AU. Some ages of some characters have been changed.

It is the first Christmas that the cursed Sohma members have been in their forever relationships—& the first Christmas the entire family have been confined to the Sohma estate, never to leave except to go shopping—& even then they're monitored. To try & ease the growing tension, Akito decides to throw a Christmas party with a Secret Santa theme. Thanks to their captors, their Christmas will become very heated as well.

After a few chapters, every couple will have their own chapters.

Also, with Momiji & Nina's part: the dialogue will be in German with (English) subtitles.

I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS! I ONLY CLAIM THE STORY & CHARACTERS I CREATE!


~Attention~

Shigure, Hatori, Ayame, Kureno, Ritsu, Isuzu, Kagura, Yuki, Kyo, Hatsuharu, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro and Kazuma:

Drop what you are doing and come to the main house.

Make sure to find your significant others and bring them as well.

If you aren't with your significant other who is already a cursed member, just come to the main house; they'll soon be here as well.

This is not a request.

You have fifteen minutes.

If you are more than five minutes late, there will be consequences.

Love always,

Your one and only god,

Akito.

Two different black crows dropped off a message to each cursed Zodiac Member.

With Kyo & Kazuma:

Kyo and Kazuma were busy with their one-on-one martial arts training.

"Now, what does that bitch want?" Kyo questioned out loud, annoyed.

"Now, now Kyo. At least you're being included in these kinds of things." Kazuma calmly told Kyo, remembering how his grandfather was treated.

"Yeah, I know. But what does she want Tohru and the others for?" Kyo grumbled.

"Who knows? All you need to concentrate on is finding Ms. Honda. When Akito sends those birds out, she means business." Kazuma calmly replied.

"Yeah, yeah. She always means business no matter who she sends to find us." Kyo continued to grumble, standing up straight.

"This is true. But those birds… And she's demanding to see everyone she deems as important." Kazuma firmly insisted, watching Kyo.

"Yeah, I guess. Well, are you coming?" Kyo inquired, walking to the door.

"You find Ms. Honda; I'll meet you at Akito's." Kazuma insisted.

"Fine. Knowing Tohru, she's probably with that bleach-blonde Yankee bitch friend of hers." Kyo grumbled, walking away.

"That's the spirit. But must you use that language to describe Ms. Uotani?" Kazuma questioned with that polite smile. He chuckled a little when Kyo waved him off.

'What are you planning now, Akito?' Kazuma asked himself, watching one of the crows fly off.

With Yuki:

Yuki was in the middle of jacking off to a picture of Machi when he was interrupted by a crow.

"Oh, come on!" Yuki complained, pulling his hand from his pants and under the blanket.

"Come on, Yuki! You don't want to be late!" Yuki's mother yelled, barging into his room.

"Mom! Don't you knock?!" Yuki demanded, horrified.

"I'm your mother; I don't have to knock. Now, come on, or you're going to be late. You have five minutes." Yuki's mother coldly informed Yuki, turning to walk away.

"The note says fifteen minutes!" Yuki called back, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Better to be there early. Besides, you have to find and get that girlfriend of yours. I knew you having a girlfriend from the outside world was a bad idea; she's already holding you back." Yuki's mother grumbled.

"She doesn't hold me back from anything, and never has—unlike some people." Yuki yelled at his mother before mumbling.

"I heard that, Yuki! You're just lucky Akito accepts her and allows you to date her!" Yuki's mother fired back.

"I'm going!" Yuki called before leaving without another word.

'But I will give her that. I am lucky Akito has accepted Machi.

With Haru & Rin:

"Hatsuharu." "Yeah, I'm going." Haru interrupted his parents, walking out of the house already. He wasn't doing anything in particular—just playing Call of Duty or something on his PlayStation.

"Well, I see you got the message as well." Haru spoke, seeing Rin speed-walking somewhere.

"Haru? What are you doing here?" Rin questioned, sounding horrified.

"Well, I came to get you. I didn't want you to ditch and then get in trouble—again. I miss you when you do stuff to anger Akito and get locked away." Haru calmly answered Rin.

"What'd you do? Run from the arcade?" Rin questioned, narrowing her eyes at Haru.

"No. I walked around the corner from home." Haru plainly answered, picking his ear with his pinky.

