it's Christmas Eve afternoon and Luke has arrived at Meadow's home after driving at a snails pace through the snow the whole way. He carefully walks down the slippery walk way to the front door carrying an large but relatively flat rectangular box wrapped in hand painted butcher paper. Meadow greets him at the door, holding a barking Oatmeal back with his foot

Meadow: You made it! I was getting worried... [stops, noticing the box] what's that?

Luke: What does it look like [quickly squeezes past Meadow to get inside without letting the dog out]

Meadow: a gift...

Luke: mhm.

Meadow: But you said we weren't going to worry about gifts! [worried]

Luke: Well, I got inspired to make something. I don't even know if you'll like it at all!

Meadow: ...but I didn't get you anything... [frowns]

[Luke sets the box up against the wall and drops his backpack off his shoulder, setting it with the box. He then turns and wanders over to meadow, squeezing him tight and kisses his cheek lightly]

Luke: I smell coffee.

Meadow: I figured you'd want something hot when you got here. I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for, so there's hot water too and I have packs of hot chocolate if you want that instead.

Luke: You act like I'm your grandma... do I have the option of tea too?

Meadow: ummm... I think I've got some in the pantry [takes a step towards the kitchen]

Luke: [pulling him back] You don't need to treat me like a special guest. OK? I don't need anything.

Meadow: but I wanted to [looks down] I wanted to do something nice.

Luke: [kisses his forehead and pets his head] No need to smother though, but if it makes you feel any better, I could use the caffeine from coffee.

Meadow: [blushing] I bought the bottled creamer stuff you said you liked. I got two different kinds, they had Christmas flavors so I just got the french vanilla that I think is the one I saw in your fridge and then they had a gingerbread something that looked good, so I thought it'd be nice for the holiday.

Luke: [stepping towards the kitchen, lightly tugging meadow's fingers to follow him] so you did get me something. [smiles]

Meadow: ...coffee creamer? [reaching over to the fridge to pull out the bottles]

Luke: mhm [taking the gingerbread one from meadow's hands and then opening it to smell it]

Meadow: That's a shitty present. [sets the other bottle back in the fridge]

Luke: mmm, I don't think so. [holding the opened bottle out to meadow for him to smell]

Meadow: hm! really does smell like gingerbread. That's a surprise - These were on sale too! I wasn't expecting much. [reaches up to the shelf next to the fridge to grab two mugs down, then sets down on the counter to fill]

Luke: [noticing that all the coffee cups are starbucks brand] did you just start stealing cups from places you've played?

Meadow: Huh?

[Luke adds the creamer to the cups and taps the logo on the side of one of them]

Meadow: Oh! No. I've never played at an actual Starbucks. I just got a set of them from someone, I can't remember who. [pauses, reaching back up to the shelf again behind the other few starbucks mugs and grabbing a cup that's behind them and carefully pulling it out] I do have a couple of mugs from places I've played, though. [Turning the coffee cup over in his hands to expose the logo] recognize it?

Luke: [smiling] City Lights...but yet you keep it in the back.

Meadow: [shrugs, setting it down on the counter before putting the creamer back in the fridge] I don't want to risk my special cups getting broken [takes his cup of coffee back to the living room, holding his hand out behind him to signal Luke to follow] You can take your jacket off now, by the way.

Luke: You haven't given me a chance yet! [follows Meadow back into the living room, setting his coffee cup down on the side table before stepping back towards the front door to hang up his jacket and scarf]

Meadow: I'm surprised you weren't dying of heat exhaustion the second you walked in. I've kept it pretty warm in here. [collapses on the couch and pulls Oatmeal half into his lap]

Luke: No, not yet, it's nice [flops at the other end of the couch and picks up his coffee from the table]

Meadow: I can turn on the fireplace if you want [sitting up slightly]

Luke: I'm fine! Really! Don't worry about it. [leaning back against the arm of the couch] What has you in such an accommodating mood today?

Meadow: You're choosing to spend Christmas with me over anyone else. I'm going to make your time spent here worth it!

