Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The (shinra) office ❯ day nineteen: secret santa ( Chapter 19 )

I'm returning from my extended break cause I had a tad bit of writer's block but that's okay cause that just gave me time to write more tso which you people don't even read this so it really won't make a difference.

 

Except for catneko.

 

That one who doesn't stop commenting!

 

…

 

Thank you?

 

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy, the rules of the men, or Emily strange.

Day nineteen: secret Santa

 

Angel sat bundled up in her blankets, all snuggly and warm like a cinnamon bun in an oven—except she wasn't roasting to death, and wasn't going to be eaten—she sipped her hot chocolate gingerly, savoring the taste.

 

And then she realized—

 

“Holy shi—I have a job!” and then angel ran.

Rufus looked out his window, thinking.

 

`Think…think-a-thinka. Thinka thinka thinka dinka dar—` truly, the powerful minds are ones to be feared.

 

“I need a gimmick. Something to show the press that this isn't just another form of cheap physical labor.” Rufus thought and thought. There had to be some way he could show his employees that he wasn't just a power figure…

 

“I know I keep them on a tight leash—and all that paper work… they must be swamped”

 

Meanwhile…

 

“Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!” Reno cheered on Danielle as she stuffed her mouth with as many red grapes as she could fit—how she and Reno got into this betting game, but she wasn't going to back out now.

 

Back to Rufus…

 

“There must be something I can do…”

 

“Sir, if I do recall, you did buy flowers for them, didn't you? Is that not enough?” the newly employed best advisor (ever) said in a silky voice.

 

“No, that was only for the girls. Plus, I believe the florist I bought them from now thinks I'm emo.”

 

“That is indeed a problem.” She pondered wither she should buy off this florist, or just hope he wouldn't kill her off. Then she pondered which was easier…

 

“Now…what can I do?” rufus interrupted her thoughts with his own.

 

The best advisor (ever) looked outside to see the snow falling gently, looking to the side she saw a man angrily fighting to put up his Christmas decorations. His children watched, his wife watched in horror as he slipped and rolled down the roof into the snow, dragging the Santa and reindeer along with him. Finally, she saw angel partly slide and partly run across the parking lot from her old truck.

 

She assumed she made it inside safely (she slipped, but still made it) because she had now turned to rufus with a new idea.

 

“What about a secret Santa?”

 

“Secret whom?” rufus looked at her strangely, not understanding her logic.

 

“Secret Santa, all the employees pick a name of another employee from a hat, then exchange gifts, with a set price range of course.”

 

“And this will show a good side of me?”

 

“It's un-doubtable sir.”

 

“Then allow the Santa's to be seduced!”

 

“Err… that's `secret' Santa, sir.”

 

“Whatever.” He said in a flat tone.

“Angel you either wear the outfit, or you walk around in your pajamas. By the way, I never knew you were into Emily strange…”

 

“Well I refuse to wear a skirt.”

 

“Fine. Walk around in an `unlucky number thirteen' tank top.”

 

“I most definitely will!”

 

“Alright the—wait, what?”

 

“Good day to you madam!” angel turned and walked out. Leaving Danielle in total confusion.

 

“Um…do you have a t-shirt I could barrow?” until she peeped her head into the door again. Dani-chan smiled understandingly.

“Do you use moisturizer?” the creepy intern titled her head to the side like some sort of dog bred to scare innocent live stalk to a certain direction...

 

“I beg your pardon?” Vincent asked, uncomfortably closed into a corner.

 

“You're hands are so…soft” she purred—literally, but it was more like a stomach trying to digest a frog. (Try not to think about it)

 

“Uh… Anna! My long lost friend! How have you been!?”

 

“Huh--?”

 

“Just keep walking. You're my ticket away from her.”

 

“I hear that everyday, can't you people think up a better excuse to get away?”

 

“Not really, no. Now quickly, turn left.”

 

“My left or your left?”

 

“It's the same left, Anna.”

 

“Oh right!”

 

“No, left”

“Reno, Elena, rude, we have a job to do”

 

“No…really?” Reno stated sarcastically. One of the very few things he actually did right. Almost.

 

“Shut up Reno—go on tseng…” Elena sighed dreamily. Cheeks coloring. Not that tseng noticed.

 

As it was in the rules of the men— `subtle hints do not work. Strong hints do not work. Obvious hints do not work—damn it, you have a mouth, just tell us what you want!'

 

“Alright, get everyone back here in under 20 minuets of less. That means angel, Vincent, Danielle, Anna, and the intern. Is that clear?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Crystal!”

 

“I don't kno—“

 

“Shut up Reno—we won't disappoint you tseng”

“It's kinda tight… are you sure there aren't any others?” angel squirmed underneath the white shirt. If there was one thing that truly got under her skin, it was being cramped into something—she was actually a closet claustrophobic, not that she would show it… that, and raisins. She just didn't trust the lil' buggers.

 

“No, I don't—oh wait! There's this last…kinda ominous though.”

Dani-chan revealed a black blouse with blood red trimmings.

 

“Interesting enough. Might as well try it.” Angel took the shirt and made Danielle exit the bathroom. Who was insulted that she was forced to leave-- I mean come on! What did she have that she didn't?! (Fanboys, please. we recommend you don't start thinking about that...)

 

“Angi, I'm gonna get a snack—you want anything?”

 

“Fresh blood” angel answered darkly, making Danielle laugh.

