Archive of Our Own ^beta

December 21st

Chan was no stranger to one night stands. He was, though, inexperienced in the protocol one was supposed to follow when one does not care about anything about their partner.

On top of that, his head was spinning. He didn't think it'd be something he'd do in any other scenario, but he found himself like this, nonetheless.

He didn't even know the handsome stranger's name. He knew he was tall, and handsome, and had a voice that sent shivers down his spine, and that was more than enough. The alcohol buzzing through his veins filled in the blanks.

Chan had lost his group sometime in the night. The bar was crowded as bars were the nights previous to Christmas, and it was loud, and some guys had offered to buy him a drink when they saw him alone but he had declined.

He wasn't technically searching for anything that night. He just wanted to have a drink, have fun with his friends, dance a little. The night had gotten twisted at some point and he didn't mind it. Not when the handsome stranger had him by the waist as they danced.

Chan had his arms wrapped around his neck, moving along the rhythm, trying to guide Handsome Stranger, but he wasn't all that interested in dancing. Instead, he has decided that kissing the column of Chan's neck was more of his thing. He wasn't about to complain, not when he felt the bass pumping in his bloodstream and his cheeks were as hot as his breath against his skin.

He allowed Handsome Stranger to pull him by the hand, navigating the sea of people, elbowing some here and there until they made it to the door.

He looked at Chan with a silent question in his face, one eyebrow quirked. Chan laughed, feeling a little bit too careless before he pushed him towards the door. His hands stayed on his shoulders, nice and broad, strong even under his jacket.

The cold breeze outside hit him square in the face, sobering Chan a little. Handsome Stranger reached for his hand again and Chan allowed him to do so, locking their fingers in a gesture that seemed too tender for someone who didn't know his name.

A number of people were outside, having a smoke, just chatting in big groups or waiting for their rides to another location. Chan tried to fix his hair with his free hand, suddenly too self aware now that they were under the street lights and not the colored dim lights inside the bar. It was a little aggravating, how Handsome Stranger seemed to be even more handsome under such unforgiven light, his hair curling around the base of his neck, his shoulders even broader.

"So," Handsome Stranger said, his voice deeper now that the music wasn't drowning it. "I don't live too far, actually—"

But Chan shook his head even before he could finish his phrase. "No, let's—" he licked his bottom lip, trying to think under the influence of alcohol and Handsome Stranger's eyes on him. He didn't want to go to his house, it felt too personal, it felt like breakfast together and a warm shower and knowing something too personal of him just as his address. Chan didn't want it. "Let's go to a hotel."

The stranger blinked at Chan but he didn't care. A hotel was a nice, neutral place. No strings attached, no blurred lines. He nodded, content with his decision, and a small smile crept in the stranger's lips.

"Does that have anything to do with the fact that you don't want to tell me your name?" He asked, and Chan nudged him in the shoulder before flagging down a cab.

As it turned out, Chan didn't need to know the Handsome Stranger's name to tangle his fingers in his hair, or to kiss his neck, or to moan under him. All in all, it was good. Almost too good, enough that Chan was a little disappointed to leave it behind.

He faintly traced the shape of his shoulders with the tip of his fingers. When Handsome Stranger moved slightly under his touch, Chan removed his hands immediately. But he didn't stir up, he only buried his face in the pillow and sighed, his arms going under it to hug it.

Trying not to think about how it was him getting hugged by those arms just moments before, Chan grabbed his things and exited the hotel room with his shoes in one hand, trying to be quiet. He sighed when he was outside the room, putting his shoes on in the elevator and then asking the front desk to call him a cab.

The ride back was too quiet. Chan tried to convince himself that he was doing what was right for him. He didn't have the time nor the mental capacity for anything more than a one night stand. There was too much on his plate already. He was in the city just for the week, for starters, staying at his brother's place for the holidays. Sure, he had a job lined up in the city and he was there mostly to explore and get used to it and maybe even see an apartment for himself, but there were still a few months of white fuzzy noise until then.

When he got home he went straight to the shower, trying to be as quiet as possible so he wouldn't wake up Seokmin or his boyfriend Mingyu, who graciously were hosting him. He didn't want Seokmin to know what he had been up to that night; it was embarrassing enough.

He burrowed closer under the covers in the guest room, his eyes nailed to the ceiling. The sheets smelled of fresh soap and they were soft on his skin, but still, Chan couldn't help but to wander back to the Stranger and the smell on his skin, a mixture of cologne, shampoo, and something that seemed so undeniable him that Chan was worried it had clung to his skin even after scrubbing himself clean.

In the darkness of the room, he allowed himself to think what would have been if he had learned the Handsome Stranger's name, if he had given him his number, if he would have asked him on a date afterwards, and if Chan would have said yes. If things had been just a little different, what could have been of them. If they had met a little later, when Chan had his life figured out, when he was already settled into a new city, a new job, maybe they would have stumbled into each other in a park or a coffee shop or another bar another night and Chan would have enjoyed his name in the Stranger's lips.

He turned around and forced his eyes closed, counting the beat of his heartbeat in his ears to will himself to sleep. Knowing Seokmin, he wouldn't care how late he had come back home, he'd have him up early anyway. He was a little too much like their mother in that sense.

Chan covered himself up to his head with the covers, cozy in a warm pocket he created, and wondered how it would feel to fall asleep in the Stranger's strong arms, even if it was useless, even if he'd never know, probably never going to see him again. But his thoughts were his and his alone, so he fell asleep in that fantasy.

December 22nd

As it turned out, it looked like he was, too, a little too much like their mom, because Seokmin didn't even need to knock on his door to wake him up.

After a night of strange dreams, Chan had woken up feeling sore everywhere. He found his collarbones peppered with bruises when he examined his reflection in the bathroom mirror while doing his skin care routine. He had to retrieve a t-shirt from his bag and make sure the collar would covered what needed to be covered, and pray the bruises would fade out soon.

He padded to the kitchen, his socks muffling the sound of his feet on the floorboards. The floor was cold and it was soothing in a way, like his body had been lit up from the inside out and the cold climbed up his feet to put it out.

Of course, when he got to the kitchen, that didn't matter. No cold flooring would be able to cool Chan down, not when he found himself face to face with Handsome Stranger in the flesh.

He stopped dead on his feet, and took the image in. Handsome Stranger was leaning in the counter, long as he was, hands busy with a bowl of rice he was scarfing down. Chan gasped at him but he just kept munching like it was the most normal thing to do.

"What the fuck," he said to himself, but loud enough for Handsome Stranger to hear him, if the tiny smile he tried to hide behind the chopsticks was anything to go by. Chan was about to say it again, louder this time, maybe scream intruder and wait for his hyung to save him, when said person made his entrance.

Seokmin barely spared a glance at the Stranger, busy as he was tying his scarf around his neck. He was already dressed for work and he messed with Chan's hair when he passed by him.

