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It was the day before Christmas, and Michael had no idea what to get Gavin.
He knew the day was coming, all the tinsel and bright lights and Christmas carols and holiday sales being shoved in his face no matter how hard he tried to avoid it.
And it wasn't that Michael didn't love Christmas, who didn't? But with all the jobs and heists that he and the Fake AH Crew were doing to make up for the break they will be taking, it was pretty annoying when he kept getting stuck in strung up lights when trying to escape, or tripped over a candy cane display as he fought off rival crews. Or that time he grabbed the bag full of presents instead of explosives because ‘they look the exact fucking same!’ Ray didn’t let that go for weeks.
The routine was the same every year; Christmas heists, Christmas Party, Christmas break. And one would think Michael would be prepared for each one seeing as he’s been in the crew for years now - but, of course, he isn’t, and anyone can guess which one at this point.
Michael was walking through the downtown shopping district of Los Santos as he thought of this, fighting off the cold with only a red scarf wrapped around his neck and a green beanie that kept his curls from freezing at the tips. He hadn’t thought of bringing a warmer jacket, as it wasn’t snowing when he left, but of course, as if Mother Nature decided to screw over Michael Vincent Jones at his most anxious moment, he was freezing his ass off now - he can almost hear Gavin drilling him for not listening to him about the cold.
As he rubbed his arms to keep warm and pushed past other late Christmas buyers - a different sort of walk of shame - he spotted an open Café at the end of the block that looked way too warm to resist. Plus, he might be able to sit down and actually decide on what to get Gavin, so he rushed over to the door and quickly opened it.
When Michael entered the coffee shop, he was completely enveloped in warmth, and found himself relaxing instantly, even if there were a couple of other people from gangs loitering around - he didn’t mind them. After all, It was Christmas Eve, and if the Germans and Americans could make peace for one day, then so could they. He walked past them up to the cashier and ordered a coffee, going to the corner booth after to sit down.
“Who would know…?” Michael asked himself, opening up his phone and scrolling through his contact list. For being as being as notorious of a criminal as he is, he didn’t know many people besides people in the crew, and other close friends.
His thumb stopped at ‘D’, and opened up the first contact - “Dan.”
He typed up a quick message and sent it off, hoping it wasn’t too late in England for him to answer.
Thankfully, he answered back pretty quickly.
“Something that Gav would like? Well, it’s been awhile since i’ve visited, but he’s always liked insanely expensive things. Anything to make him look more like a right prick will do.”
“yeah, Dan, I’m fully aware. but that’s the problem, he said he didn’t want anything too special this year so i’m kinda stuck.”
Dan typed something up, and seemed to delete it all as the speech bubble went away. Michael frowned a bit at that, he really didn't have much time for this.
“Dan, you there buddy?”
“Yeah, but I’ve got nothin' on B. I tried texting him myself but he said the same thing, ‘nothin too special this year, B’ Weird, innit?”
“weird, well thanks anyways Dan, I’ll catch ya later.”
“Good luck!”
Michael gave a frustrated sigh as he locked his phone and finished the rest of his coffee. There was someone else he could ask.
-
Geoff wasn’t at the base when Michael first got there, but Gavin was - well, not completely that is considering he was asleep.
He caught a glimpse of his motorcycle on the way in, but didn’t think anything of it at the time. The only time he realized his mistake was when his spiked up hair peeked over the edge of the couch, the lights dimmed and television set on a low volume as a background noise. Michael couldn’t help but smile.
He decided it best to stay quiet, not really wanting to give himself away over the fact that he was so late in the present department, so he tip toed past Gavin and into the other room, hoping that he could find Geoff lurking about.
As he expected, Geoff was nowhere to be found. Michael opened up his phone and typed up a message similar to what he had sent to Dan.
“Awww, you love birds. Just get him something meaningful. Like something that means a lot to the both of you.”
‘wow, thanks geoff, didn’t think of that.’
“Okay asshole, just give him sex then ;)”
‘you’re not helping.’
“Alright, alright. I actually have something in mind, but you’re gonna have to come to my place. Griffon and I are cooking pig brain!”
Michael pulled a face.
‘fucking gross. i’ll be over in a few. and not for the pig brain.’
Michael locked his phone and shoved it in his pocket, grabbing his car keys again. He was about to pass by the lounge without a second thought, but he caught himself and walked over to Gavin instead, finding it peaceful to look at his sleeping face.
He bent down and brushed his hair away from his forehead where he laid a kiss, letting his hand rest there for moment longer before pulling up his blanket and leaving him alone.
“This better be a good present, Geoff,” Michael uttered to no one in particular, shutting the front door quietly behind himself and locking it.
-
It was the next morning, Christmas to be exact, and Michael was really scared Gavin wouldn’t like his present.
They were at the base, in the company of the other crew members and their families as they sat in the lounge and exchanged presents. Michael thanked Jack for the new jacket, and Ray for the new video game, and Geoff for the whiskey flask (and the idea), and Ryan for the throwing knife kit, and Gavin, well, Gavin hadn’t given him his present yet. In fact, the two of them were the only ones to not exchange gifts yet.
Michael sat next to Gavin on the two person couch, arm around his waist and Gavin’s hand resting comfortably on Michael’s knee. He felt Geoff’s eyes on him, urging him to give Gavin the present, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was dumb, stupid, kid’s play, and if Gavin didn’t like the present, in front of everyone else? Michael would have to leave the country from pure embarrassment.
