The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Message
"Maaaax!" the voice called for the third time.
"I said, 'Give me a minute,' Nudge!" I called back. I was in my bedroom upstairs looking for my hoodie. The heating system in the cabin decided to die this afternoon. We don't know why; it just stopped working. So now at 8pm, it was freezing in here! And I would just snuggle under the warmth of my blankets and go to sleep, but Nudge and Angel found a movie on TV called Elf and they suggested we have a movie night, all of us…
I chose to abandon the search for my missing hoodie and head back downstairs before Nudge decided to come up and drag me back down by my hair.
"Why is it so dark in here?" I asked, walking into the living room, where the only source of light was coming from the TV.
"It's about time. You missed the first ten minutes," Nudge scolded. I chuckled at her tone and she scowled at me.
Gazzy put his finger to his lips. "Shh!"
I shot him an apologetic smile, then quickly glanced around for a place to sit.
Gazzy was sitting on the bigger couch next to Iggy and–
I had to blink a few times, not believing the sight in front of my eyes…
Ella was on the couch next to Iggy… And by next to him, I mean practically sitting on his lap. She was sitting with her knees pulled up on the couch, leaning against him, her head nestled near his collarbone. Iggy seemed to be quite fine with the closeness, encouraging her with his lanky arm draped around her waist, his free hand holding hers…
I blinked again…
Nope. Still real.
When she noticed me staring, I raised my eyebrows questioningly and she answered with a sheepish grin.
What the hell did I miss? I wasn't in my room that long… I go away for a few minutes and suddenly my bird-brother and half-sister are… what are they? Together now?
I shook my head, still in disbelief. I wasn't sure how I felt about that…
Max, sit down. You're missing the movie, Angel insisted in my head. She was sitting next to Nudge and Total on the floor, a bag of microwave popcorn resting in the space between them.
I glanced at Fang, sitting alone on the smaller couch, yet again. His eyes were set on the TV, but they were distant. He wasn't really watching… Probably just thinking about his blog…
I could go sit next to him. But after yesterday's incident, I decided my best bet would be to sit on the floor with the girls. I still wasn't sure I was okay with Fang and me doing anything more than best friends should do. So if he's going to sit there and be sneaky about things, I'd rather just not have to deal with it.
Only moments later, I was regretting not searching harder for my hoodie. It was wintry cold and I was foolishly wearing nothing more than a t-shirt. I rubbed my hands together, but it was a futile attempt at creating heat. Jeez. A few weeks of not sleeping outdoors and I can't handle the cold anymore?
I thought about running up to my bedroom for a minute to grab a blanket… but then I had a much better idea…
We'll see who's being sneaky now…
I casually stood up, showing no sign of my latest plan… Scheming? Me? Nooo…
Warmth, here I come.
I nonchalantly made my way over to the smaller couch and plopped down next to Fang. Too close. I scooted away a few inches, putting a comfortable space between us… And yet, that worked to my disadvantage… I scooted a few inches closer again… Oh, now he's just going to think I'm being weird… I scooted away–
"What are doing?" Fang whispered, knowing that he would get shushed if he were too loud. I couldn't tell if I had annoyed him or if he was really just wondering what my problem was.
What was I doing? I couldn't even answer the question myself. I didn't even know what my plan had been, to be honest. I only knew its purpose: to get warm. And Fang was warm. Wasn't he always, though? I should have just taken a blanket from my room. How had I planned to be sneaky? Why did I even want to be sneaky? More importantly, why am I asking myself so many questions? I must be losing it.
"Nothing," I sighed. Oh, like he was going to accept that as an answer…
"Are you okay?" he persisted, searching my face with scrutinizing eyes.
"I'm fine. Just watch the movie." He wasn't satisfied, but he turned back to the TV.
Minutes later, a shiver coursed through me… and it hadn't gone unnoticed by Fang. He lifted his hand and started rubbing my arm, immediately bringing a surge of warmth to every cell he touched. I fought against another threatening shiver, one that wasn't caused by the chill in the air.
As if that wasn't enough, his hand roamed up my arm, over my shoulders, and started working on my other arm… and as much as it freaks me out to admit it, it drove me insane…
"What ar–"
"Helping you warm up," he answered before I finished my question. Yeah. If you only knew, I thought to myself.
"I'm fine," I whispered curtly, shrugging his hand away, not knowing how much more of his unsolicited touch I could deal with.
