Chapter Text
Waking up was already hard. Getting out of the comfy warm bed that held off the negativity of the day and the world. Though today, Tim had to push himself out of bed. Today was really really important to him and everyone else in the household. Pushing out of bed, rubbing at his eyes before stumbling to his closet. Pulling out a sweater, thick heated flannel, some jeans on, along with some hiking socks Brian had gifted him and pulled on his shoes.
Stretching as he walked into the kitchen, Brian dutifully at the kitchen stove cooking away. Getting some eggs and sausage ready for them all, Waffles in the waffle press, filling the kitchen with the warm comfort of hazelnuts and chocolate. Grabbing some water along with his med container, popping them down before speaking.
“Where’s Kralie and Merrick?” he said as he moved to the kitchen island seats and flopping down. Melting down into the seat a bit and watching his best friend prepare breakfast for them all. Humming emitted from his friend, going along with the tone in his head.
“They’re getting firewood from the pile outside. Snow is in the forecast, don’t wanna end up like last year.” Shivering at the thought of last year. They all had procrastinated bringing in wood for the fireplace. Bringing it in when they needed it. A couple weeks later they were snowed in and soon after their heating had died. They all slept in their inclosed living room. Cuddling and living under their surprising amount of blankets they had collected over the years.
When they originally purchased the house they were told by the previous owner that the snow didn’t get too bad since it was in fact Oregon and they were closer to the Valley. But times had changed and now when it snowed, it snowed hard. They learned their lessons on not stacking up on firewood inside. The backroom of the Garage was now promptly being jam packed full of firewood from ceiling to floor.
A plate was set down in front of him. Two waffles, plain with honey and peanut butter on them. Some sausage and scrambled eggs along with it. A small smile catching onto his face, Brian of course knew his favorite, which brought him back to the good memories of college. Telling him that he hadn’t had a home cooked breakfast since he was 4 years old. He had, in a frenzy, made him waffles with the toppings that they had on hand. Being broke college kids they didn’t have much. But Brian had made do, and it was the best fucking meal he had since he was 4. Brian just smiled at him with so much warmth and love before turning back to the stovetop.
The scuff of boots and light bickering broke him from his hazy enjoyment of his breakfast, it now mostly being gone. Jay and Alex walked into the kitchen, bundled up similarly to Tim. In their thicker winter clothing, Jay is even more bundled. Looking like his proper winter form, wrapped up so much you could barely see any part of his body but his flushed red face under all of his warm clothing. It was quite adorable. The two of them shedded their heavier layers before sitting down. Fluffy chocolate waffles topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar set down in front of them, along with the appropriate amount of sausage and eggs. Coffee set down in front of Alex and something that smelled like Earl Gray tea in front of Jay.
“Thank you so much Bri, god this looks fucking delicious,” Alex mumbled for going to town on his food. Making noises of enjoyment and happiness, much to the flustered state of their cook. Jay, also a bit red in the face, gave a much quieter thank you.
“So, what's all on the schedule today? We didn’t really come too much of a conclusion last night,” speaking into his water as he looked over everyone.
“Well, I need to get some supplies if we are making thumbprint cookies, I also need some cardamom. I also think we need to get some oat and regular milk for the hot chocolate. Anything you guys need?”
“I think we need some toilet paper, better to stock up when the snow hits. Also maybe see if you can find some kinderpunsch?” Jay spoke when Brian pulled out his phone, creating the shopping list. A few more items were listed as all of them rattled off things that they knew they were getting low on.
Soon they were all done, plates and utensils being put into the dishwasher. Jay did the dishes as the rest of them got ready to go back into the cold windy weather for their shopping trip of last minute goods and gifts.
Grabbing the keys to their van watching Alex bounce from the front of his foot to his heel. The dork always loved going shopping for some reason, running around the store like a little kid looking at everything. Tim had grown to love this behavior, on more than one occasion Alex had found something that became part of their small household. Along with finding alternative foods for Brian and Jay with his frantic running around said stores.
—
The store was packed. It was getting close to Christmas and everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off. He didn’t really understand the whole thing, much as the others understood as well. All of them had complications, you could say, with Christmas. Brian was Jewish and was completely indifferent to the whole holiday, Alex grew up in a heavily catholic household. Christmas was always spent at Church where he wasn’t allowed to eat, sleep or drink water for hours on end. He has forbidden a lot of Christmas music in the household. Jay grew up poor, really fucking poor. He would maybe get a single present that Christmas (but his parents always had more than enough money to purchase cigarettes and beer). And Tim himself doesn’t have a memory of Christmas. Years were spent moving from shitty house to shitty house with his mom before she threw him into the hospital, and then nothing.
With their little household now, they had all decided to celebrate Yule. He had spent his time going through old documents and family trees finding out he had Polish and German ancestry. He had proposed it to everyone as a compromise, something that wouldn’t step on the trauma of the others, they also of course always had a Menorah in the window, candles carefully lit by Brian as he talked about Hanukkah with all of his family growing up, He spent his time cooking dishes of his childhood for them.
Shaking his memories away he looked over to Jay who was currently shivering and looking uncomfortable. The man always had issues with crowds and tight spaces. Something they all knew about but didn’t bring up. Moving quietly to his friend's side before grabbing his ungloved hand and giving it a small reassuring squeeze.
“Any ideas on what you’re gonna get Alex?” He hummed to the other, keeping his eyes forward to not make his friend more awkward about him being so anxious. A squeeze was given back to him before Jay spoke.
