Dorian tilted his head to the left then the right as he looked over the Christmas tree in the corer of the run-down apartment he and Bull shared. There weren't nearly enough ornaments or lights for Dorian's taste and the tree looked bare as far as he was concerned. It was a long way from being the trees that had graced the living room of the Pavus' home during his youth. Dorian tried to not think about it as he adjusted another dollar store silver ornament and tried to bend the fake tree branch to better hide the metal center.
He frowned and tilted his head again before adjusting another few ornaments.
"You keep looking at it like that and it might set itself on fire," Bull said from the kitchen.
"It looks horrid!" Dorian groaned.
"I think it looks great," Bull said as he walked out of kitchen.
He wore a black apron with the words 'Kiss the cook' emblazed in bright red across it. A gift from Krem last year no doubt. "Yes well you also wear striped pants with a harness so I can't exactly trust your level of taste," Dorian said.
Bull laughed. "I look good in those pants and you know it," he said as he elbowed Dorian.
Dorian groaned and flopped onto the couch, trying to not think of what life it had had before he and Bull had picked it up off a Craigslist posting. This was not the life Dorian had grown up with and he one year in, he still wasn't used to it. Earlier in December they had had no ornaments and only a few strings of lights. Then Bull had come home from work with three boxes of plastic ornaments, not in the color scheme Dorian had planned, but they had been better than nothing. So the neon pink, purple, green and silver ornaments had gone onto the tree.
Next year he hoped to maybe get a tree topper at last. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well as long as we don't invite Vivienne over than I don't think anyone will care," Bull said as he walked back into the kitchen.
Dorian nodded.
He knew he was a spoiled rich kid, but he'd never felt it like this so much. He couldn't help but think of home, of the massive trees and the carefully curated color-coordinated ornaments. The overflowing food and the fireplace always going. Leaving home had been the best for him but he'd ended up homeless, broke and just now had found his place working at the local bar, The Inquisition. Bull worked as the bouncer and Dorian was the newest bartender. Bull had not been subtle and Dorian had not been interested but then...Dorian wasn't exactly sure what or when, but things had changed, and now living together, they both were doing better. There was always food and the bills were paid on time. Far better than when Dorian had been on his own, but still, Christmas wasn't the same, and he tried to forget that.
"What are you cooking? Smells spicy," Dorian called towards the kitchen.
"Piri Piri chicken," Bull answered. "I hope you're hungry. I made a lot."
Bull always cooked too much and then quietly smuggled the leftovers out to a group of regulars down on their luck. Dorian smiled and shook his head. That was not the usual Christmas Eve meal but it was better that way. Bull was a good cook, but he doubted even Bull could match his mother's dinners. Dorian stretched out and dropped his head onto the couch armrest and stared out the window and to their beautiful view of another building. This place, only a few blocks from The Inquisition, had been at the middle of their budget, Dorian had wanted the budget breaking place with a view where you could almost see Central Park but Bull had prevailed in that discussion. And had been right. Not that Dorian would admit that out loud. Bull's ego needed no stroking.
Dorian stayed sprawled out on the couch as Bull walked in with two plates of delicious smelling chicken and two glasses of chocolate milk (Bull's favorite drink).
"We didn't have chocolate milk but I thought this was close enough," Bull said as he sat everything on the two milk crates and piece of plywood currently serving as their coffee table. Dorian scooted forward enough to reach his plate and eat. The spicy flavor warmed through his chest and he had no shame when he ate a second helping. Bull ate three helpings and went through three glasses of chocolate milk before he sagged onto the couch beside Dorian and wrapped his arm around Dorian's shoulder to pull him close. "Merry Christmas hot stuff," he said.
Dorian managed a smile, "Yeah, you too."
"Look," Bull said with a faint shift to pull Dorian closer, "I know this isn't exactly the Christmas you want."
"It's fine Bull," Dorian said and looked away to their little miscolored but mostly bare tree.
"Hey, look, it's just one year. Next year we'll have a whole fancy thing. As many trees as you want," Bull said, "Covered in glitter and sparkles and all that fancy shit."
Dorian managed a small smile at that, "Ah yes, the glitter shit tree, my favorite."
Bull laughed, a loud sound that rumbled into Dorian's chest and he couldn't help but smile more at the warm th just that laught burned into him.
"Yeah, be the best glitter shit tree anyone's ever seen!" Bull promised.
Dorian shook his head, "Yes, thank you."
Bull smiled and took Dorian's chin between his fingers. He gently turned his head so Dorian had to look at him, but his grip was loose enough Dorian could eeasily pull away, but he didn't.
"Merry Christmas," Bull said, leaning in to give Dorian a kiss.
Dorian smiled and kissed him back, "Merry Christmas."
Dorian climbed into Bull's lap and frowned when something crinkled under him.
Bull grinned and arched a brow. "What?"
"You didn't," Dorian said, "Tell me you didn't."
Bull just smiled wider, "What? I had to get you a gift."
Dorian got out of Bull's lap and just groaned as he walked down the hall to their bedroom. Bull stood up after him and Dorian heard Bull's pants hit the floor.
The crinkling sound followed Dorian down the hall and to the bedroom.
Dorian kept his eyes closed, "I swear to God there had better not be a bow on your dick Bull."
"What? It's the best present ever kadan!"
Dorian just groaned as Bull followed him into the bedroom and let Dorian unwrap his gift.