"Of course—today you were home." Rin grumbled, watching Haru.

"Come on. Let's go and get whatever this meeting is over with. Then we can go back to my room and play whatever you want to play." Haru playfully told Rin, holding her in his arms.

"Fine—I'll go to the stupid meeting to see Akito." Rin grumbled.

"At least she's not violent anymore." Haru stated, walking down the road with his arm around Rin's shoulder.

"Not physically. But her words and being locked in that shed is just as violent." Rin mumbled, leaning against Haru.

"Well, maybe we should both ditch and be locked in the shed together." Haru told Rin, causing her to freeze and stare at him like a deer in headlights.

"You're not even remotely funny—or cute. I highly doubt we'd be locked up together!" Rin snapped at Haru.

"Oh, come on, Baby. I'm adorable." Haru told Rin with a smile.

"You're exhausting." Rin huffed, leading the way.

"But you love me. You do love me, right?" Haru playfully asked, following Rin.

"Yeah. And you're lucky I do." Rin replied, trying not to fall over.

With Kisa & Hiro:

"Oh, Kisa. Did you get a message from those birds as well?" Hiro questioned the moment Kisa opened her door—just before he could even knock.

"Yes. You got yours too?" Kisa questioned, shutting the door behind her.

"Yes. What were you doing?" Hiro questioned, walking next to Kisa.

"Watching TV with Mom. You?" Kisa answered and then asked.

"Just walking around." Hiro answered, shrugging a little.

"What do you think she wants?" Kisa nervously inquired.

"I don't know. But you have nothing to worry about; you have me and all the others. And for her to invite that Honda girl, her scary friend, the rabbit girl's clone, Ayame's loving maid, Hatori's girl, Shigure's poor editor, Yuki's girlfriend, and Kagura's boytoy—it can't be all that bad. I mean, for some reason, Akito likes most of them." Hiro answered as they continued to walk.

"Everyone loves Tohru; she's so kind. Yeah, Arisa is a little scary, but she's very kind too. Yeah, Nina is just like Momiji, isn't she? I really like Emiko and Machi; they're very kind too. I don't really know Mine or Kobe too well, but they're nice enough. And Mitsuru… She seems very kind, but like she's always in pain or something." Kisa happily replied, thinking about all her new friends.

"I think Kagura's boyfriend's name is Kodi." 'And of course, she's in pain or something all the time; she has to deal with Shigure's crap all the damn time.' Hiro noted before thinking to himself, making Kisa stop in her tracks.

"Is it? Oh, I'll have to apologize to him; I keep calling him Kobe." Kisa began to panic a little.

"It's fine, Kisa. If he hasn't corrected you, maybe I'm wrong, and his name is Kobe instead of Kodi." Hiro insisted, feeling guilty.

"But they do sound the same." Kisa spoke as they continued to the main house.

With Momiji & Nina:

„Tue ich dir weh?" ("Am I hurting you?") Momiji questioned his girlfriend, Nina, as he entered her.

„Nein. Weitermachen." ("No. Keep going.") Nina answered with a smile, looking up at Momiji.

Nina was of average height with fair skin, waist-length curly blonde hair, and light brown eyes.

"Momiji, Akito wants to see you and Nina. She sent her crows and wants you at her place now. You're going to have to finish later!" Momiji's dad informed Momiji from the other side of his door.

„Ach komm schon!" ("Oh, come on!") Momiji exclaimed when they got the message to get to the main house.

"Now, Momiji! You don't wish to anger Akito, do you?" Momiji's dad questioned, standing at the door.

"No." Momiji replied, pulling out of Nina.

„Verdammt. Ich schätze, wir müssen gehen?" ("Damn. I guess we have to go?") Nina inquired, very red in the face.

„Ja. Wir können nicht gegen das verstoßen, was Akito sagt – besonders wenn sie diese Krähen aussendet." ("Yeah. We can't go against what Akito says—especially when she sends out those crows.") Momiji answered, getting his clothes on.

„Aber warum sollte sie mich dort haben wollen? Lädt sie nicht nur Zodiac-Mitglieder ein?" ("But why would she want me there? Doesn't she only invite Zodiac members?") Nina questioned.

