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It had taken a while until everyone had fallen asleep. Now it was just their soft breathing. Something that never failed to make Freppa happy. He stayed there for a moment longer. Jakob leaned against him. He had wanted to cuddle earlier but Freppa had refused, due to the sake of his plans. He didn't want to wake him up now, did he? But he was still pretty. Peaceful.
His hair sweaty to his forehead, Freppa couldn't believe how lucky he had been. He was so grateful for their existence. Each and every time. Jakob's sleep-smile was softer than his usual one. Freppa had seen it plenty of times before that he didn't need to know now. He yawned.
Strategically placed at the edge of the bed, Freppa was able to roll off, without denting it too much.
“Where are you going?”, Määnin said, perfectly clear. Of course it was him. It had been and would always be Määnin.
For his ease of mind, Freppa told him the truth. Määnin was always so particular about making sure they were all save. Forgot about himself more than once in that process. “Christmas Surprise. I won't leave the house.”
“When are you back?”
“An hour at max.”
Probably a faint nod before Määnin allowed himself to drift back to sleep. The others weren't waking up. And Määnin placed his head back on Tommy's chest. They were all so intertwined into each other… never to be separated.
No one would let go, once they had found this.
As quietly as possible, Freppa left their bedroom. It was colder in the hallway. Freppa's eyes had gotten used to the dark by now. Shadows of their furniture and door handles. He turned around the corner before he allowed himself to turn the light on. It should be around 2 am.
The kitchen was empty too, completely untouched. Freppa put the flowers to the side Kevin had gotten for them. Counted six. One for each. He would place them back later but first the tablecloth needed changing.
Last afternoon Freppa had prepared himself a basket with all things he needed that weren't in direct reach.
Määnin and Tommy already knew the tradition. Established through Freppa's mother. From the fifth to the sixth of December they would always sleep at the Sippus’. Setting the table the evening before and then going to bed excitedly. Bickering and wondering. In great anticipation what they would find on their plates the next morning.
Freppa had then taken over the responsibility for this tradition once the triad had moved together.
This year they had not set the table beforehand. This year was their first Christmas together. As six. It was still surreal and Freppa wondered often how it actually worked. But it did and that was the most important. They all loved each other. And yes, sometimes you went a day more or less without a certain person. Yes, sometimes there were inside jokes between Kevin, Axel and Jakob that Freppa didn't get. Some which they explained and some which they didn't. There were even days where Freppa just wanted to curl in his childhood best friend’s arms and hear nothing of anyone else.
That was all okay.
There were more decorations needed than just the table cloth. Freppa wanted to make this really really special. He had even considered asking Tommy for help. Despite the little presents, Freppa's basket held various decorations. And various meant a lot. Pine tree garlands, candles and some tinsel and ribbons. There was more but Freppa needed to get going without hanging in nostalgic memories. He needed to work on some that were yet to be made. Freppa started up hanging garlands to the wall. They were dotted with tiny led lights.
He had some individual fairy lights too. One big one that he could hang up on the wall and then had lights hanging down. On top of those he placed some tiny ornaments he had found. Sorted in colour. Also the little wooden bear, Kevin had trusted him with. Trusted him with before their relationship. It was one of Freppa's most prized possessions. Back in school during a crafts workshop, Kevin had carved it. And Freppa had complimented it shyly on which Kevin had offered it to him. It gave Freppa a warm feeling in the chest to think back to that. He had been very shy. Kevin had been equally shy gifting it to him. Both with red cheeks. It had caused a lot of distress to Freppa. He had known to like Tommy and Määnin but his attraction towards Kevin in that moment hadn't been anything he was able to explain to himself.
Nostalgia was something funny, wasn't it?
He hung up a picture of them too. Tommy didn't like the picture, pretended to at least. It was from two years ago. Back when they had been insecure about their feelings. Unsure what actions would needed to be taken. Yet even then, they had looked at each other with love. Fuzzy and happy. All five had held Tommy up and laughed into the camera. Snow around them, each wearing a Christmas hat. It was one of Freppa's favourite pictures and it did well like this on the wall. On their first together Christmas.
