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See, this really wasn't Winn's fault. No matter how well-organised he is, there was no way he could coincide James' month-long trip away from the office (and hi- and their group) with No Shave November AND the quintessential moment in his life when he realised he had enough T in his system that he started growing a beard. The only thing organised enough to make all of this happen was the Universe, and it's a little concerning to see a five o'clock shadow on your face and think that the Universe is personally meddling in your affairs.Winn stared at every whisker on his face in glee, and beamed at every compliment he got. Kara thought it looked good, J'onn found it a 'welcome change', and Alex said it looked better than her own beard in high school, which in Alex-speak meant 'I'm happy for you and if anyone says otherwise I'm personally beating them up', which is pretty great. He'd gotten a few flirty glances from baristas who, before, didn't really give him a second glance, and it felt a little weird, but also a little nice.The only person who hadn't seen the beard at all was James. And it really was at all, because after three hours of Beard Day One Alex told him to keep it a secret from James, for some weird reason. Beard envy, perhaps? A way to not-tell him to never stay away so long? The month came and went, and the winter chill moved over the city, sneaking into alleyways and biting at Winn's ears, because his neck was a little covered now and hey, homegrown scarf. James was due back that night, and the gang had decided to do a 'Welcome Back, Don't Leave For That Long Ever' dinner at Kara's apartment, because it was eerily the same distance from everyone else's homes. Winn was in charge of getting a few final things, because someone left the oven alone and it burnt dessert so now he's standing in a bakery aisle trying to decide between an apple pie or a three layer chocolate cake. Because two-maybe-three of the attendees are aliens, Winn grabbed both as well as a box of chocolate truffles for good measure, before booking it to the apartment, because even though Winn was well-organised, the middle-aged woman in front of him somehow forgot that her credit card was in her bra - gross - and spent fifteen minutes trying to scramble the cash out of a few notes and three bank rolls of coins.The plastic bag of deliciousness rustled aggressively as Winn ran up the stairs, boycotting the line for the elevator entirely, and stood at the door of Kara's place, breathing deeply a few times. He must have been loud enough that someone heard inside, because Maggie opened the door with one hand, the other holding a bright blue mug full of something brown, steaming and smelling like the holidays."My hero." She smiled, eyeing the bag."I'd give it to you but Alex might get jealous." He replied, giving her the bag anyway. She laughed a laugh which ended in a bit of a snort, and kicked the door shut with her foot."Use the handle, Maggie! It's not me-proof!" Kara yelled from somewhere in the living room, which is where the dining table sat, with a few extra chairs packed in the sides. J'onn was putting the last few into place, and seemed to be the only one actually being helpful; Alex was snooping in the dessert bag, and Kara was constantly rearranging the cutlery, hovering overhead like a reality tv contestant who would get eliminated if the fork was next to the wrong knife. "Clark just texted, he and James should be here in a few minutes.""Are we missing anyone?""Just Lena, but she's downstairs helping Marjorie with her shopping.""Who?""Old lady, ninety-seven or something like that. Serial grandmother. She's great, and we're probably going to get gingerbread out of it so it's a win-win." As if on cue, the door opened and shut, and the smell of freshly-baked gingerbread overtook the room. "Oh man that looks good." Kara sighed, snapping up the tray from Lena with a kiss and putting it on the bench."I was going to ask the biscuits or Lena, but I guess that's my answer." Alex said, and a decorative throw pillow flew past Alex's head.A phone buzzed on the counter, and Maggie looked down. "They're downstairs!""Fuck! Is everything ready?" "I don't know! Did you cook the peas like I asked?""You said peas? I thought you said cheese!" The kitchen fell into chaos, but somehow everything fell into place at the last second, and silence fell just before two solid knocks sounded off the door.Everyone rushed to move, but Kara beat them to it. "I live here, I'm opening the door. Everyone, arrange yourselves. Alex, you know what to do." Everyone else hurried into the living room, and Alex shoved Winn so that he was at the back of the crowd."Alex, what the fuck?" He hissed, and she shushed him as the door opened."Hey, kiddo!" Clark said, and Kara's half-protests were muffled by whatever bone-shattering hug her cousin gave her."How was your trip? You sent us a few updates, but we want all the details!""It was't too bad, would have been great if someone came with me though." The sound of James' voice made Winn's hands shake and heart flutter an- no, no, no, no. No. Not again. Winn Schott Jr plain flat refused to fall head over heels in love with James Olsen. Again. He barely survived the last time! He barely survived the camaraderie and impeccable biceps and star-bright smile and warm personality and inability to be a terrible human being. Like, god, the man doesn't even have a parking ticket!Fuck.He wasn't