Lucky Star.

 

 

They have been married for three years when Kibum finally gathers enough courage to bring up the topic of kids. It isn’t a particularly sensitive topic, and Kibum’s been itching to have a real talk about it for quite a while now, but he holds it in because he knows that Jinki isn’t going to appreciate it as much as he does. But he’s done his waiting, and enough is enough. Therefore, Kibum decides—as they lie on their King-sized bed, still high on post-coital bliss—that he should persuade his husband at times like these, because a) Jinki cannot possibly run away with Kibum’s limbs holding him down and b) Jinki just came like, four times tonight, and Kibum can see that he’s in the brink of passing out.

 

“Jinki?” Kibum traces Jinki’s muscular chest with his finger, tilting his head up to peppers kisses onto Jinki’s jaw and he knows that this seduction technique is more than enough to distract Jinki and forces him to follow whatever it is Kibum wants. After all, this routine got him a new, shiny coat from the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter Collection 2014.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“So, we’ve been married for almost three years now,” Kibum purrs (he ing purrs, take that, Jinki) into his ear, and smirks when Jinki shivers.

 

“Y-yeah?”

 

“And we’re sane, mature, and financially stable,” he continues, and Jinki squints his sleepy eyes at his husband. Kibum smiles up at him, internally cackling at the confused, slightly anxious tilt of his husband’s pursed lips. “So I think it’s about time that we start thinking about… kids.”

 

Jinki blinks, probably wondering how the hell did their delicious cuddling session turn into this. He opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again. “Well, Kibum, you know how I am with children. I mean, it’s not that I don’t want them, I’m just not sure I—” the rest of his words are drowned by the strangled moan when Kibum bites on his shoulder and reaches between them to grip Jinki’s inner thigh. Time to step up the game.

 

“It’s not going to be as horrible as you imagined it would be, honey,” Kibum laps on the spot he’d just sank his teeth onto. Jinki lets his head fall back to the pillow and closes his eyes. “I’m good with children, and once you get used to it, you would be, too.”

 

Jinki sighs “I don’t know,” he mumbles, but Kibum can sense his defenses crumbling, especially as Kibum reaches up to run the tip of his finger along Jinki’s shaft, smirking when he hears Jinki groan. “You’re a goddamn tease.”

 

Laughing, Kibum pulls his hand back, finally having mercy. He kisses Jinki’s cheek and settles down on his own pillow, but not without whispering a small, “You know you love it, Daddy,” and cackles as Jinki groans louder.

 

 

*

 

 

Two weeks pass since their little chat and Jinki still hasn’t shown any sign of accepting Kibum’s idea. Kibum is forced to admit, though with an unpleasant taste in his tongue, that he might have to wait some more. He loves Jinki, and he’s happy with what they have now.

 

He can wait.

 

 

*

 

 

“So,” Jinki beams as soon as he enters Kibum’s line of sight. The complete and utter joy on his face makes Kibum pause for a second. Even after years of being together, Jinki’s smile still has the power to render Kibum speechless when it’s delivered with enough power. “I have wonderful news.”

 

Kibum raises an eyebrow, pushing himself off the sofa to approach his husband, who is practically vibrating with excitement.

 

“What is it?”

 

“You know that thing you’ve been wanting for a long time?” the slight hesitation in Jinki’s voice is clear to Kibum, and the hope growing within him is a blinding, brute force against his chest. Kibum holds his breath, waits for Jinki to continue. “We’re getting it.”

 

“It...?” Kibum frowns, tilting his head. He crosses his fingers behind his back, praying to all that is holy that his suspicion is right, that Jinki is finally—

 

“The penthouse apartment uptown, the one you’ve set your eyes on since five years ago, remember?” the grin on Jinki’s face is getting brighter, but Kibum can feel his hope shatters. Managing a wobbly smile, Kibum nods. “I got promoted. You’re looking at the new R&D manager. Between my new salary and your skyrocketing business, we’d definitely manage—”

 

“Yeah,” Kibum cuts him off with a kiss. “That’s wonderful, Jinki. Now, let’s celebrate,” he presses another kiss, meaning to be quick and chaste, but Jinki’s circling an arm around his waist and he’s melting into the kiss and that’s all it takes for Kibum’s defenses to crumble. Soon, he’s clutching onto Jinki’s suit jacket, holding him tightly, as close as they can get.

