Carlos and Jay Trying to Build a Gingerbread House

"Hey, Jay, what are you doing, it's almost Christmas; why are you reading?!" His boyfriend was lying on the couch reading a book. "And since when do you read?!"

Jay rolled his eyes. "Ben lent me A Thousand and One Nights, and it's pretty good." After seeing the look of disbelief on the other's face he tossed the book onto the floor. "Okay, why are you looking at me like that?"

Carlos had a huge smile on his face; he was rocking on his heels. "No reason."

"Carlos, what do you want to do?"

"Well, I wouldn't like to inconvenience you." Before Jay could get an eye roll in Carlos yanked him off the sofa, pulling a cookbook out from behind his back. "I wanted to build something with you. Now go sit at the table."

"Carlos, what the hell-"

"Now, babe."

Jay walked to the table in silence (Carlos knew that Jay loved nicknames). Carlos grabbed a blindfold and enveloped the fabric around the brunette's eyes. "I'll be right back," the younger whispered into his exposed ear, then fitting studio headphones over them.

Jay heard a door open and close. He was tempted to lift up the cloth - Carlos was awful at tying fabric - but he didn't want to spoil the friend. He must've been waiting in silence for three and a half minutes, he then heard voices outside the door; it then opened.

"C'mon Mal, before the song times out," rang Evie, her heels clacking as she grunted over the weight of the box she was holding. Jay was tempted to help her out, but he couldn't blow his cover.

"Evie, this is stupid; the idiot should be able to plan his own romances."

"Mal, be quiet and get the frosting."

Jay could hear the annoyance emitting from her person as two large clunks echoed from the table: he could already hear the scolding.

"I know Evie, it's just that-"

"-but Mal, I just wanted-"

"Hey, Ladies, are you almost done. Because the song is."

"Okay, Carlos, we're leaving." Evie's heels tapped towards the door, and Mal was almost out the door until she started laughing.

"Mal, what now?" Evie was drumming her nails on the door, already rehearsing the long talk she'd have with the purplenette.

"Blondie forgot to turn the song on; the earbuds are off."

"I doubt that's true - shit."

Mal started laughing harder, but Evie wasn't buying it. "If the headphones were off, why wouldn't Jay say anything."

"Because he's too whipped to upset his baby."

Jay couldn't help it, but he started blushing like Mal; Carlos ripped off the bandage in anger and embarrassment as Mal fell to the floor, and even Evie was giggling.

"Hi baby." Carlos looked ready to cry, and Jay was reciting the pact the group had made at coronation, because he was very close to ripping every tooth out of Mal's mouth. Spellbook or not.

Evie could sense the growing anger from the raven, and kissed Carlos on the cheek before collecting her friend. "Goodbye!"

Carlos was leaning on the oven: Jay walked over and wiped a tear from the younger's eye. "Carlos, it's ok. Now, what song were you gonna play?"

"I'll go turn it on." Carlos shuffled over to the stereo as Jay hopped onto the barstool. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree started blaring, and Jay was glad to see a smile forming on his lover's face. "Alright Jay, we're building a gingerbread house."

"Well that seems -" Jay froze in shock as Carlos unveiled a table full of gingerbread sheets, a frosting fortress, and cutouts of gingerbread people. "What the hell?!"

Carlos washed his hands with thinly-veiled glee, eager to partake in the Christmas tradition with the older boy. "Ben told me that this is an Auradonian tradition they do, building houses out of gingerbread."

"Why? Did the little gingerbread architects run away? Underbaked? Overbaked?"

"Jay, that's ridiculous. They were probably eaten."

"Babe, that's morbid."

"I know. Pass me a gingerbread sheet."

Jay smiled as he slid the cinnamon board to the younger. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Well, I'm going to…" He was balancing two sheets, trying to create the perfect angle. "Can you pass me my protractor?"

Jay rolled his eyes. "No. And for god's sake, this is a house made of cookie. Just glue them already."

Carlos huffed. "Fine; pass me the frosting. The brown frosting."

Jay got up and squeezed the pouch for his boyfriend; unfortunately, he over squeezed and some ended up his boyfriend's nose.

"Jay!"

"Sorry."

Carlos had been ready to scream, but the look on Jay's face extinguished his mood (Dude's puppy face was nothing compared to Jay's). He kissed his partner's nose. "It's okay."

Jay smiled, then leaning in to lick the chocolate off of Carlos' nose. "Pretty good," he complimented, licking his lips. "Is that nutmeg?"

It was now Carlos' turn to roll his eyes; he then took Jay's chin and lowered it so he was looking into Jay's eyes. "Let me try."

The two boys leaned into a tender kiss, and Jay might've been leaning in more than what was appropriate, and Carlos might've let him. The kiss deepened as Carlos crept a leg up Jay's leg, and as Jay began to smirk he cupped his hands around Carlos' butt and hoisted him up to the countertop. They were deep into heavy making-out territory, and enjoyed their stay until - crunch.

"What was that?"

"It was - ugh. Evie's gonna kill me."

Carlos held up two pieces of a gingerbread man, and Jay was trying really hard not to laugh. "We should have a funeral."

"Jay, that's not funny."

"We gather here for the mourning of Dr. Nutmeg, who was fatefully killed on Christmas Eve."

Carlos placed a chocolate box inside the half constructed house, going along with the game. "He was a good cookie, and deserved longer."

"He was killed by my boyfriend through buttfocation."

"Jay, that's so weak."

" You get it right? Suffocation, buttfocation."

"Please stop saying that word."

"Anyway, he lived a good, 45-minute life. And at least Carlos didn't eat him, even though he really wanted to."

"Damn right. Put him in the casket please."

Carlos placed him in, making sure he was nice and settled before lifting the house up and sliding it into the oven. "How long babe?"

"25 minutes." They cleaned up the counter, then walking over to the stereo to choose a new song. Once it started playing, Jay spun around to hold Carlos by the waist, then taking one hand and lacing it with the soft, but also callused hands of the younger boy. "May I have this dance?"

"You may."

As they waltzed, with Carlos standing on Jay's feet, the younger leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss onto the older boy's lip. "Merry Christmas, love."

"Merry Christmas, C." Jay licked his lips, slightly nervous to say what was on his mind. "I love you."

Carlos smiled his dazzling smile, and Jay melted. "I love you too."

I don't want a lot for Christmas

There is just one thing I need

I don't care about the presents

Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true oh

All I want for Christmas is you…

Mariah Carey

Bonus:

"C'mon you guys, it's dinner- Mal, get in here!" The girls had been in there to pick up the couple, and found them asleep on the couch. Carlos was curled up into a ball, and Jay was holding him, his face nuzzled into the blond's hair. "That is absolutely ado-."

Mal sauntered into the doorway, leaning into the wall. " Gross."

"Yeah, adorably gross." She turned her back to Mal and jumped up a bit, excited that her friends were so happy here. "Should we wake them?"

Mal walked up to the bluenette, lying her head on the other one's shoulder. "Probably not. But we should go eat; I hear they have a Yule Log thing here."

Evie smiled and rolled her eyes; her bestie's appetite was legendary. "Okay, just let me take a picture." She snapped a shot with the phone the royal family gave her; everyone got one.

"For leverage?"

"For cuteness. And for leverage."

"That's my girl." As the duo turned around Mal lopped an arm around Evie's shoulder. "Merry Christmas Evie."

Evie couldn't contain her smile: the villain never said words so sweet. "Merry Christmas Mal."