Matthew Gray Gubler Short Stories - Christmas Edition

Not Tonight Santa #1

Contains: drinking

Oh, oh, you give me something I could never

Get from Santa Claus and baby

Oh, oh, I'll let you peep inside my stocking

If you show me yours

Matthew hummed along to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as he hung a few baubles on the tree. He loved Christmas but found decorating tedious so you had had to ply him with alcohol in order to get him to help out. You weren't that keen on it either but always found it more pleasurable when you had someone else to help you. Someone sober, preferably, but you weren't complaining. You usually wouldn't have bothered about him helping or not but your new tree required someone of great height to reach the higher branches and as he was six foot one - and your only available friend - he was the perfect candidate.

"Not there." You told him as he hung a bauble too close to another, a beer in his other hand half drunk. "Move it over to the right a bit."

He blew out some air, huffing as he moved it a few branches over.

He picked up another and studied it a little. His face warped in the reflection and in his intoxicated state it made him laugh a bit harder than he would have had he not been drinking. You shook your head in amusement at him. He struggled to hook it onto his next chosen branch, stumbling and knocking some other decorations off as he did so although his beer remained upright and the contents barely sloshed up the sides of it.

"Woah – careful!" You giggled as you warned him.

It fell out of his hand and crashed to the floor. Luckily, it was only plastic. He frowned down at it, his state bewildering him and making him not know what he should do about the cracked ball.

You took him by the crook of his arm. "I think you've done enough for now."

"But wha-" He couldn't even finish his sentence, the alcohol fogging his brain.

You pulled him over to the couch and pushed him down onto it gently to stop him from breaking anything else. "Sit."

He went to protest but thought better of it when you gave him a stern look.

"You're mean." He pouted.

"And you're drunk."

He nodded at you once slowly, pointing at you. "Touche."

You weren't actually mad at him but he didn't need to know that. You turned to study the tree; it would have to do for now. He could finish off the rest when he was sober and, quite possibly, hungover. That would teach him for having to get drunk in order to find decorating tolerable and not just acting as if he was having a good time until he actually believed he was like you had trained yourself to do.

As you went to adjust a garland he reached out and grabbed your hand, pulling you onto his lap.

"Sit." He copied you.

You giggled. "I am sitting."

He put his hand over your mouth. "Sssshhh... listen to me."

"I am." Your voice was muffled.

"Listennnnnn." He whined, taking his hand off your face.

You pretended to zip your mouth.

"I want to tell you something." His words were strangely fine considering how much he had drunk. You guessed it was just because he was used to it by now.

You nodded, gesturing that he could continue.

He took a sip of his beer."Even though I hate decorating, I'm doing it this year. Do you know why?"

You dared to speak. "Because you're drunk?"

It was his turn to give you a stern look. You held up your hands in mock defeat.

"Noooooooo..." He took another sip. "It's because I really like you."

You sat there stunned, unsure of if you'd heard him correctly.

"You can speak now."

You just sat there staring at him, still unable to speak.

His face fell. "Please speak."

You looked around wildly before back at him. "You like me as in like me, like me?"

He nodded, uncertain of your reaction.

Your lips curled up into a big smile. "I like you too." You put a hand either side of his face and kissed his mouth gently.

His eyes lit up as you parted. "You do?"

You nodded your voice quieter this time. "I really do."