Rated M. 

A/N: this is the sequel of the last chapter "The babysitter".

VII

Uncle Taehyun

“I hate you”.

Taehyun chuckled when his best friend Mino stated so.

“Give me Nam Taehyun back, where is he? You know, the grumpy cat, always smoking his stress out and complaining about – ah, even this leads to the Kang-smile-effect, damn it”.

“I see you’re happy I’m happy”, Taehyun kept chuckling, as Mino fretted and then, theatrically as his usual, winced in pain. “Come on, you stupid, I know you’re faking it”.

Mino then looked into his eyes, a sparkle of excitement in his stare. Taehyun could see how he pursued his lips to hold a smile – but he couldn’t overcome it and ended up laughing.

“You bastard”, he exclaimed, patting his shoulders with fatherly pride. “When will I meet this Kang Seungyoon? I have to thank him for taking you”.

“He’s not taking me”, Taehyun replied, the happiness in his voice quite audible, “we’re taking each other”.

Mino grinned. “No, but seriously, he must ask for your hand to me, you know, I’m officially your father”.

“ off”, Taehyun retorted, not slightly pissed.

Actually, there was nothing that could bother him at that exact moment of his life.

The sky was light blue, the birds were chirping, a nice warm breeze was announcing the arrive of summer – well, besides his idyllic and momentary love for nature (and now he felt like a Romanticist walking the streets of Paris – damn, he had to admit that even if Mino was melodramatic, he was his friend for a reason), he truly, genuinely felt happy.

He could sense it in his whole body. From the way he woke up, a tad more briskly than usual, to the way he couldn’t stop humming, his lips naturally forming a smile as he walked to the university in the morning and to Seungyoon’s house in the afternoon. The junky coffee he bought during the break was a bit tastier, his feet lighter, the days brighter.

Taehyun was in love.

His routine was all he needed to feel at peace: the text he got in the morning, wishing him a good day, and the call during lunch break – Seungyoon’s voice at the phone, a bit deeper than he always remembered, and his queer laugh that made him smile in reflex –; then the quick, longing stare challenge he and Seungyoon had when he opened the door of his flat, to let him in, and the smile Seungyoon always delivered before he left the house; the smile Taehyun received when Seungyoon came back home in the evening – and sometimes the kiss he could steal from him, when Hyesung was already sleeping.

Everything was fine.

Taehyun liked all of it, even if his sleep schedule was a mess, nights spent working on his art pieces due university deadlines or for simple overruling inspiration, between classes and exams and this constant love that made him daydream most of the time, leaving him breathless for the intensity of his own emotions.

As long as Seungyoon and Hyesung were in his life, and the inspiration got him as the feelings swelled his heart, everything was perfectly fine.

But as summer finally came, Taehyun experienced the changing of his heart.

Taehyun crumpled the cigarette in his hand, sighing. He threw it away and tried to light another one on, not focusing enough to really succeed.

Mino looked up at him, ignoring for a moment the constant buzzing of his phone, and smiled. “Nam Taehyun, you’re frowning”.

“Well, yes”, he hissed, his lips still around the cigarette as he fought against the zipper, quite comically. “This ain’t working”.

“Yeah, right, and that’s why you’re sighing and looking all upset since noon”.

“Exactly”, his sharp eyes glared at him. Mino could almost see the dark cloud of bad feelings right around his head, haloing him with a gloomy light.

“And this isn’t related to, I don’t know, a man, namely Kang Seungyoon, 25 years old, journalist for a fashion mag, at the same time chicer and dorkier than you expect, with a lovely daughter called Hyesung to complete the picture…”

“Shut up”, Taehyun muttered, his teeth almost cutting the cigarette he still held. “And this ”, he wasted it, throwing it away and stomping on it with a sadistic pleasure painted on his face.

“You are simpler than you look, Taehyun”, Mino laughed, his eyes twinkling as he patted his back. “So, let me guess, things are going smoothly between you two, very much indeed from what I’ve heard, and your daily dose of romance comes right out from a movie, all pink and roses and –“

“Cut it down or I’ll bite your hand”.

“Who is the dog now. Anyway, there is something that’s bothering you, but what? Everything is perfect”, Mino looked into his eyes and Taehyun shrugged his shoulders, telling him more than he wished to do with just his stare.

Mino smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re pissed off because you two never have enough time together and, as you keep being together, instead of getting sick of him like sometimes happens, you’re falling even harder for him that even the thought of not seeing him for one day is sickening?”, Mino darted a smile, confident, and Taehyun knew he was doomed because he could read him so easily, after those years of friendship, and he was speaking his inner secret, doubt and fear.

“No way”, he commented, but his voice sounded weak and he blushed.
“, Nam Taehyun, you’re red”, Mino laughed louder and hugged his back with one arm, keeping him closer. He snickered, ruffling his hair as he couldn’t stop being overjoyed for Taehyun, and finally spoke: “So, you two don’t have enough time for yourselves and he hasn’t said anything and you’re pissed off for this, but even more you’re angry with yourself because you can’t help but missing him”.

Taehyun sighed, closing his eyes. “Tonight we’ll have stew of human flesh, Mino’s, served with steamed potatoes and fresh sweet peas”.

“Calm down, friend”, Mino patted his shoulders. “What I suggest is something else”.

Seungyoon was surprised to get invited to Taehyun’s place on Saturday evening.

