Her gaze met his.
He didn't speak.
Just waited.
"…Iz?"
Her voice was soft.
Almost unsure.
But steady.
"…Will you decorate it with me?"
He looked at her.
Eyes calm.
A small, approving nod.
"Yes."
She blinked.
Then smiled faintly.
And reached for his hand.
He didn't pull away.
Didn't question it.
He let her guide him to the decorations.
Her fingers intertwined with his.
Warm. Certain.
He followed her quietly.
Every step measured.
Every movement deliberate.
She stopped beside a pile of ornaments.
He stayed close.
Watching.
Waiting.
She picked one up.
Held it against the tree.
"Here?" she asked.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Why there?" he asked.
"Because it's… right," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
He raised an eyebrow.
"…Right?"
"Yes."
He studied her briefly.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
She placed the ornament gently.
He handed her another.
Silently.
No words.
Just him.
Just her.
She paused.
"And this one?" she asked.
"Where do you want it?" he replied.
She looked at him.
"Where you want it," she said softly.
He gave a small smile.
That faint, mysterious one.
The one that made her stomach twist slightly.
She froze.
"…Iz?"
He didn't answer immediately.
He leaned in slightly from behind her.
His presence pressed close.
Warm. Protective. Familiar.
His arms slid lightly around her waist.
Not forceful. Not heavy.
Just… steady.
She tilted her head slightly.
"…What are you doing?"
He whispered, low, near her ear.
"…Watching."
Then his lips brushed the side of her neck.
Soft. Deliberate.
One kiss.
Two.
Then another, lower.
She shivered slightly.
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"Stop—Iz—."
He chuckled softly.
"Why?" he asked, voice low.
"Because—." she laughed, "you're going to ruin my focus!"
"I'm helping," he said, pressing another kiss.
"Helping?" she said, breathless. "By—by tickling me with kisses?"
He didn't answer.
Just smiled faintly.
Her shoulders lifted.
"Seriously, Iz!"
His hands stayed at her waist.
Gently.
Deliberately.
Then he pressed another kiss, under her ear.
Her breath hitched.
"Iz!"
"Hmm?" he said, voice playful.
"You—stop it!" she laughed.
"No," he replied softly, leaning closer. "Not yet."
She tried to twist slightly in his arms.
"To—stop—you!"
He pressed closer.
Lightly.
Holding her.
Guiding her.
Tickling her with small kisses along her neck.
Her laughter grew.
Soft. Bright.
She tried to push him away lightly.
"Iz!"
"Hmm?" he whispered again.
"You're impossible," she said, laughing.
He kissed her cheek this time.
"Not impossible," he murmured.
"Just… persistent," she said, catching her breath.
"Exactly."
Then he stopped.
No warning.
No words.
Just… quiet.
Her hair fell forward slightly.
Her chest heaved softly.
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile.
Her eyes glinted.
"You think you can get away with that?"
He tilted his head.
"And if I did?" he asked softly.
Before he could react further, she turned.
Reaching for him.
Playful. Determined.
Her fingers pressed lightly at his side.
Her hands tried to find the spots she knew would make him flinch.
At first, he barely reacted.
She grinned.
"Ah. So it's like that, huh?"
She tried again.
Harder. Smarter.
And finally—he moved.
Just a fraction.
A tiny shift.
A sharper intake of breath.
She laughed quietly.
"Got you."
He looked at her.
Calm. Warm. Loving.
"…Careful," he said softly.
His voice low.
Not a threat.
Not a warning.
Just… playful.
She noticed it.
The warmth. The closeness.
The softness he reserved for no one else.
She reached for the decorations again.
He adjusted a strand of lights behind her.
His hands lingered just a second longer than necessary.
"Why are you watching me like that?" she asked softly, glancing over her shoulder.
"Because I like it," he murmured.
She turned fully toward him.
"Like… what?"
"Like this," he said, pressing a light kiss to her forehead.
Her cheeks warmed.
She shook her head, smiling.
"You're ridiculous."
"Only for you," he said, voice low and warm.
She laughed quietly.
"Do you even notice what I'm doing?" she asked, gesturing toward the ornaments.
"I notice everything," he said simply.
Her lips curved.
"That's… terrifying," she said softly.
He leaned closer, brushing her hair from her shoulder.
"Only for you," he repeated.
She shook her head, still smiling.
"You're going to make me ruin the tree laughing," she warned.
"Then it's a good thing I like your laugh," he replied.
She glanced at him.
"You really do everything for me, don't you?"
He didn't answer with words.
He simply handed her another ornament.
A small gesture, but deliberate.
Her heart skipped.
She laughed softly.
"And you're not even tired?"
"I'm never tired when I'm with you," he said quietly.
She placed the ornament on a branch.
"Hmm… I think this one needs to go higher," she said, squinting.
"Then go ahead," he said.
Her hand hesitated.
"Iz?"
"Yes?"
"Do you want to put it up?"
He smiled faintly.
"Not as much as I want to watch you do it."
She rolled her eyes, laughing.
"You're ridiculous," she said again.
"Only for you," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.
She laughed again.
The tree was slowly filling.
Lights twinkled faintly as she adjusted them.
Ornaments hung carefully.
Tinsel strung along branches.
He stayed close.
Guiding. Supporting. Watching.
Not hovering.
Not controlling.
Just… present.
The room was quiet.
Except for the faint clink of glass.
The rustle of tinsel.
And their shared laughter.
A quiet, steady warmth that belonged only to them.
"Do you want to hang the star?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Together?"
She smiled.
"Of course."
He lifted her slightly so she could place it at the top.
She set it carefully.
He held her close as she straightened.
"You make it look perfect," he said softly.
"You make me feel perfect," she whispered back.
He smiled faintly.
"Only for you," he repeated.
The tree remained unlit.
But in that moment—
The room glowed.
From them.
From the closeness.
From the laughter.
From everything that existed only in the space between them.