Work Text:
24th DECEMBER 20XX
Christmas Eve. The last time he had ever spent the holiday with other people was with his parents, which was years ago. After their death... and after going through those horrific ordeals, he had always immersed himself with work for years. Thanks to Bae Wonwoo who is always trying to force him to go to celebrations with other people despite him hating it, he managed to maintain connections to other people.. However, the thought of celebrating or just spending the holiday with someone else willingly has never crossed his mind. Yet, here they are. He turns his head to his side, facing the only person he can be carefree with. Cha Euijae was smiling. Due to the low temperature, he rubbed his hands together busily, as puffs of cold breath escaped his lips. The grey hair sways gently along the cold wind, causing flakes of snow to be stuck in between the soft strands. I’m glad. He was also worried about Cha Euijae.. He’s been stuck in the West Sea Rift for a long time, where white ashes keep falling like snow. Seeing his positive attitude towards the falling snow makes him smile. Hm? Lee Sayoung looked closer and a low laugh escaped his lips. The tip of his nose was red.
Cha Euijae lifted his head at the sound.
Dark eyes met with violet ones. He fluttered his thick eyelashes with a deliberately slow speed, revealing the violet eyes hiding behind them, thus creating an enchanting scene for the other. Feeling the questioning stare, the corner of Lee Sayoung’s lips begins to form a smile, with his eyes narrowing into crescents as he gazes back into his eyes. His large hand ruffled onto Cha Euijae’s hair, brushing away the snow accumulating on his head while the man tried to swat his hand away.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Hm.. you’re being cute, I couldn’t help it.”
Done fixing the hair back to their usual state, he pinched the tip of the reddened nose using his fingers and immediately walked away as the other man stood there with an exasperated look on his face. He took out something from the large shopping bag he was holding. Huh. He lifted the item. It was a snow mould... in the shape of a duck. Funnily enough, the colour was pink, a total contrast of Lee Sayoung’s usual dark coloured style. His hand flinched. Cha Euijae starts to burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
“... I didn’t buy this.”
“Of course you wouldn’t buy such… cutesy things… Hahahaha!”
An annoyed sigh left his lips. Glaring at the man, he mumbled, “I bought something else earlier… Someone must’ve taken the wrong bag.. What even is this anyway..?”
“You use that to shape snow ducks. Haeun used to play with it when it snows.”
Cha Euijae took the mould from his hand, scooping some snow nearby, filling it up before successfully producing a snow duck. He grinned, placing the snow duck in Lee Sayoung’s empty hand. “Cute, right?”
“...”
He gripped the tool that was back in his hands. Cocking his head to the side, he placed the duck Cha Euijae made aside. The tall man then bends his knees, carefully gathering more snow. As he did so, a low sound of a camera shutter echoed next to his ear. His gaze went to the other man.
“Ah.. this...”
“Am I that good looking that you wanted to take a lot of pictures of me?” He prodded.
“You bastard, you will look more adorable when you can just shut your chattering mouth.”
“So, you do admit that I’m good looking. Even calling me adorable.” Sayoung continues.
“Shut up.”
“If I shut my mouth up, the one that will be lonely is you.”
Cha Euijae pouted and turned himself around with his arms crossing his body.
Look at that. He’s acting cute again.
After a while, an amused smile formed on his lips. He called out to the man, “Hyung.”
“What?”
On the low bench, Lee Sayoung was lining multiple snow ducks up in an orderly manner.
“...”
He made an army of snow ducks.. With the one Cha Euijae made as the leader.
“Hyung.” He called out to Cha Euijae again.
In a single swift movement, he squatted next to the army of snow ducks, with his hand placed right next to his face, before posing with a flower pose. Pointing to the phone in Cha Euijae’s hold with his chin, he urged him to take a quick photo. Noting the amused look in his eyes and those lips that were struggling to not form a smile, he posed for more photos, appeasing the other party.
After a short photoshoot, Lee Sayoung extends his hand, “Oh, Hyung. Take this.”
“What is it now…”
Cha Euijae accepted the ‘gift’. Uncurling his own fist, in his palm was.. Snow made into the shape of a heart. The fact that it was perfectly shaped… makes his heart tingle. Heat rushed to his face almost instantly. His already heated face becomes more crimson. He clutched onto the heart shaped snow carefully, despite it melting slowly due to the heat from his hand, a look of regret showing on his delicate face.
