It was Christmas - their first since finding each other again. He expected her to be overly-cheerful; ecstatic at decorations, presents, and the possibility of snow.
And she was - at first.
But about a week into the holiday season, she suddenly changed. She became slightly petulant and withdrawn, as though deep in thought all the time. Even her eyes appeared a little sad.
He finally asked her what was wrong. The idea that she might be tired of him already, so soon, was almost unbearable. They had only just moved into an apartment together.
But he wasn't prepared for the real reason.
"Some of the girls were talking at school," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. Her hands were behind her back and she was shuffling her feet. Abruptly, she blurted, "How Christmastime is supposed to be for couples..."
He blinked. "I suppose that's true." He had never had a girlfriend before, so he hadn't paid much attention to such traditions.
"...they said it was a special time...that you should spend Christmas Eve with the person you love, and to not is just... just awful!" She finally looked at him, her eyes big and wide.
He smiled at her. "Did you think we would spend Christmas Eve separately? We live in the same apartment."
She shook her head quickly. "No, it's not that," she stammered, turning pink. "They also said a couple should share a Christmas cake and... and..."
"And?"
"K-Kiss under the m-mistletoe, so they would be together forever!" She bowed her head to avoid meeting his gaze.
He had heard of that tradition before, of course. But until she said it, the thought of kissing her on the holiday, in a dark shadowy doorway under a cluster of greenery, hadn't entered his brain. Instantly, the image burned itself into his head - a perfectly delightful image of her melting against him, his fingers tangled in her hair, as he kissed her deeply and tasted her mouth...
He grit his teeth. She was still a minor, damn it all.
"And I'm sure you don't want to do that with me, because we haven't kissed at all yet," she continued, babbling now. "And that's okay, I don't really mind - well, I mean... I do, because... I'd like to - kiss you, I mean - but I know you said there were laws about ethics and..."
He quickly pulled her against him and held her close. She squeaked, her voice muffled against his suit, but she grew quiet and still beneath his arms. Slowly, she wrapped her own arms around him.
He held her for a long time, just breathing her scent and willing his blood to stop racing.
"Why would you think I don't want to kiss you?" he asked. The timbre of his voice surprised even him; it was deep and low and Christ, he didn't want to scare her.
She trembled slightly and hugged him more tightly. "Do you?" she whispered.
"All the time," he admitted.
She paused, then drew back enough to look up at him. There was a mysterious little smile playing around her pretty pink mouth. "If we kiss here in the apartment, no one will know, right? And then you won't get in trouble about ethics..."
He flushed. She definitely wasn't as innocent as she had been the last time.
"You said you wanted to kiss me, too?" he murmured.
Kobato blushed, but nodded once. "I always daydream about it. Even in class, when... when I should be studying."
He tried not to chuckle at the idea of her daydreaming in class. It wasn't as if she had to go to college. He had a good job and plenty of money. She didn't have to do anything except be with him, so it wasn't really a problem if she daydreamed in class. Except it might annoy her teachers. Smiling slightly, he said, "Would you like me to kiss you now, or wait?"
She glanced up at him quickly, startled at the bluntness, even though she knew he was blunt. "N-now?"
"I think I'll make you wait," he said decisively, pulling back. "Get your coat, let's go get something to eat. You like the ramen shop around the corner, right?"
She looked completely put out that he wasn't going to kiss her right away. "...you...!" she sputtered.
"Let's go," he replied, turning for the door. It was rather nice, he thought, to fluster her as much as she always flustered him. He would make sure to kiss her soon, though. He didn't think he could hold out much longer.