yes, it's after the holidays. no, i don't care. and for those keeping track, i did start writing this on dec. 22nd. it just got finished yesterday, that's all.

enjoy.

disclaimer: not mine. don't sue.

"What are you doing?"

Alys spun around, startled. Even though she'd been living with Selendrile for nearly five months now, she still hadn't gotten used to the way he could sneak up on her like that. Granted, she'd been singing Christmas carols to herself (horribly off-key, she knew), but she was well aware that she wouldn't have heard him even if she'd been perfectly silent.

Alys looked down at the holly branch in her hand, the berries as red as the beads of blood that were now welling up on her fingertips. Sucking on her index and middle fingers where the holly had pricked her, she mumbled, "I'm decorating."

"Decorating?" Selendrile repeated with a grin.

"Yes. For the holidays." She gestured vaguely at the holly branches artfully displayed in vases around the kitchen, the pine branches waiting to be woven into wreaths, and other greeneries heaped on the table.

"Another family thing?" he asked.

"Yes. Another 'family thing,'" Alys sighed, returning to the holly.

Staying with Selendrile after her expulsion from her village had been just as difficult as she'd expected. But she was nevertheless enjoying it. During the day Alys lived comfortably in an abandoned cottage they'd found in the woods outside town. Selendrile would hunt or whatever it was he did while he was a dragon, and return at sundown in human form. Sometimes they took trips together to see interesting lands Selendrile had flown over, but as it was getting colder, Alys stayed at the cottage most of the time for now.

Alys could feel Selendrile's eyes following her around the cottage, but it no longer unsettled her as it once had. His stare was not, she'd realized, predatory. At least, not around her. Intrusive, sometimes. Prying, even. But not threatening. It was inquisitive, as though he meant to learn all about her, but without nearly as many questions as she needed- for him, watching was enough.

Alys worked in silence for a while, twisting pine branches into wreaths, bundling cinnamon sticks with gauzy ribbon to hang in her room. She loved cinnamon, and figured Christmas was as good a time as any to splurge on a few old comforts.

For the final touch, Alys gathered the last sprig of greenery on the table- waxy leaves with white berries- and tied it with a length of fine red ribbon. Dragging a chair to the doorway, she climbed onto it, stood on tiptoes, and reached up to fasten the ribbon to a rafter. She swayed a little, and felt strong hands on her waist.

"Careful," was all he said.

A little shiver ran up Alys' legs, but it was much easier to tie the bow now, even with the distraction.

"Done," she proclaimed, and turned around. Selendrile kept his hands on her waist as she stepped down, and retained contact even when she was safely on the ground.

"What's that for?" he asked, glancing at the leaves now dangling slightly behind and above Alys.

"Mistletoe. Father used to hang it over the door at home too. He said it was for good luck."

"Why is it good luck?" Selendrile asked. His hands were still quite conspicuously on her waist, and Alys suddenly found herself blushing.

Concentrating very hard on what she was saying, she replied, "I'm not sure. I know it used to be used for treating poisoning, even though it can be deadly if you eat it…but I guess it's just old tradition, that it brings good fortune." She paused for a beat, and added, "Well, that and…"

"And…?"

Somehow, Alys knew that Selendrile knew perfectly well what mistletoe was most often used for. Maybe it was something in his eyes, that same look she'd seen so often when he'd played dumb to get her to state the obvious. But this time, instead of feeling awkward or confused, something powerful welled up inside her, and she suddenly knew exactly what she was doing.

"And there's another tradition that I've heard of," she continued. "It only applies when two people are standing under mistletoe together, though." As she spoke, she put her hands on Selendrile's shoulders and pulled him back, so they stood under the hanging greenery.

"Really? What happens?" Selendrile asked, his face giving away nothing of what he felt, though his hands slid further around Alys's waist, drawing her closer.

"This," she said, and kissed him.

When she pulled away, Selendrile's face was still calm, but his eyes were on fire.

"I'm not sure that's right," he said.

Alys blinked. "What do you mean, that's not right?"

"I mean, I think it goes more like this." To her surprise, Selendrile crushed her lips beneath his, but much more intensely than she had before, nudging her lips apart with his tongue. Unfazed, she pressed right back, threading her fingers through his hair. She didn't know where this strength was coming from, but it had taken over and put her body on autopilot, shutting down her mind under the barrage of sensations. His arms around her waist, the small of her back now slightly arched, her hips tilted forward, and suddenly the feeling of the doorframe against her shoulders, which only made her respond more intensely, pulling Selendrile tightly towards her.

Finally, finally they pulled apart, faces flushed, hearts pounding in their ears. Alys looked up into Selendrile's eyes, and saw a flash of recognition and a smile cross his face.

"There it is," he said.

"There what is?" Alys asked, slightly out of breath.

Selendrile brushed his fingers across her cheek, and said softly, "That power you just had. Fire. Spirit. Courage. Strength. Humans have many different words for it, but it's all the same thing. Dragons call it animus. I'd seen little glimpses of it, when you were angry or scared- it was what drew me to you the very first time I'd seen you, on that hill. I'd been trying to draw it out of you, to see just how strong yours was, but this…this is unbelievable."

"I feel unbelievable," Alys replied, still not sure where it had come from, but enjoying it all the same.

"I should have guessed that was what you would need to find it," Selendrile said, grinning.

"Oh, yeah?" Alys teased, smiling just as broadly. "And what would it take for me to see your animus?"

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Selendrile asked.

"Yes."

"Ask me again."

"What do you need so I can see your animus?"

Selendrile leaned in and brushed his lips across her neck, then whispered one word in her ear:

"You."