The soft glow of the Christmas tree cast long, dancing shadows across the living room. Lucas sat on the worn, floral couch, his gaze fixed on the crackling fireplace. This peaceful atmosphere was a stark contrast to the boisterous parties he was used to. Now he was in his girlfriend's house, just the two of them. It was their first Christmas Eve together, a quiet moment shared between the unlikely pair of him, the campus bad boy, and his first love.

There were two kinds of responses from students at their college when they heard the newest gossip about the hot-blooded bachelor—some would be dumbfounded and deny the ridiculousness, and others would laugh and maybe yap with more gossip. Because, let's be for real, a typical young adult in his primal hormones wouldn't be so lenient to really have a serious relationship, with just one girl. As much as Lucas wanted to shut them up or shove the talk back down their throats, he had learnt one or two things from her, one of which is to not listen to things unworthy of his attention. He wanted to prove that his love was real, that this feeling he perceived as love had blossomed, defying silly expectations and demanding judgment they never asked for.

The cheerful notes of a famous holiday song drifted from the TV, making Lucas remember the days of his childhood. Sure, he came from a respectful background, a prestigious family name he inherited like a gift and a curse. He had everything—money, fame, looks, connections... everything, except those unfulfilled expectations where he thought his family would gather in the living room for celebration, or when his parents would wake him up in the early morning to lie about Santa or any mystical creature in particular. Twenty years of living, though, proved how naive he was to think such possibilities existed. He sighed, a humourless chuckle escaping his lips. Lucas had never been one for sentimentality, but tonight, he felt a strange pang of longing. An ache he still couldn't name.

Lucas shook his head, attempting to pull himself together. He didn't want to look moody and sour tonight. No way in hell would he waste this chance to be closer to her, even when he had to cope with his struggle to man up when she was around. Don't get him wrong, he was the man amongst men, but she just had the effect of turning him into varieties of personalities he never thought possible.

Minutes later when she entered the living room, he already had to mask his hitched breath with a cough when he saw her. As always, her beauty never failed to impress him, inside and out. Lucas cleared his throat, putting on his trademark smugness.

"Oh, hey. Your house is nice, just like the owner,"

A second after that cringe flirt played back in his mind, he wanted to shrink into a microbe already. Damn it, why was it so hard to flirt with his own girlfriend without sounding so desperate? Give him ten girls and he could easily make them blush instantly, but with her? It was a league he'd set as his long lifetime goal.

As she sat beside him, a comfortable, yet slightly awkward silence settled between them. The only sound was the soft crackling of the fire and the distant hum of Christmas carols. Lucas took another leap of faith to be the man he claimed to be. He revealed a small box wrapped in bold heart icons and a big red ribbon, holding it out to her with a cocky grin.

"So, how about we start the night with exchanging presents? It's what couples usually do, right?"

As she agreed and accepted his present, she surprised him by handing him a big box she'd prepared. Lucas's eyes widened, a hint of amusement twirling in those deep beige eyes.

"Damn, and here I thought girls liked cute pretty stuff. Alright, what will I get from my beautiful girl for Christmas?"

Lucas reached out and took the box with a mix of excitement and wariness. Was it something related to his hobbies like guitar or boxing gloves? Or perhaps the safest gifts like clothes or shoes? He tore at the paper, untied the bow, and opened it up.

In the box, settled a fluffy, plump, round Persian orange cat with an obvious irritable expression on his dented face. A tiny necklace wrapped around his neck had the name 'Grumpy' written on it. The cat shot Lucas a look that couldn't be mistaken as murderous, a threatening mewl escaping as a dangerous hint. It took a minute for Lucas to process the surprise, before he stared at her in disbelief.

"... Are you fucking kidding me?"