Sehun awoke to the sound of Jingle Bells blasting through the walls. He let out a groan, eyes fluttering open. Mentally, he tried to calculate what day it was, attempting to figure out if somehow he'd slept through November and it was already time for Christmas. But no matter how he thought about it, he realized that his new neighbor was one of those disturbing people who got ready for Christmas much too early.

He sat up, listening as the song changed to Mariah Carey's insufferable voice. He sighed loudly, and grabbed for his phone on the nightstand, scrolling through the messages that had cropped up over the night. Ignoring most of them, he swiped over to text his best friend.

[text ; Jongin] remember that guy who moved in next door
[text ; Jongin] he's blasting christmas music
[text ; Jongin] I don't even like christmas music at christmas
[text ; Jongin] this is bull

Truthfully, Sehun wasn't all that fond of Christmas as a whole. It was over-hyped and commercial, and the forced feel-good emotions shoved down everyone's throats made him want to die. He wasn't against the idea of gifts and family, necessarily, but he honestly wasn't even that close with his family. So he didn't see the point in parading Christmas around everywhere, much less two months before it was even time.

He stood from the bed, the blanket falling down around his hips and onto the floor. It was only an hour before he was due to go to work, where he would wait tables for too little money and too little gratification. But it was a job, and he needed to work as much as he could in order to afford his tiny apartment at all.

After he'd dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt – he was always thankful that they didn't have some lame dress code like a polo shirt with a cheesy logo on it – he slipped out of the house and walked the few steps next door, knocking a couple of times. His irritation sizzled underneath the surface, just wanting it to stop.

It wasn't but a moment later that the door opened, and the sound of Mariah singing yet again hit him in the face. The neighbor, a pretty boy with young, angelic features named Luhan, smiled up at him. “Oh, hi. Sehun, wasn't it?” he asked.

Luhan had only moved in a few months prior, at the end of summer. And while Sehun hadn't really interacted with him much, he'd bothered to say hello and give his name. He nodded a little, and suddenly felt silly for even bothering to knock on his door. “Yeah, hey,” he greeted him, “I was just wondering, could I borrow...some ketchup? I didn't realize I was out.” Mentally, he was already kicking himself. Of course that hadn't been what he'd intended to say at all, but once he'd actually seen his neighbor's warm smile he couldn't go through with the complaint.

“You need ketchup before nine a.m.?” Luhan joked, a soft laugh tumbling from his pretty lips. “But sure, hang on,” he held up a finger in gesture to get Sehun to stay.

As he walked off, Sehun took in his home, filled with warm colors and a couple of much too early Christmas decorations. It was only a brief moment before the other returned, bottle in hand. Sehun thanked him and returned to his apartment, taking a moment to curse at himself quietly for being so lame. He stayed for only a minute or two before returning to Luhan's and give back the condiment, to which Luhan laughed and said a kind, “anytime.”

-

The next day, Sehun had lulled himself into thinking that it was all a fluke – at least until the Christmas music came blaring out again. He let out a loud groan, earning a puzzled look from Jongin who was currently involved in a wrangled debate on his phone. He'd come over after they were both off of work, and they'd been watching a movie until his phone suddenly started vibrating with messages from Chanyeol – his roommate. “What's wrong?” Jongin asked.

“Do you hear that?” he gestured toward the wall.

Jongin paused, tilting his head to listen. “Hear what? Is that music?”

“You're ing deaf. It's Jingle Bell Rocks, in ing November,” he complained, falling back onto the couch dramatically.

“Oh right. I'd almost forgotten your hatred of Christmas,” he snorted.

Sehun glared. “I don't hate Christmas. I just don't think this music should be played two ing months before the holiday,” he explained.

“So...ask him to turn it down?” he suggested, as though it was so simple.

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because,” he groaned, though he suspected Jongin couldn't understand his hesitation in such matters. Jongin always appeared confident, even when he was quiet, and he never had an issue actually saying how he felt if it was something important to him. But for Sehun, the thought of trying to ask him to stop with the Christmas music caused him to break out into a cold sweat and a flutter of butterflies to fan through his stomach. “I don't know. He's really...”

