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Charlie's arm is hovering behind you, like he's still deciding whether or not to actually tuck it around your waist, when the door opens. You're standing at the doorstep of Jamie's apartment, and Christmas tunes can be heard playing faintly inside, which makes you think the majority of the guests have already arrived. Somewhere in the last few days, between inviting Charlie to come with you to his own coworker's Christmas party and actually getting there, it seems you both came to the conclusion that you were a tentative couple. Which, of course, you're completely on board with. This suspicion is confirmed when Jamie greets you both with a warm, teasing grin.
"Aw, it's the third happy couple!" she calls into the house, prompting the others to come into the entrance. Charlie just presses a kiss to the top of your head. You blush. That's new. It appears that everyone else has already gotten here save for you and Charlie. Erin comes and leans her head on Jamie's shoulder, beaming at the both of you.
"I mean, I suggested an assistant to improve your stress levels, but a partner works too!" she giggles, and Jamie puts an arm around her.
"Come on in, Charles-and-plus-one!" Kate calls from somewhere inside the house. When you peer past Erin and Jamie, you can see her and Mark dancing happily. Aw. You're really happy the two of them managed to figure it out and get back together. Jamie had given you all the tea on their breakup a couple weeks ago and it made you sad to see them awkwardly tripping over their 'just friends' relationship after so long together. You step inside the door and move over so Charlie can enter after you. Jamie closes the door and you slip your shoes off, hanging your jacket and handing her the package of cookies you baked.
"I made a little something for the table," you offer shyly and Jamie's smile is sparkly with excitement.
"These look amazing," she says, biting into one. Her face lights up. "Oh, Erin, babe, you gotta try these, they're fucking tasty." She hands Erin the rest of her cookie and Erin finishes it eagerly.
"So good," she moans around a mouthful and you smile, pleased that your gift was well-received. Jamie leads you into the kitchen to put your cookies on the fold up table. It's decorated with a blue tablecloth dotted in silver snowflakes, and the table is covered in food. Seriously, the tablecloth is barely visible with all the assorted platters. Jamie squeezes the box of cookies onto the side and steps back.
"Eat anytime, we're just hanging around. Drinks are over there," she says, gesturing to the bar. There are punch bowls filled with wine and coolers with beer cans, plus some fancy champagnes in expensive looking glass bottles. Shot glasses, wine glasses, and champagne flutes are lined up off to the side. "There's music if you like dancing. We're all the guests, so there obviously aren't many of us. It's really chill," she reassures you, seeming to sense your mild unease at being here. You know and love everybody here, but it feels sort of intrusive when the rest of them work together directly and you're more... by association.
Charlie has his hands on your shoulders. "Great, thanks, Jamie," he says kindly, and she nods before pulling Erin onto the dancefloor with Kate and Mark. You giggle, watching Jamie dip her girlfriend dramatically. Charlie's voice is right beside you. You can feel his lips on the shell of your ear and it's making your stomach do somersaults. "What do you want to do, darling?" You relax at the nickname, enjoying that he's using it on purpose after the accidental slip in the car ride last week.
"I'm up for anything," you say honestly, just relishing being with him again. Seeing him so genuinely happy is making you happy, and you feel all bubbly.
"Well, I need a drink if I'm going to be dancing," he says playfully, and you shake your head, smiling as he drags you to the bar. "And not for too long, I have bad knees." You laugh hard at that as he pours himself a shot glass. "Don't tease, darling, you signed up for this," he says primly as he takes a sip. You flush, feeling the butterflies. He's your boyfriend, isn't he? What a wonderful thought. Charlie sets his glass aside nearly empty a few moments later and you follow eagerly, smiling gratefully as he begins to lead. Thank God. You're not much of a dancer, but you can keep up. Maybe the two of you can't be as extravagant as young Erin and Jamie, but there's a quiet sophistication to your movements that you're liking. A lot.
