... and my true love gave to me ❄
Do 'D.O' Kyungsoo

It had taken a whole lot of trickery and untruths to get the horde off his back long enough for Kyungsoo to get into his room. He had told the others that his box contained cookery books; that he wanted to expand his selection of meal ideas for the season. Kyungsoo was almost certain that most of them believed him at least. Tao and Chen had both given him a look that clearly stated they weren't buying a damn thing he was saying, but the most important thing was that Kai didn't think there was anything fishy going on.

Oh his sweet, trusting Kai.

It was the morning after the package had been delivered and the box had been stuffed rather unceremoniously under the bed – Kai had come to bed and almost seen what was hiding in the cardboard so Kyungsoo had kicked it under the bed before he had time to register. It had been a close call but fortunately for Kyungsoo, a sleepy Kai wasn't a very observant one.

He turned to gaze at the still dozing dancer with a soft smile on his face, brushing a stray bang away from his eyes as he leant over and pecked his cheek lightly. Kai mumbled something in his sleep and turned his face into his pillow, mouthing whatever it was into the fluffy warmth. With a chuckle, Kyungsoo grabbed the box from beneath the bed and tucked the blankets over his boyfriend before leaving the room and closing the door quietly behind him.

Wandering into the kitchen, he looked over the high counter to find Minseok already awake and half-laid over one of the armchairs, face scrunched up in thought. Tao was laid on one of the sofas with his box held against one side, the other hand it fondly. He hadn't let any of them touch the box since Kris had given him his Christmas gift; but they had all looked upon the beauty of the gift itself.

Kyungsoo knew that they were all worried now that their presents to their loved one wouldn't match up to the thoughtfulness of Kris' gift, but if he was honest, Kyungsoo didn't care about one-upmanship. He knew Kai was going to love his gift – or gifts, as it were – and that was all he really cared about.

There was a content little smile on his face as he set about making breakfast for the kids, giving everyone a polite greeting as they each came and went during the waking up routine. Kris was one of the last and he stumbled into the kitchen, reaching for the coffee machine. Kyungsoo watched him carefully, edging his parcel under the counter with his foot. No one was allowed to ruin his surprises.

As Kris took a deep draft of his coffee, he levelled his gaze on Kyungsoo and arched an eyebrow as though challenging him. They all knew it was Kyungsoo's day. They had decided this at the start of the month. Each day in the lead up to Christmas, they would each take it in turns to give their gift to their partner. Whether they did it in front of the others not was another matter.

There was something bordering on smug in the smirk that edged its' way into the tilt of Kris' lips. Kyungsoo's eyes narrowed slightly as he started to serve up breakfast, not breaking eye contact with the M-leader until he almost slapped a spoon of rice onto the counter and not into the bowl he was aiming it at.

My gift is going to all over you, Kris, Kyungsoo thought as he tore his stare away and finished serving breakfast. “Breakfast,” he shouted over the din that had risen in the living room as Tao and Minseok had slowly been joined by everyone else. He watched, half amused as they all fought to reach the table at once; Minseok was used as a vaulting horse by Tao. Baekhyun and Sehun all but trampled straight over Junmyeon and Kai was thrown back against the wall by an overzealous Chanyeol.

“Ok kids, stop fighting. There's more than enough for everyone,” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and set the bowls out on the table, watching as each was grabbed with great gusto. The pots in the middle of the table were swiftly emptied of their belly-warming contents and in the space of twenty minutes, twelve boys were leaning back in their chair and rubbing their stomachs.

There was a murmur of appreciation towards Kyungsoo who hummed in response, gathering the bowls and pots. He motioned for Lay to help him and the two carried the pots into the kitchen, dropping them in the sink. They could argue over who was going to wash them later. First, he had gifts to give.

He discretely checked his phone, smiling at the message that flashed up on his screen.

Time to get on with it.

Ducking below the counter, he grabbed the box and carefully took out the large book he had been waiting on. He hadn't been lying entirely when he said it was a book... but it was as far from a cookbook as possible.

He had spent the last week preparing for this gift. Much as Kris had, Kyungsoo had gone to some extra lengths to make sure his gift would be special. It had been hard to keep what he was doing a secret from Kai, but he was fortunate in that the dancer trusted him entirely and never asked any questions if something didn't seem quite right.

