#12daysofchristmas2024

Mermaids, mermen, and fishmen of all shapes and sizes sang and danced before your eyes, the room threatening to burst with laughter and music and the rumble of feet on the floor. It was something you’d never forget, you hoped, letting the familiar post-battle relief seep into your veins and loosen up your muscles.

Up until yesterday morning, you hadn’t seen anyone for two years. Part of you was convinced that your dangerous yet thrilling life on the seas was over, and that you might not run into your long lost friends on Saboady. But of course they would never let you down. When you arrived at the Sunny, there they all were: beaming down at you as if nothing had changed. 

Perhaps nothing had changed, after all. The past few years without them were erased in an instant upon your frantic descent to Fishman Island, and it was business as usual - fighting then feasting then repeating. You took this rare moment of peace to admire your friends from afar, nostalgia aching and eating away at your heart.

Zoro already drank his fill and fell asleep, while you winced at the face stuck to Sanji’s face as he laid in a mermaid’s lap. Chopper was next to him, frantically scolding him for yet another nosebleed. Brook - the Soul King - started performing with the band while Franky taught some fishmen fellows his signature pose, yelling at the top of his lungs, “Suuuuper!” You couldn’t help but choke on your laugh.

Your esteemed captain, Luffy, was deflating slowly after eating so much food, waving his arms about and talking excitedly with Jimbe. Ever the social butterfly, Nami chatted away to Camie while Robin sat still and listened, a small and graceful smile upon her face. Usopp soon joined in, spinning his silly but entertaining little stories.

“Why are you crying?” you look up to find Luffy, his eyes wide with innocent confusion, his body already returned to normal. When you don’t respond right away, he tilts his head and asks again, “Are you still hurt from earlier?”

You shake your head, only just noticing how the tears stung your eyes. Frantically, you wipe them away with the back of your arm, no doubt rubbing your face a little raw. He plops down next to you, taking in the same views. You wonder if he’s thinking of the same thing as you, or maybe he’s just zero’d in on how much more he wants to eat - you can never tell. That’s your captain. 

You clear your throat and say, “I gotta admit something stupid.”

“Yeah?” is all Luffy can say. He doesn’t even turn to you, mesmerised still on what’s before him.

“I’m so happy we’re back together,” you smile, finally tearing your eyes from him, “Even though we’re still going to be bouncing from one place to the other, just like always, I still… I never want this night to end!”

He throws his head back and laughs, “It never will!” he announces proudly, “We’re pirates. We’re gonna live this good every day. I promise!”

Right then, a long-forgotten feeling blossomed in your chest once more. It climbed up into your throat and threatened to choke you, for you were finally back with your friends and your captain - the future King of the Pirates, and you didn’t have to fear what would come next. This is what the past two years were for.

As Luffy’s laugh died down, his wide smile still plastered across his face, you found yourself thinking that you love your captain, who bears so much for you all with no hesitation, so much that you could kiss him. And you do.

It’s quick, fleeting. You race forward and press your lips against his, the music around you fading into the background for a moment, but sense washes over you and sobers you up fast, and you pull away. To your surprise, Luffy doesn’t seem angry or confused. His eyebrows are twisted in shock and his mouth hangs open slightly, but at least he’s not upset. It only makes you feel even more embarrassed, twisting your body away from him and hiding your now red face. “I’m sorry!” your mind races to find the right thing to say, but Luffy’s response takes you out once more.

“Hey, can we do that again?” 

You freeze. Then you slowly turn back to him, only to find his face centimetres from yours. Scooting backwards against the floor to put some distance between you, your response is scattered as you fan the heat away from your face, “What do you mean?”

“That- It felt good! I wanna try it again!” he’s smiling again.  Of course, you huff. Luffy’s actions shouldn’t surprise you anymore. But you give in, feeling yourself lean in to connect your lips again, your hand flying up to cup his cheek and pull him in closer and keep him there longer. Luffy smiles toothily and clumsily into the kiss, reminding you again why you love him so much in the first place.

