Chapter 8: Happy Christmas

Disclaimer: Not mine. Blah.

A/N: Wow, I have nothing to say, for once (smiles).

The ground had been coated in a blanket of thick snow by Sunday morning and the residents of the Sohma household were sleeping in. Well, most of its residents. Tohru Honda was up early, preparing breakfast as usual. Although she usually prepared pancakes on Sunday mornings, the fact that it was Christmas changed everything. Tohru was awake at six, just to prepare the meal. It consisted of Kobe beef, Sticky rice, Christmas leek casserole, chocolate cake, and a large pot of miso soup. It was particularly large because the members of the Chinese Zodiac, Uo, and Hana were coming that afternoon for the exchange of gifts and Christmas feast.

Tohru was just stirring the pot of miso soup when Yuki walked in, tousle haired and squinty eyed.

"Happy Christmas, Tohru," he said, coming up behind her and planting a kiss on her cheek.

"And a Happy Christmas, to you as well, Yuki," she said, turning around to face him.

She was greeted with a tight hug that made her blush. Kyo walked in and seemed to ignore the fact that they were hugging. He walked to the fridge and grabbed the container of milk from it.

"And a Happy Christmas to you, too," Yuki said, looking at Kyo.

"Wha," Kyo said, surprised.

"Silly Kyo must've been sleepwalking," Tohru said, laughing.

"Umm, I probably was," Kyo said, blushing.

"Well, sleepwalking is supposed to be a good sign," Tohru said cheerfully.

"Happy Christmas Everyone," Shigure shouted from the doorway.

He sported a Father Christmas hat and two different socks. His right foot had a red sock and his left foot looked like it had grown an even coating of moss.

"Um, Shigure, your socks don't match," Tohru said through stifled laughter.

"I did that on purpose, silly," Shigure said with a laugh.

"Alright then" Tohru said turning back to the soup.

Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure sat down at the table and grabbed a slice of toast from the plate Tohru had put out before.

"Tohru, what time is everyone coming," Yuki asked, looking up at Tohru.

"Between twelve thirty and one, as I recall," Tohru said, sitting down at the table,

"Why?"

"Well, I did want to go to the store so we can get snacks for the party," Yuki said, brushing toast crumbs off his shirt.

"Oh! I can't believe I forgot snacks," Tohru yelped.

"Well, you two can go to the store after breakfast and I'll clean up," Shigure said.

"Alright, I hope it's not too much to ask, but can you keep an eye on the food and don't take any," Tohru said, giggling at the thought of Shigure trying to taste the food.

"I'll make sure he doesn't eat any," Kyo said, gesturing at Shigure.

"Don't you trust me," Shigure whined.

"No," Yuki and Kyo said in unison.

"Toh-ruuuu! They're being mean," Shigure whined to her.

"Oh, you're too old to be a tattletale," Kyo said, bopping Shigure on the head.

Ten minutes later, Tohru and Yuki were on their way to the market, Shigure was cleaning up and humming Christmas carols, and Kyo was upstairs in his room, thinking about when he had been Tohru's boyfriend.

He reminisced....

They were in the park during the summer and Tohru was by the small pond in the middle of the park.

"Look, Kyo, it's so cute, isn't it," Tohru asked, pointing at a duckling that had waddled onshore.

"It's cute," Kyo had said.

He felt so open around Tohru. He could tell her anything that was on his mind and she opened up to him, too.

They were walking home from school, sharing Tohru's umbrella because Kyo had left his at home. Tohru was laughing at Kyo's hair and was attempting to fix it, only getting it in his eyes.

They were at the fair and Tohru was holding a stuffed toy that Kyo had won for her. She was laughing with him as they walked towards the Ferris wheel.

They were sitting on the roof, watching the sun set. Kyo had his arm around Tohru and Tohru had her head on his shoulder...

Kyo came back to Earth when he heard the front door open. He got off his bed and walked downstairs to offer his help.

Tohru and Yuki were standing in the front hall, covered in snow. Tohru shook her head back and forth to get all the snowflakes out of her hair.

"It's really cold out there," She said, taking her coat off and hanging it in the closet.

"Here, let me take those," Kyo said, picking three bags up off the floor in front of

Tohru and bringing them into the kitchen.

Tohru followed him in and placed two more bags on the table.

"We need to decorate," She said, unpacking streamers and plastic champagne glasses from one of the bags, "You can help me, Kyo!"

