Archive of Our Own

The apartment smelled like cinnamon, butter, and roasted garlic long before the sun had fully set high in the sky. Now it was getting dark outside and Yunho stood in the kitchen with the sleeves of his christmas hoodie shoved up to his elbows, one hand stirring the sauce simmering quietly on the stove while the other balanced his phone between shoulder and ear.

“Don’t forget the cider,” he reminded for what was probably the third time.

On speaker, Wooyoung groaned dramatically. “You act like we’re children!”

“You are children to me.”

“Incredible,” Wooyoung scoffed. “Seonghwa, are you hearing this abuse?”

A quieter laugh drifted through the line before Seonghwa answered, “We already got the cider, Yunho, so don’t worry.”

“And the candles?” Yunho asked immediately.

“And the candles.”

“And the dessert?”

A pause. Then Wooyoung burst out laughing.

Yunho closed his eyes, rubbing his temple painfully. “You forgot the dessert.”

“We didn’t forget,” Wooyoung defended. “We just got distracted.”

“By what?”

“Mingi tried on sunglasses.”

“That was twenty minutes ago,” Seonghwa added helpfully.

From somewhere in the background came Mingi’s loud, offended voice. “They looked good on me!”

The priest couldn’t stop the smile pulling at his mouth. He could picture it too easily unfortunately… Mingi towering over everyone in some random shop, trying on ugly sunglasses even though it’s December and snowing outside with complete confidence while Wooyoung encouraged him and Seonghwa pretended not to know them.

“You know what you have to do,” Yunho said.

“Yeah, yeah don’t worry daddy,” Wooyoung replied.

The call ended immediately after Yunho threatened to cancel dinner entirely.

The apartment fell quiet again except for the soft crackle of the oven and the low hum of Christmas music coming from the speaker near the sink. Yunho tasted the sauce one last time before nodding to himself in satisfaction. The table was already half set, candles’ places waiting for them to arrive, plates stacked neatly beside the wine glasses. He still had another hour, maybe two, before the Mingi got back.

Plenty enough time.

He dried his hands on a towel before slipping down the hallway toward the bedroom.

Three gifts sat hidden in the closet behind a pile of winter blankets that rarely saw use, even during the coldest nights. Whenever he and Mingi ended up tangled together in bed, which was every night, their warmth alone was enough. 

Yunho carefully carried them out one by one, placing them on the bed like something fragile.

The first was already wrapped: a small rectangular box covered in dark green paper with a silver ribbon tied slightly crooked across the top. Inside was the photo frame he’d spent weeks searching for online, extravagant pink wood, clean edges, nothing flashy. The important part was the picture inside.

The first photo they had ever taken together.

Last summer.

Yunho still remembered the exact moment they took it. It was three days after their first night together, when Mingi defeated him in a video game for the first time after distracting him by blowing a little too close to his ear and letting out an obscene sound from his mouth. He had circled his neck with his arm and took a selfie of his victory. Mingi had a huge proud grin sitting on his face while Yunho was eye-siding him, arms crossed on his chest and a pout on his lips.

Still, it was Yunho’s favorite picture of them and so it was Mingi’s since it was his computer and phone’s wallpaper.

The second gift sat beside it in a matte black shopping bag.

The leather pants.

Yunho gently folded the tissue paper back for what had to be the tenth time that week just to look at them again. Pure black leather, fitted perfectly, expensive enough that he’d stared at the price tag for nearly five full minutes before buying them.

Months ago, when they were in the middle of a call, Mingi had stopped in front of the store window, his voice full of awe when he joked that wearing them would probably make him look “too powerful for society.” He’d laughed it off afterward, but Yunho remembered the tone of his voice and with enough discretion, he was able to get the exact model of the pants out of Mingi discreetly.

Because at the time, his boyfriend hadn’t been able to afford them. Now they were sitting on his bed waiting to become his.

The last box was the one Yunho reached for most carefully.

Smaller. Heavier somehow. He opened it slowly.

Silver caught the warm bedroom light immediately.

The chain rested against red velvet, thick enough to make a statement without looking excessive. Exactly Mingi’s style. One shorter chain meant to sit close against his neck, the second hanging lower toward the middle of his chest.

Yunho could already imagine it on him.

He could picture Mingi standing in front of the mirror pretending not to love it while secretly admiring himself from every angle. Could picture those long fingers hooking beneath the chain absentmindedly during conversations. Could picture silver against warm skin and fitted black tank top and lazy smiles.

Yunho exhaled softly through his nose, shaking his head at himself.

Hopeless. Completely, hopelessly in love. 

Still, he picked the box up again, thumb brushing over the edge before finally setting it carefully in a pretty silver bag.

By the time he finished tying the pink ribbon, the apartment smelled even warmer than before, rich with spices and roasted vegetables and something sweet beginning to caramelize in the oven.

Christmas lights reflected softly across the living room windows. For a moment, Yunho just stood there holding the finished gift in both hands.

And smiled.

___

The front door opened with a burst of cold air and the sound of boots stomping snow off against the mat. 

“Yuyu, I’m home!” 

Mingi called loudly.

“In the kitchen,” Yunho answered without looking up from the stove.

Two seconds later, heavy footsteps crossed the apartment at full speed. Mingi appeared in the doorway flushed pink from the cold, hair messy beneath his beanie, scarf hanging halfway off one shoulder. His hands were full. He placed the shopping bag for this evening on the counter while two presents bags were still looped around one wrist and a paper-wrapped package tucked beneath his arm. But that didn’t stop him from immediately leaning down to press a soft kiss against Yunho’s mouth.

Just a quick peck, warm and familiar. Yunho smiled into it automatically.

“You’re freezing,” he murmured.

“And you taste like butter.”

“That’s because I’m cooking with butter.”

Mingi hummed thoughtfully like he was considering something profound before stealing one more small kiss. Then, without another word, he drifted toward the living room and his attention got caught toward the Christmas tree. The exact second he noticed the presents underneath it, he stopped moving entirely.

Yunho tried very hard to focus on stirring the sauce without saying anything as Mingi walked closer slowly, eyes narrowing in suspicion. The lights from the tree reflected gold against his face while he crouched slightly to get a better look.

There had only been one gift there this morning when he left, from Wooyoung and Seonghwa. Now there were four. Three of them very obviously new.

Mingi turned his head slowly toward Yunho.

“Are those for me?”

“No,” Yunho answered immediately.

Mingi gasped. “You bought secret presents for another man?” 

“No, I actually bought these for the tree.”

“I can’t believe this.” Mingi placed a hand against his chest weakly. “After everything we’ve been through together.”

Yunho snorted quietly and Mingi grinned, big, mischievous and pretty enough to make the priest’s chest ache a little.

“You spoil me so much,” he said, voice honeyed now as he glanced back at the gifts. “Seriously. You treat me like your princess.”

Yunho didn’t even hesitate.

“But you are my princess.”

Mingi blinked once. Then twice.

“You can’t just say things like that casually outside the bed,” he mumbled weakly.

A smug smile tugged at Yunho’s mouth. “Why not?”

“Because I’m trying to survive.”

Yunho laughed quietly under his breath. Still dazed, Mingi finally remembered the things in his hands. He dropped the bags and the package carefully beside the others presents under the tree before wandering back into the kitchen almost immediately like he physically couldn’t stay away for more than thirty seconds. 

Yunho barely had time to glance up before Mingi slid behind him and wrapped both arms loosely around his waist. He folded himself against his back with a long content sigh, chin resting on Yunho’s shoulder. 

“You smell unfairly good,” he murmured against his neck. “Like… actual domestic husband material.”

“The highest compliment imaginable.”

“I’m serious.” Mingi squeezed him gently. “I could probably follow this smell home from another country.”

Yunho smiled despite himself, eyes dropping briefly to the arms around his waist.

“You’re still cold.”

“It’s very cold outside, my body needs time to warm up.”

“You wore the thin coat again, didn’t you?”

A pause.

“…Maybe.”

“Mingi.”

“It looked better with the outfit.”

Yunho shook his head, already unsurprised. “One day you’re going to freeze to death for fashion.”

“And you’ll still think I’m pretty.”

“I always think you’re pretty.”

Mingi made a wounded noise directly into his shoulder. “See? Again. Trying to kill me.”

This time Yunho couldn’t hold back his laughter and Mingi laughed with him.

Mingi stayed there even after the laughter faded, swaying them slowly from side to side while Yunho finished stirring the sauce. The kitchen lights painted everything warm gold; outside, snow continued falling softly against the windows.

For a while neither of them spoke. It was comfortable like that. Everything was when it came to them.

Then Mingi suddenly straightened slightly behind him.

“Wait.”

Yunho hummed. “What?”

Mingi’s arms loosened from around his waist. “Important question.”

That alone made the priest glance over his shoulder suspiciously. “Should I be scared?”

“Maybe a little.”

Yunho snorted softly as Mingi moved around beside him, leaning back against the counter now with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His cheeks were still pink from the cold, lips slightly swollen from all the kisses he kept stealing every five minutes.

“When do you wanna open presents?” he asked then, with the quiet attention of someone who was planning how the night would go depending on the answer, “Tonight or tomorrow morning?”

Yunho blinked once.

“That’s the important question?” he asked.

“It’s extremely important.”

Yunho turned the stove lower before facing him properly. “I don’t really care when we do it.”

Mingi narrowed his eyes immediately. “Wrong answer. You have to pick.”

“Why?”

“Because it changes the atmosphere.”

“The atmosphere?”

“Yes.” Mingi nodded seriously. “Christmas Eve presents feel romantic and exciting. Christmas morning presents feel wholesome and traditional.”

Yunho crossed his arms loosely, fighting a smile. “You’ve thought about this a concerning amount.”

“I’m passionate about holiday structure.”

“Clearly.”

Mingi watched him expectantly, waiting for an actual answer this time. But honestly, Yunho couldn’t bring himself to care much about the timing at all. Whether tonight or tomorrow morning, the important part was simply this. Mingi being here. Warm apartment. Shared dinner. Snow outside. 

Their first Christmas together.

His expression softened before he could stop it.

“It really doesn’t matter to me,” he admitted quietly. “I just want to spend a good Christmas with you.” His mouth curved faintly. “Nothing’s more important than that.”

The teasing expression slipped from Mingi’s face almost instantly. Yunho always forgot sometimes how easily sincerity affected him. Mingi’s ears started turning pink first then his cheeks.

He looked away with a tiny scoff that held absolutely no confidence whatsoever. “You say stuff like that too naturally.”

“It’s true.”

“That’s worse.”

Yunho laughed softly before nudging Mingi’s knee with his own. “Do you have a preference then?”

For a second Mingi didn’t answer. Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and glanced toward the living room where the presents sat beneath the tree.

And suddenly—Suspiciously—He looked shy.

Yunho immediately noticed. The way Mingi avoided eye contact completely now, staring very hard at the countertop while the tips of his ears darkened even more pink.

“…Maybe tonight,” he mumbled.

Yunho raised an eyebrow. “Maybe?”

“One of the gifts is…” Mingi coughed lightly. “Better if you open it tonight.”

There was a very small pause. Yunho stared at him and Mingi stared aggressively at absolutely anything except the priest.

And now Yunho was curious, deeply curious, Mingi almost never acted like this. Embarrassed, yes. Flustered constantly when it came to Yunho. But this specific kind of shy hesitation was rare enough that it immediately caught his attention.

“A gift,” he repeated slowly.

Mingi nodded once, still refusing eye contact.

“That should be open tonight specifically.”

Another nod. Yunho could practically see the internal battle happening inside his head. Part of him clearly wanted to explain but the other part looked moments away from combusting alive.

Yunho considered pressing further. He really considered it. But then Mingi finally glanced up for half a second, face warm and nervous and strangely hopeful all at once, and his curiosity softened immediately into affection.

So instead he smiled.

“Tonight it is, then.”

Relief flashed across Mingi’s face so quickly Yunho almost missed it.

Then, just as quickly, Mingi regained enough confidence to grin again. “Great. Perfect. Awesome.”

“You’re being weird.”

“I’m always weird.”

“Not like this.”

Mingi pointed at him accusingly. “No more questions.”

Yunho laughed quietly. “I didn’t even ask one.”

“You were going to.”

“…Maybe.”

“Dangerous behavior.”

Despite himself, Yunho’s eyes flicked briefly toward the living room. Toward the gifts under the tree. Now he was definitely curious. Unfortunately for him, Mingi noticed immediately and broke into delighted laughter.

“Oh, you wanna know so bad.”

“I actually don’t.”

“Liar.”

Yunho clicked his tongue softly and turned back toward the stove before Mingi could see the smile threatening his mouth again. Behind him, Mingi sounded entirely too pleased with himself.

The timer for the oven went off before neither of them could add anything else, filling the kitchen with a sharp little chime. 

Mingi startled dramatically. “Jesus Christ!”

“You say that in front of a priest very confidently.”

“It’s been almost a week since you deal with me constantly, all day and night. You’ve heard worse.”

Unfortunately, that was true. Still laughing quietly, Yunho slipped on oven mitts and opened the oven door. Warm air immediately flooded the kitchen, rich with rosemary, garlic, butter, and the sweetness of roasted onions. Mingi actually groaned beside him like he was in pain.

