The tea was taken to Minho as Jinki sat at the counter and watched Jonghyun walk back there. After the slightly younger man returned rice was quickly heated up with some meat. It was gently placed in front of Jinki before Jonghyun took a seat across from him. “Please eat.”

 

 

 

Jinki did, for a moment, before placing the chopsticks back on the plate and wiping his hands on his pants. “Now about Minho.” Jonghyun’s facial expression fell slightly, and he didn’t like it one bit. “You told me he was fine.”

 

 

 

“And he is! Perfectly!” Jonghyun rushed out, “He just maybe needs to be on bed rest for the remaining month and a half.”

 

 

 

“Jonghyun you can’t just tell me that.” Jinki sighed, trying to keep calm. “Why does he have to be on bed rest?”

 

 

 

“Uh.”

 

 

 

“Jonghyun.” He warned.

 

 

 

“The baby is pressing on his organs okay?” Jonghyun’s eyes finally looked up to lock with the other man’s. “His body isn’t made to carry a child. His organs aren’t made to withstand having that extra weight, that extra being within him. He almost fainted today because he wasn’t telling you of his frequent trips to the bathroom to puke. The baby is pressing on his stomach and he’s not getting any nutrients from his food.”

 

 

 

“I… what?”

 

 

 

Jonghyun sighed. “They did a lot of tests today as they gave him an IV… but I’m not the one to tell you everything Jinki. I know Minho asked me not to call you, but I also know that it was wrong. This isn’t my place. I’m his best friend, but you are his Partner. I’m sorry Jinki for not calling you.” The man pushed his fingers through his hair before checking his watch. “I have to get Taemin. The papers from the Doctors are on the coffee table out in the living room.”

 

 

 

Jinki was silent as the man stood and pulled on his coat. Jonghyun was grabbing his keys and walking by him a moment later. Jinki reached out to grab his wrist and the man froze. He didn’t know what the man expected but it probably wasn’t what he got. “Thank you Jonghyun. For taking care of him.”

 

 

 

A soft smile spread across the man’s once panicked face. His hand came over to squeeze Jinki’s shoulder, “Be easy on him. You know how he is.”

 

 

The man left quietly leaving Jinki sitting where he was thinking about how he was going to go face Minho.

 

 

 

                                                                                    ------

 

 

 

 

 

 Even after he forced himself off his stool it was a battle with in himself to walk into their room and into the bathroom. He must have softly sat on their bed for a good half an hour with his head in his hands before Minho’s soft humming made him finally snap out of it.

 

 

 

He gently knocked on the doorframe successfully startling the man in the bathtub. Minho’s eyes were round with shock until they recognized Jinki and the emotion within their deep depths changed to one of guilt. His lips were slightly opened, as if he was trying to figure out what to say. The only word that he managed to form was Jinki. Coming out soft and unsure, as if he was worried the older man wasn’t really there. Once Jinki took one more step into the room Minho’s bottom lip was between his teeth as his eyes glistened. “I’m sorry.”

 

 

 

Before going in there Jinki thought that maybe those two words would have been what he wanted, but seeing Minho before him twisted his heart painfully. The bubbles had long popped, leaving only a few around the man. His belly was out of the water slightly, his head lifted off the back of the tub where it had been moments before, and his hands were awkwardly placed on the side of the tub. He looked vulnerable; soft around the edges.

 

 

 

Jinki was rushing over and stepping into the water clothes and all a moment later. “Jinki! What are you doing?!”

 

 

 

He didn’t give him a response, just leaning over softly to press their lips together. Jinki’s hand was gently laid across his stomach while the other was soft against his neck. Their foreheads were pressed together ever so delicately, his hand slipped from his neck to join the other over their son. Their eyes locked, “Please don’t do that again. Please.”

 

 

 

“Jinki~”

 

 

 

“I was so worried.” Jinki whispered as he moved his thumbs over the taunt skin. “You’re my life Minho. You and this baby are all I have. God I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest.”

 

 

 

“Jinki I’m so sorry.”

 

 

A loving warm smile spread across Jinki’s lips, “Don’t be. You’re here. You’re fine. That’s all that matters.”

 

 

 

Minho let out a breath, “You’re soaking wet Jinki. Why in the world did you jump in here in your clothes?”

 

 

 

Jinki looked down at his soaked through suit before looking up embarrassed, “It seemed like a good idea?”

 

 

 

Minho just shook his head and smiled before pressing his lips against Jinki’s nose. “I love you.”

 

 

 

The older man sighed softly, “I love you too Baby.”

 

                       

 

After they shared another slow kiss Minho gave a little sleepy smile, “Are you going to get undressed or stay in the wet clothes?” Jinki shook his head gently as he looked down at their baby. His hands moved softly over the warm skin, submerging into the water to move across the entire surface. Minho noticed how his facial expression softened even more, how gentle Jinki’s eyes were. “Our son is perfectly healthy Jinki.” The man’s head snapped up, eyes wide as if he hadn’t planned for his thoughts to be known. Minho just softly smiled and brought his hands up to cover the man’s slightly smaller ones. “How about we go to bed and I can tell you what I found out today?”

