Sparks in the Ring

The night had grown quiet after the chaos of Jorie's family's Christmas Eve dinner. Her siblings were asleep, the grown-ups had retreated to their rooms, and the house was bathed in the soft glow of the Christmas tree. Only Jorie and Owen were still awake, sitting on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate.

Jorie stretched her legs out on the ottoman, glancing at the clock on the mantle. "Almost midnight," she noted, her voice soft. "Merry Christmas Eve is about to turn into Merry Christmas."

Owen, sitting beside her with his arms crossed, looked unusually tense. His gaze flicked between the clock and Jorie, like he was preparing for a fight.

"You're quiet tonight," Jorie said, nudging him with her socked foot. "That's not like you. Something on your mind?"

Owen hesitated, his hands tightening into fists on his lap. For once, he didn't have a sarcastic comeback or a deflection ready. He'd been trying to figure out the right moment all night, but the words kept evading him.

"It's nothing," he muttered.

Jorie frowned, setting her mug on the coffee table. "Don't give me that. You've been acting weird since the snowman incident." She smirked, trying to tease him into talking. "What, are you upset I made the better snowman?"

Owen snorted. "That thing was lopsided."

"It had character," Jorie shot back, her grin fading when she noticed the faraway look in his eyes. "Owen, seriously. What's going on?"

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You're really not going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance."

The clock chimed softly in the background—11:59.

Owen stood suddenly, pacing a few steps away before turning back to her. "You drive me crazy, Leonhart. Do you know that?"

Jorie blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

"You're always talking, always pushing me, always dragging me into things I'd never do on my own," he said, his voice rising slightly before he stopped himself. His tone softened as he continued, "But at the same time, you make everything... better. You make me better."

Jorie's cheeks flushed, but she held his gaze. "Owen..."

He took a step closer, his usual confidence giving way to vulnerability. "I've been trying to ignore it, but I can't anymore. I like you, Jorie. More than just a friend or a training partner. And I don't know what to do about it, except tell you."

The clock struck midnight.

"Merry Christmas," Owen added quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jorie stared at him, her heart racing. For once, she was at a loss for words. But the look in her eyes said everything.

She stood, closing the space between them and reaching up to cup his face. "Took you long enough," she said with a soft smile before pulling him into a kiss.

Outside, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in stillness. But inside, the spark between them finally ignited, turning Christmas Day into a moment they would never forget.