Chapter 16

When they finally arrived at the condo, Perth tossed his keys onto the table and ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m going to shower first.”

Santa nodded as he slipped off his shoes.

“Go ahead.”

Perth disappeared into the bathroom, hoping the shower would help him calm down. It didn’t. If anything, standing under the water only gave him more time to replay the evening in his head. Every memory brought back the same rush of happiness, leaving him feeling almost lightheaded.

By the time he finished, he had given up on trying to act normal.

He dried himself off, pulled on a pair of shorts, and stepped out of the bathroom with a towel draped around his neck. The condo was quiet except for the faint sound of running water coming from the kitchen.

Santa was standing at the counter with his back turned, filling a glass from the water dispenser. His shoulders were relaxed, completely unaware that Perth had entered the room.

For a moment, Perth simply watched him. The sight was unexpectedly domestic, Santa was here comfortably moving around his condo as if he belonged there.

Perth crossed the room quietly and slipped his arms around Santa’s waist from behind.

Santa jumped slightly in surprise, almost spilling his water.

“Perth.”

There was more amusement than annoyance in his voice.

Perth laughed softly and rested his chin on Santa’s shoulder, tightening his hold once he realized Santa wasn’t trying to pull away.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry.”

Perth smiled against his shoulder. Instead of stepping back, he remained where he was, his arms still wrapped around Santa’s waist. The warmth of Santa’s body against his felt almost distracting, and before he could think too much about it, he turned his head slightly and brushed a soft kiss against the side of his neck.

Santa froze for half a second.

Then another kiss followed.

And another.

Nothing rushed, nothing demanding. Perth was simply enjoying the fact that he could finally do things he had spent weeks imagining.

Santa tilted his head slightly, trying and failing to suppress his smile. “What are you doing?”

Perth smiled against his skin. “I think you know.”

Before Santa could come up with a reply, Perth pressed another kiss to the side of his neck, lingering just long enough to make Santa laugh softly. The sound immediately drew a grin from him, and he continued leaving light kisses along his neck, enjoying the way Santa occasionally shifted in his hold and the amused smile that refused to leave his face.

After a while, Perth loosened his arms and gently turned Santa around until they were facing each other. The movement was unhurried, giving Santa every opportunity to step away if he wanted to. He didn’t.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The kitchen suddenly felt very quiet.

Perth’s hands settled naturally at Santa’s waist while Santa’s rested against his arms. They stood close enough that Perth could see every small change in his expression, every flicker of emotion reflected in his eyes.

“Baby…,” he whispered.

The nickname left his lips almost unconsciously.

Santa’s gaze softened. “Perth…”

Something about hearing his name spoken like that made his heartbeat stumble. Perth was gone. Completely gone.

His eyes dropped briefly to Santa’s mouth before lifting again, silently asking a question he no longer needed to voice. When Santa didn’t move away, Perth leaned forward and captured his lips in a kiss.

The moment their lips met, the tension that had been building for hours seemed to unravel and tighten at the same time. Perth felt Santa move closer, felt his hand curl lightly against his arm, and suddenly every nervous thought he’d had earlier vanished.

Perth lifted his hands almost instinctively, brushing against Santa’s cheek before settling there. The closeness made his chest tighten pleasantly, and he found himself stepping forward without realizing it, reducing what little distance remained between them.

When they finally parted, it was only by a few centimeters. Their foreheads nearly touched, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.

Perth could feel the weight of Santa’s gaze on him, could see the faint flush coloring his cheeks, and the sight made something low in his stomach twist.

“Baby,” he whispered again.

Perth’s eyes drifted to Santa’s lips once more before returning to his gaze. Every instinct was telling him to close the distance again, yet the pause somehow made everything feel even more charged.

The air between them felt heavy with things neither of them was saying aloud.

Slowly, Perth brushed his thumb across Santa’s cheek.

“I really can’t believe you’re my boyfriend.”

A smile immediately tugged at Santa’s lips.

The fondness in that expression nearly undid him.

Before Santa could answer, Perth leaned in once more, unable to resist any longer, and captured his lips in another kiss, smiling against them when he heard Santa’s quiet laugh. The sound settled somewhere deep inside his chest, making him certain that no matter how many times he kissed him, he would never get tired of it.

