#also dont ask me what happened on december 11th 2024

[marisashinx]

Ace Tsum has finally made his debut! Please handle with care- ACE WAIT NO PUT HIM DOWN!!!

[snwusberry]

🎄✨ CHRISTMAS 2024: DECEMBER 11th

pairing: taehyun x black reader

genre: fluff

warning(s): food (sorry guys)

wc: 1819

reader pov

taehyun has been quiet for the past two weeks and it's getting concerning. it's like his mind is somewhere else, because what do you mean you don't hear me talking most of the time?

he made plans for us tonight and although i'm excited, i feel like we can't go through with them until we talk about this.

he's currently on his phone, his leg bouncing unconsciously amd i take a breath before deciding to speak up.

"taehyun has something been bothering you?" i ask him, pulling his attention away from his phone and he looks at me for a secomd before smiling, but it diesnt reach his eyes.

"no, everything is fine."

"don't lie."

"everything is fine, my love. don't worry too much." he tries reassuring me, failing miserablly too.

"you've been distant. like your mind is somewhere far."

he tenses up for a moment before taking a breath. "i'm sorry, my love. i hadn't realized i was pulling away. my mind has actually been all over the place but i don't want you to worry about it. how can i make it up to you?"

"well, you are a great cook..." i trail off and he gets the message because he smiles before getting up.

"what would you like?"

"surprise me." i tell him amd he nods and gets to work, and can i add, he looks good in the kitchen. let's move on.

the apartment smells amazing and i can't wait to dig into whatever he's cooking up in the kitchen. he cooks for us most of the time because i dont like cooking but he doesn't mind it. he says cooking for me is his love language and he puts his all into the meals he cooks.

a little while later, he comes to the living room with two plates and i sit up immediately.

"enjoy." he says, putting one of the playes in front of me.

"thanks baby."

we start eating, taehyun making sure to keep the conversation going.

"is this is your way of trapping me into never leaving? because it’s working." i tell him jokingly.

"that's exactly the plan." he quips, stabbing a potato with his fork.

"so what happens when you’re too busy to cook? do i starve?"

"oh please. i'd meal prep for you like a lunatic before letting you suffer through instant ramen." he says, rolling his eyes.

before moving in with him i used to live off of takeout and ramen noodles and he'd always scold me about eating healthy, but he really thought i was joking when i said i didn't like cooking. sometimes he'd drop off some food he had prepared for me, especially when i was going through those little moments.

"hey, notntoo much on that. you know cooking ramen is an art form?" i argue, pointing my fork at him and he snorts, clearly unimpressed.

"sure, if you call eating sodium soup an art form. stick to being the appreciative girlfriend, and i'll stick to making sure you get proper meals everyday."

"appreciative girlfriend? oh, is that what i am now?" i ask him, raising an eyebrow and he shrugs with a teasing grin.

"you're also my number-one taste tester whenever i try something new, and occasional sous chef... when you’re not burning toast, that is."

"that was one time!" i exclaim, but i can’t help laughing.

"one time too many." he teases, reaching across the table to steal a bite from my plate.

"hey, that's mine." i swat at his hand, but he’s already popped the stolen piece into his mouth, looking smug.

"sharing is caring, baby." he says around the bite, and i roll my eyes.

"you're lucky you’re cute." i mutter, shaking my head.

"i'm not cute." he counters, flashing me that mischievous smile that always makes my heart skip a beat.

i smile back, the banter fading into a warm, comfortable silence as we continue eating.

i'm sitting on the floor, in front of the mirror in our room, carefully blending my eyeshadow when i hear taehyun rummaging in the closet behind me, probably searching for his favorite sweater to wear.

“you almost ready?” he calls out.

“almost.” i reply, leaning closer to perfect my eyeliner.

he appears behind me a moment later, pulling on a jacket in the mirror when he takes a quick gkance at me.

“take your time. you know i don’t mind waiting.”

i glance at him in the mirror and smirk. “is that so?” i ask, going back to doing my eyes.

"of course not.”

when i’m done, i stand up, turning to taehyun who pulls me into him, resting his hands on my waist and my arms immediately find his shoulders.

“you look amazing.” he says, his voice low and i smile.

“you don’t look so bad yourself.” i tease, moving to press a kiss on his lips.

