WHO: Michael Corner & Lisa Turpin WHAT: Lisa says those three magic words. WHEN: Last night WHERE: Lisa's flat RATING: PG STATUS: DONE!
Lisa had gotten some mistletoe for the flat she shared with Mandy, but she didn't intend on having any parties. It had taken her a while to decide where she wanted to put it. In the end, she put it in her room. Might as well since her and Michael were probably going to be the only ones who used it. Plus, it would save them from any awkwardness if they were caught snogging under the mistletoe when Mandy was home. Though, apparently the plan was for them to spend the whole of Leanne's party under the mistletoe. Then again, that was a party and completely different from being in your own flat. And they really didn't need mistletoe, but it was fun to have anyway.
So Lisa left an entry in her journal for Michael, requesting that he come over for dinner.
Michael still felt oddly about going to visit Lisa at the flat she shared with Mandy. He wasn't sure Mandy would ever treat him like she used to and he hated running the risk of running into her and making her feel awkward. However, he didn't want to treat Lisa differently simply because Mandy was around either. Nonetheless, Lisa dangled food and snogging in front of him so he had no choice, but to do as commanded which is how he found himself sprawled on her sofa awaiting something amazing.
"I thought I'd feed you something first," Lisa said as she handed him a container of Chinese she had bought as she sat down beside him with a container of her own. "Before showing you what I did to my bedroom. I'm sure you'll like the surprise." It probably wouldn't be much of a surprise, unless he forgot the comment she left him the other day. "Are you ready for Christmas?"
Michael dug unto his good unabashedly though his ears literally perked as Lisa mentioned her bedroom. "Ohhhhh, did you? Does it involve you dressed up as a naughty elf?" Subtle, no, but who needed to be subtle?
Lisa laughed. "I was saving that for when it was closer to Christmas." She took a couple bites before going on. "It is similar, though. Definitely fits into the Christmas spirit."
"Well now, I'm intrigued." Michael put down his nearly empty carton. "Do I have to wait all season and I can get a preview?"
"No wait only if you've been a good boy." Lisa told him. "Have you been a good boy, Michael?"
"Depends on your definition of good," Michael pointed out as he moved over to nuzzle Lisa's neck. "Do you think I'm good, Lisa?"
Lisa opened her mouth to jokingly say no, but instead shut it. "I am interested in your opinion if you've been good." But she did think he had been good. One little thing that went on between them just weeks before was not enough to say that he wasn't. "I suppose you have." Lisa set her empty carton next to Michael's as she got up. She held out her hand for him to take. "Come on."
"Oooh." Michael rubbed his hands together like an eager little boy before he jumped up and accepted Lisa's hand.
Lisa couldn't help laughing at Michael. "You're adorable. Do you know that?" Lisa led him to her bedroom and pointed up. "See?"
Michael obediently looked up and grinned when he spied the greenery. "You wanted a head start, did you?" He playfully pulled away. "I think you might be taking advantage of these lips..."
"It is the Christmas season." Lisa grabbed his shirt to pull him back towards her. "Maybe...." She grinned before kissing him. "Your lips are amazing. But so is the rest of you."
As he held her under that mistletoe, Michael couldn't help but feel the Christmas cheer. As he got older and Santa became a tale of yesterday, Christmas had become mundane, a holiday for children. However, experiencing love was the best grown up Christmas gift. "This is brilliant, you know. Just being here? You and me?"
"I agree. It is brilliant. Just you and me." Lisa wrapped her arms around Michael's neck. This was brilliant. There was no place better than being here with Michael. "I love you, Michael," she whispered. She knew that she did and it made sense to tell him how she felt.
Michael froze. Coldness swept over his entire body. Love? Well, alright, he certainly appreciated being near her and she made him feel like no one else ever had, but thought about his parents swirled through his head. "Oh." It wasn't the most intelligent thing he ever said, but he was speechless.
Lisa noticed the change in Michael and took a step away from him. "Oh? That is all you have to say?" She hadn't expected him to say it back to her, but something seemed off.
Michael blinked quickly as he tried to avoid looking at her. He didn't want to see disappointment or hurt or anger. "Thank you?" He tried again.
"I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't mean for the awkwardness." She noticed him trying to avoid looking at her and she hated when that happened. "And I wasn't looking for you to say it too." Lisa sat down on her bed. "I just wanted to tell you how I feel."
"Awkward? Psh. Not awkward!" He scrambled to think of what else to say, but his heart was pounding inside his chest which was all he could think of at the moment. Did he love her? He supposed so, but those words complicated everything, didn't they? They made good things bad, right? "Everything's brilliant, right? I mean...are those new curtains?"
"Asking about the curtains isn't awkward?" Lisa asked. "They aren't new." She didn't know what else to say. "I do hope everything's brilliant."
Michael grimaced. He knew he was handling it all wrong. "Oh, right, guess I never noticed." Oh, that was probably bad too. "Um. Should I go?"
Lisa shook her head. "No, don't go...." She reached for his hand. "Please stay?"
She still wanted him around? Michael found himself surprised, but eagerly accepted her hand. He moved to the bed, sitting next to her though he still didn't know what to say.
"Michael, even though you didn't say it back doesn't mean that I don't want you around. I hope you know that." Lisa told him. She laid her head on his shoulder. "I'll always want you to stay. No matter what happens." At least for now, she thought to herself.
He knew he should say it if only to make her smile again, but he just couldn't. He couldn't manage to confide his fears and trust that much. He looked down as he held her hand. "Right then. Well, good." He bent over to give her an awkward peck on the cheek.
"Do you want to leave?" Lisa asked.
"Of course not!" He squeezed her hand. "Never."
Lisa squeezed his hand in return and lifted her head to kiss his lips again. "Good," she said with a smile.
He kissed her back, but it wasn't as free as it had been only moments before. He felt guilty and he didn't know why he couldn't sort himself out. Nonetheless, he did his best as he pulled her close to return the gesture.
She noticed the difference in the kiss, but she wasn't going to dwell on it. Telling him that she loved him was a shock to him by the way he had reacted. At least he was kissing her. "So.... What do you want to do, Michael?"
"Do?" Michael backed away. "What do you mean? I thought you said we were okay?"
"We are! I just meant along the lines of do you just want to snog or do you want to do something else." Lisa said. She hadn't meant to confuse him.
Yet, Michael felt guilty doing much else. How could he when she...said that and he said...not much. "This is nice. Why don't you lay with me and listen to the WWN for awhile?"
"It is nice. And that sounds nice." Lisa responded. Before laying down next to Michael, she turned on her wireless.
Michael pulled her tightly into his side, willing her to forgive him for botching up their night. "This is nice, yeah?"
"Yeah." Lisa answered happily. It may not have been all that she wanted, but this was good.