Title: Double or Nothing

Author: CopperMoon7

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters from the anime. My friend CopperMoon7 wrote this story for me. See author's page for more info.

Stephanie Lengel, known to her friends as Tomoyo, stood in front of the door of the third floor music room. She didn't want to be there. It was way too crowded, especially around this time of year. However, she needed to give the twins their gift.

Tomoyo, like Haruhi, wore the guy's uniform, absolutely refusing to wear the girl's uniform. Ugh, she hated those dresses. However, she couldn't quite pass off as a guy thanks to her early blooming cleavage and voluptuous curves. She also had long light brown hair she kept in a braid and blue eyes filled with motherly affection.

Tomoyo had become close friends with the twins after first becoming close friends to Haruhi and was sworn to silence after she had found out about Haruhi's secret. They often used that friendship as a leverage to talk her into doing stuff she normally wouldn't.

Deciding just to get it over with, she pushed open the doors. A flurry of wait a minute was that snow? Tomoyo bent down and touched the snow to find it wasn't cold. She wasn't sure how they had done it, but the Host Club had managed to turn the music room into an artificial winter wonderland. It was still rather chilly, probably to enhance the effect.

"Irasshaimase!" came the unanimous greeting.

Everyone for once was dressed for the occasion of Christmas. Tamaki was dressed in a Santa outfit while, the twins and Haruhi were dressed like elves. Mori and Honey were both wearing reindeer antlers and Honey had on a red nose. The only one who wasn't wearing a costume was Kyouya.

"So," Hikaru said coming up to her side with a playful grin. "You finally decided to come visit."

"Do you like our costumes?" Kaoru said coming up to the other side.

Tomoyo nodded. "Very much so. How come Kyouya-san isn't wearing one?"

"I'm Santa's advisor," Kyouya replied with a chilling smile.

'More like Jack Frost,' Tomoyo thought clandestinely.

Tomoyo was surprised when Tamaki approached her and took her hands in his. "Tomoyo-chan, I'd just like to thank you for keeping Haruhi's secret and being a source of femininity for my daughter!"

"Eh okay." Tomoyo wouldn't exactly mark herself as a source of femininity, but whatever.

"However, we have a dilemma," Tamaki told her. "We're missing a Mrs. Claus."

"Wouldn't that be Kyouya's job?" Tomoyo asked, having learned about Tamaki's little family system.

Everyone went rigid. 'She said it'

What was with the sudden icy atmosphere? Tomoyo wondered, until a hand (need you even guess who's?) rested on her shoulder giving her unpleasant shivers as if a torrent of dark intent was surrounding her.

"We actually thought that YOU would be better suited for that role," Kyouya said in a cheerful voice, even more frightening than was normal.

"Me?" Tomoyo said abashed. "I'm not even in the Host Club."

"That's why I'm inviting you in for a short time!" Tamaki declared. "As a Motherly Type!"

"Our Christmas present to you," Kyouya finalized, and Tomoyo didn't need to turn around to see that eerie smile on his face.

Why did she have the gut feeling that this was an offer she wasn't allowed to refuse? Sure, she acted like a protective mother where her friends were concerned, but that was just her nature. Tomoyo shook her head. "Come on guys, why would ANYONE want a Motherly type?"

Tamaki's expression softened. "Many of these girls have no mother figure to confide in. Even with a father, it gets lonely. You'd be doing them a service."

His words seemed to be burdened, and Tomoyo felt there was a hidden significance to what he said. "I still don't think..."

The twins decided it was time for Plan B. They signaled to Mori who gave a single nod and placed Honey down in front of Tomeo.

"Please, Tomo-chan!" Honey begged her all wide-eyed and flowers popping. "Just this once?"

"Oh, that's so unfair!" Tomoyo groaned not being able to resist the overpowering cuteness. "Ugh, how can I possibly say 'no' to that?"

"Wonderful!" Tamaki said, then with a snap of his fingers both Hikaru and Kaoru grabbed her. "Help Mrs. Claus into her attire."

"Yes, Tono!" They said saluting.

'Why me?' Tomoyo thought.

"You look quite pleased, Kyouya," Tamaki commented. "Aren't you at all upset that she's borrowing your role as mother?"

"Quite the contrary," Kyouya stated, pushing up his glasses. "It's nice to take a break from the 'mom' role every once in a while. Besides, our guest seems to be doing quite well"

Tomoyo sat in the Mrs. Claus outfit with a dark red rose tucked behind her ear. She felt rather ridiculous, but at least the outfit suited her form. You can't imagine how disbelieving she was at receiving many designations.

"Okaasan, can you keep a secret?" Her current client asked her.

"Anything you tell me will never pass through my lips," Tomoyo assured the girl.

"Well, there is this boy I like," she confided.

Ah, the classic love complex, Tomoyo thought. It was amazing how many girls had it. "Does he know how you feel?" The girl shook her head no. "Then it isn't love. Right now, you're in the stage of longing, a one sided love. Until you tell him how you feel, that love will be incomplete."

"Demo what if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Better to live with refusal than to live always wondering what could or could not have been, don't you think? Besides, if he does say no, then he doesn't realize what he's missing out on."

