Work Text:
For the past four years, Jeonghan has kissed Minghao at New Year's. It's got to the point where, when leading up to the auspicious time, it's kind of all Minghao can think about.
Jeonghan and Minghao are not dating and have never dated, so it's never been a typical kiss, nothing sweet or couply like being in each other's arms and sharing each other's smile and excitement as everyone around them counts in the new year. Minghao thinks he would like that more, except....thinking that brings up a whole new bunch of questions that he's not well-equipped to answer.
The first year, Minghao had no idea it would happen. Jeonghan wasn't even anywhere near him when the countdown started, but just when it got down to zero, someone landed a quick peck on Minghao's cheek that almost startled him out of his chair. He clutched his burning face, staring back at Jeonghan who was standing behind him and leaning over his shoulder. Jeonghan gave him a sweet merry smile right before moving off to congratulate people, and Mingyu asked Minghao seconds later why he looked like he'd seen a ghost.
The second year, Minghao still wasn't on guard. It had been a whole year, after all, and he was tipsy and full of cheer as he chanted the countdown with friends. When they were five seconds away, Jeonghan stole the seat across the table from him and reached out a hand to Minghao who smiled, giving Jeonghan his own. Simply thinking it was something to do with New Year spirit and friendship.
Jeonghan beamed, squeezing Minghao's hand, and Minghao didn't think much of it as they kept counting down. But then Minghao blinked when he was suddenly pulled a little across the table by his arm, and he watched Jeonghan lean down to press a kiss to Minghao's knuckles.
The place exploded with noise while Minghao quietly stared at Jeonghan just like he had the year before, bright red and kind of in awe. Jeonghan intertwined their fingers for good and simply smiled back.
The third year, Minghao did look out for it a bit. He asked Jeonghan beforehand, "Are you going to do that thing again?" and Jeonghan's eyes twinkled at him as he replied, "You don't want me to?"
Due to, well, not knowing the answer to that, all Minghao could say back was, "That's not what I asked." Jeonghan laughed at him before taking Minghao's hand and tugging him through the fray of people gathered in the bar, where they eventually lost each other. But Jeonghan came back to him at the end of the countdown hours later in the form of a hand resting on Minghao's side and a kiss dropped onto his shoulder, which was bare since his shirt had been stretched by Seokmin tugging him over to dance earlier. Minghao let out a heavy sigh despite how warm he suddenly felt and Jeonghan snickered into the crook of his neck.
"How do you always find me?" Minghao asked as he fit his hand over the one Jeonghan had on his side, and Jeonghan said spritely, "I'll always find you."
"Again, not what I asked."
"Well, you're asking the wrong questions, Minghao-yah!"
That was when Minghao's thoughts on this whole thing started extending beyond New Year's. He used to just let it go pretty quickly, thinking of it as Jeonghan just being very committed to the bit, but Jeonghan's 'I'll always find you' ended up plaguing his thoughts. Was Jeonghan really going to do this every year?
Then last year, Minghao ended up drinking a little too much before the new year had even arrived. It was due to a number of things, like the ambience and comfort since they were at Mingyu's house instead of a bar, but it pretty much boiled down to him losing too much at drinking games then thinking that if he was going to be drinking this much then he should just really go at it, and all his friends kept cheering him on as he'd swig straight from bottles.
He was lying on the sofa with his head in someone's lap by the time the countdown was about to start, dizzy and very out of it.
"Minghao-yah," someone chuckled from nearby and Minghao tipped his head back more, blearily opening his eyes. "What came over you, hm? It was very fun to watch, I won't lie."
Jeonghan looked blurry yet still so fucking pretty that it was unbelievable. Minghao blindly raised a hand to touch his face but almost smacked it instead, making Jeonghan laugh louder as he just about dodged the hand before he took hold of it and placed it on his face himself. Jeonghan's cheek was warm under Minghao's fingers, and the soft doting smile he gave Minghao made him feel like his heart was going to burst out of his chest.
"How're you gon' kiss me this year, hyung?" Minghao slurred, and Jeonghan's eyebrows rose in surprise. His smile got bigger, though, and he leaned down to poke Minghao's nose.
