seenoversundown

[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

Christmas Love

Summary: Pretending to be Jake's fiancée in a poor attempt of making his ex jealous and proving that he's moved on suddenly becomes all too real by the end of the night.

Characters: Jake Kiszka x Fem!reader Warnings: 18+ || Tons of fluff. Jealousy. Kissing. Insecurity. Doubt. A/N: Probably isn't the best, but it's just a small something I threw together.

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“Absolutely not.” You say, shaking your head and walking away from him.

“Come on, Y/N,” Jake says as he follows after you. “Please?”

“No! I am not going to go to Sam's holiday party as your fake fiancée just to make your ex jealous.”

Jake steps in front you, forcing you to stop walking. “Okayyyyy. What if you just went as my girlfriend?”

“Jacob!” You groan. “Why me?”

“It’s believable.” He says with a small shrug of his shoulders.

“This has got to be the stupidest plan you have ever come up with.” You say. “Why on earth do you even want to make her jealous?” He again shrugs his shoulders. “Jake, stop being immature and just move on. She did.”

“Yeah.. I know.. Which is why I want to show her that I too can move on.”

“But you haven’t..”

“But I can.”

“You still haven't..”

Jake rolls his eyes before looking at you with them fully blown into puppy dog eyes. “Please? I’ll even let you pick out a ring you’d want to wear.”

“So we’re back to fiancée?”

“I move on pretty quick,” He winks.

You roll your eyes and huff a sigh, letting your shoulders fall in defeat. “Fine..”

“Yes!” He exclaims throwing his hands in the air. “I will bring over some rings for you to look through tonight and then tomorrow I’ll pick you up around six. You have to wear something green and pretty.”

“Oh so now I’m not pretty?” You say with your hands on your hips.

“You’re always pretty,” He says before smiling sweetly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this.” He quickly kisses your cheeks and squeezes your shoulders before taking off down the sidewalk.

You sigh, shaking your head before heading off in your own direction.

–

Just like Jake promised, he showed up to your apartment with a box of assorted diamond rings in different shapes with different bands. Some silver, some gold, some rose gold. You thought it best not to question how he managed to get his hands on all of these, so instead you sat yourself on the couch and tried on each ring.

It didn't take you long to settle on a three carat, marquise diamond fitted to a silver band.

“That’s the one you want?” He asks.

“What–is it not good enough for you–fiance?” You say raising your eyebrows. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one who is supposed to love it?”

He holds up his hands in the air, “Okay, okay.. Fair.”

You look back down at the ring on your finger. The way it rested on your ring finger looked like it belonged there, and a tiny part of you wished it could be.

If you had to be honest with yourself, even though you’d never admit to Jake, you did like him a little bit–and maybe was a little jealous of his ex. You may have also felt some joy when they broke up, even though he was heartbroken–which made you feel guilty for feeling happy they did.

Though you weren’t alone in the tiny bit of feelings towards the other one. Seeing you wearing the ring sparked a little something within Jake. Or more so–reigniting suppressed feelings. After breaking up with his ex, he was heartbroken but at the same time, it made him start to see you in a different light. You had always been just a friend. A friend he met years ago when first moving to Nashville. Nothing ever came of it and he never saw you as nothing more than a friend.

Clearing his throat, he reaches for the box of the other rings and stands up from the couch.

“Ehem.. So, uh.. I guess I will see you tomorrow,” He says. “And remember–”

“Wear something pretty and green,” You grumble. “Yes, I know–and I’ve already been dress shopping for a few ideas.”

“Oh yeah? Can I see?”

You shake your head as you stand up from the couch. “Not until tomorrow when you pick me up,” You wink at him. “Now shoo, I have a very important meeting to attend.” You say as you push him towards the door.

“Let me guess, this meeting is the newest season of Criminal Minds?”

“So what if it is?”

Jake scoffs and turns to face you after stepping through the open door. “I don’t get why you watch it..”

“It may come in handy someday.”

“You are a weird, weird woman,” Jake sighs.

“Goodbye, Jacob.” You say as you start to close the door.

“I’ll be back tomorrow at five thirty so you better be ready.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah–five thirty, I got it.” You finally close the door and breathe a sigh of relief.

—

Hobbling down the hall with one heel on and one in your hand, you make your way as quickly as you can to the door to pull it open in order to stop Jake’s incessant knocking. “Would you stop?” You huff as you throw the door open. “Geez, the time just turned five thirty.” You say as you hobble away, trying to slip on your other heel.

“You’re clearly not ready.” He says as he steps inside and closes the door behind him.

“I am so ready,” You say as you manage to finally slip on your shoe. You sigh and straighten out your dress and fix your hair. “See?”

“Great, let’s go.”

“Patience, Jacob.”

He shoots you a glare and you smile innocently. Snatching your purse and phone off the kitchen counter, you usher him out the door and lock it behind you before following him down the stairs to his car.

You could tell he was nervous as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, out of rhythm with the music playing from the radio. Arriving at Sam’s place, he parks the car on the side of the street but doesn’t make a move to get out.

“Are you okay?” You ask.

“Hmm? Yeah, yeah..” He says, wiping his hands on the fabric of his suit pants.

“Well then come on now, it’s time to show me off,” You shoot him a wink before pushing open the car door and climbing out. It took him a minute before he’s climbing out as well and meeting you on the sidewalk. You grab hold of his hand and give him a smile before the two of you start up the walkway to the front door.

Stepping inside, you start to feel the warmth seeping through your coat. Slipping off your coat, Jake hangs it over his arm before helping you slide the gloves off your hands.

“Oh my god..” You hear Josh gasp from the living room doorway. “You proposed?!”

Jake winks at you and folds your gloves before stuffing them into the sleeve of your coat. Seems he got his brothers in on the ruse too.

“Let me see!” Josh says as he grabs your hand. “Damn, Jake you did good! Three carats too?”

“I told him it has to be big if he wanted me to yes,” You say, shooting Jake a smirk.

After Josh continues admiring and fawning over your ring, the two of you follow him into the living room. You feel Jake tense beside you and when you look up at him, you follow his line of sight to find that he’s looking at his ex who’s cuddling up on the couch with her current boyfriend. You pull him over to the loveseat before draping your legs over his lap and settling in against him. You begin to feel him relax and he shifts his body to make himself more comfortable as he reaches for your hand. You give him a reassuring smile and he lifts up your hand to give it a soft kiss on your knuckles.

“So Jake,” You hear her speak up from the couch. “Congratulations on your engagement. I had no idea you two were together.”

“Yeah, it uh, it just happened.” He says as he squeezes your hand. “Congratulations on your…boyfriend.”

You turn your head away as you chew your lip to keep yourself from laughing. You can see the corners of his lips twitch as he fights the urge himself.

“Be mature,” You mumble under your breath.

He leans in close to whisper into your ear. “I’m sorry, but I have a fiancée, she only has a boyfriend.” You slap him across the chest making him laugh. He leans over to kiss your cheek as he squeezes your hand again.

“I’m thirsty, want to get something to drink?” You ask as you swing your legs off of Jake’s lap and stand to your feet. “I heard Danny supplied some champagne.” You wag your eyebrows at him as you outstretch your hand for him to take. He happily takes it and leads the two of you into the kitchen.

Pouring a couple glasses, he hands you one before clinking his glass against yours and smiling. “To a beautiful night with a beautiful woman.”

“Such a flirt,” You say, rolling your eyes and lifting the glass to your lips to take a drink. You can see her standing from the couch and beginning to make her way to the kitchen. “Your kissing better be as good as your flirting.” You say.

“What?”

“Kiss me.”

“Okay.” He says.

He pulls you in against him and leans down to kiss you. You obviously never knew how his lips tasted but now you do. They taste of champagne and a little bit of minty chapstick. They’re also soft. You find yourself melting into him. He happily accepts it, chuckling slightly against your lips.

When you pull away, you notice his ex wearing a small smile on her face. His cheeks flush slightly red and he clears his throat. “I’m gonna go back into the living room,” He says before pulling away from you and retreating back to the loveseat in the living room.

You give his ex a friendly smile and go to turn around when she speaks up. “I’m glad to see he’s found someone,” She says. “And I meant it when I said congrats. He deserves someone who makes him happy.”

“You made him happy too,” You say.

She shakes her head. “Not like you do,” She says. “I can see how comfortable you make him feel.” She takes a drink of her champagne before walking back towards the living room. “He’s lucky to have you.” She adds before turning back around and walking away from you.

Turning back to the countertop, you drink the rest of the champagne in your glass before refilling it. He’s only lucky to have you because you’re a good friend. He doesn’t love you. You’re only doing this so he can show off to his ex that he’s moved on, but he really hasn't. You know he hasn’t. He still loves her, but he will never love you. Why would he love you anyways? Sure he does as a friend. That’s how it has always been.

Looking down at the ring on your finger, your heart aches knowing that it will never be real. By the end of the night, you will have removed it and the two of you will just move on from this night as if it never happened. But it did. The kissing happened. The hand holding. All of it happened but you’re sure that come tomorrow morning, none of it will matter to him.

Little did you know that you were wrong. While you had your back turned to the living room, Jake had been watching you, waiting for you to come back. He found himself thoroughly enjoying watching you move around in that dress. It’s a knee length dress, he figured you chose to go a little modest in that area so as to not cause problems. But the way the fabric of the dress hugged you just right left little to his imagination. The dress accentuated your curves and it moved freely with every twist and turn of your body. Don’t even get him started on the front.

He drinks more of his champagne and crosses his leg over the other to hide exactly how he’s feeling. But he isn't just turned on by the way you look. He does find you incredibly beautiful. Even last night when he showed up with the rings and you were only in your pajamas with your hair tied in a bun. You wore no makeup but yet he would call you beautiful.

Noticing you coming back to the loveseat, he smiles up at you and pats the empty space beside him. Of course you’d sit, but you still happily obliged and sat down anyway. You hadn’t rested your legs on him this time so he bent over and grabbed hold of them and dragged them up and over his lap. He definitely took you by surprise when he looked at you and that’s the look you wore on your face. He simply winks and takes a drink of his champagne.

The night went on after that. It was filled with laughter and storytelling, a couple games that Josh forced Jake to partake in. But most of the time, Jake stayed with you on the couch. You noticed every time he sat down, he pulled your legs back up onto his lap and kept them there.

When you began getting tired, he felt you leaning against him with your head resting on his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around you, he moves you fully onto his lap so your head would rest on his chest.

“We’re leaving soon,” He whispers. “I promise.” You feel his hand curl over the curve of your thigh and he gives it a slight squeeze.

Thinking you had fallen asleep, he rests his head against yours. “I love you,” He whispers. Much to his cluelessness, you were still awake and staring at the Christmas tree. You took him by surprise when you tilted your head back to look up at him. “Oh.. You were..”

“You don’t mean that, do you?” You whisper.

You can feel his heart beating wildly in his chest and his cheeks flush a light shade of pink. “I don’t expect you to feel the same way, I just wanted you to know.”

You smile and push yourself up onto a sitting position and twist your upper body so you’re facing him. “I love you too,” You whisper, your eyes flickering between his. You glance at his lips before looking back onto his eyes. His lips curve onto a smile and he draws you in for a kiss. A real kiss this time and not just one to play the part.

“You know.. I wouldn't mind making this real.” He says as he moves the ring on your finger with his thumb. “Or would it be too crazy?”

“More like insane,” You giggle. “But I wouldn't tell you no if you asked me.”

“Oh?” You nod your head and he hums. “Hmm, okay.” He says as he tugs the ring off of your finger. He holds it up between the two of you. “Y/N, I love you and if you’ll have me in this insane and spontaneous way, I would love to make you my wife.”

“And in this insane and spontaneous way, I would love to be your wife.” He chuckles and slips the ring back on your finger. “Take me home.” You say.

He lifts his arm and looks at the time on his watch. “Yeah, I’d say it’s about to head out.”

After saying your goodbyes, the two of you start to head out the front door when you notice snow lightly falling. You can’t help but smile and twirl in a circle on your way down the walkway. You catch Jake smiling with his hands stuffed into his pants pockets as he watches you. You stop twirling and walk back up to him.

“So I guess this isn’t the stupidest plan you’ve ever come up with.” You say as you wrap your arms around his neck. “Merry Christmas, Jake.”

He smiles and presses his lips to yours. “Merry Christmas.”

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@losfacedevil @writingcold @edgingthedarkness @i-love-gvf @katuschka @josh-iamyour-mama @sammysstolenbirks @asendingtothestarsasone @hollyco @musicislove3389 @its-interesting-van-kleep @katiegvf @tinydancer40 @gretavangroupie @lizzys-sunflower @fleetingjake @takenbythemadness @godly-sinsx @psychedelectable @dancingcarbon @oliverfuckingreed @cheersdannyx2 @piratejtk @katuschka @musicislove3389 @takenbythemadness @wildbluesorbit

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[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

🎄Apologies for the delay in posting the first Christmas fic—life threw me a curveball with a stomach bug that had me down for a few days, and then, of course, I had to catch up on family Christmas prep. BUT the wait is over! I’m posting Letters to December today! Enjoy it whenever you can! ❤️💚

[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

CHRISTMAS AT THE INN

Pairing: Josh x OC

General Warnings: Loneliness/Isolation / Grief/Loss / Abandonment / Emotional Trauma / Magical Realism/Existential Themes / Uncertainty/Displacement

Summary: Stranded by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, filmmaker Josh Kiszka seeks shelter at a secluded, enchanting inn. As snow blankets the world outside, Josh discovers that the inn holds secrets—memories woven into its walls, stories waiting to be told. Drawn together by fate and something far more magical, Josh and and innkeeper must confront their pasts and open their hearts before the season’s magic fades… and so does their chance at love.

Josh Kiszka grew up in a creative, tight-knit family that always encouraged his love of storytelling. As a child, he would gather his siblings around the fireplace on snowy winter nights, spinning magical tales that could melt even the harshest blizzards outside. His vivid imagination and knack for storytelling eventually led him to pursue a career in film, where he quickly made a name for himself as a passionate, visionary director known for creating emotionally resonant stories.

But success came with a price. The relentless pace of the film industry drained him, leaving little time for the things he loved most — family, meaningful connections, and simple joys. After a whirlwind of back-to-back projects and a particularly devastating creative failure on his most recent film, Josh felt his spark dimming. His once-burning passion now felt like flickering embers buried under deadlines, criticism, and isolation.

Despite his career struggles, Josh remained a hopeless romantic at heart, still believing in serendipity and magic — at least in the stories he told. His friends often teased him about being a “walking Christmas movie,” thanks to his love of the holiday season, which held a special place in his heart. Christmas reminded him of warmth, wonder, and possibilities — something he feared he’d lost in the chaos of his life.

However, before the fame and fast-paced life of the film industry, Josh experienced a love that felt like it could rewrite destiny itself. In his mid-twenties, just as his career was beginning to take off, he fell deeply in love with someone who saw him not as the rising star or the dreamer, but simply as Josh — the storyteller with wide eyes and a heart full of wonder.

They shared quiet mornings wrapped in blankets, long walks under falling leaves, and spontaneous late-night adventures where Josh would spin fantastical stories about magical places and star-crossed lovers. For a while, it felt like he’d found his forever.

But reality pulled them apart. Josh’s career demanded constant travel, long hours, and endless creative battles that left him drained and distant. His partner, rooted in their own passions and life path, couldn’t follow where Josh’s career was taking him. Promises to “make it work” slowly unraveled under the strain of time and distance.

The hardest part wasn’t losing the relationship — it was realizing he’d lost a part of himself along the way. After they parted, Josh poured his heartbreak into his films, creating stories about lost love, missed chances, and fate. But no amount of artistic expression could fill the ache of what could have been.

Since then, he’s been guarded when it comes to love. He’s dated casually, but nothing ever felt as genuine or grounding as the love he let slip through his fingers. Deep down, he’s always wondered if fate would give him another chance — if life’s script could ever be rewritten.

Snowflakes swirled in shimmering spirals as Josh drove through the winding, deserted country roads. His car’s tires crunched over freshly fallen snow, leaving temporary imprints that the wind eagerly swept away. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the narrow path ahead, though his mind drifted somewhere far behind.

He hadn’t planned on driving so far. The trip was supposed to be a short getaway — a chance to escape the suffocating silence of his apartment, where half-packed boxes and unopened holiday cards reminded him of the emptiness he’d been trying to ignore. But mile after mile, something kept urging him forward, as though the road itself were pulling him toward an unseen destination.

Faint strains of a familiar Christmas song crackled through the old car’s radio. He should’ve turned it off, but the bittersweet melody held him captive. It reminded him of them — of winters spent laughing through snowball fights and tracing patterns in fogged-up windows. The memory hit harder than he expected. Time had worn down the sharp edges of that heartbreak, but it hadn’t erased the ache completely.

He sighed, running a hand through his unruly brown curls. He hadn’t thought about them in a long time — not like this. His career had always been his escape, a demanding muse that left no room for reflection. But here, surrounded by a quiet world blanketed in snow, memories rose like ghosts from the past, impossible to ignore.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the car, snapping him back to reality. The snow was falling thicker now, obscuring the road ahead. He muttered a curse under his breath and checked his phone — no signal. Typical.

The fuel gauge dipped dangerously close to empty, and he scanned the roadside for any sign of civilization. Just as the wind howled again, his headlights caught the faint outline of a wooden sign, its letters barely visible under a layer of frost:

“Evergreen Inn — Vacancy.”

Relief washed over him as he guided the car into the snow-covered driveway. The inn stood like something out of one of his films — warm lights glowing softly through frosted windows, smoke curling lazily from the stone chimney. It looked inviting, almost enchanted, as though it had been waiting just for him.

He killed the engine, grabbed his worn leather duffel from the passenger seat, and stepped into the icy wind. As he approached the front door, a strange sense of familiarity settled over him, tugging at something deep within his chest — like he’d been here before, in another time, another life.

He pushed the thought aside, blaming exhaustion and the storm. All he needed was a warm fire and a place to rest.

But as the heavy oak door creaked open, revealing a soft, inviting glow from within, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change — as though fate had finally caught up with him after all these years.

Josh stepped into the cozy warmth of the Evergreen Inn, snowflakes melting on his curls as the scent of pine, cinnamon, and woodsmoke wrapped around him like a familiar embrace. The soft glow from the crackling fireplace cast dancing shadows across the rustic wooden beams, while flickering candles sat nestled in evergreen garlands along the mantel.

For a moment, he stood still, absorbing the inviting stillness. It felt like stepping into one of his childhood stories — a place untouched by time, suspended between reality and something far more magical.

“Long way from home, aren’t you?”

The voice, warm and lilting, drew his attention to the front desk. Standing there was the innkeeper — a figure wrapped in a cozy, hand-knit sweater with sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal calloused hands, as if accustomed to hard work. Their expression held a quiet, knowing warmth, though their eyes sparkled with curiosity — and perhaps something deeper, something unreadable.

Josh blinked, momentarily at a loss. “Yeah… I wasn’t planning on stopping, but the snow had other ideas.”

The innkeeper’s lips twitched into a small smile. “The storm has a habit of leading people here.” They moved gracefully behind the counter, retrieving a leather-bound guest book and a brass key that gleamed softly in the firelight.

Josh stepped closer, shaking off the lingering chill. “You get stranded travelers often?”

“More than you’d think.” Their gaze met his, steady and thoughtful, as though weighing something unspoken. “Sometimes the road takes you where you need to be, even if you didn’t plan on it.”

The words lingered in the air, resonating in a way Josh couldn’t quite explain. He nodded slowly, unsure of how to respond. “Well… I just need a place for the night. Maybe two, depending on how bad the storm gets.”

The innkeeper’s smile deepened, gentle yet knowing. “We’ve got room.” They slid the guestbook toward him, an old fountain pen resting on the edge. “Sign here.”

Josh hesitated only for a moment before scribbling his name with a flourish, the ink sinking smoothly into the aged parchment. As he finished, he noticed faint faded names written in elegant cursive — travelers long gone, perhaps guided here just as he was.

The innkeeper handed him the brass key. “Room 4. Second floor, end of the hall.”

Josh accepted it, the weight of the key strangely comforting in his hand. “Thank you.”

Before he could turn away, the innkeeper added softly, “The fire’s always warm if you need it. And… sometimes, what you’re looking for finds you first.”

The words brushed against something buried deep in Josh’s chest, stirring feelings he thought he’d long forgotten. He met their gaze again, searching for meaning in those kind, knowing eyes — but before he could speak, the innkeeper turned toward the fireplace, gently stoking the flames.

Key in hand, heart still thrumming with unanswered questions, Josh headed upstairs, unaware that this quiet, snow-covered inn held more than just a place to rest — it held a story waiting for him to live it.

The old wooden stairs creaked softly beneath Josh’s boots as he climbed to the second floor, his fingers still curled around the brass key. The air was warmer here, scented faintly with cedar and something sweeter — vanilla, perhaps, or freshly baked bread. Soft candlelight flickered along the hallway, casting a gentle glow that felt more like home than any place he’d been in years.

He reached Room 4 at the end of the hall, the door’s carved wood smooth beneath his fingertips. Sliding the key into the lock, he heard a quiet, satisfying click before pushing the door open.

The room was small but inviting — a rustic haven straight out of a winter dream. Thick quilted blankets covered the four-poster bed, woven with deep reds and forest greens. A stone fireplace crackled softly, flames casting golden light across worn bookshelves lined with leather-bound tomes and little trinkets that seemed steeped in forgotten stories. A bay window framed the snow-covered forest outside, the moonlight shimmering faintly over frost-kissed branches.

Josh set his worn duffel bag on the bench at the foot of the bed and shrugged off his coat, hanging it on a peg near the door. The warmth seeped into his skin, chasing away the lingering chill from his long drive.

He sighed deeply, stretching out his stiff shoulders, and wandered toward the small sitting area near the fireplace. A carved wooden rocking chair sat invitingly next to a small side table where a steaming mug of cocoa waited, as though left just for him.

Josh hesitated. He hadn’t told anyone he was coming, hadn’t even been sure he’d stop — but the cocoa was there, its rich scent filling the room with comfort. He took a cautious sip, warmth spreading through his chest like an embrace he hadn’t known he needed.

As he settled into the rocking chair, the flames crackling softly, his eyes drifted to the window. Snow still fell outside, blanketing the forest in shimmering silver. For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight pressing down on his heart lightened just a little.

His gaze lingered on the edge of the forest, where shadows twisted and shifted in the moonlight. He could’ve sworn he saw something — or someone — moving just beyond the tree line, but when he blinked, the darkness swallowed whatever it was.

The flames crackled again, drawing his attention back to the cozy warmth of the room. His eyelids grew heavy, exhaustion finally taking hold after the long, snow-swept journey. As sleep pulled him under, faint memories drifted through his mind — of familiar laughter, soft smiles, and stories whispered by firelight.

Just before he succumbed to the peaceful stillness, a soft, melodic chime echoed faintly through the room — like distant bells ringing somewhere deep within the woods.

Josh stirred, brow furrowing — but sleep claimed him before he could question what he’d heard.

Morning arrived softly, with pale winter sunlight filtering through the frost-laced bay window. The fire in the hearth had burned down to glowing embers, leaving the room cloaked in a comfortable warmth. Josh stirred beneath the thick quilt, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings — until memories of the snowstorm and the inn drifted back.

He stretched lazily, savoring the rare feeling of waking up without the weight of deadlines or expectations pressing on his chest. It had been years since he’d slept so deeply, so peacefully.

Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his feet brushing against the soft woven rug. His gaze drifted toward the window, where the snow still lay undisturbed, sparkling like a field of diamonds under the pale winter sky.

Something about the stillness felt… different, as though the world outside were holding its breath.

A soft knock at the door made him jolt. Before he could respond, the door creaked open just enough for the innkeeper to peek in, carrying a tray laden with a steaming pot of coffee, fresh pastries, and a small vase holding a single sprig of holly.

“Good morning,” they said with a warm smile. “I thought you might want something to start the day.”

Josh managed a sheepish grin. “You didn’t have to go through all that trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” the innkeeper replied smoothly, setting the tray on the small table by the hearth. “Besides, we don’t get many guests this time of year. It’s nice having someone around.”

Their gaze lingered on him for a moment, curious yet thoughtful, before they added, “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in… a long time,” Josh admitted, surprised by his own honesty. “Thank you.”

The innkeeper’s smile deepened, quiet understanding shining in their eyes. “Good.” They paused, seeming to weigh their next words. “Did you hear the bells?”

Josh frowned. “Bells?”

“The old sleigh bells.” Their tone was light, but something in their expression turned… thoughtful, almost expectant. “Sometimes, when the snow falls just right, you can hear them. Echoes from… before.”

Before he could ask what they meant, the soft chime of distant bells sounded faintly through the room, clear and melodic — the same sound he’d thought he’d dreamed the night before.

Josh’s breath caught. He glanced toward the window, scanning the snow-covered woods, but saw only the gently swaying branches of frost-tipped pines. “Is… is that coming from outside?”

The innkeeper tilted their head thoughtfully. “Perhaps.”

Before he could press further, they turned toward the door. “Breakfast is in the dining room if you’d prefer some company.”

With that, they slipped away, leaving Josh standing there with questions buzzing in his mind — and the echo of enchanted bells still ringing softly in the air.

Josh poured himself a cup of rich, dark coffee from the tray and savored the warmth as it chased away the lingering chill in his fingertips. The distant echo of the mysterious bells still rang faintly in his mind, pulling at his curiosity. He couldn’t explain it, but something about the inn felt… alive, steeped in a kind of magic that his film scripts could only dream of capturing.

Drawn by a quiet sense of wonder, he slipped on a thick sweater and stepped out into the hall. The wooden floor creaked softly under his steps, the air tinged with the faint scent of pine and candlewax. Flickering lanterns lined the walls, casting a warm, golden light over old framed photographs and faded paintings of snowy landscapes.

He trailed his fingers across the carved wooden banister as he descended the staircase, marveling at the craftsmanship. Every detail seemed touched by care — as if the inn itself were a beloved creation carefully preserved through time.

As he reached the main floor, soft music drifted from a vintage record player tucked near the grand stone fireplace in the sitting room. A large Christmas tree stood proudly in the corner, its branches adorned with handmade ornaments, delicate glass baubles, and shimmering silver ribbons. He smiled faintly — the tree reminded him of the ones from his childhood, carefully decorated with his family.

His gaze caught on a small alcove near the back of the room. Nestled between two towering bookcases sat a beautifully carved writing desk with an old-fashioned inkpot and quill resting on its polished surface. A half-written letter lay there, the ink still glistening as though it had been penned moments ago.

Before he could stop himself, Josh stepped closer, drawn by curiosity. The looping, elegant handwriting spelled out a few unfinished lines:

“Sometimes the heart knows its way home long before the mind understands…”

The scrape of a chair behind him made him spin around. The innkeeper stood in the arched doorway, a faint, knowing smile tugging at the corners of their mouth. Their dark sweater sleeves were rolled up again, revealing familiar calloused hands.

“Exploring already?” they asked, leaning casually against the doorframe. “The inn has… many stories. You might find a few worth discovering.”

Josh hesitated, glancing back at the letter. “Did you write this?”

Their expression softened, but they didn’t answer directly. “That desk has a way of inviting words when they’re ready to be written.”

There was something almost… timeless in the way they spoke, like they were guarding secrets wrapped in old stories. Josh studied them, intrigued despite himself. “You seem pretty attached to this place.”

The innkeeper chuckled softly, stepping further into the room. “You could say that.” They paused, eyes shimmering with something unreadable. “It’s been home for longer than I can remember.”

Josh tilted his head. “Ever think about leaving?”

Their gaze lingered on the softly glowing hearth as if seeing something distant and familiar. “Sometimes… but the inn has a way of keeping you exactly where you’re meant to be.”

Before Josh could respond, a gentle clang echoed from the kitchen, breaking the spell of the moment. The innkeeper straightened.

“Breakfast should be ready. Join me, if you’d like.”

Josh nodded, still trying to piece together the growing sense of mystery that wrapped around the inn — and the person standing before him. As they disappeared into the kitchen, he cast one last glance at the unfinished letter on the desk…

And noticed that the ink had dried completely.

Drawn by the comforting aroma of something freshly baked, Josh followed the sound of soft clattering into the dining room. The space was as charming and timeless as the rest of the inn — rustic wooden beams stretched overhead, and long windows framed the snow-covered woods outside, frost etching delicate patterns across the glass.

A large farmhouse-style table dominated the center of the room, draped in a thick plaid runner adorned with a garland of pinecones, holly, and glowing fairy lights. A silver candelabra sat in the middle, its wax-dripped candles flickering softly. The table was already set with mismatched plates and sturdy ceramic mugs, adding to the cozy, lived-in feel of the place.

The innkeeper, sleeves still rolled up, emerged from a small side door carrying a steaming tray filled with freshly baked scones, golden and fragrant. Their eyes lit up when they spotted Josh lingering in the doorway.

“Good timing,” they said warmly, setting the tray on the table. “I hope you’re hungry.”

Josh couldn’t help but smile. “Starving.”

They waved him over, pulling out a chair near the hearth, where a smaller fireplace crackled invitingly. As Josh sat, they poured hot coffee into a waiting mug and placed it in front of him, the rich, nutty aroma curling into the air.

“Fresh scones,” the innkeeper added, offering a small dish of spiced apple preserves and a crock of butter. “Family recipe.”

Josh picked up a scone, its warmth seeping into his fingertips, and spread some of the preserves over it. His first bite was pure comfort — buttery, flaky, with just the right hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

“This is incredible,” he managed between bites.

The innkeeper smiled, sitting across from him with their own mug of tea. “Glad you like it.”

For a moment, the two sat in companionable silence, the only sounds the crackling fire and the occasional soft tap of snow brushing the window panes. Josh let himself relax, soaking in the tranquility he hadn’t felt in so long.

Later that morning, Josh wandered downstairs to find them standing on a ladder in the main hall, stretching to hang a garland of evergreen and holly across the old wooden beams. The faint scent of pine filled the air, mixing with the warmth of the hearth fire crackling nearby.

“Need a hand?” Josh offered, stepping closer.

They glanced down, a soft smile tugging at their lips. “Think you can handle holiday decor duty?”

Josh mock-saluted. “I take garland placement very seriously.”

He grabbed the other end of the garland, holding it steady as the innkeeper secured their side with a small iron hook. When they leaned over to adjust the length, the ladder wobbled slightly.

“Careful—” Josh instinctively moved forward, his hands bracing their waist to steady them.

Their eyes met — the innkeeper’s startled, Josh’s concerned — and for a heartbeat, time seemed to slow. The soft glow of the hearth cast warm light over them, highlighting the flush that crept into the innkeeper’s cheeks.

“You okay?” Josh asked, his voice low, his hands lingering just a moment too long before he forced himself to step back.

“I’m fine,” they murmured, visibly flustered but not pulling away as they climbed down. “Thanks.”

Josh cleared his throat, awkward but smiling. “Didn’t want you falling before we finish decking the halls.”

They chuckled, still slightly breathless. “Good to know you’re committed to the decorating cause.”

As they returned to hanging more greenery, the air between them felt charged, humming with something unsaid yet undeniable.

Late that afternoon, a fresh blanket of snow glittered under a pale winter sun as Josh wandered beyond the inn, restless yet drawn deeper into the surrounding forest. Frosted evergreens whispered in the breeze, their branches heavy with sparkling white.

Ahead, faint laughter echoed through the stillness — warm, familiar, and unexpected. He followed the sound, cresting a gentle hill where the trees opened into a wide, snow-covered meadow.

There, spinning in slow, graceful circles, was the innkeeper. They tilted their head back, arms outstretched, catching falling snowflakes on their gloved hands. Their soft laughter blended with the wind’s song, light and unguarded in a way Josh hadn’t seen before.

For a moment, he simply watched, captivated by the rare glimpse of them without their usual calm reserve.

The crunch of his boots on snow gave him away. The innkeeper stilled, turning quickly, but when they saw it was him, their expression softened.

“Enjoying yourself?” Josh teased, stepping closer, his breath misting in the cold.

They shrugged, still smiling. “It’s hard not to, out here.”

Impulsively, they scooped up a handful of snow, forming it into a loose ball. “You seem tense,” they said playfully. “Maybe this will help.”

Before Josh could react, the snowball hit his chest with a soft thud.

He blinked, stunned, then broke into a grin. “Oh, you asked for this.”

In moments, they were chasing each other across the meadow, breathless with laughter as snow flew through the air. Josh caught their wrist mid-throw, spinning them gently until they collided — his hands steadying their arms.

They stood there, breathless and close, the world falling silent except for their shared, ragged breathing. Snowflakes drifted lazily around them, caught in the innkeeper’s curls and sparkling like frost-kissed stars.

For the first time, Josh noticed how beautifully real they looked, so near and yet still wrapped in quiet mystery.

The innkeeper’s gaze softened, their voice barely above a whisper. “You found me.”

“I think... I was meant to,” Josh murmured, his heart pounding.

The wind stirred gently, ringing distant bells through the trees, as if in quiet approval.

They both walked back through the snow-dappled woods, their pace slower, more thoughtful. The playful energy of their snowball fight lingered like warmth from a fading fire, replaced by something deeper—an understanding, unspoken but undeniable.

The wind had stilled, leaving only the soft crunch of their boots on the snowy path. For the first time, Josh noticed faint wooden markers along the trail, weathered but sturdy, guiding them like ancient sentinels.

“You know this place so well,” Josh said quietly, his gaze lingering on their profile. “It’s like... you belong here.”

They glanced at him, their expression unreadable but not closed off. “Maybe I do.”

The inn came into view, glowing softly against the deepening twilight. Smoke curled lazily from its stone chimney, the promise of warmth calling them home.

Inside, the fire crackled gently in the hearth. Josh hesitated in the entryway, reluctant to let the moment end. The innkeeper paused beside him, studying his face with quiet curiosity.

“Cider?” they offered, tilting their head toward the sitting room.

Josh nodded, following them in. They settled by the hearth, steam rising from their mugs as silence stretched, not uncomfortable but waiting.

After a while, curiosity got the better of him. “You mentioned the inn having stories... what did you mean by that?”

They traced the edge of their mug thoughtfully. “Places like this… they gather memories. Every guest leaves something behind — a moment, a feeling, a piece of themselves. If you know how to listen… the inn will show you its stories.”

Josh leaned forward, captivated. “Have you... seen them?”

Their gaze lifted, steady but distant. “Sometimes.”

The fire crackled again, sending soft amber light flickering across their faces.

Josh’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “And what about you? What did you leave behind?”

