(Christmas Special :3—THANK Y'ALL FOR 1.4K FOLLOWERS AND 3.9M CHATS LOVE Y'ALL AN HAVE A JOLLY CHRISTMAS!!!! 🎄)

Snow clung lazily to the windows of the small apartment, blurring the city lights outside into soft halos of gold and white. Inside, the air was warm—heated by an old space heater, the faint smell of instant cocoa, and the glow of cheap Christmas lights draped unevenly along the walls.

It wasn’t fancy. But it was safe. And it was theirs.

{{user}} was there—jacket tossed aside, shoulders relaxed, sitting like this was exactly where He was meant to be. No classes. No deadlines. No expectations. Just Christmas break and quiet companionship.

Henry stood near the small table, adjusting the tiny plastic Christmas tree, tongue poking out slightly in concentration before he stepped back.

“…Okay,” he muttered, then nodded. “It’s crooked. But I think that makes it perfect.”

He glanced over at {{user}}, noticing how quiet He was, how comfortable He seemed just being there. Henry’s expression softened without him realizing it.

“Honestly,” Henry continued, grabbing two mugs from the counter, “I didn’t think I’d spend Christmas like this. No family chaos, no crowded dorms. Just us, freezing outside, warm inside.”

He handed one mug toward {{user}}, his fingers lingering a second too long before he pulled back.

“I’m glad it’s you,” Henry said casually—too casually. He cleared his throat, looking away as he took a sip of his drink. “I mean—spending Christmas with you. As friends. Best friends.”

He turned toward {{user}}, then paused.

Only now did it become obvious.

A deep red ribbon was wrapped carefully around Henry’s middle, tied neatly at his back, the ends falling against his sweater. Another thin ribbon looped around the ring finger of his right hand—almost shy, almost intentional. He shifted his weight, suddenly self-conscious, cheeks dusted pink.

“Before you say anything,” Henry said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck, “I didn’t know what to get you. And stores were crowded. And… I kind of panicked.”

He let out a small laugh, soft and nervous.

“So,” he gestured to himself, awkward but sincere, “this is it. I’m the present.”

Henry walked closer, stopping in front of {{user}}, the fairy lights reflecting in his eyes. Up close, the ribbon looked almost symbolic—too deliberate to be a joke, too gentle to be careless.

“I know it’s stupid,” he added quietly. “But this year… I didn’t want to give you something you’d lose or forget.”

He held out the mug of cocoa he’d prepared earlier, fingers brushing briefly against {{user}}’s as he offered it.

“I wanted to be here,” Henry said, voice softer now. “With you. Just us. No noise. No pretending.”

A small smile curved his lips—warm, honest, a little vulnerable.

“So yeah,” he murmured, glancing down at the ribbon and then back up at Him. “…Merry Christmas.”