My Boss Is Secretly A Softie - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: A Christmas Special
The mellow rhythm of strings floated across the house, followed by a melodious singing, and the piano drifting throughout. The surroundings were draped with garlands holding red and golden balls, and light softly illuminated the environment.

A shadowed figure made its way through, intrigued as to why their presence hadn’t turned on the lights. Someone must have intentionally deactivated it, perhaps the one with the angelic voice.

Their steps became hurried, holding the excitement of a kid on Christmas who was sure to have had Santa and was determined to catch him.

He finally arrived. More garlands, more lights, a varied color mixture of ball decorations, and red candles spread across with its light revolving about the person amid the room.

Yellow lights highlighted their lips curled up in a soft smile, their fair fingers stroked each key of the piano with precision, and their glistening eyes held an excitement that spilled out, enriching the cozy atmosphere of the room.

The arrival’s nose was tickled, perhaps from the sweet smell of caramel, but even more was their heart.

The pianist tilted her hair expressionably, causing her curly braids to float lightly as the intonation of her song reached a sharp volume before floating downwards. Her red dress with highlights of white fit right into the color aesthetic of the decorations, and along with the festive hallow about her, she seemed like a female version of Santa Claus, and Terrence was more excited than a kid meeting Santa.

“… Although it’s been said many times, many ways~. Merry Christmas… to~ you~.”

Elara let out a soft breath she didn’t know she had been holding. And before a word could slip out, a loud clap thundered through the room, startling her into facing the intruder.

Terrence’s blonde hair appeared more yellowish, along with his sparkling grey eyes due to the candle lights. His beauty, which effortlessly shone despite him being in Hello Kitty pajamas, had Elara feeling like a real-life angel was appreciating her.

“You did excellently,” he approached, immediately scooping her into a bear hug, which lasted for quite a while.

“I practiced a lot, but I don’t think excellence is exactly the word,” she responded, succumbing to her fate in his arms.

“It is,” he pulled away with a bright smile, blinding her, “You did it. Just that is enough to make it excellent.”

Elara chuckled, “If you say so.”

She was finally released, and with a flash of a cheeky grin, she pulled him away from the music room to the living room.

There stood a tree with a star on its top, declaring its majesty. It was covered in decorations and lights, which shone across the room, not overwhelming the other lights, but enhancing them.

Flames roared in the fireplace and above it hung a mantle, some red socks— adding to the Christmas feel, and a line of string lights. Elara let go of Terrence’s hands, leaving him staring at them despondently, before she moved to the windows, tearing apart the blinds and decoratives to reveal the white flakes that had frosted its glass.

“Look what I came with!” she spoke with a playful tinge in her voice, “Snow.”

Terrence’s eyes widened, “In L.A.?”

Elara pouted, “Don’t you believe me? I am Santa.”

Watching the cheerful female motion to her dress, Terrence couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Now hurry up, Santa spent the rest of her powers preparing for more Christmas miracles, so now the snow can only fall for so long~.”

They dressed up warmly. Elara wore a red coat with fur edges and a white ribbon, along with some layered socks— also in red. Terrence merely put on a casual outfit but was draped in fluffier layers, courtesy of Elara, to shield against the cold.

His partner was so excited that she had dashed off before him and stood on the snow with her face upwards, tongue stuck out, capturing any white flake that fell into her mouth. It turns out even Santa missed the snow.

Perhaps displeased that he was more passive than active, staring at her like a kid who still couldn’t digest the fact that Santa was with him—Elara smashed a snowball into his face before dashing off, giggling wildly like a certain yellow sponge in a queer ocean.

Their fight was passionate. Santa knew her strengths and weaknesses. Knowing when to elope from sight before reappearing like a phantom, raining vicious snowballs at her green-horned opponent.

Terrance might have taken the easy way out by tackling her to the floor and trapping her into the snow in a bid to escape her viciousness— though he would never admit that. His Santa was quite competitive. Too bad he didn’t exactly have practice, or he would have matched her ferociousness.

“So your family is off to Nigeria?” Terrance spoke as they lay on the snow, figures of their scrambling painted on the snow.

