A layer of snow covered the grass, bells could be heard in the distance, Christmas lights were hung everywhere; the Christmas spirit was in the air, yet Yoongi was locked in his Genius Lab, Jungkook, Hoseok, and Jimin were in the dance room figuring out a new choreography, and Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jin were in the recording booth—for the past eight hours, without stopping.
It's not that they wanted to work through Christmas Eve, they didn't have a choice. Even though Love Yourself: Her had only been out a few months, a new album was already in the works—Pdogg said it would be good for the company if they released a new album right away, never mind the fact that it was Christmas and the members all desperately deserved a break.
Sweat was running down Jimin's back; he'd gone over hundreds of dance moves with Hoseok and Jungkook but nothing felt right—of course, the fact that the song they were choreography still had no words didn't help.
"Can we stop for today?" Jimin asked, sliding his back against the wall to sit down.
"We have to figure this out," Hoseok said. "Come on Jimin, we're almost done."
With a sudden burst of energy he didn't know he had, Jimin jumped up. "Almost done? We've been at this for hours Hoseok, and we've gotten nowhere! I am tired and I want a shower and a bed."
"Oh, ok then, let's all extend the red carpet for Prince Jimin, he's tired and deserves a break," Jungkook cut in.
"Don't talk to him like that," Hoseok said sighing. The two of them fighting was the last thing he needed.
"I'm sorry Mr. Golden Maknae, some of us aren't perfect," Jimin shot back.
"Can we please not fight?" Hoseok said. He was thoroughly ignored.
"I never said I wasn't tired, Jimin—I want a shower and a bed too, but I'm choosing not to be a baby about it and not whine about it," Jungkook said.
"I wasn't whining," Jimin fired.
"I wasn't whining," Jungkook said mimicking Jimin, "that's what you sound like."
Jimin took a step towards the youngest but Hoseok held him back with an arm across his chest.
"I said let's not fight," he said, more firmly this time. "We have to finish this so we can teach the others when the song is finished."
Jimin sighed. "Fine, but I'm taking a break."
"Why do you get to take a break Jimin? Are you special now?" Jungkook said.
"Enough you two! Take a break, if it cools your head," Hoseok said, his patience running out.
Jimin sighed and marched out of the practice room, ramming his shoulder against Jungkook's on purpose.
"Hey!" Jungkook yelled.
He was about to go after Jimin but Hoseok grabbed his wrist and held him back. "We're already little worked up, Jungkook, don't make it any harder than it has to be."
Jungkook sighed and sat down.
"Can we do that line again, Taehyung?" Pdogg said into their headphones.
Taehyung sighed internally but nodded his head nonetheless, despite having sung the same line ten times already. He could feel his voice becoming hoarse; they would have to quit soon or else he would have no voice tomorrow.
Jin and Namjoon cast him encouraging glances as he sang the line for the eleventh time.
Pdogg sighed. "Alright Jin, your turn."
Taehyung could tell Pdogg still wasn't satisfied but he was too tired to ask to sing the line again.
Jin sang an entire verse without Pdogg stopping him and Taehyung would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't somewhat hurt. He'd been working his hardest, like always, but he was tired—no, exhausted—and his lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll on him.
Namjoon caught on to Tae's disappointment and mouthed to him, "You were great." Taehyung returned with as much of a smile he could muster.
Taehyung forced himself to keep his eyes open but it was becoming harder as time went by.
"Alright, Namjoon, your turn," Pdogg said over the headphones, bringing Tae out of his sleepiness.
Namjoon's part was the longest, seeing as it was a rap—what made it even longer was Pdogg making him repeat it over and over again.
Ever the caring mother, Jin noticed Taehyung almost falling asleep and pulled the younger close to him, wrapping his arm around him, letting Tae rest his head on Jin's shoulder.
Jimin ran to Yoongi's Genius Lab, choosing to check on the elder during his break. He knocked once on the glass door. "Yoongi?"
There was a muffled "Hm?" from inside.
"Hyung, it's Jimin," Jimin said.
"I know," Yoongi replied.
Jimin tested the doorknob but the door was locked.
Jimin hesitated but then said, "Can you let me in?"
There was silence then the door opened just enough for him to slip inside.
Yoongi closed the door behind Jimin and sat back in his chair, back facing Jimin.
"How are things going hyung?" Jimin asked, taking a seat on the couch.
The response was a sniffle coming from Yoongi.
