#tfwftw

This is cheesy. Like ‘Sixteen Candles’, boombox over the head, rom-com, cheesy. Geoff shakes his head with a smile as he surveys his living room. He’s never going to hear the end of it. He shrugs, a determined “fuck it”, and walks to Gavin’s room. At least the rest of the gents will get it too.

“Let’s go, Gavin! Don’t want the boss to see you’re late!” He yells with a laugh as Gavin almost trips out the door in his rush. “You didn’t go in the main house today, right?”

“Nope,” Gav says, a hint of mischief in his voice. One that Geoff knows the boy is playing off to hopefully rouse him.

“You better not have and you also better not try to sneak in during lunch either.”

Gavin makes a defeated noise; Geoff loves knowing how he thinks. Throwing an arm around Gavin’s shoulders and pulling him down, Geoff plants a kiss atop Gavin’s head. “Happy Valentine’s day, love.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Geoff.”

They barely make it out the driveway, before Gavin starts rattling off queries about what’s in the house.

Well over twenty questions later, Geoff pulls into an available spot in the Rooster Teeth parking lot. “Gavin, stop with the questions. I’m not telling you anything. And don’t bother asking any of the guys. They don’t know shit.”

Gavin huffs in mock disappointment, “Fine.” He climbs out the car and waits to walk in the building beside Geoff. “So, you’ve got stuff for everyone in there?” He peers over with grin.

“No more questions!”

Gavin’s retort is cut off when he’s hit in the face with confetti as he walks through the doorway. “Happy Valentine’s day, guys,” she squeaks throwing confetti into the air above Geoff.

Gavin shakes his head, an attempt to get the bits out his hair. “Really, Barb?!” He asks, looking down at the little pieces of pink and white paper cut into cartoon penises.

“It’s a day about love. And what’s love if not <b>dicks</b>?” The guys groan in response and Barbara smiles brightly. “I put your valentines on your desks,” she says, tossing another few pieces of confetti at Gavin as she retreats to her office. “Enjoy!”

Geoff picks out a tiny dick from Gavin’s hair, laughing as he follows him into their office, Michael and Jack already working as they enter. “Look, guys! Gav’s got dicks in his hair.”

Michael looks up, “he’s got dicks all over his desk too,” pointing to the pool of Barbara’s confetti, just beside the massive hole typically covered by his keyboard.

Gavin groans and Geoff laughs, running his hand across Jack’s shoulders and neck as he passes.

“Got a lot of dicks by your hole there, Vav.” Ray says, sliding by him as he walks to his desk. “Be sure to use protection.”

Geoff and Michael laugh loud enough to drown out Gavin’s noises of frustration.

“Oooh,” Ray exclaims happily, “dick lollipops. Thanks, Barb!” He yells out.

“Welcome!” She calls back.

Ryan enters the room half an hour later. The guys look up at his entrance, a smile or nod from each of them, but the room remains quiet now they’ve begun their various work tasks. He spots Barbara’s decorations scattered across the armrest of his couch.

“You know,” Ryan starts, “she’s managed to get dicks all over the building.” He scoops up the bits of paper into his hand, “Chris told me there’s trails through the annex, too.” He opens his hand over Gavin’s desk, who shrugs at the mess while everyone else laughs.

Ryan then takes his seat, pulling up his side table. “Lotta dicks in your hole, Gav. You need to be more selective.”

“GOT EM!” yells Ray.

Gavin grabs the dick-shaped lollipop he found within his pile earlier and rips the plastic off, glaring at Ryan as he bites down on the end. “OW!” He yelps, the candy too hard to break through, and the uproar increases two notches.

“You shouldn’t threaten a man’s dick,” Ryan teases, “it might bite back.”

“SNAKE DICK!” Ray calls out to another round of laughs.

Gavin makes a hurt face, accompanying noise with it, and flexes his jaw. The pain eventually subsides but Geoff, giggling to himself, randomly mumbles “snake dick” a few minutes later and the room erupts with laughter again, much to Gavin’s chagrin.

Lindsay drops in a little while later, busting into the office with a “Happy VD, bitches!” and a handful of fun dip packets with handwritten messages for each of them.

Gavin squeals, “Aw, mine say’s I’m loveable!”

“They all say that, dumbass.” Jack deadpans, the laugh he gets from Geoff makes Jack smile hugely.

