☃ ▪ ❅ Tᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ Gᴀʏs ᴏғ Cʜʀɪsᴛᴍᴀs❢ ﹟₁ ❅ ▪ ☃

Pairing: VKook.

Genre: non-AU (starting off easyyyy), and uh fluffy shet? idek

Prompt: via Tumblr "Secret Santa who keeps getting me random AU".

(made on my phone whoops)

"On the First Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me..."

❅❅❅❅❅

"A ing nightlight."

To his Secret Santa's defense, the only rule that actually applied was that the gift had to be 'homey'. Quirky little around-the-house sort of knick-knacks that no one would miss until they needed it. Jeongguk had digressed on the whole 'Gucci doesn't count' , but... Seriously? 

He cast the other Bangtan members a withering look, searching their faces as if waiting for his Secret Santa to just spring up with Ashton Kutcher because he'd clearly just been punked. He wasn't so lucky.

Namjoon was the first to try with: "Uh... I'm sure it'll help with—"

"Hyung, it's a nightlight."

"Hey, at least it's red like Iron Man."

Jeongguk almost broke his neck whipping around to shoot daggers at Hoseok who only ducked into looking over his seahorse plushie in earnest. it all, they were actually serious. It'd been Seokjin's idea in the first place to make the dorm a little more 'bright' this year with a gifting game. And it would've been a pretty great idea, were it not for the fact that all seven boys shared the same one teaspoon of maturity.

Yoongi waved him off. "Sit the down, kid. It's my turn. We've got six more days of this anyway."

True. The Secret Santa thing was supposed to last all week. Seven days of gag gifts and seven nights of kicking each other's asses for them. Maybe he just needed to lighten up, after all.

With a sigh, Jeongguk plopped back down, tucking himself in the crook offered by Jimin's waiting arm as they all watched Taehyung open his gift. It was just a nightlight. Just a joke. Clearly it didn't mean what it implied...

Of course not.

...

"Okay, no."

Honestly, Jeongguk could take the nightlight sitting down. He even ended up buying a lightbuld for it in case every other light in existence went out- at least they could fumble for candles with it. But as he stood there, nestled in the circle of his groupmates on day two, and a fluffy duckling blanket in his hand- he just knew...

"Seriously, who's the wise ?"

That earned him a chiding smack on the thigh from Seokjin and a few muffled snickers, but nobody seemed eager to cave. But really, though, what else did he expect? Five more days of random baby-shower gifts and the fun was only starting. Jeongguk couldn't help but shudder when he realized he was practically taking a peek into his Secret Santa's head.

"I mean, you're the maknae, so I get it," Taehyung countered from somewhere beneathe a mountain of quilts.

"I'm twenty."

"But you're the youngest."

"But I can drink."

"From a sippy cup," Yoongi chimed right in only to have the blanket hurled at that irritating smirk.

At least the damned thing actually came in handy.

...

On the third day, Jeongguk was half-expecting something else exuding baby-ish. If the blanket and nightlight weren't enough to scream underage and too-pure-for-hip-s, then nothing was. But as the youngest tentatively ripped back the sheer golden wrapping, he was met with a box of... bananas. 

His Secret Santa wasn't even trying anymore.

With lips pursed in agitation, he waited for everyone else to unwrap their Secret Santa gifts. Pink oven mitts for Seokjin, cheap earbuds for Namjoon. It all fell in line with every other societal-appropriate gift that actually fit their ages. Maybe he was just being a bit too petty, taking this sort whole thing out of hand. But that didn't stop him from tailing Seokjin and Yoongi to their rooms after it was all over.

"Be honest, was it one of you?"

He was met almost immediately with two pairs of gazes, one confused and slightly worried (he had every reason to be with Jeongguk hovering over the door like a madman) while the other was stained in boredom.

"Look," Yoongi began, dumping himself unceremoniously on his bunk. "I'll let you in on somethin'. I didn't actually buy any of the gifts for my partner. They're all things I already owned."

Wait so...

"So you're saying you had a ducky blanket lying around?"

"Try the again, kid."

With his headphones now firmly planted to rein in his irritation, Yoongi was officially off the list of candidates. But this left Seokjin... His sweet, motherly hyung who'd always coddled him like some sort of man-child since time began. Him and his windshield wiper laughter at Jeongguk's corny jokes. Him and his doting touches and fervent attempts to straighten the younger's ruffled hair or clothes. Him and—

"Don't even think about it, Jeongguk. My partner's Hoseok."

