Justin woke up because the overwhelming dizziness somehow seeped into his sleep. His head was spinning and shutting his eyes didn't allow for any repose. Where the hell was he? He looked around and shut his eyes again. The same dizziness made his pass out last night. Darry had put him on his bed. How gentlemanly.

Justin rolled off the bed and wondered what the scene would be after last night. He'd fainted when he realized they hadn't been alone but it'd been a long time coming. He stood up on unstable legs and found the walls still spun gently in his head. Time to see what the damage was.

Justin was leaning on walls as he walked the short length of hall to the family room. What could they really say anyway? Nothing really sounded like it would earn their understanding or acceptance. Nothing short of denial.

Darry was sitting on the armchair trying not to notice the forced silence from the gang. Christmas morning hadn't always been perfect but God, this was a new level of awkward. He didn't know what to say so their silence was reciprocated and welcomed. Justin had a way with words, maybe he could help. He heard Justin's stumbling footsteps in the hall and waited.

The gang took Justin's waking up as a sign it was time for an explanation or presents. If they'd been good there would be both. Justin came into the room looking very aggravated and even hung over but they knew it was likely from being in a less than perfect state of health. They hoped the same was true for whatever had gone on last night.

Soda wondered what all was happening between Superman and Justin. Steve was ready to launch an interrogation followed by a possibility of fists flying if Justin was somehow in the wrong (Justin not Darry since Steve knew his odds). Two Bit was confused but if anything, he'd brush it aside as Justin being drunk or Justin being shook up about the past few weeks. Pony just stood with his hands in his pockets looking very uncomfortable since it could've been him instead of Darry.

"So, what exactly is going on?" Steve said, keeping the swagger from his voice for a moment.

"Nothing." Justin said. He looked annoyed but not angry.

"You call last night nothing?"

"Yes. I call our relationship nothing. There isn't even a relationship. I would suggest leaving the topic alone since we were never more than friends and now we're on the brink of being less than friends. All right?" Justin said, narrowing his eyes. Darry looked startled but muffled the expression with an irritated mask. That boy was smart.

"What happened?" Soda asked.

"What do you mean, more than friends?" Steve asked.

"There ain't no such thing as more than friends unless there is a girl involved." Two Bit said, blinking at Steve.

"Enough. Justin is over here to have a pleasant Christmas and I'm attempting to behave well enough for that to happen. Can we move on?" Silence greeted Darry's question.

"The answer is yes." Justin said, flopping down on the couch near the tree. "I brought presents for you bunch of hoods so let's dispense some God damned holiday cheer. Where the hell is the cheap alcohol?"

Christmas turned into the ruckus Justin had imagined and he was surprised at the displays of affection and overall sentimental, stuff going on around him. Almost made him wish he could sit closer to Darry since he was freezing his ass off and everything that hurt would be overshadowed by the self image soothing of being in Darry's arms. Justin didn't want anything other than that though. He was too tired for anything more. Everything hurt too much. Even the rejection that had been rescinded still stung.

Justin was surprised at how fast the day and evening passed. Night turned into midnight and Darry carried Pony into his room after everyone else had left. Steve was done being the macho bellicose man and Justin was glad he didn't have to put the hurting on Steve since it would've hurt Justin to move fast enough to hit him.

Justin was wondering why everything seemed so anticlimactic. He shut his eyes and reflected that anticlimactic wouldn't hurt.

Darry came back in with a lofty sigh and sat on the couch. He lifted Justin's head and let it rest in his lap. He played with Justin's hair.

"Can we talk?"

"Hm." Justin mumbled a reply because Darry was massaging his scalp and talking might detract from his enjoyment of the platonic touch. It wasn't platonic to Darry.

"I'm sorry." Darry said.

"You still meant it." Justin said. He got up and walked to Darry's room. He stood near the foot of the bed and sighed.

"I've learned." Darry said. They didn't even have to discuss why Justin had lied to everyone about them. They both knew it was better to lie than be denied acceptance from the rest of the people who loved them.

"What have you learned?" Justin asked.

"If you're old enough to know what you need, you're old enough to have it." Darry said, sighing.

"How poetic Mr. Whitman. Do you still feel the same about me as before?" Justin faced Darry and Darry put his hands above Justin's hipbones.

"Yes." Justin took Darry's hand and kissed it. Darry eased closer, not moving Justin as he kissed Justin's neck. Justin let his head roll back as he and Darry fell back onto the bed. His voice was muffled in Darry's shoulder as he whispered.

"I don't."