"I've really made you aware of me, haven't I?"
"'M always aware of you...how can someone not be aware of you..."
Jeonghan laughed. "Thank you for that compliment, love."
The countdown began then, and Jeonghan's kiss that year was a gentle comforting peck on Minghao's forehead. Minghao closed his eyes afterwards, so warm that he immediately fell asleep and found out way later that Jeonghan ended up taking him home.
Outside of events like these, Minghao doesn't get to see Jeonghan very much. They became acquainted because they had other friends who were friends with each other, and that's it. The two of them meet at parties, they see each other in passing, they bicker sometimes in the group chat, and maybe that's all they have. But Minghao has always liked Jeonghan, even if it's sometimes begrudging. How can't you like a hyung who you hear so many kind stories about from your best friends and who teases you whenever you meet but in a way that just makes you feel really comfortable with him?
So when the holidays come around, Minghao does end up thinking about Jeonghan more than he usually does. Unfortunately, his 'usual' thoughts about Jeonghan grow exponentially with each coming year, so he's extremely restless this time around.
That's why when Minghao sees Jeonghan at the Christmas party this year, his breath catches in his throat. It's not even because Jeonghan looks any different than usual since he's always gorgeous - though he does have some cute ears made out of tinsel on top of his head - but because Minghao's not prepared. He had been waiting for the New Year's party, gearing himself up for whatever way Jeonghan was going to kiss him this time, that he had completely forgotten that he'd see Jeonghan even earlier than that.
"Minghao!" Jeonghan cheers at the sight of him, bright and sweet. Minghao picks through the crowd to go over to him and his heart lurches when Jeonghan sweeps him up into a hug. "Fancy seeing you here!"
"'Course I'd be here, hyung."
"Who gave you these?" Jeonghan coos as he pulls back a little to fiddle with the reindeer antlers on Minghao's head, and Minghao says in slight embarrassment, "Seokmin..."
"I'll tell him thank you, you look adorable. Now whisk me away to the North Pole!"
For the first time ever, they pretty much spend the whole party together. Not that they really do much other than stay on the sofa and get Chan to bring them drinks - though Minghao starts to feel bad because Chan really obeys them too well. He tells Jeonghan about it so when Chan brings them their fourth drink, Jeonghan points to the left and hollers in an old-timey wizard voice, "Lee Chan, we free you! Go enjoy the party and stop listening to us!"
Chan looks extremely confused, but then Soonyoung steals him away to dance so he doesn't get to say anything. Minghao eyes Jeonghan in amusement, telling him, "You think you're so funny, don't you?" and Jeonghan grins angelically before burrowing into him like a badger in reply. Minghao doesn't know how the two of them end up cuddling on another person's sofa for the majority of Christmas Eve, but he doesn't want it to end.
It seems like an inevitable play of fate that, when they eventually get up to grab one last drink from the kitchen, they get caught under mistletoe that's hanging above the sink. It's not like they have any witnesses to see it, no-one else in the kitchen seems to care about them, but Minghao sees (and cares). Stares at it for so long that Jeonghan looks up and sees it, too. Then he's reaching out to tug gently on Minghao's shirt.
"Minghao-yah," Jeonghan tells him, some kind of restrained fervour hiding under the softness of his voice. "Would two kisses in a year be overkill?"
The first thing that pops into Minghao's head is I'd like a lot more than two. Which probably says a lot that he doesn't know how to deal with.
"How about this, hyung," Minghao offers, and Jeonghan watches him in wide-eyed anticipation that's amusingly sweet. "You kiss me today. I'll kiss you on New Year's."
Jeonghan gasps. "I get a Minghao kiss? And I'm meant to spend a whole week just waiting for it? Minghao, I'll die."
"You won't die."
"You're right, I won't," Jeonghan agrees with a sudden change of heart just before he leans in to peck Minghao's nose, as easy as breathing, and it spreads rosy warmth across Minghao's face. "Because I need to make sure it happens!"