A brow arched slightly. “He's really what? Intimidating? Scary? Cute?” he teased, phone plopped onto the table, forgotten. Just a few minutes ago he's been in a heated discussion with Chanyeol regarding the other asking to have the apartment to himself again – for the third time that month. But it all seemed forgotten with the possibility of teasing Sehun about his neighbor.

He frowned. “ off. None of the above. He's just...” he trailed, unsure how he was actually supposed to finish that sentence, “I don't know. I can't just ask him that.”

“Why?” he pushed. When Jongin latched onto something, he tended to not let up until everything came tumbling out. It was something they had in common, but it was something that Sehun suddenly regretted.

“Okay, fine, I tried. Yesterday it started, and I went over there to tell him about it,” he relented, “And I ended up just asking him if he had ketchup instead. I hardly even like ketchup.”

Jongin let out a laugh. “Priceless. Someone's got a crush,” he sing-songed teasingly.

“ you. The entire point of this, though, is that Christmas music should not be played this early.”

“Sehun, I don't know how to break it to you, but at work we're setting up for Christmas this weekend,” he said, though there was a smug smile on his face as he said it. They both worked at a cafe downtown – which was how they'd met – where Jongin was one of the bakers.

He groaned loudly, banging his head against the couch dramatically. “Why does everyone want to try and make me like Christmas?”

“Because only monsters hate Christmas.”

-

After the weekend was over, Sehun was in hell. At the cafe he was surrounded by tinsel and garland, with soft Christmas pop music playing incessantly over the speakers. Every time his back was turned to the customers he couldn't resist rolling his eyes at the whole season, and it didn't get any better when he was greeted in his apartment to more sounds of the season. It was still driving him crazy, and it was still making Jongin laugh horribly at his expense.

One evening, as Sehun was working a late shift he'd picked up when someone had called in sick, he was suddenly affronted by the sight of his neighbor sitting in one of the booths. A slight frown came to his expression, and he turned to his coworker. “Can I take that table? I know him,” he explained.

Yixing glanced at the table in question, offering a small shrug. “Sure. So far he hasn't ordered, so he's all yours,” he offered.

Though they didn't work together all that often, Sehun always appreciated how kind and easy-going the other waiter always seemed to be. “Thanks,” he tapped him playfully on the shoulder before walking over to his neighbor. “Hey, fancy seeing you here,” he chimed, a brow lifting slightly in question.

Luhan looked up, surprise gracing his features. “Sehun, hi. I didn't know you worked here,” he said, a pleasant smile on his face.

Sehun shrugged. “We haven't really talked much, I guess,” he mumbled, suddenly feeling a wave of shyness come over him. He always ended up having a strong start, but when confronted with Luhan's pleasant demeanor and sweet smile he always caved. “What can I get you?”

He asked for a cup of tea and a slice of strawberry cake before adding a quick, “And if your break's coming up, you could join me.”

There was a pause before he allowed a slight smile to curve his lips. “We'll see,” he said easily before turning to go get his order.

Though it wasn't necessarily time for his break, he easily mentioned it to Yixing and was met with a quick urging to go ahead. Although he tried to assure him it wasn't anything that was urgent and that couldn't wait, Yixing only gave him a long look. "I think it's worth seeing what comes of it," he said, as cryptic as ever.

Sehun frowned a little, and wanted to point out that it was nothing except for a quick talk in the middle of a shift, but he ended up shrugging it off and bringing the order to his neighbor. "Here you go. And if you have a complaint, it'll have to wait," he shrugged before plopping down in the booth across from him, "because I'm on break."

Luhan let out a laugh, a soft tinkling sort of sound that reminded Sehun a little of the Christmas bells he detested so much. "I love this weather," he suddenly said with a glance toward the window.

He followed his gaze outside, taking in the dark clouds that swept over the sky. A drizzle had begun to fall from the sky, but from the icy sheen it left on the window he could guess that it was more like sleet. "You like this? It's cold and miserable," he pointed out, his expression and tone blank.

But it didn't seem to bother Luhan, who only kept smiling. "You're kind of a glass-half-empty person aren't you?" he asked.

