Title: It Must've Been the Mistletoe
Author: Rina (Searider Falcon)
Summary: Three different Christmases, three different encounters under the mistletoe.
Pairing: C.C./Niles
Disclaimer: The Nanny and its characters are the property of Sony Pictures, High School Sweethearts, and Sternin & Fraser's Ink, Inc.
A/N: Written for EspoirDio's 2015 C.C./Niles Advent Calendar.
"Niles! Drink! Now!"
Trying too hard to pry a solitary penny out of these Scrooge-ish cheapskates proved to be more of a challenge than she wanted to tackle whilst sober. Where was their charitable holiday spirit? After a disappointing start to the theatrical season for Sheffield Productions, one should think that maybe people would want to help improve the state of the fledgling company's offerings,
The butler approached her with a serving tray. "Oh, very good, Miss Babcock. Now let's see if you can master multi-syllabic nouns and verbs. Can you say 'Too many cocktails make Babcock a inebriated bore?'"
C.C. stuck out her chin and pinned him with a scathing glare that made most mortal men quake. "Pucker up and kiss my wealthy ass...servant," she spat.
She moved to swipe one of the glasses from his tray but he pulled it back from her. She stalked forward, determined to salve her wounded pride with an adult beverage, damn it.
Before he could further torment her, though, Lee Stevens approached them clapping his hands like a small child on a sugar high from too many Christmas cookies.
"C.C., my dear!"
She spun around and greeted him with an approximation of a smile. Something about this man always rubbed her the wrong way, but why she couldn't remember at the moment, too wound up from her encounter with Maxwell's dimwitted excuse for a butler.
"You two are under the mistletoe!"
Her grin fell as she looked up at the offending sprig. Her stomach roiled in disgust as she glanced at the pompous house boy.
"Oh, now, Lee…" she tried to brush him off but her laugh sounded hollow even to her own ears.
"You know what that means!" His voice carried too well across the room. Oh, yeah, that was what it was about him that rankled her nerves...among other things.
"Really, sir, I don't think that-" Niles started to protest.
"Nonsense! Indulge an old man." Lee swiped one of the drinks from Niles' tray and raised it in mock salute.
Niles threw her a helpless look.
Only the fact that there were too many onlookers in the crowded room kept her from clawing his face off. Maxwell sent them a pleading look to just get on with it before they made a bigger spectacle of themselves while Sara tried to discreetly stifle a giggle behind her hand. If C.C. ever bothered with such a thing, they'd officially be off her Christmas card list for this.
Losing patience and realizing it was a losing battle, Niles squared his shoulders and leaned in. She tried to school her features so as not to broadcast her utter revolt and closed her eyes. To her surprise, he merely planted a quick, dry peck on her cheek before pulling back. After a smattering of applause from those around them, he gave a slight bow to Lee before turning on his heel and marching away.
As soon as no one was looking at her any longer, she wrinkled up her nose and scrubbed at her cheek. Of the worst kisses she ever experienced, that one ranked high on her list.
C.C. found only one thing entertaining about this ridiculous shindig: watching Niles' creative attempts to slip away from Nanny Fine's lascivious grandmother. The rest of it was an exercise in trying not to spiral into madness. That glorified babysitter insisted on having a huge holiday party...for the kids, of course, so no booze least they corrupt the little kiddies. Now too many rugrats and too many extended Fine family and friends filled the first floor of Maxwell's townhouse. She didn't know which was worse.
She grinned as Mr. Clean's evasive attempts proved futile. Yetta caught up somehow and gave him a friendly swat on the ass. Jumping, he made a swift beeline away from her and headed toward the kitchen.
A bit disappointed by his hasty retreat from the room, she needed a new source of amusement to occupy her until she found the right moment to bow out gracefully from this fiasco. Spying Maxwell across the room and (even better!) not too far the mistletoe hung near the mantle, she started weaving her way through the throng, determined to draw him under the silly little weed.
She stopped just shy of it, not wanting to be too transparent with her intentions. Though a bit oblivious to the world around him most of the time, the man showed an occasional glimmer of awareness...usually at the most inconvenient moments.
"Maxwell!" She gave him her brightest grin as called out to him, gesturing him to join her, but he merely held up his hand to indicate his was busy at the moment.
She sighed. Why he needed to play the perfect host to these heathens and peasants, she couldn't understand.
At last, he tore himself away and started toward her. Taking a few steps back as he approached, she hoped to place herself squarely under the mistletoe. As she took one last step, however, she bumped into something large and solid. Turning on her heel, she came face to face with that wretched butler.
"Damn it, Niles!"
He growled at her and grabbed her by the arms, swinging her around to shield himself.
"What the hell are you doing?!" She looked over her shoulder to see Yetta shuffling toward them, still in hot pursuit.
Snickering, she wrenched herself out of his grimy hands and tried to go around him. She intended to give him a good push in the old bat's direction as she passed, but before she took even a step...
