A Late Christmas
Hiii guess who’s not dead _(:3」∠)_. This was my secret santa for the wonderfun @beautiful-mystic-mess on a discord server. It’s been a long time since I’ve written a fic so I think it’s a bit rusty but I hope you all enjoy it regardless.
Some jobs don't slow down or stop during the holiday season, and celebrating the holidays together became hard when both you and Gavin did such jobs. Gavin still had to go away on missions and regular shifts regardless of the season. If anything, Gavin was working even more, and you were busy preparing and executing Christmas specials for everyone else to watch at home with their loved ones. Still, you felt a sense of joy just from it being the holidays season.
You had already brought Gavin's gift over a month ago, knowing that when December came, your chances to go shopping for anything that wasn't necessities would be few and far between. The watch Gavin wore regularly was starting to suffer from wear and tear, and you decided it was time he got an upgrade. You had brought him a nice watch, one that was durable and comfortable while still being fashionable. It was already gift wrapped, but you had still felt the need to hide it for good measure for all the times Gavin came over unannounced. You had given Gavin his own keys months ago, and him coming over to stay the night had become a regular routine during the holiday season. With how busy you both were, there weren't many other ways to see each other.
Three days before Christmas
You woke up to an empty apartment. Traces of Gavin being there the night before were present: his clothes from the day before in the clothes basket, a drink he had bought but not finished in the fridge, and a slight dent in the pillow next to you where he slept. But the man himself was long gone, likely leaving hours before you had awoken. You couldn't help feeling disappointed as you got ready for work, wishing you had woken up earlier to spend at least a bit of time with Gavin. You knew that he would likely scold you for getting up early despite not needing to when you were so tired from work, but at this point, you thought the scolding would be worth it.
You headed into the office and tried your best to greet everyone happily; everyone was tired due to the extra workload of holiday specials, and you were determined to keep everyone's spirits as high as possible. Still, the entire day felt like you were operating on autopilot. You felt relief wash over you as soon as the day was over.
You went back to your apartment and immediately went to bed, tiredness taking over you as soon as your body hit the mattress. You hoped tomorrow you'd be able to see Gavin.
Two days before Christmas
You awoke again to an empty apartment, but this time a comforting smell was in the air. You went into the kitchen and found a paper bag containing food from your favourite nearby cafe. It was still warm, signifying that you had only just missed Gavin. You picked up the bag to read the note tucked underneath.
Make sure to eat well even when you're busy. - Gavin
You smiled to yourself as you ate the food and got ready for the day ahead. Unlike yesterday, you entered the office with an honest smile and were able to focus on your work.
After work, you headed to Gavin's favourite restaurant before heading home, getting takeaway for you both in the hopes of eating together. You knew he might not come home until the early hours of the morning again today, but you knew he'd appreciate the food even if he had to reheat it.
You opened the door to your apartment and paused once you saw Gavin's shoes near the door. Immediately, a smile donned your face as you called out to him. Quickly taking your shoes off, you practically ran inside with your eyes darting around until you spotted Gavin approaching you.
"Welcome home," Gavin said as you threw yourself into him, awkwardly wrapping your arms around his torso with the takeaway bags still in your hands. You released a content sigh as you basked in his warmth, not wanting to pull away despite the awkward position.
"I brought food," You muttered into his chest, making Gavin chuckle.
"I can see that. Thank you," Gavin replied before starting to pull away. He took the takeaway bags from you with one hand and grabbed one of your hands with the other. Gavin led you to the table and placed the bags down before turning to your kitchen draws. He took out everything you needed, navigating the ins and outs of your kitchen from memory with no hesitation.
"We should live together," You blurted out accidentally. You immediately realised what you said and felt nervous, scared that Gavin would disagree. As you looked at him, you noticed a blush blossoming across Gavin's skin. He seemed to pause for a second before smiling at you and speaking.
"After the holidays, we're too busy to move in together right now," He stated, seemingly not feeling the need to say any more on the topic. He placed the cutlery on the table and moved to sit down, ready to eat.
