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firefly--bright · 1 year ago

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lovesick.

jean kirstein x gender neutral! reader. modern a.u.

summary : jean always felt like a fool around you. you've been a fool to not see it.

warnings : very subtle themes of religion (expected at this point)

a/n : y'all are getting FED. pure fluff to make up for peeks and blinders. i hope you like this :)

masterlist is linked in pinned post! ✿ requests are open! ✿ enter my taglist. ✿

taglist : @jeanscremebrulee , @holding-infinity-and-a-book , @mrsnobodynobody .

✿ inspired by this laufey song ✿

he stayed with you for three nights.

before his flight back to his hometown for thanksgiving - an invitation for which had been extended to you as well, by Jean's mom. you had refused politely. you didn't want to come in between a special family holiday with their own traditions. jean tried to persuade you, told you that he'd be so bored without you there, that you're going to like it, but you brushed it away anyway. said you really didn't want to be a bother, flight tickets would be even more expensive with you there, Jean's mother would have to prepare extra food for you. you'd take too much space, you said.

jean said that it was a space he'd let you take. you shook your head with a smile.

before leaving, however, the two of you decided to spend three nights together. everyone had already left to see their families - sasha and Connie had taken the road, Marco left by flight as well. your apartment felt eerily empty so you asked jean one night, tipsy on cheap and old wine, to stay with you for the last three days he was there. after which you would see him - and by extension, everyone - a week after new years. you'd be stuck here, in an empty apartment, all alone, and he really shouldn't be leaving his dear best friend alone to rot, should he?

and jean had been so stupid to agree. he knew he shouldn't have after what he discovered he kept feeling about you. but you were looking at him with such conviction and warmth that he had to.

god, he was so lovesick. it made him feel stupid, really. but it was you, so he didn't really mind it. he'd learnt to shed any sort of discomfort with you.

well, he hadn't learnt it. you had just coaxed him into it without even using your voice.

he rolled his eyes and agreed.

"alright, alright, fine. I'll stay over. but I need to pack first."

you smiled brilliantly. "done!" his heart leapt out of his chest and into your warm arms that were currently trying to pour some more wine. he moved the bottle away from your hand.

"no more wine for you," he said, pushing a forgotten glass of water your way. "have some of this instead."

your smile didn't dissapear, though, and Jean hoped that his heart was still beating in your hands. you just looked at him with your cheek resting on the table and you looked so comfortable in that blue sweater of yours, with him. you lift your head up and drink the water diligently.

he was so, so stupid.

he got everything packed in two hours. made sure everything was organized and easy to remove, and left the suitcases next to your door so he could leave directly from your apartment to the airport. you smiled, again, when you welcome him in, proposing to go to the ice cream parlor.

it was winter. jean grumbled as he adjusted on your couch to glimpse at you from the corner of his eye. you were rummaging in your kitchen for something - chocolate - when you asked him if he wanted to go there with you. he rolled his eyes.

"it's winter." he reminded you. as if you could forget.

"please. you know I don't want the ice cream there. it's the ho-"

"hot chocolate, yeah, I know. that's not why I said it's winter. i dont want to walk in this cold." he complains, but he's already getting ready to move from the couch.

"you make it sound like it's a grand mission." you say, but you've gotten the hint as you, too, move to grab your coat from the rack near the door.

"well, it is, for me. my toes freeze up just like your hands do." he says, but again, he's already slipping his shoes on.

you smile teasingly. "whats the point in having such long legs if you're not going to use them?" you're slipping your phone, wallet and keys into your pockets.

he wears his coat. "self defense." he says. it's not the most normal answer. it makes you laugh as you close the door behind you with a click, locking it. jean would continue to say anything you want him to to make you laugh.

you don't ask him to say anything. he does it anyway. the walk to the ice cream parlor is short, and jean wonders if it's going to snow soon.

"i hope it snows," you say, almost reading his mind. jean isn't even surprised by it. he nods, muttering "same."

"i thought you hated cold?" you say. he should've guessed you would've said that because it's so obivous, the low hanging fruit that came back to bite him in the ass.

"snow is different from cold," he lies, "it's..." he trails off. it's idiotic. he didn't even have anything to say. you breathe out a laugh.

"it's what? better than rain?" you bump your shoulder into his.

"anything is better than rain." he answers, shaking his head, "snow is like if rain was cooler and better." he says, adding a "literally cooler." at the end.

it makes you laugh again, but softer this time. it wasn't that funny. he notes that down in his head like he's going to be quizzed on it later.

"i knew you'd say that." you speak. your warm breath gets fogged up against the cool weather.

the sentence is said in one breath, a certain softness and confession to it. of course you knew what he'd say, out of all people, you would. you'd know what he was planning to do, how the gears inside his body worked, and still let your gears work right beside his anyway. he was sure you knew every little working of his stupid heart except for the fact that it beat only for you.

your shoulders are brushing again. he licks his drying lips, trying to come up with a better joke to pass the time. not that he had to, because silence with you wasnt uncomfortable or forced. it felt like peace, like a small pocket of warmth that couldn't be broken. but he wanted to hear your laugh again; the sound was his own pocket of warmth, even if you complained, sometimes, about your laugh being too loud and boisterous, he didn't care because you were happy and smiling and he wouldn't do anything to take that away.

he's still thinking of what to say when there's a buzz in both of your pockets - someone messaged the group chat. he watches as you pull your phone out of your pocket, typing in an answer that makes his phone vibrate again. he takes a peek at your screen.

Marco :D : my mom is going crazy over how many people she invited :')

she's showing me off to all her friends ijdlsk

constance : I'd show you off if I was your mom too tbh

sasha <3 : agreed

aww say hi to your mom for us!!

Marco :D : will do!! wish you guys were here tho :/

constance : kinda miss annoying jean right about now

sasha <3 : *atttachment : 1 image*

it was a picture of Connie sitting in the driver's seat in their parked car, and his phone was open to a video of jean grumbling something under his breath and connie leaning in close to him snickering and whispering a joke in his ear.

sasha <3 : he was watching this the entire ride while I was drivinf

constance : stop EXPOSING me

jean hears you snort out a small laugh. he sighs in annoyance, saying "I don't miss it." as an obvious lie.

you breathe out another laugh; jean wins again, and hold up the phone to take a picture of the two of you. it's a little blurry when you click it, jean holds a small smile looking at you and you hold up a peace sign with a smile that's yours.

the picture is sent to the groupchat. jean loops his arm into yours so you don't stray too far away from him while typing out 'trip 2 ice cream parlor for the hot choco'

marco :D : you two are inseparable istg :') send hot choco pics

(beautiful ass art presented to you by @ppushable )

Marco replies instantly.

constance : Marco asking for hot choclate pics like people ask for nudes

I'm 6'3 btw

sasha <3 : LIARRR

also wow hot chocolate without me????? sin.

you smile before switching your phone off and slipping it back into your pocket, saying something about how the two of you should steal their hot chocolate recipie. jean nods half-heartedly.

his mind is on fire. 'you two are inseparable istg' in Marco's words, something he hadn't thought about before. he didn't have to think about it, either, because being with you didn't make him question it. of course he'd always come back to you even if his bones were charred from the inside, even if his body screamed at him to take rest. you were his rest.

he thinks about how yes, the two of you are inseparable, and maybe he's being delusional, but he thinks about how you co-exist with him so peacefully : a feat noone could do with a smile on your face. there has to be cold to imply the existence of warmth, there had to be chaos to imply peace. there had to be you for there to be a him. he thinks about how glad he is to exist the same time and same place as you, your arms linked and pace synchronized. you rest your head on his shoulder when you walk. he thinks about how the two of you simply breathing in such close proximity beat all odds.

his heart beat faster at the thought. or maybe it didn't, maybe he was just aware of the fact that he had one, maybe you were the only one that could make him listen to his own heart that he had forgetten existed for a while.

an ungodly amount of hot chocolate had been drunk only because your "jean they have a discount and it's winter. we have to." persuasion had worked like always, and he had refused to let you pay like always, and you were rubbing your full belly as you unlocked the door to your apartment. it was dark now, reminding jean that winter had a way of forcing stillness and silence before it was due, but it didn't feel that way anymore. it didn't feel like there was a stillness or stiffness because the lights in your apartment were warm, and the hot chocolate had oiled up the machine of his body as much as your presence had. you removed your coat and shoes near the door and jean looked at you, surrounded with these lights and this warmth and softness and thought about how perfectly you belonged here. with him, sharing a space, the same air, the same layers. and he thought about how he belonged here too. with you.

"wish we could do that everyday," you claim, stretching your arms above your head, fingers interlocked. jean scoffed.

"im concerned about your diet." he said.

"it was the best meal we've ever had! if I commit murder and i'm put on death row-"

"death row doesn't exist in this state-"

"then I'd want, like, a whole barrel of hot chocolate as my last meal. with whipped cream on top."

"i think you'd be dead by chocolate overdose instead of the actual punishment."

you smiled, and jean swore he'd melt despite the cold weather after seeing the glint in your eye. "exactly. don't act like you wouldn't like to die by chocolate consumption. I've seen the way you look at chocolate ice cream."

jean clenches his jaw because you're right. "i dont look at-"

"yes you do. you look at it like it just like you look at Reiner's cat."

"she has a name, yknow." he reminds you, sitting beside you on your couch. his arms fold on top of his chest to keep his hands from straying and holding yours. hes afraid you'd feel the yearning behind his touch, because it was something he couldn't control. he could control his tongue from telling you about it, he could control his thoughts to an extent, he could control his stupid heart to an extent, but not his touch.

"right, my bad. what's her name, again?" you ask, just because you know it'll get a rise out of him.

it does.

"it's mcflurry. the fact that you forgot speaks a lot about your character, just so you know. im judging you."

you giggle. he loves it. "you're always judging everyone."

"not you. never you." he says. he doesn't just mean it for the judging everyone part, though, because his voice is soft and startlingly slow, enunciating every syllable because he wanted you to know. he wanted you to know and understand that he'd never not give you the benefit of doubt. he'd never doubt you in the first place.

you're not startled. you smile to match the tone of his voice and eyes. he inhales.

"thank you." you say. you want to say much more. jean doesn't need to hear much more though, because he knows already. he knows that you're not thanking him out of obligation, but out of devotion. like he had thanked the skies out of relief after his middle school English teacher got fired. it was deserved, honestly, the guy had it coming, and all the students had an unsaid hatred towards him-

your hand rests on his shoulder, rubbing the fabric of his shirt. jean exhales.

"whadya wanna watch?" you ask, reaching for the remote on the coffee table, your hand still on his shoulder as if you belong there.

you do.

"that episode of new girl we left out on." he says.

you smile. he belongs there. "fuck yes."

despite thinking that he'd sleep in and relax, his eyes woke him up just as the sun came up, which was to say extremely early. jean groaned as he stretched his limbs, finding himself on the sofa just as he was left last night; only without you. you had fallen asleep on his shoulder and he refused to move until you'd wake up, which turned out to be only twenty minutes ago. his head fell on yours and he fell asleep as such, and his mind quietened with the sound of the t.v. and your soft snores in his ear.

he blinked his bleary eyes up, his bones creaking in protest. but he didn't let them be heard because he found you, with your back facing him, outside the small balcony of your apartment.

it wasn't even a balcony - when you first moved in, it was just an empty space attached to the large window that was unkept and dirty. sasha and Mikasa, her previous roommate, didn't find that much of a use there anymore, but you did. you insisted on renovating the little platform, adding fake and real plants along with a small mat on the ground so anyone could sit there. come every small celebration, you'd decorate it with fairy lights and different ornaments, and jean found it all too endearing how you kept making things yours, including the kitchen that now held mugs with sayings that had outdated humor on them that you had purchased 'ironically', the couch which was now covered in a blanket you had found in a thrift store, the walls where you'd stuck up pictures of all of them together and little sticky notes that the five of you had passed around to each other during class throughout the year, and Jean's heart.

he'd let you rip apart any semblance of empty space in the workings of the pumping organ if you promised to make it yours in the process. and you had, somehow, because his heart now refused to feel empty, and just like you did with the apartment, you had marked every rusted and untamed part of him with your own touch and words that would play on repeat in his chambers for a long time.

he gets up from his place on the couch, passing a hand through his hair before making his way to where you stood outside. you were leaning on the railings, your chin resting on your palm. if he had to guess, it was almost 8 in the morning, the sun was shining in the way it always did in the winters - it's presence was known but shone only softly, refusing to be forgotten. jean leaned on the railing in the space right beside you, shoulders touching yet again.

you smiled at him. "good morning." you said, and your voice matched the skies above you - soft and refusing to be forgotten. he'd never forget you.

he smiled back, face scrunching up so his eyes were squinting as he looked at you, still getting used to the morning light. "morning." he replies raspily. "couldn't sleep?"

you shook your head, looking at the treetops below you. "slept well enough. thanks for being my pillow."

jean's ears redden. you're convinced it's the cold. "youre welcome." he wants to make a joke about how his services would need a payment, but he's too lost in the way your face is lit up by the sun to say anything.

even if you're looking away from him, he can see the shine in your eyes. you've always said, in your own way, that his eyes were really pretty, but he'd argue that it was your eyes that were pretty because only yours could meet his the way they did. only yours looked at him the way they did, only yours had the courage to. only yours could see the way you saw the world.

he looks at the way your lips are shining - he had noticed how whenever they were chapped and dry youd lick your lips a little too much. he had carved all your little traits into the forefront of his skull, drawing in shapes and filling in the blanks of the expanse so that it could be filled with you- your smile, your eyes, your hands, your laugh, your blinks. everything.

god, he thinks, he's so lovesick.

the wind brushes his hair away from his face. he can tell you're shivering slightly even if your arms are under a layer of thick sweater, and his chest heaves slowly - inhale, exhale, inhale - he tucks you under his arm to keep you warm. you smile. - exhale.

if there was a god that day, he was sure that he was out to get jean when he saw you use his mother's noodle soup recipe, warm foods to keep his insides safe not knowing that you were doing that already by just being there. the pair of you had the soup in two servings each, the second one topped with that new chilly crisp you had gotten, the one that made Jean's mouth turn into a puddle, and he was sure whatever fates had aligned that day were out to get jean because his stupid heart did that stupid thing it always did when he was around you. it didn't skip a beat anything poetic like the Hallmark movies, no, instead it stayed there, in his chest because that's where you belonged. it stayed with you, in his chest, in his wheezing, creaking, old machine that was only just realising that it was creaking and wheezing because it was loved.

and he swore he was down on his luck because he saw you dancing to the end credits of yet another shitty movie that you had jokingly decided to hate-watch but only ended up slightly liking - an opinion he would not share with anyone else but you - unsynchronised to the beat of the song, not knowing what to do with your hands, until jean joined you in the cramped space infront of your t.v. where you were dancing and held them, held your hands, guiding them to the melody, telling them what to do with a softness that was only reserved for you.

stupid beating heart.

