#winter wonderland contest

[piecesofchess]

My entry for the 2024 Winter Wonderland contest! Been wanting to draw Kane and Queen ice skating for many a year now. It was fun! Category: Digital art Pirate: Danielle I haven't entered since 2021, where I blew all my winnings on 70+ Ashes of Armada packs (don't pick me KI cause i WILL do it again!!). I wanted to do more with the background buuuut alas holiday time is so busy </3

[jolenes-book-journey]

For the Love of Winter Volume Two - FCRW Romance Anthology

For the Love of Winter Volume Two - FCRW Romance Anthology

Warm your heart with nine enchanting tales of love. Title: For the Love of Winter – Volume Two Authors: Leah Miles, Vickey Wollan, C.L. Hart, Sara J. Walker, Erika Kilmer Freidly, Marie Morton, Sally Ann Murphy, Elizabeth Edgar, Vanessa Victoria Kilmer Genre: A Collection of Holiday Romances From historical winter celebrations to modern sizzling New Year’s Eve encounters, this anthology spans…

[pandoa]

all i want for christmas is you!!

christmas & winter fluff headcanons with all of the twst characters!

~twisted wonderland x gender neutral reader~

(not so) mandatory christmas/winter special from yours truly <3 merry christmas and happy holidays c:

♡— ace trappola pulls you into an ambush of snowballs along the sidewalks of the road as you two walk home on your way back from a days worth of work at nrc. the impact is sudden, leaving your cheeks turning cold the instant the sphere of softened ice hits your face. your eyes meet the twinkle in ace's eyes as he laughs mischievously and reaches his hand into the snow beneath him to conjure up another frozen weapon. he smirks with triumph as he grins a boyish grin that has your heart racing, excitement and challenge coursing through your veins as you turn to get your own snowball.

ace scoffs as you walk away, appalled that you decided to turn away rather than give him your attention, "what, can't handle that fact that i wo-?"

smack!

he spoke too soon.

♡— deuce spade has a surprise for you. and it's killing him not being able to tell you. the surprise consists of a neatly wrapped box his mother helped decorate and a very, very, very thought-out script he'd been rehearsing since november. only the best for you, right? deuce has worked hard to put together your present, going so far as to ask cater for an online link to "cute gifts to give the person you're confessing to during the holidays" on magicam to try and help him brainstorm the perfect gift for you. with that and the knowledge he's learned from you regarding human holidays, deuce has managed to put together something he hopes will show you the words "i. like. you." in more ways than one. he just... really wants you. to like him back, he means.

♡— cater diamond wears matching holiday pajamas with you. he sees it as it's trending all over the internet as cute couples with the same berry red plaid pajamas and matching black hoodies fool around on camera as they all dance playfully together, a memory he'd like to recreate with you. he ropes you into the silly tradition, stopping by your dorm to force coax you into the festive attire. you really have no say in this, and the ever-present phone camera pointed towards both you and cater prove it. you may not even be dating... but that doesn't stop him from persuading you to match with him in the name of you both being "cute for the holidays." in reality, though, he's having the time of his life right now as people in his comment section begin to assume that you two were truly a couple. it's not a crime if he doesn't correct them, right?

♡— trey clover hosts a gingerbread house contest with you. and only you. the idea springs up when you mention the tradition in your world, and trey being the observant man he is, decides that it wouldn't hurt if you two both did it, too. it was well in his element anyway. there was no harm in hosting it as along as you seemed to be enjoying it. designating an entire day to first make the gingerbread from scratch, trey then promptly invites you over to heartslabyul to finally decorate separate houses of sweets. he gives you one set of gingerbread and the other to himself before starting a timer which will signal the beginning of your contest. may the best house win~

oh... what do you win if you do end up creating the best house?

trey will let you decide that :)

♡— riddle rosehearts reads you sweet stories before you go to bed. it's after a long and chilling day as the weather outside prevents either of you from going out, making the both of you stuck to your own devices as you spend the day lazing around the dorm, cozying into your comfiest and warmest attire. you wrap yourselves into as many blankets as possible as you nuzzle into the plush cushions of the couch. riddle, whose face was a light shade of pink (whether that be due to the cold of the temperature or his a little closer proximity to you), then begins to recite a few stories he's memorized by heart as his voice lulls you into sleep. the evening grows darker and colder, yet you and riddle grow warmer and content as he finishes his story, realizing you'd fallen asleep, and softly smiles at you before making sure you were securely tucked into your blankets.

☼— jack howl takes you to go see the beautiful lights of the holidays. at first, he acts indifferent to the festivities of the lights, not really paying them any special mind as he goes on about his day. but when he found out that you personally do find enjoyment in seeing the lights, he makes it his unofficial duty of taking you to see this custom. he asks you in the most awkwardly endearing way; his in denial tendencies showing as he refuses to admit that he's bringing you because, well, he cares for you.

"you like... to see the lights, right?"

"oh- no, i don't really care if we go see these or not. i can live without them."

"but you want to see them, so i guess we coul-"

"wait! i mean- no, i did not say anything. just shut up and come with me."

give the boy a break. he just wants to see you happy~

☼— ruggie bucchi handmakes you a present. it's simple and adorable, although don't say that to him out loud. he knows it is, but... just don't admit it out loud, yeah? he begging you. ruggie works hard to make you this present, going so far as to start preparations weeks before he ever gives it to you. it wasn't too difficult to make, in actuality, it's just that he had made sure every detail was meticulously checked constantly for the best results. thinking of you that entire time making the gift, ruggie is eager to find out your reaction once you open the present. on the outside, he looks as if he really couldn't care less of what your reaction will be. but on the inside, the young man hopes that you'll come to like whatever his nimble hands have made for you.

☼— leona kingscholar is a lazy man. but, sometimes, maybe lazy works out in your favor? you think about this as you and leona lay together in the comforts of the warm cushions of the couch you both had squeezed yourselves on, both laying horizontally as you tightly squished yourselves on the couch as if it were bed. leona lays next to you, his breathing slow and steady as he naps with his arm draped over your waist like a blanket. usually, you'd be pushing this man to wake up and get on his nerves for being so "lazy." but now, you find yourself relaxing as your head rests against his chest—feeling the warmth of his body radiating onto yours. and with the freezing snow falling outside, it was hard to resist this moment of peacefully cuddling the typically more arrogant housewarden. it was comfortable, and that was all that mattered.

❋— floyd leech trades (purposefully) silly gifts with you. you both make a challenge for yourselves: whoever gives the most obscure gift wins. and both of you intend on beating the other. you really couldn't remember how the idea first started, though... all you remember is telling floyd of the traditions in your world and then bam. a brilliant idea struck both of your minds. the process is chaotic and strenuous, but the amount of "weird" items you and floyd find while searching is quite amusing. especially in sam's shop of wonders. but despite the laughs you share with him, this is still a competition. whoever out-sillies the other will win. the challenge is on.

❋— despite the winter festivities taking place, jade leech decides to take you to a more... tropical celebration during the holidays. he brings you along to see the seaside as he pulls you into the clear waters of the ocean for a swim, the heat of the sun contrasting the the cold your other friends were probably currently experiencing. a holiday in the heat isn't unheard of, actually; you just didn't expect for jade to invite you of all people to accompany him, let alone with the trip only consisting you and him. he guides you into the slightly deeper side of the waters as his merform is now seen with you grasping his hands in the ocean. the cold water and heat of the island is a nice change of pace for once as you let jade take both of you wherever he wished, with you keeping your hold on his hand the entire time.

❋— azul ashengrotto takes a day off from working to spend time with you, even if it was just for a day. with work constantly filling his mind, it's sometimes difficult for him to spend time with you outside of your visits to mostro lounge or the occasional spotting and waving in between classes at nrc. but! this time is different because today, azul makes it his goal to take work completely off of his mind as he makes his way to your dorm. mostro lounge should be perfectly fine without him for 24 hours... he left jade in charge, so he knows business is in capable hands. once he picks you up from your dorm, azul decides it would be more gentlemanly of him to let you choose a place for you two spend time at. anything. he needs to make up for all of those times he'd been so caught up in matters at octavinelle, of course.

✰— jamil viper holds your hand in his as he places your hands in his pocket while you walk together. it's another cold day as you're all bundled up in cozy winter jackets when jamil notices you trying to warm your hands up by huffing warm air into your palms. after watching you do this a few more times, the young man walking beside you wordlessly takes your hand in his and gently places both his hand and yours into the fabric of his own pocket. you see him do this as a small flush of your cheeks adds to the already red tint of your face due to the cold. jamil makes no effort in acknowledging his actions, however, as he nonchalantly continues facing forward, ignoring the way you seemed to be left a little embarrassed but smiling by this simple gesture. but that doesn't mean jamil isn't also as equally as giddy as you. he just knows how to hide it better.

✰— kalim al-asim shares a hoodie with you. and i mean, actually shares it. literally. as in, he climbs into your hoodie as you're still wearing it and innocently wraps himself around you, his face resting against the shirt you have underneath your hoodie as he uses you as some sort of blanket. the piece of clothing is oversized enough for both of you to fit in at the same time, so it was perfect. as kalim climbs in to join you, he cuddles himself against you as the warmth from both you and the hoodie engulf him, making him feel like a little woodland creature nuzzling itself into your pocket. it's just that... the pocket was much bigger, and much more closer against you. kalim finds comfort in this space with you, so you may be stuck there for a good while~

♪— epel felmier wakes you up to the letters "i ♡ u" written in the pristine snow outside as you look at him from the window, smiling at him as he grins back at you. it's a little early in the morning at epel's home as you wake up to the sound of small snowballs tapping against the window. getting up from out of your bed to see what, or who, was throwing them, you're then met with the sight of a distant epel on the ground, waving up at you as he points to whatever he's written in the snow. your heart melts unlike the snow as you chuckle at what he's written using his footprints in the white snow, the gesture sweet as you see how proud he was with your reaction.

♪— rook hunt sings and serenades you with holiday love songs outside of your dorm's doorway. they're love songs that you had taught him yourself, but that honestly just makes the moment much more romantic and lovely than it originally would have been. with only a guitar in his hands and a bouquet of flowers resting in the quiver strapped along his back with his arrows, rook begins to play you a few songs you taught him from your world, all of which centered around love and the holidays. what other things would make this moment more perfect? the young man also goes to write you his own song as he performs it for you, french both naturally and lyrically intertwined within the words of his song. once he finishes his serenade, he takes off his hat as he places it against his heart, lowering his head in a bow fit for a gentleman.

"my only christmas wish is you, mon ange."

this huntsman truly does know how to make a person swoon, doesn't he?

♪— vil schoenheit subtly gives you a wink from the stage as he performs. with the winter season brewing, vil was set to perform for an event along with many other celebrities in twisted wonderland. he invites you along with other pomefiore students like rook to come watch as he sings and dances on the stage like a star you just couldn't bring yourself to turn away from. so obviously in his element, vil continues performing before he catches your eye looking at him from the audience and flashes you a quick wink. the wink was fast and fleeting, one second he was there glancing at you too, and then gone off to the other side of the stage the next. no one else had caught the sight of his wink your way as you stood there, concealing a smile as you returned to cheering and singing along as the image of vil smiling at you filled you with a certain type of joy.

✤— idia shroud tries his best to keep you warm. walking through the chilly temperatures of the outside, idia notices how your body seems to shiver, causing the generally isolated housewarden to glance at you with a look of concern as you both continue to walk. he debates with himself whether or not he should offer his jacket to you, the idea itself just making him shrivel up in embarrassment. what was this? some cringey shoujo manga? his mind is in conflict with itself as you two walk side by side in silence with idia's expression growing more and more furrowed as he anxiously thinks to himself. minutes pass by with you still silently shivering until idia shakily places his jacket on you. welp, yolo, idia thinks as he avoids the way you look back at him from the corner of his eye, the embarrassment all too much for him.

yolo, indeed.

♛— sebek zigvolt thinks he'd be good at ice skating. for one reason or another, you manage to challenge the boy at ice skating. and he proudly accepts. even though you both know that he has zero experience in skating. zero. it's amazing how you even managed to get this boy out of the rink without any fatal wounds as all he does on the ice skating rink is fall down rambunctiously and yell because he claims that you had another student "curse" the ice, causing him to fall down almost every two minutes. in reality, though, sebek just lacks any semblance of grace when it comes to the ice. he won't accept defeat from a mere human, however! no, no, no... you both will be staying there until sebek can successfully skate through the entire rink without falling! onward, human!

♛— silver makes the true magic of the holidays happen as he uses his magic to make a reindeer fly, just like in the stories you'd always tell him about your world. he knows that, in your world, those stories are merely fictional, but he wishes to show you something beautiful during your time in twisted wonderland. so, he makes a few of his woodland friends fly as he guides you into the forest he typically spends his time in, showing you sights you'd never seen before as you both hop onto the back of the reindeer and see the world in an entirely different point of view with silver and the reindeer guiding you through the stratosphere.

♛— lilia vanrouge catches you in a mistletoe "trap." you're completely caught off-guard as you search for him all over nrc after getting an ominous message from him reading only the word "help", making you rush through the entire school in search for your precious fae lover. you're speeding through the halls until the frightening, but still adorable, face of lilia suddenly pops up in front of you with a playful grin before promptly placing a light kiss to your forehead... all while he hung upside down as he held... what looked like mistletoe above both of your heads???

"i must say, (y/n), your world has very fun traditions. we should do this next year as well~"

you look at him at first with confusion until it registers in your mind as you see the familiar red and green plant in his hand.

wait. how did he get that in the first place-?

♛— malleus draconia showers you with gifts. constantly. all throughout december, malleus manages to give you more gifts than you have ever gotten your whole life. and he doesn't stop either. you can't even comprehend how he found the time to find all of these for you... or how he hasn't run out of gift ideas just yet. your dorm is almost overflowing with gifts just from him as you sort through piles of items and wrapping paper, the dorm looking even more disheveled as you attempt to organize the chaos. the instant he found out about the "season of giving," malleus made all of the effort to do just that. give, and give, and give, and give... you get the point. and it's only for you, of course. who else would the fae prince use this much effort for? only you.

a/n: i will rise from the dead whenever it comes to christmas

[mortallydeepestobservation]

The holiday pretense -1-

Summary: Namjoon has never been a fan of the holidays. In fact, he could list more things that sucked about ‘The most wonderful time of the year’, than things that brought him joy. Yet, beneath his cynicism, a flicker of hope appeared this year, as the faint scent of homesickness hung in the air.

Unfortunately, there’s one tiny little thing that keeps him from calling home- his lack of a girlfriend.

But fear not; this holiday season, Namjoon’s smart mouth gets him in a situation where he has no choice but to approach you- his longtime friend and roommate- with an unexpected request.

Pairing: Namjoon x f.reader Genre: fake-dating, friends to lovers/roommates to lovers au; crack, smut, fluff. Rating: explicit. Minors do not interact. Warnings: every single trope in the book; but with a twist. Dialogue heavy. OC is really bad at lying, anddd… I didn’t write in literal years so yeah, this is gonna be fun. And I know I am literally that meme rn, the: summer is over-skips straight to Christmas. But do you have any idea just how slow I write? Yes. It is a warning. Smut warnings: to be added~ Word count: Chapter 1-9k Credits: this was literally one of those ‘if no one is going to write this, I will’ because there are not enough friends-to-lovers Namjoon fics out there. And none (that I know of) where the main character feels bad for lying to his family when pretending to date him. This work would not have been possible without the very kind and patient @callmenoona25, who not only helped me beta-read but also served as a guiding light during those moments when I wanted to rage-delete everything. Thank you for all your help! (and please keep helping me coz idk what I’d do without your constant encouragement) Author's note: again, I didn't write in 8-ish years, so this is very very scary. Add in a dash of 'English is not my first language' and you get whatever this is. enjoy. Merry Christmas. part 2: here

Ah winter, the most wonderful time of the year.

