...!
Of course, while there was the sense of childlike wonder - like taking him back to being an innocent and eager child waiting to be presented with his Christmas present more than anything else - he felt overwhelmed by so many feelings in this moment - giddiness, excitement, gratitude and above all else - affection - affection for the amazing girl who was currently busy wrangling a bow - on a present all for him. Seriously, what had he done in a past life to be able to be with such an amazing girl...? A girl who was a complete and utter badass but also adorable and incredibly huggable! A girl he would easily do anything for and give his life for, a hundred times over. Chie meant the world to him.
"Heh, come on - you know as much as I do that the best part about getting any gift is tearing into it...!"
This point was accentuated by a particularly loud and generous tear into the wrapping...!
"Whoa, a vintage game system...?! That's so amazing...! I hope it wasn't too hard to find...!" In a funny twist of irony, vintage gaming systems had been making something of a comeback in the modern day with people looking to recapture childhood nostalgia - he of course would have done so too except...he'd never quite been able to afford it. However, his amazing and beautiful girlfriend had sought him out for this...! Gently setting the gaming system into his lap - his fingers lightly running across the aforementioned red and yellow chords, more than anything else in that moment he wanted to go to her - to kiss her senseless and to thank her in every way that he knew how. To wrap her up in a big bear hug and never let go - but still, he had one more gift waiting for him before he could do that.
"We can definitely play games on it too - maybe we'll go shopping and look for games to play together on it,"
While the first gift was pretty vintage and cool - the other gift was downright touching - leg warmers, perfect to keep him comfortable and warm and hearing Chie speak of training with him - as though it were already a certainty - like they were partners and she would be at his side...he couldn't stop himself from gazing at her in adoration - Chie...had really done her research for him and gone to a lot of effort, especially with this second gift and as she carried on, he found himself gingerly setting the game system and the leg warmers off to the side. He was before her in an instant, his arms wrapping around as he hugged her close to his chest - one hand at her waist and the other cupping the back of her head. His eyes were misty and his smile was wide, his voice low as he spoke - gratitude flooding into every word.
"I love this so much...I love you so much, too..." He keeps a grip on her, still hugging her close. "I dunno what I ever did to deserve such a nice Christmas...least of with someone as amazing as you but...I'm never gonna forget this...I love you,"
