Christmas wasn't something that was celebrated when Satsuki was growing up. At least, by her standards. When she was young, she got maybe one or two big presents from her father, but after he left, she rarely got any at all.

With Ragyo, any and everything came with a price, and just like that, six year old Satsuki was forcefully being trained into doing things for gifts on Christmas. Not normal things like getting high grades and being good, no it was much worse than that.

Letting her mother have her way with her body anytime she wanted, letting Nui abuse her, her body, her things. The both of them would constantly give her empty threats of having nothing under the tree unless the request of the day or the hour was met. After a while it didn't seem to have a point anymore, and Christmas became just another day to the black haired girl.

Nui would get all the toys, and she would get nothing. She didn't care, her childhood innocence was gone. Why pretend she had the opportunity to be one? Why put up a front of having a normal childhood when hers was anything but?

"Mother loves me best," Nui had boasted one Christmas. She was seven and Satsuki was twelve. "She loves me more than you because I do what she says."

"If you truely believe that's a good thing, then you are a fool," Satsuki had responded, glaring at the younger girl as she tried to shove one of her shiny new toys in her face as a vain attempt to make Satsuki jealous.

Nui giggled. "My, my. Such defiance. No wonder you were given nothing this year again. Maybe if you just submitted yourself to Mother you'd get presents,"

Satsuki balled her hands into fists. "Like hell I will. I'd rather die in the worst way possibly known to man than do anything to receive a damned thing from that woman." She growled.

Nui smirked. "Please. Like you have a choice."

After that, Satsuki had chosen to ignore her for the rest of the night.

Now, many years later, at the age of nineteen, she was spending Christmas with her family. Her real family. Her four Devas, Mako, and most importantly, her sister Ryuko.

Ryuko was a stranger to Christmas herself, never being able to come home for break while she attended boarding school. Her father was always busy, never having time to buy presents, let alone open them. During Christmas break while her classmates were away, she would stay in her dorm room and go about her day like it was any other.

Ryuko didn't see the point anyway. It was always just the two of them at home . And outside of her father she didn't really have family.

Until now.

Sstsuki thumbed at the cup of tea in her hands as she presently watched Mako and Ryuko tear the multi-colored wrapping paper on their presents apart, Ryuko screaming profanities in excitement and Mako talking so fast it hurt to even try and understand what she was saying.

This was her first Christmas with people whom she cared about, and who cared about her. She had almost forgotten how it felt to actually be excited for the holiday. She hadn't felt anything for it in years. And now...now she couldn't help but let out a snort and roll her eyes when Ryuko started shouting at the top of her lungs at the motorcycle keys in her hand.

"Holy shit, Giga Brows this is going to make me look bad ass as fuck!" She said excitedly, staring at it in awe. "Please tell me it's my favorite colors!"

"Red and black. Just how you like it," The older girl responded with a smirk.

"Fuck yeah!"

"Oi, Matoi! Shut up with the profanities! It's the day Jesus was born for Christ's sake!" Nonon piped, throwing a balled up piece of wrapping paper at her.

"Fuck you! I don't give shit! I got me a sweet ride!" Ryuko barked back at her. "Aw man, Sats! This is so fuckin' cool! How much did it cost you?!"

"Does it really matter? After all, that woman left her riches to no one other than me," Satsuki replied. "As insane as she was," she then murmured under her breath to herself as an after thought.

"Well I appreciate it, sis. No one's ever bought me anything for Christmas, let alone something that fuckin expensive." Ryuko told her, wrapping an arm around her. "Now, nee-san, it's time for your gift."

Satsuki wasn't prepared for that. "My gift?" She repeated, eyebrows knitting. She hadn't gotten a gift since she was a mere child.

Ryuko produced a white box tied with a blue bow from behind her back. "For you," she mumbled, shoving the gift in her hands. She grinned. "It's something that I thought you'd might like."

Satsuki opened the box and pulled out a pure silver necklace. The charm on it was a scissor blade crossed over a katana to make an 'x'. "This is...this is for me?" She asked, turning to the younger girl. She couldsee the genuinely happy look on Ryuko's face. She could see that there was no strings attached, no bait and switch. Just a plain old gift out of love.

Ryuko nodded. "Of course it is, Eyebrows. Who else would it be for? And besides, it's not like anyone else knows the significance of it."

"The fact that you know a word like significance and used it in a correct sentence deeply concerns me," Nonon commented.

"Can it, Pug." Ryuko snapped at her before turning back to Satsuki. "So? What do you think?" She smiled softly at her older sister.

"I...I love it. And the fact that it came from you and you alone makes me love it even more," Satsuki pulled Ryuko into a tight hug. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome, sis." Ryuko said, returning the hug before pulling away. "Whadya say we open uo the rest of these gifts and then get drunk off our asses?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Uzu shouted from somewhere in the kitchen.

Satsuki and Ryuko laughed, interlocking fingers as they snuggled up onto the couch.

The older girl layed her head on Ryuko's chest and listened to her heart beat before calmly whispering, "I would love that."