The insane musings of the authoress: The day I wrote this was the day my family and I went out to buy our Christmas tree (we have to buy a new one every year because we always get a real, living tree as opposed to an artificial one) which always makes me feel all happy and festive.

I wrote this to the sound of many Christmas songs being played on the TV, just after I had helped to decorate our Christmas tree. And that should indicate just how festive I was feeling : -)

Summary: Sonomi's away on business and Tomoyo's invited to help the Kinomotos purchase and decorate their Christmas tree. Then Sakura pulls out some mistletoe, and, well… Slightly silly but fluffy and festive Touya/Tomoyo Christmas oneshot.

Disclaimer: CCS is not mine.

For everyone I care about, all the people I'll see on Christmas Day, every person who is reading 'Butterflies' and 'Glass Roses', Lily, Jenny, Lisa, Roxie and Sylphie.

Here's to a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year - have a great holiday no matter what religion you are!

Decorating

It was her favourite kind of day. A winter's eve in early December, the night fell with darkness; crisp and cold as it cloaked everything. Lights shone merrily through the cracks in the drawn curtains of the windows of the houses outside her own, and various Christmas lights giggled and winked in corners, flirting with the darkness in snow-covered gardens.

She was to be glanced in a light-filled window of her own, trying vainly to hang a string of lights upon a tree that, no matter how much she squinted and pulled at it, refused to look even slightly fitting.

With a sigh, she ripped the decorations from it, deciding that the minimalist style she had been going for simply couldn't be achieved. She frowned at the crate of decorations her mother had (perhaps unwisely) left her with and stood looking at them, her hands on her hips.

Then she walked over to it, pulling out various sparkly items and examining them.

"Well," she said to herself, "I do suppose the whole lot shall have to go on."

And she proceeded, with much delight, to adorn the huge Christmas tree with every item that was in the crate.

She surveyed it with a chuckle when she done - it looked positively dreadful. She had purposefully created what Sakura fondly called a 'car-crash Christmas tree' - so named because the purpose was to make the tree look as though it had been in a car-crash with a box of decorations.

Fujitaka, Touya and Sakura used to have their tree that way every year - Fujitaka had absolutely no clue as to how to decorate a tree, so he simply helped his children throw every decoration of Nadeshiko's onto the tree in the most haphazard fashion possible.

She remembered helping them some years, laughing along with Sakura as they tried to create a 'tree even more ghastly and horrid than last year's'. Later she realised that Touya had a habit of waiting to bring down the box of decorations from the loft until Tomoyo was around. Perhaps he noticed that Tomoyo enjoyed decorating with them. He was observant, at any rate.

Anyway, she always preferred the Kinomoto's mess of a tree to her mother's effort - it looked the same every year, every single decoration color-coordinated with the others, and Tomoyo was told exactly where she had to place each item.

The Daidouji Christmas tree was, in Tomoyo's opinion; cold with its minimalist silver-coloured decorations hung in perfect circles. In stark contrast, the Kinomoto's tree seemed to exude warmth and a feeling of family.

Tomoyo sighed and sat down. She was taking another good, long look at her tree when the phone rang.

"Hello, Daidouji Tomoyo speaking," she answered almost distractedly.

"Tomoyo-chan, it's Sakura!" Sakura introduced herself chirpily as always, even though it wasn't necessary as Tomoyo would know Sakura's voice anywhere. Immediately Tomoyo became more focused.

"Sakura-chan!" she answered. "How are you?"

"Fine, as ever," Sakura replied. "Listen, Tomoyo-chan, I was just calling because Onii-chan asked me to ask you -" there was a sudden shout of "ow! Onii-chan, why did you step on my foot?!"

Sakura gave an annoyed sigh then returned to Tomoyo.

"Anyway, Tomoyo-chan, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, Onii-chan asked me to ask you if you would like to come with us to buy our tree."

Tomoyo spluttered.

"You haven't bought your tree yet?! Sakura-chan, it's nine PM! Where are you going to go for a tree at this hour?"

Sakura laughed.

"Calm down, Tomoyo-chan, you worry too much! There's that big garden superstore a couple of miles away that stays open until midnight, remember? We'd really like it if you came, then you helped us decorate it."

Tomoyo beamed.

"Of course I'd love to!" she said brightly. On the other end of the phone, Sakura smiled.

"Great! We're all getting in the car now, we'll come pick you up at your house, okay?"

…

"How about this one?" Sakura asked as she pointed to a tall one, all wrapped up in netting.

"But we don't know how big that one is," Tomoyo fretted, "we could get it home and open it up only to find that the branches are very wide…"

Touya grinned.

"Aw, Tomoyo-san, not a fan of surprises, huh?" he asked. Tomoyo smiled.

"Not unless they are good surprises, and this one might turn out bad!" she replied.

"Tomoyo-chan has a point," Sakura said, her finger on her chin.

"I suppose we have to pick one that's wrapped up anyway, so you can carry it," Tomoyo said to Touya. Touya shrugged.

"I should be able to carry it okay, even if it's not wrapped up," he said.

