Day 25: Christmas!

Gray jumping on Jack's bed awoke him early on the 25th. Jack groaned and complained and put the sheet on his face, put his little brother didn't care and pulled the sheet away, taking it entirely off the bed. Freezing, Jack tried to cuddle with his pillow, but it was too cold, and Gray was too excited, so he stood. After a few seconds to really wake up, he pretended to be still half asleep to approach Gray slowly, then burst into action and lifted his brother from the ground to throw him on the bed and attack him with the worst torture ever – tickles.

Gray laughed and tried to kick Jack off him vainly, until he asked for a break because he couldn't breathe, tears running down his cheeks. Jack gave him, but then Gray betrayed him and tried to free himself and run away, so Jack resumed his tickles.

When they both grew tired of it, they stopped and caught their breath, then stood to have a huge breakfast in front of the telly. Then Gray got really impatient and asked for the gifts, and Jack laughed, giving him because he couldn't really resist him.

He seemed really happy with their mother's gift, the brand-new PlayStation, and Jack's gifts which completed his mother's as he had bought a few video games he was sure Gray would love. Gray gave him a little something, which was unusual, and Jack smiled when he saw a beautiful silver bracelet. He thanked his brother by ruffling his hair, then put the gift on his wrist, and concentrated on the complicated installation of the game console – it wasn't complicated but Gray was so impatient that Jack wanted to give up.

They played for most of the day, ate at past three in the afternoon, and spent more time playing. They stopped for dinner and watched a movie in front of which Gray fell asleep, so Jack carried him to his guest room.

He tried to watch TV a bit more but started to doze off as well, and went to his own bedroom to fall on his bed. He texted Ianto for a while, a silly smile on his face, then picked up his phone when his mother called him.

"Hi," Jack said, tired.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you?" Jack's mother replied, clearly smiling.

"Fine. How's California?"

"Sunny," she chuckled.

"Obviously. When are you coming back again?"

"Tomorrow, late. I'll take some hotel for the night and pick Gray the day after, in the afternoon."

"Okay," Jack sighed.

"Can I talk to him?"

"He's already sleeping."

"What time is it?"

"Almost midnight, mom."

"Oh, sorry, I miscalculated..."

"It's okay, you'll see him soon."

"So how was today?"

"We stayed in, watched some movie on the TV, played for a bit. He loved your gift! But he was tired so he went to sleep early. How was yours?"

Jack listened absently, not really listening to his mother. They didn't have a bad relationship, but it was almost as if they didn't really have one at all. They get along well, but since Jack's father had died, they didn't talk much, they didn't take part in the other's life that much, and they probably saw each other just because Gray was here. Jack couldn't explain why, but somehow his father's death had distanced them.

It shouldn't have, but his mother had refused to accept that her husband was dead, and Jack had had to take care of Gray for a long time, alone, and he had only been ten. Jack didn't mind, but things hadn't gotten better and they had never really bonded again. It was fine, because they weren't yelling at each other, but sometimes Jack missed his father even more because part of his mother had died with him.

They ended the call soon and Jack fell asleep thinking, for a dreamless night.

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope it was good and that you spent a good time :) Thank you for reading me!