I felt holiday spiritish. So sue me. *grins* Please review!
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"Punch?"
"Check."
"Chips?"
"Check."
"Cookies?"
"Check."
"Pop?"
"Check."
"Decorations?"
"Check."
"12 course meal?"
"What?!"
"Do you think that's too much?" asked Tomoyo worriedly.
"I don't think they'll ever get past the first three," Sakura replied over the clipboard.
"Right," said Tomoyo. "Let's change it to a four course meal, including dessert."
"Check."
"I think that's it. My maids will start cooking soon, and everyone should be arriving in a few hours," said Tomoyo. "Ready to start decorating?"
"Mm hm," Sakura agreed. "Where did Eriol and Syaoran go?"
"Eriol said something about getting some shopping done. Syaoran's still adjusting the lights to read Happy New Years instead of Merry Christmas," Tomoyo replied. "Our butler's afraid of heights."
There was a shout, followed by a crack and a loud thump.
"As Syaoran soon will be," Tomoyo finished with a smile. She led Sakura across the hall to the living room as the front door burst open.
"Helllloooo, everyone," Eriol called out. "Look at the ray of sunshine I dragged in."
Syaoran limped in behind him, and scowled. "From now on, you do your own lights," he growled at Tomoyo, shaking his head and picking out twigs and leaves.
Tomoyo smothered a giggle. Sakura wasn't so lucky.
Syaoran turned his glare on her. "I thought you were supposed to be sympathetic to your one true love's plight."
"You've been reading too many romance novels," Sakura told him dryly.
"I have not been reading romance novels!" Syaoran bellowed, flushing.
"You're just overly melodramatic, yes, yes," Tomoyo said and made shooing motions at them. "Let's set up."
"And you're terribly unsympathetic," Syaoran muttered and limped into the living room.
"I'll put this in the kitchen," Eriol called over his shoulder, nodding at the paper bag he carried.
"Go on," Tomoyo replied. "We'll be in here with Syaoran, who will be hanging the decorations from the ceiling.
She shut the door on his fearful yelp.
Eriol returned in time to witness Syaoran attempt to fend off the two, and fail when Sakura's magic overpowered him. "No!" he shouted. "I refuse! This is not dignified! Why me?"
"Because it's fun," said Eriol in a voice that showed how painfully obvious he thought it was.
"If you're not helping me, go away!"
"But this is entertaining." Eriol smirked.
A few hours later they had been reduced to gagging Syaoran and blocking their minds from communication. Even so, Sakura had learned several new curses.
The decorations had been put up by all four of them. For Syaoran they had done away with the ladders and Sakura had levitated him to ceiling height. They had made good time once Syaoran had stopped screaming.
The doorbell rang and the butler saw to it. It turned out to be Chiharu and Yamazaki. Next, Rika arrived, followed by Naoko.
They ate and mingled, enjoying their last bit of freedom before going back to school.
Sakura, Syaoran, and Rika were discussing what they had done during Christmas when Yamazaki popped up.
"Did you know that when you stand under mistletoe on New Years Day, you're supposed to kiss the closest member of the opposite sex?" He pointed at the ceiling above Syaoran. Sakura, Syaoran, and Rika looked up, all of them wondering how he could have seen the sprig of plant with his eyes closed.
Eriol nodded. "That's true, and it's ten years of bad luck to those that break the tradition."
"I think I'll chance that," muttered Syaoran, bright red.
"I thought you loved her," Tomoyo said. They were making a scene.
Sakura was just as red as Syaoran was.
"There are people watching," Syaoran said plaintively.
"And a camera," Chiharu added wickedly.
Syaoran swallowed hard and turned to Sakura. There was something off about this whole thing, but he couldn't think of what. He lowered his head slowly, slowly, and his lips met Sakura's.
Everyone cheered and Syaoran's eyes flew open.
"Christmas!" he bellowed. "That damn English tradition was for Christmas, not New Year's!"
Luckily for Eriol, (Syaoran was advancing on him, arms outstretched) someone - most likely Rika - shouted, "It's snowing!"
There was a mad rush to the windows and Syaoran had lost his opportunity.
Sakura determinedly pretended to forget the embarassing moment and smiled brightly at the large white flakes. "Let's go outside," she said and slipped on her shoes and coat before rushing out the door.
Syaoran caught her just as she slipped on the icy porch. She giggled drunkenly, and Syaoran briefly wondered if Eriol had spiked the punch before disregarding that theory as ridiculous. After last year, Sakura had taken precautions and spelled the food and drink to prevent any tampering.
Eriol smiled and floated the glasses of wine outside, one of them stopping and hovering in front of each guest. It was their holiday gift from him. They would think it a dream in the morning anyway, so the secret was safe.
Snowflakes touched the glasses and frost spread magically over the glass, forming beautiful designs that disappeared withing moments, only to reappear the next time a snowflake made contact.
Sakura smiled happily and spun around, face upturned to the sky. This New Year's was even better than the one before, and she hoped they would keep getting better and better.
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!
