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The shopping center is packed today, various shoppers elbowing past one another on their way toward new sales, desperate to check off the last of their Christmas lists and uncaring of who they happen to knock down with their excess shopping bags. It’s the type of scene that Mydei loathes around the holiday season. The chaos, the panic of shoppers desperate to get their kid the perfect thing for the holiday. It was altogether overwhelming and unnecessary.
The little hand holding his own tightens its grip, his daughter tucking herself closer to him as they make their way toward the center of the square. “Daddy, are we close?”
Mydei peeks his head over the large crowd, catching a glimpse of the Santa display. “Looks like it, Lena. You wanna see?”
The little girl nods her head excitedly, allowing him to scoop her up in his arms and place her comfortably on his broad shoulders. She gasps as her golden eyes spot the jolly old man in red, bouncing excitedly. “I see him!”
This was the scene that Mydei loved about the holiday: his daughter’s eyes lighting up underneath the twinkling of the Christmas lights, her unbridled joy over seeing the man who would grant her greatest Christmas wishes. Mydei could forget about the annoying shoppers and the unbearable cold if it meant his little girl was at her happiest.
The line to see Santa is long, with hoards of children jumping with excitement, tugging their parent’s arms as they ramble off what they plan to tell Santa they want the most. Elena was no different.
Unfortunately for Mydei, his daughter’s greatest wish for the holiday wasn’t something that you could purchase at the local toy store or order online. It wasn’t completely unattainable, but it was a rather difficult gift. Of course, leave it to his daughter to want something out of the ordinary.
“Do you think Santa will finally give me another dad this year?” Elena asks as Mydei sets her back down on the ground. “Now that I’m a little older?”
Another parent. Someone to complete their family, as she’s often told him. Mydei had tried to explain to her that her wish wasn’t easy. Santa wasn’t capable of giving someone another human being as a gift, couldn’t guarantee something as extraordinary as that. “Maybe when you’re older,” is what he’d settled on.
She’d only asked for such a thing for the past two years. She’d come home from school with a frown, marching up to him and asking why she doesn’t have two parents like the kids at school and what she could do to change that.
“Maybe ask Santa,” Cipher had said to her, earning a jab to the ribs from Mydei.
Now Elena was deadset on just that. Mydei didn’t have the heart to tell his sweet little girl that something like that was impossible. He didn’t like giving her a false sense of hope either, but a compromise needed to be made.
“Maybe,” he shrugs, looking around the display. It was beautiful, a perfect winter wonderland full of snow frosted trees and illuminated reindeer. A few volunteers dressed as elves greet children in line, passing out candy canes and offering cheerful smiles.
One smile in particular stands out amongst them all, making Mydei stifle a laugh as the elf turns toward them and holds out a candy cane.
“Well hello, cutie!” Phainon greets the two of them, holding out a candy cane for Elena. “You certainly look like someone who would be on the nice list!”
Elena gasps, launching forward to wrap her arms around Phainon’s legs. “Phainon! You work for Santa?”
“Occasionally,” Phainon responds, crouching down to properly hug the girl. He looks up at Mydei, offering the man a friendly smile. “Oh, laugh it up Mydeimos, I look incredible.”
An amused snort releases from Mydei’s mouth as he takes in his best friend’s getup, from the ugly green turtle neck to the green and red striped tights he wears. “Sure you do, HKS. Best looking elf in the North Pole.”
He doesn’t miss the dusting of blush that comes across Phainon’s cheeks, the man looking away from Mydei to focus back on the little girl in his arms. Phainon always had a difficult time accepting compliments.
“I think you look nice!” Elena assures the man, releasing her grip on him to fall back into the line. “Daddy is just jealous.”
“Totally jealous,” Phainon agrees with a chuckle, turning his attention to Mydei. “Are you going to have a seat on Santa’s lap?”
Mydei shakes his head, shuddering at the thought. “Yeah, right, the last thing I want to do is sit on a random guy’s lap and tell him what I want for Christmas.”
Phainon chuckles. “Well when you put it like that, I guess it does sound a little creepy. There’s got to be something you want to tell him you want for Christmas, though. Maybe as one of his trusted elves, I could make it come true.”
There are plenty of things that Mydei wants. His daughter to always be happy, a roof over their head, for this line to go a little faster so they could get out of there. He’s never been interested in material things.
