It Really Is Christmas, Isn't It?

Written By: LJ

(Thanks to Lori for suggesting ‘Dusty’s Project’.)


Dennis had been startled out of a sound sleep. He lay still for a moment or two, wondering why he was awake at six o’clock on a Saturday morning. The bed bounced again. In the soft glow of the nightlight, Dennis could just make out his youngest partner standing on the foot of their bed.

“Skyylar, you are not supposed to jump on the bed, especially when Dusty and I are still in it,” Dennis whispered as loudly as he dared in order to avoid disturbing his other partner. “Get down here!” He held up the blankets in expectation of being obeyed.

“Den, it’s snowing!” Skyy exclaimed as noisily as a whisper would allow and bounced one last time before falling to his knees and crawling back under the covers to drop his head onto the bigger man’s chest.

“Go back to sleep! It’s too early to get up,” Dennis quietly admonished and drew the young man closer.

“But, Den….”

“Shhh! It is going to snow off and on all day, Skyy, so go to sleep!”

Skyy decided to share his news with Dusty and stretched out his arm in order to reach his other partner.

“Don’t even think about it, Sport!”

Skyy pulled his arm back with an exaggerated sigh and tried to settle down.

Several moments later, a gentle tapping on the side of his face disturbed Dennis’ light doze. “Hmm?” he groaned.

The taps were now accompanied by a soft voice. “Den….Den….”

“You’re not going back to sleep, are you?” Dennis softly inquired, looking into wide-open, violet-blue eyes.

Skyy shook his head. “I really need to talk to you about something important,” he whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Dennis gave up. “Okay. Since trying to sleep has become a lost cause, we may as well get up before we disturb Dusty.”

Skyy required no further encouragement to hop out of bed and head for their en suite with Dennis slowly trailing behind him.

“A certain young man is going to have a nap this afternoon,” Dennis stated, pulling on his robe and stepping into his slippers.

“Why?” Skyy asked, putting his toothbrush and toothpaste away.

“Because I refuse to take a cranky partner to the Lighting Ceremony at the park this evening.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Dusty when he gets up,” Skyy laughingly offered as he left the room.

“It wasn’t Dusty I was referring to, Brat.” Dennis followed just quickly enough to catch Skyy sliding down the banister.

“Close that door, Skyy. We’re not heating the great outdoors,” Dennis ordered, coming up behind the younger man.

“But, Den, look how beautiful it is. So white and clean with the streetlights sparkling off the surface of the snow. It doesn’t get any better than this because in a couple of hours people will be out and about and it will start to get dirty.”

Dennis smiled down into the vibrant young face. He couldn’t decide what was sparkling more; the snow or his lover’s eyes.

Reaching around the man in front of him, Dennis quietly closed the door and promised. “We’ll go for a walk along the creek when Dusty gets up. I’m sure it will still be just as beautiful then. In the meantime, I’m going to turn up the heat and put on the kettle while you go back upstairs to fetch your robe and slippers.”

“I don’t need…….okay, okay, I’ll get them.” Seeing the look on his partner’s face, Skyy changed his mind and chuckled as he ran up the stairs to do as he’d been told.

“They’ll be of greater benefit if you put them on, Skyy,” Dennis commented when the young man returned carrying the articles he had been sent for.

Skyy grinned up at the older man, dropped the slippers on the floor before stepping into them and slid his arms into the sleeves of his bathrobe, leaving it opened with the ties hanging at his sides. “Can we talk now?”

“As soon as I get a cup of coffee, Sport; get yourself some chocolate milk while you’re waiting,” Dennis suggested. “We’ll snuggled up in the family room and put on some Christmas music.”

“Yeah, it’s already the fourth of December and we’ve hardly listened to any. Are we going to finish decorating this weekend?” The outside of their home was done up for the holiday season, but Skyy was anxious to get the inside done.

“Everything but the tree, love; we’ll do that the Sunday before Christmas,” Dennis answered, leading the way over to the large over-stuffed sofa. “Now what was so important that we had to get up at six o’clock this morning?”

Skyy sat down, nestled into the bigger man’s side and tentatively made his request. “Can I get a job? The semester is over, so I have a lot of time on my hands and classes don’t start up again for another month. I’d really like to earn a bit of money to get gifts for everyone. I read a notice on the university bulletin board about them looking for extra help in the malls.” He held his breath and hoped the answer would be the one he wanted.

Nodding his head, Dennis agreed with the idea. “I know how hard you work this past semester. You did well in all your courses and maintained the highest GPA. I’m very proud of you. You deserve a reward. So if a temporary job is what you want as recognition for all you’ve accomplished; a job is what you can have, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Den!” Skyy cried, throwing his arms around his partner and almost spilling the man’s coffee. “Wait ‘til I tell Dusty. He didn’t think you’d let me get one.” The young man was bouncing with excitement.

“Careful, Sport; I’d rather drink this than wear it.” Dennis laughed at his Brat’s enthusiasm.

Skyy settled down and looking into his lover’s eyes, fervently declared. “This means a lot to me, Den. I’m so looking forward to taking part and being included in this year’s Christmas.” He leaned up and gently kissed Dennis’ lips. The kiss deepened and Dennis wrapped his arms around the smaller man and pulled him onto his lap.

Pushing away, Skyy breathed in deeply and whispered. “I’ll be right back.” Skyy returned moments later with lube in one hand. He also had a warm seductive look in his eyes; the one that always resulted in such a positive reaction from his lovers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking up from the list he was writing, Dennis wonder where the cold air was coming from. Before he could get up to investigate, the draft dissipated. Moments later, Dennis was interrupted by a bellow from the master bedroom followed by footsteps thumping down the stairs.

“Get back here, you little shit!” Dusty hollered, giving chase to his tormentor.

Dennis arrived in the front hall to see Dusty standing in pajama-bottoms and bare feet, looking out the front door. “What’s going on here?”

Without turning around, Dusty informed the older man in a voice raised in frustration. “Your Brat just woke me out of a sound sleep by putting snow on my bare back!”

“My Brat?” Dennis repeated with a soft chuckle.

“Well, he isn’t my Brat! He’s our partner, our lover, and my buddy, but he’s your Brat!” Dusty exclaimed, staring outside and to the right of the doorway.

“Point taken.” Dennis glanced past the other man at the footprints leading along the porch and disappearing around the corner of the house. They heard the slamming of the back door accompanied by Skyy’s gleeful laughter.

“I’m going to pulverize him!” Dusty cried, shutting the front door and heading for the kitchen.

“No, you’re not!” Dennis grabbed the younger man’s arm and held on to him. “I’ll take care of Skyy while you go upstairs and get dressed.”

“But, Den…..” Dusty whined in protest, then gave a deep sigh and calmed down. “All right, but don’t be too hard on him, okay? He was only horsing around.”

Dennis gave him a brief hug and whispered, “Trust me, Grease-monkey.” He knew Dusty had already forgiven their young partner. He stood and waited patiently for his lover to climb the stairs.

Skyy was reading over the list Dennis had been working on when the older man entered the kitchen.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier to let Dusty sleep-in, young man?”

“But that was at six o’clock, Den, and it’s after nine now.”

“I don’t recall mentioning a specific time when my instructions would be subject to change,” Dennis said, leading Skyy over to the corner. “You stand here quietly and give it some thought.” He re-enforced his order with a couple of well-placed swats.

Skyy had been fidgeting in his own little corner of the world for five minutes by the time Dusty came into the kitchen looking for something to eat. Another five minutes passed before a plaintive wail was heard. “Den…”

Getting a pleading look from Dusty, Dennis relented and released his youngest Brat from the corner. “Come here, Skyy,” he softly summoned the chastened young man. “I think you owe someone an apology. What do you think?”

“I’m sorry, D. I wanted you to see the snow while it was still fresh and tell you our plans for the day.”

