Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Fuck you." Sangwon throws over his shoulder, hands fisting in his robes as he climbed up the flight of stairs to the Headmistress' office. 

It's his fault, he always had to do something and ruin every other evening with his pettiness, and Sangwon, god forbid, muggleborn and all, had to bear the brunt of his actions with him. He swears to Merlin one day he'd knock the guy down the stairs when they go up to the office and wouldn't regret it. 

"Real mature." Zhou Anxin says, keeping pace with Sangwon without rushing. Always the put together Pureblood prince. He smiles at Sangwon, challenging, "I told you to ease up on the curses, of course Professor June wouldn't take too kindly with you throwing every dark curse you knew at me. Did you expect me to not retaliate?"

Sangwon takes a deep breath, turning back around so he didn't whip his wand out and curse the other boy again. "You were goading me on purpose." 

One second they were dueling casually, throwing meaningless curses they both knew that were beneath him, the next Zhou says something and Sangwon is so irked, he begins shooting off the worst spells, wordlessly, so no one else hears. Zhou is competent enough to not only block them while pulling up a barrier around them, but also fire his own at Sangwon in turn, keeping up with him brilliantly. 

Just that last thought itself annoys Sangwon again, however much a small part of his brain says he was impressed and grateful that there was atleast one person in Hogwarts who could meet him in the middle like that. He decidedly ignores that little voice. 

"Of course I was." Zhou replies, shrugging. He stops on the same step Sangwon had, still smiling that infuriating smile of his, dimples and all. His eyes spoke something different, because however perfect Hogwarts claimed this Slytherin was, he was a Pureblood (and Heir) at the end of the day. He wouldn't take too kindly to his muggleborn classmate cursing at him, verbally and literally. "I gave you a reason to act the way you did, which definitely proved to be effective, seeing you're not wound so tight now." He leans forward, strands of his hair falling over his forehead at the movement, "why, trouble in paradise? What did your Lee do now?" 

Sangwon ignores him, brushing a hand over the Ravenclaw insignia on his robes, "I hope you're ready to explain to Headmistress McGonagall when she inquires after our outburst in class." 

Zhou waves him away, "we've done this every week over six years, you'd think she's used to us by now." 

Splendid. "It's honestly a surprise you're Head Boy still."

"It's my charm." 

Right. "I'm sure. Real blinding." 

They hear a crash from inside the office as they approach the door, and exchange a glance, withdrawing their wands with an apprehensive look towards the entrance. 

Zhou taps his wand on the golden gargoyle, stepping in front of Sangwon, waiting. 

Sangwon rolls his eyes, easing his way forward so he was beside the other. 

The door slides open from behind the statues and split, and Professor McGonagall stands there, her intimidating eyes trained on them with disapproval and trepidation, and in her arms was a...

...toddler? asleep. 

Sangwon tries to not let his jaw fall. The sight of their headmistress with a baby... he never thought this picture possible before. 

Was their headmistress on babysitting duties? Sangwon smartly doesn't ask after that, "you called us, Professor?" 

She glances down at them through her half-moon glasses, eyes stern. "You keep your wand away, Mr Zhou." 

Zhou smiles apologetically, fully embodying his charming self again. He pockets his wand, "sorry, Professor." 

"Mama!" He exclaims to Sangwon in a happy high-pitched voice that only children could have, stretching his arms, and then looks at Zhou with a beaming smile on his face. "Baba!" 

...?

A beat of stunned silence passes. 

Sangwon must be imagining things. 

"What the fuck," Sangwon mutters mindlessly under his breath. 

It has to speak for the absurdity of the situation that neither Zhou or McGonagall reprimands him for his strong language.

"The child claims... you two are his parents." McGonagall completes with a pained expression, earlier amusement no longer present in her eyes.

The child was still extending his arms towards them, waiting to be held and carried.

He was very animatedly excited, not sensing the tension in the corridor. 

"Mama! Baba!" The child calls again, flapping his arms excitedly. 

Sangwon deliberately doesn't look at Zhou. "I don’t understand." Sangwon says.

But... but, he did. 

He looked at the child closely. Those high cheekbones, the shape of his face and that button nose, the dark wavy hair. Everything about the child was what Sangwon imagined Zhou Anxin would've looked like when he was at this fragile age, the exact same - a thin carbon copy. The child was certainly related to Zhou Anxin. Even Sangwon could see that.

But it was his eyes. His maternal grandmother's and Sangwon's eyes looking back at him. Grey eyes that were surely, undoubtedly Sangwon's. 

Sangwon blinks, floundering uselessly for words he didn't have.

He looks to Zhou and sees him watching the child with an unreadable expression, and even as he feels Sangwon's eyes on him, doesn't turn to acknowledge it. 

"Mama! Carry!" The child all but demands.

