🌻Before You Read🌻

🌻Story time! So, the pic you saw in the last chapter was indeed what inspired this story. I drew it for the fun of it, as I saw the pic and thought "I could see that being Sakori". When I shared it with my friend, Shelby, the creator of Mori, I gave the short story of how it would all happen (Mori stands under the mistletoe for Kita, but Akiba distracts her. There are some, not so nice students who witness it and kind of make fun of Mori for it which angers Sakura, so of course she comes to his rescue to get these people to stop). I didn't think I'd overthink that scenario, but I did. I just wanted to see the whole thing play out, so there we go!

🌻The next Crossover, Lovestruck the Sequel, will be coming in February. More fashion crossover stuff will return in the summer. Just got to figure out some details for it still. In the meantime, I hope y'all enjoy!

🌻Comfort Cookies🌻

I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror as my hands grasped the edge of the white sink in front of me. Despite all the noise that should've echoed in the hallways, everything just fell on deaf ears. Maybe it was something Blake had installed in the walls here. Maybe he made soundproof bathrooms so no one could hear when someone decided to sing in the shower, but I doubt that was truly the case.

My body burned the longer I stood there. I could feel my fingers itching towards the faucet to turn it on. Cold water. That was what I needed most right now to stop the blood from rushing all over my body.

What was I thinking?! Did I really just kiss him in front of everyone? I glanced up into the mirror, only lifting my eyes up to see the slugged red lipstick on my lips.

How could I screw everything up for him? If only I didn't kiss him. If only I didn't kiss him, he'd still might have a shot with Kita. That was who he really liked. Not me.

Never me.

I shook my head, trying to rid all thoughts of the boy with the bat Quirk, but it never happened. I couldn't do it. Even if I had feelings for him.

If I had feelings for him...my eyes squeezed shut the moment those words crossed my mind. Things were never meant to go this far, but now? Now, I dug myself into a hole far too deep to even fathom getting out of.

How was I going to get out of this mess?

Before a solution could come to my brain, there was a soft knock on the door. I blinked, suddenly hearing the Christmas music—no. The song that was playing was an old Hanukkah song my aunt Midori would play to annoy my grandma during the holidays. It was in another language, so no one seemed to have been singing along, which was great. Despite it, there were still so many voices booming from the other side.

The soft knocks returned when I didn't answer.

"Occupied," I yelled, hoping it'd be enough to get whoever was on the other side away. It should've. This place had at least five bathrooms, and that wasn't even counting the ones I couldn't find as I was certain there was more. There had to be when there were too many rooms to count.

"Sugar or gingerbread," a soft voice responded, taking me off guard.

I wasn't sure what to do, so I pushed myself up and cracked the door open to see a small blonde standing with a plate of cookies in her hands. There seemed to be no one else loitering in the hallway that I cracked the door open and pulled her into the small bathroom. She didn't say a word as I locked the door behind me and slid down to my feet.

My friend didn't say a word as she knelt beside me, placing her plate of cookies in front of us. I tucked my legs beside me and leaned back on the door. Within seconds, I saw two different cookies right in front of me. I looked at the girl, seeing her chocolate colored eyes filled with concern.

"Sugar or gingerbread," Tami asked again. I was about ready to shove them away when she beat me to it. "You need to eat, you know, and before you said you did, Suki didn't see you eat before the party, and neither did I. Well...not before the party but during it, but still!"

As if to prove her statement, my stomach trembled at that very moment. As sweet as Tami could be, there was definitely no arguing with her, especially when it came to food. I learned that the hard way a long time ago.

I grabbed the darker cookie out of her hands and stared at it for a moment. While Tami excelled in baking, her decorating skills could use some work. The cookie was baked to look like a perfect reindeer, complete with antlers and a tail, but there were no decorations given. Even the entire cookie wasn't even completed with frosting. All it had was strips of red and green frosting, and not one of those lines was a straight one.

