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“...Why isn’t he home yet…” Chu Wanning thought to himself, hugging a chair pillow as he sat at the dinner table filled with stacked up used dishes. Except for one plate filled with leftovers, which was covered in cling wrap and was placed in front of the seat next to Chu Wanning. It was Mo Ran’s plate, which should’ve been empty by now, but Mo Ran was called to work unexpectedly to fill in the manager’s shift who happened to have caught a cold this winter.
The couple had organised a christmas party at their house this Christmas, in which Mo Ran had missed completely. Everyone was at the party except for Mo Ran, him being absent indeed did make the atmosphere less bright and jolly as it should be. But nobody really paid much attention to it, unlike Mo Ran’s sweetheart.
Chu Wanning didn’t seem like he was troubled on the outside, but inside he was devastated.
Their first Christmas together as a couple, the day that Chu Wanning was so excited for. The day that he looked forward to ever since their relationship began, ruined because of Mo Ran’s stupid old geezer manager catching a cold!!!
It was almost 12am, in less than an hour it wouldn’t be Christmas anymore. The romantic day that he was longing for every waking second of his relationship alongside Mo Ran would never happen.
Chu Wanning got up from the dinner table and walked swiftly to the living room. The soft pitter patter of his socks on the floor were gentle and quiet as he stood in the middle of the room and stared at the tall green christmas tree covered in baubles and tinsel. The room was decorated beautifully, the dim Christmas lights hung upon each and every wall, illuminating them. The Christmas stockings were lined up amongst the fireplace and the snowglobes were placed neatly next to each other above it. The piles of presents underneath the Christmas tree were each wrapped in colourful wrapping paper and labelled with name tags. All labelled with Mo Ran’s name as he was the only one who hadn't opened his presents yet. Chu Wanning so desperately wanted to see his face light up to all the gifts that he would have opened this year along with the company of everyone else. But it seems that this year, Mo Ran would be opening his presents only with the company of Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning frowned, but his eyes were fixated on one present only.
A small box, white and laced with gold. A bright red ribbon on top, the tag on it had the words “To: Mo Ran, From: Chu Wanning” written on it in beautiful handwriting. A small kitty was drawn on the corner, followed by a paw and sparkles.
Chu Wanning blushed, how embarrassing! To draw such cutesy images on your boyfriend’s Christmas present, shameless!
The present looked so small sitting next to the large and extravagant presents next to it, Chu Wanning felt irked at the sight. He should’ve gotten Mo Ran something more… Special. What if someone else also gave him a similar present? He wanted to be original.
He had never given a Christmas present to a lover before, since Mo Ran was his first. He had spent hours pondering on what to give to Mo Ran that, by the time he realised it, it was already Christmas Eve. He only rushed out quickly to the nearby jewelry shop and picked out whatever as quickly as possible last night, too embarrassed to speak when the jeweller asked him who the present was for. He got home late and packaged the gift while Mo Ran was asleep.
The cold air in the living room felt even colder without anyone else present in the house.
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran’s work hours didn’t line up well, and whenever the other was at work, the other was at home. Chu Wanning dreaded the days where Mo Ran had to work long hours, the house always felt empty without him there. He missed him so much everyday, although he would never admit it even if it costed his life. He would occasionally lay in bed and cuddle Mo Ran’s pillows before drifting off to sleep, and daydreamed about how he would greet Mo Ran when he came back home. How he would wrap his arms around his neck and give him the biggest kiss, then confess how lonely he was without him there. But these were just daydreams! He never planned on actually doing them, that would be so embarrassing…
Chu Wanning, exhausted, slumped down into the couch and rested his chin on his palm.
He switched on the TV and stared at it blankly, his mind plagued with thoughts of how Mo Ran would react to his gift. The screen a few metres away from him broadcasted boring family shows that didn't suit his taste, Chu Wanning picked up the remote and switched through each channel.
Each channel was as boring as the last, until he stopped on one.
A man and a woman kissing passionately in the snow under a street light, it seemed to be a romance movie.
Chu Wanning stared at the screen and gulped, how could they have the confidence to do something like… That… in public…!
How shameless!
He had his gaze locked on the TV, he was lost in how the couple looked with their lips entangled with each other’s. His hand that rested underneath his chin retracted to sit on his lap, and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks, his ears burned from the cold weather. He gripped the remote in his hand, he was intoxicated by the scene displayed on the TV.
