Work Text:
Somehow, it feels warm next to you today
What’s the reason your cheeks are blushing more than they were yesterday?
Is it because it’s cold or is it because your heart is fluttering?
I hope it’s because of me
Soobin brings up the idea a few days after his birthday. The idea is sparked by their terrible gift giving for his birthday (particularly from Beomgyu and excluding Yeonjun). He offers up his thoughts to Beomgyu over breakfast one day. Beomgyu, still half-asleep, can only squint at him bleakly.
“Secret Santa?” he eventually groans out around a bite of warm rice. He swallows, scrunches his nose up, and then fixes Soobin with the most unimpressed look he can muster (though in his current state of being it’s very difficult to look anything short of adorable , but. It’s the thought that counts.). “Are you just too broke to get a present for all of us?”
Soobin counters the quip with practised ease that only comes from being the best friend of Choi Beomgyu: he gives him a hard kick under the table, ignores the wounded yelp he gets in return, and leans in to wrap an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, if anyone is going to be too broke to get everybody a gift, it’s Kai,” he starts, giving a dimple-y and determined grin. “But think about it, Gyu. I’m sure everybody doesn’t want to get a pair of little kid’s pyjamas this year.”
Beomgyu at least has the decency to grin sheepishly in return. Soobin does have a point there. The elephant in the room whenever celebrations come around is that Beomgyu is a terrible gift giver. He’s had his moments over the years, sure. There’s the necklace he got for Soobin a few years back, and the plushie he got for Huening Kai the year before. So really, he isn’t completely terrible.
But in all honesty, it just isn’t Beomgyu’s love language. This year was one of his worst for gift-giving. He completely flaked on getting Yeonjun a gift (something that took months to live down). For Soobin, all he’d managed was a gag gift–a pair of Snow White pyjamas that he was certain the older one would throw away within a week.
So Soobin definitely has a valid point. Eliminating the number of people Beomgyu has to buy a present for is smart for all of them. He won’t have to strain his brain (or his wallet) looking for something, and the others won’t be subjected to being the recipient of something entirely useless.
Beomgyu purses his lips and takes a sip of his orange juice. He feels Soobin squeeze his shoulder warmly while he waits for an answer. He can see the look on his face in his peripheral vision–it’s that stupidly endearing patient expression he gets sometimes–and Beomgyu realises that reasons aside, there’s no way he’ll be able to shoot Soobin’s idea down. Curse him for having the cutest best friend on planet Earth, really.
“Okay,” he finally concedes, setting down his empty glass. “Okay, okay. Stop looking at me like that– I’m in, hyung. But you’re the one who’s gotta convince the others, so I guess we’ll see.” He gives a thoughtful hum and finally turns to face Soobin properly once he lets go of his shoulder and wipes off the innocent-puppy-waiting-for-pets expression. “Y’know, Hyuka and Taehyun will probably say yes, but Yeonjun-hyung… I don’t know about him.”
“Yeah,” Soobin agrees with a sigh. He’s settling back into his own personal space and finishing up his breakfast too. “I don’t know how he’ll feel about not giving everybody something. Too much pride to handle in that one,” he lowers his voice to say the last part and Beomgyu’s grin widens a little. He privately agrees that yes , Yeonjun has far too much pride (and ego). He can’t imagine Yeonjun giving up the opportunity to both please them with his thoughtful presents and flex his wealth. It’s truly a blessing and a curse.
“But I think I know a way to persuade him,” the leader finally finishes. Beomgyu arches an eyebrow at him and waits for him to continue. He has that look in his eyes that he always gets whenever he knows something that Beomgyu doesn’t (which is often). Instead of finishing, though, he just gives Beomgyu another warm smile. He reaches across to grab his hand on the table. His hand is warm but a little sweaty and he whines in protest, pulling his hand away.
The conversation is already forgotten by the time Beomgyu is reaching across the table with the hand Soobin had contaminated to hit him over the head. There are more important things for him to worry about than how Soobin plans on knocking Yeonjun’s ego back a few notches–like how he’s currently delivering the most intense wet willy Soobin has ever experienced in his 21 years of living.
-
Soobin doesn’t bring up Secret Santa for the rest of the week. Within a few days, Beomgyu has completely forgotten about their sleepy conversation and is already scheming up what he intends to buy the members this year. Their leader corners him exactly two weeks out from Christmas. He has Gmarket open on a set of Mickey and Minnie Mouse loungewear that he’s contemplating getting for Kai and Taehyun.
Soobin looks down at his screen where he has him caged into the wall outside the bathroom (rude) and sighs. “Beomgyu-yah,” he chastises, shaking his head. Beomgyu gives him a frown and turns off his phone, tucking it defensively under his arm.
