Archive of Our Own

Taeyong knows he shouldn’t be mad, knows he is being unreasonable and petty. And he hates himself for it, yet he cannot stop the simmering bitterness in his stomach, cannot stop the tiny lump that’s working its way up through his throat.

It’s so fucking stupid and Taeyong literally wants to punch himself on the face for being so goddamn spoiled and childish.

The thing is, Taeyong had gotten Yuta the stupidly expensive Nintendo Switch his boyfriend had thirsted over for half a year. He had saved half of his paycheck for six awful months in order to buy the damn thing, only because he knew he would make Yuta the happiest boy alive.

That small, secluded part deep within him had been also looking for an excuse to surpass Yuta’s ex-boyfriend expensive gift. He had checked the price of Yuta’s earrings and it was with a smug smile that he could say the Nintendo Switch was slightly more expensive. He was aware the mental struggle he had put up since he found out about the Swarovski earrings was rather pointless and draining. Yet, seeing the nicely wrapped gift under the Christmas tree brought a huge and stupid satisfaction to Taeyong.

The Swarovski earrings Doyoung had given him for their one year anniversary were an awful reminder that Yuta’s ex was a rich daddy that got Yuta everything he wanted. And then there was Taeyong, whose small fashion brand was just starting to take off.

Yuta had assured him time after time that he didn’t give a flying fuck about money. He loved Taeyong for who he was, not for how thick his wallet was. Yuta knew Taeyong was rather insecure when it came to their relationship, not because they didn’t love each other to the moon and back, but rather because Doyoung and Yuta had once been engaged.

Sore reminder for Taeyong, who wanted nothing more than to put a binding ring on Yuta’s finger. A ring that screamed that Yuta was stuck with Taeyong for the rest of eternity.

Taeyong knew Yuta was the one the moment they met each other at Jaehyun’s bachelor party. No boy had ever made his heart beat so fast in a matter of seconds.

This is it , Taeyong thought when Yuta smiled at him, eyes crinkling up when they were introduced to each other. This is the one.

And how disappointed Taeyong had been when Yuta didn’t approach him again during the rest of the night. He was sure Yuta wasn’t interested in him, not with the way Yuta seemed to be avoiding him. A huge disappointment, since Yuta’s warm voice and gentle smile had certainly piqued Taeyong’s curiosity.

“I’m sorry, Taeyong?”

Taeyong turned around, eyes widening upon recognizing Jaehyun’s attractive friend.

“Yuta,” he greeted, smiling. “Is something the matter? My cab is about to arrive…”

Yuta bit his lip and scratched the back of his neck nervously.

“Ah, sorry. I’ll be quick then. Uhm,” Yuta’s eyes, which had been trained on Taeyong, suddenly dropped down. “I was wondering if I could have your number.”

Taeyong froze, eyes blinking rapidly.

“Uh?”

Yuta flinched almost imperceptibly.

“I-I just thought it’d be great to get to know you better?” He said, tone rising up in a questioning mode. “I mean, you really caught my eye and maybe...you know what? Forget it, I’m sorry I’m making you uncomfortable.”

“Wait!” Taeyong pleaded, arm shooting up to stop Yuta from going. “I’d love to give you my number.”

Yuta immediately smiled, relieved.

“Really?”

“Yes! I just thought you weren’t interested in me? I mean, I’ve been wanting to talk to you all night but you kept disappearing and wouldn’t catch my eye so…” Taeyong trailed off,

“Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. You make me feel kind of nervous,” Yuta admitted nonchalantly with a little giggle, making Taeyong’s stomach churn. “I also didn’t want you to think I’m annoying, being with you all night and all that jazz.”

“I wouldn’t have minded. If you were glued to me all night.”

Yuta had almost dropped his phone when Taeyong said that. It was funny that Yuta had been the nervous one asking Taeyong for his phone number when during their first date and the rest of them, it was Yuta who got Taeyong all tongue-tied and blushing crazily.

The thing about getting married was that Taeyong had no idea what Yuta thought about the two of them getting married. Taeyong wasn’t brave enough to bring the topic up since he knew Yuta had been a step away from sealing the deal. And his boyfriend hadn’t really brought the topic up neither.

Everybody and their mothers’ knew Taeyong wanted to marry Yuta. He had had lots of doubts during his life, yet tying the knot with Yuta was the only thing he was 100% sure since the very beginning.

