Vlogmas: a YouTube Christmas Special [YouTube]

Day 18

On the eighteenth day of Vlogmas, YouTube gave to me:

Touch The Sky (Christian Novelli [touchtheskyfilms])

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"Okay, I'll see you in a few days. Tell your mum Happy Hanukkah from me." You hang up the phone and fall backwards against the cushions of the couch. The house is deadly quiet without your perpetually arguing housemates. Heidi is with one of her mates from uni for the day, and Ezra is with his family celebrating the "Festival of Latkes", as he likes to put it. You hate to admit it, but you kind of miss those two losers even though you've only been alone for a day.

You've started to contemplate the mysterious stains on the ceiling when your mobile vibrates on your stomach, making you jump. When you check the ID, a puzzled frown crosses your face.

"Patty?" you answer, confusion evident in your voice even to your ears.

"Oh, sorry, actually it's Christian. My American phone doesn't understand your English airwaves."

"Christian!" you exclaim. "I didn't know you were in town?"

"Yeah, I was sitting in my coat closet and then when I crawled out for some ice water, I was in Luke's house," he replies. "Sorry I didn't tell you until now. Ahh, sorry."

"It's okay, but I have to see you before you leave!" You sit forward and pick at a loose thread on your sock. "Is that why you were calling?"

"Actually, yeah. Today's my last day in the UK and I wanted to hang out. Is that okay? You're probably busy, huh. I'm sorry."

You look around the empty lounge. "Christian, I always have time for you."

"Cool." He sounds like he's trying to hide how pleased he is. "So, what do you want to do? I'm already in London."

"I have something in mind."

******************

Christian looks down at the sled doubtfully. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Come on, Novelli," you tease, sitting down at the front of the sled. "Don't be a pussy."

"It just looks... Small. And breakable."

You reach up and grab his gloved hand with your mittened one. "Please? If you don't like it I swear we can stop and go do something else immediately."

He appears to weigh his options, and then cautiously sits down behind you, so far back that he's practically hanging off the end of the sled.

You laugh and roll your eyes. "Scoot up. I don't have cooties."

Christian flushes a deep pink and shuffles forward on his butt until his chest is almost against your back. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"I just don't want you to fall off," you explain, taking it upon yourself to adjust his feet so that they're on either side of yours, but the tips of your ears are hot, too. You forgot how... close two-person sledding could be.

Finally, everything is adjusted. You hesitate before pushing off. "You might want to hold on to me," you suggest. "This hill is pretty steep. I mean, I've had to have gone sledding down half the hills in London just to find the perfect one for the optimum sledding experience, and this is it. This is Mount Slederest."

Christian giggles behind the balled-up sleeve of his parka. "Mount Slederest, wow. I feel so honoured."

"You should. But never fear, civilian. You're riding with me. Why, I've ridden this hill, oh, at least one time. Old Red has never let me down yet," you say in an important voice, flicking your hair and patting the curve of the little red sled. "Are you ready?"

His hands timidly rest on your shoulders. "I guess so."

You push off. It starts off slow as the sled gets over the crest of the hill, but quickly gains speed after that. The wind whips your hair away from your face, tearing your childishly gleeful laughter out of your lips and tossing it over your shoulder. Christian's grip on your shoulders tightens, then slips. He recovers by hooking his arms around your waist and pulling himself flush against your back. His mouth is right by your ear, chin just over your shoulder. He's laughing, too, louder than you can ever remember hearing him. Snow flurries, still fresh and white from the heavy snowfall last night, speckle your face like perfect, cold reminders that this is reality. Your hat comes off, making you screech in joyous surprise.

When you reach the bottom of the hill, you can't believe it. You halfway figured that feeling would last forever. Christian's hold on you loosens as the sled glides to a stop, and you twist to face him. "Well?" you ask.

He grins so sunnily that you almost tell him to stop lest he melt the snow. "Let's go again."

******************

Christian looks around at his suitcase and backpack. "Well," he sighs, absent-mindedly balling the sleeve of his jumper in his fist.

You work up a smile. "I hope you have a nice flight. Eat some peanuts in my honour." You pause for a moment. "Are peanuts vegan?"

He grins. "Yeah, I think so." He fidgets a little, tapping his heel against the ground restlessly and fiddling with the strap of his backpack. His big blue eyes are everywhere but on you. "Um, I had a nice time today."

"Yeah, me too. I wish we'd had more time." Why is this so awkward?!

The intercom blares something about Flight 102 to Somewhere, and that seems to stir Christian. "Well, I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah. Be safe, okay? Take care of yourself."

"You too."

Both of you still stand there, not moving. You bite your lip, suddenly holding back tears, and open your arms for a hug. He accepts so quickly that it almost knocks you over. Christian practically squeezes the life out of you, but, weirdly, you're okay with it. At least you can hide your face in his jumper so that no one will see you cry.

"I really miss you," Christian murmurs. His body sort of instinctively curls around you, like he's trying to personally shield you from everything and anything. "I don't call you enough. I'm sorry. But I think today was probably one of the best days. I could write, like, twenty happy poems just about today."

"Me too," you sniffle, voice muffled by the fabric of his jumper. "All of the above."

He laughs a little and squeezes you again. "I'll see you soon, okay? Time flies when you're constantly slipping from dimension to dimension, right?"

You nod, pulling away and wiping your face with your sleeve. "Yeah. I guess Playlist isn't all that far away. And Vidcon."

"Exactly." He pulls you in for one last quick hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Christian."

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A/N:

Gah Christian is such a cutie

Happy Christmas
virtues