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It's okay, he's fine, he's okay. I'm okay, I'm fine, I'm okay , Kim Seokjin repeatedly tells himself as he fast-walks down the uneven, cemented pavement back towards his apartment. This day has not been totally hellish at all, he tells himself, even if his pants legs are dripping wet with muddy water, his socks are completely soaked, making disgusting squelchy sounds with each step, and his shoulders are protesting wildly against the weight of the six-something shopping bags he has draped over them.It's not like he panic-bought food and gifts enough for twenty people - twice over - because he just learned this morning - this morning, the twenty-fourth of December - that their friends and Namjoon's mother's side of the family were apparently coming over for dinner, and what do you mean you forgot? People don't just forget their relatives and friends will come over for dinner, this requires careful planning at least two weeks ahead, Joon, no, it's okay, I've got it, just stay here and clean the house and I'll deal with the prep, okay?And it's not like some asshole in a stupid blue Honda Civic just drove too close to the sidewalk where Seokjin had been clearly walking because that's where pedestrians walk, especially when it had just rained and the streets were semi-flooded, but it's okay - It's not okay! , Seokjin's last one brain cell screeches around like a loose monkey in his skull as he hops up the steps of their apartment, careful not to drop the bag with the breakables while he keys in the lock of their door. It's! not! okay!!! , it cries in anguish, because right now the fire alarm is blaring really loudly and it's coming from inside which, to Seokjin's utter expectation, is also currently filled with grey smoke.A dark shadow moves across the thin haze, doing God knows what, but from the miserable coughs and the towel apparent in its grasp, Seokjin knows it's -"Kim Namjoon, I fucking swear to God I was just out for three hours, and you managed to burn our house down!" Namjoon emerges from the shadows, one damp towel wrapped around his nose and mouth, another in his hand as he tries to swat the goddamn air in vain. Seokjin can tell he's wearing that sheepish smile with his dumb dimples peeking out of his cheeks even if the lower half of his face is covered."Babe, I can explain," he says, holding out his hands to placate Seokjin, whose ears are probably tomato-red by now."And where have I heard that one before?" Seokjin rolls his eyes, setting down the things carefully on the white nylon couch before going over to the kitchen to open the windows, turn on the fans, and turn off the alarm, in that order. The haze clears in a few minutes.He turns to Namjoon, arms crossed. Namjoon holds his hands up in defeat, unwrapping the towel from around his face. He saunters over to Seokjin, who's leaning on the marble-top counter, a cup of tea already somehow in his hands. Namjoon prepares himself for Seokjin's angry voice."Did I tell you I can explain?" Namjoon tries, wincing."You better, with that IQ of yours. I won't accept anything less than a five-thousand-word essay.""Five thousand, really?""With citations," Seokjin emphasizes, pouring more hot water from the kettle into his tea.Namjoon clears his throat. "Well, for the record, I didn't burn the house down, just the kitchen.""You better put in a complete fucking bibliography, too. In alphabetical order, because that's the only right way to do it."Seokjin frowns at the linoleum floor while Namjoon, counting to five, tries to catch his gaze. On five, Namjoon's breath starts to hitch uncontrollably into chuckles. Seokjin's angry facade breaks.Namjoon's huffs of laughter turn into full-blown giggles, and not a second later, Seokjin starts giggling loudly too. They just stand there for a few minutes, giggling in their tiny burnt kitchen, Namjoon's eyes disappearing, Seokjin's shoulders rising and falling, his tea sloshing around in his pink 'I'm A Bad Bitch' mug.Seokjin brings the mug to his mouth, sipping carefully. "At least you managed to boil the water just right.""Yeah, I think that was more the surrounding fire than me." Namjoon scratches the back of his neck. Seokjin snorts, choking on his tea. He has to put the mug down on the counter, because his belly is protesting all this laughing, and his arms can't sustain holding an object, the way it's shaking with the violent movements of his shoulders. Namjoon cackles, hand covering his eyes. It's two more minutes of standing and giggling.Not a bad way to start the Christmas season, Seokjin thinks. It's pretty okay, so far. ~"So you just hold it here, right, just like