The Twelve Gifts of Christmas
Author's Disclaimer: No, I don't own OHSHC. All rights go to their respective owners. This story is dedicated to mutemuia, who had the great idea of what to do with the shameless Christmas fluff I started to write but did not finish in time for Christmas. It's inspired (if you couldn't tell) by The Twelve Days of Christmas, but since it is Valentine's Day, a small bit is included now as well. I hope you enjoy!
~~~-HKHKHKHK-~~~
"Haruhi, my darling daughter, when are you coming home?"
"Not until the new year for the celebrations, Dad," sighed Haruhi with exasperation, this being their third time having the conversation.
"But that's seventeen days from now!" screamed Ranka. Haruhi could hear her father jumping on the carpeted floor over the phone.
"Dad, I'm still finishing up stuff at my internship, and one more exam in law school. It'll come before you know it. I miss you," added Haruhi to help.
It was true; she did miss her father. It had been back in summer when she had last come home with Kyoya. Granted, she could have come home more often as Ranka, Kyoya, or any of the Hosts would have paid for the plane ticket from Boston to Japan, but law school and an internship kept her busy.
Ranka grumbled and then said, "I miss you so much. I'm so glad you're in your last year of law school and have a job here all lined up. Otherwise I don't know what I'd do! I might have to come visit you."
"Dad," warned Haruhi. "Kyoya and I are having a quiet Christmas together in Boston. You know how much we like big crowds."
Big crowds were never something Haruhi enjoyed, and Kyoya only liked crowds when it served his purposes. Otherwise, he liked sitting in his room, with his computer and books. Haruhi knew if no one else did.
Haruhi had spent time in Boston in high school (with the Hosts who followed), and she had liked it a lot there. When she got into law school there, she jumped at the chance to go back. She had been single at the time, and did not see how it could be a bad thing to try more new things since breaking up with Tamaki a year before that.
What she had not expected was Kyoya suddenly appearing on her doorstep within hours of arriving.
"Kyoya-senpai! What are you doing here? Are the others here, too?" she asked, looking around outside her door for other Hosts as before.
"No, Haruhi, I'm here all by myself," he said, a small smile on his face. "If you had announced your plans sooner, we could've traveled together and saved you some money on airplane expenses. You're rather stuck with me since I'm attending business school here."
"Oh. Would you like to come in and have some tea?" asked Haruhi, motioning for Kyoya to enter.
"I'd love some tea. Thank you, Haruhi," he said, walking in.
For a year, the two had an easy friendship. Then, Kyoya got a cat, and Haruhi got an internship. Things became more busy, but Kyoya insisted upon Haruhi visiting, as the cat meowed and mourned when Haruhi was not around. Haruhi discovered that Kyoya loved his cat, and Kyoya realized that Haruhi liked winter. Despite being able to study outdoors whenever, Haruhi only suggested going outdoors when it was cold, especially if snow was on the ground.
Kyoya did not share Tamaki's enthusiasm for commoner things, but he took an interest in it, more so after coming to Boston. Haruhi was always being invited to random parties at work and school, so he came as her date out of habit. He experienced more commoner things than he ever thought possible, especially during winter.
Despite the change in culture, both embraced the Americanized Christmas after moving to Boston. It was over-commercialized, but the Christmas spirit and cheer were nice. Haruhi got a small, fake tree that first Christmas, and Kyoya got a much bigger one for her the following Christmas. It had nothing to do with them starting to date about that time.
"Alright, Dad, I have to go. I have to finish studying," said Haruhi after a pause. "See you in a few weeks."
After listening to Ranka's screams of farewell and cryptic words of seeing her sooner than she thought, Haruhi hung up and studied. Around dinner time, she got up and began making soup for dinner. It was warm, and she knew Kyoya would want it after making the long, cold walk from his car to her apartment.
Just as Haruhi was about to put out the red and green plates (courtesy of Kyoya last year), Kyoya arrived, rubbing his hands together.
"I thought those gloves were supposed to be better insulated," said Haruhi, noticing Kyoya's cold hands.
"I think I have bad circulation," said Kyoya, removing his hat, boots, and gloves. "My feet are warm. Not even that new six inches of snow could stop them."
"After what you paid for those boots, they better," said Haruhi as she shook her head.
Kyoya took to setting the table while Haruhi checked the soup and biscuits. The two enjoyed dinner, discussing their day.
