Chapter 17: Mr. Potato Head Groove Thing, Part 1

Kyoya and Sora walked hand-in-hand down the street as they made their way to the café. Haruhi and Tamaki were meeting them there to make plans for a Christmas party at Tamaki's on Christmas Eve. His grandmother was delighted that royalty would be visiting, and so dropped the act of berating Tamaki and decorated the house instead. Next week, everyone would be busy with gifts and snow.

Suddenly, Sora began to laugh aloud. "Wow. Didn't think it would take them so long!"

Kyoya frowned, questioning his girlfriend's sanity. "Take who so long?"

She pointed to a kiosque near the entrance to the café. "Look at what the headlines are screaming now."

He adjusted his glasses and squinted at the paper.

Ootori Heir, Romancing With Royalty!

Anger pulsated out of Kyoya. "How..dare..they?"

Sora patted his arm. "It's fine. I'm just surprised it's taken them till the week before Christmas. I would have thought we would make headlines sooner."

"SORA!! MY DEAR NIECE!!" Tamaki flung himself at her, barreling through the doors. "Have you read the headlines? Oh, the agony! They have it all wrong!"

"What are you doing?" asked Kyoya hotly, trying to pry him away from Sora.

"Kyoya, stop," he whispered. "I'm playing it up so they won't believe those articles!"

Haruhi smacked the back of his head. "Too late now, Tamaki-senpai. All of Tokyo will have seen that title by now."

Sora whimpered. "All of Tokyo? As in, every single stranger that has stared at me this morning?"

"At least the school found out that day you decided to kiss by the water fountains."

She sighed and kicked at the sidewalk. "Oh, well. Better late than never." She motioned to the shop behind them. "Are we going in from the cold, or what?"

Winter had finally blown in from the north. Shorts and sandals were out, and parkas and snowboots were in. Both Kyoya and Tamaki were sporting long trenches, white and black, and slacks. Haruhi wore jeans and a pink sweater, with matching tennies. Sora had on an ivory turtleneck with dark blue jeans and black leather boots. Kyoya and Sora always wore contrasting colors, complimenting the other. Haruhi was going through a pink phase, and Tamaki was just himself.

Kyoya held open the door for the lot of them as a light snow began to fall. "I hate the snow. It's wet and slick," he muttered, removing his long coat to put it around his chair. Tamaki did the same, while holding out a chair for Haruhi. His V-necked sweater was tan, and Kyoya donned a violet turtleneck.

"Don't be such a spoilsport," said Sora, taking her seat. "This is like a winter wonderland. You know, like the song?

Gone away is the blue bird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow
We can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say, 'Are you married?'
We'll say, 'No, man
'But you can do the job when you're in town.'"

Kyoya rubbed her shoulders affectionately. "Your voice is so beautiful. But seriously, snow is very bothersome."

"Nah," disagreed Sora. "Up in Europe, we don't get snow until after Christmas." She sighed happily. "It's so magical." She continued humming Winter Wonderland.

Tamaki ordered coffee for them all as they settled into the party plans.

"Why don't we bring our presents over then? That way, we could have a present opening game. Youngest people first."

"Um, I can't exactly bring my gifts to the house. They're...still on the way overseas."

"Well, at least I know it's something imported. Very valuable, if not priceless."

"Hey, no guessing. It's called a surprise for a reason."

"I like Haruhi's idea, though. For those of us whose presents are in the country and wrapped, we'll exchange gifts there. Sora, are your gifts coming on Christmas Eve or the day after?"

"They should be here by tomorrow, but..."

"Do they require any wrapping?"

"No, but..."

"Then you have just given me a strong hint as to what I am receiving."

"Oh, bite me. You'll love it. Tamaki, you said Haruhi's idea was good, so why don't you call up the hosts and pass on the message? Or rather, Haruhi, you call them. Tamaki has to work on the cards with Kyoya, right?"

"Okay, gifts are under control. Onto food."

"Mmm, baked goods and hot chocolate. Maybe some homemade Italian food, Sora?"

"What do you want? Kyoya, you pitch in too."

"Lasagna!"

"I enjoyed your Sicilian chicken soup."

"How about that pizza you sent to Dad and me? He loved the meat lovers' one."

"Alright. Pizza, lasagna and Mom's chicken soup. Anything else?"

"I think we're good. Let's move on to..."

"Since it's Sora's final week in Japan, perhaps we could do something special."

"Such as?"

"Precious niece, what haven't you done in Japan?"

"I dunno. Um, well...I haven't been in a snowball fight yet. Maybe we can hold a war on Christmas Eve."

"Awesome! I agree with her!"

"Count me out."

"Me, too. I cannot imagine the horrors of snow down my clothes."

"Don't worry. You're dating the queen of snow wars. We'll have a blast."

"And me?"

"The twins will watch over you, Haruhi. You have nothing to worry about."

"Okay! Come next week, we'll be having tons of fun!"

"And Christmas Eve Day is going to be a very dangerous day, indeed."

"Sora, stop breathing down my neck," muttered Kyoya as he typed emails and memos to the hosts. "You're going to irritate me, if that's possible."

