“Matthew,” she says, smile bright despite her exhaustion. She cradles the baby gently, bringing him closer to her . “I want to call him Matthew.”

He nods, the emotion of the moment blocking his throat. His eyes are swimming with tears – happy tears. After so ing long, so many failures and the heartbreak of realising it just wasn't going to happen...here he is. Their baby. A part of him and her. “I like it.” He tells her, voice hoarse. He stares at the baby, marvelling at just how wonderful he is, despite how much he resembles a tiny old man. Matthew. It suits him. “What made you choose that?”

She shrugs. She'd looked through all the baby names she could online, even remembered a few she'd considered for Shang, before she signed away the naming rights to Yixing – but until he was here, in her arms, none of them had felt right. “He looks like a Matthew,” she grins, before looking down at the baby, “and it's a biblical name. Mum'll be pleased.” Her lips twist, a wry expression on her face as she runs a finger down the newly-named Matthew's tiny nose. “She never did quite forgive me for naming my first baby after a Disney character. It was fine to have a baby out of wedlock with my two gay best friends, but name him something unusual – irresponsible!”

Joonmyun chuckles, well able to imagine his steely mother-in-law's exasperation. Kyungmi's mother is much like her daughter; they're both steadfast women who expect things done their way. “Oh, I'm sure she's forgiven you by now.” He rolls his eyes, completely ignoring hospital protocol when he sits down on the bed next to her. The baby lets out a cat-like mewl, disturbed by the sudden shift, but Kyungmi is quick to bounce him softly. It always worked with Shang; maybe it'll work with his brother.

He leans down to kiss the top of the baby's downy head, marvelling at how warm and alive he feels, kicking one of his tiny feet out of his blankets. “D'you reckon he's going to be as much trouble as his big brother?” He asks, while secretly hoping that Matthew doesn't turn out to be as much of a er as Shang was. It was like he had a radar, or something.

“Ha,” she laughs, shaking her head. “I'd like to say no, but that's not what babies are for, aren't they, huh?” She directs the rhetorical question to Matthew himself, knowing full well that she will not get more than five hours sleep for the next decade.

Matthew opens his mouth in response, as if trying to answer, but soon thinks better of it, nestling closer instead. They both coo, totally entranced by their baby. After so many years of watching other parents fall in love with their children, it's a new – and if he's honest – long-awaited experience for Joonmyun.

He loves Shang, Jongseok and Sunhwa as if they were his own, but it's different – they love him, too; he's a strange cross between parent and uncle in their minds – but they will never call him daddy.

Matthew will. Matthew is his and Kyungmi's – a mix of his genes and the wife he so adores – and he is perfect. He's another addition to this hodgepodge family – but this time, he's Joonmyun's addition.

And that feels amazing.

***

Yixing sticks his head around the doorway about half an hour later, looking harassed – as usual. “Er, are we allowed in yet, because the kids are begging us to see you and I'm not sure I can hold Jongseok back any more.”

As if on cue, they hear an unholy screech in the background, along with a bellow of “BUT I WANT MUMMY AND JOONMYUN, NOT YOU,” and a pained oof that sounds like it can only have come from Jongdae. The amused snicker is quite clearly Shang; Kyungmi would know her eldest son's derisive snort anywhere. It sounds a lot like hers, after all.

She's so proud.

Yixing sighs, a pained look on as his face as he draws back from the door. “Hang on a second.”

He disappears, and they look at one another for a moment, before bursting into laughter. The noise catches Matthew off-guard, and he stops staring around the room for a second to fuss, mirroring Jongdae's whimpers on the other side of the door.

Joonmyun shakes his head, amused. “I'll go let them in and see if Jongdae's okay. Jongseok's got quite an impressive right hook for a nine year old.” Kyungmi presses her lips together in an effort to stop the giggles; it's always funny to watch (or hear) her best friend get beaten up by his own children.

Though she does sympathise, having been on the receiving end of Jongseok's kicks herself. That boy does not know his own strength. He's incredibly cute, though, so she tends to forgive him – and then ask Jongdae just how he managed to produce such an adorable child when he has a face like a slapped arse. She never said she was a nice best friend.

Her husband slides off the bed as slowly as he can, because the baby's still fussing and he's about to be subjected to the most chaotic moment of his life so far – minus being pushed out of his mother's as she swore like a sailor – and it's best if he's calm. They still don't know how the kids are going to react to another, smaller addition to the family. Sunhwa's become quite used to being the baby of the family.

As soon as he opens the door, there's a happy squeal of “Joonie!” from Sunhwa, as he is assaulted by small child with glitter in her hair. He raises an eyebrow at Jongdae, who mouths 'don't ask' before admonishing his daughter for shouting. “Sunhwa, what did we say about yelling? Mummy is very tired, and the baby will be scared if you start screaming like that – “

He's interrupted when Jongseok eagerly pushes past Joonmyun to get into the small room, making a beeline for the bed and climbing on top of it without asking for permission. He grins at Kyungmi. “Hi mum!” He chirps happily. “Is that the new baby?” He inquires, scrabbling onto his knees to peer at the bundle in Kyungmi's arms. “Is he supposed to be that small?” He asks curiously, pulling the blanket away from Matthew's face so that he can have a proper look.

