Work Text:
"What are you doing?
- Chopping onions. Can't you see it?
- Yeah, no, I meant..."
A frustrated sigh sounded in the kitchen and San clapped his mouth shut. He let his cheek rest on his palm, elbow on the table, like a bored schoolboy. He watched Wooyoung's precise movements, the slight frown of concentration on his face, let the resonating tac tac tac of the knife on the wooden plank lulled his tired mind.
He stayed silent and still.
For as long as he could bear it.
"Can I help you?
- No.
- But...
- San!" He jumped at the sudden noise of the knife hitting the kitchen counter at the same time as Wooyoung was turning toward him. "I told you: I want to practice what I learned! I almost never have time this days and I don't want to forget everything! You can't help me because I have to do it myself, that's the point!
- O... Okay. Sorry."
He hated the slight tremor in his voice and the way Wooyoung rolled his eyes before returning to his task.
He knew he was of no use in a kitchen anyway, what was he even thinking...
He brought up his phone and began to swipe through social media. Nothing really caught his attention but he tried to concentrate.
Tac tac tac tac tac tac...
"Fuck!" Blam! San jumped again, meeting a set of angry eyes. "Will you stop that?"
He frowned, confused. "Stop what?
- You're tapping your foot in rhythm with my movements and it's very very annoying!
- Ho." San licked his lips nervously. "Sorry. I'll stop.
- Yeah and in ten seconds you'll be humming whatever song crossed your mind or you'll find a very funny video you'll feel obligated to show me..."
San swallowed to clear the lump in his throat at Wooyoung's almost venomous tone.
"No. But. Wooyoungie, I promise...
- San." A sharp exhale, like Wooyoung was trying to collect himself. "I'm trying to concentrate on my cooking. Why don't you go find someone else to bother for awhile? We're sharing this space with six other people, chances are one of them will be as bored as you are..."
San flinched but Wooyoung had already turned his back to him, fumbling with ingredients and muttering under his breath.
But I'm not bored! I'm not! I just want to be with you and share what you love!
Not a word passed his lips though.
He winced at the grazing sound he made in his haste to stand up, the chair almost falling behind him. That didn't elicit another fit, thankfully, Wooyoung still very much occupied with his cooking. He bit his lips and made a quick retreat toward his room.
I'm sorry!
***
Seonghwa closed the door behind him and shuffled slowly through the corridor. He had been working out and then taking a nap that leaved him sluggish. And hungry. Very hungry.
He was walking toward the kitchen - from where filtered different noises from clattering of plates to muttered curses - when the changing lights and faint sounds of the television caught his attention. He knitted his brows, a little confused and still not totally awake. Didn't Woosan (yeah they always were one item in his mind) and himself the only ones home yet? As the mathyung he was making a point of knowing the schedule of every other members. Making sure everyone were present and accounted for.
He gave up with Hongjoong though : their leader was living in his studio anyway, no point in knowing what he should be doing.
But that meant he was the only one with, to Seonghwa knowledge, no fixed program at this time. Maybe he decided to give up on working for the evening? Seonghwa wasn't one to believe in miracles but let's face it : weirdest things than Hongjoong coming home at an appropriate time had happened within the chaos that was ATEEZ. Not many but it happened. And now he had to know. Food could wait. A very little bit.
The romantic drama playing on the screen when he entered the living room was definitely not Hongjoong style. Now that he was waking up a bit he remembered that Hongjoong never watched TV anyway. And the frame sitting on the couch was not small nor thin enough, even curled up with his knees up to his chin. The hair wasn't the electric blue that their leader had chosen for this comeback. And Kuma was poking his fluffy head over a slumped shoulder, giving up his owner immediately.
An automatic smile tucked at the corner of Seonghwa's lips.
"San ?"
There was no answer, not even a nod of acknowledgment and, okay, something was very wrong.
To began with: the usually restless vocalist was conspicuously still. Asleep, maybe?
"Sannie?"
He dropped his voice, just in case, all the while walking around the monumental couch (the thing could - very uncomfortably - fit the eight of them and was taking almost the entire space available in the common room.)
His worry increased when he saw that San's eyes were open, reflecting the bright colors and movements on the screen but never moving to follow them.
His brows furrowed again.
