Mani & Xio Present: A Beastly Christmas

~ VINUESA~

Castile Y León Province

Beneath the silver and dark gray winter clouds, the black Jag purred down the motorway – devouring the miles like a panther. The freeway was largely clear of small cars, only tractor-trailers had a need to come to the highland plateau. Heading north, the elevation hovering near three thousand feet above sea level, the corn fields and gentle hills were covered with whiteness as far as the eye could see.

The freeway gave way to the country highway, passing small villages still heading north, color washed from the towns in bleakness. Light white flakes pelted the car's window, the defrost blasting heat onto the window's surface.

In the car's interior, Spanish Christmas songs played softly in the background. From the passenger seat, the woman glanced over her shoulder. Excitement danced in her eyes. She smiled at her son.

Romero Luis y Garcia-Valentíno, or just Ro to his friends and family, was a slender man, petite almost, wearing skinny jeans and a dress shirt with rainbow cufflinks under a sweater. Ro sat next to his husband of only a year.

The woman, still smiling with a mothers' warmth, flicked her caramel brown hair. "I'm so excited, I finally get to meet your family, Tad," she chirped.

Tadeo y Garcia-Valentíno, or simply Tad to friends and family, nodded. "Ro and I, we are too, Xiomara. But I don't think they'll be as supportive of us as you and Beast are," he replied, interlacing his fingers with Romero's.

The man known to the passengers in the back as Beast drove. The Jag purred effortlessly, sprinting around a slow semi.

Xiomara snickered as she looked at the man the two called Beast. "I can't believe you still make them call you Beast, my darling manito," she said, shaking her head.

Manszya rolled his eyes. "Well, my darling woman, only you can get away with calling me little hand. All others call me Beast," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Xiomara shook her head. "You're such a queer kitty," she purred, while Tad and Ro exchanged glances.

The Jag blasted past villages, winter tires hugging the road tightly, even in the snow.

Manszya glanced at the passengers through the rearview mirror. "If they're not supportive of you queers, why we going?"

Xiomara slapped his thick arm. "Tsk, don't call my son and his husband queer, darling," she protested.

Manszya raised an eyebrow. "You call me queer all the time, darling, and I got muscles on muscles. My dick's got muscles. I mean I can kill with my dick. They can't do that."

Xiomara shook her head. "See, that's why you're queer. They're not queer," she replied matter-of-factly.

Blinking, Romero and Tadeo once more exchanged glances.

She nodded slowly. "And remember Tad's mom. We're going for Tad," she said somberly.

Tadeo nodded. "This might be her last Christmas," he said, looking out the window of the passing bleakness.

Romero patted Tad's hand. He nodded and glanced at his mother. "We met her in Barcelona when she went for treatments over the summer," he offered softly.

Tadeo shook his head. "They've never supported my... choices. Now that this might be her last Christ...," he said, his eyes watering while his lip quivered.

Romero inhaled. "Well, my family supports us," he said softly.

Xiomara patted her son-in-law's knee from the divide between the seats. "We love you and support you, Tad. You still have us," she offered warmly.