It’s that time of the year again. And he doesn’t mean the most wonderful time; although, his mother would beg to differ given by her tenth text message about all her exciting plans for Christmas. No, Sehun is talking about the annual office Christmas party. Minseok and Junmyeon just sent out the email to everyone this morning. Sehun has never been much of a party person, but he’s gone every year he’s been at the company just to be courteous. How could he not when Minseok brings it up every single day leading up to the event? The first year, he stood by the punch and sugar cookies all night because he didn’t know anyone well enough to mingle. 

The only conversation he had was uncomfortable small talk between some people from marketing. He hadn’t become friends with Kyungsoo yet at the time and Baekhyun wasn’t able to attend because of a family emergency. The year after that, Kyungsoo didn’t attend because he had said, and he quotes, “I would literally rather do anything else” and Baekhyun had another family event. So, Sehun spent another painfully uncomfortable night watching his coworkers socialize without him. 

This year, apparently, everyone was allowed to bring a plus one since a few of the married employees had complained they couldn’t bring their partners the previous years. Sehun decides he won’t be attending this time. The previous years were awkward enough, now everyone will have their spouses with him and he’ll be stuck by himself by the refreshments table once again. To be fair, Minseok and Junmyeon didn’t specifically tell everyone to invite their significant others, but of course, everyone is going to. 

He glances over at Baekhyun who is pouting in concentration as he clicks away at his keyboard. Will Baekhyun be bringing someone? Perhaps that handsome IT guy he and Jongdae had been talking about. He instinctively frowns at the thought, but immediately wipes it off his face, questioning his emotions. Why does he feel slightly bothered by that idea? He shakes the feeling off. It’s none of his business. Dating within the company isn’t allowed anyway. Maybe Baekhyun won’t even go. Either way, Sehun will never know because he isn’t going this time. 

“I’m so excited about the Christmas party,” Baekhyun suddenly says. “This will be the first year I’ll get to go since family stuff always comes up...Are you gonna go, Sehun?” 

On second thought, maybe he will go. Without hesitation, Sehun nods. 

“That’s nice they’re letting us bring someone this year. They never did before, right?” 

Once again, he wonders who Baekhyun will bring. He finds it hard to believe someone as charming as Baekhyun wouldn’t have a date. 

“I don’t think so.” 

“I have a special outfit saved for it. Are you gonna dress up too?” 

Baekhyun really enjoys dressing up for the holidays. He can tell because the other has been wearing some of the most interesting Christmas sweaters he has ever seen every day to work ever since the first of December. Yesterday it was a bright cobalt blue one with Santa riding on the back of a T-rex on the front of it. Today it’s a navy blue knit with all sorts of ornaments, bells, and bows hanging off of it. He jingles every time he moves a muscle and you’d think Sehun would be annoyed by it by now since Baekhyun can’t sit still for more than five minutes to save his life, but it doesn’t. If his sweaters are already this extravagant now, Sehun wonders what he has in store for the party. 

Sehun thinks about it for a moment. He’s always just worn his usual clothes since they still have work earlier in the day. Before he can reply, Baekhyun says in a teasing tone, “You’re not just gonna wear your argyle vest, are you?” 

He was in fact planning to wear his argyle vest. Baekhyun seems to have taken notice of his predictable clothing choices and he doesn’t know if he should be flattered or embarrassed. 

“Is that a bad thing?” he asks out of genuine curiosity. 

When Baekhyun giggles, Sehun’s lips curl into a small smile. “No, your vests are cute. I just think it’d be fun to get a little dressed up now and then. You don’t have any funny ugly Christmas sweater vests in your vast collection?” 

There Baekhyun goes again with that word. Cute. Except for this time, he’s sober and Sehun can confirm he’s not just babbling nonsense. His mother has called him that many times, much to his dismay, but coming from Baekhyun it feels...different. He’s not quite sure what to say to that. It only seems right to let him know that the word just doesn’t seem fitting for him when Baekhyun’s the cute one. He’s not sure how to say this professionally, however, so he doesn’t. 

“I’ll have to look in my closet.” 

“Well then, I’m looking forward to seeing it,” Baekhyun lightly chuckles as he turns his attention back to his computer. 

Time to go Christmas sweater shopping, he supposes. 

↷

This is cruel, Baekhyun thinks. A plus one. A plus one. Downright cruel and unusual punishment for all the singles, including himself. Sure, the email didn’t explicitly say to bring your significant other, but it might as well have. He already has his mother reminding him that he hasn't been in a long-term relationship in years every time he comes to visit with her, he doesn’t need this party to do it too.

“You don’t need to bring anyone, you know. No one said it was mandatory,” Jongdae scoffs. 

“That’s easy for you to say...You have a girlfriend to bring. You’re not gonna be the single loser amongst a sea of couples!” Baekhyun huffs dramatically. 

“You won’t be the only single loser. There’s plenty of them in this company.” 

Baekhyun frowns, swirling his straw around in his lemonade as they wait for their food to come out. Jongdae’s right, he won’t be the only single person there. Sehun will be there. Sehun will come alone too...right? 

“Do you think Sehun will bring anyone?” 

“I don’t know. Why?”

Baekhyun shrugs, “Just wondering.” 

“You know him better than I do. Is he dating anyone?” 

Sehun doesn’t have any photos of anyone on his desk or anything, so that must be a good sign, right? Wait. Why is that a good sign? “Uh, I don’t know. He’s never said.” 

Baekhyun would like to think that if Sehun were dating someone, he’d know. However, now that he thinks about it, they’ve never talked about their love lives before. For all he knows Sehun could walk into that party with the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen. Sehun is hot and sweet, it wouldn’t be impossible. In fact, there’s no way he co