“Oh,” Gavin frowns. Jack turns around in his chair to see Michael hastily writing on a post-it note that he sticks to Gavin’s desk. He can’t read what it says, only having the face Gavin makes in return to reveal it’s contents. He AIMs Michael, “sap.”

“Fuck you,” Michael says aloud a moment later. Jack knows there was no anger behind the words and everyone else ignores the commonplace outburst.

By noon, the office’s valentines exchange seems to have wrapped up. Visits from Kerry, Miles, Kara, and Blaine adding candy to a large pile now designated to a corner of Gavin’s desk.

Using the sweets’ proximity to his advantage, Gavin eats candy non-stop. Complaints of a stomachache arising when Geoff reminds him that the Minecraft Let’s Play needs to get posted to the channel before they leave.

“Just cause it’s Friday, and you’re all hopped up on sugar, doesn’t mean today’s not a work day.”

“But, Geoff,” Gavin whines, vowels dragged out at a higher octave. “You’re the one on the couch with Ryan.”

Geoff turns his head in Ryan’s lap to squint at Gavin. “I’m the boss!” He squeaks. “I can be wherever I want. Now get to work cause I’m sure everyone else wants to get home too.”

Gavin sighs dramatically and spins back around to face his computer. He quickly navigates to the youtube tab he had queued in one of his windows.

“Do you need help with anything, Gav?” Jack prompts from his seat.

“Nope, there’s only twelve minutes left on the upload.”

Michael looks to Gavin, “then what’d you make the big deal for?”

He shrugs with a smile, “dunno.” Gavin rubs his stomach, “my tummy still hurts though.”

“If your <i>tummy</i> hurts so bad, stop eating more candy!” Michael yells, snickers coming from everyone else as they watch Gavin chew another chocolate kiss.

“But it’s so good.”

Ray mumbles, “idiot.”

Michael gets up, grabbing his bookbag. “You are a fucking knob.” He slides his arm across Gavin’s desk. Candy, mouse, phone, a few missed bits of confetti, all fall into the large bag.

“Mi-COOL!” Gavin squeals as he reaches for his belongings. Michael secures his right palm to Gavin’s forehead and holds him back, arms flailing as Gavin struggles.

Geoff bellows above the laughter, “Alright! Alright! At least give him back his mouse.”

“No problem, Geoffy.” Michael moves his hand, Gavin flopping to the ground, and digs through the bag’s contents to remove the mouse.

Reluctantly, Geoff climbs from the couch and sits at his desk, “Everyone else finish what they needed to do for the day?” A wave of “yeahs” and affirmative grunts respond. “Game fails?”

Ryan nods his head curtly.

“Fails of the weak?”

“Already up,” Jack answers. “Same with Game night.”

Geoff hmms his approval.

“Just got the email confirmation,” Gavin pipes in.

“Great! Now, we all on the same page for tonight?” Geoff receives another round of agreeing noises. “My house at 7. And no more candy...”

Jack mock coughs, “Gavin.”

Geoff puts on his dad voice, “...it’ll ruin your appetite.” He laughs hardest at his joke, “Now go on and get pretty for me.”

The Lads leave first, Gavin waving off Geoff’s ride to “get ready” with them.

“So everything’s set up?” Jack asks, sliding his phone into this pocket as gathers his things.

“Yeah,” Ryan answers. “I finished up the last of the decorations before I came in.” He pushes his side table away and stretches his legs, cracking his neck for good measure. “Oh, head’s up Geoff, I turned up the A/C so the flowers wouldn’t wilt. You should be able to turn it down once you get in and everything will be fine.”

Jack stands level to the now-upright Ryan and rubs a soothing hand down his back. Ryan leans into the touch, “maybe I can get a massage out of the night.”

With a gentle squeeze to Ryan’s side, Jack whispers, “maybe you can,” then leaves the room.

Geoff smiles to himself at the exchange. He saunters over and smacks Ryan’s ass, “See ya later, stud.” Ryan laughs and heads to his desk to grab his stuff.

<center>~~~~~</center>

(6:32 PM) Gavin: can I come in, yet?

(6:32 PM) Geoff: No.

(6:34 PM) Gavin: :((

(6:34 PM) Gavin: okay

(6:35 PM) Gavin: team lads will be in my room

(6:38 PM) Geoff: I’ll text you when the guys are here.

(6:40 PM) Gavin: <3

Geoff pulls the last steak off the grill, setting it down with the others on the baking sheet beside him. Checking his watch he notes everything, sides and all, should be ready by the time the others arrive. He carries the tray of meat inside, rearranging them so they have room between them and places them in the oven to finish.

