Chapter Text
The electric heater clicks frequently and hums in the warm room. No curtains moving from their place, depriving it from any light of the sky.
It's cold outside, that kind of leaves your fingers jammed and bones clattering.
Seongje was still in drowsy fog when he peeked at the clock to check time–now, if it was a normal day, he would jump out of his bed along with Baekjin to run for his work.
But It wasn't. It was their day off, which is rare in their life.
Thus, he went back in the clouds of sleep, adjusting Baekjin's grip around his waist a little.
An hour went with no sound in the room, something a nine month old wasn't really used to.
The huge bedside sleeper wasn't really something fantastic for Seojin, just a regular bed filled with numerous boring toys.
The thing that captivated his attention was the distance between his Dad and his crib. Seojin rose from his lying position, rubbing his nose from the itch.
It took him time to crawl to his Dad, latching his both hands on Baekjin's biceps.
Why was his Dad attached to his Dada? That was a mystery to him. He lets out an annoyed huff, draping his whole body on Baekjin's face and starts trashing his small limbs.
“Seo-ah, go to your Dada,” Baekjin's voice was coated with heaviness from the sleep, the weight of his Son jolting him from deep slumber.
Seojin's small body was pulled into the air for a second before he got dropped on his Dada side, he sat close to Seongje's face—looking back at Baekjin, trying to understand what he just did.
His Dada wasn't wearing his favourite toy right now, it only made him more fussy.
Seongje slept without knowing.
“Dadadada!” When it was enough of waiting patiently, as patient as a child can be, he started tapping on Seongje's face with his chubby hands.
At first, Seongje just moved his face away a bit, which seemed to make the smaller one more cranky.
“Dadada!” his actions got more aggressive with each smack on the forehead. Seongje tried to shake the contact out of his face only for him to grab two small hands of the culprit.
Reluctantly, Seongje feels his heavy lids opening, one hand still holding Seojin's both arms.
When his vision was clear, the first face that greeted him was his Son's. An adorable scowl present on his round face. Lips forming a pout.
“I am up, I am up,” with a defeated sigh, Seongje sat up on the bed. A hand slicking through his slightly long hair.
The next thing he did was pick his baby up, who was looking at him with great curiosity and shining eyes. “Dada!” He gasped as Seongje kissed all over his face. “It was my day off, you little scamp.” His words were filled with playfulness, placing another kiss on Seojin's cheek.
Seongje's face turned towards his boyfriend, dead to the world.
“No way you only disturbed me,” Seojin laughs looking at his sulking face, poking his fingers on his lips. “Go, wake Baekjinnie up too” leaving his tiny body on the sleeping man's face.
As if understanding what Seongje wants him to do, he looks down on his Dad's face, grabbing his cheek in his tiny hands before scratching the skin. “Dadada”
“Yes, wake his ass up,” Seongje coos in encouragement. Trying not to snicker at the view.
Feeling something pinching, Baekjin's foggy brain clears vaguely before he opens his eyes. He was welcomed by the sight of a bright boy staring at him with a half toothless smile.
“Not a very nice way of saying good morning,” Baekjin immediately takes him in his arms, the giggles fill their bedroom, lightning up every corner.
Baekjin catches Seongje staring down at both of them with a fond smile, still groggy from sleep. “What are you doing there? Come here,” Seongje happily complied, getting half on top of him. Seojin notices the slight weight shifting, turning his head from Baekjin's chest only to meet with Seongje's eyes.
The silence wraps around the tiny family in a silk blanket.
Baekjin drew the blankets on their bodies.
There is so much warmth between them, Baekjin isn't sure he wants to go back to his cooperative life. He admires both of them playing with each other with gentleness, taking it all in how Seongje loses his edge when he tucks himself into a father's role.
His thumb draws circles around Seongje’s back, suddenly he feels a small palm tapping on his chest…Seojin kept tapping softly, “He is trying to lull you back to sleep,” Seongje chuckle, and indeed their baby is copying the pats they give him while he sleeps.
“He is growing up fast,” Baekjin comments.
