A/N: Doth my eyes deceive me? Did the leaning tower of Pisa just fall over a little more? Did the Sphinx break apart? Did a volcano just erupt? Is the zombie apocalypse finally over? Is this, dare I say it, an update? And with Jomatto and Redeeming Endeavor, no less? What sick mastermind came up with this?

Fun fact: (11/14/13, 2:08PM) I was sixteen when I last updated. I will be eighteen by the time this is posted.

(12/02/13, 4:21PM) On my way home from 'Murrica. A small cup of frozen yogurt in Canada, filled 3/4 of the way, is $5.75. Two full cups of substantially larger size in the USA is $6.10. WHAT IS THIS WITCHCRAFT.

(12/19/13, 10:02AM) Surprise surprise! I've published a book for my eighteenth birthday. You can purchase and read more about it at the top of my profile page. There is also a new poll up, so don't forget to check that out, too!

Warning: Sora and Kairi get a little freaky in the middle. Poking at the M rating here. Bow chicka wow wow.

Well then, without further ado, I present to you the final installment of "It's Good To Be Back!"

The Observations of a Christmas Tree
xo Kyorii

This is going to be extensively entertaining.

I have the right to say that, seeing as that I am the all-seeing, all-knowing omniscient viewer of this whole shebang.

In all my years serving as the Christmas tree for the ninth floor of Cornerstone Hall, I can confidently say that this is the prettiest I have been in years. The art major, Naminé I believe, has adorned me with lavish decorations: silk ribbons, carefully handcrafted nutcracker soldiers and angels, glittery Christmas balls, you name it. I am red carpet worthy, and this surely beats the nerf bullets that her predecessors dressed me in the year prior, and the bras I was dressed in the year before that.

As she places a rather expensive looking star on my head, her floor-mates huddle together by the couches in the common room to begin drawing for their gift exchange; or, as the porcupine (Sora, I think?) calls it, "Secret Santa." Ed Sheeran (I'm pretty sure his real name is Roxas, but I just like calling him that because I always used to see him with his guitar) is on the monitor of Porcupine's laptop on Skype. He calls Naminé over with a smile, and the artist happily complies despite his physical existence. The coffee table has informed me that Roxas has been gone for nearly a year now, studying abroad for his international studies course. He's been in Radiant Garden for months now, which I find unfortunate because I've always thought that he and Naminé were physically inseparable. They must be dying inside.

My good friend, otherwise known as the lamp, informs me that, on top of the coffee table, there is a slip of paper that assigns each of the students a number in a sealed envelope. It is to be opened on the day of Roxas' birthday/ the Christmas party only. Next to the envelope is a fedora that contains numbered slips of paper. The porcupine insists that his cousin Roxas, the future birthday celebrant, should draw first.

Sora draws the number four for his cousin due to his lack of ability to physically do so. Unbeknownst to the musician, this number was assigned to Sora's girlfriend Kairi. I've always liked her. I hear that she and her sister Naminé always treat my friends with respect; unlike that barbarian, Hayner, who beats the poor coffee table to a pulp during his rage gamer fits.

I then sense the disappointment my friends are silently expressing. We were all hoping that Roxas would draw Naminé, because anyone who is anyone (and I'm a fucking tree for crying out loud), can see that they're meant for each other.

Some of us, however, lack the ability to subtly express our dismay, such as the flowers wilting on the dining table and the fire weakening in the fireplace. The stove, however, boldly pisses off the kettle and forces Olette to address the problem herself after attracting everyone's attention. After shrugging off the rather mysterious and spontaneous quandary, the students resume their activity.

Porcupine draws the number eight and immediately assumes that it belongs to his girlfriend because feelings. The coffee table tells me that it really belongs to Axel, his girlfriend's older brother.

The pyromaniac will not be pleased with the Tiffany & Co bracelet he's about to receive.

Riku, whom I have assigned the nickname Sunsilk because all dat weave doe, draws six, which belongs to Naminé.

Axel draws next. Boy or girl, sexually active or not, we all know that the person he draws is getting condoms. He draws one. Hayner. That gift will be useful when exams fuck him up the ass.

The draws continue for about five more minutes, and Naminé is the last to go. There is only one number left in the fedora, and that is thirteen.

She is the one to draw Roxas.

One of my favourite parts of Secret Santa is watching the students get creative for two weeks.

Hayner is currently clutching the sides of his head, brows knitted in concentration. His brown eyes stare daggers at the slip of paper on the coffee table. The number two is forever etched in his mind. He has memorized every fiber of the number's being –even how the ink slightly fades at the tips.

"What are you doing?" Pence asks. He casually plops down on the couch and respects the coffee table by keeping his feet on the ground.

"Waiting for the gaming spirits to give me an answer," Hayner answers. He closes his eyes as if he expects to wake up in a transcendental state when he wakes up. "I'm seeing a name... a name that starts with the letter... V! Ve... Ventus!"

Pence briefly points out that Ventus graduated two years ago.

Hayner -albeit embarrassed- tries again. He insists that the number two belongs to Selphie, the fashion major ("Because the gaming spirits told me so," he reasons). Pence merely shrugs because he wouldn't know, either. The gamer then brings out his laptop for shameless shoe shopping and impulsively orders a pair that will be delivered within a week's time. He then sits back and relaxes, thinking that his troubles regarding "this stupid exchange" are over and done with because of his speshul taktics.

