Cute, fluffy random little Christmas fic! Takes place somewhere after manga 21-ish. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Do you really think I own Fruits Basket? Well I don't. Songfic song by Shedaisy.
The Secret Of Christmas
The snow was in thick blankets, covering the streets and lawns and the branches of the trees.
The night was dark and cold, but also bright and warm.
Although the sky was a dark violet and the winds and snowflakes were chilly, the early moonlight, the stars, the streetlights and the dull lights from inside the houses were enough to keep the neighborhood lighted. Every house had a least one window that was illuminated with a cozy, yellow light, the light that only seems to make the place cozy in the Winter, shedding its warmth over everything it touched.
Each house had some form of lights decorating the yard, whether they be blue, white, or various colors. The trees in the windows glowed with the starlight and the darkness was cut away by the lights of the holiday season.
And although outside it was cold, the inside of every house was warm, and tonight, the heart of every person was warm as well.
Tohru Honda was walking through the neighborhood, enjoying the scenery of the houses beyond the woods where she lived. She wore black leggings and a short green skirt with a green coat and a white scarf. Kyo walked beside her, unbothered by the cold and therefore just wearing a blue, long-sleeved shirt and brown pants.
Tohru watched as several little kids threw snowballs at one another while others created works of art out of the snow. They squealed and laughed in delight until their mothers called for them to come inside where they would race over and hurry inside their houses.
Tohru could not remember smiling as much as she was now.
Christmas was her favorite time of the year, everyone was happy and cheerful and forgot all their troubles, if only for a day.
Even Kyo had a small grin on his lips as he followed her on their walk.
Look at the happy people
Christmas is in the air
Well I know the secret of Christmas
A secret I'm willing to share
Their feet crunched in the freshly fallen snow, and the cool winds were comforting accompanied by the warm lights and the feelings of peace and joy that filled the atmosphere.
"Its so peaceful." Tohru sighed.
She did not really expect a reply from Kyo, but still he mumbled. "Yeah." She did not look at him, but Tohru could hear the smile in his voice.
As they walked on, Tohru gazed at all of the decorations, but mostly at the white snow. The colorful lights reflected off of it and transformed it into a kaleidoscope of hues, shades and tints, like a painting.
"Its all so beautiful." Now she was just talking out loud just to say these things that were on her mind and to make them heard and to make them true.
Seeing all of the snow, somehow it gave her a feeling of comfort that flickered like a candle in her chest, because snow meant the holidays, which meant calm, mellow, yet loving hearts.
Off in the distance, past the silence of the night and the whispers of the wind, Tohru could hear happy squeals from children and the sound of bells along with caroling kids.
The wind seemed to become gentler and warmer by just blowing from the direction of the houses and around the small neighborhood.
It's not the glow you feel when the snow appears
It's not the Christmas card you've sent for years and years and years
Not the joyful sound, when sleigh bells ring
Or the merry songs children sing
Tohru did not want to go back home just yet, but she knew that she and Kyo really should be getting back soon.
But Tohru smiled as Kyo suggested taking the long way back.
He lead the way back the way they had come, past the houses with the colorful lights and the glowing reindeer and trees. Kyo had to slow his pace to let her keep up, for she was staring wide-eyed at just about everything as though she had never seen it before. But he did not mind. He liked spending time with her…
"Oh! I-I'm sorry, Kyo-kun! I'm walking too slow aren't I?" She trotted up to walk beside him.
"No, its fine." He told her truthfully.
As they passed the last house and stepped into the woods, the warmth in the air seemed to fade. Icicles clinked above them as they swayed in the wind and every once in a while there was a little sound in the woods, like a tiny animal scuttling around. Kyo glanced at Tohru, the big smile still on her face. He smirked with amusement and when she saw him she tilted her head a bit.
"What's so funny, Kyo-kun?" She asked.
"You are." He laughed. "You look like you're going to burst! What's got you so excited?" His voice was not harsh or annoyed like it used to be, now it was soft and caring.