“Oh my god.”

Yunho carefully pulled the tray free, setting it down on the stovetop while Mingi leaned dangerously close.

“You need to back up before you burn your face off.”

“I’m willing to take that risk.”

“You’re impossible.”

“And yet you love me.”

Yunho glanced at him once over his shoulder. “Unfortunately.”

Mingi grinned so brightly it made the priest roll his eyes fondly. The rest of the evening settled into something soft after that. Mingi insisted on helping, though “helping” mostly consisted of stealing pieces of roasted vegetables straight from the tray while Yunho smacked his hand away repeatedly.

“You made enough for six people!” Mingi defended around a mouthful of potato.

“That doesn’t mean you can eat dinner before dinner.”

“I’m taste-testing.”

“You’ve taste-tested seven times.”

“Quality assurance matters!”

At some point Christmas music turned into old jazz songs neither of them knew the words to, though Mingi hummed along anyway with complete confidence. Yunho plated everything while Mingi lit the candles crookedly because he refused to admit he couldn’t operate the lighter properly.

“You’re tilting them.”

“They’re artistic.”

“They look drunk.”

“Wow. Okay.”

By the time they finally sat down at the table, snow had started falling harder outside, soft white gathering along the edges of the windows while golden Christmas lights reflected across the glass.

For a second Mingi just stared at the table. The candles, the food, the carefully folded napkins Yunho pretended not to spend too much time arranging. Then his expression softened into something almost unbearably fond.

“Yuyu,” he said quietly, “this looks insane.”

“It’s just dinner.”

“No, it’s like…” Mingi shook his head slowly. “This is the kind of meal people in movies have before they realize the meaning of Christmas.”

Yunho laughed under his breath as he reached for the wine bottle. “You’re dramatic.”

“You cooked enough food to feed an entire church congregation.”

“Gotta feed my princess properly.”

“True.” Mingi pointed his fork at him. “You spoil me too much!”

Yunho only smiled faintly, pouring their drinks. Then, Mingi took one first bite of the food and immediately hummed while closing his eyes.

“Oh, that’s ridiculous.”

Yunho blinked. “What?”

“This.” Mingi pointed down at the plate like he’d personally been wronged by it. “Why are you allowed to cook like this?”

“It's not very complicated to cook.”

“Not too complicated you say! It tastes so fancy and expensively good!” Mingi took another bite immediately as if proving his point. “I’m serious. This is life-changing.” 

Yunho snorted softly, cutting into his own food. “Don’t flatter me that much…”

“I feel like I’m having a spiritual experience.”

“That’s blasphemous.”

“Sorry, Father.”

The priest shook his head, smiling despite himself. But Mingi didn’t stop there, every few minutes another compliment slipped out naturally between bites.

“The sauce is actually perfect.”

“How did you make the vegetables taste this good?”

“You could sell this in a restaurant.”

Eventually Yunho laughed, hiding part of his face behind his glass. “Okay, enough.”

“No.” Mingi leaned forward immediately. “I need you to understand something. If you told me you learned this from some ancient Italian grandmother living on top of a mountain, I would believe you instantly.”

“That’s very specific.”

“She taught you the sacred butter techniques.”

Yunho laughed harder this time, shoulders shaking lightly.

Still smiling, he glanced down at his plate for a moment before speaking again, quieter now.

“I just had a lot of practice.”

Mingi looked up immediately. “Hm?”

Yunho twirled his fork slowly between his fingers. “Christmas was usually…” He paused briefly, searching for the right wording. “Well… complicated since I cut off with my family.” 

Mingi’s expression softened. 

“I started cooking more specific plates and since I didn’t want to spend it all alone every time, because it would have been sad, I started helping with charity dinners during Christmas services. Cooking for people who didn’t have anywhere to go.” His mouth curved softly at the memory. “And later, when I made more friends, I started inviting everyone over instead.”

“That explains why you cook like someone’s grandmother,” Mingi murmured affectionately.

Yunho snorted. “Thanks.”

“I mean it lovingly.”

“I’m sure.”

Mingi smiled into his cider glass before reaching across the table without hesitation. Yunho met him halfway automatically, their fingers intertwining between the plates and candlelight.

“You know,” Mingi said after a moment, thumb brushing slowly over Yunho’s knuckles, “I think this is my favorite Christmas already.”

Yunho felt his chest tighten painfully with affection.

“It hasn’t even happened yet,” he pointed out softly.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m really glad we’re together, first thing first. But you, cooking for us, spending the night together, it all warms my heart so much Yunho, I never thought I would have all of this luck in my life.”

Mingi’s voice had gone quieter by the end of the sentence, almost fragile. The candlelight flickered softly across his face, gold catching in his dark eyes while snow continued drifting outside the windows behind him.

Yunho looked at him for a long moment. Then he squeezed his hand gently.

“You deserve it,” he said simply.

Mingi’s mouth parted faintly like he wanted to argue instinctively, but no words came out this time. Yunho continued before he could.

“You deserve warmth and people who love you and stupidly large dinners on Christmas Eve.” His thumb brushed slowly across Mingi’s knuckles. “And I’m more than happy I’m able to offer you that.”

Something in Mingi’s expression softened so completely it almost hurt to look at. For a second he just stared down at their intertwined hands.

Then, very quietly, “You’re becoming my home, you know that?”

Yunho forgot how to breathe for approximately three full seconds. Mingi realized what he’d said at the exact same moment. His eyes widened slightly before his ears immediately turned pink again.

“I mean— not in a terrifying way,” he corrected quickly. “Like emotionally. Not like I’m about to start carving our initials into furniture or anything.”

Yunho barked out a laugh despite the tightness in his chest.

“That’s very reassuring.”

“I just meant…” Mingi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, suddenly deeply invested in staring at his plate again. “When I think about where I wanna be lately, it’s usually wherever you are.”

The priest felt warmth spread slowly beneath his ribs, deep and aching and impossibly soft.

God. He was so in love with him.

It snick up on him sometimes, the sheer weight of it. In little moments exactly like this. Candlelight dinners and crooked smiles and Mingi speaking so sincerely like he didn’t even realize how devastating he could be.

Yunho exhaled softly through his nose. Then he stood from his chair without warning.

Mingi blinked up at him immediately. “What are you doing?”

Instead of answering, the priest stepped around the table until he stood beside him and before Mingi could question it further, Yunho gently tilted his chin upward.

The next second, Yunho’s lips were on his, soft and tender and Mingi melted instantly. He hummed contently while his eyes fluttered shut. One of his hands slid around the priest’s waist while the other curled lightly into the front of his sweater, holding him there like he never wanted him to leave. The kiss tasted faintly of cider, food and warmth and everything comforting between them.

When Yunho finally pulled back, Mingi looked a little dazed.

“That was a very serious kiss,” he murmured weakly.

“You say dangerous things.”

“I can say worse.”

“I know.”

Still smiling faintly, Yunho returned to his seat. The warmth between them lingered afterward, settling over the table like another layer of candlelight.

Dinner stretched comfortably after that.

Mingi continued stealing bites from Yunho’s plate despite having plenty of identical food on his own. Yunho pretended to be annoyed every single time while automatically pushing the better pieces toward him anyway. At one point Mingi started dramatically ranking every dish out of ten until Yunho threatened to take the potatoes away entirely.

“You can’t silence culinary criticism.”

“You give everything a ten.”

“Because everything deserves a ten!”

“That’s not criticism.”

“That’s admiration!”

Eventually dessert arrived too. Courtesy of Wooyoung and Seonghwa, apparently remembering it at the absolute last second. The cake box had “MERRY XMSSSS” written across the top in messy icing handwriting that could only belong to Wooyoung.

Mingi had a lot of trouble holding back his laughter, especially with Yunho's exasperatedly amused look as he rubbed his temples, holding back his giggles.

Well in the end, the cake, surprisingly, was excellent.

By the time they finished eating, the apartment had grown even warmer, heavy with the scent of sugar and spices and candle wax. Soft jazz still drifted quietly through the speakers while outside the snowfall thickened into white sheets.

Mingi helped clear the table this time with genuine effort. Which mostly meant carrying two plates before getting distracted halfway to the kitchen because Yunho kissed his cheek in passing.

“You can’t do that while I’m working,” Mingi informed him seriously.

“You weren’t working.”

“I was absolutely working.”

“You were staring into space holding a fork.”

“I was thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

Mingi pointed at him suspiciously. “You’re getting sassier!”

“You’re a bad influence.”

“True.”

Still, they cleaned together easily after that. Yunho washed while Mingi dried, though the process took twice as long because Mingi kept bumping his hip against Yunho’s on purpose or singing dramatically off-key whenever the music changed songs.

At some point Yunho splashed water at him in retaliation. Mingi stared at the droplets on his sweater in absolute betrayal.

“You’ve changed,” he whispered.

“Oh my god.”

“You used to be a man of God.”

“I still am.”

“No. This is darkness.”

Yunho laughed so hard he nearly dropped a plate.

Eventually the kitchen was finally clean again, candles burned lower now and the apartment dim except for the Christmas lights glowing softly from the living room.

Mingi wandered there first, immediately collapsing onto the couch with a groan.

“I ate too much.”

“You say that every time.”

“Because every time you cook like you’re trying to seduce royalty.”

Yunho snorted quietly as he joined him a moment later carrying two glasses of wine. The second he sat down, Mingi practically folded himself sideways against him automatically, long legs tangled with Yunho’s while accepting the drink with a content sigh.

For a while they just sat there quietly beneath the glow of the tree. The apartment felt impossibly peaceful.

Mingi rested his head against Yunho’s shoulder, fingers tracing absentminded patterns against his knee while the lights reflected softly in his eyes.

Then, after several quiet minutes, “So…” he said carefully.

Yunho already knew that tone. Trouble tone.

“Hm?”

Mingi tilted his head slightly toward the presents beneath the tree. “Hypothetically.”

“Dangerous start.”

“If someone had a gift they were extremely excited about giving you…”

Yunho smiled into his cider glass already. “Hypothetically.”

“…Would it kill you to open presents a little early?”

Yunho turned to look at him properly this time. Mingi was trying so hard to act casual and he adorably failed completely.

His eyes kept darting toward the tree every few seconds, excitement practically vibrating through him beneath the fake composure. Whatever he bought had clearly been tormenting him for days and the last few hours.

Yunho felt affection bloom warm and helpless in his chest all over again.

“You’ve been waiting all evening, haven’t you?”

Mingi immediately looked offended. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“You’re terrible at hiding things.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You started sweating when I mentioned presents earlier.”

“That was stress.”

“Why were you stressed?”

“…Christmas reasons.”

Yunho laughed softly, setting his glass down on the coffee table. Then he reached over and gently pinched Mingi’s pink cheek between his fingers.

“You’re cute.”

Mingi groaned dramatically, covering part of his face. “Don’t flirt with me while I’m vulnerable.”

“You made yourself vulnerable.”

“That’s not the point.”

Still smiling, Yunho glanced toward the tree. The wrapped boxes and bags glowed softly beneath the lights. 

Our first Christmas together. The thought settled warmly inside him all over again. Then he looked back at Mingi, who was watching him now with barely concealed anticipation. Yunho pretended to think about it for another few seconds just to be cruel.

Mingi narrowed his eyes immediately. “Yunho...”

“Hm?”

“If you say no right now I might actually pass away.”

“That seems dramatic.”

“I’m serious. Doctors will study it.”

Yunho laughed under his breath before finally relenting.

“Okay.”

Mingi blinked. “Okay?”

“We can open them now.”

The transformation was immediate. Mingi lit up so brightly Yunho thought the Christmas lights might get jealous. 

“Really!?”

“Really.”

Mingi nearly launched himself off the couch. “Wait right here.”

“Where else would I—”

Too late. Mingi was already halfway to the tree, nearly slipping on the rug in his excitement.

“Careful,” Yunho called automatically.

“I’m fine!”

“You almost died.”

“But festively.”

“Take all of them.”

“Yes sir!”

Mingi disappeared beneath the tree in a flurry of limbs and excitement, immediately surrounded by bags and wrapping paper while Yunho watched from the couch with helpless amusement. 

“If you had a tail, it’ll be wagging right now,” Yunho observed.

“I’m filled with the Christmas spirit.”

“You’re filled with cider and wine.”

“I said I’m fine,” Mingi insisted from somewhere beneath a pile of wrapping paper and shopping bags. “I’m strong and capable.”

One of the bags immediately tipped over. Yunho snorted into his wine. Eventually, after several near-disasters and one dramatic complaint about “gift-related workplace hazards,” Mingi returned to the couch carrying everything in stages.

First came the gift from Wooyoung and Seonghwa, wrapped in aggressively shiny red paper with at least three unnecessary bows attached. Then he returned with two shopping bags that Yunho instantly recognized instantly because it was those Mingi came back home with earlier. Then came the large package wrapped in dark blue paper. And finally—

Mingi came back carrying Yunho’s presents for him, secured carefully against his chest. 