“I’m asking Santa to get him a boyfriend,” Elena announces proudly, making Mydei sigh. “Do you think he can do that, Phainon?”
“Oh!” Phainon looks to Mydei with an eyebrow raised. “Um, maybe? Santa works in very mysterious ways.”
Elena nods in agreement. “I’ve been really good this year too. Being extra good should help my wish come true.”
As the line begins to move forward, Phainon leans into Mydei’s side and whispers, “She’s still wishing for that?”
Mydei nods. “It’s all she’s been talking about. I guess the kids at school keep putting the idea in her head that a family isn’t complete unless there are two parents.”
Phainon frowns. “That’s not true at all. Besides, she’s had a huge family around her since the moment she was just a little thing in your stomach. All of us are more of her family than her father could even dream to be.”
Those were the principles Mydei had tried to implement in her head ever since the school nonsense started. Elena has had several aunts and uncles surrounding her, raising her to be a perfect, shining little girl. Her father hadn’t been around long enough when she was younger to make an impression, but his ever large friend group had.
“It’s getting harder to explain,” Mydei admits. “I’ve only dated casually since the divorce, mostly because anyone who wants to be serious has to understand that Elena comes first. There hasn’t been someone who comes close to understanding that.”
A little hand tugs on his pant leg, making him look down to see Elena staring up at him. “I think you should ask for something too. If we both ask for another dad, it has to work.”
Mydei’s heart crumbles seeing the hope in her golden eyes. The one good thing that came out of his turbulent marriage, his princess that he’d do just about anything for, and he couldn’t even give her this one thing.
Elena is next in line now, her excited energy bubbling as she watches Santa give the little boy a high five and a jolly smile.
“I’ll be right here when you are done,” Mydei promises her, attempting to brush the sadness off from before. “Do you want me to hold your candy cane?”
Elena shakes her head. “No, you’ll eat it!” She stuffs the candy into her pocket, taking off toward Santa with absolute joy as Mydei smiles after her. He hopes that whoever the guy playing Santa this year indulges her in her ridiculous wish. Not a confirmation, just a simple, “We shall see!” would easily suffice.
Phainon places a hand on his shoulder, a comforting squeeze offering warmth. “Tonight is Hyacine’s Christmas party. Are the two of you still coming?”
Mydei shrugs, eyes never leaving his daughter. “We should be able to make it. I still have places to go after this, so it might depend on how wiped out Elena is later.”
Phainon chuckles. “Hyacine and Castorice want to make a gingerbread house with her. I think you should come, it wouldn’t be the same without you there.”
It was always difficult telling Phainon no. Mydei learned that a long time ago, back when they spent every waking moment together at school and would spend the night at each other’s houses on weekends. Childhood, high school, adults. Mydei knew better than to let his best friend down. He couldn’t handle the sad blue eyes, the disappointment that would inevitably come from telling him he was busy, especially when he wasn’t.
“Wouldn’t want to let them down,” he says, and there. There was that dazzling smile Phainon wore best, the one that suited him better than anything. “We just can’t be there too late. It might not be a school night, but she still needs her sleep.”
“I will personally make sure we get her to bed on time,” Phainon promises as Elena cheerfully hugs Santa. “I’ll make sure that Cipher doesn’t slip her too much sugar.”
“Not to mention Hyacine,” Mydei reminds him. “We need to keep an eye out for both of them.”
Elena bounds over to them with a bigger smile than before, giddy as she waves another candy cane in front of them. “Santa says he’s going to do his very best!”
“I’m sure he will,” Mydei plays along, scooping his little girl up and kissing her cheek. “Now c’mon, we gotta get the last of our shopping done and then get you ready to go over to Hyacine’s tonight.”
Elena gasps. “We are going to Auntie CInny’s tonight?”
“Sure are!” Phainon interjects, adjusting the girl’s misshapen bow on her head. “I will see the two of you there in a few hours, okay?”
Elena beams, leaning forward to peck Phainon’s cheek. “Bye Phai!”
“Bye Lena!” Phainon turns to Mydei, smile softening. “I’ll see you tonight, Mydei.”
There’s a warmth that settles in his stomach at the farewell his best friend gives, the twinkle in his eye as he returns to his spot in the display. Kids laugh with him as they wait in line, Phainon offering candy and laughs. He’s always been this way: charismatic, friendly. It always surprised people when they’d see the two of them together, saying their best friends when one was the absolute epitome of sunshine and the other a stoic, quiet guy.
