It was frigid in the house as we all made our way downstairs. The heater had very inconveniently broken the morning of Christmas. That meant no stores were open and no one could fix it until after the holidays. We all grouped around the Christmas tree, shivering in blankets that were draped over us. I was the coldest one of all. I was about as fragile as a plant. When it gets too cold, I am ready to wither away and die. I sat on the couch shivering so much that I was irritating Pietro who sat down beside me.

"Stop that," he said, reaching out to me until I squeaked and moved away from him.

His eye twitched in annoyance, but he stuck his arms back under his blanket.

"I don't understand," he muttered, probably remembering a few weeks ago when I pretty much fell asleep on him.

I sighed before I jumped screaming as Lance had started a fire in the fireplace. The warmth was welcome, but the fire brought up a raging fear in my body. As I was closest to the fire, I moved away from it only to bump into Pietro. I was a mess as I practically died for being between a rock and a hard place. I was about to start crying when my blanket was parted and Pietro pulled me into the warmth of his blanket with him. I whimpered pitifully as his body temperature made me feel better. It helped that we were sharing our blankets, keeping us very warm. I gave in, deciding that Pietro was less of a problem than the fire was. I hid part of my face in the blanket as I blushed. I was sitting on his crossed legs on the couch with my back to his chest. I could feel his arms wrapped gently around my stomach. Toad sidled up to Wanda.

"Why don't we do that? Looks nice and toasty…"

Wanda gave him a disgusted look.

"Never. I would rather freeze."

My best friend smiled up at me. It wasn't a teasing smile or a mocking smile. It was just a smile. Lance grabbed presents and started passing them around. There wasn't any order to how we opened our presents. We just went at them. Kurt had even been nice enough to send me a snow globe of a scene in Germany as a present. I noticed that Pietro hadn't given me anything. I looked back at him as Wanda went to make everyone hot chocolate, only to see him grin and wink at me.

"Later," he whispered in my ear, making my face glow red again.

We all had a fun time drinking hot chocolate and talking together. I was really enjoying the family feeling of it all until Pietro began playing games. I had been telling everyone about how much it had sucked working at a convenience store when I suddenly yelped. Everyone stared at me as my face lit up like a Christmas tree. Pietro had slipped his hand under my shirt and onto my stomach.

"Gen?" Wanda asked, frowning.

"Sorry, it felt like something bit my arm, but it was one of those weird phantom feelings, ahaha. So, have any of you ever worked somewhere?"

That started them up on stories, letting me turn and glare at Pietro.

"What are you doing?" I hissed as quietly as I could.

"I don't know…"

He began drawing little circles on my stomach, making me cringed and twitch.

"Stoooop! That tickles. Molester!"

"I'm not molesting you. Unless…you want me to."

Nerves erupted in my stomach as his hand went up and he traced the edge of my bra with his finger.

"Stop playing around," I practically pleaded.

I heard him chuckled.

"You want me to just get right to it then?"

I leaped up, startling everyone else as I fell over. Pietro looked at me in surprise as well. I jumped up and ran upstairs. Going into the bedroom, I dropped onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow. I was so confused. I felt like my feelings were tearing my body apart. Half of me raged about him touching me while the other half had wanted him to do it. I heard the door close and my bed sink a little as someone sat on it.

"You know I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to, right?" I heard Pietro's voice tell me.

I felt a stab at my heart as I heard him sound…guilty for the first time in his life. I sat up and looked at him.

"I-I know. It's just…it just freaked me out."

"I won't touch you anymore. You've been flipping out since last night whenever I try. I don't understand what's wrong, but I don't want you to hurt yourself trying to get away from me."

I stared at him as he got up.

"Come downstairs when you want to. I told everyone that you felt a little sick, so they don't know anything."

He was about to walk away, but I grabbed his wrist.

"Wait!"

He turned back to me. I dropped my hand and I hugged my knees.

"I was just nervous. It's not as if I thought you were like Kelvin or anything, I just…I'm so confused because we've argued all the time for so long. Now I…I like being here and I know I never hated you but…it's like I'm being pulled apart and stretched too thin."

Pietro sat back down on the bed and put a hand on my knee.

"What are you saying?" he asked, confused.

"I…I'm not mad at you. In fact…when Kelvin had kidnapped me…I told him I'd rather have anyone but him be the one I'd first be with. I even…I even said I'd rather it be you."

I hid my face in my knees as I heard Pietro chuckle.

"Well, if you want to do it…"

"Pietro!" I whined into my knees.

His hand gently lifted my head back up so I could look at him. His eyes were softer than I'd ever seen them before. I stared into his eyes as he smiled at me.

"Genevieve, are you trying to say you're in love with me?"

I gaped at him for a moment. As I looked into his eyes, I felt the rage falling away. The feeling of wanting him near me was filling up in its place. I nodded. I loved him. He pulled me into his arms and held me as I started to cry.

"Finally. I've been after you for practically ten years and you finally come to your senses."

We heard a laugh from the doorway and turned to see Wanda grinning at us.

"They do say that there is a fine line between hate and love."

We glared at her.

"Go away," Pietro said, running the door, slamming it, and then coming back to me.

We heard a scoff through the door before footsteps announcing her retreat. Sure that she was gone, Pietro pushed me down onto my back and kissed me.

"Merry Christmas to me," he said, pulling out a box from his pocket," Now for you."

Opening it, he pulled out a necklace. On the chain was a locket with my initials engraved on it. I smiled as he put it on me.

"Now, as long as you marry me, you're initials can stay G.C.M., okay?"

He put his forehead against mine with a smile.

"I love you, Gen."

I brushed away some of my tears as I hugged him.

"I love you, too."

-The End-