Yunho’s breath caught a little at the sight. The excitement was still there, but suddenly buried beneath visible nerves. Yunho noticed instantly. Mingi approached the couch much slower and by the time he sat back down on the couch beside Yunho, his ears had gone pink again. The priest looked at him quietly but he avoided eye contact.

Silence…

Mingi rubbed both hands over his jeans before finally looking up. 

“So,” he started carefully. “Question.”

Yunho smiled faintly already. “Another important one?”

“Extremely important.” Mingi swallowed once. “How do we… proceed?”

The priest blinked at him for a moment. The nervousness was almost painfully obvious now. Mingi kept glancing toward Yunho’s gifts like he wanted to hide them again immediately after bringing them over.

Warm affection flooded the priest’s chest so quickly it almost hurt.

Trying not to smile too obviously, he leaned back into the couch cushions thoughtfully. “Well,” he said slowly, “we should probably start with Wooyoung and Seonghwa’s gift.”

Mingi nodded immediately. “Good. Smart. Great choice.”

“And then…” Yunho tilted his head toward the presents between them. “We alternate?”

Mingi considered this with intense seriousness. “Like one gift each, turn by turn?”

“Exactly.”

“…That’s terrifying.”

Yunho laughed softly. “You’ll survive.”

“Debatable.”

Still, Mingi scooted closer to the coffee table, legs folding beneath him while he reached for the gift from Wooyoung and Seonghwa first. The package itself looked aggressively chaotic. 

“I’m certain Wooyoung wrapped this,” he said immediately.

“Obviously.”

“There’s glitter on it.”

“Of course there is.”

Mingi squinted at the corner suspiciously. “I think he glued candy canes to the inside.”

And there was a handwritten tag attached crookedly to the bow.

To The Most Disgustingly Domestic Couple We Know ❤️

Yunho burst into laughter instantly, rich and warm.

“Oh my god,” he wheezed.

Mingi covered part of his face with one hand already. “I hate them.”

“No you don’t.”

“No, I really do.”

Mingi carefully started peeling back the layers of tape while Yunho watched beside him. Except “carefully” lasted approximately six seconds before he gave up entirely and ripped through the paper with brute force.

Paper flew everywhere immediately.

“Mingi—” Yunho started through laughter.

“There’s too much tape!” he defended, wrestling violently with the box while glitter exploded onto his sweater. “Why is there glitter inside the wrapping paper? That feels evil.”

“That’s definitely Wooyoung’s influence.”

“Seonghwa enabled him.”

“Also true.”

Finally, with one last dramatic tear, the wrapping came apart completely. Both of them blinked. Then Yunho burst into startled laughter so suddenly he nearly tipped sideways off the couch.

Inside the box sat two matching mugs.

One read: WORLD’S HOTTEST PRIEST.

The other said: PRETTY LITTLE PRINCESS.

Mingi stared at them in complete silence for exactly two seconds before collapsing face-first against Yunho’s shoulder wheezing.

“No,” he gasped. “No, absolutely not.”

Yunho could barely breathe from laughing. “Pretty Little Princess?”

“That’s your fault!”

“How is this my fault?”

“You started calling me princess!”

“You clearly enjoy it.”

“That’s irrelevant!”

Mingi finally lifted his head enough to inspect the rest of the box. Beneath the mugs sat several smaller items: candy, fuzzy socks, instant hot chocolate packets, and—Mingi pulled out a tiny plastic bell attached to a pink ribbon.

Attached was another note.

Ring for Attention, Princess~

Yunho completely lost composure again.

“Merry Christmas to us,” he laughed weakly.

Mingi looked personally betrayed by the universe. “I’m never speaking to them again.”

“You say that every day.”

“Because every week they traumatize me in new ways.”

Still laughing, Yunho reached for the mug labeled WORLD’S HOTTEST PRIEST, turning it slowly in his hands. “This is objectively hilarious though.”

“Yeah, because yours is flattering.” Mingi held up his own mug accusingly. “Mine sounds like I belong in a Disney movie.”

“You are dramatic enough for one.”

“Oh my god.”

Yunho grinned into another laugh before carefully setting the gifts aside on the coffee table. The tiny bell jingled softly when Mingi dropped it down dramatically.

“I’m burning that later.”

“No you’re not.”

“…No, I’m not,” Mingi admitted sadly.

For a moment they both sat there smiling helplessly at the chaos Wooyoung and Seonghwa had unleashed. Silence settled again and immediately Mingi looked nervous all over again. His eyes flicked toward the remaining presents before darting away. Yunho noticed the exact second his fingers started fidgeting with the hem of his sweater.

So cute.

“So,” Yunho said gently. “Whose turn?”

Mingi swallowed once. “Yours.”

“Mine?”

“Yeah.” Mingi nodded too quickly. “You should open one first since you basically worked harder than me and made a perfect dinner and all… You deserve a reward.”

Yunho studied him for a second before deliberately reaching toward one of the shopping bags Mingi had brought home earlier. The reaction was instant.

Mingi nearly choked. “Wait— not that one.”

Yunho paused with his hand halfway there, eyebrow lifting slowly.

“…Interesting.”

Mingi’s face went red immediately. “I mean—later. That one’s later.”

“Oh?”

“There’s an order.”

“You made a present order?”

“Yes.”

“Should I be concerned?”

“Very.”

Yunho laughed softly under his breath while Mingi covered his face briefly with both hands.

“Okay,” Yunho relented, reaching instead for the larger rectangular package wrapped in dark blue paper. “This one then.”

Mingi visibly relaxed. “Yeah. Good. Safe.”

“Safe?”

“Relatively.”

Now Yunho was even more curious than before. He unwrapped it with deliberate care while Mingi watched him like the box contained a live grenade.

“You look terrified,” Yunho said, amused.

“I am terrified.”

“That’s comforting.”

Mingi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I worked really hard on this.”

The quiet sincerity in his voice pulled something warm and fragile inside Yunho’s chest. His teasing faded immediately, more gently this time, he peeled away the wrapping paper until a large flat box appeared underneath.

Yunho frowned faintly in confusion before lifting the lid and froze.

Inside the box was fabric, deep blue and red, folded with impossible neatness. Yunho reached toward it slowly, almost cautiously, fingertips brushing over the material before he lifted it from the box.

A Spider-Man suit.

Not a cheap costume. A real one. His breath caught.

“Mingi… you—” His voice faltered as his fingers traced the webbed pattern across the chest.

Mingi ducked his head, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. “When we went to your house for the first time this summer, I saw your Spider-Man collection and I remember you told me you used to dream about owning a real suit when you were younger, but never had the chance to get a good one.” He laughed softly, nervous around the edges. “I know it’s kind of childish, but… I really wanted to offer you one.”

For a moment, Yunho couldn’t say anything at all. He just stared down at the suit in his hands while warmth spread slowly through his chest so intensely it almost hurt. The material was soft beneath his fingers, heavy enough to feel real, detailed enough that he instantly understood how much effort Mingi must have put into finding it.

Not some random costume, a real one, carefully chosen for him.

“Mingi,” Yunho repeated quietly, almost helplessly.

Mingi still wasn’t looking at him properly. His ears had gone violently red now. “You don’t have to pretend to like it if it’s too much.”

Yunho looked up immediately. “Too much?”

“Well, I know it’s not exactly a normal adult gift,” Mingi mumbled. “And technically you’re a priest, so maybe buying you a Spider-Man suit is psychologically concerning—”

Yunho cut him off by setting the suit carefully aside and grabbing his face with both hands. Mingi blinked mid-sentence.

“I love it,” Yunho said firmly.

The words came out almost rough with sincerity.

Mingi stared at him for half a second like he genuinely needed to process that. “Really?”

“Fuck… Mingi I really love it! It’s so sweet and—and so thoughtful I can’t believe you remembered that, thank you so much!”

Something soft and relieved broke across Mingi’s face so suddenly Yunho felt his chest ache.

“Of course I remembered.” Mingi grinned, relief making him brighter again. “You talked about it for like twenty minutes.”

“You were really listening to me that day, talking about Spider-Man lore for twenty minutes?”

“You once listened to me explain the entire plot of three different zombie apocalypse webtoons.”

“…That’s true.”

“And,” Mingi added, quieter now, “you looked really happy when you talked about it.”

That did something dangerous to Yunho’s heart.

God.

He looked back down at the suit again, fingertips brushing slowly across the fabric. Suddenly he was twelve again for just a second. Standing in front of toy store windows too long, staring at superhero costumes he knew his family would never buy. Dreaming about things that felt too childish to admit wanting out loud and now here Mingi was, giving him one anyway because he’d remembered.

So Yunho did the only logical thing that came to his mind, he leaned forward and kissed him.

Mingi softened into the kiss immediately, a quiet noise caught between their mouths as his hands drifted instinctively to Yunho’s waist. The kiss was gentle and warm, overflowing with affection. Their tongues moved together slowly, unhurried, and when they finally pulled apart, a thin strand of saliva still stretched between them. 

Yunho didn’t hesitate, he reached up for the matte black shopping bag and placed it in Mingi’s arms.

“There, open this one!” He said happily, eyes shining with happiness and excitement.

Mingi looked down at the bag in his lap, then immediately back up at Yunho with narrowed eyes.

“That smile is suspicious.”

Yunho folded his arms, trying and failing to suppress his grin. “Just open it.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“You literally bought me a Spider-Man suit.”

“That was heartfelt. You look like you’re plotting.”

Yunho laughed softly. “Mingi.”

“Fine, fine.”

Still visibly wary, Mingi carefully peeled back the black tissue paper inside the bag. The second his fingers touched leather, he froze completely. Silence. Then slowly, very slowly, he pulled the pants free.

Mingi stared at them like they’d personally descended from heaven.

“…No fucking way.”

Yunho watched the exact moment recognition hit him. His eyes widened immediately, darting over every detail of the leather before snapping toward Yunho in disbelief.

“These are—”

“The ones from the store window,” Yunho finished softly.

Mingi looked genuinely speechless for perhaps the first time in his life. “Yunho.”

“You liked them.”

“I loved them,” Mingi corrected automatically, still staring. “I just—” He laughed once in complete disbelief. “They were insanely expensive.”

“I know.”

“And you actually shipped them for me…”

Yunho shrugged one shoulder lightly, though warmth spread through his chest under the look Mingi was giving him now. “I remembered how happy you sounded on the phone.”

For a second Mingi just sat there holding the pants across his lap with both hands, expression somewhere between awe and emotional devastation.

Then he looked down again and whispered, almost to himself, “Holy shit.”

Yunho burst into laughter.

“No, seriously,” Mingi continued weakly. “These are the exact ones. The exact ones.” He looked up again, visibly overwhelmed. “You remembered?”

“You literally stopped walking when you saw them.”

“Because they looked hot!”

“They’re going to look hot on you.”

Mingi made a strangled noise and collapsed backward dramatically against the couch cushions, clutching the leather pants against his chest like he’d been mortally wounded.

“You can’t say things like that while I’m emotionally vulnerable.”

“You survived the princess mug.”

“Barely.”

Still, he kept touching the leather almost absently, fingertips tracing over the seams with unmistakable affection. Yunho noticed immediately.

“You really like them,” he murmured softly.

Mingi looked at him again then and suddenly all the dramatics faded. His expression softened into something quieter. Warmer. Almost disbelieving.

“Nobody’s ever paid attention to me like this before,” he admitted quietly.

The words landed gently but somewhere deep inside Yunho’s chest they ached.

Mingi glanced back down at the pants, smiling faintly to himself now. “I mentioned it one time months ago.”

“You mentioned them seventeen times during that call.”

“That is slander.”

“You described them as ‘life-changing slut pants.’”

“…Okay, maybe once or twice.”

Yunho laughed softly, but his chest still felt painfully full watching him because Mingi looked genuinely cherished. Like he still hadn’t fully adjusted to the idea that someone could remember tiny things about him and turn them into love.

And Yunho—God, Yunho wanted to give him everything.

“You deserve nice things,” he said quietly.

Mingi’s eyes lifted immediately.

“And you deserve things you want just because you want them.”

The teasing disappeared entirely from Mingi’s face now. His throat bobbed once.

Then, softly, “You really love me, huh?”

Yunho’s heart stumbled. The room suddenly felt very still around them. Christmas lights glowing softly against the walls. Snow falling thick beyond the windows. Jazz humming quietly beneath the silence stretching between them.

And Mingi was looking at him like the answer mattered. Yunho swallowed once before smiling.

“I love you more than anything Mingi. I feel so lucky to have you in my life.”

Mingi inhaled sharply and then laughed softly through his nose, suddenly shy all over again.

“That’s crazy,” he murmured.

“What is?”

“That someone like you exists.”

Yunho’s chest hurt so much because of all the feelings surging up. Before he could answer, Mingi leaned forward quickly and kissed him again. Less careful this time, more immediate, warm mouth slotting against his while one hand cupped the side of Yunho’s neck instinctively.

Yunho kissed him back without hesitation and slowly the other man climbed across the couch until he was half in his lap, leather pants abandoned somewhere beside them while Yunho’s hands settled automatically at his waist.

