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The plane touches down two days before Christmas in Pittsburg and Jesus Christ it is freezing on the outside of the plane cabin. The stinging wind gnaws at Chris’ nose and cheeks as he hunches into his winter coat and follows after Zach. The older man, on the other hand, is clearly pleased by this weather from the way he breathes in deep and gives a satisfied sigh. Chris’ nose hairs cringe at the sight, or wait, that’s from the nearly below-zero temperatures. Zach must have just then noticed his sudden Eskimo transformation because the bastard laughs and teases Chris for being a California boy.
“You’ll end up melting when you go back to LA, baby.” Chris doesn’t bother to rise to the bait, he just wants to get their suitcases and go to Zach’s mom’s house. They end up getting ambushed as they’re getting their luggage, by Joe and Margo and of course, this leads to a round of hugs and hellos, even Margo teasing him about the cold and his apparently apple-red cheeks. He puts up with it good-naturedly, knowing they mean nothing by it. Zach does soothe his bruised ego when he murmurs that Chris looks temptingly cute with said apple-red cheeks, before giving him a quick kiss. After that, Chris finds he doesn’t mind the playful jokes as much.
The downside is that Margo’s charcoal gray house is not the warm haven Chris had hoped it was going to be. Drafts slip in under the window sills making Chris want to put his coat right back on, but that would be rude so he hangs his coat up like a polite man beside Zach’s. Margo, wonderful mom that she is, must notice Chris’ reluctance to part with his coat and says
“I’m sorry, Christopher,” She prefers the sound of his full name “The house is drafty even with plastic over the windows. I can find slippers for you, if you'd like them.” Chris accepts and thanks her for the offer, glad that his toes won’t completely freeze during their stay. But it seems he is destined to find no suitable warmth. By dinner time Chris is chilly again, forcing him to put a sleeved shirt on under his hoodie, along with changing his jeans for sweatpants and Zach’s socks.
“Did you put your hands in snow or what?” Joe jests, when Chris hands him the rolls and their fingers brush. The younger man shakes his head and replies that, in fact, he just ran hot water over his hands. A sympathetic clucking comes from Margo before she tells him that she’ll get Chris another couple of blankets for their bed, at which point Zach groans,
“Chris, you’re going to give me heat stroke at this rate.”
By day two Chris has decided to hell with looking nice, it’s sweatpants and hoodies for him the entire time. Besides, Joe and Margo obviously don’t mind his outfit choices, though that’s no doubt due to having some of the clothes Zach has worn as comparison. And yeah, thinking about it, sweats do look better than some of the gaudy outfits Zach’s put on. The older man seems to be of the same mind when he comes into the room from his shower just as Chris is pulling on his wonderful black fleece sweatpants.
“You look so cute all bundled up around the house.” Zach states, kissing Chris at the same time as he herds him towards the bed and onto his back, crowding in between his legs. “Those sweatpants frame that bubble butt.” He murmurs, cupping a handful of said butt. Chris is unable to help himself from smiling against his husband’s mouth as he winds his legs around Zach’s calves, pulling him flush against him in the best way possible.
“Dinner's up Zac - whoa sorry!” Joe exclaims, startling them both and before they can move apart, he shuts the door and leaves. Chris knows he’s blushing visibly from how hot his face and chest have gotten after that surprise walk-in.
“Jesus, getting caught making out like teenagers.” He mutters raking his fingers through his hair l, wondering how he’s going to be able to look Joe in the face without blushing. He doesn’t think it will be possible. Of course Zach seems much less embarrassed by it and more amused than anything, really.
“Bet I can make you finish just as fast.” He teases, to which Chris rolls his eyes, gently pulling him back down, giving him long slow kisses before murmuring,
“Hurry up then, dinner’s ready.”
---
Afterward dinner Zach tries to convince him to take a short walk with him.
“Are you serious? I’ve been freezing inside your mom’s house how do you think I’m going to survive outside?” A raised eyebrow and skeptical expression has the blond sighing and going to grab his coat. “I am putting my cold feet against your legs tonight, and you aren't allowed to complain about it.” He states, making Zach smile and nod as he too shrugs on his own coat.
The walk is nice, relatively sedate and hushed with the falling snow, which Chris has to admit looks picturesque, when Zach’s laughter suddenly breaks the quiet, and before the younger man could question what was funny, he’s being dragged at top speed towards whatever's caught Zach’s eye. Chris of course groans loudly, as his stomach full of food protests at this fast movement. Before he can complain that he’s going to puke from this running, Zach’s stopped in the entrance, before he’s crowding into Chris’ space, grasping the fur lined hood of Chris’ coat and kissing him. Chris can’t help it, he kisses back for a moment before his laughter prevents him from continuing.
“What the hell was that about?” He smiles
“Mistletoe.” Zach replies with a grin, pointing above them to the almost completely snowed-over bunch of vegetation tied to the entrance arch. The golden blond can’t help but roll his eyes as he starts heading homeward, Zach firmly in tow, holding his hand.
“And here everyone thinks I’m the hopeless romantic.”