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Michael knew something was wrong when it was already halfway through November and he hadn’t heard anything from Colin about Christmas yet. He would never admit it, but Michael found it adorable how excited he would get every winter about the holidays, but it just wasn’t happening this year, and quite frankly, it was bumming Michael out. He had never been much of a Christmas guy himself, but Colin’s excitement was a calendar marker for him every year, and it just didn’t feel like winter if he wasn’t walking around with an obnoxious Christmas sweater-or at least his white boy Izod one.
Michael had to stop Colin one day when he was pacing up and down the hallway because this was just getting ridiculous. “What’s wrong with you man?”
He stopped pacing, but he was still jittery and fiddling with the script in his hands. “What do you mean ‘what’s wrong?’” Colin always played off his own anxieties even when it was obvious something was getting to him, “I’m fine.”
Michael could only laugh as he grabbed Colin’s arm. “Dude you’ve been pacing by my office for the past hour. And what’s this?” he gestured to Colin’s very unfestive work shirt. “There’s not a reindeer on this or anything,”
Colin sighed with a ‘yeah you’re right’ look on his face, mostly in reference to his nervous pacing. “I’m just stressed about the show. What’s new..” he rubbed at his forehead and leaned against the nearby wall, “there’s just a lot of episodes this month and I need to coordinate with guests and edit sketches and I have a meeting with Lorne and--” he was talking faster and faster until he was almost on the verge of tears. Michael had only seen this once or twice before from Colin, and he hated seeing him so anxious.
“Woah hey, it’s alright,” Colin had no choice but to snap back into reality with Michael’s voice. It was soft and gentle and not something he was used to, so he figured maybe he was right. He continued, “Do you need to take a break? I can tell Lorne you couldn’t make it.”
“I--Yeah. Can you? Sorry, I don’t want to abandon you in there but I just can’t,” Michael could see that look in Colin’s eyes that was telling him that he was not okay. Michael just pulled him into his office and closed the door before pulling him into a tight hug and letting him rest his head against his chest.
“Of course babe,” Michael’s voice was still soft, but deeper now. It was comforting and Colin was finally steadying out his breathing. “I’ll just tell him you weren’t feeling well. You need to get some rest. Don’t worry, I have everything under control.” Under any other circumstance, he’d be skeptical, but he believed him.
They stayed like that for ages until Colin finally pulled away “You should probably get going,” He was already feeling a little better and was grateful for Michael. If he was on his own, he could never just back out of things.
Michael glanced at his watch and nodded his head. “I’ll fill you in after the meeting.” He placed a kiss to Colin’s forehead before straightening his shirt and heading towards Lorne’s office.
Throughout the meeting, the only thing running through Michael’s mind was how he could make Colin feel better, and he had the perfect plan in mind. It was possible that the biggest thing affecting Colin’s mood was the lack of Christmas cheer, and if Colin wasn’t going to decorate his office for his holidays, then someone had to. Michael would, as soon as possible. He’d send Colin home to rest and surprise him the next day with an office fully decked with lights and ornaments. While Lorne was talking about the logistics of that week’s episode, all Michael could think about was where he could get a tree on such short notice.
He stopped by Colin’s office on the way back to his own to see if he was doing alright. He knocked gently on his door and let himself in. He was laying on his couch, under a blanket and staring at his phone. That was the mode he tended to resort to when he was anxious and trying to get away from everything. Michael walked over to where Colin was weakly smiling up to him and sat at the other end of the couch. “Lorne said you should head home,” Michael started, ignoring the concerned look Colin was giving him “I told him you were stressed about the show and he said he’d rather have you rested and be on your game tomorrow.”
Colin opened his mouth like he was about to start arguing but he stopped himself before sighing “Thanks Michael. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He sat up and leaned against him, letting him wrap one arm around him and enjoying his warmth while he could.
“Don’t mention it.” Michael honestly couldn’t wait for Colin to leave. For the past hour, he’d been designing Colin’s office in his mind to look like a picture-perfect Hallmark card. He couldn’t start until Colin left, though. Colin kissed him on the cheek before standing up and grabbing his coat, waving goodbye and thanking Michael once again for everything.
As soon as he left down the hallway, Michael headed towards the prop room. He was sure no one would notice if a box or two of decorations went missing. If anyone saw him in the hallway, he’d say he was just helping bring them to set. He made a few trips and was even able to snag a tree that wasn’t being used in a set.
He wasn’t sure how long he was in Colin’s office decorating, but by the time he was done, it was late into the night and there was an inch or two of snow on the ground outside. Michael took a step back and if he was being honest with himself, the office looked pretty damn amazing. He couldn’t wait to see Colin’s reaction, but just before he left, he thought to leave a note on Colin’s desk, just below a big wreath.
