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I have to repeat myself: Sorry for my English and thanks for the review. Please tell me what you think of this, I need it!! And... Mistletoes ahead! R.
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Chapter 6: What a wonderful world?
When she woke up the next morning, she immediately remembered what had happened last night. Feeling Logan still laying next to her made her smile. Next to her or even under her, like Logan noticed when he woke up. Max had managed to cuddle so close to him that she was almost on top of him. He smiled too and stroke gently over her dark hair.
"Good morning!" she said and stretched a little in a way that reminded Logan of a cat. Must be her feline DNA he thought and answered.
"Good morning? Did you sleep well?"
She nodded: "No more nightmares, no more seizures, no more flashbacks. What time is it?"
Logan looked at his watch: "Almost ten."
"Ten? I never slept that long."
"There's a first time for everything. But we should get up if we wanna do some sight seeing."
"Don't forget the snow fight for breakfast." she reminded him and jumped out of the bed. She opened the window and said: "White Christmas. Aren't Christmases supposed to be white?" She turned around and looked at Logan. He was still laying in her bed and looked to small, weak and immovable. Even more than normally in his chair. And where were his glasses? He must have left them in Daniel's room.
"Everything is white outside. We could go out and build a snowman." she continued.
He sat up, pushed his legs out of the bed and changed to the chair. He realized that Max was watching him and it made him feel uncomfortable, even though he would never let her notice. He wheeled to the window next to her and looked through it. She was right, everything was white outside and grinning he took a hand full from the roof. Max had no idea what was supposed to happen and was a little shocked when Logan put the snowball in the back of her T-shirt. She whirled around, caught the ball and threw it back. Both got armed and started a little fight with two snowballs when somebody knocked at the door.
"Yeah?" said Max and Sarah looked inside.
"Hey Max, hey Logan. Breakfast is ready!"
Both nodded and Sarah vanished again.
Max asked, "So, we're going to end up this fight and have breakfast?"
Logan nodded, "Yes. Don't worry about taking a shower, my parents won't have taken one either."
"I'll just put on a sweater and some pants."
"Me too. Meet in the dining room?" Max nodded and Logan went back to his room. He chose a sweater to wear and put on some comfortable jogging pants before joining his grandparents and Max with breakfast.
"Good morning and merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas! Want some coffee?"
"Yes please." Steven took the mug he gave him. "What about you, Max?"
"Is there any chance of getting some milk?"
Logan looked up and to Max but her smile told him to calm down.
"Sure, no problem." Steven went to the kitchen and got her a bottle of milk.
"Did you sleep well?" Sarah asked and Logan and Max nodded as if nothing had happened.
After breakfast they opened the last presents and Steven asked: "So, what are you going to do today?"
Logan answered, "I'm going to show Max around, do some sight-seeing and stuff. When will the lovingly guests be here?"
"For coffee, so around four."
Logan said, "I thought they'd come for dinner?! We gotta hurry then."
Max suggested, "I'd like to go and jog a few meters, so maybe you could start in the bathroom?"
"Okay, but don't try to run back to the US. Would be a little wet."
"I'm not Forrest Gump. I'll be back in about half an hour."
"Fine!"
Max put on her jogging shoes and left the apartment. Outside she breathed the cold winter air. It smelled like snow and she turned up the speed. Not as fast as she could have, but she knew that her genetically engineered body needed movement. And today Normal wouldn't make her pedal throughout the town. After half an hour in the winter wonderland she returned and found Logan showered and ready to go in his room.
She went to the bathroom and when she had put on some clothes and dried her hair she found Logan in the living room, speaking to his grandfather.
"Hey men! Ready to go?"
Logan nodded, "Sure! Just exchanged the wheels. Might be useful for all the snow outside."
Max nodded and he followed her to the wardrobe.
They put on their jackets and left the apartment together. With Max's rental-car they went to town and started the tourist route. Logan was a nice guide, not knowing too much about the history, but enough to give some background information and some stories he was able to tell were really funny. Together they visited the old churches, fought their way through the Christmas market and dived right into history when visiting the old aisles, which were so small, that Logan sometimes had problems to get in.
They didn't notice how time passed until Logan looked at his watch, "Oh no, it's almost four! We've to get back."
