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“Psst. Yah, Cheolie.”
The man gave a light snore and turned his head in the pillows.
“Cheol. Wake up. I need something.”
A mumble and a groan. But no movement.
“Choi Seungcheol. Wake up.”
The said man finally opened one bleary eye, turning over on his back and peeking over at his husband that stared at him expectantly from where he was sitting up in bed, cross-legged.
“What?” the alpha groaned as he stretched his hands above his head, a frown etched upon his features while he turned to look at the bedside clock. “What time is– Jeonghan. Its fucking 7am. On a Saturday.”
“I can’t find my purple hoodie. The one we got together. Where is it?”
Seungcheol stared at his mate. Jeonghan stared back.
“Are you kidding me?” the alpha whispered, wiping a hand down his face, but nevertheless sitting up in bed. The covers piled around his waist, chest bare of any clothing, and hair disheveled.
“Do you know where it is?” the omega asked, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear before getting out of bed and opening a dresser drawer. “I thought I saw it the other day but now I can’t find it.”
Seungcheol yawned and pulled the sheets off himself as he groggily got out of bed, padding over to their shared walk-in closet. “You wore it when you went to the movies with Shua. That’s the last I saw of it.”
“I know I had it. I just don’t know where I put it,” came the small whine.
Turning his attention to toe at the small pile of clothes on the floor of their closet, the alpha yawned again, eyes barely opened as he searched for his omega’s hoodie that he seemed to desperately want. “Did you leave it at Shua’s place?”
“No.”
Seungcheol ran a hand through his hair and blew out a puff of air. “What if you use mine for now. It’s the same but in blue.”
He stood at the door of the closet and brought out the hoodie hung on a hanger. “Look how comfy it looks.” He pulled the sleeve out.
Jeonghan glanced at the alpha before shaking his head. “I want mine.”
Pouting, Seungcheol put his hoodie that matched with the lost one back on the rack. “Baby, I don’t know where it is.” He plopped himself on the floor, digging through the pile that he previously half-heartedly poked around at with his feet. Taking each piece of clothes, he examined it before making another pile beside him. “Are you sure you didn’t leave it at Jisoo’s place? Call him and ask.”
“I didn’t leave it there,” Jeonghan almost growled.
From inside the walk in closet, Seungcheol made an “opps” face as he continued his dig through the pile, saying a soothing “Okay, okay. We’ll find it.”
The hoodie wasn’t in the pile.
Dropping his head in his hands, the alpha let out another breath, scratching his head roughly.
It was seven in the fucking morning.
“Did you find it?”
“Not yet,” he called back nicely.
Jeonghan needed that sweater so he would find that damn hoodie if he had to tear the whole house apart.
Standing up with a new spurt of energy, Seungcheol strided out of the closet, heading towards the in-house washer and dryer. Maybe it was there.
“Found it!”
Fortunately he didn’t have to tear their house apart.
“Where was it?” the alpha asked, turning around and heading back inside the room.
“Under my pillow.” Jeonghan grinned, holding onto his hoodie.
“Under your–” Seungcheol stared at his omega then smiled with a sigh. “You’re unbelievable,” he said, grabbing Jeonghan and planting a kiss on his cheek. It was rare that the other man insisted on finding a particular piece of clothes. He was usually just fine wearing Seungcheol’s clothes or the first thing he could reach. Whatever. The alpha didn’t think too much about it.
“I need coffee. I’ll be in the kitchen,” he said.
As the alpha headed out, Jeonghan called out his name.
“Cheollie-yah, can you heat some milk up for me?”
“Milk?”
“Mmhm.” Jeonghan nodded as he began making their bed, fluffing the pillows. “Just four ounces.”
“Four–” Seungcheol stared at the omega who continued to stretch the sheets over the mattress, tucking it into place as if he didn’t just make a strangely specific request. “Why?”
Glancing at his mate, Jeonghan frowned a bit. “Because I need that much and I want it warm. Not hot. Warm.” His face was expressing the words: ‘I was very clear, what don’t you get?’
