endgame - vmon/taejoon

13. PAST

length: 0.8k words

—

THEN.

"Happy birthday, Joonie. You're two years away from adulthood," Taehyung says, taking an object — a box? — from his closet and hiding it behind his back, "one year closer to death."

Namjoon snorts, but he straightens up when his eyes fall on the box Taehyung gently hands him. Christmas-themed gift wrap. "You're just upset I don't wanna go to Neverland with you, Peter," he turns the box in his hands, cradling it in his lap. "Christmas? You think I'm Jesus?"

"I think you're god sometimes," Taehyung says, and Namjoon knows he's not lying because he sometimes feels like this about Taehyung too — there's just something holy about suffering, and Taehyung suffers a lot. "C'mon, Joonie. Open it. Don't shake it, though."

Namjoon fights the primitive urge he has to rip the wrapping off and opts to carefully unfolding it instead, both because he knows that his laidback attitude is riling up Taehyung who's already swinging on his heels in enthusiasm and because he generally appreciates the care Taehyung put into the process of wrapping alone; there's something beautiful in the way he pays so much attention to the details and there's something therapeutic about unfolding them, one little detail at a time; one straight-cut piece of tape, one well-placed sticker, one ruler-folded edge at a time.

Because Taehyung is the epitome of chaos and being all over the place but he knows when to care about the little things; the rhymes in his poetry, the folds in his gift-wrap, the symbols in his gifts.

Taehyung groans and urges him to go faster.

"It's a shoe?!" Namjoon fakes a gasp when he's done.

"Yes, it's a shoebox and yes, it's Christmas gift-wrap."

He really is the epitome of chaos.

"Oh my God." Namjoon opens it. It's parted into six sections, separated with pieces of cardboard glued to the box's walls. "Tae..."

"Okay, so, this is a mixtape and it's compiled of twelve songs that were released in the past six years ever since we met, two per year," he points at the first section, "a ring I thought would look good on you, a tiny cute notebook because poetry — and it's black because it fits your aesthetic but, um," Taehyung flipped the notebook's cover, "this is your true aesthetic."

Unicorn stickers on the first page.

"Rainbow shoelaces to go with the unicorn stickers, a poem I wrote about you— for you, actually, and the last one is empty because—"

"Taehyung..." Namjoon interrupts. "That's — Thank you. You didn't have to do all of this..."

"Yeah, I did, because it's your birthday and it's a special day to me because it's the day you were born and you are special to me," Taehyung rambles off, "and I need you to read this poem. Now. Please, hyung."

He doesn't call Namjoon hyung a lot.

Namjoon reads the poem.

"It's beautiful," he says, dumbfounded. He doesn't know what else to say. "It's really well-written."

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," Namjoon repeats.

It's a love poem.

"Do you like it?" Taehyung asks again, stronger this time. "Do you understand?"

"Why's the last section empty?" Namjoon asks instead, reaching out and pulling Taehyung close by his wrists, until Taehyung's knees bump against the bed and he ends up sitting by Namjoon's side, facing him. "What's the sixth gift?"

Taehyung shrugged, looking away. "It could be something, and it could be nothing. Maybe I just ran out of ideas. It depends on whether you like the poem or not."

"And if I like the poem?" Namjoon hums, moving his hand from Taehyung's wrists to his face.

"In that case," Taehyung says, voice barely higher than a whisper, "the sixth gift would be a date. And some revelations would be disclosed."

"Fine. I like the poem," Namjoon leans in, unable to hold his grin back. "What are the revelations?"

"Firstly, the ring is a promise ring," Taehyung says even quieter, "secondly, I'm done living in Neverland. Thirdly, Koya and Tata will get married. Fourthly, we'll need to set up a plan and this plan is related to the first two points. Fifthly—"

"Can I just kiss you now?" Namjoon asks, then closes the gap between them and presses his lips against Taehyung's, giving him a quick peck. "Sorry," he says unapologetically.

"That was gonna be my fifth point," Taehyung grins back. "Lots of kisses will ensue. Kisses whenever possible."

"And hand-holding?" Namjoon asks, lightly squeezing Taehyung's hand.

"Sixth point. And many 'I love you's. Those aren't new but, still."

"I love you," Namjoon squeezes again, smiling softly. Taehyung squeezes back and leans in again, leaving another chaste kiss on Namjoon's lips. And another, and another, and another...

—