Work Text:
↠ 𝟣𝟦.𝟤𝟨𝗉𝗆.
There is a dull ache in his lower back when he wakes up from what must now be his third or fourth nap of the day- he had a baby less than twenty-four hours ago, his body is resting from the labour he endured.
A sigh escapes the back of his throat, barely audible, and he’s greeted immediately by an empty crib. The name Kim-Park Sunmi stares back at him, written on a small sign attached to it. He can’t help but smile.
He isn’t worried as to where she may be, because he is already certain he knows. He turns his head to the left, and is pleased to find his theory is correct.
He’s already somewhat upright, his hospital bed had been moved upward by the Nurse who watched over Sunmi while Hongjoong had helped him to wash and change into his own pyjamas earlier this morning. So he’s not entirely lying down but also not completely sitting up too. The perfect in between, great for both healing and comfort… and napping too, apparently.
Hongjoong is standing in front of the hospital room’s window, half of which is covered by a beige curtain, and their little girl is resting comfortably in his arms. He’s admiring at her with such love in his two brown eyes, Seonghwa feels his heart melt behind his chest as he silently swears he falls in love all over again.
The Alpha’s thumb is caressing up and down the left side of her tiny head, both slowly and carefully. She’s quiet, silent even, and her chest is moving evenly.
Seonghwa asks quietly, “is she asleep?”
Hongjoong nods, his voice is barely above a whisper and the tone of it is honey sweet, “yeah.”
”For how long?”
”Not long after you went to sleep,” Hongjoong briefly glances at the clock on the wall, “so twenty minutes, maybe?”
Seonghwa hums. “Is she settled?”
”I think so. She- sleeping deeply now, I think.”
”Okay,” is the soft reply with a small nod of his head. And then, “I wonder what she’s dreaming about.”
“Something familiar, I think,” the Alpha tells him, “so our voices, maybe.”
Seonghwa’s heart warms. “Our voices?”
”Simpler sensations. Sounds or experiences from the womb that are familiar like warmth or even rocking,” he repeats, “our voices. Babies, especially newborns, spend 50% of their time in REM, or active and deep sleep, which is twice as much as we do.”
The Omega chuckles, his eyes lit with fondness, “you really did remember all that research, huh?”
Hongjoong smiles down at Sunmi. “Of course.”
Seonghwa woke up countless times in the middle of the night to find Hongjoong scrolling on almost every available parenting website. It was endearing to see, completely so, but his Alpha’s lack of sleep did begin to worry him. It turns out Hongjoong was a lot more nervous about parenthood than he was showing.
They had many talks over the last few months of the pregnancy, the couple in private, and the younger’s research continued but he became significantly more confident in his own abilities. They’d basically raised the members of Ateez, from their later teens years, after all.
No parent is perfect, they both know that, mistakes are bound to be made especially since it’s their first- but the two of them will learn together, and work as a team in the same way they usually do.
Their little girl is their entire world, and they’re going to make sure she grows up knowing that fact.
The knowledge they’d be doing this together helped to calm Hongjoong’s nerves too. They promised each other a long time ago that no matter what life threw at them, they’d get through it side-by-side. This is a promise they intend to, and will, keep forever.
”Hwa,” the shorter states not for the first time since their pups birth early last night, “she looks so much like you.”
Without thinking first, “is that a good thing?”
”It is,” Hongjoong nods, “she’s beautiful.”
Seonghwa blinks away sudden building tears.
”Our Sunnie,” Hongjoong slowly guides her closer in order to leave a gentle kiss on her tiny her forehead, “my little star.”
Sunmi’s face contorts for a moment before her eyes open. She blinks a few times and then smiles at her Daddy. Hongjoong sniffles, heart melting.
”Hi, baby,” he says to her, “how was your sleep?”
She wiggles a little in his hold, her smile remains.
The older of the two winces as a wave of discomfort moves through him. Hongjoong, suddenly feeling it through their bond, moves his gaze immediately to the one he loves.
”Are you alright?”
”Yeah,” his eyes slipped closed, “just aching.”
Hongjoong asks him, “is there anything you need?”
”No,” his eyebrows are knitted together, “it’ll pass in a moment.”