Sehun frowned before shrugging a shoulder. "I wouldn't say that. I'm just not a big fan of being cold...or miserable," he reiterated, though he could hear how ridiculous he sounded even to himself.

Luhan took a sip of his tea, lips still curved into a smile behind the cup. "Well, Sehun, I don't guess we know a lot about each other. What should I know about you? I guess I know that you like ketchup and where you work, what else is there?" he asked, a brow raising slightly in his curiosity.

He paused, considering for a moment about what the other was trying to get at, if there was anything. "Um, I'm not sure what else there is to know. I live alone, but you probably know that. I hate Christmas music, especially in November," he suddenly blurted.

Surprise caught Luhan's expression, before he snorted in amusement. "Wait, seriously? That's the first thing you say? Most people give something about their interests, their family...not Christmas music."

Embarrassment caught Sehun, but he stifled it by swallowing around the lump in his throat. "Well, kind of. Yeah. I mean, I'm surrounded by it here, if you hadn't noticed," he glanced around, "And I've noticed you seem...really fond of Mariah Carey."

Luhan let out a sharp bark of laughter, "Wow. You are kind of amazing," he mused, "How does anyone hate Christmas?"

"I never said Christmas. I said Christmas music. There's a difference," he pointed out, though he felt a little like lying considering he wasn't the biggest fan of the holiday. "Well, okay. I'm not much of a Christmas person at all,” he admitted.

"I see. So it's all a matter of semantics? Even if I wasn't wrong?" he shook his head, though his gaze was still soft and playful, "So then you still didn't answer my question. How do you hate Christmas? It's the most wonderful time of year, right?"

Sehun grimaced. "Did you seriously just quote a song at me? Bye," he groaned, and playfully pretended to get up, but then plopped back with a shake of his head. "I don't know. Christams is...fine, theoretically. But everyone gets so stupid about it. Like they whine about good will toward men and peace on earth and whatnot, but then they throw punches over the last toy at the mall."

"Ah, so is it commercialism you hate then?"

"It's a good part of it," he shrugged, "There's other factors, but we really don't know each other well enough for me to tell you that much." There was a grin that slipped onto his face with the words, knowing that he was being difficult somewhat just for the sake of it.

Luhan shook his head, not seeming bothered by Sehun's needling. "Well, let me fill you in quickly. I'm a writer, I have a secret – or potentially not so secret – love of Mariah Carey, and I have a really gorgeous neighbor who I'd really like to take on a date sometime."

-

On their first date, they went to dinner at a place downtown that Jongin had recommended. Although Sehun was reluctant about any of his friend's suggestions, he was pleasantly surprised that it was more upscale than he'd assumed and they served food that they both ended up enjoying. Over their meal, they learned about each other. Sehun told Luhan about his friends, about moving away from his hometown right after graduation, and small bits about his family. Luhan talked about his work, about having traveled for the past few years and being glad to stay somewhere for more than a month at a time.

They found that although they'd lead drastically different lives, they still managed to have a lot in common. They both found simplicities to be far more beautiful than complexities, they mostly found their solace in their alone time, and they both valued whatever made them happy – though that meant different things for each of them. For Luhan, being happy meant being free to travel or go as he pleased so he could work on his writing. For Sehun, it simply meant being somewhere he enjoyed and with people he didn't detest.

They spent over an hour in the restaurant, with the waiter sometimes giving them a strange look, but neither of them seemed to mind and instead just kept talking. Once they couldn't put it off any longer, they took a long walk and continued their conversations, even though they were both shivering from the cold by the time they got back to their apartment building.

"So? Do I get a good night kiss?" Luhan asked, a teasing smile on his face as they stood in between their doors.

Sehun snorted softly. "You're ridiculous," he mumbled. However, when Luhan shrugged and turned to walk away easily, he surprised him by reaching out and pulling him back in. Quickly, he placed a soft kiss to the other's cheek. "There. Maybe next time you'll get something more."

