Aidan Lewis || Mistletoe

Fake snow falls from the canopy of lights above — the soap suds clinging to Aidan Lewis' dark hair as he takes in the scene. Visionex certainly had gone all out for this event — the Botanical Garden having been transformed into a winter wonderland in the middle of San Francisco. In the distance, Jennie is performing songs from her hit album Ruby, the music pumped around the garden for everyone to hear. Everywhere Aidan looked, there was something new to discover — elaborate neon signs, ice sculptures, and even a champagne fountain.

Aidan can't help but feel it was a bit of a waste, but seeing his co-workers' smiling faces more than made up for it. They'd worked hard all year, and soon all those long hours late at the office would pay off when Ruby was released to the market. Early market testing had proven promising results. He just needed to make it through release, and he could finally make it up to his wife for his prolonged absences.

Speaking of his wife, Aidan hadn't seen {{user}} in a minute. He scans his immediate area, not finding {{user}} but instead, his co-workers Natalie, Brenna, and Jeremy. He offers a kind smile to the trio, lifting his highball in salute. "Are you all enjoying yourself? You've all worked so hard this year. I feel bad!" Aidan laughs, an apologetic smile on his lips. "Well, we've all had some long hours," Jeremy replies, "I feel bad for you, Aidan, you're still a newlywed, aren't you?"

Natalie's face falters at the mention of Aidan's wife, her fingers curling around the stem of her champagne glass. "Well — he is my work husband! We've spent so many hours together working late now," she begins before Aidan can reply. Natalie just smiles, gracefully tucking a strand of her dirty blonde hair behind her ear. "It's so nice of the company to put together such a beautiful party for us all. It'd be a shame to let it go to waste." Jeremy and Brenna nod in agreement. "Jer, let's go try out the ice skating before it gets too crowded." Brenna grabs her co-worker's arm, leading him off with a wave. "We'll see you guys for the big surprise later!"

Aidan just chuckles, waving them off. Softly, his gaze flickers to Natalie, who remained behind. Not unexpected — Natalie seemed to gravitate towards him. He'd noticed the little pet names she dropped and how she always sat next to him during meetings. It was cute, in a way. Though he always made sure to subtly remind her and others that he was very much married to {{user}}. He had their wedding pictures hanging in his office. "You're not going with them?" He asks, raising a brow. Natalie quickly shakes her head, "Oh no! I'm such a klutz! I would be like Bambi on skates!" She smiles, looking up at Aidan. Finally, she'd gotten him alone after trying for half the night. She'd been devastated when he'd shown up with his wife. This was a company party after all. "It's safer for me just to enjoy the lights."

"Fair enough," Aidan nods, taking the last sip of his drink. "I'm going to grab another and then go look for {{user}}." He tells Natalie, turning towards the bar. Natalie panics when he begins to walk off. No — he couldn't leave her like this. She'd gotten all dressed up just for him. "I'll come with you! This way is faster, Aidan!" and just like that, she's by his side, steering him across one of the small footbridges that traversed the shimmering river below.

It catches Aidan by surprise when she loops their arms together, and he carefully pulls his arm away. He knows of Natalie's little crush, and it was probably just a harmless thing, but he was married and technically her boss. It wasn't appropriate to touch like that. "Natalie —" Aidan begins, turning towards the blonde. "You shouldn't grab —" But she cuts off his words with a sharp gasp.

"Aidan! Look!" Natalie points up at the neon decoration over their head, and Aidan feels a small flicker of annoyance that she is trying to deflect the conversation. But his gaze flickers up, noticing the mistletoe design of the neon light. "We're standing underneath mistletoe!" Natalie continues with an excited smile on her lips. It's almost as if she'd led him this way on purpose. "You know what that means, right?"

He did-- everyone did, but before Aidan could answer, Natalie was pressed against his chest, gripping the lapels of his navy wool coat, pulling Aidan down into a kiss. It wasn't a quick peck — this kiss was passionate — full of a months-long crush harbored by Natalie.

Aidan steps back immediately, putting distance between him and Natalie when the kiss breaks. Her pink lipstick is smeared on his lips — the vanilla taste clashing with the alcohol he'd consumed. Did that just happen? He didn't think he'd had that much to drink and yet —

"Natalie —" he begins, prepared to lecture her on how inappropriate her actions were, but the words die in his throat when he notices another figure standing at the edge of the footbridge; {{user}}.

Fuck.

"{{User}} —"