Saving Santa (MxM)

10 Unexpected Visitor

Cal is dressed head to toe in a genuine Santa costume, from red hat down to shin-high black boots. I don't know if I am intrigued by his sexy Saint Nick cosplay or terrified that he is actually an escaped mental patient here to add me to his list of serial murders. Standing, I keep a distance between us. I may be able to outrun him, but I know I can't out-power him.

    "It's Christmas. I had to stop by and give you your gifts," my massive visitor explains.

    He said it as if it was the most logical statement and I was dumb for not catching on.

    "Cal, how did you get in? I have all the doors locked. The doorbell cam and security system didn't alert me."

    "Yeah, I don't need doors." His eyes dash to the fireplace and back to me.

    "Here," he says, stepping toward me with a gift in hand.

    I do not take it from him. I stand with narrowed eyes. The fear is gone. Now I am just pissed.

    "No thanks, Cal. I don't want your Christmas present. You said you were into me and then disappeared for a month."

    His head sinks. "I know, Ryan. And I am so deeply sorry for that. This job is ridiculous and I had run away from it for months. Once I left your side last month, I had to get back to the workshop and work all day and all night to get me and my team back on schedule. Even with tens of thousands of elves helping me, I–"

    "Let me stop you right there," I say, putting my hands up in front of me. "You are trying to tell me that you left me and went radio silent because you were what, working in your workshop with your elves on the North Pole?"

    My tone is toxic. I coil like a snake ready to strike.

    "And now you are back, on Christmas Eve, to deliver my present and to apologize that your Santa duties got in the way of being with me?"

    "Yes," he nods. "I know it sounds crazy, but I didn't know if I could tell you before."

    "Right. Because I would have said you were a basket case."

    "Precisely. But, I also know you like me enough and have just enough Christmas spirit to believe I could be telling you the truth."

    Then I blurt out the real problem. "Cal, it's not about if you think you are Santa or breaking and entering into my house. It's that you hurt me. I was here living my quiet life trying to be my own person and like a vortex you stormed through town and won me over and then fucking left. Just left. And that is not something I think I can forgive."

    I hate that my voice sounds weak in the end. He crosses to me and I let him. He puts the boxes down on my coffee table and takes me into his arms.

    "I am so sorry I did that to you. I did not mean to ruin your existence. I didn't mean to fall for you either. But I did. I was on my own path and when it intersected yours, I hadn't felt something so powerful and right in so long. Spending time with you opened my eyes and brought happiness back to me. You renewed the joy in my heart and, though I was avoiding it, I knew I had to get back north and fulfill my calling."

    Annoyed, I push him away at the sounds of Santa talk again.

    "Cal," I start, but he is pressing a gorgeously wrapped gift into my chest.

    "Just stop and open it," he says. His eyes twinkle.

    "Fine, I will open it and then you can go."

    "Deal," Cal says.

    Grudgingly, I rip through the paper. I open the white box beneath the wrapping and am stunned. Inside is an envelope and a toy. I pull the package out of the box and look to Cal with the strangest mix of perplexity and glee.