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The air was crisp, with every breath Furina created tiny clouds that disappeared into the December night. The hum of soft holiday music mingled with the chatter of families, the occasional burst of laughter, and the crunch of snow underfoot. Furina held Arlecchino’s hand tightly, her cheeks glowing—not just from the cold, but from a combination of nervous excitement and the sheer magic of the evening.
“Come on, Arle!” Furina tugged at her girlfriend’s hand, urging her toward the golden-lit entrance of the famous Christmas light display. “You’re going to love this. I promise.”
Arlecchino gave a subtle smirk, her hair flowing in the wind as the snow flurry began falling over them. “Furina, you’ve been saying that all week. You know I’m not really a ‘Christmas magic’ kind of person.”
Furina turned to face her, walking backwards now, her blue scarf bouncing with each step. “You say that every year, but last year I caught you humming Christmas carols when you thought no one was listening.”
Arlecchino rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile tugging at her lips. “Caught me once. Once. And it was one song.”
“Uh-huh.” Furina gave her girlfriend a knowing look, then spun back around, practically bouncing as they crossed under the golden archway that marked the beginning of the display. The park beyond was a winter wonderland. Trees wrapped in cascading strands of lights stood like guardians of a celestia. A small creek flowing in between the sea of trees. Arches formed tunnels of shimmering gold and white, and colorful displays glowed like beacons in the night. Children dashed around, throwing snowballs, while other couples strolled hand-in-hand, faces lit with joy. Vendors sold hot cocoa, the stands surrounded by the rich scent of chocolate and sweets, lights and music.
Arlecchino slowed her steps, taking it all in despite herself. The lights reflected in her dark eyes, and her gaze stopped on Furina as the shorter of the two started up at the golden arches above them. Arlecchino’s breath hitched for a moment as the sight of Furina made her heart skip. “Okay, I’ll admit…” she started, her voice soft. “This is beautiful.”
Furina beamed as she flipped her full attention back to her lover, her chest warming at the sight of Arlecchino’s expression. “See? I told you! It's Christmas magic.” She exclaimed as if she'd won a real bet. Little did she know, it was her that made the place beautiful to Arlecchino.
They wandered down the first path, hand in hand, stopping to admire the displays. Arlecchino had been silently admiring Furina’s enthusiasm the whole time, and with each step, she found herself relaxing instead of feeling uncomfortable at the thought of a real Christmas experience. This wasn't an event she was used to or even celebrated, but with Furina there was nothing she wasn't willing to try.
The twinkling lights above them created a soft, dreamlike glow over Furina, and Arlecchino couldn’t help but feel like she’d stepped into another world—one where everything was simple and perfect.
As they walked, Furina kept pointing out her favorite displays—a tree wrapped entirely in icy blue lights, a reindeer ice sculpture that appeared to be leaping midair, a tunnel of lights that sparkled like falling stars. But as they neared the centerpiece of the park—a massive white Christmas tree decorated in gold and silver—Furina noticed Arlecchino’s energy shift. Her usually quiet girlfriend grew completely silent in a way that seemed even too quiet even for her, Arlecchino’s eyes darting to the pocket of her coat. She looked nervous, which was a rare sight for Furina to whiteness.
“Everything okay?” Furina asked, gently bumping Arlecchino’s arm with her shoulder.
“Hm? Oh, yes.” Arlecchino smiled gently, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Just... soaking it all in.”
Furina raised an eyebrow, seeing through her lover with ease. “You’re a terrible liar today Arle, what's wrong?” She continues in a soft and understanding tone.
Arlecchino stopped walking and turned toward the towering tree, her breath puffing out in short bursts. “Let’s stop here for a second.”
Furina followed her gaze to the tree, which was easily three stories tall and covered in glittering blue and white ornaments, its lights reflecting off the thin layer of snow at its base. A small crowd had gathered nearby to take photos, but there was still enough space for them to stand in relative quiet. Furina tilted her head, studying Arlecchino’s face. “What’s going on?”
