/puts on the Twisted Sister Christmas Album [OPEN/CLOSED]

[astonishing_xmods]

WHO: Everyone on campus!
WHAT: Holiday goingons
WHERE: The Institute
WHEN: Threads can be set at any time this week.
WARNING(S): if a thread goes into warning label territory, either throw it in the subject line or take it to a separate log.

The entire campus is decorated for the holidays in red greens and silvers. It seems just about every major winter holiday is represented in some way. In the main lobby, there's an absolutely gigantic tree done up in a brilliant light display, with Emma Frost's touch added to the star. She's probably off somewhere enjoying a spot of cocoa with her old comrades, even. But really this wasn't so much for the Institute itself, but for all of its students. The ones that had no other home to return to....

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2

[psykick]

As much as she would have liked to go home to visit her father and her friends back in Tokyo, Rinka couldn't afford the plane ticket herself. And asking the school to help pay for it would have just made her feel guilty. Still, she managed to Skype with everyone the night before (when it was Christmas morning for them), so Rinka was feeling pretty cheerful despite being far from home.

A shopping bag in hand, she went in search of her teammates and friends to deliver the small gifts she'd procured for them before the mall trip had descended into violence. Cute gloves for the girls and knit beanies for the boys. And a bar of chocolate.

Catching sight of Shindou, she waved. "Merry Christmas!"

[presto_turn]

"Merry Christmas," was the immediate reply, almost chimed back as Shindou drew to a stop to wave in reply. He had a mug of hot chocolate clasped in one hand, overloaded with marshmallows, and a gift bag swinging from the other. But it must not have been the right one, because as soon as Rinka hailed him he paused to set both down on the nearest table and grin.

"You're not busy with anything, are you...? I need a second to grab your gift." He nodded across the room to where he'd stashed most of the day's presents, under one of the small forest of trees decorating the Institute's living spaces. By now the pile'd dwindled down some, but there are still a half-dozen plus presents set aside there.

"I wanted to get something for everyone on the team, for the new year."

[psykick]

"No, I'm not busy," Rinka replied. "I also need a moment to find your gift."

She set her bag of gifts down on the table and started rummaging through it, trying to find the package with Shindou's name. After digging for several seconds, she produced it with an 'aha!' The wrapping paper was just recycled newspaper, but there was a gold ribbon tied around it with a bow.

[presto_turn]

"Great. Give me just a minute - "

And, with that, he was off for the Christmas tree he'd indicated, getting down onto one knee to sort through all the gifts he had left over. Most of what he still had to give out by now were small packages, with sweets or tea sent from home - oseibo-style gifts for teachers and more familiar classmates, not all of whom were around for the break. Rinka's gift was one of the last larger presents left over, a flat parcel done up in glinting, green paper.

Bounding back over, he held it out towards her with a cheerful smile.

"I hope it's alright. I ended up looking for something for the winter for almost everyone..." In Rinka's case, that meant a cashmere scarf, checkered red, with a matched pair of gloves tucked along with them. (Clothes-shopping for girls was supposed to be perilous, but he thought those were both pretty safe gifts? Because, really, who didn't like scarves?) "The weather's worse here than I ever remember Tokyo getting, with all the snow, so...

[psykick]

Rinka carefully picked open the paper (such pretty paper! it would be a shame to rip it), making sure not to ruin the edges too much. Sure, she could just reach in a phase whatever was inside through the paper, but that defeated the purpose. Half the fun of gifts was unwrapping them. Her eyes lit up when she finally saw what was inside.

"Wow! They're so soft!" She exclaimed as she gently fingered the fabric. After a moment, she wrapped the scarf around her neck and tried on the gloves. "And they're warm! Much warmer than the ones I have. Thank you, Shindou."

"Here." Now it's Shindou's turn. Inside the neatly folded newspaper is a lined bobble hat with earflaps. And a bar of chocolate. Like Shindou, Rinka had been thinking about the cold weather as well.

[presto_turn]

"Do they fit alright? I had to guess at the sizes for everyone..."

That was a fine enough reaction, either way. Shindou brightened, humming appreciatively as he took the newspaper-wrapped parcel and began folding it covers back. A few seconds later he was exchanging his borrowed Santa Claus hat to tuck the bobble hat down over his hair. A quick adjustment had it on snug and the earflaps covering most of the waves of his hair, drawing out an amused grin.

"This is great, too. I needed to get ear-muffs or something like that anyway, so..." A laugh while he fished out the candy from what remained of the package and nodded. "Thanks."

[psykick]

"They fit just right," Rinka answered, clapping her gloved hands together. The fingers are just long enough and the little bit of elastic at the wrist will help keep them in place.

She grins as he puts the hat on. It had the potential to look silly, but only when it wasn't worn with confidence or without a care what other people thought. Rinka had a feeling Shindou could manager one or the other, because the hat looked fine on him.

"You're welcome. I suppose I didn't realize how cold it could get here. This time of year, in Tokyo, it's cool, but not cold."