“Here’s some holiday cheer. Merry Christmas to the greatest gift I’ve ever received. -MC”
It was 11 AM the next morning when Michael walked into Colin’s office to see him reading the note with the biggest grin on his face he was sure he’d ever seen. “You did this?” Colin was still looking around in awe. Twinkling lights lined the room and there was a faint scent of pine and vanilla. Snowflakes hung from the ceiling and a large Christmas tree stood in one corner, decked with ornaments and with a dozen or so presents underneath. Colin could count four wreaths, and there was even a small fireplace positioned in front of the couch, which was loaded with soft pillows and blankets.
Michael nodded “You like it? I noticed you weren’t in the spirit. Thought this might cheer you up.” He sheepishly looked around. Although design was one of his personal interests, he rarely let that show through; especially not at work.
Colin only responded by going to wrap him in a tight hug. Michael noticed he had put on the Christmas sweater he laid out on the back of his office chair. “I love it, Che.” After a second or two, he looked up to where a branch of mistletoe hung above them. “Now how did that get there?” Colin wasn’t even trying to hide the smile on his face as he brought one hand up to Michael’s face and leaned up to kiss him. Michael smiled against him as he tightened his grip around his waist, pulling him closer. “White Christmas” was playing from somewhere and Colin felt like he was in a dream.
“So you feeling better?” Michael pulled back and looked around the room, “It’s not too much?”
Colin couldn’t help but laugh “Of course it’s too much. But it’s perfect. I feel so much better, Michael. Thank you so much for all of this.”
“It’s the least I could do,” Michael tried to make it seem like it was less work than it was, but really making Colin feel better was the most important thing he could work on.
Colin smiled and started to head off to do his work for the day, and Michael swore he looked like a new man. He knew he made the right decision and he was so glad Colin had a smile on his face again. But before he was all the way out the door, Michael stopped him, “If you tell anyone that I did this, I’m gonna tell everyone your racist again. Like real bad you-shoved-me-stuff. If anyone asks, it was a gift from Lorne, got it?”
It was cute when Che got mildly-threatening “Got it” he responded with a cheeky grin. “See ya later, Che.”
Throughout the day, snow continued to fall outside and there was no sign of stopping. Plenty of the cast and crew were sent home before the storm got too bad outside, but Colin promised to stay late to catch up on the work he missed from the day before. Michael decided to stay behind with him. He loved staying late at the studios around the holidays, especially when no one else was there to bug him. No one but Jost at least.
It was almost 11 when there were alerts going around saying it wouldn’t be possible to leave that night. A lot of the roads were closed leaving from the studios, and the power was out in parts of the city. This would’ve been a problem if Colin and Michael didn’t like the idea of staying the night right there at Rockefeller Center. It was a good opportunity to spend time together, and with the whole studios to themselves, there was no pressure to hide.
By the time Colin got off of his last meeting for the night and made his way back into his office, Michael had already made himself comfortable on the couch. He was in some cozy sweats and had a cup of cocoa. “There you are. Your cocoa is getting cold man” Colin spotted another cup for him on the desk. Extra marshmallows.
The only light in the office came from the fireplace, crackling away, and of course the strings of lights, looking like a hundred tiny stars. Michael shone with a warm glow and Colin joined him on the couch after grabbing his mug. He leaned against him, pulling a blanket across the two of them and taking a long sip from his drink. It was the perfect temperature.
“This really is so nice,” Colin was still impressed with the work around his office. He was finally in the Christmas spirit. Maybe it was the tree or the lights, or maybe it was just Che. “I love you,” it comes out casually, but that doesn’t mean he means it any less.
“Love you too sweetheart,” Michael’s voice was getting deeper and that only happened when he was tired. It wasn’t even midnight, but maybe it was something in the cocoa that was making him sleepy. The two sat in comfortable silence for the next while, the faint Christmas music half-lulling them to sleep as they finished their drinks.
“You know it’s not even Christmas yet, but I can already say this is the best Christmas ever,” Colin set his empty mug down and cuddled up against Michael, resting against his chest. The couches in the offices at SNL were truly underrated considering how comfy they were to sleep on. Even accommodating for two people. Colin rolled around so Michael was spooning him, and holding him close.
The snow continued to fall outside, but Colin had never felt so warm. Michael gently hummed along to the music and grabbed Colin’s hand, interlocking fingers. He rubbed his thumb over his hand and smiled to himself. “Merry Christmas, Colin.”
Colin was fast asleep, but he seemed to smile nonetheless.