Count On Me

XI

Xavier:

I wake up early-ish, 8am to be exact. Sukie and Cal are obviously still asleep, and I bet everyone else is too considering it's Christmas and you get to sleep in.

I close my eyes, still having that lingering feeling of Cal's lips against my own. I didn't mean for it to be that rough, but something desperate came over me. Maybe it was because I was trying to cover up for my behavior, or maybe it was because I was trying to force whatever tension came on between us.

I swallow hard. Maybe it was because ever since I saw that photo of him I've always wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss him, and I did it impulsively because I had the chance to take what I wanted.

I glance back at a sleeping Cal, smiling to myself again and slowly getting out of bed. I immediately miss the warmth, but I quickly make my way downstairs, leave a note on the kitchen counter, and get out to drive back to Issac and Elliot's.

It's about a 15 minute drive to get there, so by the time I ring the doorbell, I know that Elliot has probably already gone through a few gifts.

Nobody answers though, so I ring again.

Nothing.

I sigh, taking out my keys, using the one that Issac gave me, even though Elliot normally answers the door.

"Hey, I think your doorbell is broken or something because I was just—"

"Woah! Hold on!" Elliot yelps then. I spot him on the couch straddling Issac, and thank god they have their clothes on. Except their lips are both swollen, their clothes wrinkled and hair messy.

Issac blushes, wrapping an arm around Elliot's waist and sitting up. "Sorry." He says sheepishly. "Elliot was um...thanking me for his Christmas gift."

"Must've been quite a gift." I mutter.

Issac blushes even harder, Elliot trying to hold in his laughter.

"I got him a puppy." Issac murmurs then.

"Wait. What?" I ask. If I'm cue, a border collie puppy skitters from down the hallway, it's ears flopping as it runs to greet me.

"Isn't he cute?!" Elliot chirps.

"Yeah." I say crouching down to pat it on the head.

"I told Elliot that he could open one gift before you came." Issac sighs as he flops back down, Elliot smirking from above him and running a hand through Issac's hair fondly.

"What's his name?" I ask

"Indiana Jones." Elliot says smiling. "Now you and him share the same last name!"

"That's quite a name. He seems hyper. Good dog for you." I comment as I stand up, Elliot getting off of Issac to turn on the tv.

"Have you ever seen the movie Elf?" Issac asks, Elliot coming back to hand me a cup of coffee.

"Nope." I say. I glance at the couch, Issac rubbing a hand down his face.

"We didn't do anything!" He says exasperated.

"Yeah, but you were going to." I counter and take a seat on the carpet instead. Issac rolls his eyes, leaning forward and grabbing his own mug from off the coffee table, Elliot coming back again to hand me a stocking and a few gifts, the movie playing softly in the background. Elliot climbs back on Issac and settles himself nicely, handing him their own stockings, a candy cane in his mouth.

—————

"So how was Cal's?" Issac asks me once all the presents are opened and we're eating brunch, a new Christmas movie playing.