She could've given me a plain cookie, but she still gave it her all. That was just Tami Smith for you.

Knowing she wasn't going to listen to me until I had eaten the cookie, I took a bite of it, tasting the rich flavor trapped inside. My eyes closed in contentment as the treat just melted into my mouth. It all went by so quickly that I could feel my teeth about ready to rip off another piece, only, I stopped.

My hand lowered the cookie as I pressed my lips together for a quick moment.

"How?"

"Hmm?" Tami hummed back in response.

"How do you know what people need?" I asked. "You don't even look for recognition or praise or make mistakes for that matter. You know what it is people need without screwing it up."

Something brushed on my shoulder, sending chills down my skin despite staying on the thin material of my dress. I snapped my head over towards my blonde friend, seeing her offer a small smile. It wasn't the kind she'd normally give whenever someone gave her a compliment as her face didn't flush at the sound of it. She kept her dark colored eyes steady on my green ones, almost as if she was trying to reassure me.

"I screw things up too, you know," she explained. "That's why I ask for help. Besides, you didn't make a mistake. You—you were just following your heart like you always do."

My heart? I wanted to ask, but I held my tongue back. Tami knew better than anyone I wasn't going to fall in love, or at least, she knew why I couldn't fall in love.

Sure, that wasn't to say Mori wasn't good looking or anything. He was, but he just needed more confidence in himself to show it. There was something else that would make me fall head over heels for a guy. Before I could even list any of those qualities in my head, there was one glaringly obvious reason as to why I could never get close to Mori.

"Except he doesn't like me," I whispered, afraid that the guy could've been standing right outside the bathroom, listening in. Before I could say more, I tore my gaze away, not bearing to look her in the eyes a moment longer. "Not that it matters though. I don't have feelings for him. I can't have feelings for him. I was...just trying to be a good friend and help him out of that situation, only now...now I might have ruined his chances with the girl he truly liked."

Tami's arm slipped around me and pulled me in. It was strange enough that she was willing to sit so close to me, but it was another thing for her to wrap her arm around my shoulders, almost to assure me that everything was going to be alright.

I must've been a real mess if Tami was willing to make physical contact.

"I thought Mori liked you though," she said. "I mean, didn't he say he had a crush on you during that game of twenty-one questions a while ago?"

My head shook back and forth. "Don't you remember what Akiba said? It was a half truth because I'm second best in his eyes. There's another girl he likes that was in the room."

He likes Kita, I wanted to tell Tami, but I bit my tongue before I could continue. Sure, nearly everyone knew that, but I still don't think Mori wanted people to know. Tami would be the one person to keep her mouth shut about it, or at least, I would hope she would. The only downside was how close she was getting to Kita.

Would Tami tell Kita if she knew? I didn't want to ask and find out the hard way that I just stayed silent instead.

"I think...I think Akiba was covering for Mori that night," I softly explained. "But, it still hurts. Sure, he's much nicer about it and isn't forcing anything on me like most guys would, but just knowing he likes someone else—it makes me sound selfish, doesn't it? That if I just want someone to like me for who I am on the inside, I don't want them like anyone else."

I glanced up at the blonde, noticing her eyebrows knitting together in concern as she just shook her head. Honestly, in moments like this, I don't even know how I was even lucky enough to be friends with this girl. She was just so pure and would never get mad at me. Even if she knew part of this was to set her up with Raiden, she would just ask me not to do it again and that'd be the end of it. Anyone else would've blown up in my face and try convincing me what I did was wrong.

But Tami always chose to forgive and forget. When others were having a hard time, she'd do what she could to comfort them. I did nothing to deserve that kindness.

"No, not at all," Tami said. "It's—it's like you said when I told you about my breakup with Kaito. I need to find someone who loves me for me. You do too."

