Frozen (Complete)

The weather changed, just as predicted, and the coldest winter in over 40 years was rumoured. On the streets, a number of do-gooders from church organizations were out on the corners offering a cot in a basement in exchange for their eternal soul. "Find warmth and the love of Jesus," they proselytized.

"Can my boyfriend and I share a bed, just like we do every night?" Jeff's question garnered a similar variety of results. Usually it was a simple no with a bit of a dirty look, other times it was a full on sermon following them down the street, trying to convert them away from their filthy and sinful ways. Some of these well-meaning people would rather have cheating, stealing meth heads sleeping in their places of worship over two boys in love. Apparently they were an abomination; Jeff's parents were correct.

It was decided that unless one of them were dying, there was no way in hell they would ever set foot in such a place. Sadly, it wasn't that they didn't believe, either. As a young boy, Parm had been an alter server and was quite involved in the church. His stepfather's advances weren't as a result of God's punishment for being attracted to boys, but more so because his stepfather was just a sick fuck. It was odd. In a house full of women, a wife and four girls of various degrees of relationship (half, step, full), and yet Bill preferred Parm. Even when he grew his hair long to more resemble one of the girls in the house, Bill still visited Parm at bedtime and no one else. Rather than attend church to pray for forgiveness and ask for it to end, eventually Parm just left. But he still didn't think God hated him. It was almost like divine intervention brought him together with Jeff, wasn't it?

"Don't listen to them Jeff. Their God isn't right and isn't my God. And love is never an abomination." He pulled Jeff closer, protecting him from the hateful words and loving him with everything he had. It was a fierce love, Parm had never been fierce about anything in his life, but his feelings for Jeff were all encompassing. And he knew Jeff felt the same.

........

As Christmas drew closer, Jeff and Parm both squirrelled away a little bit of money for a few presents. Jeff wanted to buy Parm a down jacket; warm and bulky, adding much needed insulation to his slight frame. Parm wanted to get Jeff woollen trench coat that was fully lined. He thought it would be warm and look completely hot on his sexy boyfriend. Neither present was cheap, and neither was easily purchased, but both managed to earn enough to do it.

The sun was bright in the light blue winter sky. Wispy clouds and stripes of contrails from planes met with the steamy exhaust from furnaces and chimneys of the houses surrounding the park. It was a cold day, but not terribly so. The pair of lovers sat on the platform of the climber in the play area, the sand frozen and hard at the bottom of the slide. There had been a few dog walkers from the neighbourhood out and about, but no one really paid attention to the boys where they sat with their packages.

"You first," Jeff said, pushing the present towards his boyfriend, thinking that the sun glinting off the gold of Parm's hair that slipped out beneath his toque contrasting with his red cheeks made him look more angelic than normal.

Parm took the box and carefully pulled at the tape holding the wrapping together. Gentle, slow, and deliberate, he worked the paper open until the box was fully revealed. He folded the paper, putting it to the side, before easing the lid off unveiling the deep blue, puffy, down coat, with the fur-trimmed collar. It was beautiful and took Parm's breath away. His cheeks were even redder as a wide smile of happiness spread across his face.

"It's too much," he stammered, although he was completely thrilled.

"Try it on!" Jeff prompted gleefully, pleased with his lover's response.