Finally, after 7 months of nothing, I got some new fics! Starting off with a little short story for Love Hina.

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina and make no money from this story.

It's the Thought that Counts

It was Christmas eve, people were rushing about, getting last-minute errands done and preparing for the joyous holiday tomorrow. But not Keitaro. He was depressed, alone and cold. He had forgotten his jacket when he had left the Inn earlier. Having rushed out after getting into an argument with Naru. Normally she would have literally punched him through a wall for what she caught him doing. But this time she only stood there, looking very upset, a hurt and betrayed look in her eyes. He must've hurt her pretty badly because she couldn't even look him in the eyes when she yelled at him, telling him to just get out of her sight.

(I made her cry too.) he thought to himself. (It's no wonder she didn't want to listen to me when I tried explaining things to her. Then we both started yelling at each other. She probably hates me now. Not that I blame her, I said some hurtful things.)

Keitaro let out a sigh and kept walking. He didn't know where he was going and he honestly didn't care. His mind was too full of thoughts revolving around what had happened. (I wonder what Naru will say to me the next time she sees me. She'll probably want to break up with me. It's probably for the best if that happens. All I seem to do is upset her. And she deserves a guy that'll make her happy.)

Keitaro tied to ignore the cold, night air surrounding him as he kept going. He found himself at a small park near Tokyo U. Since it was getting late there wasn't anyone else around. Brushing some snow off of a nearby bench he sat down and let out another sigh. He started down at the snow covered ground, his mind still wandering on the same path.

Time passed and soon Keitaro started to feel colder. He felt his fingers getting numb and his cheeks and ears were turning pink from the cold air. The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow reached Keitaro's ears. The got closer and closer and finally stopped as they reached him.

"There you are!"

Keitaro snapped from his daze, looking up and seeing an obviously irritated Naru glaring down at him. Naru raised her hand and gave Keitaro a slap across the face. "That's for being such a child! You just can't run away every time something goes wrong, it won't fix anything!"

Keitaro looked back down, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize! And look at me when I'm talking to you! Do you have any idea how worried you made all of us! I've been looking for you for nearly an hour now! Now get up and let's go before you freeze!"

She grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. Keitaro didn't resist and just went with her. He didn't want to argue any more that they already had that day. It was only a matter of time before they got back. Naru led him into the kitchen and told the others they needed to be left alone. She prepared some hot cocoa for Keitaro and placed it in front of him at the table.

Keitaro held his mug in his hand, letting the warmth from it spread to his fingers. Naru sat next to him, having calmed down a bit by this time. She gave him a small smile, "Go on, it won't bite you. Drink up."

"Why are you being nice to me Naru? I thought you were mad at me."

"I am you idiot! But that doesn't mean that I don't care for you. That's why I want to settle this. So let's start with you admitting to what you did."

Keitaro hesitated. "I was in the living room with Kitsune. She was drunk and started to flirt with me."

"Flirt! She was practically half-naked and on top of you! And you weren't doing anything to stop her! Now what I want to know is why? I mean, what were you thinking when you le her do that?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Naru scoffed, "Of course I would. Men are simple; women are the complicated ones."

"Don't remind me," Keitaro said, sighing again. Naru gave him a soft glare and got up, "Oh would you stop moping already? Fine, you clearly don't want to talk right now so drink your cocoa and then go take a hot bath. After that I want you to meet me in my room. Because we are talking then, whether you want to or not."

She walked out of the room and left Keitaro alone. He lifted the mug and sipped the still hot drink inside it. While he continued to drink he could hear Naru chewing out Kitsune in the living room, sounding a little upset again. Keitaro only caught bits of what was being said, but it was enough for him to know that Naru was just as mad with Kitsune as she was with him. He finished his cocoa and went up to the men's bah, opting to do as Naru had suggested.

-x-mas-

A short while later Keitaro returned from the baths. He debated whether or not if he wanted to go to Naru's room like she had told him to. If he didn't she'd probably find him and make him go. So instead of delaying the inevitable he just went to her room and opened the door. He was immediately greeted with a book to the face, thrown by Naru who was still changing into her pajamas.

"Would it kill you to knock for once!"

Naru finished dressing and let him in. She had him sit on her bed and then she shut her bedroom door and secured the cover over the hole in the floor. It was obvious that she didn't want any of the other girl's disturbing them. Once she was confident that no one would disturb them she went back over to Keitaro, giving him a smile and turning around.

"Like my new pajamas? I think I look pretty cute in them, don't you?"

Keitaro took a look and saw that Naru was wearing dark blue pajamas with a white snowflake pattern. He blushed lightly and nodded before looking back down at his feet. Naru's smile faded and she went to sit next to him on the bed.

"Quit sulking already. If it'll help cheer you up, I've already forgiven you."

"It doesn't" he replied, "To be honest I was hoping you'd break up with me."

Naru glared at him, "What! How can you say that!"

"Naru, let's face it. You can do better than me and you know it. You deserve a guy that can make you happy. Something that I can't seem to do."

"What are you saying? Of course you make me happy. I don't know why you don't realize it, but you do. And so what if I can do better! There's no other man in the world who could appreciate me the way that you do. And there's no way I could ever replace you in my heart. Not after everything you did for me."

Keitaro looked up, "Do you mean Tokyo U?"

Naru nodded, "I'm your promise girl remember? You worked so mush toward keeping your promise to me from when we were little. You sacrificed so much and no matter how hard it was you kept trying. I can't help but admire you for it and even all the failures you endured to finally keep it. I guess you can say that it's my fault you turned out to be such a loser. But you're my loser and I'm not letting you go," she said, throwing her arms around him and holding him tight. "I love you so much that I can't stand it sometimes. And no matter how bad you screw up, I'll always be able to forgive you in the end. It just isn't possible for me to stay mad at you."

Keitaro felt her words sink in, "Do you really mean that?" Naru nodded and Keitaro felt his spirit lifting. He found himself returning the hug, "Naru, that means a lot to me Thank you, I feel much better now."

"Good," Naru said, pushing away. "But I just want to make something clear not that we have that settled." She grabbed his cheeks, pinching and pulling them harshly. "Don't think that what I said means that I'll let you go if I ever catch you flirting with another girl. I meant what I said; you're mine and I'm not sharing you with anybody. Got it?"

Keitaro nodded, at least as best he could with Naru gripping his face like that. She let him go and kissed him before having him lay down on her bed. She laid next to him, resting her head on his shoulder and sighing happily.

"Let's get some sleep. We could both use it after tonight." she said, closing her eyes.

Keitaro blushed, "Are you really alright with me sleeping in your bed with you?"

"Mmm-hmm. I want the first thing I see Christmas morning to be you laying next to me. Now shut up and go to sleep."

Keitaro smiled; he took off his glasses and set them aside. Neither of them fell asleep for a while, but they didn't mind. It just meant that they got to be awake for a while longer to enjoy their time together.

End.

Not quite the ending I was hoping to do, but I'm still a little rusty.