InsaneJournal

Eliot had made sure everything they needed for their celebration of the holiday was at the Fillory cottage. He’d decorated the small tree that was there and placed a few other pieces around. He’d bought more LED lanterns to ensure they had plenty of light and took a bunch of candles to use as well as extra blankets and pillows. When he finished the cottage was more festive and cosy. He was ready to celebrate Christmas in a place that was special and sacred to them both.

At present, it was Christmas Eve and they’d just had a delicious meal and were now relaxing on the couch by the fire. In front of them were the gifts they’d chosen for each other to open. “That was so good I need to loosen my belt,” He teased. He took a sip of wine and then set the glass on the table. “Well, are you ready to open your gift?” He smiled and leaned forward to pick up the box and hand it to Quentin. Eliot had spoiled Quentin this year. He couldn’t help it. He kept finding things he thought he would like. He’d had a hard time choosing which one he wanted him to open and had finally settled one.

Quentin loved the holidays. The decorations, the baking and the anticipation of the gifts, whether giving or receiving them, all combined to make him feel like a kid every year. He hadn’t expected to feel that way this year, but here he was on Christmas Eve anxiously waiting to watch Eliot’s reaction to the first of the gifts he’d bought the man. It had taken him far too long to select which one he wanted to see him open first and he’d stalled as long as he could by taking his time putting away what was left of their meal.

Now he was settled on the couch with Eliot, a smallish box on the table. He picked up the box and handed it over when he took the one being offered to him. “I know it’s going to be perfect. You’re really good at picking gifts.” He wasn’t so sure about the one he’d gotten Eliot, but he hoped he would like it. He looked at the box in his hands then looked up and nodded to the box. “You go first.” Yes, he was stalling. Again.

Presents wrapped in pretty paper always brought out the kid in Eliot. He was one of those people who truly enjoyed wrapping gifts. In fact, he generally spent way too much picking out wrapping paper wanting it to be perfect. No bags for him unless it was absolutely necessary. And that usually only involved wine or some other liquor because there were some cute bags for them. His taste could range from the more traditional fun holiday paper to the more pretty ones. Don’t get him started on how he fussed over finding bows.

“Me first?” He smiled wide and looked down at the box. It was pretty and had a big red ribbon on. He gave it a shake then grinned looking over at Quentin. Slowly he began to rip off the paper. He wasn’t a kid who had to get right into it. He wanted to savor this moment. “By the way, I figured out the ward on your closet, but don’t worry I didn’t peek. I promise.” He smiled once more then leaned over and pressed a kiss to the corner of Quentin’s mouth before he went back to unwrapping his gift.

“Yes you first.” He was still super nervous about the gifts he’d gotten Eliot. He didn’t have a very large budget, but he put a lot of thought into each gift. The one he’d chosen for the first gift had actually been the first one he’d found when he started looking. He’d gotten a very good deal on it and had the shop wrap it up for him. It was clearly a jewellery box based on the size of it. Inside the box were a ring and a cuff bracelet with matching stones. They were not exactly meant to be a set, but they looked close enough to work. He waited and watched Eliot opening the box. “I had to guess about the sizes, but the lady at the shop said we can bring them in to be fitted better for you if we need to.”

After all the wrapping paper was off Eliot paused a moment. It was obviously a jewellery box and he was touched before he even opened it. He knew he would like it no matter what. When he opened the box and saw the ring and cuff bracelet he smiled. “They’re beautiful, Q.” He picked up the bracelet and put it on his wrist. “Perfect. I love the colours too.” He leaned over and kissed Quentin. “Thank you, beautiful. I really love them.” He loved jewellery in general, but these being from Quentin made them extra special.

He took the ring out and slid it onto the ring finger of his right hand. It was a little loose. He then tried it on his middle finger and it was perfect. “It’s a perfect fit.” He smiled softly at Quentin then kissed him again. “Thank you for the bracelet and the ring. I think they’re lovely. Now it’s your turn.” Eliot handed Quentin a box that was wrapped in red and black plaid paper with a red bow. Inside was a tshirt that was absolutely perfect for Quentin. Beneath the shirt in a small holder was a gift card to a bookshop in the city.

Quentin let out a soft sigh when he saw that Eliot was clearly enjoying the gift. It was looking like he even got the sizes right. He smiled and leaned into the kiss then reached out to take hold of Eliot’s hand and ran his thumb over the ring. “Good. I saw them and...well I just thought you’d like them.” He brought their hands up and looked the ring over. It really did look good on Eliot’s finger. He didn’t think they were quite at the point of exchanging Rings, though the thought had crossed his mind when he was deciding on a size. Nope. Not there yet.

