for Asher (dated 24th Dec 2013)

[speakscanadian]

It was like waking up from a bad dream, right where they had begun, everyone standing in the backroom like all they had done was blinked. People scattered in their own directions and Ray was left holding Daniel's hand, defensive at every sound, suspicious beyond belief.

He muttered to Daniel to stay close but when he looked down, he saw watery eyes looking back up at him, tired and scared, like they had been for God only knew how long. So Ray carried him instead, out of the arcade and into the light of a setting sun. Just because it looked like home - as much as it could in the month of December - didn't mean it was home.

Instinct pointed them in the direction of the Compound. His bicep ached, bruised but the cut was healing, so he shifted Daniel over to this other side, reaching for the gun tucked at the back of his belt with his free hand. A gun he hoped to hell would work here if needed. He held it up in front of them as he moved, the exertion of a stance he knew so well evident on his face.

Comments

[asher_talos]

"December 24th," he said, pressing a kiss to Daniels hair.

Maybe the date gave him an excuse to not give the boy back to Del so quickly. He could slap a bow on him the next morning and call it Christmas gift.

[speakscanadian]

Ten whole days.

The shock was quickly overshadowed by a renewed sense of relief and a surge of happiness caused a smile to grow wide on his face.

"Christmas Eve?" He laughed, feeling ridiculously giddy with tiredness and adrenaline all mixed together. "Serious?"

He moved close again, grasping the front of Asher's shirt and pressing in for another kiss, one Ray was actually aware of this time. "Merry Christmas," he muttered. "Merry what the hell's just happened Christmas."

[asher_talos]

It was like a fucking cliche ending from a Christmas movie whose title alone would have made Asher roll his eyes, but he didn't care.

"Merry Christmas," he echoed before kissing him once more, smiling against his lips.

[speakscanadian]

"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.