Mydei wouldn’t trade him for anything. He’d been there through all of Mydei’s worst moments, the best ones, and wasn’t deterred when others would say that he shouldn’t hang around someone as moody as Mydei.
How easy it could be to take that step, to make his daughter’s wish come true with the one person who loved both of them unconditionally. To ignore the voice in his head telling him it wasn’t worth the risk, that he’d lose everything if he took that step.
“Can I wear a dress tonight?” Elena asks, breaking him out of his thoughts. “I want to look really pretty.”
Mydei grins, taking her hand in his. “Anything you want, Little Princess.”
Anything for her.
Hyacine sidles up to Phainon just as he starts rolling out the sugar cookie dough, looking slightly mischievous. “Heard Elena came to visit you at the display today. Wanna tell me what she asked Santa for?”
Phainon shakes his head, focusing on the task at hand. “You’ll have to ask her yourself, I don’t reveal anyone's Christmas secrets.”
“Well you’re no fun,” Hyacine teases, setting down the cookie cutters and reaching for her own apron. “Do you know how hard it is to shop for her? Mydei spoils her rotten.”
“You say that as if the rest of us don’t,” Phainon points out. “You know Elena would be happy with anything, especially if it’s coming from you. You’re her favorite, you know.”
Hyacine chuckles, taking out a bowl to begin making the frosting for the cookies. “I’m pretty sure that’s you, but I appreciate you trying.”
As far as Elena’s Christmas wish, he and Mydei were the only two that were aware of it. The rest of their friend group figured it was just a one off question, a silly little joke that happened one year that Elena quickly forgot about. They didn’t realize that Elena didn’t stop there, hoping that Santa could pull off the impossible.
Phainon, at least at the time, had laughed it off with the rest of them, had teased Mydei about his daughter trying to play matchmaker. Yet, deep down in his heart, he knows that he could make her wish come true.
It wasn’t a secret that he had feelings for his best friend. To anyone who spent time with them for more than a few minutes you could easily tell. Phainon had stood idly by when Mydei met his now ex-husband, watched them build a life together and have Elena. He watched his best friend get served divorce papers when he least expected it, held him as his life fell apart. It ached to see Mydei in pain, heartbroken and miserable but trying so, so hard to keep it together for Elena.
He loved Mydei unconditionally, as a friend and as a future romantic partner. He knows they would be good for each other, that he’d make a great second father to Elena. He’d never hurt Mydei, never disregard his feelings or put him down.
It was the thought of Mydei not returning his feelings and their friendship collapsing that kept him from taking that step.
“Speaking of Christmas wishes,” Hyacine sings, leaning into Phainon’s side. “I know what you want for Christmas. I also think that this is the year that you should finally speak up and go for it.”
Phainon laughs, reaching for one of the cookie cutters. “I’m not going to risk ruining the holidays for both of them. The whole point of them is for things to be merry and bright, you know.”
“Exactly!” Hyacine chimes, continuing to mix the ingredients for the frosting. “You could easily make their holidays the best yet by joining their family officially as Elena’s second dad. I have it on good authority that Mydei definitely wants that.”
“Good authority, huh?” Phainon raises an eyebrow. “Does this good authority happen to be named Cipher?”
Hyacine gives an exaggerated shrug. “Cipher, Castorice, Aglaea, all of us are thinking about it at this point. I’m pretty sure Anaxa has a bet going on with Aglaea on whether or not you are going to say anything before the year comes to an end.”
Exactly what Phainon wanted, his good friends placing bets on his love life. “What if I’m no better than the ex that left them behind?”
That earns him a smack to the arm, rather hard given Hyacine’s strength. “Don’t you dare compare yourself to that coward. You would never do something so cruel, ever,” the woman sighs, setting down the frosting bowl to face Phainon. “You’ve been there for them since he left. You’ve never asked for anything in return. You’ve made sure the two of them were happy and loved, which is so much more than that man ever did for them even when he was around. Please, give yourself some credit, Phainon.”
“You’re right,” Phainon concedes, wiping his flour covered hands across his apron. “It’s just the fact that I’ve been in love with him since before he got married to that guy. I’ve been in Elena’s life from the beginning, throughout the pregnancy and the birth. I feel like I’m already her father.”
