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justasparkwritings · 2 years

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Merry & Bright: III. Christmas for You & Me

Previous: II. Christmas for You and Me

Pairings: Min Yoongi x Park Jimin; Jung Hoseok x Kim Taehyung

Genre: Fluff, Non-Idol AU, SLOW BURN

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Swearing!

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary: Yoongi and Namjoon have planned the first step in getting Seokjin to fall in love with Namjoon. Will it work?

Notes: Merry & Bright this year is taking the form of one cohesive story involving all of Bangtan! Hope you enjoy this change!

Seokjin slept horribly, he couldn’t get comfortable, which seemed insane to him as he had been sleeping in his bed for more than two years. It was usually his coziest place, besides curled up in the armchair he had in his living room, right next to the gas fireplace. His bed had always been his favorite place, but for whatever reason that night it was his worst enemy. The look Namjoon had given him played over and over in his mind, the way his eyes had grown wide, but then softened at the sight of Jin. How he had fought only to match Jin’s tone, standing down when Jin got so angry his ears turned red. And Yoongi, the perpetrator… But Jin supposed he couldn’t sleep because he was going to Serendipity Sweets to have coffee with Jimin. Which, he knew, was a plan to get him to repair his relationship with Yoongi. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew Yoongi was using his husband as a pawn in whatever game he was playing. But he also wasn’t opposed to repairing the relationship, to the friendship Jimin had always offered. He’d missed it, in some parts of him, he had missed the comradery that being in that little group entailed. Yoongi, Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok…. And he supposed Namjoon… had been a little family at some point in time. Who was he to stop them from finding their way back to each other?

He rose too early, did a little yoga to calm himself and took a hot shower. His hair, long and black, was begging to be cut or at least separated from his forehead somehow. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, he liked the shaggy, long look and the little work it required. He fed his cats, the smallest of his litter, Toby was a calico kitty that had been with Jin for three years, one before he added another kitten, Sam, to the family. Yes, he named his cats after characters on The West Wing, and yes he was aware of the joke that cat people give their cats human names. He had been debating Toby and Sam over Monk and Sharona, but ultimately went with the Sorkin penned drama.

Stepping into the cold December air, he tightened his scarf around himself and buttoned his peacoat. His nerves were still heightened, his yoga and hot showere did nothing to calm himself. Jin rationalized that he would feel better once he got to Serendipity and had a fresh scone inside his belly, the warmth of the shop comforting him instead of causing anxiety. Maybe he would have tea instead of coffee, not wanting to add more stimulants to his system. His brain could create all the trouble it wanted without the help of caffeine.

Jin lived a short bus ride away from the bakery and spent the ride listening to podcasts and staring at the Christmas decorations passing by. He had struggled to love this time of year ever since Christmas for You & Me came out and the holiday felt coopted by his own hand. He tried to reclaim it for himself. Baking more, decorating a little earlier, listening to excellent Christmas music instead of mediocre radio nonsense…. And it had worked a little, but ultimately every year he didn’t go back to see his family, or go with them to Seoul to see his grandparents, he felt increasingly lonely. He supposed he could date, but that seemed like heartache waiting for him. He hadn’t dated since…. He didn’t care to reminisce on that.

The bus pulled up to the stop and he exited quietly after thanking the bus driver and took long strides across the frosty sidewalk to the corner bakery known to all as Serendipity Sweets. The chalk art and garland was adorable, and adorned the stunning Victorian windows. The glass looked new, he noted, and so did the black paint decorate the trim. He entered the shop and was greeted by the strong smell of Christmas.

“Seokjin!” Jimin said from behind the counter. He was using tongs to slip a few Christmas sugar cookies, shaped like Santa and wrapped presents, into a parchment bag with the bakery’s logo emblazed on the front. Jimin handed the bag to the cashier and walked around. There were a few people milling about, looking at the prepackaged goodies like candy and freshly made chocolate chip cookies, then the people in line ordering coffee and picking out treats from the holiday menu. Jimin came around and opened his arms to Jin, pulling him in for a hug.

“Good to see you,” Seokjin said, hugging Jimin back. He bent a little to meet the height of his smaller friend.

“You too. What do you want, a latte, cappuccino, peppermint mocha?” Jimin offered. “Anything you want, on the house.”

“This is like when your husband comes in,” a regular named Jaxson said.

“That is true,” Jimin said pointing at Jaxson. He took a parchment bag and placed two pastries in it before handing to him. “An extra, on me.”

“Thank you,” Jaxson said with a smile.

Seokjin had always found Jimin charming and amiable, but it was clear that charm worked wonders in the retail and food service space.

“Uh, a latte would be great,” Jin said.

“And the newest pastry we have is a Merry Berry scone, or the Marion berry Danish decorated with sugar snowflakes and a dusting of snow.”