that, and fold it up just like so... and ta-da! Paper napkin crane."The boy - Jeon Jungkook, he said his name was - nimbly folds up the last bit of paper sticking out of the crane. Seokjin nods, impressed. Jungkook hands it to him, nose crinkling as he smiles shyly.Seokjin studies the folds, bringing it over to the dining room table, where there's plates and glasses and cutlery already laid out. Candles line the tabletop, milk-white and wrapped with glittery red ribbons. A poinsettia piece sits in the center. "Hey Joonie, you say this kid's from your Uni?"Namjoon makes a noise of affirmation from somewhere in the living room, which gets somewhat drowned out by pinging and beeping noises. Mario Kart , Seokjin sighs exasperatedly.On the table, he pushes around a silver fork that's an inch out of place. "Really? He looks about twelve.""Hey, I'm right here!" Jungkook protests."Yeah, I mentored him for a semester in my final year. Now he's in his final year. He liked music too, so we got along well," Namjoon shouts."So he is twelve," Seokjin mutters."I'm still right here," Jungkook grumbles, waving a hand at him."I like him!" Seokjin shouts back to Namjoon, as if he didn't hear Jungkook. In his peripheral Jungkook's cheeks flush red. "He's a brat but knows how to do home economics."Jungkook scowls at him. Seokjin laughs."I'm not a brat, I'm twenty-one.""You came in here and ate three of the gingerbread cookies I was cooling for the dinner later," Seokjin says flatly.Jungkook has the propriety to look embarrassed. "They were really good, hyung."Seokjin pats his head. "Thank you. You'll have to make up for it though by helping me and Joon wash the dishes later."Jungkook makes a vague gesture. "I'll go do more paper napkin origami." And he tails it out of the dining room.Namjoon's college friends (and by college friends he means Hoseok and Jimin, who’re technically both their college friends, even if he and Namjoon studied in different campuses) have arrived earlier, to have a little catching up time before the actual gathering starts, and also, as Namjoon put it, " to make up for the shitshow awhile ago" so that they can help set up and cook. Of course, Seokjin isn't really going to let anyone else touch his Christmas turkey, but it's nice to have the job of decorating and setting up the table lifted from his shoulders. Even if Namjoon insists his shoulders can take it all on their own. That earns him a smack on the ass ("Not that I'm complaining," he says, smirking, but patting his sorry ass nonetheless)."Is Yoongi coming over yet?" Hoseok huffs impatiently from the kitchen doorway, apple cider in hand. He and Namjoon have abandoned the console, with the latter putting up decorations in the living room.Seokjin grins, but not before his eyes widen in panic and his head whips to the general direction of the living room ("Don't worry, Jimin's arrived, he's helping Namjoon set up," Hoseok assures him). Currently, he's concentrated on the cupcakes that need frosting. "Yeah. Just spoke to him on the phone. Says he'll be right over."Hoseok rolls his eyes. "That's code for he actually just woke up and he'll probably fall asleep again before he wakes for real."Seokjin laughs. "I know. And it's already 4 pm. That's a record, even for him.""I'll beat his ass if he gets late.""Nah, he's never late, surprisingly." Seokjin pauses from his piping. "Hey, he is your boyfriend.""So?" Hoseok asks, shoving a mouthful of nuts from the ramekin on the counter.Seokjin makes a face. "So? Shouldn't you be aware of what he's generally up to? I don't know, be moving more like a unit? Like, planning to go here together? Or maybe you should've passed by his place first then got here?"Hoseok snorts, picking up a piping bag and grabbing a vanilla cupcake from the cooling rack. (This earns him a face, which he waves off with "Don't be such a control freak, Jin, I know how to handle pastries.") "He can take care of himself. But we did meet up before this. Why do you think he slept in?" Hoseok waggles his eyebrows at Seokjin."Oh God, I did not need to know that.""Don't be such a hypocrite, you and Joon probably do it on the couch all the time and I'm not complaining when I have to sit on it.""You can shut it and sit on the floor, then," Seokjin says, pointing his piping bag accusingly at Hoseok. Hoseok laughs, loud and tinkling.From the living room, they hear a loud crash and a muffled cry of profanity. Seokjin closes his eyes. Hoseok drops his cupcake and dashes out of the kitchen."How bad?" Seokjin asks, brows furrowed.Hoseok shakes his head. "It's fine, Namjoon just tripped over some garlands. Jimin's currently taking photos of it. Jungkook's laughing