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Christmas had always been important in their friendship. Combeferre and Courfeyrac both knew this and that’s why they cherished the holidays that much. No matter what was up, they nowadays they always spent it together, just the two of them.
*
It had been Christmas when they had met.
They had just been 7 years old and Courfeyrac had just moved to a new neighborhood right before Christmas. It hadn’t been the first time they had had to move. His father’s job required it, but he had hated it, he never got to make friends. As soon as he had liked somebody, they had to move again.
But when the first snow finally had fallen on the day before Christmas he had run out first thing Saturday morning and tried to build a snowman. It hadn’t taken long for him to see the boy next door do the exact them. Without a second thought, he had run over to him and introduced himself.
He had come to a halt in front of the other boy, who had looked at him curiously and then Courfeyrac had put on his brightest smile, that showed off his missing baby teeth.
“Hi, I am Courfeyrac. Do you want to be friends?”, he had stretched out his hand like his mother usually did when she greeted people.
“Hello, I am Combeferre! Yes!”, the other boy had smiled back at him and soon the two have them had been playing around in the snow until their moms had come out their houses to look for them.
This was also the day their mothers had gotten to know each other and just like their sons they had hit it off from the get-go.
They had spent the next days together playing with their Christmas presents. And when Courfeyrac had stepped into his new class on the first days after the break the first face he had seen had been Combeferre’s.
*
It had been Christmas when his family had fallen apart.
Only one year later Courfeyrac found himself crying, bundled up under his favorite Wonder Woman-blanket. It was late and he still heard them shout at each other, it sounded like his mother was crying now too and he started to sob harder.
This wasn’t how the days before Christmas should be. They should spend time with each other as a family, playing board games and watching “The Grinch”.
Instead, they were fighting.
Again.
He didn’t want to hear this anymore, so he grabbed his blanket and his shoes and sneaked down the creaky stairs. Luckily his parents didn’t hear him over their argument, as he opened the front door and ran over to his best friend’s house. He went to the backside of the house, where Combeferre’s room was.
Shivering and still sobbing Courfeyrac trudged through the snow in the dark.
As he reached Combeferre’s window, he saw that the light inside the room was off, but he knew the other boy wasn’t asleep yet. Both of them had sworn that they would try and stay awake, to see if they could catch Santa.
So he knocked against Combeferre’s window and it didn’t take long for the other boy to open the window.
“Hmmpf Courf what’re doing here?”, he asked with a yawn before he put on his glasses to take a closer look at his best friend.
“Oh no, what happened?”
Courfeyrac didn’t answer, he just climbed into the room and let himself fall on the bed, still clutching his blanket. Combeferestood next to him, helplessly, before he put his own blanket over the shivering friend and went to his mother.
Luckily Combeferre’s mother wasn’t angry, about being woken up in the middle of the night. She only took one look at Courfeyrac and then hugged him tightly.
“Combeferre could you make us a hot chocolate? I think we all need one.” Then she stroked Courfeyrac’s back until he had calmed down enough to tell her what had happened.
She wasn’t even the least bit surprised, still, her heart broke, when she heard the boy sob and choke.
“I don’t want them to fight!”, he cried out, as Combeferre came back into the room with three mugs.
“Oh, my love they will be fine, okay?”, Combeferre’s mother told him over and over again until he believed her.
This night the two boys fell asleep hugging each other close, as Combeferre told Courfeyrac he would always be there and if his parents were fighting he could always come over.
Courfeyrac felt at home.
The next day was Christmas and Courfeyrac spent it at Combeferre’s home, while his father packed his bag and left.
*
It had been Christmas when they had shared their first kiss.
Seven years after his father had left they had turned it into a tradition to celebrate Christmas with Combeferre’s family and now the two boys were once more sitting under the Christmas tree as they were unwrapping their presents. Courfeyrac’s mother was swaying to the cheesy music from the radio and Courfeyrac leaned back against the sofa.
He surely would like to drown himself is the feeling of Christmas, the warmth of loving people around him, the smell of the tree and the food, the terrible music.
And Combeferre.
He glanced to where the boy was sitting staring at the books he had gotten with wide eyes. Courfeyrac had to snort. His best friend was such a nerd, it was adorable.
Yeah, adorable.
Usually, Courfeyrac didn’t consider people adorable.
Hot? Yes.
Pretty? Sure.