Wouldn’t it be nice to kiss like this with Mo Ran…
Clack clack
Chu Wanning’s train of thought was interrupted by the sound of keys jingling at the front door, he jumped and quickly shut off the TV.
He got up and ran to the front door, waiting patiently to see the face of his beloved.
Waiting patiently to see that face that he loved so much, the face that belonged to the one he loved the most in this world. He awaited to see that adorably handsome face, nose tinted red from the cold.
The door slowly flung open.
There he was.
There was Mo Ran.
Mo Ran stood there in the doorway, large black puffer jacket covered in snow. He seemed visibly worn out. Working at a bakery may not seem like hard work but it definitely is when you’re the only worker and there are dozens of customers trying to buy their Christmas cakes at the last minute.
Upon seeing Chu Wanning waiting right on the other side of the door, that tired expression immediately wiped off of his face in an instant and was replaced by that same dazzling smile that Chu Wanning had fallen for all those years ago. His sweet dimples making him look ever so adorable, if it wasn’t physically impossible then Chu Wanning would have hearts in eyes at this very moment.
“...Took you long enough.” Although Chu Wanning loved this man with his entire being, he couldn’t help his cold and stern attitude. That cold and stern attitude that Mo Ran loves so much.
“Hehe… Sorry, Wanning.” Mo Ran giggled guiltily.
“Hurry and get in here, it’s cold outside.”
“Alright~” Mo Ran stepped in and swapped his shoes for his indoor slippers as the smaller man closed the door behind him.
Chu Wanning stood behind the unreasonably tall man, he wanted to give him a kiss.
A Christmas kiss, like in the movies, like in the romance film that he just saw on TV, like in the fairytales.
He grabbed his shoulder and aggressively jerked him around to face him, got on his tippy toes and—
“Ah…” Mo Ran backed away.
…What?
….Huh?
Why is he backing away?
Does he not want to kiss?
Chu Wanning was mortified, evident by the way his eyes widened with shock.
Mo Ran was always the one that initiated the kisses, so to think that the one time Chu Wanning tried kissing him first, it would backfire like this…
“...” Chu Wanning didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what expression he was wearing but he was sure that he didn’t want Mo Ran to see.
Mo Ran was gripping his chest, there was a large bump in his jacket. Almost as if there was something delicate inside, but Chu Wanning paid no mind.
“W-Wanning, I didn’t mean to…”
“...It’s fine, no need to apologise.” Chu Wanning looked to the floor in defeat, how embarrassing!
Mo Ran could read Chu Wanning’s emotions like a book, his face immediately showed a look of genuine concern. He wanted to tell him why he dodged the kiss, but he didn’t want to spoil the surprise…
“Wanning…” Mo Ran reached his hand out to touch Chu Wanning, but his hand was slapped away fiercely in less than a second.
Chu Wanning looked up, face unperturbed.
“Why don’t you go open your presents? I’ll come sit with you.” Chu Wanning suggested, trying his best to put on a calm and collected demeanour.
Mo Ran, not knowing what to do. Reluctantly agreed.
The couple were now standing on their living room carpet, the brightly wrapped presents laid out before them. Mo Ran was shocked by the amount of presents he got, he even got some from Xue Meng…
Not knowing where to start, Mo Ran decided to start off with the smallest present. He planned on beginning with opening the smallest and working his way up to the bigger ones. Chu Wanning gulped at the sight, it was his present!!!
His eyes never looked away from Mo Ran as he watched him pick up the miniature box with his tremendously large hands, his hands making the box look even smaller than it already was. Despite the freezing weather, sweat droplets started to form on Chu Wanning’s temples.
What would he think of the present?
This is the first present he’s opening, what if he opens the rest of them and they’re all way better than his!!!
Chu Wanning was about to open his mouth and suggest Mo Ran open another present instead of the one that he was holding right now, but the sudden thought occurred that if he were to open his last then it would be quite disappointing and anticlimactic as the very last…
Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind, before he knew it, it was already too late.
Mo Ran began reading the tag on the box, “Ah, this is your present to me this year?” he asked. His eyes glistened as they reflected the Christmas lights in them, each fairy light looking like stars in those purple tinted orbs of his. Chu Wanning was lost in his eyes for a second, there was a long pause before he replied.
