"This is what you do when I leave you alone for a few days?" PAC grouses as he stares up at the outside of the house, eyes dead, face looking like, if his nose wasn't just recently broken and reset, he'd be making a truly awful expression right now. And all in response to the Christmas wonderland TJ had turned their home into! Lights, and Santas waving, and snowmen smiling, and- it's so garish, it's exactly the kind of thing TJ wanted as a kid and could never quite afford.

"I know, it's awful, isn't it?" TJ asks with a grin, well-used to PAC's Scrooge-y ways by now. "No worries, it'll all be back to normal by the time your nose is fully healed, so it's like you have two things to look forward to instead of one!"

"I hate you," PAC mumbles.

"Aw, you know you love me, Nev," TJ replies with a smirk, wrapping an arm around him and drawing him towards the door.

"OH, no, absolutely not," PAC says with a derisive laugh, planting his feet. "I believe I'll sleep out in the garage for awhile. If this is what the outside looks like, I have absolutely no interest in seeing the mess you've made of the inside."

"Really?" TJ says. "So you're going to stay out here in the lonely ass garage with the rats and whatever else, instead of coming inside and having warm gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa with me and the piggies?" He sighs, shrugs. "Sounds fake, but alright. Have it your way." One quick kiss to PAC's cheek later, careful to avoid his nose, and TJ lets go of him, breezing inside, calling up for Cupcake as the door swings shut behind him.

PAC stands there glowering at a particularly active Santa before turning towards the garage. With his car and TJ's, there's barely room to set up a sleeping bag, much less actually settle in something comfortable. But goddammit, he hates Christmas so much. But he hates the thought of sleeping outside with his face pounding the way it is a little more.

With a gruff, beleaguered sigh, he succumbs to the pressure and makes his way inside, careful to keep his eyes tracked on the nearby, blank wall, heading upstairs to drop his bag off in the hopes that it's not too obnoxious in their bedroom.

He's only just turned the corner towards the stairs, however, when TJ spots him. "Oh, guess the garage didn't seem like such a good idea after all." Before PAC can brush past and leave, TJ gets ahold of his arm and slides his fingers down to hold his hand. "Come with me."

"I'd rather not," PAC grumbles, trying to free himself. "TJ, I swear-"

"Nev, come on. Just give me five minutes." Getting PAC to turn around, TJ searches his face. "Trust me?"

PAC exhales, rolls his eyes. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

But when TJ leads him in, it's... average, really. There's a tree in the corner, lit with normal sized bulbs, the ornaments filling the branch random mishmashes that TJ has collected over the years. There's no noisemakers, or headache-inducing music, to be honest it's easily the most subdued Christmas decorating TJ has ever done.

"Wow," PAC mumbles, still struggling to take it all in.

"So what do you think? Can you live with this?"

"Yeah," PAC muses. "I can." He casts a suspicious look at TJ. "So if this is what the living room looks like, what horror show have you put on in our bedroom?"

"Nothing, I swear," TJ insists with a laugh. "Do you want to come and see?"

"Alright," PAC sighs, letting himself once more be led away.

It's as promised, just a simple tree, even smaller than the one downstairs, flickering gently from a small side table. PAC takes it all in before turning and staring at TJ until he shifts, uncomfortable.

"What is it?" he asks. "Do I-"

And then PAC grips his face and draws him in for a slow kiss, mindful of his nose. "Happy Christmas, Teddy," he mumbles once he needs to breathe, pressure building until he reluctantly releases the kiss.

TJ grins, eyes gleaming with warm happiness. "Merry Christmas," he echoes back.