“Coke?” Jin laughed.

“Powdered sugar.”

“I’ll take a Danish too, thanks,”

“Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll grab them,” Jimin said with a smile.

Seokjin took a lap around the store before finding the one open table in the corner of Serendipity Sweets. Upon the wooden tables were seasonal placemats with the company’s logo and little drawings of Christmas favorites. It also listed the stores holiday hours and the latest menu additions. Jin stared out at Jimin’s, and Hoseok’s, empire. The bustle of people smiling and happily munching on treats, those ready for work sipping coffee as they exited quickly. He viewed it all through rose colored glasses, his anxiety calming as he got comfortable and waited for Jimin.

It was then that he saw a flicker of an eye that he recognized. He blinked then looked again, no one was there. He shrugged, feeling a little heat prickle up his spine.

“One latte with oat milk,” Jimin said setting a cup with a perfect foam tree on top in front of Jin.

“You remembered,” Jin said.

“I did. And here is your Danish. I’ve been fucking with it for months, so any feedback is appreciated.”

“I will give it,” Jin said.

“Let me grab my coffee,” Jimin said, and he disappeared behind the counter, his black hair easily blending in with the other staff who too had similar haircuts. Jin glanced up and again swore he saw dimples he recognized, but before he could rise to fully get a look, he blinked and they were gone.

Jimin sat down in front of him. “You good?”

“Yeah, I thought I saw someone, but I’m fine. Tell me what’s it like having a popular bakery?”

“Are you interviewing me?”

“I’m curious.”

“It’s been really hard, but so fun. The hours are grueling and exhausting, but Yoongi is really supportive. And that makes all the difference.”

“How is married life?”

“I couldn’t love him more if I tried, and I’ve tried. He makes me angrier than anyone I’ve ever met, but he cares so deeply for me, it’s overwhelming. Marriage is hard, marriage is work, but it’s so worth it.”

“I think I would try the whole marriage thing if one, it didn’t feel like such a spectacle, and two, I knew I could be like you and Yoongi, or Tae and Hoseok.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

“I know but trying is so… tenuous and terrifying.”

“It is. Love is not for the weak,”

“No, and I fear I am too weak. Too out of practice, too…. too something for it to work.”

“What was your last relationship?” Jimin asked him.

“Years ago. I’m not sure it really counts.”

“If it mattered to you, it counts.”

“It wasn’t love, I’ve only ever loved one person and clearly that didn’t work out. But I haven’t been ready, necessarily, to be committed. I don’t know that that life is for me.”

“Do you want it to be?”

Jin sipped his latte and stared at his pastry, thinking about his answer. “There is part of me that believes it is, and a part of me that believes it isn’t.”

“It’s cliché, but you don’t know until you try,” Jimin reminded him. “The line is getting long, I should help behind the counter. I’ll be right back.”

“Sounds good,” Seokjin nodded and as soon as Jimin left, he lifted his Danish to his lips and took a bite. “Damn.”

It was in the second his eyes closed, his mouth chewing the delish concoction that Jimin had made, that Jimin’s empty chair slid back, and someone new sat down.

“Ya – I am with some – oh fuck,” he said as his eyes stared at the man in front of him.

“Can I sit – just for a minute?” Namjoon asked.

“Why?”

“To drink my coffee and eat my cinnamon roll before I go to work.”

“Aren’t there other –

Seokjin looked around, checking to see if the few tables were empty, only to find that in fact every chair was full. He sighed loudly, more of a groan really, before looking at Namjoon again. He looked… cute… and Seokjin hated that.

“Is that my scarf?” Seokjin asked, staring at the plaid material around Namjoon’s neck.

“Uh, you gave it to me,” Namjoon answered.

“Why do you still have it?”

“Believe it or not Seokjin, I don’t think of you and wish you ill.”

“You don’t? Is this when you say you don’t think about me at all?”

“I happen to think about you all the time.”

“No you don’t,” Jin said. He picked up his latte and took another sip. “You don’t think about me at all.”

“How would you know?” Namjoon asked. He tore a piece of his gingerbread cinnamon roll off and stuck it, unceremoniously and rather clunkily, into his mouth. Seokjin swallowed hard, eyes having wandered to Namjoon’s lips. A mistake he recognized the second his own brown eyes flickered down. He glanced back up but Namjoon wasn’t paying attention - he was tearing another piece of pastry off, wiping it in the frosting that had dripped onto the plate.

“I guess I wouldn’t,” Jin said.

“Right, and I don’t know that you haven’t been thinking about me in the last five years. But what I do know is that this is my favorite scarf, and I wear it every winter.”

“Why are you here?”

“At this table, in this bakery, what?” Namjoon asked.

“At this table. Why are you here?” Jin clarified.

Namjoon shrugged, wasn’t it obvious? “It’s the only one that had an opening, and Jimin said maybe you’d be amiable.”

