Tyler got their snow gear off and found the blocks Jamie kept stashed in his hall closet. They settled into the living room, Rowan happily playing on the floor while Tyler got them both water from the kitchen.
There was a knock on the door, and Tyler ran over to get it, his wool socks sliding against the wood floor.
He paid the delivery driver cash and carried the bag back to the kitchen, setting it on the counter before joining Rowan on the floor.
“Hello?” The door shut loudly behind Jamie as he walked into the kitchen from the garage.Fuck, he looked good. He wore a green and red argyle sweater with dark wool trousers that hugged his thighs. When Jamie saw them, his face split into a huge smile, and any doubt in Tyler’s mind about sneaking into his boyfriend’s house was washed away. “Hey! What are you two doing here?”
Rowan jumped up and ran over to Jamie, bouncing up anddown. “We did a surprise for you, Jamie! A Christmas surprise! Because it’s Christmas today!”
Jamie’s eyes widened. “Really?”
Tyler walked over to Jamie, wrapping his arms around him. “Merry Christmas,” he said, going up on his toes with a silent request.
Jamie kissed him softly. “I’m so happy you’re here,” he said against Tyler’s lips. “Best surprise ever.”
Tyler sank back down to his heels and looked at Rowan. “Should we show Jamie his Christmas surprise?”
Rowan nodded eagerly.
“Okay,” Tyler started, reaching for the bag on the counter. “There was a little hiccup in step one of your surprise, because Culver’s is closed on Christmas. I hope Chinese food is alright—I got you General Tso’s chicken and egg drop soup.”
Jamie bent over the bag and inhaled. “Mmmmm,” he said. “Smells perfect. Did you get some for you guys, too?”
“Yeah,” Tyler went on. “And there’s a case of Spotted Cow in the fridge.”
“Really? You got me a Cow case?”
“And, for the main event, you’ll probably want to throw another layer on.”
A few minutes later, they were all layered up for the cold afternoon again. Rowan walked between them, holding tightly to both of their hands. When they reached the edge of the lake, Jamie let out a warm laugh. “You didn’t,” he said, glancing between the distant ice fishing hut and Tyler. “Did you set up my hut?”
Tyler grinned, satisfaction curling in him at the happiness on Jamie’s face. “I used the auger and everything.”
Jamie leaned over and kissed him hard. When he drew back, his eyes were bright, the green taking on an almost-blue hue under the pale sky. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Papa says you’re his favorite friend,” Rowan said, looking up at them. “And we should do nice things for our favorite people.”
Jamie’s eyes softened. “Your Papa is a smart guy,” he said,before rubbing his palms together. “How about I teach you boys how to ice fish?”
“Yes!” Rowan clapped his mittens together. “Are there snacks?”
“Let’s eat the food your Papa got us, and then we can go out to the hut and get cozy.” Jamie reached down and scooped Rowan into his arms. “Did you know I have a special heater in the ice hut?”
Later, Rowan sat curled up on Tyler’s lap, his eyes drifting shut. The light was fading in the small hut, which was surprisingly warm given how small the heater was. Soft country music filled the air, and Jamie sat across from them with the wooden handle of the fishing pole tucked under one thigh.
He watched them with a small smile on his face.
“What?” Tyler asked.
Jamie just shrugged. “It feels good to have you here.”
“It feels good to be here,” Tyler echoed. “I want to keep making time for you. For us.”
“Me too.” Jamie reached out with his boot and nudged Tyler’s shin. “It’s been amazing spending all this time together. Moments like this are going to be rare once I go back into the lineup. I’ll be busy again.”
“Are you excited to play?”
Jamie nodded. “Yeah. I’ve missed it.” Tyler watched him closely, noticing the slip in his smile. “I’m nervous. It sounds ridiculous, but–”
