Changkyun had been looking forward to this day for weeks, months even, ever since the semester first started. This day was the first day after finals week ended and the first Saturday of summer vacation if you weren't taking spring semester classes, which Changkyun was not doing due to his son's incoming arrival. This was the first day since January that Changkyun could rest and sleep without anything weighing on his shoulders and keeping him from relaxing in his newfound freedom. Last night's fatigue after an anxious day had hit him like a freight train and he had gone to bed early, yet another amazing feat that wasn't typically an option for him. Common nights of going to sleep at two in the morning to be blessed with a restful night starting at eight at night was incredible, and to further his lucky streak, Daewon granted his father an uninterrupted night of sleep, free of his constant wriggling. Changkyun felt remarkably well-rested when he woke up the next morning and it was phenomenal. 

However, he had woken up much earlier than he intended or wanted to. His plan to sleep all day had been trimmed short at a quarter past 7 in the morning, practice contractions making things uncomfortable for his too-pregnant body in addition to the need to go to the bathroom. While it would have been easy to return to sleep after finishing his short trip away from his bed, Changkyun hadn’t been able to get comfortable again and had been overcome by the aching in his abdomen and lower body and figured sleep was an option long gone. With no energy to do anything else with his time, Changkyun decided that lounging around all day had been a compromise that surely would have been just as good as sleeping. He had left his room to instead make camp on the living room couch, close to the kitchen in case he felt peckish and needed snacks to satisfy himself and Daewon. It wasn't a far distance to the bathroom either, and so his day entailed binge-watching a show he had been meaning to start while doing his best to do as little as possible up until bedtime. He would have preferred to spend the day with Jooheon, but the older man was scheduled to work most of the day until night, so he was off the table. His roommates were supposed to be in and out of the house, loads of plans filling their first day of spring break, so this left Changkyun on his own, which he didn't mind. He would never dread the chance to spend some quality time with just his unborn son. The plan had been solid and it was one that Changkyun was looking forward to, even if he was originally meant to be sleeping. 

But he only ran into more trouble in the early afternoon when a wave of uncomfortable practice contractions left him unable to enjoy himself. Laying down on the couch with his landscape of pillows had been particularly uncomfortable and so on swollen ankles, Changkyun trailed around the house maybe over fifty times trying to ease away the constant ache, and while it may have worked a tiny bit, the reprieve never lasted long. He had needed to take some pain meds to help manage what he was feeling, knowing sore muscles were always an easy fix, but they did little for his straining body and muscles. He had gone to his room in hopes of taking a very late in the evening nap before actually settling for the night, and he had slept some, but it hadn't been long nor beneficial. 

Changkyun had been asleep for maybe a few minutes before his body woke him up again with a jolt, this time by contorting his back into terrible pain that had even his knees aching. It had caught him completely by surprise and had left him speechless, laying on his side with a hand holding his belly as he felt his bump react and tense. He had never felt anything like that before, had never felt such an adverse reaction to what he had believed were Braxton Hicks, and it was at this moment that he decided he needed to do something about what was happening to him. It had taken him far longer than he would like to admit for him to decide to time these 'practice contractions' and to record them in his notes app, but at least he did what his doctor had asked him to do at all. It didn't take longer than a few timed Braxton Hicks before a horrible discovery dawned on him. 

He wasn't having practice contractions, he was having real contractions, contractions that meant he was heading for labor. And not only that, but they were happening every 13 minutes or so. That was still so spaced out and he had plenty of time before he would need to leave for the hospital, but the panic that was setting in was wracking his entire body and he almost felt helpless in the situation. Thinking back on his day, recalling all events transpiring against him, Changkyun had most likely been in labor since early that morning and possibly before he had even woken up. It had been far over twelve hours since labor started and Changkyun felt a pang of guilt in his heart for not being able to come to that realization any sooner. Maybe it was denial preventing him from taking further action, or maybe it was the fear that he wasn't ready for his son blocking out his common sense, or maybe it was a combination of both. Whatever the reason, he was fully aware now and knew he had to do something in preparation for Daewon. His son was on the way, he was about to be a father, and that was frightening. 

It was late in the evening at this point, having spent hours trying to manage what he was feeling and timing contractions before finalizing that he was in labor, and now that he was established, he was terrified. The idea of being in pain was unsettling to Changkyun, and the idea of being in pain and alone was even more so, and the first person who came to mind to keep him company and to comfort him was Jooheon. Jooheon was of course his go-to safe person, even after all the waves they had gone through together, but he didn't know if he could bring himself to call him just yet. Jooheon would be getting off his shift soon and due to the nature of his job, he would be extremely fatigued, and to go from working several hours in a row with a drained battery to then being full-fledged anxious at the prospect of his son arriving sounded like torture. It took some self-convincing, but Changkyun decided to give Jooheon some time to himself, and he decided the next best person to talk to was Hyungwon. His friend was home after a day out with Hoseok and considering he had been a huge help throughout his entire pregnancy, Changkyun could trust the older man to aid him through this anxious waiting. He could probably provide good distraction from the discomfort as well, and that was something he desperately needed. 

