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Music flowed in mellow tones from the sound system in the living room while Sehun tucked in his black undershirt. “Silver Bells…. It’s Christmastime in the city…” he sang along softly. The words wove together in a mumble barely over a whisper, but the tune was pleasant in his husky tenor.
Ten months earlier, on Valentine’s day, it would have seemed that this scene was improbable at best. That assumption would be discounting two very important points, though. The first, was the man who had unexpectedly worked his way into Sehun’s life that night. The second was that despite his distaste for the tacky lace hearts, and other bits of Valentine’s aesthetics, Oh Sehun loved Christmas.
Of course, as he was in all things, Sehun was a man of classic and simple tastes. His home was decorated in silvers and gold, his tree wrapped elegantly in streams of ribbon and gauze with sets of ornaments that were perfectly matched. His garland was adorned with small bundles of bells spaced out exactly two feet apart, and holly adorned every door in the house.
Everything had a place, everything went together, all was calm and bright - except for the man who came bounding into the bathroom a moment later.
Sehun turned to look over his shoulder, and a fond smile turned his lips upward as he considered his boyfriend. Jongin was precisely the kind of person he had never known he needed in his life. Bright, bubbly, compassionate and full of the sort of warmth that could not be crafted - his joy was all his own, innate and lovely and perfect.
Jongin was absolutely out of place in this perfectly organized home, his hair intentionally mussed, fringe falling into his eyes, and a bright red sweater hung loosely from his shoulder. It was decorated in embroidered ornaments, bits of ribbon, and flashing lights sewn into the knit cables of the torso.
“You look beautiful,” Sehun hummed as he leaned forward to press a light kiss to Jongin’s lips. Jongin’s eyes and nose crinkled with his smile, and he pressed further into Sehun before he finally pulled away with a happy sigh.
“Uh huh, but your flattery isn’t going to get you out of wearing your sweater,” Jongin teased as he thrust another colourful knit forward.
Sehun’s face fell and he sighed, but he took the green top and unfurled it all the same. His sweater wasn’t quite as overwhelming and busy as his boyfriend’s, at least. The central design was a classic snowman, but instead of the usual black top hat, it was topped with a rainbow beanie and draped in a bright scarf with a vape instead of a pipe at its mouth.
A look up at Jongin revealed a softer side of Sehun, his lips pressed into a pout and his eyes wide with innocent pleading. “Are you sure I can’t get away with the red vest?” It was a lost cause though, and Jongin crossed his arms over his chest in mocking impatience. “Yes, yes, fine,” Sehun sighed and slipped it over his head.
The smile on Jongin’s face was as warm as the pink that graced his cheeks as he reached over Sehun’s shoulders to fix the hair that had been pushed out of place. Sehun closed his eyes and focused on the sensation of those delicate fingers on his scalp, and when Jongin let his arms fall to wrap around his chest, Sehun leaned into the embrace and nuzzled into his boyfriend’s neck.
“You know,” Jongin’s lips pulled up in a smirk as his words ghosted into Sehun’s ear. “I don’t think I’d have pinned you for having such a Christmas fetish when we first met,” he teased, and his fingers crinkled into Sehun’s sensitive sides.
In an instant Sehun was pulling away, swatting at Jongin’s chest as he broke into a squeal and tried to resist the light tickles at his sides. “You’re terrible!” His palm continued to slap playfully at Jongin, who was now reduced to laughter, crimson cheeks, and a smile that had overtaken his face. “Honestly, I don’t know why I put up with you,” Sehun pouted. The words came with a sigh and were quickly followed by a kiss to Jongin’s cheek, evidence that there had never been any venom in them in the first place. “The worst,” he muttered as Jongin’s arms wrapped around his hips and his hands settled low on his back.
“You put up with me because I make you smile,” Jongin countered, his lips tracing light kisses over Sehun’s neck. It was true. Jongin brought a joy to Sehun’s heart that had been missing for years, lost in his dedication to his career and efforts to climb the ladder of success in his business. Jongin was his teddy bear, his security and all the warmth of home Sehun had ever needed. He would wear a worse ugly sweater every year if it meant he could keep the man who held him a little longer.
Trailing kisses and soft touches eventually brought them nose to nose, their gazes connected through long, fluttering lashes. “You know,” Sehun said, “if we don’t go now I don’t think we’re going to make it to Baekhyun’s party, and as tempted as I am…”
“There’s no way we’re missing the chance to prove there’s actually a holiday you love,” Jongin finished for him with a grin.
There was another quick kiss before they separated, letting their hands link together as they stepped out of the bathroom. While they slipped into their coats and shoes, Sehun glanced at his beautiful, classic tree to find the perfect decor interrupted by a bright red Santa ornament. Yes, he thought. He would learn to love all of those tacky, overdone aspects of every holiday in the year. He could learn to love them, because Jongin had opened up the room in his heart for everything that had been missing before.