"Ah, you met Wonwoo already," he said as he rummaged through the fridge in search for his lunch, like it was normal.

Chan was starting to feel like it was, indeed, normal, and that sent him into a panic spiral.

"Wonwoo?" He asked, trying to smile through the confusion and the picture that had started forming in his head.

The Handsome Stranger's eyes twinkled with a spark that could only mean trouble.

"Seokmin's dongsaeng, Chan, right?" He asked, and Chan hated him a little for how cool and collected he seemed, meanwhile he felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

"I'm gonna be late to work," Seokmin said, checking his watch. Chan followed him to the door like a lost puppy and watched him put on his coat and leave him alone with Handsome Stranger, which apparently had a name and it was Wonwoo.

He marched back into the kitchen but didn't allow himself the grace of keeping the distances. Instead, he got all over Wonwoo's personal space and tried to be menacing even if he had to look up to do so.

"I don't know what you are doing here," he hissed, digging one finger on Wonwoo's chest, "but whatever happened last night, can't ever happen again. It won't ever happen again."

It didn't help that being so close to him had an effect of him, almost physical. And that now that he wasn't averting his gaze, he noticed things about Wonwoo. For one, he was wearing black rimmed glasses that sat perfectly in his sharp nose. And that he seemed to be fresh out of the shower, hair still damp, a towel around his neck, and the smell brought back memories of the night before that Chan had to shake away.

Wonwoo's smile was dangerous, almost predatory. Chan wasn't used to feeling like fresh prey, so his hand fell beside his body.

"We'll see about that," Wonwoo said, and placed his bowl on the counter top just as footsteps approached.

"Morning," Mingyu said, stretching his arms over his head. Chan jumped like a cat, ending up several feet away from Wonwoo who still sported that annoying smile. "Oh, Chan, you are awake."

"Morning," Chan grumbled, but no one paid him any mind.

"Ready?" Mingyu asked Wonwoo as he grabbed his gym bag.

"Yes," Wonwoo said, moving to the sink to wash his bowl. "Let me just—"

Mingyu rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Chan, like he was trying to say Get a load of this guy, but Chan wasn't really into the joke.

"Get used to seeing his face often," he said, lips twisted in distaste but Chan could hear the joking tone. "I can't keep him away since he rented the apartment next door."

"Next door?" Chan squeaked. Mingyu nodded with a funny look in his face, sensing that Chan was in distress. He was about to ask but he got cut off by Wonwoo.

"Alright, let's go," he said, grabbing his own bag that Chan had failed to see until that very second, and they waved goodbye.

Chan didn't miss the way Wonwoo's eyes were on him, and neither did he miss how he winked at him before the front door closed behind them.

December 23rd

Chan had managed to hide from everyone the previous day. He avoided his brother's home as if it had the plague, as if he'd did if he as much as set a foot on the threshold.

He was supposed to explore the city anyway, to get accustomed to it, familiar. So it wouldn't feel as foreign to him. He had found a bookstore and a cute little coffee shop snuggled in a corner away from most eyes.

He didn't come back home until midnight, trying not to make noises as he walked past the closed door to Seokmin and Mingyu's bedroom, tiptoeing down the hallway. His feet were tired from walking up and down, but he was mostly familiar with the neighborhood and the public transportation. He felt somewhat proud.

He didn't even think of Wonwoo when he snuggled into bed that night, too tired for it. No tossing and turning to will sleep to come in a strange bed, instead he felt at peace, like the city had opened its arms to him and he was were he was supposed to be. Like the city, after having Chan walking up and down for hours, was telling him it couldn't wait for him to be there permanently.

Of course, the morning was soured almost immediately, when he went to the kitchen to grab something to eat and found Wonwoo there. Chan rolled his eyes, acutely aware that Mingyu wasn't exaggerating and Wonwoo probably spent more time than necessary in their apartment.

He had to bite off a satisfied smile at the fact that the has forgone to wear a top that morning, his pajama pants hanging low on his waist and his fluffy rob untied. Wonwoo choked on his serving of kimchi and Chan pretended he didn't even notice his presence taking over the kitchen.

Seokmin came into the kitchen like a whirlwind, clearly his independent life hadn't made him better at listening to his alarm. He pointed at Chan from where he was crouched in front of the fridge, trying to grab a container from the bottom shelf with a note stuck on the lid. Chan recognized Mingyu's handwriting but couldn't decipher what it said.

"Don't act innocent," Seokmin said, and Chan jumped inside his skin, his younger brother senses activated at the scolding tone. "I know you came home past midnight last night, young man."

Wonwoo's eyes went from Seokmin to Chan so fast that his neck had to hurt. His eyebrows were furrowed as he examined Chan, but he only crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Seokmin finally retrieved the container and made a cheerful sound, hugging it to his chest before tucking it inside his bag with a smile. Chan almost wanted to snort an ironic laugh, but kept it together. He knew how much Seokmin deserved it.

"I have a task for you today," he told him, hanging his bag from his shoulder and making his way to the entrance. "Consider it a punishment, that's why you have to bring Wonwoo with you."

"Seokmin-ah," Wonwoo whined playfully, and Chan tucked away immediately the effect the sound of his voice had on him.

"Hyung, what the fuck?" Chan said, following him across the hallway.

Seokmin sighed before handing him his bag to put on his coat and scarf hung by the door.

"I just need you to bring the tree home from Seungkwan's shop," he said, making sure his collar was looking fine on the mirror.

"I can do that by myself," Chan grumbled, peeved, knowing full well that he probably couldn't. The look Seokmin gave him meant that he thought the same.

"Wonwoo has a truck," Seokmin said, grabbing his bag from Chan's hand.

"Can't it wait until Jihoon hyung gets here and use his truck?" He asked, a tiny sliver of hope in his heart.

"No," Seokmin replied, index finger in the air in a chiding gesture that reminded Chan so much of their mom. "I need the tree here today to decorate it, Jihoon hyung arrives tomorrow and I won't decorate minutes before mom and dad get here."

Chan bite down the inside of his cheek so the rebuttal he wanted to give wouldn't come out. He knew Seokmin wouldn't appreciate him pointing out his poor planning skills, so he let it rest and accepted his fate.

Seokmin gave him one last look that very clearly meant I want that tree here by the time I come home tonight, and closed the door behind him. Chan blew the air out of his lungs, annoyed.

Wonwoo was leaning against the counter top, in an all too familiar picture of the morning before. The posture accentuated his small waist, broad shoulders, long legs. Chan rolled his eyes and Wonwoo's smile got bigger, as if he enjoyed getting under his skin.

"Let's go," he said, and for some reason Chan felt his cheeks heating up. "Let's grab lunch on our way back, my treat."

Luckily for Chan, Wonwoo went to his apartment to put on some clothes and let him to his own devices. The walls no longer felt like they were caving in, and he felt like the air was flowing better to his lungs now that Wonwoo wasn't in immediate proximity.

