After Deimos disappeared into the library lecture hall, Kalmin and Mira headed back downstairs. It was dead quiet with the whole building in lockdown for exams, and the tapping of their winter boots echoed down the halls. Shyly, Mira reached out for Kalmin’s hand, double-checking if the coast was clear, and heart skipped a beat when he laced their hands together.

“How’s your big painting going?” He asked softly.

“Finished varnishing it and now it’s drying. I’m gonna drop it off at the drawing room tomorrow.”

Mira skipped in her step a bit, swinging their laced hands. It was a cute gesture, and Kalmin giggled at his girlfriend’s enthusiasm.

“Want me to help?”

“That’d be nice, thanks. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. But now exams are over and done with, I’m not stressed anymore.”

“You did your best, and that’s what counts, yeah?”

“Yup,” he chuckled. “And when Deimos is done that exam and you’ve dropped off your painting, then everything will completely be alright.”

Mira grinned. “Movie marathons and gaming dates galore.” She looked over her shoulder one last time before leaning in close to him. “And sex, of course.”

Kalmin blinked wildly and sputtered. “M-Mira!”

She laughed loud, her laughter bouncing off the concrete walls and steel railings. “Hey, I’m not wrong!”

“You aren’t…but…well, yeah.” He looked at the ground nervously, and his hand tightened around hers.

She cocked an eyebrow. “Do I get something special for Christmas?” She teased.

Kalmin’s eyes were as big as plates. Bingo. Oh, she’s very curious now.

“I-I mean…” Her boyfriend stuttered and bit his lip. “Maybe.”

Mira grinned like a cat. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve got lots of surprises.”

Kalmin looked shot and she giggled and kissed his hand. They exited out of the building and both their hands broke off. Naturally, they walked a little further apart.

“You’re…intense,” Kalmin mumbled, flustered.

“Buddy, you don’t know intense yet,” Mira joked. Her boyfriend metaphorically combusted into flames.

“Do you find joy in making me embarrassed?” He sputtered, shoving his hands into his pockets and hiding his face into his hoodie.

Mira shrugged. “Abso-fucking-lutely, babe.”

He sighed. “I’ve got to step up my game,” he muttered to himself.

“Is this a challenge?”

Kalmin grinned at her and kissed the side of her head. “Absolutely not, babe,” he teased. She giggled and looked around the mostly desolate campus quickly before grabbing him to the nearest building. Roughly, she pushed him against the brick wall and yanked his neck down to kiss her. A gasp left him before he deepened the kiss, letting her take over, Mira’s hands running down his chest. God he had such nice pecs.

When they parted, she smirked and poked his nose.

“Fight me,” she whispered.

She felt Kalmin’s pulse jump against the hand that was still groping his breast. He bonked their foreheads together.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he muttered.

Mira snickered and opened her mouth to snap back a witty remark, but stopped short as her phone began to vibrate.

“What timing,” her boyfriend commented sarcastically.

She snorted and kissed his nose. “Sorry, love.”

Slowly, she let Kalmin go and checked the screen, and out of everyone she could think of, her mom’s face popped up.

“Mom?” She answered.

“Hello, anak,” she replied back, her tone jovial. Well, that was a good sign.

“Hi, what’s up?” She chirped, leaning against the wall beside Kalmin. He looked concerned and Mira cracked him a smile.

“I wanted to call you, it’s been a while, I hope you’re not busy.”

Mira laughed and glanced at Kalmin. Well, technically yes, but she wasn’t going to let her poor little mother know about the grotesque details of her sex life.

“No, I’m done all my assignments, I’m a free woman till January,” she said instead.

“That’s wonderful to hear! I was just going to ask about that too.”

Mira blinked. “What’s going on?” Kalmin looked concerned, and immediately rubbed her shoulder, a soothing gesture that instantly helped calm her nerves.

“We were wondering if you wanted to come home for Christmas. Family reunion.”

Mira glanced at Kalmin and he glanced back, confused.

“Uh, who’s we?”

The line went silent for a moment.

“Your aunty, me, and your father.”

Mira sucked in a shaky breath. Kalmin heard the last part, and instantly prickled, squeezing her shoulder.

“Can I think about it, please?” She said quickly, panicking slightly. “I kind of wanted to spend time with my boyfriend…”

“Your boyfriend… Kalvin- what was it?”

“Deimos. Kalmin was my friend that acted as my fake one?”

“Ah, yes. Deimos can come if he wants to.”

“But father. How do I explain Kalmin?”

Also, how can she stop Deimos from jumping the table and attacking her father?