The doorbell rings just as he takes off his apron.

“Hey! It’s Valentine’s Day!” Jack says with a kiss as Geoff opens the door. Ryan follows behind, with a smirk on his face.

“How long did you work on that one, Jack?” Geoff jokes.

Jack frowns, “Fuck you.”

“Later. <i>Now</i>, the boys are in Gavin’s, so,” Geoff turns around, arm extended in a display of the room. “Is there anything left to do?”

The three men regard the living room. It’s <b>covered</b> in roses. They surround the TV like a frame. They’re in vases stacked on the coffee table and each side table. Most of the floor space is sectioned off for the flowers, walking room only around the couch and loveseat. Even the ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ sign hanging over the archway is flourished with roses.

Ryan prompted the idea to celebrate Ray’s first Valentine’s with the group. Jack jumped on it and using some connections, found a way to get more than a hundred roses and for a decent price. The Gents pooled in and here they are, in a sea full of red.

“I think it looks resplendent,” says Ryan, “I can’t wait to see his face.”

“Me too.” Jack looks around again, big grin on his face. “I think Michael and Gav will flip too.”

“Perfect!” Geoff looks down at this watch again. “Well, dinner’s finishing up in the oven. So one of you can go get them.”

Ryan volunteers and Jack helps Geoff set the table.

Heading back outside, Ryan walks the path to the studio-like room of Gavin’s. He knocks twice and announces his entrance. Ryan finds the three boys in a tangle of limbs on the couch; deer in the headlights now caught in the middle of a makeout session.

He laughs, “come on, Geoff’s made dinner for us.”

Gavin stands, straightening out his clothes and running a hand through his wild hair, only to end up messing it further. “They say chocolate’s an aphrodisiac.” He says with a leer.

“Yeah and you’re just horny all the time,” adds Michael from his spot in the middle.

Gavin shrugs and nods, “True.”

“Alright,” Ryan calls them back to the task at hand. He grabs a hold of Ray and leads him back through the door, hands on his hips. The other two trail behind.

“Since this is your first Valentine’s Day with us,” Ryan starts a few feet from the front door. “We thought you deserved something special.” He slows his steps, grip tightening to slow Ray’s as well. “Close your eyes,” he whispers in Ray’s ear.

“A surprise? Fuck yeah!” Ray closes his eyes, pushing his glasses into his hair to ensure he can’t see.

Ryan instructs Gavin and Michael to enter first. Michael quickly slaps his hand over Gavin’s mouth to prevent the inevitable outburst when they finally get a look inside.

Jack and Geoff, who’d peeked out the window to time their arrival, are waiting near the door.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, babe.” Ryan plants a little kiss to Ray’s neck. “You can open your eyes.”

Ray does so, squinting until he drops his glass back on to his nose. He forces a smile, a move obvious to everyone. He looks down at his shoes, “You guys know I’m <i>allergic</i> to roses, right?”

They looks at him dumbfounded. Jack is the first to react a moment later, “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Biting his bottom lip, Ray looks up through his lashes, “Yeah.” His frown turning into a grin from ear to ear.

They all groan, Michael punching him in the bicep with a curse.

“Guys,” Ray runs in, pulling a rose from the first vase he reaches. “this is AWESOME!”

“You know, I oughta kill you for that one.” Geoff says.

“But you won’t,” Ray scuttles up to Geoff and kisses him, “Thank you.” He quickly moves to Jack, another kiss and another “Thank you so much.”

He looks to Ryan, who looks back amused, and rushes him with a hug. “This was all you, wasn’t it?” He mumbles into his neck. Ryan smirks, “Maybe.” Ray kisses him fully. “Thank you.”

Geoff “kindly” informs Ray that Gavin and Michael didn’t know about the surprise and they don’t deserve thanks, then ushers them into the dining room. Jack helps him serve the meal as everyone sits down. The spread is straight out of a Omaha Steaks catalog, “Private Reserve,” Geoff brags, “for our boy, Michael.”

“And you got my favorite mashed potatoes!” Michael cheers. “Aw! Thanks, Gents. This is a fuckton better than trying to cook this on a George Foreman.”

“Oi!” Gavin cries. “Ray got roses. Michael gets his Omaha Steaks. What do I get?”

“You get to give Ryan a massage later,” answers Geoff. The table laughs and Gavin pretends to sulk.