“Okay, kid. No hard feelings this time, but you better not do it again or I won’t go so easy on you.” Dusty’s hug assured Skyy he had been forgiven.

Sitting down at the table and pouring milk on his cereal, Dusty asked, “So what are these fantastic plans for the day, Buddy?”

“First, we’re going for a walk while everything is, hopefully, not trampled yet. Then you guys have errands to run while I’m dropping off resumes and looking for a job. Den says it’s all right.” Skyy excitedly shared his news. “Oh yeah, before I forget, you’re having a nap this afternoon.” He laughed, enjoying the surprised expression on his fellow-Brat’s face.

With the announcement of each activity, Dusty had been glancing at Dennis for confirmation. He understood who was really going to be having a nap when he saw his older partner close his eyes as if praying for patience and shake his head in mild exasperation.

“Then the best part of all, the Lighting Ceremony tonight followed by pizza.” Skyy finished listing their itinerary. “Oh, and we’re decorating tomorrow.”

“I guess we better get a move on if we hope to get everything done before the day is over,” Dusty suggested, carrying his dishes over to the sink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“All right, you guys, we are to stay together! No wandering off on our own! There is going to be a large crowd at the park and we don’t want to spend half the evening trying to find each other.” Dennis spoke firmly once he had managed to get his Brats’ attention. Relatively secure in their promise to follow his instructions, he didn’t keep them waiting any longer. “Okay, let’s go!”

Dennis had been right! The park was crowded, but most of the people were willing to take their time, move as a large group and give way to anyone who seemed to be in a hurry. Dennis, Dusty and Skyy, together with Dominic, Slade and Jayden managed to stay in a group. The night was cool and crisp, the sky was clear, stars were twinkling and newly fallen snow crunched beneath their feet. Skyy was enthralled with seeing fireworks for the first time. Dennis spent more time watching the expressions of wonderment on Skyy’s face then he did the displays as they were brought to life one at a time.

Over a thousand people crowded into the park to enjoy the light show. The only cost being a bag of groceries from each family as a donation to the local Food Bank. After everything was lit up and the fireworks had come to an end and the singing of Christmas Carols had faded away, the organizers handed out free refreshments to anyone willing to stand in the long lineups.

“Here you go, boys!” Dennis said, handing each of his partners a cup of hot chocolate. A large homemade cookie rested on top of each cup. “Dom has his boys taken care of, but we have to get back in line to get some for ourselves. Wait here, please. Hopefully we won’t be too long.”

Skyy slowly turned in circles, taking in the sights and enjoying the hot drink. He failed to notice the return of the older men and missed the invitation to ‘come along’. He soon realized he was standing by himself. Remembering past admonitions to stay put and wait whenever they got separated, Skyy decided he better do just that. He didn’t want to ruin a perfectly good evening by getting in trouble.

“Skyy, we’ve spent the last half hour looking for you,” Dennis said, grabbing hold of his youngest partner. “Where have you been?”

“I’ve been right here. You said you wouldn’t be long and to wait here. The others musta got tired of waiting and took off.” Glancing past the bigger man, Skyy saw Dusty stamping his feet and swinging his arms around himself to fight off the cooling temperatures. “Hi, D; where are the other guys?”

“Never mind that, Skyy. Even if you didn’t you see me return, didn’t you hear me call to say we were leaving?” Dennis inquired.

“No!” Skyy wondered if he was in trouble after all.

“Well, we’ve found you and you’re safe now, so let’s go meet up with Dom, Slade, and Jayden.”

Skyy didn’t think now was the ideal time to point out that he had been safe all along or that he hadn’t been lost. Instead he informed his partners, “I have to go to the bathroom real bad, Den. The ladies at the refreshment stand kept bringing me cups of hot chocolate because they thought I was cold, even though I wasn’t. I musta drank six or seven cups just because I didn’t want to hurt their feelings.”

Dennis and Dusty both found Skyy’s predicament amusing. “Okay, Sport. Can you hold on for a few more minutes until we get to the pizza parlour?” Dennis asked, leading his lovers over to the car.

“Feeling better, Sport?” Dennis asked fifteen minutes later, standing up to let Skyy into the booth.

“Oh, yeah!” Skyy breathed a sign of relief as he slid in next to Dusty. “Did you order yet?”

“Most of us know what we want but Slade and Jayden are holding us up,” Dusty complained before raising his voice, “Come on, you guys, hurry up and decide. We’re starving!”

Dennis reached under the table and placed a warning hand on Dusty’s knee to calm him down and avoid any arguing. “Shhh, babe; give them a couple more minutes.”

“Why don’t you order the same as us? Get a large all-dressed pizza and pick off the stuff you don’t like,” Dusty suggested.

Finally the orders had been place, much to the relief of the older men, and conversation turned to plans for the upcoming holiday season.

“Are you having family over for Christmas, Dennis?” Dominic asked.

“Skyy’s family is joining us for dinner on Boxing Day. They couldn’t all make it on the twenty-fifth due to other commitments. Rodney and Sara are spending the holidays in Toronto with Sara’s parents, but we will be seeing my Mom and Dad before they head off on a skiing trip with Laura and Jacob. Dusty’s parents will be dropping by for a visit on Christmas Eve because they leave for a cruise the next day. That just about takes care of everybody with the exception of Curtis and Bernice. I’m sure we will be seeing them for a few minutes at some point in time over the holidays.”

“It better be for a very few minutes; if fact, none would be perfect,” Dusty gripped.

“They’re family, love,” Dennis gently admonished and pretended he didn’t see the look of displeasure on his Brat’s face. “What are you planning, Dom?” Dennis asked just as the food arrived.

“We only have Christmas Day covered. We’ll be at Slade and Jayden’s foster parents’ home for most of the afternoon and evening,” Dominic answered and smiled as his attention was drawn towards his friend’s Brats.

“Here, Skyy! You get the onions and mushrooms while I get the pineapple and green peppers,” Dusty said as he picked off the designated items to be transferred to the chosen triangles of pizza. Fortunately, Dennis ate all the toppings.

“You guys are weird!” Slade declared, screwing up his face. “Why don’t you just order separate pizzas like Jayden and I do?”

“’Cause we like it this way!” Dusty impatiently replied.

“Skyy, haven’t you had enough chocolate tonight? Yuck, who ever heard of drinking chocolate milk with pizza? It’s so gross!” Jayden commented and ended up getting a smirk from Skyy, a warning glare from Dominic and supportive vote from Slade.

“Jayden’s right; we shouldn’t have to watch him eating unnatural things that make us sick.”

“There is nothing wrong with what Skyy is doing and you are not getting sick, but you will be in trouble if the subject is not dropped immediately!” Dominic sternly admonished.

“Can we go eat at another table then?” Jayden asked.

“No, you may not! Your only other option is to do without; in which, case we’ll be leaving immediately. It’s your choice, boys!”

“Okay, we’ll stay,” Slade mumbled, after getting Jayden’s agreement.

“Man, how do you do it, Dusty?” Jayden asked, shaking his head.

Putting his arm around Skyy’s neck and pulling him closer, Dusty softly murmured. “It’s real easy, isn’t it, Buddy?” He got a warm smile in return.

They were getting ready for bed later when Dennis commented. “This evening was a great beginning to our Christmas season and I think it’s safe to say that we all enjoyed ourselves.”

Watching his fellow-Brat pull a nightshirt over his blond curls, Dusty asked, “What part did you like best, Skyy?”

“Wow, it’s hard to choose only one thing. I guess I really liked the fireworks and the singing best,” the younger man answered with a yawn as he scrambled under the covers. It was almost midnight; well past the time he would usually be in bed. He was looking forward to a good night’s sleep as tomorrow was going to be another busy day. “You guys better let me sleep in tomorrow!” he sleepily demanded and giggled when two pillows were launched at his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pulling out his chair and sitting down at the supper table, Dennis inquired, “Who was that on the phone, Skyy?”

