Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2000 17:03:18 From: Chip Dyp Subject: Christmas Together The following program contains material suited for a mature audience. If you are not over 18 you should be leaving now. Of course I can't control you and neither can anyone else really. This story is entirely false except for the true parts. And now for our feature presentation. Viewer Discretion is advised... My website is located at: http://www.geocities.com/chipdyp/index.html Christmas Together by: Chip Dyp (chipdyp@hotmail.com) "Are you sure that you have everything?" Johnathan ran out to the Jeep with his arms full of Christmas presents. "Yeah, I have everything," Jeremy said. "Your parents are expecting you to show up with your boyfriend, right?" Johnathan walked back into the apartment and wrapped Jeremy up in his arms. "Yes, they are expecting me to show up with my boyfriend." He kissed Jeremy on the nose. "You've got nothing to worry about. They're gonna love you just as much as I love you." Jeremy smiled, and kissed Johnathan on the neck. "I hope not. I don't wanna have sex with your family." "You're a naughty, naughty boy," Johnathan giggled. "Well, when we get back you're gonna have to spank me then." Johnathan arched an eyebrow and smiled. "I think that can be arranged. We should get going though. My mom is expecting us for lunch." "Well, let's go then." "Did you turn down the heat? No point in heating the apartment for the entire time if no one's going to be around." "Yeah. And I flushed the toilet and took out the garbage." Jeremy grabbed his coat, and started toward the door. "I guess we're ready to go then," Johnathan said. He turned off the hall lights, and followed Jeremy out to the Jeep. "So, are you nervous?" "A little." "Just relax. It was a bit of shock to my parents, but they seemed to be all right with it." "I know." Jeremy sighed. "They certainly took it better than my parents did." Johnathan pulled open the driver's door and looked across the hood at Jeremy. "They'll come around sooner or later, babe." "I'd bet on later rather than sooner," Jeremy said. He slipped into the passenger seat. "Yeah, but eventually they will come around." Jeremy looked over at Johnathan. "I hope so." "So, what did you get Johnathan for Christmas?" Jeremy smiled. "Do you really think referring to yourself in third person will get me to tell you what you're getting for Christmas?" "It was worth a shot." Johnathan laughed and shifted the car into gear. "Three hours, and we'll be getting a home cooked meal." "So, what's the schedule look like?" "I've told you that, like three times." "Once while we were having sex, once while I was studying for a final and once while I was in the shower." "Yeah, well. I forgot you can't do more than one thing at once." "What? I only have one penis." "Ha, ha. You're so funnnny." "What can I say? Your horrible sense of humour is rubbing off on me." "Oh sure. Blame me. We have lunch at my parents house this afternoon, supper at my Grandma's tonight, supper tomorrow at my aunt's, and then Christmas at my parent's house." "Does your family ever stop eating?" "Only for nap time. If we keep our mouths full, we don't have to talk." "Ahhhh, so there is a method to the madness." Johnathan smiled across the Jeep at Jeremy, and took his hand. "Yeah, there is." Jeremy smiled back at Johnathan and squeezed his hand. "Who's gonna be there?" "My parents, my mom's parents, my mom's two brothers, their wives and kids. All together there's gonna be seventeen of us." "Including us?" "Including us." Johnathan smiled and put his hand back on the wheel. "You have nothing to worry about." "All right." * * * * * * "So, when are they arriving?" Johnathan's father asked. He was sitting at the kitchen table with his morning coffee. "They're supposed to be here for lunch," Johnathan's mother said. She stood by the counter waiting for her toast to pop, before sitting at the table with her husband. "Dan, I want you to promise that you won't say or do anything stupid. Johnathan is still our son, regardless of who he loves." "I realize that, Shelley. It's just taking me a little time to adjust." "I know, I know. I want you to know how proud I am." Dan had taken it hard when Johnathan had come out to them. He had taken it even harder when Johnathan told him that he had a boyfriend. Without the boyfriend, there was still the chance that he was straight, but the boyfriend quashed those hopes. Dan nodded and looked at his wife. "Have you told your Mom and Dad yet?" Shelley looked away, staring at the Christmas card holder hanging on the wall. "Shelley, you told Johnathan that you had told his grandparents." "I know what I told him, but I just can't do it. It's something that he's going to have to do on his own." "When are you going to tell him?" "Over lunch. It'll give him a chance to figure out how he's going to tell everyone." "Do you think it was wise, telling him that he could bring his boyfriend home when there are still members of the family who don't know he's gay?" Shelley paused for a second and looked at her husband. "Do you honestly think that anyone is going to lash out when they find out the he's gay?" "I don't think so. I don't know how your parent's are going to react though. And isn't Scott's wife a devout Baptist?" "No, she's not a devout Baptist. I can't remember which church she belongs too. And I'm pretty sure that my mother will take it well. She dotes on him." Dan finished his coffee, and then stood. "Well, they're your parents, I guess you'd know better than I do." Dan dropped his coffee mug into the dishwasher, and closed the door. He really didn't think that his wife was doing the right thing, but he couldn't say so. He only hoped that he was wrong. "I hope so. What are you doing this morning?" "I have to do a little last minute shopping. Don't worry; I'll be back in about an hour. Did you need anything from the store?" "Can you pick up a brick of marble cheese? I think we have enough, but it would be nice to have some extra, especially for Christmas brunch." "All right. I'll see you later." * * * * * * "Wake up, sleepy head. We're almost there." Johnathan poked Jeremy gently. He had to smile at him. He always looked so cute when he was asleep. "Mmmm, I was having the nicest dream," Jeremy said. He looked over at Johnathan. "You were fantastic, as usual." "One of these days you're gonna have to tell me about your dreams. They sound like fun." "Nope, my dreams are for my eyes and ears only." Jeremy loved to tease him about his dreams. "I don't want to give you any nasty ideas." Johnathan laughed. He motioned out the window and pointed at a large hill covered by tobaggoners. "I remember going sledding there when I was young. That hill was always a bitch to climb." "Looks like it. If we have a little spare time this week, we should spend an afternoon there." "That could be fun, but we don't really have snow clothes." "We can make do," Jeremy said with a smile. "Besides, after we get all cold and rosy cheeked, we can cuddle up together and warm ourselves." "Warm ourselves with a little vigorous rubbing?" "Sounds like a plan to me." "I'm sure it does, but I don't think that I want to push my parents that far our first time home." "I know. I promise to be good." Johnathan laughed. "You never behave. I'm not expecting you to be an angel." "I didn't say I was going to behave, I said I was going to be good." Johnathan groaned and rolled his eyes. "You're so bad." He turned into a driveway and whispered, "We're here. This is my parent's house." "It looks like a nice house," Jeremy said. He examined the house as he released his seat belt. "Your parents like Christmas lights?" "Yeah, they buy a string or two every year. There are probably fifteen strings on the house and bushes." Johnathan looked out the windshield at the house and tried to calm himself. He had been trying to convince himself for a month that bringing Jeremy home for Christmas wasn't going to be a big deal. But it was. This was his parent's first opportunity to meet his boyfriend. It was their first chance to meet Jeremy. Jeremy stepped out of the warm Jeep, and shivered. He brushed his hand through his hair, in a futile attempt to smooth it down. