Belated Happy Birthday, Jeno baby! :)  

                Donghae was only beginning to slip into slumber when all of a sudden whimpers that escalated into full-blown crying erupted in the room.

                He was about to sit right up to tend to the crying baby – their crying baby – when he was surprised by the sudden bolting up of the man already sleeping beside him.

                “I’m up, I’m up.” His husband said before he felt a hand touch his shoulder and a kiss was dropped at the crown of his hair. “I’ll get Jeno, you should get back to sleep.”

                The cries then were only growing louder, and Donghae clearly heard Hyukjae coo into the dark room, “Appa’s coming! Sshhh, Daddy’s trying to sleep, Jeno-ya, it’s okay, Appa’s here, ssshhhh…”

                Donghae smiled to himself as he heard his husband talk to their son lovingly, pure adoration in his voice. He knew that sleep is definitely one of those sacrifices one has to make in raising a child, and it’s the tender moments like this that makes Donghae feel every bit of it to be worth every adjustment that he and Hyukjae had to make.

                It was in the middle of that thought when Donghae realized that the crying didn’t sound that loud anymore, but it’s been a while already and the baby is still crying, wails coming from the little bundle in Hyukjae’s arms.

                Donghae heaved a breath to wake himself up completely before he stood up and went to the still cooing man rocking the baby back to sleep just beside the crib.

                “Here, give him to me,” Donghae said quietly to his husband.

                “But Donghae, you should really get some sleep,” Hyukjae reasoned as he looked at the slightly worn face of his husband. Beneath the obvious fatigue though, Hyukjae can clearly see the joy and serenity in Donghae as he smiled back to him.

                Donghae reached to his son, carefully getting him from Hyukjae’s arms. “I’m fine, Hyukjae. You, on the other hand, should be the one getting some sleep since you have work in,” Donghae paused to look back to the digital clock on the bedside table, “about four hours.”

                “But–” Hyukjae was trying to reason with Donghae when he realized that the crying that permeated the room earlier already turned into quiet hiccups. “He likes you better,” He said with a pout, looking down to his three-month-old son in his husband’s arms, his little head moving ever so adorably to nuzzle into the material of Donghae’s shirt.

                “Of course not, Hyukkie,” Donghae immediately answered when he heard the pout on his voice, looking up to see it on Hyukjae’s moonlit face. “He’s just more familiar with me since we’re together 24/7.”

                “I should really spend more time with him.”

                “But you’re not lacking in spending time with him, Hyukjae.” Donghae says in reassurance, looking down to see their son already falling back to sleep, his mouth opened to an adorable o. “Nights are just harder, you know that; don’t beat yourself up over it, please.” He continues as Hyukjae puts his arm around his waist, pulling him close.“ He adjusted his footing to briefly kiss Hyukjae on the lips before asking the latter again to go back to bed.

                “Come with me to bed? You can cradle Jeno and we can cuddle?”

                Donghae nodded willingly before he walked to his side of the bed and Hyukjae walked to his.

                After Hyukjae arranged the pillows at the head of the bed, Donghae sat down, carefully adjusting his body in a comfortable position so as not to jostle the already sleeping baby.

                Hyukjae just as gently followed suit, putting his arm around Donghae’s shoulder, both of them letting out a sigh of relief when Jeno remained asleep after their manoeuvring on the bed.

                They both looked down to their sleeping son, and Hyukjae can’t help the burst joy and contentment that spread all over his body.

                “He’s perfect, Hae.”

                “I know. He is.” Donghae responded as he snuggled to Hyukjae’s side. “I can still remember how it felt when I first saw him; it felt as if he’s the one for us, like there’s no way the universe can not let us have this baby because it just felt right.”

                Hyukjae smiled, remembering the day more than two months ago when they first laid their eyes on their son. “I remember. And it was also as if the universe conspired for us to have this baby, Hae. How smoothly everything went and how fast we were able to take him home with us…”

                “And on that note, we should get back to the social work office to follow up on our papers. I know it will take a while for them to give all the documents to us, but I don’t want them to feel like we’re slacking on our part, you know? I’d rather be pushy and annoying than have them thinking that we don’t want our son as much.”

                “I’ll call them first thing in the morning, well, later, when I get to work.” Hyukjae agreed, reaching his free hand to hold onto one of Jeno’s feet. “You know I have this strong feeling that he will look just like you when he grows up.”