"But won't it be harder?" Tomoyo pointed out. "I mean, if it's not wrapped up, won't the branches… Poke you?"

Touya laughed.

"Probably, but it's not like I have to carry it for long - I've just got to get it out of the store and into the back of the car."

"So, basically, you girls can pick whichever one you like," Fujitaka said warmly to Sakura and Tomoyo.

…

"What about that one?" Sakura asked Tomoyo wearily as the four of them walked among the trees. It was the thirtieth tree somebody had suggested. Tomoyo stopped and scrutinised it.

"Isn't it too tall?" she asked. Sakura sighed.

"Yeah, you're right… Mou, this is making my head spin! There are so many different types… Norwegian Spruce, Norwegian Bobbed Fur, Blue Needle, ones that drop lots of needles and ones that don't, tall ones, short ones, ones with lots of branches, ones with fewer branches, ones with longer needles, ones with shorter needles, ones that are dark green, ones that are light green and ones that are a kind of funny blueish color…"

"Maybe we should just pick one at random," Tomoyo suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea," Touya said. Fujitaka nodded.

"Okay, so you close your eyes, Sakura-chan, and reach out with your hands. The first tree you touch, we take home," Tomoyo said decisively. Everyone nodded and Sakura closed her eyes.

She reached forward blindly and tapped a tree, then opened her eyes. Her expression immediately soured as she wailed, "we can't have this one! It's that funny blue colour!"

"Plus it's too tall," Tomoyo pointed out.

"Also, girls, I was hoping you could pick one that dropped as few needles as possible…" Fujitaka said.

"And," Touya said, a smile twitching at his lips, "I'm sorry, but it's just… Funny-looking."

…

"If we don't find one soon, I'm either going to scream or cry," Sakura said decisively. Tomoyo sighed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm inclined to agree," she said wearily.

Then she stopped.

"That one," she said suddenly, pointing to one, "we have to have it."

…

"You two," Touya said to Sakura and Tomoyo, fighting a laugh as he carried the tree to the checkout with the other three, "are two of the biggest saps I have ever met."

Tomoyo and Sakura blushed.

"Oh, but Touya-san, it was all by itself!" Tomoyo protested.

"Yes, it was lonely!" Sakura said.

Touya rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

"I, personally, would have liked a tree with no brown bits," he said.

"But, Touya-san, that just… Shows it's mature! And I bet trees get better with age, just like wines!" Tomoyo said cheerfully.

Touya shook his head, bemused.

"The trunk isn't straight and it's a little short," he continued. A challenging glint came into Tomoyo's eyes.

"Size," she said, "doesn't matter."

Touya blushed when he realised what he had said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it in a derogatory way," he apologised, as Tomoyo was… Well, shorter than average. Shorter, even, than Sakura.

Now his eyes were glinting, but it was teasing.

"Besides, I'm sure you don't say that size doesn't matter in all aspects of life," he said, raising an eyebrow so as to leave Tomoyo in absolutely no doubt as to what he was talking about.

Tomoyo choked on her own saliva.

"Kinomoto Touya-san!" she gasped, and she looked back worriedly to see what Sakura and Fujitaka were making of this.

They were; of course, smiling as usual as everything whizzed over their heads.

It must, sometimes, Tomoyo mused, be nice to be completely oblivious.

…

"This tree," Touya said as he heaved it off his shoulder and on to the floor of the Kinomotos' house, "weighs a ton, actually."

Tomoyo mused that you wouldn't have known that, by the way he carried it so easily.

"Now," Fujitaka said cheerfully as he brandished a pair of scissors, "time to cut the netting!"

Sakura took the scissors off her father and Touya slid the tree into its holder in preparation. She began to slit the netting, and when she was done, everyone was speechless.

"That," Tomoyo said finally, breaking the stunned silence, "is the fattest tree I have ever seen."

"Well," Touya said, "that's the first time I've ever seen a tree explode out of its wrapping."

"It's enormous…" Fujitaka said in horror. "It's going to take over the living room."

Sakura grinned sheepishly.

"That's the last time we buy a tree without seeing it unwrapped first."

…

After Touya had brought down the decorations from the loft, the four of them decorated the enormous tree cheerfully and noisily.

After a few minutes of arranging tinsel haphazardly on the tree, Tomoyo decided that her hair was bothering her, so she attempted to tie it back with a short piece of tinsel. However, as she couldn't see properly, she wasn't being successful, so Touya offered to do it for her.

This unexpected bit of kindness made Tomoyo blush, but she nodded wordlessly and thrust the piece of tinsel at him, turning her back. He scooped her long hair in one hand and tied the tinsel quickly. Tomoyo felt his rough hands brush the sensitive skin at the back of her neck more than once, and she cursed her pale skin, which she was sure was bright red.

"There," he murmured when he was done, resting his large hands gently on her shoulders, "very festive."

"Thanks," Tomoyo squeaked.

…

"I think that's the tree finished," Sakura announced as she surveyed their handiwork.

"It's absolutely garish!" she said happily. "Well done!"

