After a week of nonstop snow, Christmas Eve dawns bright and cold and clear, not a cloud in the sky. But Ketterbridge is half-buried beneath a heavy, sparkling white blanket. The glow of the Christmas lights wrapped around the trees and houses turn to soft, pale pastels, barely peeking through the snowdrifts. My breath fogs around my face with every exhale.

I’m in a good mood, after spending last night with Aiden. I can tell that he is, too. He’s bright and sunny on our drive to Mugshot, laughs at me when I order a very over-the-top, Christmassy drink. He was so locked up when he came to my place yesterday, but today his movements and his laughter are easy, fluid, rolling on a peaceful current. His blue eyes - which were swimming with frustration and distraction before - are warm and observant, watching me incredulously as I sip on my sugarbomb of a coffee.

“It’s Christmas,” I protest.

His rumbling, huffing laugh warms me from head to toe. “It’s actually Christmas Eve, Keane.”

“Your point?”

“Nothing,” Aiden chuckles. He wraps his hand around the back of my neck, pulls me across the console to plant a kiss on my forehead. “Should have just gotten you a big bag of sugar for your present.”

“What did you get me?” I ask, and Aiden starts my car, pretending not to hear me.

It’s already late afternoon. Aiden and I slept in. We spent most of the morning being lazy in bed, curled up together, sharing our heat against the cold. The breeze sent a few stray snowflakes in from the tree branches and onto Aiden’s windowsill. Tiny cold shocks against his perfect warmth.

As a result, Aiden’s little apartment above Kent’s house now sits in my mind as a kind of dream room, a place I’d be happy to cozy up in from now until forever. But we had to go back to my apartment to pick up my gifts for Kent and Ellen.

For Kent, I got a new Open/Closed sign for the flower shop. The old one is ancient, the wood starting to splinter, the lettering faded. And for Ellen…

“What is it?” Aiden asks, when I give him the wrapped box. It made a lot of different sounds when I handed it over, and he’s staring down at it with obvious curiosity.

“Just little things I’ve been collecting for her.” I’m rooting through my closet, trying to find my favorite flannel. “You know - seashells, a dried flower, a hatched lizard egg, a stone I found with an interesting pattern on the inside, could be a fossil…”

“Oh, my god.” Aiden huffs out another laugh. “You don’t already cram as much science as possible into your classes with her? You had to fit in some more, in her Christmas gift?”

“I’m not trying to cram more science in anywhere,” I answer, over my shoulder. “And I’m not trying to teach her as much science as possible, I’m trying to teach her - how to learn about it, I guess. You can’t learn everything there is to know about science in the time you spend in school, anyways. Or ever, really. So I think it’s better for her to know how to learn. How to see the interesting things everywhere you look, and take in new knowledge, and-”

I break off, realizing that I’ve been talking without taking a breath for a while. I turn around to face Aiden, my cheeks burning.

“Oh, god. I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”

“Nah, don’t do that.” Aiden huffs out a quiet laugh, ruffles my hair. Then he looks down at the box, hesitating. “There’s nothing in here small enough for her to swallow or choke on, is there? Or - do nine-year-olds know better?”

I fix Aiden with a warm smile, reach up to tap his nose. “Guardian. Worrier.”

He rolls his eyes, as if he’s not smiling, too. “Science teacher. Flower boy.”

We both laugh, but my smile falls away when I turn back to my closet.

“Shit. It’s not in here.”

“What isn’t?”

“My favorite flannel. I’m really starting to worry that I lost it.”

“I’m sure it’ll turn up.” Aiden reaches into my closet and pulls out a dark, forest green flannel, which he holds out to me. “How about this one, for now? I really like it on you.”

I make a face at him. “You think I’m gonna wear something just because a cute boy tells me he likes how it looks on me?”

Aiden only arches an eyebrow in response. I bite my lip, then roll my eyes and take it from him, pull it on.

“That’s what I thought,” he snickers.

I frown at him in a wounded kind of way. “Am I that predictable?”

“Predictable?” Aiden laughs again. “Um - no, definitely not. I just know you.”

I can’t argue with that.

I roll up on the balls of my feet to kiss Aiden’s nose. I still don’t know what he got me for Christmas, but weirdly I’d be okay if he didn’t get me anything at all.