                “Huh? Why do you say that?” Donghae asked perplexed.

                “Well, aside from your mom telling us over and over and over again that he looks just like you when you were this little, I don’t know, for me there’s this look in his eyes that just makes me think of you.”

                “Hyukjae, he’s an infant; I’m sure they’re not capable of giving us looks yet as it is.”

                “But still, his eyes, they're shiny like yours, you know?”

                “They’re always shiny because crying is one of the five things that he can do at this age, Hyuk,” Donghae explained suppressing a chuckle. He then looked up at Hyukjae, giving him a suspicious stare. “And mister, are you trying to sweet talk me into getting you laid? Calling my eyes shiny and all that? I think we’ve moved past the sweet talking for some eight, nine years ago.”

                “Ten years, and I’m not sweet talking you into anything.” Hyukjae corrected as he looked right back down at Donghae. “Although I really miss you, you know.”

                “I miss you too, Hyukkie,” Donghae whispers longingly at his husband. “Though I don’t really get to think much of it during the day since my brain is full of Jeno and what he needs, and that’s definitely a good distraction.”

                “Okay I don’t think I’m ready to go to the direction this conversation is taking.” Hyukjae declares as he then hears his husband’s confused hum. “I’m not sure I’m ready to hear you pick your choice between the god that is me and our baby boy, that’s all.”

                “Hyukjae –“

                “–Okay I don’t think I’m comfortable at all talking about with our baby right here.” Hyukjae continues, shaking his head a little as if to rid his head of the thoughts.

                Donghae then can’t help but chuckle, his hand immediately tapping Jeno’s  thigh as the baby was disturbed by the sudden sound and vibration in Donghae’s chest.  “Just what I was gonna say.”

                “We’re an old married couple, aren’t we?”

                “We’re a married couple, and we’re not the least bit old, Hyukjae.” Donghae responds, a smirk that is unseen to Hyukjae spreading on his lips. “And I’m gonna prove that to you in  every way when mom picks Jeno up on Friday.”

                “W-wait, mom? Your mom?” Hyukjae asked in confusion. “And wait, w-what?”

                “Yep. Mom’s been bugging me to have Jeno overnight – and by the way, I’m pretty sure my mother and your mother will have a slumber party together for it – and she keeps on telling me that we need time with just the two of us.” Donghae explained. “And I agreed. I really do miss you, Hyukjae, the things you can do to me, how you do it…” He continued, his voice coming down to a husky tone knowing what it will do to Hyukjae. “She’s picking Jeno up on Friday.”

                “God, Donghae, you’re doing this deliberately, right? Talking to me like this knowing I have to wait four days, FOUR DAYS before we can do anything about it, right? You’re evil. Pure evil, Donghae.” Hyukjae complains with a whine in his voice, and Donghae just smiles in triumph.

                “I’m not even sure it’ll be anything like from years ago, Hyuk. I haven’t had good sleep in months.”

                Hyukjae sighed. “It’s hard, right? I’m sorry, I should really be here more.”

                “Hyuk I’m not complaining. It’s worth it. Everything is worth it.” Donghae says. “And you spend just as much time with us as you could, and well, you have to work for our family too. You come home on time, you don’t go on overtimes, and we spend more than enough family time, Hyukjae. We’re doing fine.” Donghae finished with a yawn.

                Hyukjae nodded, removing his hand from Donghae’s back. “Let me get Jeno’s stuff so we can just let him sleep here with us. That way we won’t have to get back up later and you can get some sleep.”

                After laying down Jeno’s blanket at the middle of the bed between him and Donghae, with the latter gently laying down the baby on the bed, Hyukjae knew that Donghae was right. Everything was worth it, all the sacrifices, all the adjustments, and all the times that he misses Donghae. Because nothing beats the image of Donghae with a child – their son – in his arms, the glow that is in Donghae’s face everyday now despite the tiredness, and the baby smell that was now everywhere in their room.

                Everything is really worth it, and Hyukjae wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Four years later

                Hyukjae has learned a lot of things in his life, but he never knew peace that even came close to the serenity and contentment that he feels when he’s asleep, his husband sleeping right beside him, the latter’s warmth radiating from his body keeping Hyukjae all cozy and feeling loved.