Sunmi is wearing a little pout when Hongjoong looks back down at her, it is like she knows something is wrong. He kisses her cheek, and whispers something against her soft skin.
He makes his way over to Seonghwa, settling Sunmi in her hospital crib before standing on his right at his bedside. He leans down and delicately moves strands of dark hair from where they are beginning to fall in front of his mates closed eyes.
Seonghwa leans into the hand that now sits against his right cheek, and he accepts the soft kiss pressed to the tip of his nose. Hongjoong carefully rests their foreheads together, his left thumb now caressing the Omega’s cheekbone.
Hongjoong breathes evenly, and so does Seonghwa. He inhales his Alpha’s scent, the familiarity bringing comfort and dulling the ache inside of him until it’s no more. His face is now relaxed, his shoulders lose their building tension.
Hongjoong asks him, “better?”
Seonghwa tells him, “thank you.”
Hongjoong leaves a fleeting kiss on Seonghwa’s lips before he pulls backward. His left thumb continues to caress his lover’s cheek. Seonghwa’s eyes open.
”The others asked when they could visit-”
”Oh yeah?”
”Yeah,” Hongjoong nods, “just told them that I didn’t know right now, and that I would tell them when we did. I wanted to leave it to you, to decide when you were comfortable with people meeting her and when you were comfortable enough yourself for visitors.”
Seonghwa smiles. “Thank you, hun.”
”Of course,” Hongjoong returns the expression, “I do not want to rush you into something you are not yet ready for. We- we can have some time together first, just the three of us. Whether it be for three weeks or ten.”
Seonghwa hums, reaching his right hand up to curl it around Hongjoong’s left arm, ”I don’t know if we will be able to keep both of our Mothers and Wooyoungie away from her for ten weeks.”
Hongjoong chuckles, the sound makes Sunmi smile. “They’ll be camped on the doorstep together, won’t they?”
Seonghwa turns his head in order to kiss the bottom of Hongjoong’s palm. “I think so.”
Sunmi is the first pup born into their pack, but both Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s older siblings have pups already. Bumjoong has a boy, Seonghwa’s brother is the father of both a girl and a boy.
They babysat many times, which of course they were more than happy to do. Babysitting is actually what helped Seonghwa work up the courage to approach Hongjoong about starting a family of their own. The Alpha was quick to agree, having been thinking of it too.
Their mutual longing came from seeing just how well the other interacted with their niece and nephews.
Hongjoong smiles. “I love you.”
Seonghwa caress Hongjoong’s arm. “I love you too.”
A little whine fills the room, the two of them turn to look at their newborn daughter. Sunmi is watching them, focused.
”Don’t worry, my sweetheart,” Seonghwa says to her, “we love you too.”
Sunmi pouts, the same pout Seonghwa is wearing in most of his own childhood photos.
His heart suddenly aches. ”Joong-”
”I know,” Hongjoong says, “I’ll get her for you.”
Hongjoong turns and approaches their little girl, and she yawns quietly as he picks her up. Her little fists are balled as she stretches out. As she’s placed onto her Papa’s chest, she blinks slowly. She soon melts into the Omega with ease, her mind knows she’ll be at her safest with Daddy and Papa.
”Come sit beside me?”
Hongjoong nods and settles by Seonghwa’s side. His left arm is extended, draped across the tops of the pillows Seonghwa is resting on. Hongjoong then tilts his head to the left, placing the top left corner of his forehead against the right corner of Seonghwa’s one.
Hongjoong asks, “how did you sleep?”
”Wonderfully,” Seonghwa smiles at their sleepy pup.
”Did you dream of anything?”
“Just what I normally dream of.”
”And that is?”
”You,” the taller says, “always you, hun.”
Hongjoong chuckles, heart warm. “I’m flattered.”
Seonghwa hums. “Did anyone come in while I slept?”
”Yeah,” Hongjoong says, “just to confirm we’re okay to head home tomorrow morning so long as nothing changes. Around 11am, I believe.”
”Perfect,” Seonghwa is glad, “I’ve missed our bed.”
Hongjoong kisses his partner’s head. “I know you have.”