Arlecchino hesitated, her gloved hands fumbling in her coat pocket. “I... I’ve been thinking about this for a while. And I wanted to wait for the right moment, but—” She stopped herself before she finally pulled out a small, neatly wrapped blue box and held it out to Furina.
“Here.”
Furina's eyes widened as she took the box. “What… is this?” a light blush coming to her cold cheeks.
“Just... open it.” Arlecchino said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Furina peeled back the wrapping carefully, revealing a velvet jewelry box. When she opened it, her breath caught. Inside was a delicate silver bracelet, the metal catching the glow of the lights around them. Engraved on the inside were the words "My brightest light."
For a moment, Furina couldn’t speak. She traced the engraving with her gloved finger, her throat tightening. “Arle...”
Next, Furina’s nervous ramble broke the brief moment of silence. “I know you’re not really into all this holiday stuff, and I'm just happy you came with me to try this. But this… you have no idea how much I love this…”
Arlecchino cleared her throat and stood up straight. “I know how much the holidays mean to you… and I wanted you to know how much this year, this Christmas, means to me. Because of you.” Her voice cracked slightly, and she laughed softly. “I probably sound ridiculous—”
“You don’t!” Furina interrupted, her voice soft but firm. She looked up, her eyes glassy. “You don’t sound ridiculous at all.”
Arlecchino smiled softly. “Good. Because you’re everything to me, Furina. My brightest light.”
Furina laughed, a warm sound that felt like a balm against the cold night. “Okay, now you’re definitely leaning into the Christmas cheese.”
Arlecchino groaned, covering her mouth. “I knew it was too much…”
“No, no,” Furina said quickly, pulling Arlecchino’s hands down from her mouth to hold it firmly in her own gloved hand. Furina’s smile was radiant, her face glowing under the tree’s lights. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
Arlecchino then slipped the bracelet onto Furina’s wrist, admiring how it fit perfectly. Then, with a small grin, Furina reached into her own coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. “So, funny thing...”
Arlecchino blinked in confusion as Furina handed her the envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and see.”
Arlecchino carefully tore the envelope open and pulled out a handwritten note ‘A gift for my dearest Arlecchino’ and a fancy but familiar looking silver key. Her eyes widened as she read the note. “A key to your apartment?”
“Yep,” Furina said, her voice tinged with pride. “I want you to be able to come over whenever, I want to… come home and see you there, waiting for me.”
Arlecchino’s expression turned surprised before it relaxed into an affectionate pattern, and then she started laughing. “Is this your way of asking me to marry you?” she teased.
Furina blushed as she waved her hands defensively. “N-not at all! It's too soon, but I mean if you wanted to I'm not opposed to it-” she rambled again, trying to deny it while not denying the fact that one day she did want to marry Arlecchino. While the taller of the two linked the shiny new key with the rest that hung from the carabiner on her hip.
Arlecchino shook her head, pulling Furina into a tight hug. “You’re the best gift I’ve ever gotten, you know that? One day your hand in marriage will be the next best gift.”
Arlecchino pressed a kiss to Furina’s temple, her voice soft. “Until then, I'll wait for you to come home every time.”
The crowd around them seemed to fade as they stood beneath the glowing tree, the world reduced to just the two of them. Furina tilted her head up, and Arlecchino leaned in, their lips meeting in a kiss that felt as magical as the lights surrounding them.
When they finally pulled apart, Furina grinned enthusiastically. “See? Christmas magic.”
Arlecchino rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t falter. “Okay, fine. You win. Christmas magic is real.”
Hand in hand, they left the park, the bracelet glinting on Furina’s wrist and key jingling on Arlecchino’s carabiner, the promise of their commitment warming their hearts. For Arlecchino and Furina, it wasn’t just the lights or the gifts that made the night unforgettable—it was knowing that together, they’d found their brightest light in each other for years to come.