Archive of Our Own

Coal whistled as he read over documents other winter holidays had sent over regarding the collective he was slowly but surely working on. Hex was quietly reading a book on the other side of the video call they were on. He hadn’t uttered a word for at least twenty minutes; the only sounds were a rustling of a page and a random sip of tea. It slowly ate away at Coal’s nerves.

“What’s your book about?” Coal asked, purely to hear Hex talk. He was faintly curious anyway, being that Hex was so engrossed in it.

He turned a page and took yet another sip of tea. “Need background noise?”

Curse this handsome man for knowing me too well. Coal thought to himself. “No, I am perfectly capable of being entertained with just my documents and thoughts. I was genuinely curious.” Liar.

He hummed. “Sounds like a scary thought in your head.”

Coal did his best not to huff out in the barest of annoyance. They let the silence take over them again, even if it was becoming too much for Coal. He could manage for another hour. That’s how long he and Hex discussed having this mutual quiet time for. They enjoyed being in each other’s presence, but also had work to do. The Winter Holidays Collective for Coal, which was proving hopefully successful, and schoolwork/personal reading for Hex. Yeah, it had only been two weeks since he’d seen him, but he still missed him immensely.

A distant shuffle and crash sounded from Hex’s side of the call. Coal peaked up in concern, though Hex himself looked unaffected. After a minute, another crash sounded. His boyfriend sighed in exasperation, not looking up from his book when he said, “Boys, you better not be webbing furniture again. Mamá already gave you a lecture about that.”

“They webbed furniture together?” Coal questioned.

Hex turned another page before gazing up and answering. “I’ve told you they’re menaces. I expect them to cause mayhem for my birthday. They’ll be extra mischievous for that. Webbing? That’s nothing for them.”

It struck Coal that he had no idea when Hex’s birthday was. The thought of working with Hex’s family to make his upcoming birthday extra magical came to him, and his head filled with various scenarios for the Hallow family to suggest. It was the least he deserved. Now, he just had to come up with the best possible surprise.

“Well, luckily, you have time to worry about that. You’ll be able to figure out their master plan by then.” Coal shrugged, truly believing it was as simple as that.

Hex considered something, going back to his book before replying, “I suppose I know them well enough to figure out what scheme they have in a week's time.”

A WEEK???? His birthday’s in a week!!

This was imperative information that Coal should have been told. He didn’t even have a gift for him yet! He needed to start planning, start figuring out how to give Hex the best birthday imaginable. Hopefully, his parents would be willing to help him put together a surprise. Or- Wait. Were his parents upset by the whole ‘Blackmailing Halloween and using their son for a fake marriage’ scheme?

“Coal!” Hex urged, taking him out of his thoughts. 

His anxieties must’ve been showing rather obviously on his face. Hex gazed at him with concern, leaning forward to be closer to the camera, a furrow in his brow. He didn’t say anything else, just quietly observed as he typically did. Finding the precise words that would help in this situation.

Only, Coal knew what would help. His mind raced with plans and considered different angles from which to piece a surprise visit. He’d need to have Kris or Wren help, moving schedules around and finding the Queen of Halloween’s direct contact so as not to make Hex suspicious. Coal raised his eyes to look right into the deep chocolate of Hex’s and sighed, relieved to feel as though he had landed safely. Right at home with the man that he loved.

“What plans do you have for your birthday?” He asked, totally not probing for a response to get a better idea of what to do.

Hex knew him far too well, his eyes filling with suspicion. “As of now, nothing. Mamá and Papá will have a small dinner and cake prepared for me, and the triplets will likely cause me chaos, but nothing besides that.” He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

Coal fauxed innocence, throwing his hands up in surrender. “What? I can’t ask my lovely boyfriend what he’s doing for his birthday? I was genuinely curious.”

Hex cocked an eyebrow, disbelief and amusement filling his features. “I hardly trust that was as innocent a question as you make it out to be.”

He was teasing, Coal knew this. That didn’t stop him from continuing his dramatic tactics to make Hex laugh. He huffed and crossed his arms. “Well, how very dare you. Questioning the integrity of my care for your day-to-day schedule.”

It got a small chuckle out of Hex, which meant Coal had won. He was suppressing a smirk and fondly rolled his eyes. A small tinge of pink crept on his cheeks, something that Coal absolutely adored. He looked back at his book as he responded, “My apologies, dear. I shall have my assistant send you my daily schedule. Warning, though, they tend to hide things to prank you.”

Hex was continuing the teasing, and it lit a fire in Coal to know that it was something they could easily do. Feel this joy of being together despite being apart. There were already plans in motion for Hex to return to Christmas in a few short weeks. But Coal needed to be with Hex for his birthday. Needed to show this wonderful man an endless amount of love that would soak into him, filling his heart for months to come. Something raw sat in him. That manic excitement that crashed over him when he so much as thought about Hex.

Sure, Coal was planning a visit to Halloween in the near future, but this need, this yearning to be back with Hex, a sensation that burned from his heart out onto his skin. It lit him aflame until he oozed with love.

“And would these assistants happen to be a trio of nine-year-olds?” He teased in return, warmth filling him.

“You joke, but they really can catch you off-guard.”

Coal snorted, leaving the conversation at that for the moment. He had to start planning. Scheming? No, no. Definitely just planning his surprise visit to Halloween.

☾☾❄❄❄☽☽

In the end, it didn’t take long or nearly as much effort to get things set in motion for the last-minute trip. Then again, that may be because of Wren and her mysterious prowess to get everything done in such an orderly and swift manner. She seriously still needed a raise. He’d have to look into that.

Kris was practically shoving Coal out the door, insisting everything in Christmas would be alright. “Get your sorry ass out of here and go be with your boyfriend. I can handle it.” He grunted, literally shoving Coal towards the door.

“I know you can, you’re my right-hand man in all of this. No one is better equipped at helping me than you-”

“Then go!” Kris laughed.

The main issue with Coal springing this visit on everyone at the last minute was that he had a decent amount of meetings with the winter holidays. Kris volunteered to handle them, even though he’d be going back to school in just a few days. Their father, well, he’d been a bit absent from these meetings. The winter holidays didn’t love this, but everyone was hopeful for the future that this collective would bring.

“I’m going. I’m going. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

“Have fun.” They hugged, sharing a small back pat.

Coal backed off, placing mistletoe over the doorframe and prepared to step through. Before he did, he turned back to Kris, mischief sparkling in his body. Coal smirked, then proceeded to hit Kris in the groin. “Ball tag!” And he quickly disappeared through the door, chuckling to himself.

