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4☆TOWN - Gingerbread Shenanigans

Gen ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Grammarly coming in clutch once again

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME TO DAY 5 OF THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN AND DAY 25 OF ADVENT !! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE <333

i do hope you've enjoyed these short stories and have had a wonderful christmas,, enjoy !!

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“Gingerbread time!” yells T as he slides down the hallway into the kitchen.

Already waiting by the countertop, Jesse dramatically rolls his eyes, causing Tae Young to stifle a giggle and quickly cover it with a fake cough. They’d spent the morning setting up the kitchen, organising all the necessary tools - bowls of icing, bags of sprinkles, gum drops, candy canes, chocolate buttons - and putting a station together for each member to build at. 

Bounding over to the kitchen table, where the stations were set up, T grins at the others. “Nice work you two, looks very orderly, like something straight out of some baking show!” he compliments. “But where’s Z and Ro?”

“Probably writing together somewhere,” Jesse answers, placing down some protective table covers just in case. “If you don’t mind grabbing them for me, try the bean bags.”

“No problemo, Jess, be back quick as lightning.” T calls, already speeding out of the room.

Soon enough everyone is gathered around the table, suiting up for the kitchen in matching ridiculous aprons, T and Jesse even donning some comically absurd chef hats that towered over their heads.

Clapping his hands together, T's excitement and anticipation practically radiating off him in waves. “Alright, alright, enough waiting around already! Let’s get this show on the road!” His voice has a commanding edge as if he’s about to lead hoards of gingerbread soldiers to victory.

Jesse raises an eyebrow. “If you wanted less waiting around you could’ve helped out instead of masking us do all the prep work, you know.”

“But you do it so well.” T returns in mock admiration.

Tae Young cuts in, a mischievous grin already spreading across his face as he announces confidently, “I’m ready to let the games begin. But don’t think I’ll let any of you get away with boring houses, I’m putting together a full-on gingerbread palace.”

“Challenge accepted,” Z replies, eyes narrowing playfully. “Don’t think I’m going down without a fight.”

Robaire scoffs haughtily, “This isn’t about pure technical skill. It’s about imagination, and clearly, I’m the only visionary at this table.”

The table bursts out in a series of eye rolls and snickers, all used to Z and Robaire’s tendency to take any and all perceived competition far too seriously.

“Boys, boys, let’s not forget this isn't a competition,” Jesse tuts, falling back into parental habits as if he were wrangling his actual kids.

“Maybe not for you,” Z counters, a slight edge to his voice, “I’m here to win.”

“What about you, T?” Tae asks, his tone goading, “You got any winning ambitions?”

“Nah, man. I’m just here to slap an edible house together and then feast, no time for competing. I’ve gotta be thinking about the best flavour combos.” T replies solemnly and perhaps too genuinely for some store-bought gingerbread house kits.

“Okay, okay, I can guarantee there’ll be no competition if we don’t get round to actually making the houses,” Jesse counters, putting an end to the discussion. He reaches for one of his house’s walls when he notices no one else is moving. “Go on then.”

As soon as the words tumble from his lips, the table dissolves into a mad flurry of gingerbread house construction, with members already laying claim to certain sweets and stealing them away to their stations to keep for whenever needed.

Starting first, Jesse takes his time assembling the foundations of his house, measuring each wall and securing them with just the right amount of icing to do the trick. Having made gingerbread houses with his kids almost every year since they were born, Jesse’s built up a knack for the assembly of each part and a step-by-step method to creating a simplistic yet perfectly acceptable gingerbread house. In the end, he’s left with a neat, distinctly homemade gingerbread house that feels strangely nostalgic.

Similarly, Z also takes an orderly approach to his building. His house is all clean edges and symmetry like it’s been lifted right off the instruction manual. Even his candy decorations are meticulously placed in pleasing patterns, with perfectly spaced M&M’s forming neat lines and edible star sprinkles arranged carefully on the roof. He may be the only one in the room taking this entirely too seriously, but that’s just how Z rolls, and he’s more than okay with that.

Robaire, on the other hand, was taking a more artistic approach in his gingerbread house assembly, as he did in life. His house may be leaning slightly to one side, and the sides of each slab of gingerbread may not line up perfectly, but the decorations are carefully thought out and executed perfectly. The gumdrops are arranged in a beautiful swirl of colour on the roof in a hypnotising pattern that draws attention far more than any of the imperfections of his build.

After initially attempting to stick the walls together with icing, which ultimately failed, T had tried to resort to superglue before being warned that superglue is not in fact edible. Eventually, T decided on haphazardly piling the gingerbread pieces together and dumping a load of icing over them before dumpling an even larger pile of sweets on top. To all the judging side-eyes he receives, T simply grins and claims “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Tae Young, however, had somehow managed to craft himself some upward extensions and a whole new semi-detached tower out of the sweets laid out on the table, transforming the ordinary gingerbread house into a castle just like he’d promised. There’s a light layer of frosting slathered all over the house, mimicking paint, candy canes used in all the corners as support beams, and gumdrops acting as bushes surrounding the building. Despite the added weight, his foundations don’t wobble or shift an inch.

