fic: under the mistletoe (with you)
under the mistletoe (with you)
sudi • pg • neighbors!au • 4.5k
The holidays are never forgiving to the single, but maybe Kyungsoo doesn't need to mope this year.
The wind is getting even colder, almost all of the leaves have fallen to the ground, the nights are getting longer, and the songs on the radio are changing from bubblegum pop to soulful ballads. The first snow hasn't fallen, but it's official: Seoul is transitioning slowly from fall to winter, and with winter comes-
"Cuffing season!" Jongdae cheers. "The best time of the year!"
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes exasperatedly at his friend's antics, taking a sip of his coffee. Cuffing season is indeed upon them-the reason he's drinking overpriced coffee at a stuffy café far from campus is because Jongdae has a date with his new fling but he also promised to answer Kyungsoo's survey for his research class. Jongin, according to what the philosophy major told him earlier, is finally making moves on his long-time crush Soojung. Baekhyun is on his third blind date this week, but still attempting to woo the lanky guy from Unit 408. The only one probably not dating is Joonmyun-but actually Kyungsoo couldn't be sure, because he's always holed up in his apartment, studying for finals. Kyungsoo only sees him when he needs to go to class, or when he runs out of coffee and frozen food and has to make a quick supermarket run.
(A little part of him is wishing Joonmyun's still single, but as usual, he's trying not to get his hopes up. Besides, just because he's single doesn't mean he'll end up with Kyungsoo, right?)
"What about you, Kyungsoo? Planned on getting cuffed any time soon?" Jongdae asks, forking a huge bite of cheesecake into his mouth. "The weather's getting colder and colder, and you know nothing beats body heat!"
"I think I'll leave the serial dating to you and Baekhyun," Kyungsoo snorts. "I'm a long term relationship kind of guy, thanks."
"Hey, cuffing season produces more successful relationships than summer flings, you know. There are studies and everything," Jongdae says matter-of-factly. "Don't knock it till you've tried it, man."
"That's the thing: I don't want to try it," Kyungsoo replies smoothly, tapping the sheaf of papers he was holding. "I'll be fine, Jongdae. I've got parkas and fleece blankets to keep me warm this winter. You worry about your own blue everything, yeah? Although I'm sure your balls are fine."
"My balls are warm and toasty, thank you very much, and so is the rest of my body. Not sure about yours, though, Soo. What does your heart have to keep it warm?" The latter frowns. "Kyungsoo, this pining thing is cute and all, but I really do think you should, y'know, try seeing other people. Nothing good comes out of one-sided relationships, you know. And we can't put aside the fact that Junmyeon hyung might've gotten cuffed, too. So, for me, maybe try expanding your horizons a little bit? Expand your pond more so more fish can enter?"
Kyungsoo sighs. He regrets telling Jongdae about Junmyeon and his mushy, sometimes cringe-inducing feelings. Now Jongdae is alternating between devising ways for them to go out, and distracting him in hopes that he moves on. He knows the other means well, but it can be quite unbearable sometimes. "I'll be fine," He repeats, gathering his papers back into his folder. "Don't worry about me, worry about your hair. Your date's here."
"She's here? Oh my god, how do I look?" Jongdae suddenly tenses up , frantically combing his hair into a semblance of order. "I look human, right?"
"You look like a Greek god. Enjoy your date," Kyungsoo shakes his head at him, smiling as he stands from his seat. "I'll talk to you about your interview later, yeah? I still need to clarify a few points with you."
"Sure. Bye, Soo," Jongdae says distractedly, moony eyes already fixed on the girl making her way towards them. He never did quite catch her name, but Kyungsoo tips his cap towards her direction as a greeting anyway before making his way out of the café.
The cold air is bitter against his skin, and Kyungsoo pulls his coat closer to him as he makes his way towards the bus stop, which was still a few blocks away. Winter is coming fast, and he should remember to bundle up the next time he goes out. If there's one thing that Jongdae was right about, it's that no one will keep him warm except for himself, he thinks moodily as he watches a couple wrap scarves around each other's necks and huddle closer together. He puts up his collar a little higher and walks briskly, dutifully ignoring the rows of cafés brimming with couples on dates. He stuffs his hands inside his pockets and skirts past the pairs walking slowly together, some with hands clasped together and arms interlocked, some with matching coats and hats and scarves, some with both. One would think it's Valentine's Day or White Day with the influx of couples, but really, it's just a few weeks before Christmas.
The holidays really are unforgiving for the single, he thinks as he boards the blessedly couple-free bus. But hey, he says to himself as he plops down on a window seat in an empty row, at least he can choose which seat he wants, and have a row all to himself.
(It's not the best of compromises, but he'll take what he can get.)
Kyungsoo loves his apartment complex. He loves his cozy flat, he loves the view, he loves the affordable rent. He loves his landlord, a short, round old man named Mr. Jung who always wears argyle sweaters and khakis, and he loves his neighbors. Some more than others, sure, and someone especially more than others, but that's a different story.
Anyway.
But everything has its flaws, and for Kyungsoo's apartment complex, it's that the hot water sometimes gets cut off without warning. Most of the time, only a few apartments get cut off, which was weird. Mr. Jung has already had the pipes fixed multiple times, but to no avail. They all learned to accept this quirk of their building, and Kyungsoo had already showered in Baekhyun's and Jongin's bathrooms more than twice this semester alone.
It's a normal night for Kyungsoo. It's a Saturday, a miraculously homework-free Saturday, and he's spending it wisely by treating himself to an anime marathon (Jongin got him a high-quality subbed copy of Haikyuu from Soojung) and an intensive self-care routine. The first step of that routine is to take a long, hot shower, and Kyungsoo has never been more thankful for water heaters than tonight.
