My Krampus

Ok, so it was probably wrong to keep up this charade of the Krampus in the afternoons anyway, but it was so nice to be let into her thoughts and I'd really valued that. Now that it seemed to be over, I wasn't happy about it.

But what could I do to bring her back out of that shell? Maybe I needed to focus more on my relationship with her as myself and back away from the Krampus thing, I mused. Maybe she didn't like my alter ego. It must be odd to spend so much time with someone anonymous, I figured.

"Leni, have you heard of Thanksgiving?" I asked my sister one morning after Allison left on her own for campus.

My sister frowned, "Isn't that some American thing?"

I nodded, "It's a feast they have every year at the end of November. I want to make a traditional dinner for Allison. I think it will cheer her up."

Leni shook her head at me sadly, "That girl needs honesty from you, not food. It's obvious she's in love with you. And instead of doing anything about it, you're dressing up in a costume to talk to her like you're in some movie!"

I blanched, "What?"

I should have known it was impossible to keep any secrets from my sister, in her own home no less.

"Don't think I don't recognize that old costume, it may have been thirty years, but I know it. Not to mention your tromping steps every afternoon right before Allison meets her mystery man, and the sheep hairs I've been sweeping up from the hall. You've confused the poor girl with this charade. If you must court her, then at least do it as yourself!"

I looked down, my cheeks burning, "I don't know how, Leni. It's been decades since I've dated. I think I bungled my chance. And she talks to me when I'm in that costume... I can be myself, without all the complicating factors of our history and age gap."

Leni sighed, "Brother, I admit I was skeptical of this crush when you asked me to lease the upstairs unit to her. But I've seen you together for six weeks now. You have a real chance; she has real feelings for you. Trust me, I can tell. But you have to give up this convoluted deceit with the Krampus suit!"

I sighed, of course she was right. But I didn't want to give it up yet, not yet. I imagined going back to lonely afternoons without Allison's company. No, I couldn't do it yet.

"I'll stop after the Krampuslauf," I promised.

Leni huffed.

"Now about Thanksgiving," I changed the subject.

I got Leni to agree to leave the house for a night and let me do all the cooking. I wasn't as good a cook as she was, but I wanted to do this for Allison, not to have my sister do it for her. I wanted this to be gift from me. And I wanted to share our dinner alone.

I spent the next week and a half trying to find everything I needed to make a complete Thanksgiving dinner, pumpkin for a pie, potatoes, American style stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and of course, turkey. I had some difficulty finding the right kind of pumpkin, so I ended up buying canned pumpkin online along with a bag of stuffing mix and some cranberry sauce. I figured the processed American versions would be more familiar and comforting for Allison than something made from Austrian ingredients.

I regretted not paying more attention to my ex-wife's Thanksgiving meal preparation efforts. But I at least knew how things should taste. I tried a couple recipes in advance and had to make a few adjustments until I was satisfied. Unfortunately, being so busy on this project, I missed several afternoons with Allison.

I hoped she didn't mind too much. She understood German well enough now that we could have limited conversations, so I'd been able to tell her when I would next be back to see her. Maybe that growing skill with German was why she'd stopped her English monologues? That thought made me wish I hadn't been such a good teacher.

(Allison)

The past couple weeks had been painfully slow. My Krampus had been unusually absent, and Tobias had been distracted too. I tried to focus on work, but I often found myself daydreaming about one or the other of them.

Where had my Krampus come from? I was drawn to his enigmatic appearance nearly every day. Yet, our conversations were stilted and shallow, limited by an unfortunate language barrier. I had no idea what he looked like or anything about him, really.

Yet, every afternoon, I found myself anxiously waiting his arrival, eager to spend time talking to him. And he brought me little gifts too. Chocolates, small trinkets, sometimes flowers again. It was delightful. I'd got him a couple gifts too, like Krampus themed knickknacks, and some American foods I'd brought from home.

I'd go to sleep, dreaming of my Krampus, imagining finally getting under his skin, discovering the secret of who he was. And in the morning, I'd wake and see Tobias with his lovely familiar face and kind, happy eyes. Sometimes, the two of them merged into a single person in my mind and I'd imagine my Krampus removing his mask and there would be Tobias.

