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He knew the other hated it when he lifted her into the air, but he did it anyway, partly because he enjoyed annoying him just for the sake of it, but also because it elicited one of her cutest bubbly laughs. His favorite track in the whole world. So he lifted her again, even though the other side-eyeing him, smiling widely when she giggled excitedly in the air once more. He laughed along with her, twirling her around, cherishing the sound of her joy.
“Be careful!”
He ignored the other's warning and continued spinning her for a while. But he knew better than making her dizzy; he wasn't that irresponsible. He stopped, bringing her close and placing a kiss on her head, running his fingers through the few hairs as he smelled the soft, comforting scent that all babies seemed to have.
She made him so happy. It left him amazed sometimes. There was a tiny life in his arms. Chubby-cheeked, toothless, and filled with endless babbling. Fascinating, beautiful. Kinda everything that mattered in life.
“You're such a pretty little princess, aren't you?” he muttered with a soft smile, pressing his nose against her forehead.
She answered with more of her babbling, making him laugh again.
“Oh, exactly, you're the prettiest,” Keeho chuckled.
He smiled broadly, looking over at the other man, who shot him an annoyed stare as he packed the essentials into the baby bag. It was a task Keeho was forbidden from doing. According to him, he always forgot something important. But in Keeho's opinion, he was the one who packed too much, as if they were embarking on a five-hour journey to another city — not just a thirty-minute visit to a friend’s house, only three blocks away.
But that was just one of the many things they would never see eye-to-eye on. Quite a bunch, truth be told. Still, they’d known their differences since the first day of marriage. And before that, since dating. Even before that, since friendship. Really, since the very day they’d met.
It was okay. They haven't tried to kill each other yet.
“Isn't our daughter pretty, Jiung?” he asked with a pout, pressing his cheek against hers.
The annoyance in the other's expression lessened when his eyes fixed on Jaeyi, his lips twitching and his hands stilling a bit. But when he looked at Keeho again, he pressed his lips into a thin line.
“I’ve already told you to stop with that.”
“With what?” Keeho blinked innocently.
Jiung threw him another stare.
Keeho shook his head, rocking Jaeyi in his arms, “Okay, okay,” he shrugged, "Never doing that again.”
A lie, obviously.
He kept smiling at Jiung.
The other hummed weakly, then went back to packing. He put in another change of clothes for Jaeyi. It was the third one. That made Keeho huff.
“Hey, why didn't you say you are planning on giving our daughter to Taeyang? I would have tried to shove her crib in the trunk of the car,” he said amusedly, approaching Jiung.
Jiung was silent for a moment, seemingly taking a deep breath.
“I just want to be prepared,” he eventually replied.
“I see,” Keeho nodded slowly, seeing him putting the baby formula in the bag too.
He sighed softly as he observed Jiung. Although he thought it was a bit of an exaggeration, it wasn't really worth arguing about. It was Jiung's way of reassuring himself. The way he found to relax.
Keeho looked at Jaeyi, who turned her head to observe what her other father was doing. She did that a lot. Of course, babies were usually quite curious. Ultimately, everything, even a feather floating in the air was something extremely fascinating for someone just beginning to learn about the world. But with Jiung, it was a more focused, special kind of observation. Her eyes seemed to sparkle at every action of his, like he was her favorite thing to watch ever.
He couldn't blame her, could he?
As his lips pressed against his shoulder in a gentle, soft "I'm sorry," Jiung tensed a little. However, he soon relaxed as he turned, Keeho's peace offering being a very adorable baby who was very eager to switch fathers.
Jiung couldn't hold his fond smile anymore. He opened his arms and accepted, bringing her close to him, holding her gently against his chest. He smelled her head and his expression became serene, the atmosphere around him tranquil. The baby effect never failed.
Keeho watched them affectionately, just inches from touching the other's waist. After a few seconds, though, he chose to leave his hands on either side of his body. Just looking was enough.
He exhaled softly after a sec, “But you know, about Taeyang,”
Jiung only raised his eyebrows, without taking his eyes off Jaeyi.
Keeho's lips lifted upward as he lowered his voice, "We need to be careful about him, you know. The last time he babyset, he almost didn't return her.”
Jiung blinked, then pressed his lips together. They remained still for a while, but the other eventually broke, chuckling against Jaeyi.
“I am being serious," he argued, his smile getting wider.
"It's just a visit," Jiung replied, his shoulders trembling.
"Even so," Keeho shrugged, “We get distracted for a sec,” he clicked his tongue, “No more Jaeyi.”
Jaeyi stared at Jiung with wide eyes as he tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back his laughter. The view was just as beautiful as before. She wasn't the only one absorbed in the way his eyes crinkled as he laughed a bit out loud. A little bit too much. It wasn't even that funny but it was more than okay.
“Do we pack her mittens too?”
Even though the weather was clear and kind, he interrupted the other's laugh with the gentlest tone.
Jiung's eyes seemed to soften even more, if possible. As Keeho leaned closer to put it in the bag, there was a slight curve in his lips. Something like gratitude shining in his expression.
“Please,” he nodded.
Jaeyi squirmed, trying to reach his smile with her small hands.
Really, how could he blame her?