บท 7: 07

oh my, I'm so sorry. I thought I'd updated on the 26th. Turns out I'd only pressed timer.

Here's the Christmas special I'd planned to upload.

____________-------------____________

'Rio. You are my progeny, my creation! You will do as I say! You will not disobey me! "

Need .to. break. free!

" Rio! Stop struggling! This is for your own good! "

Grunting. panting. Need to breathe!

" Why can't you see that she doesn't want this! Let her go! "

Another voice? Who is that? Are they fighting for me? Who is Rio? Why can't I breathe?

I need to struggle and break free. I do not like this enclosed space.

" She will obey me. I created her. "

I can't see. It's getting darker. The walls around me are starting to squeeze me harder.

I want to communicate but I don't know how. I can somehow understand them. I don't want to die here.

How does one die? I don't know what that is but I do not want to experience it.

"Stop resisting Rio! This is for you, for us, for me!" That voice again.

Stop fighting, listen to pretty voice.

"Something's wrong!" The other one spoke. "We need to get her to struggle again. If we don't, your whole work will be for naught."

Why do they want me to fight again? Where am I?

"Shut it down! Now!"

What is shutting down?

"There are children in here!".

Guilty.

"Kill it!"

" I can't! "

" Then Die! "

There was explosion and something fell on me heavily and I woke up.

" Merry Christmas! " A very cheerful Aelia sat atop my body, smiling brightly with a red hideous Christmas hat on her head.

" What? "I grunted, trying to push her off. What was that dream?

She suddenly pushed me back down, shifting her hips to sit atop mine, grabbing both arms and tucking them into her laps so I couldn't break free.

Of course we both knew I could easily break free but no one needed to know that. I was enjoying every bit of it.

She suddenly pulled out another of the hideous things and began to inch forward, trying to open the thing so she could pull it on my head.

I tried to stop her but then as she moved, the feel of her thighs on my arms distracted me and then she climbed off.

I almost reached out to grab her and her back but I cautioned myself just in time.

She giggled and whipped out a phone taking a picture while I mulled over how she felt.

I heard the click of the camera and saw her mischievous smile.

Forget the thighs, this woman is a devil!

"Oh no you don't!" I leaped from my bed, forgetting what I had on and chased her into the living room only to stop and take a huge breath.

"Do you like it?" She asked, watching me take in all the wonder.

I gasped. With all the work as Vero, I'd forgotten what time of the year it was.

The snowless weather didn't even serve as a reminder.

"You decorated" I whispered, still taking in all she'd done.

I turned to look at her.

"You sly fox! That's why you had so many bags!" I pointed a finger at her.

She smiled and then walked towards me, pulling me to the window.

I tried to protest but she'd just given me one of her signature 'dont argue with me' looks.

She stopped there then shook her head. "This won't do" she whispered to herself but I caught it.

She then left me there and walked to the kitchen.

"Don't look out the window yet!" She called out, suddenly pulling out two cups of hot chocolate.

She handed me a mug and then wrapped a scarf around her neck. She glanced at me and frowned. I then realized what I was wearing.

Shit!

"That wouldn't do Rio. Take off the jacket and wear a sweater." She ordered and I did exactly what she asked.

When I'd worn the sweater, she wrapped a scarf around my neck. As she put it around, I stared up at her. How could someone this beautiful exist?

"Let's go." Huh?

Oh, she was taking me to the roof. Whatever she wanted me to see couldn't be seen from my window.

As we entered the elevator and went to the last floor, she kept on glancing at her watch and bouncing on her feet impatiently.

She'd forgotten that I lived on the fourth floor of the apartment building.

As we reached the last floor, she couldn't even hide her smile anymore.

I could swear she was a teenager stuck in a grown woman's body.

Immediately the elevator opened it's doors, Aelia flounced out of it with my hand in her clutches. I tried to balance my mug of warm chocolate but it proved to be a task when flash the second had me in her hand.

She quickly pulled me to the stairs taking us to the roof and when we got there, it was empty.

Now what?

"Sit down!" She whisper-yelled, pulling me to sit and pulled my mug out of my hands.

I wanted to protest but then she placed it back in my hands and it was hot again.

How did she?

Is this woman bionic?

"Magic." She grinned, suddenly whipping out a kettle filled with hot chocolate.

How it didn't go cold , I'd never know.

"Why you -" she placed a finger on my lips. Mmm cold.

"Shh! It's starting!" She shushed, sipping out of her cup and staring up at the sky with pure glee on her face.

I didn't know what she was waiting for and kept on staring until it fell on my nose.

I looked at it in surprise.

It wasn't supposed to snow this year.

More snow drops fell on me and I stared at Aelia in wonder again.

She knew how much I loved white Christmases.

Tears filled up my eyes and I hugged her, making her let out an oof and return my tight bear hug.

"I didn't get you a present." I grumbled after the hugging. I didn't ask her how she knew there was going to be snow, I knew better than to ruin my present.

"Don't worry Rio. I love you and that's enough." My chest squeezed tightly as she said that, pain almost clouding my features. Aelia would never love me the same way as I love her.

She sighed and looked up at the sky to the little snowdrops rapidly falling on our faces.

"Beautiful isn't it?" She asked, still looking up.

I stared at her. Her hair that had caught many snowflakes in it because she forgot to cover it, making her look like a fairy. Her red nose and the way she rubbed her fingers together to keep out the cold.

"Yes." I replied. "Yes it is"

Cheesy I know but Aelia could make anybody recite a hundred poems for her if asked.

She was just that way.

"I love you Rio, never forget that." She sighed, shifting closer to me to get more heat.

I chuckled. Better friends than nothing.

"And I you" I pulled her closer, hugging her as we sipped our chocolate and watched the snowflakes drop around us.

This Christmas was definitely worth it.