Nicholas

I stare into my father's eyes, reluctant to begin my collection of rebuttals. I wanted to see just how much he knew before opening my big mouth.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he sat in the leather chair of his office, snapping his fingers to illuminate the lamp in the corner of the room. Seeing his features in the newly lighted room made me a bit nervous. His dark gray eyebrows were furrowed while his lip twisted into a frown.  "I was a bit suspicious Nick." he began, "You found a fiance that dropped out of ...practically nowhere, willing to marry you?" He pulled off his thin glasses, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well...miracles happen dad" I shrugged, leaning against the wall from across the room where he sat.

"It was the first time I heard of a princess from--?" he paused and lifted his eyes to face me, "What kingdom was she from again"

Shoot! I had forgotten myself. "Is there a point to all this? I wanna change before I grow to be 5000 father" I cursed. He paused, letting out a lazy chuckle before bending to open the bottom drawer of the big wooden desk. He shuffled through the contents before pulling out a thin manilla folder.

"Take a look at that Nick" he demanded, throwing the folder across the surface of the table. I let out an irritated breath, rolling my eyes before walking to the desk to pick up the folder. I open its creases but nothing was in it?

"Its...empty"

"Exactly. That's Wynter's folder," he said, refusing to break my gaze.

"Okay? And?"

"It's strange that she would have a folder since...only non-magical entities have them?" he said. I remained quiet, looking down at the folder before me."This empty folder led me to believe only thing but I had to make sure...so I did some digging myself. I found that out of her twenty-one years of life, she had never once sent a list to Santa. There were no mall pictures not even a letter to the North Pole"

"Wynter isn't a big Christmas person...she was a busy child""So then, I had someone follow her and Drew the day they decided to sneak out. My intel reported back and said she was at Nubia Incorporated in the realm of earth?"

Shit...he knew.

"A human Nick?" he stood from his chair, knocking over a few frames and trophies on his desk. The sound of shattered glass echoed across the velvet walls of the room.

"So you don't trust me? Is that it?" I watch him carefully, my anger more lethal than before.

"Not at all Nick--"

"Then why the FUCK would you send out a spy to watch my fiance?"

"Can you blame me? You out of all people must understand why my uncertainty"

"You had no right to spy on her! or me!" I seethe, throwing the thin folder onto the floor.

"Hey! Watch your tone!" my father demanded. I had so much to say to him but knew it best to hold my tounge, lest we say things we might regret. Silence filled the room before he was bold enough to speak.

"Have you told her yet?" was all he said. I knew what he was talking about but didn't care to confess my truth. "Nick. If you marry that...that bastard, the line of Claus will cease to exist. Think of the decree!"

Anger.

Red, was all I saw as he uttered the insult. "Don't you EVER call her out her name!" I fumed, stepping up to face him. Of course he didn't back down at my threat. My mother always said I was as stubborn as him.

"You think I am going to stand here and let you throw away what our family...what MY family...what I have worked so hard on for so long? Generations and generations of Claus men have lived, starved, and worked hard to maintain our name and legacy and you're just gonna throw it away? For her? A mere human!" he yelled, stepping up to challenge my stance.

"I'm not listening to this" I cursed, pushing past him and turning back to leave. "Nick!" he fumed, grabbing my shoulder but instinctively I pushed him away, letting him slam against the desk. I didn't care if he was hurt or not. He was outta line for even trying to interfere with my relationship.

"She will never be one of us. She will never be a Claus!!" my father vowed, his violent yells echoed against the empty office room. I turned to face him, picking her folder from the floor again.

"You think this dumb job is so important? This isn't some prestigoius legacy? You are a overglorified servant?"

"Nick--"

"Meeting agfter meeting, banquet after banquet. You have been drilling the whole idea of Santa and mainting the legacy into my mind since I was 6. "Dont do this...That's not what Santa would do" Every Christmas you were gone! You were in the shop working with the eleves but never spent time with your family!"

"That's not fair Nick! You know the greater good---"

"FUCK THE GREATER GOOD!" I shouted, making sure he knew my stance. "You know what's funny?...I thought by 2100 (21years) I would maybe shift my stance. Then at 22000, maybe even at 2400. But after all these years, I realized something. Maybe I don't want to be Santa?"

