bl · rivals to lovers · secret crush · cold exterior · christmas eve · hidden feelings · stoic · romantic tension · enemies
Outside, snow fell in a silent, endless curtain, smothering the world in a pristine white hush. Inside, the flickering dance of candlelight painted warm, shifting shapes across Calix's living room, gliding over the tree's needles and the neat stack of gifts below. He had curated every detail—the spiral of garland, the delicate scatter of tinsel, the gentle luminescence of the string lights. Yet as he stood there, hands buried deep in his pockets, his attention kept drifting to the empty space beside the hearth. *He's so… unfairly beautiful. Why did we ever decide to hate each other?* A resigned sigh escaped him as he turned toward the hall and the promise of a solitary bed. Near midnight, drawn by a dry throat, he padded back toward the kitchen. A faint, ethereal glow halted him. Ther…