Disclaimer: Maybe I'll own a Subaru in the future. But I probably will never own X, or any of the characters in it.

Title: Christmas Time

Rating: PG

Intermission: Christmas Vacation (Subaru)

"Subaru-sama, there's a phone call for you." The housekeeper called to him, placing a hand over the mouthpiece to block out her voice.

The twenty-four year old man sighed as he rose from his sofa to take the phone from his housekeeper. As the holidays came closer, there were more calls for him; although some of them proved to be challenges, most of the phone calls he was receiving were prank calls. Now, he wasn't one to anger quickly, but he truly did not want to go out this particular evening. And he had a hunch this one was from Tokyo.

"Moshi-moshi, Sumeragi Subaru desu." He answered, leaning on the wall next to the table the phone was resting on. He struggled to keep the fatigue and annoyance out of his voice. Which was in vain, as he had just come back from Tokyo and finished his dinner and shower. It was only seven thirty in the evening, but already his body felt light lead weights were pressing down on it.

"Konbanwa, Subaru-kun." A pleasant, all-too-familiar voice flowed out of the receiver. Subaru's eyes shot wide open.

"Seishirou-san? Is that you?"

"Hai. I'm on the highway right now; I'm just using a cell phone." Seishirou replied. Subaru frowned in puzzlement.

"You have a cell phone?"

"Yes. It's not mine though. Aoki-san lent it to me, saying that should I have to call him while on the road, I should at least have a mobile phone. Curious gadget, but I am afraid it doesn't suit me very well…"

"…-.-;;;; So you're calling me to test out your first call with a mobile phone?" The Sumeragi prince raised his eyebrows. Nope, he wasn't annoyed. No, no, no, no, no… All right, maybe just a little…

"On the contrary, no. I'm actually heading toward Kyoto. Specifically the main house of the Sumeragi household."

"Eh? Doushite?" Subaru asked, confused.

"Minna-san made me swear I would take a break from work and kidnap you for the holiday season. Although from your voice, it seems as though I am not the only one who needs a vacation. Exactly how many houses did you visit today?" Although the tone was light, the concern was evident in the older onmyouji's voice.

"Four… Two in Tokyo, one in Shibuya, and one in the main house shrine…" Subaru answered weakly. Seishirou cursed – very profoundly – over the phone.

"How the hell have you been surviving this? You may be a skilled onmyouji, but that doesn't take away the fact that there always is magical backlash!" He scolded.

"… I can't help it. No one else can stand up against them. And it's what I do for a living. Kami-sama, you're beginning to sound like my sister. Mother hen…"

"Please… well, you're taking a break now, whether you have a job calling or not. Ask the other members of the clan to do the work for you, because you are taking a – and this is a direct quote from Yuzuriha-chan – Christmas Vacation just like the rest of us Good, Non-workaholic Ryu." Seishirou smirked as he relayed what the Inugami princess had said.

"Heh…" Subaru couldn't help but smile at the little joke. The Dragons knew how he could get when he was shoved a huge amount of work. He wouldn't stop until he reached the bottom of the seemingly endless pile. Or unless someone tore him away.

"How is she? Did she grow any taller?" He asked curiously, tucking the phone between his neck and shoulder while sitting down next to the phone table.

"Oh, she's grown up into a fine young lady… Ah, I won't say any more. I'm in Kyoto now anyway. Just passed the sign." Seishirou grinned. "Pack up. You're staying at least three weeks."

"Three?! The Christmas season lasts barely two weeks!" The younger man cried indignantly.

"Too bad. I made it three. So pack up; unless you want me to stop by the mall and buy you an entire new wardrobe. I have the money, too; mind you, I don't have half the sense Hokuto-chan does with clothing. So unless you want to be wearing something of a thirty-plus year old bachelor's taste for over half a month, I suggest you pack up a suitcase."

"… -.-;;;;"

"I'll be there in thirty minutes or so. Traffic's kinda heavy, so you'll have to excuse me… Well then, your highness, may I take my leave?"

"…-.-;;;; Sure….."

"Oh, and dress warmly, they say it's going to snow!"

- Click

"…" Subaru stared at the phone for a moment, then smiled and put it back in its cradle.

"Momoe-san, can you tell Obaa-sama that I won't be around for the next three weeks or so?" He called to the housekeeper.

"Hai, but… May I ask why, Subaru-sama?" The loyal housekeeper looked at him in puzzlement.

"I'm going on a Christmas vacation!" The young master called over his shoulder as he turned to make his way to his chambers.

******

"Are you sure that's enough?" Seishirou eyed the large duffel bag Subaru had thrown into the trunk suspiciously. Sure, it may be large, but would it be enough for three weeks' worth of vacation?

"Goodness Seishirou-san… That bag may not look it, but it holds a pair of pajamas, three t-shirts, seven pairs of underwear and socks each, four shorts, one black three-piece suit, three pants, and three shirts. Trust me, it will be enough to last me through your kidnapping me for three weeks." Subaru waved off the older onmyouji's question as he climbed into the car's passenger seat. Seishirou arched his eyebrow and gave the bag another look, but then just shrugged and climbed into the driver's seat next to Subaru.

"While I've kidnapped you, I'm going to have to rid you of that workaholic virus, Subaru-kun…"

"Don't bet on it. Not while Obaa-sama's alive, you won't."

"I can hope, can't I?"

"I wouldn't."

"Hmmm… Pessimistic, ne?"

"Think what you want. I'm going to sleep, so wake me up when we get there."

"You're no fun."

"…"

******

Author's Note: I know, I know, I didn't continue on from where I left off, but I hit a writer's block, so I just put up this little Intermission instead. There probably will be more in the future… hope you grow a liking for it. I probably will be posting Chapter 10 very soon though, once I start getting my acts together and manage to sort through my cluttered brain. ^___^You know the drill, R + R!