“What? They’re not for you,” he bites back, voice disgruntled. No, the Elsa boxers he had opened in a separate tab were for Soobin–and with the look Soobin has fixed on him now, he’s more than a little grateful that that hadn’t been what the older had discovered.
“They’re not for anyone , you mean. We’re all meeting in my room,” he says, still peering down at Beomgyu. It’s a little intimidating having both of Soobin’s hands pinned beside his head, and he gives him a gentle nudge in the stomach to get him off. “Remember? Secret Santa. I managed to convince everyone–yes, even Yeonjun-hyung.” He says the last words with a proud grin when he sees Beomgyu’s open-mouthed expression. The younger truly can’t believe it.
Choi Yeonjun is the last person Beomgyu ever would have expected to agree to something like this. Aside from having an ego the size of the moon and using opportunities like this to gloat about his superior gift-giving skills, it’s just Yeonjun’s love language. He isn’t particularly fussed about receiving gifts, but he’s always loved spoiling them. He never skimps either. The shoes he’d gotten for his birthday this year were expensive. The jacket he got Soobin was designer. Huening Kai had been the happy recipient of numerous plushies throughout the year, both on and away from his birthday.
So Yeonjun agreeing to reduce his love bombing from four members down to one was strange, and this made Beomgyu immediately suspicious. He narrows his eyes and puffs up his chest. “Oh, really? And how did you manage that?”
“I sold my soul to him, Gyu. It was terrible.” Soobin cracks a grin at the irritated look Beomgyu shoots at him and finally moves one hand off the wall to ruffle his hair. “I’m kidding. But he really is a demon. I just had to agree to one thing, that’s all. No big deal.”
It is definitely a big deal. Beomgyu wants to keep pressing, but Soobin takes his hand in his and gives it a tug. Beomgyu is immediately placated (he isn’t easy , okay, just soft) and lets himself be dragged down the hallway towards their leader’s bedroom.
The rest of the animals are already there. Taehyun is comfortable on Soobin’s bed and Yeonjun has taken residence on the floor. He’s lounging back against the wall with his long legs spread in front of him. He’s wearing white pants and a black hoodie and Beomgyu forces himself to dispel the way his brain immediately screams he’s just so cool! at him. He turns his attention to Huening Kai who’s seated right beside Odi’s cage, and gasps when he realises that the hedgehog is on his lap. That won’t do. He is Choi Odi’s favourite uncle, not Kai. He takes a seat beside their youngest and immediately starts a verbal battle over who should get to hold Odi, because that’s just what they do.
(Soobin is quick to put a stop to it by reaching down and taking the hedgehog away from the both of them. He sits down on his bed beside Taehyun, lets Odi get comfortable in his lap, and gives Beomgyu and Kai a pointed look.)
“So I guess you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you here today,” Soobin finally begins, wrapping one arm around Taehyun’s shoulder while the other gestures enthusiastically. Beomgyu thinks it’s a little stupid because he’s pretty sure they all know why they’re here, but he decides to let him have his moment. “Well, the results are in. It was a unanimous yes vote for Secret Santa.”
Yeonjun snorts from across the room and Beomgyu looks at him immediately. He looks amused and like he knows a secret. Beomgyu frowns, tries to catch Yeonjun’s attention by pointedly staring at him for as long as possible, but the oldest is refusing to look back at him. Rude.
“Ahem. Unanimous vote. So,” Soobin continues, turning the ‘leader voice’ on. “I went to the trouble of making these.” He motions to his bedside table where five envelopes are sitting. All of them are Christmas themed except for one, and Beomgyu is once again instantly suspicious. “Each of them has a name inside. I’m sure we all know how this works, but just in case: you all get to pick one. There should be some suggested present ideas inside. Yeonjun-hyung wrote them. For the love of God, don’t tell each other who you got.” He gives Huening Kai a look this time. “It has to be a surprise , okay?”
Beomgyu watches fondly as Kai’s lips curl into a pout. He reaches out to take his hand, warm and fond, and then sticks his chin out at Soobin challengingly. “Are you even going to be able to keep it a secret, hyung? We literally live together.”
Taehyun’s tinkering laugh resounds from beside Soobin. “No, he does have a point. How are we even meant to keep this a secret, captain ?”
Beomgyu doesn’t miss the way Soobin’s cheeks turn pink at the nickname. He files that information away for later. Soobin seems to have given up easily though, judging by the sigh he emits. Yeonjun laughs again from across the room and it’s infuriating how easily he draws Beomgyu’s attention. His eyes snap over to him immediately, mesmerised by the way his eyes turn up with a smile.