"Don't worry, it's been a wonderful day," Max said and made Logan smile.
He turned to her and said, "Yes, it has. But now it's going to be hard. I want to say sorry for everything that's gonna happen."
"Don't worry. Let's face the dragon."
Logan sighed and they went back. Of course they were late and Logan recognized the car on the street.
"They are already here."
He opened the door, they put their jackets in the wardrobe and Max followed him into the living room, where they were all sitting together.
"Logan, Max, come in." said Steven and Logan wheeled to the couch.
"George, Marie! Merry Christmas! May I introduce you to Max? Max, these are George and Marie Andersen."
Max nodded and smiled and stayed behind Logan. She had this feeling that something would happen and she was right.
Logan apologized, "Sorry, about being late, but we totally forgot about the time."
"No problem," Sarah accepted and the catastrophe was about to start.
Marie said, "Logan, nobody told me you were still in a wheel chair. What happened? Did you have another accident? The other one's almost a year ago, isn't it?"
Max made a grimace and couldn't believe it. Not that their accent hurt her ears, but this was so impolite.
Logan had apologized ex ante, but it seemed as if he was the loser in this game. Logan grimaced, too. Another accident? He had noticed he was in a wheelchair, he noticed every day. But how stupid could somebody be?
"No, still the same accident. Might be enough for the rest of my life," he said with a bitter tone in his voice and only Max's hand on his shoulder made him calm down a little.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence in which Sarah hoped that Marie would realize how horrible she had behaved, but she was wrong.
"Oh, okay. So Max is your nurse?"
Logan thought he would be able to stand up and kick her ass, just because he was so angry. But again it was Max who made him calm down.
"No, I'm sorry, no nurses around. But do you need a nurse or why do you ask? Maybe you could just stay seated and I'll try and call the paramedics so they can take you to a hospital," she said in a voice Logan had never heard her speak in. Very nice and just a little too polite, but the content of her sentence hit right into the target. Marie and George looked astonished.
Steven tried to save the day by saying, "Marie, so.. what's James doing?"
"Jamie? He's doing to fine at his job. He.."
Okay, everybody's safe. Logan sighed and Max relaxed. Marie's dear son James and his heroic actions.
Max stopped listening, because she was afraid that she'd stand up and tell some persons about Eyes Only and a real hero, and instead sat down next to Logan and watched him. He ate his piece of cake and seemed relieved that he wasn't the topic anymore. When all had had enough cake and coffee, Max helped Sarah to get the plates and cups back to the kitchen.
Alone there, Sarah asked, "Why don't you and Logan go out for a walk or something? Marie is really at her top today."
"Thank you so much. It was really embarrassing when she started talking about Logan's disability as if it was something he invented."
"Yeah, I thought the same way, too. Get yourself out and don't come back until half past seven, okay?"
"Thank you so much. I'll just have to get Logan out of the net of the spider."
Sarah looked at her and Max realized what she had said. "Sorry."
She went back to the living room, stood right behind Logan and whispered, "I really need a little walk after so much of this delicious cake. Wanna join me?"
Logan knew Max good enough to notice an escape he was asked to join in. "Sure, good idea." he said and followed her to the wardrobe. Before Marie and George even noticed what had happened, Max and Logan had already left the apartment.
"So we are on the run?" Logan asked and Max nodded, "Yeah, once again."
"Thank you for that. I thought I was going to be impolite."
"I already was, in fact, but the escape was your granny's idea. She told us not to come back before 7:30."
"That's nice. So what would you like to do?"
"I don't know. Just go for a walk or something similar."
"There's a park not far from here. We could go there, build a snowman or just walk around."
"Fine."
Together they walked to the park. Nobody said a word until Max broke the silence.
"I'm sorry that you were right and that Marie said what she said. She's so stupid."
"Don't bother. It's not your fault."
"I know, but I really hated her for saying such stupid things."
"Me too, believe me. -Did you have another accident- God, what's she thinking? That I use this wheelchair just because it's so comfortable?"
He had said this last comment quite loudly, much louder than Max was used to. She was a little shocked and tried to calm him and herself down by saying, "There will always be stupid persons like her. Don't think too much about it."
