It hadn't taken long to run to the nearest grocery store and find what he needed the day they were headed to the airport. The snow had melted enough it was easy to drive in and recipe was simple enough that anyone could've followed it. And everything smelled good, so that was always reassuring. Everleigh had woken up a few minutes before and taken the dog out—a gift.

Everything was going well.

Until Stevie walked out. And, he supposed, Brendon followed behind her. But he was less important in not seeing what Maverick was doing.

Maverick screamed. Scanned across the counter trying to figure out what the hell to cover up so she didn't spoil her own surprise. Too much work had been put into the fried eggs and he was nearly done. He opted for a high pitched and loud, "Cover your eyes right now do not come out here, Stevie Kealoha—" that was far more frantic than it needed to be.

"Don't last name me you fuckin' spoon I am starving and if you ate the last sugar cookie I'm going to strangle you—"

"Plenty of time for cookies later get the fuck out of here right now—"

"God, what is that smell?" Stevie asked. "Did you do something to the cookies? Did you put them back into the oven and burn them? Everleigh said you're not allowed to touch the cookies."

"I didn't touch the cookies, I would never touch the cookies—" Maverick said. "This isn't ready. Can you please go back to your room? I need like two minutes. And before you say it, no, I don't mean MST minutes."

"I don't trust you," Stevie said. Took a step toward the kitchen just to watch him squirm. "Show Brendon a good faith gesture that you didn't ruin the cookies since you won't fuckin' get your hands off me."

"If you give me two minutes, you can see for yourself, Stev." He could see the crispy edge on the eggs. All he needed to do was plate and garnish with the green onions he'd already cut.

"Fine, I'll go back to my room to starve then since I know you're about to show me burnt ass cookies," Stevie said. She turned on her heel and started walking back to her bedroom.

"Whatever gets you back there."

Maverick moved quickly. Topped the food with the fried eggs and practically threw handfuls of green onion at each plate.

"Okay, it's done," Maverick called. He looked up at Stevie halfway through the door. Oops. "You're fine to come out."

Stevie froze. "I don't even want to go back anymore."

Brendon pushed her back into the room. "That smells good, Mav."

"What is..." Stevie walked over. With a purpose. Looked at the four plates of food. Narrowed her eyes. "Is that what I think it is?"

Maverick suddenly felt very insecure in his ability to follow a recipe. It hadn't seemed that hard at the time. By no means was he trying to pretend it would be as good as anything she could've gotten in Honolulu, but it was one he knew how to make all the elements for. He stumbled, "I mean, it's close—I tried my best—"

"You made... loco moco?" Stevie asked. "Did Everleigh help you?"

Perfect timing for his favourite person to come through the front door with their dog.

"Everleigh bakes, I cook," Maverick said. "I looked up the Liliha Bakery recipe—"

"The what—" Stevie asked. She made a face.

Everleigh kicked off her boots at the same time she pulled her coat off. Quickly took Dewey's harness off him. "Liliha. Fuckin' spoon."

Dewey ran over to his feet and was rewarded a small bite of hamburger patty for rubbing against Maverick's leg.

"That's... Oh my god," Stevie said. "You did the mushies gravy too."

"I hope it's alright—" Maverick said. The plating was something to be desired in his frantic panic to try and get everything done before Stevie and Brendon woke up, but what he had tasted along the way was pretty good, if he was allowed to think that.

"Promise he can cook better than he can speak," Everleigh said. She dropped her coat on the coat hanger and walked over.

"Rude," Maverick said. Though, he did earn a kiss on the cheek from Everleigh for it. So, worth it.

"It's—" Stevie started crying. Hard.

Brendon elbowed her gently. "Thank you, Maverick—"

Stevie let out a loud snort. "Thank you, Maverick." She ran over to him and held her arms out. Barely got close enough to start wrapping her arms around him when—

He pushed her face away from him. "Ew, don't touch me, just eat or the fucking egg will get cold—"

Stevie picked up the spot of flour he'd missed trying to clean up his gravy mess and flicked it at him. "Don't mind if I do, thank you."