Ah, Sangwon thinks. This was definitely Zhou's child.

... There's no way this kid was also his. 

Gave birth to... Zhou's kid? 

He pinches his own waist, wincing when he feels it lucidly. 

Not a dream then.

"He's calling for you, mama." Zhou says amusedly at his side, finally snapping out of whatever trance he was in, arms folded over his chest, a glint in his eyes that Sangwon only knew a little too well.

"Oh, shut up, Zhou," Sangwon says exasperatedly, not amused. "Are you seriously so - " 

The candles strewn along the corridor suddenly stutters wildly. A powerful blast of wind whips through the hallway despite the locked windows, sending smaller objects skittering across the floor.

A flight of raw, uncontrolled magic held the air cautiously. 

The three adults recognizes the source at once, turning back to the source of it.

The child’s lower lip trembles, granite eyes glistening with tears as he looks desperately between them. “Baba! Mama! Carry!”

The air sizzles. 

Sangwon almost pulls out his wand at the threat he feels, even as it naturally coils safely against his skin as though familiar. 

"I suggest one of you carry him before he makes come true a natural disaster to our Castle." McGonagall says calmly, clearly unfazed by the outburst of accidental magic.

Of course, if the 'prodigal' Zhou Anxin and Lee Sangwon reproduced, the kid would be a powerful magical maniac at such a tiny age. 

Sangwon doesn't know whether he was to be impressed or taken aback. 

Zhou Xiyu. 

Sangwon hates himself for thinking about how he probably had to marry his muggleborn ass into the Ancient house of Zhou's Line. Of course, if they had children, they'd take Zhou's name. 

If they even marry. If this kid really was theirs. 

Sangwon was stretching. The eyes and the face - the kid itself, it was theirs. 

Maybe they have split custody.

Maybe this kid was from another universe, and not the future like all of them were thinking. 

Sangwon wrinkles his nose imagining their wedding. He would not be proposing to this guy, Zhou would have to go on his knees in all his pureblood glory and ask for Sangwon's hand instead (which he probably wouldn't ever do, knowing the guy), surely. 

Did they enter a political marriage.

God, no. 

There was no way he - Lee Sangwon, Prefect, The Most Genius Muggleborn of their Age, Straight O's for all their classes in OWL's - entered a political marriage. 

Merlin, he was going to interrogate this kid if it's the last thing he does. 

At least about how they married. Would there be a circumstance in the future where he had to be tied with marriage vows to Zhou? 

Sangwon hates himself again, when he realizes, he doesn't really hate the idea of being married to Zhou, not really. It's only so much unsettling as it's surprising. Since he didn't want to get married at all for a long time, it was... oddly relieving to realize when - if he did, it was Zhou. 

Though it was still not something he was receiving with a welcome heart. 

He would ignore his own mental willingness about this whole affair.

He's yanked out of his thoughts by the harsh pull on his robes and he blinks down at the tiny hand pulling, body stretching out from Zhou's arm, "Mama, carry." His tone was petulant now, as if he couldn't figure out why Sangwon wouldn't carry him. 

"We'll figure out the details later, for now, you three will reside in Mr Zhou's private Head Boy quarters and let no one know about this mishap. No one at all. Terrible things have happened to wizards and witches who meddle with Time, even worse, to people who's gotten involved in it. I will not risk having my students suffer through such an ordeal if I can help it. I expect you two to cooperate." McGonagall instructs them, unbothered by how Sangwon was struggling against the unbelievably tight grip his apparent child had on him. "If this truly as we're to believe is a time-travelling incident, then it is best known by very little people, lest we affect the original timeline." 

Sangwon resigns to it and lets Zhou place the kid into his arms. Zhou keeps his hold on even as Sangwon wraps his hands and arm carefully around the toddler, and Sangwon understands why because Xiyu was a bit more heavier than he looked.

He nudges Zhou, gesturing for him to let go after he adjusts to the kid's weight and Zhou moves away. 

McGonagall patiently watches, waiting. She explains further and warns them of the consequences that would spring forth of this encounter and how it would be messed up if anyone else were to see Xiyu too - in a more graphic detail than Sangwon felt comfortable with, seeing there was a child present. An intelligent one at that.

She tells them to stay in Zhou's private space until the kid is back, safe in his own time. They agree and quieten, she gives them a long look, "You two..." Both of them straighten again, Xiyu perks up, one hand in Sangwon's hair now, tugging with a stronger grip than should be possible to such a tiny toddler, to Sangwon's despair. "Do I suppose congratulations are in order?" 

Sangwon grimaces around a smile. Zhou - Sangwon really was thankful for how practiced the Slytherin was raised to behave in socially awkward instances sometimes - nods with a tight smile, "I wouldn't say so, Professor, seeing as we know near to nothing about the entire matter. Thank you, nonetheless." 