The look on his face when he realizes that he just bought Pence five-inch heels will be priceless.

Porcupine walks in on Sunsilk twerking in front of his laptop. I confess that I am jealous of the fireplace, who gets a perfect view of dat ass.

"Why would you give someone a video of you twerking for Christmas?" Sora asks innocently.

Riku haughtily places his hands on his hips.

"Who wouldn't want a video of me twerking for Christmas?" he asks.

"Truth," Sora admits wholeheartedly. He joins his best friend moments later.

Tidus gets a little more creative.

"Eeee nini yeni aii ini ohh nini aii," he chants.

He has the room dimly lit with candlelight and has a generous amount of tribal make-up on his face. While music that is a little strange for my tastes blares from his wireless speakers, he does a strange dance that involves plenty of mindless gyrating and wrist flicking. In the center of the carpeted surface, candles surround the number ten in a circular fashion.

"I'd ask, but I'm afraid of the answer," Kairi says as she enters the common room with Naminé.

"The Ancients of Destiny Islands used to hold rituals similar to this to gain visions of the future," Tidus explains mid-gyrate.

Kairi chuckles and rolls her eyes as she leads Naminé towards the kitchen to speak to her privately. As Naminé prepares herself a cup of Jasmine tea, Kairi leans on the edge of the countertop and looks at her sister with a devious smile.

"So..." she begins suspiciously.

"Your tone alone already suggests that what you're about to say is going to be incredibly sketchy," Naminé says as she drops the tea bag into her cup.

Kairi fake laughs and throws her hair over her shoulder to cover up her mediocre acting skills.

"Sketchy?" she asks with poorly executed innocence. "No. Everyone else and I have been talking about how Roxas should have something... special on his birthday when he returns."

"The sketch is real."

"No. Let me finish. We're thinking he needs something special decoration wise. We always have the classic banners and confetti, but this is Roxas' birthday. He's been gone for almost a year for his international studies. He needs to return to something epic, and this is the last celebration of the year before we're sent back home for winter break. This party must be legendary. One for the books. Project X part two. You feeling my vibe, girl?"

Naminé merely nods in understanding as she stirs her cup of tea.

"And judging by the fact that you're talking to me, I'm guessing that you've all agreed that I will be the one to provide this epic decoration?" she asks.

"Well since you're the only art major, we figured that you'd be the only one who could actually do it," Kairi answers shamelessly.

She must have gotten an A in high school philosophy because that was some well executed deductive reasoning right there.

"So what do you have in mind?" Naminé asks. There is a hint of fear in her glassy blue eyes.

"An ice sculpture," Kairi whispers with unnecessarily dramatic hand gestures.

Naminé only stares at her with her jaw agape.

"How the heck do you expect me to make an ice sculpture? Where would you even get that much ice? And are you sure it's a good idea to have an ice sculpture and intoxicated university students in the same room? They could use... inappropriate body parts to cool their drinks."

"Okay, one: Pence will hook you up with the ice. He knows a guy. And two," Kairi smiles at her friend devilishly. "You were thinking of making the statue naked?"

Naminé turns so red that even the red couches start laughing at her.

"I-It's just," she begins to stammer, "in Art History majority of the statues are naked to depict the perfection of Gods and Goddesses…"

"So you think Roxas looks like a Greek god?" Kairi pesters, her devilish smile unfaltering. This girl deserves a high five.

"Kairi!" Naminé whines, but before Kairi can annoy her sister even more, the fire alarm begins to ring.

The girls turn to see Tidus screaming like a little girl as his tush catches on fire.

Naminé catches Pence just as he is about to exit the common room.

"Pence!" she calls out, and the photography major's eyes widen in shock. It is as if he doesn't want her to be there.

"N-Naminé," he stammers. He hides a large roll of something behind his back.

"What are you hiding?" she asks with a giggle.

Pence sees that it is futile to hide such a large item and sighs in defeat.

"It's a background for my photo studio," he answers, showing her the roll.

"That's a lovely shade of blue," Naminé compliments. It really is.

"Thank you," he says graciously. Then, hastily, "So how may I help you today?"

"Kairi tells me you can supply me with ice for Roxas' ice sculpture," Naminé answers.

"Oh, I can. It will be delivered within two days time and we'll store it in the freezer down the hall. I'll tell you when it's here."

"Sounds good," Naminé says excitedly. "Thanks Pence!"

When she is out of sight, Pence sighs in relief and suspiciously hugs the large roll while scanning the common room discreetly. What is he up to?

Today Naminé is researching the meaning of numbers while Skyping with Ed Sheeran.

"It says here that the moon association of the number thirteen is femininity," says Naminé. If that isn't a slam to Roxas' manhood, then I don't know what is. "Maybe thirteen belongs to a girl?"

"Perhaps," Roxas answers unsurely.

"However, in Greek mythology, it says that Zeus was considered the thirteenth God, so perhaps it's a boy."

"Maybe you should just get something generic that both genders will appreciate," Roxas suggests. He then shrugs nonchalantly. "That's what I did. I'd like to see someone resist a box of Paopuro Rocher."

