“You’re about to go down in flames you worrisome wart!” Zas yelled at Ezza.

“That’s what you think you brainless play boy! Take that!” Ezza yelled back.

“Oh you’re gonna pay nerd.” Zas said, his tone cold.

“Muffins! As much as I enjoy listening to the two of you battle it out, I have work. A little more quiet please.” Cameron called out from the computer desk. Both men looked away from from the tv where they were racing each other on a video game and looked at him in confusion.

“You’re loud.” Cameron said to them after a moment. Zas and Ezza turned back to their game and continued to play it quietly. After a few moments they shut it off, it just wasn’t the same now. Ezza asked if anyone would like a drink and then went to make their orders.

“Honestly, you two are like children.” Cameron said. Zas who was just taking a seat at the bar grinned at Ezza who grinned back.

                                    

“Yes Dad, sorry Dad.” They said in unison making Cameron shake his head and let out an exasperated snort.

“So what time is Dina coming over?” Zas asked Ezza. Today they were decorating for the holidays. Dina had insisted and Zas had refused at first, Cameron as well saying it was dumb. Ezza however had gone along with Dina, and had insisted so Zas had finally said yes, which made Cameron agree to watch this ‘impending disaster.’

“After Noon.” Ezza replied.

“Got everything ready?” Zas asked him. He already knew the answer. Ezza had gone out and spent about a pay check buying everything under the sun to decorate with. The pay check before that had been about gifts.

“Yup, don’t worry I got this.” Ezza said drying his shaker to put away. Zas just nodded, this would be a unique experience to say the least. They didn’t have Holidays on their planet. Both men sipped their drinks and stared longingly at the new game system that Cameron had brought home the other day.

Cameron had been promoted at work to Ace Engineer and bought the game system as a congratulatory present to himself. He had insisted that they go out for dinner in celebration and had taken the boys to Chez Llama to celebrate. Ezza had been excited about it because he liked the food. Zas had been a bit jealous that Ezza had been there before him, but as they ordered and then ate, those feelings had melted away. They had gotten lost in conversations about their days and the food. Cameron had thought they were nuts for trying to dissect their food when they could just enjoy it. He had also snapped photos of all their food. He said he would show them later.

          

           

When they had made it home, he had shown them the new games system and showed them how to play a few games. Zas and Ezza had been hooked right away. They’d been playing ever since every spare minute they had. Even now they were starting the system back up, but a knock sounded at the door.

“Thank the gods.” Cameron said. He went to answer the door as the boys put the controllers down and packed it away.

“Hello Dina.” Cameron said ushering her into the house. Dina came bouncing in with a big grin.

“Hey Cameron. I didn’t know you were going to be here too, glad you are though.” She said giving him a hug. Cameron smiled and returned the hug.

“Glad to see you too Hun.” He said. Then Dina walked over to Ezza and gave him a hello kiss.

“Oh come on!” Zas said, “We don’t want to see that all day.”

 

“Upto you friend, but it’s happening. If you’re feeling jealous, you can kiss Cameron.” Ezza said jokingly.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Cameron said closing his eyes and puckering his lips. Zas threw a pillow off the couch and hit Cameron in the face with it. Everyone laughed.

 

Three hours after they started, Zas, Ezza, and Cameron were hanging out at the bar having a rest. Why humans found this so enjoyable was beyond them. They had started decorating and had been stringing up the garland when Zas had reared his head.

“No, no. You’re hanging it wrong. It should be a couple of inches higher, and don’t put those two colours together!” He started issuing orders. After about 20 minutes everyone shoved him outside with boxes of lights and told him that they wouldn’t be able to do the inside and the outside if they didn’t split up. When he had protested about doing it alone, Dina had told him to take Cameron. Cameron had put up a fight, but when Ezza explained that they needed their expertise on the outside both men had settled down and agreed to do it.

