Yuletide
By: Kriste-chan

Disclaimer: CCS © CLAMP. Never owned it and never will.

There was something about cold weather that Eriol didn't like.

Even so, that didn't stop him from wandering around the streets of Tomoeda, feeling in the erratic breeze of the night against his face. It was cold, he thought, rubbing his palms together to shoo away the biting coldness that bit into his skin; but still, he preferred this kind of weather than that of English winters.

In England, rubbing your palms together wasn't a reliable source of heat. Even the layers and layers of thick fabric and mittens and the whole lot wouldn't keep you well enough from the cruel weather. And in England, painful memories still dwell; clinging fast to the cold like thousands of daggers pierced deeply into his flesh. And no matter how he tried, he couldn't pull the chill off his limbs.

But Tomoeda was not England.

He was miles and miles away from the unbearable cold. He was here. He was home. And the mere thought brought a smile upon his lips.

Even though the cold reminded him of several things which he preferred to keep locked up in a box, he'd much rather be out on the streets, walking around and around aimlessly, than to stay put in his apartment until 12 am. There was no one out in the streets that night anyway, and the only difference would be here, on the streets, he could move freely.

He thought that maybe the others—couples and jolly families—preferred to go to bright and cheery gardens or perhaps, savor the confines and warmth of their homes filled with laughter, mistletoes, Christmas trees and presents. Sakura-san invited him over for an evening of Christmas delight which he thought would be rude of him to decline so, instead of turning the offer down, he told her that he would be joining them later that evening.

Nakuru and Spinel went ahead to help around Sakura-san's place (or at least, that was what Nakuru said she'll do, other than hang around Touya's or Yukito's neck until they turn cyanotic) and demonstrated that they have all the intentions of dragging him out of the house on that instant if only Eriol didn't openly threaten them about keeping their presents in a padlocked broom closet for next year.

In the end, the guardians left him; looking ridiculously dignified with a good few blows of open threats for themselves. Quoting from Nakuru, they would leave the chores up to him for the next year if he decided against celebrating this glorious occasion with Sakura-chan and the others.

Despite the hostility, that sent waves of affection flowing through him.

Both Nakuru and Spinel knew he didn't mean his threats, but maybe the edge on his voice contributed something that made them realize he only wanted time for himself.

For some reason, he wanted to be alone for a while. Maybe it was just because the year's already closing in and come to think of it, Nakuru had polluted his mind about resolutions and idleness because she was just talking about her New Year's resolution, bringing about an air of contemplation in — as Spinel puts it — an idiotic-kind of way in Nakuru's case.

Truth be told, he did find the air fit for contemplating. And as always, December had symbolized the death and the rebirth of another year; connecting a path in the lives of people wherein the written story of their lives must move on to another chapter.

Every year's a new chapter after all. And once penned down, erasing it would be futile.

Chuckling softly, he took a step forward; feeling a surge of unfamiliarity and indefinable lightness emanating from the depths of his self. It was silly and mad at the same time but, he thought, what the hell; his wrists and ankles weren't tied. He was running madly, freely, without anyone's disapproval and he liked the way his coat billowed madly upon his wake.

He loved freedom. He loved the familiar gentleness of the yuletide breeze against his face because it feels like someone's hand just came up to comfort him. And he loved everything that goes with it.

Every inch of his body felt young again. He was feeling as if he had no past other than that of his own self now: he felt like he wasn't the reincarnation of somebody — as if he was just... totally him. And the complete absence of people walking around felt extremely new, invigorating and liberating, it made him want to run faster and faster — through the woods; through the bridge where he normally walked with his friends; running through their elementary school gates where he and Yamazaki used to narrate their long tales; the ice cream parlor where Nakuru begged him for treats; the times he spent at King Penguin Park, tripping on the slides, the seesaw, the swing...

And then there was a lady sitting on it with a startled gaze fixed at him.

He screeched to a halt, as if he just pulled a car's handbrake after running a good 80 kilometers per hour, finding out a second too late that the gutter was only half an inch away from where he was standing. "Daidouji-san!" he blurted out in surprise, stumbling down the gutter face flat, and then saw Tomoyo blink twice before stopping an outburst of laughter as he made an effort to get back on his feet.

"I wasn't expecting anyone to appear at this hour," she giggled, no longer able to withstand the force of laughter bubbling in her chest, "nor was I expecting you to run around and stumble on the gutter like a little boy."

"Well, you said so yourself," he looked around and smiled sheepishly, "I wasn't expecting anybody to appear at this hour so I thought I could throw the rules away and ignore what's right and what's not...?"

She smiled and then continued to slowly push herself on the swing. "Following rules all your life will do that to you, Hiiragizawa-kun."

There was something enchanting in the way that she sat on that suspended seat, swinging back and forth like a child, waiting for a falling star to pass by.

It took Eriol three to five beats before he decided to join her. Well, he just couldn't leave her at this ungodly hour. It was eleven o'clock in the evening and heaven only knows what "creatures" may suddenly lurch on your unsuspecting form. "If you could forgive my impoliteness," he said, "may I ask what exactly are you doing here?" he scanned the area but found no signs of women in full black with shades. "Alone?" He added. Now, he was really worried. "You know, a woman your stature should know better."

Tomoyo tilted her head and arched an eyebrow at him, "Would it help if I told you I brought a gun with me?"

Eriol blinked at her, wondering profusely if she was joking or not. Guns in Japan, when issued to normal citizens for invalid reasons,—even for self protection — were illegal, but then he saw the playful glint in her eyes and that told him the whole story. "Should I start worrying now, Daidouji-san?"

