“Look Chanyeol! Look, he’s picking his nose! Haha! Now he’s scratching his head, monkey child! Haha”

“No Baekhyun, you gotta - ah, look,” Chanyeol takes the one year old from Baekhyun and places him on his hip to the side, “Baek, I can’t believe they thought you’d be more of a fit father than I am.” The older man pouts, “Hey, I’m not that bad! Look, he’s still smiling, aren’t you baby? Yes!” Baekhyun coos at Minjae, their adopted son, as Chanyeol’s heart glows. This was definitely the right decision…when Baekhyun behaves. Sometimes Chanyeol thinks he’s looking after two children, not just one. “I’m gonna change his nappy because can’t you smell that? Euch. Anyway, it’s supposed to be your turn.” A playful glare is sent Baekhyun’s way, but Chanyeol doesn’t mean it really. He doesn’t mind changing Minjae and he knows Baekhyun will probably just wrap the nappy the wrong way anyway, then give the kid a toy bow and arrow and make him throw red paper hearts out like he did last time it was his go. That only ended up with Minjae ripping them all up and scattering them across the floor. Even now, a week later, the tall man is still finding little bits of shredded red paper about the house. Besides, who needs cupid when you’re already stupidly in love? Enough to take all Baekhyun’s turns in changing nappies and waking up at ungodly hours to soothe the kid! But he doesn’t mind really.

            Later that day the three of them are sitting at the small round table in the kitchen eating dinner, when Baekhyun comes out with a question for Minjae. “Min, baby, who do you like better, Appa or Papa?” The couple had spent almost a full ten days before the adoption deciding on what the kid should call each of them. Baekhyun insisted that he was the manliest and therefore he was the Appa; however Chanyeol found quite a lot of entertainment in teasing the shorter man by calling him Umma for at least eight of those ten days. In the end it was decided by rock paper scissors of all things, and on the 16^th February 2014 at two o’clock in the afternoon, Chanyeol became Appa and a rather pouty Baekhyun (though he does seem to pout rather a lot anyway) became Papa.

            At present, Minjae looks at his Papa, at that overly hopeful yet eagerly loving face, then at his Appa, who has his eyes wide and a ‘pick me I love you more, who feeds you who potty trains you’ smirk on his face, then he grabs a handful of baby food/mush, raises his arm and ever so slowly, s.l.o.w.l.y, almost in slow motion, flings it at Chanyeol’s face. From behind the wall of green and orange flecked (once carrots?) goo, a dry comment makes its way forward, “I don’t think he quite understood what you were saying.” Baekhyun, on the other hand, is in tucks, “Oh, I think he understood very well, your face says it all! HAHAHA” He then falls to the floor, chair clattering back as the oldest in the room literally rolls about the tiles laughing and pointing at his civil partner, who in contrast is wiping his face with a bemused quirk of the lips. “Honey, you know I love you,” Chanyeol coos, voice sickly sweet…until his tone flattens, “but you’re doing the dishes tonight.” And with that, Baekhyun stops laughing and surprise surprise, pouts as his beloved - or not so beloved - partner clears off to take a nice relaxing shower while he has to clean up the kitchen and sort Minjae out with a bottle. He’d rather join Chanyeol but well, such is life without a wife when you have a child to take care of.

            Really, Baekhyun does love Chanyeol, as much as he may tease, and he adores Minjae, as much as he may shrug off his duties and mess around with the child. That’s just his personality, and you can’t change that in a hurry. Besides, Chanyeol wouldn’t like him any other way. Chanyeol had been the one to bring up the adoption first and Baekhyun had always been all for it. Only once did he break down; the evening after the kind woman from the centre had been round to their house, sat them down and practically interrogated them over tea and biscuits as to whether they were fit parents. They wouldn’t know the verdict until the following evening and Baekhyun was extremely on edge, every time Chanyeol spoke, or touched him, he would jump a mile high, and he nearly upended the glass of red wine he’d poured himself in his state onto their lovely – and highly expensive – new rug. Chanyeol had asked what was wrong, and by doing so, had opened the flood gates. The shorter man had burst into frenzied tears, filling the room and weighing Chanyeol’s heart down with his doubts, worries and that self consciousness that was always there, yet patchily covered up by a sly cockiness that effectively hid and pushed it out of his mind most of the time. That time of uncertainty led on to gentle and caring love making, in which Chanyeol lay out his heart for the older to see and effectively convinced the other man that he was everything he, and their new baby, could ever want.