The two had long since stopped eating and had cleaned dishes, but they still remained at the table, talking. The conversation was dying down, and it was almost time for their routine to move into reading. At the very end, Kyoya got up from his seat.
"Wait here, Haruhi. I saw something today, and thought of you."
It was a medium-sized, wrapped box. Haruhi gave Kyoya an odd look but opened it, seeing as Christmas was still eleven days away. The box contained small, bite-sized chocolates, and both reminded her of something else….
"I remember you saying that you liked that kind of chocolate, so I got you some. You'll need the sugar for studying," said Kyoya with a grin.
"I always need the sugar, just like you do-"
It was then that Haruhi remembered why all looked familiar. The box was the same one she had given to Kyoya when she confessed to him, on Valentine's Day of all times. They had gotten comfortable with one another by then, and she was sure he was just as interested in her as she was in him. When she realized that Valentine's Day was two days away, she went ahead and used that as an excuse and made chocolate for him. There had been twelve small pieces, just like there were in the box, same as before.
"Something wrong, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked, a knowing grin on his face as he put the box down and drew closer to Haruhi.
"Why are you giving me the box back?" asked Haruhi.
"It seemed appropriate; I think you're more sentimental than I am, and you'll find all kinds of ways to use it. I just stare at it on my dresser and can't think of anything appropriate to put inside. Nothing seems right."
Haruhi picked up and ate one of the chocolates.
"Somehow you managed to remember how many pieces I gave you; that's sweet," she said, smiling up at her boyfriend.
"Considering that I had been trying to find a good moment to ask you out, I was surprised you made chocolate for me," said Kyoya. "Somehow, you're still able to surprise me."
"Is that why you waited several moments after accepting the chocolate to speak? I was curious about that," replied Haruhi, leaning in, trying to understand. "And that also explains what you said after that-"
"That by my accepting your homemade chocolate, you were effectively agreeing to have dinner with me that next Friday night?" asked Kyoya with a chuckle.
"At one of five different places you had in mind for me. Not one or two, but five, Kyoya."
Kyoya exchanged a look with Haruhi and raised his eyebrows. Haruhi gave him a look that said, "Well?"
"When have you ever known me to do things by halves? If I commit, I'm going all the way. Remember that, Haruhi."
And with that cryptic statement, Kyoya got up and headed to the living room to read.
The next day, Haruhi got home from a long day of work and headed to the elevator to go to her apartment. Outside the elevator, eleven people stood, whispering among themselves. The men and women all stopped when Haruhi came toward them.
"Who are all of you looking for? Can I help?"
"As a matter of fact, you," said one man, leaving the group to shake her hand. "You are Miss Fujioka, right?"
"Yes, that's me. Why?"
Haruhi looked puzzled until the man fell back into the group. They fanned out, and then they began to sing. For several minutes, Haruhi enjoyed the acapella group singing songs she knew and loved.
When the group was done, the man came back, bowed, and said, "Your boyfriend, Ootori, he insisted we sing those songs. I hope you enjoyed them."
"I loved them," she answered, thanking each person afterward. After that, she called Kyoya, who was pleased.
"Kyoya, you remembered that acapella concert we went to after our first dinner out? How? I didn't even remember all the songs until I heard them again. All I do remember was enjoying it and holding your hand."
"Haruhi, I enjoyed the same things as you. It just so happens that I kept the program from the concert."
The two continued talking until Haruhi's dinner was made, and then they separated. The next day, a small box was on her table.
Inside the box were ten postcards, all of famous paintings.
"I remember these pieces!" exclaimed Haruhi with pleasure. "We saw these when we went on that field trip at the Met, to 'extend my art education' and let Kyoya do his research for his art elective."
Kyoya came over much later, but when he did, Haruhi had already put the postcards in a place of honor. With a kiss and smile, she let him in.
"I'll never doubt your memory again," she said, and Kyoya smiled.
"I'm glad you liked them. They didn't have any of the Vermeer works, so you'll have to be satisfied with these paintings," said Kyoya, annoyed at not being able to get the ones that Haruhi stared at most, especially Vermeer's "Portrait of a Young Woman".
Kyoya had insisted on taking a picture of her with the painting to send to her father (purely for Ranka, of course). The problem had come when Kyoya stood in front of Haruhi and never actually took the picture. Instead, he just stared at her, a satisfied look on his face as he watched her smile with pleasure. Eventually, he took the picture.
