And with the next step comes...?

Before Katyusha really knew it she'd been pinned to the ground, snow sticking to her hair and Matthew's breath meeting with her own puffs of air. Her heart had leaped into her throat and now was pounding like a drum against her chest. Well...this was a surprise. Definitely a surprise. Major suprise. But it was only fair, right? She was showing a different side of her...so he should too, right? Right?
...Or maybe those thoughts were just compensation for her racing thoughts.
WHY did he have to have that LOOK in his eyes? That LOOK, that look that gave her chills and sent her heart into helpless fluttering! It was awfully distracting! Attractive...but distracting!
She swallowed, trying to regain her composure to fight back. She wasn't backing out now, oh no! A plan to release herself formed rapidly in her head, even if she did blush because of it.
"R-Really...?" Hands slowly gathered snow at her sides, and she did her best not to make it obvious. Instead, to serve as a distraction, she purposely moved closer to him until is was nearly body against body. This definitely wasn't like her, and she wasn't trying to start anything, no! Far from it! This was just a game! Yes, just a game! "You're sure about that?"
Laughter couldn't be helped as Katyusha brought up snow-filled palms and pressed them to his cheeks. She used the opportunity to crawl out from underneath Matthew, gathering another handful of snow and trying to stop herself from laughing so much.
Two for her, one for him!

_____________________________________________________________

Heh. ewe;

With a loud yelp, Matthew flew back, falling unceremoniously on his rump with a shocked ‘OOF!’
“Did you-!” His head jerked up and down, looking from the snow now covering his front to Katyusha who was snorting with laughter. And don’t think he didn’t notice the large handful of snow she carried! He picked up his glasses that had been hurled away from, feeling the cold metal of it sting as he set it back onto his nose.
Who was this person?
His insides fluttered madly. This Katyusha was a catch 22 and she caught him completely off guard. Leaping to his feet and trying to look like she hadn’t ruffled his feathers, Matthew shielded himself with his shoulder from her attack, hurling a snowball of his own back at her. He dove for the other side of the drift, barely avoiding getting clocked in the head again.
His breath puffed forward in a disbelieving guffaw. It wasn’t that he was surpised Katyusha’s favourite thing to do out in the snow was have an all out snow war, but more at how good she was at it. Who knew Katyusha was a master aimer? And she wasn’t just dead on at pegging him. Oh no. She was absolutely ruthless to! He got hit three times before he could get a throw in.
They ran around the yard, bombarding each other back and forth. He’d never heard Katyusha laugh so hard. Especially at one point when he’d stepped into a particularly deep patch of snow, sinking down knee deep and falling sideways, trapped and at her mercy. Katyusha’s face was completely pink and she sounded breathless with giggles. It was so sweet he almost didn't mind being a human target.
Matthew gave up struggling, leaning back against the snow with his hands in the air. “Okay! Okay! You win! You win…”
His fingers were growing cold through his wet gloves and trying to save his hide from his snow-wielding girlfriend had taken more energy than he expected. Katyusha looked like she was getting cold as well and faintly from inside he heard the sound of the oven timer going off.
He smiled innocently up at Katyusha, a wicked thought growing in his mind. Accepting her help up from the snowy sinkhole, Matthew pretended to be dusting himself off and noting that she was slightly distracted by the sound of the buzzing timer to, decided to strike.
He scooped her up and flung her over his shoulder. He chuckled as she struggled, tightening his hold.
“You maybe have won the battle, Katyusha. But I think we can all agree I have won the war.”
Turning to go back into the house, he paused noticing that the kids across the street had stopped playing and were now staring at the pair of them eyes wide.
Matthew snickered, pointing out their audience before carrying Katyusha inside.

---

Victory is Matt's!
XD

The timer from inside distracted Katyusha from her bouts of laughter; it seemed like the food was finally all ready. As fun as this was, she was hungry and cold. Her hands were growing numb from the snow and it felt like she'd lost the feeling in her feet. She probably hadn't, but it felt like that.
She was about to point out the timer - having not noticed that he'd noticed it, too - when all of the sudden arms were wrapped around her and she was flung onto Matthew's shoulder.
With a surprised gasp, she kicked and squirmed in his grip, a bit of panic and confusion taking hold. "M-M-Matvey! Put me down!" But soon giggles bubbled from her again, although she still fought for a few more moments. "M-Matvey!" Resistance was futile, she knew that, but when she started feeling like she was going to fall she decided that maybe getting away wasn't a good idea while she wasn't on the ground.
So instead, she clung to him, slightly curling herself up into a sort of ball and relying on his hold.
She also felt her cheeks heat up again at the mention of the children watching them. That was embarrassing...they'd seen all of that? Including the lying on the ground?
Oh, gee.
Katyusha welcomed the warmth once she was carried inside and was hit by the smell of a freshly cooked chicken. And right now, being snow-soaked, cold, and hungry, it smelled better than anything in the world. After finally being released from Matthew's hold, she took off her outerwear and made her way to the kitchen, setting up their dishes properly and getting the potatoes and drinks ready while he took care of the chicken. The task was a wee bit difficult with her trembling body; the cold had really gotten to her more than she'd originally thought. But she wasn't not going to help! He was kind enough to make the meal, so it was only right that she helped.
Besides, she wanted to make up for the tension before...

_______________________________________________________

<A> It's crap.

