Knock Me Down - [COMPLETE]

32 - Christmas

Started school today, hope you all have a good week :)
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I get home from my run around the snowy city the same time my mom's car pulls up. It's unexpected on a normal day for her to be here at 7am but it's navidad. She was leaving a bag of presents for all of us. My dad wasn't with her so I could tell she wasn't staying. She looked tired. I give her a tight squeeze goodbye after letting her know Jasper might still be in our gym and Benicio's either with him or dead asleep.

I text Holden, along with a few others, Merry Christmas knowing he celebrates it. He's been busy I guess and only ever has short text conversations with me. He doesn't like gifts but I left his present to the RA on his dorm floor to give it to him.

I take my pants off lacking the energy to respond to my friends, revealing the the shorts I had under them. My dad might stop by later according to a text from him but for now it's just Benicio, Jasper and I. Sort of, I'm sweaty and alone in the kitchen.

Until Benicio comes out fully dressed to go, announcing dryly, "I'm spending today at Dima's"

"You just tell me now?" I point to the breakfast I was making with the spatula. I'm still beat from running out since six am so I'm surprised Benicio's put together at seven in morning. The man who'd wear basketball shorts to a funeral.

"She couldn't come to our dinner, her family is having a dinner party and I miss her. I'm going to help" He shrugs off nonchalantly but it comes off passive aggressive.

"You want one?" I ask, holding up my half bitten breakfast burrito as Jasper comes up and stretches in the living room like he'd just gotten done carrying the world in one hand.

"I'll eat over there" He takes the keys and rushes past our neighbor.

I shake my head not paying mind to it. Years of arguing had made me learn to 'leave it, confront later' with us. It's spared us a lot of childish distaste for each other. "He's in a pissy mood. Want one?"

"After I shower" He takes a bite out of mine in my hand before he goes.

It takes him less than 15 minutes before he starts slicing the fruit I left on the counter to make fruit salad to eat with the burritos.

He keeps the small towel around his neck when he sits at the kitchen table. The tips of his brown hair are clinging to droplets of water from how wet it is. The water trickles to his shoulders. And some of it manages to sprinkle his shirt.

I set down the plate in front of him, "You want jugo–orange juice?"

"Yeah. Thank you"

I pour him a tall glass. I watch as a single drop of water from his head lands on the table and I take the towel from him to dry it down for him.

I feel his body vibrate as he chuckles.

"What?"

He half smiles down at the plate, like he told himself a joke, "For a second I thought this would probably be what it feels like to be your husband. So tended and cared for"

I blush, speechless. His voice is teasing, but I can tell we're both embarrassed.

I clear my throat, sitting across from him to finish my own food. He finishes faster than me, and ignoring my protesting, he cleans the kitchen for me. He leaves, and I think he's going to my brothers room to hang out but he comes back with a small bag he place sun front of me.

"What's this?" We never do gifts. My parents sometimes did, but usually it was on a whim if we all really felt like it. Benicio, Jasper and I hardly ever gave each other anything. On birthdays even.