Chan was ready quickly, and there was no sign of Wonwoo. He stared at the clock on the wall, wondering what his next step looked like. He decided to bite the bullet, and knocked on Wonwoo's door. He was about to knock again when a voice interrupted him, hand midair.

"Come in, it's unlocked," Wonwoo said from the unexplored confines of his home.

Chan bit his bottom lip. He didn't want to come in, it felt like a line was being crossed, the same line around which he had drawn a boundary the night he met Wonwoo. It felt too personal, too invasive to set foot in his home. He panicked, knowing that if he took one more second to decide, it would be too weird.

So he decided he was more gutsy than he felt like and pushed the door open.

The entrance was well kept, just a few pairs of shoes by the step. Chan smiled involuntarily, seeing how they were messy, probably taken off in a haste, not paying attention.

He took his shoes off carefully, making a point in no to check how they looked beside Wonwoo's, and ventured inside the apartment. It was, overall, tidy, except a few things here and there, like a coffee table with papers scattered all over, and a few dirty dishes in the sink. It was a lived in home, and Chan didn't know what he was expecting, but it made his chest constrict.

With perfect timing, before Chan could spiral into a panic attack for not being able to sort himself out, Wonwoo came from the hallway, closing a door behind him.

"All ready," he said, giving Chan a once over that had him weak on the knees, even if he would never admit it. "You look good. Alright, let's go."

Chan avoided to think of how domestic it felt, following Wonwoo to the door as he grabbed his keys and spun them around his finger. Domesticity was everything he was trying to avoid, so he shook his head stubbornly and focused on putting on his boots, tying the laces angrily. He also chose to ignore Wonwoo when he chuckled.

The snow crunched under their shoes and Chan tried to make himself smaller inside his jacket to avoid the harsh wind. Winter was on full swing and not even the tall buildings were able to cut the cold air.

Too focused on trying to cover himself, Chan slipped on the snow, the grip of his boots failing. But, of course, Wonwoo was there like a knight in shiny armor. He held Chan, one arm around his lower back to prevent him from slipping to the floor.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his face too close for comfort.

"I'm fine," Chan replied, securing his feet on the ground before he pushed him away. He dusted off his jacket just to have something to do with his hands. "Thanks," he grumbled, begrudgingly.

Wonwoo shrugged before he pointed at his truck, parked by the sidewalk. He even walked faster to open the door for Chan and offered a hand for him to climb into the passenger seat.

Chan rolled his eyes but accepted the hand. The inside of the cabin was cold so he shivered just as Wonwoo got into the driver seat. Without saying anything, he turned on the heat, adjusting it to a temperature that was comfortable for Chan.

It was charming. Chan hated him a little.

"So," he said, trying to break the silence as they drove. "What do you need a truck for in the city?"

Wonwoo shoot him a funny look for just a second before his eyes were back on the road.

"I'm a contractor," he replied, simply.

"Oh," Chan said, feeling like a dumbass. "Right." He never thought of asking when they met, but yet it felt like something he should have known. Maybe that was the reason Wonwoo was like that, rough hands, strong arms—

He stopped his line of thought. It was no good to go there, not when what had happened between them would never happen again. Chan had to make peace with it. He was perfectly fine with it.

The pulled to the flower shop Seungkwan owned and Wonwoo maneuvered the truck to the pick-up zone. Chan jumped off the vehicle as soon as the engine turned off, after a few seconds of struggle with the seatbelt. He managed not to land square on his face and get to the front door on just a few quick strides.

A bell above the door chimed when he opened it, and a blond head peeked from behind the counter.

"Finally," Seungkwan said, voice loud. "You came to take that hideous thing out of my shop!"

Chan raised both hands high, claiming innocence.

"Take that to Seokmin hyung," he said, "I have nothing to do with it."

Seungkwan clicked his tongue in feigned annoyance just as Chan reached to pull him into a hug.

"It's been too long," Seungkwan said, and Chan didn't have the heart to reply that they had seen each other a few weeks back. It was like that between them. "Also I need all the deets of the other night, Hansol told me that—"

The bell above the door chimed again, cutting off Seungkwan. Chan could almost see the customer speech getting caught in his throat, so he rolled his eyes before he shoved his shoulder.

"That's Wonwoo, Seokmin's neighbor, Mingyu's friend I think," he said, examining Seungkwan's face as he kept staring at Wonwoo. "He's helping with the tree."

"Hey," Wonwoo said, offering a hand for Seungkwan to shake.

Chan was about to ask Seungkwan if he was doing alright or if he was having some sort of embolism and if he needed to call an ambulance when he seemed to snap out of it.

"Hi, I'm Seungkwan," he said, shaking his hand firmly. Chan could almost see the wheels in his brain turning.

Wonwoo smiled politely, a smidge of mischief getting caught in the corner of his lips when he looked at Chan, catching the way he furrowed his eyebrows at the exchange.

"Alright, Seungkwan, if you point me where, I can help you get rid of the tree," he said, a perfectly charming smile on his face.

Seungkwan pointed at a corner of the store and as soon as Wonwoo was out of earshot he grabbed Chan by the elbow, rather aggressively if he had to say, and brought him closer to him.

"Who's that?" Seungkwan asked, his eyes nailed to Wonwoo's back. Chan tried to push away the flare of white hot jealousy that sparked irrationally inside him.

"I just told you," he said, shaking him off his arm. "Quit being a creep!"

Then Seungkwan gasped, his eyes going round as he looked at Chan and Wonwoo alternatively.

"No way!" He shrieked, and Chan slapped a hand over his mouth, panicked.

"All good?" Wonwoo asked from the other side of the store, concern in his voice.

"Yes, we're fine!" Chan replied, before dropping his voice and hissing at Seungkwan: "Would you shut up?"

Seungkwan whined and Chan removed his hand from his face, earning a venomous side eye as he fixed his clothes.

"I can't believe you bagged that and didn't tell your best friend," he said, finally in a normal tone.

Chan felt his whole face heating up. "I didn't bag anything, don't be so overdramatic."

"Hansol said you left the bar with someone," Seungkwan said, resting his chin on his hand, looking forlone. "Can't believe the one day I can't avoid my responsibilities and go drink with you, guys, my best friend meets the love of his life…"

"I'm going to rip my hair off," Chan said, pointing a finger at Seungkwan, which he ignored in order to keep the hurt look going. "I didn't find nothing, he's just my brother's friend, and it won't happen ever again, so you can—"

"Aha!" Seungkwan jumped. "So you admit to your crimes!"

Chan closed his lips, pressed in a thin line at the fact that he had walked straight into Seungkwan's trap.

"Care to give me a hand over here?" Wonwoo's voice resonated through the shop, and maybe through Chan's bones.

"Coming!" Chan replied, and ignore the devious look Seungkwan gave him at his choice of words.