Without thinking about it, I wrapped my arms around her and pushed my face into her shoulder, feeling the soft fabric of her black and white sweater. It was so soft that I wasn't even mad at her for wearing this instead of the cream colored sweater I wanted her to wear. Her arms acted like a blanket, wrapping around me, so I wouldn't feel so alone.

"Everything will work out," Tami promised.

Normally, I wouldn't believe anything like that after what I had just witnessed, but I couldn't help but to believe it when it came from Tami. I could tell she believed what she said and would do anything to make sure that everything would be alright.

As I sat there wrapped in her embrace, I couldn't help but wonder what in the world I did to deserve her friendship. Despite wondering, I was just happy to have a friend like her around.

───※ ·𖥸· ※───

When no one was around, Tami and I had snuck out of the bathroom and went our separate ways. She wanted to go somewhere where it was calmer, so I told her about the room where Koto and Rocket were watching a movie. Hopefully by now, the two weren't the only ones in there, or the two were doing something different, mingling with other people. The last thing I wanted was for Tami to stumble in that room when those two were having a moment.

If any of my classmates were going to be official by the end of the night, it'd be Rocket and Koto. I really shouldn't be ruining their chances, but I knew how much this party was probably draining Tami that she needed away from the crowds. Besides, it was just Tami. I doubt those two would really mind.

They would have minded if I walked in there though. Even though I kind of wanted to get away from it all after the last stunt I pulled, I found myself back in the kitchen, where the gingerbread contests and cookie decorating had ceased. A few students from the other departments had hung around, but I didn't really know them all that well to really care. Instead, I just threw the empty plate Tami had filled with cookies in the nearest trash can and grabbed a cup of hot cocoa. I had to be careful as the stove was still hot, but it was nice as I leaned against the counter next to it.

"So, you finally done trying to pair everyone up?" a low voice snuck up from beside me.

I turned my head to see Dani standing there, scooping out some hot chocolate from the pot and into his cup. His orange eyes were trained on the dark liquid, giving me a slither of hope that he wasn't talking to me; however, that would've been impossible. There was no other matchmaker in the room, and if there was, I didn't know it.

"Honestly, I think I've done enough damage for one day," I muttered, turning my head away as I took a sip of the rich chocolate that was waiting inside my foam cup.

"So I've heard," Dani commented. "Look, from what I overheard from people, you didn't totally mess everything up with that stunt you pulled."

Which stunt, I wanted to ask, but it would've been pointless. I think there was truly only one stunt that truly would have jeopardized everything. There was no way I didn't mess everything up with that. After all, Kita had to have seen that, so she probably thought there was a thing between the two of us.

Only, that thing was more one sided, I was almost certain of it now. Not that it mattered. It was for the best that Mori liked Kita anyway. He'd be happier with her.

"After you kissed Mori, no one seemed to want to give him a hard time about Kita," he explained. "Well, Ratty Rapunzel and Pixel Brain claimed it was a pity kiss, but I think we all know that it wasn't, was it?"

I rolled my eyes as I lowered my drink to the counter behind me. "It's what you do with mistletoe, and he was in my way. How else was I going to get around him?" I lied.

Before I could say anything more, I felt him shift beside me. I turned my head to see him pulling his wallet out of his back pocket to pull out what looked to be like his UA ID card. He turned it over in his hand, giving it a puzzling look.

"Huh, would you look at that" he said. "According to my ID, I wasn't born yesterday."

Dani glanced back at me, raising an eyebrow, almost in a way that would make me want to rethink my answer. The only thing that prevented me from doing so was knowing Dani. He knew all too well, I was certain, but if I actually said it, it'd be admitting that it was true. Not to mention the shit he'd give me if I'd actually give in.

Instead, I just lowered my head, allowing my dark hair to fall around me. "Do you know how Mori is holding up?" I dared to ask, afraid of how he'd respond.

