“Why are you walking us home today, Bang PD-nim?” Namjoon asked as he watched him unlock the door to their dorm. It wasn’t that he wasn’t welcome or even that they were uncomfortable, but he didn’t usually take them home. Everyone was curious and had somehow coerced their leader into asking on their behalf.

“If you must know, I prepared a little something for you guys. You’ve been working hard and I know the past few weeks have been hard on you so I thought you could all use some cheering up,” he opened the door a crack and turned around to block it, “would you like to see it?”

“What is it?” Jimin tried to peek through the small crack but he couldn’t see much.

“I want to see,” Taehyung craned his neck to get a better look.

“Can we go in and see it? I’m freezing,” Yoongi frowned, rubbing his arms. He always became more bitter than usual when he was cold.

“Alright,” Bang PD-nim laughed – he was so used to a grumpy Yoongi that he found it amusing these days – and stepped aside.

The boys piled into their dorm and stopped dead in their tracks. Boxes of colorful ornaments and Christmas lights were setting on the living room floor. A large tree almost 8 feet tall stood in the corner. Even though nothing was decorated, it was quite a sight. Taehyung ran to the box and pulled out a large red ball. As if it was his first time holding an ornament, he stared at his distorted crimson reflection in awe. Jungkook and Jimin couldn’t resist following suit. Hoseok stood back and watched them; never had they seemed more childish than now.

“Wow, where’d you get this stuff? It’s so pretty,” Jungkook turned to Bang PD, his eyes wide and almost twinkling.

“I had to do a bit of searching, but I thought letting you guys decorate the dorm up for Christmas would lift your spirits. I would have done it myself but I’m sure it’d be more fun for you guys to do it on your own. Do you like it?”

“We love it,” Seokjin smile. Everyone bowed and thanked him.

“I have one more gift, follow me,” he led them into the kitchen. A large bowl, a few measuring cups, a sack of sugar, and a box of flour sat on the counter. They gave him a confused look. He smiled, picked up a paper that was under the flour and showed it to Seokjin, “I printed out this recipe for sugar cookies and icing. I bought all the things you would need to make them. Baking and decorating cookies during Christmas is supposed to be a big thing in the West. If anything, I figured you’d like to try it.”

“Thank you so much Bang PD-nim. This is great,” Seokjin bowed his head.

“It’s nothing. Well, I’m off then. Have fun,” Bang PD headed to the front door, followed closely by all the members. He paused and turned around before leaving, “Yoongi, please do something too. I don’t want to hear that you were being lazy.”

“I guess I’ll help,” Yoongi sighed. He didn’t plan on showing it, but he was looking forward to decorating. He had never seen a tree this big inside a house; maybe it would be fun to make it look pretty and fancy like the ones in window displays. With that, Bang PD left Bangtan to their Christmas decorating.

Everyone picked a job to do. Seokjin and Jungkook paired up to bake the cookies while everyone else worked on the decorations. Yoongi and Jimin agreed to work on the tree, leaving Namjoon, Hoseok, and Taehyung to hang up lights and tinsel and whatever else was in the boxes around the house. They, of course, had to agree not to let Namjoon handle anything breakable. Once the cookies were done, they would all go into the kitchen to decorate them. Namjoon grabbed his laptop and played Christmas music; he even had a few old Western classics in the mix.

The house grew busy and lively, the groups each working on their chosen tasks and chatting with their partners about whatever they wanted. The atmosphere was cheerful – although, from an outside perspective, it looked chaotic, especially with the V-Hope Monster team running about.

“You look happy,” Jimin looked over at Yoongi who, despite not wanted to show any sign of amusement, couldn’t wipe that smile off his face as he picked up shiny orbs and placed them on the tree after examining them for a few seconds.

“Do I?”

“Are you happy to be working with me?” Jimin nudged Yoongi with his arm.

“No,” Yoongi smirked, “I wanted to work with Namjoon. I just got stuck with you.”

