December 24, 2019

Will and Ari Horton arrived in the middle of Horton Town Square, one a little more enthusiastic than the other. Will wished they could have stayed at the traditional Horton tree trimming event. Boring as it was, at least he wouldn't run into anyone he didn't want to see. And there were a lot of people Will had no interest in seeing tonight.

Why Salem would plan a new ceremonial tree lighting party on Christmas Eve, Will would never understand. Or why his daughter was insistent they needed to attend.

Will let Ari drag him to a hot chocolate stand and opened his wallet. Overpriced, under-mixed cocoa or not, Will wasn't in the mood to argue.

In fact, he had a hard time denying Ari anything. Something she picked up on a little more than a year ago. Back when Will wasn't quite as sad and pathetic as he was now, sticking to the outskirts of a town-wide celebration in the hopes none of his exes would see him. Because tonight, surrounded by so many happy couples and goodwill toward men, Will was nothing but a bitter, empty husk.

A year ago, Will had his pick between Sonny and Paul and now, he had no one. It figured. Karma always had a way of paying Will back for his misdeeds tenfold.

Cheated on Sonny? A serial killer attempted to murder him and when he didn't succeed, a mentally unstable woman and an Elvis impersonator drugged him, kidnapped him, and forced him to live as his stepfather for years.

Cheated on Paul? The man he thought Sonny killed revealed he was alive and blackmailed Sonny into going on with their wedding and Will had to watch as the two fell in love all while Sonny continued promising Will they'd be together.

Lash out because his boyfriend fell in love with someone else (and ignored the irony and the just desserts he deserved)? Sleep with his grandma's former boyfriend and his own personal blackmailer because Will apparently has a thing for older, successful businessmen in suits with accents who were with his maternal figures.

Will knew he messed up, screwed up, downright fucked up every relationship he'd ever been in, almost single-handedly, but he liked to think even he deserved happiness during the holidays. Thus far, karma, God, whoever was out there, didn't agree.

He spent 2019 watching Sonny grow closer to Leo. Saw the two push each other's buttons, butt heads, and argue. All while sitting on the sidelines as they planned Leo's dream blackmail wedding. Sonny insisting he loved Will and all this was necessary so Leo or Ted wouldn't go to the police. Where that niggling doubt in Will's gut grew and grew until it burst forth when he caught sight of the way Sonny looked at Leo one day. A way he'd never looked at Will, ever.

It all culminated in Sonny walking down the aisle to a man that begged, pleaded, and blackmailed his way into Sonny's heart.

Will wasn't so blind to see the two were a good match, as much as it pained him to admit. Leo wanted someone to care for him, shower him in gifts and attention. Sonny wanted someone to love him and only him. He wanted someone to display on his arm at events, play the doting husband.

Will still burst into maniacal laughter when Sonny asked him to be his best man.

Sonny must have enjoyed the irony of it all, though. He spent the majority of 2018 watching Will and Paul, happy and in love. He must enjoy getting to pay Will back for that pain and heartache. He sure seemed to go out of his way to show up with Leo everywhere he knew Will would be.

Out of his peripheral vision, Will could see the happy couple, now. The two were in complimentary suits with matching Christmas patterned-ties and pocket squares. They even had matching coats.

(Sonny tried to get Will to wear a suit once on a date. It didn't end well.)

They were with more Kiriakis family members' than Will had ever seen before and what must have been Leo's family as well. Everyone all smiles and laughter. It would figure Leo's family would get along with Sonny's, wouldn't it?

Although Will noted a tall figure a little far removed from the rest of the group. A dark-haired man who rolled his eyes when Leo spoke and everyone else laughed, even Victor. Guess not everyone was happy with Sonny and his Christmas elf.

Shoving his wallet back in his jeans – a pair he needed to get rid of because they were falling apart – Will collected his and Ari's hot chocolates and walked away.

Ari spotted an empty seat under a green and white striped awning. She waited for Will to sit down before she plopped on his lap. Blowing on her drink and swirling her fingers through a mound of whip cream.

Averting his eyes from Sonny and Leo, Will slunk low in his seat. He didn't need anyone catching sight of him until he felt prepared. Will knew his family couldn't be far away.

Marlena and John, his mom and EJ, the kids, Eric, Belle, Brady, everyone was around somewhere. As was Paul and his new boyfriend, the handsome and successful Japanese fashion designer, Haruto Ito.

