.

ooooooo

Chapter Four: Bozer

The first Christmas with Bozer is his first in Los Angeles and his first living in the house he'd inherited from his grandfather.

In some ways, he's still adjusting to being home again. Sand was in its proper place at the beach instead of everywhere and in everything. He wasn't trying to disarm bombs in order to save lives, including his and Jack's. He was still trying to get used to living according to his own schedule and sleeping in a comfortable bed.

When he'd been discharged from the Army, he hadn't been sure what he wanted to do with his life – and still didn't. He knew he didn't want to live in Mission City; it was a place too full of memories for him to be happy there. Living in the house he'd inherited in Los Angeles made more sense, and besides, Bozer had moved to the city two years prior.

It only takes a few days of living alone in the too-quiet house for him to decide to ask Bozer to be his roommate. Bozer had followed his dreams of becoming a film maker, but had yet to succeed and was working at various fast food burger joints. His best friend's apartment was not in the best area, so it made sense for the two of them to share expenses and be able to easily afford the utilities and upkeep. He couldn't help wondering who was getting the better end of that deal given Bozer's talent for cooking and for subtly keeping Mac from getting stuck too far inside his own head.

Bozer had been ecstatic to get the offer and had agreed practically before Mac could finish asking the question. Lease ended, stuff moved in, and only a couple of days later they were, as Bozer put it, roomies.

Living with Bozer after bunking in a dusty, stuffy, smelly barracks with a bunch of soldiers was a welcome change. They quickly got to know each other's habits and preferences again as well as learning what had changed for each of them in the years since he'd left Mission City.

As Christmas as approached, Mac began to seriously dread it.

Thanksgiving had been great. Bozer had decided to stay in L.A., so they'd had "Friendsgiving," inviting a couple of Bozer's current coworkers who didn't have anywhere else to go for Thanksgiving. Though Bozer's cooking was excellent as always, and his attempt at making a pumpkin pie turn out decently, the best part of the day was being surprised by Jack arriving late into their meal.

Though they'd emailed often, and even Skyped a couple of times, Mac had lost track of when Jack was due to be discharged from the Army for good. Now that he thought about it, his friend had probably planned it that way, but he couldn't be too irritated about that. Jack had gone home to Texas for "Thanksgiving, Part One", as he'd called it, and was ready for "Thanksgiving Part Two." Mac could've kicked himself when he'd seen the conspiratorial grin and wink Jack had shared with Bozer. Plus, it finally explained the extra place setting that Bozer kept 'forgetting' to put away. Except for one thing, it was the best Thanksgiving Mac had had in a long time, especially when he was surprised again by Jack announcing he was going to live in Los Angeles.

After Thanksgiving dinner, while they were quietly digesting their food, Mac had learned by accident that he was going to be alone for his first Christmas in Los Angeles. Both of his best friends were going home to visit their families, and he would be alone. Bozer and Jack had each tried to convince him to go with them to visit their respective families, but Mac didn't feel comfortable with either invitation for a variety of reasons, even if it meant being by himself on Christmas.

The day after Thanksgiving, he and Bozer had a discussion about his philosophy regarding decorating for Christmas now that he was a home owner. Discovering Mac didn't really have one – that his best friend thought having a Christmas tree and a stocking were enough decorations – prompted Bozer to ask if they could "do the place up right." Mac had been so amused by Bozer's enthusiasm to decorate that he told his best friend to go for it.

That same morning, Mac had searched for and found the box of Christmas stuff his grandfather had kept. When he presented it to Bozer, his friend had looked inside and quietly mumbled something about having forgotten just how bad it was. Mac pretended not to hear the words, thinking back to his first Christmas with his grandfather and being so grateful he'd been able to enjoy the holiday somewhat despite the circumstances.

In the weeks after Thanksgiving, and leading up to Christmas, Mac started noticing random new Christmas decorations popping up around the house. He would leave the house for a couple of hours, and when he got back, there would be something else. He had no idea where Bozer was getting it all, but he couldn't help but laugh at how tacky and cheap-looking some of it was. Yet, despite those qualities, Mac was really starting to warm up to the decorations.

Bozer had been kind of sneaky about it at first, starting with a bunch of strings of lights of various styles and colors. Some of them were even broken, but except for one, Mac was able to easily fix them.

One morning, when he returned from his run, he found a wreath made up of cheap-looking poinsettia flowers, which had been drowned in silver glitter, and had a silver bow printed with more traditional-looking wreaths. It was quite…hideous and totally tacky, but it made him smile, so he didn't put up a fuss about it.

Later, after Christmas, when he thought back to the day when he found that wreath, Mac realized Bozer had been testing him, seeing how far he could go with the decorations. Out of everything, the only thing he had unreservedly vetoed was the set that decorated the entire toilet to look like Santa Claus. It included a hat to cover the top of the water tank, the face on the front of the tank, the body on the toilet seat, and a rug that looked like legs. He didn't like the idea of Santa – even a fabric one – staring at him while he took care of business.

After the first wreath, others started showing up, along with 24-inch, plastic candy canes, and inflatable, outdoor ornaments. The day after he came home to the fake, 7.5 foot tall Christmas tree, Mac found a box of paperclips, some ornament hangers, and a list of requests for shapes for some tree ornaments. With a fond smile, Mac shook his head, laughed, and got to work on the list. Some of the requests took a while to complete, and some shapes challenged him, but on the whole, he'd had a lot of fun making them.

