this christmas i gave you my heart ✧ CHAPTERED

one

"Murphy," Bellamy said in a hushed voice. The bedroom was illuminated by the reflection of the moonlight against falling snow after Bellamy pushed open the curtains, hoping the light would wake his sleeping boyfriend. "Murphy!" he said again.

"Mmm," Murphy whined, rolling over to put his head in against the pillow.

"Wake up! I want to show you something!" Bellamy said, pushing the comforter off of Murphy's body.

"Can't this wait until morning?" Murphy asked, sitting up to push messy hair out of his face. His eyes were half-lidded and his posture was sagging, in high contrast to the wild look in Bellamy's eyes as he stared out the window.

"Nope! Just put some pants on I'll go get your coat," Bellamy chirped with a smile.

"Fine. But only because you're making me food tomorrow."

"I'm making you food tomorrow?" Bellamy asked. Murphy gave him a bored look that said "do you want me to get out of our nice, warm, safe bed? or not?" and Bellamy seemed to understand this because he responded with, "I'm making you food tomorrow. C'mon! Let's go!"

Leaving the comfort of the apartment in pajamas, coats, hats, gloves, and shoes, Bellamy led Murphy out of their quaint brownstone home and down a couple houses until they were at a darkened alleyway. "If you're planning on murdering me, this really isn't the best place to do it. You'd actually be better off doing it right in our living room- or in the bathroom- less clean up."

"Shut up Murphy. I'm not murdering you."

"At least if I was dead I wouldn't have to be out in the cold at two in the morning," Murphy grumbled, kicking a piece of ice with the toe of his shoe.

"We're almost there," Bellamy promised. He held Murphy's gloved hand in his just a little bit tighter as they walked through the familiar streets of Polis, their home and where they had first started dating. Bellamy had only lived in Polis for about two years and Murphy for only a matter of months, but it was perfect, and had everything they needed because all they needed was each other.

Finally, they arrived at the town's main street, and though the stores were closed and the sidewalks were empty, the street withheld their usual liveliness. It was the time of year once again when the town put up their Christmas lights. And when Polis decorated, they decorated .

"Holy shit," Murphy said with a chuckle. "You weren't lying when you said Polis went all out for the holidays."

"Isn't it amazing?" Bellamy said in awe. Murphy looked over at him and couldn't fight the way the corners of his lips quirked up when he saw the sparkling red and green in Bellamy's amber-colored irises.

"How'd you know they were putting them up tonight?" Murphy asked.

"They normally put them up about two weeks before Christmas and I can see the street from our bedroom window so I've been checking. I wanted to take you to see them after everything was closed because you've never seen the Polis lights before." Murphy just kept smiling at Bellamy, so hard that it was starting to hurt in fact. "What?" Bellamy chuckled.

"I love you," Murphy said quietly. "Thank you for forcing me out to see this. The lights are beautiful."

"You're more beautiful," Bellamy said, kissing Murphy's cheek. Bellamy pulled on his hand to encourage Murphy to keep walking down the street with him.

"You know I'm really surprised that you haven't made any of your anti-Christmas speeches yet," Bellamy said, swinging Murphy's arm with his as they walked.

"I don't hate Christmas that much."

"I wish you didn't hate Christmas at all," Bellamy said with a pout, plopping his head down on Murphy's shoulder. "But I understand why you do, and it's okay. I just hope that eventually, I can help you like it a little bit more."