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This story should have been originally posted on literotica, but has not been published yet and I don’t know whether or not it will be. It’s my first story/post, so constructive feedback is at all times welcome. (Also English is not my first language, so I hope there are no fundamental mistakes.) Hope you like it!

A Home For Christmas

„I really don’t know where to spend Christmas,” Emery revealed to her roommate Luca. Her best friend Amber had just canceled their plans because of some family emergency. Which Emery totally understood, but felt sad about anyway. It was already the 23rd of December and Luca was making dinner, while Emery was sitting at the kitchen table, her head buried in her hands.

“You can come and celebrate with me and my family,” Luca suggested, not looking up from the curry he was creating.

Emery shot her head up.

“You mean that?” she asked.

Now Luca turned around and Emery thought how a guy was able to look so fucking good with an apron tied around his waist. His jeans were washed out and the white shirt was some risky choice despite the apron covering most of it.

“Of course, I mean that,” he answered, looking offended by her question.

Luca and Emery had been living together for about two years now. Emery had just moved to the city when Luca had been looking for a new roommate. Since then, the two of them living together had evolved quite well. Luca did the cooking, Emery most of the cleaning. They spent their evenings together, cooking, having dinner and watching Netflix.

It was the most comfortable Emery has ever felt. She hasn’t been in touch with her family for years and her relationship to her last roommate had been more of a practical one. With Luca it felt like she’d imagined family would feel like. However, Emery was well aware of the fact that he already had a family. And to be honest she was a little scared to intrude or to feel like a guest – like an outsider. But she didn’t want to be alone, either. Especially during the holiday season, she felt lonely at all times. And she hated it. Hated it so freaking much.

“Don’t you think your family would find that odd or something?” Emery asked.

Luca turned to her again, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

“No way,” he said, a little smile in his eyes, “you know my mom loves you.”

Emery smiled back. That was true, his mom did love her. They had met on Luca’s last birthday. It had been one of the few times Emery had taken over the kitchen and baked a birthday cake for him. Well, and for his family. Although it had turned out okay in Emery’s comment Luca had been making fun of her for that attempt on baking up until this day. Maybe more because of the complete chaos that had been happening in the kitchen during that takeover and less because of the outcome itself.

“And you? Wouldn’t it be weird for you?” Emery asked, still not completely convinced.

Luca took the pot from the stove, freed himself from the apron and walked towards Emery. He leaned forward to hang the apron back on the hook behind her back. His other hand brushed her shoulder, and he casually placed a kiss on her hair.

“No, why would it?” he mumbled, already turning back to the stove, bringing the food to the table.

Although she should be used to this, since he sometimes did those caring gestures, adrenalin shot through Emery’s body.

They ate dinner and Luca told her about the book they had discussed in his literature class today. He asked Emery about her day and like every day she got emotional, cause she hasn’t gotten used to it just yet. Maybe she never would and maybe she didn’t want to. It’s not like nobody’s ever asked her before, but he was the one she really wanted to be asked by. She suppressed the scary wondered of what that could mean.

“Okay,” she said after some minutes of silence.

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, I’ll come with you. Visit your family.”

Luca’s mouth turned into a smile and Emery smiled back at him, feeling fear, excitement and anticipation all mixed together.

“You got everything?” Luca asked, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and already heading for the door.

“Just a moment,” Emery shouted from her room.

She dragged her little suitcase through the hallway and ignored Luca’s skeptical look and the raised eyebrows. She knew she wouldn’t need all the clothes she had packed, but she preferred to be prepared. They spent the road trip listening to the cheesiest Christmas songs one could imagine. It was one of a few times Emery was genuinely looking forward to celebrating Christmas and she couldn’t stop smiling at Luca.

“What is it?” he asked when he again caught her smiling at him.

“I’m just happy I can come with you,” she admitted.

He seemed to ease in his seat, smiling back at her. “Glad you’re happy, Em.”

His voice sounded so genuine, her heart must have skipped a beat.

The house Luca’s parents lived in was gorgeous. Not big, but not small, either. Just cozy with old wood furniture from the fifties. Emery felt welcomed right away, being hugged by both his parents and his younger brother Cody, who must have been around twenty-one by now. Even their dog Leah greeted her, wagging its tail and licking the inside of her hands.

Luca showed her the guest room and left her alone to settle down a little.

“Coffee is ready,” Luca’s mom called from downstairs.

Luca had already told Emery that his family was pretty low maintenance on Christmas. They had just found they could enjoy the holidays way better when they didn’t stress themselves about a three-course menu or a tight dress that was way too uncomfortable to eat said menu. And Emery was all here for it. She wasn’t surprised when the table was filled with just the coffee and a bowl of Christmas cookies.

“It’s just some leftover cookies,” Luca’s mom said, smiling apologetically.

