Disclaimer: I don't own anything blah blah blah.

"Are you sure we can just break into their house and fill it with Christmas decorations?" Caroline whines.

Elena nods. "Yeah, their door is like always unlocked."

Caroline pouts again while Matt and a few of his football friends lug a giant tree up the driveway. "I really don't like Damon, though." She carries an armload of bags full of decorations as she shakes falling snowflakes out of her hair.

"It's not for Damon, remember? This is Stefan's house, too. I mean, they're all alone. Who's going to do it for them?" Elena asks, kicking the front door open due to the fact she has no available hands or arms.

"His other loving girlfriend," Caroline rolls her eyes sarcastically. "Right in here, boys," Caroline instructs. She points to a large space near the fireplace in the parlor. The boys set the tree into the stand, extra snow sliding off the branches. They leave quickly, leaving Caroline and Elena to decorate the house by themselves.

Caroline dumps bag after bag of fake sparkly snow over the tree and all around, not bothering to hide her boredom. Elena places bauble after bauble on the tree while Caroline moves onto wrapping Christmas lights around the tree. They finish the tree, placing a star on the top before showering the rest of the parlor with decorations. They sneak out two hours later, pleased with their handiwork.


Elena arrives early Christmas morning house, her arms full of presents. She steps inside, wondering if anyone's home. She dumps the gifts under the tree before venturing off to the kitchen to see if they have any hot cocoa. She finds Damon there, ripping open a blood bag with his teeth, draining it quickly.

"What the fuck happened to my living room?" he snarls, tossing the bag aside.

Elena smiles. "Don't you love it. C'mon, Damon. You can't spend Christmas alone and miserable. Besides, this house could use a makeover."

Damon stares at her skeptically. "Stefan will be on my side. He won't stand for any of this Winter Wonderland bull. You just wait and see," Damon smirks arrogantly.


"Wow, it's..."

"Something straight off of the Home and Gardens? Hideous? Tacky hell? Whatever it is, I agree with you 100%, my brother," Damon supplies hopefully.

"Really nice," Stefan finishes and Elena pokes her tongue out at Damon.

Elena waltzes off toward the kitchen, telling them not to move. "I'm going to make some hot cocoa!" Elena adds, "And you will both drink all of it!"

Elena waits for the milk on the stove to warm. She leans against a counter, humming Christmas songs. She hears something and turns around to see Damon there. She's surprised but doesn't scream.

"Well seeing as you've gone psychotic with the interior designing of this house, I've added a few of my very own personal touches," Damon says with a very Damon-like smile.

Elena raises an eyebrow, worried about what these 'personal touches' could possibly be. "What are they?" Elena asks in a whisper, hoping the stockings are still hanging from the fireplace.

Damon looks up and Elena's eyes follow his to the ceiling. She sucks in her breath, unable to form words in her mouth. That was definitely not placed by Elena nor Caroline. That was something neither Elena or Caroline even brought.

"Mistletoe," Damon says with a sly look in his eye.

Elena shakes her head immediately, trying to push Damon away.

"You have to," Damon says in almost a sing-song voice. "Or else it's bad luck."

Elena continues to shake her head, smacking her hands on his chest. "Not in a million years," Elena hisses.

"Well, darling, if you haven't noticed, I can wait," Damon responds. "C'mon, just a quick peck. Completely platonic and between friends. Dear old Steffie won't need to ever find out. I promise it won't be that bad."

"Nope," Elena says, still shaking her head. To her relief, Stefan walks in at that precise moment.

"Stefan, what a lovely surprise," Damon says sarcastically. "Elena and I just met up... underneath the mistletoe. She, however, refuses to partake in such a classic tradition and bring bad luck upon all of us. Hah! How incredibly selfish!"

Stefan doesn't look upset, which surprises Elena. "Just a peck on the cheek, I promise," Damon swears. He steals a glance at Stefan. He doesn't look to amused and neither does Elena. "Just close your eyes," Damon says quietly through his teeth.

Elena obliges, keeping her eyes slightly open.

"No cheating."

Damon moves in very carefully and slowly before parting his lips slightly. He presses them on her forehead for the briefest moment. Elena opens her eyes again, slowly.

"See, wasn't so bad," Damon says, rolling his eyes.

Elena smiles weakly. "Let's go open presents!"


Elena sorts through a large pile of gifts, placing them in two stockings hanging from the fireplace appropriately titled Damon and Stefan. Elena turns to the two boys, smiling.

"Okay, I'm done. Go crazy!" Elena is practically jumping in the air with excitement so the brothers try to show as much excitement as possible. It's the first time they've celebrated Christmas together as a family in a very long time and frankly, it's a little awkward.

