Title: Just One Thing I'm Askin' For
Rating: pg13
Fandom: Drake & Josh
Disclaimer: All characters, recognizable settings and or themes belong to Dan Schneider, Nickelodeon/Viacom, and others. I am in no way earning money or other profit from this fanfic.
Char/Pair: Drake/Josh, Audrey, Megan/OMC
Spoilers: None
Warnings: kissing between step-brothers, future!fic
W/C: 831
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The large group of people in his living room was probably a fire hazard. They were, at the very least, a hazard to his sanity. He'd always loved Christmas, even after his belief in Santa had been popped, and he was probably the only person who actually enjoyed spending time with his family.
But this? This wasn't just some quiet family gathering, this was every person he had ever met in his life plus guest. This was his father schmoozing with his boss and his mother running herself ragged to please everyone and Megan's boyfriend sitting way too close for Josh's comfort to his little sister.
This was everyone. Except one person.
"Josh, honey? Could you help me for a second?"
Josh climbs from the sofa, scowls at Megan's boyfriend and follows his mother into the kitchen where she sets him to work chopping vegetables for the dip platter. He's not sure why she's working so hard, it's not like any of these people matter anyway and he wants to tell her to just sit down and relax.
"Mom, Walter's got his hand stuck again."
Josh looks up from the carrot he's quartering to see his mother sigh and reach into the refrigerator for the butter. He's able to hold in his laughter until she's out of the room and then both he and Megan crack up.
"Why does he keep doing that?"
"I have no idea."
They laugh for a few minutes and it's almost enough to drag Josh out of his sour mood. Megan has really matured over the last couple of years and, while still only sixteen, Josh is proud to see who she's become. She picks up a knife and grabs a stalk of celery to help out and for the next couple of minutes they chop in silence, Josh lost inside his own head.
"He'd be here if he could you know."
He blushes, a smile creeping over his face as he sets his knife down and puts his cut carrots onto the platter. He can't meet her eyes but he can feel her gaze, the weight of it and knows she's watching.
"Am I that obvious?"
"Were you trying not to be?" She asks and puts her celery next to the bright orange. "I thought for a second there you were going to start crying into the onion dip."
He does look at her then and yeah, his smile may be watery but he'll deny it if he has to. Maybe he's allergic to carrots.
"I just miss him," he says barely above a whisper.
She shrugs, wipes her hands on her jeans and Josh picks up the platter to follow her back into the living room.
"We all do, and just because he's not here doesn't mean he doesn't miss us too," she replies.
Josh hip-checks her, grinning. He knows she's right and he appreciates her trying to pull him out of his misery. It doesn't help, but he appreciates it.
"I think I liked you better when you were evil," he replies.
"What makes you think I'm still not?" She asks, then louder, "Who wants to see Josh's baby pictures?"
---
Josh is still stewing in his own misery (now with bonus humiliation) but he is also laughing pretty hard. Someone had spiked the egg nog and Crazy Steve was in the corner making up his own rendition of classic Christmas carols. A lot of them were pretty good, if Josh was going to be honest.
A warm hand lands on his shoulder, warm moist breath over his ear as someone leans close to whisper, "Merry Christmas."
He jumps up quick, nearly knocks the table over in front of him and spins.
"Drake! Wha-what are you doing here?" He stumbles over his words and trips over his feet in his haste to get around to the other side of the couch. In his haste to get to Drake.
"I mean, hi!"
"Hi."
Drake grins at him and when he grins back he knows it's stupid and lopsided but hopes that it says everything he can't really put into words with so many people around. Drake grabs his wrist and drags him out of the living room, up to their old bedroom. He closes the door behind them, latches the lock. There are still tingles going through Josh from when Drake whispered in his ear.
The party downstairs rages on, music thump-thump-thumps through the floor and through his sneakers, travels up his legs and he can feel it all the way to his fingertips. There's a fire in Josh's belly, a slow simmer burn that unfurls itself and rushes through his cheeks. Drake's lips are soft against his when they finally come together, pliant and wet and the tongue that traces across his mouth, that slips inside tastes like candy canes and spice. Tastes like Drake.
When they break apart Josh can't remember why he was in a foul mood.
"Merry Christmas," he says.