Chapter Text
24th December 2019
Anthony stared at the sea of people pushing their way through Knightsbridge, last minute shoppers clamouring for this that and the next thing over the top of one another. On and on and on.
“How could you have forgotten this?!” Anthony berated himself unhelpfully for the 478th time exactly. “She comes every bloody year.”
He scowled at a boy who shoved past him and Anthony peeked into the door of the department store, heaving with people. “God, I bloody hate people. No, she’s not getting anything this year!”
He took half a step back, gritting his teeth as he imagined having to stand there tomorrow without a gift for Mrs Danbury. “Oh for god’s sake.” He marched forward before he could convince himself not to. “I’ll just get the first bloody thing I can lay eyes on and get the hell out of here. And maybe a candy cane. Because that’s whimsical.”
He waded through the doors that had once again left their shopping until the last possible second and promised themselves they wouldn’t ever again. Anthony refused to believe he was like everyone else here, his was an honest mistake after all. He made his way through to the women’s department, stepping around the puddle left by a child’s hot chocolate, looking around vaguely. What the hell were you supposed to get your childhood friend turned sister’s boyfriend’s godmother for Christmas?
His eyes landed on a display almost in the walkway, a single pair of black leather gloves dangling happily, perfectly framed by a bit of tinsel.
“Very festive.” Anthony rolled his eyes, “And perfect.”
He reached out, his hand closing around one of the gloves. He’d already turned to leave, groaning at the line of people trying to make their purchases already 40 people deep, when he was stopped, something pulling the gloves back, out of his hand.
“Can you let go of my gloves?”
Anthony wheeled around, startled at the woman’s audacity and honestly, more than a little fed up with the entire city. “If they’re you’re gloves what are they doing festooned in this display?” He gestured like a maniac.
The woman’s dark eyes fixed on his, an amused smirk curving her lips. “Festooned?”
Anthony leaned back a little, trying not to notice how beautiful the woman was. He gave her a sarcastic sigh, “It’s a festive garland.” He gestured to the tinsel. “The festoon in question.”
“I wasn’t questioning the festoon.” Said the irritatingly beautiful woman. She lifted her hand, still clutching the other of Mrs Danbury’s new gloves and Anthony’s lifted with it. “I suppose they’re not technically my gloves.”
Anthony narrowed his eyes, “So why are you claiming them?”
The woman clicked her tongue, “Well, you see, they’re going to be my sister’s Christmas present.”
“Oh,” Anthony laughed sarcastically, “Oh, I see! So you’re one of these people.”
The woman blinked, “These people?”
“One of these last minute shoppers. No planning. No sense of etiquette. Spilling your hot chocolate all over the floor.”
“As opposed to you? Who was casually walking past a crowded department store on Christmas Eve and wandered in to buy yourself a pair of ladies leather gloves, sized Medium?” She flapped her glove against Anthony’s chest.
“Maybe I have dainty hands!” Anthony flapped his glove against her arm.
“You don’t.” She scoffed. “Nice try.”
She tugged at the gloves and Anthony tugged right back, “I need these gloves! And a candy cane!”
She paused, leaning in, “Where does the candy cane come in?”
“I just think they’re whimsical when it’s snowing outside.” Anthony sighed, tugging on the gloves, “Please, get your sister something else!”
“Get something else for your obviously not dainty hands!”
Anthony let out a frustrated growl, releasing the glove, “Fine! Fine! I don’t care!”
The woman almost looked joyful as she jerked her head back in surprise. “You gave up very easily.”
“Well, truthfully the person I was going to buy these for would have hated them anyway most likely.” He sighed irritably, dodging an elderly woman’s cane. “Have a nice… Christmas I suppose.”
“So I saved you, is what you’re saying.” She didn’t let him go, falling into step beside him.
“What?” Anthony pulled his arm back as the sleeve of her coat brushed his. He was still resolutely refusing to acknowledge that the glove thief was likely the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Your dainty little hands would have hated these.” Her eyes shined with the joke, “So I saved you.”
“I guess.” He dodged a child on a skateboard.
“So you kind of owe me one.”
Anthony stopped dead to stare at her, his mouth agape as a child rammed into his back with a bicycle. “What would I owe you?”
She had the gloves dangling from one finger, a bag in her other hand. She shrugged, “This is usually where cute boys offer to buy me drinks.”
Now he really was gaping at her, “Why would you want to have a drink with me?”
She reached forward and plucked an enormous candy cane from a display and spun it around her finger. “You’re sort of like a startled giraffe.” She bobbed her head forward in a Jerky movement that Anthony assumed was supposed to be an impression of him.
“I don’t look like that.”
“Don’t be mad, it’s cute.”