He leaned over for one more kiss, complete with a little bit of lip nibbling before he finally turned his attention to the present in his own lap. He tore off the paper still grinning. It didn’t even matter to him what was in the box. Seeing Eliot happy with his first gift was enough. But once he pulled the shirt out of the box he laughed. “Sir!! I love it!” He held it up against himself and looked down. He debated putting it on right then, but decided not to. He Eyed the gift card and grinned. “Thank you!” He put the shirt back into the box and deposited it out of the way before climbing over into Eliot’s lap. “When did you want to leave for the cottage?”

He gave Quentin’s hand a squeeze. “You did good. I can’t wait until others ask about them and I can tell them my boyfriend gave them to me for Christmas” He was so proud of Q for many reasons and any time he could brag on him, he would. He pulled Quentin back for one last kiss before he watched him start to open his gift.

Eliot’s face lit up and he grinned from ear to ear. “I had to get it for my good boy.” It was perfect for him. He hoped Q would wear outside the house sometimes. It definitely wasn’t just meant to be worn around the house. “I’m so glad you like it.” He looked into Quentin’s eyes when he climbed into his lap, cupped his face and leaned in to kiss him tenderly. “I love you so much, Q. I hope you know you’re my everything.” It may have been on the sappy side, but it was true. “We should probably get going now before it gets too late. Nearly everything is there already. We just need to put the roast in the cooler with the cheese and fruit, pack up the bread, coffee, tea, sugar and cookies.” None of which would take too long. Their other gifts were already at the cottage.

He kissed Quentin once more. “Up you go, beautiful.” He urged Quentin to stand then went to the kitchen and together they packed everything up. “I already took our bags with clothes and toiletries to the cottage. You grab the bags with the bread and other things. I’ll get the cooler and the water.” One of the gallons of water went in the cooler and the other Eliot carried. Hopefully it was enough for them. “All ready? Let's go,” he smiled.

“Of course I like it! I’m gonna wear it everywhere. Except for work.” T-shirts were not exactly appropriate work attire for an office setting. He melted into Eliot’s arms as those words and leaned into the kiss. “I love you too...more than I can even express.” More than he’d ever loved anyone really. He knew that no matter what happened, even after he left Vallo, somewhere deep down he would always love Eliot, and he would always remember that much if he remembered nothing else. He would have liked to just sit there and snuggle for a bit longer but he nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

He climbed up to his feet with help then moved to collect the bags as instructed. He took a quick look around to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything then walked over to Eliot who stood with the cooler. “Ready when you are.” He let Eliot lead the way as they walked to the waypoint. They were seriously convenient, and so much easier than making portals. Though he wondered if they might make one directly to the Fillory cottage at some point. He’d bring that up later. If he remembered. This really was just as easy. Once they arrived he moved to get things put away then looked around the place. “We should come out here more often. Not just on holidays.” He stood beside the table and smiled over at Eliot. “I have so many good memories with you here.”

"How about you wear it to work one day under a dark colored button up or sweater...for me?" He gave a small wicked smile. He liked the idea of Quentin wearing the t-shirt at work. He ran his fingers through Quentin's hair then tucked it behind his ear. The love he felt for him was unlike any he'd ever felt. He was going to marry him one day. It would have been nice to sit there and cuddle more, but they did need to get going.

After Eliot had gathered everything up he made sure to check that there was plenty of extra food and water for Houdini and Kismet. In a way he wished they could come with them, but there wasn't room. "Bye girls," he said to the two who were sleeping in their cat beds. "Be good. We love you." He smiled at Quentin then they left.

At the cottage Eliot turned on the lanterns and they put everything away. He looked around and nodded. "I know we should. Life has been crazy and busy lately. That's not an excuse though. There are a lot of special memories here with us." He smiled fondly, his thoughts going to Teddy.

“You know I’ll do anything for you, Sir.” He might have eventually had the idea himself. Eventually. He was not even a little bit surprised that Eliot had it. “Sneaky.” He hated the idea of leaving the cats alone overnight but they didn’t really have the option to take them along. Maybe they could do some improvements to the cottage so they could take the girls with them. He made a mental note to bring that up after the holidays. After he’d spent some time at the cottage to see if that was even a feasible option at all.

“Life has a way of doing that.” He moved over to get a fire started. The old habits never really went away. The time there had meant too much to him for that. “I’m sure if we tried we could find the time for it. Maybe once a month or so, just for a night. Or more when the weather warms up again.” Once he had the fire going he got some water going for tea then turned to just walk around the room until he found the marks on the wall that Teddy had made when he was in his Picasso stage. Quentin had never had the heart to repair the wall, or paint over them. He tried not to let himself think about their son too often. It was too easy to let himself get lost in missing him.

"Eliot. Just Eliot today and tomorrow. Unless a situation comes up where you have to use Sir." There was just something about wanting to be called Eliot or El while they celebrated the holiday. It didn't take away from what they had or who he was, it was simply a current preference. "That's me, sneaky Eliot Waugh." He chuckled and shook his head a little.

