SWW Christmas In My Hometown Competition
Title: Love Begins at the River
Penname: Mrs. Agget
Pairing: Edward/Seth
Rating: M
Word Count: 2505
Summary: Edward remembers the Christmas he met his true love.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Preread by: Karen L. Buckle
Beta'd by: Corey A. Smith
EPOV
As I walked in the front door of the modest log cabin I shared with my boyfriend, Seth, the smells of Christmas and home invaded my senses. Cinnamon, vanilla, and Seth's homemade sugar cookies called to me from the living room and kitchen. Placing my keys on the hook by the door, I shrugged out of my coat and hung it on the coat rack. I was still in my scrubs from work, but I didn't care; I had just wanted to get home when my shift was done. It was Christmas Eve, and the quicker I could get home, the better.
There was soft Christmas music playing from the television in the living room, and when I walked in, I heard Seth softly humming along. He was sitting on the hardwood floor, near the fireplace, surrounded by Christmas paper, scissors, tape, and ribbon. He was so involved in his task that he didn't even hear me come in.
Slowly, I crept behind him and crouched down. His black hair was sticking up in every direction, like he had been running his hands through it all day, which he probably had. He learned that by watching me.
"What are you doing, my love?" I asked, and he jumped with a loud gasp, then turned around and regarded me with narrowed eyes.
"Edward! You scared the hell out of me!" he yelled, then grinned, showing me his perfect teeth. I pulled him into my arms and took a deep breath of his spicy, woodsy scent. Mmm, heaven.
"I'm sorry for scaring you," I said quietly, and placed a kiss on the top of his head. He raised his face to mine, seeking more, and I gladly obliged. I never could get enough of his taste.
When we noisily broke our kiss, he turned back to the task at hand and I peered over his shoulder. "What is it you're doing?" I asked again, and he laughed lightly.
"What does it look like I'm doing, Edward? I am finishing wrapping the gifts before Em and Leah arrive tomorrow. If I remember right, someone was supposed to help me." He shot me a sly look over his shoulder and I smiled sweetly.
"You know I would have helped you all day if I didn't have to go to work."
"I know," Seth smiled at me. "I'm just busting your balls a bit."
Laughter escaped me at Seth's words. He wasn't usually this cocky, but when he was, he knew it turned me on something fierce. Leaning in, I kissed the side of his neck, sucking gently. He tilted his head to the side so I could have more room, and I kissed a path up his neck to his ear.
"Let me shower, then I'll help you finish," I whispered to him, and he gave me a brief nod. I kissed Seth's neck one more time and stood up.
Walking towards the bedroom, I glanced over my shoulder and shook my head. Seth was hunched over with his tongue sticking out while concentrating on trying to make a perfect bow.
As soon as I get in the room I quietly shut the door and lock it. I quickly walk over to the bed and kneel down. I lift the sheet and reach between the mattress and box spring until my hand lands on what I am looking for.
Closing my hand around the small box I pull it from its hiding place and open it. Nestled inside was a thick-banded, white gold ring. I have known for quite a while that Seth was it for me; there was no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with.
Shutting the box, I slip it into the velvet drawstring pouch I picked up on my way home and placed it under his pillow.
Rising to my feet, I go to the door and unlock it but keep it closed. I grab a soft black tee and some sleep pants with Christmas trees on them from the dresser and then head to the bathroom to shower.
I turn the shower on to let the water warm and quickly shed my scrubs. Soon the room is filled with steam. I don't want Seth waiting any longer than he has to for me, so I step under the spray and hurriedly wash away the stress of the day.
Finally feeling human again I get out and dress. I don't bother with my hair because no matter what I do to it, it will do whatever it wants. I swear it has a mind of it's own. I pick up my dirty clothes and place them in the hamper on my way out of the room.
Walking back into the living room I find Seth in the same position with what looks like the same present. I must have been gone for at least ten minutes, how can he still be working on the same gift?
I hear him cursing and mumbling under his breath and can't help but smile. It's the little things like this that make me love him that much more.
Christmas is his favorite time of year so he goes a little overboard with things. I did tell him I would help him wrap but we both know that he won't allow it. He is such a perfectionist when it comes to wrapping.
Our first Christmas together I made the mistake of hurriedly wrapping everything and slapping store bought bows on all the gifts. He made me unwrap everything so that he could do it 'the right way' with every present perfectly wrapped with a handmade bow. I think the experience traumatized him because he hasn't let me near the wrapping supplies since.
Plopping down next to him, I reached for the ribbon and he slapped my hand away. "No," he said, and I laughed because I knew that was exactly how he would react. So with a brilliant smile, I dropped the ribbon and scooted behind him. Gently, I started kneading the muscles in his hunched over shoulders. He hummed lightly, letting me know he was enjoying my ministrations.
"Feel good?" I asked quietly, placing a light kiss to the nape of his neck.
"Yeah," he answered, setting the gift he was wrapping aside.
"How long have you been doing this?" I asked, and he leaned back against me with a sigh.
"Hours," he said as I reached over his shoulders to trail my hands up and down his torso.
"Well, you need a break. Come sit on the sofa and let me make us some cocoa."
"But this is the last one," he complained.
"Alright," I conceded, sitting him up and standing. "You finish that and I'll make our cocoa, then we can watch a movie."
I walked into the kitchen and started chopping the chocolate and getting the milk into the pan to heat. Opening the fridge, I grabbed two candy canes to put in our mugs when they were done. Peeking around the corner into the living room, I saw Seth diligently working on that gift, so I took a chance and sprinted to the bedroom. Quickly, I reached under the pillow and grabbed the pouch with the ring box in it, and stuffed it into my pocket.