The season when the air is crisp, and the city gets blanketed in thick, white snowfall. When the satisfying sound of crunching snow accompanies every step and every word transforms into nothing more than a puff of steam dancing through the chilly air.

When Mariah Carey’s voice echoes in literally every store for an obnoxious 24/7, as if she has some kind of personal vendetta against silence…

When the heating bill increases by 37%, and it takes an extra 15 minutes for the heater to kick in and for the hot water to grace the showerhead. Ergo, Namjoon now has to wake up half an hour early if he wants to take a shower and not freeze half to death during the day, because the landlord was adamant that there was nothing to be done about the situation.

But it wasn’t all bad.

Sure, Namjoon was never one to possess the so-called Christmas spirit. In fact, he was known to be a bit of a grinch among his friends.

Jin, in particular, enjoyed telling anyone who would listen about their first Christmas at college, when Namjoon adamantly refused to help him decorate the tree after begrudgingly lugging it to their shared apartment.

And most years Namjoon’s lack of enthusiasm for the season was palpable. While his friends reveled in the cheerful atmosphere, he somehow managed to remain detached and aloof, his grinch-like demeanor becoming a defining characteristic, much to the amusement of his companions.

However, there were still aspects of the holiday that Namjoon couldn’t help but secretly enjoy. The food, for instance, was undeniably good. Although the movies were mediocre and the music overplayed, he still found himself humming along to Winter Wonderland whenever it played. And the energetic buzz that seized his friends was no doubt contagious;

This year, before he could even process it, he was dubbed designated fairy-light fixer, the judge of the ugly sweater contest (solely because he had the audacity to show up wearing a black hoodie) and somehow promised Jungkook to help him pick up gifts for his mom, his cousin, and girlfriend.

And now, with the holidays looming just around the corner, and the entire city buzzing with chatter about family feasts, romantic rendezvous, and the art of gift-giving, Namjoon couldn't help but feel a little pang of longing. It had been a solid two years since he last set foot in his hometown, and the melancholic urge to return home seemed like the only logical response to it all.

Or maybe he just needed a vacation…

But there was just one thing that kept Namjoon, a logical being, from making that phone call home.

He knew that part of the reason behind his mother’s question was for organizational purposes, yet he couldn’t help but notice the mischievous twinkle in her voice each time she sweetly asked:

“And are you coming alone?”

Few things managed to irk him as much that specific question in that specific context. And even with countless nights analyzing the emotions it stirred within him, Namjoon found himself very stupidly replying with:

“Uhm, no actually-” despite being painfully single, and fully aware of it.

Following that, the hope of regaining any sensible thought was gone as a chorus of ecstatic comments erupted form his mother’s end of the phone. With a hurried, “Can’t wait to see you, yeah, love you too,” he was left in the suffocating silence of his bedroom, with a new predicament he needed to solve.

Now, let’s not forget, Namjoon is no ordinary man. He possesses a brain that could rival Einstein’s, and he knows all too well that he could simply call back and clarify that his plus one is as real as Santa Claus.

But Namjoon doesn’t half-ass anything. He full-asses it.

That and showing up alone would undoubtedly result in his mom’s attempts to play matchmaker. And if he were to show up alone, after lying about it, well, he might as well prepare for an arranged marriage.

Namjoon sighed as he looked at his phone. He couldn’t understand why his mother had this new found obsession with his relationship status. Especially after she witnessed just how bad his last one ended. Now sure, he may have taken the whole ‘healing-era’ to a bit of an extreme, seeing as he had no relationship, no situationship and no inclination to entertain any romantic thoughts whatsoever. But this was getting ridiculous. Lying to his own mother?

Perhaps he could ask his assistant to pretend to be his girlfriend for the week? No, that wouldn’t work. She mentioned she was hosting the Christmas dinner this year. And it would involve more explanations to HR than it’s worth…

And he couldn’t overlook the fact that her fiancé would most certainly not be amused by that idea.

Just as he was about give up and plunge into another rabbit hole of despair, the solution to his problem came accompanied by the familiar sound of glass smashing in the kitchen.

You.

You would be perfect.

Most people already assumed you two were dating, seeing how seamlessly you fit yourself into his life after moving in.

And last he checked you couldn’t make it home because of some pesky law-jargon issues that required your presence at the office. And changing your flight to a few days later cost you an arm and a leg, while changing it to January was completely free.

And last he checked; you were just as chronically single as he was. (He knew because your last date was so disastrous that he had to abandon his gaming night and rescue you from the restaurant).  

Another crash in the kitchen summoned him back into action. Swiftly snatching his hoodie from the designated clothes chair and making his way to you, detouring only to retrieve the medical kit from the bathroom.

He was quick to spot you, still clad in your work attire, crouched besides the counter, diligently sweeping the stray glass shards of what used to be an ugly mug. His eyes involuntarily wondering towards your ass, once again marveling at how flawlessly you wore that office skirt before snapping himself out of it.

“And I believe that evens out the score, seeing as I only broke a plate, and you killed two mugs this season” he declares, ensuring you weren’t bleeding before abandoning the first aid kit on the counter to fetch the trusty vacuum cleaner.

It was standard procedure by now.

“You also managed to break the microwave, so the title remains yours,” you grumble as you rose to your feet, a smile unconsciously tugging at your lips when you caught sight of his charming dimpled face. “Hey there.”

“Hello,” he replied, giving you a swift once-over in case he missed any hidden hemorrhages “what happened?”

“It just jumped out of the cupboard when I opened it,” you gestured towards the dust pan, as if to prove the cup suddenly acquired acrobatic skills before its untimely demise, causing him to break into a grin “I’ll get you a new one.”

“No worries, it was a gift form an ex, and it was hideous anyway.”

As he vacuumed the area, you disposed of the glass, making sure it wouldn’t slice through the trash bag like last time.

Once the kitchen was safe again, you returned to your previous task, grabbing a new cup and casually turning your back to him.

" Do you want to try an unreasonably expensive hot chocolate with me?" you playfully suggested, catching his eye as he noticed the purple tin on the counter, adorned with a big red bow, alongside a very generic Christmas card.

"Secret Santa?" he inquired back, picking up the card, already aware of the answer to your question.

Unconsciously, he began mentally listing reasons why you would make a good fake girlfriend. Topping the list was your uncanny ability to understand him without lengthy explanations. And it was all quite digestible, wasn't it? Two long-time friends and roommates, thrown together by chance, suddenly discovering hidden feelings for each other?

All his friends seemed to have unanimously agreed that the two of you would make a splendid pair, back when you met, when his roommate, Jin, started dating your roommate, Myeong.

 On their inaugural date, Myeong, in a fit of paranoia, asked you to tag along, in case her potential lover turned out to be a serial killer. And Jin, ever the considerate soul, felt compelled to invite Namjoon, not only to spare you the agony of being the third wheel, but also in the hope of pulling Namjoon out of his dating slump. Not that you would ever notice, as you were knee-deep in exam session, sleep deprived and buried in a mountain of law books.

Poor Namjoon somehow ended up carrying the weight of being third and fourth wheel simultaneously.

But you eventually made up for it, once your exams were over and had a proper 18 hours of sleep.

In no time you wiggled your way into his heart, transforming those awkward double dates into enjoyable hangouts. You’d spend countless hours discussing everything from books to the latest plot twists in popular dramas, to sharing dreams, fears and hopes.

As Myeong and Jin’s relationship blossomed, they gradually faded into the background of your outings, until they were eventually excluded all together. And neither of you seemed to mind, as you found it easier to focus on your conversations without their constant chatter.

That and they couldn’t be quiet in movie theatres like decent human beings.

It was during one of these outings that Namjoon realized just how alluring he found you. The way your eyes lit up when you laughed at one of his jokes made his heart race. Your sharp mind and wit were a match made in heaven for him. And your ability to render him speechless was both infuriating and exhilarating.

But Namjoon also knew that you were deeply committed to your studies, and he didn't want to do anything to distract you from your goals. So, he held back, admiring you from a distance and hoping that someday things might be different.

And as time passed, and he graduated, he came to terms with the fact that you two would never be more than casual friends.

Little did he know that the universe had its own wicked sense of humor. When fate decided to play its sly hand and leave you virtually homeless, because your respective roommates decided to take the next step in their relationship and move in together.

It was only logical, then, for the two of you to shack up as well. After all, you were friends, both neat freaks, and most of all, desperately in need of a roommate.

“The roommate switch”, as Jimin so eloquently put it.

And thus began the most wonderful living arrangement Namjoon ever experienced. Not that he would never tell Jin that.

Suddenly, his bathroom cabinet resembled a Bath and Body works store, and your pink pots and pans had taken over his kitchen. But he wouldn’t mind, seeing that the cooking interdiction was extended, once Jin started recounting all the times Namjoon almost turned their previous apartment into a bonfire during your housewarming bash.

However, you never scolded him for his butterfingers because, truth be told, you had your own healthy dose of clumsiness, (the cup chilling in the trash an indisputable witness to it).

It was quite refreshing to find someone who shared his knack for dropping things.

And he made up for all the free meals by taking care of the dishes. He even went above and beyond by meticulously following the odd care instructions for your fancy pots.

And the rest of your household chores fell into perfect harmony.

 He willingly handled all the ironing, including your own, simply because you couldn’t be bothered. In return, you would dutifully clean the lint tray in the dryer, even when it was his turn to do the laundry, because he found it absolutely disgusting, and you couldn’t resist the opportunity to gross him out.

It suddenly dawned on him why all his friends were convinced that you two were together. He was smitten with you, after all.

But again, time has worked its magic! His infatuation had been long departed, so he could proceed with his plan and not let it affect your friendship in any way, shape or form!

“You know, I never quite understood the purpose of Secret Santa,” you confessed, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I mean, sure, it makes sense in a small group where you can actually get to know the person and buy them something nice. But in a corporate setting, where you’re thrown together with people from different departments, it makes absolutely no sense!” you spoke with passion, even stirring the milk a little harder, causing an impish smile to dance across his face.

“Because you end up with situations like this, where creepy Greg from the watercooler suddenly feels the need to win my graces and splurge on stupidly expensive hot chocolate.”

Namjoon was familiar with your HR endeavors involving Greg, especially after he hit on one of your colleagues.

“Do you want to know how much this monstrosity costs?” you asked, trying to contain your amusement at the sheer absurdity of it all. Pouring the cocoa into the milk and placing the mugs in front of him, you couldn’t help but grin.

“Surprise me,” Namjoon took a sip, which he regretted because he choked once you answered,

“Sixty dollars!”

“That’s absolutely ridiculous” he coughed, once he regained control of his lungs.

The hot chocolate was nice, but nowhere close to justifying the hefty price tag. For all he knew, it could have been dollar store cocoa. But your contagious laugh made it all worthwhile, and he couldn’t help but think that maybe Greg deserved to lose his Christmas bonus on overpriced cocoa that you both would mock.

“Tastes like cardboard” you concluded after a mouthful, “maybe it was meant for that hideous mug your ex gave you,” you teased, earning a puzzled look. “This has horrible taste,” you tack on, noticing his raised eyebrow “just like your exes.”

“I’m not sure if I should be offended by that,” he replied, feigning offense.

“Well, they did break up with you, so clearly their taste is questionable,” You ruffled his hair as you walked past him, your cocoa abandoned on the table.

This wasn’t uncommon in your friendship. Afterall, you were his biggest supporter, as he was yours. But now, with the odd favor he was about to ask you; he couldn’t help but ponder your words for longer than usual. Until he heard the door to your room close and he realized he was left alone in the kitchen.

“Any updates on that flight of yours?” he asked, shooting a glance towards your door. Perhaps the universe would take pity on him and spare him the embarrassment he was dreading.

“Still in January!” you hollered back, your voice muffled by the commotion in your room.

“Ah, cool, cool…” he muttered under his breath, more to psych himself up and gather the courage needed to go over and make a complete fool of himself.  

“Are you still planning on heading home?” your voice was barely audible amidst the movement, so he walked over and propped himself against your door to keep the conversation going.

“Yeah, that’s the plan.” He replied absentmindedly massaging the back of his neck.

Not unless he can find a girlfriend for the week.  “Hey,” he continued, his voice devoid of any moisture, “can I ask you a favor?”

The door swung open, almost causing him to stumble, to reveal you, wearing pajama bottoms and a black tank top, clutching one of his sweaters.

“Depends.” You answered flatly. “Mind if I borrow this?” you gestured towards the sweater, awaiting his nod of approval before slipping it on and sauntering past him to claim your usual spot on the couch. With your feet cozily tucked under the cushion, you scrolled through your phone, probably looking up another horrible movie you’d force him to watch. Oblivious to the fact that you ticked off another item on his mental checklist: looking damn good in his clothes.

“Okay” he took a deep breath and settled down beside you, his posture impeccable and his gaze fixed on the blank tv screen. You glanced over intrigued by his sudden shift in behavior.

“This is going to be weird, and you can tell me to fuck off any moment this makes you uncomfortable. And I promise I’ll never bring it up again, and we can pretend this never happened,” he stumbled over his words, a stark contrast to his usually calmed and composed demeanor.

Your mind raced, conjuring up the worst-case scenarios as you slowly set aside your phone, captivated by every word leaving his mouth.   

Was he about to kick you out?

That only seemed to aggravate whatever Namjoon was on, as he continued to mumble, insisting that you didn’t have to agree to it if you didn’t want to. Which didn’t make any sense, because if he was going to kick you out, he should at least have the balls to tell you straight forward.

You gently collected his hands, causing him to halt abruptly. His wide eyes finally locked with yours as you softly uttered “Just tell me.” You peered up at him, bracing yourself for the worst, and completely unprepared for what was to follow.

“Will you please do me a solid and pretend to be my girlfriend for a week?” he stammered, unable to maintain eye contact, his voice fading into a whisper towards the end.

“What?”

“I might have told my mom I’m in a relationship, and now I desperately need a stand-in girlfriend for the next few days” he confessed sheepishly, quickly adding, “But seriously, if you’re uncomfortable with this, just say the word and we can erase this whole conversation from existence.”

“Oh my goodness, Namjoon,” you breathed out in relief, a laugh escaping your lips as you rested your head on his lap, leaving him even more perplexed. “I thought you were kicking me out.”

“What?” he chuckled, watching you raise a few seconds later, rubbing your eyes before fixing your gaze on him, contemplating his request.

“How can you be so brilliant and so dumb at the same time? Just call your mom back…”

“No, you don’t get it. I can’t do that. If I do, she’ll set me up with the neighbor’s daughter again” Namjoon explained, clearly not in the right mindset to entertain that idea again.

“You want me to lie to your mother?” you asked incredulously.

“Please don’t phrase it like that.” he covered his face, deflating completely besides you.

