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Steve paused as he walked out of the kitchen, almost sure he had heard a knock. But that was impossible. It was Christmas Day and there was a snowstorm outside, the weatherman had predicted over a foot of snow with heavy winds. He continued to walk to the den when he heard it again, a knock, louder this time. Then the doorbell was pressed. Steve hurried over to the door and opened it a few inches, the wind and snow blowing inside, spattering his face with icy crystals. “Eddie?” Steve asked in confusion, opening the door wider. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Merry Christmas to you too, man,” Eddie said, stomping the snow off his boots, hands stuffed deep in his leather jacket, his hair dotted with snowflakes, his nose bright red from the cold.
Steve opened the door wider and grabbed Eddie’s arm, pulling him inside and glancing out to see if anyone was with him.
He shut and locked the door, shivering in his Christmas sweater, pajama bottoms and slippers. “Give me your coat,” he said, holding out his hand and hanging up the leather jacket on a coat tree in the hallway. “Why aren’t you at home?”
Eddie unwrapped a red scarf from his neck and handed it over to Steve. “The wind blew out the power, no heat, no lights.”
“That sucks,” Steve said sympathetically, bringing Eddie into the den where a fire was roaring in the fireplace, Christmas carols playing soft and low on the stereo.
Eddie hunkered down on the large stone sitting area in front of the fireplace, putting his hands up to the screen and warming them. “It does indeed suck,” Eddie agreed.
“Where is your uncle?” Steve asked, sitting down beside him.
“Florida. He’s visiting some old war buddies. He left a few days ago on a Greyhound,” Eddie explained, shaking the melted snow from his hair, making Steve recoil as the cold drops found him.
“Why are you here?” Steve asked again.
Eddie looked at him like he was dense. “The power went out. I just went over this.”
Steve shook his head. “Yeah, I remember that, but here ? The power went out and your first thought is to trudge through a snowstorm to my house?”
Eddie rubbed his hands on his legs, trying to get the feeling back into them. “Oh. Um. Yeah. Well, I knew everyone else had plans today, hanging out with their family and whatever. But you had mentioned that your parents went to the Bahamas and you were gonna be alone, so I thought that I wouldn’t be bothering you. But if I am, I can go man, no hard feelings.”
Steve rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Yes, please go back out into a snowstorm and go home to freeze your ass off in the dark. Because I’m a dick. And my parents went to Bermuda, not the Bahamas.”
Eddie shrugged. “Whatever. I’m just saying I don’t like to be where I’m not welcome.”
Steve put a hand on Eddie’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Of course you are welcome here. I’m happy to have company. You should stay tonight, and until they fix the power at your place. I’ve got plenty of room.”
Eddie smiled softly at Steve. “Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
Steve held his gaze for a moment, almost getting lost in Eddie’s liquid chocolate eyes, feeling something pull in his chest, a pining, unspoken. He opened his mouth, on the edge of a confession, when a loud whistling filled the air. Steve leaned back, swallowing, the moment broken, and stood up. “Uh, that’s the kettle. Want some hot chocolate?”
“Sure. Do you have marshmallows?” Eddie asked, his cheeks pink from the heat.
“Yep, I’ll bring some in,” Steve said, retreating to the kitchen and letting out a breath of relief as he poured the packets of cocoa into the mugs, added the hot water, stirred, and filled a small dish with mini marshmallows. He balanced all three, heading back to the den and handed Eddie a cup, putting the marshmallows between them as he sat down, adding a few to his drink and sipping it gingerly.
“We should toast,” Eddie said, adding more than half the marshmallows on top of his cocoa, almost overflowing the mug.
“To what?” Steve said, holding out his mug.
“Um, to Christmas, and to having someone to spend the holiday with?” Eddie suggested.
Steve smiled and clinked his mug against Eddie’s. “To Christmas, and to you, who almost died just to have cocoa with me.”
Eddie shrugged self-consciously and took a sip. “You’re thrilled I’m here, admit it.”
Steve took another sip of cocoa. “Eh.”
“Eh?” Eddie laughed. He picked up a marshmallow from the dish and tossed it at Steve, hitting him on the tip of his nose. “Liar.”
Steve put down his mug, picked up a marshmallow and tossed it at Eddie where it stuck in his hair.
Eddie pulled it out and popped it in his mouth, then threw another one at Steve, who batted it away. “Eddie, stop, what the hell?” Steve tried to sound serious but there was laughter in his tone.
“Eddie throw more? Okay, if you insist,” Eddie grinned at him, grabbing all the remaining marshmallows, at least ten, and tossed them at Steve.
Steve ran his hand through his hair, hoping none had stuck and gave Eddie a light slap on the arm. “STOP!”
“I’m out of ammo anyway,” Eddie shrugged, drinking his cocoa with an innocent expression.
“I’m thinking of rescinding my offer to stay,” Steve said, looking at the marshmallow covered floor with annoyance. “Now I have to get a broom.”
Eddie grabbed his hand as he moved to stand up. “Wait.”
Steve didn’t pull his hand away. “For what?”
Eddie looked up above their heads and nodded. “See that? The missile toad?”
Steve looked up even though he knew nothing was there. “What?”
“Missile toad. It’s invisible, but it’s there,” Eddie insisted.
Steve made a face at him. “Do you mean mistletoe?”
“No,” Eddie said. “It’s missile toad. I’m sure of it.”
Steve glanced up again at the empty space above them. “There’s nothing there, Eddie. I’ve got to clean up the mess you made.”
“Hey, Harrington?” Eddie grinned, sliding closer.
“What?” Steve replied, feeling his heart start to beat faster.
“Shut up,” Eddie said, cupping Steve’s cheek and leaning in to kiss him, soft and slow, enjoying the feel and taste of his mouth, eyes closed as he memorized this moment, their first kiss. “Merry Christmas, Steve.”
“Merry Christmas, Eddie,” Steve said a little breathlessly, then leaned in to be kissed again.
End. <3