Joe Sugg | Imagines

Christmas Fluff

*MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY*

A childlike disappointment was evident on his face.

"You really aren't gonna go home for Christmas?"

I shook my head softly with a shrug.

"Not this year, no."

"Well...why?"

Joe placed his controller down onto the desk, turning his body fully to face me. He pushed himself closer on his swivel chair towards where I sat with my knees crossed on the end of his bed. It had occurred to me that Joe might have something to say about my decision to spend Christmas alone this year, hence why I'd held back from telling him for so long.

"It's not a big deal," I assured him, looking down at my lap to avoid drowning in his suddenly particularly sad dough eyes. "It's just a lot of effort to travel, and a lot of money, and I have a lot of work to do and it's just...unnecessary, I guess?"

I felt him nodding along in understanding.

"So who are you gonna stay with instead?"

The dreaded question. My chest sank a little as I pictured the concern on Joe's face when I told him that, really, I wasn't going to stay with anyone. It was my whole intention to sit alone in my apartment on Christmas day, eating a Tesco Value roast dinner ready meal out of the plastic container for the sake of festivity. Not that I intended to open up about this plan to Joe of course. But when you don't really have a lot of family, and your childhood memories of Christmas are tainted, it's hard to really embrace the holiday spirit.

"Y/n?"

It occurred to me that if I'd been more casual about this, perhaps it wouldn't have had to be a big deal at all. But I felt wrong lying to Joe.

"I'm not staying with anyone, Joe," the desire to cut this conversation short was loud in my voice, my tone laced with discomfort. "It's not a big thing. I'm just spending it alone this year, is all."

His dark blue eyes didn't leave me for a second. There were thoughts visibly racing through his mind, but he chose to leave them unsaid. For a couple of minutes there was silence.

I wondered if maybe somehow, I'd offended him. My heart rate increased at the thought that maybe I'd upset Joe and as I finally looked up to assess his expression, he was already looking back at me.

"Do you want to come and stay with me for Christmas?"

"What?" I asked, taken aback by the sudden interruption of silence. He repeated his question.

"But Joe, aren't you going home for Christmas yourself?"

"Yes."

"Then...how would I..?"

"It's not that difficult, Y/n," he laughed, and suddenly my own cheeks were lifted into a smile. "Come with me."

"To your Dad's's? Joe..."

"Just come with me, Y/n. You've met my dad anyway, he loves you."

I tried not to let my heart warm at his comment, not wanting to be thrown off enough that I might actually start to consider his absurd proposition. Joe was my best friend, but we'd only known eachother a few months and our friendship, although intense, was somewhat fresh. It would be way too weird to spend the holidays with his family already.

Wouldn't it?

I shook my head. "But it's not just your dad, Joe, it's your whole family, your extended family. That's...well, that's a lot."