Liquorice Allsorts

Hello all and Season's Greetings!

'Liquorice Allsorts' is basically a collection of short stories centered around the CCS characters, based on happenings in their everyday lives. Anything from going to the dentist to, as this one is actually about, a Christmas celebration…D

I was going to start this sometime next year, but then I got the idea for a Christmas themed one and thought I might as well post this one up before it goes out of season. So, this one is in Syaoran's POV and it's basically his account of a less than jolly Christmas ~_^

Once again many thanks to my wonderful proof reader/editor Bunni whom whipped this story into better shape than what is was in it's first draft. ^-^

Anyway, you all know I don't own anything, so enjoy!

'Tis the Season…

~~~~~~

Snow fell and coated the ground in an almost luminescent carpet of white. My breath hung in the air like a mist as I trudged through the ankle high snow towards Sakura's house and the Christmas party that was being held there this year. Last year it was at Tomoyo's; an over-the-top (I admit to no one but myself) event true to Tomoyo's style. She had thought it cute that Eriol had enchanted a piece of mistletoe to appear above my head every time I was standing next to Sakura. Sakura got upset because she thought that I was intentionally trying to avoid her all night. Which I was, but not for the reason she thought. I was just trying to spare us the embarrassment. This year I had more than Eriol and Tomoyo's antics to worry about. I had something much worse.

Touya.

Oh yes. 'Tis the season to be afraid.

Very afraid.

I stopped at the gate and looked up at the twinkling lights framing the windows. Laughter and music could be heard drifting from inside. It sounded like everyone was having a good time. I breathed out a sigh, waited until my breath disappeared from the air and walked up to the front door and rang the bell. There was a brief pause in the conversations going on inside, then a cheerful voice said above the din. "I'll get it!" With a bit of a sigh I realised that it was Sakura and was relieved that she would answer the door instead of her neurotic brother. Then I heard him speak up. "Who is it?"

Her answering voice was a little sarcastic. "I won't know until I answer the door Touya." I smiled

at that. That's my girl.

I saw the curtain covering the window move as a head looked out, but I couldn't see who it was because they pulled back quickly and announced that "It's Syaoran!"

I can only guess what happened next, but I imagine that Touya was none too pleased with that announcement and tried to stop Sakura from answering the door.

Even if it meant by force.

I heard the fast thudding of footsteps followed by a second heavier pair and a "Touya, let go of

me…" as well as a bit of a struggle. I jumped back as the door swung open and Sakura fell out, slammed the door shut behind her and leaned against it panting and looking a little flushed.

"(panting) Hi! Syaoran! Merry-" She grabbed the door handle and held it still when it started to rattle. "Merry Christmas!"

"Uh, Merry Christmas Sakura. Umm…" Ignoring the thumps coming from the door I held out the green box on top of the pile I was carrying. "Here…" The box was full of cookies I had made in an odd burst of Christmas spirit. She beamed and peaked open a corner to look at them. "Oh, they look great!" She tightened her grip on the door handle and held up her other hand. "Umm, if you could just hold those a second longer for me…"

I nodded unsure of what she was going to do then jumped slightly when she turned and kicked the door… hard. There was a soft thump, as if someone who may have been eavesdropping against the door had just fallen to the ground. She turned back to me and grinned as she took the box with one hand and opened the door with the other. Touya was in a heap amongst several pairs of shoes rubbing his head. Sakura merely ignored him and stepped over his grounded body and led me down the hall.

"I'll just go put these on a tray, everyone is in the lounge room if you want to join them." I nodded and watched her enter the kitchen and was about to turn towards the lounge when a hand grabbed me none too gently on the shoulder and frog-marched me upstairs. I was pushed against the wall and an angry looking Touya (with a small bruise starting to show on his forehead) glared down at me.

"Err… Hi Touya… umm" I gulped and squeaked. "Merry Christmas?"

He sneered at me and grabbed me by the front of my shirt. "Now you listen to me gaki, it's not going to be a very Merry Christmas for you if we don't get a few things straight." He stuck a forefinger up, almost poking me in the eye. "Under no circumstances do you go anywhere alone with my sister. I don't care if she asks you to help her do something. I don't care if it's part of a stupid game. I don't care if it's to save the whole damn planet. You go nowhere with her unless it's also with me. Second," I had to jerk out the way when he almost stuck the second finger in my other eye. "You will not come into any physical contact with her. Even if we're all in a room and you want to hold her hand behind a box or a wall or whatever. DON'T, because I will know. Don't ask how I will know, I will just know and I will remove whatever part of you is touching her. Thirdly," I eyed the three fingers wavering dangerously close to my nostrils "You will notice that I have removed every last piece of mistletoe in the house. If I find any, I will burn it. If I find you brought some, I will burn you. If that idiot ancestor of yours decides to pull some out of his freaking Santa hat, I will burn him and you."

His eyes danced looking satanic. "No mistletoe means you can't try and get your dirty little mouth anywhere near my sister. No mistletoe means you survive the night."

Perhaps it was the adrenaline fueled by total and utter fear that made me say it. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen. Whatever it was…it was very very stupid. "Gee, that's quite a sacrifice for you Touya considering Yukito's here."

He growled and banged me up against the wall. I felt my feet leave the ground. "Now you listen here-"

"Touya! Syaoran! Are you two up there?"

I let out a silent breath of relief. Sakura, you are truly an angel of mercy.

Touya let me go and I dropped to the ground, only just managing to gain my balance before falling on my face. He stuck his forefinger in my face again, "Remember what I said gaki" He turned around and called out. "Yeah, keep your voice down monster, we don't want to cause an avalanche"

I leaned against the wall to catch my breath and to compose myself. That has got to be the scariest thing that's ever happened to me…"Syaoran, are you alright?"

I opened my eyes to see a worried Sakura hovering in front of me. I blushed and stuttered an answer. "y-y-y-Yeah…I'm-I'm ahhh…" I had been avoiding looking at her face, only to see Touya at the top of the stairs glaring at me and doing the 'cut-throat' motion with his finger. I swallowed. "Umm, I'm fine Sakura…just fine…let's-let's go downstairs shall we." She eyed me suspiciously, then turned around to look behind her. Touya had disappeared. She just shrugged and smiled then looked back at me. "Well come on, you better go say hello to everyone!"

