Warnings: Slash-ish stuff. Dirty-minded insinuation. I think there's a little bit of swearing, too…
Rated: T (or whatever...)
Summary: Poor Robin. Christmas means nothing to him these days. There's just nothing left in the world that can actually make him happy...or is there? Cal thinks otherwise, albeit at Niko's expense. Warnings: very mild slash-fluff, some swearing.
A/N: I know it's February as I post this. But when it was originally posted on a different web site, it was December. And I want to share the slash-luv with all my Nightlife-loving friends. Besides, I want to post something for the community while I wait for a really, reeeaaalllly good idea to come to me. So, in the spirit of last Christmas, enjoy!
Robin's Happy Holiday
Christmas tended to lose its deep, sweet meaning after your…oh, three hundred seventy-fifth or so.
Robin sighed as he looked at his calendar. Tomorrow was Christmas. None of the happiness of the past month and a half had rubbed off on him whatsoever. Even those cranky Leandros brothers hadn't been digging into each other as much. Niko had muttered something about a new gun for Cal, and Cal had openly told Robin that he was getting Niko a professional sword care kit, one with some nice knick-knacks Niko didn't yet have – yes, Christmas was leaking into everything, even the dark corners of the world of the brothers.
But Robin felt none of the joy. Only the empty loneliness of being an immortal who had actually watched Christmas form. He wore a smile out on the streets, he wore a little sprig of mistletoe while selling cars, but far too many of these holidays had come and gone for him to feel like they meant anything anymore. Gifts? What did you give a man who had seen everything?
Mind you, most people didn't realize he'd been around for eons…
He pulled into his suit and looked in the mirror. Drop-dead sexy as always. Good thing, too, seems as he was going to work today. It never failed; the last-minute present buyers always needed a car or two. They did not rest, therefore, neither did he. If he looked hot enough, maybe he'd get laid for Christmas…it was the only thing that would make him feel a little spark of the Christmas glow for anything longer than a few seconds.
Robin whisked through the door and locked it behind him.
"Have you noticed Robin seems more upset than usual?" Cal asked, holding up a length of red ribbon and wrapping it around a mysterious, heavy rectangle covered in holiday-themed paper.
"Cal, there's really no point in wrapping these," Niko noted dryly. "I'm not wrapping yours."
"I never got to do this when I was a kid. Gimme a break."
Niko chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Cal. Now, what was that about Robin?"
"He seems real grumpy. I mean, look at us – I haven't called you Cyrano since December started. Whether we like it or not, Christmas has actually gotten under our skin, and I can't really say I'm sad about it." Cal actually rather liked this contented feeling. He was still on a constant guard, but at the same time, he was happy in everything he did, even the missions he hated. "But Robin? If anything, he's been downright miserable."
Niko frowned and mulled over what Cal had said. "You've got a point."
"Aren't you wondering WHY?"
"It's probably the fact that he's seen enough Christmases to make them just one more day of the year. He's a pretty sad person as it is, but seeing everyone else so cheerful must make him even more unhappy."
Cal chuckled. "Good thing we got him stuff, isn't it?"
Niko raised one eyebrow. "I doubt material possession means much to him anymore. You'd have to give him something really unexpected to make him cheer up, and…well, you try to think of something he hasn't seen yet."
Cal laughed. "You naked."
Niko's eyes darkened. "And there goes the brotherly Christmas spirit." When Cal didn't respond, however, Niko's stomach twisted. "Cal?" When he caught to look on his brother's face, his expression tightened to a glare. "Cal, what is going on in that twisted little thing you call a mind?"
Cal looked over. "Stop frowning. Makes your nose look huge." The expression on his face was somewhere between devil-may-care and disgusted with himself. "You want to cheer him up, don't you?" he asked slowly.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but I know where you're going. And the answer is no."
"You don't have to do anything with or to him, Nik. Just…I don't know. Dress sexy and crawl under his tree or something. Give him something good to wake up to on Christmas."
"If you want to cheer him up, why don't you do it!" Niko snarled.
"Because it's not me he wants to get lucky with."
"Cal, the only person I want seeing me 'dressed sexy' is Promise."
Cal shuddered. "All I want for Christmas is to forget that you ever said that."
Niko sighed and rubbed his temples. "Listen, Cal…I want Robin to cheer up, sure, but I'm not giving him ME for Christmas."
"One morning, Nik. Like I said, you don't even have to do anything to him. Just talk with him."
"About what?"
"Something you both enjoy. I'm sure there's something."
"Cal…" Niko began. It was the closest to a whine his voice had even been, and even then it sounded commanding. He turned his back as an indication he wouldn't argue about this any further. "I'm not doing this."
For a moment, Cal looked like he was done arguing as well. Then his eyes lit. "You know," Cal said, grinning wickedly. "This down of his might even affect his ability to fight. He'll be useless for all of January."
