Little Taozi was busy. He was not to be disturbed or interrupted. The little 2 year old was furiously working on Valentine’s gifts; one for his mommy, one for his daddy, and one for his bestest friend in the whole entire universe.

Tao’s original plan was to make cards for his 3 favorite people in the world but then he noticed that all the other kids were doing the same thing and Tao had to be different! He was determined to make the biggest, bestest, beautifullest cards!

And this is how we find little Tao sitting at a table by himself, surrounded by glitter and sticker hearts and crayons. When he told the nice lady who was in charge what his plans were, she grinned and helped him gather all the supplies he would need. She even cut the cards into hearts for him since they couldn’t find paper that was big enough to make special cards.

Tao had already drawn all the designs on each card and the nice lady had written out all the messages he wanted to say so he was now trying to copy the handwriting as best as his 2 year old abilities would allow. When he finally finished writing out the messages (1 in Chinese and 2 in Korean- thanks to the nice lady) Tao happily began rubbing a glue stick all over the insides of each card before dumping entirely too much glitter on the sticky spaces.

The final result was 3 cards and 1 baby covered in glitter. How it got in his hair, no one knows.

Tao beamed as he carefully put the lid back on the glitter tub, sliding the almost empty tub to the side of the table and out of his way. Then he picked up the foam hearts and the pretty sequin thingies that the nice lady gave him and began sticking them in random places on his cards. 15 minutes later and Tao proclaimed himself done.

Still beaming, Tao carefully set his cards down and impatiently waited for them to dry completely.

When he deemed them dry, Tao grabbed the plastic bag from the edge of the table and slid the cards into it before zipping it carefully and walking out of the arts-and-crafts room of the daycare center to find the nice lady.

When the lady was done laughing at Tao’s glitter-covered body, she followed him back into the room and helped him clean up and put everything away. Once everything was clean, Tao walked back to the main room and went to a corner to patiently wait for the day to end, ignoring all the other little kids who were running around and acting like animals.

Another nice lady finally clapped her hands 45 minutes later to announce that it was time to clean up so everyone can go home. Tao didn’t move and watched everyone run around, throwing things into bins and buckets.

A few minutes later, he heard his best friend.

“TAAOOOOOZZZZZIIIIIIII!!!!!”

Tao grinned and grabbed his little book-bag and the plastic bag before darting out of the room and into the hallway to glomp his best friend.

3 year old Baekhyun was grinning as he fell to the floor with his bestest friend on top of him. They hugged each other tightly as if they hadn’t seen each other in years, even though they were just down the hall from each other in different daycare groups.

Tao pulled away and stood up, grabbing Baekhyun’s hand and helping him up too.

“I made you something!”

Baekhyun’s smile grew even brighter, “I made you something too! Well no, I didn’t actually make it, but I got it for you!”

Tao beamed, “Me first!”

He carefully picked up the plastic bag he dropped in his haste to hug Baekhyun. He stuck his hand in the bag and grabbed Baekhyun’s card before slowly pulling it out and showing it to his best friend.

Baekhyun’s eyes looked like tiny slits as he smiled at the heart-shaped Valentine’s Day card.  He held it to his chest with one arm while he pulled his best friend in for another hug with the other. Tao happily hugged him back before pulling away again, “What’d you get me?”

Baekhyun pulled his book bag off his shoulder and sat it on the floor in front of him, ping it all the way before carefully sliding the card in. Then he reached his arm all the way and grabbed the small bag from the bottom. He pulled it out with a grin, “Cookies!”

Tao squealed happily as Baekhyun handed him the bag of heart-shaped cookies covered in icing. Then he pouted a little, “My card’s not as good as cookies, though.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No, no! Your card is much better than cookies! Now I have something from you forever!”

Tao looked doubtful for a moment, “But I should have gotten cookies.”

Baekhyun smiled before reaching in and pulling out another bag of cookies, “I got two! Ok? So pretend you gave me these, ok?”

Tao’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped, Baekhyun got 2 bags! He nodded, “Ok, Baekkie!”

They grinned at each other as they put their gifts into the book bags and headed to the front door of the building to wait for their parents. They sat down on the edge of the steps, off to the side of the doors so they wouldn’t get trampled by all the people coming and going.

When Chanyeol and Kris arrived 10 minutes later, they laughed as they saw both toddlers huddled together, munching on cookies and whispering. Chanyeol parked the car and both men got out to sit with the 2 kids.

