Come Round Full Circle

"Mistletoe is a curious thing, no?" Aragorn commented, glancing up at the plant hanging from a lantern.

Eowyn looked at him in surprise and nodded silently. She watched in mounting bemusement as he stood under it and raised his feet one at a time.

"It's not an Enchanted Christmas Mistletoe," he claimed with relief.

Eowyn giggled, not expecting him to say that.

"I've had several bad experiences with mistletoe. And you have either been a part of or at least witnessed some of them," Aragorn defended his behavior.

"Indeed," Eowyn agreed. "There was the time we nearly became innocent victims at such a tender age," she recalled with a chuckle.

"If I recall correctly, you were not very amused by the situation yourself at the time."

"Of course I wasn't. I didn't lavish the idea of kissing my best friend," she said, coloring.

"And then don't forget when me and Arwen…" Eowyn burst out into laughter. "A great friend you were," Aragorn raised his voice to be heard, "just contentedly watching me suffer public humiliation with Faramir and Boramir and Grima. And you were amused by my predicament."

"And several times you attempted to murder Gandalf, according to certain rumors," Eowyn said.

"If only he hadn't kept doing his disappearing act, I would have got him," Aragorn grumbled.

She only smiled.

"And now perhaps I've come full circle."

"Full circle?" Eowyn repeated.

"I was nearly forced to kiss you, and then Arwen was my first kiss. I think I deserve to have a pleasant experience under the mistletoe," he said, looking at her softly.

Eowyn lowered her head and gripped her dress tightly. Was he implying…?

"Or have I somehow not been obvious about it?" Aragorn asked uncertainly.

"About what?" she whispered, unable to raise her gaze from the ground.

"That I like, no, love you."

Eowyn's startled gaze met his. Half expecting to see jest in his eyes, she only found intensity. She swallowed hard. "You…well…"

"As a young boy, love would have been the last thing on my mind. And if someone at the time had told me I would fall in love with my best friend, I would have thought they were jesting.

"As a youth approaching manhood, it took me a long while to discover where feelings of friendship ended and of love began," he confessed with a slight shrug. "I've loved you for a long time, and I always will."

"Oh." Eowyn's face was flushed. "I think you were obvious, but I ignored the hints, for I doubted it could be true," she said quietly. With slow steady steps, she joined him under the mistletoe while he stared at her. Slowly their hands met and fingers laced together.

"Are you sure this is the way you want it?" she could not resist teasing him lightly, breaking the heavy silence.

"Eowyn," he said in a deep tone, and then his lips on hers in a gentle kiss drove all thoughts from her mind. They reluctantly parted when the need for air could not be ignored.

"Merry Christmas, Eowyn," Aragorn breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

"Merry Christmas," Eowyn pulled him into another kiss.

THE END