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Edward hadn’t really had much interest in Christmas before. Childhood Christmases had been difficult and stressful in his family, and going into adulthood he’d been alone with no real reason to celebrate.
Now, however, he had Jonathan.
Not that Jonathan was much of a Christmas man. He seemed to shy away from the holiday more than Edward, but that almost made it more enticing. Convincing Jonathan to do things he wouldn’t normally do was a favorite activity of Edward’s- it ensured that he would always be the main memory associated with whatever they did, and he certainly liked the idea of being thought about. This, he decided, would be no different.
“Edward?”
“Yes?”
“Why’s there a tree in here?”
Edward looked up from where he was sitting at the bottom of the tree, uncoiling the multicolored lights in his hands.
“What happened to ‘I’m home, how was your day’?” He teased, standing up. “And I think you’re clever enough to deduce why there’d be a tree inside in December. You’re a smart man.”
Jonathan groaned, hitting him in the back of the head without any real force.
“You’re trying me, boy. I just didn’t think you were the type to get into this shit” he explained.
“I suppose the mood just struck me. Now, can you please help me string these lights around it? Your height would be appreciated” Edward held the end of the string of lights out to Jon. He took it up with some hesitation, beginning to wind it around the tree with only a slight mumbled complaint that Edward didn’t bother trying to make out. As far as he was concerned, this was a win. He smiled, unboxing the little ornaments he’d gotten and began placing them on the tree as Jonathan finished winding the lights around the bottom.
“You’re dropping pine needles all over me”
“Trees do that, get over it”
“Well it wouldn’t if you waited til I moved”
Edward pouted, but paused, allowing Jonathan to finish. Finally, he plugged the lights in, and the tree lit up. Edward had to admit it looked nice. Well, he didn’t have to.
“Do the lights look lopsided?” He teased, receiving another light hit to the back of the head.
“They’re fine” Jon growled, dusting pine needles out of his long hair. Edward simply grinned, once again placing ornaments on the tree.
“Yes, alright, they’re fine.” He placated, still smiling. “Could you help with the star?”
Jon looked down at the star as Edward handed it to him, turning it in his hand.
“I don’t know, will you stop asking for shit then?” He grumbled back, though Edward knew him well enough to see that he was being teased right back.
“Hm, Probably. Can’t say for certain”
Jonathan rolled his eyes but pulled a chair over, stepping up into it and placing the star at the top of the tree.
“How does it look?”
Edward grinned widely, taking in the tree they set up together with excitement.
“It’s wonderful.”
Edward hadn’t quite thought through his next activity.
Gingerbread houses, he’d reasoned, were pretty much the Christmastime activity, it only made sense to do one.
He hadn’t really considered how… sticky it’d be. Edward cringed as his fingers stuck together again, his shoulders curling in slightly at the unwanted sensation. The icing didn’t stick very well to the house, but it adhered to his skin far easier than he’d have liked, and the sensation made his hair stand on end. He was a bit embarrassed when Jon came home to Edward with a barely started project, too frustrated to do anything.
“Ed? What are you doing?”
Edward didn’t look up, trying to hide his frustration.
“I was trying to put together a gingerbread house- I thought it could be fun. But the icing won’t stick to the cookie like it’s made to , it just wants to stick to me” he explained slowly. Despite his attempt to keep the emotion from his voice, Jonathan knew him well enough to know that he was decently close to snapping. He calmly got a washcloth, wetting it slightly and vibing it to Edward, who gratefully wiped his hands down. As he did, Jonathan looked at the pieces of the unfinished house thoughtfully.
“I think you could think of a better adhesive.” He decided. “Couldn’t you?”
Edward paused. He could. It just hadn’t quite occurred to him in his angered state.
“… Yes. Yes, I can. Uhm… granulated sugar. We could caramelize it, it’d be pretty sturdy. We could save the icing for decoration.”
Edward looked up at Jon, who smiled slightly.
“I’ll get the stove ready.”
The sugar held the structure together much better than the icing had, much to Edward’s relief.
“Should the roof shingles be M&Ms? The green ones, of course. Or should they be peppermints to match the candy cane columns better?” Edward asked, getting a small, amused huff in return.
“Whatever you think. But a green M&M would make a good doorknob” he offered. That little confirmation of Jon’s interest in the project made Edward smile.
“I think that’s a great idea.”
“You’re freezing”
Edward looked up at Jon from where he was pressed into his side, glowering at him. The effect was somewhat lost, however, with how much he was shivering.
“Shut up, I hate you” he muttered, despite the fact that he was actively clinging to Jon for any hint of body heat. Edward wasn’t built for the cold- cheeks and nose bright red and body shaking, he loathed how easily Jon seemed to adapt to the temperature. Nevertheless, he dragged Jon through Gotham, refusing to let the bitter cold beat him.
“We should get you home” Jon tried again, only to be elbowed in the arm for his troubles.
“You’re not getting out of this”
“I don’t even know what we’re doing, Ed.” He reminded him. Edward simply began to walk faster, pulling insistently on Jonathan to ensure he kept up.
Finally, Edward slowed down as they reached the park, giving Jonathan an idea of why they were there.
Lights draped every tree, lighting the whole park up until it was as lit as it was in the daytime. Icicle lights dripped down from lower branches, giving the illusion of a tunnel of lights surrounding the walkway.
Edward pulled Jonathan through the walkway, the gloom the cold put him in seeming to evaporate once they were surrounded by the lights.
The lights changed as the walkway went on- lit Christmas trees flanked either side of the path, illuminating the park with bright colors.
Edward appreciated the way they reflected off Jon’s glasses, watching him take in their surroundings. He couldn’t help but appreciate the way Jon seemed to keep glancing at him as well, as if similarly trying to gauge his enjoyment.
“Edward?”
“Hm?”
“… This is nice” Jonathan admitted, a small smile on his face. “All of this.”
Edward leaned into his side, pressing close.
“It really is. Do you want to do this again next year?”
“You know what? I think I do”