Chapter Text
It’s the happiest time of the year, and per usual she’s exhausted.
Last night they went to the candlelight service like they do every year, and didn’t get home till nearly 2 in the mornin’. It’s an event that used to feel magical and fill her with joy, but now the candles just remind her of the fire her dad preaches on far more than he used to.
Christmas time with her family stopped being fun after she became an adult. If she’s bein’ honest they stopped well before that even. She wouldn’t bother coming back from college at this point if her parents didn’t buy her plane tickets. Or that’s what she tells herself at least, in reality she comes because she knows they’re trying.
For better or worse she’s here, and the Holidays with the Goodkinds are not for the faint of heart. It is a busy time, no slackin’ and sleepin’ during this time of year. Church services, shoppin’, parties, all one after the other. Which is why she’s currently gettin’ ready to go to a Christmas Market despite bein’ up all night and shoppin’ all day.
After applying the last bit of mascara she steps back to examine herself.
She’s left her hair natural, something her dad will likely comment on. Her makeup is just natural enough to be accepted, expertly covering her tired eyes. Paired with boots, jeans, and a red long sleeve saying ‘Happy Holigays’ she’s ready to brave the night.
She quickly descends the stairs and waits by the front door. Decorations are scattered throughout. Nativity scenes, garland, stockings, and of course a large Christmas tree covered in ornaments from her childhood. For a moment she feels a warmth looking at it all, and happy memories with her family come to mind.
It doesn’t last long.
“You didn’t straighten your hair,” her dad says in a disappointed tone.
Shelby swallows and forces a smile as she turns to face him. “I prefer it natural these days.”
He glances down at her shirt and looks physically pained before stepping out the door. Her mom ignores the decorative text across her chest and instead says, “You look nice,” with a tight smile before ushering her siblings out.
One car drive filled with Christmas music later and they’ve made it to the market.
They walk together as a family, viewin’ the tables filled with Christmas trinkets that line the walkway. The market is massive, filled with loud chatter and booths as far as she can see.
It’s a cycle, a few steps and a pause as they view each booth. A forced smile every time someone makes eye contact and repeat.
After 20 minutes of it she’s decided she’s going to split off on her own for a few, even if it’s only for a moment.
“I’m going to go find the restroom,” she whispers to her mom.
A short nod back is all she needs as permission to leave.
Shelby beelines quickly in the other direction, weaving through the crowd. Each step feels like a breath of fresh air. She spots a drink stand and quickly joins one of the lines of market goers.
As soon as she gets the counter she rushes out, “I’ll have a spiked cider please.”
“ID,” the worker mumbles.
She fishes her wallet out and hands it over before they get to work on her drink.
“What do you mean you don’t have beer?” An irritated voice says.
“It’s holiday drinks only here miss,” the worker replies.
Shelby glances over to the other line and feels her breath leave her. The prettiest girl she’s ever seen is standing at the register. Her dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail showcases her jawline, which Shelby traces up to her eyebrows that are scrunched up in the most adorable way.
Her cider appears before her and she quickly taps her card to pay. Before she can second guess herself she steps out of line towards the girl.
“Man fuck th-,” the girl starts before Shelby steps into her space.
“She’ll have the cider,” Shelby interrupts.
The worker looks relieved and starts on the drink.
The brown haired girl turns back and angrily says, “Who do you think you are?”
“The girl who’s buying you a drink,” Shelby says with a grin.
“What if I don’t want that drink, then what blondie?” She snaps.
Shelby shrugs and playfully says, “Then another for me I guess.”
She pays and grabs the drink, before stepping into the girl’s space forcing her to step back out of the line.
She holds the extra cider out in front of her. “Well?”
“Well what? I’m not drinking that,” she scoffs.
The blonde frowns. “What’s wrong with it? Nothin’ like a festive Christmas drink.”
“I don’t do Christmas,” The girl says with a laugh. “That’s white people shit.”
Shelby bites her lip, and looks the sassy girl up and down again. She’s dressed in loose jeans and a henley shirt, with a hoodie tied around her waist. Not exactly festive, but gives her an idea so she pivots.
“‘Happy Holigays’ then,” she points to her shirt and notices Toni’s eyes widen a little. Shelby raises the cup towards her and continues, “To whatever you celebrate.”
The girl takes the cup and looks away, an adorable blush tenting her cheeks. “I… can celebrate a cute girl buying me a drink.”
She laughs lightly. “Shelby.”
“Toni,” she says looking up shyly.
Shelby grins. “Well Toni, would you like to walk around the market with me?”
Toni nods and they start walking slowly along the tents as they sip their warm drinks. “This isn’t that bad,” she mumbles.
“That bad?! It’s delicious,” Shelby says, taking a large gulp. She doesn’t miss the way Toni stares at her lips. “Though I suppose that’s a high compliment based off how you reacted to it initially.”
“I didn’t know you were hit-,” Toni cuts herself off. “I mean I’m just not happy to be here.”
“At the market?” Shelby asks curiously.
Toni nods. “My teammates dragged me out here. I wanted to stay at the hotel.”
