Macaroni-and-yesPLEASE started a new conversation

Macaroni-and-yesPLEASE: What do I get for your girlfriend?

Middle Schuyler: I'm assuming this is for the SS exchange? Also, am I seriously listed as "Middle Schuyler"?!

Macaroni-and-yesPLEASE: 1) Yes, I pulled her name and I'm not aware to her likes. 2) Yes, I have to differentiate you all somehow.

Middle Schuyler: We look nothing alike?

Middle Schuyler: Hmm… She loves the color red!

Macaroni-and-yesPLEASE: Seriously? You're only giving me the color red to go off of? Don't you want your gal-pal to have a good holiday?

Middle Schuyler: Of course I want her to have the best holiday possible, BUT I also don't want to give you the entire gift idea. You know her some, and she's been coming over to our hangouts more. Just try to figure out something.

Middle Schuyler: Also, don't patronize me by calling her my gal-pal, Thomas. I have no qualms on reporting you to Madison.

Macaroni-and-yesPLEASE: Sorry.

"Jemmy, what do girls want?" Thomas looked imploringly at his boyfriend, turning away from the mass of clothes he had been cautiously carding through, as if worried the articles of clothing would attack him, sensing his Y-chromosome.

"Thomas, need I remind you that I'm just as gay as you are? I have no clue what girls like."

"But you have sisters!"

"So do you!"

"Whatever. Schuyler told me she liked 'red'. What do I do with that?" Thomas huffed dramatically, turning back around to the racks of clothes, now angrily shuffling through the garments.

"She's always wearing that dark red lipstick, why don't you get her some different red colors? Or, I don't know, maybe nail polish?"

"Yeah, that could maybe work." Thomas ran a hand through his mass of curls, surveying the large store around him. "Let's go to the upper level and see what there is."

"Ooh, I like this. Isn't she always complaining she's cold?" Thomas held up a very soft and very red cable knit sweater.

"Oh, that is nice. Yeah, she's always in huge overcoats when she gets to George's." James nodded, running his hands over the soft sweater.

"Ok, then it's settled. I'll get her this. Thank god that's over with." Thomas elegantly draped the sweater over his arm, maneuvering out of the pit of clothing, dragging James behind him, as he lead the way to the counter. Exhaling in frustration to the long line of teenage girls that greeted him at the checkout area, he resigned himself to a long wait. He began to peruse the surrounding helves of small (and mostly unnecessary) items meant to entice young shoppers, Thomas falling prey to the obvious trap. Among the new additions he excitedly picked up was a bottle cherry red nail polish, and a charcoal face mask that looked like something Maria would use. (And something Jefferson would use, as he bought a few extra. I mean they were only a dollar. What a steal.)

"You're cute when you're frustrated." James said simply, watching Thomas angrily tear up the wrapping paper piece that had torn before he could begin using it.

"Shut up."

"So eloquent, too."

"Can you please stop patronizing me and instead actually contribute to the fantastic air of Christmas fun I am trying to create?" Thomas huffed, turning around from his place on the living room's plush rug to look angrily at his boyfriend, who was curled up on the couch above him.

"You are so damn sassy, I swear to god. How do I put up with you?" James laughed, letting the blanket fall away from his shoulders as he sat up.

"Because I can pull of a velvet magenta coat like nobody's business. Besides, we agree on too many things to not be together." Jefferson smiled cockily at the man as he sat next to him on the rug, motioning for Thomas to move the present to him.

"What even is this?" James asked, inspecting the mob of tape and wrapping paper the had congealed into a mass of frustration-fueled abstract art in lieu of an actual present-shape.

"It's the sweater!"

"Thomas! You didn't even fold it. Dear lord- how did you even get it into this shape?" He turned the lump over in his hands, trying to peel off some of the tape. "Ok, go into the wrapping bin and get me a shirt box, tissue paper, a smaller box for the little things you got her- or better yet maybe a bag. Ribbon, a new thing of tape, and a pair of actual scissors. I mean, where did you even get kids' scissors?" Thomas just smiled at him, not responding to the question.

He left the room, hunting for the large collection of James' wrapping supplies, only to return with the entire bin of materials rather than the few requested items. "I forgot what you said." He said apologetically as he set the large bin down.

Sighing, James started extracting the necessary supplies out of the bin, telling Thomas to "Go make dinner, I deserve payment for services rendered." And then, calling after him into the kitchen as he heard a cabinet shut, "If you're making macaroni and cheese again I'm breaking up with you!"

James couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face when he heard the small "...well, shit." come out of the kitchen.

"Uh- what do you want for dinner, then?" Came the meek reply, earning a loud guffaw in response.

"You can just order from the Mexican place up the street if you want."

"On it!"

"Wait, who did you have, again?" Thomas looked up from his take out box, confused, as if he had been trying to figure it out for awhile.

"Huh?" Asked James, taking a spoonful of the beans and rice from the sides-portion of the container.

"For secret santa! I can't remember who you have."

"Oh! Angelica." James said after swallowing the large bite of rice and beans he had taken.

"Do you still need to buy for her? We can go tomorrow if you want." Thomas said, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork. "I know we spent most of our free time today on my gifts."

"Oh, no. It's ok, I already got her gift like two weeks ago." James smiled at him, snorting at the incredulous look on his face.

"How did you already know what to get her?" Thomas inquired, surprised.

"Well, we are friends, Tommy. I just listen,"

"God, I suck at gifts. I literally never know what to buy for people. So what did you buy her?"

"Well, her and I were leaving book club the other week and on the way back to campus, we went into this international home-wares store, and she loved this set of pink Himalayan salt shot glasses. So I got her that and a travel sized bottle of tequila, so I could still fit in the price range." James was very happy with his gift for Angelica, and had gone back to the store that same day to buy the set.

"That's nice- I've never seen salt shot glasses befo- wait . she's in your old ladies' book club?!" Thomas questioned, mouth agape in shock.

James rolled his eyes at his boyfriend, taking a long sip of his water before answering. "Firstly, it's not an old ladies book club, you just like to call it that, you ass. And yes, she is. We always walk to the meetings together and then get lunch and talk afterwards."

"About what?!"

"Our families, college, gossip about the women in the club- no, they're not old women, Thomas- complain about our annoying significant others-"

"Hey!"

"You asked." James flashed a toothy grin at his boyfriend, earning a huff in response.

A/N: I'm really sorry the Jeffmads chapter isn't long! I didn't know what else to add to it :/ Is there anyone else you all want to see before the gift exchange? Also, 3 things! 1) In the gift exchange chapter, I'll include links to as many of the gifts I can find reference pictures for as I can, to show y'all what I'm thinking of when I write this. 2) I kinda want to make a text-based group-text fanfic nowwwwww 3) Thank you all so much for reading this! If you have any comments or feedback, please let me know! Thank you! 3