Work Text:
Hinwil is beautiful in the winter time, Gabriel finds.
There are lights strung over the busy streets, little figures placed on the street lamps and there are small snowflakes trickling down from the cloudy grey sky. Parked cars and bus stations are covered in a thin layer of glittering snow, but most of it fades to rain as it hits the busy streets.
It's so different from home, Gabriel can’t help but stare in awe. He would have loved to spend Christmas at home, but the company had asked him to transfer to his new workplace sooner than expected and his parents had insisted he’d go, even if that would mean to spend his first ever Christmas without them.
But Gabriel isn’t a child anymore, and even though he loves his family, the adventure of this new workplace in not just a new city, but a new country, even a new continent intrigues him.
But for his adventure to start, he first has to find his new office. As it turns out, to navigate through the tight and twisty streets of Hinwil is harder than he would have anticipated. Most street signs are covered in snow, almost unreadable, and his phone seems to send him on a tour of the whole city instead of to the office building. And in any other case, he would be tired. Tired of the days of traveling behind him, the suitcase that's at fault for his hands feeling like they might freeze off, but he’s too excited of the future waiting for him.
He had trained at the company for years, in hopes to finally get this job. It pays well, but even more importantly, he enjoys doing it. And all that surrounded by the beautiful architecture and nature of Austria? He is already envisioning his life in the city, in cozy cafes, meeting new friends and seeing the history and beauty of the country.
☃︎
In the office, simultaneously, Nico is pacing through the room in what he swears to himself is not a stressed way. The office is a lot cleaner than usual. After everyone had walked in with snow and dirt covered boots, he had insisted on taking out the vacuum cleaner and getting rid of the mess himself. He wants to make sure the first impression is good - the best it can be. He knows everything about the new transfer. Gabriel - intelligent, promising young hire, fresh from training in Brazil. He’s young. But they have never met, not even properly talked, and from just a few emails he isn’t sure what to expect. The last he wants is a young hot shot that reports anything out of place to HQ and starts drama.
Carrie observes him from her desk, with a mix of worry and amusement. Nico knows, but he doesn’t feel like telling her to stop it. It would be acknowledging it, a bit like giving in, and that's not something he does. At least not until his phone rings and he startles, almost drops it, but manages to answer the call.
”Mattia! How are you!”
On the other side of the phone, on the other side of the world, Mattia answers, voice distorted by the phonespeaker but Nico can hear out the worry in his voice
”We have a problem with the new hire, Gabriel. Has he arrived yet?”
Nico checks the time again, 11:13. He should’ve arrived by 11.
”No, is everything alright?”
”Ah well, he should arrive any moment then. Well, the apartment he was supposed to take for his first months in Austria, well… long story short, it burned down and there is no free hotel anywhere around Hinwil, you know how the christmas time can get. We don’t have any place for him to stay, and it's so close to Christmas… I’m sorry to ask you for this, but you need to organise some place for him to stay, just until the holidays are over.”
Nico is absolutely flabbergasted “What do you mean? What am I supposed to do? I don’t have a hotel on quick call either.”
Mattia sighs, thinks for a moment, “ask around the office, maybe someone knows someone, or has a guest room they can share, obviously the company will come up for anything with a generous compensation”
”Mattia, it's christmas time, I can’t ask them to accomodate that, most people have family over or will visit them, no one will have a room just left to spare!” No one but Nico, both of them know. He makes enough money, has his own little house in the woods, just shy of half an hour of the city. Nico mourns to be this close to Mattia.
He sighs, tiredly. He’s the oldest member of the office, being there for the longest. It's his responsibility
“Yes, I will take him in. I’ll inform him of this- arrangement once he arrives. But you owe me something”
Mattia agrees hurriedly, like he doesn’t want to give Nico any time to rethink the quick decision he just made.
Another deep sigh leaves Nicos lungs, like it has been building up since Kevin left.
