Taecyeon

Taecyeon had spent Saturday morning cleaning his apartment and changing the sheets on his bed. Only God knew why since he'd spent every night this week with Minjun and Gain.

Aside from needing a little light dusting, his apartment was spotless and the sheets hadn't even been slept in. He needed to keep himself busy, otherwise, his thoughts would start to wander back to Jun and the crazy life they seemed to building together for Gain's sake.

Taec shook his head. They weren't building anything. He was working as some sort of half-assed mediator between Gain and his ex.

The positive changes in Gain over the last week had been undeniable. She's only thrown one tantrum and that was because she couldn't find her woobie at bedtime. He'd been afraid that they'd have to call out the National Guard to assist in the recovery effort, but thankfully, the fault was all Taecyeon's since he'd thrown the blanket into the dryer and had been too busy making dinner to take it out.

And that was another thing. Somewhere along the way, Taecyeon had managed to transition back into his old chores of cooking dinner and doing laundry. Jun stuck to housework and the dishes.

Taec sighed. It had just been so easy to fall back into the routines they'd shared when they were an actual couple. It was almost exactly as it had been while they'd been together minus the . 

In the old days they'd clean up after dinner and go right to bed. The only exception to that rule being on Sunday nights when Jang Yeong-sil was on. Taecyeon had picked up on vibes from Jun that made it pretty clear that he wouldn't mind resuming that part of their relationship as well.

As much as Taec wanted to be back in Jun's bed, he couldn't bring himself to end up there again. At least not until they'd had a long talk about what the hell was going on between them.

Not that he'd admit it to anyone, but he was scared to death that once Gain's lisp was corrected and she and Jun were able to get along without his interference, that Jun would kick him out of his life again.

It had been hard enough the first time to get over his ex. Taec didn't think he'd survive losing Jun a second time.

Taec sat on the side of his bed once the floral duvet had been smoothed over the crisp, new sheets. He'd tried broaching the topic of their relationship on a couple of occasions when Jun had been giving him the y eye, and each time he'd seen the lust and need drain out of Jun's dark eyes like water out of a bathtub.

There had to be a way to get Jun to listen to what he needed to say to him. He supposed Jun would have to listen if Taec had his fist wrapped around Jun's , but figured that wouldn't exactly be playing fair. Not that anything about the way Jun was treating him was fair in the first place. 

Sighing, he got off the bed to haul his large black suitcase onto the mattress. He'd given up packing for a night or two to spend at Jun's house. He'd just pack for the week and go from there.

He was ping the suitcase when his phone dinged with a text message. Taec wasn't surprised to see it was from Jun. Instead of getting the buzzy butterfly feeling he gotten in the past when Jun texted him, he could feel his stomach drop with dread. The only reason Jun would be texting him is if there was a red alert concerning Gain.

'Emergency meeting at Junho's house.'

God, Taec hated being right about this. He sent a short message back and quickly packed his suitcase.

Minjun

"Jesus, Taec! We thought you'd never make it!" Jun stood up from the table and ushered a harried-looking Taecyeon into the one empty seat at Junho and Chansung's kitchen table.

"Where's the fire, Jun?" Taec panted to catch his breath.

"What fire?" Jun had no idea what Taecyeon was talking about and why his ex looked like he'd run the entire way to Junho and Chansung's house.

"You said there was an emergency. All I see is five men sitting around the kitchen table drinking tea and eating homemade brownies." Taec sounded pissed.

Still not understanding what had Taec so hot and bothered, Jun slid a large brownie onto a plate while Junho set a cup of tea in front of him "We just wanted to talk about our vacation plans."

"Vacation plans?" Taec asked dumbfounded.

"Yeah, school vacation is coming up next week and we're trying to figure out where to go together. Since you're coming, I figured you'd want to be in on the planning." Jun offered Taec a sincere smile.

"Since I'm coming." it wasn't a question. Taecyeon's eyes shot blue lasers at Jun.

"Of course you're coming. Gain needs you." what the hell was wrong with Taecyeon? Jun was offering to take him away for the week and Taec didn't seem at all pleased about it.

As if on cue, Gain ran into the kitchen and shrieked when she saw Taec "Taec! I missed you!" she flew to him, launching herself into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I missed you too, princess." Taec held her tight, not meeting Jun's eyes "Great job on 'missed' honey. I'm so proud of you."

Gain offered Taecyeon a bright smile "You said I could lose my lisp and I believed you." 

"Gainoo! Your favorite part is coming up!" Jay shouted from the living room.

"I gotta go. Woody's about to rescue Buzz Lightyear." she hopped off his lap and ran toward the living room before stopping short. Her sneakers squeaked on the linoleum. Gain turned and ran to Jun, giving him a quick hug before running off again.

"Well that's certainly a welcome sight." Ewon bumped his shoulder against Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul's.

"It sure is. What's your secret, Jun?" Nichkhun was all smiles.

"I just took your advice, Nichkhun, and was patient with her."

Taecyeon fairly growled from his seat "His secret is me!"

