The cold air biting my face as I wake up from my bed. I stare at the little heater in my room to find it unplugged. I growl as I ruffle my hair.
I groggily get out of bed, plugging the heater back in and walking towards my closet to find something decent to wear for the Christmas party.
I grab a gray striped shirt and black leather jacket. Throwing them on I walk over to my dresser, sliding the drawers out to grab a pair of jeans and grabbing my scarf off the dresser counter.
I look at my reflection and shrug.
"Better than nothing." I mumble and exit my bedroom. I stare at the clock reading 8 AM. It's still quite early so I busy myself by making breakfast before heading over to Jesse's.
- - - -
Two hours passed by and I receive a text from Jesse asking if I can stop by to help him set up the place. I grab the presents that sit on the coffee table and close the door behind me, making sure it's locked. I click my car beeper unlocking the car as I place the presents in the passenger seat.
Rubbing my hands together from the cold and turning the engine on. The ride to his house went by smoothly. I figured the streets will be empty since it's Christmas morning.
As I pull up to his driveway, I grab the gifts and turn my car off. My finger brushing against his doorbell getting ready to press it but Jesse already held the door open.
"Merry Christmas Genji, hurry come inside. It's cold as hell out there." Jesse grins as he stands to the side giving me room to enter.
I take my shoes off at the front door and walk over to the living room, placing the gifts under the tree and taking my scarf and leather jacket off.
"What did you need help with?" I ask him as I walk over to where he stands.
He hands me a box along with wrapping paper, a sly grin on his face.
"I need you to help me wrap Lucio's gift. I'm going to wrap yours and Hana's in the next room so no peeping." He says as he leaves.
I shake my head with a grin. "Always last minute on gifts."
I sit down in the dining room, cutting up the wrapping paper and neatly folding the corners around the gift. Lucio is defiantly going to freak when he finds out Jesse bought him a collectors item.
I grab the freshly wrapped present in my hands and walk over to the living room, placing it beside my gifts. The scent of a pine tree is always soothing. I can't help but smile at the beautifully decorated living room.
Jesse probably hired someone to come by and decorate for him, I highly doubt he did this himself. I sit on the sofa taking my phone out of my pocket and staring at Hanzo's contact. Whether I hate him or not - he is family.
I close my eyes and release a sigh as I send him a simple 'Merry Christmas.'
His reply instant.
'Thanks. You too.'
I didn't know how to feel from his reply but I shrug it off. I get off the sofa and walk over to the kitchen, searching through the cabinets for the box of instant hot chocolate. Finding it in the corner behind some cereal boxes, I grab four packs.
The sound of the doorbell ringing through the house.
"Can you get that for me Genji!" Jesse yells from one of the many rooms in his house.
"Yeah." I yell back as I walk over to the door.
I open the door to a lovely morning surprise.
Hana.
She wore a cute white sweater paired with a red skirt, brown belt, sheer black stockings with a pattern, and tan heel boots. Again her obsession with fashion.
"Hey..." She whispers, her cheeks pink from the cold.
"Oh, come in. I'm sure you're cold." I stutter as I move aside to let her in. She smiles and nods as the sound of her heels click on the marble floor. I close the door behind her as I pray she doesn't hear my beating heart.
"Where should I put this?" She lifts a huge bag in front of me.
"I'll take that for you, just make yourself comfortable." I grab the bag which was surprisingly heavy. What did she buy?
I walk over to the Christmas tree, placing the bag down as I watch her take her shoes off. She walks over to the living room, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh wow, did Jesse do all this?"
The towering Christmas tree in the corner of the house, decorated with white lights, and different shades of blue ornaments with a few snowflakes speckled here and there. The white marble fireplace hangs four blue stockings with our names on them along with snowman and deer figures on top of the fireplace paired with candle sticks.
A white fur rug in the middle of the room with a glass coffee table on top, a white sofa, and a love-seat surrounding the middle. A few pillows scattered in different sections of the sofa along with blankets. Jesse was never a man into the color scheme of Christmas. Red and green bored him so I wasn't surprised with the white and blue scheme.
Hana walks over to the fireplace, gently stroking her stocking that etched her name on it with glitter. She giggles silently.
"Did he write our names on these?" She turns to face me, her curls flipping gracefully around. I muster a reply.
"Probably." I put my hands in my pocket as I stand still.
"Where is he anyway?" She asks as she walks over to the sofa, sitting down.
I grin at her. "Last minute wrapping presents."
"Really? Is he always like this?" She questions as I shrug.
"Usually he is but there are some occasions he's prepared."
She nods as our conversation ends. The atmosphere a bit awkward. It's been awhile since I last had a conversation with just her. The last time being the scene with Hanzo.
