Work Text:
Liu Qingge was confused. After their Halloween job, things between him and his coupled coworkers had been different. He wasn't stupid, he was very aware the kiss they had shared was the cause, especially when he refused to talk about it and the other two didn't bring it up either. However, now he was standing in front of Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe's door, raising a closed fist to knock and wondering how he got there.
Luo Binghe had been the one to bring it up casually, right after their last catch before they took off for Christmas. He must've heard about how Liu Qingge's sister had gone to stay with her girlfriend for Christmas, for he asked about her and about his plans for Christmas. Before he knew it, he found himself agreeing to a Christmas meal—in Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe's house of all places!
Shen Qingqiu opened the door with a grin.
“Qingge! I’m so glad you could make it, come in!” Shen Qingqiu moved back to usher him inside, his usual fan nowhere to be seen and doing nothing to hide the grin across his face, “Binghe is working on finishing up dinner, so come help me decorate the tree!”
Liu Qingge stared incredulously at the man.
“It’s- It’s Christmas Eve, Shen Qingqiu. And you haven't decorated your tree?” Liu Qingge couldn’t stop himself from asking. Shen Qingqiu shrugged.
“We don’t usually celebrate, sue me.” He said simply before pulling him inside. Liu Qingge was still reeling as he took off his shoes and hung up his coat.
“Is Shishu here?” He heard Luo Binghe yell from the kitchen (he assumed). Liu Qingge grit his teeth halfheartedly at the terrible nickname the younger had given him.
“Yes!” Shen Qingqiu yelled back before turning back to Liu Qingge, “Now come on.” Liu Qingge just decided he valued his life and followed him to the living room. Shen Qingge grinned and pointed at the giant tree in the corner of the room.
“What do you think? Like the tree?” Shen Qingqiu asked. Liu Qingge decided not to comment on how he was just relieved that had one he didn’t have to put up himself. Though, Luo Binghe certainly wasn’t weak by any means. He could win a fight against him on a good day. And realistically, Liu Qingge knew Shen Qingqiu wasn’t weak either, he had just grown accustomed to being asked to do the heavy lifting for him all too much.
“Mn. Where are your ornaments?” Liu Qingge asked. Shen Qingqiu showed him the box he had set on one of their plush, red couches and Liu Qingge stopped himself from wrinkling his nose.
Honestly, Binghe, does everything have to be red?
Liu nodded and they got to work.
The amount of ornaments they had was absolutely too much, probably bought in bulk at the last second. Liu Qingge had to fight down a smile at the thought of Luo Binghe fighting a soccer mom for boxes of ornaments.
They were practically done when Liu Qingge heard Shen Qingqiu call for him, making his way over to the other man.
“I can’t get the star on, would you give me a hand?” Shen Qingqiu said, his face a light shade of pink. Liu Qingge nodded.
He tried to put it on himself, but even he couldn’t reach it. He thought for a second before handing Shen Qingqiu the star and picking him up by the waist so he could reach. As he held him up, he thought he saw his ears turn pink, making Liu Qingge realize the situation he had put himself in.
“Alright, it’s good.” Shen Qingqiu said.
Liu Qingge immediately set him down. However, Shen Qingqiu stumbled, causing him to fall into Liu Qingge’s chest. He didn’t make them both fall over, but now their faces were extremely close to one another and both extremely red.
“Qingge-” Shen Qingqiu started.
“Food's ready!” Luo Binghe interrupted from the kitchen.
🎄
The dinner itself was amazing, though when was Luo Binghe’s cooking not (not that Liu Qingge would ever say so to his face). Luo Binghe had also made some cookies shaped like various Christmas ornaments and Liu Qingge couldn’t resist eating half of them. Sue him.
When the plate was down to one less cookie, both Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge reached out, fully intending to take it. Seeing each other’s hands darting out to get it, Luo Binghe grinned while Liu Qingge scowled. Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and Liu Qingge turned to see him giving them both a soft glare. Even glaring, Shen Qingqiu truly was a sight to behold…
Taking advantage of his accidental accomplice in the cookie war, Luo Binghe snatched the cookie with a happy yell. Shen Qingqiu simply facepalmed.
