Pointless cotton-candy fluff just in time for the holidays. I think I may try to make 12 of these leading up til Christmas (I know, technically the 12 days of Christmas is supposed to be after Christmas, but we're going with the traditional 'I'm pretending I had no clue' clause. ;D). Fingers crossed that I can make enough in time.

On the plus side, they're all going to be this painfully short and pointless, but there's not gonna be a specific theme- just inspired by some of my favorite random Christmas songs as I wait patiently for the day to arrive and avoid studying for finals. Oh, the joys of college season…

If you're wondering if I did the math wrong, I only kinda did. You guys are getting two oneshots on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on how nice I am... ;)

$4$

Oh, the fire's burnin' slow
Now where's that mistletoe?
Oh, dear, it's getting' kinda hot in here
I need a taste of Christmas cheer

- "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag," by SheDAISY


"You know, normal people put the Christmas tree in the house."

Layla smiled and turned around, staring at her boyfriend amusedly. It was their first Christmas living together, and they were still having fun grappling with one another's traditions and habits.

"If you put the tree in the house, you would have had to chop it down," she replied patiently, wrapping her festive dark green scarf tighter around her neck. "And if you chopped it down, you would have to be sleeping were the tree used to be."

He laughed at her soft-spoken threat and walked closer, and she had to appreciate how nicely the black long-sleeved t-shirt filled out his broad shoulders. "Alright, so what do you do instead? Get an extra-long power cord for the Christmas lights?"

She turned back to the tree and continued hanging up the small handmade ornaments. "You should know me by now," she said, smiling wryly. "If I wanted to grow a beautiful evergreen tree close to the house so we can string it up with cheap plastic lights, I would've done that."

He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and dropping his chin on her shoulder, no mean feat considering he was half a foot taller than her. "So does that mean we're not going to have any lights on our outdoors, all-natural Christmas tree?"

She elbowed him gently, then leaned down and picked up a heavy paper bag and pulled out one of the many objects inside it. It was a small iron-frame box with glass windows and a tiny door that swing open to reveal a tea candle

"I figured if we're going to do this is this the outdoors, all-natural Christmas way we might as well go all out and have our lights follow the same theme."

He stared at the little candleholders carefully, and then looked up at her, incredulity written all over his face as he said, "Candles?"

She grinned undeniably evilly as she responded, "Well, you always loved to use that little finger snap-flame trick when we were younger… now you have the excuse to use it again."

Warren stood up straight, spinning her around so she was facing him and tightening his arms around her waist. She grinned and obligingly wrapped her own arms around his neck, leaning in for a kiss. It was just as good as it always was. There was snow on the ground, she was bundled up in a sweater, jeans, boots, a scarf, a hat, gloves, and her favorite dark grey peacoat, and he still had the ability to heat her up so fast with a little kiss she was practically panting.

When they finally broke apart, he shot her a good-natured glare and said in a voice a little bit deeper than it had been minutes before, "I hate when you use me for my body."

$4$

This is barely 500 words, which is truly pathetic for me. But oh well. If you guys want me to meet my goal of 12 leading up to Christmas, this is how short they're gonna be. Call it a compromise. ;)