Christmas Lights
St. Albans — December 2024
The apartment felt impossibly warm.
Christmas lights glowed softly around the living room while rain tapped against the windows and old jazz music played quietly from Leah's speaker.
Neither of them had moved from the floor in almost an hour.
Presents sat half-opened around the tree. Wrapping paper everywhere. Empty wine glasses abandoned beside the sofa.
And somehow the atmosphere had shifted into something softer now.
Closer.
Leah sat with one knee bent beside Elle, fingers absentmindedly tracing along the Cartier bracelet now sitting around her wrist like she still couldn't quite believe she was allowed to buy beautiful things for someone she loved.
"You keep looking at it," Elle murmured softly.
Leah glanced up immediately.
"It looks good on you."
The way she said it made warmth rise instantly into Elle's chest.
Because Leah looked at her like that constantly now.
Like she still found her slightly unreal.
Elle leaned closer slowly until their knees pressed together beneath the fairy lights.
"You know what's concerning?" she whispered softly.
"What?"
"You're becoming romantic."
Leah gasped dramatically. "That's slander."
"You booked Miami."
"Strategic planning."
"You bought me Cartier."
Leah tried and failed to hide her smile.
"Okay maybe a little romantic."
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
Elle reached up then, fingers brushing lightly along Leah's jaw before kissing her softly.
Slow.
Warm.
The kind of kiss that came from comfort more than urgency.
Leah melted into it instantly anyway.
Always did.
Her hand slid naturally against Elle's waist pulling her closer across the floor until Elle was half in her lap beneath the glow of the Christmas tree.
And God.
This.
This was becoming Leah's favourite version of happiness.
Not public.
Not dramatic.
Just soft touching and quiet laughter and someone choosing to stay.
When they pulled apart Leah kept her forehead resting lightly against Elle's.
"You know what I realised today?" she murmured softly.
"What?"
"I think my mum likes you more than me."
Elle laughed quietly, fingers sliding into the hair at the back of Leah's neck.
"She definitely does."
"Traitorous behaviour honestly."
But Leah was smiling too much to sound convincing.
Silence settled around them again after that.
Comfortable.
Leah's thumb moved slowly against Elle's hip beneath her hoodie while Christmas lights reflected softly in both their eyes.
Then quieter—
"I meant what I said earlier."
Elle frowned slightly. "About what?"
"London."
The word alone shifted something between them instantly.
January.
Two months.
No airports every weekend.
No countdowns.
Just... them.
Real life.
Leah looked almost nervous again now.
Interesting.
Because no matter how much more emotionally open she'd become, the future still made her vulnerable.
"I don't want you to feel pressured into it," she admitted quietly.
Elle's expression softened immediately.
"Leah."
"I know the work is real," Leah continued quickly. "I just don't want you thinking you have to rearrange your whole life because of me."
God.
That.
That was the thing about Leah.
Even in love she still worried about becoming too much for someone.
Elle touched her face gently.
"I'm not doing this for you."
Leah searched her expression carefully.
"I'm doing it because I want to see what happens when we stop living in between flights."
Silence.
Then slowly—
Leah smiled.
Small at first.
Then devastatingly soft.
And before Elle could say another word Leah kissed her again.
Harder this time.
More certain.
Months of distance and missing each other and finally finding their rhythm again wrapped inside it.
Elle laughed softly against her mouth when Leah pulled her fully into her lap, hands immediately settling at her waist possessively.
"You're clingy lately."
Leah kissed along her jaw slowly.
"Correct."
"Very emotionally attached."
"Also correct."
God.
The honesty of it still ruined Elle completely.
Because a year ago Leah would've hidden feelings like this behind ten layers of sarcasm and self-protection.
Now she just held her closer.
Openly.
Leah leaned back slightly just to look at her for a second beneath the glow of the tree.
And softly—
"You know I love you, right?"
The vulnerability in the question made Elle's chest ache instantly.
Not because Leah doubted it.
Because part of her still seemed amazed she got to say it aloud.
Elle brushed her thumb gently across Leah's cheek.
"I know."
Leah smiled then.
That real smile.
The one the internet kept noticing.
The one that only really appeared when she forgot to protect herself.
And somewhere between Christmas lights and expensive presents and slow kisses on the living room floor, both women quietly realised the same thing:
they were already building memories that would follow them for the rest of their lives.