(Disclaimer: Original pic is not mine [If the owner wants me to remove it, I will]. However the editing is mine. Also, this is not a fanart, just some editing and filters made by me on my computer.)
--
A/N: [PLEASE READ]
Hello guys & merry (late) Christmas for those of you who celebrate it/lovely (late) day for those who don't~ I hope you're having a marvelous holiday! So, I'm late (as always or it wouldn't be me lol) but I made this special Christmas present just for you~
This is a Christmas special chapter so it is set in the same universe, but it is in no way chapter 12. In fact it's not linked with the current story arc at all, and it's not what will happen later on in the fanfic either aha.
With that in mind, I wish you all a good read~
-- (Crossposted on Ao3)
The Young Wings screeching was the first thing Woojin heard in the morning. The next thing he did heard was his partner's voice singing what sounded like an Earth Christmas song and the rattle of utensils. Frowning, he rolled over into the bed, missing the warmth of the human as he stretched a bit to try to wake up. What was Chan doing out of bed so early in the morning? There was no reason at all for him to be up already. Well, at least now he had the bed all to himself.
Slumping back into the warm covers, he almost fell back into slumber when the mattress dipped by his left side. A warm hand carded through his hair and he hummed in acknowledgment, peppermint scent invading his nostrils.
'Good morning to you too.' Chan laughed, dropping the tray on the end of the mattress. He slipped back under the covers next to his lover and leaned down to kiss his cheek. Woojin whined and turned around, wrapping his arms around Chan's neck and bringing him back down for a proper kiss. Chan smiled warmly against his lips and relented, dropping a kiss on his lips – Woojin in the morning was too endearing for him to refuse him anything.
'Good morning.' Woojin greeted him properly this time, pulling back as Chan chased his lips one last time as he always did, always too intoxicated by his other half even though it'd been years since they fell in love, and the Stray finally opened his eyes fully. He smiled at the human and brushed a hand against his jaw. 'You need a shave.' he commented, and Chan nipped at his hand playfully, making him gently slap him away. 'Why are we up so early, Chan?'
The scientist grinned and sat up, reaching over for the tray he had dropped by the end of the bed. And seeing its contents, Woojin grinned too – gingerbread, pecan pie, pancakes, oranges and hot cocoas were waiting for them.
Today was Christmas Eve.
'I know that you, Strays, don't celebrate Christmas but I thought bringing a touch of Earth tradition in this house wouldn't hurt.' Chan chirped, biting into a pancake. Woojin laughed at him, eyes forming those lovely crescents that never ceased to make Chan's heart beat faster, and took a warm hot cocoa in his hands.
'You say that as if we've never celebrated Christmas.' he commented, referring to the many times Chan brought him to the scientific base where they celebrated Christmas every year.
'We do but never at home.' Chan pointed out and sat back comfortably in the bed, looking outside in contemplation. The Glow had barely risen and the ground and bark of the trees were covered in their usual translucent frost, the sky its usual gray and purple tint at this period of the year – it was so different from Earth, with Straya 801 having no snow, only this weird frost that resembled melted sugar according to Jisung. But Chan loved it. He was broken of his contemplation by a blue Young Wing flying in the sky and with that, he turned back to his lover. 'And I thought we could use a breakfast in bed. You're not opposing to that, I assume?' he asked, teasing the slightly older boy with a smirk as he bit into his pancake.
Woojin bumped into his shoulder before he leaned over and stole a bite of his pancake. The action left Chan bewildered and Woojin almost laughed at his face. 'I don't see any reason to, especially when you're the one cooking.'
Chan rolled his eyes at his comment and drank a sip of his orange juice. Woojin shook his head at him and kissed the man's bare shoulder in apology. 'Are we going to the base this year?' he muttered against his skin, right arm wrapping over his chest. Chan absentmindedly carded a hand through his hair, and Woojin shivered at the touch, curling closer to the man.
'Only if you want to.'
Woojin looked up at that and grinned. 'You already know my answer.' then he cheekily commented, 'And even if I didn't want to, you'd still be forced to go.' he pointed out, chuckling at Chan's frown.