Everything seemed to escalate the moment their lips met again. Perth stepped forward until he was standing between Santa’s legs, his hands settling at Santa’s waist as he lifted him onto the kitchen counter. The movement drew a surprised breath from Santa, but he didn’t pull away. If anything, he leaned closer.

The kiss deepened naturally, neither of them willing to create even a fraction of distance. Santa’s fingers found their way into Perth’s hair while Perth’s hands remained firmly at his sides, as if he needed the contact to convince himself this was real.

The kitchen around them faded into the background.

All Santa could focus on was the warmth of Perth’s body, the way his heartbeat seemed just as unsteady as his own, and the look in Perth’s eyes every time they briefly pulled apart for air.

“Perth,” Santa whispered while wrapping his legs around Perth’s waist. Then he continued with a low voice, “Take me to the bed.”

The moment the words left Santa’s mouth, whatever restraint Perth had left shattered. He crashed back into him, kissing him harder than before. It was messy, desperate, driven by a need he could no longer hide. His hands roamed everywhere at once, pulling Santa closer, making sure there wasn’t an inch of space left between them.

Santa matched him immediately, fingers bunching in Perth’s shirt as he held on just as tightly.

“You asked for it baby,” Perth murmured against his lips before grabbing Santa and moving towards the bedroom.

Perth carried them both onto the bed, Santa landing first, Perth right after him. One hand rested beside Santa’s head while the other remained firmly wrapped around his waist.

Then Perth leaned down and kissed him again, erasing the last traces of hesitation. Santa’s hands immediately found his shoulders, pulling him closer with the same intensity.

Whatever self-control Perth had been clinging to was already slipping away, and feeling Santa respond so openly only made it harder to hold on to what little remained.

His hands drifted along Santa’s sides before disappearing beneath the fabric of his shirt, fingertips brushing warm skin. Santa inhaled sharply, instinctively leaning into the touch. Perth broke the kiss long enough to pull the shirt over Santa’s head and toss it aside. A second later, his own followed, and their other clothes also. For a moment, his gaze lingered on Santa’s body, admiring the man under him.

Then he leaned down again, capturing Santa’s lips in another kiss, slower this time but no less intense. His hands continued to explore, tracing every line they could reach. Santa’s fingers slid into his hair, holding him close. Perth’s lips were now on Santa’s neck leaving kisses and bruises on their way.

Perth’s touch grew more deliberate, mapping every curve of Santa’s body. One hand settling near Santa’s head while the other one slipped downward brushing past Santa’s nipples, drawing a soft moan from his lips. When Perth finally wrapped his hand around Santa’s erection, squeezing gently, Santa cried out, desperate for him to quicken the pace.

“Perth…,” Santa breathed, a edge of frustration bleeding into his voice. “Please…”

“I know baby, I know…,” Perth whispered in Santa’s ear sending shivers in the man’s body. Then, he lifted his head just enough to lock eyes, a dangerous look settling over his features. “But I waited for too long, so now I’m going to take my time.”

Santa inhaled sharply, a mix of impatience and anticipation tight in his chest. Patience had never been his strong suit. Perth noticed immediately. And in response, he slowed down even more, turning the delay into deliberate torture.

Every second stretched into eternity, every sensation amplified, every reaction drawn out until Santa was clutching the sheets, his breathing ragged and broken. Perth stopped one second to grab condoms and lube.

Santa noticed immediately then said, “Perth…I want to feel you raw. “

Perth let out a sharp exhale, his own control fraying at the edges. He dropped his forehead briefly against Santa’s shoulder before his fingers slid lower, reaching Santa’s rim. He pressed two fingers inside, slowly working to open him up.

Santa exhaled, a moan slipping out at the same time. “Perth, please… I’m ready.”

Finally giving in, Perth carefully pushed his way inside. Santa groaned at the sudden, overwhelming sensation of fullness as Perth filled him completely. Trying to urge him on, Santa began to rock his hips, matching the rhythm and encouraging Perth to go deeper and harder.

“Perth…,” he gasped. “Go faster.”

Perth pulled back completely before driving back into him with sudden, heavy force. The abrupt shift wrung a sharp cry from Santa, his spine arching off the mattress as overwhelming pleasure hit him all at once. Santa threw his arms around Perth’s shoulders, his nails digging into his back and leaving angry red streaks behind.

“It feels so good,” Santa panted, his voice fracturing. “Don’t… don’t stop.”

