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Gao Tu woke up to the feeling of warm breath ghosting over his neck and the soft brush of lips against his skin. For a second, he froze, heart skipping, before it hit him that it was just Wenlang.
He exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing. He was still getting used to this. To waking up like this. To having Shen Wenlang practically glued to him in his sleep, close enough that his lips grazed Gao Tu’s scent gland with every breath. Their bodies fit together perfectly, Wenlang’s arms wrapped tight around his waist like even in sleep, he was scared to let go.
When Gao Tu tried to move, to twist around so he could face him, Wenlang made a soft, disgruntled sound and immediately held him tighter, pressing his face against Gao Tu’s neck and burrowing closer like a sleepy puppy refusing to be moved.
Gao Tu couldn’t help the laugh that slipped out, his lips curving into a smile. He reached up, fingers brushing against Wenlang’s cheek, and gently cupped his face.
He leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to Wenlang’s cheek. “Shen Wenlang,” he whispered. “It’s time to wake up. We can’t be late for Lele’s first day at school.”
“Five more minutes…” came the muffled, sleepy reply. Wenlang tightened his arms around him and buried his nose deeper into the crook of Gao Tu’s neck, his breath tickling against his skin.
Gao Tu blinked fast, the tips of his ears burning. He tried to sound stern, but it came out fond instead. “Okay,” he said, brushing Wenlang’s hair with his fingers. “No more than that, though.”
Wenlang didn’t respond. His breathing evened out again, the alpha already drifting back to sleep.
Gao Tu sighed, helpless and smiling all the same. He turned slightly, just enough to study Wenlang’s face—the relaxed brow, the small pout of his lips, the way his hair stuck out in all directions.
His heart swelled. This was the same Shen Wenlang who used to keep everyone at a distance, who built walls so high Gao Tu once thought he’d never be able to reach him. And now, here he was, wrapped around him like he couldn’t breathe without him.
“Honestly,” Gao Tu murmured, his thumb tracing slow circles over Wenlang’s jaw. “You’re impossible.”
As if in response, Wenlang made a sleepy noise and pressed a lazy kiss to Gao Tu’s collarbone, not even opening his eyes.
Gao Tu melted completely. He could practically feel his heart doing somersaults.
He stayed like that, watching Wenlang sleep, feeling the beat of his heart against his own. The morning light spread across the bed, wrapping them both in peace.
After being reunited with Wenlang, there were a lot of things they had to talk about. A lot of pain to unpack, old wounds to open, and countless misunderstandings to clear. It wasn’t easy. Some nights ended in silence, some in tears. But if they wanted this, really wanted their relationship to work, they had to try. Especially now that it wasn’t just the two of them anymore. They had Lele.
And for Lele, for themselves, they decided to put their whole hearts into it.
One year later, things were finally… good. More than good. Amazing, actually. Of course, it hadn’t been easy in the beginning. How could it be? Back then, they were tangled up in lies and secrets that had torn them apart for three long years. They had to learn each other all over again, how to talk, how to listen, how to love.
But wasn’t that what love really was? It was about learning, and being willing. Willing to stay, to forgive, to try again. Love was a two-way street. They had to compromise and meet halfway in so many things, but in the end, it was worth it. Gao Tu was glad they tried. Glad they didn’t give up, even when it hurt.
Now, mornings like this felt like a reward.
Gao Tu leaned down and gently shook Wenlang’s shoulder after the promised five minutes. True to his word, Wenlang didn’t put up a fight. His eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep, and the moment his gaze found Gao Tu, a smile tugged at his lips, the kind of smile that always, always made Gao Tu’s heart feel too full.
“Good morning, Tu,” Wenlang murmured, voice still rough from sleep. His words slurred slightly, his eyes warm and bright even in their haze.
“Good morning, Wenlang,” Gao Tu replied, unable to stop himself from smiling back.
Wenlang tilted his chin up, eyes fluttering shut, a silent, expectant gesture. Gao Tu’s face flushed immediately. He knew exactly what that meant.
Gao Tu leaned down, their lips met in a soft kiss that quickly deepened when Wenlang’s hand slid up to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Gao Tu squeaked against his mouth but melted instantly, tilting his head to meet him halfway. Their lips fit together perfectly, like they were made to.
When they finally let go, Wenlang didn’t let go. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Gao Tu’s waist and effortlessly pulled him into his lap.
“Wenlang!” Gao Tu gasped, smacking his chest. “It’s way too early for this!”
Wenlang only chuckled. “Nothing’s too early when it comes to you.”
Gao Tu’s face turned pink in an instant. He swatted Wenlang’s shoulder again, but the corners of his lips gave him away as he giggled softly and hid his face in the crook of Wenlang’s neck.
Wenlang laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest, and cupped Gao Tu’s face gently. He pressed another kiss to his lips, then another to his temple before pulling him into a hug.
And Gao Tu melted all over again.
He loved how Wenlang was never afraid to show affection, never shy about holding him, kissing him, and touching him. It wasn’t something Gao Tu had expected from an alpha like Shen Wenlang, but now that he had it, he basked in it completely.