Welp, there goes that.

...

Day four's victim was caught haunching over into the refrigerator, light humming filtering out as Taehyung scavenged for the last cup of yogurt he'd been saving for the evening. Without a suspicion in the world, he straightened up and closed the door... only to find Jeongguk looming right behind it.

"Christ! Kook!" He jarred violently, recovering against the countertop with a wary grin, fumbling to set his yogurt cup down to safety.

"You scared—"

"What do you know about this, Tae?"

Taehyung blinked once, twice. Nearly going cross-eyed as he was met with a view-full of slender, silvery... grill tongs? Oh god, Jeongguk's fourth 'gift'. He couldn't help the snicker, taking the utensils from the other's grip and assessing them for himself before speaking up.

"You always did wanna start out that lamb skewer business."

"Do you even need tongs to make skewers, though?"

"How should I know? It's your business."

At this, Jeongguk sagged, running his hands down either side of his face in disbelief. "Managers don't do the cooking, Tae, they just... Manage it." Still, he had the oddest feeling that his Secret Santa was trying to tell him something. But in what ing language?

The raven-haired boy is riddled from his thoughts at the 'click' of the tongs right before his eyes, dragging his gaze away just in time to catch Taehyung's usual box-grin. Jeongguk's always hated that thing, always loathed how it made him feel a touch too warm in all the right places. Hated how it was just too contagious to fight off, even when he physically willed himself to be angered. It was a lost cause with Taehyung there, always had been.

"You're thinking too much. For all you know, the answer's probably right in front of you." He pinched the tip of Jeongguk's nose with the tongs, easily losing them with a whine as the younger confiscated them. "You've got three more days. Just wait it out and drag the answer out of him when your Secret Santa outs himself."

With those words, it honestly seemed so simple. But Jeongguk had a knack for taking things far too seriously and it wasn't long before he whirled his way out of the kitchen. Bidding his best friend a parting mumble as he mentally crossed the brunette off his list of options.

Three more days. Three more members.

He'd figure this out soon enough, even if it meant taking lecture notes from Nancy Drew.

...

"Kook, please, I gotta shower."

On any other occasion this might've actually looked endearing. What with Jimin, shirt only halfway off and head poking out from the bundle around his collar- all while their youngest stood with a foot jabbed against the bathroom door to keep it propped. On his face was a look no more amused than Seokjin on his diets, but in his hands were a pair of mint-coloured baby booties. 

"Seriously? I thought we finally got past the baby gifts."

Jimin struggled, only half listening to the other's plight as he leaned forcefully against the door- only for Jeongguk to wedge himself into the frame.

"Kook, I'm not even part of it this year," the shorter man lamented, grunting with another harsh shove. "We needed- - even numbers. Why're you even asking me?"

"Because—" Jeongguk managed to jam his shoulder in, only to recoil in pain. His face and his foot all that were left to stand against the door's onslaught. "Just 'cos you're not in this doesn't mean you haven't heard anything. C'mon, just spill!"

"Jeongguk, I ing swear. You've got ten seconds." And with that, Jimin wrenched over the first thing he could find (which happened to be Yoongi's toothbrush) and proceeded to whack the maknae's forehead with it in time with the countdown. It only took one passerby a.k.a Taehyung and a crazed look of desperation from Jimin for the brunette to slip behind the youngest and slide his fingers down his sides. Jeongguk's reaction was instant, a violent shudder from the tickling, before Taehyung hurried off with a laugh.

But by the time he whirled back around, he was met with a faceful of door and the muffled sound of a running shower.

...

Perhaps he'd watched one too many cartoons in his lifetime, but Jeongguk could practically feel the spiderwebs forming in his nonexistent beard. He'd waited so long, slumped up against the front door in hopes of Hoseok and Namjoon returning from their shopping trip... At least before he reached forty. Or... graduated from college. Whichever came first. But after opening his sixth day's gift and finding only a single Hello Kitty puzzle piece inside, his resolve stiffened right back up his . This was personal now.

At the sound of the telltale 'click' of the lock, he perked up- scrambling from the floor just as the knob turned and unleashed a shivering Hoseok hauling in his load of groceries. He flinched at the sight of the youngest before a look washed over his features that clearly spelled out: 'Dammit, guess it's my turn.' In the grand scheme of things, he could've avoided this. The moment Namjoon opted to swerve into the nearest music store before 'catching up later', Hoseok should've picked up on the tactic. The poor sap had just been sacrificed.