when the last day rolled around, jean refused to move from his seat on your bed. the laptop you had decided to get homework done on was left askew on the unmade and comfortable bed, and Jean's neck held a small ache at its base, but it was worth it because you were beside him and he was sure your own neck had the same pains he had. it was well into noon, and unlike the previous day where the pair of you had woken up early, you were still dozing off at his side, rolled over with your back facing him.

he had never known this type of peace. the silence that coated the room was welcome to the point that it felt like it had always been there, something jean was only just realising.

he sighed. wondered about how his life had gone on without you in it for so long, how he'd been clambering for meaning not knowing that you were in it, the same earth, with the same beating heart. he wonders how he'd live without you again, how he'd avoid feeling the grief if you ever did leave.

he'd have to hold you then. he'd have to grasp on to you in the same gentle way that he always had, and not give you any reasons to leave. but that was the thing, right, because if you wanted to leave you'd have done it already, and you hadn't, so thst had to mean something, right?

he's always been afraid of loving too much. he'd always been afraid of the fact that he had too much to give, so he always ended not giving any of it because he was too cautious, too self aware to. but you made him comfortable in the way he had never felt before, you made him want to love you too much. he was still deathly afraid of it, but you made it bearable to look at it in the face without flinching.

the rustle beside him made him blink back into reality, turning his head towards your no longer sleeping figure, a small smile etching itself onto his stubborn lips.

what had you done to him?

the wires in his brain were wound too tight as you talked about everything and anything, him replying and adding onto your obscure sentences like they were always supposed to. the gears in his heart continued turning and turning and turning to the sound of your laugh when he, again, had made a joke as a desperate hope to make you commit to fleeting happiness.

it wasn't so fleeting for him, however, because it was you.

night rolled around just as you finished a late lunch/early breakfast for dinner situation - pancakes and french toast and hashbrowns sprinkled with seasonings - and jean rubbed his belly as he came face to face with the confrontation of him leaving in an hour.

but you were simply blinking, sitting infront of him, going through you phone to find a picture that you thought was relevant to the conversation, a smile on your face. and even if it was so mundane, so normal, it felt like a good dream. like he was going to wake up any time soon and come to the revelation that it had all been fake and conjured up because it had to, because there was no way this was real. when you finally found what you were looking for, flipping the phone around so he could see, he found a hard time looking away from your eyes and giddy smile.

did you know? you had to, right? he laughed covering his mouth with his hand as you flipped your phone back infront of you. you had to know. there was no way you didn't. there was no way you had turned him into himself without knowing that you were the cause of it. it was so obvious-

"I'll miss you." you say. it's a quiet admission, sounding like you've wanted to get it over with for a while now. hes sure you have. he looks at you and his heart - the damned machine - does what it always does; it clangs and makes noise.

maybe you hear it. maybe you're meant to.

"i know we'll see eachother again in a while but...I don't know. I've always wanted to spend new years with my friends and not alone. I'm glad we met. I'm glad we exist together." you say. it's not rushed or hidden or desperate. you're baring yourself open to him and it doesn't feel uncomfortable like it does when youre changing clothes infront of someone and you're bare and open and all your scars and hairs and marks are on display for them to see. it feels like this is how it's meant to be.

he blinks.

hes sure if there was music accompanying the moment, it would be swelling and high-pitched and perfect - the type that makes you feel and ache in just the right ways. but there wasn't, and the silence played a greater cacophony than any instrument, because your sentences didn't need embellishments to be pronounced. your statements didn't need proof of being alive - they were alive and bare open and vulnerable and so was he now, because of you.

his heart ached comfortably.

stupid, beating heart.

he realised he hadn't said anything when you got up from the table. he was still staring at the spot where you were a minute ago as you took both your dishes back to the sink. he blinks again. inhales, exhales. gets up to join you, takes your hands that were reaching for the soap in his own warm ones - god they're so warm - and says, "I'll miss you too."

he was glad there's no music. he's glad that his voice, even if it was soft and gentle, wasn't muddled with melody. inhale, you were smiling, exhale. blink. his involutary actions got more attention because you made him aware of his machine. how his machine didn't feel like a machine anymore. how his machine - metal and steel and nuts and bolts - felt soft. plyable. putty in your hands. you're squeezing his hands again; the comfortable ache returning and the two of you start doing the dishes that had been ignored for a while.

warm, orange lights glowed from above you, the sounds of dishes clanking and the sink running was the only things to be heard, and the domesticity became divinity. the kitchen became holy, and his hands - metal and steel and nuts and bolts - became the remark of a sculptor creating something beautiful. the moment didn't feel crafted but it felt like he had caused it, and if he was capable of creating something as great as this then he was sure he was walking side by side with God.

beating heart. inhale, exhale, his hands dry the plate you just handed him, he's hearing you hum softly to a song he knows far too well. inhale, exhale.

an hour had passed sooner than he liked it to, and he drove all the way to the airport next to you. you kept talking like you had to get it all out there before he left. it was only a month and a half, and he knew you knew you were being dramatic, but he loved it anyway. you opt the radio instead of the aux for the first time, surprised when your favourite song comes on.

he turns the volume up. you sing to match it's pitch. he wishes he can show you his childhood bedroom. you'd love it, he says. "i have speakers. i used that fact as like a bribe to make new fridnds. i told people, 'hey I have speakers in my room' and they'd want to hang out with me." what he didn't say, however, was that he only wanted them to see the speakers in his bedroom. now, he wanted you to see him in his bedroom, he wanted you to linger near the doorway. best part was, he knew you would someday.

it wasn't that long of a drive. it felt long though, somehow, because time stretched and restricted when he was with you, and he stopped the car at the airport gate with a heart pounding off from his chest. he wonders if yours was too, but one look at you confirms that yes, it was. you two were in the same boat, the same machine that had been sanded down and weathered until it was soft and rounded.

inhale, "well, this is...it" exhale.

you nod slowly, "this is it." you breathe out laugh. "why are we acting like we're never gonna see eachother again?" you say but you already know the answer. jean does too.

he laughs the same way you do, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he looks ahead, one hand on the steering wheel, refusing to move anywhere without you. "maybe it's the amount of movies we've seen." he says. a lie.

"and who's fault is that?" you ask, teasing and laughing.

"all mine." he admits. it was his. he doesn't feel any remorse for it.

you nod again. you're looking at him. the lights reflect in the water of your eyes.

"call me when you reach?" you ask.

he nods. "promise."

silence. inhale, exhale.

"i think I'm in love with you." you're the one that says it. if he could, he would hear the fast pace of your heart that beat dutifully with his own and he swears there's something in the cool winter air that been locked out of the car because there's no way he's hearing it right. there's no way he heard those words said with deliberate commitment and a hell of a lot of hope - something jean was learning to have from you - because no-one but you had the courage to regard him like this.

but it was you. of course it was you.

his hand holds your cheek before he can even think about it. he blinks. inhale, "I think I'm in love with you too," exhale. matching sentiments has always been easy, but it feels more breathable and bearable now. with you.

bearable, beating hearts.

you smile. you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, you smile so hard that your face feels like your face and not just a symbol of you, your face doesn't feel like a machine and it feels like muscle and skin and fat and blood like it's supposed to and you realize, a little too late, that jean makes you feel a little more human than you are in the way where it feels holy, almost, because being human has always been about being divine. jean makes you see it clearer than you have been seeing it.

another breath passes.

"is this the part where..." he swallows, trailing off. "where we kiss?"

you laugh. "you really think this is a hallmark movie, don't you?"

he laughs too. "no, if this was a hallmark movie then you'd be chasing me at the airport. you'd say-"

"oh my god," you're laughing and your stomach hurts comfortably.

"you'd say 'jean I've been in love with you since I laid my eyes on you'-"

"you wish," your voice is breathy.

"'i can't take my mind off of you, jean, and you deserve the best. also you're very handsome.' you'd say that."

you hold the hand that is resting on your cheek. "oh, jean, I've been in love with you ever since i saw you.-"

"ever since I laid my eyes on you. that sounds poetic."

"you're insufferable."

"and you're in love with me." he says. he's confident and he's never felt better about it than now.

you shake your head with an affectionate smile. "unfortunately yes."

there's a pause. the two of you are smiling. you lean forward to press a kiss on the top of his nose, turning it pink and human. "you'll get a kiss after getting back." you say. it's a promise.

"I'll look forward to it."

stupid, bearable, comfortable, beating organ.

his heart felt alive. his lungs felt like they were no longer chambers filled with air but something that could experience the space of being around you.

god, he was so lovesick. but he was with you, so it didn't matter.

he had you. he always would.

#jean kirstein x reader #jean kirstein #jean kirschstein x reader #jean kirstein x you #aot #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #jean kirschtein #marco bodt #sasha braus #connie springer #smau

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cowgirlcherrie · 1 year ago

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after the storm. ⚡︎ florist! abby drabble

╰ * a/n: no plot for this either but rather a spin off on my headcanons ! just a little treat for my patient babis who were waiting for more ♡ in simple words this is about happy accidents. . .

song(s) — after the storm. kali uchis & tyler the creator , falling in love. laufey

3:40pm new york.

Abby didn’t do love.

Although it would be nice and she yearned for it. She wished with the very small penny that she would find in her sage dickies, somewhere blanketed with an old mint gum wrapper and her brown leather wallet in her pocket. Tossing her very last penny into the Washington Square Park fountain wishing for a lover as considerate or even more than her. One to build flowers for and be her muse.

One to make stockings with around the holidays where she would plant mistletoe around the house, using it as an excuse to merge lips with her lover; and to make floral centerpieces for the family dinners.

Was it too much to ask for?

Abby felt like a late-bloomed flower in comparison to her peers. They were going to wine and dining events with their partners, fancy yachts in the summer, and getting engaged. Everyone was falling in love around her whilst she fell behind and was tormented into watching.

On this typical, almost mundane Saturday, the rain flooded down the crevices of the tall buildings hugging the wood and brick of the apartments and offices. Golden Canary taxis beeping as passengers let out screeches rushing to the nearest hut under the rain. Abby stood frozen in her floral shop. Figure in front of the window pane, as she let out cracked whistles through her dry lips, hands in her pockets. The jingling of her keys almost matched the sound of how hard the rain came down. Rocking on her toes, to and fro. Abby being alone for the evening took a number. It was vacant around the shop, the smell of roses, chrysanthemums, and daisies merged together itching at her senses — she could feel a faint sneeze drifting up her nostrils from the dust in the vents.

She liked the glass windows. Largely panned giving everyone a wide view into the small business, including herself who had gotten nosy at strangers on the concrete. She admired the different people that she would see. The couple where the girlfriend would beg her partner to buy them a bouquet or a rose; The children dug in the crates begging their parental figure for dandelions to make wishes. It was all too pure for Abby, making her heartache at how the flowers brought unity to everyone around her. It was innocent, lovely and made her love her job even more.

Abby itched at the nape of her neck, swinging her braid to the back as she bolted outside in a hurry to bring the cart of flowers inside as the wind picked up; business was dying down now that people seek shelter instead of enjoying nature. Abby stuck her left foot out kicking the wooden stopper in the door, door chimes ringing as her hands gripped the cart of the flower display.

Abby underestimated the rain, her body was instantly covered in droplets her black t-shirt clinging to her chest almost becoming uniform with her skin. Providing a roughed, sloppy kiss to every curve and outline of her tender body. Abby let out grunts as she pushed the cart inside having to do it all alone until she heard footsteps. Not slow ones, but rather rapid, almost like the sound of the motorcycles against the pavement, bikers revving up at the stoplight.

You were in a hurry, and it seemed as though the day couldn’t get any worse. You wanted to cry and bawl up into your bed, holding the sheets so tightly as sobs flowed through you as the serotonin in your body decreased. Tears weld up in your eyes as you run through the city streets, an oversized blazer above your head with some distance as you used it to shield you from the rain. Why me? – you would cry out, thick lashes sticking to the sunken skin of your eyelids as your face grew puffier in tears. That was all you wanted to do. But naturally, you couldn’t find a way to win. Not only was it raining, wet wind smacking your face, but you were going to miss your train because you weren’t moving fast enough. You were through for the evening. Briefly, your running slowed down in front of a flower shop catching your breath, heaving as your hands lowered letting the rain wash over you like a fresh cold shower.

You lost.

And to confirm it, a black Sudan drove by; hitting a pothole, splashing murky rainwater onto your work outfit leaving you drenched and soaked furthermore. Blinking rapidly, a loud gasp echoed behind you, followed by a falling ceramic flowerpot that collided with beige concrete, the sound echoing like an ice machine. Making your head snap to your left seeing a just-as-wet figure, cursing under her breath as her hands gripped the edges of the table.

She seemed just as stressed as you were. Considering the flower pot on the floor with dirt smeared and washing away into the city drains like mascara on a wet face made you wince. Picking up the still intact flowers surrounded by the broken glass.

She looked like she could use some help.

“Hey!” you shouted, but your voice was low compared to the rain that was drowning you out, the girl didn’t answer steadily pushing the cart in between the long rectangular door. “HEY!”

She stopped moving the cart, lifting her eyes up from the cart in front of her. Her lashes were long – her face free of any makeup, a light dusting of rose across each cheek, contoured and sculpted edges, giving her a bronzy look under the summer solstice. It didn’t help that the rain was making it hard to see turning your vision into endless mush. The flowers behind her almost popped out and came to life…full bloom and kissable touch. You were stuck, still breathing…but heavily of course; you zoned out somewhere lost in her ocean of eyes, before snapping out of it at the sound of someone’s car alarm going off on the street.

her tattoos and soft face almost mocking each other at her inquires as a floral shop owner.

Everything got louder almost amplified. Obnoxious noises match your heartbeat. Her lips were parted as she eyed your wet figure up and down.

“Let me help!” the both of you shouted at the same time. Followed by sweet sweet laughter amidst the rain.

“No, seriously let me help” This time the woman in front of you was whispering, almost merging voices with the pellets of rain hitting the metal of the table. Blonde hair sticking to the sides of her face.

There was a silent agreement. You put the jacket you were using as an umbrella back on your arms, followed by locking your purse over your shoulder as you reached to the other end across from Abby lifting up the table with the count of 3. The two of you carry the table back inside, this time no spills.

You weren’t sure why but she was like a breath of fresh air, beautiful and in her own world almost as if the heavens planted her there for you to see. It was purely an accident that you stopped in front of the flower shop. Hell, you could have chosen Mimi’s Bakery or that’s vintage! Threading and clothing warehouse but your body chose Lovestrung Florals. How glad you were that you did, new feelings brewing inside of you as your brain struggled to find the right words.

The broken flower pot remained, in unity with the concrete hugging each and every crevice of the holes in between the rocks. Going unnoticed by both you and Abby as the two of you worked together, not even catching the single cream-colored rose that was deteriorating under the harsh application of rain. Drowning in water as the petals peeled off and ran down the sidewalk into the city drains, tainted with dark mud; changing like the seasons. The sun begun to peak out embedded through the grey clouds casting a bright glow haze on the busy Soho streets.

