#christmaxiel

[fourmula1]

Day 10: Childhood Nostalgia/Traditions

Written for the Chrismaxiel 2022 challenge, which I have severely neglected. Alas. 491 words.

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“Daniel, what is this?” Max asks from the living room, a delighted laugh filling Daniel’s ears where he’s in the kitchen finishing up making his coffee.

They’d arrived late last night, too late to do much but lug their baggage inside – exhausted from travel, confused from timezones – time only to say hellos to the Ricciardos before spilling into bed to pass out for hours.

This morning, though, Daniel is awake in his parents’ kitchen, making his coffee with all the familiarity of being home. He knows exactly where they keep the sugar bowl, which side of the fridge door to find the cream, where his favourite mug is kept. There’s a warmth in the house that isn’t just from Australia in December – it’s his family, his home, and all his love wrapped up under this roof.

“What’s what?” Daniel calls back to Max as he brings his coffee cup to his lips and takes a sip, savouring the day’s first caffeine and sighing as he looks out the window over the sink into the sprawling backyard.

“Kangaroos? And Santa?” Max asks and Daniel can’t help the honking laugh he lets out. He knows exactly what Max is talking about now.

He makes his way through to the living room where Max is – where Daniel’s mother has decorated for the holidays – and sees Max looking at the ornament atop the fireplace.

It’s a miniature replica of a sleigh, Santa Claus sat atop a heaping bag of presents, and… being pulled by six little white kangaroo figurines.

“What about it?” Daniel asks, laughing still as he takes another sip of coffee. Max’s face is a mixture of baffled and delighted – an expression Daniel’s sure he’s going to see more of as Max spends the holiday here and gets exposed to so much of Australia and Daniel’s inevitable way his accent is going to get thicker, his Australianisms more profound.

“Where are the reindeer?” Max asks and he can’t help but to laugh along with Daniel, grinning over at him.

“Too hot for Reindeer at Christmastime,” Daniel shrugs, smiling at Max. “Kangaroos take Santa around, here,” he says, absolutely delighted because it’s just so Australian. Everyone knows that fact, here.

“And, what? Koala bears are Santa’s assistants?” Max asks, laughing, and Daniel delights in it.

“No, that’d be the wallabies,” Daniel says casually with a shrug as he takes a sip of coffee, watches Max’s expression go from shock to realization that Daniel’s just messing with him.

“Shut up,” Max says and gives Daniel a little shove to his shoulder. Daniel grins and catches his wrist, pulls Max in for a kiss and savours it before his niece and nephew will be up and teasing them for any affection. Daniel can’t wait to make a point of planting a big, wet, smooch on Max’s cheek just to make the kids pretend to barf.

“Merry Christmas, Maxy,” Daniel smiles against Max’s lips. “Welcome to Australia!”

[madmazmind]

Christmaxiel day 1: Decorating for Christmas

"We should have bought a ladder," Max said, frowning.

"Nah, we've got it," Daniel countered.

Daniel was perched on Max's shoulders, placing the final few decorations at the very top of the tree.

"That is easy for you to say," Max grumbled. "I can of course lift you but not for this long. It hurts."

"You told me to put on weight, baby," Daniel reminded him.

"Why did you buy a tree that was taller than us both?" Max questioned.

"Pass me the star," Daniel said.

Max held the gold star up to Daniel, who procariously took it.

"I just bought the most expensive tree they had," Daniel responded nonchalantly. "Can you give me a bit more lift?"

Max groaned. "You're fucking joking, right?"

"I can't reach the top branch," Daniel explained. "Literally inches away here."

Max tutted and shifted his weight backwards. He took a deep breath and stood on his toes.

"Got it!" Daniel exclaimed. "You can put me down."

"Yes ,I am of course trying," Max said with a little groan. He slowly lowered his knees until Daniel could safely step off.

Daniel excitedly took a step back to look at their tree. They'd done a good job for people who usually hired somebody to do it for them, but Max had insisted that they have a proper family Christmas, even if it was just the two of them.

"It looks beautiful," Daniel whispered. "Can you believe this is our tree? And our house?"

Max eventually got to his feet and joined Daniel wrapping him in a hug, pulling him in tight around his shoulders

"You're cheesy," Max joked. "But honestly no I can't believe it."

Daniel sighed. "Thanks for lifting me up."

Max shrugged. "Boyfriend duties are my specialty. But next year I will be buying the tree."

"Let's hope the cats don't destroy this," Daniel mused.

"They will of course," Max responded.

"Let's take some pictures so we don't care when that happens then," Daniel suggested.

Maxx nodded in response, letting go of Daniel's shoulders. "Go get your camera."

[fourmula1]

Day 3: Christmas coffee shop

Written for the Chrismaxiel 2022 challenge. 428 words.

