This Christmas (Mavi)

13

I'd just ended the Skype call with my family when Avi opened the door and walked in.

"Still talking to your parents?" He asked, sitting down next to me on the bed.

"Nope, I just finished." I checked the time. It was ten o' clock already.

"Are you coming downstairs again? There's wine," he winked.

"You had me at the wine." I got up slowly and followed Avi downstairs, back into the living room. Everyone was there, except for the kids, who'd been sent to bed.

Avi poured me a glass of wine and I squeezed myself between Avi and Esther on the couch.

I sipped my wine and looked around the room, thinking. It was strange how I could feel so connected to these people, most of whom I'd met about three hours ago. Only three hours, and it felt like I'd known them for so much longer.

I sat there for a while, pondering about these things, until Avi elbowed me in the side gently, trying to get my attention.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Idunno. Stuff. About how amazing your family is, I guess."

He smiled at my vague answer and grabbed his glass again. Meanwhile Esther had gone to the other side of the room to talk to her grandmother and Avi's mother had taken her spot.

"Hey Mitch, how have you been?"

-

I was standing on the little balcony of our room, staring at the mountains that surrounded the house.
It was just after midnight. After more and more family members had gotten up to go to bed I'd decided to call it a night too. Avi had said he would go upstairs soon too, and I was waiting for him to get here so he wouldn't wake me up when he got in bed. Well that's what I told myself.
Actually I just wanted to talk to him for a bit. There wasn't anything specific I needed to know, I just felt like talking to him.

It didn't look like he was going to bed anytime soon. Every few minutes a loud chorus of laughter would sound from downstairs.

I gazed at the incredible view. It had started to snow, but it still didn't feel like Christmas. Everything just felt pretty surreal.

Just when I'd decided to get ready for bed I heard the sound of the bedroom door closing. Avi's footsteps were almost inaudible on the carpet as he walked towards me and stepped outside onto the balcony.

We stood for a couple moments in silence.

"It's Christmas,"

"Yeah," I mumbled. "It doesn't really feel like it though."

"Why?"

"I don't know, it's just so surreal right now. Like I'm standing here, in the middle of the mountains, with you."

It was silent again.

"I got you some gifts," Avi said, making me turn towards him.

"How did you- you didn't have to do that. I can't- I don't have anything for y-" I was silenced by Avi putting his finger on my lips.

"It's okay. It's really nothing, it's just... I saw it on our way here and I thought of you,"

He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out something small. He handed it over to me and I looked at it. It was a little cat, cut out of wood. I marveled at how detailed it was.

I smiled at him and went in for a hug.
"I love it, it's beautiful." I whispered.

"I also have something else for you," he whispered back.

I backed out of the hug to see his face.

"You shouldn't have-" I was interrupted by him again.

"Hush. I mean... I didn't exactly spend money on this one." His voice was strangely nervous all of a sudden. "I don't know if this would even count as a gift, but.."

He stepped a tiny bit closer to me, closing the distance between us. I tried to read his expression. What was going on in his mind?

And suddenly his lips were on mine. Wait- what was- he was- I was stunned. Mistaking my confusion for unwillingness he broke off the kiss.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I-"

I shut him up by pressing my lips to his. This time it was his turn to be stunned, but after a couple seconds he recovered and kissed me back, passionately.

He grabbed my waist, sending a wave of butterflies through my stomach. I put my hands behind his neck and pulled him closer to me.

I smiled against his mouth and I could feel him smiling too and we were still kissing, and I put all of my feelings, all of the thoughts in my head into that single kiss.

Our lips were moving against each other and in that moment the whole world around us disappeared and we were the only ones left and the only thing that mattered were his soft lips on mine and his arms around me.

After what could've been hours or seconds he pulled away slightly, only to whisper:

"Merry Christmas, Mitch,"

And then our lips were against each other again.

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A/N

Boop. It's over. Honestly guys I want to thank every single one of you so much for reading my fic and supporting it and commenting and voting and it really means a lot to me. Writing this was a lot of fun and even tho it cost me many hours of sleep sometimes your comments made it worth it.
I love you all somaj and thanks again for reading!
Happy holidays everyone!