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It's a crisp, early Christmas morning, and the sun is barely above the horizon when there's a knock on the door. Nick stretches, then leans over and runs a hand up Monroe's chest before leaning over and giving him a kiss. He's out of bed and heading down the stairs just as a second knock is made, opening the door and finding Barry Rabe standing on the porch. "‘morning, Barry," Nick manages, then turns and calls up the stairs, "Roddy? Barry's here."
Roddy had been staying with Nick and Monroe for the past few weeks as he decided which college to apply to, and Barry had been hanging around more often than not. Nick thought it was cute the way the young Jägerbar danced around the Reinigen, his emotions showing on his face and his heart on his sleeve. And at the same time, wondered if Roddy was blind to Barry's advances, because he never gave any indication one way or the other.
Nick leans into Barry and points to the hearth, saying, "Why don't you start a fire," as Nick turns on the Christmas tree lights, then heads to the kitchen to make coffee.
Before long, Monroe and Roddy are awake and downstairs, Nick plying them both with the warm, rich Guatemalan coffee that Monroe said was, "Absolutely hands off - for special occasions only!" Seeing as how it was Christmas, he figured he could get away with it.
"Presents?" Roddy suggests as he heads to the living room. Nick and Monroe follow him, finding him sitting on the floor next to the tree, with Barry close enough that Nick could hell he seemed nervous. Not in a bad way, but that maybe if Roddy leaned into him just a little, he might get flustered.
Suddenly standing, Barry thrusts his hands into his pockets. Presenting his keys, eyes focused only on Roddy, he says, "Presents. Car." and then walks out, leaving the front door open in his wake.
Nick gets up and watches through the front window, quietly asking Monroe, "So did we-"
Nodding his head towards the tree, Monroe takes another sip of coffee and then gestures with his cup. "The green package in the back."
Sighing in relief, Nick says, "Thanks," figuring his boyfriend was the more organized one that would remember presents for everyone. When he leans over, he actually sees a couple more, including one for their new friend Rosalee, as well as one for Hank and Wu (with Nick's name on those two).
There's heavy footfalls on the porch, and Nick opens the door, finding the already gargantuan Jägerbar's arms overflowing with presents. "Barry, you didn't have to," he says.
Barry just grunts a responds as he drops the load of presents to the floor in front of Monroe, and then delicately picks up the one from the top before his eyes glance toward Roddy. There's a smile exchanged between the two, and Nick wonders that maybe - just maybe - there may be something there after all.
The answer to his unasked question comes when Roddy pats the floor next to him, and Barry immediately sits down, Nick noticing that they're touching shoulder to knees, Barry's face holding a crimson blush. Nick turns to Monroe, wondering if he can whisper a question to him, but finds Monroe's face holding a smile, the small, colorful lights on the tree sparking off of his eyes. So instead of asking, he cuddles up on the couch next to Monroe and watches the scene unfold before them. After all, watching Barry and Roddy - wrapped up into each other as they are, it's almost like Nick and Monroe aren't even in the same room.
Roddy hands Barry a small, rectangular box, saying, "It's not much... You know I'm saving up for college. But I wanted to give you something that meant a lot to me." When Barry doesn't take the present at first, Roddy pushes it to him again and says, "Go ahead. Open it."
Watching Barry unwrap the small box is like watching a doctor perform delicate surgery, Nick imagines. Barry's thick fingers strip the tape at each end, and then he slides a finger underneath the lengthwise part to reveal tissue paper. He gently slides the object from the fragile paper, revealing an oblong musically-themed picture frame with four black and white pictures inside. The images are Barry and Roddy, and must have been taken at a photo-booth, like the one - yeah, like the one he remembered from the carnival in August. Nick glances at Monroe, who seems enchanted by the moment.
"I... I still don't know if I'm going to college here or-"
"Doesn't matter where you go," Barry blurts. "I'm gonna be nearby." He glances at the framed pictures in his hands, and says, "Thanks," giving Roddy a smile.
Hesitantly, Barry reaches for the elegantly wrapped package he brought in, handing it over with his head slightly bowed. "I hope it's okay," he says.
Roddy isn't as methodical as Barry, and rips the paper from the package, ignoring the delicate ribbons and bells that adorn the present, finding a stained wooden box underneath. Roddy gives Barry a questioning look, and Barry just replies, "Open it."
Smiling, Roddy opens the box, and gasps. Trembling hands reach into it, and he pulls out the most beautiful desktop plaque - the word "LOVE" with a detailed violin in the middle - that Nick had ever seen.
Roddy holds the gift up for Nick and Monroe to properly see as Barry asks, "Is it okay?" The young man's voice breaks just a touch, Nick knowing Barry was laying himself bare for Roddy.
Grinning, Roddy gently places the plaque back in the box, and slowly reaches out, taking Barry's hand into his own. "Barry," he quietly says.
"So!" Monroe says, breaking the moment as he stands up, pulling Nick to his feet before Nick can figure out what's going on. "Hey, Barry? Hand me that package, will ya?" indicating the one just behind the Jägerbar. "Yeah, thanks," he says then nods to Nick. "We're gonna go deliver this to Rosalee. Be back in - say an hour? Ninety minutes?"
Barry just smiles as Roddy says, "Thanks, Monroe," as Monroe hustles Nick towards the door. They each grab a jacket, Nick trying to stop Monroe by complaining that he was still in slippers and sleep pants - with Monroe in his own matching outfit.
"Oh, and there's one more present," Monroe says, pointing to a big box behind the tree. "It's to both of you - from us. You should open it," he says as Nick stands on the porch, shrinking into his jacket, breath coming out as a mist in the cold morning air.
The pair say nothing, Nick watching the young couple from the porch until Monroe pulls him to Nick's SUV, saying that the heater worked better than the one in his Bug. "What the hell was that all about?" Nick asks, a smile on his face.
"Please," Monroe replies. "If you don't know what was just about to go down in there, then you aren't a very good detective."
Nick can't help but bluster out a laugh as he pulls the SUV out of the driveway. He reaches over, taking Monroe's free hand in his own and squeezes it. They're a couple blocks away from the house when he says, "Wait a minute... So what was in that present, anyway?"
"You really wanna know?" Monroe responds.
Giving him a curious look, Nick just nods his head.
Voice barely above a whisper, Monroe says, "Lube, condoms, and clean sheets for Roddy's bed."