Thank you to madgesundersee (jennycaakes) for coming up with this awesome idea for the Gadge community to come together this season. This is the first collaboration between hawtsee and damndonnergirls. We hope you like it!
DAY ONE: Christmas Trees.
Dublin, Ireland.
"Santa won't you bring me the one I really need, won't you please bring my baby to me."
It's fitting that Mariah Carey's seminal classic is playing when Madge steps out of the elevator onto the third floor. Her co-worker Gale Hawthorne is literally lying under a Christmas tree; his long legs stretching halfway across the lobby floor, his t-shirt riding up to reveal a hint of abs and a trail of dark hair leading downwards.
If there's one thing that Madge really, really wants under her Christmas tree this year, it's Gale Hawthorne.
He scoots out and rises to his feet, his frown transforming into a grin when he spots Madge. "Is it straight?"
Gale's voice is warm and deep, and his Northside Dublin accent wraps around the words softly, like smoke. There's something in the cadence of it, something in the curve of the vowels and the edge of the consonants, that does this American girl good.
"Um," she tears her gaze from him and examines the tree. "Perfect."
"Great. Want to help me decorate it?"
"Yes. Just let me…" She gestures to her bag and coat, then hurries to her desk to get rid of them. She runs her fingers through her hair and fluffs it up before going back to Gale.
It's late to be putting up Christmas decorations, but the whole office had decided, by a sizeable majority, to that they'd wait until the week before Christmas. Their workplace had become a haven from the relentless barrage of all things Christmas since Halloween had concluded. But as they get closer to the holiday, Madge's excitement is growing. Her parents are flying over in a few days and she can't wait to spend her first Christmas in Ireland with them.
They wrap the tree in several strands of lights first, then break out the baubles. Madge hangs them at random, but Gale places them carefully, ensuring an even distribution of type and colour. When Madge catches on, she starts hanging more on his side of the tree, ruining the effect he has achieved. He scowls and complains, but soon he's grinning.
"It will look schizophrenic," she teases him when he starts removing the ones she had hung. She slaps his hand away and inserts herself between him and the tree. He uses his height advantage to pluck one from over her head and smiles smugly at her. She pushes him away playfully.
It's the most physical contact she's had with him in the eight months she's been working here and it's exhilarating. She liked the feel of his body brushing against hers, and she wants him closer. She wants to press her body against him and feel his hard muscles, the softness of his skin, his breath against her neck.
She meets his gaze between the branches of the tree and he smiles. On a high from the physical contact, she gives him her best flirtatious smile and tosses her hair. "I hope you have plenty of mistletoe, you're going to need it." She even throws in a wink.
"We're not allowed hang any mistletoe. There was an incident last year between two of the interns. We had to do a full-day sexual harassment workshop in January because of it. So no mistletoe."
"Oh." His complete obliviousness to her attempt at flirting is like a bucket of cold water to the face. "Right."
Gale places a gold star at the top of the tree and stands back to survey it. "That's grand. I suppose we should go do some actual work now."
She watches him walk back to his desk.
If she wants Gale Hawthorne under her tree for Christmas, she's going to have to seriously up her flirting game.