Letting out air from his puffed cheeks, the alpha shrugged and continued on his way towards the kitchen, deciding to do what he was asked. His omega was a strange little guy and asked for weird things sometimes, but who was Seungcheol to deny his mate. He would give Jeonghan the moon and stars if he ever asked for it.
Measuring out four ounces of milk, the alpha heated it up in the microwave, stopping the appliance, opening the microwave door, and testing every couple of seconds to make sure the liquid wasn’t overheating.
“Hopefully that’s warm enough,” Seungcheol mumbled under his breath, leaving the milk in the mug on the side as he finally started on his coffee with another yawn.
“It’s pretty perfect.”
Turning around, the alpha grinned at Jeonghan who was leaning against the countertop, sipping the four ounces of warmed milk. Warm. Not hot.
“You didn’t know? Before pursuing a career in business I always dreamed of being a professional milk-warmer-upper.”
A grin. “Oh yeah? That’s crazy because I always wanted to marry a businessman who wanted to be a pro milk-wamer-upper.”
Seungcheol matched his mate’s smile and sauntered over to him, slipping his arms around the other man’s waist and leaning forward to place a kiss to his lover’s lips. “I love you, you weirdo. Did you know that?”
Jeonghan smirked. “I know.” He pecked another kiss on his alpha’s lips. “And because you love me, will you do me a favor?”
Big, innocent shaped eyes peered at Seungcheol. Jeonghan called it his “please-do-something-for-me-bunny-eyes”. The alpha once said there was no such thing as ‘bunny eyes’; puppy dog eyes, yes, maybe even cat eyes, but he said there was no such thing as ‘bunny eyes’. Jeonghan just shrugged and insisted there was.
It didn’t matter though. Seungcheol found it fucking adorable and he couldn’t resist.
“What do you want?”
“I have this thing I ordered and needs to be built.”
“Built?” the alpha walked back over to his coffee, taking a sip of the bitter drink. “You ordered something that needs to be built?”
“Yeah. So can you build it for me?” There were those ‘bunny eyes’ again.
Seungcheol sighed. “Sure. Where is it?”
“I moved it to the spare room. It was heavy.”
Nodding, the alpha took another sip of his coffee before setting it down and making his way to the other room in their house.
“What the hell did you order?!”
Jeonghan peeked over his shoulder, pointing a wooden spoon he had gotten from the kitchen at the huge box. “A rocking chair.”
“Why?!”
“You ordered a gaming chair when we first moved in. Why can’t I have a chair too?”
Seungcheol looked at his lover and then back at the box. Then back at his lover. Then back at the box.
“Where are you going to put it?” he questioned, but moved forward towards the large rectangular package.
Jeonghan shrugged, twirling the wooden spoon. “I dunno. Right next to your gaming chair and I’ll stare at you until you pay attention to me.” He laughed at the unamused face the alpha sent him.
“I suck at building this shit,” the alpha complained, walking around the box. “You like building legos. You make it,” he said.
“No. It doesn’t just snap together. You have to use real tools.”
The alpha paused and tipped his head. “Do we even have tools? Like a toolbox?”
“I don’t. Do you?”
Seungcheol shook his head. They didn’t even have fucking tools.
Pursing his lips, the omega tilted his head too. “Guess you have to make an errand run to the hardware store, babe.”
Groaning, the alpha dramatically draped himself over the boxed rocking chair. “It’s so fucking early and I’m tired and you’re extra weird today,” he complained.
Tapping his lover’s hair with the spoon, Jeonghan said, “You go get the stuff and I’ll make brunch, okay? You suck at cooking anyway.”
The alpha gave a grunt before righting himself up again. “Fine.”
“The hardware store opens at nine. So before going there, can you take these boxes to the donation center? They’re already open.” Jeonghan tapped his spoon on several boxes that Seungcheol only now noticed.
“What’s in it?” he queried as he opened a flap, peeking inside.
“Just some old stuff we said we needed to get rid of, like clothes we don’t wear anymore or a handful of the dozens of mismatched mugs we have. Stuff like that.”
