Chapter Text
"Come inside already before you slip on something!"
Martin appears with his hair in a wild, fiery mess, opening the door to usher Jon inside. Even if he had just arrived, an angry swarm of butterflies filled his chest.
It was supposed to be easy enough. Spending Christmas Eve with his boyfriend for the first time. There wasn't anything to be nervous about. He should have been excited about it all. Then again Jon was never very good at knowing what he was feeling.
The grey winter landscape disappears as Jon enters Martin's flat, his numerous layers immediately become too much in the warmth of the space, filled to the brim with aroma of sugared dough and yuletide spices. The larger man relieves him of his bags, holding out his hand for Jon's coat, a smear of flour on his smiling face.
In the short amount of time they had been apart, Martin had decorated the small flat. Various garlands catching the soft light provided by his thrifted lamps and the string lights wrapped around a Christmas tree that hadn't been there the day before. It was a small thing, about the same height as Jon, colorful baubles hanging on every branch, shining brightly against the warm white light of tiny bulbs.
Warm white, not cool white. It was such a small thing really, Jon mentioning favoring one more than the other in passing just the week prior. Of course Martin was going to remember something like that.
"I'm glad you made it alright, love." The smile pointed in his direction is just as warm as the sun during those summer months spent in America.
"It is nice to see you too, Martin. Big plans for us or are you just this excited for me to be back?"
The tall man's face deepens with a crawling flush, chuckling before leaning in to press a kiss onto Jon's forehead. "Would you believe me if I said that I missed you?"
"You saw me yesterday!" He doesn't know whether to laugh or scoff at the silly man.
"Yeah, well feels like an eternity apart."
Martin wraps his thick arms around Jon's waist, enveloping him in a bear hug that lifts him a few centimeters off the floor. A surprised laugh bubbled up from the shorter man, swatting playfully at his boyfriend's forearms.
It is when Jon is placed back down that he takes a proper look at the ginger's jumper, green background with a red present on the front, topped with a yellow bow.
"Wait!" Jon proceeds to yank a jumper from his overnight bag, holding it up against him for Martin to see. A red background with a green present on the front, topped with the same yellow bow. "We have almost the same jumper!"
Martin looked so excited from the new information, honey colored eyes going wide at the sight. "I got mine as a gift from Tim."
"Tim gave me mine as well… He planned this."
"Okay so we both have to wear ours tomorrow right?"
Jon tries to smother the burning thought at the back of his mind. Friends like Tim and Sasha, someone like Martin that loved him, happy moments. He didn't deserve any of this, but he could still try to balance the scales.
"It would probably be the highlight of his day. Tim knew what he was doing, Martin."
Nodding, the taller man begins to shed his jumper, revealing a faded band tee pulled taught against his chest. "If that's the case, I'm not going to get this dirty then."
"Not finished baking I take it?"
"Almost. Though, I may have over done it again on the amount that will be ready for tomorrow."
"I'm sure no one will complain about extra pastries from you, darling." Jon pats his arm, offering a smile in encouragement. "In fact I'm rather looking forward to tomorrow. I can't remember the last time I did something on Christmas day. I usually just tried to fill my time as best I could since Tim wouldn't let me bring work home over the holidays."
"Nothing with Tim and Sasha? I thought you would have given how close you are with them."
Jon shrugs, running a hand through what must be a mop of messy curls from his trek over. "I used to spend the day with Tim, but I stopped once they had a serious relationship. They both had extended an invitation to me- make no mistake in that- but I didn't want to impose."
Perhaps he had come to know Martin too well, spotting the wilting look as soon as it crossed his face. "I'm sure they would have loved to have had you over, Jon."
"Not sure if there would be a way for me to feel like I wasn't intruding. It isn't anyone's fault. Just how it was I suppose." He attempts to smooth out the situation, flapping a hand in his boyfriend's direction.
"What did you end up doing?"
Jon thinks for a moment, trying to recall if there was anything that stood out in that time alone. "I had a puzzle hobby for a bit actually."
"What?! Jon, I could have gotten you a puzzle as a gift!" Martin sputters, dragging a hand down his face, wiping the flour from his cheek into his beard.
