The night was quiet. Crickets were chirping and streetlights were buzzing as they cast a dim light on the empty street.

Jonghyun’s eyes felt gritty from exhaustion. He walked silently down the quiet street, footsteps decidedly light and barely echoing off the tall apartment buildings. Glancing at his watch, he held back a curse at seeing the time and quickened his steps, making sure to pick up his feet instead of drag them like his body wanted. Only one thing could make him feel better when he was this exhausted and it was almost within reach.

The passing scenery became more and more familiar; a gentle warmth spreading throughout his chest as the welcome feeling of home slowly peeled away the tight exhaustion that had been clogging his chest. Jonghyun grabbed onto the black wrought iron railing that led to his front door, relishing the tiny imperfections of the chipped paint even as he made a mental note to sand it down and give it a fresh coat. Once he had cleared the last step, he paused, digging around in his too large coat pockets for his keys while he savored the cool breeze that stirred his hair.

He let the night wash over him, closing his eyes to simply take it all in. There was nothing Jonghyun loved more than coming home at this time of the night, where there were no cars or bustling crowds that drowned out the peaceful atmosphere of the neighborhood. Opening his eyes ever so slowly, as if to make each second count, he finally slid the key into the lock and turned it, making sure to do so quietly as he opened the door and entered the dark foyer.

Jonghyun went through his usual routine, checking that the door was closed tight and locked before he hung his jacket in the closet, taking off his boots and slipping into his worn house shoes. Careful not to make too much noise, Jonghyun tiptoed into the kitchen, smiling at the small plate of fruit that was waiting for him on the counter, a little note attached to it that made his heart expand with happiness.

“Orange you glad I love you? xoxo Minho”

Taking the orange from the plate, he quickly peeled it, the strong scent making his stomach grumble. Plopping a wedge into his mouth, Jonghyun put the apple and pear back into the fruit bowl on the kitchen table deciding that he wasn’t that hungry. He returned to the island, eyes scanning the dark living room until they rested on his favorite feature, the large digital picture frame resting on the mantle above their fireplace.

The bright glow from the device made him squint in the darkness, blearily taking in the snowy scene of him and Minho two winters ago when his husband had tried to convince him that snowboarding was easy. He smiled fondly at the memory, still feeling the sting of the cold snow as he fell repeatedly on the bunny hill before he had given up, flinging a tiny ball of snow at Minho while he had laughed heartily at Jonghyun’s lack of skill.

The image changed, revealing a more recent image of Minho and Jonghyun, both unaware that Sodam had been taking a picture as the two stared sappily at each other across the dinner table. He chewed on another slice of orange, remembering the day fondly as the image shifted yet again, a tiny ball of fluff making his heart clench at the memory of their beloved dog.

Roo had been a tiny thing when Jonghyun had gotten her in high school and she had filled his life with so much love and happiness that it hurt to see her there, old and tired. But the next image, of a young Minho cuddled on the couch, the little doxine nestled into the crook of his neck, made Jonghyun laugh at the odd love-hate relationship the two had had, shaking his head at the pouty way Minho and Roo would both look at him when he was giving one or the other too much attention, leaving the other lacking.

Jonghyun could have sat there for hours staring at the flickering images until his eyes finally drooped in sleep, but he dutifully finished his last bite of orange, washing his dish and hands methodically before making his way down the hallway to the bathroom so that he could finally get ready for bed. He found the routine calming in a way that so few things were.

Toweling off his damp face, Jonghyun stilled, ears trained to register even the tiniest of sounds. A soft melody tickled his eardrums, familiar notes falling into place as Jonghyun set down his towel and made his way back into the hallway. He followed the light sound, recognizing the notes as they played across the keyboard until he was standing in front of his office, which doubled as a recording studio.

The door was cracked slightly, and Jonghyun pushed it open to slowly reveal what was hidden inside. Minho, hair sticking upright and clothes rumpled from sleep, was playing the piano, long graceful fingers dancing over the black and white keys as he rocked back and forth with their six-month-old daughter nestled into his arms; head lolling to the side as Minho sang her to sleep.

“She missed you,” Minho said softly, not pausing as he continued the melody, repeating the song to ensure that their little angel stayed asleep.

“That makes two of us,” Jonghyun replied just as quietly, moving into the room and wishing that he could capture the perfect image before him on camera.

“For some reason, your daughter only likes it when you sing to her, so we had to come to a compromise, didn’t we?” The slight pout in Minho’s voice was quickly replaced with fondness as he gently kissed their daughter’s head.

“That’s a lie and you know it,” was all Jonghyun said on the matter, not wanting to admit that he was afraid it was quite the opposite and that she rather preferred Minho’s soft, lilting voice to his own higher pitched one.

“Let’s go to bed,” Jonghyun urged, eager to finally be close to his husband after a long day apart.

Minho nodded, finishing up the song with a last ringing note, letting it ring in the air before eventually fading out. Taeyeon stirred in her sleep, little lips moving as her eyes danced behind closed lids.

“Aigoo, our little sleeping beauty,” Jonghyun smiled, reaching for her as Minho drew closer. Minho handed her off, running a warm hand down Jonghyun’s spine before grasping his hip and drawing him into his side. Together, they walked over to Taeyeon’s room, Jonghyun placing her delicately in her cradle and Minho reaching out a hand to tenderly smooth back her dark, curly hair. They stood there, watching their daughter sleep for several minutes before Minho was shifting, drawing Jonghyun into his arms until he was nestled there, Jonghyun’s back to Minho’s front.

“Come on, love, let’s go to bed.” Minho’s soft words were breathed into Jonghyun’s neck, the taller placing soft, indulgent kisses all along the column of his exposed skin.

“Mm,” Jonghyun hummed in agreement, his tired limbs barely registering the light push that Minho gave him as he steered them out of Taeyeon’s nursery and into their bedroom across the hall. At seeing their large, comfortable bed, Jonghyun sighed, flopping down so that the black comforter swallowed him up, impatiently waiting for Minho to join him.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long, Minho only taking the time to remove his slippers and then Jonghyun’s before he lay down next to his husband, wrapping a long arm around Jonghyun’s waist and kissing his waiting lips. They shared a leisurely kiss, both indulging in the motions as each caress served as a reminder of how much they loved each other.

Jonghyun sighed, Minho’s yawn breaking their lazy make-out session before the younger man nestled into his chest. Running his hand along the soft planes of his husband’s sides, Jonghyun allowed himself to drift closer to sleep, his fingers playing with Minho’s platinum strands for a few minutes before he heard the first telltale snore that the younger had fallen asleep. He pushed down the familiar pang of jealousy at the short amount of time it took Minho to fall asleep, knowing that tonight his insomnia wouldn’t be able to keep him up for much longer.

Listening intently, Jonghyun smiled, loving the light sounds that were coming from Minho as they lay there, bodies entangled and wrapped around each other until his muddled brain couldn’t tell the difference between where he ended and Minho began. He let the quiet of the night seep into his bones, each soft inhale and exhale matching Minho’s until their chests rose and fell at the same time, their hearts beating as one when he finally, blissfully, drifted off to sleep.