@12daysofchristmas

About & Rules

The challenge will run from December 13-24, 2024.

The challenge is open to any and all fandoms.

Submissions must include at least one of the prompts for that day but can combine two, three, or all four.

Prompts for the day always include: a word/words, a scenario, a quote, a "famous" quote (taken from songs and movies)

Tag your submissions with #12daysofchristmas2024 and/or mention this blog so that we will be notified to reblog your submissions here. (Also, it would be super cool if you gave this blog a follow!)

Submissions for the day must be posted before midnight YOUR time. We're not super hard-and-fast about this rule, but posting within time is very much appreciated! 

If you’re posting your submission directly on Tumblr (as opposed to linking to an external site such as AO3), you MUST use a “keep reading” cut!

Edit: We're now also allowing ALL KINDS OF ART: drawings, edits, aesthetics, mood boards, videos, podfics, fiber arts... go wild!

!! Absolutely NO AI creations !!

Please format ALL submissions with the following heading:

Title Day/Prompt(s) Fandom/Character(s)/Ship Warnings (if applicable): Word Count/Medium (in case it's art):  Example: Santa, Baby Day 8 - “Prompt(s) for that day” AEW - Adam Page x OC Warnings: Alcohol, cursing, sexual situations (explicit) Word Count: 7,290 or: Medium: fan video

You can also include a summary, gif, edit, whatever you want! Just don’t forget the “keep reading” if you’re posting directly on Tumblr!

If you're posting on AO3, here's our collection: 12 Days of Christmas Collection

2024 Prompts

Day 1 ❄️ First snow ❄️ Getting soaked ❄️ “Your hands are so cold.” ❄️ “I suppose it all started with the snow.” —Frosty the Snowman

Day 2 ❄️ Little lie ❄️ Trapped together in a snowstorm ❄️ “I thought you knew where you were going?!” ❄️ “I don’t know what to say, but it’s Christmas, and we’re all in misery.” —National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Day 3 ❄️ Accelerated heartbeat ❄️ Kissing in the snow ❄️ “Here, take my coat.” ❄️ “Let's hope the snow will make this Christmas right.” —Queen

Day 4 ❄️ Mulled wine ❄️ Playing board games ❄️ “I have no regrets.” ❄️ “Cheer up, dude. It's Christmas.” —How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 2000

Day 5 ❄️ Cookies ❄️ Holiday-themed contest ❄️ “That definitely looks… interesting?” ❄️ “That is exactly why you want a high-quality fire extinguisher right in the kitchen.” —The Santa Clause

Day 6 ❄️ Present ❄️ Making a new Christmas tradition ❄️ “Not another Christmas movie!” ❄️ “You say you hate Washington’s birthday or Thanksgiving, and nobody cares, but you say you hate Christmas, and people treat you like you’re a leper.” —Gremlins

Day 7 ❄️ Decorations ❄️ A little accident ❄️ “I was just trying to help!” ❄️ “I want my house to be seen from space.” —Deck The Halls

Day 8 ❄️ Touch starved ❄️ Telling secrets around the fire ❄️ “Sometimes the hardest part is forgiving yourself.” ❄️ “Santa, can't you hear me?” —Ariana Grande & Kelly Clarkson

Day 9 ❄️ Christmas fair/market ❄️ Late shopping (together) ❄️ “Hmm, this is actually not bad.” ❄️ “When you're still waiting for the snow to fall, doesn't really feel like Christmas at all.” —Coldplay

Day 10 ❄️ Surprise visit ❄️ Lighting scented candles ❄️ “I didn’t know you were here.” ❄️ “You’re skipping Christmas! Isn’t that against the law?” —Christmas with the Kranks

Day 11 ❄️ Fairy lights ❄️ Christmas party/ball ❄️ “I never want this night to end.” ❄️ “I won’t even wish for snow. And I’m just gonna keep on waiting, underneath the mistletoe.” —Mariah Carey

