Chapter 382: Christmas morning
Andrew couldn’t take his damn eyes off of Maxwell. The man was so sexy, especially since his ears were bright fucking pink as he moved towards the front doors of his parents house and went about greeting everyone.
Every once in a while he’d give Andrew a little look, a knowing glance, and Andrew had restrain himself. Especially since he was next to Luis, Maxwell’s Mom.
It was Thomas who made a comment before anyone else could to Andrew. It was honestly surprising that he did. Thomas had asked Andrew to help him put away their coats and to help him grab a few of the trays of breakfast pastries that the staff had prepared.
A tradition so that their people could have Christmas off. Help them semi prepare the meals for the next three days, label them, and then they could go and the Becketts would fend for themselves. This year they also had Andy, so Thomas was more hopeful than previous years.
Andrew was in the middle of laughing at a joke that Thomas had said before his senses sharpened and he felt that the way that Thomas was looking at him shifted.
"We honestly weren’t expecting you as early as you came." Thomas started and Andrew could feel himself breaking out into a sweat.
"Oh?" Andrew said, his body tensing up.
"Yeah. You’re a new couple, it’s Christmas. I’m sure you had some gifts that you wanted to give each other without others around." Andrew froze. He had been pulling the saran wrap off of a few trays of baked goods, but now his body wouldn’t listen to him.
"What?" Andrew could feel how tight his voice was, and how stiff he’d gotten. Thomas’ gaze narrowed, before a smile touched his lips.
"Andy, I’m not an idiot. I can see the way that Max is looking at you. You didn’t have to arrive when you did, because I’m worried I’m going to walk in on you two doing something I do not want to know." Thomas’ lips were twitching as Andrew felt like he couldn’t breathe.
He’d never had to have this kind of conversation before. Partially because he’d never met Tracey’s family, and he’d been focused on his Mom in his teens and early twenties. He hadn’t had time to really date around enough to meet families. Was this...normal?
"I, uh, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-" Thomas reached out, laughing loudly as he patted Andrew’s shoulder.
"It’s okay, son. I’m not mad, alright? You look as pale as a damn ghost. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m more saying you didn’t have to rush, alright? What would be a greater gift for us than to find out we were expecting another grandchild, hmm?" Thomas suggested and Andrew thought he was going to have a panic attack.
Relief flooded his system and Thomas watched as Andrew exhaled, gripping onto the edge of the counter to keep his legs from shaking.
"You had me so scared there for a second. I thought you wanted me dead, Thomas." Andrew told him and he laughed louder.
"How in the world would I want you dead when you make my Max so happy?" Thomas asked, shaking his head while he smiled. "I more meant you two could have shown up at 5 pm and we might have made fun of you, but that’s about it. Spending the day with us in any capacity is nice. Max used to not even show up sometimes, preferring work to being with his family." There was a tightness in Thomas’ voice as he said that. "It’s our fault, I know, but I can’t help but feel grateful that you’ve managed to bridge that gap for us." Thomas sighed, before he nodded.
He turned a bright smile to Andrew, his eyes kind as he looked over the taller man before he reached out, giving Andrew’s shoulder a squeeze. Andrew’s throat was tight with emotion as the older man sighed.
"So, take your time. Tell me to avoid certain parts of the house, alright?" Thomas said with a wink. "I did the same thing to Ben too, so don’t think you’re getting a special kind of treatment." Thomas warned, and that only made this moment even more special.
Andrew was fairly certain that this wasn’t a normal moment. That this was something people didn’t always get. Andrew was so easily accepted into the family after he had worried that he would never be accepted that it almost felt too easy. He wasn’t sure if he deserved something like this, and yet here he was.
Andrew’s throat was tight with emotion as he nodded. Thomas’ expression softened as Andrew processed all that Thomas had said.
He’d called him son. Even if it was in passing, it still meant a lot to Andrew that a man like Thomas had said it. After the shitshow he’d made of their party...
Even if everyone said that they were fine, it was good to see proof that they meant their words.
"I’ll make sure to try." Andrew told him, and Thomas grinned, smacking him on the shoulder.
"Just make sure the door locks, alright? And lock it, of course." Thomas said with a wink and Andrew chuckled, nodded, and grabbed the tray again with his hands. Thomas followed suit with his own tray, and Andrew walked back out into the company of the others with more relaxed shoulders, and a calmer demeanor.
~
Andrew wasn’t sure what to expect from this kind of an event with the Becketts. He wasn’t sure if it was going to be a big deal, or if it was more casual. He certainly didn’t expect it to be as low key as it actually was.
