What a life

Christmas eve!

The night before Christmas.

Jolly, right?

Wrong.

The family isn't full. Not everyone is here. We don't have school today for obvious reasons so I sit on the sofa with a hot chocolate while watching the television.
"Whatcha watchin'?" Ryo asks as he leaps onto the sofa next to me.
"Just a nature programme." I answer. The two of us stay there until someone sits themselves on the sofa adjacent to ours.
"Only losers watch programmes like this." I recognise the voice and when I look over, I find I'm right.
"Good morning Satoshi." I greet. Eventually all the brothers come in and fill the empty gaps on the sofas.
"Naoki don't you have work today?" I ask. Naoki smiles at me, a lock of his brown hair falling over his green eyes.
"Nope. Not today!" He says this with a smile.

It must be nice for him to have a break after a while.

"Aito what about you? Are you training today?" I ask. Aito doesn't say anything but he shakes his head. I look around all of them, smiling as I do so.
"What's so funny, huh?" Satoshi threatens. I chuckle and shake my head.
"You guys are just...I don't know...fun to be around." I exclaim. This makes about 90% of the boys in this room blush and I'm still oblivious as to why.
"Thanks, Aya. We appreciate that compliment." Kyoya says. We laugh and tell jokes while watching the programme. A perfect Wednesday morning. Still, something is missing.
"Do you guys think Subaru will be home by tomorrow?" I question, worry replacing the happiness. Some of them look at the floor, others avoid any means of looking at me whereas Kyoya takes the remote and flicks it to the music channel.
"At the moment he's in Iceland, then he's headed for Canada and then....home." My eyes light up and a smile spreads across my face.
"That won't take long, right?" I want to get up and dance around but that happiness is soon killed.
"Not at all. He has to stay in Iceland for one more night and Canada two nights. There's no way at all Subaru is going to be home for Christmas...again." The last word breaks my heart.

This has happened before... and it's going to happen again.

We all sit in silence until the silence itself gets so unbearable I excuse myself.
"Sorry I've gotta go and do something." I wander to the stairs but instead of going up them, I sit and stare down at my feet. I've never had a Christmas with anyone since my parents died and now, the family isn't complete. Someone sits next to me without me even realising and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Well it's not as if it's a noticeable loss. You still have eight brothers with you." Hikaru states. I chuckle and Hikaru joins in.
"I suppose but...don't you miss him?"
Hikaru nods but grins.
"It's nice not having a massive douchebag around the house, though." At this we chuckle but we flinch at the loud bang. We look up to see Ryo posing his 'sexy pose' in the door frame. I just stare wide-eyed.
"Aya...I utterly love bread." And with that, he leaves.
"Wha-" before I could even say anything Hikaru takes my hand and runs into the lounge.
"Hikaru!"
"We don't want to miss this, Aya. Trust me."