Having to share the house doesn’t make him look towards the holidays, not like he does anyways. His plan had been, right up until that moment, to spend them in peaceful solitude, cook his favorite meal and wait for the days to pass. He is old enough, pushing fourty, and still he doesn’t have a family to spend the festive days with. He thinks back, how he had thought it would be Kevin. That they would get a dog and settle down. But Kevin had left and now he has a new coworker in the office and it already starts with chaos. Great.
Luckily for him, the door rings and before he can say anything else, Emma, Carrie's intern, already jumps up and opens the door.
It seems like time stops, for a moment. Snowflakes stop hitting the window in a white blurry fog, every head turns to the door and the world holds his breath, just for a second, just when a young man steps through the door and shakes the melting snow out of his dark curls.
☃︎
Gabriel smells like Christmas. That's the first thing Nico notices of him once they sit in his office, a bit away from the prying eyes of the others. It's a mix of cinnamon, vanilla and whatever else makes up this distinctive smell that makes up every christmas market and store. Other than that, his first impression is that they will work together well. Gabriel is pleasant, shakes his hand in a respectable manner which proves that he knows basic manners and has an open inviting smile that reminds him of Emma. And although only an intern at the moment, Emma is a bit like a daughter to him, so Nico thinks they will be fine. What won’t be as fine, he figures, is breaking the news to Gabriel that they would spend the holidays together.
”I have some bad news for you. The apartment you were supposed to take for the first few months around here isn’t available, and considering the holidays, I fear you will be stuck with me. Mattia just notified me, so it’s a bit short term and I haven't organised anything, but I hope it will be fine.”
Gabriel nods, not showing any emotions about the ordeal. Nico figures there is a lot on his mind, but after all the travel, he doesn’t want to put more on the young man's shoulders. It would be a bad first impression, not a good start to their time as coworkers, something Nico desperatly wants to avoid. He thinks back to Kevin, for just a split second, how horrific it had become to work with him- but he quickly shakes his head and instead focuses on Gabriel who's nipping on a bad office coffee. He observes him, for just a second. Dark curls still damp from the snow, cheeks and the tip of his nose red from the cold. He doesn’t look tired, but Nico feels that he should, after all the travel, and maybe it's Nico who's actually tired, but he prefers to project a bit on Gabriel
”We can finish up here early and go to mine” his place, not home. “The others will finish up, you can get to know them in the next weeks and I still have to set up the guest room for you, so you can freshen up, but we should also make a stop at a store. I don't have enough for two people. Is this everything you have?” he points down to the sleek black suitcase Gabriel has with him.
They are out of the office quickly, no need for grand goodbyes, and make their way down to the parking lot and Nico finds he wants to sigh again.
☃︎
The Audi is a sleek silver, luxurious, it fits perfectly to the way Nico displays himself, Gabriel figures. His posture is perfectly straight and his eyes cool grey, it fits the face he puts on, commanding the whole office, it's impressive, but Gabriel knows to not be intimidated. From everything he knows, Nico is supposed to be a good man. No need to worry. Still, he comments, “I didn’t plan to step into a stranger's car on my first day in Austria” a light smile plays on his lips. It shouldn’t be funny, but he figures it is.
”Well good for you, I’m not really a stranger but your coworker, you’ll have to get to know me sooner or later anyways”
From the passenger seat, the city looks different. It’s already getting dark, the sky is still covered in grey, but no longer the blinding white one, but a darker, grey one.
There are people passing by, in thick wool coats and groups of teens giggling together. The light snow dancing in front of the windows is a lot more enjoyable in the warmth of the car, and vague christmas songs are playing in the radio. It’s enjoyable.
The forest is even more beautiful, taken out of time. There is heavy snow weighing down the branches of the fir trees. They are throwing long shadows on the empty roads.
“I think it’s better if we first get to my place. You can also stay at the house then, if you want to”
Nicos voice is soft, offering. And Gabriel doesn’t want to annoy Nico, but he is also incredibly excited to finally see an Austrian grocery store from the inside.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to come with you. I can also cook, if you want! It’s the least i can do when I’m staying with you.”
