Fix You ~Completed~

Act Twenty-One

(Surprise update because... We have official artwork! These beautiful drawings are all done by A.M., official artist and one of the two authors for this book series!)

Christmas had a different place in Kyla and I's lives.

I felt no real attachment to it; though I became a little excited every year when it would roll around, the holiday itself truly didn't mean much. My parents were always home on Christmas (Eve or Day, it was one or the other) and they'd toss about some conversation with me, but that usually would end once we opened our gifts and ate lunch. Once the typical Christmas shenanigans were completed, they could stalk off to do whatever it was they did while I played with my new toys or read my new books. For me, Christmas was just another day honestly.

Kyla hated Christmas. His parents drug him along to relatives' houses some holidays, while other times they'd simply stay home. Kyla's parents loathed one another and they made that known constantly and for some reason Christmas brought out the worst in them. A holiday celebrating love and joy meant nothing but anger and violence to Kyla.

I tried to make it better for him. It seemed to help, especially this year. Since my friends were all gone for the break, I got to spend every second Kyla allowed with him.

The day before Christmas Eve, I bought a little gingerbread house kit to remind him about the time our middle school had a competition to see who could build the best one. Even though ours sucked, Kyla looked like he had so much fun when we did that. He didn't stop grinning that whole day, even when we were sent back to our classes.

When I showed him the kit, Kyla actually laughed. "I can't believe you remember that. Ours was barely edible," he tsked, checking the back of the box for instructions.

"Well, we're older now and this kit has complete directions on the right way to construct a house fit for a gingerbread man," I explained, embarrassed now that I was standing in front of him. It felt childish, like something two college students probably shouldn't be doing. At the time I'd bought it for him, I was thinking nostalgia. Wouldn't it be nice to go back to a time when everything was just fine and dandy? When I never felt scared of Kyla and he never got mad at me for loving him too much and we were just okay in every way? "If you don't wanna do it, that's fine. I can return it..."

"No! We are doing this," he insisted, ripping open the box.

After we finished building our tiny gingerbread house, complete with two gingerbread men and a tiny gumdrop garden, Kyla went and made us some of his amazing hot chocolate. "Are we gonna eat it?" he asked when we sat down at the table to admire our handy work. I shook my head, giggling. "So, we just let it go to waste?"

"It's too pretty to eat," I argued playfully, gesturing to the mediocre decorations that donned the tasty structure.

With a defiant smirk, he swiped one of the gumdrops from the garden and ate it. "Nothing's too pretty to eat," he tsked, crossing his arms. I couldn't help but smile back at him, so pleased with the absolute content on his face. I did that. I made him happy.

Sadly, Kyla had to work that night, so he left a little while after we finished construction. I gave him a lingering kiss before he departed, promising him a surprise when he came back. "Should I feel scared or excited?" he asked, crinkling his nose teasingly.

"Excited," I promised, my arms around his neck. "Love you. Be safe."

The sigh that left his lips at my words wasn't angry or irritable. It was a mix between a chuckle and a sigh, really. It was happy. "I will, Clem," he mumbled, giving me another kiss.