Until now they had tried to not change their routine, especially for Hyesung. Seungyoon didn’t really know what was best to do, now that he had a boyfriend, but at the same time he didn’t want to stop seeing Taehyun just because he had a daughter – that was silly. Actually, the hard part of finding a partner was to meet someone who didn’t bother if he had family, or even more to find someone who actually cared for his daughter and not just tried to please him as he pretended to love Hyesung too. That was not the case, as Taehyun had fell for Hyesung even before than for Seungyoon – his love, pure and strong, was the same a father or a very caring uncle could have for his own kid, and his talent in babysitting was due to his kind heart, felt by Hyesung by instinct like children usually do. Taehyun was the best he could ever wish for his daughter – but, selfishly, even more for himself. Seungyoon was so in love that sometimes he forgot to breathe, every inch of his body thinking about him.

Anyway, their dynamics apparently didn’t change, Taehyun kept working as a babysitter to Hyesung and Seungyoon played the part of a caring employer and nothing more in front of his daughter.

If there was something really hard to explain to her was the fact that his partner was a boy. Nam Taehyun, her favourite uncle. Seungyoon knew, deep down inside, that one day he had to tell her – he didn’t want her to grow up blind about it or, worse, not knowing her father’s true self – but he was scared. Even if love was enough to explain everything and he had taught her, every day, every moment, that love was just love, no matter blood or gender, he just felt unsettled and he couldn’t tell her. Not yet.

Maybe, Seungyoon guessed at night as he rolled on his bed and thought of Taehyun, he just needed a little more time – until he was sure they could last for a long time, he and Taehyun. Every time, he laughed at himself, because even if it was scary to admit and he didn’t want to get his hopes up, each moment spent with Taehyun confirmed to him how much he loved him; besides, his heart was changing, his love was growing quickly, leaving him breathless for real, and he truly, deeply felt that yes, he could be with that man for his eternity.

So, a change of their routine was unexpected but not unwelcomed. He said yes to Taehyun and told Seunghoon about it.
“Dude, a hot dinner is waiting for you”.

“Why you always have to say things like these”, Seungyoon sounded exasperated.

“Because it’s me, Lee Seunghoon, and I must speak the truth as the cosmic law bids me to do”.

“Oh, seriously” he chuckled. “Anyway it’s so peculiar, Taehyun has never been so active – I mean, he is, he’s lovely and I couldn’t want anything more, even when we have so few time for ourselves, and we’re always sneaking around to not be found out by our Hyesungie – it’s so tragicomic when Taehyun comes to my house in the middle of the night, but... this is different”.

Seunghoon grinned. “Maybe he wants to shake things up”, and when Seungyoon looked alarmed, he added: “In a good way”.

“Anyway, hyung, I must ask you this favour”.

“Anything for my dongsaeng and his possibility of having finally a full night of passion without the terror of waking up Hyesung”.

“”, Seungyoon muttered.

“What?”, Seunghoon joked, “could you please repeat it? Remember that Hyesung will sleep at my place Saturday night”.

“Are you threatening me?”, Seungyoon chuckled.

“No way. She’ll have her best time, I promise”, Seunghoon nodded, being suddenly serious. But then he added “And so will you” and Seungyoon knew that he was helpless.

Saturday afternoon, Taehyun managed to cook something – he wasn’t that good, as he never really had time to improve his cooking skills, between study and work, but somehow he didn’t burn his kitchen and that was really a success.

When Seungyoon came, a bit earlier than expected, he had finished by few minutes.

“Just sit there”, he said, not looking at him and pointing at a chair. “I have to set the table”, he cleaned the surface and then put a tablecloth on, levelling its creases with his hands.

Seungyoon smiled, following his movements with his eyes. Taehyun was placing a pair of white plates, right in front of each other, and folding the napkins in triangles before putting them on the table. He was wearing all black, looking classy and dashing as never before. His hair were slicked back, showing his features in their whole beauty, and that was enough to make Seungyoon burn with desire.

Maybe he had to admit that Seunghoon had his point, even if the one with second thoughts was himself and not Taehyun. Maybe he had to catch that opportunity and think less.

“You’re so committed”, he said, as Taehyun finished setting the table, adding two slender and elegant glasses as final touch. “You didn’t even greet me properly”.

Taehyun looked at him, startled. “Ah, right. I’m sorry”, he said but stopped as Seungyoon reached him quickly and, tilting his head, touched his nose with his, just a maddening gap between their lips as he spoke: “Just pay off your debt now”.

His warm breath was teasing his lips and a smile broke on Taehyun’s face. “You think I might fall for this?”, he said playfully, his hands resting on his shoulders, his thumbs massaging his collarbone.

“You still owe me one”, Seungyoon retorted and Taehyun nodded, filling up the gap and giving him a peck. “A good one”, Seungyoon whispered, and Taehyun could feel the warmth right on his lips, tickling him exasperatingly. His body was so ready to respond his – the simple proximity was enough to drive him crazy, and Seungyoon breathing on him wasn’t helping at all. Taehyun gulped, knowing that this wasn’t exactly what he had planned Mino (well, at least not at this point of the evening), but he gave in when Seungyoon murmured his name, his right hand slyly tracing his cheek as slowly as it could.

He told himself that just a kiss wouldn’t ruin his dinner.