If I was honest with myself, that was the fantasy I wished was true. I didn't want to give up either of them. And then I felt silly because I didn't have either of them to begin with. It was impossible though. I couldn't imagine Tobias carrying on such a ruse, and why would he?

This afternoon, my Krampus had told me he wouldn't be able to make it, so I went to my little apartment straight away. There were delicious smells coming from the kitchen and I wondered what Leni had been cooking. While I shared breakfast with them, we usually had dinner separately. My unit had a little kitchen in it where I could prepare simple meals.

About fifteen minutes after I got home, I heard a knock on my door and glanced up to see an envelope pushed under the door. I frowned and went to go look at it, curious. It was impossible to get to my upstairs apartment without going through the main house, so this note could have only been from Tobias or Leni. Why wouldn't they just knock and talk to me? I picked up the plain envelope and turned it over, flipping up the unsealed flap. I pulled out a card with a cartoon of a turkey on it with the words "Gobble, Gobble" arched across the top.

Bemused, I opened the card. Inside was written, "Come downstairs for Thanksgiving!"

I had forgotten! It was Thanksgiving day today. Had Tobias and Leni planned a meal? This was so unexpected, and exciting. I practically ran downstairs, a giant grin plastered on my face.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Allison!" Tobias said jovially as I came in.

The smells hit me at once, much more powerful here than on the stairs, and with them came a ton of emotions. Before I knew it my eyes were watering and leaking tears.

"Wow, this is amazing!" I said, sniffling. "Do you do this every year?"

Tobias smiled, "No, I haven't celebrated Thanksgiving in years. But I thought you might like a reminder of home."

"You did this just for me?" I squeaked.

Tobias nodded. My chest swelled and tears just started pouring down my cheeks. I couldn't help it, I practically fell into Tobias, hugging him hard.

"Thank you!" I cried into his shoulder.

Tobias held me to him and rubbed my back until I calmed down. I released him and straightened up, feeling a bit embarrassed about my outburst. I wiped my tears away quickly and smiled.

"I can't believe you made Thanksgiving dinner, for me!"

"I... I thought you've seemed a bit sad, and I wanted to cheer you up," Tobias replied.

"Where's Leni?" I asked, looking around for her.

"She couldn't be here tonight," Tobias said with a small shrug.

"Oh," I commented, frowning.

Leni was always here. She didn't work and she liked being at home. I felt a bit of a thrill, knowing that Tobias and I were really alone in the house. And he'd cooked a meal for me, too. Not just any meal, a huge and complicated meal. Was he just being nice, as he would to any visiting post-doc, or did this mean more? I wish I knew for certain.

I sat down at the table, which was already set, with plates of food spread out for self-serve eating, just as Thanksgiving was meant to be. I saw turkey and mashed potatoes and biscuits and cranberry sauce and gravy and more.

Before taking any food, I reached across the table for Tobias' hands, he set his in mine gently.

"I am thankful for all you've done for me, for being my advisor, for always being patient and kind, for getting me a job here and a place to live, for this wonderful meal. I am thankful for my family and friends in the states. I am thankful for my health and for another wonderful year on Earth."

I smiled as I said my thanks, still full of emotion. I stared into Tobias eyes, feeling more connected to him than I ever had before.

(Tobias)

Watching the happy look on Allison's face as she spoke made the whole evening worth it. The hug I'd been gifted, and holding her hands now was more than I had expected. I was so caught up in savoring the feel of her hands that I didn't realize at first when it was my turn to give thanks.

I was startled by the silence, then I had to rush to find the right words, "I am thankful to have been able to teach you, Allison. I am thankful for the joy you've given me with your cheerful spirit, and that we could continue working together here. I am thankful for my sister, and for our continued good health, which I hope shall continue to hold for many years to come."

After I stopped speaking, Allison didn't let go of my hands, I didn't let go either. It was silly to have all this food between us and the only thing I wanted to touch my lips was her soft skin.

The moment was broken by a loud rumble of Allison's stomach. She grimaced and looked embarrassed. I laughed and let go of her hands.

"Let's eat," I said.

Quietly now, we each filled our plates. I tasted a bit of everything again nervously. I was gratified that everything still tasted good, to me at least. I watched Allison take her first bites of turkey.