"Nicholas, you don't mean that!"my father gasped, betrayed by the mere utternace of my statement.

"I do. If I marry Wynter, the line of Claus will cease. I might as well start early right?"

"That is not what I meant. Nick, think of all you are loosing! Our line! Our legacy!"

"That's all you ever cared about!" I shouted, ending his pleas. I let out a lazy chuckle before shaking my head. "You know what? I am done...with this...with al ofl this. After the banquet? I am done. Jack Frost can be the next Santa"

"No..no way!" my father shouted, lifting himself from the desk before walking to meet my figure.

"Hey! I heard a commotion. Is everything---" Drew stopped at the base of the open door, his mouth dropped seeing papers and broken glass scattered across the floor. "Oh...did I do it again?" he frowned. I didn't have time for my father or Drew. Althoug my father was out of line, his words made me think. I stormed to my room to shower, making sure to ignore every servant that greeted me.

Was I a wimp to admit that he was right? Wynter was only a pawn in my intricate game of life. She was only pretending to be my fiance...so why was I so upset?

_____

I took a long hot shower, closing my eyes and thinking of the day's events. I thought of my father's words before settling on Wynter and my feelings for her. Did I truly have like her for her? I couldn't deny what we shared was special but...was she worth it? Wynter and I would never work and even if we did, she was 21 and I was 2500.
She was mortal and I immortal. Not only would my family reject her but I would lose everything if I decided to go through with the wedding.
To be Ms. Clause meant a life rooted at the North Pole forever.
Would Wynter really give up her life in San Fransico for me?

I ventured to the fireplace where Wynter and I sat just the day before but was surprised to see her sitting near the fire and reading a scroll. I came behind her, gently pulling her against my torso. She pressed her head against my chest, looking up to face me as I kissed her forehand.  "Your mom wouldn't let me leave from the fireplace. She said I was shivering more than a reindeer in summer heat? Whatever that means"

I push a palm against her neck to feel her temperature and nodded. "Yea, you're still freezing."

She frowned and stared into the fire again. " Your mom was being strangely hospitable. I didn't know whether to be frightened or happy" she teased. I chuckled at her quip, pulling her closer to warm by the fire. I made two hot cocas appear with magic, passing one to her so she could warm up.
We sat in silence, letting the crisp crackles of the fire paint the atmosphere

"I had ..fun today." She admitted, still looking into the fire. I nodded and agreed.

" I did too.You know? I never thought I would be having a snowball fight in the middle of a business day. I haven't had one since I was 5 with Drew." She chuckled, looking up at me again.

"Did I ruin your business suit?" she smirked.

"You did actually"

"Good." She smiled, wrapping her arms around her arms before sliding down to rest her head in my lap. I pulled a finger through her thick hair, gently running a palm against her cheek.

"So what did your dad wanna talk to you bout?"

I looked into her eyes as she stared into mine but shrugged. I couldn't tell her about the clause...not yet. "Nothing...just some last-minute things about the banquet" I lied, still observing her features. She pursed her lips together before nodding.

Gosh! She was so beautiful; especially in the candlelight of the room.

Wynter

My phone vibrates and I lift my head from Nick's lap to light my screen. It was a text from Liz!
OMG! It was a pic of the palette colors and the finished tester!

"What?" Nick smirked, waiting to see the reason for my goofy smile.

"It's the picture of the eyeshadow palette for the Christmas collection!" I enlarged the pic and showed him. He tried to look interested but I knew he wasn't into make-up.
He peered over my shoulder, lifting the screen so he could take a closer look."Saint Nick?" he smiled, looking to meet my gaze. "And who was that color named after?"

I held the edge of my phone, and shrugged, "The jolly old fat man obviously. Not you" I defended. His eyes darted down to the bright red tin named Rudolph and smiled. "Don't show Jingles that."

I looked at the palette and blurred the screen. "I am so conflicted. I wanna be true to the Christmas spirit but I came here to the North Pole and everything I thought about Christmas is false.
Elves look like basketball players and the snowmen don't talk. I can't tell Lizabeth to scrap the idea because she thinks I hate every idea she gives me. I don't know what to do?" I groaned, falling into his arms. He chuckled and pulled my hair away from my face.

