It was surprisingly easy to convince the staff to let him do it. Honestly, they probably felt as bad for the kid as Hoseok did.

Once he received their approval, though, he still had to find a way to even get together all the supplies he would need. He knew Jungkook would be content even with something small, but he didn’t want it to be small . He wanted it to be grand . Breathtaking. He wanted Jungkook to feel so gosh darn loved and hit with the Christmas spirit that he, he… well, Hoseok wasn’t sure what, but it would hit him. He was positive.

Unfortunately, there was only so much that a senior in high school taking three A.P. classes and rehearsing for his holiday dance showcase could do. Money was scarce, as always, but at least the winter rains were somewhat of a blessing. He mowed recently overgrown lawns to make some extra cash, and people (those that believed him, at least) were generous when he explained what he needed the money for.

He filched two old sets of Christmas lights (parts of them had bulbs that were out, but they would have to do), tucking them under his bed for safe keeping, and coerced Namjoon and Yoongi into each donating three ornaments to the cause (he figured if they each pitched in and picked the most generic ones possible, their parents wouldn’t notice, and they could still have a solid nine total).

Hoseok used the money from mowing lawns to buy a little two and a half foot plastic Christmas tree, and three small gifts, which he wrapped carefully in some old wrapping paper he found around the house. He also tucked those away under his bed, his little treasure trove growing.

*

It was finally time, and Hoseok sat down on his threadbare carpet, staring at what he had gathered. It suddenly all felt terribly small.

It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough, and he knew it, but it was all he could afford, and besides, he had run out of time. Tonight was the night. It would have to do.

*

Hoseok slipped through the automatic doors, knuckles white as he squeezed the box tightly against his chest. He didn’t need to ask for directions, and the nurses at the desk simply smiled at him as he trudged past.

He made his way down the familiar, pristine white hallway, breathing in the smell of antiseptic that he knew Jungkook hated. He stopped when he arrived at 426B. Breathed in. Peeked through the little glass window, just to make certain that the boy inside was , in fact, asleep.

He was, and Hoseok maneuvered the heavy box, awkward in his arms, using its weight to push down the door handle. He pushed through, paused, and used his foot to keep the door from closing too loudly and waking Jungkook. Glancing around, there was nowhere to place the box within arms reach, so he instead bent carefully, setting it at his feet.

Gosh, that thing was heavy. He stretched before turning and closing the door quietly with his now free hands. He let out a silent sigh of relief, then turned to appraise the room. It certainly was nothing new, as he had visited Jungkook in the hospital many times before this, but today he had apurpose . A mission.

He had come in the early hours of the morning, before even the joggers and birds that greeted the dawn were stirring, and he only had so much time before the world would begin to come to life. He set to work right away, pulling out the contents of the box so that he could lay it all out and decide what he wanted where. The process ground to a halt, however, midway through picking out the ropes of pilfered Christmas lights.

There was more in the box than he remembered placing inside. He slowly reached in and pulled out a long garland of tinsel with lights (which he was positive he had never seen before) and then picked up a delicate mound of handcut snowflakes on string, clearly made from coffee filters, and with varying degrees of success.

He blinked, unsure of why his vision had become slightly blurry, and carefully removed the last item left in the box - a note.

Hey idiot. We know you like to act all independent and macho, but you could have asked for more help than just grabbing a few ornaments. Namjoon’s mom said you can use the garland of tinsel, no problem, and my little sister and I made the strings of snowflakes (Namjoon tried to help, but he mostly mutilated the poor coffee filters and almost cut a finger off in the process. He’s banned from ever going near scissors again, if I have anything to do with it).

You’re an idiot, but we get that he means a lot to you, and you better not forget that we care about you too.

Merry Christmas. Make his day goddamn magical, alright?

Yoongi and Namjoon

It was when the first tear fell and caused the ink to run that he realized he was crying. They were right, and goodness, he loved them for it.

Sniffling and wiping his nose on his sleeve, Hoseok stood up and reevaluated the space. He had much more to work with, now.

*

Jungkook woke slowly, confused by the sensations filtering through his sleep clouded mind. He was abnormally warm, for one, and he also felt a strange pressure against his right side. Besides that, the quality of the light against his eyelids was strange. Kinda… soft? Very different from the usual white lights of the hospital that he was accustomed to.

He cracked open his eyes, and was only further confused by the sight that lay before him. There was a green garland of tinsel wrapped around the railing at the foot of his bed, and it glowed with little twinkle lights embedded in it. His eyes trailed upward, taking in the lines of hand-cut snowflakes strung up around the room, and smiled when he saw a few that looked like nothing more than sad scraps of paper. It was cute.

His attention was brought back to the bed when something shifted against him, and then the alien pressure that he had forgotten about suddenly made sense. There was a person in the room with him.

Jungkook took in the overgrown black hair, the worn coat hanging from equally worn shoulders, careful stitching visible on the elbows of both sleeves, and the small pool of drool accumulating on said sleeves, the guy’s mouth hanging just slightly open.

Jung Hoseok, who visited him when no one else would, who gave so much when he had so little, was slumped, asleep on his bed, and Jungkook couldn’t help the wave of emotion that washed over him in that moment.