                He was certain that he was in that peaceful state when all of a sudden, screaming whispers of “Appa” and “Daddy” assaulted his senses, and then there’s a small body jumping on the bed, wedging itself between him and Donghae as limbs mercilessly attacked his sleep-riddled body, an elbow painfully jabbing at his ribs.

                He retaliated by gathering the small body in his arms, pinning it down to the bed by throwing one arm and one leg over it. He then felt Donghae turn around to face him and their son, throwing his own arm and leg over Hyukjae’s, entangling them in the process.

                “You’re awake! You’re awake!” The four-year-old boy cheered as he tried to wiggle himself free from his parents’ limbs.

                “Hyukkie?” Donghae called sleepily to his husband. “This pillow’s really nice,” he continued as he nuzzled their son’s neck.

                “Daddy!”

                “This pillow? It just magically jumped into our bed just now. Maybe this pillow means that we should sleep some more, hmmm?”

                “No! No more sleeping Appa! It’s–“

                “Hmmm, it smells like a baby too,” Hyukjae continued, purposely ignoring Jeno who was still struggling in their embrace. He then rubbed his unshaven chin on the kid’s cheek to chortles of “Appa, that tickles!”

                Both Donghae and Hyukjae couldn’t help the smiles that spread on their faces, but as boys themselves, the instinct to tease more prevailed.

                “It’s a special day today, Hyukkie,” Donghae said with a smile. “It’s my birthday today.”

                “Really?” Hyukjae answered before their son could interrupt. “But I think it’s my birthday!”

                “No no no Daddy! Appa! Today’s Jeno’s birthday, it’s my birthday, and it’s aquarium day today!” The boy between them said excitedly, still trying to disentangle himself from the embrace of his parents.

                “Oh! The pillow speaks, Hyuk!” Donghae said as he lifted his limbs off their son, Hyukjae loosening his hold too.

                “Daddy!” Jeno shrieked as he immediately latched into Donghae’s neck.

                Donghae chuckled heartily as he hugged his son back, snuggling both of them deeper into the still warm bed. “It’s still very early, Jeno, we should sleep some more.”

                “But Daddy, it’s my birthday,” Jeno explained matter of factly at Donghae as he looked right back at his father. “We should brush our teeth, then change clothes, then play before we visit my fish friends.”

                “But Appa gets really grumpy when he’s woken up very early you know,” Donghae fake-whispered at Jeno as he pointed behind the kid to Hyukjae.

                The boy’s eyes widened comically as he twisted in Donghae’s embrace to fling himself to Hyukjae in an embrace. “Sorry, Appa,” the boy apologized as he placed his small hands on his Appa’s face. Hyukjae didn’t move, and it was only a matter of time before chubby fingers tried to pry open his eyelids to his shock.

                “Ten more minutes, Jeno-ya.”

                The boy then obediently nodded, knowing for a fact that he should follow his Appa since he really did wake them up even if the sun is not up in the sky yet.

-

                Hyukjae couldn’t sleep even if he tried since his son – though he finally kept quiet after waking them up at a considerably ungodly hour, if anyone asks Hyukjae –  was still wide awake in his and Donghae’s embrace, and though he probably tries not to move much, Hyukjae can feel the twitches here and there as the kid tried to shift every now and then.

                He then heard Donghae sigh before the latter sat up, dropping a kiss on Jeno’s head and then on Hyukjae’s. “How about seaweed soup for breakfast, hmmm?”

                Jeno whooped a loud “Yes!” as Donghae stood up to go to the bathroom.

                The moment Donghae shut the door behind him, Jeno immediately looked up to his Appa with an excited glint in his eyes.

                “It’s time Appa, it’s time!” He seriously whispered as he sat up the same time Hyukjae did.

                Hyukjae smiled at his son, ruffling his hair as he finally accepted the fact that sleep is no longer within his grasp, before he reached into the drawer in his bedside table to get a rectangle box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it.

                “There’s a ribbon too! It’s so pretty.” Jeno continued whispering as he held in his small hands the box that his father passed to him. “Do you think Daddy will like it?”

                “Of course he’ll like it,” Hyukjae answered his son just as a thought crossed his mind.

                He smiled mischievously at the plan that he geniously stumbled upon as his son toyed with the ribbon around the box. Hyukjae then pulled his drawer open again to reach to the roll of silver ribbon.

