It's been ages since I wrote anything here, but I had to do this before posting the rest of The Age of the Understatement -which is already finished, so I'll just re-read it ^^- This is my Christmas present for Christina, because she's awesome and she deserves it. Hopefully you'll like it girl! It's based on the song "Baby, it's cold outside" -obviously-.

Enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

Izzy.

Baby, it's cold outside

"I really can´t stay..." Christina said in a soft voice that didn´t sound convinced at all. Her eyes were looking outside of the window, longingly, to the streets that were calling her from across the man's front garden. She just didn´t want to be tempted to stay, she couldn´t. Wasn´t she supposed to be angry at him? To hate him? She shouldn´t have gone there at all, but the truth was that she wanted to know his reaction, to know what would he do, what would he say, because he was supposed to hate her just as much. But boys in general, and this man in particular, were known to her for always doing things in the most inappropriate times possible and never ever doing what was expected of them.

"Baby, it's cold outside." Danny replied, shrugging, assuming that of course there was no way she would want to go out and freeze herself to death. He hadn´t really said it out loud but... wasn´t it obvious that he liked her and cared for her still? He never had stopped.

Christina blushed at his words, because he had only called her baby once upon a time when they were still best friends. Since then, he hadn´t even called her and the only times they had seen each other were on safe territory, either her mom's or his houses.

"I've got to go away." She insisted, putting her trenchcoat on and avoiding to look at him. The soft, thin material of her coat wouldn´t protect her from the cold, and she knew it, but she needed to do something to convince herself that yes, she was going. Because she couldnt stayed, she had already been there longer than she should.

Maybe the storm outside, announced by that harsh wind and those dark, scary clouds, were just karma kicking her in the butt.

"Baby, it's cold outside." Danny repeated in case she wasn´t hearing well, sounding as surprised and skeptic as he felt. He stepped closer to her, leaving his glass on the table and following her to the small hall, tempted to beg for her to stay because clearly she really wanted to leave. To leave, him and his house and the wine and the warmth! Was she crazy? "I've been hoping that you'd drop in." He couldn´t help but whine, not realizing that was a confession of fear. Danny had been dreading and desiring her visit ever since her mother had moved to London, close to his place. He had been asking her mom about his former best friend's whereabouts as surreptitiously as he could, because he had wanted her to visit him, knowing she would eventually do it, and fearing she would still hate him. So he needed her to come so he could apologized. Danny wanted to show her he wasn´t that dorky, kinda stupid and awkward little boy he used to be, the one that ignored her and acted as if she was really that important to him.

He wanted her to know he was successful, smart, handsome even. That he was a great catch. That she couldn´t hate him anymore because he still liked her more than he dare to admit. Danny couldn´t really understand why – or, he could perfectly understand it- and he wasn´t going to dwell on it any longer than he needed.

"Well, this evening has been so very nice..." Christina accepted, daring a look at the man that had grew up with her. Well, growing up had certainly been better for him. A lot better. Hell, he was damn smoking, and if the look of his house was any indication, loaded. Everything about him made the perfect definition of what her mother called a catch.

All the more reasons to leave.

Because every time he called her baby, she felt nervous, awkward. Tempted. The most he had called her before that was Kappa-chan and only for a year when he had discovered manga and anime.

"I'll hold your hands." Danny said boldly, stepping in her personal space and lacing his fingers with hers. The truth was that he was seriously tempted to take her stupid trench coat out of her hands, hide it somewhere far and make her stay. He was actually willing to throw a tantrum, anything that would make her bloody stay, god dammit. "They're just like ice, Chris. Do you really want to become a human icicle? I know an easier and probably safer way for doing that."

Her cheeks were a flaming red, and she was unable to move, having quite the trouble to stay concentrated."Really?" She wondered curiously, without being able to stop herself... What was it again that she was supposed to be doing now...?

Danny chuckled. "Yeah. You just have to sleep in my refrigerator. That way you'll suffer the same cold but I get to check on you to make sure you don´t die."

"That's very altruistic of you."

"You know me. Altruism is my second name." He grinned. "Does that mean I've convinced you?" He wondered, a little too abruptly. Danny watched her expression changing from relaxed to alert, and he groaned frustrated when she moved towards the door.

"My mother will start to worry." Christina stated, unlacing her fingers from his and taking her hands to her chest.

