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“Are you sure this will work?” Tord asked curiously, frowning at his boyfriends.
Matt was skillfully tying something into the bushed green branches of their pine tree, Edd holding his hips to make sure the tall ginger didn’t topple onto the decoration when he leaned too far.
“Of course it will work! Nothing like a little positive reinforcement,” Matt practically cheered, tilting his chin up in boasting.
Edd rolled his eyes, but he was grinning when he looked at Tord. “It’s worth a shot? We’ve tried literally everything else.”
Tord eyed the green ribbon wrapped about Matt’s head, holding his bright locks back from his eyes as he worked, and the numerous tiny bundles of leaves and red berries that Edd held out for Matt to take. Both of them were covered in pine needles and Edd had silver tinsel resting like a makeshift scarf about his shoulders. Tord had brushed off helping them mainly because it was fun just watching the two of them decorate the house. Also, Tord was fairly sure this whole thing would go up in flames once their lovely scrooge returned from spay painting ‘Rudolph is communist propaganda’ (which added an extra kiss to Tord’s ego) on Christmas billboards.
“Oh ye of little faith!” Matt scoffed in mock hurt, raising up on his tip toes to reach the very top of the tree. He swayed a bit, but Edd shifted his hold and steadied him. Matt laughed it off, “This has to be the greatest plan I’ve ever had- and I’ve have many great plans!”
“Yes, like the time you planned to steal the squirrel costume from that mascot at the mall,” Tord remarked teasingly from his perch on the arm of the couch.
“Please say ‘squirrel’ again,” Edd snickered playfully, and Tord stuck his tongue out at him.
Matt didn’t seem to hear them.“If this doesn’t work- which it will- then absolutely nothing will! And we’ll have to throw this whole holiday out the window…”
Matt trailed off, biting his lip, as he focused on tying the very last decoration among the pine. Tord and Edd met eyes, Edd offering a helpless grin and Tord let out a sigh.
“Mattie,” Tord tried gently, “This is all very sweet, but you don’t have to try so hard. There are somethings that we just can’t help with. Tom has always been a humbug, I’m not sure we can change that.”
Matt’s foot slipped and he would’ve had a messy fall if Edd didn’t catch him. Edd grabbed him about the waist and pulled him into his chest, cradling him casually. Matt entirely ignored the movement, though he did lean in Edd’s arms with a stern look on his face.
“But it’s the holidays, Tord! They happen every year without fail, it’s not like we can just avoid it all together. We can’t have Tom hating himself for this entire time- we have to make something about all this holly jolly madness worth while for him.” Matt argued stubbornly.
“It’s worth a shot.” Edd chuckled calmly, pressing a gentle kiss to Matt’s neck. Only to pull back a bit, spitting out pine needles and tinsel strains.
Tord took a breath and let it out in a defeated manner. He flashed a smirk at Matt as he reached to pick up the forlorn large bow Matt had given him to wear.
Tord pressed on the bow, above his ear like a flower and the white stuck out proudly. “Alright. Let’s see if we can make the Grinch smile, shall we?”
Speak of the Devil.
“WHY IS THERE A FUCKING CHRISTMAS WREATH ON THE DOOR?! I SWEAR TO GOD, EDD-” Tom announced his return home with a wrathful scream as the front door crashed open, and a moment later, he stomped into the living room. He was dressed in his long cloak with ear muffs and gloves and boots and a face mask covering his nose and mouth. His coat was stained with spray paint and mud and snow, and it was singed at the bottom from a fire he undoubtedly started earlier in the night. In his hand was the simple wreath that Matt had placed on the door, and he held it up to his men like a crime, “I thought you guys agreed to keep this shit out of my way!”
And then his narrowed dark eyes widened when he noticed that the decorations were distinctly not out of his way. But it also wasn’t the decorations every other place displayed.
