Attachment

by BabyMakingFest

Summary:

Baekhyun is running down on his luck and Jongdae convinces him to make a profile on a surrogate website. He never expected to get an offer, but when a wealthy couple messages him, he realizes he's in for more than just being a human incubator.

Notes:

Code : BMF356/2020
Pairing : Baekhyun/Chanyeol/Kyungsoo
Carrier : Baekhyun
Pregnancy : Any of the two (Pre/during pregnancy or Post pregnancy)
Babies : Only one

Prompt : Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are a rich couple in a very huge house but its really poor in the same time because Kyungsoo can't be blessed by a child so he suggested hiring a surrogate.
But both of them falling in love with the broke but kind surrogate wasn't in their plan.

 

Author's Note : Writing this fic was an absolute doozy.

 

 

 

It was a crazy idea. Absolutely insane, but with the way his kitchen was empty and the fact that he’d just lost another part time job, it was looking more and more appealing.

Plus, there were only about three days until they cut his lights off, so Baekhyun figured he’d better make a move and do it quickly.

The final straw was when his stomach growled and he gave a miserable glance to the last few bowls of ramen he had to make last over the next few days.

If the ad was anything like promised, he would be able to live in the lap of luxury and eat whatever he wanted to his heart’s content for nine months straight.

It would be his longest record of being financially stable. Truly a crowning achievement.

“Fuck it, I’ll do it.” There was no one in his shoebox apartment besides him, so he was definitely just talking to himself, but he hoped verbally putting the words out there would give him the luck he needed.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

It took almost all the money on his transport card to get to the arranged meeting place, but he was hopeful.

Hopeful that his stunningly good looks and charm and—wait, that was too cringey even for him, cringe-extraordinaire—well, Baekhyun just hoped the couple liked him.

He didn’t look too bad in his—pilfered from Jongdae—button up shirt from a designer he couldn’t pronounce and a pair of relaxed fitting slacks. He even went through the trouble of attempting to style his hair and it hadn’t turned out half bad if he did say so himself.

The richer the area, the more mirrors that were scattered everywhere and Baekhyun caught several glimpses of himself.

He would definitely artificially inseminate himself.

Wait, that was gross.

Well, whatever, it’s not like it mattered. These people were offering housing, food and medical care for the simple task of carrying their child. This wasn’t about Baekhyun liking himself.

This was about them liking him and for his own sake, he really was hoping they did.

He hadn’t had a good meal in a week, but when the doors of the elevator opened up into one of those fancy, yet not too fancy, restaurants, he knew that was gonna change.

Even if they didn’t pick him, he’d eat enough to be able to stretch his ramen another day. So, it was kind of a win.

 

The maitre’d eyed him carefully and her eyes hardened, “do you have a reservation?” There was no friendliness in her voice, but Baekhyun didn’t give a fuck as he caught wind of the heady smell of steak.

God, it’d been so long since he had the sweet taste of beef.

“Uh, under Park-Do.” The woman looked unconvinced as she looked down at the tablet in front of her.

It must’ve been near the top, because she made a sour expression, then summoned a waiter on her earpiece. Within a few seconds, a handsome young man appeared and ushered him toward where Baekhyun presumed the couple was waiting.

As he followed behind the man, he definitely got stares that mirrored the ones the maitre’d had given him, but he ignored them and kept walking.

When they’d breezed past all the general seating, Baekhyun actually looked up, watching as the waiter opened the door to a private room.

Wow, these people were loaded and it made Baekhyun just that much more nervous.

 

Chanyeol squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand so hard, it made his wedding ring dig into his skin.

He was nervous. They both were.

“You really think this’ll work out?” Kyungsoo wasn’t sure how to respond, so he rubbed soothing circles on top of Chanyeol’s hand.

“The best we can do is try. It really can’t hurt.” Chanyeol gave a nervous nod and squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand again, albeit lighter that time.

Kyungsoo was about to say something else, but then he saw the man from the messages walking into the room.

When Baekhyun reached out after seeing their ad, Kyungsoo had insisted he send several pictures, as well as a video, to prove his identity before they spoke further.

Without complaint, the man had sent everything necessary and even offered more, much to Kyungsoo’s satisfaction. Now, as Baekhyun approached them, the nerves finally hit him like a truck.

Standing in an ill-fitting button-up, wrinkled slacks with somewhat of a baby face, was Byun Baekhyun. The possible surrogate for their baby.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo stood up from their seats and Kyungsoo bowed first, “nice to finally meet you in person, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol followed a few seconds later and Baekhyun mirrored their bows, albeit more nervous.

Ironically, because Baekhyun was so nervous, it quelled some of Kyungsoo’s nerves. This was already off to a good start and Baekhyun hadn’t even spoken much.

 

Introductions were already done, so they immediately launched into what they expected, as well as everything they were offering.

“So, let me get this straight. Assuming my bloodwork comes back agreeable, you’re offering a place to live, food, and fully paid medical expenses?” Kyungsoo nodded and slid a thick stack of papers across the table.

“This has everything written in detail. Any questions that you might have about this arrangement will be answered here.” Baekhyun eyed the document and made a show of flipping through it and skimming the pages. He wasn’t actually reading it though, because he’d already made up his mind to sign it as soon as he had stepped into the private room and saw the couple.

This couple, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, looked like nice people and if they were providing a place to live and food, he was down and willing to do anything he had to.

Looking up from the papers, Baekhyun leaned back into his chair with a small smile, “how soon can we go get the bloodwork done?”

“So, you’re certain you want to do this? With us, I mean?” The taller of the two men, Chaneyeol, finally spoke.

For some reason, Baekhyun hadn’t expected him to have such a deep voice, so he jumped in surprise.

