Larry's gift

"Merry Christmas!" Larry exclaimed, kissing the nose on Sal's mask.

"Merry what?" Sal ask.

"Christmas. Merry Christmas, you know the 25th of December." Larry replied.

"oh yeah that. we haven't celebrated that since my mom died." Sal shrugged.

"but your mom died when you were like three." Larry said. Sal nodded.

"yup. mom was the only one who celebrated holidays." Sal said.

"but you still dress up for Halloween." Larry said.

"that one's always been my favorite, mom and dad both liked that one. the first Christmas we had after mom died, was awful. dad cried the whole time and I was still in the hospital. we never celebrated again. besides it's December 23rd." Sal replied.

"well you're coming to my place for Christmas! mom and I always celebrate. it was my dad's favorite holiday." Larry said.

"and you still celebrate?" Sal ask.

"yeah mom grieves differently, it's the day of the year we share stories about my dad and ya know. we exchange gifts and have a happy holiday." Larry said.

"wish my dad did that." Sal said.

"well I hope you at least picked up a card or something for today's stupid gift exchange at school." Larry said.

"oh, I-I'm not going. like I said, we don't celebrate." Sal replied.

"you have to. come on." Larry said pulling him towards the bus. Sal sighed.

"but I didn't even buy a gift." Sal muttered.

"neither did I, I painted a picture. all my friends get one." Larry shrugged. "c'mon we'll hit up the store before we go." Larry said pulling him past the line for the bus. Sal sighed and let Larry pull him.

~~

Sal did manage to get nice gifts for his friends and walked in with the wrapped presents.

"this is stupid." Sal sighed.

"no it's not." Larry huffed. their three friends ran over to them.

"hey guys! you almost missed the gift exchange!" Ashley said.

"we had to go buy presents because someone was apparently going to skip Christmas." Larry teased, nudging Sal gently.

"we haven't celebrated since mom died." Sal replied. "I wasn't even going to come to day." Sal sighed. they all exchanged gifts until they looked at Larry.

"so Larry what did you paint everyone this year?" Todd ask curiously.

"last year he did different pictures for everyone." Neil explained to Sal.

"c'mon they're in the art room. teacher promised to protect them for me." Larry said, shoving one hand into his pocket and grabbing Sal's with his other.

"this makes me uncomfortable. I haven't celebrated Christmas in years." Sal muttered.

"eh you'll be fine Sally." Larry assures him.

~~

they walked into the art room but, Sal stood awkwardly outside the room. Sal looked around at the decorations, his chest started to feel tight. the memories were coming back. memories, good and bad, that he'd pushed away for so many years were flooding back. he took a shaky breath and backed up. his anxiety was having a field day. he hated Christmas, he hated it! he remembered the first Christmas he ever remembered, it was the first and last time Sal had ever seen his dad strike his mom. he'd put her in the hospital. he remembered the Christmas where he got Gizmo. man was it hot in here? Sal didn't feel well suddenly. he was dizzy. he barley even noticed Larry run over to him.

"Sal? hey you okay?" Larry ask. Sal stared at Larry a moment, his bright blue eye's looking confused and hazy, before his legs gave out. Larry was quick to catch him. "Sal!" Larry shouted. he lowered Sal to the floor gently as their friends raced over.

"Larry! Sal! what happened?" Ashley ask.

"I-I dunno! he just collapsed!" Larry replied. he gently felt at Sal's neck. "h-his pulse is fucking erratic." Larry said scooping Sal up quickly. "I gotta get him to the nurse." Larry said. immediately his friends too off in front of him, moving people out of the way. Sal never even groaned, he was simply unconscious. Larry ran into the office and straight for the nurse.

~~

Sal moaned lowly slowly blinking his eye's. where was he? what had happened? he wasn't alone, but the room was dark and he could tell he didn't have his mask on.

"Sal?" Larry ask softly.

"Larry? what happened?" Sal muttered.

"you passed out. dude what happened? why did you suddenly have a panic attack?" Larry ask. Sal's face got pale and he sighed.

"nothing. I told you I didn't celebrate Christmas. brings up... old memories. they're not all nice either. I-I don't want to talk about it, I'd really rather go home." Sal muttered.

"before you do, at least let me show you what I painted for you. i-it took nearly two months for yours alone. please?" Larry ask. Sal sighed and got up, putting his mask on.

"okay, I guess." Sal sighed.

"I'll carry you, others are in class, but arts only on Wednesday's and Thursdays." Larry said. Sal shrugged slightly and let him carry Sal to the art room. he headed for the art room, Sal on his back. "I-I wasn't sure what you'd like, so... I, uh, ask your dad. he suggested this. so don't be like angry or upset, at least not at me. I did what I could, but I couldn't make it.... perfect." Larry said. Sal was curious as he cuddled closer Larry.

"you sound scared." Sal said.

"I am." Larry replied. he sat Sal down on one of the stools. "I'm really scared actually." Larry added. he gave a nervous chuckle and pulled the picture out. Sal stared his breath hitched and his eye's welled immediately with tears. Larry panicked. "I'm sorry! don't cry please! I-I'm sorry." Larry said quickly hugging him. tears dripped from under Sal's mask slowly, but they soon quickened to the point where he was almost sobbing. the picture, beautiful as it was, was of his mother. it wasn't that Sal didn't like it, he loved he looked perfect down to the familiar love in her eye's. it broke him. everything that he'd spent years blocking broke out and he couldn't stop himself. he sobbed hard. Larry just kept telling him he was sorry, he didn't know what else to say. he had never, ever, wanted to make his sweet boyfriend cry. "Sal? wh-whats wrong? talk to me." Larry begged.

"I can still see them ripping her apart." Sal sobbed. Larry's shoulders drooped, he knew what Sal was talking about. the dogs that killed his mother and ruined his face.

"I... I'm sorry. I really am. I just..... I wanted you to have something nice to remember her by." Larry sighed. Sal clung to him sobbing softly.

"I love it." Sal murmured.

"what?" Larry ask.

"I love it. thank you." Sal muttered, reaching up to wipe his eye's under his mask.

"you're not angry?" Larry ask. Sal shook his head sniffling slightly.

"n-no... I-I'm happy. th-thank you." Sal murmured, looking up at him. Larry nodded hugging him tighter.

"you wanna go home?" Larry ask. Sal nodded quietly and Larry smiled slightly. he grabbed the painting and Sal's hand, leading him out of the school. Christmas was a painful time for Sal, but it would get better with Larry's help.