For: MinaOK

A/N: You asked for fluff so I'm going to try and inject it into every possible place lol. Also, INFINITE-H's debut album! Best new year's gift haha :) have a great new year lovelies ♥ sorry for the long wait, but I think this is my longest scenario yet um is my otp bias showing lmao so hope you all like it! 

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Dongwoo stirs when streams of the bright New York City sunlight filter in from the curtains and hit his eyes. He groans and flips over, but pries an eye open in sleepy confusion when the familiar warmth of his lover is absent under his touch. He shifts an arm around haplessly until his hand finally lands on the bedside table and his fingers curl around their digital alarm clock. Dongwoo blinks blearily and reads the neon red digits. 

8:02 a.m. 

"Appa!" 

Dongwoo groans when a blurry mess jumps onto his bed and lands right on his lap, hair getting caught in his mouth. The little lump on his lap wriggles around and proceeds to cup Dongwoo's cheek with two tiny hands. 

"Appa."

Even though his thighs are aching from dancing from morning till evening last night (Dongwoo is currently a TA at Juilliard while pursuing a dancing career on Broadway), and little Hyemi's sitting and bouncing on them isn't doing anything much to ease the ache, he still feels his heart fill with warmth and his lips curl into a loving smile as his adopted daughter cradles his face and calls him appa in that sweet voice of her's. 

Dongwoo gingerly curls a stray strand of hair behind Hyemi's ear. "Yes?" 

Hyemi giggles. "There's school at nine." 

At once, Dongwoo's eyes widen and he scrambles off the bed, Hyemi still giggling as she rolls off his lap and huddles under the covers, watching him flutter around and get ready. 

"Hyemi, go brush your teeth, wash your face and change please! Where's your little brother? Is he still sleeping? Doesn't he have school today too?" Dongwoo tosses questions at his five year-old daughter while brushing his teeth and digging through his cupboard for suitable clothes. He figures he'll have to dash off to his rehearsal for Wicked right after he drops the kids of at school. He inwardly groans. 

"I just need to change, appa. I think Donghae's still sleeping, and of course he has school too!" Hyemi replies in stilted Korean as she jumps off the bed and skips to the door. 

Dongwoo rushes back into the bathroom, spits and rinses before heading back out to smooth his daughter's hair lovingly and send her back off to her room. "My clever little girl. Go change, okay?"

Hyemi beams and nods before dashing off, and Dongwoo smiles after her. As clever as Howon.

Dongwoo pulls out his usual black leotard and dance shorts before hurrying back into the bathroom to shower and change. It takes him all of ten minutes when he's in a rush, and he's just about ready to go wake his son up when a bright red bite mark dotting his collarbone catches his eye. 

"," is all Dongwoo mutters because he knows no amount of cover-up is going to work on that thing. Plus, an hour into rehearsal when he's drenched with sweat will wash away whatever cover-up he applies, anyway. His fingers skitter over the mark, frowning. I swear I told Howon to be careful last night. But as Dongwoo recalls the night he just had with Howon, he flushes red and covers the bite mark lovingly, figuring a sweater will have to do. I'll just say the studio's too cold, even as I sweat my off. 

Dongwoo throws the navy blue sweater into his bag and hurries out of the room, tossing his bag onto the living room couch before knocking on Hyemi's door and asking if everything's okay. His daughter shouts an exasperated yes and continues humming her way through one of Howon's favourite songs. Dongwoo smiles at the amazing similarities between Hyemi and Howon. He remembers how Howon loves to sing or rap or hum when he's getting ready in the mornings, and how he always laughs when Dongwoo wakes up and wraps both arms around his waist, trying to get him to go back to sleep with him. 

"Donghae?" 

