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Angel’s bare shoulders are thrown back, their hair a sex-rumpled cascade as bliss transforms their features into a perfect tableau of pleasure that I’ll never tire of watching. I love being the one to make them look like that. And now I get all the time in the world to memorize every facet of their face.
Their long hair tickles me when they ease forward off my softening cock and roll into my side for post-coital kisses. I ditch the condom to deal with later, then pull them closer. It’s pure luxury to let myself indulge in the sort of snuggling that we’ve only shared for stolen moments in the past.
Angel has been my exception to not snuggling with hookups out of expedience. We’ve almost always had to cut this type of intimacy short. They always have to rush back to the responsibilities that made it feel safe to keep falling for them despite all my careful walls. Now I don’t have to hold back. I enfold Angel in my arms and wrap a leg over their hips, letting myself indulge in everything I’ve wanted and been too gun-shy to reach for. With Angel, I might just be able to have it all.
After that very enthusiastic consummation of our new relationship status, we take a cat nap tangled up together in my sheets. When we get up, Angel and I make another batch of cider, throw some store-bought cinnamon rolls in the oven, and watch Christmas movies on my couch. I can tell they miss Meg and Owen. Every time there’s a kid on the screen, they fidget next to me, or snuggle in closer.
We invite Nick and Carl over for brunch, but it’s basically just leftover chicken on sandwiches with a side of gooey cinnamon roll goodness. Nick and Carl don’t seem to notice the slim pickings. They look as blissed out together as I feel at having Angel’s place in my life firmly established.
I’m not sure how both of us being involved in new relationships is going to change things between me and Carl. The four of us sharing a meal like we’ve all known each other for ages goes a long way to soothing my anxieties about losing my best friend to his new relationship. Nick makes a point of being friendly with me, and that helps too. Nick and Carl stay until they have to go visit with Nick’s mom at her place for their big holiday meal.
I throw a roast into the slow cooker for my Christmas dinner. It’s enough to feed an entire family, but I tell myself that means I’ll have leftovers. I’m not assuming Angel will stay over or bring their kids to dinner. It’s a holiday. A time for family togetherness and we might not be there yet.
Angel beams when Meg texts that she and Owen are headed back from their grandmother’s holiday gathering. The kids will be ready to get picked up from their dad’s place in about an hour. Their smile dims when they look up from the phone to me. “I guess it’s time to say goodbye?”
I nod, just as reluctant as they are for this to end. Except maybe it doesn’t have to. I shake my head.
I could use the power outage at their place as an excuse. Or the fact I’m making way too much food for one. Keep some distance and pretend I’m just being a conscientious friend. But didn’t we just agree to move past that maddening back and forth? I want Angel and their kids here with me today. Not all the time, not yet, but eventually.
“You can refuse if I’m overstepping, but what if you bring them here?”
Angel bites their lip and won’t meet my gaze.
My heart sinks at their hesitation. “I just figured, if the power isn’t back, Owen won’t be able to try his new games. Plus, no power to the fridge or stove might make it hard to figure out dinner. And the heat…”
Angel narrows their eyes at me. “Are you asking because you want us here or because you pity us?”
“I want you here. The other stuff is just extra reasons.”
“Okay. Good. Say that then.”
“I want you here.” I caress their cheek, loving that these little intimacies are enough for them. That what I have to offer, my care and love, is enough without all the fancy trappings past relationships have demanded of me. They don’t need the outward proofs that don’t come naturally to me.
“I don’t want to push the kids into any major changes too quickly. But, yeah, Owen is going to want to play his games as soon as he opens them and I don’t relish shivering in front of a dark tree. I’m just a bit sentimental about all our family ornaments.”
“We could bring it all here. The gifts, the tree. Everything.”
Angel gives me a look like, ‘are you for real?’ I have to quash the impulse to take it back, because I am absolutely for real. I want them here. Including all the family mementos that clearly hold meaning for them. And if I’m really lucky, someday I might have some part of those memories twined through my life too. One day, if I play my cards right, all those treasured ornaments will adorn our shared tree each year. But that’s skipping ahead, and this is about meeting Angel and their kids where they are comfortable rather than trying to take over Christmas.
“So, we’re just going to grinch all the Christmas cheer from my place and bring it back here?”
I snort and try to look seductive as I say, “I wouldn’t put it quite like that. But if you want me to paint my face green and put on a Santa suit for some roleplay, I’m game.”
Angel kisses me through their laughter. “I don’t think your heart could grow any bigger, you menace. If we’re going to bring Christmas here and pick up the kids on time, we should get going though.”
“On it.” I head for the door, Angel right behind me. We take their truck, since they argue that there’s a lot to move and they don’t want the boxes to damage my car. I don’t really care about scuffed seats or tracked snow, but I’m not about to say that when they’re clearly daunted by any display of my finances. So we take the truck back to their place.
The power is on. Which means they probably won’t have to throw out the food from the fridge. I hope. Angel shrugs that off when I mention it, though I notice the tightness around their lips.
I follow them to the tree and pull up short at the familiar ornament, front and center, right at eye level. My gnome with the rainbow hat. It could be a coincidence, but it’s hanging there among the baby handprints and pride flags. It feels like a piece of me is there next to everything else that’s important to Angel. Like the Christmas angel ornament clashing with the decor on my tree at home, because it reminds me of them. My heart beats harder in my chest as I reach out to poke the gnome’s fluffy beard.
“It reminds me of you.” Angel reaches past me to remove it and sets it in a box of things to bring with us to my place. I turn to capture their lips in a kiss. Angel moans against my mouth, but reluctantly pulls away before I can move to deepen it. “Stop that; we don’t have much time before I need to get the kids.”
“Right. I’ll start bringing presents out to the car while you pick what else to take with us. Is there anything we should leave here?”
“No, it can all come.” Angel moves around the tree, plucking their favorite memories from the branches. I’m still glowing with the warmth of making that cut with my gnome.
“Next year we’ll have to get aro and ace flags to represent you and Carl,” Angel observes as they arrange the bi and trans ornaments in their box.
