The office was quiet.
Not silent—but controlled.
Papers were neatly arranged across the desk, reports stacked with precision, every detail exactly where it should be. The faint ticking of a clock filled the background, steady and unchanging.
At the center of it all sat Izana.
Focused.
Composed.
Working.
His attention moved across the documents in front of him, his expression unreadable as always, his pen moving with quiet efficiency. Every now and then, he paused—just long enough to consider something before continuing again.
Everything was as it should be.
Until—
A soft knock broke through the stillness.
Izana didn't look up immediately.
"…Come in."
The door opened slowly.
And Leah stepped inside.
She hesitated just past the doorway, her hand still resting lightly against the door as she closed it behind her. There was something different in her posture—subtle, but noticeable.
Izana saw it instantly.
His pen stilled.
His gaze lifted.
And settled on her.
She looked… unsure.
Not distressed.
Not upset.
But hesitant.
That alone was enough to draw his full attention.
"…Come here."
His voice was calm.
Leah blinked slightly, then walked toward him without protest. Her steps were quiet against the floor, slower than usual as she approached his desk.
She stopped just in front of him.
Still hesitant.
Still unsure.
Izana leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze steady on her face.
"…Sit."
Leah tilted her head slightly.
"…Sit?"
He didn't elaborate.
Didn't need to.
His hand lifted slightly, resting against her waist as he guided her forward.
Leah let out a small breath, but didn't resist as she allowed herself to be pulled gently onto his lap.
The movement was familiar now.
Natural.
She adjusted slightly, one hand resting lightly against his shoulder to steady herself as she settled.
Izana's arm remained loosely around her, holding her in place without effort.
"…You came to say something," he said, his voice low, close.
Leah nodded slightly.
But she didn't speak right away.
Izana watched her carefully, his gaze softening just slightly as he waited.
"…Well?"
Leah hesitated.
Then looked down briefly, her fingers brushing lightly against the fabric of his shirt.
"…There's a week left until Christmas," she said quietly.
A pause.
Izana didn't react immediately.
Just watched her.
Leah continued, her voice still soft.
"…And we still haven't put up a tree."
Silence followed.
Not awkward.
Just still.
Izana's gaze lingered on her face, studying her for a moment longer than necessary.
"…I don't usually celebrate Christmas," he said calmly.
Leah nodded quickly.
Too quickly.
"That's okay," she said, almost immediately. "It's not important."
Izana didn't respond.
Because it wasn't true.
He could see it.
In the way her fingers tightened slightly.
In the way her gaze dropped again.
In the way she avoided looking at him directly.
She wanted it.
She just didn't want to ask for it.
And he knew that.
But he didn't say anything.
Not yet.
Instead, he shifted slightly in his seat, his arm tightening just a little around her waist.
"…Would you like one?" he asked.
Leah shook her head.
"No."
Too fast.
Too certain.
Izana's gaze didn't change.
He didn't call her out on it.
Didn't correct her.
He simply held her there for a moment longer.
Then—
"…Is that all?"
Leah hesitated again.
Then shook her head slightly.
"…No."
A pause.
Then she looked at him again, a little more directly this time.
"…Do you want anything for Christmas?"
The question was simple.
But it carried something softer beneath it.
Izana didn't hesitate.
"…You."
Leah blinked.
Her cheeks flushed almost instantly, her expression shifting into something between surprise and embarrassment.
"Iz—." she started, her voice catching slightly.
Then she looked away for a second before looking back at him again.
"I mean… something else."
Izana didn't respond right away.
Instead, he leaned forward slightly.
Close enough that she didn't have time to react.
And pressed a quick, soft kiss to her lips.
It was brief.
Gentle.
But intentional.
When he pulled back, there was the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.
"…I answered."
Leah stared at him for a second.
Then looked away again, her blush deepening slightly.
"…You're impossible," she murmured under her breath.
Izana didn't argue.
Didn't add anything else.
Instead, he simply shifted his attention back to the documents on his desk, his arm still loosely around her as if nothing had happened.
Like it was normal.
Like she was just… there.
Leah stayed for a moment longer, watching him.
And slowly—
It clicked.
He hadn't been teasing.
He hadn't been avoiding the question.
He meant it.
That was his answer.
Her expression softened slightly, the blush still lingering as she looked down for a moment.
"…Okay," she said quietly.
Izana didn't respond.
But his hand shifted slightly against her waist.
Acknowledging.
Leah stayed there for a little while longer.
Just sitting with him.
Just existing in the quiet.
Then eventually—
She moved.
Carefully sliding off his lap, her hand brushing lightly against his shoulder as she stood.
"I'll leave you to work," she said softly.
Izana nodded once.
Leah turned, walking toward the door.
She paused briefly before opening it, glancing back at him for just a second.
He hadn't looked up again.
Already back to work.
Like always.
She smiled faintly.
Then left.
The door closed quietly behind her.
And the room returned to stillness.
For a moment—
Nothing changed.
Izana continued writing, his pen moving steadily across the paper.
Then—
It stopped.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze shifting—not to the documents, but toward the door she had just walked through.
Silent.
Thoughtful.
Just for a second.
Then—
He reached for his phone.
Unlocked it.
And without hesitation—
Placed the order.
A Christmas tree.
Decorations.
Everything needed.
Simple.
Efficient.
Done in seconds.
He set the phone down again, his expression returning to its usual calm as he picked his pen back up.
Like nothing had happened.
Like nothing had changed.
But—
For the first time—
It would.
And he didn't stop it.