Chapter 6 - I Shall Always Treasure It

"Dee? Dee?"

The repetition of his nickname, combined with the poking of his feet by something, stirred Edd from sleep. He blinked his eyes open and yawned, stretching his arms above his head and arching his back. He felt good and well rested, something he often didn't feel when not in his own bed.

"You can't do that and not expect me to jump on you."

He barked out a small laugh, then struggled to a seated position, lifting his hands automatically to check that his hat was still on, and then to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"Good morning, Kevin. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Kevin responded from his spot on the other wing of the couch. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you. I do not think I woke up once."

"I did. Just to pee though," Kevin said. "Then I watched you sleep for a bit before going back to sleep."

"You watched me?"

"Yeah. Hope that doesn't sound too weird. You just looked so cute and peaceful."

Edd blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I do not mind."

Kevin thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "Hey! I should wish you Happy Hanukkah too, right? Didn't that start yesterday?"

Edd nodded, "Yes, last evening. Jewish holidays always start at sundown."

Kevin frowned. "Should we have done something last night then? Aren't you supposed to light candles or something?"

"Traditionally, yes, but as with Christmas, my family does not observe that tradition at home. When we visit my grandparents during Hanukkah, we do, as I shall tomorrow night and every night while I am there."

"What exactly do you do?" Kevin asked curiously.

"Oh, not exactly a lot, honestly. It is not as important a holiday as other Jewish holidays. We light a candle on the Menorah and sing the blessings. Then we spend time together as a family, eat fried food, and exchange small gifts. My cousins and I will often play with the Dreidel."

"You sing?"

Edd chuckled. "Yes. Poorly, to be sure. It is more of a chant, but I am usually chosen one night to light the Menorah and to lead the chant."

"What would you chant?"

"Two blessings. Three on the first night."

"Sing one for me."

Edd grimaced. "It really should be sung at the Menorah."

"C'mon, Dee, please..." he begged.

Edd briefly chanted the first blessing, amused at how Kevin's eyes widened.

"What language was that?"

"Hebrew."

"You know Hebrew?"

"Of course, Kevin. I would not have been able to go through Bar Mitzvah without it."

"You were Bar Mitzvah'ed? I didn't know that."

"My Bubbie insisted upon it. Mother thought it would be good for me to learn about Judaism, so she killed two birds with one stone. I went to Hebrew School, as well as Bible Study, as a child. Part of Hebrew School is learning Hebrew in order to read the Torah during Shabbat. So yes, I can speak Hebrew. Some Yiddish, too, actually, as Bubbie and Zayde speak it as well."

"Bubbie? Zayde?"

"My grandparents."

"Oh my God, it's so cute you call them that!"

Edd rolled his eyes. "It is no different than how you call your grandmother 'Nana'," he objected.

"Yeah, but that is still the most adorable name for a grandma I've ever heard!" Kevin laughed.

"Bubbie and Zayde are Yiddish for grandmother and grandfather. They were both born here in America, but their parents were born in Poland and spoke both Polish and Yiddish. That is how Bubbie and Zayde learned it. Mother speaks it as well, though I have not gained much knowledge of the language. Polish either. I would like to learn someday."

"I didn't know your family was from Poland," Kevin said softly. "Were any," he paused, "You know, in the war?"

"Bubbie and Zayde's parents were good friends and decided to leave after the First World War. Obviously a smart decision. Most of Zayde's family followed suit." He sighed. "Bubbie's family was not so lucky, I am afraid. Most of them were victims in the Holocaust."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kevin said.

"I am too." They didn't say anything for a few minutes. "This conversation has taken a somber turn, Kevin," Edd said. "We should only think joyful things today, not only for Christmas, but also for Hanukkah." He smiled at Kevin, then looked at his phone. "Did your mother not forbid us to come out of the basement until seven? It is almost six now. That shall give us an hour to shower and get ready."

Kevin shook the melancholy feeling that had settled on him. "Sure, Dee. You hop in first."

Edd hadn't expected any gifts. Not really. He knew Kevin had gotten him something, though he had no idea what it might be. He certainly didn't expect anything from Kevin's parents, nor did he especially expect anything from Nana Schmidt, Aunt Kathy or Marissa. Surely he had gotten them small gifts, but he did it with no expectation of reciprocation.

