Pikachu Under The Mistletoe

Sweet vanilla and spicy ginger scent. Jongdae had never thought he'd enjoy being in the coziness of Joonmyeon's kitchen the whole evening so much. The heat of the oven had finally dragged the winter's cold out of his bones, and now, as he whisked yet another batch of eggs, he was growing progressively hotter. Pausing for a moment, he took in his boyfriend's delighted expression, as he carefully pressed one cookie cutter after the other over what seemed to be their tenth batch of cookie dough.

"Hey," Joonmyeon looked up at him, looking frankly adorable with his Christmas apron and disheveled hair, "Who are we gonna give all this cookies to?"

"Well. Half for us and half for whoever you want, I guess."

"Then half for me!"

"If you keep on eating like this you'll get fat," Joonmyeon teased.

"Why would you say that?" Jongdae gasped, bringing a hand up to his mouth in mock shock, "You better watch your mouth if you don't want me to go out and find a new boyfriend to share my cookies with," he finished with a pout.

Joonmyeon rolled his eyes, chuckling under his breath, "You know I'm kidding. You look perfect Pikachu."

"Don't call me that," Jongdae muttered halfheartedly, cheeks coloring up at the compliment. Okay, he hadn't been a fan of the pet name at the beginning, even less when it had accidentally came up around his friends, but now he couldn't deny the fuzzy feeling he got every time his boyfriend called him like that. Jongdae was so gone, "Yeah I do know. I'll just give them to Yeol and Baek and call it an apology for missing their beloved party."

His friend's annual Christmas party had always been a Big Deal. Every single one of their friends (and also not-that-friends, because why not) were invited. 'The event of the year', as Chanyeol liked to call it. Well, not for Jongdae. At least not this year. It wasn't as if he didn't like the whole 'alcohol, fun and candy' theme it had going on, but he had Joonmyeon this year, and was quite excited to be able to welcome Christmas cuddled by the fireplace with his beloved. So cliché and domestic.

Joonmyeon's expression shifted to one of uneasiness in a beat, and he went back to cutting the cookies before speaking up, "You know I'd be okay with you going, right?"

"Yep. But I'd rather spend tonight with you. After all, you're my boyfriend," he grinned.

"You really love the b word," Joonmyeon commented with an uncomfortable chuckle as he stopped himself from rubbing his neck with his floured hand.

"What word? Boyfriend?" Jongdae enunciated obnoxiously around a smile, "Of course I do! Specially for you. I didn't spend so many months trying to woo you and being systematically turned down not to make the best use of it now that I can," he turned to look back at Joonmyeon when he was met with silence, "Why? Don't you like it?"

"Sure I do Jongdae. I just find it weird how much you seem to like it," he attempted an uncomfortable smile.

Jongdae set the bowl down, shortening the distance between them, and beamed shyly.

"I like you Joon. A lot. I really hope you... feel the same?"

"I do! Really!" at last he put the cutter down, abandoning his task completely and facing his boyfriend.

"Good," Jongdae smiled softly, taking a step forward until there was a mere inch between their bodies, "Then... Can I... kiss you?" he asked hopefully, staring right into his eyes. Which was why he saw the exact moment Joonmyeon panicked, turning beet red as he hurriedly took a step backwards.

"This bach is ready for the oven, I think. We should do that now!" he babbled as he hurriedly set the cookies in the pan.

Jongdae smirked around the lump in his throat, doing his best to brush it off and not feel hurt. He just had to be patient. It was always the same, though. They had been going out for almost three months, been close friends for more than a year. And still Joonmyeon would turn away from anything even remotely physical. The farthest they'd gotten to had been holding hands for not even a full minute, and that only after Jongdae's stubborn insistence. That's why he couldn't help but to wonder whether Joonmyeon really liked him, even half as much as he did, or he just didn't want to reject him and hurt his feelings. After all, it had been Jongdae who'd been trying to get Joonmyeon to even look at him since they'd known each other, pestered him to go on a date. He'd do anything to get a reaction out of his boyfriend. He loved him, he truly did. That's why he wanted to kiss him, to touch him. He just didn't get what the big deal was.

They finished baking the cookies quickly, Joonmyeon hurriedly cleaning the mess they'd made as Jongdae prepared his famous hot chocolate. Well, it'd be famous once he'd learn how to make it properly, that's it.

Taking their treats with them, the couple proceeded to place everything in the little coffee table by the huge sofa in Joonmyeon's living room, arranging themselves on it.

