Rex thought he was used to harsh winters. He grew up in Detroit, dealt with the icy winds and the lake effect blizzards. The cold didn't bother him; the beast in his blood made him run hot as it was. Cold usually felt good. 

Still, his first true 'winter' in Alaska - first at the Iron Maiden, first holidays spent with Kaden as his bodyguard and, well... whatever else they were - was *wholly different* from the expected. 

Despite Snow Haven remaining true to its namesake, snow fell hard and fast both in and out of town until travel elsewhere became nigh on impossible. Snowdrifts more than a foot high, temperatures plunged well below zero at night, and townsfolk used to the winter phenomena hunkered down and prepared for the holidays as if the snow meant nothing to them. And maybe it didn't. 

Rex found it hard to wrap his head around, though. Kaden, for example -- sure he may have grown up in Snow Haven and was used to this, but the werelion remained baffled how blasé he was with how *cold* it was outside. He always wanted to play in the snow, insisting on snowball fights and snow angels, while Rex wanted him bundled in about 9 layers and *indoors* the moment he heard the kid sniffle. He was only a Human, fragile, easily chilled, prone to illness--

"-- *Rex*." A voice cut through his thoughts and Rex blinked. He'd been so lost in thought even the noise of the locker room at the Iron Maiden had died away. He didn't notice someone stood at his elbow. 

Faina Parker glared at him, sullen and deadpan, her hands on her hips.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"No," he said, just as sullen, and turned back to his locker as if to ignore her. The Maiden was wrapping up its afternoon gym time to prepare to open for the evening's matches, and Rex had been in the process of stowing his workout gear.

"What's got your tail into a knot?" The petite brunette complained as he finished shoving his gear inside and closed the locker door. As if he hadn't tried to dismiss her at all. "You were just staring into your locker like you expected something to jump out at you. You didn't even hear me."

"What do you want?" Rex growled back, turning to face her, arms folded across the black tank top he wore. "Better yet, what are you *doing* in here? Isn't this the men's locker room?"

Faina made a small face. "So?"

"Parker," Rex called over her head, turning to scan the room until he found the *other* Parker this one was no doubt here to see. "Control your brat."

Cynric Parker, sat on the bench in front of his own locker while he unwrapped his knuckles, shrugged one shoulder in a 'what can you do' motion as the two of them ignored Faina's spluttered "*Hey--*". 

"It's just us in here," he pointed out, which made Rex blink again. He hadn't noticed that the rest of the fighters finished stowing their gear and filtered out. "And she's right. You're acting off. Everything good with you?"

Oh, great. Maybe he really *was* spaced out. If it was bad enough that Cynric agreed with his brat of a little sister, bad enough to comment on... well, he *had* wanted to ask Cynric's advice the next time he saw him. Annoying that Faina was here, too, but Cynric preferred to have her in sight, these days, and Rex couldn't say he didn't have the same inclination when it came to Kaden. Faina's trouble and Kaden's trouble were two wildly different branches so that they almost weren't the same tree, but all the same...

"I actually did want to ask you something..." Rex finally muttered, reluctant.

"Me?" Cynric looked surprised as Faina made her way back to his side, plopping onto the bench next to him and stretching her legs out.

"Yeah." He settled his weight on the opposite bench across from them. "You seem like the kind of guy who'd know this stuff. What with your experience, and all." 

Now both siblings gave him weird looks. Ugh, he didn't expect to have to casually ask like this... Rex scratched at the back of his head with one hand. 

"What do you get someone for Christmas for your first Christmas together?"

The question met with blank stares and silence. Cynric recovered faster.

"Together, like... dating? Together?"

Rex shrugged in a noncommittal gesture. *Were* they dating? It felt much more... complicated. They had never discussed labels on what their relationship had... turned into. But, Rex could picture Kaden bringing him around to his parents' house and introducing Rex not as his employee, or bodyguard, but as his *boyfriend* without any sort of warning. He would absolutely do that. 

This was the same kid who thought their relationship was 'fated', called him 'cowboy' no matter how much he told him not to, and had faced down his beast on a full moon and *survived* without so much as a scratch.

Somehow he thought Kaden would definitely call it 'dating'.

"Well, good for you, Rex," Cynric said, with a warm smile, when he didn't answer.

"I didn't say we were dating."

"Are you kidding?" Faina scoffed. "Dude, if this is that same Human you've reeked of for who knows how long, you better be fucking dating by now, or else this would be weird. Ack!" She dodged a hard nudge to her shoulder from her brother. "What?! You think he'd be worrying about what to get a fuck buddy for Christmas?"

"Ignore her." Cynric snapped a glare at her, then turned a warm smile back onto Rex. Who was very much already ignoring her, because the alternative was wringing her neck, and he *did* actually want Cynric's help. "I can't say I'm the expert in gift giving for a partner, but I guess I can give it a shot."

