M.K. Lee's Blog: Telling Tales, page 129
January 1, 2019
Matthew isn’t looking for a relationship. Ask him, and h...
Matthew isn’t looking for a relationship. Ask him, and he’ll say it’s because between work and studying there’s just no time. Ask his best friend, Sarah, and the story is a little different and involves a failed relationship that left him raw.
Enter Joel, a childhood friend of Sarah’s recently back in the area. He’s not looking for love, either, but he’s not averse to the idea of a little fun. Uncomplicated and on the same page: what could possibly go wrong?
Whatever Comes First. Available...
December 31, 2018
Winter Tales – Fireworks
This year, tucked up in the middle of nowhere, Max and Matthias are seeing the New Year in quietly and without fuss. There was fresh snow overnight so the view from their window when they woke this morning was a peaceful one. A good couple of hours spent walking put their footprints in the snow, and was followed by a lazy bath accompanied with glasses of champagne. And now they’re stood at the window wrapped up in sweaters, catching the blasts of fireworks in the distance that add a little c...
December 30, 2018
Winter Tales – Dreary
This must be the most dreary weather they’ve seen since arriving here. Matthias pulls a face at the mush covering much of the landscape that is part half-melted snow and part rain, and drops the net curtain back down with a huff.
“Still miserable out there?” Max calls, far less interested in the goings on beyond their window. He’s curled up in a corner of the couch with a book he’s so engrossed in, he’s barely looked up in the past hour.
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Or care about,” he says...
December 29, 2018
Winter Tales – Slippery
“Ooof.”
Matthias winces at the coldness already seeping into the back of his jeans from where he’s slipped, struggling to get a purchase on the ground as he tries to turn over.
“Are you okay?”
Matthias grabs the hand Max extends to him, grunting as he yanks him up.
“Told you it was slippery,” Max says as he brushes him down, squeezing his arms and checking him over for any sign of injury.
“I think so.”
“I’ll just have to kiss it all better when we get back from our walk.”
Matthias ducks bene...
December 28, 2018
Winter Tales – Eggnog
“You know. I think there might be a little eggnog in my rum.”
Max snorts with laughter, raising his glass in toast. “Are you saying it’s too strong?”
They’ve been sat here drinking for hours, music playing on their laptop on repeat so they don’t even have to get up. It’s freezing outside, so being wrapped up here cosy with blankets and each other has proved the best way to spend their afternoon.
“I’m saying it’s perfect,” Matthias replies, smacking a noisy kiss to Max’s temple as he clinks...
December 27, 2018
Winter Tales – Mistletoe
“Remember our first Christmas?” Max asks as he passes Matthias his glass of wine, stretching out to take full advantage of their oversized tub.
They were right; this was the perfect retreat away from everyone and everything. Here they’ll get to have a second sort-of Christmas that is just the two of them, indulging in good food, relaxation, and of course, each other.
“When you hung mistletoe in every corner of your apartment so you had an excuse to keep kissing me?” Matthias teases, leaning...
December 26, 2018
Winter Tales – Flurries
“It says there are flurries expected all day,” Matthias says when Max comes downstairs with their bags. He hates driving in any bad weather, but the snow makes him worry even more.
“It’ll be fine. Flurries doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Could be slippery,” Matthias says in doubt, glancing at the weather forecast on TV once more before raising the remote to switch it off.
“We’ll be fine,” Max insists, wrapping an arm around his waist in reassurance, leaning in to claim a kiss.
“The heating’s on mini...
December 25, 2018
Winter Tales – Thaw
“How is it so cold?”
Matthias would answer but he is too busy copying what Max has just done. Diving beneath the duvet on their bed and curling up into a ball.
“I guess it’s winter,” he says, a pointless response that only reveals just how hard his teeth are chattering. When they’ve shivered into their sheets for enough seconds to feel the heat building around them they turn on to their sides facing one another, hands tangled in between.
“Whose idea was it to go for a walk?” Max asks as he w...
December 24, 2018
Winter Tales – Earmuffs
Max’s ears are bright pink. He’s bundled up in a scarf and gloves but refuses to wear a hat, complaining that they always give him a headache.
“You’ll freeze,” Matthias tells him, tugging him closer as though that might make any kind of difference. He presses a kiss to the shell of Max’s ear, smiling as he ducks away.
“I’ve managed all these years.”
“Yeah. And how many of those years have you complained about being cold?”
“All of them,” Max replies, nudging him back.
“We could get matching e...
December 23, 2018
Winter Tales – Wool
“Are you sure this is the best thing to get your mother for Christmas?” Max asks, picking up a heavy ball of wine-coloured wool looking thoroughly unsure of himself.
Matthias plucks it from his fingers to add to his basket and nudges for him to keep moving. “You know my mum’s forever knitting.”
“Still. Isn’t this the gift that says hey, make me something?”
“She loves making people stuff. And besides,” Matthias adds, picking up the stitch counters he recognises that he knows she likes as well...