He just got out of the shower, hair still wet and his towel still draped across his shoulders when someone knocks frantically on his door. Huh, weird. Maybe it's Jongdae, wanting to join on the Haikyuu fun. He said he was free tonight, but he knows Jongdae; he'll probably disappear with one of his flings for drinks later. Toweling his hair absently, Kyungsoo makes his way towards his door and opens it, expecting the short philosophy major to be right outside, grinning. "Hey J-"
It's not Jongdae. It's Junmyeon, rocking anxiously on his heels, a bundle of fabric in one hand. Kyungsoo suddenly feels extremely self-conscious about his still wet mop of hair and his fluffy black bathrobe. Oh, God.
"Hi." Junmyeon waves nervously at him. "Um. Is it a bad time?"
"Junmyeon hyung, hey," He says as casually as he could. "No, I'm free. What's up?"
"This is really embarrassing but-" Junmyeon takes a deep breath before continuing quickly, "Doesyourbathroomhavehotwaterbecauseminegotcutoffand-"
"Hyung. Hyung, deep breaths," Kyungsoo holds up a hand, and Junmyeon stops babbling to breathe. "I did not understand a word of what you just said."
"Um. My apartment's water supply got cut off, and Mr. Jung forgot to tell me about it," Junmyeon explains sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "And, uh, I really can't handle the cold so I was wondering if your bathroom has hot water? And if I can, um, borrow your shower if you do?"
"Oh. Of course, come in," Kyungsoo ushers him in, closing the door hurriedly behind him. "I know the feeling of desperation, mine got cut off last week. Thank God Baekhyun was home."
"And thank God for you," Junmyeon smiles at him, extremely relieved. Kyungsoo's heart skips a beat. "I don't know what I'll do without you. Really, thanks a lot, Kyungsoo."
"D-don't mention it," He replies. "At least I was home, huh?"
"Yeah, I know! If you weren't, I would have to camp outside Jongin's and wait for him to come home," Junmyeon pouts slightly, almost unconsciously. It's cute. "He still has class but I really have to get ready, I have a date at five and-"
"Excuse me," Kyungsoo pipes up, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "A date?"
"Yeah. She's Jongdae's friend from music theory," Junmyeon explains. "I came by one time to get my sweater from Jongdae and she asked me out. I said yes. We're having coffee and watching a movie tonight tonight."
Oh.
His shock must've shown on his face, because the elder suddenly frowns. "Kyungsoo?" Junmyeon says hesitantly. "What's wrong?"
Everything's wrong, he wants to scream. You going on a date with someone else is wrong. You should go on a date with me. Me, who you almost kissed a few weeks ago. Me, who has loved you since I moved here. Not some random girl who saw you return a sweater. She barely even knows you. She probably just thinks you're cute but she doesn't know how amazing you are as a person. He wants to shut the door to the bathroom and push Junmyeon out of the way because he doesn't care about his date, if he's late for it or he couldn't attend at all. He wants to drag the elder out of his apartment and triple lock it and then break into his secret ice cream stash. Junmyeon's date can go eat alone for all he cares. His date can go find other sweater-retrieving cute guys. Hell, he can go shower in ice cold water. He does not care about Junmyeon's date, and he does not want to be involved in the preparations for it.
But of course, he does none of that, says none of that, because he's a real nice guy (read: a martyr). "Nothing. Bathroom's this way," Kyungsoo says instead, smiling tiredly before stepping out of the way. "Turn the knob to the left for hot water."
"Alright. Thanks again," Junmyeon replies carefully, walking into the bathroom and closing the door with a soft thud. A few moments later Kyungsoo hears the shower run, and he takes that as his cue to go inside his room, lock the door, and scream into a pillow.
(And maybe cry a little bit, but no one has to know that.)
He exits his bedroom-dressed in his comfiest of sweats because unlike the elder, he doesn't have a date--just in time for Junmyeon to leave the bathroom, already dressed up for his date. His wretched freaking date with this wretched annoying neighbor stealer who thinks they have chemistry just because she saw Junmyeon getting back his sweater and-
Ahem. Anyway.
"Hey, thanks again for letting me shower here," Junmyeon says, smiling at him. "I um, I'm very grateful, even if that kind of sounds weird."
"It's fine. Wouldn't want you to miss your date," Kyungsoo replies, and mentally pats himself on the back for successfully keeping his tone neutral. See, he can play nice. Sometimes. "I'm sure she'll love you."
"You think?" The latter asks tentatively, rubbing the back of his neck again. "I don't know, Kyungsoo. It's been so long since I went on one of these. I don't even know if I look presentable right now, I just threw on what I randomly found on my closet earlier. I probably look like a mess."
Kyungsoo takes in his black turtleneck, grey peacoat, black jeans, shiny black loafers, his meticulously done hair-thank God Kyungsoo still had hair wax left-and his freshly shaven face, and wonders where is the mess in this perfection in front of him. The only mess here is his feelings for the other, to be honest. "No, no, you look great," He says, a beat too late and a tad too enthusiastic. "You, um. You look nice. I like this coat on you."
"Really?" Junmyeon lights up, and a faint blush dusts his cheeks that Kyungsoo blames on his faulty heater. "Um. Thank you."
"N-no problem." Kyungsoo glances up at the wall clock, sighing quietly when he sees the time. Quarter to five. Time to let Junmyeon go. "You're going to be late for your date, hyung."
"I-Yeah, I should go. I still have to get some stuff from my apartment." Junmyeon gathers his things into his arms and makes his way towards the front door, Kyungsoo silently padding behind him. They both stall once they open the door, Junmyeon in the hallway and Kyungsoo on the threshold of his flat. "Thanks again, Kyungsoo. I really appreciate this."
"You're welcome, hyung," Kyungsoo replies. He steps back slightly to close the door, but in a bold move, Junmyeon steps forward and pulls him into a one-armed hug. His things are squished between them, and Kyungsoo's arms are frozen on his sides, but the elder doesn't let go. Junmyeon smells like Kyungsoo's apple shampoo and green tea body wash, but also like his own cologne that never fails to make people turn and look for the source of the pleasant scent. The combination of their scents is nice, so so nice, and it makes his head spin.
"I'm nervous," Junmyeon mumbles against Kyungsoo's collar, where he's hiding his face. His breath is muggy against Kyungsoo's neck, warm and heavy. "What if she doesn't like me?"