Indeed life did have a way of doing that and he didn't like it. "We can definitely make more time for it. I want to make more time to come here." Even with the bitter sweet memories there were still beautiful and dear memories here. "Thank you for making the fire and getting some tea on. I think we should go ahead and change into our pajamas." He walked over to Quentin and slid an arm around his waist. "I miss him a lot, too." He spoke gently then pressed a kiss to Quentin's temple. Eliot had never really seen himself as a father until Teddy. He wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the universe.

He moved away to change into his pj's then made them each a cup of tea before sitting at the small table. "This is where you said yes to marrying me. Little did you know what you were getting into," he teased then smiled softly at Quentin.

Just Eliot. He wondered why the shift, but he didn’t ask. They were always just Q and El, no matter what he called him. Quentin laughed and shook his head. “That is something that I hope never changes. My sneaky man.” That really was something that he hoped never changed about Eliot. Sneaky, fun, always ready to have a good time.

He leaned back into the man and opened his mouth to say something but just shook his head. It was hard to talk about Teddy, and as much as he wanted to spend more time at the cottage he knew that would just keep those memories closer to the surface. Maybe that was what he needed to really heal from that loss? He didn’t know. It was the one thing he hadn’t tried yet. “I miss him all the time, I just try really hard not to think about it that much.” Quentin turned his head and bumped his forehead against Eliot’s jaw before he pulled away to get changed.

Once he was changed he walked over and sat across Eliot and nodded as he took his cup of tea. “This is where I said yes, and I knew exactly what I was getting into.” He took a sip then looked over and smiled. “I was agreeing to spend the rest of my life with my soulmate.” He meant it then, he meant it now, and he knew he would always mean it no matter where they were.

“I couldn’t change that if I wanted to.” It was simply part of who he was.Yes people changed over time and with experiences, but there were certain innate characteristics that would never change. He gave Quentin a squeeze.”I know but it’s okay to talk about him. He was our son and a big part of our lives.” It didn’t matter that it had been in an alternate time loop. It was still a beautiful life they had lived together. “I like to think that we still have family somewhere in Fillory.” It was a comforting thought.

A slow wide smile crossed Eliot’s lips. “Soulmate,” he echoed. That anyone could feel that way about him was still a surprise. He sipped his tea and got lost in his own thoughts for a few moments. “I was nervous, but you made me the happiest I’ve ever been.” The life they lived had been the happiest in his life. Someday one of them would ask that question again when they were ready.

“He is our son, and he’s out there in another timeline.” Quentin refused to believe anything else. Out there in another timeline was their son and grandkids. He knew he would never see them again, but they were out there. “Maybe we can’t ever see him and the grandkids again, but they are out there.” Their life together happened. No one could ever take those memories away from them. Now that he was thinking about them, it would likely stay on his mind for a while. Oh well.

He smiled back over at Eliot. “I could tell, but I’m sure deep down you knew I would say yes.” He wondered how long before Eliot asked again. Or if he should be the one to ask this time. He wasn’t sure. He knew how he’d do it if he ever did it. He even saw the ring. Maybe…He’d have to figure that out. This wasn’t quite the right time for it. He reached out to give Eliot’s hand a squeeze then drank more of his tea. “It’s so quiet here. Too quiet. I miss the girls.”

Eliot gave Quentin’s hand a squeeze. “Yes, he is our son and he and our grandkids are out.” He couldn’t and wouldn’t argue that point. They would never see them again, but they were forever in their hearts. He finished off his tea. “Well, I liked to think you would say yes, but no one can ever know for certain. If you had said no, I would have asked again at some point.” Destiny, fate, whatever you called it knew they were meant to be together.

“I like the quiet. It gives off a whole different vibe with the crackling fire.” It really took him back to their time in Fillory cottage. Things were simple and their worries much different than they’d been back at Brakebills. Yes, they were there to solve the mosaic and that was quite frustrating some days. Beyond that they had found the beauty of all life and had lived it. He sighed softly to himself. “Why don’t we head to bed…Santa won’t come if we stay up,” he teased with a chuckle. He stood and went to add more wood to the fire, stoking it up. He then pulled back the blankets and fluffed the extra pillow he’d brought for each of them. Turning to Quentin he slid his arms around his waist then leaned in to kiss him slowly and tenderly. “I love you, Q. I’m so happy we’re here to celebrate Christmas.” He slid into the bed and beckoned for Quentin to join him.

Quentin just nodded at it all. Thinking about Teddy was painful, but somehow less so when he was with Eliot. Maybe they should talk about it more. He just drank his tea quietly, mostly thinking about things he didn't often think about. Their time in Fillory, those were his favorite memories with Eliot. Probably because of everything they built together there. He would live that life over again if he could. He finished off his tea then looked in the cup like he had no idea how that happened. And then he yawned. Oh, that's how that happened.