Wonwoo had the tree properly tied to make carrying it easier. He instructed Chan to grab it by the trunk, since it would be more comfortable, and Chan decided there was no time to argue with it. Seungkwan opened the double doors so they could carry it out, whooping something about Chan putting his muscles to use that he decided to ignore.

He was out of breathe when they managed to push the tree on the truck. Wonwoo jumped up to secure it, and Chan rolled his eyes at himself. It was becoming a problem that everything he did he found hot. He needed a Pavlovian solution, like those shock collars, to prevent himself from doing it again.

"Tell Seokmin hyung I'm charging him extra for making my shop ugly so close to Christmas," Seungkwan said once the engine was running and Chan had fastened his seatbelt. "And that I'm out of favor for him and I'm not contacting any tree farm next year!"

Despite the threats, Seungkwan reached through the window and handed Chan a bouquet of all red flowers, to match the Christmas decorations Seokmin had to put up. They wished each other a nice holiday and Chan just knew that the next year Seokmin would manage to convince him to get him a tree anyway.

And they drove off. Without saying anything, Wonwoo pulled to a old fashioned diner and Chan remembered his offer to buy lunch.

They ordered their food and sat down to wait for it. Chan tapped his foot on the floor, impatient. He was hungry but, more than that, he wanted to something to do with his hands. To keep himself occupied so Wonwoo's company wouldn't be so overwhelming.

"So," Wonwoo said, apparently bothered by the silence as well. "I heard you have a job lined up already."

"Oh, yeah," Chan said, his eyes focused on the way Wonwoo was drumming his fingers on the table. "As a therapist for youth at risk, at the clinic on Main Street."

Wonwoo nodded his head, silence still heavy. The worst part was that Chan was good with silences, he was always able to fill them seamlessly, but somehow he couldn't now. He wanted to ask many things, he wanted to know how he had become friends with Mingyu and Seokmin, what kind of work did he do the most, about his family, about other friends.

But Chan was tongue-tied. It was like a breach on the floor that he couldn't salvage, so he didn't say anything until their food arrived.

They ate in silence and then climbed back in the truck, few words exchanged between them, all utilitarian.

"Those are nice," Wonwoo said while they drove back to the apartment building, after a long silence, sparing a look at the flowers. "They suit you."

Chan didn't reply, he didn't even know what to say. He knew how to react to compliments when they were premeditated, but there was something in the way Wonwoo said things. Like he didn't give them much thought, he just blurted out, his bleeding heart on his sleeve.

It made Chan's own guarded heart uncomfortable, feel too much on display.

Lucky for him, Mingyu was home when they got there, so he managed to sneak away, leaving them to figure out how to haul the tree upstairs. Seokmin wasn't around yet, so he managed to escape his wrath as well.

Overall, a successful trip, and yet he felt empty inside.

December 24th

Christmas Eve was always hectic.

There was always something to do. It was either tidying up, or doing some last minute decorating, or, in Chan's case, trying to avoid crossing paths with Seokmin to avoid his wrath. He'd leave that to Mingyu, thank you very much.

So of course, in the middle of moving the whole couch to vacuum under it, even if Mingyu insisted that no one was going to check, Seokmin realized he had forgotten half the ingredients for dinner. How would it be any other way?

"Chan-ah," Seokmin said, abruptly entering the guest room where Chan was pretending he was cleaning a mess he hadn't even had time to make. "I need you to go to the grocery store, fast."

Chan examined the piece of paper Seokmin had handed him as he tried to unstuck his arm from his jacket. The list was hefty and it was a lot more items than just "a few".

"Hyung, this is a lot for me to carry," he said, waving the paper around.

"You are right, bring Wonwoo with you."

"What?" Chan almost shouted, which had Mingyu arching an eyebrow. "I mean, just give me your car keys and I—"

"No," Seokmin replied, quickly enough to wound Chan's ego. "It's snowing and you don't know the city well enough, you'll crash."

"That's a little presumptive of you," Chan grumbled, but Seokmin had already carried on on his next task and wasn't concerned with him. He had no choice.

He dragged his feet to the next door and knocked on it. He had to swallow hard when Wonwoo opened. He had been clearly lounging around, he looked… Well, the only word that came to mind was soft. In an oversized hoodie and sweatpants, his hair fluffy and glasses perched on his nose. A pair of headphones hung from his neck and Chan felt suddenly self conscious.

"Hey, I'm sorry to bother you," he said, crumbling the list in his hands.

"Don't worry," Wonwoo said, cocky smile on, leaning against the door frame. "You can come bother me anytime."

Chan rolled his eyes, but found himself not feeling as annoyed as he'd expect, and more amused than anything. Still, he decided not to acknowledge the joke.

"I'm here to ask for a favor, actually," he said, flashing him the grocery list. "Can you drive me to the store?"

Wonwoo shrugged before he picked up his keys from a bowl on the tiny table beside the door.

"Sure, let's go," he said before putting on some shoes. There was something to be said about a man who was so quick to agree to run errands with him, but he wasn't about to do so.

Not when, after trying to run from domesticity, it seemed like he was running straight for it. There was comfort in the sound the cart wheels made as Wonwoo pushed it, following Chan across the aisles. As much as he tried to avoid Wonwoo, it seemed like the universe was conspiring against him, pushing Chan towards him in the most domestic of situations. He wanted to claw his eyes out.

"Just how many things does Seokminnie need?" He asked, pushing the cart until he was beside Chan.

He feigned he was too interested in checking the state of ripeness of every single bundle of bananas.

"Why?" He asked, not looking at him, putting a bundle he deemed decent on the cart. "Tired already?"

Wonwoo laughed and Chan ignored the fact that he wanted to spit his heart there, in front of the bell peppers.

"You know I have plenty of stamina."

"God," Chan said, the words escaping his lips before he could decide to ignore Wonwoo again. "Do you always have to say those things?"

Wonwoo shrugged and pushed the cart again when Chan walked away, keeping himself reasonable close by.

Chan wondered, it seemed like it was the only thing he knew how to do lately. If he allowed himself to open his heart and feel things, would this be what he'd end up with? Grocery runs, errands, companionship? Feeling nauseous, he shook the feelings away.

When they made it home, it was packed. It seemed like the Lees were a whole battalion and not just four extra people, his older brother Jihoon, both his parents, and his grandmother. It felt like there was not a single place in the apartment where to stand without bumping into someone.

Wonwoo insisted on carrying the groceries to the kitchen after politely introducing himself. Then, as Chan's grandmother mused about missing him —even if he had been gone for just a few days— he tucked himself into a corner. He observed the family with warm eyes, a small smile tugging his lips, seemingly content with just staring from a safe distance.

After a while, as his father tried to pry information about what he had done in the city so far, Wonwoo retrieved to the door, disappearing quietly. Chan wasn't even able to listen for the next door closing, since there was so much noise around.