The kiss deepened lazily, warmth and wine and candlelight, Mingi kissed like he loved being loved and Yunho thought that might ruin him permanently. 

When they parted, they stayed close enough that their noses still brushed together.

“You know,” Mingi said softly, voice rough around the edges now, “these definitely qualify as seduction gifts.”

Yunho smiled faintly. “Maybe a little, you should try them on.”

“A little?” Mingi huffed quietly. “Yunho, if I wear these pants around you, we’re not surviving the evening. My ass won’t survive and neither will your balls.”

“That sounds like a you problem.”

“That sounds like an us problem.”

Yunho laughed under his breath, fingers sliding absentmindedly along Mingi’s waist. “Good thing there are still presents left then.”

Mingi groaned dramatically and dropped his forehead against Yunho’s shoulder. “Right. Christmas responsibilities.”

“Terrifying, I know.”

“Actually wait.” Mingi straightened suddenly, eyes widening. “Your other gift.”

Yunho blinked. “Hm?”

“The other one.” Mingi pointed vaguely toward the remaining silver bag. “Open that one next.”

Ah. There it was again. That nervousness.

Yunho felt curiosity stir immediately. His boyfriend was trying to act normal, but the pink creeping back into his ears completely betrayed him. Slowly, Yunho glanced toward the silver bag.

“The dangerous one?” he asked mildly.

Mingi immediately looked away.

“Not exactly… But—Just open it already.”

“You’re blushing already.”

“I’m literally not.”

“You literally are.”

“I hate your observational skills.”

Yunho laughed softly before leaning forward enough to reach for the bag. The second his fingers touched the ribbon, Mingi visibly stopped breathing.

Interesting. Very interesting.

Yunho looked at him once more just to watch him squirm.

“Mingi.”

“Hm?”

“You’re terrifying me.”

“You’ll survive.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“It’s Christmas. Be brave.”

Yunho snorted quietly and untied the ribbon. 

Inside sat a smaller black box, elegant, simple and expensive-looking. His eyebrows lifted slightly before he opened it.

Silver caught the glow of the Christmas lights immediately. The silver cross rested against black velvet, intricate enough to catch the light with every movement. Delicate curves twisted through the metal like carved vines, elegant without looking fragile. It wasn’t flashy or overly polished, just beautifully detailed in a quiet, timeless way. 

Yunho stared for a second and then he looked up slowly, his eyes welled up, his breath trapped in his ribcage. Mingi looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him alive.

“So,” he started weakly, “before you say anything—”

“You bought me a cross…” 

“Well when you say it like that I sound insane.”

Yunho reached into the box carefully, letting the chain slide across his fingers. It was gorgeous. Thick silver links, clean and sharp without looking excessive. Completely his style.

“Mingi,” he said softly.

“I didn’t know if you were into jewelry but I really wanted to offer you one and it seemed like it could be something you’ll like—”

“I love it.”

Mingi stopped immediately.

“You do?”

“Yes.”

Relief flooded his face so hard it almost looked painful. “Okay. Good. Great. Because I spent three hours choosing one.”

Yunho looked back down at the chain again, thumb brushing slowly across the cool silver.

“You really thought about all of these gifts,” he murmured.

“Well…” Mingi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I wanted your first Christmas with me to feel special.”

Yunho’s expression softened instantly. 

“Everything we’ve done together so far feels so special, princess,” he admitted quietly. 

Mingi’s entire face went red instantly.

“Don’t say that right after calling me princess,” he muttered weakly. “My heart can’t handle both things at once.”

Yunho laughed softly through the tightness in his chest. Then his gaze drifted back down toward the silver cross resting in his hands. Carefully, almost reverently, he lifted the chain from the box completely.

It really was beautiful.

Then his expression shifted slightly like he remembered something.

“Speaking of jewelry…” he murmured.

Mingi blinked once. Yunho leaned sideways, reaching down beside the couch toward one of the last untouched bags. The silver tissue paper crinkled softly as he lifted it carefully into his lap.

Mingi immediately narrowed his eyes.

“What’s that look for?”

“No reason.”

“That’s a lying face.”

Yunho ignored him completely, lips twitching faintly before pulling a black velvet box from inside the bag and placing it directly into Mingi’s hands.

For a second Mingi only stared and confusion flickered across his features. “Wait.”

“Open it.”

Mingi obeyed, flipping the lid open slowly.

Silver gleamed immediately as the layered chains rested against dark velvet exactly the way Yunho had arranged them earlier, thick silver links catching warm gold reflections from the tree.

“Oh…” Mingi’s breath caught. 

Yunho watched his expression soften in real time. The surprise first. Then recognition. Then something quieter, almost vulnerable. 

“They are beautiful Yunho.” Mingi whispered. 

“I’m glad you think so. I immediately thought of you when I saw them.”

Mingi carefully lifted the chains from the box, letting them drape over his fingers, lips parting slightly while he let the shorter one slide carefully between his fingers. 

“And that’s the kind of chain that makes you look hot.” Yunho added.

Mingi let out a quiet, breathless laugh, still staring at the chains draped across his hand.

“You’re evil,” he murmured.

“Why?”

“You know exactly what you’re doing.”

Yunho tilted his head innocently. “Buying and offering my boyfriend jewelry?”

“Buying your boyfriend a chain that looks amazingly good and sits this close to the neck.” Mingi lifted the shorter chain slightly between two fingers before looking up at him through his lashes. “That means things in certain communities.”

Yunho blinked once, amused. “Communities?”

“Mhm.”

“The dramatic way you said that makes it sound illegal.”

Mingi snorted softly but his ears had gone pink again. He glanced back down at the necklace, thumb rubbing slowly across one of the silver links.

“It’s not illegal,” he muttered. “Just… specific.”

Curiosity flickered warm through Yunho’s chest.

“What kind of specific?”

Mingi suddenly looked caught between embarrassment and temptation, mouth twitching faintly like he was debating how much to say.

Yunho leaned back into the couch cushions, watching him carefully.

“Mingi.”

“Hm?”

“You brought it up.”

“That was a mistake.”

“So explain.”

Mingi groaned quietly and dropped his head back against the couch dramatically. “You’re gonna make me say it out loud?”

“Yes.”

“Cruel.”

“Maybe.”

Mingi looked at him again after a second, eyes dark and warm beneath the glow of the Christmas lights.

“In some dom/sub dynamics,” he said slowly, “chains or collars sitting really close to the neck can symbolize belonging.”

Yunho’s expression stilled slightly. Mingi kept going before he could lose confidence.

“Not always,” he added quickly. “Sometimes it’s just fashion. But in certain spaces…” He lifted one shoulder weakly. “It can mean the person wearing it is taken. Claimed, I guess.”

The last word came out softer. Heat curled low in Yunho’s stomach almost instantly.

“Oh,” he said quietly.

Mingi laughed nervously through his nose. “Yeah. Oh.”

For a second neither of them spoke. The apartment suddenly felt warmer somehow. Mingi still held the chain carefully in his hands, but now Yunho couldn’t stop imagining it around his throat.

Silver resting against warm skin. Close enough to touch. Close enough to—

"Let me put it on you, princess." Yunho said softly, voice so low it sent shivers all over Mingi’s spine while he was extending one hand, palm up.

Mingi looked down at the chain once before placing it carefully into the priest’s waiting hand. 

Yunho didn’t rush. He never did when it counted. He shifted beside Mingi on the couch, manhandling him easily so he was now between his parted legs and his back against his chest, one hand already lifting the chain to inspect how it would sit.

“Turn a little,” Yunho murmured.

Mingi obeyed, slower this time. His throat bobbed once as he tilted his chin up slightly, exposing the line of his neck. The metal was cold against his skin at the first contact and Mingi flinched instinctively, then he went still when Yunho’s hands steadied at the base of his throat. The chain settled slowly, carefully, like Yunho was placing something far more delicate than jewelry.

Click.

The clasp closed.

For a second, nothing happened. Yunho’s fingers lingered just for a moment at the back of Mingi’s neck before sliding away. Mingi swallowed.

The chain rested exactly where it was meant to. Close enough to feel present. Close enough to feel… noticed. The lower chain fell against his chest, catching the glow of the tree in soft silver flashes.

Yunho didn’t need to look at him properly to know it looked—

“…Perfect,” he said quietly.

Mingi didn’t answer immediately. He was staring at himself in the reflection of the dark window beyond the tree lights. At the silver against his skin. At the way it sat there like it had always belonged. Then he let out a breath that sounded suspiciously unsteady.

His gaze crossed Yunho’s through their reflection on the window.

The priest’s fingers brushed there first, barely a touch, just to move a strand of hair out of the way. Mingi inhaled sharply anyway.

“You’re looking at me like that on purpose,” he accused, though his voice didn’t carry much conviction.

Yunho’s mouth twitched. “Like what?”

“Like I’m—” Mingi gestured vaguely at his own chest, then gave up. “Like I’m something you just unwrapped.”

Yunho’s gaze didn’t move away.

“I am somehow,” he said simply. His hands slid up Mingi’s waist, up and down before slipping under the hem of his sweater. “Should I keep unwrapping you princess?”

Mingi’s breath caught audibly. The question settled between them warm and dangerous, Yunho’s hands spreading slowly over the bare skin beneath his sweater while the silver chain glinted softly against his throat.

For one long second, he said nothing at all. Then he leaned back further into Yunho’s chest until their bodies fit together completely, his head turning just enough that his lips brushed the priest’s jaw.

“Keep going,” he murmured.

Yunho exhaled slowly through his nose.

God.

Mingi always did this to him. Slipped words beneath his ribs and left them there burning.

His fingers flexed lightly against his waist before sliding higher beneath the sweater, palms flattening against warm skin. Mingi shivered immediately.

“Cold?” Yunho asked softly.

“No,” Mingi answered too quickly. “You just—your hands—”

“Ah.” Yunho smiled faintly against the side of his neck. “Sensitive tonight?”

Mingi made a quiet noise that sounded suspiciously close to a whine.

“You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“You’re pretty when you blush.”

“That’s not a defense.”

“It’s true though.”

Mingi huffed weakly, but Yunho could feel the smile trying to pull at his mouth. His fingers found the chain again absentmindedly, tracing the silver where it rested against his throat.

“It really does look good on you,” Yunho murmured.

Mingi’s lashes lowered slightly. “Yeah?”

“Mhm.” Yunho’s lips brushed just beneath his ear this time, slow enough to make him shiver again. “Makes me want to keep you just for myself.”

The reaction was immediate. Mingi inhaled sharply, shoulders tensing beneath Yunho’s hands before melting all over again. His head tipped back against the priest’s shoulder instinctively, exposing more of his throat.

“You can’t say things like that so casually,” he whispered in his ear.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m trying very hard to behave tonight.”

Yunho laughed softly under his breath.

“You?” he asked. “Behave?”

“Exactly. Appreciate the effort.”

His fingers slid back down Mingi’s stomach lazily beneath the sweater, feeling the subtle jump of muscle every time he touched somewhere too sensitive. Mingi shifted restlessly between his thighs, knees spreading slightly on either side of Yunho’s legs, the movement did not go unnoticed, neither did the fact that he had started breathing slower. Deeper.

Mingi shifted then, turning around fully so he could face him properly. One leg slid over Yunho’s lap before the other followed naturally until he was straddling him comfortably on the couch, arms winding loosely around the priest’s shoulders.

“There,” Mingi whispered. “Better.”

Yunho’s hands settled automatically at his hips.

“Definitely better.”

Mingi looked absurdly beautiful like this. Soft. Open. Loved. His thumbs brushed slowly beneath Yunho’s jaw while he studied him with quiet affection.

“You know,” he said eventually, “last year around this time I was eating convenience store ramen alone in my apartment watching terrible Christmas movies.”

Yunho frowned faintly. “That sounds depressing.”

“It was a little depressing.”

“And now?”

Mingi smiled then. Small at first. Then bigger.

“Now I’m spending Christmas Eve sitting on my priest boyfriend’s lap while wearing a symbolic chain he put on me himself and a cross I offered him around his neck.”

Yunho snorted softly.

“When you say it out loud, we sound insane.”

“We are insane.”

“That’s fair.”

Mingi laughed quietly before his expression softened again. His fingers slipped into Yunho’s hair absentmindedly, playing gently with the strands near the nape of his neck.

“…Thank you,” he said after a moment.

Yunho blinked once. “For what?”

“For this.” Mingi gestured vaguely around the apartment. “For tonight. For everything. For making me feel…” He searched briefly for the right word before his gaze returned to Yunho’s. “Loved and chosen.”

The word hit harder than it should have. Yunho’s hands tightened slightly at his hips.

“You are chosen,” he said immediately. “I will always choose you.”

Mingi looked down for half a second like he physically didn’t know what to do with that kind of tenderness. So Yunho kissed him before he could disappear into his own head again.

Slow at first. Then deeper when he felt the other melt against him with a soft sigh.

The chain shifted faintly beneath Yunho’s fingertips every time he touched his throat. Every little sound Mingi made disappeared warm against his mouth while his arms tightened around the priest’s shoulders.