~~~~~

I was beginning to think that maybe Sakura didn't quite like me as much as she used to. In fact, I think she wanted to see me get very very hurt. You see I followed her into the lounge room, said hello to all my friends and took the seat on the couch that she offered.

Then she sat next to me.

I could feel Touya's glare from across the room even before he came and sat on my other side to make sure I wasn't up to any 'funny business.' Sakura picked up one of the cookies I had made and took a bite. "Mmm! These are delicious Syaoran, you've got to show me how to make these sometime."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Umm…I'll-I'll write down the recipe for you…"

She pouted. "Oh but I can never do things right from a recipe, you have to show me."

"Um-Um-Um" My eyes looked everywhere but at Sakura. I saw Tomoyo, Eriol and Rika, who had leaned forward to try a cookie, pause to listen to what was going to happen next. I felt Sakura put her hand on my arm and say in a pleading voice. "Oh come on Syaoran, PLEASE?" I didn't dare look at her face because I knew she would be pouting and I knew that I would say yes and then I was as good as dead. A menacing voice hissed in my ear. "Remember condition number one gaki."

I gulped again (I noticed I was doing that a lot lately.) and went to pick up a cookie so that Sakura had to let go of my arm. "Um well maybe I could sometime-" "and condition number two"

"-if I wasn't already so busy…umm I guess we'll have to take a rain check on that."

Her disappointed "Oh…alright then" didn't make me feel any better but at least I'd be alive for 5 more minutes. But to make sure I didn't get an more 'bad ideas' Touya leant forward and picked up a cookie shaped like Santa Claus, gave me a pointed look then pointedly bit Santa's head off.