"-So Max is your nurse then-" Logan still wasn't finished. "What century is she living in? Just because I'm in a wheelchair doesn't mean I need a nurse to push me around and bring me to the toilet or whatever."
"Logan, you know that and I know that and everyone who matters knows. Please, don't think so much about what this stupid woman said." Logan didn't answer.
They walked around in the park and found a café. "Do you want to get in? We could have a hot chocolate." Logan proposed.
Max smiled, "Yeah, why not."
She was happy he was obviously doing better. They went in and found a seat in a corner. The waitress was very nice and kidding around with her they got to talk to the clique at the next table. All Americans visiting Europe.
One of them asked, "Why don't you come over? We're just trying to find someone who is able to find out why there are always persons who know so well about you and give you the right presents and those who don't have the slightest idea."
Logan turned his chair around and Max joined the others on the bank. When she was still trying to put her leg under the table, Logan was already answering the task.
"That's easy. It just depends on how much you know and maybe love someone."
Max thought about it for a little moment and involuntarily touched the necklace she was wearing. She loved it. She had never gotten a better present.
"Very good answer. Not too hard, though. What's your name?"
"Logan."
"Logan? My name is Michael. This is my sister Geena, her boyfriend Charles, Jillian, a friend of mine and Joe, her brother. Who's your girlfriend?"
Logan and Max shook their heads and smiled. Girlfriend was way better than nurse, though.
"I'm Max, but I'm not his girlfriend. We don't have that kind of relationship. We're just friends, that's all."
Jillian said, "Sometimes that's more than enough." and all nodded.
"So what are you doing here?" asked Geena and Logan explained, "My grandparents invited us for Christmas and we took the chance to celebrate in a country where you can actually still walk around in parks even though it's already dark outside."
Not that they wouldn't do it in Seattle, but that wasn't the point.
"Where do you live in the US?" Michael wanted to know.
Logan said, "Seattle. Where do you guys come from?"
"Half of us from Montana and the other from Boston. Visiting friends here who left the US a few years ago when they found out that it's not the best country anymore."
They continued talking and finally decided to stay in contact as it would be nice to celebrate New Years Eve together. Michael and Logan exchanged their telephone numbers and Max and Logan decided to move on. They paid and went to the door when Michael called something even Max didn't understand. Turning around they heard all of them laughing.
Logan was first to notice and pointed up. "It's been a trap. Look!"
They stood right under a mistletoe. Max was shocked for a little moment. There was this thing about last night they hadn't talked about and now she was supposed to kiss him? But these guys had just saved her day. Logan's mood was fine again and hers had bettered, too. So she shook her shoulders and smiled. Logan did the same and pulled her to his lap. What are we doing here? both thought when their lips met. But then all thoughts were gone. Logan stroke over her hair and Max hugged him tight. She sensed his lips, tasted him and felt his tongue touching her lips. Not that any of this would have made her feel uncomfortable. The kiss grew much more intense than it was supposed to be and as the clique had expected - as they had just told them they didn't have that kind of relationship.
When their lips separated both weren't able to catch one clear thought. Like in a dream they looked into each other's eyes until the guys started to laugh and applause. A smile went over Max's face and she started to laugh, too. She stood up and waved before leaving the café. Logan followed her, smiling.
Okay, the kiss had been provoked and it hadn't been the first one but somehow this felt so much better. He could still taste her. Feel her soft lips. If he'd be able to, he'd have had wobbly knees.
They continued walking for a moment, then Max said, "I'm going to build a snowman. Looking forward to it since it started to snow."
It didn't take her long to roll two big balls and put one on the other. Logan handed her the head he had made. Not having a carrot he had mad the nose from snow, too. They searched for a stick and two stones for the eyes and their result made Max smile.
"I like him."
"Me too." Logan stated and moved back a little so Max could watch her piece of art.
She was woken from her dreams when a snowball hit her. She turned around and saw Logan hiding behind a tree his lap full of snowballs. She tried to arm herself but had to accept two more hits before she could throw the snow back at Logan. They were fighting a little but Logan hit her much more often. Wondering about it she decided that she wasn't used to so much snow and that Logan's basketballs games did well. She took so many balls she could carry and started to run after him. He moved as fast as he could but Max hit him more often and finally Logan was laughing so hard that he didn't see a stone and almost tipped over. He tried to prevent the fall by leaning back but that just made it worse. He fell.
