Author's Notes: Sooo more friendship! I thought Ian and Anthony would be befitting for the family category. And also - to guest A: don't worry! There will be more Marhinki to come. I have like...11 more chapters to write. So there are plenty of more opportunities! Haha, I'm not writing this in any real pairing order. Just whatever pairing strikes me with the prompt word. But it should be even in the end! Promise!
After knowing each other for so long and being close for so many years, Ian and Anthony pretty much considered each other family. And their respective families considered the other one almost like an adopted son as well, so it became tradition that Anthony would come to dinner with Ian's family one day during the holiday season while Ian would go to dinner with Anthony's family on another. Today happened to be Anthony's turn to visit, so he had left Los Angeles bright and early in the morning (ten o'clock which was early for him), and made it to Sacramento by three. He parked at the Smosh house, which was like his second home, bringing a few gifts inside with him - gifts for Ian's family, but not Ian. He would see Ian closer to Christmas, so he could give him his present then.
Anthony headed inside without knocking, kicking his shoes off at the door, "Honey, I'm home."
"About time. I was beginning to wonder if you got kidnapped," Ian stepped out of the back, sweeping his bangs up and over into their typical bowl shape.
"It was a close call, but I managed to fight the robot ninjas off," Anthony stepped in and then plopped down on the couch. "What time are we heading over?"
"Around four would probably be good. You know my Mom. She likes to make sure we're all situated a couple hours before dinner..."
"Yeah, I know how I situated your mom last night," Anthony teased.
Ian rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Can you believe it's Christmas already? Twenty thirteen just flew by, man."
"I know, right? And so much has happened..."
Ian disappeared into the kitchen to grab a couple sodas before he came back into the living room, flopping beside Anthony and offering one in his direction, "But a lot has stayed the same."
A small smile creased his lips as he reached over to accept the offered beverage, "Yeah."
And it was true. Anthony may have gotten engaged this year, made a lot of new friends, and ascended to a new level of success - but he and Ian remained best friends. Most people lost touch with their high school friends, claiming they will always be close forever but most of the time, they went to college and then their own separate ways in life. He and Ian remained just as close now as they were then - like family. And Anthony was sure they would always remain close, like family.
He reached over, tapping his can against Ian's in an unspoken toast, tilting it back to chug a little, "So I got your Mom a new cutting board and knife set. I thought she could use some more deadly weapons in her house, ya know?"
"Great idea. Arm her. She always needs more things to potentially stab my Dad with," Ian pursed his lips in thought. "But yeah, should be good. She's always cooking stuff, so I assume any present that has to do with cooking is good for her."
"Geesh, man. Try to be a little more present in your Mom's life. Find out what she likes. What'd you wind up getting her?"
"Uhhh...an electric blanket? A new phone because she's using ancient technology - like from the 90's ancient. And a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble."
"Not terrible, but not very personalized either."
"Well, Sir Judge A Lot, she's practically your Mom too and you got her knives, so we're even."
"Maybe they're each engraved with her favorite sayings or quotes. Maybe they each have a personalized picture of me on each of them. Did you ever think of that?"
"Are you seriously trying to one up me here?" Ian realized what he said and pinched his nose afterward, holding out his hand. "Wait, no. Don't-"
And Anthony of course had to go there, "I always put one up your Mom."
He groaned when Anthony did the obvious, slugging him in the arm roughly though with no resentful strings attached. It was more a punch because Anthony was lame and predictable than one because Ian was actually offended. It took a lot to offend Ian, after all. But that's why Anthony got along with him so well. There was literally nothing he could say that would hurt or upset Ian which was a good foundation for their friendship.
They were silent for a moment, and Anthony decided to sober up and get a little serious, if not a bit sappy, "You know, Ian..."
"Oh god, here we go," Ian teased, rolling his eyes.
"Don't ruin the moment before it even happens," Anthony return punched Ian in the shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah. Just say it already..."
"I feel like I need to be drunk to say it now. I can't perform under all this pressure," he smiled, rubbing the back of his neck idly. "But seriously - I'm grateful for you, that we've been friends so long and that you've kind of hit this point where you've become family..."
"Uh, yeah. Obviously. I mean, wasn't that a thing that happened the first time you got dragged over to Christmas dinner? And that was waaay back in the day, so geesh, tell me something I don't know, Anthony," Ian said the words fondly.
He might not have been nearly as sappy as Anthony, but Anthony understood it without needing clarification. Ian felt the same way. Ian was grateful the same way. And they were each others favorite brother from another mother.