It’s late, and Baekhyun sighs as he rubs his small droopy eyes, disoriented how everything is shadow except for the moonlight that bathes the room through the window. Silently grunting, he checks the clock by his bedside and sees how it’s 1:47am. His head still pounds, exhaustion from today’s events really crashing down on him in full force.

Having three kids was a handful. The little ones -- Yerim, Moona, and Junhee -- daughters aged five, three, and eighteen months old respectively, were his most precious angels. Tears and screams have been shedding in the Park household for the last five years, and as challenging and troublesome as their little hands and feet may seem, as difficult as managing to raise three energetic balls of tiny humans was, as chaotic his life was from the moment he wakes up to the moment he closes his eyes, and as sleepless and exhausted he has been, Baekhyun thought his life was perfect.

He quickly feels how cold he is, turning around only to be met with an empty space telling him his husband isn’t back home yet. Or so he thought.

He’s about to close his eyes to sleep when he hears it--a guitar. He seems to ponder over hard, thinking it was only in his head with how faint and distant it sounded, but all that doubt shattered when it was followed by a cute little giggle.

Deciding to find out what it was, he comes out of the room to follow the sound as quietly as possible. The guitar plucking seems to be getting louder until he sees the fluorescent light seeping through the slightly opened door of his daughters’ room. Curious as to how on earth was music coming from their room, he slowly walks up until he reaches the door, the crack narrow enough to hide him in the shadows but big enough to peek through. He was ready to scold the little mischiefs as to what they were up to when he suddenly hears that all too familiar raspy baritone voice he has fallen in love with, and true enough his breath hitches at the sight he never would have imagined.

There was Chanyeol, softly singing a hushed lullaby while his three girls looked at him like he was made out of stars. And Baekhyun thought so too. Even with his slightly unkempt gelled hair, creased button down now untucked and sleeves folded all the way to his elbows, tired but bright eyes that radiated so much affection for the three darlings before him, Baekhyun thought he was the most ethereal like this.

The smaller would have to admit that the challenges he faced were nothing new. In fact, they were expected. Being a CEO at 34 years old of the largest law firm in the country, Chanyeol’s job description was already expected to be hectic and time consuming. Although not all the time, late night arrivals or even rare nights without the lawyer have already been long accepted by the smaller. He knew how pressuring it was for Chanyeol, how worked up or tensed his mood could get even when he sets foot in the house, and Baekhyun took it upon himself to take the role of a house husband with determination by doing his best to soothe and comfort his hardworking lover. It was a challenge for the younger to get used to, and it still is, but he knows his husband needs all the love and support he could get. He knows how the taller looks forward to going home everyday just to be with him, and that motivates him to push aside his quiet sadness to provide his husband with that love he desired and deserved.

The CEO coming home early was a rare sight, even more so when he’d spend more than an hour playing with the girls on a weekday, so it comes as a shock to the smaller seeing his gorgeous husband serenading their darlings on a Thursday night. He hasn’t even heard Chanyeol playing the guitar in years, the taller always being so busy or exhausted with work. And it’s probably because of this rare sight, of this picture perfect home he’s fortunate to have with the four most precious people in his life, that Baekhyun finds himself crying. The pent up loneliness of being with the kids without his husband by his side, the cold nights he’s slept alone in their master suite, the first moments with their daughters that Chanyeol misses because he’s busy with work, all comes crashing down on him like a water damn, because this moment, this sight before him, is what makes everything worth it. Because even in his absence, the passion returns in the food he feeds his family with, the affection returns in the kisses he gives them every morning and every night, and the love returns in this, his Chanyeol singing a lullaby to their three angels at two in the morning after a long day at work. Love looked exactly like this.

He doesn’t know how long he was standing there, how long he was crying, or how wide he pushed the door to unfold more of the view. He honestly wouldn’t mind spending the night watching the heartwarming scene, already engraving every little detail inside his heart. That is, until little Yerim and Moona spotted him from the corner of their twinkling eyes.

“Papa!” Their little feet padded their way to the ajar door, slightly startling the smaller husband.

He pushed the door wide open and immediately knelt to her level to give her a big warm hug. The emotions too overwhelming, he found himself weeping even more. He has never felt this happy.

“Papa why are you crying?” the little loves asked worriedly, not liking the way tears graced their papa’s beautiful face.