Dongwoo pushes open the door to his son's room and laughs when he sees three year-old Donghae stretching up on his tiptoes in a desperate attempt to grab his toothbrush and toothpaste from the holder attached to the wall in his bedroom's bathroom. Dongwoo pads over and grabs the toothbrush with ease, squirting some toothpaste onto the brush before squatting to hand it over to his son, who flashes him a bright grin. As much as Hyemi is like Howon, I think Donghae's more like me. Dongwoo presses a kiss to the crown of his son's head before walking further into the bedroom to pull out Donghae's clothes. 

Getting Donghae ready is a process filled with much happy smiles and gurgling laughter and Dongwoo scoops his son into his arms and grabs his small blue backpack before heading back out to the living room. Donghae's all bright beams as he always is when on the receiving end of either Dongwoo's or Howon's affections, and his big brown eyes sparkle with happiness as he on his thumb and leans his head contentedly against Dongwoo's sturdy shoulder. Dongwoo's heart bursts with love. 

"Appa, here," Dongwoo carefully sets Donghae down onto his baby chair before turning to face Hyemi, who's swinging her legs freely from where she's perched on a dining chair and holding a folded-up note in her hands. 

"What's this?" 

Hyemi shrugs before leaping onto the ground. "I don't know, but your name is there. Where are the sandwiches, appa?" 

Dongwoo looks up briefly from where he's unfolding the note. "In the fridge. Can you reach- "

Hyemi stretches up and tugs on the handle of the refrigerator before grabbing the tuppleware of pre-packed ham and cheese sandwiches for her and Donghae.

" - the handle. Nevermind," Dongwoo chuckles. After seeing that his bright little girl has managed to take one of the sandwiches for herself before climbing back onto the dining chair to feed the other to Donghae, he scans through the note and smiles softly. 

Dongwoo,

Morning, lovely. I'm sorry, I got an emergency call from work at the crack of dawn and had to head off extra early for a conference. I wanted to send you off for your final rehearsal today before the big production but it looks like I won't be able to do that now. In any case, don't forget to take the kids to school by nine and just in case you forgot, your rehearsal starts at ten today. The secretary says we'll be ending late too, so it looks like you'll have to pick up the kids later. Try to wait up for me, okay? I know it's your big day tomorrow, and I want to wish you well before you disappear. Take care of the kids and don't push yourself too hard, I know you're always like that. Have a great day, I love you.

Howon

A pleasant warmth tingles at the pit of Dongwoo's stomach as his lips curl into a lovesick grin, thumb grazing over the last three words of the note before folding it up and slipping it into his wallet. It's amazing how even now, after almost five years of being together, I react like it's our first date at everything he does or says.

It's the sound of Donghae's cries and Hyemi's insistent words that snap him back to reality and 8:45 a.m. is what the clock on the oven is screaming in his face. Dongwoo rushes over to his two children and tells Hyemi to eat her own sandwich and grab her bag before claiming her chair and placating Donghae to take a few more bites of his breakfast. It takes a bunch of pecks to the cheek and ruffles of his shaggy black hair, but eventually the small sandwich is finished and they're finally ready to go.

Hyemi helps Donghae saddle on his blue backpack as Dongwoo grabs his duffel bag and the house keys and walks over to where his two children are waiting by the apartment's door. In one swift motion, Donghae's back in his arms and the door is open, and Dongwoo grabs Hyemi's hand as they catch the lift down and begin the walk to school. (It's another one of those times when Dongwoo is so thankful for Howon's hindsight in choosing a school near their apartment complex.)

Dongwoo begins humming the opening tunes of one of the songs from the musical and Hyemi jumps in readily, child-like voice bringing a proud smile to Dongwoo's lips. Donghae is content with snuggling against Dongwoo's shoulder, but he blurbs out a few phrases occasionally that cause Dongwoo to cast him happy beams. 

They reach the school just a couple of minutes before nine, and Dongwoo fixes the strap of Hyemi's purple backpack before kissing her on the cheek. 

"Wait for me with Donghae later, okay? I'll be back here to get you guys at around four to five," Dongwoo tells his daughter as he adjusts the pink barette in her hair. 