„Ich weiß es nicht. Aber lasst uns loslegen. Ich möchte Akito oder Papa nicht verärgern." ("I don't know. But let's get going. I don't wish to make Akito or Papa angry.") Momiji answered, waiting for Nina to get dressed.

„Okay. Zumindest später. Ich zeige dir, was ich wirklich kann." ("Ok. At least we'll have later. I'll show you what I can really do.") Nina replied, causing Momiji to stiffen up again.

„Ach komm schon. Das ist nicht fair. Vielleicht kommen wir etwas zu spät." ("Oh, come on. This isn't fair. Maybe we could be a little late.") Momiji complained and then suggested—almost begging.

„Äh-äh. Geduld ist eine Tugend, weißt du nicht?" ("Uh-uh. Patience is a virtue, don't you know?") Nina playfully teased, heading to Momiji's door.

„Nicht, wenn du einen heftigen Steifen hast. Warte, ich muss auf die Toilette, bevor wir gehen." ("Not when you have a raging hard-on. Hold on, I have to use the bathroom before we go.") Momiji mumbled before informing Nina.

With Kureno, Kyo, Tohru, & Arisa:

"Hey, Rooster! Do you know where Tohru and her friend are?!" Kyo yelled to Kureno.

"No. I haven't seen Arisa since she went to hang out with Tohru earlier." Kureno answered.

"Great." Kyo muttered.

"What do you want, Carrots? Tohru told you we were hanging out, just us girls today, didn't she?" Arisa questioned, walking over with Tohru, annoyed.

"I did tell him. I could have sworn I did." Tohru answered, thinking now.

"Don't hurt yourself." Kyo and Arisa told Tohru with blank stares.

"Oh, don't worry; I'm ok. I'm just trying to remember if I told you earlier or not." Tohru answered with her typical smile.

"Oh, Kid; I love you, but you need to stop doing that so hard." Arisa told Tohru, hugging her.

"Yes, you told me earlier. And that was fine; I was planning on spending the day with Kazuma at the dojo. However, Akito sent her crows out, demanding to see us." Kyo answered.

"What the hell does that mean?" Arisa demanded, glaring at Kyo.

"When Akito wants something bad enough, and she needs any of us to get to her or take something to her, she'll send out her crows. And if you don't do what she tells you—or even just asks, she doesn't take it well. And as her message states, whoever doesn't show up in the allotted time will be severely punished. So, we have to go to the main house to see her." Kureno calmly explained with a seriousness in his voice that Arisa rarely ever hears from him.

"Well, let's go." Arisa replied, frustrated.

"Right. Hey, maybe Akito will want to hang out with us too." Tohru determinedly suggested, taking the lead. However, she ended up falling face-first on the ground.

'She's lucky she's so damn loveable.' Kyo and Arisa thought to themselves, shaking their heads.

"I'm ok. Let's go." Tohru determinedly insisted, getting up.

"Yes, let's go." Kureno happily agreed after helping Tohru.

With Hatori, Ayame, Mine, & Emiko:

Ayame and Mine were making a new dress for Emiko when they got their message. They were at Hatori and Emiko's home because Emiko was still asleep with a slight fever.

"Now, what does she want?" Ayame asked, frustrated.

"The real questioned is what did we do to get the girls and Kodi involved?" Hatori questioned, referring to the non-Zodiac members as he stood up.

"I didn't think anyone did anything." Mine spoke, putting away her sewing needles.

"Hopefully she didn't change her mind about us being with who we're with." Ayame nervously spoke. It was one of the rare times he was nervous.

"I doubt that." Hatori sighed, getting Emiko's things around for her before getting her.

"That's easy for you, Kureno, Kyo, Momiji and Kagura to say; you can leave with your girlfriends if you want." Ayame complained.

"Kyo, Kureno, and Kagura can't leave because their time is up: Kagura been with Kodi for more than a year now, and Kyo and Kureno have been with Tohru and Arisa for almost two years. As for Momiji and me: we won't leave as long as Akito keeps her promise to leave us and who we love alone. If she breaks her promise and hurts or says anything against Emiko or Nina, not only do we leave, but everyone else will have the opportunity to leave. But I don't see that happening; she seems to like most of our partners—and our time is almost up as well. Momiji will have been with Nina for a year in a few days, and I'll have been with Emiko for a year on the first of December. And again, if Akito hurts any of them, we can leave because she'll have broken a promise, and breaking promises—especially from the God/head of the family is punishable to them. Get ready so we don't get in trouble; I can't afford to be taken away from Emiko right now with her condition." Hatori calmly retorted before heading to the back of the house.