He covered his mouth with his own, pressing his lips on Seungyoon’s plump ones. He shivered as Seungyoon opened his mouth, his fingers sliding on his nape, pulling him closer, and his tongue meeting his in a heated kiss. Taehyun gripped his face then, shifting, his whole being feeling that warm growing sensation that was now engulfing him – their tongues playing, twirling slowly; Seungyoon’s scratching his skin slightly; Seungyoon’s lips eating him up, and a moan escaping his own throat, when he felt pressed between Seungyoon and the table.

When they broke the contact, Taehyun steadied himself with the table, his hands brushing Seungyoon’s cheeks heedlessly as they both tried to catch their breaths. Seungyoon chuckled silently, his lungs burning, when he saw Taehyun’s flushed face – he was even more beautiful, with some crimson colouring his skin, especially because it was his own fault.

He tilted his head, quietly placing his chin on his shoulder, hugging him with his skinny but strong arms. He could hear Taehyun’s heart beating frenetically through the pulsing of his neck – Taehyun could feel it pounding in his ears, his head still a bit dizzy as he raised his hands and pushed him closer, making their bodies touch. Taehyun justified himself thinking that the crazy sensation in his belly was way more important than anything else.

“I... prepared a stew and rice and an omelette and so many other things”, Taehyun said and Seungyoon placed his lips on his cheekbone, softly, and traced his cheek, breathing him in – Taehyun shivered once again, goose bumps all over his skin as Seungyoon attentively his neck, right in the corner where the jawbone ended. “And we have Weiss beer”, Taehyun’s voice croaked when Seungyoon nipped his earlobe, “as we both don’t like wine”.

Taehyun stopped talking, finding that doing two things was way too complicate at that time, and slipped a hand between them, tasting around until he found Seungyoon’s crotch. He squeezed it, lightly, and enjoyed the moan that Seungyoon couldn’t hold back, feeble but right in his ear. 

“So you did – you prepared so much”, Seungyoon said, his hands digging under his shirt, tracing the shape of his hips quickly, as his fingers couldn’t stay still and had an undying need to explore every inch of his skin. “It’ll be a waste if we won’t eat, right?”

Taehyun nodded, finding his mouth again. This time, he reached his with both his hands, pulling him closer and making him grind to his crotch. Seungyoon chuckled on his lips and, before Taehyun could deepen the kiss, he joked cheekily. “I still can eat you instead, can I”. Taehyun just kissed him hardly, biting his lips to have access, and Seungyoon knew what his answer was.

When they were both a mess, breathing unevenly and painfully aroused, the dinner totally forgotten, their needs pulsing through their whole bodies, a wave of lust quickly burning their last rational thoughts, Seungyoon stood aback. “Turn around”, he said and Taehyun didn’t complain. He comfortably placed his hands on the table, carefully avoiding the side where he had set for two, and Seungyoon pushed him down with his body, covering him, making his back bend. Taehyun whimpered, enjoying his weight on him.

Seungyoon kissed his neck, nibbling it as his hands found their way to his crotch and ped Taehyun’s pants. With a quick move, he undressed him partially and then he pushed down his own clothes, pressing himself between his cheeks.

Taehyun suddenly jumped, the contact of their bodies being too much to bear, but Seungyoon made him still, positioning his hands on his hips to stop him. He cocked his head, tracing his neck with his lips until he reached his ear, and whispered some sweet words to him. Taehyun chuckled, saying that he didn’t need tenderness at the moment, and Seungyoon couldn’t help but smile.

Without asking permission, he pushed his fingers in Taehyun’s mouth, making him them as Seungyoon rocked his hips on him, the other hand gripped around his . With his fingers now coated with saliva, he teased Taehyun and found his way inside him. Taehyun cried out, calling his name, and that made him going faster. There wasn’t much resistance, actually, as Taehyun was already relaxed, willingly asking him for more as he moved his up and down his fingers. Seungyoon felt a surge of love and lust for him – he was beautiful, he thought, and he was his; but now what truly mattered was to take him and make him go crazy over him, even more.

Seungyoon entered him, slowly but steadily, and he left few time to Taehyun to adjust to him. He said he didn’t need tenderness, right? With his fingers dug in his hips, his teeth nibbling his nape, the skin with his lips, Seungyoon in him. He could feel Taehyun going wild under him, his hands clenched on the tablecloth, his back arched as he filled up the air with his moans, his breath short and uneven, like he couldn’t inhale enough oxygen to go through it safely.

Seungyoon snarled, his voice raspy and not less messy than Taehyun’s, as he fastened the pace of his s, rocking his hips as he bit his skin and muffled his rising growl on him.

When they reached the , together, Taehyun couldn’t bear his weight on him and collapsed on the table, luckily on the empty side of it. Seungyoon followed him, still inside him, resting on his back. He found the strength to reach his ear, once again, and whisper few things. Mostly about his love for him and how hungry he was now, even if sleep was a nicer option. Taehyun giggled, dizzy and breathless, and told him that yes, he loved him too, and they had so much time together, they could do everything they wanted – yes, even a second round.

After that night they started a kind of tradition. Once a week it was just for them (without counting the night incursions at Seungyoon’s place). Even if they didn’t have much time and Hyesung needed constant supervision, like every child of her age in the world, they still made time for it and went out together.