Changkyun sighed deeply, pressing all air from his lungs before he reluctantly and non-gracefully peeled himself from his bed and onto his feet. He held his breath as he straightened up, taking a second to feel the shift in his body's gravity and how he could tell a difference in his son's position after only a few contractions. While things had taken hours to get this far, it was still happening so fast and the anxiety that spiked in Changkyun's heart was enough to have his throat drying up and clenching. He tried to swallow, choking on nothing as he tried to calm himself down by breathing, and then waddled out of his room, holding his comically large belly from underneath with both hands. As he headed out of his room, his body felt so wildly different than it had before and while walking he noted how oddly sore he was feeling in his lower body's muscles, knowing they were stretching and contracting in order to get Daewon out of him. It was amazing what his body was doing, he couldn't deny that, but he hated that it was happening and all he could do was pray that this wouldn't last too long and wouldn't hurt too much. 

Changkyun barely even registered himself walking down the hall and heading towards the already lit kitchen light. The light was enough to reach down to Changkyun's room and was almost beckoning him to head towards it, like a moth to a flame. His feet worked on autopilot and he hadn't come to until he was standing in the kitchen threshold, eyes locking onto a very occupied Hyungwon and Hoseok. Watching them for a second as he built up the courage to announce his predicament since the pair were far too focused on each other to notice Changkyun's presence. The couple were always wrapped up in each other when they were together, now was not an exception, and at the moment they were sitting at the detached kitchen counter with what looked like their dinner on the granite in front of them, forgotten as they engaged in what seemed to be a very important conversation. The smiles on their faces and the hearts in their eyes were so telling of how they felt about each other, and they wore their hearts on their sleeves so obviously. It was enough to make Changkyun smile to himself but he was on a mission and had a time-sensitive situation to deal with. The sharp and uncomfortable tightening of his lower belly was a good reminder of the impending event.

Daewon shifting and adjusting his position was what encouraged Changkyun to speak, no longer wanting to stall and prolong the inevitable when his son was making huge strides in his arrival, "Hyung," he spoke softly, almost like he was whispering. His voice sounded so unsure and small that neither Hyungwon nor Hoseok had heard him the first time, leaving him to himself. Discouraged, he cleared his throat and took a step further into the kitchen, wood floor turning into tile and chilling his swollen feet in a satisfying way. He shifted his weight on his feet as he stood, anxiety growing larger by the second and making his jaw shake, "Hyung," his voice was significantly louder the second time, catching both men's attention almost immediately with the turning of their heads. They looked surprised, but welcoming as they identified the youngest man in the house. 

Hyungwon greeted Changkyun with the largest smile, almost cheek-splitting and very sweet, "Hey, Changkyunie," he removed himself from Hoseok's hold so he could face the pregnant man, full attention on him as if his boyfriend wasn’t even there anymore. Hoseok would have been offended had Changkyun not been involved, and he too was locked in on the younger man, “What’s up?” Hoseok was patiently waiting for an answer as well, both acting as if the other wasn’t even there.

Changkyun felt frozen in place and could have almost convinced himself to keep his labor a secret until it was worse but he had enough sense in the moment to clear his head and bring himself to speak, “I think I’m in labor,” even though he had known for some time now, saying it out loud finally made it feel real. He was in labor and about to have a baby. His son, Daewon, was about to arrive two weeks early and he would soon be in his arms, “Well, let me correct myself… I am in labor, and I have been for a few hours.” 

Hyungwon’s eyes widened dramatically, completely unprepared for the answer he had been given. They still had so much time left, Hyungwon had even had a conversation with Changkyun the night before about how he would guess the younger would go another week at least before he would really have to worry about going into labor. Looks like he was in the wrong. And following the surprise, his system then flooded with panic because his good friend was in labor and he was going to be in a lot of pain soon and then there was going to be a baby. That had his stomach all tied up in knots and he couldn't stop the rush of adrenaline that followed. He hopped out of his seat and paced the kitchen speedily, heels hitting the floor a tad too violently, "We need to get ready then! We need to tidy up and get you ready to go to the hospital, and we should contact people. I'm gonna call Jooheon because he obviously needs to know, and then I’ll call Minhyuk and Kihyun. Hyunwoo is upstairs so we can just walk over and tell him, and should we call Jooheon's parents for him? They would want to know. That would be pretty helpful if I did it so he could just focus on you-," he was cut off by a very incredulous Changkyun, eyes wide and a hand held out in front of him signaling Hyungwon to stop before he rambled further. 

"No! No no, don't call anyone besides Jooheon, I only want Jooheon to know right now. If we call everyone else then people will rush over here and I don't need a million eyes on me while I'm in labor," the thought had him completely mortified. This was a very vulnerable moment in his life and he didn't want everyone who didn't need to be there to witness him in such a way. He only wanted Jooheon to know outside of the three of them to limit his stress. He would have rather not had Hoseok be there for his small announcement since this was so personal and difficult for him, but he hadn't been able to avoid it. However, Hoseok was a safe person and wasn't the least bit overbearing, so his presence wouldn't cause an issue that would create anxiety for Changkyun. For the time being at least, he would rather Jooheon be the only one with him for now. 

Hyungwon froze in place, holding his arms to his side in anticipation of Changkyun's next words. Continuing, the younger sighed and cleared his throat, “I appreciate you, really, but I can still do things on my own. I’ll call Jooheon, and he can call his parents while he waits with me," there was going to be plenty of waiting before things really started moving. His body would take some time before it was ready to actually give birth, and he wanted every second until then spent with Jooheon at his side, "I'm telling you, don't say anything to anyone else. We can cross that bridge when we get there, preferably while I'm already in the hospital," which seemed so close yet so far. Changkyun was not ready to go to the hospital, he wasn't ready to give birth. This collection of events was closing in on a panic attack for Changkyun and he wanted nothing more than to go to bed and sleep labor off. His brain tried to convince him yet again that he could just sleep and his contractions would go away, but the familiar tightening of his lower belly and back changed his mind completely. He was nowhere near his next contraction but his body was already preparing for it, making it quite difficult to ignore his impending dilemma. 