The young man had just bounced into the room and Dennis took it for granted that his Brat had an exciting announcement to make.

“It was Mr. Pepplar, the manager at the mall. I have a job interview.”

“Hey, good for you, Buddy!” Dusty exclaimed. He was as excited about the news as his younger partner was. “Did he say what you’d be doing?”

“Nope; I’ll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to find out.”

“That’s great, Sport! I didn’t think you’d have any difficulty finding work. Mr. Mulligan gave you an excellent letter of reference. He said you were a great asset to his business and a hard-working, honest employee,” Dennis said, passing the bowl of vegetables. “You know, speaking of hard-working, we got a lot accomplished today, guys, and the house is really looking festive.”

“Yeah, we’re steadily getting everything done,” Dusty commented with a note of satisfaction in his voice.

“So what do we do next?” Skyy asked.

“Right after supper, we’re going to get our cards written out and ready to be mailed in the morning,” Dennis informed him.

“How many cards?”

“Too many, and it will take most of the evening because we send them to all our family and friends. I just sign my name but Mr. It-Should-Be-Done-Properly has to write a message inside each one.” Dusty gave his older partner a cheeky grin.

“Well, count me in!” Skyy was more than willing to be included in yet another new activity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday evening, Dennis arrived home to find two Brats waiting anxiously to share their news. After soundly kissing them both, he handed his briefcase to Skyy.

“Sweetie, would you mind putting this in the study for me, please?” As Skyy made his way down the hall Dennis hung up his coat, turned to Dusty and asked, “What’s going on behind those beautiful gray eyes of yours, love?”

“I need to talk over something with you, but it can wait for a while because Skyy’s news is more exciting and right now he’s got supper ready.” Dusty explained, putting his arm through Dennis’ and walking with him to the kitchen.

“This looks and smells great, guys!” Dennis exclaimed, glancing appreciatively over the numerous dishes of food on the table. He resisted the urge to go upstairs and change out of his suit, opting to eat first.

“Another creation by Chef Skyy,” Dusty teased as he sat down.

“What are we celebrating, Sport?”

“I got the job! I have to be at the mall at one o’clock tomorrow afternoon.”

“That’s great, honey! What will you be doing?”

“I’ll be working at one of the Christmas displays they put up every year. I’m getting better than minimum wage and I get to wear a uniform of sorts,” Skyy said as he filled his plate.

“Do you know what your schedule is, Buddy?” Dusty asked.

“Just until Friday; they post the next week on the bulletin board every Thursday. I work the next four days from two o’clock until eight in the evening so I should be home by nine.”

“Why would it take you almost an hour to get here from the mall, Skyy?” Dennis was concerned about Skyy walking home after dark by himself.

“I’m not working at the mall near us, Den. My job is in the big mall downtown, so I have to take two buses each way,” Skyy explained between mouthfuls.

“I think it would be best if Dusty and I took turns picking you up,” Dennis strongly recommended.

“Aaaah, Den! I’m able to get around town on my own. I don’t need a babysitter,” Skyy complained.

“I’m aware of that, Skyy. But the malls will be getting more crowded as Christmas draws near and I don’t want to be worrying about you being harmed in any way. Do it for me, sweetheart,” Dennis requested when he saw his Brat’s frown.

“All right; I’ll be at the main entrance at eight-fifteen ‘cause I need time to change after my shift,” the young man begrudgingly conceded.

“Thank you, my little snuggle-bunny.” Dennis laughed at the surprised expression on his partners’ faces.

“Hello! Where did that come from?” Skyy asked.

“I’m not sure. I must have heard it somewhere and it kind of stuck in my mind,” Dennis smiled.

“Well, you gotta figure out a way to get it unstuck. It’s a baby name.” Skyy clearly didn’t care for the nickname.

“Hey, I know you’re not a baby but both you and Dusty are my babies.” Dennis chuckled when two pair of eyes rolled upwards.

“Maybe a lobotomy will get rid of it,” Skyy muttered and Dusty laughed, finding the whole idea very funny.

“Afraid not, Sport,” Dennis continued to chuckle at his Brat’s groan of indignation.

“All right, then Dusty and I are going to think of a pet name for you. What do you think about that?” Skyy threatened. “Like maybe Denny, okay?”

“Not that one, Buddy,” Dusty advised. “Only one person can get away with using that nickname and fortunately, his mother seldom does.”

“Well, if Den going to call me snuggle-bunny, then that’s what I’m going to call him!”

“Let’s have a change of subject, kid.” Dusty recommended before his younger partner got worked up and ended up getting himself in trouble. “I have to ask you for something, Den.”

Dennis smiled at Dusty’s peacemaking attempt and asked, “What would you like, love?”

“I was wondering if you had made any decision regarding what charity we were donating to this year.” Noticing Skyy’s interest, Dusty enlightened him. “Every Christmas we chose an organization to donate to in addition to the donations taken off our salaries each month.”

“Do you have a specific recipient in mind, Dusty?” Dennis inquired.

“Yes, I do. You remember me mentioning Marcie a couple of times, don’t you? She’s one of the office girls at work. Well, her sister, Janice, is having a real hard time. Her husband left her this past summer. She has four small children and I’d like to do Christmas for them. You know; the tree, turkey dinner, gifts…the works. Whadda ya think?” he asked expectantly.

“I like it!” Skyy excitedly piped up. “Can anybody help out?”

“Sounds like a plan, Grease-monkey, and I’m sure you can do your part, Snuggle-bunny.”

“Ahh, nuts!” Skyy protested and frowned at his partners’ laughter.

“Do you know the ages of Janice’s children, Dusty?” Dennis asked when they got their laughter under control.

“Yeah, I have the information here,” he said, pulling a sheet of paper out of his shirt pocket. “There are two little girls, ages six and three, and two little boys ages five and six months.”

“You mean Janice’s husband left just after the baby was born?” Skyy asked in disgust. “What a piss-ant!”

“Skyylar!” Dennis sharply admonished.

“He is a piss-ant, Den,” Skyy insisted, “and I better not have to send someone an apology for saying it.”

Being as the thought had never crossed his mind; Dennis couldn’t help but laugh at the young man’s declaration.

Reading over the list in his hand, Dusty noted. “The children’s names, ages and sizes are all here. Marcie did a great job preparing this. There’s even info about Janice. It shouldn’t be too difficult to choose things they’ll like or clothing that will fit.”

“Maybe we can get someone to dress up as Santa Claus and deliver the gifts on Christmas Eve,” Skyy suggested, starting to get caught up in the excitement of planning and participating in what he was beginning to think of as Dusty’s Project. “I remember when I was a little kid; watching out our front window and seeing Santa deliver presents to the kids in the other three buildings of the development. He’d arrive just after supper and go from one apartment block to the other.”

“Did he go to yours, Buddy?”

“Nah; there were no good kids in our building,” Skyy nonchalantly explained.

Dennis, who had gathered up the dirty dishes and was standing by the sink, turned to Skyy as an unpleasant thought surfaced. “Sport, how did you and your father and uncle celebrate Christmas?”

“What? You mean, together?” At Dennis’ nod, Skyy took a few moments to think about it before saying, “Hmmm, I don’t think we ever did, except maybe once. I remember a time when Earl gave us each a gift. Man, he must have had a couple of drinks too many when he wrapped them ‘cause I got a really big pair of socks. You know the scratchy, gray ones with the white toes and heels, and the red and white stripes near the top. You should have seen them,” he laughed. “The heel was over half-way up my leg and they almost reached my hips. But they sure were warm when I put them on over my long-johns. Of course, once I had my pants on, I could hardly bend my knees.”