                He cut a portion of it before reaching for Jeno, tying the ribbon around the little boy’s head. “Here, I’m sure he’ll like this better,” He said as he set the bow perfectly with nimble fingers. (He likes to think it’s his OCD tendencies that led to his perfect ribbon and not any sort of affinity to them.)

                He looked down to see his son’s eyes crossed as the boy tried to look up to the ribbon now dangling on his forehead.

                Jeno then beamed at Hyukjae, pure unadulterated delight in his face as he whispered, “I’m a gift too!”

                And just then, the door to the bathroom opened, and Jeno, as if struck by lightning, flailed into sudden action to face Donghae who was then stepping into the room, shrieking “SURPRISE!”

                Donghae was startled by Jeno’s outburst, and when he looked up to the source of the noise, he immediately burst into laughter at the sight of his son.

                “What’s this Jeno-ya?” He asked as he walked back to the bed, sitting in front of his bouncing son.

                “I’m your gift, Daddy!”

                “But it’s your birthday, baby. Why are you giving me a gift?”

                “Because you love me and Appa very much, Daddy.” Jeno explains in a tone that made Donghae feel as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

                Donghae then looked up to Hyukjae to see if the latter understood any of his son’s blabberings, but he was only met with a tender smile, before Hyukjae called their son’s name as if to remind him of something.

                “Oh! Daddy, your real gift!” Jeno said excitedly as he reached behind him for something before said something was into Donghae’s arms. “I helped pick it!”

                “Wh-what?” Donghae asked in confusion still as he looked down to the rectangular box in his hands. He looked up to the mirroring faces of his husband and son for any sort of explanation, and Hyukjae gave it to him.

                “Because you took care of Jeno to the best of your abilities for the past four years, and me, for the past…I don’t know, 20 plus years?” Hyukjae explained with a loving smile. “And Jeno’s grown into such an adorable, good, and perfect little boy, despite of course,” Hyukjae paused as he pulled Jeno to his side, ruffling his hair, “those naughty moments when he doesn’t want to wash at night or brush his teeth or pack away his toys.” He continued with a chuckle.

                Jeno reacted to this by covering his mouth with his small hands, laughing behind its cover as he was called out by his Appa on his “naughty deeds.”

                “And because we love you just as much, Hae. I love you. And thank you.” Hyukjae finished, the adoration in his voice hanging in the air, the overflowing love in his eyes piercing Donghae’s, his hand reaching to squeeze his husband’s.

                Donghae then smiled back with all his worth, leaning his body forward to capture Hyukjae’s plump lips in a chaste kiss, to the embarrassed squeals of their son.

                “I love you too, Hyukkie.” Donghae said as he brushed the tip of his nose with Hyukjae’s. “And thank you too, for the same things and more.” Tears of total happiness and gratitude were already b on Donghae’s eyes.

                Jeno then, for the second time that morning, wedged himself between his fathers as he put his stubby arms around their necks. “I love Appa and Daddy too!”

                The two men in the room chuckled, with Donghae kissing Jeno’s cheek with a pop before reaching over to Hyukjae to kiss him another time.

                “Open it open it open it now Daddy!”

                “Okay, okay, calm down, Jeno.” Donghae said as he finally brought his attention back to the box in his hands. He then pulled the ribbon loose, throwing Hyukjae a knowing stare as he had to pull a bit harder to untangle the well-tied perfect silver ribbon.

                Lifting the cover off the box, he finally saw his gift: It was a silver bracelet with what seemed like the outlines of puzzle pieces connected, a single puzzle piece dangling at the end of the chain.

                “This is beautiful,” Donghae whispered to himself, forgetting for a while the presence of the other two in the room as he stared at the bracelet.

                “Do you like it Daddy?” Jeno asked excitedly.

                “Of course I like it! I love it,” Donghae exclaimed with a big smile as he traced the bracelet with a finger.

                “Here, let me.” Hyukjae said as he took the box from Donghae, getting the bracelet before he wound it around Donghae’s left wrist.

                “It’s really really beautiful.”

                “I helped pick it! And Appa gave the man the money.” Jeno exclaimed.

                Donghae chuckled at his son before shaking his wrist a bit, letting the puzzle piece at the end wiggle back and forth against his skin. “But I think we need to get Appa something to thank him for everything too, hmmm, Jeno-ya?”