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Jeremy wanted desperately to impress Johnathan's parents. The last thing he wanted was to make Johnathan choose between him and his family. Putting Johnathan into that situation just couldn't be good, no matter how it turned out. Johnathan really loved his family a lot, and it would really hurt him if they didn't like him. "Can you take these bags?" Johnathan asked. He passed the duffel bags to Jeremy. "I'll take the presents in." "All right." Jeremy took the bags and waited for Johnathan to load himself up. He didn't want to be the first one that Johnathan's parents saw when they opened the door. Johnathan closed the back of the Jeep and smiled at Jeremy. "Let's go." "After you." Johnathan led the way to the house and pushed open the door. "Mom, Dad we're here." "We're queer," Jeremy whispered under his breath. Johnathan turned around and stuck his tongue out. "It's so good to see you again, Johnathan." Shelley gave him a quick hug, and then turned to Jeremy and held out her hand. "And you must be Jeremy." "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Byers." Jeremy detected a slight tremble in her delicate hand. She was just as nervous as he was. "Well, why don't you put those gifts down under the tree, Johnathan? I'll show Jeremy to his room." "Isn't he going to be staying in my room?" Johnathan asked, tilting his head quizzically. "Oh, I...," Shelley stumbled. She hadn't really thought about her son sharing his room with his boyfriend. Whenever they had guests over they used the spare room. "I guess if you want to sleep together, that would be fine too." "Would it make you feel more comfortable if I slept in the spare room, Mrs. Byers?" Jeremy asked. He looked his lover's mom in the eyes, and saw a flicker of hesitation. That was all the answer he needed. He smiled and said, "Why don't you show me to the spare room. It'll give me a chance to get some sleep without having to listen to Johnathan's snoring." Mrs. Byers nodded and led Jeremy down to the basement where the spare bedroom was. She had spent a weekend cleaning and painting the room in anticipation of Jeremy's visit. She mentally scolded herself. Why didn't she realize that the boys would probably prefer to sleep in the same room? That should have been obvious even to the densest of people. "So, how were your final exams?" "They went well. I'm pretty sure that I'm gonna get high enough marks to keep my scholarship." "Well that's good. You're taking chemistry, right?" "Biochemistry, actually." Jeremy smiled. Mrs. Byers opened the door to a bedroom, and flicked on the lights. "Here's your room. If you'd fell more comfortable sleeping with Johnathan..." "This is great, Mrs. Byers. Thank you." Mrs. Byers smiled back at Jeremy. "All right. The bathroom is just across the hall, and there should be towels in the cupboard. And please, call me Shelley. There's going to be more than one Mrs. Byers around this weekend." "I'll try to remember," Jeremy said. He put his duffel bag down on the bed and followed Shelley back upstairs. Johnathan was looking through the Christmas cards in the kitchen, munching on a pickle. "Johnathan, you couldn't wait for the rest of us?" His mother asked, surveying the damage done to the bowl of pickles. "I got hungry," Johnathan replied sneaking another pickle out of the bowl before his mother refilled it. "So, how did you do on exams, Johnathan?" "I'm doing okay. I think I managed to pull off an 85 in Constitutional Law." "That was the only half term class that you had?" Shelley asked, smacking Johnathan's hand as he reached for a pickle. "Yeah, first year law is mostly two semester classes. I pick up the second part of Constitutional law next term." "So, both of you have two years of University left after this year?" Mrs. Byers placed the bowl of pickles on the table and pulled the plate of meat and cheese out of the fridge. "Nope, Jeremy has another four years at least." Mrs. Byers looked right at Jeremy and asked, "I thought you were in your second year of University?" "He is, but he's trying to get into Vet Med.," Johnathan said. "He just doesn't like telling people that, just in case he doesn't get accepted." Jeremy wrinkled his nose as Johnathan answered the question, prompting Johnathan to stick his tongue out at him. "Vet Med.? Like Veterinary school?" Mrs. Byers asked. "Yeah, I'm going for my degree in Biochemistry, but I am trying to get into Vet Med." "Well, that's great. Is there a lot of competition?" "Yeah, though I doubt I'll get in. I don't have the marks for it." "Jeremy is just being modest. He's smarter than I am, and his marks show it." Johnathan walked over behind Jeremy and gave him a quick hug. He wished that Jeremy would be a little more confident about his chance of getting into Veterinary Medicine, but he didn't want to push. Jeremy smiled, and blushed at his boyfriend's pronouncement. He always hated being put on the spot. He reached behind his back and rubbed Johnathan's side. "Well, I certainly wish you the best of luck, Jeremy. When will you know for sure?" "Not until June. They need to go through the final marks, and the interview scores, and everything else they use to make the selection. If I don't get into Vet Med., I'll take a third year of Biochemistry, and maybe try again." The door from the garage opened and Johnathan's father walked into the house. "Hello Johnathan. Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas, Dad. Um, I'd like you to meet Jeremy." Johnathan's father pulled his glove off, and offered his cold hand to Jeremy. "Hello Jeremy, Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas to you too, Mr. Byers." "Did you boys have a good drive?" "Yep," Johnathan said. "The Jeep's running good." "Well that's good." "Why don't you boys go wash up, and we'll have some lunch." "Yes mom." Johnathan said. He turned to Johnathan. "C'mon, I'll show you where the bathroom is." "'Kay." Jeremy followed Johnathan down the hallway. They both stepped into the bathroom and washed up for lunch. As they left the bathroom, Johnathan grabbed Jeremy's arm and led him further down the hallway. "I wanna show you my room." "I'd like that," Jeremy smiled. Johnathan opened a door and stepped into a bedroom decorated by movie posters, and other things accumulated in adolescence. Jeremy stepped into the room and took a look around. When he turned around Johnathan gave him a big hug and kissed him passionately. "Mmmm, I've wanted to kiss you since we got here." "I know the feeling. Maybe it's a good thing that we're in separate rooms." "I guess, although, I'd really like to hold you all night without having to worry about getting up early." Jeremy smiled and kissed Johnathan's neck. "We should go back to the kitchen before something pops up." Johnathan giggled. "Yeah. Mom will be waiting for us." Johnathan opened the door and led Jeremy back to the kitchen. Mrs. Byers had a pot of soup on the table and was just putting out the bowls. "Johnathan you sit at the back. Jeremy, you can sit there," She said pointing