Holiday snippets 1/3 - Reed

“How about this one?” Picking up yet another ugly sweater - this time brick-red with a pattern that vaguely resembles evergreen conifers and reindeer... if you squint - Reed moves it around so you can observe it in the best light. Though to say that the abomination looks good in any light would be a lie.

“He’ll love it,” you affirm with all the certainty anyone who spoke to Flavio for more than five minutes can possess. His wardrobe consists of several interesting outfits, and he’s not one to say no to a funny shirt or two. Really, of all the people you know he’s got to be the easiest to satisfy, as far as gifts go. “Especially the sequins along the collar.”

Making a peculiar noise that mixes both ‘ugh’ and ‘mhm’, Reed hangs the sweater over his arm to ponder over it again later on, then returns to scanning through other similarly original clothes.

‘It’s just a gag gift’, one might say, but it’s also Reed’s first holiday with Flavio since the falling out, so you can’t blame him for wanting to make it absolutely perfect. All in all, it’s not a hassle for you either, especially the perk of being his personal taste-tester... even if traversing through the clothing store that followed wore you out quickly.

Truth be told, you’re certain that Flavio’s just ecstatic to be reunited with his little brother, thus if they were to meet up over frozen pizza he’d say it’s the ‘best holiday ever’. Still, Reed only rolls his eyes when you say it so you don’t bother anymore.

Their relationship is still fragile, with them tip-toeing around each other, but it’s definitely nicer to watch them being extra considerate of each other rather than having another argument over the same old unresolved issue.

The culmination of Reed’s fretting comes at last when the perfect gift is chosen and packed. After hours spent browsing various boutiques, you leave the shop with a sweater that has no business costing as much as it does considering its appearance.

With your task resolved, and the last step on the checklist crossed, Reed’s humor returns. He still casts minute glances over the shopping displays along the way, though it’s mostly out of idle curiosity rather than any real need.

“What did you get me?” He inquires after a while, carefully observing your reaction... or the lack thereof. “Or do you want me to guess?”

“My answer is the same as yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. And-”

“Awww, spoilsport.” Reed might appear to be pouting, which is his go-to after being denied anything. The grin that creeps on his lips, however, tells a different story. Really, that particular smile is bound to give you a serious case of Pavlovian response. Your skin heats up the further the corners lift, and you just know he’s going to pester you until you relent. “I told you yours.”

“Mhm.” He didn’t. His hiding spots are just terribly easy to predict. That, and he likes having everything neatly sorted, so the chances of him using a random gap underneath the bed, or some other ‘weird’ place as storage is out of the question.

Changing his tune, Reed steps a bit closer to you, keeping his expression sweetly amenable. “You know... they say that the best gift is something that can’t be bought.” And that’s coming from a guy who only takes bribes if they’re expensive.

“Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?”

Reed doesn’t take the bait, doesn’t even roll his eyes at your sarcasm. “In special cases, I mean. And from a special person.”

“Uh-oh. Keep buttering me up all you want, but I am not telling you anything.”

“Hmmm.” Reed squints at you, trying to gauge if your refusal is a concrete one, and seeing that it indeed is, you get to observe him as he tries to change his method of interrogation. “We'll see about that.”

No, you won’t, at least not anytime soon, though you know he’s not likely to give up. Luckily for you, Reed’s decently easy to distract. Or, more like, he loves letting you distract him.

“Oh, look! A mistletoe,” you hoot, at once pausing in your stroll.

It takes but a blink of an eye for Reed to kiss you without even looking up to check if there’s really one. 

Typical Reed... not that you’re complaining.