Quickly growing overwhelmed with each passing second, Changkyun had to step away before he really started breaking down in front of his friends from the stress weighing on his body, "I'm going to go call Jooheon. Don't call anyone else," he announced as he turned over his shoulder and trudged back to his room without another word, hands wringing together in anxiety with each step he took. His previous desire to wait to inform Jooheon had been stomped into the dirt, now feeling enough panic that he wanted the older man there for support every second he felt this way. It had been a surprisingly easy decision to conclude, and surprisingly easy to tell Jooheon over the phone despite his previous disposition. 

Changkyun had immediately called once in the safety of his room and it had only taken two rings before Jooheon was answering with a cheery hello. Changkyun had been able to pick up the fatigue in his voice but decided to shake his head and forget his hesitations. Jooheon would want to know he was in labor and would be greatly hurt if he withheld that information from him. The well-timed jab at Changkyun's ribs by Daewon was effective in motivating his next plan of action. First, Jooheon asked how Changkyun was feeling after a quick greeting, genuinely looking forward to what the younger had to say. It was incredibly pleasant to receive a phone call from his favorite person after such a long day of work. He would have fallen asleep first had Changkyun not called him and woken him out of his stupor. Jooheon could keep his eyes open for him a little longer if he could hear him talk.

Refusing to beat around the bush, Changkyun sighed and spoke loud and clearly to prevent any confusion, straight to the point, "Hey, hyung. I'm in labor right now. Contractions are regularly twelve to thirteen minutes apart and you need to get here now," and thinking back on it, maybe he should have eased into the news a bit more softly and given Jooheon more time to adjust and focus on the call, but Changkyun would not have wanted Jooheon to do that if the roles had been reversed. This was not something to play around with and was again, very time sensitive that didn't need prolonging, "We have some time but Daewon is on his way and I need you here." 

The other end was completely silent and Changkyun would have thought the line had disconnected had Jooheon not uttered a very spluttered 'okay' before abruptly hanging up. The cut-off had been so sudden and Changkyun had barely processed what his friend had spit into the phone before finalizing that this was very on-brand for his character. He knew Jooheon well enough to know that he was heading here as fast as he could, was probably already out of his dorm building with how fast he could run, not even willing to ask unnecessary questions before heading straight to the house. Changkyun recalled how he had contemplated pranking Jooheon into thinking he was in labor before, but he knew better because he knew Jooheon would have dropped everything to get to him and help just to find out he was being messed with. Jooheon wouldn't even think to question Changkyun, not when this was as serious to him as it was to Changkyun. It had been a fun idea, but fleeting and ultimately cruel. 

Everything was moving so fast and it felt like Changkyun was missing time stamps in the whole process up until now. How he had gone from realizing he was in labor to calling and waiting on Jooheon to arrive at his house had been a blur and all he wanted was for things to slow down and give him some time to process what this all meant and to give him time to prepare himself for his son. Changkyun knew Jooheon would be able to calm him down and help him settle in a way no one else could, besides perhaps his brother, and with his arrival closing in on a few minutes, Changkyun decided to head back out and wait on his friend with Hyungwon and Hoseok. Holding his bump, hands intertwined so gently under his lower belly, he blew air through his lips as he felt his muscles twitch under his palms. He had hours more of this to go, and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted Jooheon there. Changkyun wasn't even sure when his next contraction was going to be, but his closest guess would be a few minutes. He wanted to be comfortable when that happened and so his feet carried him without thought to the front sitting room. Changkyun waddled on his way, breathing a bit askew as the exhaustion was weighing on his heavy body with all the standing he had been doing. His stamina had greatly depleted in the last month and the return of his agility was an exciting prospect and he was growing closer to it by the second. 

Changkyun walked through the sitting room threshold and moved as fast as he could to one of the couches, plopping down non-gracefully to ease the tension in his swollen feet and aching knees. His entire body was experiencing different pain or discomfort and he was more than excited to be done with the constant battle with his frame. He sighed deeply as he relaxed into the cushion and closed his eyes, trying his best to let his body go lax in preparation for a contraction. He needed a second before the next stress-inducing spasm left him panic-stricken and rigid. He was ready to be done and it seemed Daewon was as well with how much he was still moving, even as he was being forced out of his home of nine months. 

"Congrats on being in labor, Changkyunnie ah," Hyunwoo's voice suddenly filled the room with a soft lilt, carefully jolting Changkyun out of his fatigued trance. It was sudden and alarming, but seeing the older man standing there had his heart calming down and feeling a fondness for his gentle presence. Hyunwoo was always a sight for sore eyes, no matter the situation. 

But then what he wished upon him processed in his brain and Changkyun was frowning because the only way Hyunwoo would have known he was in labor was if someone had told him, and it hadn't been Changkyun. While Hyunwoo was not a threat to Changkyun's stress levels, he still told Hyungwon to not share the news yet with anyone, and it looked like he had broken that promise, "Hyungwon hyung!" Changkyun whined, wishing the older would stop letting all of his secrets out to other people. It had happened several times since he found out he was pregnant and he had thought this would be an easy one to keep quiet. There was no resentment for his past actions, but his current predicament was already stressful and that should have been kept to a limited party. 