You both ate slowly, too focused on being with each other properly for the first time in what feels like forever. You told each other about your days, taking bites of food now and then as you hung onto each other's every word. Gavin couldn't tell you much about his work, but he still could always share Eli's antics and all the things he saw that were not confidential. He sees a lot while flying over the city. You shared stories about your workdays too. A smile was on your face the whole time regardless of the subject; Gavin's presence alone was enough to make you happy.
Christmas Eve
You woke up to an empty apartment once again. You couldn't help feeling a bit sad as you got up and started getting ready for work, but you were happy you at least got to spend last night with Gavin.
You tried to stay positive as you headed to work, deciding to focus on getting as much done as you can for the chance to get off early tomorrow. There was still some editing to do and preparations to check over for a Christmas special that would be live.
As you entered the office, you noticed everyone seemed to be wearing some Christmas attire. Minor was walking around in a Santa hat, Anna had ornament earrings, and both Willow and Kiki had traded their usual tops for some of the ugliest Christmas sweaters you had ever seen. You felt your mood lift a little and reaffirmed your determination to work hard.
As the day passed, you fully immersed yourself in your work, almost forgetting any sadness until your workday was over. You said goodbye to everyone and wished some of them a Merry Christmas in advance. Most of them wouldn't be here tomorrow. You had arranged everything so that only the bare minimum amount of staff needed to come in for the shoot tomorrow. You'd have Christmas eve off to briefly recover from the holiday rush, but until then, you knew that you needed to work hard.
You made your way home, silently hoping that Gavin would be there to greet you. You slowly made your way through the city, taking in all the lights and decorations. While you wanted to arrive him quickly for the chance to see Gavin, a part of you felt inclined to walk as slowly as possible to delay the disappointment of not finding him there.
Eventually, you arrive at your apartment. Opening the door, you immediately looked for Gavin's shoes, only to be disappointed when nothing was there. You ate dinner and went through your nighttime routine before going to bed, falling asleep with the hopes of seeing Gavin when you woke up.
In the early hours of the morning, you were stirred awake by the bed moving. Rolling over and cracking your eyes open, you squinted in the direction of the movement with sleep clouded eyes.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Gavin quietly asked as he climbed into bed.
"It's okay. I wanted to see you," You assured Gavin, your voice groggy. You shuffled closer to him, wanting to bask in his warmth. Usually, when Gavin returned late he merely laid beside you, not wanting to touch you in fear of waking you from your slumber. Tonight, Gavin took advantage of you already being awake; He reached out for you and pulled you into his chest, his arms clasped firmly around you. You released a content sigh and instantly felt more relaxed.
"Will you be back early tomorrow?" You asked hopefully, your sleepiness allowing you to be completely honest with your feelings. You felt Gavin tense, and he was silent for a few seconds before answering.
"I'll try my best," He assured you, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head as sleep overtook you once again.
Christmas Day
When you woke up, you already knew the apartment was going to be empty. Attempting to delay the inevitable as long as possible, you stayed in bed for a while hugging Gavin's pillow; it still smelt like him and offered you a bit of comfort. Eventually, you got out of bed, got ready, and headed into the office for what you hoped to be a short day at work.
You greeted the small amount of staff in the office and immediately got to work. The live shoot today was easy and only ran for half an hour. The only benefit of live shoots is that there were no retakes to prolong the shoot. You hoped that if you got everything else done before the shoot, you could go home immediately after. Filled with determination, you finished all your additional work as fast as possible and headed to the set.
Luckily, the shoot went smoothly. While everyone seemed tired, there was also a sense of relief in the air as you all packed up. As you put the last pieces of equipment away, you could practically feel everyone's excitement, unable to hide their anticipation to head home and spend the rest of the day with their loved ones. Everyone said their goodbyes happily and headed home one by one until you were the only one left. You gathered your belongings and started to head home as well. You strolled through the city, hoping once again that Gavin would be waiting for you.
When you arrived home, the first thing you did was check for Gavin's shoes. Seeing them absent, you couldn't stop the sad sigh that left you. You took your shoes off and trudged your way into the apartment. Despite your sadness, you still felt the need to be prepared just in case Gavin did come.
