A/N: Oh, hey. Here's the Cristmas fluff I promised. Working on that one-shot last night gave me some incentive and inspiration to finish this (Which has actually been in the making for a few weeks). So, here's another one-shot starring our favorite nanny and sweep. ENJOY :D
A few pieces of ripped up paper make their way up a chimney through the thick layer of snow clouds covering London's skies. They float to a small, lone, bright white cloud where an equally -if not brighter- white glove reaches out to grab them. The owner of the glove, none other than the practically perfect Mary Poppins herself, snaps her fingers and the pieces glue themselves together. She takes the, now complete, note gently and reads it. She smiles, quickly grabs her carpet bag, opens her umbrella and begins her descent to London. But she stops in midair as if she was remembering something important and snaps at the cloud she was sitting on just seconds earlier. A small, wrapped bowl of sugar cookie dough floats into her carpet bag. She smiled contentedly "Nothing says Christmas like a batch of warm cookies!"
Back in London, Bert looks at the multi-colored Christmas lights that he just hung up in his flat. He was pleased at how merry his small flat looked every Christmas. There was tinsel everywhere, fake snow by the fireplace and snowmen decorations adorning the walls. There was only one thing that was missing: a Christmas tree. A decorated one, of course. It has always been a tradition for him and his best friend Mary Poppins to decorate the tree in his flat on Christmas eve. He glanced at the door and quickly grabbed a wreath out of a big green bin where he kept all of his Christmas decorations. He looked at the kitchen doorway and smirked. He always hung mistletoe there just in case she happened to pass through when he did. He clutched the wreath at his chest. His mind wandered to Mary Poppins, as it often did. He had always loved Mary Poppins from the first moment he laid eyes on her.
He remembered the day when he was on the rooftops with his fellow sweeps at age 17. She drifted down onto a nearby chimney and watched, with her piercing blue eyes, the dancing chimney sweeps. He happened to glance over and his warm, brown eyes locked with her blue ones. He gave a cheeky grin and she blushed a little. It was then that he knew that he was in love. They became the best of friends and after this meeting, he realized that she was a lady. Bert wasn't about to just press his advantage and in turn, ruin their valuable friendship despite his everyday urges to turn her towards him and kiss her silly. But he doesn't expect a practically perfect woman like Mary to return his feelings. So, he represses his urges and is absolutely content with being her best friend.
He sighed happily, while still hugging the wreath, and leaned against the door. At that moment, while Bert was blissfully thinking of Mary Poppins, she opened the door to his flat. He lost his balance and the wreath flew out of his hands. He regained his balance, spun around to face the door and caught the wreath with one hand. He smiled cheekily "Well, 'ello Mary Poppins!" she rolled her eyes at the spectacle he just pulled off "What do you think?" He smiled gesturing at the decorations inside his small flat.
"Oh, they're wonderful Bert! Truly festive!" She smiled. She was truly happy to be in the company of her best friend. Although lately, uncharacteristically, her heart did somersaults in her stomach every time she saw him. Chills would go up her spine every time he came in contact with her. She knew exactly why; It was all because of that kiss. That stupid, improper, lovely, wonderful kiss. She recently left number 17 Cherry Tree lane and was feeling extremely sentimental. Mary usually never allows sentiment to muddle her thinking but Bert was…different. She realized only moments after that kiss that she was in love with him. The only thing left to do is to tell him. And that terrified her.
"Well, I'm glad y' like 'em, Mary." Bert smiled happily.
"Oh, wait!" Mary exclaimed. She placed her carpet bag onto the table and reached in "I have something in here for you but…" She reached her whole arm into the bag "I can't seem to find it…" She looked inside "Ah! Here it is!" She laughed musically and brought out the bowl of cookie dough.
"What's in the bowl, Mary?" He asked hopefully.
Bert watched Mary walk towards the kitchen and stand in the doorway "It's a surprise." She winked at him playfully. Bert froze. He couldn't look at the mistletoe that was hanging there. She would ultimately follow his gaze and see it. Then she would get upset about how Bert was pressing his advantage and he'd apologize profusely. So he just smiled at her.
Mary stood in the doorway for a few seconds. She had noticed the mistletoe earlier and decided that tonight was the night that she would tell Bert how she felt about him. She gave a subtle hint in standing by the doorway, hoping that he would walk that way and get 'stuck' under the mistletoe with her. Apparently, subtle hints weren't helping because he just stood there staring at her. So, Mary walked through the swinging doors into the kitchen and propped one of the swinging doors open. Mary put the cookie dough on the baking sheet and snapped and the oven door opened. She placed the cookie sheets in the oven with an accomplished smile spread all over her face.
Bert ran to his pantry. He got out his bucket of sprinkles and some icing mix. He walked backwards towards the propped open swinging door just as Mary was backwards with a plate of freshly baked, sugar, drop cookies. They bumped into each other and Mary dropped her plate of cookies as Bert dropped his bin of sprinkles.
Mary and Bert turned around and started apologizing to each other and offering to help pick up the cookies and sprinkle containers which had spilled all over the floor. Suddenly they caught each other's eyes; bright blue immediately meeting warm brown. They both blushed as they knowingly looked up at the mistletoe hanging above their heads.
"…Mistletoe…" Mary whispered softly. Bert had to lean in to hear what she said.
Bert's face became a slightly darker shade of red and he started to apologize "Mary, it's just a-"
"Bert…" she said swallowing the lump in her throat "I am not one to break tradition." Her heart was beating out of her chest and, if it was even possible, the two got closer together "Even if it is something like-"
Magic. Sure, Mary used magic. She could fly with an umbrella, her carpet bag had no bottom to it and she could snap when she wanted something to happen. But all of this was nothing compared to the magic she felt when Bert's lips were pressed against hers. She smiled and put her arms around his neck. He was pouring many years of love and devotion into their first kiss and she had started to do the same. They broke apart for breathing and Mary's face was just about as red as she could get. She looked happy, excited, nervous and embarrassed, all at the same time.
"Mary…are you alright?" Bert asked anxiously.
Mary smiled "Oh, I'm quite alright. It's just that…that…" She looked at the ground shyly. She found it very hard to tell him about her nervousness "…That was my first kiss…" She whispered; still looking at the ground.
Bert smiled, put his hand under her chin and gently brought her head up to face his "I find it very hard t' believe that someone as bea-utiful and wonderful as you 'asn't been kissed before."
Mary kissed him again. Her heart was bursting with love for him. They broke apart and she caressed his cheek with her hand "Bert, I'm madly in love with you."
Bert had a goofy grin plastered on his face "I'm in love with y' too, Mary Poppins." Bert took her hand and kissed it lightly. Mary blushed incessantly.
She gazed into his brown eyes and smiled "Merry Christmas, Bert"
A huge grin spread across his face "Merry Christmas Mary."
At that one moment it was obvious that they were thinking the same thing: This was the best Christmas ever.
Reviews are totally cool and stuff man. I know the ending's corny...It's supposed to be like that ;)