“This is essentially what you are asking me to do... I don’t know how that makes me feel. Your mom, by the way, is an absolute sweetheart…” you trailed off, observing him intently as he brushed away the hair in his eyes.

You didn’t get to know her too well, but the last time she visited she made sure to stock up your whole fridge with homecooked meals. And to top it off, she even baked cookies especially for you once Namjoon mentioned he had a new roommate.

The discussion, however, took a bit of an unexpected turn when she realized the roommate was you. A girl and not another frat guy. But she quickly developed a fondness for you. Or at least, that’s what you believed when she gave you the tightest hug goodbye.

“I know. It’s a stupid idea.” He muttered, rubbing his face a bit harder than necessary. Then he locked eyes with you and continued. “I am well aware of how dumb this is. And that is exactly why I need you there with me.” His statement left you dumbfounded, completely unable to find any words. “I just want to go home and relish in the fact that I am there without constantly worrying about being single.” he took a shaky breath before continuing,

 “I can’t comprehend why my mom is so fixated on this matter.” He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “I just need someone to navigate this absurdity with me for the holidays, and then we never mention it again.” 

His little speech left you stunned, and before you knew it, you were actually considering his proposal.

 Your Christmas plan was already ruined, and agreeing would mean that you would not be confined to your couch, enduring cheesy Hallmark movies and crying alone on Christmas eve.

Moreover, you were convinced that you had moved on from the little crush you had on him back when you met. Refusing still to admit that you’ve always had a soft spot for the gentle giant that slowly became a staple in your life, and that spending the holidays with him would be the best scenario that could ever happen.

But could you make it through this without getting your heart trampled and your friendship going up in smoke? As these thoughts started to swirl in your mind, your eyes began to wander aimlessly. From his eyes to his chiseled cheekbones and strong jawline, down to his neck and collarbone, and finally to his impressively muscular chest that seemed to only have grown since he started attending the gym religiously with Jungkook. And not to mention those arms that give the most incredible bear hugs. It was strange to allow yourself to notice his physicality in such detail, as if you had been willfully blind to his newfound buffness until now.

“Forget it, I’m sorry I asked,” he said, sensing your hesitation and preparing to end his suffering. But you stopped him in his tracks.

“If we are going to do this, we need a plan.” His eyes light up, color returning to his cheeks, before he squeezed you in a tight embrace “and just so you know, you owe me,” you laughed once he released you.

“Yes, yes, of course, whatever you want.”

“You take out the trash for a month,” he was too quick to nod “and I want you to take me to that bakery you and Jin always rave about.”

“Ajumeoni’s bakery?” he smiled at your request. That was the bakery Namjoon visited with his sister every Friday as a child, and every other day with Jin, on their way to school, because the milk bread was to die for. “Of course. It’s already part of the commute, so consider it done.”

“Good. We have a deal then,” you extended your hand as if sealing a business agreement, instead of setting yourselves up for a disaster. He reciprocated with a firm shake, and you swiftly retrieved your notepad from the coffee table. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well, let’s establish a few key details about us. We need to become well-acquainted with each other’s personal preferences, so it doesn’t come across like we are just… pretending” he looked over at you as you scribbled.

“I mean, it’s a digestible story already. Two oblivious roommates, suddenly realizing they have feelings for one another after living together for years.” You mused, only to be met with his response.

“And once this is all over, we can simply tell everyone that we figured out we were better off as friends than lovers,” he pondered aloud.

“Right,” you replied, looking up from your notebook “How long have we been dating?”

“Anywhere from three to six months” he promptly answered and you jot it down before firing off your next question.

“And why haven’t we told any of our friends and family?”

“To avoid the inevitable ‘I knew it!’ and because we like the trill of keeping a secret.”

“Fair enough,” you chuckled “So, how did we get together?”

“You finally realized how charming I am and just couldn’t contain yourself?” he flashed a cheeky smile and you playfully deflect by giving his chest a gentle push.

“How about your birthday party?” you offered “We were both buzzed enough to share a kiss and then you confessed?”

“Why do I confess?” he whined, peering over at your notebook page where you already wrote down your version of events.

“Because I’m shy about that kind of stuff” you mumble, burying your face in the cozy confines of his sweater, avoiding any potential eye contact.

 “That’s adorable,”

“Shut up.” You chuckle “Alright, is there anything I should know about you?”

“I’m not a big fan of PDA, especially when we’re out and about, so don’t expect me to be all over you.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “But since we’re going home and pretending to be a couple, what level of affection are you comfortable with?”

“Well, I’m comfortable with you,” you cleared your throat, that bit of information being more truthful than intended “we can hold hands, and do normal couple stuff.”

“How do you feel about kissing?”

“Well, yeah, sure,” you responded nonchalantly, eyes fixating on the notepad in your hands.

A mischievous grin played on his lips as he teased, “Good, because I happen to be quite fond of leaving hickeys.” That broke you out of your little spiral, rolling your eyes at his poor attempt.

As if you weren’t already aware of this tidbit from his past conquests during your college days, before you two became roommates.

“You do know this is all pretend, right?” you retorted, refusing to take the bait.

“Oh, but baby, we’ve got to make it feel real,” he insisted, his tone dripping with charm. However, it did nothing to sway your logical approach to it.

“Right, ‘baby’” -you said it as if it was a legal term, “any preferences for pet names?”

Your serious charade did little to detour him. “Just promise me that our interactions won’t be like Jin and Myeong’s.”  He smiles, eyes twinkling with mischief.  “And surprise me, I’ll be putty in your hands.”

“So, you are not set on honorifics. I can call you Oppa if you want,” little did you know, your innocent suggestion struck a hidden chord within him. A new kink that needed further assessment later on, preferably after this week was over.

“That won’t be necessary,” he said, clearing his throat and reclining against the couch. “Anything I should know about you?”

You pondered his question for a few seconds, allowing a sly smile to play your lips. “I don’t like feet.”

“No duh!” he laughed, shaking his head in disbelief, before regaining his composure. With a meticulous air, he went over all the details once more. “Ah, you need a new background on your phone.”

 Swiftly, he snatched your phone form the coffee table, catching you off guard, and planted a quick kiss on your cheek before snapping a selfie. “Perfect,” he declared, a proud smile spreading across his face as he set the picture as your home screen and background, leaving you to gather your frenzied thoughts.

“But wait, you also need a new photo,” You retorted, only to find him already one step ahead, pulling out his phone from his pajama bottoms and scrolling through his camera roll.

“Done.” He announced, turning his phone towards you to reveal the horrendous picture he had chosen as his own home screen. 

 A candid shot he took during your last year at college, on one of those late-night noodles runs to the local shop next to the library. You were draped in an oversized hoodie, greedily slurping a mouthful of noodles. With eyes blissfully shut, you savored every bite, as it was your first meal of that day, completely oblivious to his hidden photography skills.

It wasn’t until you accidentally stumbled upon your caller ID that you saw it and naturally, grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him, demanding an immediate change. But he stood his ground, claiming it was his favorite photo of you.

Claim proven yet again as now it was Namjoon’s home screen.

“I hate that photo.”

“I know.” He gave a smile, before safely tucking his phone back in his pocket, and rose to his feet, stretching leisurely. “I think we are good to go, girlfriend,” he said it in such a way that sent a swarm of butterflies fluttering in your stomach. “I’ll go book our train tickets, and you better start packing soon,” he playfully pointed at you, before gracefully disappearing into his room to retrieve his laptop.

