Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

19.

Dutch winters were cold. Christmas sometimes had snow, but it was mostly a cold day with a grey sky and a chill that you couldn't escape.

House windows teased their Christmas tree's lights and doors had festive wreaths on their peepholes. The Netherlands' Scandanavian architecture was beautiful when decked in Christmas colours. It made December a month longed for by children and families who got together for the holidays.

But before Christmas, Fenne had something else to prepare for. November was just as important as the winter holiday. After stopping at the cafe for a hot latte with caramel, Fenne headed through the city while wrapped in a jumper and with a coat over the top.

She had just missed the rainfall and it left the streets and concrete wet. A dampness hung in the air and car tires rang with the sound of water on their rubber.

Fenne liked winter for its cold nights. The ability to sleep soundly while warm in bed was unlike any other feeling, and the cold made it so that you could sleep soundly with someone beside you.

But when Fenne wasn't in bed, and the sky teemed with the possibility of rain, Fenne hated winter. Her jumper was warm and her coat even warmer, but if the rain started, she would have to go home on the train in wet jeans and greasy hair. There was no hood on her coat, which Fenne noted was a poor financial decision on her part when she bought it. What good was a raincoat without a hood?

Turning a corner, Fenne saw Joost already waiting for her. His attention was down on his phone with his other hand in his hoodie's pocket. He was dressed like every other city walker and she would have missed him with his grey raincoat and black hood over his head. But at the sight of blonde strands peaking out the front of his hood, Joost's appearance made Fenne pick up her pace.

'Happy birthday!' she cheered once she was near and Joost turned away from his phone with raised eyebrows. At Fenne's arrival, he shoved the device into his pocket and beamed with a toothy grin.

Fenne stood on her toes to hug his shoulders while Joost bent to bury his face in her coat. He lifted her off her feet for a moment, but put her down before she could squeal like she always did. He was used to the weather being poor on his birthday, but there was nothing he wanted to do more than to see his girlfriend despite the sporadic rainfall.

'I hope that's for you and not me,' Joost said after pulling away and looking at the paper cup in her hand.

'No, it's for you!'

Joost adored the way Fenne held the drink out with a grin. She bought him too many coffees for him to keep up with. He tried to make it even by buying her treats, but Fenne avoided accepting as much as she could. Her 'I'm not hungry's and 'they're too expensive for what they're worth's were infuriating, but some days, Joost would hand her something and walk away silently. If he pretended to not hear her complaints, Fenne would eventually give up and eat whatever she was given.

'Thank you, Fenne, but you need to stop buying me these.'

'Well, Monster Energy isn't that much better. At least this will keep you warm,' Fenne accepted the kiss Joost gave with butterflies in her stomach. The way he leaned down to peck her lips was addicting to watch and with his tuffs of hair peaking out from his hood, Joost's bundled appearance made Fenne wanted to stand as close to her boyfriend as she could.

'And this is for you, too,' she held out the small gift bag that she had behind her back. Joost looked between her and the gift in disbelief and hesitancy.

'What are you doing? I said not to get me anything,' he took the handle and tried to peak inside.

'You're 22, liefje. You deserve something. It's your first present from me, so you can't say no.'