Their breath hitched just slightly, their expression unreadable—but there was something vulnerable in their eyes, something they couldn’t quite hide.

“Maybe... I’m still trying to figure that out,” they admitted softly.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The world outside seemed far away, leaving only the warmth of the fire... and the growing connection neither could deny.

Before Josh could press further, a soft, distant chime of bells echoed faintly through the room, drifting in from the snowy woods outside. He stiffened, the sound stirring something deep within his chest.

The innkeeper didn’t seem startled. If anything, they looked… expectant.

“Sometimes,” they said quietly, their voice tinged with something like longing, “the stories find you.”

Josh set his mug down slowly. “Those bells… what are they?”

Their expression turned thoughtful, as though weighing how much to reveal. “Perhaps… you’ll find out when you’re ready.”

Before he could respond, the wind outside picked up, swirling snowflakes against the window in shimmering, dizzying patterns. For just a moment, Josh thought he saw movement at the edge of the forest — a flicker of something… or someone… watching.

He rose from his seat, heart pounding. “I think… I need to see what’s out there.”

The innkeeper didn’t try to stop him. They simply nodded, their eyes shimmering with quiet understanding.

“The forest remembers,” they said softly. “Be careful what you seek.”

Without another word, Josh grabbed his coat from the hall and stepped out into the snow-draped world beyond the inn… where the sound of ringing bells was waiting.

- Innkeeper’s POV -

The door swung shut behind Josh with a soft click, leaving only the crackling fire and the faint echo of the wind outside. The innkeeper lingered near the frosted window, watching as Josh disappeared into the snow-laden woods, his dark coat stark against the shimmering white landscape.

Their fingers brushed the icy windowpane, tracing the faint outline of where he’d stood just moments before. The cold bit at their skin, but they hardly noticed — their focus fixed on the forest’s edge, where the swirling snow seemed almost… alive.

The bells had rung again.

It had been years since the last time the forest had stirred like this, waking old memories long buried beneath frost and time. The bells only ever chimed when something — or someone — was meant to change.

They closed their eyes briefly, breathing in the familiar scents of pine and woodsmoke, grounding themselves against the ache of old memories that tugged at their chest. The inn had seen many visitors over the years, each drawn here by fate or circumstance — but Josh…

He was different.

The forest had called him — just as it had called them once, long ago.

The wind outside shifted, howling softly through the branches like a whispered secret. The innkeeper’s gaze dropped to the old wooden table near the hearth, where a half-burned candle flickered uncertainly. Beside it sat a familiar object: a small, leather-bound journal etched with silver runes worn smooth by time.

Their breath hitched. The journal hadn’t been there that morning.

Slowly, reverently, they approached the table and ran trembling fingers over its worn cover. Memories stirred at the edges of their mind — of snow-kissed nights, of promises made beneath starlit skies, of hands held tightly against the cold.

The innkeeper’s fingers hesitated on the journal’s clasp, but before they could open it, the wind shifted again — softer this time, almost beckoning. They turned back toward the window, heart pounding, eyes fixed on the forest where Josh had vanished.

Please… let him find what he’s meant to.

With one last lingering look at the snow-draped woods, they gently closed the journal and tucked it into their coat pocket — just in case.

The inn’s stories were stirring again… and this time, the ending was still unwritten.

- End of Innkeeper’s POV -

Snow crunched beneath Josh’s boots as he ventured deeper into the forest, the cold air sharp against his face. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying the faint, haunting chime of the bells — distant, yet impossibly near. He couldn’t explain why, but something about the sound pulled at him, urging him forward.

The woods were quiet except for the rhythmic rustling of wind through frost-laden branches. Silver-tipped evergreens towered above him, their branches heavy with snow. The path he followed seemed half-forgotten, as though the forest itself had shaped it just for him.

He adjusted his coat collar against the cold, glancing back toward the faint outline of the inn in the distance. It looked smaller now, half-hidden by the swirling snow, its warm glow barely visible through the trees. He should’ve been uneasy, wandering alone in a strange place… but instead, he felt strangely guided, as though the forest recognized him somehow.

The bells rang again, clearer this time. Josh froze, heart pounding, straining to locate the source. They seemed to echo from deeper within the woods, weaving through the trees like a familiar melody just out of reach.

He pressed forward, brushing aside snow-dusted branches, his breath clouding the air. The cold nipped at his cheeks and fingers, but he hardly noticed — the pull of the bells was too strong.

Suddenly, the forest opened into a small clearing bathed in shimmering winter light. At its center stood an ancient stone archway, weathered but still proud, its surface etched with intricate carvings of twisting ivy and delicate stars. Snow blanketed its base, but no frost touched the stones themselves — they seemed untouched by time or winter’s grasp.

Josh stepped closer, drawn by something he couldn’t explain. His fingertips brushed the cold stone, tracing the unfamiliar symbols carved into its surface. They felt… warm beneath his touch, pulsing faintly, like the rhythm of a heartbeat.

The bells rang again — clear and resonant, echoing from inside the archway.

He staggered back, heart hammering. For a moment, the air shimmered with soft, silvery light, and he thought he saw… something beyond the archway — a glimpse of another place, distant yet achingly familiar.

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the vision faded, leaving only the silent forest and the snow gently falling around him.

Breathless, Josh took a shaky step back. His mind raced with questions, but deep in his chest, he knew the archway was important… connected somehow to the inn, the bells — and maybe even why he’d been brought here.

Before he could decide what to do next, he heard a soft rustling behind him. He spun around, heart pounding — only to find the innkeeper standing at the edge of the clearing, their expression unreadable but tinged with quiet understanding.

“You weren’t supposed to find this… not yet,” they said softly, stepping toward him.

Josh stared, still breathless from the strange encounter. “What is this place?”

The innkeeper’s gaze lingered on the archway, a flicker of something wistful and knowing in their eyes.

“It’s where all journeys begin,” they whispered. “And where some… find their way home.”

Josh’s breath still came fast as he stared at the ancient stone archway, its worn carvings shimmering faintly in the falling snow. He turned back to find the innkeeper standing at the edge of the clearing, their expression unreadable but tinged with something deeper — something like recognition.

“What is this place?” he asked, voice still tight from the strange pull he’d felt through the forest.

They stepped closer, their gaze lingering on the archway with quiet reverence. “It’s… older than the inn. Older than the town itself.”

Josh frowned, glancing at the twisting symbols etched into the stone. “What’s it for?”

The innkeeper hesitated, fingers brushing over the nearest carved edge as though greeting an old friend. “It’s a threshold,” they murmured. “A place where past and future meet… where the lost can be found — if the forest wills it.”

Josh’s pulse quickened. “Found by who?”

Their hand stilled on the stone. “There’s an old story,” they began quietly. “A traveler came to this forest long ago — weary, searching for something they couldn’t name.”

Their voice dipped lower, as if sharing a secret meant only for the snow-covered clearing. “The bells led them here… just as they led you.”

Josh’s breath caught. “What happened to them?”

“They were given a choice,” they continued. “To step through the archway and leave everything behind… or stay, bound to this place forever.”

Their voice faltered on the last word, but they quickly masked it with practiced calm. Josh studied them carefully, his chest tightening.

“This isn’t just a story, is it?” he asked softly. “You knew them.”

The innkeeper’s gaze met his, raw and unguarded for a fleeting moment before they looked away. “Some stories… don’t end the way we expect.”

Before Josh could respond, the soft chime of the bells echoed once more through the clearing, distant yet insistent. His pulse quickened, and he glanced toward the archway, half-expecting something—or someone—to step through.

When he turned back, the innkeeper was retreating toward the edge of the clearing, shoulders tense but determined.

“Wait,” Josh called out, his voice cutting through the stillness.

They paused but didn’t turn.

“What’s your name?” he pressed, stepping closer. “I feel like… I should know it.”

A long, weighted silence followed. Finally, they exhaled, as though releasing something they’d held onto for far too long.

“Alex.” Their voice was quiet but steady. “My name is Alex.”

Josh held their gaze, something shifting between them — something fragile but unbreakable.

“I’m not leaving until I get the whole story,” he said firmly.

Alex’s expression softened, a flicker of something almost like hope touching their features.

“Then you’d better come back to the inn,” they murmured. “The fire’s still burning… and some stories take time to tell.”

With one last look at the archway, Josh followed Alex back toward the inn… where answers — and perhaps something more — waited by the fire’s light.

Snow whispered against the windows as Josh lingered in the cozy sitting room after dinner, the fire crackling warmly in the stone hearth. He’d meant to retreat to his room, but the comforting stillness of the inn held him in place.

The scent of spiced cider drifted in, and moments later, Alex appeared, carrying two steaming mugs. “Couldn’t sleep?” they asked, offering him one.

Josh accepted it with a soft smile. “Something about this place... makes it hard to leave.”

They settled into the chair opposite his, curling their fingers around their mug. “The inn has a way of... keeping people,” Alex said with a quiet, knowing tone.

Josh tilted his head, intrigued. “Is that what happened to you?”

Their eyes flickered toward the fire, reflecting its golden light. “Maybe,” they admitted. “Or maybe I was meant to find it... the same way you were.”

Silence settled between them, warm and unspoken. Josh studied the way Alex’s lashes cast shadows against their cheeks, the firelight tracing their features in soft amber hues.

“You’re used to being alone,” Josh said softly, not as a question but as something he recognized in them.

Alex’s gaze lifted, their expression unreadable but not closed off. “It’s... easier, sometimes.”

Josh nodded slowly. “But it’s also lonely.”

The flicker of something vulnerable crossed Alex’s face before they gently changed the subject. “You seem comfortable here... like you belong.”

Josh’s lips quirked. “Maybe I do.”

The room seemed to breathe with warmth, the fire crackling softly as if content with their quiet conversation.

For the first time in a long while, Josh felt... seen.

“I haven’t told this story in a long time,” Alex began, their voice low but steady. “Most people come here, stay for a night or two, and leave with nothing more than fond memories of a quaint little inn. They never hear the bells… never feel the pull of the forest.”

Josh leaned forward, hanging on every word. “But I did.”

Alex nodded slowly. “Because you were meant to.”

They set their untouched mug on the hearth, their fingers tracing invisible patterns on the worn stone beside them.

“A long time ago,” Alex continued, “before the inn was built, there was only the forest… and the archway. People said it was a place where fate itself could be rewritten, where those who were lost could find what their hearts longed for — if they were willing to pay the price.”

Josh’s brow furrowed. “A price?”

Alex’s lips quirked in a sad, knowing smile. “Magic like that always comes with a cost.”

They paused, gathering their thoughts. “There was someone… someone I loved more than anything. We made a promise — to leave this town, to build a life together beyond the edge of the forest.” Their voice softened. “But promises aren’t always enough.”

Josh stayed silent, sensing the weight of the memory pressing against Alex’s heart.

“They disappeared… vanished into the forest one winter’s night. All anyone found were footprints leading to the archway… and then, nothing.” Their fingers curled into a fist. “I searched for days… weeks… until I heard the bells.”

Josh’s breath hitched. “The same ones I heard?”

Alex nodded. “They led me to the archway, just like they led you.” Their eyes glimmered with something ancient and pained. “I begged the forest to bring them back… and the forest answered.”

Josh’s voice was barely above a whisper. “How?”

“The forest… kept me.” Alex’s gaze dropped to the fire. “I became bound to this place. The inn rose around me — the forest’s gift, or its prison. I would wait here… until someone worthy crossed the threshold.”

Josh sat back, stunned into silence. “You… waited?”

“For years,” Alex whispered. “Through winters without end… through snowfalls and strangers… until you.”

Josh’s heart pounded. “Why me?”

Alex’s eyes met his — open, vulnerable, yet filled with something fierce and hopeful. “Because the forest doesn’t just take, Josh… it gives back. And I think… you’re part of what it’s been waiting for.”

The fire crackled softly between them, casting flickering shadows that seemed almost alive. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying the faint, distant chime of the bells once more — calling, but this time… not in warning.

The wind shifted outside, carrying the sound of the bells through the walls of the inn. This time, they weren’t distant or faint — they rang clear and commanding, echoing with purpose.

Josh shot to his feet, his heart pounding. “What... what does that mean?”

Alex rose slowly, their expression tight with recognition — and something dangerously close to fear. “The forest is calling.”

Josh moved toward the window, but the storm outside obscured everything beyond a swirling wall of snow. The bells rang again, insistent and urgent, vibrating through the very walls of the inn.

“Calling who?” he demanded, spinning back toward Alex.

Alex was already reaching for their coat near the hearth. “Us.”

Before Josh could question further, Alex was at the door, throwing it open to the blinding, snow-swept night. Wind tore through the entryway, howling like a living thing. The bells’ song pierced the cold, relentless and beckoning.

“We have to go now!” Alex urged.

Josh grabbed his coat, his breath fogging in the freezing air as he stumbled into the storm behind them. Snow whipped around them, erasing the familiar path back toward the woods. But Alex strode forward with fierce determination, as though they could see through the swirling white.

Josh struggled to keep up, his boots slipping on the icy ground. “Where are we going?”

“To the archway!” Alex shouted over the wind. “Something’s... changing!”

The bells tolled again, louder than ever, their song vibrating through Josh’s chest like a heartbeat. He could feel the pull more strongly now — a force both ancient and intimate, guiding his every step.

They broke through the edge of the forest, snow-draped branches clawing at their coats. Josh could just make out the faint outline of the stone archway ahead, its frostless surface shimmering faintly in the night.

The bells rang one last time — deep, resonant, final.

And then... silence.

Breathless, Josh and Alex stumbled into the clearing, their eyes locked on the ancient archway. A shimmering, silvery light pulsed faintly within its stone frame — not quite solid, not quite real.

Josh took a step forward, unable to look away. “Is... is someone coming through?”

Before Alex could answer, the shimmering light twisted — and a figure began to take shape within the archway’s glow.

Alex’s breath hitched audibly, their hand tightening into a fist at their side. “It can’t be...”

Josh’s pulse thundered in his ears. The figure stepped closer, their features still obscured by swirling light, but something about them felt... known.

The forest held its breath.

And then... the figure stepped through.

The glowing figure emerged from the archway, shimmering with ethereal light as if formed from starlight itself. Josh could barely breathe, his feet rooted in the snow, the forest’s stillness pressing in around him like a held breath.

Alex stood frozen, their eyes wide, caught between disbelief and hope.

The figure stepped fully into the clearing, the glow dimming until they appeared... human. A young man, late twenties perhaps, with familiar curls of dark hair and sharp brown eyes — a reflection so striking that Josh staggered back, his chest tightening.

It was him.

No, not quite. The resemblance was uncanny but off — like looking into a mirror shaped by fate’s hand, altered by choices he hadn’t made... yet.

The other Josh smiled faintly, sadness etched into his features. “You finally made it.”

Josh’s mouth went dry. “What... who are you?”

“I’m... you,” the figure said softly. “Or... what you could become.”

Alex gasped, their hand flying to their mouth. The pieces clicked together in Josh’s mind with dizzying clarity.

“The archway doesn’t just take,” Alex had said. “It gives back.”

The air between them shimmered with restless magic.

Josh’s doppelgänger’s gaze softened. “I came through because you’re at the crossroads. The life you’re meant to live... it depends on what you choose now.”

“What do you mean?” Josh demanded, heart pounding.

“There are two paths,” the other Josh continued. “One where you leave this place... forget what you’ve seen. You’ll go back to your life — the career, the travels — but you’ll always feel like something’s missing.”

He hesitated, his voice lowering. “Or... you stay. You stay and face what the forest is offering.” His eyes flicked to Alex, filled with quiet longing. “Stay... and find where you belong.”

Josh’s mind reeled. The weight of those words pressed against his chest, heavy and undeniable.

“What happens if I stay?” he whispered.

His other self’s expression grew wistful. “You’ll become something more. But it won’t be easy... the forest never gives without asking something in return.”

The wind stirred around them, the soft chime of the bells ringing faintly again — not in warning this time, but in invitation.

Josh turned toward Alex, whose eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Is this... real?” he asked, his voice cracking.

Alex nodded, stepping closer. “I’ve waited... so long.”

The forest fell silent once more, as though waiting for him.

Josh took a steadying breath, reaching out toward Alex. His fingers brushed theirs, grounding him in the only thing that felt certain in the whirlwind of magic and fate.

“I’m staying,” he whispered.

The bells rang out, clear and triumphant, echoing through the snow-covered clearing. The glow of the archway flared one last time... and then dimmed, leaving only stillness behind.

Josh’s other self smiled softly, his form dissolving into starlight as though released from a binding long held.

And for the first time, Josh felt truly... home.

The wind calmed, leaving behind a quiet stillness as the archway’s final glow faded into the snowy night. Josh’s breath came in ragged bursts, but his hand remained clasped firmly in Alex’s ��� grounding him.

“You... stayed,” Alex whispered, their voice trembling with wonder.

Josh nodded, still absorbing the enormity of his choice. “I couldn’t leave... not after everything.”

The faint sound of the bells echoed one last time, softer now, as if offering a benediction before fading entirely.

Alex gently cupped Josh’s face, their touch warm despite the cold. “You chose this — us. The forest doesn’t bind you unless you let it.”

Josh exhaled shakily. “Then maybe... I was always meant to stay.”

Snow drifted lazily from the sky, blanketing the clearing in serene silence as they stood together, their foreheads touching. For the first time in longer than he could remember, Josh felt... whole.

Later that night, long after the inn had gone still, Josh found himself unable to sleep. The quiet tug of something unfinished pulled him from his room. Guided by the soft glow of the hearth in the sitting room, he descended the creaking staircase.

He stopped short when he saw Alex already there, sitting on the floor near the hearth, knees drawn up, their gaze fixed on the flickering flames. A half-empty mug sat forgotten beside them.

Josh hesitated, sensing the intimacy of the moment, but something urged him forward. “Couldn’t sleep either?”

Alex startled but relaxed when they saw him. “Guess not.” They gestured to the space near the fire. “You can sit… if you want.”

Josh lowered himself to the floor beside them, the fire’s warmth wrapping around them both. For a while, neither spoke, comfortable in the shared stillness.

“I used to sit like this a lot,” Alex murmured eventually, their voice distant. “When I first came here… I’d sit by the fire and wait.”

Josh frowned slightly. “Wait for what?”

Alex smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach their eyes. “For someone to find me… or maybe for the inn to let me go.”

The confession hit harder than Josh expected. “You were… alone?”

“For a long time,” Alex admitted. “The inn was quiet back then. It… wasn’t ready to open its doors again.”

Josh searched their face, seeing the shadows of old loneliness etched there. “But you stayed.”

Alex nodded, fingers tracing an old knot in the wooden floor. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go… and the inn needed someone to care for it. It called me.”

They met Josh’s gaze, their expression softening. “I never expected anyone to stay longer than a passing winter storm.”

The unspoken meaning behind the words lingered in the air between them. Josh’s chest tightened, realizing just how much of themselves Alex had quietly entrusted to him.

“You’re not alone anymore,” Josh said gently.

Alex’s breath hitched, their eyes shimmering in the firelight. They didn’t answer, but their hand brushed his lightly, lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

Outside, the wind stirred faintly, sending snowflakes drifting past the windows—silent witnesses to something slowly unfolding.

Winter melted slowly into spring, the forest’s icy grasp giving way to green shoots and blooming wildflowers. The inn transformed with the changing seasons, shifting subtly with each passing day — rooms rearranged themselves, forgotten paths reappeared, and the once-silent bells now chimed softly in the wind as if welcoming a new era.

Josh adjusted quickly, finding his place in the rhythm of life at the inn. He helped Alex with the daily tasks: tending the fire, welcoming weary travelers, preparing meals in the cozy kitchen that always seemed stocked with what they needed — as though the forest itself provided.

But magic went deeper than practical comforts.

One morning, while repairing the garden fence near the edge of the woods, Josh noticed something new. Beneath the archway where his fate had been sealed, a sapling with silver-veined leaves had sprouted, shimmering faintly in the morning light. He knelt, brushing his fingers over its delicate bark. The forest was growing... just as he was.

That night, Alex found him staring thoughtfully into the fire.

“You’re thinking about the archway,” they said knowingly, sitting beside him.

Josh nodded. “It’s... connected to me now, isn’t it?”

Alex smiled softly. “The forest responds to what’s in your heart. It always has.”

Josh reached for Alex’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “Then it knows... I’m home.”

Their lips met in a slow, gentle kiss, sealing the promise the forest had begun the night Josh chose to stay.

Outside, the wind stirred the trees, and though the bells remained silent... they no longer needed to call.

Josh was exactly where he was meant to be.

Years passed at the inn, marked by changing seasons and the quiet magic that pulsed through the forest. Josh and Alex built a life together filled with shared stories, laughter, and the steady rhythm of caring for travelers seeking shelter from the world.

One frosty December evening, snow fell gently outside as the inn glowed with soft candlelight. The fire crackled warmly in the hearth, casting dancing shadows across the walls. The bells — now a familiar, comforting presence — chimed faintly in the distance, though no storm followed their call.

Josh set two mugs of mulled cider on the front desk just as the old brass bell above the door jingled. A cold gust of wind swept in, bringing with it a lone traveler wrapped in a well-worn coat dusted with snow.

“Welcome,” Josh greeted warmly, stepping forward. “Come in and warm up.”

The traveler pushed back their hood, revealing a face that made Josh’s breath hitch — familiar and impossibly real.

It was Sam.

Josh’s younger brother stood frozen, his eyes widening in stunned recognition. “...Josh?”

Emotion crashed over Josh like a tidal wave. He surged forward, pulling Sam into a tight, breathless embrace. For a moment, neither of them spoke — the years between them dissolving like melting snow.

“You’re alive,” Sam choked out, his voice thick with disbelief. “We thought... you were gone.”

“I’m here,” Josh whispered fiercely. “I’m home.”

Alex appeared silently by the hearth, their expression soft with understanding but respectful of the moment. Sam noticed them, his gaze questioning but still overwhelmed by seeing his brother again.

“Sam, this is Alex,” Josh said, his voice steady despite the emotion trembling beneath it. “This place... it’s where I belong now.”

Sam’s brows knit together as he took in the strange, timeless beauty of the inn, the flickering firelight, and the ancient warmth that seemed to pulse from the very walls. He could feel the magic — subtle but undeniable.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Sam admitted, his voice rough. “I don’t even know how I found this place...”

“The forest led you here,” Alex said gently, stepping forward. “Because you were meant to.”

Sam stared at them, then back at Josh. “You... you’re happy.”

“I am,” Josh said with quiet conviction. “Happier than I ever thought possible.”

The wind stirred outside, soft and unthreatening, carrying the faintest chime of the bells as if acknowledging the reunion.

Sam’s shoulders relaxed as he finally allowed himself to believe it. “Then I’m glad,” he whispered.

Josh smiled, his eyes shining. “Stay... at least for the night.”

Sam nodded slowly, letting himself be guided toward the fire. As Alex prepared a warm meal, Josh couldn’t stop watching his brother — the boy he’d left behind, now grown but still his Sam.

For the first time in forever, Josh’s past and present had come together... and maybe, just maybe, there was room for both in the life the forest had given him.

The End. 🩵

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[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

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You’ve done it yet again, my friend 🖤

His Sugar-Dusted Skin – Part 1

Jake Kiszka x reader 5.639 words (Part 1)

So, After some consideration, I decided to split this one in two, because a) I promised to post it this weekend and it's not finished yet, and b) it might me too long. December's been a bit chaotic and as I said before, I've been struggling a bit with this one. So let me know what you think. Any feedback is much appreciated!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, intended for adult readers. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental. Also, if you're under 18, go find some other entertainment elsewhere.

Warnings (are spoilers): alcohol consumption and heavy intoxication, mentions of the death of a close person (retrospective), allusions to a potentially promiscuous behaviour, some strong language, the twins being assholes (kind of... they're still cute), Jake's happy trail, I think that's it for now...

Oh, life…

How ordinary and boring it can get when you stick to thinking that there aren’t any other options. As far as I remember, conformity never made sense to me. And as far as I remember, I was being raised and forced to embrace it. My mind surrendered for a while, but my vagrant soul just kept resisting. I never wanted to fit in. I always wanted to fly.

When I left home three years ago, I didn’t take much with me. My parents didn’t approve of my choices and the only person who would’ve supported me in my decisions was already gone. My beloved grandma. She was the disruptive force that kept me on my toes, always challenging me in the most loving way, knowing too well that it was exactly what I needed. She gave me my first guitar, too. Even though sclerosis made her homeward-bound, her dreams and fantasies always kept her wandering. I loved that. She was always there to spark my imagination and in return, I wanted to be her legs and eyes one day. When I was little, my friends used to call her fairy godmother. “Keep your sails up sweetheart, the wind is whimsical.” That’s what she used to say. “All you need is that air in your lungs and love in your heart.” 

“You must never leave me, oma,” I said to her once. “I need that love in my heart forever.”

“Someone else will fill it, darling,” she replied. “I’m only here to make sure it is open. But one day, you won’t need me anymore.”

When she died, I lost my only reason to stay there. The world was slowly getting to its feet again and it was my turn to do the same. I had dreams that simply couldn’t be fulfilled at home. My heart was aching for adventure. So I packed my bags, just like they sing in old songs, slung my guitar over my shoulder and hit the road. A vagabond chick. 

As I came to Tennessee, all I owned could fit in my barely drivable car: literally just a few dresses, my phone, my modest savings, my old six string, my treasured voice and THE recipe. Aaaah, those were the days…

Who am I kidding? It was pretty rough at first. VERY rough, to be honest. I cried many nights. But the one thing my parents had taught me was to save money, and that helped me survive the first months, when I waited tables during the day and sang my ass off after dark. 

Many people never make it. Hell, even though I’m an optimist, I have to admit that most don’t. If you’re not strong willed and immune to shit, you’re most certainly destined to fail. I’ve seen way too many extra talented and broken people on my journey, just because they were too nice or too naive. Well, I’m not naive, but I’m definitely not a cold bitch either. I think I just got lucky, because I had my guardian angel with me the whole time. When she was still walking on earth, she absolutely loved the Beatles, With a Little Help from My Friends being her favorite song. My childhood memories are filled with those songs and how she sang along, and I believe that it was her doing that eventually turned this tune into the soundtrack of my life. I met a lot of fantastic people on my arduous journey towards my goals and dreams, and that’s how I got by. 

As a token of my gratitude, I baked cookies for them. My grandma’s famous linzer cookies. THE recipe. Fast forward a few years, I still keep doing that at Christmas. Apart from the fact that my friends simply demand it, it’s also my way of keeping her alive, to make myself feel like she’s still here with me… in a way. 

Back home, the whole neighborhood loved her art of baking. Me being her only granddaughter, she literally forced me to learn how to bake those linzer cookies – her own recipe, to be precise. Every time I rolled my eyes, while making annoyed noises, blowing raspberries and just being a little asshole about it in general, she simply smiled and said that one day I’ll thank her. Why – I asked – and she responded that one day it would bring me love. “Love goes through the stomach, my dear. Look at your grandpa. See how huge it is?” And then he smiled and kissed her hair and it always made me believe her.

Except it didn’t happen. At least not yet. It – however – gave me a semblance of home that I consciously chose not to have, but sometimes missed. 

Just last year, I decided to continue with the tradition my grandma  started back at home. “Love is a reciprocal game, my dear,” she said. “You get what you give, but do not lose yourself in giving.” 

They want my sweets? Fine! But let them show me how much. They have to “earn” it. At the beginning of December, I give my friends custom-made Christmas greetings, and if they want to receive their own little box of cookies, they have to send back a card of their own making. The first time was a success, and I ended up baking sweets for eleven people. And it didn’t stop there, as it earned me nine bottles of wine, a flacon of my favorite perfume and  a ukulele. All I really wanted was a thank you, but hey! I won’t say no to wine! So I decided to do it again, and this time I received seventeen cards, including three “masterpieces” from the members of the infamous Greta Van Fleet! Yeah, that’s right. While I still feel like I’m barely making it sometimes, I move in high-ish circles. El-oh-el. 

I met Daniel first, through a mutual friend, at one of the music clubs we frequented. He was actually one of the eleven buddies that helped me restart this Christmas tradition. Later I learned that he selflessly shared his portion with the rest of the group during a rehearsal he went to right after he dropped by at my place, and that’s how I got invited to one of their semi-private dinners. Dan kindly introduced me as “Joni”, which earned me two “woos” and one ironic smirk. To be fair, I didn’t like it either. It actually made me cringe, because the woman is an unattainable role model, but it was just Daniel being himself, aka the nice guy. Bless his soul. 

I went from an acquaintance with useful skills to a drinking buddy, because I’m good at that too. One of my less admirable strengths, but there are times when it comes in handy. Especially when a Johnny Depp wannabe from Middle-earth wants to outsmart you…

A year flew by and it was time to extend my offer to Sam and Josh, who made sure I wouldn’t forget them. Don’t ask me how. The video they sent me definitely had the potential to go viral. I wholeheartedly appreciate how much they trust me not to do that. 

They wouldn’t stop there, though. I had to laugh when I received their own precious hand drawn contributions. How sweet. They’re all so sweet actually… well, all except Jake. Aloof, taciturn and arrogant, that’s how he rolls. I’m pretty sure he just can’t stand me, because while he often laughs with others, he only ever laughs at me. His opinion on my baking goes hand in hand with what he thinks about my playing, preferring darker and more spicy shit, as he once put it. Well, whatever. He’s a colossal prick. 

It’s quite unfortunate that I’ve also had a colossal crush on him for quite some time now. As I said, I’m a vagabond chick, and he happens to possess all the right shit to lure me. Like a moth to a flame. And I got burned. 

See, oma? Not working. 

Well, I’m not the one to cry over guys, so I’m not going to lose my sleep over that. He can go fuck himself. (Someone else can do it. I swear he needs it.). 

Seventeen packages meant I was going to spend most of the Friday evening as well as the whole Saturday slaving in my kitchen. Thankfully, I really do enjoy doing this, so it’s simply an essential part of Christmas festivities. A good time spent with me, myself and Ella Fitzgerald. It’s still quite a lot of work though. 

Friday was just about making dough. It might seem easy, but you need to understand that in order to make enough cookies for 17 (!) people, I needed more than 5 lbs of flour, 3 lbs of butter, nearly 24 ounces of sugar, 23 egg yolks and zest from 6 lemons! I will say no more to protect the family secret, but you can see it takes a lot of effort just to put this all together. I take this very seriously. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. 

It had to be perfect. 

But alas! I couldn’t have known that one malicious and horny sprite who wanted me to spoil him with my art of baking was also going to sabotage my efforts in the most peculiar way. 

Once finished, I covered the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to let it rest overnight before I hopped in the shower to wash off the sweaty sugar crust that seemed to stick to every inch of my exposed skin. It was almost midnight when I finally managed to climb in bed, pleasantly exhausted and happy, only to be woken up by a frantic doorbell noise at around two am. A normal person would just freak out in such a situation, but knowing who that might be, I was already pretty much used to it as I lived nearest to their favorite bar. Our favorite bar, to be precise. 

Over time, they came to an agreement that my tiny apartment was a perfect place for nightcaps, the only problem being that the Kiszkas were usually quite loud about it, completely ignoring the fact that I had neighbors. Thankfully, this part of town is a bit specific in a sense that the said neighbors simply didn’t give a shit, with their own lifestyle not being much different. 

This is what I wanted. Friends, late night laughs, my life filled with music and hugs and kisses and peculiar outcomes of unpredictable events that could only lead to more hugs and kisses. 

There was this one time when Josh fell asleep on my couch while the others simply sneaked away giggling and left him there, spread-eagled and snoring his uvula off. Several hours later, I was woken up by the delicious smell of buttermilk waffles, served with maple syrup and a guilty, puppy dog stare. 

Simply put, they were (almost) always welcome here. Almost…

Sober, sleepy and disoriented, I was definitely in no mood for a late night party (or an early morning one… seriously Josh, wtf!), with all the baking lying ahead of me. I didn’t even have to guess if it was really them; I could already hear them the moment my heart calmed down a bit and I stepped out of my bedroom. Determined to chase them away with a rolling pin, I answered the door angrily and was nearly knocked down by the falling Oliver Reed who obviously decided to lean against it the very moment I yanked it open. 

It’s always intrigued me how the brain works in these situations, working so fast that the time seems to slow down to an almost comical pace. I watched in slow motion how his back slid against the wood, his arms flapping in the air in a futile attempt to regain balance. I could tell at the first fleeting glance that he wasn’t fit to keep his balance standing, let alone falling, so no wonder it was a completely lost cause. Some voice at the back of my skull tried to tell me to jump aside, but I was too mesmerized by the sight. Just when his shoulder hit me clumsily in the chest and I stumbled backwards, Josh finally managed to grab Jake’s arms to keep him from knocking me down completely. My rolling pin fell on the wooden floor with a loud bang that made my neighbor’s dog bark. Jake, now aggressively pinned against the corridor wall by Josh, only added to the ear-piercing nocturnal cacophony with his loud howls: “Whoa whooooa!” 

“Shhh, shut the fuck up, Jake!” Josh hissed through his teeth before he turned his concerned stare back at me. “Y/N, sweetheart, terribly sorry hun! Didn’t mean too…” I could tell that he was tipsy as well, but it paled in comparison with the state Jake was in. I had seen him drunk many times before, with his glossy, beady eyes and unfocused stare that always made him look a bit like a teddy bear. This was new, though. He seemed absolutely plastered. 

Out of the imminent danger, but with my heart still wildly pumping adrenaline-enriched blood into my veins, I grabbed the doorframe first to support myself before I tried to make sense of what was just happening in front of me. 

They weren’t alone. Right behind Josh stood a guy whom I had seen a few times before, but I couldn’t recall his name. He looked slightly uncomfortable. “What the fuck, Josh!?!” I hissed. 

Josh immediately tried to win me over with the most sheepish smile he could muster, but his involuntarily cocked eyebrow betrayed him, which only made me more furious. “Dearest Y/N, we need your help, baby!” 

“With what? I asked incredulously. 

“I need you to take care of my asshole brother, pretty pleeeease.” 

“You what?” I goggled at him, completely taken aback by his impudent request. “Why can’t you just take him home?” Much to Jake’s annoyance, we kept discussing him and his imminent future as if he wasn’t even there, which only resulted in another outburst of his loud and incoherent babbling and our collective attempt to shush him before Josh answered.

“Because, I am not planning on going home, honey,” he whisper-shouted, hoping that I would just get it without him having to be too obvious. Yeah, I got it. It didn’t mean I was willing to help him. I looked at the guy again, who suddenly pretended to be very interested in the hallway lights. At that moment, the owner of the barking dog opened his own door to passionately inform us what we all were. I had no other choice than to hastily usher them all in.

