Taemin woke up to the sound of crying. His eyelids felt as heavy as his body as he sat up in bed, blanket slipping off his shoulders. To his right, the clock blinked red digits of 3:36 am. To his left, the bed was still made and untouched.

Overtime again, he thought as he sleepily rubbed at his eyes.  

Minseok’s distant cries floated into the room as he drowsily pushed himself off the bed. He did not bother switching on the lights as he made his way to Minseok’s room. This had been happening so much in the past weeks that he no longer had problems navigating their home in the dark.

He wrapped his arms around himself as he walked through the rooms, Minho’s sweater being more for comfort than for actual warmth. It was too large for him and it barely kept him warm enough, but sometimes the evenings were lonely and he just wanted to feel Minho around him.

He couldn’t blame Minho for always being at work. Someone had to pay the bills, especially after they’d adopted Minseok.

The pay for his own job as a dance instructor barely covered the essentials, and although he had offered to look for a more high-paying job, Minho had refused. When Taemin asked why, he said that he didn’t want Taemin to be doing something he didn’t love.

Sometimes Minho was too doting for his own good.

When he reached Minseok’s room, the cries were gone.

Minho’s back was turned to him, his figure illuminated by Minseok’s night light.

He was still in his suit, and his briefcase and coat were haphazardly strewn over on the chair beside Minseok’s crib. He must have just gotten back.

“Hey,” Taemin called quietly, his voice a tad hoarse from sleep.

Minho turned around, a hiccupping Minseok bundled in his arms. “Oh- hey,” He whispered back, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, did we wake you?”

Taemin smiled back, crossing his arms for warmth as he walked over to them. “Nah,” He softly kissed Minseok’s forehead, fighting back a chuckle when the baby squirmed and tried to reach for him. “You just got back?”

Minho nodded, leaning down for his own kiss. Taemin could not say no. A soft peck on the lips sufficed.

As they watched Minseok doze off in Minho’s arms, they continued to speak in whispers. Taemin asked about work and Minho told him about the new guy named Jonghyun he was apprenticing. Minho asked him if he was sleeping and eating well and Taemin could only smile at the irony of Minho’s questions.

After a while, Taemin let out a yawn he hadn’t meant to.

Minho reached out to him, wiping at the corner of his eye. “You should go back to bed. I’ll be there in a bit.”

Taemin shook his head, rubbing at his eyes with the sleeve of Minho’s sweater.

“I’ll wait for you.”

Minho could not help but smile. He’d only just noticed what Taemin was wearing and how much his sweater fit him, bagginess and all.

“Alright then.”

Short, but I hope you liked this one! Comments are always appreciated.