The idea only gained strength with every kiss they shared, with every sleepy morning spent fooling around in bed, with every loving caress, with every ‘I love you’. Thing is, Taeyong wanted to marry Yuta, but did Yuta want to marry Taeyong?

As childish as it sounded, Taeyong wanted his boyfriend to propose to him. It’d be the ultimate indicator that Yuta did want to spend the rest of his life with Taeyong.

Yuta wasn’t opposed to getting married, otherwise, he wouldn’t have gotten engaged with Doyoung. But maybe Doyoung had spoilt the whole thing for Yuta when he told him he couldn't get married because he had fallen in love with someone else.

Maybe because of the painful memories Yuta didn’t want anything to do with getting married. Wouldn’t that be tragic? Doyoung seemed to be the root of all of Taeyong’s love problems (and all of his problems overall).

The best part? He had gotten married last year. To that Jungwoo guy who had stolen him from Yuta.

Ha.

Maybe Taeyong should stop being bitter since he did end up with the love of his life after all. Was he grateful Doyoung dumped Yuta and crushed his heart on the way out? Perhaps. But he’d rather take a bullet before admitting such a thing out loud.

How did that saying go? One man’s trash is somebody else’s treasure? However, Yuta was a goddamn jewel that asshole couldn’t appreciate. It was fine, though, Taeyong could polish that precious stone the rest of his life. It was Doyoung’s loss and Taeyong’s ultimate gain. In all senses, Taeyong remained the winner.

He was definitely ready to call Yuta his husband, the mere idea sending him in a fit of giggles every time. And because he was so irrevocably in love with him, he was willing to wait an eternity until Yuta was ready to take the big leap of faith with him. (Maybe not an eternity since, well, he did want to get married before rotting three meters under.)

Going back to Taeyong’s initial predicament, there is no sight of the giant plushie he wanted under the tree. Taeyong had been so fucking obvious, letting Yuta know what he wanted for Christmas, yet the giant Totoro plushie was nowhere to be seen. Next to his gift for Yuta, there’s a small box wrapped in an elegant red paper. Taeyong is sure Yuta got him some expensive jewellery. And God, Yuta could have gotten him the ugliest Christmas card ever and, usually, Taeyong wouldn’t have cared at all, he would treasure the card as if it were made of gold.

This year, though, it was different.

It was really petty but Taeyong had worked his ass off in order to get Yuta what he wanted, the least his clueless boyfriend could do was get him the damn Totoro. Alright, maybe Yuta didn’t know he was getting a brand new Nintendo Switch for Christmas so he should definitely stop being unfair to him.

Taeyong doesn’t really know why he’s ready to cry just because he’s not getting the Totoro he wanted. It’s extremely stupid. Yuta was the best boyfriend he could ever ask for, he was incredibly attentive and would shower Taeyong with affection all the time. And Taeyong was actually rather needy, as opposed to his independent boyfriend who only needed reassurance from time to time.

Okay, so maybe Taeyong knows why he feels like throwing a tantrum like a five-years-old boy who was denied a puppy for his birthday. Somehow, his brain did this weird thing in which it wired A to B (aka a completely unrelated matter). So in his eyes, Yuta hadn’t bought the Totoro plushie because he was clueless about Taeyong’s wishes and desires, which meant he was also unaware of Taeyong’s dream of getting married, thus, Yuta wasn’t going to propose to him anytime soon.

To sum up, Taeyong wasn’t about to get his happily ever after anytime soon.

“Getting impatient?”

Yuta’s sudden voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

Taeyong turns around to find his boyfriend slowly making his way towards him. Taeyong smiles automatically, his teeth coming into view.

He opens his arms and Yuta chuckles, hurrying his pace so he can snuggle his boyfriend. The moment Yuta’s arms snake their way around Taeyong’s torso, Taeyong hugs his boyfriend by the shoulders, pressing his face into Yuta’s neck.

“Everything fine, baby?”

Yuta was an avid user of pet names, and nothing made Taeyong happier than listening to his boyfriend call him any endearing nickname available.

