Tycho has loved Christmas ever since he was a child. The Celchus always went all-out for the holiday, and when he'd found Wedge and realized how easily he was drawn into the spirit as well, he'd been so happy.

This is the third year they've spend the holiday together, and as has come to be their tradition, they set aside a Saturday when Wedge had nothing to work on and Tycho no papers to grade or lesson plans to write and pull all their decorations from the closet and put them up together. Tinsel is strung along every ledge. Twinkling lights frame the windows. Festive gel clings cover the glass and offer festive cheer to those passing by outside.

And, the pièce de résistance, a real tree dominates the living room. Tycho and Wedge stand arm in arm taking in their work. Softly glowing white lights are wound through the deep green branches, but that's where the fancy uniformity ends. The rest is a riot of color, all baubles of different colors and shapes from a dozen matching glass balls in red donated years ago by Wedge's mother to a beaded candy cane that was a gift from Tycho's youngest sister to a rough-hewn cinnamon-scented clay dog bone Wedge made in school as a child.

But there's one prominent spot on the front right in the middle of the tree that stands empty. A deliberate frame waiting for the most important decoration of all.

Wedge smiles as he steps away from Tycho and retrieves it from one of the boxes strewn across the couch. He gently removes the tissue paper and holds it out to his husband. “Do you want to do the honors this year?”

Tycho nods as he takes the ornament with reverence and careful hangs it in the prepared spot before standing back to look at it, Wedge pressed warm against his side once more.

It's a simple thing, really, but it means so much: made of wood, shaped like a pair of interlocked puzzle pieces, engraved with their names and the words Our First Christmas Together and the year they met in this life.

Tycho smiles softly. “It's perfect.”

“Perfect,” Wedge agrees, looking up at him. The lights sparkle in his eyes as he guides Tycho down into a kiss.