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Patrick blinked awake. For a second unsure where he was. Everything felt familiar yet unfamiliar. He focused his eyes and recognised the curtains. He was back home. His childhood bedroom. He reached out to his left, just checking his memory and everything else was correct. He felt David next to him and exhaled. It seemed almost too good to believe. It was Christmas morning and he was waking up with his husband in his childhood bedroom. He rolled onto his side to face David who was lying on his back next to him. Still fast asleep of course. Patrick reached a hand to his chest and felt the reassuring warmth and rise and fall there. He took a moment to take in his wedding ring on that hand too.
It was nothing that he’d ever dreamed of. Waking up on Christmas morning with his husband. Bringing him home to his parents’ house. He’d never woken up on Christmas morning with anyone. Maybe all this time he really had been waiting for the right someone.
‘Reindeer!’ David said out loud. Patrick laughed. He often talked in his sleep, which wasn’t exactly surprising given how much he talked anyway. But this festive edition was amusing. ‘Stop the Reindeer!’ he said.
‘Yeah you stop the Reindeer babe.’ Patrick replied.
‘Stop the Reindeer!’ David said again. Patrick grinned and hauled himself out of bed. He pulled the covers back over David who muttered something incomprehensible as he did. Patrick leaned over and kissed his cheek before letting himself out into the hallway. There was early light creeping through the bathroom window as he splashed water on his face. He padded back down the hall aware this time of noises downstairs.
‘Honey is that you?’ his Mom called up the stairs.
‘Yeah Mom.’ he replied.
‘Breakfast is nearly ready.’ she called back.
‘Ok!’ he answered.
‘Better get your husband out of bed!’ his Dad called. Patrick grinned with a strange sense of pride. He still wasn’t quite used to it.
He got back to his room and noticed, for the first time, two Stockings leaning against the wall outside his room. He recognised the old one he’d had since he was a kid, plain red with his name embroidered on the top. He picked up the second, it was identical with David’s name embroidered on top. He grinned and opened the door to his room.
‘Hey David, Santa has been!’ he said, knowing this would elicit the groan that came from the bed.
‘Early.’ David grunted. He’d woken a minute or two ago, registering that Patrick wasn’t there. And pulled the covers over his head anticipating being fully woken when his eternally chirpy in the morning partner returned. He’d allowed himself a second- just a second or he’d get overwhelmed- to take in that he, David Rose, was waking up in his husband’s parents house on Christmas morning. And trying not to get himself too worked up about that.
‘It’s 8am. Which means my Mom gave us a lie in. But she will be beating down the door to force feed us pancakes if we don’t get downstairs in the next ten minutes.’ Patrick crossed to the now duvet enclosed form of his husband. ‘She bought the good syrup.’ he whispered at what he assumed was his husband’s head.
The duvet moved. David’s head appeared. ‘I’m listening.’ he said. Patrick grinned. David moved to lean up and kiss him. But he moved away. David frowned.
‘Hold on.’ Patrick said, hurrying around the bed and getting back in. ‘Let’s start again.’
David frowned at his husband who he noticed was now carrying two Christmas stockings. ‘Merry Christmas David.’ Patrick said, leaning over to kiss him. David gave him a smile, and a slightly confused look. Patrick shrugged.
‘Merry Christmas’ he said, holding up the stockings. David scooted upright and took it. He realised all at once that it had his name on it, and it matched Patrick’s. His eyes went a bit wide in wonder.
‘Did your Mom?’ he gestured at it.
Patrick grinned. ‘Of course.’ he said.
‘It’s got my name on it.’ David said, turning it to face Patrick.
‘Yes, yes that is your name.’ Patrick grinned. He leaned over and kissed him. ‘Everyone gets one.’ He gave a little shrug the ‘the whole family.’ hopefully unsaid, but understood. David bit his lip and nodded. ‘I think it’s traditional to open them too.’ Patrick said. David grinned at him.
