7. Kris
Chapter seven
Kris
December 22nd
“Fuck!” I spit out, slamming my soldering iron onto the workbench. The candles burn down to stubs at my station as it gets later into the evening.
I can’t get this relay to work properly. Without this connection, the signal won’t transmit properly to the sleigh, leaving the reindeer unable to relay any incoming hazards.
After spending the last six months on this project, now was crunch time. Klaus had trusted me to oversee this upgrade, and with just two days left it needs to be up and running with zero glitches, and I still can’t get a basic connection to work seamlessly.
Maybe Klaus was right, and I didn’t belong here. The idea of leaving used to bring me comfort. That if worst came to worst, I could say fuck it and walk away.
Leaving my mother would be hard, but through all of his faults, Klaus was a good husband. Shitty stepfather, but he loved my mother with everything he was.
Now the idea of leaving the village and trying to set up a home somewhere new brought memories of twinkling blue eyes and the way salt and pepper stubble felt against my skin.
Pushing the metal shield off my face, leaving it to rest on top of my head, I grab my half empty water bottle and drain it in a single mouthful before throwing it in the trash can next to me.
The multi-colored lights flash over my head and I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. I need to get this to work.
A warm hand rests on my shoulder, causing me to tense, my hand curling into a fist. “Sometimes when I’m stuck, it helps to walk away and come back to it later.” Arthur’s husky voice sweeps over me, and I relax.
His pipe sits lopsided in his mouth as he grins at me. The wafting smell of cloves and tobacco surrounds me and the familiarity comforts me.
Arthur has been smoking the same tobacco mix out of the same Briarwood pipe since I arrived at the village. I once joked that he would smoke a hole through the pipe one day, but he insists it only gets better with age.
He straddles the gas lift stool next to me, resting his foot on the lever and gently pressing down, raising himself to sit eye level with me.
“You seem different, distracted even?” His mouth puffs around the mouthpiece and a plume of smoke winds up towards the vaulted ceilings.
I shrug, not really knowing how to tell the man that has been there for me every day for the last twelve years that I’ve spent the last two days fucking the brains out of my stepbrother. The man that in two days will take over the reins, literally, of this entire operation.
How can I tell him that over those past two days, it went from exploring an interest in Nick that I’ve harbored for the last sixteen years to something that makes my heart grow. That maybe my mind believes I may still want a future in this festive frenzy of a village?
“Does this have anything to do with your late nights at the shop?” His eyes assess me.
“I’ve been trying to get this damn sleigh to not crash at the first hazard Nick comes across.” I bite out, turning back to my soldering, not wanting him to see the truth.
“Then why haven’t you asked me to stay back with you?” His eyes glimmer with mischief and he knows he has got me when my cheeks flush and he hums his victory. “That’s what I thought.”
I huff a response before smacking down my mask so I don’t need to look at his satisfied grin. I pick up my soldering iron.
“This one means something?” His question lacks any hint of judgment. From the moment I walked through those doors at seventeen, his knack for deciphering my thoughts without me saying a word has been a curse.
Through the visor of the metal shield, I can almost see concern cross his features and my brows draw together at his worry.
Is it for me, or for what I might do? Does he think I’m not capable of developing feelings for someone?
I tighten my fists and he glances at my hands, his eyes narrowing slightly before he places his hand on my shoulder once more.
“Son.” I pause at the sentiment, my face softening at the gentleness of his expression, before lifting my mask back off my face.
“I hope you know I am proud of you,” he whispers, his eyes shining. “I know I am not your father, but it has been a great joy in mine and Mary Lou’s life watching you grow into the capable man you are today.”
I hold my breath at the mention of his wife. Arthur rarely mentions her since she passed two winters ago, but now and then I catch him staring at the photo of her he has tucked into his wallet. He doesn’t wait for me to speak as he continues. “I hope that whoever they are, they recognize the potential your heart has for love. Even if you hide it behind that cocky grin and what you believe to be a tough exterior.”
“Nick …” Is all I get out before he nods, perceptively and reassuringly pats my shoulder.
“Well, that is tough, but no one said love was supposed to be easy.”
“Love? Oh no, it’s not …” I splutter, sitting up straight, nearly knocking the reindeer helmet off the bench in my haste to deny.
“It’s okay son. It might not be yet, but I have seen the way you two have danced around each other over the years.”
I open my mouth to protest, but my shoulders slump as his observation hits me. “What? You have?”
