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British heat is different, their fans weren’t lying when they’d warned them of that, because despite the lack of sun in the sky, the London air remains thick with a humidity only described as ‘uncomfortable’.
Mingi’s currently backstage, thirty minutes after their Hyde Park set had concluded, hiding in the bathroom as his heart has started to race a little too quickly for his liking.
His eyes fall closed while he focuses on breathing, on steadying his shoulders and the trembling of both his hands. His hands locate the thick counter of the sink, wrapping around the front edges of the fake marble.
He leans forward, sweat slides down his back.
He breathes.
In for four seconds, and then out again for five.
And repeat.
The way he’s been doing it for years now, the way he knows works every time without fail. While alone, it’s a process that takes a small bit longer to get through than if he were to be with someone else.
He knows this.
He tries not to let it frustrate him, the way his efforts so far seem to be in vain, but it doesn’t work.
In for four seconds, and then out again for five.
His heart beats faster beneath his chest as he screws his facial features up. A soft whine leaves the back of his throat, his knuckles becoming more pale when he tightens the grip he has on the sink counter.
Mingi feels his tummy knot. His eyes fly open, alert.
For a brief moment, he’s worried he may throw up.
Lingering adrenaline and anxiety mix with each other in his body- neither much appreciate the presence of the other. They mix unkindly.
And suddenly, breathing is much harder.
His right hand makes it’s way to his sweaty neck, the collar of his black t-shirt suddenly far too tight. Mingi pulls at it, only to be met by resistance.
The fabric is too strong, and he can’t help but sob.
A dry noise which makes his entire body tremble.
A dry sound that scratches the back of his throat and leaves it momentarily hoarse. A sound that makes all the knotting in his tummy tighten.
But then there is a knock on the door. A firm, yet still gentle, disruption to the tension within his shoulders. Mingi looks over at the green door, right hand resting on the counters corner again.
The door’s slightly chipped in some spots from many, many years of use and travelling around. A hook’s on the back of it for bags, jackets, and the other objects someone may wish to hang up.
A muffled voice he’d recognise anywhere, “Mingi?”
He sniffles. “Y-Yunho?”
Yunho’s gentle voice is laced with developing concern for the one he loves. “Yeah, sweetheart, it’s me,” and after a brief pause, “are you okay?”
Mingi shakes his head, hiccuping. “N-no.”
Yunho is silent for a short period of time, a second or two that feel more like years. Eventually, he wonders aloud, “are you near the door?”
The Omega nods, not offering any verbal reply to the question. Then his eyes move to the, relatively, clean mirror above the sink. He stares at his reflection, but it only makes him feel worse. There’s dark red circles around his eyes and dampness on his cheeks.
And the paleness of his skin-
he hadn’t been this pale earlier, had he?
”Mingi?”
He gasps low, lungs aching.
”I cannot see you at the moment, my Min,” it is not a scolding, not in the slightest. A gentle reminder, “you need to use your words, please.”
Mingi drags his hands upward. He buries the bottoms of his palms into his watery eyes, silently begging for his tears to stop. They don’t.
”Min,” the older’s tone of voice stays patient, just like it always does, “I know it’s hard, Princess, but I need you to use your voice for me. Just like earlier, yeah?”
Exhaling shakily, Mingi’s hands drop to his sides.
Yunho asks again, “are you near the door?”
Mingi sniffles. And finally, “y-yeah.”
A sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders loosening a little bit. “Okay,” he nods, “that’s good, sweetheart. Do you think you can open the door for me?”
The younger asks, “is it j-just you out there?”
Yunho hums and says, “it’s just me.”
”Are y-you sure?”
Yunho turns and glances around their backstage area now free of the supporting artists and dancers… well, all except Taemin. He had decided to stick around for a little while. None of them minded.
Seonghwa is talking to Taemin. They’re stood near to where Hongjoong, as well as a few staff, are cleaning up all equipment used through their performance. Of course, Hongjoong does not notice Seonghwa’s gaze, one full of fondness, continuously move over to him.
Both Yeosang and Jongho are hiding in their dressing room and have been for a while. Most likely, they are curled up on the sofa in there napping together.
Wooyoung and San, after getting changed into comfy clothes, went to see if one of the festival’s food spots was left open for them as promised. It was.
Yunho spots them coming back. Wooyoung is holding a portion of chips in his right hand whilst feeding San some of them with the wooden fork in his left one.
They sit opposite each other at a wooden picnic table to eat. Wooyoung continues to feed San tenderly, the Alpha watches him as if falling in love all over again.
It’s a good job Taemin doesn’t bat an eyelid.
Yunho turns back to the door. “It’s just me.”
And just for certainty, “you pr-promise?”
His heart falls. “I promise, Princess, I do.”
He sniffles. ”Okay.”
With a trembling right hand, Mingi swiftly reaches for the silver door lock. It’s faded too, worn due to many different hands touching it. He pulls it to the right-
his breath catches when the lock does.
A panicked, “Y-Yun!?”
”Yeah?”
”It g-got stuck.”
”The lock?”
More tears fall, “y-yeah.”
”Okay,” the Alpha nods, keeping his voice steady. He, and Hongjoong on a separate occasion, so nearly got stuck in this exact same toilet earlier. Mingi had been watching Raiden at the time. “Push it forward a small bit and then drag it back again. It should unstick.”