“So?”
“So,” He leans against the counter. “What if I mess things up and lose them both forever?”
The doorbell to the apartment rings throughout the kitchen, Hyacine tearing her eyes away from Phainon to look toward the door. “That’s probably Cipher and Castorice,” she sighs, turning back to Phainon. “Let me get to the door, and then we will continue this conversation. I know Cipher and Castorice will definitely agree with me when I say that if there is a single person out there that is perfect for that little family, it’s you.”
She skips out of the kitchen then, leaving Phainon alone with the uncut cookie dough in front of him. He knows that his fears are irrational, that he’s just making up excuses at his point. Things could be perfect, would be perfect if he just told Mydei how he felt. He’d make Elena’s Christmas wish come true, and he’d make sure Mydei never felt alone ever again.
Would that be enough for them, though?
He’s torn from his depreciating thoughts by Cipher sliding into the kitchen, a sly smile on her face as she looks at the flour covered counter. “Looks like you’ve been hard at work. Mind if I take a few bits of dough?”
“Don’t you dare,” Phainon jokingly swats her hand away. “Did you bring the gingerbread houses?”
“Of course we did,” Cipher holds up a grocery bag. “I’m going to make sure Elena gets to build a mansion of gingerbread tonight. You did let Mydei know they need to be here, correct?”
Phainon nods, going back to shaping the cookie dough. “Elena has promised to wear her prettiest dress and Mydei has promised that both of them will make an appearance. I did, however, promise that I would keep an eye on you and Hyacine to make sure Elena doesn’t go overboard on the sugar.”
Cipher gasps. “How dare you not trust us! We would never give her more than she deserves, you know.”
“I think that’s the problem, love,” Castorice tells her girlfriend, hand on her shoulder as she sets down her own bag of groceries on the counter. “That darling girl deserves everything in the world.”
“Glad we are in agreement,” Cipher huffs, turning to kiss Castorice’s cheek. “So, what’s this about you finally telling Mydei that you are stupidly in love with him?”
Phainon looks over at Hyacine, who has re-entered the kitchen. “I said it was a possibility, not a for sure thing.”
“Make it a for sure thing,” Cipher tells him. “Watching the two of you yearn for one another the past few years has been exhausting. He’s been divorced for a while now, Elena is old enough to understand. Stop holding yourself back.”
The knowing look from Hyacine across the room has Phainon averting his gaze. “Even if-”
Castorice lifts a finger to his lips, shaking her head. “Take this advice from three of your best friends. The two of you are a match made in heaven, there is no other person out there that could be more perfect for both Elena and Mydei. Stop dwelling on negatives and start thinking about the positives.”
He wasn’t going to win this battle.
Hyacine steps toward him, holding something between her fingers. “How about I offer some assistance?”
The party enters full swing about an hour after the first guest arrives at Hyacine’s apartment. The guest list is mostly their very large friend group, all gathered into the small apartment and their significant others also on board with drinks and laughter.
Normally, Mydei would be rather uncomfortable seeing all these couples being cute and sharing smooches all night. They were annoying, over affectionate and frankly making his drink taste bad. Yet, as he looks over at Elena and her awestruck look at the romance on display, he can’t help but smile warmly. She coos and aws at the displays of affection around her, giggling when she’s spotted. Mydei tries telling her to give people privacy, only for said couple to insist that she’s adorable and they don’t mind her comments.
“She’s too young to be enamored by romance,” Mydei complains to Phainon, who works on mixing drinks for their friends. “Tell me that Hyacine didn’t put any mistletoe around.”
Phainon shrugs innocently, handing Mydei his drink. “I just made the cookies and mixed the drinks, friend. I had absolutely no hand in what may or may not be hanging somewhere within the confines of this apartment.”
Mydei narrows his eyes at his best friend, who continues to smile innocently while mixing his own drink. “Phainon.”
“I think you are just scared no one will want to kiss you under it,” Phainon teases, reaching for the bottle of vodka nearby. “I’m sure if you ask Elena very nicely she’d give you a little peck on the cheek.”
“She deserves all the kisses, not me,” Mydei argues, the corners of his mouth lifting at the mention of his daughter.
“Well of course,” Phainon agrees, throwing an arm around Mydei and leading them toward the living room to join the others. “Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a smooch or two. I’d be honored to give you a kiss under the mistletoe.”