"That's so boring," Naminé says as she sticks her tongue out at him.

"It's the thought that counts," Roxas reminds with playful finger wagging. "Besides, you and I both know that all the girls are getting Bath and Body Works baskets because the guys have no idea what else to get. Lotion is the universal lady pleaser and is our safest bet; no sexual innuendo intended."

Naminé raises a suspicious but amused eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Sora works there and that all of you can get discounts?"

"Hey, for the record, that store is good for other things," Roxas claims. "I managed to come up with a few pick up lines that will make a girl want to do me."

"Oh yeah?" Naminé crosses her arms, challenging him. "Try me."

Roxas clears his throat for dramatic effect before executing his line with professionalism and charm. "Hey girl, I know you're checking out some Japanese Cherry Blossom, but right now you're giving me some Twilight Wood."

One of my bells jingle as I chuckle, but the two blonds are too immersed in each other to suspect anything.

Naminé laughs, and although he is slightly pixilated on the monitor, I am still able to see the admiration in Ed Sheeran's eyes. He likes this girl, he misses her, he longs for her touch, but he doesn't need to say a thing to express this.

When Naminé's laughter subsides, reality hits her like a blitzball to the face. For a brief moment, she felt as if Roxas was actually there: there, beside her on the couch, with an arm placed around her shoulders and the smell of his cologne right in her face, but she soon discovers that this is not so. It is only her, her laptop, and the empty seat beside her. Her best friend is not here, but thousands of miles away.

"Naminé?" On her computer screen, Roxas begins waving his hands in front of his webcam. "Hello? Earth to Néné? Hellooo? Hey!" He begins using ludicrous methods to get her attention. "I like big booty bitches. I'm going to shave my left eyebrow. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of Axel's ass on my chest."

The artist shakes herself out of her trance and looks at Roxas strangely.

"What are you saying?" she asks.

"Wow, you're so out of it," Roxas comments with a chuckle. "Are you okay?"

"I think I just miss you is all," Naminé admits shamelessly. He is her best friend. She has no reason to lie.

"Aww," Roxas sings. He places a hand over where his heart would be and smiles warmly.

"It's okay," he assures, "I'd miss me too."

The next thing I see on the screen is "Connection Lost."

I wake up to the sound of giggling.

As the Christmas tree of a university dorm, I recognize this kind of giggling almost instantly. It is the giggling of a young woman and her ting right before they get it on.

My suspicions are confirmed when Sora stumbles into the empty common room with his giggling girlfriend not too far behind. When Kairi leans against the wall to catch her breath, Sora seizes the opportunity and kisses her hotly while shoving her against the wall in excitement. I can already hear the complaints of the couch and the coffee table.

Not again, they groan.

In all honesty, I don't see the logic in making out in the common room at three in the morning. They'd be much safer in their rooms, but I suppose it's the danger of getting caught that keeps them coming back for more.

"Sora," Kairi giggles in between kisses, "We shouldn't be doing this here! We could get caught!"

Bitch, please. You know you want it.

"No one's here," Sora whispers as he trails wet kisses down to her chin, her jaw, her succulent neck...

This is all the solace Kairi needs.

She does not fight as Sora pulls on her shirt at an agonizingly slow pace, and he does not stop until her right shoulder is fully exposed to him. She whimpers as the cold air hits her body, and he smirks against her neck as he continues his journey to downtown. Sora forcefully grabs the back of Kairi's left leg and wraps it around his waist so that she can feel his hips grind into hers. Kairi gasps at the intimate contact, tempting her boyfriend even more. He smirks and continues his actions with more force.

"You like that?" he whispers huskily into her ear. She rewards him with a lovely moan and wraps her other leg around his waist. He carries her over to the fireplace, gently places her on the carpeted surface, and attacks her body with urgent kisses almost instantly. I hear the fireplace growl.

My friends and I begin to place bets.

Second base, the lamp says.

I say third, but the fireplace insists that they'll reach a home run because "Sora knows what he's doing."

The heat from the fireplace and their "activity" coat the couple in a thin layer of sweat, which does nothing but fuel the wants of the two teenagers. Kairi pulls off Sora's shirt almost effortlessly and he hisses in pleasure when her hands explore and appreciate his body.

Kairi rolls them over so that she is the dominant one and she laughs at the expression he makes when she subtly grinds her hips against his.

"If this is your idea of payback, then I am so okay with that," Sora says as he grabs her hips to find a steady rhythm. As she continues to ride him, Sora uses one hand to undo the buttons of her blouse, and when he reaches the last one, Kairi shrugs it off and he throws it away into the vast unknown.

He looks up at his girlfriend and feels his love for her overpower his lust. The firelight hits her so perfectly that he temporarily loses his ability to speak. Her eyes glisten with want, her lips quiver expectantly, and her chest heaves in anticipation. He gently caresses her cheek and feels his heart swell when she kisses his wrist with a smile.

"So beautiful," he whispers, but when his hand travels down to the clasp of her bra, the lust makes its slow return. As Kairi kisses his neck, her hands find the button of his jeans. Sora instinctively freezes and loses his grip on her back.

