A/N; Sorry it's short, but at least I updated... speaking of which, updates are going to be even slower than usual (yes, that is possible) because I've got exams in less than a month and I need to study.... and I'm only allowed 1 hour of internet and 1 of writing

Waking up, a clock chimed distantly in Yuki’s ears. Blearily she opened her eyes to focus on the black hands on the white face that hung not to far from the bunk-bed. The world was blurry, like she was looking at it from behind a wall of water. Eventually the water evaporated and Yuki discovered that it was a little before she was due to eat dinner with Tyki. Looking around the room, Yuki found it to be empty and even when she hung upside-down to see under her bed, Kanda was still no where to be seen.

Climbing down, Yuki lifted the mattress off the metal structure of the bed and found the small, brightly wrapped present and card she’d prepared for Kanda. Retrieving it, she tried to build up the courage to go and find Kanda but even as she stared at the present Yuki knew she couldn’t bare to be rejected just yet. Instead, she placed it on Kanda’s bed, the Christmas card clearly in view so that he couldn’t miss it.

Turning away from possibly the most cowardly act Yuki had ever committed in her life, she dived into her baggage that remained unpacked. Taking out the present she’d purchased while on ship, Yuki got dressed into some of the more formal clothes she brought with her. Yuki then escaped that cabin, heading towards the deck where she normally found the Polish gentleman.

The salty air hit Yuki’s face roughly but she rather enjoyed it now unlike when she’d been so ill. Walking for a few minutes, Yuki found Tyki playing poker with three other gentlemen, all of whom were slightly disgruntled from losing so frequently. Rather than disturb Tyki’s card game, she manoeuvred herself so that Tyki could see her and waited for him to notice her. It didn’t take long, Tyki looked up and Yuki waved. A few minutes later, Tyki declined another game of poker.

“If you’ll excuse me, my date is here,” he excused himself.

The other men turned around to see a slight teenage girl waiting in the wings, wearing a pale lilac dress and butterfly necklace. They let Tyki go, all giving congratulations on snagging such a pretty little thing.

“Merry Christmas, Tyki-san,” Yuki greeted him.

“Merry Christmas, Yuki,” Tyki smiled, offering his arm. “Seeing as you’re all dressed up, why don’t we go to the main restaurant this time?”

“Sure, but I’m paying my half of the bill,” Yuki insisted.

“Ah, but I wanted to treat you,” Tyki complained.

“That’s not fair, you gave me such a lovely present,” Yuki replied hotly, before blushing heavily. “I could only get you this.”

Yuki handed him the small present which Tyki opened with surprise. He laughed quietly to find a cigarette holder inside.

“Thank you very much,” he told her. “But if we don’t hurry, we’re not going to make the reservation I booked.”

“You booked it beforehand? But you only asked me yesterday and you have to book at least two days in advance.”

Tyki just smiled.

“Tyki-san!”

Kanda hung back, not wanting to be noticed. The gaki and some stuck up paedophile were waiting in line to get into the ship’s main restaurant. They were chatting away animatedly, something the aristocrat said making the gaki laugh quietly.

Kanda growled under his breath, eyes focused on the gaki’s arm which was threaded through the crook of the ‘gentleman’s’. There was quite an obvious age difference and it sickened Kanda to look at the pair. He turned on his heel and stormed away, back to the cabin now that he could be sure of avoiding the gaki. Murderous intend bubbled up and formed like a black cloud around Kanda, warning the already wary passengers away from the Japanese Exorcist.

Kanda made it to the cabin, miraculously without killing anyone. He was so sick of seeing her flirt with everyone… everyone expect him. Ignoring the afterthought, he punched a wall, feeling the bruises blossoming on his knuckles as he lashed out a second time.

A frustrated sigh escaping his lips, he turned to the bunk-bed, preparing to sleep the ill-feelings off when he noticed an envelope addressed to him on his bed. Picking it up, a smell wafted from the paper, metallic but flowery at the same time… the gaki’s annoying perfume. Opening the envelope, he found a card, the words ‘Merry Christmas’ scrawled across the front in the same cursive handwriting as had been used to write his name onto the card. Inside there was a simple message, a repeat of the seasonal greeting and signed by the gaki along with a small postscript;

‘Lenalee-chan said you didn’t like sweets, so I bought the bitterest I could find.’

Raising an eyebrow, Kanda turned his attention to the brightly parcel sitting on his bed. Tearing off the decorative wrapping, Kanda found a bar of chocolate declaring ’90 percent cocoa’.

Kanda’s immediate impulse was to throw the chocolate straight in the bin. He hated sweet things with a passion. However, he found himself opening the packaging and breaking off one small portion. Preparing himself to spit out the chocolate at any moment, he placed the tiny piece in his mouth. The piece dissolved quickly and Kanda stared at the confectionary in puzzlement.