“...Yes. This, this is my present for you this Christmas.” He muttered under his breath, his face dripping with sweat. He lifted his hand and patted at the sweat drops on his forehead with his cream coloured sleeve, the knitted wool felt warm to the touch.
Mo Ran had his usual warm smile plastered on his face as usual, perhaps it was because of the festive season. But the look in his eyes exhibited undying love and affection, ah, he truly did love this man.
“Thank you, Wanning.” Mo Ran looked at Chu Wanning with those loving eyes of his, inciting Chu Wanning’s heart to skip a beat.
He looked away, too flustered to look at this man’s ravishingly handsome face any longer.
“Y…You’re welcome,” he answered. Fixing the stray hairs on the top of his head, he was afraid that he would overheat from the embarrassment and anticipation.
Mo Ran lifted the lid of the white box, revealing a small heart shaped locket pendant.
The pendant was gold and heart shaped, with small crystals encrusted on the rims. It was a tiny present, the tiniest of them all. But this present would be the only one that would give Mo Ran an indescribable feeling in his heart, a feeling of overbearing love.
Looking at the pendant, Mo Ran’s heart was aflutter. Seeing Chu Wanning flustered from the corner of his eye, aware of how embarrassed he would have been buying such a romantic present. He couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit.
A soft laugh escaped Mo Ran’s lips, earning a frightened look from Chu Wanning.
“...What are you laughing at,” he asked, “Is there something funny?”
Chu Wanning was unsettled by this unexpected reaction, he felt his heartbeat quicken as he stared intensely at his partner.
“Haha… Oh, no!! Not at all, it’s just that…” Mo Ran paused, hesitant to finish his sentence.
“Just what…” Chu Wanning pressured, his anxiety shooting through the roof.
Mo Ran sighed, he could sense Chu Wanning’s anxiety easily.
He giggled once more, then declared.
“You’re so cute… did you know that?” Mo Ran’s tanned face glowed in the blaze of the fireplace, mixed in with the Christmas lights. Creating a dashing sight, this paired with the man’s sweet words and radiant smile was almost enough to make Chu Wanning faint. Lord, what was his boyfriend so handsome for?
Chu Wanning instantly felt his blood pressure skyrocket, his face began to burn. He heard ringing in his ears, he could already feel the red on his face. He looked Mo Ran in the eye, if it weren’t for the obvious blush on Chu Wanning’s face then he could have possibly pulled off the calm and collected appearance that he always feigned.
He wanted to speak, he wanted to insult him like he always did. But this was just too much for him, his brain was malfunctioning. Everything was shutting down in his head, it was like he was a computer that had just run into a coding error.
Error, error, initiate gay panic.
“Y-you— you… you—!! You!!” He stuttered, trying his hardest to say something. He used every cell in his body to try and retaliate to that shameless comment, but it was all to no avail.
Chu Wanning was pissed.
How dare he get teased like this!!! He had to teach him a lesson!!!
He raised his fist, and attempted to hurl it at Mo Ran’s cheek.
Mo Ran was caught off guard, and grabbed the fist.
The sudden motion caused the box in Mo Ran’s hand to drop to the floor, knocking the silk cushion holding the pendant in it to fall out…
But that wasn’t the only thing that was knocked out of the box.
There was a small piece of paper, which appeared to be folded several times.
Chu Wanning felt his heart drop, “FUCK—!!!”
Chu Wanning felt like a pendant wasn’t enough for a Christmas present, so prior to putting it under the tree, he had written a letter to Mo Ran confessing all of his feelings that he had been kept bottled up for years. All of the cheesy things that he wanted to say to him, but couldn’t. All those feelings, all those things he wanted to say, all compressed into one little Christmas letter.
When Chu Wanning packed that present for Mo Ran, he intentionally put it at the very bottom of the box under the silk plush in hopes that he wouldn’t find it. But deep down inside, he yearned for him to be fully aware of how much he loved him.
“Oh? What’s this?” Mo Ran bent down to pick up the letter.
“DON’T!!!” Chu Wanning yelled, face filled with embarrassment and anger.
He tried snatching it away from him, but Mo Ran was too tall.
Mo Ran raised the letter high into the air, far away from Chu Wanning’s reach.
He raised it in the air above his head, unfolded it, and stared at it.
