A/T: Why, hello, hello, hello!!! I'm back again! So I've been pounded with homework and haven't had time to write any fanfiction. *gasp* But I have finally had a few moments to write more Haruka fanfiction!!!
Someone requested I write a Seiya and Haruka fic (With pleasure!) but Seiya in girl form. I don't mind that? Do you? *Gazes around* No? So Seiya is a "she" in this one.

So read and review! =)

House of Christmas


Haruka inwardly sighed as she caught sight of Makoto's house, and slowly pressed down the brakes with her foot.

“We're here,” she announced, parking their car in the driveway.

“Oh, cheer up Scrouge,” said Michiru, smiling. “I think it's nice that Usagi and the girls are throwing a Christmas party for all of us. So smile, would you?” Michiru said, opening her car door. “Christmas is a time of cheer, remember?”

Haruka snorted. “Oh, sure. I remember. Cheer and inflated mall prices on things that’ll break anyway.”

Michiru shot her a look as she made her way up the steps to Makoto's door.

“Come on. Smile for them. They worked hard, so you might end up having a nice time.”

Haruka smeared on a fake grin.

“You'll have to work harder than that,” Michiru dryly remarked, and then turned and rang the doorbell.

A few moments later the door opened, and Makoto's head poked out. Instantly, she smiled and laughed.

“You made it! Great! Come on in. Everyone's here except for Seiya and the others. They'll be here in a few minutes,” she informed them as she opened the door.

Haruka mumbled something under her breath as they entered the house. It was nicely decorated, with red, green, and white. There was a fire lit, and a beautiful Christmas tree.

“How lovely!” the aqua hair woman commented, her hands clasped together in delight. “You must have worked all day for this!”

“Yeah,” replied Makoto, smiling. “We did, and it was well worth it. But don’t go into the kitchen,” she cautioned, “The others are there and you might get hurt. They’re trying to cook, if you can believe it.” She laughed as Usagi, Minako, Rei, and Ami stuck their heads out of the kitchen door and shot her a mean look.

“This is Christmas, Makoto! The least you can do for us is give us a little credit for trying!” complained Usagi, waving a plastic cooking spoon at the three.

“Here,” said Minako, walking over to Michiru and Haruka with a plate of cookies. “Try some, and see if Makoto is right or not.”

Michiru picked one up instantly, Haruka following. But she had to admit… they looked rather burnt.

Michiru took a bite, and rolled her eyes, looking as if she trying to decide. Haruka gingerly took a bite, and looked over at Michiru.

Michiru's eyes lit up. “They're delicious! What kind are they?” Minako set down the cookies, and stuck her hands on her hips, then shot a triumphant look at Makoto. “They're sugar cookies, with cinnamon topping.”

Haruka stopped. They tasted like cardboard, and they looked like it too. “What do you think, Haruka?” asked Rei, walking over with Ami and Usagi following.

“I agree. They’re very… flavorful,” she said, around a mouth full of cookie. Michiru smiled at her, proud that she was trying.

They continued their conversation (the cookies, luckily, were forgotten) until there was another knock at the door. “It must be the others,” said Chibiusa, running over to answer the door.

And it was. As soon as Chibiusa opened the door, three girls filed in.

“Hey! They're finally here!” said Usagi, running over. They gave her a hug.

”We got lost,” Yaten apologized, brushing snow off of her shoulders. “Seiya's not that good of a driver.”

Seiya sweatdropped. “You were the one giving the directions!”

“What? Don't give me that-’’

“Hey, hey, hey! This is Christmas. Continue your argument tomorrow,” Taiki interrupted, giving them each an annoyed look.

“Here,” said Minako, picking up the plate. “Have a cookie. That should cheer you up!” Yaten picked up a small one and tried it.

“Hey, these are pretty good. They look like chocolate, but taste like…’’ she began, but Taiki quickly rescued her once more.

“They taste like heaven, ladies. Great job.”

Chibiusa giggled at the three, and then looked around. “They were just joking...hey? Where's Hotaru and Mamoru?” she asked, looking around.

“Upstairs, wrapping the gifts. Go up and join them, Chibiusa, but don't peek at yours! We'll tell you when dinner's ready,” suggested Makoto, smiling. Chibiusa nodded and ran upstairs.