When he made it through, he stumbled into the grand foyer, everything fitting for a Gothic Victorian-style home, fit perfectly for the royals of Halloween. He looked around a bit, finding darker wood and paint lining the walls, grand portraits of past Halloween royal family members, a grand crystal chandelier, and a possible ghost floating past him. Then, he peered into what looked to be a parlour room, just off to the left of the entrance. He found two darker shaded orange couches, with bat throw pillows, facing each other with a black table between them. The large window had a slightly translucent charcoal curtain hanging from it. There was a large fireplace towards the back of the room where a family portrait hung above it. King Ichabod, Queen Carina, and Hex stood in the back, all neutral-faced. The triplets sat in front of them, two in their own chairs, one in the lap of a girl Coal thought was vaguely familiar. All three of them had different faces of excitement. The girl, she looked like a perfect combination of the King and Queen. She sat in front of King Ichabod, a hand of his on her shoulder. Coal approached the portrait and began to think that the girl resembled Hex, too. He wanted to look more, but was quickly interrupted.

“¡Hola!” A voice called out to him from the door.

Coal startled, turning as if caught doing something wrong. He found Queen Carina Hallow standing in the doorway, a friendly smile on her face. She looked like every piece of a Halloween and Día de Muertos royal. Her hair was the same wavy raven black as Hex’s, pulled up into a top knot held in place with an orange marigold hairpin. She had a deep red dress with black accents and a bone belt on, and black heels. Her dark brown eyes (just like Hex’s) were outlined with a shadowy makeup look, and she topped it all off with a dark red lipstick. She was beautiful.

And Hex’s mother.

Coal got his wits about him, coming to the realization that he was not only face-to-face with the Queen of Halloween, but also Hex’s mother. The person he’d have to impress the most on account of Hex being his very lovely boyfriend. So, you know, no stress.

He finally responded a moment later, moving forward to introduce himself. “Hello, Mrs. Hallow- Oh! No, um, I mean Your Majesty! I believe we’ve already met but-”

“Yes, Nicolas, the Prince of Christmas. Also known as Coal. A lovely nickname, by the way. A pleasure to finally meet you properly. And, please, call me Carina. It’s lovely to have you here.” She interrupted in a kind tone. She opened her arms for a hug, which Coal only slightly hesitated to reciprocate. 

He quickly realized how warm she was, not only with the hug, but also with her energy. She was everything a mother should be. Everything Coal secretly missed from his own mother. He would’ve melted into the hug, but they pulled apart a moment later. He knew how it may have looked with him somewhat snooping through their home, so he attempted an apology.

“I am so sorry for any intrusions I may have caused by sneaking into this room. Truly, I was merely looking for someone else.”

Carina waved a dismissive hand towards him. “Not a worry, dear. It is quite all right. I apologize for not being there to greet you immediately. Though I’m sure you are looking for a different Hallow.” She teased.

Coal’s cheeks grew crimson, causing Carina to chuckle lightly. He ducked his head, doing his level best (and absolutely not failing) to ensure he gave nothing away. “I’ll admit, I am here for him, as you know, but I do intend to get to know your whole family, as well.” He looked back up, Carina’s intense, dark eyes softening. “I’d like to see Hex at his most comfortable. Make it so that I could potentially give him that one day. If he’ll let me.”

Her smile brightened more, “I very well think he might. Now,” she guided Coal back out into the foyer, “I have a feeling Hex will be waking up any minute now.”

A moment later, a crashing sound followed by a cutoff curse echoed through the home, seemingly from Hex’s room. Carina gave an amused huff of laughter, somehow already knowing what was happening. “Or, should I say, being woken up.”

Three boys came bursting out from the hallway connected to the grand staircase on the right of the foyer. They could only be the mischievous triplets Hex spoke so lovingly about. They bounded energetically down the stairs, giggling to their mother. “Boys, what have I said about running in the house. And about scaring your brother awake.” She spoke, barely hiding the amusement behind a stern tone.

“Sorry, Mamá. It’s just so much fun! He always creates these little ghosts that we get to play with!” One laughed, holding out a soft, pillow-looking ghost.

“And it's not like we do it all the time.” Another said, rolling his eyes.

Coal laughed to himself, causing the last, more timid one, to gaze up at him questioningly. “Are you the one who is trying to steal Hex from us?”

He quickly sobered and balked at the question, hoping he truly hadn’t caused a rift to form between the siblings. His easy smile and playfulness melted away, leaving only horror and dread bubbling within his gut. A heavyweight at the worst thing that could’ve happened between him and his own brother. If he had caused that for Hex and his brothers, he’d never forgive himself.

“I swear, I’m not trying to steal him away or anything. I love your brother so much, but I’d never want to come between you all.” He rushed out.

The more timid one tilted his head, seemingly perplexed at what Coal said. The first one who spoke rolled his eyes and made a dissatisfied face at Coal. “Nothing’s happening, yet. Hex just keeps going on and on about how much he loves you and misses you. I think he’s broken.”

The three of them started giggling even while Carina chastised them for it. “Mijos, no se rían de su hermano. How many times do I need to tell you that?”

All three dramatically slumped but became alert again when loud footsteps were heard from the same hallway they had come from. They dispersed running in different directions. Coal was already so confused as to what was going on from the chaos of the house. He didn’t mind it, though, leaving a pang in his heart remembering days from when he was younger with Kris.

His thoughts quickly swirled away when the rich, deep voice he’d been waiting for bellowed from upstairs. “No pueden esconderse de mí, monstruitos. Los encontraré-” Then he appeared through a shadowy portal, halfway down the staircase, eyes going wide in wonder and disbelief. Hex audibly swallowed, his voice coming out strained and quiet. “Coal?”

He was absolutely beautiful, even in the dim lighting of the foyer. His hair was still sleep-mussed, only slightly disheveled, but still shiny and gorgeous, falling to his shoulders. He was wearing that same sleeveless gray robe he’d worn back at Christmas. Coal could see through the loose tie of it that all he had on underneath was a pair of black and purple flannel pants, hung low on his hips. There was no shirt on, and he was barefoot. The picture of comfort and beauty. But that alone didn’t excite Coal. Just seeing Hex in front of him, knowing he’d get to hold him in his arms soon enough. To be able to have their quiet, whispered chats later that night. That he simply got to see Hex made his heart flutter with excitement.

Coal’s lips curled up the slightest bit, a small bashful smile now on his face. “Hi, sweetheart.” He called back.

Hex blinked, taking slow steps down the rest of the staircase, keeping his wide, dark eyes on Coal. Carina seemed to understand that there was a moment occurring between them and respectfully called back as she left. “I’ll leave you boys be. Come to the kitchen for breakfast when you’re ready.”

