The intense heat got to him first. It was sweltering and terrible, making him feel sluggish and slow.  His tiny lungs were stuffy and hot, but he screamed out anyway, his cries heard throughout the room. But there were voices louder than his, yelling out in alarm, and he faintly heard them all, all going past him, all leaving him farther and farther behind.

He was eight months old, born to a wealthy family of a corrupt and terrible kind. Today, they were at the hands of the people they had wronged, who had planned an attack on a household that the little boy could barely call his own.

His mind was whirling, a tiny body trying to save itself, despite its very low odds. His high pitched voice made his body shake with exertion, kicking and screaming at the ceiling above him. There was fire climbing up the walls, bright orange monsters that only knew destruction, and if nothing happened, he was going to be their victim.

The minutes passed, and he had been going on for so long now, that he couldn't give up. But he had to. There was too much in his lungs, stuffing him with impurities, making him cough madly. His throat felt dry, and his head was aching madly, and he wanted to scream out louder, cry out higher to whoever, whatever, something that was there. But the little boy was alone in a burning room, and he was fatigued and tired. So very tired. If only he closed his eyes…

Just before he went to sleep, he felt two spots on his back grow warm, and his head hung limp as he was lifted up and out, intense heat replaced by a gentle warmth.

~~~

“Daddy!” his older brother cried out, reaching up to their daddy. “Daddy! Carry me please!” His hands opened and closed into the sky, signaling his urgency. Their daddy turned to the six year old boy, lifting him up onto the counter and placing him there. His older brother giggled, smile growing wider as chocolate was scooped onto his nose.

Hyuk watched the scene calmly, feeling no sense of urgency to move as his brother teased their daddy, asking for more chocolate, please I was being a good, boy, and no, Jaewhannie, you want to save this for your papa. Hyuk laughed as his little brother let out a high pitched whine, kicking his feet against the counter in frustration.

Their papa was coming home from work today, and every single time, without fail, their daddy made him strawberries covered in chocolate that made the house smell good. Really, really good. When Hyuk asked why his daddy did it every time, he always answered that, “It’s a thing to celebrate, whenever your papa comes home,” and he always said it with a smile that always looked sad. Hyuk never understood why (because how can smiles be sad?), but he was only three years old. It’s ok to not understand a lot of things.

The doorbell rang, and Hyuk leaped from his seat on the couch, shouting “I got it!” as he teetered toward the door, tiptoeing to reach the door knob. He used both hands to twist it open, and his papa was standing on the other side, big bag in one hand, helmet in the other. He looked shocked as the door swung open, staring down at Hyuk with a happy o on his face.

“Hyukkie! You opened the door all by yourself?” He was smiling now, kneeling down to his son and scooping him up into one arm. “My goodness, you’re so heavy! You’re only three years old, right?” Hyuk laughed as he was lifted up with ease to his papa’s smiling face, kisses being peppered on his cheeks, still thick with baby fat.

“Yes papa! I open-ed the door all by myself!” He huffed proudly. “I can reach the door without standing on my toes!”

A calm “We’re going to have to install a new doorknob, then.” and a simultaneous shout of “Papa!” made Hyuk turn and look as Jaewhan ran into his papa’s legs, almost making him buckle and drop Hyuk. He cried out in tiny terror, clutching onto his papa’s shirt as he was held tighter.

“Jaewhan!” their daddy said sternly. “Be careful! You almost made your papa drop Hyuk!”

Their papa laughed. “Ah, Taekwoon, are those wrinkles I see already?” Hyuk could feel his daddy’s glare, but the other man only laughed louder. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! I just got home after all. You can’t blame him for being excited.” He reached down to ruffle his brother’s hair, and he could his brother nuzzle into the touch, rubbing his head into the hand above him, hugging their papa’s leg. “And Hyukkie is fine, see? He’s right here, all safe and sound.”

“You’ll excuse me for being a little frantic, considering you’ve been at the firehouse for four straight days.” His daddy stepped closer, reaching a hand behind his papa’s head, the dark hair. “I don’t even know what compelled you to stay for so long. What happened?”

“There was a house fire that caught into the woods behind the house.” His papa sighed, tilting his head back slightly into their daddy’s hand. “It was pretty difficult to control, and we had to do some clean up afterwards.” His lips curled into a lazy smile, eyes opening as their daddy stepped close to him, almost nose to nose.

“Was anyone hurt?”

“No. The entire family was already out by the time we arrived. We brought them over to the firehouse.”

His daddy breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. That’s very good,” he paused. “Any children?”

“Only a girl about Jaewhan’s age.” He let out a small rumble of laughter. “Why, did you want to adopt again?”

“Wonshik, hush. Hyuk is right here.”

“Oh come now, Woonie, that fire was three years ago. And he’s with us now, isn’t he?” His papa touched their foreheads together, lips lightly touching. Hyuk watched their affection with wide eyes. “In a way, that fire was a blessing.”

Their daddy smiled softly at the statement. “I suppose so.”

The little three year old boy in his arms tilted his head to the side, wondering what they were talking about. But he quickly forgot about it as his parents kissed right in front of him, all gross and sappy and romantic.

“Papa! Daddy! Don’t kiss in front of me! Ew, ew, ew!” Hyuk was disgusted. “Put me down!”

“Help me! I’m getting squished!” His older brother squirmed underneath him, wriggling to get free between the two large bodies.

Their parents separated, and his papa had a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Hyuk, and oh no no no, this was not going to be good!

He squealed as he was lifted into the air, giggling happily as he flew through the apartment, his brother’s shouts of “Wait for me!” right behind them as they made their way into the kitchen, the smell of chocolate covered strawberries in the air, the feeling of warmth in his heart.

~~~

Surprise! This is a bit earlier than usual, but hey, it's one way to start off a weekend, right? With a fluffy, Kim household angsty back story Hyuk  fic update, am I right? Ehehehehe!!!! (─‿‿─)

I think I've started to develop a schedule of updating every two weeks on Saturday. But please don't hold me to it, considering that there's school, and exams, and just life in general that will probably get in the way. But I will try to stick to it!!!! I promise!

Your comments are all so sweet and cute that it hurts. Reading them makes me so happy that I just. Cryyy~~~

Thank you all so much for your support, and I'll see you all in the next update!!!! Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