Noticing everyone’s finished, T leans back, wiping his hands on his apron. “Alright, time for the gallery. Line ‘em up, boys.”

Everyone at the table stands up simultaneously, arranging their gingerbread houses into an orderly line, completely juxtaposing the chaos of the table around them. 

“Alright, we’ll get my midnight snack out the way so we can move on to your little contest, yeah?” T offers, already stepping up to present his ‘house’.

Receiving no complaint, T gestures lovingly to his pile with a large grin. His creation is, at best, abstract, being only a pile of broken gingerbread slabs, fat dollops of icing, and a large helping of sweets dumped over the mess. “I don’t expect any of you to understand the enormity of the beauty you see before you, but worry not, I shall forgive you for your ignorance and allow you to gaze upon it either way.”

Robaire snorts, barely holding it together through T’s dramatics. “You sure that’s not just a pile of whatever you’ve been craving for the past couple weeks?”

Ignoring Robaire, T moves on. “Anyway, now onto the real reason you’re here… the contest.” Pretending to hold a judge’s clipboard, T struts around to line the boys up as well in front of their respective gingerbread houses.

“Who’s up first?” T asks.

First looking around for any other volunteers, Jesse steps forward. “I can go.” Cool and collected as ever, Jesse presents his gingerbread house with confidence. “I’ve kept it pretty simple, classic, if you will,” he says, with a small, approving nod of his own handiwork, “Can’t go wrong with the basics.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Tae comments, clapping for Jesse’s house.

“I'll go next,” Robaire volunteers as Jesse steps back into the line, walking up to show off his creation. He gestures to his colourful masterpiece with pride, despite its leaning walls. “Feast your eyes, everyone. You won’t be seeing art like this again in your lifetime.”

“Not bad,” Jesse compliments, “Definitely a great use of colour.”

Robaire grins at Jesse as he steps back into the line, Z popping out without a word to present his gingerbread house next. He gives it a quick once-over, checking its condition as if he hasn’t seen it for days, detecting no faults he goes on to speak. “Here is mine.”

Jesse whistles lowly at it, impressed by the precision and clear thought put into the house.

“Looks like it was made by a robot,” T whispers loudly, supposedly under his breath despite everyone hearing it.

“Thank you,” Z replies shortly. He always becomes more withdrawn when he gets into competition mode.

“And finally, contestant numero four is Tae.” T announces, gesturing grandly to the table, “Step on up.”

With a proud little grin, Tae bounds over to the table “Behold, losers,” he announces, gesturing towards his palace with great flair and gusto, “Read it and weep.”

Z rolls his eyes as T pretends to swoon, dramatically swooping, “It’s the gingerbread castle of my dreams!” he cries.

The group erupts into laughter, then stands in a line, admiring their work. While it’s clear none of their houses are particularly exceptional - except maybe Tae Young’s, which was definitely something - it doesn’t matter. There are no judges, no prizes, just a group of friends enjoying themselves during the holiday season.

T turns to the group with a grin. “Alright, time for the final decision… we’re all winners here!” he declares excitedly.

With everyone’s gingerbread creations lined up in front of them, the laughter continues. The competition ends, but the real fun is just beginning - snacking on their hard work. With T leading the charge, they dig in, trying to figure out how much of each house they can eat without it all falling apart.

And as the last crumbs get devoured and the last bits of frosting licked from their fingers, the group settles back into their chairs, their laughter still echoing in the kitchen, content in the knowledge that sometimes the best holiday memories are made in the messiest moments.

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i hope you enjoyed <3

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Jesse - Baby, It's Cold Outside

Gen ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; Not today

Proofread + Edited ;; Run through Grammarly

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME TO DAY 5 OF THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN AND DAY 24 OF ADVENT !!

enjoy !!

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Bitter air nips at the tips of your nose and ears, sneaking through the cracks between your coat and scarf to brush against your skin. Despite the chill, you don't feel cold; the festivities warm your body and soul. Or maybe it’s Jesse’s arm around your shoulders. Or the hundreds of layers of clothing you've thrown on to defend against the icy bite of the night air. Either way, you're toasty.

The square is bustling with life; joyous chatter and the swirling scents of pine, cinnamon, and cocoa flood the air. As your feet crunch further through the snow, the latter scents only grow stronger as you come upon a particularly popular stall selling steaming mugs of homemade hot chocolate. 

You begin to crave the dark, rich delicacy the more you breathe in the heady scent, quickly turning to Jesse, ready to pull out the puppy dog eyes at a moment's notice, only to find he’s already looking at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Hot chocolate?” he asks without a hint of question or surprise in his voice, lips quirking into a playful smirk.

“If you insist,” you reply, mock reluctantly as you speed closer to the stall.

A smiling vendor hands you two cups once you arrive, so hot and freshly poured that a puff of steam appears when they meet the cold air. You blow across the surface, hoping that will be enough to prevent a burnt tongue, before diving in to take a sip. Warmth bursts across your tongue, seeping through your body and into your bones.

“Perfect,” you murmur, smiling as you savour the taste: rich cocoa with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.

Jesse sighs into his own mug after taking a sip, glancing at you over the rim of his cup with soft eyes. “It’s the little things like this that make the holidays feel real to me, you know?”