He pulled back just enough to meet Wenlang’s gaze, smiling softly. “You’re impossible,” he whispered.
Wenlang grinned. “But you still love me.”
Gao Tu rolled his eyes, but his laugh was full of warmth. “Unfortunately for me, I do.”
Wenlang kissed him again, just because he could, and Gao Tu let him, because after everything they’d been through, mornings like this were nothing short of a miracle.
They scrambled apart when the door creaked open and a small voice piped up, “Daddy… Mommy…”
Gao Tu jumped slightly, cheeks instantly turning pink, while Wenlang blinked fast, trying to look casual which didn’t really help since both of them still looked suspiciously flustered.
Standing in the doorway was Gao Lele, still in his pajamas, hair sticking out in every direction. He was rubbing his eyes sleepily, clutching his little stuffed dinosaur in one hand.
“Lele,” Gao Tu said softly, “good morning, baby.”
Lele blinked at them, yawning. “Good morning… I couldn’t find you in my room.”
Gao Tu’s heart melted instantly. Their son had a habit of wandering into their room whenever he woke up early. It was adorable how they were always the first thing he looked for in the morning.
Before Gao Tu could say anything else, Wenlang was already reaching out to scoop the boy into his arms.
“Good morning, little man,” Wenlang said with a grin, kissing both of Lele’s chubby cheeks. “Did you sleep well?”
Lele nodded enthusiastically, his sleepiness fading a little. “I dreamed about dinosaurs! Big ones! But they were nice and didn’t eat anyone.”
“Oh really?” Gao Tu said, smiling as he sat up and brushed Lele’s hair out of his face. “What kind of dinosaurs?”
“The green one with the long neck!” Lele said proudly, showing off his stuffed toy. “He said his name was Baozi.”
Wenlang snorted softly, amused. “Baozi the dinosaur. Sounds fierce.”
“He’s not fierce, Daddy! He’s nice,” Lele said, crossing his arms in a perfect imitation of Gao Tu when he was scolding Wenlang.
That earned a laugh from both parents, and Gao Tu reached out to pinch his son’s cheek. “Alright, alright. Baozi’s a good dinosaur.”
Lele beamed, satisfied, and clung tightly to both of them, sandwiching himself between his parents like he always did. He was such an affectionate, clingy kid, but neither of them minded. Not one bit.
Later at breakfast, Lele only wanted cereal, declaring solemnly that “dinosaurs eat cereal too,” while Wenlang leaned lazily against the counter, watching Gao Tu move around the kitchen.
“Can I please have toasted bread and an omelette?” Wenlang asked sweetly.
“Yes, of course,” Gao Tu said, already reaching for the eggs.
But before he could even crack one, Wenlang came up behind him and slipped his arms around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder.
“Wenlang,” Gao Tu sighed, exasperated but smiling despite himself. “Not in front of Lele.”
Wenlang only tightened his arms around him, speaking right against his ear. “Why not? It’s good for Lele to see how much Daddy loves Mama.”
Gao Tu’s face flushed bright red. “You— honestly—” He tried to elbow him lightly, but it only made Wenlang chuckle and nuzzle his neck.
Behind them, Lele blinked up from his cereal bowl and tilted his head. “Daddy, are you hugging Mommy again?”
Gao Tu groaned, while Wenlang tried and failed to hold back a grin.
“Yes, I am,” Wenlang said cheerfully. “Because I love him very much.”
Lele giggled, delighted. “Then I wanna hug too!”
That made Wenlang pout dramatically. “Oh no… if I carry Lele, I can’t hug Mama anymore.”
“Daddy!” Lele said, opening his arms.
Wenlang pretended to think for half a second before caving instantly. “Alright, alright. Come here, my little dinosaur.”
He lifted Lele up with ease, balancing him on one arm. Lele wrapped his tiny arms around Wenlang’s neck and planted a big kiss on his cheek.
Gao Lele ended up sitting right on Wenlang’s lap while eating, his little dinosaur spoon clinking against his cereal bowl. Gao Tu sat across from them, watching the scene with a fond smile tugging at his lips.
Wenlang, ever the doting father, kept one arm around their son to steady him while helping him scoop the cereal. “Careful, Lele. Don’t spill it on your pajamas again, okay?”
“I won’t!” Lele said confidently, spooning milk and cereal into his mouth. A few drops still splashed onto Wenlang’s sleeve.
Wenlang laughed, wiping it off with a napkin. “Hmm. You said that yesterday too.”
“That was different!” Lele insisted, puffing his cheeks.
Gao Tu laughed softly, shaking his head. “Different how?”
Lele paused to think, spoon halfway to his mouth. “…Because yesterday the milk attacked me first.”
Wenlang barked out a laugh, while Gao Tu nearly choked on his coffee trying not to. “Oh no,” Gao Tu teased, eyes sparkling. “Poor Lele, always the victim of aggressive milk.”
Lele nodded solemnly, completely serious. “It’s dangerous, Mama.”
“I’ll make sure to protect you next time,” Wenlang said, pressing a kiss to his son’s cheek.
