Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.
AN: This was meant to be my Christmas oneshot in 2013, but it kinda got away from me.
The snow was falling thick and heavy in Heatherfield. A thick layer of snow covered the ground and through it, three girls walked home from school.
"Typical!" Irma grumbled as they trod a path through the snow. "It would have to snow AFTER school is finished. And I was looking forward to having the day off of school."
"I think it's cute," said Elyon with a smile on her face. "Just the right type of weather for this year. Especially with the Yule Ball tonight."
"Yeah, Corny and I have a bet as to who's going to get the most number of boys actually asking us to go. I'm on five," Irma said with a smirk and Alchemy smirked.
"Isn't it a moot point, since Cornelia's been off sick since Wednesday and probably won't be there?" Alchemy asked with amusement and Irma smirked even harder.
"Pfft. As if little details like that would get in the way of me putting one over Corny," Irma countered, sticking her tongue out. "She's only had TWO!"
"It's a shame most of our friends aren't going," Elyon mused before Irma could crow any further. "Cornelia was really looking forward to it."
"Hay Lin designed our costumes," Irma said smiling. "Mine was designed to go with…" Irma suddenly placed her hand over her mouth and blushed. Alchemy and Elyon looked at her curiously.
"Who was your costume designed to go with Irma?" Alchemy asked and Irma shook her head.
"Nononononononononononono, I'm not telling!" Irma said quickly, clearly embarrassed. Alchemy looked like she was about to ask harder when Elyon abruptly intervened.
"Is it true that you turned down Andrew Miles when he asked you to the Christmas ball earlier today?" Elyon asked and Alchemy nodded. "Why? Half the girls in Heatherfield want to date him," she paused and a dreamy look came over her face. "He's absolutely georgeous, with that cute long blond hair of his and those eyes that can melt a girl's heart with a look."
"Elyon, you're drooling," Irma pointed out with a snicker and Elyon frowned at her. That just made Irma giggle like a loon and Elyon rolled her eyes.
"I just don't think he's right for me," Alchemy replied as her mouth twitched upward in amusement. "He's just not my type at all."
"Oh?" Elyon asked curiously. "Who is your type then?" Alchemy began to blush and Elyon let out a HA! of amusement. "Does someone have a crush then?"
"I already have someone to go with," Alchemy said quickly and both Irma and Elyon raised their eyebrows.
"Oh?" Irma asked curiously, before smiling. "Someone who is more dreamy than Andrew. Who?"
Alchemy chuckled. "You wouldn't know him. He's from out of town."
"Try us," Irma challenged with a grin. "We know a lot of people from very…unusual places."
"You'll have to see later!" she shouted as she quickly dashed inside her house.
"Hey, you can't just leave us like that!" Irma shouted and she turned to face Elyon. "There ought to be a law against teasing us with details like that!"
"Well…"Elyon began and Irma looked at her friend suspiciously.
"Is there something you're not telling me Elyon?" Irma asked with a smirk and Elyon shrugged.
"No, I just think I caught a glimpse of who Alchemy is taking to the ball," she said in a bit of a dazed voice and Irma grinned.
"Who is it then?" Irma asked and Elyon suddenly turned down a quiet alleyway.
"Is that the time? Well, I have to be getting back to Meridian," she said quickly and before Irma could say anything, Elyon had opened a fold and disappeared back to her own world, much to Irma's surprise.
"What was that all about?" she asked no-one in particular and with a slight huff of annoyance, she spun on her heel and walked on.
WITCHWITCHWITCHWITCH
"Hello handsome," Alchemy said with a smile as she kissed her boyfriend on the lips. "Are you all ready for tonight?"
"With you, I'm always ready," he replied with a smile that made her want to kiss him again. So she pulled him into a passionate embrace and placed her lips on his once more, their kisses becoming more and more passionate.
"Hi Alchemy, we're home!" a familiar voice carried upstairs and the two lovers suddenly slipped apart blushing. Alchemy gave her boyfriend a smile.
Until tonight," she whispered to her boyfriend with a smile and he gave her a smile in return.
"Until tonight," he replied sadly. "It seems so far away."
"Are you okay up there Alchemy?" her mother asked with a slight hint of concern. Opening a spatial fold, Alchemy's boyfriend slipped through and Alchemy turned to the door.
"I'm fine mom!" she shouted back. "Just doing my homework!" For extra measure, she sat down and pulled out her math textbook.
Her mother popped her head around the doorway and smiled.
"Are you looking forward to the ball tonight?" she asked with a smile and Alchemy nodded with a smile of her own. "Is your mysterious boyfriend taking you?"
Alchemy blushed and nodded.
"Yes, he's picking me up here and walking me there," she said and her mum nodded.