A sense of contentment settles into your chest as you nod, leaning into Jesse’s side. “Yeah, it's the little things.”

You stand there for a few minutes, watching the crowd from afar as your drinks steadily go down. Warmth and festivity radiate all around you, filling you with your own contented holiday spirit, as you cup your mug in both hands, soaking up all the heat it has to offer.

Jesse finishes his drink first, turning to you with a fond smile as he waits for you to finish as well. “How about those lights then, huh?”

You grin at him once you finish your own hot chocolate, gesturing in the vague direction of your destination with your arm. “Lead the way.”

The two of you continue to wander through the giant square, its sides lined with even more market stalls all jazzed up with twinkling lights. Stood proudly in the middle of the square is a towering pine tree - tall enough you’re sure Santa’s sleigh will snag on its tip - its branches adorned with glimmering ornaments that draw you towards it like a beacon.

As clusters of people chatter amicably around you, the absence of your steaming mug makes itself known as the chilling night air bites at your fingertips. Soon enough the chill spreads from your fingers up your arms, sending shivers down your spine. With a soft smile, Jesse captures your hand in his, carefully intertwining your fingers, before settling your joined hands in the pocket of his winter coat. The heat of his palm presses against the chill of yours, sharing his warmth like he has plenty to spare.

It’s a simple gesture, and yet somehow it means everything.

Walking in step, you wiggle your way into a perfect spot close to the tree as the countdown begins, echoing through the square as the crowd waits with bated breath for the reveal.

5…

…4

…3

The air crackles with anticipation as the crowd chants, collective voices echoing around the square. You give Jesse’s hand a short squeeze and he gives you a comforting squeeze in return.

…2

…1

Silence. Then with a crackle and a buzz, the square is alight with a burst of colour, bathing everything in it in a magical glow. The crowd erupts into applause, cheering for all the hard work put into creating such a detailed and beautiful display.

You both stand there for a moment, taking in the spectacle, the view, mesmerised by the twinkling lights and their reflections in the surrounding ornaments, the feel of your hands intertwined, wrapped up in warmth, and the quiet magic of the night. You turn to Jesse, admiring the light catching in his eyes as you curl further into his frame, grateful to melt into the heat he so freely offers - physically, emotionally, and in every way in between.

With Jesse, you’re sure you’ll never be without warmth again, even during the iciest of holidays.

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i hope you enjoyed <3

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Aaron Z - Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Gen ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Grammarly screamed at me a couple times,, was v upsetting

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME BACK TO DAY 3 OF CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN AND DAY 23 OF ADVENT !!

enjoy !!

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The air of Christmas is looming, filling up every corner of your home with soft anticipation. Or it would be if you could just open the box holding your beloved Christmas tree. And if Z would stop just watching you struggle and lend a hand.

After a couple of minutes of annoyed and amused silence respectively, you give in and call out to Z, “Honey, could you maybe give me a hand here?” the words punching out of your chest as you contort into the strangest of angles. You swear the box has gotten ten times heavier than it was last year, the weight of it pulling on your muscles as you contort further to balance yourself.

Z, draped lazily on the couch, raises a mocking eyebrow at your request, an amused smirk settled on his lips. “What’s the problem? You’re a strong, independent individual, you got this.”

You huff out a rueful hum as your earlier insistent denials of help come flooding back to you. “Right, well, now as a more wisened, older version of myself, I’ve decided I don’t want our tree looking like it’s fallen out the back of a cargo plane, so please, if you will,” you all but beg, a slight whine taking over your voice.

“Sure, sure, don’t want all the people that aren’t coming to our house to be embarrassed by the sorry state of our tree now, do we?” Z teases in response, already heading towards you and the box with an endearing look of determination.

You roll your eyes, muttering under your breath dramatically, as Z pops the box open. The scent of pine wafts out from the box, filling the room quickly.

“See? Not that hard,” Z says mockingly, a smug smirk playing on lips, as you lift the massive tree stand from the box, lugging it across the floor to the perfect spot.

You tut, shooing Z away as you turn your full attention to the tree. With it now upright, you work quickly to unfurl the tree’s branches, arranging them gently as Z reclaims his spot on the couch, still watching you amused. 

The tree comes together fairly quickly after that, naturally taking shape as the tinsel and lights wrap around quite gracefully if you do say so yourself. Adding the ornaments takes a larger chunk of time as you lovingly arrange them, making sure each ornament has its place and the space to shine. Soon enough, the tree is ready for its final touch: the star.

You trace the edges of the star, tapping your fingers against its dull points as you ponder how to get it to the top. Standing on your tip-toes, you reach up, gripping the nearby furniture to keep your balance, to place it on the highest point of your tree. The ornament barely reaches the higher branches before you crumble out of your strained position, the star’s destination frustratingly just out of reach.

You stumble back a few steps, frustration mounting as you scour the room for some kind of step to give you that extra inch, that extra height that would make all the difference. In your investigation, you catch Z’s eye, who quickly continues pretending to be engrossed in his phone, though you don’t miss the twitch of a smirk as he ducks his head again.

Fine. Two can play that game

“What do you think, should I risk it?” you ask, gesturing to the top of the tree.

