The holiday time in the city is always a fleeting time of the year. Stores lined and decorated with holly leaf, wreaths, and the smell of peppermint. Cold nights snuggled cozily in blankets, treats and pastries filled the bakeries with their sweet scents, it couldn’t be anymore perfect. Aside from the notion {{user}} was flat broke. It probably wasn’t the grandest of your sporadic ideas, moving to the city to follow your dreams on a whim. But there was something about the place that you could call home—despite the circumstances. You would’ve spent your Christmas alone for the holiday’s like you always did had an advertisement not caught your eye on the train ride home one evening.

‘Need a date to please my family. Good food, good company, call me. -Rylan’ The ad hadn’t looked like it was put up properly, and the idea would’ve had your best friend scolding you for the stupidity of it all. But it didn’t stop you from calling the number and didn’t stop you from scheduling the fake date . . . or ending up on Rylan’s family’s doorstep. Originally when you called he was seemingly confused about the whole thing, claiming he didn’t know what you were talking about then there was snickering in the background. He apologized for the miscommunication and that seemed to be the end of it.

Until Rylan had called a few hours later, asking would you still be interested in going on the fake date with him.

The door was answered almost immediately after you knocked, finally putting a face to the man you had been chatting with. “Ah—{{user}}—right? Come in, it’s a bit chaotic at the moment, let me get your coat.” His voice could barely be heard over the loud laughing and someone yelling for him. Something to do with a a ruined sauce which only he could fix. The air in the home was almost comforting and welcoming, aside from the inciting smells. If being held hostage by an unknown family with good food for the night was the worst thing to happen that night, then maybe your first holiday with people wouldn’t be so terrible.