Once it was for an exhibition Taehyun wanted madly see. It was the first time Seungyoon saw him squeal, his eyes twinkling of a light he never glimpsed in them; his lips pursued as he didn’t want to really spoil Seungyoon’s point of view and he had promised he wouldn’t say a thing to not bias his opinion; his hands moving around when he couldn’t help but start talking about this and that, explaining every piece of the artist and his ideology, the use of the colours and how his style evolved and turned during his life. Seungyoon was so immersed in him, even without realizing it, he was like a sunflower following the sun during the day – what he remembered of that exhibition was Taehyun, more than the paintings he casually looked at, and he wasn’t bothered by it at all. He found himself rather happy of it, and so much in love that his heart almost jumped out of his chest when Taehyun held his hand, at the end of the exhibition, and whispered his love for him and a sincere thank you in his ear.

Another time they went to the cinema. Seungyoon especially liked this director and he was overly excited to watch his new movie. They bought popcorn and sat in a couple seats, hand in hand, their eyes fixed to the big screen. When it ended, they kept talking about it, Seungyoon remarking the scenes he particularly enjoyed, Taehyun complaining that the director could have cut some scenes to make a lighter but still poignant movie – nonetheless, when a dense silence came upon them, they ended up smiling, just laughing at themselves and their different opinions.

They went to have dinner – Indian, Chinese, Italian, even hamburgers – and to drink together, to dance and to the theatre, to everywhere they could reach in few minutes, in the perimeter of their city. Seungyoon even sneaked in some university parties, as he was pretty young himself, and saw Taehyun around his friends. He was such a sassy kitten, he thought, and he was insanely happy to see that Taehyun was way gentler with him, like he trusted Seungyoon enough to make him see his warm and soft part of his heart. Seungyoon just felt blessed to be loved by him.

Once, they planned to have fun at the park, but Taehyun remarked that it would be unfair to Hyesung, she would be so happy to go there and do the same things they were planning to do and it wasn’t ok to just leave her out. In the end, they brought her with them – it was their first family outing, even if it wasn’t official, Hyesung didn’t know about them, there had never been any ‘family’ talking and they were just three strangers without any blood bond. Still, Seungyoon thought, the truth was another one: as Hyesung climbed Taehyun’s back and he laughed in pain, searching Seungyoon’s eyes with his, and Seungyoon his arm to comfort him, he knew that was his family.

He felt his heart swelling, when he could see the same feelings in Taehyun’s eyes, and he had to restrain himself to hug him there, now, because he hadn’t talked to Hyesung yet.

Autumn came and Seungyoon felt like he didn’t want to let Taehyun’s hand go, ever.

Taehyun struggled every day for the university, wanting to be more than mediocrely good, his studies filling up his days and his flat, literally, with a crazy amount of papers, books and canvas. He couldn’t even remember where his belongings were, submerged by that stuff and his clothes all scattered around.

What gave him the strength to go on without a whine was Seungyoon – Seungyoon was so good he could talk about him for hours, so he preferred to not speak at all and just live the love he was feeling. He felt blessed to have him, but not him only.

Even if it still counted as work, he was glad he could go and see Hyesung every afternoon. She was what brightened his days in unexpected ways. She was growing up so fast he couldn’t even count all the changes she were going through, getting taller every day, being more confident as the time passed, talking like she never did before.

Taehyun was surprised, at first, when she started telling him of her friends at school and their stories, and he just ended up smiling at her with his most sincere smile. Later, when Seungyoon was at home, he told him about it and he could glimpse few beady tears running on his face. Taehyun wiped them off – this time he could, he thought – and started chuckling with him for the elation.  

So, Hyesung was finally making friends and blossoming in a very bright, funny little kid. Taehyun could only feel his love growing for her, when she kept calling him “Uncle Taehyun” and asked him to teach her the secrets of watercolours and the art of pencil and crayons, or when she built castles and amazing imaginary worlds with just few construction pieces, now telling him about all the stories she had bottled up inside herself, letting them free – stories about wild princesses that hunted in the woods, scared princes that preferred ballet opera over a fight, talking foxes and dogs, the ones who truly knew the secrets of the world, life and love and were wiser than any other being.

Taehyun loved to hear her out – “please, tell me”, he kept saying, and then he summed up all she said in some sentences, written on a diary Seungyoon had appositely for Hyesung. Taehyun felt so pleased to be allowed to write in it, adding pages and pages of her story – he felt it was a secret between him and Seungyoon, the ones who were enjoying her growth the most, at close. And then, he was glad to help him when his work was taking him so much time, making him miss those moments Taehyun was witnessing. Taehyun had a duty to share them with him, but he lived it as a honour.

“Uncle Taehyun”, she said once, her eyes sparkling as she talked. “Mr. Longtailed the Fox and Mr. Grindingteeth the Dog wants to live happily ever after”.

“Do they?”, he smiled, caressing her head.

She nodded. “They’re gonna live in a house without walls, with a floor of clovers and daisies and small bushes of wild roses around... and maybe they’ll have a daughter and a son, here, Twinkle the Pony and Tiny-paw the Cat”.

“Sounds perfect to me”, Taehyun gathered the toys she had called, forming a small circle. Mr. Dog and Mr. Fox where looking at each other’s eyes. Taehyun can’t help but smiling.

As he kept grinning, his hands fidgeting with those two puppets, making them walk around, Hyesung asked: “Can two princes marry each other?”

Taehyun struggled to put the toys down, positioning them in their new imaginary home with a lot of effort, trying to not shake his hands as he did so. He pouted, thinking. “Marriage should be between a prince and a princess”, he started, not knowing what to reply, if he could speak his heart or not. They had agreed with Seungyoon to not tell her they were together, but this didn’t mean he should just lie to her about his ideas. “But I think love is way more important than a simple contract, don’t you think so? Marriage is between a man and woman, usually, the law states so – but real marriage should just be the union of two people who really love each other, right? So if the princes love each other so much and they are happy together, if they feel at home and keep smiling while they are together, in good and bad times, I think they can marry each other”.