The next day, they were told the most delightful news.

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“CHANYEOL COME ON! YOU’RE FALLING BEHIND!” Baekhyun’s shouts whip through the wind to Chanyeol’s large ears - the reason behind the nickname ‘Yoda’ in high school and the first words Baekhyun ever spoke to him “Hey, watch where you’re…whoa, Yoda! Impressive ears! But Yoda, you’ve grown a bit.” Chanyeol smiles fondly at the memory as he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his long beige coat and makes no move to increase his pace whatsoever. He’s content, like this – just watching his two kids play. They’ve reached a tree by now and Baekhyun has set Minjae down and is trying to jump up to grab the lowest branch; whatever for, Chanyeol hasn’t got a clue and really, does he want to know? Minjae seems to be finding it all rather funny, bouncing his little bottom and making grabby hands at the sky, so Chanyeol will let them be for now.

            It’s not that he’s a boring old man who can’t quite find the fun inside himself anymore, no, Chanyeol is all up for being childish when the time presents itself. Yet, within the past year, he’s matured to a point. His high school days were filled with him and Baekhyun pulling pranks and disturbing lessons with giggles and paper plane notes across the classroom. College was all about parties, getting drunk, making out, losing his ity and some of the longest months of his life, dipping in and out of Baekhyun’s own. And Time, waiting for them to realise that yes, you do love each other and no, not just as friends, so stop being awkward and get over it. University was spent studying, not studying (sharing a room was a bad idea) and getting to know each other on a deeper level, a more personal level. Some shared scary moments of wondering how the hell one would live without the other at that stage – almost put into practice when Baekhyun didn't return home one snowy night and Chanyeol eventually found him and his motorbike in a ditch, unable to climb out due to one leg trapped under the heavy vehicle, snow clinging to his eyelashes and icicles forming from the end of his blue nose. Baekhyun walked out of hospital, Chanyeol glued to his side looking like a zombie, three weeks later. Thankfully then without a broken leg and life threatening hypothermia - Chanyeol never let him ride a motorcycle again, the old one rusted in the ditch.

            Despite his previous what could be described as ‘typical teenage’ behaviour, Chanyeol has grown up to be almost, as Baekhyun sometimes jokes, insufferably adult. It never would have crossed his mind – as it never did - that one day, he would father a child. A human being, so tiny and vulnerable, a life in his own hands. It certainly never would have occurred to him that he would be the one to suggest and become so passionate about such an idea, yet here he is, doing just what he never expected – fathering a child. However he puts it all down to Baekhyun, his love for the man is immeasurable and he attempts to show it at every opportunity he can. They did practically nothing but have for the whole week before they went to get Minjae, get it out of our systems Chanyeol vaguely remembers saying, we don’t want to disturb the baby. Looking at Baekhyun now – and every time he’s with Minjae - Chanyeol sees his reason for everything, and the reason he so badly wanted a child with this man. His heart bursts and he feels the need to sit down, or cry or do something to relieve this overwhelming feeling. Baekhyun is so good with children; he seems to understand them on a fundamental level, in a way that is impossible to explain despite the fact that he is just as much of a baby as Minjae is. That’s probably why Chanyeol acts like the over-sensible parent…someone has to. It’s all about finding a balance, the right balance.