"Sorry," she apologized, lifting his arm and sitting in his lap. "Better?"

He smirked. "Yes, thank you. Where is Tamaki? The cards are ready to be printed." He took a sip of coffee.

"I think he's in the library. He wants to see if he can find a book on 'commoners and their behavior,' according to his note." She picked up a post-it. "Ahem. 'Gone to find book on commoners and their behavior. Be back soon. Tamaki.' Not very original, but not bad."

Kyoya nuzzled her neck before getting back to work. It was now three days before the party, and not a single card had been chosen for anyone. Haruhi and Sora fought somewhat over the mood. Haruhi wanted more of a formal, regular card while Sora wanted something with a little more bounce it in. Kyoya warned them not to be too sober, but to keep in mind the twins, Honey and Tamaki, who would not appreciate a bad sense of humor.

His living room was warm and toasty, but the couple could not get close enough to one another. After printing the fourth holiday card, Sora abandoned her manners and unbuttoned the top buttons of Kyoya's shirt, sucking softly on the skin there. He became greedy with her offer and molded his body against hers. Soon, the heat between them was so unbearable, Kyoya removed his shirt and threw it against the table. Sora didn't mind in the least and devoured his lips like a starving person at a buffet.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki opened the door, brandishing a thick book in his hands. "I didn't find anything on commoners in your vast library, but I found some stuff on their behaviors, so can I?"

He froze at the scene before him, which included a shirtless Kyoya and an almost sweater-less Sora. "Tamaki," she breathed. "Um..."

Kyoya merely scowled at him.

Tamaki stood there for a moment, then his body fell to the floor, pale.

"Oh, dear." Sora tugged on her shirt and rushed over to kneel at the King's side. "Tamaki? Tamaki, can you hear me?"

"Sora, he'll come round." Kyoya looked at Sora, and she couldn't help noticing how husky his voice had become, and how his eyes were hungry for more. Her throat constricted.

"Er, okay. Let's finish the cards."

"We need to talk." His voice was still deep and utterly sexy.

"It won't happen again."

"But it will." Kyoya's eyes smoldered. "And sooner than we both think."

"I know," Sora finally sighed, slumping onto an armchair besides the couch. "I should probably control myself a little more."

"And I need to be the more reluctant one. Do not place the blame on yourself."

"Cards," she urged. "I'll try to wake him up, and talk to him, I guess, before he goes spilling the beans to someone less amused."

"Does he look remotely amused?"

"Correction, then. Someone who won't kill you."

"Why me? Why not you?"

"The blame automatically goes to the male."

"Well, let's say we're in a crowded area. Someone happens to see you doing inappropriate things to me. What then?"

"If there are eyewitnesses, then the blame goes to me."

"Eyewitnesses and a helicopter."

"Why is there a helicopter?"

"Your father is spying on you."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he is right now. Let's go for it, Kyoya. Right now, on your couch."

"Be serious."

"Fine. More control, less hormones."

"Now get back over here. You're too far from me."

"See, this is where the blame-the-man comes in. Comments like that don't help."

"Kyoya..." Tamaki groaned from the carpet. "The book..."

"You may borrow it, Tamaki, but I'll be wanting it back."

"Sora...pull down your shirt..."

"Already did, Uncle."

"Good...carpets smell nice..."

"Do they?"

"Very...like sakura trees...or like Sora..."

Kyoya leaned in and sniffed Sora's shoulder. "No, I'd say a more strawberry scent."

"Mm-hm. Strawberries..."

"Go fan him before I get a migraine on your various scents."

WHAM! A single snowball hit the side of Kaoru's face. "TONO, YOU ARE GOING DOWN!" he yelled, making a small wall in front of him.

Since noon, the Host Club and Sora had been engaged in snowball wars and hide-and-seek (in the snow) out behind Tamaki's mansion, in the woods. Three hours had passed since the first snowball had been thrown (by Tamaki, who was smacked in the face by a retaliation from Kyoya) and they were still going at it.

Hikaru hurried to finish their fort as Kaoru threw another ball over the top. "Hand me some more, Kaoru!"

By now, Sora had built such an impenetrable fort that Kyoya wondered if they were in any danger whatsoever. She launched a barrage of snowballs at Tamaki's pathetic excuse of a wall. "Take that, and that, and that, and one to grow on!" Smiling, she wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "Any new targets?"

Kyoya ducked as one whizzed past his head. "Honey and Mori have hidden in the trees because they 'captured' Haruhi from the twins, and Tamaki" He ducked again as another flew over. "Tamaki is trying to build up his fort. Aim for those bushes. Haruhi hasn't been hit once."

"Not even once? Let me fix that." She packed some snow together into a giant ball and lifted it with both hands. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!!" The enormous snowball soared through the air and landed in the bushes. A sharp squeal told them they had hit their target.

"AH-HAH!! TAKE THAT!" Sora dodged one of Tamaki's wild balls.

"You'll have to do better than that, Tamaki!" She ducked behind her four foot north wall. "I am invincible!"

"Not for long!" A huge wad of snow came hurtling from Hikaru. "Damn!" he shouted as she dodged it gracefully.

"Repeat: I am invincible!"

