The Tutor

Christmas Tree V2

This is FAR in the future, but I thought I'd post it. Sam is 20 in this

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Colorful lights twinkle around the house. Christmas day, yet there is nobody to celebrate it with.

Simon is dead, Jacob is off the radar. And Jay... Jay doesn't like buildings, number one, and number two, nobody knows where on earth he would be. That's his entire list of personal connections around his age or in his family.

The blonde sits on the worn down, old couch, his wings folded neatly against his back as he stares at the singular gift under the tree. It's for Jacob, though there’s only a fifty-fifty chance he’ll show up today or even this week. The gift itself looks hastily wrapped in red wrapping paper. Sam’s never been good at wrapping gifts, and it shows in the uneven folds and excessive tape.

Seven years ago, all he had before Jacob was a sad, Charlie Brown looking paper tree he made by hand. Now, he does have a store-bought tree that he bought a few years ago, but it's quite small. The leaves are a dull green, brittle with age. The green paint sheds with the faintest touch. It was a hand-me-down already when he bought it; made it more affordable.

Hours tick by.

Sam busies himself with paperwork for most of that time. That, and some household chores. His regular daily schedule. Christmas or not, work doesn’t stop. At least it keeps him busy. Keeps him from obsessively watching the clock.

Day turns to dusk, the light leaves the sky. He can only stay up waiting for so long. Tomorrow, he needs to head out early to get his paperwork in the mail. He taps the stack of paperwork on the coffee table, aligning them together nicely before setting them down to take out tomorrow.

That's when the front door opens. The cold winter air spills into the house, blowing a few papers off the table in the entryway. As soon as he hears the the hinges of the door creak, Sam jumps up, his wings fluttering. He's barely able to keep himself from running to the door.

The small brunette stands in the doorway with a small smile. He knew Sam was most likely counting down the minutes to midnight, waiting to see if he'd show up. "Hi~ Sorry for being so lat—"

Sam pulls the other inside and into a warm hug, cutting off whatever they were going to say. "It doesn't matter. You're here now," he pulls back to do a quick inspection of Jacob's appearance. Decently heavy clothes — A pastel pink sweater, crimson pants, and his signature golden star earring —, a light dusting of snow on his shoulders and in his messy hair, but no signs of frostbite or anything. Nor any new injuries or areas of concern. "Let's just get you warmed up. Want some hot cocoa?"

Jacob chuckles softly and shuts the front door. "Sure. Nice sweater~"
Normally, Sam is in a suit 24/7, but Christmas is an exception. It's always charming to see him shed that layer of professionalism, that sacred first line of defense for him. His 'ugly' green Christmas sweater, decorated with clumsy rows of trees and snowflakes, somehow looked perfectly presentable on him.

While Sam disappears into the kitchen to get some hot cocoa started, Jacob slips off his snow-crusted shoes and makes his way to the living room. Like always, in the center area are two couches facing each other, a coffee table between them. There is no TV, so it's set up to be more social. In the corner is the sad looking tree that Sam tried his darnedest to resurrect with lights and ornaments. Matching lights hang across the archways connecting the entryway, hallway, and kitchen to the living room.

What catches Jacob's attention is the small red present under the tree. The singular present. There is nobody else Sam would have a gift for, it has to be for him.
He doesn't have a gift for Sam. Shit.
Well, Sam of all people will understand why. He tries to brush that thought away as he takes a seat on the couch. "I'm assuming you won't mind if I stay the night?"

Sam returns to the living room with a steaming cup of hot cocoa, which he promptly offers to Jacob. "You basically live here. You don't have to ask. And it's far too cold to be sleeping outside." He sits next to the dwarf and spreads out one of his wings; an offer to cuddle if they want.

Jacob, of course, takes the opportunity and snuggles close to Sam, holding the warm mug in his hands. The blond always knows exactly how to make others feel safe and comfortable. The fluffy, heavenly-soft wings contribute quite a lot. "I know, I know~" He sips the hot chocolate. "I just..."

"No! If I'm not allowed to be a burden, neither are you."

Jacob snorts. "Fair enough." He rests his head on Sam's chest, going quiet for a few minutes. It's nice to let the moment sit, to just be together. Sam lets the gentle silence hang as well, happy to have his best friend with him again.

Once he's partially through his hot chocolate, Jacob sets the mug down on the coffee table and looks up at Sam. "Are you going to give me that present over there? I know you're dying to~"

Sam's face lights up, though he tries not to be too obvious. "What do you mean? You don't know that's for you," he quips, earning a chuckle from the other.

"Oh really?" In the blink of an eye, Jacob vanishes, leaving only a faint shimmer of red light behind before reappearing crouched down beside the tree, looking at the present. "Then why does it say 'To: Jacob Jackson'? And why do you always have to use full names? That's weird."

He chuckles and lets his wing fall to a more natural resting position since Jacob left. "Hey, it's only first name, last! There's no middle name."

The brunette picks up the present, feeling the weight of it. Very light. "I don't think you know my middle name." He tears the wrapping off from one of the many weakpoints in it. It's a cardboard box, which holds... A guitar strap. But not just any guitar strap. It has a custom design on it; red as the primary color with stars sprinkling the slight gradient to a pink-ish red. Simple, but it encapsulates him.

Before the angel has a chance to say anything about the gift, Jacob springs towards him and knocks him down on the couch in a hug. "Why are you so damn sweet?"

The tips of Sam's ears flush a red tinge, though he hugs Jacob back, of course. "Your guitar is in the guest room. I made sure it was compatible."

Just like that, Jacob disappears again. Within a second, he's back, standing by the tree with the new strap attached to his old guitar. "You really are too nice, Sam."

Sam sits back up and brushes himself off. "It's nothing."

"No it's not! I'm sorry I don't have anything for you, I—"

"You just have to survive. That's a gift in itself."

"You deserve something real from... Anyone- Let me cook breakfast tomorrow!"

Sam rolls his eyes, even though the offer does make him feel appreciated. "Fine. Only this once."