#22 - Mistletoe 

words: 2076

It's been a long time huh? Anyway. Sorry. I'm an . I know. and I feel rusty. I'm not so sure about this. But college. Time consuming. I'm washed up at 19. I you guys not. Anyway. Thank you. For those of you who waited so long. I'll keep them coming more often after finals. FINALS . Okay, enjoy! Let me know how you guys like it too!

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Jongup woke up on Christmas morning feeling just as happy as he did when he was 6 years old. He got up from his bed, put on his Charmander slippers, and draped his blanket over his shoulders and shuffled his way out of his room. The floor was cold and the air was cold and everything was cold but he fought his to the room two doors away from his and opened it quietly. Jongup smiled as he saw Daehyun’s chest rise and fall steadily. For years now Jongup would wake up Daehyun every Christmas morning to have hot chocolate and then wake the rest of their roommates and open their presents. It was something they just started doing after their first year of being roommates and they kept tradition even after moving in with four other people. Yongguk and Himchan, Youngjae and Zelo, were friends of theirs, but Jongup and Daehyun had clicked as soon as they met and when it came to making teams of two they all already had their subunit. Sure, the other boys had teased them at the beginning for doing a lot of things together and sometimes even dressing similar, which they never did on purpose, until Jongup had admitted to Himchan in a fit of tears of jealousy that he was in love with Daehyun that the teasing stop.

He is still in love with Daehyun actually. Stupidly, crazily, silly head over heels for his best friend, his best friend who was currently still peacefully asleep…not for long though.

Jongup closed the door softly and ran to Daehyun’s bed and jumped on top of him with a giggle. Daehyun jolted awake and then groaned when he saw Jongup’s bright smile. “It’s Christmas”, Jongup whispered. Daehyun smiled and wrapped an arm around Jongup’s waist. Jongup felt his stomach fill with butterflies as Daehyun held him by the waist. “Hm, Merry Christmas, Jonguppie”, he mumbled sleepily. Jongup chuckled and moved to get off of Daehyun only to be pulled back by the wrist to land next to Daehyun. Jongup’s heart went on overdrive as Daehyun flipped him on his side and placed himself behind him. He could feel Daehyun’s warmth as his chest touched his back and Daehyun s an arm around his waist again pulling him closer to him…so that they were spooning, cuddling.

“Uh, Dae, what’s going – what are you doing?” Jongup stuttered as he felt Daehyun’s breath fan across the back of his neck. “Mm, absorbing your life energy”, Daehyun replied and Jongup could hear the smile. “Does it bother you?” Daehyun added quickly as he pulled away. Jongup grabbed him by the arm around his waist and shook his head, of course he wasn’t bothered. Not at all. “Of course not you dork. But I should be worried about my life energy if you cuddle me any harder”, Jongup teased. He felt Daehyun tighten his hold on him and he groaned at the added pressure. “I don’t cuddle”, Daehyun argued making Jongup roll his eyes because clearly that is what they were doing. Which made Jongup wonder why Daehyun was doing this, cuddling with him, holding him close. He’s afraid to ask, he knows that. He’s afraid that for Daehyun it’s just friendly and platonic comfort rather than a romantic ‘I need to hold you like this’ comfort. So he never asked. He probably never will. Jongup let an audible sigh escape his lips and Daehyun misunderstanding it for exasperation chuckled and let go of him. “C’mon, you baby, lets go make hot chocolate”, Daehyun said as he sat up and stretched his arms over his head.

Jongup bit the inside of his lip to stop the childish pout that wanted to make itself known and pulled Daehyun up from the bed and rushed them out of the room into the cold hallway. “Ugh, why do I always let you wake me up at ungodly hours”, Daehyun shivered. Jongup rolled his eyes at him over his shoulder. “Cause you love me”, he replied easily. Daehyun scoffed derisively making Jongup give him a glare.  Daehyun laughed softly and walked faster to be shoulder to shoulder with Jongup and give him a small shove that Jongup knew meant he was just joking.

They reached the kitchen and Daehyun quickly the stove hoping it would heat the room quicker and leaned against the sink. He saw Jongup reach for the middle cabinet and take out the hard square chocolates, two mugs, a bag of marshmallows, and the can of whipped cream. Daehyun could only stare at the practiced movements of his best friend. The way his pajama bottoms hanged way too low on his hips so that when he reached upwards his shirt rode up and revealed a strip of golden skin.  The taut muscles of his back and triceps, Daehyun couldn’t complain about the view at all. And those cute Charmander slippers he’d given him years ago for his birthday that he still wore every morning.  It was always an internal dilemma that Daehyun suffered because Jongup was cute and y and how can someone be both at the same time, he did not know. Only Jongup could make that happen.

Daehyun blushed slightly as he realized Jongup had said something to him and was staring at him while he was staring at him. “Uh, what?” Daehyun responded. “The pot and the milk. Put the pot in the stove and pour the milk into the pot. Did you already forget how to make hot chocolate?” Jongup . “Yeah, right. We’ve been making that drink for years now”, Daehyun replied with a smile as he held the pot in one hand and the milk on the other.  It was quiet for a few seconds as Daehyun poured the milk into the pot, he always spilled it if he did not concentrate on the action, and then placed it on the already hot stove top. “It shouldn’t be too long”, Jongup said as he moved to stand next to Daehyun in front of the stove to put the hard chocolate inside the pot with milk.

