It’s been a couple of hours since Baekhyun had last seen his boyfriend storm out on him and it’s safe to say that he’s more than just frustrated that Chanyeol had left without even listening to him explain, Baekhyun’s seething. As in fire breathing dragon seething. The nerve of his boyfriend to run off like that! Sehun and Jongin had searched for Chanyeol and texted him but to no success when they’d found Chanyeol’s phone back in Baekhyun’s room after returning from the igloos as a group.

Baekhyun admits to shedding a couple tears when Chanyeol had gotten mad back at the igloos. It’s only reasonable, especially with how cozy Kikwang and he were, but in his defense they’re only friends. But then again, he thinks it’s his fault when he’d found out his boyfriend actually felt insecure with him. How’s Baekhyun supposed to react other than to feel guilt of making the younger feel and think that way? It’s only been three weeks (12 years) of dating and he already feels like he’s ruined everything. Damn it Byun Baekhyun. He doesn’t know how the situation’s changed. Shouldn’t it be him feeling insecure over another attractive male or storming out with frustrated tears and misunderstandings? Somehow dating Chanyeol makes Baekhyun act younger than they really are as well as force him to get mature and be one with the pants when he needs to. Obviously, he needs to this time.

After leaving their friends with a promise of seeing them later at dinner as they left to go pack, an hour of shamelessly wallowing himself in guilt inside his and Chanyeol’s room and a couple of angry and pleading calls/messages sent to the giant’s phone (which he’s embarrassed of the other seeing later. Yolo) Baekhyun gets a text from Suho telling him they’re off to eat dinner. The blonde male rolls of his bed and on to his feet, towards the door and off to another (hopefully) awkward (hope not) dinner with his and Chanyeol’s family and friends. Oh boy. This time, he doesn’t have a plan, only hopes of Chanyeol finally talking to him after getting stared at and allowing Baekhyun to get a word out. Okay, now that he thinks about it, he probably should have a plan on what to say because sometimes it takes a lot of persuasion to get Chanyeol to listen, especially when he’s being stubborn. Baekhyun sighs and fails to notice a giant tiptoeing towards the room, sliding his room key and entering inside. Maybe Baekhyun should go sweet? Feisty? He walks with an occupied mind towards the elevators and thinks of his attempts. All the failures and such. Feisty it is.

Chanyeol enters his and Baekhyun’s shared room; releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding when he confirms Baekhyun’s not going back for something. His giant regrets storming out from Baekhyun and running off to leave his phone in their room. He’d gone to the resort’s arcade room, sat in the library and had gone on a walk outside again before leaving to go hide in Baekhyun’s older brother’s room. It was awkward entering unannounced; the college kid had been on the phone with what Chanyeol now finds as Suho’s new profound ‘relationship’ (“It’s complicated,” Suho said.) with his dear older sister, Park Yura. Chanyeol had begun to think their parents had all planned to get their kids together and marry them off. Suho didn’t even object but only replied with a defeated look that said he’d fallen under their trap as well. Freaking weird parents. Chanyeol didn’t even know his sister and Suho were even like that. Must explain why he and Baekhyun rarely saw them around. Pffft.

Needless to say, he’d found comfort in Suho’s words as they had a brotherly talk about relationships and what not and Chanyeol had felt a lot better. Of course, Chanyeol couldn’t have done all that without having to confess to Suho that yes, he and Baekhyun have been officially dating and have hit their first bump in the relationship. Suho didn’t even bat an eye but gave Chanyeol the ‘Wow Chanyeol, I’m happy for you two. ing finally, I was beginning to think you two would never get together and die s (hehe) with your stupid mixed signals and . By the way, if you ever hurt my little brother, I will personally fly back home from college and kick your . Love you though’ talk and giving him a noogie because he was being irrational with all the running away. In Suho’s words, ‘Stop being a Chanyeol and get your boyfriend back man’. The giant also gave Suho the brother talk about his sister, promising that if Suho hurt her, he’d kick his too. The two boys had grinned cheekily and shook on it with spit on hands, courtesy of way back when they’d hide the fact that they’d eaten one of Baekhyun’s candies or popsicles back as little kids.