Will hadn't met the man yet, didn't want to meet him, but he wasn't above internet stalking. Will heard through the grapevine the two met when Haruto was in desperate need of a model last minute before a fashion show. Somehow Paul saved the day and the two had been inseparable since.

Haruto was in Salem to meet John and the rest of Paul's family. They'd been in town for almost a week. A week Will spent in isolation. Rather alone in his apartment than out in public with the chance he'd run into yet another happy, perfect couple.

Will knew Paul deserved to be happy. He deserved to parade around town with someone who adored him on his arm. Paul even deserved to have Will witness it.

It was about the only thing Paul deserved that Will could offer him.

Paul had been an ideal boyfriend to Will. He gave Will his everything and Will didn't appreciate him the way he should have.

Will had a lot of free time to think about it seeing as his only companion lately was his daughter. Will loved Paul, he did. Paul was everything Will wanted and needed when he came to Salem from Memphis.

Paul was everything Will should have ever needed. Will ruined it anyway.

Will loved Paul, was in love with Paul, but he didn't know how to reconcile that with the return of his memories.

When Ben tried to kill him – his hands wrapped around Will's throat, the light fading from his eyes, certain he would never see anything ever again – all Will felt was a sense of relief.

Will had been miserable for so long, for most of his life. He never did the right thing. Always hurt the people he loved most because he didn't know how not to. He always felt replaceable and breakable, unlovable and alone.

Before Will almost died, Will thought Sonny didn't love him, didn't want him. Will felt terrified to raise Ari on his own because Will didn't trust himself not to utterly ruin her.

When Will thought he was going to die, a large, horrible part of himself breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to wake up in the morning and force himself out of bed. He didn't have to fake a smile to get through another day where everyone looked at him as if he was something disgusting. He didn't have to shy away from mirrors because he couldn't stand to see his reflection. He didn't have to pretend he wasn't falling apart every moment of every day. Alone and adrift in a sea of his own insecurities and fears with waves of anxieties rocking against him at every turn.

Will wanted to die, didn't even fight back when Ben attacked him. At least everything would be over.

Gabi was back in Ari's life. His family was large enough he knew she'd never be alone. Sonny could be free and happy without the burden of a useless, cheating husband waiting by the phone for him while Sonny gallivanted around Europe the first chance he got.

Throughout that, Will hated Paul Narita. He hated him because he was the manifestation of every single one of his fears, insecurities, and nightmares come to life. Paul Narita was perfect in every way. Handsome and successful and everything Will wasn't. He slipped into Salem with ease, befriending everyone and blending in in a way Will never had. Paul integrated Will's family, was closer to Will's own family than Will ever was. Even the one person in Will's life who was always on his side – Marlena – took to Paul, sided with Paul, helped Paul, even at a detriment to Will. Paul charmed Will's in-laws, Will's friends, Will's husband and he didn't even have to try.

Paul didn't hurt people because he couldn't help himself. Paul didn't lie and cheat and go behind people's backs for his own gain.

Paul Narita was everything and Will hated him but he especially hated how Will fell for him too. Paul opened the door to his hotel room without a shirt the first time they met and Will was as enthralled as everyone else, perhaps even more. Will relished his attention and their talks. Will wanted Paul in a way he hadn't wanted anyone, not even Sonny.

Then Will had him, had Paul's hands and lips on his skin and Will wanted it again and again and again. Until he found out the truth of it all – Paul was in love with Will's husband and Will knew what was going to happen.

Will was going to lose the only bit of stability he'd ever had to Paul and he couldn't even blame Sonny.

Paul Narita was perfect and Sonny loved him and Will was going to lose everything, had lost everything. Even when Paul was chasing after Will's husband, Will was at fault. No one blamed Paul because why shouldn't he? Paul was everything anyone would ever want. And Will? Will was nothing.

When Will saw Paul again without his memories, Paul was the only person he felt a connection toward, the only one. Will chased after Paul, threw himself at him without shame, with so much confidence he never once thought he'd lose. Will wanted Paul and got him and relished it. He relished their relationship and every touch, kiss, and smile Paul ever gave him.

Will loved Paul, couldn't imagine a life without him.

Then his memories came back, all his fears and his insecurities.

Before Will died all he wanted was Sonny to remember he loved him, to remember their marriage. All Will wanted was for Paul Narita to go away and never come back.

Will's past and his present collided and he didn't know what to feel, how to wade through his emotions and fears. How to reconcile how much he once resented Paul with how he loved him, now.