"Oh, I just love Christmas time so much!" She chirped. "Everyone's always so happy and doing nice things for each other! And that makes me happy and then I try to make other people happy and it just spreads!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah, it's the happy disease." Kyo joked. "But you shouldn't just be doing nice things for people at Christmas time, you should be making people happy all year round. Like you do." He glanced down at her with his rusty eyes.
"Wha? Me? I-I don't make people happy all year round!" She denied, flustered and humble but honestly not aware of it.
"Yes you do! Everyone I see you with always walks away with a smile. You're the one who started the happy disease, and you just keep giving it to more and more people." He patted her head. Tohru blinked in confusion and opened her mouth to say something back, but was cut off when she sneezed. "Oh great, you were out so late making people happy that you caught yourself a cold!" He complained, half serious.
"No, I'm fine, really, it was just one sneeze." Her body betrayed her as she buried her face in her hands with another sneeze. Kyo sighed.
"You're always doing this, getting sick because you were trying to help other people."
"B-but I wasn't-!" She did not finish as she sneezed again.
"Talk much?" Kyo taunted.
"It's pretty cold out." Tohru commented.
"Well duh, it's Winter." He chuckled. They walked on in silence and before a moment had passed Tohru had sneezed two more times and began shivering. "Hey, I got an idea. Let's race back home."
"W-Wha-?"
"Come on, it'll warm you up! Get your blood flowing and you heart pumping!" He nudged her and Tohru knew that he just wanted to break their slow pace. Which was true, but he also wanted her to get warmed up.
"Alright." She succumbed.
"Ready. Set. Go!"
Yeah the little gift you send, on Christmas day
Will not bring back the friend, you've turned away
So may I suggest, the secret of Christmas
Is not the things you do, at Christmas time
But the Christmas things you do all year through
Oh la la la la la la la la la la la la la la…
Tohru knew she had no hope of beating anyone in a race, let alone Kyo.
But nonetheless she dashed off beside him and they ran through the trees. She lost sight of Kyo within moments, but she kept running, actually feeling warmer and livelier. When she arrived at the house, Kyo was, of course, already there, leaning against it. "What took you so long?" He asked jokingly. Tohru slowed her pace and stopped beside him, hunched over and panting, her breath coming out in visible white puffs. Finally she managed to speak.
"Every time…it seems like you run faster." She gasped.
"How many times have we raced?" He grinned with amusement.
"I…don't remember…a lot?" She smiled, attempting to make a joke. Kyo rolled his eyes playfully and opened the door to the house.
Inside it was warm and smelled of pine and the warm scents of Tohru's home cooking. She unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and hung up her coat on the rack. Then she went into the kitchen and fumbled with a plate and some utensils. "I know Yuki-kun is out with Machi-san, but where's Shigure-san?" She asked aloud. Kyo thought she was asking him so he answered.
"Probably at the main house with Akito." He guessed. "Not that I care. We should enjoy the peace and quiet while we can." He sat down on the floor on a red blanket near the kotatsu. His sharp eyes caught sight of bright orange fur on it, and he smiled and brushed it away.
Finally, Tohru came in with two slices of the pie she had made and she set them down on the kotatsu and sat down next to Kyo. They ate in silence until Tohru sneezed again. Kyo picked up a blue blanket that was lying next to him and he draped it around her shoulders. "Here. Try to keep warm. You don't want to be sick for New Years now do ya?"
"Oh that reminds me!" She perked up, setting her empty plate down. "You can go to the Banquet now, right Kyo-kun?" Ever since Akito had found friendship, earlier that year, she had decided that, even though everyone's curses were broken, there should still be a Banquet, just for old time's sake. All of the Zodiac members had agreed, and, of course, Kyo was now urged to attend rather than keep away.
"Yeah, I think I'll go this year. And maybe you can come too."
"B-B-But I can't!" She protested immediately. "I-I'm not-"
"Who cares if your not a member of the Zodiac? Neither am I, well I guess I never was, but neither is Yuki or Shigure or Momiji or anyone else, not anymore." He reminded her. Tohru pondered that for a moment.