Now thinking about the talk, Chanyeol feels a bit (a lot) stupid for being an insensitive boyfriend and not thinking about whether he’d hurt Baekhyun’s feelings in the process. He feels even more embarrassed that he’d acted childish, making assumptions based on his jealousy and misunderstandings of how close Kikwang and Baekhyun were being. He could obviously see that Baekhyun now looked up to Kikwang like a hyung after getting to know him more and Chanyeol guesses his insecurity only fed his jealousy. Suho calling it an irrational fear of losing Baekhyun because a random attractive guy comes rings in Chanyeol’s ears. He groans as he walks out from the bathroom after washing his face from sweat, brushing his teeth and combing his red hair.

Chanyeol walks over to the bed in the middle of the room, plops down and checks the clock on the red-orange painted walls to check the time. Reaching over for the phone he left on the top of the drawers, the giant finds a recent text from his mother reminding him of dinner (must’ve been why he’d just seen Baekhyun leave), 4 calls from Jongin and Sehun, 6 scolding ‘Man up you dope! Love you! Hyung! What the hell?!’ from Luhan and Kyungsoo and what seems to be frustrated angry voicemails of Baekhyun in his inbox pleading for Chanyeol to come back and stop avoiding him. The way Baekhyun sounds adorable although pissed causes Chanyeol to smile because the elder can’t even be mad at him without being naturally cute. Chanyeol listens to every one of the voicemails and reads every text Baekhyun’s sent to his inbox but doesn’t reply. But he does reply to his mother and friends that he’s on his way to dinner. He goes over to the closet where he’s hung a few of his long sleeves and settles for a baby blue polo before wrapping himself up in his black coat and grey scarf and exiting out of the room. As he walks towards the elevator, his mind circulates ways to get him and Baekhyun to get over this stupid problem. The elevator dings and Chanyeol presses the button for the first floor; the door closes with a ding and the elevator makes its descent. Chanyeol’s already way past being stubborn and is practically begging for one of Baekhyun’s cuddles or kisses. He just wants the smaller male in his arms again and he’s tired of running away. Thinking back, this all happened because 1.) Kikwang had come dashing in saying he and Baekhyun made out and that they should hang out. 2.) Baekhyun had rejected it so that was cool but he’d introduced Chanyeol to Kikwang as his best friend and not his boyfriend right in front of him. Ouch. 3.) Chanyeol can’t help it if Kikwang was another attractive guy (although one he’s not personally attracted to. 4.) It was getting annoying that Kikwang had the confidence and ability to make Baekhyun look at him and laugh comfortably. I mean, the two acted like long lost friends even though they’d only made out at a party! 5.) Baekhyun had laughed at him, thinking it was a joke when Chanyeol’s told him his feelings of insecurity and such over Kikwang and also about not being introduced as the boyfriend. 6.) The whole igloo mishap just ed it up even more, mostly because of Chanyeol’s fault.

The elevator stops at the first floor and Chanyeol steps out, walking past the people in the main hall or those entering the building through large wooden and glass decorated doors. There are a lot of people just walking in actually and Chanyeol can see a few with their luggage bags on one of those carts you use to lug them to your room. He makes his way to the dining hall where he can hear Christmas music and see a pianist in one corner playing for an audience. Chanyeol makes his way over to where he sees his parents with his sister, the Byuns and his friends. Chanyeol sees that three tables had been joined together to make a long rectangular one and everyone was seated in a way that they were across from their significant other. Chanyeol’s and Baekhyun’s parents were seated across each other on one table, already ordering their meals from who Chanyeol recognizes as the waitress from lunch earlier. On the second table are Suho sitting across from Yura and Baekhyun on his right side while on the third are Kyungsoo and Luhan seated next to each other and across from their boyfriends. Chanyeol makes his way over and notices that the only vacant seat is the one across from Baekhyun. Great. He internally groans because 1.) He’s not ready for a confrontation or conversation 2.) He’s scared of another awkward dinner and making it too obvious to his family that there was something wrong between Baekhyun and him and ruining their cover of their relationship. 3.) He just doesn’t wanna eat dinner when he still hasn’t apologized to Baekhyun for being a wuss or talked to him about making up. Siiiiigh, the struggles of Park Chanyeol.