                Just then, Jeno’s face split in a huge grin before he looked back to Hyukjae, his hand pulling insistently at Hyukjae’s sleeve.

                After giving his own chuckle, Hyukjae then reached for his drawer again to retrieve two similar boxes, but with one of the two being a smaller one.

                “We also kinda took care of that,” Hyukjae said with a sheepish smile on his lips. He then opened the lids of the boxes one after the other. “We thought that maybe we could make it a thing for the three of us, so we got the same ones too.” He continued explaining as he lifted a similar bracelet from the box.

                “Oh that’s nice!” Donghae exclaimed as he looked to the bracelet in Hyukjae’s hand and then up to his husband. “Jeno has one too?”

                “Yeah, I had to ask the store to have one made especially for Jeno since it’s gonna be smaller, and they agreed.” Hyukjae finished as he handed over to Donghae a miniature version of their own bracelets.

                “This is so cute, Hyukjae!” Donghae said with a wide smile as he toyed with his son’s bracelet. “Jeno come here let’s give this a try,”

                Jeno immediately stretched his left arm to Donghae to have his father put the bracelet around his wrist, and after finishing with Jeno, Donghae then proceeded to latch Hyukjae’s bracelet to his wrist.

                “We should take a picture,” Donghae said as he immediately retrieved his phone from his bedside table. But before Donghae could snap a picture of their bracelet-clad wrists, Hyukjae already took the phone from his hand.

                “Let me do it, Hae. We can put this in Jeno’s baby album so we actually have to have this taken rather well.” Hyukjae teased as he tapped on Donghae’s phone.

                “I can take good pictures!” Donghae said defensively as he tried to swipe his phone off Hyukjae’s hands.

                “Oh Donghae, you put the technology of these babies to shame whenever you use its camera,” Hyukjae teased further. “Let me do it.”

                “There is nothing wrong with my picture-taking skills, Lee Hyukjae.” Donghae said firmly as he mock-glared at his husband. “Maybe there’s something wrong with the camera, I don’t know!”

                “In every camera that you use?” Hyukjae challenged with a chuckle. “This camera and all cameras in the world are fine, Hae. It’s your hands that are the problem.”

                “I don’t have shaky hands!”

                “Appa, Daddy, it’s picture tim–“

                “–Just wait Jeno baby, your Appa needs to know first that–“

                “Your have minus hands, Donghae. We know that, and that unfortunately translates to the pictures you take, Hae.”

                “My photography class professor back in college said my pictures are good, Hyukjae.”

                “Well you charmed the pants off your photography class professor, of course she’ll say your photos are good!” Hyukjae chortled after, his laughter egged even more by the sight of Donghae crossing his arms in his chest, the glare in his eyes as threatening as a little kitten’s death glare.

                “I. take. good. photos.”

                “If you’re looking for low-res and pixelized photos, then you do!” Hyukjae exclaimed as he taunted at his husband. “And besides, your photography professor would just about say anything to you, Donghae. She wanted in in your pants!”

                Donghae’s eyes widened then as he looked to their son who had his eyebrows knit together in confusion, and Donghae threw his husband a warning look, but Hyukjae was too far gone in his let’s-tease-Donghae-to-the-ends-of-the-world mode.

                “Only she was as clueless as ever, and she didn’t know that you only wanted di–“

                “Hyukjae!”

                Hearing Donghae’s hiss at him pulled Hyukjae back to where he was, and his single-lidded eyes widened, immediately throwing their son a worried look before looking back up to Donghae then back to their son as Hyukjae tried to grapple with the reality of what just happened, and then he looked back up to Donghae to apologize but Jeno was already asking something that just about blew his and Donghae’s brains out .

                “Appa, what’s a D? And why does daddy like a D? And who took Daddy’s pants?”

                The choking laughter that erupted from Donghae was emphasized by his rolling on his back on the bed as Hyukjae’s eyes widened even more, if that’s possible. Hyukjae tried to look to Donghae for help but the latter is still very much busy laughing his lungs off.

                “Appa! What’s a D?” Jeno’s insistent inquisition brought Hyukjae’s mind front and center to his problem at hand: How in the world does he get out of this when his husband was obviously not in a state to help him?

