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“So, dear brother. What are you getting my son for your six month anniversary?"
Kim narrows his eyes. I knew these lunch dates would be a problem. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t question how or why Khun has kept track of his anniversary. Kim only realized it a day ago himself. He keeps his face passive while he swirls the broth in his bowl.
“It’s an important one, isn’t it? Six months!” Tankhun gushes. “That’s the longest my baby brother has ever been with anyone!”
Kinn, who had only been mildly paying attention, looks up from his bowl. “Really?”
“You’re so out of the loop, Kinn. Please.”
Kim still says nothing, rolling his eyes and bringing the spoon to his mouth. He sips quietly, but his head is whirling. He looks out into the garden, pretending to admire the greenery rather than entertain his brothers’ curiosities.
Tankhun bites into a mess off noodles, chews, and swallows before saying, “And we all know how you’ve fucked up before, so! You better get him something good!”
Therein lies the problem.
Chay always was, and still is, a relatively simple person. Even as Porsche ascended the Minor family throne, Chay still carried the same backpack, wore the same clothes, and used public transportation whenever he could. He plays the same guitar that Kim bought him months ago.
“I like my things,” Chay said with a shrug. “I don’t want to replace them until I have to.”
Kim never quite looked at possessions that way; not that he was particularly materialistic, but he certainly wasn’t hugely sentimental until Chay came into his life. Polaroids and guitar picks and love letters and receipts and ticket stubs and leaves and pamphlets from all the places they traveled began to collect in a little black box. They both contributed to the box, and it became a visual collection of their relationship that they, sometimes, would rifle through and recall fond memories with.
Truthfully, Kim knows what Chay wants. Chay wants something handmade because he himself gives handmade gifts. Like the box, like the guitar pick. And maybe that’s why Chay never mentioned their six month anniversary: because he’s in the process of making something beautiful and wonderful. And he would be expecting the same.
The realization makes Kim’s heart sink even though he nibbles his lunch and refuses to break eye contact with his brother. When the edges of Khun’s lips begin to curl, Kim knows he’s lost the battle.
“Fine,” he reluctantly admits. “I have ideas, but nothing is good enough for Chay.”
“Have you ever thought that maybe you are not good enough for Chay?”
Kim rolls his eyes. “I’m your brother. Take my side.”
“That’s my son. I’ll always take his side.”
“Fine. Whatever. I have something planned.”
“What do you have planned?” Kinn asks.
“Something special that’s none of your business,” Kim replies sweetly.
“So. Rude.” Before going back into his lunch, Tankhun gives him a shit eating grin: liar.
Kinn turns to Kim. “Whatever you get him will be fine. Porsche is easy to please. I can’t imagine his younger brother is very different.”
Kim sighs, when he sees his brothers will not drop the subject. The more they speak, the more he realizes that he may, indeed, be backed into a corner. With very little time left and absolutely no skills under his belt, he hopes that Chay will be happy enough with going to dinner and a song.
Tankhun huffs. “Yes, yes, yes, brothers, same, BUT don’t do something cheesy like sing him a song. So over done. Especially after that video. How embarrassing.”
Crap.
“Just make sure it’s a good one. The first six months of any relationship is SO important.”
Kim rubs his temples.
Just a moment later, Kim sees two familiar people enter the garden and walk towards them.
“Tae!” Tankhun squeals while rising. “How are you, my dear?" Tankhun turns to Time. "You again?" he asks Time, before dismissing him with a wave.
They exchange a small hug before Tae pulls away and says, “I’m well, Khun. All of you having lunch? How adorable.”
“Yes, yes, we’re trying to find a gift for Chay.”
“Chay?”
“Porsche’s younger brother,” Kinn adds.
Please get me the fuck out of here.
“What’s the occasion?” Time asks.
“Six month.”
What is it called when you kill your brother?
Tae whistles. “Well, that’s a tough one.”
Time makes a face. “What do you mean? They’re still new. Honeymoon phase.” He grabs Kim’s shoulder in what Kim knows to be a friendly way, but all he wants to do is tear it off. “Just bow tie yourself.”
Tae elbows his lover and Kinn snorts. “Is that your reply to everything?”
“What do you mean?”
“You gave that same advice to me for Porsche’s birthday!”
Time laughs. “Oh yeah! But it worked!”
“What do you mean, ‘it worked?’” Khun barks. “He took Porsche on a plane and got his rocks off 30,000 feet in the air!”
“How does everyone keep finding out about that?”
Fratricide. That’s what it’s called. Fratricide.
Tae turns to Kim. “You’ll think of something.”
After wandering around the mall for several hours, Kim’s stomach sinks.
He deserves the world. And I can’t even come up with a six month anniversary present.
He sighs and looks through another bookstore. Getting Chay a book for an anniversary present seemed so boring and unlike them. He picks up one of the fancy journals in the gift section. While it looks pretty, journaling wasn’t exactly something Chay had mentioned prior.
Maybe he could use it for song writing?
Even that seemed kind of impersonal, though.
He puts the journal down and starts to walk out the door. Across from the bookstore is a small local craft store.
Might as well take a look.
Okay. Flower petals. Candy. Wine.
And the ribbon.
How does one fucking bow tie themselves?
Kim stands in their bedroom. He’s just spent the last hour making the bed himself (he canceled the housecleaning for the day so he could prepare) and decorating appropriately. Rose petals are scattered across the bed and several dozen bouquets of flowers decorate their room while another lays flat on the bed. On a nightstand sits a bottle of wine and an ice bucket, with several boxes of Chay’s favorite chocolates. The whole scene is rather cliché, but Kim figures that Chay’s a romantic.
