The  holiday season, especially the one nearly coinciding with winter time, is a time of year filled with both stress and joy alike for nearly everyone who takes the time to celebrate it. Mike Pellino was no exception to that, either. Especially with the stressful part of the equation. Even when sitting on a chair in the warmth of his living room - wearing his seasonal sweater and everything even - he could not keep himself from relentlessly tapping his fingers and feet as his mind could not get numerous stressful thoughts out of itself.
His brown eyes turned to the window behind him, away from the roomâs television screen - which was playing traditional christmas specials. All he could see besides the spiky dark hair of his reflection was a combination of the white snow which looked almost blue in the moonâs light, the yellow lights of other peopleâs homes, and the vague shapes of said buildings in the darkness of the late night.
All he could do is take a deep breath.
After about a minute of that, he turned his attention to the christmas tree in the room - it was green, naturally, but mostly decorated with lights, ribbons, bows, balls, and even a star on top so it was truly a spectacle of colour. It would look out of place in the room if it were any other time of year, but here it fit right in. Right beside it were the stockings of the house, Â one for himself, and another for the person whom he lived with. They only had each other, so there were no other stockings.
He tried to smile, but he couldnât shake the nervousness from his mood.
The thought of the other person in the house with him did, however, make him finally let out:
âH-h-hey!â he tried to exclaim loud enough to be heard, âIs it ready yet?â
âDonât worry!â another voice called from beyond an archway into the kitchen and dining room area, âItâll just be a few more seconds!â
âA-alright.â
Mike took another deep breath and tried his best to relax at that point. He closed his eyes and tried to think of thoughts that relaxed him.
Being warm.
Resting his head on a pillow.
Doing his hobbies.
Sleeping in his bed under the cover of blankets and bedsheets.
Being with the one he loved.
Then, he felt a good bit of weight hop onto his lap along with the sound of someone getting on top of it and the feeling of a single arm going to rest itâs hand onto his back. Coupled with the smell of warm liquid chocolate, he finally relaxed as he opened his eyes and gazed right into both the eyes and face of his companion:
Cody Emment Jameson Anderson.
His skin just as young as Mikeâs own, except much less of a âcrispyâ shade more of a âvanillaâ one. His eyes teal blue like a beautiful ocean, his hair short and of  a chestnut brown colour, and his body just as thin and slender though not as well toned in the muscle department - though he had potential. His face looked at Mikeâs with a  warm smile, his right hand resting on Mikeâs back while the left held a cup of homemade hot cocoa topped with cream. A second cup was resting on an end table beside the chair.
That cup was Mikeâs, and he had one of his hands pick it up while the other returned the favor to Codyâs back. Cody did not take long, however, to notice Mike shaking. After taking a sip of his  cocoa, he looked to Mike concerned:
âMikeâŠ.whatâs wrong?â
âWha-what? Nothing! Nothingâs wrong! Why would you think somethingâs wrong?â
âWell  first of all, youâre all all shaking and jittering. Whatâs up?â
âNothing!â
âMikeâŠâŠâ
Mike sighed. He put down the cup of hot cocoa so it wouldnât spill, though he tried to take a sip first, and then he told Cody in a more quieted tone of voice:
âItâs just, well, Christmas hasnât always been a very, you know, happy time for me.â
âOhâ
As Cody came to the realization of what Mike was talking about, Mike himself looked down and closed his eyes, sighing himself as the memories of past Christmases were flowing through his brain and were all he could think about. All that need be said about it was that his parents were not on the nice list, so to speak.
