All Rory could really think of all day Sunday was the calm before the storm. Her family would descend upon them the next day, and so Rory was truly savoring every quiet moment she and Maris had. Her own house was decorated, a whole theme of reds and pinks and silver and white because -- well, that was just what spoke to her this year. Her fresh tree had taken some maneuvering to get up and set just right, but decorating it was half the fun. She'd saved it for the two of them, a task done over several days. She still had a couple boxes of ornaments to put on the tree, but it wasn't overcrowded.

"You know when I was a kid, we had so many ornaments we piled onto our tree, I sometimes wonder how it even stood up to all of them." She chuckled as she opened an old box of ones she had kept from her childhood. Her mom allowed Rory and her sister to pick through her boxes over the years, and she liked to think that she had cultivated quite the charming collection. Most were delicate, so she would put them towards the top where her little fur monsters (and human baby monsters) would get at them.

The difference between this Christmas and any of the others she'd ever had really, was palpable. Even her first holiday time with Maris didn't feel quite like this. This felt like home, the two of them. She loved the idea of getting to see part of her own history that had always gone by the wayside, and was anxiously awaiting celebrating the first night of Hanukkah with her girlfriend. The popping of a log in her fire startled her a little bit, mostly because she was busy concentrating on whether that branch had an ornament too close to another one. Oh well.

It didn't take much for her to find her girlfriend a distraction, her arms coming around her waist and pressing her chest into her back as soon as she did. "You're warm." She murmured softly into her neck, pressing a soft kiss to the side of it. "Do you want to do the tree or the menorah first? Oh!" She remembered suddenly, laughing a little at herself when she hugged her a little tighter. "I bought stuff for proper hot chocolate, and some Bailey's if we feel like it."

While Maris had gotten her white tree with black plaid ribbon, she still wasn't entirely happy with the look of it. There was no denying the plain, round glass ornaments she'd gotten in those same colors suited the simple, clean aesthetic she favored, but Maris was hoping for ornaments with a little more character in the years to come, decorations with stories like Rory's.

She was warm, thanks in no small part to the sweatshirt she was wearing. Pithy slogans on clothing really weren't her thing, but her shirt about not wanting to venture into the great, cold, people filled outdoors was nothing if not peak Maris and Rory wasn't the only one hoping to savor every last second of alone time before her girlfriend's house got fuller too.

"Oh, proper hot chocolate, what's that?" she purred. "Do we have to drink it pinky up wearing monocles?"

But as she turned in Rory's arms, it was clear from the look on her face she was only teasing. "But Bailey's sounds nice. I have Manischewitz so we've got all our holiday booze bases covered."

She gave Rory a quick kiss. "Tree? I was going to try and do latkes and they're always better straight out of the pan so... besides, we've got a while before sundown."

Her teeth sank into her lower lip. "But I actually have a Hanukkah present for you and I kind of think I should give it to you now."

Rory really hadn't anticipated how much Maris' holiday spirit, no matter which holiday was in question at the time, would egg on her own. Rory was practically bouncing around giddy by the time she'd put her tree up, more so than she had been in years previous. Getting to celebrate their holidays together was one thing, and a big thing, but the more they talked about it, the more Rory became absolutely certain that they were simply going to be creating traditions together. Traditions maybe they'd pass on some day.

"None of that powdered bullshit." She chuckled, rubbing her thumb against Maris' stomach as she nodded. "Yes. It'd help if we had mustaches to twirl too, but..." As Maris turned to her, Rory made a point to brush her fingertips against her lips. "I think we can make do without."

"Ooh look at us. Don't let me get trashed, I'll be useless to everyone tomorrow." She smiled into the kiss, nodding a little as she savored those few seconds of warmth that hit her every single time their lips met - even if just in a chaste one like that one. "I am at your complete disposal for latke help, but until then. Tree."

"Wait...really?" She beamed, circling her arms around Maris and kissing her quickly again. "I almost just asked what it was, but I realize that negates the entirety of a present." She laughed, gesturing with one hand before she reluctantly let her go. "I'm too excited, huh?"

"No, you're cute," Maris assured her, punctuating her statement with one last kiss before dashing off to her bedroom. "It might actually be blasphemous to call this a Hanukkah present, but it's a present and I kind of have to give it to you now so you actually get a chance to use it."

She handed Rory a small box wrapped in shiny silver paper. An ornament personalized with her girlfriend's three favorite books was inside.

"I was looking for things for my tree and ended up with something for yours," she said with a grin as Rory pulled it out of the box.

"You're so biased." Rory grinned, biting her lower lip as she watched Maris disappear out of the room. "Okay now you're really selling it, babe!" She called after her, still grinning wide when Maris returned to her. It was her turn to give her a quick kiss this time.

"Thank you," She said before even opening it, that silly anticipation settling in as she started to peel away at the paper. What she found inside earned an even bigger grin than the one she'd had. "Oh, babe I love it." She sounded in awe, even for such a sweet present. It was one of those ones that just drove home how well Maris knew her.

"It's so perfect." She smiled softly, gazing at the other woman for a moment before she leaned in and pressed her lips to hers for an unhurried, languid kind of kiss. "You want to do the honors?" She managed to say once she'd pulled back, nodding towards the tree and dangling the darling ornament out for Maris.

Maris smiled, pleased Rory seemed to like it. "Hopefully I got the books right."

She choose a spot toward the middle of the tree so her girlfriend's new ornament could be on prominent display then made a bit of a face as she saw the box full the ones that still needed to be placed. "Yeah, this needs a little something."

Christmas music wasn't really Maris' thing. Jewishness aside, it was always a bit too...cloying for her taste and quickly wore out it's welcome when it was played earlier and earlier with each passing year, but there were occasions where it added a certain something. Like when you were wrapping presents or decorating your tree.