Nico considers visibly. “You don’t have to, but i also don’t usually cook when i’m at the office, so if you want something freshly cooked…”
“It’s absolutely no deal!” Gabriel chimes in, not minding any of it. “I can show you some great Brazilian dishes, it will be very nice.”
And thats how it’s decided.
☃︎
Things left behind at the solitary house in the woods, bed made, they are back in the car.
Nico can see the questions burning in Gabriels face, and he can already imagine what they look like. He doesn’t try to be bitter about it, none of it has anything to do with Gabriel, and he doesn’t want to ruin their relationship already.
“What do you want to know?”
Gabriel looks caught, but he can’t hold back at least one question.
“Do you not celebrate christmas?”
Nico had expected Gabriel to ask why he had a house this big, space for two cars but lived alone. Not the lack of decoratives where there clearly is space for them all around. It’s a truthful question that begs for an answer, Nico supposes.
“Christmas is the holiday of love and family. I don’t really have either around here, so there is no reason to do all of that”
It’s only partially truthful, less a lie and more leaving out details, but Gabriel doesn’t have to know them. Not yet.
But the conversation is forgotten once they enter the grocery store. It’s not big, tiled floors and artificial white light, but Gabriel feels like a child in another country; foods and packages he had never seen before. While Nico strolls through the aisles, clearly knowing what he is looking for, Gabriel crosses through them uncaringly, trying to look at every single item that falls into his hands. Different types of meats he needs google translate for, sweets and breads and an aisle with all sorts of toys.
There is an aisle exclusively with christmas decor too, and he grabs two ugly little christmas dolls, vaguely resembling reindeers. At least having this one little piece of decor in the room that would be his would be nice, and he would send one home.
There are only a few days until christmas, so it looks like Nico bought half the store. His cart is filled to the brim, but Nico remarks that there is a big chance they won’t be able to visit the grocery store again. Gabriel doesn’t mind, he manages to sneak in more snacks of his own to try and promises he will pay his fair share, but Nico waves him off.
“I’ll put it down on company expenses. Don’t worry, they will probably get a hefty sum in insurance for the apartment”
The rest of the evening back at the house is short. Gabriel considers he had spent enough time annoying Nico so he showers and quickly makes his way to his bed.
☃︎
The office is already in full holiday mode and Gabriel isn’t sure why exactly he needs to be at the office. Not that he is complaining, homesickness hasn’t set in yet, but it’s all a lot slower than he is used to. Most things are only getting wrapped up, but Gabriel likes that he gets the chance to talk to the others too.
It’s Carrie, then, who he asks about Nico.
“Can I ask you whats up with Nico? He has been nice and i don’t want to be nosey, but if I have to spend the holidays with him…”
Carrie looks unsure, at first, but then looks around to make sure they aren’t heard.
“I shouldn’t tell you this. But I think you should know, all things considered” Gabriel looks at her, expectantly. She has Christmas themed hair clips in her dark waves. “The reason you have been ordered here is because the last man that worked here left so suddenly, they just had to fill the position quickly… no one expected him to leave that quickly” She is clearly uncomfortable, and Gabriel thinks about allowing her to stop, but she takes a deep breath and goes on. “That was Kevin, Nicos fiancé. They were a thing for so many years, we all thought they would get married soon, but then in spring Kevin broke up with him and moved out. He wanted to stay here, but suddenly he quit. Nico has been heartbroken ever since. I think he just wants a family, but now that Kevin left him…”
Gabriel is surprised at the story, but it makes sense. The house looks fit for more than one person, a small family even, and Nico doesn’t seem like some mean spirited christmas hater.
“Thank you for telling me. I just want the best for the whole office”
Carrie nods, her smile is soft.
“I think it’s good that you are around. You bring the fresh air that the office desperately needs, and Nico”
The rest of the day is spent doing lazy work. Setting up Gabriels desk and giving him access to all important software and getting him in line with everything he has to know.