Day 12 ❄️ Feast ❄️ Indoor picnic by the tree/fireplace ❄️ “I baked your favourite cookie/pie/cake.” ❄️ “You are all I need tonight underneath the Christmas lights.” —Sia

Extra Challenge

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Wheel

and let it decide for you! You can spin it once and write all fics with what comes up, you can spin it daily and change course accordingly, you can spin it as often as you need or not at all - it's all up to you.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions! Also, feel free to share this post and help spread the joy and cheer!

of course, there had to be a murder on christmas.

of course.

of course.

and of course it had to happen when he had finally managed to convince haibara to give him an antidote.

(she had finally relented when he used you as an excuse, because no matter how cold she was, she knew that you two longed to at least spend christmas together.)

"no flirting," was her last rule, but shinichi was already long gone.

"can't they be murdered on some other day," he muttered, leaning back onto the couch with a tired sigh.

"rather," the corners of your mouth twitched upwards, "can't they not be murdered at all?"

"i want cases, [name]," he huffed, gaze softening as you walked in with hot cocoa, "just-just not today, of all days."

"but you solved it," you reminded.

"of course i did," he huffed, smirking up at you and shuffling over to give you room, "i'm the best detective there is."

"maybe second to hattori," you mused thoughtfully, grinning as he whacked you over the head.

"i'm allowed to become me again and you use it to tease me, of course," he fought the rising colour down.

"who's to say i wouldn't tease you if you stayed as conan," you grinned at his groan.

"it's humiliating enough to be conan!"

"it adds to the fun," you hummed.

"it's humiliating, [name]!"

"remember what happened last christmas, show-off?"

"stop it," he groaned into his hands, "don't remind me."

he didn't like thinking about almost twisting his ankle on the ice-skating rink.

"look, mistletoe," he muttered, gazing upwards cheekily as you groaned.

"you planted this here," you accused at his snicker.

"your proof?"

"your cocky little smirk, for one, which i hate. next, your knowing gaze. need i go on?"

"is this how criminals feel when i corner them," he wondered aloud, "you may overtake me as tokyo's best detective if you keep this up..."

"no, because you're being an irritating idiot," you growled lowly, "get over here and kiss me, moron."

"mean," he huffed, grinning and relenting, closing the distance between the two of you.

"how much longer do you have left on the antidote?" you muttered, pulling away as he scrunched his nose.

"don't ruin this for me," he muttered, burying into your shoulder, "don't worry, [name], i still have a while."

you sighed, threading your fingers through his hair.

"how long is a while, shinichi?"

"i have a while," he insisted stubbornly.

a silence fell upon you both.

"i never want this night to end," his voice was slightly muffled, "it's not her fault, it really isn't, but..."

he sighed.

"i just want to be me again."

"is that your christmas wish this year?" you hummed as he nodded into your shoulder.

"guess haibara is santa this year, then."

The bitter cold was all consuming. The wind raged over the icy hills. Its whistling rang against the metal that shielded you from its burn. Snow pelted the foggy windshield in a thick layer of white, frost seeping into the cramped, humid caravan. You looked over at the man in front of you— well, what you could see, at least. 

Hunched over, his thick thighs squished against both walls. He made a poor attempt to find comfort as he spread his legs wide but preserved what distance he could from you.

Yet, your knees still knocked together. The polyester squeaked as you both tried to avoid contact. A green glow lit the dark silhouette of his brow bone and jaw. His scowl was clear, even in the dark. 

You rubbed your clammy, cold hands on your snowsuit. You weren't sure what made you more uncomfortable. It was a toss-up between the swordsman, your freezing feet, and the sweat rolling down your back, soaking your thin cotton shirt that insulated you like a sauna.  You didn’t know how long you could take this, and it seemed he was at his limit too.

