A Lot Like Christmas

Intro: Whew… the Christmas season is so busy!! And why are the teachers so evil the week before break?!! AUGH! Anyway, it's nice to know you like my story!! I'm so happy you like it!!! Oh, gomenasai about the Ryuki but I figured it would be interesting to see Ryo's reaction to Takato's actions toward Ruki (not to mention extremely satisfying when Takato wins her heart!).

 Hmmm… maybe I'll write a Ryuki next time… *looks around* I'm kidding!! ^.^

Blackgatomon: And I'm so happy the reviewers bring candy!!! Yay candy!!! My favorite candy? Hmmm… that's a tough one… hmmm… ok! Chocolate!!! Yum! ^.^ Anyhoo, Arigato:

Little Rabbit f/LRPLI

Digidestined of Courage (Lop Head I think it's time we took the catapult away…)

Kamehameha (good luck with bluerenamon!!)

Rukato Fan (colds suck…)

The dragon master

SerpentTreize (ooooo ice cream…)

Epyon-Zero (yup that's good! ^.^)

Dark Child

Jack of the Pelt

Disclaimer: As far as I know the only thing I own is the plot. Not too much else. Sux no?

Bold-Actions, important crap

Italics- thoughts, memories, other

                                                            ***Thursday***

     "Lee?"

   "Hai, Terriermon?"

  "Where are we going again?" said Terriermon, just to make sure he heard correctly. Lee sighed in exaggeration. "I've told you a million times Terriermon. We're going to Juri's house to help with the decorations and baking for the party."

   "Juri invited you?"

   "Yes, Terriermon, she did."

   "Lee?"

   "What?"

  "I didn't know you could bake…"

    Lee sighed and walked up the front steps of the Katou household. In truth he had never been to Juri's house before, and he was extremely nervous. Terriermon, who was perched on his head as always wasn't much comfort.

   For the past four days Lee's time was consumed minute by minute from what was happening around him. He had visited Takato just yesterday, who after a day of rest still had a high fever and a bad cold. Takato was now so hoarse he couldn't speak, and his nose was always running. Lee had no idea what had happened to his friend but it obviously had thrown Ruki for a loop. She spent most of her time in the bread shop, pretty much helping out and being by Takato's bedside. If Takato was still sick by Saturday he would miss the party.

   Lee blocked all of that out of his mind's eye now. He had a task to do, and even if he died of embarrassment he was going to do it. At least he knew how to bake bread.

     He rang the doorbell and head footsteps. She had told him to come around back because the restaurant wasn't closed today. Juri opened the door and grinned. "Konnichiwa Jenrya-kun!"
    Lee didn't even bother to tell her to call him 'Lee'.

                                                            ********

    Meanwhile, on practically the other side of Shinjuku Ruki was doing pretty much the same thing Lee was doing: baking. She came everyday now to stay at the Matsuki residence, partially because she still didn't want to be anywhere near her mother and partially because she had nothing else to do.

   As she stirred the batter she found her thoughts drifting up to Takato, who was floating around the store. However, he made sure to stay away from his mother and the actual shop as to not trouble her. He wasn't allowed in the kitchen either, Mei was convinced he was now a qualified 'germ bag' and everywhere he stepped needed to be cleaned thoroughly.

     Takato made sure his mother wasn't anywhere around and walked inside the kitchen quietly. "Ruki?" he said hoarsely, his voice practically gone.

   Ruki jumped and almost dropped the bowl. "Takato!!! What're you doing down here?!" she put the bowl down and came over to him. "Get upstairs now!" she hissed. "Your mom will have a fit, you of all people should know that!"

   Takato didn't move. "Only if you come up with me."

   Ruki rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine."

    After she washed her hands she followed Takato up the staircase to his rather cluttered room. She had been in his room before but she had never seen it this cluttered. Takato tried his best to block out his pounding headache.  

   Ruki shrugged. "What did you want me here for?"

    Takato rubbed his arm and sighed. "I don't know; I just wanted someone to talk to."

      Ruki rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You amaze me Goggleboy."

   He smiled. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

     "Both."
 Takato got up on his bed and motioned for her to sit. Reluctantly she walked over to him and sat down. Takato sighed. "How's your life?"

   Ruki laughed. "Could be worse. Mom got rid of the creepy boyfriend, but now she mopes because he's gone. I swear my mother is the weirdest thing on the planet."

