GLOW-UP

45 | santa baby

humph.

that was taeil's current mood. it wasn't often he felt bored: he always found something to do with his time, whether that be studying, extra reading, watching anime with his housemates, or trying out different blends of tea to find the best one out there. but it was winter break and there was no work to catch up on, taeil had read all of the books he'd borrowed from the library, and he didn't feel like watching anime without yuta and sicheng. and he'd already boiled the kettle today. twice.

three cups of tea before midday was a little excessive, even for him. especially on christmas day.

christmas.

no, it was a feeling more than just boredom. it was a weird emptiness that seemed to be eating him up from the inside. taeil had never been alone on christmas day before and, for lack of better words in his current moody situation, it freaking sucked.

he'd already done all of the things you're supposed to do on christmas morning: wake up excited (or, not excited), open presents (manga series from yuta and sicheng, black choker from ten, teapot from his parents, mechanical pencil from doyoung, chocolate from both mark and jaehyun, and a range of punny clothing items from johnny), and eat as much chocolate as he could before lunch.

the christmas decorations were up; yuta and sicheng had helped decorate before they left for japan. taeil was now sat in the armchair by the electrified christmas tree, wearing a black t-shirt from johnny (which read do you wanna funk?) over a striped rollneck with the black choker from ten. granted, it wasn't a particularly christmassy outfit, and maybe he was overcompensating because he missed johnny, but johnny had thrown out his ugly christmas jumper with the rest of his trashy twelve-year-old-nerd clothes, so taeil didn't have that option.

(some other mentionable t-shirts from johnny included a 90 degree angle with the words i'm always right; another one reading, 'i was addicted to the hokey pokey but then i turned myself around' which taeil didn't quite understand; and a third - 'i've got my ion you'. there was also a pair of shorts with the words butt quack and a cartoon duck on the ass, but taeil was determined to pretend those didn't exist.)

and doyoung had offered to cook, so taeil really had nothing to do.

buzz.

taeil sniffed and picked up the call. "hello-"

"merry christmas, moony!" johnny's voice was a welcome gift on christmas morning, and it brought a smile to taeil's face. "did santa claus come? i need to make sure so i'm not disappointed tomorrow."

"oh yeah," taeil replied, remembering the fourteen hour time difference between chicago and seoul, "well, i think you'll be disappointed then. all santa brought were some pathetic t-shirts."

he could almost hear johnny's grin across the line. "did you get the butt quack shorts?"

pause.

"i'm not wearing them."

"oh, you so are."

"seriously, johnny, i won't. i refuse."

"wear them the next time i stay over."

"i said no! i'm not allowing you in my apartment anymore."

"i'll put that to the test when i get back, moon taeil. you know you can't resist me."

taeil rolled over on the couch, phone to his ear and a reluctant smile on his lips. even though johnny's gifts were so dumb, and johnny in general was so dumb, there was something about him that never failed to make taeil smile. he was funny, and stupid, but always kind.