Sip by sip, Jongdae let the hot chocolate melt away his previous worries. He considered it no less than a miracle that his boyfriend's parents had left town for the holiday, leaving the house to his only son and, unawarely, to him. It wasn't often they had the chance to be completely on their own. Munching on an unexpectedly tasty cookie, Jongdae tuned out Joonmyeon's blabbering about college, letting his voice wash over him. Carefully, as to not scare the boy away, he leaned into his shoulder, holding his breath and bracing himself for the more than possible rejection. When it didn't come, he had to hold back the urge to wrap himself around Joonmyeon. Although, he did have to admit this wasn't an opportunity that came around often. It seemed perfect. His boyfriend was just there, still talking about one thing or another but Jongdae could just focus on his lips. Warm and pink. Probably tasting like chocolate. It was now or never.

He left his place by Joonmyeon's shoulder, shifting until he was fully facing him. Joonmyeon stopped talking, staring at him inquiringly as Jongdae moved closer. He was so close. He could feel Joonmyeon's breath on his lips, warm and sweet and so close. Just a split second before their lips made contact did Joonmyeon seem to understand what exactly was about to happen, turning his face so that Jongdae's lips made contact with the flushed surface of his cheek. Which, Jongdae had to admit, wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, being the most intimate contact they'd ever had, but it wasn't what he was aiming to.

Pushing himself off a completely scarlet Joonmyeon, he stared at him sadly, frustration building up in his chest.

"Why won't you let me kiss you?" He asked, sounding harsher than he wanted to, but unable to control it.

"Emm. What? Y-You just did?"

"You know that's not what I mean!" he snapped, "I mean a real kiss! On the lips and everything! A kiss like-" he swallowed, eyes stinging, and lowered his voice, "A kiss like you mean it. Like you want it too."

Jongdae looked back at Joonmyeon, searching for something, anything to show him that his boyfriend actually cared, that he did, even a little bit, want to kiss him back. Joonmyeon looked down, moving away minutely.

And that was it. Jongdae couldn't take it anymore. He'd been blind, oh so blind. He really did love Joonmyeon. But apparently the feeling wasn't mutual. With the last bit of composure he had left, he got up of the couch, startling a pensive Joonmyeon.

"Dae?"

"I'm going," Jongdae stated, a sharp edge to his tone.

"What?! Where?"

"To Chanyeol and Baekhyun's. Maybe there I can get a kiss without having to beg for it!"

Joonmyeon gaped at him, thrown off, gaining enough consciousness to scramble to get the covers off him and running towards where Jongdae was grabbing his jacket, fumbling momentarily for his phone and keys before turning to the door.

"Wait! What are you talking about?" Was the last thing he heard as he closed the door behind him.

Jongdae ran to the bus stop, absolutely refusing to let himself succumb under the temptation of going home and crying as he felt like doing now. Instead, he forced himself to steady his breath before pulling out his phone and calling Chanyeol.

"Yeol! I hope there is still some room in your house," he said as soon as the line connected.

"Pikadae! What? Is Korea's boyfriend coming? Oh oh is Joon coming too?" His friend slurred, clearly a couple too many shots in, heavy bass sounding in the background.

"Nah, just me tonight," Jongdae replied, promptly ignoring the tightening on his chest and hoping his friend was drunk enough not to pick up on it.

"Then hurry up Pikadae! Hey Baek-"

The line went dead as Jongdae watched the bus near him. Turning his phone off in hopes of forgetting about everything for a few hours, he snuggled further into his jacket, the icy night seeping trough, making the pounding in his head even more painful.

As he sat on the freezing bus, utterly empty as everyone was already with their loved ones for the night, Jongdae could only hope to be as drunk as Chanyeol as soon as possible. He absentmindedly rubbed his hands together in hopes to heat them up, belatedly remembering that he'd had his gloves on when he'd gotten to Joonmyeon's. He must've forgotten them there. He'd have to ask his boy-. His train of thought stopped short at the word. Boyfriend? Was Joonmyeon still his boyfriend? The thought alone hurt, and he didn't want to think about it. At least not now.

He took his phone out, zooming in on the clock reading 22:38 before noticing the lost calls. Around fifteen, several messages between them. The last one had been almost twenty minutes ago, and a part of him couldn't help but to bitterly question if that was what their relationship was worth for Joonmyeon, if he'd already given up. Why hadn't he kept trying?

With a sigh, he knocked on the door, mostly out of habit, as he seriously doubted anyone would hear over the ruckus that was most likely taking place inside the house. He was startled when Baekhyun himself yanked the door open, shrieking an embarrassingly high pitched "Jongdae!" as he pulled him into a hug, dragging him into the house without letting him utter a word.

