Summary: It's a Flashback Christmas, and the group gets together to celebrate the happiest time of the year.
**Taiora/Koumi/Takari**

A/N: (5/15/19) Wanted to keep the fluffy side of Colors in Autumn going. Its parent story has some fluff sprinkled in, but, you know, you'll find it once you get past the *drama*

These one-shots can be read without reading the main story, although anyone who follows it might appreciate its references :)

(12/25/18) Colors Timeline: This is the Christmas during Tai, Sora, and Matt's last year at university. Two Christmases later, Tai is in Beijing, and the next Christmas hasn't happened in the current storyline yet.

Enjoy the fluff. :):):):)

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-Colors in Christmas-

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It was the Saturday evening before the week of Christmas. The first semester of the final year at university was over, and Sora was relieved to survive the final exams throughout the week. All of her friends had just started their winter breaks, and especially with the holidays coming up, they all planned to gather at Izzy's apartment. Sora wore her red turtleneck long sleeve shirt and denim skirt, and put on green leggings, just to be festive, but mostly to stay warm. With her hair set and her makeup only needing final touches, she yelled through the open door of her bathroom to make sure that her other half was running on the same time.

"How's it going, Tai?" she asked aloud.

"I've hit a snag," he yelled back from his own bathroom. "My hair's not working with me tonight."

Sora sighed and rolled her eyes, just as she pressed her now red lips together. She spritzed on her favorite fruity perfume and left her bathroom to head to Tai's room. On the way, she stopped in front of Matt's door, which was closed. After a light knock, she opened his door and found it dark, but she could see a silhouette of Matt's body covered under a blanket, in his peaceful slumber. She figured he had a week as grueling as hers, and he needed a nap like this. She then closed his door quietly, knowing she would see him at the party later on.

When she stepped into his room, she glowered at the state of it. It astounded her, how he could have this amount of shirts and pants laying around when they had done laundry together merely a week ago.

"We're going to be late, Tai," she said with agitation.

"I'm almost done, I promise!" he yelled from the bathroom.

She pushed a shirt off of the edge of his bed so that she could sit, anticipating that his time would be longer than being 'almost done'.

"Hurry up, Tai! You know I don't like being late."

"Relax, Sora. Izzy doesn't mind."

"Well, you know Mimi does. And, as I was saying, I don't either."

Sora looked up at the ceiling, wondering how long she was going to wait. To her surprise, it wasn't long after all, which she realized just as his hands snaked around her waist and he pulled her close.

"Done," he said, and she turned to meet his brown eyes inches away from hers, and he greeted her with a kiss.

She looked him up and down when she pulled away, partly to make sure he was done, partly to see how good he looked. His hair was no different to her than it always was; the long, bushy, tamed mess of his hair. He wore dark slacks and a light tan shirt that buttoned up at the collar.

"Ooh, I love this shirt on you," Sora said, running her hand down his chest.

"I like your outfit, it's cute," Tai said with a smile, and Sora made a face. She never did like being called 'cute', but that only made Tai keep going. "Your face you just made, how cute. Oh, you're glaring now? It's so cute, the way you wrinkle your nose..."

"Stop that, Tai." She smacked his shoulder, but he drew closer, his face now close to her neck.

"Mmm, you smell really good."

"Tai…" Sora grew impatient, but his lips were now tickling her neck. "Tai, we really should get going…" His hands were leaving her waist and untucking her shirt to slip underneath to the flat of her stomach. "Tai…" Sora's whine was broken up by a giggle as his lips were nibbling on her earlobe, his hands moving up to the clip of her bra. She was tempted to fall back onto his bed, taking him with her so he could keep going, but instead, she took his cheeks with her hands to catch his attention with her lips pressed against his.

She gazed into his eyes when she parted. "We can't keep our friends waiting, Tai."

"I know, I know. I just missed you during finals week."

"I missed you, too."

She kissed him again, and he kissed back, his arms around her, tempting her again, then-

"Do you really want me to mess with your hair right now?" she asked.

"I can always redo it," he replied with a smirk, ready to kiss her again, but Sora drew back.

"Tai, Mimi will have our heads."