"She will, I'm sure." Kyungsoo says, awkwardly patting him on the back. "Anyone will be lucky to go out with you, hyung." And unfortunately, I ran out of luck to be able to get in line.
"You really think so?" Junmyeon looks up at him, eyes round and hopeful. He seems really earnest about this date. Kyungsoo's heart silently breaks into little pieces, but he still puts on a brave smile as he slowly extricates himself from the elder's embrace.
"I know so. Now go, you'll be late. She might change her mind if you're late!" He jokes, and with one last relieved smile, Junmyeon disappears into his own apartment, off to his date.
Kyungsoo closes his front door and makes a beeline for his couch, collapsing onto the soft cushions before wrapping himself in the throw blanket Baekhyun left when he slept over last week. He pulls it up to his chin and tries his hardest not to mope as he goes channel surfing in hopes of a good Christmas movie.
(He fails, but then again, he's not as strong as he pretends to be. Halfway through Love, Actually he breaks into his ice cream stash and polishes off a container of salted caramel ice cream and a small pack of tissues.)
Kyungsoo has made a huge mistake. Baekhyun makes this very, very clear when he calls.
"Kyungsoo, it's two days before Christmas. What do you mean you're just doing your Christmas shopping now?" The music major says incredulously, and Kyungsoo winces as he holds the phone away from his ear. "Of course you'll be having a hellish time. It'll be a miracle if you finish before dinnertime."
"I know, I know," Kyungsoo sighs as he enters an arts and crafts shop, the place teeming with people. "But I was busy, okay? I barely had time to decorate as it is."
"Busy with what? Kyungsoo, the semester ended a week ago. What were you doing for an entire week?" Baekhyun continues to nag. "Pray tell, did you prioritize watching anime over this?"
"Hey, Yuri On Ice's finale was on, and no, I caught up on sleep. You know I was sick," Kyungsoo argues. And moping over Junmyeon's date, but Baekhyun didn't need to know that. "Look, I'm already here, so there's no point in chastising me. My mom did enough of that already when I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. Just tell me what you want."
"Whatever. A new cap would be nice. Thanks, Kyungsoo," Baekhyun says. "Good luck. Call me if you need anything, I'm just here decorating the entire complex with Jongin and a few others. Mr. Jung's arthritis is acting up."
"Tell him to rest for me, yeah? I'll see you later," Kyungsoo hums, ending the call and grabbing a set of brush pens. Jongdae would love these, he has always showed off his calligraphy skills whenever he had a chance.
Shopping does take more time than Kyungsoo would've liked, but somehow he still finishes relatively early, when the Christmas lights on the shops have just lit up. His feet are tired, his wallet feels a bit lighter, and his arms are aching from the handles of the shopping bags digging into his skin, but his heart feels light at the thought of his loved ones getting their gifts. He got Jongin a jumbo box of his favorite pastel highlighters, Baekhyun a navy blue cap with a puppy patch in the middle, his parents matching mugs and scarves, his nieces and nephews cute bunny pens, his brother a new fountain pen, and Junmyeon, a baby pink cap with a strawberry patch and a set of cute socks, because the elder loves cute socks.
(Alright, so he may have splurged a little too much on Junmyeon's gift, but no one has to know.)
A bright sign for a coffeeshop nearby catches Kyungsoo's attention, and he decides to reward himself with a cup of coffee. The line is relatively short, too, so Kyungsoo thanks the heavens and falls in line patiently, humming along to the soft Christmas carols playing in the background. He manages to sing an acoustic version of Baby, It's Cold Outside and a verse of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer before the small man in front of him steps aside so Kyungsoo can give his order-large hot white mocha, two shots espresso, no whipped cream. The baristas work fast, almost looking like efficient baby blue blurs to Kyungsoo's tired eyes, so he quickly fumbles with his change and tucks it inside his wallet before joining the small group of people waiting by the counter to pick up their drinks.
Baekhyun sends him a text just as the baristas finish up two cups-his and the small man before him-and Kyungsoo distractedly looks down to see a photo of their apartment complex lit up with Christmas lights strewn all over, a big plush Santa and three huge Christmas socks hanging on the front doors. He smiles and struggles to type a response-looks great, good job baek! omw home in a bit-as he blindly reaches for his cup. To his surprise, what his fingers touch is not the warm surface of a cup, but the rough feel of woolen mittens. He jolts away and looks up to see-
"Kyungsoo, hey," Junmyeon grins at him. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Hi, hyung. What's up?" Kyungsoo replies, managing a smile of his own as he reaches for his cup. "Last minute Christmas shopping, too?"
"Yup, for my nieces and nephews," Junmyeon holds up a paper bag from the toy store Kyungsoo passed by earlier. "Seems like you went to town."
"Yeah, well, season of giving and all that," Kyungsoo shrugs as they exit the coffeeshop together. "It's just once a year, so I don't really mind."
"True. So where are you headed to now?" The elder asks, blowing on his coffee cup to make it bearable.
"Back to the apartment. Baekhyun and I are watching Disney movies and binge drinking these hot chocolate mixes he got from his aunt," He replies. "You could join us if you want? Jongdae plans on crashing later, too."
"Sounds really lovely, but I can't," Junmyeon says apologetically. "I have somewhere else to be after this."
"Oh." Kyungsoo tries his hardest not to sound disappointed. "Um. Got another date with the girl from before?"
"Oh! No, no. I'm going home to my parents' place in Apgujeong," Junmyeon smiles, looking extremely excited about finally going back. "I plan on surprising my mom, I told her I was going to drive up tomorrow."
"That's sweet," Kyungsoo finds himself smiling back, and he's not sure if it's out of relief or at the thought of Junmyeon being so family-oriented. "I'm sure they'll love it."
"My mom will probably cry, but eh," Junmyeon laughs. "Besides, I really didn't hit off with Seohyun. We both decided not to waste our time and pursue it."
Oh.
"Really," He says, using all of his willpower to keep his voice steady. "Um, that's...a bummer."