“Now let's get you inside, don’t need your beautiful self getting sick now do we?”

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lualuabestningdungie · 11 months ago

Text

Lovesick -Choi Yeonjun

Falling in love was a new feeling for you, and it didn’t really disliked you. Seeing his smile every day wondering why you feel this way every time he laughed at something you say, it was confusing, but you were falling. Choi Yeonjun, what have you done to me?

Pairings: afab!reader x nonidol!yeonjun

Warnings: toxic relationship, mentions of kissing, slow burn, might contain grammar mistakes. a holiday cliché (oops), lots of fluff.

Wc: 11.7 k

Masterlist

Lovesick by Laufey

The feeling of warmth embracing you as you woke up. Arms hugging you tightly, wrapped around your waist. The soft breathing of someone by your side. A weight in your chest where he slept so peacefully.

If months ago you would��ve told yourself that you were in love, you wouldn’t have believed it.

The bell of the door rang announcing that someone entered the café. You turned your head and greeted the two customers with a smile once the couple reached the counter.

“Welcome! What can I get for you?” You saw that the girl rolled her eyes and left her partner on the counter as she made her way to sit on one of the tables, he looked at you apologetically.

“Uh I’ll have a coffee and… what’s the November special?” He asked.

“Oh it’s apple cinnamon tea.” You smiled. It was your idea to add that to the menu.

“Sounds nice, I’ll have that.” You nodded and typed on the computer.

“At what name should I register the order?” You asked as you took the cup and a marker.

“Yeonjun.” He said giving you a small smile.

You wrote his name in the cup. “Alright Yeonjun, I’ll call you when your order’s ready.” You offered a small smile and turned to start preparing the drinks.

“Jiseok mind helping me? Your shift hasn’t ended.” Jiseok rolled his eyes.

“I’m too tired.” Jiseok placed his head on your shoulder.

“You haven’t done a single thing today.” You handed him a cup. “So start doing something or you won’t even get a tip.” He sighed.

Once you finished the drinks you called Yeonjun. He walked towards the counter, just when he was about to reach the drinks he knocked over the salt that was on top of the counter.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry.”

You were about to pick it up but your hands touched when attempting to pick the salt up. You looked at him embarrassed, and handed him his drinks with a small ‘thank you’.

You turned around and saw Jiseok side eyeing you. You gave him a confused look.

“What?” He snickered and you hit his arm.

“That was so embarrassing.” You rolled your eyes.

You were about to reply when you heard someone talking very loud. Both of you turned around and saw the girl Yeonjun was with, making a scene.

“What was that? Yeonjun I swear you do this all the time!” She exclaimed as she looked at him with anger.

“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything-“ Yeonjun stopped mid sentence when this girl threw the cup of hot tea all over his shirt.

Jiseok and you looked at the scene with wide eyes. The girl left shutting the door behind her.

Yeonjun stayed there sitting looking down, you could tell he was embarrassed about the whole situation, as he placed his head on his hands.

Jiseok elbowed you on the arm, and gestured for you to go.

“I’m going if you’re going.” You whispered, he rolled his eyes and walked with you towards Yeonjun.

“Hey man, everything alright?” Yeonjun turned to look at the both of you with shame.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I’ll help you clean if you want.” He stood up and you stopped him.

“No, no, it’s okay. We’ll clean it, don’t worry. I’ll get napkins for you.” You walked back to the counter and grabbed some napkins for him.

You handed him the napkins and Jiseok brought his sweatshirt and gave it to Yeonjun.

“Oh no, it’s okay, don’t worry.” Yeonjun refused the offer of the sweatshirt.

“It’s cold outside, you should take it. Don’t worry about it, I have another one.” Jiseok shrugged handing it to Yeonjun.

“I hope this wasn’t a problem for you. This was very embarrassing. I’m sorry.” You could tell he was ashamed of the situation, and you couldn't help but to feel bad for him.

“It’s okay, you’re not the one that should be embarrassed.” You grabbed the mop and started cleaning some of the tea that spilled.

“Yeah, was that your girlfriend?” Jiseok asked and sat down.

“Yes, she is my girlfriend. But it’s like the seventh time we break up in the last two months.” Yeonjun sighed.

“Is she always like this?” You said a bit hesitant, you didn’t want to sound intrusive.

“Most of the time, yeah. I guess I’m an idiot for not noticing the type of person she is.” Yeonjun replied as he attempted to clean himself with the napkins.

Jiseok and you looked at each other feeling sorry for him. He really looked like a kind person.

And that was the first time you met Yeonjun.

A few days later, you walked towards the bus stop. Your work wasn’t exactly close to your apartment, so you had to take the bus there.

Struggling to wrap your scarf around your neck with one hand, bag and keys in the other one, you accidentally elbowed someone that was walking next to you.

You turned to say sorry but you were surprised to see that the person you hit, was Yeonjun.

“I’m very sorry, I didn’t see you.” Embarrassment covered your face, as a red blush appeared on your cheeks.

“It’s okay, don’t worry.” He gave you a soft smile. “Are you going to work?” You nodded.

“Yeah, I’m actually a bit late now.”

“Oh, well I guess we’re both late then.” He shrugged and you gave him a confused look.

“We? As in you and me?” You asked.

“Ah yeah, forgot to mention. I got a job in the café.” He said and you looked at him surprised.

“You did? That’s nice.” You actually were happy that Yeonjun was going to start working with Jiseok and you. Since the day of the incident with his girlfriend, you couldn’t help but to think about him. “May I ask why? Oh wait, I don’t mean to be nosy, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” You looked away a little embarrassed.

He chuckled at this. “It’s okay. I got fired from my last job, I uh… worked in the company of my ex girlfriend’s dad. So when I broke up with her, she got me fired.” He sighed.

“Oh god, I’m sorry to hear that.” You looked at him a little worried.

“It’s alright, I wanted to leave that job anyway. I was getting tired of being in an office all day. And working in the café seems interesting, I just want to feel productive.” He shrugged.

“Well, I’m glad you applied, we do need more staff. Jiseok and I are the only ones working there. Although it gets a little boring sometimes, we don’t have that many customers.” You chuckled.

It was true, you normally didn’t have that many customers, but now that the cold season started, the number of customers usually increases. Or at least you hope it does.

“It’s alright, I’m sure we’ll do fine.”

The bus arrived and you both sat next to each other and talked on your way to the café. When you arrived, Jiseok was cleaning the counters and getting the coffee machines ready.

You opened the door and the bell rang.

“Finally, I thought you weren’t coming, I was about to use the speakers to play my-“ He stopped when he turned to see you. He clearly wasn’t expecting to see Yeonjun.

You made an awkward eye contact with him for a few seconds.

“Oh, welcome back, are going to order something?” Jiseok asked looking at Yeonjun.

“Actually I’m here to work.” He smiled and Jiseok widened his eye surprised.

“Is that why there was another apron in the staff room?” You nodded.

“Come on Yeonjun, we’ll show you how everything works.”

After a while, you and Jiseok explained to Yeonjun everything he needed to know about the place, how the coffe machines work, how to prepare the drinks, clean the counters, etc.

Your shifts came to an end, and it was time to close the store. Yeonjun seemed awfully quiet the last hour of his shift.

“Hey Yeonjun, are you okay?” Jiseok asked while he mopped the floor. Yeonjun was cleaning the counters with a very serious expression. He hadn’t said a single word in the last 40 minutes.

“Hm? Yeah, I’m okay.” His half smile wasn’t convincing to either of you. But Jiseok didn’t want to push it to far and just nodded.

When it was time to close the shop, Yeonjun finally spoke, once you were already outside with your coats and scarves.

“Hey guys, do you know any place around here that I could stay just tonight?” He said not meeting your eyes. Jiseok and you looked at each other confused.

“Well, I don’t think you can find much places here. They’re all very expensive around this area.” You said putting your hand in your coat’s pockets. Yeonjun stayed quiet for a moment as if he was thinking too much about something.

“You live far from here?” Jiseok asked.

“Uh yeah, I live far from the city. I’m looking for apartments around here.” Yeonjun responded.

“Well you can stay in our apartment tonight, it’s getting late and buses take too long here.” Jiseok suggested this to him and his eyes sparkled.

When he agreed, the three of you went to the bus station. Your apartment wasn’t close, but it definitely was closer than Yeonjun’s place. The three of you arrived to the apartment.

Yeonjun was feeling slightly nervous, Jiseok and you have been really nice to him, and he certainly didn’t want to bother you.

“Here we are.” Jiseok opened the door and stepped aside. As you entered, you notice Yeonjun looked around, he seemed a little uncomfortable.

“Your apartment is very big. It’s really pretty.” Yeonjun said looking at you two.

“Oh, it’s my dad’s apartment. He basically pays for this apartment.” Jiseok explained.

“Oh, it’s your dad’s? Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here? I don’t want to intrude.” Yeonjun spoke more nervously.

“Nah, it’s fine. My dad never comes around. He doesn’t even know yn lives here.” Jiseok chuckled and you shrugged. “He lives in another city far away. So I don’t see him that often, just in uh… Christmas?” He explained.

“Oh alright.” He said shyly taking off his coat too.

“I have to get going, I’ll see you guys later.” He took what a guitar case that was leaning next to the door and left.

“He’s in a band, they usually practice at night, when they’re all done with their works and stuff.” You said sitting down in the couch.

“That’s so cool. I’ve always wanted to be in a band.” Yeonjun followed your steps and at next to you. It seemed more relaxed than he was a few minutes ago.

“Really? That’s nice. I’ve never thought of it. But it’s nice when Jiseok talks about his band.” You said smiling. “So, how was your first day at work? Did you like it?” You asked trying to make him feel more comfortable.

“Yeah, it was nice. I enjoyed working with you. It’s very relaxing to work in a quiet place, you know? I was used to be in an office where people always went in and out everyday.” He sighed.

“May I ask how did you meet your ex girlfriend?” You didn’t wanted to be nosy, but you really wanted to know more about him.

"I met Harin in high school.” He paused and took a deep breath. “She wasn’t always like that, I honestly don’t know what happened. When we graduated we moved together, her dad gave me a great job at his company, and we were happy. My future was assured there.” You felt bad for him, how everything perished for him after that breakup. “But suddenly she started getting possessive over me, and got jealous of my friends. That’s when everything went down.”

Yeonjun had a perfect life, good job, a nice house, a good relationship, close friends. But he lost all of that.

“I’m very sorry that happened, Yeonjun.” He half smiled.

“It’s in the past now, I wasn’t happy there so I don’t really care anymore.” He reassured you. “But that’s enough about me. Tell me more about you.”

Yeonjun was a curious person, since the first time he met you, he felt intrigued, he wanted to know you better.

“Uh well, I used to live in a small town. You know, those towns where you're walking on the street and see cows. I lived with my grandma, she took care of me my whole life. My parents were always working so I could get a better education. So all I could do was study, since there weren’t a lot of things I could do there.” You explained. You don’t always talk about yourself, but opening up to someone who really wanted to know you was nice.

“And how did you end up here?” He asked crossing his leg getting into a more comfortable position.

“I got a scholarship in a high school, so I moved here. There’s where I met Jiseok. He was always skipping classes and never did his homework. He never really cared about school. So I tutored him, that’s how we started hanging out.”

Yeonjun nodded, your life seemed very interesting to him. How you left your hometown to come to study to a city. Something about you made him drawn to you, he definitely wanted to know you better.

And that’s how a month went by, working in the café, hanging out with Yeonjun and Jiseok, watching Jiseok’s band perform, going back home and have late night talks with Yeonjun.

Everything happened so nicely, all three of you became closer. It was as if you knew Yeonjun your whole life. You got to trust him in a small amount of time, and the same for him. He felt more comfortable living with both Jiseok and you, and working together, than he ever did in the past when he worked in an office.

Things at work also improved, you had more customers now. In reality there were only girls who were interested in Yeonjun and started going more frequently just to see him, but customers are customers, and at least they actually bought things, leading to more tips.

The bell rang announcing a new customer, as the door opened the fresh breeze of the December air entered the café. As the bell jingled, and all eyes turned to see a familiar face—Harin. Her gaze immediately locked onto Yeonjun. All three of you stayed silent for a moment, not knowing what to do.

Yeonjun tensed, his hands gripping on a coffee cup he was holding a bit too tightly. The atmosphere in the café shifted as your eyes met Jiseok's, both of you silently acknowledging the sudden change.

"Yeonjun," she called out, walking closer to the counter where Yeonjun was. He turned to face her, a sigh escaping his lips.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone sounded as if he was tired or annoyed.

She ignored his question and glanced around the café, her eyes narrowing as they landed on you and Jiseok. A smirk played on her lips, and it was evident that she was relishing the discomfort she was causing.

"Found yourself some new job, I see. Or is it something more?" Her eyes flickered between Yeonjun and you, a not-so-subtle insinuation hanging in the air.

A small flashback appeared on his mind when her eyes turned to look at you. The day when they came to the café for the first time, when she threw the hot tea at him. She started telling Yeonjun how he always flirted with everyone in front of her, and turned into an argument.

"I'm just here to enjoy a cup of coffee. Is that too much to ask?" she said with a false innocence, finally tearing her gaze away from you and Jiseok to focus solely on Yeonjun.

Yeonjun's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, you stepped forward. "If you're here for coffee, then feel free to order. But let's keep it civil, okay?" Your words were calm but deep down you actually felt nervous and a little intimidated by her presence. You didn´t want her to cause another scene like the one a month ago.

She huffed, clearly not expecting any resistance. "Fine, I'll have a latte."

As you prepared her latte, the tension lingered in the air. The café, that once had a sense of warmth, now felt cold and awkward. Yeonjun walked to the kitchen, not wanting to face Harin anymore.

Jiseok shot you a concerned look, silently communicating his readiness to step in if the situation escalated.

When you handed the latte to Yeonjun's ex, she took it with a mocking smile. "Thanks," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. You resisted the urge to react, maintaining your composure.

"Enjoy your coffee," you replied, your smile strained but polite.

She found an empty table, deliberately choosing one within sight of Yeonjun, and settled down with an air of triumph. The tension in the café only intensified, and you could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on the unfolding situation.

As Yeonjun emerged from the kitchen, he glanced at his ex-girlfriend, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. It was clear that he didn't want any confrontation, yet the unresolved emotions lingered beneath the surface.

Jiseok approached Yeonjun, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Don't let her get to you. We've got your back if she tries to do anything," he whispered. Yeonjun nodded appreciatively, offering a small but genuine smile.

Once she exited, Yeonjun let out a breath he seemed to have been holding since her arrival. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate you handling that with me."

"Anytime," Jiseok reassured him, exchanging a nod with you.

The atmosphere in the café gradually shifted back to its usual warmth. The regular customers, sensing the resolution of the tension, returned to their conversations and the familiar hum of the coffee grinder resumed its comforting rhythm.

After the café closed for the day, you, Jiseok, and Yeonjun returned home, the events of the encounter with Yeonjun's ex-girlfriend still fresh in your minds. The walk back was unusually quiet, each of you lost in your thoughts.