Immediately, Chanyeol looked regretful but just as he was about to apologize, Kyungsoo silently shook his head and Chanyeol’s lips pressed together.

Nevermind that he was startled. Kyungsoo was right. Chanyeol shouldn’t have to apologize for something he couldn’t change.

“Absolutely. There’s nothing that I want to do more, actually.” And he meant it.

The wide grin that stretched across Chanyeol’s face was infectious and Baekhyun found himself smiling wide too as he took the pen from the top of the documents and signed each page denoted with colored tape. He also fished his stamp out his pocket and pressed it to the last page.

“Well then, we can go to the hospital together and do it after we finish lunch. I’m friends with one of the doctors and he can get us your results in a few hours.”

Wow, that fast, Baekhyun thought to himself. He nodded and slid the stack of papers back toward Kyungsoo.

The shorter man looked over the papers, showed them to Chanyeol, then he finally cracked a smile. It was small, but from the way his eyes twinkled as he stared at Chanyeol, it was obvious it meant a lot. Kyungsoo definitely didn’t look like someone who smiled much.

“Thank you so much for doing this,” Chanyeol spoke, his voice quieter than before. He was still smiling and his eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

Watching Kyungsoo rub a comforting hand down his back made Baekhyun’s chest ache and he looked away, feeling like he was watching something intimate.

The contract he’d just signed gave him only a glimpse into a life he’d never have, so he tried to think about something else.

Like how he could convince Jongdae to treat him to one last round of drinks and sushi before he had to avoid both for almost a year.

 

The car ride with the couple was quiet and Baekhyun noted how Chanyeol seemed to have an interesting taste in cars. For one, it was a German import and there weren’t many on the street, so it stood out.

From the darkly tinted windows, Baekhyun could see people stopping to give the car an admirative glance or two. They were in a richer area, so the people staring probably just thought the color was pretty and weren’t all that impressed. Or at least, that’s what Baekhyun assumed.

They didn’t talk much during the ride and he felt compelled to play with his phone, instead, he just marveled at how useless cellphones were when one didn’t have any data. He couldn’t even play any of his games, so he was forced to look around the spotless car.

He saw small hands reach and turn up the music, filling the car up with Motown classics.

Baekhyun wasn’t any less nervous than before, so when a song he knew started, he began to hum. Neither Chanyeol or Kyungsoo said a thing, though he swore he saw Chanyeol’s big eyes staring at him in the rearview mirror in shock.

“Do you sing, Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo was still using formal language with him and it made him feel kind of weird, so he mentioned it, “yeah, I’m a real noraebang and shower superstar. Also, you can speak informally with me. I’m hopefully going to give birth to your child eventually, so it’d be better if we were able to speak comfortably with each other, like friends.”

The pink flush that colored Kyungsoo’s cheeks as he apologized to Baekhyun was really cute.

 

The flicker in Baekhyun’s facial expression didn’t go unnoticed by either man as Chanyeol handed the valet his keys at the hospital.

He wasn’t an open book by any means, but not completely unreadable either. Kyungsoo figured he’d need a little more time before he could pick at Baekhyun’s brains and figure him out.

As discussed, Yixing welcomed them at the entrance and led them to a private room where everything for the test was set up.

“Thank you again for doing this. I really appreciate it.” Yixing nodded at Kyungsoo with that soft smile of his and softly instructed Baekhyun on what they were going to need from him, what they were going to do and where Kyungsoo and Chanyeol would be waiting.

Baekhyun awkwardly waved at them, then followed behind Yixing.

“His voice is so nice. You think he’ll sing for us sometime?” Kyungsoo gave an affirming squeeze to Chanyeol’s clammy hands and Chanyeol laid his head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “You think he’ll sing to the baby too?”

Kyungsoo hadn’t meant to freeze the way he did, but the mental image of Baekhyun sitting in the room they’d already designated the nursery, singing a soft song to his round belly—their baby—was almost too much.

It stole his breath.

And made him hope harder than he ever had that all of this worked out. He couldn’t imagine anyone else doing this for—with—them. But, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—say it out loud.

Not yet.

 

All of the tests were relatively easy and after Dr. Zhang personally drew his blood, he gave him some juice and a cookie despite Baekhyun telling him he ate before coming.

“Consider it as a thank you for doing this for them. They’ve probably already told you, but they’ve been trying for almost three years and haven’t had any luck. I know they want this so badly.” Baekhyun shoved the cookie into his mouth and chewed it quietly so he could hear Yixing’s words.

He definitely wasn’t going to turn down more free food.

 

As promised, the results of the tests were back faster than Baekhyun had ever seen and he wondered if this is what being wealthy and well connected was like.

Having things at the snap of a finger.

If it was, then could they—whoever in the universe decided who was rich and who was poor—possibly give him another look to see if he could move up a few tax brackets?

“Everything came back normal and fine, though you are a bit underweight for your height and age,” Baekhyun flushed in embarrassment and looked away, having expected as much with his current eating arrangements.

His clothes hid it well, but after his recent bout of bad luck, he’d lost some weight. If his mom saw him now, she’d probably complain and try to shove containers of food at him, maybe even try to feed him herself. He was the baby of the family, after all, and even at the age of twenty-eight, his mother still treated him as such.

That was another thing that hit him as Yixing was explaining how they would start the process now that they knew he was healthy.

His mother.

He hadn’t told anyone, except Jongdae, about doing this and knew they would disapprove of his decision to go through with the surrogacy. Particularly his mother, who’d been begging for Baekhyun to settle down since he—barely—graduated college.

She wouldn’t be too keen on the fact that his first child wouldn’t, technically, be her grandchild.