 

 

 

Jinki hummed. “Yea.. that sounds perfect.”

 

 

 

And it was. He helped Minho step out of the bath, taking most of his weight because of the fact his legs felt like jello. Jinki gently dried him off and after he was warm in his giant shirt and boxers they climbed into bed. The lights were dimmed just a little and Minho curled into Jinki’s side as much as he could. They went over everything that was in the folder through soft whispers and gentle tones.

 

 

 

They ended up laying down with Jinki curling himself into Minho’s back. His hand was flat and warm against their son, and the younger man brought his hand up to grasp Jinki’s. A soft kiss was placed at the base of Minho’s neck as the words I love you were murmured into the air.

 

 

 

Jinki was just happy Minho was safe and warm in his arms. At least for a little while.

 

                                                                                    -------

 

 

Jinki found out rather quickly that having Minho ordered to bed rest and actually keeping him there were two very different things. He knew that his boyfriend wasn’t one to sit in one spot for long, but maybe he half wished that he would do so if ordered to by his doctor. Jonghyun had agreed to stay over with him and take care of him while Jinki was at work.

 

 

Jonghyun would sit out in the living room doing his own work until Minho either yelled for him or texted him. That wasn’t often, which surprised him, but that was only because the man was texting his boyfriend almost nonstop. Jonghyun once when in there to make sure he wasn’t doing anything that would get himself yelled at by Jinki to find Minho talking to him over a video chat.

 

 

Minho was curled up with his pillow on his side, the laptop laying on the bed as he snuggled into the fluffiness. Jonghyun didn’t stay long because the look on his best friend’s face as Jinki softly talked to him through the computer wasn’t something he wanted to ruin.

 

 

He softly pulled the door closed, but not all the way, before going back to work.

 

 

                                                                        -----

 

 

Jinki took the day off any time Minho had a doctor’s appointment. Before he would just take the time off to take him there and get him settled back home, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He always knew Minho’s life was on the line, but it was reading those papers that evening and hearing the man talk about what was wrong that really made him understand just how in danger Minho was.

 

 

Most times they would take some of Minho’s blood, take his vitals, and ask him if he’s been taking his vitamins. They would ask him about his pain, if he felt any and if he did how severe was it. An Ultrasound was done also, and Minho loved getting that little printed out picture. As soon as they got home Jinki brought him his little baby book and helped him glue it in it according to the week. Jonghyun thought it was a bit excessive, but Taemin loved to come over and look at it.

 

 

The teenager made it a routine to come over to their place. He would sit on the bed next to him and talk about the last day of school or this new movie down at the theater. Taemin was a big stress reliever for Minho. He would come smiling and laughing and for a little bit the whole circumstance he was going to be in… in just a couple weeks wasn’t so threatening.

 

 

It was hard to believe that in less than a month Jinki would be driving Minho to the hospital for his C-section. They would finally have their son. Jinki couldn’t really fathom that. For a while it seemed so far off as if they’d never reach that point. No matter how many new baby clothes he washed, folded, and put in the nursery it didn’t seem that close. Sometimes Minho would call for him to ask what they were going to have for dinner, and finally waddle out to find Jinki sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery. The soft lullaby melody of the teddy bear sitting in the crib would be playing and Jinki’s eyes would be closed. He’d only snap out of it the moment he realized Minho was out of bed.

 

 

The days kept going by and the surgery date was soon looming before them. Jinki could feel just how nervous Minho was when he held him at night, He could see it in the way that the man looked at his stomach. Minho was nervous and scared, and Jinki wasn’t too sure how to help him. That scared him.

 

 

Yes the idea of losing Minho was something out of his worst nightmares, but the chance of something happening to him and Jinki not knowing how to help him was his biggest fear. He didn’t want to be in that operating room and have Minho need him for something, and then freeze. He wanted to be there for him as best as he could, but the idea that his best wouldn’t be good enough caused his amount of sleep each night to dwindle.

 

 

Minho didn’t say anything, and neither did he. Jinki wasn’t about to bring something up if it was something that the other didn’t want to talk about right then. He didn’t want to push Minho into talking about his feelings or fears or anything until he was ready to do so.

 

 

It turned out that the time he was ready happened to be the night before his c section.

 

 

 

                                                                        -----

 

 

 

Feeling Minho shudder against his hold made Jinki pause. He had been moving his hand over his stomach and softly telling him about his day, but his hand stopped moving. His words stopped falling from his lips.