“You can’t leave him here just like that? Are you out of your mind? Is this some kind of retribution for what he did the last time? Because it’s not funny. This is my home, and not a fucking sobering center! Just call him an uber,” I continued to protest once we were all safely inside my apartment, and that’s when Jake chimed in for the first time with something that made at least a bit of sense: “Yeah, ah-don’ wanna…,” he hiccupped before he could finish the sentence, making me even more incensed with the whole situation. He quickly tried to amend it, but it was too late. I was seething, my nostrils flaring. “...bother-er. Ah-don’ wanna bother-er! She’s…fierssshe!” he spat in Josh’s face, making him scrunch his face in disgust. 

“Well, you should have thought about not bothering people before you got so shitfaced,” Josh spat back, completely ignoring what I just said. “This is your doing.”

What? I shot a deadly stare at Josh. No, it was absolutely not Jake’s doing that they were now standing in my living room. And regardless of the fact that I had work to do – and he knew that – he also knew how I felt about Jake, and was now putting me in a very uncomfortable position. “Out! All of you!” 

I’m pretty sure I must have looked like Wrath personified, because Jake whoa’ed again and Josh seemed to finally acknowledge his misconduct. He grabbed my hands in his, suddenly looking like a meek puppy. “I’m sorry, babe. Don’t be mad, hun. I know this is too much to ask, but do this for a friend. I beg you…”

“No, I beg you Josh!” I tried to sound as calm and collected as possible through my gritted teeth, knowing that being just mad would get me nowhere. Josh was too stubborn to ever acknowledge someone else’s anger and boundaries meant nothing to him once you became his friend, which basically meant family. However, he was empathetic. “You know I have a lot of baking to do tomorrow. I’m tired. Just please, take him home.”

Josh bit his lip and he looked like he was trying to say something and NOT say it at the same time. It was late and I felt awfully tired, but the whole thing seemed a bit fishy to me. Just when Josh nodded and finally opened his mouth to respond, Jake grabbed his shoulder. “Ah need to pee, Jawshy boy,” he whined and swayed dangerously, pouting his lips at his twin brother. He was already in his teddy bear phase which meant that he indeed wasn’t fit to be sent home alone in an uber. He’d be knocked out in no time, and even if Josh went with him, he’d have a hard time just getting him out of the car. 

Josh glanced sideways at the guy, who had been pretending to be invisible the whole time, and then looked at me pleadingly again. I capitulated. “OK, take that big baby to the bathroom and I’ll fetch some blankets,” I sighed. 

Together, they helped Jake get comfy on the couch and he fell asleep before his head even touched the pillow. And me? I felt relieved when I finally closed the door behind them and everything became quiet again, disturbed only by Jake’s light snoring.

They were taking their time, so once I fixed the makeshift bed, it was just me and the guy standing in the middle of the room, waiting, and it was getting increasingly awkward with each passing second. “So, you’re Y/N,” he finally spoke.

“Yeah,” I answered curtly, confirming the obvious. “We’ve met.”

“But we weren’t properly introduced yet. I’m Martin.” I shook Martin’s hand politely without really wanting to, because I knew that if they were heading to his place instead of Josh’s, it probably meant that the chances I’d see Martin again were quite low. Yet another reason for me being annoyed. 

I poured him a large glass of water, squeezed some fresh lemon juice into it and placed it carefully on a small table right next to his head before I switched off the light, leaving just a small table lamp on, and went back to my bed, hoping to spend the rest of the night in peace and get some much needed rest. 

However, the fact that there was Jacob Kiszka, Sir, lying unconscious on my couch right outside my bedroom door, made it a bit difficult to fall back to sleep. I had never been in a situation like this and it made me feel unpleasantly agitated. I wasn’t afraid of him. I just didn’t trust my own feelings. 

I should have been angry. 

But I was not. Not exactly. Not anymore. My heart wasn’t beating wildly out of annoyance. Instead, I felt like a schoolgirl, trapped in an elevator with that annoying boy from music class who was also her crush. There were many conflicting feelings inside both my head and chest; and knowing that he probably wouldn’t remember how he ended up on my couch come morning only made it all worse. 

I finally dozed off, but morning came sooner than I wished it would, and with it a headache. It felt like just a brief moment, filled with restless dreams about me and Jake dancing on the rooftop to Golden Slumbers playing out of nowhere, with sugar snowing down at us and our hands sticky with jam. Then he smeared some on my cheek and peppered it with kisses…

When I opened my eyes, the feeling still lingered, like powdered sugar on the top of my tongue. Soft and weightless like snowflakes, yet it lay heavily on my chest. Together with the lack of rest, it made me feel almost hungover-ish. I lied unmoving for a while, listening to the silence that surrounded me and wondering whether he was still there. Maybe he already woke up earlier and quickly sneaked out after realizing where he was. 

It was unlikely, but I could hardly ever control these self-deprecating thoughts. Especially regarding men. I cursed Josh once again and decided to take a quick cold shower to wake up my senses.

It helped only just a bit. Refreshed, I opened my bedroom door carefully and peaked inside the living room. He was still there, and fast asleep. Slowly, I creeped up on him on my tiptoes, and then spent several long seconds just watching him sleep, before I started to feel like a complete lunatic. But… he looked so peaceful and almost angelic in the milky morning light, lying on his side with his hands folded under his chin, his lips parted and brows relaxed. The glass was empty, and I couldn’t help but smile involuntarily. Once there was a way to get back homeward…

Then I remembered that this was no domestic idyl. I just had a drunk rock guitarist on my couch, and – let’s be brutally honest here – once I got past that dreamy visual illusion, a strong olfactory reminder of this much more prosaic reality hit my nostrils. 

I also had several large chunks of dough in the fridge and a debilitating headache that almost made me question all my life choices.

No, it didn’t.

But all those things had to be taken care of and I had no idea how. I tried to be as quiet as a mouse at first, but after realizing that it could take at least a couple more hours before he’d wake up, maybe even half a day – the time that I couldn’t afford to waste – I took Josh’s previous advice and decided to just ignore him. 

I really needed coffee… to get the stupid dream, and the song, and all my delusions out of my head. Did I forget that he was also a big-headed asshole? Yeah, that’s the spirit. 

It turned out that my worries were groundless anyway. I could make as much noise as possible in my adjacent kitchenette and he wouldn’t even stir. The motherfucker really seemed to be losing his hearing from standing in front of those huge amplifiers and the malicious creature inside my chest chuckled at the thought. 

I took the dough out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature while I made myself some coffee and started to get everything ready. Clanking of baking sheets, coffee grinder, squeaking cabinet doors…nothing seemed to disturb my sleeping beauty. I kept casting wary glances at him every now and then at first, but soon I got accustomed to the unusual situation and just immersed myself in my work. 

I had my very elaborate system. I could fit twenty cut pieces – meaning ten cookies – on one sheet, there was roughly enough dough for approximately thirty sheets, it takes ten minutes to bake AND I had only four sheets. You can see I had to be very systematic. Preparation is the key and every minor disturbance could be disastrous. Thankfully, I’m a master multitasker. Still, I prayed to all the known and yet to be made-up deities that nothing would happen. No more surprises, please and thank you. 

A few hours passed and the delicious aroma of lemon and vanilla started to fill the room. I was also sweating like a pig, rolling and cutting the dough in haste, always making sure I had enough sheets ready so that there would be no idle time. Focused on the task ahead, I didn’t hear him stir, and my heart jumped in my throat when I finally looked up and saw those beady eyes watching me intently. 

I tried to keep my cool, looking down again quickly. “Well, good morning,” I mumbled. It was almost midday. 

“Morning, Y/N…,” he choked out huskily and finally tried to stand up, which only resulted in him groaning in pain and slumping back immediately. Oh yeah, consequences…

“Do you remember how you got here?” I asked tentatively. 

“I wish I could say I do, but to be honest, I’ve no idea,” he breathed out with his eyes closed. “I was just hanging out with Josh and the next thing I know I’m lying on your couch at blue hour, feeling half dead.” He finally opened at least one eye, just enough to be able to see me.

I nodded and continued cutting the dough. I wasn’t going to make it any easier for him. The timer just chimed and I had to switch the sheets anyway. 

“So?” 

Did I just hear annoyance and impatience in his voice? Oh yeah, a hungover asshole is still an asshole. It shouldn’t have surprised me. “What?” I spat back over my shoulder.

“Care to explain what the fuck I’m doing here?” 

I don’t understand how he always managed to just smash all my buttons with one single blow, and once again he made me see red. I literally threw the next sheet in the oven and slammed the door shut with a loud bang before I turned around and lashed out at him. 

“Oh I wish I knew the answer. Be so kind and ask your precious brother who literally just pushed you through my door in the middle of the night, half-conscious and reeking of whisky, because he wanted to get laid. You’re welcome! Fucker…”

He blinked a few times, obviously taken aback. 

“I’m sorry Y/N.” The tone of his voice changed and for a split second I almost regretted my curtness. Almost. “Just let me call an uber and I’ll be out of here in no time,” he mumbled, checking his pocket, while I watched him struggle with secret satisfaction. That headache must have been hellish. Good. At least I wasn’t the only one. 

He suddenly frowned and started rummaging in all his pockets frantically, including the jacket haphazardly thrown over the armrest. “Where the hell is my phone… and my valet… and my fucking keys. Y/N…did you take my stuff?” 

“What? No! The last thing I’d wanna do would be to prevent you from leaving.”

We were watching each other warily, both equally confused. Then it dawned on him. “I’m gonna kill that scrawny little bastard!” Straightening up, he closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath in a futile attempt to fight off his growing nausea as well as the rage that made his nostrils flare. 

My anger dissipated in an instant… or, to be more precise, it was instantly redirected towards his twin. “I don’t understand. Why would he do that? He knows how busy I am today,” I whined. 

Jake didn’t respond. Instead, he asked for my phone. I quickly dialed Josh’s number and handed it to Jake, because the timer chimed again. 

It went straight to voicemail. 

As I was stacking freshly baked pieces on a tray placed on the small kitchen island which also served as my dining table, Jake leaned against it right opposite to me, looking absolutely miserable. “What now?” 

Am I their mother or what? I couldn’t drive him, but even if I did, he still didn’t have his keys. I couldn’t even call him an uber to Josh’s, because I knew that scrawny little bastard wasn’t there. It became obvious that Jake was stuck with me for at least another couple hours. He kept watching, obviously still waiting for me to say something, but I didn’t answer. Instead, I just sighed and grabbed the rolling pin again, aggravated with both of them and feeling like their hostage, stuck in the middle of their infantile games. The time was ticking, with my perfectly planned schedule already disrupted.

“Let me at least help you,” he looked at me hopefully with those puppy eyes they both shared. Fuckers. Seriously. Quirks of the mischievous nature that at one point decided that one of them wasn’t enough. 

“I think you should take a shower first.”

It was a deliberate jab, and I expected him to retort back just like he always did. I did NOT expect him to widen his eyes in genuine horror. “Is it that bad?” 

I didn’t dare answer that question but my face betrayed me when I looked at him sideways and bit my lip. He grabbed the collar of his shirt and took one tentative whiff. “Oh my god, it is. I think I need more than a shower, actually. I smell as if I slept in a puddle of beer.” 

I immediately regretted that I let him sleep on my couch, but he looked completely bashful and embarrassed and my previous unwillingness to continue helping him was already in shambles.

“Ok,” I sighed and put down the cookie cutter. “Come with me. I have some spare sweatpants. Thankfully, my ass is just as big as yours, but it might be a bit too tight around the waist…”

“Excuse me?” he protested, but otherwise obediently followed me into my bedroom. 

“You’re right. My mistake. Yours is bigger,” I chuckled at my own joke while rummaging in my drawer, before throwing him a pair of my favorite grey sweatpants, an old, oversize flannel shirt and a clean towel. “Everything else you might need is in the bathroom. The washing machine’s down in the basement.” 

“Thank you. Uummm…do you, perhaps, have a spare toothbrush? For friends... and such?” He smiled cheekily, testing my patience once again. But to be fair, he couldn’t have known that there was a shortage of “and such” people ever since I met him, because I just wasn’t interested in anyone else for a while now. 

“Yeah, there’s a couple of them in the purple cabi… oh fuck!” I quickly excused myself, alarmed by the smell of something burning, because I forgot to set the timer…

Too busy trying to stave off the impending disaster in my kitchen, I barely noticed him sneaking around me on his way down to the basement. So, when he knocked on the door a moment later and I answered it, the sight in front of me threw me completely off-guard. Being no stranger to Jake’s exposed chest, there was a strange sense of novelty in seeing him in my own unbuttoned shirt. Paul started singing inside my head again, but only until my eyes involuntarily slid further down, putting the song to an abrupt stop, just like a torn magnetic tape.

I was right about the waist being too tight, which meant he had it pulled down well below his navel, and seeing his happy trail made me scream internally. 

And to top it all off, he still had the towel wrapped around his head. 

I was not prepared for the feral reaction he suddenly elicited deep inside my body, and I’m sure he noticed, judging by the cocky half-smile that followed. I quickly turned away before I would compromise myself further. 

“I made you some coffee,” I nodded towards the steaming cup waiting for him on the counter, while still not daring to look directly at him again. “... and there are some popsicles in the freezer.”

“Thank yo… popsicles?!?” I might as well have suggested cotton candy, judging by the look he gave me, making me feel like an idiot,  so I quickly explained: “Yeah, they’re perfect when you wanna get rid of a hangover. Orange’s my favorite.” I still felt like an idiot. 

“I’m feeling better now.” His tone was kind and friendly, for which I was grateful, and I could hear him smiling, with my eyes still fixed on the small yellow circles in front of me. “I think I’m getting a bit hungry, though.”

“I’m not cooking anything now, Jake!” I placed the last little yellow circle on the sheet with care, before I started kneading another chunk of dough frantically.

“No, I didn’t mea…”

“There’s instant ramen on the top shelf.”

“Jesus Christ.” 

“Yeah, whatever.”

“What are YOU going to eat, Y/N?”

“I don’t have time for such luxuries right now…”

“Y/N!” He was leaning against the counter desk right in front of me again. I hadn’t even noticed him sneaking so close again, so his sudden exclamation made me jump. “You have to eat something. Look, your hands are shaking.” 

Yeah, no shit. But I’m not exactly hungry. There was a huge lump in my stomach, making it quite full. I was getting lost in the sea of my conflicting feelings again when all of the sudden, he put an abrupt stop to it like a fierce wave that sent me crashing on the shore, as he lifted my chin up gently with his index and middle finger. “Look at me, Y/N. I am going to fix us a quick lunch, ok?” 

“Ok…,” I peeped meekly. 

Jake just nodded, bound his damp, uncombed hair in a makeshift low bun with the band he always wore on one his fingers just in case, and started rummaging in my fridge. “Allrighty then! What do we have here…,” he crooned cheerfully.

And just like that, Paul was back… lalalalala.

To be continued...

@thewritingbeforesunrise @fleet-of-fiction @writingcold @lvnterninthenight @its-interesting-van-kleep   @takenbythemadness   @edgingthedarkness @myownparadise96 @gvfstuddedmajesty @jazzyfigz @sanguinebats @josh-iamyour-mama @lyndz2names @wetkleenex-gvf @peaceloveunitygvf @cheersdannyx2 @fleetingjake @lizzys-sunflower @emojakekiszka @gvfmarge @Dayumclarizzel @lipstickittty @clownstarr @gretasfallingsky @musicislove3389 @i-love-gvf @psychedelectable @allof--mylove @sacredsparrow @hearts-hunger

[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

MERRY & BRIGHT

Pairing: Sam x fem!OC

General Warnings: Emotional misunderstandings / Mild conflict and tension in relationships / Holiday stress and pressure / Possible moments of frustration or miscommunication leading to hurt feelings / Introspection on past relationships and their emotional impacts

Summary: In a small, tight-knit neighborhood, the Christmas lights competition is the highlight of the season. But when longtime rivals Sam and Lily are forced to team up, sparks fly—both in their rivalry and their blossoming feelings for each other. Over the course of two weeks, they work late into the night, learning about each other’s pasts and uncovering the mysterious history of a magical sign called Wishers’ Way. What begins as competition turns into something deeper, and as Christmas approaches, both Sam and Lily must confront their growing attraction and the possibility that their rivalry may have been the perfect beginning for their own love story.

The small town of Evergreen Falls prided itself on its tight-knit community, especially during the holiday season. Every year, the streets lit up with twinkling lights, cheerful decorations, and the aroma of fresh-baked cookies. But the highlight of the season was always the annual Christmas lights competition. The competition wasn’t just about who had the best display—it was about pride, tradition, and who could bring the most Christmas spirit to the neighbourhood.

Sam had always been the life of the party. Tall, charming, and with a smile that could light up a room, he was the guy everyone loved, even when he was a little mischievous. He’d grown up in Evergreen Falls and was known for his competitive streak, especially when it came to the Christmas lights competition. But this year was different.

This year, Nora Whitaker—everyone’s favorite quirky, grandmotherly neighbor who had lived in Evergreen Falls forever—had a plan. A meddling, matchmaking plan.

“Sam, darling,” she had said, catching him in the yard one chilly afternoon, her voice twinkling with a mischievous glint behind her spectacles. “I’ve entered you into the competition, and guess who your partner is?”

Before Sam could protest, she’d handed him an envelope, sealing his fate with a wink.

His partner? Lily Montgomery.

Lily was his high school rival. A straight-laced, no-nonsense kind of person who had never quite understood Sam’s goofy charm. They’d been in the same circle of friends, but they’d never clicked. She was the meticulous, orderly one, and Sam was, well, Sam—always finding a way to make things more complicated than they needed to be. He’d never really gotten under her skin, but it was clear she’d never quite appreciated his humor or his laid-back approach to life.

Lily’s presence in his life hadn’t been something Sam had actively sought out. But here they were, forced to work together. The stakes of the competition felt higher than ever.

Day One

The first night of decorating arrived. The neighborhood was buzzing, and the chill in the air was filled with excitement. Sam stood outside his house, admiring the huge plastic reindeer he had set up in the front yard. He wasn’t sure what was worse—the fact that he had to work with Lily, or that Nora had decided to add a weird, sentimental twist to the whole thing by involving her collection of unique Christmas ornaments.

“Lily!” Sam called as he saw her walking down the street toward him, carrying a box of lights and ornaments, her breath puffing out in little clouds in the frosty evening air.

Lily gave him a curt nod but didn’t respond right away. She was wearing a long, cozy scarf and a thick coat, her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun. Sam had to admit, she looked good—like she was actually taking the competition seriously. He, on the other hand, was holding up a strand of multicolored lights like he had just discovered them in his attic.

“You ready to make Christmas magic happen?” Sam asked, grinning, hoping to break the ice.

Lily shot him a glance but didn’t seem to find his enthusiasm contagious. “Let’s just get this done, Sam.”

Sam winked at her. “We’ll see who’s laughing when the lights are on.”

As they began to string the lights, Sam found himself constantly glancing at Lily, surprised at how quickly the familiar tension between them came back. She was meticulous, focused on every strand of light as if each one had to be perfect. Sam, meanwhile, was doing his best to find creative ways to get the lights to hang without getting tangled up in them. They were a study in contrasts: she, the planner, him, the spontaneous risk-taker.

After a while, they moved onto the ornaments. Nora’s mysterious collection had somehow found its way into the mix, and the first ornament they came across was a small, glass snowman—his cheeks rosy from the cold.

Lily picked it up, turning it over in her hands as if assessing it. “This one’s old,” she said, her voice softening. “It’s kind of beautiful, isn’t it?”

Sam leaned over, inspecting it with her. “Yeah, it’s got character. A little different, but… it works.”

Lily looked at him, surprised by his lack of sarcasm. “It’s from Nora’s collection,” she said, holding it up for Sam to see better. “Each one tells a story. Apparently, this snowman has been with her for years.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “So, Nora’s going to tell us the story behind every single one of these?”

“Probably,” Lily replied, not hiding the amusement in her voice. “She’s a little… sentimental like that.”

Sam chuckled. “Well, if they all have stories, maybe they’ll be good distractions when you start glaring at me for not following the plan.”

Lily rolled her eyes but didn’t seem as irritated as usual. Sam had a way of pushing her buttons, but for some reason, tonight, it felt different. Less hostile, more… cooperative. Maybe the ornaments were already starting to work their magic.

As they hung the snowman together, Sam caught her eye for a moment. There was something in her gaze—something warmer than he expected. Maybe, just maybe, this competition wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

The first days passed in a flurry of tangled lights, bickering, and long nights spent outside in the biting winter air. Sam and Lily quickly fell into a rhythm—though calling it “working together” was generous. Sam thrived on last-minute creativity, throwing up decorations in bold, chaotic bursts, while Lily meticulously sketched out diagrams and double-checked every detail.

Despite the clashing styles, they made progress. Sam had to admit that Lily’s precision kept the display from turning into a total disaster, and Lily reluctantly acknowledged that Sam’s spontaneous ideas added a spark her perfectly measured designs lacked.

Day Five

The crisp December night wrapped the neighborhood in quiet stillness as Sam wrestled with an obstinate strand of multicolored lights. He muttered a string of curses under his breath, his breath fogging in the cold.

“Need help?”

Lily’s voice startled him. He turned to find her standing on the porch, bundled in a thick coat and holding two steaming mugs of hot cocoa.

Sam smirked. “Careful, Montgomery. Offering to help? People might think you like me.”

Lily rolled her eyes but handed him a mug. “I just don’t want to lose because you can’t figure out how plugs work.”

He laughed, the sound warm against the cold night. They sipped their cocoa in companionable silence, the frosty air tingling with something... unspoken.

“Hey,” Sam said after a moment. “What’s the deal with that ornament Nora gave us? The heart-shaped bell?”

Lily frowned thoughtfully. “I’m not sure. She didn’t say anything specific.”

As if on cue, a soft chime echoed from the ornament box near the porch steps. Both of them froze.

Sam knelt, picking up the small, heart-shaped bell they had set aside earlier. It felt warm against his palm, its surface glowing faintly in the dim light.

“That’s... weird,” he muttered, turning it over.

Lily stepped closer, her breath hitching as she brushed her fingers against the bell. For a brief second, she thought she felt something too—a pulse, a flicker, like a heartbeat trapped within the delicate glass.

“I think...” she started, but the words caught in her throat.

Their eyes met, closer now than they’d ever been. The air between them crackled, warmer than the chill outside. Sam’s gaze softened, his teasing smirk giving way to something gentler, more serious.

Before either could speak, the bell jingled again—a soft, melodic sound that seemed to come from deep within, as though it were urging them toward something... more.

Neither of them let go.

Sam and Lily stared at the softly glowing bell, its chime fading into the stillness of the winter night. The air between them buzzed with unspoken questions, but neither dared to speak first.

Finally, Lily cleared her throat, stepping back as if breaking the invisible thread tethering them together. "It’s... probably just a trick of the wind," she said, though her voice wavered.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Wind doesn’t usually make things glow."

Lily shrugged, stubbornly logical. “Maybe it’s solar-powered.”

He chuckled, setting the bell back into the ornament box. “Sure. Magic solar power.”

They returned to decorating, though the moment lingered, pressing at the edges of Sam's mind. Every time Lily passed him another strand of lights or handed over a carefully labeled storage bin, her fingers brushed his just a little longer than necessary. He couldn’t tell if she noticed—or if she was just as thrown off as he was.

Day Seven

Snow was falling heavily outside, painting the world in frosted white. The Christmas lights twinkled through the storm, casting soft, colorful glows across Sam’s living room, where he and Lily sat on the floor, surrounded by tangled garlands and unopened decoration boxes.

Lily carefully untangled a string of golden beads, her brow furrowed in concentration. Sam was supposed to be helping, but his gaze kept drifting toward her. She looked... softer somehow in the firelight, her usual sharp edges tempered by the warm glow.

"You’re staring," she said without looking up.

“Can’t help it,” he admitted with a lazy grin. “You look very... determined.”

Lily snorted. “Someone has to be.”

Sam reached over and plucked the beads from her hands, gently winding them through his fingers. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "I always thought you hated me back in school."

She blinked, caught off guard. “I didn’t hate you.”

"Could’ve fooled me," he teased. "You never laughed at my jokes."

Lily smiled faintly, eyes distant. "They were ridiculous. But... funny, sometimes."

The quiet confession surprised him. “I’m shocked. Is this you admitting I’m charming?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

Their hands brushed again as he handed back the garland. This time, neither of them pulled away. The storm outside howled softly, but inside, it was warm, safe... familiar.

Sam hesitated, his thumb grazing her wrist. “You know... this whole thing hasn’t been as bad as I thought.”

Lily met his gaze, her expression softer than he’d ever seen. “It hasn’t been awful.”

The fire crackled gently in the hearth as they sat there, closer than rivals, not quite something more—but maybe just on the edge of becoming it.

And from the ornament box on the mantel, the small heart-shaped bell shimmered faintly... waiting.

Day Nine

Evergreen Falls buzzed with holiday cheer as neighbors gathered around the towering Christmas tree in the town square. Strings of twinkling lights draped across storefronts, casting shimmering reflections onto snow-covered cobblestones. Sam and Lily stood near the edge of the crowd, silently admiring the town’s handiwork—until a familiar voice broke the spell.

“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite decorators!”

Nora Whitaker bustled up, her cheeks flushed with winter’s chill and mischief. She wore a coat adorned with tiny sleigh bell pins that jingled with every step.

“You two must be exhausted from working so hard together.” She clasped her hands together, eyes twinkling. “I hope you’ve been... bonding.”

Lily shifted uncomfortably. “We’ve been... productive.”

“Productive!” Nora gasped, feigning offense. “Why, if you ask me, Christmas isn’t about being productive. It’s about connection!”

Sam bit back a laugh. “We’ve been connecting... with extension cords.”

Nora tutted. “Well, maybe this evening will inspire something more heartwarming.” With a wink, she patted Sam’s arm and disappeared into the crowd.

Lily crossed her arms. “She’s definitely up to something.”

“Now you’re catching on.”

The snowfall outside had thickened by the time they returned to Sam’s front yard. Despite the long day, Sam grabbed another box of lights, determined to keep working.

"You don’t have to stay," he offered, though part of him hoped she would.

Lily hesitated, but the sight of Sam standing in the glow of the Christmas lights, snow catching in his dark hair, made her chest ache in a way she wasn’t ready to name.

“I’ll stay.”

They worked in companionable silence until Lily spotted something unusual near the base of the large pine tree at the edge of the yard. “Sam... what’s that?”

He followed her gaze and frowned. Nestled in the snow was an old wooden signpost, half-buried and weather-worn, engraved with faded words:

“Wishers’ Way.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “That... wasn’t there before.”

Before they could inspect it further, the wind picked up, swirling snow around them like a shimmering curtain. From the distance came the faintest sound of... bells?

Lily shivered, rubbing her arms. “Maybe it’s just the wind.”

But Sam wasn’t so sure. Something about the sign—and the way the bell on their mantel had glowed that night—made his pulse quicken.

The storm outside raged on, wind howling through the trees and snow falling in thick blankets. Sam stirred the fire in the hearth, adding another log while Lily arranged extra blankets on the worn leather couch. The “neighborhood power outage” Nora had gleefully announced over the emergency phone tree felt suspiciously convenient—especially given that Sam’s generator, which never failed, was mysteriously out of fuel.

Lily rubbed her arms, glancing at the frosted windows. “Guess we’re stuck here.”

Sam smirked, tossing another blanket toward her. “Looks like it.”

They settled on opposite ends of the couch, blankets spread over their laps. The crackling fire filled the silence, warm and soothing. Sam reached for the vintage record player on the mantle, flipping through a stack of old holiday albums Nora had gifted him last year.

“Hope you like classics,” he said, placing one on the turntable.

Soft, jazzy Christmas music filled the room, weaving warmth into the quiet space. They sat in companionable silence for a while, each lost in thought, until Sam spoke.

“You never told me why you care so much about the lights competition.”

Lily traced a finger over the edge of her mug. “It’s... tradition. My dad loved decorating for Christmas. He passed away a few years ago.” Her voice softened. “Carrying on the tradition... makes me feel like he’s still here.”

Sam’s chest ached at the vulnerability in her words. “I didn’t know.”

“I don’t talk about it much.” She offered a small, bittersweet smile. “Why does it matter so much to you?”

He hesitated, staring into the flames. “My family... after my mom passed, Christmas felt empty. I guess I thought if I could make our house shine brighter than anyone else's... maybe it would feel like she was still watching.”

Lily’s gaze softened, something shifting between them—no longer rivals but two people carrying memories that burned just as brightly as the lights outside.

Sam leaned forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His fingers lingered, warm against her cheek. Their breaths mingled, close enough to bridge the distance...

Suddenly, the entire yard outside erupted into light—dazzling strings of color glowing brighter than any display they’d set up. The mysterious “Wishers’ Way” sign shimmered with ethereal brilliance, casting shifting patterns across the snow-covered ground.

Startled, they broke apart, rushing to the window. “What... is that?” Lily whispered, eyes wide.

Sam shook his head, equal parts awed and unsettled. “I... have no idea.”

Behind them, the heart-shaped bell ornament on the mantle chimed softly, shimmering with faint, magical light—waiting.

Sam and Lily stood breathless at the edge of the yard, snowflakes swirling around them as they stared at the glowing “Wishers’ Way” sign. Its intricate carvings shimmered like starlight, casting an otherworldly glow on the snow-covered ground.

“That... definitely wasn’t there before,” Sam said, his voice low.

Lily traced the engraved letters with her fingertips, feeling warmth radiate from the old wood despite the frigid air. “It’s... beautiful.”

Before they could examine it further, a sudden gust of wind sent shimmering flakes dancing through the air, creating a dazzling curtain of light. They instinctively reached for each other’s hands, fingers intertwining as the world around them seemed to hold its breath.

The mysterious glow pulsed gently, almost invitingly, as though the sign was waiting for something—or someone.

Sam squeezed her hand. “We should head back inside... before the storm gets worse.”

Reluctantly, they turned toward the house, the warm glow from the living room beckoning them back to safety. Behind them, the “Wishers’ Way” sign dimmed... but the faint chime of the heart-shaped bell echoed through the snowy air, almost as though urging them not to forget.

The fire crackled softly, chasing away the lingering chill from outside. Sam and Lily sat cross-legged on the living room floor, a half-forgotten game of cards spread between them and mugs of cocoa steaming within reach.

Lily chuckled, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe you thought adding ten thousand lights was a good idea.”

Sam shrugged, grinning. “Go big or go home, right?”

She laughed, the sound warming something deep inside him. For a moment, the only sound was the soft crackle of the fire and the faint melody of holiday music drifting from the record player.

On impulse, Sam rose and offered her his hand. “Dance with me.”

Lily blinked, surprised. “What?”

“Come on.” His grin softened into something gentler. “Just one dance... before the lights come back.”

After a beat, she slid her hand into his. He guided her closer, resting a hand lightly on her waist. Their fingers remained intertwined as they swayed slowly, the old holiday song wrapping around them like a memory.

Lily’s head rested against his chest, her heart pounding in time with the rhythm. For the first time, the rivalry between them felt miles away—forgotten in the quiet magic of the moment.

As the song ended, neither moved to let go. Sam tilted her chin up, brown eyes gleaming in the soft firelight. His gaze lingered on her lips, breath hitching—

Ding!

The heart-shaped bell chimed softly from the mantel, its glow growing warmer. Outside, the snow sparkled as the “Wishers’ Way” sign pulsed faintly again... as though promising that the magic wasn’t done yet.

The heart-shaped bell chimed again, its clear, musical note resonating through the quiet, snow-covered yard. Sam and Lily exchanged a glance, the warmth of their shared dance still lingering between them—but curiosity burned brighter now.

Without speaking, they grabbed their coats and stepped outside, snow crunching softly beneath their boots. The wind had stilled, leaving the air crisp and shimmering with frost. The faint, enchanting glow of the “Wishers’ Way” sign pulsed steadily, beckoning them closer.

Lily brushed her fingers over the carved letters once more. “It’s like it’s calling us.”

Before Sam could respond, another gust of wind stirred the snow, revealing something half-buried at the base of the sign. He knelt and carefully dug through the powdery drifts until his fingers brushed against cold, worn metal.

“What is it?” Lily asked, kneeling beside him.

Sam pulled the object free, holding it up to the dim light. It was an old, tarnished tin box, its edges rusted but its surface etched with faint swirling designs—similar to the carvings on the sign. A fragile lock hung loosely, long broken.

With a cautious glance at Lily, Sam pried the box open. Inside, wrapped in faded, delicate fabric, lay a bundle of handwritten letters, their edges yellowed with age.

Lily gently lifted the topmost letter, her breath catching as she read the faded ink:

“To the One I’ll Always Wait For...”

Her gaze met Sam’s, wide with wonder and something deeper—something personal. “These... they’re love letters.”

Sam nodded, still staring at the fragile paper. “From someone in the past... but why would they be buried here?”

Another soft chime rang out from the bell on the mantel, though the wind didn’t stir. It was as though the letters themselves were waiting—yearning—for their story to be told.

The fire crackled softly, casting a warm glow across the room as Sam and Lily settled on the rug near the hearth. The old tin box lay open between them, its contents waiting like forgotten whispers from the past.

Lily gently smoothed the edges of the first letter, careful not to tear its fragile paper. The faded ink curled in elegant, deliberate strokes.

"December 24, 1952

My Dearest,

The lights are hung, glowing just the way you always loved. I can almost see you standing there beneath them, smiling like the world could never dim your light..."

Her voice faltered as she read aloud, emotion catching unexpectedly. Sam rested his hand on hers, steadying.

“Keep going,” he urged softly.

She took a breath and continued:

"I wait for you still, though the winters grow colder and the years stretch longer. The old bell rings when the wind stirs just right, and sometimes... I think it’s you calling me home."

“If only...”

The letter ended abruptly, leaving a haunting emptiness behind.

Lily lowered the page slowly. “It sounds like... someone waiting for someone who never came back.”

Sam frowned thoughtfully, reaching for another letter. This one was dated a year later.

"December 24, 1953

I hung the lights again tonight... even though you’re not here to see them. The bell still rings, though the winds are quiet. Sometimes, I wonder if it rings for someone else now... someone still searching, like me."

“Maybe the magic isn’t lost... just waiting.”

A charged silence fell between them, the fire’s crackling the only sound.

Lily touched the letters reverently. “Who were they? And why leave these here—under the sign?”

