Slash Level: 5

"Someone needs her Christmas kiss," Mr. Davenport grinned as he held some sort of plant over Tasha's head. "The power of mistletoe compels you."

Tasha giggled and kissed her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Adam tilted his head in confusion as he watched the scene from the kitchen.

The couple slipped away upstairs and Adam walked over to Leo, who was busily threading cranberries onto some string.

"What did your mom and Mr. Davenport just do?" He asked as he dropped onto the couch next to his youngest brother.

Leo shook his head. "Bought my future therapist a new vacation house."

At Adam's blank stare, the younger boy continued.

"Big D and Mom just kissed under the mistletoe. It's a Christmas thing. I myself carry extra sprigs this time of year," Leo beamed, "all the better for giving the ladies an excuse to mack on The Leo."

Adam continued to stare, not understanding.

Leo sighed. "If you have a thing of mistletoe," he dug into his pocket and produced a plant just like the one Mr. Davenport had, "that means whoever is standing under it with you has to kiss you."

"Okay, I get it," Adam nodded. He pointed. "Can I borrow yours?"

"Sure," Leo handed it over. "You have someone you want to kiss?" He paused and regarded the older teen. "It's not me is it?"

Adam shook his head. "Nope. Wrong tiny brother." With a megawatt grin, he clapped Leo's shoulder. "Thanks."

As he hurried off to the lab, Adam missed it as Leo rubbed his shoulder and whispered 'wrong tiny brother?' to himself.

Arriving in the lab, Adam was happy to see things were as he expected: Bree was readying for a date with Ethan and Chase was tapping away at one of Mr. Davenport's computers.

"Ethan and I are going tree shopping at what he calls a 'Christmas farm'." Bree clapped her hands. "I think it's like a mall for trees."

"But there's trees all around, why would you need to go somewhere special for them?" Adam asked.

Bree shrugged.

Chase spoke without lifting his eyes from the console in front of him. "It's Christmas tradition to cut down an evergreen tree, bring it home and decorate it." His eyes lifted to look at Adam. "Didn't you wonder why Leo was stringing cranberries onto fishing wire?"

"Oh," Adam nodded as the light dawned, "I just thought he was making us all edible necklaces."

His brother gave him a look that was both amused and fond at the same time. It did funny things to Adam's heart.

Bree's phone beeped. "Ethan's here; I gotta go!" She gave herself one more look in her compact mirror and waved a quick goodbye to her brothers before scurrying to the elevator.

Chase had put his attention back on the computer screen he was looking down at.

"What're you doing?" Adam asked, coming to stand beside Chase.

His brother looked up and smiled. "I am fast becoming the world's leading expert on Christmas traditions around the world. Did you know in England, 'Father Christmas' leaves presents at the foot of each child's bed? Or that in Germany, kids leave their shoes out for Santa to leave presents in?" He paused. "Though in your case, you'd want to provide Santa with some nose plugs."

Adam nodded to acknowledge the logic in that. "I learned a Christmas tradition too," he smiled, holding the mistletoe Leo had given him over Chase's head.

When the younger teen didn't move, Adam frowned. With a mighty flourish, he waved the plant over Chase's head like a magician.

Chase's eyes widened. "Is that mistletoe?"

"Yeah," Adam sighed, "but I think it's a dud. Leo told me that it makes whoever you're standing with kiss you."

"You," Chase's word came out slowly, "wanted... to kiss me? Under the mistletoe?"

Adam nodded. "I think Leo has a whole bunch, I'll just go find one that works. I'll be right-"

He turned to head back up to the living room, but Chase's hand had grasped his arm to prevent him.

Even Chase looked surprised at how quickly he'd moved, but he didn't let go. His mouth opened and closed a few times, making him look like a fish. An adorable, adorable fish. Finally he asked, "Why?"

"I told you, this one isn't working." Sometimes Adam wondered about how smart his brilliant brother really was.

"No, I mean why do you want to kiss me?"

Adam smiled. "Well, Mr. Davenport and Tasha were kissing because they love each other. I love you."

Chase's hand tightened on Adam's forearm. "You mean as a sibling, right?" At Adam's eyebrow raise, Chase clarified. "Like how you love Bree or Leo?"

"Ohhhh," Adam said, understanding Chase's question. He shook his head, smiling brightly. "Nope. I love you way more than that."

For a long moment, Chase was silent. Adam was about to pull his arm free, reluctantly because he liked Chase touching him, when the other boy whispered, "I thought it was just me."

Adam rolled his eyes. "It is just you I feel like this about. I just said that." Seriously, Chase could be so dumb sometimes.

"No, I thought I was the only one..." he stopped and looked away, "I didn't think you loved me too. Not the same way I love you." As if he'd come to a decision, Chase grinned up at his brother. "Try the mistletoe one more time."

With a smile on his face he would have bet was even brighter than Mr. Davenport's had been, Adam raised his other arm.

At the same time, Chase used his grip on Adam to pull his big brother closer until their mouths were pressed together.

Adam let out a happy sound and pressed Chase back into the console as he lowered his mistletoe arm to wrap around the other boy's waist.

Chase's own arms came up and looped around Adam's neck, the two of them pressed as close together as they could get.

When breath became an annoying necessity, Adam pulled back and looked at Chase's beaming face. "The power of mistletoe compels you."

Chase laughed and brought Adam's head back down for another kiss.

Leo, who had of course sneaked down after Adam, crept back to the elevator. As he rose up to the main level of the house he shook his head. "My future therapist is gonna be even richer than Mr. Davenport."