            Shaking out of his reverie, Chanyeol reaches Baekhyun and Minjae, Baekhyun now clinging wrong-way-up to the branch he must have eventually reached. He looks rather like a sloth, Chanyeol thinks, hanging on like that; albeit a very attractive sloth. His ankles are hooked together and he lets go with his arms, swinging down and grinning when he sees Chanyeol stood right in front of his face, a mere couple of inches away. “Are you impressed?” Baekhyun almost breathes, and Chanyeol reduces those few inches to a single centimetre, very tempted to just pull Baekhyun from the tree and have him cling onto him instead. “Very impressed, though I’m not so sure you’re setting a very good example for Minjae, hm honey?” Then Chanyeol closes the gap between them completely and takes Baekhyun’s lips in a super soft upside-down kiss, tongues caressing each other. Gently tugging Baekhyun’s lower lip between his own as he pulls away, Chanyeol leaves Baekhyun hanging – literally – with his eyes closed as he walks over and picks Minjae up from the floor, rubbing dirt from his rear and chuckling into their Eskimo kiss as he hears a thud from behind him. He rolls his eyes; Baekhyun must have fallen from the tree. The shorter man walks over to the two, then - oh you’re killing me Chanyeol cries inside - pouts and whines “Hey, don’t leave Papa out.” Then he proceeds to nuzzle his head in between the two and slips his arms around them both from the side, now smiling contentedly and making happy noises, somewhat like a cat Chanyeol thinks. Said man brings up a finger and bops Minjae on the nose with it. “You should be pleased that we love each other. Once you’re over getting embarrassed about it, you’ll thank us one day.” Baekhyun lifts his head and pulls a face - Chanyeol frowns, “What?”

“You sound like and old man, you’re only twenty four. I’m even older than you are, and I don’t speak wisely like some old…old…Yoda!” He grins cheekily, bringing back the high school name that hasn’t been called for quite some time now. Chanyeol smiles too and retorts “You’re not that much older, just because it’s your birthday next month, you’re still only gonna be twenty five.” They all beam at each other then decide that it’s time to head home.

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On the day of Baekhyun’s birthday, he has to work. The young man sings in a performance group called EXO with Chanyeol and their friends Do Kyungsoo, Zhang Yixing and Kim Jongin. The reason they do not label themselves a band is because Jongin is more of a dancer, along with Yixing, who also plays the piano and occasionally the violin, and it’s generally easier to fit into the brackets of certain job descriptions. In other words, it gives them more flexibility; for themselves and for their work. Baekhyun sings and plays the piano, and is also in the process of learning to play the guitar from Chanyeol, who plays the very same instrument – acoustic, electric or bass - for the group, as well as rapping and drums/percussion too. Kyungsoo, who is in a relationship with Jongin, sings as well as plays the saxophone and Jongin himself, alongside dancing, plays the flute and the harp. They’re an extraordinarily talented bunch but it is to be expected as they all majored in music at the SNU = Seoul National University.

            Today, they have been employed to sing at a Jazz club somewhere downtown, and because of the genre and nature of the venue, only Baekhyun, Yixing and Kyungsoo are needed. The event is being televised on one of the more famous Jazz music channels too, so Chanyeol presses some buttons on the remote and waits for their group to appear. In the meantime, he and Minjae have some preparations to take care of. The man begins whistling aimlessly as he places his child in front of the T.V (Chanyeol and Baekhyun hope to influence him into sharing their love for music) with some toys – incidentally, baby keyboards and instrument play-things - and sets to work, blowing up balloons, making cup-cakes (he hopes Kyungsoo’s recipe works) and draping the house with streamers and a huge banner that reads ‘Byun Baekhyun we love you happy birthday!!!’ When Chanyeol walks through to the living room to hang up some balloons, he finds the space empty. Chanyeol’s heart speeds up, a seemingly exaggerated worry over something so little, but he tries to assure himself that nothing could have happened to Minjae in their home; he and Baekhyun had put up a safety guard on the stairs – which turned into quite an event when they lost a couple of screws and had to go and buy some more – and stored all the sharp kitchen utensils away before they went to collect the little boy, not that Minjae could reach the counter anyway. Besides, he can’t have gotten far on hands and knees. Despite his rational thinking, the man still can’t shake the parental concern. After peeking into his bedroom, to which he’d left the door ajar, and retreating empty handed, Chanyeol heads back to the kitchen, where he – to his huge relief - finds Minjae…albeit covered in paint and splotching tiny red and yellow handprints all over the birthday banner. Chanyeol can’t decide whether to be exasperated that the masterpiece he spent a whole half hour doing his best handwriting for now looks like playgroup ‘artwork’, or squeal at the adorable picture of Minjae looking like a child rainbow (parent pride, comments the sarcastic part of Chanyeol’s brain).

