Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Karing For Kisa ❯ BONUS: Mistletoe Kisses ( Chapter 7 )

Title: Karing for Kisa: Bonus Chapter: Mistletoe Kisses
Disclaimer: Yeah right. If I owned them I wouldn’t need Christmas gifts. Anybody wanna give me Haru, I’d be more than happy to accept.
Warnings: SHONEN – AI!! BOY X BOY LOVE!! And fluff. Lotsa fluff.
Dedication: As always, to my wonderful friend Clover-chan. This is just for you. And my brother, cause it was all those times of our childhood I remembered while writing this.
Special Thanks: Dark Nuriko for editing!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!

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The high pitched laughter of a little girl rang through the crystal clear air, cutting through the cold and warming the hearts of the two teens that played in the snow with her. The sun shone down brightly on the earth, making the snow sparkle as it continued to gently fall to the ground in big fat flakes.

“C’mon Kyo-kun! You have to help make the snowman too!” Kisa shouted over to her stubborn cousin.

“Alright, alright. I’ll help.” He came over to where she was bent over a large snowball as she tried to push it just that little bit more. “Don’t you think this is big enough?” He asked.

“Yeah, but we have to put it so the top shows,” Kisa explained. Kyo looked at the ball of snow. There was a difference in the top and bottom? Humoring her, he pushed it until she declared that it was in the right spot. Leaving Kyo there with it, the tiger went to roll more snow together for the snowman’s torso. Sitting there, not really knowing what else he should be doing, Kyo wondered where Haru had disappeared to.

WHAP!

The cat lifted a hand to the back of his head, wiping away the snow that had just hit him there, before turning to glare at Haru standing near the porch. “Awake yet, kitten?” Haru asked with a smirk, scooping more snow to throw at the cat.

Kyo growled low in his throat. “You’re going to regret that.” he warned.

“Oh yeah? Prove it,” Hatsuharu challenged.

Kyo scooped up his own mitten-full of snow, lobbing it at the ox – and missing completely. Haru laughed, before flinging his own missile, hitting his mark smack in the chest. The cat growled again, preparing a couple large snowballs, and threw them at his cousin, one after the other, a couple actually hitting his target.

Soon, it was an all out snow-war, both rolling around on the frozen ground, trying to stuff snow down each other’s shirts. They stopped when Haru had Kyo pinned down by the shoulders. Panting harshly from the exertion, they lay there in the snow for a long while, until Kisa finally came over to them to see what was up.

“What are you doing?” She asked, looking at them oddly.

“Er, nothing. Just a little snowball fight,”; Kyo explained. A slight blush coloured his already reddened cheeks as he realized their position, and stood. He offered a hand to his younger cousin, but couldn’t look him in the eye.

“Okay. Can you help me finish my snowman now?” The tiger asked; looking toward the three large lumps of snow sitting in a line until someone lifted them into place.

“Sure thing, kiddo. You just tell us what you want us to do.” Haru answered.

“He needs his body. And his head.” She told them and watched as the snowman parts were put into place. Haru and Kyo made sure it was all set so it wouldn’t topple over and helped Kisa smooth out the bumps.

Kisa went into the house and dragged out the large cardboard box they stored the winter accessories in. Awkwardly lifting it, she was saved the frustration of trying to walk with it when Haru took it from her and carried it over to the snowman. Mittens were stuck onto the ends of sticks and shoved into the middle snowball; a brightly striped scarf was wound around his neck; a hat was placed on his head, and finally, last but not least, he got a face.

Sticking the carrot in the centre of the snowman’s face, they all stepped back and admired their work. The wind picked up with a harsh chill then, and they squinted as the fluffy flakes were sent flying into their faces. All decided it was a good time to go in and warm up.

Knocking the snow from their boots, they filed in, removing all the extra layers and leaving a watery mess in their wake. Separating, they headed up the stairs to find dry clothing to wear. Wet wool wasn’t the most comfortable of things to be wearing.

After he changed, Kyo wandered back down, and found that Tohru had already predicted their needs with the three mugs that sat steaming on the counter. Picking up the one with the picture of the cat on it – obviously for him – he went to the living room and took up a seat in a plushy chair. Soon after Haru came down with Kisa, and Kyo told them both that there was hot chocolate in the kitchen. They came back, the ox carrying both of their mugs.