When Mingyu asked where Wonwoo had gone, he shrugged and pretended he didn't even notice he wasn't there.

December 25th

Chan wasn't even surprised when someone knocked at the door and, when he opened it, Wonwoo was on the other side. More than that, he was almost expecting it.

What he wasn't expecting was the knot in his throat when his eyes fell on Wonwoo. He was wearing a cozy looking jacket, his hair looked fluffy and his glasses were almost falling from the bridge of his nose. He stared at Chan from above the rim and Chan, to avoid his eyes, pointed at the wine bottle between his hands.

"For us?"

Wonwoo looked at the bottle as if it was the first time he was seeing it before nodding and offering it to Chan. He grabbed it and gestured at Wonwoo to come in, but made a point of not acknowledge him even if he knew he was following him to the main living space.

The tiny apartment was packed, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. But Chan liked it anyway, having a full house, with people all over and the noise of laugh and conversation.

The wine bottle was set on the table and Chan managed to sit all the way across from Wonwoo, too far to maintain a conversation, too many people between them. What was not in his careful calculations was that they ended up in opposite sides of the table.

It was hard for Chan not to look at him, not when he had the excuse of him being dead in front of him. It pained that Wonwoo was so good looking, absolutely deserving of the nickname Handsome Stranger. But also, there was something else now that he looked more closely at him, in a different light. Maybe it was the wine.

But, to Chan, Wonwoo looked charming. In a goofy way. He was handsome without even trying, but he was also a nerd, if Chan picked up correctly from the conversation he was having with Jihoon about the latest releases on video games. It was surreal to see him talking to his dad about, probably, fishing, and then turn around and compliment Seokmin about the food, or arranging a chest routine with Mingyu for the next time they'd hit the gym.

Chan understood pretty quickly that every single member of his family was enamored with Wonwoo. He was polite and kind and apparently could carry a conversation about any topic. Chan was the only one that wasn't obsessed with him.

His mom blushed when Wonwoo offered to take the dirty dishes to the kitchen, and Chan gave her such a glare that she just shrugged.

Something connected painfully with his ribs and it took Chan a second to realize his grandmother had just elbowed him and that she was stronger than she looked like.

"Ow," he said, rubbing above his ribs. "What was that for?"

"Go help him with the dishes," she said, thumb pointing at the kitchen.

"Why?" Chan whined like a moody teenager and she just raised a thin eyebrow at him.

He sighed, doomed, before excusing himself and dragging his feet to the kitchen. Wonwoo was washing the dishes by hand on the sink, wearing a pair of yellow rubber gloves that looked a little silly on him.

"You could use the dishwasher," Chan said, his voice startling Wonwoo.

"Oh, Chan-ah," he said, a little pink coloring the top of his ears. "I just like it more this way."

Chan hummed before he approached the sink too, finding a kitchen towel to dry the dishes with. They worked in companionable silence for a few minutes, but Chan felt the need to fill the empty spaces.

"So," he said, going over his question in his head, not to be rude. "Don't take this the wrong way but, why aren't you spending the holiday with your family?"

Wonwoo laughed a little laugh, a small thing, but his nose wrinkled with amusement and Chan felt mesmerized by it.

"My dad and brother live abroad," he said, rubbing a dish with particular strength. "I usually travel to spend the holidays with them, but this year work didn't allow it. When Seokmin and Mingyu heard I would spend Christmas alone, they invited me over."

"Do you miss them?"

Chan felt like kicking himself. He didn't know where the question had come from, or why it slid from his tongue without authorization, or even why did he care. He wanted to know that the most, why did he care about a stranger that he was actively trying to keep at arms length, even if he was enticing, even if he was intrigued. He didn't want to add anything else to his already full plate.

"I do," Wonwoo replied, easily, not even having to think about it, not even scared or ashamed of exposing his feelings. "I'm glad I get to spend it with your family, though. They're fun."

Chan didn't reply, keeping himself busy as he tried to reach one of the top shelves in the cabinet to put some glasses away. It was almost humiliating, how much he was struggling to reach, until Wonwoo came from behind him and his rough but gentle fingers enveloped his.

"Allow me," he said, and Chan held his breathe until the cups were put away and Wonwoo's warmth abandoned him.

"Thanks," he mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

"I'm looking forward to have you around more often next year, too," Wonwoo said, and this time Chan did look at him.

There was no mischief, Wonwoo wasn't being cocky or teasing. There was something sincere in his eyes, unguarded and vulnerable. Chan didn't reply and Wonwoo walked out of the kitchen back to the laughter and noise, so he had to sit in silence with it, on his own, until he gathered the guts to follow.

December 26th

It was early in the morning. Even earlier than Chan, a morning person, would have liked. That might have to do with the fact that they had stayed until later than reasonable playing drinking games.

Still, the world didn't stop and things had to be done now that Christmas had come and passed. One of those was packing the car so the guests would drive back home.

Despite not getting the sleep his bran required not to be foggy, Chan enjoyed being up early. The crisp winter air helped woke him up, even if it was biting his cheeks as he hauled bags to the car. He was thinking of dragging Seungkwan to visit apartments up for rent with him later.

"Why do you pack so much stuff anyway?" He asked, trying to figure out packing Tetris between boxes. "You weren't here even for forty eight hours."

His mom gave him a pointed look that meant he shouldn't be asking more questions, so Chan didn't. Instead, he tried not to crush Jihoon with a cardboard box as he slept in the backseat, sunglasses on.

"Do you think this will fit there?" Wonwoo asked behind him, startling Chan.

It was infuriating, the way he could always sneak up on him and scare the living lights out of him. It had come to a point that Chan could only assume it was because he was constantly in high alert, and he was the very reason why.

And, to add insult to injury, he made Chan feel clunky. Clumsy. And he was a very graceful person, thank you very much. He didn't spent all his childhood and young adulthood in dance studios for nothing. But Wonwoo had this thing to him, almost like the most annoying and useless superpower in the world, to turn Chan into a tool.

Chan had never in his life felt inadequate before. He wasn't liking the experience. He liked it even less when, as he turned around to curse at Jeon Wonwoo and his incredibly light feet, even in the snow, he felt his boots loosing grip on the slippery snow.

The world turned white and blurry. The ground stopped being under his feet and it felt like he had been sent flying, like in an old cartoon he used to watch on Saturday mornings. He tried to find his footing but the snow was wet and he kept slipping. His hands tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing, just air.

The faint sound of something heavy landing on the floor got to his ears before two strong arms wrapped around his waist. For a brief, wonderful second, Chan thought he'd be able to remain on his feet, but then it hit him. The smell of Wonwoo's shampoo.

That alone was enough to make him loose his bodily functions, like the floor sensed his panic and how he plead to be swallowed by it and said, don't worry, that has an easy solution. Like the Earth's gravitational pull had been messed up and suddenly it all concentrated in that singular spot right under them. The ground was reclaiming Lee Chan and he couldn't do anything about it.