But nevermind that, she didn’t have to know. He’d visited her about a month ago and if he calculated things right, he could avoid her for the next ten or so months. Excuses about his work schedule and other things filled his mind.

It wasn’t until he zoned back into the conversation, that he realized they were all staring at him.

Shit, they’d probably asked him a question.

“I’m sorry, I kind of spaced out. Would you mind asking me again? Just trying to take everything in.” Yixing gave him a sympathetic look and reiterated the last few points he’d just gone over, then he asked his question again.

“So when would you like to schedule the procedure? We can have everything ready as soon as tomorrow or would you like a few days? Kyungsoo and Chanyeol have said that they think you should be the one to make the decision.”

Baekhyun blinked a few times and looked down at the floor, then looked back up again.

“Uh, maybe tomorrow? I’ll have to pack some things up in my place and give my job notice, you know - all that good stuff.” He was lying about the job thing because his boss had warned him not to come back after arriving three hours late on his last shift. He did, however, have to gather what little he had in his apartment.

Maybe if he moved quickly, his landlord would let him off and he could sneak away. He did owe the man upwards of almost four months of his part-time salary and there was no way he could pay it right now.

“What time should we schedule the appointment for then?” Yixing asked, looking at the tablet on the table.

“Maybe the early afternoon, tomorrow?” Baekhyun received a nod and he watched Kyungsoo pull out his phone, typing something quickly before Baekhyun’s phone vibrated.

He’d made a shared reminder on what was apparently their shared google calendar, which he’d just sent. Chanyeol made a face and shook his head.

“Sorry, he can be kind of a control freak. Soo, I really don’t think he’ll forget in the next 18 hours or so.”

Kyungsoo stared down at his phone with a sheepish expression and he nodded, “it couldn’t hurt though, right?” The warm expressions the couple shared between them made Baekhyun feel awkward again and he looked up at Dr. Zhang.

He wasn’t looking away, but instead watching them with a soft smile.

“Can I let you in something?” Baekhyun leaned over the desk with a grin, because he was interested in what the good doctor had to say. “I hooked them up, so when they have moments like this, it makes my heart flutter. So cute.” Baekhyun made a soft hum in response and squirmed in his seat.

It was cute, but again, Baekhyun was reminded that he hadn’t gotten laid in almost six months and he hadn’t gone on a date in twice that long.

“Well, if we’re finished here, we should probably let Baekhyun start making his arrangements. By the way, please make a note of your cell phone number, so I can contact you if need be.”

Baekhyun took the sticky note that Yixing offered and jotted down his number, sliding it back across the desk before standing up.

“We could give you a ride home or to the nearest station if you’d like?” Kyungsoo offered, also rising to his feet.

The fact that Baekhyun had basically depleted his transport card and didn’t have loose change or bills on him, meant he was in no position to decline, so he agreed and they all bid Dr. Zhang goodbye.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

“You’re actually going through with it, unbelievable.” Jongdae took a sip of his drink and eyed Baekhyun’s tame choice of bottled beer. “Also, I haven’t seen you drink just beer since college. You’re really serious.”

Baekhyun nodded and took a sip from the aforementioned beer before staring up at the fairy lights decorating the top of the bar.

If all of this went well, he’d be set for a least a year and half following the birth of the baby.

When he told Jongdae that much, the other pressed his lips together as he made a thoughtful expression, “maybe I should be a surrogate too, shit.”

“Yeah, except you get dizzy any time someone even says the word ‘blood.’ I’d like to see you deal with everything else too.”

Jongdae made a faux wounded expression on his face and poked his tongue out at Baekhyun. He didn’t, however, say anything else about it because Baekhyun had gotten him. Right down to the fact that even the idea of giving birth freaking him out.

Instead, he started talking about his day at the office and Baekhyun welcomed it, happy to be talking about something else. Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, and the prospect of being artificially inseminated in less than twenty-four hours was taking up enough residence in his brain. He needed a break.

 

Like the friend that Jongdae was, he helped Baekhyun sneak past his landlord, pack up the few things in his apartment, and paid for them to take a taxi back to his place.

“Thanks for letting me sleep here for the night. Also, I think they were kind of fond of the shirt I wore. The one I stole from you a while ago,” Jongdae cracked a smile and waved his hands.

“I probably didn’t even miss it or if I did, Minseok probably bought me something similar to it.”

Speaking of Minseok, the man was waiting for them when they got to the apartment and took the heavy suitcase away from Baekhyun with a tsking sound. He probably already knew what Baekhyun was up to, but refused to comment any further on it.

His respect for boundaries was astounding and Baekhyun loved him for it. Sometimes, he even teased Jongdae for being the exact opposite.

“I changed the sheets in the guest room, so you can go to bed whenever. I would recommend you do so soon though. You’re going to want to be well rested for tomorrow.”

Neither Baekhyun nor Jongdae usually went against Minseok’s advice, so Baekhyun let out a huff and let his friends carry his bags to the bedroom. Once there, Minseok let him know the bathroom was free and that he should shower first, as their guest.

 

Always generous, Jongdae left ten dollars on the table for Baekhyun, so in the morning, he took a short walk to the nearest convenience store and put the money on his transport card. The entire time, his stomach felt like it was going through a rinse cycle.

“I haven’t seen you around here before. Did you just move here or are you visiting?” Baekhyun’s mind went from his tossing stomach to examining the face of the cashier. He was cute and was definitely trying to flirt.

Baekhyun just wasn’t feeling it.

Rather than being cold or ignoring the cashier’s—Baekhyun looked at his name tag, Kim Jongin—obvious advances, Baekhyun shook his head and hoped he didn’t look as bad as he felt, “just visiting.”

It was a quaint answer, but not rude or off putting, so Jongin leaned on the counter and batted his pretty, long eyelashes, “I hope you visit often then.”