Mingi nods, repeating the given instructions over and over again within his own mind. They replay inside of his mind like tracks on broken record players. Push it forward a small bit, and then drag it back again.
He takes a breath, and he does it.
Push it forward a small bit,
and then drag it back again.
The door unlocks with a gentle ‘click’, he immediately gasps softly in relief.
He takes a couple steps backward, watching the door open to allow a piece of moonlight into the room he’s in. The door creaks while it’s pulled open fully, and in the blink of an eye, Yunho steps inside.
Mingi watches Yunho close the door behind him, then he quickly locks it afterwards. Keeping the world out, keeping his entire world in there with him.
Yunho turns, his heart falling immediately.
Mingi’s face is soaked with tears that still fall, and his pair of shoulders rise and drop in a stuttered manner . There is an alertness in his red eyes.
Fear.
Panic.
His voice is quiet, “Mingi?”
And all he can think to say is, “I’m s-sorry.”
”Oh, no,” Yunho shakes his head, taking a step closer in order to cradle Mingi’s face delicately in his hands. “No, Princess, don’t be sorry.”
Mingi melts under the touch so familiar, so safe, eyes falling closed. Another sob leaves his body, and while it does, Yunho blinks away his own forming tears.
It never gets easier, seeing Mingi like this.
“You don’t need to be sorry, Min, never about this.”
Mingi’s hands curl around his boyfriend’s wrists. “I d-don’t know what h-happened.”
An encouraging, ”what do you mean, sweetheart?”
”I w-was fine, and- and then it all went wr-wrong.”
Yunho settles a gentle kiss on to the centre of Mingi’s forehead. “Oh, Princess-”
The Omega feels his shoulders tighten.
His chest too, and his lungs burn.
Mingi shakes his head. “I c-can’t br-breathe, I-”
Yunho’s voice is kind. “I know, Princess, I know. And I know it is scary, but we’re going to get you through this just like we do every other time, okay? Together, me and you. Just us. Nobody else.”
Mingi sobs heavily, Yunho’s heart cracks further.
”Nice and slowly, sweetheart,” he guides the younger man whilst carefully resting their foreheads together, “in for four, out for five.”
Mingi’s breath catches.
A quiet repeat of, “nice and slowly.”
Mingi lets the spoken words sit in his mind, lets them sink in, before following them. He shakily breathes in for four seconds, exhaling for five.
”Good,” Yunho praises, “keep going.”
He does it again. In for four, out for five.
On the third time, the inhale gets stuck.
Mingi’s whole body reacts, shuddering violently.
”Hey, it’s okay,” Yunho speaks softly, forgetting about the rushing of his own heartbeat, “just try again, it is okay. We’re in no rush, it’s just us.”
Mingi’s tears fall with a frustrated, “I c-can’t!”
”You can,” the older assures him, tenderly starting to caress across Mingi’s cheekbones with the both of his thumbs. He wipes away the tears as fast as they fall, hating how fast they fall. “I know you can.”
I know you can.
Another way of saying the words: I believe in you.
Mingi’s tear-filled eyes open, the world around him is nothing but a blurry bubble. He blinks a couple times in order to clear his vision, Yunho brushes the tips of their noses together.
A whisper, “I love you.”
And Mingi’s heart aches.
”So much,” Yunho continues, “all of you.”
He can’t help but ask, “even th-this?”
”Even this,” the answer is swift, “especially this.”
Its rather overwhelming to hear, even if it is not their first time having this conversation, in the best way.
Yunho loves him, every part of him.
The parts which might’ve scared someone else away, all the parts which Mingi himself does not necessarily like, the parts that some may describe as ‘broken’.
All parts he himself sometimes describes as ‘broken’.
But whenever he is feeling ‘broken’, the same person is always there, without fail, to help put him together again one patient word or action at a time.
No matter the time of day, and no matter where they may be- whether they are together or apart- Yunho’s always there in some way.
Face-to-face, a phone call, a text, video chat.
Mingi wants to tell Yunho that he loves him too.
He loves him more than anything else in the world.
But those words get trapped in the back of his throat the second he opens his mouth to say them, so what leaves his body instead is just a heavy sob.
Yunho shushes him softly. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
The panic he is still feeling weighs heavy inside of his shoulders, his heart, his aching lungs.
”Breathe, sweetheart,” Yunho guides him once again, continuing to brush away his tears, and continuing to keep his promise of forever being there with him. “In for four, out for five.”
Mingi’s eyes fall closed, face contorting a little.
”Nice and slowly. We’ve got time.”
In for four seconds, out for five.
In for four seconds. He breathes in slowly.
Our for five. He exhales in the same manner.
And he repeats.
Breathe in for four seconds, and then out for five.
”Good,” Yunho smiles small, “well done, sweetie.”
Sweetie. That’s a new one.
The grey clouds sitting within Mingi’s head eventually thin out. The ache in his head numbs a small bit. The rise and fall of his shoulders becomes more steady.
”Just a few more,” the tallest promises, “you’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you.”
Just a few more. He can do that.
He can do that.
And he does.
Mingi’s heart slows down to a beat more manageable for him- not quite calm, but not panicky either.
The tension in is body begins to float away.
He reopens his eyes to find the world is not so blurry anymore. He blinks still, and straight away feels as if he’s been punched in the tummy.
He pulls his head back. “Y-Yunho?”
”Yeah?”
”Y-you’re crying.”