He smiled over then stood up and rinsed out their cups while Eliot tended to the fire. He moved over to the bed and leaned up as he wrapped his arms around his neck. Slow kisses were his favorite kisses. Well, Eliot kisses were his favorite kisses. Slow and tender, or deep and passionate. All of them. He stepped back and let Eliot get settled before climbing into the bed beside him. "I love you too, Sir...El." He smiled apologetically. It had just become a habit to call him Sir pretty much all the time. He leaned in for one more kiss then snuggled into his side. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Eliot grinned at being called Sir. It was fine. He was aware that was what Quentin called him more and more. He reached over and tapped his nose. “There’s your punishment for calling me Sir.” His grin grew wider before he moved to run his fingers through Quentin’s hair. He was even more beautiful in the light of the fire.

He wrapped his arms around Quentin and pulled him against his chest fingers going to idly play with his hair. “You know, the new year is going to be so amazing for us, Q. I feel like it’s going to be our year.” He’d been doing a lot of thinking about the upcoming year, changes he wanted to make, things he wanted to do. Many of them involved Quentin. “But for now we have to get to sleep so Santa comes,” he joked. “Goodnight, beautiful. Sweet dreams.”

—--Christmas Morning---

Eliot woke early Christmas morning with a chill in the air, the sky still dark. The fire had gone out and he looked over at Quentin who was still asleep then carefully slid from the bed and set about making a fire. Once it was going he went ahead and put some water on for tea and coffee before slipping back into the bed. He leaned over and gently nuzzled Quentin. “Good morning, beautiful,” he spoke softly, pressing closer to him.

Quentin blushed and ducked his head. “Sorry…habit.” He might have tried to talk some more, but Eliot was doing that thing to his hair that was so soothing. “Mmhhmm.” It would be a great year. They were going to be starting it together, and that was the most important part to him. Maybe things weren’t always perfect or sunshine and lollipops everywhere, but they were together and both of them were willing to work at it. He let his fingers trace along Eliot’s side until he fell asleep.

He burrowed deeper into the covers when Eliot got out of bed but he woke up a little bit but kept his eyes shut. He lay listening to the man move around the cottage and smiled when he felt the bed dip behind him. He reached back and pulled one of his arms over and laced their fingers together. “Morning baby.” He snuggled back and brought their hands up to kiss the back of Eliot’s hand. “Merry Christmas, El” He was still not ready to get out of bed but he knew they would have to sooner rather than later.

Eliot snuggled close, giving Quentin's hand a squeeze. "Good morning, Q. Merry Christmas." He pressed a kiss to his neck." It was still cold and he didn't really want to get out of the warm bed, but they would have to soon. The roast beef and vegetables would take a good part of the day to cook for their Christmas dinner. "Did you sleep well?" Sure the beds back home were more comfortable, but overall he'd slept well. He'd been awake longer than Quentin and had known when he drifted off. The slow gentle breathing and how relaxed he felt against him was always a giveaway.

"We need to get up. Need to start the day. The roast will take a while to cook. I was thinking after breakfast we could take a short walk if you'd like." Just enough to get some fresh air. "When would you like to open the rest of the gifts? After breakfast? Before or after dinner?" Eliot had spoiled Quentin and there were still six gifts for him to open. He couldn't help himself. He kept finding things he knew Q would like.

Quentin nodded and sighed happily. He had been sleeping much better lately. He couldn't say why, things just felt better all around. "I did. I always sleep better when you're holding me." It could have gone without saying, but he felt like saying it anyway. He snuggled in more and shook his head. "So not ready to get up yet." After a few seconds he shifted and rolled over to face him. "But if you insist, I think we should have breakfast, then open one present and then take a short walk." He didn't know how many presents he had to open, but he had a few more for Eliot to open up. He leaned in for a quick good morning kiss, then pulled back and tilted his head. "How long will the roast need to cook?"

Eliot smiled and pulled Quentin into a hug nuzzling against him. He slept better period with Quentin whether holding him or simply by his side. "I'm not either, but we should get our day started." Had they been home he would have definitely slept in later, but there were things to be done and he wanted to enjoy this time at the cottage in every way.

"I'd say at least six hours. We'll need to cut up the potato's carrots and onion to add about halfway through cooking." That was one thing he'd learned about cooking over a fire. "I guess we could wait a little bit to put it on, depending on what time we want to eat." He moved to get his clothes for the day. Wanting to be festive he'd brought a red vest to wear with his usual suit. First he moved to get some water in a bowl and washed his face then brushed his teeth. "I have bed head," he laughed as he went about taming his curls using the mirror that now hung on a wall. After he was dressed he went about getting breakfast set out. "Do you want coffee or tea?"