Every moment I spend with Aiden is its own little miracle, its own little gift.

~~~~

My parents are at church for the nighttime Christmas service, and Aunt Sarah is with them. Aiden and I will meet up with them and the ghosts tomorrow, for Christmas morning. We have plans for tonight.

We head over to Raj, Mel, and Noah’s house after sunset. The entire town is glittering with Christmas lights, and just the drive over is an experience.

Noah and Raj are both passed out on the couch when I push open the door, but Melanie is up. She’s sitting cross-legged on the rug, Nikita cozied up in her arms.

Aiden nods at Raj and Noah as we pull our jackets off. “What’s with these two, Mellie?”

“They went on - I guess a date, technically?” She turns her head, looks at both of them with affectionate eyes. “Tired themselves out.”

Aiden and I exchange a surprised grin, then turn back to her.

“What sort of dates do Raj and Noah go on?” I ask.

“Um…” Melanie lets out a quiet giggle. “Today it was laser tag.”

“Sounds like a date to me,” Aiden laughs. He offers to take Nik, and Melanie hands her over, getting to her feet. “You didn’t want to go with them?”

“No, I did,” Melanie yawns, smoothing down the folds of her loose maroon dress. “But someone’s got to be with Nik, so we’ve been taking turns going out together.”

“Sounds like our Christmas gift should come in handy,” I answer.

Mel tips her head to the side. “Yeah? What is it?”

“Free night of babysitting.” Aiden smiles down at Nik, who glares back up at him. “For whenever you three all want to go out together. Coupon is redeemable three times, once by each of you.”

“Oh, yes,” Mel groans happily.

She throws herself down on the couch, directly between Noah and Raj. Noah startles and vaults upright, but Raj only flips onto his side, pulling a pillow down over his face.

“Wake up, dummies!” Melanie pokes Raj’s foot, to no response. “I’ve got news.”

“Wha’ happen?” Noah slurs, his voice rough with sleep. “S’everything okay?”

He’s not really awake yet, but his eyes blink open when Melanie leans over to press a kiss onto the tiny geometric tattoo on his cheekbone.

“Yeah, everything’s okay,” Melanie says, when his gaze focuses on her. “Better than okay. We can go on a date with all three of us, soon. Aiden and Jamie’s gift to us is some free babysitting.”

“Shit, really?” Noah rubs his eyes, then smiles drowsily at us. “Oh, that’s fucking great! Thanks, boys.”

“Sure. Merry Christmas.” Aiden drops into the armchair, and I move to sit on his lap, careful not to disturb Nik. “Are you guys too tired to chill? We don’t have to.”

“Nah, bro, stay,” Noah says, rolling out his neck. “My gift to you guys is that I bought a really stupid video game where you play as Santa trying to defeat some zombie elves. Krampus is the end boss.”

“Oh, my god,” I groan, then let out a gasp of laughter when I turn to glance at the TV.

I’ve never seen Santa in a flak vest before, or holding Christmas lights in such a threatening way that they might as well be a piece of piano wire. The brass knuckles studded with sharp bits of candy cane are enough to make Aiden burst into laughter, too.

Noah grins widely, then turns to Raj.

“Raj, wake up, dude. Aiden and Jamie are here. We’re gonna play Slashing Through The Snow.”

No answer, so Melanie pokes Raj’s foot again. When he doesn’t move, Noah reaches across Melanie and picks up the pillow that Raj had covered his head with. He holds it up a foot or so above him, then drops it.

It makes a soft impact against Raj’s face, then bounces away. He lets out a noise of complaint and tries to sit up, but he’s too close to the edge of the couch, and he ends up balanced very precariously on the edge.

Noah realizes that Raj is about to fall.

“Oh, shit,” he says, and reaches across Melanie again, trying to grab him.

Melanie also grabs hold of him, and as a result, all three of them go toppling to the floor when Raj does. Noah manages to catch Melanie before she can hit the ground too hard, and she lets out a gasp of laughter as she goes sprawling back against him.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Raj sputters, wrenched out of his sleep to find himself buried in a tangled pile of his significant others. “What the fuck - what-?”

Before anyone can say anything, Ripley opens the door, steps inside on a gust of cold air and snowflakes. He stops right in the doorway.

His eyes go from the pile of people on the floor, to me and Aiden cuddled in the armchair with Nik, to the TV, which is playing some haunted-sounding jingles.

“Um,” he says.

“Yo, Ripples!” Noah calls, from the floor. “You feel like fist-fighting a bunch of rabid elves with us, or what?”

“I - don’t know?” Ripley bites back a laugh, sliding his backpack off of his shoulder. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I wasn’t ready for such an unhinged fucking question.”

Noah frowns at him. “Try to be more prepared next time, bro.”

“I’m sorry, can I cut in for a sec?” asks Raj, who still looks bewildered from his turbulent awakening. “What happened? Where am I? What’s going on?”

“You fell off the couch,” Melanie answers, sitting up in Noah’s arms to press a kiss onto Raj’s cheek. Noah springs to his feet, goes to exchange a bro-slap of greeting with Ripley.

“You’re home,” Melanie continues. “It’s Christmas Eve. Aiden, Jamie, and Ripples are here.”

“Oh, yay,” Raj says brightly, then yawns deeply, rubbing his eyes. “And where’s my baby?”

“Right here,” Melanie says, snuggling up against him.

Raj smiles, folds an arm around her, and tugs on her braid. “That’s good, but I meant the other one.”

Noah breaks into a grin, does a little salute. “Right here.”

Raj bursts into startled laughter. “Oh, my fucking - the other other one!”

“Right here,” Aiden says.

“Aiden, I swear to god,” Raj groans, then blinks when he sees Aiden holding up Nik. “Oh. Okay, yes, that’s the one I meant. She all good?”

Ripley leans over Aiden to take a look at her.

“She’s staring at me like I’ve just tested her patience for the last time,” he observes. “Kind of like she wants to throw a brick through the window of my house? So - yeah, she looks pretty much normal, I’d say.”

“That’s my girl,” Raj says fondly.

“Okay, everyone just sit down,” Melanie laughs, climbing to her feet. “I made some Christmas cookies, I’ll go get them.”

“Good thinking, Mel.” Noah nods at her, tapping a finger to his temple. “Gotta power up before you get involved in an elf fight. Everyone knows that. Number one rule of Christmas, pretty much.”

Mel lets out a soft laugh, trails her hand along his jaw as she passes him on her way to the kitchen. Noah’s stupid, cheeky expression instantly turns to a very serious, adoring smile, which he quickly bites back.

But that silvery brightness in his eyes gives pretty much everything away. And he’s suddenly gone quiet, fidgeting with his lip piercing.

I think that sometimes Noah still gets overwhelmed with the compassion, devotion, and love he gets from Raj and Mel. He’s like a plant in the springtime, surprised at its own new growth after such a harsh winter.

I think he’ll wrap his head around it, eventually. The idea that he’s going to be loved at every turn. He kind of has to, if he’s going to keep living here.

He goes over to sit with Raj, who smiles up at him. Ripley shrugs off his jacket and comes to sit on the floor by me and Aiden. Nik is already deeply asleep in Aiden’s arms, drooling onto her bandana bib.

Raj briefly gets up to stir the low-burning flames in the fireplace. When he comes back to the couch, he sits close enough to Noah that their shoulders are together.

Noah doesn’t move away. In fact, I think I actually see him lean into Raj a little.

I catch Noah’s eye, then grin widely.

Aw, I mouth at him.

Noah tries to frown at me, but he’s already smiling again by the time he turns away. He’s got that silver-colored happiness in his eyes again.

Little gifts, I think, and cozy up against Aiden.

