Disclaimer: Kairan Akiyama does not own Ouran High School Host Club. Kairan Akiyama does not own A Christmas Carol. This could probably be considered SHOUNEN-AI. Probably.

NIGHTSHADE: The special word is SHOUNEN-AI, i.e. meaningful phrases, lingering touches, and penetrating stares.

KAI-CHAN: Ha, you said penetrating.

NIGHTSHADE: Don't like SHOUNEN-AI? Steer clear of Kai-chan.

"…" – talking

"italics" – thoughts

italics – emphasized

-x- – scene change

-x-

Arigatou-hamsters!

RavenToriBlack: HiKaoru; KyoTama; and HunnyMori. XP. As much as I love Haruhi, the only person I could see her with is Mori or all of them. At once. XP.

annemarije811: Wow, your review sounds so happy! Believe it, it's gonna rock your socks.

Enjoy the ride.

An Ouran Christmas Carol

Chapter Two: The Counting House

The small furnace crackled softly and a thin veil of smoke climbed through the air from within. The coal pail was at its side, two small sized pieces hidden inside. Haruhi rubbed her hands earnestly, trying to warm herself. She looked up from her hands and made brief eye contact with Kyoya. "Good afternoon, Mr. Scrooge."

Kyoya grunted and sat at his desk. He was dressed in a simple black suit, gold cufflinks glistening in the pale light, and the white of his undershirt contrasting greatly with the dim room. He cracked open a book and twitched at the sound of a chair scraping against the ground. He looked up from his tome, glaring at Haruhi, who had a small shovel and was fishing for a coal. "You used that piece yesterday."

"It has gotten colder, sir," Haruhi replied matter-of-factly, hesitating at the pail's rim.

A bell jingled off stage and Kaoru strutted across the stage; the girls screamed in delight. He wore a long brown coat, bright blue scarf and a frayed top hat, a holly wreath swinging in his left hand. "Merry Christmas, Bob."

"Merry Christmas, Master Fred," Haruhi smiled timidly, replacing the shovel in defeat and climbing back onto her chair.

"Merry Christmas, Uncle," Kaoru smiled at Kyoya.

Kyoya glanced over to Kaoru and grunted. "Humbug." The girls squealed again.

"Christmas a humbug, Uncle? You don't mean that."

"If I had my will, every fool who walked with a 'merry Christmas' on his lips would be boiled in his own pudding with a stake of holly through his heart."

"Surely you can't mean that, Uncle." Kaoru was slightly horrified. "Come to dinner with me, you still haven't met my wife Claire."

"And I still wonder why you married." Kyoya closed his book, pulling open a drawer and grabbing a pen and paper.

"I fell in love."

Kyoya chuckled darkly. "Then you're no nephew of mine. Keep Christmas in your way and I'll keep it mine."

"But you don't keep it all!" Kaoru sighed, giving up. "All the same, Uncle..." He turned on his heels and nodded to Haruhi, pausing at the doorway to hang is wreath. "Merry Christmas!" And he was gone.

Kyoya looked up his writing, muttering "Humbug." An unseen clock chimed; it was 6 o'clock. "Finish up, Cratchit. There's still work to do tomorrow."

"But sir, tomorrow's Christmas day," Haruhi gasped. "Er, no one else will be open, there'd be no profit."

"A poor excuse to pick a man's pockets every 25th of December," Kyoya replied curtly. "Fine, but be here all the earlier the day after."

Haruhi jumped up excitedly. "Thank you Mr. Scrooge." She wrapped her scarf tight and made for the door. "Merry Christmas, sir."

"Bah! Take your merry Christmas and that wreath with you." Kyoya waved his hand dismissively and watched Haruhi disappear offstage. The lights began to dim accordingly. "Merry Christmas indeed," he muttered, "humbug."

-hateshi nai-

And so the madness has begun, huzzah! (though this chapter is small)

I struggled for a few days to finalize roles for everyone, but I think I've done rather well. You can try to guess if you want, maybe whoever is the closest gets a special chapter, idk. There are plans for at least…3 more chapters after this, after all, this is one of those story-within-a-story deals.

This is kind of a filler/pre-game show chapter, so things will move much faster and smoother now. XP. Be sure to leave a comment on your way out.