The colorful Christmassy commercial did not interest him. They were all the same. Ugh, how they disgusted him. Yet he kept staring at the screen. Sight focused on the TV while hearing was paying attention to whole another conversation.

"No. Not yet." "Of course not!"

Seth could use some of Dean's good mood.

"Nothing really." The sigh followed the sentence. "I wish."

Seth grabbed the remote control and changed the channel. There was an action movie playing but he already lost the beginning. Another commercial. Commercial. Football. He did not want to see any of that. And now he was watching some documentary about nature. Somehow he found a lion humping a lioness more interesting than the rest. He increased the volume.

Interrupted in the conversion he was having, Dean looked at him. Not angrily, just realizing he should probably go somewhere where his talking wouldn't be annoying. He covered the mic of his phone and told Seth, "I'm sorry." Dean stood up and wanted to leave the room so that Seth could fully enjoy his program, but Seth made him sit down.

He turned the TV off. "It's fine. I'll . . ." Not even he knew how to finish the sentence, what he would do. But it was clear to him that he did not want to be sitting on the couch, listening to Dean's call.

The lack of enthusiasm alarmed Dean enough to decide to end the call. "I'll call you in the morning." "Yes." And, "I will. Bye."

Now Dean put his phone down on the coffee table in front of him, took a deep breath, and finally looked at Seth with a very worried look. He said nothing. He just kept watching his friend, whose eyes were set on the floor. There was no sign of smile on his face or that happy sparkle in his eyes.

"Renee asked whether we have opened the presents yet," Dean tried and failed to start a conversation. He attempted to ease the atmosphere. "As if we were that impatient. She wouldn't believe me if I said that they're still in the plastic bag in the hallway where I left them." Dean gave Seth chance to say something but he was not interested. His interest in this conversation equaled his interest in the presents per se.

"Are you sure you didn't want to be with your family instead?" Dean asked him.

This time Seth answered the question. "No."

Dean wasn't the biggest fan of Christmas – honestly he didn't give much damn about this, or any other, holiday – and he went through some pretty awful Christmases before, but this one he'd nominate for the worst one. Seeing Seth, he thought, wow, this would be some depressive Christmas.

Actually, there wasn't much suggesting it was even Christmas time. No decorations, no festive songs playing on the radio, and – and this was the reason why the presents were comfortably resting next to the shoes – no Christmas tree.

"This . . ." Dean spoke, "sucks."

Seth was observing the whisky glass. He was polishing the water stain on the outside. Then he proceeded to drink the contents. No, that was not water.

"I seriously consider playing Last Christmas or any other annoying Christmas song."

This prompted Seth to stand up and turn up the music. He decided for metal. Then he turned to Dean sitting on the coach and asked him, "Should I order pizza?"

The question caught Dean off-guard. Anyhow, Seth did not wait for his answer. He was already thinking about the topping while waiting for somebody to answer so that he could place an order.

When he was finished, Dean said to him, "I'm not saying I want to see you in a reindeer sweater but damn it, Seth, this feels like a funeral."

"I'm sorry. I don't feel like celebrating this year."

"That's fine. Just don't take it to extremes. What is it with you anyway? You were doing fine until now."

Seth angrily uttered, "I'm great." His focus on the wall in front of him, suggesting that he wished to punch it as hard as he could, made it hard to believe him. No, he was not doing very well. Christmas had a lot to do with it. "In fact, you know what would make this holiday even better? If Roman could be here."

"Yeah, well, he can't," Dean replied.

"Yeah. . . ." Seth sighed. He had already chosen the perfect spot where his fist should hit the wall. Not that he would actually get to doing it. "Screw him and his perfect life," Seth said quietly, however the bitterness of his voice would not hide. His fist was itching; it demanded action. Unfortunately, it wouldn't get any. Seth massaged it, then turned back to Dean.

It was evident that Dean was worried. He knew what was up. And he knew that Christmas did not help Seth's recovery process. Stupid holiday that makes you face the reality. "Let's boycott Christmas," Dean suggested. "We'll watch some thriller, but we're gonna laugh, okay? I've already sacrificed Christmas with Renee, I'm not spending holidays surrounded by depression." He already regretted his honesty. Yeah, letting Seth know how little separated this Christmas from misery was surely gonna help him.

Seth didn't seem to care. For one thing, it was true. This was not the perfect holiday. Actually, the only thing missing was a hanged Santa. Then again, he didn't imagine it could get any better. He already made peace with his situation and learned to not expect much from the rest of the year.

There was a long line of DVDs and Blurays that Dean was searching through right now. What was the best anti-Christmas movie, he wondered. Seth was helping too. He turned on the TV and checked Netflix. They were looking for good ten or fifteen minutes until it occurred to them. The answer has been there all along. Simple and clear. "Die Hard!" they shouted almost simultaneously. It brought a much-welcomed excitement; no matter how long, or short, it would last.