A smugly happy grin stayed fixed upon Matthew’s face as he moved about the kitchen, pulling on a pair of oven mitts (a pair of pink polka dotted mitts, very manly) and carefully pulled the chicken out. The smell was absolutely delicious and his stomach roared demanding it be fed this instant!
Running a hand through his hair and failing to flatten the static, he stood back, beaming at his work. It wasn’t burnt and looked edible…
“Chicken’s ready.” Matthew smiled, turning to see how Katyusha was fairing. His smile slipped.
She was shivering.
Cutlery clinked against the table, her hands shaking so bad it seemed she was having a bit of trouble setting things out. She was so sweet, setting up the table that he felt almost bad for speaking up.
“Kat,” he said, cupping her quivering shoulders, “why don’t you fill up your plate. I’ll be right back.”
Grabbing a box of matches from the drawer, he headed to the fireplace, kneeling down to open the grate. The owners of the house had been kind enough to leave some pre-chopped wood in a bucket which Matthew had supplemented with newspaper and bits of cardboard for tinder. He’d done this enough so he knew what he was doing as he crumpled up sheets of paper and small pieces of wood, tucking them together before lighting a match. He lit the corners and threw it in just before the flame reached his fingers, waiting a moment before adding larder pieces. Once it was off and burning, he jogged back to the kitchen.
He loaded up his own plate, grabbing everything else they needed and then gestured towards the room with a jerk of his head. “Come on, let’s get you warmed up.”
It all looked very festive as they settled in. The Christmas tree gave off a gentle glow added now with the orange from the crackling fire. Matthew’s left again only for a moment to grab a couple of blankets, wrapping the warmest one around Katyusha’s shoulders and tucking the other around her legs.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine,” he assured, turning his back to the fire and almost humming as he felt the warmth soak in through his clothes.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, occasionally chatting or laughing at something. Matthew’s eyes flickered upwards at the mistletoe hanging directly above them, face reddening as he tried to focus on the mound of mashed potatoes on his plate.
Should he…?

---

<3>

Katyusha felt like she was in a bit of a coccoon with the blankets wrapped around her, but didn't make an effort to rid herself of them. They were warm, after all. So, she made herself comfortable and began to eat - Matthew's food, by the way, was great. Not exactly gourmet, but it wasn't disgusting. ...Warm blankets, warm food, and a warm fire. He really did have it all planned out, didn't he?
The thought brought a content smile to her lips.
"Th-Thank you. For the meal. It's really good, honest. I-I'm happy you went through the trouble...and... Thank you for all of this, really. I-It's sweet..." A shy smile accompanied blushing cheeks at the statement, and she did her best not to avoid his gaze.
Time passed by easily as the two talked and ate, warming themselves and getting nice and comfortable. She'd nearly polished off her plate when she noticed that Matthew's cheeks were burning red, and her curiousity was perked. What was wrong? Was it just from the cold? Or was he getting sick again?? What if he really was?! That would be awful, he just got over it! Katyusha doubted that he'd get sick so quickly after being sick before, but worry pooled inside her none the less.
"Are you sure you're fine? I-It is cold out...and I know you were the one who wanted to go outside in the first place, but you were just sick and---" She continued on, babbling somewhat pointlessly, fiddling with her fork and looking from her plate back to him.
Just shut up, Katya! You're rambling!

_____________________________________________________

*crawls into hole* This sucks, I'm sorry. ;A;
Heehee, she doesn't know about the mistletoe~ ewe

Matthew almost choked on a piece of chicken, his eyes watering as he coughed trying to clear his windpipe. Katyusha caught him by surprise. Had she seen him looking up?! His eyes flickered side to side, willing the colour to leave his face. Then her words sunk in.
Setting his plate aside, he adjusted his glasses, gazing down at her sheepishly as she babbled cutely, worrying over him.
“N-no, I’m okay. Really.” Matthew chuckled, flashing an assuring smile and running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been doing a lot better.” Blushing, he laughed, “Good thing I wasn’t sick for Christmas. That would have been really awful. Thanks again for looking after me, Katyusha.”
She looked so tiny bundled up under all those layers. The corner of his mouth quirked upwards affectionately. “Are you warming up now? I can add some more to the fire.”
Resting his elbows on his knees, he watched her, expression staying tender. The way the golden light of the tree mixed with the orange of the fire and played across her face was absolutely stunning. Sharp blue eyes flickered at him from underneath her long dark lashes. Matthew took a mental photograph of her at that precise moment.
Determination set in and he swallowed, inhaling a deep preparing breath. He waited until she was finished eating, and then slowly he stretched out his hand and cupped her cheek softly.
“Kat… I-I…uh…” Matthew flushed, mouth opening and closing uselessly. He gave a breathless self deprecating laugh. Rubbing the back of his neck, he glanced back up at her. “This is going to come out really cheesy but I didn’t rehearse anything so bear with me. Kat, this is the best Christmas I’ve ever had and I’m so thankful for it.” He added in an almost inaudible mumble, “for you.”
He was so flustered, reddening with embarrassment. This wasn’t how it was supposed to come out. He wasn’t supposed to sound like a damn Hallmark card! The words were just pouring out of his mouth now without his usual mental filter. That’s when it happened.
“I love y-“
Matthew froze.
His eyes widened. “Uh-! Er- um-!” He smothered an awkward groan and buried his face in his arms. Giving up on his ability to talk properly he pointed upwards at the mistletoe, peaking up with one eye waiting to see her reaction.