Rex spread his hands in another shrug. "I haven't given him a gift like this before... thought you would know... what a man gives another man."

Another brief, surprised silence as the Parker siblings exchanged glances at that revelation, but Cynric shifted in his seat and let it pass without comment.

"It's really not too different than you'd give to any other partner. You don't have to read so much into it," he said, upbeat and a touch gentle. "So, your, uh, partner... what's his name?"

Rex hesitated a long moment. He didn't want to tell them and have either sibling recognize it, or risk them interacting with Kaden later without his knowledge. He'd done his damn best to keep Kaden completely separate from his life at the Iron Maiden so far. Jack knew; it was the Scotsman who set up Rex as Kaden's official 'bodyguard', after all. 

But so far Rex hadn't told him about his 'day job' as a fighter. The Iron Maiden was just a gym, to the Human. He didn't know it was an illegal underground fight club, or its ties to the mafia. Kaden was something different, something *safe*, something of his own that belonged to nothing but him. If Kaden got mixed up in something somehow because of one of these two...

"... Sparrow," he finally said, and silently congratulated himself on his quick thinking. No one could tie that nickname to Kaden but him.

"... Sure," Cynric said, with a polite nod, to gloss over how obvious it was that it wasn't his actual name. "Sparrow. Why not start with what he likes? You... do know what he likes?" he added, after it appeared Rex was hesitating again.

If he thought 'what Kaden likes' would narrow it down enough to make a Christmas gift out of it, he wouldn't be having an incredibly awkward conversation with these two about what to buy him. The problem was it seemed like Kaden liked *everything*. Even when he didn't. 

What do you get for a happy-go-lucky ball of sunshine who was so perpetually broke he rarely had enough food to eat and was so busy with his band and making music that Rex often had to force him to stop to eat and sleep? He would *like* anything Rex gave him, and Rex knew that. But liking it because Rex gave it to him and *genuinely liking something* were two different things.

"He likes me," Rex finally said.

A pause to process. Then Cynric choked, trying to stifle a laugh, and Faina wrinkled her nose. 

"Gross," she quipped, and dodged another shove from her brother.

"Yeah, I mean, yes, he obviously would, I hope," Cynric said, with a cough to clear his throat. "Um, anything *other* than you, though? Or are you... thinking of something in particular about you?"

"Keep it PG, please," Faina said, still making a face, immune to the death glare Rex sent her way.

"He likes... Westerns, I think." Rex muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor at his feet. "He, uh, likes... cowboys. And the Wild West."

Faina suddenly punched Cynric's shoulder. "I *told* you I saw him dressed as a sheriff for Halloween. With that sheet-ghost. You didn't believe me."

"Faina, *stop* messing with him," Cynric shot back, sharp. "In fact, *you* know all about Westerns. You can help with that. She'll help you with that," he said to Rex directly. "Nobody knows more about Westerns than her."

Rex glared at Faina, and she glared back, folding her arms across her chest. Great, of *course* the brat was into Westerns too.

He could feel the beast stirring under his skin in response to his emotions. The urge to just say 'fuck it, forget it' and leave and pretend he wasn't saying any of this out loud. He ran a hand roughly through his hair.

"I don't need your help."

"Sure you don't," she snorted. "Hmm. I'll get you a Stetson for him. How's that?"

"Stetson?"

"A cowboy hat, dumbass. The real deal, genuine article. He obviously doesn't have one already if he let you wear whatever cheapo Halloween shit you had on. If he likes Westerns, he'll like that as a place to start."

Rex didn't even want to argue. Cowboy hat? Sure. Sounded good enough. And it saved him having to talk to the brat anymore than necessary if she'd already made up her mind.

"Anything else?" Cynric prompted.

Only the obvious one. "Music. He's into music, and writing it. He plays guitar, mostly, but I've seen him do piano too and it sounds just as good to me."

Cynric nodded, thoughtful. "That's easy enough. Try the music shop in town, Rockin' Records. You've been?" He saw the look of recognition on Rex's face.

"Yeah, we've gone there before."

"Even better. I was going to say Sparrow probably already lives there if he listens and plays, but they'd have a good idea of what he does and doesn't already have and could give you some ideas. I'd ask for Tony, he'd be the best clerk to ask."

Well... that just about covered it, as far as Rex was concerned. The 'cowboy' thing covered Rex, and this music shop would cover the music part of things. He just needed to find something Kaden would genuinely enjoy. Really, gift giving didn't seem all that hard at all now that he'd talked it out.

"Good enough to start?" Cynric said, dragging him back from his thoughts.

"Yeah... think so. Thanks." Rex stood up, paused, then gave Faina a hard look. "You'll really get a Stetson for me?"