Most of all, Will couldn't understand how Paul could have ever fallen in love with him. Paul didn't have the benefit of amnesia. He knew every horrible thing Will had ever done and everything Will had done to Paul himself. He fell in love with Will anyway.

But, this Will, the Will who remembered everything? He couldn't understand it. He couldn't believe it. Because why would someone as wonderful as Paul ever love someone like Will?

Will went back and forth with it for a long time, all those hours sitting at Paul's bedside in the hospital. He went through so many scenarios trying to make sense of it.

The most likely event was Paul, vulnerable from Sonny dumping him, gave into Will's clumsy attempts at seduction for the satisfaction it would bring. Sonny dropped Paul for Will but all Will wanted was Paul. Maybe a small part of Paul even enjoyed the idea of the Will he once knew looking so starry-eyed at Paul, now. Why else would Paul resist the idea of Will regaining his memories?

But, no, Paul was too perfect for something like that. It was something Will would do, not something Paul would.

Will couldn't handle the return of his memories. All he wanted before Ben was Sonny's love. He got his memories back and it was as if no time had passed at all. All while he felt and craved Paul's love, worrying over Paul's accident and his future. At the same time as Will's hatred and resentment of Paul warred inside him.

Will felt everything and nothing. In the end, he did what he did best. Lying, cheating, disappointing, and ruining the best relationship he ever had.

It was what Will did, even as a child. Build the tallest, stable-est block tower, worry over how it could fall, worry someone might knock it to the ground. So, Will would smash it to pieces himself. No one else could hurt him if he hurt himself first.

Will thought he'd be happy with Sonny over Paul. He ignored any part of himself that wanted to cling to Paul, any part that loved him, wanted him, resisted going back to Sonny.

Will loved Sonny, he did. A part of him always would, no matter what. He loved him differently than he loved Paul, though. Sonny was his first love, needy and insecure. While Paul was all honest words and worshipful glances.

In the end, it didn't matter.

Will's happiness with Sonny only lasted about a week before it all blew up in Will's face.

He deserved it, he knew. He hurt Paul. Proved all Paul's fears and doubts true. All while Sonny sat on the sidelines and watched Will and Paul together despite his own feelings for Will.

Naturally, Will would end up with the same fate.

He couldn't even blame Sonny for the demise of their relationship. Sonny might have been falling in love with Leo before Will's eyes but Will was still the one to cheat.

Long hours and nights of Ted surprising Will with his verbal prods and pushes. Enjoying Will's suffering while Leo blackmailed Sonny. Wanting to rub in that he and Leo were going to win, that Will gave up a lifetime of happiness with Paul because he was stupid and insecure and ridiculous and Will snapped. With Ted's dumb, handsome face smirking down at him and instead of hitting him like he planned, Will kissed him.

To his surprise, Ted kissed back.

Of course, sleeping with a man involved in your blackmail doesn't end well especially for men like Will. It ended up shoving Sonny in Leo's arms, alienating Will from Grandma Kate, and dealing with Ted's smug self-satisfied expression anytime they saw one another.

Now, on top of seeing Sonny and Leo nauseatingly in love, Will would have to put on a smile for Paul and Haruto.

That was Will's lot in life. Sitting on the sidelines as everyone around him reveled in their happiness.

He couldn't complain too much. His mother got the love of her life back which meant his siblings were happy. His father thrived outside of Salem. His daughter was happy, healthy, and loved. Everyone was happy but him.

He deserved it.

Taking a sip of his scalding hot chocolate, getting whip cream on the tip of his nose, Will startled when a loud round of raucous laughter surrounded him.

He recognized that laughter.

Bracing himself, Will looked to see Marlena, John, Brady, Eve, Paul, and Haruto stop right in front of him and Ari.

The internet did not do justice to Haruto Ito. He was even more handsome in real life. Tall, thin, perfect skin, teeth, and hair, designer clothing fitting him in all the right ways. Even worse, the smitten look Paul graced him with, the echoing whisper of the two speaking in Japanese under their breath.

Will squeezed his eyes shut when he saw Paul take the man's hand and lift it toward his lips. He couldn't stomach seeing that.

"Hi, Grammy Marlena!" Ari chirped from her perch on Will's lap.

Curse her inheritance of Sami's vocal control.

Everyone turned to look. Will couldn't help but sink lower in his seat. His face heated up when Marlena gestured for him to rub at his nose. The same nose covered in whip cream.

