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From Jun’s hospital room window, Minghao saw the snow start to fall from the sky. He watched as the snowflakes fluttered from the gray clouds and landed on the roof of the hospital. Although it wasn’t the first snowfall of the season, it was still very pretty. Minghao loved watching it. He hoped he and Jun would be inside their shared apartment, having a cup of hot cocoa and watching a Christmas movie while the snow fell.
But alas, life had different plans for them.
“Is it snowing outside?”
Minghao turned around, reminding himself of the reason why he was at the hospital in the first place. Jun was laying on the hospital bed. His brown eyes were drowsy and his brown hair was a mess on top of his head. There was an IV needle in his arm that was connected to a bag of painkillers. Purple bruises were spread out on his arms as well. A blanket covered the rest of his body from his torso down.
Despite all of Jun’s injuries, he was still smiling at the thought of snow falling.
Minghao nodded.
“Yeah. It’s beautiful.”
Minghao took one last look at the snow before he walked back over to Jun. He sat down back in the chair he had pulled up next to Jun’s bed. He held Jun’s hand in his.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. My head doesn’t hurt as much. I think the concussion is getting better.”
“That’s a good sign,” Minghao replied, “That’s one more day closer to recovery, and one more day we can get out of here.”
“Yeah.”
Minghao gave him a quick smile before it dropped. Jun frowned, sensing his boyfriend’s anxiousness. He sighed before he reached his hand out and rested it on Minghao’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over the skin of his cheek.
“You don’t have to worry so much about me. I’m here, in the hospital, getting good care. I’m doing fine, okay?”
Minghao sighed, letting go of their entwined fingers and put his hand on top of Jun’s, the one on his cheek, and held it close.
“I know… I just… I can’t help it.”
Minghao paused.
“That night… I got the worst call of my life. Seeing you unconscious on this hospital bed confirmed it to be the worst night of my life.”
Jun sighed as Minghao remembered that night.
Minghao was at home, waiting for Jun to come back home from work, so they could eat dinner together. After half an hour passed, Minghao didn’t think much of it. Jun probably hit traffic, which was normal for a commute back home. Then an hour passed, and Minghao assumed Jun stopped at the store for something. Maybe he forgot a Christmas gift? Or he was getting something for dinner? Then an hour and a half passed, and Minghao started to worry. What was taking Jun so long to get home?
Two hours later after Jun was supposed to be home, he got a call from an unknown number. It was the hospital, calling to tell him that Jun had gotten into a car accident. It wasn’t a moment later that Minghao got into his car and rushed to the hospital. There, he was told that Jun was driving home when he was hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light, and that Jun had been knocked unconscious from the impact. Fortunately, despite the nature of the crash, Jun had escaped with a few broken ribs and a concussion. When Minghao arrived at the hospital, Jun was cleaned up and bandaged but still unconscious. Minghao refused to leave Jun’s side until he woke up.
The next morning, Jun had woken up, and Minghao swore he had never cried so many tears of joy. Being careful not to crush him, Minghao kissed him, refusing to pull away, in fear that he was living in a dream.
Due to Jun’s injuries, the doctor wanted to keep him under observation at the hospital for at least a couple of days, just in case any other problems arised. Since Jun got into his accident the day before Christmas Eve, Jun would be in the hospital through Christmas Eve and Day.
But that was the least of Minghao’s worries. At least Jun was alive and okay. (It didn’t mean Minghao stopped worrying. He continued to.)
Since Jun was admitted to the hospital, Minghao made himself at home on the couch in Jun’s room. He brought their blankets, pillow, and his laptop, which they used to watch movies and youtube videos together all day, since Minghao took the days off. In between, Minghao would rush out and grab food before they’d continue where they left off. Throughout the day, Minghao had asked periodically how Jun was feeling, adamant he would call for someone if Jun was even feeling the slightest discomfort.
It’s one of the things Jun loved about Minghao. He cared so much, sometimes, a little too much. Jun truly felt fine. A bit in pain (not as much as he could’ve been, thanks to the painkillers), but nonetheless he was okay.
But he understood the worry Minghao had. If their roles were reversed, Jun would be just as worried, probably even more.
“I know, but I’m okay. It could’ve been worse,” Jun said, “If anything, I should be the one that’s sorry.”
Minghao furrowed his eyebrows.
“Why?”
“That I got into that accident, and we have to spend Christmas at the hospital.”
Minghao tilted his head, but he quickly understood and immediately shook his head.
“You’re sorry about that?” Minghao asked. “Don’t you dare. It wasn’t your fault; that drunk driver is. They’ll punish him, and he’ll pay the price. I don’t care that we have to spend Christmas here. All that matters to me is that you’re alive. I… I could’ve lost you yesterday.”