They landed with a pained oof, the air escaped Chan's lungs with the impact. He braced himself for the bite cold of the snow under his hands and on his face, but it didn't come.

A little bafflingly, he got the opposite. Something warm and soft. It took him a few seconds to process that he had just called on top of Wonwoo and that the buzzing in his ears were his family all freaking out around them, but none of them made a single move to try to help them.

Wonwoo let out a little groan and Chan felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. He pushed himself on his hands, to keep some of his weight up. The cold of the snow on his palms was a welcome sensation, it made him feel grounded. He could easily lose the plot if he kept himself cozily snuggled on Wonwoo's chest.

"Oh my God," he said, mortified. "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah, just—" Wonwoo exhaled between his teeth. "I think some Christmas ornament is stabbing me."

Chan's eyes flew to find the problem, and he spotted the box Wonwoo was carrying before not too far, its contents spilled on the floor. There were stray Christmas decorations everywhere, including under Wonwoo. The delicate material had broken and the plastic shards were probably a hazard.

"Shit," Chan said, getting to his knees, finally, but immediately feeling too cold. "Let me help you."

He clasped Wonwoo's hand and helped him up until he was sitting, dusting off the snow and plastic clinging to the wool of his soft cardigan.

Then someone was beside him and helped him back onto his feet, and someone else did the same with Wonwoo. He felt his whole face hot, like it was about to explode. He wanted to run and hide, maybe bury his head on the snow.

"Are you hurt?" Wonwoo asked, reaching for Chan with a hand once his mom had stopped fuzzing around him.

"I'm fine," Chan replied, trying to delete of his mind the very brief seconds in which they had been a breathe away. "Thank you."

Wonwoo's lips trembled into a smile, his hand going up to fix his glasses. "We both fell."

Something about that struck Chan, but instead he said: "But you caught me."

It seemed like Wonwoo wanted to say something else, with the way he opened and closed his lips a few times. Chan hoped he'd say so, whatever it was, so he'd have an excuse to keep staring at them.

But the moment was interrupted by his dad asking if anyone needed to be drive to the hospital, and just like that, it was over. The moment extended its wings and it was gone before Chan could close his fingers and hold it in the palm of his hand.

When no urgent care was deemed of need, they finished putting everything in the car and they drove away. The four of them waved his hand on the sidewalk, until the car turned on the corner and they didn't see it anymore.

"Well," Seokmin said, clapping his hands. "Who's up for some hot cocoa?"

Mingyu cheered and Seokmin's smile got bigger. Wonwoo looked at Chan, like he was waiting for his reply.

"Actually, I have plans," he said, and then he felt the strange need to clarify: "With Seungkwan, to look a place to rent."

Seokmin and Mingyu nodded, even if both of them pouted, and Chan avoided Wonwoo's intense stare. Finally, after a few seconds, he said he would join for something warm to drink.

Chan tried to shake all the feelings along with the snow from his clothes, hoping, wanting, wishing it would be as easy to get rid of. Knowing it wasn't.

December 27th

The day started, of course, as it couldn't be any other way, badly.

Chan had to check in with his new boss that day, to have a small meeting, and he would be late, for circumstances unforeseeable for him. That was the worst part of it all.

He had even woke up early, to squeeze the day to the best of his abilities. He went for a run, crunching some cardio always made him feel better. And yet when he came back, all the stress he had managed to peel off his back was back immediately.

"Oh, Channie," Seokmin said when he caught him on his way to the bathroom with clean clothes and a towel, "the shower doesn't work."

"What do you mean?" He squeaked, and Seokmin shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"Mingyu tripped this morning," he explained as Chan barged into the bathroom, his voice tailing behind him. "He managed to somehow bust the shower head."

Chan stared at it hopelessly, tiny droplets of water still clinging to the shower head.

"I need to shower, hyung," he whined, coming back to the kitchen where Seokmin was parsimoniously buttering some toast. "I have to meet with my boss."

"Oh, don't worry," he said. "Wonwoo will come fix it in a bit."

Chan bit his bottom lip. Of course. Of fucking course, that was his luck. He could never escape Handsome Stranger, and that night would haunt him for the rest of his life. Hansol was right, he really needed to make better decisions, even when drunk. Specially when drunk.

At least that meant he'd be able to make it to his meeting. But he was one inconvenience away from putting the whole day on rice.

Seokmin ruffled his hair on his way out, an old habit Chan had already give up on trying to correct, alleging that he was meeting his friend Minghao and that he was running late. That, of course, left Chan to fend for himself, alone.

That would be fine and dandy, except for the fact that it would be the first time he and Wonwoo would be truly alone since… well, since he had fucked the living lights out of Chan, to be crass.

But he didn't even have time to pull at his hair, or to throw something else on instead of just a sleeveless shirt he wore for workouts. The doorbell rang and he panicked, his mind going blank. He could have told him to wait a second, but he didn't even register his attire, not until he noticed the way Wonwoo's eyes lingered on his arms.

"Hey," Wonwoo said, finally, after a few awkward seconds of silence.

"Hi," Chan replied like a dumbass, feeling like slapping himself on the face when Wonwoo raised and eyebrow at him.

"Can I come in?" He asked, showing him his toolbox where Chan thought it would be safe to assume he stored his tools. God, Wonwoo was a man who had tools.

"Yeah, of course," Chan said, moving out of the way.

He felt silly, being a little turned on by the way Wonwoo looked like a man on a mission. He walked straight to the bathroom, his toolbox rattling with every step. Chan debated if he should follow him or just let him get to work, opting for the second option. He didn't really trust himself, not in the state of apparent frazzle he was in.

Chan decided that the perfect place to set camp and wait it out was on the couch. He felt like a little prey animal that knew anytime now the predator would strike and he didn't have anything to defend himself with. Certainly his self control wasn't one of his strongest points when he was around Wonwoo.

He turned on the TV to have some white noise distracting him from the sounds coming from the bathroom. Maybe he was getting old but he found a man that could work around the house and fix things was such an attractive trait. But he couldn't allow himself such thoughts, he had made his mind already. He wanted to get used to his new life first, new city, new job, new apartment. He didn't have time to worry about small things like having a love life. Besides, he found Wonwoo cocky and annoying, even if he was so good looking.

His phone chimed on the pocket of his sweatpants, making him jump. He immediately chastised himself for being so on edge and checked his notifications.

Ask Wonwoo if I need to buy a new shower head on my way home, he read Seokmin's message on his screen. Chan wanted to scream. That definitely threw a wrench into his plans of avoiding Wonwoo as much as humanly possible.

With a sigh, he dragged his feet to the bathroom and peeked his head through the door. He indulged in a few seconds of eye candy, even if he had no idea what was Wonwoo doing or what kind of tools he was using. He seemed focused, eyes intense and eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he held the detachable shower head with a hand and with the other one he bolted it back to the wall.