When the mugs shaped like Santa's heads, as well as the snowman-shaped mugs, appeared on the kitchen counter one afternoon, Mac finally couldn't take it any longer; he had to know where all this tacky, yet endearing…crap was coming was from.

The answer shouldn't have surprised him, but it did anyway. Bozer had been going to every yard sale, dollar store, and thrift store all over Los Angeles and its suburbs looking for just the right decorations for the house. Bozer said they could add more in future years and, if they chose to, have different themes each year.

Learning Jack had donated some money to the cause left a lump in his throat he had a hard time swallowing back down. Despite knowing the older man was moving to L.A., Mac was still afraid they would grow apart as friends. For some reason, the older man adding money to the decoration fund helped diminish that fear.

Mac knew what they were doing. All of the decorations, and putting them up around the house, were meant to distract him from the fact he was going to be by himself for Christmas. His mom, grandfather, and any other close relatives had all passed, his dad was God only knew where, and he didn't yet have many close friends in Los Angeles, so he didn't have many options for Christmas. Ultimately, he would be alone for the day in an overly-festive house.

The day before Jack and Bozer were going to leave for their respective homes, when the three of them were going to exchange gifts, his two best friends carried something huge, white, and furry into the house – a fake, stuffed polar bear. His friends both pointed at him and laughed at his expression, which he didn't dare ask about, being thankful neither of them thought to take a picture.

He decided he didn't want to know where they got the polar bear, and was just about to veto it when Jack stepped back outside and came back in with a gift bag, which he shoved at Mac. Inside, was a red-sequined cowboy hat lined with fake, silver-flecked white fur and an absurdly huge necktie decorated with Santas dressed like cowboys.

Bozer rolled his eyes after the confused silence began to run on too long. His friend snatched the hat and necktie from his hands and put them on the polar bear, which they had stood up against the wall in the entryway, too tired to carry it any farther into the house. With the Santa gear, Mac couldn't help but laugh – of course his friends would do something to make it so he wouldn't veto a decoration. Because no one wanted to deal with moving the heavy bear again after Christmas, it became a permanent fixture in the entryway of his house.

Bozer made his family's "famous" Christmas Pastrami, taking time out to explain its origins to Jack, who Mac could guarantee mentally checked out in the first 30 seconds of the tale. Mac tried to remember how many times he'd heard all or part of that story, but couldn't, and was okay not knowing for sure.

After their meal, they exchanged gifts. Because of all of the tacky, goofy décor, Mac had long ago decided to give gifts along the same lines. But first, Bozer had him and Jack open a gift – stockings for each of them. Mac had laughed at the duct tape which spelled out his name, and then practically choked on his egg nog when he saw Jack's stocking – a tube sock with Jack's name embroidered on it in black thread. They were perfect, and not empty, having been filled with some Christmas candy.

Mac's gifts had been received well. He'd given Bozer an apron with the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story on it which had the words "It's a major award" printed underneath the picture. He gave Jack sequined fuzzy dice for the older man's GTO, which were in Christmas colors.

Apparently, Bozer and Jack had gone in together for his gift. Besides the usual boxes of paperclips, they had gotten passes for all three of them to go to Disneyland for New Year's Eve, stating he would be able to indulge his love of physics on the rides and chemistry at the food carts and in the restaurants.

Inevitably, the little party had to break up so his friends could pack for their trips the next day.

On Christmas Eve, once Bozer had left and he was alone, Mac couldn't help but feel more than a little down. He tried watching Christmas movies, but when A Christmas Story came on, he couldn't watch it and turned off the TV. The movie had only served to remind him of the apron, which then reminded him his friends were gone.

He went out for a long run, and came back a few hours later tired, dripping of sweat, and ready for a shower. When he got out of the shower, his phone was ringing – it was Jack. They had a good talk, but all the noise and chaos in the background only made him feel lonelier. Bozer called that night, which made things worse.

On Christmas morning, he didn't bother getting ready for the day and stayed in his pajamas, feeling like he wanted to go right back to bed and sleep through the day. Thinking of Christmases past, and how he'd never completely given in to despair, Mac decided he wouldn't do so this time either. Instead, he warmed a couple of sticky buns Bozer had made for him and sat outside on the porch, eating the sweet treats and looking out over the city.

About two hours later, his doorbell rang.

Not expecting anyone, he went over to the door and opened it. Mac was stopped short and struck speechless by the sight in front of him: a portion of the Bozer clan just outside. As Bozer's mom entered his house, she said, "If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain." Bozer entered the house last, but he got the biggest, bone-crushing hug of the lot as Mac thanked him for what he'd done.

Having his house suddenly full of friends and family made all the loneliness, all the sadness which had been piling up evaporate in a matter of seconds.

The Bozers plus a video chat with Jack made that first Christmas in Los Angeles one of his best Christmases ever.

ooooooo

Next time: Chapter Five: Matty - James

ooooooo

A/N: Many thanks to Celticgal1041 for proofing! Any remaining mistakes are the fault of being tired!

Thanks for reading!