No Noël | ✓

epilogue » our first noël

epilogue » our first noël

❅

"Happy birthday, Noel."

I felt a body lay on top of mine, and then soft lips kiss up my chest, neck, and stop at my ear.

"Mm," I said with a groan, wrapping an arm around her waist and smiling. "It's definitely a happy birthday right now."

That familiar giggle I loved was in my ear, and I felt her body move as she straddled my hips instead. "I'm sure it is."

I opened my eyes, already having expected to see Avery on top of me, as she had been for many mornings now. But the sight was still something I didn't think I'd ever get used to, just as her otherworldly beauty never failed to amaze me. Neither had her brilliant and playful mind.

Avery Vega was certainly something else, and I was more than lucky to have called her mine.

For one entire year now.

I leaned up, planting a kiss to her lips. "Can I get my gift now?"

My hands already started climbing under the t-shirt she was wearing—my t-shirt. But she smacked them away. "Nope. We have plans, remember?"

I did remember, but I didn't want to. At that moment, all I cared about was rolling us over and never leaving the bed. "Shouldn't I decide what we do, since it's my birthday?"

"Ah, yes," she said with a nod. "But you also have the pleasure of being born on Christmas. So it's technically not just your day."

I frowned up at her. "Do you want me to hate Christmas again? I was just getting over it."

"Oh, please," she said, waving a hand. "You'll never really stop hating Christmas, weirdo."

I laughed. "Certainly not with that attitude around me."

She smiled, then slowly leaned down, pressing her body to mine. "I'll make it up to you later," she said, lightly kissing my lips before sitting up again. "We gotta go on the call with my family in, literally, one minute."

Avery jumped off of me right after, then yelped. "Oh my god, I almost stepped on you. I'm so, so sorry."

I turned to see Avery holding Jack close as she continued to apologize, and he just wagged his tail, clearly not caring.

"That's, like, the tenth time you've almost stepped on him this week," I joked as I got off the bed.

Avery glared at me, then kissed Jack's head and stood. "Just put a shirt on and come to the couch."

She tugged on a pair of pajama pants and rushed out of the room, taking her laptop with her. I went slower, moving to my own dresser to find something to wear. Avery had stolen most of my lounging around shirts and claimed them as her own, going as far as to place them in her drawers after doing laundry. I managed to find a green shirt, and that seemed festive enough.

I did my business in the bathroom and combed my fingers through my hair, walking down the hall with Jack trailing behind me.

I headed to the kitchen first, then heard Avery's voice. "I already made tea for you."

"Thank you, baby," I said as I spotted the mug, then grinned at the smoke coming out of it, which indicated that it was still hot like I liked it.