Hey! So I haven't posted in ages now as I've been working on my Phoenix/Maya extravignza which, somehow, still isn't finished. I quite fancied writing some Christmas fluff and I'm out of fresh (though, I use that term very loosely as it's pretty hard to write anything that could be concidered "fresh" when writing about them) ideas for Phoenix and Maya. I had an okay idea for a Franzika Christmas fic, but don't have time to write it as it's little over a week until the big day now. Anyway, I went for Gumshoe/Maggey oneshot instead because, well, it's adorable and the closest thing to cannon AA really gives us.
Hopefully people like this; I know PM stuff is more popular and usually gets more reviews/hits, but whatever, I thought this was, if not original, a pretty cute idea all the same. Enjoy and Happy Christmas/Hanuka/Winter everyone! :D
(Rated K+ possibly the mildest most descreet line of vague sexual reference. In fact, it really only sounds suggestive if you read into it . . . you'll see what I mean.)
The Greatest Christmas present of all...
There were many things in life that Gumshoe loved; Maggey for one. She pretty much meant everything to him. She always had, ever since he'd first laid eyes on her. Whenever he thought about this he supposed it was a little odd since he didn't know a thing about her, but there was something about her... Okay, it wasn't love at first sight, exactly, but he certainly liked her. To him, Maggey had this beautiful quality which seemed to shine out of her as well as ever-lasting optimism, despite her terrible luck. He loved that about her.
Another thing he loved was Christmas. Just the thought of it got him feeling as excited and merry as a young child. He'd always been poor, but it had never mattered much to him. Fondly, Gumshoe would look back at Christmas' he'd had a child and they were always fantastic in his memory. He believed it wasn't good to dwell on the relative poverty they'd been in. Christmas was about spirit, not stuffing your face with food and receiving hundreds of presents.
While Christmas was amazing as a child, there was one thing he was sure of this year and that was that, this year, was going to be the best Christmas ever.
It wasn't just due to his circumstances which made him sure of this. Sure, he'd been with Maggey almost a year, now and could still barely believe his luck and yes, as of five months ago they lived together and were doing better than usual, financially. But what made his certain this year would be the best was more to do with the fact he planned to make it the best Christmas ever.
He was going to propose to Maggey.
Gumshoe had been thinking about it for months, in fact, failing that, for much longer. She was his dream-girl, perfect to him and there was nothing about her that he would change. It was the kind of love where he felt like telling everyone, or singing about it from the roof-tops. The kind of love which was strong enough to put a spring in his step everyday, just at the thought that at the end of they day, she'd be waiting for him at home.
What was more was that she actually seemed to feel the same. According to her he was "the luckiest thing that ever happened to her", well, the only lucky thing that had ever really happened to her, but it didn't do well to dwell on that fact.
Saving up had just been matter of putting away a ten dollars every week until it ammounted to a substantial ammount. Finally, just last week he'd smashed the secret piggy-bank at the bottom of the wardrobe and headed down to buy, not the most expensive, but not to cheapest engagement ring. The ring itself was silver with a small blue saphire, which, in his opinion matched the blue eyes of his beloved, very closely.
Unfortunately, at this point he'd hit a bump on the road; a flaw in the plan; a huge problem. He had no idea how to do it. Gumshoe supposed this was a pretty standard problem for those who wished to propose. The moment was so built up by the media; it was supposed to be the singularly most romantic moment of your life (providing the other person said yes). How on earth was he supposed to live up to the extravigant proposals he was sure she'd seen so many times, in movies and on the television?
And then there was what to say. He'd never exactly excelled concerning words. They weren't his strong point and he certainly didn't have way with them. And anyway, how were you meant to put the kind of feelings he had into words, without making it sound cheesy and contrived. Even though they weren't, they often sounded that way whenever he tried to verbalize them.
However, Gumshoe was certain he wanted to do it on Christmas, and he wanted to wait until the evening. He felt that was more romantic. Also, he rather hoped it might snow and there might be a Christmas tree somewhere close.
He tried to picture it happening, imagine where they'd be; ideas finally began to flow and suddenly, Gumshoe knew the perfect way to propose.
Christmas morning, for them, was a little strange. He was used to spending it with his parents, but his mother had died over a year ago and his father had passed away a few months ago at the age of seventy-five. Neither had said anything, but he was sure it was privately agreed that this year might be a little out of the ordinary. Their first Christmas with just the two of them.
Like him, Maggey somewhat resembled a kid at Christmas and this point was highlighted somewhat by the way she woke him up. He awoke to her bouncing at the end of bed, before jumping on top of him to wake him up. They kissed goodmorning and quickly headed downstairs to make breakfast, which they brought back up to their room to eat in bed.
Quickly, their attention was brought to the presents. There weren't many this year; of course they had gits for each other and a couple of Maggey's siblings and cousins, but it didn't take them long to work though the small pile.
"Sorry it's not much," Gumshoe warned her, handing over the gift from under the tree."You know money's a little tight at the moment."
She smiled gratefully, "I'm sure I'll love it." she replied, ripping the paper off the package, "Oh I do!" Straightening out of the violet, blue badger hoodie she pulled it over her head and grinned cheerily, "Now open yours! After seeing this, I have a feeling that you'll like it."
He grinned, with no idea what she meant, but all the same, pleased she liked it. He was also quite glad he had the ring as well. The hoodie hadn't cost very much, what with it having his department logo on, but he loved that she hadn't questioned the price at all.
