Author's Note - I wrote this story as part of EspiorDio's Christmas Calender. I thought I'd upload it here and also send you guys an apology for seemingly abandoning my story "All I Really Want To Do." I WILL update! I've just been very busy with exams, Christmas shopping, the works, so I haven't had time to sit down and think/create/write. Now that I have a decent break from school, expect a chapter or two...or three? Anyway. enjoy this holiday fic!
On a Winter's Day
"Oh, what are you doing here? This is a time of holiday cheer."
The butler feigns a grimace at the blonde business woman standing in the doorway. She's wearing a red wool coat with black leather gloves. Her neck is hidden behind a thick scarf and a black beret sits upon her head. She doesn't acknowledge him, or his stupid rhyme.
"Is Maxwell in the office?" C.C. brusquely waltzes past him and makes her way toward the back of the mansion.
"No, he's gone out." Niles closes the door with a slam.
C.C. turns to tersely glare at him. Niles takes a step toward her.
"I'm sorry, didn't you understand? He – Went – Out – Wants – To – Have – Fun – Not – Hang – Around – You." He spits at her dramatically.
She huffs loudly and marches off to the office to get some work done, mumbling something about not being surprised. She throws her purse onto the green leather settee and reaches for a script from the pile on Maxwell's desk. God damn that butler - that vile excuse for a man, and god damn Maxwell for skipping out with that tart; leaving me with all this work. She sighs and takes a seat. She kicks off her heels and curls her feet up underneath her, already scribbling though something on the first page of the script.
When Niles interrupts her a few hours later, she's heavily engrossed in a script. Her brow is furrowed in some sort of thought or concentration. She has her thick-rimmed glasses on and he thinks she looks lovely like this. She doesn't peer up from the papers when he enters the office. He watches her for a moment, until she finally marks through the entire dialogue on the page and shoves the script down onto the lounger. She shakes her head and pulls her hair up into a strange tangle of hair that she fastens into place with her pen.
"Are you just going to stand there, Benson? Don't you have B-Bernard's jockstrap to clean or something?"
She stands to rifle through the scripts to find something more satisfying than the one she was recently scratching through.
"I've made you some hot chocolate, you frigid Ice-Bitch." He sets the mug down with a clang.
"Niles, that's…rather nice of you." She handles the mug and eyes it cautiously, "What's in it?"
"No spoiled milk, Scout's Honor." He lifts two fingers to swear his oath, "Just some peppermint."
"Mmmm." She takes a sip and he smiles. "This is delicious, Butler Boy!"
Niles feels the heat flush to his cheeks and he looks away, which doesn't go unnoticed by C.C. Oh my stars, did he just blush? She shifts her weight onto her other leg and thanks him for the treat.
"Anything else I can get for you?" he stares at his feet when he inquires.
"Where did Maxwell go this afternoon?" she takes another delightful sip of hot chocolate.
"He, Mrs. Sheffield, and the children went over to the Fine's for some holiday fun. They said something about sledding and such."
"You didn't want to join them?" she watches him twiddle his fingers.
"Oh yes, sounds like loads of fun; catering to them while I pretend to enjoy myself. I get enough of that here." He turns to leave the office.
"We could still have fun…"
C.C.'s voice is barely above a whisper. Niles pauses at the door and slowly cranes his head over his shoulder to look at her.
"I always have fun around you, Ms. Babcock."
He winks and pads off to the kitchen, leaving C.C. stunned on the settee. She doesn't notice, but her hand is shaking slightly as she grips her mug. She exhales the breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Niles bursts into the kitchen and scoffs to himself. I can't believe I said that to her. He shakes his head and grins. What must she have thought? The expression on her face is forever burned into his imagination, and he's thankful to have drawn such a response from her. He takes a jar of eggnog from the fridge and pours himself a healthy glass, taking a large swig from it. He sets the glass down and fills the empty space in his palm with a sponge. He cleans the counter with hefty, sweeping circles that leave glistening trails in their midst. The kitchen door swings open and he lifts his eyes to gaze upon C.C., who has apparently followed him in here. She freezes; her eyes fixated on the sponge in his hand. He awkwardly clears his throat and pitches the sponge into the sink. Neither of them can look at a sponge now without the being overwhelmed by the memories of what happened between them and those delectable cookies.
"Need something, Ms. Babcock?" he raises his eyebrows to her.
"Tell me, Niles. Why should we be working today when everyone else is out having fun?"