“I found some books the other day on photography and the art of Films which I think he may like. Depends on if he would sit still enough to read them” The taller man chuckled and rolled his shoulder, browsing the shelves as they walked by. Alex and Brian in front having a lively chat probably about what they will have for dinner for Yule’s eve and Yule night.
“And Brian?” He looked up and over to his friend, whose face was flushed from his many layers along with the heating in the store.
“You know I can’t tell you that TimTim, Brian will somehow get an idea out of you of what he's getting and pester me about it.” They both gave some giggles at that, it was true. Brian never liked not knowing what his presents were, he would straight up sit under the tree on Yule’s eve shaking his gifts near his ear, beaming brightly with his toothy gapped smile. It was adorable to watch.
Jay suddenly started pulling him through the crowd, heading towards a certain direction. His feet tripped under him a bit from the rudeness, but caught himself and continued on. Once they actually got there, Tim understood. The books Jay had told him about were tucked away in a corner that Alex most likely wouldn’t run off too (he was scared of getting lost in crowds and always stayed close to one of them when it got busy). With his free hands, the thinner man grabbed the books and slipped them into one of the canvas bags he had stolen from their cart. Looking at Tim for a second before they both moved along.
Shopping went smoothly after that. When they found their shopping cart again, Alex was twitching with nervous energy and ticcing a bit. Looking overwhelmed and embarrassed. He understood how the older man felt. They soon exited the store and were on their way back to the house.
Brian jumped into the passenger seat when Tim had climbed into the driver's seat. Instantly grabbing the AUX cord smirking like a mad man as he plugged in his phone. Turning on MCR just to annoy Alex, who not too surprisingly had an emo phase, fringe, thin as hell and all black with too many belts. Brian now tormented him with all of the emo music that he could. Alex had to suppress himself from actually enjoying it and tried his absolute best to look grumpy. He just ended up looking like a child who was just told he could in fact not have a second bowl of ice cream.
—
The drive back was easy, comfortable and warm. Not just from them blasting the heating in the car to warm it up from being in the parking lot. Warmth was also feeling his body and face from the comments, laughter and bickering from his friends.
Groceries were brought in, Jay had instantly ran to the kitchen with the ingredients, bouncing around a bit, flapping his hands in joy. Giggling happily at the idea of getting to bake cookies for his close friends.
“Hey Tim, can you start the fire? Temp is going down and it's starting to get really windy out there, I wouldn’t be surprised if the snow started coming down soon” Alex said, pulling items out of their canvas grocery bags onto their countertops. Looking over to Jay and giving him a warm smile before looking up at him, giving a silent ‘please?’
Rolling his shoulders and giving a chuckle before going into the frosty cold garage, making his way to their backroom, giving a laugh at how neatly stacked all of the wood was. Jay and Alex being a powerful team on trying to make everything perfect so they can have a very warm and comfy Yule.
Logs were brought into the house and he got to work. Prepping the fireplace by cleaning it all out from the remnants of past fires. Taking out the ash and charcoal to the trash can outside. Newspaper, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, egg shell cartons. Then the logs, kindling and some more newspapers. Lighting a piece, making sure the flue is open and pushing the newspaper up the chimney. Then lighting the dried wood and other flammable materials. Sitting back on the heels of his feet.
Light padding of socked feet came up behind him and a soft hand resting against his shoulder as a warm voice spoke up.
“Hey Tims, I know I kinda isolated you over here to make the fire. We made some Mulled cider and thought you might want some hun” Alex rubbed his shoulders a bit and moved the cup into his vision. His favorite cup, a deep red on the outside, little black bats spattering it with a tan inside. The first cup that he purchased for the house. Leaning into his friend's touch and smiling, taking the cup and warming his hands. “The fire looks good by the way”
“Thanks, years of living in the forest helped out.” Alex had given a small flinch at the mention of the forest before cupping his elbow.
“Wanna watch Jay somehow get flour all over himself even though Brian wont let the flour out of his sight for it to get all over Jay?” Alex giggled a bit, this always happened with their lanky friend. He somehow always got incredibly messy with whatever ingredient, usually flour. Even though he had no possible reason to get that dirty. Getting up chuckling as he went along with Alex.
Sipping his mulled cider and watching his friend mess around while making cookies. Brian and Jay trying to be serious while Alex processed to goof around a bit, wanting to see his friends smile and laugh. They many times had to take small breaks to giggle at the hijinks happening. Smiling fondly as Jay very carefully put in small spoonfuls of Marmalade and strawberry jam interchangeably into the thumbprint cookies. Alex was at the other side of the kitchen using a small glass cup to press down the cardamom cookies before putting them into the fridge to cool while the other cookies cooked. After everything was baked. Half of the Cardamom cookies were half dipped into chocolate and put to chill and harden.
—
Dinner was held in the living room, Brian had made a vegetable stew the night before. None of them really cared about having leftovers, the stews always tasted better the second day anyways. Their old Tv was turned onto a classical music station. Specifically sticking to the ones that never played Christmas music. Alex was curled up like a cat on the couch, reading some mystery book he had picked up a while ago. Enjoying that and slowly eating his stew, picking off some pieces of rye bread they had purchased and dipping it into the deliciousness.
Melting into the couch once he finished his bowl. Pulling one of the throw blankets over himself and snuggling in. Years ago, he never would get sleepy like this. Too high strung by everything and overwhelmed to even let his guards down. The hand of Alex went into his thick brown locks, rubbing at his scalp and petting him a bit. Sighing happily at the touch dozing off. He was safe, and he was happy.