No ‘Merry Christmas’ or angels or Santa decorations, however there was a Zanta doll perched on the mantle. The tree was odd- plain with little tinsel and trinkets, dotted with the tiny clips of leaves and berries, and a few adornments that were distinctly of the men in the room; tiny mirrors and locket like pictures on silver strings from Matt, tiny plastic guns and red sleds streaked with skulls from Tord, little cat themed things and Cola decorations from Edd, and Tom recognized the black stars and bitty instruments among the green to be his contribution.
The presents under the tree were wrapped in plain colors, mainly blues and touched with snowflakes.
There was tinsel around the windows, and more of the leaf bundles dotted in doorways and above the couch tacked on with colored tacks. There were candy canes and steaming mugs on the coffee table, and a cracking fire in the fireplace. A large white furred blanket was draped over the couch and Tord’s lap. Everything was mainly blue or white, not the trademark green and red that made Tom want to break open windows.
Tord’s stick-on present bow, which was large and messed his hair, and the ribbon in Matt’s hair and the tinsel about Edd’s shoulders (as if he had gotten tangled) were the final touches that made Tom pause. They were decorated, but not in any of the ways that Tom found familiar. It was subdued and calm, more personal and cozy rather than festive. It didn’t scream Christmas, and it left Tom blinking in a bit of confusion.
“Tom!” Matt greeted, sounding a bit nervous as he straightened himself from Edd’s hold. Tom forced a scowl on his face, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been before.
“I thought we agreed no Christmas shit?”
“Yes, we did, but this is different, I swear!” Matt strolled across the room, grasping one of Tom’s cold gloved hands. Tom didn’t pull away, but he obviously wasn’t happy. With his free hand, Matt gestured to the living room, “We thought it was such a shame that you get the holiday blues this time of year. Despite what you say-”
“That Christmas is a blood sucking holiday focused on materiel crap, and it’s shoved down our throats until we’re ass deep in debt?”
“Yes, that! And despite all that, Christmas happens no matter what, so we might as well find a way to make it better for you. So, we decided to pick out the most basic aspects of this bloody holiday and turn it into our own. While still Christmas, it’s more about us all rather than the festive stuff! No carols or giving spirit- we’ll watch the absolute worst Christmas movies, or that Hanukkah one with Adam Sandler, and drink cider and pick and choose whatever you can stand or want.”
Tom stared for a long minute, expression softening the longer Matt spoke. Edd had swiped up a candy-cane as Matt explained, popping the hooked candy into his mouth casually before he sank into the couch next to Tord. Tord shifted to put his arm around Edd’s shoulders, and Edd leaned his head against Tord’s chest- the only chance he could do so comfortably with Tord sitting on the raised arm of the couch so that he was finally the taller one for once.
“Uh, not that I’m ungrateful or anything, but why? Christmas is a pain in the ass, sure, and I’d gladly burn all of it to the ground, but you guys don’t have to waste your time trying to make it bearable for me.” Tom stated slowly, and Matt huffed, pulling Tom excitedly further into the room.
“Yes, we do! We love you and we want you to be happy all year around! Forget tradition, forget marketing! Forget every little thing you hate about this stupid time of year- we’ll do everything else and more. Think of it more like a second Valentines day or a ‘keep-our-grumpy-boyfriend-happy-and-out-of-jail-for-property-damage’ holiday!” Matt laced his fingers with Tom’s soot covered and gloved ones, pecking his forehead briefly before pointing to the tree. “It can be all about us or you or whatever you want it to be, darling! Just so long as you’re happy.”
Tom pulled his face mask down, showing streaks of black coal under his eyes and an expression so soft and flattered that Tord was suddenly very happy that Matt had decided to go through with this. In his distraction, Edd threw the tinsel from his shoulders around Tord like a lasso and tugged him into his arms, making Tord let out a surprised squeak.
Tom’s dark eyes scanned the decorations, the presents, the tree.
“Those aren’t mistletoe,” Tom commented dully, noting the red berries and green leaves stuck to the tree and the walls.