"I-" Jun wasn't sure why Taecyeon sounded so pissed off. He'd only seen his ex get that mad a handful of times in the five years they'd known each other.

"Don't even say a word, Minjun. I'm just in the mood to punch you the hell out."

"Whoa, Taec." Chansung soothed "What's going on?"

"What's going on? I'll tell you what's going on. I've spent the last week living with Jun and Gain playing mediator. I've been cooking dinner and putting Gain in the tub, reading bedtime stories all in an effort to help them get along better."

"Those are all amazing things that I'm sure Jun is very grateful for." Nichkhun shot Jun a questioning look "Why are you going nuclear over it?" Nichkhun asked gently.

"Why am I going nuclear?" Taec bounced out of his seat and started pacing around Junho's kitchen. "I'm ordered to come to this meeting on the premise there's an emergency and when I get here, find out there isn't one. My heart was in my throat the whole way over. Then, Jun doesn't even ask if I want to go on vacation. He tells me I'm coming. No, 'I'd like to take you on vacation to thank you for all you've done for my family.' or 'Gee, Taec, I'd love it if you came with us on vacation to wherever the hell it is we're going.'" Taecyeon was breathing heavy "And don't even get me started about the ."

"What ?" Ewon looked stunned, he looked over at Nichkhun who wore an equally surprised look.

Jun couldn't say Taecyeon's outburst was unwarranted. He couldn't refute anything Taecyeon was accusing him of. Instead of replying, he just raised an eyebrow at his angry ex.

"Don't you raise that ridiculous eyebrow at me, Kim Minjun. You keep trying to get into my pants and won't have the common decency to talk about the first time it happened like adults. No, instead you pout like Gain when I tell her she can't have a cookie and refuse to say another word."

"Wow." Chansung was looking back and forth between Taec and Minjun.

"Now are we talking full-out or just a bit of oral?" Ewon was grinning from ear to ear.

"Shut the hell up, ." Nichkhun hissed, elbowing Ewon in the ribs.

"Owy. You're supposed to be a doctor, you can't injure people." Ewon mock pouted by sticking his lower lip out.

"Maybe this meeting should be between the two of you?" Junho offered gently, his eyes on the entrance to the living room, presumably to be on the lookout for Jay and Gain.

"No! Let's make vacation plans so that I can go home with Jun and Gain, make them dinner and do their laundry." Taecyeon sank back into his place at the table.

Nichkhun wordlessly slapped the back of his hand against Taecyeon's forehead.

Growling, Taecyeon pushed it aside "Nichkhun, I'm fine. I don't need a Hello Kitty band-aid and a lollypop."

"You obviously need something to on." Chansung waggled his eyebrows at Taecyeon. 

Taec stared at Chansung for a split-second before he burst out laughing. Before long he was howling with it and banging his hand on the table as if he were trying to tap out of a wrestling match "Jesus, I'm an ."

Nichkhun shook his head "I'd say stressed out ."

"Is that your professional opinion, Doctor Horvejkul?" Taecyeon asked with no trace of humor left in his voice.

"Yes and my prescription is for the two of you to talk this out like grownups instead of giant five-year-olds once Gain goes to bed tonight. It's obvious there's still some left over feelings from your break-up that need to be dealt with, not to mention the fact that Taecyeon is practically living in his old house and helping Jun to parent his daughter. I won't even mention the ."

"Please do, Doctor Ruth. I'm all ears!" Taecyeon smirked.

Nichkhun rolled his eyes "Christ, you really are a giant man-child. is good."

"Just good?" Ewon asked with plenty of snark.

" is ing good." Nichkhun gave Ewon the stink eye and turned back to Taecyeon "It's great to relieve stress or to feel closer to your partner. But, just like everything else, you both need to be on the same page about it or it isn't going to be any fun." 

"It was fun, all right...." Taec mumbled under his breath "...but I've been torn up inside about it since it happened."

Jun couldn't have heard Taecyeon right. What did he mean torn up? "I didn't mean to upset you. It had been so long and all I wanted to do was go back in time before I'd ed our lives up completely."

Taecyeon's jaw dropped open.

"That's a really good place to start this conversation, Jun, but I don't think you want to finish it in front of everyone here."

"I-" Ewon started before Nichkhun slapped a hand over his mouth.

"If you say one word, I swear to God, Ewon, I won't be responsible for my actions." Nichkhun pulled his hand away.

Ewon growled at Nichkhun "I love it when you get all rough with me."

Nichkhun rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Jun and Taec "Just be honest with each other, guys. As well as you think you know each other, you can't read minds."

Taec nodded, without making eye contact with Nichkhun or Jun.

"Now that we've put out the fire, can we please decide where we're going on vacation?" Junho looked around the table. 

Jun cleared his throat and set a hand on top of Taecyeon's "Gee, Taec, I'd love it if you came with us on vacation to wherever the hell it is we're going."

"Pft!" Ewon started but stopped immediately once Nichkhun glared at him.

"Fine." Taec folded his arms over his chest "But you're paying."