to the chair across the table from Johnathan. "Yes, Mrs. Byers," Jeremy replied. He pulled the chair out from under the table and sat down. Johnathan took his seat across the table, and grabbed a Kaiser bun from the bag. "Did you want a bun, or did you want Rye bread?" "I'll have a bun, please." Johnathan handed the buns across the table, and grabbed some corned beef and some ham off the plate. "Some soup, Jeremy?" "Ah, yes please." "It's homemade cream of mushroom, I hope you like it." "It smells delicious." Mrs. Byers smiled at the kind compliment, and poured herself a bowl of soup. "Well, dig in before Johnathan devours everything." The conversation over lunch was composed mainly of small talk, until Mrs. Byers realized that she still needed to tell Johnathan that she had not told his grandparents. "Johnathan, you're going to have to talk to your grandparents before we go over for supper tonight." "Oh, uh what about." "I didn't tell them." Jeremy's ears perked up and he looked at Johnathan and his mother. Something was going on. "I didn't tell them about you and Jeremy." "But they know I'm gay, right?" "I couldn't tell them, Johnathan. You're going to have to do it, preferably before we go over for supper tonight." "You said you told them, Mom!" "I know. I'm sorry." Johnathan shook his head and looked across the table at Jeremy. Things had gone badly when Jeremy had told his parents and family. Jeremy had been terrified about meeting Johnathan's family until Johnathan had promised that everything would be all right. And now it wasn't all right. Johnathan could tell that Jeremy was scared and sad. In the bravest, most self-confident voice he could muster, Johnathan said loudly, "Well, I guess I'd better tell them then. Did you want something else to eat, Jeremy?" Jeremy looked up at Johnathan and shook his head. "Uh, no. I'm fine." Despite his best efforts, the terror that Jeremy was feeling was etched on his face. "You don't have anything to worry about Jeremy," Mr. Byers said, placing his hand on Jeremy's shoulder. He knew that Jeremy needed to know that he was welcome in the Byers' house. "I'm sure everything is going to be all right." Jeremy tried to smile, but failed miserably. The table remained quiet, until Mrs. Byers offered dainties for desert. "No thanks," Jeremy replied quietly. "I think I'm going to go have a little bit of a nap, if that's okay." "I'll wake you later on," Johnathan said quietly. He knew Jeremy was hurting, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. Jeremy just nodded and stood up. He took his plate over to the sink and then descended into the basement. Johnathan waited until he was sure Jeremy couldn't hear him before he spoke. "Why didn't you tell me that you didn't tell anyone?" He asked quietly. "I just couldn't tell anyone," Mrs. Byers said. "I didn't ask why you didn't tell anyone, I asked why you didn't tell me you didn't tell anyone. There is a difference. You offered to tell grandma, grandpa and the aunts and uncles. I was scared, but I was willing to do it!" "I know. I just..." Johnathan stood up. "How am I going to tell everyone that I'm gay and that my boyfriend is here? What if they don't want to have anything to do with me? Jeremy was scared enough meeting our family when he thought they knew he was my boyfriend. What if something goes wrong?" There was no answer from his parents. They knew how hard it was going to be for Johnathan to tell everyone. "Well, I should go do it now before I chicken out. Then I have to make sure Jeremy knows he's still welcome." He dropped his plate in the sink and walked off to his bedroom to make some of the hardest phone calls of his life. Shelley Byers stifled a sob as the door to Johnathan's room closed. Her husband walked across the kitchen and wrapped his arms around his wife. "It'll be all right. Johnathan just needs a little time." "I should've told him." "Yes, you should've, but it's to late to worry about that now. Why don't we go to your parent's house a little early, to talk to them? I have a feeling that they'll want someone to talk to." * * * * * * Johnathan sighed and hung up the phone. Well, it was done. He'd called everyone who was going to be celebrating Christmas at the house. He'd told them all that he's gay, and his boyfriend was here. There were more than a few stunned silences, but for the most part it went well. His grandma didn't want to believe him at first, but eventually it had sunk in. He sat up and looked at the clock. His grandma was expecting them at about four, and it was only one thirty. He walked out of his bedroom, and into the kitchen. His dad was standing at the sink washing dishes. "So, how did it go?" Dan Byers asked. "Grandma acted a little weird. I guess I'll have to talk to her again tonight." His dad nodded his head and looked at his son. "Why don't you give me a hand and dry these dishes?" "All right." Johnathan grabbed a towel and started drying. "Don't be too hard on your mother, Johnathan. She's taken this whole thing a lot better than I did and she's helped me work through it. She just couldn't do it. She was worried about you." "I know. I shouldn't have let her take the responsibility for telling everyone. It's my responsibility." "So, what are you going to say to Jeremy?" "I don't know. I'll have to reassure him that everything is all right. He was really nervous about coming out here." "Well, he's meeting his boyfriend's parents for the first time. That's to be expected. I was sure nervous when I met your mom's parents." "I guess." Mr. Byers pulled the plug on the sink and let the water drain out. "Mom and I are going to go over to your grandma's after we finish up a little shopping. Why don't you talk to Jeremy while we're gone and then come on over later? All right?" "All right." Johnathan's mom walked into the room and cleared her throat. Johnathan turned around and looked at her and smiled. "So did you tell them? She asked quietly. "Yeah, I told them. They all seemed to take it pretty well, although I'm sure grandma has some questions. I'm sorry I got angry with you. I shouldn't have let you take responsibility for telling people. It's my job and I shouldn't be letting anyone else take on the task." "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before you and Jeremy arrived. Have you talked to him yet?" "No, I'm just going to finish drying the dishes and then go down and see him." "All right. Did your father tell you we're going to do a little last minute shopping and then go over to your grandma's early?" "Yeah, he did. Jeremy and I will be over at about four." "We'll see you boys then." Johnathan's dad smiled and pulled on his coat. He handed his wife her coat and the two of them pulled on their shoes before heading out to the garage. When Johnathan had finished drying the dishes, he hung up the towel and looked at the time. It was still a little before two. Johnathan didn't really know what he was going to say when he talked to Jeremy. When he got down to the spare room, Johnathan noticed that the lights were off and the door was closed. He paused for a second and then undid his belt. His jeans fell to the floor in a heap, and he stepped out of them. Johnathan pulled off his t-shirt and sweater and let them fall to the floor, leaving himself clad only in a pair of boxer shorts and his socks. Carefully, he turned the doorknob, trying not to make any noise. If Jeremy was asleep, he didn't want to wake him. He hadn't got a lot of sleep the past couple of weeks, what with exams and all. Pushing open the door, Johnathan looked into the dark room. Jeremy was under the blankets, facing away from the door. Johnathan