Excitedly, he now pulled the wrapping paper off his own present and instantly began laughing. It was the same hoodie. "You know, Mags, you have really good taste." He pulled it over his head, but it got caught and Maggey had to grab the bottom and yank it down over his head, leaving them both on the floor laughing uncontrollably.
Maggey burnt Christmas dinner, but he couldn't say he was remotely surprised about this and had secrelty made sure to stock up on other food in case his hunch was correct. They sat down at the over-dressed table, still both wearing their hoodies and tucked into their instant noodles, (Christmas dinner flavour, of course). Gumshoe had to admire the way they actually captured the taste of Christmas diner oddly accurately.
After dinner they cuddled up on the sofa and turned their small fire on as they watched a Christmas film on the new television they'd barely managed to afford. It was funny, but he coudn't ever remember being this happy in his life. Everything was perfect...almost.
"Hey Maggey," he said as the credits rolled down the screen, "Do you wanna go for a walk in the snow?"
A cheery grin plastered on her face she nodded and ran off to grab her coat and gloves. At this point he sneaked into their room and took the ring out of it's hiding place, checked it was still in there and placed it in his pocket.
It had only been snowing for a few hours and so wasn't thick enough to build a snowman with, but they had a slightly pathetic snowball fight by scraping bits off the top of walls. The problem with this was that it took an embarassingly long time to make a snowball and once you'd chucked that, you had to get to work on scraping enough snow together to make another one. While it was fun, he suggested they should find some shelter as it was getting dark and the snow had started up again, so they ran up the hill and stood under the canopy of trees, which were covered in hundreds of small and colourful fairy lights.
Perfect, he thought to himself.
He swallowed as the sat down on the bench, which was rather soggy at this point, but it wasn't important as they were as well, by now. This is it, Dick. Sink of swim. Better hope she says yes or this could quickly turn from the best Christmas, into the worst.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked her, softly. She was shivering a little so he placed his arm around her neck and cuddled her close.
She smiled, "Yeah, we're on the town hill-"
"It's not just the town hill for us, though, is it?" he said, suddenly a little nervous that she may not remember.
Maggey remembered though, clear as day, "Nope," she said cuddling closer, "this is the spot where you asked if I wanted to go for a drink with you sometime."
He nodded, smiling slightly, "Yep, and you didn't catch on that I meant as a date."
"-and then you got all embarassed and said how you really liked me-"
"-and then you got all embarassed and said you weren't used to that kind of attention-"
"-and you said you weren't sure why because you thought I was really beautiful-"
"-yep, and you finally caught on."
Nice as it was to fondly reminisce, his stomach was churning with anxiety. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous in his life, "You know, I made sure we ended up here for a reason, Maggey. I err, had something I wanted to tell you, I mean ask you." he said, quietly in her ear.
She twisted her head and looked up at him, "What is it?"
He paused and smiled down at her, "I'm just wondering when you're going to catch on and realise . . . you have no idea why I brought you here?"
Looking a little confused, but still smiling she shook her head, "I have no idea. You'll have to come out and say it."
He fumbled in his pocket and found the box, "I wanted to tell you that this is probably the best Christmas that I've ever had and if this doesn't work out the way I want it to, I still don't want it to stop here. At least I can hold onto the memories that we've made today and Maggey . . . I love you so much so I want to thank you for making today so special without even trying."
Maggey still looked confused, though now, positively bewildered may be a better way to describe it. "I love you too," she replied, "but what's brought this on?" she looked worried, "Oh God, there's nothing wrong is there?"
He shook his head, "No, nothing like that. I just wanted you to know that before I..." he trailed off, realising the time had some to just say it.
Standing up and kneeling down in the snow in front her, he pulled the small velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, "I just wanted to ask . . . Maggey, will you marry me?"
She didn't quite seem able to process what he'd said. Her eyes were wide and little tears had formed in the corners of her eyes. Swallowing she brought her hand up over her mouth.
And then after a little pause...
"YES, yes, yes, yes and yes!" She squeeled and threw her arms over him as he reciprocated the gesture and laughed out loud as it was the only way he could express his happiness in a vaguely coherant way. They stayed that way for a few minutes, neither able to speak properly, just with their arms around the other and not eager to ever let go, but eventually he could feel Maggey start to shiver again and suggested they walk back.
"I feel bad though," she said as they made their way back down the hill, unable to get rid of the grin plastered across her face. "All I got you was a hoodie and you got me the same hoodie and a beautiful ring . . . " she paused, "How did you even afford this?"
"Oh, I saved up for a few months." he replied, running his hands through his hair, to rid it of snowflakes. "To be honest, I wasn't sure how to propose. I wanted it to be special."
She stopped and took his other hand, "This was the most perfect proposal I ever could have asked for, but . . . just so you know, the thing which made it the most special if that it was you who asked."
"Aww Maggey..." he said, feeling a little lost for words and overcome with emotion.
She looked down and smiled, "This is the best Christmas present I've ever had . . . this . . . and the hoodie, because let's face it, those hoodies are cool."
He laughed, "Why do you think I'm still wearing mine under my coat?"
"Me too and it matches the ring pretty well, too." she said, happily, shivering still, most likely from the dampness of her coat.
"Come on," she said, "What do you say to a warm shower when we get in and I'll bring the Tv upstairs and we can watch a movie in bed."
Grinning mischieviously she shrugged, "Shower and bed? . . . Definitely. Film? Feel free, but I'm not sure how much of it we'll end up watching." and with that she grabbed his arm and kissed him as just a small taster of what the rest of the night might entail.
This really was the best Christmas ever.
(See, for all we know Maggey could easily be saying they won't see much of the film because they'll be innocently sleeping ;))