 

 

He moved a little to move his chin over Minho’s shoulder. “Baby?” The man just brought his arms to his chest, and shook his head just a little. Jinki frowned, his hand moving up move Minho’s hair away from his neck. He knew that Minho was crying, just by the little sniffles that traveled to his ears. He knew by how Minho was slightly trembling, and how he was trying to hide his face in his pillow. The fact Jinki felt as if his heart was going through a roller coaster made him know that Minho must be jumping out of plane in comparison. He pressed a kiss on his neck softly. “I’ll be with you the entire step of the way tomorrow. I promise okay?”

 

 

Minho shook his head again. “Are you scared that it will hurt?” Another shake. “About the procedure?” Again Minho’s head gently shook. Jinki frowned before slipping from behind him. Minho’s head came up from the pillow to look where he went, but a moment later he was slipping in front of him.

 

 

Jinki’s eyes were soft as he took Minho’s face into his hands. His thumbs gently wiped his tears away before his hands moved up to move through his hair comfortingly. “You’re scared?” This time his head nodded. “About what Baby? I can’t help you calm your fears if I don’t know what they are.”

 

 

Minho’s bottom lip was inside of his mouth, shaking between his teeth as he in a huge breath. “I’m afraid to leave you alone.”

 

 

Jinki expected anything from actually having the baby to feeling something, anything at all, during the birth, but not that. His throat was dry, his mind blank, as to what to respond to that. “Baby…”

 

 

Minho shook his head quickly as his hands came up to wrap around Jinki’s neck. His face was pressed into his shoulder as he softly mumbled, “I’m not afraid to die, but to die and leave you here alone. I’m afraid of going in there together and leaving you to care for this baby alone. I am scared to death of having you make that choice… so when it comes down to it I want you to choose the baby.”

 

 

“Minho!”

 

 

His grip around his neck tightened, “I mean it Jinki. The baby comes before me. Promise me.”

 

 

Jinki swallowed thickly before closing his eyes and whispering, “I promise.”

 

 

Silent tears were already falling down his cheeks.

 

 

 

                                                                        -----

 

 

 

On the drive to the hospital Jinki’s hand never left Minho’s. It was sitting in the younger man’s lap from the moment the car was and shifted into gear. He wasn’t about to tell Minho he couldn’t hold it. It didn’t come out of it until Minho was told to follow the doctor and that Jinki would join him shortly.

 

 

Jinki was helped with his scrubs and mask before being lead to where Minho was already prepped. His eyes immediately found him among the people, and Jinki smiled behind his mask. He went over to the given chair and grasped Minho’s hand. “How you doing baby?”

 

 

Minho his lips. “They… they gave me pain meds a minute ago. Supposedly in about 10 minutes they should be in full effect.”

 

 

Jinki brought his hand up to his mask and pressed his lips to it. Minho softly smiled up at him, “We never did decide on a baby name.”

 

 

Minho hummed. “ I.. I think we should name it after our fathers.”

 

 

Jinki smiled because he was pretty sure the pain meds were finally kicking in. “I thought we didn’t like the combinations.”

 

 

“Oh yeah. True True.”

 

 

Jinki leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. He ran his free hand over his hair and hoped Minho knew just how much he meant to him. “We can decide when you get out of surgery okay?”

 

 

Minho’s eyes flashed up at him. “But-“

 

 

“No buts. Okay?”

 

 

One last smile and a soft okay before Minho’s doctor walked in. “So where are we?”

 

 

                                                                        -------

 

 

 

 

 

The moment the shrill cry of their son rang through the air tears were present in Jinki’s eyes. He didn’t let go of Minho’s hand even when the nurse brought their son over to set him in his arms. Jinki moved to lift Minho’s hand up to touch their son’s, but suddenly the hand was limp in his grasp. It softly fell down off the side of the bed, the man’s eyes fluttering as if trying to stay awake.

 

 

Panic seized Jinki’s heart. “No.. no no baby no. Remember stay awake for me okay?”

 

 

Minho groaned but his eyes stayed shut. Before Jinki knew it his son was taken from his arms and he was pushed out of the room. No matter what he yelled or who he fought against he wasn’t allowed in that room. It took security coming to drag him out into the hallway for him to finally calm down enough to sit in one of the chairs.

 

 

A little while later Minho’s doctor came out, wiping his hands off with a towel. Jinki was up out of his chair in a second. “What’s wrong? Can I see him? He’s okay right?”

 

 

“Mr. Lee, I think it’s a good idea for you to go find family right now. Mr. Choi lost a lot of blood during the surgery and my other fellow doctors and nurses are working on saving him, but he doesn’t look too good. Your son is perfectly healthy, but I think family is what you need right now. Is there someone we can call, or get from the waiting room?”

 

 

“No… Minho’s my family. That baby and Minho is my family. They’re all I have.”

 

 

“Mr. Lee….”

 

 

“Don’t Mister Lee me Dr. Kim. Go in there and save my partner!”

 

 

The doctor blinked at him before nodding and turning back through the doors. Jinki didn’t even make it back to his seat before he collapsed into himself.

 

 

It wouldn’t be until Jonghyun came to lift him off the floor that he moved at all.

 

 

 

                                                                        ----