"Logan!" Max cried out and ran to him. He was laying on his back, wept the snow out of his face and laughed.
When she kneed down next to him he asked, "You think that's fair? A genetically enhanced wonderwoman fighting against me?"
"Fairness? There's no fairness in snow fight." said Max and asked, "You're okay?"
Logan looked at her, the way she was sitting above him. Last night came to his mind and the kiss. The kiss. He sat up and suddenly Max was so close. He looked her right into the eyes and she didn't pull away. Not at all. She answered his look and in her eyes was something that made his heart stop beating. He leant forward, just a little, and closed the last few centimeters of space between their lips.
Max had expected this to happen when Logan had looked at her like this, but she hadn't it expected to be like this. Very carefully at the beginning, then filled with desire. They held each other tight in their arms and when they stopped kissing it was like before, as if the world had stopped turning. They looked at each other, very shy at first, but then both started to smile.
"Max..."
"Logan.."
They hugged each other till Max said, "You're going to freeze if we don't stop laying around in the snow."
She helped Logan back in his chair and his watch again told them to go home.
Dinner was very silent. Marie didn't ask any stupid questions and still Max and Logan said "Good night" very early to go to bed.
Even though they hadn't spoken about it, both kept going on as if nothing had happened, but when she was laying in bed, Max thoughts wandered to the next room. Logan had been very silent during dinner. Something was bothering him and her and she couldn't sleep anyway. The last night had been enough for the next week. She waited and listened to the sounds that were so different from the one's at home and after a while decided to stop turning around in bed and go back to the living room. Everybody was asleep and so she moved silently not to wake anybody. In the living room she decided to lighten the candles of the Christmas tree and sat down in front of it.
A/N: I was asked where this takes place, where these Christmas traditions come from. I grew up in the north of Germany, close to the Baltic Sea (Hello, Chapter 3) and that's where these traditions come from. It's close to the way Christmas is celebrated at my parent's. I just invented this thing with opening the presents half and half.
I have to repeat myself: Sorry for my English and thanks for the review. Please tell me what you think of this, I need it!! And... Mistletoes ahead! R.
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Chapter 6: What a wonderful world?
When she woke up the next morning, she immediately remembered what had happened last night. Feeling Logan still laying next to her made her smile. Next to her or even under her, like Logan noticed when he woke up. Max had managed to cuddle so close to him that she was almost on top of him. He smiled too and stroke gently over her dark hair.
"Good morning!" she said and stretched a little in a way that reminded Logan of a cat. Must be her feline DNA he thought and answered.
"Good morning? Did you sleep well?"
She nodded: "No more nightmares, no more seizures, no more flashbacks. What time is it?"
Logan looked at his watch: "Almost ten."
"Ten? I never slept that long."
"There's a first time for everything. But we should get up if we wanna do some sight seeing."
"Don't forget the snow fight for breakfast." she reminded him and jumped out of the bed. She opened the window and said: "White Christmas. Aren't Christmases supposed to be white?" She turned around and looked at Logan. He was still laying in her bed and looked to small, weak and immovable. Even more than normally in his chair. And where were his glasses? He must have left them in Daniel's room.
"Everything is white outside. We could go out and build a snowman." she continued.
He sat up, pushed his legs out of the bed and changed to the chair. He realized that Max was watching him and it made him feel uncomfortable, even though he would never let her notice. He wheeled to the window next to her and looked through it. She was right, everything was white outside and grinning he took a hand full from the roof. Max had no idea what was supposed to happen and was a little shocked when Logan put the snowball in the back of her T-shirt. She whirled around, caught the ball and threw it back. Both got armed and started a little fight with two snowballs when somebody knocked at the door.
"Yeah?" said Max and Sarah looked inside.
"Hey Max, hey Logan. Breakfast is ready!"
Both nodded and Sarah vanished again.
Max asked, "So, we're going to end up this fight and have breakfast?"
Logan nodded, "Yes. Don't worry about taking a shower, my parents won't have taken one either."
"I'll just put on a sweater and some pants."