"Leigh," Brendon said. A little too pointedly. "After you."

(The talk the night before had probably been the reason Everleigh wanted to take Dewey out. She wasn't mad—but she sure as shit wasn't happy about it. Mad at herself, maybe. Upset with him for bringing it up, absolutely. But for what the subject was, it went about as well as it could've. Which was all either of them could ask for.) (She'd cried and fallen asleep on his chest and stayed there until morning. Maverick knew he wasn't a magician, but there were too many times where he wished he could shake a wand and make everything hurt less. That was one of those times.)

Everleigh willingly grabbed the plate closest to her.

"Bash," Maverick said. "Your tu—"

Didn't have to tell the professional athlete once. He was two bites in before Maverick could finish his three words. "Fuck, some real food finally."

"You mean you didn't want to live on sugar cookies?" Maverick asked, eating a pointed bite.

"They survived on flour, evidently," Stevie said.

Maverick finished his bite. "Literally. I had to go buy more to make the damn gravy."

And he'd do it again in a heartbeat if it brought the light back to Stevie's eyes every single time.

"Thankfully you didn't use the stuff on your face," Stevie said. But she smiled into the bite she was taking. "This is so good, Mav."

"Good, I'm glad." The bites he'd taken were good, but it didn't matter a damn if Stevie hadn't liked it.

"Thoughts, Everleigh?" Stevie asked as Brendon reached for seconds.

Not to roast his own turkey, but Maverick had made a couple extra patties, more rice, and gravy, in the event that anyone wanted more. Thank god Brendon was more than willing. He didn't have time to offer to fry up another egg when Brendon had already doven into the plate.

"Better than a Mexican pizza," Everleigh said.

Her and Stevie exchanged a smile like they knew something the rest of the cabin didn't. When didn't they? That's how girl talk worked.

"And what about beans on toast?" Maverick asked. Hid his laughter behind another bite.

"Fuckin' obviously better," Everleigh said. She threw a piece of rice at him. "Who do you think I am?"

Maverick shrugged. "English."

"... Fair." Everleigh took an otherwise silent bite of her breakfast.

"Good time to mention I changed our tickets last night," Stevie said. There was a smile fighting for room on her face and Maverick wished he'd accepted her hug earlier. "Going back... home for a few days. Need to see the city lights."

"Honolulu hale?" Maverick asked.

"Hale," Everleigh corrected.

"Even I knew that one, Mav," Brendon said.

Maverick fought the urge to say he should know most if not all of them. "I'm so sorry. I'm working on it."

"You're forgiven," Stevie said. She gave him a thumbs up. "Egg is perfect."

"Thank you," Maverick said. "I'm glad."

"What time did we need to head over to the airport again?" Brendon asked when he finally took a breath.

"Two—" Maverick started.

"Four," Everleigh said.

Maverick looked at her. Watched that smile he'd fallen in love with sneak onto her lips. He tilted his head a little. "You didn't."

"I'm not sorry," Everleigh said.

"Did the snow tires do the..." Stevie stopped for a moment and considered what she was trying to ask. "... melt the rest of the ice thing?"

"That's not how they work—" Brendon said.

"Snow tires melted the rest of the ice thing," Maverick said. Because it was easier. "Totally fine to drive now."

"Good, good," Stevie said. "Jenny would flip out if she found out we were stuck here."

Maverick considered not asking the question on his mind but did it anyway. "Can you call her and tell her we are? I just want to see what she'd say—"

"I mean," Stevie said, "if you really want me to—"

"You really don't think she'd fly to London and wait to kill you at Heathrow?" Everleigh asked.

"Fine," Maverick said. "Don't."