Going back into the kitchen, I continued to make our cocoa, acting like I had been there all the time. When I had our cocoa poured into our mugs with the candy canes sticking out the top, I carefully carried them into the living room and sat them on the coffee table. Seth had cleaned everything up and all the gifts he had wrapped were under the tree. He was curled up in the corner of the sofa, bare feet tucked under him, flipping through the TV channels.
Settling next to him, I handed him his mug. "Careful love, it's hot."
Ignoring my warning, he lifted his cup and took a sip, burning his mouth in the process. I hated seeing him in any kind of pain, so I leaned over and gingerly placed a kiss on his red and swollen lip. As soon as our lips touched, his discomfort was forgotten and he readily opened his mouth, asking for more. Still mindful of his lip and our mugs, I slowly slid my tongue into his mouth to brush along his. He gave me a soft moan of contentment as our tongues played.
Not wanting to hurt his lip, I gently ended our kiss and stared into his dark eyes. They were reflecting the flames of the fire. He was so beautiful, it took my breath away. I caressed his cheek with my free hand and gave his lip one more peck before settling back down beside him.
He returned to flipping through the channels until he came across A Christmas Story. It had just started, so he left it there.
Finally, our cocoa was cool enough to drink, so we quickly did before it got too cold. When we were done, I took our cups into the kitchen and rinsed them out.
When I returned, I found Seth stretched out on the sofa. He lifted his head so I could sit down and when I was settled, he laid his head on my lap. My fingers automatically went to his hair, gently stroking it. We both let out a contented sigh and went back to watching the movie.
This was what I lived for, quiet moments, not talking, just enjoying each other's company. My eyes were on the TV, but my mind went back to the day Seth and I met.
At that time, I lived in the small, bigoted town of Franklin, in Heard County, which was situated right at the Chattahoochee River. The place had so many churches, it was unbelievable. Jehovah's Witnesses frequented the houses in and around the town, peddling their flyers and religion. It was a pain in the ass, really. Of course, I believe in God, but damn, people were pushy.
I didn't live exactly in the town, I lived almost at the next county's border, in a tiny village called Ephesus. Ironic, right? Ephesus had a school, a City Hall, a Fire Department and an Elementary school. That was it. There was no Post Office, not even a red light.
My house was surrounded by pastures all around. Cows and horses were nothing new to see. The field right across the street from where I lived housed a herd of horses, about seven or eight in number. Sometimes, I could sit out on the porch in lazy summer air and hear their calls to each other. Those times were peaceful.
Anyway, Franklin was small, too. Though, not as small as Ephesus, mind you. It did have one red light.
Not much happened in small towns like that, so the residents took every holiday as an opportunity to gather together on the square in Franklin to celebrate somehow. It just so happened that I met Seth at the celebration so festively called "A Taste of a Chattahoochee Christmas". People from all over the county set up booths selling homemade food and gifts. There were games and a visit with Santa for the children, near the huge Christmas tree in the gazebo.
As I walked through the square that cold night, I was studying the gifts on one of the tables of a nearby booth when the most adorable laugh graced my ears. I looked up to try to find where it came from when it sounded again, and I laid eyes on the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Seth. He was dressed as a cheery elf, talking and laughing with the kids who were lined up to sit on Santa's lap. He was passing out hot cocoa with candy canes in it, while sipping his own.
In the twinkling lights and streetlamps that littered the square, his eyes were shining with happiness and mirth, and I wanted to get to know him, right then.
I hung around near where the beautiful Seth tirelessly worked until the celebration was done, waiting for my chance. I thought I would be frozen by the time the festivities were wrapping up and people started packing away their things.
When the man playing Santa had left his post, I walked up, pretending to admire the tree and desperately wishing Seth wouldn't think I was a stalker.
My fears were proven unnecessary when suddenly the smell of mint and cocoa wafted under my nose. I turned my head and was staring directly into the smiling face of the man with the bright eyes. I was hooked from that moment on, and took the cup with a grateful smile.
We ended up sitting in the gazebo most of the night, getting to know each other and sharing stories of our lives. I was surprised to find out that he lived not too far from where I did.
When I wondered why I hadn't seen him around before, he explained that he usually kept to himself, because of the bigotry. That was when I learned he was gay, like myself, and knowing we weren't alone in our difficult lives from living in town helped us both immensely.
After that night, we had exchanged phone numbers and texted, called, and had dates...away from Franklin. That was our dream back then, to get away from that awful place.
College gave us that chance. I went to school in Atlanta, and Seth went to a nearby school. We shared a dinky apartment and had shitty jobs, but we managed.
It took almost fifteen years for us to be where we are now, in the cabin, living our happy lives, and I couldn't imagine us being anywhere else.
A light snore brought me out of my reverie, and I gazed down at my love's sleeping form. The years had been so kind to him. He was still fit and lean, which was more than I could say for myself. I was fit enough, from running around the hospital, but he was toned. He worked hard: jogging, aerobics, yoga, and all that shit I never had the time to do. I got my cardio from racing back and forth from the ER to the lab for test results.
Carefully, I picked up Seth's left hand in mine. The fire was burning lower, and he was glowing in the dim light. Shifting around, I brought the drawstring pouch out of my pocket and took out the ring. It glinted in the twinkling lights from the tree and I smiled as I slid it onto his finger. In the morning, when he woke, he would have a special Christmas surprise from me, and I couldn't wait to see it.
Resting his hand back on my leg, I once again concentrated on the movie, grinning at Ralphie in his pink bunny outfit. It was going to be a wonderful Christmas.
Thank you for reading.
Penny