Niko turned slowly, his gray eyes both furious and defeated. "You've got to be shitting me, Cal."
"Nik, it's one morning out of your whole life, and it'll mean the world to Robin. It's not like I want you two to hook up, okay? It just disturbs me, knowing that Robin's actually more miserable than me right now." He tied a lopsided bow to Niko's present. "Besides…well, I thought I'd never say this, but it's Christmas."
The blonde sighed darkly. "Fine. One morning. I'll dress as daring as I can stand for Robin and I'll talk with him about whatever he wants, but you'd better have one friggin' good present waiting for me when I get back."
Robin awoke that morning at the lowest of his holiday low. The Leandros brothers were probably boiling up some hot chocolate right now – scratch that, Niko wouldn't abide chocolate of any kind. Still, everyone else in the world was gathering with family and friends, too. Everyone except every immortal in the world.
His own bad luck that he was immortal.
He didn't even bother combing out his bed-head, opting instead for breakfast and…well, heck, he'd probably just crawl back into bed, seeing as there was no work on Christmas. He had set up his Christmas tree for the sake of any partners he may have been fortunate enough to bring home…turns out, his dark mood had pushed them all away. Sex withdrawals combined with no close relatives whatsoever…this was shaping up to be his happiest December yet. "This sucks," he growled, stepping into his living room…
Robin froze.
Niko sat beside the hastily decorated tree, looking irate even in his sleep. But…his clothing…oy. Robin had never seen him in jeans so tight, or a shirt that agreed with the shape of his body so well…and gods, what a body it was. He could follow the broad line of muscle under the fabric, and just the thought of seeing the dark skin that covered that strong muscle made Robin's skin heat and his head buzz slightly.
What really caught his eye, however, was the red ribbon tied around one forearm. Funny how such an out-of-place detail made him shift his weight away from Niko in an attempt to curb a raging desire to unwrap that delightful package under the tree.
This was…what? His Christmas present? No way.
"N-Niko?" he asked.
Niko's head quickly snapped up. He rubbed his eyes gently, then looked at Robin. "Oh, you're awake. I came to tell you merry Christmas, Robin." Niko stood, and Robin could hear the fabric on his body stretching slightly with an odd creaking sound. It was so, so tight on him…so tight…he'd kill to unwrap this. Anything to see what was under that fabric, anything.
Robin needed a few moments to gather his thoughts before he spoke. "There's a ribbon on your arm," he noted intelligently. His mind was still wrapped tightly around the fact that Niko must have dressed like this on purpose…for him. Why would he dress like this for him? It was hardly stripper attire, but it was much more provocative than the blonde's normal threads.
"Yeah. Cal pointed out that you haven't been very cheerful lately. I figured I'd come spread some of the holiday cheer…talk with you a bit, see what's on your mind."
"And…your clothes are tighter than your budget because..?"
Niko shifted from one foot to the other. "…what's Christmas without an unexpected surprise under the tree?"
Robin's heart jumped. He stood speechless for a moment (a new thing for him) before commenting bitterly, "I know you don't…share my affections, Niko. You really didn't need to do this."
"I can hardly breathe in this jeans, Robin. Show some appreciation."
More silence. What could be said? Then, finally, Robin looked up, a lascivious curl on his lips. "I fear my style of appreciation would go unappreciated."
Niko snorted, but it was less potent than usual. "I second that. Fortunately, I'm here to talk, not snog."
Robin stared. "Actually kissing you hadn't crossed my mind." It wasn't a lie, either…Robin's current train of thought was much, much more X-rated than that. "Talk? About what?"
"Anything you want."
"Really?" Robin smiled. "Well then, topic number one: What do you look like naked?"
Niko held back a shudder. "Wouldn't know; I don't look at myself in the mirror that often. And before you ask, no, I won't let you find out."
"Spoilsport." Robin sat on the sofa, a smile finally pulling his lips up. "Fine then. You start."
Niko sat as well, running a strand of Robin's coppery hair through his fingers. "I've never seen your hair so shabby before…"
Robin yelped and ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, yes…my hair. I didn't think I'd be seeing anyone today, so I didn't really bother taking care of it…"
Niko chuckled. "I see. Well, the bedhead look isn't a bad one on you. You pull it off rather nicely."
Robin chose to pretend that was a pass at him. Made him feel a lot better…mind you, his mood was improving rapidly anyway. "You pull the tight jeans off nicely. I've got a much better idea of what your ass looks like now." His dirty grin was back…Niko hadn't seen that for two weeks.
Niko wanted very badly to say something in rebuttal, but that wasn't part of the gift. So he settled with saying so. "If this wasn't Christmas, I'd say something negative right now."
Robin's grin grew wider. "Isn't that the beauty of the holidays, though?"
Niko held in a grin. Maybe Cal had been right after all.
About time he made an intelligent observation.