She smiled a little when Rocking Around The Christmas Tree came on and her smile only widened as she grabbed Rory's hands to pull her in closer. "Ooh, a little too fitting. Someone must be spying on us," she said before playfully starting to swing her around.

"It's perfect." She beamed, stealing one more kiss as she said it. Rory then took a step back, watching Maris look for the perfect spot on the tree. She loved watching her get excited about things, especially things that did mean a lot to her.

Holidays had become an even bigger thing for the Berlanti women after her father left, which was mostly her mother overcompensating, but had started their deep love of the holidays. Her family was excited for a white Christmas, as the most they tended to get out in California was maybe a downpour of rain. But mostly this year, Rory was looking forward to her family all melding together. She couldn't wait to share more of her life with Maris, and set the stage for the rest of their lives.

"We should really tell all of our devices to stop listening to us." She laughed, grabbing Maris' hand and moving along to the ridiculous yet festive song. Her arm came around Maris' waist, holding her in close as she sort of dance/swung/swayed with her. She felt entirely unwilling to put any more space between them than necessary. "I'm so happy." She said kind of breathlessly, as though it were a revelation and not written all over her face. Rather than completely waxing poetic, Rory just leaned in and stole a kiss from Maris' lips, still smiling into the kiss.

Rory's confession stopped Maris' heart, if only for a moment. It was plain to see her girlfriend was happy, but there was something about hearing it aloud that struck her hard because it was honestly all she really wanted.

No matter how great things were going, no matter how many plans they'd made, Maris had never really forgotten the steps they'd taken to get to this point, or the dark period they'd spent apart. She hadn't forgotten Rory had given up a whole other life to start one with her.

Well, maybe resume was a better term, but... she knew things hadn't always been rosy. She liked knowing that they really were in the past and weren't being dwelt on for long.

Making her happy made Maris happy too, the happiest really, which is why she found herself grinning too, her kisses turning tender because in moments like these she felt like her heart was going to burst right out of her chest.

"I love you so much," she murmured, kissing Rory's forehead, her nose, her lips, her cheeks. The song changed to some dreary, solemn carol about baby Jesus that Maris didn't actually know the words to, but she stayed where she was, swaying with Rory in an almost slow dance because the words didn't matter.

She just wanted to stay and be close.

Every day, one way or another, Rory told Maris that she loved her. Whether it was with a quick parting kiss and a promise to return after work, or in the throes of intensely passionate moments, or just sitting together reading and thinking of nothing else but their future together - the love she had for this woman was never far from her mind, nor off her lips for very long. She had her deep moments of mush, but didn't often wax poetic about just how much she loved Maris. Her love language was showing even more than saying.

But she couldn't deny how good it was to hear it coming from her lover. Rory never doubted Maris' love for her, not since they'd come together again. After years of distrusting herself and how she felt about other people (even in the darkest of times, worrying if she had simply fooled herself into believing her love with Maris could possibly have been as deeply felt as it was), it just felt good to know that they were here, together and madly in love. She'd never stopped, and never would.

Rory beamed at the way Maris smiled at her, her lips only softening from that smile in favor of kissing her properly, deeply but just meant to be that. So much could be conveyed between the way they kissed each other.

"I know you do." She answered quietly, like it was a secret kept by just the two of them. Rory clung tightly to her, swaying softly with the music. She didn't even care that she didn't know what the song was - hell it could have been some upbeat thing at this point. No, she just wanted to be in her arms and feel how good it was to be in love like this. "I love you, Maris." She said as if it were a new thought, tilting her head back just enough to catch her eyes. "All my vocabulary is lost on the actual way to describe it." She chuckled softly. "I can't wait for thousands more holidays with you. Even if ... Oh. Oh no." Rory winced a little dramatically, but still kept her close. "I didn't warn you ... mom gives us new pajamas on Christmas Eve."

"What?" Maris said through a laugh. "Why would you warn me about your mom getting you adorable new pjs?" She made a bit of a face. "Wait, she's not getting me any, is she?"

The music switched. Maris didn't particularly like Adam Sandler or the Hanukkah song, but she had to admit it made her feel happy to hear something directed towards her on the radio growing up. And it did remind her that they still had more to do.

"Crap, it's sundown already," she said after a quick glance out the window. Maris reluctantly let go of Rory, then walked over to her tote for the wooden, velvet lined box that held her menorah and everything else they'd need for Hanukkah.

"Did you sort out where you want to put it?"

Rory had to bite down on her lower lip as she laughed, shrugging her shoulders in some futile attempt to feign innocence. "Yes." She finally admitted, kissing Maris quickly on the lips. "Yes of course she is. She asked me for your size." Did she give up that information easily? Well of course she did.

When the song changed, Rory chuckled a bit at the song change and reluctantly let go of her girlfriend. As much as she wanted to just hold her close and live in the warm feeling with Maris, she did want to dive into their other plans.

Stepping away from the tree, Rory's face held a smile as she watched Maris get ready. "Oh that's beautiful." She said, peering over her girlfriend's shoulder to look at the menorah. "It needs to go in the window, right? I'd love it in the front one, here?" She loved the idea that from the street, you'd be able to see both the tree and the menorah shining together. "Maybe on the higher windowsill so the cats don't get curious when the candles are lit."

Maris didn't have time to dread wearing some garish Christmas pjs with cartoon reindeer or snowmen. At the very least they'd probably be red or green and thus not her color.

Now that the sun had gone down she was a woman on a mission, though she was a bit nervous to go through the motions of Hanukkah since it involved a fair bit of Hebrew, something that was also outside her comfort zone despite the years she'd spent learning it.

