Work Text:
By the time the cameras go off, it’s early evening in New York. The sun’s close to touching the Manhattan River now, and there’s a pleasant autumn wind passing by, billowing their hair a little.
The director, whom they’ve built a great working relationship with, and who isn’t very subtle over how she dotes on all of them - as the rest of the production crew do, thank them all profusely and individually by name. San’s grin is wide as he waves at them, while they start to take down the lighting equipment. Jongho jumps in to help with the packing up, while Yunho laughs at how the wind is sending Jongho's fringe upwards into defying gravity.
“Right,” Wooyoung says with a stretch, after they’re done thanking all of the production crew. “Think it's dinner time, pack,” he declares with a loud yawn, having still not fully adjusted to the timezone just yet. San skips over to his side, wrapping him in a tight half hug, assuming he was feeling cold.
As Seonghwa starts throwing out some menu suggestions, the director rushes over to them with folded hands. “Guys, would you be alright with taking the handheld cameras to record a little bit of your night out in New York? I think the fans would really like to see a bit of that,” she says, eyes glistening as she smiles affectionately at them.
“You trust us with your equipment, Director?” Hongjoong asks with a laugh.
“Course we do,” the assistant director chimes in. “They’re attached to the gimbal stands, so I don’t think it would be a problem.”
“I’m more concerned about them possibly dropping the things,” Hongjoong rubs at his forehead. The director waves him off with a laugh, peppering him with assurances that it would be fine, since their next round of filming would be early the next morning.
“Okay, guys,” Hongjoong cups his hands to call out to the rest of them. “Please, please hold on to your cameras, I don’t have the money to replace a full set,” he says, warning tone in his voice.
“Says the one who splurged on Wooyoung in Paris,” Jongho retorts dryly, looking completely unfazed when Hongjoong narrows his eyes at him, gaze scolding the youngest in the pack wordlessly.
“Right,” Seonghwa clears his throat a little too loudly. “Yeah, we better go.”
Yunho’s already got his handheld camera on, taking his time to record a panoramic shot of the Manhattan River behind him. Mingi’s standing next to him, trying to figure out how to get the thing switched on. San, of course, is filming Wooyoung, because he thinks “that’s the best view in this whole place” as the evening sunlight hits his mate’s face, smiling dorkily as he tries to keep his camera angle steady.
“Better give them a while, Seonghwa-ya,” Hongjoong calls to him, sliding his hands into the pockets of his coat. Seonghwa walks over, clutching something lumpy in his hand. “Here,” Seonghwa says softly, gently placing a heat pack between Hongjoong’s hands as he rubs them together. Hongjoong only looks somewhat shocked, before closing his mouth and letting Seonghwa warm his hands.
Yeosang is content to be turning the camera onto himself, talking to it as though he’s filming a vlog. “Look, ATINY, this view is really nice, isn’t it? You should come here when you can, it’s nice this time of year.” He pauses to tug his coat closer to him, feeling a slightly stronger gust of wind pass through.
Yunho turns to look at him fondly. “Oh, is Yeosangie filming a vlog?” he chirps as he walks over to step into frame. “Hi, ATINY,” he smiles, waving cutely.
“Yunho’s here,” Yeosang says with a smile, trying to adjust the angle. For a brief moment, Yeosang almost drops the thing, and it captures a rather odd but also humorous angle below their chins, before Yunho helps to catch it and holds it up. “Careful,” Yunho says with a smile.
Mingi comes over to join them, observing them carefully.
“Right, so, we’ve finished our filming today, and we’re about to go for dinner,” Yeosang picks up from where he’d left off, continuing to speak to the camera. “I wonder what we’re going to eat today,” he says, turning towards Seonghwa, who’s trying to rally all of them together like a farmer with their sheep.
“Let’s go now, please,” Seonghwa says, sounding hurried as he claps his hands to get their attention. “‘S getting cold, let’s go before Captain here turns into an ice block.” Hongjoong huddles a little closer to Seonghwa as they start to head off the boardwalk, towards the pavement.
“I can’t wait to have dinner,” Yeosang continues to speak to the camera. He’s right at the back of the pack, with Yunho and Mingi just in front of him. “Because I have two mouths now, so I have to eat really heartily,” he grins.
Yunho is the first to freeze mid-step. Mingi’s reaction is a little bit more delayed. The others in front are out of earshot, and continue walking, none the wiser.
“Yeosang-ah, what did you just say?” Yunho says, words coming out like a squeak. “Two mouths?” he says, clearly thinking he’s misheard something.
“Yeah,” Yeosang taps on the button right on top of the camera, switching from the recording to standby mode. “Two mouths,” he says cheerily.
“How do you grow two mouths out of nowhere?” Mingi asks, blinking in confusion. “I only see one on your face.”
Yeosang stands still in place, before carefully placing his hands on his middle, right where his belly button probably was. He slowly looks up to meet their eyes, eyes bright and grinning toothily.
“Oh shit,” Yunho whispers. He turns to Mingi slowly, before he grabs Mingi by the shoulders. “Yeosang is -” He finds himself rendered unable to finish his sentence, mirroring Yeosang’s action, also placing his hands on his stomach.