Hyesung grinned and then chuckled, nodding. Taehyun had expected a more quiet and astonished response. “What?”, he asked.

She blinked. “Right. So it’s ok for even Mr. Longtailed the Fox and Mr. Grindingteeth the Dog to get married too”.

Taehyun laughed. “Of course”.

Hyesung nodded, smirking. “I knew you would say so”, she whispered.

“Why?”, he couldn’t control his croaky voice.

“Because it’s you, uncle Taehyun” , Hyesung looked like she wanted to add something. She took Mr. Fox into her hand and brought him to her chest. “And you’re kind-hearted”.

Taehyun accepted the compliment, but felt there was much more going on under the surface. The sparkle in her eyes was just a glimpse of an inner world he didn’t know in his totality – and for the first time Taehyun realized that maybe they had underestimated Hyesung. He had thought he was specially taking care of her, like no one could, but now he saw that he was acting like every adult in the world, forgetting that children, even if not understanding the whole situation, usually grasp more than any adult could think. Like sponges, adsorbing water – bad or good as it is – and filtering it to live.

Taehyun ruffled her hair, then, bringing her close in a hug.

Maybe they had to be more careful.

“I could say I have a girlfriend. I could say it casually, like, I don’t’ know, while we’re talking, our … ‘our Eunsang likes this too’ or-”

“Are you seriously thinking to lie to ‘our Hyesungie’?”, Mino scoffed, stealing the donuts Taehyun was ignoring so strongly.  He stuffed his mouth and looked at his friend, half-desperately lying on the table, his lips frozen in a pout. “You stupid, children are smarter than that”.

“And I’m her uncle, she would be jealous, wouldn’t she?”, he suddenly cocked his head, looking into Mino’s eyes. “Is it so obvious I’m with Seungyoon?”

“Dude, I don’t know how you two act while you’re with her” – Taehyun interrupted him, whining that they were friendly but with a nuance of coldness to remark that they weren’t that close – “but if you’re even half of what you usually are with him – yes I saw you two the other night at the party, ok?, shut up your complaints – then you’re freaking doomed”.

Taehyun sighed. “I even haven’t told Seungyoon about this, he was the one insisting to... take our time and not tell her, you know, there are so many problems as well the most obvious one. Like...”, Taehyun paused.

“You can’t think of one, can you?”, Mino chuckled. “Because in the end every problem can be solved”.

“Shut up, you should be the silly dork friend, not the smart one”.

“And anyway”, Mino pinched his cheek quite hardly, in revenge; “you were literally glowing last night. She must be blind to not notice that”.

Seungyoon was conflicted on what to do.

He had already compiled three different lists of what he had to say Hyesung, but they all were bull he couldn’t really comply. His need to organize his life went against his urge to be totally true and sincere with his daughter.

He thought honesty was the basis for a good relationship – Kang Seungyoon didn’t like to lie, even when it would be better that way; he didn’t like to pretend he was happy when he was sad inside and vice versa – even if it was hard, sometimes, he thought that his sincere heart could win everything.

Now, he was at his happiest, with Taehyun at his side, but all the subterfuges and sneaking around was killing his vibe.

He looked down at the last list written: the points were always the same, the welfare of his daughter, the love he and Taehyun shared, and moreover the family they could be together.

Seungyoon winced. He didn’t ask Taehyun if he wanted to stay with him – like officially – not yet. Taehyun was young, as Seunghoon had made him notice once, and maybe he wasn’t that ready to settle in. Seungyoon said he had seen Taehyun well enough to know him and his relationship with Hyesung – everything was way better in that house since he stepped in so many months ago, a Saturday afternoon – but deep down he feared Seunghoon was right. Taehyun could not want to get serious, not at his age.

Seungyoon sighed and looked at the words he had encircled on the paper: love, Hyesung, important, family. In the end, the first step was to tell her. Just that.

He felt someone tugging his sleeve and looked down, finding Hyesung sitting on the couch next to him, a smile painted on her face.

“I didn’t hear your coming”, Seungyoon whispered, bending and touching her nose with his own, greeting her like this. She chuckled.

“Dad”, she paused, her lips curling in a smirk she couldn’t hold back. Her eyes were sparkling and, once again, Seungyoon was astonished by her brightness. “I have something to ask you, but first I want to tell you something”.

He nodded, quietly. “Tell me”.

Hyesung tugged his sleeve once again, clasping the fabric of his shirt as she needed that contact to muster the courage. “Uncle Taehyun told me once that to get married you must love the other person... but I heard many of my classmates complaining that their parents argue all the time. Why, if they’re married shouldn’t they be happy and in love?”

Seungyoon smiled bitterly. “Ah, our Hyesungie... You see, it’s not that they don’t love each other anymore, at least most of the times... it’s just that there are so many things around, stuff to do, bills to pay, so few time for each other, that they get distracted by many problems and they forget the love they have inside. It’s still there, you see”, he pointed at her heart, “deep, in a little corner of their heart, but too many things are covering it”.

Hyesung nodded. “Then, what about my classmates with divorced parents?”

