Mickey walked into the house, carrying a large cardboard box, covered in packing tape. He set it on the couch and took off his jacket.
Ian, who was sitting on the other side of the couch, looked up at him. "What's that?"
"Presents from Mandy and Dan."
Sophie gasped from over by the tree where she was sitting. "Presents!? Can I open them!?"
"No," Mickey looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "Not until Christmas."
"But they're not from Santa!"
"So?" Mickey said, as he found a knife and cut through the tape, "They're still Christmas presents, not December 23rd presents."
He opened the box, which had five presents-three for Sophie, one for Ian, one for Mickey. He grabbed a couple of them and brought them over to the tree. Ian grabbed the others and also put them under the tree.
They were the first presents to be put under their tree.
Ian then quickly moved into the bedroom and came out a second a later. He tried to slip another present under the tree while Mickey wasn't paying attention, hoping he wouldn't notice it with the other presents. Unfortunately he did notice.
"What the fuck's that?"
"Um… your Christmas present…" Ian said slowly.
He snapped his head toward Ian. "I thought we weren't getting each other presents?"
"No, actually, I said you didn't have to get me one." Ian shrugged. He didn't think it was that big of a deal.
"Well why would you say that? What-you think I wouldn't get you a present or something? Like I'm some kind of asshole?"
Ian rolled his eyes, "I didn't say it to make you feel like an asshole, alright? I just didn't want you to go through the trouble…"
"But it's alright if you go through the trouble?" Mickey snapped. He continued before Ian got a chance to answer, "You know, you're the one who's gonna feel like an asshole, when you see what I got you."
Ian raised his eyebrows, skeptically. "So you did get me something?"
"Yeah, I did." Mickey said, glaring at him. He moved the box into the recycling bin in the kitchen, and sat down on the couch, now looking grumpy.
"So… where is it?" Ian asked, looking over at him.
"Mind your business."
Ian sighed, "Mickey, you know you don't have to get me something…"
"I already said I did, didn't I?"
"Okay," Ian finally turned his attention to the TV, and the conversation was dropped.
Mickey was fidgeting quietly in his seat for a few minutes, before he finally got up and walked into the kitchen.
"We're outta beer," he said, "I'm gonna run to the store and get some more. I probably won't be back til after work." He went over to where Sophie was sitting, kissed the top of her head, and left.
Ian decided not to point out that he hadn't even looked in the fridge.
As Mickey got in the car, he hit his fist against the passenger seat and yelled "Fuck!"
He felt like an idiot. Of course Ian would get him something, he should've known. He didn't get Ian anything, but now that he'd made an ass of himself, he pretty much had to. He pulled out his phone and called his sister.
"Yeah?" Mandy answered.
"Hey, what'd you get Ian for Christmas?"
"Why?"
"Because I don't know what to get him."
"You haven't got him anything yet!?" She sounded pissed.
"Yeah, he said I didn't have to!" He said, defensively, "I only just found out that he got me something."
"Come on, you know when people say you don't have to get them anything, they never really mean it."
"No, I think Ian just thought I was too much of an asshole to actually get him anything."
"Well you didn't get him anything, so…"
Mickey sighed into the phone.
"I'm kidding," Mandy then said, "he probably just didn't want you to worry about it."
"Yeah, well… now I do have to get him something. I just told him I did."
Mandy laughed, "Why would you tell him that?"
"'Cause I'm a fucking idiot!" Mickey yelled, "Anyways… what'd you get him?"
"Why-so you can copy me?"
"I just want an idea of what to get, alright?"
"I just got him a Sox hoodie."
"Okay… So what do you think I should get him?"
"I don't know! He's your boyfriend! What does he like?"
"Guns, weed… James Franco…"
"Well there's an idea…"
"Yeah, fuck you."
"Look, I'm sure you'll think of something. Just go look around the mall. You know him, you'll figure it out."
"Yeah, thanks for the advice," Mickey said sarcastically, before hanging up.
He only had about an hour to find something before he would have to get to work. He went to every store that seemed like it would have anything remotely close to something Ian would want.
He looked in the sports store, in every department store, and even in the store that sold mature novelty items. He couldn't find anything that he didn't think was a stupid idea after looking at it for a few seconds.
Everything with camouflage print caught his eye, but anything related to the army just depressed Ian, and made Mickey feel guilty, despite how many times Ian assured him he had nothing to feel guilty about.
