He's gotten things like bracelets and necklaces from high end shops, and then things like pairs of underwear with holes cut in them for easy access.

 

Idol life is a lot of things, but it is never boring.

 

Another thing that Taeil had long ago accepted was that the weird gifts wouldn't only come from their fans.

 

Pyo Jihoon is a semi-professional strange gift giver, and almost all of them seem to be gifted to Taeil. Clothes, toys, coupons to free days at one of the local mud spas, even kitchen equipment; the maknae adores his oldest hyung and likes to show it materialistically.

 

Taeil doesn't mind, of course, if his younger friend wants to be affectionate with hugs and cuddles and cash, he has no problem.

 

Sometimes, though, the presents just make him laugh.

 

'"At-Home Best Friends Forever Friendship Bracelet Making Kit,"' Jiho reads out carefully, looking incredulously at the front of the box.

 

'Yup,' Taeil can't stop the giggle that squeaks past his lips.

 

Jihoonie had stopped him in the hallway on his way out fifteen minutes ago, a grocery store sack in his hand and a broad, eye-erasing smile on his soft face. 

 

'Hyungie,' he'd said, '-I got you something.'

 

Practically vibrating where he'd been standing, Jihion had handed over the sack and bounced away, leaving Taeil to make the marvelous discovery on his own.

 

Of course, after seeing it, the first thing he'd done had been to call Jiho.

 

He's holding the flat box in his hands, flipping it and turning it over, scanning it with an expression of extreme puzzlement.

 

'It says here that this is for children aged 7-17.'

 

Taeil grins, shrugs, and takes the box from his boyfriend's hands. 

 

Jiho follows him like a lamb to the dorm's little living room, and sits across from him in front of the coffee table when Taeil does. It's only when Taeil starts to work open the box that he actually speaks up.

 

'You really wanna make one?' He sounds a bit like he's worried for Taeil's sanity, which is understandable.

 

Taeil just nods and sets the lid beside him on the floor.

 

Knots of thick, colorful thread and earring baggies filled with beads of all shapes, sizes, and patterns are what greet them, along with a how-to booklet and a few cute silver charms on a chain. Taeil grabs a few of the thread bundles, cobalt and teal, and begins to unravel them while Jiho flips through the booklet. 

 

'Hyung, seriously, these things can get so complicated,' Jiho says, obvious surprise in his voice. Taeil scoots so that he's next to him, and leans with an elbow on Jiho's skinny thigh.

 

'Show me.'

 

As the two of them learn how to braid and triple knot and the true meaning of friendship, Taeil works out all of the thread. Once they'd skimmed the last page he selects his colors, chews off the appropriate length as per the rather strict booklet guidelines, and begins to braid.

 

Jiho watches, wide-eyed, and starts his own search for any gold thread available. 

 

At some point Kyung and Jaehyo came back from vocal practice and shared a laugh at the couple on the living room floor, but they disappeared into their rooms quickly enough that Taeil hadn't had to show them who the eldest was. He's stayed leant on Jiho's leg, and had eventually squirmed so that his back is against Jiho's side, and the younger man has to reach around him to work on his bracelet. Jiho doesn't mind, Taeil is warm and small and he's kind of in love with him so it's not really a problem.

 

After a few clumsy knots and an insane amount of beads and charms, the bracelets are done.

 

'This looks nothing like the one on the box.'

 

Taeil laughs and soothes Jiho's pout with a peck on the cheek, struggling mightily not to make fun of Jiho's lopsided mess of a creation.

 

'At least we got them to match?' He tries to assuage him, petting his leg unconsciously, placating. 

 

Jiho nods at that, flicks the two identical cartoon heart charms that dangle from the bracelets, and pulls Taeil to lay closer against his side, craving his warmth.