This is a work of fiction; all characters' names are randomly
generated, and the places in this story are complete works of fiction. If
you disagree with two men loving each other, leave now. Yes, this is a
Christmas story, so you are free to move on if you don't want to read
it. However, if you're going to read it, I hope you'll enjoy it.
Copyright © 2021, 2022
From The North Pole to Indiana
Chapter 5,
Part 1
Mick's Date
Mick is
ready to head out to see the lights.
Shea is about to the apartment when he gets stopped by a train. He texts his date to tell him that he's at
the tracks by his apartment building.
Finally, the train passes, and Shea can continue driving to Mick's. Once parked, Shea gets out and walks up to
the button panel. Finding Mick's name,
he pushes the button to buzz Mick's apartment.
Mick grabs the cookies and pushes the button to unlock the door so that
Shea can come up.
"Shea, come
on up."
Mick says,
all excited.
"Okay!"
Shea is also
very excited. After opening the door,
Shea heads for the apartment. He knocks
and waits for Mick. Mick wastes no time
in opening the door. They hug each
other. Mick looks at Shea, taking in all
the sights.
"Your new
sweater looks great."
Mick tells
Shea, who smiles in response.
"Thanks,
Mick!"
Mick hands
the box of cookies over to his "boyfriend," who immediately opens them and
smiles. Taking one of the cookies out of
the box, Shea takes a bite. Mick is
watching Shea's face for a reaction; what he gets is amazing. Shea smiles, and you can tell that he's
enjoying the morsel. Once the cookie is
gone, Shea smiles and says:
"That was
beyond delicious; they need to sell these at the coffee shop,"
Shea states,
his face beaming. Mick's just glad that
this date liked the cookie.
"I'm afraid
you won't find these at the shop. It's a
family recipe. I'm glad that you liked
them."
Shea seems a
little disappointed, but he has all night to get over it.
"I think we
should leave."
Shea says as
he kisses Mick on the lips and then opens the door. The guys head out
the door. The guys
head out the door. Mick locks the door,
and they head out to the car.
***
Shea knows
exactly where to head to; the neighborhood with the most money or slightly more
money.
"You're
going to love this, Mick. I researched
the best neighborhoods to see Christmas lights, and it's a 10-minute
drive. I promise you that it's worth
each mile that we drive."
Mick smiles
as he listens to Shea. It's amazing to
hear someone excited simply to see Christmas lights. It makes him wonder if Shea is always like
this or if it is just for this date.
Shea hopes that whatever mysteries are rolled inside of Mick aren't deal-breakers. Before they arrive at the neighborhood, Shea
wants to know more about Mick.
***
Shea wants
to know if they became boyfriends, what would they want from each other. Shea asks Mick what he would want from
Shea. Mick starts off by thinking things
over since he was put on the spot just a few seconds ago.
"I want to
volunteer with you or help someone out who needs it. I want you to be the same; if we are in a relationship
together. I'm okay with growing together
and becoming a better people that way."
Shea can
relate to the last two items spoken by Mick.
Now it's Shea's turn to spill his guts.
"From the
first day that I met you, I've felt that you've kept something from me, which
is fine as long as it isn't illegal. I
want you to be you. I love your
cheerfulness, and I don't ever want you to change."
Mick hates keeping
the family name and everything associated with it from him. It isn't safe to reveal anything quite
yet. Shea is contemplating asking his
date a big question.
***
He wants
Mick to be his boyfriend but is it the right time? He just isn't sure. In his mind, it just doesn't feel right. If he did ask, Mick wouldn't take long to
consider his question. He would be thrilled
if Shea did ask him to be his boyfriend.
Shea decides to hold off his question for another time because this
particular date doesn't scream "Will you be my boyfriend?" to him. They finally reach the neighborhood that Shea
selected as the one for their Christmas light tour.
***
Shea and
Mick arrive at the first house. The
lights are numerous and bright. It's lovely.
"I think
Santa could see this house from his sleigh.
What do you think?"
Shea tells
Mick. Mick smiles before responding to
the question.
"You might
be right. It's bright enough! I'd hate to live close to it."
Mick's last
comment catches Shea off guard. It may
very well be the first negative comment that has come out of Mick's mouth. Shea thinks about it for a second.
"I agree
with you. I wouldn't want my bedroom
window facing it."
