"Time, Snow and Hot Chocolate"

... where snow equals stability, and heat means disaster

This is one of my entries for Infinite Secret Santa 2013

Prompt: Yeoljong fluffy Christmas date

Sungyeol/Sungjong

± 2650 words

Dedicated to: Howling

Two mugs of hot chocolate sitting on a small table, steam wafting from them and evaporating into the air silently.

A fireplace in which fire crackled happily, seemingly eating away at the wood.

A sofa placed in front of the hearth, the small table with the mugs just within arm’s reach.

Two people sitting comfortably on said comfortable sofa, both with their arms loosely wrapped around the other, lazy smiles on their faces, eyes closed.

“Sungyeol?” spoke up the younger quietly, not wanting to break the magic of the moment.

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember our first date?”

At that question the older started laughing softly, tightening the loose hold on his lover, resting his cheek atop the younger’s head.

“How can I possibly forget it, Jongie? I was so nervous that you wouldn’t come that I called you three times before actually stepping out of the house... and even then I was at the Gwanghwamun a whole hour before our actual set time.”

“Good thing I came only about five minutes after that then, right?” Sungjong smiled as he finally opened his eyes, settling them on the fireplace. There was something enticing about the way the reds, oranges and yellows danced together. “I was so surprised to see you under that tree that I slipped on some random patch of ice hidden by snow... sliding right to you.”

“Yeah, that was fun. Though the way you dragged me down to you when I tried to help you was not.” Sungyeol pouted, his eyes opening to rest on the same scene his lover’s eyes had found only moments before.

“You laughed at me!” Sungjong said in a meagre attempt at self-defence as he reached up to pull at his lover’s black hair. “I was already nervous enough. I didn’t need you to laugh at me too... Cute gummy smile or not.”

“Sorry about that... But it was still a great date, wasn’t it?” Sungyeol guided the attention away from his initial slip up cautiously.

“Yes it was.” Sungjong answered, seeing the question for the diversion tactic it was, but not minding in the least. He had already forgiven his lover for the example tactlessness he showed that winter day. Long since forgiven in fact.

“We said at three o’clock, right?” Sungyeol asked into the phone he held, pacing back and forth in the hall of his parent’s house. One would never dare to guess he’s nervous.

“Yeah...” an amused response sounded from the other side of the line. “I already told you the time twice today... and four times yesterday, if I remember correctly.”

“Sorry about that...” the older of the two murmured into the little device, embarrassment creeping up his spine quickly. “So... See you later then?”

“See you soon.”

- - -

“So... what is it that I am doing here an hour early?” Sungyeol spoke to himself, puffs of steam escaping his mouth at every word he said.

And so, walking slowly back and forth in front of the large Christmas tree which was for the season the dominant of the square, Sungyeol waited.

Letting snowflakes fall onto his gloves, watching them melt when he breathed on them, Sungyeol waited.

He burrowed into his scarf, hoping to protect at least a part of his face from the nearly freezing air, it being a product of the coldest winters in ten years. Just his luck that he was to spend another – he glanced at his watch – fifty-something minutes, before the one he was waiting for came... Just his...

“Aaaaa!”

Sungyeol’s whole body whipped around to the source of the exclamation, only to have an attractive boy slide to his feet. When the said boy stopped his movement, he sat at the ground still, his legs spread into a broad V-shape - a bow to the boy’s flexibility - and his hands were placed in front of him. Only the way his snowflake-covered eye-lashes fluttered with every blink showed that he was not a doll.

The sight of the shell-shocked boy was too funny for the one still standing and before Sungjong had a chance to recuperate Sungyeol burst out in laughter.

That drew the younger boy’s attention effectively. His cheeks rosy from embarrassment, he looked up at his date, who had yet to stop laughing, and a mischievous smile crossed his lips for a split second.

“Can you help me up?” Sungjong asked innocently as his gloved hands extended to Sungyeol.

It took another minute before Sungyeol stopped laughing enough to even attempt to help the younger boy. Once he did though, the younger took his revenge and soon they were both on the ground, this time it being Sungjong who was the one laughing, Sungyeol did not even have time to cry out in surprise.

“What did I deserve to do that?” Sungyeol whined when they were both up, dusting specks of frost and snowflakes from their coats.