For a moment, Dani didn't answer, which I assumed was because he was taking a drink from his cup or redoing his wrappings, so he could enjoy it. Regardless, I just looked around, somewhat hoping to see a familiar face, but the people who were loitering in the kitchen started to meander out of there. I didn't exactly blame them. With most of the gingerbread houses made, the only thing to really do in here was to eat and get hot chocolate.

Truly, who knew how much longer this party would last? Even as I looked up at the clock that hung beside the doorway, I realized a good three hours had passed since people started to arrive. I doubt many would stay for another three, at least, I hope they wouldn't. Since I asked Blake to use his place, I agreed to help clean up afterwards.

Guess that meant this party wasn't a total flop if they were still willing to stay here. I just wished I didn't screw things up for some people.

"Kita has been spending her time with Akiba, though that's not entirely your fault. From what I hear, the guy did make a big entrance and steal Mori's spotlight," Dani eventually answered. "Blake took Mori out of the room after what happened, keeping him occupied, so you don't really have to worry much there.

"He didn't seem upset with you either, in case you wanted to know," Dani continued. "I think you took everyone off guard, but you definitely didn't ruin anything. You did what you could with the situation."

But I ruined his chances with Kita, I thought. Normally, I'd push the blame on someone else as to why that was a flop, but who was I kidding? Miku might have been totally against it in the beginning, but she at least could stay away from the entire situation. Well, whether that was because of my request or because her cousin Saki helped out, I wasn't certain, but it didn't matter. The only one to blame here was me.

Why was pairing up my friends such hard work?

I wanted to walk out of that kitchen that moment when I felt something push into my arm. I glanced up, noticing Dani poking me with his notebook. Where he pulled his notebook from, I wasn't sure, but I didn't question it. Instead, I grabbed it out of his hands and flipped it open. On each page was a different design sketched out.

"Speaking of what you've done this past week, you still have yet to cooperate with me with your costume design," Dani explained. "You literally forced my hand to sketch out different costumes for you."

My lips pressed together as I saw each and every one of them. Every single costume was perfect. Dani listened to me and my needs of what I was looking for in a costume as they each provided some way for me to push my vines out of my joints without ruining the costume. One even suggested fishnets, but I gave Dani a disapproving look with that one, earning an earnest shrug from it. Another one suggested that he tried to invent a material that wouldn't tear whenever I grew one of my vines out, but I didn't think that was truly possible.

Maybe it was. He was in the Support Course after all. There would be no way he'd be in that department if he had a brain to figure those things out. Still, even looking at the outfits with longer sleeves and pants, I knew I didn't want to chance it. One of these days, I wanted to try and create a thorny vine, and knowing how thorns could tear through clothing, I figured it might have been best to avoid Dani's wrath once more.

"How did you come up with all of these?" I asked, glancing up at him.

Dani nonchalantly shrugged his one shoulder. "Had to do something while you were going off on your crazy schemes. Besides, it was like I said, I wanted to get these done by Christmas, but you were getting so carried away with this that I had to create a few different options."

I frowned at his comment. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"Hey, I've worked with you for about a year now," Dani explained. "If anyone should know about your habits of just doing what you want without question, it should be me. Now that I've finally got your attention, we can get this done and over with."

As much as I wanted to hug him at that moment, I didn't. He would have killed me if I did. Instead, I just showed him a big smile before I talked over some different costumes with him, figuring out which parts of some designs that I liked, which parts I was a bit iffy about, and which ones I absolutely hated. He listened, taking note or bluntly told me why I was wrong, but that was how things normally went between the two of us.

Despite being at a Christmas party, this was just the norm between Dani and me. Honestly, I was happy he had something to get my mind off the events that had happened. Whether he meant to do that or just wanted to get to this, I didn't know. I didn't dare ask either because I was afraid of what his answer might be.

Guess as long as people had fun, then this party was a success. I might not have had a ton of luck pairing people together, but maybe next year I would.

🌻The End🌻

🌻Chapter Question🌻
What was your favorite part of the story?

Song: Blue Christmas Instrumental