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Waking up early in the morning was never easy. At least not for Hyunjin. He would rather spend all his mornings in bed with his boyfriend, but most days he didn't have the option to do that.
Today was different.
Today, he woke up early. Way before he even needed to get up. The pale light of the morning sun was lighting up their bedroom, birds could be heard outside. But most notable, and the thing Hyunjin loved the most, was the warmth surrounding him. Their blankets still piled up on top of them, but it was the warmth coming from his boyfriend that kept Hyunjin warm all winter.
Dragon. His boyfriend is a dragon. And a very possessive one. Even now, Hyunjin could feel strong arms wrapped around him tightly, pulling him back against a shirtless chest.
Hyunjin giggled quietly, "Good morning Channie."
"Go back to sleep baby. It's too early for you to even consider waking up." Chan's voice was raspy this early in the morning, and while Hyunjin would never admit that out loud, he loved how Chan sounded early in the mornings just after waking up
Hyunjin turned around, facing his boyfriend. Sleepy eyes were already looking at him and Hyunjin couldn't help the smile his lips formed. "I know, but I'm just too excited for today. Probably way more than I thought since I woke up before you."
"I know you are, my little fairy prince, but it's still too early for us to be awake." Chan's fingers lightly traced the edges of Hyunjin's wings and it caused him to let out a satisfied hum. It always made him happy when Chan did that.
You don't touch fairy's wings, that's a law. Only your mate is allowed to do that, but most fairies don't even allow their mates to touch their wings, scared they might damage them. Fairy wings are very fragile. Hyunjin never really worried about that. Sure, Chan might be a dragon and he might be at least ten times stronger than him, but his touch was always almost feather-like. He would never do anything to harm Hyunjin.
Hyunjin could feel himself melting under Chan's touch. He couldn't help the yawn escaping him, the warmth radiating from Chan making him sleepy.
"Sleep, my precious." Chan whispered, draping one of his wings over Hyunjin knowing it was easier for him to sleep when it's dark around him. (It also satisfied Chan's need to make sure his boy is safe all the time.)
The last thing Hyunjin remembers feeling before drifting off is a gentle kiss on his forehead.
✨
Next time Hyunjin woke up, he was in bed alone. Alone and cold, but before he could even start thinking about complaining, the smell of freshly baked bread reached his nose. With a sigh he untangled himself from the pile of blankets, wrapping one around himself and making his way to the kitchen.
Chan must have gotten up soon after Hyunjin fell asleep again, otherwise he wouldn't have been done baking the bread just yet. It wasn't unusual, but it still made Hyunjin's heart skip a beat and fill him with so much love for his mate.
Chan was just setting two cups of tea on the table, a smile already on his face, before he turned around and opened his arms. "Good morning baby. Did you sleep well?"
Hyunjin, not one to pass on any opportunity to have his mate's warmth all around him, was clinging to Chan in less than a second. The moment he felt Chan's arms around him, he let out a content sigh. "I slept fine thanks to you keeping me safe and warm all night."
Chan knew about Hyunjin's past, about the time he spent growing up in the forest. Winter's around here were always cold and fairies didn't exactly match with cold, so when he and Hyunjin decided to bond to each other, he promised to himself he will make sure Hyunjin never has to suffer through winter alone.
"We should eat before it gets cold. Plus, we have a date to get to soon." When Hyunjin made no sign of pulling away, Chan slowly led them towards the nearest chair, separating from Hyunjin just long enough to sit down, pulling him on his lap.
This was nothing new. Almost every winter morning ends with Hyunjin in Chan's lap. What is different though, is how the breakfast proceeds. There are days when Hyunjin snoozes through the whole thing, curled up with his head tucked under Chan's chin. But there are also days, like this morning, where Hyunjin is on the brink between being awake and sleeping. On mornings like this, Chan slowly feeds him pieces of bread topped with butter and honey.
When they both finished, they slowly sipped on their now cooled down tea, just enjoying each other's presence. Hyunjin was excited for their date that would start the moment they stepped outside their little cottage, but he also really enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the morning.
Chan, sensing Hyunjin's reluctance to move, gently squeezed his thigh. "Jinnie, honey, unless you changed your mind and you want to spend the day at home, we have to start moving."