“You do realize this is your fault?” His voice sliced through the stale, warm air, snapping his head up at you, voice leaking with annoyance. 

“I don’t control the weather, Zoro,” you bristle, avoiding his unwavering gaze.

You look behind at the console, the screen blinking an incessant warning on the panel: Warning, low temperatures detected. Return Brachio Mini to Franky immediately. 

"But you control this." He gestures at the broken panel.  “We could’ve been back by now.”

“I’m sorry I like to be thorough; you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” You snapped back, but a small ounce of guilt bangs in your chest. As if you didn’t already know that, you thought. It didn’t stop you from holding on to your sliver of pride.

“When has Nami ever been wrong?” He tried to adjust for the hundredth time with no luck.

You sighed. How did he know how to get under your skin and fester there? “It was just sunny outside! You even took a swim earlier,"

“Now I’ve got a stalker?” His lips curl in cruel amusement, making your eye twitch with anger.  “That still doesn’t answer the question.”

“Fine, Nami was right. that's what you want to hear?” you hiss between tight lips. "And she’s going to kill us if we don’t freeze to death. Or maybe the lack of oxygen will come first.”

He tilted his head. “So Nami is right, and I’m not?”

“Glad to see you have your priorities straight.” You can’t help how naturally your eyes roll into your skull. He always brushed off the danger, like an annoying fly. It was a mere inconvenience to the brute. While he sat there, calm and unwavered, you were trying to quell your racing pulse, worry eating away at your patience.  

“I’m not dying here, and neither are you. I told you I could open the hatch." His voice was soft but determined. You feel your chest burn. 

“And lose the heat? Are you stupid?” you grumbled.

“You’re the one worried about the air.” He shrugged.

“Yeah, and I’m also worried about freezing to death too. Say, do you have anything between your ears, or is it just a stand for your sword?”

“Ha. Ha. Ha.” He claps, each echoing off the tinny walls. You sit in silence, trying to calm down. 

"I only agreed to come because I knew you'd get lost." You repeat, fiddling with the transponder snail. Still, no signal. 

And that was something Zoro couldn’t argue with. He slanted his eyes down at you as you turned back toward him, crossing your arms over your chest. Silence enveloped you once more, thick with tension and aggravation. 

You could see it so clearly 3 hours ago. Zoro went off by himself on the island. He either got into trouble or got lost, causing it. With limited options, you knew tagging along was the better one. He never tried to see it from your angle, no matter how hard you would persist. You used to feel envious of this, how his troubles would roll off his shoulders like a duck sheds water. Now, you realize he lacks the brain to see the issue. 

With a voice laced in anger, he broke the silence once more. “Anyone else would’ve gotten us back to this ship now,”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” you shoot back. “And I’m not anyone else.”

“You got that right,” he muttered, shifting as your knees knocked together again. You ignore the swift blow to your ego, pestering further. 

“So you rather Sanji?” 

“Please, don’t say that name right now; my head hurts enough with just you here.” 

"Answer my question, swords." You point your finger at his chest. The heat of his body radiates into your finger. He swats your hand away, rubbing the spot like it burned. 

“Both of you are annoying. One of you is lucky they're—" He paused, catching himself, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. You tilt your head, leaning closer in curiosity. 

"Never mind, this shit is stupid.” He trailed off, voice low as he avoided your gaze. His face twists between disgust and something else you can’t quite label; his eyes flicker away.

“No, finish your thought. Lucky? Lucky for what? And who?”

“I’m not doing this with you right now.. You're impossible.” He groaned, rubbing his temples. “Let me try to fix it; we’re losing daylight.”

You stared at him. “And do what exactly? I don’t think you can slash yourself out of this one.”

He looked up at the ceiling, hands reflexively thumbing the swords jutting at his hip. “That’s not a bad idea, actually.” 

You scoffed. “You can’t be serious.” 

“As a heart attack. Move.” He grabbed your shoulder, standing up, hunched over with a hand gripping Wado. You dug your heels in and leaned back. 