            The moment Chanyeol spots Minjae eyeing his coloured fist then bringing it up to his open mouth, he takes action; sprinting across the kitchen and in his haste grabbing the little boy’s wrist a tad bit forcefully. At the jolt of his arm, his Appa’s sharp, panicked movements and not being allowed to on his fist – perhaps even the ache of his sore teething teeth – Minjae begins wailing and Chanyeol immediately forgets that the boy is dressed from head to toe in wet paint and picks him up, hugging him tightly to his body and effectively dirtying himself in the process, one hand underneath him, one holding the back of his head. “Shhh, it’s okay, I’m sorry, shhh, I don’t want you to poison yourself though do I, hm?” Minjae is inconsolable, much to Chanyeol’s misfortune and wasted efforts. He finds himself wishing that Baekhyun were here.

            All of a sudden the faint sounds of a lonely, grand piano, then a beautiful clear voice drift through the rectangular glass screen of the television and through the open archway into the kitchen so Chanyeol rushes them into the living room to watch Baekhyun and the others. The song is a ballad named ‘Sleepless Night’, or alternatively ‘Cant Leave’ and was the first song Chanyeol heard Baekhyun sing. At that time it had brought tears to his eyes - Chanyeol, who never cried. It had felt like Baekhyun was pouring the emotions straight into his soul, his demeanour so uncharacteristically serious and focused as he sang. Without him realising it during the past, yet with the knowledge sitting so obviously in the open now, Chanyeol is certain that it was one of the many puzzle pieces adding to the jigsaw – the picture of his love.

            Presently, Minjae has finally stopped crying upon seeing his Papa on screen. Reduced to small sniffles, the little boy crawls from Chanyeol’s lap in the man’s distracted state and plonks himself right in front of the T.V, - a 'square eye' closeness - his fingers reach out to try and grab Baekhyun through the glass, but naturally, they can’t. Minjae has never seen this side of Baekhyun, only ever used to his silly Papa, therefore when the song morphs to one considerably more upbeat and the saxophone joins in with a flourish, Minjae slaps his hand against the telly and a large grin forms on his chubby face, his one tooth poking out from behind his lips.

            Chanyeol snaps out of his reverie, an immensely proud sensation stiring within him when he sees his partner, laughing, singing and looking straight into the camera as if in greeting, a slight quirk at the corner of his lips as he sings. Chanyeol’s spirits lift higher than the clouds, he feels as light as a feather when he swings Minjae up into his arms as they spend the next set of songs dancing and twirling – filling the room with joy and merriment. Only when they’re both collapsed on the sofa with laboured breaths and EXO leave the stage does Chanyeol remember. “Oh crap!” He places Minjae back with his toys – he’s surprised really that he didn’t stand on any of them while they were dancing and immensely grateful that the Lego is put away – and rushes to the kitchen to fish the – luckily – perfectly done cup cakes out of the oven to decorate them neatly, (he even goes to fetch Minjae, and helps him ice his own). Chanyeol then hangs the banner up over the archway to the living room, standing back for a minute to admire the teamwork and shake his head fondly at the blobs of paint and handprints scattered all over the sheet. It looks complete he thinks.

            Chanyeol doesn’t even get time to clean up - and Minjae is still sat on the table - before he hears the click of a door and then turns around sheepishly to look at Baekhyun, who is stood with his mouth open in the entry-way. Shrugging off his coat and surveying the room, Baekhyun takes in his family – it gives him a warm glow just thinking about calling them that – looking like they’ve been paintballing. Chanyeol’s hair is all stuck up in every direction and he’s giving Baekhyun puppy dog eyes (Baekhyun thought that was his thing) and Minjae is sat clapping, all on his own, shouting “Papa Papa day day!” The kitchen itself looks like a paint bomb has gone off, however there is a delicious smell wafting over from the counter, upon which Baekhyun spies some gorgeous looking cakes and one which looks as though someone has poured all the different icing colours straight onto it – and is that…a finger swipe? Minjae’s thinks Baekhyun fondly. The banner catches his attention next, ‘Byun Baekhyun we love you happy birthday!!!’ and he laughs out loud, it bursts from him, unable to contain the feeling beginning to bubble up inside his chest. Of what he can see through to the other room there are balloons and toys and Baekhyun looks back to his partner and simply says “thakyou.” It’s nothing more than a choked up whisper but Chanyeol hears it and strides forward to embrace his teary lover. “I love you Byun Baekhyun. Happy Birthday” then he tilts Baekhyun’s face up and plants a gentle kiss upon his lips; it’s barely there, but Baekhyun can feel it and his heart is hammering - one thing that hasn't and will probably never change. Chanyeol leans down to his ear and whispers “Don’t worry about your suit, the paint’s dry” before pulling back and walking over to play the CD he recorded for Baekhyun when they were both in their first year of University together.