Beomgyu is so, so screwed.
“We just have to try, okay? Now shut up and come get your stupid envelopes.”
They all get up at the same time. Beomgyu arrives in front of Soobin before Kai and after Yeonjun. When the oldest has chosen, he reaches forward. He doesn’t really care who he gets, so his hand heads for the Rudolph envelope the furthest to the right.
Before he can take it, though, a hand shoots out in front of his. He arches an eyebrow down at Soobin who’s promptly scooping up his envelope and avoiding eye contact. “Oops,” he says, sounding completely unapologetic. That’s suspicious. “You can take this one,” he continues, swiping a second envelope off his bedside table and thrusting it into Beomgyu’s chest. He frowns but makes the poor decision to take it without a fuss, shuffling out of the way for Kai and Taehyun (who’s reaching over Soobin–who now looks entirely too flustered–to make a grab at one of the letters).
He holds his letter out and realises with suspicion that his letter was the odd one out. The envelope is covered in little pink hearts and most definitely leftover from Valentine's Day. He looks back up with the intention of telling Soobin through their soulmate telepathic bond (read: best friend eye contact language) that he knows the older is up to something when he’s distracted by somebody else.
Yeonjun is staring at him with a knowing expression. The ghost of a smile is present on his plump lips and his eyes look all too fox-like. Beomgyu feels himself beginning to pale.
Beomgyu has been, without a shred of doubt in his mind, set-up. He’s going to kill Soobin when this is all over.
-
When he opens his envelope later in the comfort of his own room and sees the name ‘Yeonjun’ scrawled in bold across the middle, he feels the murderous rage returning to him. He may not be the smartest or the best at working things out, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the absolute betrayal from his best friend.
When Soobin had said earlier that he just had to agree to something, Beomgyu never would have guess that this–rigging the Secret Santa pool? Corruption in Tomorrow x Together’s leadership?–would be the one thing he wanted. He doesn’t understand it, either. Is this Yeonjun’s way of telling Beomgyu that he wants a Harry Potter nightgown? Is he just sacrificing himself for the sake of the other members?
No, this is Choi Yeonjun. Resident demon, evil-schemer, and the bane of Beomgyu’s existence (affectionate). He did this to ensure that Beomgyu would suffer. Yeonjun is perhaps the most difficult to buy presents for (real, serious presents). He could have copped out with Kai and gotten him a plushie, or with Taehyun and some at home gym equipment. Even Soobin would have been easier than Yeonjun.
But he really, really doesn’t know what Yeonjun would want.
He flips over the piece of paper in his hand to where a shortlist of suggestions have been written on the back. He once again is channelling all his energy into manifesting a lifetime of suffering for Choi Soobin, because he realised that Soobin had left Yeonjun in charge of this , too. How fitting.
He ignores how he finds Yeonjun’s handwriting cute and reads down the list.
gifts for your mathyung
- clothes =^^=
- legos
- spiderman merch! nothing old, only recent. don’t be stingy.
- dj equipment ㅋㅋㅋ
- teddy bear
Clothes are out of the question. While he may have a good sense of fashion, buying clothes that Yeonjun hasn’t directly picked out is always a risk. He never knows what the older will suddenly decide is ugly or off-trend or cheugy.
He immediately decides to cross off DJ equipment, too. While he’ll support whatever dream Yeonjun may have, he doesn’t think that would be wise. Partly because he doesn’t want to think about the hit his bank account will be taking, and also because he doesn’t know if he wants their entire dorm to be subjected to the sound of Yeonjun practising his non-existent DJ-ing skills.
But that still lives him with three viable options. It’s fine. Yeonjun loves Lego and Spiderman. He’s sure that he can work something out for one of those, and if all else fails he has a solid backup plan. A teddy bear could work too.
It’ll be fine, he reasons with himself. He tries to ignore the pressing feeling he has crawling up his throat. This can’t be it. When Yeonjun decides that he wants to bring temporary suffering to Beomgyu’s life, he always goes all out. Giving him a valid and helpful list of things he could get him for Christmas is definitely not on track with that goal.
He knows this can’t be it. There must be something more coming. The only problem is that Beomgyu can’t seem to work out exactly what might be coming. When he falls asleep that night it’s with the feeling of impending doom for whatever Yeonjun is planning because it surely can’t be good.
