Kalisto knew Sin Cara was awake when his breaths fluctuated from slow and yawning to quicker in delicate intakes. Kalisto had been awake for a little while now, not wanting to disturb his slumbering boyfriend next to him. The hotel room was nippy, but it hardly bothered him considering he was under a sheet and a polyester quilt, Sin Cara's robust arms folded securely around him. He'd been watching snow strew from plump clouds through a slit in the curtains. The weather was setting the perfect mood for the upcoming holiday.

Tonight was the last Raw before Christmas.

Now that he knew Sin Cara was awake, Kalisto folded his hand over Sin Cara's, which rested loosely over Kalisto's bare stomach. In response, Sin Cara snaked both arms past one another over Kalisto's waist and held him snugger. He inclined his lips towards Kalisto's ear, warm breath tickling the nape of his neck. "Buenos dias."

"Buenos dias," Kalisto echoed. "Sleep okay?"

"Oh, yeah."

Kalisto turned onto his other side, nuzzling his head on Sin Cara's hulking shoulder. "Ready for tonight?"

"Claro que si. But let's not think about work yet."

Kalisto understood. The moment was theirs, only theirs, as it was each morning. He'd woken up like this almost every single day for the past couple of months, and the pleasant feeling never got old or diminished. "What do you want to think about?"

"Well, right now I'm thinking about the most beautiful, wonderful man in the world, who happens to be right here next to me…"

Kalisto's countenance glowed. Sin Cara's squeal-worthy remarks never got old or diminished, either. How did he get so lucky?

"And I'm thinking about what I'm gonna get him for Christmas."

"We're days from Christmas, and you still haven't gotten him a present?" Kalisto scoffed playfully. "You're slacking, man."

"Hey, it'd be a lot easier if we weren't together almost every minute of every day. Kinda makes shopping for him in secret tricky."

"Fair enough."

Sin Cara pressed a warm kiss on Kalisto's forehead. "So, what is it, then? ¿Qué quieres para Navidad?"

Kalisto's eyes went to the ceiling as he considered an answer. What did he want for Christmas? As mawkish as it sounded, what he wanted was nothing he didn't already have. The career of his dreams, lived by the day beside the man of his dreams. Money, security, hard work and daily laughs. Happiness, real happiness that he lived instead of simply felt. It was a state, not a sensation. Though he was certainly not lacking in sensation, either. Not with a thoughtful, faithful boyfriend like Sin Cara.

On the other hand, the only thing he didn't have that he wanted…really, truly wanted…something he'd had before and craved to have again…

His eyes moved back into Sin Cara's. "I want the tag team championship."

Sin Cara looked amused, lips twisting into a smile, but Kalisto was firm in his desire. So much for not talking about work. "It's been, what, almost a year since we've had a title? As hard as we work, I feel we've earned it. In spite of our losses, man, we're entitled."

Sin Cara grinned at the unintentional pun. "I know we are. I believe it. It does suck that we keep missing our chance."

"It does. I know it sounds petty, but I'm tired of failing at every opportunity we get. We're better than most. Lo sé." He knew it, and he knew it well. "Bad luck just keeps striking us down. We've gotta overcome it, somehow."

Sin Cara grazed his fingers over Kalisto's back. "Maybe we will tonight. Against the New Day."

Kalisto scoffed again. This time it wasn't so perky. "Man, I hope so. I'm getting tired of losing week after week. And I'm tired of those annoying idiotos frolicking around with the championship like they're something."

"That's what you want for Christmas? The tag team championship?"

"More than anything," Kalisto affirmed with a fire in his gut.

Sin Cara drew in a breath. "Okay. You want the title, Kali, you've got it."

Kalisto's heart lifted to a great pulse. "Tonight?"

"Claro que si, mi tesoro. No matter what it takes, we're going to get that tag team championship. We're going to wear those belts. We're going to get what's ours."

Kalisto was charged by the thought. He wanted to believe Sin Cara. New Day was not easy to beat, but his resolve was reassuring—and sexy. "I can't wait."

Of course it wasn't going to be easy.

But the Lucha Dragons needed this. Sin Cara wanted it, and it meant so much to Kalisto that how could he not go above and beyond, work more ruthlessly than he ever had before in his career, for his heaven? His cielo?

He wanted Kalisto to be happy. He wanted to give Kalisto the best Christmas present in the world.

If that was the tag team title, so it would be.

The Lucha Dragons stood actively in the Gorilla Position, awaiting their cue via entrance theme. The New Day was taking their time with trash talk and unnecessary bellowing. Kalisto, matching Sin Cara in white and pink wrestling attire, was bouncing on his toes, shifting from side to side, his spiritedness pouring forth. Sin Cara got a kick out of it. He was a bit more poised than his partner on the inside, but mentally he was springing even higher than Kalisto. He was ready. This was happening. No matter what. Pase lo que pase.