 

But then she thought—`she's not serious. …Is she?'

 

“Hey, Vincent.” Vincent looked up from his paperwork to see rude leaning in from the doorway.

 

“We got sent to tell you about a meeting downstairs. Most likely, Reno's going to shove his work on you, so—head's up.”

 

“Thank you, rude.” Vincent smiled sincerely.

 

“Hey vinne!” speak of the devil… (Pun mostly not intended)

 

“Hello Reno.” Vincent could feel a migraine rearing its ugly head.

 

He forced his hand away from his gun holster—one little shot, just a warning, just graze his hand or something—no, no, mustn't think like that, he was bound to get shot at one point or another. Better not risk jail at Reno's own carelessness. Vincent argued with himself

 

“So—“

 

“No Reno. I will not do your work for you.”

 

“Oh come on vin-vin!”

 

“Don't call me that.”

 

“Then help me.”

 

“And by help, you mean do your work for you?”

 

“What else could I mean? By `I need help'?” Vincent choked back the sharp responses that he could have said in that golden opportunity, and only stared at him as if he were a fat pug.

 

“Fine, what do you want me to do?” Vincent sighed in defeat. And Reno grinned like an idiot.

Angel and Danielle walked down the hall, to the downstairs as instructed by tseng. Angel led in a quick and swift lope, almost gliding. Danielle flowed behind, doing her best to keep up with angel's speed walking.

 

“Oh…but you would look so cute if I did your hair!”

 

“Why do you have an obsession with putting my hair in weird positions?”

 

“Because I—look out!” Danielle didn't speak this much louder than an inside voice, and covered her smile as angel bumped into a familiar body…

 

“Oh, I'm so sorry…!” Vincent panicked as angel rubbed her forehead non-chalantely.

 

“It's- …it's alright” angel said nearly monotone, as if just realizing this fact in an epiphany, her heart rate leaping twice it's normal rate.

 

Dani-chan smiled happily, and the dragged the two as she now lead the small group, as the two of them exchanged glances uncomfortably.

“Alright, quiet down, quiet down, please, quiet down—Reno! Shut Up!”

 

“Yes sir…”

 

“Now. Everyone's name is on a small piece of paper in this hat, you will pick one of your co-worker's names! If you should pick your own name, make sure to speak with us after.”

 

“Secret Santa?” Danielle leaned to the side, as so to speak with angel.

 

“Seems like it.”

 

“Oh yes! I love secret Santa… it just brings everyone together, don't you think?”

 

“It tends to have that effect, doesn't it?” angel chuckled as Danielle psyched herself up.

 

“I can't wait—oh! Wish me luck!”

 

“Break a finger, Dani-chan.” Angel cheered her on, as she walked up, covered her eyes, and reached into the hat. The best advisor (ever) smiled at their child-like friendship. When doing such activities. Danielle pulled her hand out gave a squeal of joy as she skipped back into place.

 

“Angel, you're up.” Angel walked forward, hands in her pockets and a dangerous smirk plastered on her face. She reached in the hat and pulled out a name, took a quick look at it, and smiled once more.

 

The best advisor (ever) shuddered slightly… what was she scheming?

 

“Alright then. You probably guessed already, but—“

 

“Get to the poin— ow!”

 

“Angi, hush!”

 

“…Right… we will be doing secret Santa. The price of the gift for your victu—I mean receiver cannot be over forty dollars. And please—nothing explicit” there was a chorus of `awww's' and `come on!' and a single `you're kidding me!' rufus patiently waited for his to die down…

 

BANG. Of course, a real man makes his own silence. …With artillery!

 

“Right then. Now, it is absolutely forbidden for others to tell each other whom they got. If you do—and I will catch you. I have my ways, I assure you—you with be executed!”

 

“Uh…sir? You can't do that here.”

 

“What?! Oh come on—fine. You won't be executed. But you'll have to push me around in a wheel chair.”

 

“Sir, you can walk. You don't need a wheel chair!”

 

“Would you pass up the chance to not walk everywhere you have to go?” (Well, would you? Personally I think that's a pretty sweet deal.)

 

“No—I guess not.”

 

“Alright then.” Rufus smiled in triumph.

 

“Damn, he got me there…” the person continued to mumble to them self.

 

“Okay then! Now everyone get out—it's like a boiler in here.”

 

“Sir, there is a boiler in here.”

 

“…What in god's name is a boiler? I thought it was just a figure of speech…!”

 

The two stared at each other, both wallowing in confusion.

 

“Excuse me sir?” it was the creepy intern. God—just what we needed.

 

“Hm? Who are you?”

 

“Well, people seem to just address me as intern but my real name is f—“

 

“Don't care. What do you want?”

 

“I got my own name. And it's just says `that intern chick—you know, the ugly one'”

 

“That's not your name. That's the other intern, three floors down—you know, Maria.”

 

“Oh—so why does it say `that intern'? Why not Maria?”

 

“Because I didn't actually research her name. I just made it up on the spot.” A long, awkward silence entered the room.

 

“Well, good day then, Rachel.”

 

“That's not—oh forget it…”

Alright! That was day nineteen. Now, here's something fun—you can choose who gets whom in the secret Santa! You can send me an email, a private message, or a review. So make sure to cast in your vote. I'll even take suggestions as to what you want them to give one-another. So make sure to say something, or I'll just assume you don't exist—I mean… no, that was right.

 

--Shade-san