“Oh, wait, I need to get a present for your mom!”

~~~

Before the train even arrived in the station, the sky was threatening to unleash upon you. The air filled with delicate snowflakes, determined to bury you, Namjoon, and your luggage.  But it was yesterday’s conversation that still lingered in the atmosphere, weighing heavy on both your minds.

The darkness of the night had given you both time to process what was about to unfold. Your only anchor on reality being Namjoon’s surprisingly warm hand clasping your freezing one, and tucking it away in his warm coat pocket.

And the fact that he looked like he just strolled out of the latest winter Vogue edition for men didn’t help. While you attempted to make a lasting impression, donning a cream knitted dress, black stockings and boots, topped off with a cream coat, that was far too flimsy for the weather, Namjoon effortlessly sported a navy-blue hoodie, snug jeans and a stylish black trench coat, and even a matching beanie that made his hair look absolutely flawless.

But beyond his impeccable fashion sense, he also proved to be quite the gentleman. Not that you ever doubted it, but now he seemed determined to showcase his chivalry. He wouldn’t even let you lock the door to your own apartment. It was a miracle he allowed you to carry the bottle of Chardonnay you insisted on getting his family, despite his protests that it wasn't necessary. You slightly regretted it now, seeing as your other hand was enduring the elements, instead of being intertwined with his.

“You have snow in your hair,” you pointed out, stating the obvious with the brilliance of a water-is-wet revelation.

“As do you.” he looked up from his phone, where he was engrossed in checking the train’s schedule for any potential delays. “And your lips are blue.” with a swift motion, he untangled his scarf and gently draped it around your freezing form. Something he had done many a time before, anytime he saw you slightly cold, but never before had you considered this gesture to be more than your friend looking out for you.

But today, things were different. Today you were pretending to be his girlfriend.

The sudden surge of warmth that enveloped you left you wondering if it was due to all your blood rushing to your cheeks or his scarf possessing some sort of magical heating abilities.

“It says here that the snow storm shouldn’t intervene with the scheduling, so the train will be here in a few minutes.” He looked up again, a cheerful grin appearing across his features as he caught sight of your pink face. “Aw you’re blushing again,”

“Shut up.” you retorted with the quick-wittedness of a third-grader.

“If I would have known it was this easy to make you flush, I would have made my fictional moves much sooner.” His voice did that thing again, where it went slightly deeper and, only the look in his eyes ticking you off to his teasing.

Your only response was to nervously nibble on your lip. Again, the realization that you are about to deceive not only his mother, but his entire family nestle in your chest, squeezing at your heart like a snake wrapped around it.

“Namjoon, I’m not sure about this.” you confessed, pulling the scarf closer to your face. It was a bit late to be getting cold feet, but this was your last opportunity to speak your mind before embarking on this little ordeal. “I don’t think I can pull this off.”

“Come on now, aren’t you an intern at a law firm?” he raised a playful eyebrow, attempting to ease the tension, but you only glared at him.

“I can’t lie.” You stated firmly “I’m the absolute worse at it. That is why I always find alternative ways of convey the truth. That’s what lawyers do. We don’t resort to lies.”

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he quickly apologized, before falling silent for a few seconds to ponder a solution. "Okay, listen. You don’t have to say anything."

"What do you mean?" you looked up at him, a hint of skepticism in your voice.

"I can take care of all the relationship talk, and I won’t say anything unless prompted.” he replied, trying to inject a touch of wit into his response. “Afterall, you are just my friend that just happens to be a girl.” He playfully wiggled his eyebrows at you “And I want you to spend Christmas with me and my family instead of being alone at home.” Namjoon gave you a sincere smile, and you couldn’t help but smile back, feeling the grip on your heart slightly loosen.

“Okay,” you gave a small nod “Thank you Joon.”

The nickname slipped by unnoticed, but you noticed the way Namjoon reacted, rekindling your burning cheeks.

“So, no Oppa?”

When your train arrived, Namjoon swiftly took charge, effortlessly carrying all the bags to your seats, settling in comfortably for the four-hour journey ahead.

He had come prepared, armed with at least three books to keep himself entertained, while you had grand plans of getting a head start on your work, perhaps even sneaking in a personal lecture and a quick power nap. However, much to your surprise, the allure of a nap quickly surpassed all other ambitions, your head found a cozy resting place on Namjoon’s shoulder, and you drifted off into a blissful slumber for the remainder of the journey. A sleepless night imagining what it would be like pretending to date your roommate could do that to you.

Only stirring awake when you were less than a few minutes away, because Namjoon was constantly shifting in his seat, half of his body numb from your weight on him.

“Oh hey,” he whispered, swiftly stretching his legs as soon as you moved off him. “I just spoke to Minhi, she said she’d come pick us up from the train station,”

“Oh, that’s nice.” you yawned, rubbing away any remnants of sleep from your eyes “You could have told me to move, you know.”

“Yes, but you looked so peaceful. It felt almost wrong to disturb you.” He grinned, fully aware that he also indulged in a little nap, using your head as a pillow just half an hour ago.

“Shut up,” you whispered, poking his thigh and retrieving your makeup bag to quickly fix your face before the train pulled up in the station.

The frigid air pierced through your very bones, sending an instant shiver cascading down your spine as you stepped into the snow filled air. You pull your coat tighter around yourself, trying to ward off the cold as you looked around for Minhi, seeing as Namjoon was on luggage duty again.

However, before you could spot her, Minhi’s voice sliced through the chilly air,

“Kim Namjoon, you have got to be kidding me.”

Namjoon’s little sister, all bundled up in a thick winter coat had fixed you two with a piercing stare, her hands on her hips in a classic display of sibling disapproval. 

Namjoon’s wonky smile did nothing to deter her piercing gaze, or calm any of your fraying nerves. “It’s good to see you too?”

You feel your heart drop as Minhi's gaze shifts from her brother to you, her expression a mix of confusion and suspicion. Your worst fears are confirmed - she's figured you out and you haven’t even been off the train for 5 minutes. Now Namjoon will be married off to some rich middle-aged woman and you'll never be able to look him in the eye again.

 You can feel the heat rising to your cheeks, and you look away, silently praying that the snow beneath your boots doesn’t melt into a puddle while she stares.

But then, unexpectedly, Minhi starts to laugh. At first, it's a quiet chuckle, but soon it grows into a full-blown laugh. She laughs so hard that she has to hold her stomach, and at the end she wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of her eye.

“You two are perfect for each other,” she says still chuckling “Fine, I’ll play along. How did you two end up together?”

“Got drunk one night.” Namjoon casually replied, rubbing the back of his neck before wrapping his arm around you, “Turns out all I had to do was say something, because she was all over me the next second.” 

Minhi raised her eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Right,” She hugged Namjoon tightly, and then turned to you, surprising you with a warm embrace. She muttered something about Namjoon never confessing his feelings in your coat, but you were too busy drowning in a whirlwind of confusion and relief to register it.

“We'll talk more later about how inappropriate this is." She added cheerfully, beckoning you to follow her towards her little yellow jeep, bright against the snowy backdrop.

You look back at Namjoon just in time to catch him winking in your direction and giving you a thumbs-up that sent your heart whirling in your chest.

 The car ride was over faster than you would have wanted. Minhi navigated the snow-laden road while she and Namjoon chatted away about mundane topics—work, rent, the best coffee in town. You sank deeper into the backseat, overwhelmed and lost in your thoughts. Because What the hell was that and If this was how you were kicking things off you might as well turn around now. Was it just fear of ruining the friendship or was an old crush budding again? The way he ‘claimed’ you in front of Minhi clearly ignited something in your chest that was not appropriate for friends or roommates or roommate-friends pretending to be dating.

As if sensing your turmoil from the front, Namjoon caught your eyes, giving you a gentle, reassuring smile before the car came to a halt. He gallantly opened the door for you, his hand grasping yours and squeezing it tightly.  

 “I got you, baby,” he says, teasingly, but the poorly-timed joke earns him an immediate glare and an elbow to the ribs.  

“Oh, come on. They are lovely people.” Minhi interrupts before Namjoon can retaliate, “You should’ve seen the way mom was dancing around the kitchen once she heard Namjoon was bringing someone over.”

You just blink at her, your breath misting in the air as you unconsciously step closer to Namjoon, giving him a small nod of support. His presence radiates warmth, his fingers tightening around yours as you walked towards the small house that looms in front of you. Minhi ambles ahead, dropping her bag near the entrance, while you could practically feel Namjoon vibrating with excitement.

“Someone’s in trouble” She whispers dramatically, letting you both into the warmth of the household, where laughter and the mouthwatering scent of home-cooked food intertwine. You follow her into the kitchen and you see the older couple husting about, half-focused on a pot bubbling over the stove and half on each other.

“Mom! Dad! Look who I’ve brought!” she announces, and the couple turned, smiles blooming as they spotted you and Namjoon.

For a fleeting moment, you felt exposed. Like an exhibit at a museum, thrust into the spotlight. Your breath hitched as Namjoon gently nudged you forward, a gesture both comforting and terrifying, but steeling yourself, you bravely stepped ahead, bowing as a sign of respect.

“I knew it!” The affectionate glow sweeping across Mrs. Kim face relaxed your nerves considerably, “I’m so glad you could make it!” her eyes sparkled with genuine delight, and you suddenly realized that Namjoon inherited his dimples from her. But the thought was quickly squeezed out of you as she enveloped you in that bone-crushing hug.

Namjoon’s father, a tall elderly man with kind eyes, patted him on the back. His approval apparent, before he turned his attention to you, “Welcome to our home,” he said warmly.

“I’m honored to be here.” You managed to respond, your voice quacking slightly but laced with sincerity. You heard Minhi groaning in the background but did your best to ignore her exaggerations and focus only on Namjoon’s parents, as you exchanged the required pleasantries.

“Dinner is almost ready,” Mrs. Kim said, bustling around the kitchen with effortless grace. The contrast between her elegant movements and Namjoon’s clumsy demeanour in the kitchen made you smile inwardly “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Yes, we didn’t get a chance to eat today,” Namjoon added quickly, casually leaning against the counter and stealing a taste from the simmering pot.

“I’ll call you over once it’s done. Go show our guest to your room until then,” Mrs. Kim commanded, expertly shooing him away from the stove and passing plates to Minhi.

“My room?” Namjoon echoed, his eyes widening as if the concept had floored him.

“Yes, dear. I know we are old-fashioned, but we are not under any illusions that you two don’t already share a room.” Mrs. Kim replied, stirring the bubbling pot without sparing him a glance.

Minhi shot you a look that was equal parts amusement and something you couldn’t quite place—sympathy, perhaps? Or pity?

“Yes- No. I just thought that it would be more appropriate to let her have the guest room,” Namjoon articulated, his voice half-hearted in its conviction.

Mrs. Kim merely cooed, waved away his protests with a flick of the wrist. “Minhi and Jackson are staying in the guest room. You can have your room.”

“Come on, Namjoon. You always make everything so complicated,” Minhi chimed in, her voice laced with mischief. “Just accept it. You guys will have an entire night to sort things out, right?”

“Right.” he grumbled, shooting her a glare that softened as he turned his gaze back to you “Let’s get you settled in,” he gestured for you to follow him.

The moment you step into Namjoon's room, a charged silence enveloped you- like the kind that proceeds a brewing storm. The room was exactly as you imagined, a blend of cooler minimalist décor and hints of his personal touch, a few pieces of art and pictures hung up on the wall, all whispering tales of youth, friendship and moments you yearned to know more about.

But all those sweet memories fade into the background as the reality settled in: there was only one bed.

“So, let me get this straight,” you began, the awkwardness hanging heavily in the air “You thought about everything, including phone wallpapers, but forgot you only have one bed in your room?”

“No, of course not.” He lied, that endearing grin spreading across his face. “I just thought it would be polite to let you have the bed… since you’re my guest.” He seemed genuinely proud of the excuse, but that pride melted when you teased,

“Before or after you plan for the guest room fell through?”

“After.” He admitted at last, glancing away, as if the walls held all the explanations he could not muster.

“Don’t tell me you planned on sleeping on the floor too,” for a brief moment the ridiculous image of him curled up on the hardwood floor, blankets draped haphazardly around him pops into your mind, and you couldn’t help but giggle.

“No.” He smiles, “I knew you’d take pity on my lower back,” his dimples deepened and you playfully rolled your eyes at him.

“Very strategic Mr. Kim,” you laugh, walking further into the room and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. The playful banter creating a familiar atmosphere, dissolving any lingering tension. A part of you almost couldn't believe you were in Namjoon’s personal space, taking your sweet time admiring the various little parts of him decorating the room, while another part was acutely aware of his gaze on you, observing you as if he were trying to read your thoughts.

He stepped closer, his expression sincere, drawing you in gently as he took your hands in his. “Are you sure?” The tentative nature of his voice hinted at a deeper question—he was about to add an ‘I was only joking’—but you quickly shushed him.

“Yes, of course.”

There were a few past occurrences where the two of you ended up falling asleep together on the couch, limbs tangled under the fuzzy throw blanket, with a movie playing in the background. Without fail, one of you would wake up in the morning to find the other wrapped around them, as the night was chilly and body heat was a rare luxury. Most of the time it was Namjoon that dozed off first, his head lolling in an awkward position until you gently nudged him into a more comfortable posture, knowing he’d whine about neck and/or shoulder pain come morning time if you didn’t. But his lug of a body was always warm, so you didn’t mind snuggling closer to him when it mattered.

This was more of the same. Just in a bed.

You swallow drily, eyes flickering away for a quick second, “I told you, I’m comfortable with you.”

“Come on, lovebirds!” Minhi’s voice rang through the door, breaking the spell. “Dinner’s ready!”

You shared a hurried glance, perspectives shifting as the familiar nervousness rushed back to you.

“Ready?” he asked, his smile spreading across his face, deepening the dimples in his cheeks as he tugged you up to your feet. You nodded, suddenly buoyed by a sense of belonging.

To your surprise, dinner goes by without a hitch. You may have gone a little overboard on the kimchi, but it wasn’t anything you wouldn’t recover from. However, the warmth of Namjoon’s hand resting softly on your thigh might etch itself into your memory for all time.

Halfway through the meal, Jackson showed up, and you got to observe with amusement as Minhi transformed in his presence, her demeanor shifting from the laid-back hostess to a giddy schoolgirl. The way she playfully nudged Jackson, her eyes sparkling each time she teased him, be it about his late arrival or some inside joke, was a refreshing sight. And you couldn’t help but snicker each time Mrs. Kim would chastise them, before dotting lovingly on anything you and Namjoon did together.

As the lively conversation flowed around you, you leaned into Namjoon’s warmth. It felt easy, and so right to nestle beside him, to let your fingers brush against his with familiarity, each touch igniting tiny sparks. You stole a glance at him, watching as he engaged wholeheartedly in the conversation, his contagious laughter filling the room.

After dinner, you offered to help Mrs. Kim clear up the table, even if it was to get a second to clear your thoughts, but to your surprise, Mr. Kim placed a soft hand on your shoulder, smiling, as he gently guided you back to your seat.

“You’ve done enough, dear,” he said, his tone warm and reassuring “We appreciate your help, but tonight is for you and Namjoon to enjoy.” He gave you a kind nod, and you felt your cheeks warm.

“Yeah, there will be dishes tomorrow too,” Minhi interrupted, getting a heartfelt laughter from her father before he left the room, to join his wife in the kitchen.

You shared a sheepish glance with Namjoon, who watched the exchange with an amused smile. His eyes twinkling in the soft light of the dining room, and you felt your heart pick-up the pace in your chest again. You really needed to get away, perhaps splash some cold water on your face. But just as you felt the urge to excuse yourself, you overheard Jackson's whispered confusion.

“Wait, so they’re not actually dating?” His voice was muted, and laced with confusion as he looked between you and Namjoon, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

“Kyung Min!” Namjoon called Minhi by her full name, which made her owlishly blink up at him.

“What? He asked how long you two have been dating for,” she defended.

“And you couldn’t just say three months, like a normal person?” Namjoon shot back, half laughing, half exasperated and watched as her brows knitted.

“No! He deserves to know.” She persisted, glaring at her brother, and you felt the heat crawl up your neck, trying desperately to remain inconspicuous under Jackson’s incredulous stare.

“So how exactly does this work?” Jackson asked, stopping the siblings from their bickering “Is it like friends with benefits or-?” just when you thought it couldn’t get any more awkward, the sip of water you took ended up going down the wrong way, making you choke and sputter.

“No! it’s nothing like that.”  You stammered, trying to form a coherent thought, but all you could manage was a mangled mess of words.

“No babe, they don’t even kiss,” Minhi added, placing her hand over his as if she were breaking some bad news.

But Namjoon reacted with the prove-your-sibling-wrong part of the brain, making you stare at him in disbelief.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but we do.”  

And your pulse picked up again when you saw him leaning in, the implication clear in your mind. You steeled yourself, closing your eyes. But to your astonishment, he didn’t press his lips against yours as you had envisioned. Instead, they grazed the curve of your cheek, followed by a loud, exaggerated kiss.

“I’m confused.” Jackson mumbled, looking over at Minhi as she rolled her eyes.

“You’re not the only one.”

~~~

Why didn’t he just kiss you?

The thought still lingered stubbornly at the edge of consciousness, even as the icy water from the shower jolted you into the present. You fumbled with the knobs, trying to figure out the right temperature, but your mind was elsewhere.

That scene kept on replaying on a constant loop in your head, each time leaving you just as stumped.

What stopped him?

You talked about this- he brought it up! And you agreed, so what was the hold-up? Was he really so uninterested that the mere thought of kissing you sent him into retreat mode?

Frustration bubbled up alongside the steam, and you invertedly cringed at the image of his nervous smile that still haunted you, his eyes darting away. Scrubbing harder at your skin, you wish the shame and embarrassment would simply wash away with the suds.

And the absurdity of getting worked over your friend not kissing you was not lost on you, but at least if he had gone for it, you might have been able to push that nagging question aside ~What would it be like to kiss Namjoon?  

His lips looked so soft, like they were meant for more than just talking…

You violently shook that thought away, and with a resigned sigh, you turned the water back to cold in an attempt to wash away your sins. Friends don’t kiss!

And he clearly wasn’t interested, so the sooner you silence these thoughts, the sooner you could go back to being normal. Just four more days of pretending to be his girlfriend. You could manage that. And after, you promised yourself you’d lock yourself in your room and avoid human interaction for rest of your miserable life.

As the water continued its relentless pour, you felt your fingertips start to wrinkle, a reminder that perhaps it was time to step out of this session of self-pity. With one last shudder, you turned the water off, determined to face the world- if only for a little while longer.

When you stepped out of the bathroom, the soft glow of a lamp illuminated the room. Namjoon was already tucked into bed, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose as he quietly looked over the pages of a book. Only, in reality he hadn’t been able to absorb a single word in the past fifteen minutes, his gaze lost in a world of his own.

Silently, you made your way to your side, wrapping yourself in the blanket and turning your back to him. A slight shiver coursed through you as you felt the warmth envelop you, the little tremor alerting Namjoon to your presence.

“Why are you so cold?” he asked softly, shifting slightly closer to you.

Your heart thudded at the caring tone, and for a moment, all the questions crowd your mind again.

Instead of answering, you huffed in frustration and turned to face him.

“Why didn’t you kiss me?” the words blurted out before you could stop them, surprising you both with their boldness, but your face flushed when you met his gaze.

Namjoon’s eyes widened, and he froze, the book forgotten on his lap. “I-I don’t know.” He stuttered, his hand running though his tousled hair, the soft strands falling back in place but not hiding the flush creeping up his neck. You watched the muscles in his jaw tense, eyes averted again in a way that tightened your stomach.

“It would’ve convinced Minhi sooner,” your added, your words hanging heavy in the air. Namjoon chuckled awkwardly, running that same hand down his face.

“You want me to kiss you?”

You hesitated, the corners of your mind fanatically searching for a safe answer

“I’m just saying it would’ve made things easier,” you deflected, avoiding his question much like he had done moments before.

He studied you for a moment, gears visibly turning in his mind before his lips curved into a small, daring smile. “Because I can kiss you if you want.”

Your breath caught in your throat, surprised by the sudden shift in tension.

“Now?” you breathed.

“Why not?” he shrugged “We’re both clearly anxious about it, so why not just get it over with?”

Your mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, lost for words, staring up at him. All the courage from before evaporating into thin air. You quickly searched his features, seeking the playful glint, the laughter behind his eyes, but instead, his eyes just flickered from yours to your lips.

“Do you want to kiss me?” you finally found the words, and his eyes snapped back to your own.

“I think it would make things easier going forward,” he replied, his voice low and earnest.

A heavy silence settled between you, stretching like an elastic ready to snap at any moment, as snowflakes continued to drift outside, dressing the world in white.

You took a deep breath, “Fine.” Ultimately you mumbled, sitting up against the headboard and turning to face him.

“Are you sure?”, The way he phrased it made your stomach flop, as if he were validating a choice that seemed both reckless and somehow still challenged you.

“Yes, now stop talking and just-” The words were lost as the space between you disappeared. But now you knew; his lips were soft, warm and tentative against yours. It felt wonderful, and sent tingles shooting through your veins while your heart tried erratically to catch up. He hesitated for a heartbeat- less than a fraction of a second- before he leaned further in, deepening the kiss, his hand coming up to cradle your cheek. And you soften against him, all the tension melting away. Your hands found their way to his shoulders, gripping lightly as if anchoring yourself amidst the storm of emotions that released once you tasted his mint toothpaste.

When he finally pulled back, both of you gasping for breath, the world resumed its muted noised- the quiet hum of the heater, the faint sound of voices downstairs, Namjoon’s breath against your lips. You could hardly meet his eyes, until you heard the first thing that left his lips.

“I just kissed you.”

Your eyebrow arched, blinking at him as if waiting for the punchline that never came.

“I know. I- was there too.” You replied, a little smile creeping on your face despite the rapid thump of your heart. Namjoon laughed softly; his cheeks still tinged with a shade of pink. “You’re a good kisser.” You added after a few beats of silence, before chewing on your lip, and unintentionally drawing his attention back to them.

“You too,” He gave a curt nod, remembering he has a book on his lap and fumbling to bookmark and put it away.

Another moment of silence followed once he settled back, and your eyes desperately scanned the walls for something, anything to say.

“This isn’t weird, is it?” you settled on the worst option, slightly cringing.

“No!” he answered louder than he anticipated, slightly shocking you which in return startled him. “I mean-” he let out an exasperated breath, “Friends kiss all the time.”

He didn’t believe it. And neither did you. But you still nodded in agreement.

[foli-vora]

masterlist | foli jolly xmas list

A/N: gif by moi. Yeah I recycled the same from part 2 idc. Are you telling me it's been two fucking years since I wrote this? Get out. The flow of time is fake. Everything was against me this week trying to get this fucking thing out but I finally got there! Merry late Christmas, angels! Thank you all for being so fucking wonderful and supportive and patient with me while I worked out a really messy year and I wish you all nothing but the very best! Enjoy x

Word count: just shy of 7k

Warnings: cheesy hallmark romance, I want to be kissed by a cowboy under the mistletoe. Swearing, this hot af man, a solid semi-public make out sesh with said hot af man, SOFTNESS! so much fucking softness I want to throw up, smut with all the feels 18+ ONLY: soft and sweet and so fucking tender I'm so into it, fingering, oral (f rec), this man practically makes out with pussy and I won't hear otherwise, bit of hair pulling, mention of the implanon, unprotected p in v and a christmas creampie yay

PART ONE | PART TWO

It’s quite the occasion, he finds. This Christmas Eve ball-party thing. The whole town and more is there, crammed into the town hall decorated heavily with tinsel and lights and spilling out onto the snowy grounds around in the form of various food and Christmas stalls. There are craft tables full of parents with their kids, a little choir singing carols, and people having a snowman contest in the taped off carpark.

