Page 55 of Baking Battles

“Well, it is a fairy-tale, isn’t it? Spotty, useless, shy teenager falls in love with a beautiful boy who doesn’t ever notice him, and the beautiful boy promptly forgets that said teenager exists. Then the beautiful boy grows up into a gorgeous man, and re-evaluates everything he knows, and lets the shy teenager, who has now grown into a bit of a mess of a man. Well, anyway, the mess of a man gets to kiss his prince and they both become kings of their own little kingdom. And what happens next, baby?”

“They all live happily ever after?” Mattias laughs.

“They do indeed.” Christopher winks. “Well, the messy king, King Christopher.”

“King Clistopler”. Emi says, curling her body around Christopher’s head so she can look at his face. “King Clistopler.”

“Yup Emi, I’m King Christopher.”

“King Daddy!!” She shrieks and laughs at Mattias, who can’t help himself leaning up and placing his lips on her cold cheek.

“Princess Emi.” He whispers, as Emi goes off in a full-on fairy tale, rattling off something he doesn’t quite take in.

“King Christopher needs to work,” Christopher says sternly. “I have a few jobs booked, but I will be back home for Christmas. I am going to go to my parents on the twenty-third and then we all usually go up to my sister’s cabin for the twenty-fourth. It’s tradition, and I need to be there. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s a truly magical place. The cabin is amazing, with views into the forest, and my family will all be there. You would love it. Please come. Please come with me. Bring Emi. Bring Sara. Just come. Because I want to be with you at Christmas. I want to hold your hand and kiss you and give you some silly little presents and just know that I’m okay. That you are okay. That we’re us. I want that.”

“I want to be with you too. I’ll take Emi up to see my parents at some point, and we usually go to Sara’s parents, and Emi needs her family, but then you are her family... too. Can I talk to Sara and see what we can work out? Because I need to be with you. I don’t want to be alone at Christmas.”

“You won’t be.” Christopher whispers. “Because you will have me. Right there next to you, wherever you are. Because I love you, and you are mine, and wherever you will be, I will be there with you. Promise.”

Mattias doesn’t answer that. He just presses his mouth against Christopher’s lips and lets himself be kissed.

And the snow falls around them on the street as Emi shouts that she has snowflakes in her eyes, and can she have ice cream?

Christopher says she can. That she is obviously a Royal Ice Princess, and if she’s a good girl they will stop by the supermarket and get her an ice cream. Because she can be anything she wants to be, and Christopher will get her anything she wants, because she is his little Ice Princess and he loves her.

And Mattias thinks if he could change his life, he wouldn’t change a thing. Because through everything, the good and the bad he’s ended up here. He wouldn’t change a thing. He wouldn’t swap his life for anything. He’s good. Right here right now, things are perfect.

* * *

Four weeks later, Mattias and Emi are sitting on the sofa watching the final of Baking Battles screened on TV. The coffee table in front of them bulging with candles nestling in pine and greenery, a large real Christmas tree covered in rustic decorations dominating the room. Christopher and Emi bought it, and decorated it all on their own on a Friday, spending time together as Mattias had worked. They let him choose some decorations though, silly overpriced handicrafts from the Christmas market, as Emi had pointed out her favourites and Christopher had held his hand. It had been perfect. Yet, here they are watching the final of the show on their own.

It doesn’t feel real. Almost like he is watching someone else on the screen, a bunch of strangers who he has no connection with, despite the texting in their group chat, where all of them are now doing live commentary. The banter is quick and sarcastic, praising each other’s efforts and laughing at the obvious angling in the finale to gear the public up to the winner being Alima. It’s a perfect lead up, Alima’s face filling the screen when her final platter of biscuits is presented to the judges, all seven varieties, in twelve perfectly formed mouth-watering pieces each, filling the screen on her rustic plate. Then the camera panning to Magnus and his display of perfection, his face already showing off his confidence in being the winner. It is Paulina who, of course, takes the crown, breaking down in tears when her name is announced and Mattias cheers, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he claps at the TV, although it’s just him and Emi. It’s pathetic, being so involved in something they are watching on TV, but despite his detachment, he loves these people. Dearly.

Pablo has just filled the group chat screen with rainbows, glitter and too many capitals shouting, “Didn’t I say I was going to make Christmas fabulous?” and Mattias’s phone explodes with gifs of unicorns and strange-coloured cakes in his honor. Mattias sends one too. Because, why not? Pablo calls him his little special unicorn, which he supposes is a step up from his last nickname, and anyway. He loves Pablo. Truly.

He’s formed an unlikely friendship with Magnus, and Dad Sundays are becoming a thing. He’s had dinner with Caroline and Jacob. He’s friends with Ida on Facebook. Sara is friends with Ida on Facebook. It’s fine. It’s his life, a new and strange one perhaps, but for once it is his. Nobody else’s.

“Dadddadadadadady,” Emi sighs next to him and snuggles onto his lap.

“You okay, baby princess?” He coos, snuggling his face into her curls.

“Clistopler” She says, her face looking sad.

“I miss him too.” He replies, squeezing her a little tighter. “I miss him more than anything.”

* * *

MATTIAS: I can’t believe you set me up.

DANIJEL: I can’t believe you fell for it.

MATTIAS: I didn’t fall for anything. I was clueless, yes, but... No. I didn’t fall for it.

DANIJEL: Of course you did. I mean, come on. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist Christopher. I mean he’s Christopher. And he is awesome. Admit it.

MATTIAS: I admit that, he’s awesome. And he is mine. Back off.

DANIJEL: Whoaa. I’ve known Christopher since I was twelve. Kissing him would be like kissing my sister. Or something. Ugh.

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