Christmas Wishes, by AkaOkamiRyu
Description: "So, what's your big Christmas wish this year, guys?" The friends and their families go skiing for Christmas. Set in their senior year. Miley/Oliver, hint of Lily/Jackson. Just a short holiday fic.
Hey everyone, this is my first Hannah Montana fic, hopefully first of many, and also the first thing I've written on my new laptop. yay for going to college next year and getting something useful. Anyways, this is set during the trio's senior year. Jackson's in college and the gang and their families are in Colorado for the holiday break.
I don't own Hannah Montana. The ideas and story, however, are mine.
--C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s--W-i-s-h-e-s--
He watches her. Softly, tenderly, as she places an ornament on the Christmas tree. It is nearly Christmas and even though they and their families are spending a special holiday in Colorado, the tradition of allowing the children to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve stands even here.
Their parents are doing who knows what. Robbie Ray is probably off wrapping gifts, he always has been a last minute shopper and an even more last minute wrapper. His parents have taken his younger brother sledding, as they had been promising to since they got here and Owen discovered he couldn't ski. Lily's parents are at the main lodge, a five minute walk from the large cabin they've rented for winter break. Jackson is most likely at the lodge as well, trying to perfect his pick up lines, no doubt.
"Ready for a hot chocolate break guys?" Lily calls, looking across the room from the attached kitchen.
"Oh yeah." Miley smiles, and stand back from the half decorated tree. Her smile is wide, eyes and face shining brightly in the soft glow of the Christmas lights. Something about being back in a world of snow after so many Christmases in Malibu has made her mood even bubblier than usual.
She seems to notice that he hasn't said anything yet, and looks back to him, sitting on the couch, a box of ornaments on his lap. He had been gingerly taking out the tiny figures and handing them to her, occasionally offering direction as to where one should go. Or at least, he had been, until he had taken to watching her. "Oliver?" She questions quietly, her eyes soft and concerned. Soft like his eyes when he watches her.
"Huh?" He asks, finally surfacing from his reverie. "Oh, yeah, hot chocolate." The worry in her face melts away slowly, replaced by a smile. He is coming back to himself as he takes the box off his lap, stands, and stretches, realizing just how long he's been sitting. They ought to have gotten a smaller tree.
Lily has filled the cups by now, oblivious to the small exchange, and is walking over with them, carefully balancing them on a small tray with a grace that a younger Lily, all excitement and uncontained energy, could not have managed. "Looking good," she says approvingly, eyes on the half-finished tree.
Miley and Oliver nod, also turning their gazes back towards it before taking a mug of warm chocolate for themselves. "Thanks Lily." They chorus before all take a moment to laugh at their timing.
"I'm so glad we got to come out here this year." Lily says, carefully flopping on the couch behind them. "I've never had a white Christmas before. It's amazing."
Oliver nods fervently, the liquid in cup sloshing as he takes a seat next to Lily and Miley settles down on his right. "You know, snow at Christmas is probably the thing I missed the most living in Malibu all these years."
"I can see why, all this snow just kind of makes it seem magical." He agrees, letting his eyes move to the big sliding door behind the tree which leads to the porch and the snow.
The girls nod in agreement and for a while the three friends are silent, sipping their hot chocolate, listening to the faint strands of Christmas music coming from Robbie Ray's room upstairs. Miley's eyes have closed as she takes in the peaceful tranquility of it all and Lily's foot is tapping along idly to Holly, Jolly Christmas, her gaze staring unseeingly at the tree. The ghost of a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as he side-glances at his two best friends. He's really lucky, he realizes as he moves to set his cup on the coffee table before them.
Suddenly Miley's eyes are opening slowly, emerald gems peeking through dark lashes. She shifts her position slightly to her left, so she can see her two best friends. "So what's your big Christmas wish this year, guys?"
He wondered when it would be brought up. Every year since the three of them had been friends that had always come up with a big Christmas wish. Some small miracle they hoped would come true over the holiday, something better, more important than just a material gift they had asked for.
Lily opens her mouth to speak first. Apparently she has already thought about this and prepared an answer. "I'm hoping a certain someone will finally open his eyes." Oliver and Miley nod, keenly aware of who she is speaking of and both hoping that, for the both of them, he opens his eyes and sees that the only girl he needs has been right there all along.
"What about you, Oliver?" Miley prompts, her eyes on his face. He shrugs and smiles.
"I've got everything I need right here." He decides to answer, stretching out his arms and wrapping them around the shoulders of his two best friends, pulling them into a half hug. They laugh and each swats him gently.
"Alright, alright, Smokin' Oken. Be secretive." Miley says through her giggles, setting her cup aside and then leaning against his shoulder. He softens, his whole body turning content and warming from the inside out, glad that he chose to answer as he had.
"Well, what about you Snow Princess?" He shoots back, genially, referring to earlier today when she had made a 'snow castle' and declared herself the ruler of the Snow Kingdom. Lily laughs and nudges him slightly, he wonders if this is on accident or if his other best friend has somehow discovered his feelings. He imagines it's probably the latter, Lily has become intuitive like that, and it's not like he's that good at hiding it.
