"Let's face it, your parents don't know how to make coffee," Sterling made conversation with Mercer as they looked through insanely cheap and ugly Christmas sweaters at the thrift store near their apartment. They needed something to wear to this Thriftmus party that Maddie and Boone were having at their new home.
"I know." Mercer nodded, thinking that staying at his parents was not the best idea because he knew Sterling didn't want to sleep alone. Winter had brought on hibernation for the two in the apartment. T-shirt climate was not a thing in their space. It was definitely sweater weather to keep the thermostat down. But Sterling kept talking about coffee like it might code for something else.
"God, it's like brown water," Sterling said with disgust. Of course, he looked rather dapper in corduroy and a North Face outer coat that his sister had sent him for his birthday.
"I'll pack the Clever Coffee Dripper." Mercer had it under control. He'd probably get in bed with him way after midnight because he knew how Sterling couldn't sleep if he wasn't there.
"That..that thing," he looked squimish about his parents seeing the plastic coffee dripper. "It's nasty."
"It's just stained with coffee," Mercer shrugged back, but he knew what Sterling was thinking. Coffee staining his insides. Granted, Sterling was getting over a lot of things that annoyed him. But little reminders like this could make him cringe.
Finally, Mercer found two Christmas sweaters that were similar.
"Are you sure they're ugly enough?" Sterling assured him he'd wear it at home all winter.
"We'll be twins." Mercer shrugged. He snatched them off the hanger and put them in the paper bag. He intended to fill it completely for the ten-dollar deal.
"Who did you get?" Sterling couldn't remember.
"I got Ruby, and you got Rafe."
Sterling nodded as they practically stumbled upon the Women's clothes. Somehow, Sterling was dragging what looked like a pirate boot with him. He picked it up to examine it. Of course, he couldn't find the other one, but Mercer did. He handed it to him. They were well over-the-knee boots.
"I don't think Rafe would appreciate those." Besides, they were women's boots, but very large.
"I know. They're for me." Sterling raked his fingers through his blonde bangs away from his eyes to examine the boots for any blemishes. He put them in the basket. Mercer told him he'd wrap them for under the tree, and they would be from him. After all, Sterling always liked to know what he was getting, especially for Christmas.
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