"K-Kairi," he stammers as she unbuttons his jeans. "Th-that's distracting…"

"I know," she says with a malicious smirk. Sora growls and flips them over so that he is on top once again. He refuses to be the submissive one.

"Aw, did I just hurt your man pride?" Kairi asks with a giggle.

Sora merely smirks and finishes what he started a few seconds ago. He rips off her pink bra and mindlessly tosses it aside. His girlfriend gasps at the sudden exposure.

"That's what I thought," Sora says triumphantly. He kisses her cheek and makes his down with a smug grin. He only makes it to her throat when stops him.

"Mm, Sora, do you hear that?" she asks mid-moan.

"No," he says, but as he kisses her shoulder, his ears perk upward and an unpleasant scent fills his nostrils.

"Something's burning," Kairi immediately concludes. She begins to get up, but Sora pushes her back down. She is not getting away.

"That's just my love for you, babe," he says smoothly. She places two fingers over his lips when he tries to kiss her again and turns to look at the fireplace. Her eyes widen.

"Shit!" she curses, shoving her boyfriend off her. "Our clothes are burning!"

The fireplace happily continues to nomnom on the goods.

"What?" Sora asks, his head snapping in the fireplace's direction. He grins evilly as the fire burns the little clasped menace. "Good. You look so much better without the bra in my opinion."

His girlfriend slaps his arm and pulls out what's left of her bra from the fire's edge. Their shirts are already too far gone for rescuing.

"This was my favourite pair," she whines as she holds up half her bra.

"I'll buy you a new one," Sora assures. "However, I don't make any promises that it will last very long."

Kairi frantically searches the room for any of their friends. "We need to get out of here before someone sees."

Sora, who is obviously growing impatient, instantly picks his girlfriend off the ground and carries her bridal style into the dark, empty hallway –or so he thinks. They encounter Axel just as they're about to pass the doorway.

Kairi squeaks and covers her bare chest in the presence of her older brother.

"Kairi, I've seen you naked before," Axel quips with a chuckle. "No need to get all embarrassed."

"I was three," she reasons. Sora turns the same shade as his girlfriend's hair.

"How much for you to shut up?" he asks the pyromaniac.

"Fifty for going all Fifty Shades on my sister," Axel says.

"Ten," Sora insists.

"Fifty."

"Ten."

"Fifty."

"Fine," Sora groans. He pulls out his wallet and hands his future brother-in-law the amount owed.

By noon the following day, the entire floor knows why the common room smells strange.

On the day of the Christmas party, the common room transforms into a Winter Wonderland despite the hot weather outside. The room is a joyful blur of silver, white, baby blue, lavender, and yellow. The radio plays "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and a sense of delight washes over me because that song is my jam. I happily snuggle into the pile of surprisingly well-wrapped gifts beneath me and recognize a few things such as jewelry, Starbucks gift cards, chocolate, stuffed animals, etc.

When he thinks no one is looking, I catch Axel pouring a bottle of elixir into the paopu juice bowl on the buffet table. I can already hear the couch and coffee table beginning to sob. They will suffer greatly tonight.

By the fireplace, Hayner and Pence are trying to put up Roxas' birthday banner with much difficulty.

"Dude, the D is missing," Hayner points out as he reads "Happy 19th Birth ay Roxas!"

"What?" Pence asks disbelievingly. "How could that have happened? Where's the D?"

The boys hear Larxene, Axel's special friend, cackle behind them. She's dressed in what I can confidently say is the sluttiest Santa's helper dress I have ever seen in all my years of service.

"I don't know where the D is now, but I know where it will be later," she says with her eyes half-lidded and sultry. Hayner can already feel bile rising in his throat.

Axel then comes up behind Larxene and places an arm around her waist with a suggestive chuckle.

"What's in the bag, babe?" he then asks, referring to the sack slung over Larxene's bare shoulder.

"Oh, just a couple of toys Santa gave me," she answers seductively.

Pence and Hayner shiver in disgust.

In the kitchen, Naminé helps Kairi decorate Roxas' birthday cake with Nutella flavoured icing –Roxas' absolute favourite. The sweet aroma fills the entire common room and the fireplace tells me that it smells so delicious that he curses the fact that he can't eat it.

He needs to be a little more grateful. I can't even smell it.

Preparations seem to be going peacefully well until Sora bursts through the door with a crestfallen expression on his face. Everyone in the room turns to face him –even Axel and Larxene, who just stopped making out behind me.

"What's wrong?" Pence asks, afraid of the answer. He walks down the steps of the ladder at an eerily slow pace.

"It's Roxas," Sora says breathlessly. I can feel Naminé's heart skip a beat.

"Is he okay? Is he hurt?" the artist immediately asks. I find it strange that no one else seems to be panicking as… passionately as Naminé. They remain frozen in shock.

"No, but his flight just stopped over at the Land of Dragons," Sora says dramatically. Then, with a heavy heart he adds, "He, uh… he won't be leaving for another five hours. They're waiting for a snowstorm to pass. He won't be able to make it tonight, guys."

I feel the light on my star beginning to fade. The flowers wilt once more. The lamp's light weakens. I feel the little drummer boys and angels slump their shoulders.

The night is ruined.

In three hours time, the party is in full swing regardless of the birthday boy's absence.

