Hey everyone! Merry Christmas to you all! Here is a little something that I wrote to celebrate the festive season :-)

Hope everyone has a fantastic day!

xxx

December 2123

Christmas had always been Ayani's favourite time of the year. It was the one day that she knew she and her soldier would be in their own home. She would always make a big thing out of it, decorating their home and cooking a huge meal.

Nathanial and she would return home normally around the twentieth of December. On Christmas day, they would celebrate together. Then on Boxing Day, her parents and his mother and sister would come around. Presents would be exchanged, food would be eaten, laughter would fill the room, and normally the night would end with a game of trivial pursuit.

Ayani loved the festive season. Ever since she had been little, Christmas had been her favourite holiday. And that year would be even more special as she finally knew she had the perfect present for her soldier. Nothing would top the item that she was wrapping in the little, rectangular box.

A soft smile formed on her lips as she gazed down at the parcel wrapped in blue paper with the words Merry Christmas etched across in shiny silver font. Biting her lower lip with excitement and anticipation at seeing her soldier's face, she carefully placed the gift under the big, green tree that took centre stage in their living room.

The tree was decorated head to toe in sparkling lights and red and gold baubles. The angel that her own grandmother had made sat on the top, just like it did every year. Ayani sighed happily to herself as her green eyes gazed up at the tree.

Slowly, she got back to her feet. She carefully adjusted some tinsel on the tree, wanting it to be perfect for Nathanial when he returned. Ayani had hated that she had had to leave him in Russia; but when she had found out that her father had been taken ill she had had to come back to make sure he was going to be alright.

Nathanial had understood and as always had supported her. He had even encouraged her to leave, wanting her to be with her father. And although that was what Ayani had wanted, a month without her soldier had seemed daunting. But she had had to be there for her parents.

Sighing to herself, she made her way into the kitchen, preparing herself a meal.

Four more days she thought. That was all she had to wait before her soldier returned home.

On the eighteenth of December, Ayani was busy cleaning the oven, readying it for the Christmas dinner she would be cooking. That task was probably her least favourite; but someone had to do it.

A sudden knocking on the door caused Ayani to jump. She cursed lightly before withdrawing from the semi clean cooker. Removing her thick, yellow cleaning gloves, she made her way to the front door. Reaching her hand out to the door handle, Ayani cast her eyes to the mirror that hung on the wall by the door. She grimaced at her reflection. Grease from the oven was on her cheek and sweat dotted across her brow.

Sighing, she twisted the handle and pulled open the door. The man standing on the other side of the door had his back to her, but Ayani instantly knew who it was even before he had turned around. Yet still when his dark blue eyes met her bright green ones, confirming his presence, her jaw hit the floor, shock that he was really there taking over her.

"N..Nathanial?" She queried, as if not trusting her own eyes. He simply sent her one of his heart-stopping smiles in response to her shock. "You're home early." She breathed, still not daring to believe that the man before her was really there.

Nathanial nodded.

"I had some time owing to me and I couldn't wait two more days to see you."

Suddenly a big grin stretched across Ayani's pixie like face. She practically pounced at her husband, flinging her arms around his neck. Nathanial didn't even stumble; instead he wrapped his wife in a tight embrace, kissing her shoulder repeatedly.

"Oh I've missed you so much!" Ayani cried, happy tears spilling down her cheeks.

Nathanial chuckled, though Ayani knew he was fighting against his own elated tears. Despite him acting like the tough man everyone believed he was, she knew how sensitive he really was. Nathanial brought his hand up to cup his wife's jaw, turning her face to his. He kissed her deeply, letting her know how much he had missed her too.

"I love you so much." He remarked softly.

Ayani beamed at him.

"I love you too." Nathanial grinned. Then he chuckled as he wiped her cheeks. Ayani turned her face into his hand, kissing his palm. They shared an intense smile, before Nathanial picked up his large, military rucksack. "I'm sorry about the state of the house." Ayani commented as she walked her husband inside. "I would have cleaned it if I had known you were coming back sooner."

She sent a smirk at her husband. He often liked surprising her like that. Nathanial laughed.

"Compared with where I have just come from this place is spotless." He stated, grinning affectionately at his wife.

She smiled warmly back at him. Then she suddenly remembered the greasy stain on her face, the messed nature of her normally straight hair and the baggy clothes she reserved for when she was alone or had cleaning to do.

"And I must look like a mess." She remarked, smiling awkwardly as she patted down her hair. Nathanial smiled at her as he dropped his bag on the floor, kicking closed the front door. "I've been cleaning the oven, getting ready for the roast." Ayani rubbed her cheek ferociously, hoping she'd gotten rid of the stain. Nathanial began walking toward her as she spoke. "You should have let me know you were coming back today; I would have had a meal ready for you and made myself look a little more presentable." Ayani scolded lightly.

