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december 6, 2017

Do you guys think it's too much? I think it's too much. Cole disagrees.

tagged; coleliving

liked by imsebastianstan, robertdowneyjr, and 2,263,971 others

user1: chris it's never too much

user2: ugh god cole looks like the type of person that would go all out for christmas

user3: that is a ridiculously large tree

user4: CHRIS IT'S CHRISTMAS

user5: I agree with cole it's perfect

user6: JESUS CHRIST THAT'S A BIG TREE

wrenbarton: I see you got roped into helping cole decorate
↳chrisevans: send help cole is frightening

coleliving: this isn't very nice. my house looks wonderful
↳chrisevans: because I did most of the work while you baked cookies and brownies
↳coleliving: are you complaining? 
↳chrisevans: that isn't the point

user7: COLE YOUR TREE IS BEAUTIFUL DON'T LISTEN TO CHRIS

user8: at least she doesn't decorate for christmas the day after thanksgiving like my family does

robertdowneyjr: I think the tree looks great Colette!
↳coleliving: Thanks Robert! One of those gifts under there is for you!
↳robertdowneyjr: Did you get Chris one?
↳coleliving: Nope
↳robertdowneyjr: Perfect!

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"Please tell me this is the last ornament," Chris complained as he stabbed the snowflake through the pine needles of the Christmas tree. Cole rolled her eyes from her place on the other side of the tree, her feet firmly planted on a ladder so she could get the tree topper on correctly. 

"Don't be a baby," she replied. He came around to her side of the tree and held the sides of the ladder so it wouldn't wobble when she leaned. "Thanks," she said brightly, reaching forward and putting the star on top of the tree. Chris helped her down from the ladder and they both stepped back, admiring their work. 

"I have to admit, it looks good," Chris mentioned. "You had me doubting you for a second."

"Haven't you learned not to doubt me?" Cole asked with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. Chis surveyed the gifts at the bottom of the tree. There was gifts for Wren, Sebastian, himself, and even Robert, like she had promised. He remembered they had been friendly at the Civil War premiere. Those gifts didn't surprise him. The one sitting off to the side, in plain red wrapping paper, surprised him. Cole sighed when she followed his line of sight.

"You got him a gift?" Chris asked, reading his name written across the wrapping paper. 

"Yeah," Cole said, scratching her head. "We've been talking again. I think we just needed more closure than we got, you know? He's been so nice lately, checking in every couple of weeks to make sure I'm doing okay. I just felt like I should get him something." The gift for Charlie had been a last-minute decision, but why shouldn't she get him a gift? He was the literal father of her child. Even if that child wasn't there. "She would have been helping me decorate for Christmas," Cole whispered.

"She would have loved your cookies and brownies," Chris added.

Cole gave him a small smile. "Sometimes I think I'm over it and then I'll do something like this and just... crumble. I just want her, is all."

"Hey," Chris said, moving closer so he could gather Cole in his arms. She allowed the hug, letting out a sigh and wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's okay to feel sad, Cole. What happened was awful. But you can't blame yourself for feeling happy, okay? That's what she would have wanted for you. She would've wanted you to get a gift for her dad and decorate for Christmas. Don't feel bad for those things." Cole pulled her face away from her chest and Chris gave her a sad smile, reaching up to wipe away a tear that had started dripping down her cheek.

"What would I do without you?" Cole whispered. Chris opened his mouth to respond, but she shook her head. "Seriously. I honestly don't think I could survive without you."

He wondered if she knew that when she said things like that, his heart picked up speed. Cole suddenly laughed and Chris looked down at her. "I forgot I put that up there," she said, pointing above their heads to the little sprig of mistletoe she had hung up earlier. "What do you say, Evans? In the spirit of Christmas?"

Chris rolled his eyes, but started leaning in. Cole couldn't help the thrumming of excitement in her veins, bubbling like she was about to get on a rollercoaster. The butterflies in her stomach erupted as she stood on her tiptoes, suddenly hating the height difference between them. She was preparing herself for a friendly peck, the kind that they would laugh off afterwards and tell their friends so their friends could laugh about it. But suddenly his arm was around her waist, pulling her in close, and hers were around his neck, pulling him down towards her. 

And then he kissed her.

If she had expected it to be a quick peck, she was gladly mistaken. She had started to pull away after the initial contact, thinking that's what he would have wanted, but one of his hands moved up to her face and dragged her back to him, prolonging the kiss. Her hands moved to his hair, gripping the strands in her fingers as he pulled her even closer than she already was, until their bodies were flush against one another and Cole was sure she didn't have room to even take in a breath. Their mouths moved with the feeling of seventeen years, like this was the last kiss they'd ever get. She was aware of his hands on her body, guiding her deeper and deeper into his kiss until she wasn't sure where he ended and she began. 

When he released her, she didn't move back. She stayed there, in his arms, until he opened his eyes and looked at her. They were silent, just staring at one another as the kiss fizzled out around them. "Chris," she said softly, her heart thumping in her chest. "What did that mean?"

"I don't know," he said, but he pulled her back in for another mind-blowing kiss and all her worries melted away.

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