“I’m tired, I want to go to bed.”

He knows he should have expected.

Watching wordlessly as he enters their bedroom leaving him standing on the landing alone and slightly chastised. The door closed just a little harder than usual. Wincing inwardly he went down the stairs and walked into the kitchen with his head down in chicken in the rain style.

“Hey Appa!”

His head snapped up instantly and took in the sight of his teenage son pottering about in the kitchen getting a late night snack.

“Hey son. What are you doing up so late?”

“Stealing some cookies.” His son gave him a gummy grin.

“Ummhmm.” He mumbled as he sat down at the dining table and stare at the sandwich which was to be his dinner. Somehow the wilted lettuce leaf and shriveled ham did nothing to improve his appetite, or his mood.

“That bad huh?” His son intrudes upon his thoughts.

“Yeah.” He mumbled forlornly at his chest.

“Kyuppa will be fine eventually, you know?”

“I know, Hyukkie. But until then ~”

“You really can’t blame Kyuppa.”

“Yeah, I know, I don’t…..” He sighed heavily.

“You had been shot twice. And yet tonight you still chose to do what you did.” His son’s tone took on a trace of anxiety. “What were you thinking, Appa?”

“I – things just got carried away.” He spread his arms out in a helpless gesture. “All I was thinking about was how to get the hostages out without losing them. And I had on a helmet and bullet-proofed vest.”

“But the work you do now do not require you to be in a helmet and bullet-proof vest!”

“Things just got carried away, son.”

“….”

“Hey, come here.” He motioned for his son to come closer and the teenage sidled up obediently. “You were scared too, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.” The young teen nodded with open honesty. “But somehow I know you are gonna come through ok.”

“Thanks son!” His heart soared and he reached out to grab his son into a bear hug.

“Hey Appa! Appa! Let me go! This is embarrassing!” His son wriggled about giggling till his father let go.

“Let me tuck you in tonight?” The father asks hopefully.

“I have to finish the cookies, log off, pack my school bag and brush my teeth.”

“No problem, tell me when you’re ready.”

“Ok Appa!”

@

“Flowers for Kyuhyun-ssi!” The deliveryman standing on the porch stoop announces with a cheerful smile.

“Oh, yes, thank you.” Handing over the signed delivery sheet and accepting the large bouquet which at a glance told him included a spray of blood red roses and white lilies.

Closing the door, he turned and is immediately confronted by the sight of flowers in every imaginable crevice in the house. With a soft sigh he tries to remember where he left an old crystal vase his grandmother-in-law had gifted them as a wedding present.

Loud footsteps came running down the stairs towards him, noisy chatter followed.

“Kyuppa!”

“Kyu-ahjussi!”

“Boys.” He acknowledged with a smile. “Where are you boys heading?”

“We are going to the arcade, Hae is going to show me his new nifty dance steps on the dance machine!”

“Are you coming home for dinner?”

“We’ll just grab some burgers before heading to the library.”

“Hyukkie is staying over at my place tonight!”

"We have to cram for a chemistry test.” 

“Ok boys.” He smiled again. “Be careful, and call if you need help!”

“Ok, Kyuppa!”

“Thank you, Kyu-ahjussi!”

Closing the door behind them, the two teenagers head down the lane towards the bus stop.

“Tell me again why you are staying over?”

“My Appa and Kyuppa need some time alone!”

“Ooooh…….your appa did something wrong again huh?”

A roll of eyes said it all. “I love my appa, but I swear that man is drafter than an empty house with broken windows most of the time.”

“It’s daft, Hyukkie.” Donghae giggles.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Your dad’s so cool! Appa, umma and I were watching him on tv the other night! He was negotiating with the hostage taker to rescue the hostages!”

“Yeah, he’s cool like that.” Hyukjae agrees. “But I and Kyuppa prefer him less cool and alive.”

@

Kyuhyun is all dressed up in a midnight black suit completed with a muted pink silk tie, gold cufflinks and beautifully polished leather shoes. His hair is perfectly coiffed, and he has on the platinum watch which he only wore on special occasions.

“I’m not in the mood.” He declares woodenly as they sat in the car outside one of the most expensive and happening restaurant in town.

In the driver’s seat sat his partner in a cease-proof dark blue suit, string tie and desert ankle boots. His hands rest on the steering wheel, the emerald set in his thick silver wedding ring twinkle merrily when lights from passing headlights shone briefly. He bit down on his lower lip to prevent a sigh from escaping.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. I’m just not prepared to face this dog and pony show, or the huge bill that will no doubt follow. Besides, I packed a picnic basket.”