"Just five more minutes." Hyunjin tried to curl up closer to Chan but he knew it was useless when he could feel Chan's hands on his waist, ready to lift him up from his lap.
Not even a few seconds later, Hyunjin found himself standing up on his feet, staring at Chan like a kicked puppy, letting out a disappointed whine. Chan, used to Hyunjin's antics, just chuckled. "Not a chance. We can cuddle when we come back. Go start getting ready while I clean up."
Hyunjin let out one last whine before making his way back to their bedroom. Once there, he picked one of his warmer set of clothes. He doesn't leave their cottage often during winter, but occasionally, like today, he willingly ventures into the snowy wonderland that is happening outside.
He was just finishing washing up when Chan joined him. Compared to Hyunjin, Chan didn't mind the cold, his body naturally running warmer than others, so he didn't need warm clothes like Hyunjin. He wore them anyway after the first few times Hyunjin scolded him for going out during winter in just a blouse and light trousers.
Ten minutes later, they were both ready to go. Now that the sleepiness completely left his body, Hyunjin couldn't stay still. "Chan! Let's go! Come on you old man, we don't have all day."
"That's not what you were saying at breakfast." Chan shook his head while wrapping a scarf around Hyunjin's neck. "There, now you're ready for the outside world."
Hyunjin, not being able to contain his excitement any more, ran out of the door as soon as the words left Chan's mouth. Once outside, he squealed in joy. "Look at all the snow! It's so pretty!"
"It is, Jinnie," Chan agreed while locking the door behind him "But no running. Now, come here." He held out one hand towards him and Hyunjin took it without a hesitation.
They walked in relative silence towards the nearby village. The only sounds surrounding them was the crunching of snow under their shoes and Hyunjin's occasional squeals.
The village wasn't far, but the snow slowed them down a little. They didn't mind, they had time. Once they arrived at the village, Chan had to hold Hyunjin's hand a bit tighter, otherwise the young fairy would run straight ahead.
The streets were lined up with stalls selling all sorts of different food, from fresh pastries to candies to wooden toys for little kids. This was the first time Hyunjin visited the village during the winter festival so his excitement was understandable. Still, Chan didn't want to lose his mate in the crowd, nor did he want him to get accidentally hurt. It was no secret that Hyunjin was clumsy so the chance of potential injury wasn't zero.
Chan could hear Hyunjin gasp next to him. "Chan. Chan. Look! They're selling waffles! Can we get some? Please?" Hyunjin turned to him, his rosy cheeks from the cold and eyes wide with winter making Chan fall for him all over again.
Hyunjin wasn't moving from where they stopped, but he was lightly tugging at Chan's hand. When excited, Hyunjin wasn't exactly the most patient. "Jinnie, the whole point of me taking you here is for you to enjoy the winter festival and that includes eating all the delicious food you want."
Hyunjin's eyes lit up with excitement. It was almost like thousands of bright stars were hidden in Hyunjin's eyes. "Thank you thank you thank you!" He leaned in to give Chan a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling him over to the waffle stand.
"Which one would you like? Strawberry? Blackberry? Apple? Wow there sure is a lot to pick from." Chan scanned over the sign with all the different flavours.
"You can pick two flavours if you want." The person selling the waffles said. "They're quite big and will fit two flavours."
Chan was ready to reject the offer when Hyunjin lightly tugged at his arm again. "Let's do that Channie. We can share, right?" The smile Hyunjin gave him was a little hesitant.
They shared food all the time but that all happened back in their little cottage, behind closed doors, and while Chan wasn't sure how people around them would react to seeing them sharing a waffle, he knew he never wanted to see that hesitant smile on Hyunjin's face again. "Okay baby. What flavor do you want?"
Hyunjin let out another squeal, though this one quieter since there were other people around now, before answering. "Apple. It's the one I can smell the most and it smells absolutely delicious. Which one will you get?"
"I was thinking about blackberry. I'm not sure how these two flavours will go together though so maybe i should pick something else." Chan was about to turn back to the sign to read over the flavours again when he heard Hyunjin scoff.
"Who cares about that. Both are fruits, I'm sure it will be fine." Hyunjin then turned to the person behind the stall. "Can we please get a waffle with apple and blackberry jam?"
They both watched the man make the waffle. They never made waffles on their own and the few times they had them, they bought them already-made from the local bakery. It was fascinating to watch and Chan wondered if there's a way he could learn how to make them at home.