"Hyung—"

"Kookie, please." The elder male emitted the sort of downtrodden sigh like his soul was being auctioned off for pennies. He stumbled past the other, determined to displace the bags before the scarlet marring his palms became permanent. "Don't start. Not tonight, I'm tired."

At this, the maknae visibly sagged. In the dimly lit kitchenette attached to their front corridor, Hoseok was better able to make out the shallow bags that clung to the dips of Jeongguk's eyes. He blinked, honestly surprised that the other was taking this so seriously. And with that, he could practically feel his resolve fraying at the edges, chipped apart by the soft spot for their usually-coquettish youngest.

"Aye, tell me something, though... Why's this so important to you? The Santa thing, I mean." Eyes drew in on the lilting shrug he received in return. "C'mon, half the guys are scared to walk in alone after this week. Trailing them so badly, that's gotta mean something."

Jeongguk relented against the stove, leaning into the chilled metal and lacing his arms tentatively. "It's not really the gift, I mean... The principle behind it?" The clueless blink he received in response was his cue to continue. "I mean, I've tried so hard to get outta that 'maknae zone'. To stop being babied by the fans, even you guys. I just wanna know that I can be taken seriously, even in stuff like this."

Hoseok understood, or at least liked to believe he could empathize. Despite the flourishing muscles and hardened exterior there was still the doubt, still the insecurity laced beneathe those confident smirks and stark demeanor. But even then, Jeongguk never realized that this week alone was proof to them all just how much of a kid he evidently was— and it was the irony in his efforts that drew Hoseok nearer.

"Hey, look... Why don't you try this?" One hand rested on the younger's shoulder, he lifted his other to jab a finger towards the pitiful baby tree regaled in the middle of the living room. "Whoever it is will drop their gift there tonight with the rest of us, yeah? Just wait til he shows then."

Waiting... As if that wasn't the only activity Jeongguk had been mastering all week. Well, that and lurking asses like Donald Trump during the debates. But with literally one night left and all other options tossed to landfill, he couldn't do much else but offer a slow nod. At this, Hoseok smirked and pinched his cheek.

"Do me a favor? Jump Namjoon's sorry  when he crawls in later."

...

It only took all of four hours for midnight to arrive, and by then Jeongguk succeeded in 'jumping' his hyung like Hoseok instructed— his efforts rewarded with a string of English curses and a scratched Gallant album. It wasn't until he'd glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time that he realized how naive this was, to actually think that his Secret Santa would materialize in front of the tree at the of midnight was ridiculous. Childish, even. And the mere thought of it had him scrambling up from behind the couch, gathering his Lays and making a beeline for back toward his bedroom.

Until he heard it.

It started out as a shuffling, like socks dragging lazily against the shaggy carpeting down the hallway. But it wasn't until the sound grew louder, practically amplifying like a din in his ears, that Jeongguk realized someone was coming. Closer. Toward the living room... Where he ing was right at that precise moment.

He stilled just in time to be swaddled in shadows the furthest corner could offer, eyes widening as the figure crept his way into the center of the darkened room to hunch over the tree. The moment the stranger straightened back up, Jeongguk was on him— rushing forward to lace an arm around the intruder's waist, a makeshift cage as he whirled him around to meet his face. Large eyes sparked to light by the sliver of moon tinting across his features, lips parted and plush and terribly recognizable.

"Taehyung?!"

Even given the circumstances, the elder had the gall to grin, rubbing his nape without a hint of remorse staining his face. "I— Kookie, shouldn't you be in bed?"

Jeongguk deadpanned a look before stealing a glimpse at the small, scarlet-wrapped box in the other's hands. "Shouldn't you know better?" He lifted the box between them despite the other's sputtering protests, squinting to garner a view of his name scribbled onto the golden bow. 

"Tae, it was... You all along? You're my—"

"Secret Santa? Yeah uh, surprise..?" He helplessly held out his arms, a half-assed request of forgiveness through a hug. But Jeongguk wasn't through with him yet.

"You ing mean to tell me you're the one who gave me those ty— That ?!" He was practically shaking him by his shoulders then, an acid-lecture already prepped on the tip of his tongue no matter what excuse the older man gave.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! , Kook, that hurts. I just— I had a reason, okay? Just lemme explain."

The moment Jeongguk reluctantly released him, Taehyung shakily backed up to plop down heavily into the couch. Switching on the lamp beside him, he could better assess the disappointment riddled in Jeongguk's peeved expression. Turned out things really were better kept in the dark.