“I could’ve helped,” Seungcheol said, moving to wrap an arm around his lover’s hips.
“It’s fine.” Jeonghan snuggled against the other man’s side. “I wanted to go through some of these things and get rid of them to make space here.”
The alpha frowned. “Space?”
“Space,” Jeonghan nodded, placing a chaste kiss to the alpha’s cheek before walking out of the room.
“Space for what? It’s supposed to be an extra storage room for all our crap.” Seungcheol was left standing in the room talking to himself.
“Oh and before you come home,” the omega peeked his head back in, “can you drop by Mingyu’s place? They have something for me. Please and thank you!” A big grin.
Sighing heavily while nodding, Seungcheol picked up one of the boxes he was instructed to take to the donation center. “Fine, fine. Drop these off, hardware store, tools, Mingyu’s place, build your chair, anything else your highness?”
The omega smiled. “Yes. I need you to pick up these cabinet locks too. They have them at the hardware store. See? I even printed them out for you so you can just show the worker this.”
“Oh how thoughtful ,” Seungcheol remarked, snatching the paper and glancing down at the printed picture his husband held out to him. Another weird request. “I didn’t know locks for cabinets were a thing. What do we need these for?”
Jeonghan pointed to an opened kitchen cabinet door. “It keeps opening.”
Blinking, Seungcheol stared before shaking his head and adjusting his hold on the box in his arm. “Alright. I’ll get these too.” He learned not to question the omega and just trust Jeonghan’s judgment. “So get rid of these boxes, hardware store, tools, cabinet locks, Mingyu’s house, and build your damn chair. Anything I’m missing?”
“Kiss?” The omega puckered his lips, which Seungcheol happily met.
“I’ll be back soon,” the alpha laughed.
“Okay have fun!”
“ So much fun,” Seungcheol bantered sarcastically. The omega giggled and patted the other’s butt with his silly spoon he still held.
And as he drove away, the alpha couldn’t shake a weird feeling that Jeonghan was up to something today, but he just didn’t know what…
• ────── ✾ ────── •
“Jiwon-ah, stop it.”
Seungcheol smiled brightly as he watched his friend move his face away from the toddler that tried to grab hold of the glasses he wore with tiny, chubby hands.
Wonwoo gently scolded his baby in his arms before setting Jiwon on the floor to crawl around.
“He’s so big now,” Seungcheol commented, watching the active child babble and crawl around the carpeted living room.
“And energetic and curious and hungry and talkative. Even though he doesn’t know many real words yet, he won't stop making noise.” Wonwoo sat on the floor and smiled as he watched his toddler stop and sit himself down in front of a basket of toys, pulling one out and fiddling with it.
“Takes after his other dad then, huh?” The alpha grinned as Wonwoo rolled his eyes but nodded.
“Yeah. He is Mingyu’s mini-me and I feel outnumbered.” A small, playful pout formed on the omega’s lips as he looked over to the mentioned man walking into the living room.
“What?” Mingyu sat on the couch behind Wonwoo while the latter tilted his chin upward to look back at his alpha who was upside down in his vision.
“We are talking about your carbon copy over there,” the omega in the room said.
Leaning down and placing a kiss on his lover’s forehead, Mingyu grinned widely. “Jiwon is the perfect little dude, isn’t he?”
Wonwoo rolled his eyes, but Seungcheol could see the endearment in the younger man’s gaze.
Smiling, the oldest man looked at Mingyu. “So, do you–”
“Jiwon-ah. Hey. Don’t do that,” the younger alpha scolded firmly, standing up and striding over to his curious baby that was trying to pry open the shoe cabinet. “What are you doing, little man? Can you just sit still?” he asked, lifting the toddler up high in the air so the baby was looking down at him. “Can you not try to open every door in this household and just be good boy?”
Wonwoo sighed, looking over at Seungcheol. “We had to get more childproof cabinet locks and put them on literally everything that can open. He has a fascination with opening and closing doors but he smashed his fingers last time. He’s so clumsy too.” A little grin followed the omega’s words as he looked over to the other two across the room.