“What was in your father’s gift?” Dusty asked, already having a pretty good idea.

“He got a little pair of socks which he threw in the garbage. I dug them out and wore them under the big socks. So I ended up getting both gifts.” Skyy smiled and his eyes lit up at what he considered his good fortune.

Dennis and Dusty weren’t smiling. They felt their chests tightening at the visual of a small boy watching Santa Claus deliver presents to other children while knowing the man in the red suit would not be paying him a visit. Dennis sat back down at the table as Skyy continued to tell them about Christmases past.

“When I got older, I found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus. Nonna explained how all the other parents paid into a fund maintained by the Tenant’s Association. Every month a small amount of money was collected for each child and then used to buy gifts for special occasions. I thought it was a really neat idea. Even though I wasn’t included with the other kids, I still had some great times with my neighbour-family. We celebrated a couple of days after everyone else with a big dinner and we’d sing songs and tell stories. Sometimes Niko and I would dance while Max and Kenji would play the accordion and the harmonica. I almost always got a stocking with candy and nuts and crayons and colouring book in it. A couple of times I got a little car or truck or some other toy and every year I got new mittens from Meme.” Skyy paused before quietly adding, “Now, I’m finally going to have a chance to repay all their kindness by giving them some special gifts and we’re actually going to have Christmas on time this year, aren’t we?”

“You bet we are, little one. Dusty and I are so grateful you have such wonderful people in your life and we are proud to consider them members of our family.” Dennis had trouble speaking past the lump in his throat and Dusty wasn’t able to make any comment at all.

“Hey, boys; what say we get the kitchen cleaned up and watch that Christmas Skating Special on TV?” Dennis suggested in hopes of changing the melancholy mood which had settled over Dusty and himself.

“What about Dusty’s Project? We’ve hardly made any plans for it. Have you guys got any ideas?” Skyy asked, going over to the sink and turning on the water.

“I’m going to see if anyone at work wants to chip in. Like us, most of them pick a charity for the holidays so maybe I can convince them to help with this one. Any suggestions, Den?” Dusty started drying the dishes Skyy was washing.

“I’ll look into commandeering support from some of my colleagues at the university,” Dennis volunteered, covering the leftovers and putting them in the fridge.

“Thanks, guys! We’re sure off to a good start with this. I really appreciate it!” A beaming smile covered Dusty’s face as he hugged and kissed each of his partners.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi, Dusty; what are you doing here? I thought you had a mall closer to your home,” Jayden greeted his friend.

“I’ve come to pick up Skyy. He’s been working here for just over a week now and either Den or I have been meeting him at this entrance every night after his shift. Guess I’m a little early tonight.”

“Do you know what he’s doing?” Slade asked.

“Not exactly; I mean, we know he’s not working at any of the shops ‘cause he was hired by the manager of the mall. But other than that, we aren’t exactly sure what he does,” Dusty explained.

Glancing at his partner and getting a knowing smile, Slade invited. “Come with us. There’s something you’re gonna want to see.”

Making their way along the crowded corridors, Dusty commented. “I hope it’s not much further ‘cause I don’t want to keep Skyy waiting.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t!” Jayden assured him.

Arriving at the central court, Slade pointed towards the Santa Claus visitation area and instructed. “Look over there!”

Looking over the crowd of shoppers, Dusty followed the direction of his friend’s finger and zeroed in on Skyy.

“Oh, my God!” Dusty exclaimed, a smile quickly spreading across his handsome face. He couldn’t believe his eyes. His partner was standing in the middle of a group of children who all appeared to be vying for the young man’s attention. Dusty turned to the men beside him. “We had no idea this is what he was doing,” he exclaimed.

“We first saw him last Friday. He’s really good at what he’s doing and the kids love him,” Slade informed his very surprised friend.

“What do you think of his outfit?” Jayden inquired.

“Hey, it really suits him. He looks great!” Dusty answered with pride, still trying to take in all that he was seeing.

His gorgeous young partner was wearing green curled-toed shoes, white and red striped bodysuit under green shorts, with a green vest and hat trimmed in gold. A tiny bell hung on the toe of each shoe and another at the end of the pointed hat. His face was glowing, violet-blue eyes sparkling, shoulder-length golden curls swaying with every graceful movement of his body.

“Yeah, Dom thought so too. Everywhere you go in the mall you hear people, especially kids, talking about the little guy.” Slade provided this additional information.

“He makes one hell of a gorgeous elf. Man, he’s adorable! I can’t wait until Dennis sees him!” Dusty said excitedly as he shouldered his way through the throng of people to get closer to his fellow-Brat.

“He is kinda cute. But if you tell anyone I said so, I’ll deny it,” Slade called out as he followed Dusty with Jayden trailing behind.

“Hello, Buddy, having fun?”

“Hey, D, you’re here early! I haven’t even changed yet.”

“I’m not too early. You’re just running a little late. Are you allowed to wear your uniform home?”

“No, I have to leave it here. Why?”

“I’d love to watch the expressions on Dennis’ face when he sees you in it.”

Looking down at his costume, Skyy inquired. “Think he’ll like it?” His eyes sparkled as his mouth blossomed into a lop-sided grin.

“What’s not to like?”

“It isn’t exactly something that most grown men would wear and besides, he’d probably rather see me in a bunny costume,” Skyy joked.

“Yeah, well very few men would be able to pull it off. But it sure looks great on you, little buddy. Besides, who wouldn’t be charmed by almost anything you do, with or without a costume?”

“Well, Dennis will just have to come down here to see me in it.” Skyy smiled up at his partner. “Were you surprised?”

“Nah,” Dusty lied. “I always figured you had a bit of the wee folk in ya.”

Looking over at Slade and Jayden, Skyy indicated Dusty and asked, “Did you tell him?”

“Couldn’t help ourselves, especially when we found out he didn’t already know,” Slade grinned.

“Yeah, and you’re even a cuter elf than the one in the movie,” Jayden added, laughing at Skyy’s expression of disbelief.

“Riiight!” Skyy responded and turning back to his partner, announced, “I’ll be back as soon as I get into my regular clothes.”

“I’ll be here, little buddy.” Dusty promised as he reached over and pulled on Skyy’s cap, causing the little bell to tinkle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We’re home, Dennis!” Skyy yelled as he ran into the house two nights later, trusting Dusty who was following in his footsteps to shut the front door.

“I’m in my study, Sport,” Dennis answered with a smile in his voice. His Brat’s enthusiasm never failed to brighten his day.

“I gotta show you guys something!” Skyy exclaimed, coming into the room and throwing himself down on the leather couch.

Getting up from his desk, Dennis walked over and lifted up the young man to give him a welcoming hug. He put Skyy on his feet and turned to include Dusty in the embrace, kissing them both. “Okay, Sport, what’s got you so excited?”

Skyy began emptying his pockets as he literally skipped across the room. “Look what I’ve got!” he said, spreading handfuls of pocket-contents over the top of the big desk. He bounced in place as he waited for his partners to examine all the items.

Sorting the articles into small piles, Dennis kept a running total of the loose change he was setting aside. “You’ve got $36. 72 in change here, Skyy,” he stated, giving the young man a questioning look.

“Yeah, and there’s another thirty-five dollars in bills,” added Dusty. “So that makes a total of $81.72.”

“Where did you get the money, sweetheart, and what’s it for?”

“It’s for Dusty’s Project. You know; Janice and her children. I’ve been telling the people at work all about it. Today was payday and almost all of us chipped in some. Guess what else?” Not waiting for a response, Skyy answered the question. “Mr. Pepplar is going to let us have the use of the Santa suit and my elf costume on Christmas Eve.”

“Hey, this is great, Buddy!” Dusty cried, grabbing the younger man and hugging him.

