It was early December on the Island of Sodor. Everyone was starting to make holiday preparations for Christmas. The engines loved this time of year too. The snow could be a problem sometimes, but the holidays meant a whole lot more to them. Thomas and Emily particularly loved the snow and Christmas time. The snow let them play games together, like when Thomas played "Snowstorm," with Emily after he hid his snowplough and Emily helped him find it. Also that year, it was the first time Thomas, Emily and all of Sodor saw the auroras.
Two other engines loved the winter spirit. Snow changed a lot for Luke. He felt like he was in a different world whenever he saw snow falling around him.
One snowy evening, Luke was on his way to Ulfstead Castle to see Millie again after they watched the auroras. Millie was happy to see Luke a second time. After watching the auroras together, they felt even more precious to each other.
"Luke! My dear, how are you?" she exclaimed happily. "I'm great, Millie," replied Luke. "The quarry work is still slow because of the snow, but it's building up and soon we'll all be back to work as usual."
After a while of enjoying each other's company, Luke looked at the arches above him and Millie. He saw a curling line of mistletoe. Millie saw Luke and she looked up too…then she blushed. Luke had never seen this before and asked her.
"Millie, what is that above us?"
"That's mistletoe, Luke," she said sweetly. "It's a plant many people use at Christmas for decoration on trees and presents…but it has another use that has passed through history…"
"That's so lovely," said Luke. "But who set it up there?"
"Only one person would do this at this time of year…the Earl," said Millie.
When she looked to her left, she saw him approaching the platform. He looked at the two engines, then above them.
"Hello, you two…there's no harm in embracing a little old Christmas tradition, is there?" he said as he winked to Millie and went back inside the castle. "I'll leave you little engines at it."
"What tradition is this?" asked Luke. Millie looked at Luke with a loving smile.
"There is a tradition that when a couple is under mistletoe, they kiss each other," she whispered.
"O-oh! Do they? Really?" stammered Luke. Both engines blushed a light red. Then they slowly came closer and kissed very softly. Their eyes closed and they exchanged gentle kisses to the lips and cheeks for a while, not using their tongues at all. They were different engines with different ways of loving each other and were not as passionate as Thomas and Emily.
"I love you, Millie," Luke whispered between kisses.
"I love you too, Luke," Millie whispered back. Much like Thomas and Emily, Luke and Millie could feel a very happy, warm feeling spreading through each other, making them forget the cold air of winter. Millie's lips were so gentle as she kissed Luke. She was still fascinated by his backstory about Victor and knew he was a delicate, anxious engine sometimes. To keep him happy, she would love him as long as they lived.
Luke loved Millie just as much and he kissed her gently too, carefully making sure he didn't kiss her too hard or desperately.
After seven minutes, they paused their kissing and panted for a while. They had never held one kiss for that long. Although they had to catch their breath, they still felt very happy and pure. For a minute or two, they looked at each other with joyful smiles.
"I love you so much, Millie," Luke whispered, his eyes beginning to water.
"Merci, Luke," whispered Millie. "I love you too…so much."
They came back together and started to kiss again, gently and happily. Eventually, Stephen came by the station and was approaching the platform when he saw the two little engines.
"Oh!" he said with a little surprise. That caught Millie's attention with alarm. She and Luke released from each other and looked at Stephen, both very embarrassed. Stephen looked up and saw the mistletoe and realized the Earl must have put it there.
"I'm truly sorry, you two," Stephen said nervously as he passed Luke and Millie and puff out of the castle.
Luke looked back at Millie. She had a look of shock and surprise on her face.
"S-sorry, Millie…" Luke began.
"It's not your fault, Luke," said Millie. "The tradition was worth it."
While still rather embarrassed, Luke agreed, then remembered he had to return to the quarry. "I should go now. Au Revoir, Millie," he said.