“I bet that’ll be fine with Emery,” Luca said, the same welcoming smile on his face like the rest of his family.

“Yeah, I’m used to his kitchen skills, so it’s fine,” Emery answered and had everybody laughing, Luca’s dad even patting her shoulder.

“Don’t make me regret bringing you here,” Luca warned but she didn’t buy his serious expression.

They all sat down, eating cookies and drinking coffee that had a gorgeous note of cinnamon. Although Luca ruined it by pouring half a gallon of oat milk into his mug.

“I’ll never get that,” Emery sighed.

“Right?” Cody agreed, pointing towards Luca’s mug, “he’s crazy.”

Luca stayed determined, not batting an eye.

After coffee Luca’s parents went for a walk, taking Leah with them, while Cody headed up to his room. Emery and Luca started clearing away.

“Just like home, huh?” Luca said, turning his head back to Emery when entering the kitchen.

Him referring to their apartment as home made her happy.

“Yeah, just like home,” she agreed.

They loaded the dishwasher and after drying the few dishes Luca had cleaned by hand Emery enthusiastically lifted herself up the kitchen counter, feeling maybe a little too comfortable around here. This is not my family, not my home, she reminded herself and tried to swallow the pain that came with that realization. She considered hopping back down when Luca stood in front of her.

“Everything alright?” he asked as if reading her mind.

He does know me pretty well after all, she wondered.

“Yeah, I had just remembered that this is not my home, so maybe I should try to behave more like a guest and not –,“ she gestured towards her body sitting on the counter.

Luca’s eyes slowly followed her gesture, then met her eyes. His look was understanding, but there was something else Emery couldn’t identify yet.

“No worries,” he answered and placed his hands on her thighs.

“Really. There’s no need to worry,” he repeated, and his hands felt like a hundred degrees.

It seemed like the air in the room was suddenly used up. Luca had at all times been the physical type, but him touching Emery like this was new. He moved closer, standing between her legs, still this understanding look on his face. Emery was baffled. Was this just Luca being Luca? Like Luca flirting a little like he at all times did? He sometimes did those things with other women, too; those tiny gestures, touching their arm while talking to them. And every time Emery had tried her best not to envy them. Not to wish it was her he was touching. Her body stiffened by the wondered of it and a second later Luca’s hands were gone and left nothing but coldness where they had just laid.

He quickly moved away from her, tossing the towel on the counter next to Emery.

“Let’s go,” he said and his voice didn’t sound as casual as she knew it.

Still baffled by his touch and trying to collect herself, Emery jumped down the counter and followed him into the living room.

For dinner Cody made pasta with Bolognese and afterwards their mom brought more Christmas cookies. Then everybody gathered around the Christmas tree, Luca’s dad kneeling on the floor to get the presents.

“So,” Emery started, “all this was kind of spontaneous, so”, she made a vague gesture, “no presents from me. – Well, except for you.” She pointed at Luca.

“That’s okay,” Luca’s mom said, probably before one of her sons could make a sarcastic opinion.

After they all had exchanged their presents, Luca grabbed the last one from under the tree, walked over to Emery and handed her something wrapped in green.

“Thank you,” Emery said, smiling up at him.

She unwrapped it and her eyes started to glow when she saw the gorgeous scarf. It was in a dark red and felt incredibly soft.

“I thought since you lost yours the other day you might need a new one,” Luca said with a cracked smile on his face. “And it’s pure cotton, so not itchy at all,” he added, shrugging his shoulders.

So he remembered her being sensitive when it came to clothing.

“I love it,” Emery answered, her eyes still glued to the scarf in her hands.

“Thank you,” she said a little too loud and stood up to hug Luca.

He hugged her back and it was such a sincere hug, she never wanted to let him go. But before he could be the one breaking it, she stepped away from him, reached for her present and handed it over to him. She was nervous, didn’t know if he’d like it. Even though they’d known each other for two years now, she was bad at making presents. But this time she was actually hopeful.

Sitting down next to her on the sofa Luca unwrapped his present and blinked at the edition of Peter Pan. He grinned broadly and Emery felt relieved. It was an older edition and Emery hadn’t been sure which one to get, since there were so many of them.

“Thank you,” Luca said and hugged her again.

“I hope it’s the right edition,” Emery mumbled against his shoulder.

“It’s alright,” he answered, leaning back and fumbling through the pages of the book.

“Another part about you, I’ll never get,” Cody stated from across the room, gesturing to the book in Luca’s hands.

“Yeah, I figured since all you read is your Instagram feed,” Luca snapped back.

Cody just stuck his tongue out in response.

The rest of the evening went by and the one glass of wine she had had made Emery sleepy pretty early. She yawned.

“I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to bed already.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll follow your example,” Luca’s mom agreed.

“Well in that case,” Luca said and stood up, too.

