A/N: So this story is inspired by both Christmas and the fact that I got accepted into an early college admission program two weeks ago! That and I'm in an Auslly kinda mood.
She sat cuddled in two of their thickest blankets, staring absentmindedly at the TV. The furnace kicked on and Ally dug deeper into the blankets, trying to get even warmer.
Little children were dancing around Santa Claus on the TV right as Austin opened the door to their apartment yelling "Hey babe," as he shook the snow off his jacket before hanging it in the closet.
"Hi." She called back, wrapping the blankets tighter around her.
Austin walked into the living room and smiled at the sight of Ally bundled up on their couch.
She wore a gray knitted hat, her long hair down and tucked into the blanket.
Austin sat next to her on the couch and Ally opened the blankets just long enough for him to climb in. He climbed behind her and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, Ally snuggling as close as she could to him.
"You and winter in New York just don't mix Als." Austin said, glancing at the snow storm forming outside.
"Says the guy who wears thermal underwear." Ally murmured. Austin smiled and pulled Ally closer to him, if even possible.
"Yeah, guess you have a point there." They both glanced at the window, the lights from their Christmas tree reflecting back at them and they both sighed.
"I wish we could've gone back to Miami for Christmas." Ally whispered. Austin squeezed her and ducked his head down next to her ear.
"Me too Als. I know you wanted to see everyone." He said, kissing where he assumed her collarbone was underneath his Eastman hoodie.
"And I know you did too." She said, reaching back to set her hand on his cheek, frowning when she felt the four faint lines there.
"Let's call Dez and Trish. Maybe it will make us feel a little better. Who do we wanna call first?" Austin asked as Ally reached for the open laptop in front of her.
"Trish. I haven't spoken to her in a while." Austin nodded and Ally opened up the video call, anxiously waiting for Trish to answer.
Not a moment later Trish's face appeared on the screen and all three smiled.
"Trish!" Ally exclaimed, Austin waving from behind her.
"Ally!" Trish exclaimed with just as much excitement as Ally. "I feel like I haven't talked to you in so long Als." Ally smiled.
"Same here Trish. Oh my gosh I love your tree!" Ally exclaimed as she got a view of the palm tree covered by white lights.
"Thanks. It was Dez's idea." Both Austin and Ally became confused.
"Dez?" Austin questioned as Trish's cheeks flushed.
"Yeah, he-"
"Hey Trish I'm home." Trish's cheeks flushed even more and Austin and Ally turned towards each other, the shock apparent on their faces.
"Dez?!" They both exclaimed as he walked into the living room.
He paused and Trish ducked off the screen.
"Uh... guys!" He exclaimed with fake excitement, looking worriedly at where they supposed Trish was.
"Since when did you two..." Ally trailed off.
"You two are dating?!" Austin exclaimed. Trish popped back on the screen and wrapped her arm around Dez, Dez wrapping his arm around Trish.
"About nine months now?" Dez questioned as Trish nodded.
"Yep. We just moved in together a couple weeks ago." Ally turned towards Austin.
"That's it. No more missing Christmas anymore." She stated. Austin nodded, his eyes still wide in shock.
"Agreed." After getting over the initial shock of finding out that Dez and Trish were together, the quartet talked until Ally decided she wanted something to eat and Trish decided to go to the bathroom in Ally's absence.
Both guys checked to make sure their girlfriends were out of sight before turning back to each other.
"Are you gonna do it tonight?" Dez questioned. Austin nodded and turned the laptop towards the tree.
"It's the red and yellow one." Dez smiled.
"I'm so happy for you man."
"Only if she says yes."
"Says yes to what?" Trish questioned coming into the room.
"Austin's asking Ally to marry him tonight."
"Oh my God you are?! Austin Monica Moon why didn't you tell me th-" Trish was abruptly cut off as Austin slammed the laptop shut as Ally walked in the room.
"They hung up?" Ally questioned sadly as she climbed back onto the couch.
"Yeah, I heard Trish screaming about something burning." He lied. Ally frowned and Austin wrapped his arms around her.
"We'll just have to call them later." They sat in silence for a moment before Austin turned on their stereo and soft Christmas music floated through their apartment.
"I can't believe we're going to be graduating college in the spring Austin." Ally said, staring wistfully at the snow outside. "What are we gonna do? We haven't really talked about what's going to happen after college." Austin shook his head and set it on her shoulder.
"Why don't we worry about that at a different time Ally. It's Christmas!" They fell silent.
"I have an idea. We should open our presents." Ally's face lit up and she scrambled to the floor, bringing only one of the fleece blankets with her.
Austin chuckled and sat down across from her, handing her a present.
"Go ahead Ally. Open it." He insisted. Ally carefully took off the paper to reveal a pair of Eastman sweatpants she had been eyeing so she could wear them around their apartment in place of her thin pajama bottoms.
"Austin." Ally smiled before reaching over to hug him. "Thank you."
He smiled and kissed her temple.
"No problem Als." She pulled away and handed him one of his presents.
"Here." She said, handing him the petite present wrapped what seemed professionally.
Austin ripped through the paper, causing Ally to sigh, and stopped at the small box that laid in his hand.
He took off the cover to reveal a gorgeous silver guitar pick necklace. He flipped it over to read the inscription on the back.
'For my handsome guitar player
Love, Ally'
"A-Ally." He stuttered out. Ally gently raised the necklace out of its box and clipped it around Austin's neck. He picked it up and stared at it for a few seconds more before kissing Ally.
They pulled apart and Austin glanced at the red and yellow present that seemed to be taunting him.
"Here open this present Als." Austin said, handing her the small present, his hand shaking.
She carefully unwrapped the yellow bow, setting it off to the side as she started on the red wrapping paper.
A simple black box sat in her hand and when she opened it, she couldn't help the gasp that escaped from her lips.
Austin grabbed her right hand with both of his and Ally looked up at him.
"Ally I love you so much." He started, his hands shaking.
"That day when I found you in our apartment," both of them shivered at the mention. "I realized that life wouldn't have purpose anymore without you." Ally watched him with shining eyes, her left hand clenched tightly around the little black box.
"That without my girlfriend, best friend, songwriter and whatever other roles you fill in my life, I am nothing."
"I realized that I need your adorkable, beautiful, musical self to make it so my life has purpose." Austin took a deep breath.
"So what I'm trying to say is we've been through the thick and thin together. You're an amazing girlfriend, best friend, songwriter, whatever else you are to me, and I just want to add one more name to that list." He paused, carefully watching Ally's face.
"Allison Marie Dawson, will you marry me?" She tearfully nodded her head and Austin slipped the ring on her finger. He pulled her in for a kiss and Ally's hands rested on his cheeks.
When they pulled away, Austin smiled.
"So I'm hoping that I beat out going home for Christmas." He said, leaning forward to kiss her.
They pulled apart, foreheads touching, and Ally smiled, eyeing her new accessory.
"Oh yeah. This totally beat out Christmas in Miami." Her eyes darted back towards him, worry filling her brown eyes.
"This doesn't mean we're not gonna go home next year does it?" She questioned. Austin laughed and kissed her.
"No Als. It doesn't mean we're not gonna go home next year." Ally breathed a sigh of relief and kissed him.
They pulled apart, and Ally smiled.
"Merry Christmas Austin." She smiled.
"Merry Christmas Ally."
Austin pulled Ally closer to him as the lyrics rang out from the stereo.
'All I want for Christmas is you.'