That pulls Z out of his pretence. “What are you gonna do, toss it up there like it’s a free throw?” he asks incredulously.

“Might have to,” you reply, sending him a sharp side-eye. “Could end up damaging something though, so if I were you I’d offer to help instead of making me look like a fool in my own home.”

Z huffs out a laugh before standing up with a resigned sigh, pulling out all the dramatics as he walks over to you in mock reluctance, stopping just behind you. “Alright, alright. This had better be worth the trouble, I’m just saying.”

You snort, patting him gently on the cheek like you would a little kid. “Aren’t you such a trooper?” You hold out the star for Z to take, shooting him a sweet smile. “Now, up.”

A yelp escapes your lips when, instead of taking the star like a normal person, Z holds you by the waist and hoists you into the air just enough for you to reach the top of the tree. “Seriously?” you cry,  shrinking back in surprise.

“Sure am. Now put that star on the tree, will ya? I haven’t got all day for this.” Z chastises with a tease, hitching you just a bit higher as you roll your eyes and lean forward to place the star on the tree.

“Yes, sir,” you reply dryly as Z sets you back down on the ground, his hands lingering at your waist as you turn to smile at him.

“Nice job,” Z praises, raising his hand for a high five.

“Thanks,” you reply, smacking Z’s hand with pride.

With your Christmas tree up in its full glory, you can’t help but feel a crucial component of the festive spirit has clicked into place, filling your chest with light as you grin up at your success. You whirl towards Z, ready to smugly brag about you (pretty much) singlehandedly brought Christmas to your home when you notice Z already looking down at you and smiling that fond grin of his.

You roll your eyes, pushing his face away to remove the heavy affection that swells up in your chest under his gaze and know that this Christmas is going to be the best yet.

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hope you enjoyed <3

[miniimapp]

Aaron T - Santa Tell Me

Gen ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Briefly skimmed over and put through Grammarly

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME TO DAY 3 OF THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN AND DAY 22 OF ADVENT,, HOW WE FEELING !?

personally getting v excited for crimbo, but it has been a bit of struggle pumping these out. i write them all on the day they come out (fully planned just not written) bc apparently i hate myself (wanted a challenge) but i forget i literally work all of the day lmao

anyways, enough complaining, enjoy !!

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Crowded shopping malls are the worst. They're even worse when you have to spend about an hour game planning how to navigate the shop without garnering any attention, only to then have to abandon all previous strategies and just wing it. Needless to say, the whole shopping endeavour is stressful and fun is not being had.

By you, at least. T is having a wonderful time, thank you very much for asking!

As you weave through the bustling crowds, jingling Christmas music and joyful chatter fills the air. T, decked out in a too-big scarf that masks the lower half of his face and a floppy bobbled hat, thrives in the chaos, flitting from shop to shop with a smile so wide that his eyes crinkle with mirth. You trail behind him, trying to ignore the weight of finding THE perfect gift, and quickly discover that you're starting to enjoy yourself, mostly due to T’s infectious enthusiasm.

As soon as you reach the mall’s centre, T stops completely dead, almost causing you to bump into him. You huff, pushing past him and through the crowd around you, to chastise him for stopping without warning when you notice the awed look on his face. In confusion, you whirl around to find whatever captured his attention and your eyes land on the mall’s Grotto set up, complete with their very own mall Santa and twinkling brightly with what must be thousands of lights.

“Come one, we have to go check out Santa’s Grotto!” T exclaims, a wide grin brightening up his face as he grabs your hand and pulls you into the fairly short queue, “I’ve always wanted to go to one of these!”

“Wait, you’ve never been to one of these before?” you ask, a little baffled, “I would’ve thought you’d be all over these as a kid.”

“Nah, just never really came across ‘em, I guess.” he replies, shrugging noncommittally, “That, or my ma was purposely avoiding them at all costs. Can’t really blame her either, who knows what kind of wishes I would’ve made at that age.”

You roll your eyes despite the amused smile playing on your lips, about to reply when a worker calls out to you. Surprisingly, you’d already made it to the front of the queue; despite how short it was, you’d still expected to be waiting a little longer than you had.

T, eyes sparkling with anticipation, all but drags you into the small room where Santa’s waiting and you can’t help but be endeared and amused by his childlike enthusiasm despite very much being a fully grown man.

As you enter through the doorway, T rushes forward towards Santa, who leans forward, voice booming across the space yet still swelling with warmth, “Ho ho ho, and what do you want for Christmas, my dear boy?”

T turns back to you, “Turn around and cover your ears!”

You raise an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because my wish won’t come true if anyone but Santa hears it. Come on, please,” he begs, pitching his voice into a pleading whine.

“Alright, alright,” you concede, moving slowly and dramatically as you turn around and cover your ears with your hands.

As T chatters excitedly to Santa, probably only slowing down and lowering his voice to whisper his wish, you take a second to admire the room. Gilded in gold, ruby red, and emerald green, the grotto feels truly festive, as if you’ve been transported into a snow globe with a cosy log cabin. The very essence of the room is warmth in a way you can’t quite explain, something you can only feel, and you’re honestly quite impressed with the effort the mall’s staff must have put into all this.