“Of course, I would need to be blind to not see it. Even my Mary Lou used to comment on how well you two would complement each other. Opposites attract and what not.” He waves off dramatically as he puffs clouds of white smoke around us.
“But what about him being my stepbrother?” I question, torn between a sliver of hope at a future and the weight of this question.
“Is it an issue for you?” He asks indignantly, the directness of his question taking me by surprise.
Thinking back to how excited I was at the prospect of touching him, how much I’ve thought about his hot mouth on me, how now, after such a short time, this doesn’t feel like any of my other hookups. “Uh no, I suppose not.”
“Then why should it be an issue for anyone else?” He huffs, his arms crossing over his body.
“I don’t think that’s how that works. I’m sure lots of people will have something to say about it.” Shaking my head in frustration, I take off my mask and drop it with a clang onto the bench, pushing back the hair that falls over my brow.
“Life is too short to live without love, Kris. Besides, if anyone has a problem, send them to me.” A wicked gleam winks in his eye and in this one moment I’m unsure if I’m actually afraid of Arthur.
A loud laugh bursts from my chest and Arthur sits, legs dangling, looking mighty pleased with himself.
“Take a break. I’m sure your mom has dinner nearly ready by now. See your boy. This will be here when you return.” He gestures to the pieces of metal and electronics that make up the structure of Rudolph’s helmet.
The smell of freshly baked pie wafts towards me as I enter the front door. My mother Klaus and Nick all stand chatting animatedly in the kitchen.
I clench my jaw and try to ignore the pang in my heart at watching my mother treat Nick like a son when I have never received the same treatment from Klaus.
“Kris!” My mother beams as she sweeps towards me, embracing me, and I can’t help but soften into her warmth. My mother has always been affectionate and that affection has only grown since welcoming Klaus and Nick into our family.
“Hey Mom. I’m just gonna go wash up,” I hold my hands out, my blackened fingers are a stark contrast to the white table settings she has out tonight.
I glance over at Klaus and we share a respectful nod, before my eyes fall on Nick, whose mirroring stare is just as brazen as he drinks in my body.
My head quirks to the side, and I let a small smile slip before I shake my head and move to the stairs up to my room. I don’t bother turning on the light as I make my way to the adjoining ensuite, leaving the door unlocked and stripping out my grease-covered clothes. I throw them toward the laundry basket, but they land with a thump on the floor next to it.
The copper colored taps are cold in my hand as I turn on the water, adjusting the temperature as hot as it will go. I step under the scalding stream, sighing as the pulsing water relieves some of the tension in my muscles. I scrub my hands and forearms with grit soap, watching the grease wash down the drain, then use my regular pine wash to go over the rest of my body.
After washing my hair, I step out into the steam-filled bathroom and find Nick waiting, his eyes unabashedly scanning my dripping naked body.
I grab a towel but don’t bother drying my body. I just ruffle it through my hair, taking my time letting him get his fill.
“Have you found something to your liking, Santa Baby?” I ask. My grin turns devilish as I observe him unconsciously caressing the growing hardness straining against his zipper.
My cock grows under his scrutiny. I drop the towel on the floor next to me and take one long stroke. Running my thumb over the swollen slit I swipe at a bead of moisture, my dick already weeping under his gaze before taking my time, dragging it back up the length.
Nick’s eyes don’t stray from the movement, his stare almost predatory. I take a step towards the door and flick the lock before stepping back in front of him.
“We seem to have a problem.” Nick’s eyes quickly flash up to mine in a panic as confusion flicks across his beautiful face.
“Problem?”
“Yes,” I growl. “You seem to have far too many clothes on.”
Without a second thought, he unbuckles his cream trousers, dropping them and his boxers around his ankles. His thick length jerks under my gaze and I lick my lips in anticipation.
Just as I’m about to collapse to my knees and worship him an idea flashes through my mind. Meeting his gaze, I can’t help but grin.
“Do you trust me?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Unequivocally,” he whispers, and I lean into him, pressing my lips to his as I wrap my hand firmly around his cock, swallowing his gasp.
He grips the counter as I line up our erections side by side, stroking them in my hand. I bite my lip as the soft skin of his dick rubs against mine.
Fuck, this feels so good.
I can’t keep my eyes off of where we touch, noting the differences. Where I am thicker, the olive shade of my skin provides an entrancing contrast to the paleness of his. Despite being slightly longer than me, the most significant contrast is that I am circumcised while he is not.
