Christmas Party! Millitimed Vaguely to "Sometime Around Christmas"

[kitchen_maid]

Anne and Amy have been very very busy over the last week or so, transforming their usually simple white room into the perfect place for a Christmas party.

There are garlands of holly and balsam strung around the room, leading away from the wreath between the windows (and there's a grumpy looking crow, perched in the middle of the wreath, trying to figure out how to get the red ribbon from around his neck). A Christmas tree, candles ablaze, stands in one corner, with presents tucked under its branches.

Welcome, dear friend, to Anne and Amy's Christmas party.

Comments

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He takes the taper with one hand, and watches her rustles about in the tree.

"Having squirrel problems?"

[kitchen_maid]

"Just a few. They're usually allowed to play in trees, after all, and here this one is right near and hand and full of interesting things, and so I can't seem to get them to understand that they should not be playing near candles."

She hauls Mr. Pemberthy out and settles him on her shoulder.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

"I see."

He winks at Mr. Pemberthy.

"Anyway, I brought you something to help decorate with, if you like."

[kitchen_maid]

"Please don't encourage him," she says, noticing the wink.

"Oh?" She looks around at what it must be confessed is an almost excessively decorated room. "And what is that?"

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He grins cheerfully and produces it from behind his back.

"Why, mistletoe, of course."

[kitchen_maid]

Amy giggles. "Perfect. I suspect Anne will be thrilled."

She looks around.

"Over there, maybe?" she suggests.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He looks around, and takes a length of ribbon and a chair, and, stepping up onto the chair, begins to tie up the mistletoe so that it hangs cheerfully waiting for unsuspecting guests to meet underneath it.

When he has finished, he steps down, and eyes it critically.

"What do you think?"

[kitchen_maid]

"I think it's lovely. Thank you for thinking of it."

Amy, alas, is no where near close enough to be considered to be under the mistletoe.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He looks up at it again, and back at her, and wonders where his plan had gone awry.

"Are you sure you can see it properly from there?" he asks, hopefully.

[kitchen_maid]

"Yes, I think so," she says, unconcernedly and terribly obliviously, turning back to the tree to finish lighting the candles.

Come on, Perry. You don't want it to be that easy, do you?

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He sighs, and takes the few steps over to her to take her hand, and lead her under the mistletoe.

"We have to see if it's working properly," he says, and kisses her lightly.

[kitchen_maid]

Amy's response is to giggle, and turn about six shades of scarlet in rapid succession.

"I guess it is," she says, a trifle uncertainly.

From his perch on her shoulder, Mr. Pemberthy chatters excitedly and emphatically.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," he replies, holding her hand for, really, just a moment longer than is absolutely neccesary.

"I'm terribly glad to hear it."

[kitchen_maid]

Amy pulls her hand back and then can't quite seem to figure out what to do with it, because it goes first to her mouth, and then to rather unnecessarily push her hair behind her ear, before brushing at her skirt and then settling at her side.

In short, she's flustered.

Amy is almost pretty when she's flustered.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

Quite pretty, really, if you are looking at her with eyes to see it.

It's possible Perry is, for his smile only grows brighter.

"Well," he says. "Merry Christmas."

[kitchen_maid]

"Yes," she says. "Merry Christmas."

A moment, and then, "Why did you do that?"

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

"Why do you think I brought the mistletoe?" he counters.

[kitchen_maid]

A shrug, and her hands come up to her face in a truly futile attempt to hide the fact that she is still blushing.

"I don't know."

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

He looks around, and leans closer, to whisper conspiratorially in her ear.

"Because if I made sure there was mistletoe, I'd be able to make sure there was a way I could kiss you that would not get me slapped, fled from, or at the very least sternly reprimanded."

[kitchen_maid]

"Oh," she says. "Oh."

A moment.

"That's . . . well-planned, I suppose."

He may yet get reprimanded. It will most likely depend on how much of all that Caspian saw.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

For the first time, Perry looks a little unsure.

"You didn't mind, did you?"

[kitchen_maid]

Amy shakes her head. "No. At least, I don't think so. You just . . . kind of surprised me."

Only without the "kind of."

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

"A good surprise, or a bad one?" he presses, fidgeting slightly.

"And is your brother going to come after me for a duel now?"

[kitchen_maid]

That gets her to laugh.

"He might," she says. "You are, after all, taking liberties, even if you are relying on floral assistance."

She's very clearly teasing him. That's a good sign.

[man-of-all-work.livejournal.com]

"But it's mistletoe!" he protests.

"You can't have a Christmas party without mistletoe. And you can't have mistletoe without kisses."