⟪ with holidays, it's not so much hyperbole and more of a... habit she's picked up ever since she managed to scrape her way off the streets. holidays are hard to miss, and that's just about the worst thing about them – nothing like a thirty-odd days-long stretch of reminders that this must be just about the loneliest time of an already lonely year. now that she has people to spend these times with, her enthusiasm is...

well. hard to rein in. but she hears his hesitation, catches the glance. he must have lost track of time, and hard, on his timeout. ⟫

No, I guess not. ⟪ can an unexpected turn still be expected? she flips a pancake, fetches a plate so it's ready to go. ⟫ The whole of it doesn't sound too much like it'd be feeling like any kind of cheer, to be honest.