Amir was heavily pregnant now, and spent most of his time on his feet, with Ben intimately holding up his stomach to give him some relief. It felt strange to witness it, like he was watching a moment he shouldn’t see, but no one paid them too much attention.
Luis had a few stacks of gifts for everyone, organised with name plates and several stockings set up and also labelled.
Everyone had drinks, optional alcohol, and it was just them. Luis, Thomas, Ben, Amir, Andrew and Maxwell. Amir’s grandparents were going to swing by later in the evening as they had some prior Christmas morning obligations with other family members that Amir had turned down in favour of being with the Becketts. Will wasn’t here, which did seem to worry Luis, but Thomas wouldn’t stand listening to it.
The Beckett’s even face timed Rue to wish him a Merry Christmas and Andrew could see how emotional that made Rue. At one point, Rue started crying and Luis took the phone and rushed away, whispering kind words to him as another member of Rue’s family showed up on screen.
Andrew felt his heart break for the guy. It was clear that Rue really liked the Beckett family and that the feeling was reciprocated, but that shouldn’t come at the cost of having to deal with a man who cheated on him. That was something that could never be tolerated.
Andrew hoped that the man hadn’t been in love with Will, but given his reactions...yeah, he didn’t think that wasn’t the case. He wanted to shake some sense into Will, but given that he wasn’t here...there was a chance that Will knew, Will realised he was the problem, but he couldn’t bring himself over the next hurdle.
Admitting he was wrong and changing for the better.
After the phone call with Rue, the family got to opening presents. Andrew didn’t expect much, really, he hadn’t had crazy Christmas mornings with his Mom. They weren’t about the monetary side of things, and more about the feelings and emotions. Which was to say, Andrew only expected a few gifts.
He didn’t realise that his pile was the second largest, after Amir because he was an expecting Mom and most of his gifts were about his recovery after the baby.
Andrew was stunned at the amount of gifts that the others had gotten. Clothes, cooking books, just little things that Andrew hadn’t expected them to pick up on. Even Maxwell’s gifts were crazy for him, all over the top.
Andrew was fairly certain the watch that Ben and Amir had gotten him cost the same price as his first car. Andrew felt like the gifts he had gotten them in comparison weren’t as good. They were thoughtful gifts, sure, but they didn’t have the same throw around weight that everything else the others had gotten him had.
He was surprised when Luis started crying about the gift that he’d gotten her.
It wasn’t anything special in Andrew’s eyes. He just noticed that Luis liked a certain flower, liked a certain colour, and had gotten a nice book bound in the same colour, with the favourite flower etched onto every page. It was a thoughtful gift, and while it was expensive in Andrew’s mind, it wasn’t a $25 000 watch expensive. Just a couple hundred dollars.
The rest of Andrew’s gifts had the same kind of energy. Thoughtful, mildly expensive and showed that Andrew had been paying attention to the others. Maxwell looked so proud as the rest of his family grew emotional at what Andrew had gifted them, until it came to Maxwell.
The silly man had thought that Andrew had only gotten him the fuck machine and accompanying parts. That had been a last minute gift, not what Andrew had actually wanted to give him. Just something that he had a feeling that Maxwell would enjoy.
No, Andrew had spent a long, long time mulling over what to get Maxwell that would show how much that he cared for the other man.
It wasn’t here, since it was too big, but Andrew had gotten him something for his office at work. He hoped that he liked it, since compared to the others, Maxwell just opened a handwritten card with a few pictures, an information slip, and that was about it.
Andrew had gotten him a handmade desk. A new, wooden desk that Andrew had helped put the finishing touches on. Only for Maxwell, made in colours that he thought would suit him and with woods that held deeper meanings. He’d made sure to have specific flowers carved into the decorations, with dried flowers pressed into certain parts of the desk.
When Maxwell opened the card and read it, Andrew held his breath. Maxwell didn’t give a reaction at all. He remained still, silent as his eyes scanned the words and then he slowly picked up the photos that the company had sent him. It would be installed in the new year, if Maxwell liked it. If he didn’t?
Andrew would figure something out.
Andrew waited, watching, and then panicked when a tear welled up in Maxwell’s eye and spilled over before he flung himself and Andrew. He hugged the man, his grip so tight Andrew was worried that the other man was going to hurt himself.
"What did he get him?" Amir asked, his voice hushed and Ben chuckled.
"Something good, I suspect." Ben replied quickly as Maxwell began to kiss Andrew’s face, showering him with affection and love.