Mydei doesn’t get a chance to respond to Phainon’s offer before Elena is rushing up to them, tugging on her father’s hand and guiding him toward the couch. The rest of their friends are gathered around some kind of board game, Castorice looking majorly focused as the two settle in beside her.
“Cassie says she has a Christmas present for me,” Elena tells him, sitting down on her father’s lap. “Can I open it tonight?”
“Well, tonight isn’t Christmas,” Mydei gently reminds her, earning a frown. “You don’t have to wait a long time, just about two weeks my princess.”
Elena’s eyes widen comically. “Two weeks? That’s forever away!”
Not long enough, Mydei thinks to himself. He had two weeks to figure something out as to why Santa still hasn’t gifted him a boyfriend. The past couple of years had been easier to pass off, just Santa running out of time or the boyfriend ‘not being right’, but how many times could he get away with it? Elena was getting older, smarter. She would put together eventually why her wish was ridiculous, but Mydei didn’t want to break the news to her just yet.
“You’ve always been such a patient girl,” Castorice teases her, poking her side and making Elena giggle. “I promise it will be worth that wait.”
Mydei looks across the room to meet Phainon’s eyes, his best friend giving him a soft wave. Mydei’s heart flips, warmth spreading across his cheeks as he turns away and focuses back on his daughter, who has now begun making guesses as to what Castorice could have gifted her.
Could it really be that easy to ask Phainon to make her Christmas wish come true?
He finds himself actively looking for the mistletoe as the night continues on, trying to act discreet as he gazes up above every doorway. It hasn’t stopped a few of their friends from sharing a smooch regardless, the man having caught Cipher and Castorice plenty of times already. Even Aglaea and Anaxa seem to be indulging themselves, though the two keep denying it when Mydei raises an eyebrow at the two of them.
“I think that’s part of why Hyacine wanted to hang it,” Phainon clues him in during the night. “To get those two to finally work their shit out.”
Hyacine, ever the romantic.
“What about you?” Mydei asks. “Are you looking to share a kiss with someone tonight?”
Please say no.
Phainon snorts. “No one here I’d want to kiss, honestly. Unless, of course, you happen to be offering?”
Mydei’s grateful he wasn’t taking a drink at that exact moment, sparing himself from choking. There was a good chance this was just a classic Phainon joke, a jab at his expense just as he always does. He shouldn’t take it seriously.
Yet Phainon’s eyes trace his lips, a mix of seriousness with a hint of mischief in his eyes. What if he was being genuine with his intent? Would it be so bad if he were to lean forward, test the waters just a little?
“Daddy!”
Elena comes up from behind them, tugging on her father’s pants. There’s a sugar cookie in her hand, a bit of frosting smeared on her cheek as she peers up at her father with those shared golden eyes he adores so much. “Yes, Little Princess?”
“Can I talk to Phai?” She asks politely, swaying back and forth. “I’ll give you my sugar cookie?”
Phainon laughs at her childish antics, scooping her up into his arms. “No need to bribe the man, I’d be more than happy to speak with you, your highness,” he looks over at Mydei, a silent promise to continue this discussion later hanging in the air.
“I’ll be in the living room,” Mydei tells them, taking the sugar cookie from his daughter’s hands. “What number is this one, hm?”
Elena shrugs. “I don’t know.”
Of course she doesn’t. “Phainon, make sure you let Santa know that this little one is a little liar.”
Elena gasps, looking at Phainon in horror. “Don’t! I’m a good girl, Phai!”
“The best of them all,” Phainon assures her, giving her his signature bright smile. “C’mon princess, let’s go discuss things away from him, shall we?”
Mydei watches as his daughter is whisked off into the other room, undoubtedly to stir some trouble with her favorite person. Perhaps some time away from Phainon could give him a moment to think, hunt down that stupid little plant and perhaps lure Phainon under it.
A bathroom probably wasn’t the best place to have a talk with a little girl, but Phainon wasn’t quite sure where to take her. Hyacine’s bedroom was off limits, and Phainon didn’t want to access her office without permission either.
“What did you want to talk about, Lena?”
The little girl props herself up onto the toilet, kicking her legs as Phainon sits cross legged in front of her. “Did you talk to Santa about my gift?”
Phainon slowly nods. “I’ve informed the man of how important it is, yes. Why do you ask?”