-
As it turns out, the maknaes had been right. Keeping a secret who they’d gotten in the Secret Santa draw had been incredibly difficult. Within four days of choosing, Beomgyu already knows who has who. It goes as follows:
He was stuck with Yeonjun. Yeonjun had gotten Soobin, though the older hadn’t told him. When he’d asked with the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster, he’d only shook his head and said no way. But it’s okay, because when he can’t rely on Yeonjun to have fun in his old age, he can rely on the others. Huening Kai told Beomgyu almost immediately that he had him. He sent him a series of Gmarket links of various plushies and demanded to know which one Beomgyu liked most.
Beomgyu selected a big fox one and ignored the teasing he suffered from Kai afterwards.
Taehyun had Kai. He came to Beomgyu a few days later to ask him for his opinion on what to get Kai. The choice was between two figurines, probably from a show they’d watched together. When Beomgyu selected one, he thanked him and then ordered the other right in front of him.
Beomgyu couldn’t even complain that it was rude, because it was definitely valid given his track record.
Soobin had Taehyun. He had been the hardest to crack (excluding Yeonjun), but he succumbed within a week. Maybe it was by luck or just some good old-fashioned karma , but Soobin getting Taehyun had put him in almost the exact same situation as Beomgyu.
He had zero pity for the older. When he came to him with wide eyes to ask for his opinion on gym equipment, he had laughed in his face. Soobin argued that he had no clue when it came to things to do with the gym and so Beomgyu was morally obligated as his soulmate to help. Beomgyu argued that it was his fault for turning him down every time he asked to go together.
Beomgyu did end up helping in the end. A day later he was pressed into Soobin’s side under the warmth of his comforter. Soobin had his arm around his waist and their legs were tangled together. Beomgyu pointed out patiently what each thing was for as they scrolled through Soobin’s phone, and eventually they chose something together.
With each day that passed, it seemed more and more like everybody else had their shit together except for him. But it was fine, he reassured himself. Lego and Spiderman merchandise were in pure abundance these days. There was no reason he’d have to rush to get something. He still had a full week before Christmas–an entire seven days–and he wasn’t going to let the disapproving look he got for Taehyun when he told him he had nothing yet discourage him.
-
It’s six days from Christmas and they've finished work for the day. Everybody is still crowding around their dance practice room. They’re making plans to grab dinner together. It’s Christmas and none of them have been anywhere in ages; with all the preparation they’d been doing for their end of year performances, it had been hard to even find time for sleeping. But they had almost an entire full evening and it seemed like everyone wanted to make the best of it.
“Beomgyu-yah,” Yeonjun called. He hated how easy it was for the oldest to give him butterflies, because there’s no way someone just calling his name should have that kind of power. He waddles over to where Yeonjun is leaning against the mirror and lets himself be pulled into a sweaty, one-armed hug. Unlike Soobin’s sweat, he finds that he doesn’t mind this, so he tucks his chin on his shoulder and ignores the humiliating wolf-whistle Kai gives at the scene.
Yeonjun’s hand is resting comfortably on his waist in a way that definitely doesn’t fluster him. His breath ghosts across his ear when he speaks. “After we finish dinner, do you want to go somewhere with me? There’s this really nice cafe that opened, and they’re open late and–”
Beomgyu shakes his head before Yeonjun can even finish. He gives him a timid smile (the one he reserves just for him when he isn’t in the mood to be a raging brat) and pats his arm comfortingly. “Can’t, sorry. I’m not even going with you guys to grab dinner. I have to go Christmas shopping.”
It’s difficult to stay firm when Yeonjun manages a pout so endearing that he could probably stop wars, but he manages. He wriggles his way out of Yeonjun’s hold and takes a few steps back, clasping his hands behind his back. “C’mon, don’t give me that look. It’s almost Christmas and if yo– I mean, if whoever has me as their Secret Santa wants to get anything at all, they better suck it up.”
Beomgyu knows that Yeonjun knows he’s his Secret Santa. He was the mastermind behind concocting it all from the start, after all. But Soobin is still in the room and they’re all still doing this thing where they pretend they don’t know who everybody else got for the sake of his Feelings because he’s sensitive like that.
Yeonjun gives him a cheeky, starry eyed smile. Beomgyu tries not to let his legs shake from how weak in the knees it makes him, and has to try even harder when the older reaches forward to stroke through his hair. “Okay,” he concedes, voice awfully fond. “Don’t stay out too late. Good luck, Beoms.”
-
Beomgyu returns home before any of the others. He texts Soobin privately to tell him that he succeeded and got Yeonjun a Spiderman Lego set before texting their group chat a very unflattering picture of himself in their entryway.