"Hmmm, what do I wish for?" She wonders aloud, realizing she hasn't really given it any thought. "You know, I honestly don't think I have a wish this year. I'm in a real life winter wonderland with my two best friends and our families. I'm good." This realization seems to amaze her. How grand and important something so seemingly small and insignificant can be.
"Well, you two are boring." Lily jokes and they each poke her in retaliation for the comment. Soon a tickle fight has broken out, and Lily is losing until she finally manages to wheeze out an, "I give, I give!"
They are all sprawled out on the floor now, laughing and panting heavily. "Hey, ya'll." Miley says when they've all finally caught up with their breath again. "Why don't we finish this tree so we can go watch some cheesy old movies?"
They agree and get back to work. Lily puts the empty mugs back in the kitchen and then joins them, helping Miley hang the ornaments while Oliver passes them out. They work easily; talking, laughing, warm and comfortable in the depth of their friendship. Jackson returns when they've nearly finished and helps put up the last few ornaments.
It's time for the star now, and this year it is Lily's turn to place it on the top. Miley scampers off for the camera as Oliver takes it from its separate box and hands it to Lily. He looks at Lily standing next to the tree dubiously, as does Jackson. "You gonna be able to put that up, Lily?" He asks, handing her the topper. The tree this year is much bigger than usual and while they had managed to get ornaments on the top most branches, putting the star on top will be slightly more difficult.
"Good question." She too looks at the huge tree as Miley returns with the camera.
"Ready, Lil?"
"Sure she is!" Jackson says confidently, scooping Lily up and raising her so that she can place the topper on. Everyone is laughing as Miley snaps a picture. Lily's face is dusted with a pale blush, and Miley and Oliver share a quick glance and a smile.
--h-a-p-p-y--h-o-l-i-d-a-y-s--
The credits to Miracle on 34th Street are rolling and the room is bathed in darkness, save for the tree and the television screen. The adults and Owen went to bed after the last movie, and Lily and Jackson have both fallen asleep. Miley looks over to see them and stifles a giggle. Jackson is curled up in the corner, leaning back, with Lily pressed against his side. His head is atop hers.
Miley presses a finger to her lips as Oliver gets up and stretches. He nods and extends a hand to help her up. She motions outside and he nods. Silently they pull on their boots and coats. Oliver pulls his mittens on before zipping his jacket and beings to fight with the zipper. Shaking her head, Miley's ungloved hands zip his jacket up for him, and he has the decency to look sheepish. Returning the favor, Oliver takes her scarf off the hook and wraps it carefully around her neck. She smiles up at him, and they head outside.
--h-a-p-p-y--h-o-l-i-d-a-y-s--
The world outside is quiet and large snow flakes are falling. Excited, as she has been all week so far, Miley begins to dance around, whirling carelessly in the magical wonderland. Her unbound laughter fills the night air. He watches her tenderly, her smile contagious, her mood infectious.
"Dance with me, Oliver?" She asks gently, stopping and watching him with heavy eyes.
He could swear he feels something in the earth shift as he walks over and she grabs his hands. Her smile softens and they begin to dance, no longer wildly, but slowly in the snow.
"I love snow." She breaths, her voice an unnecessary whisper, as if afraid speaking too loud will break something. Maybe it will, he muses.
"I know." He says, equally quietly, his gloved hands resting around her waist, hers about his neck. "I think I do too." He admits. For a while they just move in slow, lazy circles, the snow falling around them.
"So Oliver," Miley says after some time. "What do you really wish for?"
"I told you earlier. I have everything I want." But something in his eyes shows that maybe there is more to that then he is letting on, and she sees it.
"Come on," She pushes in the sweet Tennessee drawl he has come to adore so much over the years. "You can tell me. Isn't there something, really deep in your heart that you want?"
He is thoughtful a moment, wondering how he will answer this question. "Miley." He says finally, making a decision. "Nothing I could have wished for would have come close to this moment." He confesses, watching her face, trying to gauge how she is taking his admission.
"You know what?" She queries, after a short pause. He shakes his head, almost fearful of her response. "I agree."
He is visibly startled by this seemingly casual statement, and wonders if she means what he thinks she does. He looks at her questioningly, and she smiles and nods. The space between them closes slowly, as if they cannot move any faster, lest they lose this perfect moment. But it does close eventually, and his lips meet hers softly, the gentlest of kisses. Somewhere in their semi-clouded minds they hear his watch beep midnight.
"Merry Christmas, Oliver."
"Merry Christmas, Miley."
--T-h-e--E-n-d--
Original Author Note: Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone. I hope you've enjoyed my first Hannah Montana story. Hopefully I'll find some time to write some more sometime soon. I hope everyone has a great, safe holiday, and if you have the time, I'd really appreciate a review, as I'm not sure how this turned out. It's a different style from what my fics usually are, so I'm a bit iffy.
Edited Author Note: So I fixed a few things I didn't notice were wrong before and clarified a few things that really didn't sound right. I'm currently working on a sequel to this story, so you guys should definitely watch out for it if you enjoyed this one. It'll be called A Tender, Tennessee Christmas and I hope to have it out within a week or so. At any rate, thanks to anyone who's read and reviewed this story. I appreciate the support!
AkaOkamiRyu
