Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. All belongs to the great Clamp.
A/N: This is my short fluff fic for Christmas. Hope you enjoy and drop a review. ^_^
Summary: This Christmas Tomoyo gets the ultimate gift…and it's not an inanimate object. ^^ E+T fluff fic
Italics: thoughts
(parenthesis): my inputs (if any)
Gift Wrap
by Cerulean Dreams
Chapter one: Neighbors
A young lady with silky raven hair watched as the snow fell below, falling and falling away just like she had once been. Daidouji Tomoyo had been sad for quite a while, for her best friend had left her in Japan while she went to Hong Kong with a certain former rival. But now she was okay; now she was soaring high once again.
As the plane maneuvered above the clouds to avoid the snow, Tomoyo sighed and averted her gaze from the enticing snowfall. Slowly, she drifted to sleep, only awaking a few hours later when the plane had landed.
"All passengers please empty out your compartments and proceed in an orderly fashion to exit the aircraft," came the attendant's voice over the microphone.
Exiting, Tomoyo was greeted by a flight attendant welcoming her to England, and her driver, who took her luggage. Soon, they were off to her home in London, which her mother bought on an earlier business trip. For the next two weeks, it would be hers.
.:Flashback:.
"Mother, may please go to London, England? Please? I really need to get away, and London is just perfect. Something's drawing me there. Please?" Tomoyo begged.
"Well, it's pretty far away. Christmas is only a week away. Do you really want to spend it alone? I know I have that business trip and I can't spend it with you, but what about your friends? What about Sakura-san or Li-san?" Sonomi reasoned with her daughter.
Tomoyo winced subtly at the sound of those two names, for they were exactly what she had to get away from. It was painful for her to see the two in bliss while she watched from afar with wistful eyes. "No, I want to spend Christmas in London. Sakura-san and Li-san are having their own Christmas together. I'll be fine. Really. So may I go?" She gave her mother the puppy face pout; nothing could wear her down quite like the puppy face pout.
"Well…alright. You may go," she gave in slowly. "But, I'm sending ten body guards with you."
"Ten??" Tomoyo echoed. "Ten? I was thinking more along the lines of…say two? Or three?"
"No, it's not safe for you! I'm sending ten."
"But…what a compromise? How about five?"
"Well…alright. I'm trusting you, so you had better behave, and take care of yourself. If anything happens, you're coming right back, okay?"
"Don't worry, I will. Yay! Thank you so much!!" she squealed in joy, squeezing her mom in a tight thankful hug.
*
When she told Sakura, Syaoran, and the rest of her friends, of course they were thoroughly disappointed, but nothing would stop her from going. She had told them, "I'll call you once I get to my home in London."
.:End Flashback:.
Opening the door to the house, it was all Tomoyo could do but gaze in wonder. "Wow," she mouthed.
"Is there a problem, Miss Tomoyo?" a bodyguard asked.
"No, not at all. It's magnificent. Mother told me all about it, but this is just…wow."
Tomoyo walked up to her room and jumped onto the luxurious bed, sighing happily. Looking to the side, she found a lamp and a clock placed neatly on a drawer. When she opened the drawer, she found a photo of her mother and Nadeshiko smiling happily at a park. Tomoyo instantly threw it back in and closed it, for it reminded her of Sakura.
Hmm, suddenly I'm in the mood for chocolate chip cookies. I know, I'll bake some cookies to take my mind off things.
Bouncing back downstairs to the kitchen, she pulled out all the necessary ingredients from the cabinets. But alas, the sugar was missing. Now how am I supposed to bake cookies without sugar?
Deciding to borrow some from the neighbors, she informed her bodyguards and left, bringing along a cup.
Wow, this neighborhood is really nice. I wonder how the people are around here. Climbing up the stairs in a graceful glide, Tomoyo reached the door and rung the doorbell. Hmm…why does this seem so familiar? I've never been here before…
.:*:.
Loud crashes resounded around the mansion. "Nakuru-san! Look what you did! Get that sugar away from me!!" Spinel yelled.
"But I want to play with you!" Nakuru cried energetically.
Suddenly, the doorbell rung.
"Nakuru-san and Spinel Sun, please calm down and answer the door," came the voice of the one and only Hiiragizawa Eriol.
"I'll get it!!" Nakuru screamed. She swung the door open with great force and enthusiasm.
"Hi—" Tomoyo began.
"TOMOYO-SAN!!!!" Nakuru squealed, glomping Tomoyo and spilling the cup of sugar in her hand all over Tomoyo. Her hair was now a frosty mass, dark purple strands peeking out here and there.