"Yeah, well, I just tried mainly because Jongdae forced me to. And because I didn't want to be rude and turn her down," Junmyeon shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. It's still too hot, and he sticks out his tongue to cool it. "I don't really believe in cuffing season and all that. Too ephemeral for me."
"Right," Kyungsoo agrees, fighting down a huge grin as his heart soars with renewed hope. Instead, he focuses on adjusting his shopping bags, his arm getting a little sore.
"Oh! Sorry, let me help you with that," Before he could protest, Junmyeon takes almost all of his bags and easily loops them on his free arm. What's left on Kyungsoo's arm is Baekhyun's gift and Junmyeon's huge paper bag.
"Trade you a paper bag. This one is yours," Kyungsoo grins at him, motioning to his gift. "Merry Christmas, hyung."
"Really? Aww, you didn't have to, Kyungsoo. Thank you, I really appreciate it." Junmyeon practically lights up, brighter than the decorations from the shops. Their hands brush as Kyungsoo hands over the gift, and to his surprise, the elder takes them in his own gloved one and squeezes.
"Your hands are so cold. I can feel them from my gloves." He frowns. "You didn't wear gloves? Or buy new ones earlier?"
"I...forgot?" Kyungsoo stutters, trying not to focus on the warmth of Junmyeon's hands seeping through the wool. His grip is firm but also gentle, a warm, welcome weight against his cold, numb palm. "I'm fine though, I'm just-"
The words die in his mouth as Junmyeon drops his hand to pull off his right glove, handing it to Kyungsoo. "Put it on," He says firmly. "I know you'll argue if I give you both, but I won't allow you to freeze your fingers off either. Let's share."
"But what about you?" Kyungsoo protests, still holding the glove. "Your right hand will freeze, what do you plan to do about-"
A couple passes by them, their free hands intertwined between them. The guy tucks their linked hands inside his coat pocket, pulling the girl closer as they laugh about some inside joke. Junmyeon and Kyungsoo look at each other before quickly looking away, both of them blushing a dark red. Junmyeon quickly switches his coffee cup from his left gloved hand to his bare right one. "Problem solved," He grins awkwardly.
"Right," He trails off, and they make their way back to the apartment. It's quite a long walk, but Kyungsoo doesn't mind. The air is cool, the streets lit up with Christmas lights in all shapes and colors and designs, the soft symphony of Christmas carols fill the air, and-
Plop.
Kyungsoo blinks as something cold and wet lands on his nose. Rain? He stops walking and looks up to see white slowly fall down from the sky, and he breathes deeply in awe. "First snow," He says softly, reaching up to catch the falling ice on his palms. "It's finally the first snow."
"Hey, you're right," Junmyeon smiles, looking up at the sky. "The couples everywhere must be happy."
Right. There are a lot of adages about first snow. Some say that if you are with someone you like on the first snow, true love with bloom for the two of you. Others say that the person you are with during the first snow will be with you forever. Kyungsoo glances to his right and watches Junmyeon enjoy the snowfall with an almost childlike fascination. Whatever happens between them, whether true love or a promise of forever or nothing at all, he doesn't really mind.
Junmyeon looks down and meets Kyungsoo's gaze head on, smile unwavering. "Hey," He says softly. "Let's go home?"
"Yeah, it'll get colder soon." Kyungsoo smiles back, and they walk home together, snow crunching under their shoes. Their bare hands-they threw their empty cups a few blocks back-brush together occasionally, but neither of them make a move to reach out and hold the other. They're content with walking side by side, sharing warmth and stories about how they had spent their break so far.
Their little walk ends sooner than Kyungsoo would've wanted it to be, but he doesn't mind as they both make their way up the third floor. They stall again in the middle of their apartments as Junmyeon hands him his shopping bags with a smile. "Thanks for the company back here. It made the Christmas rush more bearable," He says.
"Thanks for carrying these for me, hyung," Kyungsoo replies, gesturing to the bags in his hands. "Have a safe trip, and I hope you enjoy your Christmas."
"You too, Kyungsoo-" Junmyeon trails off as he slowly looks up, and Kyungsoo follows his gaze to somewhere on top of their heads.
Mistletoe.
"Byun Baekhyun," He seethes as he looks around. Sprigs of mistletoe decorate the spaces in between the units, a few of them obscured behind rows of gold and silver tinsel. Each doorknob also has a wreath hanging on it, with small red flowers decorating the lower part. Okay, he'll admit: Baekhyun (and the rest of the decorating team) did a good job. But was the mistletoe absolutely necessary? In this area, no less?
"Mistletoe, huh?" Junmyeon chuckles nervously, glancing at Kyungsoo before quickly averting his gaze. He seems conflicted about something. "Anyway, um, I should, uh, go. Traffic and all, so. Um. Merry Christmas, Kyungsoo."
"Merry Christmas, hyu-" Kyungsoo is cut off by Junmyeon leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. It's gentle and chaste, nothing but a brief press of Junmyeon's cold, slightly chapped lips on his cheek, but it still sends his heart on overdrive. He flushes a dark red, and when Junmyeon pulls away, his own cheeks are equally pink.
"Merry Christmas," Junmyeon says quickly before fleeing to his apartment, shutting the door with a loud thud.
Kyungsoo stands on the hallway, under the damn mistletoe, too shocked to move. He lifts one hand-his right, the one still wearing Junmyeon's glove-and raises it to his cheek, the skin still tingling with the phantom feeling of Junmyeon's lips.
Merry Christmas, indeed.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE THEY FINALLY KISSED. Ish. Whatever that totally counts bye. Anyway, I rushed this especially for everyone who has supported this silly au since the beginning! Thank you for all your funny comments and kudos and incoherent screams on the comments. You guys don't know how much you've made my year! ❤ Wishing all of you and all your loved ones the happiest of holidays! May it be filled with warmth, good food, cute socks, and otp feels~ Catch up on sleep or your favorite series, we all deserve to rest before uni/work/adulting eats us alive once more! Here's to a blessed and less crappy 2017! ❤
sudi • pg • neighbors!au • 4.5k
The holidays are never forgiving to the single, but maybe Kyungsoo doesn't need to mope this year.
