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The soft hum of the engine clicked off as Jack removed the key from the ignition, hovertires flipping off and landing the vehicle softly on the ground. Silently they exited the vehicle, boots crunching on the freshly fallen snow that rose up to their ankles. Fat flakes continued to fall from the sky, landing in their hair and on their eyelashes, piling up on the ground around them. Gentle breezes of cold stole away the warmth provided by the vehicle as they removed their bags from the car; they didn’t bring much, a duffle bag each packed with only the necessities of a week-long mission.
Without the steady purr of the vehicle, they were surrounded entirely by silence, only the rustle of pine trees and the occasional scurry of some unfortunate mammal could be heard. Shivering, Gabriel walked to the porch of the large cabin, peering into the frost-glazed windows attempting to get a glimpse inside. He could make out a few silhouettes of objects, a large couch somewhere in the middle of the room, a table, and a few other oddly shaped knick-knacks that he didn’t quite know the identity of.
Gabriel rolled his eyes as Jack, who held the key to the cabin, took his sweet time taking his stuff out of the car and just standing outside in the snow. With the light provided by the parking headlamps of the car, Gabriel could see Jack stick his tongue out of his mouth with childhood glee and catch a few fat snowflakes. Flakes of snow coated his hair and eyelashes, and when he opened his eyes and caught Gabriel watching, a red flush covered his cheeks as well. An affectionate smile growing on his lips, Gabriel placed his bag on the porch and let his form dissolve, slipping into smoke and sliding under the crack at the bottom of the door, reforming on the other side. Taking a moment to stretch his fingers and toes, he let out a soft sight, feeling the last whips of smoke knit together his sweatshirt and beanie.
He unlocked the door from the inside and swung it open, turning on the porch light and flipping on the interior lighting, internally grateful there were no issues with receiving electricity this far in the woods. With the added visibility, he could finally see the inside of where the two, and eventually six of them, would be staying for the week.
The place was open concept, leading directly into the living room, the couch he spotted earlier placed perfectly in the center of the room, a red blanket tapestry laid overtop of the brown leather. A matching loveseat flanked it on the left side, back facing the sliding glass door that lead to an expansive wooded backyard. In front of the couch was a glass coffee table, a decorative bowl of acorns and other fake nuts sitting in the center. In the center of the setup, was a well-maintained fireplace with glass doors flanked by red brick for the walls. Above the hearth sat a mantle where a holovid TV display had been placed.
Gabriel dropped his bag on the couch, and made his way over to the thermostat, cranking it up to a comfortable 22° C and stripping off his snow-covered coat. The front door opened with a squeak as Jack held his key to the already unlocked door as the old soldier looked between Gabriel, the door, and the key and sighed in lieu of asking an obviously answered question.
“You were taking your time and I was cold.” Gabriel defended, crossing his arms and sinking down into the loveseat and wrapping the red flannel blanket around his shoulders.
“Sue me for wanting to enjoy the snow.” Jack grinned, grabbing the older man’s jacket and hanging it up on the coat rack. He placed his own beside it and strolled lazily over to the fireplace, investigating the flue and wood rack before deciding to stack up a small pyramid of logs inside. Beside the fireplace was a small metal box and Jack opened it up finding a fire starter and a partially used container of matches inside.
“Oh, this is too easy.” He sighed, lighting the candle-like starter and placing it in the center of the stack. He put the matches back into the box and pulled out a few old pieces of newspaper and mailed advertisements and put them atop the candle, the paper instantly bursting into flames. With a satisfied grunt, he closed the glass doors and adjusted the airflow dial beneath, allowing for the maximum amount of airflow to help start the fire.
“Thanks for the show boyscout.” The wraith chided, lifting one side of the blanked and beckoning for Jack to join him. Jack groaned as he stood up to oblige him, kicking off his shoes as he closed the short distance between them. Jack entangled himself in Gabriel’s arms draping the other half of the blanket around his back. The younger man sighed as he buried his nose into his lover’s neck, taking a sinfully long breath in, thoroughly enjoying the scent of his cologne.
The fire began to kick up as the logs burned, wonderfully bright oranges and yellows casting shadows across the room. Gabriel couldn’t help but marvel at how the light made Jack’s face glow with joy, his blue eyes sparkling with the dancing flame. He couldn’t resist planting a gentle kiss to the top of Jack’s forehead, running his slightly clawed fingertips through the silver locks of once-blonde-hair.
“Love you.” He whispered, lips still pressed to his head.
“Love you too,” Jack responded, sliding his arms around Gabriel’s waist.
Gabriel pulled away slightly, repositioning his head so he could watch the flames leap and crack in the hearth of the home, returning Jack’s embrace as best as they could as the warmth began to creep over their bodies, fighting against the frigidness of the outside. The wraith watched as Jack’s blue eyes began to drift off to sleep, his breathing evening out quickly as his embrace became slack. Gabriel didn’t need to sleep, but there was no reason not to, especially after neither of them had slept a wink during the twelve-hour drive. Reaching behind him he flicked off the overhead lights, the only illumination in the entire house coming from the beautifully blazing fire before them.
“Love your more sunshine,” Gabriel whispered, closing his eyes and allowing himself to dream.
