Mistletoe
The world seemed to have changed overnight, suddenly the last leaves had blown off the trees, the wind had turned unforgiving and the sunlight was scarce and the landscape surrounding Shibden Hall had turned white. The snow had fallen thick and the trees weighed down heavy from the snow – creating the image of a winter wonderland. If you might frame the place it looked quite the painting and made for quite the view. It was a special Christmas; it was after all the first Christmas Anne and Ann had spent together as wives. Normally Christmas didn’t excite Anne, she had lived through far too many disappointments around the holiday and was not one to get festive. She was quite the opposite. Hardly celebrating at all the last few years, save sending a few gifts to her family and going to the Christmas service. She was not one for decorating the halls with boughs of holly, or any other such decorations one might like. But her young wife adored Christmas – had spoken of little else the last couple of weeks and was so excited to finally have someone to celebrate it with again since her sister’s move to Scotland. Anne’s heart melted a little every morning when Ann would jump out of bed, with an energy not usually held by the blonde at such an early hour, and rush to the window to see if the snow had finally come. One morning she had got tangled in the bed sheets and fallen out of bed quite literally, bruising both her knees but then insistently crawled to the window refusing Anne’s help. The disappointed look on Ann’s face each morning was quite adorable, Anne thought. Ann would frown sadly, and sulk back to bed, crawl under the covers and then snuggle into Anne’s warm form. For even if the snow hadn’t fallen, it was seemingly colder, and they were tucked under thick covers every night. And Anne wouldn’t complain, just hold her wife for a few minutes, kissing her softly, warming her up against her before reluctantly rising from bed to begin the day – something which had always been easy for her but when one was leaving such a beautiful, lovely creature there, it seemed much harder.
This particular morning Anne woke up before her wife, smiling down at her, her face was pressed to Anne’s side, breathing calmly – she was peacefully asleep. It was with some excitement though Anne herself awoke, because she had prepared a surprise for, well for Ann, but she supposed it would surprise her father, Marian and Aunt Anne too. She had with a little help from Mrs. Cordingley, Hemingway and Booth decorated the whole hall with boughs of holly, sticks of spruce, and other greeneries to lift the Christmas spirit. Candles were placed on various appropriate places, and Anne had tied ribbons here and there; red, green and gold ribbons. She was very pleased with their effort. Hemingway and Cordingley had also prepared some Christmas goodies. Shibden hadn’t looked so festive in years, and Anne was actually getting into the spirit of Christmas – a feeling she thought would never strike her again. All of the preparations had been done secretly in the night. How Anne managed to get away from her wife for that time was a wonder to herself. The last decoration she had put up with the help of Booth was the mistletoe – normally only hung in the doorway to the sitting room, but Anne might have gone overboard with it – hanging one in every doorway downstairs. She wanted as many kisses as possible from her wife without rising suspicion, all though she suspected they already knew why suddenly the mistress of Shibden wanted a billion mistletoes in the house. Anne had barely slept a wink after that, too excited to see Ann’s reaction in the morning – the morning before Christmas Eve.
Impatient fingers touched the cold back of her pocket-watch and flicked it open – she was only barely half past seven, but Anne decided, there was no time like the present.
Gentle fingers ran over her wife’s arm, her skin prickling immediately at the touch, and the woman turned a little in her arms, murmuring to herself,
“Ann – Adney, wake up.” Anne mumbled her lips touching her head, Ann growled against her, and Anne smiled at her,
“Ann.”
“I’m asleep.” She whined hoarsely into the brunette’s side, and Anne ran her hands over her side, and Ann shivered,
“I think you will want to see this.”
“Mm?”
“It’s been snowing tonight.” Anne whispered in the blonde’s ear and her blue eyes shot open immediately and she tried to pull herself free from Anne to run and have a look, but the brunette held her tightly to her.
“Let me go! I want to see the snow.” Ann pouted, and Anne kissed her sweetly,
“Yes, and you will, once you have given me a proper ‘good morning’.”
Anne rolled on top of the blonde, keeping her hands pinned down over her head, grinning mad with joy and love, but Ann was focused on wanting to see the snow, so she kept wringing underneath her to escape. Anne kissed her hard, but Ann growled against her lips, having Anne laugh at her,
“I’m sorry did you want anything Mrs Walker?”
“Let me go!” She whined, and Anne quirked an eyebrow at her, twisting a little on top of her, before kissing her deliciously again, keeping her lips resting on hers, chewing at her bottom lip gently, teasing the blonde,
“What was it that you wanted, Mrs Walker?” Anne asked again, hoping that Ann would give in to her – make the most of the quiet morning. But Ann bit her lip, maybe a little harder than intended for Anne gasped in pain, at the same time Ann had put her foot up, pushing Anne off her with force, a little too much for Anne ended up on the floor and Ann ran up to the window – not to her wife mind you, who lay on the floor with a bruised lip.