But Hyunwoo shook his head, lifting his hands and shaking away the thought from Changkyun's mind, "Hyungwon didn't tell me you were in labor, but I did hear just about everything that has happened in the past few minutes. And you weren't exactly quiet when you called Jooheon to tell him you were in labor and needed him here," Changkyun felt his face warm at how poorly he had handled his own secret and failed his own agenda, "But if you don't want me here and don't need my help that's okay with me and I can get out of your hair if you want. You have my full support and you are the only one who can make the decisions right now," Hyunwoo respected Changkyun enough to listen to him completely and follow his calls. This was a taxing time and he didn't want to add onto both Changkyun and Jooheon's experience with what they had in store. 

Changkyun's heart fluttered happily because if he could trust anyone to be respectful, it would be Sohn Hyunwoo, "Thank you, Hyunwoo hyung. I think you're okay for now, but if it really becomes too much then I'll tell you," and that was a promise. Hyunwoo nodded in understanding with the sweetest smile on his face, eyes turning into soft crescents and the ever slightest separation in his two front teeth on display. If Changkyun could describe Hyunwoo, the man was the word 'comfort' personified, and that was the only answer Changkyun would ever accept. 

It took another minute before what sounded like a tornado wrecking through the front door filled the house with a loud bang. Startled, both Changkyun and Hyunwoo looked over their shoulders to gawk at the house's entrance and at the threshold stood a very disheveled and panicked looking Jooheon with wide and frantic eyes. He looked like a madman in all honesty, but despite his current disposition and presentation, Changkyun felt relief flood his chest as he focused only on the father of his baby. Hyunwoo might as well have not been in the room anymore, not with the way Changkyun and Jooheon locked eyes and focused only on each other. Once he had his sights set, Jooheon more or less ran to Changkyun, circling the couch so he could sit next to the younger man and embrace him. Jooheon grabbed one of Changkyun's wrists softly, seemingly more for himself than for Changkyun, as if he was in need of grounding, as the other one rested gently on his shoulder, "Are you in pain? Any discomfort? Do you need me to get anything? Do we need to go to the hospital now?" his mouth ran a mile minute and while endearing that he cared so much, Changkyun had to slow him down before he got a splitting headache. Another additional pain he did not want to deal with. 

"I'm fine, really. Contractions aren't that close together and I'm not feeling any pain yet. I don't think Daewon is all too eager to get here," although, he was arriving two weeks early, so maybe he really was a bit eager to get here, "It's just a waiting game right now," a greatly conflicting waiting game that would involve more strain on Changkyun's part physically and mentally, but hopefully, Jooheon would help this be a less agonizing and more tolerable experience. 

"I hate the waiting game," Jooheon laughed nervously, hand holding Changkyun's wrist moving to hold his hand while he placed the other one onto his round bump so gently. Jooheon couldn't feel much of a difference now, but he was sure the closer to delivery Changkyun was, there was going to be a major difference, "I just wish he was here now," and the younger wished he could say he agreed, but the prospect of having Daewon here was also causing great anxiety. He didn't know what he was feeling at the moment, "Tell me when the next contraction starts and I'll be here to comfort you as best I can.”

With oddly perfect timing, Changkyun felt the familiar twitching and pulling of his abdominal muscles as they started to contract and tighten in his lower back and lower belly. He had already experienced a handful of contractions by now, a few hours worth, but the discomfort of the one he was currently feeling sprout throughout his body was almost insane. It was far from painful, but it was incredibly uncomfortable and had him grimacing at the sensation, breath hitching in surprise. His poker face didn't hold very long and Jooheon's eyes widened in concern, wanting nothing more than to jump in and stop what was happening. The firmness of the contraction under his hand was unfamiliar, but also amazing. Changkyun's body was doing something extraordinary, he just wished it wouldn't cause him great pain in the process. 

The length of the contraction was short but the impact was lasting as Changkyun struggled to inhale past the cramping. The anxiety wracking through his body made it difficult to regulate his breathing and he had unknowingly held his breath the duration of his contraction. Panting ensued once he was back in his body and he shook his head as if to shake off the feeling. The comedown after a contraction was intense, "That was the worst one so far. They're still far from painful but they still ," his own nervous laugh followed and Jooheon couldn't help but return the sentiment with a smile, doing his best to portray a confident demeanor, "I would say that was borderline painful.”

"I would say that I agree with you, but you handled that like a champion," Jooheon smiled and rubbed his thumb softly over Changkyun's bump, and even though it was such a small movement, the younger man could still feel all of his love for their son in the simplest touch, "And when they start to hurt, I'll be right here for you," he promised, smile so genuine and bright, "I am not going to leave your side in the hours to come, and I can do whatever you want me to. I will do anything and I mean that.”

Changkyun believed Jooheon and the sentiment was so heartwarming, and in such a scary time in his life, the reassurance meant everything to him, "Thank you, hyung. I'm really happy you're here," he was overjoyed in fact, and now that Jooheon was in such close proximity, Changkyun felt a heavy weight lifted from his chest. Being in labor and alone had seemed like a nightmare to deal with, but he wouldn't have to worry anymore, "There's no one else I would rather have here than you," Jooheon took every word and stored them in a special place in his heart. His affinity for Changkyun was only growing with each precious moment spent together and the beauty of their family growing bigger only led to his heart beating faster. This was all so perfect in his eyes and an unfamiliar joy filled his entire being, something he had never felt before. It was warm and pleasant, and he couldn't even imagine how he was going to feel once his son was in his arms.

