Chapter Text
Later, in their room, Joong smooths night cream over Dunk’s face as Dunk lounges in his robe, shamelessly eyeing Joong’s bare chest. He trails a finger down it, grinning when Joong’s breath hitches.
"Stop tempting me when I can’t do anything about it," Joong mutters.
Dunk blinks innocently. "Why can’t you?"
Joong gives him a look. "We have kids in the house."
Dunk’s lips twitch. "And?”
Joong groans. "We’re not married yet. I don’t wanna set a bad example."
Dunk raises an eyebrow. "We’re two adults living together. They know we’re having sex. Besides, they’re probably doing it-" He stops at Joong’s horrified expression. "...Too," he finishes weakly. Then, backtracking: "But they’re just kids! They probably aren’t."
Joong’s face clears. Dunk bites his lip to keep from laughing.
The next morning, Joong looms over Fourth and Gemini- who are seated next to each other on the couch- his best disapproving older brother glare in place.
"Don’t make Dunk cook for you. Or clean up after you. Everybody carries their own weight. Understood?"
Two rapid nods.
"I’m off to work now. No loud music. No eating like you’re trying to bankrupt us. And listen to Dunk."
More nodding.
Joong turns to Dunk. "You’re in charge. Don’t let them bully you."
Dunk nods solemnly.
At the door, Dunk kisses Joong goodbye, murmuring, "Bye, sweetie."
The second the door shuts, Dunk whirls around.
"Okay, now that the spoilsport is gone, who wants snacks and chocolate cake?"
Both boys’ hands shoot up.
"One of you help me, the other set up the video games."
Fourth bounds over, grinning. "You’re so cool, Phi. Can we visit often?"
Dunk smirks. "Sure. But not too often. I’d like some freedom to have sex."
Fourth fake gags, then pauses. "Why can’t you do that while we’re here?"
"Your brother thinks it’d be weird. He’s convinced you’re not having sex."
Fourth glances back at Gemini. They both cackle.
"We’ll let him think that," Fourth stage-whispers.
From the couch, Gemini adds, "Sorry you can’t get any while we’re around, P’Dunk, but we like you. And free food. So we’ll visit a lot."
Fourth nods sagely. "What he said."
“Or move your wedding up, Phi. You have needs.” Gemini suggests with a grin
Dunk just laughs, shaking his head. He never could’ve imagined finding such happiness in a situation like this. But he’s really so freaking happy that these crazy bastards are his family now.
***
Their friends insist on tradition: "No seeing each other before the ceremony! It’s tradition!" Phuwin and Pond insist two days before the wedding. “Joong, you can stay at your mom’s and Dunk can stay at your apartment.”
Joong and Dunk nod solemnly…then promptly sneak out after midnight the night before the wedding, meeting under the glow of a streetlamp outside their apartment like rebellious teenagers.
"Tradition my ass. We’ll make our own?" Dunk grins, already handing Joong one of the beers he brought from inside.
Joong clinks their cans together. "To our last night single. Tomorrow we’ll be shackled to each other forever."
“I’d have it no other way.”
They wander the city, laughing too loud, singing off-key, stealing kisses under bridges. The night air is sweet with the scent of street food, and Joong tugs Dunk toward a glowing row of food stalls, their fingers tangled together.
At a neon-lit claw machine, Dunk groans as his third attempt fails. Joong smirks, nudging him aside, "Let me show you how it's done."
…only to fail enormously and embarrassingly. They’re both wheezing with laughter, foreheads pressed together, when Joong suddenly steals a kiss, quick and sweet.
They eat sticky mango rice off the same plate, Dunk licking coconut milk from Joong’s thumb just to watch him blush. Between bites of grilled pork skewers and sips of iced coffee, they keep pausing, leaning into each other, trading slow, sugar-sweet kisses like they have all the time in the world.
And maybe they do.