---

blahhh /braindead

D-Did Matthew just...?
Had she honestly just heard that? For real??
He'd never completed his sentence, but she was putting the pieces together. I love you. Those three little words...
Katyusha felt like her heart might burst it was pounding so hard.
Her cheeks were filled with colour and she blinked a couple times, repeating what just happened in her head. His shy words and warm palm against her cheek accompanied with the way he fumbled over what to say had left her smiling at him. He really was a sweetheart. But then he'd started babbling like she had and then...those words slipped. It wasn't that she wasn't happy that he cared, oh no! She cared about him, too! She just...wasn't sure if she was supposed to be upset, confused, happy, crying, laughing...she didn't know what to do with herself in that moment. There were so many emotions at once.
And she didn't get enough time to think about it, because he'd already pointed up. Up? What was---
Mistletoe?
Wait.
Mistletoe?! Since when had he...?!
Now it felt like her entire face was on fire, flushing a brighter red than before. Sure, it was a Christmasy thing to do and sure, it was popular with couples but she'd never thought it would happen to her. Her gaze moved from the mistletoe to Matthew in awe, then back up. Well...this was...definitely surprising. "Y-You...?" She couldn't even make herself speak up; she didn't know what to say anyways.
Now the question was whether or not she give in to mistletoe tradition.
She was nervous, embarrassed...but excited, too. Plus, it was cute that he'd gone and gotten one. But still, it had been a while since they last kissed because of his illness...what if she screwed something up? It wasn't like she had the most experience.
...But it also wasn't like they were going to get into a full blown make-out session! It wasn't meant for that...right?
Right?
Of course not. No, just a peck!
A quick kiss, that was all.
Nothing more.
And so she scooted closer, unraveling the blankets around her a little to give herself some room. Closer and closer still, blushing deeply, leaning in---
But she pulled back at the last second, ducking her head shyly. This was embarrassing! What was embarrassing she didn't know, since they were alone. But it was!

_____________________________________________________

This sucks, sorry. My brain died. >A>

What a stupid idea!
Matthew flushed violently, mentally berating himself as he watched Katyusha’s speechless reaction.
He hadn’t meant for that to slip! Look at her expression! He couldn’t tell if she was going to laugh or burst into tears.
I love you.
It was three words he truly, truly meant. But his verbal puke-age seemed to happen at the most inopportune moment. Matthew sputtered uselessly, trying desperately to back pedal. He’d been planning for a romantic evening and he’d ruined it in a matter of seconds. He ran his fingers into his hair, pulling his bangs back in frustration.
Smooth move, Captain Idiot.
“Kat-“ His words died in his throat as Katyusha shuffled in her blankets, face reddening sweetly. They were barely an inch apart, nose-to-nose when she stopped and retreated. Matthew blew out an uneasy sigh beneath his breath. She looked suddenly so nervous, scared almost. That wasn’t the reaction he was hoping for.
Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to her temple. After a lingering second he backed away, taking hold of the blankets and re-wrapping them closer around her.
Just because he maybe… quite possibly… had the mental image of more than just a single polite kiss this evening, he wasn’t about to force her out of her comfort zone simply for his own enjoyment. Sure, making out would be awesome- he was a guy after all so snogging was rather high on his 'Likes' list. But turning into a scumbag boyfriend only in it for the tail was something he would never do around Katyusha. Besides, it was Christmas Eve. Tonight was not the night to go climbing all over his girlfriend.
Matthew smiled at her pleasantly, a smile that showed he was okay with stopping there if that’s what she wanted, turning to tend to the fire. He picked up a larger piece and set it on top, playing a dangerous game of ‘Don’t burn your fingers’ as he attempted to settle it in the right place. Some of the chopped up wood must have been cedar because it smelled wonderful.
Silence fell between them again, straddling the line between awkward and tense. Glancing about, Matthew eyed her discarded plate.
He turned to her squarely. “Shall I take them back to the kitchen?” he asked, gesturing at both their plates.

---

Sorry I'm late >_<

Katyusha's expression become downcast for a moment while his back was turned to her, and she pulled the blankets around her up to her neck.
Why hadn't she just kissed him? It was easy. It was so simple...but her shy nature had decided that a kiss was too much contact between the two of them. Hand holding was fine apparently, but no kissy-kissy.
...It sounded like something an overprotective father would say.
It wasn't that she didn't like his kisses, far from it! There was just something about each one, about each time their lips locked. It never failed to send a shiver up her spine. She loved them...and as embarrassing as it was to say, she really did want more than a simple kiss. It was natural to want that, right? They'd been dating for a couple months now, should it be fine? Then again, they'd been taking it slow and that was fine.
Baby steps, baby steps...
But then AGAIN...maybe it was time to take another bigger step forward.
Matthew's question didn't click with her for a few seconds and she snapped her attention back up to him, blinking. "H-Huh? Oh, uh, sure...thank you." She was so wrapped up in her whirring mind that she didn't even think to help. Which was, if anyone knew Katyusha well, VERY unusual. She knew that herself too, but she was thinking about the mistletoe instead. Was he offended that she had pulled back? He'd gone through the trouble to get it, and she'd...
But was that shallow?
He wasn't like that...no, he wasn't like that. Even so, she wanted to pay him back for everything he'd done so far. And mistletoe really wasn't a bad thing...she'd just been surprised, was all... And so, she waited for him to return from the kitchen, shifting in her spot a little while she did so. A little kiss would hurt anyone...or maybe just a few...just a few little ones? "Matvey? I...uh...I-I...well, I...um..." Lovely. That was lovely. Clamming up now was just perfect.
She fumbled with her words for a few seconds before pulling the blanket up over her lips then burrying her face in embarrassment, pointing up at the mistletoe much like Matthew had done before.
Funny how they did the same thing when they panicked.