When the waffle was ready, the man handed it over to Hyunjin while Chan paid. They both thanked the man and left with smiles on their faces.
Hyunjin, not being able to resist the sweet smell any longer, took the first bite and squealed once again. "This is amazing! Cha, you have to try it right now!" And with that he pushed the waffle closer to Chan.
There's no way Chan could resist his mate. Not when his happiness was radiating off of him. Other people and their opinion on them sharing food be damned.
Instead of taking the waffle from Hyunjin, Chan put his hands on top of Hyunjin's and bought it closer to his mouth before bending down just a slightest bit and taking a bite. All that while looking at Hyunjin whose cheeks started to turn a pretty shade of red.
"You're right, it's delicious. And you are a very messy pretty baby." Chan swiped his thumb over Hyunjin's bottom lip, wiping away the jam that was there, before licking it off.
Hyunjin's blush deepened while Chan smiled, very pleased with himself. Taking one of Hyunjin's hand in his, he gave him one last smile before turning to look around. "Want to look around while you eat or do you want to find a place to sit down for a bit?"
Hyunjin, still feeling a bit embarrassed by what just happened, (they were in public after all), moved closer to Chan before answering. "Let's look around. There's so much to see."
Chan, instantly realising what Hyunjin wants, let go of his hand and wrapped his arm around his mate's slender waist. "Let's go then, my prince. Exploring is what you want to do so exploring we shall do."
They walked around for what felt like hours. Hyunjin quickly forgot about his embarrassment and his excitement returned before they reached the next stall. He never pulled away from Chan though.
At some point they bought tea. Honeysuckle for Hyunjin and mint for Chan. They also bought some pastries to take home with them and Hyunjin even managed to convince Chan to buy apple jam even though their pantry was filled with various jam bottles.
Eventually, they decided to head back. Chan noticed Hyunjin slowly moving closer and closer, the fairy starting to feel cold but refusing to admit it out loud. They had left the village behind them not even five minutes ago when it suddenly started snowing.
Hyunjin stopped walking, absolutely mesmerized by the scenery around him. The forest around them was quiet, all the animals hiding from Chan and Hyunjin. The setting sun made everything glow a little orange, the falling snow looking more like falling glitter.
When Chan looked at Hyunjin, he could feel his breath being knocked out of him by Hyunjin's beauty. Chan always found Hyunjin beautiful no matter the situation, and he always made sure to tell him just that, but like this, surrounded by snow and with few snowflakes already making themselves home on top of his head, he looked like the most beautiful painting Chan had ever seen.
With the hand that was still around Hyunjin's waist, he pulled him closer so they were now standing in front of each other. Gently cupping Hyunjin's face with his other hand, he leaned closer to connect their lips in a gentle kiss.
Hyunjin's arms found their place around Chan's neck, pulling him closer and holding onto him at the same time. He didn't trust his legs, as they always tended to turn into jelly when Chan kissed him like this, putting all the unsaid words into the kiss. And Hyunjin did the same. He made sure to convey all his feelings through the kiss they were sharing, not willing to part just yet.
Their kiss stayed simple and sweet, but it was filled with their love for each other, and when they eventually pulled apart, Hyunjin was breathless.
They stayed like that for a few moments, holding onto each other while the snow kept falling around them. Eventually, it was Hyunjin who broke the silence. "Thank you for bringing me to the winter festival today. I really enjoyed it."
"My prince, you have nothing to thank me for. I am glad the weather this year wasn't as cold as the previous years and I could finally take you to see it." Chan gave Hyunjin a forehead kiss before taking half a step back so he could look at him properly. "I love you Hyunjin. I love you with my whole being and I am very glad you agreed to be my mate."
"I love you too Channie, my strong brave dragon. My heart was yours from the day I was born, it just took me a while to realize it." Hyunjin leaned closer to give Chan a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling away again. "But as much as I love you, I think my butt is starting to turn into ice."
Chan laughed at that, taking Hyunjin's hand in his again. "Oh no. That would be a tragedy if we let that happen. Let's get that cute butt of yours home and then we can make a blanket nest and cuddle in front of the fireplace. What do you think about that?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way. Take me home to our nest, dragon."
"As you wish, little fairy prince."