Next thing you know, T is taking you by the arm, dragging you from your thoughts and spinning you back around with a proud grin as Santa chuckles, a deep and hearty sound that fills the room.

“That’s a very thoughtful wish, my boy. I’ll see what I can do,” he replies warmly, if not conspirationally with a twinkle in his eyes as he sends you both off with a wink.

T  enthusiastically waves goodbye, nudging you to do the same, as you leave the grotto after you decline making a wish of your own.

“So, what did you wish for?” you prod as you continue your tour of the nearby shops, interested in what you missed.

“I can’t tell you that, it won’t come true if I do.” T chuckles mischievously even as his hand finds yours, squeezing it gently. “But, if it does come true, then I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Okay, and do you think it will come true?” you ask, hoping that a differently angled question might pull more information out of him.

“I can only hope.” T replies, just as vaguely as the first time, doing nothing to ease the curiosity burning in your chest. Instead, he pulls his scarf down just enough to grin widely at you before he begins dragging you through the shops again with a new vigour.

The energy of your shopping trip has shifted drastically from when you first arrived, with new life being breathed into your outing, and you suppose you have Santa to thank for it. After a while of more shopping, T stops you both next to one of the mall’s huge Christmas trees.

“I think we’ve got everything, correct me if I'm wrong, so are you ready for Operation Gift?” he asks, rocking on his heels, to and fro, back and forth, as you check over your shopping list for anything missing.

“Looks like we have,” you reply, nodding unconsciously as you slip the list back into your pocket. “Operation Gift is a go. Meet back here in, say 30 minutes?”

“Sure thing, Boss,” T says, giving you a mock salute. As you roll your eyes, T lunges forward and pecks you on the cheek before sprinting off in a random direction. “See you in 30!”

You grin to yourself, briefly tracing the warming skin on your cheek, before pushing back into the crowd and running off in the opposite direction to T. If you keep this up, you think to yourself, you’re in for one chaotic and incredibly fun Christmas.

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hope you enjoyed <3

[miniimapp]

Robaire - Underneath the Tree

Gen ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Briefly run through grammarly because it's Christmas and I wanted to treat you all <3

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME TO DAY 2 OF THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN, ALSO KNOWN AS DAY 21 OF ADVENT !!

can you tell that this one had to be written real quick because i've been at work all day ?? either way, enjoy <3

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Wrapping gifts is an art form. There's a delicacy, a grace, to the way you fold the paper. A practised confidence that comes from years of refining your wrapping skills. And while you don't expect everyone to have the same level of skill you’ve managed to cultivate, you had liked to imagine that everyone had at least the basics down: fold, tape, no present peeking through.

Until you met Robaire, that is.

Despite his outstanding prowess in seemingly every other field, your partner has never quite managed to pin down the art of present wrapping, and it somehow leads you to the same absurd scene every year: Robaire knelt on the floor, wrapped up to his elbows in tape and trying desperately to fling it off, as he pulls at the paper, creasing it in some places and irreparably tearing it in others.

And that’s what you stumble upon today as you walk through the door, welcomed in by a cacophony of colourful curses that could make a sailor blush.

You last maybe a second before the first peel of laughter is ripped from you as Robaire flings one of his arms around, growing evermore frustrated as he tries to loosen the clingy tape. Fond amusement warms your chest as you watch him wrestle with a particularly difficult strip of tape; you’re beyond trying to figure out how he gets himself into these messes, and instead focus on getting him out.

Eventually, you’ll have to step in before he gets around to begging invisible forces to strike him down, and as you hear him begin code-switching into French curses you decide now is the time.

Pushing off from the doorway, you saunter into the room with laughter already bubbling up again in the back of your throat. “I think it might be time for an intervention, don’t you?”

Robaire turns to you, expression indignant. “Oh, do you think so?” he asks dryly, his voice drenched in sarcasm and eyes rolling, “And what exactly does this ‘intervention’ entail, mon amour?”

“How about teaching how to wrap presents properly?” you offer as you saunter closer

“Or maybe I could just stuff the presents in gift bags for the rest of forever, maybe get some tissue paper and make it look all pretty to hide the fact that I’m a failure,” Robaire grumbles, his tone petulant.

“Lose the attitude, babe,” you chastise softly, “And sit tight because I’m about to turn you into a wrapping extraordinaire.”

You kneel next to Robaire, setting out the wrapping paper and placing the paper on top of it. “Alright, you ready?” you ask, turning to face him.

The moment you receive a nod from Robaire, you gently take his hands in yours, fingers ghosting over his as you demonstrate the proper way to wrap the presents. “It’s all about the way you fold the paper; if you’ve got that down, you can wrap anything.”

“And the tape, by the way, is your friend here, not your enemy. You just gotta get on its good side,” you add, “Go slowly and carefully, that way you can fix any mistakes while they’re still manageable.”

As you continue wrapping together, Robaire’s frustration slowly melts away into curiosity and then awe as following your instructions quickly develops into understanding. You pull your hands away after a while, watching over him as he continues. Robaire’s still a bit clumsy, his finger fumbling over the folds and awkwardly placing the tape, but he’s trying and he’s succeeding. You can’t help but feel proud.

