Crystal returned home after the morning practice. It was still not dawn yet and it was delightful calm. Before taking off her jacket she put the water on to boil to make a cup of tea. She looked towards Killian's room. His light was on as it had been until late the night before. During the time they lived together she rarely met him as either she or he was away or he was shut in his room studying. She rarely found him in the living room but still he always had a book in his hands. She looked over to the fridge where they had placed a pad of notes with a magnet through which they talked. She took off her wind jacket and hung it up along with her beanie and woolen neck. She opened the cupboard and took a jar with her name on it and opened it. She took a deep breath savoring the aroma of dried apple with cinnamon and star anise and poured some of the tea into the special spoon. She looked at the closed door again and decided on the spur of the moment to prepare another cup for him as well. She knocked on the door and opened it. She found him in his pjs. He had his hood on, sitting at his desk which had stacks of thick books on it. His long legs were tucked up on the chair.  From where he was standing she couldn’t see his face. She approached him and put the cup of tea beside him. He turned and looked at her in puzzlement, taking off his headphones. She was wearing her sweatpants and her hair was in a braid slightly wet. There was no trace of makeup on her face but even so she was an impressive woman. 

"I'm sorry to barge into the room but I wanted to ask you something." 

She watched him lower his bare feet from the chair. He picked up the mug and smelled the wonderful smell. It was refreshing. 

"I want to decorate a Christmas tree in the living room. Do you mind? And my brother is coming over this weekend. He's been away in China for the past few months and now that he's back he wants to see me." 

She saw him thinking about it. 

"If you decorate it yourself and pack it up yourself I have no problem."

Crystal began to do a strange dance out of joy. 

"Thank you!" She told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, leaving the room before he changed his mind. 

He looked at the closed door in puzzlement and returned to his reading.

Crystal happily put on her headphones and some music to prepare her breakfast. She wasn't going to the gym that day so she could buy a tree and ornaments for their house. She was glad that Christmas was approaching. It was one of her favorite holidays, a chance for the whole family to get together. Only Aaron would be away that year, as he would be from now on probably, she thought disappointedly. She pulled the pan and eggs and milk out of the fridge, while dancing, to make omelet. She was engrossed in cooking and had the music loud so she was startled to see Killian sitting at the table with his mug of tea in his hand. He laughed and motioned for her to sit across from her.

"I thought you might need a car to carry the ornaments and the tree. When do you plan to go?" 

She dragged her breakfast plate toward him and made two cheese and turkey sandwiches as well. 

"This afternoon."

She watched him take a forkful of the omelet and taste it.

"Good! What time do you finish your class? I'll pick you up from uni." He asked her. 

"I get off at five from practice so pick me up at the pool if it's easy for you."

He agreed and taking one of the sandwiches he went back to his room.

Crystal put on her black pants and wool cream blouse and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was wet from her post-workout bath so she decided to braid it and put on her beanie. She put light makeup on her face and put her wallet, phone and keys in a small bag she had taken with her and the rest in her large workout bag. She put on her coat and scarf and made the victory sign in the reflection of herself. "Ready for Christmas shopping!" She sang and walked out of the locker room. 

She found Killian waiting for her in the stands. He was wearing jeans, sneakers and a black jacket. His red hair was tousled and cut and his face was freshly shaved. In his hand he held a black cap. She approached him and waved.

"I didn't know you were an athlete." He commented, impressed by having seen much of her training. He had arrived earlier than their appointment time and to avoid waiting in the cold he had decided to go inside the building. He had recognized her immediately among her fellow swimmers. She was shorter than them and her skin was darker. Her slitted eyes stood out and her body was thinner. But when she swam she was faster, more impressive with sharp movements full of intensity. She had him under her spell. 

"It just didn't happen to come up in conversation." She told him, shrugging nonchalantly.

He picked up her large bag and stepped forward. They stepped outside and Crystal saw the curious looks she got from some of the girls she was training with. She could only imagine what they were thinking. She had heard racist comments several times because of her background. Just as she had also heard snide comments when a Caucasian flirted with her about his fetish. She ignored them and moved on more quickly to be in line with Killian. He'd heard them too, but he seemed unconcerned with the affairs of others. He pointed to a new black car and opened the passenger door for her to sit down. After putting her bag in the storage compartment she got into the driver's seat so they could get started. 

"Are we going for a tree first?" He asked her as he started the machine. 

"Yes!!!" She exclaimed happily. "But not natural." She clarified.

A short time later they were wandering around the Christmas decoration shop. Crystal walked on and looked around with the excitement of a small kid. She paused and worked on the decorations as she hummed the songs playing over the loudspeaker. Killian walked beside her enjoying her innocence. He saw her looking at two tall tufted trees. One looked like it was covered in snow and the other had small pine cones on its branches. They were nice imitations of real trees but they didn't have the fresh smell of the real thing. 

"Sure you don't want to get a real one?" He asked her. 

She shook her head in the negative. 

"Why should we get real when a fake it's so nicely made? I just can’t throw it away afterwards." She explained and showed him the one with the pine cones, asking him for his confirmation. 

She continued wandering through the shop leaving him behind and he saw her putting ornaments in a basket dancing to the music.

"That's it!" She told him after half an hour and headed to the counter ready to pay for the ornaments. 

Killian stopped her and gave her half the money. It was the first time since he had moved into this house that they were decorating for Christmas and it didn't seem right to him to let her pay all the expenses alone. 

When they returned home Crystal asked him to leave what they bought in the middle of the living room and headed to her room to change. When she came out having put on woolen leggings, a long knitted blouse and thick woolen socks she found him in his sweatpants having opened the box from the tree and preparing to set it up. Irish Christmas songs were playing from the stereo and the table was covered with decorations. Happy to have him as a helper, she decided to make them hot chocolates with cinnamon and cloves. She approached him and offered him one cup, leaving hers on the table. She sorted the wooden ornaments she had chosen until he was finished with the tree and then together they placed the lights. They looked at each other like little children who had opened their presents and turned them on, turning off the rest of the lights in the house. They looked at their tree excitedly. Even with just the lights on it was beautiful.

"Thank you." She told him and clinked her cup with his. 

The music was soft and made their minds wandering. Sitting on the floor in the darkness with the only light being the tree light was a wonderful break from their daily routine. 

Crystal stood up and turned on the glass lamps hanging by the balcony door. She started putting up the decorations with Killian watching her. She had picked out wooden nutcrackers, ballerinas, horseshoes and plastic see through balls with snow and twigs inside. He watched her walk away at regular intervals to see the result and change the position of ornaments she had already put up until she was satisfied. She had not gotten a top but had purchased two bears with a cap and scarf which she placed at the base of the tree after placing a red apron with snowmen to hide the metal legs. She stood with her hands at her waist shaking her head satisfied with the result. She turned and looked at him who was still sitting on the floor with his mug in his hand watching her. 

"What do you think?" She asked him. 

"Nicely done." He replied, enjoying the final result.

That night they decided on a spur of the moment to make popcorn and with the room lights off they sat on the blue couch to watch a Christmas movie. Crystal looked at her roommate. She could easily become friend with him, she thought content with this good fortune and wondered if her siblings would like him just as much.