it's everything you want to be

[unburden]

Working retail through the holidays is stressful. There's a lot more work and panic and crowds involved than Rukia ever expected for there to be in her job, working in that little toy store hidden away in the corner of the town mall. Truth be told, she loves every minute of it, seeing the bright smiles on children's faces and the frazzled looks that the parents wear — she loves it, because she knows that everyone shopping there is hoping to earn a smile at the end of the day, to make someone happy this holiday season.

She can certainly grin to that.

There's a benefit to being small, as well. She can slip between people with great ease, for one, and somehow parents are also more inclined to take their advice when talking about young kids. She has an eye for the cute toys, for the ones on the cusp of being fads, and so the commission money has hiked a bit recently for her in the boutique, leaving her with more cash to use when buying her own holiday presents.

That's where she is today, stepping around the mall and peeking into windows, wondering how much her friends care, and wondering as well whether or not she even has time to deliver them all. She's just not used to celebrating Christmas.

But she figures, no one will mind if she hands things out for New Year. Right?