"Me too. Meet in the dining room?" Max nodded and Logan went back to his room. He chose a sweater to wear and put on some comfortable jogging pants before joining his grandparents and Max with breakfast.
"Good morning and merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas! Want some coffee?"
"Yes please." Steven took the mug he gave him. "What about you, Max?"
"Is there any chance of getting some milk?"
Logan looked up and to Max but her smile told him to calm down.
"Sure, no problem." Steven went to the kitchen and got her a bottle of milk.
"Did you sleep well?" Sarah asked and Logan and Max nodded as if nothing had happened.
After breakfast they opened the last presents and Steven asked: "So, what are you going to do today?"
Logan answered, "I'm going to show Max around, do some sight-seeing and stuff. When will the lovingly guests be here?"
"For coffee, so around four."
Logan said, "I thought they'd come for dinner?! We gotta hurry then."
Max suggested, "I'd like to go and jog a few meters, so maybe you could start in the bathroom?"
"Okay, but don't try to run back to the US. Would be a little wet."
"I'm not Forrest Gump. I'll be back in about half an hour."
"Fine!"
Max put on her jogging shoes and left the apartment. Outside she breathed the cold winter air. It smelled like snow and she turned up the speed. Not as fast as she could have, but she knew that her genetically engineered body needed movement. And today Normal wouldn't make her pedal throughout the town. After half an hour in the winter wonderland she returned and found Logan showered and ready to go in his room.
She went to the bathroom and when she had put on some clothes and dried her hair she found Logan in the living room, speaking to his grandfather.
"Hey men! Ready to go?"
Logan nodded, "Sure! Just exchanged the wheels. Might be useful for all the snow outside."
Max nodded and he followed her to the wardrobe.
They put on their jackets and left the apartment together. With Max's rental-car they went to town and started the tourist route. Logan was a nice guide, not knowing too much about the history, but enough to give some background information and some stories he was able to tell were really funny. Together they visited the old churches, fought their way through the Christmas market and dived right into history when visiting the old aisles, which were so small, that Logan sometimes had problems to get in.
They didn't notice how time passed until Logan looked at his watch, "Oh no, it's almost four! We've to get back."
"Don't worry, it's been a wonderful day," Max said and made Logan smile.
He turned to her and said, "Yes, it has. But now it's going to be hard. I want to say sorry for everything that's gonna happen."
"Don't worry. Let's face the dragon."
Logan sighed and they went back. Of course they were late and Logan recognized the car on the street.
"They are already here."
He opened the door, they put their jackets in the wardrobe and Max followed him into the living room, where they were all sitting together.
"Logan, Max, come in." said Steven and Logan wheeled to the couch.
"George, Marie! Merry Christmas! May I introduce you to Max? Max, these are George and Marie Andersen."
Max nodded and smiled and stayed behind Logan. She had this feeling that something would happen and she was right.
Logan apologized, "Sorry, about being late, but we totally forgot about the time."
"No problem," Sarah accepted and the catastrophe was about to start.
Marie said, "Logan, nobody told me you were still in a wheel chair. What happened? Did you have another accident? The other one's almost a year ago, isn't it?"
Max made a grimace and couldn't believe it. Not that their accent hurt her ears, but this was so impolite.
Logan had apologized ex ante, but it seemed as if he was the loser in this game. Logan grimaced, too. Another accident? He had noticed he was in a wheelchair, he noticed every day. But how stupid could somebody be?
"No, still the same accident. Might be enough for the rest of my life," he said with a bitter tone in his voice and only Max's hand on his shoulder made him calm down a little.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence in which Sarah hoped that Marie would realize how horrible she had behaved, but she was wrong.
"Oh, okay. So Max is your nurse?"
Logan thought he would be able to stand up and kick her ass, just because he was so angry. But again it was Max who made him calm down.
"No, I'm sorry, no nurses around. But do you need a nurse or why do you ask? Maybe you could just stay seated and I'll try and call the paramedics so they can take you to a hospital," she said in a voice Logan had never heard her speak in. Very nice and just a little too polite, but the content of her sentence hit right into the target. Marie and George looked astonished.
Steven tried to save the day by saying, "Marie, so.. what's James doing?"
"Jamie? He's doing to fine at his job. He.."