"Lu-cha! Lu-cha! Lu-cha! Lu-cha! Lu-cha!"

Kalisto and Sin Cara sprinted onto the ramp, thrusting their arms into the air one at a time to the beat of their team's chant. Kalisto faced Sin Cara and smacked both of Sin Cara's hands with his own. Sin Cara resisted the temptation to keep hold on his hands and tow him into a kiss. But now was the time to be professional.

Nobody knew about their relationship quite yet, anyhow.

Sin Cara watched as Kalisto vaulted over the ropes from the ground, then carried out a second flip in the ring. He followed swiftly behind his partner, executing a front handspring to join Kalisto in the ring.

Lillian Garcia introduced them. "Their opponents, at a combined weight of three-hundred and sixty-eight pounds, Kalisto y Sin Cara: the Lucha Dragons!"

New Day had cleared the ring pending their arrival. Sin Cara watched them on the ground, Kofi Kingston and Big E jabbering among themselves while their third man Xavier Woods tried to appeal to the crowd with his damn trombone.

Sin Cara was irritated just looking at them.

The official held the bronze tag team titles in the air. "Esos son nuestros," Sin Cara said, patting Kalisto's chest. The title belts were theirs.

Kofi Kingston was the New Day's first competitor. Sin Cara tapped Kalisto again and offered to fight first for the Lucha Dragons.

The bell rung thrice.

Kofi plowed into Sin Cara. Sin Cara tried to grapple him into a headlock. Kofi shoved Sin Cara back against the ropes to counter. Sin Cara used the momentum to spring off the ropes, release Kofi and dart across the ring to the other side. He ricocheted off those ropes and thrust his hands into Kofi's chest, shoving him to the mat. Sin Cara launched himself off the ropes again as Kofi scrambled to his knees. He tried to trip Sin Cara by grabbing for his legs, but Sin Cara leaped over him, landing on the bottom rope. He ascended the thick cords and discharged a Moonsault, knocking Kofi back onto the mat.

"YES!" Kalisto cheered from the apron. "YES!"

Sin Cara was heartened. It's all for you, mi tesoro.

From his side of the ring, Big E shouted mangled words in Sin Cara's direction. He ignored the most obnoxious New Day member and moved to hit Kofi again, but Kofi booted his leg up and jabbed Sin Cara in the gut. It provided enough time for Kofi to propel to his feet. He swung his fist into the side of Sin Cara's head, driving him to the corner of the ring. He tagged Big E into the match, but remained within the ring, pinning Sin Cara by the throat to the turnbuckles until E struck him in the sternum.

No, Sin Cara thought with a grimace, crumpled on the mat. This is not how it's supposed to go…

Kalisto was outraged, screaming for his partner, jouncing on the apron with both hands clenching the top rope.

E hoisted Sin Cara to his feet, but the Lucha Dragon did not let him accomplish whatever move he had in mind. Instead he twisted around so he was behind E, kneed his burly back twice, then somersaulted backwards to constitute space between them. By the time E was once more aware of his surroundings, Sin Cara had rushed forward and Superkicked E to the mat.

A pin was possible, but Sin Cara knew it was too early. E was still powerful. Lucha had to wear him down a bit more before that would work. Instead, he looked back at his partner, who was obviously itching to get into this ring.

Sin Cara obliged con gusto. He tagged Kalisto in with a hand slap. Kalisto mounted the ropes and whipped off the top, sailing down towards E. E rolled out of the way, and Kalisto wound up the failed attack with a somersault. He was on his feet again in a flash.

Kalisto pushed himself off the ropes, narrowly dodging E's swinging fist in his dash. He leaped onto the middle rope and thrust himself back, razing Big E with a corkscrew crossbody. Kalisto scrambled for the pin, but as Sin Cara predicted, he kicked out at one.

It's alright, Kali. There's still time. You'll get your Christmas gift tonight.

Kalisto took E by the arm and spun him around, kicking his midsection. With a bend in his posture, he was susceptible to attack. Kalisto leaped onto Big E's back, reverse piggyback-ride-style, where his legs were underneath E's arms and he was facing the opposite direction of his adversary. He suspended his body upside-down, his hands touching the mat under his dangling head to secure his balance. Then Kalisto wrapped his arms around E's waist, jumped and aerially rolled forward, under E's legs, into a sitting position. E hit the mat with a loud thud. The announcers praised the move, a sunset flip powerbomb. The official moved in for the count. His hand slapped the ground twice before Kofi Kingston interfered, kicking Kalisto in the head. Kalisto's arms flew over his skull and he rolled onto his side, seeing spots in his vision.

"NO!" Sin Cara roared.

