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Charles always got very excited for Christmas for the past thirty-something years. He and Edwin managed to turn it into a cozy and fun day off every year, since neither of them really enjoyed it in their living times. Edwin would mostly try to tune out the adult talk and do his own things. Charles on the other hand would watch his parents on the sofa, watching some Christmas movie. He would then go out with his group of friends and avoid being home the most he could, until all his friends went back to their own families. The both of them decided that their Christmases from that point forward, would exist of the two of them together and doing whatever they wanted to do.
Every year Charles would set up their little Christmas tree in the office, and Edwin would set up the nativity scene by their windowsill. The two of them would then get each other a present to receive on the 25th, as usual. It was a surprise to Charles to receive his first gift from Edwin, which was one of the buttons he wore on his coat every day since then. He wasn't used to getting gifts that he would actually like. Edwin barely knew him by then and managed to get him something like that, and Charles never forgot about it.
When Christmas day was finally there, Charles kept growing more and more impatient by the second. He wanted to tell Edwin about the gift he got him so badly for weeks, and grew nervous every time he reached into his backpack, terrified he might accidentally pull it out — which he thankfully never did. He knew Edwin would love his gift, but he always had that slight bit of worry that it might not be perfect. Edwin always managed to get Charles a present that he loved, so his present for Edwin had to be something he loved too. Even though Edwin told him every time that he would always appreciate receiving anything at all, Charles knew there were some things that Edwin preferred over others.
“Are you still following it, Charles?”
Charles looked up to meet Edwin's eyes from where his head was laying on the boy's lap. Edwin's fingers were tangled in Charles’ curls. He smiled down at Charles, who grinned back. Edwin had been reading A Christmas Carol to him, but he must've zoned out half way through. It was almost as if there was an on and off switch in his brain that caused Charles to stop paying attention to anything whenever Edwin's hands were in his hair.
“Right,” he replied, “I'm sorry, love. Stopped listening to the story for a tick there.”
Edwin nodded, lightly massaging Charles's scalp at the same time, which only caused him to lose focus once again.
“We could put the book away if you prefer? I can tell your attention span is getting worse for the day. We could exchange the gifts we got each other instead,” Edwin then suggested. He was already busy shutting the book and putting it down on the small table next to their sofa as he spoke, knowing Charles’ answer.
Like Edwin probably expected, Charles’ grin grew wider and he instantly sat up like an excited puppy.
“If you insist!”
“I was… only suggesting-”
“I couldn't keep this a secret from you any longer!”
Charles got up to grab his bag as Edwin walked over to his desk and opened a drawer to take his present out. They never put their presents under the tree, because Edwin hated when it took up unnecessary space. They instead kept it hidden until they would give the presents. That kept it more of a surprise as well.
With one arm shoulder deep into his bag to grab the gift, Charles looked over at Edwin, who pulled a small box out of his desk drawer. Charles beamed and quickly took a thin, rectangular box out of his bag. The two of them met each other in the middle of the office and handed their gifts to the other, and Charles was almost bouncing with excitement.
“Come on, open yours first!”
Edwin smiled, seeing how overjoyed Charles already was. He sighed and calmly unwrapped his gift. It was a dark blue case, and when Edwin took off the lid, he just stared for a moment.
Charles was starting to get very nervous, but by reading Edwin's face he could tell it was a good choice. The case contained the fanciest fountain pen that Charles could find and afford in all of London. The pen was engraved with the date and year the two of them met. Edwin's face lit up when he saw it, and he looked back up at Charles with surprise.
“Goodness- Charles, I don’t have the words- Thank you so much,” Edwin marvelled. Charles grinned widely and took Edwin's hand in his own.
“Do you like it?” He asked with a squeeze to his partner's hand. Edwin nodded in response, finding the right things to say.
“I love it, Charles,” he eventually said, “only now I don’t know if my gift to you is really all that great compared to this.”
“It's good, mate. I'm sure it'll be perfect!”
With that, Charles unwrapped his present and he took a small pocket watch out of the box. He smiled and was about to thank Edwin, but Edwin was ahead of him.
“It's a magic watch. It stands for our time together, and will keep going for all eternity. With every clock chime, I am with you, by your side.”
Charles looked down at the watch in his hand and felt his cheeks blush a little. He pulled Edwin into a tight hug, holding his boyfriend against himself.
“Does that mean it's a good gift?”
“It's aces, love.”
Charles could feel Edwin smile and the both of them relaxed into each other's arms. They stayed in the hug a tad bit longer than usual and pulled away only after Charles felt a light kiss on his cheek.
Edwin gently held Charles's hands and looked into his eyes with a smile while Charles put the watch in his pocket for now.
“But as always, spending Christmas together is already enough of a gift.”
Edwin put one hand on Charles's side and held their intertwined hands up to their shoulder's height. Charles stared at their position for a moment to process it.
“Are you.. suggesting we should dance?”
“If you'd like to? I used to do a lot of dancing when I was alive,” Edwin spoke, giving Charles a shy smile. Charles's eyes widened a little and he nodded.
“You take the lead then, love.”
Edwin did just that, slow dancing with Charles in the middle of their office. Charles looked down at their feet and followed Edwin's steps the best he could.
“Never told me you used to dance, did you?”
“The entire topic was never brought up in the first place. I didn't see a reason to mention it before.”
That's a fair point…
The two of them kept dancing in silence for quite a while. Charles eventually rested his head on Edwin's shoulder and closed his eyes as they kept moving. It was peaceful, gentle, loving, and beautiful.
Charles started softly singing a song. C'mon Everybody, by Elvis Presley to be specific.
“I love-a my baby..”
Edwin probably wouldn't recognise the song, but that's okay.
“I love-a my baby..”
He could feel Edwin chuckle by the way his chest moved. He grinned and kept singing
“Hey, hey, hey, and my baby loves me.”
Their office felt like a home now. Their home. The two of them alone together in their own place. It was comfortable and absolutely perfect.
And it was forever.
Edwin was with Charles, and he stayed with Charles till the end of time. Things have tried to come between them before, but they made it. They will keep going and keep staying forever.
Because that's what they both wanted.
And Charles thinks.
This is what all those books were about, and those films, 'Love Actually' and such. All those shows...
This is what Elvis was singing about.
This is love.