Disclaimer: I do not own Skins. M rating for language.
A one-off Christmas orientated fluff fest. Enjoy!
"Okay Katiekins, make sure she gets the card. I'm going now!" Naomi hangs up, feeling considerably smug. Placing the phone into her pocket, she carefully buttons up her coat. She then picks up the wooly hat from the banister, and places it on her head, whilst reaching for the scarf to put around her neck.
"Going out, love?"
"Yeah, gonna surprise Emily. She thinks I'm in London."
"Ah, young love. I was actually hoping you'd stay for a bit. I've put the kettle on.."
"Mum, its Christmas."
"Yes, stay for a cupper."
"But Emily-"
"-will be unsuspecting and surprised as ever when you do arrive at her doorstep. Come on, love. I need to speak to you. Sit sit." Whether it was the tone of her voice or the choice of words Naomi did not know but she could tell something was up. Following Gina into the kitchen, she tentatively takes a seat at the table, feeling rather awkward.
"Is it about Kieran?" She doesn't want to bring it up, but knows that his absence the last couple days has something to do with it. Gina proceeds to pour Naomi and herself some tea, and moves over to the table with the cups, placing them down gently.
"Yes dear." Once Gina sits down, she begins to stir her tea absentmindedly. Naomi moves her hand to place over her mothers, but halts. Her mouth twitches, not knowing exactly how to confront her mother, assuming the worst.
"I'm pregnant, love." Naomi's hand drops to the table, unable to comprehend the words just uttered so effortlessly from her mother's mouth.
"What?!"
"Well you know what happens when a man and a woman-"
"Mum!" Naomi's face contorts as Gina refrains from laughing, but retains a smirk due to the look on her daughters face. She takes a sip of her tea.
"Its safe to say that he isn't happy about it."
"Bloody bastard."
"Naomi, it's a shock. I'm sure he'll come around."
"Mum! Why are you taking his side? Christ, men are so-"
"Naomi, you stop right there. It's been a shock for us both. Kieran's a good man. He'll come around."
"So.. You're going to…" Naomi's eyes drift down to her mother's stomach and then back up to Gina's eyes.
"Yes dear.. You're going to be having a little brother or sister in the near future." It was peculiar to see Gina being maternal, but as Naomi watches her mother copy her movement and look down, her hand falling over her stomach as if protectively, Naomi cannot help but feel somewhat giddy with elation. She knows she'd never confess to this fact, but the small smile that graces her lips and will not cease is enough to show that she is indeed happy about this revelation. A moment later, a noise from the door interrupts them, forcing the eyes of both Gina and Naomi to look into the hallway.
"Gina! Oh Gina! I've been a fool. A terrible, drunk for nothing fool.. Its my Irish blood, or the stupid world we live in. But I can do this; we will do this, love. That wee little one will be my pride and joy, and we will raise the little human together.. Oh hell, I love you Gina!" Naomi doesn't even get the chance to blink before she sees her mother uproot and charge towards Kieran: a moment of pure adrenaline filled with wanting words that brings Gina and Kieran together in the middle of the hallway: limbs clasping helplessly to bodies, holding close and emitting soft laughter and tears of joy. Naomi stands up silently, a witness to this moment. Her mother's gaze falls upon her momentarily, extending their previous one until she turns back to Kieran and smiles. With this, Naomi turns away from them and makes her way out of the house through the back door, a small smile fixed on her face. Finally, happiness is all around, spreading to all of the ones Naomi loves the most.
"I'm going have a baby brother or sister…" A small chuckle escapes from her lips as she processes this information, it's then that her phone begins to ring, and upon seeing the caller, her smile only grows.
"Emily, hey-"
"A card, seriously? A card?! It's Christmas, Naomi. It's bad enough I have to spend it in Bristol with my gay bashing mother, and with no chance of seeing my girlfriend, yet you make it bloody worse by only send me a fucking card!"
"Em-" Naomi stops her movement, and holds the phone close to her ear, trying to get a word in into this conversation, but knows her girlfriend will only just continue.
"-No! Fuck sake, Naoms.. You really don't give a shit about me - about us, do you? I haven't seen you in months. It's hard enough going to different Uni's, the distance and now, on fucking Christmas day, all I receive from my supposedly loving girlfriend, is a lousy card."
"Babe-"
"-I'm just gonna go. Bye." It is in the the way that her voice sounds dejected of soul, and filled with so much grief that forces Naomi to run, without thinking, towards Emily's house. It's supposed to be a surprise. Katie is in on it, hell - the entire Fitch family are in on it, much to Jenna's dismay. Instead Emily believes that she doesn't care, that all she really has got for Christmas from Naomi is a sodding card. The reason why this has all come to blows, she realises as she runs, is because of timing: she rung Katie to give her the card just as she was about to leave, which meant that she would get there on her bike in time to surprise her. Instead she remained with her mother, and as much as that turned out to be a blessing, she can't help but scowl, for now Emily is upset and she isn't present to set her straight. As she runs down the pavement, she realises that she hasn't taken her bike, and therefore will likely take her double the time to get there.
"Great, just fucking.. Christ." She stops, feeling the breath leave her. Doubling over with her hands on her knees, she looks back from we she came and straight ahead, noting how she has only made it down the road from her house.
"Fucking fags, gotta.. quit.. them." Inhaling and exhaling sharply, she stands back up and continues, falling into a gentle jog as she descends down the pavement. Everywhere is quiet, and as she comes to a gradual stop yet again, she notices that the sky is opening up with tiny snowflakes, falling down effortlessly, causing Naomi to shiver slightly and sniff.