God. Minghao knows that there's so much more here, even if it's just on his side. Unsaid words, understated feelings, unexplored thoughts about why he's never minded that Jeonghan kisses him every year. But Minghao only sees Jeonghan at parties. It's always been easier to only think about all this then, too, because God knows he already has enough going on in his life and he just wants to keep the peace.
They walk home together afterwards. Usually crisp cold air like this sobers Minghao up, but Jeonghan stumbling into him and telling him silly jokes keeps him feeling buzzed and dopey even if it's not so much because of alcohol anymore. When they get to Jeonghan's door, Jeonghan is a sap who blows him a kiss, Minghao is a bigger sap who catches it in his hand, and Jeonghan gives him the biggest happiest smile Minghao's ever seen on him before disappearing inside his apartment building. And Minghao suddenly knows that he wants to see that more.
He wants to see Jeonghan smile more. He just wants to see Jeonghan more. And he really wants to be kissed by him more.
That's all it really takes for him to know what to do next, isn't it?
When the New Year's party finally rolls around, the only thing that's on Minghao's mind is Jeonghan. That's why it panics him when he can't find him no matter where he looks.
He asks around, and his friends do say that they spotted him here and there but he's never where they said he was, and soon Minghao's starting to annoy himself. This isn't what New Year's is about, he shouldn't be wasting all this time that he should be taking to celebrate and call in the coming year. Sure, Minghao wishes he could do all that with Jeonghan, but-
"I'll always find you."
Yeah. Even if Minghao can't find Jeonghan, Jeonghan will find him.
So Minghao relaxes, weaves his way into the thrum of the crowd as the atmosphere gets more charged the closer it gets to midnight, finds Seokmin and Mingyu who whoop at the sight of him and cling to him like koalas, and gets drinks down him. But soon someone taps his shoulder and Minghao whips around so fast that he almost trips over. Embarrassing. But he forgets about that when he sees the person he's been waiting for all night (and longer), pretty as ever as he gives Minghao the sweetest smile.
"Have you been avoiding me?" Minghao asks, sounding more sulky than he means to, and Jeonghan looks torn between wanting to coo over Minghao or apologise like he's comitted the worst crime.
"Oh, Minghao-yah, I didn't mean to. I just wasn't sure how to face you knowing you were going to kiss me tonight."
"You kiss me every year and I still face you."
"Because you've gotten used to it!" Jeonghan insists. "But I've never had you kiss me before. Do you know how crazy it is knowing that Xu Minghao is going to kiss you?"
"Do you know how crazy it is having Yoon Jeonghan kiss you? You have no argument," Minghao replies pointedly, his hands resting on Jeonghan's waist when he distantly hears that it's one minute to midnight because they're bickering right now but his subconscious still knows that he has to kiss Jeonghan soon. If he musters up the courage, that is.
It's a little thrilling, the way Jeonghan easily replies to his touch by winding an arm around Minghao's neck. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Were you looking for me?"
"I was, hyung. I wanted to spend tonight with you." But if Jeonghan didn't - or doesn't - want to spend the night with Minghao, then there's nothing Minghao can do.
Jeonghan's eyes soften, and he brings his hand up to caress Minghao's cheek. "Oh dear. I've been very stupid, then."
"Ten seconds, hyung," Minghao murmurs as he hears the countdown start, everyone around them yelling out the good old numbers. "If you don't want me to kiss you, you have to tell me now."
It surprises him when Jeonghan looks utterly horrified by Minghao's words. "Minghao, you listen to me. I haven't spent this entire night avoiding you because I didn't want you to kiss me, I've spent this entire night avoiding you because I want you to so much that I-"
Minghao kisses him. On the lips for once, new for them in so many ways as Jeonghan makes a surprised hum in the back of his throat and clutches Minghao tighter. It might be a second too early because Minghao couldn't help himself, not when Jeonghan was saying terrible (amazing) stuff like that and Minghao could stop him by doing exactly what he's wanted to for ages - but they're still kissing when it's finally midnight because Jeonghan stays. Kisses back, soft and sure, setting Minghao alight like he's one of the millions of fireworks out there tonight.
The room explodes around them for the fifth time in a row while they melt into each other like fallen snow.