“You don’t know?” Sungjong asked, for a moment wondering why it was that he wanted to date this choding, who - true to his nickname – seemed to have a mind of an Elementary school kid at times. “Won’t tell you then. It’s pretty obvious, I’d say.”

“Whatever, will think of it later... Why are you here so early?” Sungyeol asked instead, even at that time trying to avoid conflicts if possible... Well, the times he was aware of there being some conflicts that was.

“Me? Why are you here so early?” Sungjong asked, astonished. He was the one who evidently came later of the two of them after all.

“I kind of... couldn’t wait?” Sungyeol scratched the back of his head. It proved kind of hard with his gloves on and so he only let his hand fall back to his side again, waiting to be ridiculed. It wouldn’t be the first time. The last attempt at dating cast him off for being “too clingy”. The girl before that did so with a similar complaint also. “Too intense” and “overeager” also may have been found in that one’s choice of words.

“Thought as much. It was only one more reason for me to go earlier, you did sound as if you are just leaving. I thought it better to not let you wait.” Sungjong winked. “Also when you were calling I may or may have not been just revising my final decision on what to wear - the third time I was doing so, by the way – and probably would have gone soon anyway.”

Saying all he wanted to the apparently dejected other Sungjong smiled, took one of the elder’s gloved hands and slowly started walking. It took only one tug for the cheered up Sungyeol to follow.

- - -

“Yummy.” Sungjong beamed from behind his mug, soon bringing it back to his lips to have another sip of the warm beverage in it.

“Told you they have the best here!” Sungyeol chimed as he warmed his hands on his own mug of hot chocolate. For the moment he was content with just watching the one across him all but over the sweet drink in his hands.

“God this is so good... Sorry for not believing you.” Sungjong tittered, blush spreading across his face, as he noticed Sungyeol watching him intently.

“It’s okay, most don’t.” Sungyeol sighed. “Most also don’t even want to come here and try. Apparently most girls think that “I know the place with the best hot chocolate” is a way to say “Let’s go to mine and on the couch”... or something like that.” The boy murmured. He did not know what to expect as a reaction to that admission of his and so he only kept quiet.

“Their bad.” Sungjong smirked, sipping at his chocolate some more. “They’ll never know what they missed.”

Sungyeol marvelled at the nonchalance Sungjong displayed. He’s never known anyone quite like that before.

Deep in his thoughts Sungyeol missed when a waiter came to the table.

“Woohyun at your service, is there anything you would like me to bring you?” he asked, his smile spread wide, looking at it one almost had to wonder if this guy trained it before mirror for it to appear so. Probably yes.

“I want one more hot chocolate!” Sungjong cheered at his appearance immediately, knocking the last few gulps into himself quickly. “And I’d like one of those chocolate muffins. The largest one please.” He batted his lashes innocently.

Woohyun took the order and turned to Sungyeol who looked a bit jealously at the easy atmosphere between the two. He however decided to shake that feeling off.

“Nothing for me, thanks.”

“Aww, come on Sungyeoool.” Sungjong dragged his name out playfully. “Take a muffin tooooo. You can share it with me if you won’t want to finish it.”

‘Now who’s the child here?’ Sungyeol could not help but think as he watched the younger’s antics, who had yet to stop pouting at him cutely, more or less asking for another muffin.

“I miss the muffins.” Sungjong sighed as he got up from the sofa to walk over to the window, wrapping his arms around himself.

“I know you do Jongie.” Sungyeol got up from the cushions also, immediately walking over to his lover, taking his smaller form into his arms.

Like that they stood together for a few minutes, basking in each other’s presence.

“We could both choose only one thing.” Sungyeol whispered sadly into the crook of Sungjong’s neck after the minutes of silence.

“You chose the chocolate.” Sungjong smiled fondly back at the two mugs at the coffee table, still as steaming as they were when the two started recollecting the start of their time together.

Still as full as they were then too.

“And you chose the snow.” Sungyeol smiled, seeing how the snow covered the scenery outside their little wooden cottage. Their home, as to say.

“It all started on the snow.” Sungjong turned around in the embrace to hide his face in Sungyeol’s chest.

“We were always together since then. Always... Maybe that was the mistake.” Sungjong whispered.

“No... Jongie... Jongie, baby, look at me.” Sungyeol backed away a bit, lifting Sungjong’s chin so the boy would look him in the eyes. “That was never a mistake.”