 

“You don’t seem excited,” Jinki comments, nipping at Kibum’s nose once they pull back for some air. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Of course I’m excited,” Kibum squeezes Jinki’s nape gently, affectionate. The disappoinment is still heavy in his guts, making it a little hard for him to it up and pretend to be happy for the rest of the night. Jinki looks at him skeptically, and Kibum shakes his head. “I’m proud of you, you know that.”

 

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Kibum rolls his eyes at that, but his smile is fond. “But there’s something else. Bummie, what is it?”

 

“I just—” sighing, he decides to just drop the act altogether. Kibum’s never been good at hiding his feelings, and Jinki’s always been scarily good at reading him. It’s a terrible combination, really, and Kibum stands no chance. “I do want that house, but it’s not the thing I want the most right now.”

 

For a second, Jinki’s features are clouded with confusion, before they clear up and understanding dawns. Jinki sighs, dropping his forehead onto Kibum’s shoulder.

 

“I’ve been thinking about it, too, actually,” he admits. Kibum carefully presses his hope down, refusing to let it soar like before.

 

“And…?”

 

Jinki heaves another heavy sigh, pulling Kibum just a tad closer and somehow, Kibum already knows the answer.

 

“I need a little more time.”

 

 

*

 

 

A month later, they move to the penthouse. It’s just as perfect as Kibum imagined it to be.

 

Except it isn’t.

 

Closing the door to the empty room he dubs as ‘future nursery’, Kibum tries to push his impatience down to the minimum.

 

 

*

 

 

Three months passed. Kibum’s designs made it to Vogue for their Spicy Summer July issue and he received the Designer of the Year award.

 

 

*

 

 

Four months, and Jinki is now a Creative Director. He left the Goyang branch for the Seoul Headquarter.

 

 

*

 

 

Six months later, Kibum’s brand opened a new branch in Ginza, Tokyo. It’s one of the hottest new stores and he manages to gift Jinki a 1954 Cadillac for his 28th birthday.

 

 

*

 

 

Eight months, and the ‘nursery’ is still pristine as ever.

 

 

*

 

 

Nine months passed and Kibum stops leaving adoption leaflets around the house. Jinki doesn’t ask.

 

 

*

 

 

The winter is goddamn cruel this year, Jinki decides as he heads back to his car. The convenient store is deserted this time of day, and the only reason he’s braving the wind is because they ran out of hot chocolate and marshmallows and he wants to spend the evening cuddling up to Kibum with hot chocolate and extra marshmallows.

 

Jinki is several meters away from his car when he notices something amiss. There’s a small… creature, something, leaning onto the side of his car. Squinting his eyes, Jinki tries to make out a shape of the thing despite the dim lightning.

 

Quickening his pace, Jinki stops right in front of the thing. It’s a moving bundle of gray blanket. Jinki blinks and reaches out to touch the blanket gingerly. The moment his fingers graze the surface, however, the blanket is pulled down, revealing a small, black-haired head and a scared face gazing up at him.

 

Jinki’s heart skips a beat, before it starts a new, wild rhythm, thumping against his chest painfully fast. The child in front of him is rooted to his spot with fear, it seems, because he doesn’t move when Jinki reaches out again to touch his cheek.

 

The boy is absolutely freezing; terribly cold under Jinki’s fingers. Jinki swallows thickly, watches as the boy trembles slightly and leans into the warmth, a small whimper escaping his bluish lips. Looking around frantically, Jinki tries to make out the shape of another human being, but he found none. He wonders if he should hand the boy to the cashier or the clerk at the store, but they’re bare