"You're welcome," McGonagall simpers, "now to your private room before class disperses and the students see you and little Zhou Xiyu." She reaches out to swipe a gentle finger across the little boy's cheek. Her eyes twinkle when she adds with a purposeful look over to Sangwon and Anxin, "such powerful genes." 

Sangwon wills away the heat rising up his ears, turning on his feet with a muttered 'thanks', only for politeness' sake. 

Xiyu digs his face into Sangwon's neck, humming a tune Sangwon was very familiar with and it makes his heart pound a little, one hand still fisted in his hair. 

He only peeks out when Sangwon starts to descend the stairs, "Baba?" 

Zhou appears at his side, holding up a hand, "right here, little one." Xiyu giggles, reaching out a tiny hand which Zhou takes with an easy smile. 

Great.

Zhou Anxin - in all his glory, perfect at everything or so the rumours say - was just as perfect with kids too. 

Sangwon would have a swell time looking after a baby and rooming with his favourite Slytherin in the Castle for Merlin knows how long. 

Note the sarcasm. 

☾

Sangwon sets down a sleeping Xiyu on the mattress, trying to pull back and unable to with the boy's hand still clenched within Sangwon's hair strands. He sends a desperate glance up at Zhou, who was standing on the other side of the queen sized bed, watching with a keen eye. 

Sangwon bites on his tongue, "would you please...?" 

Zhou smiles at him, one knee on the bed and moving towards them, "since you asked so nicely." He leans in by Xiyu's and Sangwon's face, his breath warm against Sangwon's cheek, carefully removing Xiyu's fingers. 

Sangwon doesn't waste any time, sitting up on the bed before waving his wand at the empty space below the bed, stating a simple, "I'll take the floor," he transfigures the lamp into a mattress similar to the one back in his dorm, using the book to turn it into a pillow. He only gets up when Xiyu blinks his eyes open, looking wide awake when he sees Sangwon folding himself to lay down on the mattress on the floor. 

There was a flicker of different emotions on Xiyu's face as he processes Sangwon's position away from himself. 

Sangwon slowly looks to Zhou, to see the other boy seemed equally unimpressed as Xiyu looked to be, by the way his face was pinching. 

"You insult me." Zhou says flatly, arms folded across his chest. 

Sangwon doesn't get to ask what he meant by that because Xiyu lets out a cry of despair, "Mama, bed!" He flails with a whimper, and Sangwon quickly rises to sit on the bed again, "Bed! Sleep!" 

"Shh, yes, oh god - yes, yes." Sangwon waves a hand over his body and his outer robes and shoes vanishes off of him, reappearing to land on the back of Zhou's chair. He shifts uncomfortably in his dress shirt, wondering how he would move his belongings from his dorm to Zhou's room without anyone noticing. He lays down sideways next to the toddler, holding himself up with an elbow, one hand patting on Xiyu's chest. The boy looks up at him with bright eyes, "I'm here, right here." 

"Clearly he has more sense, got it from me rather than you, I suppose." Zhou comments offhandedly as he went, tone dry. He removes his robes and levitates it to his cabinet. He does the same with Sangwon's robes, letting it hang beside his inside the large wardrobe. Sangwon's boots disappear behind the cabinet with a flick of Zhou's wand. He heads over to the restroom with a robe bag in hand, returning changed out of his uniform in silk and comfortable. 

Zhou charms his couch over to the bed, settling down with a book in hand. Sangwon wasn't surprised to see the Slytherin just happened to have with him a book on Time Travels & Deductions: A Tale with him. 

Sangwon gives him a long look, annoyed. 

Xiyu wasn't asleep yet, even with the soft pats Sangwon placed over his chest. Xiyu frowns, looking just as stubborn as Zhou did sometimes during after-hour classes. He sets his blazing grey eyes, impossible it may be for a toddler to look so grave, at Zhou. "Baba." 

Zhou flinches at the address, barely, his face a straight soft smile when he looks down at the kid, "yes?" 

Xiyu was so oddly expressive. Sangwon peers down at his... son and clearly surmises that Xiyu wasn't so happy right now. It was almost reprimanding. Sangwon was glad he wasn't at the other end of it. "Bed." 

Sangwon tells himself he wasn't surprised. 

Zhou nods, "of course, I just need to read something before I join you." 

Xiyu frowns harder at his 'father' (Sangwon winces mentally at the thought), "and Mama. Me and Mama." 

Zhou smiles, and it's a little tight. Sangwon knew the other enough to know when his smiles weren't so genuine. "Obviously." 

"Now." 

Zhou is an idiot. "No." 

"Baba." 

A moment of terse silence before, "Zhou Xiyu." 

"Baba." 