Patrick began rooting around in his. The usual selection of candy and fruit, he slapped David’s hand away from a bag of chocolate coins. ‘You’ve got your own.’ he said. He also pulled out some socks, and noted David had the same brand- except his were black with white stripes and Patrick’s were blue and white. Patrick continued to root through some more candy- which he was likely to lose to David regardless- and found some baseball cards, a standing joke from when he was a kid and begged for more every Christmas, as well as two packets of his favourite tea, something as an adult his Mom never forgot. He glanced over at David’s lap where he had a bundle of sketching pencils, and fineliner pens.
‘Oh that’s cute.’ Patrick mused, picking the bundle up. And then leaning over to sniff the bag of coffee beans his Mom had also given him.
‘Hmm.’ David said. His attention on one last box in his hand.
‘What ya got there David?’ Patrick asked leaning over and kissing his cheek, resting his chin on David’s shoulder. He tilted his hands towards Patrick. He’d opened the little box expecting some kind of art supplies, or more candy. The whole thing was adorable and thoughtful and he was a little overwhelmed. But at this he felt hot tears escape his eyes. He wiped at his cheeks with his free hand and handed Patrick the box.
Patrick frowned and took it. Inside the small box was a key, a house key. The key to his parents house he realised recognising it from the one he still kept on his keys, despite not having lived here for over two years. He moved it to read the small note, in his Mom’s handwriting underneath.
‘It’s about time our new family member had a key. Welcome home David. X’
That set Patrick off as well. He buried his head in David’s shoulder for a second. He knew his parents fully considered David part of the family, just as the Roses had him. But there was something about seeing it written down, seeing this gesture, Patrick felt like he’d been punched in the chest for a second. After everything they’d gone through to get there. And then he remembered his husband next to him, equally bowled over. He reached for his cheek, turning him to face him. Wiping at his tears.
‘No backing out now Husband.’ he said with a teary smile, ‘You’re an adopted Brewer now.’
David grinned a lopsided grin. ‘The least I could do since you agreed to be an adopted Rose.’ he leaned over and kissed Patrick, before a wave of tears escaped. He sniffed. It was a lot. Even though they were married, even after everything. To be so fully part of someone else’s family was a lot. A lot more than he ever dreamed of. ‘It’s just…’ he didn’t manage to get the rest out. A few more tears escaped.
‘It’s a lot.’ Patrick said. Reading his husband’s mind was a skill he was refining still. ‘I love you.’ he said, kissing him again ‘Merry Christmas David.’
David smiled. ‘Merry Christmas Patrick.’ he wrapped himself around Patrick’s neck tightly for a second. Interrupted by Marcy’s voice from downstairs.
‘Boys!’ She called ‘Breakfast!’
Patrick pulled back with a grin ‘Boys!’ he said. Enjoying how much his Mom too was enjoying this.
‘Pancakes.’ David said very seriously.
‘Pancakes.’ Patrick answered.
It was almost one in the morning by the time they were back in Patrick’s bedroom. His Aunts, Uncles and Cousins had come over for Christmas drinks, and there was quite a lot of catching up to do. It was all a bit of a blur at this point, which the amounts of wine since lunchtime, and whiskey since 10pm hadn’t helped with. But he remembered at one point not so long ago looking up and seeing his whole family in their living room, laughing and happy. And he felt the weight of David’s arm around his shoulders at the same time. He’d looked up at his husband and smiled. David leaned over and kissed him and as he pulled away he caught his Mom’s eye and she smiled at him. This year had been filled with moments of happiness, moments when even when everything else felt uncertain Patrick could be sure of one thing. As they got towards the end of the year, that was a moment that everything finally felt like it had settled in. Was balanced. ‘I love you.’ he’d heard David whisper softly under the noise, and he’d leaned into him a little more, enjoying their little moment among the noise.
And now with everyone gone home, and his Mom and Dad clearing up the last of the mess downstairs, he could shut the door and find another moment of calm. David moved towards the bed, but Patrick stopped him, grabbing his hand and pulling him back towards him. He reached for him and kissed him softly, then a little deeper. Feeling David loop his arms around his shoulders and move in closer. They kissed for long moments, as if they needed a brief moment of reacquainting with each other. They pulled apart and not quite ready to let go, Patrick pulled David towards him and into a hug. He felt David rest his chin on his neck, and lightly kiss him. They pulled apart for a moment, David threw him a questioning glance. Patrick shrugged.