I changed my mind. That was the scariest thing I've ever seen…

It was soon time for dinner and we all headed towards the festively decorated table. Touya was at the head of the table; I was on his left Sakura was on his right. Yukito, Tomoyo, Eriol, Rika, Chiharu, Naoko, Yamazaki, Tomoyo's Mum and Sakura's Dad filled up the rest of the seats. The girls minus Tomoyo's mum all brought out the food and everyone 'ooh'd' and 'aah'd' at the turkey that was brought out last and was placed in front of Touya. I relaxed slightly as I thought that he couldn't possibly try anything in front of all these people and Sakura was on the other side of the table so it wasn't possible for us to accidentally come in contact with each other. I risked a smile then felt my stomach jump into my throat when a noise that sounded very much like a small chainsaw suddenly started up right next to my ear.

Touya had an electric carving knife.

And he was glaring at me as he carved the turkey with said electric carving knife.

He was very good with using the electric carving knife.

I jumped again as he pulled out the carving fork and stabbed the turkey again with a bit more force than was necessary and started to carve the other side, all the while watching me out of the corner of his eye like a hawk watching its next meal.

Then I froze as I felt something on my foot. It took me a while to figure out what it was but when I figured it out it scared me more than Touya carving the turkey.

Someone was playing 'footsie' with me.

A socked foot was playfully tapping my socked foot. I fought down a blush and tried to think rationally. It definitely wouldn't be Touya. He'd rather perform open-heart surgery on himself with a blunt plastic spoon than play 'footsie' with me (of which I am infinitely grateful) so he's out. And the only other people that could reach were Sakura and Rika, and possibly Tomoyo but she seemed too engrossed in a conversation with Eriol to be playing silly games with me. I didn't think it was Rika either, and a quick glance down confirmed my thoughts. Her feet were hooked around the legs of her chair. So that left only one option.

My worst fears were coming true.

Sakura hated me.

Heck, she was pretty much signing my death warrant as we speak.

I tried to think rationally again. Maybe…maybe she didn't know she was doing it to me. Maybe she thought she was just tapping her foot against the table leg or something. Yeah, that's it…it's gotta be. She wouldn't willingly throw me into the metaphorical fire now would she?

But what was I supposed to do now? I couldn't push her foot away because then she'd get embarrassed and she'd blush and then I'd blush and then everyone would be spending the rest of Christmas picking my freshly decapitated bits off the ceiling.

Oh, I just want to curl up into a little ball in the corner and cry my eyes out.

I really hoped that Touya wouldn't clue in to what was happening. Somehow he would see it as 'all my fault'. Everything was 'all my fault'. He even tried to blame me on the cold that Sakura got a few weeks ago. Said something about me being a 'stupid diseased gaki'. Really, now he's just scraping the barrel for an excuse, any excuse for me to stay away from Sakura. Ha. He really needs to get a life…or some therapy, whichever comes first.

The food was served but before anyone started to eat Sonomi announced that we should each open our Christmas crackers first. Sakura reached over and held hers to me. "Here Syaoran, pull!" I hesitantly raised my arm and pulled on the end of the cracker, keeping an eye on Touya and the various instruments of pain at his disposal (otherwise known as cutlery) in case he decides that my arm was being too suggestive and goes to hack that off. The air filled with various loud cracks and laughter as the silly hats were distributed and the really bad jokes were shared. I placed the brightly coloured hat on the table, not really wanting to put it on. Sakura, her hat falling over her eyes because it was a few sizes too big smiled and stood up.

"You've got to wear your hat Syaoran, it's tradition!"

Before I could protest she picked it up and placed it on my head. It immediately fell over my eyes. I heard her giggle as she pushed it up so I could see. She smiled and brushed some of my hair to the side when it got pushed down by the hat. "There, much better." I tried not to blush at the contact because I really wanted to keep my head attached to my shoulders and the hand that was closest to the carver was starting to twitch. I gulped and looked over to the others at the table. Maybe if I didn't look at her the rest of the night, I won't blush. If I don't blush Mr. Neurotic won't think I'm doing something bad and then Mr. Neurotic won't try and disembowel me with that candy cane he's eyeing.

