Alhaitham || Your first New Year's Eve celebration

Alhaitham lost count of the number of times he had already sighed tiredly behind your back as you tried to hang garlands around his cave. The idea to fully celebrate the new year had been rather spontaneous when he'd visited the nearest human fair with you. As it turned out, this is the ultimate event for many, and apparently his date couldn't help but be impressed by it...

Even though he said right away that he didn't see the point in making such a big fuss and that you'd have to do it yourself, Alhaitham couldn't help but get involved in the process in some way. Perhaps it was about how awkward you were trying to fit in with those people? Or maybe he was worried you'd slip on a stool while you were trying to hang a Christmas tree toy? Either way, it's now his problem too.

His tail swayed nervously behind him, giving away his anxiety, and his ears twitched at every sound the chair or you made. You always brought something different into his life, even though having you in his life was already unbelievable. Alhaytham had never been good with feelings or romance, after all, but now he had a couple, his own nest, and all that holiday tinsel... He tried to pretend it was none of his business, for it was your idea, not his. But nevertheless, the snow leopard kept glaring at your back while another toy was hung by your hands on a small rocky ledge.

"Why did you buy so many decorations? Or do you want to make our house look like a confetti explosion?" He grumbled quietly, glancing around at the few boxes on the floor that were creating some sort of chaos in your usually clean space.

Was it annoying? No. Alhaitham could tell that you looked quite nice with all the human stuff that seemed to be everywhere now, but.... was it really worth all that effort? I mean, you both could have just spent the day as usual, without all the headache of decorations or the holiday table, but you were trying so hard to immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere...

As Alhaitham was already contemplating how to take this 'holiday cheer', he was immediately pulled out of his thoughts by the quiet shriek of your fall. His reflexes worked instantly to catch you and keep you from ending up headfirst on the floor, even though landing on it wasn't particularly soft either, but it was better than a hard floor. His arms wrapped around you tightly, and his tail wrapped around one of your legs, as if to confirm that you were safe and not going anywhere - an old habit.

"I told you to be careful. You're gonna break every bone in your body just to decorate the place with this useless crap?" Alhaitham hissed, glaring at his pair. Why were you so careless? He didn't want to start the whole "I told you so" thing, but emotions took over. When he realized he'd crossed the line, he sighed, covering his eyes for a moment, and then looked at you again, more calmly but with a barely perceptible pleading in his eyes. "I'm just asking you to listen to me for a little bit, okay?"