"Jesus." She tips her head up, admiring the cluster of white.
"Need some help, miss?" Turning her head to the right, she notices a corner shop. It's not one she is aware of, and it strikes her as odd that it is even open today. The chubby man stands there, wrapped up in many Christmas sweaters, a mug of milk in his grasp. She turns to him slightly and notes his white beard as he smiles at her, his face wrinkled with age.
"Uh.."
"Wanting to get somewhere, eh? Do you have all that you need once you arrive?" Clearly what the man is saying is strange, so she just stands there at a slight distance, alternating her gaze from the man to the shop. The 'Christmas Store' sign is poised eloquently above the door where he stands, as he continues to offer her a small smile. He consumes the remains of a chocolate chip cookie, and ruffles his beard to get rid of all the excess crumbs.
"I reckon I have exactly what you need, dear. Just you wait here." Her lower lip falls open slightly as she stutters a response.
"N-no. I.. I don't want-"
"-nonsense, its Christmas! We all need a little magic this time of the year." Naomi is going to protest more, but his return to the door is swift. No longer is he holding his mug of delight, but is rather holding several small items. Naomi raises her eyes warily to the man, his expression anything but conflicting like her own. He smiles softly and remains at the door, not wanting to scare her, it seems.
"Something tells me this little trip of yours is important, and you don't want to arrive empty-handed. Not that you're not a present to deliver in itself, dear. Come come, its Christmas and you're running out of time." Naomi turns her head to look back to the pavement, unsure of what to do. Her gaze then turns back to the man who stands at the door, small flutters of snowflakes cascade down from the sky, masking everything with a tinge of soft white. Naomi takes a hesitant step forward, her eyes shift from the man to what he's holding, curious.
"Now, we have a gift that appeals to heart, it is both sentimental and decorative, so it has two values. The other is a token of the soul; it is rich with memory and sweetness. And finally, this old favourite appeals to capturing the moment.. Now, take these and be gone…. Your one won't be waiting much longer with a hopeful heart." He passes the items quickly to Naomi and smiles. She accepts the bundle, feeling somewhat bewildered and awkward in all honesty. She looks back to the pavement, noting the distance from Emily's house and how the ground is now white.
"Thank-" She turns her attention back to the man at the shop, and it is then that she notices the door is closed, the man no longer there. Frowning slightly, she moves forward to the door, seeing nothing inside but darkness.
"-you.." She looks down to the items in her hands, seeing for the first time what they are: a small rectangle wrapped gift which remains unknown, a small jar of Love Heart sweets and finally some mistletoe. With a chuckle, she finds herself moving down the pavement, looking at these items, trying to make sense of how she has come to possess them. It is when she lifts her head that the situation further confuses her, as she finds herself standing outside of Emily's house. Looking around the quiet neighbourhood, she stands, feeling rather lost in how this has all assembled together.
"What the fuck.."
"Madam, are you ready?" She looks to her side and is bombarded with the sight of half a dozen people, men and women, wrapped up in matching clothes and holding folders of some sort. The man to her side smiles warmly and leans forward, pressing the doorbell. He then shuffles back over to the others, who then stand directly behind Naomi. Naomi looks to them, trying to gauge what is going on.
"What.." Then the door opens, revealing a rather despondent looking Jenna. Naomi just stands there, unable to say a word, for she has no way of believing what has already happened. Jenna initially frowns at Naomi, before noticing the presents and array of people. If Naomi was able to remove herself from her thoughts, she would witness Jenna's features soften along with her grip on the door.
"Emily love, it's for you." And then Jenna is gone and in her place is Emily. Her features momentary hard until she acknowledges what is in front of her, and once she sees this vision, the carollers behind Naomi begin to sing. Naomi stands there, words failing her. She looks at Emily in earnest, consumed by certain forms of feeling that vary from confusion to joy, but most importantly when words do fail, her eyes portray her constant unbridled love. Her trembling hands hold the items as her eyes bore into Emily's, whose eyes are fast filling with tears. Two of the carollers step forward to aid the mute blonde and pick up the jar of sweets and gift, handing them to the redhead.
"A jar of sweetness to appease the soul, malady."
"And a pendant of eternal love to appease the heart, malady." It unravels so fast, that Naomi can only watch as Emily opens and holds the presents with tender finger tips, all the while beaming with such an unreserved smile. Her eyes thank them, each and every one of them until her gaze locks with Naomi's. It is then that Emily places the jar onto the floor and hands Naomi the newly unwrapped necklace and turns around, lifting her hair to the side. Naomi fumbles with the necklace, her eyes noting the silver infinite symbol before placing it around her girlfriend's neck, shaking with nerves until she finally secures it with the clip. Emily then turns back around, tears falling down her cheeks. But it is the way her eyes look into Naomi's that force her still, blown away by the sheer adoration ignited there, hardly believing that she can quite possibly be the person to cause such happiness.
"And I believe that this shall appease to the lips.. May you seal this moment with a kiss, malady." Looking up above, both Naomi and Emily witness the mistletoe being held there gracefully by one of the carollers. And just like that, all the snow, all the music, and the entire world disappears as their lips collide, coming together to create a moment that cannot be described as anything other than magical.
Very cheesy, I'm aware! Happy holidays, and Merry Christmas for Wednesday, folks!