“Careful there, sweetie.” Haru warned, handing her the mug with a tiger on it.

“I am.” She said, sitting down with him on the window seat. She looked over at the stack of books piled nearby and found The Nutcracker, her favorite Christmas-y story to read. Handing it to Haru, she settled in between his legs to see the pictures as he read.

Kyo sat, watching father and daughter together, relaxing even further as Haru’s deep voice washed over him, mingling with the warmth of the house and the comfort of his hot drink.

The cat stared at Haru, soaking him in. The way his eyes lit up when he spoke about Kisa or saw her; the gentleness that flowed when he was with her; the little endearing names he called her. It was such a wonder to see all that coming from someone who sometimes seemed like he would break you in half for a wrong look. Kyo loved it all. The only thing he could have thought better was if the ox would direct those looks at him sometimes.

Kyo blushed at his own thoughts. He shouldn’t be thinking of the ox that way, but lately he had been finding it difficult not too. He really admired the younger Sohma for all he did. Offering to be Kisa’s guardian, even when he was still young enough to need one himself; Sticking up for the things he believed in; Helping whoever he could. Truly, Kyo couldn’t think of anyone better to care for the little tiger. Anyone else would have been less than enthused to have to take her in. And while Shigure did offer a certain element of safety here in the house at the edge of the woods, he wouldn’t have made a very good parent. At least not near enough like Hatsuharu. It seemed that this all came naturally to the younger teen. Who knows, it might have had something to do with the dopey animal he was cursed with, but Kyo preferred to think that the animal didn’t have that much of an affect on his personality.

Haru looked up from the book while he read, as if he had sensed that Kyo had been staring at him for the last few minutes. Kyo turned a deeper shade of red and looked pointedly away at the wall. Haru smirked and turned his attention back to the book and the little girl in his lap.

Once they had finished reading The Nutcracker and another couple of stories, Haru determined that it was bedtime from the way Kisa kept yawning every five seconds and struggling futilely to keep her eyes open just a moment longer. Haru scooped her up, and carried her up the stairs to her room, leaving Kyo to himself.

Hot chocolate long since gone, yet not feeling the need to sleep as much as Kisa did, he decided to re-boil the kettle and make the two of them another mug of the drink. Waiting in the kitchen, he saw the snow still coming down in the black sky just as thickly, turning the whole earth into a beautiful white winterland for the next morning. It would be the perfect white Christmas. Kyo turned when he heard Haru come back down and look for him. Switching off the kettle, he poured the water into their mugs and stirred them a bit.

The ox found him, and took the mug that was offered.

“How is she?” Kyo asked.

“Dead to the world. Not even the excitement of Christmas tomorrow could keep her up any longer.” Haru replied, following the cat back to the living room.

“Wait. Stop right there,” Haru said, coming up to him as Kyo paused in the doorway and looked back at him.

“What? Is there something on me?” He asked, wondering what sort of bug might be crawling on him.

“No. Just stand there for a second.” Haru said and took his mug from him. Setting them both on the end table, he came back to stand in front of Kyo in the doorway.

“What –“ Kyo’s further questioning was cut off when Haru’s lips covered his own in a soft and gentle kiss. Surprised, it took a moment before Kyo was able to return the kiss. He felt Haru’s arms wrap around his waist, and he brought his hands up to clutch the ox closer to him. Hatsuharu broke away, smirking at the look on Kyo’s face. Blushing, the cat looked at his younger cousin, wondering just what had brought this on.

“Mistletoe.” The ox whispered into his ear, still closely pressed to him.

Kyo looked up, and found that he was indeed right, and someone had putmistletoe in the doorway to catch people unawares. The clock on Haru’s watch beeped, signaling the midnight hour, and the arrival of Christmas day.

“Merry Christmas.” Haru told the cat, giving him another light kiss.

“Merry Christmas.” Kyo told the younger teen in turn, letting go and stepping back. Returning to the couch with his mug, he was surprised when Haru sat down next to him. The flame haired cat found himself overcome with the urge to cuddle up to the ox, and found himself leaning his head down on his shoulder. Haru’s arm wrapped around his back, and they continued to sit and watch the snow fall, exchanging soft words with softer kisses every now and then.

It would be a very merry Christmas for both of them for sure.

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