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"Oh wow, this is super-awesome! Like, top-of-my-Christmas-list awesome!" Beaming, Daisuke held up the aquamarine aloha shirt so the parrots emblazoned across its threads seemed to congratulate Swansea on a job well done. "How are you so good at buying presents?"
"Dumb luck?" And having the fear of god burned into him when he saw the flames in his ex-wife's eyes after she'd unwrapped his thrilling gift of an electric can opener. "Plus, you ain't exactly hard to shop for," he teased, "if I don't mind drivin' to a thrift shop three towns over."
The grin on Daisuke's face twinkled with the cheer of a thousand lights, starry eyes and bauble-bright cheeks a shimmer in their tree's rainbow glow. "I mean, you could probably give me a box of dog treats and I'd be happy."
At the word "treat," Bea perked up from where she lay among the minefield of crumpled paper beside him, because Daisuke opened presents like—well, like a kid on Christmas morning. Patting her on the head, Swansea smiled at Daisuke. "Shoulda known that, the way you flashed those puppy dog eyes at me the first time we met."
Daisuke carefully folded the shirt back into its box, then set it aside with the rest of the gifts Swansea had given him. "I can't wait to wear it to Mom's for dinner. And—" His smile grew to a sly smirk, and, creeping closer, he leaned in to whisper against Swansea's ear. "I can't wait for you to take it off tonight, when I give you your real present."
Swansea grinned as Daisuke began to mouth soft kisses along his wrinkled cheek. "Didn't ya already give me that last night?"
"Don't you know you're allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve?" He purred. "You save the best for Christmas Day."
Swansea felt his chest tighten, and his fingers twitch like blinking lights that fought against the fear of darkness. For decades, he'd thought himself a cowardly man; for months he'd tossed and turned over the velvet box hidden within his closet, what Daisuke might say when he opened it in front of him, and how his world would shatter into a million pieces if the answer was anything less than what he'd dreamed of.
But the warmth of Daisuke's kiss was a blanket draped around his shoulders, courage to embrace the future, to hold his love's sunshine smile forever in his heart.
Arms encircling Daisuke's waist, Swansea turned and gently met his lips. "C'mon, let's get ready for yer mom's. I'm sure there'll be plenty more gifts waitin' for ya there."
One that would look perfect sparkling on his finger, a gift that would light up every moment of Swansea's life.