Work Text:
Snow is quietly falling outside the window of a two bedroom house on Long Island. A Christmas tree sits in the corner of the front room, illuminated with pink, blue, yellow and green string lights; matching gaudy baubles, some shiny, others decadently layered in glitter, twinkle in the low, colorful light. Presents are packed underneath the foliage with varying levels of wrapping success, heavy handed writing on some, long elegant curling lettering on others, and a few small but neatly finished presents with bows and ribbons.
The night before was Christmas Eve and Scott was rushing around the house, trying to get all of the gifts wrapped before Mat had come out of his room. This would be his first Christmas with the boy, and he knew that the other didn't have much luck when it came to celebrating Christmas.
He had gotten the kid so many new gifts, that he was sure would make the others Christmas so much better. Scott just wanted this to be the best Christmas Mat's ever experienced, and take away the pain of all the ones before. That's what big brothers are supposed to do, right?
After finding the boy, cold in the snow about a month ago with no family, nothing. Just a little orange cat named Lasagna. He had saved him from getting hypothermia and dying basically. They had spent a few days in the hospital trying to get his body to regulate temperature again. He had basically saved this boy from dying. Not basically, he did.
He's listening to some Christmas songs in his air pods, humming softly, while filling up stockings, putting presents under the tree. Finishing up wrapping any gifts that was left over. His family had sent him over some gifts, so he placed his own gifts under the tree as well. He didn't want to focus on himself. This was about making Mat happy.
He finally was happy with his work, as he smiled softly, before walking upstairs to his bedroom, to finally hit the hay.
DECEMBER 25TH 20xx
After finally waking up after doing all that. It was finally Christmas. Scott had silently walked downstairs, trying to not wake the other, as he made some coffee quickly, and sat on the couch. He looked around, admiring his work, as he smiled softly. He really hoped this would be the best Christmas Mat had ever experienced. He wanted Mat to be happy. That was his job as Mat's "older brother."
Mat had spent the most of the week leading up to Christmas being antsy. Anxious. He'd got Scott some gifts, but he never really celebrated Christmas... Nobody to celebrate it with.
He'd get Lasagna fancy cat food, maybe. But it never went to himself.
He'd headed downstairs not.. expecting anything. So as he stood in the doorway staring at the present pile and a decorated living room it was hard not to burst into tears. He mattered that much?
Scott had turned his head, seeing the other standing in the doorway, staring at everything. The Christmas tree, the presents, the decorated living room. He studied the other’s expression, noticing how his body...slumped and started...shaking? He looked at the boy's face, seeing tears running down his face.
"Kid...? Are you okay-" He was cut off suddenly by the action of Mat SPRINTING to Scott, wrapping his arms around him, as his body shook with a violent force, as sobs came out. The boy was shaking in Scott's arms, as he rubbed Mat's back softly, while shushing him..
"Shh...Shhh...It's okay kid, no need for tears..”
Mat frowned. He's pulling back, sniffling. "S-sorry, I just.. I didn't think.."
Scott had given a small smile, putting his hand on the other's shoulder. “It’s all going to be okay…Here. Let’s sit down and open some presents, how does that sound?”
Scott had turned on some Christmas music playing it softly in the background. He smiled "Here, sit on the floor, and open some presents! If it has your name on it, it's yours.” the other sat down on the ground, staring at the presents.
Mat grabs a present, looking up at Scott. He's holding one out to him with a grin. "Open one I got you first."
Scott shook his head. He was not going to make this Christmas all about him. He looked over to the pile of presents, and then back at Mat. “You open one first.”
Mat gave a pout. "Okay." He looks over at all the presents, picking one of the small ones that had a tag that said “ MAT ” on top of it.
Scott smiled, sipping on his coffee. The one he had picked was the little hockey player ornament he had gotten Mat with his name on it. He was so excited to see the reactions Mat would have to his presents. He watched the other unwrap the present, revealing the tiny ornament, as the other smiled, looking at it.