A rough groan escaped Perth as the sheer friction began to catch up to him, shattering his careful rhythm. “You’re so tight…” he growled, his voice low and strained.

Santa kept repeating Perth’s name like it was the only word he knew, each breath more broken than the last. Hearing it unravel like that was enough to push Perth past the point of restraint.

From there, everything blurred into a haze of heat, heavy friction, and short breaths.

Santa was the first to come. Perth felt the shift instantly, the sudden tightening, the way Santa’s voice completely lost coherence. That was all Perth needed. The last thread of his own control snapped, and moments later he followed Santa, everything crashing over them at the same time.

*

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They lay tangled together beneath the sheets, trying to catch their breath. Santa was curled against Perth’s side, his head resting on his chest while Perth’s fingers moved lazily through his hair. The steady rhythm of their heartbeats filled the quiet between them.

Eventually, Perth broke the silence. “You okay?”

Santa tilted his head just enough to look up at him. A slow smile spread across his face. “Yeah.”

Perth studied him for another second. “Just yeah?”

Santa laughed softly. “More than okay.”

That earned him a small smile.

Santa rested his chin on Perth’s chest. “For the record,” he said casually, “That was the best sex I’ve ever had.”

Perth’s expression immediately changed. Santa saw it happen in real time. His smile widened.

“Oh no.”

“What?” Perth asked.

“You got jealous.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

Perth rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to hear about your exes five minutes after we just had sex.”

Santa’s laughter filled the room. “I’m not talking about my exes.”

“You literally compared me to them.”

“I complimented you.”

“Bad timing.”

Santa laughed even harder at that. Perth tried to look annoyed, but the corners of his mouth kept betraying him. Unable to help himself, Santa pushed himself up slightly.

“What are you doing?” Perth asked.

Instead of answering, Santa leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then another to his temple. Another to his cheek.

Perth huffed. “Santa.”

A kiss near the corner of his eye. Another on the opposite cheek.

“Baby.”

Another kiss.

Then another one.

By now Perth was fighting a smile. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe.” Santa kissed the tip of his nose.

Perth laughed, wrapping an arm around Santa’s waist and pulling him back down against him. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Santa settled comfortably against his chest again, smiling to himself. “I know.”

The answer came far too quickly. Perth tightened his arm around him. “Way too confident.”

“Can you blame me?”

This time, Perth couldn’t even pretend to argue.

A little while later, they found themselves standing under the warm water together, neither in much of a hurry. Most of the teasing had given way to something quieter. Comfortable.

By the time they finished, changed into clean clothes, and returned to the bedroom, the room felt different.

Perth stripped the bed while Santa disappeared into the closet to find fresh sheets. The process should have been simple, but somehow they still managed to get tangled in the fitted sheet twice. Santa claimed it was Perth’s fault. Perth claimed Santa was being unhelpful on purpose.

Eventually, the bed was made, and both of them practically collapsed onto it. The exhaustion hit all at once.

Santa immediately moved closer. Perth opened his arm without even thinking about it. Santa slid into his side, one arm draped across Perth’s waist while Perth wrapped both arms around him and pulled him in until there was barely any space left between them. Their legs tangled together beneath the blankets.

The room was dark except for the faint glow coming through the curtains. For a while, they simply lay there listening to each other’s breathing. Santa traced absentminded patterns across Perth’s chest.

Perth pressed a kiss into his hair. “Comfortable?” he asked quietly.

Santa snorted. “I’m practically fused to you.”

“Good.”

Santa lifted his head slightly. “Good?”

Perth shrugged. “Means you’re not going anywhere.”

The smile that appeared on Santa’s face was impossible to hide. He settled back down, tucking himself even closer. “Neither are you.”

Perth’s arms tightened around him. “Nope, never.”

A comfortable silence settled between them again. Within minutes, Santa’s breathing had begun to slow. Perth smiled to himself and pressed one last kiss to the top of Santa’s head. Santa made a soft sound of protest but instinctively moved closer anyway.

A few moments later, both of them drifted off tangled together beneath the blankets, neither willing to let go even in their sleep.

*

The week that followed passed in a blur.

Somehow, once they had crossed that line, neither Perth nor Santa seemed capable of staying away from each other.

They studied together. They had lunch together. Dinner together. They stayed at each other’s place.