"Now that's what I call Christmas," Dean said sitting down.

And the bell rang just in time. Their pizza arrived.

They set everything. They put all the food and drinks on the table in front of them. They got the alcohol. Seth never used to get drunk on Christmas but this first time had to come eventually. And today seemed to be just the right day for it.

Dean hit play. However, he played little attention to the beginning of the movie. He saw that his friend appeared cheered up. He knew it was a lie; and Seth himself would soon realize it. And as he had said, he wasn't a big fan of Christmas in general, but Seth always liked this holiday. Seeing him smile was nice but it would be a better gift to see him truly happy. That was something one movie would not and could not achieve. Dean had to come with something more permanent, more worthy of giving away a traditional Christmas.

Meanwhile Seth watched the movie, filling his glass with brandy. He raised it but wasn't allowed to finish it.

"Don't drink it!" Dean stopped him, and took the glass away from him.

"Why?" Seth asked. Now a bit worried. Did somebody put something in it? That question seemed important enough to be said out loud. "Did you put something in it?"

Dean replied with sarcasm. "Yeah, I attempted to poison you." With a lot of care he poured the alcohol back in the bottle. When he put the lid back on it, he saw Seth still watching him, horrified, waiting for the answer. Real answer. "No. But you can't get drunk."

Why, Seth was thinking. "I've been drunk before. You've been around me when I was drunk before. What's the problem now?"

"Christmas," Dean replied, not giving any detail at first.

"And?" Seth again reached for the bottle, and again he's been denied it. "What's the matter with you? I want to get drunk."

"You can't get drunk." He put all the alcohol from the table on the floor next to him. The access was not only restricted but absolutely impossible. All the alcohol was out of his reach. And Dean was watching the clock on the wall. It was not late, really. "If we are not going to celebrate Christmas, there's a better way to use that time of year."

Seth was not listening. He was trying to get hold of a bottle. Any of them, although he was reaching for Jack Daniel's. "Gimme, gimme, gimme," he was saying quietly to encourage his arm to greater performance.

"My plan and your being drunk don't go together," Dean explained to him.

Maybe Dean hoped that this would prompt Seth to ask him about the plan. Like Seth cared that much. He was already standing up, heading to the cabinet where he'd find what the guest so arrogantly took away from him. However, before Seth could cause any damage to his body, Dean stood behind him, stopping him, in a friendly manner. He didn't mean to make his friend hate him. Especially not for no reason. But he had a reason. And he started the explanation by saying, "Where's your Santa costume?" Now he caught Seth's attention. Although only a small amount of it but it sufficed. "We're going to make some kids' Christmas merrier."

That was when Seth turned to him. It sounded to him as a rather radical shift from boycotting Christmas. "Charity?" Seth asked.

Dean did not fully agree. "Work. Volunteering. We're taking Santa Claus's job tonight." And he added, "We'll see if that's something we'd like to do, you know, in case our wrestling career fails."

"I don't know if you can provide for your family with one-day job."

"What family?" countered Dean.

Seth sighed. "Good point."

"Just imagine it. Working for one day a year. The rest of the year you can do whatever you want."

"Wrestling," Seth said in a dreamy voice. In the end, it wouldn't be much different.

"We can decide tomorrow," Dean ended. Now he'd like to know where that costume was hiding. He kept opening all the wardrobes, closets, and cabinets.

"I never told you I had one," Seth told him, knowing both of them knew what he was referring to.

"You do. Where is it?"

That led to Seth's confession. "Which one?" Okay, he could have given Dean the one that he wanted. Something, though, made him open the topic of the other costume.

"You have two?"

"Yep. But we certainly can't use both."

Dean had an image in his head that he thought corresponded to the other Santa Claus costume that Seth had brought up. It looked very naughty. "Do you judge who's been naughty and nice and depending on that decide which costume to wear?"

Seth smiled but didn't say anything. Dean wasn't absolutely correct; still, he was pretty close with his assumption. Nevertheless, that was of no importance right now.

Dean's mind was set on a certain target and Seth knew it. Generally speaking, he had no objections to the little that he'd been told. Okay, sure, he could do a good deed this year. Dean was right when he said that it'd be better than wasting their time, which they were about to do. Now he just needed to find the costume, and that shouldn't take too long since Seth knew where to look for it, even though he hadn't used it in a while. It's been a couple of years, actually. While trying to figure out when was the last time, and what was the occasion, of the last use of the Santa Claus costume that he owned, he left the room and returned three minutes later with a ladder. He placed it next to the tall closet to be able to access the top shelf. It was there, clean, nicely folded. Next to it he found a hat with a beard. Still standing on the ladder, he looked down at Dean, reading a magazine that he found laying on the shelf in front of him. It was a WWE magazine, and Dean just reached the poster section. Okay, it was not the newest issue because the poster featured the guys still as a group. "May I?" Dean asked, preparing to tear it off and keep it.

