This was the best Christmas gift he’d ever gotten, he was pretty sure.
And Mike tasted faintly of stale beer, but he smelled like he always did, and his chest was warm and solid under Ezra’s palms, yet another sensible, touchable sweater there for Ezra to curl his fingers into and hold on tight. Ezra let himself lean against Mike’s body, gently sliding their lips together, letting himself have this, just for a few moments, to convince himself it was real.
He wasn’t about to have the kind of desperate makeout session he desperately needed in front of everyone, but he didn’t mind swiping his tongue over Mike’s lips as he backed off, grinning.
“Love you too,” Ezra murmured, knowing now that he didn’t have to hide it anymore. “I’ve loved you for years,” he added. “But I’ve never beeninlove with you like this before.”
“Same here, I think,” Mike murmured, reaching out to stroke Ezra’s hair, tucking an imaginary strand behind his ear. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
Ezra shook his head. “No more apologies,” he said. “Consider yourself one hundred percent forgiven. It’s Christmas.”
Mike chuckled. “Helluva gift,” he said, eyes sparkling with joy.
Ezra was never sure whether Mike really understood how gorgeous he was or not. It would have been so easy to look at him all day, and he planned on doingexactlythat in the coming days. They had plenty of time before the world needed them again.
“I can’t lose you, either,” Ezra murmured, letting his eyes fall closed as he leaned in for another kiss, this one softer, gentler. His lips pressed against Mike’s, just slightly parted, stomach flipping over at the rush of happiness.
Ezra let his hands slide down Mike’s chest, settling them at his waist. He grinned up, aware that he looked like an idiot, but not even close to caring.
“Come home with me?” he asked, hope swelling in his chest.
Mike nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll come home with you.”