He was kind of glad that Jongin hadn’t asked for his number or anything, because he wasn’t sure if he would’ve given it. The attention was nice, even if he was—literally—scheduled to be knocked up in the next few hours.

Assuming things took on the first try.

Baekhyun didn’t see him staring, but he could feel Jongin’s gaze burning into his back as he walked out the store.

As he walked back to Jongdae’s place, his phone must’ve picked up wifi, because there was a message from Kyungsoo and Chaneyol in their group chat.

doks93: Would you like us to come pick you up? A meeting I had scheduled was cancelled, so I have some free time. Is that okay?

pdcy92: Also, please let us know if we’re being 2 pushy. We want you to feel comfortable with us ~_~

There was nothing inherently romantic about either of their messages, but Baekhyun felt a fluttering in his chest that was overpowering the tossing.

Weird.

In the end, he told them the address of a nearby cafe, then got his bags and settled down at a table outside. Within a few minutes, the silver G Wagon pulled up front and several heads turned. Only this time, they didn’t look away so quickly.

People began to point and whisper, several of them wondering if there was a celebrity inside.

When Kyungsoo jumped out the passengers side, he was given several onceovers by prying eyes, then their attention went to something else. Baekhyun could tell it wasn’t because Kyungsoo wasn’t interesting or handsome, but rather, he had this default aura that warded off people - stopping them from messing with or accosting him.

A default aura that dissipated when he saw Baekhyun and made a signal to Chanyeol to open the trunk.

With an ease that Baekhyun hadn’t expected at all, Kyungsoo lifted both of Baekhyun’s suitcases into the back and told him to make himself comfortable in the backseat.

“So, Yixing called a bit earlier and said one of his earlier appointments was cancelled. Do you want to head there now and get lunch after or get lunch first, then go?” Chanyeol asked not long after Baekhyun fastened his seatbelt. The sound of the trunk closing made Baekhyun look up and out the window, just in time to see Kyungsoo nervously reach into his pocket and shove a piece of gum into his mouth.

“It doesn’t really matter to me, whatever you guys want to do.” Kyungsoo, who’d settled back into his seat, turned and looked at him for several long moments. Like he was trying to read him.

Baekhyun froze under the scrutiny and gave another smile before Kyungsoo turned back around and asked Chanyeol to take them to the hospital.

 

Baekhyun had been curious just what being inseminated meant and what it entailed, so he’d spent a lot of time researching—watching youtube videos about—it.

Yixing was as kind as he’d been before and just like yesterday, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol waited outside while Baekhyun headed into the examination room.

Everything looked normal, but the table had stirrups and there was an empty tray next to it.

He wasn’t scared, per se, but the stirrups were something that would make any sane person swallow hard. They were kind of intense looking, even if he knew they were only there to hold his legs open.

However, the growling in his stomach prompted Baekhyun to make quickwork of changing his clothes and climbing on the table. He was ready to get this over with, so he could eat whatever fancy lunch Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had waiting for him.

Just as his mouth started watering from the possibilities, Yixing knocked on the door and after Baekhyun said he was ready, walked in carrying the sample and a package with the sterile tools. He set them on the tray and walked over to the sink to wash his hands and slip on gloves.

“We already spoke about the procedure. I just want to remind you that you might experience a bit of mild cramping, but otherwise it should be pretty painless. Just in case, here’s some Aspirin.” Yixing handed him two cups, one with two small white pills and other with a swallow of water.

Baekhyun took both cups and downed the contents, then handed them back with a smile.

“Good to see you’re not adverse to taking pills. I’ll make sure to keep that in mind when it’s time for your prenatal vitamins. Now, please put your legs in the stirrups and relax. This won’t take more than a few minutes at best.”

He did as he was told and relaxed, training his eyes on the ceiling and counting the dips and dents in the ceiling—ten—until there was an uncomfortable feeling, some soft shuffling from Yixing, then an announcement that they were all done.

“Take as much time as you need to get dressed. Before you all leave, make sure to stop by the pharmacy and pick up your prescription. It’s a steroid that helps prepare your body for pregnancy. I’ll step out for you to change and when you’re done, I’ll finish explaining the rest of the steps now that we’ve done the procedure.”

With those words, Yixing pulled off his gloves, disposed of the tools and sample container, washed his hands and let himself out of the examination room.

Baekhyun slid off the table and slipped back into his clothes, then walked outside where Yixing was waiting.

 

“So, you’ll be due back in about a week. We’ll do some bloodwork to check your hormone levels, then it’ll be another week before you can start taking pregnancy tests.”

He’d already gotten his prescription from the pharmacy, rejoined Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, and Yixing was explaining everything to them about what would happen now that the procedure was done.

“Also, I just want all three of you to know, if it doesn’t take this time around, we can always try again next month. Please try not to stress or overthink things, especially you, Baekhyun. Just go about things as you normally would with the exception of alcohol and raw fish.” Even as Yixing spoke and looked at all three of them, when he said the things about stress, he looked right at Kyungsoo.

There was definitely a story there, but Baekhyun didn’t want to pry. If they wanted him to know, they would tell him. If not, then well, it wasn’t for him to know and he fully accepted it.

Even if the idea of Kyungsoo stressing out over this pregnancy more than him made his stomach ball up in knots.

For their—Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s— sake he hoped the sample took and this first procedure would be a success.

After talking, Yixing asked them if they had any questions and Baekhyun watched as Kyungsoo took a notebook out of the briefcase he hadn’t even noticed the other was carrying.

Written in a neat, tight script, there were at least twenty questions. Out of those, there were five questions with red stars by them and he craned his neck, trying to read them.

