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Blue Christmas; Secret Santa for Tuesday's Gone (Bo). Het.
Topic Started: December 24, 2012, 5:33 pm (291 Views)
Voxx
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Some Kind Of Monster
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Merry Christmas Bo!

This took me forever to write because it wasn't turning out the way I wanted. Finally, I decided to just go with it. Please forgive how incredibly corny and slightly unrealistic it is. It just turned out that way, haha. Also, please forgive any spelling/grammar errors. I'm posting this at work and I don't have time to double check it all. I did want to make sure I got it up in time.

I hope you like it. :)



Blue Christmas


The bar was old, that was a given even from just looking at the outside of it. It was old and it smelled. It smelled like cigarettes, smoke and piss. The owner had made an effort to make it look festive though. There were tiny twinkling lights strung up on the bar and behind it, the colours gently bathing the bottles of liquor is reds, golds, blues, and green. From somewhere deep inside an old jukebox was belting out holiday tunes rock n roll style. Billy Idol was singing away in an awkward rendition of Jingle Bell Rock.

She trudged over to the bar and sat down next to the only other person pathetic enough to be alone on Christmas Eve.

“This seat taken?”

He shook his head, not even looking up from his beer, which he cupped almost protectively in his hands.

She lowered herself into the chair and shrugged off her coat, laying it on the stool next to her along with her bag.

“Vodka tonic please.”

The bartender nodded curtly and went about making the drink. He set it in front of her moments later. She promptly ditched the straw and took a long gulp of the bitter drink, finishing it quickly with a second gulp.

“Another please?” she asked, nodding at her empty glass. “What are you drinking?” she asked the man next to her noticing that his glass was near empty.

He looked up at her blankly but as his eyes met hers something sparked and he sat up a little straighter.

“I’ll have what you’re having.”

“Make that two please.”

The bartender nodded and busily went about filling their glasses.

“Your accent...Scotland?”

She shook her head. “No. Ireland. Originally anyways. It’s been awhile.”

He raised an eyebrow at her and she noticed is bright blue eyes. They were hard to see behind his glasses at first, but once she saw them she was struck by how beautiful they were.

“So where are you from now then?”

“Oh you know, here and there. Boston most recently. You?”

He smiled at her. “Here are there. For awhile though it’s been here, San Francisco.”

They sat in silence for awhile, except for the dull thrum of Christmas carols drifting out of the juke box, refilling their drinks as they emptied. He chanced a peek over at her every now and then. She had her eyes closed most of the time, gently swaying to the rhythm of the music. Every now and then he thought she was going to teeter right off the top of her bar stool, but she never did.

He watched her sway gracefully to and forth for what seemed like hours, neither of them speaking, but both of them enjoying each other’s presence. He particularly enjoyed the way her long red locks seemed to pick up the lights from the bar so that her hair shone with tones of gold, blue and even purple. She was on fire, like a fiery goddess, and her hair was like a billowing cyclone that seemed to envelope her in a red blaze.

“So what brings you to a lonely bar in San Francisco on Christmas Eve?” he finally asked her at length.

She abruptly stopped her lonely dance and carefully regarded him.

“I’m travelling actually.”

He nodded for a moment. The silence hung between them once more and she looked at him, waiting patiently for him to ask what was so obviously on the tip of his tongue.

“Where to?”

She smiled brightly and it lit up her eyes. He noticed then that they were green and he mentally kicked himself for not noticing how they sparkled in the dark as they too pick up the lights of the bar.

“I’m not sure yet. Wherever I end up I guess.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “What brings you to a lonely bar on Christmas Eve? Don’t you have any family that you would rather be spending it with?”

He shook his head, downing another gulp of his drink.

“No. No, not this year. This year I just needed to be alone. I’m just trying to forget I guess.”

She looked at him hard a moment and he squirmed slightly in his seat as her eyes roamed over him, making his stomach flip slightly.
“Well I’m glad we found each other then,” she said, “because no one should be alone on Christmas. Cheers.”