Soft laughter that sounded like the tinkling of bells cut him off, "You're talking as if you don't know me, Hiiragizawa-kun." She smiled at him then threw a glance skyward. "Even if mom is out on a business trip and the bodyguards aren't aware that I'm not over Sakura-san's place... I can take care of myself."

I can take care of myself.

Then and there, Eriol was immediately struck by a flash of understanding. No one's home for Christmas, he guessed. Her mother must've left for an emergency business trip somewhere on the face of this earth again and her, being 26 and all; managing the branches all over Tokyo, "understood" that her mother needs to do this and do that. She was lonely. He knew she was. But Tomoyo Daidouji, as Eriol concluded a very long time ago, was very, should he say, spunky and independent to let loneliness get its own way.

"Aren't you going to Sakura-san's place?" he asked, gradually jollying the mood up for her to appreciate the occasion.

"Maybe later." She answered, still refusing to break contact with the sky, while pushing the swing harder to gain momentum; her hair flowing like silk against the wind. "It's not yet midnight anyway."

Not yet midnight.

It still wasn't midnight, thought Eriol as he smiled to himself, standing up from where he was sitting to step on the swing. He made an effort to pull himself with enough force so it rocked back and forth with him as he stood atop the suspended seat.

Tomoyo worriedly looked up at him as she noticed the violent rocking of the swing gaining too much momentum for comfort. "Hiiragizawa-kun, that's dangerous!" she warned but to no avail.

Eriol just flashed a smile.

"Hiiragizawa-kun! If you have no intention of stopping, then at least slow the swing down!"

The speed and momentum increased even more.

Tomoyo, out of her wrecking nervousness, stood up from where she was sitting and tried a look of authority. It worked on him more than dozens of times before, so why not try it before he, literally, break his neck? "Hiiragizawa-kun, that's—"

Eriol jumped from the swing and grabbed her by the hand, catching her in a daze of puzzlement. It wasn't a viper's grip as one would expect from someone in a hurrying dash. What Tomoyo felt around her wrist was a nice, comforting grip that sent waves of warmth from someone who deeply cared.

"Where are we going?" Tomoyo asked, slightly fazed from his erratic behavior. This wasn't the Eriol Hiiragizawa she knew. And if only she was someone different, she would've struggled and screamed on the top of her lungs that she was being abducted by an impersonating entity.

Bells of chuckles rang through the air.

He didn't stop the bubble of joy escape him, radiating like the northern lights in the arctic region. Hand in hand, with the wind gently caressing their faces, he took a sideway glance at Tomoyo and then led her in retracing the path he took before stumbling upon her at King Penguin Park.

This is what it means to be free.

Eriol studied Tomoyo's profile and took note of her flushed yet undeniably happy face. She was truly running with him now; and the proof was when she ceased questioning his reasons why he suddenly jumped out of the swing or why he was dragging her all over Tomoeda to run like children at play. Her desire and happiness to throw the rule books to one side — disregard the standard norms of society, discard the training her mother taught her and forget what's clearly right and what's clearly wrong to the eyes of many — was so evident, he couldn't coin a term to describe how trapped and tangled she really was inside.

But the most special of all was, thought Eriol, as they were running past the gates of their elementary school, through the bridge and through the woods; he felt her soul soar, especially when he heard her laughter echo through the vast space around them.

"That..." she huffed, her cheeks flushed from the cold and from the sprint they just did, "... was clearly unexpected."

"Oh yeah?" Eriol laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling her round and around in a carefree dance; circling and circling in the middle of the woods while she was laughing with him. And then he realized she was all that he could hear. "As I rightly recall, you told me earlier that following rules all your life would do THIS to you?"

"I guess it really does." Tomoyo laughed again. Her twinkling eyes and chime-like laughter was penetrating like music through his senses, it made him think how come he didn't appreciate her unique beauty more than he did before this... madness... happened? "Still, it felt good to... to..."

"Feel free?" he suggested, picking her up by the waist to spin her around in dizzying circles; and her laughter rang out again, intoxicating him.

"That and..." she said as Eriol settled her on the ground with a radiant smile upon his lips, "simply being happy with your life." She trapped his face between her palms and smiled brightly. "Thanks for stumbling upon the gutter at old King Penguin, Hiiragizawa-kun." She fixed his eyeglasses.

Then she gave him a hug.

Instantly, Eriol felt like heaven sent him the perfect Christmas gift that year. He felt warm and fuzzy all over — something that he hadn't felt for an awful long time — while he was holding her simply like that. When his senses finally caught up with him, he returned the favor, and then lowered his head to whisper something in her ear, "That's what friends are for, right?"

Tomoyo giggled, "Yes, onii-chan." Then, she pulled away to look at her wristwatch. "I think we better go to Sakura-chan's place now." She said, "We only have fifteen minutes left."

"I think so too." Eriol agreed, smiling as he walked beside Tomoyo through the path in the woods, "Or else Nakuru and Spinel would charge me with the house chores this year."

Tomoyo chuckled, "We don't want that to happen now, do we?"

Christmas will always be special to one and all even in the tiniest of ways.

Walking side-by-side, Eriol's smile grew as he felt the warmth of her hand against his own, "Merry Christmas, Hiiragizawa-kun."

Then, he suddenly felt the liberty to put an arm around her shoulders. "Happy Christmas, Daidouji-san..."

And there was also suddenly something about cold weather that Eriol liked from then on.

Feedbacks are as welcome as drops of rain in times of drought. C3

As you may have guessed, this is part one of the Wreath Series.