The hospital bed is comfy, but not anywhere close to as comfy as their own mattress.
Seonghwa ever so slightly changes the positioning of his right arm. He caresses their daughter’s face with his index finger, lulling her back into dreams. Sunmi hums quietly before her eyes drift closed.
”It’s a lot of work being a baby, huh?”
Hongjoong smiles. “Being carried around and-”
”Stared at?”
”I was going to go for admired, but that works too.”
Seonghwa tells him after a quiet moment, “she’s so little.”
Hongjoong says, “she’s perfect.”
”She is,” the Omega swiftly agrees, “our Sunnie.”
”Perfect,” the Alpha’s voice is gentle as he continues, “just like her Papa.”
Seonghwa feels the centre of his face heat up at the words, and with the careful kiss placed to his cheek comes a new wave of exhaustion. His kind eyes are suddenly heavy.
Hongjoong notices, because of course he does.
”You didn’t sleep long.”
Seonghwa shakes his head. “I’ve already had a few naps-”
Hongjoong curls his left arm upward so it comes off the mattress, running the tips of his fingers through Seonghwa’s dark hair.
”You delivered our pup yesterday, beautiful, you are allowed to sleep. You’re allowed to rest for as long as you need.”
“Are you certain? You had her all last night-”
Because when Sunmi began crying or became fussy in the night, the Alpha had simply kissed Seonghwa’s forehead and told him he had it handled. Seonghwa appreciates it, of course.
”Seonghwa, you kept our baby safe for nine months. You endured so much, everything from the morning sickness to the birth itself. Please, my beautiful love, sleep if you need it. Don't worry about me.”
But he does worry, you see…
”But what about you? You need sleep too. More than just a few broken hours of it.”
“I’ll be alright-”
”Hongjoong,” Seonghwa looks at him, both his eyes shining, “can you rest with us?”
Through a sigh, ”Hwa-”
”They say to try and sleep when the baby does, yes? That doesn’t apply just to one parent. You still need to look after yourself too.”
”I’m really not tired.”
”Your eyes say otherwise.”
Hongjoong does not say anything in response to the words. His brain is finally catching up to how sleepy he actually is.
”Please, honey,” the older rests his forehead against Hongjoong’s jawline, “rest with me, even if it just for a little while. Rest with your Omega and our pup.”
Hongjoong exhales softly, nodding. “I will.”
Seonghwa pulls back, relieved. “You will?”
”Yes,” Hongjoong confirms, “of course I will.”
He knows what Seonghwa is saying is true. He needs to sleep as well in order to help take care of his little family to the best of his abilities.
Seonghwa smiles. “Can- can you pop her in the crib please? And then come and lie with me?”
Hongjoong carefully moves off the hospital bed. The taller places a kiss to Sunmi’s head and then passes her over. Hongjoong cradles the newborn close, and in her sleep she captures one of his left fingers in a small fist.
Seonghwa’s heart melts. ”She’ll be a ‘Daddy’s Girl’, I think.”
Hongjoong smiles down at her. “Yeah?”
”Yeah,” he nods.
Hongjoong asks, “you wouldn’t mind?”
”No,” Seonghwa shakes his head, “I’m sure I’ll get a Papa’s boy or girl eventually.”
Swiftly raising both his eyebrows, the Alpha looks at his mate. “Eventually? You told me yesterday that I wasn’t allowed to knot in you again.”
”Well we both know I didn’t mean that.”
”You seemed pretty certain of it-”
”That was the contraction talking.”
”Was it?”
”Yes.”
”Are you sure, Hwa?”
”Positive.”
Hongjoong chuckles as he looks back down at their Sunmi. She is still sleeping contently. He kisses her head, his kiss sitting beside Seonghwa’s one, before carefully placing her in the hospital crib. She fusses.
”It’s okay,” Hongjoong whispers to her, leaning down a little, “Daddy and Papa will be right here. You have the sweetest dreams now, little star.”
Sunmi’s frown remains until Hongjoong caresses her face again. As soon as he does so, her body relaxes and she’s stretching out before sleeping once more.
Hongjoong pulls backwards and heads over to pull the other side of the curtain closed. He asks, “which side would you like me on?”