-

Their next date was at the near-end of November, and Sehun's only stipulation was that it couldn't be anything that related to Christmas. He knew by then that Luhan loved Christmas - if he couldn't have already guessed - but Luhan tried to respect his anti-holiday views. So they went to an amusement park that ran all year, even though it was too cold to be outdoors.

The park was quiet, with most people having too much sense to actually go out in the weather. But they didn't care, they still rode as many rides as they could manage, and they talked over cups of hot cocoa as they bemoaned their choice in date.

By the end of it, Sehun pulled Luhan in for a long, lingering kiss to his lips. He tasted of chocolate.

-

When it was the beginning of December, Jongin insisted that he meet Luhan, and they set up a sort of double-date for them along with Jongin and Chanyeol. Although they were merely roommates, neither seemed particularly opposed to the prospect of being put together on something called a date. They all crowded into a quaint little restaurant that Jongin used to work in, and it wasn't long before they were all engaged in easy conversation. Sehun was relieved that none of it seemed stilted, or that anyone was prying where they shouldn't be. Although he didn't mind, of course, and he ended up telling Jongin most anything as it was, he still didn't want him to pry into Luhan's life too much.

By the end of the date, they were all laughing, and their conversations didn't want to end. It reminded Sehun of the first time he and Luhan went out, only this time he was glad to have his friends with him so that they could all get along. His ex hadn't really gotten along with Jongin, and Sehun knew in hindsight that it should have been a warning. So he was relieved that they all seemed to be good together.

Jongin and Chanyeol excused themselves in that they "had something else to do," which made Sehun frown in curiosity, but he didn't bother to call them out on it. On the walk back to their building, he suddenly thought aloud, “What is it you like about Christmas? What's your favorite part?” he asked, more wanting to understand than anything

Luhan cocked his head curiously. “Willingly bringing up Christmas. Interesting,” he laughed, but then let out a hum of consideration. “Christmas morning. Without a doubt. There's just so much promise when you wake up that morning, knowing that it's the most magical day of the year. That everyone is gathered around and people have been preparing and baking and shopping for weeks, there's just this feeling like anything is possible on Christmas morning.”

Sehun smiled, but didn't say much more.

When they got back to their building, they ended up spending more than a half hour just kissing in the hallway, with Luhan pressing Sehun against the wall and prying into his mouth, hands caressing softly along his back.

-

By the middle of December, Sehun knew that it was unavoidably Christmas. He'd been tormented with the music for weeks, and he was already more than exhausted of it. The cafe had already put out desserts adorned with reindeer and mistletoe, to which he'd give Jongin withering looks, only to be met with an insufferable smile.

Luhan hadn't stopped playing his Christmas music, but he did turn it down so that Sehun only heard it when he would knock on his door to sometimes say good morning or good night. One evening, he found himself in the middle of the mall, looking at a so-called Winter Wonderland display. He'd been forced to enter the mall when he realized he was in need of a new coffee machine, and the best deal was found inside the cesspool he detested.

He let out a loud sigh, and although Christmas still caused a bitter taste to linger in the back of his throat, for once he wanted to celebrate it. Of course, that didn't mean he was about to jump into the weird mall Santa's lap, or even attend any sort of holiday sale, but his thoughts drifted to Luhan and he knew that he wanted to get him something. They hadn't discussed it, of course, Luhan had quickly realized that he shouldn't bring it up too much, but he liked it better that way.

Reluctantly, he ventured through the stores, seeking out something that would mean a little more than there-was-a-sale. He'd never been great with shopping in general, and somehow it felt even worse that it was for someone he felt he wanted to prove something to. What that was, exactly, he didn't know.

As his gaze alighted upon a display, he let out a soft hum of consideration. It wasn't particularly extraordinary, and it wasn't something completely out of left field, but it felt right. Staring at the soon to be gift, it reminded him of Luhan. With his pretty smiles and teasing laughs and lips that tasted like chocolate.

-

On Christmas Eve, Sehun knocked on Luhan's door. They'd already discussed that Luhan needed to go to his parents for the actual holiday - which meant he would be gone for a few days - they agreed to meet on Christmas Eve. Luhan still hadn't pushed anything about the holiday, only asked casually what Sehun was doing and invited him over for dinner.