Yunho tilts his head to the side, confused. “I-”
Mingi’s face falls impossibly further. “You’re crying.”
Yunho is silent for a moment. And then he shakes his head with a small, “I’m okay.”
”No,” Mingi shakes his head, “you’re not.”
“Min-”
”What’s wrong?”
Yunho kisses his forehead. “I’m okay.”
He squeezes the older’s wrists. ”Yunho-”
A whisper on the Omega’s forehead, “I just don’t like seeing you sad.”
Mingi sniffles. “I’m sorry I made you s-”
”It’s not your fault.”
With that being spoken, Yunho pulls back to look the other in the eyes. Mingi keeps their gazes connected, and he asks:
“Do you n-need a hug?”
Yunho chuckles damply. “That’d be nice.”
Mingi nods. “I need one too.”
”I was going to ask-”
“I know.”
And in a split second, they’re holding each other.
Yunho holds Mingi closely, and Mingi is holding Yunho in the same way. Safe, protective. Warm. Yunho then turns his head to place a kiss to the side of Mingi’s.
“Are you okay?”
The Omega nods weakly in response to the question, burying his face deeper into Yunho’s neck. Searching for something, sniffing for that familiar scent.
When he finds nothing, due to the scent blockers the eight of them have to wear while on active schedules or in public, he whines.
”I know,” Yunho frowns, “I’m sorry, Princess.”
Mingi pulls backward, their limbs becoming their own again. “Don’t like it.”
”I don’t either.”
Mingi asks, hopeful, “can you take it off?”
Yunho slowly shakes his head. “I can’t.”
Mingi sniffles. “But-”
A gentle, “you know I can’t.”
A fresh, warm tear slips down his face while he turns his gaze downward. A barely audible, “okay.”
Guilt consumes him. “Mingi-”
Mingi shakes his head, wiping his eyes.
An honest, ”you know I would if I could-”
Mingi nods, offering no verbal reply.
The older of the two sighs quietly, bringing his hands up to hold Mingi’s face again. He guides the shorter’s head, and gaze, upward. Their eyes meet.
Mingi hums, “sweetie.”
Yunho questions, lightly amused, “sweetie?”
”You called me that earlier.”
Yunho blinks, smile fading, “oh.”
”I like it,” Mingi tells him, “it’s nice.”
”You think so?”
”Yeah,” the Omega nods, “it’s like sweetheart.”
Yunho smiles. “My sweetheart.”
The centre of Mingi’s face heats up.
”My Mingi. My Princess. My Omeg-”
But Yunho stops himself before he’s able to finish, an immediate glint of hurt appearing in his eyes. Mingi’s able to recognise it immediately.
He offers a gentle smile. “Your Omega.”
Yunho swallows nervously. “Mingi-”
Mingi’s hands settle on Yunho’s hips. “My Alpha.”
Even if it’s not official just yet, even if they’re not yet officially mated, they are still each other’s.
They’ve always been each other’s.
Even before they were dating, before a courting, and even before they helped each other when heat or rut would accidentally slip through their suppressants.
It’s not often Alpha’s bring courting gifts for dating.
Most wait until the lead up to official mating.
Yunho didn’t wait. Neither did Hongjoong.
San and Jongho didn’t either.
There’s only one mated pair in Ateez, being the older two members of the pack. Hongjoong and Seonghwa mated the morning of New Years.
Yunho longs to change this fact soon, he has plans to change it soon, but he needs to speak to Hongjoong, and to Mingi’s parents, about it first.
His chest warms, nodding. “My Omega.”
Mingi sends him a smile, face heated. “Yunho…”
He hums to show he’s listening.
And finally he can say, “I love you.”
Yunho places a kiss to his nose. “I love you too.”
”Thank you,” he breathes, “for helping me.”
”You don’t need to thank me, Princess.”
”I do,” Mingi nods, “it- you mean so much to me.”
Yunho’s hands move to Mingi’s shoulders. “You mean so much to me too. More than you could ever know.”
Mingi raises his eyebrows, playful. “Oh really?”
Yunho hums, “really.”
A moment of silence settles over the couple. The soft humming of the toilet’s light can be heard, as well as laughter from outside that sounds oddly witch-like…
And, unmistakably, Yeosang’s yell of despair.
”Shall we go back to our dressing room?”
Mingi nods, “please. I’m just going to splash my face with water first. Trying not to look so, um, crazy.”
Yunho shakes his head. ”You don’t look crazy.”
”I probably do.”
”No. Not even a little bit.”
Curiosity. ”Oh? How do I look then?”
A fond, “beautiful.”
Mingi’s neck burns. “Beautiful?”
”You always look beautiful.”
”Well,” the shorter affectionately squeezes the older’s hips, “aren’t you just so adorable?”
A playful grin, “I do try.”
They share a small kiss before Yunho steps backward to allow Mingi space to wash his face with cool water. When he’s done, Yunho leads them out of the stall.
They are greeted by Yeosang curled on the floor with Wooyoung desperately trying to cuddle into him. The younger of the pair’s fighting against his best friend’s attempts to push him away.
And then there’s Seonghwa. Fussing over the both of them, attempting to get Wooyoung off Yeosang as he makes sure the latter in question is alright.
Both San and Jongho watch on amused.
Hongjoong is still cleaning.
”Love me, Yeosangie, show me you love me!”
”I don’t love you! Get off me, ugly face!”