_______________________________________________________________

<w>;;

It was selfish, Matthew knew that, but he purposely took his time as he placed the plates in the sick, filling it up just enough to cover them in water. It would make them easier to clean later.
He pulled at the collar of his shirt uncomfortably. It suddenly felt too tight.
What was he supposed to do?
He couldn’t just go back and pretend like nothing happened. Katyusha seemed to have an uncanny gift of knowing whenever he was forcing pleasantries or emotions. He was still getting used to that. Usually people didn’t look at him long enough to read between the lines, and for the first time really he had someone who called him on it. Katyusha deserved more than a constrained conversation anyway. Hadn’t they just agreed they’d speak up more?
Matthew subconsciously gave an minute nod, glancing out the kitchen window to watch the snow fall against the glass. His hand patted his pocket, feeling the square box of Katyusha’s present. Christmas presents were supposed to be given on Christmas morning but something seemed right about the timing.
Rounding back to Katyusha, he almost reached where he had been sitting before when her face, already flushed pink, turned a brilliant red and she buried it in her blankets. One dainty finger pointed upwards, quivering slightly. Matthew looked up. He was standing directly beneath the mistletoe.
He looked from the plant to Katyusha’s flustered figure, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose out of nervous habit.
Matthew pointed to it to. “Did you want me to take it down?” He reached up.
Wow, he didn’t think she would be this uncomfortable because of it. He blew out a breath, kicking himself harder. This just showed him how little he knew Katyusha. They’d been taking it slow, but apparently surprising her with mistletoe was too much.
He had to stand on his tip-toes to reach it, and he frowned in frustration having a hard time with the knot. He almost had it when he felt and intense gaze watching him.
He paused, looking down curiously. “Kat?”

---

I'm so mean XD

The need to pull at her hair in frustration was evident.
Mistletoe equalled kisses! He knew that when he bought it!
Then again, maybe he was taking it down because of her... Was he too shy to try it again? Not that she should be talking, but it was a thought. He was always gentle to her, so maybe that had something to do with it...?
I-I don't know...why are you even thinking so hard about this? You're wearing yourself out...
But when Matthew looked down at her, Katyusha's cheeks flushed red again but she kept eye contact. Well...time to take that step.
Here goes nothing.
Swallowing, she stood up, the blankets at her lower half falling to the floor. Fiddling with the cloth around her shoulders for a moment, she stepped forward and coaxed his hands down from the mistletoe. Another moment of hesitation passed before she took the blanket off of her shoulders and, rather clumsily, threw it around the both of them so both of their heads were shielded from the world.
Frankly, Katyusha couldn't believe she was doing this.
There was a bit of light peeking through where it could and she found that they were much closer than she had anticipated. And that made things a little more intimate than she'd expected, since the current lighting was warm and rather romantic. It didn't help that his eyes held a gleam in them that wasn't just the light. None the less, she was this far; just a few more steps, right? She moved to wrap her arms around his neck and then, with one last hesitation, leaned in to brush her lips against his in a feather-light fashion.
Now that she'd done it, she was fighting the temptation to go in for "seconds", but her embarrassment caught up with her.
Instead, she just hugged him. There wasn't really much they could do in this...situation. "S-Sorry, I...I...um...!"

_____________________________________________________

Curse you imagination, for giving me this idea of which I couldn't resiiissssttttt! *shakes fist*

Matthew blinked, stupefied by the sudden movement and then the muting of light. It took a moment for him to understand exactly what happened. One second he was mentally planning how he was going to smooth things over with Katyusha and the next he was nose to nose with her beneath a blanket warmed by her body heat.
The waves of his hair clung with static to the blanket, tiny little blue sparks snapping as he moved. His eyes quickly adjusted just as Katyusha stepped even closer, breaths mingling and then she kissed him.
Sparks flew down his spine straight to his toes at the soft, satiny touch of her lips meeting his. But just as quickly as it had started, Katyusha moved away. Matthew resisted the urge to duck his head and taste her again, instead drawing in a deep suppressing breath.
It had been far too long.
With how paranoid he’d been about not wanting to get Katyusha sick, the unfavourable timing considering all the things they had to do and merely the pure awkwardness of it all, they hadn’t touched like this since before break started. He felt his body relax like he’d been tense all this time and it was only a kiss from Katyusha that allowed him to finally unwind.
Matthew looked down, listening to Katyusha speak embarrassedly, her cheek pressed firmly to his chest. He couldn’t see much thanks to his hair now sticking to his glasses, but he felt her arms wrapped around his middle gripping the material of his shirt. A chuckled escaped him before he could stop it. Only Kat could kiss him in the most chaste way and act like she’d done something absolutely inappropriate. Matthew wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and with his free hand he gently lifted her chin so she looked up at him.
“You’re perfect, mon cher,” he said affectionately, his words slipping into French, and then he kissed her back.
He wasn’t quite as mannerly as she’d been. His mouth met hers unwaveringly, feeling the tenderness of her lips bow around his and still tasting faintly of dinner. It took every last drop of his self control to pull away, painting quietly for air.
The blanket that had been shielding them from the rest of the world hissed as it began to fall away. Matthew snatched it with a hand, draping it back over her shoulders. He was trying- and failing to keep a giant grin off his face, eyes locked irrevocably to hers.
“Katyu-“ Matthew jumped as something smacked directly on top of his head. He looked up and then to the ground spotting the clump of mistletoe he’d been trying to dislodge earlier.
He could help but laugh.

---

But it's such an awesome idea!