“Well, sit down and talk. Like I said, we'll hopefully be done in a few minutes,” said Makoto again, smiling once more at Minako, Ami, Rei, and especially Usagi.

Michiru tilted her head. “May I join you?”

“Of course!” said Ami, leading her into the kitchen.

“We were just taking out the turkey…”

“Uh-oh! It looks burnt!”

“No, it's supposed to look that way, isn't it?”

“No, I don't think so…”

“Where's Makoto?" The voices faded out and the kitchen door slowly closed. Setsuna stifled a laugh.

“I'm going to get our gifts from the car,” said Setsuna. “You… did remember them, right,” she asked, looking almost nervous.

Haruka rolled her eyes and smiled. “Of course I did.”

Setsuna laughed, a tone of relief to her voice. “Merry Christmas,” she said, heading out the door. “And smile!”

Haruka looked annoyed and sat gingerly on the couch, wishing people would stop saying that to her. Yaten looked at Taiki, who herself looked rather nervous, looking from Seiya to Haruka to Seiya again.

“Yeah, well…I'm sure Chibiusa needs help…upstairs with Mamoru, you know.” She turned around, cueing Taiki. The last thing they wanted is for them to be stuck in the middle of another infamous Haruka and Seiya fight… again.

They left, leaving the two enemies in the same room unwatched. Who knew what could happen? Dishes could be thrown. A fire could start. It was a very dangerous thing to do. You never know with those two.

Seiya looked over at Haruka and sighed. She stared somewhat dully out the gray window. Finally, after much debating, she walked over and sat next to her.

Haruka looked at her, surprise clearly written on her face. Her eyes then narrowed. “What is it?”

Seiya shrugged. “I thought Christmas was our day off.”

“From what?”

“Arguing. It's all we ever do, after all.”

Haruka’s eyes examined all of Seiya before finally settling on her face. “That sounds… fair.”

“Yeah. It'll give the others a day off to,” Seiya said, picking up a cookie, observing it.

Haruka leaned forward, next to Seiya. “To tell you the truth,” she said, almost smiling. “I thought they were pieces of burnt cardboard.”

Seiya laughed, a genuine light in her eyes. She turned to reply but quickly looked away, upon realizing how close they were. Haruka cleared her throat, but made no effort to move.

“Did you really?” she murmured. “I heard those four were never really good cooks.”

Haruka shook her head, finally starting to relax. “No, not from what Makoto tells me. Besides, you’ve never had to eat an entire plate of Usagi’s chicken stir fry.”

“Well, are you and better?”

Haruka stared. “A good cook? No, I just drive. We leave the cooking to Michiru. I am, however, queen of the microwave.”

Seiya set down the cookie. “To tell you the truth, neither am I. In fact, I almost burnt the house down once… I think I left the wrapping on the pizza. Did you know you’re not supposed to leave plastic and tin in the stove?”

Haruka actually smiled, imagining the three Lights running around, searching for the fire extinguisher. “That's no surprise. I can see it happening.”

Seiya shot her a mean look. “Well, thanks. That makes me feel appreciated.”

“You took that the wrong way,” Haruka said, on the defensive. It was a natural reaction to Seiya. If only she wasn’t so… attracted to her, than perhaps…

“Yeah, I know. It’s my fault again. You can't go one day-’’

“I can too!”

“I've never seen it happen!”

“I never bother to try around you!”

“Well, why don't you? After all, I'm sure it's what Usagi would want-’’

“Keep her out of this,” Haruka hissed, an angry flare to her voice.

“And what if I don't?”

Haruka let out an agitated growl. “I don't know. Maybe it's because you don't have the decency!” She jumped up and grabbed her coat from the rack.

“And just where are you going?”

“Out- it's none of your business! Why do you even ask, as you don’t really care anyway!” Haruka said angrily, which by that time had attracted the cooks and wrappers.

Haruka swung open the door and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Hotaru sighed, doing exactly what the others were doing.

“On Christmas?” asked Taiki, half sadly, half angrily, or maybe more exasperated than anything else.

Seiya shot her a furious glance, stood up and grabbed her coat, and swung open the door. “Christmas, Taiki, is just like any other day. You of all people should know.”

“Seiya? Where are you going? asked Usagi.

“I'm going out to get her. Hopefully you'll be finished by the time I get back,” replied Seiya, darkly.

