Chapter Text
Mario separated himself from Marco and asked breathlessly:
_Wait, wait. What about Ann-Katherine?
_Well… It might surprise you… But I never was with Ann-Katherine.
Surprising was the understatement of the year to qualify what Mario had just heard.
_Eer, details please, he asked after a few seconds of being paralysed.
_I… I’m just pretending to be her boyfriend because she was feeling uncomfortable going to her little sister’s wedding on her own… And she’s my best friend… I love her too much to refuse her anything.
Mario eyes widened and he looked a bit disconnected from the world. He wasn’t responding, until Marco waved a hand in front of his face and demanded worriedly:
_Say something Mario… Please.
_Oh my God… It’s a lot to take in… But it’s great! He replied with a smile, snapping out of his daze, at last, before adding seriously: And… well… I may have something to confess too…
*****
After they had slept together, Xabi and Steven were lazing in bed. Xabi, who was drawing circles on his lover’s chest, asked:
_So… What are your plans for Christmas?
The question seemed to make Steven nervous, as he blushed and stammered his answer:
_Well I… I’m gonna spend it with Alex and our daughters…
The fact was that he had not told Xabi yet about his daughters, and he hoped he would take it well. After all, that was not something you were supposed to hide to the person you lo_ liked. To the person you liked.
_Oh that’s nice, Xabi said with a smile, and he added: don’t fret, I had kind of gotten the idea you had daughters. You have their picture everywhere in the house… They are adorable by the way.
Steven looked relieved and kissed Xabi, then telling him:
_You are great, you know?
_I do yeah, he replied jokingly, which made Steven roll his eyes (but he managed to smile fondly at the same time).
_Alright, and what about you? What are you gonna do for Christmas?
_I’ll be celebrating with a few friends.
*****
“A few friends” was what Xabi had called all the employees (men and women alike) of the Heartbreakers… so it was quite the understatement.
Every year, the Heartbreakers organized a Christmas party that almost every employee was attending. It was the occasion to talk to people you didn’t usually see, as both women and men were in the same room (a really big and crowded room).
There was delicious food, nice conversations, and even a band. People were dancing, others were staying stubbornly at their tables, but most of the time, everyone (or nearly) had a good time.
*****
_I miss Mario… even if he can be a pain in the ass, Mats told Robert.
_I do too… And I’m worried for him… I have a weird feeling when it comes to that mission.
_Yeah… me too.
_Plus, who the hell chooses to get married on Christmas day? Robert asked rhetorically.
_Well that Mary girl apparently, Mats answered anyway, pretty sulkily.
So maybe Mario’s team would not spend such a great time to the 2014 Christmas party.
*****
Yohan arrived right on time for the Christmas party, just when Mathieu and Blaise were done getting ready. He could have arrived the day before, for Christmas Eve, but he was dreading seeing Mathieu again, since he had realised his feelings towards his friend were far more than friendly. That didn’t stop him, however, from hugging the hell out of him when he arrived, Mathieu hugging him back just as hard.
_You look dashing in that suit, Yohan murmured, still not having let go of Mathieu.
_You do too, his best friend said right back.
Blaise was looking at them with a smile on his face. It seemed that they had totally forgotten about his presence.
*****
When everyone had arrived and were sitting at their tables, Daniel noticed that Martin’s chair was empty. And, even if he was still a bit resentful for what his friend had told him, he really hoped it would not stay that way, and that Martin would come, because this shit had lasted for too long.
_Hey guys, any idea of where Martin is? Daniel asked, not wanting to keep pretending he didn’t care anymore about him.
Many shook their heads, and Finns answered that he had no idea (which was absolutely not true). In fact, he knew perfectly well where Martin was, but he did not want to ruin the surprise.
Finns was still not sure about that surprise… Martin had told him about it because he needed another opinion than his own… Finns had said his idea could work, deciding that Martin knew better than he did and that he should trust him… But still, he was a bit dubious. Anyway, it was too late now.
Then, as if he was answering Daniel, Martin appeared (what a perfect timing). However, Daniel didn’t notice him immediately. Only when he started speaking did Daniel turned towards him with wide eyed.
Martin was on the fucking stage!