“It seems as if you’ve been very busy promoting the cause, Sport. Dusty’s Project, as you refer to it, is showing signs of being quite successful. This amount now brings the monetary total to over four hundred dollars and there is still a week to go. I’m really proud of you; both of you.”

“Know what? I think we should find a family we can do this for every year!” Skyy emphatically declared, earning Dusty’s nod of agreement.

“We’ll certainly keep it in mind, little one,” Dennis promised. He never ceased to be amazed at the generosity of this young man who had gone without so much during his childhood and he marveled at his Brat’s free-spirited, honest, child-like innocence in the way he looked at the world around him.

“Den… Den…” The need for attention was accompanied by the tugging on Dennis’ shirtsleeve. Pulling himself away from his reflective thinking, Dennis looked into violet-blue eyes and acknowledged the summons. “What is it, Sport?”

“They’ve rearranged my schedule for next week. Can we talk about it while I have something to eat? Cause I’m starving!”

“You better not tell me you forgot to take a lunch again today, young man,” Dennis advised.

“Okay!” Skyy shrugged his shoulders.

“Okay, what?” demanded the older man while ignoring Dusty’s snickering.

“Okay, I won’t tell you,” Skyy stated before adding, “But I’m still hungry.”

Dennis closed his eyes and prayed for patience as he turned his Brat towards the door. “Kitchen!” he ordered with a well-placed swat on the young man’s backside.

Skyy yelped and threw an indignant look over his shoulder as he ran from the room while Dusty gave a hoot of laughter.

“All right, Sport, what is it about your schedule we need to talk over?” Dennis waited patiently for the young man to swallow the forkful of re-heated leftovers he had just shoveled into his mouth.

“There’s been a bit of a change. Because it’s getting so busy all four of us elves have to do the shifts together for the last week before Christmas. It means, starting tomorrow, for the next eight days I have to work from ten in the morning ‘til eight every evening. That is except Sunday when I only have to work until six and of course Christmas Eve because we finish at five.” Skyy nervously chewed on his lip while waiting for his partners’ reactions.

“But Skyy, we still have things to do here at home. Sunday afternoon we’re suppose to trim the tree,” Dusty reminded him.

“I can’t help it! It’s not my fault,” Skyy murmured as he turned to Dennis, hoping for understanding.

“We can work around your schedule, honey. I’m off work until the New Year so I can take care of things here. That will included making sure you don’t forget your lunch again.” Dennis laughed at Skyy’s exasperated sigh.

“What about Sunday, Den?” Dusty asked.

“We’ll finish the decorating after Skyy gets home. You only have four days of work left before the holidays, Dusty, and they’re not even full days due to the pre-holiday slow-down. A couple of late nights won’t cause a problem because we can sleep in a little later in the morning,” Dennis replied.

Skyy sat back in his chair with a huge yawn. Now that his stomach was full, the busy day was starting to catch up to him and he was finding it hard to keep his eyes open. His sleepy state did not go unnoticed by the two older men.

“I think it’s time for a certain little elf to be put to bed,” Dennis gently chided, getting up from his chair. “Dusty love, would you mind tidying up in here while I get you-know-who upstairs?”

Dusty smiled contentedly as he gathered up Skyy’s dishes to the sound of Dennis’ soft laughter in response to Skyy’s bemused question of ‘who’s you-know-who?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How come both you guys came to pick me up?” Skyy asked, getting into the back seat of Dennis’ Mustang. “I thought it was Dusty’s turn.”

“Just can’t resist seeing you in your elf costume, Sport,” Dennis lightly teased. “You look so darn cute in it.”

“Well, I’d rather be an elf than a bunny,” the young man pointed out, hoping his older partner would take the hint.

Dennis gently laughed at his Brat’s innuendo. “Gotcha! No more adorable little animal names, all right?” He looked in the rear-view mirror to see Skyy’s happy grin of appreciation. “We’ve one stop to make before heading home, boys. We’re picking up some Chinese food for supper. Everyone in favour, say ‘Aye’!” Ten minutes later, his ears were still ringing.

“Take-out may not be as good as home-cooking but at least there’s less clean-up. Isn’t that right, little buddy?”

“That’s for sure,” Skyy agreed. The young men were waiting in the car while their partner waited in the restaurant for his order to be filled. “I bought a stocking for Den. Look at this, D.” Skyy pulled a rolled up red cloth out of his lunch box. “It only cost a dollar at the ‘Buck or Two’ store. Neat, eh?”

“Holy shit, Skyy; this is huge! How will we ever fill it?”

“It won’t be hard with both of us doing it. You said Dennis would be filling one for each of us so it’s only fair we fill one for him.” Skyy grabbed the article out of Dusty’s hand and jammed it back in his lunch box. “Den’s coming. We don’t want him to see it.”

“Okay. We’ll talk about it later when he’s busy doing something else.” Dusty was still wondering how they were going to fill such a large stocking. “But I hope you have some brilliant ideas of what we’re going to put in it, Buddy.”

“Don’t worry, D, I’ve got it covered,” Skyy assured him with an infectious grin.

Forty-five minutes later, the three men were standing in their living room and giving the tree a final once-over to make sure it was as straight as possible.

“I’ll check out the lights before putting them on the tree. Why don’t you two start unpacking the ornaments?” Dennis recommended.

“How about some music to work by?” Dusty asked and just managed to beat Skyy to the CD player. “My idea, my choice, kid!”

“Just pick something we can sing along with, okay?” the younger man requested, digging through one of the boxes which had been brought down from the attic earlier that afternoon.

“That didn’t take as long as I thought it would,” Dennis said, standing back to admire the tree with his two lovers. “It looks very nice! We did a great job decorating it and you can hardly see the one uneven spot where it looks like a branch is missing.”

“Too bad we didn’t notice before we bought it yesterday,” Dusty grumbled.

“It’s hard to pick up on all the imperfections when the trees have been outside for weeks and are almost frozen. We didn’t find that little flaw until we set it in the stand and let it thaw out overnight. But with all the decorations it’s hardly noticeable, love.” Dennis’ patient tone soothed the younger man’s ruffled feathers.

“I think it’s beautiful,” Skyy enthused, bouncing from one foot to the other.

“Glad you like it, sweetheart.” Dennis wrapped an arm around each Brat, pulling them close and kissing them. “I’m going out to make us a bedtime snack. While I’m doing that, I’d like you two guys to put this room back in order please.”

“But it’s only nine o’clock!” Skyy called out to his departing lover. “Jeez! It’s too early for bed and besides, we still have this stuff to put on the tree,” he complained and held a box of tinsel up to show Dusty.

“We’re not putting that junk on, Buddy. I don’t even know why we still have that crap. We may as well throw it in the trash because it’s too old and knotted up to be of any use,” Dusty explained, taking the tinsel from Skyy.

“I want to put it on,” Skyy argued, grabbing the box out of the other man’s hand and running to the other side of the room.

“I said no! Now give it back to me!” Dusty shouted as he gave chase.

“Come on, man! You’re not the boss around here, Dusty, so I don’t have to do what you say!” Skyy yelled back and raced around the sofa to maintain a healthy distance from his fellow-Brat.

Dusty jumped over the furniture and tackled the younger man. During his struggle to get away, Skyy’s leg knocked against the end table and sent a lamp crashing to the floor.

“What’s going on in here?” Dennis demanded, hurrying in from the kitchen just as the box of tinsel was emptied and handfuls of it were thrown in all directions. “Stop it, both of you!” Dennis’ slightly raised voice instantly caught his partners’ attention.

The three men stood and stared at each other. Two tinsel-covered Brats gave up first and turned their eyes away from a very aggravated Top.

Five minutes later, after each of the younger men had passed his inspection and were found to be tinsel-free, Dennis ordered. “Corners, now!” and in answer to two bewildered looks, added, “…in my study.”

