Surprise and Merry Christmas!

I`ve written you a short-story! :)

This fall has been so wonderful; I`ve met so many nice people here on ff and on tumblr, and I wanted to make you something nice for Christmas. So this story is my gift to all of you, and I hope you`ll like it:)

It takes place after my previous one, The Runner-Up, so if you plan to read that I recommend you do that before looking at this one – there are some spoilers here.

That`s enough author`s notes, please enjoy the story now! It`s all for you:)

A Wish

The candles on the table were about to burn down, and the two glasses only had some red stains left on the bottom.

It had been a while since the last log had been added to the fireplace, and the embers were about to die out after several hours of adding a warm, orange glow to the room. The Christmas tree in the corner was pretty much the only source of illumination now, and it helped create a cosy atmosphere.

It was Christmas Eve, but the clock was ticking fast towards Christmas Day.

"Are you sure you don`t wanna spend tomorrow with us?"

James P. Sullivan ran a hand through the fronds on top of Randall Boggs` head, as he took a bite of one of the cookies Rex had put out for Santa;

"You know you`re more than welcome, right?"

"Yeah, I know…but I don`t care much for family gatherings…and I don`t know your family…" Randall sighed;

"…and will you please use a plate, you`re getting crumbles everywhere..!"

The purple monster got up from the couch with a big frown on his face, but was pulled back down as his boyfriend took hold of his hand;

"Not now, Randall..!"

"What?"

"You`re not getting the vacuum cleaner now..!"

"…how did you know I -"

Sulley smirked;

"I`ve known you for a while..! But seriously, come on; it`s Christmas Eve – and I`ll use a plate…"

He got up and went out into the kitchen. When he came back, he was carrying one of Rex`s blue plastic plates. Randall rolled his eyes;

"Look, I`m sorry about that time, okay..? I know you didn`t mean to break my china, so will you please stop acting like an idiot and go get yourself something decent to eat from? You look ridiculous!"

"Better safe than sorry..!" Sulley gave the lizard a teasing smile as he sat back down;

"I don`t want you yelling at me again..!"

"I said I was sorry! And it`s been months! Please, just forget it, you`ve already made up for the china..!"

"I know Randall, I`m just teasing..!" Sulley placed his arm around the other monster and took another bite of his cookie - before offering the rest of it to Randall, who ate it with a smirk;

"You`re a dork..!"

"Well, thank you..!"

Randall leaned closer and planted a kiss on Sullivan`s lips;

"Any time..!"

Silence filled the living room again. The two monsters sat there wordlessly for a little while, comfortably cuddled up against each other, feeling nothing but the warmth from the other`s body.

"You`ve met my mum!" When Sulley started talking again, there was a touch of insecurity to his voice;

"She really likes you..!"

He paused - that wasn`t fully true; his mum was polite enough towards Randall, sure, but she still acted kind of suspicious around him. She knew what he had done, and obviously needed some more time to warm up to the idea of him dating her son.

"…and the other family-members are very nice too, Randall! My aunt`s coming over, with my uncle, and my grandma, and my cousin - with his wife and kids; they`re all excited about meeting you!"

"Well, I`m not excited about meeting them… And besides, I think it will be better for Rex if I just stay here with him tomorrow."

Sulley sighed; Randall was a great adoptive father for Rex. He did everything he could for the little guy, and had even started working shorter shifts in order to pick the kid up from dayscare a couple of hours early and spend the afternoons with him. The part-time job hadn`t just done Rex good; Randall appeared to enjoy the benefits from it too, and he seemed much more harmonic and at peace now.

But no matter how good of a father Randall had become, his boyfriend still couldn`t imagine how it could possibly be better for Rex to spend Christmas Day alone with his new dad than with two other kids of his own age;

"Don`t you think Rex would enjoy spending Christmas Day with my cousin`s kids..?"