Instead of peering over at Mingyu and his kid, Seungcheol took notice of the little familiar looking lock that was attached to the cabinet. The locks that he just bought at the hardware store.
Cabinet locks… child-proof cabinet locks…
“Sit here and rock yourself to sleep, little one,” Mingyu said, walking and plopping his child in the rocking chair that was in the corner of the living room. “You woke me up at 6 in the morning and I need a nap too.”
Getting up, Wonwoo padded over to his child, lifting him on his lap as he sat down on the rocking chair, soothing the baby to calm down with soft words and the gentle repetitive back and forth movement.
“It’s like fucking magic,” Mingyu whispered to Seungcheol who sat, watching. “Who knew a simple chair could knock this guy out.”
Without a word, the oldest alpha stared at Jiwon’s tired face, his tiny frame cuddled in Wonwoo’s arms as he tried to fight sleep.
“Can you get his bottle?” the omega asked his alpha, looking up.
Nodding, Mingyu left and returned. “Warm. Not hot,” he said grinning as Jiwon grabbed the bottle of milk and quickly began drinking it. He cutely fell asleep halfway through his meal, plastic bottle still in his loose grasp.
“Warm… not hot,” Seungcheol repeated, eyes staring widely at the now sleeping baby.
“Too hot and it’ll burn him,” Mingyu said. Though, the older man was playing back the same words his own omega weirdly instructed this morning…
“I’ll put him down in his room and I’ll be back,” Wonwoo whispered, carefully extracting the bottle from tiny hands and handing it to Mingyu before standing up with a sleeping Jiwon.
Seungcheol’s gaze followed the younger man in a daze, thinking about the extra storage room in his own home… and how Jeonghan seemed to want to clean it out recently…
Jeonghan, who woke him up earlier than usual today… Jeonghan, who made him heat up warm milk… Jeonghan, who made him build a rocking chair (or, well, pick up tools to make the damn chair)…Jeonghan, who made him pick up cabinet locks… Jeonghan, who started to clean out a separate room in their home for some reason… possibly a tiny, little reason that would change their entire lives…
Springing to his feet, Seungcheol headed to the door with a quick, “I gotta go. I’ll call you guys later.”
“Hyung, wait. You came for this, remember?” Mingyu ran towards the older alpha, shoving a clasped manila envelope to his chest. A smirk spread across his features, displaying a set of canines. “Open it when you get home,” he instructed.
Hastily, Seungcheol left with a mumbled “thanks” and didn’t think much about the younger man’s words, his mind solely on getting home and asking Jeonghan something…
Wonwoo peeked his head out of Jiwon’s room. “Did he leave?”
Mingyu grinned, walking over to his husband, hands in his pockets. “Yup.”
“Do you think we were a little too obvious? I think the rocking chair bit was a little too obvious,” the omega commented.
Mingyu shrugged. “Cheol-hyung needs obvious. Jeonghan-hyung said he wouldn’t get it if not. So I had to put the chair in the living room so he could see it.”
Wonwoo peered up at his alpha. “Did we do good?”
Mingyu smiled. “I think so. I think Cheol will be very happy.” He wrapped his arms around his lover. “I know I was.”
Wonwoo matched his mate's smile, pecking him on the cheek before silently wishing the best for his two friends.
• ────── ✾ ────── •
Seungcheol had only one question on his mind. One single question the entire drive home. He repeated it over and over and over in his head, practiced it in his head, memorized it in his head… and yet, as he slammed open the door, he couldn’t seem to find his words.
“Cheollie?”
The alpha moved his stare from pretty, dark orbs to stare at his omega’s tummy.
“A… are you—are we—I mean a-are…”
Deciding to not play any more games and relieve the other man, Jeonghan smiled, standing up from where he was curled in the corner of the couch. He placed a hand on his stomach.
“Yes.” His grin widened as Seungcheol slowly stepped forward, arms reaching out.
“Really?” the alpha whispered.
“Really.”
Jeonghan giggled as his lover wrapped him in his arms.
“We’re gonna have a baby?”
“No. A bunny. We’re adopting a bunny.”