It was official.
Matthew wasn't allowed to get sick ever again.
She knew it had been a while since they'd last kissed, but she didn't realized how much she REALLY missed it. Physical touches were all part of the process, all part of the relationship, but...
She'd definitely forgotten the feeling of bliss that ran through her, the inviting pressure and warmth, just everything about it...and she didn't want to forget it again. She still didn't know what those French words meant, but they were enough to send her heart pounding. How was it that she still wasn't used to this? Did she really need so much time?
...Or was Matthew just a special acception?
She had to stop herself from giggling outloud at the thought.
Katyusha blinked at the mistletoe incident, but couldn't help laughing with him. It had probably been inevidible, but it was funny none the less. She quickly bent down to pick it up and was about to set it aside when a thought struck her - it was embarrassing on her part, but she didn't have anything to lose now, right?
She turned to him again, lifting the now detatched plant as high as she could so that it was somewhat above them. Her cheeks grew red and she shot him a sheepish smile, fiddling with the blanket for a moment. Should she? No, she'd already made her move, she should just---
Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips against his again, fighting the urge to let out a happy sigh. It was, once again, brief but still longer than the one before. She really wasn't quite sure where her bursts of courage came from...
Puffing out a small laugh after pulling away, she set aside the mistletoe and looked shyly at her feet. "S-Sorry...I..." Another sheepish laugh bubbled from her.
It was crazy. He just had this way of making her feel so...at ease. It didn't matter how stressed out or upset she was, she always felt better if she spent some time with him.
Absolutely...crazy.
Time continued on, slow but well-spent. They'd managed to drag in a worn-out little love-seat that had been close by, and had made themselves comfortable on it, continuing to chat about the occasional topic, having a few laughs, sharing a few smiles, and so on and so forth.Really, it all sounded like a fairytale...but there was maturity in their relationship.
It just hadn't really...grown to it's full potential just yet.

_______________________________________________

*brain died*

Matthew shifted slightly in the old overstuffed love-seat, springs groaning in muted protest. Katyusha lay half on him with her head resting on his shoulder. They’d started sitting side by side but as the evening wore on both of them slowly slipped horizontal and were now dangerously close to falling asleep that way. Cramped as it was with the two of them nestled together on the love-seat (Matthew’s legs hung awkwardly over the arm), he quite honestly couldn’t be any happier.
His hand laced with hers, his thumb stroking back and forth over her soft skin as he mused. The image of Katyusha holding the fallen mistletoe over her head wouldn’t leave his mind. The giggles that she gave and the adorable way she’d stretched up on tiptoe to reach him. He’d over course ducked slightly to oblige her, relishing in the soft sweet taste of her. Mmmm… he’d missed that.
Matthew gazed down at Katyusha, toying with a lock of her hair. The fire was still healthy and warm, crackling in the background. He’d taken the blankets and he’d swathed them both.
They spoke a bit more, but the conversation was slowly drifting away. One would mumble something and the other would murmur back a response. Many times they were interrupted by yawns. And every time Katyusha yawned Matthew yawned to before he could stop himself. Yawns were charming on Katyusha, the way her nose wrinkled up and her shoulders curled upwards as she tried to hide it with her hand. Him… not so much.
When they were just barely awake, Matthew carefully extracted Katyusha’s headband and hairpins (which was a lot harder to do when half asleep as he found out), then he plucked off his glasses and set both their things aside out of the way so they wouldn’t be stepped on.
Shifting he tucked her hair behind her ear, stunned by how beautiful she looked in the dim light. And then he realized something.
He’d been with Katyusha the whole break and he’d forgotten one of the most essential things of the holidays.
Moving a bit but careful not to jar her, Matthew whispered. “Merry Christmas, Katyusha.”

---

<_> derp

Since she was already completely asleep, Katyusha allowed him to work at her hair, taking out the pins and headband and leaving a faint tingling feeling behind. Sleep was closing in fast and she could feel her eyes drooping; their multiple yawns were evidence enough of this. What had happened to her wound-up nerves? Where had they suddenly dissapeared to? Not that it mattered now. It was Christmas Eve, and they were both wrapped in a blanket together. Now was the time for a good sleep, the time to REALLY wind down...
Now if only her back would calm down for just a little while.
Even just a day. Well...a day or two?
Despite her the stiff muscles, she really was quite relaxed. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths, taking the time to charish the warmth the pair shared. Their position wasn't exactly normal - and it wasn't too comfy either - but she let out a content sigh.
It was fine to be just like this.
That was when she heard Matthew's soft voice, low and smooth. Thank goodness he was better, indeed. His throat wouldn't hurt anymore and he had his voice back. Frankly, she'd been really worried when he'd ACTUALLY lost it. Not being able to hear him would be torture...
A warm smile grew across Katyusha's lips and she shifted, snuggling closer to his frame. A few more deep breaths were taken - she was drifting off fast, that was for sure - before she squeezed his hand affectionately. Today had been a long day; stress, worry, realizations, conclusions, and then a fun break from all of the tension. The energy she'd had had been sucked out of her in no time, so there was no harm in getting some rest.
Fighting off sleep for a few moments more she replied back, "Merry Christmas, Matvey. Thank you so much...for everything."