[Luke blushes and looks away]

Luke: [smiles] you don't need to do anything to make my time worth while. If I didn't want to be here, then I wouldn't be.

Meadow: You're the reason I only have one concert to do during the holidays, and it's a local one!

Luke: I just suggested an idea for a "home for the holidays" concert. You had to say something to your management before anything happened, and I'm guessing you had to do more than just suggest to make them cancel the other things on your agenda.

Meadow: I whined and pleaded for a week.


Luke: [shaking his head] if it got you what you wanted. [pauses, sipping at his drink] Do you need to be practicing?

Meadow: No. It's the same Christmas run we do every year, so I just run through it once tomorrow before the show, play it, and leave.

Luke: So you're home all day today?

[Meadow smiles and nods]

Luke: and here I thought I was going to sleep all day while you practiced!

Meadow: You'd really just sleep and leave me by myself to play?

Luke: Wouldn't want to bother you. I've got to let you get in your "zone"

Meadow: you never bother me, I like your company!

[Luke motions at the space between them on the couch]

Meadow: /you/ are the one who sat at the other end.

[Luke points to Oatmeal]

Meadow: oh please... He's my puppy [scratches Oatmeal's head] and he likes me. Dont'cha Oatmeal?

[Oatmeal looks up, flicks his tongue out to wipe his nose and then lays his head back down]

Luke: that is the expression of love if I've ever seen it.

Meadow: and who says you have to be sitting on my lap to be company.

Luke: is it so awful that I'd like to have you a little closer? We haven't seen each other since the first of the month.

Meadow: I don't know, is it? [picks up oatmeal's upper half and moves him off his lap, then slides down to sit on the floor, curling his legs up and staring at the gift against the wall]

Luke: you can open it if you want.

Meadow: I'm just wondering what it is

Luke: so open it and find out!

Meadow: [looking back up at Luke] not till I figure out what I'm getting you, now. [pauses] or I could just let you open your birthday present early...

Luke: I told you not to get anything!

Meadow: you said that about Christmas, but you didn't say anything about your birthday.

Luke: [climbing down to the floor by meadow and hugging his arm] you never listen, do you? [kisses his neck]

Meadow: [blushes, slightly leaning away] n...no

Luke: [smiles, sitting back] ok, sorry, I'll stop.

Meadow: [gets up and pulls the blinds back closed]

Luke: it really bothers you that much?

Meadow: [hanging his head] I'm trying to get over it.

Luke: Relax. Your home is the safest place you can be, right? [holding his hand out]

Meadow: [taking Luke's hand and sitting back on the floor] but the side walk isn't [kisses him gently]

Luke: Merry Christmas

Meadow: [smiles] Happy Birthday [kisses him again]

Luke: It's not my birthday yet.

Meadow: and Christmas is tomorrow!

Luke: it's still the Christmas season though.

Meadow: and it's your birthday season [smiles]

Luke: if you say so [smiles, running his hand down Meadow's cheek] Do you have anything planned for today?

Meadow: No, not really. If you didn't notice, I already went out and got everything that you said you'd need to make dinner.

Luke: I thought we said we were doing that together when I got here?

Meadow: they said it's supposed to snow harder again later today, so I figured I'd go out and get what we needed while it was relatively clear out.

Luke: When do you want dinner?

Meadow: Whenever is fine [hugging Luke's arm and resting his head on his shoulder] I'm not terribly hungry, though I didn't have lunch yet.

Luke: Do you want me to make lunch?

Meadow: no, it's ok. If I get hungry I'll just throw some ramen in or something.

Luke: Meadow....

Meadow: what?

Luke: I can make lunch, it's not a problem.

Meadow: If you're hungry, but don't feel the need to make lunch for me.

Luke: Well, what time is it now? We could get started making dinner and just eat early. That's going to take a little while.

Meadow: and just snack while making it [gets up]

Luke: I can make a quick lunch! It's not a problem.

Meadow: I will be perfectly fine. I'll just snack on whatever we're making [smiles, starting to walk towards the kitchen] come on! You have to tell me if I picked out a decent turkey!

Luke: is it that hard?

Meadow: I don't know! You tell me!