"What's wrong Sannie?"
He sat on the heavy cushion right next to his band mate. His hand reached to sit lightly on his back, grimacing when he sensed the tension in the muscles beneath his palm.
San's eyelids fluttered but he just shook his head, eyes stubbornly fixed on the screen.
"San." Seonghwa's hand came to rest on the bare expanse of San's nape. His touch more pronounced this time, comforting and demanding just in the right proportions to coax the other out of his brooding. Just like his tone of voice. "Talk to me."
He heard a light sigh which suspiciously sounded like a sob.
"That's nothing. Wooyoung just doesn't like me anymore."
Seonghwa rolled his eyes. Couldn't help himself. Fond and a little desperate at the same time.
Seriously these two.
"What are you talking about?"
He carefully kept his little amusement out of his voice. He didn't want to hurt San's feelings more than they already were.
The vocalist was usually a bundle of energy and sunshine mood. One of the happy virus of their group. When something didn't go his way he would usually pout, whine or sulk very visibly. Until someone caved or his attention were caught by something else. Bouncing at it and forgetting, at least on the outside.
Smiling and teasing and warm.
But also so very sensitive. His feelings so damn close to the surface that a scratch could carve a deep wound without a moment notice. Especially when he was tired. And they all were this days, with their comeback rapidly approaching. The practices, the stress and nerves, the somehow different shape that it was all taking due to the pandemic.
Yeah, ATEEZ was definitely very tired and more than a little on edge.
And when San was tired and hurt...
"I.. I just wanted... to help him." Right. He was crying really easily. "But. He. He just." San burrowed his face in his plushie, smothering his cracking voice. "He told me to... to... go bo...bother... someone else!"
He was outright crying now. His shoulders heaving with each sob, his grip tightening to press Kuma further upon his chest.
Seonghwa suppressed a sigh of his own.
Wooyoung. Really?
He wrapped his arm around San shoulders. At first he was met with resistance when he tried to bring him toward himself, all muscles taut against his hold.
"Come here Sannie." He kept his tone soft and calming. Just like talking to a small child or a spooked animal. "You know a hug will make it better."
He pulled on his arm gently and San finally gave in, his body rolling to position himself almost fully on top of Seonghwa's lap, like the (pretty big) baby he could be sometimes.
His head came to rest at the junction of Seonghwa's neck and shoulder, his sobs even more erratic than before, rapidly soaking through the fabric of the light shirt he was wearing.
"Shhhh. Calm down Sannie." Seonghwa closed his arms around him as best as he could in the somehow awkward position. Let his cheek rest on top of the soft hair smelling faintly of fruity shampoo mixed with San's scent. "Wooyoung loves you and you know it. You're just very tired and emotional right now. He didn't mean what he said, you know how cranky he is when he's hungry..."
Which he was constantly this days and very much a cause for concern. Seonghwa didn't like the extends in which Wooyoung pushed his diet. And the consequences on himself and others around him. But that was not a battle he was willing to take right now. He wasn't even sure it was his to carry out anyway. Apart from trying to feed him anytime he could and making sure he had enough not to pass out on them.
"Yeah... yeah... I... I know." San hiccuped while burying himself deeper in the crook of Seonghwa's neck. "T'is not... not Wooyoungie's... fault. T'is... mine. I... I'm annoying. I kkkknow it. I can't. Can't sit still. I... nev... never shut up. I'm. I'm."
He was basically searching for air at this point. His breathing labored and painful between each wracking sob.
"San." Seonghwa moved his hands to place them on each of San's shoulders, his touch slow and caressing all the while. Then he pushed gently. San followed his lead, body tensed and trembling but pliant under his hands. "Sannie."
He tilted his head to try and take a hold of the vacant gaze that thoroughly evaded his own.
"You are who you are Sannie. And we all love you for it. How many times do I have to tell you this?" He switched his tone to casual, allowing his usual light sarcasm back into it. Hopeful that it will prompt San to react to it maybe more than just cajoling him. So far the sobs weren't decreasing.
"You are full of life and energy. And you give us so much of that, San. So much strength and hopefulness and laugh. It's just that sometimes, you're too much of all this. But it's not a bad thing Sannie."