"Oh, gomen nasai, Tomoyo-san!! It's just so great to see you again!" Nakuru cried.
"It's okay. It's funny 'cause I came here to borrow a cup of sugar."
"But you were expecting it in a cup rather than on you, am I right?" came Eriol's smooth voice from behind.
"H-Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo said, disbelievingly. Seeing this 'moment' between them, Nakuru quietly snuck away to watch from a hiding spot.
"Hai. It's nice to see you again, Daidouji-san."
"Nice to see you too." Memories flooded into her mind.
"Sorry for the mess. Why don't you come in? You can change while I wash your clothes in the washing machine."
"No, it's fine. I'm staying next door, so I can just go home to change."
"What about your cup of sugar?"
"Yes, I'd like a new cup please."
"Sure, but are you by any chance baking cookies?"
"Actually, I am. Why?"
"Well, I was just about to bake some too. Would you like to clean up and come back here to bake cookies together?"
"Sure. See you in a few minutes," she replied, turning on her heel while her hair swung around, giving Eriol a waft of her intoxicating scent.
As Tomoyo came up the steps once again after a few minutes, Eriol welcomed her in.
"Wow, you have a very lovely home, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"Thanks." As they entered the kitchen, they found sugar everywhere; pots and pans were also scattered about. Eriol sweatdropped. "Uh, heh heh. Please excuse the mess."
Tomoyo giggled lightly. "Obviously the work of Nakuru-san trying to stuff Spinel with sugar, huh?"
He chuckled. "Yep. She never fails to leave a clue behind."
As they began mixing the ingredients together, loud noises were heard outside; right along with Nakuru's squeals.
"Uh, should we go check on them?" Tomoyo asked, a little worried.
"Oh don't worry about it. Happens everyday," Eriol replied with a grin.
*
Popping the tray into the oven, the duo began fingering the cookie dough around the bowl.
"You like to do this too, Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo asked, surprised.
"Yea, I do this all the time. I should be surprised that you do this."
"Well, mother doesn't like me doing this, but it's fun…and she's not here." She giggled.
"You know, you looked kinda nice with powdery white hair," Eriol said, referring to when Nakuru spilled the sugar on her. He had on an impish grin.
"What are you saying?" Tomoyo inquired, returning the mischievous grin.
"I'm saying this!!" he cried, dumping the bag of flour on her.
She squealed in laughter. "Oh yea? You'd look pretty cute with powdery white hair too!" She grabbed the bag of sugar and poured it all over him, streaking his clothes and hair.
Giving out a boyish cry, Eriol seized the brown sugar for reinforcement. And that was how the great ingredient fight began. Somewhere, in the mists of it all, Tomoyo had mistakenly thrown an egg at Eriol. "Oops." She couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him with egg dripping down his face and a cracked eggshell sitting atop his now multicolored hair.
"You're gonna get it now, Daidouji-san!" he cried playfully, bombarding her with ten eggs simultaneously.
Squeals laughter followed.
.:+:.
On the other side of the kitchen door, Nakuru was secretly watching the entire scene. "Suppi-chan, come here!"
"Who's Suppi-chan?" came Spinel's reply.
"Suppi-chan!! Just come here! It's Eriol-sama! Look at how happy he is!"
For the sake of its master, Spinel flew over to peek in on them as well. "Looks like a friendly game to me."
"It's more than that…at least I think it is."
"So what if it is?"
"If it is, then we have to get them together of course!"
"Why don't you mind your own business for once and let them handle it?"
"Because we have to help them! This could be our Christmas gift to them!"
"Getting them together for Christmas?"
"Yea. It'll be the best Christmas ever!"
"I suppose…"
.:+:.
Back inside the kitchen, Eriol and Tomoyo were now lying on the flour, sugar, butter, chocolate chip, salt, vanilla, and egg coated floor, making sugar/flour angels, waving their arms and legs (instead of snow). The pair had a goofy smile, giggling and chuckling.
"Wow, I think this has been the best cookie baking experience I've ever had," Tomoyo said, still working on her sugar/flour angel.
"Ditto. You know, you should come over to bake cookies more often." He turned to her and smiled.
"Maybe I will," she replied, grinning back. "Lets see how our sugar/flour angels look." Tomoyo jumped up, overlooking her completed angel.
Eriol followed suit and gazed at their angels lying together. He chuckled. "We should take a picture."
"Why don't we?"