He might like it.
But the ribbon? No idea.
Kim looks into the standing mirror. I’m hot as fuck, so this should work.
Kim takes off his t-shirt and jeans.
Should I keep the boxers?
If I’m the present, then shouldn’t I be wrapped? So why am I undressing?
No wait. I’m wrapping myself in the ribbon.
All of me though? In ribbon? Did I buy enough? Kim holds up the thick spool of red ribbon. He tears through the plastic with his teeth and unspools several feet of ribbon. The store had silk ribbons, but they were far too small and not wide enough. So he bought the satin kind in a deep crimson and hoped to God that his local gays knew best.
Do I wrap my dick in ribbon?
Kim looks down. He’s already sort of aroused thinking about Chay unraveling him, so he shimmies out of his boxers too.
Then he starts winding.
Kim starts with his arm by tying the end of the ribbon around his wrist. From there, he unwinds more fabric and loops it around his forearm and up his bicep and then across his chest. The spool goes downwards, and he wraps it around his waist, the ribbon resting right at the curve of his ass before he pulls it up to his chest again to twine the other arm. The red x across his chest looks kind of cool, but Kim feels pretty dumb. He keeps going anyway because, he realizes grimly, that the scissors are in the kitchen.
How should I wrap my junk?
“Uh, Kim? Why are you naked?”
Kim drops the spool, and it rolls behind him, unceremoniously stopping at Chay’s feet. When he turns, he sees Chay, backpack slung on his shoulders, his eyes wide and fixated on Kim’s quickly softening dick.
“Chay-”
“What’s going on?”
“I thought you were still-”
“I skipped today,” Chay says quickly, picking up the ribbon.
“What! Why are you skipping-”
“Kim! Why are you naked!” Chay shouts, his face turning red. “And tied up in ribbon!”
Kim fumbles with the ribbon on the ground, but, seeing that the situation is far from repair, simply gives up and weakly says, “Happy anniversary.”
There’s a pause before Chay breaks out into giggles and then full on laughter. He drops the ribbon which rolls back over to Kim, and, upon hearing his lover’s laugh ring in the air, joins in, feeling utterly absurd but no longer as hopeless as he did earlier on.
“What?” Chay crosses the room and puts his hands around Kim’s waist. “You’re so silly. What the hell were you trying to do? Is this some weird sex thing?”
“No! I mean, maybe.” Kim kisses Chay’s forehead. “I just wanted to find the perfect gift for you, and I remembered late, and Tankhun made everything a big deal-”
“Your first mistake was saying anything to Tankhun.”
Kim holds his boyfriend closer and sighs. “I know, I know. I let them get into my head.”
“Them?”
“It’s a long story.”
Chay pulls away. “Also, what do you mean by anniversary?”
“It’s our six month anniversary,” Kim replies with a smile. When Chay’s confusion doesn’t subside, he pets his lover’s hair. “It’s okay if you forgot, my love. I know you’re busy.”
“I didn’t forget,” Chay insists. “Our anniversary isn’t for another month.”
Kim furrows his eyebrows. “No. No, it’s today. Today, six months ago was when we first-”
“Yes,” Chay quickly says. “You slept over for the first time but then we broke up. And then we got back together after a month. Remember? We talked at the café?”
“I remember,” Kim says. “But-”
“Oh my god,” Chay says with another laugh. He buries his head into Kim’s bare chest to muffle himself. “You thought... How are we this hopeless?”
Kim sighs with relief. “We’re not hopeless. But I am hopelessly in love with you.”
Chay pulls on the ribbon. “You are because you look so ridiculous right now.”
“A mess.”
“My mess. The room looks lovely though. I can’t believe you did this.”
Kim pulls away from Chay. “I want to do more, next time.”
“Whatever you do will be perfect, darling.” Chay kisses him, long and slow, and Kim hums in delight. When they pull away, Chay looks at the wine. “We should drink the wine. Can’t waste that. And play CounterStrike.”
Kim unwraps himself from Chay. “Anything you want, my love. I need a scissor though.” He picks up his discarded t-shirt.
“Uh, no.” Chay snatches it from Kim’s hands and tosses it aside. “You won’t be needing that,” he says slyly before reaching for his own shirt and peeling it off.
One month later.
Kim comes home with a bouquet of sunflowers and a wrapped box under his arm. The apartment is quiet, but there’s a chance Chay isn’t home yet.
It’s their six month anniversary.
He places the flowers on the kitchen island and toes off his shoes. On his desk, he finds a small note.
Happy anniversary, darling. I can’t wait to celebrate with you. 💛
Kim takes the little note and puts it in his drawer. He’s going to shower, make himself look pretty, and then sweep Chay off his feet. He walks to the bedroom, excitement pulsing throughout his body.
“Happy anniversary, Kim.”
On his bed, and wrapped only in red ribbon and laying on his side, is Chay.
Kim bursts out laughing, and Chay follows, so much so he falls flat on his back. Kim wipes the tears from his eyes before getting closer to the bed.
Kim pulls Chay up. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I see you wrapped the important bits.”
Chay bites his lip, trying not to laugh. “That’s the gift.”
“The gift that keeps giving.” Kim pulls him close. “No video games this time,” he whispers into his ear before pushing Chay onto his back and crawling over him.
“After?” Chay asks breathlessly.
Kim hums as he captures Chay’s lips in a searing kiss. When he pulls away, he runs his hands down to Chay’s pelvis and pulls on the ribbon.
Chay’s hips buck.
“If you survive.”