"Au Revoir, Luke," said Millie. As Luke disappeared down the hill, she hoped they'd see each other again during the holidays…
Meanwhile, at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas and Emily were relaxing by themselves. They were both looking forward to Christmas. Emily was smiling happily at the lights decorating the sheds and Thomas was simply smiling at his angel.
"Christmas is coming closer, Tommy," said Emily.
"I can't wait, Emily," said Thomas. "I have a feeling this one will be wonderful."
Suddenly, Emily noticed something above Thomas' berth…a neatly arranged line of mistletoe. This gave her an idea. She slowly turned round on the turntable to his berth and smoothly came forward to his buffers.
"Tommy…look up," she said sweetly. Thomas did so, then gasped. "Mistletoe…" he breathed. Then he heard Emily smooch her lips. He looked to see her eyebrows raised and her eyelids half shut.
"I'm the dominant one this time," she purred seductively.
Thomas was suddenly very nervous. "Emily…the others could come back any minute. Perhaps at Knapford Sheds?"
"What's the matter, Tommy? Are you afraid we'll be caught?" Emily replied. "Knapford is so far away, I need your lovely kisses now. Besides...having the risk of being caught makes it all the more...alluring, don't you think?" Her tone was smooth and seductive. The smirk on her face was sly and desirable. She gave another low purring sound, sending shivers through Thomas' boiler and making his cheeks burn with a deep red blush. Her smile grew wider as she watched his reaction. She adored seeing him struggle against her charms, it gave her a sense of satisfaction knowing she could make Thomas fall for her so easily. "Give me all the love you have. Kiss me, my cobalt star."
"Oh, my emerald angel," he murmured. "You're…I…I..." Thomas tried as hard he could to resist temptation, but like always it was useless. He gently kissed her lips, making her giggle with delight. Her spell had worked on him just like it always did. She kissed him back and stayed that way for several seconds before they softly pulled away.
"Keep me warm, Tommy. Kiss my cheeks…" Emily whispered.
Thomas would have answered her request, but a thought popped into his smokebox. He secretly preferred when she was being the dominant one rather than him. But sometimes felt that he made her feel confined when he usually pushed her into the back of the sheds. He decided to find out.
"Emily...I know I'm usually the, eh, dominant one whenever we do this...do I...do I ever make you feel...confined?"
Emily stared at Thomas with wide eyes. "Thomas, we've been doing this for years now and I've never complained or said anything about feeling confined. Why are you only asking me this now?"
"It's just you've rarely ever been in the front, it's mostly always me in front and you in the back of the shed. I just thought it didn't seem fair that you've hardly had the chance to be in control when we've expressed our love in all the time we've been a couple. I feel like I haven't given you enough freedom when we do this," explained Thomas.
Emily pressed he nose against his, looked Thomas in the eyes and gently kissed his lips, catching him off guard for a moment. When she broke off, she said, "Tommy...I couldn't care which of us is the dominant one during our intimacy. All that matters is that we're able to express and showcase our love for each other. It doesn't matter who's in control, does it?"
"N-no I suppose not..."
"No suppose about it."
"No, I'm sorry you're right," said Thomas.
"Of course I'm right. I love you with all my heart, Tommy, and all I could ever ask for is your love, my Christmas Star," said Emily sweetly.
Thomas' concerns flew out of his funnel when he heard Emily's reassurance. "Oh, Emily, my Christmas Angel. I love you too, you're all I could ever ask for as well. I still think I should be more fair about this though. I...I honestly prefer it when you're in control..." he said, blushing.
"Oh...do you now, Tommy?" asked Emily, in a seductive tone once again. "A-ha, ha...y-yes, I do..." Thomas laughed nervously.
"Well," purred Emily. "I'm glad you do, Tommy...I'll make sure you enjoy every moment while it lasts...kiss me...kiss my cheeks, my love..."
"Of course, my love," Thomas whispered back as he gently kissed both her cheeks several times over. He loved how soft and warm they felt and she loved having him kiss her. Thomas then gave her nose a few little kisses, enjoying her happy giggles.