Kyungmi chuckles, shifting the baby into the crook of her right arm so that she can sling the other one around Jongseok's shoulders. “It's fine, darling. He's a baby, so he's meant to be small.” Matthew snuffles, but doesn't stir, looking up at Jongseok with big eyes.

Jongseok nods, open mouthed. He doesn't really remember much about Sunhwa when she was a baby, so this feels like something new. He wasn't very sure about this whole baby brother business, but now he's seen him – well, he doesn't look much of a threat. He's all small and wrinkly and red. Kind of purple, actually, which is cool. He'd like to be purple too.

“Okay,” he says, still staring at the baby in awe. “Can I hold him?”

“Wait just a minute,” Jongdae swoops in, a look of alarm on his face, because Jongseok with a small, delicate creature in his arms is never a good idea. “You punched me in the ba – the crotch...area, so I think, as punishment, you don't get to hold the baby today.”

Jongseok's little face screws up into an expression somewhere between indignation and heartbreak. “B-but daddy!” He wails, convinced this is the worst thing his parents have ever done, aside from taking away his pet frog.

“No buts,” Jongdae says firmly, looking to Yixing for support. “Bàba agrees, don't you, bàba?” Yixing nods from where he's standing, with an unusually mute Shang in one corner.

“You don't hit people, Jongseok.” Yixing pats Shang's arm for a second, before standing next to Jongdae with his arms crossed. “Especially not daddy. We've been through this.” So many times, he thinks wearily.

“That's not fair!” Jongseok shrieks, his fury setting off the baby, who begins crying in earnest. He yells louder to be heard over the cacophony, as Kyungmi tries to shh the baby by rocking him with one arm, and place a comforting hand on Jongseok's shoulder. “I didn't punch daddy! I didn't!”

Joonmyun, Jongdae and Yixing all give him a very hard look, well used to his lying. “Yes you did,” Sunhwa pipes up, still clinging to Joonmyun's leg. “I saw you. You punched him so hard he bleeded.”

“It's bled, darling, and daddy wasn't bleeding. Stop trying to get your brother into even more trouble.” Yixing says sharply, knowing exactly what his daughter is up to.

Jongseok turns his glare on his baby sister, who stares back, unimpressed. “She's the liar! Not me!”

This accusation enrages Sunhwa, who prefers to think of what she does as embellishing the truth a bit, rather than lying, and she flings herself at him. She crashes into the bed with a loud fwomp sound, pulling her brother down by his trousers.

She succeeds only in exposing his Spiderman underpants, but he slides to the floor anyway, unprepared for the attack. “I'M NOT A LIAR!” A tiny set of jaws clamps around Jongseok's wrist, and he convulses in pain. “TAKE THAT BACK!”

“Fine, okay, okay, you're not a li – ow!” He screams, rolling on the floor with his sister still attached to him. “Bàba! Daddy! Sto – ow!”

Both men sigh once more, sharing a single glance before they each grab one child without a word, and pull. Jongseok sobs in agony as Sunhwa's teeth are removed from his arm, and is dragged out of the room kicking and screaming, Shang watching interestedly from his corner. He enjoys watching his siblings get in trouble – it makes him look so much better in comparison.

He eyes the still-crying baby, however, with ill-disguised suspicion. He knows his mum and step-dad wanted a baby – even though he has no idea how long and how hard they tried – and that it's not meant to replace him. They have repeatedly told him that he will always mean the world to them.

But still – it's yet another sibling to compete with for attention, a baby that has two parents – his parents – who are together and not some weird and slightly tragic of friends who had a baby. His dads love him, he knows that – he's their first baby, their smart-alec eldest child and their successor in terms of musical ability. He's special to them. But with his mum, it's different – he's her baby, the child she gave birth to, her only one.

And now she has another one, and he's not such a big deal any more.

He watches as his mother bounces his new brother in her arms, glances at the besotted look on Joonmyun's face resentfully and wonders if they've ever looked at him like that. He wants to leave the room, to mutter something about seeing where his dads have got to and text his friends to see if they're doing anything fun.

It's not like they'll even notice. He shuffles towards the door, raking one hand through his over-long hair; it's almost past his jawline, but everyone's given up asking him to cut it. They know he won't.

“Shang?” His mother calls over the baby's incessant whining, a hint of panic in her voice. “Where are you going? You haven't even said hello yet.”

It's a perfectly innocent question, but to him it almost sounds like she's reprimanding him. The self-pitying side of him remarks that that's what it's going to be like from now on.

Joonmyun tears his eyes away from the baby for a second to give him that soulful, concerned look, and he grits his teeth. “Out.” He grinds out, shrugging. “There's no reason for me to be in here.”

His mother looks extremely hurt, and she swallows convulsively before holding the baby out for Joonmyun to take. “Hold him for a moment, would you?” She says huskily, before urging Shang over with one finger.