Upon reaching the apartment, Jiseok broke the silence. "Well, that was unexpected. I didn't think she'd show up here."

Yeonjun nodded, still processing the encounter. "Yeah, me neither. I thought I had left all that drama behind."

You opened the door, leading the way into the apartment. "Let´s just forget about it, alright? And hope she doesn´t come back."

It was late, so you decided to go to bed and rest. Yeonjun still felt uneasy, he wasn´t expecting that and it clearly made him uncomfortable to think that she might show up again.

Over breakfast next morning, as you, Yeonjun, and Jiseok discussed the day ahead, Yeonjun's thoughts betrayed him. "I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched," he admitted, a furrow forming on his brow.

Jiseok, mid-bite into his toast, looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Watched? What do you mean?"

Yeonjun sighed. "I mean, how did she even find out I work at the café? It's not like I've been broadcasting it."

You exchanged a knowing glance with Jiseok, not knowing really what to say. "Maybe it's just a coincidence," you suggested, attempting to ease the tension. "She could have seen you during one of your shifts or heard about it from someone else."

Yeonjun nodded, still uncertain. "Yeah, maybe. It just feels like she knew exactly where to find me."

"Well, no use stressing about it now. Let's just focus on the café today, and if anything else comes up, we'll help you. Plus we´re already late." Jiseok said standing up once he realized the time.

Throughout the day, Yeonjun couldn't help but glance over his shoulder, as if half-expecting his ex to reappear. The routine of taking orders, preparing drinks, and engaging with customers provided a distraction, but the unsettling thought lingered in the back of his mind.

Eventually he was forced to leave his thought aside and focus in helping you to put up some Christmas decorations around the café. You retrieved boxes of Christmas decorations from storage, and soon the café was filled with a calm sound of holiday tunes and the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the aroma of cinnamon and pine.

Soon, strings of twinkling lights adorned the counters, wreaths adorned the walls, and a small Christmas tree graced a corner, surrounded by carefully wrapped gifts.

As the last customer left, the three of you decided to stay a little later to put the finishing touches on the Christmas decorations. The café was now aglow with festive lights, ornaments, and the inviting aroma of holiday spices.

Jiseok rummaged through the box of decorations and pulled out a sprig of mistletoe. With a confused look, he held it up. "Didn´t know we had this. Should we hang it somewhere?"

You chuckled at his antics, not thinking much of it. "Sure, why not? It adds to the holiday charm."

Jiseok found the perfect spot near the entrance and secured the mistletoe with a small piece of ribbon. He stepped back, admiring his handiwork. "There we go, now we just need some victims to walk under it."

The three of you continued with the decorations, while you and Yeonjun decorated the Christmas tree near the entrance and Jiseok hung paper snowflakes on the counters.

After a while, as the last of the decorations were hung, Jiseok cleared his throat, drawing your attention. "Hey, what´s that hanging above your heads?."

You and Yeonjun turned toward the entrance and were met with the sight of the mistletoe hanging above. Jiseok wore an expectant expression, clearly delighted with the situation.

Yeonjun's eyes met yours. You had never seen him the way you did that night, his eyes sparkling with the christmas lights around, his black hair tickling his forehaed, his skin glowing with the dim light around you. You felt your stomach turn, a sensation you've never felt before.

When you realized you were staring a lot, a blush covered your cheeks making you look away. Yeonjun chuckled moving his hand up and ruffled your hair.

"Let's continue decorating." He lowered himself to whisper in your ear leaving you completely flustered. He simply walked away towards Jiseok and helped him with the snowflakes.

With the decorating complete, the three of you stepped back to admire your work. The mistletoe, now just another element of the festive display.

As you gathered to leave the café, the festive lights casting a warm glow on your faces, You approached Yeonjun, a soft smile on his lips. "Thanks for helping out tonight. It was fun."

You returned the smile, the flustered feeling subsiding. "Yeah, it was. We should do this again next year."

Jiseok placed an arm around your shoulder. "Maybe next time, we'll be more prepared for the mistletoe." Your face turned red, and you flicked his forehead.

That night, when you got home, Yeonjun found himself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the evening played over and over in his mind like a loop, and he couldn't shake the profound effect it had on him.

As he lay there in the quiet darkness, Yeonjun couldn't help but think about you in a different light. Your laughter echoed in his ears, and the image of your blushing face beneath the mistletoe lingered in his mind. Thoughts raced through Yeonjun's mind as he pondered the subtle changes in his feelings. He recalled the way your eyes met his, the warmth of your presence, and the genuine connection he felt with you.

As you layed in bed, you turned to turn off the light of the lamp on your bedside table. Remebering the feeling of being close to Yeonjun earlier made your heart race in a way that you've never felt. All you could see in your head was him.

"What is happening to me?" You wondered, running a hand through your hair in frustration. You weren't accustomed to feeling this way, and the unfamiliar emotions left you both bewildered and intrigued.

Days later, Jiseok invited Yeonjun and you to a small bar where he would be performing with his band. The night was cold as you left the apartment with Yeonjun, Jiseok had to leave earlier to rehearse before the show.

You rubbed your hands together hoping to produce some heat.

"You forgot your gloves?" Yeonjun asked, stopping you to look at him.

"Yeah, I forgot them on my bed." You chuckled.

He took your hand suddenly, intertwining your fingers and putting both of your hands on the pocket of his coat. "Hope this helps." He gave you a soft smile and continued walking, forcing you to walk at his pace.

Your mind went blank with this, a blush covering your whole face. You tried to hold back a smile, while your mind was on a debate of your feelings.

As you walked together, his pace dictated by the linked hands, a quiet excitement and nervous energy lingered between you two. The city lights flickered in the distance, and the streets felt quieter than usual, creating a calm air of tranquility around the two of you.

Yeonjun glanced at you, his gaze holding a warmth that matched the shared space in his coat pocket. "You okay? Not too cold, I hope."

The genuine concern in his voice brought a soft smile to your face. "No, I'm good. Thanks to your hand-warmer solution."

He chuckled. "Glad I could be of service."

The bar where Jiseok's band was performing came into view, its neon sign casting a colorful glow on the sidewalk. As you approached, Yeonjun didn't release your hand.

Inside the place, the low hum of conversations mixed with the tuning of instruments. Jiseok spotted the two of you and waved, his eyes widening as he noticed your intertwined hands.

You looked down feeling your cheeks burn while Yeonjun waved back with his free hand. You find an empty table near the stage and sat together, Yeonjun subtly scooting closer to you.

The concert begun after a few minutes, the sound of the drums and bass filled the air. You looked at the band, smiling as you saw Jiseok playing his guitar, he always looked so happy on stage.

At some point of the night, Yeonjun leaned to your ear. "They're really good." The feeling of his warm breath hitting your aer had your head spinning. You saw his smirk from the corner of your eye.

"Yeah, they are," you replied, trying to hide the subtle nervousness in your voice.

After the concert, Jiseok joined the both of you and decided to get some drinks for the three of you.

As you settled into a cozy corner of the bar, the dim lighting casting a warm glow over the surroundings, the conversation flowed seamlessly.

Your conversation was interrupted by a familiar voice calling Yeonjun's name. You turned to see that Harin was there.

"Yeonjun, can we talk? Please." Her expression seemed serious, like she wanted to talk about something important. She didn't even acknowledge Jiseok and you.

Without looking at her, Yeonjun nodded and stood up from his chair, leading her outside the place.

Your eyes followed him as a short sigh escaped your lips. Jiseok looked at you and placed a hand above yours.

"He'll be fine, don't worry." He gave a light squeeze on your hand.

Your heart raced as you watch them talk outside the window, feeling nervous about the whole situation. You couldn't help but to think that she might want Yeonjun back, and it scared you even more that he would accept that.

Even if he had already made it clear several times in the past that he doesn't want anything to do with her anymore, he did had his future assured with her.

You saw how she started raising her voice, pointing at his chest with her index while her expression seemed angry. Yeonjun just looked down at her, his jaw tightened and and his arms crossed.

After what felt like an eternity, Yeonjun reentered the bar, his expression unreadable. Yeonjun took a deep breath and looked at both you and Jiseok. "Let's finish our drinks and head home," he suggested, the weight of the conversation still evident in his eyes.

Once you arrived to the apartment, Yeonjun sat quietly on the dark living room. Jiseok went to his room, and you debated wether you should talk to Yeonjun or go back to your room.

Something told you that he might need someone to talk to, so you went to the living room and sat next to him.

Yeonjun remained silent, his gaze fixed on some point in the room. You hesitated for a moment before gently breaking the silence. "Hey, are you okay?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and finally turned to look at you. "Yeah, just... wasn't expecting that."

You nodded. "If you want to talk about it, I'm here. And if not, that's okay too."

Yeonjun appreciated the gesture, a small but genuine smile appearing on his face. "Thanks. It's just... complicated. I thought things were behind us, you know?"

"What did she tell you? She looked pretty angry." You tried to pick the correct words, you didn't want to make him feel forced into telling you what happened.

Yeonjun took a deep breath, his gaze flickering as if processing the recent events. "She wanted to talk about us, about our past," he began, his tone carrying frustration. "She's struggling with the breakup, and it seems like she wants to go back to how things were."

"She's having a hard time accepting that it's over. I tried to make it clear that we've both moved on," Yeonjun continued. "But it's tough, you know? We had a life together, and now she's dealing with the aftermath."

"Breakups are never easy. It's understandable that she's struggling with the changes. But you made the right choice for yourself, and that's important." You've never had a relationship before, so you don't really know how breaking up with someone feels like, you've just seen it movies and books.

Yeonjun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. It's just... seeing her like that, it brought back memories, you know?"

The weight of his words hung in the air. Your chest feeling strangely heavy, as if you were getting hurt by his words not really knowing why.

"Do you...miss her?" You felt worried he might actually miss her, your heart ached at the thought of it.

His response was measured, taking a deep breath before answering, as if carefully choosing his words. "I miss the person she used to be, the one I fell in love with. But I don't miss the way things ended up between us. It became toxic, and staying in that wouldn't have been healthy for either of us."

You nodded and somehow felt slightly relieved by this. "Would you give her another chance? If she says she'll change." Your words escaped your lips, inside you felt worried that he might want to go back.

He thought for a moment. "I don't think so," he finally replied. "The issues we had weren't just about her behavior; it was deeper than that. Going back wouldn't fix the fundamental problems we had. People change, but some things are better left in the past."

You placed your hand on top of his without thinking, as a way of reassurance.

"I appreciate your concern," Yeonjun added, meeting your eyes, a soft smile on his lips. "I'm moving on from that, I feel better now, Jiseok and you have been very nice to me, I really appreciate you."

"We just want you to be happy, and you're our friend, we'll never leave your side."

Yeonjun's expression softened, your words had made him feel safe there. He felt home.

After a comfortable silence, Yeonjun decided it was time to go to bed. "It's getting late, you should get some sleep." As the both of you stood up from the couch, you felt Yeonjun tug on your sleeve and pulled you into a hug.

His actions left you surprised, your heart fluttered at the feeling of his warmth. You slowly wrapped your arms around him hugging him back. His chin resting above your head, he muttered a 'thank you' and you squeezed him slightly tighter in response.

After a moment, Yeonjun released the hug, and a genuine smile played on his lips. "Goodnight," he said, his eyes staring into yours making your head spin.

"Goodnight," you replied, watching as he headed to his room.

The next day you sat in the living room, cross-legged on the couch while you stared at the wall, letting your thoughts flood your head. Yeonjun had left earlier, he said he wanted to help with the groceries.

Jiseok noticed your silence, and sat next to you. "You're very quiet today, what are you thinking about?"

You hesitated, unsure of how to talk about your feelings with him. "I've never felt like this before, Jiseok. It's confusing."

He stared at you blankly. "What's confusing?"

"My feelings, I don't know what I'm feeling. I couln't take him out of my mind all night. My stomach, it was weird, it felt as if I was nervous. Like that time when we didn't study for the physics exam, and we got the lowest score of all and the teacher told the whole class." Jiseok's eyes widened when he heard those words.

"Him? What him? Yeonjun?" He took your shoulder making you look at him.

You nodded shyly. "Yeah, Yeonjun."

Jiseok's eyes widened with realization as your words sank in. "Yeonjun?" Jiseok echoed. "You mean you're feeling... something for him?"

You nodded, confusion flooding your thoughts. "I don't know what it is. I've never felt this way before, and it's just... strange. It's like my stomach has a million butterflies, and my thoughts keep drifting back to him."

"Well, it seems like someone might have a little crush. Never thought I'd see the day."

Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and you lightly punched Jiseok's arm. "It's not like that! I mean, maybe it is, but it's just confusing. I've never been in love before, and it feels weird. I feel like I'm going mad."

"Love is confusing, that's for sure. But hey, it's not a bad thing. Yeonjun's a good guy. Maybe you should talk to him about it?"

"Of course not!" The idea of telling him your strange feelings for him terrified you. You could see a million of possibilities of how it could go wrong.

"Why not? It's clear he has a thing for you too." You shook your head as a response.

"No he doesn't, he's just nice, that´s it. Plus, how can he like me? We met like a month ago?" You were already feeling nervous at the thought of it.

"Sometimes, things just click. And a month can be enough to feel a certain way about someone."

You sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and uncertainty. "But what if it ruins our friendship? What if he doesn't feel the same way, and it becomes awkward between us?"

Jiseok shrugged, a more serious look on his face. "Well, you won't know unless you talk to him. And if he's as good a guy as we think he is, even if he doesn't feel the same way, he'll understand and won't let it ruin your friendship."

It made sense in some way, you definitely didn't want to ruin your frienship with Yeonjun, he was one of your closest friends, even if it hurt you in some way that he was just that.

As you contemplated the possibilities, Jiseok gave you a reassuring pat on the back. "Listen, whatever you decide, just remember that your feelings are valid. And whether it leads to something more or not, you guys have a solid friendship. It's worth exploring, and Yeonjun seems like someone who would understand."

That night, when Yeonjun had already gotten back home, you sat on the living room again, as the three of you decided to watch a holiday movie together. Jiseok purposely sat on the edge of the couch, leaving only the space in the middle available.

You shot him a glare as you sat in between him and Yeonjun.

"What should we watch?" Yeonjun spoke as he scrolled down options on the T.V.

"I don't really like Christmas movies." Jiseok leaned back on the couch. Yeonjun chuckled.

"Should we watch something else then?" He proposed.

"Actually I'm really tired, you guys watch something, I'm going to bed." Jiseok stood up smiling to himself and left you and Yeonjun alone.

You looked at each other at the same time making you look away feeling shy all of the sudden, which made Yeonjun smile.

"Well, I guess it's just the two of us now." You nodded, your gaze finally meeting his.

"Do you still want to watch a movie? You can pick any movie you like, I don't really mind." You tried to not talk fast like you always did when you were nervous.

This felt different, now that you've realized you had feelings for Yeonjun. You missed when you didn't feel nervous around him.

