AN: Hello loves, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here, in part because I've been hit by a slight writer's block. Thankfully, I think I might be worming out of that now, which is how I present to you my attempt at drabbling! I'm not the most reliable, so for the next month I can't promise a post every single day, though I will try to keep it as consistent as possible. Basically, this story is a set of completely unrelated fluff pieces (for the most part) revolving around a different subject for the holiday season each day. If I manage to do each prompt, there will be a total of twenty five chapters of this story. I hope you'll stick with me for that period of time!

By the way, if you're curious, 'A Face to Call Home' is a John Mayer song. Not Christmas-y at all, but you know, I'm a cheater.

Mistletoe

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CeCe tapped her phone incessantly on the table, lower lip caught between her teeth, a gesture that suggested she was in deep thought or worry. At the current moment it was a mixture of both, making her a bundle of emotions that she didn't know how to express - thus, the tapping of the phone.

If Rocky had her way, CeCe would be reprimanded for the nervous habit ("It's dangerous! Your phone could break!", "The furniture can hardly handle regular use, you're going to wear out everything we own"). But as it so happened, Rocky was currently away, and had been for the past three hours.

The tapping stopped for a moment. CeCe opened up another new message, the fifth that day, and sent Rocky a distressed text.

It wouldn't be so worrisome if Rocky had left with a single mention of where she was headed, how long she would be out, etc. Instead, she had simply walked out the front door and into the cold, leaving CeCe alone with her thoughts and pessimistic scenarios (they varied from Rocky breaking up with her suddenly to an emergency class ending in a car accident, or something equally as terrifying).

CeCe stood from the desk and paced, a habit not of her own but Rocky's, one that she had picked up on over the years. If not for the enclosed dorm space CeCe would surely be going faster, faster, and over a wider area too. Unfortunately, ninety square ft. did not suffice for such movement.

Suddenly, a click! came to CeCe's ears. She turned to the door, eyes already wider than before. There was a pause before the door was pushed wide and open with a squeal of hinges to reveal a freezing Rocky, hands behind her back, cheeks puffed full.

CeCe took no time to hesitate, throwing her arms around Rocky and squeezing her closer, the strength used improbable to what most would believe possible of the red head. Rocky squeaked in surprise, shifted, and then hugged her in return, arms sliding to her back. They remained like that until Rocky pulled away, her breathing rapid. CeCe slid her arms to Rocky's sides, keeping one touch between them at all times. She pouted.

"Where were you?" She demanded, pressing on before Rocky could answer. "Didn't you get one of my like, one hundred texts? I was just about to call the school board and get them to start looking for you! I was so worried! You can't just leave like that, Rocks. I've been tapping."

Rocky bit her lip, though her eyes remained on CeCe's. "I'm sorry," she replied quietly, and CeCe fell apart in her arms.

"I'm just…I'm so happy you're here." CeCe pulled her into another hug, eyes squeezing shut, head resting on Rocky's shoulder. She was the one to pull back this time. "You're really cold."

"Yeah, I've been out." The words reminded CeCe of her hours of worry and wonder, and her eyebrows furrowed down once more.

"Where did you go?"

"Out."

"That's not an answer!"

"Please…CeCe. I was just out, okay?"

"Look, I know it's the holidays and all, and we're supposed to be secretive, but if you were out getting me a present, just tell me." CeCe took Rocky's hand in hers. "It would make me feel a lot better. It's either that or you're cheating on me, so I'd, um, really like it to be the first one. Rocky."

Rocky sighed, eyes trailing down the ground now. "CeCe…"

Her eyes widened. CeCe let Rocky's hand drop, taking a shaky step back. "Oh God, you're not actually. You weren't…with…someone else? I wasn't…thinking that…"

CeCe had looked away, nearly turning her back to Rocky, who quickly grabbed for her hand again. "No, no no no no no, one million times no." The proclamation did indeed get CeCe's attention, who turned to Rocky and sucked in a breath, eyes already watering.

"So where were you?"

Something changed in Rocky's eyes, a certain feel of resignation now there. She unzipped her front coat pocket and slowly pulled out a leafy mistletoe, extending her hand to CeCe to let her examine it. CeCe's eyebrows furrowed. "A…plant?"

Rocky held back a laugh, although a smile did escape as she shook her head. "Um, no, CeCe. I mean, yes, a plant, but not just a plant. The plant. It's a mistletoe." CeCe looked quickly back up at Rocky, blinking momentarily as the situation dawned on her. "I wanted it to be a surprise, and it's really hard to do that when you live with someone in a shoe box little dorm room. I thought about it for a while and decided I would just leave, which, thinking back, was stupid of me. Do you know how hard it is to find mistletoe in Chicago?" Rocky paused here, a hollow chuckle escaping, echoing the efforts of her evening. "Silly, right? It's Chicago. Third largest city in the United States. But everywhere I went it was all fake, which was scratchy and just, it wouldn't work. So I had to search all around before I found the perfect little one, which, looking at it now, is a little bit…misfit toys-esque. But I thought it was perfect. And I wasn't going to tell you because I wanted it to be the icing on the cake for our Christmas together, a little surprise for someone who doesn't get to be surprised all that often. I wanted it to be special for you. Silly, right?"

For all of Rocky's speech, CeCe's eyes remained on the mistletoe. As the question was addressed to her, she looked up and into Rocky's eyes, eyes watering again. Rocky recognized the look and opened her mouth to comfort her. CeCe brought a finger quickly to her lips, gently, pulling it away after a moment.

"It's…so not silly. It's so perfect, and romantic, and I love it, Rocky, I love you, so much." She wiped at her eyes, taking a pause, which Rocky filled.

"I love you too." CeCe smiled, and continued.

"And I think it's cool like this. I didn't see this coming, so it was a surprise, even for me. And today I love you more than I can ever even imagine, which won't change in twenty four - or five, I never know if you're supposed to count the day you're on - days. I love you today, I'll love you on Christmas and every day in between."

Rocky's gaze remained on CeCe, her head beginning to shake slowly. "You're romantic."

"I wasn't the one who sneaked out to buy a mistletoe for her girlfriend. Speaking of which…" CeCe unfolded Rocky's fingers around the plant, reaching higher to place it in the air above them with a grin.

Rocky mirrored the grin for a moment before leaning in and pressing her lips to CeCe's, eyes fluttering closed. CeCe's hands went to Rocky's shoulders, standing on the pads of her toes to make herself almost taller than Rocky. They remained there for a few seconds before CeCe broke away, head rolling to rest on Rocky's shoulder. She swayed slightly there, arms now completely around her neck.

"Twenty four," Rocky said quietly, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"There's twenty four days between now and Christmas. You don't count the day you're on."

Instead of responding, CeCe brought Rocky down for another kiss.