Is It Love? Part 3

The most adorable blush appeared on Michael's cheeks and Linc couldn't stop his heart from fluttering at the sight. "Yes." Michael answered without looking away.

A happy smile lit Linc's eyes, turning them to an amazing golden yellow, as bright as the sun in the middle of summer. He nodded enthusiastically only to find himself crushed to Michael's chest yet again. The wind shook the trees outside as they remained wrapped in their own world for several long moments. Finally, Michael was the first to break the silence. "I think it's time to get to sleep. Bryan's still like a little kid during Christmas and he'll be up bright and early."

"O..ok." Linc followed behind quietly, lost in thought. Oliver was never far from his thoughts, but Michael was starting to take his place. He could feel it. In his heart, Michael was slowly making his own space, shoving Oliver over. He didn't want to hurt Michael, and only hoped that he was as ready as his heart seemed to be. When he slipped between the covers, Michael gathered him close, like he was the most precious thing in the world. It brought tears to his eyes when he thought about the last time someone had held him, and it had only ended with him being handled roughly, painfully. "Good night." He whispered into the dark.

"Good night." Michael's breath whispered over his ear in a gentle caress.

It took some time for Linc to fall asleep. He heard Michael's breath even out and knew the instant he was asleep, but his own fears and uncertainty kept him awake until the early hours of the morning. The fingers of dawn were just creeping over the edge of the sky when the door to the bedroom was thrown open and a loud voice shouting for them to get out of bed before feet could be heard pounding down the stairs. Linc burrowed deeper not wanting to let go of the warmth and comfort.

He became aware of a warm object pressing against his stomach, instantly sending his eyes flying open as the events of the previous night came rushing back. Michael! The hand moved, rubbing at his bare(!) stomach. The shirt had ridden up in his sleep and now that hand rested against his soft flesh. He bit his lip as those wonderfully gentle fingers slid back and forth over his belly. "Michael?" He questioned hoarsely, his breathing deepening with the desire the other male's hand was stirring.

Michael nuzzled closer to the back of Linc's neck, elliciting a small snort of laughter from the slimmer teen when his breath tickled him. It made him feel good to hear Linc laugh. To know he was happy. "Merry Christmas, Linc." He pressed a kiss to the tantalizing nape of his neck and rolled away from him, off the bed and to his feet. "Come on." He grabbed Linc's hand and yanked him out of the bed.

Linc couldn't keep from smiling and just followed along behind him, trying to keep up with his quick pace. There were already sounds coming from the living room and he could hear Bryan exclaiming over the gifts under the tree. "Your brother really is like a little kid." Linc chuckled.

"I told you." Michael's silver eyes sparkled with mishcief and humor. "Wait." He abruptly stopped causing Linc to bump into him from behind. They were just outside the doorway of the living room, where no one could see them.

"What?" Linc frowned, watching as Michael swung around and had a purposeful look on his face. Before he could utter another word, Michael leaned down and kissed him thoroughly, bringing a flush of desire to Linc's cheeks.

"Mmm. Much better." Michael teased when he'd released the delectable mouth. "We can go in now."

Bryan sat on the floor near the tree with their parents on the sofa, leaving the loveseat for Michael and Linc. Linc wondered if they had done this on purpose because there was something in their faces that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he supposed that it was't a bad thing if they knew. They already knew Michael was gay since their son had taken another guy to the Prom, and they seemed to accept it, so if they knew, so be it. He smiled at them and wished everyone Merry Christmas. Michael perched beside him, his arm snaking along the back of the loveseat, almost as if declaring their decision from the night before, and causing another flush, this time from embarrassment, to flood his cheeks. He kept his face turned towards the tree and Bryan in hopes of hiding it.

It turned out that Michael's parents had bought him a gift, which left him astonished and feeling guilty. "But I didn't get you anything!" He protested, trying to refuse taking the gift.

"It's all right, honey. It's Christmas and it's about giving not receiving. Don't worry about it. You can give us a gift by taking care of Michael when you guys go back to school." Michael's Mom smiled encouragingly at him.

He reluctantly accepted the gift from Bryan, holding it on his lap and staring at it. "Open it. It's not going to bite." Michael whispered into his ear. "Although, I can't promise I won't." Linc reared back to stare at Michael in shock who winked at him and laughed at the look on his face. "Come on, open it!"

His little kitten was so adorable, Michael thought as he watched the boy slowly opening the wrapping as if ripping it would ruin the gift. He glanced at his mom and saw her watching both of them indulgently. He smiled at her and mouthed Thank You. She gave a slight nod and went back to watching Linc. She knew how he felt about Linc, and had been trying to persuade him to tell Linc the truth about his feelings, but he'd been afraid. Now it seemed that Linc returned some of his emotions, even if not as completely as his own.

Linc let out a small squeak of shock at the expensive paintbrush and oil set on his lap. "This is too expensive!" He protested, his eyes wide with panic. "I...I can't accept this."

"Of course, you can." She said calmly before turning back to watch her husband open the gift from her.

