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It was the first real Christmas they’d had in a while, and while Aurora seemed hell bent on going all out for their decorations, Marisol would have been content if all they had was a tree. So when Aurora came back home with a car packed of new lights and cute decor, Marisol couldn’t help but beam in excitement. She’d loved Christmas as a child, but after her parents and Aurora’s pack had been killed, it felt not only inappropriate, but too sad to celebrate. This year however, both were feeling much more hopeful and happier than they had in the past two years.
While Aurora had taken it upon herself to buy all the outside decor, Marisol had decided she would go out and find them the most perfect tree and decorate the heck out of it. Once she brought it home and picked the right spot for it to stand, she decided she didn’t want to be doing this alone, and while Emy provided perfectly splendid company, Marisol wanted to share this experience with another as well. Pulling out her phone, she scrolled to Malia’s contact and dialed.
“Hey!” She spoke into the phone, sounding excited but trying to contain it. “What are you doing right now?”
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After the setting--and then resetting--the lights, Malia decided that she was much better help sitting on the floor, looping the hooks through the ornaments.
“You know, I never would have thought that wrapping lights around a tree could be that difficult.” Malia frowned, handing Marisol a few more ornaments for her to hang on the tree.
“The first time I had to do it on my own, I’m pretty sure I cried, though that may have been more due to the fact that the lights were so badly tangled and that I shocked myself a couple of times.” Marisol chuckled, turning back and trying to figure out where to best place the ornaments she held.
“Yeah, well I’ve never had to do it.” Malia defended herself, now sucking on her index finger that she’d managed to somehow poke with the wire hook.
“Never?” Marisol asked, taken aback by the revelation.
“Well no. I mean, I’ve really only been back a couple of years. So far my dad is just the one that sets everything up. Honestly I don’t really get what all the fuss is about. So you eat a fancy dinner and open presents--how is that any different than a birthday?” Malia recalled the first time Mr. Tate had set up the christmas tree and how excited he had been for their first holiday together--again.
“Eh, it’s not that different. And honestly, it doesn’t make much sense to celebrate it if you aren’t religious--which, I guess me and Aurora really aren't.” Marisol thought about how even before she’d lived with Aurora, her parents hadn’t really been overly religious. They held a strong faith in God, but had never really followed any specific church or creed. In reality, she hadn’t really cared much for Christmas until Tomas had talked about all the events and parties his pack held down in LA. “I don’t. I guess it’s a little pointless, but I sure do love the decorations.”
“Mmm, they are pretty cute I guess.” Malia responded, now caught trying to untangle some tinsel that she was pretty sure she had tangled up in the first place. “But hey, don’t let me be a downer--if you love it, I love it.”
Marisol smiled back at her before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips, smiling against them as she mumbled a quiet “thank you.”
“Mmm wait give me more.” Malia frowned when Marisol pulled away, turning back to the tree and hanging up a few more ornaments.
“After we are done.” Marisol scolded playfully. “Then we can make out for hours.”
“Hours. I like the sound of that.” Malia shot Marisol a sly smirk.
Marisol turned back to her tree, focusing on the task at hand and trying to not get distracted by her beautiful, but all-too-clueless-about-christmas-decorating girlfriend. If she was going to have the tree ready by the time Aurora came back, she really had to focus. She picked up a few more ornaments that Malia had set out for her and got back to work, making sure to have enough space between each one so the tree didn’t look too cluttered once it was done.
“So, you’ve never really celebrated Christmas with like...a proper party, have you?” Marisol questioned, her back still to Malia.
“Not really? I mean, it’s mostly been just me and my dad.” Malia paused, taking in the view before her as Marisol stood bent over trying to find a spot for an ornament lower on the tree. “I guess it will be nice to have someone to spend the holidays with. Go to parties with. Aurora said she wants to do a dinner party?”
“Yeah. She likes hosting every now and then, and I think she just really wants to go all out this year, since we...you know, kinda finally have a family again.”
“What’s she making?”
“Uhh I don’t know actually.” Marisol grunted softly, struggling to reach the top of the tree to place the start. “Probably turkey, though I hope not because I really do not like turkey.”
“Anyway you can convince her to make deer?”
Marisol chuckled and shook her head, “I can try.”
“At the very least some rabbit would be nice.” Malia was mumbling to herself as she kept sorting through the tinsel and rope that Aurora had bought more than was necessary of.
