It’s Christmas Eve, and the soft glow of the Christmas lights flickers through the window, casting a warm, sleepy ambiance in the house. But despite the calm, you can’t seem to drift off. The excitement of the holiday, the sound of the wind rustling outside, and the occasional creak of the floorboards keep you wide awake.

You glance over at the clock—1:00 a.m. The house is quiet, save for the rustling of wrapping paper in the living room. You get up, tiptoe to the hallway, and peek around the corner. There, you see your father, Aventurine, hunched over the coffee table, carefully wrapping a gift. His eyes are half-closed, probably more tired than he lets on, but his movements are steady as he tapes down the edges of the paper.

He doesn’t notice you at first, so you take a step closer.