"No," Seth sharply ruined whatever plans Dean had with it.

He would have to wait until his ex-partner puts the magazine away, looks at him, and notices that somebody wants to give him what he'd been asked for. Maybe it would be easier if Seth descended the ladder, but he was in no time pressure so he waited.

Finally Dean took it. But having reconsidered the idea, he placed it over Seth's hands again. "You're wearing it; not me," he explained.

Dean waited for Seth's reaction. His face was unreadable at first, but then he smiled and Dean knew Seth would be his Santa tonight.

"And you?"

"I was thinking Rudolph," Dean lied because it just popped in his head. "I'll put on a red nose and I'm good to go."

"That makes you a clown rather than Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer," Seth spoke while getting off the leader and putting it away. Meanwhile Dean stood there, not appearing willing to give Seth a hand. Then again, Seth didn't seem to need it.

"Fine, I'll just go as myself then. I'm popular enough."

"What's Christmassy about that?" Looking for some kind of a compromise, Seth returned to the ladder and set it up one more time. There should be something up there that Dean could use. Even if it were only a Christmas hat.

Seth's face suddenly lit up. He got so excited he jumped off the ladder as though there was a ring next to it. Without explaining anything he ran off to another room. Dean was slow in reaction. He stayed in the living room, waiting, hoping that he'd return. In the meantime, he took out the magazine again and opened the page where he'd find the three men in black. Luckily for Seth, he returned sooner than Dean could cause some damage to his property. However, Seth came empty-handed. Surprisingly.

"I'm sure you have forgotten something," Dean said.

"Come with me," Seth asked him.

They entered Seth's room. Seth headed for the open closet. Deep inside, underneath a lot of garbage, Seth dug something out. Dean noticed a box, a green/red one with a ribbon over it. No bow. Seth took the box out and gave it to his friend.

"I got this last year from Ro."

"What is it?" Dean asked, slightly fearing to open it and see by himself.

"Your costume for tonight."

"Snow white?"

Seth laughed. "Elf."

Again, Seth disappeared without giving Dean a chance to realize what was happening. At least he looked happy. The time that Dean got waiting for Seth to come back he used to take a good look at that green elf costume. Why did he turn down the opportunity to be Santa Claus again? Did Seth maybe had a devil costume somewhere? "Oh, God," Dean exclaimed when he realized Seth actually could have had that one as well. But once again, it probably wasn't one that was suited for public display.

And there was Seth. With that sparkle in his eye he returned. He came to Dean smiling. To appear even more suspicious, he kept his hands behind his back. Dean's bewilderment found a good use when Seth put a red nose over Dean's face without being noticed too soon. Then Dean just took it in his fingers and pulled the string to see it better. He wasn't half as excited as Seth. Initially. Then, as soon as an idea arose, a smile settled on his face. "What if I wore this, elf's pants and shoes, Santa's coat and beard, and . . . do you by any chance have devil's tail and horns?"

"You're not going as a mutant, Dean." Even after being stopped in his plans, he kept smiling. So what that he couldn't wear those things now? Maybe . . . "How about those horns and the tail? Do you have them?" That could come in handy later. Not tonight later, New Year's later.

"What for?"

Dean did not hurry with the answer. His eyes felt more comfortable looking at the ground than at Seth.

That was enough of a hint. "Don't tell me."

"So. . . .?" Dean still waited for the response.

On the other hand, Seth didn't feel very comfortable talking about this topic either. "I might have something. . . ."

That topic needed to be closed, that was the feeling shared by both sides. Seth left the room. That should suffice. Except that he had to return. "Uhm, put it on," he told Dean, and then he was gone. In the living room there was awaiting him his costume. To be honest, just the idea of doing this good deed increased Seth's mood significantly. Now he wasn't thinking about the way they would do it, where exactly they'd go and what they'd do there, but that was something they would deal with later.

Seth picked up the Santa Claus costume and after staring at it for a considerable amount of time he put it on. He finished it off with a beard. He was already too hot.

"I feel stupid." Seth heard a voice behind him. He turned around to see tortured Dean. All green, without that enthusiasm that should accompany Santa's helper.

Without saying anything, Seth chuckled and turned back to face the mirror that was in front of him. It wasn't that terrible. He looked good, that was understood, but it surprised him that he didn't feel awkward. The reason might have been being at home but he felt confident that it wouldn't change when he walks out the door.

"We'll need to get some presents," Seth uttered.

"We can stop by at a toyshop. But before we go, would you mind if I called Renee?"

Seth sighed. "You've already talked to her."

Dean did not seem to get his point. "So?"

All that Seth was left with was shaking his head, not understanding that zeal for the relationship, especially when it came to a guy like Dean. However, Seth simply thought, Good for him, and let it be. There was nothing in Seth's power anyway.

"I'll be quick," Dean promised, with a smile on his face that appeared around the time the idea of talking to his girlfriend arose.