For the rest of the meal, and then through to deserts afterwards I figured I was pretty safe though. Touya hadn't clued in on the 'footsie' thing yet (of which stopped when Sakura got up to adjust my hat and I had quickly tucked my feet under my chair.) And because he had never said anything about talking to Sakura, I was able to carry on a conversation with her right through to the end of deserts when it was announced that we should all open the presents we had brought each other. We had done a 'Secret Santa' this year and although I had pulled Eriol's name out of a hat, I had still brought something for Sakura anyway. I had planned to give it to her tonight, but on second thoughts, (and also due to the current developments) I decided it would probably be safer to wait until later when Touya was gone.

I had spent a lot of time on Sakura's present. Made it from scratch. I had to whittle for goodness sake. (I've still got the splinters to prove it)

I had made her a music box. The box itself was wood and I had carved various designs on it. Then, with the use of a bit of my magic and a self-sustaining spell; whenever you opened the box up, a small glowing star would rise up about an inch and a tune would play. I'm going to blush like an idiot when it comes to giving it to her. Which of course brings us back to Mr. Neurotic. He'd probably think the star is too suggestive and I really didn't want all that work to go down the drain. We were walking into the lounge room when I was once again pulled back and pushed back upstairs.

I was trying to imagine just what Touya was going to use to detach my limbs when I was gently pushed into Sakura's room. I heard a click behind me, telling me the door was locked and that the only way out was out the window…which was iced over and probably next to impossible to open. I gulped and wondered if perhaps Touya was going to leave my bloodied corpse on the floor of Sakura's room as a warning to anyone trying to pursue his little sister. I turned to face my persecutor to see if maybe I could reason with him…and came face to face with a smiling Sakura. I blinked.

"Umm…Sakura…what are we doing up here…you're brother…he's…he's…he's going to kill me if

he finds me up here with you"

She merely giggled and said. "Oh, you're so silly Syaoran, he isn't going to kill you."

I was starting to get a little hysterical "Oh yes he is. He's going to freak when he-what are you doing?"

She was pulling stuff out of her pockets and dumping the contents on the bed. "I'm just looking for something…where did I put it…" A tissue, a packet of gum and a few loose gum wrappers were deposited until in a triumphant cry she unearthed…

…a sprig of mistletoe.

I felt the colour drain out of my face. My voice came out in a strangled squeak. "Why do you hate me so much?"

She just looked confused. "Syaoran, what do you mean hate you. Of course I don't hate you!"

Now I was getting hysterical. "Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Then why were you playing 'footsie' with me at the table right under Touya's nose, and and and before! You kept insisting that I personally show you how to make those cookies when Touya was right next to us. What else am I supposed to think except that you want me chopped up and shipped all over the planet so that there is no chance that I could ever be put back together?? WHY? WHY?" By this point I was on my knees. Sakura blinked and her face drained of colour. "That was you?!" Then her face went an interesting red colour. "I-I-I-I thought that was the table leg…" She covered her mouth with her hand…then started to giggle. "Actually…that's kinda funny…"

I think a vein in my neck started to show. "Funny?! Oh and I suppose me being decapitated is going to be a real riot now isn't it."

She stopped giggling and gave me a semi serious look. "Syaoran, why do you keep saying you're going to get decapitated." She frowned. "It's not very festive you know."

So I explained. I told her about the 'conditions', I told her about the death threats and the glares and she listened to all this with a slightly amused look on her face at first, then shock, followed lastly by anger.

She patted me on the back as she sat next to me on the bed. "Oh Syaoran I'm so sorry, I didn't know. You should have told me."

"I couldn't, you're brother had me under constant surveillance and he's probably going to torture me before he kills me now that I've told you."

"Oh no he won't, he'll have to get through me first." I watched as she stood then pulled me up and pushed me gently towards the door. "Come on, everyone will probably be wondering where we are." I hesitated as she reached for the door. "What are you going to do?"

"Oh, Touya and I are just going to have a little chat. Just call it an early Christmas present from me to you" She nodded at a neatly wrapped box sitting on her desk next to a snoring Kero. "I was going to give you you're present now, but I think you need this more." She reached up and pulled me into a short kiss, then reached for the door and pushed me out.

I bumped headfirst into Touya.

"Um-Um-Um I can explain."

