On Christmas Eve, Avery blocked all unnecessary contacts on his phone. Family members, corporate partners, anyone who might question his absence from the family gathering. Only two people had access to him now: Miss Reed, his loyal assistant, and Noël.
That morning, Avery had turned to Noël, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Pack up. We're leaving."
"Leaving?" Noël blinked. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
Noël didn't ask twice. In less than fifteen minutes, his small duffel bag was zipped and ready. He didn't have much, just a few outfits, toiletries, and the same broken phone he'd had for years. Despite receiving a generous weekly allowance from Avery, Noël rarely bought anything for himself. Instead, he saved most of it, holding onto the dream of someday returning to school.
What he didn't know was that Avery had already decided to handle the tuition. Noël's future was already being carved behind the scenes all he had to do now was enjoy the holiday.
They drove quietly to the airport. It wasn't until they were boarding that Noël found out their destination: Bali, Indonesia.
The moment they stepped into the plane, Noël's face lit up like a child seeing snow for the first time.
"This is... this is business class?" he whispered, gaping at the wide seats and complimentary drinks.
Avery chuckled, settling in beside him. "I was going to get a private jet, but my father would've traced it."
"I don't care," Noël said, already pulling the blanket onto his lap and swiveling in his seat like it was a throne. "This is... insane."
Avery just watched him with a fond smile, the kind that softened his usually sharp features. "Get used to it."
When they landed in Bali, Noël nearly tripped trying to walk and look at everything at once. From the palm trees swaying in the warm tropical breeze to the vibrant flowers and elegant architecture, it was like stepping into a dream.
Their resort was nestled on a quiet cliff overlooking the sea. Private bungalows, infinity pools, soft music playing somewhere in the distance, it was luxury beyond Noël's imagination.
As soon as they reached their room, Noël dropped his bag and rushed to the balcony. The ocean stretched endlessly in front of them. "This view... Avery, are you kidding me? This is real?"
Avery came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Noël's waist. "Merry Christmas," he whispered against his neck.
Noël leaned back into him, his heart swelling with something he didn't yet have words for.
Later that evening, they explored the resort hand in hand. Noël in borrowed sandals and Avery in loose linen and a hidden smirk every time Noël gasped at something new. They shared coconut drinks, played in the surf like teenagers, and took blurry selfies with the sunset behind them.
Dinner was served under a canopy on the beach, soft candlelight flickering between them and waves crashing gently nearby. Noël was nervous at first, worried he'd spill something or mispronounce a menu item, but Avery kept brushing his knee under the table and whispering silly things that made him laugh.
"You know," Noël said between bites, "this is the first time I've ever celebrated Christmas like this."
Avery raised an eyebrow. "Like this?"
"Like... with someone. Somewhere that feels like a dream."
Avery reached across the table and took his hand. "Then let's make it a tradition."
They went to bed wrapped in each other's arms, salty skin pressed close, the sound of the sea rocking them to sleep.
_______
The next morning, Noël woke up to sunlight pouring into the bungalow and the sound of waves gently crashing against the shore. For a moment, he forgot where he was, until he turned and saw Avery sitting by the window, shirtless, scrolling through something on his tablet.
"Merry Christmas," Avery said, glancing up and catching his sleepy eyes.
Noël stretched under the linen sheets. "Merry Christmas..." he mumbled, voice still hoarse with sleep.
"Get dressed," Avery said. "Your first surprise is waiting."
Noël blinked. "There's more?"
Avery smirked and tossed a neatly wrapped box onto the bed. "Start with that."
Inside was a brand-new Samsung phone. The latest model, glittering silver with a note on the screen that read: "No more cracked screens. Welcome to the future."
Noël gaped at it. "Avery, I can't accept—"
"Yes, you can. I don't want you carrying that dinosaur around anymore. This one comes with full security features too. No one can trace you, no spam calls, no creepy relatives."
He paused, watching Noël cradle it like it was fragile crystal. "And it's registered under your name."
Noël blinked fast. "You did all this for me?"
Avery stood up and cupped his face. "For your birthday. For Christmas. For you."
Noël melted. " I didn't think you would know my birthday"
Avery leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Of course I know. Your birthday matters to me."
After a quick breakfast, they spent the morning lounging by the infinity pool, sipping iced drinks, and taking more photos. Avery never used to like taking photos, but with Noël, everything became a memory worth capturing.
By noon, Avery led him to a small open-air market in Ubud, where they tried local snacks, listened to street music, and danced awkwardly in the crowd. Avery even bought him a woven bracelet, a tiny trinket that Noël insisted he would never take off.
"I feel like I'm dreaming," Noël said as they headed back to the resort. "It's too perfect."
"Then I'm doing something right," Avery said.
That afternoon, they returned to their room but Avery didn't let Noël go in. Instead, he pulled him to the bungalow next door.
"Wait... what is this?" Noël asked.
Avery opened the door with a theatrical smile. Inside was a completely new wardrobe, arranged neatly on minimalist racks and shelves. Everything from smart casual to summer looks, linen shirts, designer trousers, swimwear, and even shoes that actually fit Noël's feet.
Noël stood frozen. "You bought... all of this... for me?"
"It wasn't difficult to remember your sizes," Avery said, brushing off the stunned look. "After all, I got to see and touch evey corner of your body plus you can't keep wearing the same three outfits. How do you even manage to shuffle them into different looks?"
Noël bit his lip, too overwhelmed to speak and a bit embarrassed. Avery stepped forward and gently pulled him into his arms. "You deserve more and I want you to believe that too."
They stayed like that for a while, until Noël muttered, "I don't know what I did to deserve this."
Avery looked down at him, thumb brushing under his eye. "You existed."
As the sun began to set, Avery led Noël to the final surprise. A private dinner set up on a cliff edge overlooking the ocean. The sky was painted with streaks of gold and rose as lanterns glowed softly around them.
A small cake sat in the middle of the table with the words "Happy Birthday, Noël" written in elegant cursive.
Noël stared at it, lip trembling. "I've never had a full birthday cake before, I wish I could share them with my nana" he thought of his carefully taker who used to buy him cupcakes for his birthdays.
Avery lit the candle himself. "Then make a wish. Your nana isn't here but I'm sure she knows you are doing well" Avery said thinking she was probably looking from heaven. He didn't know when to tell Noël the truth but it was definitely not on this day.
Noël closed his eyes. He didn't say what he wished for. But when he opened them and saw Avery watching him like he was the only thing in the world that mattered, he knew the wish might've already come true.
They sat close, fed each other cake, and laughed until their cheeks hurt. Avery kept looking at Noël like he still couldn't believe he was real.
When they returned to their room that night, Noël stopped at the door.
"Thank you," he whispered. "For today. For everything."
Avery leaned in, brushing his lips just barely against Noël's. "I'll do it all again next year. And the year after that. Just stay with me."
Noël's cheeks flushed, and he nodded. "I will."