Porcupine, who is dressed in dark jeans, a festive Santa hat, and a red knit sweater (courtesy of his girlfriend, no doubt), joins a couple of his close friends on the couches with a slightly intoxicated grin. He may be a bit tipsy, but it still bothers me how quickly he got over his cousin's nonattendance.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he yells over the dubstep version of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. On the dance floor, students grind like there's no tomorrow. If I could tree palm myself for the lack of Christmas spirit, I would.

"We're playing the Wal-Mart game," Hayner says as he takes a shot of elixir.

"Buy three items to freak out the cashier. Go," Riku demands.

Sora taps his chin –a sure sign that he is deep in thought. After a few moments, he answers with, "A cucumber… a drill… and Fifty Shades of Grey."

Everyone raises his or her hands in surrender.

"You win," Tidus declares.

In the kitchen, Naminé drowns her sorrows in gingerbread cookies and milk. She wears a white button up with a stylish blue sweater overtop, a black skirt, and a deflated expression on her face. She lifts the gingerbread man that is so obviously Roxas due to its spiky head and frowns at it. She then dunks gingerbread Roxas into her glass of milk and drowns him.

"Whoa, what did gingy Roxas ever do to you?" Kairi asks as she takes the seat next to Naminé.

"It's what he didn't do," the artist groans. She slumps her shoulders in defeat and bites the head off gingerbread Roxas. "I know it's not his fault that he can't make it, but I'm just a little…"

"Disappointed," Kairi finishes for her. She places a reassuring hand on Naminé's shoulder and says, "Hey, it's totally normal to be disappointed. You've been waiting all year for him to come back, and the day he's supposed to return, he doesn't show. And on top of that, you basically built a six-foot tall ice sculpture for nothing, and we baked a three tier birthday cake for a birthday celebrant that's a no show. I think that gives you the right to be upset."

"Thank you for summing that up," Naminé mumbles sarcastically. "Is this what you came here for? To rub in why this Christmas party sucks and to crush what's left of my Christmas spirit?"

"The wickedest of truths are always better than the most beautiful lies," Kairi says a matter-of-factly.

"This isn't the time for your Dumbledore bullshit, Kairi," Naminé snaps bitterly.

Kairi raises her hands in surrender and leans back.

"Naminé Fleuret Caelum, such language," Kairi says with a hand over her heart. As Naminé rolls her eyes, Kairi places a hand over her sister's pale, delicate ones on the table. "Hey, don't let this ruin your night. He'll be here tomorrow. For now, let's just be thankful that we were able to pull off this party and can celebrate it with most of our friends. Everyone else is having fun, so why can't you?"

"Everyone else is kind of hammered," Naminé points out sullenly.

She points out Riku in particular, who has tied a yoga ball to some rope and rides on it sensually as if it were a wrecking ball. All my friends within a five-meter radius of his swinging begin to say their goodbyes.

"Look, Nams. Nothing is going to happen to you if you just sit here, so you might as well make something out of the night," Kairi suggests. She offers her hand to her sister and forcefully drags her towards me. "Now come on. Let's open some presents!"

Five minutes later, I find my feet completely naked. The students scatter themselves on the couches and all hold the gifts they bought in anticipation. Kairi, the one responsible for assigning everyone a number, holds the sealed envelope that contains all the information required. But before she opens it, she reminds everyone that there is no trading allowed. The gift you get is the gift you get. Period.

She then opens the envelope and calls out the number one. Axel raises his small gift in the air, and on it is a tag with his assigned number.

"Number one belongs to…" she begins dramatically. "Hayner!"

Axel's immediate response is to swear.

"Well this was a total waste," he says, handing the pack of condoms to Hayner with a grim expression.

"You're a total waste!" Hayner exclaims, slapping the gift out of the pyromaniac's hand.

"See, if I wanted my own comeback, I would have wiped it off your mother's chin," Axel counters with a smug grin.

Everyone rolls their eyes in response.

"Number two is… Pence!" Kairi announces with verve.

Pence gulps in fear. He is quick to do the math.

Two weeks ago, he walked in on Hayner shoe shopping online because he assumed that the number two belonged to Selphie. Because of this, Pence already knows what's inside the poorly wrapped gift.

"Well, at least your legs will look hot," Selphie jokes, but her crossed arms and furrowed eyebrows express her obvious jealousy.

"Number six belongs to… Naminé!" Kairi announces minutes later.

Riku proudly flips some of his luscious locks behind his shoulder and hands Naminé a flat, square shaped present that is undoubtedly a DVD case.

"You will enjoy this," he says suggestively.

"It's not porn is it?" Naminé asks fearfully.

"No," Riku answers.

Huh, that's it? I would've at least expected some witty remark or even a punch line, maybe.

"But it might as well be," he then adds with a wink.

Whomp, there it is.

"Number eight is..."

Sora crosses his fingers and hopes that the number eight belongs to his redheaded lover.

"Axel!"

Well, at least he got the redheaded part down.

"Merry Christmas," Sora mumbles crankily as he hands Axel the long, rectangular box. "It's a Tiffany and Co. bracelet," he whispers in the pyromaniac's ear.

"Seriously?" Axel is surprisingly pleased. "Thanks man. You totally just got me a gift for Larxene."