A horrified gasp, “I am not ugly, you bitch!”
Yeosang shrieks, “Hwa-hyung, he called me a bitch!”
Taemin is no longer around, so Yunho securely wraps his left hand over Mingi’s right one. He takes the pair of them through comfy, blue beanbags, picnic tables, and white plastic chairs that were used but never put back where they originally came from.
Yunho opens their door, stepping to the side to allow, as always, Mingi into their dressing room first. Yunho quickly drags the door shut behind himself, locking it once they are both inside.
Mingi’s rubbing his eyes when Yunho turns to him.
”Do you have your glasses with you?”
He nods. ”Yeah, why?”
”The contacts are probably irritating your eyes now.”
Mingi asks, dropping his hands, “because I cried?”
”Partly. And because you’ve had them in all day.”
He exhales, “right.”
Yunho hums. “Take them out, I’ll get your glasses?”
”Alright,” he nods appreciatively. “Thank you. They’re in my bag, in a-”
”-an anime case in the front pocket.”
Mingi blinks. “How did you-”
”That’s where you always put them.”
With no additional words, Mingi watches Yunho going to the very back of their dressing room, trailer really, to find two bags resting side-by-side on the sofa.
When Yunho unzips the younger’s bag, Mingi turns to walk toward the makeup chair where a square mirror is located above the desk.
He takes a few sips from a full water bottle.
Yunho’s voice, “Min?”
Mingi looks at him, putting the bottle down.
”Catch?”
Mingi nods, getting ready by bringing his hands up.
Yunho tosses the container used for contact lenses to him. Mingi catches it with ease.
The blonde smiles, “nice catch.”
Mingi blushes with a bashful, “thanks.”
Yunho returns to finding the glasses, and Mingi takes out his contact lenses one at a time. He is careful, he is slow, his fingers close to his eyes still makes him a little queasy even now.
He closes the lid of the contact box. Then, he squints at the mirror, at his own reflection, realising now just how bad his eyesight is.
“Found them,” Yunho says.
”I can’t see shit.”
”No, Min,” the blonde chuckles, “you can’t.”
”I didn’t realise it was this bad.”
”Maybe you need another checkup?”
”No.”
”No?”
”They get too in my space, too close to my face.”
”Well,” he wanders over, “that’s their job, sweetie.”
”It’s like the dentist.”
Yunho stands behind him. “The dentist?”
”Stupid.”
Yunho rolls his eyes. “Gosh, you’re dramatic.”
He frowns, tilting his head backward to look up at his partner. “I’m not.”
Yunho slides Mingi’s glasses onto the latter’s face. “Is this better?”
Mingi considers after blinking. “A bit.”
His hands rest on the corners of the back of the chair his boyfriend is on. ”Only a bit?”
Mingi shrugs. “Things far away can get blurry.”
”How often?”
”I don’t know.”
Yunho nods, leaning down to kiss Mingi’s forehead. A soft, “definitely time for a checkup then.”
Mingi pouts. “But I thought you loved me?”
”I do, so very much, and so that is why your health’s very important to me too.”
Mingi sighs. “I don’t like the opticians.”
”I know, but you have to see them.”
”I don’t have t-”
”You do if your eyes are getting worse.”
Mingi rolls his eyes with a huff of, “fine.”
A second of quiet.
The younger asks, “can you come with me?”
Yunho chuckles, nodding. “I am certain we can figure it out.”
Mingi hums, tilting his head forward. “Thank you.”
Yunho kisses the top of Mingi’s head. “Of course.”
A knock at the door captures their attention, the pair turning to the source of the sound at the exact same time. It’s quiet, and then there’s another knock.
Seonghwa’s voice, ”Yunho? Mingi?”
Mingi mumbles, “I’m not helping him with Wooyoung and Yeosang. I got bitten last time.”
Yunho smiles, amused. “I’m pretty sure he’s here for something else,” he says while wandering toward the door.
Leaning back in the chair, “he better be.”
Yunho opens the door. “Hey.”
”Hi,” Seonghwa says with a smile, “you’re needed.”
The blonde freezes, hoping he heard wrong. “Me?”
”Yeah,” the oldest nods, “with me.”
He clears his throat. “What, um, what for?”
”A video.”
”A video?”
”A post-performance interview, Yunho. The final clips for the documentary we’re doing about today.”
Yunho’s tummy twists. “Oh, um-”
Seonghwa turns his head to the left, more concerned than anything else. “Is there an issue?”
Yunho glances back at Mingi immediately, only to see the other man already watching him. Mingi is playing with the bottom of his t-shirt.
”Is,” he looks at Seonghwa, “there anybody else who can do it instead?”
”I can ask, but I’m not s-”
Mingi’s voice, ”you can go.”
Yunho looks at him. “Princess, I-”
Mingi directs his words towards the other Omega. “It is just a short video?”
Seonghwa nods. “Ten minutes tops, Mingi-ya.”
Without thinking, ”I had a panic attack, hyung.”
Seonghwa’s face falls immediately. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Is there anything we can do t-”
”Just bring Yunho back quickly? Please?”
Seonghwa sends him a gentle smile. “I can do that.”
Mingi forces one back. “Thank you.”
Yunho wonders, “will you be okay on your own?”
An honest, “I think so.”
”Okay,” he connects his and Seonghwa’s gazes, “can, um, can we have a minute first, please?”
”Of course. Take all the time you need.”