"Beautiful, what's your hurry?" Danny asked. Your mom will be worrying anyways, she's just like that, he wanted to say, but kept it to himself. He eyed the door, making sure she would need his keys to open it, just in case there was no way of convincing her. Not that he doubted himself.

At all.

"My father will be pacing the floor." She insisted. She was starting to feel like a mother scolding her little kid, or taking his candy away out of pure meanness. It was all his fault, after all. Why did he need to be like this right then? No sense of opportunity whatsoever. Stupid boy. If he had received her coldly, like a distant cousin you barely remember the name of, she would have known how to react. There was a whole speech prepared for that, but nothing for a Danny wanting her to stay, smiling to her like that, and giving her goose bumps just for the touch of his hand.

"But... listen to the fireplace roar..." Danny insisted, looking towards the fireplace in the living room they had just left. "You used to loved that sound, remember? You told me when we were little that you would be happy if that was the only thing you had to listen forever."

How did he remembered THAT?

"So," She said, more to herself than to him, closing her eyes and trying to focus, "really, I've better scurry."

Who says that now, Chris? You're acting all stupid.

"Beautiful, please don´t hurry." Danny almost pleaded.

And that was enough, then. Because he sounded so... so longingly eager of her to stay. And Christina wanted to know the reason why.

"Well..." She started slowly, wondering, feeling shy and timid like a little girl in her first date. Not like she was supposed to feel at all. Danny Jones was just her mother's best friend's son. Nothing else... Right? He couldn´t be. He had made sure of that. "Maybe just a half a drink more..." She conceded, defeated.

When he smiled, his smile brightened up the whole room. "Put some music on while I pour." Danny grinned, walking quickly to the living room and taking both their glasses to filled them with wine. Christina looked nervous, and he felt sort of sorry for that, but he wasn´t really sure why exactly or how to make her feel safer, secure.. When he handed her her glass, Danny touched her hand softly, on purpose, enjoying the feeling of her skin against his. Even that small little gesture made him happy. Almost elated.

But it was enough to made her remembered the thousands of reasons why she needed to go.

"The neighbors might think..." She started, looking at the door again.

"Baby, it's bad out there. Really bad! You don´t really want to be there, believe me." Danny repeated again, moving close, between her and the door.

"... Say, what's in this drink?"

"There are no cabs to be had out there." He insisted when her hands went to the white beret over her thick brown curls to make sure it was there and she moved away, walking mindlessly, just to stay away of him. She looked really pretty and he couldn´t let her go. Not now. He still needed to apologized. Danny knew he probably deserved that she spit on him and left with his bandmates or something that cruel, but once upon a time, Christina had asked him to stay on Christmas. Why couldn´t she stay now?

Because you didn´t, that's why.

"Your eyes are like starlight." Danny rushed to said, both because, well, it was true, and also because he didn´t like that train of thoughts. It was depressing and Christmas time wasn´t about being depressed. It was about miracles. Right?

Christina stopped her pacing when she heard his voice and turned to him, hypnotized. He wasn´t been fair. "I... I wish I knew how to break the spell..." She murmured, blushing, still holding his gaze. Her mind was so confused, processing everything, that she didn´t notice when he stepped in front of her and took her beret off, dropping it on the clothes stand and trailing his fingers down her hair. She shivered, and it wasn´t because of the cold.

"I'll take your hat." Danny smiled even when he had already done that. At least she hadn´t moved, and that was always a good sign. "Your hair looks swell."

"T-Thanks..." Christina said in a daze, and then shook her head, dodging him and backing towards the door. "I ought to say no, no, no, sir." She stated, shaking her head to both sides, desperately wanting him to let go and accept it and at the same time... wanting the exact opposite.

"Mind if I move closer?" Danny asked, ignoring her, as he cornered her against his front door. She blushed, but stayed where she was. None of them moved for a minute, absorbing their situation.

"At least... I'm gonna say that I tried..." She sighed, sounding defeated.

"What's the sense of hurting my pride?" He grinned widely, knowing he was winning. In order not to press her and push her away again, Danny stayed in his place, not moving closer or touching her cheek like he wanted to do so badly.

"I really can´t stay..." She sighed again, her eyes closed, breathing softly, drinking his smell.

"Baby, don´t hold out."

"... But it's cold outside..."

