...
There were people everywhere. Some frantic, some looking so relaxed it was making Cristina want to scream. Outside a storm raged on, the wind howled and the rain was smattering against any surface it could find, but inside the mall, it was like being on an entirely different planet. No one was dishevelled or sodden from the rain, the sounds of the outside world couldn't penetrate the mall and everyone looked so determined, determined to buy what they wanted, determined to get good specials, or for some, determined to get the fuck out of this mall as quickly as possible. Cristina fell into the last category.
"This time of year is infuriating." Cristina moans as they fall into their fourth consecutive hour of shopping. She doesn't window shop, she goes in and gets out as quickly as possible, she gets what she needs, she doesn't do shopping, especially not Christmas shopping, she buys a bunch of cards, writes names on envelopes and gives people cash or liquor. And yet, here she is, just over a week before Christmas, in the biggest mall in Seattle, shopping, well Christmas shopping, which is even worse than regular shopping.
Jackson looks more and more amused as time goes on, and as he picks up the perfume he knows his mum likes he doesn't even look over at Cristina as he asks, "You don't like the Christmas cheer?"
Cristina is already holding three shopping bags, and while she is delighted at what she managed to find Mere, Alex and Lexie, both joke and real presents, she still does not like Christmas shopping, nor any sort of shopping. Trying not to knock over the perfume stand she takes a small step back as her eyes sweep the store and she answers, "It's not Christmas cheer that Christmas brings, it's pressure. So much pressure. Pressure on presents, pressure on parents and families and friends and above all that there is the incessant Christmas music that you will not stop playing, and neither will this entire place."
"You love it." Jackson grins. He knows she is hating almost every second of this, and he knows that she is only doing this because he won Cluedo the night before last, which meant he chose how they spent their afternoon off, but the smile that sneaks onto her face every so often makes all her moaning and complaints worthwhile, because a small part of her is loving getting into the Christmas present, well kind of…
"I don't."
Jackson shakes his head in disagreement and laughs as a little boy standing behind Cristina presses a button on one of the Santa Claus's on the shelf and it starts to sing, making Cristina clutch her bags tighter and conceal her shriek with a cough before she sighs. Laughing, Jackson replies, "Yes you do, I know you do. You especially love the tunes."
"And why do I love this horrible sound that keeps attacking my ears?" Cristina asks. She has gotten to the point where she can simply zone out the music, but that doesn't mean she will admit that it doesn't bother her, she hates Christmas music, and whether she can hear it or not, doesn't matter, it's the principle, she still knows its playing.
Jackson decides on the perfume, and moves to another stand looking for a present for his sister-in-law as he answers, "Because I love it." Cristina glances over at another stall and is distracted for a few seconds by the sheer ugliness of a perfume's packaging before she glances up at Jackson waiting for him to continue.
When he doesn't she adds, "I don't see a point."
"And you love me." Jackson adds, grinning as he drops something else into the basket in his hand, and regrets for the third time not following Cristina's suggestion to go and put their bags in their car and head back in. He knows that once they reach the car, Cristina will use her beautiful brown eyes to convince him to go home and leave the mall behind. Cristina shakes her head and sighs, so Jackson adds, "So therefore you love it by extension."
Cristina doesn't even attempt to conceal her laugh as she tries her best not to knock anything over as her whole body shakes and she answers, "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And I've been friends with O'Malley and Karev for years." She is grinning now and it once again occurs to Jackson that she is the most gorgeous person that Jackson has ever seen. Her laughter stops and her eyes meet Jackson's for a moment and her tongue darts out between her lips.
"We'll leave in an hour." Jackson says a few seconds later, he can read the look that Cristina is giving him right now, she is challenging him and not only that, she is undressing him with her eyes, and Jackson won't last long under that look.
...