Word count: 1270w

Prompt: haiiii can I request a kaisoo where they have been married for a long time and sometimes they don't talk much but every night they don't forget their good night kiss no matter how bad the fight etc etc

The metal that binds itself around Kyungsoo's left ring finger is faded and scratched from years of wear, years of use. The quiet shine it had on their wedding day more than a decade ago has long gone - replaced with a type of dullness that scares Kyungsoo - because he barely ever thinks this way, but it feels as if the band is mirroring how their marriage has gone from bright sparks of romance and adventure to dull jolts of latent emotion.

Sunlight seeps through the sheer curtains covering the windows and Kyungsoo tries to blink it away, sighing when it doesn't work. Jongin is fast asleep next to him - the steady rise and fall of a chest that's gotten somewhat less solid, less firm as the years go by signalling to him that his husband is dead to the world. Kyungsoo sits up and moves to card his fingers through the younger's hair when he notices it - the ring is gone.

'Holy ,' he breathes, eyes widening as he inspects the wrinkled skin of his fingers, as if willing the metal to materialise. It takes him a good three minutes' worth of staring before adrenaline shocks its way through his veins, forcing him to all but strip his side of the bed in a frantic search for the lost band. All the activity jolts his husband awake, and Jongin sits up, bleary eyed and somewhat grumpy.

Jongin smiles lazily and reaches out a hand to caress Kyungsoo's cheek like he does every morning, only to have his touch averted and a glare sent his way. 'What's wrong, bab-'

'Where's your wedding ring?' Kyungsoo asks. The corners of his mouth are upturned and he does notlook amused, and Jongin frowns in confusion. The younger looks at his hand - turns it palm up, palm down - until the sleep is knocked straight out his brain and the sandman properly releases him. 'Well?'

'Kyungsoo, I - I swear to god I had it on last night. I never take it off!' Jongin says, still frowning. The way Kyungsoo's eyebrows tip up in the middle of his forehead and the way his hands are on his hips tells Jongin his husband doesn't really believe him. 'I - Kyungsoo, you don't think I took it off and lost it on purpose, did you?'

'Well, you were home late last night. The girls were all looking forward to having a nice dinner together at home, just the five of us, and then it was past ten and I had to tell them it would be better for us to eat first, seeing as you clearly weren't going to make it back in time for dinner.' Kyungsoo spits his words out with malice in his eyes, and Jongin wants to feel annoyed, irritated at how easily his husband thinks of infidelity, but he can't. All he feels is anger, hurt.

'I told you, I forgot to charge my phone and I was out with a client! It's not my fault you don't remember things!' Jongin's eyes narrow as they land on Kyungsoo's hand. 'And just where has your ring gone?'

'I had it on last night when I went to bed!'
'As I did,'
'I wasn't the one out late last night with god knows who, without any notice!'
'I was back by midnight!'

A knock comes at the door just as Jongin leaps out of bed. 'Daddy? Papa? Is - is everything alright?' asks Sunyoung, head popping in just the slightest to look at her parents. Nothing about the atmosphere in the bedroom says okay and the slightest line creases the middle of Sunyoung's forehead, and Jongin immediately backs down.

'Everything's fine, honey, I'm just going to go get ready for work. Aren't you going to school soon?' Jongin asks, tone switching from harsh and angered to sweet and concerned within seconds. Kyungsoo takes deep breaths and drops his eyes to the carpeted floor beneath his feet, arms folded across his chest.

'Yeah, I just needed to iron my shirt. I'll - I'll see you when you get home, Daddy. Bye,' Sunyoung says, smiling uncertainly before she closes the door to leave. Jongin throws Kyungsoo one last, fleetingly furious glance before he makes his way to the bathroom, showers, gets dressed and leaves.

Kyungsoo doesn't kiss him goodbye.






The sound of Jinri washing the dishes clanks all the way from the kitchen to the living room, and it only serves to wear down on Jongin's patience faster. Why does your sister wash up so noisily almost rolls off his tongue before he catches himself just in time, Sunyoung never liked speaking ill of other people. 'I'm gonna go to bed, Sunyoung. Goodnight,' he says instead, and his daughter kisses him on the cheek before he drags himself upstairs to his silent bedroom.

Kyungsoo is already in bed, blankets concealing everything but a mop of hair, and Jongin sighs. He gets dressed in his pyjamas and settles in. 'Please at least believe I could never have done anything to hurt you on purpose,' Jongin says, quiet words stumbling through the dark trying to reach Kyungsoo's ears. Kyungsoo stays still. Jongin props himself up on one elbow, pushes Kyungsoo's hair out of the way to plant a small kiss on his temple, but gets no response. He resigns himself to trying for an illusive sleep, only able to fall asleep because, well - at least he knows he'd kept his promise.

He'd promised to show Kyungsoo he loves him every single day of their marriage, and it's a promise he hopes Kyungsoo knows he intends to keep.






The next morning dawns and Jongin wakes up feeling less uneasy. He realises there's a warm weight in the middle of his chest - Kyungsoo's head. His husband is actually staring at him sleep, and what's more - he's smiling. And then he becomes aware of another three pairs of eyes on him, his three daughters sitting cross-legged on the floor right next to his bed. Jongin has never been more confused in his life.

'I... Good morning?' he tries, and his whole family bursts out into laughter.

'Don't look so shocked, Daddy, we just wanted to give you your anniversary present!' Soojung says, laying a small box on Jongin's chest once Kyungsoo vacates it. Jongin takes it in confusion, sits up as he opens the box and - it's his wedding ring. It's gleaming now, freshly polished and cleaned, and there's something new etched on the inside of it. He brings the ring closer to his eyes, examines the new scratches he's sure weren't there before. 'S...J...S?' he reads, and he looks at his family in confusion. 'I don't... Remember? Having this engraved?' he tries, waiting for an explanation.

'Daddy! It's us!' Soojung squeals, Jinri rolling her eyes to her left. 'Sunyoung, Jinri, Soojung! We had your rings cleaned and engraved yesterday, we didn't think it'd take that long. We're sorry you and Papa had a fight about it,' Soojung adds the last part quietly, and all three of his daughters look away. Jongin feels his heart burst.

'Thank you, all of you,' he says, sending smiles at each of his daughters as he feels Kyungsoo's head fall onto his shoulder. Instinct has him turning his head to breathe in the smell of Kyungsoo's shampoo, and he just breathes him in for a while before planting a kiss on top of Kyungsoo's head and intertwining their fingers, rings knocking together. 'But why would you engrave your initials on them?' Jongin asks. Sunyoung laughs.

'Because you're not just stuck with Papa for life, Daddy,' Sunyoung says. Soojung nods.

'You're stuck with us, too!'