Reindeer House pt.6

“NO, IT’S NOT LIKE THAT, B–BAKA!!”

The shout echoed through the boarding house gym so loudly that even Dansaa paused mid-pose in the dance studio a room over. Rudorufu, who was been nowhere near the source of conflict, sighed and muttered, “Oh good. He’s started early today.”

Dashaa — tall, terrifyingly buff, the kind of muscular that made the weights fear him — had a faint blush on the tips of his ears as he slapped more plates onto the barbell. His tail twitched furiously. “I don’t care what you heard!!” he blurted. “Santa only said I had ‘impressive form’ last Christmas because — because he was being NICE, okay?!!”

Puransa raised a single unimpressed eyebrow. “Right. And that totally explains why you’ve been bench-pressing at five in the morning every day since.” “That’s called dedication,” Dashaa huffed. “Completely normal. TOTALLY normal. In fact, it's you who's — who's — ANYWAY!! Hurry up and spot me!!”

“Do you even need a spotter?” Puransa asked, mostly because Dashaa was already lifting the equivalent of a small refrigerator. “YES!!” Dashaa barked. “…I mean — no!! I mean — JUST DO IT, PURA-KUN!!” Puransa rolled his eyes, but stepped behind the bench.

And right on cue: “Hellooooo, darlings ~!!” Bikkusen sashayed in, trailing glitter like a fabulous comet and radiating judgement. His gaze fell on Dashaa’s flustered face, and gasped dramatically. “Oh my my ~!! Dashaa-chan, that blush is giving it alllll away ~!! Someone’s working quite hard — aaall for one tiny, teeeensy little compliment ~!!”

Dashaa sputtered so hard he nearly dropped the bar. “W-WHA—?! NO I’M NOT!! I’m working out because — because I like getting strong!! I LIKE MUSCLES!! MUSCLES ARE GOOD!!” The bar wobbled dangerously.

Puransa deadpanned, “This is why he needs a spotter.”

Bikkusen leaned over Dashaa like a sparkly vulture. “Well then, darling… I’m sure you won’t mind if I ask Santa whether he’s seen all those workout photos you post so copiously on social media ~??”

Dashaa made a strangled, dying-reindeer noise. “No!! Bikku — please!! It’s not like I want him to notice or anything!! I just— I just— DON’T BRING IT UP!!”

“Fufufu ~ of course!! Unless it slips out accidentally. Then there’s nothing I can do, sweetheart ~!!” He twirled away like a victorious — and very glittery — sugarplum fairy.

“BIKKUSEN!! BAKA!! GET BACK HERE!! DON’T YOU DARE SLIP ANYTHING!!”

Somewhere in the house, Rudorufu paused mid-clipboard-check, wondering why he suddenly felt a headache coming on.

Puransa patted Dashaa’s shoulder. “At this rate, Santa’s next compliment will be, ‘please stop the shouting.’”

To be continued...