The soft winter light slipped through the heavy curtains, casting a sleepy gold over the apartment. Ariel sat at the little dining table, pajama bottoms bunched at her hips, cheeks pink with warmth and quiet anticipation. The table was a portrait of indulgence: thick slices of challah French toast dusted with powdered sugar, whipped butter, a swirl of honeyed cream cheese, and a skillet piled with crispy potatoes.

  In the kitchen, Holly hummed as she moved with practiced cheer, an oversized pink sweatshirt with a cartoon bunny hanging over star-patterned leggings. Her hair was in a messy side braid, the loose strands catching the morning light.

  “Okay, princess,” she said, placing the last mug of coffee in front of Ariel. “Let’s see that sweet tooth in action.” She slid into the chair beside her, slicing a generous bite of French toast and loading it with extra cream cheese.

  Ariel giggled as Holly held out the fork, her voice dipping into a syrupy drawl. “Open up, Red. Good girls get extra bites.”

  Ariel’s cheeks flushed as she obeyed, taking the bite. “Mmm,” she hummed around the mouthful. “It’s almost unfair how good you are at this.”

  “Unfair-” Holly countered, swirling the next piece in syrup, “-is not letting me see that face again. One more for me?”

  Ariel rolled her eyes but smiled as she opened her mouth again. “You know I can feed myself, right?”

  “But then I don’t get to say things like…” Holly leaned in, voice low and playful, “good girls finish every bite. And you’re such a good girl, aren’t you?”

  Ariel sputtered a laugh, swallowing. “You’re insufferable.”

  “Love you too, Red.”

  They settled into a slow rhythm, Holly alternating between feeding herself and slipping more bites to Ariel, teasing her with exaggerated compliments. Ariel leaned into the attention, savoring the feeling of being doted on.

  At one point, Holly pressed a napkin to the corner of Ariel’s mouth, wiping away a stray smudge of cream cheese. “There. Perfect, you know that?”

  Ariel’s smile softened. “Only because you treat me like I am.”

  When breakfast ended and the plates were empty, Ariel’s belly was comfortably full and Holly wore a smug, satisfied grin.

  As Ariel pushed her chair back, Holly stretched and gathered the dishes. “Well, now that I've got you all fat and happy, I’ve got a few things I need to do today,” she said casually.

  Ariel arched a brow. “Oh really? What kind of errands?”

  “Just… you know. Stuff I’ve been putting off. Target run. Post office. A few things for the apartment.”

  Ariel narrowed her eyes, grinning. “You are the worst liar.”

  Holly clutched her chest in mock offense. “Excuse you, I’m an excellent liar. You just have a suspicious face. Relax and enjoy your day off, Red.”

  “You’re up to something,” Ariel accused.

  “Maybe I am. Maybe I just like making you wonder.” Holly’s eyes glinted with mischief. “If you really want to know, I’m going to buy a hundred pounds of potatoes and a disco ball.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  She disappeared into the bedroom, and Ariel listened to the sounds of her getting dressed. Minutes later, Holly emerged wrapped in a fluffy powder-blue coat, her pink sweater peeking out from beneath a knit scarf. Pastel boots completed the ensemble, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  She crossed the room to where Ariel lounged on the couch with her coffee. Leaning down, she kissed her, warm and lingering. Enough to leave them both smiling.

  Just before pulling away, Holly gave Ariel’s belly a playful jiggle. “Take it easy while I’m gone. And save me a spot on the couch.”

  “Don’t be gone too long,” Ariel murmured.

  “Never am. Love you.”

  Another kiss, and she was gone, the door closing softly behind her.

  Outside, the city’s winter chill bit at her cheeks. Boots crunching in the old snow, she grinned into her scarf. “Alright, Sinclair. Let’s get festive.”

  The bell chimed as Holly ducked inside the pastel-toned gift shop. She scanned the shelves, eyes lighting up at a display of enamel pins.

  “Ooh, fox… Junimo… Oh, you are so going on Red’s jacket,” she whispered, gently fingering the chubby fox pin. She collected a set - axolotl, teacup, and a fat cat - lining them up in her palm before nodding to herself.