'I'm a grown man, I can make my own decisions and nothing ties me to this obligation.' he informed, crossing his arms when Woojin moved away.
Said man chuckled at his words and left the bed to reach the other side of their shared bedroom. They had long left the common house tree he used to share with Jeongin, Minho and Felix. They had chosen this beautiful house, perched in a tree that was not too far from they usual date spot (the Floating Sea). The area was mostly calm, sometimes the shrieks of Young Wings flying nearby disturbing their peace, but apart from that the only real sounds were those of their neighbors – they were actually not far from Hyunjin and Seungmin's place – the animals and the waves. Chan and Woojin loved it because it was a great change from their everyday life which consists in leading science researches in the jungle or working in the labs for Chan, and being a doctor for Woojin either in his own shack or at the hospital the humans helped built in Minho's territory – it had been very helpful for their clan these past years, the new techniques humans brought in and their own Straynian ones balancing each others really well, and his coworkers both humans and Strays getting along well. He chuckled at the thought and grabbed Chan's working jacket – a black jacket with the science enterprise insignia on the breast pocket, a platinum polished one instead of the former golden one. 'That was until you became one of JYP's chief science officer.' he noted, showing the insignia that replaced the old colonel one to his husband. He dropped on a crouch next to him and caressed his cheek. 'You're no longer a colonel Chan, or a mere scientist, you're one of the company's figure. You need to be there, even if one day I decide not to come along. Not that I would want to miss your coworkers telling me all the great things there's to know about you at work.'
Chan groaned in defeat and dropped back in bed, hands covering his face. 'On a second thought, you're sure you wanna go?' he whined, peeking at the Stray though his fingers.
'Yes. C'mon, the party will start in a few hours and you need to shave.' he laughed with a smirk. Chan chuckled at that and, before Woojin could grab the tray of food, grabbed his waist to pull him back in bed. 'Chan!' he yelped, clutching the human's shoulders. 'What are you-'
'We have plenty of time before us, so come back in bed. C'mon it's Christmas Eve, let's take things slow today, hmm?'
'But-'
Chan shut him up with a kiss.
* *** *
'That's beautiful Kara.' Felix said, ruffling the young girl's hair with a tender smile, before he put back the Christmas hat properly over her braided hair. The young girl beamed at him and rushed to the multiple boxes on the floor of the classroom to find another bauble. Today was Christmas Eve, and Felix, Rosé and the other teachers thought it was a great idea to bring a Christmas tree into the classroom. This school was built on the neutral ground and open to both Stray and human kids. Built on the model of the former human school, it was small, with only three classrooms and indoor and outdoor playgrounds – the perfect place for kids to meet other kids. There, the lessons were given in both Straynian and Earthian to ensure all the kids could speak both languages and Felix taught the kids aged between 7 to 11. But today was a special day, no class being held as only decorating the school mattered.
'Felix, Felix! What's that?' a kid suddenly asked, coming running toward him with what appeared to be a star in his hands. Felix ruffled his hair and crouched, smoothing the wrinkles out of his red knitted sweater. 'It's meant to be put at the top of the tree. Do you wanna put it on it?' he offered and the boy grinned at him with wide eyes, nodding fast. Felix chuckled and picked him up, the little boy reaching his arms out to properly drop it on the tree.
Then, multiple gasps and cries of joy erupted in the classroom, startling the teacher. What was happening?
'Felix, Felix, look!' a small girl with blond hair and mismatched eyes exclaimed, pointing at the door before she joined her friends in the crowd by it. Felix frowned and let the little boy go, and turned around.
'Hello cub.'
Felix beamed and ran toward the door, forgetting that he was a teacher for a moment, arms looping around his husband's neck as he spun them around- and slipped on the frost. 'Shit.' Changbin exclaimed, barely catching himself on the door frame. Felix offered him a playful glare and Changbin put both hands up. 'Right, no swear words around the kids.'
'Hello to you too.' Felix chuckled with an amused smirk. 'I would have gladly given you a kiss but these kids are too young to see the kind of ones you give.'