The kiss grew heavier gradually. Lips parting, tongue gliding, spit mixing. Consuming in that lazy inevitable way they always seemed to fall into each other. Mingi rocked his hips once without thinking. They parted with a sharp inhale, Yunho’s hands flexed on his hips and helped him ground down while Mingi buried his face against his neck with a groan.

“Oh my god.”

Yunho laughed softly, one hand sliding up his spine. “What happened to behaving?”

“I ate it.”

“Clearly.”

“You’re warm and emotionally devastating,” Mingi mumbled into his shoulder. “It’s distracting.”

Yunho’s smile pressed against his temple.

“Poor princess.”

“Don’t call me that when I’m sitting like this.”

“Like what?”

Mingi lifted his head just enough to glare at him weakly. “You know exactly like what.”

And of course Yunho did but instead of teasing him further he just helped him grinding his hips down, pushing their crotch together in an ecstatic, electric thrill.

Mingi gasped. It was soft and breathy and his fingers twisted in Yunho’s sweater. The kiss came back instantly, messy and desperate this time, teeth clashing briefly before softening into something wetter, hotter. Tongues tangled, together, breathing through each other.

Yunho arched slightly beneath him to press closer eventually and his hands slid under Mingi’s sweater again. Warm skin on warm skin. He traced the curve of his spine with slow worship. Every movement was charged now. Hips rolling together without rhythm but perfect intent, mouths parting only to breathe or chase each other’s lips like they were drowning and needed air from nowhere else.

Mingi whimpered when Yunho bit gently at his lower lip. A sound that made the priest go still for half a second just listening to it echoed between them before chasing it with another kiss deeper than the last.

The chain glinted as Mingi tilted sideways slightly over him, the silver catching candlelight every time they shifted against each other just a little.

Yunho was the first to break away, not far, just enough to trail kisses down Mingi's jawline toward that sweet spot beneath his ear. The way Mingi always shivered when touched there even by accident or more purposely. How he would squirm and let out louder moans.

So naturally he pressed an open-mouthed kiss right there and Mingi… God he tipped his head back instinctively, giving him better access like an offering.

His sweater had ridden up during all this movement and Yunho took advantage of it without hesitation. Warm palms glided over bare skin from waist to ribs while he continued trailing soft bites down one side of Mingi's neck, until he eventually got rid of the fabrics by passing it over his broad shoulder, tossing it on the end of the couch. The cold chain hit warm skin and Mingi didn’t know if he shivered because of that or the way Yunho paused to admire it again on its owner's pretty throat.

"God," The priest murmured against damp skin when they rocked together again and felt how perfectly their bodies aligned. “This is maddening. looks so good on you just like I expected.”

Mingi’s breath hitched, hips grounding harder on Yunho’s erection starting to tent his pants, chasing the heat and the pressure between them. The chain around his throat shifted with every movement, but it did nothing to cool down the feverish heat rising inside his whole body.

“W-wait, Yunho—” He gasped, words dying into a moan when teeth rasped against a sensitive throat and Yunho thrust up just right against his crotch. “I—I still have one gift left, the dangerous one—”

“Hmm?” Yunho hummed against his throat but did nothing to pull away. “Is it really important, can’t we open it later?”

“N-no—aah,” A moan escaped Mingi when the priest's hands slid on his ass, grabbing his cheeks and pressing him down harder, “It’s something I bought with—Ngh—Wooyoung and Seonghwa earlier. Something for us when we fuck—”

That made Yunho stop and look up. His eyes were dark, his pupils dilated, full of desire, hunger and now curiosity.

"Something for us?" he asked, continuing to guide Mingi's hips but more slowly this time. “What did you buy for us, princess?”

Mingi’s cheeks burned, but the look in Yunho’s eyes, dark, needy, and unbearably hungry sent a rush of boldness he rarely felt when around him. He leaned back just enough to grab the last bag, settling it in his lap before digging through it. 

“Okay,” Mingi said quickly before losing his nerves. “So… You know there is a special shop at the mall and Wooyoung and Seonghwa deeply insisted to go there because Wooyoung needed a new toy for him and San and Seonghwa wanted to see their lingerie—And I swear I wasn’t going to buy anything at first but then I saw two specific things and—”

Yunho blinked once. Then again. And Mingi softly cursed under his breath before taking out two black boxes, quite sophisticated, from the bag, one slightly larger than the other. He offered them to the priest.

“And… I really trust you Yunho. I know we already had this conversation a few days ago but… If you’re okay with that, I want to try new things… With you.”

Yunho didn’t take his eyes off Mingi as he reached out slowly, not for the boxes, but to brush a thumb over his burning cheekbone first. 

“You went shopping… for this?” His voice was low and careful. Not judging, not even surprised in a negative way, but genuinely curious and deeply touched that Mingi had thought about it at all.

Mingi nodded quickly, swallowing hard before pushing the smaller box toward him slightly. 

“I mean… if you don’t want to use it or try anything that's fine too! I just—I wanted us to have options because we’ve been talking about wanting more intimacy but I also wanted to experiment safely? And Wooyoung said this brand is really good so I trusted his opinion—”

Yunho cut him off by pressing their lips together, a slow kiss full of quiet awe.

“Mingi,” he murmured against his mouth, heart pounding louder than their shared breaths on the couch cushion beneath them both… “You’re so sweet it’s dangerous for my heart.”

Yunho exhaled shakily through his nose one last time. The kind of breath people took when they were overwhelmed by how much someone loved them without even meaning to be extra about it. And without another word, he reached for the smaller box first and opened it carefully.

The box lifted easily, revealing sleek black velvet lining and nestled inside was a bright pink vibrator. Big enough to feel it in any position, though Yunho didn’t know much about it, but also shaped so it could be comfortable to keep it inside for a long time. There was also a silicone string attached to the toy, presumably for easy removal, and it came with a small charging cord and a small remote control coiled neatly beneath.

Yunho picked it up carefully between his fingers, turning it over once before looking back at Mingi. There was no hesitation in his expression. Only warmth, curiosity… and something far more tender beneath all that desire.

“This is beautiful,” he said simply, not about the object itself but what this meant. That Mingi had gone out of his way to get this for them. That he trusted him enough to explore new things together like this even when he knew it.

Experiencing it was another level.

Without breaking eye contact, Yunho clenched his fist around the toy, then leaned forward again slowly until their foreheads touched gently.

“I love you,” he whispered against Mingi’s lips.

Mingi smiled for a second before pushing the other box in Yunho’s hand. “Open this one now.”

Yunho accepted it, his fingers brushing against Mingi’s as he took it. This one felt heavier in his hands somehow, more substantial.

He lifted the lid slowly.

Inside, nestled in black foam padding, sat a sleek silver bottle of lube. The label read: vibrating blackberry gel. Its Amazonian plant extract promised a subtle warming buzz, tingling pleasantly against the skin.

And beneath it lay something else…

A pair of handcuffs lined with soft black fur.

“Holy shit…” the priest muttered under his breath. When he looked up at Mingi, he found him staring off to the side, cheeks burning a deep red. The flush had spread to his ears, down his neck, even across his shoulders. “Do you want to use these tonight?”

Mingi chewed his bottom lip, suddenly nervous. He hadn’t realized how intense the items would look all laid out together, like a full-on plan.

He nodded slowly, then faster when Yunho’s expression didn’t change to horror or disbelief. 

“I mean…” His voice cracked slightly. “I thought maybe… if you’re comfortable with it? We could try something different? Just a little experiment?” 

He gestured vaguely toward the cuffs, then immediately looked away like they burned him.

“It’s okay if not! I just—I want to… I would like it if you took control—all the control—of what happens between us. I want you to be fully in charge while I just receive what you choose to give me…”

Something primal and protective flared in Yunho's chest, something warm and possessive that made his fingers tighten around the fur-lined restraints without thinking.

He studied Mingi for a long moment. The nervous bite of his lip, how he couldn't hold eye contact anymore like this confession was too vulnerable to face head-on. The way he curled slightly inward despite being on top of him still, as if bracing for rejection.

But there was no rejection here. Only awe. Only hunger wrapped up in devotion so pure it nearly stole Yunho's voice entirely.

Without warning, without teasing or slow build-up Yunho secured Mingi by the small of his back and set both boxes aside on the coffee table with deliberate care before cupping his face firmly with both hands and kissing him hard enough to bruise his lips against each other from intensity alone.

Mingi moaned, eyes fluttering shut as Yunho was literally licking all over the inside of his mouth, stealing his breath, his cock pressed hard under his ass. It was getting hotter and hotter between them, Mingi grabbed the fabric of Yunho's sweatshirt between his fingers, tugging at it.

They both needed more contact, less clothes, more warmth and skin.

Mingi squealed when Yunho grabbed the different items and a full of his ass and stood up suddenly without breaking the kiss. Mingi's strong legs circled his waist instinctively and Yunho padded through the apartment to the bedroom.

Next thing he knew Mingi was thrown on his belly on the mattress and Yunho pressed him down on it with his full weight, grabbed his hands and handcuffed them behind his back. His breath came in shallow, rapid bursts as the soft click of the fur-lined cuffs echoed around them. His wrists were secured snugly. Tight enough to feel restrained, but not uncomfortable. The black fur was surprisingly gentle against his skin.

Yunho hovered over him for a moment, taking in the sight. Mingi on his stomach across their bed, back arched slightly from how he was pressed down. The tightness of his spine and shoulder blades from anticipation…

So beautiful…

The chain glinted when Mingi turned his head to look at him over one shoulder, eyes wide and dark with want now instead of nerves. Yunho exhaled slowly through flared nostrils before leaning down first to press a kiss between Mingi's shoulder blades… then another lower… then another…

Each kiss traveled downward along each vertebra until Yunho reached the waistband of those loose pants he wore earlier, the same ones Yunho had admired so much, so many times before. 

With careful fingers he hooked into fabric there and began peeling it downward inch by torturous inch exposing more smooth thigh muscle beneath it. He wasn’t even surprised when he noticed Mingi wasn’t wearing any underwear. As the other always repeated, it was easy access, and how happy Yunho was to have easy access to this perfect ass right now.

The cool air of the bedroom kissed Mingi’s newly exposed skin, sending a shiver up his spine, though it wasn’t from cold. Not with Yunho's warm breath following right behind, slow and deliberate as he continued undressing him until he tossed his pants away on the floor.

The priest’s hands slid over the curve of his ass now fully bared, squeezing once hard just to feel him squirm beneath him. The muffled gasp that escaped Mingi was delicious.

He pressed open-mouthed kisses along one cheek first, then lower… teasingly close but not quite touching where it really mattered yet. His lips traced idle circles on soft skin while his thumbs dug gently into those perfect globes before spreading them slightly apart just to admire what lay between. The pink flush hole clenching around the air there matching the heat in his cheeks perfectly.

Mingi bit down on a moan when Yunho suddenly leaned forward and licked a long stripe up from perineum to tailbone without warning, the wet sound obscenely loud in their quiet bedroom. 

And that was a big first in their relationship.

Yunho smirked against damp skin at how violently Mingi tensed under him, not even realising his hips had twitched toward his mouth unconsciously.

  So without missing a beat, he did it again.  

Longer this time. Slower too, tongue dragging heavily through every sensitive crease until he reached that tight little hole…

Mingi's entire body jerked when Yunho's tongue made contact with that most forbidden and sensitive spot.  A sharp cry tore from his throat, high-pitched, desperate and he immediately buried his face into the blanket beneath him to muffle it. The vibration of the sound against fabric only amplified how loud it had been.

Yunho didn’t stop. He pressed another slow lick there, this time with slightly more pressure behind the flat of his tongue while simultaneously squeezing Mingi’s ass cheeks firmly in both hands to keep him from squirming away too much.

The taste was musky but not unpleasant, not at all if you considered how turned on they both were right now and something about doing this felt… intimate in a way even deeper than sex itself usually was for them. Like an unspoken trust being tested and passed perfectly between lovers who knew each other so well by heart already.

And judging by how Mingi kept making these helpless little noises into the pillow? He liked it far more than either expected beforehand. So Yunho did what any good boyfriend would do: he continued worshipping properly without hesitation or shame whatsoever.

He circled the tight rim with his tongue, experimenting, soft flicks, then broad licks, then a teasing dip of the very tip before pulling back just enough to watch Mingi tremble. 

Every reaction was electric. The way Mingi’s toes curled into the sheets. How his bound hands flexed behind him like he wanted to reach back and grab something, maybe Yunho’s hair? His ass clenched rhythmically too, involuntarily inviting more.

So Yunho gave more.

He pressed an open-mouthed kiss right over that spot first… His hands left Mingi’s ass to grab the bottle of lube, the cap popping open, he poured some on his fingers before they joined his tongue.

The moment Yunho’s slick finger pressed gently against his hole alongside the warm swipe of his tongue, Mingi shattered.

A broken moan spilled into the blanket, muffled but no less desperate. His whole body arched, hips lifting off the bed instinctively, as if chasing that sensation deeper. 

“Shit Yunho—Ugh it feels so good!”

The blackberry-laced lube made everything feel slippery and its effects were felt quite quickly. First the warmth, not stifling or overwhelming, but which made Mingi's dick throbbed where it was trapped between the mattress and his own body. And the little tingling sensations like his rim was constantly triggered all over again and again and that shouldn’t have been so erotic… but with Yunho doing this? It was everything.