Taeyong just nods, too focused on soaking into Yuta’s embrace to form a coherent sentence. Maybe he was panicking earlier, yet he cannot help but relax into Yuta’s arms. His boyfriend had always been incredibly warm, as if his skin was made of the chill autumn sun, of that lukewarm warmth that goes unnoticed until cold starts creeping through your clothes.

“You want to exchange presents now? I know I said we should wait until we come back from Johnny and Jaehyun’s but it seems you are getting eager,” Yuta teases him, slowly rocking the two of them.

Taeyong feels guilt sipping into his bones. Yuta always prioritizes Taeyong over everything else and five minutes ago he was getting angry because Yuta didn’t get him the damn Totoro plushie.

He really sucks. Taeyong can’t believe he is giving himself whiplash from his own feelings.

“You know I love you, right?” Taeyong whispers quietly, tightening his embrace. “I know I say a lot of stupid things and think even more stupid things. I could never get angry at you for real, I love you, and I’m so happy you’re in my life.”

“Wow, everything alright, Yong? Where is this coming from?”

Yuta’s worried tone has Taeyong’s heart squeezing painfully inside of his chest.

Being honest is Taeyong’s number one policy when it comes to a relationship, and he has had ugly fights with Yuta about keeping things from each other, even if it was in each other’s best interest.

“You know I wanted that Totoro plushie we saw like two months ago and you didn’t get it for me. I can tell by the packaging. And I stupidly got angry about it.”  Taeyong buries his face on Yuta’s neck.

Yuta’s loud laugh surprises him. He wasn’t sure what to expect yet his boyfriend laughing at him sure wasn't’high on the list.

“Oh my God, Taeyong, are you serious?” Yuta is shaking with laughter and Taeyong feels equal parts annoyed and ashamed.

Taeyong lets go of Yuta in order to give him the stink eye.

“Shut up, I know it’s stupid but you’re supposed to make me feel better, you know? You’re my boyfriend after all.” Taeyong whines, his palms coming up to partially cover his face.

Yuta’s laughter subsides, yet he is still chuckling when he approaches Taeyong.

“Sorry, I’m not laughing at you,” Yuta promises, softly removing Taeyong’s palms from his face. “I just knew you would be disappointed the moment you didn’t see the Totoro plushie under the tree. I can’t believe how much I know you,” Yuta intertwined his fingers with his boyfriends’ in an attempt to stop him from fleeing the scene.

“I know you wanted the Totoro but I promise you’re going to love the present I got you even more. Or at least that’s what I hope,” Yuta says enigmatically.

Taeyong furrows his eyebrows, puzzled.

“I don’t think so,” he challenges his boyfriend, smirking. “Since you know me so well, what else could be better for me than the Totoro plushie I’ve been wanting for at least two months now?”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Yuta sing-songs. “I bet my present will totally kick your present’s ass.”

Taeyong has to laugh at his boyfriend’s audacity.

“Not in a billion years. God, you’re so in for a surprise, you’ll regret not getting me that Totoro the moment you open my present for you.”

“We’ll see,” Yuta says, not looking afraid in the slightest. And okay, that’s a bit suspicious. Taeyong can’t really think about any other thing he wants at the moment that isn’t the plushie. Yuta looks so confident, Taeyong really doesn’t have a clue about what his present could be.

When Yuta smirks at him, Taeyong realises he is losing the argument and he can’t let that happen. Not when there’s a whole Nintendo Switch under the tree with Yuta’s name on it.

“What, you got me an engagement ring?” Taeyong says, mouth on autopilot spitting the only thing he really wants more than the Totoro. He laughs a little, just for effect.

And immediately stops when he takes into Yuta’s mortified expression.

Oh, no , Taeyong helplessly thinks. Bad joke, bad joke. God, look at that expression of utter terror, he really doesn’t want to get married. This fucking sucks.

“I’m j-joking, Yuta. Come on,” Taeyong desperately tries to cover up. “I was just joking, I don’t even want to get married,” he lies easily, swallowing the lump that’s been threatening to turn into a full sob since the idea that Yuta doesn’t want to get married to Taeyong sunk in. “I mean, who even wants to get married nowadays? It’s a lot of work and money, and we practically live together and all that. Getting married is pointless.”

Please don’t leave me.

“You don’t want to get married?” And Yuta sounds so broken, Taeyong is really fucking confused.

Maybe Yuta is just testing Taeyong, and well, that’s a bit cruel.