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Daniel – for all that he doesn’t have to do anymore – still goes out for his morning run in the Monaco hills each day, jogging the cliffs and down the harbour before heading along his usual route home through town.

Of course, followed up a stop into his favourite café because he deserves a treat after every run.

When he steps inside Daniel can’t hep but smile at how the place has been decorated for Christmas. Nothing had been done when he was here yesterday, but this morning it’s all Christmas trees and lights, snowflakes on the windows (even though this is Monaco and there’s no snow here). There’s wreaths and garlands, baubles and Christmas music playing lowly over the sound system.

Daniel find a shiver of excitement down his spine as he gets in line. He’s going home for Christmas in just a few short days and the holiday transformation of his daily café has made it feel that more real.

As he’s about to order he thinks of Max, definitely still asleep in their bed, likely with a cat or two curled up behind his knees or on his head. He spots fresh lemon squares in the glass display and decides to get Max one, takes his coffee and his pastry bag, and heads out to walk the short few blocks home.

As suspected Max is indeed in bed and Daniel can’t help but fondly roll his eyes when he hears the pitter-patter of tiny furry feet scamper down the hall to dash into the kitchen. Meows guide his way as he sets his stuff down on the counter-top and moves to collect Jimmy and Sassy’s bowls to feed them their breakfast.

He’s too sweaty from his run to climb back into bed with Max no matter how comfy and sweet Maxy looks, so Daniel settles for leaning over Max’s side of the bed to card his fingers through his soft hair and press a kiss to his temple. “Morning, Maximus,” he whispers against Max’s hair, gives him another kiss before he pulls away again to shower.

Max will sleep hours longer and then sleepily pad out to the living room where he’ll curl up on the couch in his boxers and a t-shirt, and snuggle under a throw-blanket to doze off some more while he pretends he isn’t.

Daniel will bring him the lemon square he bought and entice him into being a functioning human in the world maybe by 11:30am, and then he’ll kiss lemony-kisses to Max’s lips and see where the day takes them.

[fourmula1]

Day 1: Decorating for Christmas

Written for the Chrismaxiel 2022 challenge. 740 words.

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“I have something to show you,” Max says from where he’s come into Daniel’s apartment, joining Daniel in the living room.

Daniel glances over his shoulder from where he’s tucked up on the couch, cozy, ready to enjoy their last evening at home together before they both fly off to their respective family homes for Christmas.

“Whatcha got, Maxy,” Daniel asks, smiling as Max comes over, one hand behind his back as he sits down on the couch with Daniel. “A surprise for me?”

“Kind of,” Max says and he looks so proud of himself. Daniel is intrigued. It’s their first Christmas together, as a real couple, and they won’t even be together to celebrate it. Daniel knows they’ve only been together just over two months at this point and his family would think him insane if he brought a boy home across the fucking world after only two months together but.

Max is special and Daniel wants to see him in the hot Australian summer, in his little shorts and sunnies by the pool.

Next year.

“What is it?” Daniel asks Max, curious to see what’s got Max all smiley and happy.

“It is silly of course because we are both leaving tomorrow but I thought,” Daniel smiles at the way he pronounces ‘taught’, “we should have at least something here together anyhow,” Max continues, rambling through it, but Daniel is happy to listen.

From behind his back Max produces a picture frame and Daniel’s heart clenches a little. It’s shaped like a Christmas wreath, all green with red berries, a big red bow and, framed behind the glass, the first selfie they took together after becoming official.

“Max,” Daniel all but whispers, endeared and charmed and so in love with how thoughtful Max can be when he puts his mind to it. He takes the frame into his hands, looks at the photo, and back at Max. Max is nearly preening, so proud of himself, and he should be.

“We cannot decorate the apartment of course but we could have this, for next year,” he says, so confident, so assured that they’ll be together next Christmas.

“Maxy,” Daniel says again as he looks up. “This is so nice. Where should we put it?” he says as he traces his fingertip over the bow on the frame.

He watches Max peer around Daniel’s living room and take the frame back into his hands before getting up to place it on the fireplace mantel, tucked in next to a picture of Daniel’s parents from the last race they attended. Something about it makes Daniel’s stomach flip-flop. Placed next to a photo of two people – his incredible parents – so in love and devoted to each other for over thirty years. Daniel wonders, allows himself to hope, to imagine, a future where his own kid is placing a picture with their partner next to one of their dads – him and Max, thirty years from now.

“Here, it will be waiting for us when we come back home,” Max says, all smiles as he turns back to Daniel. This is Daniel’s apartment, but hearing Max call it ‘home’ feels right.

“Come here,” Daniel says as he holds his arms out for Max to climb into. He squeezes Max close, nuzzles into his neck, and tries not to think about flying to opposite ends of the earth tomorrow.