"Sure. I'll get the camera." Grabbing his new digital camera, he poised it. But then he noticed something missing in the picture. He bent down to write 'Eriol + Tomoyo' in the sugar/flour, then took the picture. "Perfect."
Tomoyo smiled at it when he showed it to her. "Picture perfect." She noticed the '+' between their names, and couldn't help but grin a little wider.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Although he really thought it was perfect, he couldn't help thinking, Why did I put the '+' between our names? He couldn't answer his own question.
Ding—the sound of the oven.
"Hey, the cookies are ready." Tomoyo opened the oven door, taking in the smell of freshly baked cookies. "Mmm. I think they're done."
As Eriol took the tray out with mittens, Tomoyo noticed the clock; it was getting late, but she didn't want to leave just yet.
"Is something wrong?" Eriol asked.
"Huh? Oh, just looking at the clock."
"Do you need to leave?"
"Oh, not just yet."
"Great. Wanna stay for dinner? We could order pizza and watch a movie. I just rented 'Pirates of the Caribbean' (great movie, but I don't own that either ^^)."
"Sure," she answered delightedly. "We have some catching up to do too."
"Got that right. You've certainly changed since the last time I saw you; you're even more beautiful and delightful."
She giggled. "I'm charmed. You've changed, yourself; more handsome and fun."
"Really? You have a way with words." He chuckled while she giggled. "Let's go start that movie, shall we?"
"Sure. You start it and I'll order the pizza."
"Okay. The phone's over there."
*
The pair sat on the couch watching previews.
"Would Nakuru-san and Spinel-san like to watch too?"
"I asked them while you were still ordering; Spinel-san's reading and Nakuru-san is busy calling Touya. She's still trying to get him under the mistletoe by Christmas." Colorful laughter followed from the two.
"Well good luck to her," Tomoyo giggled.
"Yea, she'll need it," he replied with equal amusement.
As the movie began, the duo quieted down and averted their attention to it. Moments later, the doorbell rang: the pizza guy.
"I'll get it," Eriol said, retrieving his wallet and hopping off the couch. After paying for the pizza, buffalo wings, and soda, he rushed back to the sofa, not wanting to miss any part of the movie. "What'd I miss?" he asked as he set the food on the coffee table.
"Not much. The pirates are still raiding the village. Two pirates are trying to kidnap Elizabeth, so she's hiding in the closet." (anyone remember that scene? ^-^)
"Oh. Here, have some pizza," he offered, while taking a slice for himself. "I'm starving."
"Arigatoo gozaimasu, Hiiragizawa-kun! I owe you one."
"It's nothing. Forget it. You don't owe me anything, Daidouji-san."
"No, but I insist. We must have something like this over at my place some time." She smiled warmly.
"Well if you insist. Besides, who could resist an offer of spending the day with Daidouji-san?"
"Oh stop it," she chortled.
As they continued on with the movie, two guardians were scheming in the kitchen.
"What do you propose we do now, dimwit?" Spinel remarked.
"Oh, be quite, Suppi-chan! You're supposed to help me—don't make me hype you up!"
"Leave me alone, you wicked beast!" it cried in horror.
"I will if you stop insulting me and start helping."
"Alright then. What's your plan, dim— Nakuru-san?"
"Well since they're watching a movie on the couch together, we'll open the windows and make it cold so that they can cuddle up." She smiled proudly and triumphantly.
"My, but you're a genius," Spinel replied sardonically.
"Thank you, Suppi-chan. See, don't we make a good team if you just stopped being such a smart aleck?" she answered, not realizing Spinel's tone of voice. Suppi merely suppressed a snicker at that.
"Lets sneak out around the back," Spinel said.
"Why don't we just teleport there?"
"Don't you think Eriol-sama will sense that?"
"O yea, you're right. Lets go."
The devious guardians snuck around the house til they reached the exterior of the window of the living room. Peeking in, Nakuru dodged out of the way when Tomoyo turned to look out the window.
"That was close. Tomoyo-san probably heard us."
"Ok, well lets just get this done so I can get back to by novel."
She began to slowly and ever so gently lift the window. "Help me with this," she whispered.
Spinel tried its best to help, being so little. After a few painstaking minutes of movement, the windows were fully opened. It was then time to sneak back into the kitchen and prepare the camera.
"Nakuru-san, is it really necessary to video tape them?" Spinel asked exasperatedly when they were safely in the kitchen. "You're becoming more and more like Daidouji-san everyday."
"Of course it is! Don't you want Eriol-sama's moment on tape? Besides, we could even use it as leverage one day." She smiled wickedly at that.