“I-“ Anthony cut himself off, his head nearly spinning with confusion. “I can’t have a drink with you.”
“Oh, are you seeing someone?”
“No,” Anthony half chuckled, “I just don’t know your name.”
She laughed, a warm inviting sound as she held out her hand. “I’m Kate.”
“Anthony.”
“Come on then, Anthony. Let’s get you a whimsical candy cane.”
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“Okay, so if you hate Christmas; what were you doing out on Christmas Eve?”
Kate wasn’t sure what she was doing here honestly. Sat across from a man who’d grumpily removed a Christmas sticker that had been pressed onto his shirt by the child in front of them in the line. Other than the fact that there was something amusing about the fact that if she put a photo of his face next to an angry turtle’s she wasn’t sure anyone would be able to tell the difference. There was something… endearing about the way he was holding the candy cane she’d given him hooked over his arm like an old man who refused to use his cane.
“Who said I hate Christmas?” His throat bobbed as he took a sip of his drink and Kate couldn’t pull her eyes away from it. His brown hair fell in waves over his forehead and he was looking at her through his eyelashes.
Kate raised her eyebrows, “You… rolled your eyes at a reindeer when we walked past one on the way here.”
“Maybe I just think reindeer are cocky.”
“He was humbly minding his business. Enjoying his carrot.”
Anthony huffed, “He was enjoying it too smugly for my liking.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle, “You’re… ridiculous.”
“Maybe so, my grudge against the forced frivolity of this time of year not withstanding. That’s very valid.”
“Forced frivolity. Festooned.” Why was this so adorable? “Where the hell did you go to school?”
He paused, “Nowhere important.”
Kate bit back her smirk, “Somewhere important then.” She leaned back, taking him in, his expensive looking coat and sweater, the way his voice sounded inexplicably like it belonged in a parlour. She hummed sadly, “You went to Eton.”
Anthony scoffed, “I did not. Disgusting accusation.”
“Harrow then.”
His lip twitched.
“Caught you.”
“That’s not… a very great offence.”
Kate made a noncommittal noise, “I’ll be the judge of that.” She watched the snow fall outside for a second before she nudged his foot with hers under the table. “Did you take a class on hating Christmas? Is that part of the curriculum that’s left out for those of us that just go to a comprehensive?”
“I just think it’s over done.” He shrugged, “There’s so much pressure on it. The perfect gift, the perfect dinner, the perfect decorations. It’s ridiculous. It’s one day.”
Kate tilted her head, “I don’t completely disagree with you.”
“But you have something to add?”
“I just think you’re forgetting about magic of it all.”
Anthony looked around the room as if he expected it to jump out at him. He leaned, whispering. “Where do you think the magic of the Christmas spirit is, sorry?”
Kate rolled her eyes, “Don’t look now but it’s about to jump out from behind that statue of a dog.”
“Funny,” Anthony leaned back in his chair, “You’re funny.”
“Come on! The snow’s falling, there’s choirs singing, bells!”
“Bells?”
“Yes,” Kate said a little primly, making up her mind quickly. “They’re ringing.” She tipped her drink up, downing it quickly. “Hurry up.”
Anthony blinked at her as she took her new gloves out of the bag, tossing aside the receipt. “Those are for your sister. And where are we going?”
She did feel a little bad for lying about the gloves but she was fairly sure he’d forgive her as she tugged them on. “I may have told a little fib, because I lost my gloves earlier and it’s very cold. You’re not hurrying with that drink.”
Anthony’s eyes narrowed, “A secondary location? Are you going to murder me?”
“Technically this is the secondary location.” She said a little impatiently. She picked up his drink and held it against his lips, “Drink up, please.”He downed the rest of his pint in one go as she tipped the glass further and further up. “Good boy.”
She held out her hand, her heart suddenly thundering in her chest as she waited for him to take it. Anthony stared at it for a second, his brow furrowing before he stood, intertwining his fingers with hers. “If you murder me, I’m going to haunt you. And my Mum and Dad won’t be very happy.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“No, I’m sorry, No.”
“Oh come on,” Kate pushed him forward while he tried to scramble back away from the counter where she was leading him. “It’s fun! And magical!”
Why did this random man look so adorable pouting at her like that?
He sighed, “Why do you think I’m going to learn about the magic of Christmas through ice skating?”
“Are you always this grouchy?”
“Yes, for the most part.”
“At least you can admit that.” Kate nudged him further back towards the counter, her skin feeling warm as his arm brushed hers through their clothing. “Anthony, ice skating in Hyde Park is cute, and magical, and you’re going to love it.”
“Why do you care?”
Why did she care? She really didn’t know other than the fact that she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to.
“Because it’s sad. Christmas is beautiful and you should enjoy it.”