To Freppa it was really important how despite everything the six of them had never… suffered.
“Fredrik.”
Freppa shrieked for a short second before turning around. Axel. Beautiful Axel. In Christmas pajamas and a Santa hat on. A basket under his arms. “You killed me”, Freppa joked before stepping back from the wall he was just decorating.
“This looks magical”, Axel said and stepped next to him. Freppa was also quite proud.
“What do you have there?”
“I think we were planning to do the same thing…”
“We have done this with mum since we were little.”
“Yeah… My parents did it with me and my siblings too. I forced it on Kevin and Jakob later.” Axel smiled warmly. Wouldn't take his eyes off of Freppa. It made Freppa laugh a little. He hung up another ornament. “Let's do it together then.”
“What have you got?”
“Some candy and a little gift each. For the plates. And some snowflakes for the ceiling.”
“How were you planning to hang those up?”
“Climbing on my awesome tall boyfriend of course.”
It probably hadn't been Axel's actual plan. But Freppa grinned taking Axel up on his back and then providing him one snowflake after another. It was a tedious process. Would have probably been easier just scooting the chair around. Though that would have produced noise. Other noise than their suppressed giggles.
Therefore the chair would have been not nearly as funny. Axel kept losing balance, whenever Freppa moved. “How do you even walk on those legs alone…?”
Freppa wanted to shrug but stopped to not throw Axel's hands off.
He hung the snowflakes on different levels. Making it look like it was actually snowing. Once those were up Axel added a little bit of Freppa's silver tinsel. It caught the light well. Looked magical reflecting it.
Then finally Freppa was allowed to let Axel down, sat him on the table and then stretched. He could reach the ceiling on his own without anything actually.
Axel grinned after finally having done this “all by himself”. Meanwhile Freppa was still not over this coincidence. He stepped between Axel’s legs. Axel didn't stop grinning and pulled Freppa’s face down with both hands. Holding him. Smiling.
“It wasn't very effective like this”, Freppa muttered, caught in the blue of Axel's eyes.
“I don't know what you mean?”
“Mmh…” Axel tasted like the hot chocolate. Kevin and Määnin had made them some before bed. “Sweet.”
Another brush of their lips, Freppa pressed forwards, Axel's fingers tightened and Freppa pushed back even more until the only way to keep kissing Axel was climbing the table.
The silence of the night hugged their bodies in a protective bubble.
Axel back was now flat on the table. On Freppa's delicate Christmas cloth. Freppa didn't have time to appreciate the view. He was busy devouring Axel's lips like a starving man.
His knees trapped his boyfriend in between. But the legs moved. Fought the lust slightly that emerged from Freppa's tongue tracing Axel's lower lip.
“Weren’t we supposed to set the table and all?”
“It’s not like anyone is here to stop us.” Axel was sprawled out below Freppa. With big eyes and completely still, just waiting for Freppa to do something.
Freppa wanted to kiss him again. Just his open mouth and drive Axel insane by rubbing himself against his crotch, against the soft fabric of his pajama pants. Suppress Axel’s moans with his lips. Make him come in those pants. Axel Åhman, the best thing to wake up to on the breakfast table.
The tiredness had left his eyes. Axel was already half hard. Already slightly lifting his hips up to increase the chance of Freppa accidentally touching them. “Is that how you usual prepare for Saint Nicholas Day?”
“Usually I had a little less fun”, Axel admitted.
“Knew those kaj-boys don’t know how to treat you right”, Freppa joked which made Axel smile. The smile dropped when Freppa kept grinding himself against Axel’s hardening cock.
And Axel was really hot like that. Really delicious. It couldn’t hurt if Freppa just… He pushed his hand inside Axel’s pants, watched how Axel’ grimace and how he bit his lip. Freppa just wanted to kiss him and tease him and fuck him.