Sam’s gaze lingered on the glowing bell above the mantel, its soft light steady and warm. “Maybe they were waiting... hoping someone would find them someday.”

Before Lily could respond, a soft wind stirred the curtains, carrying the faint scent of evergreen and something older... something timeless.

The fire crackled gently, casting flickering shadows across the cozy room. Empty mugs of cocoa rested on the low table, long forgotten amid the scattered letters still waiting to be read.

Sam and Lily sat side by side on the rug, the warmth of the fire wrapping around them like a soft blanket. At some point, exhaustion caught up with them. Lily’s head rested on Sam’s shoulder, her breathing slow and steady. His arm had drifted around her protectively as he dozed off, their closeness unspoken but comfortable.

Outside, the wind carried the faint sound of the bell's chime—soft, distant, and watchful.

Day Ten

Sam stretched, still half-asleep, blinking against the morning sun streaming through the frosted windows. He realized where he was and looked down to find Lily still curled against him, her face relaxed and peaceful.

For a moment, he didn’t move, not wanting to break the spell. But then she stirred, groaning softly.

“Is it morning already?” she mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

“Unless we slept through Christmas,” Sam teased, smirking. “Figured you’d be more prepared for a marathon decorating session.”

Lily shot him a look, but her lips twitched in amusement. “I was prepared—until someone insisted on 'just one more’ ornament hunt.”

Sam shrugged with mock innocence. “What can I say? Commitment to the craft.”

She stood, stretching, her breath fogging in the chilly air near the window. “Well, Mr. Commitment to the Craft, the contest isn’t going to win itself.”

Sam grabbed his coat, tossing hers playfully toward her. “Good thing you have me, Lil. Imagine how boring your display would be without actual creativity.”

Lily raised an eyebrow as she caught her coat. “Creativity? You mean stringing lights in chaotic clumps and hoping for the best?”

“Artistic vision,” he corrected, stepping closer. “You wouldn’t understand.”

She narrowed her eyes, tilting her head just enough for a playful challenge. “You’re lucky I don’t leave you buried under a mountain of tinsel.”

Sam chuckled, stepping back but still holding her gaze. “Admit it—you’re having fun.”

A pause lingered between them, warm and charged.

Lily smirked, brushing past him toward the front door. “Let’s get to work before I change my mind.”

He watched her go, shaking his head fondly. This might just be the best Christmas ever.

A few hours later, Sam balanced on a ladder, securing the last strand of twinkling lights across the porch. Lily stood below, inspecting their progress with her arms crossed, a critical tilt to her head.

“Straighten the left side,” she called. “It’s sagging like a bad prom decoration.”

Sam sighed dramatically but adjusted the lights. “Better?”

“Passable.” She smirked, stepping back to admire the view. “For someone whose ‘artistic vision’ involves clumps.”

Before Sam could retort, a cheery voice interrupted them.

“Well, well! Look at you two! Practically the perfect Christmas dream team!”

They both turned to see Nora Whitaker bustling up the driveway with a tray of cookies, followed closely by two neighborhood regulars—Margie, the town’s most persistent gossip, and Arthur, who was always conveniently around when something needed fixing.

“Oh no,” Sam muttered.

“Oh yes,” Lily whispered back, trying not to laugh.

The front yard was a frenzy of mismatched ornaments, half-strung garlands, and competing opinions. Margie insisted on “traditional elegance,” while Arthur argued for “rustic charm.” Nora, of course, delighted in orchestrating everything.

Sam and Lily worked side by side, navigating the chaos. Every brush of their hands felt charged, every shared glance lingering longer than it should.

Just as they managed to create some order out of the festive disaster, Lily spotted Sam across the yard—laughing warmly with a striking brunette she didn’t recognize. The woman playfully swatted Sam’s arm, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. Sam’s hand lingered briefly on her shoulder, the familiarity unmistakable.

Lily’s chest tightened. Why do I even care? she thought furiously. It’s none of my business.

The memory of their almost-kiss flashed through her mind, the warmth she’d let herself feel for just a moment. She swallowed hard and yanked off her gloves.

“I think we’re done here,” she called curtly, not bothering to wait for Sam’s response.

Day Eleven

Sam paced outside the small café, his breath misting in the crisp winter air. His mind raced as he replayed the way Lily had abruptly left the decorating session the day before. He’d texted her twice with no response, and her silence gnawed at him.

Just as he was about to give up, he spotted her stepping out of the bakery across the street, a paper bag tucked under her arm. She paused when she saw him, her expression tightening.

“Lily!” he called, jogging toward her.

Her eyes darted away, and for a second, he thought she might run—but she stayed rooted, shoulders squared.

“What do you want, Sam?” she asked, voice clipped.

“I want to know what happened yesterday,” he said earnestly. “Why’d you leave like that?”

Lily scoffed, crossing her arms. “Like you don’t know.”

Sam blinked, caught off guard. “I don’t know. You just disappeared.”

“You seemed busy,” she snapped, bitterness lacing her tone. “Didn’t want to interrupt your little moment.”

His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw you,” she hissed, anger flaring in her eyes. “With her. Laughing, touching… You didn’t even mention—”

Sam opened his mouth to explain, realization dawning—but Lily held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Forget it,” she said sharply. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Lily, wait—”

But she was already turning away, walking briskly down the street. Sam stood there, stunned, helplessly watching her disappear into the snowy distance.

Later that night, Sam’s house was quiet, the faint hum of the Christmas lights outside casting a soft glow through the windows. Sam sat slumped on the couch, staring at the unlit fireplace, his thoughts tangled in frustration and something deeper—something he was afraid to name.

He replayed every moment from the day before: decorating the house, their shared laughter, the way her smile lit up more than any string of lights ever could. He could still hear her voice teasing him, still feel the warmth of her hand brushing his when they reached for the same ornament.

And then... her eyes today—hurt, angry. He hated that look, hated knowing he’d put it there without meaning to.

Sam buried his face in his hands with a groan. Why do you care so much?

The answer hit him like a punch to the chest.

Because somewhere along the way—between the bickering, the late-night decorating sessions, and the almost-kiss—he’d started falling for her.

And now, he might’ve ruined everything.

Snowflakes drifted lazily past the frosted window as Lily sat curled up on her couch, a half-forgotten mug of tea cooling in her hands. The room was quiet, lit only by the soft glow of her small Christmas tree, its twinkling lights casting shadows across the walls.

Her mind kept circling back to him.

She groaned, rubbing her temples. Sam.

The memory of seeing him with that woman played over and over again in her head. They’d been standing close, laughing like they shared some inside joke. Lily’s chest tightened, the same sting of jealousy flaring up.

But...why had she reacted like that?

You don’t even like him... right?

Except that was a lie, wasn’t it?

She sighed, sinking deeper into the cushions. Sam had always gotten under her skin—his teasing, his charm, his infuriating ability to make her feel more than she wanted to admit. They’d spent so much time together lately, working late into the night, sharing stories and stolen smiles between tangled strands of lights.

Her heart ached as she recalled the way his eyes had softened when he looked at her. She’d been so certain she was just imagining it, brushing it off as holiday-induced sentimentality.

But now...

She set her mug down with a thud, wrapping her arms around her knees. Maybe it wasn’t just the holiday magic.

The realization hit her slowly, warm and unyielding, despite the cold outside. She’d been jealous. She’d wanted him to look at her like that—and she hated that she might’ve ruined everything because she was too scared to admit it.

Her gaze drifted to the small ornament resting on her side table—a delicate glass star Sam had handed her the night before, insisting she keep it because “every tree needs a wish.”

Lily reached for it, tracing its edges with trembling fingers.

Day Twelve

Another snow dusting had passed, leaving the world glittering and still. Sam stood on his front porch, staring at the tangled mess of lights sprawled across his yard like a defeated holiday monster. The grand light display he and Lily had painstakingly crafted was half-collapsed, thanks to the last storm's fierce winds.

He swore under his breath, running a hand through his dark hair. They were supposed to be done by now, ready for the neighborhood showcase. Instead, their masterpiece looked like it had lost a wrestling match with a snowblower.

A car door slammed, drawing his attention. Lily stood by the curb, bundled in a thick coat and scarf, her breath puffing in the frigid air. She hesitated, her expression unreadable, before stepping closer.

Sam’s heart ached at the sight of her, but the sting of their last encounter still lingered. Why is she even here?

“Looks like the storm hit harder than we thought,” she said carefully, her voice steady despite the tension crackling between them.

Sam nodded. “Yeah. We’re gonna have to redo most of it.”

There was a long pause. Neither moved.

Finally, Lily exhaled. “We don’t have time to be mad at each other.”

Sam crossed his arms, searching her face. “You’re the one who stormed off.”

She flinched but held her ground. “I... I overreacted.” Her voice softened. “I’m sorry.”

His defenses wavered. “I didn’t do anything wrong, Lily. That woman—you jumped to conclusions without letting me explain.”

“I know.” She dropped her gaze, her cheeks flushed. “I was... stupid. It’s just—”

“Just what?” Sam prompted, his voice gentler now.

Lily shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. We need to fix this display.”

Sam’s chest tightened, frustration warring with tenderness. He wanted to push, to know, but something in her eyes warned him not to. Not yet.

“Fine,” he said quietly. “Let’s get to work.”

They worked in tense silence at first, untangling wires and resetting props. Slowly, the familiarity of shared tasks chipped away at the lingering awkwardness. By the time they strung the last set of lights, they’d fallen into their old rhythm—teasing, bickering, almost smiling.

Sam reached up to adjust a star ornament at the display’s peak. “Think that’s straight?”

Lily squinted. “A little more to the left.”

He shifted it, grinning down at her. “Better?”

“Surprisingly... yes.” Her lips twitched despite herself.

Their eyes met, the air between them thick with unspoken words. The lights around them glowed softly, casting a magical halo over the snow-dusted yard.

For a moment, everything else faded—just Sam and Lily, standing too close, hearts pounding in sync.

But before either could speak, a sudden, soft chime rang out from the direction of “Wishers’ Way.”

They turned toward the sound, breath hitching as the mysterious sign pulsed with gentle, golden light—like it was calling them once again.

Later the snow had stilled, leaving a quiet, sparkling world in its wake. Sam and Lily stood back, admiring the nearly completed light display. Strings of twinkling lights wound around the trees, illuminating handcrafted ornaments and glowing stars. Despite the tension still lingering between them, they couldn’t deny the beauty of their creation—or the fact that they’d built it together.

Sam adjusted one last strand of lights near the front archway, dusting snow off his hands as he turned toward Lily. “Looks like we might actually pull this off.”

She smiled faintly, her gaze softening. “We make a good team... when we’re not trying to kill each other.”

He chuckled, stepping closer. “You’re admitting I’m not completely insufferable?”

“I’m saying... you surprised me,” she admitted, her voice quiet. “In a good way.”

Sam’s breath hitched. They were standing too close again, the way they had that night by the fireplace—when everything had almost changed.

“Lily...” He reached for her hand, his fingers brushing hers, warm despite the cold.

Her gaze flicked to his mouth, heart pounding. “Sam, I—”

A sharp clang of metal startled them both.

They jumped apart, spinning toward the noise. Across the street, old Mr. Hargrove was struggling with a ladder as he adjusted his rooftop Santa display—completely oblivious to the moment he’d shattered.

Sam exhaled a shaky laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Figures.”

Lily swallowed hard, still feeling the lingering warmth where his hand had touched hers. “We should... probably call it a night.”

“Yeah... probably.” Sam hesitated, watching her retreat toward her car. Before she could get in, he called out, “Lily!”

She paused, turning back.

He took a breath. “We’re... good, right?”

Her eyes softened, though her smile was tinged with something bittersweet. “Yeah. We’re good.”

But as she drove away, Sam couldn’t shake the feeling that something between them had changed—again.

And this time, he wasn’t sure what came next.

Day Thirteen

The soft glow of candlelight flickered through the windows of Nora Whitaker’s cozy living room, the scent of cinnamon and pine hanging thick in the air. Her dining table, adorned with an elegant red and gold tablecloth, sparkled with her best china and festive centerpieces.

Everything was perfect.

Nora stood back with a satisfied smile. She’d seen the way Sam and Lily had been dancing around each other—again. Clearly, they needed a little push. And if there was one thing she excelled at, it was orchestrating holiday miracles.

The doorbell rang. With a practiced air of innocence, she fluffed her apron and opened the door to Sam, holding a bottle of wine and looking bewildered.

“Uh… hey, Nora. You said you needed help fixing your porch lights?”

“Bless your heart, Sam.” She waved him inside. “I did... but I called the handyman hours ago. You’re just in time for dinner!”

Before he could respond, the bell chimed again. Lily stood on the porch, holding a tin of cookies with a similarly puzzled expression.

“Nora? You said you needed help setting up for the winter festival meeting?”

“Of course, dear!” Nora beamed, stepping aside. “Come in—you’re just in time for dinner!”

Sam and Lily’s eyes met in mutual realization.

“Oh no,” Lily whispered.

“Oh yes,” Nora whispered back with a wink.

Sam and Lily sat stiffly at opposite ends of the candlelit table, avoiding eye contact. Nora bustled around the kitchen, humming Christmas carols, completely unbothered.

Lily cleared her throat. “So... this is subtle.”

Sam snorted. “Textbook Nora.”

Silence stretched.

Finally, Sam sighed and leaned forward. “Look... about the other day—”

Lily raised a hand, cutting him off. “Sam, you don’t have to—”

“No, I do.” His voice softened. “I don’t know what you think you saw, but that woman you saw me with... she’s my cousin.”

Lily’s mouth opened, then closed. “...Your cousin?”

“Yeah. Megan. She’s visiting for the holidays.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to explain, but... you were pretty mad.”

She flushed. “I might’ve... overreacted.”

“You think?” His lips twitched.

Lily rolled her eyes, but her expression softened. “I just... I don’t like feeling like I’m the last to know about something.”

“You’re not.” Sam met her gaze, earnest and open. “Not about anything that matters.”

The air between them crackled like the fire crackling in the hearth. Before either could speak again—

“Dinner’s ready!” Nora sang from the kitchen.

They both jumped, cheeks flushed.

The remains of a delicious holiday feast sat on the table, candles burning low as the fireplace crackled warmly in the background. Nora had excused herself with a suspiciously convenient excuse about checking on her “neighbor’s cat,” leaving Sam and Lily alone with cocoa-filled mugs and lingering tension.

Sam leaned back, tapping his fingers on the side of his cup. “I forgot how good her cooking is. It's like eating Christmas.”

Lily smiled softly, tracing a pattern on her mug. “She’s always been like that... making everyone feel at home.”

He studied her thoughtfully. “Is that what you’re trying to do with the display? Make it... feel like home?”

Lily hesitated, caught off guard by the insight. “Maybe... I guess I’ve always loved how Christmas lights can make everything seem warmer. Even if things aren’t perfect.”

Sam nodded, his expression serious now. “I get that.”

Their eyes met—something real passing between them.

Sam cleared his throat. “When I was a kid, we didn’t have much. My mom worked double shifts, but she always made sure we put up this old set of lights she’d had forever. They only half worked, and we’d have to jiggle the cord to get them going, but... it didn’t matter.”

Lily’s gaze softened. “That sounds... kind of perfect.”

“It was.” His voice dropped. “That’s why I love Christmas lights so much... they remind me of her.”

A hush settled over the room, the weight of the memory lingering.

After a moment, Lily spoke quietly. “My dad used to take me driving to see the Christmas displays when I was little. We’d get cocoa and play Christmas music... he used to say the lights were magic because they lit up even the darkest nights.”

Sam smiled faintly. “He was right.”

The silence that followed was soft, full—not awkward, but comforting.

From the hall, Nora peeked around the corner, her heart swelling. She could see it—the shift, the understanding growing between them.

Snow fell in soft, lazy flakes, dusting the quiet neighborhood in sparkling white. Sam and Lily stepped out into the crisp night air, their breath misting as they strolled side by side along the decorated streets. The festive glow of holiday lights reflected off the fresh snow, casting a magical warmth over the scene.

Neither of them spoke at first, wrapped in the gentle peace of the moment. Their earlier tension seemed miles away, replaced by something unspoken but undeniably there.

Sam stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, glancing at Lily out of the corner of his eye. “It’s pretty out tonight.”

Lily nodded, her gaze lingering on the shimmering lights. “It feels... timeless. Like one of those Christmas cards people keep forever.”

A comfortable silence stretched between them. Then Sam’s eyes drifted toward where Wishers’ Way glowed faintly through the trees, its twinkling lights almost beckoning.

“Ever wonder what’s really there?” Sam asked softly.

Lily followed his gaze. “Maybe... magic?” She half-laughed, but something wistful lingered in her voice.

Sam smiled. “You believe in magic?”

She hesitated, then shrugged. “I believe in... possibility. And hope.”

Their eyes met in the soft light, and for a breathless moment, it felt like anything was possible.

Before either could speak, a gust of wind swept past, carrying the faint, silvery chime of a bell from Wishers’ Way. The sound was hauntingly beautiful, echoing through the stillness like a call.

Lily shivered, but not from the cold. “Did you hear that?”

Sam nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yeah... let’s check it out.”

Without another word, they moved toward it, drawn by the glowing lights and the beckoning chime. Snow crunched softly beneath their boots as they followed the winding path, their hearts pounding—not from the cold, but from the unknown waiting ahead.

The soft glow of the Wishers’ Way sign illuminated the quiet neighborhood street, casting gentle light on the row of homes nearby. The sign was tucked at the end of a small, cobblestone path that led into a peaceful park area. A few well-placed benches sat beneath festive garlands, their presence almost inviting anyone walking by to stop and make a wish.

Lily and Sam found themselves standing at the foot of the sign, its warm glow contrasting with the cool, starry sky. Snowflakes drifted lazily down, settling softly around them. The world felt a little smaller here—peaceful, away from the hustle of the competition and the chaos of the neighborhood.

Lily took a deep breath, glancing at Sam. “Do you think people still make wishes here?” Her voice was quiet, almost reverent.

“Maybe,” Sam mused, his gaze shifting to the bell hanging from the sign. It sparkled in the light, as if waiting for someone to make a wish. He found himself drawn to the charm of it all. “I guess there’s no harm in trying.”

They stepped closer together, their shoulders brushing, and Sam’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t planned on this being such a special moment—just another part of the holiday chaos. But something about the quiet, the warmth of the lights, and Lily’s presence made it feel like more.

Lily closed her eyes first, her breath a soft mist in the cold air. I wish...

Sam hesitated for only a moment, his gaze lingering on the bell. Then he, too, closed his eyes. Please... let me be brave enough to tell her.

The bell chimed, faint but clear, and they both opened their eyes to find each other’s gaze.

For a moment, time felt suspended, the world around them still except for the snowflakes swirling in the air. It was as if their unspoken wishes had filled the space between them, and for the first time, the possibility of something more felt real.

Lily broke the silence first, clearing her throat. “Well, that was... unexpected.” Her voice was soft, but the warmth in it didn’t hide the way her heart raced.

Sam nodded, trying to ignore the way his own heart thudded in his chest. “Yeah. A little bit magical.”

The soft chime of the bell sounded once more, and Sam and Lily stood side by side, the night stretching out before them as they tried to understand what, exactly, had just happened.

***********

Day Fourteen

The day of the contest arrived with a crisp, cold breeze swirling through the neighborhood. The lights from the houses on Wishers’ Way twinkled brightly, their festive glow reflecting the magic of the season. For Sam and Lily, this day held both excitement and tension. Their rivalry was long behind them, replaced by something deeper, something unspoken yet undeniable.

They stood side by side in front of their completed display, a perfect balance of warm golds and icy blues, their combined efforts shining brighter than anything Sam could have imagined when they first started. They shared a quiet moment of satisfaction, knowing they’d truly created something beautiful together.

As they waited for the judges to arrive, Nora appeared from behind a snowbank, her hands on her hips. “You two are winners already,” she said with a wink, looking at their display. “But don’t get too comfortable. I’ve got one more surprise up my sleeve.”

Before either of them could ask, Nora was off, bustling around the neighborhood, leaving Sam and Lily to exchange curious glances. The tension between them had been growing ever since their moment at Wishers’ Way—the air was thick with words neither of them knew how to say.

Later that evening, just after the judges made their rounds and the announcement was made—they had indeed won, just as Nora had predicted—a flurry of activity swept through the neighborhood. Sam and Lily were both surprised when Nora ushered them into the center of a small gathering at the park.

The neighborhood was alive with holiday cheer, and in the center stood a fire pit, decorated with sparkling garlands and twinkling fairy lights. Nora had arranged a Christmas Eve gathering, with the most festive of hot cocoa stations, homemade cookies, and neighbors who’d gathered for one final celebration before the holiday truly arrived.

But as Sam and Lily tried to make their way through the crowd, Nora quietly took charge, subtly guiding them toward the same cozy bench near the Wishers’ Way sign where they’d shared their first magical moment. She gave them a knowing look as she shuffled away, leaving them alone once again.

The night sky stretched overhead, clear and cold, the stars shining as if they, too, were in on the secret. The streetlamps cast a warm glow, and Sam and Lily found themselves alone in the silence of the moment, standing beneath the familiar glow of Wishers' Way.

Lily turned toward Sam, her breath a soft mist in the air. She couldn’t deny the way her heart had been racing ever since they stood together in front of their display, and even more since that night under the sign.

“I’m glad we did this,” she said, her voice soft. “Even though I never thought we’d end up here... together.”

Sam smiled, stepping closer. “Yeah. Me too.” His voice was gentle, his usual playful tone replaced with something deeper, more sincere. “You know, I never thought I could get along with someone like you.”

Lily raised an eyebrow, the teasing hint still there despite the emotional weight of the moment. “Someone like me?”

“Someone who doesn’t mind throwing themselves into something just because it’s fun... but who also cares about making it perfect,” he said, looking at her with something that was nearly reverence. “Someone who challenges me in the best way.”

Lily blinked, taken aback by the rawness in his words. “I... Sam, I—”

He interrupted, stepping closer, his eyes locking onto hers. “And someone who makes me realize that maybe the best things happen when you least expect it.”

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat. They both stood there, the unspoken weight of their feelings filling the space between them. The magic of the moment—the lights, the soft glow from the sign, the shared past and present—had brought them to this point, where nothing else seemed as important.

“Sam,” Lily whispered, a touch of vulnerability in her voice, “I think I—”

But before she could finish, Sam leaned in, his lips finding hers in a gentle kiss that held all the emotions they’d both been hiding. The kiss was soft at first, a question, but then it deepened, an answer. An understanding that had been years in the making.

When they pulled away, the night air felt warmer, the world around them quieter. They smiled at each other, their hearts racing for different reasons now.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” Sam admitted with a smile, his forehead resting against hers.

Lily let out a soft laugh, her cheeks pink from the cold—and the kiss. “You’re not the only one.”

As the snow gently fell around them, the neighborhood lights flickered softly, and Wishers’ Way shimmered in the distance, the bell chiming in the cold breeze. Sam and Lily stood together, their hands brushing for the first time, and in that magical moment, they both realized that their wishes had already come true.

In the background, Nora watches from a distance, her work done, a satisfied smile on her face.

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

Epilogue: Six Months Later

Six months had passed since the night Sam and Lily stood together beneath the twinkling lights of Wishers’ Way. The snow from that magical evening had melted into spring blooms, and the neighborhood had settled into the warmth of a new season. But for Sam and Lily, the magic of that Christmas had never faded. It was still there, in the way their fingers found each other’s when they walked down the street, in the quiet moments they shared, and the laughter that seemed to follow them wherever they went.

They had spent countless evenings at Nora’s, now part of their shared routine, and though their relationship had begun in rivalry, it was now built on trust, understanding, and love. They had become inseparable—teasing, laughing, and supporting each other through the ups and downs of life.

One particularly warm Saturday afternoon, Sam and Lily found themselves back at Wishers’ Way, standing together beneath the archway that had once marked the beginning of their unexpected journey.

Lily leaned her head against his shoulder, a soft smile playing on her lips. “You know, I never thought a Christmas lights competition would change my life.”

Sam laughed, his arm wrapped around her. “You mean you didn’t expect it to lead to us being here, all cozy and in love?”

She shrugged, but her smile was full of warmth. “No, I guess I didn’t expect that part. But… I’m glad it did.”

He kissed the top of her head, his heart full as he looked at the glowing sign. “Me too.”

In the months since, they had uncovered the story behind the old love letters they found during their late-night escapades. The letters had been written by two souls who had been separated by time and circumstance, but whose love had never died. Sam and Lily had followed the clues they found, meeting with the elderly residents of the neighborhood, and slowly piecing together the history of the Wishers’ Way sign and the mysterious bell that had guided them all.

It had turned out that the heart-shaped bell they had found during their late-night exploration had once belonged to the couple—two lovers who had used the bell to communicate their wishes to one another when they were apart. The bell had been a symbol of their undying love and a promise to always find each other, no matter what.

When they returned it to its rightful place beneath the sign that first brought them together, the bell had chimed, soft and sweet, just as it had the night they discovered it.

Now, standing there together, Sam and Lily could feel the magic in the air once again. It wasn’t just the sign or the bell—it was them. Their own wishes had been fulfilled, even if they hadn’t known what to wish for in the first place.

“You know,” Sam said softly, breaking the comfortable silence, “I think that bell was meant for us. Not just the people from the past, but for us, too.”

Lily nodded, her fingers intertwined with his. “I think you’re right. Our own wishes have come true, in ways we never imagined.”

As they stood there, the world around them felt still and perfect. A soft breeze ruffled the branches of the nearby trees, and the soft chime of the bell echoed once more through the air. It was as if the universe was confirming what they both knew to be true.

And as they kissed beneath the archway, the Wishers’ Way sign gleaming softly in the distance, Sam and Lily knew that they were just beginning their own story—a story that would last far beyond any competition, into a future filled with magic, love, and the promise of many more Christmases together.

The End. 🩵

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[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

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DANNY 😍😍😍😍

UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Pairing: Danny x fem!OC

General Warnings: Unrequited Love Assumptions / Miscommunication / Social Pressure / Mild Alcohol Consumption / Emotional Vulnerability / Light Romantic Tension

Summary: A group of childhood friends reunites for their annual Christmas getaway, but this year, the holiday magic feels different for Danny. For years, he’s kept his feelings for Laura hidden, too afraid to risk their friendship. When a playful game of holiday dares leads to unexpected moments under the mistletoe, long-buried emotions come to light. Between meddling friends, snowy escapades, and magical Christmas traditions, Danny and Laura must decide whether to take a leap of faith—or let the moment pass them by once again.

The snow outside the cozy cabin windows fell steadily, muffling the world in white. Inside, laughter and voices overlapped as Danny leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping his mug of hot cider. The annual Christmas reunion was always his favorite part of the holidays. It was loud, chaotic, and deeply familiar—exactly what he needed after a long year.

“Alright, I call first dibs on the couch!” Mark announced, tossing his duffel bag toward the living room with practiced ease. He was Danny’s oldest friend, the class clown turned corporate guy who somehow never lost his knack for ridiculous bets and outrageous stories.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” chimed in Tasha, rolling her eyes as she unpacked her signature charcuterie board. Organized, sharp, and occasionally bossy, she had been the de facto leader of their friend group since grade school.

“And here we go,” Laura muttered, setting her stack of Christmas cookies on the counter. Sweet and a little shy, she was the heart of their group, always the one to smooth over arguments and bring everyone together. Danny’s chest tightened a little just seeing her—how she tucked her hair behind her ear, the way her sweater looked impossibly soft against her skin. She was the reason he was here tonight, the reason he couldn’t stop fidgeting or second-guessing every word.

“Anyone seen my charger?” called Nate from upstairs. Always a little late to the party and forever distracted, Nate had an uncanny ability to appear just when he was needed—or when trouble started brewing.

The group was the same every year, slipping easily back into familiar roles and rhythms as if no time had passed.

“I don’t know why we even bother pretending we’re going to sleep in separate rooms,” Danny said with a grin. “By midnight, it’s a guarantee we’ll all be piled in the living room arguing over what to watch.”

“Tradition, my friend,” Mark said, clapping Danny on the back. “Speaking of tradition, who’s kicking off the Christmas games this year?”

Danny’s heart skipped a beat as the question hung in the air. He knew Mark would have something up his sleeve—he always did—but this year felt different. This year, Danny had a plan of his own.

Danny watched Laura as she arranged the cookies on a festive platter, her brows furrowed in concentration. She didn’t notice him staring, didn’t see the way his gaze softened whenever she laughed or how his stomach twisted when she flashed that shy smile of hers.

She was everything good in the world. Always had been.

He remembered the first time he realized how much she mattered to him. It was years ago, during a summer bonfire on the beach. Laura had stayed behind to help him collect firewood after everyone else had scattered. She had talked about the stars, about dreams and things she wasn’t sure she’d ever have the courage to chase. She had looked so serious, so beautiful, with the flames lighting her face. Danny had wanted to kiss her then, but fear held him back.

Fear held him back still.

She was his best friend, part of their tight-knit group, and the risk of losing that terrified him. But as the years passed, the “what-ifs” grew louder in his head, drowning out his excuses.

This year, though, things felt different. It was more than the snow falling outside or the glow of the lights strung around the cabin. It was the weight of knowing he couldn’t keep holding back forever.

He just didn’t know how to start.

“Earth to Danny.”

Mark’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“Huh?” Danny blinked, realizing everyone was looking at him.

“You good, man? I asked who’s kicking off the games this year,” Mark said, smirking. “Or are you too busy making moon eyes at someone?”

Danny’s face flushed, and he forced a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Real original, Mark.”

Laura’s cheeks turned a faint pink, but she didn’t meet Danny’s eyes.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Tasha said, clapping her hands. She turned to Nate, who had just wandered downstairs. “Nate, grab the jar.”

Nate grinned and pulled a mason jar off the mantel. It was decorated with glitter and pinecones, stuffed with folded pieces of paper. The Christmas games jar.

Danny’s stomach tightened. Every year, they wrote down dares and challenges to pull out during their reunion. Most of the time, it was harmless fun—singing carols, decorating cookies blindfolded, that sort of thing. But this year, Danny had slipped in one particular dare, one that he hoped might finally give him a chance to tell Laura how he felt.

“Who’s first?” Mark asked, rubbing his hands together like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Let’s make Danny go first,” Tasha said with a wicked grin.

Danny groaned but stepped forward, reaching into the jar. His heart pounded as his fingers brushed the folded papers. Please, not yet. Not now. He wasn’t ready.

He pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it, holding his breath.

“‘Build a snowman with a partner of your choice,’” he read aloud.

Mark snorted. “Lame.”

Danny’s eyes flicked to Laura, who was trying not to laugh.

“Well?” Tasha said, raising an eyebrow. “Who’s it gonna be?”

Danny’s gaze instinctively shifted to Laura, his chest tightening. He wanted to choose her, of course, but the words wouldn’t come. The group was watching him expectantly, and his throat felt dry.

Before he could speak, Mark clapped a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Hey, I’ll be your partner, buddy,” he said with a grin.

Danny blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… sure.”

“Great,” Mark said, already heading for the door. “Come on, man. Let’s show these amateurs how it’s done.”

Danny hesitated, his stomach sinking as he glanced back at Laura. She smiled politely, but her expression was hard to read.

“Guess I’ll pair up with Nate,” Laura said lightly, brushing her hands on her jeans. “We’ll totally beat you guys.”

Danny forced a laugh and followed Mark outside, the cold air biting at his face. As they trudged through the snow, Mark grabbed a handful and tossed it at Danny’s shoulder.

“Man, you’re off your game tonight,” Mark teased. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing,” Danny said quickly, bending down to pack snow for the base of their snowman.

Mark raised an eyebrow. “Nothing, huh? You’ve been zoning out all night. You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve got a thing for someone here.”

Danny froze, his gloved hands gripping the snow tighter than necessary. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on,” Mark said, smirking. “It’s not exactly subtle, dude. You’ve been staring at Laura like she’s the last cookie in the jar.”

“I haven’t—” Danny started, but Mark cut him off with a laugh.

“Relax, man. I’m not gonna rat you out. But seriously, what are you waiting for? It’s Christmas. If you don’t make a move now, you never will.”

Danny didn’t answer, his gaze drifting to where Laura and Nate were working a few feet away. She was laughing at something Nate said, her breath visible in the frosty air. Nate leaned closer, brushing snow off her sleeve, and something twisted in Danny’s chest.

“I don’t know,” Danny muttered, more to himself than to Mark.

Mark shook his head. “Suit yourself. But if you keep dragging your feet, someone else might beat you to it.”

Danny couldn’t help the tightening in his chest as the evening dragged on. He tried to shake it off, throwing himself into the snowman-building challenge with Mark. Their team won, but the victory barely registered.

From across the yard, he kept catching glimpses of Laura and Nate. They weren’t doing anything particularly out of the ordinary—laughing at the way their snowman tilted precariously, tossing snow at each other—but every interaction felt magnified. Nate’s easy grin, the way Laura brushed her hair out of her face, the sound of her laughter—it all seemed aimed directly at Danny’s fraying patience.

“You’re quiet,” Mark said as they gathered back around the fire pit.

“Just tired,” Danny replied, staring at the flames.

Mark didn’t push, but Danny could feel his friend’s knowing look.

Inside the cabin, everyone shed their snowy coats and boots, warming up by the crackling fire. Danny stayed on the periphery, nursing a mug of cocoa as the group launched into a discussion about the next game.

“So,” Chelsea said, wiggling her eyebrows. “We all know what’s next, right?”

“Oh no,” Nate groaned. “Not this again.”

“Yes, this again!” Chelsea grinned, pulling a deck of cards out of her bag. “It’s time for the Christmas Dare Game. You can’t skip tradition!”

Danny’s stomach flipped. The Christmas Dare Game was infamous among their group for toeing the line between fun and humiliation. It involved drawing a card with a dare, each one more ridiculous—or embarrassing—than the last.

“I’ll go first,” Chelsea declared. She drew a card and read it out loud. “Sing ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ at full volume… while wearing a Santa hat and reindeer antlers.”

Everyone burst into laughter as Chelsea jumped up to perform her dare with gusto, dancing around the room.

Danny’s eyes wandered back to Laura. She sat cross-legged on the couch, her cheeks pink from the cold and her smile easy as she clapped along to Chelsea’s impromptu performance. She looked so at ease, as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

And why would she? Nate had been glued to her side all night. Danny clenched his jaw, his thoughts spiraling. Was Mark right? Was he dragging his feet too long? Had he already missed his chance?

“You’re up, Danny!” Chelsea’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He looked up, startled. “What?”

“Draw a card!” Chelsea waved the deck in front of him.