Nathanial continued smiling at her as he prowled toward her. She watched him carefully and grinned when he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. She happily went, giggling like a teenage girl.

"You look beautiful as always." Nathanial breathed, bringing his lips to her neck.

Ayani sniggered.

"I highly doubt that!" She exclaimed.

Nathanial murmured in response. Ayani's grin widened as his lips travelled from her neck along her jaw and back to her lips. She wound her nimble fingers through his dark chocolate hair as they shared another heated kiss. Then suddenly her feet were leaving the ground as Nathanial scooped her up into his arms.

In any other moment she would have scolded him, exclaiming that she had too much to do. But right then, she cared about nothing else then being with the man she loved.

Ayani's meadow coloured eyes fluttered open when she felt soft lips pressing on her forehead. The smell of freshly cooked food and coffee engulfed her senses, and she felt something warm against her legs. She beamed when she was met by deep blue eyes.

"Morning beautiful." Nathanial whispered, kissing her lips.

"Morning." Ayani batted her eyelashes a few times as her eyes adjusted. Then she tilted her gaze down to the tray that her husband clutched in his hold. "What's this?" She asked.

Her eyes analysed the trays contents. On the centre was a plate with three pancakes covered in golden syrup. A mug of steaming coffee stood to the left of the plate.

"Breakfast in bed." Nathanial announced, grinning. "Merry Christmas."

Ayani beamed before kissing her husband deeply. Then she sat up, pressing her back against the headboard on their bed. She took the tray from her husband and positioned it better on her lap. Then she waited whilst Nathanial retrieved his own breakfast from the kitchen. She grinned as he got back into bed with her.

As they ate, they chatted about anything and everything. Nathanial grinned every time his wife laughed, having missed her infectious giggle. He loved her so much and hated spending all that time apart.

It had been over a month since he had seen his wife; too long in his mind. She had been with him in Russia, but had returned early when her father had been taken ill. He'd suffered a heart attack, worse than the one he had had before. Ayani had been so worried and desperate to see her father that Nathanial had eventually told her to go; despite him hating her not being with him. She was what got him through each battle. The thought of his wife being there to greet him always brought him safely home.

Nathanial had been so pleased to hear that his father-in-law was recovering. Ayani's father was such a kind hearted man; she took after him in that sense. They both had a heart of gold.

Once breakfast was finished with, Nathanial took the plates into the kitchen and cleaned up. Ayani remained in the bedroom, combing through her long, golden hair. She then retrieved her silk, violet robe from where it lay across the chair in the bedroom, and pulled it on over her shoulders. Rubbing her hands together in attempt at heating her cool flesh, she made her way out of the bedroom.

Ayani smiled as she gazed over at Nathanial, whistling to himself as he cleaned up the plates that had had their meal on. It had been the longest month Ayani had ever endured, not being with her husband.

Nathanial glanced around at his wife and grinned. He dried his hands before making his way over to her. Interlocking her fingers with his, he kissed her passionately.

"It's good to be home." Nathanial breathed, embracing his wife and planting a kiss in her beautiful blonde hair.

Ayani nodded her agreement.

"It is." She hated having to move all the time. At first it had been fun, seeing all of the different places. But Ayani had quickly come to realise that one place looked like another; barren and dying. The Earth was just one big wasteland. Sighing, she pushed thoughts like that from her mind and instead beamed up at her husband. "Time for presents?" She inquired.

Nathanial grinned at her before kissing her once more. Then he allowed his wife to lead him over to the couch. He smiled over at the Christmas tree, thoroughly appreciating his wife's work. She always worked hard on the tree.

"Let me give you yours first." Nathanial remarked once they were seated.

Ayani beamed. Nathanial had snuck it under the tree that morning when his wife had still been sleeping. She giggled happily as he picked it up from under the branches.

"Wait." Ayani said all of a sudden. "Let's open the others first and leave our ones until the end." She suggested.

Nathanial eyed her suspiciously. When it came to surprises, Ayani was terrible. She had to know, unable to bear the anticipation. That was why he always loved surprising her whenever he could, because he got to do it so rarely. So her suggestion made him wonder what her present to him was. He figured it must have been something extraordinary if she was willing to wait for hers. Suddenly he was the excited one with a problem with patience.

"Okay." Nathanial remarked, shrugging like it didn't matter to him. He placed his wife's present back on the floor before reaching under the tree to where Ayani had neatly stacked the multicoloured parcels from the friends and neighbours. "Here." He held out a red package for his wife to take.

About half an hour later, the gifts from their friends had been unwrapped. Nathanial and Ayani were then surrounded by several boxes of chocolates and various home ware items.

"Now for my gift to you." Nathanial remarked, holding out the box wrapped in golden paper.