"This is so good, Tobias! I didn't know you could cook so well. I though Leni was the cook in this family."

I smiled, "I don't cook very often."

We talked about work as we ate, about the projects we were working on. It was good to see Allison happy and laughing. I loved to watch her face as she talked about her work, her focus was always so complete when she talked on a subject about which she was passionate.

After dinner, I brought out the pumpkin pie and whipped cream. I cut a generous slice for both of us.

"I was thinking we could eat dessert in front of the fireplace," I said.

Allison looked up at me, her eyes big, "That sounds wonderful."

I had prepared a fire earlier and, after setting our pies on the coffee table, I lit it. The small living room had just one short sofa and a coffee table in it. Well, there was a rocking chair, but I'd moved it away from the fire earlier. Allison could easily move it back and sit there, but I hoped she sit with me.

I watched as she flicked her eyes from the rocking chair to the couch that was just big enough for two, if they were sitting close to each other. Hesitantly, she sat next to me. I handed her a pie from the table and took mine as well.

The fire, the food, the comfy couch, it all added up to feeling pretty sleepy. I noticed when Allison's eyes drifted closed. She jerked awake, then put her remaining pie on the table. It had been such a nice evening, and I felt bold. So, I put my arm around the back of the couch and invited Allison to sit closer.

"If you're tired, you can rest your head on my shoulder for a bit," I said, holding my breath.

Allison looked startled for one moment, and then she scooted next to me and laid her head on me. I dropped my arm so that my hand landed on her shoulder. This felt so right, so good, to have Allison under my arm, snuggled up next to me.

Within minutes, I heard faint snores from Allison. Deep satisfaction filled me. I stared into the fire, enjoying the feel of the woman I loved on my body. And at some point, I fell asleep as well.

I lurched awake. The fire was burnt down to nothing, and I had a pain in my back. I didn't want to leave this cozy couch with my warm Allison blanket, but my back demanded it. Carefully, I maneuvered out from under Allison. I tried to adjust her into a comfortable position without touching anything inappropriate, and then draped a blanket over her.

She looked so peaceful, sleeping there. I loved her; it was as simple as that. All I had to do was figure out how to uncomplicate the mess I'd made with the Krampus. And then I had to hope she wanted me as much as I wanted her.

I sighed and picked up our pie plates. I went to clean up our leftovers at the table, but it was already done. Leni must have come home at some point and quietly cleaned as we slept. I smiled, for a sister she wasn't half bad.

I made my way up to bed and laid down. My thoughts full of Allison on my shoulder, my cock grew hard. Since coming to Austria, my attempts at self-satisfaction had been thwarted, typically by the very person who motivated those attempts. With her sleeping on the couch, I thought I might finally get to finish a session.

Hopeful, I began running my hand up and down my cock, lightly at first, but then I gripped harder. With each stroke, my foreskin pulled down from my glans and then up over it again, making it peek out cyclically. I closed my eyes and imagined Allison's head resting on my shoulder. It would have been so easy to move my hand a bit and fondle her breast. I imagined sticking my hand down her shirt and wrapping my fingers around that swollen flesh, seeking out her nipple to pinch.

Maybe she would wake up. Maybe she would put her hand on my groin, pressing on my cock through my jeans. Maybe she would even unbutton my jeans, unzip them, and take out my penis, wrapping her soft hand around it.

I pressed my lips together to keep from moaning out loud as my cock pulsed, and cum spurt out onto my stomach. I sighed in long-delayed satisfaction and laid back on the bed. I scooped up some of my cum on my fingers and tasted myself. The taste wasn't good, but it wasn't bad, I mused. I didn't want Allison to be disgusted by my taste, and after checking, I thought she wouldn't be.

Managing one final spurt of action, I grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and cleaned myself, then pulled up the blankets and drifted back to sleep.

(Allison)

I woke up on the couch, the smell of breakfast already permeating the house. Had I really fallen asleep on Tobias' shoulder, with his arm around me? I ran through the events of the previous evening in my mind. Yes, yes I had.

Warmth spread through me, starting in my pelvis, and then up to my heart. But what would Leni think? Finding me sleeping on her couch this morning. She was already making breakfast, she had to have seen me here. I flushed and covered my head with the blanket. Where had a blanket come from?