"Oh, it was worth it," Jeonghan says breathlessly when they break apart (barely), giving Minghao a couple pats on the cheek like he was saying...'good job'? "It was definitely worth almost going crazy waiting a week for that."
"If you just texted me," Minghao says in amusement, "I would've gone and kissed you way earlier."
"And how was I meant to know that?!"
"You do now. New Year's resolution - let's kiss outside of parties."
Jeonghan covers his mouth with a hand, acting scandalised. "My, how bold. A friends-with-benefits situation wasn't on my 2024 bingo."
"Wha- no! No, I want to date you," Minghao splutters with wide eyes. "I- shit, did I not make that obvious? I'm sorry, I was trying to say something resounding and cool but-"
Minghao's cut off by a strangled sound that comes out of his own mouth when Jeonghan suddenly takes his hand and drags him through the crowd of people, out and out until they really are outside. Before Minghao can register anything, Jeonghan turns to clasp his face and kiss him again, short and sweet.
"You know, it's funny," Jeonghan says, tone serious even while he squishes Minghao's face in his hands like it's dough. "I think I started this whole thing because I thought you were cute and I wanted you to think I was cute, too. Or at least think of me in any kind of way."
"You've made me think about you so much, hyung," Minghao says, grimacing a little. "Like. So much. You do not want to look inside my brain."
Jeonghan beamed. "Then I succeeded! But you know, all the way back then, I thought that I would like to date you. And that was five years ago. Of course you took five years to come to the exact same conclusion, you're so very thinky about everything."
Minghao frowns, a little butthurt. "I needed to make sure how I felt about you..."
Jeonghan pinches his ears fondly. "I know. That's a lovely thing."
It definitely wouldn't have taken this long if Minghao just allowed himself to think about this more outside of the holidays and the parties, but even despite that, he should've figured it out. Yes, Minghao thinks about Jeonghan more during the holidays, but that doesn't mean he never does outside of it. He thinks about Jeonghan in summer when the sun's beating down and he wonders how Jeonghan looks in summer clothes. He thinks about Jeonghan when flowers start to bloom, probably because he wants to give Jeonghan flowers or something sappy like that. He thinks about Jeonghan for stupid little things, like when he's cooking and he wonders if Jeonghan would like what he cooks or when he's watching basketball and he remembers Seokmin saying that Jeonghan's really good at it. God. He should've known.
"Why did you play this game, hyung?" Minghao asks him, pressing a kiss into Jeonghan's neck which has Jeonghan gasping in flustered delight. "Why didn't you ask me out?"
Jeonghan shrugs. "I'm shy."
Minghao raises an eyebrow. "You? Shy?"
"I really am!" Jeonghan argues. "I like to flirt but sealing the deal is hard...especially when I barely ever see you and I never knew how you felt about me. I'm good at waiting, though, I'm a patient person. It was easier to wait until you figured out your feelings for me and did something yourself - until I could be sure that you wouldn't reject me."
"How would I reject you if you were never even planning to make a proper move," Minghao deadpans, and Jeonghan giggles.
"That's what I'm saying! If I wasn't the one doing the asking out then I wouldn't have to be afraid, so all I had to do was gingerly seduce you until you were head over heels and couldn't help making a move on me! The Minghao I know is so much cooler and braver than me, you see."
Minghao doesn't know whether to kiss Jeonghan again or laugh. He's so ridiculously endearing. "You're very cool and brave, hyung. You've kissed me on New Year's four times, and another this Christmas. I've only ever done it once."
"And it was lovely," Jeonghan coos, cupping Minghao's face in hands that are already getting cold but Minghao wouldn't ever mind. "Getting a kiss from you made me so, so happy. I can't wait to have more."
Minghao softens and pecks Jeonghan's temple. He's very ready to give Jeonghan all the kisses in the world, anywhere that he wants. "You're cute, hyung, but it's freezing. Let's go back in."
Jeonghan nods with a matching shiver. Minghao smiles, tucking one of Jeonghan's cold hands into his own pocket before they go back inside where they're immediately ambushed by their friends who saw them kiss and everyone else that they'd gossipped to about it. Minghao and Jeonghan share a wearily amused look that says 'we probably should've just stayed outside'.