____________________________________________________

The 'morrow be Christmas, beware ye teh fluff! :U

A small agitated groan and the cruelness of a bright light relentlessly beating against his eyelids is what yanked Matthew from the wonderfully blissful world of sleep. He buried his face in something soft and sweet smelling, mumbling a slurred ‘Just five more minutes…’ as he tried to escape reality for a bit longer. His arms pulled closer whatever it was he was he was so thoroughly wrapped around, inhaling a deep breath then relaxing once again.
But the way he’d slept, all scrunched up and curled, left his body aching and awkward so was little repose he’d managed was gone within minutes. At least the soft thing he was holding like a cushion was warm.
… And it was moving.
Matthew realized what his face was currently resting on had a habit of steadily rising and falling, and listening carefully it made a gentle ‘thump-thump’ sound to. Cushions didn’t move or make noise either. Squinting his eyes open, blinking blearily against the sudden brightness, he tried to get his bearings.
The cold fireplace filled with ashes came into focus and in a flood of memories the night before came back to him.
Oh, right… Christmas Eve, dinner in front of the fireplace… we must have fallen asleep on the love seat…
Matthew smiled, eyes lazily drifting upwards. What he was currently nuzzling wasn’t a cushion but Katyusha. His arms holding around her middle, legs intertwined, and his face squarely between her-
Matthew jerked upwards so fast, uncoiling himself from around her at record speed, and, flailing wildly, promptly fell sideways off the love seat.
I-I-I-I…
Even his internal monologue couldn’t make sense at the moment.
He landed on his back, winding him slightly, white spots sparkling his vision as he stared up at a spot on ceiling where the night before the mistletoe had been hanging. He stayed there for a long moment.
He hadn’t meant to do it on purpose! It was an accident! Truly!
Have to admit though, they were awfully soft- NO! Stop right there!
Matthew covered his beet red face with both hands, hissing a silent string of French and English swears. What had he done?! And on Christmas morning to!
He shivered slightly from the sudden drop into the cold. There was an odd crinkling sound as he shifted, and with horror it dawned on him that he’d landed on Katyusha’s present. Frantically pulling it from his pocket, he tried to smooth out the paper he’d wrapped it, assessing the damage. The box was a little crushed but nothing too horrible. Glancing up, he saw Katyusha’s pale fingers hanging over the edge, and couldn’t help but smile slightly- albeit nervously.
It was an honest mistake, he reminded himself over and over again. And it was okay as long as Katyusha didn’t wake up right?
Slowly retrieving his glass and settling them on the bridge of his nose, Matthew sat up, back throbbing from the impact, and cautiously peeked over the edge of the love seat to see if he’d been busted- no pun intended.

---

CB

Whatever warmth had been with her in her dreams was suddenly gone, and Katyusha groaned at the loss, shifting onto her side. The blanket that had been there had dissapeared to somewhere and she cradled herself with her arms, opening sleepy eyes. She didn't want to get up now, but the comfort was gone and...she'd thought she'd heard a 'thump'. Maybe that was her imagination...
She blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus. Then her brain blanked for a moment.
Where was she again?
Right, right, the love seat.
...Hadn't Matthew been with her? They'd fallen asleep, right?
She KNEW there had been more space than she'd thought just then...where was he?
She scanned the room from where she lay until her eyes found a pair of violet ones. Cocking an eyebrow, she let a tired half-smile grow on her lips. Spying, was he? ...But why was he over there and not here? He should come right on back to his spot so they could sleep; after all, it was Christmas---
CHRISTMAS! Right! It was Christmas!
No time for sleeping then!
But her body protested in her getting up. But even then, the best thing WAS to get up; her entire body was aching and Katyusha needed a good stretch. Or a massage. Or both. Either or.
Keeping her eyes on the ones watching her, her mind began its usual process of over-thinking things until she cried. Same old, same old.
Was it just her, or did he look...worried? How could she describe his expression...hm...
For the moment, she brushed it aside and sat up slowly, brushing aside her bangs and shot him a wider smile. And then the first thing out of her mouth was, "Merry Christmas, Matvey." She searched quickly for the missing blanket and, pulling it off of the floor and back onto her, flopped back down into her spot with a sheepish smile.
And yet, the blanket didn't return the warmth she'd felt before. It didn't have the same...ease? Comfort? Pressure, even?
Wait, why would she even think about pressure? That was silly...
What had it been?
She pushed that thought to the side as well, gripping the blanket and shifting to meet Matthew's gaze again.
It's all in your head. It was the blanket, stupid.

________________________________________________

Lady, you are an evil genius. B)

Matthew shifted back as Katyusha sat up, muscles popping and eyes blinking blearily. He’d been trying to will the flush away from his face but seeing her arch a narrow brow at him in mock incredulity brought the red back with a vengeance. Did she know his heart skipped a beat when she looked at him like that? He’s innocent expression fumbled momentarily until she spoke.
“Merry Christmas, Katyusha,” he said smiling automatically at her nickname for him. Her accent seemed more pronounced when she was sleepy and it was undeniably adorable.
He helped pull the blanket up around her, grinning lopsidedly as she burrowed deeper within it. She looked chilly.
“Are you cold?” he asked. “Hang on, I’ll start the fire again.”
Getting up off the floor, Matthew moved to the fireplace and used what was left of the woodpile, making a mental note to find and chop more later. Once he had it going, he turned back to Katyusha, running a hand through his bed head hair.
“I didn’t wake you did I? I, er… fell,” he finished lamely.
He sat back down on the floor next to the couch by Katyusha’s head. He played with her fingers absentmindedly.
“Hang on, it’ll warm up in a minute.” He rested his chin on the edge of the love seat cushion, his eyes drifting shut. He was tired from his sudden rude awakening and the relief he felt knowing that Katyusha wasn’t about to murder him, not too mention his pure contentedness at that exact moment. Quiet, together, content. So hushed and intimate it all felt so perfect.
Light poured in from outside, the sky a gauzy white reflecting off the fresh blanket of snow brightly. After a while he inhaled deeply, moving lethargically. He smiled at Katyusha. “Are you hungry? I can make some tea or hot chocolate if you’d like.”