Chu Wanning was left jumping and scratching at Mo Ran’s arms to try and retrieve that letter of love, but it was all in vain. A sly grin spread across Mo Ran’s face, he stared at the letter while ignoring the flustered Chu Wanning that was currently clawing at him with mighty force. Opened his mouth, and began to read it out loud just to torment him further.
“Dear Mo Ran—” He recited.
“NO!!! STOP IT!!! MO RAN!!!!!” Chu Wanning was pleading, his face was beyond red at this point. Steam was almost emitting from both sides of his ears from how flustered he was at this moment.
“Merry Christmas, I’ve been looking forward to our first Christmas together for ages. We’ve had many Christmases spent together, but this one will be our first where we get to be the ones kissing under the mistletoe. Not Xue Zhengyong and Wang Chuqing…” Mo Ran continued, his face presented pure bliss. He was sure enjoying the view of Chu Wanning having a mental breakdown over this, teasing him was his favorite thing to do of course.
“I don’t know if you’ll end up reading this anyway, this letter might just get thrown out in the trash with the rest of the wrapping paper. But I need to vent these feelings somewhere, you really do my head in you know? Sometimes I feel like I’m going to go insane with you… But I like that, I like everything about you.” Mo Ran read out the letter in a funny voice, attempting to add a bit of light to the situation. Hopefully making Chu Wanning calm down a bit, but the only thing that Chu Wanning was experiencing was terror.
“I love the way your dimples get deeper the more you smile, I love the way you never forget to kiss me at night when I’m asleep. (yes, I am aware of the sneaky kisses you give me at night when I fall asleep first.) I love the way seeing you every morning cooking breakfast makes my heart feel warm. I love the way you always hug me when I’m sad, I love the way you give me kisses to cheer me up… I love—”
Chu Wanning had enough of this.
He couldn’t shut him up any other way, he got up on his tippy toes once more and leaned in to shut Mo Ran’s mouth with his own.
Pop
…
Did he just fail his second attempt at a Christmas kiss?
Chu Wanning expected the familiar sensation of lips against his own, but what greeted him was the feeling of… Fur?
Ah.
It’s a puppy.
“...!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!” Chu Wanning was dumbfounded.
A puppy… Just popped out of Mo Ran’s jacket… And cockblocked him?
“Bark!”
The puppy appeared to be a small husky, only a few weeks old at most.
It’s fur was black and white, and soft to the touch. Chu Wanning stared intensely at the puppy, then moved his gaze to Mo Ran.
“Is this… why you didn’t want to kiss me before?” He asked, steadily calming down at the realisation.
“Yes… He would’ve fallen out otherwise, but I wouldn’t mind another kiss right now.” Mo Ran smirked, Chu Wanning felt a familiar feeling of irritation arise within him.
Chu Wanning sighed, then raised his hand to pet the dog.
Petting the dog felt quite therapeutic, the way his hand glided across the fur left a nice feeling on his skin.
He couldn’t help but smile, Mo Ran was not impressed.
“Wanning, where’s my kiss?” He asked, pouting with furrowed eyebrows.
Chu Wanning couldn’t take him seriously like that, not when there was a literal dog sticking out of the front of his jacket. It was quite an adorable sight, the sight of a cute puppy sitting in the opening of another larger puppy’s puffer jacket.
“Bark!!! Bark!!!” The puppy retaliated to Mo Ran’s request, squirming around in it’s cozy seat right against his chest. The dog didn’t seem happy, perhaps jealous of the romantic ordeal going on. Or maybe he just didn’t want Mo Ran to kiss the pretty man standing in front of them.
“What, don’t want me to kiss him? Sorry, but this one’s mine.” Mo Ran declared jokingly, taking the puppy out and settling him onto the floor gently. He took off his jacket and tossed it on the couch, revealing his toned pecs stretching through his tightly fitting black turtleneck.
Chu Wanning couldn’t help but giggle at the situation, then he suddenly remembered the pendant.
“Mo Ran, turn the other way for me.” Chu Wanning requested, bending over to pick up the pendant box on the floor.
“Ah, okay. What for?”
Chu Wanning, without a word, got up on his tippy toes to put the pendant around Mo Ran’s neck. Clipping the back for him, the thin gold chain glistened brightly. It made Chu Wanning’s heart feel warm and fuzzy inside.
His boyfriend, wearing the necklace that he had chosen for him…
Gosh, how embarrassing will it be when he opens the pendant and sees the photo that he chose to put inside!
