Of moonshine and memories | BoyXBoy

Just this once

It was Christmas Eve, but you wouldn't know it by looking around. The bar was closed for the holidays, and outside, a mix of snow and rain fell in a steady, cold drizzle. Inside, though, there wasn't a single sign of festivity, no decorations, no lights, no Christmas music. Just the two of us, hanging out in our apartment like any other night.

Lucian stretched out on the couch, his legs resting on the armrest as he flicked through the channels on the TV, not paying much attention. We'd just finished the takeout we ordered. Nothing fancy, just something to fill the gap. No holiday feast or anything like that. That wasn't us.

I walked over with two glasses of gin, passing one to Lucian before sitting down beside him. "Here's to another year of surviving the bullshit." I said with a smirk, raising my glass.

Lucian grinned back at me, clinking his glass against mine. "I'll drink to that." He smirked, taking a long sip.

We sat there in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound coming from the faint hum of the TV and the soft clatter of the rain-snow mix outside. The warmth of the alcohol spread through me, and it felt like the only kind of celebration we knew how to have. Just the two of us, no frills, no traditions.

Lucian took another sip of his gin, his gaze fixed on the TV as he spoke. "You know, I never really got the whole Christmas thing. All the decorations, the carols, the fuss...seems like just another way for people to spend money and stress themselves out."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, same here. We never did much for Christmas back in New York either. Just another day to get through, really. I always found the whole thing a bit...overblown."

Lucian scoffed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Exactly. It's like people are pretending to be happier than they actually are. I mean, if you're not into it, why bother with the charade?"

I watched as Lucian took another sip of his gin, a carefree laugh escaping him. "Well, if we're dropping all the pretenses, the only tradition we're keeping is drinking and getting wasted. I guess we're sticking to what we know best."

I chuckled but couldn't help raising an eyebrow. "Just remember not to overdo it, okay? We've talked about this. You need to know your limits. I don't want to see you spiraling again."

Lucian scoffed playfully but gave me a nod. "Yeah, yeah. I'll behave, promise. But seriously, if we're ditching the Christmas nonsense, at least let me enjoy my drink."

"Fair enough." I replied, leaning back into the couch.

Lucian shifted, surprising me as he rested his head on my shoulder. It wasn't often that he let himself get this close, this openly vulnerable, but whenever he did, I soaked it in. I glanced at him, his hand loosely holding his glass of gin, the ring on his finger glinting softly in the light.

The TV flickered as he absentmindedly scrolled through the channels, the sound a distant hum in the background.

For a while, we sat in a comfortable silence, just enjoying the moment. It felt easy, something rare in our chaotic lives. But soon, the quiet brought back memories, and before I knew it, we were talking about the past.

"Remember our first Christmas together?" I asked, my voice low. "We were barely adults, no home, nowhere to go..."

Lucian chuckled softly, his eyes still on the TV. "Yeah, I remember. Drank our sorrows away in that dingy bar until they kicked us out. What a night."

I smiled, the memory vivid. "We were roaming the streets all night, ending up at Times Square of all places. Christmas lights everywhere, decorations, all that corporate holiday bullshit."