A Pole Man's Christmas
Berwald thought it was a good idea in the first place, so why had he bothered putting up a long silver pole in his living room? And why did he decorate it with Christmas decorations and made it look like some special Christmas porn show—complete with a red velvet underpants and Santa hat? Maybe because Tino was staying for the first time this Christmas year, he wanted to make it a special night.
Now he was having second thoughts as his stern-like eyes scanned the room. Beside the pole was the tree just a few inches away, all decked out beautifully in decorations and a golden angel whose face stared back at Berwald. What was that lovely angel thinking? Presents for Peter were under the tree and the biggest one, a blue and yellow wrapped box, was his. Speaking of Peter, he was already in bed sound asleep, so that meant no worries.
Meanwhile, Berwald had stared at the silly angel star to the silver pole. He was dubious from the very start when Mathias talked yesterday on the phone, giving Berwald the news that Tino was taking a break (which Berwald already knew) and suggested openly to give Tino a 'special night'. Berwald repeated the conversation in his mind whilst getting a glass of water from the kitchen.
"Berwald, this has to be my best idea for your Christmas-"
"I don't care. I'm hanging up."
"NO! C'mon, man, this might be the only day you get to spend it with Tino as a couple! Just think about it, it'll be my greatest idea ever!"
Berwald gulped his water down as he reconsidered the prospect of Mathias' idea... But he didn't have much chance to think it over considerately when he heard the door from the front open. He heard a familiar voice sighing calmly to himself and peered over the corner, seeing Tino striding over ethereally with green package in his hands.
"Berwald?" Tino whispered around, his head moving left to right. "Peter? Are you here?" Tino stood a little longer, and then he went to the tree and placed the present under it. He sat on his bottom and looked around at the gifts, smiling to himself merrily.
Despite Berwald hiding in shyness and shame, he felt as though he should go over to Tino and give him a hug, but wearing a velvet underwear and Santa hat, it was somewhat inopportune for such an act. Nonetheless, he desired to make his presence known, so he muttered Tino's name who jerked up suddenly and looked around for the voice.
"Who-who is there?" Tino asked, walking around nervously until he passed the silver pole to which he slowly walked backwards and turned to face it. "Is that…a pole?" Tino gawked.
"Tino?" Berwald said, coming out of the corner and presented himself. His skin felt cold and when Berwald saw Tino; his eyes were wide as plates and face flushed in redness.
Silence grew wearily between Berwald and Tino. Tino made the first move by pointing at the silver pole and Berwald nodded as though he had asked if he was to perform a pole dance. On Christmas. Berwald went into the living room, passed Tino who secretly glanced behind him and on the table beside the tree he pushed the music player which played 'Let it Snow'. The music played appealingly around the living room as Berwald made his way over to the pole.
"WAIT A MINUTE!" Tino shouted, pushing the button of the music player off and rushing over to Berwald in a frantic state. "You don't have to pole dance for me, it's not necessary! And it's not what people want on a Christmas night! What or who made you think it was a good idea?"
"Mathias."
"I swear, when I find him, I'll…!" Tino was fuming. "Mathias can't possibly think it was a good idea for you to do this! I should have a word with him—"
"Tino, this was my choice because…" Berwald hesitated.
"This was your choice?" Tino said, baffled. "Why would you do this? Was it because you're worried this might be the only day off I'm getting and you wanted to make it special for me?"
You hit the nail right on the head, thought Berwald. "Yes."
"Oh, Berwally, you're so sweet," Tino pulled Berwald by the hips and hugged him affectionately, thinking absent-mindedly about Berwald's half-naked body. "I had no idea you were thinking about me—I was so busy trying to find your gift and you were working so hard in the house." Tino tiptoed just a little and pecked Berwald's left cheek which burnt crimson.
"Daaaaaaaaaaad…?" yawned a tired little boy's voice.
Tino and Berwald went bleak. Their heads turned over to the staircase to see an oblivious Peter, holding his pet "hamster" in a gripping hug.
"P-Peter, why are you—!"
"I heard noises and thought it was Santa," Peter explained as he motioned over to them. Peter looked up and down at his father and said, "Are you…Santa, Dad?"
"Y-yes, I am…"
"I didn't know Santas wore underwear?"
"They're so use to the cold weather and they wear this like it's the summer…" Berwald explained, hoping his white lie would pass.
Apparently it did. "Oh, so does that mean I can wear underwear to school now?"
"No!" Tino shrieked. "That's a terrible idea, and you could get a cold!" Tino heard Peter groaning but nonetheless said 'okay'. "Why don't you go up to bed, sweetheart?"
Peter nodded, "Okay!" Peter rushed enthusiastically up the stairs and Tino and Berwald heard his door close with a soft slam.
Berwald sighed in relief, smiling up the ceiling of his son's bedroom, but out of nowhere he felt two hands slithering up from his hips to his face. Tino pulled Berwald's face to him and this time kissed his lips slowly and passionately as the music played slower.
"So, do you still want to deck the halls and jingle my bells?"
What…whatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhat—! Berwald's mind replayed continuously the same word over and over as Tino seductively undid his shirt and out of nowhere pushed Berwald to the couch.
"I wonder if Berwald took my idea seriously..." Mathias wondered aloud, taking a butter cookie from the platter and bit it with curiosity in his eyes.
Lukas, drinking his coffee, glanced at his boyfriend and raised a questioning eyebrow. What did he mean by that? Berwald knew never to take anything Mathias said seriously, so why bring up the subject when he knew Berwald wasn't going to listen to him? On the twenty-sixth of December, Christmas was still ringing in the air of their household. Decorations were still hanging from their tree by the corner of the living room, the fireplace was used last night and some soot was creeping at the edges of the red-brick styled fireplace. Lukas thought Mathias took care of that but guessed not.
He didn't want to ask but he imposed, "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, I told Berwald to pole dance for Tino when he comes home," Mathias said bluntly.
It took a moment of silence, seeing the image in his mind of Berwald...performing such a thing on a children's holiday. God, what would Emil think of this if he knew? The trauma...
Lukas snapped a cold expression and asked, "Why would you suggest such a stupid thing?"
Mathias only chuckled. "Can you imagine him wearing velvet red underwear and saying 'I'll jingle your bells tonight'? That'll be sooo funny!" He bit his bottom lip to hold back laughter, his cheeks flushing from the humor of his stupid imagination.
My boyfriend, thought Lukas bitterly, is the dumbest person ever. Why do I even go out with him? "So what do you think happened last night?"
"I don't know," said Mathias, "but I hope Santa knew to avoid their house!"
"Tino is Santa."
"There are, like, replicas of Santas, so that's why it's easier for them to get all those presents in one night. But now that I think about it, does Santa know I was pretty much bad this year?" Mathias asked as he began reminiscing the times he was naughty, "I screwed up big time when I was at that one party, I've picked on you—but you know I love you—and I pissed Berwald off whenever time was convenient. So why did I get something?"
"That was my present," Lukas stated calmly, taking a drink of his morning coffee. Mathias gave a hardy and unhappy 'eh' but with one quick glare of disapproval, Mathias closed his trap.
But then he asked, "So what do you think happened last night with those two?"
"Who knows...? But I hope he didn't take it seriously."
If only he knew...