“Whoa,” Jeonghan spews out of nowhere.

 

The younger, who is all folded up sitting on the couch, raises his head from where it was buried in his magazine. “What?”

 

“I… uh…”

 

“What is it, Hannie?”

 

Jeonghan gives him a quick once-over. How do I say it without saying it?

 

"Come on, Jeonghan, I'm in the middle of an adorable article about Tom Holland. What's so whoa?" Joshua impatiently raises an eyebrow. He dislikes being interrupted when he is doing something important to him. In this case... reading an article about Tom Holland.

 

Tom Holland? Jeonghan is too sure he's hotter than that guy.

 

“Nothing. I just noticed you’re wearing a very ug— new sweater!”

 

At the mention of his new sweater, Joshua beams, bunny teeth showing and eyes crinkling at the corners. He looks happy for someone who is wearing a ing ugly sweater. It has frayed seams and a weird mustard color and a…. What is that thing? A chubby Rudolf? on the front. Jeonghan feels so bad that his boyfriend has to wear it.

 

"Ah, my new sweater!"

 

"Uh-huh. Where'd you get it, bunny?" Jeonghan asks warily.

 

"Do you like it? I made this Christmas sweater while you were busy writing your book.”

 

The younger's tone completely shifts from mild irritation to utter joy and excitement. He must be really happy to have made this thing. And Jeonghan's not a monster. Better tell his baby he likes the sweater before he loses the man he loves over a piece of nasty cloth.

 

“Oh. Yeah. I like it, baby. It’s… err… cute.”

 

Jeonghan hates it. It’s the ugliest sweater in the whole world.

 

But he will never tell him that.

 

“The reindeer on the front is so cute," he tries to comment, tries to express his interest.

 

Joshua’s face fell. He rolls his eyes and turns his back to him. No doubt his lover is pouting with how irked his voice sounds.

 

“It’s not a reindeer, you fish paste. It’s a penguin.”

 

Oh, boy.

 

“But it has antlers.” Jesus, Jeonghan, shut the up.

 

“That’s his Santa hat.”

 

Oh. .

 

“Just say you hate my sweater and go,” Joshua scoffs coldly. He resumes reading, back still facing his boyfriend.

 

Joshua is pissed.

 

Jeonghan hurriedly sits behind him. The couch cushion dips beneath Joshua, but he does not move away, so Jeonghan takes that as a sign that he is not especially hated and wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. Too late to hide the fact that he abhors the sweater, but it is never too late for any damage control.

 

He still swears he saw a reindeer.

 

“Hey,” he presses his lips on Joshua’s nape. “It’s not the best sweater—“

 

“You’re not making anything better for yourself, Yoon Jeonghan.”

 

Joshua saying his whole name either turns him on or makes him fear for his life. He absolutely does not have a right now.

 

“I’m just saying,” Jeonghan continues, “It’s not the best—let me finish—sweater because you still have a long way to go. The fact that you even finished making a sweater on your first time speaks volumes about your… knitting potential.”

 

Beads of sweat are starting to form in his hairline now. Great.

 

Joshua wiggles away from his embrace and faces him this time, making a grumpy face; and Jeonghan wants to take a bite. It is the cutest thing he has ever seen.

 

“That sounds like horse pucky.”

 

“No… I’m telling the truth. When have I ever lied to you?”

 

“If I start listing things right now we’ll never finish.”

 

“That’s fine with me. I don’t want our love to ever end.”

 

“You’re missing the point, you sappy weirdo!”

 

Joshua’s cheeks and ears are tinged tomato red. Jeonghan mentally pats himself on the back for being a smooth motherer. He leans in for a peck on the lips, but the younger pushes him away.

 

What now?

 

“C’mon, Joshuji, are you really still mad?”

 

“Yes. You called my sweater ugly,” he huffs.

 

Jeonghan groans, “Wha—No! I never said your sweater is ugly. I think it’s really… special. And… you look good in it. I just want to eat you up.”