”I’ll lie on my right so behind me, please.”
Seonghwa turns to lie on his right side, wincing a bit, now facing their sleeping daughter. If her eyes were open, they would be staring right at each other just like they were doing when they first woke up earlier this morning.
With the room now darker than before, Hongjoong lies on his right side too. His left arm curls carefully over the dip of Seonghwa’s waist, so carefully that it is hesitant.
”You're not going to break me, hun.”
”I know,” is the response, “I just- want to be careful, you know?”
“You think you’re going to hurt me?”
”I might on accident.”
Seonghwa shakes his head, “you won’t.”
”How can you be so sure?”
”Because you have never hurt me, accidental or not. You vowed to never bring me harm, and I do believe that vow. So please, Hongjoong, hold me properly. I missed your touch last night.”
The pack leaders had welcomed their first pup as the sun set at just before 8pm. By 11pm, Seonghwa was asleep and so was Sunmi. Hongjoong stayed on the sofa, watching over them both.
Seonghwa takes Hongjoong’s left hand into his own one. He sits it beneath his chin, the Alpha’s left arm, and his own, is now curled across Seonghwa’s chest. Hongjoong shuffles closer, until his chest is pressed against his Omega’s back.
Seonghwa sighs happily, his eyes closing. “Better.”
Hongjoong kisses the back of his head.
”Oh, and one more thing-”
”Yeah?”
”Thank you.”
Hongjoong is confused. “For?”
”Being with me through it all. You said I endured so much, but I believe you do not give yourself enough credit. It was us who brought her into the world, me and you.”
”But you-”
”Did the harder bit?”
Hongjoong swallows. “Yeah.”
”You kept me safe, so you kept her safe too. You sat with me on the bathroom floor for hours when I felt too sick to even open my eyes, and you sat with me and soothed both myself and her at ridiculous times in the morning when her kicks wouldn’t let me sleep. Those are just two of so many examples.”
A brief pause before the Omega continues:
”So I did the harder bit, but bringing her here was a team effort from start to finish. You were at my side, holding my hand, when we got the positive test, and you did the exact same thing yesterday. You held my hand and helped me through all of the contractions, through the labour. You helped to keep me calm and you did everything you could to ease the pain even if it was only by a little bit. Y-you looked at her as she was placed on my chest, and then the first thing you did was ask if I was okay. You never once, from the first positive test to now, left my side.”
“Hwa-”
”Seeing me in pain hurt you greatly. I could see it on your face and I could feel it too. Yesterday, her birth, was overwhelming for the both of us.”
Hongjoong doesn’t say anything.
”So me and you, we did this together. And if we have any more pups, we’ll bring them here together too. A team, yes?”
”A team,” Hongjoong finds himself sniffling, “always.”
Seonghwa smiles. “I love you, hun.”
”I love you too, beautiful. Thank you for bringing our Sunmi to us. The final step, even though I was right at your side through it, that was you, brave Omega. Your incredible strength.”
Seonghwa feels his body melting into the bed again. ”And thank you, honey, for making it as comfortable as it could be.”
Hongjoong, “being yours is my greatest honour.”
Seonghwa replies, ”and being yours is mine.”
A moment of quiet. Hongjoong places another kiss to the back of Seonghwa’s head.
“Let’s sleep,” Seonghwa suggests, “as we planned to. When we wake, we can hold our child close to us.”
”That sounds like a perfect idea.”
”Rest well, honey,” his voice fades as sleep steadily takes him, “I love you.”
Hongjoong shuffles impossibly closer. Seonghwa, still cradling the hand tucked beneath his chin, threads the tips of their left fingers together.
”I love you too, beautiful,” Hongjoong says, his own breath beginning to even out.
Hongjoong remains awake for five minutes, fighting against the urge to close his eyes. He waits until he’s certain Seonghwa is fast asleep before he kisses his head one last time and sends a small smile over to their sleeping daughter.
He falls asleep alongside the two people he loves the most.
Kim-Park Seonghwa, the one he has loved since they met for the very first time as shy teenagers and who has loved him for the exact same amount of time in return.
And…
Kim-Park Sunmi, the pup born from their love.