Of course, he would meet Paul's perfect and handsome boyfriend with food all over him.

"Ari, Merry Christmas," Marlena cooed while arm-in-arm with John. "How are you?"

"So good," Ari gushed. "I already opened so many presents! LOLs and Smooshy Mushy's and Pikmi Pops and Hairdorables and –,"

"Are those even real words?" John asked with a laugh.

"Yeeeeees," Ari insisted, gesticulating with her hands and spilling scorching hot cocoa on Will's legs.

Will winced, grinding his teeth and pulling the soaked material away from his thigh. He gave it up to grab Ari's drink from her hand.

"Ooopsie," Ari gave Will a sweet smile before going back to rambling.

Will eased them up as Brady, with a patronizing grin, introduced Will and Haruto. Ari, always clingy at nighttime, hung from Will's neck like a little monkey.

"Haruto, this is well," Brady paused, eyes flashing at Will, "Will Horton, another of Marlena's grandchildren. And his kid, Arianna. But, I'm sure Paul's told you all about Will. Will, this is Paul's boyfriend, Haruto."

Will rolled his eyes at Brady, balancing both hot chocolates in one arm when Haruto stuck out his hand despite seeing Will's hands were full and he had a six-year-old in his arms.

"Nice to meet you," Haruto said with a lovely accent, although his handshake was quite limp. Will assumed it was either his cultural resistance to handshakes or the fact that he very much knew who Will was as Brady predicted.

"Hi," Will replied in his plain, ordinary middle American accent, averting his eyes as fast as he could.

"It's nice to see you, Will," Paul added, hand clasped to Haruto's shoulder. As if Will needed the visual reminder they were a couple.

Paul, at least, didn't seem to have any trouble looking at Will.

What Will wanted to reply with was, "liar," but instead, he said a polite, "you too."

Ari saved Will from any further awkward, eye averted conversation, when she said, "Daddy, I'm cold."

Will, arguing with Ari the coat she picked out before they left the house wouldn't be warm enough, took a deep breath and set Ari on the ground. He set their drinks on their abandoned chair and tossed his coat on top. He yanked his blue sweater over his head; mollified Paul eyed his stomach when his undershirt road up his torso.

Thus far the only upside in his life, Will spent the majority of his free time in the gym.

Will helped Ari pull the blue sweater over her own dress and coat. The thing falling to her shins and making Will smile.

"Better?" Will asked, kneeling in front of her.

"Yep," Ari answered as Will rolled up the sleeves so her hands weren't buried.

After Ari gave Will a wet kiss on his chilled cheek, Will heard Brady yell out, "Uncle Victor, over here!"

Will groaned as the group of Sonny and Leo's family zigged and zagged through the crowd to Will and Ari's once empty corner of the square.

While the majority of the group were strangers to Will, Ari knew at least one. She squealed and ran over to a man near Sonny and Leo.

One of Sonny's twin brothers not that Will could tell them apart or ever met them before.

Strange, Will and Sonny were together for a long time, and Will had never met Sonny's brothers. Yet, here was Leo chumming it up with them. All but the tall, dark, and brooding one standing to the side of everyone with a bored expression on his face.

Will faded into the background once alone without Ari by his side. Brady introduced Haruto to everyone, tacking on the title, "Paul's wonderful boyfriend." Glancing over his shoulder to see if Will was paying attention as Haruto met Brady's cousins, including Sonny and Leo Kiriakis.

(Will assumed Leo legally changed his name from Matthew to Leo when he got the last name changed but what did he know.)

Will didn't want to witness Paul and Sonny meeting again. Although, the two could bond about getting over Will Horton easier than either ever imagined.

Will was curious what Paul knew about the demise of his relationship with Sonny. If he knew Sonny married a man Paul assumed dead not even a year after Paul left. With each smirk of Brady's in his direction, Will was certain Paul must have known all the sordid details. Sonny falling for Leo. Will sleeping with someone else. Will alone and unloved while everyone else was happy and together.

Getting the distinct feeling someone was watching him, Will turned around but didn't see anything. Slipping back toward his chair and his and Ari's cups, Will planned to put his coat back on. It was a cold night. Snow on the forecast and Will gave up his softest, warmest sweater.

Nothing else had gone right for Will, so it figures he'd bump into the table and both cups of cocoa would spill onto the coat, completely drenching it.

