“Obviously,” Archie said, peeling off his sweater and stepping into the new pajamas. They changed right there in the living room, tossing clothes onto the couch and laughing as they tried to wiggle into the snug flannel pants.
Brogan grabbed his camera from the shelf and started snapping pictures—first of Archie alone, then the two of them together under the tree, arms wrapped around each other, cheeks pressed close. Molly and Pasha wandered in, curious, so they scooped them up and added them to the chaos. Archie held Pasha like a baby while Brogan tried to get Molly to look at the lens.
Just as Brogan clicked another photo, the doorbell rang.
Archie padded over in his reindeer pajamas and opened the door to find Andrew and Rafael standing there, bundled up and grinning.
“We snuck out,” Andrew said. “Didn’t want to go to Midnight mass.”
Archie laughed. “You’re just in time. We’re in peak holiday mode.”
Once they were all inside, warm and settled, Archie stood up again and cleared his throat dramatically. “One present for each of our cousins. From me and Brogan.”
“Sounds good to me,” Rafael said.
“Did you know they were coming?” Brogan asked Archie.
“I figured they would skip Midnight mass. Where else would they go on Christmas Eve?”
Archie squatted by the tree and selected two presents. He handed each one a present. They unwrapped their gifts and inside they had the same pajamas Brogan and Archie were wearing.
“Matching PJs!” Rafael laughed.
“Let’s wear them so Brogan can use his camera?” Andrew suggested.
Before Rafael said anything, Andrew stripped down to his underwear and put on his new pajamas. Rafael leaned over to Andrew and kissed him.
“Thanks, you guys,” Rafael said as he stripped down and put on his new pajamas.
With warm hugs, they exchanged thanks, their voices filled with emotion.
“Who wants some eggnog?” Archie asked.
“Where are we going to get that?” Brogan asked.
“I made it and stored it in the refrigerator. I had a feeling we were going to have guests.”
They all followed Archie into the kitchen. Brogan popped three types of appetizers in the oven to go with their eggnog. Brogan pulled out some frozen Bacon Mozzarella Poppers he had made from scratch. Archie pulled up the hot chicken wings that had been marinating. He popped them into the oven. He also pulled out the cheese dish they both had cut up into cubes for tomorrow.
Rafael poured the eggnog into the Santa mugs. Andrew pulled out four large matching Santa dishes and passed them around. Archie was happy he had made a lot of eggnog. Both Rafael and Andrew filled their mugs many times before the snacks came out of the oven. Brogan carried the cheese snacks out into the living room and put them on the coffee table.
Archie sat beside Brogan, their knees touching.
Archie could tell Rafael and Andrew were way too tipsy to drive home. Andrew was giggling at the blinking lights on the tree like they were telling him secrets, and Rafael had sung along to a Christmas song he clearly didn’t know the words to.
Brogan didn’t even hesitate. “You two are staying here tonight,” he said. “No arguments.”
After Brogan took pictures of all four of them, they ended up playing cards in the living room, sprawled out in theirmatching pajamas, laughing over a chaotic game of Go Fish that somehow turned into Truth or Dare halfway through. Archie hadn’t laughed that hard in weeks. When they finally got tired, Archie stood and stretched, then waved everyone toward the kitchen. “Snack time,” he announced. “Follow me.”
Brogan was already pulling trays from the freezer, popping three kinds of appetizers into the oven. Archie peeked over his shoulder—mini quiches, spinach puffs, and those bacon mozzarella poppers Brogan had made from scratch last weekend and frozen for “a special occasion.” Apparently, this was it.
Archie grabbed the marinated chicken wings from the fridge—spicy and sweet, and slid them onto a baking sheet. He also pulled out the cheese dish they’d prepped for tomorrow’s sharp cheddar, creamy brie, and a cranberry spread that looked way fancier than it was.
Rafael took charge of the drinks, pouring eggnog into the Santa mugs with dramatic flair. “I feel like Mrs. Claus,” he said, handing one to Archie.
Andrew rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out four oversized Santa plates, passing them around like they were sacred relics. Archie couldn’t help but smile—he was glad he’d made a huge batch of eggnog. Rafael and Andrew refilled their mugs at least twice before the oven timer dinged.
Brogan carried the trays out to the living room, setting them down on the coffee table as if he were presenting a feast. The room smelled of melted cheese, bacon, and cinnamon, and Archie felt a wave of contentment settle over him. Everyone was warm, fed, and just a little bit ridiculous. It was messy and loud and perfect.
