From Day 1 ❦ BrightWin ✔

[17]

Bright finds Win in his room about an hour and a half later, when he is sent to fetch him for dinner.

"Win?"

Win is sat on the other side of the wall, holding a cushion to his chest with both of his headphones in, listening to a certain CD which he had been given on this day two years ago.

He doesn't hear the voice, or the knock on the door, so he recoils in shock slightly when the door opens, and a taller boy pokes his head through.

Win yanks the headphones out of his ears pushes the pillow away from him and jumps up from the bed. Bright watches him with a slight shine of amusement in his eyes, until the sound of a song by, starts playing from the laptop speakers, and his face drops.

"Is that-?"

Win dives across to the bed again, pausing the track. He didn't realize that he had pulled the headphones out of the socket when he had moved so suddenly before.

"What's up?" Win asks when everything is sorted.

"Uh, dinner's ready," Bright replies, and Win notices a slight pinkness on his cheeks. "Your mum sent me to get you. Was that really-?"

"Let's go, then," Win interrupts, already slightly embarrassed, knowing that Bright had seen him listening to a CD that he had made and hugging a pillow like a lovesick teenager (which he is).

"S-sure," Bright stammers, gesturing for Win to leave first.

-----

Dinner is wonderful – despite a certain member of the company. Luckily, the way everyone sits means that the boys end up being opposite ends of the table from one another.

They eat a delicious turkey dinner, pull crackers between them, tell ridiculous jokes, and wear paper crowns. It is a typical Metawin-Chivaree Christmas, and Win tries to ignore the occasional awkwardness of when his eyes meet Bright's.

"Mum, would you like some help clearing up?" Win asks once he is with his mum in the kitchen.

"I'm fine, thank you. Why don't you go through and sit with the others in the living room?" Anne suggests. "You've hardly seen Bright today."

Win holds back a deep sigh, still unwilling to explain to his mum what happened; it would worry her. He turns on his heel, walking back to the living room where everyone is crowded round the tree. It must be gift-giving time soon, as it was tradition for the swapping of gifts between families to happen between the main course and dessert.

He slumps down on the sofa, happy to see that Bright isn't in the room – yet. He tugs down the sleeves of his jumper – they always end up being too short in the arms – and focuses on the Christmas film playing on the telly.

Just as Win finds himself getting into the movie – Elf, one of his favorites – he feels a presence beside him, followed by a whisper in his ear.

"It's nearly time for gift-giving... can I give you mine later?"

The boy rolls his eyes before muttering out of the corner of his mouth: "If you must."

------

Win receives a pair of woolly socks, a DVD, a 3D pop-up Christmas card two drawings of Santa and a small box of chocolates (from Jiya, who is proud of her ability to save her pocket money to buy everyone presents). He accepts all the gifts very gratefully, spending time using as many different adjectives to compliment the creative presents.

As everyone else continues to open presents and celebrate merrily, Bright grabs Win's arm, tugging him out of the living room and up the stairs when everyone is too pre-occupied to notice.

"So," Win says, placing a fake smile on his face. "What have you got for me, Bright?"

"Have you got anything for me?" Bright mumbles, looking down at the snowman socks on his feet.

Win hesitates before nodding the affirmative, walking across to his wardrobe and pulling out the large, wrapped gift. When he turns back to the other boy in the room, he notices a small, wrapped square in his hand. Bright holds it out awkwardly at arm's length, and Win takes it from him, handing over his own gift.

Their eyes meet and Win must hold back giddy – slightly awkward - laughter, which becomes even more difficult when he sees Bright trying to do the same.

Suddenly, soft giggles burst out of each of their lips, which Win doesn't quite understand. He's stood in a room with someone he's supposed to be angry with, but here he is, laughing stupidly.

The problem is, Bright always has this effect on him; his presence alone just makes Win happy – makes him laugh, makes him smile...

"Who's going first?" Bright asks once the pointless laughter dies down.

"You can," Win replies, gesturing for the two of them to sit down on the edge of the bed.

Bright looks ever so slightly confused by Win's change in mood, but sits carefully beside him, gripping the large rectangular gift in both hands. He bites his lip and carefully starts removing the decorated paper, Win watches intently.

"Oh, Win." Bright pulls the collage out and holds it up. "This is... amazing." He studies every part of it, looking and reacting to every picture; cringing over baby photos and laughing over silly ones.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Winnie." He hesitates before pulling Win into a tight hug. "And thank you for the concert tickets. I'm taking you, no matter what you say."

Win smiles genuinely now, his dimples making a slight appearance.

"I knew you couldn't be mad at me for too long," Bright then says, and Win immediately pulls back out of the hug.

"I am mad at you."

"But...I thought that-"

"No, Bright. I know I'm here smiling and laughing with you, but that's because I can't help it. It's not my fucking fault that you make me this way."

Bright's eyes widen, and after a moment, he looks pointedly at the parcel on Win's knee. Win follows his gaze, shakes his head, and picks up the square, quickly tearing off the paper and seeing a disc in a plastic case.

"A CD?"

"Put it in your laptop and find out," Bright answers, a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips, despite Win's mini outburst.

Win reaches behind him and grabs the laptop from where it was left after listening to music earlier. He puts the disc into the tray and clicks on the link for it to play when the option appears on the screen. After a moment, it turns black apart from white text which reads:

Merry Christmas Win!

I decided to make a video for you this year, about all the times we've had together and all of the memories we have shared.

Win watches, transfixed, as many images and short videos fly on and off the screen, having to hold back laughter sometimes and tears at others. He can't quite believe that Bright has spent so much time over making this for him (and how skilled he has become since he started doing editing for fun) and he soon finds himself crying – against his own permission.

"Bright, I-"

"Just keep watching."

Win stares at the screen right through to the end, until more writing appears.

I hope you enjoyed!

Lots of love,

From Bright xxx

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Hope you are liking it till now! Lemme know what you think :)

It's been a long time. How are you all doing?

How is life?