"Oh, Hatori; you're so wise! Mine are going to head out then!" Ayame playfully called down the hall.

"Emiko, I need you to wake up now; we've been called for a family meeting with Akito." Hatori spoke, gently shaking Emiko to wake her.

"Wh-what?" Emiko asked, barely awake.

"We have to go see Akito." Hatori repeated.

"Ok." Emiko replied, sitting up.

Emiko was a small, thin girl with wavy, waist-length auburn hair and green eyes.

With Ritsu:

"Mitsuru, I'm sorry, but we need to go see Akito!" Ritsu yelled over the phone.

"I'm sorry. What do you need me to do?" Mitsuru apologized in return before asking, trying not to panic.

"You're also needed there." Ritsu informed Mitsuru.

… … … … …

"Mitsuru? I'm sooo sorry! I don't mean to upset you! I completely understand if you want to break up because of my stupidity!" Ritsu went into panic mode when Mitsuru didn't answer right away.

"No! I'm sorry I didn't answer you right away! I think I'm just in a little shock and didn't know what to say. Why does Akito want to see me of all people?" Mitsuru quickly stopped Ritsu, apologizing to him before asking, stunned.

"I don't know, but you're not all people. And she doesn't just want to see you; Akito requested to see everyone: all cursed members, including Kyo and their partners." Ritsu answered and insisted on her not being some person.

"When do we need to be there?" Mitsuru inquired, taking a deep breath.

"In twelve minutes." Ritsu answered, looking at the clock on his wall; he had been watching it since he read the message.

"Twelve minutes?! Why didn't you call me earlier?! I'm so sorry, Ritsu." Mitsuru apologized after realizing she had snapped at him.

"No, I'm sorry. But I only just got the message a few minutes ago." Ritsu apologized.

"Oh, I am soo sorry!" Mitsuru immediately apologized, feeling stupid.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry! I should have explained the time constraint first! I'm sooo sorry!" Ritsu freaked out.

"No. We don't have time for this right now. Where do I need to meet you?" Mitsuru put on her big girl panties and stopped their frantic apologizing before it worsened.

"Right. Meet me at the main house." Ritsu answered, taking a deep breath.

"Ok. See you there. And Ritsu." Mitsuru insisted before calmly speaking.

"Yes?" Ritsu inquired.

"I love you, and everything will be ok." Mitsuru told Ritsu.

"I love you, too. See you soon." Ritsu replied before they hung up.

With Shigure:

"Well, that was quick." Akito greeted Shigure when he walked into her room.

"I am never far from the one I love the most." Shigure responded with a mischievous smile.

"Uh-huh. You just want to know about the Christmas festivities and see the decorations just like every other year." Akito bitterly retorted, narrowing her eyes at Shigure.

"Yes, this may be true. But it is also true that I never stray too far from you, my dear love." Shigure calmly responded.

"What are you up to?" Akito demanded, watching Shigure.

"Me? What am I up to? Oh, no, Love. The question is not what I am up to; it's what you are up to. You're the one summoning everyone to the main house out of the blue—using your crows, mind you. So, my dear, sweet god, Akito: what are you up to?" Shigure turned everything around on Akito.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Akito retorted, annoyed—and blushing.

"Actually, yes, I would like to know." Shigure responded.

"Well, you'll just have to wait until everyone gets here, won't you?" Akito retorted, annoyed.

"I guess so. Just remember, two of the people you want here are under the weather with colds. And a few of them are either just getting over their colds or have just gotten over them." Shigure reminded Akito.

"I won't keep them long." Akito insisted before a bird started pecking at her door.

Kaw! Kaw!

"Thank you, Ka. Thank you, Soro." Akito thanked her crows, giving them each a special treat.

"Shigure, go wait in the main area for the others; I will be there shortly. Maid: get some of the other maids, wait to greet our guests, and then show them to the main area where Shigure will be waiting." Akito ordered Shigure and a maid.