Soobin texts back almost immediately and asks for a picture. Beomgyu thinks absolutely nothing of it and sends him a picture when he’s back in his own bedroom. He plans on wrapping it now (with very cute Spiderman wrapping paper, a touch he knows Yeonjun will love) so that he doesn’t have to stress about it later.
Soobin takes a while to respond, but just when he’s starting to get suspicious, he sends back ‘it’s so cute :(‘ before telling him about what they had eaten.
Beomgyu finishes wrapping the present and heads into their living room to wait. Within an hour the maknaes and leader are all filing back in through the door but Yeonjun is nowhere to be seen. Alarm bells immediately start ringing and before Soobin can cross the threshold of his bedroom door (looking very much like a puppy that’s done something bad) Beomgyu corners him. This time it’s Soobin that ends up pinned to the wall, except it’s a lot less intimidating than the opposite because Soobin can count the hairs on top of Beomgyu’s head.
Still, Beomgyu has the muscles advantage and if Soobin doesn’t fess up, he isn’t afraid to use them.
“Where is Choi Yeonjun?” He asks, tone accusatory. He watches as Soobin stiffens almost comically and averts his eyes.
“He went out to get dessert. He said he told you.”
“He did not tell me that! What, he’s getting dessert at eleven PM?”
“Well you don’t eat dessert in the morning, Beomgyu-ya.”
Beomgyu scowls and hovers a threatening hand over Soobin’s side. “You know what I mean, hyung. Tell me where he is or so help me, I’ll tickle you and I won’t stop!”
Soobin pales a little at the threat because he knows Beomgyu is serious. He sags against the wall looking completely defeated and sighs. “He went out. To Target.”
“To Target… Why did hyung have to go to Target ? Pregnancy test for his secret girlfriend?”
Soobin smiles dryly and places a hand on Beomgyu’s stomach. Before he can think about saying what he wants to say, he slaps a hand over his mouth. “Enough, I don’t even want to hear it. I hate you.”
Beomgyu’s expression is pulled into a full-fledged pout. Lips jutting out, eyebrows furrowed, eyes as wide as he can make them. Soobin only lets out a muffle laugh against his hand and reaches up to ruffle his hair.
Beomgyu still hates him but he likes when the older does that, so he decides to reward him by dropping his hand and freeing him from his prison against the wall. For now.
“I swear, Soobin, he better not be up to something. And if he is, I’m never going to forgive you for not stopping him.”
“When has anyone ever been able to stop Choi Yeonjun?”
-
Yeonjun gets home a little past midnight. Beomgyu is camping out in the elder’s room (he swears that Yeonjun has never heard of a key and a lock in his life), comfortable on his bed. The comforter is a stylish shade of light grey, incredibly warm, and most problematically, smells an awful lot like Yeonjun.
The oldest walks into his room and notices Beomgyu beneath his sheets immediately. He sighs, rolls his eyes (affectionately) and marches on over. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Beomgyu-ssi?”
He rolls his eyes and sits up straight, blanket falling into his lap. “Why the hell were you at Target at midnight?”
“I wasn’t at Target at midnight. I was at the dorm at midnight, Gyu-yah. But hey, want to see what I brought?”
Beomgyu’s interest is piqued and he immediately looks down to see what Yeonjun is talking about. When he spots it in his arms his face immediately drops.
It’s the exact same Lego set he brought for Yeonjun less than four hours ago. The same Lego set he showed to Soobin. He’s beginning to see a pattern here of betrayal coming from the person he’s closest to, and makes a mental note to never trust Soobin again for the rest of his pathetic existence on this Earth. He’s a Class A Traitor and he won’t be trusted.
“Oh,” Beomgyu remarks dully. “Lego. How exciting.”
The shit-eating grin on Yeonjun’s face is enough to clue him in on this somehow being planned, because Yeonjun is just pure evil like that. When the devil can’t get you, he sends a pretty boy with broad shoulders and a stupidly handsome smirk, apparently.
“Lego! Do you want to stay and admire your hyung building it?” Yeonjun coos, a hand coming out to brush through Beomgyu’s hair. Even though he’s mad at him he decides to allow it but he doesn’t give into the desire to lean into his touch. He can’t have everything.
“Absolutely not. I’m getting out of here, I’m not a loser like you. Seriously, playing with Lego? Spiderman Lego ? How lame. Can’t believe anybody would waste their money on that trash.”
Yeonjun’s eyes glint. “Right. Can’t believe it.”
-
gifts for your mathyung
clothes =^^=ㅤlegos ㅤ- spiderman merch! nothing old, only recent. don’t be stingy.
dj equipment ㅋㅋㅋ- teddy bear
-
When Beomgyu wakes up he’s met with the instant rush of panic. There are five days until Christmas, and Yeonjun has effectively sabotaged his first gift.