Even if her father hadn't insisted on extra lessons on top of the ones she needed to get through her bat mitzvah properly, Maris probably would have had the prayers needed for the candle lighting memorized after hearing them throughout her childhood but she had never really been the one saying them before. Her grandfather had always been the one to do it and she couldn't help but feel a bit of a pang at his absence as she lifted his menorah out of the box.

"This was my grandparents'," she whispered almost reverently. "My dad said they got it as a wedding present and I'm actually kind of bummed we never used it growing up? We used my dad's which was honestly just a plain candle holder looking thing. I didn't even know my grandpa had this one."

Maris figured her grandparents' menorah stayed packed away because it was elaborate and therefore a bit more delicate than her father's. It seemed...special in a way her childhood one hadn't been and not just because it was an older heirloom.

One she'd probably share with her kids someday. She smiled a little at the notion and got out her candles once she put it in the window. She'd gone with blue and silver to match the menorah's design.

She pointed at the blue seeds scattered around the base. "See? Pomegranate seeds. Lots of menorahs are shaped like trees but pomegranates are really special in Judaism because they're supposed to have 613 seeds and the Torah has 613 commandments. And they're supposed to mean abundance so... sort of fitting for Hanukkah, right?" Her lips twitched a little. "There's also this thing about fertility so that's probably why they got this one as a wedding present."

While her mother usually did have quite good taste in fashion, she was also highly excitable -- especially around the holidays. There was no telling what Evelyn Berlanti would show up with when she arrived in another day.

But that was for another time - right now, Rory was about to burst out of her skin with anticipation of what Maris was going to guide her through. Maybe she'd had some proper Hanukkah nights when she was really little, but nothing that she could actually remember. She always associated this part of her with her less than pleasant memories and feelings of her father. At present, that was the farthest thing from her mind. This was her family, what she and Maris were building together was stronger than anything she'd ever felt before.

"I love it." Her voice was quiet as though she was afraid speaking too loud would shatter the thing. She reached over and brushed her fingers delicately over the intricate work, smiling as Maris told her the significance of the piece.

"Oh really?" She said, drawing her hand away and letting it rest on the small of her back. "Maybe we'll have to bring it out at non-holiday times when we need a little boost," She chuckled, dropping a kiss to Maris' shoulder before she moved over to lean on the armrest of her couch. "So where should we be doing this?"

Maris smiled. "I better not touch it too much, huh? Can't have me getting pregnant," she joked.

"But no, here is good and don't worry about the cats too much. The candles only need to burn for a half hour so we'll put them out before bed anyway."

She opened up her box candles, pulling out one before nodding toward the slot in the very center of the menorah. "So we can't use the candles to light one another." She lowered her voice. "There are lots of rules, be prepared." She raised it again, sounding an awful lot like she used to when teaching her students a lesson. "We only light them with the shamash, the middle candle. Which is why there are nine slots for candles, not eight. So there's a place for the smamash."

She put a candle in the slot at the far end of the menorah, then paused, her lighter halfway to the smamash, not ready to go yet.

"Now comes the blessings and I told you, my Hebrew's shitty because I was taught by an evil rabbi who liked to crush the souls of tiny Jewish girls but here goes."

Maris took a deep breath. Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner Hanukkah. She turned to Rory, figuring she should probably explain what she just said, like her dad and grandfather had to her when she was small. It was probably no surprise that curious, headstrong young Maris asked a lot of questions.

"So this is basically for god. Telling him that we honor him and are lighting these candles for him because the commandments say we should light the Hannukah lights."

Maris wasn't religious, but she did feel a bit of a thrill as she continued. She may not have believed the way most of her family had, but reciting the same words members of her family had for centuries made her feel close to them. Powerful. Lucky to be part of a culture with so much history and so many great stories. She felt almost honored that Rory wanted her help to tap into that too.

For the first time, she realized she'd sort of done something her family had always teased her about.

She'd found a nice Jewish girl.

Although her aunt Ramona still hadn't quite given up hope she'd find a nice Jewish boy.

She started up again.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, she'asa nisim la'avoteinu ba'yamim ha'heim ba'z'man ha'ze.

She shook her head a little. "So many barukhs! Okay so we basically just thanked god for the miracle he performed for her ancestors. That one's pretty easy. One more. I actually think this one is really powerful but it's also really long so..." She smiled. "I'll try to actually translate it because its pretty hardcore?"

Hanneirot hallalu anu madlikin 'al hannissim ve'al hanniflaot 'al hatteshu'ot ve'al hammilchamot she'asita laavoteinu bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazeh 'al yedei kohanekha hakkedoshim. Vekhol-shemonat yemei Hanukkah hanneirot hallalu kodesh heim, ve-ein lanu reshut lehishtammesh baheim ella lir'otam bilvad kedei lehodot ul'halleil leshimcha haggadol 'al nissekha ve'al nifleotekha ve'al yeshu'otekha.

She smiled. "Okay, so now we get to the battles and good stuff. It means: We kindle these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to your great name for your miracles, your wonders and your salvations."

She flicked her lighter and used the middle candle to light the first. "So basically, these candles are holy. We can't use them for anything but to honor you because you're amazing and we need to remember all that we've been through."

The candle caught and she grinned. "See? I really am a sucker for history. And now... I get to make this place smell like a french fry factory. You in?"

"With how much we're on each other, I wouldn't put it past a Hanukkah miracle." She laughed, moving over to a better spot so she could fully take in the whole of the scene Maris was setting before her.

Rory stood with Maris, listening carefully and watching with a kind of enraptured attention she rarely gave something so fully. There was indeed a kind of reverence in the room, which she hadn't anticipated she would feel so palpably. She listened to everything Maris said, and felt as though she were connecting to something she really hadn't realized she was missing.

