"Hisui!" Mirajane gasped. "I just saw the sign. What in the world…? You're selling these for only a dollar each?!" She tapped one of the little plastic pots a red poinsettia was sitting in.

Hisui nodded, moving a bucket of red roses aside to make room for another promotional sign. "And I'll lower it to 25 cents if they're not all sold by tomorrow."

"Why?!" Mira gasped, baffled. "These usually sell for five dollars a piece—or more!"

"I got way too many," Hisui huffed, moving around to tidy the area by the cash register. "Besides… I had to see Laxus off in an ambulance last night."

"WHAT?!"

The night before, Hisui had watched the ambulance fade from view, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She had taken her own car to the hospital. They didn't keep Laxus long. When they finally let her in back he was breathing through a little mask. He groaned when she stepped in, slipping the mask away from his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Sui."

"For what?" She had frowned.

"For passing out on you. You must have been scared—"

"You scared me to death!" She had gasped, but before he could respond she crossed the room throwing her arms around his shoulders and holding him close.

"Helloooo? Earth to Hisui?"

Hisui let out a deep sigh, leaning over her counter. "It turns out Laxus is deathly allergic… to poinsettias."

"Oh no," Mira whispered, her blue eyes wide. "Is he alright."

"He'll be fine," Hisui whispered, tears stinging her eyes again.

"Oh no, Hisui…" Mira whispered, pulling Hisui into her arms, "Please don't cry. He's alright—"

"It's my fault," she whispered, biting her lip, and trying not to cry.

"Hisui," Mira snapped, pulling away and holding her by her shoulders. "Don't you dare say something like that! You had no idea Laxus was allergic to poinsettias. He didn't even know. So please don't cry, dear."

"I almost lost him," she gasped, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He could have died!"

Mirajane studied her, blue eyes tracing over Hisui's flushed cheeks, her tear-filled eyes. "Oh, Sui," she sighed, tilting her head a little, "Oh honey, you're smitten."

Her cheeks grew warmer, and through her tears she couldn't hide her smile. "I…"

"I know that look," Mira smiled, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind Hisui's ear. "You have to tell him." Hisui nodded, afraid that if she said anything she'd burst into tears again. "You'll tell him?" Mira beamed. Hisui nodded again.

"…I'll… I'll try."

⁂

Mira groaned, leaning over the counter in the café. Her back ached, but there was still so much icing to do before the sales tomorrow. What time is it? She almost glanced at the clock. No don't even think about that now. I can't go to bed until these are finished. She glanced up from the gingerbread cookies out the front window of the café towards Hisui's shop across the street. All her windows were dark. So she was finally asleep. She had been busy all day—selling poinsettia after poinsettia. Poor girl. Hisui was like a little sister to Mira. And Mira's heart hurt to see Hisui so worried. But she had never imagined that anything would prompt Hisui to do something so crazy as selling all her poinsettias for only a dollar a piece. Yeah, she's really fallen for him.

Mirajane returned her attention to all the cookies she still had to ice, and it was getting late. She let out a soft yawn and jumped when she heard a rapping at the front door of her shop. She glanced up to see that flash of bright green hair and a rather serious smile that melted away to mischief the moment their eyes met.

"Freed!" She gasped as she finally unlocked the door to let him in. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"You said you had to stay up late," Freed frowned. "And I wondered if perhaps… things would go faster if you had more hands to help." He held up his hands and she laughed, gently taking his arm and pulling him into the store away from the snow-covered street.

"You're wonderful," she breathed, "You want to help me ice these cookies? Really?"

"The sooner you finish, the sooner you get some well-deserved rest, correct?"

"Correct." She giggled.

"Then yes, I'd very much like to help."

They got to work, Mira showing Freed how to dot icing quickly on the little gingerbread men. They worked diligently for a few minutes before Mira couldn't resist anymore. Upon accidently getting icing on her pinky she leaned over and tapped it against Freed's nose, dotting the tip of his nose with white. He blinked and then offered her a frown, blue eyes lit with confusion.

"Wha-"

"You've got something on your nose," Mira teased, cupping his chin.

"Mira—"

She leaned over and kissed the icing off his nose, leaving him flushed and blinking in the dim light of the bakery. His blue eyes stared at her for a moment in awe, before shock blinked away and his lips twisted in a smirk. "Oh, I see how it is." And he lunged forward, stealing a kiss, pushing them both back against the wall with his momentum. She let him kiss away the taste of vanilla frosting on her tongue, fingers tangled in her hair. And she smiled, to be in his arms… where it was warm… safe. Days had been so busy leading up to Christmas, and just his gentle touch washed away all her stress and anxiety.

When he pulled away, they were both breathless. He leaned against the wall with one arm, forehead resting against her forehead. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"I…" that bravery, that mischief was gone, replaced by a flush. "I should have asked.

"Tsk. Asking for permission is boring," she teased, grabbing him by the collar. "I'm telling you right now, you're allowed to kiss me whenever you want."

That spark returned to his eyes, almost a purple light. "Good," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her again. But she jerked away.

"But not now!" She gasped, "Because I just remembered we do have to finish these cookies! Ah!"

"Oh right…" Freed sighed, turning back to the counter where she was beginning to frantically ice again. "The cookies."

