Gerard grabbed the sheets of wrapping paper from his cupboard. He'd been waiting all year to start this. Present wrapping was one of his favourite things. It also appeared to be Frank's favourite thing too. He was currently sticking the cellotape to his paws and looking thoroughly confused. Gerard grinned. He loved his little feline friend, however annoying he could be.

"Meow!"

Gerard watched with amusement as Frank attempted to pull the tape off of one paw and then the other. Finding a fairly clear space on the floor, he set down his paper. Laughing, he picked the fluff ball up.

"Come here, silly little thing."

Frank purred happily as he was freed from the terrible sticky strip. Rubbing his head against Gerard’s bare neck, he fluttered his cat eyelashes to remind his owner that he enjoyed the attention.

“Don’t act so innocent. I still remember what you did with my paint.”

Frank cocked his head slightly as if to say ‘I don’t know what you mean…’

Gerard ruffled his fur and kissed the top of his head before letting Frank jump onto the floor to explore the various presents and gift wrap. Not wanting to be attacked by something again, he carefully prodded each object with an outstretched paw before hopping back next to Gerard and going to the next thing in his line of sight.

He finally came to a box that Gerard had already written the words ‘DO NOT OPEN BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ on. Again, Frank stuck out a paw and again, he prodded it before sniffing it. After realising that it was entirely harmless, he stretched up to see that it had something in it. He couldn’t actually see what it was, and so he stretched even more.

By this point, Gerard had turned his back to get some coffee to accompany him while he parcelled everything up.

“Meo-pprp!”

Frank had toppled into the box and was now tangled in amongst some rather tatty tinsel, fairy lights and baubles. His persistent mewing was muffled by the red foil boa that was wrapped around his head.

Gerard hadn’t bothered to put the spare decorations away yet, so it was entirely his fault for leaving them there and not Frank’s.

“Frank? Where’ve you gone, buddy?”

Gerard looked at the little tabby that had emerged with a Jack Skellington bauble attached to his tail and star-shaped lights draped over his back. He kept looking at the confused and slightly scared feline until a small ‘meeeeeeew’ was whined. Gerard exploded into laughter as Frank tried to shake himself free.

Sometimes things shouldn’t be opened before Christmas or ever, especially if you have an overly curious cat who likes to rummage in boxes of decorations.