He was saying through the microphone:
_Hi guys… First of all, I wish everyone a merry Christmas… I’m sorry to interrupt the party and all but I’ve got a really important thing to do… I’m here because I want to show someone how sorry I am and how important they are to me… And I really hope they’ll forgive me.
The music started and Martin looked really nervous, and all of his friends’ shocked expressions didn’t help at all. None of them knew that he could sing after all, and he knew he didn’t really look like a singer (or… well… maybe a heavy metal one, but that wasn’t really what he was going for at this moment).
He closed his eyes, trying to forget about his audience and to only think about Daniel.
//Christmas night,
Another fight,
Tears we cried,
A flood
Got all kinds of poison in,
Of poison in my blood//
Those who knew Martin were pretty shocked to say the list. He could really sing… it was fucking brilliant, even
//I took my feet
To Oxford Street,
Trying to right a wrong
"Just walk away," those windows say, but I can't believe you’re gone.
When you're still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all//
In the room, everyone had forgotten about the conversation they were having and the food they were eating, all ears and eyes were focused on what was happening on the stage.
//Up above candles on air flicker
Oh they flicker and they flow
And I am up here holding on to all those chandeliers of hope//
Daniel couldn’t believe Martin was doing that for him. It was probably, no scratch that: it WAS the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him (even if it had been caused by something a lot less nice).
//And like some drunken Elvis singing
I go singing out of tune
Singing how I've always loved you, darling, and I always will
Oh when you're still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all
Still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all//
And Daniel started remembering the first (and only time before that day), he had heard Martin sing. He was walking down the corridor and heard singing coming from the showers. It was really, really nice, so he stopped to listen for a while. He had to go eventually, because he would have most probably looked like a creeper if someone had seen him like that, unmoving in the corridors, and plus right in front of the shower room. When he had entered his room, he had seen Martin with just a towel around his waist and, after he had enjoyed the view for a few seconds, he had put two and two together and asked (or more like affirmed):
_It was you!
_It was me what? Martin had asked, confused.
_You were singing in the shower, like five minutes ago.
Martin had looked like he was going to panic, but he had covered it up quickly and replied:
_No I wasn’t.
_You so were.
_I’m telling you I wasn’t…
_I don’t believe you Mar’. Anyway, it was really good. Seriously, I don’t know you could sing.
_I can’t, it wasn’t me, Martin had denied one last time, before turning his back to Daniel and starting getting dressed.
//Those Christmas lights light up the street
Down where the sea and city meet
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh Christmas lights, keep shining on
Those Christmas lights light up the street
Maybe they'll bring you back to me
Then all my troubles will be gone
Oh Christmas lights, keep shining on//
That reluctance Martin had to admit he was the one singing showed how shy and insecure he really was under his badass appearance, with his tattoos, and high cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes. And that made his gesture even bigger than it would have been, had it been anyone else doing it. Martin hated being the centre of attention and right now, every pair of eyes were on him.
//Oh Christmas lights light up the street
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Those Christmas lights keep shining on//
When he stopped singing and the music ended, it was as if his audience was waking up from a trance. Everyone started clapping and he even had a standing ovation. Of course, many of the male Heartbreakers whistled loudly, making him blush.
He said thank you, a bit embarrassed by all the attention he was suddenly getting, whereas he was usually discreet and preferred staying in a corner, far from the prying eyes.
Now, he was going to join his table, and that was the important part, because he would get to see how Daniel had reacted. He was really nervous, hoping that it would get better and that he had not just worsened the situation rather than made things right.
What he was certainly not expecting was for Daniel to nearly assault him, hugging him within an inch of his life. He had wanted that for so long… To hug Daniel. But, he had never dared… He was not good with this kind of stuff. Therefore, he was glad that Daniel had taken the first step.
They hugged for a while, without saying anything, for what meaningful words could be said in that kind of situations, between two men who weren’t comfortable with discussing their feelings, but were now close from tearing up after the most blatant manifestation of feelings of the year… maybe even of the decade.
A few other whistles were heard from their friends, this time for a different reason entirely, and Finns had a splitting grin on his face. That was the best Christmas party he had in a long time… And he was nearly sure that it was Martin and Daniel’s best Christmas party ever.