After being around hyperactive six-year-olds for nearly 9 hours straight, Junmyeon welcomes the quiet of his apartment. But all weariness dissipate as soon as the grade school teacher peeks into the guest room turned studio and catches sight of a certain brunet, hard at work on a fresh painting. When they first got married, Junmyeon made it clear that Baekhyun shall not work a day as long as they were together. The latter kept his complaints of boredom to a minimum for the first few months but by the fifth month Baekhyun was sure he would go crazy. So, on top of lesson planning, Junmyeon spent every weekend converting their guest room into Baekhyun’s art studio.

Junmyeon watches his petite husband’s shoulders fall as he heaves a sigh. He can just imagine the dissatisfied pout Baekhyun is making as the smaller scrutinizes his painting. Junmyeon fails at containing his amusement. The younger immediately turns towards Junmyeon and creases his brows unappreciatively.

“Don’t laugh at me.” Junmyeon breaks into a peal of laughter before finally containing himself and making his way towards his smaller partner. Baekhyun has his arms crossed over his chest, much like the first graders Junmyeon works with daily, awaiting an explanation.

“I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing because of you. You’re cute when you’re upset you know that?” Junmyeon holds Baekhyun’s face in his hands and pecks his protruding lower lip.

“I am not cute!” Baekhyun pushes at Junmyeon’s chest but the elder pulls him back by the wrists, placing a kiss on the younger’s forehead and allowing his lips to trail down Baekhyun’s face down to his paint stained collar bones.

”Yes, you are. That’s why I married you.” The moment the words leave Junmyeon’s lips he realizes his mistake. He can’t find the courage to look up at Baekhyun but knows the disappointed glare is there.

“I guess being in love with me had nothing to do with you wanting to spend the rest of your life with me then?” Baekhyun shoves Junmyeon away only to be caught again, this time he can feel Junmyeon’s taut pectorals warm against his back.

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Junmyeon feels Baekhyun shudder against him and grins with satisfaction. The elder takes note of Baekhyun’s sudden hypersensitivity to touch, stiffening when Junmyeon wraps his arms around his midsection.

While Baekhyun is distracted, Junmyeon takes a peek at the painting that made his tinier lover so upset. He recognizes the characters as ‘freedom’ and ‘peace’. They had started appearing in Baekhyun’s artwork nearly two months ago. Since then the two characters have found their way onto his paintings without fail.

“It’s beautiful. Why freedom and peace?”

Junmyeon takes up a stool so he can stay with his husband for awhile. Baekhyun leans into Junmyeon, reaching for the elder’s nape. He sinks his slender fingers into the soft, overgrown hair there and visibly relaxes. The school year has just resumed and they barely have time to be together.

“You should trim your hair soon.”  Junmyeon kisses the inside of Baekhyun’s wrist. He notices the absence of lavender essential oil, Baekhyun’s signature scent.

“You can do that right, honey? Now, why freedom and peace?” Baekhyun turns in his seat to face Junmyeon, wrapping his arms around his husband. Junmyeon rubs circles into the small of Baekhyun’s back and kisses his neck comfortingly.

“They doubted us so much back then. Telling us we were wrong, an abomination—“

“Baek—“

“It’s okay, Myeon-ah. To forget about all that we have to acknowledge that it happened. I don’t care about what they say, not anymore, because loving you is the best kind of pain.” Junmyeon gently pries Baekhyun’s face away from his embrace. He eases the younger’s pain with a chaste kiss to the lips. Baekhyun likes to believe his husband’s kisses are the answers to everything.

“Love should not be painful.”

“I know, darling. I know. And that is the answer to your question; Freedom to love whomever you want and the peace to do so.” Baekhyun extracts himself from Junmyeon’s embrace.

“Baek?”

“Don’t worry, dear. I just need to use the restroom.” Junmyeon nods and lets his lover slip away reluctantly.

Once out of his work clothes, Junmyeon busies himself with tidying the apartment, reorganizing their magazine rack and cds, checking the time every few minutes.

What is he doing in there?

Baekhyun’s silence in the restroom worries his husband. Junmyeon turns the knob and frowns when he finds it locked.

“Love, are you okay? You’ve been really quiet in there. Baek?”

“I’m fine, Junmyeon. I just decided to clean the bathroom since I’m already in here. I’m okay.” Junmyeon is not convinced.

“Then can I come in? I really need to use the toilet.”

“In a bit Jun, I just need to—“ Baekhyun groans as if in pain and Junmyeon panics at the sound of wretching.

“Baek! Baekhyun! Unlock the door!” Junmyeon runs to their bedroom, plucking a cotton swab atop the dresser. One of the few things that were beneficial about having Park Chanyeol for a dormmate was the giant’s lacking sense of privacy. Junmyeon never thought the useless know-hows Chanyeol taught him would be of use. But he’d never admit that.

Unfortunately, the sight of Baekhyun does not offer Junmyeon the relief he was hoping for. The younger is hunched over the toilet bowl, gripping his midsection, eyes watering. Junmyeon rushes to his side, rubbing his back soothingly. After five minutes straight of vomiting and a few more to steady himself, Baekhyun rises on shaky legs and cleans himself up.

