You stood next to Leon in the small Christmas tree lot, surrounded by towering evergreens, each one fuller and more grand than the last. You had been walking around for a while, trying to pick out the perfect tree for your place, but Leon’s eyes kept drifting back to a little one tucked in the far corner.

The tree was small, its branches sparse in certain places, and a few of them looked downright sad, drooping a bit more than the others. It definitely didn’t compare to the larger, more impressive trees around it. But when Leon pointed it out, there was something in his eyes—a kind of fondness, like he had found something that just clicked.

“Hey, baby… How about this one?” He said with a grin, his voice warm and a little playful.