Okay, everybody's safe. Logan sighed and Max relaxed. Marie's dear son James and his heroic actions.
Max stopped listening, because she was afraid that she'd stand up and tell some persons about Eyes Only and a real hero, and instead sat down next to Logan and watched him. He ate his piece of cake and seemed relieved that he wasn't the topic anymore. When all had had enough cake and coffee, Max helped Sarah to get the plates and cups back to the kitchen.
Alone there, Sarah asked, "Why don't you and Logan go out for a walk or something? Marie is really at her top today."
"Thank you so much. It was really embarrassing when she started talking about Logan's disability as if it was something he invented."
"Yeah, I thought the same way, too. Get yourself out and don't come back until half past seven, okay?"
"Thank you so much. I'll just have to get Logan out of the net of the spider."
Sarah looked at her and Max realized what she had said. "Sorry."
She went back to the living room, stood right behind Logan and whispered, "I really need a little walk after so much of this delicious cake. Wanna join me?"
Logan knew Max good enough to notice an escape he was asked to join in. "Sure, good idea." he said and followed her to the wardrobe. Before Marie and George even noticed what had happened, Max and Logan had already left the apartment.
"So we are on the run?" Logan asked and Max nodded, "Yeah, once again."
"Thank you for that. I thought I was going to be impolite."
"I already was, in fact, but the escape was your granny's idea. She told us not to come back before 7:30."
"That's nice. So what would you like to do?"
"I don't know. Just go for a walk or something similar."
"There's a park not far from here. We could go there, build a snowman or just walk around."
"Fine."
Together they walked to the park. Nobody said a word until Max broke the silence.
"I'm sorry that you were right and that Marie said what she said. She's so stupid."
"Don't bother. It's not your fault."
"I know, but I really hated her for saying such stupid things."
"Me too, believe me. -Did you have another accident- God, what's she thinking? That I use this wheelchair just because it's so comfortable?"
He had said this last comment quite loudly, much louder than Max was used to. She was a little shocked and tried to calm him and herself down by saying, "There will always be stupid persons like her. Don't think too much about it."
"-So Max is your nurse then-" Logan still wasn't finished. "What century is she living in? Just because I'm in a wheelchair doesn't mean I need a nurse to push me around and bring me to the toilet or whatever."
"Logan, you know that and I know that and everyone who matters knows. Please, don't think so much about what this stupid woman said." Logan didn't answer.
They walked around in the park and found a café. "Do you want to get in? We could have a hot chocolate." Logan proposed.
Max smiled, "Yeah, why not."
She was happy he was obviously doing better. They went in and found a seat in a corner. The waitress was very nice and kidding around with her they got to talk to the clique at the next table. All Americans visiting Europe.
One of them asked, "Why don't you come over? We're just trying to find someone who is able to find out why there are always persons who know so well about you and give you the right presents and those who don't have the slightest idea."
Logan turned his chair around and Max joined the others on the bank. When she was still trying to put her leg under the table, Logan was already answering the task.
"That's easy. It just depends on how much you know and maybe love someone."
Max thought about it for a little moment and involuntarily touched the necklace she was wearing. She loved it. She had never gotten a better present.
"Very good answer. Not too hard, though. What's your name?"
"Logan."
"Logan? My name is Michael. This is my sister Geena, her boyfriend Charles, Jillian, a friend of mine and Joe, her brother. Who's your girlfriend?"
Logan and Max shook their heads and smiled. Girlfriend was way better than nurse, though.
"I'm Max, but I'm not his girlfriend. We don't have that kind of relationship. We're just friends, that's all."
Jillian said, "Sometimes that's more than enough." and all nodded.
"So what are you doing here?" asked Geena and Logan explained, "My grandparents invited us for Christmas and we took the chance to celebrate in a country where you can actually still walk around in parks even though it's already dark outside."
Not that they wouldn't do it in Seattle, but that wasn't the point.
"Where do you live in the US?" Michael wanted to know.
Logan said, "Seattle. Where do you guys come from?"
"Half of us from Montana and the other from Boston. Visiting friends here who left the US a few years ago when they found out that it's not the best country anymore."