I clear my throat and attempt to say something.
"How are you holding up?"
I mentally curse myself for bringing up that topic out of the thousands of topics I could've mentioned. Besides, it's Christmas. Why did I bring up a sad story.
Her eyes gazing at the flicking fireplace as her tiny fingers mess with the ends of skirt.
"It could be better, you know...it's hard to move on after being cheated on." Her words heartbreaking. I stand there awkwardly and unsure of what to say.
"I keep replaying the scene over and over in my mind...I wake up in the middle of the night screaming or covered in sweat..." She faintly giggles trying to ease her nerves as I see her hands clinching into a fist.
"I find myself constantly wondering why didn't I notice it. I knew he had a reputation...but I thought maybe he changed. I heard the rumors about the Shimada brothers. That they were two brothers only wanting to have some fun. One with a serious face while the other had an infectious personality..."
I purse my lips as I feel my palms sweat, her gaze now looking at me.
"I tried to avoid the two of you but obviously that didn't work..." A slight smile on her face. "And now I feel like I'm being punished for letting my guard down. For allowing someone like him taking something so special away from me." She places her hands on her lap, a frown etched on her beautiful face.
"I'm constantly trying to clean myself down there...thinking it'll make everything better." Her voice so soft I would be unable to hear her if I sighed. My heart aching from her words as I watch her try to hold her tears back. I'm such an asshole to ask her how she felt. Of course she can't recover within a few weeks.
Her body shivering violently as she cries. Her soft gasps and sniffles tearing my entire soul apart. But my body doesn't listen to my mind. I'm stiff as a rock and my palms are beyond sweaty.
I hear footsteps behind me as Jesse widen his eyes. He mouths the words 'Hug her dumb ass.'
My brows furrowing as I mouth back to him, 'I'm scared.'
Jesse softly chuckles as he rolls his eyes. Mouthing the words 'You pussy.'
I bite my lip as I glare at him, taking in a deep breath as I walk over to Hana. Standing in front of her as her hands cover her crying face. I crouch down so our faces are on the same eye level.
My sweaty palms prying her delicate hands away from her face.
"Hey.." My voice low as she hiccups. Her honey brown eyes staring into my brown ones. Her attention on me now as I feel nervous. What do I say now? That everything is going to be ok? To forget Hanzo and date me? That I can treat her better?
I decide to not say anything and embrace her close to my chest. Hiding her face from Jesse as I slowly stroke her silky hair.
Jesse quietly places the gifts under the tree and exits to the kitchen, flashing me a thumbs up before he leaves out of my line of sight.
Her harsh breathing below me as I stroke her hair for sometime. After a few minutes of silence I hear her mutter a word.
"Thank you..." She murmurs as I pull away from her. I turn around to grab her a tissue from the coffee table, handing it to her as she takes it. "I'm going to the bathroom...I'm sure I look like a mess." She smiles as she wipes her tears away.
I stand up and move over to the side as she gets up and heads over to the bathroom. Once I knew she couldn't hear me, I release a sigh. Jesse peeps his head around the corner of the kitchen, waving his hands.
"Hey! Psst, come over here." Jesse whisper yelled.
I walk over to him with a raised brow.
"Yes?"
"Why'd you make her cry, you ass." Jesse elbows my side as I wince.
"I didn't know what to say so words came out of my mouth. I had no control!" I exclaim as he rolls his eyes.
"Haven't you talked to a girl before?" He questions as I shrug.
"The only talking I do is in bed." I smirk as Jesse gawks at me.
"Figures. From a playboy like yourself. But this is a different situation. Don't you like Hana?"
His words going straight to my heart.
"Yeah...I believe so."
"Well she's not like other girls. You can't woo her with your charms and expect her to throw herself on you."
Jesse isn't lying. I'm sure she's probably scarred for life because of Hanzo. She may give off the air of an independent girl but she's truly an innocent one that needs someone to protect her.
"It's going to take sometime for her before she's ready to settle into another relationship." Jesse says as I slowly nod.
"I wouldn't want to rush her or anything...and besides. I've never had a serious relationship either." I say to him as he nods.
"That's true. You're usually the one time guy."
I roll my eyes from his statement.
"Where's Lucio anyway?" I ask Jesse as he looks at his phone.
"He texted me saying he's coming soon about five minutes ago, so maybe another five till he's here."
I nod as I peer in the living room, Hana not there. She's probably still in the bathroom. I grab four mugs out of the cabinet and toss Jesse the packets of hot chocolate I grabbed earlier.
"Make yourself useful and help me." I grin at him as he groans.
- - - -