Quentin knew he was right and once Eliot started to move away he shifted to sit up in the bed. HE did not miss some aspects of cooking over a fire, but he did miss the way it always made the house smell so good. "I guess it will come down to do we want an early or a late supper?" He finally climbed out of the bed and got himself some fresh water to wash up and brush his own teeth. He laid out his own clothes and looked them over. He looked up and laughed. "But you make bedhead look good." Of course he was sure Eliot could make anything look good but that was entirely beside the point.

"I think coffee would be good. Thank you, El." He caught himself before he said sir, but it did result in a short pause before he said El. He spent a few moments picking the lint and cat hairs off his sweater then moved to get dressed. Once he was dressed he took his turn at the mirror and combed his hair. There wasn't a whole lot to do with his hair. Just make sure it was free of tangles and didn't hang in his face. He tucked a bit back behind his ear and moved over to start getting their breakfast together while Eliot made their coffees. "And if we are going to wait until after dinner to open the rest of our presents we should aim to eat around 4 so it's still light out when we're opening them."

"I think semi-early around three? That way we can open presents and have some tea and Christmas cookies after we eat. Does that sound good to you?" He looked back in the mirror and laughed. "You're so biased. You'd say I looked good in a potato sack with wild man hair."

Eliot made the coffee and sat their mugs on the table. He walked up behind him wrapping his arms around Quentin and pulling him close. "Can't keep my hands off you," he smirked, kissing his neck. "If I put ribbon and a bow on you, can I unwrap you as a gift?" He slid a hand up under Quentin's sweater. "Later definitely," he whispered in his ear before reluctantly pulling away and going to sit at the table.

He added some fruit and cheese to his plate along with a slice of the french bread he'd brought. "So one present after breakfast then a walk. You have six more gifts to open. No, I don't feel bad for spoiling you. You deserve it." He smiled then popped a strawberry in his mouth.

"I might be biased but you would definitely look good with wild man hair and nothing else." Which was simply a fact as far as Quentin was concerned. He knew he could easily find dozens of people who would agree with him on that point too. "And three sounds good, means we'll have to start cooking soonish." He wasn't sure if they should do it before or after their walk. Probably before, unless they made it a very short walk.

Luckily Quentin had put the knife down after slicing the bread. He laughed and playfully slapped at Eliot's hands. "Mmmm...you could do that. Unwrap me after dinner." He shivered at the whispered promise and turned to steal a kiss, one hand coming up to cup the back of Eliot's neck briefly. HE let him go and nodded before serving up his own plate of fruits. "Yes, one present after breakfast." HE looked up at the mention of a number. "Six? That many?" He had a very quiet inward moment of panic. He didn't have quite so many for Eliot and he began to feel a little bit bad as he nibbled on his bread.

"Love, if I had a nickel for every compliment you gave me, I'd be a millionaire ten times over." The thing was Eliot knew all of them were sincere. It wasn't lip service. They weren't said just to make him feel good. That's why each and everyone warmed his heart and made him smile. "We'll put the roast on before we go for the walk. No harm if it's done earlier or a little later." It was a guessing game at times cooking over fire.

"I'm holding you to that Quentin Coldwater." He winked and took a sip of his coffee. The fruit and cheese were a perfect choice for breakfast. Light and easy to clean up. "That many," he smiled. "Hey." Eliot reached across the table and took Quentin's hand. "Don't you even feel bad about that. It's not a competition and you're the best gift I've ever got. I don't need a lot." He leaned forward and kissed his hand. "I just love to see you smile and be happy."

They talked and finished off breakfast then easily cleaned up. "I'll go ahead and put the roast on then we can go on that walk." He did just that, washed his hands then went to pull on his coat. "Let's go, beautiful."

"You can hold me to anything you want, Eliot Waugh." Which he hoped came out at least a little flirty because that's how he meant it. Before he even said anything Quentin knew that he was going to be told he was worrying over nothing. He gave Eliot's hand a squeeze and gave him a small smile. "I'll try not to. I promise." He knew he'd put a lot of thought into the gifts he had gotten for the man, so he had to rely on that. The kiss brought a smile to his lips and a blush to his cheeks.

He finished up his breakfast and helped with the cleanup. He took the time to pull on his coat and scarf then met Eliot at the door. "At least it's not actively snowing right now." It could snow later when they were inside for the night. But for now, they needed clear skies which they had. Once outside he hooked his hand through Eliot's elbow and let the man lead where their walk went.

"Oooh, I do love the sound of that." Flirty, playful Quentin was always fun. "Also, be careful what you say." He smirked then looked away as a grin broke out across his face. "Good. Because gifts are never something to worry or feel bad over." He still knew Quentin would feel a little bad. It's simply how he worked.

"We could change that," Eliot smiled. At least for where they were. He was good with the current weather though. Cold, sunny and a crisp winter day. He looked over at Quentin then pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. They hadn't walked far before he paused in front of the mosaic. "So long ago and yet there are times it feels like it was just yesterday." He took a deep breath and they carried on. "I just remembered we didn't open a gift after breakfast. Definitely when we get back."