The body still precariously perched on his lap had stopped trembling to some extent. San was still crying but it was more subdued, less desperate. His eyes were stubbornly cast down and Seonghwa carefully placed a finger under his chin to level them with his own.
"You're a literal ray of sunshine, Sannie, but from time to time some of us forget to wear shades and you kinda blind them."
That elicited a wet laugh.
"That's a... a real cheesy line hyung."
Seonghwa arched his brows with a thin smile
"But it worked."
Another brief, croaking laugh, followed with pitiful sniffles.
"Thanks." San rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry hyung. It was st... stupid to cry."
Said still obviously battling more tears. Seonghwa placed his forehead over San's, closing his eyes.
"Don't beat yourself up, Sannie. You always do that. You have the right to cry and I don't mind hugging you when you do."
He felt the head under his bowing in acceptation. And then San was curling up in his arms again, his face in the crook of his neck, poor Kuma squashed between them. He was crying again, but Seonghwa felt like it was more out of tiredness and relief this time.
"I love you hyung."
Seonghwa smiled fondly while carding his fingers in the strands of dark hair.
"I love you too Sannie." I love you very very much. "Everybody loves you. Including Wooyoung."
A small whimper replied to this statement, grazing his neck. A whisper.
"Not sure..."
Seonghwa locked a strand of hair between his fingers and pulled on it, prompting an indignant cry. San suddenly raised his head to direct a red rimmed gaze and an offended pout at Seonghwa.
"Hyung! That hurts!
- You deserved it." Seonghwa poked the wrinkles on San's forehead with his index finger. "He does love you, he really does. He just has a very very short temper. And no brain to mouth filter. Especially when he is in the kitchen." He brandished his finger in front of San's eyes, making him crosseyed comically. "But..."
San knitted his brows, his pout still in place on his full lips.
"But ?"
Seonghwa poked his forehead again, eliciting a new yelp.
"But we love him for it, of course !"
His smile was slowly mirrored on San's swollen face, dimples showing for the first time since he found him.
"Ho! Right! Did I just forget to wear shades?"
Seonghwa shook his head.
"Nope, shades are of no use with Wooyoung. He's no sunshine. He's like an oversize Pikachu, cute and fluffy until he just zaps everything around him. You need a lightning rod for this one."
San's eyes widen before he devolved into a fit of high pitched laughter.
"Pi... Pikachu!" He fell in Seonghwa's arms again, shaking with mirth this time. "That's... that's a good one... gonna name him... Wookachu now!"
Seonghwa laughed quietly while hugging him, relieved to see him almost back to his cheery self.
They stayed like that for a little while.
San's laughter had died. He was just limp in Seonghwa's arms. Still shaking a little. Suspiciously so. And... Yeah... Seonghwa frowned, rubbing circles on San's back.
"Sannie? Why are you crying again?
- I..." A small sniffle. "I don't know."
Seonghwa sighed.
"Okay. Sannie? Will you lie down for me?"
San didn't reply at first. Then he gently nodded his head. Began to shuffle until he was lying his all length on the couch, his head pillowed in Seonghwa’s lap and his face pressed onto his belly, Kuma still held tightly in his arms. Seonghwa slowly petted his hair.
"Better?"
San let out a small sound of agreement, nosing at Seonghwa's abs and making him bite his lips.
"Good."
His voice was a little strained and he didn't say anything else. Just gently stroked San's head. Soon, the sound of his breathing slowed down and Seonghwa smiled to himself.
Good job hyung.
This position wasn't very natural for him, at first. And he was still thinking that he was no real mathyung, between all those brats of roughly the same age as himself. But that didn't stop them to run to him more than not when they weren't feeling okay.
He kind of liked it now. Taking care of them. Being there for them. Knowing that they would always be there for him was the situation be reversed. And they have been. So many times.
He loved them so much.
And, maybe, he loved San just a little bit more.
***
"Hyung?"
The volume of the voice was strangely subdued for it's owner. Seonghwa lifted his eyes from the drama he had let playing on the background, vaguely entertaining him while he was used as a human pillow.
He raised his eyebrows upon seeing Wooyoung slowly walking in their direction, wiping his hands on the apron encircling his hips. How did he managed to be this sexy in sweatpants, a lose T-shirt and a plain grey apron was beyond Seonghwa's understanding.