Will stared at the growing dark stains, goosebumps spreading up his arms, and sighed. He scooped up the two cups and swirled his finger through the only smear of whip cream that didn't end up on his coat.

He licked his fingertip and frowned. The cream didn't even taste good.

As if that wasn't enough, karma wasn't finished punishing him yet.

As Ari dragged whatever nameless twin toward him, bringing a large crowd with them, as Will turned around and stood up straight, ignoring the brisk air and the swirl of wind, ready to put on his fakest smile and pretend to care, an ominous sound crackled through the air.

The green and white striped awning Will stood under ripped spilling a foot of accumulated snow directly on top of him.

Will didn't react for a long while as freezing white snow covered his head, face, and shoulders. At least the snow near his ears muffled some of the laughter, but not all.

Wiping his face clear, shaking his body like a wet dog, Will couldn't stop his teeth from chattering.

"You should probably get that taken care of," Brady said with faux sympathy, the grin on his face belying his words.

"Daddy," Ari giggled, as Sonny and Leo joined her. "You look like a snowman."

"Uh-huh," Will agreed without any emotion in his tone. "Come on, kiddo, let's go."

"But, Daddddddy," Ari whined. "I wanna see the tree light up."

"Yeah, Daddy," Leo chimed in, holding onto Sonny's arm like a demented little life-size Ken doll. "Ari wants to see the tree."

Sonny, strange look on his face, said, "I can watch her. Bring her to your place in a little bit."

"Yeah," Ari nodded, grabbing Sonny's hand. "Please, Daddy? Please?"

"…Okay," Will said, giving a full-body shiver, trying not to react to the sight of his daughter standing next to Sonny and Leo, looking for all intents and purposes as if she belonged.

Will glanced around the crowd watching him, some more amused than others, and turned without saying anything.

Which meant Will missed the concerned frown on Marlena's face. And how Paul took a step toward Will, worry painted over his entire body, only for Haruto to put his hand on Paul's arm and pull him away from Will.

No one followed after Will or even called his name.

At least, no one Will knew.

Will wiggled his way through the crowd in the town square, freezing and humiliated, wanting nothing more than to be alone. Somewhere in the deepest, darkest part of his soul, he wondered if it wouldn't have been better if Ben had killed him.

Seeing Ben and Ciara nearby, Will figured one more dead body wouldn't have stopped Ben from getting a happy ending.

Near a side street, one that lead to his apartment and some peace and quiet, someone grabbed Will's bicep and hurled him around.

Chilled and despondent, eyes leaking from the cold or how damn miserable he was, Will didn't do anything but swing around with the surprising strength in the grip.

A stranger held tight to Will's arm, well, an almost stranger. Will knew who the man was. He'd seen his picture around the Kiriakis mansion, in the neglected rooms no one ever ventured into.

Justin Kiriakis' eldest son, Sonny's half-brother, Alex Kiriakis.

Tall with ludicrously blue eyes and thick dark hair that fell just so in front of his forehead all contributed to a man who had no business being so good looking. Especially next to Will who had blisters growing where Ari spilled on him, drenched and freezing, with a bright pink, wind-chapped face.

But there Alex Kiriakis was, looking at Will as if he was the first human being Alex had ever seen before.

It didn't explain why he followed after Will when no one Will knew bothered, though.

"You forgot this," Alex said in a deep voice, thrusting Will's soiled coat toward him.

"Oh," Will replied, taking the soaking wet object, teeth chattering, body shivering.

Alex's face was hard to read, his full lips squished together in something akin to a smirk. His eyes were easier to decipher. They focused entirely on Will as if Alex couldn't tear them away.

Over Alex's shoulder, Will saw the large tree next to the statue of his great-grandparents light up, casting Alex's face in an ethereal glow.

"Oh," Will said, from the beauty of the tree or Alex he didn't know.

Alex looked over Will's face and body before his eyes narrowed at something above Will's head.

"Mistletoe," Alex said before taking a step toward Will.

Will glanced up and didn't see anything even remotely resembling mistletoe.

"I don't see – mmm," Will didn't have time to react, to tense, or even to lick his lips in anticipation.

One moment Will was talking and the next Alex pressed their lips together, cutting him off. Alex's soft, lush lips against Will's trembling ones. The brush of Alex's facial hair along Will's smooth cheek made his body warm and light and everything else faded away.

The Christmas lights, the sounds of so many people cheering, even the feel of softly fluttering snowflakes landing on Will's bare arms washed away with the tiniest brush of Alex's lips against his own.