Elena bites down on her bottom lip. “Is he going to do it this year? It would make daddy happy, I think.”
“Has he been sad?” Phainon asks hesitantly. Mydei hasn’t seemed any different lately. He’s been his usual self, more so since the divorce. Then again, who would know him better than his daughter?
“He won’t tell me,” Elena huffs, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I can tell though. He’s lonely.”
Lonely.
Despite Elena, their group of friends, he’s lonely. Phainon understood. To be loved, held, comforted when things grew hard. Mydei needed that in ways a friend couldn’t do. The man might be good at hiding it, but Elena had always been a perceptive little girl. If she said so, there was a very good chance it was true.
Phainon couldn’t hold back anymore. If there was a small chance at making things better, at helping Mydei feel better and less alone, he’d always take it.
“I think,” Phainon says, reaching up to tap Elena’s nose. “Santa is going to send his very best.”
There’s a twinkle in Elena’s eye, bright and blinding. “His very best?”
Phainon nods. “I’m absolutely sure of it, little princess.”
Elena’s mood lifts considerably at his words, the girl hopping off the toilet to throw her arms around Phainon’s neck. “He deserves the very best!” She exclaims.
Yes, Phainon thinks as they head back toward the party. Yes he does.
The next time Mydei sees Phainon, he’s standing underneath the mistletoe. He looks nervous, scrolling through his phone and taking deep breaths. Mydei couldn’t think of anyone at this party he could be waiting for, especially with Phainon’s earlier declaration that unless Mydei was offering, there wasn’t anyone he wanted to kiss.
“You know,” Cipher nudges him. “I think lover boy is waiting for you over there.”
Phainon looks over toward them, shy smile on his face as he waves. There’s a softer look as his eyes fall on Mydei, gentle and beckoning. The look makes Mydei’s stomach flip, heart racing. “He is, isn’t he?”
Maybe his fears were just that: a fear, nothing concrete or for sure. Just a thought holding him back from what he truly wanted. Maybe Phainon felt something for him beyond friendship, beyond some platonic love.
Cipher gives him a gentle nudge forward. “Get over there. The two of you have been yearning enough.”
Perhaps they have.
“I better not see a single camera out,” Mydei warns as he readies himself.
Cipher rolls her eyes. “Just go fucking kiss him already.”
Mydei has done a lot of terrifying things in his life. His marriage, his pregnancy, raising Elena all on his own. This felt like a challenge, one he could easily fail but just as easily succeed. His palms were sweating more than usual as he approached Phainon, the man looking up from his phone once he notices that he’s no longer alone underneath the mistletoe.
“Mydeimos.”
“Were you expecting someone else?” Mydei dares ask, slightly terrified of the answer.
Phainon laughs. “As if there ever would be someone else.”
“I’d sure hope not,” Mydei grins, stepping closer. “You might not know this, but I tend to get jealous easily.”
Phainon reaches for his hand. “I’m okay with that. It’s kinda hot, if you ask me.”
“Are you going to kiss me or not?”
Phainon doesn’t say anything else, he doesn’t have to. He pulls Mydei in by his button up shirt, slotting their lips together with an accuracy that has Mydei wondering if this was something fated. He kisses him with an energy built up for years, a crush sidelined and now brought back to the front, finally unleashed. Mydei savors it, lives for the grip of Phainon’s hands and the caress of his lips, the warmth of his tongue.
When they pull apart, Phainon’s eyes are glistening.
“So,” Phainon whispers, their lips brushing. “Do you think this is what Elena wanted for Christmas?”
Mydei thinks so. “Just shut up and kiss me again.”
So he does. Again, and again, and again.
Christmas Eve, two weeks later
“How should I present myself?” Phainon asks that night, pouring a glass of milk for Santa. “Should I sit under the tree with a bow on me?”
They haven’t told Elena about their kiss yet. The little girl had been oblivious during the Christmas party to their time underneath the mistletoe, far too distracted making a gingerbread mansion with Cipher and Castorice to know what was happening. Mydei had asked if they could keep it a secret for now, at least when it came to his little girl.
With tomorrow being Christmas, however, it was time.
“Maybe I’ll hide you in a box,” Mydei teases, arranging the freshly made cookies on a plate. “You could jump out.”
Phainon snorts. “I don’t want to scare her, babe.”