It’s early, again, when Nico offers to leave.
“Work is usually relaxed around christmas, so there isn’t a lot to do anyways. But more importantly, there is a storm coming up, and we will have to secure the house.”
Gabriel doesn’t disagree with him.
Outside the office, the snow is coming down worse. It’s thick white snowflakes, building up on sidewalks to little lumps of ice.
“We have to make sure everything is closed properly, especially the garage and the windows. Plus, it’s good if we are back early. There is a very heavy storm coming up, i don’t want to drive through that and just in case we have power outages, I wan’t to get out the flashlights.”
Gabriel listens attentively.
“Does this happen often?”
Nico nods. “Not necessarily every year, but especially in the woods it can get pretty stormy.”
☃︎
Gabriel cooks while Nico closes every window and shuts the garage door. Dinner is comfortable and spent with vague small talk. Gabriel jokes about his home and tells stories about Brazilian christmas, it’s a nice atmosphere. But they make their way to their respective beds early. Gabriel finds that Nico seems to need a bit of time alone, not used to someone energetic like him at all times probably, especially not to sharing his space. And Gabriel is still a bit jet lagged and tired from all the new experiences. He calls his parents, for just a short check in, but falls asleep fast, aided by the snow trickling against his window.
It’s early when he is waken up again, at least he thinks so.
“Good morning”,
Nico hands him a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
“We have a bit of another problem. The roads are frozen so badly, we can’t get away. No one else can come to the office either, so we will be stuck in here, at last until the 23rd”
Gabriel fears he is still stuck in some nightmare. Not that he minds spending the time getting to know his desk mate better, but it’s definitely not how he had expected his first week to go.
“Thats still another three days. What about the company?” He asks, and feels like a child again, unsure on how to handle his job.
“Ah, don’t worry about that. Jonathan already send a mail around for everyone to enjoy their early holidays. We will have to pick up a bit more work when the new year starts, but it’ll be fine”
Gabriel nods.
“I already made breakfast, Gabriel, you can come to the kitchen whenever you are ready”
“Oh, by the way” Gabriel chimed in. “You can call me Gabi. Thats what everyone just calls me”
Nico smiles. “Alright then, Gabi”
And he leaves the room to leave Gabi room to dress himself. Gabi falls back into the soft, warm pillows, sighing. Nico was stupidly hot. And gay, at that! Or at least interested in men. Or at least into that Kevin guy. Gabi imagines the kind of man called Kevin who works the same job he now does and first is in a relationship with a guy like Nico just to leave him then.
Obviously, Gabi doesn’t yet know Nico well, but as far he can’t imagine him to be a bad man. He has not axe murdered him so far and instead brought him hot chocolate to bed (really good one, at that) and bought him a horrific amount of sweets and made him breakfast.
Nico is also only wearing casual sweat clothes and the house is cold, so Gabi also only puts on a hoodie and his thickest sweatpants, plus some fuzzy socks. The floor of the house is cold, but Nico tells him that he had already put on the floor heating, so it will get better soon.
They sit in the kitchen, where Nico tells him of winters like this, long past, when it was even worse and they had to stay in the house for close to weeks. He had anticipated a bit of bad storm already when they had bought groceries the day before.
It’s nice all around, and Gabi marvels at the white forest out the window, but he is unsure what to do now that they are stuck together. Nico seems to notice his apprehension and brings out monopoly, asking to play a round.
They spend the day like that, over the game of monopoly. Gabi is getting continuously more frustrated; Nico seems to have the upper hand on him, as if he knew exactly what dice to roll to take everything from Gabi, with no comment but a sly smirk. He complains about it, obviously, but they both know it’s nothing but a stupid game and it’s not like there is anything better around to do.
They talk about themselves, simultaneously. Gabi tells of his siblings back home and even Nico seems to be moved by the stories of christmases spent in more than choking loneliness; he tells Gabi about Christmases back home. True home, with his parents, when he was a child, and later. He looks caught when he brings up a partner, calls them he. Gabi spots it, almost like he’s expecting it, and he feels a bit guilty for asking Carrie like this, knowing more about Nico than he should.