“No.” You glare at him, ignoring how his frame folded over yours. You sink further into the chair to avoid his gaze. His legs slot into yours awkwardly. “I won't let you ruin our only way back.” 

“And I’m not going to listen to your constant whining anymore. Move.” He grips tighter on your shoulder, eyes boring into you, unreadable. “Now.” 

“I won’t, asshole!” you seethe, but you’re losing your bite as he dips his head down, slamming a hand down behind you in frustration.

“ I have had it up to here, with you. You can’t control everything.” He whispered tersely, eyes searching yours for the answer.

"I don’t,” you whispered back. 

“Then why have you insisted on doing everything? There’s no I in team.”

You try to deflect, picking at your sleeve. “I’m surprised you can spell."

He rumbled your name, and you looked at him, eyes serious. The green highlights his small, pouting mouth. It reflects pretty shimmers off his earrings, which sway with his movements.  His grip on your shoulder loosened as he loomed down, his face impossibly close to yours. You feel his breath feather against your cheeks, warming your windburned skin. 

“Trust me, dammit..” His voice was low, not commanding, but pleading- a small tinge of frustration laced within his voice that left you wondering ‘trust you with what?’ 

The weight of heady legs pressed closer into yours. You freeze.

 ...Was he?

 You watch his eyes soften as his eyes dart across your face. For a brief moment, he eyes your chapped lips, his own twitching into something too tender, too vulnerable to be meant for you. You were rendered silent, trying to steel your legs from squeezing his toned leg between them.  this must be some cruel dream you were conjuring for yourself. But no, you both were here, breathing in each other's air, staring into each other's eyes for what felt like eternity. You feel your body buzz with the palpable energy left suspended in the air. 

Before your brain can catch up with your thoughts, you exhale sharply, lips forming a soft ‘o’. You were unable to back further away, feeling yourself pulled in by his gravity. He couldn’t be... Could he? 

But then- 

Sharp metal and glass clash violently after Zoro swiftly unsheathes Wado, stabbing the panel behind you. You scream and jolt forward, tumbling into Zoro’s chest as he falls back, sparks whizzing in the air. The interior groans and spurts, before suddenly, the engines whirs with purpose. The lights of the cabin flicker on, and the power levels itself out again.

“What the hell was that?!” You jump out of Zoro’s arms, pushing away the arm he had wrapped around your waist. You can see the way his cheeks are dusted red, but he leaned back, sheathing the sword. 

“I fixed it. See what happens when we can trust each other,” He smiled.

You look at him incredulously. He was stupid, but not braindead.“That wasn’t trust! that was- you- you tricked-”

“What did you think was going to happen? I’m not that easy.” He smirked and you feel embarrassment eat away at whatever nerves you have left.  He did know what affect that had on you, and seemed to relish it. 

“I’ll kill you with my barehands,”

“Why don’t you just get us home instead?” He juts his chin to the panel.

You try to calm your shot nerves for a moment to think, reaching at whatever remnants of the panel to carry yourselves back home. You needed to be far away from him, as soon as possible. Your hands twitch as you try to retrace the land, snow melting slowly off the windshield. 

You worry on your bottom lip.  Great. 

“I... I think we’re lost.” You force the words out of your mouth, defeat weighing you down.

“I thought you knew where you were going?!” He yelled behind you in exsperation.

"Uh.. yeah, my bad."

Maybe you were a little impossible.

and legends say they are still in the snow, battling their sexual tension, frozen in time lol.

hope you enjoyed this! If you can't tell I like when zoro is mad at you lol. Sorry if the end is a bit rushed :')

ngl I highkey wouldn't mind making a pt.2 to this with MAYBE some smut- but forewarning, i’m rusty asf. if you would want one, let me know! this was definitely supposed to be longer, but I thought it'd be cute leaving it off here.