Everyone smiled at her.

"But we still have to put up some other decorations around the house, so will you open up that box over there, and we'll get started?" she continued.

…

"Tomoyo-chan, will you take this mistletoe and hang it up above the doorframe of the… Uh… Front door?" Sakura asked her best friend. Tomoyo nodded and picked up a sprig of the plant.

"Oh, and Onii-chan, will you go… Um… Help her?" Sakura requested. Touya narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but he meekly followed Tomoyo.

…

"This is one occasion where I wish I was taller!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she stood on tiptoes to try to reach. Touya smiled at her efforts.

"Here," he said, taking the plant from her, "I'll do it."

Effortlessly, he stuck the plant to the doorframe.

"Thanks," Tomoyo said gratefully. Then Sakura walked past, carrying a string of lights.

"You know," she remarked idly, "it looks to me as though you two are under the mistletoe…"

Tomoyo blushed.

"Oh, Sakura-chan, don't be silly, I…"

But before she could finish protesting, Touya had swooped in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"…couldn't… Possibly…" she finished, looking stunned. She glanced, shocked, at Touya, who was smiling mischievously.

Sakura was grinning. Rather scarily.

…

"Oh, Touya-san, I -" Tomoyo began when Touya opened the bathroom door, only to find Tomoyo outside it, trying to hang more mistletoe above the doorframe. She was standing on a small stepladder and looked apologetic.

"- I'm sorry. Sakura-chan got me to hang up more of this and I didn't know you were in the bathroom. It must be disturbing to know that I was hanging around outside…."

At that point, Sakura managed, miraculously, to be simply 'passing by', and she said, "it looks to me as though some people are under the mistletoe again…"

Touya and Tomoyo sighed and faced each other. Touya made to kiss Tomoyo's cheek, but Sakura interrupted.

"Oh no, since this is the second time, I insist upon mouth-to-mouth!" Sakura trilled.

"What, you want me to give her CPR?" Touya asked sarcastically. Sakura's eyes narrowed, and Tomoyo couldn't help but giggle at her expression.

"You know what I mean."

Touya did, so he turned to Tomoyo again.

"I apologise in advance for this," Touya muttered.

The one thought going through Tomoyo's mind was 'why apologise?' as her eyes fell closed.

At first the kiss was just a soft brush, but then Touya's pressure on Tomoyo's lips increased and she mewed softly when he coaxed her mouth open. Somehow his hands were grasping her shoulders. When she felt the first tentative flutter of his tongue against hers, Tomoyo wanted to gasp.

However, the tensing in her shoulders must have alerted Touya to the fact that he was being extremely inappropriate, and he stopped. Rather abruptly.

Tomoyo tried to ignore the fact that she was immensely disappointed and tried not to blush. She failed miserably.

Sakura whistled.

"I know I said mouth-to-mouth, but I didn't say anything about tongue-to-tongue!"

"Shut up, Kaijou," he growled.

Tomoyo wondered how he could manage to sound sexy when he was scolding his sister.

She resisted the urge to beat herself over the head with something. With great difficulty.

…

Tomoyo was hanging tinsel (A.N. Sakura has run out of mistletoe, besides Touya would kill her if she gave Tomoyo any more : -) ) in a room when Touya entered. Her eyes widened and she tried to look busy, averting her gaze from him hurriedly.

She heard Touya sigh. Wait a minute, he seemed to be walking towards her! Her breathing quickened, but she tried to look calm and unruffled.

When he reached her, he took the tinsel out of her hands and dropped it to the floor. She looked up at him, eyes wide.

"T-Touya-san?" she said quickly, questioningly, but she was saved from having to formulate an actual sentence by the fact that Touya's hands were suddenly on her shoulders and he was backing her up against the wall.

When her back hit the wall and she looked up at him with those shocked eyes, he gave a little smile.

"Don't look so scared, Tomoyo-san. I'm not going to eat you."

He paused for a moment, then grinned.

"Well, not quite."

He leaned in to her, and she could feel his breath on her face. Just before his lips reached hers, she gave a wicked little smile of her own and murmured, "oh, but Touya-san, there isn't even any mistletoe."

That gorgeous grin was flashed at her again.

"Screw mistletoe," he growled.

From her hiding place, Sakura smiled at the sight she could see through the lens of Tomoyo's trusty video camera and thought that mistletoe was definitely effective.

…

A.N. - I think the raving Touya-fangirl part of me came out a little bit there ((sweatdrops)) Is it glaringly obvious that, in my head, I switched myself with Tomoyo at some points? ((grins))

It must be because I've been starved of writing Touya lately - he doesn't exactly have enormous parts in 'Glass Roses' and 'Butterflies'.

This kind of reads like two fics in one, I have just noticed. I think it must be because I actually wrote the first few hundred words last August (yes, seriously) and the fic sort of went in a different direction than I had planned.

Anyway, if you haven't drowned in the fluff, please leave a review, and Merry Christmas!

Shattered Midnight Dreams…zzz…

Because life's like that sometimes…