M.K. Lee's Blog: Telling Tales, page 131
December 12, 2018
Winter Tales – Gloves
“I need new gloves,” Matthias says as he wiggles his finger to show it poking out the end of his glove.
“Every year,” Max agrees, smiling as he pauses from zipping up his jacket, leaning into the cupboard beneath the stairs.
“What?”
“Every single year you need new gloves. What do you do with your hands when I’m not with you?” Max asks, snagging their fingers together and kissing the one that’s exposed.
“I just… use them.”
“Uh huh,” Max replies, holding out a bag.
Matthias takes it and peers...
December 11, 2018
Winter Tales – Light
“Do you remember when it would stay light until almost ten o’clock?” Max says, glancing out their window as he lowers himself into the bath.
“Yeah. Just a few months ago,” Matthias agrees, pulling a chair to sit beside him and holding out a beer once he’s settled.
“Why does it always feel like it’s never going to be light again in the middle of winter?”
“Because you’re maudlin, had a long day, and need some sun?”
“Good thing we’re going on holiday in January then, right?” Max says, arching h...
December 10, 2018
Winter Tales – Jingling
“She’s going to fill this entire trolley,” Max mumbles under his breath when Matthias comes back from picking up napkins and puts them in the shrinking section of the trolley that’s been allocated to them.
“Your Mum always goes overboard at Christmas,” he says, wrapping his fingers around Max’s waist to tug him closer. “No different than she is normally.”
“Your mum isn’t like this.”
“Oh, she is,” Matthias says, pressing a kiss to Max’s temple then pointing for him to push the trolley further...
December 9, 2018
Winter Tales – Gift
“I think I just got your last gift.”
Matthias looks up from the sofa as Max blasts through with his hands full of bags, swivelling to put his feet on the floor so he has room to sit. “Oh, really?”
“I think so,” Max says, leaning in to kiss him before he’s even let go of everything he’s carrying. “I’m not saying that if I see anything else I think you’ll like I won’t pick it up, but yeah. This is the last intended gift.”
“Any others are accidental?”
“Exactly,” Max agrees, smiling as Matthias...
December 8, 2018
Winter Tales – Melt
“Alright. How long is this thing gonna take to melt?”
Max’s smile is one of indulging patience that leaves Matthias prodding him in the thigh. “Not long.”
“I just… drop this thing in the milk?”
Max smiles again, holding up the stick with the block of chocolate on the end then stirring it into his cup. “Like this.”
“Don’t we have a shelf full of hot chocolate?”
“Not like this.”
Matthias watches the swirl of chocolate leaving a trail through his milk, glancing over to see the heart Max is draw...
December 7, 2018
Winter Tales – Desolate
The streets are desolate. Matthias smiles as he watches the curtains of the neighbour opposite twitching as he and Max dig a path out to get their car off the drive.
“Who’d have thought two guys out in the snow would be a source of gossip?” Max asks getting his attention, then nodding to show he is looking at the same house.
“Poor old bat doesn’t get out much. We must be the highlight of her week,” Matthias replies, turning and waving enthusiastically until the curtain gets violently pulled ac...
December 6, 2018
Winter Tales – Warmth
“Remind me why we agreed to this?” Matthias says, snuggling closer to Max for warmth.
Max nudges back, lifting then wrapping his arm around Matthias’ shoulders before kissing his temple. “Because. Your brother wanted to see the Christmas lights switched on.”
“In the rain?”
“Hey. I didn’t say he had any sense. Where is he, anyway?”
Max squeezes him closer, leaning in as he points him out across the square. “Looks like he’s making friends.”
“That’s Cassie,” Matthias replies, smiling as he watc...
December 5, 2018
Winter Tales – Hibernate
“Guess what?” Max says as he crawls back into bed, tucking himself up behind Matthias’ knees.
“What? And you’re freezing,” Matthias adds, shuddering when he snuggles up closer, feeling like he’s seeping away all his warmth.
“It’s snowing.”
“Already?”
“Like really, really big flakes.”
“Is it settling?” Matthias asks, slotting his fingers through Max’s and groaning when he presses his cold feet against his own.
“It is. Good few inches already.”
Matthias snorts into his pillow and drags Max’s h...
December 4, 2018
Winter Tales – Tree
“You know. I still can’t tell the difference between a real and plastic one.”
Matthias keeps his eyes forward after he’s spoken pretending to concentrate on positioning the bauble he’s holding just right on a branch, holding in his smile as he hears an irritable clicked tongue to his side.
“No, no difference at all,” Max says as he straightens up a strand of tinsel. “No real smell, or character, or anything at all better about a real Christmas tree.”
“At least with plastic ones there aren’t...
December 3, 2018
Winter Tales – Bored
Matthias is bored.
He got home at six after a particularly difficult boiler replacement, heating up the leftovers Max had brought him home from work. He shouldn’t be bored, not really, not when it’s been such a long day. But he’d been looking forward to an evening with his husband here on the couch, and from the sounds of things he’ll probably be alone all evening. He pouts, because he can, because there is no one to tease him for doing it.
Matthias waits another hour and decides he can’t s...
