Disclaimer… I still don't own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters. If I did, Haruhi would not have ended up with Tamaki. ;)

A/N: Here it is. The first of my two holiday stories. This one is for Kyoya and was inspired by both the Nutcracker (I love this story) and the Haruhi in Wonderland episode. I'm sure you can already see where this is going. It will be 3 chapters. FYI… it will follow Japanese school terms which the new school year starts in April. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 – Surprise Christmas!

She felt like she was in a dream, but it felt too real to be her imagination. Inside her apartment stood a tall Christmas tree with so many presents underneath that her mind was awhirl. Haruhi should have expected as much given her relationship with the hosts. Tamaki would freak himself out imagining her too poor to have a Christmas tree, or that her real father couldn't afford to get her anything. The others would go along with it because they wanted to enhance her life, drive her crazy, or because they couldn't say no to their leader… and that included Kyoya. Why he ever went along with it all, she would never know.

Kyoya. Just his name sent warm fuzzies through her body. Ok, maybe not to that extreme, but he made her smile and feel cherished; which was odd because he was the Shadow King. They had confessed and had been dating since the beginning of the new school year; the first day in fact. He was now a third year and she a second. After Tamaki had confessed to her the night of the Ouran Fair, Haruhi realized that she had feelings for someone else, and it took some time, but she finally sorted through those feelings worked up the courage to confess fully expecting to be rejected; however, something else happened…

Flashback…

"Kyoya-senpai, may I speak to you a moment?" Haruhi asked him as soon as he had arrived. She had been lying in wait wanting to do the deed instead of waiting and allowing her emotions and anxiety to build up. Never had she been more aware of someone of the opposite sex, nor had she ever had feelings for a guy. This was a first and she felt like a fish out of water.

"Of course, Haruhi. How may I assist you?" Kyoya inquired as he approached her. He had not an inkling of why she would want to talk to him, but curiosity won out. As time moved on through her first year, he realized that his feelings surpassed that of a friend, however, Tamaki was his best friend and the cool host knew the princely type loved the natural host. Therefore, he would bow out gracefully. Much to his surprise, the blond had been rejected and Kyoya wondered briefly if he had a chance.

Seeing the small crowd forming, she turned around and started walking away, "Please follow me." She wanted to confess, but she didn't necessarily want an audience. Arriving at the gazebo in the rose maze, she spun around, her yellow skirt flaring out (no longer able to dress as a boy since her secret had been revealed at the Ouran Fair) as she planted her feet.

"I have followed. Now what is this about? Please be quick about it as I have other things to attend to."

If it had been anyone else, his tone would have stung, but Haruhi believed she had Kyoya figured out and knew some of his abruptness was an act… unless you pissed him off or tried to wake him up early in the morning. Clearing her throat, she began, "I like you senpai."

Did he dare hope she meant it as more than a friend? Deciding not to reading more into this outburst, he stated simply, "I like you too, Haruhi. You are a good friend and an invaluable member of the Host Club."

Shoulders slumping in slight defeat, Haruhi shook her head, bucked up her courage, and tried again, "No senpai. I like you as more than a friend… as in a romantic way. I'm sure you don't feel the same and that you probably already…" She started to ramble when he didn't say anything, his glasses hiding his eyes so she was unable to see any sort of reaction.

"Excuse me?" Kyoya blurted. He had not been expecting this. Hoping yes, but not truly expecting it.

"I like you," she mumbled again, her courage was abandoning her in light of his reaction… and then it happened.

Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya stepped forward with a smile on his face to cup her cheek as he said, "I suppose if an audacious princess, such as yourself, confesses, I have no choice but to accept her affection since the feelings are mutual."

"Huh?" She thought she heard he felt the same, but didn't quite catch everything he said. His thumb brushing across her face was quite distracting.

"I like you as well… in the romantic sense," he repeated and leaned forward to give her a chaste kiss on the lips.

Behind them they could hear the sounds of cheering and when they turned they found Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki grinning from ear to ear and clapping. The blond was also waving a handkerchief in the air as he used another to dab his eyes, "My baby has grown up and found love." Some might have thought he would have fought the pairing tooth and nail, but he supported it. Haruhi had come to him the day before to talk to him, and he could think of no one better to win the heart of the princess, well at least since it hadn't been him.

End flashback…

Kyoya and Haruhi had been together ever since… eight months and they were still going strong. Some wondered how she had caught the eye of the Shadow King, but no one could deny they felt strongly for each other.

And now Christmas was almost upon them, actually it was tomorrow. The Host Club had taken upon themselves to bombard her home for an impromptu Christmas party, however, if she wasn't mistaken – and she knew she wasn't – they had already had their Christmas party. Two of them in fact: one at school and one at the twins house (Tamaki wanted it at his, but they drew straws and he lost, which he said was unfair since it was two against one). So why were they there for another party? This was the Host Club, who knows. Haruhi only knew she sat at her table next to her boyfriend as servants got rid of the small tree, installed one that took up half the room, and then piled presents under the new tree… thankfully not throwing away anything that had already been under the original tree.

The tree was beautiful and she had not been expecting it, kind of didn't want it, but if she told them that, Tamaki would grow more mushrooms and pout, the twins would give her a hard time, Hunny would give her puppy eyes and start to tear up, Mori would give her the look, and Kyoya would say something about her being ungracious (he was still the Shadow King, so this time he would say it teasingly with a smile on his face because she was still his girlfriend). Thus she kept it and told herself she could get rid of it in a couple of days.

"Can we open presents now Tama-Chan?" Hunny asked after they had eaten the meal Haruhi had prepared as well as the cake she had baked.

"Why of course Hunny-senpai!" Tamaki exclaimed and dove towards the tree. If carpet had been on the floor instead of tatami mats, he might have gotten carpet burn… and there wasn't even that much space in the apartment (as Haruhi had been reminded several times since they came over the first time).

Passing out the presents one by one, the Host Club president played Santa. Most were for Haruhi, however, she didn't seem overly enthusiastic over any of the gifts. And then the last gift was handed to her, a soft smile appeared on her lips as she gazed at the gift and Tamaki was overjoyed since it had been from him, "Do you like it?"

The brunette never took her eyes away from the doll as she answered, "Yah, I do. My mom would take me to the Nutcracker when I was a kid before she passed away, and then Kyoya took me last night. It was the first time I had been since we lost her. I had forgotten... I love it. Thank you Tamaki-senpai."

"You're welcome Haruhi," Tamaki said, but soon he couldn't hold back any longer and reached across the room and grabbed her, pulling her into a choke hold… I mean hug.

Shaking his head, Kyoya rescued her with the help of his dark aura and the threat of Mori doing the blond bodily harm. "Are you alright, Haruhi?"

"Yes, I am," she smiled and gave him a small kiss before looking at the others in the room and saying, "Thank you everyone. This has been a great Christmas."

"Because you got a lot of presents, right?" Hikaru snickered teasing her.

In all seriousness, she said, "No, because all of you are here this year."

Awes went around the room and everyone agreed with that sentiment. There may be up and down, things they had to overcome (like Tamaki trying to get married and run away to France), but they had each other and were a family, and that is what Christmas was all about: being with the people you love and cherish.