M is for Mistletoe

"GOD! Xander, walking PAST the mistletoe does NOT count as standing underneath it beside you!" Dawn almost shrieked as she tried to pull her wrist out of Xander's grasp, and he attempted simultaneously to pull her towards him. "If you're gonna station yourself under the doorway all day, at least learn the mistletoe rules! You can NOT kiss someone who's just walking past…can you?" she asked with sudden self doubt, glancing back at the others behind her.

Kennedy shrugged, her eyes narrowing slightly. "All I know is he's not kissing MY girl. I don't care where she's walking."

"That was already accomplished long before you were in the picture, Ken," Buffy said wryly, smiling at Kennedy's swivel-headed glance at Willow and the redhead's blushing, somewhat sheepish response. "And Xan," she said more sternly, her eyes narrowing rather like Kennedy's, "hands- AND lips- off my little sister, I don't care if she's eighteen now. Find a new holiday activity."

Prying his hand from around Dawn's wrist, she yanked him out of the mistletoe-bedecked doorway, shoving him through toward the kitchen none too subtly.

"Go make hot chocolate."

"Kinda have to start an activity to end it, Buff," Xander mumbled, even as she shuffled, somewhat disappointed, if not surprised, into the kitchen. "What are the odds…all these females constantly surrounding me, and not ONE of them is willing to give one little kiss in the spirit of Christmas. Where's your sense of tradition?"

"I'M not a female," Andrew piped up, his eyes wide, as if this were somehow supposed to reassure Xander. When Xander and the girls just looked at him, Kennedy openly smirking, Andrew looked at them back, brow furrowed with confusion. "What?"

Buffy just shook her head before turning around, intending to go back out of the kitchen to rejoin the others…but someone was standing in the doorway, blocking her path. Faith grinned as she casually slid one hand up above her head on the door frame, jutting one hip out as she met Buffy's eyes mischievously.

"Comin' through here, B?"

"Finally someone understands the entire purpose of the mistletoe…" Xander said with a goofy smile. He started to head towards her, but a strong hand against his chest quickly stopped him in his tracks.

"On second thought, Xander, I think you need to make several hot chocolates," Buffy said with a raised eyebrow that was clear in its implication.

Giving him a little shove back towards the kitchen, she joined Faith under the doorway. Slipping her arms around her waist, she pulled her close and looked into her brown eyes. As they sparkled in response to her, Buffy leaned in to kiss her.

They could hear Xander muttering behind them, in his usual half joking, half serious tone. "Like they really need the mistletoe to go at it…just trying to hog the spotlight, aren't you?"

They ignored him.