Like a repeat of earlier events, what sounded like a tornado came wrecking through the front door and effectively caught both men's attention, possibly even startling Daewon inside of Changkyun as the kick he gave his father was harsh and sharp. Eyes focusing, Jooheon and Changkyun both identified Kihyun and Minhyuk entering the house, huge smiles on their faces as they locked in on the pair sitting on the couch, "It's happening! Congrats!" Minhyuk yelled as he more or less skipped over to Changkyun, Kihyun following a step or two behind. Kihyun delivered a similar message at a lower volume and seemed more collected than his counterpart. ‘Congratulations, Kyunnie.’ His energy was much more appealing to Changkyun than Minhyuk's boisterous and loud personality. 

Changkyun was processing their presence at a slow rate, eyes furrowed in confusion as he tried to make sense of their appearance. He was still waiting out the aftereffects of his contraction, counting the seconds as his uterus relaxed again, but in a discombobulated blur he questioned the two, "What are you doing here? Who told you that you could be here?” it hadn't been his intention, but Changkyun's question was harsh and held volume to it, like he was truly upset. And perhaps he was because now there were two more people in his space when he didn't want them there. It was supposed to be only him and Jooheon, possibly Hyungwon, but instead, there was an entire crowd ready to wait out this process with him, and the more people involved, the more stress it seemed to cause him.

Kihyun read Changkyun's tone better than Minhyuk had, standing quiet as he absorbed the stress in Changkyun's voice and demeanor, noting how obviously his being there was not something he had desired. Choosing not to speak and explain themselves for fear of backlash, it was Minhyuk who spoke up without an inkling of awareness, "Jooheon texted us a few minutes ago and we immediately headed here. No way we were going to miss this," it hadn't even been a discussion between the two of them before they were up and on their way to the house. With the news of something so exciting happening, of course they would naturally arrive to join the party.

Changkyun turned his head to aim an accusatory glare at Jooheon, brows furrowed a tad angrily, but not enough to strike fear in anyone's heart, "You invited them?" his tone remained sharp, like he was on the verge of an emotional outburst that would surely harm Jooheon's feelings. 

Jooheon cowered shortly before clearing his throat and trying to rectify the situation with soft on his bump. The touch was welcome, but it wasn't enough to distract Changkyun from his burning stare, "I just thought they should know. They've been such a huge part of this journey, it only made sense to invite them, but from the look on your face I can tell that I've made a mistake and that you might be mad at me," Jooheon was very familiar with Changkyun and his many styles of frowns. This one screamed that he had crossed a line, something he hated to admit that he had done many times before with the younger man, "I'm sorry," he attempted a short apology, but he wasn't so sure Changkyun was going to accept his panicked endeavor with the way his body language remained stiff. 

And maybe Changkyun would have been upset normally, but with how off track and with how fuzzy his head was feeling with the rush of adrenaline going through his body in every muscle, he wasn't as bothered as he should have been. He hadn't informed Jooheon beforehand that he wanted to keep it a temporary secret, so he couldn't be mad that Jooheon told anyone. His features slowly softened and he sighed heavily, releasing a tight pressure he hadn't known he had been containing behind his sternum. Jooheon's hold on his hand had loosened with the uncertainty of Changkyun's reaction, but the younger restored the previous hold softly, taking his turn to run a thumb over Jooheon's knuckles and warming the skin there, "You didn't know. It's okay. And who knows, maybe the more really is the merrier," he doubted it applied to this situation, but there wasn't much he could do now with his friends already standing in the same room as him. 

"I'm sorry," Jooheon whispered again, eyes still holding the weight of guilt for adding more stress onto Changkyun's already packed plate. He knew he should have asked permission before telling other people, but he had been blinded by excitement and his judgment had been skewed. He should have inquired the person giving birth first. Changkyun smiled softly and shook his head, reassuringly, and that was enough for Jooheon to nod and drop it. There was no point in dragging the issue forward if Changkyun wasn't going to dwell on it. Jooheon let it go and smiled sheepishly in return. 

"Hyunwoo hyung!" Changkyun shouted for the older, disregarding the other three in the room's startled reactions to his voice. Hyunwoo had snuck out of the room at some point, wanting to give the expectant parents some privacy, and Changkyun had greatly appreciated the small gesture, but now he needed him again.

Hyunwoo quickly walked back into the living room, waiting so patiently for his friend to explain himself, "You needed me?”

"Go ahead and call Seungcheol hyung over. If everyone else is going to be here he can't be the only one left out.”

Hyunwoo grew confused and seemed to move in slow motion, stuttering as he asked for clarification, "You... want me to call him? To come over?" this went against what he had requested earlier, and even given permission he didn't want to do that to Changkyun, “But..."

"Call him, but tell him there's no rush. He can join if he wants to," Changkyun was far past caring and Seungcheol was no harm. In fact, similar to Hyunwoo, he was an absolute angel and very caring. He was such a kind soul and would cause no stress or worry for himself, "I would love to have him here. Just call him.”

With one final nod, Hyunwoo wordlessly complied and reached for his phone, leaving the room so he could make the call to his boyfriend without disturbing everyone else. Once he was informed that Daewon was on the way, Seungcheol had asked Hyunwoo over the phone a few times if Changkyun was actually content with his being there and Hyunwoo insisted, hesitantly, that yes, he was wanted among the large group gathered to watch Changkyun go through labor. Seungcheol still seemed skeptical but informed Hyunwoo that he would be at the house in a few minutes. He too lived off campus and wasn't far from where his friends lived. It would indeed take at most a few minutes to reach the front door and join the party.