There’s an older man dressed as Santa sitting on a big seat for family photos, joyfully laughing and ho-ho-hoing as kids wander by in awe. Jack watches on comfortably, not yet interested in pursuing any of the stalls or food until he knows if you and the kids have eaten.

Despite his general dislike of the holiday, it’s hard to not feel… well, merry, and it has a content smile tugging at his lips. If Tequila could see him now, he’d never let him live it down. He’d get matching Christmas ties or some other ridiculous shit. Maybe there’s somewhere he could buy one for the agent here, he’s sure you’d find that funny.

“That’s not the real Santa,” Gabe says suddenly, appearing beside him.

Jack startles from being broken from his mental reverie, briefly wondering if a couple of weeks worth of leave had gone and ruined his well tuned Statesman senses. Champ would only have himself to blame. He turns expectantly, heart hammering wildly from the hope you’d be only a few paces behind your boy, but when he looks he finds you nowhere to be seen.

Gabe continues, oblivious to the way Jack shifts and deflates next to him.

“The real one’s too busy, so he gets George to step in. He does it every year.”

“Is that right? Suppose he would be a busy man.”

“Are you kidding? One night to get around the whole world? Dude’s insane.”

Jack grins, looking down at the boy and noting his styled hair. “You’re lookin’ sharp tonight, kid. You brush your hair?”

“Mum made me,” Gabe grumbles, ruffling his neatened curls with a thick gloved hand. “She’s in the hall with Lou, if you were wondering.”

“And why would I be wonderin’ that?”

The boy gives him a look, something bordering the line of smug and Jack rolls his eyes, giving him a gentle shove. Jesus, even the damn kid knows.

“Cut it out.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You didn’t have to. Now go on, lead the way. And stop lookin’ at me like that, or I’ll tell the big guy you need to go on the naughty list this year.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would. Believe me. You think he doesn’t know about you hustlin’ me out of my hard earned money? You’re messin’ with fire, kid. You’re probably already on it.”

—

“Should’ve gotten more lights. I told him, you know.” Edith tuts to herself, frowning up at the hall ceiling.

You briefly pause from fussing over the cake competition table and glance up at the warm fairy lights dangled and intertwined between tinsel and garlands. She’s worrying over nothing, as always. Every year it’s a winter wonderland—inside and out, and this year is certainly no different. Has Jack seen it all yet? What does he think of it?

“Edith, any more lights and people would need sunglasses in here. Everything looks wonderful, as always. Now please relax and have some rum with your eggnog before your heart gives out. You don’t need to worry about anything tonight, leave it to the committee.”

“The only thing I’ll worry about is you not getting on top of that cowboy.”

You and me both, Edith.

You snort, directing your attention back to the cake stands and ensuring every label was front and centre. “On second thought, maybe stay away from the rum.”

“Speaking of the cowboy, here he comes. Fix your dress.”

“What’s wrong with my dress?”

It’s too late to worry, that southern drawl melts into your ears as he jokes about something with Gabe within the next few seconds and suddenly your insides are twisting and turning upside down. You play around with the table some more, gathering up a bit of courage before turning and smiling at Jack.

“Hi,” you breathe softly, cheeks already warming as his eyes meet yours.

Does this man ever not look like pure sin?

“Hey sugar,” he greets with a grin of his own. “You look incredible.”

“Oh, this old thing?” You tease, running a hand over the brand new dress you had painstakingly agonised over in an attempt to impress a stranger only in town for a few weeks. You’d spent an admittedly ridiculous amount of time in the local boutique trying and retrying dresses trying to find the right one. God, he doesn’t need to know that. “Not looking too bad yourself, cowboy.”

“Save a dance for me, won’t you, Jack?” Edith rasps sweetly, acting the innocent and delicate elderly lady and tapping his arm softly.

“Just try and stop me, ma’am.”

She wanders off into the crowds, more than happy to be stopped along her way to be praised on the decorations. She’s still going on about the damn lights.

“So what’s all this?” Jack asks in interest, body brushing yours as he steps up beside you to eye the table.

“It’s the yearly Christmas bake off, which I unfortunately have to judge as the town's resident baker.”

“Unfortunately?”

“I don’t like judging people's creations. They’re all wonderful and everyone always puts so much effort into it… makes me feel like a villain when I have to pick winners.”

Gabe steps up on your other side and eyes this year's entries. “Mum made a kid cry last year.”

Jack laughs in surprise. “What?”

“I didn’t know it was made by a child, okay?” You stress, rubbing along your brow line as last year's nightmare plays in your mind. After pinning the ribbons in place, a ten year old girl had promptly fallen into tears after not being given one, and you’d felt guilty about it for fucking weeks after. “If I had known, I would’ve picked them.”

“Well that defeats the purpose of it being a competition then, doesn’t it, sugar? You can’t pick a winner just because they’re a kid. I’m sure they knew that upon enterin’.” His hand runs comforting strokes up and down your middle back, entirely innocent, and yet your skin feels like fire beneath his hot palm.

“I think that one is the ugliest.”

Excellent timing, baby.

You sigh, “Gabriel—”

“Ah sugar, I gotta give it to the kid,” Jack drawls, eyes locked on the cake Gabe’s finger levelled at, “I’m thinkin’ it, too.”

“Well… obviously,” you agree quietly, discreetly looking around just in case its creator is somewhere lurking close by, “but we don’t say that out loud. That’s something we keep in our heads, okay?” Your gaze darts between them until they give a nod in agreement.

It’s quiet for a moment longer, Jack’s hand never once straying from your back or ceasing its gentle strokes as you each silently judge each cake, until Gabe smacks his lips and shrugs.

“They definitely lose.”

“Gabriel.”

A little body squeezes itself between you and Gabe, and your hand automatically falls to rest on Lou’s head. She’s quiet, happily making her way through a gingerbread cookie and swaying to the music being performed by the town's little local band when Jack peers curiously around you, smiling indulgently at the little girl.

“There you are, sweetheart. Was worried you didn’t make it tonight, thought I was gonna have to dance by myself.”

She grins shyly, hiding her face in the long length of your dress and forgetting about the half eaten treat in her hand. You don’t blame her, Jack definitely has that effect on people. 

“Will you dance with me, little lady?”

Lou peeks up at Jack from under her lashes. It takes only a minute until she gives a small nod before pressing the cookie into your hold and reaching out to take his large hand in her much smaller one. He gently spins her as he leads her to the dance floor, and her giggles as her bright red tulle dress flows around her can be heard from over the crowds.

You watch them go with a content smile, before moving your gaze to Gabe.

“Would it be totally lame for you to be seen dancing with your mama?” You ask him softly, brushing a hand over his hair. All the kids from his school are here, and you know he’s starting to reach that age where others' opinions may sway his decisions on things. He still lets you hug him at school drop off and pick up though, so maybe you still have a bit of time.

He gives you a toothy grin, looping his arm through yours and pressing into your side. “I don’t care.”

—

It’s hours later when you finally get him selfishly to yourself, once Lou had promptly fallen asleep on your thick winter coat spread over some chairs in the corner and Gabe had been whisked away to a snowball fight with the other kids. Jack had approached after your yearly duty had been completed with thankfully no one falling into tears, and asked you to dance.

You don’t usually dance. Not properly, anyway. Swinging the kids around and twirling them under your arm while they giggle and jump along is one thing, but this? Tucked up close to someone and trying not to trample on their toes? You haven’t done this in a long time. 

Jack doesn’t seem to mind, and with the feel of him pressed up against you? You don’t care if you seem a little awkward. It gives you both a chance to talk, and without interruptions. You ask more about his work, his life, which he seems to still not want to divulge in as much as you had hoped. He does tell you a little more about himself though, what he enjoys during his limited free time and that he’s starting to realise he doesn’t get away from work as much as he probably should.

“Maybe you should invest in a holiday cabin,” you tease, head tilting in a playful manner as you sway between the other locals crowding the hall. “I’ve heard they’re pretty popular to rent out when you don’t need it.”

“That’s not a bad idea, darlin’. Know any good locations?”

“Nowhere local, I’m afraid. You don’t fit in.”

He makes a low noise of understanding, pushing you softly away only for him to spin you under his arm and drag you right back up against him. You’re fucking giddy at the movement.

“Too handsome?”

“Too much of a grinch.”

“Hey now, that’s not fair. I ate a candy cane.”

“And I heard you singing along to a Christmas song, too.”

“Me? I would never,” he responds gruffly, but when his gaze slides to meet yours he grins. “It’s your fault, sugar. What’re you doin’ to me?”

“Working my Christmas magic.”

Christmas magic? Is that what you’re calling this? He feels like a damn school boy, twirling a pretty girl around at a winter dance. He quite likes it. Working at the office and back to back missions have filled his days sure, but there’s a slight tug of loneliness he hasn’t quite been able to hide with distractions for a long time. It feels damn nice to finally soothe that.

His eyes dance across your face, the hand splayed on your lower back tightening and bringing you in impossibly closer. “You’re workin’ some kind of magic, that's for damn sure.”

Holy shit. Heat immediately flares beneath your skin and spreads across your cheeks, biting sharply at your ears. What a smooth bastard. You fight the urge to shyly curl in on yourself, instead letting your grin widen in amusement as you trail your hand from his shoulder to the base of his neck. 

“Is that right?” You ask softly, fingers gently twisting and carding through the small patch of hair you could reach from under his stetson. He likes that, you discover quickly, catching the way his eyes drop to your lips the second your nails scratch lightly over his skin. Noted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, cowboy.”

His chest heaves with a sigh, his lips never losing that charming upturn. 

Shaking his head at your playful antics, he coaxes you to rest your head on his shoulder with a rumbled, “C’mere,” and it’s impossible not to melt into a fucking puddle right then and there. Thank god he’s got a good hold on you. He thinks you’re working magic? Then what the hell is this?

“You can’t do that. It’s not fair.”

“Do what?” His drawl rumbles into your body from the close proximity and settles thickly in the pit of your stomach. You feel the slightest brush of lips over the shell of your ear and fight the urge to shiver. 

“That. This.”

You’re so incredibly aware of him, of every move and touch. It’s overwhelming, maddening, and you want so much more. He absolutely knows what he’s doing, feels the way you’re practically jelly in his hold. His lips press into the side of your head before his breath ghosts your ear again, and this time you can’t fight the tremble when he speaks lowly.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, sugar.”

Air. You fucking need air.

Jack must feel the same, or at least know what you need, because as soon as you pull away to meet his eyes, he’s giving you one of those heart achingly handsome smiles and gently leading you through the people towards the doors. The night air nips at your uncovered skin, cooling the heated feel of it and thankfully bringing some clarity to your mind. 

Any more of that low honey drawl in your ear and mouth watering aftershave sinking into your nostrils and you would’ve absolutely made a fool out of yourself in front of your friends and neighbours. The last thing you need is to be the topic of town gossip for mounting a tourist right in the middle of the bloody dancefloor.

The few steps are thankfully clear of people when you tread just outside of the hall doors, with the late hour bringing most of the remaining people inside as the temperature drops. The food trucks and stalls had been mostly dismantled and packed away, those remaining still working away before the snow comes in and otherwise ignoring you and Jack lingering on the steps.

You feel the slight tingle of nerves all of a sudden, which is ridiculous considering the amount of time you’ve spent with him recently. Maybe it’s because this is your first time properly alone, without the kids running around and without having to say goodbye. You have time to just be, to enjoy his company and not have to worry about interruptions.

“Forgive me for sayin’ so, sugar,” Jack murmurs, halting your train of thought and bringing your attention fully to him, “but I can’t help but notice—that looks an awful lot like mistletoe up there.”

You fight the immediate tug pulling at the edges of your lips and glance up to where he points, spying the familiar cream bulbs amongst a sprig of fresh green leaves wrapped neatly in a small red bow.

“I believe you’re right, cowboy.”

“Now hear me out… I know I ain’t big on this whole festive season thing, but I figure it’d be mighty rude of me to break a well loved tradition.”

“I agree,” you breathe in reply, eyes falling to where his lips morph into an indulgent smile before snapping back up to meet his warm brown eyes. They’re soft, radiating with such a sweet tenderness that you feel it deep in your chest.

A warm hand cups the side of your throat softly, his thumb brushing your jaw delicately and it’s ever so easy to lean into the touch and relish in the comfort it provides. Your breath seems to hold as he moves in, stepping closer until you feel the brush of his jacket against your torso through the thin material of your dress. He holds for a moment, seemingly content to let his gaze roll along your features before he gives another little smile.

“Would you mind, darlin’?”

Returning his smile is automatic—it simply can’t be helped.

“Not at all, Jack.”

The tickle of his moustache and tender press of his soft lips is nothing short of perfection. You don’t feel the bite of the cold, you don’t hear the music and the laughter and the constant roll of chatter from the hall. It’s just him. Just Jack. It’s all Jack. 

He pulls away far too soon, and you merely make a low noise of denial before curling your fingers into his shirt and pulling him gently back for more. He indulges you with a throaty chuckle, lips returning to yours with a little more pressure, a little more wanting. This time his tongue ever so slightly comes to trace your lips, and they part immediately, the kiss deepening until you feel the effects of it right down to your toes. 

If you thought you were in trouble before, you don’t stand a chance now. The faint traces of peppermint still linger on his tongue and you chase the taste eagerly, stomach in knots when an arm curls around your body to bring you flush against his. Though you’re lost in the feel and taste of him, Jack remains aware of the goings on around you both and inwardly curses the sound of people nearing the door inside of the hall.

Words are mumbled against your lips. 

“Darlin’, is there somewhere we can go a little more private?”

He’s not quite finished with you yet, and he’ll be damned if anyone’s cutting this short. Your boy included. He’s a great kid and all, but not the best with his damn timing. You don’t even realise your hands have wandered, finding a home on his hips and fisting desperately at his shirt.

Private? There’s nowhere private in this town, especially here. The hall is practically the centre of it. There’s out the back, you suppose, where the dumpsters are. It’ll have to do, because you need more of those lips preferably as soon as fucking possible. 

You snatch his hand and start leading the way, the icy air nipping at your arms. 

“Is there nowhere inside? You’ll catch your death out here,” Jack speaks behind you with a tinge of concern as you lead him down the steps and around the building. 

“Guess you’ll have to keep me warm, then.”

“I got no problems with that, sugar, believe me, but still—”

There’s rustling, his hand pulling softly out of yours and then the cover of something heavy and warm, smelling distinctly of that intoxicating cologne that has your mouth watering, over your shoulders. You shift in his jacket, smiling at the typical chivalry that seems to come so naturally from him.