Rory hadn't grown up particularly religious, despite her mother trying to get them to go to church for a few years when they were younger. Part of that finding a village for a single mother, probably. When Rory was a teenager, her logical-brain sort of came forward, though she did believe in something so she couldn't exactly call herself an atheist, she stuck to a more agnostic label if she had to. Much more of a faith instead of religion because - well, religion seemed to be man made and fallible. What Maris was giving her right now felt like she was connecting to some lost part of herself, not so much the religious depths, but rather the history that came with learning more about a part of herself she didn't put a lot of thought into.

As Maris explained each verse and then moved onto the next one, Rory found herself overcome with a swelling emotion in her chest. Her throat felt tight and her eyes welled up some, but she kept quiet, not wanting to ruin a second of this due to her being totally ridiculous and emotional. But it was a special moment. She felt it, and couldn't help but think that as they were putting to action new traditions, that some day they'd share with their children. For a second, she allowed her mind to wander on that path, where Maris might lead them in a moment like this one while Rory sat with a little one squirming in her lap.

God, how could she have ever pictured any sort of life that didn't include a forever with this woman? Thankfully, she'd never have to go to that space again.

"I love this." She said quietly when Maris addressed her, a soft smile on her lips as she watched Maris light the candles. "I honestly didn't know what this would be like. You really don't disappoint." She grinned wider, biting at her lower lip and nodding. "I'm absolutely in."

"Good! Because we have to do the same thing for every candle every night."

Eight nights of the same ritual could get a bit repetitive. Teenage Maris eventually had her own not so spiritual awakening and realized Hanukkah didn't mean quite as much to her as it did to her devout father and grandfather but as awful as it sounded, presents could cure all manner of boredom and since her family usually saved the biggest and best ones for the first and last nights, she'd always had something to look forward to.

Of course, food helped too. And what could be better than a holiday where you were encouraged to eat greasy things like latkes and doughnuts? Not to mention countless gold coins, no matter how waxy and cheap the chocolate was underneath the foil.

"I'm gonna try and be Gordon Ramsey this year," she said gesturing for Rory to come closer after she put a frying pan on the burner so the oil could heat up. She gave Rory a quick kiss before starting to shred some potatoes with a grater. "There's a big debate over whether to smash your potatoes or shred them. You shred them and don't you let anyone tell you different. Anyway, I'm thinking we add a little shredded cheese in too? Sort of a loaded potato skin thing happening. What do you think?"

It had technically been Rory's idea. Maris had been inspired by the potato skins they'd ordered the night before her birthday. She knew they were one of Rory's favorites and she wanted to make Hanukkah extra special for her.

Once she got her latkes frying, Maris rushed over to the fridge to pull out a bottle of wine. "For the record, all Manischewitz is terrible and I'm really bummed the store didn't have the cherry because its the only good flavor but it's kosher so!" She poured them two glasses and raised one to Rory. "L'chaim!" she said with a grin.

"Oh good, I can't wait for it." Rory said genuinely, still grinning wide at the idea that they had all this time for them to solidify these traditions.

"Oh look at you!" She laughed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "You give me potatoes and cheese and I'm going to be the happiest woman on the planet." As if she could even peak higher than she was currently. At they toasted, she echoed "L'chaim!" With a huge grin, taking a sip of the drink -- maybe a bit too big of one. Not her fist choice, but not as bad as she thought. Okay she was never going to reach for it in a store, but it was all pat of the experience. "Thank you, Maris." She said as she slid an arm around her girlfriend and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Maris being willing to share all of this with her meant more than she could possibly say.

As they finished with the latkes, Rory led Maris back out to the tree, the fire still burning well in the fireplace. There was always this idea of idyllic Christmas pastimes that Rory had wanted when she was little, but never seemed to quite work out the way she wanted. They had their staples in the Berlanti home, but she had to give up any idea of a white Christmas - save for the one year they'd gone up to Tahoe with her cousins. She always tried really hard to stay up to catch santa when she was really young, and still could remember the year where she figured out he wasn't real. She didn't remember any big trauma, but rather her logical brain catching up with her. "You know, I remember storming into my mom's room, new PJ's and all, I think I was about eight? Seven? Whatever, and I demanded to know why anyone would think a big guy coming down the chimney was a) possible, or b) something people just readily accepted." She chuckled, reaching into her box of ornaments. "Then I got to be mom's helper with everything for my sister for a while."

She pulled out a glass ornament with snoopy sitting atop his house, packed with snow. "My grandpa gave me this one. He really loved Peanuts? Like, he had framed art of them." She handed the ornament over to Maris. "I actually have a present for you, too." She said, nodding toward a box wrapped in shiny white paper under the tree - the only one there so far.

Maris smiled at Rory's Santa story, ruffling her hair fondly. "You know, it's probably a good thing Santa wasn't a thing in my house. I probably would have been a total snot about it too. Although my dad did kind of warn me to play along for everyone else's sake at school."

Her smile only widened as she saw the Snoopy ornament. "I've always liked Snoopy. The Christmas special actually helped me understand the nativity story better since Jesus? Also not a thing in my house."

She put Snoopy toward the center of the tree. Only a few branches away from the ornament she'd just given Rory, it looked like Snoopy was checking out the stack of books.

Pleasantly full from possibly too many latkes because they really were better with cheese, Maris moved slowly before scooping up her present. "Thank you." She let out a laugh as she held up the stocking. "Black, plaid so therefore gay. I think you nailed it, darling." She kissed her before continuing. "Don't we have to hang this somewhere so Santa can give me an orange or something?"

Rory playfully swatted at Maris' hand as she ruffled her hair, grinning all the while as she made a show of "fixing" it, when really all she did was tug her fingers through it once. "But you totally had a superiority mood about it, knowing that he wasn't real long before the others, didn't you?" Rory teased fondly, picturing little Maris and, because she couldn't help herself, imagining how much of Maris would be in their future kids. A lot, she hoped.