When Perth had practice, Santa would wait for him afterward. When Santa had classes, Perth would find excuses to walk him back to his dorm. Some nights Perth stayed at Santa’s dorm room, both of them pretending to focus on their assignments while secretly paying more attention to each other. Other nights Santa ended up at Perth’s condo, falling asleep on the couch before Perth convinced him to move to the bed.

It quickly became a running joke among their friends.

“You know you two are allowed to exist separately, right?” Pond complained one afternoon.

“We’re conducting an experiment,” Perth replied without looking up from where he was sitting next to Santa.

“What experiment?”

“How long it takes before you get tired of seeing us.”

Phuwin groaned dramatically. “Trust me, we’re already there.”

Bonnie pointed at them with her fork. “Yesterday you left together. Then you arrived together. Then you sat together. Then you disappeared together.”

Santa nearly choked on his drink.

Perth, meanwhile, looked entirely unapologetic. “Sounds efficient to me.”

The entire table erupted into protests.

Despite all the teasing, nobody could miss how happy they looked. Even when they weren’t touching, they were always aware of each other. A glance. A smile. An unconscious lean toward the other person whenever they sat side by side.

It was disgusting. According to their friends, anyway.

*

By Friday, excitement had spread across campus. The university soccer team was playing the championship final against their biggest rivals, and everyone seemed to be talking about it.

Perth had been focused all day. Between classes and lunch, teammates kept stopping him to discuss tactics, training, or who was bringing what to the game.

As they walked across campus together, Perth slipped his hand into Santa’s.

“You’ll be there tonight, right?”

Santa looked at him.

“The final?”

Perth nodded.

“Where else would I be?”

A satisfied smile appeared on Perth’s face. “Good.”

Santa laughed. “Was that even a question?”

“No. More of a reminder.”

Santa shook his head fondly. “You’re impossible.”

“I know.”

They continued walking for a few moments before Perth spoke again.

“Oh, and I want you to wear something.”

Santa immediately became suspicious. “What?”

Perth reached into his bag and pulled out a folded soccer jersey.

His jersey.

The one with his name and number on the back.

Santa looked at it, then at Perth, then back at the jersey. A grin slowly spread across his face.

“My boyfriend wants me to wear his jersey?”

The effect was immediate. Perth rolled his eyes, but his wide smile completely ruined the attempt at looking unaffected.

“Just wear it.”

“Oh, so that’s a yes.”

“I didn’t ask a question.”

Santa laughed.

Perth shoved the jersey into his arms. “Are you wearing it or not?”

Santa hugged it against his chest. “Of course I am.”

The smile Perth gave him in return was worth every second of teasing. And suddenly, Santa found himself looking forward to the game even more than before.

*

The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric. Students filled the bleachers, school colors everywhere, chants echoing across the field every few minutes. The noise rose and fell with every pass, every tackle, every near miss.

Santa sat with Pond, Phuwin, and Bonnie a few rows above the front.

Pond was yelling at the referee. Phuwin was yelling at the opposing team. Bonnie was yelling at both of them to sit down. And Santa was trying and failing not to smile every time Perth touched the ball.

“Oh my God,” Bonnie groaned. “Look at him.”

Santa frowned. “What?”

“The heart eyes.”

“I do not have heart eyes.”

“You absolutely do,” Phuwin said.

The game continued.

One goal.

Then another.

The rival university equalized shortly after halftime, and from that point neither team managed to break the deadlock.

As the clock ticked down, the tension in the stadium became almost unbearable.

Every failed attack drew frustrated groans. Every defensive stop earned thunderous applause. The score remained tied.

One minute left.

The rival team pushed forward again. A dangerous pass cut through the midfield. Then suddenly Perth stepped in. He intercepted the ball cleanly. The crowd erupted.

“GO!” Pond screamed.

Perth was already running.

One defender tried to stop him, he failed. Another chased after him, but it’s too late.

The entire stadium seemed to rise to its feet as Perth sprinted toward the goal.

Santa’s heart was hammering so hard he could barely breathe.

The goalkeeper rushed forward.

Perth took one touch, then another and shot. For a split second, everything froze.

Then the net moved.

GOAL.

The stadium exploded. The noise was deafening. Players rushed onto the field. Teammates crashed into Perth from every direction, shouting, laughing, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him into a chaotic group hug. The final whistle blew moments later.

Champions.

The celebration only grew louder. Players were jumping up and down. Some had already fallen onto the grass. Others were running around the field waving their arms at the crowd.