“No, of course not, silly,” he says as naturally as he can. He tries to smile reassuringly at his boyfriend (never soon-to-be husband), yet he knows he is failing miserably. He feels like crying, and it must show.

“Oh,” is all Yuta says, voice thin and fragile. “I thought you wanted to get married. Funny. Ha.”

Taeyong is getting really confused.

When Yuta side eyes the tiny box under the tree, everything clicks.

“Could you, uhm, wait here for a moment? I think I confused your present with Jaehyun’s. You know me, I’m a bit of an airhead. Ha-ha.”

When Yuta tries to detangle their fingers, Taeyong just squeezes Yuta’s hand harder, caging him.

“Yuta,” he says, carefully, “what did you get me?”

Yuta looks like a deer caught in the headlights, and that’s all the reassurance that Taeyong needs.

He is left momentarily stunned. Did Yuta actually get him a ring? For Christmas? Did Yuta actually remember that stupid conversation they had years ago in which Taeyong said there’s nothing more romantic than proposing to your significant other in Christmas?

Taeyong can’t breathe and Yuta takes advantage of his boyfriend sudden stillness to free his hands.

He makes a run towards the tree, towards the tiny box neatly placed next to a bigger box that Yuta as no idea what it is. However, that’s a problem for future Yuta because present Yuta wants to hide the evidence that will likely bring up a difficult conversation he doesn’t really want to have.

The moment his fingers grasp the tiny box, he feels Taeyong pulling him by the shoulder rather forcefully.

“That’s mine!” He shouts, trying to push Yuta away and grab his rightful present. Yet, his boyfriend is, and has always been, rather athletic with stupidly good reflexes; thus, Yuta just twists his body, escaping Taeyong’s hold rather easily.

“No, it’s Jaehyun’s!” Yuta argues back, doing his best to avoid Taeyong who seems dead set on destroying their relationship by opening the tiny box of Pandora.

“You’re an awful liar, I know you got Jaehyun that stupid set of salt bombs.”

Taeyong is blocking the only available exit in their living-room, and he seems rather resolute to take back the box Yuta is protecting with all his might.

There’s no fucking way Yuta is letting Taeyong see something that he has clearly stated doesn’t want. He’s not going to compromise the relationship he had so lovingly build with Taeyong for some stupid assumption Yuta made.

“Listen, Taeyong. This is really Jaehyun’s, I didn’t buy the set, it was too expensive. I got a simple bracelet, now let me go and fetch your gift. It’s in the bedroom, really,” Yuta lies through his teeth. He is a terrible liar, and the two of them know as much. Yet, he’s kind of desperate right now so he just hopes Taeyong lets it go.

He can see the tiniest sign of insecurity flashing in Taeyong’s eyes, but that’s enough for Yuta.

“Okay, I believe you,” Taeyong suddenly says, shoulders dropping. Yuta’s shoulders drop as well, unaware his body had been so tense until now. “Show me the bracelet, then.”

Of course.

“That won’t be necessary if you let me just go —wait!” Yuta gets interrupted in the middle of his answer by a wild Taeyong jumping over their coffee table.

Of course, because Taeyong is clumsy and a bit of an air-head, his foot catches on the rim of the table mid-air and Yuta jumps in to save him before his boyfriend destroys his beautiful nose against the floor.

“Fuck, Taeyong. That was dangerous! What were you thinking, idiot!” Yuta scolds him, heart racing wildly. He searches Taeyong face for any give away that he is in pain and that they have to rush to the hospital as soon as possible.

Taeyong just blinks, and then smirks. Yuta is puzzled for a hot moment before the boy in his arms pushes Yuta away and kneels to reach the forgotten box on the floor, left unattended in favour of catching his flying boyfriend.

Yuta really can’t believe Taeyong. Except he can, because Taeyong has always been rather stubborn.

“Oh my God.”

Yuta flinches at Taeyong’s tone and face when he opens the tiny box.

Great, what a fucking great moment to have an argument. Moments away from Christmas, Taeyong’s favourite festivity.

“I can’t actually believe this,” Taeyong sounds breathless, and Yuta is having terrible Doyoung flashbacks.