“Other than making sure that Baekhyun takes the steroids and vitamins, is there anything else we need to be mindful of? Also, is there anything, naturally speaking, we can do to aid things? I’ve been researching different recipes and old wives tales, but I want to see what would be the most effective.” He continued to speak until he’d asked what Baekhyun assumed were the most pressing of his questions.

As Baekhyun assumed he would, Yixing answered each question in full detail and even had pamphlets of information ready to hand Kyungsoo with important points already highlighted.

Chanyeol sat in the middle of them, his posture board-straight as Yixing spoke. He was listening to what Kyungsoo and Yixing were talking about, but it was obvious he understood only a small bit. Regardless, that didn’t stop a goofy smile from spreading across his lips each time Yixing mentioned the prospect of a child.

It was endearing to watch and once again, Baekhyun felt he was intruding on a private moment but there wasn’t much he could do to excuse himself. He was very much so a part of this as they were at this point.

“Baekhyun are you sure you don’t have anything you’re curious about? Also, how is your pain or discomfort on a scale of one to ten?”

“About a two, if even that? Pretty sure I’m just hungry at this point. Also, Kyungsoo pretty much covered everything.” All three pairs of eyes fell on him and he suddenly felt his stomach twist, but he kept the usual smile on his face.

“Well, then I’ll let you guys go get some lunch and remember to take your steroids around lunch time every day until you run out. There should be enough for the next two weeks or so.” Baekhyun gripped the bag of medicine on his lap a little tighter and nodded.

 

If there was one thing that Baekhyun was learning about Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, it was that they seemed to like music a lot. Whenever they were in the car, there weren’t many attempts to try at conversation. Instead, they seemed focused on just listening to whatever was playing via bluetooth.

He’d only been in the car with the couple two times before, but the music either of them picked was great.

If he had to take a guess at it, Kyungsoo seemed to favor R&B classics and ballads, whereas Chanyeol’s music was a bit more eccentric, mixing bits of classic American rock with pieces of current Korean pop, plus dabs of indie and alternative bands he’d never heard of.

There was one song in particular, probably from Chanyeol’s playlist, that Baekhyun had gotten stuck in his head and even looked up when he was at Jongdae’s.

When it came on in the shuffle, he hummed along, not quite following the English lyrics but mumbling along anyway. He partially expected to look up and see Chanyeol staring at him in the mirror again, but Chanyeol seemed completely focused on the road this time. Kyungsoo, however, did shoot an occasional glance at the backseat like he was checking on him.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun devour the food laid out in front of him in silence, only knocking Kyungsoo’s knee to make him look up from his own plate.

It shouldn’t have been possible to fit that big a piece of bread into his mouth, but Baekhyun did it effortlessly and kept chewing, a bright look in his eye.

When, Chanyeol wondered to himself, was the last good meal Baekhyun had eaten? It wasn’t something he could really ask without sounding rude or making the situation awkward, so he kept silent and gathered another forkful of spaghetti to raise to his own mouth.

Kyungsoo had insisted on this place because they used organic, locally sourced ingredients and it definitely showed. The prices weren’t too high, but even then, he saw Baekhyun’s eyebrows twitch when he glanced at the menu.

“Is your food good?” Baekhyun looked up from his plate and smiled so hard, it made the corners of his eyes crinkle as he answered with “some of the best I’ve ever had.”

Baekhyun’s smile was so infectious, Chanyeol chuckled and sat his fork down, “well then you haven’t eaten any of Kyungsoo’s food yet. This is nothing compared to his homemade pancakes.”

The mention of pancakes made Baekhyun’s eyes snap open and he shot an excited look at Kyungsoo.

Who hadn’t even looked up from his plate because he was focusing on the flavors.

Cooking was Kyungsoo’s getaway and how he relaxed when he was overwhelmed. Whenever he was in the kitchen or at a restaurant tasting something new, there was a calmness and beauty to him that made Chanyeol remember exactly why he’d asked him out in the first place.

There was just something so attractive about being completely invested in a hobby that’s only purpose was to make one happy. The nearly restaurant-grade of their kitchen showcased that hobby.

Not to mention the fact that if Kyungsoo was cooking while Chanyeol was home and awake, it always led to something hot and heavy in the vicinity of the kitchen. Several times, he’d been reprimanded by Kyungsoo for making him—almost—ruin whatever he was cooking, but that didn’t stop Kyungsoo from turning down Chanyeol’s invitations.

“His food is that good, eh?” Baekhyun asked, having swallowed the last bits of food in his mouth.

“Uh, yeah. He could’ve been a chef, but he really likes being a lawyer,” Kyungsoo happened to finally look up from his plate and wiped at his mouth with a napkin.

“Would you be interested in me cooking for you? If you want, I can cook tonight since I have the free time, not that you wouldn’t have tasted my food eventually since you’ll be living with us. We have something to celebrate.”

Chanyeol could see Baekhyun’s mind processing Kyungsoo’s words and he laughed to himself.

Baekhyun really was cute, even when he wasn’t trying.

“Right! We’ll be, uh,” Baekhyun took a moment to think of the right word, “roommates. Sort of.” One of Kyungsoo’s eyebrows raised at the phrasing, but he shook his head anyway.

That was a weird way to put it, but he was right. They would be roommates and it’d been awhile, college actually, since Chanyeol had one of those.

As he looked at Baekhyun’s awkward smile, Chanyeol figured it would be fun.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

If Baekhyun thought Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s taste in restaurants and cars were something, then seeing the apartment they lived in was a completely different ballpark.

As he walked in, the first thing that hit him was the pleasant smell.

He’d noticed the first time he met the couple, that each of them had their own distinctive scents. Going past just the initial smell of cologne, there was something pleasant that Baekhyun never could put his finger on.