He tries to convince himself that he still has time, but it’s difficult when he drags himself out of bed and finds an eager Taehyun at his door. He scowls at him sleepily. “How are you so awake? It’s not even seven.”
“Some of us like to run in the morning, hyung. Maybe you should try it.”
“I like getting my sleep. What do you want?”
Taehyun smiles in a very genuine way that makes it difficult to stay mad at him. He holds up a box with a clear front and shakes it for dramatic effect. Beomgyu peers inside and sees that it’s the figurine he’d been shown days ago, the one he planned on ordering for Huening Kai. He gasps and then nods a few times.
“Oh, that’s so cute. He’s going to love it, isn’t he?”
“Yup,” Taehyun gloats back. “How are you going with your gift-getting? Got Yeonjun anything… nice lately?”
Beomgyu narrows his eyes at him and then huffs. “Yeah, last night. And then this stupid asshole showed up with the present I’d already got him! Except he got it himself!”
The look Taehyun gives him is supposed to be sympathetic but he looks far too amused. Beomgyu rolls his eyes dramatically, proclaims something about how nobody cares about his misery and they all suck, and then storms away to the kitchen.
He eats breakfast grumpily with Soobin at his side. Every time they bump elbows he makes sure to add extra force because he’s feeling petty, a fact the leader does not miss. When everybody is finished and they’re cramming into their company van to head to their first lesson of the day, Soobin guides him to the seat at the very back. He wedges himself right beside Beomgyu and gives him a sorry looking smile.
“Gyu,” he tries, whispering as quietly as possible so the others don’t overhear. “I’m sorry, okay? Yeonjun-hyung was looking at my phone. You know how scary it is to have him looming over you, telling you what to do?”
Beomgyu’s eyebrows furrow and yes, as a matter of fact he does. Yeonjun (and his muscles and violent tendencies) are very compelling. He can see where Soobin is coming from, but he won’t give up that easily.
He feels a comforting hand on his thigh and he finally tears his eyes away from where they’re staring rigidly out the window to stare at Soobin blankly.
“I said I’m sorry, Gyu. I’ll come with you tonight, okay? We can pick out his present together.”
The offer of company and help melt away the cold exterior Beomgyu has. He finally cracks a small smile and then leans in to rest his head against Soobin’s shoulder. “Okay, deal. And you have to carry the bag.”
Soobin snorts, slings an arm around Beomgyu’s side and squeezes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll carry the bags.”
-
gifts for your mathyung
clothes =^^=ㅤlegos ㅤspiderman merch! nothing old, only recent. don’t be stingy.dj equipment ㅋㅋㅋ- teddy bear
-
They head out at around eight. Dance practice finished up a little later than usual, so they have to hurry to get to the mall before everything closes. There’s something in particular Beomgyu had his eyes on that he knows they’re selling at a certain store. They just have to hope and pray that they can find it.
When they get to the store, Beomgyu forces Soobin to ask the sales assistant where it is. It’s the optimal punishment for an introvert and with that he thinks that Soobin has been fully disciplined for his crimes against friendship.
Soobin returns back to him with a sad smile and a shake of his head.
Beomgyu breathes.
It’ll be okay. There’s still four more days after this–four full days to get Choi Yeonjun a stupid Christmas present.
Except those four days are more packed with schedules than they have been for the last two weeks, and that’s saying something. Beomgyu may be officially screwed.
-
The full panic only settles on Christmas Eve. They finish dance practice especially late and they had a pre-recording that morning. Beomgyu is physically exhausted, but he can’t even let himself rest. It’s half past ten in the evening, the day before they’re all supposed to share their presents, and he has nothing to show for it.
He partly blames Soobin for setting this all up, but he mostly blames Yeonjun. Yeonjun is confusing. He doesn’t understand why he orchestrated everything like this and why he wants him to suffer so badly. But most of all he doesn’t understand even more why despite this he’s still head over heels for Tomorrow x Together’s resident demon.
When it hits midnight on Christmas Day, he finally gives up. He’s reached his absolute last resort.
He climbs out of his bed and pads to his bedroom door. The dorm is completely quiet and he suspects that everybody else is fast asleep. Well, everybody except for Yeonjun. Somehow, Beomgyu feels like the older one might be expecting him.
He shuffles down the hallway towards Yeonjun’s room in a way that feels awfully like a walk of shame. He gives the door a few soft taps with his knuckles, and then two louder ones when he doesn’t get a response.
Then he hears footsteps on the other side and the door swings wide open and Beomgyu is rendered temporarily speechless.
