Work Text:
The suitcase sat by the door, zipped too early, like it had been waiting to leave before Jay was ready.
Jay hovered. He checked the fridge labels. Straightened Haerin’s tiny socks in the drawer. Refilled the wipes container even though Jungwon had already done it.
“Babe,” Jungwon said softly from the hallway. “You packed your charger three times.”
“I just—what if Haru won’t eat unless you sing the dinosaur song the exact way I do?” Jay asked, folding and refolding his hoodie for the third time. “He’s been weirdly specific this week.”
Jungwon smiled, stepping forward and gently taking the hoodie from his hands. “I can sing. I’ve been known to carry a tune.”
“And what if Haerin refuses to nap unless someone lies on the floor next to her crib? She’s been doing that clingy thing.”
“I’m smaller than you,” Jungwon said, tugging him closer. “I fit better on the floor.”
Jay let out a sharp breath, barely laughing. “I just don’t like leaving you.”
“I know,” Jungwon said, resting his forehead against Jay’s. “But it’s only three days. And I promise, I’ll call you if something explodes. Or if Haerin asks deep philosophical questions about bees again.”
Jay snorted, finally wrapping his arms around Jungwon. “I’m not worried about them.”
Jungwon pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow.
“I mean, I am,” Jay admitted. “I just... we haven’t been apart since we had two,” he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not even a night.”
“I’ll survive,” Jungwon said. “Will I be exhausted? Probably. Will I cry while making mac and cheese? Maybe. But I’m not scared.”
“Yeah?” Jay asked quietly.
“Yeah,” Jungwon said. “I’ve got snacks, playlists, toddler bribes. I even prepped the emergency bubble bath.”
Jay smiled. “You’re ready.”
“Go do your job,” Jungwon said, reaching down to grab Haru, who was chewing on a sippy cup like it owed him money. “We’ve got this.”
Haerin came toddling into the room in mismatched pajamas, holding a crayon like a wand. “Appa, don’t forget your phone! And your kiss!”
Jay dropped to his knees, hugging her tight. “I could never forget that.”
He kissed both kids and Jungwon again. Longer this time.
And when he finally stepped outside, suitcase in tow, Jungwon stood at the doorway with a sleepy Haru on his hip, Haerin wrapped around his leg like a koala, and a calm smile on his face.
Jay waved from the cab window.
Jungwon mouthed, We’re okay.
And for the first time, Jay believed it.
Later That Evening — 7:12 PM
The apartment was chaos in soft lighting.
A blanket fort had collapsed in the middle of the living room, crushed under the weight of a toddler and too much ambition. The TV was playing Finding Nemo at a volume just low enough not to soothe anyone, and Haerin was wearing mismatched pajamas — both legs in the same hole.
Haru was naked and wet, again, having escaped bath time mid-shampoo and run down the hall screaming, “NO BUBBLES, ONLY TOYS!” like a battle cry.
Jungwon, wearing one sock and a thin veil of baby shampoo foam on his shoulder, finally cornered Haru near the laundry basket.
“Okay, you can pick the towel,” Jungwon said, crouching and breathing through the madness. “Superhero or ducks?”
Haru glared. Then pointed at the ducks with a dramatic sniffle.
Crisis semi-averted.
The iPad on the couch buzzed — a FaceTime call. Jay’s contact photo lit up the screen.
Jungwon hurried back, balancing Haru on one hip in the towel, and hit accept.
Jay’s face appeared, slightly pixelated but smiling. “Hey. How’s it going?”
Jungwon smiled — a bit too wide. “Totally fine.”
Jay narrowed his eyes. “Is that... is that shampoo in your hair?”
“It’s... not mine.”
A loud crash echoed from the kitchen. Jungwon didn’t even flinch.
Jay blinked. “Do I want to ask?”
“Probably not.”
From just out of frame, Haerin climbed up onto the couch and leaned into view, holding a juice box upside-down.
“Appa said this would be ‘an adventure’ and then he burned the rice and gave us cereal for dinner.”
Jungwon muttered, “Haerin—”
“Also Haru peed on the rug.”
Jay blinked. “Wait, what?”
“I handled it,” Jungwon said quickly, shifting Haru higher on his hip. “Mostly. Sort of.”
