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Christmas is a nightmare.
Or – well, getting ready for Christmas is a nightmare. The holiday itself is… fine? Fun. Whatever.
It’s the shopping and the wrapping and the checking-people-off-the-list and inevitably forgetting someone and having to run back out to the store at the last minute to buy a panic gift and then getting home to realize you actually did buy them something after all, and now you have two presents for them and you have to wait until after the holidays to return one and then forgetting to do that , and then you’re just stuck with the thing and –
And that’s the part that Steve hates.
That, and the fact that he has to spend the week at his parents’ vacation house in the Berkshires, squirming under his dad’s scrutiny while his mom just… lets it all wash over her like nothing’s even wrong.
At least he has Eddie with him for that part.
Eddie, who he’s currently dragging out the back door for a “hike” (to sneak a joint just beyond the treeline) because his dad has spent the past hour giving “career advice” (being a complete asshole).
“I don’t need his advice,” Steve says, shoving his hands in his pockets and tucking his chin under the fluffy edge of his scarf as they trudge down the path through the freshly-fallen snow. “I’m a teacher! That’s a fucking career! I know I’ve only been doing it like half a year, but –” He cuts off with a frustrated sound as he gives up on getting the lighter to work and shoves it into Eddie’s gloved hand. “Stupid thing’s broken.”
“Always stealing my lighters,” Eddie says under his breath as he cups his palm around it and lifts the flame to his face. “See? It’s fine.”
Steve lets out a frustrated breath. “It’s not fine.”
“I meant the –” He wiggles the lighter then pockets it, reaching for the joint when Steve passes it over to him after two larger-than-necessary puffs of his own. “But you’re right,” he says. “It’s not fine. He’s being a dick.”
“And he’s being a dick to you, too,” Steve says. He leans back against the ragged trunk of a pine tree and folds his arms over his chest. “Which is way worse.”
Eddie gives him an unreadable smile, tilting his head to the side. “It’s not worse. I can take it.”
Steve feels an uncomfortable twist in his stomach. “You shouldn’t have to, though.”
“Baby, if I could put up with it for the both of us, I would.”
Steve feels a warm flush spread across his face. “Really?”
Eddie nods, taking a step closer and reaching out to wrap his fingers around Steve’s wrist. He tugs until his arms unfold then threads their fingers together and draws Steve’s hands up until they come to rest against his shoulders. He sways forward for a kiss, easy and sweet.
“You’re my favorite person in the whole world,” he says into the close, warm air between them. “I basically always want you to be happy.”