“Why are you wearing a suit?”

“I just had a meeting with the wedding planner,” Baekhyun let out a groan as he threw himself down on the couch Kyungsoo was sitting on. It was sort of dark in the studio behind the projectors, but it was the only place peaceful enough on the entire set for him to finish the articles that still needed to be submitted by 5pm. The only place where he wasn’t getting in Minseok’s way as he bossed his new apprentices and assistants around, the irritation on his face growing every time he had to fix the angle of the reflectors himself. Still, despite the darkness in the back, Kyungsoo could see the even darker circles under Baekhyun’s now closed eyes. His friend seemed exhausted. “And I have a contract mediation meeting with Prive’s board later.”

Kyungsoo just hummed in reply. Baekhyun had so much to do right now. It was getting out of hand, and Kyungsoo truly wished there was something he could do to help him figure things out. But the pile of responsibilities he had at home and work barely left any time for him to do a thing. Baekhyun had laughed it off and assured him it was fine. That he knew he was busy. It did nothing to ease Kyungsoo’s mind and heart.

“Do you want a coffee?” he ended up sighing out, making the executive decision to close his laptop with a contained sigh. That decision would come back to bite him in the later today, but for now, this was more important. “There’s a Twoesome Place just next door.”

“A coffee sounds great,” Baekhyun finally moved, he cracked his eyes open and gave him a small smile. “Can you get your assistants to buy them? I really, really don’t wanna move right now.”

Kyungsoo just shook his head a little, before raising his head.

“Jeno,” he called quietly. The boy was standing only a few meters away anyways, hovering around awkwardly and not knowing what exactly to do with himself. He actually seemed relieved when Kyungsoo called him over. “Can you please go down to the coffee shop and get us some iced coffees? Also, call Doyoung and ask him if he already submitted the new health section articles to Junmyeon. If he hasn’t, tell him to hurry it up. We only have until 5 tonight.”

Kyungsoo watched the young boy nod solemnly, before rushing away through the mess of stylists, models, photographers and editors.

“So,” he directed his gaze back to Baekhyun. “How did the meeting go?”

“Well, the planner keeps trying to push her baby green agenda for the accent decorations. But you know what baby green reminds me of? Goddamn cucumbers,” the art director scoffed. “I don’t wanna get married in a hall that looks like a cucumber. I hate that. And don’t even get me started on Chanyeol’s damn obsession with freesias.”

“So I take it all went well.”

Baekhyun just threw a sharp glance in his direction, before straightening a little. There was a calmer expression on his face now, giving way to the eminent excitement he was feeling within.

“We finally have the date, though, the venue confirmed. I’m going to have a beautiful fall wedding in September,” he announced rather proudly, before reaching out to grab Kyungsoo’s hand. Then, he raised his eyebrows. “Please tell me the little bugger will know how to walk by then. I need a ring bearer.”

Kyungsoo felt himself stilling down a little, blinking and staring at Baekhyun, whose eyebrows just rose higher on his forehead with every passing second.

“You need a what?”

“A ring bearer. Come on, Kyungsoo. Keep up, will you?”

“If you’re talking about Jisu, he already can walk. He’s almost two, Baekhyun.”

“Yeah, but I mean walk with purpose, you know? From point A to point B. Without swallowing the rings on the way, if possible.”

Kyungsoo shook his head with a little smile. It was endearing that Baekhyun was thinking about Jisu, that he wanted him to be a part of such an important day for him and Chanyeol. However, the kid was a wild card. He had barely learned how to walk and he had already been zooming around the house. Kyungsoo had never thought that he’d have to be checking the baby proofing of practically everything at least twice a week, but here they were.

“I can’t promise anything,” he ended up clicking his tongue, throwing Baekhyun a glance. “Jia can do it though.”

“No, no, no. Absolutely not. I need Jia to be my flower girl. I can’t let her do both,” Baekhyun straightened as Kyungsoo’s smile just became softer at the thought. Jia would be so excited. And then there was a finger pointing straight at his face. “You better get that kid to walk by September, Kyungsoo, my wedding depends on him, alright?”

“Okay, calm down, Trunchbull. There’s still plenty of time until September. You worry about your freesias first.”

“I told you not to even get me started on that.”

Kyungsoo just smirked at the distress on Baekhyun’s face, before shifting his head to look at the chaos in front of them. They had finished setting up the reflectors and the lights. Minseok was already preparing his camera.

“What is going on here?”

His head turned to the source of the voice. That familiar velvety voice, warm and loving. Now, however, laced in frost as the chill spread around them.

Jongin was standing at the side of the couch, looking down towards him and Baekhyun with a raised eyebrow and a little frown tugging on his lips.

“Just Baekhyun trying to exploit our children.”

Confusion flashed through his husband’s face as he looked at him.

“I would like to get back to that in a minute, but I meant this,” Jongin motioned towards Baekhyun. “What are you wearing?”

Kyungsoo followed Jongin’s gaze, then looked up back to his husband. He had to stifle down the laugh.

They were wearing the same suit. Sure, Jongin’s had a decoration on the necktie, but the rest was identical.

“Well, one of us is gonna have to change.”

Kyungsoo smirked. Jongin’s serious expression was cracking as he tried not to smile. He was joking. Baekhyun must have caught that, because his lips pulled back in a lazy grin.

“I don’t know. I actually quite enjoy this. It’s like couple outfits.”