She held out her glass to him and he raised his own to meet hers. The glasses met with a small clink and then they downed the rest of their drinks.

“Bar closes in five minutes you two” the bartender mumbled almost apologetically as they were setting their glasses down.

“Where are you staying tonight?” he asked her.

It was impulsive and perhaps just a little bit crazy, but he didn't care.

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Come with me?”

She hesitated a moment, her head cocked to the side. Then she smiled, nodded and began to collect her things, first shrugging on her coat and then putting the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

He put his own coat on and motioned toward the door, following just slightly behind her. He noticed her round bottom and liked the way her hips swayed as she walked.

“I’m parked just over there” he said as they got outside.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Are ye sure you’re alright to drive?”

He snorted but considered how many drinks he had had.

“Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”

They had to wait a few moments before a cab finally drove by. She raised her arm and waved the cab over. They both piled in and he gave the cab driver directions to his house. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she took in the city, craning her neck every now and then as they drove.

“First time?”

She looked over at him, smiling and nodded a little sheepishly.

“Yeah. It’s beautiful. I can see why you've stayed here.”

“I still miss the snow around this time of year.”

“Yeah, I get that. It snowed some up in Northern Ireland where I grew up. I remember how excited we all used to get watching the snow come down. We used to beg mum and pa to bundle us up in our snowsuits to we could go out and play. You know, build snowmen and stuff. We even had a pond that would freeze over sometimes and we would skate on it for hours.”

He smiled at her and she smiled back at him. The rest of the cab ride was in silence, but an easy silence. She looked out her window and he looked out his. When the cab pulled into the driveway, he looked down to find that somehow along the way their hands had found each other and their fingers were woven together.

There was a slightly awkward pause as she let go of his hand and he was worried that he had done something wrong. But she smiled at him, a full, bright smile that reached her eyes and then he knew that it was okay.

They quickly climbed out of the cab and entered the house.

He watched as she looked around. He knew she was probably taking in the lack of Christmas decorations. He wasn't in the holiday spirit this year and couldn’t be bothered to put up decorations that he knew would only aggravate him with their false cheeriness.

“It’s nice.”

He smiled at her, mentally thanking her for having the tact to overlook his lack of holiday spirit as motioned for her to sit.
“Drink?” he asked.

She looked up at him sheepishly from where she had parked herself on his couch.

“Yeah, why not? Just one though.”

He disappeared into the kitchen and quickly went through his cupboards to see what he had on hand. The first was empty and the second only had pantry basics. But in the third cupboard he checked he found a good whiskey. He grabbed it and two crystal tumblers as he made his way back into the living room.

As he entered the room he couldn’t help but notice that she was studying the mantle of the fireplace where several golden gramophones were displayed, they were also partially obscured by photographs that he only recently put up there.

She didn’t appear to notice his return and her eyes narrowed slightly as she craned her neck for a better view.

He deliberately stepped a little harder and her head snapped around, her lips forming a perfect O and the surprise registering on her face.
He set the tumblers down on the coffee table and poured them eat a drink before settling onto the couch next to her. He took a long sip of whiskey, relishing at the way the liquid burned his mouth as he rolled it around.

“So you’re a musician?” she asked at length.

He glanced back at the mantle for a moment.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“That’s cool. I play. Piano.”
“Oh yeah?”

He stood up.

“I’ve got one in the other room. Play something for me” he challenged her.

He led her into the other room where a black grand piano was showcased in the centre of the room. She sat down, settled herself, paused for only a moment and then opened her mouth to sing.

“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you
I’ll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won’t be the same dear, if you're not here with me”


Her fingers gently played the chords as she sang and he folded himself down next to her on the piano stool as she sang.

“And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas”


He sang the last two lines with her.

“You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas.”


When her fingers stopped playing the last few chords he set his drink down and applauded her.

She stood up and took a long bow, a silly grinned painted on her face.

“That was lovely” he told her.