his head off."Seokjin breathes a sigh of relief. "Just the usual, then.""Mhmm," Hoseok hums. "How about Taehyung, is he coming over?""Is that even a question?"Taehyung, Seokjin's roommate back in college (though he's three years younger) absolutely adores parties. He’s the first life of the party, with his endless supply of cocktails and obscure drinking games (Seokjin likes to call Hoseok the second life of the party, reviving everyone’s protesting and inebriated bodies with his sick dance battles). A striking kid with a striking sense of humor. All it took was a six-pack of beer and showtunes and from then on he and Seokjin hit it off."I could literally text him one hour before the party and he'd show up two hours early," Seokjin comments.Hoseok checks his watch. "Shouldn't he already be here, then?"Seokjin waves him off, licking a dollop of cream off his forearm. "Said he's doing some last minute shopping, says it's a surprise, so he'll be a bit late.""Ah.""Hey, my mom says some distant relatives are tagging along," Namjoon pipes up, entering the kitchen looking like he didn't just trip five minutes ago. A sparkly bit from the garland stuck on his hair betrays him, however. Hoseok giggles, picking it off before going back to the living room.Seokjin shrugs, finishing up the last cupcake with a Santa face. "There's more food prepared than necessary, we can manage."Namjoon scratches his chin. "Uh, yeah, my concern is actually not the food, just uh, they're not as open-minded as my mom or dad.""Oh," Seokjin whispers, nodding seriously. "So basically we need to run Operation: Less Gay?"Namjoon winces. The last time they did that was at a family gathering over at Hoseok's just after their graduation. Needless to say, it didn't work out, with the night ending with Hoseok's father's second cousin shouting Bible verses at them, and Hoseok's mother crying, while Yoongi flips them off. After the dust had settled, Hoseok's parents assured them they still love them all anyway and that their very gay butts (here, Seokjin vividly remembers Taehyung and Jimin stifling laughs while Hoseok groans) are still welcome in the Jung house, and that they probably won't be in contact with those relatives again."Maybe that isn't such a good idea," Namjoon says, reaching out to balance the Bundt cake Seokjin is currently wrestling out of the oven."Pfft. Are you kidding me? Operation: Less Gay was a startling success.""Yeah, but it's Christmas and I don't wanna stress my mom out. Though she adores all of you so she'd probably just laugh it off. Maybe even take a video and send it to Dad.""Why is she even bringing those relatives anyway?"Namjoon tries to help Seokjin mix the icing for the Bundt cake, but Seokjin swats his fingers and stares daggers at him. Namjoon giggles and settles for taste-testing the wine instead. "They came from the airport and she had to pick them up, so basically they're going straight here.""Nothing straight in this household," Seokjin interjects.Namjoon chokes on his Cabernet Sauvignon. He clears his throat. " Anyway , so basically this is just a minor stopover before they go their own way to their baby boomer Christmas party thing, so we just got caught in the middle."Seokjin nods absently. Finally, when the glaze is ready, he says, shrugging: "We'll just be ourselves, then."Namjoon smiles and gives Seokjin a peck on the cheek. Seokjin looks up, surprised. “What was that for?”Namjoon shrugs. “Nothing. Just...thanks for this whole thing. You’re the best.”Seokjin smirks. “I know.”“I love you," Namjoon says earnestly, trying to catch his eyes.Seokjin doesn't look up from the icing bowl, but a knowing smile is on his lips. “Love you too.”Just then, their apartment door flies open, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You blasting into their entire home. Seokjin and Namjoon share a look before rushing to the living room to find Kim Taehyung with a boombox on one shoulder, a six-foot inflatable Santa on the other, and seven different kinds of multicoloured sunglasses on his face. A string of what looks like mistletoes alternated with Christmas lights is draped across his neck, lighting up his face, and also what looks like Dumbledore's robes - except it's in glittery greens and reds - is hanging off his frame. "What's up, sluts? The life of the party has arrived."Behind him, looking like he just arose from the dead, is Yoongi offering a little wave, a red Santa hat on his head, matching his oversized red sweater full of reindeer.Namjoon's mouth falls open, and he looks sideways at Seokjin, who's ready to explode with laughter, the way his ears are reddening. "I guess being ourselves is off the table?"~