                “Di… Di…Dessert! Your Daddy wants dessert, doesn’t he, Jeno-ya? And nobody took your Daddy’s pants,” Hyukjae responded as he smiled sheepishly at his son.

                “Didn’t the portessor want to take Daddy’s pants?” Jeno fired in question right away. “I think the portessor wanted Daddy’s pants.”

                Donghae’s loud guffaws then reached a pretty disturbing loudness hearing that, and Hyukjae had the urge to push Donghae’s face down with a pillow, but he figured that the latter’s laughing like a madman might just about take care of that, if Donghae chasing after each breath by then was any indication.

                “It’s a professor, Jeno, but never mind that,” Hyukjae said, mumbling the latter part of the sentence to himself. He already felt the temperature in the room rising as he fanned his face with his hand, then reaching to his son to put him in his lap. “No one wanted your Daddy’s pants, Jeno, and your Daddy really really likes dessert. Okay?”

                Jeno paused for a while as if thinking everything over, before he shrugged his shoulders as if resigned to the fact that his Appa wasn’t making sense at all.

                Hyukjae was only relieved when his son seemed to dismiss that topic with the shrug of his shoulders,  and Hyukjae sighed as he just about dodged the crisis at hand.

                He threw his still laughing husband a look, the latter clutching to his stomach as he curled himself still with uncontrollable laughter.

                “A…Appa?” Jeno asked hesitantly as he fisted his father’s shirt. “Is…is Daddy okay? I think he’s…dying.”

                And Hyukjae just had to laugh at that as Donghae only laughed more, his feet now flailing too as Jeno pushed himself closer to Hyukjae.

---

                The photo of their bracelets was finally taken when they entered the aquarium complex after Donghae finally moved on from his laughing fit, Jeno assured that no, his Daddy wasn’t dying, and Hyukjae finally feeling out of the woods with his son’s inquisition. Seaweed soup was served for their breakfast, the candle on top the chocolate cake that Hyukjae bought from their favorite pastry shop (he was still miffed that their son picked chocolate over strawberry, the traitor) blown away by the birthday boy.

                They were almost done with the whole aquarium – they fed the penguins, visited the giant turtle named Yesung (Hyukjae still thought it was a weird name for a turtle, but he figured that having a turtle as big as Yesung was weird in itself so there’s not much that he can really expect from the owner that donated the animal to the aquarium), went through just about every nook and cranny of the place with all sorts of fishes and sea creature, with Jeno bouncing at the balls of his feet and his fathers humoring him with laughters and whatever amount of enthusiasm they could muster after seeing all the same things the three times they’ve been there in a year.

                All the laughs and moments though as they stared at their son’s glowing face were as real as can be, the two fathers feeling as much happiness at seeing their son this happy to be back in his favorite place in the world.

                “If I get lost I can just ask the ahjussis here to look for the two misters wearing the same bracelet as mine, right? Right?” Jeno asked excitedly as he shook his arm with the bracelet while holding each of his parents’ hands. “Then they will find you and Appa because you too are wearing your bracelets!”

                Donghae chuckled at his son who was apparently not paying much attention to where they’re going as the small boy looked at his bracelet, then to Donghae’s, then Hyukjae’s as he was guided by his parents’ hands as they walked through.

                “But still you shouldn’t wander around so you won’t get lost, okay?” Donghae asked Jeno as he looked straight to where they were headed to, then he threw Hyukjae a look before he deliberately engaged his son in a casual conversation.

                Hyukjae, seeing the same thing Donghae did, acted nonchalantly as he looked at Jeno to see if the boy was aware of where they were finally headed to.

                Jeno was nodding as he still looked at his bracelet, looking up again to Donghae. “But they will find you, right? We have the family bracelet and I can tell them that my Daddy is Lee Donghae and my Appa is Lee Hyukjae and ––“

                Just then, Jeno stopped in his tracks abruptly as he finally looked forward to where they are. Instantly, he was gripping at both his parents’ hands as he then latched to Hyukjae’s legs, crying out in a small voice “Carry me Appa, carry me!”

                Hyukjae moved to action as he scooped his son to his arms, Jeno’s arms immediately entwining in his neck as the boy hid his face in his Appa’s shoulder. “Step back, step back Appa!” Jeno cried as he wriggled in his Appa’s arms as if to push them both back as Hyukjae took a fast step back, with Donghae moving to step with them as he caressed his son’s hair.