Yeonjun looks fresh out of the shower. The tips of his raven hair are still wet and draping over his neck and face. He’s wearing a fitted white tee shirt and grey sweatpants, but the worst addition of all is the pair of glasses on his face. Beomgyu seriously has to wonder if he’s like this on purpose–so obnoxiously attractive–just to rile him up.
Yeonjun’s smile is a little sleepy but genuine. “Yes?”
He sucks in a deep breath and refocuses. He’s on a mission here that will be potentially (definitely) destroying his pride. He can’t afford to be distracted by pretty boys that smell nice.
“I… you. Your present. You– okay, first of all. Did you sabotage me? On purpose ?”
That wasn’t exactly what he wanted to say, but being around Yeonjun is overwhelming enough under normal circumstances. Now he can hardly think about anything that isn’t how kissable his hyung looks.
Yeonjun remains relaxed. He leans against the door frame and closer into Beomgyu’s personal space. He doesn’t take a step back. “Sabotage? Why are you accusing me of something like that?”
“Because you… you agreed to this Secret Santa thing even though it isn’t you. But Soobin said you agreed to something and,” he trails off, voice becoming quieter as he speaks. It’s difficult to maintain his confidence at midnight in front of the boy he’s head over heels for. “And. It was that I had to get you a present. Right?”
He looks up at Yeonjun through his eyelashes, expression imploring. He isn’t even accusatory anymore–just confused.
Yeonjun lets out a little sigh. “Yeah. Yeah, that was right. I wanted you to get me a present, Gyu.”
Beomgyu gulps and feels his heart begin to hammer against his chest. “And the Lego. You… you made Soobin show you. And then you brought it so that I couldn’t give it to you which is really stupid, because that was so expensive.”
Yeonjun nods with a secretive smile. “Yeah. And I finished building it too. It’s on my desk. You wanna see?”
Beomgyu rolls his eyes and feels his nerves start to fade. Yeonjun is, above all else, a source of safety for him. His gentle tone and the malice-free jokes reinforce the idea that Yeonjun hadn’t done any of this to be mean. He doesn’t secretly hate Beomgyu. But then–why?
He comes up short.
“I just… I just want to know why, hyung. I haven’t gotten you a present. I couldn’t. And now you’re going to be the only one not getting a present and it’s because of me.” He gets faster as he speaks, feeling himself getting worked up despite it all. He feels like he’s let everybody down, but Yeonjun in particular. Yeonjun, who silently dotes on him. Yeonjun, who spoils him endlessly with gifts. Yeonjun, who is now going to have to sit and watch as everybody–Beomgyu included–open their gifts right in front of him.
Beomgyu wants to cry.
Maybe Yeonjun senses a shift in the mood, because he’s quick to reach out a hand to pull Beomgyu closer. He fits his head against his chest nicely and wraps both arms around his waist. The hold is warm and safe. Reassuring in a way words could never be. Beomgyu melts and feels a few tears slipping down his face, immediately pressing deeper into Yeonjun. Closer, closer.
“Why, hyung? I’m the worst, I’m seriously the worst.”
“You aren’t the worst , Beomgyu. No, seriously. Everything, you think I didn’t plan it all out? I knew this was going to happen. I wanted this to happen.”
Beomgyu lifts his head off Yeonjun’s chest enough to look at him. It’s impossible to decipher the look in his eyes but it makes his heart soar nonetheless.
“You read the list, right?”
Beomgyu nods glumly. A few more tears spill down his cheeks as he thinks about all his failures. He should have just gotten Yeonjun clothes after all.
“What was at the very bottom?”
He blinks. That wasn’t what he was expecting. He more-or-less assumed that the very bottom option was his cop out present. If Beomgyu failed to get anything else on the list, he could just settle for that. He feels even worse because he hadn’t even managed to get that . He was so incompetent that he couldn’t even buy a stupid teddy bear.
“Yeah, but I didn’t even get you that. Not even that. I’m really… really the worst.”
Yeonjun’s next sigh is incredibly exasperated. He pinches Beomgyu’s side and pulls him a little closer into his room so he can shut the door with his foot. Within a second, Beomgyu is trapped against the door. This feels completely different to when Soobin did it. He feels giddy and breathless and his knees are already beginning to tremble.
“Hey, Baby Bear,” Yeonjun mumbles. It sounds so fragile when he utters the pet name. He leans in, noses around on Beomgyu’s neck, and dares to press the smallest of kisses there. “You still don’t get it, do you?”