“How could you be so mean to me?” Jimin pouted.

“Shut up and hand me that silver ornament in the box over there,” he pointed to a box on the floor behind Jimin. He picked it up but held it behind his back.

“If you want it, tell me you love me,” Jimin smiled, rather proud of himself.

“Hand it over.”

“Do you love me?” Jimin asked, dangling the ball in front of Yoongi and pulling it away just as he lashed out to grab it from his hands. Yoongi glared but sighed in defeat.

“Yes.”

“Say it!”

“I love you, Jimin-ah,” Yoongi said, dragging out the last syllable. Jimin smiled and handed the ornament over. As soon as it was in his hands, Yoongi ran to the other side of the tree, “just kidding. I lied. I take it back. I don’t love Park Jimin.”

Jimin frowned and chased Yoongi around the tree. When he caught up to him, he grabbed him around the waist and pulled him against his chest. He held him tightly and cried, “Yoongi hyung, you’re mean. I love you so much, why can’t you love me back?”

“Because you are Park Jimin,” Yoongi squirmed in Jimin’s strong arms but eventually was freed from his grip. They both laughed. Their relationship consisted mostly of mean jokes and playful insults. If you gave them each a kitchen utensil and let them hit each other, you’d have a close resemblance to Tom and Jerry.

The tree had come together beautifully, especially after the addition of a few strands of white lights that Jimin stole from Taehyung. Yoongi swore it looked better than some of the window displays he had seen earlier that week and Jimin agreed. Even if it didn’t look perfect, they had worked on it themselves, which made it perfect to them. Jimin fished out the last thing in their boxes. It was the star that was supposed to go on the top of the tree.

“I get to put the star on top,” Jimin cheered. Yoongi frowned. Secretly, he wanted to do that.

“You’re too short to reach, give it to me,” he argued.

“You’re one centimeter taller. I’m not too short!” Jimin protested. Looking at Yoongi, he saw a sad look in his eyes. Yoongi must have really wanted to do this, Jimin realized. He shrugged, “I guess if you want to do it, you can.”

“Really,” Yoongi’s face lit up.

“But I want a kiss.”

“No. That is not happening. Not now, not ever,” he crossed his arms and turned his back to Jimin.

“Fine, here,” Yoongi turned around to see Jimin holding out the star, “take it. No charge.”

Yoongi smiled at him and took the star from Jimin’s hands. Stretching his arm up, he tried to place it on top of the tree but he couldn’t reach. He got on the tips of his toes but it was still a little too tall for him. Who okayed it for two short people to decorate the giant tree? Just as he was about to give up, Yoongi felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around his waist and lift him off the ground – more than high enough to easily place the star on the tree. His face began to turn red. He was used to being picked up but not like this. When the star was in place, Yoongi felt himself slide back to the floor.

Jimin set him down gently and took a step back, “it looks beautiful.”

“I told you that you were too short,” Yoongi turned to face Jimin.

“I should have listened,” Jimin laughed, “you were just tall enough.”

“Thanks,” Yoongi leaned forward and kissed Jimin on the cheek. Jimin’s eyes widened; he could have sworn he heard his hyung say that he wouldn’t kiss him – “not now, not ever” – just a while ago.

“Min Yoongi hyung, you do love me, don’t you?” Jimin hugged him.

“Shut up. I take that back,” Yoongi’s face grew redder. He tried to push Jimin away.

“Hyung, you love me, huh?” Jimin sang.

“Shut up! I take it all back.”

“Okay,” Jimin pushed his lips against Yoongi’s, calming his struggling and allowing Jimin to hold him closer. The kiss was warm and gentle. It was chaste and sweet. Jimin pulled back and stared into Yoongi’s eyes, “I shut up.”

“Yes,” Yoongi said. Jimin looked at him with a puzzled look before he realized that was the answer to his question. Yoongi didn’t take it back this time.