Quick A/N: Heelloo! This time, this month, I wrote a Christmas fanfic, as a gift for HaruI lovers! It's a typical oneshot about our two beauties :3 Sorry for any mistakes and typos, I remind you that English is not my mother language, and also I was too tired to edit everything properly (it's 11pm in Poland). And remember, "3" stands for Isuke's hearts! So, Merry Christmas and enjoy! ^^
I was waiting in front of the family Sagae's house, fidgeting and jumping from foot to foot.
Damn, it's so cold...
Every now and then I puffed into my hands, trying to somehow keep them warm.
I could dress better...but then my appearance wouldn't be so good...this idiot don't even realize how I'm sacrificing myself for her!
I rang the door for the third time, freezing on the outside for a good few minutes. After a long moment I finally heard footsteps.
"Ah, Mistress Isuke!" the younger girl opened the door.
"Oh, good evening...Fuyuka?" I hesitated.
Earlier I used to see her family only in the pictures...I had to memorize all their names...
"That's right." she smiled "Come in, please." she stepped back, letting me inside.
"Thank you." I answered with my sweet voice and a polite smile.
"Sister is in the living room with the mother and the rest of the siblings." explained the dark-haired.
I cleaned my heels from snow and took off my shoes and coat.
"Sorry for the intrusion. 3" I giggled, looking over the threshold from the entrance to the living room.
The first thing that caught my eye were the children of course. Many kids. A lot of kids. Two things that stand out in the room was green, quite modestly dressed Christmas tree, and well known to me, red-haired idiot. Suddenly all the pairs of the eyes turned at me.
"Mistress Isuke!" the younger children threw themselves at me and started hugging me and shouting cheerfully.
"Hello, toddlers." I smiled artificially, trying to withstand this storm of urchins.
Everyone touched me with their small, dirty hands and pulled my clothes, demanding attention.
"Hey, pranksters!" I heard an amused voice, and soon after saw a storm of red hair. "Leave Miss Isuke!" the redhead chased away the kids and kissed me on the cheek.
"Thank you. 3" I bowed, chuckling.
"Oh, so this is the "Miss Isuke" about which my daughter tells so much?" I heard a calm female voice.
I glanced back. An adult woman sat on a chair, covered with a petite blanket. She brushed her dark hair strands from pale, gaunt face and smiled warmly.
"Mom..." Haruki scratched her head, embarrassed.
"O-Oh..." I blinked, startled. "N...Nice to meet you, ma'am..." I bowed slightly, confused with this situation.
"Oh, no, the pleasure is all mine." the older chuckled.
She looks like in the picture...I didn't know that she's such a nice and quiet person...complete opposite from Haruki...
"Sit down, please." the woman pointed to the stool next to her.
The redhead took my hand and sat me, then she squatted beside, playing with children.
"Haruki just kept saying how beautiful and perfect you are. She was right." Sagae laughed. "For a few good hours she praised your appearance and character, she forgot to even mention your name!" the mom laughed again.
The embarassed girl only giggled in response, not knowing what to say.
How could I fall in love with this idiot? Love is really complicated...
"The dinner is ready!" Fuyuka called from the kitchen.
"Oh, I'll help with a covering to the table." Sagae got to her feet and went to her sister.
I felt awkward, being alone with Haruki's mom. And kids.
"You look tense, Isuke." Said the concerned woman.
"R-Really?" I smiled artificially "I just pondered, sorry..."
"...You don't have to pretend in front of me, honey." the old woman giggled "Thanks to Haruki, I know everything about you, she told me about your behavior and character. Or rather, your flippancy." she laughed.
"Uhh..." I sighed with resignation "This idiot doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut."
"That's right, my daughter is extremely reckless." Mom nodded, amused. "But I'm glad that she found the second half." she sobered a bit, giving me her warm, gentle smile. "Take good care of her, Isuke."
I blinked in surprise, unable to answer.
"Pranksters, the dinner is ready!" Sagae came back into the room, carrying a stack of plates and cutlery.
"Food! Food!" Toddlers happily broke away from the fun and focused around the table in the living room.
"Now, now, wait a second!" she laughed, setting the dishes on the table.
The whole family sat down to dinner and began to eat. Mom told to children they shouldn't play with their food, elder siblings were smiling at each other and there were various discussions about the weather, and Fuyuka constantly asked if anyone doesn't want second helpings.
"Miss Isuke, Miss Isuke!" Exclaimed one of the twins "Are you really dating with sister Haruki?"
"Of course, can't you see?" I laughed artificially.
"It's only a matter of time before you'll be mine!" the second brother added loudly.
"Can't you find a girlfriend on your own, brats?" Haruki laughed.
"But you bring to house this beauty...it would be a shame if something like this was wasted!" Older twin looked greedily at my breasts with a smirk.
"Kou, Gou!" the embarassed red-haired went upset. "You two better take care about yourself!"
"Or maybe Miss Isuke can take care of us?" he chuckled.
"With great pleasure. 3" I said with a smile, piercing their with my eyes "I can't wait to tear out your legs from your-"
"M-Maybe some tea?" Fuyuka interrupted me, loosening the atmosphere.
"With pleasure." Aki said.
"Wait, I'll help you..." Natsuki stood up and together with her older sister began to collect the dirty dishes from the table.
"Mom, Mom..." one of the youngest children, Momo, was pulling the dress of the woman in the chair.
"What is it, honey?" The girl climbed on the knees of amused adult.