Mo Ran chuckled once more, “You always have to get on your tippy toes for everything, even when we ki—”
“Silence!!!” Chu Wanning ordered haughtily, unwilling to be teased anymore like this. He moved back a step to take in the view of his boyfriend wearing the pendant, and nodded at the sight.
“Does it look good on me?” Mo Ran asked, looking down at the pendant resting in between his collarbone.
“Mn, it does.” Chu Wanning replied, not thinking before he spoke.
He quickly realised what he had just said, his cold face then started to burn red once again.
“...No!— That’s not what I meant!!! It— I mean the pendant, not you!!!” He shouted, the embarrassment that he tried masking with anger was as clear as day to Mo Ran. He truly could read him like a book.
“Oh? Is this a photo pendant?” Mo Ran said as he opened the locket pendant with his large hands, struggling a bit because of how small the thing was.
The photo inside was of the two during their snowboarding trip, Mo Ran insisted on forming a finger heart with Chu Wanning and taking a photo of it for memories that day. In the photo, Mo Ran’s side of the heart was much larger than Chu Wanning’s. Their size difference was obvious, Mo Ran taking the photo from a high angle didn’t help either. Chu Wanning disliked that photo, the way that the two looked so lovey dovey doing cliche couple things made him feel humiliated on another level. The snowy white backdrop was indeed pretty in the photo though, but that was the only positive thing Chu Wanning could take from this embarrassing photo.
He knew that Mo Ran liked this photo, so he decided to print out a tiny version of it and stick it inside of the pendant.
Mo Ran laughed softly upon seeing the photo, his deep voice made Chu Wanning’s head pound as he pulled him into a tight embrace.
An embrace that Mo Ran was definitely not expecting.
He looked down at the man who currently had his arms wrapped around him, his face softened at the sight.
“...Merry Christmas.” Chu Wanning said, hiding his face in Mo Ran’s abnormally large chest. His cheek pressed against his boyfriend’s warm body was an extraordinarily comforting feeling, Chu Wanning secretly wished that he could stay in this position for the rest of his life.
The puppy ran in circles around the two of them, barking and pouncing playfully. But the two didn’t notice, they were too indulged in the romantic moment to think of anything else right now.
Mo Ran closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around Chu Wanning’s waist. His eyelashes draped over his cheeks, casting a large shadow.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Wanning.” Mo Ran said in a loving tone, his voice resonated in the room.
Chu Wanning’s heart began to beat faster and faster the longer he was pressed up against this man, he wouldn’t be able to take it any longer if Mo Ran decided to try some “funny business” with him during this wholesome moment.
“Wanning.” Mo Ran broke the silence.
“Hm?”
“What should we name the dog?” Mo Ran asked, letting go from the embrace to crouch and pat the puppy. Which was now sitting on the floor obediently, and wagging it’s tail.
“...” Chu Wanning had to think.
“How about we name him Ranwan?” Mo Ran suggested, looking up at Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning smiled, “Good idea. Let’s name him that.”
Mo Ran smiled back, “Alright.”
Chu Wanning stood and gazed at the two, and brought his half sleeved hand to his chest. Nobody else knew, but on the inside of his knitted sweater, laid a matching pendant to Mo Ran’s.
The locket had Chu Wanning’s favorite photo of Mo Ran in it, the one he had taken when he was asleep. Chu Wanning loved how cute Mo Ran’s face looked in the photo.
The way Mo Ran’s cheek was squished up against his boyfriend’s shoulder in a deep slumber was adorable. Mo Ran was unaware that Chu Wanning had taken the photo, but it was Chu Wanning’s absolute favorite.
It was no longer Christmas, after a couple hours of talking and playing with the puppy, the two of them started to get sleepy. Ranwan was already fast asleep on the dog bed Mo Ran had bought yesterday, the fireplace was enough to keep him and the couple warm.
“Wanning, we should sleep soon.” Mo Ran suggested, looking at Chu Wanning who was sitting on the couch next to him.
“Mn, we should.”
“Alright, let’s get ready for bed then.”
“...”
“...?”
“Don’t sleep yet, I have another late night present for you.” Chu Wanning whispered into Mo Ran’s ear, as he pushed him slowly down onto the couch. The fireplace crackled beside their pressed together bodies, making it even warmer than it already was.
“...Oh?”