“See, you’re not a failure, you just needed a bit of instruction, and who doesn’t every now and then?” you say, voice filled with encouragement. “You’re getting the hang of it so quickly now.”

With a small but proud smile, Robaire nods. “Thanks.” He pauses slightly, dropping his head sheepishly, “I guess might have been making it more complicated than it needed to be.”

You playfully raise an eyebrow at him, “Oh, you think so?” 

Robaire rolls his eyes in return, “Yeah, yeah, okay, I’m dramatic, sue me.”

“Hey, you said it, not me,” you defend, raising your hands in surrender. “But, we all have our weaknesses, right? It’s what makes us human, you know.” you continue, your tone altering to become more reassuring and sincere.

As you continue to wrap gifts together, the room begins to fill with laughter, gentle corrections, and the quiet rustle of wrapping paper. A shared affection that drowns out the previous frustration of the evening, setting you up for a peaceful and loving Christmas.

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[miniimapp]

Tae Young - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Genre ;; Fluff - Drabble/Short Story

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Just about

Auth. Note ;; WELCOME TO DAY 1 OF MY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN !!!

5 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS, HOW ARE WE FEELING!?!? can you tell im slightly excited ??

enjoy <3

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The scent of cinnamon and sugar hangs thick in the air, a warm contrast against the window’s view of snowfall, likely sharply laced with the late December chill. You pad down your cozy entryway, entering the kitchen to the sound of pages flipping and hummed holiday tunes.

“Whatcha doing?” you call out, leaning against the kitchen door frame.

“Oh, I’m just looking at some Christmas cookie recipes.” Tae Young replies, “I’m trying to figure out which would be best, but they’re all so good, I can’t decide.” He sighs, 

“I hear you, I get that, and I raise you… gingerbread men. Classic, simple, delicious.”

Tae nods slightly, expression still cloudy with thought. “Yeah, they’re definitely a good option. I also kinda wanted to do sugar cookies though; I’m just not sure!” he cries dramatically, flopping his body onto the countertop, his face burying into the pages of his recipe book.

You snicker, moving closer to rub a comforting hand on his back. “Or, and hear me out here, you could bake both gingerbread men and sugar cookies? Or is that too crazy?” you suggest playfully.

Tae looks up at you with big eyes, a pout slowly dropping from his face as he considers. “I could do that. I could make both.” He perks up quickly, a new sparkle brought to his eyes. “And you can help me!”

“I mean, I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but I’ll sure try,” you reply, endeared by his enthusiasm.

And soon enough the kitchen becomes a flurry of activity, with clouds of flour and icing sugar puffing up into the air as ingredients are measured and mixed. Tae Young, face alight with warmth and contentment, quickly takes over your whirlwind attempts at measuring, which more often than not end in flour-dusted chaos. 

You’re relegated to greasing and lining the baking trays as Tae methodically measures each ingredient with practiced care and ease.

“You’re so… delicate with it.” you admire, observing from a distance.

Tae hums as he begins to mix the ingredients together, replying thoughtfully, “Yeah, I guess I am. I think you have to be though, right? Because too much or too little of any ingredient, including how you add and mix it, can completely change how your stuff turns out. Baking needs to be very structured, doesn’t really work otherwise”

You feel a smile creep across your face. “Do you like that about baking?”

Tae pauses, “I guess so? I mean, there’s a billion ways things could go wrong, and only a few it could go right, but if you have a recipe book, you literally have a guide step-by-step telling you how to get it right, you know?” 

He shrugs, going back to his mixing, crushing the last few chunks of butter into the dough. “I don’t know, I guess I just like that as long as I follow the recipe, I don’t really have to worry about putting it all together.”

“I get that,” you reply, smiling as you finish lining the trays.

Eventually, the dough for both cookies is rolled out and cut into various shapes, the cookie cutters you used are now discarded in the sink. You pop both trays of cookies into the oven, lit with a warm glow and emanating heat, to bake for 20 or so minutes.

You smile at the two trays, proud of the physical testament of your and Tae’s hard work, and turn back to find Tae scrolling on his phone, tongue peeking out in concentration.

“Ah, found it!” Tae exclaims as the soft tunes of Christmas music begin to fill the air.

“Care to dance?” he asks, hand lifted out in invitation. The moment your fingertips touch his hand, Tae whisks you into the middle of your kitchen, pulling you into a simple sway. You can’t help the cackles that spill out of you as Tae spins you into a near-constant twirl, steadying you with warm hands on your waist when you both begin to teeter.

Eyes closed, you listen to the sound of your footsteps brushing against the floor in time with the music, grinning at how much of a Hallmark rom-com cliche you’ve become. That is until you feel a cloud of something powdery explode across your face as Tae snorts.

Your eyes shoot open, mouth agape in betrayal when you spot the remnants of flour coating Tae’s hand. He swiftly pulls away from you and your impending retaliation, which is probably a smart move from him, as you grab a fistful of flour and prepare to hurl it in his direction.

“I swear, it was an accident!” Tae cries, shrinking in on himself and attempting to (poorly) hide in the corner of the room.

“I’m sure it was… and so is this,” you reply sweetly before chucking your supply of flour and coating Tae Young in a shower of white powder.