Jack eyes your surroundings when you eventually get around the building, not exactly pleased by the thought of not being able to give you the romantic environment you deserve, but he can’t see or hear anyone in close range and that’s damn good enough for him. He sweeps you into his arms, grinning at your little sharp cry of surprise and crowds you into the wall, his jacket saving your thinly covered shoulders from rubbing against the rough brick facade.

Settling back against the building with a smile of your own, you blink sweetly up at him and tilt your head in playful curiosity. “Is there something I can help you with, cowboy?”

“Yes, darlin’, as a matter of fact there is.”

His hot breath sweeps over your lips and they part in anticipation, your heart beating heavily in your chest as his nose brushes along your own. He drags it out, teasingly pulling away at the last second when you get only centimetres away from his lips and grinning when you make a low noise of impatience.

“Did you need somethin’, sugar?” He drawls deeply, warm brown eyes hooded as they flick between your eyes and lips.

“Oh, shut up,” you groan softly, tangling your fingers into the front of his shirt and tugging him forward. His mouth slants messily over yours, a sudden tangle of tongue and teeth, and you can’t help but moan softly at the overwhelming intensity of it.

A sound that has the power to be his entire fucking undoing, he finds as it ricochets through his ears and right to the very core of him.

Gone is the tender moment of before, cuddled under mistletoe and filled with the warmth of something sweet and unknown. He presses into you fully, firmly, his body pinning you to the wall and giving you the chance of feeling dip and curve of him. His hands grab at your waist, fingers digging roughly into your skin and you curl into him even further, your own hands finding and clutching at his broad shoulders.

You’re left panting against the side of the building when you eventually part, the sound of shouts and laughter off in the distance cutting through the dizzying haze that had fallen over your mind. Jack’s no better, clearly struggling to regulate his own breathing as he braces himself against the wall with his palms, effectively caging you in.

One shared glance and you both dissolve into quiet laughter, either the kiss or the cold bringing a charming pink tinge to Jack’s cheeks, which you trace softly with icy fingers.

“I think the snow’s about to come in, I should get the kids home. Are you still okay to give us a ride?”

“Of course, but I’ll uh… I’ll catch up with you, sugar. I’m gonna need a minute.”

—

Despite the obvious exhaustion hanging in the kid’s limbs, he does a damn good job of fighting the call of sleep long enough to set up for the big visit. Cookies that absolutely had to be presented on a christmas tree dish, a glass of cold milk and nine individual carrots. When Jack asks if using the whole bag was necessary, Gabe levels him with an unimpressed glare.

“One carrot isn’t enough for nine reindeer.”

“That’s a fair point.”

“Will you still be here in the morning?”

Jack casts a glance towards the kitchen, where he can hear you washing the cups that were used for hot chocolate upon getting home. “Uh, probably not, kid.”

Gabe deflates with a quiet oh, his face falling into a little frown. He shifts on his feet, gaze moving from the twinkling Christmas tree to Jack before stepping closer and wrapping his arms around the man. Jack holds still, not exactly sure how to take the sudden sweet affection from the boy whose love language was calling him lame and taking his money.

“Well, Merry Christmas, Jack,” the boy mumbles into his chest, and Jack swallows the sudden feel of something building in the back of his throat as he returns the embrace. 

“Merry Christmas, kid,” he rasps quietly, hand stroking through the hat flattened curls on the back of his head. 

“Alright mister, time to hit the hay.”

Gabe releases his hold as you reenter the room and nods, giving Jack one last smile before making his way to the stairs. You follow behind him, stopping him on the third step and spinning him softly to face you.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

“Yes mum,” he sighs dramatically, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling and back.

Grinning, you fix his baggy pyjama top and plant a kiss on his cheek. “And what about your Christmas wish?”

“I don’t need to make it anymore,” he shrugs, and you recoil in surprise. “My wish has been the same for ages, and I think it’s coming true now.”

“Oh?” You frown in curiosity, brushing a stray curl from his forehead. He’s never told you what he wishes for, so the fact he thinks it’s suddenly coming true has you wondering what it could be. “Can I ask what it is?”

“Nope,” he grins, casting one final glance towards Jack before giving you a cuddle and starting back up the stairs. “Night mum.”

You watch him go with a look of interest, listening to the creak of his bedroom door as he closes it behind him. Did he somehow know he was getting a new iPad? Did he find it stashed away before you could wrap it? Damn, you thought you hid it so well. 

“He’s a real good kid,” Jack says from where he lounges against the doorframe of the living room. “They both are.”

“I know,” you smile.

The conversation echoes the one you had when he first came over, and the memory isn’t lost on Jack either as he grins in return. 

“I had a good time tonight, sugar. I suppose this festive season stuff isn’t too bad, after all. Don’t tell anyone I said that.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

His grin widens briefly as he looks back to the tree, uncertainty beginning to stir in the pit of his stomach. It’s probably getting to that time of the night where he should leave you to it, no doubt you’d have a few things to organise before going to bed yourself, but he doesn’t want to just yet. Can’t seem to find the strength to grab his stetson and jacket and say goodbye.

He doesn’t want it to seem like he’s expecting anything to happen. The night could end with that kiss shared against the hall and he’d leave a damn happy man, but curiosity has him waiting, wondering what move you’d make next, if any. You don’t say anything for a few moments, comfortable with the silence you share as you each watch the other.

Louisa’s long gone and lost to dreams, the girl barely able to keep her eyes open for more than thirty seconds when Jack pried her from the car to bring her inside. Gabe’s ability to fall asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow should be scientifically studied, so you wouldn’t have to worry about him either.

You quietly start making your way up the stairs, pausing just half way up and glancing back at Jack over your shoulder. He’s watching, waiting. The shy little sultry smile you send him is all the invitation he needs.

Knowing he’s right there and following your footsteps has your heart going wild with every step you take closer to your bedroom. A hand presses to the small of your back when you eventually reach your door and push it open, Jack moving damn near silent as the grave as he steps in behind you and closes the door.

“I haven’t done this in a long time,” you admit, nerves finally getting the better of you when his eyes land on you.

“Don’t you worry about that, sugar,” he replies, stepping forward to cup your jaw and you turn into his hand, seeking the reassuring touch. “Now you’re sure about this?”

A silly question.

“More than anything.”

His mouth is on yours as soon as he hears your words, and your head swims from the sweet press of his lips. It’s soft, a moment to put your nerves at ease and work you gently into it, something you’re thankful for as the tension slowly leaks from your shoulders. You follow his lead, letting him kiss you into an absolute frenzy until you feel brave enough to move your hands to unbutton his shirt and push it from his shoulders.

It’s when you trail your hands softly over his ribs and stomach does he kiss you deeper and let his own hands wander, palms smoothing over your sides and back before finding the zipper of your dress. You hold your breath as he tugs at it, shivering at the warm fingers that run along your bare skin when it’s finally open.

You slip your arms out of the short sleeves and let the fabric puddle at your feet, your bra quickly following, and your body warms under the way he unashamedly rakes his eyes over you in the muted light of your bedroom. 

“Lay down for me, darlin’. Let me take care of you.”

He watches as you sink into your mattress and wiggle yourself up the bed until your head rests comfortably on your pillows, that charming grin you love oh so much tugging at his lips when you give him another shy smile. 

“You’re beautiful.”

He’s one to talk, standing at the foot of your bed shirtless and looking like that.

“And you’re too far away.”

Your thighs part as he climbs onto the bed after you, crawling between your spread legs and over your body, chasing the taste of your mouth before directing his attention to your jaw, and then your throat. His teeth nip at your skin, his tongue soothes the brief tinge of pain away, and you don’t know whether you’re trying to pull him closer or push him away with the more he works your body into an absolute fever.

Fingers trace the waistband of your underwear and your heart starts to beat that much harder in your chest you think he must be able to feel it under his lips. You start to squirm beneath him when his fingers slip beneath the fabric and run softly over your core, brushing over the slick build of arousal and tracing your clit.

“Fuck—”

“Easy,” he murmurs soothingly against your skin, and you swear you hear a smile in his tone.

A thick finger slides into you, probing and curling against your hot walls before a second joins, and the stretch burns in the best of ways. He works you open slowly, more than content to go at his own leisurely pace and indulge in every twitch of slick muscle and quiet moan he can pull from your lips as he kisses his way along your body.

By the time his mouth reaches your stomach, you’re an absolute mess.

He pulls his fingers from your pussy to rid you of your underwear and you whine at the sudden loss of them filling you, but anticipation builds deep in the pit of your stomach as he settles comfortably between your spread legs, arms hooking under your thighs until they rest over his shoulders.

“Are you trying to kill me, cowboy?” You breathe weakly, biting at your lower lip when you feel his warm breath blow over your pussy.

He chuckles softly, “Sorry, sugar.”

The feel of his tongue making a path between your entrance and clit feels like anything but an apology. Your hand flies to his hair, fingers tangling tightly in it as he applies pressure to your clit, lips sucking at it softly and tongue rubbing slow, firm circles until you could almost go mad from the steady lull of it.

He likes to take his time.

There’s no rush with Jack, no quick foreplay so he can turn around and ask for his turn and get right to what he wants. He seems to enjoy working you up as much as you enjoy being victim to it. He waits until you’re breathless to change course, to alternate between building up your climax with firm laps of tongue and then letting it die down to taste you deeper, open mouth flush to your pussy as his tongue tastes you right from the source, and then right back up to start all over again. 

Again and again.

“Jack, please—”

You feel a touch of teeth against your clit as he grins and you think then and there that he really is out to kill you. Slowly, and very fucking nicely.

“You can handle a little more, sugar.”

“No, no I really can’t. Please, please do something—”

He groans softly against you, and the vibrations against your clit have your fingers tightening in his hair. He does like that. You tug at it some more, breathing another few pleas for good measure and finally—finally—you get what you want. He breaks free of his routine, tongue merciless as it strokes and rubs into your clit.

There’s no room to wiggle or squirm free of his hold. His arms lock around your thighs, giving you no room for reprieve as he chases your climax and you can only endure, barely remembering to keep your noises to a minimum as he drags you up and over the edge and then some.

You’re trembling in his hold when he finally breaks free of you, sweat slicking your brow and clit throbbing from the overstimulation. That damn smile is back on his face when he eventually crawls back over you, placing a wet messy kiss to the corner of your lips when you can only manage a half hearted glare his way.

“How’re you holdin’ up?”

“Shut up.”

“That’s the second time you’ve told me to shut up tonight.”

“Yeah, well… you deserve it.”

He chuckles quietly, resting his body weight against yours and you whine at the rough press of denim to your sensitive flesh. Your eyes flutter closed when his lips close over yours, his moustache wet and slick with your arousal. It’s hard to feel self conscious about any of it when he’s kissing you like this—tenderly, hungrily.

“Jeans,” you murmur into his mouth, hands tugging impatiently at his belt until he kneels and undoes the thick leather band and begins to slip out of his pants.

He’s back over you within minutes and you relish the feel of hot skin against yours, the heavy feel of his hard cock resting against your core. Your pussy clenches as he gives a small thrust against you.

“Do you have anything?”

“I don’t exactly get a lot of action, cowboy. Do you?”

“I wasn’t really expecting to sleep with the town's prettiest baker, sugar.” He grins, eyes warm as they dance across your face. He kisses you again, soft and reassuring. “It’s alright, we don’t have to—”

“No. No, no—please. I’m clean, and I’ve got the rod. Are you—do you—”

“Clean,” he rasps, and with your final nod of encouragement his hips shift until he’s lining himself up and sliding into you. He’s thick, the stretch of him almost too much even with his earlier attentions to get you ready. He stops halfway before pulling back out, only to sink deeper in on the next thrust.

He keeps the pace slow and steady, letting you adjust to the feel of him while kissing you senseless. Your hands are unable to stay in one place too long, going from curling around his neck to keep his mouth on yours, to his shoulders, to his back and hips. You start to rock up to meet his thrusts, coaxing him deeper and harder until he drives into you hard enough to rock the bed and knock the headboard against the wall.

You both freeze at the sudden sound, and he breaks away from your mouth to eye the headboard with a frown. This won’t work, not with the way he wants to have you, the way you obviously want him to have you. And how could he disappoint you? No, this won’t do.

“It’s okay,” you breathe softly with a smile, “we’ll just have to be careful.”

“‘scuse me, sugar,” he mutters after a moment of thought, tugging a pillow free from under your shoulder and leaning up over you to shove it harshly between the headboard and the wall. He gives an experimental heavy thrust of his hips once he deems it in position and your hands scramble for purchase, coming to tightly clutch at his waist.

When the headboard doesn’t knock against the wall again, he gives you a sly look of victory and grins.

“There we go. Now where was I?”

“Doing that again.”

“Of course, how could I forget?” He teases playfully, curling back over you to swallow your broken moans as he resumes the pace he had been working into before.

You clench, tighten and flutter around him as he fucks into you, mouth still so sweet and soft against your own it’s hard to keep up with the contrast of it all.

He kisses you until he physically can’t anymore, breaking away to hide his face into your throat as the slick feel of your pussy builds that tightening growing in the pit of his stomach. He pulls you closer, tangles his fingers with your own, finds every possible way to be even closer still. He wants to drown in you, feel and taste you and be surrounded by nothing but you.

It’s your final barely coherent utter of his name that sends him hurtling off the edge, a long drawn out fuck muffled into the skin of your throat as he feels himself fill you. He doesn’t move from covering you until he’s long gone soft, barely able to bring himself to pull out of you and collapse softly beside you.

His heart hammers in his chest, something else swimming beside the post-climax bliss and he’s not quite sure what to make of it, what to think. This is more than a simple fleeting attraction.

He likes you.

He really fucking likes you. Great sex out of the equation, he likes your company. He likes that you can laugh at and with him. He likes your home and how comfortable he is in it. He likes your kids.

Shit.

Now what?

“You doing okay over there, cowboy?” You ask gently, head rolling to the side to watch him. He’s thinking long and hard about something, and you hope to god it wasn’t something like regret.

“I don’t think I can leave this behind, sugar,” he mutters, eyes locked on the ceiling as he works his way through his thoughts and swallows the brief shake of nerves. “I thought I’d be runnin’ out of town by the time my vacation was up, but this… you and the kids, I don’t think I can leave it so easily.”

He leaves his confession to sink in for a moment, tongue sweeping along his lips as his heart starts to roar in his ears. He can’t look at you, doesn’t want to see the potential rejection build in your eyes before it passes through your lips, so he keeps his eyes away.

“I know I said I don’t have the option of datin’ because of my work, but… would you let me try?”

It’s a long shot. You’ve never had this conversation, never broached potentially taking this further than just a little fleeting moment in your lives. There’s a chance he’s just gone and ruined whatever casual thing you’d both crafted, but it was worth a shot, right?

Maybe he should’ve just kept this to himself and thought more on it back at the cabin.

“Long distance is hard, but we can take it slow,” you decide quietly, smiling softly when his eyes dart to you. “I don’t think I can just let you run out of town and never see you again, cowboy.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Thank Christ. He heaves a sigh of relief and rolls onto his side, coaxing you into his arms and brushing a few fingers gently across your cheek. You turn into the heat of his body, winding an arm around him and letting your fingers dance random patterns up and down his back.

“Would you like to stay for Christmas?” You ask against his chest, nuzzling into his hot skin.

“It’s a special time for the kids, I don’t wanna intrude—”

“You wouldn’t be. You’re invited. They’d love to have you here, if you want to be. Do you think you’ll be able to survive a proper Christmas with us?”