Baekhyun stood up and climbed into Kris’ lap, making himself comfortable as Tao did the same to Chanyeol. Both men chuckled as they scooted closer together so the 2 babies were within touching distance.

“Taozi, why do you have glitter all over you?”

Tao looked up at Kris and blinked, eyes widening in a way that made Chanyeol want to squeal.

“I do?”

Chanyeol chuckled and ruffled Tao’s hair, chuckling at the little boy’s amazed face when he saw the shower of glitter from his head. 

Baekhyun shrieked and reached his hands out, trying to catch all the glitter.

“Baek what are you doing?” Kris asked.

Baekhyun began rubbing his glittery hands all over his clothes, “I wanna be like Tao! I need more glitter!

He quickly scrambled forward and ran his hands through Tao’s hair and rubbed his hands furiously all over his own head.

Kris quickly grabbed Baekhyun’s hands to stop him from making a huge mess, “Baek, no. Glitter is very hard to clean up. Don’t put anymore on.”

Baekhyun pouted and crossed his arms, huffing and slumping back into Kris’ lap and leaning backwards against his chest. Kris smiled a little as he wrapped one arm around Baekhyun’s waist.

Chanyeol was still trying to wipe glitter from Tao’s clothes, “So little Taozi, where are your parents?

Tao’s shoulders shot up before slumping down in the universal ‘I don’t know’ gesture. Chanyeol smiled as he held Tao’s shirt and began shaking it a little, glitter falling like rain.

Tao stood up when he felt large hands nudge him forward and he was turned around so Chanyeol could wipe a hand down the front of his clothes, knocking all the glitter that had pooled in his lap to the ground.

When most of the glitter was gone, Chanyeol wrapped his arms around Tao and pulled him back down into his lap to cuddle him. Tao grinned as he let himself be coddled and babied.

The 4 were silent as they waited for Tao’s parents, who showed up 5 minutes later.

Lay quickly climbed out of the car and hurried over, “I’m so sorry! I was stuck at work and they weren’t trying to let us go and ugh! Thanks for watching Tao, guys. We really appreciate it.”

Chen walked up the steps, laughing as Tao quickly stood up and ran towards him, shrieking and squealing, “DAAADDYYY!”

Tao was lifted up and swung around before he was put back on the ground. As soon as his feet were on the ground, he took off to Lay, “PAAAAAPAAAAA!!”

Lay continued to pout, even when Tao threw his arms around him and kissing his face. Lay finally gave in, laughing and hugging his son tightly.

Chanyeol and Kris stood up, a yawning Baekhyun wiggling around in Kris’ arms. Kris let Baekhyun down so he could give Tao a good-bye hug.

The 2 toddlers stood there, hugging each other like they weren’t going home to the same neighborhood, 3 houses apart from each other.

Lay chuckled as he pulled Tao away, he pulled his hands back, confused, “Taozi, why are you all covered in glitter?”

Tao looked down, “I made daddy and baba presents.”

Chen scooped the 2 year old into his arms, smiling at him, “It’s ok, we’ll get you all clean when we get home. Then we can have icecream, ok?”

Tao was beaming again. He threw his arms around his daddy’s neck and clung to him, squealing, “Yay!”

Lay chuckled at his husband and son before turning to Baekhyun and company.

“We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

Chanyeol smiled, Baekhyun nodding off in his arms, “Yep! Tomorrow’s my day to drop them off.”

Kris nodded, “Yeah, let’s get this little man home so he can get a bath and go to sleep.”

Baekhyun blinked sleepily at his father, feeling as if he was being talked about. Kris smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Baekhyun smiled at him, laying his head back on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

The 2 families parted ways, Lay and Chen walking away to their car parked down the street.

Chen buckled Tao into his car seat and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Ok, time to go home. What do you want for dinner?”

“Ice-cream!”

Lay glared at Chen who was chuckling.

Chen cleared his throat, “No, baby. Ice-cream isn’t dinner.”

“Mac-n-cheese!”

Both Lay and Chen chuckled, Tao was so full of energy. When Chen pulled into their driveway, Lay got out and unbuckled Tao, picking him up and carrying him up to the front door.

Chen locked the car and walked to the front door, unlocking it so his husband and son could get in and take their shoes off.

As soon as Tao’s shoes were put away, he booked it into the kitchen and stood in front of the sink, ready to wash his hands and help fix dinner.

