Chapter Twenty-One
Yup another chapter. Please forgive any variations with Honey's name, or maybe it's Hunny. I can't remeber. Question does Mori's raccoon have a name? I haven't seen one mentioned in the manga, I left it out since I couldn't find it.
Please enjoy!
Haruhi yawned. Christmas holiday was always such a bother. There was such a waste of paper, and dishes, and then her father was out with his friends enjoying the holiday. She liked it better this way, because he wasn't trying to fawn over her or over react to their lack of gifts. She didn't like a lot of gifts.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
She contemplated getting up out of the chair. She had spent most of the morning getting her chores down, and the break had allowed for her to cease her studies. She was going to sit in the silence and watch re runs of the holiday specials.
"HARUHI! PLEASE LET ME IN! THE WOLVES ARE OUT HERE! I CAN"T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!'
"Fine. Fine." Haruhi sighed, getting out of the chair and walking over to the door, as she undid the locks as a half frozen Mikan stumbled through.
"My god is this- is this heaven?"
"No. Now get your ass through the door I'm freezing." Kagame ordered as she gave Mikan a kick, Mikan crawled forward followed by her other sister Ayumi, and her two younger brothers.
"Did you bring your whole family?" Haruhi asked as they filtered in glancing around the small apartment.
"Mom plus grandma equals bad idea." Kagame sighed, "I had to save them from the horrors."
"Oh, Kagame stop being such a drama queen." Ayumi scolded, brushing herself off, "Our heats off, and since you're the only one close enough we decided to come here."
"Where are your mother and her parents?" Haruhi started
"At their house." Kagame answered quickly, "But I couldn't stand another minute of my mother's bickering with my grandmother, and I decided to get out before I killed myself. We're only stopping by, because Mikan said you and her had plans."
"We do?" Haruhi started as Mikan grinned.
"Yeah, remember, we were going to go to Tamaki's house-"
"Tamaki is out of town. He and Kyoya have gone skiing."
"Oh well then the twins," She began again.
"Are in France with their mother"
"Um then Honey-"
"Is in the tropics with his brother." Haruhi finished, "Everyone went away for Christmas, don't you remember."
"No." Mikan sighed, "Honey and Mori must be having a great time in the sun, or the Twins in France, or even Tamaki-well maybe not Tamaki."
"Actually Mori didn't go with Honey this year." Haruhi corrected, "Don't you remember how much of a fuss there was at lunch-"
"No." Mikan blinked as she suddenly smiled, "Kagame we're going to Mori's!"
Haruhi glanced behind her, "Eh! What are you doing?"
"Cleaning for you," Kagame answered as she put away the last of the dishes, "I have to do something to keep myself busy while we wait for you two to decide on something."
"Look it's like our first house." Sho and Jun cried, "Only without the cabinet."
"You slept in a cabinet."
"No they didn't." Kagame corrected, "Are you two ready?"
"To Mori's!" Mikan announced grabbing Haruhi's hand,"Come on, lets' go."
"But it will be rude if we don't call." Haruhi started, even as she tugged on her winter jacket, as if she knew Mikan, like the other host club member lack boundaries when it came to calling on people.
"Nah tis cool. I called before, he said its fine." Mikan answered, as she reopened the door and a rush of snow blew in, "its pretty cold outside."
"No kidding." Haruhi answered making her way slowly outside as Ayumi and her brother's shoved past them, "The door."
"Kagame's got it." Mikan answered, as there was thump and the door closed.
"So much for a quiet afternoon," Haruhi muttered to herself, but her grievances were lost in the howl of the wind.
Mori stared at the phone in front of him. He had the house phone and his cell phone in case Honey needed something. He wasn't sure how he would answer his request, but he would make it happen even 100,000 miles away in the tropics.
He had been like that all morning, even after they had breakfast, opened presents, he had to have that phone near him at all times along with his cell phone. He refused to go sledding, build snow men, so he was left to sit with himself and his pets. That was until a new voice interrupted the silence.
"MORI! Where are you Mori?" somebody yelled.
