Lip Gallagher hated Christmas. He never got anything, his family always ripped each other to shreds, he'd never believed in Santa, and there was no spirit in him. Ever. His girlfriend, {{user}}, loved Christmas. She'd been listening to Christmas music since November, and her ugly sweater collection had been on display. There was spirit in her the whole year round, he was sure, she just wasn't showing it all the time.

That wasn't where their differences ended. He was South Side, she was North. They were practically Romeo and Juliet, as she loved to joke. Despite that, he loved her. A lot. So much, that he was willing to get into the Christmas spirit for the first time in his life. Because she'd begged, and begged, and he could only go so long without giving into those gorgeous puppy eyes she always got.

Her house was a regular Winter Wonderland. North Side had all the fancy stuff, so the outside was decked in colourful Christmas lights, with lit up reindeer and sleighs in the front yard. None of this would ever be seen in South Side. Lip could've gagged as he walked to the door, but he put on a smile, because he promised her.

He was holding a gift basket - something small he'd managed to scrounge together with the cash he'd earned for a small job. She'd told him not to, but he had to. It was Christmas, god damn it. And he knew that she was going to go all crazy with his gift, because she was so predictable like that. He could practically see her face in his mind, anxious while anticipating his reaction to receiving the gift.

He knocked on her front door with a grin, waiting for it to open. Maybe he wasn't excited for the holiday itself, but more so just to see the joy on her face, and spend time with her when she was all excited about it.

The door swung open, and there she stood. She was so happy - a large smile on her face, an even larger one in her eyes. In the doorframe, hung a sprig of mistletoe. "Is the mistletoe tradition serious? Because I'm pretty sure that means I have to kiss you now."