By twelve thirty, the house was almost unrecognizable. Garlands of silver and white streamers hung everywhere, holly leaves lined the staircase, and Tohru and Kyo had constructed a "tree" from the plastic champagne glasses in the corner of the living room. Tohru had also set out a magnificent buffet of appetizers, snacks, and drinks in the living room. Boxes were stacked neatly by the "tree" and the guests were due to arrive at any minute.

"I hope you know that you have guests spending the night in the house," Tohru said to Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki when they were all done decorating and cleaning.

"We do," Kyo asked.

"Yes! The girls, Uo, Hana, Kagura, and Kisa, will be staying in my room. Ayame and Hatori will be staying in Shigure's room. Hatsuharu and Ritsu will be staying with Kyo, and Momiji and Hiro will be staying with Yuki," Tohru said, ticking each person off on her fingers.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh yay! Someone's here," Tohru squealed as she bounded out of the room.

Tohru opened the front door to see Hana and Uo standing there.

"Hey guys! Happy Christmas," She said, hugging her two best friends.

"Happy Christmas, Tohru," Hana said.

"Yeah, Happy Christmas, kiddo," Uo said, patting Tohru on the head.

Uo and Hana took their coats off, hung them up, and plunked their bags down in the front hall.

"Thanks guys," Tohru said pulling away from her two best friends, "But I have a favor to ask you. Can you please not hug any of the guys? They aren't really hug people."

"Sure, besides, I'm sure that nobody will want to hug us, unless the blond one is here again," Uo said, chuckling.

"You mean Momiji," Tohru asked.

"Yes, he seems to like hugging people," Hana said.

"Let's go inside. I have snacks and drinks out," Tohru said, leading her best friends into the living room, where Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure were sitting.

"Hello everyone," Hana said, looking at the group.

"Hey guys, 'sup," Uo asked.

"Hi," Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki chorused.

"Are your bags in the front hall," Shigure asked, standing up.

"Yeah," Uo said, nodding.

"Let me bring those upstairs for you then," Shigure said, leaving the room.

They could hear him lugging Uo and Hana's bags up the stairs.

"You guys will be in my room along with Kagura and Kisa," Tohru said, breaking the silence.

"Kagura? Who's Kagura," Uo asked, looking around at the group.

"She's my cousin and she thinks that she's my girlfriend. She's a bit wacky. She'll beat you to death if she loves you," Kyo said grimly.

Uo laughed.

"Kisa? Isn't she the one who calls you 'sissy', Tohru," Hana asked, looking at Tohru with her head a bit to the side.

"Yeah, Kisa is like a little sister to me. I can't wait for you guys to meet her,"

Tohru squealed.

The doorbell rang again.

"I'll get it," Tohru said, running out of the living room.

She opened the front door and Hatori, Ayame, Kisa, Hiro, and Momiji filed into the front hallway.

"Happy Christmas, Tohru," Momiji said, smiling broadly.

"Happy Christmas, Sissy," Kisa said, hugging Tohru around the waist.

"Hey guys, Happy Christmas," Tohru said, patting Momiji on the head and hugging Kisa.

"Tohru," Ayame cried, "How wonderful to see you! Now where is my little brother?"

"He's in the living room," Tohru said pointing at the door behind her.

"Hey, Tohru, Happy Christmas," Hiro said.

"Happy Christmas to you, too, Hiro," Tohru said.

"Happy Christmas, Miss Honda," Hatori said, taking his coat off and hanging it in the closet.

Three more people appeared behind the group already congregated in the front hallway.

"Ritsu! Hatsuharu! Kagura! Hi," Tohru shouted, jumping up and down in an attempt to see them.

"Hey Tohru! Happy Christmas," Haru shouted.

"Tohru! Happy Christmas," Kagura shouted from next to Haru.

"I'm sooo sorry Tohru! Sooo sorry," Ritsu said, head in his hands.

Hana had come up behind Tohru.

"Who's the woman," She asked, looking at Ritsu.

"That's Ritsu, and Ritsu's a he, Hana-Chan."

"And the dark – haired one?"

"That's Kagura, the one Kyo told you about before."

"Ah."

Back in the living room, Ayame was embarrassing Yuki to death.

"Oh Little Yuki! You haven't changed much since I last saw you," Ayame exclaimed loudly, hugging his younger brother.

"You saw me two days ago, Ayame. Now will you please get off of me?"