  On another shelf, her gaze landed on a row of oversized mugs. She picked one up, turning it over. “Big enough for extra marshmallows,” she mused, picturing Ariel’s hands wrapped around it. She grinned as she saw the custom order slip. “Director McIntyre, huh? Well, she did earn it…” She took out the little order pencil and, tongue between her teeth, drew a quick, dorky chibi Ariel on the form. “That’ll make her blush.”

  Near the register, Holly rifled through a basket of notebooks. “Lavender… Lila’s color, easy.” She flipped it open, considering. “Now where’s a little something Greek…” Her eyes landed on the tray of evil eye charms. “Oh, you’re perfect,” she whispered, tucking one inside the notebook’s front cover. “For luck, little bookworm.”

  Arriving at her next destination, Holly ogled at the colorful displays of the toy shop before beelining for the plushies, giggling as she squished a fat, smiling capybara.

  “You are just… ridiculous. Marissa’s gonna love you,” she muttered, giving its face a little boop. She rummaged until she found the squishiest one, then eyed a shelf of pastel bento boxes. “Okay, which is the cutest… Kittens with glasses, can’t beat that. She’ll bring her lunch to work just for an excuse to show this off.”

  Next was an artisanal coffee and tea shop that was all sleek lines and glass jars. Holly inhaled deeply. “Mmm, Jordan would lose his mind in here.” She greeted the barista, then hovered over the sampler sets.

  “Let’s see… dark roast, holiday blend, and oh! Sumatra. Fancy.” She picked up a box, tapping her chin. “Maybe he’ll finally forgive me for the time I broke his French press while trying to squeeze a cheese cloth.”

  At the keychain rack, her eyes darted until she found a tiny Buster Sword. “Oh, yes. You, my friend, are going on his work keys.” She smiled, tossing it in her basket.

  Eventually she made it over to a pop culture boutique a few blocks away. Inside, Holly was instantly distracted by sparkle. “Focus, Sinclair, focus,” she reminded herself. She ran her hand along a row of frilly socks. “Bow on the ankle, check. Pastel stripes, check. These are so Maddy it hurts.”

  She stopped at a display of acrylic pins, catching sight of a glittery magical girl wand. “This’ll go right on her bag. She’ll squeal for sure.”

  The home shop, next on her list, was warm and softly lit. Holly drifted between rows of blankets, whispering as she petted each one, “No… too scratchy… way too thin… Ooh, what’s this?”

  She spotted a deep navy-blue blanket, soft as a cloud, embroidered with swirls of silver and tiny stars. “Okay, now that is a cuddle blanket. She’ll look so cute wrapped up in this. Maybe I’ll just wrap myself up with her.” She giggled, hugging the blanket before heading to the register.

  Finally, she arrived at her last stop: the gaming store. It was a palace of neon and leather. Holly’s pulse picked up as she explained her needs to the salesperson.

  “Wide, plush, and super comfy. Yeah, she’s a queen, I want it to feel like a throne. Oh, and can you do custom embroidery?” Holly asked, already bouncing on her heels.

  When she saw the pastel blue chair with pink piping, she let out a low whistle. “Oh my god… that’s it. That’s so her. I hope she squeals when she sees it.” She plopped down, wriggling a little. “Definitely got room for both of us.” She winked at the salesperson. “Can you stitch ‘Red’s Throne’ on the back? Script’s gotta be elegant.”

  Receipt in hand, Holly did a happy little spin as she left. “This is gonna blow her mind,” she whispered.

  With her arms full of bags, Holly paused by a bakery window. “Can’t forget treats for me too,” she joked, grabbing a pair of frosted cookies for the walk home.

  She ducked into a café for cocoa, glanced at her phone and saw a teasing text from Ariel:

  “Errands taking you this long? I’m starting to think you are buying a disco ball.”

  Holly grinned, typing back aloud as she wrote:

  “Who says I’m not? But also, don’t peek in the hall closet later.”

  She tucked her phone away, whispering to herself, “Best Christmas ever, Sinclair. Best one yet.”