The next day, Haruhi was on her lunch break when a courier from Kyoya arrived. All the girls around her smiled and giggled as Haruhi blushed at receiving such a formally addressed envelope from Kyoya. She wanted to wait until she got home, but everyone around her insisted she look now, lest it was a dinner invitation for that night.
As it so happened, it was an invitation to dinner, at a dancing club. The club was known for its Latin American dances, none of which Haruhi knew. All the girls cooed over Haruhi, and she felt like she was back in the Host Club. Behind the invitation were some pamphlets, describing nine types of dancing they taught.
When Haruhi arrived at the club, she found out that they were no ordinary pamphlets. They were all vouchers to learn the nine different types of dances. Haruhi had no desire to learn more complicated dances, but then Kyoya did the tango with her. She agreed to the lessons, as long as Kyoya went with her.
The day after that, Haruhi had a package, and it contained fancy tuna. Eight large tins of fancy tuna. How he managed to get it canned, she knew not. But at that moment, she did not care, as it meant she could hold onto the delicious food for a long time to come.
There was also a letter included. It read:
"Apparently, that first sushi place we tried will specially prepare your food in whatever way you prefer. I hope this provides much sustenance while working."
After reading that letter, two things clicked in her mind: that the dance lessons coincided eerily with their weekend in New York, after going to the Met. They had walked through Central Park, and since it was spring, there had been musicians playing. One of the musicians insisted that the happy couple dance, even if all Haruhi knew was how to waltz. That night, they had some amazing sushi that Haruhi had never forgotten.
When Kyoya had time to go to New York and do all that, she knew not. But, it was sweet, and very useful.
She received more useful foodstuffs the next day, that time in the form of seven types of loose tea, all with caffeine. It matched well with the "tea date" the two had, where both had brought new tea for the other to try. Kyoya loved his tea, as it gave him more of a caffeine boost than coffee.
With each day after that leading up to Christmas, Haruhi kept finding more gifts. The six pillow set had seemed very expensive, but they were extremely comfortable and functional (and made her think of their date which consisted of looking for things for Haruhi's apartment, including a long discussion of the merits of different types of pillows). The five book ends for her book shelves were also practical, just like the four new tablecloths (which seemed more his style than hers) and three frying pans. She tried to have him hold onto some of the things, like the pillows and one of the frying pans, but he insisted she keep them. Each of the gifts reminded her of times that they had spent together, which was most important.
The day before Christmas, both were finally done with everything. Haruhi had bought her Christmas gift for Kyoya a while back, but she was almost tempted to go and find more for him to make up for all the things he had been giving her. The only thing that stopped her was the idea that Kyoya really wanted her to have them all. He received plenty of large, impersonal gifts, and she did not want to be like that. However much he let himself appear a miser, he still had a heart just as giving as Tamaki's. She was one of a select few to recognize and know that part of him, and she was proud of having that honor.
After a few months in Host Club, it did not take long for Haruhi to value the friends she made. Each guy was special, and she got to see sides of them not everyone else did. In Kyoya's case, she saw beyond the façade. The monetary interest he kept in Haruhi soon turned into genuine interest for her well-being. She was so kind and easy to talk to. She was independent, with drive and self-worth. She won him over, and once she did, he opened to her in small ways. And the more she saw of him, the more she liked him.
On Christmas Eve, the couple put up and decorated their tree. Once done with that endeavor, the two flopped (in Haruhi's case, as Kyoya was always dignified in his movements) into their tall-backed chairs. The chair were moved into their favorite position, with the backs facing one another, letting the two lean back and read at peace. When they got tired of that position, they could just lean their heads back a little further, and touch each other's head, their small sign of solidarity.
The two just lay there for a time, enjoying the other's presence in the peace and quiet. Eventually, they got to talking. The talking soon turned into hours once a maid came with tea, and when both were feeling the effects of the tea, they decided to go outdoors for a walk.
Just before they went outdoors, Kyoya pulled something out of his pocket.
"Kyoya, you've given me so much; I don't need all this, as much as I love them all. Please tell me that's not another gift."
"Haruhi, it's a present," he said, his smile betraying the straight face he tried to affect. She glared at him until he finished by saying, "but this time, it's something for us both, matching gloves. How about that?"
