Not knowing how long Fiona and Ros would be able to stay -- but assuming it was indefinitely, until the Ministry could sort out how to get them back -- Gwen had been scrambling to make sure they’d have plenty of gifts under the tree, too. It was her first Christmas with her daughters, and she intended to make it special. From special ‘first Christmas’ ornaments on the tree to including them on the holiday traditions she’d already begun with Jasper, she wanted it to be just perfect.
She’d been stressing over gifts, though. She didn’t know what they’d be able to take back with them. She barely knew what they liked in the first place. It was harder than she’d expected, and she prided herself on being someone who not only gave good gifts but was also always prepared.
The plan was to drop the bags of gifts off at the house before going back to Tea & Tatters, and she was almost there when something stopped her dead in her tracks. “What the --”
To say things had been busy was somewhat of an understatement. It wasn’t just they hey people from the future, and it was also just the usual holiday rush. The pub was bustling and crowded the majority of the time it was open, and everything was just a lot. The ‘parents’ were all, okay, not all, but somewhere on edge while others seemed cool and others didn’t know what to do. Malcolm didn’t know where he fit into that mix, but he tried not to think about it too much, it didn’t do any good.
He’d been taking a short break walking Quaffle when he caught sight of someone he was supposed to have a kid, or well more than one kid apparently. “Hey,” he greeted just about the time she got stopped dead. Malcolm stopped dead too. Quaffle looked between them, confused. He wasn’t stuck though, just stopped because she did. “You okay?”
“Oh…” Physically, she didn’t seem to be in any distress. She just couldn’t move. If only she’d brought her phone with her, she thought, she could have texted Regan for help. Gwen sighed and tipped her head back, shrugging. “Fine, but I’d be better if I -- ohhh.” Right above her was a spring of mistletoe. “Of course. Of course. That’s the problem,” she said, pointing upwards.
Malcolm was focused on her and not looking up. He watched her curiously and took a good few seconds to look up after she pointed up. “Oh, those things.” He felt his heart start to speed up. The whole having kids together thing but not actually, well, lots of things made him a bit unsure of himself. “Do you, uh, want some help?”
“I think…” Gwen looked back at Malcolm, considering the options. She could say no and be stuck there longer. She was tempted to say no only because he looked unsure and she didn’t want to force him into another situation he wasn’t ready for or interested in.
But… she didn’t want to wait for the next stranger. Slowly, she nodded. “If you don’t mind. You don’t have to, of course, I won’t be cross with you. But I could use the assistance.” She paused. “And I trust you.”
“I can’t leave you here!” He exclaimed as if the thought didn’t cross his mind, it hadn’t crossed his mind. “That’d be a shitty way to start out, well, you know, with the future and stuff, not that if we didn’t know about the future, and it just…” he put a hand on the back of his neck and stepped closer to her, he was in reach to kiss her but paused, somehow making the first move felt weird in this situation.
Gwen could tell that he was reluctant - not just by the way he was rambling, but also by the way he hesitated. This was an uncomfortable situation for both of them. She knew that.
But it was made worse by feeling like there was something repulsive about her.
Pursing her lips, she breathed slowly from her nose, trying to keep a lid on the anxious roll of her stomach. “It’s okay. I understand. You shouldn’t feel obligated… I’m sure someone else will be by to let you off the hook. Or you could fetch Regan for me? Regan wouldn’t mind.”
“No! That’d be stupid!” He said quickly, his eyes darted from her lips to her eyes and back again. “Here goes…” He took a deep breath almost as if he was going to try and hold his breath in water. Reaching his hands up he put them on either side of her face and let his lips lean closer until they reached hers.
“I mean, if you don’t want m—”
But then he was putting his hands on her face and they were so warm, and she didn’t have a chance to say anything else.
Gwen leaned into him to return the kiss, and then stumbled forward as she was finally released from the mistletoe’s web. “Oh- sorry,” she mumbled against his lips, one of her hands clutching his shoulder. “Looks like that did the trick.”
Swallowing almost awkwardly as he reached out to help steady her he nodded somewhat awkwardly. “Yeah, all free.” He agreed not really sure what else he was supposed to do or say. “Look at that, pub owner to the rescue of the tea shoppe lady!” He said cheerfully.
Fanning herself, Gwen grinned at Malcolm. “My hero. Seems almost like the start of a Christmas movie,” she joked, though she knew there was plenty of truth in it as well. “Noble pub owner saves the day and the charming tea shoppe owner teaches him … well, we’ll come to that eventually. I wouldn’t want to spoil the ending.”
Laughing he nodded his head thoughtfully. “Well fair lady, I look forward to that lesson,” he bowed deeply before standing up. “And walk carefully, it’s icy out there.” He added slowly starting to back up.
Gwen curtsied, her hands miming the existence of a dress that wasn’t actually there. “‘Til we meet again, good sir.” She took a few steps in the direction of the house, pausing to glance back at Malcolm once with one last smile. She reached up to touch her fingertips to her lips, like she could still feel a trace of his. There was more to him than he knew, she thought. She’d find a way to show him, one way or another.