"Kya!" Mikan it's rude to barge into people homes."
"I'm not barging. I'm enacting my right as a puppy to find someone to play with."
He blinked. How had she managed to find his house, less get into to it?
"Mori!" Mikan smiled squeezing him as he still sat in front of the phone, "Come on. We're going to go play."
He didn't move.
"Mori, if you don't move this instant I'll cry," Mikan threatened. He ignored her as she finally threw herself over his lap as his pet raccoon moved quickly to the top of his head.
"I won't move until you come and play." She huffed crossing her arms glaring up at him. He sighed, nudging her with the palm of his hand as she rolled off slowly, on top of the phone.
"Ow." she muttered shoving the phone from out of underneath her.
Haruhi sighed sitting next to Mori. Mikan had a knack for getting people to do what she wanted.
"Mori, why don't you want to have fun? Please! Come on I braved the snow and sleet to come see you!" She began again sitting up, "Please. Please."
He blinked, and patted her head, shoved her once more over to the side, as she only swayed to the side.
"Come on Mori. Please. Please. Please."
He shook his head no.
"Mori-san, why are you sitting in front of the phones?" Haruhi started noticing the two phones in front of him.
"Honey," He answered quietly.
"Oh you're worried again." Haruhi nodded as Mikan only sat up and stared at the Raccoon who hissed at her.
"MORI! YOUR RACOON HATES ME!" She yelled
He shook his head no, as he gently pulled the raccoon off his head and back into his lap where is settled.
"Please, come play, I'm so bored." Mikan begged again, "Please don't deny the puppy eyes."
Mori just raised an eye brow, turned to Haruhi who shrugged, and then went back to staring at Mikan.
"Mori, I want you to have this then." Mikan started as she produced a box,"I forgot to give my presents at school, so you and Haruhi are the only ones getting them on time."
He took the small box and opened it carefully, "Ah." He nodded as he stared at the dance coupon, good for one free Ballroom lesson.
"See." She smiled, "I hope you like it. Will you come outside now?"
He shook his head no as Mikan crossed her arms, as she sighed, "Mori I didn't want to do this."
He stared at her, as Mikan grabbed both phones, and ran away. He stared after, and looked at Haruhi.
"Mikan come give those phones back." Haruhi yelled after her.
"Look he can't sit on his butt all day." Mikan answered as Haruhi heard the distinct sound of a door opening.
"Mori I don't think she's coming back."
He shrugged, returning to pet his raccoon. There was an eerie silence as they sat next to each other and then TWACK!
"AHHH MIKAN!" Haruhi yelped, "No throwing snowballs inside."
"THBBBT!" Mikan answered as she tossed another one straight at Mori's neck. He stood up slowly letting the raccoon out of his arms as he turned to stare at Mikan.
"Phone now," He ordered.
"Nooo," Mikan answered, tossing another snowball that hit Haruhi in the face.
"AHH! Mikan no fair!' Haruhi yelped again brushing the snow of her face, as Mori disappeared for a minute his raccoon scrambling for somewhere warmer.
"See you outside." Mikan smiled waving her hand as there was a dialing of a phone, "HEY TAMAKI! WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?"
"MIKAN DON"T USE PEOPLE'S MINTUES!" Haruhi started running out, as she rammed straight into Mikan who fell into the snow.
"It's not even on." She answered showing the dead phone, "Let build a snowman or something."
"I think you should give Mori back the phone." Haruhi started.
"Why?" She asked
"Well I think he was a little upset." Haruhi answered.
"He and Hunny are always together, so I think its fine they have a break for once. Besides if Hunny was in trouble he's probably got ten people at his call and another five following him around." Mikan answered with a shrug, pocketing the phone into her winter jacket as she bent over and began rolling the snow.
"I don't really like the snow." Haruhi commented, as she watched Mikan roll in the snow.
"I never knew Mori, had such a big house." Mikan started absent mindedly as she pushed the snow into a bigger and bigger ball, "I'm going to go check for Mori."
"Okay." Haruhi shrugged, "I'll wait out here."