Before Changkyun could even have another contraction, Seungcheol arrived at the house with a large smile on his face and 'congratulations' dancing on his lips. Everyone had the same thought process, but Changkyun wasn't going to accept a congratulations until his son was born and in his arms. It seemed unnecessary to do so now, but the small show of support was appreciated, even if he did think it was silly.

With the addition of Seungcheol, finally, their entire friend group comprised of eight people was gathered in the house to experience the youngest member's labor together. Changkyun knew that by default, he had invited everyone to stay by not asking them to leave him when he was in such a vulnerable state, but now he really wished he had stood up for himself by kicking everyone out because so many people around him was incredibly too much and was terribly overwhelming. He knew his friends meant well by waiting with him, but there wasn't a significant benefit to having them sit around with him. Changkyun could acknowledge that they were helping as a distraction, but more often than not, they were more of a nuisance than anything else.

The only one not making things difficult for him was Jooheon. Changkyun was sitting in his usual spot on the couch, something everyone had come to call 'Changkyun's spot', and Jooheon was sitting next to him, basically pressed up to his side to keep him close in case he was needed. His proximity provided comfort as Changkyun rocked through the pains that wracked his back and belly and Jooheon helped greatly in keeping his sanity grounded. Without Jooheon there, perhaps Changkyun would be losing his mind and things would be increasingly worse for him, maybe he would be stressed enough to cause medical issues, maybe there were a lot of things that could happen, but Changkyun didn't have to think about those 'maybes' because Jooheon was there for him. Changkyun could possibly manage with Hyungwon, maybe a little better with Hyunwoo, but Jooheon was his rock and the one he wanted with him the most. He was the perfect support system and the only one he needed at the moment.

All eight men were packed into the living room, a place they often found themselves hanging out in, and all eight were preoccupied with useless conversation. With so many people in one room, there was a lot of unnecessary noise and plenty of talking and the stimulation was making Changkyun frustrated at the lack of control he had in his environment. He understood why they were all here for him, but everything was stacking on top of each other and his stress was only getting worse. The headache it was bringing on was impressive, feeling like a band wrapped around his head constricting tighter. At this point, his headache was more painful than his contractions (or so he liked to think).

Changkyun was really not enjoying himself at all. While everyone else was focused on the topic of discussion, Changkyun could barely retain a morsel of it because he was far too focused on his pulsating body and son to be forcing his way out of his body. Amazingly, terrifyingly, Changkyun could actually feel Daewon moving further down into the birth canal, something he had previously never felt the existence of before. It felt like Daewon was between his hips, nestled tightly into his pelvis as he headed towards his exit into the world, and it was terribly uncomfortable. Changkyun couldn't sit upright completely or his back would throb and ache while sending shooting pains up his spine, and the only way he could find the slightest semblance of comfort was if he reclined back onto a makeshift mountain of pillows. Even then, it was growing more and more difficult to adjust to a point where he wasn't aching still.

Changkyun's contractions were manageable but they still tore at him enough to turn his mood sour. Among the crowd of people deep into a conversation that Changkyun really wasn't interested in and maybe thought was about Lotte world and plans to go there this summer, probably as a group, he sat in silence to himself, occasionally gripping onto the smallest couch throw they had every time he felt a pain light his nerves on fire. While still able to listen and comprehend what was going on around him, Changkyun's actions were starting to become limited due to his body's consistent panic every time his abdomen tightened. He was a deer in the headlights, a prisoner in his own body frozen in place, and the only one who could help him in any capacity was Jooheon.

He had been a silent observer from the sideline, keeping his eyes on Changkyun at all times and watching all of his signals through his body language. Changkyun was ever stubborn and while he had already admitted that he was starting to feel actual pain instead of just discomfort, he was still keeping to himself and refusing to ask for further help. Jooheon could almost laugh at how ridiculous Changkyun was, but he was far too busy silently helping and timing the younger man's contractions for him to stay on top of everything. Every time he noticed Changkyun's grip tighten on the pillow and his body stiffen rigidly, he made note of it and wrote down the time from when he started, until the time he released his hold and relaxed back into the couch. Thanks to his attentiveness, Changkyun's contractions were recorded and they were able to keep track of the intervals. Both knew that once the contractions were five minutes apart, that's when they would really need to leave and head off for the hospital, and Jooheon remained diligent with his task as he let Changkyun go through the motions of labor. They still had plenty of time before they would really need to start worrying about heading out, but the suspense was a constant stressor that had them forgetting that small but important detail. 

Yet another contraction left Changkyun incapacitated, riding it out without any aid, and Jooheon jumped right into the care giving and nurturing instinct he was feeling most strongly in the moment. He wanted to do absolutely everything for Changkyun no matter what it was. He rubbed a firm hand up and down Changkyun’s back, unsure how to ease any of the tension correctly and unsure if he was even providing any semblance of comfort. He felt almost helpless, but he wouldn’t dare say that about himself, not when he was perfectly fine and Changkyun wasn’t. Jooheon had it far easier than his laboring counterpart.

“A little over seven minutes between contractions,” Jooheon announced solely to Changkyun once the contraction subsided, almost under his breath. He knew that if the information had been a group announcement, the youngest of them all would have more people in his space and he knew he didn’t need that right now. He was enough of a trooper as it was with them all sitting around him and making a lot of noise, he didn’t need them touching him and trying to get in his face, “Do you think it’s progressing too fast?”