As she walked away, Hex took the final steps towards Coal, gazing up at him with the softest, most tired look deep within his eyes. Once he was right in front of him, Hex’s head fell onto Coal’s shoulder, his entire body slumping into him once they made contact. This took Coal by surprise, not because he didn’t want Hex close, but simply because he hadn’t expected it. Normally, Hex was so put together, always able to keep his head up and maintain a look of confidence. Coal supposed it was time and only fair for him to have a small break in routine.

He wrapped his arms around Hex’s shoulders, pulling him closer to his chest. Protective, careful, and secure in his arms. Finally. “Everything okay, sweetheart?” Hex shrugged halfheartedly, an exhaustion set within his frame. Coal smiled into Hex’s temple, kissing it lightly. Hex let out a small huff, sinking deeper into Coal’s hold. “Do you not want to talk about it right now? We can just be together for the moment.”

He turned his head into Coal’s neck, allowing him to soak up more of the citrus smell he always had. He mumbled into Coal’s neck, his breath tickling his skin. “Yeah, that works for me, love.”

Something about the term of endearment set Coal aflame. Stomach fluttering and smirking to himself. He kissed Hex’s head again, dragging his arms to loosely wrap around his waist, which caused him to sink impossibly closer into Coal’s body. They swayed the slightest bit, happy energy emanating through them. After a few moments, Hex pulled back, bringing his gaze up to Coal. He tangled their fingers together and pulled him in the direction of what was presumably the kitchen. 

The hall they walked down had doors on either side, some open, revealing an office, a sitting room, and a possible library. There was one door that had a butler leaving it, nodding primly, with Hex whispering a friendly and fond, “Good morning, Denny.” The Gothic decoration continued to line the walls, leaving the slightest ominous impression. There were spurts of Carina's holiday woven into the dark Halloween aesthetic, bouquets of bright marigolds, and the occasional sugar skull on tables. Framed photos of family members and candles adorned the walls.

They finally reached the end of the hallway, likely the opposite side of the mansion. Three massive doors were at the end, causing Coal to blink, wondering what was behind them. Hex seemed to know Coal’s thoughts and explained them away. 

“To the left is our formal dining room. Mamá hates using it. She says it’s lifeless and reminiscent of business meetings. Which, to be fair, is not far off. We only truly use it when other holidays come to visit. The door to our right is the kitchen. One of my favorite rooms, quite frankly. I enjoy cooking with Mamá when she gets the chance to.”

Hex continued on a moment later as Coal allowed himself to feel excited about getting to properly cook for the first time. Not just some shitty college student style meal, but a full proper meal. “The last room,” he gestured towards the double doors straight ahead of them, “that is our sun room. It leads to the back garden, along with functioning as where we place the Ofrenda when Día De Muertos comes around.”

“I thought it was supposed to be in a central location? Like somewhere communal. Or like a corner.” Coal inquisitively questioned.

Hex smiled sweetly at him. “You have done some research, I see.” Coal’s cheeks burned. “While you are mostly correct, my family places the Ofrenda in the middle of the room, and we keep the doors open. This way, everyone can see it. And, in my opinion, it gives our loved ones an easier path to cross over so they can visit us. But maybe I’m just sentimental.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well,” He paused, thinking deeply about his next words. “I guess I like it this way because of old traditions with my siblings.”

Coal held Hex’s hand tighter, squeezing three times to hopefully get his message across. Hex gave a sad smile and pulled Coal toward the kitchen. They went through a swinging door–as you may find in a restaurant–and Coal stumbled upon an expansive kitchen. Pots, pans, and cooking utensils filled the shelves near and above the sinks and ovens. On the far wall were two industrial-sized refrigerators and a small walk-in pantry next to that. There was an open door that led to a smaller dining room on the wall next to them. Coal saw Hex’s younger brothers already in there, seemingly playing some sort of card game. He also saw Carina working alongside a younger woman, whom Coal suspected was a chef in the mansion. They were making a pastry he didn’t recognize, but looked delicious nonetheless.

Hex moved to Carina, kissing her cheek, then doing the same with the other woman. “¡Hola, Tonietta! ¡Mamá! ¿Cómo está? Siento haberla ignorado antes.”

“Oh, cariño, no se preocupe por eso.” She grinned briefly at Coal, nudging Hex’s arm. “Es toda una monada, ese chico suyo.”

Hex’s cheeks turned crimson. “Mamá!” He chided.

Carina chuckled, waving him off to the dining area. “I tease. I tease. Go, you two. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

Coal grabbed Hex’s arm as he grumbled and pulled him towards the table, hiding a laugh in Hex’s shoulder as he kissed it. He could hear Hex quietly speaking Spanish to himself, likely uttering what was close to a curse without having to conjure the little random Halloween objects. They found seats next to each other, across from two of the triplets. The third sat next to Hex. The card game that was occurring in front of them was one Coal didn’t recognize. He watched as Hex slumped next to him, leaning his head on Coal’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure where this affection was coming from, but he would be damned if he was going to fight it. Hex waved his hands at his brothers, getting their attention. He still wasn’t sure who was who between the three of them.

“Deal me in next. Salem, you deal.” Hex called out to them.

The one whom Coal assumed was Salem, sitting across from him, pouted, crossing his arms in anger. “Why do I have to deal?” Can’t you deal and get all gross with him?”

Hex sat up, a protective air to him, his hand grasping onto Coal’s beneath the table. A rush went through Coal, one of both safe warmth and desire. Obviously, he couldn’t do much about it, but he didn’t need to worry for long. Carina entered the space with a plate of the pastries that were made. The other woman, Tonietta, if Coal had to guess, walked out holding a plate of sausage and a bowl of scrambled eggs. They placed the items on the table, Tonietta returning to the kitchen.

“Buenos días, queridos.” Carina leaned in and kissed the top of each of her children’s heads, Hex being included in that. He settled a bit when she did it. She took a seat at the far end of the table, beside one of the triplets and an empty chair. The other head of the table was free, which was likely for someone Coal still had yet to see…

Tonietta returned with a bowl of beans and a small plate of sliced avocados. When she placed them down, she sat in the empty chair next to Carina. The triplets started to pile their plates, Carina and Hex not going for any of the food yet. Two trays of beverages sat in the middle, Carina preparing a cup of coffee for herself–one sugar and a splash of milk–while Hex made his tea exactly as Coal remembered. Two sugars, honey, and some lemon. He began to sip on it, sitting further back in his chair and leaning towards Coal.