Faina rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mr. Sheriff, I will. I said I would."

He really didn't know what to do with the fact that she was willingly helping him, and for seemingly no reward of her own. 

"I'll pay you back."

"Don't bother." She waved a hand airily. "Just owe me one."

There it was. Oh, well. If Kaden ended up liking it as much as she thought he would... worth it for whatever horrible outcome would come from owing Faina Parker a favor.

"... Thanks," he said.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Not long after, as Christmas grew closer, Faina delivered on her promise - an authentic cowboy hat done up in dark leather. A twinge of something tapped along Rex's subconscious on seeing it, and the strings that dangled down to keep the hat from falling off the head. Still, all he idly thought consciously was that either of them would look good wearing it, really.

On an afternoon Kaden was busy elsewhere, Rex made a point to stop by the music shop. Rex had been with Kaden a few times over the past few months, mostly when Kaden needed new guitar strings urgently or other emergency supplies. Otherwise it was when he dragged his bodyguard along with the rest of the band. Rex mostly hovered or lurked while they shopped, keeping an eye on both the band, Kaden, and the other shoppers and clerks. He'd not paid too much attention to the shop itself.

Luckily for him as he stepped inside, the shop was all but empty this late at night, just before close on a weekday. The only person there seemed to be an employee at the checkout counter, doodling what looked to be a... weird looking cat on some scrap paper. He was so focused he hadn't noticed Rex came in, or approached the counter, or loomed over it enough to see what he was doing when the clerk didn't react.

"Hey," Rex said, gruff, and the clerk jumped in his seat.

"Dude! You scared the shiii--iitake mushrooms outta me." The clerk put a hand over his heart, only just managing to catch the swear and turn it to something... weird, instead. Rex stared at him, silent, as he offered a cheesy grin. 

"Er, welcome to Rockin' Records! How can I--"

"You're Tony," Rex said, a statement and not a question. Not just because of the nametag pinned to his shirt alongside a half-dozen other little pins of different things, but because he recognized him. 

"Aaaand you're the scary dude that comes in here with BLAND," Tony replied, giving Rex finger guns. Rex looked at them, then at him, but Tony seemed unfazed. "The 'bodyguard', right?"

Rex didn't notice the air quotes Tony put around the word when he said it.

"... Yes."

"The surly, gruff silent one. Yep, I remember. Although looks like you're on your own today?" Tony hopped up off his stool to stand at the counter and peer around Rex's imposing figure to the rest of the empty store. "What're you after, big guy?"

"I..." Rex hesitated. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"The... lead singer of BLAND..."

"Kaden," Tony helpfully supplied.

Rex twitched. Unlike with the Parker siblings, it wasn't going to be as easy to keep his boy's name out of another man's mouth here. Considering this was a place Kaden went to both before Rex, and without him. They knew him here, and it was safe enough. Tony and Kaden were friendly, and he had seen them play guitar together. Didn't mean it didn't irritate him to hear him say his name so casually.

"Yeah... Kaden..." Rex set both palms flat on the counter and leaned in to lower his voice. Although his expression remained pleasant, Tony leaned back the same degree to be out of the scary bodyguard's aura. "I'm... looking for a Christmas present for him and I hoped you could help me out."

"Oh! Is that all?" Tony beamed, but it dropped just as quick. "We don't sell rings here, though."

"What?" Rex stared at him blankly.

A flurry of emotions too quick for Rex to catch passed over Tony's face, as he realized what he said. 

"Uhhhh. I don't think I was supposed to say that. Never mind. I'm sure we've got something here for Christmas!" He opened the little door that separated the back of the counter from the store and hopped out. "What did you have in mind?"

Rex turned to face him, scratching at the back of his head. "I... well, I'm not sure. I wondered if you could help me out. I don't want to get him something he won't like or already has. I want it to be..." He searched around for the right word. "... special."

Tony paused, considering this, and then his face erupted in a wide grin. "Okay. Sure. Surprise Christmas present. I'm down to help with that. Let's see..." Tony bounded off into the store proper, and after a moment's hesitation, Rex trailed after him.

"What's your budget?" the dryad called over his shoulder, as an afterthought.

Oh. He hadn't thought of that. "Doesn't matter. The cost isn't an issue."

"Good answer." Tony gave him a thumb's up over his shoulder. He stopped towards the back of the store, back where the instruments were positioned on the back wall, alongside with plenty of accessories for those instruments.

"As a former gig player whose band mostly lived out of our van in Cali," Tony said, hand to his chest, "there is a fine line between using a thing 'because it's the favorite' and using the thing 'because we can't afford to use anything else'. Instruments are gonna be a no-go unless you are 100% confident it's what he wants. Instruments are like pets. Never buy as a surprise. You gotta try 'em before you buy 'em. Guitars are like our babies, besides, so we don't always part so easy, not even for the best money can buy.