âMikeâ Cody said in a more serious tone of voice, âYou donât need to worry about it anymore, thatâs all in the past, even if the memories still hurt you. You shouldnât let âem get ya down!â
âBut stillâŠChristmas is supposed to be a time where you spend time with the people you care about the most, like your familyâŠbutâŠâ
âBut you have me! The Codester! Your Codester! Doesnât that make ya happy?â
ââŠâŠâŠâ
âMike!â
âYes! Of course it makes me happy!â
âThen what was that pause for?â
âYou really wanna know?â
âYes!â
Mike sighed a little and explained:
âItâs justâŠâŠIâm afraid of losing youâŠâŠandâŠwhat little of a family I actually even have left. I donât want to say the wrong thing and be alone forever.â
âYou know youâre not aloneâŠyou have me! Always!â
ââŠ..â
âMike!â
âAh!â
"Whatâs with you now?â
âIâm sorry! Itâs justâŠ.â
âJust what? Mike, you know you can tell me, baby. You can tell  me if somethingâs bothering you.â
âThanksâŠâ
âSo, you gonna tell me whatâs up?â
âItâs just thatâŠ.I remember when  IâŠ.kind ofâŠwellâŠ.lit the Christmas Tree on fire when I was littleâŠ.andâŠ.my parentsâŠ.theyâŠ..were mad about it.â
âWere you, you, or were you, Mal?â
âNoâŠI swear! AAah!â
âSssh, sssh! Calm down! Calm down!â Cody set his mug down on the table, grabbing both of Mikeâs shoulders and pulling him in close for a deep, loving hug. Mike, however, did not respond. Technically he did, though he only did so in a much colder, almost wicked sounding tone of voice as his personality shifted and contorted to match:
âI hate my âold manââ this voice, the voice of the Malevolent One known as âMalâ, his hair changing accordingly to have one lock over his left eye, âI hate him more than you could ever imagine.â
Then, Mal began gripping tightly onto Codyâs back as he knew Cody was hearing every single word he was saying:
âI promised myself that I would be the downfall of him and his fucking slut of a wife. And I promise you that if you ever even think of betraying me, you will suffer.â
âIâll never do that, Mal!â Cody assured him, trying his best to hide any sign of fear in his voice, though  Mal smirked as he said:
âYouâre afraid of me. I can practically smell it on you.â
"Well, yeahâŠyouâre kind of scaryâŠâ, but then Cody quickly said, âBut I still love you, just like I love Mike. I know at the end of the day you and Mike are the same person, I could never betray Mike. Not for anything in the world, no matter how evil you areâŠâŠ.I can grow to like evil just as much as I like Mikeâs sweetness.â
ââŠIâm not that bad, I can be quite lovingâŠin a âchained against the wallâ kind of wayâŠâ
Then Mal bit down on Codyâs ear, making the boy squeal out in response to it. The sound of his squeal made Mal chuckle.
âYour squealing is adorable. I want more of it already.â
âWell you have to wait until nighttime, babyâŠâ
âMake me.â
Then Cody decided to look at Mal, those dark circles under his eyes, his sinister smirk, his one visible eye. Yet, he was still just as good looking as Mike was to him. It didnât change his decision to lean in and kiss the lips of the boy though, catching even Mal off guard. Even making him blush. Cody kissed his lips with enough passion and love to make Mal drop his sinister demeanor in favor of a more kind and loving one, in fact feeling his lips and tongue on Codyâs own made his mind revert back to Mikeâs control, with Mike opening his eyes only to be gazing right into Codyâs teal âoceanâ eyes, their lips still locked.
âThank you, CodyâŠâ Mike said warmly, parting his lips with Codyâs.
âAnd I mean it, Mike. No matter whoâs  in control, Iâll always love you. All of you.â
ââŠ..you mean it?â
âYes. I mean it.â
âThank youâŠâ and with that, the two shared a peck on the lips, a few seconds but still just as loving as their prior kiss.
âNo problem! Now come on, your hot cocoaâs gonna be turning cold now!â
âAAh! Sorry!â
"Hahaha!â
And with one more peck and a cuddle, the two took their hot cocoa  in hand and took turns sipping from the mugs, kissing and cuddling, and watching television while they were warming each other up. Not just with each other, but also with love. Mikeâs fears and anxieties were now gone, he knew Cody was loyal. He knew Cody would never hurt him. He knew that Cody would no absolute nothing, but love him.
They had a very Merry Christmas to look forward to. Â Â Â Â
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