From his seat across Gavin, Ryan runs his foot up Gavin’s leg, “I’ll make sure you have a happy ending.”

“I’m not doing another second’s research until you agree to my terms,” Kevin said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Me, either,” Castiel chirped with a growing smile. “It’s my first real Christmas and I want to experience it fully.”

“Come on, Dean,” Sam added, elbowing his big brother and grinning.  “It’ll be fun.”

“This is ridiculous,” Dean groused, rolling his eyes.  “Next you’re gonna tell me we have to put Crowley’s name in the exchange, too.”

Kevin’s face hardened, lips drawn into a thin line as Castiel and Sam glanced his way.  After a moment’s thought, he nodded slowly.  “Even Crowley deserves something for Christmas.”

“Fine,” Dean said when he realized everyone was now staring at him.  “Fine, we’ll draw names for secret Santa.  But it’s still stupid and you can all give Crowley something together because I’m damned sure not inviting him to the party.”

***

With Castiel’s name secreted away in a dark corner of his wallet, he’s been searching for the perfect gift for the last month to no avail.  Everything he has found that he thought Cas might like has been too expensive or too sappy or too not good enough and really, what the hell do you buy for a former angel for his first Christmas anyway?  This is it, it’s official. Dean is freaking out.  He’s pacing aimlessly in the library, practically feeling the weight of the seconds until tomorrow’s gift exchange dropping onto his shoulders one by one.

“Everything okay?”  Sam asks.  When Dean turns around, his brother is leaned against the end of the bookcase, watching carefully.

“Yeah,” Dean says, nodding quickly and pulling a book off the shelf.  “I just came to get this.  I needed it for..  something.”

He brushes by Sam before his brother can ask any more questions and hurries down the hallway to his bedroom.  Before he tosses the book onto his bed, he glances at the title.  Seduction Spells, A-L.  Perfect.  Sam’s gonna have a field day with that.  As though to add insult to injury, of course it couldn’t be a book that would actually help him.  Dean shakes his head and tosses it before he sits down at his desk to think.

He vaguely remembers seeing a scrapbook in Castiel’s room - or at least something he assumes was a scrapbook - and an idea begins to form somewhere in the back of his mind.  Castiel has taken to collecting things to remind him of the people and places he deems most important because he’s afraid his now-human memory will fail.  Dean stares at his desk and the typewriter he dredged up from the depths of the bunker’s sub-basements when he and Sam first found this place, trying to remember the last time he wrote anything.

Three hours, two changed ribbons, half a pack of printer paper, and a lot of cursing later; Dean pulls his masterpiece from the typewriter and reads it:

“Cas,

I know you deserve more than a stupid letter and I’m not always good with saying the right words or even any words but I’m going to try because it’s Christmas.  Someone told me a long time ago that too much heart was your problem, but he was wrong.  It’s what makes you perfect.  We’ve been through a lot and I should have told you this a million times by now even though I never have.

I don’t want to lose you again.

Dean”

Even though he’s sure this is a bad idea, he pronounces it good the fuck enough and slips it under the edge of the typewriter, grinning like an idiot.  For the first time since Kevin hatched this secret Santa exchange plan, Dean is excited about it.

Later, when Dean is sure everyone is asleep, he sneaks out of the bunker and digs around in the trunk of the Impala until he finds the knife he’s looking for.  He saved up every penny he could get his hands on when he was 12-years-old and was so proud of himself when he finally had enough to buy it.  Sentimental value aside, it’s the perfect gift for Castiel because the handle is hollow, doubling as a storage space for a secret message.

When he makes it back to his bedroom with the knife, Dean’s heart is pounding against his ribs with nervous excitement.  After reading over what he’s written three more times - and before he can chicken out - he unscrews the compass on the end of the knife’s handle and slides the carefully rolled paper into it.  Sleep is a long time coming and fitful when it does, the hastily-and-obviously-wrapped knife tucked under his pillow for safekeeping.

***

After much deliberation, the decision is made to give Crowley a glass of the best bourbon in the bunker and a cigar.  Contrary to his usual surliness, Dean is sure he sees a hint of tears in the King of Hell’s eyes when he thanks them for including him in the Christmas festivities.  The uneasiness Dean always feels when he goes into the dungeon starts to give way to a different sort of nervousness as he sips on his second glass of definitely spiked eggnog.  

When Crowley has finished with his bourbon and Sam has put away the rest of the cigar for later, the group makes its way back up to the corner of the library that Kevin and Castiel have spent hours decorating over the last week.  After a playful argument and more than a little grumbling, Dean is elected Santa.  He smiles to himself, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he pulls each gift from under the tree and delivering it into its recipient’s hands.

