Author note: This story was written for the Holiday round of the GTA game on MLAB
Please read and review, whether good or bad reviews are the only food my muses accept.
She moved quietly through the street with her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat. It was chilly in the air but not nearly as cold as she wished it to be. She missed the snow, the biting cold that almost stung your nose as you breathed. She missed the quiet. That amazing stillness as you walked through the snow covered streets. LA was never quiet. It was quieter now than usual, but she could still hear the sounds of cars moving in the streets a few blocks away.
She sighed a little as she continued her steady pace down the street. The blinking lights of decorations spreading over the streets like an insistent and annoying reminder of what time of the year it was. Christmas. It was Christmas and she was alone in LA. Well, not alone. There were a couple of millions of other people in the town but, for all intent and purposes, she was alone.
Six months prior, she had left the safety of her home town and headed off to LA to work at the headquarters of a multi national corporation. She loved her work and the life she was making for herself here but she missed her family. Especially now. It was Christmas Eve. Her family would be gathering in front of the fire now, drinking eggnog and telling Christmas stories. Mom would be moving to the piano and they would all be singing Christmas carols until the kids fell asleep.
It sounded cheesy to others, but she loved that tradition. It was one of her favourite times of the year. When the entire family gathered. Everyone took a break from their respective hectic lives to spend some time in each others presence. Except for this year. This year she had to work directly after Christmas so it had been decided she would stay in LA for the holidays. There was no point in exhausting herself by going up for 2 days when she had so much going on for work.
She missed them though. Missed them so much it hurt. She had never felt lonelier than she did, walking through the quiet streets of LA on Christmas Eve. She knew she was being slightly childish. There were plenty of people who were spending their Christmas alone, plenty of people who were less fortunate than her and who had to spend Christmas in misery. But, this was her first Christmas away from her family. The very first Christmas that she had to spend alone.
As she walked, she noticed a small church coming up ahead. It looked quiet and yet warm and inviting with the lights burning in the windows. The door was slightly ajar, probably to let people know the church was open for visitors. She looked at the door and felt as if it was welcoming her inside. Silently she walked inside and looked around her. It was empty.
The candles were burning on the altar. Poinsettias and other flowers were arranged in a lovely bouquet. There was a warm light along the sides. All in all, it felt warm and inviting and just what she needed. Soft hymns were playing from somewhere but otherwise the place was quiet. No sign of anyone. Not even a priest. It was late enough that people were staying inside but not so late that it was time for midnight mass yet.
She stood there, a bit hesitant at first to enter, then silently made her way over to a pew and took a seat at the edge towards the wall. As she sat there, soaking in the atmosphere, she noticed that there was a sound at the back. Someone was singing softly to the hymns. She could barely make out the words to Silent Night sung in an amazing male voice. Slightly husky, it sent shivers down her spine when she focused on it.
Trying to be inconspicuous she glanced around. By the wall at the back there was a tall shadow standing. From her place at the door he had been hidden but now that she was further in, she could see him. A tall man dressed in black. His head was bent as if in prayer. His lips moving slightly and she realised that what she had thought was a CD playing in the background was actually this man singing.
She tried not to openly stare at him. It was difficult to see what he looked like as he was hidden in the shadows and had his face downcast towards the floor. But, she liked the soft curls that fell over his forehead and curled over the collar of his duster. As she watched him she noticed something else. There was an air of sadness surrounding him. She could hear it in his voice as he sang.
He suddenly looked up and looked right at her. Startled she sat staring into his eyes. Eyes that, even from that distance, she could tell were filled with immense pain and loneliness. Then he blinked and looked away and the spell was broken. She blushed and turned towards the front of the church again and sat quietly.
The man had stopped singing when he looked up and as she sat there, she fidgeted slightly and wished that he would start singing again. When he did start singing again, she almost jumped out of her seat. Somehow he had managed to take a seat next to her without her realising it. She almost didn't dare breathing as she glanced over at him.
He was sitting next to her, his back straight and his face turned to the altar as he sang. The words of Oh Holy Night sung in that sad, husky male voice rose towards the ceiling. He had a slight 5 o'clock shadow on his chin at it was just about the sexiest thing she had ever seen. He was stunningly gorgeous but the thing that caught her attention the most was still the air of sadness and loneliness surrounding him.
She sat quietly next to him, wondering what to do now. She glanced over at him now and then as he sang. Her eyes turned to his hand, lying there on his thigh. Afterwards she couldn't quite remember what had made her do it, but she reached out her hand and gently took his hand in hers. Curling her fingers around that big hand. As he looked at her with surprise she just smiled. A slow smile spread over his lips and some of that loneliness seemed to ease in his eyes.
When he turned back to look at the altar his hand gently squeezed hers and then he began so softly sing again. She listened to the first words of Ave Maria before joining him. As she sat there, with her hand in his, singing Ave Maria she suddenly didn't feel so lonely anymore.