"Fine, fine."

Tai frowned as Sora straightened a part of his hair with her fingers, then gave him another kiss. As she pulled apart from him, his eyes met hers and his lips formed a smile, making her smile back.

"Of course, you would be late, Tai," Mimi said unhappily with her arms crossed, at Izzy's front door. Her light brown hair was long and wavy, and she wore a white dress with stripes of red, green, and white with an apron over it, making her look like a holiday elf.

"Why would you think that, Mimi?" Tai asked, starting a bickering match with her. Sora stared at him from the corner of her eyes as he held his arm around her shoulders, listening to him rant about his hair taking too long to dry and how his products haven't held up very well.

"Thanks for inviting us, Mimi," Sora said, moving forward and giving Mimi a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She took Tai's hand and walked further into Izzy's apartment, revealing the living room and dining room decorated with garlands of green and silver, including the mantel above the fireplace. The Christmas tree just to the side of it was all decked out with ornaments and strings of colorful lights.

"Izzy let me do all the decorating," Mimi explained. "He's such a sweetheart. I knew he wasn't too into the holidays but when he suggested I spruce the place up a bit, I said, 'Well, I thought you'd never ask!'"

"I bet she didn't stop hinting at it," Tai mumbled to Sora, and she nodded.

Mimi and Izzy had only just started dating a few months ago, after Izzy was coerced by Tai and Matt to ask her out. It was a surprise to Mimi, but Izzy had been crushing on her for years. Izzy was Mimi's longest relationship, and it pleasantly surprised Sora, who hadn't seen Mimi this happy about anyone for the longest time.

Mimi frowned, however, when she showed Sora and Tai the Christmas tree, which was full of colored orbs, ornaments of snowflakes and wintry themes.

"Why the long face, Meems?" Sora asked. The tree is gorgeous. You did an amazing job decorating it."

"No way - Sora, check out this robot ornament," Tai said, holding the blockhead robot in his palm. "This looks so awesome."

Mimi pouted at Sora, and before she could open her mouth, Izzy's red head appeared at Tai's other side. "Prodigious, right?" Izzy said. "I couldn't stop staring at it at the shop…"

"He really couldn't," Mimi said somberly while Izzy gushed about it with Tai. "We went Christmas shopping together, and you know how I like things to match. But he just looked so adorable looking at it, I just knew he wanted it…"

The front door opened then, and a dark blue haired Joe appeared, holding the hand of his fiance, Mika.

"I'm so happy you're here!" Mimi said excitedly, throwing her arms up and running over to him.

"Why am I the one who got yelled at?" Tai asked grumpily.

After Sora greeted Joe and Mika with Tai, she walked around Izzy's apartment while waiting for the other friends to arrive. She was amazed at how big it was for just Izzy to live in it. It was just as big as the apartment she lived in with Tai and Matt, except Izzy was making enough money, while still going to school, to live on his own.

Tai wrapped his arms around her then, holding her from behind.

"I'm surprised you haven't complained about the cold yet," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"The heater's on, Tai," said Sora. "I'm covered up already, and if I get cold, there's always my jacket hanging by the door."

"You're forgetting that you have me, too."

"What good use are you, Tai?" she asked in a mocking tone.

"Ouch, Sora. Can't a man keep his woman from freezing to death?"

"I've got everything I need, Tai. I don't need you."

"But I need you…" Tai gave her a peck on the cheek, and she turned to him to see him, face-to-face.

"I'm sure you do. You'd be like a lost puppy out on the street."

Sora couldn't help but laugh as Tai pouted his lips in front of her. She put her hands on either side of his shoulders, lifting herself up to meet his lips with hers.

When TK arrived, Sora rushed to the door to give him a hug, and when she felt the cold emanating from his jacket and his short blonde hair, she only hugged him tighter and rubbed his back.

"Geez, it must have gotten colder tonight," she told him.

"It's the worst!" TK agreed.

While Tai started a conversation with Joe and Mika, Sora joined TK by the fireplace, where they both liked to sit to feel its warmth. She listened to TK talk about his senior year of high school, and that he was glad he had time before the new year to relax and unwind before hitting the books again for entrance exams.