Several small ones came out from the shaded trees. She ducked in cover.

"Give me that," muttered Kyoya, taking a snowball from Sora. "He's asking for it dearly." He hurled it over the fort.

A grunt sounded. "This is war." More came from the trees. It seemed Mori was firing upon Kyoya instead of Sora.

Sora backed up until she was out of the fort, behind the south wall. "Kyoya, watch this." He noticed a pile of ready-made snowballs beside her. "The twins shall be eliminated."

One by one, she flung them over to the twins' fort, like a human Gatling gun. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. "I...like...this...game!"

"OW!! OW! HEY, THAT'S ENOU-OW!! OW!!"

"SORA-OW! STOP IT-OW!!"

"Two down, four to go!" Sora punched a fist into the air. "Next target!"

"Take out Tamaki, and I'll handle Mori-senpai."

"Kyoya..." Her voice became dangerously low.

"Nothing more than a game."

"With you two, it's war, as Mori so kindly put it. Alright, game plan. We take them out one by one. Tamaki first, though. He's annoying me. We'll call it the Mr. Potato Head Groove Thing operation."

"Although that name makes absolutely no sense, I agree. Then it is war." He raised his voice a little louder. "Whoever wins the war claims the right to give their gift to Sora first."

A hush fell over the small clearing. "That seems fair." Mori sounded smug, as if he was going to win.

"Yay!" exclaimed Honey.

"Sora will never outdo me!" yelled Tamaki.

Haruhi groaned. "Let this be quick."

"I can't believe we've been DQ-ed," Kaoru grumbled.

"Let's battle anyway," said Hikaru.

"And if I win?" asked Sora, packing up some more snowballs.

"Then you earn the right to have me do anything your heart desires." Kyoya had that stupid smirk on his face, the one she knew would make the devil himself fall to his knees, but she wasn't backing down that easy.

"Hm, slavery, you say. Nice. I'm winning. Get the hell out of my fort."

"Or, if you'll allow me to stay, the condition is effective the minute we cross the threshold of my home."

"Alright. Help me make more. We're running low on ammunition."

A snowball hit their fort roughly. "Tamaki," growled Sora. She logged a packed ball over the fort. Judging by his yelp, she hit him in the face. "My accuracy is improving."

"Nicely done," said Kyoya, crouching into position. "Now for the stoic warrior." Grinning, he launched a snowball into the trees. It missed its target and hit another.

"Kyo-chan, that hurt!"

Two flew out of the bushes and hit Kyoya square in the face. "Did I hit him?" asked Haruhi, poking her head out of the leaves. "Did I hit him?" She squealed when Sora threw one, hitting her shoulder. "Unfair!"

Sora gently kissed Kyoya on the cheek before ducking back down. "If you wish, you could help me pack more snowballs. Mori and the twins are dead." Another flew over their head. "Twins first, then Mori." She threw several over the wall. Kaoru yelled in indignation.

"Hikaru, avenge me!" Even with the hosts, their dramatic acts never ceased.

"With pleasure!" One narrowly missed the top of Sora's head.

"Crap," she whispered, and pulled back. "He's serious. Fine, if he's serious..." Quietly, she edged out of the fort and sneaked into the surrounding woods.

All was quiet. Hikaru threw another at Kyoya's fort now. "Sora?" His tone was incredulous. "Impossible! You can't-" He yelped. "My face!"

Sora reappeared in her fort, triumphant. "Excellent," whispered Kyoya, kissing her deeply.

Mori withdrew into the trees, Honey cradling Bun-Bun in his arms, looking crestfallen. She's using the element of surprise and creeping up on people. She really meant it when she called herself invincible. No plan is foolproof, though. He climbed into a nearby cedar and took position. Sora and Kyoya were packing in snow. Ready...aim...

A snowball hit the side of his face. "I see you!" Sora was standing, a wide grin stretching over her face. "LIKE I SAID, I'M INVINCIBLE!!" She did a little war dance, hopping over the mounds of snow and yelling. "I did it! I did it! Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! Who's the bomb? Who is the bomb? Me! That's right! I'm awesome!"

Kyoya startled her by picking her up in his arms and whirling her around. Tamaki was crouched by a pine tree, mumbling in defeat. Haruhi was standing over the twins' fort, chatting with them. Honey bounded out of the woods with Mori and danced around Kyoya's legs. Mori leaned against a tree, relaxed.

"Tamaki-sama?" An elderly maid bowed at the edge of the clearing. "There's hot cocoa and cookies ready in the parlor, if you all are hungry. Your father wishes for you lot to join him. And all your presents arrived, Sora-kun. They are well-hidden, I assure you. " She bowed again and hustled away.

Honey wrapped his arms around Sora. "Can we go? Please?" He obviously wanted to open presents as much as eating sweets.

"Why not? I'm wiped!" She picked him up easily and put him on her back.

"YAY!! PIGGY-BACK RIDE FROM SORA-CHAN!!" Honey laughed as she took off running into the trees.

Hikaru and Kaoru stood, staring at Tamaki. "Last one there has to give his gift to Sora last!" They turned tail and gave chase.

Without warning, Tamaki, Mori and Kyoya were bounding after them.