Skyy squirmed in his corner and listened to the vacuum cleaner as Dennis cleaned up the mess in the living room. He slowly inched his way across the room until he was standing next to Dusty. “I’m sorry, D. I should have listened to you,” he said in a small voice close to tears.

“It’ll be okay, little buddy. We should’ve asked Dennis about the tinsel, right?” Dusty quietly replied, putting his arm around the younger man’s shoulders.

“I guess I’ve kinda ruined Christmas, eh?” Skyy whispered.

“Well, there’s always next year, kid.” Dusty was trying to lighten the mood but unknown to him, his gesture was being misunderstood.

Dennis stood in the doorway and indulgently smiled at the sight of his two Brats sharing a corner. He sighed and wished the next hour or so could be put on fast-forward. Strengthening his resolve to once again teach these young men that there are consequences for breaking the rules, he took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

The boys hadn’t heard the carpet cleaner being shut off and put away. They missed hearing Dennis’ approach and didn’t realize that he was listening to their quiet conversation.

“I really am sorry, Dusty. I didn’t mean for it to happen and I’ll try to make it up to you. Honest!” was Skyy’s solemn declaration. Tightening his embrace around Dusty’s chest, he murmured. “I got us in a lot of trouble, didn’t I?”

“I think it’s safe to say that we got ourselves in trouble, Buddy,” Dusty acknowledged with a deep sigh.

“Harrumph!” Dennis alerted his partners to his presence as he walked into the room and moved the straight-back chair away from the wall.

“Come here, Dusty!” was Dennis’ softly spoken summons. “Do we or do we not have a rule about fighting with each other?” he asked when his oldest Brat was standing in front of him. He barely made out the mumbled ‘yes’ as he started to undo Dusty’s jeans. Lowering pants and boxers, he gently pulled the young man over his thighs. “What did you do to deserve this spanking, Dustin?”

“I-I broke a rule and fought with Skyy,” Dusty supplied the correct response and yelped when the first swat landed.

Skyy cringed as he tried to squeeze himself further into the corner. He hated hearing his fellow-Brat being punished and even more so when he felt responsible for what had caused it in the first place. He lost track of time as he slowly became immersed in his own thoughts. He wasn’t aware of the punishment ending or of the time passing as Dennis comforted their crying partner before sending him upstairs to shower and get ready for bed.

Dennis’ calm request pulled Skyy from his dream-like state. Holding Skyy’s smaller hands in his much larger ones, he looked into a pair of sad eyes and requested. “I want you to tell me what you did to earn a spanking, Skyylar.”

“I argued with Dusty about the tinsel; I-I fought with him and I broke the lamp.” Skyy’s voice was almost inaudible. He didn’t even want to think about his worse crime, let alone say it. He had ruined Christmas!

“Not exactly! You’re being punished for fighting. The broken lamp was an unintentional result of that fight. We have talked about you and Dusty fighting before, haven’t we, my boy!” Dennis reminded him. After baring Skyy’s backside, Dennis settled his youngest Brat over his knees and for the second time that evening reluctantly administered a sound spanking.

“All right, little one, it’s over,” Dennis soothed as he turned the sobbing young man over and cradled him on his lap, taking care not to cause further pain to an already very sore bottom. He repeatedly murmured soft words of comfort as his now gentle hand massaged circles onto the shuddering back of his partner. Sobs gradually slowed to hesitant hitches and sniffles as Skyy relaxed into the comforting embrace.

“I-I’m s-sorry, Den. I didn’t do it on purpose.” Skyy started crying again.

“I know, baby. It’s all right now; we’ve taken care of it. Come on, honey, take a deep breath and stop crying.”

Several minutes passed before Dennis asked, “Are you ready to go upstairs and get into bed with Dusty?” Getting a small nod, he gently set Skyy on his feet, stood up and returned the chair to its’ place by the wall. Then taking Skyy’s hand, Dennis turned out the light and led his young lover out of the study.

Upstairs, Skyy showered and changed in record time. He stood quietly as Dennis lovingly toweled him down and blow-dried his hair. After slipping a clean nightshirt over his head, he crawled under the blankets and nestled against his fellow-Brat’s side.

The two young men spent the next little while exchanging kisses and whispering their love for each other before eventually falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Dennis took his time showering before getting into their big, king-size bed and snuggling up with his beautiful young lovers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skyy was quiet, too quiet!

“How did your day go, sweetie?” Dennis asked as he tried to keep his eyes on the road and observe Skyy’s body language at the same time.

“Busy, real busy; I don’t know where all the kids are coming from. We ran out of candy canes twice today. Mary-Ellen says a lot of them are coming back over and over again. Anyway, whatever’s going on, they sure kept us hopping,” Skyy answered.

Dennis noticed the bounce was missing. There was no enthusiasm, no joy, no silly little grins or jokes. This morning, he had put Skyy’s unusually passive demeanor down to last night’s quarrel and subsequent punishment. But this evening he was beginning to suspect it might be something more serious. Skyy rarely sulked and never held a grudge. Dennis was clueless as to what the problem might be.

“Are you tired, little one?” Dennis gently inquired, reaching over and giving Skyy’s knee a squeeze.

“Nah; I’m okay, Den….a little hungry, maybe.”

“Well, I’ve got your supper waiting. It just needs to be reheated.” Dennis waited for the response he didn’t get before adding, “I think someone needs an early night. What do you say, Sport?”

“I guess so, if that’s what you want.” Skyy spoke so softly, Dennis had a hard time hearing him.

Dennis shook his head. ‘Talking can wait a little while longer,’ he thought, pulling into their driveway and pushing the button on the remote control to open the garage doors.

Skyy wasn’t at all surprised to see the untrimmed tree leaning in the corner but it still brought tears to his eyes. He got out of the car, grabbed his lunch box and silently followed Dennis into the house. Setting the empty lunch box on the counter, he toed off his boots and hung up his coat. Then he greeted Dusty as his other partner came into the kitchen. “Hi, D,” he mumbled.

After hugging the young man, Dusty took in Skyy’s unhappy expression and gave Dennis a questioning glance. All he got in return was a shrug and a negative shake of the older man’s head. The beep from the microwave broke the silence.

“Bet you’re starving, eh Buddy! Den made one of your favourites,” Dusty said as he put the warmed meal on the table.

“Not really!” Skyy sat down and picked up his fork.

“Stop poking at that, Skyy, and eat it!” Dennis chided ten minutes later when he noticed Skyy was no longer eating.

“But I’m not hungry anymore!” Skyy announced, pushing the plate away.

Sitting next to his forlorn-looking Brat, Dennis gently asked. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“Nothing; just tired, I guess.”

Dennis gave out a long, exasperated sigh. “Well, if you’re are too tired to eat and you won’t talk to me, than you may as well go right up to bed.” Dennis and Dusty were disappointed when the suggestion did not result in Skyy’s willingness to open up. Instead, the younger man got up from the table and left the room.

Moments later, Skyy rushed back into the kitchen and threw his arms around Dennis’ neck. “You didn’t take down the tree!” he exclaimed.

Returning the embrace, Dennis turned a surprised look towards Dusty and wondered, ‘What has been running through this Brat’s head?’

“We have to talk, sweetheart,” Dennis said, getting to his feet. He bent slightly to allow Skyy to grab onto his shoulders, haul himself up and wrap his legs around the bigger man’s hips. Dennis supported his lover’s backside and walked over to the double recliner in the living room.

“What made you think I’d be removing our Christmas tree, Skyy?” Dennis softly asked once all three partners were comfortably seated.

“I thought I had ruined Christmas. I thought it wasn’t going to come this year and we’d have to wait another year to have it.”

“Skyy! When I said there was always next year, I certainly didn’t mean there would be none this year!” Dusty was shocked Skyy would believe something like that.

