I Didn't Ask For You This Christmas, But That's Okay

Pete is gay. So gay that he writes out annual Christmas cards, with a crazy picture of him and Hemmingway on the front, and a photoshopped Jon Walker. He insists Jon is a part of his family, and he won't leave out his not-so-married husband. Ever.

So Pete sends out his gay cards to basically everyone he knows, and he makes sure to send the cards out to his friends more than he remembers his own mom. And everyone gets one. Ryland. Will. Travis. Cash. And so on.

It's kind of the highlight of Brendon's holiday season.

-

Dear Lovelies and Gabe,

Another year pinning for Jon, and another year buying worthless dog food. Not only has Jon refused the three marriage proposals since last Christmas, but Hemmy has indeed found a hungry love for all my shoes. Every. Single. Pair. Even my favorite ones with the purple stars :( Yeah, they’re gone. Hopefully Dylan doesn’t like shoes LOL

I'm assuming you're all somewhat okay, mostly because I talk to you all on a daily basis, so I'll skip the usual hope-all-is-well nonsense. (Really, why do people ask that in cards? It’s kind of pointless, unless you really don’t talk to the people you’re sending cards to, which okay. Why would you send a card to someone you don’t talk to...?)

Whatever.

Onto business!

It's come to my attention that many of us are without amazing plans for this holiday season, and Chicago’s weather is looking promising, so I'm collecting all you misfit toys, and keeping you in my house. Doors to Hotel Wentz (pshh, who am I kidding? Motel Wentz makes more sense *wink wink*) open anytime after the 20th. (I at least need a few days alone with Jon, geez guys. I’m kidnapping him, in case you were wondering.) I’m closing sometime after that ball drops in New York City, so please go find some other trashy place to stay after the 5th.

All are welcome, kiddies :)

See you very soon. Talk to you all laterz.

Yours etcetera,
Pete Wentz-soon-to-be-Walker ;)

-

Brendon rings Pete’s doorbell when he reaches the last step, and readjusts his backpack. The door is shut, with a note taped on in Pete’s handwriting that reads: Come right in my house baby! ;) Doorbell isn’t working!!!

Brendon waits before walking in, still a little nervous about actually being here. He didn’t want to go home, not since he got that phone call from his mom that said he was not allowed to bring his boyfriend home for the holidays. Brendon dumped his boyfriend months ago, but he still wouldn’t go home. And he has nowhere else to go, and his apartment is dirty and empty, so he might as well hang out with friends.

When he walks in Dylan comes running down the entry hall, the bell on his collar jingling. He purrs as he weaves around Brendon’s legs, and Brendon just smiles and picks up the cat.

“Hi Dylan,” Brendon smiles, rubbing his cheek against he soft fur. “How’s life?” The cat, of course, doesn’t answer, just keeps purring. Brendon didn’t expect one anyway, but it’s at least nice to talk to a cat. He finally has a real reason to call himself crazy.

The pair make their way into the kitchen, where Jon’s eating a bowl of cereal against the kitchen counter. The box of Lucky Charms is on its side on the kitchen counter, and various coffee mugs are scattered across every available surface.

“Brendon,” Jon smiles around a mouthful of cereal. “Dude, I missed you.”

Brendon lets Dylan go, and Jon places his bowl on the counter behind him. Brendon doesn’t understand why, he doesn’t know why, but he feels like crying because this is Jon, Jon whom he hasn’t seen in ages. And Jon maybe gets it because Brendon has been out of contact with everyone for a long time, so he pulls Brendon in for a hug and let’s the kid sniffle into his chest.

“You okay?” Jon asks softly.

“Maybe,” Brendon says, and pulls apart from Jon. “It’s been awhile.”

Jon ruffles his hair. “It has, hasn’t it?” Brendon nods his head in agreement, and Jon turns to go searching through different cabinets. “I’d offer you coffee, but Mikey’s here and he’s been using almost every clean mug. Unless you mind using mine, I can rinse it out.”

“Um,” Brendon says, and knits his eyebrows together.