“That... life was too strong – you see, love is just a small, precious and rare flower growing up in your chest, right on the heart”, he tickled her chest and she laughed, “so, just because it’s small and precious and rare, you have to treat it carefully. As I said, if it’s covered by too many things, the light won’t reach it. But flowers need the sun to grow and stay strong, like we need food. Sometimes, some things are way too hard, the world outside is like a storm. You see, flowers need sun and water to live, but if you soak them, they’re gonna die”. He looked into her eyes and he could see easily how she understood everything. Seungyoon wanted to hug that pretty daughter of his, because she was young but already clever enough to get what he meant. “These parents must have suffered a lot, to give up on their love”.

Hyesung nodded. “And now my question…”, she paused.

“Tell me, Hyesungie”.

Hyesung chuckled. “So, to be together you love each other a lot, right? Dad, I love uncle Taehyun so much…” Seungyoon gasped, not exactly expecting this. Hyesung looked at him, a smug smile on her face. “Then I understand why you love him like I do... so, how should I call him from now on?”

Seungyoon felt like he dropped dead.

“I mean... I was jealous at first, I thought I would marry Taehyun one day, like my friend Taeyeon wants to marry her cousin, but I think it’s ok if it’s you”, Hyesung nodded, convinced, “I’ll give up on my project, so please treat him well”.

Seungyoon could feel his jaw hanging open in surprise, but he didn’t have the strength to close it now. There was something totally ridiculous in what was happening in that moment and he wondered if he was daydreaming.

“I thought you would tell me first. I trusted you, but you required so much time, I thought you were giving up”, Hyesung pouted and Seungyoon saw himself in her, “I even asked uncle Taehyun about these things and-“

“Wait, you asked him what?”, Seungyoon interrupted her.

Hyesung winced and looked at him, her eyes firm like she knew all the necessary truths in the world. The kid was scary, Seungyoon thought, and he was even more proud of having her as a daughter. “If two princes can get married… and he said yes, if they love each other”, Hyesung bit her lower lip, searching for the right words. “I’ve thought about it, dad, even before I asked him, and I thought he’s right. Many parents of my friends aren’t that happy when they are together, from what I’ve understood, but they still are a family, so I think that if you ... if we are so happy, nothing should stop us. I mean, I don’t know, but even Hyeri lives with just his mother and Seunghyun and Seunggi have just their father, so what’s wrong with having two fathers instead? Right?”

Seungyoon nodded. Hyesung stared at him, demanding him an answer: “So, what do you think?”

“I think I made you grow up in a very good girl, that’s what I think. All those hours watching shows and reading books and studying animals and talking about the equality of every life on earth weren’t wasted”.

Hyesung laughed. “Still, I want a present. That doll house. I gave up on uncle T- on daddy Taehyun, you know?”

Seungyoon opened the door and let him in.

It was around 1 AM and the house was still and dark, so Taehyun clutched Seungyoon’s arm to let him lead them to his bedroom. When they were in the safe space of his room, Taehyun let out a sigh and took off his jacket. Seungyoon followed his movements with a soft smile, sitting on the bed while Taehyun stretched the muscle of his arms and back, yawning.

“Why...”, Taehyun didn’t know how to say it without sounding bothered, which he wasn’t, “Why you called me? I thought we would meet tomorrow, this was sudden”.

Seungyoon patted the spot at his left, inviting him on the bed. Taehyun knitted his brows, confused, but sat next to him anyway. There was something so weird in Seungyoon tonight – a kind of bright unexplainable living force that made his whole body shine and his face glow of happiness – so that Taehyun couldn’t really resist him or disagree with him. Not tonight.

“Something good happened?”, he asked instead.

Seungyoon quietly asserted that yes, something glorious had happened today and he wanted to celebrate.

“Won’t you tell me then?”

Seungyoon shook his head. “It’s a secret, just for a little more. First, let’s have fun”. He reached out and kissed Taehyun on his lips, chastely at first, his thumb running on his cheek as they stood still for few seconds. Then, as Taehyun parted his lips, Seungyoon deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue in him and exploring his mouth, idly, smiling when he heard Taehyun’s for the pleasure. Panting, Seungyoon stood aback to breath in a big amount of air, and gave him few pecks on his lips as he felt Taehyun’s hand gripping his hips and pushing him closer. He lingered on his mouth, his contour, and then peppered his cheeks and nose with small wet kisses.

Taehyun giggled, clasping his hands around him more eagerly, and kissed him back, hungrily tasting his mouth, biting his thick red lips, playing with his tongue without hesitation. He marked his nose with his teeth, nibbling the soft tip quickly, and leaned down to kiss his neck and his moles. He liked how Seungyoon hands ran on his head, tugging his hair while he let him have control on his body, and how Seungyoon murmured his name – with desire but even more with affection.

When Taehyun reached his collarbone, Seungyoon gently pulled him off. Taehyun raised his eyes, questioning him with his stare, and Seungyoon smiled in response, climbing on the bed, positioning in the centre and laying down, inviting him with his body.

Taehyun looked at him, smirking. Seungyoon smiled brightly, his legs slightly opened, his trousers a little too tight around his crotch. Taehyun could feel his mouth dry.

“Come”, Seungyoon said and Taehyun complied, crawling on him and resting his head right on his chest to feel his fast-paced heartbeat. With a complacent smile, he raised his shirt and stared at his white smooth skin. “You must be so happy”, he chuckled, kissing his sternum and tracing his faint muscles, his lazily, biting it just lightly. Seungyoon stirred under him.