“So it’s still coming here?” Skyy asked, the bounce returning in full force. “Even though we were fighting?”

“It comes every year, Skyy, no matter what any of us do. You seem to be having trouble understanding that once you have been punished for breaking the rules, it over and all is forgiven,” Dennis attempted to clarify for the umpteenth time. “We’ve talked about this before, little one, and will continue to talk about it until you understand, all right?” A curly head nodded vigorously in agreement.

A memory suddenly resurfaced and Skyy asked, “How come there’s a naked tree in the garage?”

Dusty gave a burst of laughter and sputtered. “That’s for Janice.”

“Dusty bought it on the way home from work this afternoon. He and Marcie will be dropping it off at Janice’s house tomorrow along with the decorations and groceries that have been purchased so far,” Dennis explained.

“That’s right, Buddy. Then Friday evening, we’ll help Santa deliver the gifts and the rest of the stuff. Slade’s offered to be Santa, which works out perfect because he’s bigger than I am and the kids will not have seen him before. You’re still dressing up as an elf, right?”

“You bet! I can hardly wait to see the looks on their faces when they see everything. It’s been a lot of work shopping around at different places and there are still a few things left to buy, but it’s worth it,” Skyy said, his small face lighting up. “’Cause this is what Christmas is really about, isn’t it?’

“You got it, Sport! Speaking of things left to do, how about putting on some Christmas music and we’ll get more of those gifts wrapped,” Dennis suggested.

“Skyy can pick out the CD’s while I get the presents and you gather up the supplies we need, Den.”

