It first started with a dog.

Donghae brought her back to their apartment one night and said that she’s going to be their baby. Hyukjae screamed because he obviously didn’t see that coming and even though he loves dogs, he wasn’t sure they could look after such a fragile little baby dog as Linda.

"Why is she called Linda, anyway?” Hyukjae frowned. "Doesn’t sound doggy at all.”

"Shut up,” Donghae said, rocking his new-found baby dog in his arms. Hyukjae took a moment to watch them, the way Donghae leaned into the tiny creature as he sang sweet lullabies into her ears, and Hyukjae couldn’t help but feel warm all over. Donghae always wanted to be a father so who was him to stop him?

“Alright,” he said. “Now give her to me.”

With glowing eyes, Donghae placed Linda on Hyukjae’s lap gently. Hyukjae stared at her but his gaze softened as Linda found a comfortable place between his stomach and arms and slowly closed her eyes. Donghae whimpered, “You’d make such a good father,” which made Hyukjae roll his eyes but he didn’t mind the feeling of another small body pressed against his as he swayed back and forth.

It all was worth it, the look on Donghae’s face and the sweet kiss he placed on top of Hyukjae’s head as a sign of thankfulness, the warm hand on his shoulder as they watched Linda drifting off to sleep in between Hyukjae’s loving arms.

-

Months went by and Hyukjae found Linda’s presence relaxing and good to wake up to, when she a line up from his nose to his forehead in the early morning, when she ran along the patio just to run back into the house and bark at them because she found a squirrel on the tree.

It felt amazing that after work not only Donghae waited for him at home but Linda too, all doe-eyed and still playful even after a full day of running around the living room and kitchen and eating one or two pairs of Hyukjae’s shoes.

Hyukjae didn’t mind it because it made Donghae happy and content.

Donghae said, “But I know you’re happy too.”

Hyukjae glanced at Linda who rested her head on Donghae’s lap and looked back at him, then at Donghae who sweetly ran his fingers over Linda’s fur. Hyukjae smiled, “I couldn’t be happier,” and kissed Donghae afterwards.

Donghae melted into that one single kiss that left him breathless. They smiled at each other and life just really couldn’t get better.

-

Except Donghae missed something. It didn’t have to do anything with Hyukjae or Linda, it was just something was missing badly from his life and he didn’t know what it was.

“Maybe your family,” Hyukjae said one particular night. “You miss them, right?”

“That might be it. I seriously have no idea… there’s just something that keeps me bugging at night and won’t let me sleep.”

“Oh,” Hyukjae mused. “Want me to kiss it better?”

“Yes please.”

Linda hid her face into her blanket as her owners shared a lousy kiss.

-

Hyukjae drove Donghae home, to Mokpo the following weekend.

“It was so hard to leave Linda at the apartment,” Donghae pretended to sob. “What if she hurts herself? I couldn’t forgive myself if something-“

“Hey,” Hyukjae reached over to Donghae’s seat, his eyes still on the road as they drove down the highway. “She’ll be fine. She’s a big girl now, she can look after herself.”

“But-“

“Babes, it’s alright. I bet she’s so happy to have all of my shoes to herself all weekend.”

Donghae snorted, “Right. She loves stinky feet.”

“Hae!” Hyukjae playfully shoved Donghae on the shoulder. Donghae laughed then pressed a kiss to Hyukjae’s knuckles, said, “I love your feet too.”

“You better,” Hyukjae said, smiling. “Because I love you.”

Donghae grinned. He didn’t even notice their hands remained being folded together for the whole ride.

-

Donghae’s mother was going crazy over Linda – Donghae’d brought a picture of her in his wallet to show his mom their “baby dog” (as he said). Hyukjae just smiled as Donghae mused over all the great things Linda could do – barking at the neighbour’s son, fishing out the socks of the laundry then munching them to death, bringing several dead animals to their patio – and Donghae’s mother laughed so long she almost had tears in her eyes.