“not bad?” he echoes, feigning offense. “i spent time picking out this outfit. show some respect.”

i laugh, rolling my eyes as he grabs his keys, and we head out the door.

by the time we’re in the car, the sun is setting beautifully, the sky glowing in shades of orange and pink. taehyun drives with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my thigh, his thumb tracing lazy circles over the fabric of my dress which makes me feel all giddy like a teenage girl getting attention from her crush.

when we pull into the parking lot near the boardwalk, i gasp. the place is glowing with festive lights, strings of golden bulbs crisscrossing overhead, and vendors lining the paths with booths full of holiday treats and trinkets. it's beautiful.

“wait.” i say, glancing at him as we step out of the car. “isn't this…?”

“the place we had our first date?” he finishes for me, slipping his hand into mine. “yeah. thought it’d be nice to come back. especially this time of year.”

he's already tugging me toward the boardwalk, but i stop in my tracks, looking at him in awe.

we wander through the boardwalk, reliving every moment of that first date. he takes me to the same food stall where we ordered hot dogs. this time with no mustard spills, like the last time, thank goodness. he even buys me the caramel popcorn i couldn’t stop raving about back then.

"this is even better than i remember." i say, ravaging the popcorn and taehyun stops my hand that's halfway to my face.

"slow down, my love. its not going anywhere." he jokes, making me sneer at him.

we play a few games at the arcade, where taehyun insists on winning me a stuffed animal like he did that first night and finally, after way too many tries, he manages to snag a plush penguin.

“still got it.” he says, handing it to me with a smug grin.

"after like, fifty tries but okay." i tease but still hug the penguin to my chest, grinning up at him. “you're unbelievable. you remembered every single detail.”

he shrugs, but there’s a softness in his eyes.

“it was the night i realized i wanted this. for us to be something real. of course i remember.”

my heart feels like it’s about to burst, and i lean up to kiss him, tasting the sweetness of caramel on his lips.

“you're amazing, you know that?”

“and don’t you forget it.” he says, grinning as he pulls me close.

after wandering through the festive crowd, we find ourselves slipping away from the lights and laughter, walking hand in hand toward a quieter part of the boardwalk. the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore and the soft hum of the festivities fade as we move into a secluded corner, tucked away behind a row of colorful shops. it's perfect. just the two of us.

we stop at the edge of the railing, overlooking the water. the lights from the boardwalk reflect off the surface, creating a soft glow and i glance up at him, smiling.

“this was amazing. i didn’t realize how much i missed this place.” i say, my voice low.

he doesn’t answer right away. instead, he pulls me closer, his hand resting on my back, his other still holding mine. we stand there in silence for a moment, just taking in the beauty of the night.

and then, he speaks.

“i've been thinking about this for a while now.” he says, his voice gentle but steady and i look up at him, brow furrowed in curiosity.

“thinking about?”

"about us. about how i want to spend every moment i can with you, how much you’ve changed my life for the better. how everything i've ever wanted is right here with you.”

i feel my heart start to race, the weight of his words sinking in. taehyun turns to face me completely, his hands gently cradling my face, and i'm lost in his gaze.

“i love you. more than anything, and i want to spend forever with you.”

before i can respond, he reaches into his pocket, his movements calm yet deliberate, and pulls out a small, velvet box. he opens it to reveal a delicate ring, the diamond glinting under the soft light of the boardwalk.

my breath catches in my throat.

“we're still so young. some might even call us dumb or confused. say we're too young for this but i see forever when i look in your eyes. i see the woman i'm at my happiest with. who makes me feel whole and i cannot imagine this feeling with another.” he continues, his voice barely above a whisper. “will you marry me?”

tears well up in my eyes as i stare at him, the shock of the moment mixing with an overwhelming sense of love and happiness. my hands instinctively go to my chest as i try to steady my breath.

“taehyun i...” i say, my voice trembling. “yes. yes, of course i will.”

he smiles, so full of relief and joy, and in that instant, i can feel my world shift.

he slides the ring onto my finger, his touch tender, and then pulls me into an embrace, holding me close as i bury my face against his chest.

“i love you.” he murmurs, his words warm against my ear.

“i love you too.” i reply, my voice steady now, full of promise. "now i understand why you were so distant."

"i didn't know what you'd say, but i wanted to ask you anyway." he confirms.

"i'm glad you did. we're getting married taehyun." i say excitedly and he looks at me like i'm his whole world.

"yes we are, my love."

without another word, i lean up and kiss his lips, that he happily reciprocates. it's quiet in that moment, save for the sound of the waves and the distant laughter of the world around us.