He grins, “I’d love nothin’ more, sugar.”

“So it’s settled. Come on, you grinch. I’ll show you how to play Santa.”

He watches you roll from the bed and tuck yourself into your dressing gown, and you only notice his frown when you’re tying the thin belt and sliding your slippers on.

“What's wrong?”

“The fact that you’re up and walkin’ so damn easily. I’ll take care of that, once we’ve taken care of this.”

—

The chair next to him is empty when he sits down, and Tequila throws a curious glance Champ’s way. He’d half expected Whiskey to be clawing his way back into the building first thing this morning. His desk had been untouched, the corridors empty of his presence. No one had seen or heard anything about him.

Worry begins to stir in his chest, wondering if they’ve maybe pushed him too hard and he’s gone and quit for another agency, but it quickly dissolves away when he realises Champ’s at ease and unbothered. Losing Jack would hit the older man quite hard, so to see him reclined in his office chair with a cigar in hand is a sign everything is well. 

“Agent Whiskey’s extended his vacation,” Champ states, breaking the silence and answering the questions building on the young agent's tongue. “He’ll be back after New Years.” 

Tequila settles back into his chair and grins. So good ol’ Scrooge ended up having a decent Christmas after all. Good for him.

“Finally enjoyin’ some peace and quiet, then.”

“He’s enjoyin’ somethin’, alright. He’s asked for the weekend of Valentine’s Day off, too.”

—end.

[daisynik7]

Idol Fan Wars

Masterlist

Pairing: Aoi Todo x f!reader

Rating: Mature - MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Genre: romance, comedy, canon-universe

cw: enemies-to-loves trope, fake dating trope, switching POVs (2nd and 3rd person), explicit language, sexual tension, eventual smut, fluff, slow burn

Summary: You are Tall Idol Takada-Chan’s #1 fan. You finally get a chance to attend your very first concert. There’s just one thing in your way: A himbo by the name of Aoi Todo. Worst of all, he claims to be Takada-Chan’s #1 fan. Every event you go to, he’s there, competing for the idol’s attention. Well, two can play at that game. This means war.

Aoi Todo is Takada-Chan’s biggest fan, no question. He’s got the whole summer filled with events for his favorite pop idol slash future wife. The only problem: There’s this girl who he keeps running into that also claims to be the idol’s #1 fan. Todo is always up for a little competition, so it’s on. But when Takada-Chan starts giving special treatment to them because she thinks they’re a “cute couple”, these two battling fans put their differences aside to get what they want. And maybe more than what they expect.

Author's Notes: Okay, I am FINALLY uploading this here! I published this series on ao3 November '22 and it's one of my favorites that I've written! I really love this himbo, so I'm excited to share this with you all here on Tumblr! Divider by @/saradika.

Likes, reblogs, and/or comments are always appreciated, thank you for reading!

Chapter Titles and Summaries (spoiler-free):

Chapter 1: The Takada-Chan Mall Concert - Your first ever Takada-Chan concert doesn't go as planned.

Chaper 2: The Takada-Chan Handshake Event - Takada-Chan’s first Handshake Event of the summer goes better and worse than you expect.

Chapter 3: The Takada-Chan Meet and Greet - Takada-Chan's top 2 fans are late to a Meet and Greet, but it all works out in the end.

Chapter 4: Tall Idol Takada-Chan's Birthday - You and Sara attend a Takada-Chan birthday celebration at a local café.

Chapter 5: Win a Date with Takada-Chan! Part I - You win a very exclusive contest to join in a group date with Takada-Chan! You’re able to bring a guest, but Sara is busy that day. Who else can you bring? None other than your fake boyfriend Aoi Todo.

Chapter 6: Win a Date with Takada-Chan! Part II - The second half of Takada-Chan’s big group date is underway. Or so you think.

Epilogue - All of what happens in four months of dating your new boyfriend slash past rival Aoi Todo, leading up to Takada-Chan’s “Winter Wonderland”.

Please do not plagiarize any of my works or translate without my permission!

[chelseaknoo]

25 days with Eminem

(Starts on December 1st!)

Plot: Hailie, Stevie, and Alaina are coming over to celebrate Christmas with you and Marshall. Recently, you and Marshall welcomed your son, Jackie, who is now 8 months old.

Day 1:

You and the family decide to decorate the Christmas tree while also putting on some Christmas jazz.Marshall puts up the mistletoe and steals a few kisses from you.

Day 2:

The family decides to help you bake cookies.Which turns into a complete disaster.

Day 3:

As you all begin putting up the Christmas decorations, things quickly turn into a complete disaster.

Day 4:

You all get snowed in with no internet, forcing the family to spend the day playing board games and retelling favorite family stories. Meanwhile, you and Marshall manage to sneak upstairs for some private fun.

Day 5:

You and Marshall take a quiet walk through a snowy park with Jackie bundled up in his stroller.

Day 6:

A playful family snowball fight.

Day 7:

You all head to the mall for a shopping spree and take pictures with the mall Santa.

Day 8:

The family leaves, giving you and Marshall some much-needed alone time by the tree.

Day 9:

You and Marshall spend the night cuddling in the living room, sipping hot chocolate as the comforting sounds of the fireplace crackle in the background.

Day 10:

You and the kids take Marshall ice skating for the first time.

Day 11:

You guys went to a huge winter wonderland.

Day 12:

The family goes on a sleigh ride.

Day 13:

After a long day of holiday activities, you and Marshall tuck Jackie into bed, then retreat to your own room for a quiet night in.

Day 14:

Pajamas photo shoot.

Day 15:

Gingerbread house contest.

Day 16:

Binging Christmas movies.

Day 17:

The family makes their own ornaments.

Day 18:

You and Marshall take Jackie to see a kids Christmas play.

Day 19:

Go sledding.

Day 20:

Spending the night with Marshall.

Day 21:

Santa and naughty girl role-play.

Day 22:

Marshall takes you out on a Christmas date.

Day 23:

You go to a local Christmas tree lighting ceremony, where Marshall surprises you with a kiss under the giant tree

Day 24:

You guys have a lovely Christmas Eve dinner.

Day 25:

On Christmas Day you guys spend it opening gifts.You decide to give Marshall a special gift you’ve been keeping just for him..

[parad-ice-lostandfound]

Prompt: "No, I'm not buying you that."

Pairing: Divus Crewel and GN!Reader/Prefect/Yuu (familial)

Genre: Fluff

TW: None

AN: I want Crewel to terrorise Crowley into giving Yuu everything they need and want, so this is my contribution to the agenda lmao. I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy it just as much! ^^

"What's next on our list, pup?"

Divus Crewel's voice was crisp and clear as he spoke to you. The two of you had been out shopping, now that the winter holidays had started. Even though Night Raven College was officially out for the holidays, Crewel would often visit the college to check up on the various plants in the greenhouse (and on you).

"Sweaters," you hummed, following him around with bags containing everything you had bought so far. Crewel had a soft spot for you, and it showed with how adamant he was about you and Grim celebrating the holidays properly.

He had told you that it was a unanimous decision of the entire staff of Night Raven College to have any and all expenses incurred by you during the winter break to be taken up by the institution (read: Crowley) as thanks for all that you did, from being Crowley's unofficial assistant, to the numerous overblots you fought and by extension, the students you saved.

You went along with it, because hey, who would look a gift horse in the mouth? Especially when the horse was delivered by a surprisingly triumphant-looking Divus Crewel.

The professor walked slightly ahead of you, your next destination already in his mind. You lagged behind, eyes wandering here and there as you took in the sights of the town decorated for the winter.

Wandering eyes soon fell on a pair of sweaters displayed on the windows of one of the stores. The sweater was red, with the most tacky green tinsel wrapped around it in a manner that reminded you of Christmas trees. Small LED lights peeped out from between the plastic strands of tinsel, their light reflected on the baubles that decorated the sweater. The one next to it was an identical, but smaller version of it that seemed like it would fit a child. Twisted Wonderland had its own ugly sweater tradition, it seemed.

"Pup?" Professor Crewel placed his hand on your shoulder, breaking your staring contest with the golden baubles on the sweater. His gaze followed yours, and he raised an eyebrow at seeing what you had been so intrigued by.

"Can we get that?" You asked him, peering at him with the sweetest puppy dog eyes you could muster. Some things were just so ugly that they were cute, and this pair of sweaters was most certainly that. You wanted, no, needed to see Grim in the smaller version.

"No, I am not buying you that," Crewel hummed, eyebrows drawn into a frown as he looked from your pleading expression to the sweater on display.

"Why not?"

"(Name), I could make you a sweater much better than that."

"I know, but that's not what I want. I want those sweaters, please?" you blinked, and Crewel narrowed his eyes at you.

After a few moments of you defiantly tugging on his coat, he relented. He gave you a look which clearly showed his reluctance, but finally nodded his head in the direction of the door to the shop, permission silently given. You beamed at him before skipping into the shop, while all Crewel could do was shake his head as he followed you.

Oh well, Crowley was the one paying for it anyways.

Back to Masterlist...

[vampire-cupid]

Day 9: Christmas Shopping

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!!!

All around you were Christmas lights. The whole mall had been turned into a winter wonderland.

You barely had time to look around with someone pulling on your arms.

Emily was on your right side, trying to get you in a expensive looking store while Jess wanted to pull you into Victoria’s secrets.

Annoyed, Emily groaned “Jess, you have enough lingerie.” “But I want something special for Christmas!” “You are gonna end up naked anyway!” “And why is that? You are the one who wants me that way.”

Having enough with their bickering, you step in “You two realize that everyone is staring at you and that they can hear you.”

Both girls got quiet, glancing around the room and finding more men staring at them than they would like.

“How about we first look at what we wear on top and then what goes underneath?”

With a pout, Jess agrees, getting pulled along into the store.

Emily already knew where she was heading, holding different clothes in front of you two to see what would fit.

Like the dutiful girlfriend you are, you carry the clothes Emily handed you.

You smiled as you watched the two of them. Even if they argued, a lot, it was still fun to watch them. Currently Jess argued that the shirt Emily picked out wouldn’t show off enough of her goods to which Em only said “Why would you need to show them off, we already know you are hot!”

After spending way too much money on clothes, Jess finally dragged you to the underwear store, laughing happily.

Her first stop was thongs, hoping to finally get Emily to wear them. “They are super uncomfortable!” “You just wear them wrong!” “How can you wear them wrong!”

Holding back your laughter, you continued to watch them, knowing they weren’t fighting for real, just riling each other up for later.

Emily loved when Jess would be bratty and Jess loved when Em got all bossy.

And you? You were happy that most of the time their contests involved you. To see who can make you cum sooner.

“What do you think?” Jess snapped you out of your thoughts, holding a very revealing Christmas lingerie set.

Looking at the price you gasp. “How is it possible that the most expensive stuff has the least cloth.” Shrugging her shoulders, she once again gestured to the set.

“So? Yes or no?”

You didn’t even get a chance to reply before Emily chimed in.

“Babe, you know you don’t have to wear the sluttiest things, how about something like this?” The squeal Jess let out made you smile.

Nearly throwing the set she had away, she happily grabbed what Em found.

Still sexy and revealing but more in a teasing way than a showing everything way.

“I knew it was good to have you here.” Jess giggled to which Emily rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, Emily turned to you, pointing at you with a devilish smirk on her lips.

“Now it’s your turn, I already know how I want to look under the Christmas tree.”

Dragging you along, you were surprised to get pushed into the changing room. Jess joined you, already giggling in excitement to Em’s plan.

[idabbleincrazy]

Clexmas Prompts for the Holidays!

Here's a list of prompts, two for each day of December. Feel free to use either one or combine them into the same fic! Fics must be Clex based, but can include any background ship or Clex+others. Tag me if you use the prompts and want to be reblogged!

“What do you mean you 'don't need a coat'?” / Snowball Fight

"That was more ice than snow!" / First Snow

“Maybe you could warm me up...?” / Cuddling by the Fireplace

“Looks like you've caught a cold.” “I never…achoo…get sick. I'm fine!” / Under the Mistletoe

“You're so toasty!” / Holiday Traditions

“Thank you for making it special.” / Naughty or Nice

“Let's build a snowman!” / Spiked Eggnog

“It's just a little something.” / Decorations

“But if I get out of bed I'll be cold!” / Sleigh Ride

“You did all of this yourself?” / Caroling

“I can't believe you got me this!” / Winter Wonderland - Metropolis Style

“That's the ugliest sweater I've ever seen.” /Ugly Sweater Party

“You've never been ice-skating?” / Picking Out the Tree

“Looks like we're snowed in.” / Dinner at the Kents

“Office parties suck…that's why I brought you here, to share my misery.” / Party at the Talon

“At least pretend to like it!” / White Elephant Party

“Here, warm yourself by the fire.” / Secret Santa

“No one should be alone for the holidays.” / Movie Marathon

“I see we've ended up under the mistletoe.” / Baked Goods

“Hey, no peeking!” / Gift Wrapping

“You're the best present I could have ever wished for.” / Winter Solstice

"You know you aren't getting this jacket back, right? It's mine now." / Gingerbread House Contest

"You always look better with my stuff on...you might as well steal my entire wardrobe at this point." / Making Cider

"I brought my jacket because I knew you would forget yours." / Candy Canes

"Oh, don't be such a scrooge." "Bah humbug." / Christmas/Hanukkah

"Just think about how warm it’ll be once we’re there." "And how’s that supposed to help me now?” / Twelve Days of Christmas

“If that snowman moves, I’m hitting it with the shovel.” / Seeing the Light Displays

"You know, I heard that hot chocolate makes everything better.” / Sledding

“It's Smallville, I wouldn’t discount the possibility of ghosts showing up to teach me a lesson.” / Champagne

“Look, I'm not sure if I'll be back in time for New Year's Eve. Come to Metropolis with me?” / Fireworks

“Luthor's don't make resolutions they can't keep." / New Year's Kiss

@leatafandom

[libraryofloveletters]

A Solid Foundation

Christian Pulisic x Fem!Reader

Warnings: feeling homesick, gingerbread making, a little friendly competition, a loving girlfriend and a loved boyfriend, the houses aren't structurally sound lol, some soft moments

Word Count: 627

Author's Note: every time I see Chris, all my patriotism leaves my body (not like there was much anyways lmao)

--

You and Christian have a contest to see who can build the best gingerbread house. Safe to say, you both went a little overboard.

Christian was feeling a little bit homesick.

The football season was keeping him alone for longer than expected, and he will be missing out on all the pre-holiday activities that his family tends to do together. Amongst the many traditions that the Pulisic family had, the building of gingerbread houses was one of Christian's favourites.

You figured while your boyfriend was away at training, you pop to the store and see if you could pick up the things to have your own little gingerbread night at home. The selection of the store was rather lacklustre, you could tell just by the packaging alone that the gingerbread was going to be stale.

So, rather than buying stale gingerbread, you opted to make it; and for a first attempt, it didn't come out too badly.

Christian was a bit confused as to why the house smells like gingerbread when he got home. The further he walked into the house and the closer he got to the dining room, he could see you leant over the table trying to fix something.

"Babe?" He calls and you turn to face him, a cheesy Christmas apron tied around you.

You smile at your boyfriend, "you're home!" You walked over to give him a quick kiss, taking his bag from him and setting it off to the corner. "Go wash your hands, we're making gingerbread houses!"