There was another silence as she heard a sudden scream,"AHHHH! RABID COON! RABID COON!"
Haruhi glanced as Mikan came bursting outside, followed by the raccoon who seemed to be chasing her.
"I'm too young to die." Mikan yelled as she suddenly tripped in the snow and the raccoon scurried up into her jacket, "AHHH! HELP I'm BEING VIOLATED!" as she laughed hysterically from being tickled.
"I think it wants the cell phone." Haruhi started as Mikan dug it from her coat pocket as the raccoon snatched the phone from her hand scurrying away again.
"I was just mugged by a coon." Mikan shook her head, "Dear god that's wrong."
"I guess Mori trained him." Haruhi shrugged, "Are you ready to go back inside?"
"No way." Mikan answered, "Besides I don't even know where Mori went."
"Probably sitting inside warm." Haruhi answered as Mikan sighed.
"Come on Haruhi just try and have fun." Mikan urged.
"I will if I wasn't freezing." She answered as Mikan suddenly yelped.
"Ow! Hey stop throwing snow balls!" Mikan yelled as Haruhi answered, "It's not me."
"Mori?" She asked as the giant was tossing another snowball in the air.
"Phone," He ordered
"You'll never have it!' Mikan yelled running away through the snow, tripping and falling on her face.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Ah! Haruhi help."
Haruhi was watching safely from the edge of the porch as Mikan ran around the edge dodging Mori's snowballs. She contemplated telling Mori that Mikan didn't have the phone, but then again it was keeping her from being bored at least for a while.
"AHHH! NO MORI PUT ME DOWN! PLEASE!" Mikan begged as Mori had turned her upside down, shaking her, "I don't have the phone, the raccoon stole it. AHHHH! Haruhi tell him!"
"I don't know." Haruhi shrugged, as Mori dropped Mikan into the snow, and began to drag her around.
"AHHHH! Come on, Mori. Listen I can get it so you can talk to Hunny face to face please!" Mikan begged as Mori stopped, and lifted her up so she was flung over his shoulder and tromping inside where he sat her down.
"Ow, my ribs." She muttered, "Okay where's your laptop?"
Mori disappeared for another minute, as Haruhi came back in.
"Are we done playing outside?" She asked coming to sit by Mikan who was busy stripping out of her winter gear, "Why did you wear snowboarding goggles again?"
"One day with my brothers in the snow is enough to make you take all necessary precautions." Mikan answered tossing her clothes into a pile to the side, "Does Mori only occupy this room?"
It was pretty bare, beside the hard wood floor and the tan walls and scattered pots of bamboo, and the small table and cushions.
"Nah," Haruhi shrugged grabbing a cushion, "it's just a more traditional style of Japanese housing."
"Oh." Mikan nodded as Mori came back with a black laptop and the raccoon perched on his head, "EVIL! EVIL!"
"The raccoon is not evil." Haruhi told her as Mori handed her the laptop and Mikan began to fiddle away on it.
"Ah ha! Here we go." She muttered typing away, "I hope you don't mind I had to download the program, username, password, and done."
There was a ringing sound as the screen suddenly showed Tamaki's confused face as Mikan screamed, "AHHH! TAMAKI! YOU'RE STUCK IN A BOX! OMG HOLD ON I'LL SEND A RESCUE TEAM!"
"AHHHH!" Tamaki howled, "I knew this place was evil."
"Tamaki aren't you in Sweden?" Haruhi leaned in as she glanced at the very expensive looking hotel room.
"Yes, we're going skiing in a moment." Kyoya's face came into view, shoving over a panicking Tamaki, "How are you Mikan?"
"Good." She answered, "Say Hi to Mori and Haruhi."
"Hello." Kyoya answered, "How are your holidays?"
"Fine." Haruhi answered as Mikan jumped in, "it's great, we're hanging out today, since you all LEFT ME!'
"Oh allow me to apologize." Kyoya answered rolling his eyes, "Tamaki entertain your puppy and stop being a bad master."
"AHH! MIKAN I APOLOGIZE!" He started, "Are you having fun? Plenty to eat?'
