Alaska

Tonight's temperature will hit a new record low.The weatherman said so, and Marco believed it.He'd dreamed of a warm coat with full cuffs, and now he was shivering, hugging himself and looking at the stars above him.He pressed the button of the watch, the dial lit up, and he smiled.It was almost midnight.

He had already wrapped the gifts for his sisters and placed them on the floor in front of the fireplace in the living room.The fireplaces were chalked by Krista on top of opened grocery bags, worried that Santa wouldn't be able to find them.Shana rolled her eyes at this, and was about to speak when Marco tapped her on the head.Let Christa trust me a little longer.

Although money has been particularly tight this year, he still saved enough to buy two books for Shana and a new pleated skirt for Krista; no tea for grandma this time, but she probably didn't either. will notice.Today, when she is sane, she can only remember decades ago, when her husband and daughter were still alive.

"Still dangling on the roof?"

Marco turned around quickly and almost fell.With his heart pounding in his chest, he watched the figure stride towards him.Tall and thin, with long hair flying in the wind, a bag was slung over his shoulder.

Scott gradually approached, and Marco finally saw his face clearly, but only "you" popped out of his mouth.Scott was more handsome than he remembered, with a squarer jaw and wider cheekbones.But those eyes remained the same.Even in the dim light of the roadside, Scott's eyes were still the deep indigo blue of the sea.

"Waiting for someone else?" Scott asked, his tone both mocking and uneasy.

"No. Just didn't expect—three years, Scott."

"About three and a half years. Is it warm where you are?"

"No, I don't intend to stay here long."

"I have a sleeping bag. Can you stay longer?"

The horse is ridiculous. "OK."

Scott spent several minutes packing his sleeping bag so they could sit side by side with their backs against the outer wall of the stairs.They cuddled shoulder to shoulder and leg to leg, and Marco felt the warmth seeping into him sweetly, inch by inch.

"Are you okay?" Scott finally asked.

"Not bad. I'm wondering—where have you been? Last time I heard you switched foster homes."

"Away. I've been... going around."

"To Alaska?"

Scott sighed. "No. Not that far. Just, you know, just walking around."

Marco decided not to ask further questions. "Well, I'm glad you're back. But your mother moved away a long time ago."

"I didn't come back to see her."

Marco moved a little closer.Scott's body gave him a dependable feel, which he loved. "You... you look fine."

"What are they doing to you, Marco? I mean, life."

"It's fine. I'm fine."

"Where are the schoolmates?"

A stab of pain went through Marco's chest. "Everyone in there is a jerk. But I don't care. I just try to pass and graduate."

"Try to pass? Come on. You're a genius, and you probably know more than your teacher."

"It's not that bad, I'm a little... busy." Not long ago, my grandmother's allowance was cut, while the rent was raised.He works thirty hours a week at McDonald's.Of course, he also had to teach his younger sisters homework and take care of his grandmother.Also, Shana's cooking sucks, so if they're sick of cold cereal and want a change, he'll have to cook.Even if he has time to do his homework, he can only treat it sloppily.

Scott sighed loudly. "At least you're still trying. I dropped out of school."

"You shouldn't be doing that. You're smart too."

"Maybe. But I... move around all the time. You're still going to college, aren't you?"

"Of course." Community college.Maybe I won't be able to enroll this fall, but I have to wait until spring, but I will definitely be able to enroll next fall.

After a brief silence, Scott took Marco's hand with his wider, warmer hand. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Marco snorted. "No. What about you?"

"I...not." Scott squeezed Marco's hand. "Come with me, Marco."

"Where?"

"Whatever. Go anywhere. Go to Alaska. I'm here now, so the goddamn social worker can't handle me anymore. You can get your high school diploma somewhere else, and then we'll—"

"No," Marco felt his throat tighten, but he still said. "Grandma, and my sisters, they can't do without me."

"But you have taken care of them for so many years, you should live for yourself, you deserve it."

"It doesn't matter what I deserve, Scott. It's just me."