“I need a whole bottle of wine to get me through this dinner.” Liu Qingge sighed, face red from his thoughts.
🎄
"Qingge." Luo Binghe called from the mess of blankets on the couch, making Liu Qingge tilted his head at him questioningly. Luo Binghe patted the space next to him, "Come sit by the fire with me."
After the fiasco that was dinner, Liu Qingge had offered to help Shen Qingqiu with cleaning up while Luo Binghe had run off to do “something special” — his words, not Liu Qingge’s.
"What are you dragging me into, now?" Liu Qingge scoffed before heading over, refusing to let the smile threatening to split across his face break through. Luo Binghe pouted at him, grabbing at his hand to pull him down. Liu Qingge let himself fall next to him, knocking him over in the process before snorting at how messy Luo Binghe's hair had gotten because of it. Luo Binghe immediately started whining.
"Shishuuuuu, you messed up my hair. And I made it all pretty for you and Shizun!" Luo Binghe pouted at him, crocodile tears already filling his eyes. Liu Qingge rolled his eyes, reaching out and ruffling his hair further. Luo Binghe screeched, trying to get away and falling off the couch.
When She Qingqiu returned, they were a mess of limbs wrestling on the floor. He just looked at them disappointedly until they both stopped and hung their heads.
"Get up, we have to set up for the movies." Shen Qingqiu said, opening what Luo Binghe had dubbed his "Christmas fan" and holding it in front of his face. He must’ve went to grab it while Luo Binghe was being a menace. Liu Qingge made a confused look and Luo Binghe nodded, gathering up the blankets that had fallen during the struggle and placing them back on the couch.
"Movies?" He asked, sitting back on the couch. Shen Qingqiu nodded, following behind him and sitting on the other side of Liu Qingge. He winced, knowing Luo Binghe would truly throw a fit once he saw that his precious Shizun wasn't sitting by him. However, the beast simply settled in on the opposite side, snuggling up in blankets.
"We marathon Christmas movies until we fall asleep, it's Luo Binghe's favorite part of the night." Shen Qingqiu said. Liu Qingge resisted the urge to snort. That was usually code for it was Shen Qingqiu's favorite part of the night.
They were about 5 minutes into the first movie when Luo Binghe started whining.
"Shizunnnnnnn, I'm so cold and Qingge is so far away." Luo Binghe said, pouting up at Liu Qingge.
"What were you expecting, a cuddlefest?" Liu Qingge squawked. Luo Binghe sniffled.
"Yes, isn't that what boyfriend's do?" Luo Binghe asked. Liu Qingge froze.
"What." Liu Qingge looked at the younger with wide eyes. He felt a breeze over his shoulder and knew Shen Qingqiu had brought out his fan again. Luo Binghe looked genuinely hurt now.
"Boy- Boyfriend?" He said, now unsure.
"When did that happen." Liu Qingge crossed his arms over his chest, trying to come across as cross to hide how internally he was losing his mind.
"We kissed you on Halloween!" Luo Binghe argued, huffing. Shen Qingqiu was, decidedly, quiet.
"I don't know if you know this, but simply kissing someone is not how courtship works." Liu Qingge raises an eyebrow accusingly.
"I told you he didn't know…" Shen Qingqiu muttered behind him. He turned around and fixed him with a glare as well before turning back to Luo Binghe.
"Binghe. Qingqiu." Liu Qingge scolded, "If you are going to court someone, you kind of have to tell them you're trying to court them. Was this supposed to be a date?" Luo Binghe nodded and he sighed.
"Take pity on us, Shidi. We're sorry for not communicating." Shen Qingqiu said, moving towards him from behind and pressing a kiss to his shoulder. Liu Qingge flushed red and yelled, making the other two men laugh, forcing them to go back to the movie. And if he let both of them share a blanket with him as they practically cuddled, that was no one's business but his own.
"Hey Qingge?" Luo Binghe looked up at him.
"Mn?" Liu Qingge replied.
"Is this a date now?" Luo Binghe asked innocently. Liu Qingge flushed again, shoving a pillow in a laughing Luo Binghe's face. He was not answering that.