He made his last stop in FYE. He had no idea what to even look for in there, as he went through every aisle.
Then he saw them. Two DVDs sitting on top of the rest, as if someone had changed their mind about buying them, and left them on the closest shelf.
Mickey couldn't believe the coincidence, but assumed it was the universe's worse attempt at something that could resemble a "Christmas miracle."
He bought the DVDs, and headed out of the store. He had just enough time before work to get them gift wrapped at the little booth that was wrapping presents for donations.
Mickey got home a little after 2 AM, and slipped the present under the tree.
He climbed into bed, as quietly as he could. It was always hard, since Ian was a light sleeper, but he'd eventually gotten used to Mickey coming in so late.
Less than a minute after Mickey was in bed, however, Ian rolled over and whispered, "Did you get the beer?"
Mickey sighed.
"That's okay," Ian continued, rolling back over, "we have half a case in the fridge."
For Christmas Eve, Ian was able to convince Mickey to go out to a Chinese restaurant. He'd said, "it'd be like A Christmas Story!"
The restaurant was actually pretty nice, and was even decorated for Christmas.
It was still strange to Mickey to be out with Ian-it wasn't something they did often. He could never really shake the everyone's-staring-at-us feeling, despite the fact that the only thing that drew attention to them was the adorable, loud, talkative three year old with them.
"Great place to bring a kid," Mickey muttered, trying to get Sophie to stop squirming around in her seat, "Don't restaurants usually have crayons and a kids menu to color on or some shit?"
"Nah, the moms are supposed to bring a purse with crayons and toys and a baggie full of Cheerios." Ian smirked.
"What-you want me to start carrying a purse?" Mickey scowled at him.
Ian laughed. They were both quiet for a few seconds, then Ian watched as Mickey tried to get Sophie to eat various things from their table.
"Come on, you at least have to try some of it," he put some white rice and sweet and sour chicken on her plate. "I know you like rice."
Sophie scowled at the food. "Why can't we go to McDonald's?"
"Because you don't go McDonald's around Christmas."
"Why not?"
"Because," Mickey sighed, cutting the chicken up into smaller pieces, "Santa said so. And he knows if you're being a good girl and trying the food your daddy tells you to."
She looked up at him, worried, "Is Santa still gonna bring presents?"
Mickey raised his eyebrows, "I don't know. You better eat the food just in case."
She then dug into the food on her plate, with wide eyes, and looked around as if someone were actually watching her.
Ian raised an eyebrow at Mickey. "Kinda mean, don't you think?"
Mickey shrugged, and said in a low voice, "If it gets her to eat…"
When they got home, Sophie had just enough time, before her bedtime, to make sure her daddy put out cookies for Santa.
Mickey got her into her pajamas, and tucked her into bed.
"I wanna sleep in the living room, so I can see Santa!" She looked up at Mickey with pleading eyes.
"Santa's not gonna come if you sleep in the living room. He doesn't want you to catch him putting presents under the tree." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Now, the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you can open presents, okay?"
"Okay."
Mickey turned off the light, and left the room.
Ian was sitting on the couch, watching some Family Guy Christmas special and rolling a joint. "She asleep?"
"She'll be out soon enough." Mickey grabbed two beers from the fridge before sitting next to Ian.
"I don't know," Ian said, taking a hit and passing it, "I heard it's hard to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, when you actually have something to look forward to."
"She was fine last Christmas."
Ian laughed, "She was two last Christmas-did she even know who Santa was?"
Mickey shrugged, "Whatever. She knows to stay in her room."
They both were silent for the rest of the Family Guy episode, just watching TV, passing the joint back and forth, and eating Santa's cookies. Eventually Mickey got up, went to their bedroom, and grabbed Sophie's presents. Ian helped him arrange them under the tree.
"So," Ian said, with a grin, "What'd you get me?"
"Fuck off! What'd you get me?"
Ian looked at him seriously. "A pearl necklace."
Mickey raised his eyebrows. "Shit."
"Yeah."
"I didn't get you anything that great."
Ian shrugged, "Its fine, I guess…" he said with mock-disappointment.
Mickey looked over at him with a smirk. He turned off the TV and stood up. "Want me to make up for it?" He walked toward the bedroom without waiting for an answer, taking off his shirt on the way.