Dropping his soiled coat to the floor without a care, Will leaned into Alex's hand when it caressed the side of his face, large and gloriously warm. It had been months since anyone kissed Will and even then it didn't make Will feel this way.

Just the right amount of pressure and warmth and Alex lit a symphony of butterflies in Will's stomach. Awakening something Will thought long dead inside him.

When Alex pulled away, it took Will a long time to open his eyes. Content to stay in this one, small moment of peace before the real world bombarded him once again.

By the time Will's eyes fluttered open, Alex was looking at him again. Tongue digging into his lip, eyes alight with something Will hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"I'm Alex, by the way," Alex whispered, slipping his jacket off his arms and bundling Will up before he could protest.

"Will," Will replied back in a daze, eyes slipping closed when Alex brushed a stray snowflake off Will's cheekbone.

"Merry Christmas," Alex said with a closed lip smile that knocked the breath out of Will's lungs. There were no teeth and gums but his eyes crinkled at the edges.

Something about it seemed more sincere than any smile Will received all year.

"Merry Christmas," Will replied, nuzzling his face against the soft material of Alex's coat without even realizing it. The scent of something exotic and expensive surrounding him.

"So," Alex drawled, his hands sliding down Will's back, settling on his hips, "that your kid you left with Sonny?"

Will nodded, gulping when Alex's warm thumbs dug into the waistband of his jeans.

"Does that mean your place is empty?"

Will nodded again, walking backward with Alex's hands firmly attached to his hips. Going down the side street toward the apartment he shared with Ari.

When Alex kissed him with an animalistic urgency, Will almost tripped over his own feet. Only Alex's strong hands held him up, pulling them closer together.

Will didn't care that he met Alex only moments before. He didn't care that he was once married to Alex's brother or the majority of Alex's family hated him. He didn't care if anyone saw them all over each other the rest of the short walk to Will's apartment. Will especially didn't care what his neighbors thought when they saw Will tumble into his place with Alex already yanking on the buttons of Will's shirt without breaking their kiss.

All Will cared about was the luxurious feel of Alex's bare skin sliding against his. The deep moans Alex grunted into his ear when he pushed inside Will. The stretch of Alex inside him, the pained yelp Will emitted each time Alex sank his teeth into the meaty flesh of Will's shoulder. The rhythmic thump of Will's headboard pounding against the wall.

The addictive feel of Alex's hands and lips and the greedy way Will pulled him closer, harder, wanted him faster and deeper. The way Alex's sweat dripped onto Will's body, his hands hefted Will's hips higher, legs thrown over Alex's shoulders and Will relished the burn in his muscles.

All Will cared about was the nonsensical babbling Alex whispered in his ear, praising Will's everything, kissing and fucking him boneless. The two clinging to one another once they were spent, relaxed and sated with Alex's strong hands skimming Will's bare skin.

The delighted look in Alex's eyes when he tried to stand up and Will tossed him on the bed, straddling his lap, and taking everything he wanted, Alex urging him, goading him, basking in the confidence Will had in his body.

Will didn't even care when he answered his front door with dripping hair, barefoot in nothing but flannel pajama bottoms and every bite and scratch Alex left on display. Mind focused on the way Alex felt around him when he dropped to his knees in the shower, Will scrambling for purchase against the tile wall, nearly ripping the showerhead out when Alex's wet scorching mouth wrapped around him.

Will didn't care about the affronted look on Sonny's face when he caught sight of Will shirtless and marked. He didn't care about the calculating yet intrigued expression on Leo's face either.

Will took his sleeping daughter from Sonny's arms, ready to tuck her in, set out everything he needed for Christmas morning, and get back in bed with Alex.

But the matching slack-jawed expressions on Sonny and Leo's faces when Alex waltzed out of Will's bedroom in nothing but a towel, giving the two of them a droll merry Christmas before slamming the door in their faces as Will carried Ari off to bed?

That Will found himself caring about a lot.

The End

Author's note:

I was suffering terrible writer's block for a few months, hence the long length of time between each chapter from my last story. Anyway, when I can't get anything to work I write what I think I do best-Will with Alex.

I've toyed with the idea of continuing this or even going for a true Will/Paul versus Will/Alex triangle. I don't know if I'm emotionally prepared for it, though.

Anyway, thank you for reading and look out for my next Holiday themed Will fic which should be coming out in a few days.