A/N: Since it’s Christmas soon, I’ve decided to put up kind of like an advent calendar with little instances of this AU revolving around the holiday season. I debated making a separate story for this, but then binned that idea because the events in these little stories tie neatly into this whole AU and will even be important for future chapters that won’t involve Christmas but just every-day-life. I have about half of the planned stories for this Christmas arc done at this point, but I’ll only promise that I’ll try to have the rest done by the time it’s their turn to be uploaded, but, knowing me, the last installment could very well be uploaded sometime in mid-February. Still, I'll try to upload every other day, but sometimes some chapters get longer than planned, and the schedule might change. We'll see. Hope you’ll enjoy these tidbits! (Also, please excuse the excessive amount of “Appa!” used. I’m not really sorry, though, because the image of small humans clutching at Neo’s pant legs and whining/squealing/laughing/begging/pouting “Appa!” up at them and to be met with infinite patience and adoration is what’s keeping me alive and happy and warm right now. So, I’m not sorry, but please excuse me.)

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The end of November came, and with it the beginning of the most exciting season for almost every child. Hakyeon and Taekwoon’s children were no exception.

“Appa, can we light the first candle yet?” Seojun asked for the hundredth time that week, referring to the advent wreath that sat on the dining table.

“Not yet, love. Tomorrow.” Taekwoon ruffled his son’s hair gently with his free hand while taking the tea bag out of a cup with the other.

Seojun sighed heavily.

“Why does it have to be on Sunday? Can’t we just say weekend is close enough and light it already?”

Taekwoon chuckled.

“But the first Advent is only tomorrow, not today. Today the candle would be just an ordinary candle, but tomorrow it will be special.”

Seojun was still pouting, now with a frown added to it.

“The candle will never be just an ordinary candle; appa made it! It’s special already!”

Taekwoon smiled again, his heart full of love for his son who defended Hakyeon’s handiwork so passionately.

“Of course it is, baby. But tomorrow it will be even more special.”

Seojun sighed as he sat down on a chair at the kitchen table, watching Taekwoon prattle about making teas and hot chocolates for everyone.

“When I’m grown up I will make it so that every day is special enough to light a candle and make it extra special.”

“I don’t doubt that in the slightest. Do you have your Nino yet? I’m almost done here, and I’m sure Hakyeon has the movie all set up already, too.”

The boy hopped off the chair and darted out of the room. The small yet heavy footsteps climbing the stairs were the answer to his question, letting him know his son was only just now on the way to get his favourite plushie before the movie began.

Balancing the tray with the warm drinks carefully, Taekwoon made his way out into the living room, where Hakyeon was still looking through a selection of movies while Hyejin played with a giggling Jieun on the couch. The baby squealed in delight every time her older sister blew raspberries on her tummy, her tiny hands in Hyejin’s long hair without ever really pulling it while the older tickled her. Taekwoon smiled fondly at them, surveying the room for his other son.

“Where’s Heejoon?” He asked, making both Hakyeon and Hyejin look up.

“Hm? He was here just a moment ago…” Hakyeon frowned, getting up from where he was sitting.

“I’ll go look for him, it’s ok.” He set the tray down on the coffee table while Hyejin returned her attention to her sister.

The places where Heejoon could have gone in the meantime were sheer endless in the big house they lived in, but the places he most likely had gone to were just a few. And the most likely one came with a locating system.

“Chewy! Sora!” He called for the dogs, and just as expected an excited yip from the spitz answered him immediately, indicating where they were. Taekwoon followed the noise, lifting a curious eyebrow when it led him to the washing room at the back of the house.

“Heejoonie? Are you here?”

“Appa! Help!”

Taekwoon stopped in his tracks as he watched his son balance on top of the washing machine to reach the shelves over it, with the dogs sitting in front of it and watching him curiously.

“Heejoonie, what are you doing? Hey, who taught you to climb onto things like this, huh?” Taekwoon was by his side with two long strides after he’d assessed the situation, wrapping an arm protectively around the child to keep him from falling.

“Appa, I want the blankets!” He wriggled in his father’s grip, trying to reach the blankets he knew to be in the cabinet above the shelves.

“The blankets? Why?”

“They’re fluffy. And comfy. And warm.”

It had been a stupid question, really, Taekwoon thought. Of course Heejoon would want them because of those obvious reasons.

“Alright, champ. I’ll get them for you, but first you promise me you won’t climb onto furniture again, ok?”