            Both men remember it well, Chanyeol had been evading Baekhyun for weeks – the older man thought he had wanted to break up with him. He became very subdued and it hurt Chanyeol’s heart, he didn’t want his boyfriend to lose faith in him but he needed time. This had to be perfect, finally, a chance to show the older the extent of his feelings. When Baekhyun’s birthday came around, said man wasn’t looking forward to it in the slightest and when he got a call from Chanyeol asking him to go round to the recording studio that the – back then - newly formed EXO had been using, Baekhyun was fairly certain Chanyeol was going to sing him a song to ease him into being broken up with. However, Baekhyun got the surprise of his life when he finally reached the building, expectations somewhere below his feet when he walked in to find his band-mates, some of the staff they’d made friends with and most importantly, Chanyeol, right in front of him. The only thought running through his head was How could he be so cruel, to break my heart in front of everyone? But when Chanyeol began playing the guitar on his lap and the music that flowed forward was…a love song? Baekhyun became more and more confused. By the time his tall boyfriend had finished, Baekhyun could not hold his doubts in any longer; he forgot about the people watching, focused only on Chanyeol. “Please, I love you. Don’t leave me.” Chanyeol’s heart throbbed when the older began crying, though to say he was surprised was an understatement. He knew Baekhyun had been having doubts but this was an explanation he thought would never have run through the elder’s head. He thought his love was clear. “Baekhyun, no! I’m not breaking up with you! I love you so much. Please, stop crying, it’s hurting my heart.” He then shoved his guitar onto Jongin, who was luckily close enough to catch it before it fell, and bounded over to Baekhyun to scoop him up in a bone crushing hug. “I promise, I’ll never break up with you. In any lifetime. I love you.” Chanyeol swooped down to capture Baekhyun’s lips – ignoring all the cat calls and “get a room”’s from their friends. That night, Chanyeol gave Baekhyun the CD he’d made, compiled of love songs, sung by Chanyeol himself – with a little help for the instruments from his friends – and they played it in the background while they made love. It was on loop.

            Baekhyun smiles fondly, remembering the scene in the recording studio - very similar to the one when he walked in just now. The music laps over him, Chanyeol’s smooth voice calming him and crooning about how much he cares. Baekhyun walks over and picks up Minjae from his perch on the table, now making gurgling noises and pulling at Baekhyun’s ears. “Thank you Minnie, for decorating the house and making me these fabulous cupcakes. It’s a shame Appa made all this mess!” Baekhyun glances up and grins at Chanyeol, causing the younger to pretend to lob a cupcake at him. Baekhyun only snickers and joins him at the counter, going for the cake that Minjae designed and taking a bite. “Mmm, Yeollie these are so nice! I’ll have to thank Kyung for teaching you.” The tall man lets out a fake affronted “Yah!” while giving Minjae half a cupcake he cut up. The rest of the evening is spent watching old Disney movies – punctuated every so often by phone calls from friends, ringing to wish Baekhyun well, and congratulations on living another year. Baekhyun couldn’t be more pleased. He’s living this life that secretly, he’s always wanted; curled up on the sofa with the love of his life, Park Chanyeol and the child that he loves so much and would protect with his life, his and Chanyeol’s child, Park Minjae. Baekhyun has decided that when they get married - once it becomes legal in Korea and when he knows Chanyeol has come up with the most romantic way to propose - he’s going to take Chanyeol’s name, because the Appa is manlier.

Rock paper scissors said so. 

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a/n: Thankyou for reading <3 

I really appreciate any comments, upvotes subscriptions and everything! It's surprising how much they make me happy ^^

I hope you enjoyed this, I enjoyed writing it...it gave me feels >< (I shouldn't be writing this really becase I'm taking part in the CSC competition 0-0) 

much love, Luce xox