Curse that stupid nickname and making him feel like he was going to burst.
Elena comes rushing into the kitchen then, dressed in her Christmas pajamas and hugging Phainon’s leg. “Are you staying the night, Phai?”
Phainon makes a dramatic sigh, reaching down to scoop the girl into his arms. “Afraid not, little princess. I can’t let Santa know that his best elf is playing favorites.”
Elena huffs, arms crossed against her chest. “You have to meet daddy’s boyfriend though! He’s going to be here tonight!”
The two men share a knowing look, Mydei biting down on his bottom lip to prevent a burst of laughter. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to meet the lucky guy tomorrow.”
That seems to appease the girl, who simply grumbles before turning toward her father. “Don’t forget to set carrots out for the reindeer, daddy.”
“Can’t forget the carrots,” Mydei agrees, taking Elena from Phainon’s arms and kissing her forehead. “Let’s get you to bed, okay? Santa can’t come by if you are still awake.”
Elena nods, blowing a kiss toward Phainon as Mydei carries her to her room. “Goodnight, Phai!”
Phainon waves goodnight to her, catching the kiss in his hand and placing it on his heart. “Goodnight, Lena, sleep well!”
Once Elena is tucked into bed and away in her room upstairs, Mydei walks back toward the living room, settling down on the couch beside Phainon. “So, Santa’s favorite elf,” he starts, placing a hand against Phainon’s cheek. “What do I get?”
Phainon grins wickedly, leaning forward to kiss Mydei sweetly. “Whatever your heart desires, my dear Mydeimos. I have good word that you made the nice list this year.”
“Whatever I want, hm?” Mydei presses another kiss to Phainon’s eager lips, moving himself to properly sit in his boyfriend’s lap. “How about you take me to bed and show me just what the nice list has earned me?”
He barely has time to react before Phainon lifts him up into his arms, barely breaking a sweat as he carries Mydei down the hall to his bedroom. For the rest of the night, Mydei’s damn sure his heart never stops racing.
Early the very next morning, Mydei slips into Elena’s room and kneels beside her bed, pushing her long blonde hair away from her sleeping face. “Hey princess, you awake?”
Elena grumbles, releasing a tiny yawn as she blinks up at her father. “Did Santa already come?” she asks softly.
Mydei nods. “He sure did. I think you’ll really like what he brought, too.”
The little girl gasps, eyes wide open as she pushes back her covers and takes off toward their living room, tugging Mydei behind her. The man laughs at her eagerness, stumbling over his feet as Elena yanks them down the stairs.
When Elena finally reaches the bottom, a look of confusion graces her face. “Phai?”
Phainon sits beside the tree, a bow sticking to the top of his head as he smiles at the little girl. “Good morning, princess. Merry Christmas.”
Elena frowns. “You said you weren’t spending the night,” she questions, stepping toward him with her arms crossed. “Are you helping Santa?”
Phainon nods, pointing to his chest. A gift tag sticks to his sleep shirt, the words ‘For Elena’ written in loopy script. “I did say that Santa would be sending his best, didn’t I?”
Elena pauses, realization slowly dawning on her as a grin spreads across her face. “It’s you!” She squeals, throwing herself into Phainon’s open arms. “You’re perfect.”
Mydei feels tears softly prick his eyes at the image before him: his daughter squeezing his boyfriend tight, Phainon himself holding her close as he laughs into her hair. It’s the perfect image, one Mydei never imagined but certainly needed.
“I’m glad you think so,” Phainon tells her, kissing the side of her head. “I promise to make your daddy happy, okay?”
Mydei’s heart swells.
“I know,” Elena tells him, kissing his cheek. She turns back toward Mydei, grinning ear to ear. “Daddy, did you see? Santa finally did it!”
“He sure did,” Mydei smiles, kneeling down to hug his little girl. “Are you happy?”
He shares a look with Phainon, the man’s eyes sparkling with unshed tears as Elena hugs him tightly. “I am, daddy! I’m very happy!”
Underneath the Christmas lights in the living room, a family holds each other close and shares tears of joy, a swell of happiness filling their hearts. Elena’s smile only grows bigger as the two most important men in her life hold her close and kiss her cheeks. There were multiple presents underneath the tree for her to open, but they weren’t nearly as important as the one holding her father’s hand, kissing him softly as she declares:
“This is the best Christmas ever!”