                “It’s okay, Jeno-ya,” Hyukjae assured his son as Donghae cooed just the same to Jeno.

                Donghae then walked behind Hyukjae so Jeno was facing him. “Appa’s already stepped back, Jeno-ya. Can you look at Daddy please?”

                The hold on Hyukjae’s neck appeared to tighten just a bit more before Jeno peeked from his Appa’s shoulder to look at Donghae, his eyes wet with tears.

                Donghae smiled warmly at his son. “How many times have we been here, Jeno-ya?”

                Jeno raise three of his chubby fingers to Donghae in response.

                “That’s right,” Donghae said encouragingly as he wiped at the tears he can catch.

                “Can we go back there please? To go out?” Jeno asked as he pointed to the direction of where they came from.               

                “You know we have to pass here to go out, baby.” Donghae said with a smile. “But like you said, we’ve been here three times and you’re still fine, right?”

                Jeno hesitantly nodded.

                “So we can walk through here again like those other times, right? With you, Appa, and me?”

                Jeno’s eyes widened a bit in fear before he nodded at Donghae again. “But what if they break the roof, Daddy? They h-have very very sharp teeth, and many many teeth too…”

                Hyukjae rubbed his son’s back as he heard the tears in his voice. “But Daddy and Appa are here, Jeno. I’m gonna carry you, and Daddy’s gonna hold your hand like before, okay?”

                There was no response from his son but his head nuzzling back on his shoulders.

                “Can you please look at Daddy again Jeno-ya?” Donghae asked a second time as he pulled a water bottle from his bag.

                “But they’re really big, Daddy. They can bite the glass…” Jeno responded as he timidly raised his gaze back to Donghae.

                “But the glass is really strong, Jeno. The sharks can’t bite that glass. And they won’t do it because these are very nice sharks.” Donghae explained. “And you’re four years old today too, you’re a big boy now;  I’m sure you can do it.”

                Jeno slightly loosened his grip around Hyukjae’s neck and shoulders as he nodded at Donghae.

                “Here, drink some water first before we go, okay?” Donghae said as he gave the boy the water bottle, waiting for Jeno to finish having his fill. Once his son handed back the water bottle to him, Donghae continued, “I even think that you can open your eyes now while we pass there. You’re already a big boy.”

                Jeno’s eyes bulged out at hearing that, and Donghae immediately told him that he doesn’t have to do that if he doesn’t want to.

                Hyukjae just kept rubbing his son’s back, listening in on the father and son’s conversation, amazed at the different dynamics that Donghae and Jeno have. He’s definitely close with their son too, he makes sure of that, but this certain dynamics that Donghae has with Jeno just warms Hyukjae’s heart because it’s very…rewarding for him to see Donghae this good with their son, all happy and perfect.

                After a moment of silence, they finally heard Jeno say something after Donghae suggested what he just did. “M-maybe one eye, Daddy?”

                “Hmmm?”

                “I think I-I can open one eye.”

                “Really?” Donghae asked assuringly as he smiled back at his son. “That’s good, Jeno. I’m sure you can do it, and everything will be fine.”

                “But you’re gonna hold my hand, Daddy, right?”

                “Of course, baby.”

                “And Appa’s gonna embrace me until we finish walking?”

                “Yes, of course I will.” Hyukjae responded as he hugged Jeno just a tad bit tighter.

                “O-okay.”

                “Okay?”

                Jeno then just nodded as he covered his eyes with one small hand, a small gap in his fingers centered on one of his eyes. He then reached for Donghae’s hand with his free hand.

                Hyukjae then secured Jeno in his embrace as they started walking into the tunnel where the sharks are housed, and Hyukjae felt Jeno hold on tighter to him.

                Just then, one shark swam over their heads and Jeno quietly shrieked as he closed his eyes and gripped Donghae’s hand tighter.

                “It’s okay, Jeno. It just swam passed us and see, it’s not doing anything, right?”

               Jeno then let one eye open to see above him, and there he saw one white shark swimming away from them “Wow. That’s…big.” Jeno uttered in astonishment as he now looked on above him with two open eyes.

                Donghae smiled at seeing Jeno finally look around him after being scared of this particular part of the aquarium since the very beginning. He still held on tight to Hyukjae and Donghae’s hand, but seeing him look at the creatures above him already was enough achievement for Donghae.