Reluctantly, he grabbed a card and flipped it over. His heart sank as he read it.

“Kiss the person closest to the mistletoe.”

The group erupted in a mix of laughter and whistles. Danny glanced around the room, his gaze inevitably landing on Laura. She wasn’t under the mistletoe, but she wasn’t far from it either. His palms felt clammy.

“Well?” Chelsea prompted, smirking.

“Guess I’ll save it for later,” Danny muttered, shoving the card back into the pile.

“Lame!” Chelsea teased, but the game moved on.

Danny slumped into his chair, his mind racing. He was spiraling, and he knew it, but he couldn’t seem to stop. The longer he let his feelings fester, the harder it would be to set things right—or to find the courage to act at all.

The cabin had grown quieter after the Christmas Dare Game, the group scattering to different corners to relax. Some were busy rummaging through snacks in the kitchen, while others lounged in the living room, trading stories and teasing each other. Danny, however, stayed rooted in his chair near the window, staring out at the snow-covered trees illuminated by the glow of the cabin’s lights.

His cocoa had gone cold, but he didn’t care. The dare card still lingered in his mind, taunting him. He hadn’t even been under the mistletoe, but the moment had felt too charged, too dangerous. He could feel Chelsea watching him after he’d chickened out, her raised eyebrows practically screaming, What’s your deal?

What is my deal? he wondered bitterly.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there when the couch cushion beside him sank under someone’s weight.

“You okay?” It was Mark, holding two steaming mugs. He set one down in front of Danny, replacing the cold cocoa with a fresh one.

Danny gave a faint smile. “Thanks. I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

Danny groaned. “Do we have to do this?”

“Yep.” Mark leaned back, his expression calm but determined. “You’ve been weird all night. Is this about the game? Or… something else?”

Danny’s silence was all the confirmation Mark needed.

“It’s Laura, isn’t it?” Mark asked softly.

Danny’s head shot up. “What makes you say that?”

Mark snorted. “Because you’ve been making heart eyes at her for, oh, I don’t know, years. But tonight, it’s like someone turned up the volume. What happened?”

Danny exhaled sharply and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “It’s nothing. I’m just… overthinking.”

“About Nate?”

Danny’s jaw tightened. “They’ve been hanging out all night. Laughing, talking, all of it. And I just—” He broke off, shaking his head. “It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid.” Mark’s tone was firm. “But you’re jumping to conclusions. Nate is just being Nate. Friendly, chatty, obnoxious—”

“He’s not obnoxious,” Danny muttered.

Mark grinned. “See? You’re so worked up you can’t even insult him properly.”

Danny’s lips twitched despite himself, but the smile didn’t last. “What if it’s more than that, though? What if they’ve been… I don’t know. Seeing each other. And she never said anything.”

“Then you talk to her. But you won’t know unless you stop sitting here, torturing yourself.”

Danny slumped further into his chair, staring into his untouched cocoa. The truth was, he was terrified. Terrified of hearing something he didn’t want to hear. Terrified of losing the dynamic they’d had for years, even if it was one-sided.

But wasn’t he already losing her by doing nothing?

Mark clapped him on the shoulder. “Whatever you decide, just… don’t let it eat at you. It’s Christmas, man. Go be merry or something.”

Danny let out a huff of laughter. “Merry, huh?”

“Or something.” Mark stood, leaving Danny to his thoughts.

He stayed by the window a while longer, watching the snow fall and the faint twinkle of Christmas lights beyond the trees. He thought about Laura’s laugh, her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she was telling a story.

Why does it feel like I’m waiting for a sign? he thought, frustrated. Just do something already.

But he stayed rooted to the spot, the weight of his uncertainty too heavy to shake.

Later that evening, the group had gathered back in the living room, the laughter and chatter washing over Danny as he stayed unusually quiet. Laura was across the room, sitting on the armrest of a chair where Nate lounged. Her laugh drifted to him, light and melodic, as Nate leaned in to say something that made her shake her head with a smirk.

Danny’s stomach twisted. Stop staring, he told himself, tearing his eyes away and focusing on the half-empty glass of cider in his hand.

“Hey, Danny,” Chelsea called out suddenly, drawing the group’s attention. “I just realized something—did you ever get your second dare?”

Danny blinked. “What?”

“Your dare. You didn’t take one earlier. It’s only fair you go next.”

“I think I’ll pass,” Danny said quickly, hoping to deflect.

“Oh, come on.” Chelsea grinned wickedly, clearly in one of her meddling moods. “Rules are rules.”

“I don’t remember there being any rules,” Danny muttered.

“Well, there are now,” she shot back, pulling out the deck of cards they’d used earlier. She shuffled them dramatically and held them out. “Pick one, or I’ll pick for you.”

“Just do it,” Mark teased, clearly enjoying this.

Reluctantly, Danny reached out and grabbed a card. He flipped it over, his eyes scanning the words, and his heart sank.

“Go find someone and tell them one thing you’ve been meaning to say but haven’t had the guts to,” Chelsea read aloud, grinning like the cat that caught the canary.

“Pass,” Danny said immediately, tossing the card onto the coffee table.

“Uh-uh,” Chelsea said, blocking him with an arm as he tried to get up. “You don’t get to bail.”

���Maybe he’s got nothing to say,” Laura chimed in lightly, her voice teasing but kind. She was looking at him now, her expression open and curious.

Danny’s throat tightened. If only you knew, he thought bitterly.

“Fine,” Chelsea said, suddenly changing tack. “Let’s make it easier. You don’t have to say it in front of everyone. Just… go talk to someone, privately. No pressure.”

Danny stared at her, hating how smug she looked. But the group was watching him now, expectant, and he knew there was no way out.

“Fine,” he muttered, standing. He avoided looking at Laura as he headed for the kitchen, desperate for an escape.

The kitchen was quiet, save for the faint hum of the fridge and the crackle of the fire in the next room. Danny leaned against the counter, trying to steady his racing heart.

“Hey,” a voice said behind him.

He turned, startled, to see Laura standing in the doorway. She looked hesitant, her hands tucked into the pockets of her sweater.

“You okay?” she asked, stepping closer.

“Yeah,” he said quickly. “Just needed some air.”

She tilted her head, studying him. “Chelsea can be… a lot. You don’t have to let her push you.”

Danny tried to laugh, but it came out weak. “I’m used to it.”

A silence fell between them, heavy but not uncomfortable. Laura moved to the counter beside him, resting her hip against it.

“So,” she said softly, “was there something you wanted to say?”

His breath hitched. This was his moment. The perfect opening. But the words stuck in his throat. He looked at her, at the way her eyes searched his, warm and inviting, and he panicked.

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “Not really. Just… tired, I guess.”

Laura’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second, but she covered it with a small smile. “Fair enough.”

She straightened, brushing her hands over her sweater. “Well, don’t let Chelsea guilt you into anything you’re not ready for, okay?”

“Okay,” he said quietly, watching as she walked away.

As soon as she was gone, Danny groaned, dragging a hand through his hair.

Coward.

Laura wandered back into the living room, her steps slow and her mind spinning. The warmth of the fire should have felt comforting, but it only deepened the strange ache in her chest.

She settled onto the couch next to Chelsea, who was in the middle of an animated conversation with Mark. Laura nodded along absently, her gaze drifting toward the kitchen.

Danny had looked so… tense. Quiet wasn’t unusual for him—he wasn’t the loudest in the group—but tonight, there had been something else. Something guarded.

Was it me?

She thought back to the moment in the kitchen, replaying his quick denial and the tightness in his voice. A small part of her whispered that she’d pushed too hard, but another part—louder, more stubborn—argued that she hadn’t pushed enough.

“You okay, Laura?” Chelsea’s voice broke through her thoughts.

Laura blinked, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just tired.”

Chelsea gave her a knowing look, but thankfully didn’t press.

Laura turned her focus to the fire, hoping it would distract her, but her thoughts kept circling back to Danny.

Why do I care so much?

It wasn’t the first time she’d caught herself thinking about him lately. He had a way of drawing her in, whether it was with his quiet strength or the rare moments when he let his guard down. And tonight, when she’d found him in the kitchen…

She shook her head, frustrated with herself. This is Danny. You’ve known him forever.

But it wasn’t the same anymore, was it? He wasn’t just the boy she used to laugh with over dumb inside jokes or the one who always stood up for her when she needed it. He was… more now.

The thought made her stomach flip.

No. Don’t do this.

She clenched her hands into fists, trying to shake the feelings away. But it was too late. The truth was staring her in the face, undeniable and terrifying.

She had feelings for him. Real, messy, complicated feelings.

And now, thanks to whatever had just happened in the kitchen, she wasn’t sure if she could ignore them anymore.

From across the room, Laura caught Chelsea glancing at her, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

“What?” Laura asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Nothing,” Chelsea said, too casually.

Laura rolled her eyes, but her heart raced. Chelsea doesn’t know… does she?

Before she could dwell on it, Nate clapped his hands, announcing the next round of games. Laura forced herself to focus, but her mind stayed stuck in the kitchen, on Danny’s guarded expression, and on the way her chest had tightened when he’d avoided her question.

As Nate shuffled a deck of holiday-themed cards, grinning mischievously at the group, Laura tried to tune back into the present. Everyone was settled in a loose circle around the coffee table, the festive mood seeming to rise with the crackling fire and the clinking of glasses.

“Alright, folks,” Nate said with a flourish, “this next game is Holiday Dares Redux. You know the rules. No skips, no trades. We’re in it for the chaos.”

“Chaos?” Chelsea snorted. “Last year, you dared Mark to wear a Christmas tree skirt for an hour. That’s not chaos. That’s just poor taste in fashion.”

“You’re just jealous you didn’t rock it as well as I did,” Mark shot back, earning a round of laughter.

Laura smiled faintly, but her attention kept drifting toward the corner where Danny stood. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking about as comfortable as a cat in a dog kennel.

“Danny!” Nate’s voice cut through the room. “Since you’ve been hiding back there like the Grinch, you’re up first.”

Danny straightened, the tips of his ears turning red. “What? No, pick someone else.”

“Oh no,” Nate said with mock seriousness, flipping a card over dramatically. “It’s destiny, my man. You can’t fight it.”

Danny groaned as Nate handed him the card. He glanced at it and froze, his expression flickering between panic and resignation.

“What’s it say?” Chelsea prodded, leaning forward eagerly.

Danny cleared his throat, his voice strained. “It says… ‘Under the mistletoe, share a kiss with the person whose name you draw.’”

A collective ooooh rose from the group, and Laura’s stomach dropped.

Nate was already holding out a hat filled with folded slips of paper. “Come on, Danny. Don’t leave us hanging.”

Danny hesitated, his eyes darting toward Laura for the briefest second before he reached into the hat. He pulled out a slip and unfolded it slowly, like it might explode.

“Who is it?” Chelsea asked, practically vibrating with excitement.

Danny glanced at the paper, his jaw tightening. His lips moved soundlessly for a moment before he finally spoke.

“Laura.”

The room went still for a beat, and Laura’s heart slammed against her ribcage.

“Well, this just got interesting,” Mark said with a grin.

“Rules are rules!” Nate declared. “Let’s get that mistletoe ready.”

Chelsea jumped up, producing a sprig of mistletoe from somewhere (Laura suspected she’d been waiting for an excuse all evening). She held it high, waving it toward Danny and Laura with a gleam in her eye.

Laura’s cheeks burned as she stood, her legs feeling like jelly. Across the circle, Danny looked equally flustered, but he moved toward her, his expression unreadable.

As they met in the center of the room, the laughter and chatter around them faded into background noise. Danny’s dark curls caught the glow of the firelight, and for a second, Laura forgot to breathe.

“You don’t have to do this,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

“I know,” she whispered back, her heart pounding.

They stood there, the mistletoe dangling above them, the group waiting with bated breath. Laura’s gaze dropped to Danny’s lips, and her stomach flipped.

Danny leaned in, his movements slow, hesitant, giving her plenty of time to back away. But she didn’t.

Just as their faces were close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath, Nate’s booming voice broke the moment.

“Don’t chicken out now!”

Laughter erupted, and the spell shattered. Danny pulled back abruptly, muttering something under his breath. Laura took a shaky step back, her face burning as the group teased them mercilessly.

Danny gave her an apologetic look, then slipped out of the room before anyone could stop him.

Danny leaned against the cool wood of the back porch railing, staring out at the snow-covered lawn. The laughter and chatter from the living room were muffled by the thick walls of the house, leaving him in a heavy silence that matched the knot in his chest. His breath clouded in the chilly air, and he ran a hand through his dark curls, tugging slightly as if that could untangle the mess in his head.

What the hell just happened?

He’d kissed Laura before—years ago, during a dumb game of Truth or Dare at Chelsea’s high school graduation party. It had been a quick, meaningless peck that neither of them had acknowledged since. But tonight? Tonight had been different.

Danny replayed the moment in his mind: the way her cheeks flushed, the soft rise and fall of her breath as she looked at him, the way she didn’t back away when he leaned in. For a second, it felt like she wanted it as much as he did.

But then Nate’s stupid voice had broken the spell, and Danny had panicked. Typical.

He let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his hands together to warm them. Was he always going to screw things up when it came to Laura?

She’d been his best friend for so long, but somewhere along the way, his feelings had changed. He’d fallen for her without even realizing it, and by the time he did, it felt too late to say anything. What if she didn’t feel the same? What if admitting it ruined everything they had?

But tonight… seeing her in the glow of the firelight, standing there under the mistletoe, looking at him like he might actually matter to her—it had felt so real. For one brief moment, he let himself imagine what it would be like to kiss her, really kiss her.

And now he couldn’t get the thought out of his head.

Danny shoved his hands in his coat pockets and leaned his head back, staring up at the stars. Maybe he’d ruined it by leaving the room, but staying there, with all their friends watching and laughing, hadn’t felt right. He couldn’t kiss her like that, with half the group treating it like a joke.

She deserved more than that.

A sharp pang of doubt shot through him. Did she even want more? Maybe she was just being a good sport about the game. Maybe she was already annoyed at him for making it awkward.

Danny shook his head, exhaling sharply. He was spinning himself in circles, and it wasn’t helping. He had to do something—say something—but the idea of confronting his feelings head-on made his stomach twist.

He heard the door creak open behind him and tensed.

“Danny?”

It was Chelsea. He turned slightly, forcing a casual smile. “Hey.”

She stepped out, wrapping her arms around herself against the cold. “What are you doing out here? Everyone’s looking for you.”

“Just needed some air.”

Chelsea tilted her head, studying him. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said too quickly. Then, seeing the disbelief in her expression, he sighed. “No. I don’t know. It’s… complicated.”

“Let me guess,” Chelsea said with a sly smile. “Laura?”

Danny winced. “Is it that obvious?”

“Painfully.” Chelsea leaned on the railing beside him. “What are you waiting for?”

Danny frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been mooning over her for years, Danny. And tonight, for like five whole seconds, it actually looked like you were going to do something about it. So what’s stopping you?”

Danny hesitated, the words catching in his throat. “I’m scared,” he admitted finally. “What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if I ruin everything?”

Chelsea gave him a gentle nudge. “Or what if she feels the same and you don’t do anything about it? That’s the bigger risk, isn’t it?”

Danny didn’t answer. He stared out at the snowy yard, his heart pounding.

“You don’t have to make a grand gesture,” Chelsea said softly. “Just talk to her. Start there.”

Danny nodded, though his stomach still churned with uncertainty. He wasn’t sure he was ready—but he wasn’t sure he could keep pretending, either.

Laura sat in the quiet of the guest bedroom, her legs crossed on the edge of the bed as she stared at the twinkling Christmas lights strung along the window. Their soft glow reflected faintly in the glass, but her thoughts were far from the cheerful ambiance.

Her fingers brushed absentmindedly over her lips. The warmth from the almost-kiss still lingered, a phantom feeling that refused to fade.

Almost.

She let out a small, humorless laugh and flopped backward onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She could still see Danny’s face in her mind—his hesitant, searching expression as he leaned in, the way his dark curls had fallen just slightly into his eyes. For a moment, she’d thought…

Laura groaned, covering her face with her hands. What was she even thinking?

She’d known Danny since they were kids. He was her best friend, her constant. Sure, he’d always been handsome—everyone thought so—but he was Danny. Reliable, goofy, kind-hearted Danny.

So why had her heart been racing like that?

She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, trying to piece together her tangled emotions. It wasn’t like this was the first time they’d stood under the mistletoe together. The annual Christmas reunion always brought silly games, awkward dares, and more than a few forced kisses over the years. It was tradition.

But this time had felt different.

It wasn’t the game that had brought them together under the mistletoe tonight. It was… something else. Something unspoken.

And now he was avoiding her.

Laura’s chest tightened at the thought. She hadn’t missed how Danny bolted after Nate interrupted them. He’d barely looked at her when he left. Had he regretted it?

Had she?

She buried her face in her hands again. Why did this even matter so much? It was just Danny. She’d never seen him like this before—had never allowed herself to. He was supposed to be the safe, platonic part of her life. So why did she feel so unsettled?

The knock on the door startled her. Laura quickly sat up, smoothing her hair as if that would also smooth over the chaos in her mind.

“Yeah?” she called.

“It’s me,” Chelsea said, her voice muffled through the door. “Can I come in?”

Laura hesitated for a moment before sighing. “Yeah, sure.”

Chelsea stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. She took one look at Laura’s face and crossed her arms. “Okay, spill.”

“Spill what?” Laura asked, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

Chelsea raised an eyebrow. “Don’t play coy with me. You’ve been up here hiding since the mistletoe moment.”

Laura’s cheeks flushed. “I’m not hiding.”

“Sure you’re not.” Chelsea sat beside her on the bed. “Look, I’m not here to grill you, but I’ve been watching you two dance around each other all night, and I need to know—what’s going on?”

Laura opened her mouth, then closed it, unsure of how to answer. Finally, she said, “I don’t know.”

“Do you like him?” Chelsea asked bluntly.

Laura hesitated, her heart thudding in her chest. “He’s my best friend.”

“That’s not an answer,” Chelsea said with a knowing smile.

Laura groaned. “I don’t know, okay? It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“I don’t know how I feel,” Laura admitted, her voice quieter now. “I mean, I think… maybe I do. But it’s scary. If I say something, and he doesn’t feel the same, it’ll ruin everything. And if he does feel the same, then what? What if it doesn’t work out?”

Chelsea leaned back on her hands, considering. “Or what if it does?”

Laura glanced at her, her chest tightening again.

“I know you’re scared,” Chelsea said gently. “But Danny… he’s not just some guy. He’s Danny. If there’s anyone you can trust to figure it out with, it’s him.”

Laura bit her lip, her mind whirling. She couldn’t deny the truth in Chelsea’s words—or the spark that had ignited under the mistletoe. But could she really risk everything on a chance like this?

The next morning, Laura was determined to avoid Danny. She didn’t know what to say to him, and her feelings were still too raw. She figured she’d stick to Chelsea and Nate, help out in the kitchen, and steer clear of anything remotely resembling mistletoe.

But fate—or perhaps Chelsea—had other plans.

Laura was in the kitchen helping Chelsea slice fruit for the breakfast spread when Nate popped his head in, a mischievous grin plastered across his face.

“Hey, Laura,” he said. “We need you outside.”

She frowned. “Why? What’s going on?”

“You’ll see,” Nate said cryptically, disappearing before she could ask more.

Chelsea smirked, but when Laura gave her a questioning look, she only shrugged. “Guess you’d better go find out.”

Suspicious, Laura wiped her hands on a towel and headed toward the backyard. The cold air hit her as she stepped outside, and her breath puffed in little clouds as she looked around.

Danny was there, bundled in his coat, his dark curls damp with melting snow. He was staring up at the large pine tree that dominated the yard, his expression torn between amusement and exasperation.

“What’s going on?” Laura asked cautiously, stepping closer.

Danny turned, clearly startled to see her. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he gestured toward the tree. “That.”

Laura followed his gaze and immediately spotted the problem: a string of Christmas lights tangled high in the branches, swaying precariously in the wind.

“Don’t tell me…” she started.

“Nate,” Danny confirmed with a sigh. “Apparently, he thought it’d be ‘festive’ to add more lights this morning. And now it’s stuck.”

Laura pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Nate said he needed my help to fix it, but now he’s conveniently disappeared,” Danny said, shaking his head. “And I guess you’re here because…”

“Nate sent me,” Laura finished for him, glaring toward the house.

Danny gave her a small, sheepish smile. “Guess it’s just us.”

For a moment, they stood there in awkward silence. The tension from the previous night hung between them like the tangled lights above, heavy and unspoken.

“Well,” Laura said finally, “I guess we’d better figure out how to get those down.”

Danny nodded, and they set to work. He grabbed a ladder from the shed while Laura gathered gloves and a broom, hoping they could knock the lights loose without breaking anything.

The task required them to work closely—closer than Laura felt ready for. Every time Danny leaned in to adjust the ladder or pass her something, her heart gave a little jolt.

They worked in near silence, the occasional muttered comment about the stubborn lights breaking the quiet. But as the minutes ticked by, Laura found herself stealing glances at him. The way his curls caught the sunlight, the focused look on his face as he reached for the tangled strands… It was maddening how effortlessly handsome he was.

“Almost got it,” Danny said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

He gave the lights one last tug, and they finally came free—sending a cascade of snow down from the branches.

Right onto Danny.

Laura couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up as he stood there, blinking and covered in snow.

“Oh, sure, laugh it up,” Danny said, brushing snow from his coat.

“I’m sorry,” Laura said between giggles, though she wasn’t sure she really meant it.

Danny gave her a look, his lips twitching as if he was fighting a smile. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And you’re just figuring this out now?” she shot back, her tone teasing.

For the first time since last night, the tension between them seemed to ease. But as they stood there, their laughter fading, Laura noticed the way Danny’s gaze softened as he looked at her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Laura,” he started, his voice quieter now.

But before he could say more, the back door slammed open, and Nate’s voice rang out.

“Hey, you two done yet? Breakfast is ready!”

Danny sighed, stepping back. “Saved by Nate, as usual.”

Laura forced a smile, though her chest ached at the interruption. “Guess we’d better go in.”

As they headed inside, Laura couldn’t help but wonder what Danny had been about to say—and if she’d ever find the courage to ask.

Later that afternoon, as the group lounged around the living room sipping cocoa and chatting, Nate’s eyes flicked between Danny and Laura. He leaned closer to Chelsea, whispering behind his mug.

“They’re still avoiding each other,” Nate murmured.

Chelsea nodded, her gaze following his. “It’s painful to watch. They’re both so obvious, and yet…”

“And yet,” Nate said, smirking. “I think it’s time for some friendly intervention.”

Chelsea raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”

Nate’s grin widened. “We need something big—something they can’t squirm out of. Maybe a group outing. Something festive.”

Chelsea’s eyes lit up with inspiration. “A Christmas scavenger hunt! We’ll pair them up, make them spend the whole time together.”

“You’re a genius,” Nate said, clinking his mug against hers.

Chelsea grinned. “I know.”

Within an hour, they had the whole plan in motion.

“Why do I feel like this is a setup?” Danny muttered under his breath as Nate handed out slips of paper with scavenger hunt clues.

Laura, standing a few feet away, crossed her arms. She’d been coaxed into participating, but something about the way Nate and Chelsea kept exchanging smirks made her suspicious.

“Alright, everyone,” Nate called out. “We’re splitting into pairs. And guess what? The pairs are already assigned!”

Danny frowned. “Why?”

“Because I’m the host, and I make the rules,” Nate said with an exaggerated shrug. “Now, let’s see…”

He rattled off the teams, pairing himself with Chelsea, Sam with their friend Megan, and then—of course—Danny with Laura.

Danny glanced at Laura, his heart sinking and racing at the same time. She looked equally uneasy, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“This should be fun,” Nate added, winking at Danny.

“Sure,” Danny muttered, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

The scavenger hunt took them through the small, festively decorated town. The first clue led Danny and Laura to a corner bakery where they had to take a selfie in front of a gingerbread display. The air between them was awkward at first, but Danny couldn’t help noticing how Laura’s cheeks turned pink in the cold—or maybe it wasn’t just the cold.

At the second stop, a small craft market, they had to find a vendor selling hand-painted ornaments.

“So, do we just pick one?” Danny asked, scratching the back of his neck.

Laura shrugged. “I guess.”

Their hands brushed as they both reached for the same ornament—a delicate snowflake. They froze, staring at each other for a moment too long before Laura pulled her hand back.

“Sorry,” she said, her voice soft.

“No, it’s fine,” Danny said quickly, stepping aside to let her take it.

The tension crackled between them, unspoken but palpable.

By the time they reached the last stop—a park with twinkling lights strung through the trees—Danny couldn’t take it anymore.

“Laura,” he said, catching her arm as she started walking ahead.

She turned to face him, her expression guarded.

“I don’t know what’s going on between us, but…” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “I feel like we keep dancing around something, and I just—I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel it.”

Laura’s eyes widened, her breath hitching.

“Danny, I…” She shook her head, overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to say.”

He stepped closer, his voice low and earnest. “Then don’t say anything. Just—tell me I’m not the only one feeling this.”

Laura’s lips parted, but before she could respond, Nate and Chelsea burst into the clearing, their voices echoing through the park.

“Look at this place!” Nate exclaimed. “So romantic!”

Laura pulled away from Danny, her walls snapping back into place. “We should catch up,” she said quickly, brushing past him.

Danny watched her go, frustration and longing swirling in his chest.

Danny lingered in the park after the others had moved on, his breath misting in the cold air. The lights twinkled softly overhead, but he barely noticed them. His mind was spinning, replaying Laura’s expression, the way she had pulled away, the hesitation in her voice.

“I can’t keep doing this,” he muttered to himself, running a hand through his curls. He kicked a patch of snow, sending a puff into the air, before leaning against a nearby lamppost.

For years, he’d been caught in this strange limbo with her—always on the verge of something more but never daring to take the leap. Every laugh they’d shared, every glance that lingered too long—it had all been building to this. And now that the moment had come, he’d let it slip through his fingers.

“What am I so afraid of?” he whispered. His voice echoed faintly in the stillness.

He knew the answer. It was the same fear that had kept him quiet all these years: the thought of ruining what they had. The thought of losing her completely.

But wasn’t he already losing her? The way she had looked at him tonight, her eyes filled with uncertainty—it was clear she felt something too. She wouldn’t have run if she didn’t.

Danny straightened, his jaw tightening with resolve.

“This is it,” he said aloud, his breath clouding in front of him. “I’m not walking away this time.”

Danny caught up with the group just as they were heading back to the cabin, laughter and chatter filling the air. Laura was at the front, walking alongside Chelsea, but she seemed distracted, her eyes occasionally flicking toward the ground.

“Hey, Danny,” Nate called, clapping him on the shoulder. “Where’d you disappear to?”

“Just needed a minute,” Danny replied, his gaze fixed on Laura.

Nate followed his line of sight and smirked. “Go get her, man.”

Danny didn’t answer, but his determination only grew. He waited until they reached the cabin, and everyone began peeling off their coats and settling in. Laura slipped into the kitchen, and Danny followed her, his heart pounding.

“Laura,” he said, his voice firm but soft.

She froze, her hand halfway to the kettle on the stove. Slowly, she turned to face him, her expression guarded.

“Danny, I—”

“No,” he interrupted, taking a step closer. “Just listen.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t move.

“I’ve been holding back for so long, and I can’t do it anymore,” he said, his words tumbling out in a rush. “Every time I see you, every time we’re together, it feels like… like there’s something right here between us, waiting for one of us to just reach out and take it.”

Laura opened her mouth, but he raised a hand, stopping her.

“I know I should’ve said something earlier, and I’m sorry I didn’t. But I can’t keep pretending this doesn’t mean something to me. You mean something to me. And if I’m wrong—if you don’t feel the same way—then I’ll walk away, and we’ll forget this ever happened. But I need you to know.”

The room was silent except for the soft ticking of the kitchen clock. Laura stared at him, her expression unreadable.

Then, slowly, she stepped closer.

“You’re not wrong,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Danny’s breath caught, his heart leaping in his chest.

Laura took another step, her eyes glistening. “I’ve been so afraid of ruining what we have that I didn’t even let myself see what we could have. But I see it now.”

Danny let out a shaky laugh, relief flooding through him. “Thank God,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.

Laura smiled, and before either of them could second-guess the moment, Danny leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss that felt like it had been years in the making. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, pulling him closer, and everything else seemed to fade away—the ticking clock, the snow outside, the lingering nerves.

When they finally pulled away, their foreheads resting together, matching smiles on their faces, a loud cheer erupted from the doorway.

Danny and Laura turned to find the rest of their friends crowded in the doorway, grinning and clapping.

“Took you two long enough!” Nate hollered, pumping a fist in the air.

Chelsea elbowed him. “Shh! Don’t ruin the moment!”

“You’re the ones ruining the moment!” Danny shot back, though his cheeks were flushed.

Laura laughed, burying her face against his chest. “I guess we should’ve known they’d be snooping.”

Danny grinned, wrapping an arm around her. “Let them watch. I don’t care.”

And as their friends continued their good-natured teasing, Danny couldn’t help but think that this Christmas had already given him the best gift he could’ve asked for.

.

.

.

.

The End. 🩵

[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

You're My Wishlist

Jake x Charlotte (Fem OC)

Warnings: 18+ Smut (warnings will be towards the end so if you want to skip them) Fluff, Christmas Cheer, Family time, A bit of yearning - which is silly because you got him Char come on girl, Sentimental moments, Cute cute cute, silly post sex comments- we know how Jake is lets be honest. SMUT WARNINGS: Oral (M & F) Hands going places, Unprotected Sex (do as I say, not as I do - WRAP IT UP, KIDS) some light ass related things, a lot of sexy commentary, lingerie, Jake is a MAN 🤭 (Soft Dom)

Word Count: 5.8k

Summary: Jake and Charlotte spend their second Christmas together, but lucky for Jake, she has a special present for him waiting at home.

Author's Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS- there was no chance that I wouldn't write something for the festive season, lets be real. I figured since Danny is rapidly approaching his time to shine, and we just left off with these two at Thanksgiving, I may as well wrap up the year with them one more time.

I hope you enjoy it!! This is absolutely not the last you'll be hearing from them- don't worry. They're sweet banter is just what we all needed for the holiday and to warm us up a bit! Okay okay, I can't wait to hear how you feel and I will see you on the other side! 🎄❤️

A Nonsense Christmas - Sabrina Carpenter "You'll be Santa Claus and I'll be Mrs, I'll take you for a ride, I'll be your vixen."

It’s already our second Christmas we’re spending together, and getting to have him with me makes sitting with my parents a little more fun. He came with me last year, and it was one of the first times he really even met them, but thankfully, he’s so quiet and calm that they love him. 

This year is different because his parents decided to extend their little vacation and stay up here for Christmas. I think they missed all the boys last year, so now, we’re spending Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine. It feels like we’re married already. 

The logistics of us spending both days together seemed ridiculous in my head— having to drive down and then back but having my car, and it was all just too much. I’m grateful that Jacob is the person he is; he switched the hours he was going to work with Josh so he could get me last night. 

After spending Thanksgiving with his family and then them being around since, today has been much less overwhelming. Getting to hang out with everyone is always so fun, even though we see most of them almost daily. It proves how attached Jacob and I are because we spend the entire time waiting for a reason to be next to each other.

This catches us up to where we are now; I don’t think he’s aware of how attractive he is, even when he’s not trying at all. He decided to wear the same outfit he wore when we kissed for the first time, whether he knew that or did it by accident— regardless, my mouth was watering over him. 

It’s just a flannel and jeans, really, but it’s how he looks in them. I just can’t help but think of how adorable he was that night anytime he wears even a variation of it. He’s actually a lot more covered than usual, but it’s only because of the cold. 

Now I’m standing here with his family, watching him from across the room, and I still get butterflies when I catch him staring back. I slide my phone out, quickly texting him. I know I could just go see him, but it’s more fun this way. 

Me: baby you look so good tonight 😍 

Seeing how he smiles at his phone before glancing at me, that man is mine. Mine, mine, mine. All mine. The smirk on his lips alone makes my knees weak. He looks back to his phone, typing quickly and then tucking it under his leg. 

Jacob 🖤:  just for you, beautiful 😘 

“So, how has work been for you?” His dad’s voice caught me off guard. 

“Oh!” I let slip out. I composed myself quickly and told him, “We’ve been so busy lately, but we were actually given a few days off because of the holidays, so I can’t complain.”

He chuckles to himself before quietly saying, “Hopefully, you get to enjoy your time off.”

With Jacob? Absolutely, I will. 

“How have things been for you?” I ask him. Listening as he tells me how they’re glad they stayed up here a bit longer, I see Jake walking over out of the corner of my eye. 

His arm slides around me, feeling his hand firmly planted on my side, keeping me close to him. I glance over at him, whispering, “Hi.” His little smile is enough of a response for me. 

His dad chimed in, mentioning something about the bar, but frankly, I was too focused on the handsome man I was attached to. 

Watching Jake as he starts telling him, “Yeah, actually, I just—“ 

And that’s about all I heard. I just stare absentmindedly at how his mouth moves when he talks or how he uses his hands. His fingers tap against me every so often as he explains things, but he always squeezes me or rubs my side when he stops. 

He glances over at me. “Well, I’ll let you two finish catching up, I think I’m being put on Santa duty this year.” Pressing a kiss to the side of my head, he carefully lets his hand run over my ass as he walks off.  

Santa, huh?

His mom sneaks over, her voice distracting me, “So, Jake said you’re seeing your parents tomorrow.” 

“Yes! They’re excited to see him, which is sweet.” 

“Oh, I’m so glad they like him,” she breathes out. A small giggle sneaks out of her as she tells me,  “I’m partial to him.”

“No, they love him,” I reassure her quickly. “I wasn’t super worried because he’s so laid back, but my parents being who they are definitely made me concerned for a minute.” My eyes go wide, and a slight cringe on my face. 

“Well, you never have to worry about us,” she says, grabbing my arm gently. “All of us love you and think you’re perfect for him.” 

“He’s pretty great,” I let out. Looking over at him again, I really do love him so much. “Hopefully, he keeps me around.” 

She laughs, which is oddly relieving. “Oh, don't be silly! Have you seen the way he looks at you? You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“Good,” I giggle out quietly. “That means we get to hang out more, too,” I whisper, gesturing between the two of us. 

Her arm wraps around me quickly, “That’s the best part about it, isn’t it?” 

I find myself watching him as I hang out with his parents and Quinn, just listening to them ask Quinn about school. Even just him sitting on the couch, with the glow of the Christmas tree, he isn’t doing anything in particular other than existing– he’s so fine. I slide my phone out subtly, texting him and then tucking it back under my arm. 

