Chapter Text
"Veena, have you ever celebrated Christmas?"
The china cup clattered harshly back into its delicate saucer. Kazuma looked up concernedly from the files he was recording at Bishamon's unexpected response to this innocent question. When she spoke, it was with an uncharacteristic tightness that tinged her voice.
"No, I have not. Nor do I plan to." She responded, almost coldly.
Kazuma stared. Coming to his senses quickly he cleared his throat and apologized politely. "Of course, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would react in such a way. My apologies, my lady."
But Bishamon closed her eyes and shook her magnificent head. "No, it's not your fault, Kazuma. It was rude of me to assume you would know and to treat a innocent question like this. I'm sorry." She sighed deeply. "I just don't fancy the idea of celebrating such a complicated, silly pagan holiday like Christmas.
Kazuma waited just a tick before answering again. He didn't want to offend or set off Bishamon, but he was also keen to find out why she was so against the thought of a single Christmas- pagan holiday or not.
"So it's not that you have a personal vendetta against the holiday, you just don't want to experience it yourself, is that it?"
Bishamon finally turned to look at him with a ever-so-slight frown upon her face. "No to both of those, actually. I do not hate the holiday nor the people who celebrate it. I've never experienced it firsthand either but it's never exactly been on my list of things to do. May I ask you, Kazuma, why the sudden interest in the Christmas tradition?"
Kazuma looked up innocently from his desk at a Veena's impressively towering form. Bishamon hadn't intimidated him in a long time, and he knew that she wasn't trying to either. It was simply a natural instinct embedded into the mightiest God of war, much like a lion automatically regards any other species of animal as prey. It was and had always been a part of Veena, and just like everything else about her, it was something Kazuma had come to love.
He smiled. "Of course, my lady. It was just a thought I had recently when I was out the other day. The humans, as you know, are getting ready to celebrate the holiday as the solstice approaches and winter draws near. And since today is December first, the spirit seems to be higher then ever. It was just something interesting I saw, and it inspired my question to you. I apologize again if I offended you, Veena."
Bishamon visibly relaxed and smiled as she replied in a much gentler voice. "I know, I've noticed too. The humans may be fickle and erratic, but now is a wonderful time. There's a infectious joy instilled in them and it spreads throughout all. They're kinder, more peaceful, and their hearts are full of joy. It is a good time to be a god as well. Phantoms are scarce and attacks are at an all time low. With all of the love and spirit going around, hardly anyone is left in the dark. This holiday has more of an impact then you think, Kazuma, and such a influential thing ought not to be tainted or meddled with by a god of war. It's best that I enjoy it from a distance and leave it alone. Let it be sacred to the humans." She finished, looking at him.
Kazuma nodded respectfully. Now he understood. Bishamon had nothing against Christmas at all, she was just weary of it for the human's sake. She didn't think a destructive god of war like herself was worthy of celebrating a holiday so loving and peaceful, and she wanted to respect by leaving it for the mortals to enjoy. He felt a pang in his heart. Yet again, Veena was sacrificing her own happiness for the sake of others she hardly or did not even know. It was yet another trait of hers, a relentless, unending selflessness. It was never about Veena's own happiness, but always about anybody's, everybody else's.
He stood up from his desk, his work completely forgotten. There was so much, so much he wanted to say to her, but now was not the time. He merely cleared his throat and bowed respectfully. "Of course. Thank you, Veena, for confiding this with me. I assure you I will not share this with anyone else. Now if you'll please excuse me, I must be off. There's some unfinished work in the third wall I must attend to. I trust we will see each other at supper."
Bishamon nodded, lost in thought as she gazed out the huge window at the rest of her Regalia going about their daily activities. "You are dismissed. And Kazuma?"
Kazuma paused, halfway out the door. He turned. "Yes, my lady?"
Bishamon looked at him curiously, her eyes boring right through him. But she was silent, and then shook her head instead. Whatever she meant to say, she kept it to herself.
Kazuma bowed again, and then turned tail and left, letting the door fall shut behind him. He has a thousand things running through his mind, all of them concerning Veena.