Yunho thanks him with a polite bow, Seonghwa steps backward so that Yunho can close the door again. He does not lock it this time.
Mingi’s standing when their eyes meet.
Yunho settles both his hands on Mingi’s hips when he is close enough to, guiding him closer. The shorter of the couple allows himself to be pulled, loosely curling his arms around Yunho’s neck.
His hands fold together behind the blonde’s head.
Yunho asks, ”you sure you’ll be okay?”
The dark haired man nods. “Yeah.”
”And if you’re not?”
”I’ll find you, or someone else, I promise.”
”Good,” Yunho whispers, “I love you.”
A mirrored whisper, “I love you too.”
Yunho’s gone for fifteen minutes total.
Mingi sorts his own bag, tidying away clothing pieces they still have lying around. The padding that he and the other group Omega’s, being Seonghwa, Yeosang, also Wooyoung, sometimes wear during schedules to make them seem- less Omega-like sits at the bottom so it’s hidden.
Sometimes meaning they sneakily do not wear them each time they’re meant to, by the way.
It goes in their underwear, sticks to the base of it, its awful due to it always feeling as if it is slipping out of place. Sometimes, he needs to hold on to it so that it doesn’t move anymore.
And then everyone thinks he’s holding his dick.
He doesn’t even have a dick.
It is just padding, a shape over his real genitalia. For their safety, according to the manager, so rumours of sub-genders don’t surface like they’ve done before.
They’ve worn them for years, since they began rising in popularity. The moment Mingi is able to take it off, he does. It makes him cringe at some concert videos when he sees just how there it can be.
Mingi tidies up the sofa pillows. Yunho was lying here earlier with a headache, pillows over his face to keep out the sun still coming into the trailer despite all the blinds having been closed. Mingi was next to him, on the floor, with cold water while massaging the side of Yunho’s head with his left hand.
Migraines. Yunho’s having them on and off.
Mingi’s glad today didn’t go that far.
He fetches the contact lenses case to place it into his bag too. The door opens while he’s zipping it up.
His shoulders tense. ”Yun?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” and it’s immediately comforting.
He breathes a sigh of relief. “Good.”
The door closes. ”Sorry it took longer than expected, Princess, staff were leaving and they’d wanted to say goodbye.”
”It’s okay,” Mingi tells him, “I’m just glad you’re back now.”
Yunho hums. “It’s- it’s quiet outside.”
Mingi looks at him. ”Oh?”
”Like- like in the actual park.”
”You mean outside the festival areas?”
”Yeah,” the oldest nods. “I was thinking we could get something to eat and find a bench or picnic table?”
Mingi considers, heart warming at the idea. “Just the two of us?”
Yunho smiles. “That’s what I was hoping for.”
Blushing, Mingi looks down at the floor.
Yunho chuckles. “You’re so cute.”
And that makes Mingi’s blush even darker.
The pairing collect their bags, and ensure all lights in the dressing room are off before leaving it behind for the final time. Wooyoung and San are snuggling on a beanbag, talking. Jongho and Yeosang are playing an intense game of UNO.
Hongjoong and Seonghwa- they’re not around.
Yunho buys their food, chips to share. Yunho says he would like salt on them, Mingi says he would not.
So they compromise and don’t have salt.
Finding a picnic table outside the festival area is easy as there is plenty of them. Mingi can’t help but stare, quite shocked, at all graffiti on the wood while Yunho places their chips down between them.
Yunho, now sitting opposite, asks, “you okay?”
”Yeah,” Mingi nods, “just reading the words.”
A hopeful, ”you recognise any of them?”
Mingi hums. “Quite a lot. It’s mostly swear words.”
Yunho cringes, shoulders falling. “Oh.”
An innocent frown. ”Fuck. Shit. Bitch. Twat.”
Yunho bites back laughter, gaze adoring.
Mingi asks his partner, confused, ”what’s a twat?”
”Well,” he clears his throat, “the same as annoying, I think. Or idiot.”
Mingi looks at him. “I don’t like that word.”
It’s Yunho’s turn to be confused. “What word?”
”Twat.”
”Ah,” Yunho nods, “I don’t either.”
Mingi sighs. “It sounds horrible.”
An agreement, “it does.”
Mingi looks at their chips. “English is confusing.”
Yunho picks one up. “Definitely.”
They start to eat in relative silence. A chilly breeze is welcomed by them, the moon’s shining above. There aren’t many stars in the sky, sadly. Apparently, that’s quite common here.
The silence allows Mingi’s mind to wander.
Sometimes that’s a good thing, other times it’s not.
Mingi’s shoulders tighten, his eyes become glossy.
Yunho can tell it’s becoming the latter. “Mingi?”
He blinks, returning to the present. ”Yeah, baby?”
Yunho’s heart swells. That nickname will never fail to make butterflies appear in his tummy. “I am thinking about dyeing my hair.”
Interested. “Oh? What colour?”
”I was going to let you decide.”
Mingi points to himself, shocked. “Me?”
”Yeah,” Yunho nods, “what do you think?”
“Um,” he hums in thought, “any you don’t want?”
“Nothing too dark. I want to keep the blonde too.”
”Okay,” Mingi nods, going back to thinking.
Yunho watches him, fondly, eating another chip.
He asks after a while, ”how about pink?”
”Pink?”
”Light pink. Like my PlayStation controller is.”
