(Merry Christmas, lovely readers! :D Have some fluffy, delicious Christmas Nellis! This was heavily influenced by a very famous Christmas song. Three guesses which, lovely readers ;). Enjoy! Be sure to review!)

Ellis loved Christmas. Especially post-apocalypse Christmas. Why, you might ask? Well, ever since CEDA finished cleaning out the infected rampaging across the country and people started being allowed to settle down places again, Nick had invited him (gruffly and rather embarrassedly, at that) to come and live with him. He had a place up north, and it was conveniently located within one of the cleared areas.

After processing quite a lot of paperwork and greasing a few palms ("This is why I kept my wallet full, kiddo. Money talks even during an apocalypse."), they were allowed to move there. Due to its rather remote location on the outskirts of a small town in Pennsylvania, it was almost untouched by the devastation.

Ellis leaned back in his chair and subtly patted his full belly, grinning as he surveyed the empty dishes on the table. "Hot damn, Nick, that was delicious!" he complimented, tugging on the brim of his hat ever so slightly in a salute of sorts to the other man.

Nick swirled the remaining wine at the bottom of his glass and merely smirked. "Glad you liked it, sport."

Ellis slid out his chair a little and got to his feet, brushing himself off. "I hate t'eat an' run, but I gotta go. Keith asked me t'come over an' help him with somethin' he's got cooked up for Dave for Christmas."

Nick frowned, but quickly controlled the grim expression and wiped his mouth on his napkin, dropping it on his plate as he got up as well. "Really? I don't remember you mentioning that before."

Ellis shrugged, "Oh, yeah, I was tellin' you about it yesterday. Remember, I started tryin' t'tell you what Keith got me for Christmas that last Christmas before the infection hit an' all, and how he's been tryin' t'be bigger and better every year, an' –"

Nick rubbed the bridge of his nose briefly. "I think I'm beginning to see why I don't recall hearing about it." It was so hard sometimes to pick relevant information out of all the stories Ellis liked to tell. Regardless of whether or not the hick had remembered to tell him about this little venture, however, it still left him rather alone tonight. Usually when Ellis went over to Keith's after dinner, he ended up staying the night. Considering how far it was, it just made more sense rather than driving so late at night.

Nick glanced away while Ellis bent to put on his boots, noticing out the window where snow had begun to fall for the second time this week. Ellis had nearly had a fit the first time he had seen the ground coated in the icy substance. Watching it now, an idea sparked in Nick's clever mind. He rubbed the back of his neck and crossed to the front door, brushing past Ellis to do so. "I don't know, Overalls. It's looking pretty cold outside."

"I'll only be in it long enough t'walk out t'my truck, an' from my truck t'Keith's," Ellis chuckled, adjusting his hat on his head before fishing through his pockets for his keys. He frowned, feeling nothing. "I really can't stay, Nick, m'sorry."

"It's probably only going to get worse." Nick remained by the door, his hands in his pockets. "It really looks like it's going to get too cold for you to be out driving tonight."

Ellis wandered over to the couch to check his coveralls, thinking maybe he had left his keys in one of the pockets when he got home. Nothing. Patting at his jeans again, he turned to look at Nick finally. "All the more reason for me t'hurry up an' leave now. Tonight was really great an' all, man, but I still gotta go. You seen my keys?"

Nick rolled his eyes, fighting a smile, and joined his lover by the couch, ignoring his question in favor of tugging both his calloused hands into his own. "Your hands are like ice and we're still inside where it's warm. I think it'd be best if you stay in."

Ellis' breath hitched ever so slightly. The promise he could see behind those dark eyes was so tempting; he could always go by tomorrow and help Keith out, right? But no! He had promised! Despite himself, Ellis tried to tug his hands free, brows furrowing. "I already promised Keith I'd be there tonight, Nick. He's gonna worry about me if I don' show up."

"So call him. Let him know you won't be there because it's too cold outside." Nick stepped away. "You can't go until you find your keys anyway. Why don't I fix you a little something to warm you up while you look?"

Ellis felt rather bewildered by the older man's odd behavior as he disappeared into the kitchen. Over his shoulder, he added, "Put a little music on or something, kiddo, if you're not too busy searching." Even though he felt a little irritated by all the delays, Ellis couldn't bring himself to rebel against Nick's request when he was in such an uncharacteristically good mood. He wandered over to their CD collection (mostly Nick's from before the apocalypse) and picked one out that he knew Nick liked when he was looking to relax. Smooth, wordless notes began to play immediately, drifting softly through the room as Nick returned with a glass for each of them.