"I'll be in the car," Seth announced to him, and immediately followed accomplishment of that statement. So much he wished for a short conversation between Dean and Renee but in the end Seth'd be satisfied with ten minutes. How surprised he was when Dean appeared leaving the door three minutes later.

"Have you told her what we're going to do?" Seth wanted to know.

"No. I'm not doing it for bragging about it later."

"Why do want to do it anyway?"

"It seemed like a good idea. It hurts nobody and benefits everybody. Look, it cheered you up."

As if Dean hit the jackpot guessing the right secret spell, Seth's mood started declining again. Seth himself noticed. "I'm fine."

Silence followed. The engine wasn't running yet so it felt strange and awkward sitting there like that. Dean was looking outside, but then his sight slipped to the rearview mirror. He had to smile when he saw his hat and the whole appearance. He would never wear green again. Ever. At least he was doing this for a good cause. And for Seth's smile.

"Santa ought to smile more," Dean uttered.

"First of all, Santa needs to get some presents." With that, he started the engine and drove, knowing the toyshop was to be their first destination.

Surprisingly, they quickly got used to their abnormal clothes, although they probably weren't that strange on this day. Still, waiting at the intersection, people looked at them. Stared would be a better word. Dean reacted with a smile. When it repeated several times, he raised his finger at them. But he kept smiling.

Christmas wasn't the time of year to buy logically. They were willing to buy a lot and spend a lot. Besides, they already saved a lot of money so they could afford to spend more now. Dean by not going to New York and Seth by not buying any presents this year. Moreover, kids deserved to get their toys. Another aspect to the decision making came to life when the guys entered the shop. Their eyes started shining and suddenly they wanted to fulfil their childhood dreams. They wished what they'd buy would stay with them forever. They wanted to play with those trains, race with the cars, and fight with the toy swords. There also were real swords hanging on the wall. The shared look meant the shared desire. Unhappy, but they had to get what they came there for because the shop would be closing soon. Impulse was what guided them when picking out the toys. The action figures, all the superheroes. Then they remembered they should choose something for girls as well. The Barbie doll would do, they thought. And the teddy bears.

"I'll get one. . . ." Dean got lost in his thought. There were so many possibilities. Not just bears. Cats, dogs, snakes, even kangaroos. That would be special, wouldn't it? "Would you like a teddy?" Dean asked him, offering to give it to him as a Christmas present. But the one he originally wanted to buy, that he'd surely buy, was for his girlfriend.

Seth, though, had no interest in a toy. "I'd prefer that sword." He pointed at the one hanging on the wall.

"That's the last thing I need. You getting hurt."

Seth's eyes revealed that he'd buy it regardless of Dean. He commented, "Last year you'd buy one too."

"One of us has to be brave."

"Come on, you know you want it," Seth tried to persuade him. "I'll buy it for you."

"Seth, we came here for a reason."

"To buy swords," Seth said in an innocent voice.

"No." Saying those things Dean sounded mature. He was pretending, that was for sure. Deep inside he wanted to take that sword and start a sword fight. On the other hand, he was well aware of the reason why they entered the shop in the first place.

The sad look on Seth's face was a reflection of the dad attitude of Dean. The inner child awaken in him and now he felt offended for having been given orders. Well, maybe not orders, but he perceived Dean's attitude toward him the same way.

The funny thing was the costume. Actually both of them. Santa Claus being mad at his employee. You don't see that every day.

"Guys, do you need help?" a shop assistant asked them. He himself looked festive, but with his Christmas hat he couldn't triumphed them.

Seth was the first one to speak. "Yes. Could you get me that sword on the wall?"

Dean sighed.

"Actually, I have more in the back. Are you a collector?" the employee asked.

"Sure," Seth answered the question.

"No, he's not," Dean said, and ruined Seth's deal. "We need to –"

Seth wouldn't give up that easily. "I'm interested in buying a sword," he kept saying.

"Just because you wear Santa Claus costume it doesn't mean that people won't start running away when they see you holding a weapon."

"Sir, do you mean to use it as a weapon?"

Now Dean furthered Seth from reality of getting the sword that he longed for. He raised suspicion and that would make it difficult for Seth to get the kind of present he wanted.

"No. I am a collector," Seth insisted.

"Tomorrow, Seth." Dean turned to the assistant. "We need to get some presents."

"Do you have something specific in mind?"

"Uhm." Dean thought. They had something in the cart but they wanted more. Much more. "Something that kids would like."

The guy laughed. "I believe any kid would appreciate anything from this shop under the Christmas tree."