Dean saves Castiel’s knife and his own small package for last.  When he settles down onto the ugly orange - but thankfully thick - rug Sam found God only knows where in the pit of the bunker, he hands it to Castiel with an almost shy, “I hope you like it.”

Castiel is the first to open his gift, tearing off the paper and grinning at what he finds as though the fact that it was a knife was ever in doubt.  Dean chances a look at Sam, whose mouth drops open when he sees which knife.

“Is that your..”  Sam says, gesturing toward Castiel’s present.

“Yeah,” Dean mumbles, feeling heat start to creep up his cheeks.  “It’s no big deal, Sammy. It’s just a knife.  I thought he could use a knife, that’s all.”

Cas grins wider and turns it over in his hands, not looking up when he says thanks.

Kevin goes next, peeling the paper off a book.  When he reads the title, his eyes light up and he looks at Sam incredulously.  “Dude, where the hell did you find an original Dungeon Master’s Guide in such good condition?!”

“I’ll never tell,” Sam says as he puffs up with pride.  He laughs and adds, “Good luck getting anyone here to play with you, though.”

Kevin shakes his head, still smiling as he starts to carefully flip the pages.  Dean watches Castiel  fiddle with the knife out of the corner of his eye, terrified by the thought that he’ll figure out the handle is hollow and pull out the paper in front of everyone.  His attention is pulled away from Castiel, however, at the sound of ripping paper.

Sam is opening his gift, peeling back the paper to reveal a boxed set of books within.  “The Hunger Games trilogy!  How’d you know I’ve been eyeing these, Kevin?”

“I know everything about you guys’ browsing history.”  Kevin looks at Dean when he says it.  Dean swallows hard, but doesn’t rise to the bait.  Anyway, it’s like anyone in the room is unaware of his fondness for porn.  Kevin looks back at Sam and smiles.  “Anyway, I know how much you and Dean enjoyed the movie and I thought you might like the books, too.”

“I know I will,” Sam says.  “Thank you.”

When Dean’s turn comes, he turns the small, carefully wrapped present over in his hands.  He’s usually good at figuring out what he’s getting; but this small, heavy box is from Castiel and he has no idea.  He unwraps it slowly then pulls the lid off the jewelers box to find a small, intricately carved piece of stone inside.  It’s obviously some sort of symbol, but not one Dean has ever seen.  As he traces his fingertip over the rounded lines, Castiel speaks up hesitantly.

“It’s a protective talisman.”  When Dean looks up from the talisman, Castiel is smiling at him.  “I got it on my first visit to Earth.”

“Cas,” Dean chokes through the sudden lump in his throat, “I can’t take this.  It’s too important.”

“No,” Castiel replies.  “I want you to have it so I’ll always know you’re safe.”

Dean nods slowly, unable to look away from Castiel’s misty eyes until Sam clears his throat and breaks the spell.

“So!” Sam booms, sounding a little hoarse himself.  “Since we’ve done presents and dinner, now I guess it’s time to watch a Christmas movie.”

Everyone groans except Castiel, who only looks a little bewildered by everyone else’s obvious distaste for the idea.  Kevin suggests they just, you know, not watch a Christmas movie - an idea everyone can get behind.  After another round of eggnog and ever louder laughter, Kevin teeters off with an excited mutter about checking out his book and Sam pushes himself up from the floor and takes off with his books, too, leaving Dean and Castiel sitting alone.

As Dean turns the cool black talisman over and over between his fingers, staring at it and unable to imagine a better Christmas present that doesn’t involve a room full of strippers and Castiel naked and covered in honey, he hears the cap of the knife’s handle hit the carpet with a soft thud.  When he looks up, Castiel is pulling the folded and curled piece of paper out of the handle.  Dean’s stomach flips with nervousness, his mouth suddenly dry.  He’s made a huge mistake.  He’s sure of it.  And it’s too late to fix it.

“I think you accidentally left something in here.”

“No,” Dean says softly, swallowing the terror that’s rising through his chest.  “I left it on purpose.”

He watches, scarcely breathing while Castiel carefully unfolds the paper.  Castiel’s breath catches as he reads and he clears his throat before he looks up.  The wait is excruciating before Cas finally finds a reply.  Tears of relief sting Dean’s eyes when Castiel’s quiet words hit him.