Now as he was engulfed in it, he realized it was sandalwood. He wasn’t sure why he could point out that exact fragrance, but there he was, sniffing like he was an expert.

If either of the men saw him sniffing around like a weirdo, they didn’t mention it. Chanyeol just took the other suitcase from Kyungsoo and asked Baekhyun to follow him to his room.

“If there’s anything you want to change, you’re welcomed to it. Just, if you want to paint, let us know first.” Chanyeol was attempting to make a joke, but Baekhyun got that several moments too late because Chanyeol’s stopped chuckling and cleared his throat. He sat the bags down at the foot of the bed and watched as Baekhyun walked around the room.

It was about as big as his previous place excluding the bathroom, but it was so much nicer. Also, this was just one single room in the apartment, not the entire thing.

Decorated in whites and soft yellows, the room looked so inviting that Baekhyun couldn’t resist launching himself onto the bed.

He was full of delicious food and the bed felt like it belonged in a nice hotel room. The urge to take a nap right then and there was strong.

“Also, the bathroom is right across the hall. Soo and I have our own bathroom in our bedroom suite, so you’ll be the only one using this one. We have someone come and clean Wednesdays and Sundays, so you don’t have to worry much about cleaning either.”

With everything that was happening to him, Baekhyun felt a bit like some twisted version of Cinderella. The only things missing were his step-family and a prince. Well, maybe he had the prince thing covered.

Twice over actually.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo as princes brought a blush to Baekhyun’s face and he turned his face away from Chanyeol. There was no reason the man had to know he was picturing him and Kyungsoo in royal clothing, complete with ridiculous crowns and scepters.

“You seem tired, so I’ll let you rest. Both Soo and I will be home for the rest of the day. Just ask us if you need anything.” Baekhyun sat up and nodded, still not looking in Chanyeol’s direction. Instead, he stared at his suitcases.

 

As promised, Kyungsoo was an excellent cook and Baekhyun could already see that he would be gaining way more weight than was necessary with his pregnancy.

“I should’ve asked this before, but do you have any allergies or strong dislikes I should know about? It’ll help when I decide what to cook.”

Baekhyun titled his head to the side with a thoughtful expression, then eyed the salad in the middle of the table. He hadn’t even touched it since Kyungsoo had sat it down and he wondered if the confused expression on the man’s face each time he avoided the bowl was Kyungsoo getting upset.

“I really don’t care for cucumbers. It’s been that way since I was kid and no matter how hard I’ve tried, nothing makes me want to eat them.” Kyungsoo nodded and stared at the salad, eyeing the cucumbers in what looked like betrayal.

It made Baekhyun feel kind of bad.

“But, um, there’s no way you would’ve known that. I’m sorry about not telling you sooner, like before dinner. I was a lot more tired than I thought.”

“Got it. We’ll make sure cucumbers stay off the shopping list then,” Chanyeol spoke up, shooting a quick glance over to Kyungsoo before smiling.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

It was weird being aimless and lazy in a house that wasn’t his own or for a close friend’s. There was an awkward feeling that didn’t dissipate until the end of his first week.

Several times, Chanyeol or Kyungsoo reminded him that the house was as good as his, so he might as well get comfortable and relax.

He still didn’t want to put his feet up on the pristine marble coffee table, even when he saw Chanyeol do it whenever he settled in the living room. Instead, Baekhyun always just folded his legs beneath him and curled into the corner of the sofa.

He’d taken to wearing a sherpa sweater Kyungsoo had purchased too large for himself, yet too small for Chanyeol to wear. It was currently the most expensive piece of clothing in his wardrobe and the softest, by far.

Baekhyun always caught Chanyeol or Kyungsoo staring at him when they thought he wasn’t paying attention, but he didn’t say anything, just kept his head turned in the direction of the TV and his hands buried in the fabric of the sweater.

 

Without even needing to be guided, Baekhyun walked through the halls of the hospital with confidence. He was sure he could make his way around with his eyes at that point and there was a weird flutter in his stomach.

Getting so closely acquainted with the hospital sounded awful in theory, but the reason he was there was a good one. He was a little nervous, hoping everything had taken after the procedure so that things could progress further.

There was this idea in his head that if he projected nothing but positive thoughts, then the outcome of Yixing’s tests for the day would show high levels of hormones he’d already forgotten the names of.

If Kyungsoo had been there, he would’ve reminded Baekhyun in that soft, deep voice of his, but the man had unexpectedly been called into work. That left Baekhyun and Chanyeol alone, though Baekhyun had heard Kyungsoo make Chanyeol promise to call him as soon as they were heading home from the appointment.

There wasn’t a single awkward feeling between them when they drove over to the hospital, nor when Chanyeol walked behind Baekhyun with a genial smile on his face. He also had Kyungsoo’s notebook tucked underneath his arm and ballpoint pen tucked away in his pocket to jot down any of Yixing’s recommendations.

Another request from Kyungsoo.

 

The room the nurse led Baekhyun into was the same one from before and he was starting to think of it as his personal examination room. If he was brought to the room the next time he had an appointment, he would bring a bag of things to decorate the cold, sterile room. It seemed only right and he was sure Yixing wouldn’t stop him.

Yixing must’ve been busy that day, because it was one of his nurses, Joohyun, that came to draw his blood and bring it to the lab.

As he waited, he connected to the wifi in the hospital and scrolled through Instagram, scrolling past pictures of people from high school and college that he didn’t really keep in touch with anymore.

One of the posts that stood out was one from a guy who’d been his go-to lab partner all throughout his college career, Kim Junmyeon.

Judging from the pictures, he was expecting his first baby with his husband, Kris, the tall and intimidating Chinese student he’d been hopelessly pining after. Baekhyun let out a snort and marveled at how some people got all the luck.