The wind is getting even colder, almost all of the leaves have fallen to the ground, the nights are getting longer, and the songs on the radio are changing from bubblegum pop to soulful ballads. The first snow hasn't fallen, but it's official: Seoul is transitioning slowly from fall to winter, and with winter comes-
"Cuffing season!" Jongdae cheers. "The best time of the year!"
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes exasperatedly at his friend's antics, taking a sip of his coffee. Cuffing season is indeed upon them-the reason he's drinking overpriced coffee at a stuffy café far from campus is because Jongdae has a date with his new fling but he also promised to answer Kyungsoo's survey for his research class. Jongin, according to what the philosophy major told him earlier, is finally making moves on his long-time crush Soojung. Baekhyun is on his third blind date this week, but still attempting to woo the lanky guy from Unit 408. The only one probably not dating is Joonmyun-but actually Kyungsoo couldn't be sure, because he's always holed up in his apartment, studying for finals. Kyungsoo only sees him when he needs to go to class, or when he runs out of coffee and frozen food and has to make a quick supermarket run.
(A little part of him is wishing Joonmyun's still single, but as usual, he's trying not to get his hopes up. Besides, just because he's single doesn't mean he'll end up with Kyungsoo, right?)
"What about you, Kyungsoo? Planned on getting cuffed any time soon?" Jongdae asks, forking a huge bite of cheesecake into his mouth. "The weather's getting colder and colder, and you know nothing beats body heat!"
"I think I'll leave the serial dating to you and Baekhyun," Kyungsoo snorts. "I'm a long term relationship kind of guy, thanks."
"Hey, cuffing season produces more successful relationships than summer flings, you know. There are studies and everything," Jongdae says matter-of-factly. "Don't knock it till you've tried it, man."
"That's the thing: I don't want to try it," Kyungsoo replies smoothly, tapping the sheaf of papers he was holding. "I'll be fine, Jongdae. I've got parkas and fleece blankets to keep me warm this winter. You worry about your own blue everything, yeah? Although I'm sure your balls are fine."
"My balls are warm and toasty, thank you very much, and so is the rest of my body. Not sure about yours, though, Soo. What does your heart have to keep it warm?" The latter frowns. "Kyungsoo, this pining thing is cute and all, but I really do think you should, y'know, try seeing other people. Nothing good comes out of one-sided relationships, you know. And we can't put aside the fact that Junmyeon hyung might've gotten cuffed, too. So, for me, maybe try expanding your horizons a little bit? Expand your pond more so more fish can enter?"
Kyungsoo sighs. He regrets telling Jongdae about Junmyeon and his mushy, sometimes cringe-inducing feelings. Now Jongdae is alternating between devising ways for them to go out, and distracting him in hopes that he moves on. He knows the other means well, but it can be quite unbearable sometimes. "I'll be fine," He repeats, gathering his papers back into his folder. "Don't worry about me, worry about your hair. Your date's here."
"She's here? Oh my god, how do I look?" Jongdae suddenly tenses up , frantically combing his hair into a semblance of order. "I look human, right?"
"You look like a Greek god. Enjoy your date," Kyungsoo shakes his head at him, smiling as he stands from his seat. "I'll talk to you about your interview later, yeah? I still need to clarify a few points with you."
"Sure. Bye, Soo," Jongdae says distractedly, moony eyes already fixed on the girl making her way towards them. He never did quite catch her name, but Kyungsoo tips his cap towards her direction as a greeting anyway before making his way out of the café.
The cold air is bitter against his skin, and Kyungsoo pulls his coat closer to him as he makes his way towards the bus stop, which was still a few blocks away. Winter is coming fast, and he should remember to bundle up the next time he goes out. If there's one thing that Jongdae was right about, it's that no one will keep him warm except for himself, he thinks moodily as he watches a couple wrap scarves around each other's necks and huddle closer together. He puts up his collar a little higher and walks briskly, dutifully ignoring the rows of cafés brimming with couples on dates. He stuffs his hands inside his pockets and skirts past the pairs walking slowly together, some with hands clasped together and arms interlocked, some with matching coats and hats and scarves, some with both. One would think it's Valentine's Day or White Day with the influx of couples, but really, it's just a few weeks before Christmas.
The holidays really are unforgiving for the single, he thinks as he boards the blessedly couple-free bus. But hey, he says to himself as he plops down on a window seat in an empty row, at least he can choose which seat he wants, and have a row all to himself.
(It's not the best of compromises, but he'll take what he can get.)
Kyungsoo loves his apartment complex. He loves his cozy flat, he loves the view, he loves the affordable rent. He loves his landlord, a short, round old man named Mr. Jung who always wears argyle sweaters and khakis, and he loves his neighbors. Some more than others, sure, and someone especially more than others, but that's a different story.
Anyway.
But everything has its flaws, and for Kyungsoo's apartment complex, it's that the hot water sometimes gets cut off without warning. Most of the time, only a few apartments get cut off, which was weird. Mr. Jung has already had the pipes fixed multiple times, but to no avail. They all learned to accept this quirk of their building, and Kyungsoo had already showered in Baekhyun's and Jongin's bathrooms more than twice this semester alone.
It's a normal night for Kyungsoo. It's a Saturday, a miraculously homework-free Saturday, and he's spending it wisely by treating himself to an anime marathon (Jongin got him a high-quality subbed copy of Haikyuu from Soojung) and an intensive self-care routine. The first step of that routine is to take a long, hot shower, and Kyungsoo has never been more thankful for water heaters than tonight.
He just got out of the shower, hair still wet and his towel still draped across his shoulders when someone knocks frantically on his door. Huh, weird. Maybe it's Jongdae, wanting to join on the Haikyuu fun. He said he was free tonight, but he knows Jongdae; he'll probably disappear with one of his flings for drinks later. Toweling his hair absently, Kyungsoo makes his way towards his door and opens it, expecting the short philosophy major to be right outside, grinning. "Hey J-"
It's not Jongdae. It's Junmyeon, rocking anxiously on his heels, a bundle of fabric in one hand. Kyungsoo suddenly feels extremely self-conscious about his still wet mop of hair and his fluffy black bathrobe. Oh, God.