“No, they’re holly. Much prettier, if you ask me. And we can still treat them like mistletoe, if you want,” Matt offered happily, leaning close to kiss Tom’s war paint touched face.
Tom finally smiled, a very amused one, and he shook his head in disbelief.
“This is so stupid.”
“I know!” Tord called out in agreement, absolutely no mocking to his face. Tom and Matt looked at him, and noticed that Tord was now tangled in a long rope of tinsel that curled on Edd’s shoulders, laying in Edd’s lap like he had fallen. Tom snorted, but Matt made a slightly disappointed noise.
“Really? I thought it was a good idea, a bit cheesy but-”
Tom let out a chuckle, using their hand holding to pull Matt closer. He reached up with his free hand, grabbing Matt’s face and guiding him down into a kiss. Just slightly chilled, tasting of scotch and soot and winter.
“It is stupid. And really fucking cheesy.” Tom said, tasting Matt’s peppermint chap stick. “But so are you guys. And I kinda love you guys too, so this isn’t so bad… I think I might’ve gotten a cavity from it though.”
Matt blinked dully for a moment, standing posed against Tom. “Sooo, you like it?”
Tom snorted, and kissed Matt again. “Yes, I like it.”
Matt let out a little cheer, seizing Tom in a hug and spinning him in a small circle while absolutely littering Tom’s face in kisses. Tom laughed, arms around Matt’s neck and smirk against Matt’s mouth.
Matt took Tom’s Christmas-War tarnished coat and gloves and face mask, while Tord called for Tom to join him and Edd on the couch to warm up. Tord was still tangled in tinsel, just around his leg though, and sitting sideways across Edd’s lap. He also had a candy-cane proudly adorning his smirk. When Tom neared them, Edd used the slack tinsel to rope Tom as well. He had impressive aim.
“Ha-ha! Gotcha, scrooge!” Edd announced cheerfully, using the tinsel to pull Tom directly by his side, into a close hug. Tord threw the white blanket over his chilled legs.
Tom snickered when Edd’s arm closed around his back and Edd kissed him along his jaw and lips.
“Oh, no. What are you gonna do? Teach me how to be selfless?” Tom mockingly asked, and Edd made a comical expression, as if he had pine needles on his tongue again.
“Ew, no. I was just gonna kiss you a lot.”
And Edd did just so, sweeping Tom into a warm kiss while pulling Tom very close. After a second, Edd was pulled back by Tord.
“Make room for the ghost of Christmas sexy,” Tord teased, causing Edd and Tom to laugh in surprise, even when Tord used the tinsel to steal Tom into a few hungry kisses of his own.
“Excuse you! I’m the sexy ghost here,” Matt interrupted, lifting up the blanket again and plopping down on the other side of Tom. He instantly slipped his arm around Tom’s waist and kissed his cheek.
“Then what am I?” Edd pondered.
After a bit of playful arguing, they decided that Matt was the sexy ghost, Tord was just a ghost during sexy Christmas, Edd was Sexy the Snowman, and Tom was sexy Ebeneezer Scrooge. That important matter decided and the spirit of Christmas officially banished, they settled into picking a movie and settling down with hot drinks and candy-canes and popcorn.
They all somehow ended up tangled in tinsel, with Matt napping from all his hard work while snuggling Tom’s side and kissing his hair, one of his hands in Tord’s on Tom’s hip and the other holding Edd’s hand with his arm wrapped around Tom’s shoulders. Tord ended up falling asleep against Tom’s chest, tinsel in his hair and his stick-on bow stuck to his lips where Tom had stuck it when Tord wouldn’t stop kissing him. Edd fell asleep with his head nuzzled in Tord’s neck, with his free hand holding Tom’s in Tord’s lap. Tom was comfortable, the very center of the cuddle pile, warm from the blanket and his boyfriends, his face touched with soot and tinsel with his cheek squished to Tord’s head.
Not even Tom seemed pestered by the Christmas music on TV playing from the movie, and he slept right through it in the dim lights coming from the dying fire and the lights on the tree.