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Growing up Phedre often had friends tell her that “it must suck that your birthday is on Christmas.” and to a degree they had a point. There were a few years when her parents had tried just celebrating her birthday on a different day but that was a pretty big failure; if anything it turned into an adult only get together with fancy drinks with Phedre left to her own devices up in her room playing with toys until someone thought to come up and tell her it was time for bed.

It’s not to say she didn’t have friends of her own, on the contrary she had many; but around the holidays with Thanksgiving, quickly followed by Christmas and New Years most of them were simply not available for the last two months of the year. Family came first, especially over winter break when the majority of her classmates would travel across the states to visit grandparents or other relatives. It did make things a little lonely but she had learned to survive.

This year was no different than the last, nor the year before that. This time, however, instead of traveling to Mexico both of her parents went on a three week trip to New Zealand. One of the benefits of coming from a family with old money, any day could be a vacation day and no place was truly off limits. They had given her the option to go with them but, even though she loved them both dearly, Phedre didn’t want to feel out of place or like a third wheel. They deserved this alone time anyway.

She had a chance to spend the day with family but had chose to remain in Destiny City instead; one of the many regrets she had but her obligation to the Negaverse took precedence and this freedom from family obligations at least granted her the time to fulfil not only her quota but a portion of Jaspers as well. One of the few gifts she could give him that he couldn’t turn away or return.

Walking into the kitchen Phedre opened the fridge and pulled out the small mini cake she had ordered from the local bakery just the other day. A chocolate cake build up three layers high, separated by slices of strawberries and a sweet cream cheese filling. On the top there were five flowers carefully sculpted out of pulled sugar; almost fey like in design in how delicate they appeared to be.

“Well… At least I can have my cake and eat it too…” Phedre let out a mirthless laugh as she reached into the drawer to grab a fork. This is what she had wanted right? To be able to sit at home and relax; spend a day to do what she wanted?

Kind of but not really.

In truth she would give up every present under her tree if only she didn’t have to spend the day alone. But who was there to ask to keep her company? Sure there were a list of contacts in her other phone. Young men, and some women, she had met on a few occasions; unfortunately all of them only knew her by her other name… Meri.

It was probably best she kept ‘work’ and civilian life separate anyway. Which was actually pretty difficult when the only two people she could think of calling was either a corrupt, like herself, or a General King. Phedre pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Not like either of them was a valid option anyway.

Despite the fact he didn’t get along with his family, Jasper did have a little sister and was likely expected to be at home for the duration of the day.

As for Zac, well... to be honest she really didn’t have an excuse not to see what he was up to other than #reasons or #complicated. Not that either of them made much sense but it’s not like she had to justify herself to anyone.

It’s just that… in all honesty she really wasn’t sure where the boundaries were with him. Like Jasper, kissing was a no-go but for totally different reasons. Jasper had feelings for someone else still while Zac made it a point to gently tell her that he preferred to kiss other people which she respected… kind of… not really.

To be fair Phedre had kept her lips to herself but when the opportunity presented itself, especially when powered, she greedily grabbed at the chance to make him blush. Perhaps she should rein it in a bit though before she really overstepped that very thin line she so expertly tightroped across on an almost daily basis. He was a Sovereign afterall, a fact she actually found frighteningly easy to forget when they were just simply hanging out like normal people.

After drawing in a deep breath and exhaling slowly Phedre set her cake down on the coffee table. “Duke?” From the kitchen she could hear claws tapping on the hardwood floor as her little french bull dog came running into the living room. “Why do the holidays have to suck like this hmm?” She leaned over, picked him up and set him on the couch beside her with a heavy sigh.

And again, for the upteenth time today Phedre slipped back into that depressingly familiar funk. Stuck in that endless cycle of second guessing her actions to the point of wanting to grab a pint of thin mint ice cream along with her mini cake, sit on the couch with her electric blanket and binge watch something on Netflix.

However, before she had a chance to sit down an unopened present sitting on her fireplace mantle caught her eye. It was actually fairly small and easy to miss especially since she didn’t recall ever seeing it before let alone setting a box down over there.

“Hmm.” Curiosity piqued, Phedre walked over to see who the box was from but upon further inspection she found no note nor a handwritten scribble on the golden wrapping paper. “Who put you up there?” Perhaps there was a hint inside. If it was a fountain pen chances are her grandfather probably sent it. A bracelet would likely be from her mother especially if it was one of the Pandora ones.

However, as she lifted the lid, Phedre found herself speechless. It wasn’t some extravagant trinket or piece of jewelry that cost hundreds of dollars. No, it was a fork…

A simple piece of silverware that definitely didn’t match either of her sets. Nothing really noteworthy or extraordinary about it like those spoons people often collect.

“Ok…” With a shrug she was about to put it back in the box when movement outside caught her eye. Jasper? Phedre canted her head to the side as she watched him stare at the base of a tree for several minutes before kicking a pile of snow in his typical frustrated manner. Her lips pulled downward into a deep frown as she walked over to her front door to invite him inside.

“Jasper?” concern was written all over her face as he turned around to look at her. In that moment he seemed to be teetering between two choices; run away from his problems and seek this self imposed solitude that she had found herself doing this very day or acknowledge that he was not alone and the door was open welcoming him inside.

A soft smile tugged the corners of her lips when he finally walked towards her. However, before she could step aise to let him in he had done the most unexpected thing. Jasper wrapped his arms around her in an almost desperate hug, his warm breath tickling the side of her neck as he whispered in her ear “Don’t ever change Phe.” There was no time to truly comprehend where this request was coming from before his lips met her own in one of the most chaste kisses she had ever received. “Merry Christmas, my Angel.”

Phedre pulled back for a moment, her oceanic blue eyes searching his for some hint of where this was coming from, but he revealed nothing.

Her gaze then fell to the object she still clutched in her hand, that odd fork she had been gifted. I feel like I’ve been pranked. A light laugh escaped her as she leaned her head out the door to make sure the street number hadn’t suddenly changed. “Last time I checked I didn’t live on 34th street.” Phedre had a feeling the movie reference would go over his head and so she simply shook her head in disbelief before taking ahold of his hand.

It was almost as if whomever left the present on the mantle knew she would be home alone. But what she couldn’t figure out is how they would know someone would be showing up unannounced let alone right as she was about to sit down. Unless it was him but he hadn’t been over in a few weeks and last thing she knew as Arabia he was still a simple basic senshi as she was unless he found someone to help him get inside her home while she was away.

If it was him them he was indeed a sneaky b*****d, adorably romantic in the way he nearly swept her off her feet, underneath a mistletoe no less. Nonetheless he was still a b*****d...

“Come on. Let’s go inside. It’s warm in there.” She motioned with her head for him to join her inside as she poked him gently in the side with the utensil. “And I have cake?” Phedre winked at him in an almost suggestive manner before shutting the door behind him.

One way or another she was likely going to hell for stealing a man from another woman but at least she would enjoy the ride.