Archive of Our Own ^beta

Every year, Deacon Flores invited the church over to his house for a get-together on Christmas Eve.

Ellie had never gone before, her Christmas Eve had always consisted of rewatching It’s a Wonderful Life, but this year was different. Mainly because Aster had come up to her after service one day and sold the idea with much enthusiasm until her family called her away.

“I’ll see you there?” Aster had asked as she walked backwards towards the stairs.

Ellie had just nodded until she realized an actual response was needed. “Yeah, you’ll see me.”

Aster had grinned and dashed out of the church to catch up with her parents, and Ellie had packed up her sheet music.

A day before the party, Ellie realized the only nice dress she had was the one she wore for piano recitals. She called Paul in a hurry.

“I mean, what do girls even wear?” she groaned into her phone as she sifted through her closet for the third time that day.

“I dunno,” said Paul, who had locked the door to the computer room so that he could have some time to himself. “You would know that better than me. And it’s a Christmas party, just wear a sweater. That’s what I did last year.”

Ellie laughed a bit at the mental image of Paul in a cheesy Christmas sweater, though it wasn’t hard to picture. “Are you going this year?”

On the other end, Paul shook his head and shifted around. “Mom’s’ been really into family-only Christmas Eve, ‘specially since Patsy’s sick.”

“Well, I’ll miss you then. And hope your sister feels better.”

“Thanks. And have fun, it’s not anything serious. Be yourself, bring your dad!”

Ellie had already asked her dad. He had just shaken his head, but smiled. He has glad Ellie was getting out of the house a bit more.

“Bye, Paul. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas Ellie.”

She hung up the phone and went to look in her drawers. She had a green sweater with a funny looking cat on it and a Christmas tree that took up a whole sleeve. She placed it on her bed for the next day, hoping Paul was right.

Unsurprisingly, Paul had been wrong.

Every other girl at the party (or “casual get-together” as the Flores’ called it) was wearing a dress or skirt with a cute sweater or some sort of nice accessory. It was crowded, though, so Ellie was well hidden.

She had gotten herself a plate of cookies and a glass of eggnog and then retreated promptly to a corner. She balanced the cup precariously on the flimsy paper plate.

When she was on her second wreath-shaped sugar cookie, Ellie felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

When she whipped around, she was standing face to face with none other than Aster Flores. Ellie was far too surprised to see her, considering that she was at Aster’s house.

“Aster! Hi,” Ellie said, probably a bit too loudly. No one turned to look though, she had chosen her corner well, so it didn’t matter. “Merry Christmas.”

Aster leaned on the wall. “Merry Christmas. I’m glad you showed up. And I love the sweater.” She pointed at the crooked cat and Ellie looked down like she had never seen her own sweater before.

“Oh, this? Yeah…” Ellie trailed off, uncertain of what to say next.

“It’s very Russian-doll-of-clothing of you,” Aster responded. She took a sip of her drink, the corners of her mouth turned upward.

Ellie smiled softly, blushing at Aster’s words. And at the closeness of Aster to her. She could see the details on the other girl’s face so clearly here; there was a little bump in the middle of her nose that defined her profile, and the lipstick of the left corner of her mouth was smudged. Her eyes were so brown and intense and Ellie could gladly drown in them.

Realizing she’d been staring, Ellie immediately stuffed a snowman cookie in her mouth and forced her eyes to admire the tinsel decorations.

“It looks nice,” she remarked, trying her best not to choke on the crumbs.

Aster moved so that she stood next to Ellie rather than in front of her and surveyed the decorations with a neutral sigh.

“Thank you. I helped put up some things, I can show you if you want.”

There were no cookies left on Ellie’s plate or drink in Aster’s cup, so the girls threw them out and Aster took Ellie by the hand to lead her through the house.

“I put up that Nativity scene,” Aster said, barely stopping as they passed it. “Those stars too,” she added as they weaved through the crowd. Everyone was vying for Aster’s attention, but she didn’t give them much more than a “hello! merry Christmas!” and a wave.

After the dining and living room, though, most of the house was unoccupied. Aster lead Ellie to a doorway leading upstairs and pointed up to the doorframe.

“That’s the decoration I’m most proud of.”

Right above their heads hung mistletoe, tied in a red velvet ribbon. Neither girl made a move.

The stairway was unlit, but some light from the dining room reached them. Everyone was busy with eating, drinking, and socializing, but their chatter was drowned out in Ellie’s ears. All she could hear was her own pounding heartbeats, the blood jumping in her veins. It rushed to her face until she was crimson. But she did not look away from Aster and Aster’s gaze never wavered from her.

Slowly, Ellie reached up her hands to Aster’s face and Aster closed her eyes. She did not lean in, she was not brave enough for that yet, but she put her hands on Ellie’s arms as if to say keep going, please.

When their lips met, it was as if it was just them in the world and Aster slid her hands down to Ellie’s waist to keep her there. The kiss itself was chaste, but their hearts beat so loudly that each other could hear it. And there was some relief to be found in that, so both girls found themselves smiling into the kiss with this strange, intelligent, beautiful girl from music class.