heard the soft rhythmic breathing of Jeremy's slumber and smiled. He walked over to the bed and slowly slid under the covers. Jeremy mumbled a little and then settled back into his deep sleep. Johnathan draped his arm over his lithe boyfriend and eased closer until their bodies were touching. Gently, Johnathan stroked Jeremy's belly. Jeremy whimpered a little in his sleep, but did not wake up. Johnathan smiled and kissed the back of his neck. Jeremy groaned a little and then his eyes fluttered open. "What time is it?" He groaned. Jeremy rolled over on the bed so that he was facing Johnathan and then snuggled tighter. Johnathan giggled as his boyfriend's warm breath teased his nipple. "It's a little after two, baby." "Mmmm. You couldn't let me sleep a little longer?" "No, we need to talk." Jeremy nodded. "Look, I'll pack my stuff up and catch a bus back to Saskatoon so that you can spend Christmas with your family." "You'll do nothing of the sort. I told everyone that I'm gay and that I had brought my boyfriend home. They're all going to be expecting to meet you. Plus, they've got gifts." "Gifts?" "Mmm hmmm. So you have to stay." "But..." "But nothing. Everyone is looking forward to meeting you. I'm sorry that I didn't make sure everyone knew before we got here." "It's all right," Jeremy whispered. "I love you, Johnathan." "I love you too. Why don't you close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll wake you up at three thirty so we can go to grandma's." "All right." Johnathan tightened his grip on Jeremy and groaned. "Do you mind if I stay here with you? "I was hoping you would," Jeremy said. He rolled over in Johnathan's arms. "Good night," He whispered softly before closing his eyes and falling asleep. Johnathan sighed, and rubbed Jeremy's belly softly. "Good night my sweet prince." * * * * * * "Grandma, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Jeremy. Jeremy, this is my grandma." Johnathan said. "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Leaske," Jeremy said. He offered his hand to her. Johnathan's grandma looked Jeremy up and down and then said a quiet hello before returning to the kitchen. "Well, that went well." Jeremy whispered. "She just needs a little time Jeremy." "I know. Why don't you introduce me to your aunts and uncles?" Johnathan smiled. "That's the spirit." Johnathan spent the next two hours, talking to his relatives and introducing them to Jeremy. Jeremy didn't really get along well with any of Johnathan's relatives. He couldn't seem to win them over. They either asked stupid questions, or ignored him entirely. No one was taking the gay thing well. Johnathan was disheartened, but he knew he had one more chance. If he could get his grandma to see that he loved Jeremy, he was sure the rest of the family would fall in line. After finishing supper, Johnathan cornered his grandma and tried to talk to her. She made excuse after excuse, to avoid talking with Johnathan. "Grandma, what's wrong?" "I have a problem with you dating a boy. Boys aren't supposed to date boys." "Grandma, I love Jeremy." "It doesn't matter, what you two are doing is wrong and you'll both be punished for it. He shouldn't be here." "I invited him home with me grandma. If he's not welcome, then I'm not welcome." "Well, then maybe you should go." Time seemed to stop as Johnathan looked at his grandma in the eyes. "Fine," Johnathan whispered, "We'll leave." Johnathan's grandma didn't say a word, as she turned back to the kitchen. Johnathan watched her as walked down the hallway, before he turned and went into the living room. Jeremy was sitting on the floor by the China cabinet, looking at his feet. Johnathan could tell that he wasn't part of the conversation that the others were having. It broke his heart to see his family treating Jeremy so poorly. He knelt down beside Jeremy and touched him on the shoulder. "Hey Babe," He whispered, "Do you wanna go look at the Christmas lights?" Jeremy looked over at Johnathan and smiled. "Do you want to?" "Yeah, I'll see everyone tomorrow and Christmas day." "Okay." Jeremy stood up and followed Johnathan over to the back door. "Are you sure you don't want to spend some more time with your family?" He asked as he pulled on his boots. "Yeah, I'm familied out for tonight." Jeremy nodded and pulled on his coat. They were just about out the door when Johnathan's mom walked into the back landing. "Are you boys heading home for the night?" "We're gonna go look at the Christmas lights and then head home," Johnathan said. "We'll see you tomorrow Mom." "All right. Oh, Johnathan, I need you to come shopping with me tomorrow afternoon." "Okay, I don't think Jeremy and I are going to be doing anything," Johnathan said. He looked over his mother's shoulder and noticed his grandma staring at him. He looked a little longer and realized that she wasn't staring at him she was staring at Jeremy. "We're gonna head out now. Night." He looked over his mother's shoulder and right at his grandma. "Night grandma. See you tomorrow." "Thank you for supper Mrs. Leaske," Jeremy added as he walked out the door. "It was nice meeting you." * * * * * * "Are you sure you don't mind being alone for a while, Jeremy?" Mr. Byers asked as he pulled on a pair of gloves. "I'm sure." "All right, I don't know what Shelley's father wants, but I'll see you later on this afternoon. I definitely want a rematch." "I don't know. I double skunked you last time." Jeremy smiled. "After taking a beating that bad in Cribbage, aren't you required to take a day off?" "I'll get you next time Mister, just you wait," Mr. Byers replied with a laugh. "Promises, promises." Mr. Byers laughed and walked out to his running car. Jeremy pushed the door closed and sat down in the living room. He had grabbed a textbook out of his suitcase, before getting challenged to a game of crib and was eager to take this opportunity to read ahead for his classes. He hadn't read more than a chapter when the doorbell rang. Jeremy put his book down and walked over to the front door. He peered through the front window and was surprised to see Mrs. Leaske. What's Johnathan's grandma doing here? "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Leaske," Jeremy said. "Everyone's out shopping I'm afraid." "I know. I came to talk to you." "Oh, uh, won't you come in." "You're not welcome here," Mrs. Leaske said, stepping into the house, "Can't you see that?" "Johnathan..." "Johnathan is confused and needs time away from corrupting influences like you. You shouldn't be here, and you know it." "I..." "Even if you believe Johnathan loves you, don't you want him to have a good Christmas with his family? With you here, that won't happen. He'll spend all his time babysitting you to make sure you don't get hurt. You should leave." "But," Jeremy looked up at Mrs. Leaske and saw the hatred in her eyes. "I don't have a vehicle." "The bus for Saskatoon leaves in 45 minutes. Get your stuff and I'll drop you off." Jeremy looked down at his feet and whispered, "All right. Just a minute." Jeremy went into the living room and grabbed his textbook before descending into the basement. It didn't take him long to pack his stuff up. He took a quick look around before he grabbed his coat and gloves and headed upstairs. Mrs. Leaske was standing by the door, waiting. "You have everything?" She asked coolly. Jeremy nodded quietly. The car ride to the bus depot was quiet. When they arrived, Jeremy went in and bought a one-way ticket home. He didn't know what was happening. One minute he was as happy as he had ever been, the next his heart had been torn out. When they called out that the Saskatoon bus was