“I don’t think so,” Changkyun responded with an exhausted huff, much louder than Jooheon, but still contained enough to only keep the older man’s attention. But to be fair, he wasn’t doing a lot of thinking right now, not when his body was trying to push a whole baby out of it, “It’s been hours, it could be on track, but does that really matter? My doctor told us how fast I progress won’t matter if I’m not dilating properly,” he unfortunately wouldn’t know that bit of information until he was at a hospital, but that still seemed so far. A little over two minutes difference and he would need to head there to deliver, and that was terrifying.

Jooheon sighed under his breath, reaching over gently scratch Changkyun’s scalp, earning himself a happy mewl at the feeling. He was realizing how much Changkyun loved having his hair played with, and he would need to remember that in the hours to come. He looked at his phone to check the time again, and to his surprise, it had been a touch over five hours since he had been told Changkyun was in labor. It was midnight, and he happily noted that Daewon’s birthday was going to be today. A date he would never forget, “You’ve been in labor for 17 hours now,” he informed Changkyun, regretting the statement after telling him. The sad frown Changkyun shot him made him feel even guiltier, “Do you need anything?” Changkyun shook his head no, burying his head into Jooheon’s shoulder with a deep breath through pursed lips, “Do you want something to eat?” again, he received a short shake of Changkyun’s head, brows furrowed so tightly as he tried to process the pain in his head, “I need to do something to feel useful? I can do some chores, get you food or a drink, grab the hospital bag and put it in my car,” the thought had him pausing, not recalling that being a conversation between them before, “Where is that by the way?”

Changkyun shook his head, groaning before lifting his head to face Jooheon, “I don’t see the point of a hospital bag. Why need it?” he would have just about everything he would need at the hospital. There was no reason to pack more stuff to carry into his probably already cramped delivery room. It was not something he was worried about at all.

Jooheon was shaking his head now, in complete disagreement, “You definitely need one. My sister told me it’s important to have one and I think I should agree with the woman who has had a baby before. It’s always good to be prepared and we need to be prepared for our son.”

The sincerity in his tone and the seriousness in his features quickly changed Changkyun’s mind on having a hospital bag, but he also didn’t have the energy to argue further with the older man about it. If he wanted a hospital bag, then he should have a hospital bag. Changkyun appreciated how prepared Jooheon was trying to be, among the group of friends who weren’t doing anything beneficial for him, “Okay, fine. But you have to go pack the bag. I’m not getting up.”

But Jooheon wasn’t moving fast like Changkyun thought he would. In fact, he wasn’t moving at all and remained in his spot on the couch. Changkyun watched as his cheeks bloomed red, eyes turning sheepish as he cleared his throat with an awkward smile, “Well, I don’t actually know what exactly goes in a hospital bag. I forgot to ask about that part,” Changkyun felt a laugh stuck in his throat but he kept it to himself and swallowed it back, not wanting to embarrass the older. He was trying to be helpful after all, “Let me google it,” he laughed nervously, whipping out his phone to quickly search up the necessities they would want to have while stuck in the same hospital room for a few days. 

“And when you’re done doing that, I give you permission to go through my stuff and grab what I’ll need, because in all honesty, while I don’t want to move, I don’t think I can move,” his legs felt boneless and weak, unable to efficiently bear all the pain he was feeling. He felt attached to the couch, wanting nothing more than to just get comfortable while feeling this way. Everything was achy and he just wanted to rest, and with how he was nearly comfortable where he was, he didn’t want to ruin that by getting up and walking around. He was going to stay where he was, “You can use my backpack, just put everything inside of it on my desk.” 

Jooheon didn’t ask further questions and just bolted towards Changkyun’s room, ready to rummage respectfully through his friend’s stuff. He finally felt useful after hours of sitting there playing with his thumbs, and he was going to make the best of it. He didn’t want to be gone long though, afraid he could miss any change, or even a contraction. He wanted to be there for every single one and support Changkyun with every breath. He needed to move fast if he wanted to return in their dwindling time. 

With Jooheon’s absence, Changkyun shifted on the couch so he had more room to stretch which entailed him spilling into Jooheon’s spot on the couch. He knew the older wouldn’t mind his doing so, and would most likely encourage him to do so. He reclined and propped himself up on the armrest of the couch, hoping to ease the pain in his lower back where he was feeling the most unease. Once settled, he brought his hands round his comically rotund belly, feeling how different it was from the prior months of having it. His belly was much significantly firmer, muscles twitching every now and then with each contraction, feeling foreign in his palms. Daewon felt so wide between his hips, adding an insane amount of intense pressure between his legs and it was almost like he could feel every inch of his son. He couldn’t explain it, but it was almost as if he was already there with him, like he was already holding him. Changkyun hated the thought of it, but he also couldn’t help the sense of pride deep in his heart for his son. He was almost here and would soon be in his arms, he realized in simultaneous amazement and horror. He wanted so desperately to curl up into a ball and hide away from the pain and fear he was feeling deep in his bones. This was all so torturous.

Taking his opportunity, Hyungwon lifted himself from the couch he had been sitting on and hustled to sit on the couch beside Changkyun, hand resting softly on the younger man’s leg that was curled underneath him. It didn’t look very comfortable, but then again he doubted Changkyun was the slightest bit comfortable in any way right now, “Do we need to head to the hospital soon?” he had been watching from the sidelines, giving the pair some much-needed space, and it had irked him to see Changkyun in so much pain. He had watched as Changkyun spoke less with each contraction that wrapped around his back and watched as he shifted more often trying to get comfortable. It was nearly killing Hyungwon, and it had been obvious that Jooheon felt similarly.

