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Christmas was always difficult. After the mandatory Christmas dinner you always spent the rest of the night holed up in your room to avoid all the yelling and arguing. You didn't even bother to come down to open the presents anymore. It was only nine in the evening but you'd rather spend the rest of the night doing nothing before falling asleep than spend a second longer around your family.
It was a beautiful night outside. The pavement and all the trees were covered in beautiful white dust. All the houses on your street were adorned with beautiful lights and decorations. The street lights were cascading beautiful shadows and making the snow sparkle. It all seemed like an idyllic Christmas, except it wasn´t.
Even if it was early you decided to try to sleep and wash away the loud voices that were carried from downstairs. You were just about to turn off all the lights in your bedroom when you heard the hard thud of a pebble hitting your bedroom window.
Knitting your eyebrows together and slightly tilting your head in wonder, you walked over to the window. It was too dark outside to see anything. Due to the contrast of the darkness outside and the brightness in your room, all you could see with the window closed was your own reflection. Opening the lock and lifting up the window you were met with a cold breeze. Leaning the top of your body out of the window you looked down to find out who had thrown the small stone.
“Steve?”
You were met with a smile you knew all too well and a beautiful head of fluffy, brown hair.
“Grab your jacket, I want to show you something” Steve shouted, just loud enough for you to hear without your parents hearing him from inside the living room. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, an offer you couldn´t refuse.
“What do you have planned this time, Harrington?” You laughed as he tilted his head in amusement; his boyish grin making his rugged, good looking features shine even more.
“It´s a surprise. Now hurry up, I´m freezing my ass off down here” but his smile only grew bigger as he complained.
“Fine” you dragged out the ´e´, laughing as you continued “You're so impatient”
Quickly, but silently, closing your window you headed over to your closet and grabbed your spare jacket and shoes. Both of which you kept in your room just in case you had to sneak out.
Lifting the window again you quietly and carefully climbed out and onto the drain tube. You softly started closing your window again, slowly closing it this time so your parents wouldn't hear. Making sure your window was just open enough so you could slip your fingers under it and open it again later, without too much cold air coming in and making your room freeze. Satisfied, you let yourself slip down the tube until your feet hit the ground with a soft thud.
Wrapping your arms and jacket closer around you, you walked over to Steve with small, hurried steps.
“Close your eyes” He grinned when you stopped right in front of him.
“Why?” You wondered aloud. You trusted Steve more than anyone else but this behavior, all the mystery, was a bit unusual for him.
“Like I told you, it's a surprise. Just trust me?” There was a soft, nervous expression grazing his features now so you decided to do as he said.
“Ok” You closed your eyes and let Steve put his gloved hands over them. He quietly told you when you could start walking and led you away.
From what you could tell with your sight gone it wasn't a long walk. You assumed he had taken you to his house, after all it was only a couple of houses down from yours.
All you could hear around you was the quiet night breeze blowing against the few leaves that were still left on the otherwise bare trees and the soft crinkle of yours and Steve´s feet against the snow.
“Okay you can open them now” Steve removed his hands from your eyes and let them drop back to his sides.
Slowly opening your eyes you let them adjust to the light again as everything slowly got less blurry.
“Wow” You let out a stunned breath.
“Do you like it?” Steve asked cautiously.
Tears started welling up in your eyes as you were met with the sight of the treehouse behind Steve´s house covered in Christmas lights, the one you had built together as kids.
“It´s wonderful” You quietly muttered, almost unable to speak as you felt so moved by the gesture. Steve smiled softly.
“Come on let's head up” He ran ahead towards the small wooden ladder and started climbing.
You quickly followed after him, grabbing the planks with a firm grip so you wouldn´t slip. Steve held the hatch open for you so you could easily climb in. As you looked around inside you were taken aback by the sheer amount of work he had put into decorating the treehouse. Just like outside there were lights adorning the walls. In the middle of the room he had put a blanket on the floor with soft pillows for the two of you to sit on, a fluffy blanket in case you got cold and a picnic basket. In the corner sat a small, plastic Christmas tree which he had decorated with various ornaments the two of you had made when you were younger, including baubles you had painted one christmas after accidentally breaking the ones his mom had hung on their Christmas tree. The memory of it tore on your heart, remembering a time when his parents actually came home and celebrated Christmas with him. He had later told you that he preferred spending it alone, because at least then there was no fighting.
Shaking the memory you pushed your body into the treehouse and walked towards the picnic blanket. Taking off your jacket you watched Steve do the same, revealing that he was wearing the Christmas sweater you had knitted for him. Smiling softly you sat down on the pillow next to Steve. Once you were settled he started gesturing towards the basket.
“I made us some food”
He started by pulling out plates, cutlery and napkins and setting them down between the two of you. After everything was placed in an orderly manner he started pulling out various boxes of Christmas food that he had prepared for the two of you. Finally he pulled out two glasses and a bottle of sparkling cider. Popping the bottle he first poured one glass, which he handed to you and then another one for himself.
After you were done eating, you started putting everything back in the basket. As you placed the items back you felt a cool breeze prick your skin. A small, barely noticeable shiver rushed through your body. Steve noticing the movement grabbed the blanket and held it out for you.
“Here, I don't want you to grow cold and get sick” He muttered, pushing the blanket into your hands. You knew for a fact that if you were feeling the cold creeping on then Steve was definitely cold too.
“I don't want you to freeze either” You answered with a frown. Moving the basket, you scooted closer to him until your side was pressed against his and wrapped the blanket around both of you.
Neither of you said anything, sitting there in complete silence. The warmth of his body against yours made heat flush your cheeks. Turning away to hide the tint of pink from Steve, you didn't notice that he was blushing as well.
The silence was finally broken by the sound of shuffling. Steve carefully and slowly moved his arm until it was resting around your shoulder. Even though he had a reputation in school for being a ladies´ man, it was all different with you. Whenever he was around you he felt like the little eight year old schoolboy who had grown a crush on his best friend.
His body was stiff and you could tell he was holding his breath, awaiting your reaction. He let out a deep breath, his body visibly relaxing when you put your head on his shoulder. Closing your eyes you took a moment to breathe in his cologne, it was natural and comforting. You let yourself enjoy it, carefully memorizing it all - so that you could always remember how the two of you, for the first time ever, had a happy Christmas memory.
“Uh oh”
You were snapped out of your thoughts by Steve´s voice. Tilting your head up towards his face you furrowed your brows “What?”
Steve only pointed upwards in response. You followed his gaze up to over your heads where he was holding a mistletoe between the two of you. Your eyes shot back towards his face, he was grinning slyly now.
“Oh, you are such a dork!” You laughed, pushing at his chest.
Steve only grabbed your wrist in response holding your hand against him and using it to pull you closer to him. Your lips met in a soft kiss and you melted against him, his thumb lightly rubbing circles on your cheek. You let out a content hum. There were no words spoken about what this meant for your friendship. There was no need, you both knew each other well enough to tell this was something you both desired. A small part of you guessed that this was something you both had wanted to do since you first learned what a crush was.