If the gloves happened to be a color combination of the Ootori family colors and her favorite color, then she said nothing about it. She just took his gloves and helped him put them on. He did her the same favor before they wandered outside.
By the time they went outdoors, it was close to midnight. For a time, they walked around the grounds at Kyoya's home.
At some point, both stopped walking and just stared at the winter scene in front of them. With snow-covered pine trees all around, the wind blowing strands of snow through the air, it gave a magical feel to the night. Haruhi leaned against one tree, a small smile on her face. Kyoya watched her from the other side of the tree.
"I don't think this scene could get any better," breathed Haruhi.
"I think it can in one important way," said Kyoya, reaching a hand into the hole in the tree near Haruhi's head.
"What's in the tree? Sap?" deadpanned Haruhi.
"A ring," replied Kyoya seriously. When he removed his hand, a small ring box was in his palm. He did not get down on one knee, but he did pull her close as he murmured in her ear.
"Haruhi, I don't know if I've ever said it out loud, but I love you. I've loved you for some time now, even when we first started going out. I knew then that I wanted it to last, to make it work. I wanted you to have some way of remembering all of our first moments together, just as I have in my own way."
"Is that why you've given me so much?" asked Haruhi, pulling in closer to stay warm.
"Yes. I value our time together."
"Thank you, Kyoya. I love you, too."
Haruhi's eyes glistened as she spoke freely. She could feel her cheeks becoming warm, and they only became warmer as Kyoya spoke.
"Then this makes it easy. Haruhi, will you marry me?"
Her kiss was all the "Yes!" he needed. But she made sure to verbalize it after they finished kissing. After that, they went back inside, where Kyoya was making notes in his phone. Haruhi was tempted to call her father once back inside, but Kyoya convinced her to wait until morning, after she had rested. Haruhi ended up staying the night at Kyoya's home, taking the guest bedroom reserved for her.
When she awoke, she received yet another surprise: seven sets of eyes staring at her.
"Haruhi! My little girl!"
Ranka proceeded to squeeze Haruhi as though he had not seen her in years. The rest of her Host Club friends soon took their turn.
"Haru-chan, what's going on? Kyo-chan said we had to come over immediately!"
Haruhi tried to give her fiancé a crushing look, but she was still too surprised and sleepy to have everyone important to her right there already to stay mad.
"Kyoya and I have wonderful news to share with you, and we wanted you all here together to hear it," said Haruhi, shuffling over to Kyoya. He put an arm around Haruhi, a smile curling about his face.
"We're engaged to be married."
What followed was perhaps the largest group hug known to man, between the congratulations and questions for details, especially from Ranka wanting to hear every little detail.
Naturally, everyone stayed to celebrate Christmas together, and stayed at Kyoya's home for the night until they left the next day.
Right before bed, Haruhi approached Kyoya.
"How long ago did you ask them to come out, Kyoya?"
"As soon as we got indoors last night. I had my men pick up your father; I asked him months ago for your hand in marriage. He's been waiting not so patiently since then."
Haruhi laughed at that before kissing him.
"He tried hinting at it once, but I totally missed that. Doesn't matter now. I'm glad we could tell everyone together. Thank you, Kyoya."
"And thank you for your gift. I can't wait to put up these photos and show off my future wife. I never realized we took so many photos together."
"You don't like photos of yourself, so you don't take them. I, however, do like those kinds of photos of you. You're more human, showing me more glimpses of the man I love."
With one last hug and kiss, the two went to bed. Overall, as Haruhi looked back at all that she had received from Kyoya later that Christmas night, she smiled with fondness at what Kyoya had managed to arrange for her. She even found herself singing one of the commoner Christmas carols that all had been singing together, naturally with Tamaki playing the music.
She sang to herself: "On the twelfth day before Christmas, Kyoya gave to me:
12 bite-sized chocolates,
11 singing singers,
10 painting postcards,
9 dancing lessons,
8 tins of tuna,
7 sets of tea leaves,
6 goose-down pillows,
5 book ends,
4 tablecloths,
3 frying pans,
2 matching gloves,
And 1 ring box in a pine tree."
~~~-HKHKHKHK-~~~
Author's Notes: This is unapologetic Christmas fluff, as fluffy as it comes. It's late, so apologies there. But, I'm hopeful that more Valentine's Day fluff will be coming your way soon. Happy Valentine's Day to all! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!