Me: What if i said i want you to unwrap me like a present and play with me? 🥰

I can see him fighting a smile as he peeks over at me, shaking his head subtly. Watching him blush over little things is my favorite hobby. I have found it really precious that even after a year, he still gets flustered easily. 

Jacob🖤: honey 

I send him a little wink before I run off to help his mom with some snacks in the kitchen. Spending time with her during holidays has really become one of my favorite things. She’s quite possibly the nicest person I’ve ever met— her kids are absolutely a product of that. 

She was so welcoming to me, even after the situation when we started dating. It was almost like she knew something must have been going on prior to me having a conversation with her one-on-one. Thankfully, we do get along incredibly well, and I couldn’t wish for a better potential mother-in-law. Just thinking that I could call him my husband one day makes me sweat. 

Wandering back into the living room, I watch him rearranging the gifts closer to where everybody has slowly been sitting down. He grabs the stockings that his mom put together for everybody, setting them with their piles of gifts. It only takes a minute of being himself before I slide my phone back out. 

He spends a few more minutes organizing everything before sitting back in his spot on the couch. He glances over to me, a little smile on his lips. I silently just shake my phone, watching his eyes move down and then grabbing it from his pocket. 

Me: I can put on some tall socks later and you can stuff me instead 🤭

His eyes get wide reading my text, shifting a little in his seat as he rubs his face to help prevent himself from reacting. How is he so—? Looking up at me, but his stare felt different. I swear I could see his pupils dilate from across the room. 

His quiet voice, barely legible through the chatter of everyone else, “Come here.” His hand patted his thigh as he told me, and if anything was going to light a fire in me, it was that. 

His hand slid around my waist as I sat down on his lap; there was absolutely plenty of space that I could just sit next to him, but this was definitely more fun. 

“You’re taking this whole Santa bit seriously, huh?” I ask him quietly. 

His giggle made his body shake a little as he leaned forward. His face turned so only I could hear him. His voice lowered when he asked, “Have you been a good girl?” 

My heart about stopped; oh my god. Without hesitation, I carefully cross my legs, unprepared for him to say something like that. I never expected that to be so sexy. 

“What’s wrong, Honey?” his question taunted, as his hand squeezes my thigh just hard enough to make me sweat. I may tease him through text, but the moment he opens his mouth, I’m done for. 

“Nothing, baby,” I tell him, a small smile forming on my face. “Just excited to give you a present I forgot at home.” 

His eyes bounced to my lips and back before letting out, “Can’t wait.” 

The sound of wrapping paper ripping distracted the both of us quickly. 

The difference between our families is wild to see. I don’t know if it’s because all three of the boys, when they were younger, just couldn’t stomach waiting, but their parents just let them go wild with opening things. I just kind of watch for a second as they’re all handing gifts back and forth and starting to open them. 

My family is way more quiet, and it was only my sister and I, which, given our age gap, made it a lot easier for us to take our time with Christmas gifts. They typically let me go first since I was younger and too excited, but everyone took turns, so it was a drawn-out process in our house. 

Their parents just watched as everyone started opening things, and the loud chatter only got worse with the mix of ‘Thank you’s. It’s easy to tell that they love spoiling their kids, but I think they just like getting to spend time with them since they’re all adults now. Seeing how their parents treat them– it makes sense why all three of them are the way they are.

Unwrapping a gift from his mom, a deep forest green knit sweater sits in my lap. It’s so soft. I looked over at her, and she already had eyes on me, apparently. 

“Thank you,” I tell her excitedly. “It’s so cute!”

She blows a kiss at me, “You’ll have to show me whatever outfit you put together.” She shoots me a little wink before turning to Sam as he starts to tell her something. 

I could just watch all of them interact with each other and be happy about it. The dynamic between all of them is just so loving and sweet. Knowing full well that when the boys were kids, I can only imagine that it was harder. But seeing everybody as adults, and especially since all of their boys now have partners to share the holidays with, it’s adorable to see how their parents act around them. 

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After a bit, everybody slowly started losing steam, so we took the chance to get out while we could. We both knew it would take a minute for us to be able to leave since we had to say ‘goodnight’ to everyone, even though we will see the bulk of them this week anyway.  The drive to my apartment felt like nothing, maybe because I was selfishly excited to just spend time with him alone.

 Staring at him while he drives is a gift on its own. His side profile could be hung in a museum. Listening to his soft little voice after hours spent surrounded by his family, it’s honestly comical how differently he has to speak when Sam and Josh are in the room. It’s not like we don’t see each other enough, but knowing we have to share our time with family, so of course, I’m going to eat up any second I have him to myself. Just getting to enjoy the feeling of his hand on my leg as he drives. But nothing beats the view of his hand gripping the steering wheel. Mmm. 

I’m not always proud of the fact that his hands were one of the first things I fully focused on when I met him, but they’re wildly nice. They’re also fairly large, which is baffling because he’s not a big man by any means. Even just getting a small glimpse of his wrist gets me going, his sleeve sliding down slightly. I don’t know what it is about him that makes this happen to me, but I’m not going to complain.

His other hand flexed on my thigh, watching the way his fingers pressed into my leg for a second, giving it a little squeeze; how he puts rings on when we have plans that aren’t just sitting in the bar because he’s definitely figured out that I’m obsessed with it. But honestly, it’s hard not to be obsessed. He can’t exist without casually touching me, which I still get butterflies from even after a year. The moment he sits in the driver’s seat, his hand searches for mine or my leg. If we’re out somewhere, he’s holding my hand, touching my back, pulling me closer to him so people can sneak by us, but leaving his hands wherever they’ve landed. 

“So, about this gift you forgot?” he softly asks, his thumb grazing over the back of my hand as he does. My head whips over to him– didn’t realize how zoned out I actually was.

I just hum back, “Mhmm?”

“Did you really forget or..” kept his voice low, but the little smirk on his lips sold him out. Oh, that little shit. He probably has spent the last couple of hours trying to decide what it is and, more than likely, is on the right track with it. 

Looking at the time and seeing that we’re almost to my apartment, I make the executive decision to rile him up a little more. 

I let out quietly, “It’s something I wouldn’t want your mom to see.” Reaching over and tuck some of his hair behind his ear so I have a clearer view of his sweet face. Even in the dark, I can see the red creep into his cheeks as it clicks in his brain. 

“I love you,” he giggles out, pulling my hand up to kiss the back of it a few times.  

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Once we’ve made it inside, dropping our bags that Jake insisted he could carry all of. I watch him plop himself down onto my couch, curling up with one of the throw pillows as he watches me put some of my things away. 

“Hey you,” he says, barely loud enough to get my attention. “You can clean tomorrow.” 

Pouting at him, I whisper back, “I only have like two more things.” 

“Well, hurry up,” he giggles, with a big cheesy grin on his face.  “I need to know what this gift is before I lose my mind.” I can feel the excitement radiating from him. 

“Ohhhh,” I teased him. “Just stay there for me– I’ll go get it.” Shooting him a little wink as I scurried off into my room.  

Pulling the lingerie from my drawer— there’s not much to it. Slipping on the bottoms before working on the top. I spent too much time scrolling, trying to find a cute Christmas set to surprise him, and with that, I ended up here. The bra basically just being a ribbon that you tie over your tits, dreading to admit that it is actually kind of cute once it’s on. I step in front of the mirror to make sure the bow is even. Oh, he’s going to lose his mind, regardless. 

Fluffing my hair up a little and reapplying some lipstick, I do one more little spin in front of the mirror before ripping the metaphorical band-aid off. 

“Baby,” I say loudly as I open my door. “Are you ready?” 

“I don’t know, am I?” 

I can’t help but giggle at his little voice. Telling him quietly, “Probably not.” Rounding the corner to my living room where he is. 

“Oh my–” falls out of him. His hand covering his mouth as he mumbles,  “Holy shit, Char.” 

“Worth the wait?” I ask quietly, feeling the blood rush into my face. Something about standing in front of him in this as he just stares at me makes my body feel warm. 

“I– um,” he hesitates as he stands up from the couch, taking a few steps over to me. His hands grab mine, and holding my arms out as his eyes take down my body. “You’re always gorgeous, but this is something.” 

“Oh, let me show you–” I spit out, starting to slowly spin around, still holding one of his hands.  

“Honey, fuck me,” he whispers. Just listening to him fall apart is already fun. “My god.” To be fair— the bottoms do not really cover much… which was probably a little mean of me. 

“Well, I just thought,” I start, stepping closer to him. “Since you work so hard—“ I adjust the collar on his flannel, trying to avoid eye contact with him because I know he’s already struggling. 

He raises his eyebrows but just hums back, “Mhmm.” 

My hands run down his chest as I keep going,  “And you do so much for me—“ I press myself into him, batting my lashes at him a few times. 

“Anything for you,” his eyes soften, but the little smile on his lips is devious. 

“And I love you so so much,” I tell him, running my finger down the slope of his nose and then holding the side of his face. Feeling his hands slide around my waist as I tell him, “You deserved something extra special for Christmas.” 

“Is that right?” He asks, his voice a bit lower. 

“Mhmm,” I hum back before whispering, “Whatever you want.” 

He leans in, kissing me gently before asking,  “You sure about that?” 

I just nod, wrapping my arms around his neck and walking him toward the couch. He sits down, pulling me into his lap. Instantly, his hands are sliding up my thighs.  

I move to straddle him, sitting up on my knees for a second, and I watch the gears in his head start turning. It takes less than a second before the cool air hits my skin. 

“Oops,” he lets out quietly, giggling to himself as the bow comes undone. His hands wrap around my rib cage, pulling me closer, leaving little kisses against my sternum. 

His hands move to grab my ass; his smirk into me is so cute, but it makes me nervous. Watching him not know what to do as he slides his hands up my body, giving my tits a little squeeze. 

I whisper, not to distract him too much, “I love when you’re like this.” 

“Yeah?” His eyes glance up at me as I’m still hovering over him a bit. 

“Mhm,” I hum. Deciding to lean into it a little, I tell him, “You’re always so gentle; it’s fun when you let loose a little.” 

His stare changed slightly, but a little smile crept onto his face.

“In that case,” he lets out, wrapping an arm around me, picking me up as he stands but quickly plopping me back down onto the couch and crawling over me, sliding his leg in between mine, pressing it against me when he leaned down to kiss me. Fighting every urge as the pressure alone already feels good. 

Leaving wet kisses against my neck, working his way down until I watch his face light up as he’s brushing his thumbs over my nipples. A small whimper sneaks out of me, which makes him look up. 

“Does that feel good?” he asks; the tone of his voice makes me shiver. He carefully rolls them between his thumb and index fingers, his jaw going a little slack while he stares at me. My legs twitch around his at the feeling. “Oh, it’s that good, huh?” 

All I can do is nod. My hands reach to grab his shirt, but he’s quick to grab my wrists, pinning them above me with one of his hands. My breathing is heavy as he hovers over me; he just stares at me for a minute. 

“You said whatever you want,” he whispers, leaning in close to my face. 

All I can manage is a small “mhm.” 

He brushes his lips over mine– his smile making my heart race. He lowers his voice when he tells me, “Then be a good girl and let me play with you.”

My hips defy me, grinding against his thigh as a quiet moan slips out. He’s so sexy, oh my god. 

“Oohh,” he coos, taunting me. “You do like when I call you that.” 

I just bite my lip gently as I look back at him. I don’t know what’s come over him but I’m not about to fight it. 

“Thought you got away with it earlier,” he says smugly. “I knew you crossed your legs because I made your pretty little cunt ache.”

My jaw drops at how he’s speaking, letting out a quiet “Jacob.” 

His sweet little laugh as he leans in to kiss me, feeling the smile against me, taking every chance to kiss his cupid's bow until he mumbles against me, “What, honey?” 

“You’re just,” I start, but the way he’s smiling at me makes my brain stall. “Um, you’re so—“ 

His little raspy voice chimed in, “Tell me.” 

I stare at him in awe; Jacob’s never like this, so forward. He giggles quietly at my lack of response, his free hand holding the side of my face, letting his thumb run over my cheek gently. 

“Mmm, that’s okay,” he whispers, his hand sliding down my neck until I feel him lightly trace circles around one of my nipples. He dips down, wrapping his lips around it, following that same circular movement with his tongue. A small groan comes from me at the feeling when he moves to the other side, teasing me the same way but quietly letting out a small ‘mmm.’  His lips leave a trail of wet kisses down the middle of my chest. 

“Keep these here, alright?” he whispers, squeezing my wrists a few times. I nod at him, biting the inside of my lip. Watching as he sat up, grabbing both of my legs and lifting them– blocking any view I had of whatever he was going to do. Until I feel his tongue flat against my clit, sending a shiver through my body. 

His mouth is warm against me, knowing all the right places to be, god he’s too good at this. The moans practically fall out of me when he slips one of his fingers inside. Years of working with his hands really are just a godsend for me– he can ruin my life with minimal effort. 

Pushing my legs closer to my chest, I feel his mouth moving lower. Um.. But he picks up the pace with his hand, and my mind goes blank again. 

“Mmm, baby,” I let out quietly. Feeling the little smirk on his face as he kisses the inside of my thigh. 

Gently biting at it before he tells me, “I have an idea.” 

Pulling me up to him, planting a kiss on me, and whispering, “Turn around for me.”  

I’ve never moved quicker– turning around and leaning down onto my elbows. The feeling of him gently sliding his hands over my legs gives me butterflies. His breath against my skin alone made me feel a bit desperate, knowing that I was littered with goosebumps. 

His lips made contact with my ass, leaving a few kisses on me before he mumbled, “God, I love you.”  

The gasp I let out when his fingers make contact with my clit, almost maddening how he knows just how to move to make everything feel better. Sliding them to feel how wet he’s made me, which he doesn’t have to try for that to happen. Just knowing he’s behind me is enough. 

Moans keep sneaking out of me, which only keeps him motivated. Feeling his free hand grabbing at my ass every so often, always following it with a small kiss until he just spreads me open.. holding it there for a moment. The cool air hit places I hadn’t anticipated, which felt oddly vulnerable. 

“Whatever I want, right?” he asks. 

I glance back over my shoulder slightly, “Mhm.” 

“You’re sure?” 

I give him a slight nod; what is he doing? 

Without hesitation, he flicks his tongue against my clit, making sweet little circles around it. Licking a wide stripe up, finding it harder to resist grinding against him. He lingers there for a second; I swear I can feel that he’s nervous. 

My jaw falls open as his tongue makes contact, not having felt anything like that before. He laps at me like he’s starving and slips one of his fingers back into me, pressing down as he does. Holy shit. 

“Baby– oh my god,” slips out louder than I wish it did. My hands are grabbing desperately at the couch cushion, not knowing what else to do. Truthfully, I’d never been comfortable enough with a man to let him near my ass like this, but Jacob is different. 

Pulled from my thoughts when his hand rapidly started rubbing my clit; the tension from my orgasm building about to burst. His tongue presses harder into me when it hits. A light layer of sweat covers me as my hands death-grip the couch. 

He whispers, “Stay right here for me, honey.” Luckily for him, I don’t think I could move if I wanted to. 

He’s only gone for maybe a minute before he’s sat in front of me, tucking some hair away from my face. He leans in, kissing my cheek a few times, mumbling, “I cleaned up, don’t worry.” I giggle into him, soaking up the feeling of his lips on mine. 

He slides the flannel off and then pulls his shirt over his head with one hand— no matter how many times I’ve seen him do that, it’s still hot. 

“Sit up for me,” he tells me. I turned to face him, still sitting on my knees. My hands flew to unbutton his jeans for him. Dragging them down his legs until his hand is holding my jaw, laughing into a kiss as he finishes pulling them off. “Mmm, open for me, yeah?” 

He stands fully; I can’t take my eyes off him. Watching him as he stroked himself a couple of times, and my mouth fell open like he asked. He slides himself in, and my lips wrap around him instantly. His hands hold the sides of my head as he starts gently thrusting himself into my mouth. 

I keep my eyes on his face— the way his eyes are closed and that delicious little pout of his.  Occasionally, his mouth falls open slightly, especially when he’s hitting the back of my throat gently. Listening to the little moans come from him, he sounds so sweet.

He pulls back completely, leaning down to kiss me— this man I swear. Grabbing me, he just picks me up, turning me to face the back of the couch. Instinctually propping my arms up on the back of the couch, I push my ass into him a little. 

Taking no time, he slides himself into me, slowly pushing his cock all the way in. Maybe he was onto something with the “cunt aching” thing because, good god, I needed that. 

He gently fucks me, his hips moving at a crawling pace. I let out a few small ‘mmm’s knowing that’s what gets him going; his hands squeezing my hips every time. 

“Mmm, my beautiful girl,” he lets out. My heart pounds at his voice. “Taking my cock so well.” 

“Jake,” I moan, unable to hold it in. Where has he been hiding all this? 

He leans over me, kissing my shoulder blade lightly. His hips stop moving for a second— just long enough for him to whisper, “If you want me to stop, just tell me. Okay?” And there’s my sweet Jacob again. 

Turning my face, so I can just barely see him. I open my mouth to respond to him, but the only thing that comes out is, “Oh.” His thumb lightly grazes my other hole, sending a chill through my body, and I can feel my face heat up. Why does that feel kinda.. 

“Is that okay?” He asks quietly. 

Shyly I mumble back, “um.. yes.” 

His hips start to move again as he gently adds pressure with his thumb— the moan coming out of me sounds feral. Holy shit. 

Every noise that escapes me makes him snap his hips harder into me. He grabs one of my hands, pulling it back towards him and resting it on his wrist before his thumb starts pushing a bit harder. 

The feeling of it starting to slip in, I can’t fight the gasp I let out. He keeps slowly pushing it further, and I have to admit that it feels good, littering the air with my moans, his hips slamming into me, and he finally slips his thumb into me. My hand grabs his wrist quickly at the feeling. 

“Hun—“ his voice sounds serious. 

My head falls back, the sweat starts forming again, and I tell him, “Baby, I’m close—“

He wraps his arm around me, pulling me up against him but gently moving his hand away. His face tucked into my neck, whispering, “Let me have it.” 

“Come with me,” I moan. 

He snakes his hand down, barely touching my clit, and I can already feel myself about to break. 

“Tell me where,” he says, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. My brain feels fuzzy as I try to focus on his voice, but the rest of him is driving me crazy. 

“Baby— fuck,” I spit out. “Come in me.” My body leans forward a little, my legs starting to shake as my orgasm hits. “Fuck, Jacob. Come, baby.” 

His hips are getting sloppy, and I can feel him release. His sweet moans littered the air, a slew of ‘fuck’s as he came down from it– leaving kisses on my shoulder when I heard him giggling. 

He backs up from me, but I feel something soft immediately covering me. What is he-? Glancing down, he’s holding his shirt against me so I can sit and not mess up my couch. Ew, I love him. 

“What are you on about, giggles?” 

He just smiles at me, shaking his head. 

“Jacob, you’re gonna end up telling me. Spit it out,” I say, laughing with him. 

“Hun, it’s just—“ he starts, cutting himself off with a laugh. I’d watch him smile like this forever, even if I never got the rest of his thought. “How am I supposed to look your parents in the eye tomorrow?” Laughing with him this time, he has a point. 

“It won’t be that bad..” I try to make him feel better. 

He wipes his hand over his mouth, looks at me, and fights his smile when he says, “Honey, please. I just ate your ass and came inside you— at what point is it not that bad?” 

“JACOB,” I bark out, my face heating up as I laugh. 

He walks back over, kissing the top of my head before mumbling, “Come on, you– let’s get you cleaned up.” 

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I come out into the living room after showering, and he’s already sitting on the couch. Just seeing him comfortable and not actively checking on the bar is nice. 

Naturally, I’m crawling into his lap; nothing is better than being close to him. He would just pull me into him anyway. 

“I have something for you,” he whispers. 

“Oh?” 

“Mhmm. Here,” he says, handing me a small present. 

Quickly peeling back the wrapping paper, a small ornament is sitting in my hands. A little gold frame that looks vintage, with a cute picture of us from a date night a few weeks ago. 

We found a little Christmas market that was going on in Portland and of course, they had so many cute background options. This specific photo was one of the last ones we took because we were both cold and getting delirious, which you can tell by the way he squished my face a little in his hand as he kissed me. It’s my favorite one; he looks so happy even if I forced him into a million pictures that night. 

Flipping it over, I noticed that he put the year in the bottom corner but wrote, ‘one more?’ in the middle because I definitely asked him every photo if we could just take ‘one more.’

“Jacob,” I whisper, my throat a little tight at how sweet he is. “I love it— I love you.” 

He kisses the side of my head gently, “I’m glad— I love you so much.” 

I stand up from him, walking right over to the skinny tree I have decorated and rearranged a few things to be able to hang this one up. 

Standing back and looking at it, my eyes tear up a little. I take a deep breath as I stare at it; I don’t know what I did to deserve this man. Feeling his arms slide around me and his face tuck into my neck, pressing a little kiss into the side of it. 

“Merry Christmas, honey,” he whispers, letting his lips rest on my cheek, and I can feel the smile on his face. 

I lean back into him, my heart fluttering because I absolutely just fell in love with him all over again. I turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling from the lights on the tree. Nothing will ever compare to this feeling. If he only knew that he’s the greatest gift I’ll ever get.  I lean in, pressing a kiss against his lips and whispering, “You too, baby.” 

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FDOG Master Post | Masterlist | Playlist

Sam & Willa : Sparrow Of The Dawn

Josh & Quinn : Amongst The Stars

Danny & Melody : Coming January 1st

Caravel Tavern 😉

Taglist:

@gvfsstardust @myleftsock @dont-go-home-without-me @literal-dead-leaf

@lizzys-sunflower @mackalah @klarxtr @edgingthedarkness @writingcold

@takenbythemadness @earthgrlsreasy @peaceloveunitygvf

@josh-iamyour-mama @anythingforjtk

@broken0mens @whereiskeara @gvf-luna @katuschka @threadofstars @i-love-gvf

@jazzyfigz @smoking-jakelane @gretavanfan @scoreofinfantryvines

@demonrat444 @hollyco @ourlovesdesire

@musicspeaks @wrldabomination @chloeshell1219

@becinabubblegvf @sanguinebats @lallisonl

@nicoleghost18 @lightmy-love @myownparadise96 @cheersdannyx2

@musicislove3389 @allof--mylove @hailthegodsong @fleetingjake

@Mohollandtx @hearts-hunger

[seenoversundown]

Reblogging to get the Christmas fics on the feed! 🎄🤍

Welcome to the 2024 GVF Fic Writer's Christmas Masterlist! All fics written for this event are linked below, with content warnings and pairings marked!

Heaven in Time by @ofthecaravel

Summary: Danny's California love sees his first snow.

Pairings: Sam x Danny | Genre: fluff | Word Count: 3k | Warnings: none

You're My Wishlist by @seenoversundown

Summary: Jake and Charlotte spend their second Christmas together, but lucky for Jake, she has a special present for him waiting at home.

Pairings: Jake x Charlotte (Fem OC) | Genre: smut, fluff | Word Count: 5.8k | Warnings: oral (M & F), hands going places, unprotected sex, some light ass related things, a lot of sexy commentary, lingerie, soft dom Jake

So This is Christmas by @ourtearsofrain

Summary: Austin didn’t even want to sit through Christmas dinner with his own family, so the last thing he wanted was to subject Josh to it, ever. But when Austin is invited to join the Kiszka brothers and their respective partners up at the Kiszka-Wagner cabin for Christmas, he knew that he couldn’t get out of seeing his own family at least once that holiday season. And unfortunately, after over a year of keeping Josh as far away from his family as he could, he can’t get out of bringing him along to the Dawson’s early Christmas dinner.

Pairings: Josh Kiszka x Male OC | Genre: angst, hurt/comfort, fluff | Word Count: 2.8k | Warnings: Dallas, minor comments about weight towards oc, holidays with a not great family, family issues, they say Grace (for all you folks who also have religious trauma)

His Sugar-Dusted Skin by @katuschka

Pairings: Jake Kiszka x Reader | Word Count: 5k | Warnings: alcohol consumption and heavy intoxication, mentions of the death of a close person (retrospective), allusions to a potentially promiscuous behavior, some strong language, the twins being assholes, Jake's happy trail

[seenoversundown]

Imo in order to finish your writing project you need to be unhealthily obsessed with your characters to a point where you question your sanity

[seenoversundown]

You're My Wishlist

Jake x Charlotte (Fem OC)

Warnings: 18+ Smut (warnings will be towards the end so if you want to skip them) Fluff, Christmas Cheer, Family time, A bit of yearning - which is silly because you got him Char come on girl, Sentimental moments, Cute cute cute, silly post sex comments- we know how Jake is lets be honest. SMUT WARNINGS: Oral (M & F) Hands going places, Unprotected Sex (do as I say, not as I do - WRAP IT UP, KIDS) some light ass related things, a lot of sexy commentary, lingerie, Jake is a MAN 🤭 (Soft Dom)

Word Count: 5.8k

Summary: Jake and Charlotte spend their second Christmas together, but lucky for Jake, she has a special present for him waiting at home.

Author's Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS- there was no chance that I wouldn't write something for the festive season, lets be real. I figured since Danny is rapidly approaching his time to shine, and we just left off with these two at Thanksgiving, I may as well wrap up the year with them one more time.

I hope you enjoy it!! This is absolutely not the last you'll be hearing from them- don't worry. They're sweet banter is just what we all needed for the holiday and to warm us up a bit! Okay okay, I can't wait to hear how you feel and I will see you on the other side! 🎄❤️

A Nonsense Christmas - Sabrina Carpenter "You'll be Santa Claus and I'll be Mrs, I'll take you for a ride, I'll be your vixen."

It’s already our second Christmas we’re spending together, and getting to have him with me makes sitting with my parents a little more fun. He came with me last year, and it was one of the first times he really even met them, but thankfully, he’s so quiet and calm that they love him. 

This year is different because his parents decided to extend their little vacation and stay up here for Christmas. I think they missed all the boys last year, so now, we’re spending Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine. It feels like we’re married already. 

The logistics of us spending both days together seemed ridiculous in my head— having to drive down and then back but having my car, and it was all just too much. I’m grateful that Jacob is the person he is; he switched the hours he was going to work with Josh so he could get me last night. 

After spending Thanksgiving with his family and then them being around since, today has been much less overwhelming. Getting to hang out with everyone is always so fun, even though we see most of them almost daily. It proves how attached Jacob and I are because we spend the entire time waiting for a reason to be next to each other.

This catches us up to where we are now; I don’t think he’s aware of how attractive he is, even when he’s not trying at all. He decided to wear the same outfit he wore when we kissed for the first time, whether he knew that or did it by accident— regardless, my mouth was watering over him. 

It’s just a flannel and jeans, really, but it’s how he looks in them. I just can’t help but think of how adorable he was that night anytime he wears even a variation of it. He’s actually a lot more covered than usual, but it’s only because of the cold. 

Now I’m standing here with his family, watching him from across the room, and I still get butterflies when I catch him staring back. I slide my phone out, quickly texting him. I know I could just go see him, but it’s more fun this way. 

Me: baby you look so good tonight 😍 

Seeing how he smiles at his phone before glancing at me, that man is mine. Mine, mine, mine. All mine. The smirk on his lips alone makes my knees weak. He looks back to his phone, typing quickly and then tucking it under his leg. 

Jacob 🖤:  just for you, beautiful 😘 

“So, how has work been for you?” His dad’s voice caught me off guard. 

“Oh!” I let slip out. I composed myself quickly and told him, “We’ve been so busy lately, but we were actually given a few days off because of the holidays, so I can’t complain.”

He chuckles to himself before quietly saying, “Hopefully, you get to enjoy your time off.”

With Jacob? Absolutely, I will. 

“How have things been for you?” I ask him. Listening as he tells me how they’re glad they stayed up here a bit longer, I see Jake walking over out of the corner of my eye. 

His arm slides around me, feeling his hand firmly planted on my side, keeping me close to him. I glance over at him, whispering, “Hi.” His little smile is enough of a response for me. 

His dad chimed in, mentioning something about the bar, but frankly, I was too focused on the handsome man I was attached to. 

Watching Jake as he starts telling him, “Yeah, actually, I just—“ 

And that’s about all I heard. I just stare absentmindedly at how his mouth moves when he talks or how he uses his hands. His fingers tap against me every so often as he explains things, but he always squeezes me or rubs my side when he stops. 

He glances over at me. “Well, I’ll let you two finish catching up, I think I’m being put on Santa duty this year.” Pressing a kiss to the side of my head, he carefully lets his hand run over my ass as he walks off.  

Santa, huh?

His mom sneaks over, her voice distracting me, “So, Jake said you’re seeing your parents tomorrow.” 

“Yes! They’re excited to see him, which is sweet.” 

“Oh, I’m so glad they like him,” she breathes out. A small giggle sneaks out of her as she tells me,  “I’m partial to him.”

“No, they love him,” I reassure her quickly. “I wasn’t super worried because he’s so laid back, but my parents being who they are definitely made me concerned for a minute.” My eyes go wide, and a slight cringe on my face. 

“Well, you never have to worry about us,” she says, grabbing my arm gently. “All of us love you and think you’re perfect for him.” 

“He’s pretty great,” I let out. Looking over at him again, I really do love him so much. “Hopefully, he keeps me around.” 

She laughs, which is oddly relieving. “Oh, don't be silly! Have you seen the way he looks at you? You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“Good,” I giggle out quietly. “That means we get to hang out more, too,” I whisper, gesturing between the two of us. 

Her arm wraps around me quickly, “That’s the best part about it, isn’t it?” 

I find myself watching him as I hang out with his parents and Quinn, just listening to them ask Quinn about school. Even just him sitting on the couch, with the glow of the Christmas tree, he isn’t doing anything in particular other than existing– he’s so fine. I slide my phone out subtly, texting him and then tucking it back under my arm. 

Me: What if i said i want you to unwrap me like a present and play with me? 🥰

I can see him fighting a smile as he peeks over at me, shaking his head subtly. Watching him blush over little things is my favorite hobby. I have found it really precious that even after a year, he still gets flustered easily. 

Jacob🖤: honey 

I send him a little wink before I run off to help his mom with some snacks in the kitchen. Spending time with her during holidays has really become one of my favorite things. She’s quite possibly the nicest person I’ve ever met— her kids are absolutely a product of that. 

She was so welcoming to me, even after the situation when we started dating. It was almost like she knew something must have been going on prior to me having a conversation with her one-on-one. Thankfully, we do get along incredibly well, and I couldn’t wish for a better potential mother-in-law. Just thinking that I could call him my husband one day makes me sweat. 

Wandering back into the living room, I watch him rearranging the gifts closer to where everybody has slowly been sitting down. He grabs the stockings that his mom put together for everybody, setting them with their piles of gifts. It only takes a minute of being himself before I slide my phone back out. 

He spends a few more minutes organizing everything before sitting back in his spot on the couch. He glances over to me, a little smile on his lips. I silently just shake my phone, watching his eyes move down and then grabbing it from his pocket. 

Me: I can put on some tall socks later and you can stuff me instead 🤭

His eyes get wide reading my text, shifting a little in his seat as he rubs his face to help prevent himself from reacting. How is he so—? Looking up at me, but his stare felt different. I swear I could see his pupils dilate from across the room. 

His quiet voice, barely legible through the chatter of everyone else, “Come here.” His hand patted his thigh as he told me, and if anything was going to light a fire in me, it was that. 

His hand slid around my waist as I sat down on his lap; there was absolutely plenty of space that I could just sit next to him, but this was definitely more fun. 

“You’re taking this whole Santa bit seriously, huh?” I ask him quietly. 

His giggle made his body shake a little as he leaned forward. His face turned so only I could hear him. His voice lowered when he asked, “Have you been a good girl?” 

My heart about stopped; oh my god. Without hesitation, I carefully cross my legs, unprepared for him to say something like that. I never expected that to be so sexy. 

“What’s wrong, Honey?” his question taunted, as his hand squeezes my thigh just hard enough to make me sweat. I may tease him through text, but the moment he opens his mouth, I’m done for. 

“Nothing, baby,” I tell him, a small smile forming on my face. “Just excited to give you a present I forgot at home.” 

His eyes bounced to my lips and back before letting out, “Can’t wait.” 

The sound of wrapping paper ripping distracted the both of us quickly. 

The difference between our families is wild to see. I don’t know if it’s because all three of the boys, when they were younger, just couldn’t stomach waiting, but their parents just let them go wild with opening things. I just kind of watch for a second as they’re all handing gifts back and forth and starting to open them. 

My family is way more quiet, and it was only my sister and I, which, given our age gap, made it a lot easier for us to take our time with Christmas gifts. They typically let me go first since I was younger and too excited, but everyone took turns, so it was a drawn-out process in our house. 

Their parents just watched as everyone started opening things, and the loud chatter only got worse with the mix of ‘Thank you’s. It’s easy to tell that they love spoiling their kids, but I think they just like getting to spend time with them since they’re all adults now. Seeing how their parents treat them– it makes sense why all three of them are the way they are.

Unwrapping a gift from his mom, a deep forest green knit sweater sits in my lap. It’s so soft. I looked over at her, and she already had eyes on me, apparently. 

“Thank you,” I tell her excitedly. “It’s so cute!”

She blows a kiss at me, “You’ll have to show me whatever outfit you put together.” She shoots me a little wink before turning to Sam as he starts to tell her something. 

I could just watch all of them interact with each other and be happy about it. The dynamic between all of them is just so loving and sweet. Knowing full well that when the boys were kids, I can only imagine that it was harder. But seeing everybody as adults, and especially since all of their boys now have partners to share the holidays with, it’s adorable to see how their parents act around them. 

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After a bit, everybody slowly started losing steam, so we took the chance to get out while we could. We both knew it would take a minute for us to be able to leave since we had to say ‘goodnight’ to everyone, even though we will see the bulk of them this week anyway.  The drive to my apartment felt like nothing, maybe because I was selfishly excited to just spend time with him alone.

 Staring at him while he drives is a gift on its own. His side profile could be hung in a museum. Listening to his soft little voice after hours spent surrounded by his family, it’s honestly comical how differently he has to speak when Sam and Josh are in the room. It’s not like we don’t see each other enough, but knowing we have to share our time with family, so of course, I’m going to eat up any second I have him to myself. Just getting to enjoy the feeling of his hand on my leg as he drives. But nothing beats the view of his hand gripping the steering wheel. Mmm. 