Behind me, Axel tears the wrapping paper off the present and sticks a ribbon that he found on the ground on top of the box.

"Number ten is… Tidus!"

Everyone looks around the room for the person assigned the number ten, but no one raises their present in the air.

"Did no one get number ten?" Kairi asks with concern.

"No, I did," Tidus answers. Everyone turns to look at him with excited smiles.

"Well then, what did you get yourself?" Xion asks, intrigued.

Tidus nonchalantly lifts up a pair of keys. Everyone stares at them with their jaws agape.

"You got yourself a car?" Hayner asks incredulously. "Why couldn't I have been number ten? Kairi, can you look over the names again? Maybe you didn't see the zero next to the one on my name."

"What? I didn't buy a car," Tidus says with a laugh.

"A motorcycle?" Sora asks, hopeful.

"Nah, they're just keys to my room," the surfer answers.

"Why would you have given someone keys to your room?" Selphie asks curiously.

"So they can come inside for their real present," Tidus answers as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"And what was the real present?" Kairi asks.

"A lap dance," Tidus answers whilst body rolling.

Hayner cringes.

"Never mind. I'll take the condoms," he whispers to Kairi discreetly.

When the Secret Santa comes to a wrap (Christmas gift pun intended), Sora suddenly receives a call on his smart phone.

"Guys!" he yells over the chitchat. "Roxas is calling me on Skype!"

Hayner helps the excitable young man hook his phone onto the plasma screen and sits back to watch the show. Naminé is on her knees in the middle of the hardwood floor. She looks up at the screen with glistening, yearning eyes. Roxas is sitting comfortably in between two empty plane chairs with a bag of roasted peanuts in hand. He smiles regardless of the circumstances, and I can't help but notice that the blue background behind him really brings out his eyes.

"Hey cuzzo!" Sora greets. "Where are you?"

"I just got on the flight to Twilight Town," Roxas answers. "I should be there at around six in the morning."

Everyone groans in response. They party hard, but not that hard.

Naminé's shoulders slump as she faces the truth. Roxas really isn't going to show up. He isn't going to magically walk through the door and hug her until she nearly dies of asphyxiation. He isn't here. He isn't coming. Her broken heart nearly makes my Christmas spirit wane, too.

"We miss you, Roxas," Kairi says on behalf of everyone in the room, Naminé especially.

"I miss everyone, too," Roxas says. It appears as if he directs his next statement towards Naminé in particular. "If only I could just walk through the door…"

The connection suddenly worsens, and Roxas' concerned face appears in between static pictures before the connection is completely lost. Silence fills the room.

"Oh wait," a familiar voice says from the doorway. Roxas –wait, Roxas? –walks in wearing his signature look: a red button up rolled to his elbows, beige chinos, checkered Vans, and an innocent smile on his face.

"I can," he says with a wink.

Suddenly, it all starts to make sense. Sora's nonchalance towards his cousin's absence, Pence's sketchy behaviour, Sora's over exaggerated acting upon hearing about the 'snowstorm', Kairi's lack of concern, everyone acting so completely normal… and come to think of it, Pence did magically disappear a few minutes ago.

Oh, that sneaky little bitch. He had me and my friends fooled good.

But how?

"Surprise!" Roxas exclaims.

Everyone turns to see the reaction of Naminé, who seems to be the only one left out of this 'surprise'.

Ha. Welcome to the club, honey.

She walks towards Roxas with slow, careful strides, and when she reaches him we all expect her to go for a long awaited hug, but instead she hits his arm with such force that he staggers backward and yelps in pain.

"You asshole!" she shrieks.

Everyone merely laughs in response. Naminé begins hitting Roxas' chest repeatedly, but her fists seem to have no affect on him this time round. When the familiar smell of his cologne fills her nostrils, she stops and crashes into his chest where she hears his heart beat erratically. He buries his face in her hair and smiles against her forehead.

"How?" she then whispers.

"Why Naminé, I thought you were more attentive to detail than that," Pence says as he leans against the doorframe.

Oh.

Oh.

"That's a lovely shade of blue," Naminé compliments. It really is.

It was the same blue behind Roxas' "airplane." It was a studio set all along. He must've come earlier this morning, and I'll admit: the roasted peanuts were a nice touch.

Naminé seems to get the hint as well because she begins hitting Roxas' chest helplessly once again. Roxas grabs her wrists and keeps them in place as he turns to greet everyone else in the room. He then notices something on top of the fireplace and raises a curious eyebrow.

"Thanks for the wonderful party, guys. Everything looks amazing, but… what happened to the D on my birthday banner?"

Pence and Hayner twitch.

Two hours later, the party is still at its prime. For Naminé, however, it is as if Roxas is still gone. People who desperately want to catch up with him have constantly swept him from her side, and she helplessly watches him get whisked away so many times that she eventually gives up and goes outside to the common room balcony for air.

There, where I assume the air is slightly cooler, rests the ice sculpture that Naminé so delicately sculpted for Roxas' birthday. From the window, I can see its intricate detail and gentle artisanship. It is as if she recreated her tender caress with a chisel.

