Part One: Hot Chocolate

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It's windy and snowing, and Taemin is trying desperately to keep his son upright, but Baekhyun keeps bouncing around on the slick pavement in front of the school. He’s already almost fallen twice in the past three minutes, but that doesn't seem to be enough to keep him in place. Taemin is fighting to put a pompom beanie on his child's head while Baekhyun continues to hop in circles, babbling about his day, his friends, the Christmas decorations they made during class, and what he ate for lunch. All of which is obviously very precious and extremely important information that he must share with his father and his little brother immediately. While still running.

"We made snowmen with wool and cardboard, but I thought: it's snowing! So it's snowing in the garden too, right? So I told my friend Taeyong, I told him you see. I told him that we could make real snowmen. Can we make a real snowman together when we get home?"

"Only if you let me put your gloves on, sweetheart."

"Oh. Alright then."

Baekhyun stops and stands very still, holding out his hands for Taemin to fit the gloves around his small fingers. Now, Baekhyun is finally at eye level with his brother who is wrapped up against Taemin's chest in a baby carrier that is obviously too small for him, but Taemin ran out of options because of the stroller issues.

Baekhyun smiles brightly at Yukhei, who bursts out laughing just like he always does whenever anyone so much as looks at him. Then Yukhei goes back to reaching for the falling snow and trying to eat it.

"Will Papa do it with us?"

"I'm sure he'd love to."

"Then I hope he gets home early enough," Baekhyun chattered, hopping next to his father again. "Dad, can we make hot chocolate when we get home? While we wait for Papa to get home? So we can make a snowman?"

Taemin hums softly, pretending to ponder it as he hears Baekhyun inhale deeply and hold his breath in anticipation. Yukhei lets out a small hiccup then laughs, squirms around in his holder, and shakes his hands in his brother's general direction, but Baekhyun is too busy staring at his father to notice him.

"I suppose we could," Taemin lets out.

Baekhyun squeals in excitement, Yukhei immediately imitating him.

"Can we have marshamallows?"

"It's marshmallows, sweetie."

"Marshamallows," Baekhyun repeats.

"Mashaow," Yukhei tries, his lips slick with drool.

"Can we?" Baekhyun insists.

"We can," Taemin says with a grin.

And Baekhyun erupts in another shriek.

After that, everything happens so fast. Baekhyun jumps up again with another squeal that turns into a gasp when he's swept off his feet. The gasp quickly turns into a scream. Taemin freezes in fear as his son’s tiny hand leaves his. He spins around, eyes wide with anguish, and Yukhei giggles.

"Papa!" Yukhei exclaims.

Jongin disappears, reappearing a few feet away, just in time to catch Baekhyun and throw him in the air again, the child’s scared cries turning into shrieks of joy in less than a second.

Taemin exhales loudly, staring at his husband with a deep frown on his face.

"Lee Jongin! I told you not to effing do that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What if he fell? What if people saw you? What if-"

Jongin catches Baekhyun again and holds him against his chest as he leans toward Taemin and presses a soft kiss to his cheek with a grin.

"Sorry, Taeminnie," Jongin interrupts his rambling husband.

"Papa! You're here! You don't work anymore? We want to make a snowman. Will you do it with us?" Baekhyun exclaims. "We're even going to get hot chocolates. With marshamallows! And I made a snowman in school. It's in my bag so we can hang it on the tree when we put it up, and Taeyong helped me a little, but I mostly did it alone, and it looks really nice! So will you make a real snowman with us? Please!"

Jongin chuckles and pinches Baekhyun's nose. His 6 ½-year-old puffs his cheeks in protest, and Jongin kisses his forehead.

"Slow down, sweetheart. You're talking too fast again."

"Sorry."

"Papa!" Yukhei shouts again, and Jongin leans in to kiss his forehead too.

"Why is Yukhei in his baby carrier?" Jongin asks, tilting his head with a confused look at his husband.

Taemin sighs.

"It's too much of a hassle to try to keep him in his stroller. No matter what I do to make it heavier and keep it on the ground, he keeps flying away... with or without the stroller, I might add. Maybe we should buy a larger carrier... or a harness and a leash. I don't know."

Jongin can’t help but giggle at that, earning himself another stern glance from his husband.

"Stop laughing."

"It's funny though," Jongin tries to argue.

"I suppose it is when you're not the one looking after him all day and trying to keep him to the ground."