“You three look right a real family,” she said.

Donghae looked proudly at Hyukjae and Hyukjae’s heart tightened, beating a bit faster as Donghae sneaked his arms around his torso and pulled him closer. “Yeah.”

“We kind of are a little family,” said Hyukjae, half of his face in a frown while his eyes were still shining happily. “Stinky family.”

“Hell no,” Donghae frowned too, “Only you are stinky. Linda and I are smelling like petals.”

“Oh really? I like strawberry better.”

“What! Well, I like Linda better than you!”

“Then sleep with her on the double bed!”

“I already have!”

“Kids,” Donghae’s mother sighed dramatically. “Never growing up.

-

Before dinner, Donghae’s brother, Donghwa arrived as well.

“So how’s life over there in Seoul?” he asked, mouth full with bulgoggi and kimchi. “Oh a dog! Nice little thing we have there. What’s her name?”

“Linda,” Hyukjae answered. “Donghae brought her home five months ago.”

“Five months already?” Donghae’s eyes went round. “Oh my, our baby is growing up so fast! I remember when I first saw her she was so tiny she fit into my hands.”

“I remember when she first chewed my shoes,” Hyukjae growled. Donghae rolled his eyes. “What? That was the first affection she was willing to show towards me!”

“No,” Donghae said. “It was when she slept in your arms on the first day!”

“Aww,” Donghae’s mother cooed.

“It was adorable, mom! Then Hyukjae fell asleep on the couch with Linda in his arms and… He really looked like a loving father holding his daughter then.”

Donghae’s eyes softened suddenly. His mother smiled slightly, all of her emotions written on her face.

“Did I really?” Hyukjae asked, a happy smile spread on his face.

“Yes,” Donghae turned to him. No one could see but under the table, his hand held onto Hyukjae’s, and Hyukjae didn’t know if it was the heat making his heart beat faster or Donghae’s look in his eyes. “You looked really, really great holding her.”

Hyukjae stopped for a while. The man he loved with all of his heart for all of his life, being so emotional he almost cried, is now saying he looked good as a father; that made his heart ramble inside his chest crazily. He brought up their linked hand from under the table to his lips to kiss them, still looking into Donghae’s eyes.

“Guys,” Donghwa cut in. “Enough with the mushy-mushy – you look so much like an old married couple I’m going to vomit.”

“Donghwa!” Their mother exclaimed but she laughed along with the boys, suddenly laughter filling up the atmosphere. It was lovely and felt familiar and welcoming, but one thought couldn’t leave Hyukjae’s head even after the dinner ended and Donghae’s mother scolded him for trying to clean up when, as she said, it was her duty. So Hyukjae went up to Donghae’s room only to find him already sleeping between his teddy bears and alien plushies. He kissed him good night and covered them both with the heart-shaped blanket Donghae’s mother had set up for them.

Once he was settled and embraced by Donghae’s warmth, he decided he would do something he had never done before.

-

The weekend spent at Mokpo made Donghae so relaxed he could actually think about his research for his job, busying himself with all types of work he hasn’t done before.

“You shouldn’t work yourself too hard,” Hyukjae told him after a rough day when they sat down in front of the TV, Donghae’s legs over his waist and Linda’s head on his ankles. “By the way it’s our sixth years anniversary on the 18^th.”

“How could I forget that,” Donghae yawned, clearly tired from working all day. “Hyukkie, let’s just cuddle then sleep. I don’t want to watch Big Bang Theory right now.”

“But it’s your favourite TV show,” Hyukjae said. “And Linda’s too.”

Linda yowled.

“Yeah, yeah. Sleep, Hyukkie, sleep.” He held out his hands, signing for Hyukjae to pick him up and bring him to bed.

“Hell no, you’re heavy.”

“But Hyukjae!”

“Okay… I don’t have a choice anyway.”

Donghae smirked as Hyukjae lifted him up and flew his hands over the other’s neck. “Thank you.”