While Dean was checking out the bottom shelf with collector cars, Seth again was looking at his beloved sword. He walked closer to it, noticing there were very cute knives near it. He knew he couldn't get them. Not now. Standing underneath the weaponry, he looked at some more suitable toys for small children. Then he noticed board games and puzzles. Classics like monopoly. How he hated to lose at those games. How angry he would get if they caught him cheating. How terrible it was when others ganged up on him because of his strategy. Yeah, that seemed like a nice present. It would teach children how cruel life was. Thinking about this, Seth's face saddened. Those children already knew the pain of living, the imperfections that life brought with itself. Finally Seth chose some puzzles. He liked the motives of world capitals, monuments, and nature that will show these kids the nice side of life too. And just to make sure he added some more fluffy animals.

He met Dean halfway, as he was putting sport stuff into the cart. Toy armors and weapons. Something those kids can fight with.

"Hey, I can buy this sword for you if you like."

Seth gave him an are-you-kidding-me look and Dean laughed. A little provocation never hurt anyone.

"We should go," Seth uttered on the way to the register. Again, he appeared troubled. He had no reason for the change of mood, it just happened. What would help was the presence of all those excited children. In fact, from the time he took the credit card out of the wallet to the time he put down on the floor the large bag full of presents that he held until then over his shoulder he noticed little. His mind had been too flawed at that time to capture all the details in between. Those screams full of joy entered his head like a bullet and didn't leave him alone. It was too hard to resist smiling. He was Santa after all, he couldn't look grumpy. Dean's enthusiasm helped too. It seemed to have come out of nowhere, Dean's good mood and ideas concerning charitable behavior and actions for someone else's happiness. Maybe Christmas was behind this. Or Seth's melancholy. Or it was all because he couldn't spend the holidays with his girlfriend. The reason notwithstanding, he was happy to be there cheering up both the kids and his friend Santa Claus. Thanks to him Seth shouted "Ho, ho, ho" as he dropped the bag on the floor and sat down in a chair they brought for him.

While Seth was digging through the presents he had in the bag Dean was walking around the room, checking out the food they brought with them and somebody had already placed on the tables, and occasionally picking some. He wasn't hungry, he just wanted to know what it tasted like. The good thing was that as he was among the children he joked with them, teased them about the presents or led a simple conversation with them. The atmosphere that came with the Christmas songs got inside his head and made him extremely cheerful, inclined to dance or even jump around. The topics of some conversations were what helped him keep his cool. "Do you work for Santa all year round?" one kid asked. "No," Dean, or the elf, replied. "We're not Santa's slaves, don't believe that. It's a seasonal job," he continued as a background to his lie was coming to him. "For eleven months we have our own life with partying, hanging out with friends –"

"Do you have a girlfriend?" a little girl interrupted.

"We can have girlfriends," Dean generalized. "Or boyfriends. We live with our own families, you know. Some are married, have kids like you . . . some are single."

"Are you single?" another question came from the other side of the table.

Dean smiled. What would be the problem with telling the truth? "No. I have a girlfriend," he admitted. And he continued, returning to the original topic, "Then, around the beginning of December we leave everything behind and go to Santa's mansion where we work to make sure everything's ready for Christmas."

"Isn't it too late to start in December?" a smart boy asked.

Dean thought before giving a witty answer. "When do you start to study for a test in school?"

"I don't go to school yet."

"That doesn't matter. You'll see how it is. Some of you know it, I'm sure. You prepare the night before. At best. But in the end you know what you need to know. At least it's good enough. We, the elves, are the same. Besides, we work best under pressure. And who wants to spend so much time away from their family? Would you?" he asked the kids listening to him.

"Jodie," Seth shouted in the meantime a name of a kid that was supposed to come to him to get her present.

Dean paid little attention to Santa Claus and the gift-giving session. He focused on his little group. "I'm not saying it's bad to live with Santa Claus and his wife for a few weeks. They both take a good care of us."

"Are there enough beds for everybody?"

Dean had to think how he should answer that question. In the end, he decided to go with, "No, but we can manage it. We work shifts. Some work at night while others sleep. Then we change."

"Who tells you what to do?"

"Santa Claus, of course," a boy shouted.

Dean laughed. "Well, no, not really. There are those who give orders. Actually, being an elf gives you good career prospects. You start collecting trash but you can become the one who comfortably sits in his office and divides the work."

"Does he have a secretary?"

"Yep."

"Is she pretty?" a six or seven year old boy wanted to know.

"It's he actually. And no, he's not pretty. The elf is there to do the job, not to look at pretty girls."

"They have a family at home," a girl reminded everyone.

"Exactly." Dean laughed. "What's your name?" he asked the girl.

"Cathy."

"Listen to Cathy, she gets it."

"What's your family like?" asked a boy who only recently returned to his seat after being given a present, a race car.

That was a topic Dean didn't really want to open. That was a topic that lowered the level of his cheerfulness. Then he realized those kids around him had it worse. They had parents who didn't want them or they had no parents at all. At last he decided to speak again. "My family are those people I spend most of my time with. My friends that I love. My girlfriend." He looked at the side of the room where Seth was sitting, giving out Christmas presents. "My boss, Santa Claus."

"That's nice," someone noted.