 

Joshua is silent for a moment, annoyed eyes turning softer, and when his orbs met Jeonghan’s the older melts.

 

And also: Phew. That was close.

 

“Really? You mean that?”

 

“Yes. I’m in love with you with or without this sweater anyway.”

 

“But you think my sweater is special? You think I did a good job? My knitting potential is extraordinary?”

 

Even after all of his declarations of love, Joshua will only ever care about his sweater.

 

“Yes, baby. You made one awesome sweater.”

 

Jeonghan falls back, lying on his back on the couch when Joshua falls face first on top of him, mumbling against his chest. “I thought you hate it so much. I wanted to burn my hardwork.”

 

“I won’t let you do that. You did great, bunny, but I’m sure you can still improve. Don’t you love learning?”

 

“I do. It’s the next thing I love after you.”

 

Straight to the heart.

 

“So you forgive me?”

 

“For calling my penguin a reindeer?”

 

“Y-yes…?”

 

“Hmm… Yeah,” Joshua surrenders after a good second of thinking and rubs his face against Jeonghan’s not-ugly sweater. “I guess I do need more practice.”

 

They stay like that for a while: Joshua on top of Jeonghan while the latter’s fingers rubs knots on the younger’s back. It is true that the sweater is ugly and not fit for marketing, but the effort the younger exerted to make the piece of clothing is surely worth giving points to. Jeonghan imagines the engrossed look on Joshua’s face when he’s focused on making something perfect (food presentation or book stacking… he would recognize that face everywhere) and he supposes that the sweater may not be that bad after all.

 

With a silent hum, Joshua looks up with an apologetic pout. “I’m sorry for being harsh.”

 

“Aw, baby, you’re never harsh to me.” Jeonghan presses a kiss on his forehead. “Now come and give daddy a kiss,” He grins, poking at Joshua’s sides while nuzzling his nose against the younger’s soft dark hair.

 

Joshua cringes, uselessly trying to push the tickles away. “Don’t push it. I’m not calling you daddy.”

 

“Mhm. Okay, not now then,” Jeonghan mumbles, keeping the younger close and ghosting his lips against his.

 

A warm surge of affection flooded their bodies as their lips join. Under the lustre of all the Christmas lights the younger insisted on putting up, his bashful cherry face is the most enchanting Jeonghan has ever seen. The caress of Joshua’s lips--soft and slow and submissive as always but filled with overwhelming and intense love that Jeonghan could not help but feel his own face heat up. Joshua whispers his name-- a sigh of yearning for more. And Jeonghan is willing to give more. More than what he can give.

Counter to the younger’s timid nature, Jeonghan kisses with fervor, deepening the light touches into something consuming. His hands wander all over the younger's body--his shoulders, his waist, his . Jeonghan introduces his tongue, tasting his lover further and taking more and more and more of what he can have, and Joshua expresses his pleasure through his little whines and moans, and Jeonghan basks in the warmth that these sounds bring to his consciousness.

 

The younger pulls away and breaks the kiss, face hot and red all over. He's panting a bit from the emotion Jeonghan conveyed.

 

"Hey," Jeonghan cajoles, "What's wrong?"

 

Joshua shakes his head. "Nothing. It was a nice kiss. You're a really great kisser. The best kisser. I love you."

 

Jeonghan chuckles. Trust his boyfriend of three years to be all awkward after a steamy make out session.

 

"Thank you, baby, I love you, too. Why did we stop then?"

 

"I'm just wondering," Joshua averts his gaze. Jeonghan feels him start to get more shy by the second. "Since you think I have knitting potential, do you maybe... want me to make you one? I promise it will be better than this!"

 

Jeonghan smiles, warm and welcoming. "Please make me one," he says as he brushes his lips on Joshua's forehead, over his hopeful eyes, and finally on his lips. "I'll accept anything from you, Joshuji. Anything."

 

The truth is: for Jeonghan the sweater will always be hideous; but if Joshua made one for him with his gentle hands and laced it with his love, he would never mind wearing it everyday for the rest of his life.