By Merrin
With Art by causeways

Two days after Christmas, Jared decides he wants to take advantage of the after Christmas sales—"Because, what, you can’t afford to pay full retail price?" Jensen asks, but Jared just ignores him—and it turns out Canadians are super polite except when being so loses them their forty percent discount. At some point, Jensen loses count of the number of elbows he’s gotten to the ribs and goes to wait for Jared in the car.

"Dude, you have no stamina," Jared says later, when he’s back in the car too. Jensen’s too tired to do anything but flip him off.

So it’s already been a long, slightly annoying day when they get back to the house at noon to find that Harley has eaten all the wrapping paper they’d neglected to dispose of and has thrown it up all over the carpet in the living room. There’s some on Jensen’s bed too.

"Take them for a walk," Jensen says. He can clean this up, and he knows Jared feels guilty about leaving the paper out anyway. He hands Jared the leashes from the hook by the back door.

Jensen’s just throwing his sheets in the washing machine when Jared gets back thirty minutes later. The dogs come bounding into the kitchen, sniffing at Jensen’s legs like they haven’t seen him in ages. Jared hasn’t come in yet, and the cold draft at Jensen’s feet suggests he hasn’t even shut the door.

"Did you see this?" Jared yells.

"See what?"

"C’mere!"

Jensen steps over where the dogs are sprawled on the floor. "What?"

Jared pushes the door in further so Jensen can see. It’s a wreath, a Christmas wreath that’s seen many, many better days. It’s musty and old smelling and has a wrinkled gold bow at the bottom, and two birds in the middle. Their beaks are close enough they could be kissing.

Jensen pokes it. "That-"

"Smells like cats."

Jensen shrugs as he walks back into the house and plops down on the couch. "Whatever, dude. Are you going to leave it there?"

"Sure, why not."

"Then shut the fucking door. It’s freezing outside."

Jared finally comes in and shuts the door, drops his coat on the floor. "Rosenbaum again?"

"Maybe it’s your stalker."

Jared flips him off. "Shut up. Just-" He drops down on the couch next to Jensen.

"What?"

"It’s not really a step up, is it? Getting the tree in the house was way harder than hanging some shit wreath on our door."

"Are you seriously analyzing this?"

Jared turns to him. "Waste of time?"

"Hell yes."

Jared collapses back into the couch cushions. "So," he says a minute later. "Game?"

"Who’s playing?"

"Right now? Wisconsin and Florida State."

Jensen nods. "Game."

on the third day of christmas...