"Oh, Tommy, your kisses are so lovely and soft…just like mine," whispered Emily.
"Thanks, Emily," whispered Thomas. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, Thomas…You make me so happy," smiled Emily as she puckered up and kissed his lips. Thomas sighed and kissed her right back. They spent a few minutes gently kissing each other's lips and basking in their happiness. But soon, their kisses became passionate. Emily's tongue gently met Thomas'. Thomas responded by letting his tongue wrap around Emily's. This made them feel so wonderful and pure. Much like when they watched the auroras, Thomas and Emily felt like they were in the clouds together as their tongues rubbed against each other.
Emily could feel her happiness building so much within her, she cried quietly. Her tears trailed slowly down her cheeks. They gently ended their kiss for a moment and looked directly into each other's eyes.
"Care for a cuddle, my angel?" whispered Thomas.
"Thank you, Tommy," whispered Emily. "I'd love that." So Thomas buffered as close as he could so his cheeks touched Emily's, spreading even more happiness and warmth through each other.
Thomas gently kissed Emily's lips once more. "I love you, Emily…so much," he whispered.
"I love you too, Thomas," whispered Emily.
"Ahh, what a pair of turtle-doves," said a voice from outside. Thomas and Emily's hearts jumped. It was James…and the rest of the engines were there too! They had come back just a moment ago. James had attempted to keep quiet, a valiant effort on his behalf, but utterly hopeless.
"We're sorry to intrude," said Edward with sympathy, but his respect was drowned out by Gordon, James and Percy laughing.
"If you want to enjoy yourselves, do so where we don't need to see such things," Gordon sniffed.
Thomas and Emily were most embarrassed, both going very red. Almost as red as James. They were caught in plain sight.
"Oh, Thomas," Emily whispered sadly. "You were right. We should have done this at Knapford Sheds…I'm so sorry. I should have considered the odds!"
"Yes," said Thomas, firmly. "We most certainly should spend more time there…especially now that we're being…" Gordon and James were still laughing hard.
"Pansies!" wheezed James.
"They've lost their minds!" laughed Gordon.
"It's the mistletoe!" squeaked Percy. Henry didn't want to tease Thomas and Emily, but try as he might, he still couldn't help but chuckle madly.
"Stop it, all of you," ordered Edward. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! What would the Fat Controller say?"
The other engines managed to stop laughing when they heard that. Edward still gave them a stern look. Then he turned to Emily and winked to reassure her that he was on Thomas' side as well as hers.
"Go into the back of the shed," he whispered. "At least they won't see you."
Emily smiled lightly as she pushed Thomas further in until his back buffers touched the buffers in the shed.
"Well, Thomas," she whispered quietly. "I agree with you. The next time we do this, we'll do so at Knapford Sheds."
"Agreed," said Thomas. "Even so, I did enjoy every moment while it lasted." Unfortunately, they heard a few chuckles from the big engines when they heard that.
"At the Love Shed," James snickered to Gordon.
"Enough!" hissed Henry. "Leave them be!"
"Thank you, Henry," said Edward.
Thomas and Emily were still rather shocked at being discovered, but with Edward and the Fat Controller understanding their feelings, they knew everything would work out. Christmas would come soon and Thomas would soon find something else to do this winter.
And so here the second story of the "Christmas Hamper", a much shorter gift than the first one, but that's not necessary a bad thing. Why I have chosen to publish this story today, on the 10th of December, is very simple. Today marks one full year since I uploaded my second Christmas story of 2015, "Christmas Angel" and I thought it would be appropriate to to post my second Xmas story of 2016 on the same date as I did for the second story the previous year. So please tell us what you thought about this story in your reviews, and I will see you all on Christmas Eve for the third festive story. I know a certain somebody has been waiting a long time for this one and it's finally coming. You all should know by now what it is, so I will see you then on Christmas Eve.