Calum rubbed his hands together before he tore into the small box that was graciously placed in front of him by Ashton. Ashton snickered at his friends excitement knowing very well he's about to be punched in the arm or side.
"What the fuck is this?!" Calum yelled, glaring at Ashton who was standing far away and behind Luke's mom who was rolling her eyes at the boys. They may be adults, but she'd never see them as one.
"Read the label dumbass." Ashton smiled cheekily.
"I did! I can't believe you got me this. I'm going to dump it on you while you sleep."
"Jesus, it's hand soap. It's a joke, Cal!"
"Fucker." Calum muttered. He motioned to Ashton to come back over before yelling for Luke to come sit his ass down so they can give him his special presents next. "Okay," Calum clapped his hands together before placing a box on Ashton's lap and then a smaller one on Luke's lap. "Open them."
"I swear if this is some sex toy I'm going to beat you upside the head with it." Luke warned as he started ripping the paper away from the box. Luke looked at the front of the package, a loud belly laugh escaping from the blonds lips. "I'm supposed to use a gnomes ass to put salt and pepper on my food now? Wow. I've been doing it wrong all this time. Thanks for this reminder." Everyone that had gathered around in the small living room in the Clifford home chuckled at the three friends and their annual gift exchange of useless shit they find throughout the year that reminds them of each other.
"Ashton open yours."
Ashton narrowed his eyes at the raven haired boy as he tore away the black wrapping paper. Opening the small box that contained the item, Ashton furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the object.
Calum grinned, the words flowing from his mouth not caring that he might get punched in the arm this time "It's so you can literally eat or drink shit. Which ever you prefer."
Luke's mom came over and broke apart Calum and Ashton before a pointless fight starts between the two. Then she held a hand out for Luke and pulled him off the ground and motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen but they were stopped by Ashton's shrieking.
"You can forget to open the present from me!" Ashton pouted, shoving a long rectangle box into the blonds hands. "I think you'll actually put this one to good use."
Luke nervously tore away the paper, afraid of what it could be if Ashton thinks he'll actually like it. Luke shook his head in disbelief, not believing Ashton actually bought him something like that. "Really? A wine glass that holds an entire bottle of wine? Hmm, at least this can be put to use when I'm stuck you two bickering." Luke grinned, placing the box on the coffee table before excusing himself to kitchen with his mother. He glanced at the clock on the stove and it read 10 o'clock and Michael was still nowhere to be seen or heard from. Luke was slowly beginning to break more and more each second that passed that his husband wasn't there.
"Luke honey, he's going to be here." His mom assured.
"How did you know that's what I was thinking about?" The loud chatter of his friends and family scattered throughout the house should make him feel amazing, Luke should be having fun and getting drunk, but only one person has been on his mind tonight.
"I'm your mother... And you've been glancing at all the clocks in this house, your phone, and the front door all night. Michael's flight is probably just delayed from the snow or he's wanting to surprise you and he'll walk in that door any moment. Now try to at least have some fun, okay? Christmas is tomorrow and I don't want to see my baby sad. Michael will be here, don't worry." She reassured once again before patting her youngest son on the back and disappearing into the living room to be with everyone else.
Luke hopped up onto the granite countertops. There was a bowl of chips sitting next to him and he happily munched on them till he got to the point he felt sick. He just wanted to sit and wait for time to pass by in hopes Michael would appear, except that didn't happen. Ashton came in to check on him with his phone pressed to his ear and a cheerful smile on his face making his dimples more prominent. Ashton talked to whoever it was on the phone for a few more minutes before he hung up and joined Luke on the countertop.
"Whatcha been doing in here? Everyone's almost gone."
Luke sighed, cramming another potato chip in his mouth even though the thought of eating more made him sick he couldn't help but stress eat his feelings. "Waiting for Michael. It's midnight and he's still not here." Luke chewed on his bottom lip and looked over towards his best friend. "He–He promised that he would be here. I've tried calling him and I'm so worried. I want to go to bed and wake up with him in my arms on Christmas morning. That's all I've wanted for the past two months that he's been gone. It's not fair Ashton."
Ashton gave him a sad smile, moving the bowl of chips between them aside so he could scoot over and hold his best friend who was about to burst into tears. "How about Calum and I stay the night and cuddle you to sleep and if Michael gets home any later we'll leave? Does that sound okay?" Luke nodded against Ashton's chest.
"I don't want to be alone."
"We'll make sure you aren't." Ashton gave him a tight squeeze and slide off the countertop. "C'mon I think everyone but your parents are gone. Let's go get ready for bed."
Ashton pulled him along and grabbed Calum along the way to the bedroom. The three shared their quick goodnights with Luke's parents before the three were cuddle up in Luke and Michael's kingsize bed with blankets and pillows surrounding the three.
"Goodnight and Merry Christmas." Calum mumbled sleepily, snuggling closer to Luke.
"Goodnight." Luke said sadly, he laid awake till the clock stuck 2 o'clock in the morning before he finally let sleep consume him.
////
It's Christmas Eve whicH MEANS ITS MY SMOL MUFFINS BIRTHDAY AND I REFUSE TO BELIEVE LOUIS IS THIS OLD NOPE NOPPEE NOOOOOPPPPE GOODBYE
and this chapter is so long wtf and the next is the lasT IM SO SAD!
I hope you enjoyed it.