"No, because you're my little brother and I'm glad!"

Yuki shoved Ayame back down onto the couch and walked out to the foyer to join Tohru.

"Hi Tohru," He said, coming up behind her and hugging her.

"Hey Yuki," She said turning around to face him.

He pulled her closer and swung back and forth with her in his arms.

"Hey, Tohru, where's Kyo," Kagura asked, peering intently around the front hall as though hoping to see him.

"He's...umm...in the living room," Tohru said uncertainly.

Meanwhile, in the living room...

"This is Uo, my girlfriend," Kyo said, to Momiji.

"Hey, Tohru, where's Kyo," Kagura's voice drifted in from the hall.

"Oh shit, we have to hide," Kyo said, grabbing Uo's hand and pulling her up the stairs.

They ran into his room and he closed the door behind them.

"Why are we hiding," Uo asked, looking confused.

"One word. Kagura," Kyo said grimly, plopping down on his bed.

Uo sat down next to him. It was very familiar to Kyo by now. She put his hand on his as they heard thudding on the stairs.

"Kyo-chaaannnn!!! Where are you," Kagura whined from the hall.

"You should hug me," Kyo whispered to Uo.

"What," She mouthed at him.

"Hug me."

She did, and whit a gigantic poof, Kyo the cat sat next to her on the bed.

The door opened and a tall girl with dark hair and a wildly swinging cat backpack hurried in.

"Oh Kyo, I knew," she started.

"Hi! I'm Arisa Uotani, and you must be Kagura Sohma," Uo said, trying to smile as best she could to comfort the girl.

"Hi," Kagura said, staring at Kyo, who had just climbed into Uo's lap.

"Kagura," Kyo growled dangerously.

"Kyo, but, but, why?"

"Kagura, you're my cousin, I'm not in love with you, I love Uo."

Kagura's lip trembled and she sniffed.

"Gonna transform," Kyo said, climbing back under his clothes.

Uo and Kagura covered their eyes with their hands. There was a gigantic poof and a cloud of smoke filled the room. Kyo redressed hastily and sat back down next to Uo.

"Kagura," he began.

"No Kyo, I don't want to hear it," she said.

She burst into tears and ran from the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Did I do something wrong," Uo asked, confused.

"No, of course not," Kyo said, putting his head on her shoulder and sighing.

Kagura was running down the stairs, tears in her eyes, and angry thoughts whirring through her head. She ran through the living room and into Shigure's office, shutting the door behind her. She heard footsteps outside the office.

"Kagura," she heard Tohru's voice from the other side of the door.

"Come in, Tohru," she said, drying her face off on her sweater.

Tohru walked in, closing the door behind her,

"What's wrong," she asked, sitting down next to Kagura.

"Kyo, he he," she began.

"Yes," Tohru said, putting a hand on Kagura's shoulder.

"He loves someone else," Kagura said, fresh tears streaming down her face.

Tohru went and fetched a box of tissues from Shigure's desk and sat back down next to Kagura, holding the box out for the crying girl.

"Th...th...Thanks," Kagura said through muffled sobs.

She pulled a tissue out of the box and blew her nose on it.

"I'm sorry; Kagura," Tohru began, "But I don't know what I can do to help."

"Oh, it's alright, no big deal," Kagura started, "I just want Kyo-kun to be happy."

---

An hour later, when the large group had been fed, it was time for present opening.

"Oh Tohru! Open mine first," Momiji cried, shoving a rectangular box covered in bunny rabbit paper under her nose.

Tohru took the box from Momiji and opened it.

She pushed aside a massive amount of tissue paper to reveal a pink photo album. She opened it. As she flipped through it she saw pictures of all the Sohmas, herself, and her friends. At the end, there was a picture of all the Sohmas grouped around the front gates with; she didn't believe it, Akito.

"Thank you so much Momiji," She cried, smiling broadly.

"So you like it then," the blonde haired boy asked.

"Oh yes," Tohru squealed, hugging the album to her chest.

Shigure, who was passing out the gifts to the group, paused as he reached Tohru.

"And these, "he said, plopping a large pile of boxes down next to her, "Are for you."

Tohru unwrapped the top box, which was from Yuki, to find new gardening gloves, a hat, and ribbons with her name embroidered on the ends.

"Aww Yuki! Thank you sooo much," Tohru squealed, hugging Yuki, who was sitting next to her.

"You're welcome, Tohru," he whispered in her ear.