Kate and Mark have moved to a doorway with a mistletoe and are now kissing sweetly, with the girls cheering them on. "We'll head there next, hm?" Charlie leans down to murmur to you, and a whole body shiver runs through you. Yes, please. A couple moments later, Erin and Jamie boot the others out of the way. Jamie picks Erin up, moving out of the doorframe to twirl her around as they kiss lovingly, Erin squeals, gripping her shoulders, giggling uncontrollably. It's adorable. They break apart, and then Jamie is cajoling you and Charlie into the doorway.
"Come on, you two, you know you want to," Kate chants from the couch, biting into a sausage roll. Mark has his arms loosely around her waist, holding her half on his lap as he leans against the back of the couch. Charlie is sort of hovering from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, shy, embarrassed, nervous, and hopeful all at the same time. You're just sure that your cheeks are as red as the Christmas decorations. After a moment, Charlie's hand is closing hesitantly on your waist.
"I suppose we could give it a go," he mumbles, and you laugh, letting him pull you into the mistletoe spotlight. The others are making awkward drum roll noises and whooping overenthusiastically, so you tune them out. Charlie has you pinned gently to the doorframe, and you reach off to tug his cap off. Your hand slides down his back, holding his hat still as he cradles your face in both hands. God, he's so gentle.
With the softest pressure imaginable, his lips meet yours. Underneath all the cheering and chatter in the background, you notice his breath hitch. His fingers slide into your hair and stay there, anchoring your face to his like he's afraid you'll pull away. With a quiet sigh, you kiss him back, one hand around his side, the other draped over his shoulder. Charlie steps closer and slides his hands down your body, and Jamie whistles from behind him as his hands find your hips and lift. You blink your eyes open in surprise, legs hooking around him for balance, and holy shit. Charlie's between your legs, gripping your thighs to hold you against his hips as he kisses you. Hot damn. Experience really does come with age. You hum sweetly into his mouth and wrap your arms around his neck. He whimpers softly when you suck his bottom lip teasingly, inaudible to the rest of the group. Fuck.
After what feels like forever, Charlie lowers you to your feet. You hand him his cap, which he sets on your head with a lopsided grin. His breathing is uneven and much heavier than when you started. Cute. The crew is losing their minds, of course. Charlie just squeezes your hip, blushing.
"So I found this movie we could watch," Jamie says, heading for the couch, piggybacking Erin, who's devolving into giggles again. Everyone else follows her. "The trailer looks kind of shit, but it's new and it's a holiday one, so how bad can it be?"
Really bad, it turns out. Jamie's words, 'kind of shit', was an understatement. The plot is textbook Christmas movie, the character's underdeveloped, the romance cheesy. Typical festive rom-com made on a low budget with half baked acting and frumpy sets. The best part is that Jamie owns an enormous pull-out-bed/couch, so everyone got cozy with blankets and wine. Mark was curled up at Kate's side, half-asleep already, and Jamie was sitting in Erin's lap while Erin ran her fingers through Jamie's hair. Charlie has you draped across his torso, your arms around his waist, so he can rest his chin on your head. His glasses are halfway down his nose and his eyes are half-lidded, so you can tell he's about this close to falling asleep. You know he's still conscious by the way his hands are dipped under your shirt, rubbing the soft skin of your side.
When the movie ends, everyone is barely hanging on to being awake, but Jamie drags Erin to her bedroom to give you four a bit more room on the bed. Mark snores softly and Kate holds him tightly, fast asleep. You think Charlie has fallen asleep, but he shifts you on him and whispers to you.
"Thank you. For bringing me here," he breathes. "I probably never would've come on my own, but this was something I needed to do," he says softly, looking shy. You smile and lean up to kiss him. It's deeper this time, when the others aren't around to watch and tease. His hands are on your waist, lifting you onto him, and your hands are fisted in his shirt as your lips meet. He gasps, going limp against the bed as you run your hands through his short hair, his beard scratching against your face. He's shaking like a leaf, hands trembling at your waist as his thumbs slip under your clothes and rub small circles on your warm skin. When you finally slump against him, ready to sleep, he kisses your forehead.
"Merry Christmas, love."