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Damen loved Christmas.
It was his favourite holiday, and he adored everything about it, including things even others Christmas lovers found irritating.
Like Christmas shopping.
Most people hated the rush, but Damen wasn't bothered by crowds, liked the decorations in shops, and loved buying presents for his friends and family.
Family. Yes. Well. That part was going to be a bit more difficult this year.
What with his girlfriend (ex girlfriend, now) having slept with his brother and all.
Additionally, his father had refused to choose between his sons, so Christmas dinner would mean facing both Jokaste and Kastor and pretending at cheer.
Still, Damen was determined not to let them spoil the season for him.
With that in mind, he'd thrown himself into Christmas shopping and now stood in line in Datart, listening to the Christmas music playing from the speakers.
He was staring sort of vaguely into space, so it took him a moment to notice how impatient the man before him was. He was tapping his fingers on the box he was holding in his hands constantly shifting, and from the little Damen could see of his mouth he seemed to be scowling. When ‘Last Christmas’ came on from the speakers, he actually let out an audible groan. He certainly wasn't enjoying the cheer.
“You know, most people who don't like Christmas avoid shopping two weeks before it,” Damen pointed out to the guy, a little irritated with someone being so obvious about their dislike, like he was trying to ruin it for others.
The guy turned to give him an incredulous look, which gave Damen a chance to see he was blond, blue eyed, and unbelievably gorgeous, the kind of breath-taking beauty you only see once or twice in your life in person. “What exactly,” the beautiful man said, “gave you the idea I was interested in your commentary?”
Damen considered. It was the season, after all, and he should try to spread the cheer around. “Talking to me will make the wait seem shorter?” He suggested. It he nothing to do with the way the guy looked, he assured himself. Nothing at all.
“You make a compelling point,” the guy admitted reluctantly after thinking it over for a few seconds. “So, what were the opinions you were so impatient to share? Astonish me.”
Damen shook his head. “It's not like that,” he said, not entirely truthfully. “I just wanted to distract you.”
“Oh? And why exactly are you offering this kind service?” The guy asked archly.
“Tis the season,” Damen replied.
The guy scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“I'm surprised you're not on your phone to distract yourself,” Damen said after a moment of silence.
“My phone died an hour ago, which is the only reason I'm here at all, two weeks before Christmas,” the guy answered pointedly.
“Couldn't last without it for the day or so until Datart delivered it to your door?” Damen needled, since online order with delivery to your door was how most of his Christmas-hating acquaintances dealt with shopping at this time of the year.
“I've heard Last Christmas three times in the last hour,” came the reply. “Being able to play my own music is a matter of survival during holiday season.”
Damen grinned. “So if I told you I had ‘Christmas hits’ on heavy rotation on Spotify…?”
The guy gave him a completely incredulous look, which slowly turned into disgust when he realised Damen was serious.
“This conversation is over,” he announced.
“Oh come on, don't be like that. What's your heavy rotation?”
“Gounod's Faust,” the guy replied drily.
Damen laughed.
Two blonde eyebrows went up. “What, you don't believe me?”
“No, I just think you made a very deliberate choice in the playlist you picked.” He gave the man an assessing look. “I'd be very surprised if there wasn't Toxic somewhere on your phone.”
The guy actually blushed. Damen was completely captivated. “What's on yours?” He asked. “My guess is either Rammstein or Celine Dion.”
“Why not both?” Damen asked with a wink, then added, with only a slightly intent look: “But actually the most popular recent favourite would be One Kiss.”
The guy's eyes widened, then narrowed, and he smirked. “And what about IDGAF?”
“Hmm, no, I think I prefer Blow Your Mind.” And before he could stop himself, he made the accompanying sound.
The guy laughed. It was the most amazing sound.
Unfortunately, they were interrupted by the guy's turn coming, and instead lingering like Damen had hoped, he quickly paid for his new phone with efficient politeness and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Damen called and stepped out of the line.
The guy gave an incredulous look to all the people behind him, and the implied wait he had just wasted. “What are you doing?” He asked.
“Just… Could I buy you coffee?”
The guy pursed his lips. “I see your motivation wasn't quite so selfless after all.”
Damen put up his hands defensively. “No, it's fine if you don't want to, really. I'm still glad to have hopefully improved your day. But I'd like to take you out.”
The guy's eyes narrowed again, and he tapped his finger on the case of his phone once more. Then he extended his hand. Damen blinked at it.
“Well you can't exactly write your number into my phone now, can you?” The guy pointed out impatiently. “So give me yours.”
Damen gladly obliged, a smile slowly spreading over his face as the man typed. Laurent, he mused as he looked at the newly entered contact when the device was handed back to him.
“I'm Damen,” he said.
Laurent nodded. “I saw,” he said, which made Damen wonder if and how the man had time to check out his social media in that brief moment he had his phone. ”I have to go,” Laurent added then. “Text if you are still interested later.”
Then he turned and walked away. Damen, watching rather intently, definitely was. He texted the same afternoon, and he got his first date in a few days.
When Laurent found out he set his ringtone to All I Want For Christmas, it was very nearly the last one, too.