He had no lube, didn’t want to use anything other than lube because Axel had been the one saying they didn’t need lube in the kitchen. Freppa grinned. He could make this more evil. But his own cock was hard and he didn’t want to be rude. If they both wanted too, why wouldn’t they—
“Setting up Christmas decorations?”, someone said. Freppa turned his head immediately, barely noticing how Axel shook. Määnin had appeared in the doorframe. Looking even more asleep than earlier, didn’t wear a shirt, nor his sunglasses. He yawned. “Don’t be louder, otherwise you’ll wake our three cock sluts and then you’ll be busy.” Määnin smirked and pointed at the bulge in Freppa’s pants.
He walked over to the counter and looked just so goddamn beautiful. “Why aren’t you asleep?”, Freppa asked. He kissed Axel’s temple one more time and pulled out of his pants. Axel sat up, a little disappointed. Yet he lit up watching Määnin roll his hips.
This was Määnin with his guard let down. Just him. When he could just be himself.
He pulled out the cocoa powder. “Want some?”, Määnin asked.
Freppa didn’t know what time it was now, they already had had some hot chocolate earlier. (Though it had taken Määnin and Kevin longer to make, than usually…) Freppa got up from the table and just leaned against the edge. Axel sat up and rested his head against Freppa’s side. “Please.”
Määnin threw them a tired smile.
Freppa repeated his question but Määnin just shrugged it off. It reminded Freppa of their earlier days. Where they hadn’t been with KAJ yet, only the three of them, rough and unapologeticially in love. How often the three of them had been awake at night. One person leaving the bedroom after another, meeting the kitchen by coincidence.
They had sat there with hot chocolate (and a shot sometimes, if it was really bad). Cream and sprinkles on top too. There had only been the slurping. Just the three of them together.
Freppa wasn’t scared Tommy would feel alone right now but the fact this thought was popping up… Tommy had Kevin and Jakob. They would keep him save, probably cuddled and kept him warm. Freppa didn’t have to worry. Määnin wouldn’t have left if he thought Tommy to be unsafe.
It had happened a few times ever since they had all moved in together too. The six hadn’t been living together that long. Sometimes the kitchen was a saver space to deal with problems. Distance… Freppa kissed the top of Axel’s head before he walked over to Määnin. Freppa needed to ease his own mind, interrupted what Määnin was doing to sling his arms around his waist and rested his head on him. He pulled Määnin close and slowly felt how Määnin relaxed in his embrace.
Määnin freed himself after a while and turned around. A crooked smile on his lips. “You’re still hard.”
“Just take the gesture at it is.”
“I can just take you directly.” Määnin didn’t want to talk about why he was up. He had probably just been worried but it could be something else entirely as well. Määnin needed to be sure everyone was save at all time. Freppa was proud he had come here to check on them instead of throwing himself around in bed, worrying.
Freppa lifted his hand to linger at Määnin’s cheek but realized it had just been in Axel’s pants. He looked at it and then back at Määnin. They both grinned. Freppa got to the sink and washed his hands, which made him miss the playful glance Axel and Määnin threw each other.
They still weren’t done with the preparation. The table and gifts still needed to be set. And Määnin was cooking up the greatest drink. He didn’t just boil some water to mix it with some milk and chocolate powder to call it a day. He actually used that pot and began heating up some oat milk, concentrating to stir it properly. Määnin maybe didn’t look like it but he made the best hot chocolates known to mankind. Freppa pressed a kiss on his cheek before he walked back to Axel.
“Sorry, for just leaving you like that”, Freppa immediately said, not wanting Axel to feel left out. Or as being less in priority than Määnin. Freppa couldn’t help himself and he had promised Määnin when they were young that Freppa would always look after him and make it so Määnin wouldn’t turn out the way Määnin’s mother had. Also after the incident before he had finally gotten Määnin into rehab… Freppa just felt oddly protective of that man.
