Chapter Text
Chan wakes up in the morning to the sound of sizzling beef. He’s not sleepy at all; his nerves about the upcoming day have made sure that he is wide awake.
So, he drags himself out of bed, pulls on one of the hoodies lying on the floor, and pads out to the living room. He is treated to the sight of his husband in his oversized sleep shirt standing in front of the stove.
Chan grins and bounds over to Mingyu. He wraps his arms around his middle and buries his face in between his shoulder blades.
Mingyu gives the hand on his stomach a soft stroke. “Good morning, Channie. How do you feel?”
“I’m nervous,” Chan says, slightly muffled.
“Ah, understandable. But hopefully your husband’s super amazing and delicious bento box will help you get through the day!” Mingyu exclaims. He sounds very proud of himself and Chan’s heart softens with affection.
“You’re making me bento?” Chan asks.
“Yes! I’m making the beef now, and the rice is in the rice cooker, and I’ll fry an egg and, of course, add some kimchi and fish cake.”
Chan squeezes Mingyu harder. “You’re the best,” he sighs. “Have I told you today that I love you? I love you.” Chan moves his head so he can press kisses against the nape of Mingyu’s neck.
“I love you too.” Mingyu spins around in Chan’s arms and Chan is finally greeted with Mingyu’s smiling face. His eyes are still droopy with sleep and his hair is messy and sticking up on his head, but he still looks beautiful.
“What if I mess up today?” Chan says. “Or anytime during this entire job. I’ve never had this much responsibility before, and their groups are really popular so there’ll be way more eyes on us than I’m used to.”
Mingyu hoists Chan up so he can seat him on the kitchen bench. Chan is at Mingyu’s eye level now, and Mingyu places his palms on Chan’s cheeks, squishing his cheeks slightly. “You won’t mess up. Trust me. You’re an amazing dancer, and an amazing leader and an amazing teacher. You were made to do this.” Mingyu gives Chan a light kiss on the tip of his nose. “And if you do mess up, you’re the king of faking it to you make it. If anything happens, just laugh it off and move on.”
“Thank you, Gyu.” Chan sighs, fiddling with the hair on the back of Mingyu’s head.
“Why don’t you have breakfast now, sweetheart.” Chan pouts but he knows Mingyu’s right. Things usually seem better when he’s got some food in his stomach. Chan detaches his arms from Mingyu’s shoulders and moves to sit at the breakfast counter. He watches as Mingyu puts some leftovers into the microwave and scoops rice into a bowl.
When the food is ready, Mingyu puts it in front of Chan and gives him a kiss on the temple.
When Mingyu starts to walk away, Chan stops him. “Come back,” he pouts. Mingyu complies, as he usually does, and Chan is able to lace their fingers to pull him down and give him a peck on the lips. “Thank you, baby,” he says when they’re still close enough to breath each other’s air.
Mingyu goes bright red at that and Chan grins. After six years of being with Mingyu, he’s gotten pretty good at flustering him and every time it makes him just as pleased. There’s nothing better than a flustered Mingyu.
Some days, Chan feels like he’s living in a fairytale. He’s working his dream job, he lives in a nice, comfortable apartment with the most gorgeous and caring man on earth and he gets to watch as that man makes him a special lunch for his first day working on a new project that he’s extremely excited about.
Yes, life is good.
Chan eats his breakfast and watches Mingyu cook. Mingyu has purposely angled himself so that Chan can’t really see what he’s doing. All Chan can see is Mingyu very carefully putting the food into the lunchbox. Chan doesn’t mind; he thinks it’s cute that Mingyu wants to surprise him, and it makes him feel very special. Chan’s heart beats for this man, and he doesn’t think he will ever get used to the way he makes him feel.
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When Chan is ready to leave the house; showered, dressed and with his bag packed, he’s almost vibrating with nerves. But Mingyu, Mingyu who always knows what to do, pulls him into his arms and gives him a searing kiss. Mingyu detaches from the kiss but his arms keep Chan’s body held flush to his. Mingyu is significantly taller than Chan, so Chan has to really crane his neck to reach Mingyu’s eyes when they’re this close together.
“Chan,” he says seriously. “You’re going to do amazing today. I believe in you one hundred percent. You’ve worked so hard.” A hand reaches up to comb through Chan’s hair. “Don’t be nervous.”
Chan rocks up onto his tiptoes to kiss Mingyu.
“I love you,” Chan says.
“I love you too,” Mingyu replies. “And if anything goes wrong, you can just quit and become my house husband.”
“Sure babe.” Chan takes a step back. He salutes Mingyu cheekily, and Mingyu salutes back. “I’m off.”
Mingyu gives Chan a final kiss and then he’s out the door, off for his first day as head choreographer at a popular entertainment company.
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Chan’s day goes well, he gets introduced to the team who all seem friendly and is told about his first project. At this point he’s just working with the creative directors to discuss an upcoming comeback for a popular boy group. They seem impressed with his ideas and he’s working with Soonyoung, an old colleague and friend. This familiar face helps keep Chan at ease. They get lunch together in the company cafeteria.
When Chan opens his lunch box, he sees what Mingyu’s made him, he can’t help but grin. The food is artfully arranged and Mingyu has drawn a heart in ketchup on the egg. Mingyu really is the cutest man ever.
“Ooh, what’s this,” Soonyoung says, peering into Chan’s lunch box.
“It’s Mingyu’s good luck lunch,” Chan says. “I was super nervous last night and this morning so Mingyu made it to cheer me up.”
“Aww, Mingyu, the old softie. Jihoon would never.”
“Jihoon can’t cook, hyung.”
“He could try!”
“Jihoon writes you love songs at least daily. I think you’ll be okay.”
Soonyoung perks up at that reminder. “You’re right. Jihoon is the perfect man. Much more perfect than Mr. Ketchup Heart Mingyu.”
Chan laughs at that. “Shut up, Soonyoung.”
Their conversation moves on, but Chan can’t stop smiling every time he takes a bite out of his lunch. Mingyu makes him feel so loved, every single day. He couldn’t ask for a better person to spend the rest of his life with.
---
When Chan comes home that night, he opens the door to Mingyu running over. He takes the bag off Chan’s shoulder.
“Well, how was it?” Mingyu asks, almost bursting out of his skin.
Chan breaks into a smile. “It was great! The songs they’re working on are really good and the creative team loved my ideas!”
“Really? I’m so proud of you!” Mingyu bends down to hug Chan, squeezing him tight and rocking him side to side.
“Stop,” Chan whines.
“Never,” Mingyu says. He lifts Chan up, forcing Chan to wrap his legs around his waist, and proceeds to spin around the room.
When they stop spinning Mingyu still doesn’t put Chan down.
“I knew you could do it, I’m so proud.” Chan stares down into Mingyu’s face. He’s a little flushed and his eyes are sparkling, and Chan is so in love.
“Thank you, baby,” Chan says softly.
But Mingyu, the ever-affectionate man that he is, can’t stop. He peppers kisses all over Chan’s face and hugs him even tighter.
“I’m gonna make you an extra special dinner tonight,” Mingyu says after one final kiss. He finally manages puts Chan down.
“Thank you,” Chan says, pulling Mingyu down to kiss him properly. “I’m gonna have a shower.”
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When their dinner has been all cleared away, Chan turns to Mingyu.
“You know, it’s really hot that you can pick me up like that.”
“Oh, really,” Mingyu says, with a wolfish grin.
“Yeah. You could do it again if you wanted,” Chan says innocently.
“Maybe I will.” And then Mingyu’s picking Chan up and pinning him to the wall of their living room while Chan giggles into his mouth.
Chan is so happy, so indescribably happy.