Heejoon pouted.

“But I can’t reach things if I don’t.”

Taekwoon shook his head, lifting the child up before setting him down on the floor.

“That’s what you have your appas for. Ask when you need something. But don’t climb onto things you can fall down from.”

Heejoon made a face.

“Chewy won’t let me fall.”

Taekwoon sighed.

“Chewy can’t save you all the time, Heejoonie. You need to listen to what I tell you and behave, ok? Are you going to promise me you won’t climb onto furniture anymore? Or are we not having blankets for the movie?”

Heejoon sighed, dropping his shoulders.

“Ok. I won’t climb again. Can we have blankets now?”

Taekwoon nodded, satisfied, got up and reached for the cabinet to get the blankets.

“Is there a particular one you want?”

Heejoon squinted up into the open cabinet, indecisive, until Taekwoon lifted him up again so he could see better.

“The one with puppies. And the kitten one for noona, and the purple for hyung. And the big red one for you and appa and Jieunie.”

“Oh? Hakyeon and Jieunie and I have to share one while you all get your own?”

Heejoon turned to look back at Taekwoon in all seriousness, frowning a little.

“But… you always share…”

Taekwoon chuckled, biting his lip as he reached up to get the requested blankets after setting Heejoon back down. His son was way too astute for a four-year-old sometimes.

“Alright, here they are. Want to help me carry them?”

Heejoon stretched his tiny arms out and Taekwoon handed him the smallest blanket, the one with the puppies.

“I can carry more than that!” Heejoon protested almost immediately.

“Of course you can.” Taekwoon agreed, handing him the kitten blanket as well.

“And the purple, too!”

Taekwoon raised an eyebrow, but did as his son asked him to, placing that blanket on the pile in his small arms as well. When he eyed the last remaining blanket, the heavy one that weighed more than the three the little boy was already holding, Taekwoon intervened before he could say anything else.

“I’m going to carry this one, or else I’ll feel useless. Are you ok carrying all that?”

Heejoon nodded and turned to the door, barely being able to see over the mountain of blankets he was carrying, and slowly led the way back to the living room. The others had settled down already, Hyejin and Seojun contently sipping on their hot -or rather, warm- chocolates as they waited.

Heejoon stumbled a little as he hurried to bring his siblings the blankets and crawl onto the couch as well. As soon as Taekwoon caught up and unsuspectingly sat down next to Hakyeon, the three children started to fight over who sat where.

“I want to sit there! Appa!”

“No! I sat there first!”

“I don’t want to sit on the edge!”

“I always sit on the edge, that is so unfair!”

“Appaaaaa! Tell Heejoon to let me sit next to you!”

“Appa, no! Please!”

“Stop pretending you’re a baby, you’re old enough to sit on the edge, too!”

“Noooo!”

Hakyeon sighed, sitting up straight and clapping his hands once to get their attention.

“Hey, enough! Will you three behave already?”

The three of them looked at him like wounded puppies, and his voice softened instantly.

“There’s enough room for everyone. Heejoonie, come here. You sit here. Hyejin, you sit on the other side, Seojun, between your sister and Taekwoon. Don’t forget your blanket.”

Heejoon pouted as Seojun and Hyejin climbed onto the couch between their appas.

“I have to sit on the edge?” He asked with a trembling lip, and Hakyeon ruffled his hair gently before pressing a kiss on top of his head.

“Just for a little bit, baby. Here, your tea is getting cold.” He reached for the cup and handed it to Heejoon, turning to help Hyejin with her blanket before accepting the end of the big blanket Taekwoon was extending to him while cradling Jieun in his lap with the other hand.

With a little wriggling and scooting closer together, eventually they all managed to settle down, and Hakyeon started the movie. It was an old Disney movie, a very cute one with no too scary scenes except for a little one near the end, and he hoped by then the two youngest would have fallen asleep anyway. He counted on most if not all of them falling asleep during the movie, like always, which was why he’d had them all change into their pyjamas already.

Ten minutes into the movie, if even that far, Hakyeon felt Heejoon tug on his jumper and looked down at him to be met with big pleading eyes.

“Can I sit on your lap?” The boy whispered quietly, and Hakyeon nodded. Expertly, the boy climbed up and leaned his back against Hakyeon’s chest contently. Hyejin frowned but Hakyeon lifted his index finger to his lips, a silent motion to hush her, before putting an arm around her and letting her cuddle close, too.