The priest groaned low in his throat at how responsive Mingi was. Every twitch of muscle, every shallow breath, it fueled him. He added a second finger slowly, coating them thoroughly first before pushing both inside just past the first knuckle while still kissing and licking around them like he couldn't get enough of tasting him there.

Mingi gasped loudly and actually sobbed when those fingers pushed inside further and curled ever so slightly inward on purpose to graze something deep within him…

“Aaah! God—Yunho!”

The sound sent fire straight through the priest’s spine. He loved hearing his name from these lips like this… Wrecked and pleading and completely undone by his touch alone.

So he did it again and again and again. Curling higher each time until he found exactly where that sweet spot lived inside all the heat and tension… Then held it there with steady pressure while sucking lightly on skin right above where they entered…

The world narrowed to the sensation of Yunho's fingers curling just right inside him, hitting that electric spot with terrifying precision. Mingi was moaning openly, high whines muffled by the blanket as his body trembled from sheer pleasure.

Every nerve ending in his lower half was on fire. The lube’s warm tingle combined with Yunho’s tongue and those merciless fingers working him open had turned his brain into static. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, he could only feel.

“Shit—”

It was so perfect. Too much and yet not enough.

Yunho watched raptly as Mingi came apart beneath him, the arch of his back, the way his saliva dampened the sheets where he pressed his face into it. Every twitch sent a jolt through Yunho's own hardness… This man trusted him enough to let go like this? To be so vulnerable?

It undid something in him completely.

“Shit Mingi,” He moaned against his skin, “You’re amazing, looking so hot like this I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

Yunho doubled down, pumping two slick fingers deeper then adding another one and curling it just right. Mingi hips jerked violently off the bed but there wasn't anywhere for them to go except downward because of his hands cuffed behind back which meant all movement just forced more pressure where they needed least (or maybe most) depending who you asked...

“Y-Yunho—” he rasped weakly, “More, gimme more please!”

But to his great surprise and horror, Yunho did the exact opposite of what he had asked. In just one second, he withdrew his fingers, leaving him completely empty, whining at the loss and clenching around nothing.

“W-what—” Mingi breathed, a little panicked. “Yunho what–Aah!”

Mingi made a surprised sound when he was manhandled on his back, legs spread and welcoming a very naked and very hard Yunho between them. The priest didn’t give him time to understand what was going on. He kissed him hard, tongue slipping between these perfect parted lips, hammering at his. 

Then there was pressure back against his hole and Mingi sighed in contentment, thinking Yunho’s fingers were back on him because of the warm lube, but he gasped weakly when the turned-off vibrator was pushed deep inside of him.

The sleek silicone toy slipped inside with surprising ease thanks to Yunho’s careful preparation, but the sudden stretch still made him gasp into his mouth.

Yunho broke the kiss only to trail hot bites down his jaw and throat while pushing the toy deeper until it settled against his prostate. It didn’t hum, not yet, but its presence alone sent a shockwave of anticipation through every nerve.

He nuzzled against the chain at Mingi’s collarbone for half a second before reaching blindly for the control remote.

With slow precision (and absolutely no mercy), Yunho pressed on.

The lowest setting first. A gentle pulse deep in Mingi's belly as vibrations traveled upward from where they nestled so perfectly between cheeks…

“Yunho…” He moaned softly as his boyfriend was sucking hickeys on his neck, reviving some that were beginning to fade away.

Level up.

Mingi whimpered when the sensation bloomed a little harder against every sweet spot inside him… Not painful or overwhelming yet… Just constant thrumming pressure that pulsed with each heartbeat beneath skin…

“Fuck—it feels weird,”

It felt weirdly good. Like being hugged by electricity internally.

His hips twitched involuntarily again, not chasing friction this time but reacting purely to how new and intense this sensation was all over suddenly… Yunho studied him carefully: cheeks flushed pinker than ever before, lips slightly parted, eyes glassy with overwhelmed pleasure...

He pressed another kiss right under his jawline then whispered against his pulsing point, "Good?"

Mingi nodded rapidly without thinking because yes... God yes... This was amazing.

Level up.

The third level sent Mingi closer over the edge.

“Ngh! Yu-Yunho!”

A full-body shudder wracked through him, his back arching off the mattress as a moan tore from his throat, raw, unrestrained. The vibration hit just right, a direct line to pleasure that short-circuited all coherent thought and made his cock leak precum furiously against his stomach.

Yunho watched in awe. This wasn’t just arousal anymore. This was worship. Every twitch of Mingi’s body, every shaky breath fanning across his lips.

Level up.

Mingi opened his mouth in a silent scream when Yunho not only increased the vibrator's intensity but also bent down and swallowed him down in one smooth motion, taking Mingi’s entire length into his warm, wet mouth with zero hesitation. 

The sudden heat and pressure around his cock sent electric shocks through every nerve ending, already quite well stimulated from the vibrator still pulsing inside him.

His entire body bowed off the bed like a live wire had been shoved up his spine. A strangled cry escaped him as he came instantly, no buildup, no warning, just pure white-hot pleasure exploding behind his eyes.

His hips jerked helplessly against Yunho's lips but there was nowhere to go. The priest held firm on either side of them both by gripping Mingi's thighs tightly while his cheeks tightened around his girth each time he bobbed his head and the tip hit the back of his throat.

The vibrations never stopped either, not even for a second and that combined with Yunho milking him dry… It turned what should've been an intense orgasm into something almost unbearable in its intensity…

Overwhelming wave after overwhelming wave crashed over Mingi relentlessly until tears pricked corners of eyes and breathing became nothing but ragged gasps between sobs… 

“Y-Yunho wait—” he gasped helplessly, unable to move or do anything else than squirm, “W-wait-wait-wait Yunho–Yunho, Ngh-aah—something’s w-weird I’m gonna—gunna!”

Yunho didn’t stop. Not the vibrations, not his mouth—not anything.  

If anything, the desperate, sobbing plea in Mingi's voice only spurred him on because this was too good to stop now. The way Mingi trembled beneath him like a live wire about to snap? The tears welling up but not quite falling yet? That oversensitive whine of "I'm gonna" that meant he was spiraling into something beyond just an orgasm.

This was everything.

So Yunho sucked harder, deep and filthy around his still hard cock while turning the vibrator on maximum intensity inside him without pause. He swallowed every pulse as another wave crashed through Mingi’s body. Each throb sent fresh shocks of pleasure so intense it blurred the line between agony and ecstasy.

Mingi couldn’t even form words anymore. Just broken sounds ripped from his chest, pathetic little “Ah-ah-ngh!” coming out continuously. His legs shook violently where they were pinned by Yunho’s strong hands, toes curling so tight they cramped slightly.

And then it happened. The second crest hit harder than expected because apparently orgasms could stack if you were already wired enough…

Another explosion ripped through him with zero recovery time whatsoever. White light behind eyelids flashing wildly as his hips jerked helplessly again despite being held down firmly…

His vision tunneled briefly at edges when sensation overwhelmed all senses entirely for a few heartbeats… Then came full-body spasms that made every muscle lock up for several seconds straight, including his throat which forced out a choked cry instead of air…

Only then did Yunho take pity on him. He turned off the vibrator and slowed down his movement gradually until stopping completely with one last soft kiss pressed gently atop the swollen head before pulling away slowly…

He wiped his chin and mouth with the back of his hand and moved up until his face hovered over Mingi’s who had his eyes shut, panting hard through his mouth. 

Yunho cradled his face with both his hands, brushing away the few tears under his eyes. Mingi's chest rose and fell rapidly, his entire body limp and pliant beneath Yunho’s touch. His eyes fluttered open, glassy, unfocused, still dazed from the intensity of what he’d just experienced.

For a few seconds, he couldn't even speak. Couldn’t move beyond shallow breathing or blinking slowly like someone waking up from a dream.

Yunho kissed his forehead first. Softly. Then each eyelid when they closed again briefly before trailing more kisses along the bridge of Mingi's nose… then down to cheeks… lingering on damp skin where tears had been wiped away moments ago…

The affection in every press of lips was overwhelming after all that sensory overload, the vibrations inside him having stopped but their ghostly hum still echoing through nerves everywhere…

“Can you…” Mingi rasped when he felt he could talk again, “My arms feel tingly, can you uncuff me please?” 

“Of course,” Yunho replied, helping him sit down, not missing the way he winced because of the vibrator still inside.

In one swift movement, the handcuffs were off and Yunho helped him lay down again, rubbing his sore arms while whispering praise in his ears.

“Gimme one second and we can go again,” Mingi muttered against the skin of his neck, “I have never experienced orgasms so close together, it was awesome.”

Yunho chuckled softly at that, “And you took it so well my love.” 

He carefully removed the vibrator, earning a soft whimper from Mingi at the loss of sensation and he kissed his forehead again before tossing it aside. Mingi smiled drowsily at him through half-lidded eyes... And then suddenly grinned mischievously despite still being visibly dazed by pleasure moments ago...

He grabbed Yunho by the shoulders and flipped him onto his back before straddling his pelvis, the priest’s hard dick settling perfectly between his ass cheeks.

“Alright, let’s not waste time,” Mingi chuckled as he ground down, savouring how the tip of his head catched at his stretched hole every time he did. His own dick was already starting to stir again against Yunho’s stomach. “I don’t want to be able to walk tomorrow.”

“Fuck,” Yunho breathed out with a smirk curling at his lips. He slid both hands up Mingi’s thighs appreciating how strong they looked in this position… then squeezed those perfect cheeks hard enough to make the other gasp.

“Is that what you really want?” he asked against his mouth, one hand moving to guide himself against Mingi’s entrance as he was clearly enjoying the little play they were doing, “Want me to wreck you princess? Fuck you so good you’ll forget your name and the only things you’ll remember is how to scream mine even when you’ll have no voice left to do so?”

Mingi shivered at every word, his hole stretching around the tip of Yunho’s cock pressing harder.

“Yes, please I want it all,” he gasped, thighs trembling from sheer desire as he braced himself on Yunho’s chest. “I’m all your to take, to claim, to fuck until I have no cum left inside my balls—fuck Yunho take me all over again and again, just fuck me until you’re completely sated. I want to please you, I want you to be hard on me please—”

"Jesus," Yunho breathed out. He didn't need to be told twice. With a guttural groan, he snapped his hips upward, burying himself to the hilt in one fluid, powerful motion. The stretch was immediate and intense, filling Mingi so completely that his vision whited out, a broken sob tearing from his throat.

His nails dug into Yunho's skin, leaving small red crescents in their wake. The position made it seem as if the priest was reaching deeper places than usual inside of him, filling him up more, perfectly, it was like Mingi could feel him in his stomach or even his throat.

Or maybe it wasn’t just an impression. 

One of his hands slid down Yunho's abdomen to rest on his own stomach, and he could swear he could feel his stomach bulging beneath his finger. His whole body trembled at this realization and Mingi lurched forward, his head knocking against Yunho’s shoulder with a broken moan.

“Damn Yun— his words died when he rolled his hips just a little, the feelings far too overwhelming and perfect. “I–I can feel you everywhere, my belly is bulging Yunho–Aah!”

Yunho groaned deeply at the sensation, his hand immediately joining Mingi’s on his stomach to press down on the noticeable bulge. The feeling of his own cock pressing against his insides, visible beneath the skin, was depraved and intoxicating.

“You're taking me so well Mingi,” Yunho gritted out, eyes rolling back at the confirmation of just how deep he was. “It’s like you were made for me. My perfect little boyfriend, my princess—Mine, just mine!” 

The words made Mingi's hole clench around Yunho even tighter, if that was even possible. His mind was blank, unable to form coherent thoughts anymore, reduced to nothing but pure sensation and overwhelming emotion. 

"Yours, yours, only yours—" he chanted like a prayer, his hips moving as best as they could.

Yunho’s hand on his belly stayed there while the other moved to his hips and gripped there tightly. Slowly, Yunho helped Mingi move his hips up and down the best he could, kissing the top of his head while his boyfriend was moaning and panting against his shoulder.

The pace gained speed and intensity. The sound of their skins slapping filled the room in lewd wet squelches along with their moans and grunts. 

“Sit back on me Mingi,” Yunho ordered at some point, his voice wavered but it was firm enough. “Brace yourself on my chest but sit back.”

Mingi managed to push himself up, trembling arms bracing firmly against Yunho’s heaving chest as he leaned back. The change in angle forced the priest cock impossibly deeper, pressing directly against his prostate with brutal precision. He threw his head back with a silent scream, his mouth hanging open as his thighs quaked violently.

"Such a good boy,” Yunho praised, helping Mingi move up and down on his length until he was practically bouncing on his cock, meeting him each time Yunho thrust up. “You feel so good Mingi, you're so perfect for me, I love this side of you.”

“Love it too—Shit I feel so good, you fill me up so perfectly Yunho, I can feel you everywhere it's so awesome Daddy—”

Mingi was so lost in a haze of pleasure he didn't even notice how he just called Yunho, his body was moving on pure instinct as the priest tried his best to keep guiding him through the rhythm without losing it. 