"It's pretty good," agreed Dean.

For the rest of the evening he moved to Santa and helped him, doing the things he was there for. They continued hearing Christmas songs mixed with children's laughter. They enjoyed the sight of joy on kids' faces. It was such a wonderful evening. Good enough substitute for traditional Christmas. Otherwise they'd spend the evening watching movies, eating pizza, getting drunk. At least this way they were helpful. Dean had a good idea to do the charity instead of boycotting Christmas. The interesting thing about it was that they weren't doing the charity as celebrities but regular people. Throughout the night nobody knew who they were. Possibly even if they took away the masks they wouldn't get recognized. Yet those little kids loved them. And not only because they represented their favorite Christmas figures. They brought Christmas to them, they brought joy, they brought love and laughter.

Only sitting back in the car they realized how the charitable activity exhausted them. Moreover, it was late. "It's too late to finish the movie, isn't it?" Seth asked. He felt bad, guilty even, for not watching Die Hard.

"Tomorrow. We don't have any plans for tomorrow anyway." Then he realized, "you can open the presents."

"I don't care about some presents."

Dean sensed Seth's resentment has returned. "So we're back at boycotting Christmas?"

"No," Seth replied hesitantly. "I don't know. It's different when it's just the two of us."

"Yeah. At some occasions Christmas is wonderful, at others it's just annoying."

"Exactly," Seth agreed.

"Die Hard it is. Some alcohol and . . ."

"The pizza's still on the table."

"Cool."

The drive home continued in silence. Well, not really since they had radio on. However, they didn't say anything. Seth focused on driving and Dean was tired, he even fell asleep on the window for a moment. Gone was the belief that he could keep Seth's mood elevated, that once you're up you don't go down. Now he simply did not care anymore.

The bed was too far away. His eyes kept closing. Dreams were entering his consciousness. Dreams of what this Christmas could have been like. People he could have been with. Image of Renee wearing the elf costume instead of him. He would wear Santa Claus costume. He would decide who's been good and who's been naughty.

"You're sleeping in the car or do you want to come in?" Seth asked when he stopped the car.

Dean opened his eyes and started to be aware of the surroundings again. "What?"

"We're home."

"No, you're home," Dean said while yawning. But he undid the safety belt and opened the door to get out. He still had the hat on; when he realized it he took it off and tried to put it in his pocket. Two minutes later he realized it didn't fit.

Seth had the coat off even before entering the house. He was just in the red pants and some plain white shirt. Oh, yeah, and the beard.

"You know what this scene needs?" Dean said, what made Seth stop before the door and turn around to look at him. "An angry wife asking where have you been."

Santa had a drunk appearance, but not even that made the joke funny.

"Come in," Seth told him as he opened the door.

"Where have all the cheer gone?"

They returned to the same old depressive place that hasn't even heard of Christmas.

"You want a beer?"

Dean shook his head. They were back at the beginning. "I'm going to bed." He had no energy to deal with Seth and his misery. Maybe there would be a chance in the morning. But that had a prerequisite: Dean fully recharged. "Goodnight."

Seth stayed up a little longer. In the end, he decided to open that bottle of whiskey. He didn't drink too much, though. Just two or three glasses. Then he started to watch the movie and grabbed a piece of cold pizza. The pizza has been declined by Seth's mouth and eyes refused to focus on the movie too. So he put the pizza down, turned the TV off, got up, and went to bed.

Dean was the first one to wake up. What he wanted to do next was calling his girlfriend, but that call did not reach the other end. Renee had to be still asleep. It would be funny if she was the one who got drunk last night. Anyhow, he would try later. In the meantime he took a shower and put on some clean clothes. He folded the elf costume that he left hanging over a chair last night. He meant to return it to Seth right away so that he wouldn't forget. When he left the room and walked toward the living room, he noticed that the door belonging to Seth's room was not closed. He lurked in. Seth was not inside.

"Seth?" Dean called and stepped in.

"Behind you," Seth replied quietly, and scared him. He was not fully dressed yet. But he had the hat on so he kept that drunk/hangover appearance. On the other hand, he looked happier than when Dean saw him last time, before going to bed.

"Presents time?" Dean suggested, trying his luck with Seth's newly found harmony.

"Nope. But we can have breakfast."

"It's something," admitted Dean.

Seth smiled. "You can get it ready while I go get the newspaper."

For some reason Dean did not mind Seth's telling him what to do. What he minded though was Seth's lack of proper clothing. "Like this?"

"Yeah, so?"

To show he really did not mean to put on more and go just in his underwear, he started walking toward the door. The thought that crossed Dean's mind was that he was glad he decided to spend those days with him so that he had some control of him. What a disaster it would be to leave Seth absolutely alone during Christmas.

"At least wear a coat." Since he was holding the one he had last night he handed it to him.

"No, thanks, I'm good."

"No, you're not. You'll be cold. You'll get sick."