Last he’d heard, Junmyeon had gotten a job in a top advertising firm and married Kris a few years ago. When Jongdae told him, he’d only sighed and chugged whatever alcohol was in his glass at that moment.

Now, as he was looking at Junmyeon’s round belly and the pink that always seemed present in the man’s cheeks, Baekhyun felt pings of jealousy in his chest.

Junmyeon looked so happy and he wanted that for himself. The stability and glow that came with being happy. Tears welled up his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. It was stupid to feel jealousy for someone he hardly spoke to anymore.

He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and just as he was about to hop off the examination table, Chanyeol knocked.

And he knew it was Chanyeol because there was a distinct uncertainty to the knock, nothing like Yixing or one of the nurses.

Against his better judgement, he told Chanyeol to come in. It took the other man exactly five seconds to see that he’d been upset and Chanyeol rushed over, hovering by his side.

“Is something wrong Baekhyun? Do you hurt anywhere?” There was an edge to his voice and Baekhyun chalked it up to him worrying about the wellbeing of his (possible) future child.

Not him.

“I’m fine, just these hormones kicking my ass,” Baekhyun chuckled, accepting the tissue that Chanyeol had hurried to reach for him from the counter. He dabbed at his eyes and got off the table, hoping maybe if he laughed long enough, he could fool Chanyeol and himself.

Too bad Chanyeol was stunningly perceptive and while he didn’t pry, he continued to silently hover around Baekhyun with a worried expression.

He didn’t believe Baekhyun’s flimsy excuse, but there were boundaries that it didn’t seem like he was prepared to cross and Baekhyun wasn’t going to force him to.

He was merely a surrogate for Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s unborn child and nothing more.

 

The results were ready before Chanyeol could work up the nerve to ask more about Baekhyun’s suddenly gloomy mood, so they just walked to Yixing’s office in silence.

When they sat down and Yixing started explaining the results of Baekhyun’s bloodwork, the heavy mood dissipated and he saw Baekhyun relax into his seat.

“So, I said all that to say, you can start taking home pregnancy tests at the end of next week. Continue taking the prescribed vitamins and steroids. If you obtain a positive, call and we can order more bloodwork to confirm. I was told to keep things simple, also Chanyeol, did you make notes of what I said earlier? Kyungsoo called me before the appointment and told me to confirm you made notes of all the necessary information.”

Chanyeol flushed in embarrassment and he nodded, holding up the notebook in his lap. As Yixing spoke, he’d been scribbling furiously and had only looked up a few times since they had entered the office and Yixing had started talking.

When he snuck a sideway glance at Baekhyun, the other was grinning and nodding along to Yixing’s words.

“Well if everything’s in order, you are free to go home. Keep up what you’re doing as well, Baekhyun. Your weight is in a healthy percentile now.” Chanyeol grinned at this because he’d purposefully been inviting Baekhyun to join him in late night snacking.

Getting to see Baekhyun’s cheeks and face fill out into something less angular and more soft was fascinating. The extra weight only made Baekhyun cuter.

And several times a day, whenever Chanyeol emerged from his home studio and saw Baekhyun lying on the couch, playing video games or on his computer, he thought about how much trouble he was in.

With each passing day of Baekhyun living in the house with him and Kyungsoo, Chanyeol was becoming more fond of him and his presence.

In the past, whenever Kyungsoo worked late and Chanyeol had no projects to keep him busy, the emptiness in the house would eat at him until he left and went for a walk or drive.

Anything to escape the ever encroaching feeling of loneliness.

But now, Chanyeol hadn’t been on a late night drive in almost two weeks and hadn’t even thought about going on one in about as much time.

“What should we eat for lunch? The rest of that spaghetti from Monday is calling my name, but I wouldn’t hate ordering some Thai curry either.”

It was a gentle suggestion, but Chanyeol couldn’t stop from smiling when he looked at Baekhyun’s cheeky expression. It was obvious he wanted the curry, but that wasn’t to say that he wouldn’t also make the spaghetti disappear before the day ended.

Before he started up the car, he opened a delivery app and made Baekhyun decide what he wanted before he placed the order and paid for it. It was mid-afternoon, so the traffic would be light if he took the main streets. That meant they would make it home in time for the delivery.

Even if he wasn’t sure Kyungsoo would come home at a decent hour, he still made sure to order his favorite.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

Something felt off. Different.

Baekhyun wasn’t the most intune with his body, but there was definitely a noticeable shift.

Kyungsoo had warned him about the pregnancy symptoms that were lesser known than the nausea, bloating, and mood swings, so he was hyper aware about any sudden changes that happened to him.

It started with the drop in his appetite. About a week after the last appointment with Yixing, there were times where he would be so hungry and excited to eat, but the moment the food was in front of him, he could only take a few bites.

It worried Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, but Baekhyun could also see the glimmer of hope in Kyungsoo’s big eyes.

On the second day of Baekhyun turning away food, Kyungsoo softly brought up that he should take a pregnancy test before he left for work. He was obviously trying to keep a lid on his excitement so as not to seem too eager or make Baekhyun feel awkward, so Baekhyun agreed immediately.

He chugged the remnants of the orange juice in his glass, then poured some water and downed that as well. The liquids sloshed in his stomach a bit because he hadn’t really eaten and before long, he excused himself to the bathroom.

Baekhyun could feel Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s gazes burning into his back as he headed to the bathroom.

There was so much riding on this and no matter how much Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, or Yixing reassured him that they could simply try again, the old perfectionist attitude he’d had in school reared its ugly head.

This was going to work the first time.

With his phone in hand and a bladder full of pee, he did three separate tests and balanced them on the sink to wait the ten minutes all the tests called for.