"Hi." Junmyeon waves nervously at him. "Um. Is it a bad time?"
"Junmyeon hyung, hey," He says as casually as he could. "No, I'm free. What's up?"
"This is really embarrassing but-" Junmyeon takes a deep breath before continuing quickly, "Doesyourbathroomhavehotwaterbecauseminegotcutoffand-"
"Hyung. Hyung, deep breaths," Kyungsoo holds up a hand, and Junmyeon stops babbling to breathe. "I did not understand a word of what you just said."
"Um. My apartment's water supply got cut off, and Mr. Jung forgot to tell me about it," Junmyeon explains sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "And, uh, I really can't handle the cold so I was wondering if your bathroom has hot water? And if I can, um, borrow your shower if you do?"
"Oh. Of course, come in," Kyungsoo ushers him in, closing the door hurriedly behind him. "I know the feeling of desperation, mine got cut off last week. Thank God Baekhyun was home."
"And thank God for you," Junmyeon smiles at him, extremely relieved. Kyungsoo's heart skips a beat. "I don't know what I'll do without you. Really, thanks a lot, Kyungsoo."
"D-don't mention it," He replies. "At least I was home, huh?"
"Yeah, I know! If you weren't, I would have to camp outside Jongin's and wait for him to come home," Junmyeon pouts slightly, almost unconsciously. It's cute. "He still has class but I really have to get ready, I have a date at five and-"
"Excuse me," Kyungsoo pipes up, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "A date?"
"Yeah. She's Jongdae's friend from music theory," Junmyeon explains. "I came by one time to get my sweater from Jongdae and she asked me out. I said yes. We're having coffee and watching a movie tonight tonight."
Oh.
His shock must've shown on his face, because the elder suddenly frowns. "Kyungsoo?" Junmyeon says hesitantly. "What's wrong?"
Everything's wrong, he wants to scream. You going on a date with someone else is wrong. You should go on a date with me. Me, who you almost kissed a few weeks ago. Me, who has loved you since I moved here. Not some random girl who saw you return a sweater. She barely even knows you. She probably just thinks you're cute but she doesn't know how amazing you are as a person. He wants to shut the door to the bathroom and push Junmyeon out of the way because he doesn't care about his date, if he's late for it or he couldn't attend at all. He wants to drag the elder out of his apartment and triple lock it and then break into his secret ice cream stash. Junmyeon's date can go eat alone for all he cares. His date can go find other sweater-retrieving cute guys. Hell, he can go shower in ice cold water. He does not care about Junmyeon's date, and he does not want to be involved in the preparations for it.
But of course, he does none of that, says none of that, because he's a real nice guy (read: a martyr). "Nothing. Bathroom's this way," Kyungsoo says instead, smiling tiredly before stepping out of the way. "Turn the knob to the left for hot water."
"Alright. Thanks again," Junmyeon replies carefully, walking into the bathroom and closing the door with a soft thud. A few moments later Kyungsoo hears the shower run, and he takes that as his cue to go inside his room, lock the door, and scream into a pillow.
(And maybe cry a little bit, but no one has to know that.)
He exits his bedroom-dressed in his comfiest of sweats because unlike the elder, he doesn't have a date--just in time for Junmyeon to leave the bathroom, already dressed up for his date. His wretched freaking date with this wretched annoying neighbor stealer who thinks they have chemistry just because she saw Junmyeon getting back his sweater and-
Ahem. Anyway.
"Hey, thanks again for letting me shower here," Junmyeon says, smiling at him. "I um, I'm very grateful, even if that kind of sounds weird."
"It's fine. Wouldn't want you to miss your date," Kyungsoo replies, and mentally pats himself on the back for successfully keeping his tone neutral. See, he can play nice. Sometimes. "I'm sure she'll love you."
"You think?" The latter asks tentatively, rubbing the back of his neck again. "I don't know, Kyungsoo. It's been so long since I went on one of these. I don't even know if I look presentable right now, I just threw on what I randomly found on my closet earlier. I probably look like a mess."
Kyungsoo takes in his black turtleneck, grey peacoat, black jeans, shiny black loafers, his meticulously done hair-thank God Kyungsoo still had hair wax left-and his freshly shaven face, and wonders where is the mess in this perfection in front of him. The only mess here is his feelings for the other, to be honest. "No, no, you look great," He says, a beat too late and a tad too enthusiastic. "You, um. You look nice. I like this coat on you."
"Really?" Junmyeon lights up, and a faint blush dusts his cheeks that Kyungsoo blames on his faulty heater. "Um. Thank you."
"N-no problem." Kyungsoo glances up at the wall clock, sighing quietly when he sees the time. Quarter to five. Time to let Junmyeon go. "You're going to be late for your date, hyung."
"I-Yeah, I should go. I still have to get some stuff from my apartment." Junmyeon gathers his things into his arms and makes his way towards the front door, Kyungsoo silently padding behind him. They both stall once they open the door, Junmyeon in the hallway and Kyungsoo on the threshold of his flat. "Thanks again, Kyungsoo. I really appreciate this."
"You're welcome, hyung," Kyungsoo replies. He steps back slightly to close the door, but in a bold move, Junmyeon steps forward and pulls him into a one-armed hug. His things are squished between them, and Kyungsoo's arms are frozen on his sides, but the elder doesn't let go. Junmyeon smells like Kyungsoo's apple shampoo and green tea body wash, but also like his own cologne that never fails to make people turn and look for the source of the pleasant scent. The combination of their scents is nice, so so nice, and it makes his head spin.
"I'm nervous," Junmyeon mumbles against Kyungsoo's collar, where he's hiding his face. His breath is muggy against Kyungsoo's neck, warm and heavy. "What if she doesn't like me?"