***
They both quietly trailed along the park after playing in the snow, when Lee Sayoung wrapped his arms tightly around Cha Euijae from behind, pulling him into his coat and looping the end of the long scarf he was wearing around the older man’s neck. Cha Euijae inhaled deeply as the familiar sweet scent tickled his nose. The warmth permeating from both of their bodies engulfed their being, dissipating the coldness. He lowered his head, affectionately nuzzling against the crook of Cha Euijae’s neck. He’s used to this behaviour yet his shoulders would always flinch due to the ticklish sensation. Chuckling, Cha Euijae’s strong hand threads through the strands of Lee Sayoung’s hair, brushing away the snow that landed on the soft hair.
Lee Sayoung lets out a satisfied hum.
“It’s cold today.”
“Yeah..”
The hand stroking his hair didn’t stop. He knew that Cha Euijae had always loved playing with his hair so he made sure to make use of it. He continues to nuzzle his face against the man’s neck and only stops and lifts his head when the man turns around.
With his face dusted pink, Cha Euijae stood there in his arms quietly and those warmth-filled twinkling eyes were staring at him. After wrapping his arms around Lee Sayoung’s waist in a tight hug, he tiptoed himself and quickly left a soft kiss on Lee Sayoung’s cold lips and cheek, the welcoming sensation lingers on his skin for a moment. Both of their strong heartbeats resounded rapidly in the quiet space.
Pulling away, Cha Euijae murmured against his lips, “Let’s go home, Sayoung.”
He can feel his ear and the back of his neck warming up. Blinking, Lee Sayoung leans forward before gently pecking onto the other’s temple, his gloved hand finding the other’s. Lacing their fingers together, he nodded in agreement, “Mm..”
***
Home
Cha Euijae walks into the kitchen with Lee Sayoung still clinging on his back after struggling to take off their coat with the latter refusing to step aside in their front corridor, the long scarf still around their necks.
“Making something?”
“Mhm, wait for a bit.”
A fleeting kiss planted on his cheek. Lee Sayoung shifted his gaze to Cha Euijae’s movement as he took out a few items from his own bag. Lined up on the counter, there was a carton of milk, vanilla beans, cinnamon, sugar, cocoa powder, a bar of chocolate, marshmallows and whipped cream. He casually slid his arms around the man’s waist again before leaving a gentle kiss on the nape as he began preparing the utensils needed for the surprise. Cha Euijae, despite being red like a tomato, leans more into the embrace, his hands expertly chopping the chocolate finely before setting it aside. He placed a saucepan and turned on the stove while Lee Sayoung was still in tow and watching, heating up two cups of milk for both him and his only, before turning his head to him.
“Sayoung, do you want whipped cream and marshmallows in your hot chocolate?”
“You’re making hot chocolate?”
“Yeah.”
Lee Sayoung shook his head.
“Only mine then.”
As the milk begins to bubble, Cha Euijae mixes in a little bit of cocoa powder and sugar, dumping all of the finely chopped chocolates into the hot liquid, and patiently waiting for them to melt properly before mixing in the vanilla beans. Lee Sayoung rested his chin on Cha Euijae’s shoulder, quietly watching him move around in the kitchen. As the aroma of the hot chocolate begins to permeate their senses, Cha Euijae turns off the stove, lifting the saucepan and straining the drink from any lumps as he pours them into their cups.
He sets aside Lee Sayoung’s hot chocolate and begins to place whipped cream on his own. Lee Sayoung sighed as he saw Cha Euijae pour a generous amount of marshmallows into the cup. He ends his decoration streak by sprinkling a bit of cinnamon powder.
Satisfied, he dug out for his phone, snapping a few photos of their drink, probably as a memento or to share it with Park Haeun. The urge to be playful suddenly hits him. Lee Sayoung lets the man hold onto both of their cups before hoisting him up by his waist carefully, making sure the drink didn’t spill. Silence. He carries him to their couch in the living room and settles him on his lap, with Cha Euijae’s back leaning on him. Cha Euijae frowned, “Hey.”
“...”
“Lee Sayoung.”
“...”
“Sayoung..”
“What?”
He pointed out, “The couch can fit two people.”
“Oh... So?”
“So??? Why am I on your lap?”
“Because I want you to.”
“You’re being ridiculous again..”
