Chapter Text
Douglas was utterly bored. Christmas spirit was really not in his blood, not since he had found Santa Claus making out with his mother as a child. He wasn't so much traumatised by the vision of the white-haired man grabbing his mother's waist in a not-so-Christmassy way back then, but with the understanding that Santa Claus was, in fact, his father. From that day on he despised lies, up until the point that he became the liar himself.
Martin was taking too long and he was tired, standing on his feet all afternoon, buying Christmas gifts that would be returned soon enough by their unimpressed families.
Someone tugged at his sleeve. As he looked down, he saw two elves. Well, not actual elves, obviously. They were children, couldn't be more than six years old.
"Sir," one kid said, very serious, very matter-of-factly, "We have a Christmas present for you."
He frowned. What on earth?
"A present?"
The other child had picked something up from inside a bag bigger than any of them, a wrapped box. Then, with a compromising nod, the two "elves" walked away and sat on each side of Santa Claus, an old man sitting on a chair, taking pictures and offering kisses to a line of kids that seemed to grow at every minute.
Douglas unwrapped the gift and opened the tiny box within. There was a ring. A simple, golden ring. He looked up, searching.
From across the shopping aisle, Martin was staring at him, hands in his pockets, a playful smile on his lips. As their eyes met, he shrugged his shoulder, raised his chin in defiance, a questioning look.
Douglas shook his head. Leave it to Martin to find the cheesiest way to propose. At Christmas. Helped by elf-children. He shook his head again, in fake disapproval, and then mouthed: "Of course I'll marry you!"
Martin laughed, a smile from ear to ear, and crossed the aisle, grabbing Douglas' left hand in his. He slid the ring onto his finger, mimicking a moment in their future. He kissed Douglas softly on the lips.
"Merry Christmas." he said.
Douglas answered back "Merry Christmas" and figured that his stance on Christmas might change, after all.