Hyukjae placed him on the bed, leaning down with him as he did. He watched Donghae nestling himself into his side before asking, his voice changing in tone, “Hey… Hae. Do you want to marry?”

“Of course I want to, Hyuk,” Donghae mumbled, eyes closed. “That’s the greatest thing in the world. And kids…”

Hyukjae smiled as Donghae fell asleep pressed closely to his body, his chest heaving with every breath he took. “One day,” he whispered. “My love.”

-

Donghae started being nervous when Hyukjae didn’t show up on their anniversary. They had agreed to meet at the movies to watch something namby-pamby romantic film and eat pasta after, then go back to their apartment and have wild anniversary , but Hyukjae should have shown up ten minutes ago and Donghae felt fidgety. Hyukjae was never late, he was so precise when it came to time but why out of all times did he choose this day to be late?!

Then Donghae saw it. The white balloons and red roses and bonbons in Hyukjae’s hand as he approached him. Donghae felt embarrassed because he didn’t bring anything for Hyukjae since they agreed not to buy gifts but of course Hyukjae couldn’t stand not spoiling him.

“I waited for you!” Donghae whined, but pressing a nonetheless cute kiss onto Hyukjae’s lips. “What are all these, Hyukjae?”

“Donghae,” Hyukjae said, his tone of voice too stern all of a sudden for Donghae’s liking. Then, Hyukjae slowly started to fall to his knee, and-

“Oh my god,” Donghae mumbled, unable to breath at the moment. “Oh, my, gosh.”

“Lee Donghae,” Hyukjae started, and Donghae couldn’t overlook the redness of his face (he thought it was extremely cute. “I’ve known you and loved you for such a long time, but I never knew what was missing from our relationship. Linda came and she made our life even sweeter, but still there was something wrong, something I couldn’t figure out. When we went to your hometown, back then… That was the time that I realised what was truly missing. And… Donghae… , I don’t know how to do this,” Donghae laughed at that, “Lee Donghae. Would you marry me and be my husband through good and bad, until death do us apart?”

Donghae couldn’t find the words, not in that moment with Hyukjae kneeling before him and promising a lifetime to spend happily together with the man he loves… He was just so overwhelmed, and there were so many emotions but he choked out, “Yes!”, and leant down to kiss Hyukjae on the mouth. In public.

But oh well. He was an enamoured fool, after all. And engaged now.

“I love you so much,” he whispered once the kiss was over.

“I love you way much more,” Hyukjae smiled.

“No way!”

“Yes way!

“Ugh… just let me kiss you again.”

So they kissed and kissed, until it wasn’t enough.

-

“I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you, mother-in-law.”

“Nah, Hyukjae!” Donghae’s mom cheered over the phone. “Just call me mom from now on!”

“Okay… mom.”

“So how’s the honey moon?”

“Perfect…” Hyukjae trailed off, looking at Donghae who was sprawled ily out on the king sized bed. “Extremely perfect.”

“That’s good to hear. Please tell my son to call me when you’re heading back home, okay?”

“Sure, mom.”

“Alright, sweethearts. Have fun!”

“Oh yes,” Hyukjae smirked, then shut the telephone closed. “Sure we will,” and he launched himself at Donghae.

-

“So this is what married life is like?”

“Hmm. Pretty much.”

“It’s not very interesting.”

“Hey! You were the one who proposed!

“Yes, I know! Ouch! Donghae! Stop hitting me!”

“Should I hit you with my lips instead?”

“Yes. Give me a kiss.”

“Oh… I’ll give you something else later.”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“I didn’t ask mom if Linda was doing okay.”

“And why not?”

“Why? Why?! Because you looked so y as and I couldn’t remember a single proper word…”

“Okay now. Just ing kiss me, we’ll talk about the baby later.”

A mumble, then a moan. “She’s… a dog.”

Another moan. “No… she’s… our… baby…”

After an hour and so: “This married life is not so boring at all…”

“Told you! … I love you.”

“I love you too.”