They could indeed change it but not yet. "Maybe later. When we're safely inside, with a fire and cocoa and lots of blankets. We can watch it through the window from the comfort of our bed." It really sounded like an amazing way to end their day later. After dinner. After presents. He turned his head to return the kiss and smiled when they stopped. He looked over the mosaic and sighed softly. "We worked on it so hard, and it was never even the point." But they couldn't know that until they finished. It reminded him of something he'd heard somewhere in another show. Where you were going wasn't as important as how you got there.

He turned to look up at Eliot. "I don't think it would have worked out with anyone but you." Of all the people who had gone on the quest with him for the keys, Quentin knew that Eliot was the only one who could have shown him everything he needed to learn during that lifetime. And he suspected Eliot needed to learn some of those lessons too. HE looked back at the tiles and tilted his head. He'd do it all over again if he had the chance.

"Sounds perfect and cozy," he smiled. The cottage would forever hold a very special place in his heart. The ups and downs had been worth it for the life they created, for the way the grew to know one another. There were very few other things in life he could say that about. "I'm glad we didn't know. It would have changed things and I wouldn't change anything about the life we had here. Not even the arguing and frustration over the mosaic," he grinned.

Eliot turned to look at Quentin and smiled fondly. "Well..." He chuckled softly and was going to say something cheeky, but it didn't feel right. "I think you're right. "It had to be us. It had to be you." Sometimes the universe got it right, gave you the good, the thing you didn't know you really needed.

After a few more moments they moved on chatting, laughing and sharing. It felt good to laugh. There were times he felt he did so rarely. The cool crisp air was invigorating and it turned out to be a beautiful walk. Back at the cottage he chopped up the veggies and added them to the roast along with a few spices before he went to the tree and picked up two boxes. These go together. He sat the the gifts on the table. Quentin had mentioned wanting light sweaters to wear at work. The second brightly wrapped box held a bit of a more dressy sweater.

It was totally going to be perfect and cozy. That's what the Fillory cottage would always be to him. Yes they lost things there but the good memories completely outweighed the bad ones. And the overall feeling he got when he thought about it was one of being happy and loved. And of loving Eliot and Teddy more than he thought it was possible to ever love another person. Quentin smiled up at him and nodded. "It had to be us." It seemed to bear repeating for him. He leaned up on his toes to plant a careful kiss to Eliot's lips then turned to continue the walk with him. It was a perfect Christmas day in his mind. The weather was cold, but not unbearably so. He had good company and he was going to have an amazing meal later.

He knew they'd left without opening the after breakfast gifts, but it was okay. They had all day for that. Once they got back from the walk he took the time to hang up their coats and scarves while Eliot got the veggies in with the roast. "The house smells amazing!" That was definitely an upside from cooking this way. When Eliot brought the boxes over to him he smiled. "Two?" He took them and leaned up for a quick kiss then set them to the side. He collected a smallish box and handed it over to Eliot. "Hope you like it." It wasn't much when compared to everything Eliot had gotten him, but it was very soft and pretty. It would go well with Eliot's winter coat. Or anything really.

After handing the box over to Eliot he picked his own gifts back up and unwrapped them. He got the first box open with the two sweaters in it and grinned. "These will be perfect for the office! I can alternate them." He meant to keep one at the office all the time, he'd just switch them out every couple of weeks or so. He opened up the second box half expecting it to have a book or something. He eyed the last sweater and looked up. "Three, El?" He looked over each one and picked up the last one to pull on. Not that it was cold in the cottage exactly, but he could always stand to be warmer. "I love it!" He leaned over to wrap Eliot in a quick hug then kissed his cheek. "So soft!"

Eliot took a deep breath. “Smells delicious and like home.” While he could smell food cooking at home it wasn’t this infused, this intense. It was something he missed. He took the box Quentin handed him, but focused on him unwrapping his gifts. “Yes, three. I’ll have your wardrobe giving mine a run for the money yet!” A bright smile lit up his face. “I’m so glad you like them. To be honest I was looking for something more colorful, but I didn’t find any I thought you would like. These were perfect, so you.” He was smiling again when Quentin pulled on the last sweater. “Looks good on you.” Then again he knew it would.

He turned to the box he held and unwrapped it. Lifting off the lid he almost squeed when he saw the scart. He picked it up and rubbed it against his cheek. “So soft. It’s perfect. It’s lovely.” He leaned over and kissed him. “It’s beautiful.”

