Part one

I sipped my hot chocolate, smiling as Beyond made some attempt at turning a jam jar into an ornament. We were 14, it would be our last christmas together before... Well before some things happen that would keep us apart for another 10 years.

"Beyond, you do realize that won't work, right?"

"It will! There is 23% that I will be able to drill a hole in the jam jar so that we can hang it on the tree."

"Okay," I responded, "If you say so," I couldn't help replying with sarcasm, the entire thing really was just ridiculous.

"Oh, L. No need to be such a kill joy. I'll keep away all the bells on christmas," I stiffened, uncomfortable. Beyond Birthday was my best friend, but sometimes I wondered if he wouldn't end up a homicidal murderer. He knew the bells were a sensitive topic, yet he brought them up any way. I just gazed at him, watching his shining red eyes assess the jam jar. He was wonderful looking, a piece of beauty.

"So, Beyond, what did you ask the gift givers to get you for christmas?"

"Jam. And new knives, for... recreational purposes," I sighed, attempting not to shake my head at his endearing persistence.

"Oh Beyond, you ask for the same things every year, they're never gonna give you knives. Not after you tied up that girl cause she took your jam and stuffed her in the closet."

"But it doesn't hurt to ask... And thats no fair! She took my jam," he pouted, as though this was a legitimate reason to do such a thing.

"Haha," I smiled him, his little antics were so endearing.

"What about you, L?"

"More candy. The box they bought me last year wasn't nearly big enough, also more murder mysteries."

"L, shame on you. You're intelligent enough to read the real thing."

"Yes, but I like the mysteries, they're... Entertaining."

"I just read the cause of death online," I shoved him playfully in response to his teasing, and hung a candy cane on the tree. BB and I had won the contest to decorate the tree, as we had the highest IQs at Wammy's Orphanage.

"If I ever have to go anywhere, you'll come with me, right?"

"Of course. We can't be separated, it just doesn't work out that way," He absentmindedly ran his fingers through a strand of my mass of hair.

"Good. Friends forever?"

"Friends forever."

Part two

I walked, slouching into the super market. I had shopping to do, although only one person to shop for: My best friend, Beyond Birthday. I walked into the jam aisle. I examined all of the jars. I knew he liked sweet as opposed to sour, but I had no idea which was his favorite brand. I took out my wallet, counting the money. I hadn't a lot, but it should be enough. I looked at the jars and selected Smuckers and a few others, smiling. I took them up to the cash register, beaming, and sure that I had bought the perfect present. Then I walked happily back to wait by the bus. I took out my lollipop, sucking on it contentedly, and smiled. I walked, slumping as I always did to the bus from the orphanage. I was done early, so I knew I would have to wait for the others to return. One by one, I watched Near return from the toy shop, and Matt and Mello return from the Gamestop and Chocolate store, holding hands. They liked each other a lot, and Finally Beyond, holding a large wrapped box in his hands. He sat down beside me, and put it on the ground beside my bag. It was an unspoken agreement that neither of us would look at the presents; we trusted each other entirely, and it had always been that way. It was a long ride home, and on the way back, Beyond got tired. He didn't sleep often, but more than I did. I suppose this is because I eat only sugar, where as strawberry jam could, I suppose, be classified as some semblance of real food. As he got drowsier, his red eyes closed, and his head drifted to my shoulder. I looked down at him, smiling, and he seemed to smile back in his sleep.

"Sweet dreams, my B."

Part three

We sat happily side by side on the love seat in the television room at Wammys. It wasn't often that we got this room to ourselves, but now that we did I wanted to enjoy it to its fullest. We wouldn't get to be here more than an hour probably, as all the other kids were watching Mello beat up Near again. They would all get a stern lecture from Roger, but probably not much more. However, his lectures had a tendency to drawl on and on, and go off topic into the complex anatomy of grasshoppers, not so cleverly disguised as an analogy. I absentmindedly watched him lazily flip through the channels, neither of us paying much attention.

"So, Beyond, its Christmas eve! What are you leaving for santa?"

"Cookies with jam on them. Apricot of course. I kept the strawberry for myself."

"Of course you did," I smiled at him.

"Charlie Brown Christmas is on!" He exclaimed, pleased that he'd finally found something worth watching.

"Really? I love Charlie Brown Christmas! Lets get hot chocolate!" We walked together into the kitchen, and I grabbed the ladder. It was wobbly, so I held it while B climbed up it, getting the hot chocolate mix. The cupboard was extremely tall, and even though we were both on the bigger end for our ages, even the bottom shelf of the cupboard was way out of reach. This was done so that the more... Pyromaniacal kids can't get to the cooking ingredients that could be used to explode/burn things. Just as he was about to grab it, he slipped, falling. I caught him, just before he hit the ground, stumbling with the impact. I looked at him, maybe just a bit distracted by his warmth, and his closeness to me. I wanted to hold him tighter, but worried about startling him, I set him back down on the ground.

"Thank you L. Your my knight in shining armor." He pretended to swoon, putting his hand to his forehead.

"Oh, B, your so silly. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good. I don't know what I would do if you weren't." I grabbed his hand teasing him, and we walked back to the living room.

"Maybe hot chocolates not such a good idea after all."

"Perhaps not," we began watching the Christmas special, and I could have sworn I felt him brushing up against me. After the special was over, we walked up the stairs, arms linked, to place our goodies for Santa. Well, they were supposed to be for Santa, but it was to my knowledge that they actually went to a soup kitchen, and some of them to Rogers rapidly exceeding waist line. I placed my attempt at making brownies on the table, along with Beyond's jam cookies. We were about to part ways when I looked back at him before he went to his room. I walked up to him and hugged him, pressing myself close to him.

"Goodnight L."

"Goodnight Beyond."

Part four

I glanced at my clock, sighing. It was 2:34 AM, and It would be around six hours before I could open my presents. That was when I realized I forgot to my present for B under the tree. I'd been too distracted by having him so, so very close to me on the couch, I would simply have to sneak down and place the wrapped jam jars under the tree now. I hopped out of bed quietly, and crept toward the door of my room, being sure as not to make any noise. I crept down the stairs, silently, glancing around to be sure that no one, Roger especially was there. I looked out the window, and a thrill shot up my spine, for it was snowing. I loved the snow, and on Christmas eve was no exception, it was even more special. I couldn't wait to watch Beyond gleefully eat his jam, licking it off his fingers. I heard a noise. I tried very hard not to jump in surprise. It seemed to have come from the other staircase. I looked across, and saw a sharp, quick movement. Then I figured it was a... cat or something. So I continued walking down the stairs, slouching as I always did. When I reached the bottom, I heard a noise again. There was a tall, slim figure standing across from me, a wrapped box in his hands. I set my presents down, one by one in a perfect row.

"Beyond?"

"L?"

"Yes."

"Its snowing," he took my hand, leading me out of the door, and into the snow. I felt warm all over, despite the cold weather, and I was almost entirely sure this was because of Beyond. We walked across the porch, until we reached the bench swing and sat down on it.

"Look," I pointed out, "Mistletoe," he looked me in the eyes, and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close, and kissing me. Finally. His lips were soft and moist, and of course tasted of jam. His tongue wrapped around mine, and teased me. His hands slipped up my shirt, running over my bare chest, leaving goose bumps, and I pulled him closer. I felt as though we were not two people, but one. When we were both breathless, we pulled apart. I realized something. It was perfect. We were perfect.

"Merry Christmas, Beyond."