          

Dina and Ezza had spent a semi-pleasant day decorating and flirting with each other inside while listening to Zas and Cameron argue about light arrangements outside. Finally they had regrouped and Ezza had gone into his room and pulled out all the presents he had gotten everyone. Zas did the same and Cameron came out with a cute little box which he gave to Dina.

          

“Where’s ours?” Zas had asked him.

“When you become cute, I’ll give you one too. However, I gave us all a present a little while ago. You’ve been playing on it.” Cameron said flatly.

Zas had pouted a bit which made Dina and Ezza laugh. Cameron had gotten a stack of blue wrapped presents from everyone. Dina had laughed when she’d seen that they all wrapped his in blue paper.

“Great minds think alike.” Ezza had said placing a kiss on her neck. Dina had blushed and Cameron and Zas had made disgusted noises.

“If you don’t like the sweater, I can replace it.” Dina said as Cameron looked at his gift. It was a red and green shirt that not even a rat dying of frostbite would have sought shelter in.

“I love it Hun. Thank you so much.” Cameron said with a sincere smile on his face. “I just hope you like my gift.”

Dina nodded her head. She loved the tablet he had gotten her. Cameron had even loaded a few games and shopping programs on it for her that he thought she’d like.

Zas had a stack of black and white presents under their tree. He had received new appliances and cookbooks, and an ugly sweater similar to Cameron’s from Dina. He had thanked them all although he refused to wear the sweater so Dina could get a pic.

Ezza had opened all his presents which had turned out to be wrapped in green. When he mentioned seeing a pattern in the presents, Dina just said it was because they all knew each other so well. He had been pleased with the new cocktail books, and books. He had received a few herb gardening kits, and one half eaten cookie, curtesy of Zas.

“I forgot where I put it, must have wrapped it by accident. If you don’t want it, I’ll finish it.” He had said reaching forward. Before he could grab it, or Ezza could pull it out of his reach, Cameron leaned forward and snatched it up. Shoving it in his mouth, he pronounced it yummy. Zas and Ezza stared in shock, while Dina howled with laughter at the looks on their faces.

Of course the largest pile of presents had been for Dina. Everything from makeup and jewellery, to dresses and shoes had been in her pile from Ezza. When she had embarrassingly said she didn’t know where she’d wear all these clothes, Ezza had smiled and told her he’d find lots of places for her to wear them. Which of course prompted disgusted sounds from Zas and Cameron again. Dina wadded up a piece of wrapping paper and threw it at them.

After Zas made them all some tea, Dina brought out a box and said this was her treat for the day. She explained about the Holiday crackers. Everyone got excited to open them, and after they had been distributed, they had been about to open them when Dina’s phone rang. After a few moments she hung up. It had been Nina, and she needed help at home. Kissing Ezza goodbye and hugging Zas and Cameron goodbye she had taken her cracker and left. The three men looked at each other and then pulled their crackers. Cameron had recieved a top. Ezza and Zas had each recieved a small doll. Small in stature they were quite ugly. Zas however loved his, so Ezza asked him if he wanted his too. Zas had agreed happily and then went to put them in his room. They relaxed for the rest of the night, Cameron even joined them in a game on the tv.

                          

Ezza and Zas relaxed on the couch with a drink in their hands, Cameron was on the phone with someone in Ezza’s room.

“Today was a good time. I thought it was stupid at first, but it was actually really nice.” Zas confessed.

“Yeah, did not see you coming though.” Ezza said chuckling.

“Sorry, too many years having to control art experiments with Mai. If you didn’t control it you could end up a colour in metallic cooling cloth, rainbow style.” Zas said remembering his sisters creative experiments. A sad smile spread across his face. Ezza patted his arm.

“Soon friend, between you and Cameron, it’ll happen soon. I think Mai will love Cameron.” Ezza said.

“Hey! Why do I have to keep him?” Zas asked offended.

“Free babysitting?” Ezza tried. As the two men bickered back and forth Cameron came back, and talk turned to more pleasant thing though the night.