boarding, he grabbed his stuff and walked out into the cold. The bus was thankfully almost empty. Jeremy walked to the back of the bus and threw his stuff on the seat. He collapsed into the seat and looked out the window. Already he was missing Johnathan. He curled up in the seat and using his jacket as a pillow cried himself to sleep. * * * * * * When Johnathan arrived home, he called out Jeremy's name. He wanted to show him the new microwave he had picked up at Superstore. "Jeremy, are you down here?" Johnathan asked as he walked into the bedroom. The room was empty and Jeremy's stuff was gone. Johnathan looked around for a half second longer and then ran up the stairs. "Dad," He called as he cleared the top step, "Where's Jeremy?" "Your dad went shopping with your grandpa. Jeremy must've gone with them," Mrs. Byers replied. "But his stuff's gone. Why would he take all his stuff?" "I don't know dear," his mom said. She looked as confused as Johnathan was. Johnathan walked over to the phone and dialled Jeremy's cell phone. There was no answer, and after seven rings the voice mail clicked in. "Hi, Jeremy it's Johnathan. It's Christmas Eve. Where are you, babe? Call me at home." For the rest of the afternoon, Johnathan moped around the living room, hoping against hope that Jeremy had gone shopping with his dad. When his dad walked into the house, Johnathan immediately asked if he had seen Jeremy. "Not since I went shopping with your grandpa. Maybe he went for a walk." "With his duffel bag and all his stuff?" His dad looked up at Johnathan in surprise. "His stuff's not here?" Johnathan shook his head forlornly. "No, it's not downstairs." "I'm sorry Johnathan. Do you think he went home?" Johnathan shook his head and looked down at the table. "Yeah," He whispered. "I don't know why though." "Maybe he felt uncomfortable. It is quite a lot to be meeting your boyfriend's parents, and it being Christmas probably didn't make it any easier." "I guess so. He didn't say anything to me though. You'd think he'd at least tell me if he was feeling uncomfortable." "Why don't you call him later tonight at the apartment and find out what's wrong?" "Yeah, I guess. I'm gonna clean up before we go to Aunt Renee's. I'll see you guys there." "All right. Try not to be too late." Dan watched as his son stood up and walked across the kitchen. He didn't have that spring in his step that he had had the day before. "Johnathan," he called out. Johnathan stopped and turned around. "I'm sorry son." Johnathan smiled back at his dad and then continued on to his room. Dan heard the door close quietly, and then walked downstairs. He checked the room himself, and found that all of Jeremy's stuff was gone. He was hoping that maybe Jeremy had left a note that Johnathan hadn't found but there was no note. Shelly peered into the room just as he sat down on the bed. "You don't know where he went either?" she asked quietly. "No, I don't. I had no idea that he was thinking of leaving," Dan said. He looked up at her and saw the concern in her eyes. Jeremy may not be her son, but she was looking out for him like she looked out for Johnathan. "Neither did I." "Johnathan's not taking this well." "I know," Shelly said. "I really can't blame him though. He doesn't know where his boyfriend has gone." "I guess. I just hope Jeremy calls and lets us know where he is." "So do I. But, we should get going to Kevin and Renee's house. They're probably wondering where we are." Dan stood, and followed his wife up the stairs. While Shelly pulled on her coat, Dan went down to Johnathan's room and listened by the door. He could hear his son crying through the hollow door. He paused for a second and then went back down the hallway. "We're leaving, Johnathan," he called from the kitchen doorway. He walked through the kitchen and pulled his boots on while his wife watched. "He's crying," he said quietly. "Maybe I should..." "He needs a little time alone," Dan interrupted. He reached out and touched his wife's arm. "Johnathan will come to us if he wants our help." Shelly nodded and followed her husband out to the car. "What are we going to tell the family?" "I don't know. We'll figure that out when Johnathan arrives. Hopefully, we'll find out where he went." * * * * * * Johnathan stepped out of the Jeep and walked up to the front door. Jeremy hadn't returned his call, and he was beginning to worry. It wasn't at all like Jeremy not to return his calls. Jeremy always called back. He always knew when Johnathan was worried. It was just one of those things that was so wonderful about him. Johnathan sighed, producing a large cloud of mist in the cold night air. He rang the doorbell, and pulled open the front door. "Hello Johnathan," Kevin said from the couch. "Come on in and make yourself at home." "Thanks. So that's the new TV you've been bragging about?" Kevin laughed and nodded his head. "Yep, that's my new baby. Did you want a drink?" "No thanks." Johnathan pulled off his boots and his coat and sat down in the living room with the rest of the men. "So where's Jeremy? Is he not feeling well?" "Uh, I don't know." "Oh," Kevin said. He really didn't know what else to say. "Who's winning?" Johnathan asked, letting his uncle off the hook. "The Canadiens are winning by two. Cujo is leaking like a sieve." "What do you expect? The Leafs suck this year." "Bah." Johnathan looked over at his dad and caught him staring. Johnathan smiled wanly in an attempt to reassure his father that he was all right. His dad smiled back and then turned back to the game. Johnathan was about to turn back to the game when there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Kevin called from the floor. The door opened and in walked Johnathan's grandma and grandpa. "Hi mom, dad." "Hello everyone," Mr. Leaske said as he stopped to take off his boots. "Hi grandpa, grandma," Johnathan said without turning around. Mr. Leaske stepped into the living room, and took a seat between Johnathan and his father. Johnathan shimmied over so that he wasn't quite so close to his grandpa. "So, where is Jeremy?" Mr. Leaske asked, turning to Johnathan. "I don't know," Johnathan replied, not turning his eyes from the game. "Well, did he dump you?" Johnathan turned to stare at his grandpa. The thought that Jeremy had dumped him had never occurred to him. "Jeremy didn't dump him, Joe. He just needed to get away for a bit." Dan turned to Johnathan, and said, "Why don't you go get your grandfather a drink?" "Scotch on the rocks," Mr. Leaske said as Johnathan stood to get the drink. Johnathan was sick to his stomach with worry. What if Jeremy had dumped him? What if he hated Johnathan's family so much that he had to get away? He was so deep in thought that he missed the first part of a conversation that ground to a sudden halt as he stepped into the kitchen. All he heard was his mother saying, "What do you mean you sent him away?" "Sent who away?" Johnathan asked as he took another step into the kitchen. No one said anything to him for several seconds until his grandmother stepped forward. "I told Jeremy he wasn't welcome and put him on a bus back to Saskatoon." "Who the fuck are you to decide who is welcome and who is not welcome at our house?" Johnathan yelled. "Don't you dare talk to me that way," Mrs. Leaske shot back. "I deserve to be treated with respect." "Fuck you! You'll get respect when you've earned it!" Johnathan turned around and stormed towards the front door. As he entered the living room, his dad stood up and walked over to him. "What's wrong, son?" "Grandma told Jeremy that he wasn't welcome, and sent him back to Saskatoon." "She did what?" "She put him on a bus