"He`s so little, he`ll be better off here with me…He still needs his nap and all, you know…"

"Yeah…"

Sulley felt disappointed, but as Randall continued explaining, the blue one could actually see his point;

"...I think familiar surroundings are good for him at this stage…it hasn`t been that long since his mum passed, and he`s still in a phase were he`s adapting..!"

"I can see that…" The furry one admitted as he let out another sigh.

Randall and Sulley still lived in different homes; Randall was happy in his cosy apartment in the neighbourhood populated mostly by the wealthy elderly, and Sulley still lived downtown with Mike. He spent almost every evening with his boyfriend though - mostly at Randall`s, because of Rex; that way they could put him to bed at the right time, and then Sulley and Randall would normally get a couple of hours to themselves in the living room - or bedroom. Sometimes Sulley spent the night, sometimes he went home.

Today he was heading home.

"Are you sure you`re sure about tomorrow..?"

"For the last time James, yes..!"

The furry monster still wasn`t used to the idea of Randall calling him James; it had started around three or four months into their relationship, when Sulley had pointed out that other monsters found it weird that Randall still called him by his last name, and asked him if he could call him Sulley like everybody else. However, Randall had said that he wasn`t everybody else; he was his boyfriend, and besides, Sulley was a stupid nickname, and he wouldn`t use it for all the tea in the universe.

After almost a week of disagreement and arguments, they had decided that Randall could use the name James. It had been really awkward to begin with - especially in bed, since Randall was the only one besides Sulley`s mum who called him by his actual name.

While Sulley was trying his best to get used to being called James in all kinds of situations, Randall had a "name" he needed to warm up to hearing as well; dad. Sulley had been present the first time Rex had used it a couple of months ago, and could still recall the exact expression on Randall`s face after hearing it; and even though he was getting more used to it by now, Sulley knew that Randall still viewed the little word as the most precious thing in the world.

"I have a present for you..!"

Randall broke the silence between them as he fished a gift-wrapped box up from beneath the couch;

"Merry Christmas, you big, hairy idiot!"

He handed the present over to Sulley, who`s reply was to sit still and stare at it. Randall rolled his eyes;

"…you know you`re supposed to open it, right?"

"Do you want me to open it now?"

"Well, yeah – since I think I`ve made it perfectly clear that we won`t be together tomorrow; and I wanna see your reaction when you open it..!"

"Fine..!"

Sulley tore the wrapping off and studied the content; the box held a tie (not surprisingly, since Randall was always complaining about the ones he was wearing to work), a book, some chocolate and a children`s-drawing in a frame.

"Thanks!"

"The picture`s from Rex..!" Randall explained.

"Well, I never would have guessed..!" Sulley teased;

"Thanks for sorting that out; I`ve seen the drawings you`ve made with him, so for all I know, you could have been the one making this..!"

"Screw you…" Randall mumbled.

"I actually brought something for you too, sunshine..!" Sulley got up from the couch and walked out into the little hall. When he came back, he was carrying a gift-wrapped box as well, which he handed over to his boyfriend with a grin;

"I guess you can open it now, too..!"

Randall unwrapped the present carefully; he even folded the paper. Sulley gave him a light push and an is-that-really-necessary-look, but the lizard continued to do things his own way; it wasn`t like he was in a hurry.

Eventually he was ready to discover what the box contained, and placed the items on the table one by one; candle-holders, candles, bath-foam ("got plans, James..?"), a scarf and a book – the same one he had bought for Sullivan.

"I guess we know each other now..!" Randall grinned as he held up the book;

"Apparently, this is really good!"

"Yeah, so I`ve heard..!"

"Thanks..!"

"You`re welcome; but Randall, are you sure you don`t wanna -"

"Yes, I`m sure..! I`ve spent Christmas Day alone before, so this year, with Rex around, it`ll feel like a fucking crowd!"

The blue one sighed;

"Fine, then…I`m not gonna force you…I just really wanted to spend Christmas Day with you. And with Rex…"

"You see us almost every other day!"

"Yeah, but…it`s Christmas..! You`re supposed to spend it with your family..!"

