A Song For You//[Thonny]

Chapter Thirty-One

Christmas morning arrived with the quiet, peaceful hush of fresh snow. Thom awoke on Colin's couch, blinking against the early light streaming through the window. The faint scent of coffee wafted from the kitchen, and the house felt still, save for the soft crackle of the fireplace, where a low fire still burned from the night before.

He sat up, groaning as he stretched out the kinks in his back. Across the room, Jonny was curled up in a blanket on the other couch, his face relaxed in sleep. Thom allowed himself a rare moment of peace, taking in the sight of his love resting, looking more at ease than he had in months.

Colin walked in from the kitchen, a steaming mug in hand, raising an eyebrow at Thom. "Merry Christmas," he said in a low voice, careful not to wake Jonny.

"Merry Christmas," Thom replied, standing and joining Colin by the kitchen doorway. "You're up early."

"I don't sleep much these days," Colin admitted with a shrug. "Coffee?"

"God, yes."

The two shared a quiet moment in the kitchen as Colin poured a second mug and handed it over. They leaned against the counter, sipping their drinks as they watched the snow fall lightly outside.

"Think today will be okay?" Thom asked, breaking the silence.

Colin sighed. "I hope so. I just want Jonny to feel like he's part of this again, even if it's just for one day."

Thom nodded, a lump forming in his throat. "Yeah. Me too."

By mid-morning, the house was alive with the sounds of Christmas. Ed and Phil had gone out for a few quick errands and came back with bags of gifts and pastries, their laughter filling the space as they teased each other about who had forgotten to bring wrapping paper this year. Jonny, still wrapped in his blanket, had managed a small but genuine smile as he greeted them, his initial awkwardness fading as the morning went on.

Colin played host, bustling around with plates of food and mugs of hot chocolate, while Ed set up the old record player in the corner, filling the room with the warm sounds of classic Christmas songs.

"Who wants to start the gift exchange?" Ed asked, rubbing his hands together with mock greed.

"Let's save the best for last," Phil teased, nudging Ed.

Jonny sat quietly at the edge of the group, his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. Thom watched him closely, noticing the flicker of hesitation in his eyes as he glanced at the small pile of gifts under the tree.

"Here," Thom said, breaking the moment as he grabbed a gift from the pile and handed it to Jonny. "This one's for you."

Jonny blinked, clearly surprised. "You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to," Thom said firmly. "Open it."

Jonny carefully tore away the paper to reveal a box with a few books and a sketchbook, and for a moment, he was silent.

"Thought you could use these to... I don't know, write or sketch. Something to keep your hands busy in rehab," Thom explained, suddenly nervous. He knew it wasn't much, but it was all Jonny was really allowed in rehab.

Jonny looked up, his eyes bright. "Thanks, Thom. Really. It's... it's perfect."

The day carried on with the warmth of shared memories and laughter. Gifts were exchanged, stories retold, and food devoured in a feast that left everyone too full to move for a while. Even Colin, who often carried the weight of worry on his shoulders, seemed to let go for a bit, leaning back in his chair with a rare smile as he watched everyone around him.