“I’ll love it forever,” Seungcheol promised seriously, ignoring the other man’s sassy retort and instead hugging Jeonghan tighter.
“I know you will,” the omega said softly, leaning into the embrace. “You passed all the tests today.”
“Tests?” Seungcheol pulled back, staring at his lover.
“Waking up and not ignoring the whining, making the perfect temperature milk, etcetera etcetera.” Jeonghan grinned mischievously.
“Couldn’t you tell me like a normal person?” the alpha whined, clinging to his husband. “Like just buy me a shirt that says ‘I’m gonna be a dad’ or something?”
“That’s no fun.”
“And doing all that and sending me over to Mingyu and Wonwoo’s place is fun?”
“Yes.” Jeonghan giggled. “You were confused about the locks and stuff until you went to their place, right? When did it all click together?”
“I dunno. It just did. I’m smart like that.”
“Oh, okay,” the omega laughed as Seungcheol pulled his lover close again, nuzzling his nose in Jeonghan’s neck, swaying them side to side a bit.
“I’m going to be a dad.”
“You are,” the other man whispered, lips upturned in a smile. “We are.” Pulling back a bit, Jeonghan tilted his head. “Did Mingyu give you the envelope?”
Nodding, Seungcheol pulled it out of his pants pocket, where it was folded in half. “What is it?”
“Your reward.”
Unclasping the envelope, Seungcheol pulled out the pictured ultrasound, looking at them. “It’s so cute and tiny,” he cooed, staring at the black and white photos.
Taking the pictures and turning them the right side up, Jeonghan placed them back in the alpha’s hand and patted his husband’s back. “Yeah. Very cute,” he laughed.
“I still can’t tell what I’m looking at but I know our baby is the cutest in the entire world.”
The omega smiled. “Just like me.”
“No. Just like me ,” Seungcheol insisted.
Jeonghan rolled his eyes, but relented.
“I understand the milk and cabinet locks stuff,” the alpha said, “but what was the hoodie thing this morning? Where you made me look for your stupid hoodie that was under your damn pillow?”
The omega grinned widely. “Oh. That was for later in life, when our seven-year-old child wakes you up looking for something silly and it ends up being right in front of your faces… that was that test. I’m assuming the ‘misplacing items and leaving it in plain sight but still not being able to find it’ runs in the family. Your side.”
Seungcheol frowned. “I don’t do that.”
Lifting a brow, the omega cleared his throat. “Jeonghannie, where are my keys? Oh nevermind I found it on the table. Jeonghannie, where is my gym bag? I left it on the couch. Oh nevermind it's here. It was under the throw pillow. Jeonghannie–”
“Alright I get it,” the alpha grumbled at the impersonation, pulling his lover down on the sofa so Jeonghan was sitting on his lap.
“But our baby will be kind and loving and sweet like you too,” Jeonghan comforted, eyes softly gazing at his alpha. “And I get two of you to love.”
Capturing his husband’s lips, Seungcheol smiled into the kiss. “I love you,” he said quietly in the hair's breadth between them.
“I love you too,” Jeonghan replied, equally as soft.
“Want to help me build a rocking chair?”
“No.” The omega laughed at the pout on his lover’s face. “Fine, we can figure it out together. But after we eat. Come on.”
Taking the hand that was held out to him, Seungcheol stood up, lacing his fingers with Jeonghan’s own.
“We’ll be figuring a lot out together, huh? With that whole parenting thing?”
“Yeah. But it’ll be okay,” he assured, peeking over his shoulder with a smile. “It’s us two. You have me and I have you. We’ll be okay.”
Giving an airy laugh, Seungcheol nodded. “We’ll be okay.” He pulled his omega into a back hug, wrapping his arms around Jeonghan’s frame, placing his chin on the smaller man’s shoulder. “Except now it won’t be the two of us. It’ll be three.”
The omega laughed, bringing his hands up to cling onto Seungcheol’s arms. “And then there were three,” he said gently, complete happiness written across his features.
The older man grinned, a warmth seeping through his body.
“And then there were three…”