"She will, I'm sure." Kyungsoo says, awkwardly patting him on the back. "Anyone will be lucky to go out with you, hyung." And unfortunately, I ran out of luck to be able to get in line.
"You really think so?" Junmyeon looks up at him, eyes round and hopeful. He seems really earnest about this date. Kyungsoo's heart silently breaks into little pieces, but he still puts on a brave smile as he slowly extricates himself from the elder's embrace.
"I know so. Now go, you'll be late. She might change her mind if you're late!" He jokes, and with one last relieved smile, Junmyeon disappears into his own apartment, off to his date.
Kyungsoo closes his front door and makes a beeline for his couch, collapsing onto the soft cushions before wrapping himself in the throw blanket Baekhyun left when he slept over last week. He pulls it up to his chin and tries his hardest not to mope as he goes channel surfing in hopes of a good Christmas movie.
(He fails, but then again, he's not as strong as he pretends to be. Halfway through Love, Actually he breaks into his ice cream stash and polishes off a container of salted caramel ice cream and a small pack of tissues.)
Kyungsoo has made a huge mistake. Baekhyun makes this very, very clear when he calls.
"Kyungsoo, it's two days before Christmas. What do you mean you're just doing your Christmas shopping now?" The music major says incredulously, and Kyungsoo winces as he holds the phone away from his ear. "Of course you'll be having a hellish time. It'll be a miracle if you finish before dinnertime."
"I know, I know," Kyungsoo sighs as he enters an arts and crafts shop, the place teeming with people. "But I was busy, okay? I barely had time to decorate as it is."
"Busy with what? Kyungsoo, the semester ended a week ago. What were you doing for an entire week?" Baekhyun continues to nag. "Pray tell, did you prioritize watching anime over this?"
"Hey, Yuri On Ice's finale was on, and no, I caught up on sleep. You know I was sick," Kyungsoo argues. And moping over Junmyeon's date, but Baekhyun didn't need to know that. "Look, I'm already here, so there's no point in chastising me. My mom did enough of that already when I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. Just tell me what you want."
"Whatever. A new cap would be nice. Thanks, Kyungsoo," Baekhyun says. "Good luck. Call me if you need anything, I'm just here decorating the entire complex with Jongin and a few others. Mr. Jung's arthritis is acting up."
"Tell him to rest for me, yeah? I'll see you later," Kyungsoo hums, ending the call and grabbing a set of brush pens. Jongdae would love these, he has always showed off his calligraphy skills whenever he had a chance.
Shopping does take more time than Kyungsoo would've liked, but somehow he still finishes relatively early, when the Christmas lights on the shops have just lit up. His feet are tired, his wallet feels a bit lighter, and his arms are aching from the handles of the shopping bags digging into his skin, but his heart feels light at the thought of his loved ones getting their gifts. He got Jongin a jumbo box of his favorite pastel highlighters, Baekhyun a navy blue cap with a puppy patch in the middle, his parents matching mugs and scarves, his nieces and nephews cute bunny pens, his brother a new fountain pen, and Junmyeon, a baby pink cap with a strawberry patch and a set of cute socks, because the elder loves cute socks.
(Alright, so he may have splurged a little too much on Junmyeon's gift, but no one has to know.)
A bright sign for a coffeeshop nearby catches Kyungsoo's attention, and he decides to reward himself with a cup of coffee. The line is relatively short, too, so Kyungsoo thanks the heavens and falls in line patiently, humming along to the soft Christmas carols playing in the background. He manages to sing an acoustic version of Baby, It's Cold Outside and a verse of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer before the small man in front of him steps aside so Kyungsoo can give his order-large hot white mocha, two shots espresso, no whipped cream. The baristas work fast, almost looking like efficient baby blue blurs to Kyungsoo's tired eyes, so he quickly fumbles with his change and tucks it inside his wallet before joining the small group of people waiting by the counter to pick up their drinks.
Baekhyun sends him a text just as the baristas finish up two cups-his and the small man before him-and Kyungsoo distractedly looks down to see a photo of their apartment complex lit up with Christmas lights strewn all over, a big plush Santa and three huge Christmas socks hanging on the front doors. He smiles and struggles to type a response-looks great, good job baek! omw home in a bit-as he blindly reaches for his cup. To his surprise, what his fingers touch is not the warm surface of a cup, but the rough feel of woolen mittens. He jolts away and looks up to see-
"Kyungsoo, hey," Junmyeon grins at him. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Hi, hyung. What's up?" Kyungsoo replies, managing a smile of his own as he reaches for his cup. "Last minute Christmas shopping, too?"
"Yup, for my nieces and nephews," Junmyeon holds up a paper bag from the toy store Kyungsoo passed by earlier. "Seems like you went to town."
"Yeah, well, season of giving and all that," Kyungsoo shrugs as they exit the coffeeshop together. "It's just once a year, so I don't really mind."
"True. So where are you headed to now?" The elder asks, blowing on his coffee cup to make it bearable.
"Back to the apartment. Baekhyun and I are watching Disney movies and binge drinking these hot chocolate mixes he got from his aunt," He replies. "You could join us if you want? Jongdae plans on crashing later, too."
"Sounds really lovely, but I can't," Junmyeon says apologetically. "I have somewhere else to be after this."
"Oh." Kyungsoo tries his hardest not to sound disappointed. "Um. Got another date with the girl from before?"
"Oh! No, no. I'm going home to my parents' place in Apgujeong," Junmyeon smiles, looking extremely excited about finally going back. "I plan on surprising my mom, I told her I was going to drive up tomorrow."
"That's sweet," Kyungsoo finds himself smiling back, and he's not sure if it's out of relief or at the thought of Junmyeon being so family-oriented. "I'm sure they'll love it."
"My mom will probably cry, but eh," Junmyeon laughs. "Besides, I really didn't hit off with Seohyun. We both decided not to waste our time and pursue it."
Oh.
"Really," He says, using all of his willpower to keep his voice steady. "Um, that's...a bummer."