Ayani took it, beaming.

"You didn't have to get me anything." She remarked.

Nathanial rolled his eyes. She said that every year.

"Just open it."

Ayani giggled excitedly as she carefully unwrapped the box. Her gaze flicked briefly to her husband when she beheld the jewellery box in her hands. Then she clicked open the box. The gasp that Nathanial had been expecting followed instantly after.

"Oh Nathanial..." Ayani gazed down at the pendant. It was a silver locket with a heart shaped pendant. On the locket, a pattern that resembled entwining stems had been engraved around the edges. But what shocked her most was that her own name had been carved in the centre. "It's beautiful." She whispered. Then she beamed at her husband. "I love it!"

Nathanial nodded.

"I thought you might." He grinned down at the locket. He still owed Tom a drink for engraving Ayani's name in the silver. "It comes with a second gift though."

Ayani frowned up at him.

"What?" Nathanial grinned. Then he picked up the second half of his wife's present. Ayani's eyes widened as she beheld the parcel. "Oh you really shouldn't have!" She exclaimed, taking the parcel.

Nathanial chuckled.

"I know. But I saw it and I know you've always wanted one and I couldn't resist."

Ayani beamed. Then she placed her necklace on the seat beside her before tearing through the paper on her second gift. As the paper fell away, Ayani's breath got caught in her throat.

"Is this what I think it is?" She questioned.

Nathanial smiled and watched as his wife stroked her fingers along the wooden box. Then she carefully opened the lid. The moment she did, a melodic tune sounded. Ayani smiled softly down as she listened to the music. Nathanial was right, as always. She had always wanted a music box, ever since she had seen her friend's one when she was five. But things like that were hard to come by in the day and age that they lived in then.

"Thank you." Ayani breathed. "It's beautiful."

She turned her gaze to look at her husband and smiled. Tears were in her eyes, causing Nathanial to chuckle at her. Then he leant forward and kissed her.

"Well I figured you'd need somewhere safe to put that necklace."

Ayani grinned. Then she picked up the jewellery box once more.

"Oh this will remain around my neck."

She removed the silver chain from the box and then gestured for her husband to help put it on. Nathanial took the locket from her, and carefully draped it around her elegant neck. Once the chain was done up, Nathanial lightly kissed Ayani on the back of her neck.

Ayani looked down at her locket and smiled. Then she kissed her husband once more.

"You look stunning." He commented, wrapping his arm around her.

Ayani grinned. Then her eyes went to the tree.

"And now for your present." She commented.

Nathanial watched as his wife went to retrieve the small, rectangular box from under the tree. His intrigue grew when he saw a sudden shyness sweep across her beautiful features. She sat back down, took a deep breath and held out his gift. Nathanial looked down at the parcel in his hands, his thick eyebrows furrowing. Then he started removing the paper.

He dropped the paper on the pile on the floor and turned the white box over in his hands a few times, trying to work out what was within. He heard something moving about inside and he couldn't stop himself from shaking the box like a child with a rattle. Ayani smirked. Nathanial glanced up at her and smiled. She was gazing down at the box in his hands, her teeth in her lower lip.

Without hesitating any further, Nathanial opened the box and reached in to pull out its contents. He stared at the object in his hands confusedly, not comprehending what he was seeing. Then full blown shock hit him. He could do nothing but stare.

Ayani watched her husband tentatively. Although she was certain he was going to be ecstatic, a part of her couldn't help but wonder whether he would actually be unhappy toward the news. He was dedicated to his job. She didn't know if he was ready; she still wasn't certain if she was.

Nathanial peeked back up at his wife. She was watching him cautiously, as if not certain how he was going to react to his present. He held up the white object in his hand.

"Is this for real?" He asked disbelievingly.

Ayani nodded.

"Yes." She smiled. "Merry Christmas."

Nathanial stared at her a moment longer before glancing back at the test he held in his hands. Positive. He was going to be a father. Suddenly he grinned at the prospect, his happiness bursting from him. He looked back at his wife and grabbed her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You're pregnant!" He exclaimed. Suddenly he realised how tightly he was holding his wife and instantly he let go and regained his control, remembering how delicate she then was. "I'm sorry. I just...I can't believe..." He frowned. "How long have you known for?"

Ayani was grinning wildly, gathering that had been taken as good news.

"I've known for three weeks now." She admitted.

Nathanial laughed.

"And you didn't tell me!"

Ayani normally couldn't keep anything to herself; especially news like that. She grinned.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

Nathanial smiled widely.

"Well thank you! It is the best damn present you ever could have given me!"

The two of them grinned at one another before kissing wildly, celebrating their surprise. The next hour was filled with excited baby talk, as Nathanial fussed over his wife's stomach that then held the most precious thing in the world.