Chuckling, Lee Sayoung took out his phone, pulling the older man closer by his shoulder as he was still holding their cups carefully as if his life depended on it and pressed their cheeks together. Click. The sound of a camera shutter echoed in the quiet room. “You look nice in the picture, Hyung.”
Content with his own doing, he then grabbed onto the blanket they had placed on the couch for their every day use and wrapped both the man and himself inside. Cha Euijae grumbled, but let himself be cradled under the blanket and sighed.
“I think you got a loose screw somewhere.”
He said that, yet he was still smiling.
“You’ve always liked it when I act like this anyway..”
“Shut up.”
“Hhaha!”
A cup of hot chocolate appears in front of his face. Lee Sayoung accepted the cup offered to him and brought it to his plump lips. With a glint in his violet eyes, he sips the drink, earning a smile from the other person as he also sipped on his own, licking his lips as whipped cream were smothered across his mouth.
“Was it good?” He asked, his eyes lingering on the tip of Cha Euijae’s nose, a dollop of cream sticking on them.
"It's sweet just like how it’s supposed to taste.” mused Cha Euijae, still continuing to drink as a sigh of relief escaped him, completely oblivious to the lingering hungry gaze that were tracing his jawline and lips.
“Uh huh..”
Cha Euijae was just finishing his drink and putting the cup down on the table when a hand reached out and pinched his chin, pulling his head sideways to face the handsome face. He raised an eyebrow as the man licked the cream sticking on the tip of his nose. His breath hitched, the fair face slowly dusting pink. Cute. Lee Sayoung drew their faces closer, and lips met. It was a deep kiss that exchanged each other’s breath. His large hands gently cupped his ears and cheeks, lifting his face to deepen their kiss. His black tongue pierced through the slightly parted lips, licking all over the place, and scratching the roof of Cha Euijae’s mouth.
The combined sweet taste of both the chocolate and Lee Sayoung makes Cha Euijae’s head dizzy. Lee Sayoung laughed when he noticed the fumbling hands trying to grab onto his shoulders. Pulling away, he gripped onto one of the hands, tracing the knuckles with his lips as the other person gasped for air.
“Well, I don’t know if it’s truly that sweet or not. But..” Lee Sayoung licked his lips before smirking, “Seeing your reaction, I guess it is.”
A scarred hand roughly covered his mouth, followed by a stutter, “Y-you.. Ha.. Shut up.” Chuckling, he kissed the palm, licking onto them and responded with a muffled, “Sure.”
The pair continued to banter until it was late into the night, yet they never let go of each other’s embrace. After a while, a steady rhythm of breathing resounded next to his ears. Noticing that Cha Euijae had fallen asleep in his arms, Lee Sayoung leaned down and kissed the top of his head. Carefully sliding his hand under the man’s knees and firmly holding onto his shoulders, he seamlessly carried him into their shared bedroom. Right after settling him on the bed, he tucked the blanket around him tenderly. As he fixed the man’s position to be more comfortable, Cha Euijae opened his eyes slightly, sleep evident in his eyes.
He brushed the stray strands of the grey hair covering his forehead, leaving a lingering kiss on the exposed skin, mumbling, “Go back to sleep.”
“Mm.”
After Cha Euijae drifted off back to sleep, Lee Sayoung cupped his cheek, caressing them affectionately and pressed his lips against Cha Euijae’s for a long time before pulling away, a smile decorating his handsome face.
“Merry Christmas.”
He nuzzles his face against the other party’s cheek, “I love you.”
Indeed, he had never thought of celebrating Christmas Eve nor any manner of holidays with anyone.. But if it’s with him.. If it’s with Cha Euijae.. Maybe.. He wouldn’t miss it for the world.
25th DECEMBER 20XX (BONUS PART)
Mm… Huh.
Something feels strange.
The violet eyes slowly fluttered open. Stretching his limbs languidly, he noticed that something was amiss as the last remnants of sleep fading away. He looks towards his hand… wait.. no.. paws?
“...”, his eyes narrowed in irritation.
What kind of shitshow is this?
“...”
Hyung.
Lee Sayoung quickly lifted himself up and scurried off the bed, his eyes searching for the other party.
“Meoow.” (Hyung.)
… Shit. I need to find him.
However, it’s only for a short while. A low meow tickled his ear.
“M..row?” (Sayoung?)
Lee Sayoung turns his head around at the call. A fluffy, light grey cat with shining blue eyes was staring at him, head tilted to the side. His ears twitched around, as if trying to figure something out. There was no doubt. From his body language alone, it screams Cha Euijae.