Jimin instantly got up and went to the elder. "Hyung is everything ok?" He turned the chair, trying to look at Yoongi's face. The elder had his hands over his face.
Jimin sat himself on Yoongi's lap and moved his hands away from his face. Yoongi's eyes were red and puffy and his face was wet with tears.
Jimin didn't need to ask what the matter was; they all felt the pressure, but sometimes Yoongi took it harder than the others. He wrapped his arms around Yoongi, encasing the older in a bubble of warmth and comfort. "We're here for Yoongi, you don't need to keep it to yourself."
Yoongi detached himself from Jimin's shoulder. "I can never let the hyungs see me like this, they'd worry about me too much and we can't afford that," Yoongi said, still not looking Jimin in the eyes.
Jimin cupped Yoongi's face, forcing Yoongi to meet his eyes. "I worry about you."
"I know you do," Yoongi said.
Jimin needed to distract Yoongi, so he said the first thing that came to mind, "Will you play the piano for me hyung? Something Christmas-ee?" Jimin knew playing the piano always calmed Yoongi.
Yoongi hesitated at first but then nodded and shifted around Jimin before rolling his chair over to his keyboard, adjusting it back a classic piano.
Yoongi slid his hands underneath Jimin's arms and placed his hands on the keys.
And then he played.
Jimin didn't remember when he'd leaned back against Yoongi, he was just taking in the beautiful melody that came from Yoongi playing.
One look towards Hoseok and Jungkook was dashing out of the room, not having to tell the elder where he was going. The recording booth was just down the hall and he could hear Namjoon rapping from outside the door.
He opened the door as quietly as he could and peeked inside. When his eyes landed on Taehyung, his heart broke; he was leaning heavily on Jin, his eyes blinking slowly from exhaustion; he hated seeing his love so tired. Pdogg must've been working him too hard. He glanced at the clock. They'd been in the booth for just over eight hours; he, Jimin, and Hoseok had been working in the dance room for just as long.
His eyes widened when he saw Jungkook and detached himself from Jin. Having finished his part, Taehyung doubted Pdogg would mind if he slipped out. He set his headphones on the microphone and walked out of the recording booth.
He threw his arms around Jungkook when he was outside of the door, not even caring that he was sticky with sweat.
"Kookie, I'm tired," Taehyung said.
Jungkook caught the edge to his voice and knew that Taehyung was on the verge of tears. Jungkook wrapped his arms around Taehyung, holding on tight. "It'll be okay, Tae; it's almost over."
Taehyung was silent, instead he let out a muffled sob and Jungkook knew he'd started to cry. His bundle of joy that never seemed to run out of happiness had been worked to his breaking point. Taehyung buried his head in Jungkook's neck and cried silently.
That was it. That was all he could take.
Keeping a tight arm around Tae, Jungkook pushed the door open. "We're done for today, and for tomorrow. No more. We're all exhausted beyond our limits."
Pdogg was about to protest when Jin and Namjoon walked out of the recording booth and went to stand by the door.
"We've done enough Pdogg," Namjoon said.
"We all need rest," Jin added.
Pdogg sighed and waved them off, finally giving them the break they deserved.
"I'll get Hobi and Jiminie," Namjoon said.
"We'll go get Yoongi," Jin said, and him, Jungkook and Tae—who was still clinging to Jungkook—all walked to Yoongi's Genius Lab, only to stop at the door at the lovely sound of a piano.
None of them dared open the door and disturb Yoongi playing.
"Jimin wasn't—" Namjoon said coming down the hall but Jin held up a hand to silence him.
They all crowded around the door listening to the music play. They all recognized it. EXO's Miracles in December, the ending of it.
Once the music stopped they opened the door and piled in.
Jimin barely had time to scramble out of Yoongi's lap when the members all stumbled inside Yoongi's Genius Lab.
Tae spoke first. "Play it again," he said.
Yoongi turned back to the piano and started playing without saying anything.
Tae was the first to start singing and eventually all seven of them were singing and swaying along with the piano, all of them snuggled tight in the tiny space.
Jimin stood by Yoongi's side, his eyes fixed to the elder's hands gliding on the piano, Jungkook had his arms around Tae's waist, who was back to his cheerful self a few lines into the song, and Hoseok, Jin, and Namjoon had their arms around each other's shoulders and were swaying together.
It finally felt like Christmas.
After a few more songs, the boys all went home and took well needed showers and snuggled up on the couch, letting a Christmas movie play as they drifted into a fitful sleep.