This is the first instalment in a series of Christmas one-shots I'm doing.

I would like to thank SpellCleaver for this first prompt.

I don't know how many one-shots will be in this by the end, but I will be stopping at the end of December.

Disclaimer: I don't own Six of Crows

Words: 1023

For what had to be the thousandth time that night, Inej leaned over Kaz's sleeping form to peer at the clock. They had gone to bed before ten o'clock in anticipation for an early Christmas morning, but Inej, no matter what she did, could not actually fall asleep. She felt like her body was buzzing with excitement.

She flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. After a few still moments, she glanced over at Kaz.

She knew that sleeping people were often described as looking younger, but Kaz didn't. He did seem more peaceful though. Like he wasn't carrying the weight of a thousand people. And, despite the fact that the thought would surely earn her a killing glare, she couldn't help thinking that he looked rather adorable. With the way his awful hair fell in his face, and his mouth was just slightly parted. And the slight moonlight coming in from the window that seemed to sooth his hard edges.

After another moment spent memorizing his relaxed look, she reached over to shake his shoulder. She was sick of the fact that he was peacefully sleeping, while she was lying there, unable to contain her excitement long enough to catch a wink.

When he shifted, she pulled her hand away. "Kaz." She whispered. "Kaz, wake up." She didn't want to be touching him when he woke up. He was getting better, able to hold her hand and even wrap his arms around her and occasionally he gave her the briefest kiss, and it wasn't so bad when he first woke up, but she didn't want to risk setting him off.

When he didn't respond, however, she shook his shoulder again. He groaned, and half-heartedly pushed her hand away.

"Kaz." she punctuated his name with a poke in the shoulder. "Wake up, Kaz."

Slowly, his eyes opened. "What?" the question was half groan, half semi-coherent mumbling. He turned over to look at the clock. Through a yawn, he said, "Why did you wake me up at 4:30 in the morning?"

"Well, first of all, it's actually 4:32. Secondly, I couldn't sleep." She blinked at him.

"And what does that have to do with me?" He reached up to rub his sleep filled eyes.

"That fact that it is, as a matter of fact, Christmas morning, and I couldn't wait any longer."

"First, you said 'fact' twice in that sentence, which makes you sound like a child," She scoffed. "And second, I don't give a damn if it's Christmas morning, or the anniversary of the day your great aunt Clara died, it is still 4:32, and I would like to sleep." With that, he rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.

She huffed.

Ten minutes later, when she was still awake, she said, "Kaz, I still can't sleep."

He groaned, but she felt him shift to face her.

"Why?"

"I'm too excited. I know you have some sort of aversion to pleasant emotions, but I really love Christmas."

He sighed. "Just try to sleep. And leave me alone. I like you and all, but I also like sleep." She just looked at him with eyes that told him it would be impossible.

He sighed again, but this time it was the sort of sigh that told her he would stay awake a little longer for her. "Why do you love Christmas so much?"

She had to admit, it wasn't the question she had been expecting, and she had to think about it. "I don't really know." Her voice was so quiet, she was half certain he would not be able to hear her. And when he did not respond, she thought he had not.

Then he said, "Did my ears deceive me, or did I just hear Inej Ghafa just admit to not knowing something?"

"Shut up."

He chuckled.

She thought about it again. "I guess I just like the atmosphere. People you don't know smiling at you in the streets. And not the typical sly, evil looking smile. A real smile. And there's decorations everywhere. Even in the Barrel." She paused. "Even you let the Crow Club be decorated."

He didn't say anything for a while. Then he leaned over and opened the small drawer in the bedside table. The small, black box he pulled out was tied with a simple gray ribbon. She didn't quite know what to do when he handed it to her. "Merry Christmas. Inej."

She stared at him. "You bought me something?"

"You thought I wouldn't?" His tone had an edge to it that she couldn't place.

"Well, you've never bought me anything before."

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Open, closed. Finally he settled on, "Actually I did. I just never implied that they were Christmas gifts." His brown eyes looked the colour melted chocolate, in the moonlight. He pointed to the gift. "Are you going to open it?"

Slowly, not entirely sure what to do with what he had just said, she opened the box. Inside sat a simple pair of rubber slippers. Nearly identical to the ones she'd lost in the Ice Court. She had been meaning to get a new pair, but had not found the time. She could not help the smile that spread across her face.

She looked up to find him watching her closely. "I- thank you. Wait. How did you get my feet size?"

He cleared his throat. "I tracked down the Grisha Tailor you went to last time. He still had them."

"Thank you, Kaz." He smiled. "Do you want your gift now too, or later?"

"Later is fine."

Then, without warning, he grabbed her shoulders and pressed his lips against hers. In the moment it took her to get over her shock, he had already pulled away. He looked her in the eye and said, with full authority, "Now, go. To. Sleep." He turned back over, and in a matter of moments, his breathing had evened out.

Inej smiled again, before setting her new slippers on the bedside table and settling down beside Kaz. Soon, she was finally asleep.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review! I do appreciate constructive criticism, so feel free.