Christmas Eve was one of Jeongguk's favorite days of the year. When Christmas Eve dawned, there was a new layer of dry snow on the ground and the crystals were clinging to his windows. He got out of bed and threw on a smock with dogs wearing Christmas hats and cats with mistletoe on it and went downstairs where Taehyung was waiting for him.

"Merry Christmas Eve hyung!" he cheered happily, flinging his arms around Tae's neck.

Taehyung wrapped his arms around him and smiled. "Merry Christmas Eve to you too." Then he planted a very soft kiss against his cheek that caused the younger to turn bright red and wriggle out of his grasp in embarrassment.

The clinic party was just about getting underway when they came into the clinic. Jimin had put up mistletoe under all the employee accessible doorways and was making it his point to catch Yoongi whenever he was going in or coming out of the break room in order to steal a kiss or two.

Jimin squashed Santa hats on their heads before they exchanged presents. The tradition was one small present on Christmas Eve at the clinic, and then when they met for Christmas Dinner they'd open the rest of the presents.

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"I'll be by around noon to help with dinner, and Jimin and Yoongi said they'd be there around 2." Jin informed his brother before wishing him a Merry Christmas and heading home. Jeongguk turned to Taehyung, looking almost shy. He didn't ask or say anything, just smiled as he took his hand and nodded to the car. Jeongguk let Tae drive them home as he stared out the window, looking thoughtful.

Once home they put away their jackets and took off their shoes like normal. Jeongguk began to mount the steps, looking over his shoulder to make sure Taehyung was following him. Intrigued by his actions, Taehyung carefully followed him up the stairs and found him waiting at the top of the steps, a small smile on his lips. 

"Well..." Taehyung started quietly, "I guess we should be heading to bed. Um... Merry Christmas." he finished pathetically.

On a sudden spur of the moment thought, Tae leaned forward and pressed his lips against Jeongguk's own. Kissing him was different than kissing anyone else. His lips were soft and warm and perfect.

"Good ni-"

Jeongguk cut him off by grabbing his wrist and pulling him forward to wrap his arms around his neck securely and melded their lips together.

They broke apart for breath, Jeongguk resting his forehead against Taehyung's.

"Jeongguk?" Tae whispered, praying he wasn't in a dream. What had brought around this sudden change? Not that he was complaining, he just didn't understand it. Before Tae could say anything else Jeongguk pressed his finger against his lips and whispered back.

"Please, don't say anything just yet."

He kissed Taehyung once more and lingered there, hot breath playing across his lips in hot bursts. Slowly, almost tauntingly, Jeongguk's fingers slid down Tae's arm to intertwine with his own. Their hands latched together as Jeongguk pushed open his bedroom door and pulled Tae into the warm, inky darkness of his room.

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Moon shone through the still partially open curtains, casting a thin thread of light across the bed. A heavy presence rested against Tae's lower abdomen, hair tickling the tender skin there and hot breath warming his body. Sometime after they'd fallen asleep Jeongguk had slid down to wrap the sheets around his body and use him as his pillow.

As Tae stirred, Jeongguk squeezed his eyes tight and burrowed closer to Taehyung's body, who reached down to brush his fingertip against his cheek, marveling at how soft he was. At Tae's touch Jeongguk's eyes flickered open to look at him.

"What time is it?" He whispered, as if he didn't want to ruin the almost sacred quiet that had fallen over the room. Slowly Jeongguk slid his body up Tae's to rest his head farther up his chest. Even half awake the man drove Taehyung crazy, and he loved it.

"4:33." Taehyung managed out, trying not to concentrate too hard on the feeling of Jeongguk next to him. He started to stroke the top of the youngers head as he breathed deeply, winding an arm around Tae's body like a stuffed bear. "Jeongguk?" Taehyung whispered, his throat tightening up.

"Hmm?"

"What does this mean? About us?"

Jeongguk looked up at him; moonlight reflecting in his soft bambi eyes. "It means that you won."

Taehyung blinked, thoroughly confused. "I won?"

He nodded, "I told myself that I wasn't going to let you win me over. I wasn't going to fall in love, but you changed that plan. You won my heart."

"How?" Tae asked, breathlessly. This was what he wanted, what he'd been working months for, but hadn't exactly thought he would get it.

All thoughts of Daniel and the plan flew right out of Taehyung's mind as Jeongguk began to speak again, staring out at the sliver of moon.