"Yes, Love." Shigure replied before walking away.

"Yes, Ma'am." The maid obeyed Akito's orders, bowing before leaving.

With Kagura:

Knock. Knock.

"Is something wrong, Kagura?" A woman with brown hair and brown eyes questioned, greeting Kagura after she knocked on the door.

"I'm here for Kodi." Kagura guiltily answered.

"I'm sorry, but Kodi is still under the weather." The woman spoke.

"I know, Ma'am. And I wouldn't come over and ask for him if it weren't so important, but Akito is requesting his presence. She's asking for the cursed members plus their partners; she sent her crows out with this message." Kagura explained, handing the woman the message from Akito.

"Oh. Hmm. Please, come in." The woman spoke, letting Kagura in after reading the message.

"Good afternoon, Kagura. Kodi is getting ready." A man with dark brown hair and brown eyes greeted and informed Kagura, walking over.

"Why would he be getting ready? I haven't told him anything. How do you know what's going on?" The woman questioned the man.

"Because, Dear, Kodi was just going to the bathroom to get ready when I was leaving. He gave me a message he said he received from a pair of crows—from our family head. I told him to dress appropriately and come home as soon as the meeting was over. Make sure he comes home right away, Kagura." The man, assumed to be the woman's husband, answered before turning his attention to Kagura.

"Yes, Sir." Kagura promised before he left with a smile.

"Have a good day at work, Hunny." The man's wife insisted.

"I will try. Have fun with your girlfriends later." The husband instructed before shutting the door behind him.

"Are you feeling ok, Dear?" The woman asked a tall boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes when he walked out, ready to go.

"Yes, Mom. Hi, Kagura." The boy answered, sounding frustrated before greeting Kagura with a smile.

"Hi, Kodi." Kagura greeted her boyfriend with a worried smile.

"I'll be fine. I'm not as bad as Mom thinks I am. I still have a cold, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was a few days ago. I'm sorry I can't hang out more than this meeting." Kodi insisted before apologizing.

"Oh, no. Don't apologize; everyone has either already had a cold or currently has it. I'm really surprised Hatori hasn't been sick. I understand. But we'd better get going before Akito becomes angry." Kagura insisted.

"Right. I'll see you as soon as I can, Mom." Kodi agreed before telling his mother.

"Be safe!" Kodi's mother called Kodi and Kagura as they left the house.

"Yes, Mom!" Kodi called back.

"I can't even begin to imagine how your life would be if you had been born as one of the cursed Zodiac members." Kagura told Kodi once they were sure his mother couldn't hear them.

"Thank God for that. Sorry." Kodi responded before apologizing to Kagura.

"No need to apologize." Kagura happily insisted, clinging to Kodi.

Now:

"Akito, your honored guests have arrived." The main maid informed Akito, bowing at her door.

"Thank you, Nana." Akito responded with a smile, getting to her feet.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"What do you think is going on?" The girls asked as they sat and waited for Akito.

"Who knows?" Hatori, Shigure, and Kureno replied, unsure.

"Who cares?" Kyo, Yuki, Haru, and Rin asked, annoyed.

"I'm sure all will be explained shortly." Kazuma insisted as they waited.

"Ah, honored family. I'm so glad you could all make it—and five minutes early." Akito calmly spoke, watching everyone in the room.

"What are we all doing here?" Kyo demanded.

"Why are you involving Kodi and the girls?" Hatori questioned, only caring about Emiko's wellbeing.

"I just wanted to discuss Christmas plans with all of you." Akito answered, watching everyone, getting blank stares.

"Come again?" Just about everyone questioned, unable to figure out what Akito was planning.

"Well, I figured that this year will be the first year that we will all be able to celebrate as a full family as no one will be able to leave without escorts, ensuring your return later in the day. I believe I've been nothing but kind and accommodating to those who have already been unable to leave—and to the ones who are still able to leave. I know this meeting came out of the blue, but I really am hoping that the remaining members stay and complete our happy family. And if I'm not mistaken, you're all happy with your current living situations—except Kodi maybe. But I can have that changed if you so wish it. I was just hoping to have a Christmas party with the Secret Santa theme." Akito explained her reasoning for summoning everyone.