~~~~

It’s late by the time we get back to Aiden’s place. We’re both tired from laughing so much. The taste of peppermint is still lingering in my mouth from all the Christmas cookies.

I sleepily let Aiden lead the way up the stairs, feeling unwound and relaxed and affectionate, nuzzling my face up against his shoulder blade as he unlocks the sliding glass door.

We came back with some presents from Ripley, Raj, and Mel, which we’ll open tomorrow. I set them down on Aiden’s desk, then stretch my arms over my head, yawning so hard that my eyes close. But they quickly flutter open as two huge, warm hands slide around my ribs, surprising me.

Aiden presses a long, gentle kiss onto my lips. I take his face in my fingers, leaning into him.

He backs me up until I’m flattened against the wall, then places his hands on it, on either side of my head. I bite my lip, smiling up at him.

“Bed?” he murmurs, nuzzling his nose into mine.

“Mhm.”

“I’m guessing you wanna shower?”

“Yes, please. I know we didn’t actually kill any zombie elves, but I still feel dirty, for some reason.”

A soft, rumbling, huff of a laugh. “Fair enough.”

Aiden steps back, leaving me blushing violently, my heart racing at too many beats per minute. Smiling to myself, I start to follow him towards the bedroom. But I stop, realizing that there was already a present on Aiden’s desk before I set down the others.

I glance at Aiden, who is already in his room, slipping out of his jacket. Not paying attention.

I take a closer look at the gift.

It’s very clumsily wrapped in paper decorated with Christmas foliage. There’s a single, handwritten word on the tag attached.

Linden, it says.

“You coming, Keane?” Aiden calls from the bedroom, where he’s taking his socks off.

I retract my reaching hand. “Oh - yep!”

I guess I’ll have to wait until Christmas to find out what my present is. Just like Aiden has to wait, to find out what I got for him.

Not that long of a wait, though. Just until tomorrow. One more night, and he’ll get to see what I made him.

A burst of nerves rushes through me at the thought.

But I’m not going to ask for the gift back. I’ve already decided against doing that, and - I want Aiden to have it. Even if I'm going to feel nervous and exposed and vulnerable when he opens it. If he loves it, it'll be worth going through that.

Is he nervous about his gift for me, too? He hasn't said a word about it. I wonder what it is.

I fall asleep with my arm tucked around Aiden, my nose pressed into the back of his neck. Listening to the peaceful rhythm of his breathing, melting into his warmth.

Wondering what I’ll find tomorrow, beneath the branches of the Christmas tree.