More importantly, where had Tobias gone? He'd left me here, to wake up alone. Questions filled me, and the only way to get answers was to continue with the process of waking up. I groaned quietly.

Eventually, I pushed off the blanket and swung my legs down off the couch, sitting up. I heard the stomp of heavy steps on the stairs and turned, meeting Tobias' eyes as he came into view. His face lit in a grin that stopped my heart and compelled an equal smile from me, as I stood.

"Good morning, Allison," he said, sending a thrill through me that had nothing to do with the words he said and everything to do with his satisfied expression as he said them.

"Good morning, Tobias," I replied, wishing I could sound as confident as he did, but my words came out quiet and unsure.

"I hope you slept well? I am sorry I had to leave you, there is simply not room enough on that couch for two people to sleep!"

I could feel my whole face burn as I flushed with embarrassment, "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you."

Tobias was close to me now, just a foot away, "I'm not," he said, staring into me.

"Oh," I replied.

The tension pulled between us, begging one of us to move our head closer, to tilt just right, to kiss waiting lips. Yet we waited, searching for a clue as to what the other was feeling.

There was a bang in the kitchen and a cry of pain. The moment broken, Tobias hurried to see if Leni was hurt. Slowly, I followed. In the kitchen, Leni was running cold water over her fingers and Tobias was making up an ice pack.

"Are you ok?" I asked Leni.

She smiled at me, "It's just a small burn, I'll be fine!"

Feeling completely out of equilibrium, I just stood there, not sure what to do. Leni must have seen my confusion because she gave me direction.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up and dressed and come back down for breakfast when you're ready?"

I nodded, "Ok."

I felt a lot more normal after showering and putting on clean clothes. I was glad Leni has suggested I do this obvious thing, because my mind had obviously been elsewhere earlier. When I returned, Tobias was drinking coffee at the table and Leni was drinking hers in the kitchen doorway, leaning on the frame.

"Servus!" Leni greeted me.

Tobias lifted his mug, proclaiming himself an intellectual badass, and tilted his head in greeting. We had returned to normalcy in the space of twenty minutes. I smiled at the mug, glowing internally that his favorite cup was the one I'd secretly given him.

"Morning, everyone," I replied, smiling.

I settled in at the table across from Tobias and Leni brought over a plate for each of us. Then, she got one for herself and joined us.

"Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?" She asked me.

"Oh, it was very nice! I can't believe Tobias did all that cooking."

"Yes, I can't remember the last time I've seen him make such an effort in the kitchen," Leni observed drily.

"How was your night? Tobias said you had plans?" I asked, politely.

"Oh, I had a great time," Leni said, with a smile, but she didn't elaborate on what her plans had been, leaving me burning with curiosity. I was much too polite to pry, though.

On our walk to campus that morning, my hand slid into Tobias' grasp. It was almost as if a magnet drew our hands together. We chatted as normal, and went our separate ways during the day. The memory of his hand in mine, and from the night before, my cheek on his shoulder, made me feel giddy all day.

In the afternoon, I went to meet my Krampus as normal. My intention to focus on my costumed friend was totally broken now though. Now, I wanted nothing more than to track down what Tobias did with his afternoons and spend them with him, instead.

(Tobias)

I felt light and ridiculously happy as I went through the motions of the day. Allison had slept on my shoulder. She'd held my hand as we walked to work this morning. Finally, it seemed that we had broken the barriers of our past and were building a new relationship.

I whistled lightly as I changed into the Krampus suit to meet Allison that afternoon. I considered my sister's admonition to give up with this farce, but not yet. Things were going well, and I didn't want to fracture any new blooming romance.

It was getting quite cold now, and Allison had started bundling up with a heavy winter coat, gloves, hat, and scarf for our afternoons. It was too many clothes for a walk, but for sitting still, it was necessary. I had begun layering beneath the Krampus suit as well.

"Gruss gott!" Allison greeted me.

"Servus," I replied, sitting next to her.

I suppressed the urge to put my arm around her, remembering at the last minute that I wasn't myself right now. Maybe that was a liberty that I could take, after last night, but not the Krampus.

Allison appeared to be in as good a mood as me, although a bit distracted.