Danny smirked, letting his hands wondered to her waist, pushing her closer to him and then putting her in front, her back to him, so he could guided her again to the living room and not let her wander all by herself.

Christina let him do as he pleased because, there was no denying it now, she liked him. She knew she was supposed to stay cold, just polite, like someone who knew you when you didn´t even know yourself but really didn´t care about you anymore. But she did, and her mother was tired already of hearing how much she not cared about where exactly was placed his house in case she DIDN´T feel like talking or seeing him because she just wanted to make sure to avoid that street altogether.

So she let herself enjoy the moment, sitting next to him, hearing the fireplace groaning in that hypnotic way of the fire, drinking wine, feeling his leg against hers and holding down her temptation to kiss him... anywhere. Everywhere. Danny just watched her, and that was more seducing than anything else. He probably knew by heart which buttons to press to get a girl to fall at his feet, he was prob ably more than used to it by now.

Shit, Christina groaned in her head.

That was right. It wasn´t as if she was important to him. Maybe he hadn´t been able to get a better laid for Christmas and she was just at hand.

"I simply must go." She stated hastily, standing up.

Danny mimicked her actions frustrated, disappointed. "Baby, it's seriously cold outside." He said again.

"The answer is no." And this time, she sounded like she meant it. Danny was this close to panic. Or throw a tantrum. Or maybe both.

… Maybe even throw a crying hissy fit tantrum.

"Ooh, darling." He whined before correcting his tone. "It's cold outside."

"This welcome has been so nice and warm..." Christina admitted. The truth was that, when she knocked on his door, she had expected him to kick her out. Or maybe let her in, offer her an autograph, and then kick her out. He was a super star now and he didn´t have time for silly girls like her. He hadn´t time for silly girls like her when he was starting, what would have changed now?

"I'm lucky that you dropped in." Danny confessed, moving between her and the door again and putting an arm around her shoulders to make her look at the window. "Look out the window at that storm. I would die worrying if you were out there... And I wanted to see you. Really, I did." He admitted, disarming any sort of confidence she had portrayed to go.

"My sister will be suspicious..." She pouted, trying to make him understand, to make him see things her way. Not like she was any sure at all of what way that was.

But instead, he focused on the lower part of her face. "Man, your lips look delicious." Danny murmured, sounding as if he hadn´t meant to say that out loud.

Christina blushed, but she continued. "My brother will be there at the door. Waiting. And... And you k-know how he gets..."

"Waves upon a tropical shore." He said, and even when she didn´t understand what the hell he was trying to say... Christina was sure it was something sexy, adorable and tempting.

"My maiden aunt's mind is vicious... Remember?" Christina insisted, and only too late she realized what that naughty, mischiveous expression meant on his face. Because before she could say anything else, or move out of his way, or yell or actually jump and close the distance first, Danny had leaned towards her and kissed her lips softly, slowly, sweetly. Just a peck.

"Gosh, your lips are delicious." He said to himself.

How could she resisted to that, really?

It wasn´t her fault.

"Well, maybe just a half a drink more." Christina smiled softly, noticing her hands had snaked to his shoulders and not daring to move them.

"Never such a blizzard before, darling." He smirked, kissing her again. This time, though, it wasn´t soft or slow, and his tongue moved between her lips to find hers, holding her closer to kiss her properly. Like he had wanted to do for so long.

Danny moved blindly towards the couch with her, sitting on it as best as he could and taking Christina down with him, never stopping the kiss. He knew she had wanted that as much as he had, it was clear, and he was... well, happy. More so, actually. He had really thought she hated him, that there was no chance of recovering what they had had, much less of getting something more.

Slowly, they broke apart and Danny stared at her pretty face, proud of the blush in her cheeks and her swollen lips. Until she went ahead and opened her mouth again.

"I've got to go home." Christina almost moaned, not daring to open her eyes to see him. Now she really didn´t want to go and she wasn´t arguing against him anymore. She was arguing against herself. That kiss had been more than she had ever imagined with anyone, and she knew deep down, Danny would only need a couple of chosen words to make her stay.

And she wanted him to say them.

"Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there." He said softly, holding her face between his hands, so close to her that his lips touched hers when he spoke.

"Say, lend me your coat." Christina shrugged. Stupid boy and stupid seducing antics that bloody worked.

"It's up to your knees out there. Do you really want to ruin your shoes that much?" He insisted, kissing her forehead.

