Mistletoe and Garland

“Marie, no. I allow quite a few frivolous items into my lab, but you are not bringing a pine tree into it.”

“It’s Christmas and we need a Christmas tree, Franken,” she argued.

“I fail to see how we need a Christmas tree.”

“Because it is Christmas! We have to have something to put the presents under!”

“What presents, Marie?” Stein asked suddenly suspicious.

“All of the ones we’ll be getting for everyone! I already have Spirit and Nygus’ bought. I know what we’re getting Azusa-“

“You mean what you’ve decide to buy them and put my name on as well?”

“Well, we are a weapon/meister team, Franken. It only makes sense. But that’s why we need a Christmas tree!” her face was animated as she flung her arms out to her sides before gesturing at a corner of the room. “I moved the couches around, and the tree will go right there.”

“Marie, no.”

“We’re getting a Christmas tree.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You are not bringing a pine tree into my lab.”

Marie’s eyes flashed suddenly as she gave him a bright smile. “Alright Franken, I won’t bring a pine tree into the lab.”

“Or any other type of tree. Spruce, Fir, anything,” Stein countered.

“Deal.”

“Deal?” Marie just ignored his question and nearly skipped out the door. Stein had a sinking feeling in his stomach that he had just somehow been tricked by the diminutive death scythe. He cranked the screw in his head and walked into his research lab.

-0-

He emerged a few hours later to the sound of Marie singing a Christmas carol. Even before he got to the room she was in he could feel the contentment in her soul. He stopped in the doorway, his hand reaching up to twist the screw in his head as he sighed.

“I told you that you weren’t to bring a tree into my lab.”

Marie just grinned. “You said I couldn’t bring a pine, spruce, fir or any other type of tree into the lab, Franken. You never said I couldn’t bring a fake one in. It’s not really a tree; it’s just shaped like one. It’s really plastic. See? No tree here.”

Stein pinched the bridge of his nose. “You knew what I meant, Marie.”

She swept over to him, her arm threading through his as she laughed. “I just did what you said, Franken. Now push this into the door frame. I’m too short.”

Stein regarded the small item she handed him warily. “What is it?”

“Decorations.” There was a hidden gleam in her eye and she smiled a little too brightly, but Stein complied, pushing the push pin into the door frame so that it hung in the middle.

His eyes opened wide as she stretched up once he had and pecked his cheek. “Mistletoe!” she laughed out, “When someone stands under it they get a kiss!”

She left him standing in the doorway as she danced back into the room, grabbing more decorations and spreading them across the room. There were paper snowflakes and tinsel, ribbons and garland, figurines and ornaments that she hung anywhere she could find a place to.

She splattered splotches of Christmas festivity across his grey lab, and he felt as if he were caught in a tornado, powerless to do anything to stop her. He stood there as she draped some garland over his arms and hung an ornament on his screw.

“Marie.”

She just smiled as she brushed past him again, placing some candles on the window sill.

“Marie.”

She laughed as she darted past him, spreading a tree skirt out underneath the tree before she started placing presents underneath it.

Stein just sighed, his arms laden with garland and tinsel, an ornament hanging from the screw in his head and brushing against his cheek. She smiled at him when she had placed all but one of the presents and came over to him where he stood in the doorway still.

She cradled the present in her arm and plucked the garland off his arms and handed him the present she was holding before reaching up to pluck the ornament off the screw. He moved a step backwards with a smirk on his face. She laughed and stepped forward, plucking the ornament off of the screw. His free hand wrapped around her waist as she over balanced a bit and teetered on her heels.

“What’s this?” Stein asked.

“Your Christmas present, Franken,” Marie said shyly, a blush on her cheeks. “Open it.”

“It’s not Christmas.”

“It’s customary in my family to open one early each year,” she said smiling.

The scientist smirked and bent over her suddenly, pressing his lips against the shocked woman’s. "Mistletoe," he muttered as he pulled back and focused on the package in his hand, letting the shocked woman regain her senses as he opened the gift.

He pulled out a black velvet bag, and when he opened it a scalpel slipped out, its blade covered and his name engraved on the handle. A true smile crossed his face.

“Thank you, Marie,” he said warmly as she blushed.

“I’m glad you liked it, Franken.”

-0-

That night Stein slipped out after Marie had gone to sleep to purchase more mistletoe and something for the woman for Christmas.

She awoke the next morning with a stitched up present sitting on the corner of her bed.

She sat up, carefully pulling the package into her lap. She peeled away the paper carefully and smiled into the box.

Inside it was a smaller box and a note.

Marie,
I’ve not had to purchase a Christmas present since Spirit forced me to participate one year at Shibusen. I hope that you enjoy it.

Inside the smaller box was a bracelet that matched the necklace she wore every day, and she grinned when she realized that he had had an inscription placed on the inside that ran the length of the bracelet.

Metal can’t be stitched up, but you have a soft side that can. I’ll stitch you up anytime you need.

She assumed, probably correctly, that the heart that was engraved at the end was not from Stein but from a very confused engraver who was trying to make sense of the man.

She loved it though, and was smiling as she slipped it on, and opened the door to find Stein standing in the doorway, a sprig of mistletoe above his head that was hanging from her doorframe.

“Good morning, Marie, and Merry Christmas.”

She laughed as he bent down to kiss her.