Robbie shifted in bed, groaning in displeasure as sleep started to slip away from him.

Thump

A low growl rumbled in his throat. What the hell was that noise?

Thump

Damn it. Maybe he could get Ky to check it out. He rolled over, sliding an arm across the bed to where Kyler was. Or, where Ky should be. His hand found nothing but an empty bed and cool sheets.

Thump

Robbie flung off the blankets. He'd go check and find Ky. It sounded like the noise was outside one of the bedroom windows. Actually, it sounded like it was hitting the window.

He walked around the foot of the bed toward the large windows that overlooked the backyard, the warmth from bed floating off his nude body with every step he took. He'd been hoping for a bit more romantic of a wake-up for his and Ky's first Christmas morning in their new home. He just hoped there wasn't something wrong with the mansion, like a gutter knocked loose from all the snow, or the roof getting ready to cave in.

Robbie reached the window and pulled the curtain aside, startling back as snow splattered across the glass on the outside. He stared at the spot in confusion...and all the other spots on the window showing it'd been getting hit for a while. He looked beyond to the yard, letting out a shocked cough, followed instantly by laughter.

Kyler stood below the window, a snowball in hand, proving himself to be the culprit in waking Robbie. He wore a puffy black coat and black gloves, but no hat, which didn't surprised Robbie since in all their eleven years together, he'd never seen him wear a hat since Ky didn't like his hair getting messed up. Even from a distance, he could see Kyler's cheeks were flushed with the cold. With the faint morning sunlight touching him, Ky's golden blond hair shined. Robbie stored the image of him in his mind, wanting to cherish forever how beautiful Kyler looked at that moment.

Kyler snapped one arm up, waving to him. Robbie's smile grew larger, and he waved back. Ky looked so happy. He saw in him again the seventeen year-old boy he'd fallen in love with when they were both in high school. Over the years, their relationship had been more than a little rocky. On again, off again. Running away from each other only to turn around and run right back.

Through it all, he knew the young man he'd fallen in love with continued to exist within Kyler. He saw him in Ky so many times over the years, but in the few months since they'd committed fully to each other, Ky had become who he was always meant to be. He was still the same fearless and bold frontman of their band, but now the confidence Ky put out was real and true, because he had finally learned to accept himself. Kyler doing that accelerated their relationship to the level he always dreamed to have with him.

He knew their past problems weren't all Ky's fault. He was an equal partner in the hurt. With the success and fame of their music careers with Black Heart Down, they both had lost their ways and made mistakes. The important thing was, they'd both also let the past go. They still held onto the good parts of it, and really, there were so many more of those and they were so much stronger than anything else.

He had a feeling, though, this memory they were creating now would be one of the best for all their lives.

Kyler stopped waving and gestured behind him with flourish.

Robbie looked beyond Kyler and somehow his smile managed to grow even more. Spelled out in the snow with large letters were the words, I Love You. Each letter was connected to the next, as if Kyler had shuffled through the snow to create the message. Behind the message were two lopsided snow men, one with a wireless mic on a stand in front of him, and the other had one of Kyler's old guitars that he never played anymore hanging from a strap around the second large snowball that made up the torso.

Robbie burst out laughing at the frozen versions of themselves, but also emotion welled inside him at Kyler's efforts to make the first Christmas morning in their home special.

Kyler waved for him to come outside. Robbie held up one finger to signal he'd be there quickly, and turned from the window. He snatched the workout pants he'd worn the night before off the floor and stepped into them without bothering with underwear. He went to his closet and tugged on a Michigan Wolverines sweatshirt, then went to the bathroom for relief and to quickly brush his teeth. Before walking out of the bedroom, he grabbed their camera off the nightstand by Kyler's side of the bed, since they'd been playing with it a couple nights before posing in ways that the public would never see.

Robbie went down the hall to the stairs leading to the marbled front room. He got his coat and a pair of boats, carrying both toward the kitchen and the backdoor. He rushed pulling on the coat and boots, pocketing the camera, eager to get outside to Kyler. Opening the door, he stepped out, the cold stripping away the last bit of warmth lingering to him from bed. But as his gaze met Kyler's, a new kind of warmth washed through him.

Kyler started toward him, and Robbie hastened to meet him. They moved in harmony, each reaching for the other, pressing their bodies close, bringing their smiling lips together. As Kyler's tongue entered his mouth, Robbie forgot the cold. Nothing else existed for him except Kyler.

Kyler eased back from the kiss. "Merry Christmas."

Robbie rested a hand on Kyler's chest. "Merry Christmas." He looked behind Kyler to the message in the snow. He met Kyler's eyes again with a bright smile. "And I love you, too." Knowing his hands still held some heat from the house, he placed both on Kyler's chilled cheeks in an attempt to warm them. "How long have you been out here?"

"I'm not sure. What time is it?"

"It was just a little after seven thirty when I was coming out."

"Then I guess about an hour and a half."

Robbie's eyes rounded with surprise. "The sun wasn't even up yet."

"Yeah, that's probably why they're a little crooked." Kyler glanced back to the snowmen.

"They're perfect. I can't believe you did all this."

Kyler looked back to Robbie. "This is a special Christmas for us. Our first in this house, my first being out to the public, our first being out as a couple. We've taken so many big steps in the past few months, I wanted to show you how much it means to me that through them all, you've stayed by me and supported me."

"You've done the same for me. Even though it was originally me pushing to come out, I've had my freak-out moments." Robbie looped his arms around Kyler's neck. "That's why we've always been so good together. When times get tough, we're a great team."

"And now that times aren't as tough as they used to be, we're an unstoppable one."

On his last word, Kyler brought their lips together again, his kiss holding more passion than the first. Robbie leaned into him, accepting Kyler's tongue as it thrust deep into his mouth. He could feel the kiss was a hint to what Ky planned to do with him once they were in the house, and his cock started to harden with anticipation.

As the kiss came to an end, Robbie whispered against Kyler's lips, "Let's go in."