You retrieved Gavin's gift from its hiding spot and placed it on the table before going into the kitchen. Putting on your apron, you started to prepare a meal for yourself and hopefully Gavin. Once you finished cooking, you plated a serving for yourself and put the leftovers away. You wrote a note for Gavin about the food before you forgot and went to eat on the couch. Switching on the TV to a random Christmas program, you zoned out as you ate your food. The jolliness of the program helped lift your mood, but it wasn't enough to completely dispel your sadness. You ended up watching TV long after you had finished your food. Eventually, the exhaustion of the week caught up with you, and you found yourself struggling to keep your eyes open until you finally succumbed to sleep.
You woke up to the sound of the window opening. Gavin climbed through, trying his best to be quiet before realising you were awake. Disregarding how much sound he was making allowed Gavin to move faster, and he quickly approached you. Gavin knelt in front of you and looked up into your barely awake eyes. He picked up one of your hands and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss into your palm.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Gavin apologised before letting go of your hand and starting to get up. Knowing you were still half asleep, he gently lifted you and carried you to the bed. Gavin gently tucked you in and placed a chaste kiss on your forehead. Gavin stripped himself of his jacket and jeans before joining you and pulling you towards him. "Merry Christmas, MC." You heard him say into your hair before succumbing to sleep once again.
Belated Christmas Day
When you woke up, you felt a wave of happiness upon realising you were still in Gavin's arms. You pulled yourself impossibly closer to him, feeling the most content you had in weeks. Stirred by your movement, you heard Gavin groan as he slowly awoke from his slumber.
"Good morning," He said groggily. You returned the greeting before turning your head to place a kiss on his jawline. He returned the favour by kissing the crown of your head and pulling you tightly against him. You both laid in comfortable silence for a few moments before he spoke again. "I got you a present," Gavin stated, his voice sounding excited but nervous.
"So did I," You replied into his chest. You were excited to give him your gift and receive yours, but you also wanted to stay in Gavin's arms for as long as you could.
"I saw, but I wanted to open them together," Gavin said before starting to move to get up. He pulled you along with him until you were seated on the couch next to the coffee table you had placed his gift on yesterday. Gavin's gift had been joined by another gift of a similar size, neatly placed there while you were sleeping.
"You first," You insisted, grabbing the gift you brought Gavin and holding it out to him. Gavin smiled at you as he took the gift and gently started unwrapping it. He quickly realised what it was and his smile widened, he opened the box and carefully took the watch out moving to put it on. You reached out to put it on for him, he conceded, letting you completely take over. You finished putting it on and were about to pull your hands away when Gavin grasped them. "Thank you. I love it," He told you sincerely and squeezed your hands before letting go. "It's your turn," He grabbed your gift and hesitated for a second before holding it out to you.
Taking the gift from his hands, you unwrapped it to find a cardboard box. Once you opened the box, the first thing you saw was a jewellery box. You took the box out and opened it to reveal a necklace. It was shaped like a ginkgo leaf and clearly made to match the bracelet Gavin gave you when you first reunited. You were unable to stop the smile that spread across your face as you looked at the necklace and then Gavin. You were about to thank him when he cut you off to tell you there's still more, directing a pointed glance at the cardboard box you had placed back on the table. As you grabbed the box, you heard a distinct jingle. Looking inside, you pulled out a pair of what looked like house keys.
"I got us a place, so we can finally move in together," Gavin told you before you could say anything. He seemed nervous, but any nerves he had disappeared when you excitedly threw yourself into his arms. He hugged you back as you practically bounced with excitement.
"Can we go see it?" You asked him with your arms still wrapped around his torso. "Tomorrow, today we should enjoy the rest of our time here and celebrate," Gavin replied. You thanked Gavin for both gifts, and he squeezed you closer in reply before pulling away.
"Merry Christmas again, MC," Gavin said before giving you a chaste kiss on the lips.
"Merry Christmas, Gavin," You replied as soon as his lips left yours and then kissed him again in return.
You spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying each others company. While no more Christmas programs were playing on TV, that didn't stop you from streaming a bunch of Christmas movies yourselves while drowning yourselves in food. As long as you got to celebrate with Gavin, the date didn't make a difference. You enjoyed what would be one of your last nights in your current apartment, knowing that your future living together would be even more joyous.