"Tamaki I'm not an actual puppy, my family does take care of me." She answered crossing her arms, "How's Sweden? What are you guys doing over there?"
"Enjoying the snow." He answered, "It's everywhere!"
"You snowboard?" Mikan asked
"Of course it's expected for a good host to be versed in a variety of sports that test his mental capacity-"
"Then you've already failed, gotta go Tamaki, the twins are on. Bye." Mikan answered as she clicked out of the video.
"Mikan what is this called?" Haruhi asked
"Skype," She replied, "It's like a video chat."
"Oh.' Haruhi nodded as the Twins popped on screen.
"Hey you two, how's the honey moon? Sorry I missed the wedding, can I expect babies soon," Mikan smiled.
"Ha ha, very funny puppy," They started, "Surprisingly even a continent away you're still ugly, you think the distance would help."
"Ouch. So hurt. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas present." She quipped.
"What present?" They asked
"Exactly," She nodded laughing, "Merry Christmas"
"Stupid puppy, put Haruhi on, we like her better. Hi Mori!" They waved to the giant who was stroking his Raccoon.
"Hello." Haruhi waved
"Haruhi why didn't you come with us?" They asked, "You stuck with the mutt on the winter break."
"Its okay." She answered with a shrug, "I was hoping for a quiet day, but then Mikan invited me over to Mori's."
"BAD PUPPY!" The twins yelled
"Hey you would have made her moved in France.' Mikan reminded them, "Alright peace out boys."
"You can't leave us!" They started fuming.
"Oh look it-"Mikan answered, "Red x button. Whoops! And they're gone. Here's Hunny."
"MIKA-CHAN! I can see you on the screen!" Hunny smiled
"Yep,' Mikan nodded.
"Hey how did you get everyone to get a Skype account?" Haruhi started.
"Long side story, but basically we were all in the same study hall." She answered, as she plopped the laptop into Mori's lap at the waving Hunny, who smiled and shifted the computer as Hunny began to ramble off what he had been doing.
"Come on, let's go root for some food." Mikan urged getting up as she stretched her legs.
"Mikan-"Haruhi started, but though better of it as they walked out together through the long halls of the house.
"You think finding a kitchen would be easy." Mikan muttered to herself.
"Mikan was that your real present to Mori?" Haruhi asked
"What? No." She answered, "I really meant the dance coupon, Mori needs to get over his fear of being in the public eye."
"Oh." Haruhi nodded eyeing her friend, "Where did that Raccoon go with the phone anyways?"
"No idea." Mikan answered as she opened a door, "Bedroom. Nope."
"Hmm." Haruhi hummed to herself, "How was your Christmas morning?"
"Busy." Mikan replied, "My twin brothers jumped on me at three in the morning, then proceeded to dump a bucket of cold water on my sister, and then they were chased with a broom by Kagame. None of us could get to sleep, so we ended up baking for three hours, when my mom and my grandparents got up. We have a five course breakfast, and finished around nine."
"Wow." Haruhi started
"Hold on not done." Mikan continued, "Then my mom sent us on a scavenger hunt, because she couldn't remember which room in the house held the tree, and that took another hour, it ended up being a bathroom. Then she brought out the presents which we opened in the main foyer since it was the only room big enough."
"Why did you have to find your Christmas tree?" Haruhi started
"To make sure it wasn't lost." Mikan answered, "So then we went for a sleigh ride, because that's what Kagame got for my mom. The twins terrors drove Ed, into a fright, so we ended up galloping in a sleight across the hills, had to get a new team, Tic and Toc, since Ed was exhausted."
"That's all?" Haruhi continued as they opened another door. Still no kitchen and she was starting to get hungry.
"Nope, Then we had a snowball fight and went it for lunch. That's when the trouble started, because we had left the Christmas tree lights on it shorted out, the entire house, so we had no heat. And that's when we decided to go to my grandparents, but I really couldn't take anymore of my family, so I convinced Kagame to take me to your house, and then to one of the members."
"And that is how we ended up at Mori's." Haruhi nodded as Mikan slid open another door.
