Summary: Kaho remembers a Christmas long ago that is close to her heart when she found Eriol. [Kaho/Eriol Christmas fic]

For: Serena-san [Serena B], Eves-san [Silverlight], and Sakura-san [Sakura Kinomoto]. Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy the fic.

Gray Skies

There was a milky streak of stars that stretched along the dark blue black of the sky. A vast expanse of white covered as far as the eye could see. However, no clouds covered the sky, nor was it snowing. Still, it was cold.

She sat on the porch, long legs dangling in the small draft that sent little wisps of snow in the air. The little swirls of snow were beautiful, and some landed in her red hair, letting her seem as though she was part of picturesque scenery. Her red lips were curved in a small, secret smile, and her languid fingers flexed slowly.

Christmas must be one of my favorite holiday, she thought to herself, still smiling. Christmas...

She loved Christmas, each and every part, from the absurdly fake men in red suits to the dreaded gift exchanges to the joy and love, acting like little children.

A sudden draft brought forth the sweet smells of pine and faint odor of cookies. She inhaled deeply, filling her nostrils with the pleasant and familiar smells, along with it pleasant and familiar memories. Like the first Christmas she ever remembered, because it was when she first met him. No, not Santa Claus, Eriol.

Eriol.

She closed her eyes and didn't think, just simply remembered.

/ ~ /

A young girl with soft red hair walked steadily forward, a determined frown marring her features. By her side were two older people, obviously her parents.

"Kaho, you should at least try and enjoy our vacation here in England," the woman reprimanded.

Obstinately, she didn't answer, only looked straight ahead. England was such a dreary gray place. She longed for Japan, why, she didn't know. She knew only that she was looking for something she knew she couldn't find here in England. But then again, she couldn't find it in Japan either.

Her parents sighed in unison, and now her father spoke. "Kaho, your mother and I know that you are unhappy here, but at least try and see the beauty of London? Look around you."

She obeyed, but saw only gray. Her auburn eyes moved to look at her parents, both of whom had dreamy looks as they too, glanced around. What could they possibly see that she couldn't?

She decided to try once more, and stared hard at everything around her. Then out of the corner of her eye, there was a flash of blue that piqued and intrigued her senses. Quickly she turned, but it was gone.

"What is it Kaho?" her mother asked, startled at her sudden movement.

She opened her mouth to tell them, but something in her made her stay silent. Finally she merely answered, "Nothing. It was nothing."

~

Just for that bit of color, she waited and watched from the hotel they were staying at, watched the gray clouds that floated lazily by, the white snow that drifted down, the silent people that walked.

She fancied a glimpse here and there when she went out with her parents, but it was ephemeral, short lived. Still, she looked around vainly.

She wasn't sure why she wanted that piece of color, only knew that she had to get it, as she obeyed the need of her caprice. It was during the middle of their vacation in London, that she finally reasoned to herself that it was futile, and she gave up, becoming once again her listless self.

"Kaho," her mother called her on the second to the last day of their trip. "Kaho-chan, tomorrow's our last day here in London, at least try and enjoy it?"

To please her mother, she acquiesced, putting on her red snow coat and matching shiny boots. As she slushed around languidly, she felt the sudden urge to make something in the snow. She picked some of the white fluffy flakes up and began to randomly pat them into place, when she suddenly caught sight of a bright color. Stopping, she turned to look curiously at a little black cat in the arms of a beautiful redheaded girl, two times as tall as she was and yet, was dressed rather childishly as well as colorfully.

"Suppi, Suppi, Suppi-chan," she sang, squeezing that little cat who seemed to glare at her. "Suppi, Suppi-chan."

It slowly registered through her that that tall crazy girl was speaking Japanese…or at least, using the honorific titles. How strange…

She didn't have time to say anymore, for the red-headed girl, who had her eyes conveniently closed and who was skipping happily, ran into her, causing both of them to tumble to the white ground, knocking over whatever she had been making. The cat gracefully landed on its feet, looking earnestly worried at both.

Little Kaho groaned lightly. Her head had hit the snow-covered ground and ached a bit, and she was sure that her arms would have bruises.

"Ruby, you idiot, you just hurt her," someone hissed. She opened her eyes a little and blinked. It seemed as though the cat was talking… No, she had to be hallucinating.

"Ooowww," she heard the other girl moan. "Be quiet Suppi." She had to be hallucinating. Why would the girl say that if the cat hadn't talked? She now heard the noise of crunching snow as the girl got up. "Is she alright?"

There was the grip of a firm arm on her shoulder, and she leaned on it as it helped her up. "Are you alright?" She was startled to hear a boy's voice, instead of the girl's voice, which she expected to hear. Looking up quickly, she found herself staring into the deepest, bluest eyes she had ever seen in her entire life.

He was looking at her rather strangely, and she realized she must've been gaping. "Oh, yes, I'm okay." She then nearly slapped herself for speaking Japanese, but he smiled, completely disarming her.

"I apologize for Nakuru-san," he said in the smoothest Japanese she had heard in her whole life.

"Hey!" the tall girl protested. "I can apologize for myself!"

