Counting Minutes | Gay MxM |

43. Christmas

"It's not so bad after all," he said.

"But you haven't even opened your presents yet," I spoke.

"Sorry?" he blinked a couple of times.

"Presents – it's a custom to give presents to other people during Christmas," I explained, although I was pretty sure he already knew that.

"I know that... Don't tell me you got me something," he said in shock. "I didn't get you anything!"

I kissed him shortly and gave him a smile. "You are my gift," I told him quietly.

He let out a deep breath. "That's..." he trailed off.

"You are all I want," I whispered, and kissed him again. "I don't need anything else."

"But... you are my gift... You shouldn't have gotten me anything," he tried to be all cute, but I wasn't having it.

"Shush. You will have presents and there's nothing you can do about it," I said sternly. "It's your first real Christmas! Of course we got presents for you!"

He groaned but gave up with a chuckle. "Next year I'll get you tons of gifts," he said.

"Deal," I smiled.

When we had to get up and start with our day, I felt energetic and optimistic. My mom promised to come to see me after my yoga, and I hoped I could go much closer to her this time. And I was excited to see Blake's reaction once he opened his gift.

When I was taking a shower, I tried my best not to let my hair get wet. I was really starting to resent the long braid. I washed it only two times a week since it was always such a hassle. The worst part was drying and braiding it because it took me such a long time, and time was something I didn't have in my strict schedule.

I had been thinking about cutting it off. At least half of it, maybe even more. I was trying to prepare for it mentally, but how was I able to do that? I could cut only a little, but since that would get me worked up anyway, I might as well cut the whole thing off.

And... I wanted to do it before New Year's Eve. No, I was going to do it before that. I was so done with it. It was in a really bad condition as well because I couldn't afford the pricey hair products, and I didn't even have the time to use all the things it needed, even if I had the money for them.

"New year, new me," I muttered to my reflection in the mirror, feeling excited.

*****

"Man.... You shouldn't have," Blake muttered after my morning yoga when my mom came to visit us. She had two big presents in her hands with his name written on them with bold letters. "I didn't get you guys anything!"

"Having you here with us is the best gift we could've ever had," Mom said tenderly. "Come here, so I can give you a hug."

I watched Blake walking up to her, and she gave him a tight hug. I was a bit jealous of it, but Blake deserved all the hugs in the world. He, too, had been screwed by life, and this Christmas was all about him. Mom and I both agreed that Blake needed a real Christmas. With us.

"You are our little miracle," Mom whispered. "Of course we want to give you everything we can. You've brought this family back together, and we have hope – that's the best gift anyone could ever give us."

By the time she stopped talking, we were all in tears. Blake wiped his tears away with one hand, holding onto my mom with the other.

"Could you please stop making me cry all the time?" Blake chuckled, shaking his head.