"Ha and we found the kitchen, that was convenient." She noted, "I hope you like Peanut butter and jelly, only thing I can make fast."
"My mom used to make me noodles, when I was hungry." Haruhi started as she watched Mikan lay out the bread like an assembly line.
"Peanut butter and jelly all the way." MIkan answered, "When my mom wasn't home, my dad would let us put Nutellla on instead. It was like eating a peanut butter cup."
Haruhi smiled, Mikan never talked of her father. She must have been old enough to remember him when he passed away.
She had seen photos the few times she had been to her house over the weekends. He was always grinning and engaged in something potentially dangerous, like wrestling with a bull or sky diving.
She shook her head, as she listened to the quiet hum of the refrigerator, Mori's house, despite its traditional apperence, and did not lack modern touches.
"I wonder if they have a chef." Mikan started as she stacked the finished sandwiches and dumped the knife in the sink, and replaced the peanut butter and jelly back to their rightful places. She glanced inside the refrigerator for a moment more, "Nothing to drink."
"I'm sure Mori will have tea." Haruhi commented as Mikan walked by her carrying the stack of sandwiches.
"What ever you say." Mikan replied with a shrug as they made their way back through the maze, "Maybe we should mark our way back so we don't get lost."
"We'll be fine." Haruhi assured her as a few minutes later and a second right turn they stumbled across Mori staring blankly at the computer screen.
"Omg! He's comatose!' Mikan yelled shoving the sandwiches into Haruhi's hands and tackling Mori from behind. She simply ricochets of the back and back into the ground, as Mori hadn't moved from his place.
Haruhi sat by a hurt Mikan who stretched herself out sitting and grabbing a sandwich, and scurrying to the other side of him, trying to wave the sand which into his face.
He glanced at it, and took it from her outstretched hand as he continued to stare out at the screen. Mikan ran a finger over the keypad as the screen popped back up.
"Oh he left his bunny to talk to you." She commented as she pressed sleep for the computer, "Creepy pink bunny of doom.'
Mori was silent as ever as Mikan gave him a quick nudge in the side, but he continued to simply sit as if memorized by the screen.
"I don't get it." Mikan bean, "How can he go being stock still and silent for so long? '
Haruhi only gave a small shrug as she ate her sandwich. She had never given much thought as to why each of the hosts acted they way they did. It was apart of their nature.
Just as it was apart of hers to be studious. She never had the urge like Mikan to be loud and hyper. She really did fit the description of a puppy as she had begun to naw Mori's head. Mori would stop her if he found her to be a nuisance.
Mikan had settled for a knee, laying out with her arms sprawled across his lap as the raccoon sat upon her arms. They had made peace of the moment.
Haruhi yawned as they reverted to staring at the screen saver of the fishes swimming across the screen.
At least I'm doing one thing I wanted today, Haruhi sighed laying on her back in the quiet, stillness of the house. They must have stayed like that for a half hour or so. The exsushtion of playing out in the snow had taken its toll.
The ringing of the computer soon broke it, as Mikan moaned and hit a key as Honey's face popped on the screen.
"Mika-chan! Mori-chan! Haru-chan!' Hunny cried out, "Look I got tan!'
He was redder than a lobster. Haruhi and Mikan glanced at Mori who twitched ever so slightly.
"Honey, did you forget to wear sun tan lotion?' Mikan asked Honey was busy leaving his own handprints in his his skin.
'No. It just came off." He answered
"Honey you do realize you have to wear sunscreen and re apply it?" Mikan asked
"But it said all day protection." Honey stated
"Not when in the tropics." Mikan corrected, "Do you have aloe?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine." He answered, look I match my bunny."
"That's not good." Haruhi began, as Hunny was a darker shade of pink than his stuffed bunny.
"I know someone who will be peeling in a few days." Mikan clicked her tongue.
There was a call in the background as Honey waved, "I got to go. Bye bye! See you soon!"
"So Mori, you going to have another guilt trip tonight?" Mikan asked
"Mikan be nice." Haruhi scolded
"No.' Mori answered, "he will be fine, his turns red and then fades away again."