                It was only after they turned the corner after the shark tunnel that Jeno let Hyukjae put him down.

                “You did well, Jeno-ya.” Hyukjae said as he knelt in front of his son, fixing his skewed  clothes.

                 Donghae echoed Hyukjae’s words, kneeling in front of Jeno too. “Did you have fun today,  Jeno?”

                At the mention of fun, Jeno’s face lit up again in smiles and excitement as he recalled all the things he did that day. “Yes! The penguins were really nice, and the dolphins were very friendly! And I got to touch Yesungs’s house!” Jeno exclaimed as he then walked with his parents out of the hallways. “Can I have a pet like Yesung, Appa?”

                “No, Jeno,” Hyukjae quickly and surely responded to his son. “Turtles are…very quiet pets, and you can’t play with them like you can with dogs, they can’t run, and they can’t…do a lot of things.” Hyukjae explained. “When you’re bored it will just look at you, unlike dogs who will play with you, right? And we already have Choco, Jeno.”

                Jeno slowly nodded in agreement to his Appa. “When we get home can I open my gifts please?” The boy asked excitedly.

                “Don’t we say thank you first for our fun day at the aquarium, Jeno?” Donghae asked smilingly at his son before the kid jumped in his arms with shrieks of “Thank you Daddy” before his son jumped Hyukjae next, a loud “Thank you Appa” ringing in both their ears.

                “But I think we should thank Appa more since he got us our family bracelet, right?” Donghae added, and after a large grin split Jeno’s face, an exclamation of “Ten kisses!!!” assaulted their hearing as Jeno attacked Hyukjae’s left cheek with one kiss after another, accentuated by squeals of counting after each landed kiss.

                Donghae, seeing the tender moment between his husband and their son, immediately went on his knees to give Hyukjae’s other cheek his own version of “ten kisses” to the delight of their son.

                Hyukjae laughed at the antics of his husband and son, but just as he knew that there’s no peace like it is when he’s asleep with Donghae in his arms, he knew that there’s no better life than this, Donghae and Jeno showering his face with kisses as they kissed him in thanks for things that he’s only all too willing to do.

                When the two finished attacking his cheeks with very wet smacky kisses, Hyukjae lifted Jeno back in his arms to kiss the boy with a loud smack on his cheek, earning him a very loud yelp and laughter, before he kissed Donghae on his cheek too, the latter’s arm wounding on his waist as he looked to Hyukjae with such loving eyes that Hyukjae knew that things definitely can’t get better than this. Being woken up very early in the morning with an elbow to his ribs is definitely worth all the crazy fun they had today, with Jeno conquering one of his greatest fears.

                He was bending down to kiss Donghae’s hairline when all of a sudden their son said in a sing-song tone:

                “I want some D! If Daddy wants some D, Jeno wants some D, too! Appa, can we have D after opening my gifts?”

                Hyukjae then knew that he’ll have to buy Donghae his very own oxygen tank with the way that his husband clung to his neck to support himself as another bout of laughter overtook his body, his mouth gaped wide open as he laughed all over again as if that’s the last thing he’ll do.

                Hyukjae had half the mind to push Donghae off his neck to see the man stumble on the ground as he laughed as if his life depended on it, but that thought was pushed to the back of his mind when he realized that he’s never gonna live this down, is he? He cringed at the thought of the sleepless nights he’s bound to have as he is haunted by the horror of his little slip up in front of no other than their adorable little boy who is now screaming his little lungs off that he wants some D too.

                “Let’s eat some D!” Jeno continued singing, and Hyukjae wanted nothing more but to rush back to the aquarium to break the glass in the shark’s tunnel himself to let them feed on him. That would be an easy way out.

A/N: I don't know what happened, i'm sorry? :) This wasn't what I have planned for the second update but when i learned last week that it was Jeno's birthday, I just thought of writing something for his birthday and that turned out to be this monster. I hope that this impromptu update is okay though :) No Jisung here though, but he'll return some other time :D

AND WOW you guys thanks so much for subbing and liking the first one. I truly appreciate each and everyone of you who put up with my word vomit :) Now the original planned update is in the works, and i'm trying to get that out as soon as i have time to go over it again :)

THANKS FOR READING! <3

~Vee