Kyungsoo was amazed that Kai hadn't noticed things were missing for a few hours over the last few days... but it had all worked out and now the culmination of his sneaking around lay within his hands.

He had decided against wrapping it because they never had. Kai was too impatient to deal with wrapping paper, after all and Kyungsoo was usually too preoccupied or excited to even bother.

Taking a deep breath, Kyungsoo approached the dining table and pushed Luhan out of his seat so he could sit directly opposite Kai. He set the book down on the table and pushed it towards him with a wide smile. “Merry Christmas, Jongin.”

Kai's eyes widened slightly and he reached out, pulling the book towards him and staring at the front cover for several moments. There on the cover was a picture of Kai with his three dogs – or kids as he liked to refer to them. There was an empty space, like a little frame, beside the main image as though left there intentionally, but Kai wasn't interested in that in that moment.

Kyungsoo watched him carefully as he opened the book and stared just as transfixed at the first page. He slowly flicked through them and his smile widening with each page that was revealed to him. Every page was filled with images of Kai, Kyungsoo and his dogs. Monggu, Jjanggu and Jjangah. All three were splashed throughout the book from start to end. At the beginning, there were images of when Kai first got them, stretching closer to the present the nearer the end of the book he got.

Kai rarely cried. It was only when he was so overcome with emotion that Jongin would ever allow the tears to fall.

But they fell now, in rivers down his cheeks to drip steadily into his lap.

Still grinning broadly, he wiped the back of his hand to push away the tears before looking up at Kyungsoo.

He didn't need words to express how he felt. It was all there in his eyes. Love, adoration and sheer, unadulterated joy at the gift he had been presented by his boyfriend. It was absolutely perfect.

“Kyungsoo... this is...”

“Not everything,” Kyungsoo's smile widened and he pointed to the several blank pages and spots amongst the later pictures. “I have something else that needs to go there, in time.”

Kai tilted his head as Kyungsoo pushed away from the table and disappeared towards the front room. There was a stifling silence as everyone waited to see exactly what else Kyungsoo had planned.

“Close your eyes, Jongin,” Kyungsoo called from the hallway, peeking around the wall to make sure had done as he was told. Satisfied that he had obeyed, Kyungsoo shuffled back in, pressing a finger to his lips to silence the incoming quaver of awwwww that he saw surfacing on half of s faces. Baekhyun made a peculiar squeaking sound as Kyungsoo moved around behind Jongin and planted something in his lap.

“Open.”

Jongin opened his eyes slowly to find a ball of brown fur skipping around on his lap, yapping happily as it turned it's equally fluffy face up to stare at him. Kai choked on his voice, picking the little fluffball up and bringing it closer to his face where it lapped at his nose and made the most adorable barking sound Kai had ever heard.

“A puppy?” Kris did not sound amused.

“Glad to see your eyes still work, Kris,” Kyungsoo quipped, slipping his arms around Kai's neck and resting his cheek against his boyfriend's as he continued to dangle the puppy in front of his face in amazement. It seemed perfectly happy with this game, barking and yapping and trying to Kai's face.

“You bought him a puppy?”

“We have four kids now,” Kyungsoo purred against Kai's ear, ignoring the indignant expression on Kris' face.

“We can't keep a puppy in the dorms.”

“Yes we can. I got permission before I went and bought him. Do you like him?” Kyungsoo kissed the corner of Kai's wide smile.

“He's so cute... I love him. I love you.” Kai turned, pulling Kyungsoo into his lap and placing the puppy against his where it pawed and clambered up to sit on his shoulder, staring around at all the other faces trying to hold back their squeals of delight at just how adorable the damn thing was.

Kris didn't seem too amused by this news.

“If it makes a mess in my room, you're bleaching it out of the carpet,” he warned Kyungsoo as he rose from the table and silently moved to wash the dishes.

Chen and Tao leant in to them from either side, smirking identical evil smiles that told Kyungsoo that whatever they had to say was not going to be something Kris would like.

“How long do you think it'd take to train him to poop in Kris' shoes?” came the double question.

❄ one cooking owl...