‘I loved today but it was a marathon. You must be exhausted.’ He smiled, holding onto David’s waist still. He knew it had been a big ask, getting him to spend the day with the entire family. David nodded.
‘Worth it.’ he said with a smile. He was exhausted. It was a lot and he was burnt out from being around relative strangers all day. But they were lovely, all of them. And he knew it meant the world to Patrick to be back spending Christmas with them.
‘Just us and Mom and Dad tomorrow.’ Patrick promised, they had a day of a walk, and a trip to Patrick’s favourite coffee shop and pub planned. And a lazy afternoon at home. He was looking forward to Boxing Day more than Christmas Day. Time alone with his husband, and quality time with his parents. He couldn’t really ask for much more.
‘Sounds perfect.’ David said. He looked at Patrick who looked incredibly happy- if tired and if he was honest a bit drunk- and grinned. He didn’t know that Christmas could be quite this fun. He shifted, wondering if this was the right time but went for it anyway. ‘I’ve got a present for you.’ he said looking at Patrick from under his eyebrows. He was suddenly nervous. Patrick frowned at him. They’d exchanged gifts earlier, the new blue sweaters, and a variety of books and records were downstairs. They’d also agreed to limit gifts this year, knowing neither of them really needed anything. ‘Sit.’ he said gesturing to the bed. Patrick frowned but obeyed. David went to his bag that he’d stowed in the corner. He pulled out the gift wrapped in blue and silver paper. He sat next to Patrick and handed it to him.
Patrick was puzzled as to what this was leading to, but he smiled a thanks and waited for David’s nod to open it. It was clearly something framed.
‘I know you like framing things.’ David said, as Patrick ripped into the paper.
He pulled back the paper, it was the same- or at least a very similar- silver frame that their business license hung in on the wall of the Store. Patrick frowned at it. It was their business license. His eyes scanned over it. And then he realised what was different.
‘It was always just in my name.’ David said ‘I thought it was time to change that.’
Patrick looked over at him and grinned. He’d not really given it a moment’s thought. Legally everything was unchanged by them getting married in terms of the Store. But David puting it properly in their joint names...he grinned wider. ‘I see you kept the frame.’ he said.
‘It’s developed a certain ironic charm.’ David grinned back.
‘Things in that Store tend to do that.’ Patrick grinned, he leaned over and kissed his husband lightly. ‘Thank you David.’ he said softly. David nodded at him. Then accidentally yawned. Patrick laughed, and yawned himself. ‘Dammit.’ he said, leaning over and kissing David again. ‘I had big plans for my teenage bedroom tonight but.’ he yawned again. ‘I think those plans are going to have to stay just plans.’
David reached over and pulled his husband towards him, kissing the top of his head. ‘We’ve got all weekend to show your teenage bedroom what we’re made of.’ he yawned again, then buried his face in Patrick’s head for a second.
‘Ok bed.’ Patrick declared. He carefully leaned the frame against the wall on the dresser with another smile at David who nodded.
A while later they were curled up in bed, David tucked under Patrick’s arm as he leaned down and lazily kissed him goodnight. It was warm and they were both tired, and full- and yes slightly drunk. And neither of them could have asked for anything more. Patrick sighed contentedly, and David tightened his grip. ‘Hmm?’ Patrick asked sensing there was something.
‘I’ve never gone to sleep with someone on Christmas Day.’ he said, burying his head into Patrick’s shirt a bit more. He felt Patrick lean down and kiss his head.
‘Me either.’ he said softly. ‘But I always will from now on.’
‘Oh yeah.’ David grinned. The whole, forever thing was still taking some getting used to. ‘Merry Christmas husband.’ he said.
‘Merry Christmas Husband.’ Patrick replied, flicking off the light. The first of many, and he couldn’t wait for the rest.