Emery went to use the bathroom. When she finished cleaning off her makeup, brushing her teeth and swapping into some sweat shorts and a big band t-shirt, she headed for the guest room and nearly collided with Luca.

“Hey hey,” he said, “in a hurry?”

She shook her head.

“Just too tired to walk apparently.”

Luca chuckled.

“Good night, Emery,” he said, placed a kiss on her hair and walked towards the bathroom.

Emery shook off the strange feeling and told herself this was just once again Luca being Luca. All the time caring, at all times flirting. She went to bed but despite her being tired there was no sleep in sight. Her mind was racing about Luca’s behavior and what it might mean. Or if it didn’t mean anything at all. It must have been at least three in the morning when she finally fell asleep so the next day she felt like a zombie.

When she walked out of the bathroom the next morning she again collided with Luca.

“What the –,“ she mumbled.

“Sorry,” Luca said.

He looked just as tired as she probably did. But they had agreed on breakfast at nine thirty, and there was no way Emery would miss out on that. The scent of coffee made her almost forget how exhausted she was.

“Oh – I smell coffee. See you later,” she said and quickly walked past Luca.

“I can’t believe you prefer coffee over me,” he shouted after her and she turned around to flash him a broad smile.

When she entered the living room, where the big table was already set up for breakfast, Cody sat there smiling at her.

“Good morning,” he greeted her.

“Morning, Cody.”

After breakfast Emery excused herself to take a nap, cause there was no way she’d survive this day without one. Not with less than six hours of sleep.

However, lying in bed, again sleep would not come to her. She relived the moments with Luca and his family, smiled about Cody’s comments and couldn’t stop but wishing she belonged with them. She wondered back to when her therapist told her years ago, that some things she could only accept, not change. Actually that had been the reason she had left her own family behind. Cause there was no way she could have ever accepted their behavior.

It seemed Luca had the sort of family she didn’t even know existed, although she was well aware of the fact that every family had their issues. Anyway, it was his family and the jealousy that spread through her body now made her heart physically ache.

On impulse, Emery got up again and knocked on Luca’s door. She might have to accept that she would never have such a Christmas with her own family, but she did not have to spend the entire morning alone with her thoughts.

“Come in,” Luca called, and Emery opened the door.

He was sitting at his desk, shifting his chair towards her and lifting his eyes from the computer in front of him to look at her.

“Hey, what is it?” he asked.

“Only tired from not being able to sleep. And – you know – family stuff.”

That was only half the truth, but not a lie either.

He nodded. He knew about her family and Emery was glad he did. She believed it was one of the reasons she felt close to him. But he’d never find out how it felt to her and sometimes that made her sad. He looked at her with a gaze she could not quite decipher.

“Can I help with the lack of sleep?”

Emery snorted and would later blame her next sentence on the former discussed lack of sleep, “Hardly, since you’re one of the reasons for it.”

Luca’s eyes widened and she wanted to bite off her own tongue. For fucks sake.

“What – what do you mean by that?”

She felt heat rising to her cheeks and her heart began racing. Why the fuck did she say that. She was confident, yes; but still shy as fuck. And their whole friendship was at stake here. Trying to collect herself she let out a quiet sigh.

“I don’t know. It seems like – like you’re acting different. Somehow. At least to me.”

He straightened his back, uncomfortably looking at the floor to his feet.

“Or am I wrong?” she added, but he instantly shook his head, still not looking up.

She stepped forward, until she was standing in front of him. Hesitantly she reached out her hand and gently stroked his hair. She gasped when his fingers suddenly clasped her wrist. He looked up at her and she met his gaze with a questioning look. Instead of saying anything he tugged on her wrist, pulling her closer. She was standing between his legs now and when he reached for her thighs one by one, she let him guide her onto his lap without entirely realizing what was happening, steading herself on his shoulders.

His hands hadn’t left her thighs, like yesterday almost burning through her leggings, and their faces were only inches aside.

“So, I’m not wrong?” she asked quietly.

“No, you’re not,” he whispered.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

“Emery,” Luca sighed, “do you really wanna elaborate this right now? Like – by talking?”

His voice sounded like he himself had no intent to do so.

“I don’t know,” she replied, confused by everything he had just said and done.

She felt his thumbs rubbing over her thighs and her brain just seemed to stop working at that very moment. Every wondered she tried to form slipped away in a second.

“Because I don’t want to talk,” Luca whispered, and he placed one hand on the side of her neck, trailing the skin of her cheek with his thumb.

Emery felt like she couldn’t breathe anymore. He was too close, his skin too hot and his touch too addicting. She was physically unable to look away from his face, like he was holding her in place. Then his eyes dropped to her lips and back up to her eyes, now unmistakably filled with longing. And the moment she wondered she couldn’t take it anymore, he leaned in and kissed her.

NSFW: yes

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