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Chapter 6: Tis the Season
Christmas. Abigail has never cared much for Christmas, her happiest ones being those with her grandparents and her worst wishing against hope for some semblance of that. But she makes the most of it. She always goes to the soup kitchen in town, which is attached firmly to the two story white church, and volunteers.
Her grandparents started this tradition after her father had moved away with her mother many years before. They always liked a big Christmas and they felt so lonely in their big rickety hut. Her Grandfather had come up with it, stating that there is a place were all of their love could be given. When Abigail came they offered to stay home and have a big feast, they even bought a nice big turkey at the store in town, but Abigail would have none of it, she didn't want to change something they loved so much.
She didn't have the same reasoning as them when they died, she had different reasons for going every year. Part of it was to remember them, part of it was because it was right, but a bigger part than she was ever willing to admit was because it was either that or spend the holiday here with her animals and the creaky floor boards. So every year she went into town with a box full of donations and a handful of five dollar bills.
"I have to go or else they will be suspicious" she tells his doubtful face. "And the first time people see you can't be when they visit the ranch with their kids over the summer." He doesn't say anything as she pulls a red hat from a box in the crowded closet. "Its perfect. This Santa hat can cover your ears and if for whatever reason it comes off we can say that they're prosthetics and your dressing up as an elf." He continues his silence and eyes the hat.
"What would the explanation be for me being here, living with you" he says calmly, his eyes glazing over her face.
"We'll say that you we're a drifter, we get a fair share of those out here, and I hired you as a ranch hand, people have been telling me to get one of those for years."
"Vulcans do not lie." this is not the first time he had said this in relation to one of her plans. She makes an exasperated face.
"But it's not a lie, it's just not the whole truth." He makes an exasperated expression without making one and sighs without sighing. "It's logical you see, we can't be too suspicious, and it's better now than later."
"Why exactly is that?"
"Because" she almost stops here but adds "it's Christmas" she smiles broadly placing the hat carefully atop his head, her finger brushing against his ears.
He looks distracted and makes that face again without making a face "I don't see what that has to do with anything."
"You don't have to, you just need to know that it does." she steps back from him and smiles again, ready to laugh at how he looks. "Don't worry I'll wear one to."
"I am not worrying."
"Of course not" she says in a voice that she would use to appease a young child, Saren doesn't catch on. He doesn't argue and she half expects him to rip the hat from his head but he doesn't. Instead he takes a green hat from the mess and seems to consider returning the favor but instead hands it to her. "Thank you" she says smiling and puts on the elf hat.
"You are welcome" he says a little more then half-heartily and walks out the door to grab some firewood. Abigail walks into the kitchen.
She pulls off the hat, sets it on the counter, and opens the drawer. She takes out a crumpled up bag from the Christmas store and pulls out some packaging. She reads the directions a little too carefully before cutting it open with some scissors. The ears are cheap and hard plastic. They don't fit quite right and are a little too big. When she puts them on and looks into the little mirror on the wall she thinks she looks a little more than a little silly. She smiles at her reflection and hangs the hat on the coat rack.
She walks into the living room and finds Saren lighting the fire, the red hat sitting deflated on the coffee table. He straightens up when he hears her enter. He finishes poking at the flames and stands up. He looks at her, his eyes washing over her face, and when he sees her ears he can't keep himself from staring.
At first Abigail has a humorous smile, like she's coming in with a joke, but that smile drops when she notices how intently Saren is staring at her. He seems to cross the room in an instance, his eyes never leaving hers.
She's not sure he's even breathing, he is so still in front of her. He is standing so close that she has to angle her head up or else she would be looking into his chest. He doesn't move and neither does she. His eyes are dark.
"Saren?" she says breathlessly and he blinks slowly. He steps back and swallows.
"Umm" for once he is at a loss of words and sits down in the chair. He looks darkly into the fire. "You uh, you uh um..."
"The ears" she supplies unmoving from her spot. He swallows again, his spine unnecessarily straight.
"Yes, the ears" he doesn't say anything. His eyes study the brick under the charred logs.
Abigail smiles awkwardly and points behind her. "I was just trying them on for tomorrow, I'll just put them back in their case." She starts to turn around.
"No" Saren says a little too abruptly. Abigail turns back to him and stares at the back of his neck, which is a little more green than usual. Saren turns his head so that he can see her out of the corner of his eyes, he seems to regret this and turns back to the fire. His eyes are decidedly unadapt at focusing. "The ears suit you well" he says after deciding against many of the lies running through his mind.