That found Seth funny. "Since when you care? You're not my mom."

The conversation got no further because Dean's phone started ringing. That helped Seth to get away with going outside not dressed properly.

"Hold this," Dean hastily gave the costume to Seth before running off to the room that Seth had lent him during his stay.

Seth placed it in his armpit and continued his travel outside. Once he left the warmth of his house, he realized that Dean had a point. It was cold. Not that he couldn't withstand it. But he had the coat that Dean gave to him. It was convenient to wear it. Because, the truth was, he didn't mean to return inside immediately. The fresh cold air was pleasant to feel on his skin.

"Merry Christmas!" somebody called at him.

Seth awkwardly nodded and replied to his neighbor, "Merry Christmas to you, too."

Okay, so he should put something on. The pressure of the public opinion made him wear that coat. Then he started wondering whether it just didn't bring attention to his exposed legs. Well, so what. Like he gave a damn.

He returned with the newspaper in his right hand. The other was warm in the pocket. Seth closed the door and turned to see Dean. His frightened look. "What happened?" Seth got worried. Dean indeed looked as though something terrible had happened. He watched Seth, his every move. "Am I on fire?" Seth asked when he started sensing that he was the problem. At least he hoped it wasn't anything more serious.

"No," Dean replied, but did not laugh at the joke. He appeared tense and uncomfortable.

When Dean persisted in staring, Seth looked at himself, his naked legs. "I know you probably had a different idea when you said I should put something on . . . but –"

Dean interrupted, "It's nothing, really. Everything's fine. Just . . .," he said and stretched out his arm. Immediately he placed it back alongside his body. "Nothing."

"Are you okay?" Seth asked, worried, while placing the newspaper on the table in the middle of the room and taking the coat off.

Immediately after the coat touched the couch and Seth's hand stopped touching it, Dean reached for it. That caught Seth's attention. He got alarmed and abruptly reached for it as well. He was quicker. "It's the coat, isn't it?" he asked. "What's with it?"

"Nothing," Dean repeated. "Just . . . give it to me. . . . Please."

"What did you do it? Where did you tear it?"

"I didn't –" he started, but then cut it short when he started wondering if it wouldn't make it easier for him to go with it. It didn't matter; it was too late anyway.

Seth looked at it from afar. He held it in front of him and observed what was wrong with it. He couldn't tell. There was no huge hole or stain. Nothing that his eyes would catch. But there had to be something. Dean's guilty and terrified look was too suspicious to exist for no relevant reason.

Then it hit him. The pockets. "There's something in the pocket, isn't there?"

Dean remained quiet. It was too late to save himself. Yes, he left something in the pocket. Something Seth wasn't supposed to find.

"I'm sorry," Seth addressed the hypocritical words to Dean as he was reaching into the right pocket of the upper part of the elf costume. There he found a little black box that he took out. "This is not mine," he said. He opened it, and found a ring. An engagement ring.

Seth gasped in surprise. That was the only emotion he allowed his friend to see.

"I'm sorry," Dean said, but those words Seth's brain absorbed very absently. "I didn't want you to see it. I should have hidden it better."

Seth looked up from the ring to the face that belonged to its owner. "This is amazing," he said, and his face sparkled in reflection of his feelings. "Congratulations."

"Well, she hasn't said yes yet." He couldn't fully grasp the way Seth took it. "Are you alright?"

"I'm great."

"Are you sure?"

Seth understood why Dean had trouble accepting his reaction. "Yes. I'm happy for you two."

"Even though . . ." he said in an intonation of a question.

As a reply Seth nodded. "No matter what. Just because . . ." Seth breathed in heavily. He had to overcome the problems that he encountered talking about it. He started again but this time he continued, "Just because it didn't work out for me it doesn't it won't for you. I wish you the best, you know that."

After one more look at the box and its contents Seth closed it and handed it over to Dean. "You keep it with you at all times, don't you?"

Dean nodded. Just when he took the costume off he forgot it inside the pocket. That was his only mistake.

"Who knows about this?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody?"

"Well, to be fair, Roman knows."

Seth laughed. Of course.

"I'd tell you but . . ." Dean tried to explain. The explaining wasn't really necessary, though.

"Doesn't matter. So when are you popping the question?" was the only thing that really mattered to Seth.

"I don't know. I don't have a set date."

"What are you waiting for?"

"A perfect moment," Dean honestly answered.

Seth chuckled. "Perfect moment? You wanna know a secret, Dean? That perfect moment's overrated. That perfect moment is not important." He again laughed. "That perfect moment does not exist."

Dean shrugged his shoulders. His opinion on this differed. And he knew that Roman would disagree with Seth too. Roman told him how everything about asking a woman to marry you is important. Time, occasion, clothes you wear, the way you do it, surroundings . . . it all matters. Roman's reasoning was logical; he said that the woman won't stop talking about it. She'll tell her friends, her family, her coworkers. Again and again. And you don't want to look like a coward in their eyes. You want them to love you too. And you certainly don't want your future wife to have to lie about the engagement, tell a fake story because she thinks the way it actually happened is too boring or embarrassing. Of course Dean had to think it through.

