"Kurisumasu Omedeto, Tomoyo-san" Eriol says to me quietly. I look up at the inky black sky dotted with the winter stars that wink down at me as if they know the secrets this Christmas Eve night will hold.

"Merry Christmas to you too Hiiragizawa, but an early one" With the words I take a quick look at him, and blush when we are both caught staring at one another.

"I'll be inside" I say hurriedly and slip back into the warmth of the party in Eriol's mansion.

The Christmas Eve party at Eriol's house, Sakura had to practically drag me here: since the relations he and I have usually end with him trying my patience and as he says, "try to break that mask." But tonight he has been unusually calm. I laugh as I hear Nakuru chasing Touya around the house, and more of Yamazaki's outrageous stories. As the clock strikes eleven I present Sakura with her gift, I know she will leave soon to spend the holidays with her family, as I would, if my mother was here.

"Merry Christmas Sakura-chan" I say presenting her with a gift, behind me I hear the terrace door open and I know that Eriol must have slipped in from the chilly night. Sakura's voice snaps me back to reality

"May I open it?" she says excitedly, her innocence makes me smile; that is one thing about her that will never change, I'm sure.

"Hai, before I do!" She laughs and carefully takes off the wrapping. She opens the box and with an awed expression takes out the dress I made for her. She holds it against herself and smiles "Tomoyo-chan this is beautiful! It must have taken you so long to make it! Arigato!"

"Kirei" I repeat softly "You make it that Sakura-chan." The white material looks ethereal against her light skin and its green trimmings offset her eyes perfectly. I feel the familiar ache in my heart that reminds me of what will never be my own.

"Though there is something else that I wanted from you Tomoyo-chan, something that has more meaning to me"

My heart panics "Nani?! Tell me Sakura-chan! Tell me whatever it is and I will give it to you"

She gives me the saddest of smiles and puts her hand to my heart, "I want you to realize how different the way Eriol-kun looks at you from the way you say he used to look at me"

I laugh, "It's exactly the same!" I protest "No wait let me correct that, Hiiragizawa looks at me as someone he can aggravate to make his day better! Hiiragizawa- could never think of me in such a way! He is incapable on settling on how to annoy me much less on actually loving me!"

Sakura laughs, "Give him a chance, I think he may surprise you!"

"More like vex me!" I say giving her a look.

She looks across the room at Syaoran and nods "Syaoran-kun and I are leaving. I'll give you the rest of your present tomorrow"

"The rest?" I question.

With a smile she gives me a kiss on my cheek and whispers " 'We are our own worst judges' I still remember that Tomoyo-chan, I want you to remember that too. And please, Tomoyo-chan for me, give Eriol-kun a chance"

"Arigato Eriol-kun" I hear Sakura saying "I had a wonderful time" I stand on the other side of where they are leaving trying to act casual, even though when Sakura leaves all of my friend will be gone.

"Liye Sakura-sama, your presence was a great gift in and of itself!" He flattering words are enough to make any girl blush, except for Sakura and I. Sakura, it makes laugh since she's used to Eriol's ways; It angers me because Eriol loves to direct this shameless flirting toward me! As I expected his words make Sakura laugh her way out the door and leave Syaoran glaring daggers at it. "Ja ne!" they call back

After I hear the door shut I say loudly "Careful Hiiragizawa, you wouldn't want to anger Li-kun"

"Ah so my silent angel speaks!" he says "Will my angel stay a bit longer"

I look around and don't see Nakuru or Spinel Sun, Eriol and I are completely alone. "Onegai, please Daidouji-chan" he says pleadingly sitting on his couch.

Surprised I look at him, unused to such a tone. His deep blue eyes beg as much as he tone did, I hate to admit this but it makes him irresistible. Inwardly I hit myself. I weigh my options, a lone night that will make me jump at every sound or a few more hours arguing with Eriol. With a sigh I sit down on the couch on the opposite side of him. His smile reassures my decision.

"You look exceptionally beautiful when your uncomfortable" he says with a smile

"Don't start with me Hiirigazawa, I'll find my empty house a better companion than you" As soon as I let the words out I wish I could take them back.

"You're alone?" Eriol questions

"Damn it" I think "I managed not to tell anyone, but I just had to let myself slip with Eriol of all people"

"Answer me Tomoyo-san are you alone?"

"Yes!" I practically shout at him "Hai, my mom is on an important trip and the maid and body guards are on vacation. I didn't want anyone to worry about me-"

"Especially not Sakura-san right?" He interrupts in a calm voice

I look at him directly in the eyes "Especially not her"

"Tomoyo-san" he says he says in that low voice of his "Will you spend Christmas with me?"

I laugh "Now why would I do that Hiirigazawa?"

Before I know it, I have an answer: Eriol leans over and kisses me. His arms encircle my neck pushing all thoughts away except for one: Eriol Hiirigazawa is kissing me; I've let him win. Quickly I push him away and try to catch my breath as I stand up. Though I was going to glare angrily at him I can only dumbly stare. He looks up at me his dark blue hair disheveled, glasses crooked, and his cheeks are genuinely flushed. "So what do you say?"

"Hiirigazawa" I say angrily "What makes you think I would spend Christmas with you?"

"Because you secretly love me"

"Hiirigazawa" I say darkly "Please come back down to the real world, I already know all of your charms"

He smiles that infuriating grin of his "I thought you were enjoying that kiss"

I take a deep breath, knowing that this is what Eriol loves to do to me, make me angry. "I should've gone home" I think.

Eriol laughs "Forgive me Tomoyo-san, I was rash. I was merely trying to give you a memorable Christmas instead of a lonely one." He takes my hand and kisses it. His sudden shift of mood surprises me

"Why do you do this to me Hiirigazawa?" I ask as my anger melts away.

"Because Tomoyo-san you mean very much to me. Would you like some tea?"

Nodding I sit back down and watch him carefully pour tea into a cup. His graceful hands handle the cup with a supernatural ease; I remember that those hands were on my neck only minutes ago. "Baka" I call myself "NO FALLING FOR ERIOL!" Suddenly Sakura's -actually my words- sound in my head, "We are our own worst judges" I told Sakura that when she couldn't decipher what she felt for Syaoran, and in return she reminded me when she knew I couldn't do the same for Eriol.

Eriol walks toward me as my thoughts still clash on what I really feel about him. He sets the cup on the table next to the sofa and bends down until our faces are only inches apart. His azure eyes stare into mine; I feel the warmth and feel the warmth and love once directed at another finally on me. This isn't the watchful gaze he kept over Sakura and Syaoran this is something much different, and that's what made it so difficult for me to understand.

Eriol smiles and I feel myself grin. I don't protest as his lips find mine, my thoughts are still a mess but my heart finally isn't. I hear the clock strike midnight and Eriol whisper "Merry Christmas Tomoyo-chan, I'm glad you decided to stay"

The ache in my heart is lost now, replaced by the feeling that my soul will burst from joy.

"I'm glad you didn't let me leave"

*laughs* well this is just a little Christmas fic I wrote since I hoped it would put me in the holiday mood, I hope you enjoy it! This was my first attempt with trying to use Japanese in my fics, forgive me if I didn't use the words correctly and I would appreciate if you would correct me, CORRECT ME NOT FLAME ME!!! Arigato!!!

Dictionary:

Kurisumasu Omedeto- Merry Christmas Hai- Yes Arigato- Thank you Kirei- Pretty, Beautiful Nani- What Liye- no Ja ne- Bye, See you later Onegai- please, I beg you Baka- Idiot

Thanks again for reading!!