Unsure of how he was supposed to call Wonwoo, even, Chan felt completely stumped. He thought the most natural, normal, not creepy and definitely not feelings-charged was calling him the obvious: hyung. He was older than him, after all, and he already called most of his friends that, being cursed with being the maknae not only in his family but with most of his friends.

"Hyung," he said, the world rolling off his tongue strangely, even when he was so used to saying it out loud. It felt like some kind of boundary or imaginary line had been crossed.

It seemed like it wasn't like that just for Chan, but also for Wonwoo, if the way his shoulders went up to his ears were any indication. He turned around so fast Chan was sure his neck had to hurt, eyes wide and the top of his ears firetruck red.

He wanted to reply something, Chan noticed, before the shower head slipped from his hand. In a futile attempt of catching it, Wonwoo flung an arm and it hit the faucet with almost perfect aim, turning on the water. The shower head turned into a snake, flailing on the small bathroom and drenching everything it could. Wonwoo was in the front of the line, so he got drenched from head to toe. He tried covering himself with his arms but it was useless.

In a show of abnegation, Chan came in to try and help. Like a dumbass, his first instinct was to grab the shower head, which meant he accidentally pointed it at himself and ended up soaking wet from his hair to his socks. Spluttering, he reached between him and Wonwoo and closed the water. The shower head coughed one last time, offensively, before it died in his hands.

They stood there in silence, except for the sound of the last droplets falling onto the floor. Chan looked up and found Wonwoo already looking at him, and in his dark eyes there was something soft and curious, warm. Chan thought that if he wasn't careful he might end up too tangled in them.

"Well," Chan said, his lips twisting into a smile. "At least we know it works now."

Wonwoo blinked at him a few times before letting out an ugly laugh, like it had taken him by surprise. With those soft eyes and soft smile, he offered Chan a hand.

"I'll put that back," he said, when Chan remained still.

"Oh, sure," he said, trying to ignore the way Wonwoo's fingers lingered around his when he went to grab the shower head.

Wonwoo took care of making sure that the shower head would stay in its place this time, and Chan dug through the cabinets until he found some clean, fluffy towels.

They tried to dry themselves as much as possible, so they wouldn't leak all over Mingyu's carpets when Chan walked Wonwoo to the door.

"Thanks for the help," Chan said, trying to focus on the white towel around Wonwoo's neck and not in how his wet hair curled up in the most adorable way.

"Don't worry about it," Wonwoo said.

Then, like they seemed to often do, they stood there, staring at each other. Even if Chan could feel the puddle of water forming under his feet and he knew he'd have to clean everything before Seokmin got back home, he didn't move an inch. But, he remembered then that he was supposed to have his shit together. He was supposed to be sensible, reliable, levelheaded. So he took one step back, putting distance between them.

"I'll go take a shower now," he said.

"Me too," Wonwoo replied, and then the words hit him, and his ears turned red again before he spluttered: "I mean, in my own house. In my own shower."

"Alright," Chan said, not even trying to hide the smile that reached his lips. "I'll see you around, then."

Wonwoo nodded and took one step away, towards his apartment. Chan closed the door, and if he did it slower than necessary, well, it wasn't anybody's problem but his.

December 28th

And, just like that, it was over. His stay in the city had come to an end, and he was supposed to be taking the last train back home that same night. At least he had done all in his tasks list. Maybe even some more, Seungkwan could argue if Chan would allow him, which was why he never did.

He had everything packed already, nice and tidy, his luggage beside the front door even if he still had most of the day free.

Chan was laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't say he was exactly relaxing, a whirlwind of thoughts swimming through his mind. Disorienting. Incapacitating, even, that was why he was on the couch instead of bugging Seokmin in the kitchen.

He'd be going back home and spending New Year's Eve with his family, and then what? Life would be normal for a little bit, and then it'd change again, and Chan didn't know where it landed him. He was curious about Wonwoo. He was intriguing and maybe if he had met at a different time… But, now that things had wind up like they did, if they crossed paths again, how would it be like?

And he was sure they would. He'd have to hang out at his brother's place for at least five minutes before he'd be knocking on the door with his handsome face and his dumb smile.

The sounds of the home filtered through the brain fog, even if he was trying his best to keep them out. Mingyu and Seokmin were in the kitchen being all homey and domestic, talking in hushed tones and the occasional laugh reached his ears. Chan tried to smother them out by putting a pillow over his head, and it wasn't ideal but it somewhat help.

Until Seokmin's voice was beside him and he couldn't purposefully ignore it because he was talking to him.

"What?" He said, dropping the pillow on the floor and blinking because of the light.

Seokmin looked at the pillow on the floor and sighed, probably deciding that was a battle he didn't want to fight at the moment, and instead held up a tower of plastic containers with bright colored lids.

"Do you mind taking these to Wonwoo?" He asked, pushing the containers into Chan's hands.

"Yes, I do mind," he said, trying to give them back but unsuccessfully. "I'm busy."

"I see that the way I phrased it makes you think I was asking you," Seokmin pointed at the door and Chan felt like a scolded kid again, which he supposed was something you never stopped feeling when you had older siblings.

Chan stopped in front of Wonwoo's door, and took a big breath in. He just had to see him one time, just one more time, and it would be over. It would be a good, fun memory to keep in the back of his head to revisit from time to time when thinking about that trip. Maybe he'd take a good look at Wonwoo's face, commit it to memory, attach it to the nickname Handsome Stranger, even if he wasn't a stranger anymore.

He knocked on the door and bit the since of his cheek, balancing his weight in the balls of his feet just to do something with his body. Then the door swung open and, to Chan's utter dismay, it was Wonwoo on the other side. Which he expected, of course, but what he wasn't expecting was him answering the door without a shirt on.

"Oh, God," he said, unable to not notice his broad muscular shoulders and the swell of his chest and—

Wonwoo cursed under his breathe and tried covering himself up with an arm, but it was too late. Chan had noticed the bruises blooming purple and green and yellow right above the ribs.

Acting on pure instinct, he gently grabbed Wonwoo's wrist and moved it away from where he was trying to conceal the bruises. He leaned forward, containers still pressed against his chest, to have a better look.

"How did you—" then, realization came in the form of a choked gasp. "When we fell on the snow?"

Wonwoo looked bashful. He didn't try to hide the bruises anymore but he did look away, a soft color dusting the high points of his cheeks. He nodded and Chan leaned even closer, acting without thinking, like his fingers had a mind of their own. He traced the bruises, lightly, with just the tip of his fingers, soft enough he barely felt the warmth of Wonwoo's skin under his touch.

From up close they were even uglier. The purple was deep and splotchy, lined with sickly green and yellow around the edges. He accidentally pressed a finger harder, and Wonwoo hissed and jerked away.

"Did you have that checked?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He was ready to scold him if he had to, even if he felt a little out of place doing so. Because he was no one in Wonwoo's life, no one but a random guy he had picked up in a bar, no one but his friend's little brother.