With an expression of mock outrage, Tae swipes at some leftover flour dusted across the countertop and sends it flying all over your bottom half. With that, a war is declared and the kitchen, once a cozy haven of sweet treats and rom-com cliches, explodes in a blizzard of flour, with the powder sailing through the air from one side of the kitchen to another.

Shrieks of laughter fill the air, joining the puffs of flour, as your playful fight only escalates, neither side willing to back down. That is until the oven timer starts screeching and Tae yelps, accidentally inhaling a cloud of powder. The sudden interruption brings peace back to your home, turning your warzone back into a kitchen, if only until the next Great Flour War.

You take a second to look over both yourself and Tae, stifling a snort when you notice how caked in flour you’ve both become. It’ll take a load of washing, a couple of showers, and at least a week to clean the kitchen to get rid of all the damage left by the flour (and yourselves).

But with the timer beeping insistently in the background, and Tae madly scrambling to steal the cookies from the oven before they can burn, you decide to put those thoughts on the backburner for a while. Even with all the imminent cleanup you’ll have to do, you can’t help but feel like this Christmas is gonna be one of the best yet.

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4☆TOWN Christmas Countdown - 2024

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WELCOME BACK TO CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN !!

expect a drabble a day in this late stage countdown christmas, with one for every member

i do hope you enjoy this revival and the new content that comes with it !!

happy holidays <3

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Day 20 - Tae Young - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Day 21 - Robaire - Underneath the Tree

Day 22 - Aaron T - Santa Tell Me

Day 23 - Aaron Z - Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Day 24 - Jesse - Baby, It's Cold Outside

Day 25 - 4*TOWN - Gingerbread Shenanigans

[miniimapp]

if you didn't know, a couple years back i did a 4☆TOWN christmas countdown where i posted something every single day

unfortunately, someone (me) had the bright idea to pick up more shifts over this christmas period, meaning i haven't had the time to put something out for all the days of advent.

i have, however, put together a little something something for the final 5 days because im just so amazing like that lmao

starting on the 20th, expect a 4☆TOWN themed drabble every day up until Christmas !!

(you're welcome and i love you)

[miniimapp]

Hello! Could you write some x reader headcanons for Z? Like you did for Jesse and Robaire, I think…

Thanks!

Gen ;; Fluff - Headcanons

Warnings ;; no ??

Proofread + Edited ;; this is a decoration at best bfr

Auth. Note ;; i love writing for Z so much i acc can't plsssss

also kinda feel like some cave creature that awakes from hibernation once a month to drop only the goofiest of headcanons.. i love it

enjoy !!

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Z is definitely a silent supporter type of partner

like,, you know he's right there with you no matter what

he's a very solid presence, someone you can definitely lean on

he's not particularly big on words,, Z is definitely more of an actions type of person,, whether that be acts of service or physical touch,, he's much more comfortable in that realm of expression

hey man,, even gift giving is right up his alley

he finds actions speak louder than words and gifts allow him to show just how much he knows you,, how much he listens,, and how much he cares

my man is meticulous with the details

if he's going all out, he's going all out

be prepared too bc he's got the money to go crazy with and all

im just saying,, if you happen to mention a dream location to visit one day, don't be surprised if at the nexlarest opportunity, Z is handing you some plane tickets and a full itinerary

oh,, but every now and then ??

mans becomes a poet

i'm saying smooth talking,, jaw dropping,, heart stopping

(i hope you read that with emphasis)

let me say it again so you get it all:

smooth talking,,

jaw dropping,,

heart STOPPING !!

never met nobody like you frfr

can't even try to keep your swooning to yourself, my man is smooth as butter

(like a criminal undercover)

and you know my man ain't the biggest social media user

i've told you before, his energy is major tumblr lurker

(and honestly wouldn't be surprised if he lurks on reddit to,, bet he lives to read all the drama going down on aita)

but like i say, he's 100% got a private account that goes crazy !!

im saying the most out of pocket posts that come so out of the blue

but yk the only thing you can count on Z to post (on his priv) ??

the fugliest photo dumps of you

it'll start so sweet too with model-esque looking pictures of you, standing in front of a golden sunset

gorgeous

feeling like maybelline itself; maybe you were born with it, maybe it's a fuck ton of micro-managing angles and camera settings

..and then it de-rails

then comes the bed head

the half blink mid camera flash

THE 0.5s !!!!!

photos from the most horrendous angles that he just absolutely adores

Z has an album on his phone of these fugly little pictures of you that he goes through whenever he's away on tour

because when he misses you, it's not the dolled up, picture perfect image of you he misses

it's the late night you who babbles on about nothing out of pure exhaustion

it's the early morning you who looks like you've just been pulled through a hedge backwards

it's you when you're not trying to show your best angle for a camera or put on a front for people you don't even know

he loves you when you're purely yourself

when you're vulnerable and real with him

he misses you

and it's you he fell in love with

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hope you enjoyed <3

[miniimapp]

Aaron X shy autistic reader who likes to give him rocks and random things they find like dead bugs as affectionate(and there physically affectionate too)

-🐞Anon

Genre ;; Headcanons - Fluff

Warnings ;; None

Proofread + Edited ;; Barely

Auth. Note ;; sorry for the late reply !! was v sick writing this so pls forgive mistakes and the shortness

wasn't sure which aaron you were requesting,, so i just did both lmaoo

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Aaron T - Bug Kid 4 Life

babe,, you have met your mirror in T fr

ultimate bug kid

though, he's not the fondest of spiders but who is ??