"Actually, I wanted to invite you somewhere, are you up for it?" His smile was soft.

"Like right now?" He nodded. "Um alright." You felt butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

"Great, come on. Bring your coat." He stood up from the couch and you followed. "Oh, and bring your gloves. If you want to, I mean, I could always hold your hand if you decide to forget them again." A smirk spread across his face, his words leaving you completely flustered. You could only nod and walk as fast as you could towards your room.

Yeonjun chuckled as he watch you race to your room, and he walked to his. He didn't know why he say that, but the way you looked when you blushed, made his heart go crazy.

He waited for you at the door, once you had your coat on and gloves, he opened the door for you. As you walked out there was a comfortable silence.

"Where are we going?" You broke the silence looking up at him.

"I went for a walk earlier, and I found a place that you might like." He smiled at you and you continued walking. As the walk continued he looked down to see that you brought your gloves making him chuckle. "I see you didn't forget your gloves this time."

A blush covered your cheeks. "Yeah, I didn't want to freeze."

He chuckled softly. "Well, I'm glad you remembered. Though, I wouldn't have minded lending you a hand to keep warm. And I thought you liked it when I held your hand." A smirk appeared on his face.

"I never say I didn't." You followed his game, not really knowing where this sudden boldness came from.

His eyebrows raised playfully, and he gave you a teasing side glance. "Oh, so you do like it, huh?"

"Well, just to keep my hands warm." You said laughing nervously.

"Ah, too bad. I was going to hold your hand, but since you brought your gloves, I don't think it's necessary anymore." He walked a little further leaving you behind purposely.

You walked faster matching his step and grabbed his hand surprising him. "I don't mind holding your hand even when I'm not cold!" Your own words surprised you.

His smirk returning to his lips. "Well, in that case," he began, squeezing your hand gently, "I guess I'll just have to find other excuses to hold your hand."

You felt your cheeks grow warm, the realization of what you'd just admitted sinking in. Your heart beating fast just like every time you're close to him.

The walk stopped when you reached a park, you recognized it because of the stone bridge across the lake. You haven't been here in a while.

"Here we are." Yeonjun smiled looking down at you. "I thought you might like it here, I remember you told me about the lake back in your hometown, the one that froze every winter and you skated with your cousins." He squeezed your hand gently. "I thought this place might bring back some fond memories for you. And, well... I wanted to create some new ones with you too."

You looked up at him, touched by his thoughtfulness. The lake reflected the soft glow of the streetlights, creating a serene atmosphere around you. The world seemed to slow down, it was only the two of you, no one else.

"Thank you, Yeonjun," you whispered, feeling a mix of emotions. "For this, for everything." You felt your eyes teary, remembering your childhood always made you nostalgic, and being here with Yeonjun reliving a precious memory from your past made it better.

"I just wanted to see you smile." He squeezes your hand. "Now, I don't have skates, but I think we can do it anyway." You followed him to the edge of the lake.

The lake's surface was smooth, the cold air having solidified the water into a pristine sheet of ice. The surrounding trees were adorned with a light dusting of snow, casting a dreamlike glow over the scene.

"Are you sure you want to do it?" you asked hesitant, it might not be the brightest idea to walk on a frozen lake.

He grinned. "Why not? We'll just try. Come on." Yeonjun began to carefully step onto the ice, testing its strength. "It seems solid enough. Just be careful, hold my hand."

With tentative steps, you stepped over the frozen surface. Not knowing if you were shaking because of your nerves or because of the cold breeze hitting your face.

Yeonjun held your hand firmly, providing both support and reassurance. "Just take it slow," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the winter wind. "Just hold my hand, I'll guide you."

Your nerves eased slowly with every step you took, and without noticing, you were already standing in the middle of the lake. Your hand still in Yeonjun's. Once you stopped he smiled down at you.

"See? It wasn't that bad." You looked up at him. He looked beautiful, his cheeks and nose red from the cold, his eyes reflecting the city lights, his lips parted slightly, everything about him was beautiful.

He looked down at you so lovingly, his eyes getting lost in yours. His heart beating fast when he noticed how close you were to each other. He broke the eye contact when he saw small flakes of snow falling from above.

The first snow of the season.

You turned to look around, seeing how the snow fell covering everything around you. "It's snowing." You whispered to yourself.

"It's pretty isn't it?" Yeonjun moved closer to you, feeling the slight warmth of his body next to yours. Looking up to see his face again, smiles on your lips.

Yeonjun moved up his hand placing it on your cheek, the soft material of his gloves caressing your skin. Your lips parted slightly, his thumb brushed your cheek softly. The distance between you two closing slowly.

"You had a snowflake on your cheek." He whispered.

His fingers gently traced your jawline, brushing away the lone snowflake that had settled there. The cold from his touch contrasted sharply with the warmth that radiated between you.

"Thank you." You whsipered back. The world seemed to stop, leaving you both in that moment, trying to hold onto it to remember it forever.

"Make a wish, yn. It's the first snow of the season."

Closing your eyes for a brief moment, you took a deep breath, allowing the crisp winter air to fill your lungs. A soft smile tugged at your lips as you made your wish, the words forming silently in your heart.

Yeonjun watched you intently, his eyes soft and full of curiosity. "What did you wish for?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You shook your head, keeping your wish a secret. "I can't tell you, or it won't come true."

He chuckled softly, pulling you closer into his embrace. "Alright." He paused, his gaze turning thoughtful. "I made a wish too."

"What did you wish for?" You whispered again.

"I wished for you to give me something... something you owe me." His smile persistent on lips.

"Something I owe you? What's that?" You asked.

"You owe me a kiss. You didn't kiss me under the mistletoe the other day."

Your cheeks flushed, the memory of that awkward moment flooding back. "Oh, that's right." You chuckled nervously, trying to hide your embarrassment. "I guess I owe you then."

He leaned in closer, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation. Finding none, he whispered, "Well, then, it's time to collect."

"I've never kissed anyone before..." Your words came out nervously as he leaned in.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of Yeonjun's lips, his gaze gentle and reassuring. "It's okay," he murmured, his lips almost meeting yours. "Just follow my lead."

As the snow continued to fall gently around you, Yeonjun closed the distance, capturing your lips in a soft, lingering kiss that felt like the perfect culmination of all the emotions and moments you'd shared. The world around you faded away, leaving just the two of you and the gentle whisper of snowflakes dancing in the air.

The kiss was gentle, and soft. His warm lips perfectly pressed against yours, it was slow, meant to reassure rather than to overwhelm. His touch was soft, guiding you through the motions, teaching without words. It was an innocent kiss, filled with love and tenderness.

When the kiss finally ended, you pulled back slightly, eyes wide and breathless. Yeonjun was looking at you with a softness that made your heart flutter.

"See? Not so scary," he whispered, pressing a light kiss to your forehead.

"I think you read my mind, Jun." He tilted his head slightly to the side, and you continued. "I wished for this to happen."

His eyes sparkled with warmth, reflecting the soft glow of the city lights and the fresh snow beneath your feet. "Did you now?" Yeonjun replied, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and delight. "Well, it seems our wishes aligned perfectly then.

After you stepped out of the frozen lake, Yeonjun pulled you into a hug, his arms wrapping around your neck, your face now pressed against his chest. For a moment, you allowed yourself to get lost in the embrace, relishing the closeness and the unspoken bond that had grown between you. The world outside faded away, leaving behind just the two of you in your own bubble.

Eventually, Yeonjun gently pulled away, his hands lingering on your shoulders as he looked down into your eyes. "You okay?" he asked softly, concern evident in his gaze.

You nodded, a warm smile forming on your lips. "More than okay," you replied, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you. "I'm with you, after all."

His eyes sparkled with affection, and he leaned down to plant a soft kiss on your forehead. "Let's head back," he suggested.

The walk back home was silent, walking close to each other. Once they reached the apartment, the dim lights cast a warm glow across the room, creating a cozy atmosphere that felt inviting.

Yeonjun turned to you, his eyes searching yours for a moment. "Tonight was... unexpected," he began, a hint of nervousness evident in his voice, "but I'm glad it happened."

When Yeonjun was with you, he felt more like himself, you made him feel like a teenager in love. With you, Yeonjun felt a renewed sense of joy, as if the world was brighter and more vibrant. The weight of past heartaches and disappointments seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the exhilarating sensation of being genuinely cared for and understood.

You smiled, feeling a rush of emotions. "Me too," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Good night, yn." He leaned down, his nose brushing your cheek, leaving a soft kiss on your cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Your heart skipped a beat at his touch. "Good night, Yeonjun," you whispered back, feeling a mix of excitement and warmth spread through you. As he walked away, you touched the spot on your cheek where he had kissed, a small smile playing on your lips.

The next morning you woke up and got ready for work. Today was the last day of work, since you'll be closing the café for the holidays. Upon reaching the café, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries greeted you. Yeonjun and Jiseok were already there, setting up for the day.

"Morning!" Jiseok greeted with his usual enthusiasm, while Yeonjun gave you a warm smile that made your heart flutter.

"Morning, guys," you replied, returning Yeonjun's smile.

As the day progressed, the café was filled with familiar faces, friends wishing you well for the holidays, and regular customers sharing their holiday plans. The atmosphere was festive, with holiday tunes playing softly in the background, and the sound of your bickering with Jiseok over who had the best music taste.

Jiseok went to the staff room to get some supplies, as you and Yeonjun attended the costumers. The bell on the door jingled once more, as you raised your head to greet the new costumer, you were left speechless.

"Yn? Are you alright?" Yeonjun noticed your sudden change.

"It's Jiseok's dad." You whispered subtly, panicking. "He can't see him here."

"What? Why?" Yeonjun was confused by this.

"I'll explain later, just take his order, I'll make sure he doesn't come out of the staff room." You quickly headed to where Jiseok was.

He was about to exit the room, when you pushed him back again and closed the door. He gave you a confused look.

"Um hi?" He said, he was holding the missing ingredients.

"Jiseok, your dad is here." His face went pale in seconds.

"My dad? But he was meant to come here until saturday. What is he doing here?" He started panicking.

"I don't know, Jiseok, but he's here now. Yeonjun is handling him at the counter. Just stay here until he leaves."

Jiseok never had a good relationship with his dad. Since he wasn't as good in school as his father wanted him to be, Jiseok started carings less and less about school because he knew nothing he did would please his father. His dream always was be in a band, so since he was little he entered a music school. He learned to play the guitar and to sing.

But when he finally entered a band, his father disapproved, considering it a mere distraction from Jiseok's academic responsibilities. This led to numerous arguments, with Jiseok feeling trapped between pursuing his passion and meeting his father's expectations.

Jiseok was smart, and very determined, so he told his dad he would leave the band and get better grades if he moved into an apartment by himself. Of course his dad loved the idea, he wasn't at home to look out for him anyway. So eventually he moved into an apartment by himself, he wasn't leaving the band though. But he needed to improve his grades.

And that's when he met you, one of the smartest people in your classes. Part of the scholarship you recieved required social service, which included tutoring other students. The stars really aligned for you two.

Jiseok's dad thought he worked in a big company, in an office with important people, or at least that's what he told him. He wasn't aware that his son worked in a small café with his two friends, that also happened to live with him. Even if Jiseok said he didn't care about what his dad thought about him, he was still scared of disppointing him if he discovered that he is not what he thinks.

Finally, Jiseok's dad finished his coffee and said his goodbyes to Yeonjun, exiting the café. You let out a sigh of relief, signaling Jiseok to come out.

Jiseok emerged from the staff room, his face still pale from the stress of the unexpected visit. "Thanks for handling that," he murmured, gratefully accepting a comforting pat on the back from Yeonjun.

"No worries," Yeonjun replied, offering a reassuring smile. "Everything okay between you two?"

Jiseok hesitated for a moment, glancing at you. "Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Just... unexpected, you know?"

As the last customer left and the door was locked behind them, Yeonjun let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, holiday break for us."

"We don't have to wake up early anymore." You said with a satisfied smile.

Jiseok grinned, stretching his arms above his head. "No more rushing to catch the morning bus or making sure the coffee machine is up."

As the three of you walked back home, you discussed about your plans for Christmas.

"Well, I have to go home and pretend to be a business man." Jiseok chuckled.

"I'm going back to my hometown, my grandma is counting the days for me to go back." You said, a smile on your lips at the memory of the warmth of your childhood house. "What about you, Yeonjun?"

He stayed silent for a second. "I think I'll stay here."

Jiseok raised an eyebrow. "Alone? During Christmas?"

"Yeah, my family doesn't really celebrate it, so it's not that important." He shrugged. His tone was serious, but he had a soft smile.

"You don't have to stay alone here. You can come with me if you want to, I'm sure my family would love to have you over." You smiled reassuringly.

Yeonjun looked touched by your offer, his eyes meeting yours. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to interrupt your family time."

You shook your head. "It's fine, you won't be interrupting anything."

Yeonjun chuckled, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Alright, if you're sure it's okay, then I'd love to join you."

"I wish I could join you." Jiseok sighed frustrated.

"Oh Jiseok, you know my grandma doesn't really like you..."

"Oh right, good luck with her grandma." He turned to look at Yeonjun.

Two days before Christmas, Jiseok had already left. You and Yeonjun were the only ones in the apartment. You haven't really talked about what happened the other day in the lake, it made you nervous just to think about it.

It's not like Yeonjun was avoiding the topic, he just didn't know how to talk to you about it without wanting to kiss you again. Every time he thought about it, he remembered how the moment was perfect and how much he wished he could hold you close to him and kiss you again.

You distracted yourself packing up for your trip back home. Every now and then, you would steal a glance at Yeonjun, who seemed engrossed in wrapping some last-minute gifts.

Yeonjun cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Do you need any help with packing? I can carry some bags for you."

You smiled gratefully, "Thanks." You handed him a suitcase, trying to ignore the flutter in your heart as your hands briefly touched.

You were taking the bus that night, it was a rather long trip, two or three hours. As you arrived to the station you told Yeonjun about your family, their traditions and how they're like.

Yeonjun listened intently as you spoke about your family. The bus station was bustling with activity, passengers hurrying to catch their rides, announcements blaring over the intercom.

"They're very traditional," you began, adjusting your bag on your shoulder. "Every Christmas Eve, we gather at my grandma's house. She prepares dinner, and the whole family comes together. We exchange gifts at midnight, although I prefer to open mine in the morning."

Yeonjun's eyes sparkled, he was excited to spend his Christmas with you and your family. "That sounds wonderful. It must be so heartwarming to be surrounded by family during the holidays."

As the bus pulled up to the station, you grabbed your bags, preparing to board. Yeonjun helped you with your luggage, his touch lingering just a moment longer than necessary. You boarded the us and took your seats, Yeonjun letting you sit next to the window.

Settling into your seat, you gazed out the window as the cityscape transformed into sprawling landscapes. The early winter scenery whizzed by, trees barren yet beautiful in their own way, fields blanketed in a light dusting of snow. The soft hum of the bus engine and the occasional passenger chatter provided a gentle background noise, lulling some into a nap while others, like you, lost themselves in their thoughts.