---

Blahhh... it's so short oAo
Sorry I missed the past couple of days. I'll be on tomorrow for sure ;3;

She only smiled at the tale of his awakening; sleep still clung to her consciousness, after all.
It seemed that Katyusha wasn't the only sleepy one, either.
For a while, she just stared at Matthew and his toussled hair. She felt rather odd for just watching him, but his eyes were closed so it was fine, right? Right?
...Maybe not, but even so, she still did.
But after a while his eyes reopened, leaving her blushing; it didn't help that she'd been smiling from ear to ear because of the touches on her fingers. Or that he just had to smile at her, forcing her to look down at the cushion out of embarrassment, even though her smile just wouldn't leave her.
Katyusha hummed a little as she thought for a moment over his question. Standing up rather slowly, she moved to stand infront of him, and extending a helping hand.
"Well, if you're going to make something for me - which you really don't have to, honest - you might as well make something for yourself...right?"
Pulling him up to his feet, the two of them made their way to the kitchen and began their small "chore". The process was somewhat slow because of weariness, but that didn't stop her from admiring the weather outside. It was another beautiful day, huh? Perfect for Christmas morning. Maybe if it wasn't too cold they could go outside again? But then again, staying inside didn't sound too bad either. Matthew already had the fire up and running and besides, they still had to exchange gifts.
...Thinking about her gift made her a little anxious, but Christmas was here and it was too late to worry over it now.

_____________________________________________________

This is crap, sorry. <A>

Matthew followed with a half-lidded grin on his face. His back ached where he’d landed on the floor, but he honestly didn’t notice. Watching Katyusha move about the kitchen, clothes slightly wrinkled from the night scrunched up on the love seat, hair tossed in a devil-may-care fashion and constantly brushing her lashes without her headband to hold it back.
Yes sir, he could definitely get used to waking up to her every morning.
As they made something to eat (or in Matthew’s case chug a pot of coffee) his mood soured suddenly as he realized that in not too long they’d be going back to school. Rarely able to see each other around work, classes and studying, not to mention separate dorm rooms. The idea of waiting weeks just to see her again made Matthew feel faintly sick.
He found himself chewing the meal but not tasting it.
I’ll just have to try harder, Matthew thought, scooping another bite. He couldn’t go back to the brief hellos in the hallways or tired muttered conversations, irksome after a full day of homework and working. He just couldn’t. Not after all the time they’d spent together here in this house. Being together felt so natural, they had fallen into a routine looking after one another and the house and he liked it. They fell into each other’s steps perfectly. When she moved, he moved, both of them flawlessly in sync. He hadn’t noticed it until after a few days of staying here, it was utterly subconscious.
Adjusting in his seat, gazing down at a now clean plate, Matthew forced himself to perk up and realized he was blushing.
He felt the box in his pocket digging into his hip as if prodding him to hurry up.
Holding out his hand, Matthew pushed back his chair and stood. “Shall we?”
They returned to the room and he plopped down on the floor, gently tugging her down to. While the fire was nice and warm he, he still pulled the blanket off the love seat and smiled lopsidedly, stretching it out and holding it up to the fire.
He counted to ten and then draped it around her petite figure. “Better, eh?”
His words trailed off awkwardly.
Matthew took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, and carefully extracted his gift from his pant pocket. He didn’t know what to say so he just held it out to her, trying to smile.
“Er… um, here.”

---

owo

Katyusha gladly soaked up the warmth from the blanket and along with a meal in her stomach, she was feeling quite content. Being able to sit with Matthew on Christmas morning only made it better. And she'd been about to sum up the courage to start a conversation when he'd pulled out a small box and handed it to her.
Even though it WAS Christmas and gifts were part of it, she was still a bit taken aback by it.
Murmuring a quiet thank you, she took the box gingerly and after a moment, began unraveling the wrapping with careful fingers. There were a few moments of trouble where she fumbled, tugging at the wrapping and feeling herself blush, but eventually she got it all off. Curiousity had kept her going. She took the top off of the little box and...
A gasp left her.
It wasn't gold or anything extremely expensive, but it was gorgeous none the less. The long silver chain and the flower accompanying it - was it a sunflower? - almost glowed to her. She lifted it out of the box, using such extreme caution that it was like it would turn into dust from a simple touch. It was beautiful, it really was...he'd gone through the trouble to get something like this? But she didn't deserve something so beautiful, it wouldn't suit her... Even so, her smile had returned, radiating with even more happiness than before.
She also felt tears threatening to spill over.
She wasn't upset, no! She was just so happy...she'd never really had the pleasure to buy beautiful things. All she'd ever needed were the bare necessaties. Plus, recieving this from Matthew made it even more special. Biting her lip to hold in a puff of laughter, she swore that she would wear this everyday. Or, at least, whenever she could.
Clutching the necklace with a grip maybe too tight, Katyusha met his gaze and despite being so choked up, spoke, "Th-Thank you, Matthew. I-I love it, I really do!" Her tight throat and being on the verge of tears made speaking somewhat difficult, but she wanted to express how thankful she was.
She didn't even notice that she hadn't used his nickname.

_________________________________________

Have sappy!Kat. :'D

The expression on her face blew him away, though he hadn’t meant to make her cry even if they were happy tears (at least he hoped they were). Her blue eyes sparkled with tears caught in her lashes, her plump bottom lip turning white where she bit it, and she seem to glow. He felt a rush of pure happiness seeing now that she did indeed like his gift, not to mention he stumbled over himself, blubbering over the fact that she'd said his whole name. He’d been worrying, debating, afraid that she wouldn’t want something like a necklace.
Katyusha had always been a very practical person. She worked so hard for so little, a little glitzy thing like a necklace seemed so useless to a woman like her. He was thinking like a man, buying something pretty for his girl. Yet, even though it was completely impractical, Matthew smiled brilliantly at the way the way she cradled it. It looked so perfect in her slender hands.
He reached out gently taking the ends and unclasping it. “May I?”
Matthew moved behind her, the backs of his fingers brushing her soft skin as he carefully draped the silver chain around her delicate neck. Sitting back in his spot across from her, leaning back appreciatively. The sunflower really was her flower. The stones glinted in the firelight across her skin but he barely gave it a second thought, too enraptured by her heart-shaped face.
He stretched out a hand once more, touching the pendant softly. He loved the idea of giving her something like this, and he’d be lying if he said the idea of having her wear didn’t make his inner caveman very pleased. His girlfriend was wearing something he bought. It was like when Katyusha had worn his hoodie.
Laughing at himself under his breath and pushing up his glasses with his knuckle, he gazed seriously down into her glistening eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” he said honestly. “So beautiful.”