    Takato nodded. "At least your mother doesn't throw a fit when you only catch a cold. Now she's practically running around with a disinfectant in one hand!"

    Ruki laughed and lay back on his bed, her spiked ponytail barely touching the wall. Takato lay beside her, staring at her. She sighed, "Gomenasai, I still can't find your goggles."

   Smiling, he said, "Aw, momentai. I can always buy a new pair. Besides, I don't want you to get sick… of course then you and I could be sick buddies."

   Ruki laughed. "You are so weird Gogglehead." She got up and put her hands on her hips. "Ok mister get in bed before your mom finds out I'm up here and disinfects me!"

   Takato laughed, but he didn't move. "Naw, she won't mind if you disappear for a few moments. Come on, let's watch some TV."

    Ruki was about to open her mouth to protest but was pulled back onto the bed by Takato. Shaking her head in annoyance she watched him turn the TV on to the Digimon: Season 2 show.

    The show was a rerun but Takato didn't care, he insisted on watching it and that she be in the room. Ruki, his hostage, found a comic book and began to read. After around half an hour of him watching TV without a peep heard from him she felt something heavy hit her shoulder. Her brow furrowed, but she was too busy reading to consent with his foolish tactics.

   After about an hour Ruki looked up from her reading and almost hit Takato in the head with her elbow. She almost screamed, but she softened. He was fast asleep, his head in her lap. She hadn't even noticed him while she read. Smiling, she went to remove his hot, sleeping body from her lap, but he was like a rock. "Geez Takato get up… I have to go back downstairs…"

    He wouldn't budge. Ruki sighed, understanding that she was stuck in one place until she could move him. After a moment of peace she put her hand to his forehead. He's still sick, poor kid.

   A small, thin smile curved across her face as she moved her hand from his forehead to his brown hair. He's so sweet when he sleeps…

  She stroked his hair for a moment, admiring her Gogglehead. She had really taken a liking to this kid. And now, here she was sitting in his room his head on her lap stroking his hair much like a mother would. He looked so innocent when he slept, and indeed he was innocent. He was still the number one person in her life that understood her better than anybody and wasn't an adult. Ok, maybe Renamon tied him there, but to her he was important.

    His breath was suddenly shorter, like he was struggling to breathe. Ruki's eyes widened. Uh oh…

    He took a few deep breaths, leaving Ruki silently praying he wasn't dying on her. There was a pause in which he didn't breathe for a few moments. Tense, she moved to feel his pulse. Good… he's still breathing. What was that all ab-

  "Achoo!"

      Ruki's hands jumped away from him the second he sneezed. Surprisingly, he was still asleep. He turned over on his back as Ruki heaved a sigh of relief. For one, he wasn't dying and luckily he didn't get snot all over her either.

    Slowly she detached herself from him and pushed him over onto the bed. After a lot of pulling she managed to get the sheets out from under him and tuck him in. She smiled slightly as she looked over her shoulder one last time. Goodnight Takato-kun…

                                                            ******

    Lee stood beside Juri, blushing furiously as he helped her make cookies. They actually only had to make around 3 dozen, which was originally two until they heard Hirokazu and Kenta were coming. Those two alone could eat around 4 dozen cookies, but because their families would be present they wouldn't dare touch more than a dozen.

   Juri watched him out of the corner of her eye as she cut the cookies and slid them onto the greased pan. "How's Takato?"

   Lee smiled. "He's alright. Did you hear he fell through the ice? I figured Hirokazu and Kenta would tell everyone if they heard…"

   "No," said Juri. "I didn't actually. That reminds me, are they coming?"

   "Who, Takato? I don't know, he's sick as far as I know," he said and finished getting the flour off his hands. "Ruki told me yesterday that he actually kissed her."

   "Nani?" cried Terriermon and Juri at the same time. Terriermon was responsible for decorating the cookies, his little arms wrapped tightly around a sprinkle shaker. "You never told me that!!"

  "Because I didn't want you to tell Takato," said Lee. Juri looked perplexed. "What? Wouldn't he know…?"

    "He kissed her when he thought she was 'asleep'," he grinned. "Apparently, she was only pretending to be asleep."

   "Well I'm glad Takato found someone he likes," Juri smiled and wiped her hands. "I was afraid he'd have a crush on me forever…"

   "What's wrong with that?"