Slamming the door behind her, doing exactly what Haruka herself had done, she stepped onto the snowy porch, squinting through the near darkness and luckily could still see Haruka's figure, quickly walking away.

“Haruka!” she called. “Wait!” She jumped off the stairs and started towards the figure, who had stopped in mid tracks.

“Haruka,” whispered Seiya, breathlessly, once she arrived there. “Where on Earth are you headed to?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps off to die, but you wouldn’t notice anyway. Why are you here?” she snapped in response, tightening her coat around her.

“I'm not going to let you leave! Are you out of your mind?”

“I just might be.”

Furious, Seiya pointed above them, as they were right under a road lamp, the light cascading around them.

“Know what that is?” she asked, angrily.

Haruka looked up. “Mistletoe.”

“Right. That means Christmas. Love and cheerfulness and all that other stuff. And Haruka, no matter how many times I get angry at you or you get fed up with me, and no matter how bad the argument may be, I'm not letting you leave at Christmas, okay?”

Haruka laughed haughtily. “And why not? Would you feel guilty and your holidays are ruined? Is that it?”

Seiya rubbed her head, a heading beginning to form.

“You are so impossible. That's why you have significant other.”

Haruka grimaced.

“But you know what? I'm going to spare you the pain. Now come on…”

“Charity? Pity? No, thanks.”

“It's not charity!” Seiya yelled. “It's called friendship! I want to be your friend, okay? What is your problem?!” In one motion, she had thrust her hand in her coat pocket, and pulled out a box.

She handed it towards Haruka. Haruka looked at Seiya, then the gift in Seiya’s hand.

“Is this some kind of joke?” she asked, angrily, praying the hope didn’t show in her voice.

Seiya growled. “No. This is a Christmas gift. From me, Seiya, to you, Haruka.”

This is not something Haruka was expecting as she stared with a disbelieving face at the gift.

“This… is for me?”

“Yes. Please, just open it.”

Haruka cast Seiya and uncertain glance, and then slowly untied the ribbon. Then the wrap. Then finally, the box.

She knew whatever was in the box definitely glittered. Suddenly, she was totally disconnected from the world.

She opened the box.

And in it, contained an amber necklace. On a surprisingly feminine silver chain, was a small, oval amber charm.

Haruka did not speak, her eyes were focused on the object in her hand.

“Michiru told me a few days ago that you liked amber, so I did the best I could,” mumbled Seiya, uncomfortable in the silence.

Haruka reluctantly put the necklace back into it case, and thrust it back towards Seiya.

“Seiya… I have nothing to give to you in return. I can't take it.”

Seiya smiled softly. “It's a gift from me, for Christmas. You don't have to give me anything back, Haruka.”

The words were so incredibly soft that Haruka looked up to find Seiya smiling at her. She took a breath, then laughed softly.

“I never thought I'd ever say this, but… thank-you. It's beautiful. I've never been given a gift before, like this.”

“Why not?”

“Well… some girls just aren’t given things like this. It's… just what people think of them sort of reflects… oh, I have no idea why,” she concluded, putting the necklace around her neck which she had taken out of the box once more.

Seiya took Haruka's hand, softly. “Now come on. Dinner is most likely ready by now. They're probably waiting for us…”

Haruka, for the first time, allowed herself to be led. They walked slowly to the house, letting the snow crunch under their feet.

Finally, the reached the doorstep, where a large wreath and more mistletoe was hung.

“Haruka?” asked Seiya, finally, reaching for the door handle.

She looked at her. “What?”

“Do you know how you said you didn’t have anything for me?”

“…yes.”

“Well, I think you do.”

Haruka was looking at her, both nervous and confused, trying to figure out what the Starlight was saying. “Seiya, I don’t think I bought anything. I-’’

Seiya smiled, then bent down, and kissed her softly and tenderly on the lips.

“Merry Christmas,” the dark haired woman whispered, her hot breath whisking across Haruka’s ear, stopping any thought process that she had going at the moment.

Seiya stood strait, not sure if she'd be yelled at or hit or what, but she waited for it. But none of that happened. Haruka squeezed her hand, smiling with her eyes bright.

“Merry Christmas, Seiya.”

Blushing furiously, Seiya opened the door for her, as they entered the House of Christmas.

END

Corny? OOC? Could be better? Yes. I know. *avoids big objects being thrown her way*