5All I Want for Christmas is You
As Ben walked through the snow-covered streets of Bellwood, he smiled at the decorations of the season around him. There were lights, bells, angels, and Christmas trees all around him with notes of carols floating in the cold winter air that gave a feeling of warmth to the town in spite of the wintery chill in the air. Ben could smell fires burning in the hearths of oldest houses up the street from the town square. Normally, thoughts of a warm fire brought a smile to Ben's face, but thoughts of fire inevitably brought another subject to his mind: his cousin, Gwen.
Thinking of Gwen made Ben let go of a melancholy sigh. The boy should be ecstatic. School was out, and because of Gwen's help, he wouldn't have to come back until the graduation ceremony in May. He didn't give much thought to graduation, however. Ben's heart was heavy a week before Christmas because of the slight feeling of romance that came with Christmas time. He wanted to do something absolutely daring for his girlfriend and cousin. Yes, Ben was in a relationship with Gwen. Yes, it had progressed to the point that Ben was considering popping the question to her. The fear of doing this echoed in his mind. Every one of Ben's friends and family knew of the Omnitrix, but only Ben's and Gwen's closest compatriots knew the true depth of Ben and Gwen's relationship. Once Ben did this, it would be like back when he and Gwen were attacked by Vilgax in the first week of school after The First Summer. They would face flack and whatever came, but the idea of losing his family tore at Ben's heart.
Faced with such an imposing choice, Ben pulled out his phone and called the man he trustiest most in the world.
"Grandpa Max, can I come by so we can talk?" Ben asked as he felt his nerves rise with every word he spoke.
For a moment, a feminine voice shocked Ben when it answered him instead of his grandpa. "What's the problem, Ben?"
Ben blushed and spoke softly, "Hi, Xylene."
Ben sensed a mild annoyance from the opposite end of the phone. "Benjamin, how many times must I ask you to call me Grandma?"
Ben sighed. "Sorry, Grandma. I'm just stressed."
Xylene smiled as she brushed Ben's mind comfortingly with her mind and saw the blizzard of fear that raged in the young man's mind over Gwen and his family. "Just go with your heart, Ben."
Ben nodded and saw a jewelry store a few blocks away appear in his mind as he laughed. "Thanks, Xy-Grandma. Could you let Grandpa Max know what I'm doing?"
Xylene smiled and nodded though Ben couldn't see her. "I will, Ben. Good luck!"
As Ben hung up the phone, he felt confidence surge through his body. Then, Ben smiled broadly as he approached the quaint storefront. The displays in the shop window glittered with gold and silver, diamond, and other gems in various settings. The old shopkeeper saw Ben looking at the windows and smiled before he left the desk and walked over to Ben as he walked in the shop.
Ben tensed and looked up as the door chimed.
The old man chuckled. "Who's the lucky girl?"
Ben stopped dead and looked at the man. "W-What?"
The man put a hand on Ben's shoulder. "I've seen many a nervous young man come through my doors with the look you have now on their face." The man's eyes softened. "Who is she?"
Ben smiled, "Mister, she's an amazing woman. Sometimes, I don't think I deserve her."
The man nodded. "You want the ring to be fitting of how you see her?"
Ben nodded. "Yes, sir."
The man smiled at that and started going through the displays. Ben slowly shook his head.
"If you don't mind," Ben said gently. "I have a few ideas, sir."
"My name is Daniel, young man. I appreciate the respect, but if I'm right, you'll be coming back."
Ben nodded in confusion for a moment and fished a drawing out of his pants' pocket. The drawing showed a hand-crafted gold setting with eighteen small blue diamonds around a larger turquoise stone in the center. In the center stone, the Luck Rune was carved so that the rune would only be visible at the right angle. On the inner bottom of the setting, in Ben's calligraphy, read the Latin phrase: Tua simper.
"Do you think you could do this?" The young man asked the jeweler.
Daniel put on his glasses and studied the drawing with a kind smile that quickly turned to disbelief when he saw the rune in the blue jewel.
"She's a mage?" Daniel asked.
Ben nodded. "She is; does that matter?"
Daniel shook his head with a kind smile at Ben. "It just makes my job easier."