"No one has ever persisted for my attention like you did. I'd had a few relationships before but none of them wanted to stick around as long as you."He tentatively took Tae's hand in his, "I guess you could say this started when you began to bring me banana milk and helped out at the clinic. Then you kept talking and listening to me on the phone. All that just seemed to finally fit together until we ended up here."

"You won me over too, you know." Taehyung whispered in his ear.

"How?" he murmured, nuzzling Tae's neck.

"In everything you did, from your original disgust of me all the way to this moment now. Everything about you won me over from the first second on that dance floor."

They were silent for a second.

"I want to stay here with you." Tae murmured.

"I don't mind staying like this with you either."

Taehyung swallowed, "No... I mean here, with you in Busan." Jeongguk's attention turned straight to him, almost as if he didn't want to believe it. "I don't like having to wait months before I get to see you again, and I know you'd never leave South Korea, your hyungs, or clinic to live in New York."

"But your job!" Jeongguk protested.

"Daniel may not like it, but he's ready to take my job, and I have more than enough money to retire now. I want to stay here with you Jeongguk"

Jeongguk laughed brightly and flung his arms around Tae's neck, hugging him close. "When?" He asked breathlessly.

"As soon as I possibly can. It'll take a few months to get everything started, but very soon, I promise you."

His lips descended upon Tae's again, kissing him hungrily.

"Jin hyung is going to be here at noon, we need to be up and looking respectable before then."

Jeongguk pouted slightly, but Taehyung kissed it away with a laugh.

'We'... Taehyung liked the sound of that.

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Jin kept grinning at Jeongguk each time he'd walk into the kitchen to retrieve the next tray of food. It was strange how he was sure that his hyung knew, but was glad he wasn't condemning him. Hours later Jimin and Yoongi showed up on Jeongguk's doorstep. Yoongi looked as stoic as usual, but there seemed to be a reddish dusting on his cheeks. Jimin looked cheerful as always as he trundled through the door, tugging Yoongi behind him by the hand.

"Merry Christmas!" He cheered, holding up a few bottles of wine, and Jeongguk knew that today was going to be a long day.

By the time they'd gotten to dinner, Jimin was giddy, and Yoongi was louder than normal. Jeongguk seemed to be unaffected, and Jin had named himself the 'designated present opener'. Their tradition was to eat dinner and then open presents. The dinner was amazing, all crafted by Jin's artful hand. It was one of the best holiday dinners Taehyung ever had. His Christmas dinners were usually at a 5-star restaurant with tiny portions. Jin made sure that when he gave you your food, there was so much you couldn't see the plate beneath it.

Jeongguk was in the festive mood, singing carols with Jin and Jimin while Yoongi played the piano tucked away in the corner of the room. When dinner and singing was over, they plunked down in front of the tree, Jeongguk playing the Christmas elf by handing out the presents to everyone.

At ten, when everyone had gone to their respective homes, Jeongguk gave Taehyung a special Christmas present. Later that night, Jeongguk rested on Tae's chest, fingering the ring on his finger. Without really noticing his movements, Taehyung's fingers kept running through the youngers silky locks.

Finally Tae's hand moved down to connect with his. "I'm glad you're wearing it."

Jeongguk looked up at him and smiled, glancing over at Taehyung's own ring.

"Do people ask about your ring back in New York?"

"They glance and wonder but they like to keep to themselves and don't pry. The newbies ask and I tell them that it means I am married to the most amazing person in the world. That's good enough for them because romance doesn't go very far in people's imaginations now-a-days."

Jeongguk just laughed, reaching up to kiss the underside of his chin. "You don't say much, and when you do it's amazing." He stopped to look up at Tae. "Why can't you just stay here?"

"Because I need to finish my Quebec project. It's a big project, and if it goes through it'll be one of the best things to happen my company."

"It's really important?"

Taehyung just nodded. "There has been a lot of work put into the Quebec project, and we need it to go through. Plus, it would be amazing to finish off my time there with this project under my belt."

Jeongguk nodded but he didn't say anything for a few moments until, "Whenever you start working you look different," Taehyung stared down at him, confused. "You look unhappy, though when you're at the clinic you seem to change." He moved up a little more. "Do you even enjoy what you do?"

Taehyung was all ready to say yes, but it stuck in his throat. He didn't like his job; he did it out of family obligation. I'd never noticed it before, but as he watched Jeongguk at his job, Tae began to realize how much he really loves being with the animals at the clinic, and how happy he was.

Finally he shook his head, no, he didn't like his job.