—-- Christmas Evening ----

Evening fell and they had dinner. It was so tender and mouth watering. So far everything was perfect. They washed up the dishes then packed them back up. Talk about a flashback. Eliot made some tea and took out the frosted sugar cookies and the others he’d made and they nibbled on them. “Time for the rest of the presents.” He reached for a green envelope that had a red bow on it and handed to Quentin then a box wrapped in silver with whimsical Santa’s on it. “They don’t go together, but open the envelope first. Inside was a welcome letter to the Geeky T-shirt Club monthly subscription box. The other gift was a fantasy book series he'd found called The King Killer Series. “I hope you like them.”

Quentin had known that he would love every single gift Eliot gave him. But he worried that Eliot would like the things he bought him. Every time he got that smile from the man it just made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I made him smile was the thought he had. It was a beautiful smile. "I'm glad you like it, El. I had a hard time finding the right shade of red." Sure he could have gone with one of the other colors the man had requested, but he'd wanted to get him a red one.

Dinner had gone well, and he had easily fallen into the old pattern of helping clean up then having tea. Tea and cookies by the fire. "This is so perfect." He'd gotten through half of his tea when Eliot brought over the other boxes. "Even better!" He reached over to pull the last couple of boxes over for Eliot and smiled. "Best Christmas ever." He didn't even have to open the rest of his presents to know that. They would just be the icing on the cake really. He opened up the first box and laughed. "Geeky shirts! You know me too well." He read over the letter and tucked it back into the envelope and set that aside. Then he opened up the rest of the gift and grinned. "Oh sweet! I heard about these. Just haven't had the chance to pick them up yet."

He waited and watched Eliot opening up the last few boxes. They were all wrapped in relatively plain wrapping paper, but it was done very nicely...by someone at the shops. No way Quentin could have done it so pretty. The largest box held four different framed drawings. “They are meant to be hung together.” He wasn’t sure how Eliot would like them, but he had thought they were beautiful. The next box looked like it very likely held clothing of some kind. Inside the box, each piece separated by tissue paper were a set of linen pajamas in Maroccan Red along with a soft comfy looking robe.

The last box heldtwo mugs clearly meant to be a set, one saying “Sir” the other saying “good boy” in a pretty script. Tucked in the box was an envelope with the postcard explaining there would be a bag of coffee coming every month from a different country. “Now you don’t have to share the coffee with me, but I couldn’t resist getting both of the mugs.”

The warm crackling fire made Eliot so cozy and relaxed. He glanced over at Quentin and smiled. He wouldn't argue about this being the best Christmas. So far it had been perfect. Being here together away from everything was just what they needed.

Eliot watched with anticipation as Quentin opened his gifts. That smile just melted his heart every time. It was beautiful and he wanted to see it more often. "I couldn't pass up the Geeky shirt subscription box. And you're telling me I actually found a book series you want to read. Damn, I'm good." He laughed then leaned over to press a kiss to the corner of Quentin's mouth. "My turn!"

He could fully admit he liked getting gifts, but knowing they were from Quentin made them more special. He opened the first box and his eyes went wide as he pulled out each piece of framed art. "Oh, Q, they're beautiful. I love them! They'll go perfectly in my room upstairs." They were nice. Later he would ask about the artist. He opened the next box and grinned. "Does this mean you're going to permanently take over my current robe," he teased. Q liked wearing it and he didn't mind one bit. "They're both lovely and the colors perfect." When Eliot opened the last box he laughed as he picked up each mug. "These are amazing! I love them so much! We have to have coffee in them tomorrow." He saw the envelope and opened it. "And here's the coffee to go with the mugs." He smiled then leaned over to kiss Quentin deeply. "Of course I'll share the coffee with you. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts. I love each of them. You spoiled me!" He grinned then kissed him again before reaching for the last two boxes for Quentin.

The first box held a pair of black silk pajamas. What could he say? He liked silk and he loved Quentin in black. The second box was much smaller and obviously held a piece of jewelry. Inside was a sterling silver trinity knot promise ring with a simulated ruby stone.

"Yes! That is exactly what I'm telling you." He leaned over for that kiss and smiled. "You're just that good, El." He sat back and watched Eliot opening the boxes and let out a little breath at the reaction the art got him. He had worried they might not be his style, but he'd thought they would look good on the wall grouped together. It's how they had been set up at the store. HE gave a sheepish smile and shrugged in answer to the question about the robe. "Maaaaybe?" He loved wearing that robe. OF course part of what made it so comfy was the fact that it smelled like Eliot. He knew odds were he would likely just swap them out every now and then before they got washed. "I'm glad you like them. They had a few other options, but those fit us best." He had considered getting the one that said daddy for Eliot, but Sir is what he called him most so it worked better.

He had not been expecting two more presents and he actually squeed. "More??" He opened the bigger box first. It was clear from the size and shape of the smaller one what was likely to be inside. He looked at the pajamas and ran his hand over them. "I love the way that feels. I can't wait to try them on." But he wouldn't do that until he'd had a shower. These were definitely something he wanted to be extra clean before wearing. He set the box aside and held the smaller one. He looked up at Eliot a little confused then unwrapped the box. He paused a moment before opening it and he just stared at the ring. "It's beautiful." He held the box out to Eliot. "You put it on me, please?" Even if it wasn't an engagement ring, he still felt that Eliot should be the one to put it on his finger.

