Chris Evans Imagines

Secret Santa

Chris noticed a box by the front door as he walked up the steps to the front patio. He picked it up. There was no label or written note on the box. He looked both sides of his street to see who might have dropped it off.

Chris was greeted by Dodger the second he walked through the front door. Dodger sniffed the box before he started barking. He wagged his tail, excited and curious to know what's in the box.

"Let's go open the box, Bubba." Chris went into the kitchen and placed the box on top of the counter. He grabbed a knife to cut through the package tape that secured the box. As soon as he opened the box, he saw a big bone with a red bow on it. It had a Christmas gift tag that said, 'To: Dodger / From: Santa Paws'

Chris chuckled as he unwrapped the plastic wrapping on the bone. "This explains why you were excited about the box. Here you go, bubba." Dodger gladly took his bone and ran back to his bed in the living room to eat his bone.

Chris pulled out a wrapped gift. The Christmas sticker gift tag said, 'From your Secret Santa.'

A smile spread across Chris' face. Every year, Chris and a small group of friends do a Secret Santa gift exchange. Although they were in the middle of a pandemic, they still decided to do a Secret Santa, but with a couple of changes to keep everyone safe. Such as delivering the gift at the person's house instead of exchanging gifts at a Christmas party.

Chris ripped through the paper. His smile vanished once he realized what he held in his hand. His favorite book. The first edition of Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha" in it's original language, German.

The book cover was in a mustard-yellow-ish color with a faded white spine. The book was slightly worn but Chris was too afraid to get it out of its case and open it. He didn't want the book to fall apart.

He started at it for a long time. Wondering how it was possible to get this item. Very few existed and he even tried to get it himself but was unable to.

He carefully placed the book in his case on his book shelf. He gave it one more look before he grabbed his car keys and left.

***

Chris' heart thundered against his chest as he rang Y/N's doorbell. He took a few steps away from the door. She immediately smiled when she opened the door and saw Chris standing there. Her smile faltered as she noticed the serious look on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Do you remember when I told you what was my favorite book?"

She nodded, her lips forming a smile again. "I didn't think you would figure out I was your Secret Santa."

"You were the only person I told what my favorite book was," he started. "That book made such a huge impact on me when I first read it in high school. It was something so personal and I never share it with anyone.... but you," he said.

He took a step closer and chuckled as he spoke, "you went over the spending limit."

"It was worth every dollar," she shrugged.

"How in the world did you get that copy?" He asked.

"One of the many perks of working in a publishing company. I have connections."

"Y/N, I love you-"

Y/N giggled, "I love you too."

"No," he shook his head and took another step closer. "I am in love with you. And what you did for me," he paused for a second, "no one has never given me such a beautiful, thoughtful, and meaningful gift. And I love you for it."

"Truthfully, I wouldn't have done it for anyone else," Y/N said as her heart thundered against her chest. "But for you.... I'd do anything and everything for you, Chris, because I'm in love with you too."

"If I could, I would kiss you right now," he smiled at her. "You know that, right?"

She smiled back at him. "If you weren't going to, I would've kissed you and said it's also a part of your gift."

"Move in with me," he said bluntly.

"What?" She asked unsure she heard him right.

"Let's both get tested and quarantine together. I want to kiss you, hug you, touch you," he confessed. "This year has been so shitty and I want to spend time with my love."

Y/N smiled and nodded. "Let's do it. We'll get tested and I'll move in together once our tests are negative."

Chris smiled and pulled out a small box from his pocket. He extended his hand for her to grab. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as she took the box. She opened it and saw a key with heart keychain. She looked up at him.

"I was hoping you'd say yes. You have the key to my heart and my house," he smiled. "Merry Christmas from your Secret Santa."