❪ 𝒞𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐍𝐄 ❫ wallows imagines

not a christmas gift

WADE BY CLAIRO

It was the same every year. No matter the occasion, whether it was my birthday, or Christmas, or Valentine's day, Cole spent too much money on gifts that were too nice, and all it did was make me feel bad.

"Hey, Cole?"

Cole looked up briefly from the carrots he was chopping.

"What's up?"

I stood up cautiously and took a seat opposite him at the kitchen island. Cole stopped what he was doing and took my hands in his as he leant over the counter.

"Well." I shifted uncomfortably, silently cursing my awkwardness in a moment like this. "See, the thing is..."

"Hey, Y/N, it's me, you can tell me anything."

"Right, okay, well, can we not do Christmas presents this year?"

Cole frowned. "Why not?"

"Well, you always get me these really great expensive gifts, and I always end up getting you a really crappy pair of socks of something!"

I detangled my hands from his as I moved around the island to stand next to him.

"Yeah, but I don't mind! I can afford to spoil you, so I will!"

"You don't mind but I do! I always end up feeling like shit!"

"But I want to!"

I frowned at Cole's childish choice of words.

"Please? I'm asking you not to spend a money on me!" I folded my arms frustratedly across my chest.

"I just don't understand." Cole's voice softened. "What's really going on?"

"I just, I just feel like..." My voice dwindled to a whisper. "I feel like I'm using you."

Cole's expression morphed into one of pity, and he carefully wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin comfortably on my shoulder.

"Okay." He said finally. "I hate to think that you feel that way, you know I would never think that of you, right?" He smiled softly, pulling away. I nodded, feeling a similar smile pulling up my lips.

"No Christmas gifts this year."

*๑՞.

It had taken a while, but Cole had finally come around to the fact that Die Hard was a Christmas movie. As we watched it, his head lay on my chest and I lazily brushed my fingers through his dark curls. The Christmas tree twinkled merrily at me out of the corner of my eye, and I hummed in content. Cole shifted so he was looking up at me, and rushed the pad of the thumb across my cheek.

He made a sudden movement, and jumped up, and, without saying a word, left the room. I sat there for a moment in confusion, Die Hard still playing in the background, pondering whether I should pause it and go after Cole, or just wait to see what was going on. I decided to stay put, and in no less than a minute, Cole reappeared, a small wrapped box in his hands.

"You broke the promise!" I said rather accusingly, and he grinned.

"No, it's December 23, so technically, it's not a Christmas gift."

"No, no, Cole, you need to return it! I can't take this!" Guilt gnawed at the pit of my stomach, and as Cole sat back down on the sofa next to me, I shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, why don't you open it first, and then see if you want me to return it."

I grumbled an 'okay', and Cole passed me the small box wrapped in silver paper. I carefully prised up the tape, a slipped off the paper. I almost gasped at the small, velvety black box that fell into my hands, and I glanced up at Cole, my eyes wide, who nodded, smiling the soft smile I adored so much.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"Just open it."

I did open it, with shaking hands, and a twinkling diamond ring winked up at me, prettily reflecting the Christmas lights up around the apartment.

"So what do you say?" Cole asked, his voice quiet. I nodded frantically, unable to say anything. Relief flooded Cole's anxious face, and he gently slipped the ring onto my finger.

"Still want me to return it?" He asked cheekily, tangling himself around me.

"Don't you dare!"