A beer was shoved his way, and he took a couple of sips as he was pulled thought the mass of bodies. He caught glimpses of classmates and a few of his other friends, all drinking and dancing, overall having a great time. He felt way more out of place than what he'd expected.

Jongdae only realized they'd stopped moving once Baekhyun let go of his arm, disappearing in the crowd. This was exactly what he'd wanted to avoid. It had been a blatant lie what he'd told Joonmyeon about going to the party to find someone to kiss. He'd never even think about it, even less now that he was with Joonmyeon. That's if they were still a thing. But anyway, he only wanted his kisses, not random strangers'. He just needed to get out of the house, to scape the ugly feeling of not being wanted that had been threatening to crawl into him the whole evening. But now he regretted it. He regretted leaving without talking about their issues like adults, regretted having pushed Joonmyeon into something he apparently wasn't ready for, and, more than anything he regretted what he'd last told him. He really liked Joonmyeon, loved him even, and now that the heat of the moment had wore of the bare thought of breaking up with him seemed unbearable.

Taking another sip of his drink, he caught sight of Chanyeol dragging his shorter boyfriend towards him, eyes glassy and a dopey grin on his face.

"Pikadae!" the giant threw himself into Jongdae's arms, hooking an arm around his neck, "You made it!"

"Hey Chan. Nice party."

"Then why don't you look like having fun?" Baek piped in with a small pout. He was just as drunk as his boyfriend, voice higher than necessary above the loud music.

Jongdae looked down at his bottle, thinking that really, he should at least attempt to look like he was having fun.

"This is not really how I pictured my Christmas night," he replied with a small sigh.

"And Joon? Did you fight or something?" Baekhyun asked as he reached for another drink, passing one to his boyfriend. Jongdae nodded curtly, "What about?"

"Oh oh! Did you fight about who was taller again?" Chanyeol questioned seriously, face breaking into a grin a moment later. And then the couple was doubling over with laughter in front of a clearly unamused Jongdae. They'd fought about it just once, and it had been weeks ago, so shut up.

He waited for them to come down from their high, hiccuping as they seemed to remember the conversation going on.

"But seriously," Baekhyun tried to reason in his drunken haze, wiping away a tear, "You can't fight! You two are like... Like perfect. You are his Pikachu and he's your... your.... Yeollie!" He called, hitting his boyfriend's chest to gain his attention, "What's that thing? In that show? With the... With the..." He made swishing sounds and motioned with his hands.

"Poke... Pokeball?"

"Yes! He's your pokeball!" Baek exclaimed before turning back to his boyfriend, a sappy look on his face, "Thanks Yeollie," he mumbled as he hugged the taller one, "You always understand me!" he sobbed into his chest.

"That's because I love you," Chanyeol cut in, bringing the shorter boy closer for a kiss.

Jongdae states dumbfounded at the sudden drama taking place right in front of him. He'd seen his friends drunk before, but they must've reached a whole new level of drunkness if they were already getting lovely-dovey in public.

"Guys. Guys!" He coughed loudly, forcing the couple apart. Baekhyun seemed to be back to his usual self, but that was not Chanyeol's case, who looked dazzled and even happier than normal.

"Where were we? Oh right. Joon," Baek made a dismissive gesture, "I'm sure you'll work whatever's going on out."

"And after that you can have makeup !" Chanyeol interrupted, eliciting another fit of giggles between them. Jongdae dissimulated the blush spreading through his cheeks. Oh god. If only they knew they'd never even gotten to first base. He'd never live it down.

Jongdae was seriously considering just leaving them there when a thought occurred him.

"How are you even this drunk?" He questioned, effectively cutting the fit that had gotten over them and receiving two creepily coordinated questioning looks, "I mean. It's what, not even eleven? How are you planning on staying up till midnight?"

Silence.

"Baek," Chanyeol turned to the shorter boy, tugging on his sleeve, "Baek, he's right! What if I fall asleep in the middle of the party?!" he asked, eyes round in deep concern. It was kind of endearing.

"Then I'll wake you up! Like the Sleeping Beauty and the Prince, remember?" His boyfriend answered with a shy smile.

"Right! You're right," the taller boy visibly relaxed, comically draping over Baekhyun, "You are so perfect! And you know everything! I love you." he said quietly as Baek turned to face him again.

Jongdae took that as his queue to leave, all that romance thing they had going on reminding him of his pathetic night. He made his way to the backyard, now mostly deserted due to the cold weather, and sat on one of the benches there. His phone vibrated in his pocket for the first time in what seemed like hours.