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“Staring out the window, ain’t gonna make him appear any sooner, you know, sweetie pie.” His mom says, lipstick painted mouth curled in a grin. It’s fine, she can laugh at him, but Bradley knows it’ll work.
”It will. He’ll be here.”
She walks over and brushes a hand over his blond curls, peeking out the window to where snow is just starting to fall. “Santa waits until little munchkins like you are in bed, Baby Goose.”
Bradley huffs and rolls his eyes; leaning on his folded arms on the windowsill. She just doesn’t get it. He doesn’t care about Santa. “I’m not waiting for Santa, mom.”
”Who are you waiting for then, hmm?” She frowns at him in confusion, and Bradley sighs, because he thought it was obvious. But then he is six, so it would be obvious to him. Grown-ups always seem to miss the obvious he finds.
”I’m waiting for Mav.”
Her face goes all soft, like the mushy avocado he found in the fridge the other day, and Bradley looks away from her back out the window, because he knows she’ll think he’s stupid for thinking Mav is going to turn up. It’s Christmas Eve and he never said he was coming. But Bradley just knows—
he knows Mav is going to turn up, because Mav always knows when Bradley needs to see him the most, and Bradley really needs to see him, it’s been months. Mav never lets him down.
His mom strokes his hair and sighs, “I’ll make you some hot cocoa and marshmallows, okay? Seeing as you’re waiting by the window and it’s starting to get chilly.”
His curls bounce as he nods. “Thanks, mom.”
She probably thinks she’ll have to deal with his tears when Mav doesn’t turn up, but Bradley isn’t thinking about that. He just stares out the window, waiting for his favourite person to appear.
He sips on his cocoa once his mom hands it to him; chewing on the little marshmallows that float on top. His mom goes into the other room; tidying things away. His eyes start to feel heavy with sleep, but he refuses to close them. Mav will be here, he knows it.
And just as he drinks the last bit of cocoa, he hears it. The rumble of Mav’s bike. Mav shouldn’t have ridden in the snow, but Bradley doesn’t care. He puts down his mug, and runs to the door. Unlocks it, and the chill of outside hits him with a blast, making him shiver.
”Mav!” He yells in excitement; rushing straight for his best friend.
”Baby Bird!”
Mav opens his arms wide and Bradley flings himself at him. Mav catches him easily and cuddles him to his chest. Bradley wraps his legs around Mav’s torso, and buries his face in his neck. He smells all cold like the snow, but he also smells just like Mav. It’s Bradley’s favourite smell.
”Shouldn’t you be in bed, kiddo?” Mav chuckles, carrying him inside; brushing the snow off his hair, one-handed.
”Yes, he should,” his mom answers; kissing Mav on the cheek. “But he was waiting for you. Somehow he knew you’d be here.”
“Ruined my surprise, huh?” Mav tickles his belly, so Bradley doesn’t think he’s mad.
”Still the best surprise, Mav.” He hugs him tighter, never wanting to let go.
”Baby Goose is right, it’s the best surprise, Sugar.”
Mav grins; cheeks rosy with the cold. “Well, that’s good because I didn’t exactly have time to buy presents.”
Bradley’s arms tighten around Mav’s neck where he clings to him. “Don’t need presents. Have you, Mav.”
”Oh, Baby Bird. I love you so much.”
”Love you too, Mav.”
His mom giggles, “well, looks like you’re in the right place to show it, darlings.” She points upwards, and Bradley tilts his head back. Sees the mistletoe pinned to the ceiling.
Mav gasps dramatically. “Not mistletoe! You know that that means! Here comes the kiss monster!”
"No, no, Mav!" Bradley screeches and giggles, doing absolutely nothing to wiggle out of Mav's grip.
And then Mav’s peppering kisses all over Bradley’s face, and Bradley can’t stop laughing, and yeah, this is the best Christmas ever.
+
Bradley runs a hand over his curls and smooths his moustache down on his way to the front door. “Hey, Mav,” he says, opening it and pulling the older man into a hug. “Merry Christmas.”
”Merry Christmas to you too, Sweetheart.”
It’s their first one together since they became estranged. Bradley hadn’t been sure if Mav already had plans, but he’d made himself ask, because not talking got them nowhere, and Mav had said he was free. And so here they were. The ham was in the oven cooking, and everything else was prepped or cooking too, and Bradley is just really happy Mav is here.
”Nice apron.” Mav grins at him as he hangs up his jacket; toeing off his boots.
Bradley looks down at the apron and cringes. Nat had bought it for him at a joke. It said, ‘My other buns are in the kitchen’. He quickly unties it and takes it off; cheeks flaming red. “Yeah, let’s just ignore that.”
Mav laughs. “Spoil sport.”
He folds the apron over a chair and grabs them both a beer. Mav takes his with a soft smile and clinks them together. “To being reunited.”
”To saving each other’s lives and the power of forgiveness.”
They both take a deep pull of their beers, and Bradley nods in the direction of the living room. “Shall we see if there’s anything on TV? Nothing needs doing food wise for the moment.”
”Sure.”
He follows Mav into the living room and sets his beer on the coffee table. Bradley moves to go sit down when Mav says, “huh.”
Bradley looks at him. “What?”
Mav points towards the ceiling. Bradley flushes beet red, because oh—
he’d forgotten he’d hung that there. Hadn’t thought anyone would stand underneath it. Especially not with himself so close. “You, uh, don’t need to do anything,” he mumbles, averting his gaze. Because if there’s one person he’d love to kiss under the mistletoe, it’s Mav. But they’d only been back in each other’s lives for a couple of months and he doesn’t want to ruin things.
”I think you’ll find I do, Baby Bird. It’s mistletoe. You know what that means.”
Bradley sighs fondly. “The kiss monster?” He chuffs; presenting his cheek to Mav, like he did when he was a kid.
“Exactly.”
Except, he doesn’t feel Mav’s lips on his cheek a moment later. There’s fingers under his chin instead and then Mav is turning his head so Bradley has no choice but to look deep into Mav’s green eyes, and then—
Oh.
Mav’s lips slot against his own; hand cupping his cheek to hold him still. Bradley whines into the kiss, and wrapping his arms around Mav, tugs hims close. Mav chuckles against his mouth and leans up on his tiptoes to press in even closer. Bradley rests his hand on the dimples of his back, and he doesn’t know how long they stand there under the mistletoe kissing, but they only stop when the oven timer rings.
Bradley quickly runs into the kitchen to put more food in the oven, and then rushes back. Mav’s not moved an inch. “Hi,” he says, breathlessly, feeling like what just happened had been a dream.
”Hi, Sweetheart.”
”Were you meant to kiss me like that?”
Mav takes a swig of his beer. “Mmhmm. That okay?” His brow furrows, worried.
“More than okay, S’just….what did it mean to you? Because I know what it means to me and I don’t—“
Mav stops his babbling; linking their fingers together and tugging him onto the sofa. The older man snuggles in close; pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “I kissed you because I love you, and you’re all I want in my life. Does that match up with you?”
Bradley nods, overjoyed. “Yeah. It..yeah it really does. I’ve only ever wanted you, Mav. You were my Christmas wish every year, even when we weren’t talking.”
”Well, now your wish has come true. But remember…a Mav is for life, not just for Christmas.”
Bradley hugs him close and seeks out his lips, kissing him sweet and slow, and yeah, that suits him fine, because he can’t think of anything better than having Mav in his life, and in his arms, forever.