Silence.

“Please, Wonnie.”

“Ok, baby, where do you wanna go?”

“Let’s go to the beach.”

The seaside is empty but ambient-lighted by the full moon. After pulling up as close to the sand as possible, they alight and stood looking out at the sea in silence.

“The basket is in the back compartment.”

“I’ll get it.”

Gone and back in a few moments, Siwon starts unravelling the contents of the basket on the flat hood of his car. There is 4 individually wrapped sandwiches the size of his fist, two kinds of salad, a cheese platter, chocolate-dipped strawberries and a bottle of champagne. Kyuhyun’s anger obviously has not extended to his cooking, and for that Siwon is very grateful.

“I made chicken and beef brisket.” Kyuhyun said coolly.

“Mmm….”

“Which one do you want to start with?” Kyuhyun asks with a blank face.

“It’s a sin to eat perfectly good food while we are still fighting.”

“We are not fighting.”

“You are angry with me.”

“Is it not justified?”

“Give me the brisket first.” Siwon replied biting back a tired sigh as he accepts the sandwich he is handed.

For the next 10 minutes they ate in silence. Waves crashing on the sand provided background music.

“Pass the salad please.” Siwon spoke up after finishing his sandwich and finds a disposable container shove in his face.

“Mmm……very nice.” He couldn’t help commenting.

“Thank you.” A stiff reply came back to him.

Again silence settles around them as they ate. Putting down the empty container, Siwon reached for a strawberry and put it into his mouth before chewing with a total satisfied look on his face.

“Will you consider not being angry with me any longer?” He tries again.

“What do you want from me, Wonnie?”

“I ~”

“I married you, I cook for you, I took care of your son, I made love to you.”

“You made me sound like a housepet.” Siwon grumbles.

“I do not make love to the housepet.” Kyuhyun snaps.

“I ~”

“I made love to you, Wonnie. Isn’t that enough for you to consider my feelings before you do something totally dangerous?”

“….”

Kyuhyun seethes in anger at his partner’s reluctance to commit.

“I promise I won’t do anything to endanger my life again.” Siwon finally said.

“I don’t believe you.” Came the reply quick as lightning.

“You are smart enough not to believe me.” Siwon said dryly.

“And stop sending flowers, the house resembles a funeral parlour.” Kyuhyun remarks calmly.

“At least there is no body.” Siwon joked weakly but withered immediately when his significant other half shot him a death glare.

A period of silence follows. Siwon picks up the bottle of champagne and Kyuhyun nodded for him to open it. Soon they were sipping champagne and nibbling on plump juicy strawberries generously coated with chocolate.

“You know what?” Siwon asks.

“What?”

“In a moment of guilt, I called the travel agency and booked us and Hyukkie a trip to Europe.”

“You did what?”

He finally got Kyuhyun’s attention and chuckles proudly. The tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth told Siwon that he did something right this time.

“Took you a bucket of guilt to pay for a vacation, hyung?” Kyuhyun teased with a straight face.

“I figured what the heck, we haven’t been on a vacation since Hyukkie was 2.” Siwon smiled.

“Are you sure you will be able to get vacation time off?”

“After being the hero last night, it will not be difficult.”

The silence that befalls them this time is no longer awkward. Kyuhyun had scooted closer and allowed himself to be wrapped in Siwon’s embrace. A gust of cold wind blew at them from the sea and he snuggles deeper against the broad warm chest.

“I am so excited about our trip.” Kyuhyun murmurs softly. “We never brought Hyukkie on a trip before.”

“Uh huh….”Siwon smiles as his thoughts wanders off. He tightens his grip just a little bit more, wondering idly how a man like him deserves such a beautiful lover and enjoy such beautiful moments in his otherwise sordid life as a homicide detective.

“I’m glad we gave the dinner a miss and did this instead. This is so much better.” Siwon whispers into Kyuhyun’s hair. “You always know to do all the right things.”

“Mmm…” The younger man in his arms murmurs non-committably. Feeling Siwon pull apart, he raised his head too.

“Thank you for being my 'wife'.” Siwon said in a soft whisper coupled with a dimpled smile filled with love and gratitude as he looks into those brown orbs that had captured his soul at first sight.

“Thank you for being alive.” Kyuhyun whispers back as he moves closer for a kiss.