“Yeah.”

“Your friends?”

Elara huffed, then faced him with a scowl.

“Eh, do you dislike my presence or something?”

“No!” He faced her too.

“Then what’s with questions?”

“I was just curious….”

She laughed, “Forget it… oh!” She stood up abruptly, “You’ve just reminded me! We still have your room to decorate. Good thing I still have some decorations left.”

“Wait!” he called out to the female who was in a hurry to leave, “Let’s play some more.”

And play they did. Till Elara ended up slumping with her face in the snow from exhaustion.

“How the heck am I even feeling hot with all this snow?”

“It shows we played well,” he responded with a smile.

Elara scoffed, “We have to be cold for the next event, so come on, let’s make snowmen!”

The snowmen showed exactly who had been doing this for a while and the absolute newbie. Even more than other events. Elara’s was decent. Not the best representation of her partner’s good looks, but decent enough.

But her partner’s was a reminisce of the blue and white tall cake in Disney tilted to its almost interminant doom but stopped by its owner’s determination. But not with a broom— with himself.

Needless to say, it won the best picture of the night— that is the opportunity to contend with the other upcoming bests!

***

“See, the environment is so cold, it still hasn’t melted,” Elara showed off the tiny snowman that fit perfectly into her hands.

They were done with decorating Terrence’s room, and it still held up, which showed just how cold it was.

“Is this my Christmas gift?” Terence asked, cupping the cute thing to his hand as he overlooked it.

“What?! No! I’m not that stingy.”

“I would love it. Even a spoon would be very appreciated if it came from you.”

Elara: (^_^;)

“Let’s talk about that later.”

Elara moved to snatch the snowman but was evaded, ending up on Terrence’s sturdy chest.

She rolled her eyes with a doting smile, “Please yourself then.”

***

The next event was Elara’s favorite— snacking. They simply sat on the couch, huddled together, eating yummy pastries and drinking hot chocolate. Since they were both greedy, they decided to have a bit of everything: Cookies, cinnamon rolls, croissants, madeleins, and macaroons.

The fun part of making food was when it came to eating it. To this, Elara couldn’t agree more. It was fun making these, but it was much better eating them. Thinking of the rest of the meals…

‘Keep calm, procedures Elara, procedures,’ she thought while taking a large sip of her drink.

***

“Have a holly jolly Christmas. It’s the best time of the year! Even better with you here~,” Terrence read out the words on the red-colored gift card, “You sure like Christmas songs, huh?”

“Ahem, you didn’t need to read that out,” Elara pouted. He merely chuckled opening up his gift—a crotcheted winter set. A sweater, gloves, hat, neck scarf, and even a pair of stockings. All with the aesthetically festive colors of red, green, and white.

“I didn’t know what else…. No, I knew, but I wanted it to be special since it was our first Christmas and all. And then they said on the internet there’s nothing more special than handmade gifts. But it’s for couples, but I just wanted to give something special to you because you…,” Elara’s stuttering words came to a stop before she whispered with a shy look, “You’re more special than a friend.”

Terrence’s eyes widened, but before his response came, Elara exclaimed, “I’m not confessing or anything, but you’re just like my special person. Not romantically, but platonically. Does that even make sense?”

“No, it doesn’t,” Terrence bluntly responded.

“Ah, I knew it, but I still went on and…!!!”

Elara stared at him aghast. He smiled his face a few inches away from her.

“We’re even now, right?”

She was still too shocked and simply stared as he put on the set.

“Be careful what you say. Don’t forget I’m still chasing you.”

Santa’s face became part of her aesthetic, leaving Terrence howling at his adorable Santa, his special Santa, the only one he loved.

Breakfast followed after the embarrassing moment. It was obvious Elara was still embarrassed, as every little action of Terrence elicited a severe reaction, like a squirrel on full alert, and Terrence loved it— so he did it more.

It ended up with Elara avoiding him enough to stay a whole couch away during movie time. He was speechless. Wasn’t she being too petty? Sure, he was at fault, but still!