   "Oh…" Juri blushed at his question. "Well… I've turned him down so many times, which isn't easy. I'm just relieved he won't try to continue to pursue me."

   While they were talking Terriermon had grabbed a bag of flour and pulled it up onto the ceiling fan. For some reason he didn't like the fact that Lee was giving so much attention to Juri and not to him. He'd change that.

   Poomf!

  Lee felt something soft fall on his shoulders and was instantly covered in white powder. He turned around to see Juri was the same way, only she was laughing. She pointed up and Lee saw the culprit. "Terriermon!"

    "Now you guys look like snow people!" Terriermon laughed. Lee picked up a clump of flour and hurled it at Terriermon. "Good, you can be the snow bunny!"

    Pif!

  The flour smacked Terriermon in the face, causing him to lose balance. "Whoa!!!" He fell to the floor with a thud and Lee's expression turned from slight anger to horror. "Terriermon?!"

   They leaned over the seemingly unconscious lop eared digimon. Terriermon lifted his head. "Gotcha!" Two fistfuls of flour hit their faces.

  And thus a variation of the snowball fight was played right in Juri's kitchen. Terriermon was hurling fistfuls of flour at the two lovebirds. Juri laughed in delight and fought back, Lee helping her.

   "What is going on in here?!" boomed Mr. Katou, bursting through the door. They stopped instantly, Terriermon dropping his 'flour ball'.

    Mr. Katou saw the flour that was 'decorating' the kitchen. "Juri! Clean up this mess now!" His face was turning slightly purple when he slammed the door and stormed off.

   Juri could breathe again and sighed. "That was close… I was afraid he'd surely kick you out for that."

  Lee picked up a broom and leaned on it. "We might as well get to work; we did make a really big mess."

   Juri smiled. "You'll help?"

  "Of course I will," said Lee, raising an eyebrow. "Unless you'd rather me not to."

  Juri blushed. "Arigato…"

     Terriermon made a gagging noise, but Lee chose not to notice. Handing Terriermon a feather duster they got to work.

   Juri mopped the floor after Lee scrubbed and brushed it clean while Terriermon did his best to dust the flour off the walls. Within the hour they were finished, but extremely tired. At least that kitchen was sparkling clean.

    They sat together, Juri and Lee right next to each other and Terriermon beside Lee against the wall. Lee smiled, his face slightly flushed from cleaning. "We're done… finally."

  Juri smiled back. "Arigato for helping."

    "It was the least I could do, after all we did make the mess," Lee shot an annoyed look at Terriermon. Terriermon made a face and folded his arms, turning away. Juri saw him, "What's up with him?"

   Lee shook his head. "He's just… jealous."

    "Of what?" Juri watched him innocently as he searched his mind for answers. He hated this, normally he'd be able to answer anything right off the bat but here with her his brain processed slower. He gulped and smiled slightly, hoping his blushing face wasn't noticeable. "I think… he's jealous of you…"

   "Me?" Juri smiled. "Why?"

   "Attention…" he said quietly, and redirected his eyes away from her to stop his heart from pounding so fast.  Juri smiled. "You alright?"

     Lee's stomach churned, and he prayed his nervousness wouldn't connect with his stomach. "Yea…"

   They stared in silence for moment, admiring their work. Then without warning, Juri turned around and kissed him on the cheek.

    Lee blinked in surprise and touched the spot where she kissed him. Blushing furiously the most he could do was to give a slight, lopsided smile to her. Juri smiled sweetly and they stared at each other for a moment.

    He studied her pretty brown eyes. He had once seen those eyes emotionless and lifeless when she had been captured by the D-Reaper. Now that they had saved her Lee saw how much love and light were buried in her eyes.  They stayed locked in their gaze for what seemed and eternity, spellbound by each other's maturity through their years together.

   And slowly as if on cure they leaned closer together, slowly. They were inches apart and about ready to make contact when…

   "Lee? What're you doing?"
  Lee bounced back and stared at Terriermon. Juri had the same startled look on her face as he did. Terriermon looked from him to her and smiled. "Did I miss something?"

                                                            *******

Aww they were so close! ^.^ Gomenasai to Lee/Juri fans!

 Blackgatomon: Alas… another cliffhanger ending. Must we do this? Of course! There will be more Lee/Juri in future chapters… we promise!! R+R and bring candy!!!!

Me: Rukato Itsumademo!!!