"Have a good time and…don't let him take advantage," she finished awkwardly and Alchemy blushed even harder.
"Mom!" she exclaimed and her mother chuckled.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you're growing so fast and-"
"Mom, I'm eighteen. I'm not a complete novice with boys," Alchemy pointed out. "I'll be fine."
Her mum just gave her a smile and left her to her homework.
WITCHWITCHWITCHWITCH
Irma couldn't believe her eyes.
Alchemy was there with her mysterious boyfriend of course, looking beautiful in her simple white dress and navy blue jacket. That was of course expected. But it was her companion who really surprised her. Of all the people she had expected Alchemy to attend the Yule Ball with, she NEVER expected it to be the man she was standing next to now. In fact, she was pretty sure she never expected to see him on Earth ever and certainly not with someone who she was pretty certain didn't know about Meridian.
"Elyon, is THAT who you saw earlier?" she asked and Elyon shrugged.
"Well…I wasn't sure…and it's not like he's going to cause trouble here," she replied. Irma rolled her eyes.
"And when exactly did he get out? I thought he was in jail!"
"A few months ago, when he saved the city from collapsing about our ears," Elyon paused and looked strangely at Irma. "You WERE paying attention when I told you, weren't you?"
"I was a little out of it! And-and-and HOW the hell did the two of them even meet? And how do you know he's not up to something right now? And-"
"And you could just ask me," the man said dryly and Irma jumped. "I generally find that to be a good place to start."
"Hi Irma, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Phobos," Alchemy said, before grinning like a cat. "Although I think you two already know each other."
"Well…I mean…" Irma stuttered, still trying to wrap her head around Phobos even being on Earth and actually attending a ball of all things. Wearing normal Earth clothing. And attending a ball with her friend ALCHEMY of all people. Phobos snickered.
"You seem to be lost for words," Phobos said with a hint of amusement. "I'm used to such witty dialogue from you water Guardian."
"You know, I wish you had told me this stuff to my face," Alchemy said with a disappointed look on her face. "I know we aren't as close as we once were, but…it would have been nice to have been trusted."
"Well we were thinking of a need to know basis. Less risk of something slipping out by accident," Elyon said and Alchemy frowned. Fortunately Phobos stepped in.
"My girlfriend is more than keeping a secret," he said haughtily. "You were fools not to trust her," he paused and extended his hand. "Shall we dance?"
Alchemy gave him her hand and they stepped onto the dance floor. Irma just stared and Elyon chuckled.
"So who was it that YOU were planning to attend the ball with?" she asked and Irma shook her head.
"I'm not telling! We said we weren't going to say until we got here! And I promised Corn-" Irma suddenly paused mid-word and flushed. "You aren't getting it out of me and that's final!"
"So Cornelia knows. Now I'm REALLY interested," Elyon said with a raised eyebrow. Irma fixed Elyon with a firm look which was meant to cow Elyon. Unfortunately Elyon had enough experience as queen to ignore such an attempt at intimidation. "So who is it?"
"You'll find out when the time is right," was all Irma would say mysteriously as she walked onto the dance floor and started dancing. Elyon simply raised her eyebrow even further. Fortunately she was distracted by another boy asking her to dance and with one quick look over to Irma and Alchemy, she walked onto the dance floor.
Alchemy was enjoying herself. Phobos was being a perfect gentleman and he was an excellent dancer. It was almost hard to reconcile the man she was dancing with, with the monster he had claimed to have been in the past.
"I trust you are enjoying yourself?" he asked as the evening came to a close and she smiled.
"It's brilliant," she replied with a smile and her face lit up. "It's better than I expected or hoped," she paused and looked into his eyes. "Thank you."
"And now ladies and gentlemen, take your partners onto the dance floor for the last dance of the evening," the DJ announced over the speakers. "Here's a little something nice and slow for all you lovers out there."
A slow romantic blues song slowly came over the speakers and all around the dance floor couples slowly danced. In the corner of her eye, Alchemy could see a distinctly ill-looking Cornelia dancing with Irma no less and she smiled to herself. Cornelia must have practically dragged herself out of bed to be here, but clearly she seemed to think Irma was worth it. Just like Phobos really, she thought to herself as she looked into his eyes.
The music slowly wound down and soon the hall was silent. Phobos pulled her forward into a passionate kiss, a kiss Alchemy was soon returning with equal fervour. After what seemed like an eternity they finally parted, flushed and a little breathless, to the sounds of wolf whistles and cheers. Phobos looked up, drinking in the attention while Alchemy blushed. Then he leaned forward and whispered in her ear.
"Merry Christmas Alchemy," he said and she smiled.
"Merry Christmas Phobos," she replied and all seemed right in the world for that one perfect moment, with the hope of many more.