and told him that he wasn't welcome here." "Your grandmother did the right thing, Johnathan," His grandpa offered, "You're just confused." "Fuck you!" Johnathan lost whatever hold he had on his temper. "This whole family is filled with bigots and two-faced liars. If Jeremy is not welcome, than neither am I." "Where are you going, Johnathan?" His dad asked, looking back at his wife who had followed Johnathan out of the kitchen. "I'm going home," Johnathan snarled as he stormed out the door. "Wait a second, Johnathan. Your mom and I will come with you." Johnathan didn't wait for his parents. He hopped in his Jeep and tore out of the driveway. He shifted into drive and sped down the city streets, heedless of the snow and ice. When he arrived at his parent's home, he jumped out of the Jeep. Once he was in the house, he grabbed his stuff and ran back out to the Jeep. He didn't want Jeremy to be alone at home too long. He needed to apologize for his grandma. Johnathan needed Jeremy. * * * * * * Johnathan pulled up in front of the apartment about three hours later. He grabbed his stuff of the passenger seat and hurried up the walkway. There was a light on in the apartment. Jeremy was home. Johnathan was excited, happy, terrified and sad all at once. What would Jeremy want to say to him? Would Jeremy be angry or sad? Did Jeremy still love him regardless of what his family had done? He pushed open the door and stepped inside. Jeremy had turned up the heat, and music was playing from the computer. "Jeremy?" Johnathan called, "Where are you, baby?" When there was no response, Johnathan's pulse quickened. He quickly walked into the apartment and looked around. He found Jeremy curled up in a ball on the couch. A nearly empty bottle of vodka was sitting on the table beside Jeremy, and bowl of melting ice sat beside an empty glass. "Oh Jeremy," Johnathan whispered. He rubbed his hand across Jeremy's forehead and frowned. "I'm so sorry, baby." Jeremy's eyes stayed closed, but he groaned softly. Johnathan picked up the bottle, the glass and the bowl of ice and carried them into the kitchen. He poured himself a vodka on the rocks and looked around the apartment. Jeremy hadn't done much besides drink when he got home. His stuff was in the kitchen and there were a couple of unopened letters on the table. Johnathan opened the letters as he drank his vodka and sat down for a moment. He wasn't terribly hungry despite missing supper, but he decided he did need to eat something. He sliced a few pieces of marble cheese and cut up the rest of a piece of pepperoni stick before sitting down again. He ate his meal quietly, deciding what he was going to do in the morning when Jeremy sobered up. They'd have to talk, and he wasn't sure what Jeremy was going to say. It could wait till morning though. Johnathan shut off the lights in the kitchen and shut down the computer on his way back to Jeremy. When Johnathan got back to Jeremy, he bent down and lifted him up in his arms. Jeremy was a little heavy to be carting around, but Johnathan didn't care. He carefully weaved his way through the living room and into the bedroom where he set Jeremy down. Jeremy let out a moan, and rolled on the bed. Johnathan sighed and undressed Jeremy, taking care not to wake him. When Jeremy was finally undressed, Johnathan pulled off his own clothes and slipped into the cool bed. Johnathan wrapped his arm around Jeremy and turned off the table lamp, submerging the room in darkness. Jeremy whimpered and clung tightly to Johnathan the entire night. When the sun finally rose, and it's beams poured into the dark room, Jeremy awoke alone. He didn't remember how he got into the bed, but there he was. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the room, causing his tummy to rumble. Jeremy rolled out of the bed and pulled on the sweats and the t-shirt he'd been wearing the night before. Jeremy's eyes opened wide when walked into the kitchen. Johnathan was standing before the stove, frying up a pan of scrambled eggs. "What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked. "You're supposed to be at your parent's house." "Merry Christmas to you too, baby." Johnathan smiled warmly at him. "I came home when I found out what my grandma had said. I love you so much," Johnathan's voice wavered for a second before he continued. "I hope you still love me." "I do, but you should be with your parents. Being with your family at Christmas is important to you. I know it is." "You're more important to me than Christmas with my family. Why don't you grab a plate and I'll dish up some eggs for you?" "I'm fine, Johnathan. You can spend Christmas with your family. I want you to spend Christmas with your family." "Jeremy..." "I'm serious, Johnathan. You finish eating and drive back to your parent's house. You won't have missed much." "I'm not going anywhere, Jeremy." Johnathan grabbed a plate from the cupboard and scooped some of the eggs onto the plate. "Here," he said, handing over the plate. "Grab some bacon and a couple of pieces of toast." "Johnathan..." "Jeremy, here. Eat." Johnathan motioned for Jeremy to take the plate again, and waited until he took it. "Fine." Jeremy grabbed the plate from Johnathan and sat down at the table. Johnathan looked over at Jeremy and filled a plate for himself. "So, after we open presents, what do you want to do?" "I'm going to study biochemistry, and you're going to go back to your parents and celebrate Christmas." "I'm not going anywhere, Jeremy. I'm spending Christmas here." "Johnathan, I want you to go home. I can't be with my family for Christmas, but you can. Please?" Jeremy looked up at Johnathan and pleaded with his eyes. "No, I'm staying here. With you." Jeremy didn't say anything else as he ate his breakfast. When he was done, he tossed his dishes in the sink and had a hot shower while Johnathan sat in the living room watching TV. When Jeremy stepped out of the bathroom he went into the bedroom and grabbed one of his biochemistry textbooks off the desk. He walked out to the kitchen table and sat down. Jeremy had just begun reading about neurotransmitters when Johnathan walked into the kitchen. "Hey, I thought we were going to open presents." "I'm not opening Christmas presents until January 2 when you get back from your parents house." "I'm not going to my parent's house, so just forget about it Jeremy. Why are you being like this?" "Because I want you to leave. I want you to go back to your parents and celebrate Christmas with them." "I'm not going anywhere." "Why are you being such a prick?" Jeremy asked angrily. "Go, be with your family. That's what you want, isn't it? To be with your family." "I want to be with you." "Whatever. I'm going to study now, so leave me alone." "All right," Johnathan whispered. "I'm gonna, uh, I'm gonna go have a bath." He turned and walked away so that Jeremy couldn't see the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Only when he was safely in the bathroom, when he thought that Jeremy couldn't hear him did he start crying. He was filled with sadness and disgust from the whole sordid Christmas affair. Jeremy had watched as Johnathan walked towards the bathroom. He knew his boyfriend was hurting but he knew he was right. Jeremy also knew that he had gone too far. Johnathan had driven from his family when he found out what his grandma had said to Jeremy. It was then that Jeremy realized that Johnathan thought he was doing the right thing too. "If he wants to have Christmas with me, then we'll spend Christmas together," Jeremy whispered. He stood up and walked to the bathroom door. As he neared the locked room, he could hear Johnathan