"Oh you would have got along well." Rory smiled, sifting through the tissue paper until she pulled out another glass ornament - this one of two little girls that really didn't look a thing like Rory and her sister, but her weird aunt had given it to them and it always made them laugh.

"I really like to think I know you pretty well." She winked, leaning into the kiss for an extra moment before sitting on the couch to dig back into her box of ornaments. "Mmhm. And mom always puts a butterfinger in the stockings ... I honestly don't know why. I think it was always her favorite? Usually Berlanti staples are an orange, a butterfinger, and a new toothbrush. So prepare yourself, it's gonna be a treat." She grinned, handing Maris another ornament - this time a little snow globe type one with the golden gate bridge inside of it. "I really do need to take you to California soon, I think your body will appreciate the lack of sub-zero temperatures."

"Oh, of course I was a smug little asshole about it," she said with a grin. Rory really did know her all too well.

She raised an eyebrow. It seemed like a very random assortment of stocking stuffers, but the more she thought about it...

"Oh, so the toothbrush is to get that sticky peanut butter stuff off your teeth?" she joked

Maris hung the ornament she'd been given, doing her best to stay away from the middle this time around. She may not have decorated very many trees in her lifetime, but she was beginning to realize even ornament distribution was key.

"God, can we?" she groaned. "I swear, it was so chilly in here the other day I was considering wearing gloves indoors. The real kicker is I actually had something to type but considering my hands were colder than Elsa's..."

She joined Rory on the sofa, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Would be nice to see you show these again. I got kinda sad when your tank tops went into hiding."

"Oh I am picturing it now. I love that smug little asshole." She said with a laugh, kissing the crown of her head a moment later.

"Basically yes. I think those were always the staples. And the pj's. I begged mom not to get really ridiculous and matching ones but ... we'll see what she actually does. She can be stubborn herself." Rory at least wasn't entirely worried that her mother would end up embarrassing her or anything like that. Maybe when she was younger or even during the first time they were together, but now Rory just figured they could laugh about whatever antics her family brought with them.

"You know you can crank the heater in here, right?" Not that it was a foolproof thing. She'd noticed her first winter in Maine that the cold could permeate the walls of her house too easily, and her heater only did so much on those bitterly cold days. How a girl from California ended up here was still a mystery.

"I do miss our various states of undress that summer and sunshine bring."" She said with a little smile, bowing her head to kiss Maris' shoulder before sliding her arm around her. "The bonus of being cold is really having the excuse to be so close, but we never really need one, huh?" She smirked, giving her shirt a little tug as she scooted in just a little closer. "Are you ready for the Berlanti family to descend upon our quiet?"

"I do!" Maris said a bit defensively. "It's just that the heater doesn't do much when it's 12 degrees out." She figured it was probably best not to mention that she sometimes forgot she had a fireplace at her disposal these days, further proof that she wasn't quite as used to Maine and her new abode as she would have liked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she said with a slightly weak smile. Maris knew she probably shouldn't be nervous. She'd met Rory's family before, after all and believed Rory when she said her mother liked her because that had been her impression too, but a lot could change over the course of a few years. Maris wouldn't have been surprised if Rory's mom didn't remember much about her at all, or if she didn't like the current version existing in the here and now.

The version that had been instrumental in causing Rory to call off her wedding. Even if her girlfriend assured her that her mom didn't know everything, Maris couldn't help but feel paranoid. It didn't even matter if Rory's mom figured out the circumstances of the break up at all. There was always a chance she simply liked Jess better.

It was important this went well. Maris couldn't help but feel like it would be an indicator of what was to come and if she could really have what she wanted now that they were together again.

She dropped a kiss on Rory's shoulder. "It's just going to be hard to keep my hands to myself after so many days of... well, let's just go with hedonism. I think hedonism covers it, don't you?"

"Okay that's fair." She conceded with a smile, figuring it was always better when the two of them were together and had plenty of means of staying warm. Rory dealt with more heat waves growing up in California, but most of the time it really was a great place to be. New England, Maine specifically, had the bitterest of both extremes. It made Rory wonder all the more where they might end up, how they might make a home together in some new place that suited them both. It felt right. She did love her job, and had when she started it too, but what she'd lost because of it would never be worth it to her. She and Maris had found each other again, and she was not about to lose even a moment with her.

Rory smiled softly, rubbing her hand over Maris' shoulder and giving her a little squeeze. "It's going to be great." She assured, and actually was far less worried than she was going off to see Maris' family for Thanksgiving. She knew that there were a lot of circumstances around this that might make their families side-eye in their direction. But Rory knew that even if any of that lingered with her family, they'd see how happy she was, how different she was within two minutes. She didn't hide any part of herself with Maris, or feel like her light needed to be reduced just to help her girlfriend shine. They were true partners.

"Oh I know. Hedonism is my favorite where you're concerned." She grinned, leaning over to steal a kiss. Rory pecked at her lips softly, but kissed her again, slower, more deeply than before. "Do you think we can keep quiet the night they're here? Maybe we can go a whole night without touching each other..." She dramatically scowled a little bit, shaking her head. "Maybe if we really tire ourselves out," She said as she slid her hand across Maris' lap, her hand resting against her thigh. "But even then, knowing us? Futile."

Maris watched Rory's hand slide across her thigh, then slowly met her girlfriend's gaze. "So what you're saying is we should make the most of our alone time while we can?" she murmured against her lips.

Maris leaned back, letting her head rest against the arm of the sofa as she gently tugged Rory with her. She slid her thumb down Rory's cheek, then lightly traced Rory's lips. "And I can be quiet. In theory, but... I've never really had to be with you."

