[This is a special chapter that takes place on the 26th of December, before Liam arrives. And yes, ofc, it’s canon hehe. I thought you might miss the carrot and strawberry duo.]

Malakai

Sh*t, I think while trembling, it’s so f*cking cold.

Every year Noah and I go to our city’s Christmas Village on the 26th - and every year I forget how cold I get. Hopefully, I had the good sense of wearing a beanie and gloves tonight - last year I forgot and I thought my hands were about to fall off.

I finally see Noah’s front door open. He’s wearing a big blue coat and a yellow beanie - one with a little fluffy ball on top.

He locks his door and runs towards me. “I’m sorry I’m late,” he says, “I couldn’t find my beanie.”

“It’s alright,” I answer, studying him.

He looks upset.

Noah never shows his emotions. He’s always bright and happy and he smiles no matter what.

But I know him. Anyone could fall for his facade but I see right through it. Something happened.

He tugs on my coat with his bare hands, telling me to leave.

“You’re not wearing gloves, Noah. You should go get them.” He looks at his house, then back at me, frowning. “I couldn’t find them.” He buries his hands in his pockets.

“You had them this week though? Want me to come inside and help you find them?”

I’ve been in Noah’s house many times as a kid, but I haven’t set foot in it for at least ten years. When we meet at night, it’s usually in his room or mine. We just climb through each other’s windows. 

He grabs me by the arm and pushes me to start walking. “No I’m good, I threw them away.” He is fidgeting.

I frown, “why?”

As we are walking he is still pulling me forward. “I-”, he hesitates, “actually, I gave them to my mom. She said she wanted them.”

I’ve never seen his mother leave the house.

Actually, I’ve only seen his mother a couple of times since Noah and I have been friends.

“Alright,” I say. It seems like something happened with her and it’s upsetting him. I decide not to push more on the subject.

I stop him and take off one of my gloves before taking his hand and putting it on his. “Kai, what about you-”, I intertwine our bare fingers and put them in my pocket. “Here,” I say, “no one’s losing their hands tonight.”

He smiles before getting on his toes to kiss my cheek. We then resume walking to the Christmas Village.

Each year, our city holds a big Christmas Village that lasts from the 20th to the 26th of December. There’s an ice skating ring and food stands disguised as little chalets all around. Noah points to the skating ring, “oh, looks like they moved it next to the cotton candy chalet this year!”

“Isn’t it perfect? We always struggle to find that one,” I answer, squeezing his hand.

Holding hands for us is normal, but judging by everyone else’s stares - it isn’t welcomed.

Not like I care though.

“Let’s go skating!”

“Noah, you know you suck at it. Every year you try, and every year you end up on your ass.”

“Yes, I know,” he pouts, “but this year you’ll be quicker at catching me.”

I chuckle, “no promises.” He pulls out his tongue at me.

We follow the laughs of the people skating and get tickets at the entrance booth. We then sit on the hardwood benches to put on the shoes they gave us.

When I hear a rumble.

“Noah,” I say with a smile, “are you hungry?”

He gets red, “I didn’t eat tonight.”

I sigh - his mother must’ve had one of her episodes.

He told me that she gets mad for no reason and screams at him sometimes. I even hear it from my house. When it happens, Noah usually climbs up my window afterward and sleeps in my room.

“Good thing we already know where the cotton candy chalet is then.” He smiles before getting up.

The both of us get on the ice skating ring, with myself going first.

When my mother was still around, we’d come and skate together. Although it was a long time ago, I still remember the basics.

I turn around and take Noah’s hand to lead the way, but he grips the railing.

“It wasn’t a good idea,” he says, looking anxiously at everyone around us, “I can already feel myself hit the ground.” I chuckle and get behind him, both of my hands on his waist. “Here,” I start, “slide one foot at a time. I’ll hold you.”

After a few minutes, he got the hang of it. We ended up skating around for twenty minutes hand-in-hand. He even tempted to go faster and do a 360 turn - which ended up in a massive failure and we both fell on our asses. Even little kids laughed at us.

But it didn’t matter - because Noah laughed and was having fun. That’s all that matters.

When our time was done, we were called back, left our skating shoes and headed to the cotton candy chalet.

“Actually,” he starts, squeezing my hand inside my pocket, “do you mind if we look around? I really want to find the crepe chalet.”

Which we ended up finding. He bought himself a crepe, then when he was done eating it, I bought him the fluffy pink cloud he eats every year.

“'Sucks that Adriel couldn’t come,” he says while putting a big portion of cotton candy in his mouth.

“I know, but again - who has a Tunder date on the 26th of December?” He laughs.

To be honest, I’m glad Adriel couldn’t come. Not that I have any problem with the guy - even though he can be such a pain in the ass sometimes - but for me, the 26th is a special day that I only spend with Noah.

I actually look forward to it all year.

It’s probably selfish of me - but tonight, I want Noah for myself.

Even if it’s already the case everyday - but I don’t care.

We decide to go to our special spot in the woods, which is elevated enough that we can see the whole Christmas Village. We sit on our usual rock, our legs dangling before us.

“Your mom had an episode today, didn’t she?”

He looks in front of him, at the colorful lights from the Village. “Yeah. She didn’t want me to go out tonight. It’s all a blur but she threw my gloves in the fireplace.”

“What about Christmas? How was it this year?” I ask, readjusting his beanie to make sure it covers his ears.

“It wasn’t great, I couldn’t wait for it to be over and meet you tonight.” He looks back at me, “for me, Christmas is on the 26th with you. ”

“Same here,” I cover his cheek with kisses and he chuckles.

I unconsciously kiss the corner of his mouth and taste the sweetness of the cotton candy.

“Here,” he says, holding a piece of cotton candy between his fingers. He feeds it to me and I let it dissolve in my mouth.

“You missed some.”

A piece is still sticking to his finger.

I lick it clean.

If I could, I would lick and suck on his finger until it's wrinkled. Then, I would move on to his lips, before tasting the inside of his mouth. I would claim him here and now, listening to the whines and moans I know he can make while I keep him warm down there-

I push this thought back - far, far back, in that little corner of my mind where I keep all my fantasies about Noah.

All the fantasies I’m so ashamed to have.

“Tell me if you want more,” he says with a warm smile.

Oh Noah, I think, I do want more.

After a few minutes, he finishes it and licks the wooden stick until it’s clean.

I look away, trying to keep my mind focused on the people ice skating below.

“Do you have any New Year goals?” I ask, trying to get my mind off his lips.

“Hmm,” he puts the wooden stick down next to him before reaching for my hand in my pocket. “I want to spend a lot of time with you,” he squeezes my hand, “and with Adriel. I also wish for my mom to get better- ” 

He wishes for that every year.

“-and I want to watch the Exorcist with you guys.”

“Hell no.”

He laughs, “it’s one of my goals - I won’t give up! Besides, this year’s gonna be different.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know - it’s just a feeling? Like something’s gonna happen. Something big.”

Noah always has the most on-point predictions. “Will it be something good?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s gonna bring a lot of changes.” He pauses and looks at me, “you must think I’m crazy.”

“Yeah, but that’s okay.” He rolls his eyes with a smile, “I’m used to your oddness.”

He pushes his elbow in my waist with a grin. I kiss his bare hand before putting it back inside my pocket and he rests his head on my shoulder.

“Can you promise me something?,” he asks.

“Anything.”

“No matter what happens, let’s always meet here on the 26th.”

No matter what happens, I think, I’ll always be by your side.

“I promise.”