"Well, I-I'll only go if Akito-san says its okay. A-And I-"
"Would you quit worrying?" He shoved her roughly and she almost fell over. "Nothing's sacred or secret anymore. There'll probably just be a party and the dancing, just for fun." Tohru noticed that a smirk came across his face and she remembered that the New Year was the Year Of The Ox, which meant Yuki would have to perform the ritual dance with Hatsuharu.
Which meant he would have to dress up in those ridiculous clothes. Kyo and Yuki were no longer enemies, but they still were not exactly best friends. But their relationship was a whole lot better, now that they had both found the loves of their lives and had no more quarrels with each other. "And besides," Kyo went on. "You're really the only reason why all that's possible. If it hadn't been for you…you never would have made friends with Akito and all of us former members of the Zodiac would still be unchanged and distant. You're an amazing person Tohru, you just don't get it." He ruffled her hair.
"N-No, I'm not really. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same if they were in my position." She blushed and looked away from his eyes.
She's so stupid sometimes. Kyo sighed inwardly. She just doesn't understand that she's been helping people for years and years, and not just the members of the Zodiac. And she helps them all year round. But I guess that's part of what make Tohru Tohru.
So may I suggest the secret of Christmas
Is not the things you do at Christmas time
But the Christmas things you do all year…
The night was still young, but Tohru was already getting tired.
Kyo noticed that she was not sneezing anymore and guessed that it had just been a passing chill.
"Come on. How about you go on upstairs to bed." He suggested.
"Oh no not yet! Its still so early, and everything's so beautiful. I don't want to miss a second of it." She mumbled.
"That's impossible." Kyo's voice was tinted with a bit of his good old temper. "You're missing it right now. And if you wanted to see every second of it you'd have to stop blinking and be looking at it constantly even though this kinda thing only happens during Winter."
"Okay, okay Kyo-kun." Tohru laughed. "I get it, I'll go to bed. But just let me go outside one last time." She requested.
"You don't gotta ask me, y'know. Just go." He snorted. But Tohru knew that he really wanted her to go outside just because it would make her happy.
"Okay." She repeated. "I'll be back in a minute." She stood up and walked over to the door, stepping quietly outside into the white snow, a smile on her face.
Kyo's eyes lingered on the spot where she had disappeared, and only a moment after she left, he smiled too and followed her out.
Look at the happy people
Christmas is in the air
Well I know the secret of Christmas
A secret I'm willing to share
Tohru was hardly surprised when she heard the crunching of the snow behind her and turned to see the orange haired boy.
He walked up silently behind her and twined his fingers in her long, brown hair. She giggled softly and tilted her head up to the dark violet sky, speckled with icy white stars that were the only light this deep in the forest.
"I love Christmastime so much." Tohru sighed. "I'm just sorry it only comes once a year. It's the only time people are all happy and nice towards each other, or at least that's what it seems like anyway. I wish people could be that way all year round." Her voice wavered a bit at the end, and Kyo saw a small drop of water fall from her face and land among the snowflakes. He stepped up to stand beside her and pulled her to his side gently.
"Well only a few people are kind all year round, and those are the people who make the world a better place. It shouldn't only be Christmastime when people are nice; it should be all year. That's probably one of the best gifts you can give to somebody; it doesn't have to be solid to be a present. And Tohru," He looked down at her. "You're the only person I know who gives that present."
Her blue eyes were filled with emotion at his words; Kyo had his soft side, and only Tohru really ever saw it.
He wiped the trail that the teardrop had made and the girl smiled.
"Thank you, Kyo-kun." She beamed.
That's more like it. He thought. A person like you shouldn't be crying at this time of year.
Silently, he led her back inside, the last of the snowflakes drifting down to the blanket below as the door closed behind the two.
And now, we all know it, and so, perhaps now we too can all share The Secret Of Christmas.
Secret of Christmas
Secret of Christmas
Secret of Christmas…
A/N: Hope ya liked it!! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Oh and fyi, this year really is the Year Of The Rat and next year is the Ox. :3
Please reivew!!