"They're silk. I can't wait to see you in them." Sometimes Eliot wished he were rich so he could get Quentin everything he wanted and needed as well as those things he'd like to get him. He felt something like nervous butterflies when Quentin unwrapped the ring, then great relief when he liked it. He took the box and for a moment simply stared at the ring before pulling it from the box.

He stood and moved his chair so that it was directly across from Quentin then sat down. He reached for Quentin's right hand then slid it on the ring finger of his right hand. It was a perfect fit. Sometimes magic really comes in handy. "This is a promise ring," he began looking into Quentin's eyes. Literally that's what it was and there were reasons Eliot had bought it for him. "It's a promise that there will be bad days, bad times, tears, fights, pain and struggles. It's also a promise that there will be love, laughter, happiness, adventure and good times."

Still holding his hand he brought it to his lips and kissed it. "Most of all it's a promise that I will always love you, care for you and be there for you. A promise that you're mine and I'm yours. Always and forever just as the inscription says. I love you Quentin Coldwater and this ring promises that one day I'm going to make you my husband." He reached out to cup his face then kissed him slowly and deeply.

Quentin had never actually worn silk pajamas before and he was looking forward to trying them on when they were home again. But after he saw the ring, that was all he could think about. What exactly did Eliot mean by it? He just waited and then listened as he spoke. He could feel himself wanting to cry. No one had ever loved him this way before. HE knew that he would ever love anyone the way he loved Eliot, no matter what happened when he went back home. Eliot was it for him. He had been maybe since they met, even if he didn't realize it. It didn't matter to him what happened, the fights and tears would be worth it in the end. He smiled and blinked to keep from crying. Okay he tried to keep from crying but he couldn't help it. He knew Eliot loved him. HE knew the man would take care of him no matter what. But hearing him saying the words after giving him a promise ring, it was overwhelming. HE leaned into the kiss and shifted off his chair and moved over to straddle Eliot's lap. He tried not to break the kiss as he moved, but he crushed his lips back to Eliot's as soon as he was settled again. He broke the kiss again when he finally got hit with the intense need to breathe. He kept their foreheads pressed together as he caught his breath.

When he could breathe he whispered against his lips. "I love you too, Eliot Waugh. And I'm going to do my best to make you happy every day for the rest of my life. I promise to always love you. I promise to always be there for you, by your side, as your partner, your lover and your best friend." Yes, he knew he would have to share that particular title with Margo, but he was okay with that. "I know it won't always be easy. I know there will be hard times, and I know sometimes we will fight, but I know that we will get through those times together." HE pulled back to look in his eyes. "And I promise that I will always do my very best to be your good boy." HE wanted to say Sir, but he just smiled. "And I promise that when you're ready, I will be the best husband you could ever hope for." Or try to anyway.

Eliot stared into Quentin's face and saw the tears the other was unable to hold back. He smiled and brushed one from his cheek. He loved Quentin's big heart, his big emotions, his big love and faith in him. He had all the faith in the world in him and never gave up on him. He didn't feel worthy of him a lot of the time. They were so opposite in ways, but love had a way. Hearts and souls had a way of finding one another and showing the truly important things. "You're going to cry on our wedding day, aren't you?" He grinned and then leaned in for another kiss.

Hearing Quentin make those promises sent such warmth and overwhelming emotion through him. Here in the cottage where they had lived 'the beauty of all life' everything felt perfect, like nothing in the world existed but them and this moment. God, he loved Quentin. Real love. One day he would be his husband. The good boy promise hit him hard right in the feels and he took a shaky breath. "You will always be my good boy. Always." He sifted his fingers through Quentin's hair and for a moment had a flashback to their time in Fillory. He smiled softly, fondly. "No, it won't always be easy, but Q," he paused and looked into his eyes, "as long as you love me and are there for me, I can make it through anything, we can."

And I promise when you're ready... Did that mean Quentin was ready for marriage? It was something Eliot would ponder later. "You're going to be an amazing husband and I look forward to when that time comes."He wrapped his arms back around Quentin and simply held him for a while, just being.

"Probably." There was no probably about it honestly. Quentin would be crying at their wedding. Tears of pure joy and love, but there would be tears. He smiled against the kiss. His own reaction to hearing that he would always be Eliot's good boy settled into his heart. He knew it was true just like he knew the sky was blue. He shifted to cuddle into him a bit more and tucked his nose against his neck. "Me too, El." He knew full well that if Eliot asked right then, he would say yes and have zero reservations. He also knew that Eliot would know when the time was truly right for them to take that step. HE just had to make sure that Eliot knew, he would be ready when that time came.