Vigilante: Prompt Fills

Christmas Shopping

Matthew was screwed and not in the fun way.

It was approximately a quarter past nine on Christmas Eve, people were hardly walking around anymore, the chill and promise of food and warmth having driven them all home. All except for the poor unfortunate idiots who'd forgotten to do their Christmas shopping earlier. Idiots like Matthew.

He was hurrying down the street, scanning the shops for something—anything—that would make a suitable present for Eli. Matthew was doing his best to stay calm, but honestly, there was only so long he could stay out without incurring Eli's fury. Apparently, promising he wouldn't—as Eli put it—harass the city's petty criminals meant he wasn't allowed to leave the house in case he was a filthy liar.

You fake your death one time and suddenly you can't be trusted, Matthew thought in what he thought was most definitely not a petulant tone.

It was just as he was contemplating whether Eli would appreciate a new taser or just use it on him, that his phone rang. Matthew felt his heart drop at the sound of it. He still put on his fake cheery voice that he was sure worked on Eli. Of course it did.

"Eli, honey! My ginger angel! My—"

"What did you do?"

Matthew was only mildly offended at how done Eli sounded. Mildly because it wasn't like he hadn't screwed up. Still, rude.

"Nothing! Why do you always think I've done something wrong?"

"Because you always have." Matthew could practically hear the eye roll. "How much longer are you gonna be out? You've been gone for ages."

"Not long. Just, er, just thought I would get some . . . donuts! Yeah, donuts. You like donuts, right?" Matthew almost cried at how painfully suspicious he sounded. But he composed himself and merely cringed.

"Uh huh, sure. But weren't you going out for milk to bake more cookies, like, an hour ago?"

"Well yeah, just figured you might want a snack while you wait for the cookies." Matthew didn't think he'd ever manage to make that sound convincing. Not with the way he'd been trying to get Eli to cut back on the junk food.

"Really? So you're okay with me having disgustingly sweet, chocolate covered donuts and cookies." Well, Eli was definitely on to him.

"It is the holidays," Matthew said. When all else failed, blame the holidays.

"Uh huh, sure," Eli didn't sound convinced, but then Matthew was a terrible liar most of the time. "Well, try to get home before I lock up."

"You wouldn't," Matthew sounded downright betrayed. It was funny because they both knew Eli would. He just hoped the redhead wouldn't also lock the balcony door.

"I am hungry and you've been gone for an hour on a literal milk run, which means I haven't eaten. Do you really want to test me?" No, Matthew did not want to do that. Ever.

"Alright, alright, I'll head home right away," Matthew agreed. Mostly because it was cold and he didn't want to be locked out only to then have to sleep on the couch. Besides, a hungry Eli was a cranky Eli.

It was just seconds after he'd hung up that the reality of the situation really sank in. It was well past nine, most stores were closed or closing, and Matthew had nothing to give Eli for Christmas. There was a horrible feeling of guilt mixing in with the panic that threatened to overflow and for the first time in a while, Matthew had no clue about what he would do. The only thing he was certain of was that there was no way he would sit there on Christmas morning, empty handed.