He’s safe.. And apparently turned into a cat as well.. What is even happening now..?
Standing in the middle of the room, he ponders for a moment, trying to gauge the severity of their current predicament. The fluffy, long black tail swooshed around as he was in a deep thought, his ears perking straight up on full alert mode, when.. A comforting warmth brushed against him. Rubbing his face on his chest was Cha Euijae, his warmth a welcoming one. The feeling of the fluffy fur against his own causes a low purr to leave him as he calmed down. Lee Sayoung proceeds to nuzzle their faces together, the sounds of their loud purring echoing in the room. Their eyes met as he blinked.
“Mreow?” (Sayoung?)
“Nya?” (Yes?)
“Meow meow.. Meow?” (Do you have any clue on why this happens?)
Lee Sayoung shook his head. Deciding to find out more, they both jumped out of the window with Cha Euijae accessing the area. Suddenly, sounds of footsteps approached them from behind as they walked outside. They both lifted their heads… Greeting their eyes was.. a woman with blonde hair.
“...”
“...”
They both looked at each other, their ears pinned backwards.
“Meow meow meow..” (Why is Honeybee here?)
The black cat stood in front of the grey one in a protective stance, hissing. Hiss. Honeybee, noticing them, tries to lift them into her arms before frowning as they both quickly run away. Although not before Lee Sayoung left a scratch on her.
“Meow meow meow meow.” (This is a nightmare.)
“Meow..?” (Yes…?)
“Meow meow meow… meow meow.” (There is no way I’m letting that Hornet come anywhere near me, even in a dream.)
“...”
Cha Euijae watched him quietly. He may be a cat but that body language and silence were practically saying, “Are you insane?”
Lee Sayoung thought the reaction was funny, so he licks the grey cat’s nose and trots away, his tail waving around in the air.
At least we’re together.. Who knows what will happen if we’re not.. Ha…
Both cats strode along a park nearby, their destination unknown, yet in the company of the other, they know they'll be able to deal with whatever is happening or that is coming their way. Lee Sayoung looped his long tail with Cha Euijae’s, forming a heart shape.
“Mommy, those cats made a heart shape with their tail while walking.”
“Aww, you’re right, honey. Maybe they love each other so much. Just like how mommy loves you.”
It’s a chilly day, so they walked through places with plenty of warmth. Their unending search bears no fruit, even though they had already scanned every nook and crannies available. It seems like their adventure as felines is a big joke. The black cat begins to huff in annoyance. Sitting right next to him, the grey cat quietly watched the falling snow, admiring it. Lee Sayoung nuzzles his face against the other, disrupting his concentration. A soft paw landed on his face.
“Nya.” (Hey.)
“Meow?” (What?)
Meow meow.. (Let’s go.)
A few moments later...
Both cats curled up in a hidden place, away from the insanely crowded spaces. Snuggling against each other for warmth, the grey cat makes sure to stay in a spot with good distance to run away in case of danger, his tail twirling around the black cat protectively. Making sure the area is secured safely and that Lee Sayoung is curled up against him comfortably, he licks the other’s face before dozing off to sleep, surrounded by warmth and the falling snow.
***
Violet eyes began to reveal themselves as he felt a piercing gaze descended on his cheek. Thank goodness. It’s a dream, a really odd one, he groaned. One of his arms felt heavy. After getting rid of the heavy feeling on his eyelids, he shifted his gaze precisely on the man in his embrace. The man was looking straight into his eyes without blinking, the dark eyes seemingly still heavy with sleep.
Overcome with the urge to tease, Lee Sayoung lowers his head, nibbling onto the straight nose, earning himself a gasp from the man.
“Cha Euijae. Are you fully awake now?”
“... Yes.”
He watched quietly as Cha Euijae started rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. He extended his hand, his finger started tracing the jawline with a deliberately slow movement, causing him to stop breathing. “Good morning, husband,” he mused.
“...Good morning.”
Lee Sayoung pressed his lips against Cha Euijae’s in a deep kiss, nipping on the lower lips while swallowing all of his words and pants mercilessly. Two firm hands cupped his cheeks as he was about to pull away, brushing their forehead together. Still struggling for his breath, Cha Euijae whispered breathlessly, “Merry Christmas.. Sayoung” before leaving a gentle peck on his lips.