Chapter Text
About six is not the most attractive of ages, especially since tiny-Himchan has a tendency to speak in persistent high-pitched, whining aggression. Yongguk realizes just how much trouble he’s in when he catches himself thinking how absolutely adorable Himchan is as he watch the child- the man stuck in a child’s body- scoop rice porridge like every spoonful has done him a deep and personal wrong.
“So – you’re going to stay in?”
“Yes.” Mumbles Himchan, not even bothering to look up. Sometime over breakfast, he passed from explosive rage to silent, calculating rage. Yongguk sends a prayer to any listening deity to help Daehyun when Himchan gets his currently very small hands on the kid. After declaring he would not be doing the dishes because he is apparently too short to reach the sink comfortably, Himchan had calmly took out his wand and shrunk himself some clothes. Now he is curled on the couch in a familiar Himchan slouch and pouring over a grimoire almost half his height.
“I need to go to work, if you need anything, send me a message with Matok, okay?”
“Yeah.”
Yongguk straightens his robes, unreasonably worried. Well, actually, he reasons he is justifiably worried. But- Himchan is going to be okay. Ravenclaws are smart, right?
He clears his throat unnecessarily. “I’ll be back with lunch, please don’t … do anything drastic?”
Himchan’s pout has Yongguk bending down and placing a kiss on his forehead. Then, Yongguk leaves the house, face flushed and feeling Himchan’s curious gaze grabbing at the tails of his robes.
When Yongguk returns with take-out, it is to find Himchan asleep curled against Jongup’s chest. The man is sporting his usual muggles’ clothes and practicing wand work with one hand while stroking tiny Himchan’s hair with the other. The sudden warmth in Yongguk’s chest from the image is unexpected, but it quickly migrated to reside in his cheeks when Jongup looks up with a smile.
“Hyung,” Jongup whispers hopefully “food?”
“Why are you here?” Yongguk whispers back, handing a takeout container to Jongup and fishing out some dog biscuits from an inside pocket when Tigger trots over.
“Himchan hyung was lonely and told me to come over.”
Himchan is jostled slightly as Jongup snaps apart his chopsticks. He wakes, stretching his short arms and immediately makes grabby hands at Yongguk’s remaining container. Yongguk passes it over and sends a charm into the kitchen to set the kettle boiling. He might as well have ramen.
“Bbang,” Himchan gets out between big mouthfuls of fried noodles, “Stay the afternoon.”
“I’ve got-“
“Oh come on, you haven’t taken one vacation day since graduating. Just for today, let’s stay in and, relax, yeah?”
“It’s so weird that you look like that and still talk exactly like Himchan hyung.” Jongup supplies, “Daehyun hyung must be getting a new patent for this new potion.”
“Himchan,” Yongguk interrupts, because he just knows that the next sentence out of Himchan’s mouth is going to be something like a dead man can’t enjoy having patents, “The Minister of Magic is expecting a report.”
“Next week.” Himchan points out, “I do work with you, you know? I know your schedule. As your business partner, I’m telling you that you totally deserve a break, and as your partner partner, I order you to spend the day with me.”
Yongguk has to admit that Jongup is right in saying that having adult-Himchan’s words coming out of child-Himchan’s mouth might be the weirdest thing he’s encountered.
“The three of us, chilling and playing music and playing chess and watching movies, just like old times.” Himchan says, and gives his best hopeful pout. Yongguk tries not to notice how it’s twice as cute and four times as effective on child-Himchan’s face.
“Even Tigger wants you to stay.” Jongup says, smiling up at Yongguk and holding the poodle in his lap in an unfairly endearing manner. Yongguk is faced with three almost identical expressions of adorable anticipation. It doesn’t help that one of them is on a dog.
The three of them chats the afternoon away. Just like old times. Except that Himchan required a nap at around three PM, muttering about children having weak-ass bodies.
In the pre-dawn glow, Yongguk wakes with a start and opens his eyes to find Himchan’s already trained on him.
“Mornin’” he whispers, placing a sleepy peck on Himchan’s nose before he jerks up with the realization – “oh thank Merlin, you’re back to normal.”
“Yeah,” Himchan says, hands reaching for Yongguk and guiding him back down into their bed. “So, you want to talk about it?”
“-about what?” Yongguk yawns. Six AM is just not a good time for anything more complicated than sleep. Himchan’s fingers are stroking his face gently, pinching him slightly when his eyelids threaten to shut.
“You really want kids, don’t you.” Himchan says, effectively waking Yongguk up because six AM is definitely not a good time for this conversation. “The way you looked at me yesterday, I haven’t seen that look since we visited Talca to find those magically inclined kids. That look is usually reserved for Tigger.”
“I don’t- I don’t have a look for Tigger.“ Yongguk splutters, knowing he totally has a look reserved for Tigger.
“Bbang, it’s okay. Talk to me”
“Since when were you this understanding?”
“I’m always understanding.” Himchan says, then pouts at Yongguk’s amused snort. “Okay, I might be in an extra good mood because Jung Daehyun will be regretting his life choices in a few hours?”
“Please don’t cause bodily harm.”
Himchan places a hand over his heart in feigned offense “I would never.”
Yongguk chuckles. It must be really early in the morning if he’s actually amused by Himchan’s potentially homicidal schemes instead of terrified. Himchan’s fingers slid around to the back of his neck and give the tiniest of pinches again. “Don’t get off topic. You totally want kids.”
“I-“ Yongguk closes his eyes before he starts, shifting forward and resting more determinedly in their shared warmth “I like kids. I like doting on kids, and … young potential is really inspiring, you know?”
He can feel the small huffed laugh against his cheek, but Himchan’s silence is inviting, warm and easy and angling for more answers.
“I like all of that, but I also like how we are now. Like, we travel a lot for work, and our work is important to lots of children already, and… I… I just don’t think we are – that I am – really ready for the responsibility of being a parent.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Himchan whispers against his cheek. Is that relief he hears? Or perhaps - “I was afraid that – well. Promise to talk to me? Next time, when something comes up. You know, in our relationship.”
Himchan’s smile is soft when Yongguk reopens his eyes, and he feels like he is falling in love all over again.
Himchan returns home in the late evening carrying a pug. A pug with a cutely wrinkling nose, large watery eyes and an insistent, high-pitched whine. It’s shaking slightly in Himchan’s arms.
“Chan?” Yongguk asks, feeling that single syllable stretch and snap in his throat because no, he wouldn’t- - “is that… tell me that’s not Daehyun?”
Himchan’s smirk of triumph is going to keep Yongguk up for days.