Beside you, Yeonjun seemed equally absorbed in the passing scenery. Every now and then, your arms brushed against each other, sending subtle tingles down your spine. You stole glances at him when you thought he wasn't looking, admiring the way his eyes reflected the passing lights and how his lips curved into a faint smile at some distant thought.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I made a playlist for you." Yeonjun said, as he took out his phone and headphones. "You said the trip was going to be long, so I made a playlist."

Your heart almost skipped a beat. "You did?" A soft smile in your lips.

"Yeah. I tried to add your favorite songs, and some of mine." He said handing you an earbud.

"Did you ask Jiseok?" You placed the earbud.

"Uh, actually I had a list on my notes of all the songs you said that were your favorites. You have a lot of favorite songs, you know?" He chuckled.

Curious, you scrolled through the playlist. Each song bringing back a memory. "I can't believe you remembered all of these," you admitted, genuinely touched by his gesture.

"I had to, they all remind me so much of you anyway."

As the trip continued, the both of you started feeling more and more tired. Yeonjun's head finally fell on your shoulder, leaving you still for a moment, but eventually relaxed and placed your head on top of his.

The rhythmic motion of the bus combined with the comforting warmth of Yeonjun beside you made it easy to drift into a light doze. Every now and then, he would shift slightly, adjusting his position, but never pulling away. The music from the playlist continued playing softly in the background, acting as a gentle lullaby.

As the bus neared your destination, you both stirred awake, stretching and rubbing the sleep from your eyes. Yeonjun looked at you, a sleepy smile on his face. "Did you sleep well?"

You nodded, returning his smile. "Yeah, I did."

The bus pulled into the station and the passengers started to gather their things. You stood up grabbing your bags, ready to leave the bus. Once you stepped out you looked around for your mom that would be waiting for you at the station to take you home.

Yeonjun felt nervous, he was going to meet your whole family. Hoping he makes a great impression, he tried to push down his nerves.

As you scanned the area for your mom, you finally spotted her familiar face, her eyes lighting up when she saw you. She waved excitedly, making her way toward you. "Yn! Oh, it's so good to see you!"

You hugged her tightly, inhaling the familiar scent of home. "I missed you." You whispered. Pulling back, you introduced Yeonjun. "Mom, this is Yeonjun. Yeonjun, meet my mom."

Yeonjun extended his hand with a friendly smile, "Hello, nice to meet you."

Your mom shook his hand with a welcoming smile. "I'm glad you came with, Yn."

Driving back home, the streets lined with twinkling Christmas lights, you couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. You arrived home after a few minutes.

You quietly entered your chidhood house,

taking a moment to breathe in the familiar scent of pine and cinnamon that always seemed to linger in the air during the holiday season. Memories flooded back as you looked around, noting the little festive touches your mom had added to the decor over the years.

Yeonjun, stepping in behind you, seemed to be in awe of the cozy ambiance. The soft glow from the fireplace cast a warm light across the room, and the soft hum of a familiar Christmas tune played in the background.

You made your way to the living room, the house was quiet, everyone was probably asleep. You sat on the couch and Yeonjun followed you. Your mom left you two alone, asking you to be quiet since everyone was asleep.

For a moment, both of you simply sat in silence, lost in your own thoughts, taking in the serenity of the night. Yeonjun's hand brushed against yours on the couch, sending a jolt of electricity through you. He looked over, his eyes searching yours in the dim light.

"You know," he began softly, "being here, with you, feels like stepping into a different world. It's so peaceful."

You smiled, feeling the weight of his words. "I'm glad I could share it with you."

Staring at each other's eyes, leaning closer to each other, almost feeling the warmth of his breath on your lips. Yeonjun breaking the eye contact for a second to look down at your lips.

"Kiss me?" He whispered. His hand moved to cup your cheek, his thumb tracing the outline of your lower lip.

The soft glow from the Christmas lights outside illuminated Yeonjun's face, highlighting the earnestness in his eyes. Time seemed to stretch infinitely, every heartbeat echoing loudly in your ears.

Without uttering a word, you leaned forward, closing the gap between you. The world around you faded into insignificance as your lips met in a gentle kiss. It felt like a culmination of all the stolen glances, unspoken words, and silent yearnings that had passed between you.

Feeling Yeonjun's smile between the kiss, made you smile too. Pulling away slowly, his hand still on your cheek. A soft chuckle escaping his lips as he pulled you in a hug. You returned the embrace, the way he held you in his arms made you feel loved, and safe.

"We've kissed twice and you're still not mine." He whispered, your eyes widened at his words, your heart raced again, the amount of feeling were overwhelming.

Pulling away from the embrace you stared at him, trying to find a sign of hesitancy. He smiled bringing you close to him again, kissing your forehead. Your heart melted with his affection.

"I want to be with you, Yeonjun. I really do." Your words came out as a whisper.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words," he murmured, his voice threaded with vulnerability.

The day of Christmas Eve, you woke up by the noise of your family starting their day. The soft chatter of your family members and the gentle clinking of dishes from the kitchen roused you from your sleep. The familiar sounds brought a comforting sense of nostalgia, reminding you of countless mornings spent in the warmth of your family home.

You walked out of your room and knocked on the door next to your room, where Yeonjun was staying. You waited a few minutes and he opened. He greeted you with a smile and pulled you into a hug.

"Morning." He pulled away, still having that smile.

"Morning, did you have a good sleep?" You asked.

"Yes, I slept really well."

"Come on, my family is probably waiting for us to have breakfast." You grabbed his hand leading the way to the kitchen.

Yeonjun's nerves came again, he forgot he still hadn't met your family. With his free hand he tried to fix his hair and his clothes to look more presentable.

"You look great," you whispered, noticing his sudden bout of nervousness. "They're going to love you."

He gave you a hesitant smile. "I just want to make a good impression."

"You will," you reassured, squeezing his hand reassuringly as you approached the kitchen.

As you entered the kitchen, your family turned to look at you. Smiles on their faces, grateful you were back home. As you greeted them you presented Yeonjun to everyone.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Your aunt asked. Your cheeks went bright red, not knowing what to say. He was your first boyfriend after all. You were abou to respond, but Yeonjun spoke first.

"Yes, I'm Yeonjun. Nice to meet you." He said confidently.

Your family welcomed Yeonjun, and everyone shared a nice breakfast, although your little cousins were all over Yeonjun asking him questions and inviting him to play Nintendo with them.

The day went on normal, you enjoyed all the time you were having with your family. Yeonjun helped your grandma make dinner for everyone. You were happy to see how he got along with everyone really well. You watched him talk happily, as he cut some vegetables. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, he also wore an apron your mother gave him.

He glanced over to where you were, and smiled at you. Your grandma was busy cooking something on the stove. Yeonjun made his way toward you.

"I think your grandma likes me." He leaned closer to you.

"Yeah, she really does. Still don't know why she doesn't like Jiseok though." You chuckled.

He shrugged. "Maybe she likes me because of my cooking skills."

"You're just cutting vegetables."

"I'm trying my best." He smiled.

At dinner time, everyone sat at the table. The nice smell of the homemade dinner filled the air. Yeonjun reached for your hand under the table, giving you a soft squeeze as he kept talking with your family.

Eventually, dinner came to an end, and your family started leaving to go to bed. Yeonjun offered to stay behind and wash the dishes, and you took the opportunity to have an alone moment with him, without your cousins trying to make him play with them.

There was a comfortable silence between you two, as the both of you cleaned the kitchen.

"I had fun today, I'm glad your family liked me." He placed down a plate and turned to look at you.

"I don't see a reason why they wouldn't like you, you're kind, helpful, caring and sweet." You started as you dried the dishes.

"All that?" He chuckled. "That's a lot of good things."

"Yeah, all that." You smiled.

As you finished cleaning the kitchen, the two of you made your way to your bedroom. You closed the door behind you, the gentle click echoing slightly in the quiet room. Turning to Yeonjun, you noticed how he looked at the posters on the walls, and other decorations you had.

"Today went well, don't you think?" you said, attempting to break the slight tension that hung in the air.

Yeonjun nodded, a shy smile playing on his lips. "Your family is wonderful. I felt really welcomed. Being here, with you, it feels... right,"

His word meant a lot to you. Having someone by your side that vared about you and the things you did, that loved you for you.

"Oh, by the way, I got you something." You turned to grab a wrapped gift that was on your bedside table. You handed it to him seeing him smile by your gift.

"Thank you, yn. I'll open it tomorrow, okay?" You nodded. He pulled you in for a hug, muttering a 'thank you'.

"It's getting late, you should rest." You said once you pulled away from the hug.

"Oh, you're right." Yeonjun felt hesitant, he didn't want to leave yet. You noticed this and it made your stomach jolt.

"Or, you could stay. I don't mind that" A smile sprad across Yeonjun's face.

"Good, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay with you a little more." Your cheeks turned red.

Both of you sat on the edge of the bed. Yeonjun placed his head on your shoulder, seeking for more of your affection.

"You know, I'm really glad I met you that day at the café. You changed my life completely. You made it better." He said, his arms wrapped around your waist.

"I'm glad I met you too," you replied, running your fingers through his hair gently. "You brought so much joy into my life. If it weren't for you, I don't think I would've ever met someone that likes me as much as you do. You really taught me how it is to love someone in no time."

He chuckled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Guess we're both a little better with each other around."

The moment continued, whispering sweet nothings to each other, sharing your warmth, feeling at peace with each other's presence. After a while, Yeonjun stopped responding, the weight of his body pressing against you, he fell asleep.

You could feel the steady rhythm of Yeonjun's breathing against your shoulder, his chest rising and falling in a gentle cadence of sleep. The vulnerability of the moment, the trust he placed in you, made your heart swell with affection.

Carefully, so as not to disturb him, you adjusted the position, letting him lie down fully on the bed with his head resting comfortably on one of your pillows. You lay down next to him, covering the both of you with a blanket. Yeonjun opened his eyes for a moment when he felt the soft fabric of the blanket around him. He wrapped an arm around you, his face finding the crook of your neck. Your hand playing with his hair softly.

You never imagined something like this would happen. Everything was perfect in that moment. You had the person you trusted, and cared for next you, peacefully sleeping on your shoulder. You never imagined that the boy that entered the café on that November day, would be the one you fell for so deeply.

Choi Yeonjun, what have you done to me?

Lua's note: So... it's finally done. It took me so long to write this. I had re write half of this, that's why it took me so much to finish it, but thank you for waiting patiently. I really hope you enjoy this, and have a really nice holiday :)

Tag list: @90steele @gyuletters @reyarain @gigification open!

#k films #tomorrow x together #choi beomgyu #kang taehyun #choi soobin #choi yeonjun #huening kai #lualuabestningdungie #fluff #fanfic #bewitched txt #yeonjun fluff #yeonjun x reader #yeonjun txt #txt yeonjun #yeonjun

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justthatwwegirl · 1 year ago

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Valentine

Liv Morgan x Female OC (Selene)

(This is long, it's written badly, and I am very sorry for that. This is also inspired by Laufey's song Valentine. Love Laufey.)

It was a rainy Monday morning, 7:00 am sharp. Selene had just woken up and decided to make herself a cup of coffee.

Selene grabbed her coffee and as she was drinking it, looked out the window. It was Monday which meant tonight was raw.

Which also meant, it was Valentine's Day. Selene shook her head and scrolled through her phone.

Selene never had a Valentine. Which is why she never really cared for the holiday. But that didn't mean she never wished for a Valentine...

Which is why she was beaming at the sight of her phone. One thing Selene could admit was that she had a big crush on her co-worker and tag team partner, Liv Morgan.

Selene was the shy one in the duo. She didn't speak to many people, she kept to herself, and for some reason, she never smiled. Even in the ring, when they are doing promos, Liv is the one who talks the most. Selene speaks a little but she isn't as outspoken as Liv.

Liv didn't mind that. After a while, their first encounter, Liv and Selene started to become friends. After that, Selene slowly started to develop a crush on Liv.

Selene shook her head and rubbed her face.

But soon, she had an idea.

What if? She asked Liv to be her Valentine. I mean, in Selene's mind it was perfect. It was February 14th and it was also raw. And, Liv and Selene had a match against Chelsea and Sonya for the women's tag titles.

Selene then realized a couple flaws in the plan to ask Liv to be her Valentine.

First of all, what if Liv didn't even like her?

In Selene's mind, Liv had shown absolutely zero signs of her possibly liking Selene.

So if Selene just went up to Liv and asked her to be her Valentine, Liv would nine times out of ten, say no.

And the hell was Selene going to tell Liv that she liked her? Yeah, Selene and Liv were friends, possibly best friends.

But whenever Liv was by Selene, her heart pounded. Sometimes her cheeks would get red and it got hard to breathe around Liv.

So telling Liv that she liked her was no easy task.

Selene groaned in frustration and looked back at her phone.

Soon, she had to leave to start heading to the arena. Selene was still going to do her plan of asking Liv to be her Valentine. She just hoped she wouldn't back out and actually man up and ask Liv.

Selene had just arrived at the arena, getting out of her car, and holding a bag.

The bag contained a bouquet mixed with red, pink, and white roses. A card that Selene had written, expressing how much she loved Liv and some chocolate.

Even though Selene wasn't the best at gift giving, damn did she put thought into the gifts she gave Liv. For example, the bouquet.

Red roses were a symbol of passion, love, and romance. Pink roses were a symbol of admiration, happiness, and love. And white roses were a symbol of young love, friendship, and new beginnings.

Slowly, Selene walked into the arena, holding the bag in her left hand.

She had entered the women's locker room and gotten dressed in her gear, which was matching with Liv.

"Selene!" The voice made Selene's heart start pounding.

Selene turned around to a smiling Liv. Selene swore that she could have cracked a smile herself just by looking at Liv.

Before Selene could give Liv a hello, she was pulled into a hug by her. Selene's cheeks were cherry red and she felt hot.

Selene returned the hug but after a few seconds, they both pulled away.

"You ready for tonight?!" Liv asked Selene in a very happy and excited way.

"Of course I am, sunshine." Selene said, looking directly into Liv's eyes and growing hot. Selene had always called Liv sunshine during their time as a tag team. Selene felt like it described Liv in one word. Sunshine.

"I see a bag with a bouquet... Who's it for?" Liv asked, pointing to the bag that Selene placed in the corner.

Selene started to panic. She knew what to say but her mind was straight up panicking. What if Liv rejected her and it was awkward during the match?

"Uh... This is actually for," Before Selene could finish, a voice had interrupted her.

"Liv!" Rhea said and Liv turned around, giving Rhea a hug.

Selene bit her tongue before looking back at the bouquet, then Liv and Rhea. A pang was felt in her chest but she ignored it.

"Hey, Selene," Rhea said as she turned to Selene. Selene didn't say anything, giving Rhea a small wave like she usually does.

"You're asking to be your Valentine?" Rhea asked, pointing to the bag that Liv had asked about.

