Nick

I came into the cozy room and see Wynter scooted near the warmth of the fire, hugging her knees as she watched the flames, hypnotized by the soft tendrils blaring warmth amongst each spark. The warming colors of the fire were peaceful, comfortably pacifying her thoughts. I knew the death of her parents was something she couldn't gain closure with just yet.

I came behind her and held a cup of cocoa in front of her face.

"Hot chocolate?" She looked at the treat, surprised by its appearance but still took it from my hands.

"I told you I had the perfect thing" I bragged, taking a seat next to her. She nodded before blowing at the rim and sipping it delicately.

"Mmm" she nodded looking over at me again. "Delicious"

I smirked, taking a sip of my own. "It's made from the delicate hairs of the elves"

She snapped her head and stopped her consumption, curious to see if I was teasing her.

"Say sike Nicholas" she pouted, hovering the mug in the air. I smirked and only shrugged, letting her imagination run her wild.

She let out a lazy chuckle before sipping again. "It tastes too good to be paranoid" she cursed, taking another big gulp. A sly grin appeared on my own face before a took another sip of my treat. I guess she had caught onto my banter.

She pulled her long jacket around her shoulders, scooting a bit closer to the fire. Her thick eyebrows furrowed with worry as she looked into the sparks of each flame. I knew she was still shaken by the nightmare. I still remember the night she had summoned for me, wishing she could see the outcome of a world where her parents were still alive.

I wanted to say something to comfort her, but couldn't find the words to say? I just wanted her to feel better?

"Wynter.. look...I'm..." My voice trailed off, as I looked down at my mug. She looked over at me and nodded, gently pushing the coca to her lips again.

"I always have those nightmares...no big deal. I guess you were the first person who happened to hear them"

I nodded, lifting my mug to my lips. "You have them every night?"

"Only every now and then. I usually get them closer to the end of the month. Maybe 3 days out of the month?" She sighed and looked toward the fire. We sat in silence allowing the atmosphere of seriousness cloth our conversation.

—-
Like 30 minutes later?

Wynter's vibrant laughs echoed across the room as she laid by the fire. She was now turned to me, her stomach pressed to the soft white carpet that dressed the middle of the room. Her legs were kicked to the air while her head rested against a lazy palm. Her piercing brown eyes were glued onto mine, hanging on my every word as she watched me.

She looked like a vision as the flames danced around her outline. Like a gentle vision come to life.

(Just a visual! I tried to find a black girl  by the fire but 😔)

"Okay so you're telling me there are no such thing as reindeer games?" she frowned.

I laughed and shook my head no. "No such thing as reindeer games."

"For some reason I don't believe you" she glared.

"Fine, we will go ask Jingles tomorrow," I said, placing my mug to the floor. She giggled and drank another sip of her chocolate.

"So no reindeer games.
No Rudolph.
You guys don't sing Christmas carols? And Santa isn't fat and jolly?"

"Yep" I nodded, debunking her bogus human stereotypes.

"Do you even like cookies?" she said, sitting a little bit straighter.

"I hate them. Every Claus man does. We prefer bagels."

"Bagels?" she gasps.

"Yea, especially the ones with cinnamon. I can have the servants bake cookies and cakes 365 days in the Pole but none of them can bake bagels. I love going to earth to indulge but leaving bagels out for Santa doesn't quite sounds as ...festive?"

"Wow! So you out my cookies out of pity?" she announced, dismayed by the new revelation. I chuckled and nodded, " That's the rule. I have to taste every cookie that is left out for me"

Wynter

The more Nick conversed, the more my concepts of Christmas shattered. "So Christmas is just one giant...made-up holiday?"

"In a sense but it's expected from you humans" he scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment.

"You humans. Why did you say it like that? What about us humans?" I defended myself.

"You guys have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Of every holiday. It's greed and consumerism that feeds your holidays.
Thanksgiving for example. You give thanks for 2 hours than storm to the stores to buy more gifts"

"That's only Thanksgiving." I defended.