By 3 AM, they stumble into a hotel, drunk on cheap beer and giddy love. Dunk pushes Joong onto the bed, kissing him senseless. "Last night of being just us," he murmurs.
Joong nips his lower lip. "Tomorrow, we’re more than just us."
They fall asleep tangled together, still dressed, Dunk’s head on Joong’s chest.
***
The morning of the wedding…
The sound of relentlessly ringing phones shatters the quiet.
Joong groans, blindly swatting at the nightstand. Dunk burrows deeper into the pillows, whining. "Make it stop."
Joong finally grabs his phone, squinting at the screen - Mom (17 missed calls)- before answering. "Mom?"
"JOONG!" His mother’s voice could shatter glass. "WHERE ARE YOU?! The hairstylist has been waiting for an hour! The suits are here! Your fiancé is missing…"
Dunk sits bolt upright at that, hair sticking up wildly. He snatches the phone from Joong. "Khun Mae, sorry…we’re so sorry…we’ll be there in twenty minutes…yes, yes, we’re fine…"
He hangs up after promising to head out right away.
They stare at each other all rumpled clothes, messy hair, Dunk’s cheek still creased from the pillow.
Then they collapse into giggles, Dunk falling back onto the bed. "Oh gosh, Joong," he mutters while staring up at the ceiling. "What a way to start our life together."
Joong crawls over him, bracing his arms on either side of Dunk’s head. "I wouldn’t have it any other way." He kisses Dunk’s laughter. "This is a perfect wedding day morning."
Dunk hooks a leg around Joong’s waist. "We are gonna be in so much trouble."
Joong grins against his mouth. "Worth it."
***
The soft glow of string lights washes over them as Joong and Dunk sway together on the dance floor, their first dance as husbands. The music is slow, but their steps are even slower, barely moving, really, just holding each other close, foreheads nearly touching.
Dunk lets out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. "We actually made it."
Joong grins, thumb brushing over Dunk’s waist where his hand rests. "Told you we would."
"After all the therapy sessions, the fights, the tedious wedding planning, a cantankerous child named Pancake, last night…"
"…And yet, here we are," Joong interrupts, pulling him even closer. "Stuck with me forever."
Dunk’s smile is so bright it rivals the lights above them. "Best kind of stuck."
“I think Pancake tore off his little tuxedo by the way.” Joong reports
Dunk chuckles, “I didn’t think he’d keep it on. It’s not even his wedding.”
“Is it such a pain for him to support us? Damn.”
“We’re all sitting down to seriously discuss the importance of supporting each other as family.”
“After the honeymoon?”
“After our honeymoon.”
Just then, Pond materializes beside them, Phuwin in tow, grinning. "Mind if we cut in?" he asks, reaching for Dunk’s hand dramatically.
Joong’s arms tighten around Dunk instantly, pulling him flush against his chest. He presses a firm kiss to Dunk’s temple, not breaking eye contact with Pond as he says, "Maybe another time. Today, he’s all mine."
Dunk doesn’t even try to hide his smug smile, nodding in agreement.
Pond rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning. "Ugh, fine. Enjoy your newlywed bubble. But I’m stealing him for at least one dance later."
Phuwin snorts, looping an arm through Pond’s. "Let them be gross. It’ll be our turn soon.”
Pond turns to the married couple and casually says, “Oh and we’re getting married.”
Joong and Dunk exchange a surprised look before stepping apart to face the other couple, “You’re what?” Joong asks
“I had a moment where I felt all in love and before I knew it, I got down on my fucking knee and proposed.” Phuwin says proudly
“…And I said yes.”
“And he said yes.” Phuwin repeats
“Last night while we were drunk and singing karaoke.” Pond supplies details
“It was really random but this morning we decided to make it official.”
“So while you two were out and about last night like a pair of law-breaking idiots, we got engaged.”
“What about your parents?” Joong asks Phuwin
“They’ll live with it.” The scary seriousness that Phuwin puts into that one reply doesn’t leave any room for further questions. It’s clear he has decided and that’s that.