God, Yuta feels like passing out at any moment now. He can’t believe he’s made the same mistake, twice. He’s rather embarrassed and his tears are already prickling at his eyes and if there’s one thing he hates is crying and fighting at the same time. He’s always been sensitive, and he doesn’t think he can handle Taeyong’s rejection. Because he knows they’re going to fight about his, even if Taeyong tries his best to be gentle and Yuta understanding.

Taeyong lifts with trembling hands the beautiful engagement ring nestled in the silk cushion, and he isn’t saying anything and Yuta is really going to throw up. He wants to flee so bad so he doesn’t have to talk to Taeyong about the whole marriage thing since it’s evident he was sorely mistaken about the deal. In Yuta’s defence, he was almost 99% sure Taeyong wanted to get married.

Yuta is left rooted to the spot, sight blurry from the unshed tears rapidly accumulating in his eyes and heart going wild inside of his chest. He’s going to get rejected, and okay, it doesn’t mean Taeyong is going to break up with him. He’s sure he won’t. Is he, though? He was sure Taeyong wanted to get married and such a hurried assumption led him to his terrible situation.

Best case scenario, Taeyong just says he doesn’t want to get married and the two of them move on with their happy relationship. Except Yuta is sure he wouldn’t be able to move one from such a huge disappointment, not at least in the circumstances his brutal rejection is about to take place.

He can’t even play it off as if the ring was a simple ring, a sort of promise for their future or something merely symbolic like that. There’s a dazzling ruby on top of it, Taeyong’s birthstone. The band is made of white gold and inside the ring, there are engraved Yuta and Taeyong’s name with the love kanji between them.

“I can explain,” Yuta begins, because it’s obvious Taeyong is lost in his own world, looking at the ring in such cryptic way.

Yuta’s voice seems to do the trick given that Taeyong looks his way for the first time since he got his hands on the box.

“I didn’t know you didn’t want to get married, and, well, uhm-” Yuta really doesn’t know how to keep going. He’s quite bad at impromptu speeches, reason why he had memorized at the top of his head his proposal speech.

“Yuta, do you want to marry me?”

Taeyong sounds so hopeful, Yuta is instantly lost.

He could beat around the bush with his answer, but Taeyong and he had already been there, had an ugly fight about honesty and made up immediately. Yuta can’t lie to Taeyong, no when he has the proof of just how much Yuta loves Taeyong and wants to marry him right in his bony hands.

“Yes.”

Taeyong nods and Yuta watches him swallow

“Won’t you ask me?”

“Isn’t it pointless? I mean, you already kind of told me how you felt-”

“Yuta,” Taeyong softly interrupts him, taking a step towards his boyfriend. “Won’t you ask me?”

“Taeyong,” Yuta starts. He decides that if he is going to ask him, he’s going to do it as he intended to in the first place, even if it seems senseless. He would never let a chance to let his boyfriend know how much he loves him pass.

Go big or go home , he thinks before kneeling down and taking his boyfriend’s hand between his.

“I’ve loved you for a long time now. I know we don’t share many things, but we share the right and important things, and that’s enough for me. You mean the world to me, I can’t picture my future without you in it. You really are the reason why I want to be a better person. And I love everything about you, from your eccentric tastes and random cravings in the middle of the night to the lovely shape of your eyes and your kindness that knows no limits. And I know this is pointless, but I really wanted to let you know how in love I am with you, I just want to spend the rest of my days with you. Being with you, waking up by your side is enough for me, though I really want us to wear rings and show the world we belong to each other. Lee Taeyong, would you marry me?”

Taeyong is full out sobbing, and before properly answering Yuta, he kneels down as well and embraces his boyfriend of five years.

“Yes,” he answers between sobs, tightening his embrace around his now fiancé. “A thousand times yes, Yuta, I love you. And, this is the best present ever.”

Yuta is crying too because he is a cry baby and he can’t actually believe Taeyong agreed to marry him.

“I-I don’t get it, you said-”

“I lied, Yuta, I lied. When I mentioned the engagement ring you looked so mortified I thought you were the one who didn’t want to get married. And I also thought since, you know, that Doyoung episode you wouldn’t want to get married.”

Yuta laughs then because it’s obvious that his proposal is a fucking mess. There’s nothing normal about being with Taeyong, and he wouldn’t want it in any other way. Being with Taeyong is just a never-ending rollercoaster ride, even their first date was a certified mess. With Taeyong getting into an argument with the waiter and Yuta accidentally butting Taeyong in the head when he tried to kiss him.