Jamie soon gives in to his instincts, sliding down the wall to sit next to the distressed omega.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Yeah, very believable. But it’s Yanni he’s dealing with – the guy who will smile with a bloody mouth and laugh when he’s hurting. Jamie can’t remember ever seeing him looking so… fragile.

Contemplating his options, Jamie surreptitiously opens his jacket so his scent can flow more freely. With the lack of any kind of blockers today, not even neutralizing spray, he hopes the scents of pack and calm alpha will soothe his friend. The rustling of the paper bag gives Jamie another idea, so he pulls out the triple chocolate muffin.

Knowing Yanni after over three seasons of playing together, Jamie doesn’t bother offering the omega first. It will only lead to protests about how he doesn’t need pity and how chocolate is such a cliché when it comes to omegas and blah blah blah. Forgoing those protests, Jamie breaks off a big piece and shoves it in his own mouth. Yanni doesn’t move, doesn’t look, but when Jamie breaks off another piece and loosely holds it in his direction, Yanni takes it with hardly any hesitation. Can’t complain about clichés when the big, strong alpha cheats right next to him.

They sit in silence like that for a while, sharing Jamie’s muffin piece by piece.

“Got dumped today. Again.”

💙 Read the full fic or listen to it on ao3 💙

This fic covers/is part of four events:

💙 The @hockeybigbang 2025 - thank you for running this Big Bang, @wjgravity was an amazing partner 🥰

💙 The @12daysofchristmas challenge - I started writing this fic and eleven more last year, so they mainly fit last year's prompts. All the other fics will still fit perfectly this year's days (or the available alt prompts). Sadly though, this first one doesn't, so it falls a bit out of line... but meh.

💙 The @ao3tagbingo - this fic covers the square Courtship - (it was that prompt that thankfully gave me the idea for the entire plot in the first place!)

💙 The @flufftober fluff bingo - this fic covers the square Hoodie

It was a bittersweet holiday season in your house. The decorations were up. Twinkling fairy lights, an imperfect Christmas tree, and stockings hung by the fireplace. Yet, the house felt emptier without Hyunjin's laughter filling it.  

This was the first Christmas you'd spent apart since moving in together. Stray Kids was on tour, performing for fans who adored them just as much as you did. While you were proud of Hyunjin and everything he achieved, you couldn't help but feel lonely when you saw couples holding hands at the Christmas market or families gathering for festive dinners.

You’d promised yourself to stay busy. The week was filled with baking cookies, wrapping gifts, and video calling friends. Still, your mind always wandered back to him. Each notification on her phone brought a flicker of hope that it might be Hyunjin - sometimes it was, with a quick text or a blurry photo of him.

As the day before Christmas Eve approached, you set up your phone to video chat with him. Hyunjin’s face lit up the screen, his smile warm even through the phone.

“Merry Christmas, jagiya,” he said, voice soft but tinged with exhaustion.

“Merry Christmas,” you replied, your smile softening at the sight of him. He looked tired, his hair slightly messy, but his smile was as radiant as ever. “You’ve been busy. Have you even had a moment to rest?”

Hyunjin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Not much, but I’m okay. The performances have been amazing, and the fans are so supportive. But…” He paused, his gaze softening. “It’s not the same. Without you, I mean.” 

“I miss you too,” you said, your voice equally soft. “The house feels so quiet without you here.”

“I keep thinking about last year. Remember how I insisted on putting the star on top of the tree, but it kept falling off?”

You laughed, the memory warming your heart. “And you blamed the tree for being crooked.”

“It was crooked!” he defended, chuckling. “We’ll fix it when I’m back.”

“You promise?” you asked.

“I promise. But until then…” He leaned closer to the camera, his face filling the screen. “You have to take care of yourself, okay? No skipping meals, and make sure to get some rest.”

“You sound like me,” you teased. “I will, Hyunjin. You do the same, okay?”

“I will,” he replied, though the exhaustion in his voice betrayed him. “And hey… I have a gift for you that should come in two days.”