Mikan blinked as she sat up and patted the top his head, "Good boy. Good boy. First full sentence all day."
"Mikan's its almost four.' Haruhi commented, "I need to go home."
'I suppose I've avoided my family long enough," Mikan started as she picked up her cell phone out her pocket and wandered away.
Haruhi yelped as the raccoon pounced into her lap. "Mori-san I didn't know you kept wild animal as pets."
Mori didn't answer as he stroked its ear and Haruhi slowly stroked it back fur.
"Evil raccoon." Mikan cooed, as she bent down to stroke it as well, and the raccoon gave a hiss and attacked her head as she ran around in a circle as it clung to her hand.
"Wah! Killer coon! Killer coon!" She screamed, as Mori and Haruhi watched.
"I feel as if we should help." Haruhi started as Mori watched before he produced a second half of the sandwiches, holding it out stretched as the Raccoon leaped onto his arm, snatching the sandwich before curling up in his lap and munching away on his treat.
"Stop rewarding it." Mikan growled as she un did her hair, and quickly put it back into a pony tail, "Thanks for letting invade your house, Mori."
"Ah." He replied
"I will take that as an invitation to come back anytime." Mikan smiled, "Come on Haruhi, my sister will be here any moment."
"Coming." as she shrugged back on her snow clothes, following Mikan back out to the main foyer.
Mori waited until the footsteps faded as he picked up his raccoon, the laptop and his phone and slowly drifted back to his room as he collapsed onto his bed, drifting to sleep.
He jolted awake as his younger brother waved from the door, "Hey Mori, please tell me you did more than sit in front of the phone all day."
He gave a nod lying down as he stroked it, "Friends came over."
"Sweet. You missed some assume snow boarding." He taunted
He thought of chasing Mikan, talking to Honey and the other hosts, chilling with Haruhi in the small hours of peace.
"I managed." He replied as his brother retreated. They never spoke more than what was needed, his brother had that ability to tell what he was going to say before he was going to say it, saving his need to speak more than usual.
"Mikan you eat enough for four people." Kagame scolded as Mikan was busy stuffing her face with the leftovers.
"Can't help it. Good food. "She answered
"How was your day?" Kagame asked as they stood in the kitchen of their grandparents mansion. Their house was out of comission until they could get the heat back on.
"Good." She shrugged, "Would have been better if the raccoon didn't attack my head."
"Nah. That made my day." Kagame smiled
"And if haruhi hadn't chased my out of her apartment with a broom."
"Next time she should use a mop." Kagame answered, "It was time for you to spend time with us."
Mikan shuddered as the yelling reached it's peak outside the kitchen door, "Why do they travel?"
"Who knows. I'm sure they could walk to Tokyo before they relized where they were." Kagame smiled
"Mother I am more than capable of taking care of my family."
"I'm just saying your clothes mark you as a commoner."
"I do not have the need for new clothes every. I have enough, that I need to be comfortable." Natsumi replied
"Which brings me to the next point of your children attending 'public school."
Mikan didn't miss the emphasis on 'public' as Natsumi clicked her tounge and the sound of their footsteps began the other way.
"You never dealt with my boys.' She started
"Yes they take after your late husband.'
"I was going to day dad." She answered, "But in that case I will take your compliment."
Mikan and Kagame waited a moment more as they snuck out of the kitchen.
"Have they been like that all day?" Mikan asked
"It was worse in the morning, they still had their voices." Kagame answered as they made their way to the main foyer, where her grandfather had seated his other grand children and was busy scaring the wits out of them.
He was hunched over in his chair, his fingers steepled as the fire roared behind him. His irish accent only making each word more twisted. Mikan smiled curling into a ball on the nearest couch, as the gasps and screams of her younger siblings lulled her to sleep.
Perfect ending to today.
Yeah. I was tiered when I wrote the chapter, it shows with all the hanging out, then again the day after christmas or really holiday is always like this for me and friends. Please review and you'll get a treat! Rabid raccons not welcome