There isn’t a boring moment in Yuta’s life as long as Taeyong is by his side, and even now, he can’t help but laugh. The situation is so ridiculous he can’t believe it, but then again, being with Taeyong is a dream so he can’t complain.

“I guess we are just idiots,” Yuta says, wiping away his tears when Taeyong lets go of him in favour of further examining his ring.

“I guess we are,” Taeyong concedes, without taking his eyes off of the ring. “Come on, mister fiancé, aren’t you going to put the ring on my finger?”

Taeyong extends his palm to Yuta, the ring in the middle of his hand. Yuta chuckles, still a bit bewildered by the sudden change of events.

“Of course, mister fiancé.”

He takes the ring from Taeyong’s palms and turns his hand so he can successfully put the ring on his ring finger.

“There,” Yuta says, admiring how the ring fits perfectly around Taeyong’s thin fingers. “It looks lovely.”

Taeyong extends his fingers so he can admire the ring.

“Yuta, it’s beautiful. I can’t believe you got me a ruby, even when you don’t care about those things. And your speech, it was really beautiful as well,” Taeyong turns his head to look properly at his fiancé. “I love you, and all those nice things you said about me…”

Yuta can’t even look Taeyong in the eyes because even after being together for so long, he still gets shy when Taeyong gets all sensitive and romantic on him. He can’t help it, he feels that if he looks at Taeyong for too long when he’s looking at Yuta with such devotion in his eyes he will combust and turn to ashes.

“I love everything about you, too,” Yuta feels Taeyong softly cupping his jaw, making him lift his gaze. “From your random outbursts of energy that make us go jog in the park at eleven in the night and the weird sounds you make when you’re surprised, to the lovely shape of your mouth and your resilience. You’re the one for me.”

Taeyong then leans in and kisses Yuta’s plush mouth, hands still cupping his jaw. Yuta closes his eyes and lets himself melt into the touch, left hand automatically cupping Taeyong’s jaw and right hand reaching behind Taeyong’s head to pull their lips closer.

They remain like that, slowly kissing with practised ease, the comfort of the warmth of their mouths way too familiar and pleasant to pull away just yet. They’ve kissed hundreds of times, yet every time their lips met and their tongues brush against each other, it feels like the first time. There are no fireworks nor bells ringing, just the surprising comfort that draws them in again and again, the subdue spark of electricity that lazily wakes up their nerves, one by one, until they're all awakened, hyper-aware of what’s going on.

It’s addicting, the slow burn between them, the somnolent desire that always builds up.

It’s familiar.

Taeyong and Yuta keep on kissing because it feels like they’ve been kissing for hundreds of lifetimes already and have perfected it. It’s easy like breathing, effortless like loving each other.

“For the record,” Taeyong says when they break apart, equally blinding smiles on their faces. “This ring is better than the Totoro plushie I wanted. In case you were wondering.”

Yuta looks lost for a moment before breaking into laughter.

“I told you so,” he snickers. “I know you really well.”

“Well, I don’t think my present can top yours but I’m pretty sure it’s almost as good.”

Yuta’s eyes shine intensely. Yuta loves getting presents just as much as giving them, and to Taeyong that is an amazingly endearing trait that makes Yuta even more loveable in his eyes. His childlike excitement whenever he gets to open a present is a sight to behold, and Taeyong loves that he is the source of Yuta’s happiness.

Taeyong gets up and goes fetch his present for Yuta, still perfectly wrapped under the tree.

“Here,” he says once he is back by Yuta’s side. He offers the present, which Yuta takes eagerly in his hands, measuring the box with his fingers and shaking the box slightly.

Taeyong can see Yuta is a bit confused, he is sure Yuta was expecting something he would guess right away. He feels proud because Yuta is actually awfully good at guessing his presents.

“What did you get me?” Yuta asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“Don’t ask me, dummy. Open the present,” Taeyong urges him, anticipation coursing through him. He knows Yuta will love it, and he can’t wait to be rewarded with that beautiful smile of his.

Yuta raises an eyebrow but says nothing, opting to tear the wrapped present. Taeyong can see how Yuta’s eyes fill with wonder with every tear that  uncovers the Nintendo box underneath.