"What about Howon appa?" Hyemi asks with a tilt of her head. 

Dongwoo smiles. Always looking for Howon. "You'll see him at night, princess. Have a good day!"

Hyemi pecks Dongwoo once on the cheek before skipping into the school. Dongwoo turns when he feels a tug on his leg and looks down to see Donghae's beautiful chocolate brown eyes (so much like Howon's save for the shape) staring up at him. 

"Appa?"

"Hmmm?" Dongwoo gets down on one knee to face his son. 

"Where's Howon appa?" 

Dongwoo chuckles. While Hyemi was more strong-headed and independent like Howon, Donghae was more soft-hearted and dependent like Dongwoo. Sometimes I think it's so unbelievable how much these two kids take after me and Howon even though we're not biologically related at all.

Dongwoo lightly brushes Donghae's bangs away from his eyes. "Howon appa had to leave early today for an important meeting. You'll see him before you sleep tonight, I promise."

Donghae blinks up at Dongwoo's outstretched pinky before linking his chubby finger with his dad's. 

"Donghae?"

Dongwoo looks up and sees another little boy standing behind his son, box of crayons in his tiny hands. 

"I brought my new crayons today. I want to help you draw that ocean you told me about last week, if you still- "

Donghae stumbles over to the boy and grabs him a tight hug. "I love you, Hyukkie-hyung!"

Dongwoo chuckles to himself at his son's forwardness and the other boy's- Hyukjae's, Dongwoo knows this because Donghae talks about Hyukjae all the time- tomato-red face. 

"Bye, appa!" Donghae waves clumsily before tugging on Hyukjae's jacket sleeve and entering the school gates. 

Dongwoo finally lets out a sigh and begins to head off for rehearsal. Just as he reaches the subway station, a chime from his phone signals an incoming text message. 

Coffee before rehearsal? I'm dead tired. - Woohyun

Dongwoo thumbs back a definitely to the other dancer performing in the Wicked musical with him before jogging down the steps and into the subway, long day of rehearsal stretched out before him and only the want of seeing his children and his lover at the end of the day keeping him going. 

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It's nearing eight in the evening when Dongwoo, Hyemi and Donghae finally troop back into the apartment. After a long day of dancing and full dress rehearsals and nearly twisting his shoulders, Dongwoo had rushed back to the school to pick Hyemi and Donghae up at five before taking them out for dinner and ice cream, as well as a leisurely walk around Central Park. He rushes his kids off to bathe while he does the same, and after another half hour he settles on the couch to watch some television while Hyemi plays with her dolls next to him, Donghae busy drawing on the floor at their feet. 

Another one hour or so flies by just like that, with the kids constantly asking of Howon's whereabouts and Dongwoo playing the questions off with easy smiles and made-up excuses of traffic jams and last minute meetings. It's ten at night when Dongwoo decides that it's time to put Donghae to bed, but before he can so much as lift the struggling boy off the floor, they all hear the jingling of keys from the front door. 

"Appa!" Donghae shrieks in delight. In a split second Donghae has wriggled out of Dongwoo's arms and is instead dashing over to the door, footsteps slightly shaky in their rush. Hyemi swings herself off the couch and sprints after her brother right as the door knob turns to reveal Howon, brown hair wind-tossed and clad in his sleek black suit, briefcase in hand and fingers still curled loosely around the door knob. 

"Howon appa!" Donghae's face explodes in an excited beam as he tugs incessantly at Howon's leg, trying to clamber up and into his arms. 

"Hey, you," Howon laughs as he takes a small step forward and lightly kicks the door shut behind him, dropping his briefcase onto the floor before kneeling down to pull Donghae into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. Donghae laughs loudly and happily, and Dongwoo smiles from where he's packing up the crayons and dolls around the couch area as his adorable little boy leans his head comfortably against Howon's broad and sturdy shoulder, tiny fingers curled up in Howon's suit jacket. 