"Its quite alright, darling."
"I could have gotten you cool one with cryptids on it… Or even cats!" He really did know Jon very well.
He couldn't help but to chuckle at the thought of large man browsing and cooing at puzzles in a shop, searching for the perfect one. "Martin, I don't need anything."
"That's not the point."
Letting out a long sigh, Jon graves his canvas tote, filled with poorly wrapped gifts. They looked ridiculous under the tree next to the several that were already there, the pattern on the paper of winter foliage, all tied with silver bows. His own packages so poorly wrapped in their snowflake paper that one would have thought that Jon made his attempt in the dark.
He already had been agonizing for the past few weeks trying to decide what to get for Martin, nothing meeting his unknown standards. Still, he had to choose something. Well, a few things really. An artisan ceramic mug, powder blue with an opalescent finish. A set of crochet hooks with the chunky handle that Martin preferred. Several skeins of dyed wool because Jon couldn't decide which one to pick. A small container of beard balm, scented with lavender and bergamot.
Jon clears his throat. "What did Christmas look like for you in previous years?"
"Hm. Last Christmas my mum was alive she refused to see me so I just spent my day like how I usually would."
"Crocheting?"
Glancing behind him, Jon can see Martin glancing at the floor, brows knitted together.
"Lonely."
"Oh, Martin." Jon rises to his feet, striding to the tall man to take both hands in his own.
"It's fine really! Spent all my free time alone anyways. This was the first year I've decorated even."
"Really? I thought you would have been the type to enjoy that sort of thing."
Martin shrugs. "Didn't seem worth it until now. This year I had something to look forward to for once."
Jon squeezes his hands twice, a small smile given in return as Martin pulls him into the cramped kitchen. A dozen croissants and other pastries with the flakiest of doughs sat on the counter, something savory and mouth watering roasting in the oven. Martin had gone all out and continued to do so for the remainder of that day, providing a lovely dinner and a few desserts swiped off the counter for both to enjoy. It really was too much.
Even after washing up and changing into their pajamas, neither man was ready to sleep. They had both melted onto the small sofa together. The piece of furniture closer to a glorified loveseat, the original color unidentifiable, now a time faded taupe. It was perfect for the pair.
The two talked about everything and nothing just as they back in America. The nighttime ritual of it all never leaving even after they had returned to London. The late night conversations and the quiet way Jon had fallen in love with Martin among his favorite memories during filming.
They spoke about the upcoming wedding for Tim and Sasha, Jon feeling in over his head after agreeing to be the best man. The majority of the planning had already been done, Sasha insisting on two things: the wedding would be small and it would be sooner rather than later. It wasn't surprising to Jon given their personalities, the couple had already started their life together anyways. They just had to do the paperwork for it.
Jon found it rather enduring how Martin spoke about being nervous going as his date, having no idea what to wear. It wasn't going to be the most formal of weddings by any means, Jon offering the idea of slacks, a pressed shirt, and tie. Something blue, Martin looking very pretty in the color.
Nights like these are what Jon fears losing, worrying that one day he will wake up to discover that none of it had happened.
"I was looking forward to today, Martin. You've outdone yourself and I hope it wasn't just for me. I don't believe I'm worthy of someone like you."
Jon sinks into the cushion, legs draped over Martin's lap as his boyfriend's arms had encircled him, pulling him closer. "Dunno, maybe you did something good in another life for it to turn out like this."
"Something I did in another life time equates to a lovely evening with the person I love and admiring the tree he put up in record time?" He tucks his head under Martin's chin watching as the lights of the tree wink in and out.
"You never know!"
"It could all be happenstance."
"It could! Just a lucky break. Or it could be like that one art guy says."
"Huh?" Jon pulls away from Martin to be able to look him in the eyes.
"Happy accidents."
The smile on his face hurts his cheeks, he really couldn't argue with that logic. Tucking back under Martin's chin, Jon glances at the clock on the wall reading just after midnight.
"Sure, darling."
The warm lights within the branches continue to twinkle long after they had slipped into sleep.