“Yuki?”

The young Exorcist blinked and refocused her attention on the Polish gentleman who stood beside her.

“Oh, sorry, Tyki-san,” she apologised. “What were you saying?”

Despite the incredible meal and good company Tyki provided, Yuki had been distracted all evening. She spent the first half of the meal wondering why Kanda’s emotions were spiking all over the place before suddenly calming down completely. For the second, her mind had wandered to the other Exorcists celebrating Christmas back at the Black Order. Having never attended the festivities in the foreboding castle before, she found it hard to imagine what they would do for the occasion. There were the obvious things, of course – Jerry would be cooking up a storm, people would exchange presents but would there be a Christmas tree? Did they put the presents under that and hand them out in the morning or did everyone give them out separately? She also briefly wondered if they’d have an angel on top of the Christmas tree or a star, she’d seen both in her travels with Cross. A star would be nice but they were a religious organisation so…

“Nothing,” he chuckled. “We’ve simply arrived at your room.”

“Oh!” Yuki smiled sheepishly, finding this indeed to be the case. “Thank you for the meal.”

“It was my pleasure,” Tyki assured her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Yuki said, taking out her set of keys and opening the door.

“Perhaps,” Tyki replied. “Hopefully you won’t be so distracted then.”

“Hopefully,” Yuki repeated before disappearing into the room.

She closed the door behind her before observing the room carefully. Kanda was asleep and the brightly coloured wrapping paper Yuki had used to wrap his present was in the bin. Trying to make a little noise as possible, Yuki crept over to the bin and scanned the contents with her eyes. She couldn’t see the chocolate in there, the packaging was though so perhaps Kanda had actually eaten his Christmas present. The thought alone made Yuki beam with happiness. She was fairly sure she’d never get Kanda to thank her for the present but the knowledge that he enjoyed it was more than enough for the younger Exorcist.

Yuki grabbed her pyjamas and went into the bathroom adjoining to the room. Changing, she removed the dress and the necklace Tyki had given her for Christmas. The surreal butterfly, trapped in glass, seemed to pulsate in the artificial light of the bathroom. Yuki admired it as she changed, fascinated by the beautiful shade of purple that decorated the butterfly’s wings. Emerging from the bathroom, Yuki turned of the light scrambled into bed, still grinning from her minor achievement with Kanda.

She snuggled into the duvet that was becoming more and more necessary the closer they got to America. They would be arriving in New York in the early morning of the day after next and there had been a significant temperature drop during the day despite the ship’s central heating. Drawing the source of warmth closer to herself, Yuki drifted off into a peaceful and yet elated sleep. Just as the realms of dream finally welcomed the Japanese Exorcist, a subtle sensation started at the back of her mind.

It was an odd feeling, not something that could really be explained to those who had never experienced it. It was a sort of tugging, too softly for Yuki to notice, but if it grew then soon it would reach the point where it felt like every cell in her body was moving in a certain direction. Well, perhaps not every cell, simply the blood the coursed through her being. Tugging towards shore where the Akuma awaited her.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of the night, cut off from any light – artificial or otherwise – the necklace sat. The butterfly continued to glow with an eerie purple light, pulsating in its glass confines it rhythm with its tiny heartbeat.

A/N; And as some sort of poor compensation of not being able to update frequently, I shall actually reply to your heartfelt reviews (all 9 of them, I feel so loved!)

greenteamoose - yeah I liked her reaction too, it didn't fit her character for her to just sit there so I thought I'd throw a bit of comedy in there while I'm at it. And it's meant to.... as you've probably now figured out....

PhoenixRage92 - um, no, no it's not, that would be way too marysue (not that Yuki isn't already, but anywho....) and yes, she shall :D look forward to it!

Lathya - no, that would be fine lol, here it is, hope it lives up to your expectations!

KaraxLavi13 - lol, I like your enthusiasma and thanks, hope you liked it

Tainted Light - I know, mine too *cheshire grin*

xXfluffyXx013 - it's a cute name, no need to explain, mine's definitely weirder! (oh god, I just realised that rhymed, shoot me now) thank you so much for reading it, I'm sorry it took so long to update, I'm glad you like it and it's my pleasure to write it (literally, it's the only thing keeping me sane(r) at the moment)

AkIrA121 - thanks, I'll try, no promises though

xXKaira-himeXx - once again, I'll try but no promises

Zack1996 - aw thank you, I do try and I will try but I refer you to the 2 previous replies to reviews (I am not typing it again! lol) and I'll send that to you in a private review, the link doesn't show up too well otherwise but failing that the link is on my homepage thingie (just click the link on my name) or chapter 7