crying. Johnathan's sobs tore at Jeremy's heart. He had hurt Johnathan. Jeremy stood at the door for a second longer and then walked into the bedroom. He pulled off all his clothes and slipped into one of Johnathan's oversized t-shirts. Jeremy looked down for a second and frowned. "Sure, hurt your boyfriend and then dress like you're looking to get fucked. That'll cheer him up," He scolded himself. "I have to do something special for him." Jeremy sat down on the bed and thought for a minute or two. A plan formed in his mind and a smile appeared on his face. Jeremy slipped out of the shirt and grabbed the bottle of body glitter. Carefully he sprayed himself, coating his entire body with a smattering of sparkles. He looked in the mirror and smiled in approval before slipping back into Johnathan's shirt. After he was dressed, Jeremy grabbed all the pillows and blankets from the bed and grabbed the extras out of the closet. He dumped the bedding in a heap on the floor by the fireplace, and began pulling the cushions off the couch. He wanted a soft base for them to sit on. Jeremy arranged the cushions, and the bedding, creating a soft cozy nest for he and Johnathan to cuddle in by the fireplace. Once the blankets were sorted out, Jeremy crumpled up some extra newspapers and built a nice sized fire. "That should be good," he whispered. Jeremy popped a disc into the stereo and advanced it to the track he wanted. It was one of their favourite songs. Jeremy had just when he heard the tub start to drain. He only had a few more minutes before Johnathan came out of the bathroom. Jeremy hurried and grabbed the bottle of KY Jelly off the night table and tossed it into the pile of pillows on his way to the curtains, which he quickly closed. The room was just dark enough to be romantic. Jeremy hurried over and took up position about three feet from the bathroom door. He hoped that Johnathan would accept his apology. When Johnathan opened the bathroom door, the first thing he saw was Jeremy standing in front of him, wearing one of his t-shirts. Before he could say a word, Jeremy took a step forward. "I'm sorry I've been such an asshole today, Johnathan..." "It's all right..." "No, it's not" Jeremy said, interrupting him. "You came back here to spend Christmas with me and all I've done is give you grief. You deserve so much better, from me." "Baby, I love you. It's all right, really. Did you really think I was mad at you or something? Is that why you've dressed up in one of my shirts and..." "No, I didn't get dressed up like this to offer my body by way of apology..." "That's not what I meant," Johnathan interjected. "I just meant that well, I..." "It is what you meant, and that's all right. I had the same thought when I initially pulled on the shirt. Earlier you asked what I wanted to do today after we opened our presents. Well, if you don't mind, could we do something before we open them?" "I'd like that," Johnathan whispered, taking a step closer to Jeremy. He went to pull off Jeremy's flimsy cotton covering, and got his hand slapped for the effort. "Not yet." Jeremy smiled. He turned towards the stereo and hit the play button on the remote control. When he turned back, the opening strains of At Last, by Etta James filled the air. "At last, My love has come home. My lonely days are over, And life is like a song. At last, The skies above are blue. My heart was wrapped up in clover, The night I looked at you. I found a dream, That I could speak to, A dream that I can call my own. I found a thrill to rest my cheek to, A thrill that I have never known. You smiled, you smiled And then the spell was cast And here we are in heaven For you are mine, at last." As the song played, Jeremy wrapped his arms around Johnathan's waist and rested his head on Johnathan's chest. Johnathan rested his hands on Jeremy's waist and together the two of them danced to the soulful music. When the song ended, Jeremy lifted his head and took Johnathan's hand. "Come," Jeremy whispered, leading Johnathan over to the nest in front of the fireplace. When he stopped, Jeremy released Johnathan's hand and stood before him. Johnathan looked deep into Jeremy's eyes and smiled. Jeremy smiled back and gracefully pulled the t-shirt from his body. Johnathan held his breath as Jeremy lay back on the pillows and blankets, making himself comfortable. "Are you going to join me?" Jeremy asked, patting a pillow. Johnathan couldn't say a word but managed a nod. He slid his fingers into his sweats and casually pushed them down. Johnathan's cock began lengthening and thickening until it was fully erect. He grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it from his body with far less grace than Jeremy had shown. "You look beautiful," Johnathan said, lying down beside Jeremy. "So beautiful." Johnathan reached out and stroked Jeremy's back and butt, allowing his fingers to glide across the smooth, hairless skin. Jeremy purred by way of response, and kissed Johnathan's chest. Slowly, as if they had a mind of their own, Johnathan's fingers explored Jeremy's body. Johnathan leaned forward and kissed Jeremy's neck, getting his first taste of Jeremy for the day. Jeremy rolled onto his back as if instructed by some unbidden force, and opened up, allowing Johnathan in. Gracefully, Jeremy's hands reached out and traced the outline on Johnathan's masculine face as he leaned in. A gasp was the only sound as Johnathan began worshipping Jeremy's nubile body. Jeremy moaned and wiggled underneath Johnathan, as Johnathan kissed his chest again and again. A flick of a tongue on a nipple, brought a whimper, and a gently nip brought a groan. Johnathan let his hand wander down Jeremy's chest, pausing only for a second to tickle his navel. The sparse brown treasure trail provided a guide as Johnathan's hand moved lower and lower. Gently, he slid the protective skin covering on Jeremy's cock back exposing a beautiful dark purple plum. A single clear drop of fluid oozed from the tip, bringing a smile to Johnathan's face. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Johnathan asked quietly. "Too long," Jeremy said. He stroked Johnathan's pecs paying special attention to the loonie-sized nipples. The tiny nubs of flesh protruded out from his well-defined chest. Jeremy let his hands drift further down Johnathan's body, till they came to rest on the back of Johnathan's muscular thighs. When he felt a drop of liquid hit his belly, he peered under Johnathan and smiled. "Seems like someone is eager to get down to business." Johnathan blushed as he looked down at his rampant, drooling cock. His foreskin was fully retracted, and drop after drop of thick precum poured out of his cock. "It has been a long time," Johnathan said with an embarrassed grin. "Well, let's not let the little guy wait any longer. It is Christmas after all." "He's hardly little," Johnathan pouted. "I know, but I like seeing you pout. It's so cute." Johnathan smiled and kissed Jeremy passionately. When he broke the kiss, Jeremy fell back and sighed. Johnathan smiled once more and reached for the bottle of lube. Carefully, he poured some onto his fingers and began probing for Jeremy's tight tunnel. Jeremy groaned as first one finger and then two breached the tight muscle, spreading lube as they reached deeper and deeper. Johnathan eased his fingers out and applied a second coat of lube, to protect Jeremy. Despite Jeremy's jokes to the contrary, he wasn't small, and Jeremy had remained tight despite their two-year relationship. Johnathan put a final coat of the cool liquid on his hot, pulsating manhood before recapping the bottle. Gingerly, he moved into position and