That is, until Carina cleared her throat, a dark brow shooting up high on her forehead. Hex rolled his eyes, glaring back at his mother. He grumbled in Spanish under his breath, a plastic bat popping up above him. He hastily batted it away (pun fully intended, thank you very much), and proceeded to eat a single slice of avocado, slowly chewing away at it. Coal grabbed his thigh, trying to be a warm, safe weight for him. Despite the fact that he had already eaten back at Christmas, he made a small pile of food on his plate. He also took note of the one person who was very absent from the table. He leaned in close to Hex, whispering in his ear. “Where’s your dad?”

Hex set his cup of tea down, speaking lowly to him. “Most likely in his office. He’s had a number of meetings lately.” He seemingly caught on fast to where Coal’s mind was about to spiral towards after hearing that. That of blaming himself due to the faux marriage scheme from Christmas time. “Love, do not blame yourself for anything. These meetings were already in place, and Papá only has to do light damage control. None of which pertains to you. It is alright, I promise.” 

Coal only relaxed the tiniest bit. But he took comfort in the fact that everything appeared to be okay. They continued eating for a bit, Coal only flinching twice at the spice level of the food, which made Hex chuckle the smallest bit as he (forcibly, thanks to Carina’s glares despite Hex’s known protest of breakfast food) ate a spoonful of the same food as Coal and had zero reaction. The food was delicious, and he’d frequently tell Hex that he was enjoying it, much to Hex’s visual delight, his cheeks turning light pink. The food was seemingly made with the family in mind, all of them thoroughly enjoying it. Coal took note that he’d have to build up his spice tolerance.

As Coal was finishing his coffee, heavy footsteps were heard coming through the kitchen. Coal’s shoulders tensed. He knew who was coming, and his guilt swirled around in his gut. Realistically, and based on what Hex had just said, there was no reason for him to feel guilty. However, that did not stop the sinking feeling and anxiety settling within him. Hex grabbed his knee under the table, somehow knowing that Coal was working himself up mentally. He watched as a shadow approached, menacing and loud. The footsteps were getting closer, Coal’s anxiety getting more intense. 

“¡Papá!” One of the triplets screamed, jumping from the chair to run towards the approaching figure.

“Good morning, Jackie.” The voice called out, entering the room with the triplet, Jack, attached to his side. “How are you this morning? Good morning, everyone.”

“Toni made breakfast, and Hex’s weird friend has been making faces at it. Fang and I kept count.”

Coal’s eyes widened in fear as King Ichabod, Hex’s father, who was very well acquainted with the twisted workings of Christmas, turned his attention towards him. He kissed Jack’s head and set him down, the boy running back to his seat. Ichabod smiled as he took the empty seat beside Coal, leaning forward to start piling food onto his plate.

“Good morning, Prince Nicholas. A pleasure to meet you again under better circumstances. My son tells me you’ve been well?” He spoke to Coal, who was stuck on the fact that he was speaking to Hex’s father. He had already met him, and yet he was petrified of the man, wanting to undo all the horror of Christmas. 

“Good morning, Your Majesty. Yes, I’ve been well. I was inspired by the fall holidays and have been working on a winter holiday collective in hopes of smoothing out the mistakes from Christmas’ past. Still a work in progress, but it’s only the beginning, so I know we’ll get there.”

King Ichabod politely nodded, subtly reaching over to make himself a cup of tea. Coal took a moment to observe him, noting the fact that Hex took after him. The same chiselled jawline, eye shape, tall, slender frame, and paler skin tone, though Ichabod was much paler than Hex. Everything else was from Carina, but the resemblance was clear. And it made Coal realize even further that he wasn’t only the King of Halloween.

He was also Hex’s father.

Which, he already knew. He had met the man a few weeks prior. But that didn’t stop the fact that meeting the father of your boyfriend and the man you were head over heels in love with felt like free-falling over a cliffside, heading towards your possible doom. No pressure.

“Son, please call me Ichabod,” the king said lightly, “I may be King, but I have grown rather bored with the title of ‘Majesty.’ It would be of better use to call us all by our names.”

“My apologies, sir.”

“Coal,” Hex sighed out a laugh, “just call my father by his name. Please.” This left an awkward air to the room, Coal still wide-eyed, and everyone else trying not to laugh at him. He was a nervous wreck, and only Hex had the ability to settle some of that anxiety in him with laughter. Or, really, just with his general being.

“Mamá?” The triplet, who was likely Salem, softly asked, breaking the tension.

“¿Sí, mijo?”

He leaned over to whisper something in Carina’s ear, much to her amusement. She answered with a whisper loud enough that everyone at the table could hear. “You have to ask him, not me.” She eyed Hex, something akin to trepidation in her smile.

“Hex?”

He looked over to his brother, “What can I do for you, Salem?”

Salem looked between everyone, a nervous tenseness to his shoulders. He did the same move, moving next to his brother and whispering in his ear. Hex nodded as he spoke, sitting back once he was done. He looked at his other brothers, that nervous smile Carina had, moving to him now. “Do you all want to go say hi, or just you, Salem?”

“Can we all go?” Jack asked.

“Be careful, alright. I will be up in a little bit.”

The three younger boys all cheered and looked towards Carina, likely waiting to be excused from the table. She nodded, everyone watching as they quickly scattered, running back through the kitchen. 

“No, running!” Carina called out before turning back to her husband across the table. “How was the meeting, mi amor?”

Ichabod took a sip of his tea, moving his head in consideration of what to say. “Well, enough. Thanksgiving was giving me a bit of a mouthful, but I was able to settle it. I have another meeting with them next week for this year’s negotiation agreements. Everything should be fine.”

“My family was no issue?” She cocked a brow as she sipped her coffee playfully.

He fondly rolled his eyes with a smirk. “They always cause me the most trouble. Your brother likes to tease.”

“Hm, wonder if you deserved it this time.”

It was odd for Coal to see this camaraderie between not only family members, but specifically a mother and father. His early memories were tinged with his mother’s departure, making it so he hardly knew of those good times. He could feel the ache in his chest. One filled with a yearning for his family to be like this again, mixed with a small bit of anger that he never did get it. Hex’s hand was still on his thigh, squeezing a bit now, with him knowing that Coal was struggling. Between his guilt and the sadness of his past, he needed some time alone.

He cleared his throat, readying to apologize for needing a moment, but Hex beat him to it. “Is it okay if we take a walk, Mamá? Papá?”

Coal stared at him with a grateful expression. Everything melted into adoration for the man still holding him. Steadying him. Coal didn’t know how he ever went through life without him.

“Go ahead. Have your fun for the day, I’ve already cleared your schedule to have time with him.” Carina responded.

“Gracias, Mamá. Thank you for breakfast, Toni.” He stood and kissed Carina and Tonietta on the cheeks, then rounded back to grab Coal’s hand, dragging him away, both taking their dishes with them to drop in the sink in the kitchen.