“I am never amiable when it comes to you.”

“You could be. You’ve been civil so far.”

“It’s all a façade. I’m seething with hate underneath this handsome, calm demeanor.”

Namjoon snorted. “You’re going to scream fuck you at me, like you did in Yoongi’s office?”

“I did no such thing,” Jin argued, the heat rising to his cheeks.

“Yes, you did.”

He pursed his lips. “Yes, I did.”

Namjoon smiled, he was right, and Jin admitted it. Jin never admitted when he was wrong, or rarely, which was deeply frustrating as he was wrong more times than he was right.

“I’m not sorry about it,” Seokjin continued. “You reacted the same. You weren’t what I was expecting when I walked into Yoongi’s office. You were the last person I thought I’d see.”

“I’m sorry,” Namjoon said.

“It’s Yoongi’s fault, not yours.”

“That is true, you should be mad at him.” Namjoon said.

Seokjin sipped his latte, noting how the temperature had drastically dropped since Namjoon sat down. “I’m still mad at you.”

“What have I ever done to you?” Namjoon asked. “Seriously, what have I done?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Jin snapped.

“He shouldn’t have led us both to his office for some half-brained idea,” Namjoon offered as an olive branch.

“I agree.”

Seokjin didn’t have more to say on the matter, and what he did have to say would lead to a direct question about why they broke up, why he broke them up, and that was not a question he was willing or ready to answer.

“Namjoon and – Seokjin!” A voice came from behind Namjoon. Yoongi strode up to them, staring with wide eyes. “What are you two doing?”

“I was here to have coffee with your husband, but he’s abandoned me for his customers,” Jin answered.

“Oh yeah, it can get really busy in here,” Yoongi said.

“Honey, I didn’t know you were coming in,” Jimin sidled up to his husband and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

“My coffee was unbelievably shitty, and I figured I’d just swing by for my usual,” Yoongi said, glancing from Jimin to Namjoon.

“You haven’t gotten it yet,” Jimin said.

“No, I was distracted by these two,” Yoongi told him. “I didn’t expect, after how you both left my office last week, that you’d be sitting here, together.”

“Well, it happened that Seokjin was already in when I came in to grab cinnamon roll, you know, cheat day.” Namjoon said. Cheat day was a lie, but Seokjin didn’t know any better.

“Do you want to sit?” Jin asked Yoongi.

“No, no. I’ve got a meeting in thirty. I just came by for coffee and to see my husband,” Yoongi wrapped an arm around Jimin’s waist. “I hope you two will consider what I proposed.”

“We’ll see,” Namjoon shrugged, nonplussed by the request.

Jin on the other hand was a little annoyed by it. “Yeah, like I will ever agree to working with him again.”

“It’s Christmas, a time for miracles,” Yoongi raised a brow before smiling and guiding Jimin back to the counter.

“You think it’s working?” Jimin asked Yoongi.

“Fuck if I know, I hope so,” Yoongi whispered. “How long have they been sitting there?”

“Thirty minutes, maybe more.”

“Damn,” Yoongi’s pride was evident in his smile. “You think phase two will happen?”

Back at the table, Namjoon decided he needed to change the topic. This was becoming too damning and dark, too steps away from charming and cute. “Do you still buy your tree from that little lot?”

“The one on 3rd?” Jin asked.

“Yeah, that one.”

Jin finished the dregs of his coffee swiftly and set the cup back down. “I do, most years. But I haven’t gone yet but am thinking of going after this.”

“Oh? You know, I haven’t gotten a tree yet, either,” Namjoon said.

“So?”

“What if I come with you?”

“I’m here to hang out with Jimin, not you.”

“Jimin seems to be pretty slammed,” Namjoon gestured to the long line that was out the door and into the cold.

Jin pouted, not having realized how packed and absolutely slammed Serendipity Sweets had gotten in the twenty minutes Jimin had been gone. The line was getting longer too, more and more people wanting a variety of pastries and coffee. Jin was impressed, sure he’d read the Yelp and Google reviews before he showed up today, and for the most part they’d been glowing. But he hadn’t expected this, how could he have?

“I guess he is,” Jin finally said.

“So, I’ll come with you to get a tree. Did you drive?”

“Bus,” Jin answered.

“I’ll drive us. Come on, for old times’ sake, it’ll be fun.”

Seokjin sat on it for a moment. Why wasn’t he angrier that Namjoon was sitting in front of him, asking to hang out? Why hadn’t he sworn and left the minute Namjoon sat down? Why was he actually entertaining the thought of spending the afternoon with him, picking out Christmas trees for their respective apartments?

He had an inkling of why – but he was far too much of a coward to admit to himself the truth.

“Fine. But you’re buying my tree.”

Next: IV. Christmas for You and Me