Hoseok awoke to the sound of breath hitching, small sniffles, and the gentle touch of a hand brushing through his hair. He looked up at the dark eyes watching him, tears spilling from them and leaving tracks down Jungkook’s cheeks. He reached forward and cupped the younger’s face delicately, wiping away the moisture there with his thumb.

“Hey, silly. Why are you crying? It’s Christmas, you can’t cry on Christmas.”

Jungkook laughed, though the tears had yet to cease.

“Hyung,” Jungkook sniffled, “how did you…?”

Hoseok shrugged, pulling his hand back when he realized it was still holding the other’s face.

“I asked my parents if I could skip Christmas morning this year and got the okay from the nurses a couple weeks back - you know how much they love me,” he winked and grinned. “It wasn’t difficult, really.”

Jungkook looked at him hard, an unreadable expression on his face before asking why?

“No one should be alone on Christmas, Kookie.” Hoseok looked down, fidgeting with the blanket there. “Besides, I wanted to. And hey, I got you presents!” Hoseok brightened and pointed to the Christmas tree on the table beside the bed. He wasn’t sure why Jungkook seemed alarmed when he looked at it.

“You got me a tree? And… presents?” Jungkook whispered, a slightly pained expression on his face.

Hoseok’s stomach twisted, panic rising like bile in his throat at the frown pulling at the younger’s eyebrows and lips. Did Jungkook not like it? He knew the tree was small, but he had done his best to wrap it with the Christmas lights (and hide the parts where the lights were out, using both strands to light up the whole thing), and there were only nine ornaments, but he had thought the whole thing looked a bit charming. The bulbs were different colors, some shiny and some matte, and they were sized for much larger trees, so they actually occupied a fair amount of space, but it had sort of reminded Hoseok of Charlie Brown, and he had actually sort of loved it.

Did Jungkook not like it? Or was it all too much?

Oh god.

Did he not want him here?

He closed his eyes, breathed in, and drew back slightly.

“Yes.”

Jungkook reached forward and pulled Hoseok in tightly against himself. He couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t noticed the tree or the presents, initially, and when Hoseok pointed them out he was once again hit by a tidal wave of emotion.

No one had ever done anything like this for him, and he knew Hoseok couldn’t afford to. Knew how his family barely scraped by to keep Hoseok in dance, and they would continue to do so when he graduated. And yet here Hoseok was. Jungkook had no idea how he had pulled this together, but he had.

Jungkook’s body shuddered with a barely contained sob. He loved him. He loved Hoseok so much it hurt. He had loved Hoseok for years - since the elder had first stumbled into his life, dancing and easy going. Had loved him as he watched him slowly become more somber, when he thought no one was watching, and thinner, as it became more expensive to keep his dream alive. And Hoseok had always cared for him, even when no one else would. Had kept him from trouble, and let him cry on his shoulder when everything seemed hopeless and he felt so, so alone.

He loved Hoseok. Deeply. Irrevocably. But Hoseok was a senior in high school, and Jungkook was just a sophomore. Hoseok had other friends, hadfamily . He would do this for anyone, that’s just how he was. Jungkook reigned in his tears and pulled away from the arms that had so easily returned the affection. Hoseok was just an affectionate person.

Jungkook breathed in. He breathed out. He did his best to wipe his eyes.

“Sorry hyung. I just wasn’t prepared for,” he waved his hand uncertainly, “all this. It’s amazing. Thank you.”

Hoseok seemed to visibly relax at his words, and he pointed to the presents still waiting beneath the tree.

“Open them.”

Hoseok watched as Jungkook grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and wiped under his nose, relief still coursing through the elder.

Jungkook was just overwhelmed and happy . Thank god. Hoseok hadn’t been expecting that hug, but he hadn’t wanted it to end, either. He was, however, looking forward to Jungkook opening his gifts, so he overcame his moment of bittersweet longing and got excited when the younger finally reached for them.

Jungkook ripped them open in much the same way any kid would on Christmas morning, and Hoseok fleetingly wondered if this was a first for the younger. He wouldn’t be surprised.

The first gift was a small ironman figurine. To remind you to be strong. Not everyone has to be born with powers to be super.

The second gift was a drawing notepad, and a small set of artists pencils. I know you can draw, Kook. And this way you’ll have something to do. Draw me something nice, yeah?

The last gift was a small teddy bear, and Hoseok blushed when Jungkook looked up at him curiously after opening it. The elder stared at the torn cuticle on his left index finger.

“I just… wanted you to have something to hug at night. I know it gets lonely here. And… and I wanted you to have something that reminded you of me, when I can’t be here.” Hoseok could feel even his ears getting hot, and he almost regretted that last gift.

Almost. Before he could quite die of regretful embarrassment, a warm hand cupped his cheek and tilted his head up, so he had to look back at those big, beautiful brown eyes that he had loved for years and had slowly begun falling into. They seemed to be searching for something, and it was with a stuttering breath that Hoseok realized how close the younger had gotten.

He wondered…

“Jungkook…” he whispered, and watched in wonder as the younger’s eyes fell to his lips. “Can I… kiss you?”

The younger breathed in sharply and nodded, and that was all the encouragement Hoseok needed to finally close the space that had separated them for so long.

The kiss was chaste, but long and warm, Jungkook’s lips soft and dry against his own. They were surrounded by only mostly functional Christmas lights, and questionable snowflakes, and Jungkook’s arms were still connected to wires and IV’s… but it was perfect.