“Two days?” you asked, tilting your head. “Hyunjin, that’s Christmas Day.”

“Exactly,” he said with a sly grin, leaning back in his chair. “It’s special. You’ll see.” 

“Now I’m curious,” you said, narrowing your eyes playfully. “Should I be worried?” 

“Not at all,” he replied with a laugh. 

You rolled your eyes dramatically. “Fine. I’ll practice my patience.”  

Hyunjin’s laughter filled the call. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too,” you said softly. “And I’m so proud of you. You’re doing amazing.”

His smile faltered briefly, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. “That means everything to me. I’ll call you again soon, okay?”

You nodded, not wanting to say goodbye yet but knowing he needed rest. “Okay. Goodnight, Hyunjin.”

“Goodnight, my love,” he said, his voice warm like a cozy blanket wrapping around you.

As the call ended, you sat there for a moment, staring at the now-dark screen of your phone. Whatever Hyunjin had planned, you knew it would be good.

-----------------

It was Christmas morning, and the soft glow of the tree lights cast a warm glow across the living room. You walked downstairs to make yourself breakfast.

The smell of coffee filled the air as you poured yourself a mug, savoring the taste. But just as you were about to settle onto the couch, you heard a faint knock at the door.

Frowning, you set your mug down and approached cautiously. Who could it be so early on Christmas morning?

As you opened the door, your breath caught. Standing there, bundled up in a coat and scarf, was Hyunjin. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, and his suitcase sat beside him.

“Merry Christmas,” he said softly, his eyes glinting with excitement and love.

You stood frozen for a moment, unable to process the sight of him. “Hyunjin?” you finally whispered. “I didn’t know you were here!”

“It’s me,” he said with a grin, dropping his suitcase and opening his arms. “Surprise!”

Before he could say another word, you launched yourself at him, your arms wrapping tightly around his neck. He laughed, the sound muffled against your shoulder as he held you just as tightly. 

“What are you doing here?” you asked, pulling back just enough to look at him, your hands framing his face. “I thought you couldn’t make it.”

“I couldn’t stay away,” he admitted. “The schedule was tight, but I worked it out. I couldn’t imagine spending Christmas without you.”

Tears welled in your eyes as you pulled him inside, the warmth of the house enveloping you both. “This is the best gift ever.”

He leaned down to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. “I told you it was special.”

You leaned to kiss him, your lips meeting his in a kiss filled with all the love and longing that had built up over the time apart.

When you finally pulled away, his forehead rested against yours. “I missed you so much,” he murmured.

“I missed you more,” you whispered back.

Hyunjin’s arms tightened around you briefly before he pulled away, glancing around the living room. His eyes lit up when they landed on the Christmas tree, still decorated with its slightly lopsided star.

“You didn’t fix the star,” he teased, his lips curving into a playful grin.

“I was waiting for you,” you said with a shrug, wiping your eyes. “It’s tradition now, isn’t it?”

He laughed, pulling off his coat and scarf before heading to the tree. “Alright, let’s see if I can redeem myself this year.”

You watched as he reached up to adjust the star, his tongue poking out in concentration. It wobbled slightly, but he managed to get it steady. He stepped back with a triumphant smile. “Perfect.”

“Only because I didn’t touch it this time,” you teased, joining him by the tree.

“Hey, teamwork makes the dream work,” he said, wrapping an arm around your waist.

You rested your head on his shoulder, smiling as the soft glow of the tree lights flickered around you. "Teamwork, huh? Well, I'll admit, you did a pretty good job this time."

Hyunjin chuckled, pulling you closer. "Only because you didn’t critique my every move."

"You’re lucky I love you," you teased, nudging him gently.

"I know," he replied with a grin. "I’m a lucky guy."

"Now that you're here, I don't think I want this Christmas to end," you said softly.

Hyunjin’s smile softened, his eyes locking with yours. "It doesn't have to end. We have today and tomorrow.”