Joong congratulates his friends and Dunk does too.
“Anyway, we’ll discuss our marriage later. Let’s finish celebrating yours.” Phuwin says, taking Pond’s hand.
As they walk away, Joong and Dunk dissolve into quiet laughter, their foreheads resting together again. “Last night was very eventful huh.” Joong remarks
“I can’t wait to impose the night-before-wedding tradition on them and see if they’ll make it.”
Joong scoffs, “I know them. They won’t.”
“Let’s make a wager with them to make it interesting.”
“I love where your mind is at,” Joong grins and Dunk mirrors the expression.
The music swells around them, but neither notices, too wrapped up in each other, in this moment, in the life they’ve built and the one still ahead.
Joong’s voice is soft, just for Dunk. "Forever starts now."
Dunk kisses him, slow and deep, under the lights and the eyes of everyone who loves them.
And it’s perfect.
***
The first rays of sunlight creep through the curtains as Joong stirs awake, Dunk already half-awake beside him. Their three dogs Biscuit- Mochi, and Waffle- are piled at the foot of the bed in a warm, snoring heap. Pancake the cat, ever entitled, stretches luxuriously between them, his tail flicking against Joong's arm.
Dunk shifts closer, his sleepy smile soft in the morning light. "If we move any closer, we're gonna squish His Highness," he murmurs, voice rough with sleep.
Joong chuckles, brushing a thumb over Dunk's cheek. "Again, he can’t get in the way of our romance." he whispers, leaning in to kiss him slowly. Pancake lets out an indignant mrrp and jumps off the bed, tail in the air.
They laugh as they untangle themselves, careful not to disturb the dogs. Joong heads to the shower while Dunk pads downstairs, yawning, and the pets immediately trotting after him in an eager parade.
In the kitchen, Dunk feeds the animals first; Biscuit wagging so hard his whole body wiggles, Mochi licking his paw in gratitude, Waffle spinning in excited circles. Pancake weaves between his legs, purring loudly as if to remind Dunk who's really in charge.
By the time Joong walks in, dressed for work, the smell of coffee and pancakes fills the air. Dunk flips a golden-brown pancake as Joong presses a kiss to his cheek, then reaches for his coffee mug.
"Breakfast is ready," Dunk says, nodding to the table where a stack of pancakes, fresh fruit, and crispy bacon waits.
Joong grins. "We should eat before the furry vultures descend for seconds."
Dunk laughs, sliding into his seat. As they eat, Joong asks, "Do we have any lemons? I wanna make that lemon garlic chicken you like for dinner."
Dunk thinks for a second, then shakes his head. "Nope, used the last one in a tart yesterday."
"I'll grab some after work," Joong says, stealing a bite of Dunk's pancake.
"So, what's your day look like?" Dunk asks, swatting Joong's hand away playfully.
"Boring ass meetings, mostly. You?"
"Tasting for a new dessert. Blueberry lavender cheesecake."
Joong groans. "Damn, I'm sorry I'm gonna miss that. Save me a slice?"
Dunk smirks. "Maybe. The rest is going to the shelter downtown, though."
Joong nods, smiling. "Good."
Halfway through breakfast, the pets inevitably join them, Biscuit resting his chin on Joong's knee, Mochi whining softly for bacon, Waffle sitting prettily at Dunk's feet. Pancake, of course, leaps onto the table, sniffing at the butter until Dunk gently nudges him away.
When it's time to leave, Joong pulls Dunk into a slow, sweet kiss by the door. "Love you," he murmurs against his lips.
Dunk smiles, fingers curling into Joong's shirt. "Love you more. See you later."
Joong grins, stealing one last kiss before heading out, the dogs following him to the door like a wagging honor guard. Dunk watches from the window, Pancake weaving around his ankles, and thinks this is everything.
-The End-