"Well, no... But... Well, you've really been grand-" She started, but he interrupted her with a victorious and delighted chuckle, making her blush even more. The lecherous pervert.

"I thrill when you touch my hand." He confessed, probably just to make her loose her grip. Something he was managing rather beautifully. But as she was shy and tempted, she was also stubborn.

So she continued, just because she couldn´t stop by herself.

"But don´t you see?"

Maybe if he kissed her again.

"How can you do this thing to me?" Danny asked instead, making the most pitiful, adorable, and kissable pout ever.

Oh, lord. You knew it was a mistake to look at him. He's like Medusa, idiot!

"There's bound to be talk tomorrow." She sighed. If she was going to survive that, then he would at least feel guilty for it.

"Think of my life long sorrow, while they speak." Danny smirked, sliding his hands to her hips and bringing her closer to him.

"At least there will be plenty implied." Christina continued before processing his words. "Why your sorrow, because of my family?" She wondered confused.

"No. My life long sorrow if you caught pneumonia and died, silly." He grinned, kissing her cheeks, one first and then the other.

"Oh..." She smiled shyly. "I really can´t stay." But I will.

"Get over that hold out, baby. It's cold outside. Really cold. Like... Like in Titanic? When Rose wants to jump and Jack doesnt let her. That cold."

Christina smiled. It was obvious to her now that there was no way she had ever hated him, it just wasn´t possible. Yes, it was true that back then, when he had ignored her on Christmas even after he had promised to be there for her just to go to silly party in London, Christina had wanted to kill him, and not talk to him ever again, and probably boiled him in hot oil. But she couldn´t hold on to that for ages. He was far too perfect for that.

"Why didn´t you go?" She asked softly, because she needed to know before doing anything.

Danny flushed, and lowered his head to her shoulder, unable to look at her. He didn`t need to ask to know what she meant "Because I was an idiot, that's why. I... I had a huge crush on you, but I knew you had a boyfriend that was bloody perfect. I don´t think I've ever hated anyone as much as I hated Travis O'Connor."

It was almost amazing that he remembered the name of her boyfriend better than her, but she didn´t say anything. It was nice to heard him talk like that.

"I'm so sorry, Chris. I really am. I... I wanted you to stay tonight to... well, sort of make up for what I did, even when it's ages too late and you probably hate me. Your mom told me you have a sort of boyfriend."

"Wait, so you think I would kiss you like that if I had a sort of boyfriend?" She asked amazed, but her eyes were laughing. "Mom probably told you that to see your reaction. That's what mom does. She was just testing you."

"Maybe she was just trying to get rid of me. I confess I've been pestering her with questions about you quite a lot lately..." Danny blushed, looking up at her. "So you don´t hate me?"

"No, idiot. I can´t hate you. Something in the very make up of my DNA forbids me to. Our mothers are best friends, I'm just unable to hate you." She joked.

"Then stay. At least a little longer. Please? We'll drink ourselves silly, or eat whatever you want, or watch movie or even have sex. Whatever you want." He grinned.

"Idiot. I really shouldn´t stay..." Christina started, and when he started to whine like a little kid, she shut his mouth with her hand. "BUT, alright. I'll stay. If tomorrow you go with me to our Christmas party and take charge of explaining everything."

"...I was already going, you know that, right? Even if it was just to watch you from afar..."

"Just answer, stupid."

"Ok. Yes, I'll be your Knight and protect you of the vicious implies of your maiden aunt and I'll make it worth your while, baby... We should really find her a boyfriend too." Danny added to himself.

"Too? What do you mean with that?"

"Well, now you have a boyfriend, right? So we should find her one, too."

"So now you're my boyfriend?"

"Don´t you want me to?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Shouldn´t you at least ask me?"

"Would you say yes?"

"-... Yeah..."

"Then why bother?" Danny smirked. "I knew you were going to answer like that, but in case you didn´t, I didn´t want to give you any chance to scape."

"Well... Do that again." Christina smirked, taking her hands to his shoulder and smiling at him.

"Do what?"

"Don´t you know me so bad? Then you should know what I mean..."

Danny thought her words over, pondering every possible thing. He didn´t want to be wrong. But after a whole minute with none clear idea, Danny decided to go for it. If that wasn´t what she was talking about... well, at least they would both enjoy it.

So he kissed her.

Just as Christina was thinking he would.