“Oh,” Sunny said quietly, still trying to internalize the idea.
Grant…
Loved him? Maybe?
He hadn’t said that, but what he’d just said cameveryclose to being exactly that.
Sunny had no idea how he felt. He liked Grant a lot, and wanted to be close to him, and wanted more of everything they’d had for the last twenty-four hours or so, but…
Grant was his favorite person, too. Theonlyperson he’d want to be stuck like this with, really.
He would have been fine being stuck with Clare, but this had been fun. Even if they’d both been missing out on time with their families.
For Sunny, it felt like a fair trade.
“Is that, uh… is that not okay?” Grant asked after Sunny had been silent for a few moments too long.
“Oh, no, not… I mean, that’s more than okay. That’s… wow.”
Grant hummed again, tucking Sunny’s head under his chin and holding him a little closer. “I’ve never met anyone like you,” he said.
“I’ve never met anyone like you, either,” Sunny murmured, suddenly aware of how true it was.
He’d never felt like this before about anyone. No one he’d ever had any kind of relationship with had even comecloseto making him as effortlessly content as he was right now. Ashappy.
It was such a huge feeling that Sunny wasn’t entirely sure his body could contain it.
“This is better than getting into an argument with my uncle,” Sunny said after a moment. He would have liked to see his parents for Christmas, but given a choice between cuddling with Grant and crying at the dinner table, he’d definitely choose to cuddle with Grant, every time.
“Your uncle goes home eventually, right?”
“Yeah, eventually. Usually before nine, when I can stop hiding in my old room again.”
“So stay here until then,” Grant offered. “I mean, if the roads are even clear enough to leave by then. What I’m saying is… consider yourself invited to Christmas with my family instead, if they get here. And Christmas with me if they don’t.”
Sunny swallowed.
This was fast, but…
He didn’t hate the idea. Not even a little.
Being with Grant, now that they’d gotten over the first hurdle, felt so easy that Sunny could have cried happy tears all night. It was such areliefto find such joy in another person, to feel so comfortable.
“Okay,” Sunny agreed, the temptation too strong to resist. The idea of neatly avoiding his other relativesandgetting to meet Grant’s family sounded perfect right now.
“Good. That’s settled,” Grant said, pressing a kiss to the top of Sunny’s head. “Sunny?”
“Hmm?” Sunny murmured, his eyes suddenly heavy. Knowing he didn’t have to worry about tomorrow was a weight off his mind, so he was more than ready to sleep now.
“Merry Christmas,” Grant murmured.
Sunny glanced over at the digital clock on the wall, the only light in the room aside from the stars outside the window.
It read 12:01.
He smiled, snuggling into Grant’s chest, his heart swelling with joy at how good this felt.
“Merry Christmas,” he responded softly.
So far, it was pretty damned good.
