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“That one! That one!” William shouted, pointing at a particularly large Christmas tree.
“I’m not sure that one will fit buddy,” Mike replied.
“Awww. But it’s the best one Daddy!” William complained.
“Yeah Daddy, it’s the best one,” Harvey teased. He pouted at Mike, laughing at the reaction he was getting from his husband.
Mike had never had a real Christmas tree before he met Harvey. He and Grammy had a small artificial one which they would put up every year, but he’d always thought it would be cool to go out and choose a real one. But by the time he had the space and money to get his own one, he found he never had the time or the inclination. Even in the first years of their relationship, he and Harvey hadn’t ever bothered doing up the condo for Christmas, it had never really felt like a priority. That was until William came along.
“Why don’t we go and have a look at those ones over there?” Mike said pointing at the more regular sized trees, ones that might actually fit without them having to make a hole in the ceiling.
“Okaaaay” William replied with a huff.
His disappointment didn’t last long though and he sped off towards the trees dragging Mike and Harvey along with him. They took their time picking out the perfect tree, and in the end went for a nice plump 8 ft spruce which both Mike and Willaim agreed was perfect. Harvey had just laughed at them both and handed over his credit card - Mike was pretty sure he was secretly excited but he knew he’d never admit it, not in public anyway.
William watched in fascination as one of the staff put their tree though the machine to wrap it in the netting. This was the first year he’d really been able to understand what Christmas was all about and he was unbelievably excited about almost everything.
Tree successfully wrapped, they carried it back to the car and somehow managed to get it strapped to the roof. It flopped down over the back windshield slightly and Mike was a little dubious about the safety of it all, but he wasn't the one driving so he couldn't really complain.
“So buddy” he said to William as they all got strapped in. “When we get home, do you wanna decorate the tree, or make cookies for Donna?”
William and Mike had baked Donna cookies for her birthday and she’d been pestering Mike for the recipe for weeks afterwards. Mike wasn’t going to give away his secrets that easily, so instead he’d promised they’d make her some more for Christmas.
“Can’t we do both?” William asked sweetly.
“Aww buddy, I don’t think we have time, we need to be out again by six” Mike said sadly.
“Please please please!!” William begged, looking up at Mike with pleading eyes. It was almost impossible to resist them.
Mike looked over at Harvey for support, he really didn’t want to be the bad guy.
“We can always make the cookies in the morning Will?” Harvey suggested. “Donna isn’t coming round until lunchtime.”
“I promise I’ll be super quick!” William tried his luck again.
Mike glanced back at his son who looked utterly crestfallen. Maybe William was right, it was only 2 o clock, they could make the cookies quickly, put up the tree, and still just about have enough time to get ready for the school show.
“I have an idea” he glanced at Harvey, knowing he might not be fully on board with what he was about to say. “How about me and you make the cookies buddy, whilst Daddy gets the lights on the tree,” he saw Harvey glared at him out of the corner of his eye. “Then we’ll all have time to finish decorating the tree together before we head out.”
“Yay!!” William chimed from behind them.
Harvey rolled his eyes at Mike but his expression quickly changed to one of endearment. “So you two get to have all of the fun baking cookies whilst I have to fight with the Christmas lights?”
“You are more than welcome to make the cookies, but don’t blame me when Donna comes for you because they’re not the same as last time.” Mike wasn’t going to let Harvey play the sympathy card that easily.
He could see Harvey actually considering it for a second but he knew in the end he’d win.
“Let’s stick with your plan.” Harvey replied, keeping his eyes firmly on the road ahead. Mike just laughed.
———
Harvey didn’t do tinsel. Mike was pretty sure he actually had some sort of fundamental aversion to it, which, as far as he was concerned, was completely unwarranted.
The first year they had bought a tree together, Mike had gone out shopping for decorations and had returned with what he thought was a perfectly reasonable amount of the stuff. Harvey had disagreed. ‘There is no way I am letting you besmirch our apartment with that monstrosity’ had pretty much been his sentiments.
So once the cookies were cooling in the kitchen, they set about decorating the tree, not a string of tinsel in sight. Mike had to admit that Harvey had done a pretty good job of getting the lights on the tree.
“Where do you wanna start champ?” Harvey asked as he dug through the box of decorations. He pulled out a couple ornaments and handed them over to William who hurried over to put them on the tree. He managed to hook them onto two of the lower branches and turned back to his dads for approval.