Adorable? No.
The fact, that he very much wanted to kiss his best friend didn’t make the whole affair any less confusing.
“Look there are works of Aristotle!”, Combeferre exclaimed, tugging on Courfeyrac’s sleeve to get his attention.
“You’re a nerd.”, this time Courfeyrac couldn’t keep himself from saying it out loud. Combeferre snorted and rolled his eyes.
“And you are a jerk.”, he retorted with a pout. It was…
“You are adorable.” Before he could stop himself the words had come out of his mouth and this time Combeferre blushed heavily.
“I… thanks.”
And with that, both of them fell into an uncomfortable silence.
It wasn’t until later when they were in Combeferre’s room, now exchanging the presents they had gotten each other. They were perched on Combeferre’s bed, sitting cross-legged in front of each other. Courfeyrac felt awkward, his heart was beating way to fast and his hands were sweaty.
But to be honest, Combeferre also seemed to be somewhere else with his mind, he was chewing on his lower.
Blushing Courfeyrac averted his eyes, looking at the bedsheets. If he looked any longer, he would just think about kissing him, and no.
He didn’t want to ruin their friendship.
“…Courf!? Are you even listening?”, Combeferre’s voice brought him back to reality.
“I… sorry, my mind was somewhere else.”
“I… I asked you if you really thought I was adorable.”, Combeferre was completely red in his face and he was still chewing on his lower lip.
“I… yes?”, Courfeyrac didn’t know what else to say. There was no use lying to his best friend, Courf was a terrible liar anyway.
“Okay… I…”, Combeferre looked out the window with a frown.
“Ah fuck it.”
“Courfeyrac almost laughed, he had never heard Combeferre curse. But his laugh was cut shoer when the other boy touched his cheek softly.
“Can I kiss you?”, he asked, his voice quivering with fear.
Courfeyrac only nodded and then pulled Combeferre closer by his collar until he could press their lips together in an awkward kiss.
After that, not much changed. They didn’t kiss again, both not sure about their feelings, but they still grew even closer than the had been before.
*
It was Christmas when they lost each other.
One year, after their kiss Courfeyrac had to move again.
On Christmas off all times, and soon after that, they lost contact with each other.
There wasn’t a day Courfeyrac didn’t think about Combeferre, but somehow he couldn’t reach out to him again.
He hoped that one day, he would get over his first love.
*
It was Christmas when they found each other again.
College brought Courfeyrac back to his childhood hometown and when he stepped into a coffee shop on the last day before Christmas break he spotted a familiar figure standing in the queue.
Without thinking about it, the jumped forward and hugged the man from behind.
(He was more than lucky, it really was Combeferre, otherwise, this would have been kinda awkward.)
“What the???”, the man spun around and then his eyes widened in a way that was almost comically.
“Courf?”, he asked cautiously like he really couldn’t believe, who was standing in front of him.
“The one and only!”, he responded before he let himself fall into Combeferre’s arms. “Fuck I’ve missed you.”
This night, as they were both sitting on Courfeyrac’s sofa, leaning against each other, they promised each other to never ever leave again.
*
It was Christmas when they finally kissed again.
“May I?”
“Of course!”
*
It was Christmas when they said it out loud for the first time.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
*
It was Christmas and Combeferre was pacing around in their living room.
He couldn’t fuck this up, not this.
A look at his hands showed him, that he was trembling. It was laughable.
Or as Courfeyrac would say “adorable”.
At the thought Combeferre had to smile, they had come so far.
Later that night, after dinner and the annually re-watch of “The Grinch”, the two of them were lying on the sofa. Courfeyrac was leaned against Combeferre’s chest and he was sure, he never wanted him to move an inch away from him.
“Hey…”, Combeferre started, to get Courfeyrac’s attention.
“Hmm?”, Courfeyrac had turned his head and now his breath was tickling against Combferre’s neck.
“It’s Christmas.”
“Hmmm?”
“And I wanted to ask you something.”
“No were are not getting takeout next year.”
“That’s not what I wanted to ask, but if that’s the case when I take my question back. Go to sleep.”
Courfeyrac chuckled and pressed a kiss to Combeferre’s cheek.
“Go on. Ask. Although I gotta tell you, the answer will be yes, you nerd.”
“What?”
“You left the ring box on the counter. But I’d love to marry you anyway.”