“Don’t worry, I’m bi myself”
His voice is soft. It’s a truthful but vulnerable admission. It’s nothing he would just tell Nico for the sake of it; the worry in his eyes had been obvious. For them, in their positions, it was still not perfect. Nico takes it in with a court nod, but it seems like the carefree, energetic air between them is still disrupted. Gabi mourns it.
They finish it before dinner. Gabi again offers to cook, at least until the energy suddenly goes off.
“We have to go into the basement. I’ve got a camping cook there. Can you help and hold the flashlight.”
Gabi obviously follows him and he is glad the basement is sorted. They quickly find it, next to some boxes labeled “christmas” in rough letters. Gabi eyes them, obviously. And Nico is sighing, he will have to wipe it off and they’ll have to light some candles, it’s already getting dark, and Gabi is twenty and such a lively young Brazilian. He’s lovely, has so many people caring for him and Nico understands it. He is energetic and its infecting and he should be spending the holidays with his family, not stuck with some boring old guy like Nico.
That had been why Kevin had left. He had said it himself, Nico was too easy. He was happy with his house and the same stable job every day. Kevin had needed more and Gabi needs more now. But it’s not like he can call Kevin and tell him to spend the holidays with Gabi. Instead, he hands Gabi the camping cooker. The younger mans eyes widen, he is unsure what Nico wants of him, but it quickly turns into glee when he understands Nicos approach to grab the boxes.
“Your first christmas in Austria shouldn’t be spent so sadly”
☃︎
They light the candles and quickly finish dinner, but neither is needed next to the way Gabis eyes glow at the chance to help Nico decorate the home. It’s nice, the way Gabi grabs every piece of long collected decor from the box, carefully, asking about its belonging and history. Nico is happy to tell him and they laugh as they make their work of turning the boring house into a glittering, warm dream.
Gabi puts a headband with antlers on Nicos head and he has to act as if he hates it. He really doesn’t.
“I think it’s very nice!”
Gabi throws himself on the couch, eyeing the little figurines and even the fake tree that they put up.
“It’s a lot more like home” he adds, and Nico hopes he is truthful about it.
With the power still out, they spend the rest of the evening in the warm glow of the candles surrounding them. Nico manages to make hot chocolate on the camping cooker and they warm their hands on it, still laughing about continuously more ridiculous stories they start making up.
It’s comfortable. Gabi is electrifying and Nico hardly believes they’ve only known each other for three days; it seems like a life time. Nico is glad about it. Work is still on his mind but he is positive that it will work out just fine with the two of them.
He finds that he wants to listen to Gabi further, wants to know him better. But the weather is still worrying him, much like the time spent alone with the other. No chance of knowing if he is as comfortable as Nico, he worries. Plus, the work is always on Nicos mind.
They go to bed early again, with thicker blankets. Gabi can’t call his parents and he hopes they aren’t worried too much, he hasn’t sorted his phone out yet. He looks at the little figure on the bed side table and it soothes him. He’s not alone, after all, there is still Nico around. And he’s a grown adult, christmas shouldn’t make him this happy but it’s the comforting gestures Nico offers him that help him feel at home.
☃︎
The next morning, it’s Gabi who wakes up first; he’s cold, even buried in thick blankets. He throws on two hoodies, not worried about how stupid he looks and gets to make breakfast, for once. When he wakes Nico, the other is grateful for the hot chocolate and tells him he would call the others in the office, just to check in on them.
Gabi doesn’t feel it’s his place to intrude just yet, so he eats by himself.
Nico feels bad for the small half lie; he only plans on calling Carrie anyways.
Shes cheerful when she picks up the phone.
“Well, have you set the house on fire yet?”
Nico sighs, “not quite yet. I hope you are handling the holidays well?”
“Yeah, I wanted to take the train to my family, but you know trains that are supposed to go to germany… but anyways, how is Gabriel treating you?”