“Taeyong,” Yuta exclaims, breathless, tearing the last piece of paper away. His eyebrows have shot up quite high and his mouth is slightly ajar. “You didn’t.”

Taeyong knows he must look like a love-sick fool, watching his fiancé with disgusting fond eyes and a silly smile on his face. He couldn’t care less, not when Yuta looks so good stunned.

“I totally did,” Taeyong replies, smugness written all over his features.

When Yuta does tear his eyes off of the box, he has the biggest of smiles drawn across his lips. He looks a bit dazed and Taeyong wants nothing more than to coo at him.

“I can’t believe I’m marrying literally the best person on earth.”

Yuta leaves the present aside for a moment in favour of crawling towards Taeyong and throwing himself all over him.

“I can’t believe how I got so lucky. I can’t believe you actually got me the Nintendo Switch.”

Taeyong can’t refrain any longer the happy laughter bubbling inside of him, not with the way Yuta is acting like such a kid in front of him.

“Of course, Yuta. See? You made the right choice when you proposed to me. Who will ever love you like I do, uh?” He says fondly, tightening his embrace around Yuta.

Yuta all but smashes their lips together, and it’s a bit rushed and quite clumsy, yet Taeyong doesn’t mind. They laugh into the kiss when their teeth clash.

“You seriously are the best,” Yuta says, stroking Taeyong’s nape lovingly. “And I’m not saying this only because you got me the super expensive Nintendo Switch I’ve been whining about for almost six months now,” Yuta chuckles when Taeyong slightly pinches him. “You’re so caring and amazing, really, I don’t know what I did to deserve such a wonderful person like you in my life.”

Yuta, again, is not looking into Taeyong’s eyes. Not that Taeyong is looking at Yuta’s eyes either. Being embarrassed together is kind of their thing by now.

“You’re seriously the love of my life.”

Taeyong stops breathing for a short moment. Yuta proceeds to bury his head on Taeyong’s neck, yet Taeyong can see how red his neck is.

He isn’t any better, though. He can feel his cheeks heating up furiously and his palms getting sweaty. Taeyong fears his heart is about to fly away from his rib cage at any moment.

“I think I should start giving you expensive presents more often if you’re going to get all romantic on me,” Taeyong jokes. His fragile voice betrays the joking bite in his statement.

Yuta chuckles, the sound muffled by Taeyong’s skin.

“You’re the love of my life, too, Yuta,” Taeyong says, vulnerability laced in his voice. “I hope you never forget that.”

Yuta just nods but makes no attempt to move from his place on Taeyong’s neck. And they just stay like that for a while, silently soaking themselves in each other.

“A Nintendo Switch is a better present than some stupid earrings, right?”

Yuta groans and finally moves his head away.

“We were having a moment there, you know.”

Taeyong has the decency to flush at least.

“I mean, but it’s true, right?”

Yuta knows Taeyong has some sort of baseless inferiority complex with Doyoung ever since he found out his ex is fucking loaded. Now that he thinks about it, buying a Nintendo Switch just to establish some sort of stupid dominance over who gives the best (most expensive) present is a thing Taeyong would totally do. Making Yuta happy is actually a plus, yet not the macro intention of Taeyong’s overall gift.

Yuta cracks a smile because he doesn’t really care about Taeyong’s ulterior motive.

“Of course, a Nintendo Switch is the better present. It’s useful and entertaining. Those Swarovski earrings, though? Not so much. Also, they were kind of tacky, and I couldn’t go out with them on without fearing I would get stabbed to death in a shady alley like Batman’s parents.”

Taeyong smiles, satisfied and content.

“You really know how to make a man happy,” he says, laughing shortly afterwards.

Yuta laughs along with him and stands up, offering his hand to Taeyong to help him stand up.

“Now that it’s been established that you’re the better present-giver, let’s try that beauty.” Yuta eyes the Nintendo Switch, left unattended on a nest of torn wrapping paper.

“Good idea,” Taeyong concedes.

Before Yuta can make his way towards the box, Taeyong grabs his hand and tugs the other man towards him. When Yuta spins around, Taeyong kisses him shortly.

“Fiancé?” Taeyong calls, looking up at Yuta longingly.

“You still want the Totoro plushie.”

“Yeah.”