He rolled his eyes. "You're so stubborn."
Halfway through the movie, the actress on the screen started to sing a song that I recognized… "I really can't stay, I've got to go away, This evening has been…"
I shifted my gaze over to Ella, remembering that it was the song she and Iggy had sang together a few nights ago. Again, I found myself looking at the sight before my eyes incredulously. Ella wasn't even watching the movie; she was looking down at Iggy's hand, where she was slowly tracing the lines on his palm, something he, again, obviously didn't mind. His eyes were closed and there was an expression of repose on his face… It was disturbing.
No, no, it was slightly more than disturbing. I had to avert my eyes from their lovefest…
But then I thought, At least they're warm…
I risked a glance at Fang out of the corner of my eye. He was looking straight ahead.
My eyes focused back on the TV and as subtly as I could manage, I slid closer, inch by monumental inch… and then our legs were touching. And suddenly, it became my duty to keep my gaze set in front of me… Heaven forbid I caught a glimpse of his reaction to what I just did.
Then again, Heaven forbid he even had a reaction.
My heart was jumping erratically out of place while I waited for him to do something, anything. He just sat there, unmoving. C'mon Fang. Put you arm around me or push me away. Do something…
As if he'd heard my plea, his arm slid behind me, hesitantly taking its hold on my waist. I relaxed a tiny bit and leaned into Fang's side…
Mission accomplished. His body heat rolled onto me like waves as I sighed quietly with contentment.
If not for the occasional rounds of laughter that filled the dark room, I wouldn't have known the others were even there… The only thing going through my mind was Fang and it made me want to kick myself. I wondered if he really didn't mind me being so close or if he was perhaps just being polite. Every time I felt his eyes on me, I felt heat rise to my cheeks…
And then, all too soon, Buddy saved Christmas and the movie ended.
I looked around the room and saw Gazzy yawning…
"Bedtime, guys," I announced.
"Aw, but Max, It's A Wonderful Life is coming on next and it looks really good," Nudge grumbled in protest.
I sighed. "Well, I have something really fun planned for tomorrow and you're going to need to be rested up… But hey, if you'd rather not go…"
"Night, Max!" was the synchronized response I received from Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel, before they hopped up and hurried to their bedrooms.
"That's what I thought," I chuckled.
"I think I'm gonna stay and watch the movie," Iggy said.
"Hate to be the one to tell you this, Ig, but you can't watch the movie," I said with mock tenderness.
"You know what I mean," he frowned. Ella smiled up at him and gave his hand a squeeze, something he seemed to appreciate. It took quite a bit of willpower to keep myself from springing over there and pushing the two far, far apart.
"Max?"
I turned my head to see Fang looking at me. "Hm?"
"You staying up to watch the movie, too?"
I considered going to bed, but thought, Hey, I'm just getting comfortable…
"Yeah, I think I will," I smiled.
After a few more seconds of studying my face, Fang nodded before he pulled his arm away from me and stood up, quietly leaving the room… I heard the old steps creak softly as he ascended…
I hoped Ella hadn't been watching me at that moment or she would have seen my face drop like an anvil thrown from a cliff.
I felt a pang of… something… some emotion I couldn't put my finger on…
Was it really that horrible to be sitting next to me that he couldn't last through another movie?
I berated myself for letting him make me feel this way…
Before I could start to feel too deflated over it, I heard Fang's nearly silent footsteps again as he returned to the living room and sauntered over towards the couch, a dark fabric in his hands…
He wordlessly reclaimed his seat beside me and wrapped a blanket around both of us, keeping one arm around me as he shifted into a more comfortable position.
Oh, Fang. I easily resisted the urge to make some kind of girly-girl squeal, but couldn't hold back the grin that erupted over my lips. Whoa. What's happening to me?
I tried to conceal my expression, but Fang caught it and, to my surprise, grinned right back. I felt a wild flutter in my stomach and quickly turned my head to the TV, blushing furiously.
It's A Wonderful Life started and I tried my best to pay attention, really, I did. But I couldn't help taking the occasional peek at Fang, his features defined in the dim glow of the old black-and-white movie. Somehow I knew he had risked a few similar glances my way as well.