That being so, he was pleasantly surprised to find a small pile in front of him on the floor once Kevin and Marissa, as Santa's Elves, had finished handing out the gifts from under the tree. He was more surprised when Sylvie handed him his own stocking, one that matched the rest of the family ones hanging on the mantle. He looked at her with shining eyes and she smiled at the soft-voiced 'thank you' that he finally managed.

Everyone first dove into their stockings. Edd had helped Kevin shop for the little things that they put into Pete and Sylvie's, and he was happy to see how much Kevin's parents liked the things he chose. In his he found his favorite candies and other little gifts that he was sure Kevin had suggested to his parents. He was incredibly grateful for the thoughtfulness of the gifts that suited his tastes so well.

After stockings were finished, they started opening presents. The Barrs had everyone take turns. Sylvie had explained to Edd earlier that morning that they did that to draw out the gift opening and so that everyone could see everything that everyone received. He liked the idea and it was nice once they were opening the gifts.

The first gift he took from his pile was a small one from Pete and Sylvie. Sylvie requested he open it first, as she said that it would need to be used right away. He felt self-conscious as everyone watched him. Edd never liked to be the center of attention, and having the eyes of all of Kevin's family on him as he slowly unwrapped the package made him fumble with the paper. Inside was a small box that had the name of what he knew was the Christmas store near Chicago that Sylvie had told him about. He took off the top of the box and stared at the item nestled on cotton inside.

And didn't know what to say.

It was an ornament, he assumed made of ceramic and similar to the other ornaments on the tree that were the family ornaments – the ones with the year and Sylvie, Pete and Kevin's names on it, usually with cute figures representing the family. This one had four penguins painted on it, wearing scarves and hats. One was obviously female with a male penguin and two smaller boy penguins, but that wasn't what caused a choked up feeling in Edd's throat. The year was painted on top and his name was under one of the penguins.

Kevin had leaned against him as he had opened the gift and also saw what it was. He looked up. "Mom?" he asked and Edd could hear the little catch in his voice. Edd was glad Kevin had spoken, because he was sure he wouldn't be able to.

Sylvie smiled at the pair. "I thought it appropriate that Edd open the family ornament this year," she said with a little shrug of her shoulders.

Edd was speechless as he gazed down at the ornament again. He felt tears prick his eyes and he wasn't sure if he could hold them back. This spoke more than anything to him that Pete and Sylvie both accepted him as part of the family. While it surprised him to be included as such after such a short amount of time, this gesture meant everything in the world to him.

"I think, Edd, that you should hang it on the tree," Sylvie suggested gently. "I already put a hook on it."

Edd nodded, gingerly lifting the ornament from the cotton lining in the box. He looked at Kevin and nearly cried then - his boyfriend was looking back at him with such a loving expression. He gave Kevin just as loving a look back before he stood up to cross the room to the tree, where he carefully hooked the precious object on an unoccupied branch.

"There!" Sylvie exclaimed. "The tree is finally finished!"

Edd looked at the ornament for a moment, before turning his head to look at Kevin's mother - Sylvie with her kind smile, her youthful laugh, her bright eyes, and the way she looked at him just like his own mother would. It choked him up and before he knew it, he had thrown himself into her arms. "Thank you. Thank you." He kept repeating his gratitude in a whisper.

She hugged him back tightly, one hand pressed against the back of his head. "You're family, now, dear. You don't have to thank us."

Edd then hugged Pete, and though he thought if he would ever hug Kevin's father, it would be awkward, it actually wasn't. "Welcome to the family, kid," the older man said gruffly, patting him on the back.

"Alright, enough of this sappy clinging on each other," Nana complained. "Let's get to more gift opening." To outsiders, Kevin knew his grandmother probably sounded harsh, but he could hear how the tone of her voice indicated how touched she was at the gesture.

"That was very sweet, Sylvie," Aunt Kathy approved in her soft-spoken way.

Edd, while he hadn't exactly cried, had to rub at his eyes as he returned to his seat. Kevin put his arm around him as Marissa took her turn in the round of gift opening.

When it was over and a huge pile of discarded wrapping paper lay in a mound in the middle of the floor, Edd's heart felt full. He was still reeling at the ornament - he knew it would take him some time to process that. It wasn't just that, however. Everyone had generously given him thoughtful gifts. He could tell that none of the gifts were just given to him for the sake of giving a gift. All of them appealed to his interests, even down to the small-scale planetary set from Marissa. While he figured that Kevin had probably given everyone suggestions, it still meant everything to him that they cared enough to make him happy.

