Tell Me You Love Me

Christmas Miracles(Onety-Twoty-Five)

Luke's POV

As the school year went on, so did the seasons. In California, if I didn't have a Calendar, I almost wouldn't be able to tell it was December. One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is visiting Grandma and Grandpa in New York and having snowball fights in the snow and going skating at the Rockefeller Center.

Noah was taking the portal out to Florida tomorrow morning to go home for the holidays, so we were trying to make the most of the last day. We sat in the New Rome coffee shop, both sipping our Peppermint Hot Chocolate Specials, despite how warm it was outside.

We held hands over the table, staring into each other's eyes, not saying anything. I was just thinking about how pretty his purple eyes were and how unnatural they looked and how when the right light caught them they seemed to glow violet when a thought occurred to me.

"What?" Noah asked, lips quirking into a grin.

"I've just realized that you have the same name as Riley's brother," I told him.

Noah sat up a bit taller, a confused expression on his face. "Have I met this brother? I don't remember him. Is he older or younger?"

My face fell. "Oh...well, technically he's younger. And no one's actually met him."

Noah was very confused, and rightfully so.

"Well, you see, Noah was Piper and Jason's second miscarriage. Riley also would have an older brother named Matthew. But they didn't make it."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Noah said. I shrugged it off, feeling uncomfortable.

After our hot chocolate, we walked hand in hand to our favorite spot at Camp Jupiter, the Gardens of Bacchus. We mostly liked to sit on a bench and laugh at the statue of Noah's dad. But today we just sat there, my head on Noah's shoulder, watching all the campers and families bustling around.

"I'm gonna miss you," I murmured into Noah's shoulder. The setting sun caught his blond curls and turned them golden.

Noah chuckled. "I'll only be gone a week," he said.

"Longest week of my life," I answered, looking up at him with big eyes.

"Aw, Luke, I have to go see my mom. I haven't seen her since I went home for my birthday in June."

I grunted unhappily, but stopped at bugging.

"Really, though, it's only a week."

I didn't say anything.

"I'll miss you too," he tried. I smiled when he kissed my forehead and I looked up, catching his lips in a kiss. We got a bit distracted, kissing for awhile, before we realized it had gotten dark while we sat there.

"Blanket fort at my house?" I asked with a smile.

"I thought you'd never ask," Noah answered.

^*^*^*^

It was Christmas Eve, and we were all gathered on the living room by the Christmas Tree in Nico, Will, and Maria's house. We'd just finished Christmas dinner and we were exchanging gifts. After Secret Santa, we exchanged gifts some more.

And then finally there was a lull in action and Will cleared his throat.

"We have one more gift for the five of you," Will said, singling out my dad, my siblings, and I.

Nico stepped forward then, looking a mix of excitement and sadness. I noticed he had a new, small scar bridging his nose. This is only the second time I've seen him since he disappeared around Thanksgiving.