Gilbert strolled aimlessly through the house. It was Christmas Eve, but even that didn't put the usual smile on his face. He and Ludwig had decided to spend the holiday with their respective significant others instead of each other this year. The blonde German was currently in Italy, at a major family gathering of the Vargas's, while Gilbert was . . . alone. Matthew's job had taken him out of the country, but he had planned to be back in time to celebrate. Planned. A sudden snowstorm had grounded his plane, leaving him to call Gilbert from the airport near tears.

"So, you're not going to be back in time? Are you sure?" Gilbert tried his best not to sound bitter. Was he disappointed? Yeah. Did he blame Mattie? Hell no. He knew the Canadian had no control over the weather.

"Yes, Gilbert. I'm sure. I'm going to be staying here just incase there are any cancellations once they reopen the runway. I, um, I don't know if I will get there in time, but . . ." he trailed off.

"But what, Mattie? You know I'm not going to open Santa's presents without you." The albino tried to get his boyfriend to smile a little, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to see it.

"Its just, I got something for you. I, um, ordered it for you before I left, so it'll be arriving soon. I don't know when exactly, but I was kinda hoping to be there first."

"Ordered me something? Like what?" Gilbert glanced at the tree, already with gifts under it. Not as many as some Christmases he'd had, but then again, it was just the two of them. And what more could he want when he had Mattie? Other than Mattie actually being-, no. Bad thought. Mattie was trying his hardest to get home as it was.

"I can't tell you. Oh! I have to go!"

"Wait, Mattie!"

"Bye, Gil. I love you!"

"I love you, too." He heard a click, and then deafening silence. "Hurry home." He whispered.

Now, several hours later, he was occupying his time with a walk around the house. One of many. The tree was unlit, the porch lights were turned off, and almost none of the lights inside were on. What was the point when the light of his life was unable to be there? The house didn't deserve to be so bright and festive when Gilbert was so miserable.

Sighing softly, he ran a hand through his hair. What was he doing? He was taking out his frustration on his house. He was feeling sorry for himself when his boyfriend was the one spending Christmas Eve in a crowded airport, miles from home. What right did he have to be so depressed?

Wanting something else to do, other than just sit and wait, he wandered back into their bedroom. One side of the bed was still neat and tidy, while the other had the covers crumpled and thrown back. Lowering himself gently onto the neat and tidy side, he stroked the blanked softly, pretending it was his absent boyfriend underneath, and not just a cold mattress.

Flopping down, he pressed his face into the pillow. It didn't count as self-pity if the outside world couldn't see it. This was going to be their first Christmas together. Together with just them. He shifted slightly and jumped when something fell on him. Two dark eyes stared up at him.

"Kuma." He picked the stuffed bear up by a paw and held him at face level. "What am I going to do?" When he didn't get an answer, he dropped the furry creature and buried his face in it. It smelled like Mattie. Of course it did. He slept with the thing every night, and had ever since Gilbert had gotten it for him on their six-month anniversary. The only reason he hadn't taken it on his business trip was because he had gotten a bad feeling as soon as he'd placed it in his travel case. "He didn't want to risk losing you, you know. You should feel grateful." He muttered.

Just then, there was a knock on the front door. Gilbert sat up in alarm and looked at the clock. It was nearly seven at night. Mattie couldn't have gotten home this fast, so who was outside? The person pounded on the door again. Standing up, Gilbert sat Kuma on the bed and reached under it for a baseball bat. He had heard that people who rob houses often knock first to see it anyone was home. He had left his car inside the garage, and (he belatedly realized) the house was dark enough to lead someone to think it was empty. After all, whose house would be this dark on Christmas Eve?

Hurrying downstairs, he swung the door wide and made sure the bat was visible . . . to the deliveryman. The uniform he wore looked to have a strange logo on the front, but he couldn't really make it out in the dark.

"Are you Gilbert Beilschmidt?"

"Um, yes?" Gilbert awkwardly placed the bat behind the door. Right. Mattie had gotten his present to be delivered.

"Sign here, please." He held out a clipboard, letting the albino write his name. "Matthew Williams came by our facility and picked this one out. He said that he felt guilty about always having to leave you alone while he was gone on business. I hope you like him." And with that, he handed over a large, and surprisingly light, box. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Gilbert returned. Once inside, he set it down on the table and examined it. The box was shaped funny, and appeared to be, on closer inspection, a cage. It had a cloth covering it, so he gently lifted a corner. What on earth had Mattie bought him? "Hello?" He glanced under the flap, but could still not see anything. Well, besides papers, that is. He lifted the corner higher, and most defiantly did not let out a terrified squeak when he came face-to-face two tiny, beady eyes.

Yyyyy

Matthew groaned again trying to keep his eyes open long enough to make it up to his front door. Through some miracle, he had managed to make it home a little past noon on Christmas day. He was happy to be home, and was not going to go anywhere for a while, but had also not had any sleep in who knew how long. He was not about to go calculating time differences. He rummaged around in his pockets for his keys, and attempted to get them in the lock. It took a few attempts to find the right one, and as soon as he did, he ended up dropping the whole set in the snow. Right as he was flipping through them to try again, the door swung open.

"Mattie? You're home!" Gilbert threw his arms around the worn out Canadian. When he noticed that the other just slumped into his arms, instead of hugging back, he adjusted his grip and lifted him up. Nudging the travel case inside, he shut the door and headed upstairs to their bedroom. "You seem tired." He muttered softly. Mattie just sighed and nuzzled his head into Gilbert's chest. He usually would have attempted to get down, but right now, there was no other place he would have rather been. Gilbert's arms were always his safe place, no matter what was going on in his life.

As soon as they were in the bedroom, Matthew noticed something was off. Something had change-, oh.

"You got your present." He murmured. "Do you like it?"

"Like him? Of course I do! He's my new little buddy already!" Still holding his boyfriend in both arms, Gilbert walked over to the corner where he had set up the birdcage. Mattie chuckled a little when he saw the sign hanging on the wall above it.

"You named him Gilbird? Really?"

"Of course! Why not?" Mattie didn't respond, and Gilbert looked down to see if he'd fallen asleep. He hadn't. "Mattie? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. I promised that I would be home in time to celebrate with you."

"Mattie, stop. You couldn't have predicted the weather. And I can tell you got no sleep last night. Speaking of which, lets get you in bed." He sat him down on the edge of the mattress and began removing his snow boots.

"Gilbert, what about Christmas? The day is already half over-,"

"Mattie, you're going to sleep. You're not to worry about trivial things such as a square on the calendar. And besides," he leaned in and kissed his forehead, "it's going to be December 25 somewhere when you wake up." He pulled the blankets up to Matthew's chin, but before he could stand and leave him to sleep, two pale hands latched onto his sweater.

"Stay? I don't want to go to sleep without you again."

"Of course, Mattie."

In the corner, in his brand new cage, a tiny, yellow bird watched his two new family members sleep. Noticed only by him was the fact that, through miracle or other, their family had all managed to make it home in time for Christmas. He whistled softly as he saw the big, nice man shift slightly to place a white bear in the arms of the smaller, new man. Yes. He was going to like it here. He could tell.

Yyyyy

Happy (belated) Holidays! This is my first attempt at writing yaoi so please (read: pleasepleasepleaseplease) tell me how I did! :3