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For better or for worse, Connor set his internal alarm clock to wake him at 7am on Christmas morning.
He’d gotten to sleep early the night before and so woke with a smile on his face, only sitting still for a moment before he remembered what the date was. He grinned and tumbled out of bed.
“Sumo!” He practically shouted as he burst out of his room. “It’s Christmas!”
The dog, who’d been sleeping on the living room couch, awoke with a jolt. However, his enthusiasm easily matched Connor’s as he jumped off the chair with a loud bark, skittering in circles around the android.
It only took a few more moments for Hank to wake up, given the noise. His excitement didn’t yet match theirs because he’d just been woken up by shouting and barking.
“The fuck is goin’ on out here?”
“Christmas.”
“Amazing. Let me get my coffee first, then I’ll join you.”
Connor nodded and sat on the couch patiently, Sumo sitting at his feet. He stared at the Christmas tree, lights twinkling, tinsel shimmering, and the wrapped presents beneath. He was glad he’d decided to take part in this holiday.
And then he remembered what he’d bought for Hank. Shit. The t-shirt that said ‘BEST DAD’ on it. They’d… never really talked about their relationship. Sure, he saw Hank like a dad to him, but he’d only mistakenly blurted it out before. Sometimes Hank called him son, but it was completely true that this could just be a term he used to address people younger than him.
The excitement of the day lingered but a spike of anxiety pierced him all the same. Maybe… maybe he should take the present away. For another day. He nodded, going over to the tree and reaching around for it—
“Oi, Connor! Couldn’t wait for me to get here before you opened the presents?”
Drat, Hank had arrived, and he was caught red-handed rummaging around the gifts.
“No, it’s not what it looks like!”
“Whatever. Just put it back down, and let’s get started. I feel more human now after the wake-up this morning.”
Connor chuckled sheepishly, grabbing the other present instead and handing it to Hank. The books.
Hank nodded, pulling the paper off it. Good, good, he was pleased, they were books he’d wanted after all… Nothing too much. Nothing that might make him shocked, think Connor was overstepping any boundaries.
“Shit, I mentioned wanting to read all of these. You’ve got a good memory.”
“Thanks. Glad you like them.”
“Yeah, they’re great. Thanks, Con.” He smiled, putting the books on the chair beside him. “Now, I got you a couple of gifts… But you can only see one under the tree. Grab that one first.”
Connor nodded, brushing his other gift to Hank to the side, picking up his own. It was fairly light and made no noise when he shook it. Interested, he tore off the wrapping paper and found a book about ‘Christmas piano music’.
“This is nice, thank you, Hank! I can bring this with me when I go to Markus’, he has a piano.”
“Uh, yeah, yeah… Let’s say that for now.” Hank said cryptically, before gesturing to the huge present beneath the tree: the 50 pack of tennis balls that Connor bought for Sumo. “The hell is that?”
“It’s my present to Sumo.”
“Man, I only bought him a squeaky elephant toy…” He gestured to the dog who was already playing with said toy.
Connor laughed, a slight evil hint to his tone. “Well… Sumo! Come here. I’ve got something for you.”
When the dog came over, he chuckled before helping him unwrap the present. Sumo stuck his snout in the open hole in the wrapping paper, and a tennis ball shot out. He barked in surprise, squeaking the ball, before setting it to the side, sticking his nose back in. Pulling out one ball and then another and then another and…
And Hank’s carpet was covered in tennis balls, one happy dog in the middle.
“Thanks, Connor.” Hank groaned. “Not like he wasn’t spoilt enough already.”
“Oh, he’ll love these, don’t worry. We don’t have to have them all out at the same time. Maybe we could get a fly-ball machine…”
“Yeah. Anyway… now that Sumo’s happy, I want to give you your other gift.”
With that, Hank stood up and walked down the hallway. He came back a few minutes later grunting, pushing a large box in front of him.
“Mmph—here.” He set it down on the floor, a respectful distance away from Sumo. “’s from me and your friends at the DPD.”
Connor approached the box, wondering what on earth could be inside it. It was big enough to fit him, if he curled his feet up a little.
When he pulled off the paper, he froze. It was an electronic keyboard. Like a piano but more portable.
“Hank, I…”
“We couldn’t get our hands on a piano. Don’t get paid enough for that.” Hank chuckled. “But we all pitched in ‘cause I know you want to learn more on the piano, and, well…”
“This is why you got me the Christmas songbook.”
“Yeah. I know it didn’t make a whole lot of sense as the first gift, but—”
He was cut off as Connor wrapped him in a hug.
“You didn’t have to get me something this—this big. But thank you, Hank.”
“Whatever. You’re worth it.”
“I… I appreciate it. I might have not gotten you something as great, however.”
“Naw, I’m sure it’s lovely. Thought that counts and all.”
Connor nodded, setting the keyboard in its box carefully to the side, before approaching the tree. It would probably look worse if he gave Hank nothing, so he may as well try and give him the gift, see what he thought.
After basically throwing the present at him, Connor hid behind Sumo and his mountain of tennis balls, not even able to look at Hank to judge his reaction. He heard the sound of paper tearing and the t-shirt being opened up, and…
Crying?
Shit, he really had messed up.
“Hank, I’m sorry… I…”
“No, no—” Hank scrubbed a hand over his face, “—I’m not upset.”
“You’re crying.”
“I know I am. It’s not that… it’s not sad tears.”
“Oh?”
“This… this means a lot, Con. I know I haven’t been the greatest, but… fuck, I do see you like a son to me. For a long time I didn’t want to accept that, not after… after Cole. But I do care about you like that.”
“You do?”
“Course I do. You an’ Sumo, and Rose and everyone… you mean the world to me. I’m glad to have a family to spend Christmas with again.”
Connor smiled. “I’m glad to have a family to spend my first Christmas with.”
“Yeah, yeah… Now get over here. One more hug, an’ then we can set up your keyboard, alright, son?”
“Okay… dad.”