"What is this? Impersonate people day? That is distinctly Eriol-sama's evil smirk."
She laughed lightly at Suppi's remark. "Well, we have been living with Eriol-sama for a while—wait, what are we doing? There's no time to chat. I should be videotaping right now!" Nakuru raced to the nice hiding spot she had set up earlier and turned on the camcorder.
-`Nakuru-cam Vision`-
The kawaii couple are still sitting on the couch; not exactly snuggling, but they're sitting a little closer. That's a start. Oh no! Eriol-sama is coming this way! Time to initiate Nakuru camouflage!
-`End Nakuru-cam Vision`-
She quickly pulled on her stealth suit, blending in with the wall. Her hands were sprawled out against the wall as she held her breath and stayed absolutely still. (She's really into the camouflaging thing. XD)
Spinel rolled his eyes and smothered a laugh at the hysterical scene. If only it had the camera now…
.:`+`:.
"Hiiragizawa-kun, do you need any help with the hot chocolate?" Tomoyo called to the kitchen.
"Thanks, I'm fine," he called back.
Now why is it so cold all of a sudden? Tomoyo thought. Right after that thought, her keen sense of perception kicked in and she noticed the opened windows. So that's why! But were they always opened?
"Here you are," Eriol said, handing her a steaming cup of hot cocoa.
"Oh, arigatou. I just found out why it's so cold all of sudden; the windows are wide open. Silly us. How did we not notice it?"
"Guess we were just too into the movie. Or maybe someone opened them while we were watching the movie…"
"More like two conniving guardians," she giggled.
-`Nakuru-cam Vision`-
Uh oh! Subjects are suspicious! Retreat! Retreat!
-`End Nakuru-cam Vision`-
Quickly she dashed into the kitchen and began busying herself with milk and cookies. Right when she was pouring milk into her glass, Eriol and Tomoyo walked in.
"Konban wa, Eriol-sama, Tomoyo-san. Would you two like some milk and cookies too?" she asked innocently.
They stared at her suspiciously. "Nakuru-san, we know you and Spinel-san opened the windows. The question now is why?" Eriol said in an authority-like tone.
"Well we just thought it might be kind of stuffy. So we opened them for you, and we didn't want to disturb your movie."
"Well that was very thoughtful of you two," Eriol said, disbelievingly. "Arigatou."
Tomoyo giggled, and they left the scene. "Those two were certainly up to something."
"What bugs me is what they were up to."
"Lets just let it go for now. I'm sure we'll find out what it is soon."
"Yea, you're right. Lets get back to the movie."
"Sure."
-[[`*`]]-
Back inside the kitchen, Nakuru sat thinking up a new plan while eating the cookies. "Suppi-chan, what do you think we should do next?"
"Don't bother me. I'm reading," was the response she got.
"Suppi, don't you want master to be happy?"
"I'll make him happy later."
"Wait, I've got it!"
That brought Spinel's attention away from his book for a second. "What diabolical plan do you have now?"
"Well…"
-]]`*`[[-
"That was a great movie!" Tomoyo cried when the movie ended. "I've got to get it some time."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Daidouji-san. It was a great movie. Would you like to borrow it?"
"Oh, could I? I'm gonna watch it again tomorrow."
"Great. Here you are." He handed her the tape.
"Oh I know. Why don't you come over to my place tomorrow and we can do this again? Since we both like the movie so much."
"Sounds great."
"Well, I better get going. It's getting kind of late."
"Are you sure?"
"Yea, my bodyguards might think I ran off somewhere. Haha."
"Time sure does pass by when you're having fun. I'll walk you home."
"It's ok, Hiiragizawa-kun. It's only next door."
"But I insist. I'll see you to your door and see that you're safe."
She giggled. "Well aren't you the gentleman? Lets go."
A moment later, they were already at the footsteps of Tomoyo's porch.
"It has been a wonderful day. Goodnight, Daidouji-san."
"Goodnight, Hiiragizawa-kun. It has been a great day. See you tomorrow."
Eriol caressed her hand with a soft kiss and left, as she turned and entered her house with a smile.
`\`/`\`/`\`/`\`/`
"Kawaii desu!!" Nakuru squealed from a bush.
"How did I ever let you drag me out here to spy on them?" Spinel said, popping out of the bush as well.
"I got it all on tape! Now lets go inside and plan for the next adventure!" she cried happily.
A/N: So what do you think? Hope you enjoyed. Drop a review, and I'll see ya in the next chappi. ^-^