It also has stickers on it, but that’s beside the point.
Yunho considers. “It might not last long.”
”That’s okay. I like your blonde hair too.”
“Yeah?”
”I like all your hair colours.”
”Which has been your favourite?”
”All of them.”
Yunho playfully rolls his eyes. “Seriously?”
A firm nod, “yes.”
Yunho tilts his head to the side, endeared. “You can’t pick just one?”
”No.”
“What about my Crazy Form hair?”
”I loved it.”
”Eternal Sunshine?”
”Loved it.”
”Wave?”
Mingi grins. “You looked so cute!”
Yunho blushes a deep shade of red, covering his face with his hands. “Stop it.”
The Omega giggles happily, the sound’s like music to Yunho’s ears. “Never!”
Twenty or so minutes comes and goes before they’re ready to start heading back to the hotel. Mingi’s eyes have become heavier, Yunho can feel familiar aching, or buzzing, forming in the back of his head.
The blonde disposes of their empty chips box as they wander past a blue bin. They walk side-by-side, over a grey pathway, close enough their hands brush but, because of the rules they must follow, never actually hold onto each other. Pebbles crunch under their feet while trees sway in the light breeze.
A car horns blares loudly, Mingi flinches.
Yunho notices. He always does. “You okay?”
”Yeah,” he nods, “it just scared me.”
The pathway is lit by tall lampposts and reflections of lights in buildings- it is rather creepy actually. Yunho, carefully, slides his left hand into Mingi’s right one.
”Yun,” Mingi shakes his head, “we can’t.”
”We’re alone, Princess,” Yunho reminds him.
It’s late, but they’re still in public after all.
”But what if someone sees us? There could-”
”Still be Atiny around? Still be others around too?”
Mingi swallows nervously. “Yeah.”
Yunho drops Mingi’s hand. They both feel cold.
They walk, gazes focused forwards. Their hearts long for touch and for one of them to speak once again to fix whatever heaviness is over them now. Their inner Alpha and Omega do not like the tension.
The sudden emotional distance.
The way they’re so close but feel so far apart.
Mingi’s attention gets caught by a picnic bench under a tall tree. Before he has thought it through properly, he turns off the path and wanders towards it.
Yunho follows him immediately. ”What is it, Min?”
Mingi stops by the table, staring in awe at it.
”Princess?”
”Look,” Mingi smiles warmly, “initials in hearts.”
Yunho stands beside him. “Oh,” a small gasp, “wow.”
This table’s entirely covered in initials. Red ink, black ink, and so very often pink ink too. These initials are wrapped in hearts of different sizes, some even have dates written beside them.
The newest marking, obvious by how clear the ink is, reads: E+G. Their heart is pink.
“Maybe this is their Namsan tower?”
Mingi looks at Yunho. “Just with no locks?”
”Yeah,” the blonde nods.
Mingi hums, looking back at the table. “I like it.”
An honest, “me too, sweetheart.”
Mingi smiles, tracing over a couple of the hearts with the index finger of his left hand. It’s an honour, to be in the presence of so many couples, so much love.
He wonders when the first set of initials were written here, and where exactly that couple may be now. He hopes they’re happy. Mated, if they were not already at the time. Maybe they have a little family too?
Pups. The thought makes his heart clench.
Yunho would be such a good Dad.
So kind, so gentle to their pup(s). Patient. Loving.
Their pups. The beautiful thought of creating another life, or multiple new lives, with Yunho causes tears to build in the backs of his eyes.
He blinks them away immediately.
And speaking of Yunho, he’s started to move.
Not away, not in the slightest. Mingi watches him put his bag on the even grass underneath them, watches him unzip his bag and pull out a felt-tip pen.
Yunho asks, “where should we put them?”
“Put what?”
”Our initials.”
Mingi’s eyes shine, resembling boba pieces under the moonlight. Yunho turns to him, smiling fondly.
The pair already have their own heart at the Namsan tower, one the two hooked there after sneaking away during Ateez’s anniversary last October.
It’s Pink, Yunho had purchased it as a surprise.
“Um-”
“I’d feel bad writing over somebody else’s, so maybe we can find a space that’s not so full?”
Mingi just stares, in awe, falling in love all over again with the man who completes his soul.
Yunho chuckles, face warming. “Min? You with me?”
He nods. “Mhm.”
“Are you sure?”
A somewhat breathless, “yeah.”
Yunho accepts this answer, looking back at the table. “Where should we put- put us, I suppose?”
Mingi looks at the table too. He looks over the hearts and all the initials, all the written declarations of love made for other’s to see. He points at a corner, “there is space here.”
Yunho follows his finger to a bare spot. “Oh yeah.”
”We can put us there.”
Yunho nods, “would you like to write it?”
”No, thank you,” Mingi shakes his head, then he adds after, “you’ve got better handwriting than me.”
”Your handwriting is perfectly fine, Princess.”
Mingi shrugs. “I like yours better.”
Yunho hums. “If you’re sure-”
”I am.”
So Yunho walks around to the other side of the table. In a second, he’s asking, “come stand with me?”
“Of course.” Mingi picks up Yunho’s bag and joins his boyfriend on the other side of the table. He stands at his left side, as close as possible.
Yunho asks, “ready?”
Mingi nods, smiling excitedly. “Ready.”
Yunho leans down, and with the pen in his right hand he carefully writes their first initial in the small space on the table.