They continued talking and finally decided to stay in contact as it would be nice to celebrate New Years Eve together. Michael and Logan exchanged their telephone numbers and Max and Logan decided to move on. They paid and went to the door when Michael called something even Max didn't understand. Turning around they heard all of them laughing.
Logan was first to notice and pointed up. "It's been a trap. Look!"
They stood right under a mistletoe. Max was shocked for a little moment. There was this thing about last night they hadn't talked about and now she was supposed to kiss him? But these guys had just saved her day. Logan's mood was fine again and hers had bettered, too. So she shook her shoulders and smiled. Logan did the same and pulled her to his lap. What are we doing here? both thought when their lips met. But then all thoughts were gone. Logan stroke over her hair and Max hugged him tight. She sensed his lips, tasted him and felt his tongue touching her lips. Not that any of this would have made her feel uncomfortable. The kiss grew much more intense than it was supposed to be and as the clique had expected - as they had just told them they didn't have that kind of relationship.
When their lips separated both weren't able to catch one clear thought. Like in a dream they looked into each other's eyes until the guys started to laugh and applause. A smile went over Max's face and she started to laugh, too. She stood up and waved before leaving the café. Logan followed her, smiling.
Okay, the kiss had been provoked and it hadn't been the first one but somehow this felt so much better. He could still taste her. Feel her soft lips. If he'd be able to, he'd have had wobbly knees.
They continued walking for a moment, then Max said, "I'm going to build a snowman. Looking forward to it since it started to snow."
It didn't take her long to roll two big balls and put one on the other. Logan handed her the head he had made. Not having a carrot he had mad the nose from snow, too. They searched for a stick and two stones for the eyes and their result made Max smile.
"I like him."
"Me too." Logan stated and moved back a little so Max could watch her piece of art.
She was woken from her dreams when a snowball hit her. She turned around and saw Logan hiding behind a tree his lap full of snowballs. She tried to arm herself but had to accept two more hits before she could throw the snow back at Logan. They were fighting a little but Logan hit her much more often. Wondering about it she decided that she wasn't used to so much snow and that Logan's basketballs games did well. She took so many balls she could carry and started to run after him. He moved as fast as he could but Max hit him more often and finally Logan was laughing so hard that he didn't see a stone and almost tipped over. He tried to prevent the fall by leaning back but that just made it worse. He fell.
"Logan!" Max cried out and ran to him. He was laying on his back, wept the snow out of his face and laughed.
When she kneed down next to him he asked, "You think that's fair? A genetically enhanced wonderwoman fighting against me?"
"Fairness? There's no fairness in snow fight." said Max and asked, "You're okay?"
Logan looked at her, the way she was sitting above him. Last night came to his mind and the kiss. The kiss. He sat up and suddenly Max was so close. He looked her right into the eyes and she didn't pull away. Not at all. She answered his look and in her eyes was something that made his heart stop beating. He leant forward, just a little, and closed the last few centimeters of space between their lips.
Max had expected this to happen when Logan had looked at her like this, but she hadn't it expected to be like this. Very carefully at the beginning, then filled with desire. They held each other tight in their arms and when they stopped kissing it was like before, as if the world had stopped turning. They looked at each other, very shy at first, but then both started to smile.
"Max..."
"Logan.."
They hugged each other till Max said, "You're going to freeze if we don't stop laying around in the snow."
She helped Logan back in his chair and his watch again told them to go home.
Dinner was very silent. Marie didn't ask any stupid questions and still Max and Logan said "Good night" very early to go to bed.
Even though they hadn't spoken about it, both kept going on as if nothing had happened, but when she was laying in bed, Max thoughts wandered to the next room. Logan had been very silent during dinner. Something was bothering him and her and she couldn't sleep anyway. The last night had been enough for the next week. She waited and listened to the sounds that were so different from the one's at home and after a while decided to stop turning around in bed and go back to the living room. Everybody was asleep and so she moved silently not to wake anybody. In the living room she decided to lighten the candles of the Christmas tree and sat down in front of it.
A/N: I was asked where this takes place, where these Christmas traditions come from. I grew up in the north of Germany, close to the Baltic Sea (Hello, Chapter 3) and that's where these traditions come from. It's close to the way Christmas is celebrated at my parent's. I just invented this thing with opening the presents half and half.