They know each other well, too well, Nico fears.
“He’s amazing. I’m more worried i’m boring him to death, not a lot to do around here-“
“Stop it,” Carrie stops him “You shouldn’t be hung up on what Kevin said. You both needed different things, thats just how it is sometimes”
“I brought out the christmas decor for him”
Carrie coos “Aw, see? You do your best for him. Maybe such a fresh new wind is exactly what you need now.”
“It’s not like that!” Nico insists, but Carries laugh sounds echoing through the phone.
“Have you seen how he eyed you? Two days in the office and i was glad i didn’t have to see more of that, he was ready to jump your bones right then and there!”
“I just don’t think thats what I want. He’s so energetic, i don’t fit in there”
“I’ve told you, stop worrying about that. Just try it. You shouldn’t change yourself for him, but maybe he can bring out whats already there”
☃︎
Nico can practically hear Gabi shiver. He sits bundled up on the couch.
“This is horrific weather!”
“You never get anything like this in Brazil?”
“Well, rarely! Not like this! Especially not during christmas”
“Thats such a shame, you should see the beauty of the snow, c’mon let us go out.”
When Gabi reemerges, Nico just shakes his head; his jacket isn’t nearly thick enough and his gloves aren’t even water tight. It takes them another almost half an hour to find some of Nicos stuff and he pulls a thick hat over Gabis dark curls.
But once they enter the garden, Nico worries the snow melt in the heat of Gabis eyes. It’s like watching a child, someone who has never before even considered that water could freeze to endless numbers of glittering snow crystals that lay on every surface.
Nico can’t stand the idea of watching him any longer, so he bows down, forms a little ball of ice and throws it right in Gabis face, which morphs into a look of pure shock.
But quicker than he can say the others name, he has already bowed down to take revenge.
And like that, the snowball war starts.
They run around the garden like children, like its summer and not deepest winter. They hide between trees and throw snowballs and Gabi is giggling like a child. They are throwing quips at each other, making fun of missed shots and scream like maniacs. Nico is glad he doesn’t have neighbors.
Gabi seizes his chance then, when he sees Nico crouch down to scoop up more of the snow into an especially big snowball. Before he can finish that, though, Gabi is already on him, pushing him down into the soft snow. But Nico holds onto him, so they both go crashing down, Gabi right on top of the older man.
And in the snowed in, Austrian forest, it seems like time moves slower than for the rest of the world, like the soft, glittering snow also freezes the never ending run of time. It feels like they are alone in the world, only endless white surrounding them.
So it doesn’t matter, when Gabi leans down to the wide eyed Nico and presses a kiss to his cold, chapped lips. And Nico is obviously understanding it, wanting it, meeting him right there.
But it’s a short and tentative thing, like they don’t know what exactly they are doing, and Gabi can’t help but voice it.
“I don’t want to make any of this weird” he falls back on his back, next to Nico, as if he’s making a snow angel. “I like you, genuinely”
But Nico stops him; “Gabi, you are such a great young man, but I fear i’m not what you expect or need. You are young and you still have so much in front of you, I don’t want to tie you down and bore you out of your mind. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us”
They are both looking up at the sky, like they are children.
“Carrie told me about your ex.”
Nico had expected that, sooner or later. But still, it’s a bit embarrassing, to have Gabi know his worst traits like this.
“You will know that it won’t fit, then.”
Gabi simply laughs. “When she said that guy broke up with you for not being exciting enough, i was scared you would be some boring old man, but the whole time I was here, you made great. You were the one to start this snowball fight! I don’t want to make things weird, but maybe we should try it, still. I don’t think you are boring”
“Carrie said the same thing” Nico looks at him, “that maybe you are good on me, reminding me that i’m not as boring as I think I am”
He looks at Gabi then, his deep brown eyes and the broad grin on his face, but its freezing cold and they freeze their ass off, so Nico hauls them back into the warmth of the house.
“You are better than any christmas gift, you know that?”