Santa couldn’t stop smiling.

Perth looked happier than he had ever seen him. Then, through the chaos, Perth’s gaze lifted toward the bleachers.

Toward him.

Santa saw the exact moment Perth found him.

A second later, Perth broke away from his teammates. Ignoring the protests and confused shouts behind him, he started running toward the stands.

“Santa!”

The call carried across the noise.

Santa blinked.

“Santa!”

Phuwin immediately shoved his shoulder. “Go.”

Bonnie was already pushing him to his feet. “What are you waiting for?”

Before Santa could properly react, his friends were practically forcing him down the steps.

The crowd parted as he reached the bottom.

Perth met him halfway, breathless and sweaty. Still buzzing with adrenaline. The grin on his face was impossible to miss.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The celebration continued around them, but it felt distant. Like the rest of the world had disappeared.

Perth laughed first.

A disbelieving, breathless laugh. “We won.”

Santa smiled. “You did.”

Perth shook his head. “No.”

His eyes never left Santa’s. “We did.”

Something in the way he said it made Santa’s chest tighten.

Around them, teammates were still shouting and celebrating. Some people were chanting Perth’s name, some were trying to drag him back toward the team.

Perth ignored all of it. His entire focus was on Santa.

Then, before Santa could say anything, Perth reached for him, both hands came up to cup his face. Perth pulled him closer and kissed him.

The crowd around them erupted. Somebody screamed. Several teammates started shouting. Pond’s voice was probably among them. Neither Perth nor Santa paid attention.

The kiss wasn’t long, but it carried every ounce of the adrenaline, relief, and happiness Perth was feeling.

When they finally pulled apart, Perth stayed close, his forehead almost touching Santa’s.

His chest was still heaving from the game. His eyes were shining. And despite the thousands of people around them, Perth only seemed to see one person.

“I love you.”

The words came out without hesitation, without embarrassment, without fear. Just pure honesty.

Santa froze. Not because he didn’t want to hear it, not because he wasn’t happy, it was quite the opposite.

The emotion hit him so suddenly that it stole the air from his lungs.

His vision blurred. Perth immediately softened.

“You idiot,” Santa whispered, his voice shaking.

Perth grinned, “I know.”

Santa laughed again, a tear finally slipping free. Then he reached up and held onto Perth’s wrists.

“I love you too.”

For a second, Perth simply stared at him.

The words seemed to sink in.

Then the biggest smile Santa had ever seen spread across his face. Perth closed the distance and kissed him again. Santa could still taste the breathless laughter lingering between them, could still feel Perth’s hands cradling his face as though he was afraid he might disappear if he let go.

When they finally pulled apart, neither of them moved far. Perth rested his forehead against Santa’s. For a moment, they simply stood there, looking at each other and smiling like idiots.

Perth brushed his thumb beneath Santa’s eye, catching the trace of a tear still lingering there.

“You know,” he said quietly, “There’s no turning back now.”

Santa huffed out a laugh. “No?”

Perth shook his head. “You’re stuck with me.”

The certainty in his voice made Santa’s chest ache. Not because it frightened him, but because it didn’t. Not even a little. For the first time, the future didn’t feel uncertain. It felt easy. Because wherever Perth was, Santa wanted to be there too.

Perth squeezed his hand. “So.”

Santa raised an eyebrow. “So?”

A grin slowly spread across Perth’s face. “We’re doing this.”

Santa looked at him, really looked at him.

At the boy who had walked into his life and somehow become his favorite part of it.

Then he smiled. “Yeah.”

Perth’s smile matched his own. “Good.”

And before Santa could say anything else, Perth leaned in and kissed him one more time.

Around them, the stadium still roared, a chaotic symphony of flashing lights, cheering fans, and their friends screaming themselves hoarse from the stands. But as Perth’s lips met his again, the noise faded into nothing more than static.

Wrapped in Perth’s arms, wearing his jersey, Santa closed his eyes and let the rest of the world melt away. They had all the time in the world, but right here, right now, nothing existed except the steady, grounding rhythm of Perth’s heartbeat against his own.

——
So this is the end of this story…
I really hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing!

Thank you sooooooo much for all the votes and comments 🩵
Don’t hesitate to share this story if you liked it 🙂

Let me know what you all think, and please be honest!!

@casualxperson on X