InsaneJournal

At first, Brian tried to ignore the increasingly panicked noises coming from his partner, but eventually he could no longer pretend Justin wasn't racing back and forth across the loft with armfuls of presents, paper, and ribbons.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he finally ventured.

"Christmas is in six days!" Justin shrieked. "Six! We haven't even started wrapping presents!" He gestured to a large pile. "These are all for Gus alone! What, did you get him Christmas presents and something for every day of Hanukkah, too?"

"Relax. I've got it taken care of."

"Right. How?"

"Three words: Macy's gift-wrapping."

"Never again," vowed Melanie in an undertone. "Tell me, what possessed us to take our four-year-old holiday shopping with us?"

Lindsay smiled, though it looked more like a grimace when Gus ran up to her with another toy and tried to throw it in their basket.

"Mommy, I want this!"

"Gus, we're shopping for Grandma and Grandpa now," Lindsay reminded him.

Gus turned to Melanie. "My feet hurt! Hold me!"

"My feet hurt, too," Lindsay teased as Melanie hoisted Gus into her arms. "Do you wanna hold me?"

Melanie winked at her. "Wait 'til tonight. I'll do you one better."

Brian burst out laughing. "You're going to do what?"

"We're putting a little pond in our backyard," Lindsay repeated. "We figured since we're back in Pittsburgh, and we've got a permanent place to live..."

"It's not going to be huge," said Melanie. "Just a small waterfall and enough water to hold some fish. Gus and Jenny will love it."

"Aren't you forgetting the disastrous attempt at DIY renovation that was your attic?"

"We know exactly what we're doing this time. Just watch," said Lindsay. After Brian left, she turned to Melanie. "You still have Leda's number, right?"

"Already called her."

Normally, when Brian dropped by for a visit, Justin was in his arms in seconds, and Brian was in his ass not long after that. However, when Justin opened the door covered in paint, Brian took a step back.

"Brian!" said Justin, grinning and trying to hug him.

Brian smiled, dodging him. "I've been given strict orders to come to New York and retrieve you for Christmas."

Justin laughed. "Let me just pack a few things. Come in!"

Brian edged around him, making sure not to let his five-hundred-dollar suit come into contact with Justin's red-tipped fingers or green-streaked jeans.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Justin said, practically bouncing across his chipped kitchen floor. "You know, it's lucky I already took off for the holidays, since no one told me you were coming to get me."

"I guess Debbie figured her threats of dismemberment if you weren't there were enough."

"Guess they were." Justin stepped closer; Brian shuffled back. "Are you okay?'

"Fine. Just..." Brian gestured vaguely.

Justin suddenly seemed to realize the problem. "What? Don't you wanna hold me?"

"I would, but..."

He wiggled his hips teasingly, sidling closer. "Don't you want to kiss me? Fuck me?"

"Justin, stop."

Justin wore a devilish smirk. "What's the problem?"

"The paint," Brian finally said, pressing himself into the counter behind him. "You're covered in paint, and this is a five-hundred-dollar suit."

"I see," said Justin. "What time do we have to leave?"

"We have to be in Pittsburgh by this weekend."

"Then we have plenty of time for a shower." Shaking his ass the whole way, Justin led the way to the bathroom. Under the torrential downpour of the showerhead, Brian kissed Justin as he washed streaks of paint from his body.

"Thank fuck you're not still sharing a communal bathroom."

"We should've taken a plane," Justin complained for the umpteenth time, staring out at red taillights and whirling white snow.

Brian drummed his fingers against the dashboard. "You're the one who wanted to drive."

"I know," Justin snapped, irritated. They'd been in traffic for hours and had been bickering at least half that. They were tired, hungry, and right now Justin hated everything about the fucking holidays.

He sighed— this was no way to spend what little time with Brian he had this holiday season.

"Are these windows tinted?"

"Yeah, why?"

He reached over and unzipped Brian's pants. "Merry Christmas."

This year, Justin thought the commute from New York to Pittsburgh would be smoother. Brian had come to see a few of his pieces being featured in a show the week before, and they were supposed to be flying back together. However, the weather had other plans.

Justin shifted, trying to get comfortable in his airport seat. "Fucking delayed. We're never going to get there. We should have driven."

Brian looked at him incredulously. "We drove last year, remember? Snow storm? Endless bumper-to-bumper traffic? Does that ring a jingle-bell?"

Justin folded his arms, sighing. "Next year, we're going by train."