On her other side, Seojun was already resting against Taekwoon’s side, who was helping a sleepy Jieun with her baby bottle. When Hakyeon looked over twenty minutes later, the baby was fast asleep on Taekwoon’s chest, and Taekwoon looked as if he wasn’t far behind.

Half way through the movie, Hakyeon noticed Heejoon’s weight had shifted and the boy was sleeping half slumped against his chest, half sprawled over his lap in angles that should be impossible and most definitely not comfortable. He adjusted the boy’s position into a more comfortable one without waking him up before paying attention to the movie again.

Eventually, the scary part came, and he felt Hyejin clutch onto his arm harder with every second that passed, until a surprised squeak from Seojun startled her more than the action on screen and she hid her entire face against his arm. After that, she only dared look up again from behind the loose fabric of Hakyeon’s sleeve, which she pulled at until she had enough to cover most of her face.

Of course, the movie had a beautiful happy ending, and when the credits started to roll Hakyeon caught Taekwoon discreetly handing Seojun a tissue to wipe his tears out of the corner of his eyes.

“Hyejinie, can I have my sleeve back?” He asked softly, turning to his daughter, amused that she was still clutching onto it. He got a shake of her head as answer, and his sleeve stayed firmly in her grip.

“Was it that scary?” Hakyeon tilted his head curiously, and Hyejin pouted, kicking her feet under the blankets and thumping Hakyeon’s thigh with them as she wriggled down on the couch, never letting go of the sleeve.

“It was mean. And the prince is so dumb, the princess deserved better than him. And, I mean, if they weren’t all so mean to the witch in the first place she would never have gone evil and never cursed the princess. I think she loved the princess and the princess probably liked her back but the prince ruined it for them. The witch should have won and frozen the prince in stone and been happy with the princess.”

Hakyeon listened to her ramble while trying to adjust Heejoon in his arms again with only one free arm.

“Hmm… Don’t you think the princess would have been sad to see the prince frozen in stone? She loved him, too.”

Hyejin thought about it for a moment.

“You’re right. Because the princess is dumb, too. Maybe she deserves the dumb prince, and the witch deserves someone better than the princess, anyway. I hope she finds a nicer princess one day…” She trailed off with a big yawn, letting go of Hakyeon’s sleeve in the process, too.

“Appa... can you carry me upstairs?” She asked with puppy eyes, and Hakyeon sighed.

“Not today, baby. I’m already carrying your brother and I’m very tired, too.”

He stood up, reaching out a hand for her to take, which she eventually did, though not without a pout. She let him pull her up, though, and put an arm around her to guide her up the stairs. They weren’t quite out of hearing range when Hakyeon heard Seojun whisper to Taekwoon.

“I thought the princess and prince were perfect together. The witch shouldn’t have been mean to them just because things didn’t go her way. That was very petty.”

Hakyeon smiled at his son’s words, but didn’t stop on his way up. Hyejin must not have heard her brother, thankfully, or else she’d probably have turned around to argue with him.

“Hyejin, go brush your teeth, please, while I put Heejoon to bed, ok?” Hakyeon asked as they reached the top of the stairs, but Hyejin pouted.

“I already brushed my teeth earlier…”

“But you had chocolate in the meantime. Do you want your new teeth to rot already?”

Hyejin pulled a grimace.

“Why doesn’t Heejoon have to brush his teeth again?”

“He’s only had unsweetened tea.”

She sighed loudly, but accepted the explanation and turned to the bathroom to do as told while Hakyeon carried Heejoon into his room and put him to bed.

When he came out, Taekwoon was just urging Seojun to brush his teeth again as well, turning to the nursery to change Jieun one last time before putting her to bed as well.

Hakyeon watched Taekwoon from the door as he placed the baby in her bed, covering her with a fluffy baby blanket and kissing her forehead gently before dimming the lights in the room.

“Have I ever told you how incredibly hot it is when you take care of babies like that?” Hakyeon murmured only just loud enough for Taekwoon to hear him.

Taekwoon answered with a slight smile and a twinkle in his eyes as he bit the corner of his lip and approached Hakyeon.

“Only about twelve million times since we got Hyejin.”

“Then let this be the twelve million and first. It never gets old, really.”

Taekwoon wrapped an arm around Hakyeon’s waist, kissing his lips softly before letting go of him again.

“Let’s get the other two to sleep and go to bed as well.”