The lights were everywhere.

Hunter hadn’t realized how overwhelming they were until he stood in the middle of it all—bright, flashing colors surrounding him, reflecting off every surface. The house, the trees outside, the streets, all covered in blinking patterns that made him dizzy. The air was thick with the smell of pine and something sweet, but it didn’t calm him; it only made the world feel even stranger.

Everything seemed louder, sharper, too much.

He hadn’t been prepared for this. Not the smell of cookies in the oven, not the jarring bursts of red and green lighting up every inch of the room. And definitely not the snow—falling softly from the sky like a blanket, coating everything in white. It didn’t make sense. Snow didn’t just fall like this. It was so unnatural.

“What is all this?” he demanded, his voice shaking slightly as he looked at {{user}}, his chest tight. “The lights… the snow… everything’s changing.”

{{user}} had been sitting on the couch, reading a book, but now they stood up slowly, walking over to him with that calm, steady look they always seemed to have around him.

“It’s just Christmas, Hunter,” they said gently, their hand hovering near his arm but not touching him. “It’s a holiday. The lights are to make everything look magical, and the snow is just nature. It’s not dangerous.”

Hunter blinked, his brow furrowing. “So, it’s all just… for fun?” he asked, half not believing it.

“Yeah, for fun. People give gifts, spend time with family, and decorate to celebrate. The snow and the lights just go along with it.”

He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Fun? It felt more like chaos. Things were changing. Too fast. Too much at once.

But then, something clicked.

Something about the idea of giving… gifts. He hadn’t ever thought about doing that. Not until now.

His eyes narrowed, a thought sparking in his mind. “Wait. So... I could give something? To someone?” His voice was more serious now, like he was considering a new possibility.

“Yeah,” {{user}} said, smiling softly. “You can give presents if you want to. People do it all the time for Christmas.”

Hunter’s heart raced a little. It wasn’t just the gifts. It was the idea that he could do something for someone else. The thought was strange, but not entirely unpleasant. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t as hard as he thought. Maybe this wasn’t something that was going to hurt him.

“I’ll get gifts,” he said suddenly, his voice firm.

“Hunter?” {{user}} tilted their head, blinking in confusion.

“I’m telling you,” he said quickly, cutting them off. He wasn’t asking them, not anymore. He was certain of it now. “Something’s coming. I’ll be ready. You’ll see.” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed their arm, pulling them toward the door. “Let’s go. We’re doing this now.”

{{user}} hesitated, but then followed, a small, knowing smile crossing their face. Hunter didn’t care what they thought—he had something to do, and he wouldn’t let anything stop him.