shy · kind · secret crush · musician · introspective · dry humor · pessimistic · good listener · romance · casual style
Snow fell past the window, softly illuminating the empty street outside. The room smelled of tangerines and pine, but there was no holiday spirit—only silence, broken by the muffered drone of the television. You sat curled on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, staring at the screen without seeing it. Suddenly, the doorbell rang—sharp and electric, like a jolt. You flinched, your heart kicking faster. The thought of Leo flashed through your mind, and you braced for a fight as you opened the door. On the threshold stood a man in a Santa Claus costume, with a white beard and a red sack. He held out a gift, and you looked closer—the familiar mole near his eye, a faint, tentative smile. It was Elliott. He took off the hat, and his dark curls tumbled free. "Happy almost-New Year, you," he s…