"I guess that's true," The girl said with a small smile. Arigato, Okaasan!"

"Attention everyone!" Tamaki's voice carried across the room, alerting everyone. "It's time for a little game we've invented." He gave an elegant twirl. "The game is 'Find the Mistletoe'! The one who locates the mistletoe that we've hidden somewhere in the school, will be awarded with a kiss each from two of Santa's helpers, the Hitachiin brothers!"

The invited a wave of screams. It was every girl's dream to be kissed by a Host Club member and for many being kissed by both twins was as good as ascending to heaven itself.

"Aren't you going to participate, Tomoyo-san?" Kyouya inquired when Tomeo started to sneak off.

"No thanks," she politely declined. "I think I've had enough festivities for today."

As she walked off, she didn't see the sly smile on Kyouya's lips nor did she hear him say, "Is that so?"

Tomoyo figured she might as well just give the twins' their present and then head off for home. But when she went to the place where she had left her bag, she was horror struck to find the box was on the floor next to her collapsed backpack and it was open and unmistakably empty. Shoot.

"Haruhi!" Tomoyo hissed into the girl's ear startling her. "I need your help."

"With what?" Tomoyo quickly whispered the situation into Haruhi's ear. "Isn't that not allowed?" She asked after Tomoyo was done.

"I know that, and that's why I need your help finding it! Please, Haruhi, before anyone else discovers it!"

"Alright, alright," Haruhi caved.

The two of them looked high and low while navigating through the crowds of girls trying to locate the sacred mistletoe. The two searched everywhere but didn't see hide nor hair of Tomoyo's gift. They had started at the first floor and had worked their way to the main hall. Just when the two were out of breath and almost given up, Haruhi felt something soft land on her head and bounce of. She blinked down to see a white balloon land on the floor at her feet.

She looked up and gasped. "Tomoyo! Look up!"

Tomoyo did so and she gasped too. There was a large blanket stretched out above their heads and the two could just see some red green and white balloons loaded up onto top no doubt to be released for the Christmas celebration. But what really caught their attention was the movement of something crawling through the balloons.

"How in the--?" Tomoyo looked around and saw a tall stepping ladder that had likely been used to tie the blanket up. Clever little beast. Tomoyo quickly climbed up the ladder and once she reached the top, she saw the small puppy's head poking out of the balloons looking all cute and innocent. Bah. "Come here," Tomoyo said in a sweet voice crouching atop the ladder and extending a hand towards the small canine. "Come here, puppy. Come here you little trouble maker of trouble makers."

The puppy gave a small yap and began moving inward of the blanket, away from Tomoyo's reach. "No! Bad boy! I said come here!" Tomoyo tried lengthening her reach, but in doing so, toppled off the ladder and onto the blanket. Sadly, only tape was tying up and it ripped under the pressure of Tomoyo's weight. Tomoyo instinctively grabbed a fistful of blanket and held on for her life. As she swung down, the puppy just happened to slide into her arms. Tomoyo tumbled to the floor, showered by the hundreds of balloons. Luckily it hadn't been a rough fall. When she was brave enough to open her eyes she glared down at the puppy in her arms. "You little devil."

The puppy made a small whimper and tilted its head to the side. It was then Tomoyo noticed the small dog had something in its mouth. She took it and saw that it was a small branch of mistletoe.

"It looks like we have our winner," Tamaki's voice announced.

Ara?

Tomeo turned to see that along with Haruhi was Host Club as well as a huge crowd of girls. When the HECK did they get there?? Despite the obvious plot hole, cheering broke out through the crowd albeit with some sulking from the more jealous girls. Something wasn't right about this. Curious, Tomoyo sniffed the mistletoe. It was just as she had figured. Pheromones. She glared at Kyouya whom she KNEW must have had SOMETHING to do with this, but as always he was standing there looking as if the whole thing was simply an interesting turnout.

"You fell into our mistletoe trap!" Two voices chorused.

Tomoyo glanced from side to side, not surprised to see the twins there looking rather smug. She sighed and held out the puppy to them. "Here. I got this little guy for you."

Hikaru gaped open mouthed and Kaoru took the puppy. The twins absolutely loved small animals, especially puppies. They both laughed when the puppy leapt up and licked both their faces.

"But were not allowed to have dogs." said Hikaru disappointedly.

"Thats why we never got one." said Kaoru sounded equally crestfallen.

"I know, thats why Im keeping him at my house," Tomoyo told them. "But he's still yours. And you two can come over and see him any time you want."

Twin sets of amber grew wide when she said this. For once, they were doubly speechless.

Tomoyo just smiled. "Merry Christmas you guys."

Smiles spread on both their faces and each went to one side of her. "Arigato," they whispered before planting a kiss each on either cheek.

Stephanie laughed as the two kissed her on opposite cheeks. "Hey, stop trying to embarrass me!"

There was no way she could choose one or the other. She loved them both. Thats why she never dared take their relationship any farther than a close friendship. She couldnt have them both as lovers, but she could have both of them as friends.

Hikaru and Kaoru felt the same way. They both liked Tomoyo, and rather than have to go through the trouble of deciding who would have her, they both could share her in friendship. A very close and meaningful friendship.

Owari