“Yeah?” He rasped, pushing Mingi harder on his cock, “You like it when ‘Daddy’ makes you feel so full?”

Mingi's breath hitched, his entire body lighting up at the realization of what he had called Yunho and it sent a shockwave of heat straight to his core.

"Y-yes," he still whimpered shamelessly, rolling his hips with newfound eagerness. "I love it… Daddy fills me so good… I'm yours completely—your good boy, your princess taking your cock so well—"

Each bounce made their bodies slam together louder. The wet slap of skin echoing off the walls between ragged breaths and moans. The angle was brutal, every rise and fall had Yunho hitting Mingi’s prostate dead-on with no mercy.

And Mingi? He was a mess above him, lips parted in silent cries sometimes when sensation spiked too hard to vocalize, other times sobbing out "Daddy! Please!" over and over again like a prayer or maybe even begging for something more intense without realizing it himself.

His arms burned from holding himself up, but he didn’t care. Not when every nerve ending felt like it was singing just for this, the stretch, the heat between them growing more intense by the second.

Tears pricked at his eyes again from how full, how complete, he felt emotionally and physically. The way Yunho praised him while fucking into him so perfectly? It wrecked something beautiful in his chest.

"Y-Yunho, daddy," he whimpered between panting breaths whenever their bodies collided hard enough to jostle their chests together slightly... Each thrust pushed another choked moan out of Mingi’s throat until they became continuous little sounds: "Ah-ah-ah…"

The pace sped up even more. Yunho began lifting his hips higher to meet each one of Mingi's descents with forceful upward snaps that made their pelvises clap loudly against each other… his hand on Mingi's hips moved up and brushed on his flexed abs and up to his chest before grazing the silver chains around Mingi’s neck.

Yunho’s breath hitched as he grabbed it softly, just enough to make Mingi bent forward just a little and he muttered, “What did you say about its meaning earlier? That it was proof of someone already being claimed?”

Mingi was unable to answer, not that Yunho was waiting for him to.

“Consider yourself claimed Mingi, there's no way I let you go, not after everything we've done together.”

Mingi froze mid-bounce as white lightning shot straight down spine and exploded low belly…

A scream ripped out unbidden, loud enough it was probably heard by neighbors if windows weren't closed tightly because nothing had ever been that good before without warning whatsoever...

He came untouched for the third time tonight, cum splattering across both their stomachs messily while still sitting atop shaking thighs around his lover who hadn't stopped pounding into him yet despite knowing exactly what had happened seconds ago by how violently he clenched around him.

But if anything, that only spurred Yunho further onward like animalistic hunger took over the gentle priest completely now… He shifted Mingi on his back without pulling out, his legs draped over his shoulders as he started a rough pounding into him.

Yunho could thrust deeper and harder now with no recovery time. No chance to come down from the high of his orgasm. Just relentless pounding, hard, fast strokes that shook the entire bedframe and had their bodies slamming together repeatedly. Each snap of hips punched another ragged cry from Mingi’s throat. He couldn’t even catch his breath between them because Yunho wasn't slowing down for anything, not when they were this close to mutual bliss.

Mingi reached up blindly, grasping at anything he could find (the sheets? Yunho's bicep?) while tears streamed freely down both cheeks now like being hit by pleasure truck after pleasure truck nonstop…

“Y-Yun–” A sob broke free when a particularly rough angle hit something so perfectly it made stars burst behind eyelids again…

His cum was still dripping on their stomachs but neither cared anymore because all focus was on how good it felt right here, right now, where skin met skin and love collided violently into pure ecstasy...

Mingi circled Yunho’s neck with both arms, pulling him closer while panting heavily against his neck. And then came that moment, the one where tension snapped entirely inside both men simultaneously…

Mingi's whole body seized while he squirted all over his chest, wetting the sheets where the fluid dripped down, leaving him shaking violently by the intensity.

Yunho growled low in his chest at the view, at the way Mingi was clenching around him so hard he thought his dick might be cut off. Still, something proud, possessive and desperate roared inside his mind as he lost his rhythm, 

"Mingi, princess—feels so good, clenching around me like that—I'm gonna–gonna cum," Yunho moaned loudly, followed immediately after by a sharp cry as heat flooded through every inch within his body... 

He spilled deep inside with one last hard thrust as waves crashed over them separately yet simultaneously... They clung onto each other through it all, hands gripping desperately,  sweaty foreheads pressed together, mouths open panting heavily against one another's lips.

The moment Yunho came down off his high, he slowly lowered Mingi's legs off shoulders carefully but the moment he wanted to pull out to take care of his boy, Mingi’s legs wrapped around his waist with the last of his strength he had and gripped him hard with his arms.

“D-don't pull out,” he whimpered against Yunho’s ears, nuzzling close into the crook of his neck, “Please, don't pull out Yun’, want to stay like that…”

Yunho melted instantly at Mingi's plea, his heart swelling with a tenderness that eclipsed even the afterglow of their passion. 

"Okay," he whispered softly, pressing feather-light kisses along Mingi's damp forehead and temples before nuzzling into his hair. Carefully, as if handling something infinitely precious, Yunho shifted them both onto their sides while keeping him tucked securely against his chest.

He stayed buried inside, warmth and intimacy far more important than cleaning up right now. He wrapped one strong arm around Mingi’s back to pull him closer. Their legs tangled together naturally under the rumpled sheets.

For a long moment they just breathed each other in, their rapid heartbeats slowing gradually against each other’s chests, sweat and cum drying on skin, lips occasionally brushing lazy pecks when one leaned in for comfort rather than lust this time…

And when Mingi closed his eyes and nuzzled against the crook of his neck, when his breathing slowed, chest heaving gently in rhythm and he started snoring softly… Yunho simply held onto him tighter if possible while resting cheek atop messy black curls on the pillow beside them... 

Just existing quietly together like nothing else mattered outside this room right now.

Because nothing else than just them mattered.

Eventually, Yunho closed his eyes too and let himself drift to sleep. Arms wrapped around Mingi, securing him against his chest, limp cock still wrapped in his delighting warmth.

___

The insistent buzz of his phone was what dragged Mingi out of sleep.

At first he ignored it with a groan, face still buried against warm skin and soft sheets. His brain felt melted, heavy and pleasantly empty after everything from last night. He was drooling a little on Yunho’s chest, one leg tangled possessively with his boyfriend’s under the blankets while Yunho slept soundly beneath him.

The buzzing stopped. Silence returned for exactly three seconds before the phone started vibrating again somewhere in the living room.

“Mmfff…” Mingi whined against Yunho’s chest, drooling a little more onto warm skin before cracking one eye open.

Sunlight filtered weakly through the curtains, pale winter gold spilling across tangled sheets and naked limbs. Yunho was still asleep beneath him, one arm securely around his back, chest rising slowly under Mingi’s cheek.

The phone kept buzzing.

“Who the fuck calls people this early on Christmas…” Mingi muttered hoarsely.

Yunho only made a sleepy sound and pulled him closer unconsciously. That almost convinced Mingi to ignore the phone entirely.

Almost.

But it rang again.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

Every muscle in his body protested when he pushed himself upright. The second he moved, he felt it: dried sweat cooling on his skin, cum literally everywhere, thighs sticky, stomach tacky, and—

“Oh my god,” he croaked quietly as something leaked out of him the moment he sat up properly.

His face burned instantly. They really had not cleaned up at all. Not after the first round. Not after the second round in the middle of the night when Mingi had woken up horny again and somehow ended up riding Yunho half asleep while the priest laughed breathlessly into his shoulder.

And definitely not after the third.

Mingi looked down at himself in horror. There were scratches across his hips. Bite marks along his chest. Hickeys absolutely everywhere.

His thighs trembled when he stood.

Behind him, Yunho stirred awake with a sleepy groan, dark hair a complete mess as he blinked slowly up at him.

“Min’…?” he mumbled.

“My phone’s trying to murder me,” he replied while shuffling toward the bedroom door with all the grace of a man whose soul had been fucked out of his body.

Yunho’s mouth twitched into an exhausted smile at the sight.

“You’re limping.”

“You destroyed me.”

“You asked me to.”

“That’s not the point right now.”

The buzzing continued from the living room. Mingi stumbled out of the bedroom, still naked, limping slightly and dragging a blanket around his waist like a tragic Victorian woman, Mingi stumbled into the living room and snatched his phone off the couch.

The screen lit up immediately.

Mom ❤️ Video Call

His soul nearly left his body.

“Oh fuck.”

The call almost disconnected before he accepted it in panic. The screen opened to reveal his mother sitting comfortably at the kitchen table back home, bundled in a cardigan with a cup of coffee in hand.

The second she saw his face, her expression softened warmly.

“Merry Christmas, Mingi-yah!”

Mingi immediately relaxed a little.

“Merry Christmas, Mom.”

His voice sounded wrecked. Completely wrecked. And her eyes narrowed instantly.

“…Why do you sound like you swallowed sandpaper?”

“Uh.”

Before he could answer, she continued talking casually.

“I was starting to wonder if you were even awake. But knowing Seonghwa it was surprising me, I know the boy is punctual and—”

She stopped abruptly, Mingi froze and gulped as her eyes had shifted downward toward his neck. Toward the dozens of dark purple hickeys blooming across it. Toward the silver chains resting proudly between them.

Silence.

Mingi suddenly became acutely aware that he was shirtless. Still, for a few seconds, he couldn't even speak. Couldn’t move beyond shallow breathing or blinking slowly like someone waking up from a dream.

His mother stared, he stared back in absolute terror.

Then her eyes slowly lifted again.

“…Friends?” she repeated flatly.

“Oh my god,” he whispered.

From somewhere in the bedroom, Yunho’s sleepy voice drifted out:

“Baby, where’d you go…?”

Mingi shut his eyes so hard it physically hurt. His mother inhaled deeply through her nose.

“Song Mingi.”

“I can explain.”

“You told me you were spending Christmas with friends.”

“I technically am—”

“Technically?” his mother echoed, voice dangerously calm. “Mingi, unless your friends started calling you ‘baby’ while you answer the phone probably naked, I don’t want to know, and covered in hickeys, I don’t think ‘technically’ applies here.”

Mingi wanted the floor to open beneath him. Actually no, he wanted God himself to strike him down where he stood. Somewhere behind him, he heard movement from the bedroom. Yunho, thankfully, seemed to realize something catastrophic was happening because everything went quiet again.

“M-Mom…”

“No.” She held up one hand. “I am not angry because you have a boyfriend.”

Mingi blinked.

“I’m angry because you lied to me.”

That made him shut his mouth immediately. Her expression softened slightly despite the sternness still lingering there.

“You could have simply told me you wanted to spend Christmas with someone important to you.” She sighed tiredly, rubbing her temple. “Do you really think I would be angry if you'd rather spend Christmas with your lover instead of your religious conservative family?”

“No,” Mingi admitted weakly.

“Then why lie?”

He looked down at the blanket clutched around his waist.

“Because…” he started quietly, “I didn’t know how to tell you I started seeing someone.”

His mother was silent for a moment and somehow that was worse than yelling.

Then, quietly, she asked, “Is he treating you well?”

Mingi looked up again, startled by the softness in her voice.

“What?”

“The person you’re with.” Her expression had lost most of its frustration now, replaced by something gentler. Maternal. “Does he make you happy?”

Heat crawled slowly into Mingi’s chest.

“…Yeah,” he admitted softly, cheeks turning pink, “He makes me really happy, mom.”

His mother watched him carefully through the screen, and whatever she saw there seemed to answer something for her because her shoulders relaxed.

“Then that’s what matters the most.”

Mingi’s throat tightened unexpectedly.

“He’s kind to you?”

“Yes.”

“He respects you?”

Mingi almost laughed at that considering Yunho treated him like something precious enough to worship.

“He absolutely does.”

“And he looks at you properly?” she continued. “Like someone who understands what he has?”

Mingi blinked hard.

“…Mom.”

“What?” she said simply. “You’re my son. I want whoever loves you to do it correctly.”

Emotion hit him so suddenly he had to look away for a second. Behind him, there was the faint creak of floorboards. Yunho had definitely heard that too.

His mother took another sip of coffee before asking casually:

“So what’s his name?”

Mingi froze immediately. Every muscle in his body locked up so fast it was almost comical.

“…Uh.”

Her eyes narrowed instantly.

“That reaction concerns me.”

“No, it’s not bad—”

“Mingi.”

“It’s just—”

His brain short-circuited violently because unlike the idea of a vague mysterious boyfriend… Well… His mother knew Yunho pretty well now.

The priest from their hometown church. The one who stirred Mingi's motivation to go to church that summer. The one she was listening to preach every single Sunday since he entered the congregation…

The silence stretched for exactly two unbearable seconds. Mingi could practically hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears while his mother stared expectantly through the phone screen.

“…Song Mingi,” she repeated slowly, “what is his name?”

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. And then from behind him came the unmistakable sound of soft footsteps crossing the apartment floor.