"Too late, I've already started—" Stevie had her phone pressed to her ear. "Oh, hey, Jenny. Sorry to bother you so early, but I just wanted to let you know that Calgary is still locked down so we won't be back until a few more days. Is that—" Stevie stopped. "Right. Yeah." She side eyed Maverick. "Technically Mav's idea, yeah. Oh... Okay, see you when I see you. Bye."

Brendon looked mildly amused. "And three, two, one..."

Maverick sprinted to the door as it started ringing and threw it out into the snow.

"You do realize you can't tell her now that it was a joke and she really will be on her way to London as we speak," Stevie said.

"Dewey, buddy." Maverick clapped his hands a couple times. "Want to go grab dad's phon—"

"You threw it," Everleigh said.

"He loves the snow."

Dewey's ears perked up but he got entirely too distracted when Everleigh fed him a piece of meat. He cuddled up to her leg in an attempt to get more. Traitor.

"Go," Everleigh said to Maverick.

Maverick stepped into Everleigh's boots and quickly ran out into the snow to grab it. Luckily, it sat on top of the fluffy stuff and hadn't sunk any deeper. And it still worked perfectly fine. He raced back into the cabin and kicked off her boots by the door.

"What if I just text Jenny that I was joking—"

"She'll think you're lying," Stevie said. "And get more mad."

"Why does she hate me—" Maverick screamed again when his phone rang. He pressed it to his ear after accepting the call. Blurted out, "Hi Jenny I'm so sorry it was a joke and not a very good one I'm sorry I'm breathing and still above ground Merry Christmas planes are on time love you Happy Hanukkah maybe the album is done and sounds great okay love you bye." before immediately hanging up.

There had been a reason Everleigh had stolen his phone that morning to mindlessly play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and left him to watch before they'd gotten out of bed: hers was still in one of the dog dishes left around the cabin. It vibrated loudly as Jenny called her, bubbled as everyone stared at it, and breathed its final watery breath before it gave them all the white screen of death.

"Stevie," Everleigh said, looking at the other woman with fear in her eyes. "If you love me, can you please tell her I had nothing to do with this—"

"Oh, she said you're her favourite," Stevie said and Everleigh visibly relaxed. "Probably just calling you 'cause she knows you'd let her yell at him."

"I'm going to send her a second Christmas gift as soon as we're home," Everleigh said.

"So she doesn't kill me?"

Everleigh made a face at him. "As an apology for not being able to let her yell at you."

Stevie smiled. "She'll appreciate it."

*

Maverick considered himself lucky that he was driving, otherwise he would've started crying before they got to the airport. Because he was behind the wheel, he was simply disallowed to feel anything because he was focused on getting the four of them there in one piece.

As they were leaving the car in a rental spot, Maverick grabbed Everleigh's wrist to get her attention. "Did we really not leave anything behind?"

"I checked twice—"

Maverick let her arm go and they both exited the vehicle. "I swear, I brought... something else. And I swear harder, they're not in my suitcase."

"Kingston—" Everleigh said as they walked around the side of the car. "I'm telling you there wasn't anything left in our room—Brendon even checked for you—"

"I'm telling you we're missing—" Maverick stopped as he looked at the only person who was ever the reason for his vinyls going missing. "Stevie."

Everleigh all but groaned. "Stevie's right there—"

"First your hearing. Now your sight," Stevie said, shaking her head. "What's next, Maverick?"

Where was the nearest pile of snow when one needed it?

"You little—"

"Will you relax?" Everleigh asked.

"Hope you have a safe flight back to London," Stevie said. "Must have a lot of great music waiting back at your apartment—or should I say flat."

"I'm so happy we're done," Maverick said.

Everleigh looked at him with a renewed sort of frustration. That look was given to him at least twice a week. "Told you not to bring vinyl with you, Kingston. You didn't even listen to it—"

"That doesn't mean it's hers—"

"Consider it part of my Christmas present," Stevie said.

"What about all those other times—" Brendon offered. On Maverick's side for the first time in his life. Maybe that was Maverick's Christmas gift.

"Presents for bringing such joy to his life every day," Stevie answered.