Ichabod called back to them before they could get too far. “Boys, I would like to talk to you both later. Meet me in my office around noon.”

Hex nodded, pulling a scared Coal away from the scene. They moved down the hallway slowly, Hex standing close to Coal. They breathed in sync with each other, no words being needed. Just the two of them existing together. After a few moments, they were back in the parlour room Coal had found himself in at the beginning of the trip. Hex stepped forward, moving ahead of Coal to drag him in front of the family portrait. Coal looked between the triplets again, still unsure how to tell them apart.

“How do you know which triplet is who? They look so strikingly similar.”

Hex hummed, looking closer at each of them. “Salem has the darkest hair of them. Yes, we all have dark hair, but his hair is like my own and Mamá’s. True black. You can’t tell in the picture, but Fang quite literally has a little fang. One of his canines grew in crooked, so now it looks like he’s half vampire. Just don’t tell him that, it’ll go right to his ego. Jack,” he paused, pointing to the triplet who was sitting on the lap of the girl he’d seen earlier. “Jack has the same eyes as Raven, and he’s the quietest of the three. We all have darker eyes,” he turned his head to Coal, smirking fondly, “as I’m sure you’re aware since you love to stare into mine.” They both laughed at that. Hex sighed, looking back over to the portrait. “Raven and Jack, however, their eyes are more of a rich chocolate. In the light, it looks like whiskey.” He couldn’t seem to look away, eyes dragging around the portrait.

“That makes sense, you know. Siblings have features similar to each other. Kris and I have the same eye color, paleness, and nose, but we have different hair color and a very different build.” Coal attempted to use sarcasm in the last part to grab Hex’s attention, but Hex didn’t respond to Coal’s comment, prompting him to move closer and run a hand up and down his back. “You okay, sweetheart?”

Hex stayed in his trance, staring at the portrait, but still answered Coal. “Jack and Raven were quite close. Not as close as Raven and I since I had more time with her, but-” Upon saying that, Hex took in a shaky breath, his eyes glossing over.

“I’m sure he still remembers her and loves her.”

He nodded, chewing his lip and fidgeting with his fingers. “He does, he talks to me about her all the time. It’s just- He has grown quieter since her death. He was always rather quiet, but ever since she-” he sighed, “he has just been a little different, I suppose. Which I can not blame him for.”

Coal sensed that there was something deeper going through Hex’s mind. It was the way he was holding himself–tenser posture, pinched eyebrows, sad eyes, the tight lips. He wasn’t necessarily hiding anything. Coal knew this had something to do with the portrait and with his sister. He just wasn’t privy to what exactly it was causing Hex’s discomfort. “Sweetheart, talk to me. What’s going on up there?” He tapped at Hex’s head lightly.

Hex sighed, gazing up at Coal. There were clear, unshed tears in his eyes that he was refusing to let fall. The pinch in his brows remained, but his lips shifted to a horrifically sad smile. “I need to show you if I am to explain.”

He tugged on Coal’s hand, yet again, leading him up the staircase he had portaled onto earlier. Coal looked around the walls, noticing there were pictures of the Hallow family everywhere. One of Hex when he was little, with a wide smile on his face, but a noticeable gap in his upper row of teeth. One where, who was likely, Raven was playing piano in a room Coal had yet to enter. One with Hex and Raven, older now, each holding one of the triplets in their arms, their faces full of love. One with King Ichabod seemingly carrying Hex on his back as Raven hung off the front of him, all three mid-laugh. A photo of the king and queen in a hospital room, tearily smiling while holding a baby, who seemed to be Hex if the toddler girl sitting on the king’s lap was anything to go by. It was obvious the family was filled with love. They not only showed it in person and ensured it was felt, but proudly displayed it in their home. Amongst the dark aesthetic and Halloween decor, there was a bright light of love oozing from the mansion. The pictures glowed with happiness, and Coal couldn’t even be jealous. He was simply thankful that Hex got to experience that and never, for a single second, had to doubt what a loving family felt like.

They reached Hex’s room, the sounds of three boys whispering to each other echoing out. Coal gave Hex a confused look, him only responding with a chuckle. He lightly knocked on the door before entering, a door audibly closing within the room. Coal noted that the door itself appeared heavy and was nearly all black, there being rust orange designs along it. The room inside, somehow, made perfect sense for Hex, yet was a complete surprise.

Coal had seen hints of Hex’s room from their video calls. Nothing more than what the little phone camera would offer. But seeing it in person was an entirely different thing. It was bright with color, yet had the perfect mixture of Halloween’s darker colors. The wooden furniture pieces were made from a dark-stained wood; the bed was in the middle of the far wall with a nightstand on either side of it. On the wall next to the door was a decent-sized dresser, a collection of pictures and knick-knacks on top of it. On the wall opposite the bed, as a walk-in closet with only a bright orange sheet hanging in front of it. Besides that was another open door with a double hook on it, a towel hanging from one hook. It was most likely an ensuite bathroom. There was a small alcove on the next wall that was closed off by double doors and the triplets standing in front of it. The large window had pale yellow curtains hanging in front of it, some morning sunlight seeping in. The walls were filled with little pieces of memorabilia, such as photos and pinned-up tickets from events, shelves filled with books, and decorations that reflected his Mexican heritage.

The triplets had yet to say anything, their eyes following Coal and Hex as they moved further into the room. Hex guided Coal to his bed, which was still unmade from the boys scaring Hex awake. His bedding was a dark red with a singular green pillow that he clearly held while sleeping. Coal was confused by it, but settled with questioning it later. The canopy-style bed had a black-stained wood frame with light gray curtains around it, held open to each post. It was soft, and Coal could picture Hex easily falling asleep on the mattress.

“We didn’t think you’d be back so soon,” Jack mumbled, somehow looking embarrassed, as though he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have done.

Hex tutted and crouched down to his level, which admittedly was not that much shorter. “No tiene nada por lo que disculparse.” He took Jack’s hands, wistfully continuing. “Ustedes tres pueden tomarse su tiempo para hablar con ella.”

The three of them looked at each other, then back at Hex. They hugged their older brother and shook their heads. The one whom Coal could now say was Fang spoke up for the rest of them. “¿Podemos volver más tarde? Para que tenga la oportunidad de hablar con ella.” He looked over at Coal, then leaned in closer to Hex. "¿Él también la conocerá?"

Hex hummed in agreement, looking at Coal fondly. “Ese era mi plan.” He stood up, patting Fang’s back. “Go find, Denny. I am sure he will have a new task for you all today.”

The three boys walked out of the room, ignoring Coal as they did so. Likely not to be mean, but out of respect for their brother. Again, there seemed to be deep admiration and love that flowed between them all. Kris would love it here just as much as he did. 