Warm hands suddenly slid around his waist beneath the blanket, large palms settling gently against his stomach as a familiar body pressed against his back. Yunho’s chest was warm from sleep, his hair still messy, lips brushing softly against Mingi’s shoulder while resting his chin there.

Mingi nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Yun—”

“It’s okay,” Yunho murmured quietly against his ear.

Then, before Mingi could stop him, Yunho lifted his gaze toward the phone screen and smiled.

“Good morning, Mrs. Song.”

Mingi felt his soul physically leave his body. His mother blinked once. Twice. Her coffee cup stopped halfway to her mouth. For a long second, nobody spoke.

Yunho, meanwhile, looked completely calm despite the fact he was currently shirtless, half-hidden behind Mingi with visible bite marks along his neck and absolutely no shame whatsoever.

Mingi wanted to pass away peacefully.

“…Father Jeong?” his mother said at last in stunned disbelief.

Mingi made a strangled noise. Yunho gave a small sheepish smile at the title.

“Just Yunho is fine right now.”

“Oh my god,” Mingi whispered into his hands.

His mother stared at the screen for another long moment, clearly trying to process several months worth of church attendance and sermons colliding violently with the image currently in front of her. Their hometown’s beloved young priest standing behind her son with possessive hands around his waist while looking devastatingly fond.

“…Well,” she finally said slowly, “that certainly explains why my son suddenly became interested in attending mass every Sunday last summer.”

“MOM!”

Yunho actually choked on a laugh behind him. Mingi turned bright red instantly. His mother narrowed her eyes at him knowingly before looking back at Yunho.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Since the end of last summer.” Yunho replied with complete honesty.

Mingi whipped around immediately.

“You’re supposed to lie at this point!”

“I’m a priest, princess.”

“That stopped mattering several orgasms ago!”

“Mingi!” his mother exclaimed in horror.

Yunho outright folded against Mingi’s shoulder laughing while Mingi realized too late what had just come out of his mouth, he covered his face with both hands instantly.

“I need to die...”

“You absolutely do not,” Yunho said between muffled laughter, tightening his arms around his waist when the younger man tried to escape.

Mrs. Song pinched the bridge of her nose with the exhausted patience of someone questioning every life choice that had led her to this exact Christmas morning.

“I don’t even know which part of that sentence I should react to first.”

“Please react to none of it,” Mingi groaned into his palms.

Unfortunately for him, his mother ignored that completely and looked directly at Yunho instead.

“And you,” she said calmly, though there was unmistakable suspicion in her eyes now, “when exactly were you planning on telling me you’re dating my son?”

Yunho sobered slightly at that, expression softening as he rested his chin more properly on Mingi’s shoulder.

“When Mingi was ready.”

The immediate sincerity in his voice made Mingi glance up despite himself, Yunho looked entirely serious now.

“I didn’t want him to feel pressured because of me. Especially not with the church involved.”

Mrs. Song studied him carefully over the rim of her coffee cup.

“And are you serious about him?”

Mingi stopped breathing. Yunho didn’t.

“I have never been more serious than with your son, Mrs.Song.”

The answer came so easily, so firmly.with not even a second of hesitation. It hit Mingi right in the chest and his mother seemed to notice too because some of the sharpness left her face again.

She studied them for what felt like a long time. The way Yunho held her son like it was instinctive. The way Mingi unconsciously leaned back into him despite being seconds away from dying of embarrassment. The way the priest’s head kept rubbing against her son’s neck and shoulder like soothing him mattered more than the awkwardness of this conversation.

And perhaps most telling of all, the way they looked at each other.

Mrs. Song sighed softly.

“Well,” she murmured at last, “that explains a lot.”

Mingi blinked.

“What does that mean?”

She gave him a look over the rim of her cup.

“Mingi, you started going to church voluntarily.”

“…Rude.”

“You complained less about waking up early.”

Yunho snorted quietly behind him.

“And,” she continued mercilessly, “you once spent forty minutes choosing an outfit for Sunday mass.”

Mingi gasped dramatically.

“I care about fashion!”

“You wore cologne.”

“…Okay maybe I had a little crush.”

Just a little crush?” Yunho repeated softly against his ear, sounding deeply amused. “That's not the same speech you're giving me.”

Mingi turned even redder somehow.

“Please don’t start.”

“Sorry,” Yunho said, though the smile in his voice made it very clear he wasn’t sorry at all.

Mrs. Song watched them both for a moment longer, then set her cup down with a soft clink.

“Alright,” she said finally.

Both of them straightened slightly. Her expression softened into something gentler and less interrogation, more acceptance.

“As long as you are happy,” she continued, “that is what matters most to me.”

Mingi blinked.

“…Mom?”

She raised a hand, cutting off whatever emotional spiral he was about to fall into.

“I mean it. I raised you to be happy, not to meet expectations.”

A small pause. Then her eyes shifted to Yunho again, steady, assessing, but no longer sharp.

“And you,” she added, “take care of my son.”

Yunho didn’t hesitate.

“I will, I promise.”

Simple and absolute. Mingi felt something tight in his chest loosen without him realizing it was there. His mother studied him one last time, as if memorizing the moment, then gave a small nod.

“You have my blessing boys. Though you don’t need it technically, you can do whatever you want. It does not concern me.”

Mingi’s breath caught.

“…Really?”

“Yes,” she said plainly. “Even if I will need time to adjust to the idea that my son is dating someone I’m used to seeing in a pulpit.”

Yunho let out a soft, almost relieved laugh.

“I understand that.”

“You don’t,” she replied immediately, “but you will.”

That earned a small laugh from Mingi too, half nervous, half overwhelmed.

Then Mrs. Song leaned back slightly in her chair.

“Now,” she said briskly, “I expect proper introductions next time you visit, Mingi.”

“Yes mom.”

Yunho tilted his head slightly, polite even now. 

“We’ll do it right Mrs. Song.”

She pointed at him again.

“And you stop calling me ‘Mrs. Song’ like I’m ninety.”

“Yes, uh—shall I call you by your name then?”

“Of course boy!”

“Alright.” he chuckled.

Mingi buried his face in his hands again.

“This is my nightmare.”

“It’s a very polite nightmare,” Yunho added gently.

“Don’t encourage her!”

Mrs. Song smiled faintly at that exchange, then glanced at the time on her screen.

“I should let you two recover from… whatever state you are currently in.”

Mingi froze. “Mom—”

“And shower,” she added pointedly. “Both of you.”

Yunho coughed once.

“…Yes, we’ll shower, Suryeon.”

“Good.”

She softened just a little again before ending the call.

“Merry Christmas boys. Take care of each other.”

“Merry Christmas.” They replied at the same time.

The screen flickered, then went black. Silence settled over the apartment. For a full second, neither of them moved.

Then Mingi slowly lowered the phone.

“…Did that just happen?”

Yunho exhaled, finally letting his shoulders drop as if he’d been holding his breath for the entire call.

“Yes.”

Mingi turned his head slightly.

“My mother just gave you her blessing.”

“Yes.

“And she knows everything.”

Yunho hesitated.

“…Yes.”

A beat. Then Mingi made a quiet, broken sound between a laugh and a groan and let himself fall backward onto the couch.

“I’m never leaving this apartment again.”

Yunho followed him down more slowly, still half behind him, arms sliding naturally around his waist as if it was the only place they belonged.

“You’ll recover, don't worry.”

Mingi stared at the ceiling like it might offer him a different timeline where he hadn’t just survived that phone call.

“It’s not the fact she knows,” he muttered after a while, voice muffled by the cushion. “It’s the fact she knows and was normal about it.”

Yunho hummed softly, still pressed comfortably against him, one hand absentmindedly tracing slow circles at his side under the blanket.

“Your mother is very calm under pressure,” he said.

“She is terrifyingly calm,” Mingi corrected immediately.

A quiet laugh escaped Yunho, warm and a little tired. The kind of laugh that came after too little sleep and too much everything. For a moment, neither of them moved. The apartment felt softer now, less chaotic than the minutes before, like the world had finally stopped rushing at them.

Then Yunho shifted slightly.

“Mingi.”

“Mm?”

“There’s something I forgot to give you yesterday.”

That got his attention immediately. Mingi turned his head a little, frowning.

“Forgot? You already gave me, like, everything I own emotionally and physically last night, what else is there?”

Yunho gave him a look that was equal parts amused and fond.

“Not that.”

He gently untangled himself and sat up, swinging his legs off the couch. Mingi groaned at the loss of warmth but propped himself up on his elbows, watching as he reached for the small package on the table.

Mingi blinked.

“What is that?”

Yunho sat back down beside him, a little slower this time, like he was suddenly more awake than before.

“Your last gift,” he said. “I forgot to give it to you since things got—pretty heated fast last night.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Mingi muttered, then immediately covered his face again as memory flashed back. “Oh my god, don’t say it like that.”

A faint smile tugged at Yunho’s mouth.

“Open it.”

Mingi hesitated for half a second, then sat up properly, pulling the blanket around his shoulders. His fingers brushed Yunho’s as he took the package.

It was surprisingly light.

He unwrapped it carefully, revealing the photo frame and the photo stuck under clean glasses. Mingi froze, he recognised instantly. How could he not when it was the first thing he got to see every time he turned his phone or computer on. How could he when it was literally one of his best memories with Yunho.

It was them. Last summer. The day Mingi had beaten Yunho at that ridiculous racing game for the first time, laughing too hard to even celebrate properly. Yunho had looked genuinely betrayed in the background while Mingi had held up his phone for a selfie, grinning like he’d just won a war.

Yunho, mid-protest. Mingi, victorious and smug. Both of them flushed with summer heat and adrenaline.

He remembered it clearly.

“I look really annoying in this,” he murmured.

“You look really happy,” Yunho said.

Mingi glanced at him.

“I am always happy when I win against you.”

“That’s rare then,” Yunho replied calmly.

“Hey—”

Yunho reached over and gently tapped the frame once.

“It’s a bit of an easy gift, call it a little lame even,” he explained softly, “But I really wanted to give you something that is us somehow.”

Mingi didn’t answer right away. His fingers tightened slightly around the frame.

“…You’re very sentimental for a priest,” he said finally.

“I have weaknesses,” Yunho admitted.

Mingi let out a quiet breath, then leaned sideways until his shoulder bumped Yunho’s.

“This is a really good gift,” he said.

“Really? You think so?”

“It really is, thank you Yunho.”

Mingi set the frame carefully on the table beside them, as if the slightest careless movement might undo something fragile inside it.

Then he shifted closer, sliding across Yunho’s lap until he was straddling him. His knees settled on either side, steadying himself there, and his hands came up to cup the priest’s face with a quiet kind of certainty, thumbs resting just under his cheekbones as he looked down at him.

He stayed like that for a moment, hands on Yunho’s face, knees braced on either side of his lap, just looking at him as if the world had finally narrowed down to something simple enough to understand. Yunho didn’t rush him. He never did. His hands rested lightly at Mingi’s waist, steady and warm, like an anchor that never asked to be held back.

Outside the apartment, Christmas morning light softened against the windows, pale gold spilling across tangled sheets, scattered clothes, and the quiet aftermath of everything they’d survived in the last twelve hours.

Mingi exhaled slowly.

“…You know,” he said at last, voice rough with sleep and something softer underneath, “this is probably the craziest Christmas I’ve ever had.”

A faint smile formed on Yunho’s lips.

“That’s saying something, coming from you.”

“Hey.”

“Mm?”

Mingi’s fingers slid slightly along Yunho’s jaw, gentler now, less teasing. More certain.

“I love you.”

Yunho’s expression softened immediately, like it always did when Mingi said it without hesitation.

“I love you too,” he replied quietly. A pause, just enough for the words to settle properly between them.

His thumb brushed once at Mingi’s side, grounding him gently. The room felt warmer somehow, even without moving. Mingi shifted a little closer, forehead nearly touching Yunho’s.

“…Merry Christmas, Yunho.”

That earned him a softer look. Something fond, something unmistakably his.

“Merry Christmas, Mingi.”

They leaned in at the same time. Eyes closing. hearts beating in sync as their lips brushed. The kiss was unhurried, but certain. Like a promise made without needing witnesses. Yunho’s hand slid up to the back of Mingi’s neck, under the silver chains, pulling him in just enough that the space between them disappeared completely. 

Mingi’s ended on his chest, playing with the cross necklace he offered him the night before.

Neither of them said anything after that. They didn’t need to. The world outside the apartment kept moving. Distant traffic, faint winter light shifting across the floor but none of it reached them in any meaningful way. Inside, everything had slowed into something softer, quieter, like time itself had decided to pause out of respect.

Yunho’s hand stayed where it was at the back of Mingi’s neck, steady and warm. Mingi didn’t move either, fingers still loosely tangled with the cross resting against Yunho’s chest, feeling the slow rise and fall of his breathing beneath his palm.

Every so often, their foreheads would shift slightly, just enough to remind each other they were still there. Still close. Still real.

The apartment stayed quiet in the way only a place full of shared exhaustion and comfort could be. Sunlight crept a little further across the floor, slow and unbothered, warming the edge of the couch, then their legs, then nothing in particular. 

It was beyond perfect if you were to ask any of them.

Because that moment was just and only theirs.