He lets out a noise of suffering. It’s very hard to think with the older laying little kisses against his throat that send shivers right down his spine. They trail upwards on a little journey, up the side of his neck and along his jawline. Yeonjun leaves kisses everywhere he can find–on his chin, across his cheeks, even to the bridge of his nose.
Finally he pulls back just enough to look into his eyes, and Beomgyu knows that he’s gone.
“Maybe you’ll get it now.”
He leans in and finally brushes their lips together. The touch electrifies Beomgyu from the tips of his fingers to his toes. He gasps and leans into it desperately, hands both clutching at Yeonjun’s chest. The hands on his waist steady and tighten, both holding him up when his legs go completely weak and driving him mad.
When he feels his hyung brushing his tongue along the seam of his mouth to coax his lips open, he finally understands.
-
They gather in their living room the following day in the evening. Everybody has a present perched in their lap except for Beomgyu, but Yeonjun has a protective hand resting on his thigh. To his surprise, nobody seems all that surprised. Soobin in particular has a rather smug expression on his face that Beomgyu would love to get the opportunity to wipe off.
Taehyun goes first. He turns to Kai and hands him his gift. It’s wrapped beautifully because Taehyun truly has no flaws, and when Kai opens it he lets out a pleased gasp. He loves it, and he even tells him that it’s his favourite character. Beomgyu is glad that Taehyun hadn’t followed his advice.
Kai is next. He hands Beomgyu the fox plushie as it is, admitting sheepishly that he tried to wrap it but–in typical Kai fashion–he was completely unsuccessful. Beomgyu grins and tells him it’s fine, ignoring the very pointed look Yeonjun gives him. He gives it a big squeeze and decides that this is his new favourite fox.
Soobin is next. He hands Taehyun his gift rather shyly. His cheeks are stained bright pink and he can’t meet his eyes, but Taehyun seems pleased nonetheless. He opens it up and as expected, it’s something for the gym. Soobin had done his research (read: racked Beomgyu’s brain) and it paid off. Taehyun even leans in to press the softest of kisses against his cheek, and Beomgyu can’t help but burst into laughter at the way their leader turns bright red.
Yeonjun goes next. He hands Soobin his gift smugly. It turns out to be a signed Bebe Rexha album and everybody gawks, completely shocked. Soobin looks like he wants to get down on his knees in front of Yeonjun. He refuses to reveal how he got it, because it’s his little secret .
Soobin thanks him earnestly and promises that he’ll live the rest of his life to serve Choi Yeonjun.
Then, once everybody has settled down from the final gift, they all round on him. The smug expression has returned to Soobin’s face and Beomgyu has a strange feeling that they all know something he didn’t.
“What about you?” Soobin starts, feigning innocence. “You didn’t get anything for Yeonjun-hyung?”
Beomgyu rolls his eyes and looks up at Yeonjun expectantly. He grins in return and then ducks his head down to press a soft kiss right against his lips.
“Oh, don’t worry. I already have everything I want.”
-
Sometime later, Beomgyu finds himself in Yeonjun’s bed again. They’re underneath his warm comforter, and he has his back pressed against Yeonjun’s chest, who’s very busy with his task of making the younger unravel in his hands. There’s two firm hands trailing over his torso inside of his shirt, driving him mad.
“Beomgyu-yah,” a voice calls right against his ear. He shivers and arches back against him, the ticklish sensation sending blood down south. “Y’know, even though I knew this was going to happen, I am a little offended. I thought you’d get me a real present, too. Something Spiderman themed.”
He grumbles and forces Yeonjun’s hands to halt under his shirt so that he can squirm around to face him. His cheeks are flushed and his pupils are dilated but he still tries to look threatening, he really does. “Hey. How rude. You just aren’t grateful enough. I’m the gift that keeps on giving, hyung.”
Yeonjun cocks an eyebrow up. “Oh? The gift that keeps on giving?”
Beomgyu nods his head twice and then leans in to kiss away the smirk growing on Yeonjun’s lips, because he can now. He feels a hand at his chin, tilting his head back and away, and when he looks up there are two intense eyes locked on him.
“Then keep giving, Beomgyu. You can probably start with head, but after that–”
He doesn’t get to finish his words. Beomgyu is following in his boyfriend’s footsteps and resorting to violence, reaching out with both hands to strangle him.
(But it’s still Christmas and Beomgyu is feeling generous. In the end, he does fulfil Yeonjun’s wish and beyond. He’d like to think that he’s a very good gift in the end.)
-
gifts for your
mathyung
boyfriend
clothes =^^=ㅤlegos ㅤspiderman merch! nothing old, only recent. don’t be stingy.dj equipment ㅋㅋㅋteddy bear- choi beomgyu