Minghao paused.
“I don’t care about where we celebrate Christmas. I just want to celebrate it with you.”
Jun softly smiled.
“I just want to celebrate it with you too,” he replied, “But you have to admit… it is kind of a damper to have to spend the holidays here.”
Minghao sighed.
“It doesn’t matter… whether it does or not. I’d take spending time with you here rather than lose you all together.”
Jun softly smiled before he motioned his head towards him.
“Come over here.”
Minghao didn’t hesitate to move his chair closer to Jun’s bed. Being careful not to not put pressure on Jun’s torso, he leaned in, resting his head in the crook of Jun’s neck. Jun leaned in, resting his chin on the top of Minghao’s head.
Minghao started to think. He and Jun really would be in the hospital for Christmas, instead of their plans to stay in, open presents, drink hot cocoa, and watch Christmas movies.
Despite their situation, he still wanted this to be a special Christmas for him and Jun.
It was then when Minghao started to plan.
___
The next morning, Christmas morning, Jun could feel his consciousness waking him up. He was pleased to find that he still couldn’t feel any pain. He’d have to thank the nurse who refilled his iv bag.
He groaned, letting out a yawn before he slowly opened his eyes. Once he had fully opened his eyes, he gasped.
There were fairy lights hanging on every wall of the room, surrounding him. His and Minghao’s stockings were hanging by the door with a wreath hanging on the door. Jun then looked to his left and saw that there was a miniature tree on a bedside table next to him. Christmas music was playing throughout the room.
Hearing the door open, he turned his head. He saw Minghao wearing a red sweater, black skinny jeans, and socks with red, white, and gold stripes paired with his green converses; a santa hat was on top of his head. He had a thermos and two mugs in his hand.
He smiled.
“Hey,” Minghao greeted, “Good morning.”
“Did you do this?” Jun immediately asked, amazed.
Minghao nodded, sitting down in his chair, putting the mugs on the table.
“You seemed so sorry that we had to spend Christmas here. I still wanted this to be a good Christmas, so… I talked with a few of the nurses and told them my plan. After you fell asleep, I went back home, got our Christmas decorations, the mini Christmas tree from our room, and brought them all here. Early this morning, we decorated the room.”
Jun smiled, looking at all of the decorations.
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
Minghao shyly smiled before he grabbed the mugs.
“Also, I talked to your doctor, just to make sure you could drink hot cocoa. He said it was fine,” Minghao said, “Would you like some?”
“Absolutely.”
Minghao then opened the thermos and started to pour the hot cocoa into the mugs. Carefully, he helped Jun sit up on the bed before giving him the mug. As Jun blew on the liquid to cool it down, he drank it as Minghao proceeded to put a Santa hat on his head.
“It’s delicious,” Jun complimented.
“I tried a new recipe this year,” Minghao told him, “I’m happy you like it.”
Jun smiled as he continued to drink.
Afterwards, they started opening their Christmas presents. Minghao got Jun the new kawaii cat kitchen utensils Jun had been eyeing, and Jun got Minghao the new paintbrushes he wanted since his were wearing out.
Minghao had even brought in some bakery sugar cookies and some decorations, and the two were able to decorate cookies, just like they had planned.
Throughout the day, nurses stopped by, wishing them both a merry Christmas before dropping candy in their stockings. Their friends even stopped by for a bit, wished them a merry Christmas, and dropped off their gifts before going to spend Christmas with their families.
Towards the end of the day, Minghao was laying his head on Jun’s shoulder with Jun resting his head on Minghao’s. A Christmas movie was playing on Minghao’s laptop.
“You know… spending Christmas in a hospital room wasn’t too bad,” Jun said as the credits rolled. “I actually really enjoyed it. It’s all I wanted for today.”
Minghao looked up at Jun.
“I’m really happy to hear,” he said, “It’s what I wanted for you today.”
Jun looked back down at Minghao, fondly.
“What did I do to deserve you?”
“I ask myself the same thing every day,” Minghao said, “Because I love you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Jun smiled.
“I love you too,” he replied, “I really don’t know what I’d do without you either.”
Minghao smiled before he leaned up and placed his lips onto Jun’s before laying his head back on Jun’s shoulder.
As the movie continued to play, Minghao wrapped his arms around Jun’s and pulled himself in closer. He thought back to last night, when he was rushing to plan everything, hoping that everything would work out.
Luckily, transporting the decorations was easy enough, and decorating wasn’t as hard either because it didn’t take too much time either. The cherry on top was that Jun enjoyed it all, despite his injuries.
And that’s all that mattered to Minghao: spending Christmas with the love of his life, despite the misfortune that happened to them.