Changbin chuckled at that and settled for a peck on the forehead. Some kids made disgusted noises in the background, other cooed, while most hid their faces between their hands with giggles. Changbin chuckled and winked at them, hugging Felix closer and hooking his chin on his shoulder. 'Sosoil sweethearts. How are you today?' he smiled at them, the kids chorusing a greeting back a mix of answers with broad grins before going back to the Christmas tree. 'They're adorable.' he commented, and Felix turned around his arms, resting his back against his torso.
'Yeah. They loved the concept of decorating a Christmas tree when I told them about it, so we thought it was a good idea to do it this year again.' he commented, hands coming to a rest over Changbin's. Then a rush of memory came back before his eyes, making him gasp silently.
'You're okay there?' Changbin asked in slight worry but Felix nodded with a small smile, eyes contemplative.
'Yeah... yeah, I think... I just remembered something that my mom used to do...'
/flashback/
'Hey! I saw it before you that's unfair!' a tall little boy exclaimed, pouting when a beautiful little boy refused to give the star he saw first back to him. The beautiful little boy just laughed and ran around the classroom with it, angering the tall little boy. 'Hyun!' he whined, slumping down onto his chair. Hyunjin finally stopped and wrapped his arms around his best friend, pecking his cheek.
'Sorry, don't be sad Seung. Here, you can have it.' Hyunjin said, and offered him the star. Seungmin beamed and reached out to take it, but Hyunjin suddenly pulled back and ran away with an even louder laugh. 'Got you!'
'Hyun!'
From the other side of the room, Felix watched his friends with a grin as they left the room to go to the other classroom, hugging his mother's leg. The pregnant woman crouched down and ruffled his hair. 'Go help Seungmin get his star back, yeah sweetheart?'
Felix nodded and did as he was asked, and his mother went over to where three mischievous siblings were... wrapping their youngest brother into a Christmas tinsel?
She raised a brow and sighed. What had she expected? It was a typical behavior with those three.
'Minho, Donghyuck and Jeongin, what on Straya are you doing?' she asked, smiling at the three little boys who smiled at her, actually proud of themselves.
'Jeongin is a Christmas tree!' Minho exclaimed and Donghyuck dropped a bauble atop his head at this exact moment.
This time, their teacher facepalmed. Literally.
'Sweethearts, that's-' she began but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
'Teacher?' someone called out and she turned around to see one of her eldest student at the door.
'Ah, Ten.' she smiled, leaving the three siblings to untangle their youngest by themselves, and approached a bench where a young boy was sleeping. She took him in her arms carefully, gently rocking him as she gave him to Ten. 'Here. I assume that you're here to see him.'
Ten smiled at her politely before he looked down at his brother, a fond look and a lopsided smile on his lips. She noted that Ten only ever had this look and calm behavior when it came to his brother – the rest of the time, he was more out going, dare she say 'diva-ish'.
'Yedam has been really calm today. You can take him a bit with you,' she informed, smirking internally at the joy on Ten's face. 'just be sure to bring him back here for his meal.'
The boy smiled and left to the other classroom. When he entered it, he was surprised to still see two of the youngest kids running around and another one – the teacher's kid, he recognized – trying to stop them. 'You're still fighting for the star?' he blurted out in surprise, sitting Yedam who was slowly waking up down a bench.
The tallest kid turned to him with a huff. 'I'll chase him around the entire planet until he gives me back the star!' And with that he resumed his chase, following the beautiful one, both finally leaving the classroom. The son of the teacher sighed at that and gave up, sitting on a chair to catch his breath. Knowing that he was a calm one, Ten sat beside him.
Felix looked at the young boy next yawning next to Ten, recognizing him as Yedam. He had played with the boy a few times but he never knew Ten was related to him. 'He is your brother?' he asked, his voice at the time still chirpy and but soft. Ten looked up with a small but proud smile and nodded. Then the older boy handed him a hot cocoa. Felix stared at it. It was pretty, with wiped cream on the top and a broken candy cane on top, but most importantly it smelled heavenly – even better than those his mom makes.