“We’re out of soap,” Jon explains. “And we’re all kind of buzzed, so we can’t go out and get anymore.”

“Yeah, I don’t.” Brendon smiles at Jon. “You know I don’t care about that kind of stuff.

-

Once everyone’s said hello and distributed hugs and kisses, Pete pushes Brendon on the couch next to Joe. Pete’s an evil bastard that knows too much for his own good, but Brendon didn’t have the balls to sit next to Joe on his own because he’s been crushing on the guy for years. Pete being Pete knew since day one, and’s been slyly setting the two up ever since.

“How’s the job going?” Ryan asks, settling down on top of Gerard. Gerard wraps his arms around Ryan and pushes his face in Ryan’s shoulder. Ryan’s lips turn up every so slightly at the corners.

“Slow,” Brendon answers, and grips his coffee mug tighter because Joe’s leg brushes his.

“How come?” Gerard asks, tilting his head to the side. Gerard got Brendon the job at the publisher’s office, filing papers and scheduling meetings for the bosses. Brendon couldn’t be any more grateful, even if the job sucks.

“Just…business is slow. No one’s looking for independent publishers; it’s either the big names or nothing,” Brendon explains.

Gerard nods his head in understanding. “It should pick up soon, especially with this years new round of conventions. Suggest it to your bosses that they set up a booth in one of them. You’ll get struggling artists there.”

“Says the guy who is a struggling comic book artist,” Mikey says. “Why don’t you just contract with them?”

“If I would have know I would have when I first got him the-”

“Okay,” Ryan interrupts. “Thank you Mikey, for suggesting it. But I don’t think we need any more fighting.”

Pete burst out laughing then. “Ryan, you hypocrite. Weren’t you just fighting with Gerard this morning?”

Ryan meets Pete’s eyes defiantly. “That’s different. We’re allowed because we’re dating.”

Gerard rolls his eyes, and Pete grabs at Jon who was walking past to sit on the couch opposite Brendon. Jon sighs, but sits down half on Pete, and half on the chair.

“I weigh more than Ryan you know,” Jon states, pinching Pete’s thigh. “And you’re bulkier than Gerard. We can’t copy them”

“I’m quite comfortable,” Pete replies, and cuddles into Jon’s side, pulling Dylan into his lap.

“That reminds me,” Ryan smirks. “Why’s Dylan here, Jon?”

“I told you in the letter,” Pete smiles wickedly. “I kidnapped Jon, and he wouldn’t move in unless we brought Dylan.”

“Move in?” Joe asks.

“Surprise,” Jon grins, and Pete giggles into his shoulder.

-

When Patrick arrives with Spencer, both boys are shivering and red from the cold wind outside.

“We’re supposed to be getting snow,” Patrick says, pulling a blanket over him and Spencer, and Jon hands them each coffee mugs.

“They’re not clean,” Jon warns.

Spencer smiles up at him. “They’re warm though.”

Both of their cheeks have finally dulled in color after a couple sips of coffee, and they managed to squish together on the other side of Joe, and Pete’s grinning at the two of them, like he knows something and honestly, Pete knows way too much.

“So, is one of you going to tell me why you each have a ring on your finger?” Pete asks eventually.

It only takes a second for Patrick and Spencer’s cheeks to turn blazing red again.

-

Brendon watches with horrified eyes hours later, because Ryan just keeps crying. The makeup he so carefully painted on his cheeks earlier blurs and falls in streams off his face.

Gerard leans over to kiss them, and pulls back with blue lips. "Hey," he says softly. He puts an arm around Ryan, and pulls him close. "Ryan, hey, Ryan look at me...I want to move in with you, okay?"

Ryan's eyes go small. "I take it back," he snaps, rubbing the back of his hand across his cheeks, smearing the makeup more. He picks up the key and jolts off the couch, and storms down the hall.

"Ryan!" Gerard calls after him. He stands up and follows the younger man. "Ryan I was kidding!"