I’m not always proud of the fact that his hands were one of the first things I fully focused on when I met him, but they’re wildly nice. They’re also fairly large, which is baffling because he’s not a big man by any means. Even just getting a small glimpse of his wrist gets me going, his sleeve sliding down slightly. I don’t know what it is about him that makes this happen to me, but I’m not going to complain.

His other hand flexed on my thigh, watching the way his fingers pressed into my leg for a second, giving it a little squeeze; how he puts rings on when we have plans that aren’t just sitting in the bar because he’s definitely figured out that I’m obsessed with it. But honestly, it’s hard not to be obsessed. He can’t exist without casually touching me, which I still get butterflies from even after a year. The moment he sits in the driver’s seat, his hand searches for mine or my leg. If we’re out somewhere, he’s holding my hand, touching my back, pulling me closer to him so people can sneak by us, but leaving his hands wherever they’ve landed. 

“So, about this gift you forgot?” he softly asks, his thumb grazing over the back of my hand as he does. My head whips over to him– didn’t realize how zoned out I actually was.

I just hum back, “Mhmm?”

“Did you really forget or..” kept his voice low, but the little smirk on his lips sold him out. Oh, that little shit. He probably has spent the last couple of hours trying to decide what it is and, more than likely, is on the right track with it. 

Looking at the time and seeing that we’re almost to my apartment, I make the executive decision to rile him up a little more. 

I let out quietly, “It’s something I wouldn’t want your mom to see.” Reaching over and tuck some of his hair behind his ear so I have a clearer view of his sweet face. Even in the dark, I can see the red creep into his cheeks as it clicks in his brain. 

“I love you,” he giggles out, pulling my hand up to kiss the back of it a few times.  

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Once we’ve made it inside, dropping our bags that Jake insisted he could carry all of. I watch him plop himself down onto my couch, curling up with one of the throw pillows as he watches me put some of my things away. 

“Hey you,” he says, barely loud enough to get my attention. “You can clean tomorrow.” 

Pouting at him, I whisper back, “I only have like two more things.” 

“Well, hurry up,” he giggles, with a big cheesy grin on his face.  “I need to know what this gift is before I lose my mind.” I can feel the excitement radiating from him. 

“Ohhhh,” I teased him. “Just stay there for me– I’ll go get it.” Shooting him a little wink as I scurried off into my room.  

Pulling the lingerie from my drawer— there’s not much to it. Slipping on the bottoms before working on the top. I spent too much time scrolling, trying to find a cute Christmas set to surprise him, and with that, I ended up here. The bra basically just being a ribbon that you tie over your tits, dreading to admit that it is actually kind of cute once it’s on. I step in front of the mirror to make sure the bow is even. Oh, he’s going to lose his mind, regardless. 

Fluffing my hair up a little and reapplying some lipstick, I do one more little spin in front of the mirror before ripping the metaphorical band-aid off. 

“Baby,” I say loudly as I open my door. “Are you ready?” 

“I don’t know, am I?” 

I can’t help but giggle at his little voice. Telling him quietly, “Probably not.” Rounding the corner to my living room where he is. 

“Oh my–” falls out of him. His hand covering his mouth as he mumbles,  “Holy shit, Char.” 

“Worth the wait?” I ask quietly, feeling the blood rush into my face. Something about standing in front of him in this as he just stares at me makes my body feel warm. 

“I– um,” he hesitates as he stands up from the couch, taking a few steps over to me. His hands grab mine, and holding my arms out as his eyes take down my body. “You’re always gorgeous, but this is something.” 

“Oh, let me show you–” I spit out, starting to slowly spin around, still holding one of his hands.  

“Honey, fuck me,” he whispers. Just listening to him fall apart is already fun. “My god.” To be fair— the bottoms do not really cover much… which was probably a little mean of me. 

“Well, I just thought,” I start, stepping closer to him. “Since you work so hard—“ I adjust the collar on his flannel, trying to avoid eye contact with him because I know he’s already struggling. 

He raises his eyebrows but just hums back, “Mhmm.” 

My hands run down his chest as I keep going,  “And you do so much for me—“ I press myself into him, batting my lashes at him a few times. 

“Anything for you,” his eyes soften, but the little smile on his lips is devious. 

“And I love you so so much,” I tell him, running my finger down the slope of his nose and then holding the side of his face. Feeling his hands slide around my waist as I tell him, “You deserved something extra special for Christmas.” 

“Is that right?” He asks, his voice a bit lower. 

“Mhmm,” I hum back before whispering, “Whatever you want.” 

He leans in, kissing me gently before asking,  “You sure about that?” 

I just nod, wrapping my arms around his neck and walking him toward the couch. He sits down, pulling me into his lap. Instantly, his hands are sliding up my thighs.  

I move to straddle him, sitting up on my knees for a second, and I watch the gears in his head start turning. It takes less than a second before the cool air hits my skin. 

“Oops,” he lets out quietly, giggling to himself as the bow comes undone. His hands wrap around my rib cage, pulling me closer, leaving little kisses against my sternum. 

His hands move to grab my ass; his smirk into me is so cute, but it makes me nervous. Watching him not know what to do as he slides his hands up my body, giving my tits a little squeeze. 

I whisper, not to distract him too much, “I love when you’re like this.” 

“Yeah?” His eyes glance up at me as I’m still hovering over him a bit. 

“Mhm,” I hum. Deciding to lean into it a little, I tell him, “You’re always so gentle; it’s fun when you let loose a little.” 

His stare changed slightly, but a little smile crept onto his face.

“In that case,” he lets out, wrapping an arm around me, picking me up as he stands but quickly plopping me back down onto the couch and crawling over me, sliding his leg in between mine, pressing it against me when he leaned down to kiss me. Fighting every urge as the pressure alone already feels good. 

Leaving wet kisses against my neck, working his way down until I watch his face light up as he’s brushing his thumbs over my nipples. A small whimper sneaks out of me, which makes him look up. 

“Does that feel good?” he asks; the tone of his voice makes me shiver. He carefully rolls them between his thumb and index fingers, his jaw going a little slack while he stares at me. My legs twitch around his at the feeling. “Oh, it’s that good, huh?” 

All I can do is nod. My hands reach to grab his shirt, but he’s quick to grab my wrists, pinning them above me with one of his hands. My breathing is heavy as he hovers over me; he just stares at me for a minute. 

“You said whatever you want,” he whispers, leaning in close to my face. 

All I can manage is a small “mhm.” 

He brushes his lips over mine– his smile making my heart race. He lowers his voice when he tells me, “Then be a good girl and let me play with you.”

My hips defy me, grinding against his thigh as a quiet moan slips out. He’s so sexy, oh my god. 

“Oohh,” he coos, taunting me. “You do like when I call you that.” 

I just bite my lip gently as I look back at him. I don’t know what’s come over him but I’m not about to fight it. 

“Thought you got away with it earlier,” he says smugly. “I knew you crossed your legs because I made your pretty little cunt ache.”

My jaw drops at how he’s speaking, letting out a quiet “Jacob.” 

His sweet little laugh as he leans in to kiss me, feeling the smile against me, taking every chance to kiss his cupid's bow until he mumbles against me, “What, honey?” 

“You’re just,” I start, but the way he’s smiling at me makes my brain stall. “Um, you’re so—“ 

His little raspy voice chimed in, “Tell me.” 

I stare at him in awe; Jacob’s never like this, so forward. He giggles quietly at my lack of response, his free hand holding the side of my face, letting his thumb run over my cheek gently. 

“Mmm, that’s okay,” he whispers, his hand sliding down my neck until I feel him lightly trace circles around one of my nipples. He dips down, wrapping his lips around it, following that same circular movement with his tongue. A small groan comes from me at the feeling when he moves to the other side, teasing me the same way but quietly letting out a small ‘mmm.’  His lips leave a trail of wet kisses down the middle of my chest. 

“Keep these here, alright?” he whispers, squeezing my wrists a few times. I nod at him, biting the inside of my lip. Watching as he sat up, grabbing both of my legs and lifting them– blocking any view I had of whatever he was going to do. Until I feel his tongue flat against my clit, sending a shiver through my body. 

His mouth is warm against me, knowing all the right places to be, god he’s too good at this. The moans practically fall out of me when he slips one of his fingers inside. Years of working with his hands really are just a godsend for me– he can ruin my life with minimal effort. 

Pushing my legs closer to my chest, I feel his mouth moving lower. Um.. But he picks up the pace with his hand, and my mind goes blank again. 

“Mmm, baby,” I let out quietly. Feeling the little smirk on his face as he kisses the inside of my thigh. 

Gently biting at it before he tells me, “I have an idea.” 

Pulling me up to him, planting a kiss on me, and whispering, “Turn around for me.”  

I’ve never moved quicker– turning around and leaning down onto my elbows. The feeling of him gently sliding his hands over my legs gives me butterflies. His breath against my skin alone made me feel a bit desperate, knowing that I was littered with goosebumps. 

His lips made contact with my ass, leaving a few kisses on me before he mumbled, “God, I love you.”  

The gasp I let out when his fingers make contact with my clit, almost maddening how he knows just how to move to make everything feel better. Sliding them to feel how wet he’s made me, which he doesn’t have to try for that to happen. Just knowing he’s behind me is enough. 

Moans keep sneaking out of me, which only keeps him motivated. Feeling his free hand grabbing at my ass every so often, always following it with a small kiss until he just spreads me open.. holding it there for a moment. The cool air hit places I hadn’t anticipated, which felt oddly vulnerable. 

“Whatever I want, right?” he asks. 

I glance back over my shoulder slightly, “Mhm.” 

“You’re sure?” 

I give him a slight nod; what is he doing? 

Without hesitation, he flicks his tongue against my clit, making sweet little circles around it. Licking a wide stripe up, finding it harder to resist grinding against him. He lingers there for a second; I swear I can feel that he’s nervous. 

My jaw falls open as his tongue makes contact, not having felt anything like that before. He laps at me like he’s starving and slips one of his fingers back into me, pressing down as he does. Holy shit. 

“Baby– oh my god,” slips out louder than I wish it did. My hands are grabbing desperately at the couch cushion, not knowing what else to do. Truthfully, I’d never been comfortable enough with a man to let him near my ass like this, but Jacob is different. 

Pulled from my thoughts when his hand rapidly started rubbing my clit; the tension from my orgasm building about to burst. His tongue presses harder into me when it hits. A light layer of sweat covers me as my hands death-grip the couch. 

He whispers, “Stay right here for me, honey.” Luckily for him, I don’t think I could move if I wanted to. 

He’s only gone for maybe a minute before he’s sat in front of me, tucking some hair away from my face. He leans in, kissing my cheek a few times, mumbling, “I cleaned up, don’t worry.” I giggle into him, soaking up the feeling of his lips on mine. 

He slides the flannel off and then pulls his shirt over his head with one hand— no matter how many times I’ve seen him do that, it’s still hot. 

“Sit up for me,” he tells me. I turned to face him, still sitting on my knees. My hands flew to unbutton his jeans for him. Dragging them down his legs until his hand is holding my jaw, laughing into a kiss as he finishes pulling them off. “Mmm, open for me, yeah?” 

He stands fully; I can’t take my eyes off him. Watching him as he stroked himself a couple of times, and my mouth fell open like he asked. He slides himself in, and my lips wrap around him instantly. His hands hold the sides of my head as he starts gently thrusting himself into my mouth. 

I keep my eyes on his face— the way his eyes are closed and that delicious little pout of his.  Occasionally, his mouth falls open slightly, especially when he’s hitting the back of my throat gently. Listening to the little moans come from him, he sounds so sweet.

He pulls back completely, leaning down to kiss me— this man I swear. Grabbing me, he just picks me up, turning me to face the back of the couch. Instinctually propping my arms up on the back of the couch, I push my ass into him a little. 

Taking no time, he slides himself into me, slowly pushing his cock all the way in. Maybe he was onto something with the “cunt aching” thing because, good god, I needed that. 

He gently fucks me, his hips moving at a crawling pace. I let out a few small ‘mmm’s knowing that’s what gets him going; his hands squeezing my hips every time. 

“Mmm, my beautiful girl,” he lets out. My heart pounds at his voice. “Taking my cock so well.” 

“Jake,” I moan, unable to hold it in. Where has he been hiding all this? 

He leans over me, kissing my shoulder blade lightly. His hips stop moving for a second— just long enough for him to whisper, “If you want me to stop, just tell me. Okay?” And there’s my sweet Jacob again. 

Turning my face, so I can just barely see him. I open my mouth to respond to him, but the only thing that comes out is, “Oh.” His thumb lightly grazes my other hole, sending a chill through my body, and I can feel my face heat up. Why does that feel kinda.. 

“Is that okay?” He asks quietly. 

Shyly I mumble back, “um.. yes.” 

His hips start to move again as he gently adds pressure with his thumb— the moan coming out of me sounds feral. Holy shit. 

Every noise that escapes me makes him snap his hips harder into me. He grabs one of my hands, pulling it back towards him and resting it on his wrist before his thumb starts pushing a bit harder. 

The feeling of it starting to slip in, I can’t fight the gasp I let out. He keeps slowly pushing it further, and I have to admit that it feels good, littering the air with my moans, his hips slamming into me, and he finally slips his thumb into me. My hand grabs his wrist quickly at the feeling. 

“Hun—“ his voice sounds serious. 

My head falls back, the sweat starts forming again, and I tell him, “Baby, I’m close—“

He wraps his arm around me, pulling me up against him but gently moving his hand away. His face tucked into my neck, whispering, “Let me have it.” 

“Come with me,” I moan. 

He snakes his hand down, barely touching my clit, and I can already feel myself about to break. 

“Tell me where,” he says, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. My brain feels fuzzy as I try to focus on his voice, but the rest of him is driving me crazy. 

“Baby— fuck,” I spit out. “Come in me.” My body leans forward a little, my legs starting to shake as my orgasm hits. “Fuck, Jacob. Come, baby.” 

His hips are getting sloppy, and I can feel him release. His sweet moans littered the air, a slew of ‘fuck’s as he came down from it– leaving kisses on my shoulder when I heard him giggling. 

He backs up from me, but I feel something soft immediately covering me. What is he-? Glancing down, he’s holding his shirt against me so I can sit and not mess up my couch. Ew, I love him. 

“What are you on about, giggles?” 

He just smiles at me, shaking his head. 

“Jacob, you’re gonna end up telling me. Spit it out,” I say, laughing with him. 

“Hun, it’s just—“ he starts, cutting himself off with a laugh. I’d watch him smile like this forever, even if I never got the rest of his thought. “How am I supposed to look your parents in the eye tomorrow?” Laughing with him this time, he has a point. 

“It won’t be that bad..” I try to make him feel better. 

He wipes his hand over his mouth, looks at me, and fights his smile when he says, “Honey, please. I just ate your ass and came inside you— at what point is it not that bad?” 

“JACOB,” I bark out, my face heating up as I laugh. 

He walks back over, kissing the top of my head before mumbling, “Come on, you– let’s get you cleaned up.” 

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I come out into the living room after showering, and he’s already sitting on the couch. Just seeing him comfortable and not actively checking on the bar is nice. 

Naturally, I’m crawling into his lap; nothing is better than being close to him. He would just pull me into him anyway. 

“I have something for you,” he whispers. 

“Oh?” 

“Mhmm. Here,” he says, handing me a small present. 

Quickly peeling back the wrapping paper, a small ornament is sitting in my hands. A little gold frame that looks vintage, with a cute picture of us from a date night a few weeks ago. 

We found a little Christmas market that was going on in Portland and of course, they had so many cute background options. This specific photo was one of the last ones we took because we were both cold and getting delirious, which you can tell by the way he squished my face a little in his hand as he kissed me. It’s my favorite one; he looks so happy even if I forced him into a million pictures that night. 

Flipping it over, I noticed that he put the year in the bottom corner but wrote, ‘one more?’ in the middle because I definitely asked him every photo if we could just take ‘one more.’

“Jacob,” I whisper, my throat a little tight at how sweet he is. “I love it— I love you.” 

He kisses the side of my head gently, “I’m glad— I love you so much.” 

I stand up from him, walking right over to the skinny tree I have decorated and rearranged a few things to be able to hang this one up. 

Standing back and looking at it, my eyes tear up a little. I take a deep breath as I stare at it; I don’t know what I did to deserve this man. Feeling his arms slide around me and his face tuck into my neck, pressing a little kiss into the side of it. 

“Merry Christmas, honey,” he whispers, letting his lips rest on my cheek, and I can feel the smile on his face. 

I lean back into him, my heart fluttering because I absolutely just fell in love with him all over again. I turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling from the lights on the tree. Nothing will ever compare to this feeling. If he only knew that he’s the greatest gift I’ll ever get.  I lean in, pressing a kiss against his lips and whispering, “You too, baby.” 

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FDOG Master Post | Masterlist | Playlist

Sam & Willa : Sparrow Of The Dawn

Josh & Quinn : Amongst The Stars

Danny & Melody : Coming January 1st

Caravel Tavern 😉

Taglist:

@gvfsstardust @myleftsock @dont-go-home-without-me @literal-dead-leaf

@lizzys-sunflower @mackalah @klarxtr @edgingthedarkness @writingcold

@takenbythemadness @earthgrlsreasy @peaceloveunitygvf

@josh-iamyour-mama @anythingforjtk

@broken0mens @whereiskeara @gvf-luna @katuschka @threadofstars @i-love-gvf

@jazzyfigz @smoking-jakelane @gretavanfan @scoreofinfantryvines

@demonrat444 @hollyco @ourlovesdesire

@musicspeaks @wrldabomination @chloeshell1219

@becinabubblegvf @sanguinebats @lallisonl

@nicoleghost18 @lightmy-love @myownparadise96 @cheersdannyx2

@musicislove3389 @allof--mylove @hailthegodsong @fleetingjake

@Mohollandtx @hearts-hunger

[seenoversundown]

if you thought I forgot about Christmas this year, you were sorely mistaken. 🤭😏

🎄 Dropping tomorrow 12.19.2024 💚

taglist below the cut :)

(if you want to be added to the taglist for tomorrow, feel free to reply and I'll make sure you're on there!)

@gvfsstardust @myleftsock @dont-go-home-without-me @literal-dead-leaf

@lizzys-sunflower @mackalah @klarxtr @edgingthedarkness @writingcold

@takenbythemadness @earthgrlsreasy @peaceloveunitygvf

@josh-iamyour-mama @anythingforjtk

@broken0mens @whereiskeara @gvf-luna @katuschka @threadofstars @i-love-gvf

@jazzyfigz @smoking-jakelane @gretavanfan @scoreofinfantryvines

@demonrat444 @hollyco @ourlovesdesire

@musicspeaks @wrldabomination @chloeshell1219

@becinabubblegvf @sanguinebats @lallisonl

@nicoleghost18 @lightmy-love @myownparadise96 @cheersdannyx2

@musicislove3389

[seenoversundown]

I am READY for some festive fics 🥰🎄

Looking for some holiday cheer with a side of romance? 🎄✨ I wrote four Christmas fics—one for each member—filled with festive feels, sweet moments, and plenty of holiday magic. Whether you’re in the mood for cozy love stories, heartwarming reunions, or maybe a little holiday spice, there’s something for everyone. Come get into the Christmas spirit with me!

Which should I post first? 🤔

MERRY & BRIGHT

Pairing: Sam x fem!OC

Summary: In a small, tight-knit neighborhood, the Christmas lights competition is the highlight of the season. But when longtime rivals Sam and Lily are forced to team up, sparks fly—both in their rivalry and their blossoming feelings for each other. Over the course of two weeks, they work late into the night, learning about each other’s pasts and uncovering the mysterious history of a magical sign called Wishers’ Way. What begins as competition turns into something deeper, and as Christmas approaches, both Sam and Lily must confront their growing attraction and the possibility that their rivalry may have been the perfect beginning for their own love story.

CHRISTMAS AT THE INN

Pairing: Josh x OC

Summary: Stranded by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, filmmaker Josh Kiszka seeks shelter at a secluded, enchanting inn. As snow blankets the world outside, Josh discovers that the inn holds secrets—memories woven into its walls, stories waiting to be told. Drawn together by fate and something far more magical, Josh and and innkeeper must confront their pasts and open their hearts before the season’s magic fades… and so does their chance at love.

LETTERS TO DECEMBER

Pairing: Jake x fem!OC

Summary: After losing his mother and enduring heartbreak, Jake finds unexpected comfort in a series of anonymous letters signed December. Drawn into the mystery, he searches through snowy forests and forgotten memories — only to discover that love was closer than he ever imagined. Sometimes the person you’re searching for has been writing to you all along.

UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Pairing: Danny x fem!OC

Summary: A group of childhood friends gathers for their annual Christmas reunion. This year, Danny is determined to finally confess his feelings to someone they’ve secretly loved for years. But when a game of holiday dares leads them to a mistletoe kiss, everything changes, and long-held feelings bubble to the surface.

[seenoversundown]

🎄🥰

❄️ White Christmas ❄️

Warnings : Smut (Oral F Receiving) / Suggestive language / Fluff

Word Count: 3k

Jake x Charlotte (OC)

White Christmas - Bing Crosby "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white"

Jake POV

The clock next to my bed glows 5:05 am back at me and I can hear Charlotte pacing the apartment. She has overwhelmed herself with plans per usual and now is trying to figure out how we’re going to get through all of them. Christmas didn’t need to be this hectic, but Charlotte is a special breed of woman. She knows what she wants and she will get it done. 

“Jacob,” she says softly into the dark, “You need to get up. We have so much to get done this morning.” 

I can see her figure walking toward my side of the bed even though I'm squinting in hopes she’ll let me lay here a little while longer. 

“Jacob,” she says a bit louder and I have to respect her persistence. 

“Charlotte” comes out gravely given the fact I'm hardly awake. Now that she’s next to me with a tight jaw and eyebrows knitted together, I snake my arm around her and pull her back into the bed, her toppling over me. The look on her face tells me that she’s not excited about my little move, but I choose not to see that and pull her back to me. She’s resisting the entire thing but I’m determined to help her calm down before the entire day is just filled with anxiety. 

“Do you understand that we need to be at my parent's house by noon? I still have to.” She frantically starts rambling off the endless list of things, even though she doesn’t need to be working on any of it for another hour at least. I cut her off with a kiss, leaning into it a little, enjoying the feeling, and the room going quiet for a second,  is a bonus.  

“You will have more than enough time,” I try to reason with her, “just lay with me for a little bit, honey.” I place a small peck on the tip of her nose. 

My efforts did not work as she started sitting up and squirming out of my grasp. She climbed out the bed without saying anything and just shot me a glare as she left the bedroom. 

I let out a sigh that came from the bottom of my soul before getting up. I decide to make coffee before anything else because there is no chance I will make it through the entire day if I don't. Charlotte keeps glancing over as I'm setting up the coffee pot as if I'm just in the way. I send her a lazy smile even though she has only given me a heavy side-eye since I came out of the bedroom. She keeps checking the list she made on her phone, marking off the things that she’s already done, and I can see from across the room that she doesn’t have much left. 

I pour a cup of coffee, making it the way she prefers, and hand it to her quietly. 

“Here, you could use this,” I mumble before wandering into the living room. 

The sun is starting to come up, and the tree that Charlotte so carefully decorated does look lovely. I sip on my coffee as I admire the tree glimmering in the morning sun, knowing that the gift I got her is casually sitting on the tree skirt. She meekly wanders over to me, sipping on her coffee, and finds her place next to me just for a second. 

“Thank you,” she whispers, leaving a small kiss on my cheek. “I need to shower.” 

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Buttoning the bottom of my shirt, I move to the mirror to make sure everything looks right. I wanted to try to make Charlotte happy, so I put on an outfit I knew she would enjoy. Adjusting my necklace so it sits flat against me, I have a thought. Wandering back over to my dresser, I grab the two rings sitting atop it. Sliding them on as I hear the shower water shut off, smirking to myself because I’m almost positive I can win her over with them. 

Grabbing my robe from the back of the door, I make my way to the bathroom. Leaning against the doorframe, I watch her rub various lotions and oils onto her face. God, she’s the most tantalizing creature I’ve laid eyes on. 

“Can I help you?” she quips, making eye contact in the mirror. 

“Thought you might want this,” I say, holding up the silky fabric. 

Excitedly turning around, she takes the robe from me abruptly. Watching her in the mirror as she carefully clips her hair up, she looks effortlessly beautiful all the time. I haven’t gone a day without thinking about how lucky I am to manage to keep this incredible woman in my life. Without warning, she drops the towel she had tightly wrapped around her, revealing everything. 

“Fuuuuuuuck,” I let out louder than anything I’ve said all morning, “My god, you’re hot.”

 Not being able to take my eyes away from her delectable curves, the way her breasts sit naturally on her body while the cool air of winter gave me the gift of her peaked nipples. The way I’d like to just–

“Too early for big words, Jacob?” She taunts me as she ties up the robe, taking away all the fun I’ve had since being alive today. I move closer, snaking my arms around her waist and tucking my face into the crook of her neck. 

“You are just too much,” I mumble in between kisses I trail from her neck to her shoulder. 

“Not now, Jacob,” she says, shrugging her shoulders to block me from loving on her. 

“Charlotte, you can't look like that and not expect this,” I’m offended that she isn’t enjoying the attention. I lightly tap the two ring-clad fingers against her, watching her eyes dart to my hands in the mirror. The way her pupils grew in size was enough to hold me over for now.  

“You know what- I’m sorry, honey. I’ll let you finish getting ready.” Placing a kiss against her cheek, I make my way out of the bathroom, but not without letting my hand gently graze her ass as I go. 

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Setting the tote bag next to the door that has all the gifts we need to bring with us completes everything Charlotte needs to get done before we leave. I pull out my phone to check the time: 9:30 am.  And she thought we would be late, and I definitely could have slept longer. 

I go over to our tree with the remaining few gifts under it, crouching down to adjust them. Pulling them to the front, making it look fuller. I picked up the small box I had wrapped under the tree for her. Don’t get any ideas; it’s not that. Sliding it into the secret pocket of my jacket. 

“What are you doing down there?” she asks. Her voice sounds a bit happier now, running her hand down the back of my head. 

“Just making it look less bare since we are taking the bulk of the gifts with us”

Standing up, I turn to her and she is always gorgeous, but she is something today. 

Long red hair loosely curled, the way her makeup just emphasized her natural beauty. Still in my robe, I’m nothing if not obsessed with her.  

“Well,” busting out my finest English accent. “Aren’t you a feast for hungry eyes?” 

Works like a charm every single time. 

“Jacob cut it out,” she laughs out. 

“I don’t think that’s an option,” grabbing her hands. “Have you seen you?”  

Pulling her to me, I wrap one arm around her waist, still holding her other hand. Starting to sway and twirl her around the living room, watching her loosen up and smile. 

“I’m dreaaaming of a whiiiite Christmas.” I quietly sing to her as she giggles, “Just like the ones I used to know.”

I continue to hum the song, slowly swaying with her in the dimly lit living room. Spinning her away from me but quickly bringing her back and dipping her low, watching the smile pull at the corners of her lips, I just hold her there for a moment. We both just gazed at one another, finally pressing my lips gently against hers. I still get butterflies from her kiss even after all this time. 

Placing a few kisses across her cheeks, sneaking one behind her jaw, and trailing down her neck, I scoop her up bridal style and bring her over to the couch. I set her down gently, continuing to press soft kisses into her neck and collarbone, trailing towards the opening of my robe. Carefully, I pull the small bow apart, causing the robe to open a bit more. 

“Oops,” I whisper, glancing up at her as she lets out a small laugh at the gesture. I hold the edges of the robe between my fingers, eyes still locked on hers.

“May I?” I ask quietly. 

“Yes, baby, please.”

Immediately, I move the robe off of her breasts, unable to hold in the groan just from the sight of them. Gently, I move my hands to each one, squeezing them softly before running my thumbs over her already peaked buds, eliciting a little hum from her. I lean back down, pressing my lips to her sternum first, then hovering over her left breast. Blowing a small stream of air at her excited nipple, I see the goosebumps creep in. I let the very tip of my tongue make contact. Hearing her moan, I wrap my lips around her. Kitten licks while I’m still palming her other breast, carefully rubbing my thumb over and around her. The small pop as I pull my lips away from her, moving to the other side. 

I stop just for a second, moving the rest of the robe off of her body. Seeing the woman I love laid out in all her glory, the dim lights from our Christmas tree, she looks like a dream. 

Running my hands down her sides, I hold her waist for a second as I take her in. 

“You’re so beautiful, honey,” I say lowly.

Gently placing my hands on her thighs and pushing them apart, I’m practically drooling. Merry Christmas to me, damn. I kiss my way up her thighs, into the crease where her legs meet her hips. I can’t help the smile that creeps onto my face as I lean in to press my lips against her clit, which I’m sure is screaming for attention. The contact alone made her jump, which made my smile wider. 

I flatten my tongue against her, licking a wide stripe up to her clit.

“Baby, please,” she whines, and who would I be to not please her? 

Sucking and licking at her slowly hardening clit, I reach up with my left hand palming her breast, lightly playing with her nipple, giving her as much stimulation as I can. 

I’ve been holding her thigh with my right hand until I feel her lightly tap me. Gazing up at her, she glances at my hand quickly. 

“Mmm,” I murmur into her, “is this what you want, honey?” 

I run my middle finger down her, stopping where she wants it most. The moan that came from her as I pushed into her sent a chill through my body. I push until my ring stops me, the cool metal hitting her skin must have felt nice because she shivered once it made contact. I start pumping my finger into her, searching for the spot that makes her crazy, I go back to kissing and lightly dancing my tongue around her clit. The sweet sounds coming from her egging me on, encouraging my hand to move faster. 

I move my hair out of my face with my free hand, trying to keep it from getting in the way, I should have pulled it up before I did this, she loves it when I do. Feeling her gently reach down, grabbing at my hair, I smile into her. 

“Feel good?” I ask, but I’m met with the sounds of her breathing. She had her eyes tightly shut and her mouth slightly open; my sweet girl was in heaven. 

I don’t know what came over me, but I carefully grab her thighs and pull her to the edge of the couch so I can kneel on the floor. I place her legs over my shoulders, pulling her aching cunt to me. 

Running my middle and ring finger through the pooled arousal, bringing it back up to her clit. Tight, fast circles on her sensitive little bud, causing a slew of sounds to pour from her. 

“Oh my god, Jacob.” 

Adding a bit more pressure, I can see it building up as her jaw slacks even more. Squeezing her inner thigh with my free hand, I feel her starting to squirm. 

“Let it out, honey.” I let the pet name linger on my tongue. 

I can tell she’s right there; just needs a little bit of help. I go back to lapping at her swollen clit, while my middle and ring finger slide down through her, teasing her. Knowing she would never ask but also that she enjoys the feeling, I slip just my middle finger into her, quickly pulling back to slide both fingers down her wet center before lightly making contact with her ass. We haven’t explored that part of sex, but anytime I’d accidentally touch her there, she didn’t sound mad about it. 

I don’t go too far with it, but some soft touches just to get her going even more. I bring my fingers back up, plunging them into her. Moving my hand at a steady pace, her hips keep trying to buck at the friction. I placed my left hand on her lower stomach and added a bit of pressure to keep her in place. 

“Jacob– fuck, oh my- oh my god-”  

“Come for me,” I tell her.

Curling my fingers up, pressing them against the most sensitive spot. I continue to move faster and faster, feeling her tighten around me. 

“Give it to me, honey.” I groan. “Wanna hear you.” 

I feel her finally let go before her body starts to shake with a string of ‘oh my god’ and little moans coming from her. I only slow my pace down once I feel her start to become overstimulated. 

Peppering kisses over her stomach, pulling myself back up to look at her, I’m met with her hands grabbing the sides of my face to plant a kiss on me. Giggling into the kiss because she’s quite possibly the best gift I’ll ever get, whether she knows that or not. 

“Let me clean myself back up so we can get going,” I tell her. 

“But–” she sounds confused. “What about you, baby?” 

I stand up, looking down at her sweet, confused little face, and lean down to place a kiss on her forehead. 

“I can wait,” I tell her. While backing up, I chose to lay it on thick. “Don’t wanna ruin you before we have to go hang out with family. That can be a gift for later, don’t you think?” I shoot her a little wink before turning into the hall.

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I made myself a second cup of coffee and sat on the couch, waiting for my beloved. Scrolling mindlessly on my phone until I feel a little tap on my shoulder. 

Stood there, fiddling with her red plaid skirt, her silky deeper red long-sleeve button-up tucked neatly into it. Very Charlotte of her. 

“Does this look okay?” She asks, her voice quiet. 

“You always look gorgeous. Of course, it looks okay.” 

Grabbing at her hand and running my thumb across her knuckles, I know what will help. 

“I have something for you to open, actually,” reaching into the secret pocket of my jacket, “You’ll understand why I’m giving it to you now.” 

Pulling out the small box, her eyes go wide. 

“Jacob-“ 

“No no no no no, it’s not that.” I really should have put it in a different box. 

She takes the box from me, carefully untying the ribbon I had neatly wrapped around it. The little springs creak on the box as she opens it, letting out a small gasp as her eyes light up. 

“Is this,” she pulls out a dainty gold chain necklace with a small piece of rose quartz dangling in the middle of it, “Oh, I love it” 

Holding my hands out to take the necklace from her, she hands me the ends and turns around excitedly. She pulls her hair out of the way so I can clasp it together and turn her back around. 

“You seemed drawn to it before,” I tell her, “And now, you will think of me.” 

She can’t help the laugh, “Jacob!” Lightly pushing my shoulder before leaning up to give me a sweet kiss. Lingering after she pulls away, she looks all over my face. 

“Actually..” she whispers against my lips, “I have a request,” placing another quick kiss on me. Running her hands through my hair, landing on the back of my neck, now she’s laying it on thick. I look down at her, her eyes twinkling in the light. 

“What’s that?” I asked, matching her volume. 

“Do you think you could change into your red sweater so we can match?” She says quietly and quickly with a smile plastered across her face, what a little shit. 

“No can do, Red,” I tell her. Watching her face falter a bit, I glance over to the door and see the pile of coats and scarves. 

I walk over, digging through everything to pull out a scarf in a similar plaid pattern as her skirt. 

“I’ll settle for this,” I say, setting the scarf around me, “does that work?” 

She nods ‘yes’ with a small giggle, walking over to put on the coat that I have held out for her.

I let her out the door first, grabbing all our gifts on my way out. I turned to her after locking the door with my arm held out. She wraps her hand around my bicep, looking up at me. I can’t believe she’s mine. 

“Ready for merriment, my fair maiden?” I can’t shake this English accent, but the look on her face every time I pull it out is worth it. 