As she regained her composure, she quickly thought, That voice must've been him…not the cat…

He was still smiling at her, and she felt the sudden urge to talk to him. "I'm Kaho," she found herself saying.

"Yes, we know," the tall girl, Nakuru, spoke, but then the cat bit her hand sharply. "OW! Oh, I mean, nice to meet you," she tried to smile and glare at the cat at the same time, who seemed to glare right back.

Kaho looked at them curiously, then at the boy again. He seemed around her age, maybe more, maybe less. Probably not less. She gazed closely at the boy's blue eyes that reminded her so much of the sea. "I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol," he continued to smile at her.

"Oh," she replied lamely.

Still, he smiled, and it was getting rather unnerving, when he finally nodded, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow. Happy Christmas."

Nakuru, too, smiled, "Happy Christmas, Kaho-chan!" Even the cat seemed to smile at her.

"Happy Christmas," she answered absently, still mesmerized by the smiles that they flashed at her.

It was not until after they were gone that she realized that she was leaving tomorrow. And she would never see them again.

For some reason, she felt sad about that.

She stood there a few moments more, then walked inside, feeling strangely elated and depressed at the same time.

~

"Kaho!" her mother's voice floated over to her, and she could hear the swishing noises of clothing. "We're going!"

She was sitting by the windowsill looking earnestly outside, but turned to say back, "Coming!"

She cast one last wistful glance at the quiet street, then picked up her small bag to follow her parents out to the cab that awaited them.

She did not see the three figures that came around the corner of the street to hail another cab that faithfully followed their cab.

~

"Flight 286 on Air Terminal B5 will now be boarding."

"Come, dear, we'll go on first, your mother is still in the restroom," her father took her hand.

Still, she was looking outside, as if waiting for…Eriol was it? to keep his promise.

"I'm going to wait for her," she said on impulse.

Her father furrowed his brow, but then grinned. "Okay. That'll please your mother very much." He picked up their baggage, bending down to kiss her forehead. "I'll meet you in a little while okay?"

She nodded inattentively. He had no sooner gone out of her sight when a tap on her shoulder made her look up.

She felt her breath catch in her throat with surprise. "Hello Kaho," he said pleasantly, plopping down next to her.

"Eriol?" she said uncertainly.

"Who else?" he shrugged easily. "Nakuru and Spinel Sun are somewhere, I'm not sure where."

"Oh," she blinked.

"Anyhow, Kaho, here," he handed her a very badly wrapped package.

She took it gingerly. "What's this?"

"A Christmas gift," he responded with some surprise. Then he grimaced. "Ruby wrapped that. She insisted."

Ruby? "Ruby?" she echoed.

"Yes, Nakuru. Ruby is her nickname," he quickly inputted.

"Oh," she eyed the gift curiously.

"Open it," he urged.

"What?"

"Open it," he repeated.

"But it's not Christmas yet," she protested.

He shrugged yet again. "That's okay."

"Okay," she replied doubtfully. Tentatively she ripped the tape off the sparkling wrapping paper, piece by piece.

In her lap lay four objects: four dolls and a bell.

"Kaho, who gave you that?" she looked up and saw her mother looking disapprovingly at her.

She turned to indicate Eriol, but he was gone. "Ah…" she blinked curiously. How did he just disappear like that? "My friend gave it to me."

Her mother still looked dubious, but the call came again.

"Flight 286, Air Terminal B5 last call for boarding."

"Oh, Kaho, we should get going dear, come," and scooping up the rest of their baggage, she rushed them to the terminal.

Kaho felt so confused and frustrated, but she knew that she would miss the flight if she tried to look for Eriol. Looking back one last time before they boarded, she saw them. Eriol, Nakuru, and that cat all smiling and waving goodbye.

And she waved too, heart brimming with unknown joy. And they were gone.

/~/

There was a familiar squeeze on her shoulder as she was slowly pulled back to the present.

"Reminiscing?" there was a masculine voice above her.

"In fact, I am," she looked up fondly, pulling out something from her pocket. "Remember?"

His eyes went soft around the edges, and he sat down next to her. "Yes."

"I do love Christmas," she suddenly said. "And the snow."

"I know," he looked at her lovingly, "I know."

"Walk with me, Eriol?" she offered her hand.

Hand in hand, they walked into the snow, letting the white fluffy flakes kiss their cheeks.

Behind them, four dolls were left behind. One was of a beautiful red-haired, red lipped person with bright fiery butterfly wings. One was a dark, unspotted leopard with large black wings. Another was a man, dressed in long blue robes, with a sun-staff, and a large hat. The last was another red-haired girl. Her cheeks and lips were rosy, her eyes bright and shining. Embroidered into all the dolls was a phrase of two words. Our family.

- end -

My second gift-fic is finished! I hope that you liked it, even if all of you write so much nicer than I do. It was my first time writing a E/K fic. It's a very rough draft, so I may rewrite it someday. It's also a bit rushed, so it's not as good as it could've been.

Feedback is always greatly appreciated. Drop a review?

//meemee

http://cioffe.com/kiseki/sentiments.html