"Christmas is the same. Instead of cherishing in the celebration of family and loved ones, you compete to see who has the best gift."

I looked to the fire and huffed beneath an angered breath. He wasn't wrong...I just hated how right he sounded.

He made a small nugget of coal appear in the air and pushed it into my hand.

"Coal? Nick, I already know I'm on the naughty list no need to remind me"

He shook his head no and signaled me to look again. The black piece of coal swirled into the air before going into the fire. Instantly the room got warmer.

"Did know coal used to be a gift?"

"No...I didn't" I whispered.

"Back in the day when my great grandfather was Santa some poorer kids used to ask for coal. They didn't have much to begin with. Coal? It wasn't for naughty kids. It was their fuel. It was life! It kept them warm during even the coldest hours of the night."

I was silent and looked down to the black lump of coal as it burned in the fire, sitting up straighter as we sat in silence.

"Sometimes you need to remember the little things in life...that bring out those pleasant reminders. It brings you back to reality."

I look into his eyes and greeted his words of advice. They were true.

"Since my parents died... I never really celebrated Christmas. It was never about the presents or the stockings for me...it was about spending time with family but... I didn't have that growing up which is why I never celebrated. I guess being here helped me realize the true meaning in a way?" I tried not to cry but couldn't help the tears as they flowed down my face.

Nick pulled me into his arms, letting me cry in his wooly jacket. "Your parents wouldn't want you to be miserable every year on Christmas Day," he said, rubbing my shoulder with care. His touch was so electric but calming? I couldn't describe the blend.

He wiped away my tears, gently lifting my chin to meet his eyes. "And they also wouldn't want you to keep blaming yourself for their death," he spoke, carefully observing my features.

"I can't Nick...I was the one who begged them for the trip. I was the one who packed our bags...it was me!"

"It wasn't your fault Wynter....stop blaming yourself."

"Then who do I blame? It wasn't them? It wasn't me? Then who?"

"It was no one's fault. It was the cruel reality of what we call life. You have to remember the good times that you spent with them. That you loved them while they were alive and they loved you even when you thought you didn't deserve it.

You will keep saying "maybe this or maybe you could have done that" We can all play that painful game with our hearts but what matters is that you did love and that you were there with them....for them"

Nick

I don't know what the feelings were that brewed in my heart but watching Wynter in her most vulnerable state certainly softened my heart. This was Wynter Rider, the richest CEO of Nubian Skin, crying in my arms There was a vulnerability to her that made me want to protect her? To cloth her with my warm security.

I rested beside her as she rested against the floor. She looked up into my eyes, lifting a hand to my jaw to feel my warmth. I couldn't help the wandering attraction between us. I pushed a palm through her soft locks, grabbing the nape of her neck and lifting it closer to mine.

Closer and closer we came, each of us anxious to do what we had done before only this time, there were no excuses. It wasn't an ingenuine kiss for a fake engagement party or above a mistletoe to make Kringle jealous. It was a kiss of pure heat...of pure magnetism.

Closer she came and closer I bent until we were only breaths apart.

"Hey! You two having hot chocolate without me?" Drew groaned, rubbing his eyelids to wake up.

Wynter blushed broke from my reach, looking into my eyes before closing them again. "I think that hot coca is working" she sighed, standing up and pressing a palm to her neck awkwardly. "I'm feeling sleepy already. Good night Nick" she whispered, taking the mug and pushing it to the end of a nearby table..

She gathered her jacket and walked across the room, glaring at Drew as he looked to the fire. "Goodnight Drew" she sighed, gently pushing past him before leaving the room. I take my mug and threw it into the fire, cursing Drew's sudden interruption.

I made my way over to where Drew stood and punched his shoulder abrasively.

"Ouch! What was that for!"

"For not knowing how to read the room." I cursed, taking Wynter's empty mug to the kitchen.

"Hey! but what about my chocolate!" he shouted as he watched me leaving him alone in the room.

_____