"Firstly, I'm thrilled that you finally acknowledge that what I do is work. Secondly, I treasure what little alone time I get, and I enjoy it. Thirdly, you're working because you don't know the meaning of fun. You've never experienced it."
She is invigorated by that lopsided smirk that passes across his face, so she banters back with him.
"Oh yeah? Well, pleasure is all perspective, Niles. I hardly believe that thinking of new names for your pet dust bunnies is enjoyable." She crosses her arms in front her chest in a triumphant gesture.
She doesn't really know what she's doing to him by throwing around words like "pleasure" and enjoyable."
"Neither do I, Babs, but I know something that is." He takes a calming sip of eggnog.
"Fine, let's go for a walk, then."
Niles stares at the imaginary second head sprouting from her shoulder.
"Are you insane? What on earth would prompt me to go out in this weather with you?"
"Whatever, Merry Maid. I'm going, with or without you."
C.C. spins on her heel and swiftly exits the kitchen. Niles wordlessly follows a few steps behind her. He brushes past her to open the coat closet and extract her belongings. She lets him assist her with her warm coat and she ties the scarf around her neck. She watches him shrug into his own coat as she slides her hands back into her leather gloves.
"You're not invited now, Rochester."
He grumbles at her and cloaks himself in a green scarf. He reaches past her to grapple at the doorknob, but she stops him.
"Don't even think about it." She barks at him.
"I'm going, Babcock. With or without you." He mocks.
Niles grins and treads out the door, leaving C.C. to follow behind in his wake. They stroll along the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, enjoying the brisk, snowy weather and (secretly) each other's company. They stomp through the few inches of snow, C.C. managing fairly well in the heels that she so unwisely chose for today. They glide past wintery trees with gnarled branches that are covered in fluffy dustings of snow. The sky around them is bright in contrast to the chill that embraces them. The atmosphere is free of clouds and planes and birds. The streets are relatively quiet, aside from the few cabbies that slosh through the icy roads. The city is a different place when it snows. It's a whole other world.
"Well, this is… nice." C.C. chooses to break the awkward silence.
"It is. Now, please don't ruin it." He tells her, walking on.
She stops and huffs out a large and visible breath, making her look just like an enraged dragon. She crouches over onto the ground and gathers up some snow. She runs after Niles and hurls the mound of snow at the back of his head. He lurches forward a bit, and then turns to pierce daggers into her façade. She glowers at him with a satisfied smirk and her hands on her hips. He lunges at her, wrangling her onto the wet sidewalk. She screeches from his sudden attack as well as from the cold ice chilling her through her layers of clothes. She collects a lump of snow and slaps him across the face with her frosty hand. They fight each other and Niles eventually comes to cower over her, pinning her arms down. The freezing slush is soaking into her back and she starts shivering beneath him.
Niles releases his hold on her wrists and brings one of his capable arms around her upper back to pull her toward him. His free hand grips the back of her head, tangling into her blonde locks. He leans forward to rub his nose against hers; icy cold and delicate. She doesn't refuse him. Maybe it's the nearness of him and his warmth, or perhaps their glacial surroundings, but she lets him kiss her. It's a slow and smooth kiss, roasting her bones and boiling her blood. Soon, their chests are heaving erratically and they're forced to retreat for air. It's then that they recall exactly how frostbitten they probably are.
Niles rises and helps C.C. to her feet. She's trembling and unsteady on her heels, so her lifts her into his brawny arms. He escorts her like this back to the mansion, which was only a few yards or so away, for they hadn't very gotten far before their squabbling began. He chuckles as C.C. rests her head on Niles' shoulder; her breath, no doubt, would be hot and flustering to his skin, were it exposed.
They enter the mansion, and Niles sets her down. She immediately kicks off her shoes, making her a good bit shorter than the butler.
"I'll get you a brandy to warm you up." He starts.
"I can think of something better." She grins at him wickedly and drops her scarf to the floor, followed by her coat.
"I guess we should get out of these wet clothes." He stalks over to her and pulls her against him.
C.C. creeps her hands up his shoulders and unravels the earthy scarf from around his neck. He pulls her into a strong embrace, happy to have added a holiday tradition to his list that doesn't involve him slaving after the Sheffields or indulging in his boss' cigars and cognac all by himself.
C.C. pulls away and looks into his shining eyes. She smiles at him tenderly - something he's only witnessed a few scarce times.
"Happy holidays, Butler Boy." She laughs sultrily at him.
His hands trail underneath the hem of her wet blouse and linger on the soft and goose bumped skin of her hips. He kisses her nose affectionately.
"You bet it is, woman."