Silver and Gold // BNHA OC

Christmas Special

"It's Christmas!" Annya heard a muffled voice through her bedroom door and smiled, rolling over in bed to look at the dull light filtering through her curtains.

There was only one day of the year when Ichika woke up before her, and it was Christmas morning.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Ichika was standing there with her arms out to the side, the light of the living room filtering in behind her and making her a dark silhouette in the doorway.

"It's Christmas," Ichika said as if it were a threat.

"Is it?" Annya asked, her voice dripping with amusement and sarcasm.

"DON'T PLAY WITH ME!" Ichika pointed at Annya. "Come watch me tear into these boxes like a feral lion tearing into the carcass of a--"

"Really didn't need that imagery, Kanaria," Annya said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting up.

Ichika impatiently jogged in place as Annya stretched.

"COME ON," Ichika ran forward, grabbing Annya's hand and pulling her forward.

Ichika dragged Annya into the living room and stood in front of the Christmas tree, bouncing up and down.

"Alright, go on," Annya sat down on the couch, laying back against the armrest and stretching her legs out over the cushions.

"Wait! Before I open my presents, I need to do something!" Ichika ran to her room and rustled around for a while before sprinting back out, holding a small box in her hands.

It was wrapped carefully, but at the same time had several wrinkly spots in the wrapping; much different from Annya's perfectly wrapped gifts that sat under the tree.

Annya held out a hand curiously, and Ichika laid the box in her hands.

"You got me something?" Annya looked down at it.

She pulled the wrapping paper aside in one grab. It was a small, black velvet box that was slightly wider than the palm of her hand but laid mostly flat against it.

"Open it!" Ichika grinned, excitement wafting off of her.

Annya reached out and pulled the top of the box off.

When she saw the contents, she sat staring at it for a moment, processing.

"Ichika, how did you...?" she shook her head, staring down at it.

Sitting in the box was a necklace and two matching earrings. Round yellow gems were set against gold in a charm dangling from the chain, and the earrings were made up of the same type of yellow gem.

"Ichika..." Annya gazed at the jewelry, shaking her head and looking up at her. "How did you afford these?"

"Oh, well, they're just yellow topaz," Ichika looked down with a nervous smile. "I was at the mall one day with my friends when we passed by the jewelry store. I saw the yellow topaz, and it reminded me of your eyes, so I wanted to get it for you. I saved up a little bit of my food and leisure money for a few months until I had enough for the necklace and earrings."

"I love it, Ichika," Annya's voice was thick with emotion. She sat the box to the side and held her arms out.

Ichika walked into reach and Annya pulled her into her lap, squeezing her tight.

"Gah! Annya!" Ichika shouted in surprise.

"Thank you," Annya's arms tightened around her as she buried her face in Ichika's shoulder.

The shock melted from Ichika's face and a soft smile spread across her lips. She wrapped her arms around Annya, squeezing back.

Annya began to rock back and forth almost instinctually, holding Ichika as she did when she was an infant.

She couldn't help but remember the Christmases they had shared over the years, just the two of them.

One Christmas morning, Ichika had come sliding into the living room at Annya's call and crashed right into the Christmas tree, knocking it over.

She began to sing.

"Baby mine, don't you cry

Baby mine, dry your eyes

Rest your head close to my heart

Never to part, baby of mine

Little one when you play

Don't you mind what you say

Let those eyes sparkle and shine

Never a tear, baby of mine."

Annya closed her eyes, still rocking Ichika back and forth.

The night was cold with winter air, but the Sakurai family was bundled up inside, together by a flaming hearth.

Annya sat on the floor, a blanket wrapped around one of her shoulders, leaning against the man next to her as they both watched the fire.

"Annya."

She looked back at the couch where a blue-haired woman held a baby, singing softly. Her voice filled the room, low and warm as it settled around everyone there.

"Can you get the baby's blanket for me?" she asked, shifting the baby expertly in her arms to hold out a reaching hand.

"Yeah, sure thing," Annya stood and shed her blanket, walking over to the far end of the couch and grabbing the small, silver blanket. She brought it over to the blue-haired woman who placed a gentle hand on her cheek before taking it from her.

"Thank you, Annya," her eyes were warm as she gazed at her.

Annya smiled. "Of course, mama."

She walked back over to the man by the fire, and he held the blanket out for her. She took her seat next to him and he draped an arm over her shoulder, holding the blanket around her.

"Thanks, papa," she leaned her head into him and he ruffled her hair,

"Sure thing, sunshine," he grinned widely at her.

"Annya?"

She jolted as she came back to the present.

Ichika was leaning back to look at her.

Annya looked down to see two wet droplets on Ichika's sweater, and she reached up to touch her cheeks, shocked to find that they were wet with tears.

"Sorry, I just... I love it," she smiled at Ichika. "Thank you, Kanaria."

Ichika smiled back at her and jumped forward to wrap her arms around Annya again.

Annya rocked back for a moment in her seat as Ichika knocked the breath out of her, but she smiled again and squeezed her little sister tightly.

"Alright, enough with the waterworks," Annya said, nudging Ichika off her lap. "Go open your presents and see what I got you."