“How many years have we been doing this for?” Jongup mused out loud. “Since freshman year of college…so, about what seven going on eight?” Daehyun answered pensively as he stared at Jongup. Jongup hummed and turned to meet Daehyun’s stare.

It was times likes this, when Daehyun stared at him, really stared at him, and held his gaze, that Jongup thought he saw adoration in those eyes. He just wished to know what type of adoration. When Daehyun stared at him like that, he felt as if he was the only person in the universe, and he knows he can’t base Daehyun’s true feelings for him off of his own emotions. It was biased and probably delusional on his part.

Daehyun started to smile, he couldn’t help it. When Jongup held his stare like this, he knew his friend knew he’s love for him. Daehyun at the beginning of their friendship tried to move on, he didn’t want to risk his friendship with Jongup but nothing worked, no one took his mind off of Jongup completely. Every date was spent with thoughts of things he wanted to tell Jongup, or talking about Jongup, or comparing his date to Jongup. After a while he gave up and tried, is still trying, to get Jongup to tell him something about how he feels about him. Because he is very confused. And he’s scared of this being one sided. He’s scared. But these moments, the ones where Jongup holds his gaze, or is close, or lets him cuddle him and he cuddles back, are the ones that give Daehyun hope. If only he had the courage to take that first step, to make that first move and risk it all.

He could make that first move now. Just lean over and give Jongup a peck on the lips. Just a small one. Maybe…maybe he will. He should.

“Ahem”, several coughs broke the silence and startled them out of their trance. “Go--good morning”, Jongup stuttered as he blushed making the rest of their roommates chuckle. “Why so pink, Jongup?” Himchan teased making Jongup flick him off as he blushed even deeper. “And Daehyun aren't you looking flustered”, Youngjae added playfully earning a glare. “What are you all even doing up? It’s too early isn’t it?” Daehyun asked. Yongguk shrugged as he answered, ”Well, we wanted to show you guys something”. Daehyun and Jongup turned to look at each other before looking back at their roommates. “What?” they asked at the same time.

Zelo smiled and pointed at the something on the ceiling. Both of them looked up and saw a single mistletoe hanging and blushed simultaneously. “Well?” Himchan prompted with a soft smile. “Well, what?” Jongup asked shyly. “That’s a mistletoe”, Zelo said. “We know”, Daehyun answered. “So…” Youngjae said slowly. “Kiss, you dorks!” Yongguk exclaimed.

Jongup turned to look at Daehyun to tell him he didn’t have to when he felt a warm hand cup his face and another at the small of his back pulling him. Jongup felt his eyes widen in surprise and a small gasp leave him as he saw Daehyun’s lips get closer to his. And stop just at a centimeter away from his. “Do you want me to kiss you?” Daehyun asked honestly. Jongup couldn’t help but groan in exasperation and endearment. “You ruined a potentially good movie romance kiss, you know”, Jongup chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Daehyun’s neck and pulled him in.

Jongup felt Daehyun sigh when their lips connected and he parted his lips. It felt right, it felt beautiful, it felt like everything and more than what Jongup thought this moment would feel like. To share his breath with Daehyun, to move their lips in synchronization, to know his love was reciprocated was undeniably one of the best feelings he would ever experience. It was like having hot chocolate and being wrapped up in warm blankets and watching your favorite movie on a cold winter night or like having a cold glass of water after being outside on a hot summer day. It was relief and comforting and good. And Daehyun’s lips were so soft and warm under his. And his hands were hot on his body, even through his clothes, as he held him close. And this is what Jongup can call home.

“Ahem”, someone cleared their throat loudly. Daehyun groaned against Jongup’s lips but smiled. He kissed Jongup. Jongup kissed him. They kissed. And it was…it was…beyond amazing, it was so pure and perfect and he just doesn’t know a word to describe how he felt. Daehyun opened his eyes and saw Jongup was staring at him. He pressed their foreheads together and pecked him lightly on the lips, feeling giddy at his action.

Someone coughed lightly and they both rolled their eyes. “Yes?” Daehyun asked as he looked away from Jongup and held his hand instead. He saw Jongup look down at their intertwined fingers and smile and Daehyun smiled at Jongup's reaction. Why hadn’t they done this before? His doubts and fears seemed silly now. He belonged here, next to Jongup, and he wanted to stay, he was going to stay as long as Jongup let him.

“Your welcome”, Youngjae, Himchan, Yongguk, and Zelo chorused. Daehyun and Jongup laughed and shook their heads at their unbelievable friends. “Thank you, guys”, Jongup and Daehyun said in unison as before they kissed lightly on the lips again.

“Uh, guys”, Youngjae started hesitantly. Daehyun held up a finger as he wrapped Jongup in his arms. “No, seriously, guys”, Himchan added. Jongup pulled away and turned to look at their friends. “Yeah?” he asked dreamily. “The hot chocolate”, Zelo giggled. “What?” Daehyun asked. “The hot chocolate…it’s burning”, Yongguk said as he bit his bottom lip to hold back his laughter. Jongup and Daehyun turned to look at each other wide eyed and then turned to look at the stove. “”, Daehyun and Jongup cursed as the hot chocolate bubbled over the pot and spilled all over the stovetop.

The boys behind them howled with laughter as they saw new couple in panicked hurry remove their drink and pour it down the sink. They were all happy that those two got together. Even if they do end up burning the house down.