"Will you stay with us loongeer?" she said, making puppy eyes.
"Sorry, but I can't, Momo." the mom answered sadly "Thanks to the hard work of your sisters, they managed to pay for my medication and due to the well-being, the doctors released me to the family for the holidays. But tomorrow I'll have to go to the hospital..."
"And will we be able to visit you?" she asked worried.
"Of course. As always." Sagae smiled, hugging her daughter.
I sighed softly, looking at this scene. I glanced with corner of my eye at the Christmas tree, under which there wasn't a single gift.
"Miss Isuke, are you all right?" Haruki waved her hand in front of my eyes, tearing me out of my reverie.
"Ah...y-yes, everything is fine. 3" I said with a smile.
"Siiisteeer..." I heard someone's voice and saw a small child tugs at Sagae's pants.
"What happened, toddler?"
"Sleepy..." the child yawn tired, nuzzling to idiot's leg.
"So it's time to sleep, huh?" the girl giggled, taking her sister on her hands. "Okay, guys, time for bed!" she convened the rest of the siblings, who was running and raging around the living room.
"And what about you, Sis?..." kid asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
"Me and Fuyuka have to clean up leftovers from dinner." Haruki stroked urchin's head, then turned to her brother "Aki, can you take Mitsuki upstairs?"
"Ah, sure." Junior took the child from her and led her to the top with the other toddlers.
In the living room stayed just me, mother, Haruki and Fuyuka. I helped them with cleaning, though it took a while, in the end they're a large family, so it's a lot of chaos. Finally after an hour we finished, and we could relax too. Well, not at all.
"Good night, Miss Isuke." Haruki kissed me on the cheek and turned to the other side, turning off the lamp.
"Night, night." I muttered, waiting patiently until the last member of the Sagae family fall asleep.
After a long moment the only sound in the whole house was just ticking of kitchen's clock. I sighed and heaved myself to my feet, quietly going down. I put on my shoes and snuck out outside to the car.
"Damn, so cold..." I shook, pulling keys from purse.
And I could not go out only in pajamas...
In the car I quickly changed into my suit to keep warm, then left the car and opened the trunk.
"This year we were able to earn a sum sufficient to pay mom's monthly treatment. Finally she'll be able to spend Christmas at home, with us! I'm just afraid that we might don't have enough money to buy eat for everyone..."
Haruki's words rang in my head. I bit my lip and shrugged.
I'm not doing it for her, just for myself. I don't care about her family anyway. The fact that I love her doesn't mean that I also burn with love for these little monsters. But I can make a small exception for Christmas... and let the tradition will be done. I just don't know what to do with the additional bonus from the previous job3
I carefully pulled out the presents and put them in the bag. I took a deep breath and threw ballast over my shoulder, bending under its weight and going quietly into the house. I put the bag on the floor and started to take out the single packages.
"Fuyuka...Aki, Hoshino...Himeko..." I read sequentially names, checking if I put under the Christmas tree all the gifts.
Wait...there are ten...
I frowned, trying to remember who I forgot about. I ran a hand over my face, sighing.
Damn...Haruki... But why exactly this idiot? As if I couldn't forget the gift for her mother or twins...
I winced dissatisfied, turning on my heel.
"Kyyah!" I felt as my face painfully met with the floor. "Damn..." I rubbed my head and glanced at the thing I bumped into. "Stupid bag..." I growled, freeing heel from the material.
Suddenly I heard a loud steps going down to the bottom.
Oh no...I woke them up...
Panicked, I started looking nervously around the room, searching for some shelter.
"Who's there?!" I heard Haruki's voice. It was nervous and sleepy.
Looking frantically in all directions, she walked to the entrance, where she met me and my eyes. I shuddered and held my breath.
I guess I must look pathetic...Dressed in the unfortunate Santa Claus's costume, confused and lying on the ground.
"S...Santa Claus?..." Sagae muttered, frowning.
She turn on the light and stared in disbelief at me.
"Isuke?..." she knelt before me, surprised, then suddenly yelled "Y-You're Santa Claus?!"
"Calm down, or you'll wake the rest!" I clogged her mouth with my hand, showing the index finger.
Wait...she thinks that I'm Santa?...No...impossible...This idiot believes in Santa Claus?!
"I'm sorry..." she said "But you really are Santa Claus!" the excited redhead stared at me with her gold, shiny eyes.
"Yes, I am, can't you see, idiot?" I brushed my hair, pretending in front of her that this is true.
"So cool!" she squealed, unable to stop the enthusiasm "Isuke is Santa Claus!"
"Yes, yes." I reassured her "And now, please go back to bed little child, and wait patiently to the morning." I glanced at Haruki, which totally wasn't listening.
She went on all fours to Christmas tree and with fascination began to checking out the presents.
"Could you listen when I talk to you?" I growled unhappy, crawling to her "I'm not going to repeat."
"Hey, where's gift for me?" she looked at me with a smile, pretending to be offended.
"Pff, only good children get presents." I snorted amused.
"...What about naughty ones?" she muttered, greedily walking to me on all fours.
"Naughty brats get punishment, right? 3" I pouted, looking lasciviously in her glassy eyes.
"But I was hoping for a gift..." she sighed and chuckled, rubbing against me.
"All in all...I can make a small exception." I said, licking my lips "This year you'll get a special gift from Isuke 3"
"And that's what I wanted to hear." she grinned, combining our lips in a passionate kiss.