Mick and
Shea move on to the next house.
***
Shea and
Mick see house after house, all decorated beautifully with lights. Shea is proud of himself. His choice of a date activity seems to be a
hit. Mick hasn't stopped smiling since
Shea's "Santa" comment; that is everything to Mick. The Christmas lights tour is almost over, and
neither guy wants the night to end. How
do you end this evening the right way?
***
The driving
tour is over, and Mick wants to extend the date, but how? It dons on him; this night needs hot cocoa;
Claus style.
"If you
would like, I can whip up some of the best hot chocolate you've ever had. All I ask is that you stay out of the
kitchen."
Shea loves
hot chocolate, so yes, he's all about having more time with Mick.
"Your hot
chocolate is really that good, huh?
You're going to have to prove it."
Shea
asks. He also sort
of challenges his date at the same time.
Mick knows that Shea is about to have his taste buds slammed.
"So we're going to your place?"
Mick asks,
wanting to be sure what the plan actually is for the evening.
"I have no
choice; hot chocolate is a vice of mine.
It may be my biggest vice."
Shea's humor
makes Mick chuckle a bit. Mick hopes
that Shea has other vices as well. He hopes they are good ones. Nothing that would make him want to walk away
from the guy.
"I hope, oh
never mind."
Mick's
thoughts sometimes get the best of him, but he stops himself from saying
something that could get him in trouble this time. The guys arrive at Shea's house, and it isn't
long before Mick starts his special hot chocolate. When it's done, two mugs are filled with hot
chocolate with whipped crème that has been mixed with broken pieces of
peppermint and given a dusting of dark chocolate and milk chocolate
shavings. Mick brought the two mugs out
to the dining room, where Shea had been patiently waiting for the drink to be
done. The first sip was terrific; pepperminty, smooth, and creamy, not to mention chocolatey. Ends up, Mick was right; it was the best hot
chocolate that Shea has ever tasted.
***
The night is
over, and Shea is driving
Mick back to his apartment. They're listening to Christmas music
on the way to the apartment. When they
get to the apartment building. Shea gets
out of the car with Mick.,
Together, they walk up to Mick's apartment. Before they can get away from each other,
Shea smiles at Mick:
"Can I get a
kiss?"
Mick isn't
keeping track or anything, but this will be the second kiss for the evening.
"I guess you
can have one more kiss."
Mick says,
pretending that he really doesn't care if he gets one or not when in reality,
he would be taken back if Shea didn't kiss him good night. The kiss sent shivers down his spine.
"Good night
Mick!"
Mick smiles
at Shea.
Good night
Shea!"
Shea makes
sure that Mick is in his apartment before heading for his car.
***
Once Mick
arrives home, he gets out his phone to call his mom. He considers just texting his mom, but then
he reconsiders and decides to call her.
"Hi Mick,
how was your date?"
The night
was amazing.
"As far as I
am concerned, the night was utterly amazing.
We have seen so many homes decorated with lights. Shea was playing Christmas music to set the
mood. After seeing the lights, we went
to Shea's house, and I made my world-famous hot chocolate."
His mom
chuckles at the last part of the comment.
"Mick, you
know that not everyone in the world knows about your hot chocolate?"
Mick just
rolls his eyes. Course, he knows that
not everyone in the world knows about his hot chocolate. Mick also didn't tell his mom about Shea's
kisses. It just doesn't feel right
telling her something like that.
"I assume
Shea behaved himself?"
Shea is
always on top behavior. If he showed any
behavior that wasn't good, he would be dropped almost instantly. Mick would hate doing that, but he couldn't
be in this relationship if Shea wasn't nice to him.
"Shea was
perfect in every way."
Emma can't
wait to meet this young man. Someday,
when her son and Shea are more committed, he can meet the family.
"I'm glad to
hear that; I hope things keep being good between you; just remember the
occasional squabble isn't the end."
Mick knows that his mom means well, but he doesn't want to think about any
fighting between Shea and him.
"Mick, your
dad, needs me, so I had better go."
It's always
a little chaotic at home this time of year, and the stress tends to make his
dad go a bit nuts.
It's all good, though; he has plenty of support at the North Pole.
"Okay, bye,
Mom! Love you!"
Mick and his
mom end their calls.
***
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