The Roxas she has sculpted displays him at his best and most peaceful: sitting with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and strumming a chord on his guitar (although someone has chopped off part of his hand to cool their drink). Ice Roxas looks upward, and Naminé captures the serenity so beautifully that she gives the sculpture life.

She kneels down to examine it and stares at it with a look I have seen so many times. It is the classic look of unrequited love –or so she thinks.

She sighs and is about to walk back into the common room until she clumsily slips on a leaf and falls toward ice Roxas. She does not damage the sculpture, thankfully, but she does fall at a rather questionable position.

Her hands find refuge on ice Roxas' shoulders for balance, but her lips happen to coincidentally press against his.

I mentally high five the plant outside for dropping that leaf at such a perfect spot.

I suddenly see Kairi and Roxas heading for the balcony door. I jingle one of my bells alarmingly as if expecting Naminé to hear me, but she's still kissing ice Roxas. Thankfully, she hears people coming and begins to pry herself off the sculpture, but for some odd reason she cannot escape.

Oh goodness.

Sweet sea-salt ice cream.

Her lips are stuck to the sculpture.

…

This is going to be interesting.

"Are you sure you saw Naminé walk through here?" Roxas asks as he opens the door midway. "I don't think she'd come out in the cold all by her…"

Roxas and Kairi stop dead in their tracks when they see Naminé on the ground. The artist tries to cover her mouth, but it is futile. What she appears to be doing looks so obvious in their eyes.

" –self…" Roxas finishes abruptly.

His cheeks heat up and I can feel that his heart is ready to leap out of his chest. He looks extremely flattered, but shocked.

"Uh…" he begins unsurely. He starts to scratch one of his tinted cheeks.

Kairi merely covers her mouth and attempts to stifle her laughter.

Luckily Hayner, who happens to be making quite the commotion inside, saves Naminé.

The students inside currently watch with amusement as Hayner tries to find a piñata with a blindfold over his eyes. He mindlessly swings his struggle bat around to find the candy-filled moogle, but his overconsumption of elixir causes him to stumble and nearly hit a few people. The first of my friends to meet his wrath is the vase. He falls to the ground and shatters into hundreds of heartbreaking pieces. The next is the couch, but he is spared only because Hayner clumsily trips on one of his legs and curses.

The tip of the struggle bat eventually comes in contact with the tip of one of my branches, and Hayner, although blindfolded, looks as if he has found what he's been looking for. His ears perk up, his grip tightens, and a sick smile tugs on his lips.

I gulp.

He thinks I'm the piñata.

I can already hear the lamp bidding me farewell.

The first swing brings me to the ground, the second kills a Nutcracker. Shouts of protest and dying bells fill the room, but Hayner is too engrossed with whacking me to death that the audience's cries of anguish mean nothing to him. He beats me once, twice, thrice.

By the fourth hit, my lights go out and all I see is black.

The lamp tells me that I slowly come back to consciousness at around five in the morning.

The common room is empty and dark, but the little light I appear to be emitting dimly illuminates the room. With a hint of surprise I notice that the place is not completely trashed –in fact, it's nearly cleaned up. Two teenagers remain in the room to finish the job, and it is none other than Roxas and Naminé.

I feel the artist's hands shake as she places a little drummer boy on me. The boy's presence makes her nervous. That's adorable.

"I have to say, Naminé, you did a very good job decorating the tree this year," Roxas compliments as he places the star on my head.

"You helped me re-decorate it," Naminé reminds him with a smile. "Give yourself some recognition."

When Roxas fastens the star in place, he steps back one-step on the ladder to admire his work. The look of approval, fulfillment, and happiness that he and Naminé give me boost my self-esteem and remind me why I love being who I am.

I can't think of anything better than having people look at me with such spirit.

"Oh!" Naminé suddenly exclaims, abruptly killing the moment. She retrieves a large package from the kitchen and presents it to Roxas with a sheepish grin.

"It turns out that you were my Secret Santa," she says, thrusting the rather heavy gift in his arms. "I decided to take your advice and get something that both genders would appreciate, so here."

As Roxas unwraps the gift, Naminé twiddles her thumbs nervously. He tears off the last of the wrapping paper and smiles widely at the picture frame. Inside is a picture of the entire gang attempting to decorate me sketched by Naminé herself. Roxas' eyes do not leave the paper. He makes sure he appreciates every single detail of Naminé's hard work. He squints and catches his cousin helplessly wrapped in Christmas lights on the bottom right as his girlfriend laughs at his naïveté.

"Wow, Sora is on point," Roxas points out with a chuckle.

He scans the picture for himself and almost thinks that Naminé didn't include him because of his absence, but he sees himself on the bottom step of the ladder supporting his best friend by the waist as she places the star on my head. I might be mistaken, but this composition seems to suggest that Roxas is the one who lifts Naminé up and helps her see the light in things.

"It's not my best work," the artist admits defensively, "but I hope you like it anyway."

Roxas shakes his head and chuckles at her modesty: one of the many things he likes about her.

"Anyone would have been blessed to receive this, Nams," Roxas says, and he genuinely means it.

I suddenly recall my earlier days back in Wal-Mart. I remember the children looking at me with wonder and glee. I remember the looks of fulfillment I received when the workers were done decorating me. I even remember the loving looks that the men gave their partners when they pointed at me with amazement… it is the same look of respect and admiration that Roxas gives Naminé now.

