When Sam pads down the hallway, even through thick wool socks his feet can feel the chill of the wood floor. "Dean?" he calls, shaking a hand through his hair and yawning.
He frowns when there's no response, finally reaching the living room, and freezes there, because, okay, what the hell? There's a Christmas tree. In a stand. With lights. Garland. Ornaments. The whole nine. And it most certainly was not there yesterday.
"Dean?" he calls again, voice carrying a slightly incredulous tone now.
Still, nothing.
Frown deepening, he makes his way to the front door and pulls it open just in time for Dean to stumble through, holding an armful of firewood. "Hey, thanks, Sammy," he laughs, leaning up to peck Sam on the cheek. "Wasn't sure just yet how I was gonna turn the knob with my hands full. Saved me a battle."
"Dude," Sam says, kicking the door shut and trailing behind his brother. "There's a tree. In our house."
"Yeah," Dean says nonchalantly. "I know. I put it there. Help me unload this, would'ja?"
"Dude," Sam repeats, pulling the carefully balanced wood off the top of the stack that Dean is carrying and setting it down beside the fireplace. "How the hell did you manage to get a tree into the house? When did you even have time to-"
"Anybody ever tell you you think too much?" Dean asks, easing the rest of the tinder onto the floor and then standing back up to pull Sam into a kiss.
Dean's lips are cold, and so is his nose, and, Sam's betting, the rest of his face, so he brings his hands up to press them against Dean's cheeks in attempt to warm him. He holds them there even when he pulls away and asks again, "How?"
"Little Christmas miracle come early," Dean says with a wink. "Don't ask questions, Sam. Enjoy."
Sam isn't having it. He lets his hands drop, but not far; only to slide down and around around Dean's neck, clasping in the back. "What time did you have to get up to do this?"
"'Bout six," Dean says with a smirk and a small shrug. "Wasn't even really light out, so that made it a little harder, but I managed."
"Why?" Sam knows that by now Dean probably feels like he's in an interrogation room, but he's just baffled by this.
Dean chuckles, taking a step closer and placing his hands on Sam's hips. "'Cause this year's different. Y'know. For us. First time we've been somewhere permanent, and, hell, I dunno. Just thought..." He looks down, a light blush, creeping into his cheeks. "Just thought it'd be nice to surprise ya."
Sam's fairly sure that his complexion is mirroring his brother's now as he feels his cheeks heat up, and turns his head to the side even though Dean isn't watching him. "Well, that's... I'm... Thank you."
Dean glances up, first just with his eyes and then with his head like it wasn't the response he expected. When a smile brighter than the damn sun lights up his face, however, it's obvious that it's not a response he's going to argue with. "Feel like some high school boy givin' his first girlfriend a necklace for Valentine's Day and prayin' she don't hate it."
"You're doin' just fine," Sam assures him, corner of his mouth turning up into a small, soft smile as he lets his gaze drift over to the tree and then back to his brother's beautiful, sculpted face. "Think she'll let you stick around for a while if you keep buyin' her diamonds."