Baekhyun had watched Chanyeol making his way to the table and noticed the giant hesitating to sit across from him. In the end, Chanyeol had decided to sit down and greet everyone and even halfway leaning across the table to kiss Baekhyun on the cheek like he does as a habit when greeting the elder male but freezing and laughing it off awkwardly as he shifted beneath the stares of everyone at the table. Baekhyun flushes and he glances down at the menu in his hands before coughing to get rid of the tension, opting then to just greet Chanyeol like they usually do.

“Hey Channie. You ready to eat?”

“H-hey Baekkie. Uhm yeah. Could you pass me a menu?”

“Sure. Here you go.”

Luhan chuckles under his breath as he watches how the two are awkwardly shifting in their seats under the already awkward atmosphere between them while the rest are finalizing their orders and the ParkByuns have already begun eating. The pretty deer nudges Kyungsoo and the two shares looks and shake their heads. A waitress comes by to take their orders and Luhan recognizes her to be Kikwang’s girlfriend and greets her with a smile.

“Hey Hyuna!” Luhan smiles and Kyungsoo turns around to greet her with one of his own heart shaped smiles, causing the girl to slightly blush. Awh, squishy Kyungsoo.

“Hey Luhan, hey Kyungsoo. What would you like to order?” She hands them the dessert the menu as the two and their boyfriends tell her what they want. They finish after ordering ribs, hamburgers, pizza, and pasta.

“Okay, got it,” Hyuna jots everything down and takes their menus. “By the way,” she whispers to Luhan and Kyungsoo. “I got your text and Kikwang’s filled me in. By the way thanks for helping my boyfriend and I out. You guys are great.” Hyuna flashes them a smile, her pink glossy lips shining.

“No problem noona,” Kyungsoo says. “It’s always nice to help friends out. And thanks for doing this as well. We wouldn’t know what we’d do without you and Kikwang hyung.”

“Awh, no prob Kyungie!” Hyuna smiles down to Kyungsoo and ruffles his hair. Jongin looks up at the nickname and eyes the way Hyuna and Kyungsoo are talking. Luhan kicks his shin beneath the table and tells him to wipe whatever jealousy’s growing while Jongin yelps and Sehun laughs.

“Oh, I see Kikwang coming,” Hyuna says and waves to her boyfriend. “I guess it’s time for #Baekyeol to start! Good luck you guys.” The waitress makes her way to her boyfriend and gives him a secret peck on the cheek before walking away to hand over her orders. Kikwang makes his way over to the table to be BaekYeol’s waiter. More like matchmaker/counselor due to Kyungsoo who’d formulated a plan with Luhan to get Chanyeol and Baekhyun to make up. He winks over to the two and begins the plan, walking over to Baekhyun and Chanyeol dressed in his black slacks, white polo and tie, blonde hair slicked back with a notebook in hand to get their orders. Who said he can’t look good while helping out his friends?

 “What a babe,” Kyungsoo mouths to Luhan, who nods in agreement as they rake Kikwang’s appearance and laugh.

“Hello, my name is Kikwang and I will be serving you tonight. What would you like to eat?” Kikwang smiles down at two males looking down at their menus to avoid starting a conversation with each other. At the sound of the familiar voice, Baekhyun jolts up in his seat and looks up to see Kikwang.

“Kikwang hyung! Hey!” Baekhyun greets the elder male with a smile. Chanyeol growls under his breath and Baekhyun tenses.

“Hey Baek. Nothing much, you know just doing my last shift,” Kikwang eyes Chanyeol.

