Jared x Reader

Taking yet another tote from the garage, you placed it down on the driveway, wondering exactly what you had gotten yourself into. Decorating the front of the house with lights had always been a tradition with you and your Dad. But now that he was gone, the tradition had fallen on your shoulders.

Your Mom had assured you that she would be fine without lights this year. Knowing all the work involved, and how busy you were. But it didn't seem right. Coming home for Christmas to a dark house, one that had always been so warm and inviting.

But you couldn't leave it that way. Not for you, and not for your Mom. Both of you were struggling with the season, missing your Dad more and more each day. A little brightness was needed.

Opening the hard plastic, you began pulling out the huge tangeled mess of wire and lights. Sighing, you sat down, beginning the long task of untangling them so you could hang them up.

An hour later, you felt like you hadn't made any headway. Sure, there were some strands laying on the grass, untangled and checked to make sure they were working. But so many more were needing your attention, and you weren't sure how much more you were willing to do.

"Y/N!" A very familiar voice called out. A voice from your childhood, one that you had missed so much.

Dropping the strands to the ground, you stood up, just in time to be engulfed in a huge warm embrace. Sinking into the soft flannel, smelling the familiar musk that he always seemed to smell like. It was what you needed most today. "Jared, what are you doing here?"

"I had to come home for Christmas. Mom said you were here, and I didn't want you facing this alone." He told you, stepping back so you could look up at his face. His unique hazel eyes searched your face, his hair shaggier than ever. He had a hint of a beard on his face, and he looked tired. But he was here, and it was for you.

"Jared, thank you, but you didn't have to do that. I know you're busy filming, and you have that girlfriend. I just thought you'd spend the holiday with her."

"About that," he muttered, running his hand through his hair. "We broke up."

You squeezed his arm comfortingly, noticing your Mom watching through the window. "Jar, I'm so sorry."

He shrugged. "I was the one to break it off. It just wasn't working."

"Well, since you're here, maybe you could help a girl out," you suggested, ready to spend some time with your old childhood friend. A man you had always had strong feelings for. "I have all these lights, and I want to make this place look special. Just like Dad always did."

"I'd love to!" He exclaimed, picking up one strand of lights. "Why don't you get them ready, and I'll hang them up?"

"Sounds great. You probably won't even need a ladder," you teased. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the ladder before heading to the porch. Standing on the porch, he reached up, his flannel shirt pulling upwards, showing the sharp bone of his hip. He was skinnier than you remembered, and you hoped you could bribe him with a cookie or two afterwards. Maybe even some hot chocolate.

"Feels like old times, doesn't it?" He asked when you brought him another strand of lights. "Me and you, playing out in our connected front yards. Your Mom watching from the window, making sure we were behaving."

"I don't think I could handle this if you weren't here," you admitted, tears welling up in your eyes.

Coming down from the ladder, Jared used the pad of his thumb to brush away the tear.

"I'll always be here for you," he assured you. "Actually, that's why my last relationship didn't work. Or, if I'm being truthful, all of them. Because they weren't you. I never felt like I could be myself around them. Not like with you."

"Jar, what are you saying?"

"I wanted to be here for you because I knew this Christmas was going to be hard. But I also wanted to be here because I finally figured it out. You're the first person I want to talk to. You've always been there for me, and it's taken me this long to realize that I love you."

"You do?" You asked, wondering if this was really happening. You had secretly dreamed of this moment for quite some time, but you hadn't expected it to happen.

"Please say you feel the same. That I'm not the only one," he pleaded.

"Jar, I've wanted to say something for a long time. I've just been too scared," you admitted. "But I love you too."

"Great!" He exclaimed, pulling you in for a tight hug.

"Maybe this Christmas won't be so hard after all," you whispered.