"Actually, Sora, I wanted to ask you about something," TK said. "Before Kari gets here."

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Well…" TK adjusted his crossed legs, as though he couldn't find a comfortable position suddenly. "How do you tell someone that you love them?"

Sora wasn't sure how to answer. Tai was the first one to tell her he loved her, and it caught her by surprise. They weren't doing anything special - they were sitting at the table in their apartment, and she laughed nonstop at something silly he said. She knew he watched her the whole time as she took deep breaths, but her laughter caught in each exhale, until she controlled herself and then she finally got herself to calm down.

"I love you, Sora," Tai had said to her then, and she stared at him in wonder, maybe even in confusion.

"Did you just that say you love me?" she had asked back.

"Uh-huh."

She left him hanging until a few days later, as she watched him staring at her as she fixed the front of his hair before he went out for the day. He looked confused at first, but it made him smile before they shared a kiss to confirm.

"You just… tell her, TK," was Sora's response. "You tell her that you love her, as soon as you believe it, the next chance you get."

"Do you love me, Sora?" Sora jumped and squealed at the light poke at her sides, and at the low, cool voice that asked the question. She turned to the blonde-headed male next to her, his blue eyes with calm mischief, alert and fresh after a long nap. "I'm so glad I found out that you were ticklish."

Sora smacked Matt on the shoulder before he smiled and closed in to give her a hug. Then, he went over to TK to hug him as well.

After Sora watched Matt and Tai perform their silly handshake greeting, Kari arrived soon after, in her puffy jacket and beanie over her head, and TK beamed as he greeted her with a kiss. At the same time, Mimi took out the turkey that she had been roasting in the oven, and she and Izzy started bringing the other dishes over to the table.

Sora placed her hand on Mimi's shoulder as Mimi sprinkled a few more seasonings over the turkey. "Do you need any help?" she asked.

"Umm…" Mimi stopped and thought. "Hmm. Extra napkins, maybe?"

Sora searched the drawers and found napkins to bring to the table. Everyone had already found their seat at the table, including Tai, who pulled the chair out next to him for Sora to sit in. Once she sat down, the feast began. In addition to the roasted turkey, Mimi served sides of scalloped potatoes, carrots and green beans, all which tasted delicious. The others wholeheartedly agreed, with the typical first few moments of no words spoken, only the sounds of forks and knives clinking against the plates.

Further into the meal, as Sora caught up with Joe, Mika, and Izzy, she heard Tai happily chatting away and laughing with Kari and TK, and Matt asking Mimi what she put in the carrots to make them taste amazing. Then, when Sora noticed all the plates had been cleared, Mimi shot up from her seat and hurried to the kitchen. Pretty soon, she returned with a whole pan of apple pie.

"Oh yeah, I'm so ready for this," Tai said, rubbing his hands together.

Mimi must have noticed Sora's less than enthused reaction to the pie as she served a slice on each plate. "Don't worry, Sora," Mimi said. "One day you'll discover what you've been missing out on all this time."

Tai leaned over to Sora to speak in a low voice. "Didn't you already discover that when you started dating me?" he asked.

"Tai!" Sora smacked his shoulder, her face feeling hot.

Mimi served Tai a slice of pie, with Sora being the only person without a slice. Mimi set the pie down, then hurried to the kitchen again. When she came back, she held a mug, steaming from the top, and she set it down in front of Sora, revealing the dark, chocolatey liquid, topped with a large marshmallow.

"You know me so well," said Sora, puckering her lips along with Mimi to exchange air kisses, while her friends at the table laughed at Mimi's gesture.

Tai then nudged Sora, and when she turned her head, she saw he raised his fork with a piece of his slice in front of her. Sora shook her head.

"Aww, come on, Sora," he said. "I know how much you hate apples, but you have to give in to Mimi's apple pie sometime."

"No way, Tai. Not a chance."

"I guess we'll have to wait until hell freezes over."

Sora grinned. "Something like that."

At some point, TK had left the table and returned with a handful of tiny green leaves tied up with a red string and small bells attached. Sora knew what it was, but she noticed the smile wiped off of Tai's face.