“Ah. Well I’m not gonna prevent you from doing your job so here’s my order,” Baekhyun chuckles. He orders spaghetti and cheesecake for dessert. “Hey ba- I mean Yeollie, what do you wanna order?”

“I’ll have the same as you babe,” Chanyeol puts his menu down and exaggerates the pet name while eyeing Kikwang. Luhan and Kyungsoo on the other hand are chuckling because oh ho ho the plan’s working.

“Okay, I’ll make sure to get your orders in a jiffy,” Kikwang smiles and winks at Baekhyun. Chanyeol clenches his napkin as the waiter walks away. Having been informed, Suho and Yura try to raise the atmosphere by starting small talk. Their parents are too busy to notice anything going on anyway.

“So, have you guys done anything fun today?” Yura asks her brother.

“Yeah Baek, have you and Chanyeol done anything fun with the guys lately?”

“Hmmm? Oh, uh we went to the igloos last night and today actually,” Baekhyun mumbles.

“Ahhh! Suho and I actually went this morning to check it out. They’re amazing,” Yura adds.

“Yeah noona. Absolutely fascinating and eye opening,” Chanyeol says with a hint of sarcasm. All thoughts of making up with Baekhyun went out the window again. Annoyance bubbles in Baekhyun’s stomach at the giant’s response. Okay.

“Really?” Yura and Suho share a look. “Eye opening huh? How?”

“Oh, well you know. Just that, the igloos are just so pretty and bright, you can’t help but see things in a whole different way. Especially how things seem to be on the outside and inside,” Chanyeol adds and stares at Baekhyun whose staring right back. Bring it on.

“Hmm, Yura an-“

“Ya, Park Chanyeol if you want to say something say it to my face directly,” Baekhyun stares at his boyfriend and challenges him. Kyungsoo and Luhan share a look once again. Okay, this wasn’t part of the plan. The two see Kikwang and Hyuna making their way over with their food and signal ‘Abort! Abort!’ for the two to exchange orders, giving Hyuna’s to Kikwang and vice versa. The two employees make their way over and quickly leave, getting the signal from Kyungsoo’s wide eyes. Luhan signals to them an apologetic expression and the couple wave with smiles, Kikwang wrapping an arm around his girlfriend’s waist as they walk away. Well at least one couple conflict was resolved.

“Oh really Byun Baekhyun? How about you? Do you have anything to say to me?” Chanyeol says, attitude biting. Dang, Sehun and Jongin have never seen this side of their best friend and the two gape.

“Yes, I actually do-“

“Actually never mind, I’ve lost my appetite,” Chanyeol says out loud and stands up turning to his parents to ask them to excuse him. “Dad, mo-“

“YA! Park Chanyeol! Would you look at me?!” The whole table turns to look at Baekhyun’s small figure standing up, his yell loud enough for just the table to hear them as he and the giant glare at each other. Baekhyun’s had enough of Chanyeol walking away and that’s exactly what the giant’s trying to do. Stupid goof and his dramatic acts, Baekhyun’s not gonna let him get away this time.

“I think I saw everything already Byun Baekhyun. I’m tired-“

“No you’re not. Stop ing running away from me you ,” The adults at the table are shocked at Baekhyun’s language and Mrs. Byun speaks up.

“Now Baekhyun dear, Chanyeol. Could you two please sit down?”

“Chanyeol, son, Baekhyun, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Park asks through worried eyes. Everyone has stopped eating to watch the scene between the two, Baekhyun standing up in front of a towering Chanyeol with glaring eyes and Chanyeol looking down with a poker face, when really inside he’s starting to get scared because holy their cover! Chanyeol’s eyes speak for him as the large brown orbs search in Baekhyun’s answers for why the elder was suddenly acting this way. They can do this later.

“Park Chan-“

“Baekhyun could you please sit down? Let’s talk about this later,” Chanyeol sits down and starts poking at his spaghetti as if nothing had happened.

“ing Park Chanyeol.”

“Byun Baekhyun watch your language son,” Mr. Byun pipes up. Baekhyun’s still standing.