Changkyun didn't know the answer to his question, but he did know they still had some time before he would reach the golden number his doctor had basically beaten into his head. They weren't at five minutes apart yet, not yet lasting one minute long each for an hour consistently, and besides, the thought of leaving the house and heading to the hospital has his heart in his stomach. He reverted to sass to protect himself and downplay his situation to maybe convince Hyungwon otherwise, “I don’t know. I’ve never done this before,” obviously speaking, "I think we still have some time left.”

Hyungwon looked antsy, biting his bottom lip nervously as he twisted the material of Changkyun's sweatpants between his thumb and index finger. Changkyun didn’t mind the action, "Are you sure? Because in my opinion, I think we should leave right now," Hyungwon didn't know when the best time to leave was, but seeing Changkyun like this was torture and he felt more comfortable with the younger man being in a hospital with unlimited access to pain relief, "But that's just my opinion.”

Changkyun smiled at the statement, too distracted to deliver an amused chuckle to pair, “Here’s a fact for you: My doctor wants my contractions a little closer before we head out. I think if we go now we would probably get turned around," he had read that tidbit online after a sleepless night of anxiety about his incoming delivery. If he wasn't close enough, he would need to go back home and wait until he was further along, “They won’t want me in the hospital longer than I need to.”

"But getting checked wouldn't hurt right? If you're not ready, then at least you'll have an idea of when you will be ready. It might be worth a try.”

Changkyun huffed, cutting his words off, ”But if we go to the hospital, that means I'll have a baby in my arms and I'm not ready for that," there was no shame in his voice after what he reluctantly announced, feeling more able to admit something like that to Hyungwon than to Jooheon. The slight shock in the other man's features was overshadowed by the forced look of understanding, attempting to not overstep Changkyun's boundaries. It made the younger man offer a tiny smile despite his words, wanting to get out of this uncomfortable conversation, "I'm really not ready for Daewon to be here just yet. I want to delay our trip as long as possible, please," he wanted to wait until he absolutely had to leave, which could be in a few minutes, or a few hours. Whatever the wait time was going to be, he wanted some more time on this couch before he would be trapped on a stiff hospital bed in a white and sterile room, "Give me some more time at home. Please. This is my safe space and I need that right now more than ever."

Hyungwon reluctantly resigned and nodded, deciding to take Changkyun's word for it. He had known it had been a difficult transition for Changkyun to adjust to, but to hear that he was still so afraid was heart-wrenching. Hyungwon knew how much he loved his son, but the fear and hesitation had been completely unexpected. Hyungwon had assumed that complex had disappeared, but it appeared he was completely incorrect, but Changkyun needed support right now, not criticism. Hyungwon would nod along to what he wanted and not argue, even though he wanted to continue and try his best to get Changkyun to the hospital, "Okay, that sounds good to me. We'll stay until you're ready," he smiled so wide, genuinely, and Changkyun smiled in return. For extra measure, Hyungwon stretched his arms and embraced the younger in a hug, holding him tight and screaming a thousand unsaid words. Changkyun was very aware of Hyungwon’s acquiescence, but he still appreciated how easy this was all turning out to be, and he was glad the older was there with him.

The sound of Jooheon rapidly approaching the living room separated the two and they both watched as the man ran past them and out the front door, swiping his car keys off the table close to the entrance before bolting out of sight. Changkyun had noticed the 'hospital bag' in his hand, and he imagined the older tossing the pack haphazardly into the back of his car, not caring where it landed because he had bigger worries. Changkyun didn't have to imagine his friend much longer before he was sprinting back into the house, closing the door a tad too harshly behind him before taking his previous seat on the couch, hurting his tail bone by sitting too fast. Jooheon noticed the slight shift in spacing but he didn't care. As long as Changkyun was comfortable where he sat, "Did I miss anything? Are you okay?" the wild look in his eyes had Changkyun forgetting himself and he giggled, low and sweet.

"Nothing happened while you were gone. But now that you're here, can you please try and convince Daewon to take it easy on me," his son was starting to wiggle and stretch, and combined with the contractions and general pregnancy pains, Changkyun was feeling his worst yet. Daewon was letting him know he was still there and on his way, "Maybe tell him to give me a break so I can breathe," he suggested, leaning into Jooheon for extra support. He had adjusted again to rest his head on Jooheon's shoulder, torso turned towards him so his belly was more or less resting in his lap. Both noted how unfamiliarly close they were, but with the position helping Changkyun's back, he couldn't really complain, and neither could Jooheon. Jooheon giggled and did as he was told, making sure to hold Changkyun's bump close with a hand resting on the wide expanse. He would try and work his magic.

Another two hours later, everyone was still gathered in the sitting room switching from chatting to watching another movie and vice versa. Minhyuk was even sleeping with his head on Kihyun's thigh, dead to the world. It was getting late, a little after two in the morning, and everyone was growing fatigued, but no one was more exhausted than Changkyun. No one dared try and challenge him on this fact because surely they would lose their heads, and whether it was at the hands of Changkyun or Jooheon, no one wanted to see. Neither option would make it any less harsh.

Changkyun's progression into labor was starting to drastically pick up and both he and Jooheon were increasingly antsy with each contraction. Jooheon's anxiety was at an all-time high because while Changkyun could walk around and speak and banter th