He was thumbing through the first edition copy of Catcher in the Rye, a gift from Pete, when Kevin slipped his arm around him. "Did you enjoy your first Christmas, Dee?"

Edd let the book close gently. "Oh yes, Kevin. Very much."

"I hope you liked your gift."

"Hmm, Kevin. I am not sure," he teased. "I wonder how on earth I could like a Lego Star Wars Tie Fighter. Surely I will have to suffer as I put it together."

Kevin laughed. "Well if you don't want it, then I can just take it back."

"No, Kevin," he said firmly. "I would not give it up for anything, even were I not actually to like it. It is your first gift to me and I shall always treasure it."

Kevin's cheeks reddened, but his smile was fond as he kissed Edd's cheek. "Same for yours," he said, looking over at the plain box that he knew contained the gift Edd had given him - a statuette of Captain America.

Edd saw his glance. "I saw this not long after I started tutoring you, actually," he said. "Before we were together. I thought it would make a good gift for you, should we ever have a reason to exchange gifts. I thought perhaps if our friendship moved ahead as I hoped, I would get it for you for Christmas. I am glad our relationship moved even further than that. I was so happy to get this for you."

Kevin squeezed him against his side. "God you're so adorable," he said, interrupted when his father came in with a garbage bag to collect all the debris. "Need help, Dad?"

"Yeah, if you want. I'm sending Edd in to help your mother. Her request, if you don't mind, Edd?" he asked, looking at the young man.

"Of course!" he said, jumping up to head to the kitchen in order to help Sylvie with the omelets.

"It truly meant a great deal to me that you included me in the family ornament," Edd managed to say as he and Sylvie stood side by side at the counter, chopping vegetables for the Christmas morning omelets.

Sylvie turned her head slightly to give him a small smile. "I'm glad, my dear. Pete and I are very happy you're part of the family now."

"It has only been a little over a month," Edd pointed out, treading this topic carefully. "To think that you see me as a member of the family..."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"No. Not exactly," he responded, groaning inwardly. He didn't quite know how to explain what he felt.

"One thing to know about us, Eddward dear, is that we don't go by halves. I've always been like that and Kevin takes after me. Pete follows along cause he has no choice." She smiled at Edd's small chuckle. "I'll tell you something, though. I can see how much Kevin adores you. He may not have said the words, Edd, but I think you know what I mean. And though I don't know you as well as I'd like, I can see you return that."

Edd stared at her, taking in her easy and friendly expression, and the bright twinkle in her eyes - eyes the same color as Kevin's. "But what if it doesn't work out?" he asked, his voice small.

Sylvie's expression didn't falter as he expected it might. "Then it doesn't," she said with a shrug, then returned her attention the tomato she was dicing. "I don't mean to sound flippant, because I truly want this to work out. We really couldn't ask for someone better for Kevin." Edd blushed at that. "But you can't go through life not taking chances just because something might not 'work out'. The way I see it, you're part of our family now. If you're not next year or ten years from now, it doesn't change what's going on at this moment. Does that make sense?"

Edd thought about it. It did make sense, in a strange sort of way. He should enjoy what he has now with Kevin, not worry about what might happen in the future. If he held himself back too much from fear of what might happen, he knew he might miss out on some amazing things. "It does make sense, Sylvie," he agreed.

"I know that both you and Kevin are going through a lot right now. A new relationship is always a trial, because both sides need to get used to each other, learn each other. That is never something that is easy for anyone. Add to it that you're both adjusting to your sexuality? That would be a strain on anyone, but you both seem to be handling it. I got the ornament to let you know that we accept it. And to let you and Kevin know that it's not anything we have to accept. To know he was afraid of telling us made me angry. No kid should ever feel that."

"He was not sure how you would take it."

"He's our son. We love him unconditionally," she stated, then sighed. "I'm not stupid. I know how people can be." She looked at Edd again. "Kevin said you were going to tell your parents today?"

He nodded. "Yes. I told Kevin I would rather tell them in person, but I do not want to wait until May."

"How do you think they will take it?"

"I think they shall be fine with it," he answered with a sigh. "One never knows, however." Even he could hear how nervous he was.

Sylvie dropped the knife, wiped her hands on the towel next to her on the counter, then turned and took Edd's face between her palms. "No matter what, you have us. I'm sure your parents will be alright, but know that if they're not, we're here for you, ok?"