Kofi cackled over the fallen Kalisto. He ignored the official's order to get out of the ring without a tag-in. E slung Kalisto over his shoulder, and Kofi clambered up the ropes, carefully balancing himself on the top. The corner was opposite Sin Cara, so there was nothing he could do but watch in horror as Kofi conducted a diving DDT on su amor. E crushed Kalisto beneath his weight for the pin, but Kalisto kicked out at two.

"COME ON, KALI!" Sin Cara screamed, revealing one of his private nicknames for Kalisto unintentionally. He clapped his hands together and screamed once more through his mask, "COME ON!"

E "officially" tagged Kofi into the match so he could take part in the beating without getting himself disqualified—not that it would have mattered to the champs, because titles were not turned over through wins by disqualifications. Kofi found Sin Cara's backing amusing.

"Your partner's getting agitated over there!" Kofi howled, loud enough for Sin Cara to hear. "Let's give him something to holler about, Kali."

He grabbed Kalisto's arm and swung him into the corner of the ring. A dazed Kalisto had no time to move before Kofi leaped into the air and pinned Kalisto in the corner, straddling his chest, feet resting on the middle rope, thighs crushing Kalisto's biceps to the ropes. Kofi followed up the restraint of the Lucha Dragon with mounted punches.

Xavier Woods blasted his trombone with every hit Kalisto took.

"GET THE HELL OFF HIM!" Sin Cara roared, pacing the apron back and forth with aggression. He had to get over there. Had to protect Kalisto. Somehow.

Kofi was laughing.

Kalisto could taste blood on his lip. His head screamed with pain worse than a migraine. Kofi capped his Koronco Buster by locking Kalisto's neck between his ankles and enforcing a backwards flip, throwing Kalisto through the air. His figure smacked the middle of the ring. Kofi took his time sauntering over for the pin. He knew Kalisto wasn't going anywhere. He was weakened.

To hell with this, Sin Cara thought, his inner voice snarling. If Kofi and E got away with a couple of seconds together on the mat, consequences wouldn't have differed for him. As Kofi lifted one of the flattened Kalisto's legs into the air, Sin Cara scrambled to the top rope and soared into the ring with a pointed elbow, which plowed into Kofi's head. E naturally didn't take kindly to the interference, and he charged back into the ring and tackled Sin Cara to the mat.

The official lost control of the match for a moment. All four wrestlers were beating on one another, Sin Cara simply trying to reach Kalisto who was still moving slowly with a stinging head and blackening vision. Big E constrained him, disallowing him to move forward. Instead Sin Cara opted to move backwards—and take E with him. He struck Big E across the throat with his arm, and E flipped over the top rope. He whirled around and saw Kofi on the mat with a squirming Kalisto in a fixed headlock. Kalisto had one hand on Kofi's strapping arm, trying to pry himself free, while the other hand swung out in front of him, needing aid, needing Sin Cara.

But how the hell to get Kalisto out of that without potentially injuring him?

Kofi voiced Sin Cara's thoughts. "Whatcha gonna do now, Sin Cara?" he heckled.

It was a challenge.

And Sin Cara accepted.

"Cúbrase la cabeza!" he shouted, ordering for Kalisto to cover his head. As best as he could, Kalisto shielded his cranium with both arms. Kofi was confused by the unknown Spanish words when Sin Cara charged him, conducted a three-hundred and sixty spin and used the momentum to inflict a jumping knee strike to Kofi's head. Kofi buckled, letting go of Kalisto. Sin Cara's knee wasn't happy about the strike, and it burned in a new pain as a result. Disregarding it, he lodged his hands beneath Kalisto's arms and gently raised him to his feet. Kalisto leaned against him, recovering his breath.

"¿Estás bien?" he asked Kalisto.

Kalisto was staring forward, eyes like swords. "Lo quiero."

"What?" Sin Cara asked. He knew what Kalisto said—"I want him"—but he wasn't sure what Kalisto meant by it. Accompanying his gaze, Sin Cara realized those dark, beautiful eyes were lined up with Big E, who was getting to his feet again.

The Lucha Dragons shared a look. Nodded to one another.

Then in synchronization, launched themselves off the ropes, across the ring, and sprung over the top rope, smashing into Big E together.

The official began counting. A dazed Sin Cara pushed to his hands and knees. His knee, the one that had met in brutal contact with Kofi, singed in agony.

"Go," Kalisto told him, tapping his hand. "Finish him off. I'll hold him here…"

Kalisto might not have been able to tell, but Sin Cara was smiling at him beneath the fabric of his mask. "Te amo."

"Te amo."

Sin Cara moved back into the ring, the slight limp in his walk made perfectly clear to his adversary.

He had to make the first move before Kofi took advantage.