“I just want to feel you, tonight”, Seungyoon said, brushing his hair, “the closer I can”. His words hanged in the air. Taehyun looked at him, gulping. He smiled, his hands slipping on his hips, following his v line, enjoying the view of Seungyoon’s biting his lips to stay quiet. Taehyun the tiny trail of hair that started from his bellybutton, ghosting down until he met his waistband.

He could see the anticipation in Seungyoon’s eyes and he noticed how he parted his legs a tad more, when Taehyun took off his trousers, inviting him without words needed. Taehyun nibbled his still clothed , tracing its shaft with his tongue, teeth teasing slightly at the base, making Seungyoon whimper lowly.

Taehyun wasn’t a person of many words during – the talker was Seungyoon anyway – but this time he took his time, enjoying that game. “Look how happy you are”, he remarked, palming his arousal, his mouth just at the edge of his stomach, kissing the evident veins. “I mean, look at yourself”.

“I was waiting for you”, Seungyoon whispered, his hand firm on Taehyun’s head. “I’m all prepared”, he grinned, pushing him down.

Taehyun stripped him down, finally, and stood aback, watching Seungyoon slightly raising his legs, arching his back to show him more. He sighed in lust and got up, starting to undress. He was painfully slow, his eyes fixed on Seungyoon, his hands precise but willingly lazy. He took off his shirt and then his trousers, enjoying the look Seungyoon had in his eyes. He wanted him so badly – and Taehyun wanted him even more. 

“So, you prepared for me”, the smile on his face was enough to make Seungyoon see how pleased he was. He nodded in response. “You eager little baby”, he joked, getting closer and running a hand on his inner thigh, pushing it forward to straddle him wider. “All ready to get ed”, he couldn’t restrain himself and liked how Seungyoon stirred and pushed him closer, draping a leg around his waist to make them collide. Taehyun could read on his mouth a silent ‘you little er’ and laughed, knowing that his desire was speaking for him.

Taehyun nibbled the soft skin behind his knee, trailing down without hurry, his tongue darting and wetting his kisses and bites. “So”, he reached the joint between his thigh and his groin, “you waited for me for so long – I mean, for some time, and thought of me as you prepared?”, he giggled on his skin, tickling Seungyoon who arched his back a bit more, frantically.

He nodded again, his voice huskier than before: “I thought of you inside me”, his whole honesty put in those words, enough to make Taehyun stop to fool around. 

He positioned himself and dug into Seungyoon without any more teasing. His hands clasped on his thighs, he gulped loudly when he felt Seungyoon’s hotness around him, tight enough to make him breathless. Seungyoon pinned himself on the mattress and rose his head, asking for a kiss, without being able to reach him – then, Taehyun went down, pushing inside him a little further as he bent on him and kissed him impatiently, stealing his breath as his lips and tongue moved fast and claimed Seungyoon.

“I’ve waited for this”, Seungyoon said and Taehyun knew he was trying to drive him crazy, and not without success, because he couldn’t really resist him. He didn’t even try. “All day long, Taehyun – I just wanted to stay with you”, he panted when Taehyun bit his neck, , and Seungyoon tugged his hair a bit stronger, to make him look at him. Their eyes met and Seungyoon grinned, his tongue darting out and his own lips. Taehyun felt a rush of blood to his groin and one to his cheeks, burning once again for Seungyoon’s smile – so beautiful he wanted to preserve it.

Then, he straightened his back and moved inside him, pushing in and out quite slowly, satisfyingly earning Seungyoon’s moans. He fell in a heart-wrecking, breath-taking rhythm, as desire took his toll on them and Seungyoon filled up the air with his pleas.

Taehyun liked to see him going crazy under him, his hands clenching his hips to push him closer again and again, as he couldn’t bear them being too apart. As Taehyun inside him harder, Seungyoon made him bent once again and demanded his kisses, even though they both were panting in need of air. They both were hungry for more, but Taehyun could feel a sweetness in his heart, the same happiness Seungyoon had since before, filling him and making him hype.

He stopped to breath for a while, his whole body focused to reach the pleasure, and he Seungyoon to not leave him behind, hoping to with him. He wanted to stay with him, like Seungyoon said; he really wanted to.

They came together and Taehyun just fell on him, sweaty and breathless, his heart pounding in his ears. He clutched Seungyoon and whispered nothings into his ears.

He must have fallen asleep because when he woke up he was still on Seungyoon. He shifted, but Seungyoon kept him in place with an arm around his back. He looked up and smiled at him, happily.

He was still drowsy, but curiosity was stronger. “So, what was the good news?”

“You didn’t forget”, Seungyoon chuckled.

Taehyun crawled on him and planted a sleepy and lazy kiss on his lips. “Right”.

Seungyoon his hair, tucking some strands behind his ear. “Well... let’s just say that I would like very much to be with you”, he paused, searching his eyes. Taehyun nodded in agreement. “For as long as possible – for a very long time”.

Taehyun giggled for the cheesiness. “Would you?”

“Yes”, and he could read his honesty on his face. Taehyun suddenly felt unsettled, his chest aching for too much happiness. He managed to smile and Seungyoon looked at him, puzzled. “You don’t really look happy to hear that”.

“I am”, Taehyun rushed his words, his voice croaking for emotion. “I really am”. He hugged him, pulling him closer, and kissed his cheek softly. “I just want to be with you... Seungyoon”.