"Hey, TK," he said, sounding serious. "Be careful with that. You better not abuse it."

TK stuck his tongue out at Tai, then held it over Kari sitting in her chair, who gasped in surprise and brought his face to her for a kiss. Sora laughed as Tai let out a mock gasp. Then TK sauntered over to Izzy and Mimi's side of the table and held the leaves over them. Izzy leaned over to Mimi and kissed her before she realized what was going on. He even got Joe and his fiance to kiss.

"Best for last," TK said in a singsong when he held the mistletoe over Tai and Sora. She looked over at Tai, her eyes meeting his, but she felt the eyes of everyone at the table. Looking past her embarrassment, she got out of her chair to take a seat on Tai's lap, and blushed as she gave him a soft kiss on his lips, which he took willingly.

"Get a room!" Matt yelled, making Sora laugh along with the others as she buried her face on Tai's shoulder, Tai holding her in his embrace.

Soon after, everyone dispersed from the table. And scattered throughout the dining table. Sora was excited to see that Matt brought his acoustic guitar, and started strumming the carols he knew. She sat close to the fire with Tai, leaning back against his chest as they listened to Matt's relaxing tunes. It felt so cozy to her that she fell into a daze that she didn't want to get out of.

"How long have they been at it?" she heard Tai ask after a while.

"Hmm?" she asked, and noticed his head was turned away from the fire and toward the couch. She looked toward that direction, and sat up in her startled amusement, seeing TK and Kari sitting close on the couch, their arms wrapped each other, and their mouths joined together like glue. TK still held the mistletoe at his fingertips. "Let them be, Tai. You were young and in love once."

Sora heard Tai grumble but she couldn't make out the words he said. It made her laugh, knowing how much he liked TK, but how protective he was of Kari.

"I'm going to fix this," she said, then she got up from the floor, and pulled him up to follow suit. She walked by TK and Kari, where she slipped the mistletoe away from TK's hand. When she went back to Tai, she grabbed his shoulder with one hand to support her as she raised her feet over her toes, holding her other hand with the mistletoe above his head. Tai lowered his head, breaking into laughter.

"I can't believe you, Sora," he said, and Sora grimaced.

"You just HAD to be tall. Your hair makes it worse."

"I thought you liked my hair."

"Shut up." She rested her feet flat against the floor, tired of lifting, and let the mistletoe fall on top of his hair where it stayed stuck. "Now, you can kiss whoever you want."

He paused. "That gives me options then."

Sora's eyes widened. "Options?! Honestly, Tai-"

Tai laughed hard. "I'm kidding. I just wanted to see your reaction."

She continued her hard stare, but he was still laughing.

"Sora, lighten up."

"Idiot." She brought him closer to her, her eyes meeting his bright-eyed smile now, and the mistletoe nestled into the top of his hair.

She burst into giggles at how silly he looked. "I can't believe you let me put that in your hair."

"Well," he said, pulling her even closer. "You're lucky that you're my best option."

Smiling back, she lifted herself a little on her toes, and she felt him lean forward for their lips to touch once again. Matt continued to play Christmas songs on his guitar, with Mimi joining in by singing along. Kari now leaned against TK, whose arm was around her as they listened on the couch. Mimi convinced Izzy to rattle the sleigh bells, and Joe and Mika clapped along to the songs, and Sora joined in with Tai soon after.

Sora and her friends decided not to buy each other any presents for the holiday, and that being in the presence of each others' company was all they needed. Sora was grateful to celebrate with her friends that night, and she agreed with her friends. And, as Sora kissed Tai's cheek with the green leaves and red ribbon still on top of his head, she thought about what Tai last said to her, and she decided that she couldn't agree more.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! To those who have been following Colors in Autumn, I didn't dive too much into the actual story here, but this fic gives you an insight of prime Taiora, and at least, a little bit of how the other characters were at this point in the timeline. You might have also noticed a change in a certain minor ship - It'll all be explained in due time.

In the meantime, whether you've read the aforementioned fic or not, I hope you enjoyed this standalone Taiora fluff. Please let me know what you think!

Thanks again for reading! Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

..Stay warm..