Vera

Chapter 25

Vera

"Oh, hell no," Jasper says, looking at Mila and I like we have had a mental breakdown. "You're insane. You have lost your minds. There's absolutely no way I am sharing a room with him." He says darting his eyes towards Cam behind us, along with Alex and Santi.

For Christmas before the New Year's Eve event in Milan, Italy, we're staying at a snow lodge. We had confirmed a house with enough rooms but there was an error, so Cam and Jas would have to share. Clearly Jasper was against it. I've seen them interact a handful of times and each time it seems Jas wants to kill Cam.

"You know they aren't gonna budge. It'll be fine. It's not like he'll hurt." Jasper laughed, but it lacked humor.

"That's not the issue. I could lay that stick out flat." A gasp of offense is heard from behind. I turn slightly to see Cam agape, Santi folded over in laughter, and Alex smiling which is the most amount of emotion I've seen him wear, apart from his clear love for Mila.

"I am lean not a stick, there's a difference." Jasper rolls his eyes at Cam's defense.

"Come on, it won't be that bad. We'll be out doing things for the most part. You won't even be with him a lot." Jas glares at me for a while before letting out one last huff of annoyance.

"Fine but if I'm charged with 1st degree manslaughter, I'm blaming y'all."

...

"Oh my god. You look adorable." Santi scolds me with his eyes.

"Why did we have to get matching pajamas?" I look at him dumbfounded.

"It's Christmas Eve. Everyone knows that you were matching pajamas. Just wait this isn't even the best part." I grab his hand and drag him downstairs. There waiting is Jas, Cam, Mila, and Alex all wearing the same plaid pajamas.

"You've got to be kidding me." Santi deadpans looking at everyone else dressed in black and red plaid pajamas with a black shirt.

"It could've been worse. We wanted to do Rudolph, but this is okay. It's a classic, super overrated, but a classic nonetheless." I smile up at him as he shakes his head in disbelief.

"I guess it's worth it, only because of how your ass moves in them and because of the smile on your face." I laugh at him before we all get settled and start my favorite Christmas rom-com, Love Hard. I only play my movie first because I win rock, paper, scissors.

We go around letting everyone pick a movie. Cam picks My Girl and it results in everyone crying except Santi and Alex. Santi at least frowns while Alex stays as cold as ice.

After all the movies we depart and go to sleep.

...

Santiago and I are woken up not by Mila or Alex, or Cam or Jas. We are woken up by none other than Mariah Carey being blasted loud enough to vibrate the entire house.

"I'm gonna kill him. I swear I am." Santiago says, his head on my chest and my hands settled in his hair. Somewhere throughout the night he must have adjusted us into this position.

"No murder on Christmas. Come on, gift time, but you don't get yours until after everyone else." He grumbles as I start to try to escape from his hold.

Everyone soon gathers in the living room. Since Cam and Jas were the source of the music, they are already in the living room.

"Where's Alex?" Jas asks seeing Mila arrive alone.

"I don't know he was right behind me." Jas looks at Cam who has a panicked look on his face.

"Alex before you pop out of a corner and snap my neck. We also made breakfast, you know, to make up for it. It's your favorite cinnamon rolls." Cam says, there's a long pause before Alex comes out of the kitchen with a cinnamon roll in hand. I have absolutely no idea how he got there seeing as the only way to get to the kitchen is to come downstairs which he didn't do.

"You got lucky, next time you won't be." Alex says coming over to Mila's side eating his cinnamon roll.

"Noted," Cam says clearing his throat "Anywho, let's have breakfast." We start making our way to the kitchen.

"Wait!" Cam screeches making everyone freeze in their place. His face forms into a smile, full and white. "Merry Christmas, guys." I return his smile and give him a hug along with Jas and Mila. It creates a butterfly effect of hugs and 'Merry Christmas'

...

After eating breakfast, everyone opens gifts. It's a swarm of wrapping paper, smiles, and 'thank you'. It feels so warm and happy like we're a family. I think we are. The feeling might not be mutual, but from now on when I refer to my family, these are the people I mean.

Once things start to settle, I bring Santi upstairs for his final present.

"Close your eyes." I say so I can bring out his present. He nods closing his eyes. I make sure it's right in front of him. I blow out a breath. What if he doesn't like it? What if it's too much?

"I can hear you overthinking. I'm going to love it not matter what because it's from you." I laugh and go to his side pressing a kiss to his jaw.

"Alright open," His eyes open and he's silent. I bite my lip waiting for his reaction. "I got the picture from Matteo, and I had an artist, I helped, paint it." It was a painting of Santi and his older brother, Antonio. Santi's no older than 6 and Antonio is a teenager. They are in a boxing ring, both with black gloves and shorts on. "I thought maybe it would make your house feel a little better with him in it." There's another stretch of silence before he says something very quiet.

"He loved boxing," He walks up to the painting and runs his fingers over it. He turns to me, no emotions on his face. Before I can go on another nervous rant, his arms are wrapped around my waist with his head tucked into my neck. I'm quick to wrap my arms around his neck. We stay like that for a while and I feel something wet drop onto my shoulder.

He's crying. I'm about to start panicking and apologize but he stops me.

"Thank you, Vera." He says in a shaky voice. I press a kiss to his head and rub his back. "Thank you so much."

AN: First, thank you all so much for over 90k reads and 1k votes. I appreciate it so much.
And here's another chapter full of fluff to compensate for how fast the story is going.

I will remember to slow down with future stories, thanks to you guys' tips and feedback. I love reading your comments.

And also a chapter of fluff to prepare you for the storm that is coming soon. Very, very soon. Heheheh 😈