"They weren't just gag gifts," he patted the spot beside him, almost pouting at the other's hesitation before conceding. "They meant something. Each one of them."

Jeongguk couldn't help but squint. "What the do nightlights and bananas mean to me, Taehyung?"

"You light up my life."

Oh.

Wait.

Jeongguk's only intelligent response was to blink twice. "Excuse me?"

"The nightlight... I gave it to you to mean that you... light up my life." Taehyung's face reflected something between constipation and sympathy. As if Jeongguk was the stupid one for not comprehending. "That was day one. Day two was the blanket, right?"

"Tae— Woah, woah just wait a sec, okay? You mean you're serious? These gifts... You were serious?"

"The blanket is what you are to me. A security blanket. You keep me warm and make me feel safe," he offered without missing a beat, ignoring Jeongguk's inquiry as if he was too busy interpretting the string theory to care. And at this, Jeongguk took the moment to search the other, his eyes scaling over Taehyung's features in something of a panic as if desperate to find an inkling of impish humor. But in the guise of sincerity curling a haze into those creamy, mocha orbs... Jeongguk found no such thing.

"Taehyung, you're..."

"Day three? Bananas." He at least had the decency to appear a bit embarrassed this time. "Because I find you a-peel-ing or something."

"Oh my god, never again—"

"Day four... tongs."

Jeongguk groaned into his hands, sinking back against the cushions worn with time and fading memories. "If you say some like I'm 'too hot to handle', I'll choke you out." Taehyung tipped back his chin to chortle, more so out of amusement at his friend's suffering. Jeongguk's flushed cheeks were his most intimate traitors.

"The baby booties on the fifth day... I meant to say that you run through my mind every night." He smile widened at the thought of the adorable booties, legs drawing up to tuck beneath himself. "They were cuter than tennis shoes."

Jeongguk hadn't noticed how much nearer Taehyung was now until he found himself counting the other's lashes. Curled so gently into his upper lids, just below the auburn brows that lifted beneath those silken sweeps of bangs. The lighting may have been Taehyung's bane, but to Jeongguk it was suddenly a dear friend. "The puzzle..."

"You complete me."

Silence spilled in the chasm between them both, a dam emptying every shared touch and lingering gaze between them since debut. He'd always considered himself closest to the older male, never once felt as if he'd been infringing any boundaries with him. With Taehyung, Jeongguk could make out the ease of his sordid nights, find a spark that they said only Christmas could carry.

And if his hyungs were the essence of Jeongguk's holiday spirit— the only joy his world really needed. And it only made sense for Taehyung to be his Secret Santa.

Taehyung's hand was warm in his own, exuding the type of comfort that Jeongguk likened himself to cling to. A grounding source that washed him clean of the guilt riddled by a week of harassing his elders. The voice that met his was softer now, a touch lighter as if each revealed gift was another layer stripped away from the facade Taehyung wore for days... Or even far longer.

"I guess... You can go ahead and open the last one," he offered, gently nudging the palm-sized box into Jeongguk's lap with a wink. "I won't tell the others."

A moment's doubt played itself over the younger's narrowed gaze, but he lifted the lid regardless, fingers coiling it back to reveal a hollow space encased inside.

"It's empty."

He breathed out the obvious assessment with a tone that, if one piqued their ears just right, could almost dawn into disappointment. And his confusion only thickened when, for the longest time, Taehyung's only response was a squeeze of his hand.

"Because now's the part where I give you my heart."

Author's Note: Oh god, that was ew.................................................................. I'm done. Ohwow. I actually did a thing. So u h, let's all awkwardly notice how awful this was. It was rushed. I blame the two days I gave myself to pull this outta my . Seriously, guys, I at fluff. Warned every living thing ever. This ain't my thing b UT it's the holidays so it. It's non-AU (is that even a fanfic genre????) because it's an easy start but mAN, my next ones probably won't be. Unless, you know, lazy. I'll also throw in some actual angst and and shet in other ones cuz tHOSE are mama's muse. Idk wtf this is, but pls know I only killed 4 brain cells pulling this off. <3 I've got a whole ing 3 left bro yAS. Anyway, uh. So starts one-shots. They'll be short. They'll be randumb. They'll be ghei as hell. You'll probs hate me by January. I don't honestly see myself doing 11 more of these buT we'll see. I hate one-shorts (short one-shots) cuz no build-up or development but meh. Thank you bbys ;u;

Stay qt. <333