"Is Sannie asleep?"
The fact that Wooyoung tried to dampened his usually booming tone was adorable. He nodded his head in response.
"Wow. How d'you manage to get him to stay put?! I'm really impressed!"
His mouth was torn into a smirk but his eyes were a little unsure, his posture a little too straight. Putting on a show but looking a bit guilty, and almost as tired as San. Seonghwa balanced letting him off the hook for this time but the thought didn't last. He was hungry for too long and his thighs had begun to fall asleep.
"Well, don't give me all the credit : he cried himself to sleep. Totally ruined my shirt."
Which was an obvious exaggeration but he really was hungry.
Wooyoung eyes widened almost comically and he all but jumped to cross the last steps toward the couch.
"What?!" He fell to his knees just besides Seonghwa, graceful in spite of the worry clearly written on his face. He extended his hand to gently touch San's hair, almost shy. "Why?
- Really? You can't guess?"
Seonghwa raised one eyebrow when met with Wooyoung slightly wavering but still genuinely interrogating gaze. He shook his head.
"He thought you didn't like him anymore.
- What?!" Wooyoung clasped his hand on his mouth, the room still echoing from the volume of his shriek. San didn't even stir, dead to the world, and his two band mates exchanged a look of relief (and slight amusement on Seonghwa's end). Wooyoung lowered his voice to a rushed whisper. "What is he, stupid?! Did he really think I stopped loving him just because he was a little annoying?!"
His hand resumed his movement in San's hair, soft and caring. Seonghwa sighed. For what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour.
"I said that. Well not the stupid and annoying parts, obviously...
- Obviously." Wooyoung mimicked under his breath, clearly ironic. Which prompted Seonghwa to cock his head to the side, a little baffled.
"Wooyoung. Do you realize you told the only person in this group with a lower self esteem than yourself...
- Hey!"
Seonghwa lifted a brow at the interruption.
"You're right: you and San are totally even on this account, my bad.
- Hyung!
- As I was saying: did you really tell him, or let him think, he was bothering you?
- No!" Wooyoung all but yelled before biting his lip, frowning. "Well... Yeah... Maybe... I don't really remember!" He crossed his arms upon his chest defensively. "But it was not in a bad way! I swear!"
Seonghwa gently patted his head. Couldn't help it. He was too soft on them. Loved them both too much.
"You know how he is. Especially before a comeback when he's never sure that he will master every moves to perfection, stresses about Atiny not loving his parts and generally being an even bigger pack of nervousness than he normally is...
- I know!" Wooyoung softened his voice again, after witnessing San slightly shift in his sleep, his face burrowing even more into Seonghwa's lower abdomen, making him repress a shiver. "I know. But... I was just... I wanted to cook and to do everything right and I had a hard time concentrating and he was... He was just... San." His shoulders dropped and he looked small, defeated and sad. "I didn't mean to hurt him hyung."
Seonghwa brushed his hair back, meeting his eyes.
"I'm sure you didn't. You're always on edge this days and you often have trouble concentrating..."
Wooyoung's face turned into a suspicious expression at that statement.
"Ho. Ho no hyung, I know where you're going with that one: this is not because of my diet!
- Well...
- No! And beside you can talk: you're dieting too!"
Seonghwa made a face.
"Don't remind me, please, I dreamed about tteokbokki again..." Wooyoung cackled and Seonghwa briefly entertained the thought of hitting him. Or bursting into tears himself. "That's not funny! And this is not the same thing: I'm very much restraining myself but I'm not starving!
- I'm not either."
Wooyoung squirmed under the weight of Seonghwa's disbelieving gaze.
"I'm not! And this has nothing to do with Sannie!
- Yes you do. And it does. You're always hungry and you lash out at everyone as a consequence.
- Be realistic hyung." A little self deprecating smirk formed on Wooyoung's full lips. "I always lash out at everyone, especially on comeback periods.
- That's... not untrue." Seonghwa smiled at the dejected turn of Wooyoung's mouth. "But San and I agreed that everyone loved you for it. Don't be surprise if you gain a new nickname by the way."
