“Mona; that’s such a pretty name,” Ryeowook cooed. “Mona…” He leaned down to the carrier on the floor. “Hi Mona. I’m Wookie.”

Kyuhyun chewed nervously at his straw. “Ryeowook…” he mumbled, “we’re in public.”

The smaller totally ignored him and continued his one-sided conversation.

Tucked back in the corner near a window, they sat eating their lunch. The thick scent of roasted coffee saturated the air, enriching the atmosphere. Energy thrummed through in a silent pulse. People ordered their drinks and surfed the web. In the warmly lit room, the mood felt peaceful and calm. Such was the magic of Latte’s Café.

Ryeowook cooed on as Kyuhyun bitterly sipped at his hot chocolate.

If he were to be honest, it wasn’t the other people that were bothering him. No, he was irked by the fact that Ryeowook was paying a ridiculous amount of attention to his baby. But he wasn’t honest so he refused to acknowledge that a doll was getting more conversation than him.

Instead, Kyuhyun picked at his new wristband. It had been snapped on too tight so the plastic was digging into his skin. It was spectacularly annoying.

To distract himself, he started in on his sandwich. Sure they’d just gone shopping, but it was a lot less effort to go home, shelve the groceries, and then walk all the way to the coffee house as opposed to making their own sandwiches. Well actually… that didn’t sound right.

Kyuhyun was questioning their common sense when he felt a sharp kick to his shin.

“Ow!” he yelped, jumping back. Rubbing his leg, he glared up at Wookie. “You couldn’t get my attention any other way?”

“Sorry,” his boyfriend gave him an apologetic smirk, “I didn’t want to draw attention to us since we’re in public.”

Kyuhyun huffed, “You just can’t let anything go can you?”

“Not when it involves you.” Ryeowook smiled warmly. Kyuhyun shook his head but couldn’t help the warmth in his chest when remembering their early relationship.

“So,” his boyfriend continued, leaning forward on the table, “you finally named your daughter. How does it feel?”

“Good…I guess,” Kyuhyun frowned, picking up his sandwich. He hadn’t thought much of it. That lady pressured him so he’d blurted something out. “Doesn’t matter really. She’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

“I suppose,” Ryeowook sighed. “I’m just really glad you named her before then. I was beginning to think you would refuse. And it’s a nice name too; not something based off her doll qualities.”

Kyuhyun nodded silently. It was best he not comment on that.

“But anyways, I’m really happy with how far you’ve come. You’re a good daddy, Kyuhyun.”

Considering how most of the weekend had gone, the praise caught him off guard. But coming from Ryeowook, that praise meant a lot. Kyuhyun beamed proudly.

Fatherhood had never been something he’d considered. In fact, it was something he’d always avoided thinking of or considered his worst nightmare.  

But when he peered down at the foot of the table, he realized that that wasn’t really the case. The doll sat in its carrier, staring straight ahead. All nestled under a blanket, Kyuhyun would almost call her…cute. Not Ryeowook cute, but cute.

And most importantly, the doll was okay. He was still sane. And the weekend was almost over.

Maybe this meant that one day, he would make good dad. After all, if he could get through the newborn stage how hard could the rest of it be?

Ryeowook chuckled affectionately at his boyfriend’s childish pride. Sipping at his coffee he began to unwrap his own sandwich. Soon, Kyu looked back up from the doll. Returning to his lunch, the taller started in on the chips. Neither one spoke.

When Kyuhyun needed a napkin, Ryeowook knew it first. He would reach over to wipe the crumbs off his cheek then tease Kyu about eating like a toddler. Kyuhyun protested fiercely but in the end it made no difference.

Whenever Ryeowook needed more sugar for his coffee, Kyuhyun would toss him a packet. Their sugar didn’t dissolve real well, and Kyuhyun could tell every time Ryeowook made a sour face. It was funny to watch.

And as they sat there consuming their lunch, Kyuhyun knew that he was falling all over again.

“Wookie.”

“Yes?” Ryeowook looked up, taking an overstuffed bite of sandwich.

Kyuhyun grinned. “Nothing. I just like saying your name.”

“My name is not Wookie!” the smaller whined. He aimed another kick at Kyuhyun. This time though, Kyuhyun was ready and deflected the blow. He kicked back, much to Ryeowook’s surprise, and soon they were in an all out footsie war.

By the time they finished eating (and drinking in Ryeowook’s case), a new shift had started. Baristas were wiping off the tables as the caffeine-for-dinner crowd started trailing in. It was a bit of a surprise they hadn’t been kicked out earlier, but they weren’t going to complain.

Picking up the carrier, Kyuhyun and Ryeowook strode out into the April air. The sun was beginning to set, sending long shadows sprawling across the pavement. Hand in hand, they journeyed back to the apartment.

Along the way, Ryeowook eagerly pointed out all the trees especially ones covered in flowers. If it hadn’t been for allergies, Kyuhyun would have picked out a blossom just for him.

But, since he could barely breathe without sneezing, they stayed away from the flowers.

Their fingers interlocked tightly. At some point they’d started swinging them, back and forth, back and forth, like little children. Kyuhyun wasn’t willing to admit he’d started it.

Ryeowook kept talking about the little things. The numerous cracks in the cement. The golden lining of the clouds. The poor watering system on sloped lawns.

Kyuhyun didn’t have much to say until the last one, and even then it was to suggest everyone replace grass with weeds. But that was okay. He was content just listening to Ryeowook talk.