When Luhan opened the door, there was the usual smile on his face, and the smell of his cooking wafted to greet him. "You showed up," he said with a quiet laugh, "I thought maybe you'd try and sleep through the next few days."

Sehun narrowed his eyes, though it was mostly in jest. "Funny. I don't hear Christmas music, so I guess I'll come in," he joked, pretending to be more grumpy than he actually was. He stepped into the other's apartment with a glance around. Although they'd been seeing each other for a couple of months, they hadn't really gone past each others' entryways. They stuck to the hallways and in restaurants, almost a little wary of inviting each other into their lives too much.

"Do you want some wine?" he asked, already slipping back to the kitchen.

Sehun toed off his shoes and hung his jacket on the coat rack that stood near the door. "Sure," he agreed, following after him. "What are you cooking? It smells good."

"You'll see," Luhan let out a little laugh, pouring out two glasses of a deep red wine, handing off one to Sehun. "Well, even if you aren't celebrating, I want to still wish you a Merry Christmas."

Sehun clinked his glass against Luhan's before taking a sip. "Merry Christmas," he said softly.

"Can I ask? What will you be doing tomorrow?" he asked, turning toward the stove to stir something in a pot.

"I don't know. Nothing," he admitted, "Jongin is going to his parents' house. Chanyeol is stuck working." He didn't mention that Luhan wouldn't be around, considering that much was obvious.

He nodded. "Sehun? Why don't you ever mention your family?" he asked, tone careful.

Clearing his throat, he shrugged, even if Luhan couldn't see it from where he stood. "Nothing much worth mentioning. We don't get along. There's nothing else to say," he mumbled. He'd never been great with talking about those things, especially when it was a topic that made him uncomfortable.

Luhan turned just slightly to look at him for a long moment. "Oh. I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry on something like that, it's none of my business," he said, tone soft.

"No, it's okay. I don't mind, I mean. Just...there really isn't a lot to say about it. We've never been a close family. My mom has some problems, it just makes things a little harder on everyone. It's nothing tragic, it's nothing traumatic, it's just the way it is," he explained. He knew that people might not understand the dynamic in his family, and he couldn't really explain it that well, but it was just how they were. He didn't think it was anything special, and it didn't affect him as much as it seemed to bother other people.

Although his expression told of the sadness he felt on Sehun's behalf, he didn't say anything more about it, and their conversation turned to the meal and to their usual topics. Sehun asked about some of the photos on Luhan's wall and on his bookshelves, and Luhan filled the kitchen with his stories of strange travels and people he'd met along the way. Sehun listened with a faint smile settled onto his face, letting Luhan's words spill over him.

Before they sat down to dinner, Luhan gave Sehun a long look. “I know we didn't really discuss this, but I sort of got you a gift,” he finally said, a bashful sort of smile coming to his features.

A brow raised slightly. “You did? Well then, I'm glad that I got you something too,” he admitted with a laugh. “I'll go grab it, hang on.”

It only took him a minute to grab the present, wrapped in gold and silver. As he stood in the middle of his living room, he wondered what it meant for them to be celebrating Christmas together as they were, even if it was a holiday he tried to show little interest in. Shaking it off, he quickly returned to Luhan's apartment, announcing himself with a quick knock before stepping in.

The other greeted him again with a smile, and he settled into his seat only as Sehun moved behind his own chair. "Before we exchange, can I ask you something?" He took a sip from his wineglass, brow raised slightly.

Sehun offered a slight shrug. "Anything," he agreed easily.

"Would you...care to spend Christmas with me? And my family?" he asked, voice a little quieter than it had been a moment before.

Surprise dawned over his features, and he blinked for a moment. "What?" he muttered, though it was more out of habit than any sort of answer. After clearing his throat, he finally asked, "I'm not answering yet...but can I ask why?"

"Because...you're important to me, Sehun. And I know that you don't really celebrate, but I think it would be nice if you weren't alone on the holiday. And maybe I've already told my family about you, so I think it would be nice?" he finally said, a bashful sort of smile coming to his pretty lips.