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Rory agreed with a nod, enjoying the way Maris' words felt against her lips. it was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

Rory gladly, easily moved over Maris as they lay back on the couch, settling herself against Maris' hips as her lips parted to Maris' thumb. She gently nipped at her finger, shaking her head softly at that conclusion. "No, no. I never want you to be quiet. I don't know if you're aware of just how much your sounds turn me on." Of course it wasn't the first time Rory had said it or mentioned it, but she did think about them, and the memory was always vivid. "I never want you quiet when I'm inside you." She murmured against her lips, kissing her deeply as her hands worked on getting her pants undone.

Her request caused Maris' stomach to tighten. She suddenly wanted Rory inside her, which is why her hips lifted a little too eagerly to help her get her pants off.

She normally would have been in a hurry to get her girlfriend undressed too but while the urge to really, truly touch and see her with no barriers between them was still there, Maris fought against it to give her lover what she wanted.

The opportunity to hear every sound she made without others distorting them, even Rory's own.

She sighed softly into the kiss, the soft pucker of their lips brushing, meeting and teasing making a faint noise too. Even that was enough to give Maris a tiny thrill of anticipation.

"Mmm, baby...." she gasped between kisses.

It too, was a small sign that this was about to be different than the norm. Maris didn't often use endearments in the bedroom. They felt... soft and only slipped out when she was too far gone to care about coming off as some weak, kitteny pillow princess.

Tonight would be different. She wouldn't hold back a single sound or thought that ran through her brain.

"Come on, baby, fuck me," she purred, nipping at her lower lip playfully.

Rory would never get over the way even just watching the way Maris reacted to her made her feel. She always seemed so suddenly turned on by it, even if she was already well on her way leading up to the moment. Along with that at present, Rory felt exceedingly impatient.

Her hands tugged eagerly at Maris' pants, getting them off of her hips and pushed down the rest of the way. She was already feeling heat spiral through every inch of her, settling between her legs. But she had more pressing issues to contend with.

Especially, as it seemed, the words Maris spoke needled at that primal chord that seemed stronger when she was with Maris. baby, such a silly term of endearment that everyone seemed to use, and yet right now, she would give Maris absolutely anything she wanted.

"Oh you want a fuck, do you?" She murmured with a wide grin, her fingers sliding between their bodies so she could just gently begin to tease at her inner thighs, her thumb brushing just barely against her folds. She wished ... actually, wishing and action could come together as she said, "Don't move." And gave her a long, deep kiss before she was darting to her bedroom. She was trying to move too fast and ended up ripping the zipper of her pants, but, oh well.

When she emerged three minutes later (yes, she checked), her shirt was still on and halfway unbuttoned, but her pants were discarded. In its place was the harness and the strap-on she'd bought when the two of them ventured out to buy some new things. It felt similar to a night not too long ago Maris had done the same thing, but Rory always blushed when she was the one wearing it. "I don't know that you properly prepared yourself for just how good I'm gonna fuck you." She murmured, smirking as she leaned back over the couch and stole Maris' lips again in a searing kiss.

While she and Rory hadn't gotten that carried away, Maris was still impatient when she disappeared. She busied herself with taking off her sweatshirt since it was suddenly too warm thanks to Rory's kisses and touch.

She probably should have expected what happened next. They usually returned to each other as quickly as possible in moments like these, but harnesses were notoriously tricky and when Maris saw Rory wearing hers she felt a pulse between her legs. Her mouth went dry. For a moment she didn't speak but it was clear from her kiss that this was what she desperately wanted.

It was further proof this night was different. Maris had never said as much to Rory, but she had slightly less experience being fucked by a strap on than she did being the one using it. She'd always loved the slight power trip that came with fucking a woman with it, but she hadn't always been eager to be on the receiving end. She'd been choosy with who she let have that kind of power over her.

But she'd barely batted an eyelash the first time she let Rory take her, further proof that she and their relationship were something different, special.

But old habits died hard and Maris was nothing if not bossy, so when they came up for air she had a small request.

"Mmm, change of venue?" she offered. She was eager for more, but she also wanted room to maneuver and a pile of pillows and soft sheets for them to collapse into when it was all over. She knew from experience they'd be spent.

They made it to the bedroom quickly enough, though Maris couldn't resist the urge to shed her bra and panties (with a not so subtle smirk) before they made it onto the bed.

But the kisses she pressed against Rory's cheeks were surprisingly tender, a silent reassurance to relax because there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Her lips eventually found Rory's once more and soon they were kissing with the same intensity they had back on the couch, with Maris' nails lightly grazing Rory's shoulders through her shirt.

As much as this wasn't Rory's usual go-to, there truly was something powerful that she felt surge through her as she took in Maris' reaction to her. Anything that garnered that look from her girlfriend was something she should probably be putting even more energy and thought into. It wasn't that the two of them ever needed toys to get each other off, on the contrary they usually did even better without, but the sense of trust and depth in a moment like this one truly struck Rory whenever they did it.

It was encouraging to be on this side of it, the memories vividly coming back when they had first used a strap-on with each other. It made her practically salivate for the opportunity to make her girlfriend moan.

"Yes," She said breathlessly as their lips parted, grinning softly into her lover's lips before she moved off of her. A far better idea. As much as the couch had done well for them last time, their bed (whether it was locationally Rory's or Maris') was always her preferred place. Rory followed her a couple of steps behind, her gaze ever darkening as she watched her girlfriend shed her clothes to the floor. God dammit, she got to her.