Hex turned his attention towards Coal, a sneaky smile creeping up his face. He moved to sit next to Coal, laying his head onto his shoulder. He let his hand wander to Hex’s thigh, his thumb running circles into the muscle. They both breathed each other in, a safety blanket of calm coursing between them. It was these sorts of moments that Coal had missed the most. The oozing with quiet affection, calm, filled up with trust ones. The ones where nothing needed to happen. Simply existing with each other was perfect. Coal could’ve cried at the feeling of having Hex not only with him again, but getting to touch him in the most reverent way. No questioning if there was love between them because it was obvious. The quiet made him sleepy. Or maybe that was just what happened when he was with Hex.

Eventually, Coal spoke up, his mind beginning to whirl as to why he was brought here. He could tell Hex wanted to show him something, but he had no idea what it could be.

“Sweetheart?” He spoke into the top of Hex’s head.

“Sí?”

“Did we come here for a specific reason?” Coal looked in front of the bed and realized his bag had been brought up and placed on the Ottoman bench at the foot of the bed. It gave him an idea. “Did you want to do something,” he bit at the shell of Hex's ear, “privately fun?”

Hex rolled his head to look back at Coal with a sly expression. He was so beautiful like this. But, then again, he was always so utterly beautiful. “No. We can save that for later when my family is not awake enough to disturb us. I have ideas for you.” The spark that went up Coal’s entire body was physical. Hex started laughing at how quickly he straightened up, his eyes quite literally lighting up at the implications. “Later, darling.” Hex bumped Coal’s shoulder before standing up and walking towards the doors that the triplets had stood in front of a few minutes before. His laughter died down, and he sighed. “I do have a reason for bringing you here. A rather important one too.”

Coal watched as he went to say something else, but groaned instead, blinking his eyes fast and looking towards the ceiling. He extended a hand out, silently calling Coal over. He would’ve been an idiot if he hadn’t followed Hex anywhere. He grabbed Hex’s hand, now seeing the tears slowly filling his eyes, the blinking failing miserably at making them disappear. He held his cheek with his free hand, swiping his thumb across, wiping away any evidence of wet, salty tracks. He spoke silently and determinedly. “Take your time, sweetheart. Let’s start with what’s behind these doors. Just open it.”

Hex eyed him, a horrifyingly broken expression taking over his face. He moved away from Coal and placed his hands on the doorknobs, but didn’t move further. Coal placed a hand of encouragement on his lower back. It did the trick as the next moment, Coal was made privy to the wonders of Hex’s emotional being. What he saw before him made his heart clench.

A half-moon-shaped table, laid with a royal purple tablecloth, sat filled with items against the wall. On the front and hanging around it were paper decorations. There were five framed photographs, one that sat on a small platform in the center. Orange and purple marigolds were scattered about, along with the occasional sugar skull. A glass of water sat next to a frame, what looked like a loaf of bread sat next to another, two candles sat on either side of the platform, and there were various objects next to each frame. One frame showed a smiling older woman who looked like Carina, most likely her mother, with a ball of yarn next to it. The opposite end of the table held a younger-looking boy with a sly smile, with a miniature skateboard besides it. Two other frames towards the front showed a middle-aged woman and an older man, though the frames themselves were caged in by a pebble-made heart. The last picture on the platform was of a girl around his age. She looked like Hex, as well as the girl from the family portrait. Just next to the frame sat a fake bird, and a crown was sitting on top of it precariously.

The moment Coal realized who the girl was practically slammed him off his feet. His heart nearly broke in half thinking of Hex and everything he’d been through.

Before he even got a chance to ask him about it all, Hex spoke softly, explaining what each item was and who each person was. “The decorations surrounding this are Papel Picados. I made them a few years ago when I decided to make this small ofrenda for myself. They are meant to represent the air. The glass of water is an offering for the spirits, along with the bread, which also represents the earth. I’m sure you know what a sugar skull is, though we call it a calavera. The marigolds, or cempasúchil, are closely associated with Día de Muertos. The orange ones represent earth and sun, while the purple ones represent grief, so we keep both on the altars to welcome the spirits. The candles guide the directions for the spirits.”

There was a pause in his speaking, Hex staring flatly at the ofrenda. “Who are the people in the frames?”

He gave a bittersweet smile, nodding his head to the two frames in the middle. “This is my Nana and Grandpa. My father’s parents. They met on a beach when they were teenagers and would skip stones in the water, which is how they got to know each other and fell in love, hence the pebbles. My Nana passed away young, shortly after my father’s sister was born, but my Grandpa lived to his 60’s. We all think he died of a broken heart because he passed away on what would’ve been their 40th wedding anniversary.” He sighed, flipping a couple of the pebbles, and turned his attention to the left side of the table. “This is my Abuela. She was a fiery woman who would knit the coziest sweaters, which really weren’t all that necessary, but we loved them regardless. This,” he indicated the young boy, “was my cousin. He passed when I was younger from an allergic reaction to something, but he was like an older brother to me.”

“What’s with the skateboard?”

“Ah, he loved skating. He tried to teach me, but I fell right on my ass each time.” He chuckled, likely from memories of it. Coal was happy to hear the sound of it.

“Why do they each have those items?”

“It is meant to make them feel more at home. Welcome them in, essentially.” The conversation died for a few moments, both of their eyes wandering to the frame on the platform. No questions had to be asked; Coal knew who it was. Hex explained anyway, a moment later. “This-” his speech was broken up and strained. “This is Raven, my sister.”

“Hex, you don’t need to-”

He put a hand on Coal’s wrist, silently asking him to stop. He seemingly did need to. He had to introduce his sister and his boyfriend, just as he technically did with the rest of his family. That much was clear from the desperation in Hex’s teary eyes. “She was meant to be the Heir. The one who would follow in my father’s footsteps as Queen of Halloween. And, well, she adored the holiday. So much so, she was born a few days before it.” He laughed as a tear fell down his cheek. Coal resisted the urge to wipe it away. “I have told you about her, but it isn’t the same.” He grabbed the crown.

The crown itself was a darker metal and had eight points around it, each with a red stone. Shadows of the moon were woven into the intricate metal artwork, along with smaller black stones and diamonds. It was gorgeous. Hex likely had his own made for him, but he seemingly held onto the one made for Raven.

Coal was in disbelief. He couldn’t fathom how someone who appeared as though she lit up an entire room with just a smile and arched eyebrow, as she had in the photo, could no longer be with them. She was beautiful and, from what Hex had told him, loved her family with everything in her. He knew Hex still wasn’t healed from her death–truthfully, he likely never would be–but the way he moved her crown around and looked at it made Coal’s heart break clean in half. The grief that lived within him seemed to have rooted itself there, deep, deep down. Coal knew there wasn’t much he could do to take the pain of it away, but if he could at least ease some of it, he’d do anything.