Junmyeon wastes no time in collecting the smaller in his arms. He carries Baekhyun to couch and sits with the younger in his lap.

“You didn’t tell me you were sick. I would’ve stayed home today.” Baekhyun smiles.

“That is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”

“Baek, you need someone to look after you. How are you feeling now? Do you need anything?” Baekhyun presses a hand against Junmyeon’s face.

“It’s nothing big. I’ll be fine with a little rest. Besides, you already do enough for me.” Junmyeon pecks Baekhyun on the nose then on the lips. He lets his arms fall from Baekhyun’s waist, Junmyeon feels an unusual hardness under his hands.

“Baek.”

“Yes?” Junmyeon swallows. He knows what he wants to ask but he can’t imagine Baekhyun keeping such a thing from him so he doesn’t.

“What’s for dinner?”

Later that night, while Baekhyun is washing the dishes, Junmyeon studies his husband’s figure. But realizes there isn’t much to see since Baekhyun is wearing a shirt large enough to fit Chanyeol’s gangly frame and loose pajama bottoms.

Is he…no he can’t be…but if he was…he wouldn’t keep a secret…would he?

“Junmyeon?” Said man, sees Baekhyun’s mouth moving but does not registers the words he is speaking.

“I’m sorry, I was spacing out.” Baekhyun giggles and for a few seconds Junmyeon is able to relax.

“I said, pass me that plate.”

Once they get a movie going Junmyeon lays on the couch first and Baekhyun settles in front of him. They are watching one of Baekhyun’s favorite films, Despicable Me. Junmyeon can’t help but smile as he watches Baekhyun recite the character’s parts, word for word. When he deems his husband distracted enough, Junmyeon carefully reaches his arm further around Baekhyun’s waist. As soon as his hands rest on the latter’s stomach though, Baekhyun twists around and looks up at him.

“What are you doing?”

“W-what do you mean? I just want you closer, that’s all.” Baekhyun is not at all convinced. He wordlessly slips out of Junmyeon’s embrace and proceeds to stretch and feign sleepiness.

“Look at the time! It’s almost,” Baekhyun turns to the clock opposite him and realizes that it is not nearly as late as he had thought it would be. “Seven.” Baekhyun noticeably deflates at his failed attempt to deflect Junmyeon.

But Junmyeon just kisses him, which confuses Baekhyun.

“Oh, are you late for curfew?” Baekhyun half-heartedly slaps Junmyeon’s arm.

“But it’s okay if you want to sleep. You should get some rest, especially since you’re not well.” Junmyeon gently pushes Baekhyun towards their bedroom, patting his behind just because he could.

Junmyeon loves every last bit that is Baekhyun. Sometimes when he is alone or when Baekhyun decides to pop into his head, which is often, he can’t help but laugh, remembering the time when he had been jealous of the way his friends gawked at Baekhyun, who at the time was nothing more than a friend.

People often say boredom and lack of interest dominate a relationship after a certain amount of time together and that the only thing that keeps people going is familiarity. But Junmyeon couldn’t disagree more. If anything, in the 10 plus years he’s known Baekhyun (two years of high school, four years of university, two years dating, and three years married) his heart has only grown fonder of the petite artist. And Junmyeon finds himself falling in love with Baekhyun again and again every single day.

Because they climb into bed three hours than they normally would, Baekhyun and Junmyeon lie awake silently playing with each other’s hand, cuddling, and occasionally staring into each others eyes.

Somewhere between Baekhyun explaining why he prefers water color over acrylic paint and squealing excitedly over Despicable Me, Junmyeon slips into dreamland. He only awakes an hour or so later when a cool breeze blows against his skin and finds his husband gone from his side. Before he can get up and search for Baekhyun, though, he hears the toilet in the hall flush. Baekhyun had stopped using the bathroom in their bedroom for a few weeks now.

Baekhyun is obviously startled when he sees Junmyeon is awake but still remains calm as he climbs into bed. Junmyeon notices that Baekhyun is being awkward and stiff, trying to not make physical contact. He pushes himself into an upright position and tries to sound stern but gentle. Baekhyun has never really been the type to put his problems onto others.

“Okay, Byun Baekhyun, what’s going on in that head of yours? Or better yet what is going on with you?” Junmyeon can hear Baekhyun the comforter.

“Nothing’s wrong with me or my head.” Junmyeon lets out a desperate sigh and runs a hand over his face out of frustration. But he wills himself to be calm.

“Baek, I know you think you’re being a burden but I want to listen to your problems. I want to listen to your worries. I want to listen to your little stories. I want to listen because I love you. Don’t ever think that I would get tired of you.” Junmyeon swears he can see tears welling in Baekhyun’s eyes and suddenly feels like the biggest jerk in the world.

Baekhyun lifts his shirt enough to reveal smooth, fair skin of his midsection and beckons for Junmyeon to come closer.

“Come here.” Junmyeon isn’t sure what Baekhyun wants him to do so he doesn’t fight it when Baekhyun guides head to press up against his stomach.

“Say ‘hi’, daddy.”