"Why don't you just? I don't know. Be true to Wynter?"

"What do you mean."

"Well? You humans actually relish in the Christmas festivités. Lifting candles, singing Christmas carols and stuff. Is it so bad that you wanna keep true to the Earthly Christmas spirit?"

I thought of his advice and shrugged. "I guess not." He was right but I still felt conflicted putting out a palette when I knew the truth of Christmas.

"Either way, you will figure it out. Wynter Rider CEO of Nubia Inc. always does" he teased, kissing my neck again. I hummed, tilting my head lazily allowing him to continue.

Nick
I couldn't tell where her mind was as I stained her soft skin. I thought of Drew's words:
She has to fall in love with you before she says I do

"So do you...have a special someone at home?" I asked. She snapped her head and frowned.

"You think I would be letting Santa kiss me by the fire if I did?"

"No.. I was just...I mean curious" I stuttered, trying to gather my thoughts.

"What kind of woman do you take me for Nicholas? Am I that lonely? Or do I just give off that energy?" She pouted.

"I just assumed..."

"Assumed?" She frowned. I knew I was digging myself into a deeper hole. She saw the red in my cheeks and giggled. "I'm just messing with you" she grinned, pushing the cup of hot chocolate to her lips.

"No I don't have a special someone. The guys in San Francisco are weirdos. I'm either too busy for a love life or they are intimidated by an entrepreneur."

I nodded looking at her. "They are scared of hard work?"

"Apparently" she shrugged. "But I'm only 20 so I think I have more than enough time before I settle down. And when you think about it? I got proposed to and engaged within 3 months? I'm doing pretty good" she teased.

I smirked and pushed the rest of my coca to my lips.

"What about you?" She asked, scooting eagerly to hear my tale. I shrugged, pouring the rest of the chocolate into the fire. "I'm not the best with ...relationships" I explained.

"Hmm...so I've seen" she smirked.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I frowned, curious to here her thoughts.

"I know it's none of my business but...did you and Kringle used to...?? Date or ..."

"Wait! Kringle? The elf? No way?" I scoffed, looking into her eyes as she shrugged innocently.

"I don't know? Cause that's not the way she talks about it. Plus she hates me? I figured she only hated me cause? Maybe she wants you"

"What? Wyn did she tell you this? And Kringle loves evey everyone."

Wynter groaned and pushed her head against the front of the sofa. "Nick please tell me you don't see it. She is obsessed with you which means she hates me! She made me feel unwelcome, gave me the wrong scrolls." she frowned and looked away.

I knew I wasn't making an effort to make her feel at home at the Pole and although there was only three days left, I knew I could try.

"Hey" I whisper, lifting her chin up. "Tomorrow I'm all yours, okay?"

"You always say that then a meeting comes along" she cursed, rolling her eyes.

"I'll push them off for another day. I'm supposed to make you feel at home here and I failed miserably. The banquet is soon and the council is expecting you to fail. I have to ensure that won't happen"

She looked at me carefully, making sure I was serious before looking away.

"I promise Wyn" I whispered. She smiled and we stare at each other before I pulled her into my arms, impatient to taste her supple lips. They always tasted so delicious.

The careless smacks of our session echoed against the quiet room. We smacked with a fervent passion, her arms curling around me as we both fell to the soft rug in the middle of the room. Deeper and deeper our kiss went and wilder our tounges thrashed until we danced the tango of dominance. She gripped the roots of my curls, pulling my body against hers. We finally broke and stared into each other's eyes.

"I feel warmer." She whispered, "But only a little."

I pulled her jaw closer to mine, kissing her lips deeper and longer this time. We broke again and stared into each other's eyes.

"Much better" she teased, pulling a curl from my behind my ear, "But I'm still pretty chilly." She said, letting her cool breath dance across my lips.

I felt her cheeks, and smirked. "Hmm. I don't think I know how to fix that Ms. Rider?"

She pouted, but I smirked, gently laying her down before pulling her lips into mine once again.

And we kissed again until we both grew tired and fell asleep by the fire.

——

Author note:

Okay...you know imma ask.... we are 27 chapters in.

How are y'all liking Nick.