'You like it?' Ten asked with a small smile when Felix took a sip. 'My teacher made-'
'Come back here Hwang Hyunjin!'
Ten sighed and rolled his eyes and Felix watched stunned as his friends came back running around. 'Be careful of the fireplace!' he warned them when they dashed too close to it.
When Seungmin was about to finally snatch the star however, a girl stepped in front of them, seemingly older than them all. She was really pretty, with long black hair and a reindeer headband giving her an angel look. Felix recognized her as an ancient student, the pretty girl who had brought with her the Christmas trees and whom his mom had told him was one of the best student she ever had. He also knew she was one of the few human teens around and the daughter of his mom's boss. 'Stop running around you two.' she instructed Seungmin and Hyunjin, crouching down to give them both a flick on the forehead, which made them whine. Rolling her red sweater's sleeves up she held her hands out. 'What do you say we go put that star on top of the tree together?'
His two friends exchanged a look and Felix was not sure they were about to accept since they were known to always cause trouble. But this pretty girl's charms must have worked because the two little boy nodded and grabbed her hands, Seungmin finally letting go of his candy corn. She smiled and stood up, seemingly feeling great and excited. 'Let's go then!'
As she was about to exit, a young man slightly older than her entered, dress in an ugly Christmas sweater and a warm looking yellow scarf- oh! It was the Trashee leader! 'Suzy, the other pine tree is here.' he informed, wiping the frost away from his hair.
As Felix heard Ten mutter a 'finally', the pretty girl – who he now knew as Suzy – turned around and grinned at the leader. 'Great, I'll help you carry it here. Just wait for me one minute- yah, you two rascals come back here!!!'
'Fe? Felix, you're with me?'
Hearing these words, Felix blinked and focused back on his surroundings. Oh, yeah, he still was in the classroom. Feeling Changbin slightly tightened his hold on him, he relaxed in his embrace and smiled. 'Yeah, yeah. I just remembered something.' Changbin hummed so he went on, 'I just remembered a day in winter when I was a kid and we had put Christmas trees everywhere in the human school... my mom was a teacher at the time and we all had fun- Seungmin and Hyunjin had even fought for the Christmas star tree topper.' he chuckled, deep and melodious and it made Changbin smile.
The human dropped a kiss on his shoulder and moved away. Keeping an arm looped around Felix, he moved to the side and watched the kids putting an atrocious but endearing assortment of baubles onto the tree. 'It's... colorful?' he tried, wincing slightly when Felix jabbed his side. 'What? You gotta admit that it's... quite something.'
'Alright,' Felix conceded, taking a good look at the tree. '- but they like it. We gotta let the kid's imagination and creativity run wild- even if it means staring at this Skittle like Christmas tree.' he snorted, trying to remember if his choices of Christmas tree decoration back in his childhood were that... original.
Changbin shook his head and put back Felix's green Santa hat in place. 'It suits you.' he commented, grinning. 'You look like a Christmas elf.'
'A cute one I hope- stop wiggling your eyebrows Seo Changbin.' he laughed, hitting his shoulder. 'Anyway, why are you here?'
Changbin looked at him confused. 'You don't remember? It's time to go to the party.'
Felix blinked for one second before he was scrambling over to his desk. 'Shit, it's already time...'
'No curse words babe.' Changbin playfully reminded his husband, earning himself a playful glare from Felix and multiple reactions from the kids ranging from 'aww' to 'ugh'. Felix dropped his hat onto the desk with a sigh, glaring at Changbin when he said that he should keep it, and grabbed his scarf.
'Kids,' he called out, waiting to have all of their attention before he went on, 'Rosé is going to watch over you from now on.' he announced, the other teacher in the adjacent room waving at the couple, causing the kids to scramble toward him to hug him goodbye and ask him why he was leaving so early. Felix chuckled and took Changbin's hand. 'Because we have somewhere to go. But I'll be back the day after tomorrow, don't worry. Be kind with Rosé, yeah?'
