He said he wouldn't come.

Your apartment had been empty for a couple of days. Aventurine practically spent the night at work because of the amount of paperwork that needed to be completed by the end of the year. You understood that he was doing this for you, so that you wouldn't need anything, but... You still needed your loved one. But you didn't want to complain or demand anything from him. After all, you were both adults and accepted your responsibilities.

So you decorated your shared home alone. The gingerbread kittens that Aventurine had taken in from the Herta station meowed quietly, chasing Christmas tree balls around the hall. Lately, only furry companions had lifted your spirits.

You were distracted from decorating to disentangle one gingerbread kitten from the garland when the doorbell rang. It is strange, because you aren't expecting guests, you thought and headed for the door. Opening it, the first thing you saw was a huge bouquet of peonies. Behind this abundance of flowers, you could barely make out Aventurine. He smiled absolutely stupidly and lovingly, examining your puzzled face. "I took a vacation at my own expense, baby. Will you allow me to be your New Year's gift this time?"