Coal grabbed Hex’s arms, running soothingly up and down the exposed skin. Hex sucked in a low-sounding sob, clearly doing his best not to break down. “She seemed like a lovely person. Do you want to tell me anything else about her?” At Hex’s shaking head, Coal barreled on, trying to get to the bottom of what had been bothering him all day. “Sweetheart, what’s got you so upset? You’ve been a bit out of it.”

Hex hesitated, still holding tightly onto the crown before he spoke just barely loud enough for Coal to hear, “I will be older than her tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t. What do you mean?”

Hex sighed, leaning out of Coal’s grasp to set the crown back in place as he spoke again, louder this time, “She was 22 years old when she died. Tomorrow, I will be 23. Therefore, older than her.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Coal took Hex’s face into his hands, framing it and kissing his forehead as it all came together what the issue was. “You and I both know that isn’t really true. She is still your older sister. She will always be your older sister. Yes, maybe you are outliving her, but that doesn’t make you older.” He started to imagine if someone had this conversation with Kris. How broken he’d be, as well, at the thought of living a longer life. He considered what he might tell Kris in the event that a conversation like this ever randomly popped up. “You know, if Kris were here, and he thought the same, I’d likely slap him first.”

This got a light snort from Hex, the sound of it being music to Coal’s ears. “Well, I hope I will not get that treatment. Nor do I understand why I am being compared to your brother.” He raised a dark brow.

He had a point there, but Coal continued, “I promise it’s not a comparison. I’m simply saying, as the older sibling, I’d hate for Kris to think that just because I’m dead means he’s suddenly the oldest or that he’s older.” Hex’s frown deepened. “You know her soul is the same age as what her physical being would be, yes?” Hex nodded his head. “Well, there you go. You aren’t older than her, love. Again, maybe you’re outliving her, and yes, that absolutely is heartbreaking, but you will always be her little brother who’d follow her around.”

The story of a baby Hex learning to walk simply because he wanted to follow his older sister everywhere she wandered off made Coal’s whole being melt. It was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard, and only made it more endearing thinking of the bond Hex and Raven had.

“She secretly loved that. I remember I tried to teach it to Jack, and she got a little upset over it. According to her, ‘I’ll only handle one of my little brothers following me around.’” Hex smiled at the memory, there still being a sweetness to it. “I still don’t love the fact that I’m older than she was when she died.”

Coal finally wiped the tears away, making a humming of agreement. “That’s fair. I’m sure it can be a hard reality to wrap your head around. But again, she wouldn’t want you beating yourself up over it.”

Hex nodded his head, though another thought crossed his mind. “I was never supposed to be the Crowned Prince, you know. That’s why I focused more of my attention on Día de Muertos. My mother’s brother, Astin, was teaching me the ways of being the next king since he could not have children, and there were no other siblings. But now… Máma seems to be keen on bringing Salem into the teachings one day, but right now, they want to let him be a kid. I guess it hurts thinking that…”

“That you may have taken her opportunity away?” Hex nodded. “Can I say something selfish that is a bit of a bright side?” He nodded again. “I am devastated for you that you lost your sister. Physically speaking. I could never imagine losing Kris, and frankly, I think I’d actually go insane if I ever did. But,” he moved his hands to grasp at Hex’s, “I got to meet you and love you because you became Heir, and I am so grateful for that.”

“We would have met, I think. As I have mentioned before, Raven was attempting a deal with Halloween, and she spoke highly of you. So, I do believe we would have met. However,” Hex finally, properly, gazed up into Coal’s blue eyes. The deep chocolate of his were somehow brighter with the sheen of tears still there. He was absolutely beautiful. “I am rather grateful, as well, to have met you. The circumstances surrounding our initial meeting were…less than ideal, but despite my ongoing grief and how much I wish Raven were still here to have met you, I would not change it for the world. You have brought such meaning to my life, love. Even if…I still struggle.”

“Hey, you told me something once a long time ago. About grief and about how important it is to feel it, but to also grow from it. That’s what Día de Muertos is about, right? Taking that grief and putting it into the love you have for those who have passed to keep them alive? And to focus on a specific aspect of the grief to be able to move on from it. ‘One by one by one.’ You’ll be okay, sweetheart.”

“One thing at a time. To help you find your footing again.”

“Exactly.” He pulled Hex closer to plant a kiss squarely on his lips. 

They sank into it, hands roaming into each other’s hair. Everything was coming back into place, Coal’s arms full again with the person he loved. Hex let out a little whine, his fingers fisting more at Coal’s hair, drawing out a happy sound from him. There was a light breeze from outside, which caused Hex to pull back, confusion on his face. What happened when he turned towards the altar, causing his knees to buckle, made Coal worried.

“Hex? What’s going on?” He asked, panic going through him fast. Hex didn’t respond, only staring at the altar, his legs fully giving out. Coal caught him, helping him down to the ground as tears flowed silently down his face. Coal followed him down. “Sweetheart, what is it?” He pointed at Raven’s frame, and that’s when he saw it. 

A monarch butterfly.

A beautiful creature, but it confused Coal as to what the relevance was. Why would the sight make Hex nearly collapse? “Please tell me what’s going on.” The desperation in his voice was obvious, and he didn’t care. He needed to know how to help him.

Through broken-up bits, Hex wheezed out, “Monarch butterflies. They- They are believed…to be the spirits. That- That’s-” He fully broke down at that, but it didn’t take Coal longer than Hex falling into his chest, sobbing, to figure out what he was saying.

The monarch butterfly that flew into Hex’s room, onto the frame that held Raven’s photo, was Raven herself in spirit form. She had come back to visit Hex. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d never thought that visiting spirits were real outside of Día de Muertos, the day itself, since he never had one. There weren’t really beliefs like that in Christmas, and he wasn’t close enough to any of the relatives who had passed away for him to get a visit. This was clearly something Hex couldn’t handle, not now anyway, what with the grief paralyzing him. Coal had to figure out a way around this so that he could soothe Hex and bring him back to reality.

The butterfly flew closer, landing on Coal’s hand, which was on the back of Hex’s head. He moved it to observe the butterfly, seemingly being observed back. The wings fluttered a bit, looking as though she would fly back out. She turned towards Hex, who had leaned up after Coal moved. He stared at the butterfly, not making a move or sound.