Linc gave a desperate look at Michael, but the other male was no help just shrugging with a feigned helpless expression. He couldn't stop looking at the set in his lap. It was beautiful. The paintbrushes were made of real cherrywood and had true horse hair as the bristles. The paints alone cost twelve dollars a bottle and there were ten of them in the set. He grimaced at the thought of how much this must have cost and he didn't even have anything to give them in return. The only one he'd bought something for had been Michael. That's when he remembered the gift he'd bought for Michael was still in the bottom of his duffle bag. He gently set the paint set aside and stood. "I'll be right back." He said before dashing out of the room and up the stairs.

He was digging in the bottom of his bag when Michael entered the room with a frown. "Are you all right?"

A sound of triumph, muffled by the bag, came from Linc when he pulled back. His hair was slightly touseled from the commotion of digging into the bag and he held up the gift with a grin. "I remembered the gift I got for you."

Michael's eyes widened and his lips parted on a sigh of shock. "You...got me a gift?" He asked in wonder.

"Of course. You're my best friend, aren't you? And I couldn't come here without one for you." Linc looked down in uncertainty. "And...I wanted to get something for you."

Michael advanced into the room and perched on the edge of the bed. "What is it?" He asked eagerly.

"You have to open it!" Linc bounced with excitement and handed the gift to Michael. "It was something I found in an antique shop a few days before we left. I...wasn't sure if you'd like it though."

The paper crinkled as Michael tore it off and found a plain white box underneath it. He lifted the cover off but could only stare. Inside lay a necklace. The chain was a slim black stretch of leather, but the pendant was what caught his eye. During the few months they'd been together in the dorm, Michael had revealed his love for butterflies. The beauty of them, the way they seemed to just float on the air lighter than a feather, and was always part of his signature on his paintings. The pendant was a sterling silver butterfly about the size of a quarter, and there were facets in it that made it shine. "It reminded me of you when I saw it. And your eyes." Linc admitted, keeping his eyes turned to the floor.

Michael slipped down to sit beside Linc. "Thank you. It's beautiful." His voice was husky with emotion and he picked up Linc's hand where it rested against his thigh, tugging him lightly, silently asking him to come to him.

Linc moved closer, still unable to meet those piercing silver eyes that he loved so much. That thought brought him up short, and he halted in his progress towards Michael. Loved? But this emotion was so different than what he'd felt for Ollie. Was what he'd felt for his childhood best friend nothing but a crush mistaken for love? "Linc?" Michael disturbed him from his thoughts and he looked up with a bright, happy grin, causing the other boy to blink.

He threw himself at Michael's chest, almost knocking him to the floor, and he felt Michael's arms instinctively wrap around him. Lips brushed against lips, slowly at first, as though waiting to see if rejection was imminent, but when none was received, the kiss deepened, pressing in harder. Hands roamed bodies as breathing deepened and became ragged, but before it could go beyond mere touching, a voice clearing in the doorway broke them apart. Linc flushed bright red, hiding his face in Michael's chest, which was rumbling with irritation at the same time as amusement. "Are you two going to come back downstairs anytime soon?" Bryan asked wryly. "There's still a few more gifts to open."

"We'll be down in a minute." Michael said, giving Linc the chance to compose himself. Once Bryan left the doorway, he tilted Linc's chin upward, to be able to look down at him. "You are so cute. Like a little kitten."

Indignation at being compared to a feline, and being called cute at the same time, came over Linc and he gave a heatless glare. "I am not a cat."

"No. I didn't say cat. I said kitten. My kitten." Michael whispered the last bit just before his lips lightly, briefly touched Linc's. "Let's get back downstairs." He stood and helped Linc up from the floor.

Even though it gave him a secret thrill to hear Michael call him 'his kitten', he grumbled, "I still don't know if I like being compared to a cat."

Michael just chuckled and continued out of the room, never once letting go of Linc's hand. Not even in front of his parents who were looking at them with a knowing smile. It wasn't long before they were cleaning up the mess of papers and packages in the living room. Michael's mother headed into the kitchen to work on the preparations for Christmas dinner and his father disappeared into his study while Bryan began toting his gifts upstairs to his room. Linc and Michael remained on the loveseat. "Has this Christmas turned out as well you thought?" Linc asked, still holding the leather bound sketchbook that Michael had given him.

"Even better." Michael stated with confidence, leaning over to feather a kiss along Linc's jawline.

"So you liked everything Santa brought you? I mean, that was a really nice leather jacket your parents got you, and of course, the watch Bryan got you was great." Linc teased laughingly, shifting as if getting ready to stand up.

An arm across his chest pinned him against the back of the sofa, and then Michael was looking him straight in the face. "You are the only gift I wanted for Christmas. There is nothing I wanted more."

Amber eyes widened in shock at how serious the other boy was, and Linc's breathed hitched in his throat, his stomach twisting, and his heart jolting almost painfully. It was mind-boggling to know that someone wanted him so much when the one person he'd wanted more than anything hadn't wanted him, had only hurt him, and it made it hard to draw air into his lungs. "I...I..."

The silver orbs clouded over, becoming a somber and stormy gray. "I'm sorry. I frightened you." Michael went to move away but Linc stopped him with a soft touch on his cheek.

"It's a bit overwhelming, Michael. Please, just give me a little time to adjust?" Linc pleaded, trying to convey his sincere emotions. He needed time to sort things out in his head.

Understanding and a tinge of relief came over the dark-headed teenager's face. "All right. Forgive me for pushing." He did pull away then, and resumed his place against the back of the couch.