Marco would be mad at Scott, but Scott just sighed and rested his head on Marco's shoulder. "It's not fair. If it wasn't for them, you'd probably get a scholarship and...be out there. You'd be on the cover of a magazine or something, and I'd be like, 'Yeah, he's still a skinny little kid. I've known him since then. And he gave me his first kiss.'”

"No!"

Scott looked up. "Really? Then who did you give it to?"

"No one." Marco replied softly.

"Oh. So, that," Scott said, straddling Marco's lap, their noses almost touching, his weight pinning Marco firmly—and Marco I don't want to go anywhere.Scott's fingers tangle Marco's curly hair, and Marco tangles his hair, the strands of hair smoother than he remembers.Scott pressed Marco's lips, lightly at first, then deeper and deeper.Marco opened his lips and tasted Scott for the first time: salty and sweet, hot like a furnace, burning every nerve in Marco.Their crotches were squeezed together too, and Marco felt how hard Scott had become.

Marco's head was thrown back slightly, buttocks rubbed up against each other. "We can—"

"No, you need—your first time shouldn't be like this. Tell me honestly, Marco, your dream first time must be in silk sheets with some handsome prince, and then...I Don't know. It's playing Barry White."

①Barry White, a famous American singer in the 70s, with a deep and sexy voice.

"Barry White?" Marco asked.Even after all these years, he still dreams about Scott.

"Yeah." Scott sighed again, climbed off Marco's lap and sat back beside him, rearranging the sleeping bag around them both.Whatever Scott's first time was, Marco knew very well that there would be no silk sheets or Barry White, and the realization brought him close to tears.

This time, Marco rested his head on Scott's shoulder. "Stay here. Come with us."

"No. Damn the KSB won't let...someone like me around your sister. And, then again, I'm a little...well, I got into some trouble. Can't stay here long. "

"Go to his babysitter. Krista and Shana won't tell anyone you're with us. And I can help you with your troubles."

"Still think you're going to save me, huh?"

"I can. I will."

"Forget it, bro. I'm not worth it."

"Worth the sky and the ground!"

Scott smiled and took Marco's hand again. "I almost forgot how stubborn you are. Let's just... let's enjoy tonight, okay? It's Christmas. And, hey! I've got something for you." He let go of Marco's hand, Rummaging around in the backpack.

"I still wear that watch. Every day."

"Fine. That's not—well, found it." Scott threw a notebook into Marco's lap.It was an ordinary coil notebook, the kind Marco bought for 89 cents during the back-to-school sale in August.But when he opened it, he found that every page was covered with sketches.There were superheroes, the kind Scott used to draw as a kid, only better now; there were ordinary people sitting on benches or at fast food counters, there were buildings and cars, there were dogs, there were birds, there were Tree.Each one is beautifully drawn and full of energy and character.

"Wow," Marco sighed softly. "That's awesome! These are—you can be a professional painter."

Scott's smile was brightened by the streetlights, but his voice was still low and soft. "It's nothing special. It's a good way to pass the time, isn't it?"

Marco clutched the notebook to his chest. "Can I keep it?"

"Of course you can, idiot. Here's your Christmas present."

"But I still haven't given you anything."

"Let me draw you. This is what I want from you."

"I... ok."

Marco sat very still and let Scott paint him, which didn't take long for Scott to finish.As soon as he was done, he tore the page out of his notebook, folded it, and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Wait!" Marco protested. "Let me see!" Even though he knew he had nothing to look at, just messy curly hair, an oddly shaped nose, and a pair of overly protruding ears.

Scott flattened the piece of paper with some embarrassment, and held it up to show Marco.

"Oh," Marco said.He is almost beautiful in this painting, with big sad eyes and sexy lips.Moreover, what Marco was wearing was not a tattered old overcoat, but a cape and tights, with a large letter printed on the chest.

"What does the R stand for?" Marco asked.

"Savior. I don't have much creativity in that." Scott refolded the paper and put it in his backpack this time.

②The original text is Rescueman.

They held hands and sat there for so long that Marco began to doze off.Scott's strong hand was his only connection to the world.He heard a whisper that seemed to come from far away: "Merry Christmas, Marco."