"Yeah, well, I just tried mainly because Jongdae forced me to. And because I didn't want to be rude and turn her down," Junmyeon shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. It's still too hot, and he sticks out his tongue to cool it. "I don't really believe in cuffing season and all that. Too ephemeral for me."
"Right," Kyungsoo agrees, fighting down a huge grin as his heart soars with renewed hope. Instead, he focuses on adjusting his shopping bags, his arm getting a little sore.
"Oh! Sorry, let me help you with that," Before he could protest, Junmyeon takes almost all of his bags and easily loops them on his free arm. What's left on Kyungsoo's arm is Baekhyun's gift and Junmyeon's huge paper bag.
"Trade you a paper bag. This one is yours," Kyungsoo grins at him, motioning to his gift. "Merry Christmas, hyung."
"Really? Aww, you didn't have to, Kyungsoo. Thank you, I really appreciate it." Junmyeon practically lights up, brighter than the decorations from the shops. Their hands brush as Kyungsoo hands over the gift, and to his surprise, the elder takes them in his own gloved one and squeezes.
"Your hands are so cold. I can feel them from my gloves." He frowns. "You didn't wear gloves? Or buy new ones earlier?"
"I...forgot?" Kyungsoo stutters, trying not to focus on the warmth of Junmyeon's hands seeping through the wool. His grip is firm but also gentle, a warm, welcome weight against his cold, numb palm. "I'm fine though, I'm just-"
The words die in his mouth as Junmyeon drops his hand to pull off his right glove, handing it to Kyungsoo. "Put it on," He says firmly. "I know you'll argue if I give you both, but I won't allow you to freeze your fingers off either. Let's share."
"But what about you?" Kyungsoo protests, still holding the glove. "Your right hand will freeze, what do you plan to do about-"
A couple passes by them, their free hands intertwined between them. The guy tucks their linked hands inside his coat pocket, pulling the girl closer as they laugh about some inside joke. Junmyeon and Kyungsoo look at each other before quickly looking away, both of them blushing a dark red. Junmyeon quickly switches his coffee cup from his left gloved hand to his bare right one. "Problem solved," He grins awkwardly.
"Right," He trails off, and they make their way back to the apartment. It's quite a long walk, but Kyungsoo doesn't mind. The air is cool, the streets lit up with Christmas lights in all shapes and colors and designs, the soft symphony of Christmas carols fill the air, and-
Plop.
Kyungsoo blinks as something cold and wet lands on his nose. Rain? He stops walking and looks up to see white slowly fall down from the sky, and he breathes deeply in awe. "First snow," He says softly, reaching up to catch the falling ice on his palms. "It's finally the first snow."
"Hey, you're right," Junmyeon smiles, looking up at the sky. "The couples everywhere must be happy."
Right. There are a lot of adages about first snow. Some say that if you are with someone you like on the first snow, true love with bloom for the two of you. Others say that the person you are with during the first snow will be with you forever. Kyungsoo glances to his right and watches Junmyeon enjoy the snowfall with an almost childlike fascination. Whatever happens between them, whether true love or a promise of forever or nothing at all, he doesn't really mind.
Junmyeon looks down and meets Kyungsoo's gaze head on, smile unwavering. "Hey," He says softly. "Let's go home?"
"Yeah, it'll get colder soon." Kyungsoo smiles back, and they walk home together, snow crunching under their shoes. Their bare hands-they threw their empty cups a few blocks back-brush together occasionally, but neither of them make a move to reach out and hold the other. They're content with walking side by side, sharing warmth and stories about how they had spent their break so far.
Their little walk ends sooner than Kyungsoo would've wanted it to be, but he doesn't mind as they both make their way up the third floor. They stall again in the middle of their apartments as Junmyeon hands him his shopping bags with a smile. "Thanks for the company back here. It made the Christmas rush more bearable," He says.
"Thanks for carrying these for me, hyung," Kyungsoo replies, gesturing to the bags in his hands. "Have a safe trip, and I hope you enjoy your Christmas."
"You too, Kyungsoo-" Junmyeon trails off as he slowly looks up, and Kyungsoo follows his gaze to somewhere on top of their heads.
Mistletoe.
"Byun Baekhyun," He seethes as he looks around. Sprigs of mistletoe decorate the spaces in between the units, a few of them obscured behind rows of gold and silver tinsel. Each doorknob also has a wreath hanging on it, with small red flowers decorating the lower part. Okay, he'll admit: Baekhyun (and the rest of the decorating team) did a good job. But was the mistletoe absolutely necessary? In this area, no less?
"Mistletoe, huh?" Junmyeon chuckles nervously, glancing at Kyungsoo before quickly averting his gaze. He seems conflicted about something. "Anyway, um, I should, uh, go. Traffic and all, so. Um. Merry Christmas, Kyungsoo."
"Merry Christmas, hyu-" Kyungsoo is cut off by Junmyeon leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. It's gentle and chaste, nothing but a brief press of Junmyeon's cold, slightly chapped lips on his cheek, but it still sends his heart on overdrive. He flushes a dark red, and when Junmyeon pulls away, his own cheeks are equally pink.
"Merry Christmas," Junmyeon says quickly before fleeing to his apartment, shutting the door with a loud thud.
Kyungsoo stands on the hallway, under the damn mistletoe, too shocked to move. He lifts one hand-his right, the one still wearing Junmyeon's glove-and raises it to his cheek, the skin still tingling with the phantom feeling of Junmyeon's lips.
Merry Christmas, indeed.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE THEY FINALLY KISSED. Ish. Whatever that totally counts bye. Anyway, I rushed this especially for everyone who has supported this silly au since the beginning! Thank you for all your funny comments and kudos and incoherent screams on the comments. You guys don't know how much you've made my year! ❤ Wishing all of you and all your loved ones the happiest of holidays! May it be filled with warmth, good food, cute socks, and otp feels~ Catch up on sleep or your favorite series, we all deserve to rest before uni/work/adulting eats us alive once more! Here's to a blessed and less crappy 2017! ❤