"You...told them about me? What did you say?" he asked, still feeling a little caught off guard.

"I just said that I was seeing someone I really liked," he said, "Which is true. I really like you, and I think we could be around each other for a long time."

The words were honest, and Sehun knew that Luhan wasn't trying to impress anyone, he was only saying how he felt. After all the time they'd spent together, he had learned to understand his signals. He knew that when he was upset, there would be a furrow in his brow and his lips would press in a thin line. When he was being genuine, his eyes were wide and he fidgeted with his fingers. "That's so sweet," he finally said, and he felt his lips spread into a smile, "I really like you, too. And...I think I'm willing to try. Your parents wouldn't mind if I came?"

"They've already said that they would like to meet you. And when I mentioned the possibility of asking you, they were okay with it," he admitted.

Sehun blinked again. He hadn't anticipated Luhan having already told his family about him, much less did he ever think he'd be invited to a family occasion. He himself hadn't really identified Luhan as much more than someone he was seeing, though he also quickly realized that he didn't exactly have that many people to tell in the first place.

After they'd finished eating the dinner Luhan had prepared - which Sehun raved about and kissed him repeatedly for going to all that trouble - they agreed to open each others gifts. Luhan insisted that Sehun go first, and he shook his head in mock dismay, but he took the red box and tore into it. Inside the box, nestled in some white tissue paper, was a necklace - it was silver and contained two hoops that interlinked with one another. He smiled and pulled it out of the box, feeling the delicate chain over his hand. On closer inspection, he realized that they two hoops had engraved markings on them , one which held a delicate L and the other an S.

Of course, he quickly realized that it was their initials, and his gaze fell onto Luhan in surprise. "This is beautiful," he said quietly, suddenly unsure of how to express his thanks. His family had never really done gifts, and he'd never had someone significant enough that they exchanged anything meaningful, so he was taken aback.

"You like it?" Luhan asked, voice unsure. "I know that maybe it seems a little...personal, or maybe it's too much? But when I saw the necklace it just seemed so much like us-"

His words were cut off when Sehun leaned in to press a hard kiss against his lips, silencing his excuses and his apologies that he could sense were forming. "Don't. I love it," he said, a hand reaching to run through Luhan's hair softly. "This is the best gift I've ever been given."

"Oh, you don't have to say that," Luhan protested, but he quickly leaned in and captured Sehun's lips in another kiss.

"But it's true," he insisted, and they didn't bother with words for another few long moments. Instead, they kissed, with soft caresses and exploring tongues, before Luhan finally pulled away.

"As much as I want to just keep kissing you, I also really want to see my gift," he let out a quiet laugh and sat back in his seat, reaching for the golden box.

Sehun groaned softly before he quickly put on the necklace. "It's nothing much..." he attempted to excuse, even though he knew that he'd just been arguing that Luhan shouldn't make excuses either.

Ignoring his words, Luhan opened the gift, his eyes curving into pleased crescents as his gaze alighted on the inside of the box. He pulled the notebook from its nestled spot, fingers running over the cover and sides. It wasn't anything elaborate, but it was bound in leather and stitched with cream thread, dark ribbons falling over it to tie it in place. "It's perfect," he mumbled, before he clutched it to his chest for a moment. "Thank you, Sehun."

He felt a little embarrassed, but he mustered up another smile. "Come here," he said, standing and reaching out toward the other. When Luhan joined him, he pulled him closer, lips pressing against each other easily, hands moving to caress over skin. It wasn't long before the touches became a little more heated, and Sehun ended up pressing Luhan against the wall, his knee coming to rest between his legs.

As they moved to go into the bedroom, Luhan paused, gaze falling on the notebook again as the light fell on it. "Wait, what's this?" he suddenly asked, pulling away from Sehun for a minute to pick it back up, reading the embossed gold letters that fell across the spine.

Sehun felt a sense of dread, and he let out a quiet laugh. "I mean...it's true. Remember that conversation?" he mumbled, even though he knew by the words that he clearly already did.

"Of course I do," he said softly, fingers running over them again.

“Well, it's true. 'You're my Christmas morning.'”