While Määnin had been in rehab Freppa had developed an even higher urge to protect Tommy as well. Tommy had suffered a lot while Määnin was in rehab. He had been scared of their future. Freppa had been too but he had been positive that this was the best way.
It was just that they watched over each other because self preservation had never been in any of the Vörjeans’ members skill set. So they had learned to look after each other.
And when KAJ had joined them. When they had joined KAJ… It wasn’t easy to make six out of two trios. There would always be things the other ones wouldn’t understand.
“I love how you love him”, Axel said and threw all of Freppa’s doubt out of the window. They had chosen this, because they wanted this. “And I want him to be okay too and know that you’re best at making him feel like that.”
“I can hear you too, you know.” Just proving Freppa’s theory that Määnin didn’t want to talk about feelings right now. He needed to enjoy their company. hence why he had suggested making the hot chocolate and had cock blocked them. Määnin needed some casualty to throw his mind off of whatever he was thinking about.
Axel got up and turned the music on. Tommy’s voice began coming out of the speakers. Freppa threw Axel a grateful look, he loved him so much. Axel probably understood more than Freppa gave him credit for. He had his history with Kevin and Jakob after all. Possibly less eventful regarding actual dangerous things but definitely just as important. They had known each other longer than Freppa and Tommy had know each other.
“I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean.” Axel kissed Määnin properly, which made Freppa smile (and made it harder to ignore his own boner).
The three of them then fell into a comfortable silence. With Tommy in the background, a constant reminder for both Määnin and Freppa, that Tommy was save too, probably snuggling against Kevin’s collarbone right now.
First Freppa and Axel changed the Christmas cloth of the table. Axel’s was clean and Freppa’s deserved some washing, even if no one had come on it. They set the empty plates and the mugs that all had their names engraved.
Each of them had brought a chocolate Nicholas as well as tangerines and apples of course. Some more sweets that varied. Kevin had made sure to get some Haribo peaches for Axel at which Axel’s eyes lit up. He wanted to grab them but Freppa hit his hand. Axel pouted but that couldn’t change Freppa’s mind. He placed the individually picked candy on the plates. Lastly some peanuts.
Axel didn’t have only candy. He had a CD for Kevin and new deck of cards for Määnin. Another small board game for Tommy and… Freppa looked at Axel’s face. “Why’d you get me that?”, he whispered.
“Because you love it.”
Axel placed the little plush otter on Freppa’s plate. it was very small and very cute. Freppa wanted to kiss Axel all over again. Lastly a rubber duck for Jakob. Axel had put so much effort into this. The gifts fit perfectly for each one. The otter reminding Freppa of that one walk he had been on with Axel, where they had realized how both trios were probably in love with each other. It was so personal..
But it wasn’t the last present because Axel pulled out a book and put it on his own plate. He grinned.
Freppa was so glad he had gotten something small for himself too, but it had been obvious because Axel loved spending money. Especially on himself. He still couldn’t get away from that otter though. He had to kiss Axel for it. And did.
“Hot chocolate is ready”, Määnin announced. He got them three fresh mugs, added the extras (some cinnamon?) and put them on a tray. He glanced at the plates and a smile slipped on his face as he saw the card deck. Määnin had recently discovered he was surprisingly good at card tricks. But it was quite easy because Jakob never even tried to look, because he was too busy downright staring at Määnin’s fingers moving at the cards and—
Freppa looked away, heard Axel and Määnin kiss. His mind was back on that faithful day at that faithful conversation… He put the flowers Kevin bought back and placed some candles on the table.
They turned off the music and settled into the living room. Afterwards they’d go to sleep.
Axel cuddled between them, Freppa smiled. Now this was something new. A new way to prepare for Saint Nicholas Day. It had something old, and something new. And together they combined to something that made Freppa feel so comfortable.
Sitting here with his partners.
Määnin humming.
Just. Perfect.