Vanity - #20 Cheesy Hallmark Christmas Movies (requested by you-are-capable-of-amazingthings, and not rooted in canon.)
“Come on,” Charity urges, her hands tight over Vanessa’s eyes. “Just a few more steps and we’ll be there.”
Vanessa’s arms flail slightly as her foot slips over the snow-covered path. She’d been wary when Charity had stopped by her room at the village’s B&B, practically pushing her out the door, shoving her into her coat. I’ve got a surprise for you, Charity had said. There was a twinkle in her eyes and a bright smile on her face.
“Not like our Charity,” someone at the pub had muttered the other day. “All that smiling and mooning across the bar.”
Vanessa had frowned at that. She’s only known Charity for a few days. The start had been rocky, Charity sniping at over a run-in outside of the pub, but after that… Charity had grabbed her attention and held tight. She likes to think she’s captured Charity’s attention as well.
“Don’t stop, babe,” Charity whispers in her ear, her words hot against Vanessa’s neck. “Nearly there.”
Vanessa covers Charity’s hands with her own, grinning at the way Charity’s fingers twitch against hers. “Leading me to a shallow grave, are you?”
“What a way go, though, yeah? Me and you, wrapped together.”
Vanessa feels her face flush. They’ve been teetering on this precipice for days now, neither brave enough to fall. This tiptoeing they’ve been doing, the near kisses and the grazing hands, have been one step closer to something. She wants to - she wants to give in to the building fire in her belly and she thinks - she hopes - that Charity does too.
“One step up,” Charity tells her.
Vanessa lifts a foot, giggling when she lifts it too high and nearly stumbles. She keeps her eyes closed tight when Charity’s hands slip off her face and tighten around her waist, holding her steady.
“No sense in breaking your neck now.” Charity’s body presses tight behind hers. “Not when I’ve done all this work.”
Vanessa snorts. “You. Work. Now that’s a laugh.”
“You’ve skived off more days than you’ve worked.” Vanessa shakes her head. “I’m surprised you even have a job.”
Charity squeezes her gently. “Spent it with you, haven’t I?” She doesn’t wait for Vanessa’s answer, nudging her forward into the center of the gazebo. “Open your eyes, babe.”
The fairy lights catch the pink glow of Vanessa’s cheeks, dancing across her lips and shining in her eyes. Charity backs up, standing on the steps of the gazebo, watching Vanessa watch the snow sparkle in the lights as the flakes fall.
Vanessa spins. “Charity,” she breathes. “You did all this?”
Charity shrugs it off. “Not like it was hard, babe. I am tall enough to reach, you know.”
Vanessa rolls her eyes. “And an ego, to boot.”
“Isn’t that what you love about me, babe?” Charity leans her elbow against the rail, looking just over Vanessa’s shoulder.
“It does make me feel a certain way,” Vanessa admits. She moves closer, leaving footprints in the dusting snow. She drifts in, near enough for Charity to reach for the ends of her scarf.
Charity stands taller and winds the ends around her hands, tugging. “Tell me more about the kind of way you feel.”
Vanessa swallows. “What’re you like?” Vanessa whispers, eyes searching Charity’s. “You don’t even like Christmas. You’ve only said it a hundred times.”
Charity’s eyes narrow. “Well, no. But that’s because all of my Christmases have been… nothing special.”
Vanessa’s cheeks flush pink. “And this year?”
“You’re special, you are.” Charity tugs again, Vanessa nearly pressed against her. “I could go on, if you’d like, about you bringing the magic of Christmas or whatever back into my life.”
“Could you?” Vanessa breathes.
“Or,” Charity continues, a hand sliding up the soft wool of Vanessa’s scarf, along her collar and over her skin. She brushes her thumb along the soft hairs at the base of Vanessa’s neck.
“Or I can show you.” Her eyes move up, to the small sprig of mistletoe she’d hung earlier. “If you’d like.”
Vanessa grins, her hands tight around the zip of Charity’s jacket. “Charity, just kiss me, would ya?”
Charity grins widely, Vanessa’s smile pressed against her own and she thinks maybe, just maybe, Christmas will be just as special next year.