Sin Cara used his good leg to clout Kofi across the stomach, and he collapsed to the mat. Sin Cara capered onto the middle rope for a crossbody, but Kofi was prepared. He twisted his body into a flying kick, his foot smashing into Sin Cara's aching knee. Sin Cara fell like deadweight to the mat, yelling in torment. Kofi hopped up and drilled his foot into Sin Cara's injured area again. This time Sin Cara felt a pop. The pain exploded throughout his leg. He was furious in his cry. His knee was tortured. He struck the mat with both fists, unable to comprehend another way to cope with the pain.

Kofi heaved his leg—the damaged one, of course—into the air. The official hit the mat. Sin Cara hurt tremendously and the end of the match would have been mercy, but he was not about to give up. Those titles were theirs, theirs, suyo. Kalisto's Christmas present.

So he kicked out. Kept it going.

Kofi was frustrated. He dragged a crippled Sin Cara into the corner of the ring and proceeded to, in Michael Cole's words, "kick the hell out of him." He didn't just target Sin Cara's knee: his face, throat, ribcage, stomach, other knee, and ankles all took pummels of their own.

Next to him on the floor, Xavier Woods played New Day's chant repeatedly through the trombone.

Sin Cara was dismayed in his physical anguish. No—this is happening again—another loss—another shameful loss—Kalisto, my love, I'm so sorry, lo siento, please forgive me—

From the other side of the ring, Kalisto wrenched and jerked against the bondage that was Big E's arms. E was holding him back from reaching his partner. This tag match had grown catastrophic and dark in the past few minutes. E pushed a foot forward into Kalisto's back while heaving his arms back.

"SIN CARA!" Kalisto screamed, truly screamed. "GET UP! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT! TIENES QUE LUCHAR! PARA MI, SIN CARA! PARA MI!"

Para mi.

For him.

Something else snapped deep within Sin Cara then, and it was not another bone or muscular structure.

For him.

Para él.

For Kalisto, he would give anything.

For Kalisto, he would do anything.

And for Kalisto, he would win this match and give him what he wanted for Christmas more than anything.

Sin Cara lifted a leg and struck Kofi in the side of the face. Completely unprepared for the assaulted, he plunged to the mat on all fours. Sin Cara was able to execute his crossbody with success this time.

Kalisto managed to free himself from E's grasp by giving himself a small leap and bend forward, and positioning his body horizontally in the air, face towards the floor. He then wound his ankles around E's neck and dispatched an inverted Hurricanrana. E's face smacked against the floor, and Kalisto yanked free of his hold.

Kalisto charged towards the ring like a hurricane. Grabbing hold of the ropes, he realized Sin Cara was about to pin Kofi Kingston.

But Sin Cara glanced up at him with light in his eyes, and reading each other's minds, they had a better way to finish this match.

Sin Cara was still the legal man. It was up to him, as of now, to pin Kofi for any sort of win. But Kalisto was in the perfect position for a team finisher.

Sin Cara raised Kofi into the air instead, hands situated around Kofi's waist. He tagged Kalisto just a moment before Kalisto performed a diving corkscrew crossbody from the top rope. His body came to rest atop Kofi's with a bang.

The official hit the mat three times.

Thrice the bell clanged.

They'd done it!

The stadium roared with thunderous applause, screams and roars and triumphant howls.

Kalisto rolled off of Kofi Kingston onto his back, arms spread out beside him, each breath in desperate for oxygen. Sin Cara was zealous in spite of the ruinous pain pulsing through his leg. He fell beside Kalisto, cradling the love of his life in his arms. Kalisto was sobbing, tears rolling from his gorgeous eyes and sinking into the material of his mask. Sin Cara helped him sit up, and the two embraced, bodies shaking with disbelief and irrepressible bliss.

The official interrupted the Lucha Dragon's personal celebration by handing them each a merited tag team championship belt.

"Here are your winners and new WWE tag team champions: the Lucha Dragons!"

Kalisto clutched the belt against his chest and shouted out in victory. He tried to stand but found he hadn't the strength. Sin Cara was too weak in the body to rise as well, but he wouldn't have wanted to stand without his partner, anyhow. The Lucha Dragons supported their title belts in hand, leaning against one another. Sin Cara put a hand on the back of Kalisto's head and lightly bumped it with his own.

"Feliz Navidad, mi tesoro." Dios, he couldn't wait to be away from everyone with these blasted masks out of the way so he could kiss his wonderful boyfriend.

"Te quiero," Kalisto said, voice trembling. "Te quiero muchísimo."

The official coaxed the pair to stand up, so proper presentation of the new championship tag team could carry out. It hurt to do so, but it felt so good all at once. Sin Cara braided his fingers into Kalisto's, and their arms lifted with the tag team championships high above their heads.

At long last.

It was already the most wonderful Christmas ever.