Wooyoung cocked an eyebrow before shrugging. He rested his cheek on Seonghwa's thigh, closing his eyes with a deep sigh.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't want to make him cry. Ever. I'll apologize to him." He nuzzled at San's hair, making him snuggle again and they're really going to kill Seonghwa at this rate. "Diner's ready by the way. Do you think we should wake him?"
Seonghwa shook his head.
"He needs sleep more than he needs to eat right now. Let's wait until the others come back.
- Hm." Wooyoung approved, his head heavier on Seonghwa's leg. "Yeah. Good call."
One of his arms sneaked along San’s and their fingers intertwined like it was the most natural thing in the world, even in sleep. Sometimes - often - Seonghwa thought he was a little jealous of them. Envious at the least. Their complicity seemed so... fluid, even after - or rather in the middle of - a fight, if it could even be called that. He loved them and they loved him but he didn't think it would ever be so easy to him.
Maybe he was just tired too.
He noticed that Wooyoung's breathing had slowed down to match that of his soulmate and repressed a frustrated cry.
Rolled his eyes.
Let his hands wandered on their heads with a soft smile.
This two troublemakers would totally be the death of him.
***
Yunho stood up after kicking off his shoes and stretched his aching body with a tired groan. Vocal practice had taken longer than anticipated and he danced a little afterward to relax. He loved his job very much but it had a tendency to be stressful.
He picked up his bag and was heading to his shared room, wondering if Sannie would be there, maybe trying to get ahead of him in one of their games, the little cheater, when his attention was drawn toward the communal room.
He wasn't prepared for the totally adorable and slightly ridiculous sight that greeted him.
In the centre was Seonghwa, half sitting half sprawled on the couch, his head tilted back at a weird and frankly painful angle, his lips parted and his eyes closed. He had a lap full of Woosan. The first one kneeling near his left leg, his head on Seonghwa's thigh and his face burrowed in San's hair, one of his arm threw protectively across the other's body. Yunho wondered how he could even be sleeping like that. San seemed the most comfortably set among the three of them - this spoiled brat. He took over almost the entire length of the couch, using their hyung as a pillow and very visibly deeply asleep.
Yunho contained a laugh and a coo, snatching his phone out of his back pocket and taking a picture, smiling widely to himself.
"This better not show up on our group chat."
The deep voice was more rough than usual, thick with sleep. Seonghwa's eyes were half open, glaring at him.
He smiled a little wider. Crammed as much heart emojis as he could before slamming the send button.
"Too late!"
A loud groan echoed as Seonghwa let his head fall back against the couch.
"No one respects me in this group.
- Yeah, and you love it, hyung!"
Yunho dropped his phone in his pocket and his bag on the floor before sauntering toward the trio, his energy back to high level at the prospect of teasing them.
He was on the verge of launching himself on the couch beside Seonghwa, wondering if he could bounce hard enough to make San fall off (doubtful but he liked a challenge) when he realized exactly what drama was playing in the background. He frowned before sitting down slowly.
"Was Sannie upset?"
He looked at the sleeping form of his roommate and almost missed the incredulous look Seonghwa was directing at him.
"How d'you know that?"
Yunho nodded toward the television.
"This is his 'I'm upset and I need something even more depressing to watch while I mop' drama.
- Ho. That explains why I was ready to jump out the window thirty minutes in..."
Yunho laughed at the dejected expression on his hyung's face.
"Yeah, tell me about it!" He shook his head and resumed his watching of the sleeping topic of conversation. "What happened?"
Seonghwa sighed deeply and closed his eyes again.
“We had a bit of a situation.”
Yunho tilted his head to get a better view of his hyung’s face.
“What kind of situation ?
- The possibly band breaking kind.”
Seonghwa’s tone was gloom and Yunho all but squeaked.
“What?! What do you mean?!” He looked back frantically at the frame lying on the couch. “Is he hurt?!
- Not physically...”
Yunho bit his lower lip, trying to decipher the blank expression on Seonghwa’s face.
“Hyung...”
Seonghwa sighed again.
“I wished you were there. Maybe even Hongjoong...
- Hyung! Stop scaring me! What happened?!”
Seonghwa slowly raised his head, moving to find a somewhat more dignified position without disturbing his two burdens.
“Wooyoung didn’t like San anymore.”
