Chapter Text
“Does it mean I have free pass to meet Santa now?” Jonas asks as he lays on Mats bed, staring his stressed brother trying to choose what clothes to wear.
“Obviously, no!” Mats throws a t-shirt on his face, still inspecting his wardobre.
“Oh – Jonas huffs in disappointment – what is worth you having a boyfriend then?” Mats lays next to him, giving up on the incredible dificult job that is finding a shirt that will warm him up and make Benni want to kiss him breathlessly. Really, it is too cold outside to be beautiful.
“First of all, he’s not my boyfriend. Aad second: love is love, business are business, deal with it dude, you still have to pay to meet Santa.” Mats declares, picking up his phone and dialing Marco’s number as he pushes his brother out of his bed.
“You’re not his boyfriend yet and still you have spent the last two days smiling like you’ve never been happier in your entire life. Oh God.” Jonas says as he leaves Mats’ bedroom with a smirk playing on his lips that doesn’t fit a nine years old kid.
Mats stares at his ceiling, now, alone with his toughts, he imagines every little thing that could possible go wrong, every situation where Benedikt hates him and he spends the rest of his life thinking about that lips and that smile and that fucking green bonnet that makes him look even cuter, which is kind of unexpected. It’s still 7pm now, which means I have one hour exactly to think about how not to screw up this date.
“You need to help me” He says when Marco picks up his phone, after five calls. “Is it about the elf? Because if the answer is yes, I’m hanging up.”
“It is the elf.but please don’t hang up, Marco. I’m going to meet him at the mall in an hour and I don’t know what to wear and I’m scared I don’t want to screw this up please, please, please help me. I don’t even know where to take him.” (Mats Hummels is a really dramatic, you could say.)
Marco hangs up. Mats won’t talk to him ever again.
“marco [19:09]: calm the fuck down. u are mats hummels, the handsome one. it will be ok.”
*
It is too cold and Mats Hummels is five minutes late, which is enought to make Benedikt wonder if he made the right decision on accepting to go out with him. He checks his reflection one more time, trying to correct his messed up hair (and failing miserably). As he looks at the mall entrance one more time, he sees Mats, he sees Mats Hummels wearing a black t-shir matching his light trousers, with a dark blue cap on his head and, honestly, all Benedikt can think about it is how fragrant he must be right now and how much he wants to hide his face on that neck as he smells and kisses it. (And he shouldn’t be dreaming about this, honestly, it’s their first date.)
“Hi” Mats approaches, giving Benni a hug (he is fragrant, fucking hell) “I tought you wouldn’t come.”
“Impossible. I just can’t stop thinking about that green hat you use as an elf, which is super fashion, you know.” He smiles, holding back a laugh. “I am serious tough, I think it’s kind cute, you know, with all those blonde locks you have fighting against it.”
“Oh, if you want to borrow it someday, just ask it.” Benni answers with frisky tone, “Lets go now, I’m really hungry.”
They walk for the city. still planning where to go and Benedikt notices Mats might be strugling a little (which is nice, if he is nervous this date means something, right?) when they see a Christmas Fair, Mats eyes lights up and turn into a lighter brown, more shining, they smile to each other,“Come on!”
They enter, both of them overwhelmed by all those lights and colours there. As they walk, Mats first stops at a snack bar where he buys Benni a biscuit in shape of a christmas tree, and they keep walking, stopping here and there to buy food. It’s when a blond and a dark skinned boy approaches them that Mats burries his face on one of his hands, using the other to push Benni away. “What is it?” He asks, whispering.
“Matsi!” One of the boys from the duo shouts, running after them. Mats rolls his eyes. “Hi Pierre.” He answers.
“Introduce us to your date, man.” The blonde one gets closer and Benni recognizes him as the one that had been going to the mall with Mats at the week before.
“Oh, well, Benedikt this is Pierre, unfortunately one of my closest friends” Mats gives up ”and this is Marco – “ “Who has been hearing all about you for one week straight.” The blond, Marco, completes and Mats blushes, which, in Benedikt’s opinion, makes him even prettier.
“Nice to meet you guys. I’d say a I’ve heard a lot about you but, apparently Mats here doesn’t like you very much.” They laugh.
“On the other hand, I assure he likes you.”
“That’s pretty cool.”
“And we here are very, very, very happy that Mats has finally gotten his shit together and asked you on a date because honestly, altought he is really cute and hot and would be an awesome boyfriend, we couldn’t deal with him talking about you anymore.” Pierre says and smiles, looking at Benedikt’s direction as he avoids Mats eyes. Next to him, Marco laughs.
“That’s it! Lets keep going Benni.” Mats catches his hand and the boys stare at them, knowing smiles playing on their lips and Mats realizes what they’ve been doing on their first date. By the rules, holding hands only happens by the third our fourth time a couple meet, but, truth to be said, they both don’t care. Mats tries to walk away but Benedikt makes him stay, holding his hands tighter.