As they climbed to the bed, Rory felt utterly struck by the woman who lay before her. It wasn't the first time, and she knew it wouldn't be anywhere near the last, but something about just looking at her, and the tenderness with which she kissed her churned in her heart as much as desire roiled in her gut. "I love you," She murmured against her lips, lifting her hips just enough so she could snake her hand in between their bodies. She pulled back for breath, but also to watch Maris' features as she slowly began to circle her clit with her fingers, moaning a soft sound of actual awe. "Here I was going to ask if you were ready for me. I see." She gave a breathless smirk as she slowly slid one finger inside of Maris, her tongue darting over Maris' lips as she did so.

"I'm always ready for you," she murmured back. But hearing that Rory loved her had only made her more aroused, a soft gasp escaping her lips as the other woman's fingers grazed her clit.

Rory earned herself a full on groan as she slipped inside Maris, her fingers pressing into her shoulders. She was ready for more than that. She knew the toy would slip inside her just as easily, but she was in no hurry and reveled in the kind of closeness she was used to.

She managed to catch Rory's tongue, licking it playfully as she raised her hips, then slowly ran her palm along the curve of Rory's ass.

"You sure you're ready for me?" she shot back cheekily.

"You really are, huh?" Her voice took on this timbre that was almost gravelly, a depth to it that gave away far too much of just how aroused Rory was -- not that it wasn't clearly evident already. She thrived on the sounds she made, the way her lips parted for her, the slick feel of her sex on her fingers.

Rory couldn't help the grin that split across her face, an almost out of character joyful one considering the current mood. "Oh, I'm damn sure." She said and kissed her deeply, her tongue stroking Maris'. She only pulled away for breath, but as she did, her free hand gripped the hilt of the toy between her legs. Her dark eyes watched Maris intensely as she ran the head of it along her folds, letting it get wet before she slowly began to push inside of her.

The strap-on she'd bought was one that if she angled her hips just so, sh felt it pressing against her clit. And as she sunk her hips lower, almost agonizing in how slow, she felt a shudder race up her spine. "Oh that's my girl," She purred, her hair falling over her shoulder as she held herself up to fully take in Maris' whole body, the way her hips lifted, how her chest rose and fell. "You good?" She asked because this was a rarer thing for them, but also because the adrenaline and desire that pulsed with every rapid beat of her heart made her want to pick up speed, and now. She settled as she began to just rock her hips a little, churning the toy inside her lover.

Maris gave Rory a little nod, never quite looking away from her. She knew her girlfriend was hardly some shrinking violet. There were no real, rigid power dynamics in their relationship, Rory could take control just as easily as she did.

But this Rory was different and Maris practically ached to please her. She ached to be pleased too, which is why she let a very uncharacteristic whimper as the toy teased her.

She moaned as Rory entered her, a full body shudder keenly felt by both parties when they were so close, her lips parting into a look of bliss at the sensation of being perfectly filled.

Maris had made up her mind not to hold anything back that night, but as Rory began to move, she realized she couldn't have even if she wanted to. It felt too good and Rory's primal nature was bringing out her own.

"Ah, fuck," she gasped as she started to rock her own hips, one hand sliding up to grip Rory's shoulder while the other kept hold of her ass, gripping one cheek like it could help her have some semblance of control over her lover's thrusts.

"Any... fuck, any reason why you haven't taken your shirt off yet?" she gasped, her fingers curling into the fabric underneath her fingertips.

God, she would never get used to how good it was to please Maris. Rory felt more alive then than ever when she was, when every moan she garnered from Maris sent a thrill through her.

Rory's lips curved into a bit of a cocky smile as she felt Maris shudder, her hips beginning to drive a more deliberate pace as she thrust in and out of her. Every time she drove home inside of her, she let out a little huff of a sound of her own, the sound of Maris' wet pussy driving her all the more insane with lust.

"That's it." She hummed the words, meeting Maris' rocking hips with her own. Rory was so focused on Maris that the only pleasure of her own she could focus on was the way Maris clung to her, and the slight ache from where her fingers dug into her ass. Fuck did she love that, too.

"Oh," She huffed a laugh, bowing her head a little as she slowed her pace, but never stopped in the slightest. She couldn't dream of it. "To be honest I was way more focused on you." Her words came out through short pants, as she braced herself and rocked her hips a little harder, taking a the opportunity to fuck her at a faster, harder pace for several thrusts before she slowed herself again, moaning softly as she did. "Take it off me."

Maris gasped when Rory slowed, inwardly cursing herself for bringing up her shirt since it caused a change in the rhythm that already had electricity coursing through her. But she had a reason why she wanted her lover's shirt off and she whispered it in her ear like she was sharing a very naughty secret as she worked on ridding her of it.

"I love watching your tits bounce while you fuck me," she murmured, pressing a soft line of kisses along the curve of the nearest one once she'd pushed Rory's shirt off her shoulders, tossing it across the room to parts unknown.

But there were other perks to having no barriers between them. Each brush of their skin, accidental or not, sent another jolt through Maris. Her moans and soft sighs were already increasing in volume, her hand gripping Rory's ass with more and more urgency with each passing second. Soon she wasn't trying to guide her, she was mostly trying to help drive her in deeper because even this wasn't bringing her close enough.

Her hips ached a little with their efforts. Her pussy ached for more. Her voice had gone from hoarse to breathy, but it didn't really matter. She couldn't really speak. There were no words to convey how good this and thus, she felt.

A sharp almost sob of pleasure echoed through the room, the noise that always let Rory know that Maris was close and she'd found exactly the right spot. Maris' hands slid downward so she was gripping her ass with both hands, her voice and the sounds it was making changing once again.

They were almost animistic, grunts of frustration twinged with desperation punctuated with the slap of their bodies coming together again and again.

"Rory..." she gasped. She may not have said the word please (and probably wouldn't) but it was conveyed in her tone and the way she looked at the woman above her.