The kids all eagerly agreed, all loving the kind other teacher. Changbin on the other hand ruffled the kids' hair and led Felix to the door. 'How are we going to the base, Binie? Should take a walk?' the Stray asked as he intertwined their fingers, pecking his cheek and grinning when Changbin blushed a bit. But the scientist shook his head.
'Look ahead.' he instructed and Felix did just that.
'Dab!' he gasped, running to his Young Wing and hugging her neck.
'Careful!' Changbin warned with a wince as Felix ran on the frost, following behind him. When he reached his partner, Felix was already on the pink creature. 'I rod on her to come here. It's been a while since you had time to fly with her so I thought it would be a good idea to fly a bit before going back to the base.' he smiled and Felix leaned down to peck his lips.
'What would I do without you...' he muttered between two kisses, hand brushing his jaw fondly. 'Are you coming with us?'
Changbin leaned back and shook his head. 'Nope.' Turning to his left, he looked around a bit and whistled. Soon enough, a blue creature dropped onto his shoulder, climbing down from a nearby tree. 'I'll spend some time with Gyu and join you at the base in a few. Have some fun with Dab first, alright?' he chuckled, stroking Guy's head fondly. Felix nodded and patted his Young Wing's side.
'See you later then!' he yelled, already up in the sky.
Changbin chuckled at his lover and began to walk a bit in the forest, frost crunching under his feet. He couldn't wait to celebrate Christmas at the base.
* *** *
'-and then he sat down and we heard a crack! The poor boy had sat on the vials!' JYP finished retelling Woojin, who was laughing his butt off.
'Oh, so that's why you had a cut on your butt cheek at the time! And to think I thought it was a scar you got during training.' he teased his husband, who pretended to be too busy stuffing his face with cinnamon rolls to hear.
'Hmm, Suzy those cinnamon rolls are wonderful! What did you use to make them?' Chan said instead, grinning at the woman, though the blush on his cheeks let everyone around know that he was indeed embarrassed by the anecdote. Jae, that was a story he had never wanted Woojin to know because he knew he'd never hear the end of it. Suzy smirked at him and wiped off some crumb of breads of his ugly Christmas sweater – in her opinion – with mirth in her eyes.
'Do you plan on saying that every time my father says something embarrassing Chan?' she snickered, and Chan swore to Jae that he would never trust a woman based on her angelic features ever again – Suzy was a devil. Said woman went behind her father's wheelchair and moved him a bit away from the buffet. 'C'mon dad, as interesting as your stories are, I'm sure Woojin and Chan would appreciate some quality time alone.' she winked at them and made a U-turn under the protests of her father. Chan smiled. Well, maybe she was only half the demon.
Then, screeches were heard.
Woojin rolled his eyes and wrapped a hand over Chan's elbow, gently guiding him toward the entrance double door. 'Always the dramatic entrance, these two.' he muttered under his breath and Chan chuckled, silently agreeing. Well, what was to expect from Jisung and Minho other than loud, dramatic and extravagant, really?
Doors sliding open just in time to see a magnificent blue Young Wing spread its wing widely over the frost, Chan and Woojin stepped outside to greet the newcomers. The frost cracked under their feet as they ascended the set of stairs and Chan held out a hand for him – an old habit that never failed to make Woojin smile – helping him step off the platform.
'Chan!' Jisung hysterically greeted, his grin broad as he gripped his own husband shoulders to get off the animal. Minho barely had time to grab his waist and propped him off his Young Wing that Jisung was already scrambling toward his childhood friend. Chan let go of his husband's hand to wrap his arms around Jisung, laughing from happiness. They all had been so busy these days that they barely had time to see each other, Chan as a scientist, Jisung as both a medic and clan leader's partner – and with those two, Minho and Woojin knew that duty comes first.
Arms wrapped around his shoulders, startling him out of his reverie. 'Hey Woo.'
Woojin smiled warmly at his friend, welcoming him in his arms. 'Hey Min.'
'You got tanner.' the leader pointed out, leaning back a bit.
'And you got buffer. How come?'
'Oh c'mon.' Minho snorted, leading the both of them inside the base. 'I'm not that lazy.'