Their life changed in two phases. The first one arrived when he laid in the rain that day with broken bones and disgusting mutt covering his pale face, and how Seongje's stronger body pulled him into a harsh embrace. The second came when they decided to welcome a tiny angel into their lives.
He would not trade either of those two for anything.
There is not a chance his old self would recognize this version of him, and that's how he prefers. Not being recognized by the eighteen year old boy embroidered thousands of cracks.
The days in Busan pass slowly but not with boredom. The Marine City provides a panoramic view of the coastal horizon.
They lived in a small house on the beachfront for four years, until Seongje got sick of the sea smell so they moved to the city area. Baekjin is glad they did get out of there, considering now they have a child with them.
Seeing his two worlds resting on top of him, it swells something inside of him deeply, this isn't what he imagined his life to be seven years back but there is no way he's going to complain about it.
It's more than he could ask for, more than he deserves.
-
Eventually, they had to get up because Seojin started to become irritated. Seongje prepared his milk and cereal. He watches the younger one carry their baby around. It's adorable to see how clingy he is with Seongje.
Well, this means he will be in charge of their breakfast.
The dining table is filled with noises of spoon cluttering, Baekjin stopped Seojin multiple times to not to tap his utensil, which pretty much obviously gets ignored by him.
Seongje stays unbothered, taking another bite of his food. “I have to prepare his bag, Jiyoo unnie will be here in an hour.” Baekjin nodded, understanding he will be doing dishes then.
Once the meal was finished, Seongje wiped Seojin's face with a napkin. “JiJi will be here, are you excited?” He asks while picking him from the high chair. The reply comes fast, with hands in the air, “Dadaa!” Seojin squeals, making Seongje giggle softly.
He arranged Seojin's essentials in the duffel bag. Having another look at all the things again, he secured the zip lightly.
Seongje exited the nursery, entering the kitchen, one hand occupying the bag and the other holding Seojin delicately.
He was seconds away from announcing that he was done with the packaging but stopped as he noticed Baekjin's leg. The man was doing dishes which isn't unusual, he kept jerking his left leg in small motions. Which wasn't unusual as well.
Even if all the injuries are covered with healed skin, the bones still ache in cold rain and winter. His distal leg area is stubborn when it comes to pain.
Seongje lets out a sigh, dropping Seojin in on floor foam for the time being.
“Baekjinnie” He altered his arrival with a soft tone, Baekjin looked back—hands busy with the dirty plate.
“Hm?”
“I will do the rest.” Baekjin frowns a bit at that, turning back to the sink. “Just keep an eye on Seojin. I am almost done.” Seongje came closer, looking down at the limb.
“Is your foot aching again?”
Baekjin shook his head, both knew it was a lie.
Seongje swallowed his words, going back to his baby who almost put a small box in his mouth. He immediately snatched the piece from his hand. Where did he even get it from? Lord.
— ᨳଓ .
Jiyoo arrived just in time. A big smile and excitement radiating around her.
“My baby! Come to your Jiji.” She quickly took him into his arms, Seongje handed her the bag of essentials for Seojin.
“Thank you so much for taking care of him, noona,” Baekjin's voice is polite as always while Seongje just rolls his eyes.
“Don't make him watch your trash cartoons. He will pick bad habits–ohw!” Jiyoo tightly pinched Seongje's cheek to the point he couldn't even say anything.
“I can't believe we have to leave our son with an evil woman,” He huffs. Baekjin only sighs, not even sparing him any comfort.
“Actually, the coolest aunt. And you both know it. Right, Seojin-ah?” The baby raises both of his arms in the air as affirmation. He can even form some of the new words now.
She hugs him more tightly, wishing both of them a fun date.
The silence is not really pleasant for them when Seojin is away. But this time it was their day off and totally reserved for their well deserved date.
So they didn't dwell on the emptiness their heart felt when their son was out–rather getting ready to go out.
Baekjin wore his black turtleneck with a white buffy jacket with simple jeans.
Seongje wore Baekjin's clothes. Same style. It made Baekjin laugh a little but Seongje only glared, saying he wanted to look like a proper couple.
The engine started with low hums, Seongje already relaxing the passenger seat. Even on a holiday morning, they get too tired due to all the running around for Seojin.
Baekjin just let him rest.