Feeling extremely bold, I carefully lifted his free hand from his lap and, mimicking Ella's actions, I turned it over and gingerly traced along the lines of his outstretched palm. I paused for a second to see if he would pull away… When he didn't, I continued brushing my fingertip delicately against his skin, finding an M at the center of his palm, following its pattern with the slightest touch. And you won't believe what Mr. Rock did… He shivered… Fang shivered because of something I did!
I wondered what else I could do to make him shiver…
Great. I've turned into a pig.
I ignored my sudden change of heart on the matter, instead reveling over my newest discovery – that I could have this kind of effect on Fang. I felt like I'd just been let in on some kind of secret… and I was once again grinning like a madman. I snuck a look at his face, only to make another shocking discovery… Even in the darkness of the room, I could make out the slight pink hue that radiated on his cheeks. And, let's face it; if I'm going to abandon all of my qualms about this whole thing, I might as well admit it… Fang looked pretty darn adorable right now.
After a few minutes of trying to compose my thoughts, I was able to bring myself back into reality and focus on the movie, although that didn't stop me from relaxing against the blushing bird-boy's side, resting my head on his shoulder. My chest gave a little squeeze when he returned the gesture, tightening his arm around me.
Eventually, the movie was coming to a close…
"George Bailey's an idiot," I muttered to myself.
With a sideways glance, I saw Fang looking at me questioningly.
"He's got everything and he wants to just throw it all away. Just look at what he's doing to his wife, running off and leaving her and the kids like that. He's an idiot," I whispered, trying to not distract Iggy and Ella from the movie. "And then that angel… All he needs to do is help George Bailey and he'll magically get his wings? As if it's really that simple… It's a shame these stupid people don't know how you really get wings."
"Max, you're missing the message," Fang whispered back. I tried to ignore the way his warm breath tickled my ear.
"What message would that be? To–"
"To not take anyone for granted. Because whether he realizes it or not, he's touched the lives of so many people in an irreversible way, so much that they're not the same people without him and he's not the same person without them."
"Took him long enough to see that," I scoffed quietly.
"You should give him some credit. He knows he screwed up, but he went back to fix it." Something in his voice gave me the feeling we weren't talking about George Bailey anymore…
I turned my head to look at him, feeling guilty about what he said. Did he really think I still blamed him for leaving a few months ago? I opened my mouth to say something, but when I couldn't find the words, I closed it, opting to continue studying his eyes…
"What are you thinking about?" he quietly asked a moment later.
I sighed and shook my head, turning back to the movie.
"You're so stubborn," he told me again.
"Would you quit saying that?" I chided, bringing my gaze to look him square in the eyes again.
"Well, you are," he whispered, staring back defiantly.
"And you're arrogant. Are we done now?" I asked, lifting my chin.
"You're bossy, too," he added, bowing his head toward me slightly.
"You're…" I trailed off, unable to think clearly now that his breath danced dangerously close to my parted lips.
"You're… impossible." His features were completely softened as he said it in a hushed breath, leaning his face even closer to mine.
"You're…" mine, I stopped myself from saying.
My eyes flicked down to his chest… What was my hand doing there? I didn't put it there, did I? But he wasn't moving it, so neither was I.
My breath came heavier as his eyes penetrated my very being.
And this time, it was me that closed the space between us… My bottom lip brushed his…
"Hehehehehe."
My head whipped in the direction of the obnoxious giggle and I silently prayed Angel wasn't awake to hear the slew of curses flooding through my mind, all aimed at that heinous disruption.
Iggy's face was buried in Ella's hair, obviously whispering something ridiculous if it caused her to trill out that most unwelcome sound.
And then with a flash, I realized I had been that close to kissing Fang and we weren't even alone…
I sighed and turned to Fang once more…
He was looking at the TV, his expression as impassive as stone. If he was feeling anything from that moment, his face betrayed no sign of it.
I stared at him, but he wouldn't even look at me.
Wasn't he always the one telling me that there was something going on? That we shouldn't ignore it and pretend there was nothing there?
"Hypocrit," I muttered under my breath. He cast a glance at me and looked blankly into my eyes.
I sighed, shaking my head as I freed myself from Fang and the blanket.
"I'm going to bed," I told him.
I felt him watch me as I left the room. He didn't try to stop me, though…
Big thanks to the following people who gave suggestions for this chapter:
maximumcullenxxx - up and coming writer – jenfan456
and to everyone who voted for the movies.
I dare you to review.
"You smell like beef and cheese! You don't smell like Santa!"