"Accessories, though, now that's the stuff a man can drool over when he doesn't have a penny to his name. Upgrade the rest of the equipment, you dig? And you'd know better than me how light BLAND tends to pack it?"

Tony was talking so fast Rex actually had to concentrate a bit to keep up. He blinked at the pause. Was that meant to be a question towards him?

"Like, how's the gear, man? Old, right? And pretty sparse?" Tony helpfully supplied.

"I... yeah. They don't have a lot."

"Didn't think so. So," Tony rubbed his hands together, "firstly, I don't think you need to go all out here. It'd be better if you just brought him here and told him to get what he wanted."

Rex frowned. He hadn't really thought of that... but... "I don't think he'd let me do that."

"Do what?"

"Spoil him," Rex clarified. "He'd say he didn't need it, or wouldn't actually pick out what he wanted because it'd cost too much. It's hard enough to pay for his groceries without him getting huffy..."

Tony flashed a grin, and Rex's cheeks suddenly warmed at how easily he admitted he *wanted* to spoil him. He shot the dryad a glare, and Tony danced back out of fist-swinging reach. Just in case.

"Fair enough. So, here's what I suggest. A new Amp -- I know the one they take to shows has issues and I know his fave when he's playing here, though you could go a step or two up, we have a model in stock. A fancy new tuner I'm sure he'd dig -- trust me, it's a bitch to tune by ear and when you're broke you use your ears a lot. You could also do something like new headphones -- " he waved Rex's attention to the rack of headphones lined up to be tested, " -- and maybe a new guitar strap and capo. Couldn't go wrong with some maintenance kits, either. But the new Amp and tuner would be your big tickets. And you could get a gift certificate to the store if you wanted to get him to buy on your dime."

If Tony hadn't been pointing out the items as he was talking, most of those words wouldn't have made any sense to Rex in sequence. A capo? Had he ever seen Kaden use a tuner before? Cynric was right that Tony knew what he was talking about.

"You think this is too much?" he asked suddenly.

"Dunno," Tony said brightly. "Do you want to spoil him?"

Rex gave him a dull glare, but shrugged. "We didn't..." he paused and cleared his throat. "We really didn't talk about exchanging gifts, so... I'm afraid he might try to pay me back for everything, even if it's for Christmas." He scratched at his chin. "I've not really... done this before. I don't know if it's too much."

"Hmm." Tony tapped out a nonsensical pattern on the nearest box. "You getting him anything else?"

"Just one."

"Small?"

Rex shrugged. "It's a hat."

"Let's do this, then." 

Tony swiveled on his heel, inspecting various points in the room, and then darted off. Rex stood still and waited, tracking him with his eyes, until the dryad returned with a soft, dark leather guitar strap embossed with birds in flight, and a thick spiral-bound notebook.

"We'll get that gift certificate and you can see what you can coax him into," Tony said, grinning, and passed Rex the guitar strap and the notebook -- *guitar tablature manuscript paper*, it read. "But in the meantime -- tell him you want him to write you a song."

"A song?" Rex echoed, startled, as he trailed Tony back up to the counter.

"Why not? You do want one, don't you? A song just for you?"

Tony plucked the items from between Rex's fingers to scan as he stood there, a little in shock. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of that before now. Sure, Kaden was always teasing him that one song or another was about him, or them, not that Rex ever really listened or paid attention; but he never gave it much thought to having a song *just* for him. 

A melody's strain echoed at the back of his consciousness, where the beast lay quietly; a ghost of a memory of a dream.

What if there was a sparrow's song that was just for their ears, just for him? For them, and no one else?

Rex snapped back as Tony plopped a plastic bag in his hands and told him the total. 

"I took the liberty of filling out the certificate amount for you," he said cheerily. "Cash or card?"

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

As Rex stepped back out into the rapidly approaching night, a fresh round of snow fell from the sky and immediately coated his bare head and the shoulders of his leather jacket. He shook himself with a grunt and started the trudge back to his apartment.

A cowboy hat wouldn't be so bad right now, he mused, if only to keep the snow off his ears as it fell. Or, better yet, the promise of hot chocolate and soup after a walk in the cold...

After he finally dragged a laughing, breathless, *shivering* Kaden in from outside after their chase through the snow. Stripping out of wet and frozen clothes to crawl under a pile of blankets on the couch to watch TV together, skin to the furnace of a werelion's skin; where Rex *refused* to let him out until his boy was warm all the way through.

It struck him at that moment that Kaden wanted to play in the snow so much *on purpose*.

… But he found he didn't really mind.

He brought his phone to his ear. 

"Hey, Sparrow," he hummed, once he answered. "You doing anything tonight?"