"Papa," Baekhyun interrupts. "You didn't answer me."

Jongin straightens up, Baekhyun still in his arms, and looks at his son with wide eyes.

"Oh, right. A snowman, huh?"

"Yeah... Are you coming home with us?"

Jongin smirks at that and starts wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm done with work, but who said we’re going home?"

"Oooooooooh," Baekhyun breathes out, Yukhei mimicking him again.

"I heard something about hot chocolate and marshmallows, right?" Jongin asks, faking uncertainty.

Taemin sighs with a playful roll of his eyes and moves closer to his husband, wrapping one arm around Jongin's waist with a little grin.

"And," Jongin continues, "where do we find the best hot chocolate in the world...? I'm asking you, Baekhyunnie."

Baekhyun starts blinking, looks down at Yukhei who giggles at him, and then nods.

"Germany!" Baekhyun screams, throwing his arms in the air.

"Oh boy," Taemin chuckles. "You wanna do the countdown, Baekkie?"

"One!"

"Wah," Yukhei laughs.

"Two!"

"Tuh!"

"Three!"

"Tee!"

Jongin smirks, and they disappear from the empty street, reappearing in a little alley on a different continent. The sun is bright. It's earlier in the day and colder than where they came from. Yukhei is squinting, tossing his head left and right as if a little disoriented by the teleportation. Baekhyun shivers in his father's hold.

"Germany is cold," he pouts.

"Oh dear, I hope the shop is open," Taemin murmurs. "You always forget about time differences..."

Jongin purses his lips, eyes widening in guilt before he starts coughing.

"Hey, we're here for the best hot chocolate in the world. You should be grateful."

Baekhyun snuggles into his father's chest and nods.

"Thank you, Papa."

"Now," Jongin hums as he turns around and frees himself from Taemin's arm. "I'm sure Mrs. Jana's shop is open. Come on."

They walk over to a slightly larger street, and within a couple of seconds, the little coffee shop that witnessed Jongin and Taemin's very first date, many years ago, comes into view. Taemin can't help how his face softens, his heart racing at the lovely memories coming back to him. Jongin, Baekhyun, and Yukhei are rejoicing about the lights they see inside, and they all hurry to enter, sighing in delight at the warmth welcoming them.

Mrs. Jana has grown old since Taemin first saw her. His heart is still fluttering in his chest when Jongin takes Baekhyun to a table by the window, where they can see outside at how the sun is still rising in the sky. Baekhyun immediately grabs the blanket on his seat and snuggles into it.

Jongin always takes them to the same table, and Taemin's heart is melting. His husband looks up at him with a gentle smile; he knows exactly what's going on in Taemin's cheesy mind right now.

"Will you order for us, Taeminnie?"

"Unless you finally decided to learn German, of course I will," Taemin simpers.

Jongin sticks out his tongue at him, and Baekhyun starts cackling behind his hands until he realizes that he can take off his hat and gloves now.

 

It only takes a few minutes for Mrs. Jana to bring them their order. There are four large mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows, cinnamon, and vanilla on the table. Yukhei's cup is far too big for him, but Taemin knows better than to give his toddler a different one than his older brother. Baekhyun is already talking about finishing Yukhei's cup if his brother can't handle it. There are also cinnamon rolls and cookies shaped like little moons, gingerbread men, and Christmas trees on the table, and Yukhei is drooling all over a piece of gingerbread, sitting on a special chair that Taemin hopes he won't fly away with.

Taemin looks at Baekhyun, brushing his son's hair away from his face as Baekhyun drinks his hot chocolate and covers his nose with cream in the process. Then he feels Jongin's hand taking his and lacing their fingers together. Jongin brings their hands to his face and kisses Taemin's knuckles slowly. A light blush begins to spread across Taemin's cheeks.

"I'm glad you got off work early," Taemin says softly. "Thank you for bringing us here again."

"You're welcome," Jongin grins. "It's our Christmas tradition, right? I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world."

Baekhyun is busy breaking all of his cookies in half to give a piece of each to his little brother, who keeps muttering "no" while stuffing his face with everything Baekhyun hands him.

Jongin looks at the kids, and Taemin looks at him.

"I love you," Taemin whispers.

Jongin turns back to his husband, and something is wavering in his eyes that makes him purse his lips and brings a smile to Taemin.

"Thank you," Jongin says, squeezing Taemin's hand in his. "I love you too."

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