The man walked away in the back for a moment. Ben looked at the veil and was mildly surprised when a myriad of colors showed between the bottom of the curtain and the floor. Not twenty minutes later, Daniel walked out of the back room with a velvet ring box the color of Gwen's magic in his right hand.
"Here you are, Benjamin." Daniel said with a smile as he gestured. At the gesture, the box opened to show an exact copy of the ring in the drawing right down to to Ben's handwritten inscription on the bottom of the ring, only this one was real and perfectly sized for Gwen's right ring finger.
Ben took the box gingerly and looked at it as if it might break in his hand. "Thank you, Daniel."
When Ben reached in his back pocket to pay for the ring, Daniel held up a hand to stop him and asked a question.
"Do you love this young sorceress, my boy?"
Ben was a little shocked by the man's question. "Of course, I…"
Ben trailed off when Daniel shook his head in an aggravated fashion and mumbled, "Curse English limitations!"
Then, the old man turned his attention back to Ben. "The Greeks had three words for 'love': eros, philos, and agape. Do you love her for her body? Do you love her like a sibling? Would you give anything to hold on to her and love her even if it meant your demise?"
Ben shivered for a moment as Xenon flashed through his mind as if he lost Gwen only yesterday. Then, Ben's eyes and face became hard. He looked Daniel in the eyes. "I wouldn't hesitate to spare her at the cost of my life."
Daniel nodded, "Remember your words, Benjamin." The old man said with a twinkle in his eyes. "That is all I ask of you."
Ben nodded and thought to himself, I won't ever forget. I promise.
Daniel waved at Ben as the teen turned to leave. "Good luck, my boy."
Once he left the store and started walking back toward the house, Ben looked back to see the store had vanished. Ben couldn't help a smile. A mystical jewelry store… Ben thought as he shrugged and walked back to his house.
A week later, Christmas came like normal, but Frank and Natalie's house was full of tension as the Tennyson Clan gathered to open gifts.
Ben, who sat by Gwen on the sofa next to the tree, nudged his girlfriend. "Why is everything ready to explode?"
Gwen sighed. She was hoping to keep it a surprise, but she felt it was better to calm him down at present. "I bought an apartment for us closer to campus for college in the Fall Semester." She told him. "Mom and Dad think the living arrangement is a bad idea because 'people could get the wrong idea'."
Ben had to bite back a laugh. The irony… Ben thought.
After all the gifts had been opened or seemed so, Ben could barely hold in his excitement and fear as Grandpa Max handed him the stereo remote.
Once Ben pressed 'play', a song filled the air around them. Ben smiled and reached for Gwen's hand as the intro played.
"May I have this dance?" Ben asked with a grin that reminded Gwen of dancing in the Rustbucket almost eight and a half years prior.
"Yes, you may."
As they danced, Ben sang softly.
"I don't want a lot for ChristmasThere is just one thing I needI don't care about the presentsUnderneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stockingThere upon the fireplaceSanta Claus won't make me happyWith a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my ownMore than you could ever knowMake my wish come trueAll I want for Christmas is youYou baby
Oh I won't ask for much this ChristmasI won't even wish for snowAnd I'm just gonna keep on waitingUnderneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send itTo the North Pole for Saint NickI won't even stay awake toHear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonightHolding on to me so tightWhat more can I do?Baby all I want for Christmas is youYou you you baby
Oh all the lights are shiningSo brightly everywhereAnd the sound of children'sLaughter fills the air
And everyone is singingI hear those sleigh bells ringingSanta won't you bring me the one I really need?Won't you please bring my baby to me?
Oh I don't want a lot for ChristmasThis is all I'm asking forI just want to see my babyStanding right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my ownMore than you could ever knowMake my wish come trueOh, baby all I want for Christmas isYou baby
All I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you babyAll I want for Christmas is you baby."
At the end of the couple's dance, Natalie was seeing red, but oblivious to the eruption that was bound to come; Ben took Gwen's hand in both of his and got on one knee. Gwen covered her mouth and started crying happy tears as Ben pulled a small blue box out of his pocket and opened it.
"Gwendolyn Tennyson, will you grant my wish and make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?"
Gwen looked at Ben in shock. Then, she smiled and kissed him. "That's a yes, Doofus." She said with a kind smile when their lips parted.
Tua simper- "Yours always"
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