"How long have you been waiting?" Seth asked, and brought Dean back to life from his daydreaming.

"Few weeks."

Dean safeguarded the box again. He put in his pocket but still held it in his hand. It became a treasure he had to protect. A precious treasure that he was a slave of until he could give it to his queen.

Seth was still smiling. He found it amazing that Dean would get married. That he felt ready. That he had found his princess and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Then he started thinking about when that day would come. Dean couldn't wait forever. Okay, so he wanted the perfect moment. Seth realized the problem. "Christmas would be sort of perfect."

"Yeah." Dean sighed.

"Why aren't you spending Christmas together again?"

"You know." The truth was Dean was losing confidence. He missed her. He missed her so much today. And it wouldn't be until another couple of days until he sees her again. "I didn't want it this way. I thought it'd be logical; I thought it was the right thing to do."

"What's logical isn't always the best."

"It sucks," admitted Dean.

The conversation was postponed by the ringing at the door. While Seth went to see who's interrupting their holidays, Dean turned the other way toward the kitchen to get some breakfast. He opened the fridge and took out several options for satisfying their sleeping hunger. For some reason neither of them was really hungry, even though distractions weren't many. Dean put everything on the table and, in the end, grabbed a banana that he found on the counter, ran it under water, and started eating it.

"Dean?" Seth called from across the house. "You need to see this."

Dean started walking in Seth's direction, still holding and eating the banana.

The door was still open. Outside he could see a Christmas tree. Although undecorated, but it was something. Besides, it had a star on top.

"Who is it from?" asked Dean.

"I don't know. But I suspect my neighbor. She was looking at me very suspiciously when I went outside to get the paper."

"You weren't wearing pants, of course she was looking suspiciously." He took a bite. "For Christ's sake," he mumbled. "If she saw you now. . . ." Dean shook his head. It was enough for himself to have to see Seth in nothing more than his underpants. "You and your problems. Take the tree and put it inside. And shut the door, you'll get cold," Dean returned to his parental tone.

"You're such a delight," Seth replied. "You really should have been with Renee instead," he returned to the original topic.

Just when Dean finished eating. Now that his hands were empty he decided to take action. If Seth didn't mean to do anything about the Christmas and the cold coming from outside, Dean would. He grabbed it without problems and put it inside. He wouldn't do this quietly, though. "I should have, I know. I should have bought a ticket and surprise her. I don't need to hear it."

"You can still do it," Seth reminded him.

That made Dean wonder. Should he? It would certainly be a nice surprise. But at the same time, his logic would go to waste and he would only lose those days that he had already spent at Seth's place. Still, it was something. Effort counts too. "I should do it," Dean said convinced about having made the right decision.

"You don't have to," a sweet female voice whispered behind his back, and soft arms that certainly did not belong to Seth tied around his body.

Dean had to deal with a shock. A nice kind of shock. His heart stopped beating for a second. Then he saw a huge smile on Seth's face. He paid no attention to the fact that Seth finally closed the door. What mattered to him now was what was happening behind him. Dean turned around to see.

"Merry Christmas," said the girl that had made him speechless.

"Renee!" Dean cried, and took her into his arms. He kissed her as though they haven't kissed in years. When they lips parted, fifteen seconds after their kiss got gentle, Dean wished her, "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, my love," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you," Renee told him.

"I love you more."

Seth interrupted their little romantic moment with saying, "There's your perfect moment, Dean."

Dean immediately looked at him and wished to shout at him, but looking judgmentally was the only thing he did.

"What?" Renee asked.

"Nothing. But he's right. It's perfect."

Renee blushed. She confessed, "I couldn't be without you. And when I heard about your Christmas, Seth's ignoring Christmas," she said, looking at Mr. No-Christmas-this-year, "I had to bring Christmas to you."

Dean kept looking at her lovingly. He felt absolutely happy right now. With her beside him. He wouldn't let her go ever again. She didn't need the hat or the scarf anymore so Dean decided to take them off. Gently, carefully he caressed her cheek and the cold ear of his porcelain doll. At least her neck was warm. But the nose was freezing. "Would you like some tea?" he offered.

She smiled as a confirmation.

Her boyfriend kept touching her, stroking her with care, warming her, showing affection.

"I'm on it," Seth uttered, knowing from the beginning he would be the one to make the hot drunk for the guest. As if there existed something that could separate those two.

"Thanks," both Dean and Renee replied, almost simultaneously. For that brief moment of looking at Seth they let the sight of each other. Then they returned to staring into each other's eyes.

"Perfect," Dean mumbled, daydreaming, while playing with the little black box in his pocket. But he knew this wouldn't be the moment.