My arousal bounces with excitement as I line up the tips of our cocks, pressing them together as I run my hand back and forth over the combined length of us both.
I slowly stretch his foreskin with each stroke, taking my time to make sure it is loose enough, before nuzzling the head of my dick inside the tight band of skin.
“Oh fuck,” Nick groans at the feeling of my cock rubbing around the shaft of his. As we share a combined sheath, I stroke us together as one.
The more we stroke, the easier it is to slide against him, our cocks simultaneously weep at the friction.
Releasing the counter Nick grabs my face, kissing me. Slow and tender, the same way I run my hand over our enjoined lengths.
Watching the head of my dick move within his foreskin is mesmerizing, and it doesn’t take too long until we are both panting and gripping onto each other.
“Do you want me to come inside you, baby?” I groan as my spine tingles, my orgasm quickly building.
He nods, exhaling a quick, “Yes, please.” Before grabbing both sides of my face and devouring my mouth.
Together we groan.
His teeth nip at my lip and when my eyes lock onto his, I explode, filling him as my hand stills, keeping us locked together. My cum seeps through my fingers, dripping to the tiled floor as the head of my cock pulses against his.
Gently I squeeze his sack. I caress it and loosen the pressure where we are joined. Pushing him over the edge, and he comes with a muffled whimper as he drops his head to my chest.
We hold each other, panting, my chest swelling with something other than blood, something that feels a lot like …
A sharp knock at my bedroom door has us stepping away from each other, our now softening cocks dislodging with the movement.
“Kris, dinner is ready.” My mom calls from the hallway. “Have you seen Nick?”
“Fuck yeah I have,” I whisper and he scowls, before yelling louder for her to hear. “I've been in the shower, Mom.”
“Oh right, of course.” The sounds of her retreating footsteps have me stepping closer to Nick, wrapping him in a tight embrace which he melts into.
“I guess we need to head to dinner.” My lips tilt in a lazy smile as I lean my head to his, kissing his forehead before he leans back against the counter, eyes shining.
“It’s never felt like that.” And I know he means more than just the mind-blowing sexual experiences. Our relationship keeps strengthening and becoming more. “I’m not ready for this to end, I just can’t,” Letting out an exacerbated breath, “I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”
His words hit me, and I know exactly how he feels. I don’t know when Operation: Fuck My Big Brother changed course, but I can’t deny that this growing feeling in my chest is becoming harder to ignore.
“Who says this has to end?” I say, surprising even myself. Arthur's words from earlier strengthen my resolve, no one has any say in what we do. We are fucking adults and we can do whatever the fuck we want.
I unlock the bathroom door, step towards my closet and throw on a tee and some sweats, determination fueling my steps. Grabbing his hand, I entwine our fingers as we make my way towards the door.
He pulls me to a stop.
“What are you doing?” Looking down at our joined hands.
“At nearly thirty, I don’t think it matters what the fuck Klaus and my mother think of this. I want this. I can’t stop thinking about this, us. So what does it matter?”
He winces, and my heart plummets.
He doesn’t want this.
Holy shit. I just bared it all to him, and he is taking my heart and shredding it like dead pine needles scattered across the floor in January.
He grips my hand tighter, but I pull mine free from his grasp, running it through my still damp hair.
“Can we just wait until after Christmas, a few more days, let everything die down?” He tries to explain more, but I can’t hear him.
He doesn’t want anyone to know, he just wants me to be his fuck boy, to experiment. I swing open the door and make a break for the stairs. Nick behind me calls my name, but I don’t listen. I need to go.
“Kris?” Klaus’ questions from the head of the table.
“I uh, I have to go.” I make up some bullshit about an idea of how to fix the fucked up connection, like I have any idea about connections. Klaus almost looks proud at the fact I’m skipping dinner to work.
I can’t stop replaying the look on Nick’s face as he turned me down. I just throw on my work boots, grab a jacket and stomp out into the snow.
“Kris?” Nick’s voice sounds almost broken from the porch.
I turn back to him. “It’s all good. I’m glad we got this over with now and not later.” I try to disguise the pain in my voice, feigning indifference. But by the drop in his shoulders and the pity in his gaze, he knows.
“Kris, please.” He continues to speak, but I can’t hear him through the snowstorm that pulses through my ears as I make my way back to the workshop, not stopping till I’m safely locked inside.