"No, sweetheart, I have to read on this - " 

Xiyu obviously didn't give a fuck about what Zhou wanted to do. "Baba, no."

Sangwon mutters under his breath about dramatic Zhou's. 

Xiyu doesn't relent for a second, "bed. Mama and me, now." 

"He takes after you after all." Sangwon reminds him, laying down properly now, scooting closer towards the baby. 

Xiyu's voice raises, shrill, at the verge of another outburst, "Baba."

"Zhou, just lay down, it's just a bed. Are you to argue with the child late into the evening when we should be sending him to sleep?" Sangwon asks, quite done with their back and forth. There was a slight headache behind his eyelids, he wanted to sleep if he could, thanks.

Zhou places his book on the nightstand, rolling his eyes, "it's my bed, I was going to anyway." He pulls the comforter up, and lays at Xiyu's other side, holding himself frigidly with one hand on Xiyu's shoulder. "Anxin." 

Sangwon lifts his head, his chest weirdly twisting seeing how Zhou looked as he laid back on the pillow, hair dried and smoothly curled, face less... guarded, "hm?" 

"We're to raise this child - who's apparently our child, though it might never come to be, 'till Merlin knows when. You calling me 'Zhou' through it all is distasteful." He looks at Xiyu, smiling cheekily, letting go of his earlier reservations. He tickles Xiyu's nose with a finger, "what does Mama call me usually, A-yu?" 

"Xinnie!" Xiyu replies happily. 

God save him. 

Sangwon sinks his head into the pillow, feeling his face heat up. He won't address that. However he was in the future or in another universe wasn't him now, "hush now." 

"Okay, Sangwon-ah." Anxin says readily, voice full of laughter, still very obviously amused at the 'Xinnie' nickname or whatever.

Sangwon bristles, the words, 'that's hyung to you - ' at the tip of his tongue, and he feels a strange temptation to hold the blanket to his chin, to hide. He pushes those traitorous thoughts away. 

Sangwon was very tempted to ask Xiyu what Anxin called him, but he wasn't going to stoop down to the Slytherin's level.

... yet. 

Xiyu places both his hands on both of theirs on his tiny body, "kiss!" It's almost comical how both Anxin and Sangwon whip to stare at each other. "Kiss 'Chiyu!" 

Sangwon feels his bones relax and he smiles, pecking Xiyu's round cheeks. Anxin does the same on Xiyu's head. 

Xiyu being so endearing the way he was helped Sangwon come to terms with this situation greatly. 

He doesn't know how they were both pretending it was so normal. But he suppose if anyone, Sangwon and Anxin has always been so easily adaptive. 

"Now Mama and Baba too!" Xiyu announces with a beam. 

Sangwon tries to not scream.

Is this truly his child?!

"Kiss? No?" Xiyu repeats in a smaller voice. He frowns at how quiet they both go, "... No kiss...?" 

Zhou - Anxin leans over Xiyu, raising a brow at Sangwon who doesn't move. 

"Always kiss and sleep." Xiyu recites as if practiced, blinking. "No kiss, no sleep." 

There is no way Sangwon taught him that. It has to have been Zhou Anxin or whatever variant of Anxin that existed somewhere in the universe. 

Sangwon averts his gaze from the kid to Anxin, who shrugs, lips twitching, "it's just a kiss, Lee Sangwon." A jab at Sangwon's 'it's just a bed' earlier, surely. This bastard always did hold a grudge. 

Sangwon receives it when Anxin kisses him at his upper lip, pulling away just as fast as it came. He barely felt the touch at all. 

Xiyu looks from Anxin to Sangwon, slow, "Baba... Baba weird." He settles on at last. 

"I'm weird?" Anxin asks, looking offended. 

"Baba kiss Mama more, more, ev' night. More smile." Xiyu moves towards Anxin, nesting in deep into Anxin's chest, clutching a fist to his silk nightwear. Anxin's expression softens, "Mama, Baba... fighting?" 

Anxin gives Sangwon a look, and Sangwon returns it. 

What was he supposed to do about their future selves eating each other in front of their toddler before bed? Sangwon was not doing that with this Anxin right now no matter what their child demands. 

"No, sweetheart, we're just tired." Anxin lies easily. "Let's sleep." 

Xiyu makes a noise. He reaches a tiny hand out to find Sangwon and Sangwon moves closer, pushing himself down the mattress so his head was in level with Xiyu. He didn't want to see how Anxin was looking at him right now. 

His chest already felt a bit out of sorts. 

"Night'night, Mama. Baba." Xiyu whispers affectionately. 

"G'night." Sangwon replies. 

"Good night." Anxin follows up. 

What an odd day, Sangwon thinks, as he drifts off.

He thinks he feels a hand land softly on his hair, brushing once before lifting away. 

Xiyu's even breathing sends him to sleep before he knows it. 

☾