Woojin just patted his shoulders.
* *** *
'Minho, son, com'ere for a minute.'
Minho raised his head and looked around, finding JYP beckoning him forward, the bells of his Christmas hat ringing in his movement. Him and Jisung had arrived around one hour ago and his husband was nowhere to be seen. But the brunette feared not, he knew perfectly well where and with whom Jisung was. Crouching in front of the CEO, he was surprised when his calloused hand made contact with his cheek, gently – almost fondly – stroking it. 'The more he grows, the more Jeongin looks like your you. I thought for a minute that you were him.' he commented with a chuckle, finally settling his hand on his shoulder. 'Though, he obviously has less fashion sense than you do. What a beautiful Christmas sweater son~'
The boss was obviously teasing him now, so he snorted, standing up and going around the wheelchair to grab its handles. 'It was Jisung idea.' he informed with a grimace, looking down at his green knitted sweater that had a reindeer with pompoms sewn on it as he began to wheel the boss toward the entrance door.
'Never let him choose again.' JYP begged grimly.
'Never again.' he swore, knowing fully that he would, in fact, let Jisung decide again. 'Speaking of him, let's go find our three favorite grown children, shall we?'
JYP nodded, reaching over to put his palm on the detector, the door then sliding open. 'Great idea. The Christmas ham is about to be served anyway.'
'Say,' Minho began as he wheeled JYP around the platform, toward the small lift. '-how's your leg since the wound?' he asked, eyeing the cast that had little Christmas trees and presents doodled all over.
'Healing, slowly as ever but, ya know, a bit of patience and Christmas magic, and it will be over soon.'
Minho laughed loudly at that, finally pulling JYP onto the ground and carefully wheeling him onto the frost. 'Look at them, they're worse than our children.'
'Well, I'd rather see them like that than with weapons in their hands, don't ya?' JYP asked, turning to look up at the leader.
'Yeah, I guess when you put it like that I can't but agree.' Minho smiled, crossing his arms over his chest at the cold. He was really never letting Jisung chose the ugly thin knitted sweaters as matching couple outfits ever again – well, he was partially to blame too when insisting that not wearing a coat would be fine when it clearly wasn't. At least he wasn't alone in this hell, Woojin and Felix had inherited of gorgeous red and pink typical (read: ugly) Christmas sweaters respectively. 'I hate Jisung sometimes.' he mumbled, grimacing when wind whooshed past them.
Speaking of the devil, the Trashee leader waved at his husband when he came running toward him, the fond smile on his lips betraying his previous words. Minho scooped him up in his arms and Jisung turned to JYP with a broad grin. 'Hey gramps.'
JYP chuckled at that, waving the younger scientist off with a hand. 'I'm not yet that old son.'
'Hmm, beginning to see signs though.' Jisung teased, dodging when JYP made to jokingly punch his side. Turning to Minho, he quickly kissed him and asked why he was here. It was not that he was unhappy to see his beloved out there but Minho rarely ever missed a chance to stuff his face with food when there was one, everyone knew it.
'The turkey is almost ready.' he informed him – ah, so that was about food. Jisung nodded and looped his arms around his shoulders, leaning against his torso for warmth. Minho fought the urge to snort, he was the one freezing his butt cheeks off here. But when Jisung snuggled further into his embrace and offered him a small smile, Minho knew he was screwed.
Jisung never failed to make him feel like that, did he?
'Go finish that snowman with the guys but comeback soon, alright?' he muttered against his hair, warm breath fanning over him, creating a mini cloud of smoke. 'Not sure I'll be able to keep you a plate otherwise.'
'Probably because you would have already eaten it.' he snickered, wincing soon after when Minho slapped his scalp. 'I'll be there.' he pouted, rubbing his sore scalp. 'Let me just give this snowman a head.' With that he jogged back to the other humans.
JYP watched, Minho wheeling him back onto the lift, as the three humans build the snowman – frostman? –, when Chan suddenly threw a snowball at Jisung. The later threw his gloves on the ground after a moment of shock and literally threw himself at his older friend, screaming something along the lines of 'making you eat snow you mother-'- okay, he had heard enough. 'Some things never change, do they?' he hummed in contemplation.