“Huh,” Mingi blurts, expression blank. “Whuh-”
“He’s pregnant, you dummy, you brilliant idiot you -” Yunho’s pulling Mingi into a hug, jumping up and down. By now, the ruckus has caught the attention of the rest of the pack, who slowly turn back to give the three of them bemused looks.
“What’s going on,” Hongjoong pushes past the others to stand next to Yunho, who’s swaying Mingi around in a bone-crushing hug. “What’s gotten into all of you?”
Yunho breaks from the hug, and Mingi stumbles, barely managing to clutch to a metal railing near him to keep balance. He’s dizzy - both from Yunho’s hug, and from Yeosang’s revelation.
“Yeosang’s expecting, hyung! He just said so, like, literal minutes ago,” Yunho says, bouncing around delightedly on his feet. Hongjoong’s eyes dart about and just as he’s about to respond, there’s a sound of a heavy thud. Seven pairs of eyes turn to see Mingi who’s lying sideways on the ground, expression completely spaced out.
“Mingi?” Yeosang asks, going over to kneel on the ground next to him. “Sweetheart, are you alright?” He taps Mingi on the shoulder, and Mingi’s mouth is slightly agape, clearly still trying to process whatever was going on.
“What the hell did you do, Song Mingi?” Hongjoong asks, walking over to stand next to the mated pair, hands on his hips. “Are you responsible for this?”
Mingi glances first at Yeosang, then at Hongjoong, before nodding slowly. Hongjoong presses his palm to his face, letting out a long, tired groan. “Seriously, our comeback is coming soon - how is Yeosang going to perform on stage?”
“Don’t worry, hyung,” Yeosang adds helpfully. “I’ve been given the green light.”
“What?” six other voices save for Mingi who’s still lying on the ground, chorus in unison.
“I found out before we got here, and my sister helped me with some of the doctor stuff,” Yeosang says with a shrug, as though he was talking about something as mundane as online shopping.
“Yeosang-ah,” Hongjoong sounds pained. “When did this happen?”
“Let me see,” Yeosang glances upward, before he starts counting out loud with his fingers. He glances down at Mingi, murmuring something about “that night when…” and then it clicks for Mingi, who starts rubbing at his face.
“Oh my God,” Seonghwa bounds up to Yeosang to curl his hands into Yeosang’s sleeves, as though trying to reassure him. “How are you feeling?”
“Very good hyung, actually,” Yeosang smiles. Beneath the fading autumn sunlight, he actually looked like he was glowing.
Now it’s Hongjoong’s turn to join Mingi on the ground, and they’re both staring at each other blankly. “How are we going to handle this,” Hongjoong is groaning from where he is lying down, curling inward.
“There, there,” Seonghwa pats him on the shoulder. “With proper discussion I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
“Besides, hyung, just think about the royalties we could make from releasing a lullaby compilation album!” Jongho chimes in, index finger in the air. “What,” he says with a shrug when the others give him tired looks. “I enjoyed Christina Perri’s album, sue me.”
Yeosang, meanwhile, looks a little bit too delighted as he leans down to capture Hongjoong and Mingi’s blank stares while they lie on the ground like twin worms. Seonghwa starts to try to tug Hongjoong up, muttering something about them being in an open public space.
Yeosang also tries to tug his mate up, but he’s quickly stopped by San and Wooyoung - Wooyoung warns him against lifting a single finger because he’s the pregnant one, and he had the right to not move.
Mingi finally gets up, and they give him space as he slowly steps towards Yeosang, who’s smiling at him like he’s the sun itself. “Are you okay now?” Yeosang murmurs, lifting a hand to cup Mingi’s cheek. Mingi nuzzles into the touch, turning to kiss the inside of Yeosang’s hand. Yeosang laughs, finding it ticklish.
“I think I will be,” Mingi says, ruffling the hair on the back of his head. “Gosh, I need to start thinking about saving for college funds.”
Yeosang tosses his head back in laughter. “Let’s not worry about that just yet, okay? I know it’s a lot for you.”
Mingi pulls him closer, wrapping his hands around his waist. “Shit. I’m going to be a dad. Like an actual dad.”
“I wonder if that’s something we should worry about,” Jongho mutters, and Seonghwa jabs him with his elbow in the side.
“Hmm,” Yeosang nods with a soft hum. “I actually think we will do just fine.”
The manager comes in, being met with seven horrified faces, except Yeosang who’s still smiling obliviously. “Obviously, we will all need to eventually discuss the logistics of this,” he says, but he doesn’t look close to angry - in fact, looking quite serene. “But first, I think we all ought to have a nice celebration dinner,” he suggests with a soft grin and they all start smiling in relief, chatting softly among themselves.
They all start to shuffle off the boardwalk, but Mingi lingers behind. He has his hand on the middle of Yeosang’s back, matching his pace. “I’m not made of glass, Mingi-ya,” Yeosang laughs, resting his head against Mingi’s arm.
“I’ll take good care of you. Both of you,” Mingi promises, his lips pressed into a solemn expression. Yeosang slides his hand into Mingi’s, savoring his mate’s warmth.
“And I trust you on that,” Yeosang murmurs, as they pick up their pace to catch up with the others. He smiles when he feels a soft kiss being pressed to the top of his head.