So he did.

Swinging his arms back and forth with the baby bumping up against him, Kyuhyun happily listened to his boyfriend chatter in the breezy evening air.

That was, until he let out a startlingly loud laugh.

Kyuhyun nearly jumped. He stared at him, wide-eyed. “What was that?”

Ryeowook shrugged, blushing a little, “I don’t know. Too much coffee?”

“Oh, I forgot. I should have cut you off at that third one,” Kyuhyun frowned, “How are on earth will you get to sleep tonight?”

“I won’t,” Ryeowook replied surely. “I guess I’ll just have to play with Heebum until I pass out at dawn.”

Kyuhyun blinked, confused by the mention of a cat he didn’t have. Then he remembered what he’d briefly forgotten: that Ryeowook did not live with him, and he did not live with Ryeowook. Subconsciously, his grip tightened.

“Oh, yeah,” he stated lamely, “cats are nocturnal.”

Ryeowook looked at him strangely, immediately noticing the shift. “What’s wrong? Did you realize you’ll be staying up till dawn too, finishing all your homework?”

“No, but thank you for reminding me,” he said dryly.

“Sorry. But what is it?”

Kyuhyun sighed, deciding if he should answer. “I just forgot you had to go home.” Or, you know, his mouth could just say it anyways. That worked too.

Ryeowook laughed as Kyuhyun expected he would. “I stay with you for a couple nights and you think we’re living together?”

“No!” Kyuhyun snapped. “I just… I got used to it is all. You’re very easy to get used to.”

“Thank you?”

“It’s a compliment.”

“I suppose from you it would be,” Ryeowook smiled, squeezing his hand. “You’re so sweet, you know. Getting used to me so fast.”

Kyuhyun shrugged. “Being with you… it feels right. I can’t explain it.”

“It’s hard isn’t it?” Ryeowook agreed. He started swinging their hands again as they walked down the street. “I guess, it’s like, even if we haven’t had much time together, this weekend, it was like nothing had changed. Like, we just went along as usual. Our nice usual.”

Kyuhyun nodded. The words he’d been trying to say but could not articulate.

He heard Ryeowook sigh beside him. “You know, this weekend was about one thousand times easier than my weekend with a baby.”

Kyuhyun nearly laughed out loud, “Oh yeah right! Is that even possible?”

“It’s true!” Ryeowook protested. “In case you’re forgetting I had to live with the likes of Heechul and Youngwoon last year.  They made me sleep in the backyard!”

“The backyard?”

“They insisted it was for the baby’s protection. Youngwoon swore if he heard the thing cry again he would punch it in the face.”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes, “They don’t call him ‘Kangin’ for nothing.”

“Yeah, well, these two days with you were much better. Even though the situation wasn’t, you know, ideal, we were together. We were getting through all that crying and screaming together and somehow that made things…okay. Even when they weren’t,” Ryeowook chuckled. “It just always amazes me how much better things feel when you’re around.”

Kyuhyun’s heart started beating faster.

“Like, when the baby would start to cry and wake us up, the first thing I would think was not ‘Wow, I hate that sound’ but ‘Wow, I’m waking up next to the man I love.’ Of course, then crying would set in, and I’d get all cranky again but I think it’s the first thought that counts.”

Turning his head, Kyuhyun saw the smaller smiling softly at the ground. His heartbeat grew louder.

He stopped, right in the middle of the sidewalk. Ryeowook stopped too when he found he could no longer move forward and turned to stare, confused.

Kyuhyun didn’t have to think. He pulled Ryeowook into a kiss.

The beating of their hearts drowned out the rest of the world as their lips met in a fiery warmth. It spread through their bodies lighting every nerve and every vein. A feeling often mistaken for passion. Or lust. Show stopping. Life changing. Love.

When they pulled apart, they were both flushed with bliss. One hand around his waist, Kyuhyun leaned his forehead against the other’s.

“I love you, Ryeowook.”

 “I love you, Kyuhyun.”

And the baby, for its part, gave a tiny little coo.

They walked home in silence. Ultimately there was nothing else to say. Everything else, money, school, college, seemed worthless to their favorite words. So they let their love fill the silence as they walked home hand in hand.

When they reached the parking lot of the building, the first car they spotted was a battered, green Honda. His mom was home.

Kyuhyun walked Ryeowook to his car. Setting the baby on the hood, he made sure Ryeowook got one last kiss that may or may not have lasted ten minutes before letting him go. And he stood outside, waving, until his boyfriend peeled away.

Kyuhyun sighed. The car was now out of sight. His truest love had left.

But his purest love was still waiting.

Turning around, he sprinted up the stairs of his building, defying the pain in his legs.

“Mom!” he yelled before he even entered the apartment door, “Your granddaughter is here!”

What did you learn from this assignment?

One: Babies are loud.

Two: Babies are work.

Three: Boyfriend's are the best. Actually, screw that. My boyfriend is the best.

And four: Although I greatly respect those who do/have take/n care of a child, I am nowhere near ready. I feel that one day, with the proper support and foundation, I may be able to have kids of my own. Except not now. Because it is well past midnight and I am still doing history homework. Do exempt the next class from weekend assignments, will you?

So much fluff! They're actually in love! Let them know what you think! 

There will be one more chapter of present day Kyuwook. Thank you for reading! =)