“We hope you have an amazing date here, seriously.” Marco says and, strangely, his expression reminds Benni something like the face of a proud mom.
“Thanks mom.” Mats fakes a smile in Marco’s direction, “and thank you too dad.” Ok, so Benni is not the only who noticed the proud mom look.
“Be careful, we really don’t want a grandchild for now.”
Mats pushes Benni’s hands, he can see the smile on his face as he mutters “They are ridiculous.”
The last thing they hear from the boys left behind is something about a mistletoe and an awesome opportunity.
“You talk about me.”
“I do not. They are idiots.” Mats lets go of Benedikt’s hands.
“They seem nice!” Benni says while they walk. “It’s nice that I’ve already met your parents.” They laugh together.
“They were about to embarass me in front of you.”
“Mats, we met in a shopping mall where I was dressed as na elf, it’s just fair that I know how embarassing you really are.”
“It’s our first date, I can’t do that to myself, Benedikt.” He answers, holding back a laugh. (Their hands are no longer together, but they keep touching each other as they walk). “Ok, just tell me something about you then.”
“Something not embarassing, hm, ok, let me think.” He rests his hands on his chin, in a thoughtful pose. “So, to be honest, I’m not a big fan of christmas.”
“Really? Back then when you ran into this fair it really didn’t seem like it.” Benni answers “or when you went to the mall for four days straight just to see Santa Claus.”
Mats fakes a laugh “I see what you’re doing there Benni, throwing at my face how far I went to ask you out. This is a dirty move, honestly.”
“Sorry, I’m just amused by the tought that you did that” He laughs and Benni notices a red tone on his cheeks. “Ok, I need to tell you something now. Let me think. Ok, I am a Schalke supporter.”
Mats stops walking.
“We are over.” He says.
Benedikt laughs. “Dortmund fan, aren’t you?
“Happily, I chose right and am all yellow, Borussia Dortmund all the way here. But, as I am a really nice guy, I might give you chance and forget all about this Schalke crap.”
“So, we better not watch the derby together.”
“Yeah, we better not, but when Dortmund beats that awful team of yours, if you want someone to hold as you cry thinking about it, I’m here. Wearing black and yellow, but still here.” Mats answers with a smile on his face that leaves his teeth full on display.
“Tell me another thing about you.”
“I’ve known Marco and Pierre since I was seven years old. We used to make jokes about being the Golden Trio and things like that.” Mats eyes turns brighter again, just like when they entered the fair. “But now, as you noticed, they just pretended I was their son and I really hope you don’t think it was too strange.Oh, by the way, poor Marco, he will be heartbroken about your awful football preferences.”
“I did tought it was kind of strange, but also funny. They look like really nice people.” He smiles “I’m working because I’m weighing money to travel, like, around Europe, you know.” Benni stares at his foot, smiling
“Really? That’s cool. Is there any special country you want to visit?”
“Scotland, I think that place is kind of magical, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.” Mats smiles, and, holding Benni’s hand again, pushes him in the carousel direction.
Mats buys them tickets (Benni tries to objetc and offers his own money, but it is an unsuccessfully act anyway.) and they don’t stop talking even when they enter. “My best friend is called Julian. Julian Draxler.”
“Do you talk to him about me?” Mats smiles. “Maybe.”
“Ok, then just give me his number so I can ask if he is able to come here and expose the secrets of your crush on me. Then, we’re equal.”
“You’re really flirty, Matsi.” Benedikt answers. The carousel starts.
“I planned it. I’ll even buy you a gingerbread heart, wait for it.”
*
When they leave, it’s almost 11pm and Benedikt starts to sneeze, shivering because of the cold. Mats notices it, and wraps one of his arms aroound him as they pass under the fair’s entrance. They both look up at the same time, staring at the mistletoe Marco and Pierre had mentioned earlier.
“I – Can I..” Mats starts and Benedikt smiles at him.
“You better.” He catches Mats hand, the one which was on his back, with his own. Mats still stares at him, a happy look on his face and a smile on his lips.
Benedikts mouth tastes like the gingerbread they ate. The kiss is soft at first, Benni runs his hands up and down Mats’ neck and into his hair, caressing it, Mats pushes him closer and as Benedikt bItes his lower lips the kiss turns into something deeper, more meaningful and pleasurable. When they part for air, Mats leaves pecks on Benni’s mouth, feeling him smile against his lips.
“I take it back.” He declares when Benni burries his face on Mats neck, breathing in the essence in there and leaving a kiss too.
“What?” He looks up, a scary look taking his eyes.
“I take back everything I said about Christmas. I agree with Jonas, it’s the best time of the year.” He smiles, and Benni leans in again,wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him one more time (and one more, and one more, and one more, and tons of times after until it’s too cold and they need to go home.)