Jack awoke to the smell of coffee and lingering smoke, and a distinct absence of warmth beside him. Rubbing his eyes and stretching with a yawn, Jack turned to spot Gabriel standing in the kitchen with a holopad and a cup of coffee, long wavy hair now straight and damp from a shower. The man wore only a white T-shirt and sweatpants, strings tied haphazardly in a bow. Upon noticing that Jack had woken up, he turned back to the coffee maker and poured him a cup, adding just enough cream to turn it to a light beige and half a teaspoon of sugar to take away the bitter edge. Gabriel returned to the couch with both of the mugs, handing Jack the blue and red striped one. Jack accepted the drink gratefully, showing his gratitude with a shallow kiss that he smiled into, unable to contain the joy of being able to have a moment like this in his life again. Jack broke off the kiss to sip his coffee again, moving to place it on the coffee table when something caught his attention. Upon the glass table sat a beautifully wrapped box, covered in red and white paper, strapped with an elegant silver ribbon that crossed in the center, marked by an equally stunning bow.
“Gabriel,” Jack sighed, reaching for the box, “You didn’t have to.”
“I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t.” The man beside him responded, averting his eyes and playing with his mug. “It’s kind of small but I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am to have you back in my life.”
Gabriel’s whiskey brown eyes looked up from his cup, fixing Jack for a killing blow as he spoke. “I realized when I was in Tallon that I was a fool back then, I let so many holidays slide because of work or frustration, and there weren’t any more left. That I’d never experience one ever again, and worst of all I’d never share a Christmas with you.” His voice trailed off with a waiver that came with tears and Jack placed the box in his lap, reaching out and grasping Gabriel’s hand firmly. “God I fucking hate sounding like a Hallmark movie character.” He chuckled wetly. “But seriously, having all of this, being here on Christmas, and even just being with you, it’s a dream come true that I thought I gave up on a long time ago. So, thank you, Jack. Thank you for giving me all of this. This,” Gabriel reached for the box, shaking it gently as he used his other hand to wipe vigorously at his eyes. “This is the least I could do.”
Blinking away the tears that had formed while his lover was talking, Jack crushed Gabriel into an embrace, a wet sob leaving his chest.
“When I thought you died,” He began, only tightening the embrace. “Christmas was something I feared because I missed you so desperately that it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest.
I’m so grateful to share this with you too.”
Gabriel tucked his face in the crook of Jack’s neck and Jack could feel hot tears stain his grey T-shirt. He didn’t care, he was crying too.
Gabriel pulled away first, rubbing his eyes and steeling himself with a breath.
“Open it.”
Jack laughed as he pulled the now-wrinkled gift from his lap and began to tease the paper, finding the tape at the seams and gently pulling it off as to “save the wrapping paper”, knowing it drove Gabe insane.
“I know what you’re doing Morrison, and I also know that you’re extremely ticklish and that I don’t need to sleep.” The man beside him threatened voice cold with a deadly seriousness usually reserved for interrogations.
“You wouldn’t” Jack responded, completely unfazed.
“I would”
“Nuh-uh.”
Gabriel reached out in lieu of response and attacked Jack’s sides, who moved the gift out of the way in response, biting back his laughter as much as possible. Moving his hands up Jack’s torso, he increased the speed of his fingers, causing Jack to twitch and rip the paper despite his best efforts.
“Fine,” Jack sighed, defeated, ripping off the paper and sliding off the bow. Beneath was a white and green box whos lid was covered in tiny sparkly penguins and he smiled before placing the box on the table and lifting the lid. Red tissue paper was seated tightly around whatever was inside and he lifted it gently. Inside was a clearly hand-knitted sweater with white and red accents tastefully intersecting the green wool. In the center was one of the Pachimari characters that he knew Hana loved and the fabric itself was buttery soft to the touch.
“Gabe, did you, make this?” He asked incredulously, taking it out of the box like it was made of precious glass that could shatter at any moment.
“Merry Christmas Jackie.”
“I love it!” He exclaimed, wrapping Gabriel in another hug and planting a kiss on his lips. Jack broke off the kiss as quickly as he’d started it and ripped off his undershirt, tossing it on the floor behind the couch as he pulled on the garment with wonder. “Stay right there!” Jack exclaimed, suddenly rising to the couch and to his bag. “I got you something too.”
Flustered at the other man’s response, Gabe sat waiting, as Jack shifted through his bag. He watched the other man stuff something small into his pocket as he came back to the loveseat, an air of sudden seriousness about him.
“Sharing even these moments with you make me realize how much I missed them and how much I missed being with you. I don’t ever want to lose you again and I want to spend every single Christmas, every single birthday, and hell every day for the rest of my life with you.” Gabriel’s eyes widened with realization as he watched Jack sink down in front of him to one knee, Jack’s hand reached into his pocket and opened a small grey box containing a beautiful black and red engagement band that easily took his breath away.
“We’ve both died, come back to life, and found each other again and I don’t want to have to rely on luck a second time.”
Jack took a breath and looked at Gabriel, beautiful eyes reaching into his soul and filling him with joy. Trembling with anticipation he raised his hands up to his face as a set of tears trailed down his cheeks.
“Gabriel Reyes, will you marry me?”
Even though he knew what was coming, he was still too shocked to speak. Nodding like a madman Gabriel sunk off the couch and to his knees reaching for the box and placing the band on his finger.
“Yes. A thousand times yes.” He managed to whisper, reaching for Jack and kissing him through his tears. Laughter welled up in his throat and he kissed Jack deeper, only pulling away to intermittently whisper ‘yes’ and ‘I love you’
“I love you too Angel.” Jack responded, grasping Gabriel’s hand tightly.
“I love you more sunshine.”
“Merry Christmas Gabe.”