If Ten could choose a month that was going to remain in his memories till the end of his life, it was December. He hadn’t ever thought much about December before. December was cold in Korea and he had always looked forward to January, to New Year’s, to exciting new things, rather than think of dreary, gloomy December but it was now his favourite time of the year.

He looked at Johnny walking beside him and smiled. They were at the airport, flanked by hundreds of fans, camera shots blinding against the blurring, jostling crowd. His face was still burning hot from when Johnny had booped his cheeks out of the blue while they were waiting. He liked this Johnny who giggled and laughed and did impulsive things. This was his Johnny, the one he had always known and he was happy to have him back.

Johnny caught his smile and raised his eyebrows slightly, giving him a crooked, playful smile and Ten nearly stopped in his tracks. He was still in awe of their relationship some times. Johnny Seo…liked him? And it wasn’t a dream? He smiled to himself. They had only been dating a few days but it already felt comfortable. It was similar to being best friends but there was also a lot of open flirting and kissing. It was tough finding times when they were both free because Ten had endless practices and Johnny was promoting non-stop with 127 but when they did find the time—which was more often than not because they were both stubborn people—every second was special.

Ten stiffened as he felt Johnny nudge him and curl his pinky finger around his.

“You alright?” Johnny whispered, almost imperceptibly.

Ten flashed him a huge smile. “I’m perfect.”

Johnny was already being rushed forward for immigration check but he turned to mouth something that was definitely, “Yes, you are.”

“So, I take it that the floor is really beautiful?” Jaehyun said, sidling up to Ten.

“What!?”

Winwin flanked his other side. “There has to be a reason why you’re just smiling in adoration while looking at the ground.”

“I hate you guys.” Ten groaned.

“You teased Taeyong and I to no end but let me tell you your DLCB is worse,” Jaehyun said, laughing and referring to Ten’s acronym for Jaeyong’s disgustingly-loud-couple-behaviour. He walked ahead for the check.

Ten looked at Winwin who had suddenly quietened down. “Hey, you okay?”

Winwin broke out of his thoughts. “Of course, I am.”

“Yuta and Taeil pestering you again?” Ten asked, sympathetically.

Winwin rolled his eyes. “Just Yuta today, thankfully.”

“Should I talk to him?”

“Like you have the courage.” Winwin smirked and walked ahead.

“Eh, I can ask Johnny to talk to him about him,” Ten called after him.

Practicing and performing for the Maya festival was one long blur but Ten loved the fact that he was in Thailand again. The weather was perfect and he liked traveling with the other members. There was always so much to catch up on, jokes to share, stories to retell and of course, the Thai fans were special to him. He went all out for his performances and he was glad when he saw the audience was enjoying itself.

This was also the first time he saw 127 perform “Simon Says” and it was amazing. He screamed himself hoarse, cheering for them. Okay, so yes, he missed out a ton of their choreo because he saw Johnny with curly hair and ever since then, his eyes never left him. Johnny shined onstage, the curls falling across his forehead shone against the sun; his moves were smooth and his voice was clear. He was more beautiful than any art Ten could ever hope to see.

When the performance got over and everyone was scrambling backstage for the ending ment, Johnny self-consciously patted his hair. “Is there something in my hair?”

Ten reached up and twirled a curl. “It’s so pretty.”

Yes, that was incredibly cheesy but it was true and he got to see Johnny blush which always made his day.

Johnny looked around furtively before pressing his lips to Ten’s cheek in a quick kiss. He played it off as a whisper. “Lies. You’re the pretty one.”

-

Johnny had always felt lonelier around December. It reminded him of all he was missing out at home. The dorm was his home, of course, but right before Christmas when there was light snow and people were out and about with their families, he missed his family and friends back home. He had preferred to find himself some hobby to bury himself into until the year-end party came along which never failed to lift up everyone’s spirits.

But this December was different.

This December, he was dating Ten. There was something very comforting in the way Ten would cuddle into his side, rest his head on his shoulder and play with his fingers as they watched a movie together. They had started a Marvel marathon with a lot of shouting and cheering and speaking along of the dialogues until Taeyong and Yuta had jointly decided to throw them out.

This didn’t really deter them as they just moved themselves to Ten’s dorm where they managed to create an even louder ruckus with the Dreamies.

The Dreamies liked them together. Chenle had very ceremoniously told Johnny that they all shipped them.

“I love the kids. They’re angels,” Johnny said.

Ten threw them a look full of loathing. “They made me buy them a piglet because I lost the Kun bet—” he gave Kun a particularly withering scowl, “—and then named him Pigeon.”

Jisung petted the piglet which grunted happily. “She’s so cute though.”

“I still don’t get why you didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend,” Ten said to Kun. “I mean, think of all the things we could have made the dreamies do if I had won the bet.”

Kun blushed.

When Ten went to get a popcorn refill, Jeno told Johnny. “He’s nicer with you.”

Renjun nodded. “He smiles so much these days and even lets most of our pranks slide. We need someone new to prank now.”

Jisung said, “Well, there’s always Lucas.”

They turned to look at Lucas who was engrossed in reading Crime and Punishment.

“Hey,” Jungwoo said, “don’t mess with him.”

“Oi,” Ten said, coming from the kitchen, “get away from my boyfriend, you demons.”

Johnny noticed that Ten liked referring to him as ‘boyfriend’, a fact that Ten stressed throughout their short Maya festival trip with the other members. They had just finished their post-performance VLIVE and everyone was heading off to bed.

“Hey, boyfriend!”

Johnny looked up from his phone. He had been waiting for Ten in the hotel corridor instead of going to bed. They were planning to sneak out for a late-night coffee run. He grinned at the smaller guy. “I thought we were going to be inconspicuous.”

Ten was wearing a studded black jacket over a floral shirt, a hundred earrings and ripped, skinny jeans over boots that glittered with sequins. He raised an eyebrow and took out a cap and face-mask, putting them on. “See? No one can recognise me now.”

“Yeah, right.”

Ten nudged Johnny as they walked out onto the streets. “You dressed up too.”

Johnny looked at his light denim jacket thrown over a white tee and black pants and gave Ten a look.

“Okay, okay.” Ten rambled on. “You are wearing your favourite earring. Besides, this is our first date. I had to look my best.”

Johnny scoffed. “This isn’t our first date. I’m going to make that first date special.”

Ten stopped in his tracks dramatically, letting him walk ahead. “John, that means I have to find a new outfit!”

Johnny turned to look at him, eyes twinkling. “You could be and you’d still look perfect.”

“Wouldn’t you like that?” Ten smirked.

The taller guy was speechless. “Uh—that’s not—I mean—”

Ten laughed his lilting laugh and ran to him snuggling into his chest letting his denim jacket envelope him. “Fine, you owe me a first date.”

Johnny mumbled something like, “Teeeen, you enjoy doing this to me” but he hugged him tightly. “You’re lucky I like you.”

“You love me.” Ten breathed happily, inhaling Johnny’s warm scent.

“Damn right,” he said, as they walked on, putting an arm around him, holding him close.

They felt right together and in a fateful sort of way, they would always find themselves running to each other. They were inseparable like that. In the coming time, they would find out time and time again that they were strong enough to bear whatever came their way because they helped each other through.

When Johnny dropped off Ten to his ro