Anthony sighed, running his hand through his hair quickly, “Is this where I find out you’re some sort of angel brought here to get me in the Christmas spirit?”
“Sure. If this was a romcom.”
“If this was a romcom, the Christmas fates would have brought us together.”
“Oh so you con’t believe in Christmas but you believe in fate?”
He stared at her for a brief moment, “Let’s just go ice skating. Let’s see how magical it is when I’m flat on my arse.”
“Jesus fucking-“
Kate fought to hold back her laugh as Anthony’s arms spiralled around him, trying desperately to catch his balance. Her own arms shot out to steady him, tugging his body against hers. “Stop moving your legs so much.”
Anthony huffed, the movement felt through her own body, still held against hers chest. “Well, I’m trying to move forward!”
“Just glide.” Kate laughed, “How do you not know how to do this?”
“I’m not very… well balanced.”
“Oh so I shouldn’t ask you to take me out dancing some time?”
Anthony glanced at her, taking a stuttering step forward, “Well, I mean, don’t count me out completely.” His arms flailed again but he caught himself this time. “I’m always happy to sweep a pretty girl off her feet.”
“Yeah you’ve tried that several times tonight.”
Anthony let out a huff, clinging to her coat again. “I’m not really feeling the magic, you know.”
“Just take your mind off things. Tell me something no one else knows.”
Anthony’s brow furrowed with concentration, “Like what?”
“Like… who’s your favourite singer?”
He took a step, slightly less hesitant than before. “Why wouldn’t anyone else know that?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
He let out a huff, “I… enjoy a lot of musical theatre, actually.”
Kate jerked her head back, surprised. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not,” His movements became more steady and he started gliding along. “That takes real talent, acting, singing, dancing live. It’s impressive.”
“I never said it wasn’t.” Kate chuckled, studying him carefully. “That seems very whimsical for someone who doesn’t like Christmas.”
“I’m not a monster.” He sighed, “I just don’t like having to rush out because my sister’s boyfriend’s godmother has finally RSVP’d!”
“Naturally.”
“Look, I don’t really think this is working.” He puffed, wobbling dangerously, his breath frozen in the air between them.
“Yeah, we should have brought your candy cane on with us.”
“You’re making fun of me.” He put his hands on his hips, “You pushed me out onto this icy crag-”
“The middle of a crowded ice rink in Hyde park, do you mean?”
“Close enough. And now you’re making fun of me.”
Kate rolled her eyes, “You have to admit, this isn’t so bad. You can almost see the stars and-”
“I think those are just airplanes.”
“Will you stop?” Kate laughed, “Just… try to enjoy my company.”
“I’m not-Fuck!” Anthony started to fall again, reaching out to steady himself as his feet slipped out from under him. His hands closed around the hem of Kate’s coat and she didn’t have time to steady herself as they crashed to the ground.
“Ooof!”
The ice was freezing through her clothes and her palms hit Anthony’s chest as she settled on top of him, their noses so close they were nearly touching. Anthony’s chest hitched under her hands and his eyes seemed to darken as they stared into hers, tension tricking the freezing air between them.
“I have an idea.”
“I think I have the same idea.” Anthony said, his voice rough, “And I’m pretty sure my answer’s yes.”
Kate tried to chuckle but it didn’t come out right. “It’s not that. Do you want to see me again?”
“Yes.” His words echoed her own thoughts and she felt herself swallow.
She rolled to the side, dusting her hands off on her legs. “We need to get off the ice then.”
Anthony stared at her sceptically, his shoes hanging from his hands. “What?!”
“It’s pretty simple.” She held up the book again.
“No, I’ve read Persuasion. I don’t need to read it again.”
Kate rolled her eyes and she felt herself swallow teeth sink into her lip. She had no idea why she was doing this. It was reckless, and a little bit ridiculous. Okay, very ridiculous. But part of her felt so drawn to this man that she couldn’t help herself.
“You don’t need to read it again.”
Anthony blinked at her, “Sorry, what am I doing with the book then?”
“Nothing. I’m going to go home and I’m going to write my name and phone number in this book. Then I’m going to donate it to a charity shop.”
Anthony blinked at her, “Oooookay? Which one?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
His face fell, “What?”
“If you find this book, then you can call me. And I would like your first words to be: You were right.”
He was staring at her as though she was insane, “I… will believe in fate and the nebulous magic of Christmas if I find this book.”
“Sure.” She shrugged, “Maybe we’re meant to be together and the universe intervened and if you can find this book then that’ll be true.”
“Well, if we’re meant to be together then we could just be together.”
“Not how this works.” She took a breath, “Take a chance, Anthony.”
He stared at her, with snow melting in his hair and his cheeks red from the cold before he held his hand out to her, “I’ll see you another time then, Kate.”
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