Chanyeol has long stopped playing, immediately diverting his attention to his small husband standing by the door frame. He was trying to play as softly as possible, careful not to wake the younger knowing how exhausted he must have been taking care of the three girls all day. The eye bags he sports confirms that the smaller did have another tiring day, and as much as Chanyeol loved his kids, he was sad to see how much their energy took a toll on his lover. He knew he had been neglecting his family more than he intended to. He was grateful for Baekhyun being such a supportive partner, not once complaining how everything was maxing out his physical strength and abilities just to not have him worried about other things that aren’t work related. They did discuss how they were to go about this arrangement before they settled down, agreeing that one of them would provide while the other would be a full-time parent. Chanyeol did try his best to be there for his family as much as he can, and he can honestly say that he has watched his kids grow with his husband, that he was still ever so present in their lives despite his hectic job. But he also wasn’t stupid to not notice how his husband is just as tired as he is, or not even more so. Being a full-time parent was no joke, and watching Baekhyun raising their daughters so well and so lovingly proved to him how fearless and strong his small lover truly was. He remembered the slight fear in his eyes when they both found out the younger was pregnant for the first time, but he also did see determination and love swimming in his eyes to make this all work. And five years later his fearless little lion was still as or even stronger and more beautiful with the love that radiated from him. That love and strength motivated him, it was his drive to work harder and be there for his little loves, and just seeing the smile on their faces washed away any amount of exhaustion in his body. It was what reminded him why he was doing all of this. It was all for them. It will always be for them.

It’s why he hadn’t hesitated to pick up his rusty acoustic guitar from the garage at midnight after hearing his little loves’ whispered giggles through their bedroom door, slipping inside to sing them to sleep. The thrill and excitement on their faces is worth it, and after seeing his little husband’s eyes shining with pure adoration and affection, he knew his whole life was worth it.

Setting his guitar down, he makes his way through the scattered toys over to his tiny lover kneeling down and hugging Yerim and Moona like his life depended on it, and knelt down with them to gently and tenderly kiss each of his little darlings’ forehead. Chanyeol knew he was the luckiest man that ever lived.

“Chanyeol,” the younger sobbed.

“I’m here, my love, I’m home,” as he wrapped his long arms around his little family while staring fondly at them.

He looked back at the crib only to find baby Junhee to be fast asleep. Baekhyun seemed to follow his line of sight and lightly chuckled at how their youngest must have probably enjoyed Chanyeol’s exceptional voice and guitar skills.

Focusing back and realizing he hadn’t answered his two little loves in front of him with the way their puppy eyes look up at him expectedly, he gave each a lingering kiss on their plump cheeks before staring fondly at them, then back to his husband’s. He’s so whipped it’s crazy.

“I’m just happy. So happy to have the perfect little family. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes very much! We love papa and daddy very much!” Yerim exclaimed while Moona nods eagerly with her boxy smile and crescent-shaped eyes. They were too adorable.

Seeing how late it was, Baekhyun immediately looks at his husband with worried eyes knowing that he still has work the next day.

“Chanyeol, it’s already late. You should get enough sleep for work tomorrow.”

At this the two girls’ eyes dimmed, not wanting this moment to end just like that. Baekhyun seemed to pick up the mood as well, but he was no different as he himself wished this moment would last forever.

The taller chuckled at all their crestfallen faces. It hurt him to know how much they’ve been missing him, but his surprise would surely make them the happiest.

Smiling at all three of them he answered, “I took the day off tomorrow. And for the rest of the month. Decided I needed a break after working too much in the company, and what better way to spend everyday with you guys.”

The girls immediately squealed and tackled their dad to the ground with their hugs and kisses, absolutely ecstatic with the news about having their dad to play with them everyday for the next month, while Baekhyun just remained frozen on the spot unable to process what he just heard. Chanyeol has never taken a long vacation unless it was for urgent reasons or family events. But never on his own volition. The realization eventually rained down on him and soon he was a sobbing mess again.

“Papa don’t cry! Daddy’s staying with us!” Moona excitedly said.

He dashed on his knees to his husband and hugged him so hard, sobbing on his chest and smelling the perfume and natural scent he provided. It smelled like home.

“I love you. I love you so damn much.” The smaller chanted the words over and over again, even as Chanyeol removed his head from his chest to kiss away the new batch tears, then finally claiming his lips in a heartfelt kiss. It tasted like love.

“Papa daddy no!!! Not in front of us!!!” The oldest screamed in despair, trying to cover the younger one’s eyes to spare her from the scene.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes at his overdramatic kids, totally inherited from the taller.

“Daddy, can you sing more songs for us?” little Moona asked politely.

Proudly smiling at his angel, he grabbed his guitar and sat on one of the small chairs, while the rest understood and formed a little nest by the beanbags, both angels on Baekhyun’s lap while eagerly waiting for his much awaited performance.

This is it. This was home.

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Yay!!!! So yeah I guess it's obvious by now how I'm uber cheesy, but I really can't help it when chanbaek would look the cutest as a growing family ;;___;; I hope you guys enjoyed it and comments are appreciated! And oh! I'm coming up with a major fic, so I hope you guys will support that as well. Coming soon hopefully!

Stay safe wherever you are!