Minho looked back as they stepped off the platform and smiled at the sight. 'Yeah, they don't.'
* *** *
'Okay, okay mercy Ji! I give up!' Chan huffed, trying to breath under the weight of Jisung and the multiple mouthfuls of frost the boy was trying to make him eat. Jisung was about to speak when Changbin cursed. The two boys turned to him with raised eyebrows and Changbin turned to them, face morphed into a pure expression of disaster. Okay, what the fuck? 'You're okay mate?'
'Guys.' Changbin began gravely. 'We don't have carrots.'
Jisung blinked. 'Oh yeah. That's a problem here.'
Chan looked at the both of them in disbelief, sitting up on the frost. 'Guys, where's your imagination?' he began, patting Jisung off of him and standing up. 'Don't you remember when we were kids and you guys told me exactly that?' He looked expectantly at them when they just stared at him confused. Sighing in exasperated fondness, he smiled at them and looked around a bit. 'There was this one time when we went to the beach, one night, and there was snow everywhere so we decided to build a snowman. That day, we had no carrot either.' he pointed out, going around the area in search for something in the shape of the vegetable.
Then, Changbin beamed, clapping Jisung's shoulder as he remembered. 'Yeah! I remember that day! You were the one with no imagination back then!' he laughed, pointing at Chan. Then, it seemed it hit Jisung too because he hit his hand with his fist, nodding super fast at Changbin and laughing out loud.
Chan smiled at them, when he spotted just what they needed. Jogging to fetch it, he ran back to his friends and stuck it into the frostman's face. Stepping back, he looked at his friends expectantly.
'I like it.' Jisung declared, grinning. 'Would have never thought of using a stalactite for a nose. Nice one Bang leader.' he admitted, turning back to the frostman but stopping mid-way when his eyes fell on Changbin. 'Binie?' he called out, frowning. His friend looked so pensive, what was he thinking of? 'You're okay there?'
'Hmm?' Changbin turned to him, breaking of his reverie with a smile. 'Oh yeah, just remembering that one evening Chan was talking about...'
/flashback/
'Chan, that's not how you make a snowman!' a little Changbin exclaimed, nose red and eyes puffy from the cold. Sniffing, he brought his scarf back up his chin and ran to his friend.
'Why? What's wrong with it?' Chan asked in confusion, stepping back when Changbin stood on his tiptoes to put something on the snowman's face. It was a large seashell in the nose spot. 'Ah. Shouldn't we put a carrot though?'
Jisung rolled his eyes from his seat by the seashore, and turned to his friends, his beanie almost falling over his eyes. 'We don't have any carrots hyung, so we have to use our imagination!' he exclaimed, patting the snow next to him in invite. When his two other friends joined him, the waves crashing silently a few meters away from their feet, he pointed to the factories on the other side of the beach. 'You see that? That's because our parents and every grown ups lost their imagination. We can't ever be like them!' he huffed in anger, chubby cheeks puffing out as he pouted and crossed his tiny arms.
'That's not true!' Chan countered, pointing to the sky. 'My aunt and the other scientists are heroes! They went into space and found that planet that looks so cool!'
Changbin turned to them with sparkles in his eyes, boldly contrasting with the bags under them. 'Then I wanna be like them when I grow up!' he informed, tiny fists balling with determination and Jisung nodded.
'Yeah, I want to be a hero too and respect our world.' he agreed, eyes sparkling with a new found will.
Chan looked at his two younger friends and grinned, extending his tiny hand out. 'Then let's make a promise. Let's go to Straya 801 one day and become heroes too!'
Changbin and Jisung nodded, humming in agreement. And with that, they covered Chan's hand with their own, ignorant of the starlight shooting over their heads.
'Love? Love, you're okay there?'