Jay tried not to laugh, but his dimples betrayed him.
Haerin leaned closer. “We miss you. Appa said if things got worse he was gonna call grandma.”
Jungwon gasped. “I did not say that—!”
Jay was full-on laughing now, and Jungwon’s exasperation softened at the sound.
“I’m serious,” Jungwon said, still smiling. “This is hard. But we’re okay. I’m okay.”
Jay’s laughter quieted, his expression turning warm. “You sure?”
“I’m tired. And there’s a rubber duck in the sink for some reason. But yeah — I’ve got this.”
Jay exhaled. “I miss you guys.”
“We miss you, too,” Jungwon said. Then, “Do not tell Haerin what time you’re coming back or she’ll stay up just to see you.”
Jay smirked. “Got it.”
“Love you,” Jungwon added softly, one hand stroking Haru’s damp curls.
Jay smiled. “Love you more. Good luck.”
The call ended. Jungwon sighed and turned to find Haerin already fast asleep against the couch cushion, juice box abandoned.
Haru looked up at him and whispered, “Can I sleep in your bed?”
Jungwon nodded, voice quiet. “Yeah, baby. You can.”
And even though it was a mess — even though the house was a wreck and he was exhausted — it still felt okay. Because love, it turned out, could survive cereal dinners, rug accidents, and even long-distance parenting.
Late Night — 2:48 AM
The front door creaked open with a soft, tired groan — just enough for Jay to slip inside, careful not to let the cold air follow him in.
He didn’t turn on the lights. He didn’t need to.
The house was quiet in that dense, middle-of-the-night way. Toys were scattered like breadcrumbs across the floor, a tiny hoodie hung half-on, half-off the back of the dining chair. A bowl in the sink. A pillow on the hallway rug.
Jay exhaled, chest aching a little. He dropped his bag by the door and shrugged out of his jacket slowly.
When he padded down the hallway, he already knew what he’d find.
The bedroom door was cracked open, the soft glow of the nightlight spilling into the hallway.
Inside, Jungwon lay in the center of the bed — hair mussed, eyes closed, one arm curved protectively around a very asleep Haru, who was drooling slightly on his shirt. Haerin was draped across his other side, her small hand resting lightly on Jungwon’s collarbone like she’d claimed it in sleep.
The blankets had lost the war. A single sock clung to the footboard. Someone had clearly kicked off the comforter in rebellion.
Jay leaned against the doorframe for a long moment.
His heart pulled tight in his chest.
It was chaos and comfort and everything he missed.
Then, as if he had felt him arrive — Jungwon’s lashes fluttered. His eyes blinked open, still thick with sleep. For a moment he just looked around, dazed. Then he saw Jay.
His expression softened instantly. “Hey,” he whispered.
Jay stepped closer, voice just as quiet. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t.” Jungwon shifted slightly to make space. “You’re early.”
Jay crouched beside them and brushed a bit of Haru’s hair from his forehead. “Missed you all.”
“Long day?”
Jay nodded. “Worse without you.”
Jungwon’s lips tugged upward, then back down as he glanced at the tangle of sleeping limbs on either side of him. “I meant to put them in their own beds. They asked for a story, and then I blinked and…”
“You fell asleep reading again?” Jay teased gently, a smile curling.
“I was outnumbered,” Jungwon murmured.
Jay chuckled under his breath. Then, with care, he sat on the edge of the mattress and leaned down to press a soft kiss to Jungwon’s temple. “You held down the fort.”
Jungwon closed his eyes at the touch. “Barely.”
“Still counts,” Jay said, reaching over to rest a hand on Haru’s back. “God, I missed them.”
“They missed you too. Haerin kept your side of the bed warm.”
Jay exhaled a quiet laugh. “Guess I’ll have to fight her for it.”
Jungwon looked at him, eyes soft and tired. “They’re asleep now. You don’t have to fix anything. Just be here.”
Jay slipped under the edge of the covers, careful, cautious. Haru stirred only slightly, curling instinctively toward the warmth. Haerin sighed in her sleep but didn’t move.
Jay reached across and linked his pinky with Jungwon’s.
He whispered, “I’m here.”
And Jungwon, already half-asleep again, whispered back, “Good.”