“Hey, babe, could you help me real quick, I really can’t reach the top of this stupid tree.”
“I can’t….move.” Malia’s voice came from behind her, calm and very quiet, yet her words alerted Marisol immediately.
“WHAT?” Marisol whipped around quickly, panic in her voice and her eyes as she stormed over to Malia, only to watch her face drop as Emy jumped away from her lap with a frightened chirp.
“AWWW MAN! You scared her away!” Malia scowled at Marisol, crossing her arms with a dejected look on her face. “That was the first time she came near me! And she SAT ON MY LAP!”
Marisol chuckled at her and shook her head, bending down to kiss the top of Malia’s before following Emy out of the room. “Oh babe. Okay. I will fix this.”
Malia sat on the floor waiting for her girlfriend to return with whatever it was that was going to fix the situation. The FIRST time! Emy had finally warmed up to her, even climbed into her lap, but it had only lasted all of ten seconds before Marisol had unknowingly scared her away. This was a big moment for Malia and she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. It was bad enough that Emy had warmed up to Stiles, the only one in their group that wasn't supernatural, but now her chance for a true connection had been ruined.
Marisol came back into the room, crooning in a baby voice and holding a large furry figure in her arms. Walking over to where Malia sat on the floor, she plopped Emy down in her lap, squishing her gently until she sat down on her own. “Alright, there you go. Everything okay now?”
Malia looked over at her and grinned, an excited look in her eye. She looked down at Emy, sitting comfortably in her lap and purring loudly, and felt an overwhelming pride creep up in her--she’d finally done it. She’d finally gotten her girlfriend’s cat to like her.
“Okay…” Malia whispered, not wanting to frighten the cat away again. “Now what do I do?”
Marisol let out a loud laugh, “You pet her silly!”
“She-she’ll let me do that?” Malia asked, tentatively holding her hand out over Emy’s head.
“Yeah. She likes you.” Marisol smiled at her. “It takes her a while to get there, but she’s usually very cuddly. Who knows, maybe she’ll let you carry her soon.”
“Ohh I would like that…” Malia smiled as she looked down, making sure to scratch behind the kitty’s ear. “Hey! Did you finish the tree?”
“Eh, almost. Really I only need the star left but your height is required for that and since you are currently otherwise engaged...it can wait.” Marisol leaned over and placed a kiss on Malia’s cheek.
“Yeah, I’ll do it later.” Malia responded, still entranced by the cat on her lap.
“I feel like maybe I should leave you two alone…” Marisol teased.
Just then, Emy stood from Malia’s lap and walked away, stretching her limbs as she went and choosing to sit under the tree instead.
“Awww man! Come back kitty!” Malia pleaded, holding out her arms in an attempt to lure Emy back into them. “That really didn’t last too long.”
“Ah well, you can’t take it personally. She really doesn’t stay with one person too long.”
“She does with you.”
“Yeah well, that’s because I’m her momma.” Marisol explained. “Don’t worry, she’ll come back. In the meantime…”
Marisol leaned into Malia and kissed her, moving a hand up and tangling it in her hair, pulling her down toward the floor as she did. Malia chuckled against the kiss, wrapping her arms around Marisol and pulling her closer. The two lay there, looking at each other in the glow of the lights from the tree.
“Hey,” Malia started. “I’m glad I have you for christmas this year. Maybe now it will all make sense to me.”
“I’m glad I have you too.” Marisol smiled at her before leaning in for another kiss, this time biting gently on Malia’s lower lip. Malia responded, kissing her more passionately than before and tightening her hold around Marisol’s waist. Malia felt happy and safe--feelings that were always fleeting in the life she and the pack led, but here and now she was home--Marisol was her home. And that was all the explanation she needed for what the christmas season was really about.
“You know...when you text me that you’d have the tree up by the time I got home, I really wasn’t expecting to walk in on all of this.” Aurora was suddenly standing over them, hands on her hips and one eyebrow cocked up in feigned disapproval.
Malia and Marisol just laughed before reaching up and pulling Aurora down with them, sitting her between them as they enjoyed the decorated tree before them.
“I think this might be the best tree I’ve ever done.” Marisol said quietly.
“You know what?” Aurora put her arms around the two girls, pulling them in close for a tight hug. “I think you might be right.”