The two spent the remainder of the night talking and drinking. They laughed and giggled, smiled and even cried. They reminisced about Christmas’ past and even dared to dream about Christmas’ future. They were complete strangers and yet neither of them could think of a better way to spend their Christmas. Eventually when the liquor ran dry, he suggested that they go to bed.

He led her to his bedroom and pulled back the duvet on his bed. They both climbed in, weary and drunk, yet satisfied.

He switched off the lamp and then rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow to face her. Her own body mirrored his and she grinned at him a little sloppily.

Without even thinking about it he closed the last few inches between them and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. She returned the kiss, just as gently for a moment and then pulled back.

She smiled at him.

“Good night.”

“Night.”
--
When he woke in the morning she was gone. The bed next to him was empty.

He pulled back the blankets and padded around the house to see if she was still there. To his surprise he found her in the kitchen making coffee for one.

“Hey” he said.

She whirled around.

“Hi. Good morning.”

She poured milk and sugar into the coffee and then handed it to him.
“You’re not having one?”

“No. I really should be on my way.”

He took a sip of the coffee, saving himself from having to speak as he felt the awkwardness of the morning descend.

“Look, thank you for having me and letting me spend Christmas here with you. I’ll never forget it.”

He nodded.

She picked up her bag and brushed past him.

“Wait” he called to her. “You never told me your name.”
She smiled.

“What’s yours?”

“Jason.”

“Blue.”

“That’s not your real name” he said to her.

“No. But when you think of me, think of me as Blue.”

And then she was gone.
Edited by Voxx, December 24, 2012, 11:10 pm.
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tuesday's gone
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Poor Twisted Me
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When I saw your post about Secret Santa on the other thread, I somehow knew you would be my Secret Santa! :biggrin

Thank you!
This is wonderful! I don't know what particular aspect of the story did not turn out as you wanted it to, but I find it absolutely wonderful!
I loved the slightly obscure setting of the bar, with the two of them sitting as two loners, observing each other in silence. What I liked even more than the moments of silence (easy silence in the car - beautiful) were the exchanges. Their simple, matter-of-fact sentences reveal volumes of background information and give the whole story this unique flavor, a taste of a meant-to-be moment that they shared.

The implied sexual tension is great, especially with a sort of anti-climax once they finally get to the bed. I loved that part, because of this element of surprise, so to say, and because of the fact that it oozes intimacy, but intimacy between two strangers, who met and clicked on some strange level, due to some strange constellation of the stars (or perhaps because no one should really be alone on Christmas?).

It is a beautiful one shot and congratulations on succeeding in making it so tight, condensed and neat. Short form is difficult, at least for me and I admire you for this great piece of writing.

A couple of details I absolutely loved - Billy Idol singing Jingle Bell Rock, Jason's glasses (and his eyes behind them - swoon!), his body language, how he hugs his bottle, how he straightens up, how he smiles frequently, the way he steps harder when entering the room, and then of course the moment of the piano and him singing with her... And then of course the link between the song, her name and the title of the story - wonderfully done. What can I say, you hit all the right buttons :)

It is a beautiful gift and I truly enjoyed it after a night of festivities. Thank you! :heart:
Edited by tuesday's gone, December 24, 2012, 7:15 pm.
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Jamie's_Chick
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Some Kind Of Monster
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:tu: All she said...amazing, truly, really, wonderfully amazing story. And as I was reading I couldn't help but wonder what had left you unsatisfied with the way it had turned out? It was perfect! :D And yes...no one should be alone for Christmas...
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Olyamet
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Jäger.....

Kay.. I can't beat Bo with the comment, but I absolutely agree with everything she said!!
Beautiful story!
:heart: :heart: :heart:
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Voxx
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Some Kind Of Monster
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Thanks ladies :)

And I'm really glad that you liked it Bo. I was pretty stressed about this Secret Santa for a LONG while.

It was nice to try and write something new for a change though!

:heart:
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