"Yeah... Don't know if they're here yet." Selene lied and grabbed the bag, waving goodbye to Liv and Rhea before walking out.

If only Selene could see the disappointed look on Liv's face when she heard Selene say that.

Selene had left the bag in her locker and was now warming up for her and Liv's match.

She had just finished a few pushups and decided to go grab herself a bottle of water.

But when Selene turned around, ready to get herself some water, she saw something.

The something she saw was Liv and Rhea talking. Liv was stretching and so was Rhea.

And once again, Selene had felt the same pang in her chest as she did before.

She knew what it was. It was jealousy. She had felt the same pang before when she saw Liv with the crushes she had talked to Selene about. But... It just felt different.

"Hey, you're on in five." One of the crew members said, dragging Selene out of her thoughts.

Selene nodded her head before looking back at Rhea and Liv.

"Sunshine," Selene said, her voice barely loud enough for Liv to hear.

Liv and Rhea turned around to look at Selene. Liv giving Selene a smile when she heard the nickname

"We're on in five," Selene spoke up and headed toward the gorilla, Liv following behind her.

It was finally time. Finally time for their match. Finally time for them to win the women's tag team championships... Together.

"Oh! And Selene takes down Sonya!" Said Michael Cole as Selene suplexed Sonya.

Liv and Chelsea were down, it was just Selene and Sonya.

Selene got up and looked at the top rope and then looked back at Sonya who was lying in the middle of the ring.

Selene took in a deep breath before climbing on the top rope.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Chelsea trying to head toward her but then Liv started fighting with her. Taking Chelsea out with face breaker and giving Selene a thumbs up.

Selene felt heat rush to her cheeks but she didn't care.

Selene gathered all of her might and stood up on the top rope.

She was facing the crowd, prepared to take a risk that could make her a star.

Selene nodded her head before doing a moonsault. And thankfully, she landed on Sonya's body and hooked her leg.

2!!

3!!!

The crowd erupted in cheers and Selene couldn't believe it. Her and Liv were finally the women's tag team champions.

Selene grabbed the titles, ready to give Liv one.

Just as Selene turned around, she saw Liv running toward, jumping, and wrapping her legs around her.

Selene felt even more heat rush to her body while she held Liv. Liv took one of the titles and hugged Selene once more.

One thing that shocked Selene to her core was Liv kissing her on her cheek.

It wasn't a kiss on the lips that Selene wanted but she took what she could get.

Selene and Liv got a bunch of congratulations backstage and Selene went to go grab the bag that was meant for Liv.

Just as she was about to head toward Liv, Selene stopped in her tracks.

There they were again. Liv and Rhea.

Rhea congratulated Liv on her win and hugged her. Selene wished that they were just best friends and couldn't help the jealousy she felt.

But then, Selene felt tears pricking at her eyes.

They had already finished the show and finished their photoshoots, so it was good to go home.

Selene grabbed all of her stuff and left. She wished that she was Rhea. She wished that was her hugging Liv and not Rhea.

Selene knew Rhea was a nice person, Rhea had been nice to Selene multiple times. But still... She couldn't help it.

11:39 pm.

"You're the best friend I could ever ask for."

Selene had given herself a good cry and now she was reading her and Liv's past messages.

She felt pathetic and weak. She felt jealous and miserable.

Liv only thought of Selene as a friend. And that was something that was never going to change.

A few more tears fell from Selene's eyes but she wiped them away.

Selene didn't throw away the gift. She spent a lot of money on it and she didn't want to waste it.

She thought of many ideas on what to do with the gift but none stood out.

Just as Selene was about to grab the gift, she heard a series of knocks at her door.

Selene checked the time and looked back at the door.

It was 11:43 pm, who would be knocking at her door this late? Was it a fan? Selene shook her head and went toward the door.

When she had opened it, she saw Liv looking at the ground.

"Hey, I was wondering- Oh my gosh, have you been crying?" Liv asked as she looked at Selene with a concerned expression.

Selene's eyes were still puffy and red from her crying.

Before Selene could answer Liv's question, Liv had welcomed herself into Selene's hotel room and grabbed Selene's face.

Selene felt her cheeks turn red as Liv's hands were on her face.

"Why were you crying?!" Liv asked in a panic and looked into Selene's eyes. Selene averting Liv's gaze

"It's nothing..." Selene whispered and looked at the ground.

"Really? So crying is nothing?" Liv asked and Selene didn't know why Liv was so concerned.

Yeah, Liv had a pure heart and was friends with pretty much everyone. But this was Selene. Selene was shy, didn't have many friends and could be harsh sometimes.

"Oh please! You were probably too busy with Rhea to even notice!" Selene shouted in a jealous tone.

Liv looked at Selene with a confused look before asking.

"This is about Rhea and I?" Liv's tone was soft and quiet and Selene just became more frustrated.

"Yes!" Selene shouted and before Liv could say something, Selene continued.

"If you haven't fucking noticed in the past months, I'm in love with you, Liv!" Selene shouted, heat rising to her cheeks as she saw Liv's shocked face.

"Look, I know-" Selene started off but before she could finish, Liv's lips were on hers.

Selene felt like she was on fire. Her heart was beating at a non-human pace. Liv's lips were soft and Selene didn't want to ever stop kissing her.

Liv jumped and wrapped her legs around Selene and continued to make out with her.

Both women desperate to kiss the other and desperate to get even closer.

After a while of passionate kisses and a couple of neck kisses from Selene, they finally pulled away.

"If you hadn't noticed, I'm in love with you too," Liv said breathlessly as she looked Selene in her eyes.

"I had been since the moment I saw you." Liv admitted and gave Selene a bright smile.

And for once in Selene's life, she had actually smiled. Selene's smile was bright and glowing. Liv stared at Selene in disbelief as she saw her smile.

"What about the gift?" Liv asked, looking around to find it behind her.

"That was actually for you..." Selene revealed and gulped nervously.

Liv looked at the gift and looked back at Selene, beaming once again.

Selene checked the time and looked back at Liv.

"Even if it's 11:56 pm, it's still Valentine's Day..." Selene started and Liv nodded, wanting her to continue.

"You wanna be my Valentine?" Selene and Liv let out a laugh.

"Of course, I would," Liv said before giving Selene a passionate kiss.

Selene returned the passionate kiss and continued to hold Liv. Her hands slowly tugging Liv's shirt.

Liv let out a laugh as she looked back at Selene.

"I think if we're going to do that, we should go to the bedroom..." Liv spoke in a quiet tone but her eyes wondering down Selene's body.

"I agree," Selene said before continuing to make out with Liv. Heading toward her bedroom and her hands wandering all over Liv's body.

This had to be Selene's favorite Valentine's Day, ever.

#wwe #wwe x reader #wwe imagines #wwe smut #wwe oneshot #wwe one shot #liv morgan oneshot #liv morgan imagine #liv morgan x reader #liv morgan #liv morgan smut #wwe fanfiction #Spotify

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antoniosvivaldi · 11 months ago

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It's that time of year When the world falls in love Every song you hear seems to say Merry Christmas May your New Year dreams come true

❄️🎄❄️ A Very Laufey Holiday! by Laufey ❄️🎄❄️ (in/sp)

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xoxochb · 5 hours ago

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the urge to make a very laufey holiday theme during december

#prue speaks ੈ✩‧₊˚#xoxochb #I actually don’t like christmas but I’ll do it for the laufey aspect of it 🙏🏼

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sororygilmore · 11 days ago

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a very laufey holiday is the best christmas soundtrack <333

#kaela.txt #laufey

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strawberryya · 2 years ago

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love to keep me warm

seokmin x reader

synopsis: The holiday season is approaching, and you and your boyfriend decide to spend Christmas together for the first time since you began seeing each other. Trees must be chosen, sweets must be made, and gifts must be wrapped and placed just in time for the day. And nothing makes it better than doing it together with Seokmin.

currently playing: love to keep me warm - laufey, dodie

word count: 5.2k

genre/contains: fluff, comfort, moments of love, long-term boyfriend!seokmin, gn!reader, mentions of food, cats, overload of cute shit and sickeningly in love people, physical affection (kisses, cuddles), domestic things, Christmas gifts

a/n: merry Christmas guys! this is a part of the snowventeen collab that @svthub is doing this year and you can find the masterlist for all the wonderful December and holiday-themed fics here! have a happy holiday this weekend!!

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

The first snow always reminded you of those first months with Seokmin; the excitement, the nervousness, and all the firsts you had together during that first season you spent together. It had been two years since then, and by now all those first seemed to already have happened for you two.

All but this, you realized, this was the first time you two would be spending Christmas together.

Instead of going home to visit family in your childhood homes, you would be spending it in the city, together. It would also be the very first Christmas you two would be celebrating in your new place which you had only moved in together earlier this year.

Now you were standing in the street, looking up at the streetlight and watching the tiny crystalized flakes floating down towards the ground where they quickly disappeared into the dark asphalt.

“This is fucking incredible,” you said, flabbergasted at your own timing.

“I think this might be a sign,” Seokmin responded, making you look at him with a questioning expression, “it’s the universe telling us that we will find the perfect tree for sure,” he explained with a decisive and assuring voice without even seeing your face.

You couldn’t help but laugh at this, but perhaps he was right. Just as you had begun walking towards the plaza where they had begun selling trees for the holidays, the very first snow had appeared from thin air, shocking you both and apparently giving your boyfriend enough reason to think that the universe was on your side on your Christmas tree hunt this cold December evening.

“I hope you’re right, I really want us to get the most perfect tree for our first Christmas together!” you cheerfully exclaimed into the night air.

“Well, if that’s what you want, that is what you must get my love,” he said with a warm smile as he pulled you close to his side and continued to stride towards the tree market with renewed purpose. You giggled at his behavior but followed along without protest.

Two years, and he was still trying his very best to give you everything you wanted. If you asked, you were sure he would try and give you the world, wrapped up in a shiny little box with a pretty bow on top as he stared into your eyes as if you were the only world he needed in his life.

You were smiling to yourself as you walked towards your destination while admiring the snowfall that had begun laying a thin, sheer layer across the dark roads and sidewalks where you were promenading arm in arm with your boyfriend when he interrupted your daydreaming.

“So what exactly is it that we’re looking for when it comes to the perfect tree? Do we have a checklist?”

“Not a checklist per se… however, I do have some thoughts,” you began, and from the way Seokmin was nodding you understood that he was eager to hear these thoughts of yours. “First of all, I want it to smell good of course, but more importantly, I need one that won’t litter our floors with tiny needles these next couple of months,” you said, cringing from the pure pain of imagining stepping on those little pointy things. This is not even to mention having to vacuum the space literally every two seconds since the cats would most definitely be doing everything but leaving the tree alone and in peace.

It seemed like Seokmin had fully realized the pain in the ass one of those trees would be and quickly agreed with your requirements. By now you had reached the market, and you were standing at the far end of a huge parking lot, remarkably lacking in the car department and instead filled to the brim with what looked to be a giant forest that had sprouted overnight.

“That definitely sounds preferable. Let’s go with one of those… now which one is that?” he asked and looked around at the hundreds of trees standing leaned against fences and tied up with ropes in lines up and down the aisles. You couldn’t help but laugh at his dumbfounded expression, but honestly, you were feeling a tad overwhelmed by the sheer number of trees you had to select yours from.

“If I remember correctly from my googling I would say we should look at Fraser fir or Caanan fir, but also the classics like Balsam fir and Grand fir, and then we can see which one we can find a pretty one of,” you rambled, Seokmin nodding his head as if he knew precisely what you were talking about (he did not).

“I can’t really see if there are sections for the specific ones yet, so what do you think about just wandering until we see one that looks good, and then we ask what it is?” Seokmin suggested, which you agreed to very quickly since you didn’t really feel like asking for help right away. Especially since the small snowflakes had begun falling on top of the dark green needles covering the area surrounding you.

It was so beautiful, you felt as if you had wandered down some sort of magical winter wonderland while you analyzed the potential of each of the trees.

You walked down the rows of leaning trees, asking Seokmin to lift one up every now and then to get a better look at the tree when it stood up properly, and catching it when it inevitably (and of course accidentally) was dropped by your boyfriend, then followed by giggles from you and his flustered self apologizing and explaining how he once again just lost his grip on the prickly tree for a second and that he was sorry you were now covered in tiny needles.

Nevertheless, none of the trees, not even the ones that literally crashed into you, turned out to be THE tree you were searching for.

At least that was until Seokmin stopped right in his tracks, your body shifting a bit along with him as the forward motion you had going was now being pulled back to instead come to a sudden halt by the arm connected to the boyfriend who had just decided to stop. However, before you could ask why the hell he had stopped without warning you saw what he was staring at, his face concentrated and his eyes squinting as if to decide if he was seeing it right.

“Oh… you’re a genius,” you breathed out as you looked at the majestic tree in front of you.

He stopped squinting as you said this, instead he looked over at you and chuckled briefly at the look of wonder on your face. The simple fact that a tree could make you so happy gave him a feeling of something great. It was a sensation that he couldn’t place right away, but it was love he soon realized. Not the kind he had felt during that first winter you had spent together, when everything was new and exciting in a puppy-love kind of way. No, this love was all-consuming and so so sweet, and most of all comforting. It felt so safe that he wanted to freeze this moment and revel in this feeling; the feeling that you were what all those people had talked about when they said that home isn’t a place - it’s a person.

You felt like home, he thought, and felt it in his every cell.

Right as you proclaimed “This is the one,” Seokmin quickly pecked your soft cheek as the smile on his lips grew even wider along with your sudden decisiveness to pick up the giant tree and bring it home with you.

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

This was of course easier said than done, but in the end, you both made it home with both the tree and yourselves intact (for the most part).

“Holy shit, I had no idea getting a tree inside and up all those stairs would be that harddd,” you whined as you finally plopped yourself down onto the couch after having managed to put the tree in its foot.

After just a little while to rest you got up, sprinting towards the cabin where you store all the decorations. You looked over at Seokmin who was an exhausted mess on the couch you had just gotten up from and nodded while looking straight into his eyes. In response his own gaze hardened a bit, noticeably bearing the meaning of him understanding the seriousness of the moment.

“Let’s do this.” he said with a determined tone and you pulled out the multiple boxes you had both managed to collect from both family and from years of living by yourselves. It was time to decorate the house and the tree, and it would get done tonight!

At least that was what you both intended for when you had begun.

However, as most things you two do together, the hanging of the lights and stars in the windows, the colorful bulbs in the Christmas tree, and the many many elves and Santas that needed to be placed out in every nook and cranny, soon turned into a much slower affair.

At this point the stars had been hung, a couple of Santas had been placed in their new homes for the season and it had somehow already been hours. You had decided that a late dinner would be eaten once you had finished the tree, and then you would get the rest done tomorrow since every step was taking at least double the time you had calculated.