“I’m sorry dad, I can’t until this idiot here looks at me and actually tries to listen before thinking up assumptions and running away from his boyfriend,” Baekhyun replies.

“Wait, what?” Mrs. Park’s eyes widen. Holy. The inner fan girl in her is making its way out. She turns to her friend, “Did your son just?” Mrs. Byun shrugs in confusion, she’s taken aback herself.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol eyes Baekhyun with confusion in his eyes. What the is his boyfriend doing calling him like that in front of their parents? He’d thought Baekhyun wanted to hide the fact they were dating just a little bit longer.

“Hyung, maybe you should sit first,” Sehun says, looking around and seeing that a couple eyes are looking their way.

“Yeah hyung,” Jongin adds. With a sigh, Baekhyun sits down and crosses his arms. Trying to confirm what Baekhyun had just said, Mrs. Park speaks up once again.

“Uhm Baekhyun dear. Would you mind telling us what’s going on?” Baekhyun turns to his and Chanyeol’s parents with a determined expression on his face.

“Mom, Dad, Mama and Pops, Chanyeol and I are dating.”

Chanyeol chokes on his soda and coughs loudly and Jongin quickly pats him on the back. Sehun’s looking at the whole thing with amusement and Luhan’s mouth is agape enough to throw something in there and Kyungsoo’s eyes are as wide as saucers.

“Uhm Baek?” Chanyeol struggles through the strain in his throat from choking on soda but attempts to get Baekhyun to look at him.

“Shut up Yeol. If this is the only way you’re going to talk to me I’ll do it,” Baekhyun says and turns to his boyfriend. “You need to stop running away from me because the whole time you’ve been doing that I’ve been feeling like total at the fact that I was being a stupid boyfriend (Mrs. Park’s fan girl level +100) for laughing at you about your insecurities over Kikwang,” Chanyeol focuses his attention to the smaller male and Baekhyun takes it as his signal to continue. “I’m really sorry that I did that. I’d thought you were joking and all because you’re never insecure.  You’re the varsity basketball co-captain, a kingka at our high school, you have girls all over you. You’re tall, handsome, kind, and amazing,” Baekhyun chuckles at Chanyeol’s blush. “I’d laughed because I think you’re amazing and that it was stupid of you to be jealous of Kikwang in the first place. Like you said, he’s the past and you’re the present. Besides, hyung and I aren’t even like that, never have been,” Baekhyun pouts. “ he even has a girlfriend. It’s that waitress you were talking to this morning. You would know that if you took the time to listen to me earlier.”

“Uh. Uhm.”

“Yeah, that’s right Park Chanyeol, stutter you goof,” Baekhyun teases. Finally the tension’s gone and he can finally tell Chanyeol how he’s feeling, albeit under the gapes of the friends and family and what he sees as Chanyeol’s and his moms trying to suppress their excitement. “I’m also sorry for introducing you to Kikwang as my best friend and not as boyfriend like you’ve been wanting me to tell everyone that introduces themselves to me. And with that,” Baekhyun turns to their parents. Their fathers have amused grins on their faces, and Suho and Yura are  trying to hide their laughter at the sight of their mothers, shocked and mouths agape in surprise and excitement at what Baekhyun’s about to say next.

“Chanyeol and I are dating,” Baekhyun finally states and he jumps at the way their mothers squeal. “Uh? Anyways, Chanyeol and I have been dating for three weeks now, since finals actually. He was actually the one who’s been wanting to tell you guys since the beginning but I chose to keep it secret for a while because I knew that I wouldn’t have any alone time with him once you guys knew,” He gives their mothers a knowing look and the two women chuckle. The blonde male turns to Chanyeol and reaches over to hold the giant’s hand and the two exchange smiles. Well this is definitely not the way they wanted to tell their parents but who gives a now? Yolo.

“And so I’ll be the one to tell you guys now,” Chanyeol smiles and says to everyone at the table. “Baekhyun and I are officially dating,” he chuckles, “And mom, don’t think that Baekkie and I don’t know that you and Mama Byun were stalking us the whole time.” The two women flush and everyone laughs boisterously. When the laughter dies down Baekhyun speaks up.