"Nice choice," was all he said, and handed Ellis his drink. He glanced toward the window and was pleased to note that the snow was still falling steadily. "It's looking pretty bad out there. I'm telling you, kiddo, your best bet is to just stay here tonight."

Ellis started to shake his head, lifting his glass for a swallow, and started to cough. "Holy shit, Nick, what's in this drink?" he asked, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth.

Nick just grinned. "Something to keep you warm, like I said."

Ellis was beginning to get the feeling that he was being played with. But as Nick set his glass on the nearby coffee table and stepped in a little closer, he found that it was rather difficult to mind. Before he knew it, he felt his hat being lifted off his head, and ringed fingers stroked through his hair. "Nick," he murmured, already lifting his head even before he felt the fingers under his chin propelling it upward so their eyes could meet.

"I don't understand why you're always hiding under this thing, you have nice hair." He tossed the offending article onto the table as well. "And your eyes…" Ellis felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Like starlight."

Ellis reached up to tug on a hat that was no longer there. "Nick," he repeated, mumbling now. It wasn't Nick's usual style to shower him with such compliments. "I really need…"

Nick leaned in closer, so that their bodies brushed. "Is it really something so important that it can't wait until tomorrow? It's only getting colder out there."

Ellis' breath hitched audibly this time. "W-well, Keith's gonna be suspicious if I cancel on him so last minute an' all…"

"You think he doesn't already know about us?" Nick's fingers quested up the back of his neck, into his hair, massaging soothingly. "You think he expects me to live with you and be in a relationship with you and still be able to resist you like that? I'm sure he knows better. God, those lips of yours alone…" His gaze was getting dark, heated, but his touch was still gentle as his thumb skimmed along his jaw and caressed his lower lip. "So delicious."

Ellis felt his stomach clench. Holy shit. He'd never been so artfully seduced with mere words before. Usually all Nick had to do was send a suggestive look and a little wink his way and they were halfway up the stairs to bed, no wooing required. It made him suddenly want to try and resist a little more from now on. Just what else had he been missing out on by being so compliant?

Now rather enjoying the game, Ellis forced himself to pull away, taking a few steps toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of annoyance flit over Nick's features before it vanished. "My answer's still no, Nick. I made Keith a promise."

Nick followed him, refusing to give in just yet. Ellis felt his back hit the front door and his knees gave a little wobble. Just a little. "It's nearly up to your knees out there by now, El," he murmured, pinning him there with a hand on either side of his head. "How could you do this to me?"

Ellis swallowed. Hard. "Do what?"

"Leave me here." A warm kiss was pressed to his throat. "All alone." A brief nip, followed by a soothing lick from that talented tongue.

"When it's so."

Kiss.

"Cold."

Nip.

"Outside."

Nick pressed a final kiss to Ellis' neck before moving up and capturing his lips with his own, ravishing away any lingering thoughts of leaving or going to Keith's. By the time they separated, desperate for air, Ellis was afraid his legs might just give way right out from under him. He curled his arms up and around Nick's neck, clinging. "Then you better make me stayin' worth my while," he murmured with a little grin, enjoying the light of challenge that came into Nick's eyes.

Ellis gasped when he suddenly found himself in the air, his legs flailing just a little before he curled them around Nick's waist, his body supported by the wide, warm palms cupping his ass rather firmly. Ellis found himself flat on his back on the couch, with Nick quickly climbing over to straddle him. "I'll make it worth your while, sport," he growled, and shivers ran up his spine. "More than once." Oh, dear Lord.

Ellis tipped his head back while Nick went to town, his eyelids soon fluttering shut as clothes were discarded and that hot, wet mouth moved lower and lower.

"Thank God it was cold outside."

(Awwwwwww, how dare I tease my lovely readers with such a cliff hanger ending? XD I'm sorry, but I simply couldn't resist. I feel like I really should have written in the smut and extended the length of the story, but it just didn't go as well with the soft, romantic theme that the rest of the story had going for it. I hope you can forgive me and enjoy regardless. ^^)