“Hey, Michael.”
Thank god Gavin brought Michael out of his thoughts before he threw the present straight into the fire right then and there.
“What’s up, Gavvy?” Michael plastered on a small smile to hide his uncertainties.
“Let’s go somewhere else to open our presents, I don’t want to do it in front of the others.”
I love you.
Michael visibly relaxed at the statement and nodded, looking over at Geoff, who had a really dumb grin on his face, before following Gavin outside as he shoved the present in his pocket.The cold air hit Michael's face and his nose and cheeks immediately reddened. Being from New Jersey didn't help him with the cold at all.
He shut the door behind himself and looked at Gavin, his green eyes bright from the reflection of the snow and hair covered in little flakes of white. Michael couldn’t help his little grin.
Gavin pulled a face at Michael’s response and swatted him.
“What’s the look for? Havin’ a laugh?”
“I’m having a lot of laughs! You’re hair looks ridiculous with the snow all over it.”
Gavin gasped in disbelief and bent over, quickly flicking some snow up to catch Michael in the face, causing the man to splutter and fall backwards.
“Gavin, you fucking asshole!” Michael screamed, a smile still tugging at his lips as he said the words. “You started it.”
Michael grabbed some snow of his own and tossed it at Gavin, the british boy falling out of the way in a similar position to Michael. From there, the two engaged in full out snowball warfare. Snow forts, headshots, smack talk - all in the spirit of Christmas. At some point within the struggle, Michael had tackled Gavin to the ground, wrestling him around until he pinned his wrists above his head.
“Do you submit, Commander Free?” Michael smirked, even as the smaller man squirmed around under him. “Kiss for yes, Kiss for no.”
Gavin stopped squirming and glared up at him. “Michael, that’s not fair! You had more snow than me!” Michael looked dumbfounded as he looked around himself.
“There’s fucking snow everywhere! Don’t play d-”
Michael was cut off as Gavin pressed his lips to his, the kiss being soft and slow as Michael let go of his wrists and brought his hand down to cup his cheek. Gavin brought one hand around Michael’s neck as the other rested next to his hip. Everything was calm, until Gavin grabbed some more snow and shoved it in Michael’s hair.
Michael fell off of Gavin with a grunt as Gavin stood up quickly.
“Ha! I win,” Gavin cheered as he did a little victory dance - if flailing your arms even counted as a victory dance.
Michael shook the snow out of his hair and looked up at Gavin, letting his annoyance simmer down as he watched the idiot prance around like a little kid on Christmas morning. Speaking of Christmas-
“Hey, cheating prick,” gasp , “ do you want to open your present, or are you going to dance all day outside in the snow?”
Gavin stopped his dancing and looked over at Michael. “Oh, I almost forgot!” He quickly walked over to Michael and helped him up.
The two of them looked at each other, not really sure who was going to give the other their present first, but Michael decided for the both of them as he reached into his pocket and brought out a small box. Gavin’s face lit up as he took it into his hands.
When Gavin finally got it open, Michael’s heart raced because what if Gavin didn’t like it, or he already had one, or it came in the wrong color, or-
“Michael…”
Michael was pulled out of his thoughts as he looked at Gavin’s baffled face. His heart dropped.
“You...don’t like it? It’s okay if you don’t, I mean-”
Gavin pulled out a small chain necklace with a Creeper pendant on the end of it. The two of them used to play Minecraft together religiously, Gavin always being the Creeper boy to his Mogar. The game really brought the two of them together as they hung out more and more and stayed up later and later. So, when Geoff handed him the necklace last night, he couldn’t have thought of anything being more perfect - but maybe he was wrong.
“I love it.”
Michael’s eyes snapped up to meet Gavin’s, a small smile growing on his lips.
“I love it Michael, I really do...it’s just-”
“Oh, what now?!”
Gavin reached into his own pocket and brought out a small box, roughly the same size as the one Michael had given Gavin. Michael took it into his hands and looked up at Gavin, raising an eyebrow in a moment of confusion. Gavin looked between the box and Michael, ushering him to open the present.
Michael did just that, tearing off the ribbon and taking off the top.
His jaw fell open in utter disbelief. “You’re kidding?”
Gavin gave a small smile as Michael pulled out a very similar chain necklace, but instead of a Creeper head as the pendant, at the bottom of the necklace hung a pixelated diamond that resembled the one in the game.
Michael looked up at Gavin, the two of them meeting eyes for a moment, before they fell into a fit of laughs, Gavin’s coming out in short squeaks and Michael’s in long guffaws. Gavin liked his gift, and Michael was so happy for that. Gavin reached out and offered to put his necklace for him, Michael doing the same once his was one.
“This is fucking ridiculous,” Michael looked at Gavin and then at the necklace around his neck, “you wouldn’t have happened to get that form a certain mob boss, would you?”
Gavin’s jaw fell open. “GEOFF!”
Michael screamed ‘ Geoff’ along with him, giggling to himself again because all of this was so stupidly perfect. Gavin liked his gift, Gavin got him and equally amazing gift, and he was next to the person he loved most in the world - and seeing him as happy as he is now made Michael’s heart flutter with joy.
“We should go inside and give him an earful, the dickhead.”
“Right behind you, Gav.”
Gavin stormed excitedly inside ahead Michael, holding the door open for him.
“You coming?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”
Michael walked inside as Gavin closed the door shut behind them, knowing that this moment would stay with him forever.
Maybe Michael should plan last minute gifts more often.