Shelby feels her stomach flip. She’s thrilled to hear that Toni isn’t from here, the last thing she needs is to find somethin’ to tie her to this place. She wants to ask where this beautiful stranger lives but instead asks, “What do you play?”
Toni grins. “The best sport ever, Basketball.”
Shelby glances down at her lips. “Obviously.”
“We played Texas A&M earlier today,” Toni says, sidestepping a group of people.
Shelby goes around the other way, and quickly makes her way back to Toni’s side. “Did you win?”
“Obviously,” she says back in a mock southern accent.
Shelby laughs and swats her arm playfully. “That was bad.”
“It gotcha to laugh though,” Toni says with a smirk.
Her eyes flicker down to her lips once again, distracting her from the oncoming crowd. A person bumps her shoulder and she loses her balance slightly. She barely saves her drink from being spilled while Toni saves her from falling all together by wrapping her arm around her waist.
“Watch where you’re going asshole!” Toni yells behind them.
Shelby blushes, though she’s not sure if it’s from nearly fallin’ or from Toni havin’ her arm around her.
“Thank you,” she whispers in her ear.
Toni nods and pulls her closer in response as they continue to walk absentmindedly through the market.
Shelby frowns when she realizes they’ve both finished their cider. They toss their cups in the bin and she holds her breath as she waits to see whether they’ll part ways. She’ll go back to her family and Toni will find her teammates and she’ll never see the girl again.
It feels like she’s sinking into the ground as those dark brown eyes burrow their way into her in silence.
Toni fiddles with her hands as she says, “You know… um. I’d be down to try another ‘festive’ drink or whatever if you want.”
Relief washes over her. “I’d like that.” She grabs one of Toni’s fidgeting hands and pulls her towards the nearest drink stand.
Shortly after they’re back to walking slowly through the crowd, this time with a new warm drink in their hands.
Toni’s nose scrunches up adorably after her first sip. “I don’t know about this mulled wine Shelbs.”
Her heart flutters at the nickname. “It’s not as sweet, but I think it kicks a little harder than the cider.”
“But is it worth it,” Toni jokes.
Before she can respond she spots a familiar group of blondes up ahead. Quickly she grabs Toni’s hand and pulls her towards a small gap in the booths, slipping them through. She ignores the shop owner’s berating and pulls the girl along the fence behind a tent that has a backing, blocking them from the crowd.
“Sorry about that,” she says with a deep breath.
Toni raises an eyebrow and takes a sip on the wine, still grimacing after.
“You tryin’ to get me alone?” She says in a horrible southern accent.
“No- well um. I just saw my family is all,” Shelby rushes out.
Toni’s eyebrows raise. “So your reaction was to run away?”
“They well- they’re fine really,” Shelby says half heartedly.
There’s a moment of silence before Toni guesses, “Not super accepting?”
Shelby shakes her head. “It would be fine, I’d just get those disappointed faces they flash at me every now and again. Mostly it’s just I’ve been gone for a while. Told them I was just goin’ to use the restroom.”
“They must think you’re blowing it up then,” Toni jokes.
Shelby swats her before taking a sip of her own drink. She leans against the fence and absentmindedly holds the bottom of Toni’s shirt, as if it’ll anchor the girl there.
“I’m sure your teammates are wonderin’ about you too,” Shelby says quietly.
Toni shrugs, “Maybe, but I’d rather be here.”
Shelby can feel the excitement bubblin’ up. “Really?”
Toni smiles and it makes her knees feel a little wobbly. “Yeah you’re cool.”
She leans in slightly. “Just cool?”
Toni’s eyes flicker down to her lips and the girl leans in closer. “No, you’re more than that.”
“What am I then?” Shelby whispers.
Toni wraps her arm around her back, and leans up and whispers in her ear, “You’re pretty cool.”
The action makes her shiver, but the words have her rolling her eyes. She turns to step away, but is quickly pulled back by a laughing Toni, who pulls her impossibly close.
Shelby lightly traces her jaw before caressing her cheek with her free hand. Not even a moment passes before Toni leans up, capturing her lips in a kiss.
She tastes like wine, her lips are soft contrasting with light bites. They melt together as it becomes more heated and she drops her drink without a second thought. Warm wine splatters on their legs, causing them both to jump slightly. Toni’s response is to toss her own cup and pull her back in. Hands wander and Shelby pins her against the fence, deepening the kiss more. They slot together perfectly and continue until they reluctantly have to break for breath.
As they both breathe heavily she takes in Toni. Eyes locked on hers, red lips, and strands of loose hair that have escaped her ponytail. It’s enough to make her stomach flutter, and the overwhelming urge to kiss her again takes over.
So she does.
They make out against the fence until one of the booth owners near them tells them to get lost.
***
Two more ciders in and a funnel cake later they decide to go to a Waffle House.
Well more like Shelby decides that Toni has to experience Waffle House before leaving the South. It also may have been influenced by the fact that the Christmas Market was closing, which meant either finding a new place to go or saying goodbye.
The second wasn’t an option.
They sit in a classic gray and red booth in the corner of the restaurant. Shelby with a cup of coffee and a waffle and Toni with a plate of smothered hashbrowns.