Brendon snaps his attention away from the hall and to Joe, when the other man flops next to him with another cup of steaming coffee. "Glad that's not us?" Joe asks, while he puts his arm around Brendon.

Brendon blushes. Joe's high. He doesn't know what he's saying. Brendon turns a deeper shade of pink when Joe squeezes his shoulder, and winks at him.

“Yeah,” Brendon squeaks. “So not us.”

Brendon mentally kicks himself because wow, if that was him and Joe. He wishes Joe was moving in with him, or at least dating him.

-

Later that night, Gerard and Ryan emerge from the hall, and now Ryan has blue lips that match Gerard’s.

“Ew,” Mikey says. “You two could have at least cleaned yourselves up.”

William smiles and kisses Mikey’s cheek. “Oh shush, Mikey. It’s not like we haven’t done the dirty in someone else’s house before.”

If Mikey would smile, Brendon bets he would be now.

Ryan and Gerard fall back on the couch in a pile of arms and limbs. Spencer moves closer to Patrick to give the other two some room.

Pete bounds in with a movie in his hand. “Nightmare Before Christmas?”

-

Brendon excuses himself after Sally’s Song, and brings his backpack up to the guest room. He sighs, and slumps against the wall once he’s shut the door.

He doesn’t understand why he cries, because everything is fine. No one’s done something to upset him, and no one’s said anything that would upset him. He just starts crying and he’s alone and not home.

The door creaks open and Joe walks in. “You okay?” he whispers, and sits in front of Brendon. “You’re crying.”

Brendon rubs his eyes, and looks at the floor. “No, I’m not.”

Joe smiles, “yeah you’re right. Ryan’s cried enough for everyone already.”

Brendon doesn’t smile back. “I miss them,” he whispers after some silence.

Joe shuffles closer and pulls Brendon in his lap. If Brendon wasn’t crying right now he’d be blushing and grinning like a bubbling idiot.

“It’s okay to miss them,” Joe says. “You’re allowed.”

“I shouldn’t be,” Brendon sobs, and puts his face in Joe’s chest. “I left them.”

Joe doesn’t say anything for a while, just rubs circles into Brendon’s back. Brendon keeps on crying and sniffling and Joe doesn’t push him away. Brendon’s more than grateful.

When Brendon finally stops, Joe pulls him away to look in his eyes. “You have us,” he whispers.

Brendon’s breath catches and maybe it’s because he’s homesick and it’s driving him crazy, or maybe it’s just because he realized how close Joe is, but it really doesn’t matter why Brendon pushes his lips to Joe’s. All that matters is that Joe’s kissing him back, and maybe he tastes like coffee and weed, but it’s okay. Finally.

“I have you guys?” Brendon whispers against Joe’s lips.

Joe’s breath washes over Brendon’s face. “That’s a silly question. You’ve always had us.”

Brendon kisses Joe again, and yeah. He’s not spending Christmas with his family, but he’s spending it with his family. The one that matters.

“Hey Joe,” Brendon asks.

“Hmmm,” Joe hums, cupping Brendon’s cheek in his hand.

“It’s snowing outside,” Brendon smiles, and points to the window on the opposite wall.

“It’s Christmas,” Joe grins.

“Yeah, it is,” Brendon smiles, and Joe pushes his lips back against Brendon’s. “Hey Joe,” he adds.

“What?” Joe asks.

“Are you- you want to, um-um be boyfriends?”

Joe kisses him again. “Does that make you happy?”

Brendon smirks. “It might.”

The door bursts open then, and Pete’s smiling down at them. “Ha!” he laughs. “Brendon got his Christmas wish! He’s making out with Joe!” Pete starts bounding down the hall, laughing and announcing it to everyone.

Joe leans over Brendon and pushes the door closed. “Of fuck him, he forgets I’m Jewish.”

Brendon giggles, and leans over to kiss Joe. “But I celebrate Christmas.”

Joe rolls his eyes. “Shall we continue talking about Christmas, or can we starting making up for lost time?”

“Lost time,” Brendon gasps when Joe bites his neck.

“Thought so,” Joe smirks.