By the time Tohru had finished unwrapping the pile of gifts, she was practically covered in wrapping paper.

Yuki smiled and picked it off Tohru in piles, revealing her smiling face.

(A/N: Fluff scene!!)

---

Later that night, Tohru walked down to the kitchen to get a glass of water and found Yuki sitting at the kitchen table.

"What's wrong, Yuki," she asked, bending over and looking into the refrigerator.

"Huh? Oh Tohru, it's only you. Nothing's wrong, "Yuki said, sighing.

"Really," Tohru asked, sitting down next to Yuki, "You can tell me anything, you know."

"Well," Yuki sighed, "Um. Was I too fast in asking you to marry me?"

Tohru considered before saying,

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Tohru paused, not wanting to sound rude , "Yes because we've been going out for less than a week, but no because I love you so much that I want to marry you."

"I love you so much," Yuki said, turning to face Tohru.

Tohru turned to face Yuki. He cupped her face in his hands and brought it closer to himself.

"I really, really, love you," Tohru whispered.

They kissed passionately, Yuki hugging Tohru closer to himself. Tohru put her arms around his neck. Yuki picked Tohru up, stood up, and carried her into the living room.

They sat down on the couch.

Tohru put her head on Yuki's shoulder. They watched the snow fly past the window. Then, Tohru snuggling into Yuki's shoulder fell asleep.

---

Monday morning dawned, cold and white. Tohru got up early. She wondered why she had slept on the couch, and then noticing Yuki, realized that they had both slept there. She stood up and walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

The house guests stumbled in one by one as Tohru was serving pancakes. When Tohru had sat down, she noticed that Kyo and Uo were missing from the group.

"I'll be right back," Tohru said to Yuki, standing up.

"Alright," Yuki said, looking at Tohru with a smile on his face.

Tohru walked upstairs and peered into all the bedrooms. When she had finally reached Kyo's room, she cautiously opened the door. She tiptoed inside and saw Uo lying on Kyo's bed, hugging an orange cat to her chest. Tohru smiled and walked back downstairs.

---

One hour later, Tohru stood on the porch, waving at the group of Sohmas heading away from the house.

Back in the living room, Kyo and Uo sat on the couch, watching Hana have a staring contest with Shigure.

"Should I go and make Shigure lose," Kyo whispered to Uo, who began to giggle.

"Yeah! That would be sooo funny," Uo said, smiling.

Kyo stood up and walked up behind Shigure. Uo gave him the thumbs-up and Kyo shouted,

"Hey Shigure! Ayame's back!"

"AYA? Where," Shigure said excitedly, turning to face Kyo, a look of utter glee on his face.

Kyo and Uo were both laughing hysterically at the look on Shigure's face. Hana continued to stare, until,

"You lose, Shigure," she said, dark eyes widening madly.

Yuki walked in, and noticing the group, Kyo and Uo laughing hysterically, Hana staring madly, and the disappointed look on Shigure's face, turned, saying,

"I don't think I want to know."

Yuki walked into the hallway just as Tohru closed the font door.

"Hi Tohru," Yuki said, walking over and hugging his girlfriend.

"Hey Yuki, do you feel like going to visit Mom with me," she asked, turning to face him.

"Did you say you were going to visit Kyoko-kun," Uo asked from the doorway to the living room.

"Yeah, I wanted to wish her a Happy Christmas and bring her flowers," Tohru said, smiling.

"I'll come if you're going to visit her," Hana said from behind Uo.

"What about you, Yuki," Tohru asked, looking at Yuki.

"I'll come and say hi to your mother," Yuki said, smiling calmly.

"You said you were going to visit Tohru's mother," Kyo asked, "If you are, I'd like to come."

"Sure! Why don't we all go," Tohru said, "The more, the merrier, right?"

So, the group set off, first to buy lowers, then visit Kyoko-kun's grave.

When they arrived at the cemetery, they noticed that the snow had been cleared from the graves.

They walked over to Kyoko's spot and knelt down before it.

"Happy Christmas, Mom," Tohru said, smiling up at the headstone.

She placed the bouquet of white lilies on the grave and stood up, allowing the others to pay their respects.

When they had all finished, Tohru suggested that they grab a quick lunch at a nearby café.

When they had finished eating lunch, the group walked back to Shigure's house so Uo and Hana could get their bags and head home.

A/N: Yay for cliffhangers! See you in chapter 9.