He just gives her a surly look and refuses to move. “What?” He shifts uncomfortably, knowing he's upset them but not quite able to feel remorse. They don't need him now they have this new kid, so what's the point in being nice?

“Why would there be no reason for you to be here?” His mother demands, eyes glittering. “You're my son, and this is your brother,” she tells him, gesturing to the fussy baby in Joonmyun's arms.

It's the wrong thing to say, because Shang stiffens and looks towards the door once more. “Yeah, but you have him now.” He refuses to look her in the eye, fingers clenching. He wishes that one of his fathers would come in, or even one of his siblings. He'd give anything to hug either one of his dads, even in public, because at least with them he can be sure they love him – they have to. He's the only one who has any sort of sway over his brother and sister.

His mother's face falls even further. “Shang...” She calls softly, patting the side of her bed. “Baby, come sit next to me.”

Joonmyun, sensing the tone of the room, juggles the baby in his hold and tilts his head towards the door. “I'll be outside.” He claps one hand on Shang's skinny shoulder, squeezing briefly. “See you in a second.” He wants to say something further, to show Shang his brother and declare that he might have a new son, but that Shang will always be his favourite golf-buddy and that he loves him, but he knows that the boy needs to hear it from his mother first.

Shang is – and always has been – a massive mummy's boy.

He walks over hesitantly when the door swings shut, not entirely sure he's going to like this conversation, but as soon as he sits down, his mother pulls him close so that his head is lying against her chest. She hugs him tightly – so tightly that he can't breathe – and presses about fifty kisses on top of his messy hair. “You silly, silly boy,” she murmurs, resting her cheek against his hair. “How could you think I wouldn't want you, eh? You're my baby just as much as your brother, you're my first baby. My miracle baby who wasn't supposed to happen, remember?”

“But so is he.” Shang mumbles, hiding his face against her chest. His lashes are a little wet, but he can't wipe them off.

“Oh, but you really were a surprise,” she kisses the top of his head again, relishing the chance to cuddle her nearly-teenage son. He's been avoiding hugs as of late, because he's too 'old'. “And you were here first. He's never going to have that, now is he?”

He sniffles. “I guess not...”

She leans back, pushing his chin up so that he looks her full in the face. She gazes at him for a moment, eyes searching his. “You...” she swallows, thick with emotion, “you are so, so special. You are my baby and you always will be, no matter how big and tall you get, whatever happens. I could never stop loving you, you hear me?” He blinks, and she shakes him slightly, before wrapping him in her arms again. “Never,” she whispers, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek.

. It's the post-baby tears multiplied a hundred. They may never stop. She tries to ignore the sudden flow of tears, but when Shang mutters “I love you, mum,” she chokes.

“I love you too, baby. So much.” She murmurs. “So, so much.”

***

By the time everyone troops back in – and Jongseok and Sunhwa have been forced to apologise in unison – Jongdae has stolen the baby from Joonmyun, and is delighted by the fact he seems to like him. It's surprising, because his own children were always rather hostile newborns.

“So what's the little guy's name, then?” He asks, Yixing making faces at the baby over his shoulder, as Sunhwa stands on tippy-toes to get a glimpse of this strange new thing.

Kyungmi smiles at Joonmyun from the bed, squeezing Shang's shoulder. He's still sat next to her, eyeing the baby nervously. “His name is Matthew,” she announces, holding her hand out for Joonmyun to take. He interlinks his fingers with hers, smiling just as broadly as she is. “Matthew Kim.”

Yixing looks around the room at all four of the children. “It's weird how they're all Kims despite having different dads.” He declines to mention that Sunhwa's technically a Zhang; they made the decision to give her Jongdae's surname so that she was the same as her brothers, and because Kim-Zhang just sounded weird.

“Well, we are the same family,” Shang interjects. “So it kind of fits, really.”

It's at this point that Kyungmi begins to sob again, so everyone converges into a group hug. It almost feels like the perfect ending to some cutesy sitcom – that is until the baby cries because he wants his mother and Shang pushes Jongseok out of the hug.

“Stop touching me, dip!” Jongseok ends up on his bottom, lip trembling because all he was doing was putting an arm around his brother. He wasn't even poking him! It's not fair. It's never fair.

“You're the dip!” He yells back, scrambling upwards.

“No, you are!”

“No, you are!”

“Just admit you're a dip, Jongseok, everyone knows you are.”

“No I'm not! Dad, tell him, I'm not a dip!”

Jongdae sighs. One moment. That's all he's asking. One bloody moment of peace. Is it too much to ask for them to stop arguing, hitting or biting people? “Shang, stop calling your brother a dip.”

Face hidden under several different pairs of arms, and reaching for the baby, Kyungmi smiles. It's nice to know that her family will never change.

Besides, it doesn't feel right if someone isn't screaming.

I've had this written for a while, but I've held off posting it because I wasn't sure I was ready to introduce this little plot diversion. I've tried to make it so that he fits into the timeline I already have, and if you're wondering why he's never been mentioned before - that was deliberate, in case I decided I didn't want to add him in! But it's half five in the morning, I haven't been able to sleep all night and it's my birthday. Why not celebrate it with some imaginary character's.