"Oh that's so cute-" Mat let out a grin, examining the ornament. It was a little charm of a guy playing hockey, with the name “ MATHEW ” under it.
"Do you like it? We can put it on the tree next year!" Scott said, while smiling at the boy. Honestly, he was deathly afraid he got the wrong things for the boy, and that Mat was going to hate his presents. He was silently praying that the other liked his gifts. He didn’t want to ruin another Christmas for Mat.
Mat lets out a smile, as he reaches over to hug the other. "I love it."
Scott let out a breath of relief. He was honestly holding in a breath ever since Mat had begun opening the present. He looked around the tree, grabbing another present. This one contains the light statue of a hockey player Scott had gotten him.
He knew the boy was having nightmares very frequently and wasn’t sleeping. He had heard the boy crying from the living room some nights, even having to sit with Mat, singing him lullabies softly, while stroking his hair to calm him down, until he just passed out from crying so much.
Scott was examining the others body language, watching him opening the gift.
"Oh- oh I love that." Mat’s eyes had lit up. He wouldn't have to sleep in the pitch black anymore and start sobbing when he woke up.
Scott smiled gently, looking at Mat. He knew the pain that the boy was going through, even though Mat thought he didn’t. "I thought it would help. No one likes sleeping in pitch black rooms."
Now it was time for the big gifts. Scott had gotten Mat completely new hockey gear. He knew the boy had gear that was in the WORST condition currently, not even having certain parts of the gear set.
He handed him about 5 different boxes, all ranging in different sizes.
Lasagna began padding over and pulling at one of the presents with his teeth. It was the box with the skates in them.
“Lasagna…” Mat let out a laugh, picking up the orange cat, and placing him away from the presents.
Scott laughed, looking at Lasagna. "I think Lasagna wants you to open that one." He's awaiting the others' reaction, praying he likes them. He had made sure to get them in the correct size, and in his favorite color.
Mat nods, picking up the present. It was super heavy, and super clunky. He had begun unwrapping it, as tears flooded his eyes again. It was brand new skates. In his favorite color. "Oh.. oh they're so cool- I can actually skate again-" Mat’s eyes were cloudy with tears, as he began wiping them.
Scott smiled at the boy. "Made sure to get them in your favorite color and everything. But, you have to open the other gifts along with them." He said as he pointed to the other boxes that were near the skates.
.. Mat’s picking one up, quietly opening it. He's just got a dumb grin on his face. This was the best Christmas he had ever experienced. Just being with Scott made it 10x better than any other Christmas he had experienced, but getting presents? And presents that he LOVED?
It was the brand new gear he had gotten Mat. He had noticed the kids gear was DESTROYED and the fact that he didn’t even have a complete set. He had bought the kid a whole new set, with his number personalized on it.
"..." Mat’s crying softly, a grin on his face."Y.. you didn't have to-"
Scott just smiled "I didn't, but I did kid. Now open the rest of them!" He handed him the box containing the new stick, the new mouthguard and new gloves
Mat began to open the boxes, as Scott quietly grabbed his phone, to try and get a video of the boy's reaction, quietly pressing 'record'.
"Oh my god- oh my god!" he's covering his mouth. Disbelief. "You actually.."
Scott nodded, smiling. He had gone out, getting everything that he needed to play hockey. He had decided if he was getting one thing, he might as well buy an entire set. It’s not like the kid had much anyways. If it made his little brother happy, it was worth it.
Mat got up, and hugged Scott as tight as he could. Scott stopped his phone, holding the other. "Did you enjoy your presents?"
Mat let out a giant smile, hugging the other tighter. “I did. I really did. Thank you so much. I really…didn’t deserve any of this. You didn’t have to do this! Thankyousomuch-”
Scott just hugged the boy, holding him as Christmas music played in the background. Let's just say, a lot of tears were shed that day. It was one of the best Christmas’ Mat had ever had. Thanks to Scott. He really didn’t know what he would do without the other. He honestly saved him from the terrible life he was living, and fixed him. Made him better.
“And so this is Christmas. I hope you have fun. The near and the dear ones. The old and the young”