Yunho’s brain blacked out for a few seconds.
“Wh...” His eyes fell on the two hands with loosely intertwined fingers, nestled between the back of the couch and kuma's round body. "What..?
- It’s was terrible Yunho. The worst.
- Hyung.
- The end of the world Yunho!”
Yunho passed a hand over his face with a relieved laugh.
“You really did scare me! You’re the worst!
- You deserved it. And you’re really not measuring the direness of the situation. A lot of tears were involved. My shirt will never be the same!”
Seonghwa’s expression remained very serious and Yunho took his clue, biting his lip to repressed another fit of laughter when noticing a slight change in the body kneeling between them.
“Okay hit me. What did Wooyoung do this time?
- He told San to go bother someone else.”
Yunho gasped audibly, clasping his hands over his mouth.
“He did not do that?!
“He sure did. I’d like to consult at least Hongjoong but I’d say it’s unforgivable.
- Yeah, no, totally!” Yunho approved fervently, eyeing the body tensing on the floor beside him.
“Based on our sunbae we know seven is a pretty good number of members anyway.”
Yunho has to coughed loudly not to burst out laughing.
“Yeah. Agreed. But, hyung?” He turned a worried face toward Seonghwa. “Do you think San will ever be the same after that?”
Seonghwa shook his head with solemnity.
“No. Of course not. But I think the emo kid with a broken heart concept will totally be trendy.”
Yunho couldn’t stop his laugh this time and a groan sounded from bellow them.
“Will you two stop already?”
Yunho totally ignored the interruption to look at Seonghwa again.
“I’m still not sure. Woosan has a lot of fans you know?
- They’ll come around.” Seonghwa waved his hand dismissively. “Realize Sanseonghwa’s way better.
- Sanhwa!" Wooyoung raised his head, trying to direct a glare at Seonghwa between the curtain of his disheveled hair. "Why do you always try to snatched an extra syllable?!
- Because I'm older. And San always has is entire name so it seems relevant."
Wooyoung pinched the bridge of his nose while visibly trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes.
"You're impossible.
- And you're not part of this group anymore, so I'm not listening to you.
- Hyuuuunnnng!"
Wooyoung let his forehead fall back hard on Seonghwa's thigh while Yunho burst out laughing. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, looking at the screen with tears in his eyes.
“Mingi says that mommy hyung is very cute. With a lot of heart eyes. Yeosang doesn’t even want to know and Jongho goes all in with the barfing emoji.
- See? Zero respect!” Seonghwa made his signature disappointed face while Wooyoung looked at his own phone.
“What is this picture...”
Yunho looked at him with bright innocent eyes before returning to is own screen to diffuse the subject.
“Ho look! Yeosang is wondering if there’s chicken for dinner!”
Wooyoung didn’t utter a word while tipping up fiercely, like the poor phone had personally done something to wrong him.
Yunho stared until the new line popped up in the conversation.
Yeah. And you can have Yunho’s share. And Seonghwa hyung’s.
Yay! Love you my bestest friend!
“What?!” Yunho exchanged a look with a very judging Seonghwa. “You were right. No respect.
- Yeah, yeah, I’m the worst...”
Wooyoung was getting to his feet but his hand was held in place in San’s own. A very whiny and very groggy voice ringed out.
“Noooo! Wookachu is not the worst! He just cute, fluffy and electric!
- Woo...what?!”
Seonghwa was clearly trying to maintain a straight face while San rubbed his cheek in Wooyoung's palm like a big kitty.
“Hyung told me I just forgot my lightning rod.” San giggled sleepily before Wooyoung snatched his hand away.
“I don’t even wanna know!” He stomped toward the kitchen. “Yeosang is the only one who’s eating today!
- Don’t care. Not hungry.” San mumbled, nestling his face back in Seonghwa’s lap. Who patted his head with a very painful smile at the movement.
Yunho smirked innocently.
“Having a hard time there hyung?”
The tips of Seonghwa’s ears turned a beautiful pink.
“Shut up! Go shower before the others arrived!
- Yes sir!” Yunho jumped to his feet, hand at his forehead and a big grin stretching his lips.
"No respect.." Yunho paid no mind to the dejected mumbling, picking up his bag when the deep voice sounded again, more clear this time. “Yunho? As the 99 liners leader would you do me a favor ?