“It’s snowing! Anne! It must be up to my knees out there!” Ann cried with some excitement, but Anne merely huffed on the floor annoyed.
Having seen the snow, and the wonderful winter wonderland that lay before them Ann seemed to realise that she had kicked her wife out of bed and onto the floor and bit her lip blue. Some anxiety seemed to quell her, and she ran to her side, kneeling beside her,
“Oh, Anne! I’m sorry – I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean too!” Ann touched her face, kissing her gently, minding her bruised lip and Anne couldn’t remain angry with her – for she had this whole surprise planned and she was being selfish trying to keep her in bed when she knew she had longed for snow since November.
“It’s alright. I’m fine. I always am.” Anne mumbled sitting up, kissing her quickly to reassure her before standing up, lending a hand to Ann who took it.
“Put on your robe – I have a surprise for you!” Anne grinned wickedly and Ann raised her eyebrows intrigued,
“Really!? It’s not a dead thing or a… I don’t know, something disgusting. Hm?”
“Why would you always guess that? When have I ever deliberately showed you that?” Anne stopped herself, and turned to Ann raising a hand,
“Wait, no don’t answer that.”
“What is it? You shouldn’t have!”
“Oh, I think I should. It’s nothing less than what you deserve.” Anne said excitedly, as she was quickly getting dressed for downstairs. Her hair was left in the braid, she had no time sitting down getting her hair done, not before Ann had seen the house. With childlike excitement Anne pulled her wife with her out the door, and to the end of the landing,
“Would you please just stare at the floor whilst walking down so you don’t spoil your surprise?” Anne asked her and Ann eyed her for a second before nodding, biting her lip, uncertain if she should expect the worst.
When they reached the downstairs Anne clasped her hand in hers,
“Now, look up!”
Ann raised her eyes and gasped at the sight of the decorated room, eyes going round,
“You did all of this last night?”
“Yes.” Anne nodded, proud that she was the reason for the grin that went from ear to ear on Ann’s features.
“It’s beautiful Anne! Really, stunning! Thank you! I know you haven’t been particularly keen on Christmas but -” Ann walked around the rooms, looking at all the decorations with care, so pleased, and it warmed Anne’s heart,
“Yes, it’s all very lovely but I have one more thing to show you, come- “ Anne took Ann’s hand in hers, pulling her towards the door to the dining room, stopping underneath the doorframe, confusing Ann,
“What’s the matter, Pony?”
“Well, we cannot move until we’ve kissed.” Anne said, with a very cheeky smile, Ann raised an eyebrow before leaning forwards, whispering,
“Anne, we’re downstairs and people could come down any second.”
“Ah, yes, but you see – there is a mistletoe above us and so tradition bids we must kiss.”
Ann frowned and looked up and there was indeed a mistletoe hung above them and she rolled her eyes, laughing merrily, looking around the room at all the other openings that too had mistletoes hung above them,
“Have you decorated the whole house with mistletoe? – To force me to kiss you?”
“Well, I wasn’t born this clever for nothing.” Anne winked at her, and Ann stared at her suspiciously, not sure if she should give in or not.
“You know, I am rather hungry and would like to eat…” Anne said, her eyes dropping to Ann’s pink mouth, and the blonde shook her head and giggled before standing on her tiptoes to kiss her wife obligingly on the mouth.
“What are you two doing?!” Marian asked, coming down the stairs, and both Anne and Ann looked at her laughing, and Anne pointed above her,
“Mistletoe. I can stay put if you want one too.”
“Eh, no – I think I’ll manage without your kiss, but thank you.”
“I’d recommend you Miss Lister. Don’t fret. Maybe Dr Kenny will come around and like a kiss or Christopher.” Ann teased and Anne rolled her eyes,
“Ha ha, you are hilarious, but I would rather kiss Argus on the mouth with tongue than any of those men.”
“What on earth has poor Argus done to deserve that?” Marian wondered dryly and Anne was tempted to throw her watch at her just to have something to throw.
They had a lovely breakfast and Ann and Anne just happened to get stuck under the mistletoe fourteen times meanwhile – Marian just rolled her eyes and Captain Lister pretended not to see, whilst Aunt Anne thought it was very sweet even if she didn’t acknowledge it. Most of all they were just happy to see the halls decorated once more for the season.