Hyemi looks up expectantly at Howon who grins at her and uses his free hand to smooth down her hair and grab her small hand for a kiss. "And my little princess, how was school?" 

This is why the kids love Howon- he's always treating Donghae like a prince and Hyemi like a princess. Dongwoo thinks absent-mindedly as he turns off the television. When the stray thought of and that's how I fell for him too, because he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered in the world hits Dongwoo, he can't but smile to himself as he finishes tidying up the kids' mess before slinking into the master bedroom to get ready for bed. He knows Donghae and Hyemi would want Howon to tuck them in that night.

Dongwoo has just finished brushing his teeth and shagging off his black wifebeater when Howon silently pushes the door open to their room. He takes a quick moment to himself to admire the lean frame of his lover and the taut muscles of his back before placing his briefcase on the computer chair and stepping up behind Dongwoo, both arms automatically winding around the older's waist as he presses his lips ever-so-softly against Dongwoo's exposed neck. 

Dongwoo jumps slightly in shock but relaxes instantly when Howon's familiar arms and musky scent hit him from behind. He leans back into the warm haven of Howon's arms and makes a soft rumble of appreciation when Howon's lips trail along his collarbone and up his neck before he spins him around gently to face him. 

"Hey," Dongwoo breathes. Every moment he's with Howon, Dongwoo finds air leaving him in replacement of wonder and love. As Howon's deep brown eyes flutter open slightly to meet his gaze, Dongwoo's heart twists as he wonders- for the umpteenth time- what he ever did to deserve someone who loves him as much as Howon currently does. 

"I missed you," is all Howon mumbles before he closes the small distance between their lips and kisses him, tasting like mint and honey and everything Dongwoo loves. Howon's tie is off in a flash thanks to Dongwoo's nimble fingers and his suit jacket promptly follows, Dongwoo's fingers never stopping in their quest as they fumble for the buttons of Howon's dress shirt as the pair carefully maneuvers towards the bed. Dongwoo finally manages to push Howon's shirt off as the younger man kisses a trail down his jawline, strong fingers curling around his waist as they fall back on the bed. 

Dongwoo cards gentle fingers through Howon's hair from where he's encased underneath the younger, soft moonlight beaming down on him and making him look as perfect as he always is- dark brown hair, tan strong body and beautiful, beautiful eyes filled with love for him. 

Dongwoo doesn't know how it's possible to fall a little more in love with Howon everyday when he already loves him with every fibre of his being. It's almost ridiculous.

"You look sore," Howon chides gently as he begins to press expertly into Dongwoo's shoulder blades, eventually sitting up and pulling Dongwoo onto his lap for easier access. 

"I feel sore," is all Dongwoo manages because exhaustion is slowly starting to catch up to him and the warm, safe position he's currently in- trapped between Howon's legs- is doing nothing to chase the tiredness away. 

"Donghae jumped Hyukjae again before school," Dongwoo murmurs softly, and Howon laughs at his adorable son.

"How was work?" Dongwoo adds after Howon's laughter fades.

Howon hums as he continues with his ministrations. "The usual. Being a PA isn't all that fun, but I'm all right. I'm sorry I had to leave so early and disappear for the whole day, though. I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow." 

Dongwoo leans his full body weight against Howon's sturdy chest and slides his eyes shut. "How?"

Howon chuckles and brings his lips to the shell of Dongwoo's ear. "After-performance surprise, once we've put the kids to bed, of course." 

An excited shudder rushes down Dongwoo's spine at Howon's husky voice and his plans for them the next night. Dongwoo tips his head back a little to meet Howon's lips in a soft, loving kiss, whispering an I love you against his lips before resting his head against Howon's shoulder and closing his eyes. 

As Howon carefully lies Dongwoo down onto the pillows and slips out of bed momentarily to take a quick shower and change out of his work pants, he gazes at his sleeping lover, remembers his two children in the other rooms and realises that there's no place else he'd rather be but here with the three most important people in his life.

And that- he's sure- is never going to change.

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