“Guess I finally did get to meet her. She seems happy to meet me.” He tried as a way to lighten the mood. Hex just continued to cry silently and stare, the butterfly unmoving. “Do you want to go cuddle for a bit? Raven, here can go say hi to everyone else.”

Hex nodded and started to stand. As he did so, the butterfly flew to his nose, Hex going cross-eyed. He only held for a moment before he spoke to Raven, moving his hand to have her crawl to his finger. Tears were still falling down his cheeks, but his voice was steady. “Hola, mana. Te extrañé, pero me alegra tenerte de vuelta. Aunque sea por un ratito.” The butterfly’s wings fluttered, prompting Hex to sniffle and speak further. “Gracias por saludarme. Espero que esté bien. Adelante, vaya a saludar a la familia.” He brought the butterfly closer, and it appeared as though she kissed Hex’s nose, then flew off into the mansion.

He watched as she flew, then proceeded to find his way to his bed, sinking into the pillows. Coal followed closely behind, falling into it as well. He gathered Hex up in his arms, kissing the salty cheeks. They didn’t speak, only cuddled with each other as they both started to fall asleep, a nap seemingly needed after all the emotional turmoil thus far. Before they did, Hex whispered, “Thank you for coming here.”

Coal simply kissed his forehead and whispered back, “I wouldn’t dare miss your birthday, sweetheart.”

☾☾❄❄❄☽☽

The rest of the night was spent getting to know the family and their routine more. The triplets seemed to ease into Coal’s existence, though Hex still warned that it could lead to more pranks coming his way as they would feel comfortable enough to do them. What shocked Coal, however, was how close Fang was getting to him. When he was in the kitchen learning one of Carina’s recipes, Fang was watching from afar, eyeing Coal instead of his mother. When everyone was in the sitting room, enjoying tea and allowing Coal to talk a bit more about himself (Carina seemed to want to learn more about Christmas), Fang sat next to him and Hex on the floor, acting as though he didn’t care. But Coal knew he did from how he’d look up from his book every time Coal spoke. He thought it was precious how one of Hex’s siblings seemed to want to get to know him more, even if he refused to admit it. 

Coal, Hex, and Ichabod spoke about the workings of a collective, giving Coal advice on how to approach it and ensure that it ran smoothly. Ichabod excused Hex an hour into their conversation, looking Coal straight into his soul (as a King of Halloween may do), and they spoke of the treatment Santa had brought forth during Christmas time, the king telling Coal he did not place any blame on him, and was rather thankful that Hex had him to turn to. No bad blood was left (or ever truly existed) between them, and all Ichabod hoped for was that he and Hex were happy. Coal felt a 2-ton weight fall off his shoulders. 

Afterwards, Coal exclaimed about his relief, to which Hex said he never doubted his father’s approval. They spoke more about how their lives had been since being apart, and that was how Coal learned that the pillow Hex seemingly slept with was representative of Coal himself. Apparently, and admitted through crimson cheeks, Hex had struggled with sleeping the first couple of days of not having Coal with him. So, he found an extra pillow and hugged it to help soothe him at night when his grief liked to take an extra strong hold. Coal was happy to be a presence in Hex’s life, no matter what, and to know that just thinking of him helped bring Hex back to calm.

They fell asleep well after midnight, after they…explored each other again for a rather long time. Luckily, they did clean up and put on something to sleep in, a t-shirt and boxers for Coal, and boxers and another pair of pajama pants for Hex. It was cozy in Hex’s room, something Coal could get used to if he was able to visit him enough times. Hex fell asleep fast, curled up in Coal’s arms, his face buried in his neck, a small smile on his face. The green pillow sat on the floor.

When the sun rose the following morning, Coal felt the warmth of it and knew immediately what it meant. Hex was still asleep, Coal’s arm draped over his stomach, his fingers dipping slightly into his pants. The sight of him brought a smile to Coal’s lips–hair a bit of a mess, a small pool of drool under his chin, eyes fluttering as he softly snored. It urged him to lean over, kissing reverently across his face at every spot he could reach. He couldn’t wait to give Hex the most special day possible, having already spoken to Carina about making breakfast in bed with her and finding activities in the area to do with Hex. The kisses got the desired effect with Hex stretching a bit before peeling open one eye.

“Good morning, my beautiful birthday boy,” Coal said as he leaned in to kiss Hex.

He hummed at it, turning onto his back to deepen the kiss a bit. When they pulled back, Hex’s face lit up with a smile, the sun turning everything around him golden. “Mmm, morning, handsome prince. My mouth is gross.”

“See if I care.” He dove back in for another kiss, which Hex was on board with for only a moment before he pulled away, his brows furrowing. “What’s wrong?”

Hex brought a finger to his lips, silencing Coal. He then whispered, “Shh, they’re coming.”

“Who’s coming?”

Before Coal knew it, the triplets came barging into Hex’s room, screaming and throwing themselves onto the bed. Thank fuck we cleaned and got dressed, Coal thought to himself. The boys attacked Hex, yelling birthday cheers and talking about how excited they were for what their mother had planned for later that day. Hex was laughing as they did so, allowing it until he wrestled one of them, Salem, into a bear hug.

“Vengan aquí, monstruitos,” He laughed with them, tickling them all.

Coal got up so as not to disturb their moment, but Fang rounded on him fast. “Uh uh, you aren’t getting away that easy.” He then proceeded to jump on Coal, forcing him back down onto the bed. 

The three boys continued their attack on the couple until Carina called from downstairs, “Mijos! ¡Bajen a desayunar!”

They groaned, but acquiesced, jumping off the bed with vague threats of a continuation later in the day. Coal adored it all. The feeling of being a part of the family already, and getting to play with Hex’s brothers. He knew how much his family meant to him, so getting to be accepted as he was felt beyond important. And he seemed to have succeeded.

Hex poked Coal’s arm, a happy look on his face. Coal went back to his place in bed, with Hex lying on his chest. They snuggled into each other, both trying to soak up just a few more minutes of warmth in the chilly winter morning. Hex kissed Coal’s chest while Coal kissed the top of his head, both knowing they needed to get up.

“I’m understanding you from before. I feel gross, even if we did clean up last night,” Coal said.

“We should brush our teeth. That could be why you feel the way you do.”

“Don’t want to move, though.” Hex giggled into Coal’s chest, making him smile. “But, alas, there are plans that must be met.” He quickly turned to get off the bed, leaving Hex all alone.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

“Oh, sweetheart, I already have a schedule that I worked out with your little assistants and mother. Stay put, I’ll be right back.”

Hex tried to protest, but Coal moved fast out of the room.

It was going to be a long, but fun day. And Coal couldn’t wait for it to start. Nor could he wait for the many, many more birthdays he’d get to celebrate with his love.