Christmas Eve came quietly this year, as it had for some years now. Not saying that's a bad thing mind you, after 360 some days of going nuts, screaming, yelling, working your ass off, some quite time would always be welcome. No kids screaming at the top of their lungs. No chaos of having to go outside with people. No last-minute scrambling for this or for that. Yeah, definitely a good thing. Peaceful and relaxing. Just steady snowfall and the low hum of a house that had been lived in for some time now, the one they had been sharing for so many years it no longer felt like something either of them had ever moved into. It simply existed, like it had always been theirs. The snow wasn’t loud or dramatic either. It didn’t swirl or howl. It fell gently, steadily, the kind that softened edges and muted the world. The kind that made everything feel wrapped up tight, like that ugly Christmas sweater Cody refused to get rid of no matter how many times Evan threatened it.
The only real difference this year? The yard somehow looked smaller than it used to? Maybe it wasn’t the yard at all? Maybe they were just bigger now. They were older, sure. Their thirties had settled into them comfortably, without hurry or regret. But they were broader, heavier in a way that spoke of years spent lifting, working, living. Their bodies carried muscle that hadn’t been rushed or faked, this was real muscled, muscle earned slowly, deliberately, layered over time. They were also worn in. In all the best ways. Cody stepped outside first, boots crunching softly in the snow. The ugly Christmas sweater stretched tight across a body that had only grown denser with the years. Not showy. Not sculpted for mirrors. Just solid and manly as hell. According to Evan. his man, yeah, he was still thick. Still undeniably bear-strong. Man-strong. His shoulders filled the doorway. His chest pressed against the knit fabric. His stomach, still powerful, still legendary, sat beneath it, broader now, built for endurance instead of flash. His hands were bigger too, rougher, the knuckles carrying faint reminders of old gym nights and long workdays. The beard was fuller than it used to be. Dark still, but dusted with gray now, just enough to catch if you knew where to look. Just enough to make Evan smile every time he noticed a new streak. Something about Cody again like fine wine really did it for Evan... and Evan wouldn’t have it any other way.
Speaking of Evan...
Evan followed him outside a moment later, tugging his hoodie tighter around his thicker frame. He wasn’t the lean kid he once been, hell no, not even close. His shoulders had broadened to match Cody’s. His arms filled out sleeves without effort. His stance carried quiet confidence now, grounded and sure. The boy had become a man, and he really grew into himself. Cody had seen every inch of that growth, the years of work, the setbacks, the determination, the slow realization that he didn’t have to chase anyone anymore. That alone was a turn on, but the muscled body that could rip logs in half? That helped...
They stood there together in the snow, breath fogging, the house warm and glowing behind them. No words needed yet. Just the quiet understanding that some traditions didn’t fade with age, not that they would want it too...