"Presents, woohoo," Damon says, taking his small bundle of presents. He plops down on the floor, near Stefan and Elena. "No milk and cookies?"

Elena finishes sipping her hot chocolate. "Oh! Actually, I did bring some." Elena gets up from her cozy spot in front of Stefan to find her bag.

"I was jo-" Damon is cut off by Stefan kicking him.

"Elena's full of energy, more than I've ever seen in a long time," Stefan says so that only Damon can hear. Elena returns with a plate covered with foil. She rips the foil off, brandishing a plate of gingerbread men.

Elena sets the plate down, waiting for them to take the cookies. Stefan takes some, munching them down like a good boyfriend. Damon skips the cookie, opening his first present. He tears off the paper quickly, faster than Elena's eyes can catch. He shakes the lid of the box off the bottom, removing the tissue paper.

Damon holds up the gift, inspecting it. "A black John Varvatos button down? Because I don't have enough of these already?"

Elena and Stefan both roar with laughter. "Well it's not like you wear anything else," Elena says, wiping away tears. "Next gift."

Damon takes the next gift which is a small box. He shakes it, hearing something hit against the walls of the box. Opening it, he finds a small black lump. "What is this?" Damon asks, making a face.

"Let's see. Black and lifeless," Stefan says, pretending to think. "It's a replica of your heart." Damon tosses a gingerbread man at Stefan's head which crumbles into a million crumbs.

Elena brushes the tiny flecks out of her hair. "Hey! Jenna spent a lot of time making these!"

"Is this something that has died and possibly decayed?" Damon asks, raising his eyebrows.

Elena smiles proudly. "You're both wrong. It's coal! When little boys and girls are naughty, they don't get presents from Santa Clause. They get coal!" She waits for them to laugh but Damon doesn't look that amused. He breaks off a part of the coal, crushing it to smithereens in between two fingers.

"One last gift," Elena says, tossing a soft package at him. Damon opens it slowly to reveal a plush teddy bear. "I thought you could use some more friends."

"I have plenty of friends," Damon says matter-of-factly.

Elena snorts. "Who? Me and Alaric Saltzman?"

Damon swallows hard. Elena just referred to herself as his friend. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had every called him that. In fact, he didn't think anyone had ever called him that.

"Just don't call her Katherine or anything like that," Elena rambles on but Damon doesn't hear her. He stares down at the teddy bear which seemingly smiles back at him with its glassy eyes. "You're turn Stefan!" Elena sings.


Elena finally leaves after much more wrapping paper is torn off presents. She makes them promise not to be late for Christmas dinner at the Gilbert/Sommers household. Elena arrives home, informs Jenna that Stefan and Damon will be joining them and grabs an apron. Alaric Saltzman, also spending the holidays at Jenna's nearly chokes on an olive.

"What's wrong?" Jenna asks. "You always say, the more the merrier."

Alaric coughs a few times. "Yeah, the more the merrier..." He says weakly, gulping down another glass of wine.

Damon and Stefan show up at exactly 7 o'clock which is just in time for dinner. Alaric opens the door, letting Stefan in but attempting to shut Damon out.

"Ah ah ah, Ric. Be nice now. I'm a guest of Elena," he says, emphasizing Elena's name. He heads off to the kitchen, smirking.


Dinner is a mild success. Elena feels awkward squeezed in between Damon and Stefan while Alaric attempts to make small talk. Elena nearly chokes on a string bean when she feels a hand settle on her knee. She turns to her right where Stefan is, only to realize the hand is resting on her left knee. She clenches her teeth when she feels his hand traveling upward before settling in her inner thigh a few inches from her knee. His fingertips graze over the denim of her jeans lightly but she feels every touch.


Later, when everyone else is on the porch, watching carolers who come around every five minutes, Elena stays behind in the kitchen, finishing off loading some dishes in the dishwasher. She's heading out when she's stopped. By Damon.

"Look up."

More mistletoe.

"Alaric brought tons over. Probably trying to get lucky with Jenna. History teachers," Damon says with a eye roll. "But you do know what that means, right?"

Elena wrinkles her nose. "No double dipping."

Damon smiles, backing her against the wall. "But we didn't even do it right last time," he whines. He places on hand on the wall directly behind Elena, leaning in slowly. He brushes his lips against her cheek and Elena stares up at him. Their eyes meet and Damon furiously presses his lips against hers. She proceeds to throw her arms around Damon's neck causing Damon to lose his balance and nearly crush her. He steadies himself just in time and they remain locked in their passionate embrace for quite some time.

They pull apart, Elena panting and gasping for air.

"Merry Christmas, Elena."

FIN.

A/N: Just a little one-shot about Christmas to cool us down from his majorly hot summer. Review please because I'm just another review whore.