---

It's so short >A<

Katyusha found it hard not to fiddle with the new item around her neck, continuosly looking down at the flower. Cold silver dawned her skin and the light allowed small glimmers to show, and honestly she couldn't stop smiling. A sunflower, was it? How had he known...? She'd always loved sunflowers; they were big and simple, but very pretty.
Actually, her entire family was fond of sunflowers, really. Especially Ivan. Is it genetic? ...No, no, interests are genetic, stupid.
Now she had two reasons to love this necklace; first, it was a beautiful gift from Matthew and second, it would remind her of family. She loved both equally - could she really say that? - and wanted to keep both close. Now when she was apart with either or both, she'd have this necklace.
...Had she always been this sappy?
S-Stop being so sentimental! It's a pretty necklace, so be thankful! It doesn't have superpowers.
That was when she heard him speak to her with a serious - but somehow loving - gaze.
It didn't take long for her to turn into a sputtering mess.
Katyusha's cheeks turned red from the compliment and she blinked a couple times, letting it sink it. She opened her mouth to speak but when nothing came out, she closed it again and felt her blush grow redder. And because she was so embarrassed, she got even MORE embarrassed and--- Well, she was a useless fidgeting lump at the moment.
Unable to meet his gaze she stared at the floor for a few seconds and then, saying a quick 'be right back', she went to get her present for him. She came back with box in hand, taking her place again. There were a few more moments of hesitation, and she was still recovering from his compliment. Beautiful. 'So beautiful.' Beautiful? Her? He was talking to HER, right? ...Beautiful.
Thinking back on it was making her smile like an idiot again. So, she held out his present and smiled shyly.

___________________________________________________

\=w=/

Matthew watched her disappear out of the room, blinking confusedly.
He… he didn’t scare her away just now… did he?
Was it weird to tell her that she’d beautiful? Wasn’t that what a boyfriend’s supposed to do…? Maybe he’d been too blunt, made her uncomfortable…
But it’s true, she is beautiful.
Prodding at the fire, he jumped slightly when she came back, not paying attention.
She was flushed from his words, still a little flustered, but she smiled delightedly, holding out her hand.
Matthew stared at the box for a long moment, the motion not computing. Then it clicked. Presents went both ways on Christmas. Right.
“Kat, you shouldn’t have, really,” he said, and he meant it. She worked so hard to save her money. He didn’t want her spending any of it on him. If she spent money it meant she’d have to work more to get it back and that’s the last thing he wanted. Besides, having his first holidays away from either his family that was too busy to remember him, or hiding himself away in his dorm room alone, and instead spending it with Katyusha was all he could ever ask for.
And it’s my job to splurge money on her, he sulked a little.
He unwrapped the box (feeling embarrassed at how perfect her wrapping was compared to his sad attempt)… and froze.
“Katyusha,” he breathed.
It was an antique looking pocket watch and it had been intricately painted in such complicated designs. He cupped in both hands, stroking the aged metal in an almost reverent fashion. His mouth hung open slightly, eyes flickering up and down from the watch to Katyusha, speechless.
“Kat- I- I-…” he took in a deep breath and swallowed. He looked at her earnestly. “I don’t know what to say. D-did you do this all yourself?” He gestured to the beautifully crafted painting.
Matthew had never been given anything like this before. It definitely was not store bought. It felt old to the touch, not in a bad way, but in a valuable, important way. An ancient thing like this would cost a fortune. It looked like an heirloom…
This isn’t… she wouldn’t…
Matthew eyes widened. “Kat, where did you get this?”

---

/u\
\ouo/ Cheese!

Matthew's first question was met with a quick nod.
"W-Well, yes...crafts have always been something I'm good at, I guess." Could she really call this a craft? It could be though, right? But it wasn't like she'd actually made it...
And then his second question popped up, and Katyusha hesitated for a second.
Her shy smile persisted as she answered him. "It's...I found it with some older stuff my family has. I-I didn't know we even had anything like it, so...I kept it. And then Christmas was coming up, s-so I just thought..." She didn't finish the thought. Instead, she fiddled with her new necklace, trying to keep her small smile real.
Did he not like it? ...That was OK, it was old anyways. Who would want a crappy little pocketwatch?
It didn't matter that she'd painted it; she knew how to take it off anyways. It wouldn't take so much work now that there was less of a pattern than before. It had taken some time and work - along with a few tears - but it was possible. Thinking back to her mistake was only making her upset, so she tried to focus on Matthew instead.
But the returning question of 'Did he like it?' returned.
If he didn't, that was fine. Taking it was a reckless thing to do. The pocketwatch was probably valuable. Her ancestors probably weren't very pleased. It was disrespectful.
...But was that really true? Would it really matter?
Sure, it was a little broken. It was still a wonderful antique. It needed a bit of a fix up, anyways. Antiques were supposed to be treasured, right?
...But did that give her any right to give it to Matthew?
Katyusha's fidgeting moved from her necklace to the hem of her shirt, and she looked back up at him with the slightest gleam of hope in her eyes. She really did hope he liked it.

______________________________________________________

=A=