“So are you guys disappointed? Surprised? Say something!”

“Son,” Mr. Byun says. “We all knew already, especially with the way your mothers have been pining for you two all these years. You’ve basically just fulfilled their fantasies.” Mr. Park nods along and the men chuckle. “Of course we’re not disappointed. In the contrary, we support you two,” Mr. Byun smiles. Chanyeol and Baekhyun look at each other and smile as well. The couple turns to their mothers for approval only to be met with their stern faces and their bright moods change into one of fear.

“Uh mom?” Chanyeol asks hesitantly. “Anything you want to say?”

“Yes, Park Chanyeol,” Chanyeol turns to his boyfriend at his mother’s tone. “I for one don’t appreciate your teasing about me and your future mother-in-law’s stalking missions. BUT I AM SO HAPPY YOU TWO FINALLY CONFIRMED THAT YOU GUYS ARE DATING!” Mrs. Park squeals and gets up from her seat to hug her son in a death grip. “This is one of the happiest days of my life!  A dream come true! Now both of my kids can get married!”

“Married?!” Yura exclaims.

“Shhh, we’ll leave that for next time dear.” Mrs. Byun rolls her eyes at her best friend (her bestfriend at pretending to be mad) and scootches so she can see her own son to give him a smile.

“Baekhyun dear, we fully support this relationship. You two may have put me to suffer with Chanyeol’s mom’s crazy plans but you guys finally confirmed it! I’m so happy!” She turns to Chanyeol. “You young man are a very lucky one. Don’t let my son go. I was seriously beginning to think you two’d never get together.”

“Mhm!” Everyone at the table agrees. Needless to say, dinner went quite well for the giant and his blonde boyfriend. Baekhyun and Chanyeol finally talked and made up when they arrived back from their room after sending their friends off. Their parents were now off their case (Mothers? Maybe not) and before they even knew it, the escape was finished and they were back home where they’d finish off with having a Christmas get together and opening of gifts.

It’s the night of Christmas Eve and Chanyeol’s sleeping over at Baekhyun’s house (like always), with packs of popcorn, a stack of Christmas movies, and a particular blonde boy in his arms, sleeping the day’s activities away. Chanyeol’s humming to his boyfriend while he finishes off Home Alone and when it’s done, he turns off Baekhyun’s TV and snuggles down to lay on the bed where he then places his chin on top of Baekhyun’s head and hugs him close. It’s not twelve yet and it’s completely different from how they’d usually stay up until it was Christmas morning, but lying down next to Baekhyun felt great exciting too.

“Hey Baek?”

“Hmmmmm?”

“Thanks for telling our families we’re dating and all. It was pretty brave of you,” Chanyeol softly chuckles.

“Well you would’ve been too baby to tell them yourself anyways,” Baekhyun teases.

“Pffft. Hey, so anyways, what’d you get me for Christmas babe?”

“Babe?”

“Mhmmmm.”

“Seriously? You’re calling me that now?”

“Yeeessssss,” Chanyeol sings.

“Well, if you must know babe. It’s a surprise. So sleep yeah?”

“But baaaaaaaabe!” Chanyeol whines to Baekhyun who just laughs and snuggles closer.

“Shush.”

“Fine,” Chanyeol quiets down and closes his eyes, sniffing in the scent of Baekhyun’s strawberry shampoo and giving him a kiss on the forehead before closing his eyes and letting out a sleepy sigh. A minute after, Baekhyun speaks up.

“Hey Channie, I know this isn’t the usual tradition we do every Christmas Eve, but I still like it this way. Don’t you?” Baekhyun softly whispers. “Merry Christmas Eve Yeollie-patootie.”

“Shhhhhhh Baek, I’m sleeping!” Chanyeol mumbles with a teasing grin that Baekhyun can’t see. He laughs when he gets shoved but replies with a soft, “Merry Christmas Eve to you too Baekkie-wakey. See you in my dreams.”