Open Eyes (Phan)

Thirty Three

Phil

"Dan! Dan, wake up!"

He groans and buries his face further into my chest. I giggle.

"Dan, come on! It's Christmas!"

"Christmas can suck my ass," he grumbles angrily, peering up at me through narrowed eyes.

I laugh loudly.

I place a light kiss on his forehead before pulling my arm out from underneath his head.

I go into the attached bathroom to brush my teeth. When I come back out, Dan is sitting up in bed.

I gaze fondly at his wild, curly hair that is sticking up in forty different directions.

"Come on, bear," I say. "You should fix that hair before we go downstairs."

His cheeks fill with blooming roses.

When his hair is flattened and presentable, we head downstairs.

A warm, buttery aroma hits my nose when we enter the kitchen.

Mum has prepared a large breakfast for the family. Bacon, eggs, fruits, crapes, and waffles are taking up most of the table.

And everything is absolutely delicious. Even Dan seems to eat more than his usual five bites of food. The table is quiet for a few minutes as everyone savors the choir on their tongue.

Then comes presents.

Everyone gathers around the Christmas tree. Dan and I sit on the floor.

Mum starts first. She opens the one from me first, a book from her favorite author. Then a mug from Martyn, and a bracelet from dad.

Dad, Martyn, and my grandparents open up theirs, grins spreading across their faces as they tear the wrapping off of each one.

Then me. I set the one from Dan off to the side for last.

From my mum, a Muse poster. From Martyn, a new blue and green flannel, and from Dad, a colorful picture frame.

Dan is shocked when he realizes that my family got him presents. With shaking fingers he opens each of them. My mum got him a black Game Of Thrones hoodie. She must've bought it after they'd had an hour long conversation about the show. My dad got him a hair straightener. Dan laughed out loud when he unwrapped it. And scented candles from Martyn.

Everyone is watching when Dan opens the gift I got him.

Tears well in his eyes when he realizes what it is. He can barely get the rest of the wrapping off.

When he looks up at me, his chocolate eyes are wide and gleaming.

It's a brand new MacBook Air.

"So you can take online classes," I explain. That makes him sob harder.

My family looks on with sympathy. I had spent the better part of one night briefly explaining to them Dan's background, with the younger boy's permission, of course.

"T-thank you," he manages to get out in between sobs.

I wrap my long arms around his small frame and hold him tightly.

"Okay, your turn," Dan says when he calms down. I am aware of Dan anxiously watching me as I tear it open.

It's a book.

Unexpected.

The book I had been reading the day we met.

And it's a signed copy.