Ian turned off the light in the living room, and followed him with a grin.
Mickey woke up to the feeling of something pulling his arm.
"Daddy! Daddy, Santa Came! There's presents!"
He opened his eyes to see Sophie just inches from his face, grinning ear to ear.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Morning…"
"Daddy, I wanna open presents!" Sophie climbed on top of the bed, sitting on Mickey's chest.
Mickey yawned, "Okay, okay," he picked her up and set her back on the floor, "go wait in the living room and we'll be right out."
"Okay!" She ran out of the room.
Mickey rolled over toward Ian. He nudged his arm, "Ian. Get up. It's Christmas."
"Mmm…" Ian grumbled, rolling over.
"Come on," Mickey pushed him harder, getting up. He put on a pair of pajama pants, and threw a pair at Ian.
When they got in the living room, Sophie was bouncing up and down in front of the tree.
"Can I open them? Can I open them?"
Mickey laughed, and got down on the floor with her. "Okay, but not all at once." He handed her presents to open one by one, as Ian sat down with them and took out his phone to take pictures.
It was nice because Mickey didn't notice him taking pictures at first, so he was able to catch a couple of genuine smiles from him. When he did notice, he started giving Ian the finger in every picture.
Despite the fact that they tried not to spend a ton of money, they were still able to get Sophie a few dolls, some Crayola products, and a mini tent/fort that Ian thought was cool.
Mandy got Sophie a few toys and some clothes. Ian recorded her opening the presents and emailed them to Mandy.
When Sophie was finished opening her presents, they had waffles for breakfast and watched the first Christmas movie they found on TV.
While Sophie was contentedly playing with her new toys on the floor, Ian went over to the tree and grabbed what was left of the presents. He handed Mickey the one from Mandy and the one from him.
They both opened the one from Mandy first.
Like she'd said, Ian got a Sox hoodie, but Mickey was surprised by his gift. A few weeks ago he'd just been talking to Ian about how he wished he didn't leave some of the cooler weapons he had at home. Ian must've told Mandy because in the box there was his own throwing stars, but also a new, and much nicer pair of nunchucks.
When they got to each other's presents, before Ian could open his, Mickey admitted, "Alright, so you were right, I didn't get you a present before the other night, and what I did get you isn't anything that great. I mean I found them sitting on a shelf together, and I thought you'd, you know, think it was funny or some shit. Really nothing special…"
Ian just shrugged, "Don't feel bad about getting me something last minute until you opened my gift…" He gestured for Mickey to open it.
He tore off the wrapping paper to find three simple tank tops-the same kind Mickey always wore in the summer. Apparently Mickey hadn't been the only one to notice the stains and rips in all of the tank tops he currently owned.
Mickey smiled for a moment, then looked up at Ian and said, "What happened to the pearl necklace?"
"I'll give you a pearl necklace later if you want…" Ian replied, quiet enough so Sophie didn't hear.
Mickey rolled his eyes, "Open you're fucking present."
He watched Ian's face, as he tore the paper, go from curiosity, to confusion as he looked at the DVDs, then understanding and humor. Ian looked at Mickey.
"I'm surprised you remembered," he said, holding up Under Siege and Double Impact. He laughed, "You know this means we have to watch them both and decide who would kick whose ass, right?"
"Yeah, but you already know Seagal would win…"
After the three of them had the best Christmas dinner that Ian and Mickey could make, considering the fact that neither of them really ever cooked, and Sophie was fast asleep in her fort that they put up in her bedroom, they watched both movies, practically bickering the entire time, and then headed for the bedroom.
As soon as Mickey lied down, Ian was on top of him.
"You ready for part two of your gift?" He asked before kissing him. He then pulled away to reach for something under the bed.
"Part two?" Mickey asked.
Ian came up with a blind fold and put it over Mickey's face, without warning.
Mickey grinned, "Are we talking about that pearl necklace?"
He felt Ian move to grab something else from under the bed, and heard a metal clinking noise. Ian moved one of his wrists to one side of the bed, and felt something go around it. Then the same with his other wrist on the other side of the bed.
Mickey raised an eyebrow, even though he wasn't sure Ian could see it over the blindfold. "Handcuffs?"
"Think of them as a bracelet to go with the pearl necklace," Ian said in a low voice, right next to his ear. "I also got you some beads…"