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“Alex, what are you doing?” Michael whispered into the living room. It was nearing 1 am and Michael had woken up to an empty space next to him in their bed. He could hear a noise coming from the living room and frowned, before getting up and seeing what had taken Alex away from their warm bed.
His husband turned to him, with a pained expression on his face. Michael looked on with worry before noticing that Alex, trying to wrap a gift in the dark, with only the lights from their Christmas tree to help, had given himself several paper cuts.
“Oh Alex,” he uttered, before walking closer to his husband. Over the years, he learned to heal and much to Alex’s chagrin, would use that ability to heal even the smallest injury. This had to be the smallest, as he gently grabbed Alex’s hands and the back of his head.
“I’m sorry,” Alex murmured, leaning forward. He was exhausted, Michael could tell when he quickly healed the numerous cuts before rubbing Alex’s back in a soothing motion. The shimmering part of the skin on the back of his head now barely visible with his hair, blocking the handprint.
He could feel Alex start to fall asleep against him, and he knew he needed to get his sleep deprived husband back to bed.
“Alex?” He whispered, looking down and kissing the top of Alex’s head. “Come on, let’s go to bed.” He felt Alex slowly move away from him, and look at him with a small pout on his face, missing the feel of Michael’s warm body.
“I was almost done…” Alex responded, looking longingly at the gift on the floor. He groaned as he looked at his horrible wrap job and Michael let out a laugh. The gift was wrapped at least, even if it needed some more tape. Kissing Alex on the forehead, he looked at his husband with a fond look.
“You’re done for the night,” he stated, before helping Alex up off the floor. Grabbing the crutch that was leaning against the wall, he handed it to Alex.
He watched as Alex slowly moved away from the tree and looked at it surrounded by the many gifts. Five years ago, they had fostered Molly and her younger brother Sam, now 8 and 6. After many hurdles and a long and tedious adoption process, they had officially adopted the two just two weeks prior.
Michael knew that Alex was trying to make it the most perfect first Christmas for them as a family, but he also knew that Alex would go above and beyond his capabilities.
As he walked in step with Alex, the other man paused and looked at him.
“I just wanted this Christms to be something for us all to remember.” His voice was just a mere whisper, but Michael could hear how upset he sounded.
“The kids are going to wake up and see that their daddy put together an amazing Christmas day for them.” He reminded him, before pulling him into his arms. Alex grabbed onto him, wrapping his arms around him, his hands clutching at Michael’s shirt.
“You sure?” He mumbled into the other man’s shoulder.
Michael pulled his face away and looked at Alex with vague amusement in his eyes.
“Yes, now I don’t know about you but I think we have to kiss.” Alex raised an eyebrow at that, before Michael pointed up. Alex looked up to see the mistletoe above them and let himself smile and rolled his eyes.
“I guess we do.” And before Michael could speak again, Alex’s lips were on his. The kiss only lasted for several seconds, but Michael would savor it. Any kiss with Alex was something he would remember.
“We need to sleep.” He said, letting his fingers brush Alex’s bangs out of his eyes. “Molly is going to beg for pancakes and you know you can’t say no to that.” Alex could only nod before they walked back to their bedroom.
In just a short six hours, they would wake to their kids jumping on their bed. Alex would roll out of bed, put on his prosthetic and start making them all pancakes, with chocolate chips added with the help of Molly. Sammy would pout, waiting impatiently as they ate breakfast before opening up gifts. Michael would make him laugh and the pout would turn into a smile, the idea of gifts suddenly forgotten for all of five minutes as he was given a plate full of pancakes. They would unwrap gifts after being stuffed with food, leaving the kids exhausted and Alex would hand Michael the horribly wrapped gift much to Michael’s shock and confusion.
Michael would unwrap the gift and see that it was a framed photo of the four of them, from the day in the courthouse when the adoption was finalized. Maria had taken it, with tears in her eyes as she watched the family become whole. The kids were smiling brightly, as their dads were trying to reign in their tears of happiness.
He would kiss Alex on the lips right then and there, much to Molly and Sam’s disgust. He would let Alex go with a light kiss on the cheek before running after the kids to tickle them, their laughter following as the most beautiful sound. Alex would look at his family affectionately, with a smile on his face and tell them to quiet down before Michael and their children would fall onto the couch next to him, ready for morning cuddles as they get ready to watch the parade on television. They would eventually get dressed and head over to see the rest of their family, with the many cousins, aunts and uncles. The day would end with another family photograph, but this time with everyone, which they would put next to the other in a separate frame.
But for now, as the bedside alarm clock read 2 am, Alex would sleep with Michael by his side, happy and content with the holiday season, knowing his family is complete, happy and safe.