So Be It // o. maatta

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Alex's POV

"Is it morally wrong to celebrate Christmas, but not go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?" I asked Olli, as we wandered through some punk-like store that we were both sorely out-of-place in.

"Who the hell goes to church on Christmas Day?" Olli asked, scanning over a shelf of t-shirt. He made a fine point.

"Well, than is it morally wrong to celebrate Christmas but not go to church on Christmas Eve?" I cleaned the question up.

He shrugged, eyes fixed on some band that I had never heard of's t-shirt. "I think it's only morally wrong to celebrate Christmas if you're like, Jewish, or whatever religion celebrates Kwanza." Then he turned to me. "What religion does celebrate Kwanza?"

I scratched an itch located behind my ear. "I don't actually know." I confessed.

"And anyways," Olli put the shirt back, "What does it even matter what's 'morally wrong?'"

"It doesn't, really, I just," I sighed, leaning against the originally black, since-been spray-painted shelving. "I've always gone to church Christmas Eve with my parents every year since I was a baby, and, I'm not going this year, and-"

"Why aren't you going this year?" Olli turned to face me.

I averted his gaze, dropping my vision down to my Converse. "Well, I figured you wouldn't want to go.."

"I'll go with you." He promised, laying his index finger under my chin, and raising it so I was forced into making eye-contact.

"No," I shook my head, futzing with the hem of a t-shirt next to me. "You don't have to. Really, it's not a big deal. Probably not all-that morally wrong to skip one single Christmas Eve mass, eh?"

"If it's morally wrong enough for you to worry if it was morally wrong, than it's morally wrong. Seriously, we'll go to church together. It'll be sweet. We'll go to service, then come back to my apartment, and make cocoa, and do all the romantic-y stuff we planned, okay?"

"Okay." I nodded, partially grateful Olli was so sweet, and willing to go. I had never been real religious, (if you ignored the fact that I went to catholic school) but Christmas Eve mass had always been a big deal to me. "Just one problem." I added, as we began walking down the row of shirts.

"What's that?" Olli questioned, stopping, and turning around.

"We don't have a church to attend." I replied. Since moving to The 'Burgh, I had never attended a service, and I had my doubts that Olli had.

"I'll ask around, tomorrow." Olli assured. "Matt or Jussi will probably know. Worst comes to worst, I'll ask Coach Bylsma, or Coach Reirden."

"Really, babe? You seriously don't have to.."

"Really, babe, I know I don't have to, but I want to." Olli laid a hand on my shoulder. "It'll be sweet, and calm, and peaceful. Now," He turned to face a fresh shelf of shirts. "Help me find Jay something, please?"

"Well, darling, I think the last place we're going to find a shirt for Jayson is in Hot Topic." I admitted.

Olli nodded, in agreement. "You're right. We should head somewhere different." He slipped his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together, and guided us towards the door. "And anyways," He added, once we were outside the shop, "It was a tad dark in there."

It was, really. I loved Hot Topic, since they had a lot of cool band/book/other pop culture shirts, but that one was particularly dim.

We walked through the main area of the mall, aimlessly searching for a gift for Jayson, whom we were both learning was incredibly difficult to shop for.

"Is he into gaming?" I asked Olli, as we passed a GameStop.

"Only the NHL games," He answered, "And he already has the latest one, probably."

Damn, that boy was hard to shop for.

"Hats?" I suggested, as I saw the 'Lids' up ahead.

"Not as into them as you are." He replied, beaming, obviously meaning our jam session from last week which included the donning of Pens hats.

I shrugged. "No one's as gangsta as I am, I suppose."

"Yeah, that's it." He lightly bumped into me, causing a smile to tug at the corners of my mouth.

"Books?"

"The next novel I see him read will be the first."

"Blah." I groaned. "I feel defeated."

"So do I." Olli agreed.

"You live with the guy! You should know these kinds of things!" I playfully shoved him, causing him to swerve, slightly.

Olli blushed, then ran a hand through his hair. "I know I should, but I don't. Does that make me terrible?"

"Yes." I nodded, serious tone. "It makes you atrocious. Seriously, don't even look at me. I never want to marry you, or have your kids."

Olli fake-gasped, before replying, "Fine. Then give me the ring back." He gestured to my left hand.

I pulled my hand into my chest, protecting it from him. "No!" I whined. "I love this ring. It, it makes me think of you."

Olli smiled, sweetly. "So you do want to get married, and have my children."

I blushed like mad. "Maybe. Only if you'd be down with that."

"Oh," He nodded, quiet emphatically. "I'd be down with that, all right."