Y+M
He wraps the letters in a heart, smiling as he does.
Mingi’s warm voice. “That looks really good, darling.”
Yunho blushes. “Thank you.”
Mingi hums, placing his right hand onto Yunho’s back to caress his lover’s clothed skin with his thumb. The older adds today’s date close to the heart, keeping it simple with just: 28/6. He goes over the entire thing again with Mingi watching.
Adoration sits inside Mingi’s eyes the entire time.
Yunho eventually stands upright, Mingi’s hand falls to his own side. “Done.”
Mingi smiles down at their heart. “I love it.”
“Me too,” Yunho then looks at him, “and I love you.”
Blushing, Mingi says a soft, “I love you more.”
Yunho tells him, “that’s not possible.”
”You’ll find it is.”
He places the pen down. ”Oh? Really?”
A firm, “yep.”
Yunho isn’t convinced. “We’ll see about that one.”
Their gazes are gentle, the air around them grows so much warmer. The cool breeze is inconsistent now. A whole conversation happens in complete silence. The couple forget where they are, the true love they hold for one another overpowering everything else.
They begin to lean in.
But then a scream pierces the air. Shrill. Echoey.
They both flinch backward, immediately turning their heads in the direction of the noise. The Alpha’s body, tense and alert to any potential danger, inches closer to Mingi’s one, protective on instinct.
A panicked whisper, “Y-Yunho?”
”I know,” he searches with his eyes for any clue as to where, or who, the sound came from. “Stay close.”
Mingi nods. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
For a few seconds, the park remains quiet.
But then the scream happens again, Yunho moves so that Mingi is standing behind him instead. He acts as a shield between what may be out there and the one he loves.
Mingi holds onto Yunho’s waist, heart beating fast.
Yunho places his right hand onto Mingi’s one, slotting their fingertips together. “Mingi?”
A shaky, ”I w-want to leave.”
”We can,” Yunho nods quickly, “we can leave. Just-”
“Now, Yunnie, pl-please!”
Before Yunho can reply, there’s another noise.
The brighter sound, the sound of laughter. Mingi and Yunho watch as a girl appears a short distance away, wearing a skirt, cowgirl boots, and a dark t-shirt sold at the festival they just performed at.
She’s got brown hair, a pale Tommy Hilfiger bag over her chest. She’s pretty.
Then they realise- could she be Atiny?
Mingi takes his hands off Yunho’s waist just in case.
The lady, because she is probably around their ages, spins around and calls, “can’t catch me!”
And then a man appears, panting. “I take you to see Bazzi and this is how you repay me?”
Oh, Mingi can’t help but frown, not Atiny then.
She smiles, turning and running off again, “love you, Eddie!”
Eddie, apparently, lets out a long groan. But then his face softens, and he says, “I love you too, Grace.”
And then he’s running in the direction she went. He’s also wearing their festival merch, his backpack has a pin on it Mingi swears is the Chelsea FC crest.
Yunho turns to him immediately. “Are you okay?”
”I’m okay,” Mingi nods, heart still rushing.
Yunho’s body visibly relaxes a little. “Let’s go back to the hotel, yeah? Take a shower and go to sleep.”
Mingi agrees, “I’d like that.”
Before they leave Hyde Park, Mingi takes a picture of the marking they have left on the picnic table. Yunho puts the pen into his bag and then slides it back onto his back.
They decide to walk to their hotel, choosing a quieter route they were told about that morning. They notice the same couple again, on the other side of the road, calmer this time and a few paces ahead of them.
Yunho and Mingi, in this time, have no idea that their future son, Minho, will mate with the future daughter of this couple. Her name will be Lilith- Lillie, for short and simple. Their story will come at a different time.
Eddie’s giving Grace a piggy-back ride, his bag’s now on her back, and she’s chatting away about the day.
It’s odd, knowing they had been at the same festival as two in the crowd and two on stage. Mingi wonders where they were stood, when they got merch.
Mingi asks, “do you think they liked our set?”
Yunho nods. “I do.”
A disappointed, ”he said they came for Bazzi.”
Yunho shrugs, “maybe they’re Atiny now?”
“What do you mean?”
”Perhaps we performed such a good show that they’ll go home and listen to all of our music?”
Mingi sighs. “Maybe.”
Yunho turns to him with a smile. “Love you.”
A tired mumble, ”’m love you too.”
The English pair follow their path around to the right, disappearing from view. Yunho and Mingi follow their own path to the left a minute or so later.
The big hotel they’re staying in comes into view after ten further minutes of walking, they head up to their room after greeting a receptionist with a polite smile, leaving the quiet London streets behind.
They’re here for a couple additional days. Interviews, social media content, and leisure fills them all.
In the bedroom, they keep the big light off, opting to turn two nightstand lamps on instead. They abandon their bags to the floor at the bottom of the bed.
The curtains are still shut from this morning.
Their attempt to keep the sun out and the room cool enough to be comfy in. They put their mobile phones on charge and Mingi puts his glasses by his.
Back in the Anime case, safe and sound.
In the bathroom, their scent patches come off as the two slowly undress one another and themselves. The Omega moves into the shower first, the older follows after him.
They shower together, holding one another under the warm stream that relaxes any aching lingering inside their bodies. Mingi’s back on Yunho’s chest, the older has his arms around his waist. Their hands joined on Mingi’s skin, fingers nestled together.