"Lucky me."

"Here." Stevie dug something out of her bag and handed it to him.

Fuck Stevie Kealoha.

It was a snowglobe that showed the Windsor cityscape bathed in snow. His favourite time to be home. In the middle was a photo of Stevie and him grinning at their first Christmas spent together. One of the first photos they'd ever taken, actually.

"Album wrap party gift."

"You—" Maverick took it from her and tried not to let his lip tremble. Of course he failed. "Fuck you. I was so going to cry on the plane like a normal person—"

"Thank you, Stevie," Everleigh said pointedly. Like it wasn't wholly implied in his very succinct fuck you.

"Thank you." Maverick stepped on his toe to keep from crying. Why he thought that would work was beyond him. "I regret mailing your present. Should've made you suffer in public."

"Was fire signs in Chicago not enough?" Stevie asked.

Honestly, if she wanted the truth, fire signs had been the tip of the iceberg. For all that she was to him, the least he could've done was write her a song to thank her. By god, it wasn't much.

Maverick felt a few too many hot tears stream down his cheeks. "That was months ago—"

"I hope you go through security and think you're fine but then you get to your gate and you're waiting to board and you end up sobbing next to an old man chewing with his mouth open so you know how I felt—"

"You were surrounded by friends—" As if Maverick wasn't surrounded by his favourite people on planet earth. Was literally pulling his crated dog out of the back that he shared with Everleigh.

"Thanks, babes," said the love of his life who he wouldn't trade for anything ever.

"—That's completely different than strangers—"

"Say sorry," Brendon said. "You didn't mean it."

"Why do I always have to say sorry—" Maverick protested.

"Say you're sorry or I'm taking the snowglobe back."

Maverick choked back on a sob. "I'm sorry."

"Okay," Brendon said. He looked at his phone. "We really do have to go so—"

"Um... Okay... I guess we'll just—" Stevie didn't finish her sentence before she matched how hard Maverick had started crying.

"This is why we leave for the airport two hours earlier than we need to," Brendon said.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Everleigh said at the same time.

Maverick was sure that in some parallel universe, he and Stevie were complaining about Brendon and Everleigh taking too long to say goodbye. But that didn't matter a damn because he didn't live in that universe. He lived in the universe where he had to fly halfway across the world and ten hours ahead of time. The days he was in London were the days he barely got to talk to Stevie because they were far too different planes of existence. At least Toronto was only five hours ahead. That was manageable—especially with how shitty his sleep schedule was on any given day.

"Why don't I take Bash's seat and Bash can have mine—" A bold suggestion when Brendon spent more time in London than Maverick did.

"Absolutely not," Brendon said. He looked offended that Maverick had even thought it, let alone spoke the words out loud. "I've been stuck in this damn blizzard and I want to go lay down on a beach with actual sunlight."

"But what if we don't see each other for—" Stevie sniffled loudly. "I think we should go back."

Maverick nodded. "I think so too."

"... Stevie, lovely," Everleigh said. Her words were calculated, chosen thoughtfully. But that didn't matter when Stevie and Maverick were already past the point of missing each other and they hadn't even separated at that point. "Are you not flying out next weekend—"

"It's gonna feel like an eternity—"

"Don't tell me they forgot—" Brendon said.

"I already have the bed made up," Maverick said. "I can't even prep which means I can't even look forward to it because everything's ready—"

"That doesn't make any sense—" Everleigh heaved her carry-on out of the vehicle. First one in, last one out. Without another word, she started heading into the airport.

Brendon easily fell into stride with her. "Is he saying the bed's ready 'cause they both know they're seeing each other in a week or because he always has it ready for her to visit?" Brendon asked. "I honestly can't tell anymore."