"Hey," Mira glanced up once, "Don't be so sad. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." And with a wink, she left him just as flustered as he had been before.

⁂

The shop opens in an hour… Hisui let out a breath, rolling over in her bed, and burying her head under the blankets. You should get up. You should get up. But she was exhausted. She had sold over half of the poinsettias the day before. Her shop had never been so busy. You need to get up and turn on the heaters. She had left her downstairs windows open all night, shutting her bedroom door and turning up her heater to high. She had wanted to air out the whole place so that maybe Laxus could come in again. Though, she wasn't sure how much it would help.

There was a buzzing on her bedside stand and she reached out, fingers brushing the smooth surface of her phone, almost knocking over the little pot of primorse, before managing to pull her little device into her hands. She adjusted her pajama tank-top quickly before tapping the answer button, sitting up a little in her warm bed. "Hello?"

"Sui?" His voice sounded hoarse, tired, but it was definitely him.

"Laxus!" She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you still in bed?" He teased, almost as if he could hear it in her voice.

"Tsk, no." She huffed, rolling over and slipping out of bed onto the carpet. "Of course not."

"Hmm… well… you're not downstairs."

She blinked, eyes wide. "Are you outside?!" She gasped.

"Maybe," he laughed, and then burst into a coughing fit, taking in several heaving breaths, before calming.

"Are you okay?" She whispered. "

"Well…" he wheezed. "It is very cold."

"Oh!" She didn't even bother to grab her robe, swinging open her bedroom door, and dancing barefooted down the stairs to her shop and towards the front door, the phone under her chin. It was absolutely freezing. By the time she reached the glass, Laxus's tall form just beyond, her teeth were already chattering.

She paused at the door, her green eyes meeting his gold. "Last time you were in here you almost died."

"I have an inhaler now. And besides… it uh… looks like you got rid of a lot of them." He frowned, glancing at her big signs in the window.

"Okay, but only if we can go straight upstairs where it's warm."

He chuckled, and nodded. "Fine by me."

She quickly unlocked the door, pulling him inside. He shut the door and locked it before she dragged him up the stairs, bare feet tapping on tile until they were back in the safety and warmth of her bedroom. She shut the door, to keep in the warm, and turned to face him, tossing her phone aside and pulling him into a crushing hug.

"You're alright."

He laughed, "Baby, you saw me yesterday."

"I know, but… you're here."

"And you're… selling all your poinsettias for only a dollar each?"

She pulled away to look up at him with a frown. "Of course I am," she huffed. "What else am I going to do with them?"

"Sui, you told me that was a really important part of your income this time of year."

"So?" She snapped. "Those flowers almost killed you."

"I'm fine!"

"Listen," she groaned, grabbing his shirt, "Laxus! I'm not going to lose you to a plant! I'm selling them now, no matter what you say! Because I love you!"

She froze, staring up at him, her cheeks growing hot as his gold eyes bore through her, his cheeks turning bright red. "Y… you…? You wh…?"

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you, Laxus…." She gripped his shirt tighter. "Say… say something."

"You…" he reached up with his big, rough hands, gently cupping her cheeks. "You love me?"

"Yes."

He closed the distance between them, tenderly kissing her—lips just barely brushing against hers. "I love you too."

Her heart skipped a beat, and warmth filled her. She couldn't help but smile, tingling with happiness and excitement. She pulled him down into another kiss, cupping the back of his head with her hand, fingers running through his hair, pulling him closer.

He dropped back on to the bed, sitting on the edge, pulling her close. Pulling away, only to kiss her again, and again. "Say it again," he whispered, orange eyes tracing over her, memorizing her soft expression, her smile. "Say it again."

"I love you." More kisses, buttons undone. He leaned back on the bed, pulling her up into his lap. And she let out a breath, resting her forehead against his for just a moment before pressing tantalizing kisses to his jaw, and down his neck. He let out a soft sigh, hands warm against her hips. "Let's stay in bed all day," she murmured between kisses.

"Sounds good to me," he said, cupping her cheek again to gently pull her away to meet his eyes. He closed the distance to kiss her lips. And just as she was pulling off her tank top, her phone let out a violin melody. And she pulled away, dropping her head against his shoulder with a groan.

"That's my last-minute alarm," she whispered. "I have to go set up the shop."

He nodded, "And you know I have work."

"After being in the hospital?" She gasped.

"I'm wearing my uniform, Sui," he laughed. She had noticed but it didn't seem like an important detail. "Besides, it was nothing. I'm fine now." He stole another kiss, lingering there for just a moment too long, and still it was not enough.

"I'm going to get dressed." She stood, reaching out to just fix the buttons of his uniform. He took her hand in his pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles.

"I'll see you after work." He promised, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you, Detective," she breathed, smile touching her lips.

He stood, kissing her knuckles once more, "I love you too, my Queen."

"Stop," she laughed, pushing him lightly. "You better go, or you'll be late." She watched him slip out of her room, cold air hitting her face just before he shut the door. She could hear him jumping down the stairs, letting out a laugh as he hit the bottom step, and then she heard the front door bells jangled and he was gone. She let out a sigh, leaning against the wall for a moment, before rushing to grab her clothes for the day.