Christian smiles, his heart warming at all the effort you put in just to put a smile on his face.

He quickly followed your instructions, off to the kitchen to wash his hands before joining you at the dining room table.

The table has all the pieces lined up along with frosting and candies you'd use to decorate. "I bet I can build the best house," Christian says as you slide a plastic knife over to him, letting him use that to put the frosting on his house.

You roll your eyes, carefully lining up your pieces, "as if. We both know I'd do it better than you."

If there was one thing about you and Christian, you were both extremely competitive and that showed in everything you two did; from the simplest of tasks to the most complicated, you two tried to outdo each other.

"Bet on it?" He asks, glancing across the table at you. There's a smug smile on your face, nodding. "Bet on it."

Off you went, you and Chris putting together your houses and the amount of frosting used to stick them together was outrageous. Not to mention the amounts used to put the candies on the house - Christian was going for an AC Milan themed house while you were going for a winter wonderland theme.

The gingerbread houses have yet to fully set together with the frosting, so they were still a bit wobbly when you loaded them up with more frosting and candy. The weight of the candy and frosting on top causes the gingerbread houses to collapse before you could even take a photo.

It's a bit of a domino effect, Christian's house cracks and then yours, and before you know it, they're both tumbling down into a pile of gingerbread, candy and frosting on the dining room table.

You and Christian exchange a glance before you burst out laughing. There wasn't much else you could do but laugh.

He picked out a piece that wasn't too covered in frosting before he took a bite of it, sinking back into his chair. "Thank you baby." He says and your brows furrow slightly, chin propped up on your hand.

"What for?"

"This,"he gestured to the pile of gingerbread on the table.

You smile, reaching over to hold his hand. "No need to thank me, that's what I'm here for."

[piecesofchess]

Winter Wonderland Contest is here!!!

KI continues with the W, just hope they don't 'accidentally' randomly pick another AI entry this year....

[edwardsparkleblood]

My entry for the Wizard101 2023 Winter Wonderland contest!!!! And also my plea to Kingsisle to release an official Manticore plushie, @KyleIceWielder message me, I will give you personally $100 to convince the devs to make it happen Gonna post it to my twitter later but wanted to post it here first since there's actually a wiz community

[brodygold]

The Snowman Contest

The snow fell thick and steady over the Golden Army’s training grounds, blanketing the pitch and the surrounding hills in soft white. Brody and Scott stood together, surveying the pristine winter wonderland with matching grins. Both wore their team-issued white shirts under shiny gold puffer jackets that gleamed in the cold sunlight. The crisp air carried the sound of distant laughter as some of the team began arriving.

“I told you this would be a great idea,” Brody said, nudging Scott with his elbow.

Scott, the British lad with his ever-charming smirk, nodded. “Aye, bro. It’s about time we did somethin’ besides kickin’ a ball around. The lads could use a bit of fun.”

The two had planned this winter party for weeks, deciding that the Golden Army deserved a break from their intense training. They’d made sure everyone had the golden jackets to keep warm and insisted on matching white shirts beneath them for a cohesive look. After all, they were the Golden Army—style mattered.

One by one, the team arrived. Richard, the captain, strode up in his gold puffer jacket, looking regal as always. Ambrose and Ross were next, arm in arm, debating strategy even during their day off. Jacob and Roman showed up, each carrying thermoses of hot chocolate to share. Caleb and Bruce had matching scarves wrapped around their necks, and Henry brought a speaker blasting upbeat tunes.

“Right, bros!” Brody called, clapping his hands together. “We’re gonna have a proper snowman-building contest. Teams of three. Scott and I will judge—winner gets braggin’ rights and first dibs on the drinks!”

The players split into groups with competitive energy crackling in the air.

Richard, Henry, and Caleb aimed for precision, carefully crafting a towering snowman with perfectly round layers. Richard, ever the leader, barked instructions while Henry and Caleb rolled snow under his watchful eye.

Joey, Ambrose, and Roman went for humor, sculpting their snowman with exaggerated features and adding a scarf made of twigs. Ambrose kept cracking jokes while Joey attempted to make their snowman stand upright.

Ross, Jacob, and Bruce leaned into creativity. Ross insisted their snowman should have “character,” so they gave it horns made of icicles and a mischievous grin.

As the competition heated up, so did the antics. Snowballs flew left and right. Brody narrowly avoided getting hit by one of Roman’s fast throws, only to retaliate with a perfectly aimed shot at Caleb. The music from Henry’s speaker set a festive mood, mixing laughter with the crunch of boots on snow.

“Watch out!” Scott yelled, diving to shield a hot chocolate thermos from being knocked over in the fray.

After an hour, the groups presented their snowmen. Richard’s team unveiled a snowman so precise it looked like a marble statue. Joey’s team had a comically lopsided creation that everyone instantly loved for its personality. Ross’s team introduced their “snow-beast,” complete with icicle fangs.

Scott and Brody pretended to deliberate seriously, pacing between the creations. Finally, Scott raised his hands to announce the winner. “The award goes to… Joey’s team! For the most ridiculous yet endearing snowman!”

Cheers erupted, and Joey’s team celebrated by flinging more snowballs.

As the sun dipped lower, casting golden hues over the snow, the team gathered around a fire pit. They sipped hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows, the snowmen standing as silent guardians of their fun.

“Best idea ever,” Richard admitted, clapping Brody on the back.

Brody grinned, his cheeks flushed from the cold and laughter. “We’re the Golden Army, Cap. We always know how to make somethin’ shine—even in winter.”

The team laughed in agreement, basking in the warmth of their camaraderie. For that day, just like every other day in the Golden Army, they weren’t just a soccer team—they were a family.

[bluesylveon2]

And At Last I See the Light

This is my entry for the @merotwst and @cvlutos' contest. Also, I heard that it was your birthday, so happy birthday to @merotwst!!! Thank you for answering all of my questions, even though I started writing his a few days ago. I hope you like this fic I word vomited wrote based on "I See the Light" from Tangled (it's my favorite Disney song and it screamed Jamil) 😁

Disclaimer: I do not own Twisted Wonderland and its characters. Those belong to Aniplex, Walt Disney Japan, and Yana Toboso.

Note: Reader is referred to as "the Prefect" and is female, set during Book 5 (let's pretend that Jamil can sneak and the snow has melted some), and lots of symbolism

Word Count: 1246

Warnings: not beta read, possible OOC characters, and lots of exposition in the beginning

Jamil was used to being below Kalim. No matter if it was in studies, exercises, or games, Kalim had to outshine him in it all. If Kalim was a warm sunny day in the summer, then Jamil was a cold dark night in the winter. 

Everyone preferred the summer, just as everyone preferred Kalim. 

No one looked Jamil’s way. No one asked about how he felt. No one wanted to spend their days in the moonlight when they could sleep until sunrise. In short, no one wanted him to shine his light on them. In turn, Jamil was blinded by the sun that he could not see the world around him. The male was subjected to dreaming about a life where he was free.  

When Jamil saw his life become stagnant, he was determined to change it. The air became colder, and the night was longer when Jamil enacted his plan. Unfortunately, his plan was ruined by the Ramshackle Prefect, her cat monster, and the annoying Octanvielle trio. 

Life after the incident had slightly improved. He still served Kalim, but the Housewarden started seeing him as equal despite their positions. Jamil would not say it aloud, but it was a small step in the right direction. 

Another change included his relationship with the Prefect. The two had gotten on friendlier terms after he made up for trapping her and Grim in Scarabia and dealing with his overblot (read: he made a big apology meal for her and helped with anything she asked). The two had become even closer during the VDC training camp. 

It was during the time when the snow began to melt, and after everyone was asleep, was when the Prefect would stargaze outside the dorm. However, all except one was asleep the first time it happened. Jamil, having to be constantly alert in case an assassin was nearby, woke up to the sound of a creaking floor down the hall. He grabbed his magical pen and followed a dark shadow heading out of the dorm. He maintained a reasonable distance from the figure until the moonlight hit the figure’s frame. Jamil realized that the person he followed was the Prefect all along. An average person would immediately turn around and go back to sleep, but his feet moved automatically, and he joined her instead.

That night, Jamil had stayed up for hours getting to know the Prefect without using a fake persona or with no ill intentions. The Prefect treated him like she had known him for a long time. She had even defended him when Vil questioned Jamil’s eyebags that morning. Usually, Jamil would have told the truth, but he enjoyed spending alone time with the Prefect. He learned more about the Prefect’s world and her love of stargazing. In turn, the Prefect learned about different places Jamil wanted to see. 

Their nightly stargazing continued during his time at the training camp. After a few nights, Jamil realized how blind he was about everything. 

All his days were spent watching outside the windows of Kalim’s house. All of the years of the world moving, he yearned to see it. He never knew if anyone would look his way or ask anything about him, yet that person was in front of him all along. That person was sitting beside him, basking in the moonlight, retelling a story about an incident regarding her friends and the Heartslabyul Housewarden. It was when she laughed that Jamil saw everything clearly. His heartbeat increased, his body felt light, and he began to think about the Prefect more throughout the day. Jamil realized that night that he would follow the Prefect to the ends of the world. He wanted to show her the world because he knew she was where he was meant to go.

When the Prefect first arrived at Twisted Wonderland, she dreamed of when she would finally return to her world. Her mind was focused on going home and initially tried to ignore the world around her. However, she began to doubt her dream after meeting Grim, ADeuce, and the other NRC students. One person who stood out to her was Jamil Viper. Her perspective of him changed after the incident in Scarabia. She forgave him after everything because she saw his true self and how amazing and talented he was. The Prefect never looked down on him or saw him as average. She treated him as an equal.

Now, as the Prefect lay on the soft blanket at a short distance next to the male in question, she realized something as they stared at the twinkling stars in content silence. During her months of staying in this world, of her blindly hoping for the better, she grew to love how things were. The Prefect had love from her friends, entertainment from the Ramshackle ghosts, and support from her professors. Most importantly, she had Jamil. Although Kalim was the sun personified, she always noticed Jamil despite him staying in the shadows. Now, everything seemed crystal clear; she saw him. He was a light that felt warm and real, like sunshine on a summer day. 

“Hey, Jamil?” The Prefect turned to the raven-haired male, and he hummed in response. “What is your favorite season?”

Jamil raised an eyebrow and turned his head to the Prefect, “what’s with the sudden question?”

The Prefect turned to stare into Jamil’s gray eyes, “I’m just curious. So what is it?”

“Summer, because summers in the Scalding Sands are nice. It is also a good time to take a vacation.”

The Prefect chuckled, “You deserve one, Jamil.”

Jamil nodded in agreement, “What is your favorite season?”

“Definitely winter.”

Jamil raised an eyebrow, “Really? Why?”

“Well, there is snow and lots of fun holidays. The nights are longer too. In summer, the nights are short, so the moon is not out for long,” The Prefect looked up at the bright full moon, “In winter, the moon is out longer, like now. I like to use that time to look up and stare at it. I prefer it more than the sun. Besides-” The Prefect glanced at Jamil, “Don’t you think the moon looks beautiful tonight?”

Jamil felt his breath hitch. He could not explain it, but the Prefect’s words seemed to impact him unexpectedly. Jamil thanked the darkness for covering up his blush, and he prayed that she could not hear his rapid heartbeat. 

Meanwhile, the Prefect was having an internal battle about her boldness. Jamil may not know the implications behind her words, but she meant everything. She would focus on spending time with him and let him see another day.  

“Yeah. It really is,” The Prefect’s eyes widen due to Jamil’s voice sounding closer than before. She turned her head and was face to face with him, with his eyes staring straight at her. Both had red faces.

They stared at each other like it was their first time seeing the light. Their hidden feelings began to reveal as if the fog around them had lifted, the sky was anew, and the world shifted to focus on them. No one knew whose hands moved first, but Jamil had one hand on the Prefect’s cheek while both of her hands cupped his face. They moved closer until their lips barely touched each other. 

Now they saw each other as a new light grew between them. The two people complimented each other like summer and winter, or the sun and the moon.

A/N: I'm kinda proud of it although I wish I started later. Again, I hope you liked it @merotwst. Jamil is my favorite character so I hope I did him justice!

©: This story belongs to bluesylveon2 2020-23. DO NOT modify, republish, or plagiarize my work.

[ansonghq]

the holiday season is soon approaching and that means the yearly ansong holiday market is upon us!

downtown ansong is dressed up beautifully just in time for the upcoming holiday season! stores and buildings are decorated with lights, garlands, poinsettia's and snowflakes galore and some places even have mini decorated pine trees placed in their window displays. and, if you listen closely, you can hear holiday music playing wherever you go.

in the heart of downtown ansong is where the holiday market takes place. held every year in the month of december, the holiday market serves as downtown ansong's place to be for seasonal gifts, various food, and other holiday themed things to explore and enjoy. this year the market takes place between december 9th until december 15th.

with free entry to all residents, it is one of the premier events that many look forward to during the month. open from 10am to 10pm, people are free to drop by whenever they like to enjoy the market and all it has to offer.

some things to do around the holiday market are:

visit the outdoor ice skating rink right in the center of downtown! rental ice skates are available for residents to use, or even bring your own!

visit the various food stalls that are selling seasonal winter street foods and drinks (including hot chocolate) sponsored by local shops and residents!

build snowmen in our mini winter wonderland area! enter the 'best snowman' contest to possibly win a prize!

enjoy live entertainment by local artists who will be playing various types of music, including seasonal and christmas tunes!

enjoy the winter parade held on the 14th that runs from 5pm to 6pm!

visit the seasonal photobooth & visit various picture areas around the market that has props and other items available to get that perfect winter season snapshot!

come explore the various seasonal light shows & witness the tree lighting ceremony on december 9th at 8pm!

take a stroll through the winter art walk hosted by infinite impressions that showcases various winter themed-art created by our very own local artists!

and, of course, come buy & sell your various seasonal goods at the holiday market! from christmas trees, custom snow globes, ornaments, and more, there is a little bit of everything for everyone!

PART TWO — SNOWED IN?!

the snow seems to be piling up... with no end in sight. a weather report will be addressing the concerns of many residents at 5pm on the local news. more info to come in the upcoming week!

✽ ooc.

welcome to ansonghq's second event, the ansong holiday market! this event is optional and lasts a week in character but runs until january 4th at 11:59pm est out of character! you may continue threads after the event ends, but you cannot start any new ones!

please tag all starters, threads & edits that relate to the event as #ansongholidaymarket!

if your muse would like to be a vendor, have a stall at the market, or play live music during, please dm the main to let us know!

if you would like any of your event edits to be showcased on our hub, make sure to @ the hub ( @ansonghub ) in the post!

this event can unlock multiple base memories centered around winter time and the holiday season, if the player so wishes! these can be done either through threads, event-related edits, or self-paras!

and as always: have fun!!

✽ part two: snowed in.

the second part is a mini-event that will involve lots of snow, the residents of the jeoseung apartment complex, and some questionable weather conditions that cause some... issues regarding the building. this will place muses together in pairs to deal with a mildly precarious situation that we hope will help foster new connections!

just like the main event, this is optional to members and will take place on december 26th & 27th in character but runs between december 20th until january 3rd at 11:59pm est out of character. full details regarding the mini-event will be posted on december 20th @ 10 am est!

if you're interested in your muses participating, sign ups for this will be held from december 9th until december 19th and can be submitted here in this google form!