It was Maverick's turn to be offended as he and Stevie walked behind the other two. What was the point in having two houses if Stevie and Brendon didn't have a designated bedroom in both? What was the point in inviting them over if the bedsheets weren't cleaned regularly just in case one of them happened to drop by unannounced? More likely Brendon when he was there for training with Windsor. Maverick and Stevie had each other on Find My Friends and they had lost the element of surprise ever since. But that didn't mean he didn't wash the sheets weekly just in case. It was his routine at that point.

Everleigh sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Maverick. A little judgingly. "I think it's both."

"But a week is a long time for the bed to be empty—" Maverick said.

Brendon and Everleigh ignored them and compared their boarding passes, reading the large, everchanging board to find out where their respective gates were.

"What if Dewey goes into the room thinking I'm there but I'm not—" Stevie gasped. "Oh god, he's gonna think I abandoned him too—"

The animal in question was in his crate at Maverick's feet. He tried to claw Stevie's leg in a show of solidarity but couldn't get his paw out. It broke Maverick's heart a little bit.

Brendon looked over his shoulder like he was questioning the last two years of his relationship. "No, he's not. What the fu—"

"You're going to have to FaceTime him—" Maverick said.

"Of course, of course," Stevie said. "Don't want him to forget what I look like. And like, well, we have to do our daily performances of Defying Gravity."

Everleigh turned like her fight had been activated—skipped right over the option of flight. (Maverick supposed that meant she was still willing to fly British Airways with him.) (He took the small win.) "Can I reiterate that's not happening next weekend—"

"Why do you hate us?" Maverick asked.

Brendon crossed his arms. "Didn't you guys practice a whole choreographed thing for this?"

"Uh... no." Stevie exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Maverick. "We wouldn't do that. But if we did, it would be a surprise."

"Because Everleigh loves surprises—" Maverick said. That was what he had learned in the two years of getting a finger poked up his ass in many, many public places. She thought the surprise to him was hilarious.

"I hate surprises—"

"Especially for a milestone birthday," Maverick said.

Everleigh rolled her eyes and shoved his boarding pass at him. "We're breaking up before the next one."

"He's my plus one," Stevie said immediately.

"Hello?" Brendon, her partner, said.

"New plan," Everleigh said. "Brendon's the only one invited and we're drinking, listening to country music, and getting a good night's sleep."

"I agree with this plan," Brendon said.

"That sounds like no fun," Maverick said. Though maybe his 30th birthday had been... slightly different than other people's 30th birthdays. Even if they had a gigantic party like he'd had. "Boring. Lame."

Boring like Everleigh telling Maverick she didn't want anything special for her birthday and that she'd take a quiet evening in because, for once, she wasn't working a night shift.

Lame like Everleigh not booking the entire day off so her friends and family had to throw her party on the weekend after her birthday.

"And who's gonna eat all the birthday cookies if it's just the two boring losers there?" Stevie asked. "They'll probably just end up throwing them at each other—"

"We really need to go now," Brendon said. Because he hadn't been curtly disinvited from Everleigh's birthday.

"Bye," Everleigh said. "Have a safe fli—"

Maverick couldn't help himself. When the floodgates opened, there was no dam in the world that could stop them. He hugged Brendon first. Knocked his glasses clean off he'd hit the other man so hard.

Maverick imagined Everleigh rolled her eyes. "Oh, bloody hell."

A couple back pats from Brendon. "That's enough of that. Bye, Maverick."

Maverick pulled away before Brendon found more snow to throw at him. Barely had time to grab his glasses that Everleigh had lovingly picked up for him before she was attacked by Stevie's hug. People were starting to stare and Maverick couldn't find it in him to care.

"Goodbye, love of my life. Thank you for baking all the cookies," Stevie said. (Brendon cleared his throat awfully loudly.) "I don't know how I'll survive without them."

"Reminding you once again that we are seeing them again in a week." Brendon was gentle as he peeled Stevie off of Everleigh, who barely liked being touched by Maverick most of the time.

Everleigh gave her a stiff smile once she'd reminded herself she could relax now that she wasn't being touched. "I'll bake some chai sugar cookies for next Friday, okay?"