His teeth were so clenched that I had to strain my ears to understand what he was saying. "Save your excuses gaki, I gave you those conditions so that you -OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!"

Sakura pulled down on Touya's ear a bit more so that she didn't have to walk on tiptoes and turned to me as she walked down the hall. "I'll see you downstairs Syaoran. Come on brother dear, we need to have a little chat."

I was in awe of the 5 foot something petite girl dragging the 6 foot something stocky man down the hall, then down the stairs with only a minimal amount of effort. I watched as she all but threw Touya bodily into the kitchen. I didn't know how long they were going to be 'chatting', so I went into the lounge room with the others. Eriol was wearing the giant pointy novelty wizards hat I had brought him with a silly grin on his face and Tomoyo was modeling the black stealth gear Rika had made her (black balaclava, black gloves and a black jumper). I had just opened my present from Yamazaki (a book on tall tales and urban legends) when a slightly broody looking Touya walked out.

"Syaoran, can I speak to you in the kitchen for a minute please."

I wasn't sure what unnerved me the most. The fact that he said my name or the fact that he said please. I'd have preferred it if he had just stuck to 'gaki'. At least I knew where I stood with 'gaki'.

I placed the book aside and walked slowly into the kitchen. Sakura was standing by the bench with her arms crossed and a small smile on her face. Touya stood next to her, gave her a long look when I entered which she returned (with a bit of a glare added in I noticed) and he sighed and looked straight at me. "Syaoran, I'm sorry I made this evening uncomfortable for you and Sakura. I am a mature adult and realise that Sakura is old enough to make her own decisions about who she sees." His head twitched like he was having trouble stomaching the words he was saying…or as if they were causing physical pain merely being said. "To make those conditions and death threats was incredibly immature of me and it shall never happen again." His nose wrinkled in obvious disgust. I tried not to laugh. "Please accept my" he paused and looked like he was in pain again and it wasn't until Sakura elbowed him in the side that he continued, "sincerest apologies. I will leave you alone in the future and never stick my big nose in something that clearly isn't any of my business." I had to bite my lip at the 'my big nose' bit. Sakura just caught my eye and smirked a bit more. If I wasn't so scared of Touya going back on his word (after all, he looked like he was only holding onto his sanity and/or anger by the very tips of his fingers) I would have gone right ahead and kissed her.

"Right, shake hands you two and we can get back to the party." She looked from my suddenly panicked expression and glared slightly up at Touya. "And if I find that Syaoran has lost any feeling or function in his hand that you are about to shake, I'll do something much worse than what we discussed earlier." Touya's face went white then he marched stiffly forward, quickly shook my hand, tried to say another apology but choked on the words halfway so what he actually said was something like 'I'erm Sorggy'. I put my hand to my mouth and coughed, "Uhh…yeah okay…no problem". Touya nodded stiffly, turned on the spot and marched out the kitchen. I turned to Sakura. "So" I rocked on my heels and gave her an innocent expression. "What exactly did you say to him?"

She examined her fingernails and replied rather cryptically. "Oh, I just happen to know his weaknesses and how to use them to my advantage. And that's all I'm going to say." She interlocked her arm with mine. "Ready to go back to the party?"

"…yeah…but first…can you tell me what you were going to do to him?"

"No"

"Please?"

"No"

"I'll love you forever and ever"

"Nope, that's not going to work."

"It's not?"

"No, because I know you love me whether I tell you or not."

"Oh…Can't you give me a just a little hint…"

"Syaoran?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Shut up."

~~~~~~

The End ^_^

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SO, what did you think? Hehehe…Please review!

I probably won't have another out for a while because I really need to get to work on the next chapter of 'Sakura and the Wolf' (which is currently about 8 pages long and still going) and then I want to get started on a new story which I've wanted to do for ages (and get this…it's a DRAMA!!!) I'm actually going to attempt a serious fic (shock horror) well…there will probably be a bit of humour in it, but it's definitely going to be mainly serious and a bit (okay a lot) darker than any of my pervious fics) ooh, I can't wait!! Anywho, I gotta run, don't forget to review and ciao till later!!

StarDragon ^-^