Now, you might wonder: why were things taking so damn long?? And well the only answer either of you could come up with was that it was simply impossible to make your new home into a Christmassy home without taking your time with every step. Every Santa and elf needed a name and a personalized home, which of course took its own little time to figure out, and then the fact that neither of you were experts on how to hang lights took a little extra time even though it was definitely quicker than housing and naming the tiny figurines. However, the thing that took up most of your time in the end, was the neverending talking. Somehow you still hadn’t run out of things to talk about after all this time spent together, which you found astounding if you were honest.

“I kinda miss having my own chocolate calendar this year,” you said when Seokmin asked if you were missing anything Christmas related this year.

This made him chuckle, “Why don’t we go get you one tomorrow then? I think that one is worth keeping alive.”

“Yeah? I’d love that,” you smiled as you hung yet another red bulb on one of the branches in front of you, “Which traditions do you wanna have for us?”

“Maybe making a gingerbread house and then eating it whenever my parents weren’t looking?” he answered, making you laugh at the thought of a teeny little mischievous Seokmin trying to break off a tiny piece of the house and running away as soon as he got it.

“Cute,” you laughed, “definitely worth keeping too, would you be eating one we made in secret too?”

“Well, of course, it’s half the fun isn't it.”

You shook your head, but it was impossible to put a stop to the laughter bubbling up as you thought about grown-up Seokmin copying little Seokmin as they ran away with big eyes that looked ever so scared to get caught.

The tree continued being dressed, the decor filling most branches with sparkles or different shades of red and gold. In the meantime, the conversation ended up touching on all kinds of traditions you both had had in your childhoods. Like powdered sugar and vinegar bookmark decor for the tree, oranges pricked with clove and hung with a shiny red ribbon in the kitchen, and the endless baking that used to be done in your childhood homes around this time.

Of course, the kittens decide it was absolutely necessary to help out, or well, to play around with strands of tinsel that was now in places of your apartment that you wouldn’t look in until way into next year. A surprise gift if you may say so.

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

Cookies of all shapes and sizes had been made and you were in a Christmassy and cozy mood on this fine baking day. The jazz playing in the back was flowing through your body as you wiggled your body, arms close to your chest as you shook your bum in slow side-to-side motions in beat with the jazzy holiday music.

From behind you a chuckle was heard, making you turn around, never stopping your little dance for a moment, the action inviting Seokmin who had spotted your moment to join you in your dancing.

He walked up to you, reaching forward his hand while bowing slightly.

“May I have this dance?” he asked in a deep genteel voice which made you choke back a laugh that was threatening to burst out.

“Oh, what a gentleman you are this evening,” you joked, and let your hand fall into his.

He carefully and rather sensually took the hand you had placed in his hand and repositioned it carefully on top of his shoulder, leaving it there as he led your other hand to meet the first one behind his neck. You let your fingers slide through his soft locks as he pulled you in by the waist, both hands placed carefully around you. He was so warm and comforting you thought, loving the way he held you safe in his arms as you swayed together to the music playing throughout the kitchen.

As the music had a drop he spun you around, making the warm light all around you blur, creating a magical aura just behind Seokmin who looked even lovelier than usual with a warm smile on his beautiful face and messy flour on his cheek.

You laughed at the feeling of being spun and as you came back to being held in his arms you gave him a peck before you let his neck go in order to reach for one of the trays of newly baked cookies you had been waiting to eat until they wouldn’t burn your mouth completely.

Soon Seokmin began cutting out tiny gingerbread shapes on the counter yet again, meanwhile, you were placed a bit away from him, nibbling on pieces of dough you had managed to steal away from him as well as cookies you had pulled out of the oven minutes before. Your position gave you the perfect angle to look at your pretty boyfriend concentrating on the shapes in the dough in his red Christmas apron you had gotten him last year, as well as a pretty view of the dark sky just outside your window.

The snow falling outside once again reminded you of those first months of your relationship. Everything was really so different now, not in a bad way, but the fireworks had somehow faded into this safe bonfire relationship. It kept you both warm and cozy but you couldn’t help but wonder if he felt like something was lacking.

“Do you ever miss it?” you asked, not stopping the impulse to find out if he had been thinking about the same thing as you.

“Miss what?”

“Miss how it used to be. With us.” you tried to further explain.

“If I miss how we used to be?”

“Mhm,” you nodded.

“I mean, I’ve been thinking about how it’s different now, but I don’t know. I don’t think I would say I miss it.”

“What would you say then?”

“I would say that you’ve become my person, my… home,” he said and looked up from the tiny tree shapes in the dough.

You giggled a bit, trying to hide just how flustered you became after hearing him call you his home. “You’re my home too now,” you said peeking out from behind your hands that you had put up as a fort in front of you.

“Why are you asking this though? Do you miss it?” he asked as he placed the final gingerbread figure on one of the sheets and picked up another ball of dough to get started with.

“I don’t really know, I think I’ve been reminiscing about it since we met around this time, you know? And for some reason I just kinda… I don’t know, I just wanted to know how you saw it,” you said and shrugged as you smiled a small smile.

“I get it, I have been thinking about back then too, but honestly I think were both better now. Yeah, we’re not the same people as back then and of course, we’re not the newly in love people we were back then… but we have grown, and so has our relationship.”

You nodded, listening intently to what he was saying, feeling a type of relief settling over your restless mind.

“Just so you know,” you said with a wide smile on your face, “I think I love you even more now than then, I think my feelings grew or something.”

“I can’t lie, I think mine did too because every day I seem to find another thing about you to love,” his entire face shone as he spoke and it touched you more than you were prepared for, “it’s mindblowing honestly.”

You nodded again, smiling as he rolled out the dough in his hands and glanced up at you where you sat, no longer nibbling away at the dough in your hands, holding back the tears threatening to fall down your cheeks.

He was right you realized, it wasn’t that you missed the excitement of feeling the fireworks as much as it was just knowing that you had changed, knowing things would never be that way again. But it was okay, things change, and in this case, you knew deep down that it had in fact changed to something even better. You had finished wandering the streets under the open sky with fireworks exploding and the cold making you shiver, now you were home.

You shook your head, enough sappiness, for now, you thought as you rose and grabbed the spoon in the empty bowl that was once filled with melted chocolate for the cookies. You licked the spoon, removing the leftover chocolate from the metal surface of the utensil before you put it down in the sink. When you turned around, however, you were met with a shocked look on Seokmin’s face, an expression that soon turned into unstoppable laughter making you panic for just a second before you realized that you must have gotten some of the melted chocolate on your face.

You scowled at him for laughing at you when you didn’t know why. However, there was no way you would let him have all the fun on your behalf!

So in retaliation, you puckered your chocolaty lips at him, letting him know that you would be messing up his pretty face if you got your way. Before you got the chance though, your forehead was met with a large hand pushing you back and holding you in place. He was just out of reach and you pouted just a bit before you tried yet again.

“C’mon! Let me kiss you! I need my revenge!!!” you shouted as you continued trying to get away from the hand that was creating an impenetrable wall between you and your target.

Just as you were in the middle of another escape attempt the wall suddenly disappeared and Seokmin’s laughter subsided into a small smirk decorating his gorgeous face.

“Fine, do it,” he smirked and pulled you in close to him, the sudden shift had your heart palpitating in your chest.

“Thank you,” you said and smooched his cheek, leaving chocolate traces all over.

Seokmin looked down at you with the same goofy smirk he had had before you kissed him, “Happy now?” he said and you looked at him with a faux angry look on your face as you fought your own emotions so as to not let your smile bubble up and show on your face. However, that was a battle you were destined to lose against yourself and you cracked within seconds.

He gave you a quick peck before he unwrapped his arms from around you and went to fetch a damp paper towel to clean the mess off of your face as well as his own. You couldn’t help but sigh deeply as you watched him move around the kitchen. I kinda hate you for making me this happy, you thought as you smiled to yourself. It was really not fair how he could make your heart flutter still after all this time - so rude.

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

In the few days right before Christmas, you were both busy trying to sneak all those hidden gifts out of their hiding places and wrap them. However, there were surprisingly few moments where either of you could manage to find the time to secretly wrap your gifts. One might expect it to get easier when you’re just two in a household, but for the two of you it turned out to be one of the hardest things you had ever had to do.

Somehow you both managed to walk in on the other as they tried to wrap their things, resulting in panicked shouting as Seokmin was entering your bedroom after coming home just a bit early from work one evening. Alas, conversations such as “NO! Don’t come in!!” “What why? Is something wrong?? Are you okay?” “Yeah! I’m just wrapping stuff, so go away!!!” followed by muffled laughing from Seokmin on the other side of the door as he went back into the living room with a “Put a damn sock on the door next time honey!” Which of course led to you scowling at him through the closed door.

Another time you had rushed into your bedroom after one of the cats who had kidnapped one of the Santas as he had decided it was now his and his only and he would take it. So just as you ran through the doorway you saw the blurred figure of Seokmin appearing before you, the cat quickly disappearing from your view. He threw himself directly at you, kissing you breathlessly as he backed you out of the room, effectively closing your eyes as you melted into the kiss and simultaneously keeping his gifts secret from you.

His techniques were surprisingly good as he managed to act on the spot every time, coming up with a new way to hide his secret little presents. They did end up with him kissing you most of the time, but… well okay maybe he only had that one way to get you to not look. However, it did work each and every time.

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

Christmas eve, it was finally here, and you had spent the day in Christmas-themed pajamas under your covers with Seokmin. The food had been ordered in and the cookies you had baked were being eaten with gusto as you watched your fourth or fifth movie of the day (they were blending together at this point).

On top of your both, the cats were cuddling together identically to their parents underneath the fluffy covers. The entire day had actually turned out perfectly, which seems like something that should be impossible when it comes to big holidays, but it really had been just perfect. The apartment felt so Christmassy and the food had been incredible, and since you had ordered it in there weren’t even any dishes which might’ve made the day a tad bit less perfect.

The happy ending of the movie was just coming to an end, the scene ending with the kiss under the mistletoe and the camera panning away to the carollers in the snow singing about basically exactly what had been happening in the movie as the credits began rolling.

“Should we do Home Alone next? I’m in the mood for some violence now,” you asked, receiving confirming nods from Seokmin who had a cookie currently halfway in his mouth.

But as you bent over to pick up the remote from the table in front of you, you caught a glimpse of the clock in the kitchen. “Oh my god? I didn’t realize it was this late,” you said with a gasp.

“You haven’t even gotten your gift yet!” you exclaimed and rose from your position, detangling yourself a bit from Seokmin, minding the cats so as to not disturb their Christmas-peace. “Wanna do gifts now?”

“Yeah, let’s do it!” Seokmin agreed, still trying to finish his cookie.

The both of you ran away to your separate secret hiding spots and returned within seconds, the wind chasing after you as you ran in excitement. Once you were both situated back in your spots, and the cats had begun placing themselves back in their own spots as well, you held out your gifts for him to take. He squished the package, a pensive expression taking form on his face as he tried to think about what it could possibly be.

“Do the little one first, I think that would be best!” you advised, finding it hard to keep your excitement inside as he began unwrapping the paper.

Seokmin pulled out a pair of beautiful wool socks from the shiny wrapping, his smile growing as he looked at them. “These are perfect! Thank you gorgeous,” he said and gave you a peck before he gestured towards you that it was your turn to open the packages he had placed in between you for you to grab.

You picked up the small, hard, and rather heavy package which surprised you at first. However, as you began pulling off the wrapping a lovely scent began spreading from the present. The candle you pulled out from its hiding spot was huge and red, and the fragrance of cinnamon apple with a hint of firewood made your heart and brain melt with cozy feelings.

“Oh my god, it smells so good!!” you exclaimed, shoving your nose into the candle yet another time.

“I hoped you would like that one, it felt so Christmassy you know,” he said with a huge grin on his face as you had your eyes closed in an effort to try and become one with the candle in your hands.

“I love it, now, your turn!”

“Alright, really hope we didn’t get the same thing,” he said, glancing over at the package you had yet to open which was roughly the same size and looked to be just as soft as the one he was holding.

“I doubt it, but you never know,” you snickered, excited to see how he would react to your gift.

It didn’t take long before the wrapping had been ripped off along with the ribbon, which to the cats’ pleasure was now available to steal and play with on the floor beside the couch. Left in his hands was a soft pile of fabric; a quilt he soon understood. The pattern, intricate and beautiful, completely covering the large blanket.

Seokmin was stunned just by how pretty it looked, but you spoke up, telling him to check the little leather patch in the corner of the quilt. As he read the words written on the patch his gaze became even softer than earlier, and as he looked up at you he said out loud “Love to keep me warm…”

You giggled, yet again a bit flustered from his unfiltered emotions being shown so obviously on his face, no matter what was happening, “What I mean is that I never really feel the cold, because you know, I have your love to keep me warm,” you began, emotions making your throat a bit thicker than usual as you tried to finish your explanation, “and so, I was thinking that now you will hopefully always be warm too with the help of this… and that it will remind you of how much I love you too.”

The tears felt like they would fall any second now, and then Seokmin pulled your entire body towards him, embracing you so tightly you could feel and hear how loud his heartbeat was inside of him. He kissed the top of your head and whispered “I love you too, thank you,” into your hair. You smiled widely as you buried your head in his warm embrace, letting a couple of tears escape from your eyes and ladning on the soft fabric of his shirt.

For a couple of minutes, you both just stayed like that, swaying slightly, kissing each other whenever you looked up and his hands stroking your back softly as you talked about how pretty the fabric of the quilt is.

“Wanna open your last gift?” Seokmin asked, “I mean, I don’t think it will be anywhere near as good as this one but maybe you will like it anyways.”

“I will love it, I’m sure,” you told him, which you within the coming minute would have to regret saying if you were honest. Because what you found inside the shiny wrapping was four sweaters and not just any sweaters, but matching sweaters; matching ugly Christmas sweaters you realized as you stared at the one you were holding up in front of your incredibly shocked face.

“They’re… really cute,” you said, baffled by how ugly these particular ones actually were. However, when you picked up the tiny ones, realizing that they were indeed ugly Christmas sweaters made for cats you couldn’t hold in your giddy laughter anymore. Seokmin looked so proud of his gift, and you knew that he did really think they were cute and you knew you would never have the heart to tell him otherwise so you didn’t. Instead, you looked over at him with a pout on your face, “They’re absolutely perfect baby, I love them. And you even got the cats their own, that’s so cute!”

This made Seokmin smile like a very cute fool, “Yeah? I wasn’t sure but they had it in so many sizes and I thought it could be cute,” he rambled on about the sweaters and you looked yet again at the one in your hand. Maybe they aren’t actually so bad, you thought, loving the way he had thought about you and the cats when he got them. Even if they weren’t cute in and of themselves, at least he was cute enough to make them a great Christmas gift anyways.

Putting them on the cats turned out a lot more difficult than either of you had imagined, but to your surprise, they were unexpectedly comfortable. With yet another kiss you enveloped his pretty lips with yours, saying thank you yet again before you snuggled into the soft fabric of your Christmas gift in Seokmin’s arms, the cats settling in their spots on top of the covers yet again. It really had been a perfect holiday season this year, and for this and many more reasons you felt yourself getting excited about next year’s festivities already.

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

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