Title: A Minbari Mistletoe Tale

Author: Lynda Mayfield

Summary:  Delenn’s first mistletoe

Timeline: First year on Minbar; December, Earth time

Disclaimer: The original characters are not mine; they belong to WB ‘n’ JMS.  Any new character is mine.

Feedback:   Sure, bearing in mind this was written for fun.  My betas and I have tried to make this as grammatically pleasing as possible.

            John hung the mistletoe in the bathroom doorway, knowing that Delenn would eventually see it.  She liked to watch him wash his socks ever since he’d explained to her why.  They’d been on Minbar for three months now, and had developed a ritual of their own.  He washed his socks; she watched.

            John hadn’t really explained the concept of mistletoe to her before.  She knew about Christmas, but this was going to be his first chance to try out the plant.  It had been hard to attain, but having the Rangers based on Minbar made the problem easier to solve.

            With the mistletoe hung, he began washing his socks.  He expected Delenn to come in, but she didn’t.  While he was wringing out his socks he realized she still wasn’t there, and he wondered what was wrong.  Slowly, step-by-step, he peeked out of the bathroom to take a look at her, still asleep in the bed.  Typically, she was awake half an hour after he was.

            John was a morning person.  He tried to be at work no later than two hours after he woke at six.  But now, she looked so sweet, lightly snoring in their bed.  It was a little after seven.  He suspected their baby might be keeping her asleep, as the doctors had said she might, so he just observed her for a moment.

            Delenn was finding it more comfortable to lie on her back at night, and she lay that way now.  She had one arm circling her head like a halo, and the other along her protruding stomach.  Her long, dark hair was beautiful to him, splayed as it was in every direction among the pillows. Most of her body, up to the collarbone, was tucked under a blanket.  Her skin, white as a dove, was seductive to him, even while she slept.  They had not stayed up very late the night before, and he wouldn’t dare wake her, even though her need for sleep was new to him.

            He hung the socks to dry and then proceeded to shower and shave.  Through all this, Delenn slept.  Once the shaving was complete, he still had to trim his goatee properly.  Delenn really liked it and so he continued to wear one.  Her opinion aside, the goatee was popular in the news polls.  He laughed…such a poll certainly hadn’t been encouraged by him.

            With his facial hair well trimmed, he brushed and flossed his teeth and then followed that with a gargle of mouthwash.  He almost swallowed the mouthful when he realized Delenn was now up and watching him.  He had a glimpse of her out of the corner of his left eye, and immediately spit into the sink.

            “Why did you not wake me?” she asked him softly.

            “Well, you know…the doctors said rest if you need to...and if that helps the baby…” He was surprised by the question and stammered.  She grinned widely at his stuttering explanation.  John joined her under the mistletoe, which she didn’t seem to realize was there, and kissed her deeply.  Of course, she kissed him back and let him hold her close.

            “What was that for?” Delenn asked.

            “Good morning, my love,” John said simply.

            “On a morning as good as this one, that is still not quite an explanation,” Delenn pried.

            “On Earth, and a lot of human colonies, it’s Christmas week.  We don’t typically celebrate it here, but if you look up, you’ll see a little plant,” John paused so she could look.

            “What does it do?” Delenn asked, devotedly, waiting on his answer.

            “It’s like a game.  If you find a person of the opposite sex standing under the mistletoe, preferably me, you get to kiss him.  Or in my case, her…you.” John explained, leaning down for another, more gentle, kiss.  “I think the Druids of long ago originated the custom.  You see, they once thought mistletoe represented the sperm of the gods.  A lady would kiss her suitor underneath it.  So it’s sort of a magical aphrodisiac.  ”

            “I like this ‘game.’  Why did we not do this before?” she asked.

            “Crisis after crisis.  This year, we get a break.” John said with determination.

            “I’m going to be late for work,” Delenn realized suddenly.

            “Well, if you need the bathroom, I’m through.  Do you think we can meet for lunch?” John asked hopefully.

            “Only if there is more of this plant in the dining room.” Delenn insisted.

            “If I hang mistletoe in the Presidential dining room, it’s open season.  There could be a lot of kissing going on between members of the staff.”

            “Would that be so bad?” Delenn questioned.

            “Ah, no.”  He grinned.  If she didn’t mind the servants kissing…if they did...then he wouldn’t.  There were some Humans among the staff who might explain the mistletoe.  If hanging it was the only way to have lunch with her, the price was small.  “Mistletoe it is.  I have to go but I’ll see you then.  I love you, Delenn.”

            “And I you, John.” She said and bestowed one more kiss on his chin as he left for the office.

End