“What do you think?” William asked Mike.
“Looks great buddy,” Mike replied. “Why don’t you do all the ones down the bottom and Daddy and I will get the ones higher up?”
“Okay!” William said excitedly, Mike loved how much joy something so simple could bring him. “Do I still get to put the star on the top?”
“Course you do,” Harvey laughed, ruffling a hand through Williams' hair as he spoke.
It didn’t take them long to get all of the decorations onto the tree. They’d gathered quite the collection over the past few years. From delicate ornaments they’d bought on their travels, to the homemade crafts William had brought home from school, their tree was a beautiful assortment of memories, to Mike it was perfect (even with the distinct lack of tinsel).
Mike stood back as Harvey lifted William up onto his shoulders so that he could place the star on top. He snapped a quick photo of them, something which had become a bit of a tradition in their home. A small flutter went through him as he remembered the last few years and imagined the future. One day William would be too big for Harvey to lift, and maybe too old to care about decorating the tree with his dads. He quickly brushed that last thought aside though, wanting to live in the moment and enjoy all the time they had now and then.
“Perfect.” Mike smiled as William and Harvey turned to get his approval.
“Step back and check that it’s on straight,” Harvey requested, gesturing to Mike with his head.
Mike obliged, waking back to the end of the room to check the tree. “All good!” he announced triumphantly, gaining him a cheer from William.
Harvey put William back down on the floor and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. “Right champ, time to get going, do you have your bag ready?”
“But we have one more thing to put on the tree!” William replied, he had a cheeky grin on his face.
Mike did a double take, unsure of what William was talking about, he was sure that hadn't missed anything. “Sorry buddy, but that’s everything” he pointed at the empty boxes on the floor.
William looked at him as if he was missing something obvious, an expression that he had definitely learned from Harvey. He smiled again and sped off towards his bedroom. “Stay here” he shouted behind him as he ran out of the room.
Mike looked at Harvey, who was, by the look on his face, just as confused as him. They just shrugged at each other, waiting for William to return.
“I got you a present,” William said sweetly. He walked back into the room with both hands holding something behind his back. “Sit down please.”
Mike looked at Harvey again, still none the wiser as to what William was up to. They both did as they were told and sat next to each other on the couch, just close enough so that their legs were touching.
“Close your eyes,” William asked again. “And put your hands together.”
Mike and Harvey both did what William asked, reaching a hand out each so that their fingers brushed together. They only had to sit for a second before they felt something being placed onto their open palms. Mike couldn’t tell what it was at first, it was cold against his skin and smooth, it wasn’t heavy but it felt delicate.
“Ok you can open them again.”
Mike opened his eyes slowly and peered down at the mystery object that he and Harvey were holding. He felt a wave of emotion as he saw what it was. In their hands was what looked like a snow globe, except it had a silver string coming out of the top so that it could be hung on a tree. Inside the glass dome were three wooden penguins, two larger ones standing either side of a smaller penguin chick. The glass itself was engraved with tiny snowflakes placed carefully to look as if they were falling onto the floor of the dome. Each penguin had a name engraved in silver at its feet, Daddy M, Daddy H, and William in the middle.
“Buddy this is beautiful” Mike said softly looking up at his son.
William beamed at him, clearly very pleased with his gift to his parents.
“Uncle Marcus helped me choose it,” William said proudly.
Mike felt Harvey shift next to him, he looked up at his husband and saw a tear escape from the corner of his eye, it wasn't too long ago that Harvey had thought his brother might not live to see them have a child so he always treasured the moments he got to see them share. He and the kids were only other family and they all doted on him.
“Thank you William” Harvey smiled at his son, only Mike could hear the slight crack in his voice as he spoke. He reached his free hand out in search of William’s who took it gladly. “Why don’t we find the perfect spot for it in the tree.”
And that’s exactly what they did, Mike moved a couple of the other ornaments around so that they could place it right in the middle. The lights reflected on the glass making it twinkle as it swung gently on the branch.
They all stepped back together to look at the tree in all of its glory, standing together just like the penguins, Harvey with his arm around Mike’s waist and William between them both. Mike squeezed William’s shoulder and looked over at his husband. He couldn’t help but smile as he placed a kiss delicately on Harvey’s cheek. He was pretty sure this would be the best Christmas yet.