You were curled in the back of the pickup truck next to 10k, the frigid winter air making causing you to shiver and pull your coat tighter around you. A wool blanket thrown carelessly over your laps, resting your head on his shoulder and watching the snow start to fall, swirling around and whipping through the cool air.

Humming, you maneuver your head to rest your chin on his shoulder looking up at him and admiring his features, his nose and cheeks were a rosy red from the cold making him look a bit like a blushing Rudolph. The cold didn’t seem to bother 10k much though as he watched out for passing Z’s, his trusty rifle propped up against his thigh.

A small clump of snowflakes lands directly on the tip of 10k’s nose, making his face scrunch up, his eyes cross to look at the attacking snow. You chuckle at the face he makes and wrap the blanket tighter around you, a shiver running down your spine.
The cold metal on the back of the trucks cab against you doesn’t do much for warmth "I really wish I had some hot coco right now, it’s freezing.“

10k turned his attention to you, looking down with a small smile tugging at his lips when he sees cozily you snuggled up to his side.

You can’t help but notice that the rosy color of his cheeks made him look even cuter, if possible. You reached up, tugging his scarf up to cover his neck better. 10k smiled to himself watching you, he always felt special when you’d give him a little extra attention like that, made him feel fuzzy inside and he just couldn’t understand.

Oblivious to 10k’s staring you finish fixing his scarf and tap his redish nose, making him go cross eyed once again, before watching you and tuck your cold hands back under the blanket.

"It’s been so long since I was able to celebrate the holiday properly.” you huff, watching your breath swirl out “What was your favorite part about the holidays Tommy?” you ask looking up at him

10k focuses on readjusting his fingerless gloves a little, thinking about it for a moment “Probably picking out a Christmas tree with Pa and bringing it home.” he says in a wistful tone before looking back at you and grinning “That and Ma’s cooking, you would’ve loved it”

10k loved his new family (minus Murphy of course), but being with his family is something he’d always miss.
He sighed looking at the overcasted skies, he’d always thought everything looked pretty covered in snow, but without somewhere warm the stay he wish he could forgo the winter weather. He also recalled  the memories of curling up in front of the fireplace and listening to Pa tell stories, it was probably one of his favorite things about winter. He wouldn’t want to go back and leave you though, even if he could.

You’re his best friend and mean more than life to him, resting his head back against the window he smiles, Ma would’ve loved to meet you.

You yawned, resting your head on 10k’s shoulder once again, taking him out of his thoughts "Tell me about your Christmas’s Tommy? I bet they were wonderful" you said sleepily while wrapping your arm around his torso, nuzzling against his arm.

Smiling down at your half asleep form, 10k hesitantly wrapped one of his arms around your shoulder “Well,” he started, shuffling slightly into a more comfortable position "we’d always have a nice tree, and Ma would get up early and make us a real big feast…“

{Time skip because you fell asleep listening to Tommy’s story telling, how rude tsk tsk}

Waking up from your little nap do to the truck stopping you stretch in the bed of the truck looking around at the scenery while Murphy finished his business on one of your millionth stops. If he didn’t take so many bathroom breaks you’d probably have reached California a month ago and not be freezing your asses off in wherever this is.

Looking around the sky, what you could see of it through the clouds, was already starting to turn dark even though it probably wasn’t very late yet, the grass was starting to lose it’s color and turn yellow, leaves falling from trees but at least the snow hadn’t stuck to the ground yet.

Your gaze shifted from the sky to the tree line, eyes widening seeing some familiar looking clumps of green hanging on a tree, it couldn’t be. Could it? I mean, what are the odds. But nevertheless you jump out of the truck and  run over to the shortest tree, glancing up to see small white berries n the leaves. Sure enough it is.

You pull out your pocket knife, flicking it open and tug down the lowest branch (or climb the tree, I don’t know what size trees they grow on…) and cut off a small clump of the plant, grinning to yourself and stuffing it in your satchel before jogging back towards the truck. Your luck was amazing today.

Hopping back in the bed of the truck when you hear Warren shout that it’s time to move out. You sit against the opposite side as 10k, "Look what I found!” you exclaim happily before pulling out the mistletoe to show him, putting it in the palm of your hand

“What that?” he asked looking at the plant like a confused puppy, you can barely stop yourself from letting out an ‘awwww’ at the sight

Pushing your thoughts of his adorableness to the back of your mind for later, you hold up the plant for him to see better “10k, it’s mistletoe”

But that didn’t seem to help him very much, he still stared at it, his head cocked like a curious pup “10k you do know what mistletoe is right?” you asked him, there was no way he didn’t know about mistletoe, is there?“

You laugh when he shakes his head no, this’ll be fun "It’s a Christmas plant, you hang it in doorways and stuff and whoever stands under it together has to kiss” he furrows his brows looking at the plant “Why?”

You set the plant down back in your bag for safe keeping “Well, it’s tradition” you shrug your shoulders, now actually wondering why people kiss under mistletoes yourself.
You’ll have to ask Addy about it later, you decide.

{Time skip brought to you by talking Aliens and sasquatches with 10k}

taking a deep breath of the cool wintery air you nudge 10k’s shoulder, who still had a watchful eye out for any z’s you might drive past “Hey 10k?” you say getting his attention before holding the small clump of mistletoe above the two of you

“Merry whatever day it is 10k” you tug his shirt making his chapped lips crash into yours, surprising him and momentarily leaving him stunned before his mind clicks at what’s happening and gently returning your kiss. 10k lets out a little wine as you pull away before opening his eyes

“I like mistletoe” he says breathlessly making you laugh, “Me too, Tommy” you whisper leaning in smiling to kiss him again

“It’s a Christmas miracle!” Doc shouted starring at the still lip-locked pair as the snow began to fall and get stuck in their hair making the scene even more Christmas like. Addy leaned against the seats watching out the back window “Well aren’t they just adorable” she cooed happily

“Well yippee. Can we get going now? mission to save the human race and all that jazz” Murphy grumbled turning around in his seat so he didn’t have to watch the happy love birds.

@writingsofawaywardnerd