“Only with you, Captain.” 

Masterlist | Taglist

taglist:

@peaceloveunitygvf , @gvfsstardust, @threadofstars , @ourlovesdesire

[seenoversundown]

🎄🥰

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of Year

Warnings: Mentions of minor injury, Fluff otherwise!

Word Count: 2.2k

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams It's the most wonderful time of the year There'll be much mistltoeing And hearts will be glowing When loved ones are near

Daniel POV: 

“Ah, YEP. There it is,” I practically growl as the breaker trips, shrouding my apartment in darkness. 

I should have known better than to try to mash potatoes with a hand mixer when I already have three crock pots plugged in, warming side dishes. 

“Fucking ancient wiring,” I mutter to myself as I rip the plug from the wall before heading into the laundry room to flip the breaker back on. 

The breaker is just the latest bit of misfortune that has derailed my plans for a traditional Christmas dinner. 

First, I severely overslept. Melody and I wanted to wake up at 7:00 to do presents with Iris. Imagine my shock when she strolled into our room at 9:30, questioning why Santa came and we didn't wake her up. 

Then, after we opened our presents and Iris was sufficiently tuckered out and down for a nap, I started preparing for dinner. 

Because I wanted to be fancy, I obviously bought fresh vegetables, which led to me nicking my finger while cutting the green beans.  

After Melody played nurse and left me with one gloved hand, I managed to grab the handle of a pre-heated cast iron skillet with my other hand. Melody was not happy with me when she had to play nurse for a second time in under an hour. 

It had been smooth sailing after that, up until the breaker issue. 

I’m pulled out of my reverie by a tiny hand tugging at the hem of my shirt. 

I look down to see a freshly awoken Iris rubbing her eyes. She lets out a big yawn before meeting my eyes. 

“Can I have juice?” she signs. 

My heart melts as I nod and rush to pull down a Big Girl Cup from the cabinet. I opened the fridge and pulled out the super-special organic apple juice that Uncle Sammy bought for Iris. The glass bottle slips in my hand, but I catch it before it drops. 

HAHA! Not this time!

I pour her juice and hand it over. 

“Be careful,” I ruffle her hair, “Now go play.” 

I look up and see Melody standing in the doorway, watching on with a fond smile on her face as Iris skitters past her. 

She walks into the kitchen and wraps her arms around my middle, “You’re a good dad, Daniel,” she presses a soft kiss to my chest as she nuzzles into my sweater. 

I breathe out a sigh and drop a kiss on the top of her head. 

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” I chuckle, “If stuff keeps going the way it is, I might not even be able to feed our kid tonight.” 

“You’re being a bit dramatic, babe,” she pinches my side, wiggling out of my arms, “It’ll all work out.” 

I pop the turkey in the oven and check my watch. 2:00pm

 Perfect! Everything is back on schedule, and I finally feel like I can take a breath. 

I lean against the counter and feel a smile creep over my face. My dinner is coming along. I can hear the tinkling giggles of my girls coming from the living room. I haven't made too much of a mess in the kitchen. 

I start to put away the dishes I’d left on the drying rack and spot the crystal wine decanter on the top shelf. 

Bingo!

I pull the decanter and two glasses down and glance over the bottles of wine sitting out on the counter, trying to determine which varietal Melody would appreciate most right now.  

Settling on a Merlot, I pour the bottle into the decanter and leave it to open up before venturing into the living room. 

Melody has her back to me, helping Iris change the dress on one of her new dolls, and I tiptoe up behind her. I catch Iris’ eye and bring a finger to my lips, signaling her to be quiet. 

She flashes me a toothy grin and tries, poorly, to hold back her giggles. 

Melody stiffens almost imperceptibly, and I already know she will be faking her reaction for Iris’ benefit. 

Regardless, I continue creeping up and grabbing Melody’s shoulders, gently shaking her in the process. 

“AHHHHH,” Melody drops the doll and lets out an exaggerated shout, “YOU SCARED ME, DANIEL!” 

She whips her head around and gives me a little wink.

Iris giggles again, “That was funny.” 

I grin and waggle my eyebrows at her, “More juice?” 

She nods, holding her cup out for me to take. 

I squeeze Melody’s shoulder again before heading back into the kitchen. 

I fill Iris’ cup with more apple juice, diluting it with water. I can’t have her getting an upset tummy on Christmas. Then, I pour some wine into one of the glasses and carry both back into the living room. 

“Thought both of my girls might be thirsty,” I say as I pass the wine to Melody. 

“You thought right, my love,” she grins. 

Iris’ eyes flit between us for a moment, “play with me?” 

And how can I say no to that? 

An hour and a half later, I’m back in the kitchen checking on our slowly progressing dinner. 

Turkey is coming along perfectly. The sides are looking good. I’m incredibly proud of the way I’ve turned this day around. 

Since we’re in the home stretch, I finally decided to pour myself a glass of wine. 

As I reach for the decanter, it slips from my grasp and shatters into a million little pieces. Merlot paints nearly every kitchen surface: the walls, the floor, the fridge, everywhere. 

“FUUUUUCK,” I scream at the top of my lungs. I’ll be shocked if we don’t get a noise complaint from one of the neighbors. 

I hear footsteps walking up the hallway.

“Please stay out of here. There’s glass everywhere,” I grind out through clenched teeth.

“I’m slipping on shoes, then I'm coming to help you,” Melody replies. 

We clean up silently; I’m on sweeping duty while Melody comes behind me with the mop. 

I finally set the broom down, confident I had swept up all the tiny crystal shards. 

“This day keeps getting worse,” I sigh, and Melody pats my arm, “I’m going to text Josh to see if he wants to come get Iris until dinner’s finished. At this point, I’m worried that my bad luck will rub off on her, and she’ll be the next victim of some inexplicable accident.” 

“Okay, big guy,” Melody lets out a small laugh, “I’m sure Josh would be happy to hang out with her solo.” 

Thirty minutes later, I let Josh in. Iris has practically been vibrating with excitement since we told her Uncle Josh wanted to see her. 

“Where’s my favorite little girl?” is the first thing out of his mouth as he steps over the threshold. 

“Well, hello to you too,” I say, rolling my eyes. 

“Oh, forgive me. HELLOOOOOOOO DANNY!” he claps back immediately,  “Now, where is she? Quinn and I have a whole afternoon planned for Iris, and that's more important than your ego.”

“Jesus, dude,” I say, rubbing my chest in mock hurt. 

“I’m just being honest,” he flashes a massive grin at me. 

“Well, thank you so much for your honesty,” I roll my eyes again, “Melody’s helping her get ready. Now, I know I don't need to tell you how to take care of her. Buuuuut, bad luck has been plaguing me all day. So, be extra careful with her.” 

“Gotcha, gotcha. I’ll be on the lookout for any falling pianos or trap doors,” it’s Josh’s turn to roll his eyes. 

“I know you're making fun of me, but with the luck I’ve had today, nothing would shock me at this point,” we share a laugh that’s interrupted by a bundled-up Iris rocketing herself into Josh’s legs. 

I watch as he quickly scoops her up and spins her around before setting her back down. 

“Ready to go, Petal?” he asks Iris with a cheesy grin. 

The second she nods her affirmative, they're out the door. 

Unfortunately for me, not even a minute after they’ve left, the smoke detector starts going off. I sigh for the trillionth time today and head back to the kitchen. 

Walking through the doorway, I see Melody standing in front of the open oven. She’s using an oven mitt to fan smoke away from the turkey. 

“Babe, stop. It's fine,” I start, “we both know that Christmas dinner is pretty much fucked at this point. Just turn the oven off.” 

I lean against the counter and hang my head in my hands, ultimately defeated. 

“It’s okay, babe. I have a plan!” Melody says as she takes my burnt Turkey out of the oven, trying to keep my spirits high. 

I fight the urge to scoff as I watch her open the freezer and pull a Pyrex dish out. 

“What's that?” I eye the dish in her hand. 

“It's a lasagna, Daniel. I always keep one on backup,” she grins at me, dimples on full display, “I know it's not traditional, but who’s gonna be mad about pasta?” 

“You’re a genius, dear,” I gently kiss her temple. 

She shrugs off my praise, “HA! No, not a genius. Just a mother. Moms always have to have at least three backup plans ready.” 

Melody greets our first guests at the door as I put the finishing touches on everyone’s place settings at the table. 

I vaguely hear them laughing together as I walk into the kitchen to add one final layer of cheese to the top of the lasagna. 

“Please make yourselves at home,” I can hear the genuine smile in Melody’s voice, “Daniel is likely in the kitchen if you want to go harass him.” 

The goofiest laugh follows her statement, and I know it’s Sam and Willa. 

“Oh, Daaaaaaaniel,” Sam calls out as he pops his head in the doorway, “it smells phenomenal in here, but nothing like turkey.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Last minute change of plans,” I reply flatly. 

“Josh texted me earlier and told me you were being a ‘Drama Queen,’” he adds air quotes before quirking a brow, “but I didn't assume you’d throw in the towel, buddy.” 

“Oh, get bent, Sammy,” I threw the towel draped across my shoulder at him.

He whips his head around, facing Willa, “Did you see that, Birdie? The fucker proved my point.” 

“I think it's lovely that you were able to solve your own problems, Danny,” Willa adds before smacking Sam across the chest with a smirk, effectively shutting him up. 

They make their way to the living room as our other guests show up. 

Jake and Charlotte show up next, popping in for a quick hello, not wanting to distract me. 

Obviously, Josh, Quinn, and Iris are the last ones to show up. 

“Oh, Iris just got so distracted playing. Sorry, we’re late.”

“That line doesn't work on me, Josh,” I let out a laugh, “I know you. You can't blame my kid for your chronic lateness.” 

“I resent that, Danny. I always arrive precisely when I mean to,” Josh scoffs indignantly. 

“Well, why don't you arrive in the living room and tell everyone dinner’s almost ready?” 

I lock eyes on Charlotte as I set the final dish on the table. 

Her eyes flit across the table, and the confusion on her face grows as she mouths the name of each dish she sees. 

Mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, LASAGNA?

Jake is patting her thigh comfortingly as he holds back laughter. 

I see her confusion mirrored on everyone else as I look around the table. 

Jake pulls himself together long enough to break the silence, “Wow! What a delightful array of food you have for us, Danny Boy! You even have rolls!” 

“Hey! I put garlic butter on them, asshole.” 

“Oh, then, by all means, they belong. Not a single thing out of place here.” 

That gets a round of laughs from the entire table. 

“Yeah, Danny,” Quinn starts, “I’m not trying to be mean, but wasn't this supposed to be a traditional dinner?” 

“Now, Bug, who can really say what ‘traditional’ means,” Josh ponders. 

“Ya know what, thank you, Josh,” I nod in his direction. 

“Oh, I’m not trying to help you, Danny. I’m just getting philosophical.” 

“Okay, everyone,” I pinch the bridge of my nose, “After the day I had, I’d like to see you come up with something better.” 

Melody nods with me as she opens a bottle of wine and passes it to Sam, “He really did have the most unfortunate string of luck. You all are lucky we even have dinner at all.” 

I grab her hand and gently kiss her knuckles in thanks as everyone finally tucks into their meals. 

“I do have a question,” Charlotte whispers, setting her fork down. 

I nod for her to go on. 

“What happened to the decanter we got you for your engagement party? This seems like a perfect time to use it.”

I let out the loudest groan, “I love you, Charlotte, but please never ask me that question again.” 

“It’s a sore spot for him,” Melody pats my hand, “I’ll tell you later.” 

“So, on that note,” I say, gesturing for everybody to start eating, “Merry Christmas, everyone.” 

Masterlist | Taglist

[seenoversundown]

🥰🎄

❄️ Merry Everything & A Happy Always ❄️

Warnings : PURE FLUFF (Pet names, Endearing Themes, Christmas Cheer)

Word Count : 1.8k

In My Life - The Beatles  “Though I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before I know I’ll often stop and think about them In my life, I love you more”

Josh POV

Quinn and I start the morning out in the same way that we start most mornings: At the kitchen table, sharing coffee in contented silence as we both look through the morning news.

I look up from my phone,

“What do you have planned today, Bug?”

“I was hoping to spend the day with you, Starlight.” A light blush makes its way to the top of their cheeks.

“I actually had another idea.” I flash a bright smile and brandish the envelope I’ve had lying in my lap since we first sat down.

Quinn rolls their eyes and lets out a halfhearted groan

“A bit early this year, isn’t it?”

“Mmm, I think not. We have a dinner to attend on Christmas Day, and this is the only day we both have off between now and then. It only makes sense to do it today.”

They nod along with me.

“I suppose you’re right. Give it here.”

I hand them the envelope, leaving the side with the handwritten Clue One facing up.

“Babe, you’ve been practicing your calligraphy!”

“Only for you.” I reply with a shy smile.

“No! This is really good, I’m not going to let you discount your hard work.”

“Okay, okay. Just open it.”

They very carefully used their fingernail to pop the wax seal I’d added to the back side of the envelope.

They look back at me with a quirked eyebrow.

“You’re getting fancy with these scavenger hunts, Josh. Does this mean I should really look forward to whatever is at the end of this one?”

Shit. Shitshitshit. I should have thought this through better.

I let out a small laugh and shrugged,

“Guess you’ll just have to find out.”

They pulled out the card inside, and I gave them my full attention as they read over the clue that alluded to the craft store we had met at all those years ago.

“This clue is very carefully handcrafted with all the love and attention that we have shown each other throughout the years.”

They look up at me, eyes clouded in confusion.

“This might be the most cryptic one yet.”

“You have the biggest and most beautiful brain of anyone I know. You can figure it out.” I can’t keep the absolute adoration I feel for them out of my voice, even as I tease them.

“You are the absolute worst, Joshua.”

“Well, there are four more clues, so why don’t you just try to finish the scavenger hunt before you start calling me names?”

Quinn lets out an exasperated sigh before standing up from the table and making their way toward the door.

I quietly pad along behind them and grab their coat from the hook next to our front door.

I help them get one arm and then the other into the sleeves. I slowly spin them around to face me and grab a scarf from another hook.

“Good luck, Bug.” I whisper as I wrap the scarf around their neck.

Using the leftover length from the scarf, I pull them in closer to me.

I slowly press featherlight kisses along their cheekbones before capturing their lips with mine.

I let go of the scarf and wrap my arm around them, completely closing the distance between our bodies.

They pull back from me, running their nose up the column of my throat,

“We could skip the scavenger hunt, Josh.”

They pant out breathlessly before nipping at my earlobe.

“As lovely as that sounds, I have to decline,” I press one final kiss to their pouting lips, ignoring the growing pressure in my pants.

“Now, get a move on. We don’t have all day.”

I use the towel I’d slung over my shoulder to wipe off the sweat that had accumulated on my palms. With my freshly baked sugar cookies now out of the oven and sitting on the cooling rack, I can’t tell whether the excess energy I have is rooted in excitement or nerves.

Though the outcome of this evening absolutely would change my life, for better or worse, I refuse to let myself dwell on all of the ways this scenario can potentially play out. Instead, I pull my phone from my pocket and swipe into my messages, trying to gauge what time Quinn would be home.

They texted me, “got to clue number 3!” At 1:45 pm, about 15 minutes ago, which means everything is right on track. I should have roughly 3 hours to set everything up before they walk through our front door.

Quinn is typically way too clever for my clues to stump them. They’re usually done and back home with their little Christmas present in tow within an hour and a half of getting the first clue.

So, it makes me indescribably happy to know that everything is going according to plan this year.

I crack a small smile and shoot off a quick “We still on for 5?” To Sam.

Then I busy myself with the last little bit of my preparations.

I hear a knock at the door at 4:59 PM as I am adding the final touches to my cookies.

I make my way to the front door, eagerly welcoming Sam and his girlfriend into my home.

“You look very domestic, Josh,” Willa lets out a small laugh, giving my outfit a once-over.

I look down at myself, trying to find what’s funny.

Fuck, the apron…

I smack a hand to my forehead in a perhaps dramatic show of frustration.

“I have to change.” I borderline shout, already making my way through the hallway that attached the kitchen to the rest of the house.

“Dearest brother, are you nervous?” I hear Sam yell after me just as I make it to the bedroom door.

I turn around and chuckle as I see him swipe an extra cookie off the cooling rack.

“Wherever would you get that idea, Sammy boy?”

I slam the door to get my point across.

Of course, I am nervous right now; who wouldn’t be?

“Samuel, leave him alone. This is really important for him; look at how much work he did today.” I hear Willa’s muffled voice chastising Sam.

“I can’t tease my brother?”

“Maybe just save it for after Quinn gets back?” I could practically hear the eye roll that accompanied it.

I take a deep breath before opening the bedroom door and walking back into the kitchen.

“Ah-Alright, I think it’s almost time. P-places, everyone.”

I nervously stutter out as I make my way back to the kitchen counter.

Sam moves into the darkened hallway, leaving his partner with me in the kitchen.

I hear the click of her camera as I arrange the decorated cookies on the plate in front of me.

I grabbed Willa’s hand and mouthed a quick “Thank You” as she scurried into her spot in the corner of the foyer.

Not long after Sam and Willa are properly hidden, I hear the sound of our front door opening.

I quickly get into position in the kitchen, down on one knee with the plate in hand as Quinn makes their way into the house.

Click!

“Ha-ha! Josh very funny. Now, where is it?”

I suck in a breath and try to remain quiet as I listen to Quinn shake the snow from their boots and hang their coat and scarf back on the rack.

“JOSH! I know you’re here. These little scavenger hunts always lead me to a present, and this one led me back here, so where is —“

They turn into the kitchen, and the rest of their sentence dies on their tongue as their eyes flit between the plate and me, then back again.

Will You Marry Me? Written out across star-shaped cookies that sit carefully arranged around an open ring box.

Click!

“Hi, Bug. I missed you.” I spoke, barely above a whisper.

They’re still trying to comprehend what exactly they walked into, and I do not do well with uncomfortable silences. Not well at all.

“I know we usually make cookies together; it’s kind of one of our things, but I think you’ll understand why I had to make ‘em myself this time. I left some undecorated ones that we can do together if this goes well. But oh GOD, if it doesn’t go well, I might throw myself off —“

My rambling is cut off by Quinn rocketing themself into my arms.

Most of my breath is knocked out of me with the force of it, and whatever air is left in my lungs gets stolen when Quinn plants their lips firmly to mine.

Click!

“Yes. Yes, you goober.” They capture my lips again.

“Oh. ‘M glad.” I very eloquently managed to get out between soft kisses.

They pull back from me, cupping my face between their hands. Their thumbs gently rubbing soothing patterns into my skin.

“Is this why all the clues were our secret spots from our first year?”

I gently nod,

“Wanted you to remember where we started, to think about how far we’ve come.”

They let their hands fall behind my neck and melt into my embrace.

“I figured I had a better chance at convincing you to do life with me, in a more permanent way, if I took you down memory lane first.”

We sit there, holding each other in contented silence for a moment before separating so I can gently slide the emerald and moonstone band on their finger.

Click!

“I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together, Starlight,” Quinn chokes out, looking down at our still-clasped hands, throat tight with unshed tears.

“Nor can I, my dear. You’re all I’ve wanted for as long as I’ve known you.” They wrap their arms around me and pull me in for another kiss before leaning in and whispering into my ear,

“Even in forever, our perpetual endeavor to love and be loved, I’ll love you.”

I sigh and pull them close for another heated kiss, sliding my tongue between their lips and drinking them in before pulling apart to rest my forehead against their’s.

“Thank you, thank you for choosing me.”

“I’ll always choose you, Josh. We belong to each other in all ways that matter.”

“I love you to the ends of this earth, Bug. Merry Christmas”

Click!

I turn around and signal for Sam and Willa to come out of their hiding spots.

“Sam, Willa. Thank you for your help, but please get the fuck out of our house right now.”

“Don’t have to tell us twice,” Sam fake-gags as he makes his way to Willa’s side.

Willa’s eyes meet mine as she gives me a quick wink before shoving Sam and not-so-quietly whispering something that sounds a hell of a lot like,

“I swear I can’t take you anywhere!”

“Anyway! Thank you for trusting us with your special moment. Josh, Quinn: Congratulations, you know where to find us if you need photographers for the big day.”

Willa grips Sam by the arm and all but drags him out of the kitchen.

The final click we hear comes from the sound of the front door shutting, leaving us to enjoy each other in peace.

Masterlist | Taglist

[seenoversundown]

🎄🥰

❄️ Be Naughty, Save Santa The Trip ❄️

Sam x Willa (OC)

Warnings: 18+ SMUT (including; Oral (F receiving) Penetrative sex, Praise Kink,)

Word Count: 3.2k

Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt “Santa baby, just slip a Sable under the tree for me Been an awful good girl Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight”

Sam’s POV 

The snow is falling faster than my windshield wipers can keep up with as I rush home. 

I don’t know why I took this fucking job this week, and I can’t help but think to myself. I’d rather be home getting ready for Christmas with my girls.

I audibly groan and smack the steering wheel, frustrated as all hell. Just ten minutes from home but still too far, and these fucking backroads. I turn the music louder, hoping to drown out my bad mood. I can make it ten more minutes. 

Pulling into our driveway, relief fills my chest. Glancing at our small home, it looks as though it’s almost glowing in the soft falling snow. The warm lights inside softly trickled through our half-closed curtains, making it almost like an ethereal haven. I can’t turn the car off fast enough as I dash towards the porch, excited to see her. 

“Willa!” I shout as I throw our front door open. “Penny-girl!” 

The chilling silence greets me.

Panic creeps in rather quickly; I don’t think anything has been this quiet since I brought Penelope home from the shelter. I look at the small table near our entryway where we keep our keys when a little black and white square catches my eye. 

A polaroid? 

I walk over and flip over the photo. Staring back at me is a close-up of Willa’s collarbone, her signature dark brown hair barely brushing her shoulder. 

Penny is at Josh’s. Come find me. ⅕ 

My heart immediately picks up as I read her words, and I can feel a smile tugging at my lips. It’s game on as I look around for the remaining photographs. I spot one rather quickly taped backward on the wall leading deeper into our home. Sprinting over to it, I’m careful as I peel it off its resting place. This polaroid is a close-up of her delicious hip adorned with lavender lingerie I don’t recognize. 

Like what you see, baby? ⅖

My mouth is watering at the sight of her. It feels like my heart is beating out of my chest with the amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I need to find her. 

“Birdie!” I shout. 

The only response I hear is the start of soft music coming from what seems like our bedroom. I take off in a hurry, keeping my eyes wide for the last three polaroids. As I round the corner and started to take the stairs two at a time, I stopped in my tracks. Halfway up, taped to the wall, is another bit of black-and-white treasure. Again, I’m careful as I pluck it off of the wall. I take my time as I flip around to see what she’s left for me this time. This one has just her perfect lips and jaw in the photo. Her bottom lip is tucked in between her teeth. 

I’ve been waiting for you, gonna make me wait longer? ⅗ 

My fucking girl. My heart pumps with a primal need for her now. I finish my ascent to the top of the stairs as I pull the hair tie around my wrist and tie my hair back into a messy bun. I don’t want anything to get in the way of her. I can’t help but charge into our bedroom, where the music gets progressively louder. 

I take a solid breath and open the door. “I hope you’re ready-” Another empty room. I can’t help but laugh into the open space as I glance at our bed. On top of our navy sheets, another black and white wonder waits for me. I take a moment and strip off my thick sweater, leaving me in my undershirt and jeans as I walk over to the polaroid. I waste no time flipping this one over; a proud feeling blooms in my chest over my girl. Looking at the photo, it’s just her chest. Her delicious chest, covered by lilac-colored lace. Small intricate flowers shield bits and pieces, but I can still see the warm brown of her nipples peeking through. 

I’ve been such a good girl, Sammy ⅘

My breath hitches when I read her words. My jeans get incredibly tight to the point that the pressure of the zipper feels good. I glance around our room for another hint, anything to lead me to where she is. Thinking that I had found Willa, I shut the door to our room quickly, which was something she suspected. A yellow post-it note stares at me from the back of our door with the word closer written on it. Doesn’t she know what happens to cocky girls? 

I pull the door open, blind with the need to have her in my arms. I race towards her home studio, the only room left in the house.When I round the corner and see that final little black and white wonder taped to her door, I feel victorious. When I flip this one over, I can’t help but groan, fucking Willa. 

This polaroid, this absolute treasure of a polaroid, shows between her hips. The garter wrapped around her waist led down where the straps dangle delicately on her open thighs. Her free hand, not taking the photo, is also in this shot, pulling her panties aside so I can see her delicious cunt. One of her fingers dances dangerously close to her clit, and a growl comes out from deep within me. 

Time for your Christmas present, baby 5/5 

I rip open the door to her studio and see Willa, fucking finally, the same lilac lingerie I’ve been seeing in my little gifts, draping her body. I take quick strides to get to where she’s seated on her couch and pull her into my arms. She laughs because, of course, she does as I pepper kisses along her neck, and she wraps her legs around my waist. 

“Thank you for those lovely treats to come home to.” I say as I nuzzle into her ear, her signature scent of woodsy lavender washing over me. “But you’ve been a bad girl, haven’t you?” I give a playful bite against her neck. “Touching what’s mine.” 

Her head rears back to look me in the eyes; hers are sparkling with mischief. I’m beyond ready to play with her. I stare straight into her eyes as I ask, “Did you come?” 

Her cheeks flare red while she shakes her head no, I watch her wavy brown hair fly from side to side. 

“Are you sure about that?” I place a finger under her chin to keep eye contact. 

“Only once.” Willa says the sentence so fast and quietly I almost miss it. I’m sure my face has morphed into something that scares her as she quickly follows that with, “You were late and I couldn’t stop thinking about you coming home.” 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. My naughty girl couldn’t wait for me? For this?” I grind her against me and watch her head fall back. “You know what happens to bad girls like you, right? They get punished.” 

There have been many firsts with her, but nothing trumps the carnal need I have for her every day. I swear I can feel my pupils dilate when I look at her. I turn and throw her on the couch where I originally found her, earning a little squeal. Willa lays on her back, propped up by her elbows, as she watches me peel my shirt off, leaving me in just my jeans. The pressure from my zipper is still intense, but I’ll have her help with it soon. Her eyes are wide as I stalk towards her. 

“Get on all fours.” 

Watching her comply with my demands is fucking beautiful. My strong-willed girl, listening to only me. Once she’s up, I take the empty seat in front of her. 

“Come here, baby.” I watch as she crawls over to me, slow and deliberate. She keeps her head slightly down, on purpose I'm sure, and looks up at me through hooded lids. Her bangs add an extra curtain of mystery to her face; I close my eyes, trying to commit the picture to memory just like her polaroids. I hum at the thought, growing harder in my jeans. She places herself right over my lap, I open my eyes again and fuck is it a sight to behold. I grab her hands and pull them together in front of her, leaving her ass high in the air. She does a little wiggle in anticipation of what’s to come next. 

“This,” I begin as I palm her ass cheek. “Is fucking mine.” I pull my hand away and bring it back quickly, a loud smack rings through the air, followed by a whine from Willa. I move my hand over to her other cheek and give her only a moment before I redden it, too. I move down and slowly trace the outline of her pussy, relishing in the noises she’s making. I find her clit through her panties and press down with force, enough for her to pay attention. 

“Willa, no one makes you come but me.” My voice comes out gravelly and harsh. 

“I’m sorry,” she mewls. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” drawing small circles under my touch, I can’t help it. 

“Did my girl miss me?”

“Yes.” Willa hisses as pushes her ass higher into the air, trying to get more friction from me. I move my hand away from her clit and back to her ass, much to her dismay. I give her one more smack before I pull her up to straddle me.

She attaches her lips to mine as I pull her closer, and I start to feel her fingers fiddling with the button of my jeans. I nip at her bottom lip, which she returns by licking my upper lip until our tongues are intertwined. When I finally hear my zipper go down, I lift us quickly and kick off my pants. I can feel how wet she is through my boxers, and I can’t help but moan into her mouth. My girl is ready for me. I position us back onto the couch to hover over her while she’s on her back. 

“Need to taste you,” I mumble into her lips. I start to make my way down her body, stopping over each nipple to kiss it through the fabric. “I fucking love this on you.” I capture some of the lace between my teeth and pull back. 

The way Willa’s body shudders underneath my hands as I work my way down is a movement I've committed to memory. I kiss her stomach’s soft skin, loving how it feels on my lips. 

“Sam, please.” She squirms underneath me. I graze my teeth on her hip, relishing in this power I have over her. Hooking my fingers on either side of her lacy underwear, I slowly graze it down her body. By the time I reach her feet, she’s practically trying to kick the fabric off of her, and a laugh escapes my lips. 

“Someone’s needy after being bad, aren’t you?” I say as I place my hands on the inside of her thighs, spreading them apart. Her glistening center is ready for me; my mouth waters at the sight. 

“You are so fucking beautiful, baby.” I say. I take one of my hands and spread her center with my fingers. I moan at the sight of her in front of me before I dive in. My first slow lick up her center is sweeter than honey. The taste of my girl is utter perfection. I growl as I start to lap at her pussy. 

I hear mixtures of moans and “you’re doing so good” and “right there, don’t stop” coming from her. The encouragement urges me as I focus my tongue on her hard clit. I bring my finger to her entrance and hear her hiss a yes before I plunge one inside of her. Hooking my finger inside of her, I hit that delicious spot she loves. 

“Be a good girl and come on my face.” I say as Willa works her way into my bun. I add one more finger inside of her and feel her come undone. She tightens around my fingers and holds my face close as she rides out her orgasm. I would suffocate on her cunt if she’d let me. I don’t stop licking and kissing her until she pushes me away. 

“Sam, please.” she whines. I rise to my knees so I tower over her. Her bangs are sweaty and plastered to her forehead. Her brown eyes shine while they travel over me as she bites her bottom lip. 

“And what is it that my girl wants?” I slowly position myself so my hands are on either side of her head, trapping her in my grasp. Willa’s hand grabs my aching erection, and I growl in response. 

“Let me have this, please.” She pleads. I’m back on my heels, pulling my boxers down to release me before I pick her up, her legs instinctively wrapping around me. I position my cock at her entrance before pulling her down. 

As soon as I feel the head of my erection pass the threshold of her sweet, warm cunt I groan into her neck as I push further inside. My hair tie is long gone now, with her hands thoroughly messing up my hair. When I finally reach the hilt, our mouths fuse together, hungry and desperate. I keep bouncing her on my cock, slick from her arousal. 

Losing myself in Willa is one of my favorite pleasures in life. It feels like my girl is made for me as her pussy grasps onto me. I attach my lips to her neck, grazing lightly with my teeth. The vibrations in her throat from her moans fuck me up in the best way. Making sure my arm is securely anchored around her ass, my free hand replaces my mouth around her throat. 

“Yes, Sam. Fuck yes.” She mewls as she drops her head back. I let my fingers tighten on either side of her neck as I feel her pussy tighten even more. She’s close to another orgasm, and I want it. 

“Come for me. You’re so good, baby. Look at you fall apart.” Praising her between kisses and bites to her lips, she comes undone on me. I keep thrusting as she works through her orgasm, screaming unintelligible words. It’s hard not to come myself, but I’m not quite done with my girl yet. 

I watch her come down from her second high as I lay her on the couch. To my dismay, and hers, I pull out. My hand immediately finds my aching cock as I give it a hard stroke. Willa’s eyes dart down to watch me. 

“Back on all fours.” Her eyes snap up to me, and I can see their excitement. 

“I was hoping you’d say that.” She’s quick to scramble on her hands and knees after my demand. 

“Such a good girl for me.” I say as I watch her ass wiggle in the air, taunting me. I place my hands on her hips and yank her back, loving the squeal that comes from her. I waste no time lining myself back up with her sweet entrance and thrust in without warning. The noises coming from her are guttural, almost feral. I can feel her pussy tightening around me again, and this time, I want to come with her. I move one of my hands to find her clit and start rubbing it in light, rough circles. 

“Sam, I’m close.” Willa says in a rush. 

“Come with me, baby. Let me feel it.” And with that, my good, obedient girl falls apart under me. With her soft, warm cunt gripping my cock I have no choice but to let go and release into her. I still at the hilt as I moan her name. I stay there for a moment, stunned by the bright, hot sensation of my orgasm, until I feel my thighs start to shake. 

I take my time pulling out of Willa, sitting back on the couch, and pulling her onto my lap. We’re both a sweaty mess as she curls up and rests her head on my chest. I can’t get enough of the smell of us filling the room. I take my time and rake my fingers through her hair, enjoying the feeling of my girl being so close. 

I let a couple of moments of silence pass before I pick up Willa and stand, walking us to our bathroom. It’s a comfortable silence as I place her on the counter and press a single kiss to her forehead. I turn towards our shower and adjust the temperature, knowing she likes the water to be borderline scalding. I’ve learned to enjoy it. I set up two towels for us on our heater so they’ll be warm by the time we’re done. Before I get us into our steamy escape, I run back to our bedroom to grab my cell phone. Picking the playlist I’ve called Birdie 🤍, I hit shuffle. 

Soft music fills the bathroom, and I watch as her eyes shut in satisfaction. When I’m finally ready, I turn towards my girl and stand between her legs. 

“C’mere,” I say as I wrap my arms around her waist again. She latches on like always, and I walk us into the warm shower. I let the water hit her back first, slow and steady. When she’s ready, she puts her feet on the ground. Selfishly, this is my favorite part of aftercare. 

Her brown eyes look up at me, the flecks of gold shining so bright as I add shampoo to my hands and lather her hair. Her hums of approval and eyes fluttering shut make my heart melt. I keep going, making sure to drag my fingers against her scalp. Without speaking, she takes a step back to engulf herself in the water fully. I watch as the suds rinse down her body, over her pert nipples and soft stomach. I reach out to have her body in my hands, just to touch some part of her. The smile that graced her lips told me she wanted that, too, and I gripped my girl a little tighter. 

I take my time with the soapy washcloth over her body, making sure to get every curve of her. I’ve committed every little piece of her body to memory. 

I do the same to myself once I’ve finished soaping her up and rinsing her off. Willa watches me with sleepy eyes from the other side of the shower. I turn off our steamy oasis and grab our towels, wrapping her up first. I tie the towel around my waist and guide her out of the shower. I lean myself against the counter, where she collapses into me. 

“Thank you for the gift today, Birdie. It was perfect.” 

“I hope you’re ready to have this tradition every year.” Fuck, if I don’t fall more in love with my girl when she says that. 

With a kiss on her forehead, I mumble, “Absolutely.” 

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[seenoversundown]

This still makes me want to cry 😭

Jake singing to Charlotte 😭