Gao Tu rolled his eyes, though his smile gave him away. “You’re both ridiculous.”
A few minutes later, when Lele was starting to get full, Gao Tu leaned over and offered a spoonful of fruit. “One more bite?”
Lele accepted happily, mouth open wide. “Aah!”
Wenlang grinned. “Hey, where’s mine?”
Gao Tu gave him a deadpan look. “You have two hands, Shen Wenlang.”
“But it tastes better when you feed me,” Wenlang said with mock innocence, leaning closer.
Lele giggled. “Mama, Daddy’s a baby!”
“Exactly,” Gao Tu said, smirking as he held out a spoonful anyway. “Here you go, big baby.”
Wenlang opened his mouth with an exaggerated “aah,” earning laughter from both Gao Tu and Lele.
“So what if I am?” Wenlang said smugly after swallowing, eyes twinkling. “If being a big baby means I get fed by my wife and son, I’ll stay this way forever.”
Gao Tu giggled helplessly, shaking his head.
Wenlang only grinned wider, wrapping his arm tighter around their son.
After breakfast, Wenlang took Lele to the bathroom for his morning shower.
“Come on, Lele. Time to get squeaky clean for your first day,” Wenlang said, lifting him off his chair.
“Can Baozi come too?” Lele asked, holding up his stuffed dinosaur.
Wenlang chuckled. “Baozi can watch and make sure you use enough soap.”
From the kitchen, Gao Tu called out, “No flooding the bathroom this time, please!”
“We won’t!” came Lele’s chirpy voice, followed by the sound of running water and happy humming.
Gao Tu smiled to himself as he started clearing the table. It still made his chest ache, the good kind, to see how attentive Wenlang was as a father. Whatever he could do to make things easier for Gao Tu, he did it without hesitation.
Once, Wenlang had told him, “You already went through so much, Tu. You carried him, raised him, did everything on your own for three years. Let me take care of you both now.”
And for someone like Gao Tu who never knew how to ask for help, who had learned to do everything alone, it meant more than words could ever say.
“Daddy! I’m clean!” Lele’s excited voice rang through the hallway a while later.
Gao Tu peeked into the bedroom just in time to see Wenlang kneeling beside their son, holding up two tiny outfits.
“Okay,” Wenlang said seriously, “Option one: the blue dinosaur shirt with the green shorts. Option two: the yellow overalls with the little bear patch. What do you think, champ?”
Lele tilted his head in deep concentration, one finger on his chin. “Hmm… dinosaurs are cooler.”
“Good choice,” Wenlang said with a grin, helping him into the outfit. The shirt was bright blue with a little cartoon dinosaur on the chest, and his green shorts had pockets big enough to fit his toy.
Lele beamed as Wenlang ruffled his hair. “You look so handsome.”
“Like Daddy?” Lele asked proudly.
“Even better,” Wenlang said with a wink.
From the doorway, Gao Tu watched them with a smile, his heart swelling. The two of them looked so alike—same dark hair, same smile. He couldn’t stop watching as they chatted about school.
“Are you excited to meet your classmates?” Wenlang asked.
Lele nodded eagerly. “I’m gonna make so many friends! I’m gonna tell them about Baozi!”
“Don’t forget to tell them your Mama makes the best omelette,” Wenlang added.
Lele turned to Gao Tu with wide eyes. “Mama! Can I tell them that?”
Gao Tu laughed. “Of course you can, baby.”
Lele giggled and ran to hug him. “You’re the best Mama ever!”
Once Lele was dressed, Gao Tu and Wenlang took turns getting ready, one of them always keeping an eye on their son, who was practically bouncing with excitement.
“Mama, is school fun?” Lele asked as Gao Tu fixed his hair.
“It is,” Gao Tu said, smoothing down the stray strands. “You’ll learn new things and make new friends.”
Wenlang came up behind them, crouching to eye level. “And Daddy will pick you up later, okay? We’ll celebrate after. Maybe get ice cream.”
Lele gasped. “Chocolate?”
“Any flavor you want,” Wenlang said, smiling.
Lele cheered, throwing his arms around both of them. “Best day ever!”
Before leaving, Wenlang pulled out his phone. “We have to take a picture.”
Gao Tu blinked. “Now?”
“Yes, now,” Wenlang said, already holding Lele close and gesturing for Gao Tu to join. “It’s Lele’s first day. We need to remember it.”
Gao Tu sighed fondly and stepped closer. Wenlang held the phone out with one hand, Lele sitting proudly between them, clutching Baozi the dinosaur.
“Say cheese!”
“Cheese!” Lele squealed.
The camera clicked.
When the photo was taken, Wenlang leaned in and kissed Gao Tu softly on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered.
Gao Tu smiled, eyes soft. “I love you too.”
Wenlang rested his forehead against his.
Lele tugged on their sleeves, beaming. “Come on, Mama, Daddy! We’re gonna be late!”
They both laughed, and as they stepped out the door, hand in hand with their son bouncing between them, Gao Tu thought that this was everything he had ever wanted. Everything he’d ever dreamed of having.
They took the long way, yes, but they made it home.