He felt his eyes fill with tears again. "I do know that, Sylvie. Thank you so much."

She let go of his face so she could hug him.

"Uh, am I interrupting anything?"

Sylvie let Edd go and he reached up to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand. "No you're not, dear," she said, returning to her tomatoes. "But you could help by getting out those two small pans I use for omelets."

Kevin stared confusedly at both of them. Edd had also returned to chopping green peppers. "Sure thing, Mom," he said, moving to the cabinet next to Edd where the pans were stored. "Don't put any of those peppers in my omelet, Dee."

"I would not think of it Kevin," Edd assured him, giving him a sweet little smile.

"Marissa wants to watch Nightmare Before Christmas after breakfast, Mom, if that's ok?" Kevin asked, still giving his Mom and Edd a strange look.

"Sure thing, dear."

"Oh that is one of my favorite Christmas movies," Edd agreed enthusiastically.

"Mine too. And apparently Marissa's. She wouldn't let me pick Die Hard, though," Kevin complained.

"That is not a Christmas movie, Kevin," his mother stated, putting the last bit of diced tomato into a bowl.

"Of course it is, Mom. They're AT a Christmas party."

"I do not see how terrorists, explosions, and killing people quite fits into the spirit of Christmas, Kevin," Edd said doubtfully.

"And I fail to see how YOU can't see it!"

Edd just rolled his eyes as Sylvie laughed. "I saw one of those meme things that said it wasn't Christmas until Hans Gruber falls off the Nakatomi building," Sylvie said as she fetched eggs from the fridge.

"That's true," Pete said when he came in with the trash bag to take it to the garage. "That's when you know Christmas has truly begun."

"I'm surrounded by heathens, Edd," Sylvie lamented.

"Why was Mom hugging you?" Kevin asked curiously as they sat on the couch in the basement waiting for everyone to join them after breakfast. Marissa was waiting impatiently for the movie to start as she played on her tablet. The rest of the adults were still hanging around in the kitchen talking.

"We were discussing how I plan to tell my parents as well as how she included me in your family ornament. It was a nice discussion. Your mother is quite sympathetic and I am happy that she likes me."

"I told you Mom and Dad adore you."

Edd smiled at him. "I know, but it is nice to know it as opposed to being told it."

"True," Kevin agreed, kissing his cheek. "What time are your parents calling?"

"Approximately two p.m. our time. Serbia is six hours ahead, so it is not too late for them, and not too early for me."

"Ok good. Enough time to get the movie in before they call. Do you want me with you when you talk to them?" Kevin asked. "My room should be private enough. Dad wants to watch another movie after this one."

Edd toyed with the corner edge of his iPad, which he had pulled out from his bag in case his parents called early for some reason. "I think I would like your support, Kevin. I am nervous."

"Anything you're comfortable with, Dee. I'll be there for you."

A/N: My family, for a long time, has omelets on Christmas morning, followed by tacos in the afternoon. I think we started it because a lot of the things we put in omelets (cheese, green onions, tomatoes) are also put on our tacos. Our tacos are actually more like tostadas. Anyway.

My mom was very much like Sylvie. Someone - boyfriend/girlfriend/just friend was invited to spend Christmas and my mom would spoil them with gifts. Before even meeting my husband, my mom sent him a big package of birthday presents the first birthday he had after we started dating (she met him nine months after we started dating...we lived in a different part of the country). She spoiled him at Christmas too. And since I'm modeling Sylvie after my mom, Edd gets gifts. And, like my mom, not just half-assed gifts either. I thought the ornament was cute, but could see how it would overwhelm Edd, whose only been in this relationship for a month and almost two weeks.

I'm not sure why I decided that Edd would be part Jewish. The idea intrigued me, added another layer to his character, and helped explain why his parents sort of distance themselves from religion in general. Not that multi-faith families necessarily do that, but I thought that, combined with them both being scientific people, would lead to that and Edd would follow. I also see him, in spite of that, being respectful of religion in general. He surely was in the spirit of Christmas and understood that aspect of it in the Christmas episode of EEnE. So I have him familiar with the traditions of both, just in a non-participatory way - unless he had to be. Plus I wanted this chapter of the series to be about Edd discovering Christmas traditions with Kevin's family, so I needed him to be like this.