Hugging
Grinch was annoyed, Martha May observed. It wasn't an unusual occurrence; he was a bit of a hot head, slipping into an irritable mood at the slightest hint of something not going the way he wanted it. She stopped flinching at the sound of some tool hitting metal-because he'd gotten fed up and thrown it-or asked him repeatedly-and okay maybe she could see why that also bothered him-if he was alright. She'd grown used to it by now.
A sigh escaped her lips. She wished there was something she could do for him. Looking over at Max, she shook her head. "Poor thing," She lamented. Max seemed to whine in agreement. "He really ought to sit down for a cup of tea. He's overworking himself on...whatever that is."
Max barked.
"I wish there was something we could do," She continued. She sat there for a moment longer until an idea came to her. A brilliant, wonderful, most amazing idea. A small smile came on her lips. She rose up from the chair and made it to where her boyfriend was. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around his midsection, resting her head on his back.
Grinch froze.
Max watched with a tilted head.
/
Cheek kiss
"This is stupid," Grinch complained, flinging his hand in the direction of the TV. Per Martha's request, they were watching a classic Christmas movie. She knew he wasn't really fond of it but asked nicely-with one of her sweet smiles that she knew he couldn't really resist. He'd wanted to protest, she saw it coming, but then ended up agreeing. "And predictable. I told you they were going to end up together."
"Of course they were," Martha laughed softly.
He pointed an accusatory green finger at her. "You already knew!"
"Of course. The couple always gets together in Christmas movies."
"Then why did we watch it in the first place?!"
"It's romantic," Martha said.
"It's stupid."
"Oh, hush," She said playfully. "It wasn't that bad."
Grinch grumbled.
"We can spend the rest of the evening doing whatever you like."
"Even throwing bottles off the mountain and hoping it hits someone?" Grinch said skeptically.
(They both knew what someone he was referring to).
"Even that," She nodded.
He was satisfied.
She shook her head, amused and reached over to kiss his cheek. She became even more amused when her boyfriend did not know how to react to such...affection.
He gingerly put a hand to his cheek and then looked at her, stunned.
/
Cuddling
"This was your first date?" Martha was touched to have been his first.
Grinch nodded bashfully, a blush spreading over his face.
"That's adorable!"
He grimaced. "No, it's not."
"Oh, I beg to differ," She giggled. "In fact, it's the cutest thing I've heard all year."
He mock scowled at her. "You're not funny."
She laughed. It didn't escape her how he practically melted after everything she did. He was entirely smitten. She could hardly contain her smile, it threatened to take over her whole face.
"I do believe it's time to introduce you to a must on date nights."
He was curious, she could tell. "What's that?"
"Cuddling."
He stared at her strangely. "Cuddling?" He repeated slowly. "I don't know what that is."
"Why don't you come closer and I'll show you," Martha said as he observed her warily. She scooted closer when he did not, snuggling into his side, putting her arms around him and the side of her face resting against the top of his chest. He sat there, rigid as a board. "Put your arms around me," She instructed and then added, "If you're comfortable with it."
It took a moment for Grinch to do so; he was totally out of his comfort zone.
"Isn't this nice?" She said.
"Sure," He said awkwardly.
/
Hand holding
Martha invited Grinch out of his cave to accompany her on a walk through Whoville. He still wasn't particularly fond of everyone, especially when they tried to talk to him. But she managed to get him to come anyway.
As they walked side by side, her mind began to wander. She never quite realized how shy Grinch was. He hid it well, but it was evident whenever they were together and she attempted to initiate some physical contact. He would blush and mumble and remind her of that eight year old little boy who acted similarly in the midst of her presence.
"Can we go back now?" He muttered.
"Soon," She promised. She slipped her hand into his, causing his head to snap in her direction. She stared straight ahead, smiling pleasantly.
A second passed and she felt a gentle squeeze.
/
Forehead kiss
Grinch was scowling.
Now it wasn't an uncommon sight. Martha was used to seeing a foul mood sprout up, sometimes for seemingly no reason at all. The cause for this one was simple: Augustus. They'd been walking out in Whoville when he came out of nowhere, attempting to persuade her into joining him for a hot cup of tea.
Martha never got the chance to respond-which would have been politely telling him to get lost-because Grinch put his arm around her protectively, loudly proclaiming that they needed to return home.
They had walked away-in Grinch's case, stomped.
Nothing had improved since they got back to Martha's house (they alternated between her home and Grinch's cave). He was sulking and snapped at Max with a harsher tone than usual. Luckily, his companion hadn't taken offense. He merely made eye contact with her-she would never quite understand how this dog was so smart-his expression conveying what happened this time?
She sighed a little, lips pursing as she tried to think of some way to get him happy again. He really needn't be so angry; she knew he was worried none of what they had would last and that he had some absurd fear she would run off with Augustus Maywho and get married.
He'd admitted such to Max, although not in those exact words. She'd overheard him one day.
Making her way over to where he laid on their bed-pouting-Martha joined him, snuggling up behind him, pressing a kiss or two on the back of his neck. "Darling, what's the matter?"
"Nothing," He grumbled.
"I don't believe that."
"Too bad."
"Are you still upset about Augustus? Darling, you must forget about him," She said softly.
"I'm not upset."
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. He turned over to face her, that unhappy frown was still firmly on his face. "Are you really going to tell me you're not upset?"
She cupped his cheek. He didn't meet her eyes right away.
"What if he takes you away?" He demanded to know. Martha nearly let out an undignified snort but saw a hint of vulnerability come out and so she suppressed it.
Augustus was merely a pest in Martha's opinion. But to Grinch, he saw the man as a threat, truly believing that Martha would end up getting tired of him eventually.
"I assure you, nothing and no one will take me away from you this time," She spoke quietly yet firmly. "I love you. I want no one else but you."
She leaned over to kiss him on his forehead.
"You mean it?" His voice wavered ever so slightly. Someone else might have missed it but not Martha.
"I mean it," She said warmly.
/
Lip kiss
The night was bright and starry.
Martha managed to coax Grinch out of his cave and into the outside.
"What are we looking at?" He was confused.
"The sky, Grinch. Isn't it beautiful?" She sighed dreamily.
The stars were out, scattered across the sky, bright and shiny.
He squinted at it. "Looks like any other night."
"You're hopeless," She shook her head, grabbing onto his arm and leaning her head against it. She smiled as he kissed her head. "You're a wonderful man."
"You can't call me a wonderful man and hopeless," He teased her, chuckling.
"You know what I mean," She nudged him. She faced him fully now. "I love you so very much."
He put his arms around her waist. "I love you, too," he said quietly because he still wasn't used to saying those words. He studied her face for a moment. "You don't regret any of this?"
"Regret this with you?"
He nodded.
"Oh, darling," She smiled softly. Instead of answering him, she got up on her tiptoes to put her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him downward. He complied; her lips captured his own.
And so, on the edge of a cliff just north of Whoville, two souls who had found each other kissed under the moonlight on a bright starry night.