Soon everyone was involved in yet another special activity as Christmas loomed one day closer.

~~~~~~~~~~

“You’d think they’d already have the door opened. After all, they know we’re here. I mean, they buzzed us in, didn’t they?” Dusty gripped to his partner as they waited for an answer to their knock on the door. “I don’t even want to be here, Dennis,”

“Shhh, they’re family, love, and we said we’d drop by this afternoon while Skyy was at work.”

“Yeah; and that only adds to the list of reasons why I didn’t want to come. We shouldn’t visit family when Skyy isn’t with us!” Dusty grumbled under his breath just as the door in front of them opened.

“Hello; please come in,” Bernice invited. “We’re very pleased to have you here.”

“How nice to see you, little brother,” Curtis addressed his guest. Turning to Dennis, he offered his hand with a cool, “Hello, Dennis.”

“Hello; Bernice and Curtis. Merry Christmas!” Dennis greeted their hosts politely as he discretely rubbed his left hand over Dusty’s back.

“Merry Christmas to both of you,” Dusty spoke in a monotonous voice. “We brought something for you,” he murmured, thrusting a beautifully wrapped gift at Bernice.

“Thank you, Dustin. Whoever did you get to do such a marvelous job of wrapping this gift? Surely neither of you did it,” she simpered.

“Actually, Skyy wrapped it. The gift is from all of us,” Dusty articulated, making sure they got the message.

“Oh, how lovely!” was the insincere rejoinder. “Well! I’ll just put it under our tree.”

“Come and sit down. I’m sure you can spare a few minutes to visit,” Curtis coldly intoned. “What would you like to drink?”

“Ice water will be fine,” Dennis replied, taking a seat on the sofa and gently pulling Dusty down beside him.

“I’ll have chocolate milk, please,” Dusty requested much to his partner’s surprise.

“That is not something we keep on hand, Dustin. You’ll have to decide on something else!” Curtis strongly suggested, glaring at his brother.

“Then I’m not thirsty,” Dusty rudely responded. He was bound and determined this visit would end as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Dennis knew what his Brat was trying to do and did not appreciate the young man’s lack of good manners.

Curtis was handing Dennis a glass of water when Bernice called to inform them she would answer the ring from the main entrance to their secured apartment complex.

“You better behave yourself, young man!” Dennis quietly admonished Dusty while their hosts were in the foyer welcoming additional guests.

“I want to leave, Den!”

“I am well aware of your feelings, Dusty, but I will not put up with your inappropriate behaviour. We’ll be leaving soon enough. You will have to be patient for a little while longer.” Dennis looked over his shoulder when he saw Dusty’s face lit up. He smiled as his partner’s parents walked into the room.

Standing up, Dennis offered his hand to the older man, “It’s good to see you, Leonard. And you too, Millicent,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“Meeting up with you here is such a pleasant surprise, dear,” Dusty’s mother declared as she hugged her youngest son.

“But, Mom, you and Dad will still be coming to our home this evening, won’t you?” Dusty asked before reminding her, ‘Cause you’ll want to see Skyy.”

“Actually, Dusty we’ve already seen your younger partner,” his father stated. “In fact, we had lunch with him and I must say; it was quite an experience!” He laughed out loud as he remembered the entertaining time he had enjoyed earlier in the day.

“Let’s sit down and we’ll tell you all about it,” Millicent offered when she saw the bewildered looks on everyone’s faces. “Over the past couple of weeks, several of our friends have talked about an elf they’d seen in the mall. They finally managed to talk us into going to see the little fellow.” Millicent paused and gleefully indicted for her husband to continue the narration.

“Imagine our surprise,” laughed Leonard, “when we discovered it was our very own Skyy attracting all the attention.”

“We wouldn’t have believed it had someone suggested how much fun it would be to take an elf to dinner, if we’d not had the opportunity to do so ourselves,” Millicent added, laughing along with her husband.

“You can’t be serious! Surely, Dennis you haven’t allowed that little knave to make a public spectacle of himself?” Curtis was obviously appalled at the thought of being even remotely associated with someone like Skyy.

“He wanted to make a little extra money to buy gifts for everyone. He has been working hard at a good, honest job and has nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of,” Dennis succinctly pointed out.

“Dennis is absolutely right!” Leonard agreed and much to his oldest son’s discomfort went on to regal them with some of the things he had been hearing about their little elf.

“By the way, Dusty; Skyy told us about the family you were providing a Christmas for and we are so proud of you. Your father and I want to take part, so we hope you don’t mind if we’ve purchased a few things to add to what you already have,” Millicent merrily informed her son.

“We’ll get them out of the car before we leave here. We know about your plans for later and are anxious to hear how things transpire. You tell us all about it when we drop by to see you this evening,” Leonard proposed.

It was moments like this that reminded Dennis exactly whom his young lover had acquired his kind, generous nature from. But he was still at a loss to explain the contrast between the two brothers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was well after nine o’clock when Dennis and his partners bid farewell to the last of their visitors. They had enjoyed a very busy and fun-filled Christmas Eve. Dusty’s Project had more than met their expectations, leaving them all with a warm glow of satisfaction. In a few moments, the rest of the night would belong to just the three of them.

“Thanks for coming by,” Dennis said warmly, kissing Millicent before offering his hand to Leonard. “Have a good voyage and we’ll see you when you get back.”

“See ya next year, Mom……you too, Dad!” Dusty exclaimed as he hugged and kissed his parents goodbye. “Love you both! Merry Christmas!”

“Bye, hope you enjoy the holidays!” Skyy added his send-off and received a bear-hug from Leonard and a gentle kiss from Millicent.

After final waves to their guests as they pulled out of the driveway, Dennis ushered his young lovers into the house, shut the door and advised, “How about I straighten up down here while you two go upstairs and change into something more comfortable. Then we’re going to relax in front of a cozy fire and just bask in the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree. What do you think of the idea, boys?”

Dusty and Skyy showed they were in full agreement by racing up the stairs with plans of having a quick shower.

A cloud of moist air preceded Dusty out of the en suite as he entered their bedroom. Draping his towel over the back of a chair he stepped into his sleep pants and after pulling a T-shirt over his head, glanced at his partner to ask, “Got the Santa and elf outfits taken care of, Buddy?”

“Yep; they’re packed in their boxes ready to be returned the first of the week,” Skyy answered. He sounded a little distracted.

“What have you got there, kid?” Dusty inquired, lying down beside the younger man and watching him thumb through a small book.

“Just a story I got out of the bookcase,” Skyy replied. “It’s the same as the one we gave to Janice’s children. I thought it looked familiar ‘cause I remembered having the same one when I was younger.”

Dusty slid his hand under Skyy’s nightshirt and gently rubbed circles over the warm skin causing the other man to writhe in expectation.

“Not now, lover!” Dusty whispered as he blew a raspberry on the back of Skyy’s neck. “I’m only checking to see if you dried off properly to save Den from having to make you do it over again. Your hair is still damp but that’s okay. Now let me see what story you got there,” he requested, taking the book from Skyy’s hands. “Hey, kid! You can’t read this to yourself!”

“What are you talking about, D? It’s a good story and there’s nothing wrong with it. There’s no violence, no swear words….it’s a kid’s book. Hey, give it back!” Skyy shouted as Dusty left the room, taking the book with him.

“Dennis,” Dusty called out as he walked into the living room with Skyy close on his heels.

Dennis came in from the kitchen and commented. “You guys sure showered and changed quickly.” He saw a look of anticipation on Dusty’s face and one of bewilderment on Skyy’s. “What’s up?”

Holding up the book, Dusty said, “I was wondering if you’d be willing to read us a story.”

For a moment, Dennis was speechless. He had only read to them on one other occasion, but if that was what his partners chose to add to their Christmas Eve activities, then he was willing to indulge them. Cuddling up together on their double recliner, Dennis got a better look at the cover of the book and asked, “Are you sure you want me to read this?”

“Yabetcha!” was Dusty’s exuberant answer as he wiggled to get closer to his older partner.

“I guess so,” Skyy shrugged, still looking a little confused as he leaned against Dennis’ chest.

“Okay,” Dennis complied by opening the book. “‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house……..”

“Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.” Dennis’ voice faded, leaving in its’ wake memories of long-ago holiday seasons when the story had been read to each of them by loving parents.

“See what I meant, little buddy, about it being better when someone reads it to you?” Dusty asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the reminiscent atmosphere that encompassed them.

“Uh-huh,” Skyy softly answered and burrowed deeper into Dennis’ arms. “My mom used to read that story to me and I still remember her voice and how she always smelled of lilacs, even in winter. This was really nice. Thanks, Den,” he whispered, looking up into his oldest partner’s face with all the love he had for the big man shining in his eyes.

Dennis thoroughly kissed each of the young men in his arms and asked if there was anything in particular they would like to do this evening.

“I’d like to dance!” Skyy said, snatching another quick kiss and jumping off Dennis’ lap to make his way over to the stereo system. All three men loved to dance and did it well.

While their younger partner was engaged in picking out appropriate music, Dennis questioned Dusty on the whereabouts of the gift Curtis and Bernice had given them.

“I didn’t bring it home, Den. I left it in the alley next to their apartment building.” Dusty looked uncertainly at the other man.

“What was wrong, love?” Dennis gently inquired, putting his arms around the young man. He knew instinctively that something about the gift had upset his partner.

“It didn’t have Skyy’s name on it,” Dusty murmured.

It was all the explanation Dennis needed. He tightened the embrace and whispered, “Hey, it’s okay, Grease-monkey. You didn’t do a bad thing.” He backed up his assurances with a hard hug and a kiss before laughingly commenting. “Of course, it’s going to make writing a thank-you note a little tricky when we can’t even mention what we’re thanking them for.”

“Maybe the note can get lost in the mail,” Dusty grinned, knowing he had been understood and everything was all right.

“I think it’s time for bed, my darlings,” Dennis said just before midnight. “Now that we’ve danced most of the night away, what are the chances of sleeping in tomorrow?” he teased.

Dusty and Skyy smirked at each other and answered together. “Absolutely none!” They laughed and ran up the stairs, leaving the older man to turn off the lights and lock up for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Shhh. We don’t want to wake up Dennis just yet,” Dusty whispered when Skyy giggled too loudly. “What the hell have you got in here? It weighs a ton and I sure don’t remember buying anything this heavy.” He was struggling with the stocking they had filled for Dennis. The one Skyy had kept hidden under the bed in the guestroom.

“You’ll see!” Skyy giggled again and slipped a leg over the banister to slide down while his fellow-Brat grumbled and gripped under the weight of the gift-laden stocking.

At the bottom of the stairs, Skyy relented and grabbed hold of one end to assist Dusty in getting it into the living room. They had just stepped inside the room when the tree lights flashed on.

“A couple of rather large, noisy mice were rummaging around in the other bedroom and woke me up,” Dennis teasingly complained. “What is that?” he chuckled, pointing at the over-stuffed article in his partners’ arms.

“Merry Christmas, big guy!” was sung out in unison.

Time flew as three lovers enjoyed the ritual of emptying their Christmas stockings.

“No wonder that freakin’ stocking was so heavy. You had a full set of billiard balls in it, Skyy; sixteen, individually-wrapped billiard balls!” Dusty exclaimed looking over the items Dennis had removed from his stocking. He exchanged a brief knowing smile with his fellow-Brat, thinking of the gaily-wrapped pool cue under the tree with Dennis’ name on it. Receiving no other response, Dusty asked, “What’s taking you so long, Buddy? Den and I finished at least fifteen minutes ago and you’ve only emptied half of yours.”

“Let Skyy take his time, love,” Dennis gently admonished as he gazed at the joyful scene in front of him. This was actually Skyy’s first real Christmas since he was a toddler. Dennis wanted every moment to last as long as possible. “We’ll have breakfast before we open our other gifts and before you get into the candy and other junk food.”

“Aw, Den……” Dusty stopped when he saw Dennis’ raised eyebrow. “Breakfast it is then,” he conceded with a forced pout which was undermined by sparkling gray eyes.

Skyy had just taken the last item out of his stocking when Dennis called them to the table. “Wow, thanks for all the neat stuff, Den. I really like the first edition comics for my collection,” he said, dropping down onto his chair. “That shaving kit should last me forever,” he joked as he wiped his hand across his chin. Being so fair he only had to shave about every third day.

“Glad you’re happy with everything, sweetie,” Dennis said as he set Skyy’s plate in front of him and placed a gentle kiss on the young man’s head. “By the way, Sport, what are these things?” he asked, holding out his hand.

“That’s Lupini!” Skyy answered and seeing the bewildered expression on his partners’ faces, explained. “They’re nuts. You soak them for a whole week. Then you can squeeze them from the shells and eat them. I used to get them all the time from Nonna.”

“You sure found some interesting things to put in that big stocking, kid,” Dusty commented, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Big!” Dennis exclaimed. “It was huge! Where did it you find one that size?” he laughed.

“Skyy bought it.” Both young men laughed along with their older partner.

Several hours later, a slightly over-whelmed, very tired Brat crawled onto his Top’s lap and cuddled up against the bigger man’s chest. The gifts had all been opened, the room put back in order, lights gently twinkling on the tree, carols softly playing in the background, the smells of dinner cooking filled the air and for this moment in time all was at peace with their world.

Kissing the golden curls beneath his chin, Dennis murmured. “It has been such an extraordinary Christmas, little one. Although I always enjoyed wonderful holiday seasons, none of them can compare to this one.” Dennis struggled to express his feelings as a second Brat snuggled in beside him. “We’ve exchange a lot of lovely gifts with each other and with friends and loved-ones but the most precious gifts I have, are the two of you. I don’t know where I’d be without you. I love and cherish you both, more that words can say,” he choked out emotionally as his heart swelled and his eyes filled.

Two pair of arms tightened around him and words of endearment assured him the heartfelt adoration was returned in full measure. Not just during this special time, but always.

The End