"Oohh! I love Secret Santa! We should totally do it!" Tohru excitedly declared.

'Of course, you do.' Kyo, Yuki, Arisa, Hiro, Shigure, and Akito thought to themselves.

"What is Secret Santa?" Emiko softly questioned, having never heard of Secret Santa before.

"I've only ever heard of it, but never played it before." Kisa spoke up.

"It's where a group of people get together and draw names for Christmas. Instead of buying everyone a present, whoever's name you get is who you have to buy a Christmas present for within a certain price range." Haru explained in a bored tone of voice.

"Say we do this Secret Santa idea, and I draw, let's say Akito's name; I would have to get Akito a gift for a certain price. And when I box and wrap it, instead of writing from me, I write from "Secret Santa" or "Your Secret Santa." Do you understand?" Hatori explained to Emiko and Kisa.

"That sounds kind of fun. I would like to try." Emiko tiredly replied, leaning against Hatori.

"I want to play too." Kisa added.

"Let's put it to a vote. All those who want to participate in a Christmas party and Secret Santa, raise your hands." Kureno instructed, looking around.

"Those who oppose?" Shigure questioned after he and Kureno counted hands.

"Seventeen to five. We're having a Christmas party with Secret Santa." Akito cheerfully declared, getting her way—again. But this time, it was via a vote, with almost everyone agreeing.

"Do you not wish to come to the party or play Secret Santa, Kazuma?" Shigure inquired, realizing Kazuma raised his hand for both votes.

"I would love to attend the party. But as for Secret Santa, I'm happy just being around everyone; that is gift enough. I don't need anything from anyone. And in that sense, I shouldn't be in the drawing to get a single person either." Kazuma explained and insisted.

'You're just saying that because you want to get everyone something.' Everyone who knew Kazuma well enough thought to themselves.

"Well, ok then. Would you be willing to write everyone's names down and have them pick from a bucket or something?" Akito suggested.

"I would be honored." Kazuma agreed with a smile. He and many of the others were relieved that this wasn't something more sinister than a Christmas party and Secret Santa. And just by watching Akito and reading her body language, Kazuma could tell this wasn't a trap or anything along those lines.

"And when would this party be?" Kyo dully questioned.

"Christmas Eve starting at one, going until six?" Akito suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." Everyone agreed.

"Emiko and I will have to bow out for an hour around four or five for her medications." Hatori insisted, watching Akito.

"Of course. Anyone who needs medications will be able to leave for then. If you leave at five, you're welcome to stay home. Just make sure to bid everyone farewell." Akito insisted with a sincere smile.

"What would the price range be?" Arisa questioned, looking around.

"Does $50-$100 sound like a fair range?" Akito inquired, looking around.

"Yeah, sounds fair." Everyone agreed, not wanting to argue.

"Anyone got a bucket, hat, or anything to put the names in?" Kazuma questioned, having finished writing the names down.

"I have my bag. Will that help?" Mine inquired, holding up a large bag.

"That should do just fine." Kazuma answered with a smile.

"Ok. Just hold a second." Mine replied, digging around her bag. After a minute or so, she pulled out a second, smaller bag and emptied its context into the larger bag—nothing much, just some candy and money.

"Thank you, Mine." Kazuma thanked Mine, taking her bag after placing all the names in it.

"Before you pick names, I want it known that you can't have your own name or your significant other's name. So, if you get your name or your significant other's name, you have to put them back in the bag. For those who don't understand, I can't pick Shigure's name, and he can't pick my name. Or Tohru can't get Kyo, and Kyo can't get Tohru. Understand?" Akito quickly added.

"Yes." "Yeah." "Yep." Everyone answered, watching Akito, waiting to pick names.

"Good. Once you get your name, you may be excused." Akito informed everyone as Kazuma walked over to everyone…


Ages For This Story:

Shigure, Hatori, & Ayame: 22

Kureno, Ritsu, & Mitsuru: 21

Akito & Mine: 20

Rin, Kagura & Kodi: 19

Yuki, Kyo, Tohru, Arisa, & Emiko: 17

Haru, Momiji, Machi, & Nina: 16

Kisa & Hiro: 13