Expensive Headphones Oneshots

Blue Christmas

Rich sadness at Christmas time
And sort of fluff at the end??

Tw: sorta breakdown?, death mention...idk if that's one??

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Rich sat on the couch, staring out the window, not focusing on anything in particular. He was curled up in a soft blanket, a mug of cocoa held tightly in his shaky hands. Some movie was playing on the tv, but he wasn't paying attention.

Christmastime was always difficult for Rich. Without his family, Christmas was sad and lonely, filled with painful memories.

It was even worse considering his mom died in December. He was 10 at the time, but he remembered it well. His father bringing both him and his older brother, Dylan, into the living room one day after his mom had gone on a trip to visit her sister for a week.

"I-I'm so sorry to tell you this...it's- it's about your mother. There was, um...there was a car crash, boys. And- and..."

Rich felt a lump grow in his throat, thinking about that awful day. He took a shaky breath, trying to keep calm. Just focus on the tree out front. Find something to count. Keep yourself occupied, Michael can't come home from work to find you having another breakdown.

Rich set his mug on the ground carefully, his hands shaking so much he was worried it would splash. He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, focusing on the falling snow and following single flakes' trails to the ground.

Inhale, exhale. Keep your breathing steady, or this will get way worse, Rich told himself.

His mom used to help him when he had panic attacks or breakdowns. She would hold him close and whisper in his ear or sing. She always knew how to calm him down.

If she came back now, what would she do? How would she think of Rich, after all he's done? Would she be disappointed in him? Would she refuse to even look at him, with all his burns and how he's completely ruined himself?

Rich clenched his hands into fists around the blanket wrapped around him, tensing up. He closed his eyes, leaning back on the couch. Stop fucking thinking about Mom, it's not helping at all. Why do you care what she'd think of you if she came back, not like that'll ever even happen anyway. Shes gone. Dead. She'll never come back, just get the fuck over it rich, it's been 8 years.

Rich squeezed his eyes shut and choked back a sob. He shakily pulled out his phone and texted Michael.

R: mikey are you almost home
R: please come home soon

Michael responded quickly, only a minute later.

M: are you ok babe? i'm omw i'll be there soon

Rich picked up his mug and tried to steady his hands to take a sip. Michael would be there soon, and he'd know how to help. He always seemed to, just like Rich's mom.

Rich took small sips of his hot cocoa while continuing to follow the soft snowflakes' descent outside with his eyes. He clenched his free hand around the hem of his sweater sleeve, eyes flicking to the door every couple seconds waiting for Michael to arrive. He tried to find something else to occupy his mind besides his dead mother and his awful family. But it was difficult, and his mind would always quickly wander back. He was shaking badly and fighting back tears when the door handle moved and Michael stepped inside.

"M-Michael..." Rich choked out, setting his mug down.

Michael took one look at Rich and his heart shattered. He took off his coat and quickly sat next to Rich, pulling him onto his lap and holding him close. "Richie...do you wanna talk about it? What happened."

"M-m-my mom...she-" Rich broke down and let himself cry. "Christmas j-just isn't the s-s-same without my f-family...and my m-mom...I miss them a-all..."

"Aw Richie." Michael started stroking Rich's hair softly, hugging him tighter. "You know what, I bet your whole family misses you and regrets everything that happened. I know how much you love your mom, baby. And she loved you so much too. And your dad and brother, they both love you too. I know it."

"B-but my dad h-h-hates me...and my b-brother left me," Rich protested, clinging onto Michael's hoodie.

"I know, Richie. I know." Michael softly rolled up the sleeves of Rich's sweater and began tracing his burns, knowing it helped Rich calm down even though he despised his burns. "But your dad really does love you. He made an awful choice to fall apart and become an alcoholic after your mom died, but before that he must've loved you to death. And I know how close you and your brother were, he wouldn't have left because of you. I'm sure he misses you and thinks about you everyday, Rich."

Rich sighed, wiping his eyes and resting his head on Michael's shoulder. He was still petting Rich's hair and tracing his burns, and that was helping Rich calm down a lot.

"Mikey..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Rich said quietly.

"Yeah, I love you too, baby. Are you feeling better now? You know, I'll always be here for you. I'll try to make Christmas amazing. Me and my moms will be like your family, ok? We all already love you to pieces, you know?"

"Th-thanks Mikey..." Rich shifted so he could hug Michael, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend's neck.

Michael hugged back. "No problem, Rich. I love you so much, I care about you more than anything." He continued stroking Rich's hair with one hand, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He kept gently tracing his fingers along Rich's burns with the other hand.

Rich hummed happily, snuggling into Michael's embrace. As long as he had Michael, he wouldn't spend Christmas alone.

After a couple minutes, Rich fell asleep, softly snoring. Michael smiled at how adorable he looked, then rested his head on top of Rich's. Soon, he fell asleep too.

Christmas would be good this year, with each other.