“You can just say you broke up with him, it’s all ok.”

Mira sighed and crossed her arms. What if she didn’t want that?

What if she wanted maybe one day to introduce Deimos and Kalmin to her mom as her boyfriends?

It’s too soon.

Too soon for anything. Too early into the relationship.

“It’s been two Christmases since you’ve visited, and I know we haven’t fully reconciled with your father, but I think it would be good to connect again.”

Mira gnawed on her lip. Shit, she hasn’t visited her mom in a long time, hasn’t she? She glanced at Kalmin, who looked down at her with warm golden eyes and wrapped a big protective arm around her. Mira buried her face in his chest, steading herself. Kalmin smelled like spices and coffee.

“You’re right…I haven’t visited since…the divorce,” she admitted quietly. The thought of her mother being lonely broke her. She nuzzled her face deeper into Kalmin’s jacket, and immediately her boyfriend rubbed her back in response.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s ok, anak. Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I know you’re a busy bee. That’s why I’m calling in advance if you could come see me this year.”

“I’ll think about it,” she muttered. “I’ll call you back, ok? And I won’t forget like usual.”

Her mother laughed on the other line. “Ok, thank you, you better remember. Bye, anak.”

“Love you, mom.”

“Love you too.”

She clicked her phone off and glanced up at her boyfriend.

“How much did you hear?” She questioned softly.

“Most of it, sorry, should I have not?” Kalmin winced.

She shook her head and laughed, a little overwhelmed by the sudden tonal shift. “No, it’s ok.” She reached out for him and he met halfway, clutching her hand and bringing it up to his lips.

“You can say no if you don’t want to see him,” Kalmin said gently.

Mira gnawed on her lip and laced their fingers together. “No, I…I should go see my mom. I didn’t see her last year, and I’m kind of worried about her, she might be a little lonely.”

Kalmin smiled at her sympathetically. “You’re really sweet, you know that?”

Mira blushed and sighed. “I’m garbage compared to you, Mr. Sweet Pants. I’ve…avoided my mom since the divorce because I was trying to sort out through my own stuff. But…I probably hurt mom because not only did she lose her partner, but her daughter too…”

His boyfriend kissed her forehead, still rubbing her hands, helping her calm down her nerves. “And now you’re trying to fix it, and that’s good!” He exclaimed softly. “The fact that you’re willing to face your father again just because you worry about the well-being of your mom is a huge feat, babe.”

Exasperated, she shrugged. “I dunno…It’s just…I’ve thought a lot about what happened in the summer. About who I wanna be and what I wanna do. I do want to let go of the past, y’know? As much as it terrifies me. How can you or Deimos say that I’m so forgiving and a good person when I’ve struggled coming to terms with my father?”

Kalmin blinked, and for a moment, he just stared at her, taking in her features, his golden eyes glowing. He was so pretty, fuck.

“Some people are irredeemable, and there’s no harm in not wanting to associate with them,” Kalmin murmured. “Though, I much more admire people who want to see the good in people and understand them. Like you.”

Slowly, Mira nodded, a shy, embarrassed smile stretching across her lips. “That’s the plan.”

“And I love that about you,” Kalmin whispered softly.

“You seem way better at being understanding and forgiving.”

He shook his head. “We’re all human, I have my missteps. Sometimes I think I should be harder on people, y’know? You and Deimos especially can speak your mind. I find myself a little bit more guarded.”

“I can’t blame you, you have to appease a whole team,” Mira argued, rubbing his arm. “Not everyone you dislike is necessarily disliked by everyone else, like Greg, so you can’t really say your peace.”

Kalmin laughed and rolled his eyes. “Bingo.”

“I think you’re doing a great job,” Mira urged.

“You too, babe,” Kalmin murmured. He leaned down and Mira met him halfway, kissing him softly. She grinned into it, and swiped him into a tight hug.

“God, I love you so much,” she muttered into his shoulder.

Kalmin squeezed her tight. “Love you too. If you want me to come with you to see your dad, I’m always down.”

Mira snorted. “Why? You don’t think Deimos can handle it?”

Kalmin laughed. “As much as I love him, he’s a hot-head. He’d lay it on thick for your dad.”

“Yeah, not sure if I’m down for that,” she cringed. Kalmin chuckled and kissed the side of her temple. Damn, they really couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

“Are you thinking of going alone?” He asked.

Mira paused for a moment, feeling fear start to bubble up. She closed her eyes and shoved that thought deep away. Not right now. Not when Kalmin’s here.

“Not sure yet,” she muttered.