“Okay, gross. NingNing! Bring me the vest for this suit!”

Kyungsoo vaguely listened to the sound of stilettos in the distance as Jongin’s assistant rushed back to the changing rooms.

“Did I miss something? Why did no one tell me to bring a cowboy hat?”

“Excuse you, this is a fedora.”

Jongin just rolled his eyes as he slipped between them, comfortably sitting on the couch and throwing an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist. Then, he raised his eyebrows and directed them back to Baekhyun.

The hint of amusement was gone.

“Now, what was that about my children?”

“Daddy!”

The smile bloomed on his face faster than ever, all exhaustion evaporating at the sight of his little girl running towards him. He ducked down and spread his arms, letting Jia run straight into his embrace. She knocked the breath out of him, but that was alright.

Jia was almost bouncing in his arms. Her smile was wide and her big, wide eyes were sparkling. Her black hair was still pulled up in a tight bun on top of her head, neatly put into place by the helpful hands of the stylists in VOGUE’s headquarters earlier this morning.

“How was it,” Kyungsoo couldn’t contain his question anymore, although the answer was pretty evident on Jia’s face already. “Did you have fun?”

“So much fun,” Jia grinned and Kyungsoo slowly stood up, holding his daughter’s little hand as they started walking away from the academy. “Miss Jung is really nice, and the dance is so beautiful! There are other girls who already studied ballet before, but Miss Jung said I’m doing really well.”

“Really?” Kyungsoo’s own excitement grew as he watched his daughter eagerly nodding. Her eyes were practically sparkling from all the joy she was feeling. She was hopping along as they walked to the car.

“Really! I can’t wait to come back tomorrow,” Jia tugged on his arm and when Kyungsoo looked down, she raised a paper. “Miss Jung said to give this to you.”

“Oh?” Kyungsoo reached out to catch the paper. He almost dropped his car keys, trying to keep up with Jia’s excited hops. His eyes flashed through the paper. Tights, leotard, slippers….

“I want a tutu!” Jia exclaimed just as they reached the car. Kyungsoo opened the door for her and waited for her to climb into her booster seat. He reached down over her to secure the belt.

“A tutu?”

“One of the other girls had a tutu and it was so pretty. And another girl had a tiara!”

Kyungsoo hurried to round the car and get into the driver’s seat, before turning to look back at Jia. He raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure you even paid attention in class?” he raised an eyebrow. “You seem to have only focused on what the other girls were wearing.”

“Like dad.”

Kyungsoo had to try to conceal the snort. Well. She wasn’t completely wrong.

“You sure are your father’s daughter,” he sighed, the laughter bubbling in his chest. Then, he grinned. “Alright, then. We’ll go pick up Jisu from grandma’s, and then we will go home. You will show me and your dad what you learned today, and if we like it, we’ll get you a tutu. Deal?”

“And a tiara,” a wide grin stretched on Jia’s face, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help the adoration that coursed through him at the sight. He’d buy her a thousand tutus, if that’s what she wanted. “Deal!”

A little smile was tugging on his lips as he started the car, the thought of Jongin’s reaction at their daughter’s excitement for something he loved so dearly already swirling in his mind.

He felt the warmth surrounding them as the car rolled down the busy streets of Seoul, Jia’s animated and excited explanations from the backseat turning into the most soothing of all sounds.

“I can’t believe I missed him again today.”

Jongin’s sigh was loud and Kyungsoo heard it even before his husband had entered the living room. He pursed his lips as he watched Jongin dragging his feet towards him. There was a pout on his lips, and a crease forming between his eyebrows. He really seemed upset.

“You couldn’t help it,” Kyungsoo offered quietly, pushing one of the mugs with steaming tea towards Jongin. He watched as his husband sat down beside him, burying his face in his palms. He rubbed at his face with almost frustration.

“I can’t believe this. He is my son, and I barely get to see him because of work. I have literally caught him awake once this week. Once!”

Kyungsoo reached out, placing his hand on Jongin’s thigh. He squeezed hard, letting his husband know that he was there. That he understood.

It was a crazy time at VOGUE. After the new year celebrations, there were so many new campaigns and lines, so much work piling on their desks. With everything happening like this, they were grateful for the few hours Jia was spending every day at ballet school, they were grateful for their own parents taking care of Jisu.

The boy was not even two, yet he was filled with energy. He was running around, playing with everything his chubby little hands could reach. Yet, the majority of the day he was spending at Jongin’s parents. By the end of the day, the toddler was exhausted, and Kyungsoo would put him to bed, or pick him up from his grandparents’ house already asleep.

With all the work at VOGUE, Jongin had been coming back a little later than usual. Jisu was always asleep by then already. On some days, he’d catch Jia still, if he was lucky. The young ballerina excitedly spinning in the living room and giving Kyungsoo mini heart attacks every time she swung her hands too close to the vases was a sight Jongin still got to enjoy on some days.

“They’re both sleeping?”

“Like angels.”

Kyungsoo’s fingers squeezed Jongin’s thigh again reassuringly. He tried to give him his most encouraging smile.

“Things should get calmer in two weeks, love. It’s almost over.”

Jongin breathed in deeply, so deeply that Kyungsoo could practically feel him shake. Then, he watched his husband exhale slowly, as he lazily wrapped an arm around his shoulders. The familiar weight felt nice, the warmth of Jongin’s body so close to his – calming.

Jo