"You'll make some—" Stevie looked like she wanted to hug Everleigh again. Everleigh took a step away from her. "Are you sure? It's your birthday, is that too much?"

"They're just cookies," Brendon said. He pulled Stevie by the shoulder a little farther away from Everleigh. Perhaps a parting gift, perhaps a birthday gift. "I think she can manage."

"Friday's baking day anyway, Stevie—" Everleigh tried.

She wasn't lying. Throughout the week she collected random recipes and if she was willing to try them, whether they were a new cookie recipe or a meal, she'd send them to Maverick while she was on break at work or school and he'd compile a list of groceries to buy. Friday was her one day off everything, and he hoped her from two years ago knew how special it was that she dedicated it to making food. He loved watching her light up when one of the recipes became a new favourite. The best smile in the world.

"God, you're so nice," Maverick said. "I love you."

"I love you more—" Stevie said.

"And I'm going to leave soon, so if you're getting on the plane—" Brendon trailed off as he and Everleigh bumped fists. One of their more sentimental goodbyes, Maverick noted. "Later, Meadowlark."

"Bye, Bash," Everleigh said.

They both walked in opposite directions, leaving Stevie and Maverick to watch them go. Everleigh had even taken Dewey's crate with her and left him with his vinyl-less suitcase.

Maverick blinked and turned back to Stevie. "Do you actually think they'll leave without us...?"

"I... I think so," Stevie said. "Also, he took my backpack with my wallet and ID so—"

Maverick's chin trembled. Bottom lip quivered. "I guess we really do have to go."

"I guess so..." Stevie cried as she hugged him. "Love you."

"Love you too," Maverick said. "Fly safe."

"Call me when you land, please."

"I will. I promise," Maverick said. "Text me when you land even when I'm still in the air."

"Better yet, if they have wifi, pay for it and I'll reimburse you," Stevie said. "Need to send you all the sad songs I'm gonna listen to on our flight."

"You don't have to reimburse," Maverick said. "Obviously I'll pay for wifi. We could make a collaborative playlist."

"I'll send you the link but I insist," Stevie said. "It'll be part of your Christmas present."

Stevie was pulled away from him by an aggressive and handsome Brendon who had found a cart to walk all their belongings to check-in in his absence. "Maverick, we are leaving. Goodbye."

Stevie broke free from him and ran back over to Maverick. "No, we weren't done yet."

"Bash, you're such a party pooper—" Maverick said. He yelped when the top of his ear got pinched and pulled him further away from Stevie.

"We have to go," Everleigh said. Clearly didn't care if all he brought him with him was the snowglobe in his hand.

"We were saying goodbye—" Maverick said.

Everleigh stopped only so she could glare at him without running into anyone else. "I will grab you by the fucking nose ring if you don't come with me—"

"Just one more hug I promise—" Stevie said.

It was moot when Brendon was as annoyed as he was. It took zero effort on his part to pick her up with a single arm and throw her over his shoulder. Pushed the suitcase cart with one hand. "Goodbye, Maverick."

"Goodbye—" Stevie called.

"Love y—" Maverick had never been dragged by the nose ring before, but he never needed that to ever be something he experienced again. He grabbed his suitcase with his free hand as he was pulled farther away from his twin fire sign. "Ow, I'm coming—"

For as long as they stood in the check-in line, Maverick stood there and shook the snowglobe. Watched the snow fall across the cityscape. Smiled to himself as he thought about the first Christmas—smiled wider at all the Christmases yet to come. He turned it over in his hand and held it a little closer to his face so he could focus on what he was looking at.

On the other side of the photo was a note he hadn't noticed before: to the other half of my brain cell. thanks for making all of my christmases bright.

Maverick took a deep breath. Leaned his head lightly into Everleigh's shoulder and ignored the wet spots he left on her jacket. Tried to keep his composure all the same.

Everleigh read it quickly and smiled softly. Kissed his forehead.

One week.