- Hmm... Yeah?" He raised a brow, his bag on his shoulder. "Why do I sense a trap..?
- Because you think everyone is like you.
- That hurts hyung.
- So did the wasabi on my birthday.
- Fair. What was the favor?
- Will you make sure San won't stay up until I don't even wanna know what time playing video games this coming nights? Hide the cable of his PC if need be."
Yunho smiled a little sheepishly. In a way he was the one keeping San awake by playing with him.
"Yeah, I promise hyung! I'll tuck him in at a reasonable hour!
- Hey! What am I, a child?" A not so sleepy but still whiny voice cut in.
Yunho exchanged a glance with Seonghwa before they replied in perfect sync.
"Yes!
- I hate you both!" San curled up around his plushie like the grown up he totally was.
Yunho chuckled before really leaving for the bathroom, a small, affectionate smile playing on his lips. The fact than San had make his gift his very favorite among his entire collection of stuffed toys always lighting a pleasant warmth in his chest.
***
Having San off his lap had been a feat. But Seonghwa had managed to get them both up, at great length.
"San. You need to get up.
- No. Don't wanna. Comfy.
- I'm hungry.
- Am not. Eat on the couch.
- You need to eat before going to bed.
- Nah.
- Wooyoung worked very hard to prepare something for all of us. You really want to disappoint him by not even tasting his dishes?"
That was a low blow but totally did the trick. Seonghwa was not above using his members best qualities against them. Like Sannie very supportive personality.
And there he finally was, sitting at the dinning table, clearly still half asleep but eating with a lot of pleased noises and words of praise.
Wooyoung was sitting next to him, hiding behind his fringe and smiling shyly. Conscientiously picking the best pieces on his plate to feed them to San.
They were adorable.
Seonghwa was trying to forget the very bland chicken breast and brown rice he shoveled mechanically in his mouth by watching their interactions. It was nothing more, really.
Really.
At some point San almost face planted in his plate and everybody laughed at him.
He pouted, blinking his eyes and suppressing a yawn.
Adorable.
Wooyoung got up, looking very pointedly from his empty plate to Seonghwa, who replied with a little smile and a thumbs up.
"Come on Sannie. Time to go to bed."
San craned his neck to look at Wooyoung before lifting his arms in his direction with a demanding pout.
"I am not carrying you.
- Yes you are." The pout intensified and Wooyoung let his shoulders slumped.
San was another kind of demon outside the stage.
"Okay come here." Wooyoung bend down to level himself with a still sitting San. "But I’m not Yunho... If I let you fall and you break your neck I'm not taking responsibility!"
San hummed happily and locked his hands behind Wooyoung's neck while the latter was putting his arms respectively under his knees and back, swooping him up bridal style.
Seonghwa watched them leave, San almost purring in the crook of Wooyoung's neck.
So adorable.
Dangerously adorable.
“Seriously you two...
- Get a room!
- Not mine!” Yunho shook is head like a sprayed puppy while Jongho made very acute gagging sounds.
“Not mine either or our six years friendship will end tragically...
- Are you kidding?!” Wooyoung’s shriek sounded from the other end of the apartment. “He’s like a four years old right now, I’m not a fucking pedophile!
- Language!” Seonghwa chimed in, pushing away is sad and now empty plate. That was usually more Hongjoong’s role but since - at the surprise of literally no one - he didn’t come home yet...
“I’m not four years old!
- Shut up and raise your arms, you're not going to sleep in that hoodie.
- Okay. But I'm not.
- Huhu. Whatever. Hop the ladder, I'm not carrying you up there.
- Okay. Wait! Where’s Kuma?!
- Hyuuuuuung! Be useful instead of pestering me, bring this stupid bear before he starts crying again!
- I’m not crying!
- Yet. Hyuuuunnng?!”
The whole group was in different stages of agony by this point, high laughter filling the entire space.
Seonghwa stood up, shaking his head dramatically.
“No. Fucking. Respect.”
A pleased smile tugged his lips at the literal whizzing all around him. He turned his back to go fetch the fluffed toy abandoned on the couch.
Woosan would be the death of him but at least he would take some of his band mates in his grave.