"We should tell Del..." Ray muttered against his mouth, even though he knew it would wipe the smile off it.

When he pulled away, he leaned down to give the scruff of Dief's neck a well-deserved scratch. "Go get Fraser," he told the wolf, before straightening back up.

Later, Ray would climb into bed and thank his lucky stars for the millionth time and stare at Asher in the dark for a while before whispering that he'd missed him. Then he'd fall into a sleep so deep that he'd miss half of Christmas Day.

But it would still be one of the best Christmases he's had in years.