Randall frowned in confusion;

"Family?"

"Yeah? I hope you realize I consider you a part of my family?"

"But I`m your boyfriend, I`m not…family..!"

"That`s pretty much the same thing, don`t you think? Boyfriend, family… It`s not important what word you use…what matters is that I love you. I really do love you, Randall."

"I…I love you, too…"

Sulley smiled; it wasn`t the first time Randall had told him that he loved him, but hearing it warmed his heart each and every time. Randall was always so nervous about it, since it didn`t come natural to him, and the fact that he was willing to say it despite shyness and harsh attitude made Sulley love him even more.

But he had never said it without Sulley saying it first.

After sharing a kiss with the other monster, Sulley eventually got up from the couch and declared that it was time for him to leave. Randall appeared to be sorry about it, but didn`t say anything; he simply walked the blue one out in the hall and gave him a hug. Sulley replied by touching his soft lips to a scaly cheek;

"See you Boxing Day, then! I can`t wait to have you both over!"

"It`ll be nice." Randall admitted as he kissed Sulley back.

"Good night, Randall!"

The blue one stepped out through the door, entered the hallway and waved goodbye. He got to take exactly three steps.

"James..!"

"What?"

"Do you really consider me your family?"

"Yeah? I thought you knew that? And not just you, Rex too..!"

"Oh…" Randall bit his lip and clenched all four hands.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…I just…" He paused and didn`t speak again for a couple of minutes, which appeared to worry the other monster;

"Randall, do you want me to stay?"

"No, go home, I`m fine…Truly..!" Randall brushed it away with a hand-gesture; Sulley turned his back (a little reluctantly) and started walking slowly towards the lift. This time, he got to take five steps.

"James!"

"What, Randall?"

"How old are your cousin`s kids?"

"Five and three."

"Do you really think Rex would like to play with them?"

"I`m sure he would."

A new pause followed. Randall remained standing in the doorway, biting his lip;

"Perhaps we`ll come over for a little while, then – for his sake..!" He suddenly frowned again;

"…and just for a little while; a couple of hours, maybe…"

"That`s all up to you,Randall!"

"…only for a couple of hours..!"

"Sure, Randall..!"

"Because of Rex..!"

"Randall, I would love to have you both there!" Sulley smiled as he walked back to Randall`s door and embraced the lizard again;

"I`ve told you that so many times already, and I wouldn`t have said it if I didn`t mean it..! I`m sure it`ll be wonderful!"

Randall swallowed;

"And if your family don`t like me..?"

"They will, don`t worry about it."

"But what if..?"

Sulley broke away from the embrace in order to look his boyfriend directly in the eyes;

"Then I`m through with all of them..!"

Randall grinned, exposing all of his teeth, proud to be someone`s number one for once. Sulley smiled back, gave him one more hug for the night, and received a hard squeeze in return;

"Thanks..!"

"You`re welcome! See you tomorrow, then; I`ll pick you up whenever you`re ready, Mike`s not using his car tomorrow, so just gimme a call – I have all day..!"

New smiles were exchanged, and then the blue monster started walking down the hallway for the third time that night.

"James!"

Sulley almost laughed; it wasn`t the first time Randall had a hard time saying goodbye. He turned on the heel and took a glance at his boyfriend, who had taken a step out into the hallway;

"…what`s up now, Randall..?"

"I love you."

A warm smile grew on Sulley`s face as he walked back to the door again and planted a kiss on the lizard`s lips;

"I love you too, Randall..!"

After kissing him back, and convincing him that he didn`t have to stay the night, Randall waved goodbye to Sullivan for the fourth time that night. Then he entered his apartment again, checked on Rex, ignored the crumbles on the couch, and started loading the dishwasher.

He was smiling with his entire face, actually looking forward to tomorrow.

That was it, I hope you enjoyed it!

I also hope you`ll have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year! I guess I will be back with another short-story somewhere in the middle of January – nothing can keep me from writing now;)

Take care and enjoy your holiday, lovelies!