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Jungkook loves Christmas time.
The Christmas lights, the hot chocolate, the warm feelings.
But Christmas in Seoul is something so different, much different than back in Busan. Christmas lights wrap themselves around city lights.
Jungkook’s used to spending the weeks leading up to Christmas with his family, but now, as a timid fifteen year old boy, he’s spending them with six people who are barely more than strangers.
Jungkook knows he’s not talkative, he knows that out of the seven he’s the shyest, finds it the most difficult to reach out to them.
Then there’s Jimin.
Jimin who hasn’t let Jungkook out of a practice without saying something he’s proud of about how the practice went. Jimin, who seemingly can’t go ten minutes without sending Jungkook some sort of text, whether he’s checking in, asking a question, or just sending a picture of his food. Jimin who’s never shied away from physical contact with Jungkook, but never did anything that was clearly making Jungkook uncomfortable.
Jimin’s a spectacle, and every day Jungkook feels like he’s spending all his time looking for every aspect of Jimin. He wants to know him better.
“Hyung, what things does Jimin like?” Jungkook asks Taehyung one day, avoiding his eyes.
“Are you getting him a Christmas gift?” Taehyung grins, turning to face him excitedly, “He likes a lot of things, and you have a lot in common. Why don’t you just get him something you like?”
Jungkook sighs, “I guess so.”
“Don’t sweat it, he’ll like anything you get him, promise!”
As mildly unhelpful as Taehyung’s advice is, it does make Jungkook feel a little better. He begs Namjoon to take him shopping until the older man finally agrees, “It’s unfair, I can’t realistically say no to you.”
“It’s not my fault, my parents don't want me going out by myself in Seoul.”
“Smart parents, you’re too young,” Namjoon laughs while Jungkook tries to argue that he’s not much younger, “What are you shopping for anyway?”
“Jewelry?” Jungkook’s eyes avoided Namjoon’s.
“A Christmas gift?” Jungkook nods, “He’ll like whatever you get him.”
Jungkook stares at Namjoon in shock, his hyung just laughs, “How did you…?”
“I heard you asking Taehyungie about it earlier.”
In the end Jungkook buys a ring, a little silver band with the words ‘Always With You’ engraved on the inside. Namjoon tells him Jimin will cry. Jungkook doesn’t believe him.
On the train ride to Busan, Jimin and him riding together, set to split apart once they reach the station, getting picked up by their families, Jungkook’s fiddling with the strap of his bag.
“Jungkookie,” Jimin sighs, “Will you please tell me what’s on your mind? You’ve been fidgeting for the last twenty minutes.”
Jungkook stares at him before sighing back, “It’s silly,” he opens his bag and pulls out a small bag, “Merry Christmas, Jimin hyung,” he hands it to Jimin.
“Aw, Jungkookie, you shouldn’t have!” Jimin grins, pulling a small box out of his own bag and handing it to Jungkook.
They open them at the same time, and Jungkook breathes out a soft “Oh,” in unison with Jimin’s little gasp.
They both lift the contents of the gifts at the same and Jimin giggles, “Great minds think alike, I guess,” he smiles, slipping the silver band onto his middle finger.
Jungkook’s still studying his ring, a golden band with ‘Always Together’ engraved inside. Finally, he slips it onto his own middle finger, grinning up at Jimin, “I guess so.”
-
“Jiminie!” Jungkook jumps into his boyfriend's arms, “Merry Christmas!”
Jimin buries his face into Jungkook’s neck, grinning, “Merry Christmas, ‘kookie,” he laughs.
Jungkook pulls back, “I got you a present,” he smiles softly, pulling a small box from his pocket, kneeling down, “I know we can’t get married, legally anyway, but I love you, and I always have, so this feels appropriate.”
“Jungkook,” Jimin breathes, tears welling up in his eyes.
Jungkook flips the box open, revealing a silver and a gold ring, both with the engraving ‘Love Always’ on the inside, “So instead of wedding rings I bought promise rings, this is my promise to love you forever, no matter what, and always be by your side.”
Jimin chokes out a sob, letting Jungkook slide the silver ring onto his ring finger, and Jimin shakily returns the favor, and Jimin leans forward and kisses Jungkook softly, “I love you so much,” he cries, wrapping him in another hug.
“I love you too, Jiminie hyung.”