Seungyoon couldn’t help but grin, satisfied. “I mean, I know there are many problem between us. I don’t want to pressure you, you know, I’m a single parent, our Hyesungie is still young and I don’t want to rush things, making her believe things that aren’t true, but I seriously want to be together. Maybe I’m selfish, but this is what I want the most. So please, let’s just walk together for a very long time, with our own pace”. He Taehyun’s cheek with his thumb, wiping off a small tear from his eye. “If it’s ok with you”.

Taehyun closed his eyes and set his head on chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. He sighed and mustered his courage. “I’m more than ok – with you and Hyesungie, I’m more than ok. I’m happy. Since I came here, my days are better, I feel like I can just conquer the world with all the strength you two give to me”.

Seungyoon smiled, unable to see his face, hidden in his embrace, but knowing exactly what expression was painted on there. “This house has brightened up since the day you came here. How could I let you go now”, he whispered, his hands clasping his head and his back, “when you’re so precious to me... to us”.

“I’m not afraid to be with you”, Taehyun finally said. “I’m not afraid, because for once I’ve found a family and I won’t let it go”. His voice didn’t hide the pain he had felt and the satisfaction he felt now.

Seungyoon smiled, letting out a content sound. Damn, Nam Taehyun could kill him with just his words, sometimes. He was so happy to see that Taehyun shared his emotions and thoughts that he couldn’t really think of anything wise to say and “I love you” was the only thing he managed to pull out.

A knock at the door stopped Taehyun’s reply.

“Dad?”, a small, sleepy voice called from behind the door.

“”, Taehyun said a bit too loudly.

Seungyoon widened his eyes in shock and looked down at their bodies. “You! You get dressed!”, he nagged, rushing down the bed and throwing random clothes at Taehyun. “Sweetheart, just wait a second, dad is... busy... just a minute, wait there”.

“These are your pants”, Taehyun complained. “Just were them and shut up”. Taehyun realized that he had to hide as soon as possible and searched for a way out, but there was nowhere to go besides the closet. Cursing, he stepped in and closed himself in there.

Seungyoon, half-chuckling and half-desperate, dressed himself as quickly as he could and opened the door, letting Hyseung in. She looked at him, her eyes piercing his skin.

“What were you doing?”

“Me? Nothing important, honey, just-“, he paused, “What happened to make you come here at this hour of the night?”

“I had a bad dream”, she whined, sitting on the bed and pouting.

“Right… do you want to tell me? Or, if you want, I can come to your room and stay with you until you fall asleep again”, he said kindly, worried between her nightmare and Taehyun in his closet.

Hyesung pouted more. “Can I sleep here instead?”

“Here?”, Seungyoon could hear himself how fishy he sounded. He chuckled, covering up his nervousness. “If you wish”.

Hyesung looked around, then, and noticed a pair of trousers on the floor. “You’re untidy, dad”.

Seungyoon looked at that cloth and cursed himself; swiftly, he got up and putted them on the chair at his desk, right on Taehyun’s jacket, trying to hide that too.

“You’re never like this, dad, you always complain even when my room is spotless”, she said.

Seungyoon wished she wasn’t that clever, at that moment. “You say?”

“Where is daddy Taehyun?”

He could hear his heart stopping beating in his chest, but what caught his attention was a little scream inside his closet. Oh well, .

Hyesung got up and reached the closet, opening without hesitation. And there it was Nam Taehyun, ‘daddy Taehyun’, in shirt and pants, his bare legs bent to fit in, his eyes widened in shock. “How did you call me”, he asked.

“Daddy Taehyun?”, Hyesung smirked.

“What”, Taehyun said. 

Seungyoon could see excitement under all that astonishment. He smiled, then. Maybe it was time to be totally honest, like he wanted to do anyway. He grabbed Hyesung and raised her up, then sitting on the bed with her on his lap. He looked at Taehyun, still inside the closet, and smiled at him.

“You see, my good news is that our Hyesung is way smarter than any kid around and she already knows everything. I couldn’t even try to explain her because she apparently is ok with us being together”.

Hyesung nodded. “As long as dad is happy. But you should be happy too, daddy Taehyun”.

Taehyun couldn’t know what to say, so he just stepped out from the closet, dumbfounded and too overwhelmed to just put it to words. He smiled, then, when Hyesung’s eyes met his.

That little kid, so strong that could still amaze him every day.

He dropped down on his knees, so that he was just at the right height to look at her, and her hair, pulling her in a tight hug. He whispered a small ‘thank you” in her ear, and he could clearly hear her repeating the same words, sweetly.

As Taehyun looked up at Seungyoon, he laughed. Seungyoon’s smile was brighter than he could ever remember, even if the tears were running down his cheeks.

“You should have told me earlier, I almost had a heart attack, I’m not kidding”, Taehyun hissed. Hyesung was sleeping between them, a hand clasped on his shirt, her body resting on Seungyoon’s side.

Seungyoon chuckled, then, saying that he was right. “You know what I have to do, too?”

“Don’t tell me”, Taehyun grinned. “You betted with Seunghoon that you wouldn’t be able to, I don’t know, asking me officially to stay with you ‘as long as possible – for a very long time’, I’m quoting directly here”.

Seungyoon’s smile flashed on his face, then. “You stupid, this time I betted on us”.

Taehyun didn’t reply. The love in his eyes was enough to speak up for him. 

*

A/N:

Ugh I guess it's a bit unusual as a rated story, but bear with me with my messy fics XD I'm so glad to see so many people upvoting my fic and subscribing to this collection, thank you so much <3