over James. Not at all.The man in question rounded the corner, and Winn was a little pissed that he didn't look terrible after a ten hour flight, but mainly too besotted to care. Clark was greeting everyone, who was huddled around James, talking about how much they missed him and what he missed out on an-"Where's Winn?" James said, looking through the crowd, before beaming when he saw Winn. "Hey, man, how are you doing? What's hap- Is that a beard?""Uh, yeah." Winn scratched at it absentmindedly, "It started coming in a bit after you left.""It suits you."And, hello heart palpitations. Goodbye sane semblance of thinking.The dinner went mildly well, with jokes and only a few things breaking after a Kryptonian or two forgot that the chairs weren't reinforced. Plates were cleared and then reset, with Marjorie's gingerbread and all the sweet things Winn brought over scattered around the middle. Lena ended up with icing on her nose, and everyone thrust seconds and thirds at Clark as he talked about Lois' new story, which currently had her somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle."Yeah, it scares me, but all her updates are getting through and she keeps talking about this Arthur guy who seems to know what he's doing, so I don't mind."Hot drinks were made - some with a little alcohol, because hey no work tomorrow if they get the boss drunk, right? - and passed around, and Winn somehow found himself on Kara's patio, watching the first few snowflakes skimming the air and fluttering out of sight."There you are." James' voice echoes from behind him, and Winn spun around to see him standing there with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. James hands him one, and Winn immediately warms. It's not because of the chocolate. They stand, watching the snow in silence. Winn takes a sip, then James does. "You know, this explains a lot.""What does?""Your beard. I was getting frequent video updates from Kara, but she never included you. When I asked why, she said it was a surprise.""They made my beard a surprise?""It's a good surprise, believe me. It suits you." Whilst the beard did pretty good with keeping out the cold, it did terribly at hiding the blush that crawled up his face."It suits me?""Yeah, but not just in, like, the shape of your face and stuff. It makes you happier, it's obvious. How bearded do you want to go?""Why do you ask?""I need to know if I need to prepare myself for lumberjack Winn in the near future.""Prepare yourself?" And that is a blush. Blooming like dandelions in pavement gaps, a blush works its way up James face, sitting on his cheekbones and the curve of his ears. "James Olsen, do you like bearded men?""Well, one bearded man in general." Winn's heart sank. Who could it be? Winn and James spend most of their time together, so Winn should know who this Mysterious Bearded Man is, unless it's someone he's met in the last month? But that was in a completely different country so James wouldn't want to make it work because he hates long distance so it's gotta be someone they know and who do they know who's a man with a be- Oh."Sorry I'm going to sound like either an idiot or an asshole, but is this particular bearded man me by any chance?" Winn asked, eyes on James face. The blush on James' face covered every inch of the man, and he looked at the top of his mug."Yeah, yeah it is.""Holy shit. Really? You have feelings for me? I'm a dumbass! I get myself in the middle of danger all the time! I'm scrawny, I'm a nerd, I look like I haven't seen the sun in fifty years. How can you have feelings for me?""Those are why I have feelings for you. You're smart, you're witty, and yeah, you put yourself in danger, but it's because you care." James is facing him now, and one mug-warmed hand is snaking towards his. "You make sure that our suits work and our tech works and I once watched you make a radio out of a toaster. How could I not have feelings for you?"There's silence. A snowflake landed on James' nose. Winn wanted to kiss it off, but his mind is a bit too focused on the fact that James Olsen, Guardian of this city, his city, has feelings for him, romantic feelings."Winn? Buddy?""So, you like me.""Yes.""Like like me?""Yes.""Oh, okay. Cool. Move your mug.""Wha-" Whatever James was about to say was muffled by Winn's lips on his, because, hey, if the Universe can arrange hundreds of seemingly unrelated choices to allow for this particular moment, it can commit and give Winn enough courage to kiss the man. Their mugs were subsequently abandoned on the railing as hands snaked into hair and behind necks and held the other closer as years of pining culminated in this kiss. It was messy, it was a little violent, but it was perfect.They pulled apart, and James hissed, rubbing his upper lip. "Fuck, that beard burn." He smiled, then giggled, then laughed, and Winn joined in. It was exhilarating. Winn was here, on a snowy December evening, with the man of his dreams, making out with the man of his dreams. It was positively perfect."So that's where you two went?" Alex said, and the pair jumped apart. She waved a hand at them. "Don't worry, I just wanted to know if you two got together yet. Carry on kissing, I'll keep everyone distracted." She turned around and walked back in, loudly yelling something which was immediately followed by more yelling."Does that mean she approves?""We are standing on a balcony, so I feel like if she didn't we'd already know.""Sweet." Silence. "Can I kiss you again?""Yeah.""Sweet."