"I did," Wonwoo said, and Chan felt his shoulders sagging with relief. "Just a few bruises, nothing else."

Chan nodded and they stood there, like they apparently did. Always something stuck between them, things they hadn't said and didn't have time to say. Chan was leaving that night and that was hanging ominously on top of them.

What if by the time Chan was back and he had his shit figured out, Wonwoo was with someone else?

"Right, that's good," he said, finally, the words almost sticking to the roof of his mouth. "Ah, Seokmin hyung wanted me to bring this over."

He pushed the containers into Wonwoo's hands and he mumbled a thanks under his breathe. Then, there was some more staring, some more heavy air. Chan's shoes scraped against the floor when he moved. There wasn't much else to be said.

"I'm sorry," he said, and when Wonwoo looked up at him in confusion, he pointed in his general direction. "About that bruise. At least I'm leaving tonight so you won't have to save me anymore."

He tried to laugh but the sound was off. Wonwoo winced like he had pressed his finger into his ribs harder, and Chan took one step back.

"Actually, Chan-ah," Wonwoo said, knuckles white where he gripped the containers. "You don't have to apologize for that, but you can still make it up to me."

The color in his cheeks got deeper and Chan looked at him with curiosity.

"How?" He asked, when Wonwoo didn't say right away what he wanted.

"Maybe you could give me your number?" He asked, and his voice was a little raspy, as if he was nervous. Chan bit his bottom lip to repress a smile. "I've been meaning to ask but I guess I kept chickening out."

That time, Chan did smile. He felt his face hot and he had to fight the need to press his hands against his face.

"Alright," he said, and Wonwoo blinked at him for a few seconds, like he couldn't believe his answer.

"Alright," he repeated, looking around like he suddenly had forgotten where he was standing. "Let me just—"

He disappeared inside his apartment, and Chan leaned against the door frame, hearing him drop the containers on a counter and curse under his breathe when he, Chan assumed, couldn't find his phone. He finally emerged back, wearing a t-shirt this time, to his disappointment.

The way Wonwoo beamed at him when he saved his number on his phone made Chan's knees turn weak. There was something so full of hope in that smile that made him feel hopeful as well.

He walked to his door almost blindly, and as soon as he closed the door behind him and pressed his back to it, trying to regain control of his legs, his phone chimed inside his pocket.

Chan unlocked it with shaky fingers to find a text from a number he didn't have saved but made him smile anyway.

Hey, someone just gave some bomb Christmas leftovers, do you wanna have lunch with me?

And Chan did. Even if he had to catch a train in just a few hours, he did.

"Hyungs," he called, and both Seokmin and Mingyu popped their heads from the hallway. "I'm gonna have lunch next door."

Seokmin scoffed and Mingyu barked a laugh, extending a hand towards him.

"I told you," he said to Seokmin. "Now pay up."

Chan didn't have the brain bandwidth to care about what was going on, instead he crossed the few steps to knock back on Wonwoo's door.

He had his phone in his hand still, and he beamed again when he saw him. Chan didn't even wait for the door to completely close behind them, he gently grabbed his phone and put it on the table beside the door before he cupped his face with both hands and kissed Wonwoo.

For a few seconds he thought he might have read the signs all wrong, when he remained still. But then something kicked inside Wonwoo, bringing him to life, as he clung to Chan's waist, digging his fingers into his skin until he whined, giving Wonwoo the chance to lick inside his mouth.

He didn't mind it, this time, when Wonwoo pulled him into his room. Chan had had a crazy week and he realized, thanks to it, that he didn't want the sterile, impersonalized hotel rooms. He noticed, as Wonwoo helped him with his shirt, that he had a desk and a fancy computer set up on a corner, he saw a stack of books on his bedside table, and he also noticed the soft, fluffy purple comforter in the bed when he was pushed against it.

So what? So what if his life was currently a mess, if he was about to take a train, if there were so many buts. He wanted to know more about Wonwoo, he wanted to know everything, and in turn he wanted to show himself. He wanted it all. They could figured out logistics later. He wanted all of it.

☃️

Was it too soon to have Wonwoo spending the holidays at his house, with his family? For sure, that was a no brainier. But, also, he already had spent Christmas with them, and he didn't run in the opposite direction, and his family enjoyed having him there. So, who was Chan to deny them all that?

Plus, Seokmin had already invited him when he asked him if he wanted to spend Christmas with them, and neglected to tell Chan, so. Not very many changes in their schedules anyway.

Still, there was a difference between having him as a friend than as Chan's boyfriend. He couldn't help but to smile, feeling like an idiot, so he hid his face as much as he could in the huge knitted scarf around his neck.

The train whistled, announcing its arrival, and Chan jumped off the bench he was sitting on like he had a spring attached. The train slowly made its way to the station and Chan counted down the seconds until it came to a full stop, and it felt like forever until the doors opened up.

People filed off the train, hauling bags and luggage behind them, trying to guard themselves from the cold. Chan stood on his tiptoes, searching for any familiar face in the crowd.

He finally caught him, a beanie almost clashing with his glasses, a face mask covering his mouth, but Chan recognized the bright spark in his dark eyes immediately.

He waved both hands, even though Wonwoo had already seen him, and this time he didn't mind the stupid smile he knew he was sporting, because Wonwoo ripped off his face mask to show almost a perfect mirror of his smile.

Wonwoo apologized each time as he avoided the people trying to locate the closest exit of the train station, and he didn't waste a single second when he was in front of Chan. Before his bag even hit the floor, Wonwoo had wrapped his arms around Chan's waist and lifted him slightly off the floor with the force of his embrace.

It was just seconds that lasted forever, to him, and when he was safely with both feet on the floor, he pulled Wonwoo down by the front of his coat to kiss him.

They were interrupted by someone gagging nearby, and when Chan pulled back he saw Seokmin and Mingyu carrying their own bags.

"Well, hello to you too, my adored dongsaeng," Seokmin said, a sparkle of humor even if he was looking vexed.

"How come you never greet me like that, Seokmin-ah?" Mingyu asked, pouting, but Seokmin only rolled his eyes and grabbed him by the front of his hoodie to pull him in the direction of the exit.

"Come, let's go find the car," Chan heard him say, but vaguely, since most of his focus was in Wonwoo, still between his arms.

"I missed you," Wonwoo said, quietly, like he was sharing a secret. Chan smiled.

"It's only been a few days," he said. What he didn't say was that he had, too.

He also didn't say that he was planning on moving to the city sooner than originally stated. They'd have time for that conversation later. In the meantime, he interlocked his fingers with Wonwoo's and walked to the car.

Eventually, things in his life would start falling into place. They usually did. But he now had Wonwoo by his side to help him navigate the new challenges, and that was good. No prospect of the future could be really scary if he had Wonwoo's larger hand enveloping his.