"I got something for you, too," he then says. He pulls out a gift basket that he hid behind the couch and gives it to Naminé with an excited grin.

"Aw," she says, accepting the basket graciously. "You're only supposed to get a gift for your Secret Santa."

"It's nothing much," Roxas says, but with a hint of suspicion.

Naminé pulls the coloured tissue off the top layer of the basket and frowns at Roxas when she sees what's inside.

"Really?" she asks disbelievingly, but she smiles when she says it. Inside is a kit complete with Twilight Wood body washes, lotions, sprays –the works.

"Look under," Roxas suggests.

Naminé pushes aside the feminine products and gasps when she sees the rather expensive looking paintbrushes and paint palettes underneath.

"Consider it my 'sorry I've been gone for a year' gift," Roxas says with a sheepish grin.

Naminé drops the basket and throws herself at Roxas with such force that he nearly knocks into me.

Phew, that was a close one.

"I'm sorry," I then hear Naminé whisper into Roxas' chest. "I didn't get you a present that… well, doesn't melt."

"Really?" He pushes her away gently with a teasing smile. "Your heart didn't melt when you were kissing ice Roxas outside?"

Naminé blushes madly and hits his chest.

"Okay one, gaaaay. And two, for the last time, I slipped on a leaf," Naminé explains, still red faced.

"Oh I'm sure," Roxas says, obviously unconvinced. "Either way," he whispers huskily as he traces her jaw line, "I'd like to continue where you left off."

Fuck.

Even I got hard from that.

Roxas chuckles when he feels her body temperature rise under his touch.

"So what do you say, Nams?" he asks, lifting her chin so that she can look him in the eye.

"I think that's a lovely idea," she whispers, and he wastes no time. The fireplace roars, the kettle screams, the flowers bloom despite the lack of sunlight.

This is my favourite part about Christmas –not the kissing, per se, but the gathering of loved ones for a special occasion. I witness it every year and the wide smiles, grateful expressions, and signs of affection never get old.

This, however, is getting freakier than I expected. Roxas manages to lead Naminé to the couch, and the instant her back hits the cushiony surface he pounces.

This is certainly familiar.

Surprisingly Roxas keeps things at a PG-13 level and pulls away from the kiss with a blissful sigh. He looks down at the girl breathing heavily beneath him and gently caresses one of her flushed cheeks. He looks at her with the same sincerity and care as his cousin towards his own girlfriend.

"What are you thinking, Roxas?" Naminé asks when she notices his lack of speech and movement. He drinks in the dimly lit room, the hot weather, the girl.

"Hm? Oh, nothing, just…" He steals another kiss and smiles against her lips. "It's good to be back."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

CHALLENGE BREAKDOWN

Three mandatory/ universal challenges:

1) Secret Santa
2) Spiked punch
3) The tree gets its ass handed to it (not literally unless one chooses to do so)

JOMATTO

Chosen challenge: Characters briefly and seriously consider an orgy (RE's suggestion)

Drawn challenge: Holiday massage (Jomatto's suggestion)

REDEEMING ENDEAVOR

Chosen challenge: People bid on gifts through illicit acts (Jomatto's suggestion)

Drawn challenge: Fire alarm (RE's suggestion)

KYORII

Chosen challenge: Involve an ice sculpture (Jomatto's suggestion)

Drawn challenge: Assume the role of an inanimate object/ piece of furniture (my stupid ass suggestion)

A/N: Hello, hello! I hope you enjoyed the final installment of "It's Good To Be Back"! I can confidently say that the tree perspective challenge was the hardest thing to overcome. I put that suggestion in the hat thinking that Redeeming Endeavor would get it (and when he got it I would've laughed… hard), but karma just LOL'd in my face.

It was such a pleasure working with Redeeming Endeavor and Jomatto. They are such funny, co-operative, realistic, and nosy (you already know, Jomatto) people. I remember when Redeeming Endeavor found out that Jomatto was officially joining our collaboration. We were both in class (right, I'm in university now, when did that happen?) and freaked out via PM message. That night, we all spoke for the first time until 4AM and birthed this hot mess. I hope you all liked it! You can witness our behind the scenes adventures on a link that I'll be posting on my profile page.

So where exactly have I been for the last year and a half, you ask? Experiencing life, to keep it short and sweet. No, I didn't abandon my readers. No, I didn't give up my passion for writing. No, I didn't get eaten by a moose or a beaver or any other stereotypical Canadian animal.

As I mentioned earlier, I started my first year of university and just finished my first semester. I'm majoring in Film, and so far, it's been great, although my work ethic has definitely gotten weaker since high school lol. All that hard work in high school to get a scholarship just drains you at some point, but at least I got the scholarship!

I've also published a book for my eighteenth birthday, and as mentioned above, you can purchase it online and read more about it near the top of my profile page. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to purchase it! Consider it my "sorry I've been gone for a year" present. Sound familiar? Haha.

I believe that's all I have to say for now, but I definitely won't forget to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. I really do miss reading your reviews and interacting with all of you. I hope you all continue to stay tuned, and I'll do my best to update when I can! Thank you all again for your unfailing support. There isn't a day where I forget it.

Kyorii