"Hey, look! Niles and Miss Babcock are under the mistletoe!" Maxwell obnoxious middle child (what was his name? Bingham?) chortled at their unfortunate position.
To her everlasting humiliation, half people in the room turned their way.
"C'mon, Niles!" Nanny Fine yelled out. "Show that fish how it's done!"
"Miss Fine!" Both Niles and Maxwell groaned.
Eyeballing the nanny, C.C. crossed her arms. "This is ridiculous."
"I'll jingle your bells instead, Neil!" Yetta cooed and the crowd began to snicker.
Niles tried not to visibly shudder.
She pursed her lips as she considered him. "There's your chance, Niles. You can pucker up with someone your own age and who's a lot more willing instead. I don't mind."
"Now, now, Miss Babcock, it would be rude to turn away an elder such as yourself."
She huffed and balled up her fists.
"Oooo, just for that…." She stepped forward and planted a kiss right on his lips. She caught him unprepared, though. So startled was he, he remained stock still, his eyes bulging out in shock. Unimpressed by his lack of participation, she made the decision to end it quickly.
"Oh, Neil, how could you!"
"That's a sorry excuse for a kiss, Yetta. Don't take it to heart!" Nanny Fine tried to comfort her distraught grandmother.
She hated to agree with Nanny Fine, but as she recalled a certain liquor-laced memory from some months ago, she knew it could have been better. Much better.
After lighting the menorah, the small gathering spread throughout the room in little groups. Yetta remained at the piano with Sammy, who continued to tickle the ivories, as she looked on adoringly. Sylvia gave the kids a crash course on how to play with the dreidel, and to C.C.'s everlasting bewilderment, Jocelyn and Val attempted to chat, though she could tell by Jocelyn's dumbfounded stare, her participation was only out of politeness. Maxwell and Nanny Fine strolled around the room arm in arm, stopping too many times to smooch.
That left her and Niles.
"Care for a drink, Miss Babcock?" he nodded toward the drink cart.
"Sure," she said and accepted the arm he offered to her as he lead them to the bar cart.
Pouring them both a brandy, he held out a glass to her and they walked toward the hallway for a little privacy. Stopping in the doorway where they could still be part of the gathering without being in the midst of it, they stood face to face and sipped their drinks.
"So, we got to be together to wallow in our mutual bitterness for the holidays after all."
He chuckled. "Yes, we did. I must tell you, though, Miss Babcock, I...um…" His voice trailed off as he looked up as something caught his eye. "Oh, god…"
"You what?" She followed his gaze.
Mistletoe.
"Oh."
Their eyes met for a moment and then they both turned their heads to scan the room. Everyone else remained occupied with their own conversations and paid them no heed. No one would be the wiser if they just stepped away right now, found another corner of the room, or just went their separate ways.
She realized she didn't want to do that, though.
As she looked back at him, she raised an expectant eyebrow at him. Niles eyes widened at the implied dare. He gulped the rest of his drink down and cast another sidelong glance toward the rest of the family only to realize they still existed in their own private little bubble.
With a solemn nod, he reach out his hand for hers and they took a step forward. Feeling more calm than she ought to in the moment, her eyes fluttered shut as they leaned into one another, their lips meeting in a soft, sweet lingering embrace that still ended much too soon.
As they pulled apart, Niles' eyes darted about the room once more while C.C. slid back to collect herself.
"I, um, have some paperwork I should look over really quickly. I'll be right back," she said as she handed her glass to him and retreated down the hallway, not bothering to wait for his reaction.
As soon as she was around the corner, she slumped against the wall and pressed her fingers to her still tingling lips, willing her traitorous heart to stop pounding. Before she could even catch her breath, though, she heard footsteps behind her.
"Miss Babcock..."
She turned to find Niles standing there.
"Yes?"
"I can do better than that. No, actually, we can do better than that."
Her eyes darkened at his challenge. "Oh, yeah?"
He stepped forward, determination written in his face and with a distinct air of confidence he'd lacked a minute ago.
"Oh, yeeeah," he drawled as he took her in his arms.
She smirked at him, hoping it masked the rush of exhilaration that swept over her. Her hands slid up his arms to clasp them around the nape his neck.
"Prove it," she whispered just before their lips met again.
With a growl, he captured her lips, and this time they came together without the sweet, shy hesitation that their kiss moments ago held. Her lips parted in an invitation he eagerly accepted, pulling her tighter still against him as their tongues met.
The kiss lasted for minutes, hours, days, forever it seemed.
She clung tighter to him as his fingers traced along her spine, his mouth parting from hers as he trailed more kisses down her neck before burying his face against her shoulder. She reveled in the fact he seemed just as shaken she felt, both of them trembling and gasping as they tried to catch their breath.
She'd hang mistletoe all over the place year round if this was how it could be with him.
"Better?"
She nodded. "Yeah…"
She felt him smile against her neck.
Mischief dancing in her eyes, she whispered another challenge, "I bet we can do better still, though."
He obliged.