Chen went upstairs to handle some last minute business calls and Lay followed Tao into the kitchen to prepare a nice mean of mac-n-cheese and broccoli and corn. 

Once dinner was ready, Tao called his dad back downstairs so the little family of 3 could eat together.

After they all finished eating and cleaning the kitchen, Tao ran to grab his presents from his book bag by the door.

He carried his plastic bag into the living room and settled himself in between his 2 parents, grinning the entire time.

Tao carefully pulled both heart-shaped cards from the plastic bag and handed them to each dad. Chen laughed as he handed the card written in Chinese to his husband. Lay chuckled as he switched cards with Chen, over the head of a pouting Tao.

Both parents read over the card, interpreting what they assumed Tao meant. When they finished, they both turned to a nervous Tao, who was playing with his fingers.

Lay bent down and kissed Tao’s cheek, “I love it. It’s the best Valentine’s gift I’ve ever gotten.”

Tao looked like a little puppy, so hopeful, “Really?”

Lay’s smile grew wider, “Of course! I’m going to hang these up on the refrigerator and you need to go get ready for a bath, you still have a lot of glitter all over you!”

Tao nodded, scrambling off the couch and up the stairs to take his clothes off and put them in the laundry basket.

Lay turned to Chen, who was still smiling as he reread his card. Chen looked up and grinned at Lay, “Dambi helped him.”

Lay chuckled and nodded, pressing a chaste kiss to Chen’s cheek before standing up and taking the cards to hang them up.

Chen stood up and followed him into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Lay’s waist and kissing the back of his neck as he gave him a back hug.

Lay patted Chen’s arms before turning around and pressing their lips together. Chen’s tongue slid across the seam of Lay’s lips, asking for permission that Lay was all too happy to give.

The 2 grown men were well into a makeout session when they heard a little irritated voice.

“DADDY! BABA! I WANT MY BATH NOW!”

The 2 parents pulled away, chuckling at their spoiled baby.

Chen started the bath and added enough soap to get bubbles everywhere while Lay playfully chased a shrieking Tao around the upstairs of the house.

When the bath was ready, Lay snatched Tao into his arms and walked him into the bathroom, where Chen was waiting with Tao’s bath toys.

Lay put Tao in the tub and Tao happily splashed around for a few seconds before looking up at his parents.

“Get in?”

Lay chuckled, “No baby, we’re not the dirty ones. You are.”

Tao scooted to the edge of the tub and rubbed his glittery hair all over Lay’s face. He pulled back, beaming, “Now papa has to get in! See? Dirty!”

Chen grinned as Lay stripped and stepped into the tub, making himself comfortable behind a wiggling, grinning Tao.

Lay pinched Tao’s cheek, “You are definitely your father’s child.”

At this, both Chen and Lay stuck their tongues out. It was then that Tao noticed that one of his dads was not in the tub. He turned his mischievous eyes onto his dad.

Before he could even do anything, Chen was pulling his shirt over his head and standing up to pull his pants down.

He stepped into the tub, sliding in behind a smirking Lay.

Tao squealed and clapped, extremely happy that he had both his parents in the tub with him.

Lay poked Tao’s little chest, “Ok, little mister. Time to get clean.”

Tao nodded, still smiling as his papa began scrubbing him down with a loofa.

“Close your eyes and hold your breath.”

Tao was dunked under water to get rid of all the soap. When he came back up, he wiped the hair out of his eyes and beamed up at his daddies.

Chen chuckled, “Ok one more.”

The little family of 3 spent a little while in the tub, laughing and playing as Lay tried to get as much glitter off Tao as possible.

It might not have been the most expensive Valentine’s Day, but it was definitely one of their most treasured memories. 

A/N: DON'T SHOOT. I SWEAR THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN BUT I ACTUALLY GOT A VALENTINE'S GIFT SO MY BRAIN JUST KINDA SORTA- ok why am i in all caps? calm down kai. anyway. IF YOU'RE SUBSCRIBED TO EXOERGIC THEN THERE SHOULD BE AN UPDATE IN LIKE 1-2 HOURS.- there i go in caps again -_- anywho. Happy White Day (Valentine's Day for those non-Koreans haha) (happy thursday and singles awareness day to the rest of you who hate V-day)

much love muchachos <3 

p.s i love all of you and i hope you dont hate me too much