rested the head of his cock against the muscle protecting Jeremy's tight tunnel. Jeremy looked deep into Johnathan's eyes and smiled before finally closing his eyes. Johnathan felt the muscle relax and eased into his boyfriend. Jeremy gasped as he was wedged open and groaned when Johnathan's cock pressed against his prostate. He bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood and then let out a loud moan. It was always like this for him. A tinge of pain always coloured the pleasure that sex with Johnathan brought. Jeremy welcomed the pain in, and let out another groan as Johnathan sucked on the flesh of his neck. Johnathan gave one final push, forcing the last of his cock deep into Jeremy. There was a whimper from Jeremy as he adjusted to the intrusion. Johnathan stroked the side of Jeremy's beautiful face. Jeremy groaned again and wiggled his hips to better accommodate Johnathan. "Are you all right, baby?" Johnathan whispered. Jeremy's eyes fluttered open and he nodded his head. "I just need a second." He smiled through the discomfort, and kissed Johnathan. When their lips met, Johnathan inhaled, drawing in more of Jeremy's intoxicating scent. It filled him with joy, contentment and desire all at once. He took another deep breath as the kiss ended. Jeremy gave a little nod and held onto Johnathan tightly. Slowly, Johnathan pulled out an inch and then pushed it back in. Jeremy let out a whimper and shifted his hips again. Johnathan paused as Jeremy wiggled, letting Jeremy get comfortable before he set the pace. When Jeremy stopped moving Johnathan tried another tentative stroke. Jeremy threw back his head and opened his mouth wide. Johnathan smiled and started a slow, gentle pace. Plunging deeper and deeper into the hot slick cavern, he attacked Jeremy's prostate with deliberate thrusts. Jeremy moaned loudly, and jutted his hips skyward in time to Johnathan's motions. Johnathan recognized this as his cue to increase the speed and began driving himself into Jeremy with reckless abandon. "Ohh, Ohhh, Ohh God," Jeremy moaned. He sat forward and grasped tightly to Johnathan's back. Unable to control himself any longer, Jeremy pulsed and fired arc after arc of thick white cum onto his chest. He tightened his grip on Johnathan in time to the pulses, which caused a similar reaction in Johnathan. Johnathan let out a loud moan and thrust himself deep into Jeremy as he squirted shot after shot into his love. The two lovers lay entwined in their makeshift nest of pillows, cushions and blankets for several moments, as their bodies recovered. Johnathan leaned forward and kissed Jeremy on the forehead. "I love you, Jeremy," he whispered. "I love you too," Jeremy said. He stroked his lover's sweat covered back and let out a satisfied sigh. "I don't want to move, but I suppose I should go get cleaned up." "We could lie here a little longer," Johnathan replied, stroking Jeremy's cheek. "I don't have anything else planned for the day." "I know, but I need to go potty." Johnathan smiled and kissed Jeremy on the nose. Carefully, he pulled his softening cock from Jeremy's dilated hole and stood. Reaching down, he helped Jeremy up and started following him to the bathroom. "And where are you going?" Jeremy asked. "I thought I'd give you a hand in the shower." Jeremy smiled and kissed Johnathan on the cheek. "I don't think so." "Well, can I clean up a little too?" Johnathan asked, with a faux frown. "You can use the shower while I'm on the toilet." "All right, as long as you promise to hurry," Johnathan countered. "I promise. You keep a spot warm for me and the fire burning and I'll be out in a flash." "All right." When Johnathan had finished cleaning up, he dried off and walked back into the dark living room. He smiled, and went to the closet to grab some candles. Johnathan hummed to himself as he set up the candles. Then he slipped into the bedroom. He reached into his bag, which he hadn't had time to unpack yet, and rummaged around for a bit. Just as he heard the shower shut off, he found what he was looking for. Saying a silent prayer to whatever creatures may be listening, he scampered back into the living room, and seated himself in the little nest Jeremy had built. He pulled a blanket over himself just as Jeremy walked out of the bathroom. "I see someone has been busy." Jeremy gracefully sauntered over to Johnathan. "It was getting a little dark," Johnathan said. "I want to be able to see what you bought me for Christmas." "You brought them back from your parent's place?" "Just your gift to me, and my gift to you. The others I left there." "I can't believe you remembered." "How could I forget a Christmas gift for my baby?" Johnathan asked playfully. "I just, well..." Jeremy blushed and looked away. "C'mere, baby." Johnathan reached up and took Jeremy's hand. Jeremy blushed and slipped under the blanket beside Johnathan. "When I stopped at home, I grabbed my stuff and then grabbed our gifts for each other. It just seemed important to make sure I had them. I know that if I had forgotten the gifts, it wouldn't have changed anything, but still." "What did I do to deserve you?" Jeremy asked. He leaned over and kissed Johnathan on the cheek. "You open mine first." "All right." Johnathan reached over and grabbed the beautifully wrapped present and pulled off the bow. With a gentleness that belied his strength, he carefully removed the tape from the parcel and then unfolded the paper. When he opened the box that housed his gift he gasped. "Oh Jeremy, they're beautiful!" Johnathan reached into the box and pulled out three framed black and white prints. One was of a father and his newborn son. One was of two lovers kissing. The final one was of a boy sitting alone on a beach. "How did you know I loved these pictures?" "A little birdie told me." "Was it Evan?" Jeremy nodded. "I'll have to thank him when I see them." Johnathan turned to Jeremy and kissed him. "Thank you so much. We'll have to find somewhere to hang them." Johnathan reached over and grabbed Jeremy's gift. "Now, open yours up." Jeremy smiled and took the parcel from Johnathan. He gave it a little shake and then tore into the paper. "Oh, it's so beautiful, Johnathan. You shouldn't have." "Yes I should have. You need a new watch." "Yeah, but this one is too beautiful," Jeremy objected. "A beautiful watch for a beautiful man." Johnathan said. Jeremy looked down at the watch once more and then smiled at Johnathan. "I love you." "I even had it inscribed," Johnathan added. Jeremy looked up at Johnathan and pulled open the case. He pulled the watch out and flipped it over. On the back, it said, 'You make every second we have together special. JB' "Oh Johnathan, it's beautiful." "I have something else for you as well." Johnathan reached down and flipped open the box he had grabbed from his suitcase. Jeremy's mouth opened wide as Johnathan brought the ring out from under the blanket. "Jeremy, we've been together for two years, through good times and more recently bad. My love for you has remained strong and has grown stronger still. I would very much like to spend the rest of my life with you. To grow old with you would bring me endless joy. What I guess I'm asking is will you marry me?" Jeremy was on the verge of tears, "Yes, I'll marry you." He wrapped his arms around Johnathan and hugged him tightly. "We won't be able to do it legally until the laws change, but in our hearts we will be married." "I know," Jeremy whispered. "It doesn't matter though." "I love you Jeremy." Jeremy smiled and kissed Johnathan passionately. "I love you too." * * * * * * May you have a happy holidays! Chip Dyp 12403 Words December 24, 2000