(except Tae,, but we all know he doesn't count)

he'll find you squatted down buzzing over some of the surface creepy crawlies and will immediately join you

in fact, most times you could probably find him out there before you, staring down at them

T's the type of guy to roleplay with the bugs too, adopting some haughty voice and telling the bugs how uncivilised they are compared to him

he knows it makes you laugh too

everytime he does this, his regal character becomes more and more over the top

like,, crazily so

my man is not, however, a geography fan

geology even less so

T has never met an ignatious rock before and he never cared to before, but hearing you talk so passionately about them has struck up some kind of interest

wait its not ignatious ??

BABE!! what was the fire type rock called??

yeah,, fire type rocks are his favourite, the uh igneous ?? yeah,, igneous ones

yeah, he's only interested in "fire type" rocks, because they're obviously the coolest and most powerful

he could listen to you talk about igneous rocks for forever

other rocks too, but man,, does he love an igneous rock

if you don't already have a rock collection, you're gonna want to start one because as soon as T learns your favourite type of rock ??

oh,, it's OVER, he's picking up every cool looking rock he sees, asking if it's your favourite type and handing it over immediately if is and going to his hunting if not

it's crazy, T is set on building you a rock collection

you guys also for sure have a pet rock, and his name IS Rocky

bffr what else could it possibly be ??

come on now

Rocky is also the first rock you ever gifted T

the one you gave him a few weeks into dating

he takes Rocky out on all your adventures and on tour, so he has a piece of home whenever he misses you

in T you have a kin spirit, a fellow bug kid and rock enthusiast (but especially fire type)

Aaron Z - Confused but He's Got the Spirit

i'll be honest babe,, Z didn't get it at first

honestly he still doesn't really get it

but 'getting it' doesn't matter to him all that much

because whether or not he understands why your love language consists of "look at this cool bug!!" and "here's a rock, it's really smooth",, he loves how much joy these things bring you

if picking out the best rocks as gifts for him is how you convey your love

if infodumping about your favourite bugs integral role in the local ecosystem is how you show your trust

then he's content with whatever rocks you throw his way,, and whatever creepy crawlies you let crawl over your hands

and honestly i feel that's a huge show of respect and trust on his part too

bc Z isn't fond of bugs

just straight up is icked out by them

but because they interest you,, he's more than happy to sit with you as you pick them up to show him

without word of complaint, he'll let bring you them closer to his face than he'd normally prefer

he's someone who enjoys when his partner gets passionate

when they get caught up in an interest and fall into a ramble

Z is a listener,, and he'll pay close attention to the things that excite you the most about your interests

the bits that make your eyes widen and shine, the bits that have you speed talking in your excitement, or slowing down down to really focus on them

he'll pick out those parts and make sure to have questions about them, just so he can hear you tell him more about your interests and passions

so,, while he may not fully understand these parts of you, he more than wholeheartedly accepts and loves them because he loves you

all of you

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hope you enjoyed <3

[miniimapp]

someone left a singular sock in the washing machine at the launderette and i accidentally took it home with me

it is an elf sock

so im going to assign it a 4town member

Jesse

[miniimapp]

robaire 10000% started checking himself out in every reflective surface he comes across as a joke.. but did it stay a joke??

NO. mans is feeling himself, what can he do?? not obnoxiously check himself out?? are you being so silly rn??

[miniimapp]

i fear i am back for real now besties

just casually moved across my country so sorry for the hiatus,, but im back and ready to butcher the requests in my inbox

LEZGOOOOOOOOO

[miniimapp]

sorry yall,, ive been doing exams like my life depends on it, and it kinda does, so that's why ive been awol

BUT IM BACK BAYYY

so get ready for more unhinged 4town headcanons and aggressively bad 3am writing <3333

[miniimapp]

jesse got that older cousin who pretends he's been forced to sit at the kids' table even though he actually looks forward to seeing his younger cousins energy with the other 4town boys

[miniimapp]

ughhh stop because that's the sweetest thing oml 😭😭😭

Robaire doesn’t use emojis ironically. Sometimes yes, when he’s texting T. or someone close that he jokes around with like that, but he usually uses them seriously and it’s the CUTEST thing ever. U be texting him and the texts he sends are full of 😊,😄,🙂,😘,🤨,🤩,😏,😟,🫨,🤭,🙄,😪,🥴 emojis. He’s the sweetest😭

[miniimapp]

piggybacking off of the tae loves internet drama headcanon,, jesse is such an instigator istg

he will sit through tae's 70 slide powerpoints taking THOROUGH notes. this man will put on his glasses and get locked in,, asking questions,, coming up with theories,, giving the most disappointed dad commentary you've ever heard in your life,, and if anyone else brings this drama up to him he knows 20x more than they do and if anyone asks how or why he knows so much he'll just say "oh, tae told me."

i'm telling you he goes away and does his own research so he can talk with tae about things in more detail and he does it all because he knows it makes tae happy askfhkbrgjen