For every sound that Maris made, Rory wanted to earn another one. She barely registered the shifting it took to get her shirt off, only the slight stop of her thrusts because she did have to focus enough to get it off. Whatever Maris wanted, really. But she hadn't anticipated the way Maris' words would affect her - of course she should have, and it was probably a notion she knew well the other woman loved, but it struck something all the more deeply primal within her. Knowing that even as she pleased her lover, that Maris loved watching her.

It gave her a newfound fervor as her hips picked up speed, fucking her deeply with every thrust and following the cues that Maris gave her so beautifully. She hummed her own sound of pleasure at just how harshly Maris' hands gripped her ass, which in turn made her slow her thrusts but only to deliver a handful of deep, hard thrusts. She wanted to fuck her slowly, and then she'd get mad with want and speed up, watching the way Maris took every thrust.

Oh that sound. Rory moaned in response, a sort of awestruck sigh of a sound as her dark eyes drunk in every bit of pleasure etched on Maris' face. The sounds their bodies made and their gasping breath made a kind of erotic symphony that only drove her to move better. "That's my girl," She purred her words, lowering herself so her breasts brushed against Maris', supported by her elbow next to her love. Nothing seemed to compare to the way Maris gasped her name, the plea on her lips so evident that it drove Rory crazy.

"That's it baby, come for me." She whispered against her lips, as she continued to thrust deeply, her free hand snaking between their bodies to rub her fingertips over her clit. She moaned at how wet her fingers were immediately, helping the haphazard way she ran them over her clit as she continued to thrust slow, deep thrusts into her.

The sound that got Rory to touch her may have been loud, but it was nothing compared to the one her fingertips earned when they made contact with her clit.

Pleasure hit her hard and while Maris was never shy, she also wasn't a screamer. She'd mocked actors for doing entirely too much when watching movies or shows with Rory, but there really was no other way to describe the sounds she made as the toy, her hips and her lover's fingers worked in tandem.

She never wanted the pleasure coursing through her to stop, but soon she was trembling hard enough to be a little afraid of just how intense it really was, but the second she thought it was too much, it was all over. She came hard enough to feel herself spilling all over Rory's fingers, around the toy and on the sheets.

She couldn't breathe and yet, her mouth desperately tried to find Rory's because she needed every last part of them touching, brushing, moving in perfect sync because it was hard to remember she belonged to herself right now. She suddenly understood what people meant when they felt like they were one with another person.

"Ah," she gasped, a breathy sound of pure pleasure as she kept riding the waves coursing through her. Her hips were slowing, the sweat on her brow a sign she had worked hard for this and was clearly exhausted, but her eyes were locked on Rory's as she did it. She hadn't forgotten she wasn't the only one who liked to watch and she wanted to give her a lover a show for as long as she could.

If Rory had it in her to focus on anything but the way their bodies moved together, she probably would have laughed in utter delight at the sounds that came out of Maris. As it stood, she just moaned in reply, her fingers working harder, messy in their approach but enough to get the job done, so to speak.

Rory's entire focus was on Maris, on giving her the pleasure she goddamned deserved and then some. She remembered well the kind of earth shattering orgasm Maris gave her the last time she'd used her strap-on, and she was nothing if not encouraged to be just that kind of competitive. "Oh fuck, that's it baby." She growled her words, feeling the sting of pain from where Maris gripped onto her, which just gave her a kind of heady pleasure for herself.

Rory's hips continued to thrust in those deep, hard thrusts, however slower as her breath came in ragged pants and sweat gathered on her skin. She fucked her through her orgasm, only slowing her pace to make sure Maris could enjoy every second of it. "Fuck," She gasped in awe, watching Maris come completely undone beneath her, the feel of her coating her fingers. Every single piece of it would be seared into her brain - and she wouldn't have it any other way.

She felt like heat had swallowed them hole, cocooned within each other. She tried not to collapse atop Maris, but kept her elbows against the bed as she kissed her lips slowly, rocking almost gently as they slowed down together. "You're so fucking beautiful," She murmured into her lips, her lungs burning even as she stole quick kisses. "Fucking perfect." She wasn't even making full sentences, but it didn't matter much. She lay in Maris' arms for a few seconds, catching her breath until she slowly eased the toy out of her. Rory moaned at the sound it made, a wide grin spreading over her lips as she practically tore the thing from her hips and let it fall to the floor with an emphatic thud. In the wake of all that, she didn't want a single thing between them as she let her hips rest easily against Maris'.

Rory may have been speaking (very flattering) nonsense, but for a few moments Maris couldn't say anything. She panted as she came down, letting out a tiny laugh at nothing at all. Endorphins had her giddy and so did Rory.

She focused on her more intently as her head began to stop spinning, reaching up to trace her cheek even though her fine motor skills were still a bit out of whack. The look in her eyes said something her lips didn't need to. She loved Rory. And what they had just done, as rough and beautifully violent as it had been, had made her feel loved too.

"What about you?" she murmured, her voice hoarse as she lifted her hips as much as she had the strength to, an attempt to bring them even closer together. "Do you need to come?"

Watching Maris come down, slowly, luxuriously from her orgasm had to go in top-ten of favorite things for Rory. She smiled softly, her own breathing slowly returning to normal as she gazed down at her. She brushed her fingers over her forehead, scattering away wisps of her hair that had been stuck there. Rory knew they'd have countless times just like this one, but she wanted to commit every second of it to memory, starting with that laugh.

Rory grinned, bowing her head and kissing the side of Maris' neck noisily before she was right back to looking at her. She felt so warm all over, a feeling that words couldn't entirely express hitting her in waves.

"I'm okay, besides I don't think you're in any state to help much there, my love." She laughed gently, a sound that was throaty and hoarse as she rocked her hips just a little into Maris. As wet and aroused as Rory was, her entire focus remained on Maris and every bit of pleasure she went through.