It was the day before Christmas Eve. Ennis was on the way home from work, tired. He had had a rough day and to make things worse, he had been let go. The manager wouldn't tell him exactly why and Ennis hadn't stuck around long enough to keep asking. He was tired as hell and just wanted to go to bed even though it was barely four in the afternoon. Jack would ask why he was back so early and when Ennis told him he had been fired, he'd assure him that he'd find a better job. Ennis knew he could find a better one, but how soon? He didn't want to make the call to his father and ask for a loan.
Ennis brushed the snow out of his hair as he headed down the hall to his dorm. He yawned as he walked, his footsteps echoing down the empty hall. He unzipped his jacket as he made it to his door and walked in, pausing as the door swung shut behind him.
Jack had turned to him as if he had been shot. He looked very surprised to see Ennis back so early, but didn't say anything. He stood there as if he was a kid who had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Behind him were wrapped Christmas presents, along with Jack's bag, packed and ready to go. Jack was holding what looked like an envelope in his hands up against his chest as if he was hiding it from Ennis.
"Are you leaving?" Ennis asked. They hadn't been able to spend all that much time together, but he didn't think Jack had been unhappy. He had seemed satisfied with what little time that they had. He knew Ennis had had to work, so he had understood how this Christmas wasn't going to be the best one they could ever have.
Jack looked about to ask why Ennis was back so early, but didn't. "We are, actually," he said, lowering his hands. "It was supposed to be a surprise. I called Lureen the other day and her dad got in contact with a friend he's got up here." He held up the envelope. "Keys to a cabin up in the mountains."
Ennis just stood there, not knowing what to say. He had had a pretty rough day and it felt good to come back to this sort of news. Especially since they could actually spend Jack's last few days here together without worrying about his job. Losing his job was bad, but it was the best thing to happen over the Christmas break.
Jack shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He looked at the envelope then back at Ennis. "Sure, since we can only stay there for one day, I just thought it'd be nice," he said. "You've got Christmas off, so-"
"I got fired today," Ennis said then pulled off his jacket and hung it up. "So we have until you leave to spend as much time together as we can." He adjusted the jacket on the hook before he turned back to Jack.
"You got fired?" Jack asked. "What happened?" He was using a tone as if Ennis needed comforting.
Ennis shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I just pissed someone off," he said. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Don't worry about it. I can find another job."
"But you were good at your job."
"Things are always more tense 'round the holidays," Ennis said then walked further into the room. He looked past Jack at the Christmas presents then back at Jack. "When's the best time to leave?"
"Well, since you don't work anymore, how 'bout tomorrow morning?" Jack asked with a slight smirk. He was clearly thinking of the benefits of Ennis no longer having a job while he was here visiting.
"Tomorrow mornin' it is," Ennis said with a nod. He gave Jack a quick kiss then headed into the bathroom for a long, much needed, shower.
The cabin wasn't anything Jack expected. He was a little bit disappointed as they stepped out of the truck and surveyed the area. It wasn't that big of a cabin. He had imagined so much more, but if this was all he was going to get, he was going to be happy with it. As long as Ennis was there with him, this Christmas was going to be perfect.
"It's cute," Ennis said, stepping up beside Jack. "Kinda reminds you of the house we stayed in at the Aguirre's place, don't it?" He looked at Jack with a smirk, knowing how Jack hated that ranch.
"The snow kinda makes it all better," Jack said then headed for the door as Ennis gave a small laugh. He pulled out the key and unlocked the door, pushing it open. It opened with a creek. He stepped inside and flipped on a light, frowning when he saw that the kitchen, living room, and bedroom was all one room. Ennis stepped to the side as Jack walked backwards and looked around, groaning when he saw the outhouse around the side of the house. He looked at Ennis. "At least at the Aguirre's there was indoor plumbing."
Ennis smiled and shook his head then grabbed his bags out of the truck and headed inside. "You'll get used to it," he said.
Jack walked back to the truck and gathered his things then headed inside, kicking the door shut. "This how things were back on your ranch?" he asked. "Outhouse and everything?"
