EPILOGUE
One year later…
“Are you about ready to go?”
Sam looked up to see Charlie leant on the kitchen door frame, arms crossed.
“What time is it?”
“Almost four.”
“Shit.” Sam stood and brushed dust from his jeans. “I wanted to finish the floor today, but…” He cast a hand out at the section of flooring he still had to install.
“It’ll wait.” Charlie walked over to him and drew him into a hug. “As will the upstairs bathroom, the living room, and the spare bedroom.” He kissed the side of Sam’s neck, making him shiver. “It’s Christmas Eve, let’s go home.”
Sam pinched his side, making him flinch. “We are home. Sort of.”
They’d exchanged contracts on December second, but the house they’d bought together needed a lot of work doing to it before they could move in.
“You know what I mean.” Getting his own back, Charlie dug his fingers into Sam’s ribs, tickling him until Sam pushed him away. “It’ll be our home soon, but for now, I’d like somewhere warm and cosy, where we won’t freeze if we take our clothes off.”
“Oh?” Sam sauntered back over to him and ran his hands up Charlie’s chest, settling them on his shoulders. “Planning to get naked?”
Charlie grinned and reeled him back in, arms tight around his back. “Hoping.”
“I think there’s an excellent chance of that happening.” Sam laughed as Charlie rubbed against him with a growl.
“Let’s go.”
“THAT TREE’S WAY too big.” Charlie grinned and pointed at their neighbours’ flat as they walked up the path to their building. Sam had moved in with Charlie at the start of July and rented his flat out to a very nice, quiet couple from Nottingham, who’d filled their living room with an enormous Christmas tree. “Ours is better.”
He slapped Charlie’s hand away. “Stop it. They’ll see you.”
“They can’t see anything with that thing in the window.”
Sam was still laughing as he let them into their flat.
Their flat.
Even after all these months he still liked the way that sounded.
It’d be even better when it was their house.
Storm greeted them with a yawn from her spot on the sofa, the lights on their perfectly-sized Christmas tree twinkling in the background. Presents sat under the tree, a few with chewed corners and the odd rip from cat-shaped claws, but at least they’d remembered this year.
As he looked out the window, a few flakes of snow began to fall, and Sam was suddenly struck by how happy he was in that moment. This time last year, the future had looked promising, but their relationship too new to plan too far ahead. Now their future together was a reality.
He reached for Charlie’s hand and tugged him until they stood facing each other. “I was going to do this tomorrow morning, but now feels like the right time.” He bent and fished under the tree for the small box he’d hidden there earlier that morning, then held it out for Charlie to take.
Charlie’s hand shook as he reached for it and carefully unwrapped it. As he stared in awe at the silver band inside, Sam spoke.
“I love you, Charlie. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you.” He took the ring out of the box. “Marry me?”
Charlie looked stunned for a second, then a huge smile appeared, and he nodded. “Yes. Fuck, yes, of course I’ll marry you.”
He let Sam slip the ring onto his finger and then pulled him into a crushing hug. “I love you too.”
After a moment Charlie released him but didn’t let him go far. “I’m not sure anything I’ve bought you can match this.” He traced a finger over the silver band, smile just as huge as before, then glanced up, a twinkle in his eye. “I guess I’ll have to improvise.”
“The best kind of present.” Sam laughed as Charlie dragged him to their bedroom and tumbled him onto the bed.
Merry Christmas.