"Are they?" She asks.
He looks at her quickly again, his eyes flashing over her before returning to the brick. "Yes" he says, his mouth feeling dry. She doesn't know what to say in response.
"Okay" she finally makes out and sits down on the couch.
The steam is hot on her face and Saren stirs the giant pot of mashed potatoes. Abigail watches him a little too long and almost drops the cooked turkey before carving it up quickly and efficiently. She looks over at Saren again.
His shoulders are lean and strong, his thick sweater clings to his chest. His eyes are light and they watch his own hands work carefully. The room is a cool gray with big kitchen appliances placed carefully in it. There are many people in the room, all of whom Abigail has known for a long time. They are friendly and each take their turn walking up to Saren and introducing themselves. He repeats the words that he had practiced with Abigail robotically and they smile in return at him. They then proceed to speak with Abigail and express there congratulations as well as state in there own words that he seems strange and to be careful.
She smiles and laughs each time and reminds them to get back to work. When they leave she absentmindedly finds her eyes tracing him again.
The red hat is attached firmly to his head with hair pins to prevent an accident. But as a cover Abigail has taken her own hat off a couple of times when people were looking and flashed everyone the ears. They all laughed because it was so her to do something like that. She returns her attention back to the turkey, not noticing Sarens own eyes on her.
He finishes the potatoes quickly and takes them out to the front before retuning into the kitchen.
The night pretty much drags on like this and when it's time to go Saren is across the room putting away the last dish.
"I'm glad you came" a tall blonde boy says to Abigail quietly. She smiles at him.
"Thank you, it was good seeing you Tom" she says as he helps her put on the jacket, his fingers brush against her neck.
"Be careful with that guy" Tom whispers a little closely to her ear.
"Oh him, he's harmless."
"He's a bit off."
"So am I, and I can take care of myself." Tom looks at Saren who is watching them carefully.
"Even so, if you ever need any help just give me a call." Saren starts to make his way to them.
"I will" Abigail promises and walks through the door with Saren by her side.
Tom follows and holds open the truck door for her, Sarens eyes narrow slightly as he climbs into the passenger side.
"Thank you" She says as she buckles her seat belt and watches Tom close the door. He leans on it for a moment and looks at her. "I'll see you later" she says and he takes a step back and lets her drive away.
Saren does something unlike himself and turns on the radio, then does something like himself and turns it to the classical music station. Abigail only smiles at the action and continues watching the road.
When Abigail pulls into the dirt driveway Saren hops out of the truck before she turns it off and walks at a quick pace into the house.
Abigail walks in and finds him meditating on his bed. "Saren?" He doesn't reply. "Are you ignoring me?"
"It is illogical to ignore someone" he says softly with his eyes still shut.
Abigail sighs "Then whats wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong."
"It is illogical to lie." He sighs without really sighing. She walks closer to his bed. He doesn't respond. She sits down.
He opens his eyes slowly and looks at her. His breathe seems to get stuck in his throat. She is still wearing the ears, they both had forgotten this. She is reminded as he traces his fingers over the hard plastic. He seems distracted. "Abigail" he says breathlessly, his eyes going dark.
"Yeah" she replies softly and the sound takes him out of his trance and he takes his hand back.
He swallows hard and an apology seems to be forming on his lips but instead.
"Can I kiss you?" The statement shocks him more than her and he turns away quickly, an apology already breaking free.
"Yes."
His lips are on hers in an instance and he holds her hands tightly and gently in his. His kiss is clumsy and unrehearsed but still filled with so much passion, want, desire, and absolute need. These feelings are only reflected by her own lips, attacking his feverishly. Her eyes are closed and she manages to break her hands free and runs them up his chest and tangles them in his overgrown hair.
He follows her lead and runs his fingers through her golden locks. It takes them a long moment to break away for air and when they do they rest their foreheads together and heavily breath in each others scents.
After awhile Abigail pulls herself from him and smiles silently at him as she leaves his room. He finds himself meditating the entire night with the semblance of a smile forgotten on his lips.
Disclaimer: Thank you for reading this far and please leave a review of what you thought and what you want to see next. I have one question that I hope you will answer in the review, do you want me to include a sex scene or keep this story clean? It will be tastefully done of course I'm pretty much asking if you want this to remain a T rating or turn into an M, I just want to know for the future so I can plan for it.