"Yes, there was an outhouse," Ennis said. "But the place was a little bit bigger than this." He looked around once. "Everyone got their own bedroom." He walked over to the bed and sat down, bouncing on it slightly, but it didn't give all that much.
"With the sight of you on a bed, I can forget how shitty the place is," Jack said with a grin as he watched Ennis roll his eyes and get to his feet. Jack put his bags down. "At least we got a fireplace."
"If not, we would've made one," Ennis said. "This place ain't got a heater."
"We don't need a fire to get warm."
"Are ya done yet?"
"Bud, I can do this all day every day for the next four days."
"Ain't nothin' else to do, huh?"
Jack shook his head as he walked over to the fireplace. "Nope," he replied then tossed some wood in to get a fire going.
"It's tradition to open one present on Christmas Eve," Jack said as Ennis poured them both a cup of hot chocolate.
Ennis brought the mugs over, handing one to Jack. "Our traditions are obviously different," he said. "My family never did that. We just all opened everything on Christmas Day."
"Why can't you just open one to make me happy?" Jack asked, pouting his lips as he said it. He was going to try everything he could on Ennis to get his way.
Ennis just couldn't say no to him. "Fine," he said then sat down on the couch as Jack got to his feet and headed for the presents. He grabbed one for himself and Ennis then came back over, handing Ennis' his.
"Open mine first," Jack said, though he looked anxious to open his own.
"Christmas really brings out the kid in you," Ennis said, setting his mug on the table. He looked down at the present then ripped the wrapping paper off. In his hands was the type of gerber that had been sold at the store he had worked at.
"Bought it when I visited you one time," Jack said. "You like it?"
"I love it," Ennis said with a smile, looking at Jack. Jack returned the smile. "Now go ahead and open mine."
Jack grinned widely then opened his present. He looked surprised then touched as he held up Ennis' college sweatshirt. "What'll my college think when I walk around with this on, huh?" he asked, smiling. He lowered the sweatshirt then threw himself at Ennis and kissed him.
Ennis kissed him back and the rest of the night was theirs.
Christmas morning they got up and opened the rest of their gifts then went hiking for a while. They enjoyed the mountain air and snow until it started snowing and the temperature dropped further. They ran back to the cabin and sat in front of the fire in each other's arms.
"This ain't enough," Jack said, breaking the silence. "We should be able to stay together instead of two different states."
"Then stay," Ennis said without looking at Jack. It wasn't that hard to tell Jack that he loved him, but showing affection was always hard for him.
"You really want me to?" Jack asked.
Ennis shifted in his seat until he was looking at Jack. "If we're miserable without each other, ain't it just sensible for you to stay?" he asked. "It ain't Texas, but I'm here."
"And you don't wanna go back to Texas."
"I wanna move on from my life there," Ennis said. "You know that. It's why I left."
"Even with me there you won't consider the possibility of going back?"
"You have a problem with Iowa." It wasn't a question.
"It's the weather," Jack replied. "It ain't me."
"I'm not a big fan of it either, but-"
"I think we have issues to work out."
Ennis looked away without saying anything. "I'm not turnin' you down," Jack said. "I do wanna stay here with you, but it's a big step. Movin' takes time and I just can't-"
"You're just sayin' that to make me feel better," Ennis said, looking back at Jack. "You don't wanna live here for any length of time." He got up off the couch and headed for the bed.
"Don't go to bed angry."
Ennis kicked off his shoes then dressed for bed without saying anything. He slipped into bed under the covers, his back to Jack. After a few minutes, the lights went out and Jack joined him in bed, whispering an apology in his ear.
"I'm comin' down in the summer," Ennis said, knowing that would surprise Jack since how they would spend their summer had never been decided. They just thought they'd be working through the summer. It also surprised Jack because Ennis had just got through saying that he wasn't going to go back down to Texas.
"I love you," Jack murmured before they went to sleep.
The next day they left the cabin and headed back to the college. They spent the day together in the dorm, spending as much time alone as they could before the next day when Jack had to leave. When the next day arrived, Ennis drove him to the airport and saw him off. They shared a long hug, knowing the next time they saw each other couldn't get there fast enough.
