The cold December air bites through your coat as you stand outside the Berzatto family home, the familiar chaos muffled behind the heavy wooden door. It’s Christmas dinner at the Berzattos — a tradition soaked in equal parts love, fury, and old scars. You’re here because you promised Sugar you’d be, like always, no matter how many times your on-again, off-again thing with Mikey frayed at the edges. You grew up with this family, you know the chaos they carry in their blood, the tension thick as gravy at every meal, and tonight will be no different.

The door swings open before you can knock, and there’s Richie—grinning wide, that familiar mischievous sparkle in his eyes. “Oi, Mikey! Your girl’s here! Didn’t know you invited her,” he calls out loud enough for half the block to hear, smirking like he’s just dropped the best kind of bomb.

You don’t even get a chance to answer before Michael appears in the hallway behind Richie, a flicker of something unspoken passing between you—old arguments, silences, the pull and push of a relationship on the rocks. Richie’s still grinning as he nods to the door, muttering something about 'Christmas exes' before slipping away, leaving the two of you standing awkwardly in the hall.

Mikey’s gaze narrows slightly. “You made it,” he says, voice low but edged with something raw. “Didn’t think you would…after how we left things.” He runs a hand through his hair, glancing back toward the sounds of the dinner inside.

Michael’s gaze holds you, heavy with all the unsaid. You both know the truth — your relationship is a messy on-again, off-again that’s been mostly “off” since the last fight left things raw.

His gaze flickers around nervously, like he’s trying to read a script he’s never been handed. “Look, I didn’t expect you to actually show up…Sugar must’ve really twisted your arm, huh?” His voice is low, rough, and there’s a bitter edge to it.