“How can you drink coffee right now?” Toni asks before taking a sip of her water.
“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I’m in need of caffeine if I’m to stay up any later,” Shelby says with a small smile.
“You looking to stay up all night Shelbs?” Toni says with a grin.
“If it means I get to spend it with you,” she says smoothly, taking her hand.
Toni shovels some hashbrowns into her mouth instead of replying, but her lips are pulled in an unmistakable smile.
There’s garland hung half-heartedly and children' s drawings of handprint reindeer plaster the windows around the dinner. The crowd is a mix of tired truckers and drunk customers hoping to get some food before passing out. Waitresses yell out orders and cooks joke around with each other behind the counter.
It pulls a smile to her face.
“What are you thinking about in there?” Toni asks, tapping her own head.
Shelby lets out a deep breath and goes back to eating her waffle. “Oh nothin’. It’s silly really.”
Toni kicks her feet lightly. “I like silly.”
She lets out a small laugh. “Just this place reminds me of good memories of Texas. I do my best to be positive, but most of the time when I visit here I just feel down.”
“Is it just your fam?” Toni asks, taking another bite.
“Mostly,” Shelby says, her shoulders dropping. Quietly she adds, “I hope it gets better someday.”
“Sometimes family is shit,” Toni says bluntly. “But that doesn’t mean you let them stop you from enjoying your life.”
Shelby thinks her words over. They seem easier said than done.
“I suppose you're right. I shouldn’t let them drag down the holidays for me,” Shelby says quietly.
Toni hums. “I don’t really have parents, so for celebrations I spend them with my best friends’ family. I could kick myself about it but what good would that do?
Shelby files the new information away, a question for another day. “Not much I’d say.”
Toni checks her phone quickly and frowns before slipping it back into her pocket. Before she can ask why the girl explains. “I don’t have long till I have to go to the airport.”
Shelby for the first time this night truly frowns. “What time’s your flight?”
“6 am,” Toni says quietly.
A silence falls over the table. The sounds of chatter and clanking on the grill blanket them. It’s a reality she hasn’t wanted to face this evening. Sure it’s good that Toni isn’t tied down here, but that also means she’s leavin’ and Shelby will be stuck here alone.
“Well I guess you better get some sleep before then,” Shelby says deflated.
Toni takes her hand quickly and squeezes it. “Nah I’m planning to stay up with a pretty girl.”
Shelby gives her a small smile. “Pretty huh?”
Toni grins. “Yeah, pretty cool.”
She laughs and they continue to talk well after they finish their meals.
After they pay they take a Lyft back into town so they can get Toni back to her hotel quickly when the time comes.
They walk hand-in-hand down a street lit with Christmas lights and decorations. Nobody’s out and it feels like the whole place is theirs.
They find a square with a fountain and some benches, adorned with a large decorated Christmas tree.
As soon as she sits on the metal bench it feels like a shock with how cold it is. “Lord, that's cold!”
Toni laughs and pulls her hoodie from around her waist, handing it over to her. Shelby quickly pulls it over her head, noticing how it smells like Toni right away. She also notices the large ‘University of Minnesota’ plastered across the front.
“Thank you,” Shelby says with a smile.
“You’d never last a real winter,” Toni jokes.
“Sure I would! I’d just take your coat,” she says with a laugh.
“Then how will I stay warm?” Toni asks.
Shelby swings her legs over her lap and wraps her arms around Toni’s neck, practically sitting on her. The girl blushes and she pulls her closer.
Shelby leans in and whispers, “I’ll keep you warm.”
The girl shivers below her. Shelby leans down and kisses her jaw, causing the girl’s breath to hitch. She places a kiss lower on her neck, prompting Toni to pull her up to meet her lips.
The kiss is soft and slow this time. As if they’re trying to commit each other to memory before they part.
She lets it consume her, and melts into the moment. Whatever this is she can tell it’s special, she just doesn’t know what to do next. How to ask Toni for more, to see her again after she goes back to Minnesota. Thankfully she doesn’t have to.
When they part they rest their foreheads against one another.
“Hey Shelbs?” Toni asks.
“Yes?” She replies.
“Can I have your number?” She asks nervously.
Shelby grins and pulls out her phone quickly. “Yes!”
Toni takes her phone and types in her number and sends herself a text. She watches with absolute glee as Toni puts her contact under as ‘Holigay’.
The screen however highlights that it’s just after 3 am. “I should probably get back to my hotel.”
“Probably.” Shelby reluctantly gets off her and pulls her to her feet.
They walk hand-in-hand to the hotel. Shelby orders a Lyft and while she waits Toni pins her against the wall and gives her kisses she’s sure to remember years from now.
When the car pulls up she goes to pull the hoodie off before Toni stops her. “Keep it.”
“Are you sure?” Shelby says with barely contained excitement.
“Yeah it looks better on you anyways,” Toni says with a grin.
Shelby steps forward and gives her one more kiss before a long hug. “Have a safe flight Toni.”
With that she steps back and forces herself to get in the car. She watches Toni walk in the hotel and misses her immediately.