Changbin startled and blinked. Oh yeah right, they were inside the base right now. He had almost gotten caught up in his memories here. Putting down his plate of turkey, he turned around and made his way toward the chimney where Felix was, smiling at Suzy who was to busy bickering with her father on the way. 'Stop frowning like that babe, it doesn't suit you.' he smiled and reached out to ease it out of his face when he noticed something. More importantly, something above Felix. Smirking, he held out his hand and slowly approached him. 'Don't move.'
Felix's eyes widened and Changbin's instruction did nothing to ease his frown out. 'What do you-' His words were cut off when his husband looped an arm around his waist and brought him forward, their lips crashing together in a not so elegant kiss, even clumsy if he were to note it on a scale going from clash of teeth to passionate kiss – but he was currently too busy kissing back to make such scale, so instead he closed his eyes and looped his arms around his husband.
'What...' he gulped, pressing their foreheads together. '-was that for?'
Changbin chuckled and pointed upward. Felix raised his head.
Above them was a mistletoe.
'Couldn't pass a tradition.' Changbin cheekily said, grinning at him.
Felix grinned back and toyed with the hair at the base of his neck. 'Smooth bastard.' he chuckled. 'In that case...' he pressed their lips together, capturing Changbin's lower one between his own and slightly biting it before he pulled back. 'I guess I gotta answer traditions properly too.'
'Kids,' JYP called out, waving them forward from the his spot at the table, a knowing look on his face. 'Dessert is served.' he informed, smirking slightly at the couple. Changbin rolled his eyes at him and laughed silently, intertwining their fingers as they joined his boss. JYP always knows what's going around, that's no myth for sure. With that thought, Changbin took a seat at the table.
*
The party at the base went on, some couples leaving an hour or so before Christmas, others staying to celebrate it here at the base. And when the bell struck midnight, cheers erupted in the place, Minho and Jisung by the Christmas tree of the base, helping their youngest adopted daughter open her present while their oldest was running around happily at the sight of all the wrapped presents by it. Meanwhile Chan and Woojin were celebrating with champagne by the fireplace with their good friend Rosé, her partner and their little boy – which they happened to be the godfathers of – who was hugging Woojin's leg to tug him toward the Christmas tree. Changbin and Felix chuckled at that, the later raising his glass of champagne in his brother's direction when he looked up to ask for help, Chan too busy laughing at the sight to help his poor husband. Changbin turned slightly from the sight, eyes falling on their own adopted son, who was eagerly opening his presents under the giant Christmas tree with the kids of other scientists. Standing up, he went over there and crouched next to his little boy. 'So big guy, what did you get this year?' he asked, ruffling his hair with a warm smile.
'Look dad!' he beamed, excitedly holding out his present and shaking it everywhere like the excited little boy he was. Changbin beamed with him, making his son giggle and grin widely.
'Wow, Li! That's so cool! Who gave it to you, honey?' Felix asked their son, joining them and crouching down next to his partner.
Li, of his full name Elijah, looked at the name tag and beamed even harder than before, if possible. 'Uncle Minho and uncle Jisung!' he exclaimed, turning around to wave the present at said people who winked and grinned respectively at him, the baby girl in Minho's laps blinking in wonder at the commotion. It made the big family laugh, the endearing little girl too adorable for anyone to resist.
Changbin's attention was pulled back from the scene when fingers tugged at his own. A chin dropped over his shoulder, a tender kiss pressed against his neck. 'Merry Christmas, love.'
Changbin smiled.
'Merry Christmas, cub.'
~~~~~~> Merry Christmas & Happy New Year~
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: *Cue Christmas music* Sooo, did you like it?~
I hope you did ahah, it was really fun for me to write~ For the first time I'm not saying the usual 'coming up next' and it feels really weird aha. On another note, I wanted to tell you guys how much I love you, and, with Straya coming close to being one year old in less than a month and a half and the New year approaching, how deeply grateful I am for all the feedback, love and everything you've given me and this fanfic so far.You guys are amazing!!! But I guess I'll have more than enough time to pour my feelings out when we hit the one year mark aha. (Also, watch me try and fail being on time for the one year special~)
So, for now: thank you <3
I wish you all a lovely (holi)day & a happy New Year. Let's see each other next year?~
Lots of Love,
- Orange