Elara wasn’t angry because of his teasing, but something else entirely. Because of her embarrassment, she had barely enjoyed her breakfast, which she had been so looking forward to. Though there was more, she still felt like crying. Damn angel!

This wasn’t enough to completely harden her heart, and they ended up cuddling in the end.

With Terrence, who didn’t stop acting like a kicked puppy, she was helpless. Despite her speechlessness as to how quickly the male switched up, she succumbed and ended up cuddling with him. It was then she realized he acted like that because she kept on enabling him. Damn. But he was just so cute!

***

During lunch, Elara asked a question that had been disturbing her, “Angel, did you… get gifts from your family? I mean, I’m not trying to insinuate anything, just… You don’t exactly have a strong relationship with them, so I was wondering…”

Terrence stared right at her, his electrifying eyes leaving her stiffening. Did she ask too much?

“What? Scared?” he teased.

Miss Santa scoffed and then hit him… well, tried to. But they were too far apart. So Terrence, with his glib tongue, managed to sit close to her, with the stupid excuse of being easier reached and Elara was again left speechless, this time by how he wasn’t even trying to hide his intent anymore.

“They all did. They always did. Merlin also since he came along. Only his I ever bothered with. And yours?” he gave a sweet smile, “It’s perfect.”

He scooped the embarrassed female closer by her waist before placing a flirtatious kiss on her cheek.

…. He ended up returning to his former position.

***

They blew off the candles. They were removed, and the letters of the large ‘Merry Christmas’ label were distanced from themselves by a petite knife that glistened with a yellow light.

The duo clanked glasses, exchanged wishes, and sipped their drink.

“I have exactly three gifts for you,” Terence spoke, garnering the attention of Elara, who had her mouth stuffed full with cake, till her cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk’s.

“Hm?”

A light smile flashed across the male’s eyes and lips, “Yes. So, give me more. Apart from the winter set and an awesome Christmas. I have one more. I want one more gift.”

Elara swallowed soundlessly, “Well, ain’t you greedy, Angel?”

“Yes,” he curled up about her like a snake, “I am. I am very greedy for you.”

Elara didn’t get the context of his words but felt it was probably for the best if she didn’t.

“Then, I’ll give you a gift. Not quite impressive, but hey, what can I do? I only prepared to this extent.”

His breath fanned across her ears, leaving her trembling, “Okay.”

She brushed it off, then finally spoke, “I promise to spend every Christmas with you, although we’ll have company sometimes. As long as there is me, there will be you. This, I also hope you can promise me as well.”

There was silence for a while, and just as doubts began springing up within her, Terrence finally responded, “That’s perfect.”

He stood up.

“Pinky promise?”

Elara chuckled.

“Pinky promise.”

Although for his present he wanted to make a wish… there was no bigger present than this. It was perfect. Everything about his Santa was perfect.

***

Terrence woke up to an empty bed.

After snacking and eating, they ended up straight to bed without showering. Though they did brush, they slept together… platonically.

But now, where was his Santa? Did she leave because Christmas was done? Without informing him…? He pouted with a frown.

But then his eyes caught a tiny snowman, knitted with a tag stuck to it.

“Take a warm bath. Dress up warmly and come outside! You didn’t think the fun ended, did you?”

He smiled. His Santa would be here all Christmas. And even after. Awesome.

***

Elara turned on hearing the flurry of steps coming behind, but still couldn’t avoid the inevitable bear hug.

She laughed, “You wore the set? Aren’t you worried they look tacky?”

“I don’t care.”

She laughed some more, looking even more beautiful than Christmas itself— she was his Christmas. His eternal Santa.

“Pull back! Pull back!” Elara spoke on feeling the pressure of the hug increase.

She waved her phone in his face before explaining, “Star invited us to her private snow… estate? I don’t know, but there’s a mountain to slide on and even an ice rink. We won’t be alone, but with those more-than-friends duos, we might as well be. Eh, it’s the closest thing we can to being alone and the best chance for us, especially since there’s no risk of an outsider recognizing you.”

She paused, examining the male who had been nodding along throughout.

Her eyes crinkled as she leaned over on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, “You’re so cute… Ah, wait, no, no more, no more hugs! Angel…!”