Gentle, lazy kisses and caresses are exchanged.
So content in each others comforting scent.
The pair wash each other with practised ease.
They dry themselves with towels. Yunho fetches new scent patches for the just in case, always for the just in case. After applying them, they dress in matching, it was Mingi’s idea to buy them, pyjamas.
Yunho’s in a short-sleeve black top, Mingi is in a grey one of the same kind. Their bottoms are a checkered pattern, black and grey.
Cute, is what Yeosang said when he first saw them.
Mingi sits on the bed while Yunho, standing up, flicks through television channels until, by some miracle, a movie one is playing Tobey Maguire’s second Spider-Man film.
He turns to Mingi, eyes shining with hope. “Please?”
Mingi huffs. “We’ve seen it so many times.”
Yunho pouts, pleading with his eyes.
Mingi playfully rolls his eyes. “Go ahead, then.”
A quiet cheer as he turns back to the screen, “yes!”
A fond smile appears on Mingi’s lip as he lies down to watch Yunho adjust the volume of the television. The Alpha then turns a standing fan on, the cool breeze a welcome addition to the room.
Yunho walks around the bed to lie down beside Mingi and they are both on their backs, staring at the plain ceiling above. Yunho reaches over to hold Mingi’s left hand in his right one.
”Yunnie…”
”Yeah?”
”I still don’t know what happened.”
A confused, “what do you mean?”
“With,” a brief pause, “with the attack.”
Yunho caresses his boyfriend’s hand with his thumb.
”I was fine, and then I just wasn’t.”
Yunho considers, then makes a gentle suggestion:
“Well you’ve been quite busy recently, Princess. Your solo project, this show, comebacks, Paris. Maybe you just got a bit overwhelmed by it all?”
Mingi hums through a sigh. “Maybe.”
Yunho sits up, his hand never leaving Mingi’s one.
The Alpha reaches over, with his left arm, to turn the bedside lamp off. The room darkens once he has.
Mingi’s quiet voice. ”Darling?”
Yunho looks down at him. ”Yeah, sweetie?”
”Thank you for always being there for me.”
Yunho smiles. A truthful, “there is no place I’d rather be.”
Mingi returns the expression. He takes his hand from Yunho’s in order to reach up and cradle the right side of the blonde’s face. Yunho turns his head and places a kiss on the bottom of Mingi’s palm.
“Come,” the Alpha whispers, “let’s go to bed.”
Mingi nods, dropping his hand, “I like that idea.”
Yunho leans down and places a gentle kiss to Mingi’s lips, the action that is returned in a slow and content manner. Yunho lies on his right side, Mingi reaches to turn off his own bedside lamp.
Their room is plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the movie on the tv. Mingi turns to lie on his right side too, Yunho shuffles closer to him.
The Alpha’s arm is draped across the Omega’s chest. Yunho’s left hand rests beneath Mingi’s chin, so Mingi reaches up and laces their fingers together.
Two left hands connected.
Two souls entwined.
Two hearts forever joined.
”Yunho?”
“Yeah?”
”I had a thought earlier.”
”What was it?”
”Whilst we were at the table, I was thinking about all the couples whose initials were there and where they might be now.”
Yunho hums in encouragement.
”And- and I thought maybe some have pups?”
Yunho’s heart skips a beat. ”Pups?”
“Yeah,” Mingi nods, “and then I thought about you.”
Yunho doesn’t say anything, his mind rushing.
”I think- I think you’d be an amazing Dad, baby.”
Yunho’s heart doubles in size. A soft, “you do?”
”Yeah,” a nervous, “I know you’d be, actually.”
For a while, Yunho doesn’t know what to say.
He lets the kind words properly sink in.
And then, “Mingi?”
He swallows a lump in his throat. “Yeah?”
”You’d be an amazing Papa. I know that too.”
Mingi blushes, smiling. “Our pups would be so cute.”
Yunho chuckles, his face lit with adoration at the idea of creating a new life, or a few lives, with Mingi. “Our pups would be very cute, yes.”
For right now, the closest thing they have to a pup of their own is Sumin from the Xikers. They are so fond and protective of him in the same way he’s very fond of them too.
Mingi’s chest feels warm. “I love you, darling.”
Yunho tells him, “I love you too, Princess.”
A quiet settles over them.
They’re both thinking about the same things.
Each other, and their future together.
Mingi whispers, ”Yunho?”
”Yes, sweetheart?”
”Thank you for choosing me.”
Yunho smiles. “Thank you for choosing me too.”
Mingi tilts his head down and places a kiss to the tips of Yunho’s closest fingers. Yunho hums, eyes closing.
The events of today fully catch up to them.
Their bodies melt further into the mattress below.
Their minds heavy with exhaustion.
Mingi whispers, ”goodnight, baby.”
Yunho whispers back, “goodnight, sweetheart.”
Mingi moves his head to its original position. His own eyes slip closed. “I love you.”
A distant, but true, ”I love you too.”
Yunho is the first to fall asleep, breath steadying and Mingi drifts off in the same way not long after.
They dream side-by-side. Comfortable, loved, safe.
Spider-Man plays on in the background.
A movie Yunho knows every single word to.
A movie their future children, Minho and Yunmin, will grow to know every single word to as well.
Entirely Yunho’s fault, but Mingi doesn’t mind.
It’s rather amusing to have three Spider-Man’s in the house, after all, matching suits to wear and all.