“But if we weren’t together that day then... then it... then you...” Sungjong’s words were hitching in his throat, the words coming out raspy, then not coming out at all.

“Shh, it’s okay, you don’t have to say it.” Sungyeol tried to sooth his lover, bringing him back into the protective hold of his arms. Sungjong however would have none of that.

“Don’t try to placate me!” He yelled at Sungyeol. “I’m right! You know I’m right! If we weren’t together all the time then you wouldn’t have been in that accident too.”

 “Jongie...”

It was a hot summer day that day...

So hot that most people walked around in their swimwear... and with an umbrella to shield themselves from the worst of the scorching heat.

The whole August it was unadvised to drive unless absolutely necessary, for the heat had a way to beat even the most effective of air-conditioners.

It was that day, that Sungyeol and Sungjong - by then lovers of over two years – decided to meet up to go cool some of the awful heat off with a heap of ice-cream.

- - -

“Yeollie~” Sungjong chimed happily at the sight of his lover. The lover whom he jumped in the true sense of word once he was close enough, attaching their lips together in a kiss.

“Missed you too.” Sungyeol laughed breathily, once the need for air became too much. “You prepared for your ice cream dose?” he asked teasingly.

“For ice cream? Ready! As you well know, I am always more than ready for muffins, ice cream, hot chocolate... and you.” He winked as he brushed a feathery kiss on his lover’s lips, slowly running his hands up the taller man’s figure. “How ready are you?”

“If you keep doing that the only thing I will be ready to do will be you.” Sungyeol whispered into his smaller lover’s ear, who blushed at the words, but decided not to comment. Instead he stepped out of his lover’s arms and walked in the direction of the ice cream parlour they agreed on the day before.

“Come, come! The ice cream is calling!” Sungjong sang excitedly as he skipped several steps ahead of Sungyeol.

He glanced at the traffic lights and seeing the green he stepped onto the road.

It was then that the painful fate struck.

Sungyeol saw it.

He saw the car which was speeding fast at his Sungjong, and seemed to not want to obey the lights in the least.

“Sungjong!” He cried out, as he rushed forward.

His call only served in stopping Sungjong completely and as he turned around, Sungyeol could see the shocked face he saw once already... all those months back, during winter, the expression of confusion as clear as it was back then.

“SUNGJONG!” he yelled again as he ran onto the road, catching Sungjong’s hand to drag him back to the pavement.

He did manage to do so, wrapping his arms around Sungjong in relief.

However it had all been for naught.

The driver did not manage to keep a straight line. Already having been overheated he was confused enough not to see the lights. Seeing Sungjong on the road before him, he stomped on the brakes, but it hadn’t been enough. The sudden fall in speed made him lose control of his car...

“Jongie...” Sungyeol wrapped his arms around his smaller lover, whose body was wreaked by the force of his sobs, much like he had that day.

“I didn’t... I don’t ever want to see summer.” Sungjong cried into the taller man’s shirt. “When we... when we came here... When we crossed over... It was almost the only thing I could think of. Just how very freaking much I hate summer. And so I wished for snow.” He whispered.

“It’s okay. I understood.” Sungyeol rested his chin atop Sungjong’s head. “You don’t always have to be strong. That’s why I’m here too.”

“I love you.” Sungjong whispered into the elder’s shirt.

“I love you too, my Jongie.” the other responded. “We’ll always be here together. Even if we won’t have the opportunity to actually “grow old” together, we can always spend that much and more time together either way. And isn’t it as good here as it would be anywhere else?”

“I like it here.” Sungjong mumbled, turning his head to be able to see out of the window, where the snow was falling still, the illusion never falling. When one would walk further from the cottage, they could find vast plains, jungles, cities... other illusions which were the results of the wishes of others.

Their very own visions of Heaven.

“I like it here too.” Sungyeol agreed, as they overlooked the scenery together. “And we’ll be here for forever and after, right?”

At that point he waited until he felt Sungjong nod against him, more than see him and he lifted his younger lover’s chin to place a soft kiss on the other’s plump lips.

Hopefully this is an acceptable start for my dumspter. I have one more OS stored which I will with a bit of luck post tomorrow...
Until then:
See ya~ ( "-.-)/