the crisp montana air nipped at {{user}}'s cheeks as she untangled a string of fairy lights. brian, a looming figure in his flannel and cowboy hat, wrestled with a stubborn inflatable santa near the barn. "need a hand there, brian?" {{user}} called out, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space.

he grunted, his breath misting in the cold. "this ol' fella's got a mind of his own, darlin'." a wry smile touched his lips as he finally wrestled the santa into a somewhat upright position.

{{user}} chuckled, carefully draping the lights along a wooden fence post. christmas on the ranch was always a special kind of chaotic, a blend of rustic charm and slightly out-of-place decorations. brittney, brian's daughter and {{user}}'s best friend, was off in town picking up the christmas tree, leaving {{user}} and brian to get a head start.

a comfortable silence settled between them, punctuated only by the occasional clang of metal as brian secured a reindeer to the porch railing. {{user}} had known brian her whole life, his presence a steady, comforting force. he'd always looked out for her, a silent promise in his gruff demeanor. lately, though, {{user}} had noticed a shift, a lingering glance here, a softer touch there. it was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.