His heart slammed in his ribcage and he forced himself to regulate his breathing, trying to calm down so he could watch the seconds count down until he could check the results.

10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

Breathe in.

Baekhyun stood up from the closed toilet seat and stood over the white sticks, taking in the results.

Six pink lines across the three tests.

All positives.

Breath out.

Holy shit, he’d done it.

In a flurry of excitement, Baekhyun grabbed all three of the tests and swung open the door, running into the hallway. Waiting just at the end were Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, looking startled when Baekhyun hurried toward them.

“They’re all positive…” Chanyeol was the first to speak and Baekhyun nodded hard, grinning so hard his cheeks hurt.

“I-I-I should call and tell Yixing. We need to ma-make sure,” Kyungsoo stammered, looking torn. With a heavy furrow in his brow and a clenched jaw, he was the image of a man who’d been disappointed in the past.

“Of course,” Kyungsoo slipped his phone from his pocket and found Yixing’s number, calling in and speaking so quickly, Baekhyun almost didn’t catch what he was saying.

The call couldn’t have lasted more than a minute or two, but Kyungsoo hung up and he put his phone in his pocket, his expression still looking unsure, “I’ll take you to the hospital. The team will understand if I’m a bit late today. If you don’t mind, could you get dressed quickly?”

Baekhyun nodded his head and hurried to sit the tests on the counter in the bathroom before going into his room and slipping on some—stretchy—clothes because most of his pants and jeans didn’t fit anymore.

 

Whereas Chanyeol was a relaxed driver, Kyungsoo was much more focused and he kept sharp eyes on the traffic everywhere around him. He made sure to use his signals when necessary and gave those who didn’t ample enough room maneuver around him.

He also drove the speed limit and it seemed to put Chanyeol on edge, because he kept squirming in his seat and looking out the window. They were at a red light when Kyungsoo finally reached down and turned on the radio, filling the car with the soothing sounds of some R&B singer Baekhyun couldn’t place.

It did a good job of evening out the mood in the car and when Kyungsoo started to sing along, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol give him a surprised look.

In one of the many conversations Baekhyun had with Chanyeol, there was one where he’d mentioned that Kyungsoo didn’t really like singing in front of others. Only when he really trusted someone, would he sing in their presence or for them.

And that kept popping up in Baekhyun’s mind as Kyungsoo’s silky voice lulled his heart rate to something a little less ‘I just ran a marathon’ to something more along the lines of ‘I’m excited.’

When they pulled up to the hospital, they went through the normal routine and headed up to the fertility and maternity wing where Yixing was waiting for them by the entrance.

 

Getting his blood taken for what had to be the fourth time—that month—Baekhyun didn’t even flinch anymore and just sat down calmly, staring up at the bright fluorescents.

When the phlebotomist, Victoria, gave him some juice and cookies and told him to sit still as she brought the sample to the lab. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol sat on either side of him, giving off opposite energies and vibes.

Chanyeol was practically oozing excitement and he kept jiggling his knee and looking over at Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo, alternatively, was giving off a heavy energy filled with worry.

In what had to be the quickest results they’d gotten so far, Yixing led them into his office and they all sat down in silence.

“Congratulations, Baekhyun you are pregnant. Of course you know it’s not very far along, but the home tests were accurate. We’ve already been through all the finer details, but here is the schedule for your upcoming appointments. I swear you’re going to get sick of seeing me,” Yixing chuckled, sliding a paper across his desk. “For convenience, I have also prepared the dates on a google calendar, as you previously requested, Kyungsoo and will get those to you shortly.”

Kyungsoo gave a curt nod and he thanked Yixing for squeezing them in.

 

Only when they got to the car and Kyungsoo pushed the keys of the car into Chanyeol’s hands.

“Can you drive?” He hadn’t meant to sound as emotionally wrecked as he did, but Chanyeol seemed to already know and gave a silent nod.

Kyungsoo could feel Baekhyun’s eyes on him, but he wasn’t ready to show himself.

All of the emotions and feelings that he kept safely guarded inside of himself were leaking out and he could barely maintain the neutral expression on his face. When he caught sight of himself in a glass wall, he almost ducked into a bathroom to get a hold of himself.

The only thing that kept him from running away was when Chanyeol reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a brief squeeze before letting go.

Skinship had never been a positive thing for him, so he appreciated the gesture and took a deep breath as he tried to ground himself.

It worked for a while until Chanyeol pulled out the driveway of the hospital and Kyungsoo told him to take them all home.

Again, Chanyeol didn’t question it and did as he was asked.

He was happy.

God, he was so damn happy he could do backflips, because they were finally getting the child they’d wanted for so long. But there was also this tight and twisted feeling of uncertainty.

So many things could go wrong in the next thirty-something weeks and he was too terrified to get his hopes up too much.

This situation, just like the others, could end up in failure and leave them without a child once again.

It just felt like it was inappropriate to celebrate until he was holding the child in his arms.

He couldn’t say this aloud, because he didn’t want to upset Baekhyun or Chanyeol. Instead he just expressed a small amount of happiness and offered to make tea.

But the thing that Kyungsoo hadn’t been aware of was that Baekhyun was surprisingly empathetic to those around him.

He couldn’t read minds, but he could feel emotions and the longer he spent in close proximity to Kyungsoo, the better he could get a handle on whatever feelings Kyungsoo wasn’t voicing or showing outwardly.

 

On a rare rainy day a few days after the news, Baekhyun found himself alone with Kyungsoo and he convinced the man to sit down and speak with him. Chanyeol had gone to meet up with a prospective client interested in working with him, so it was just the two of them at the house.

“How are you feeling these days? Anything different?” Kyungsoo’s posture was stiff and he kept adjusting the glasses sitting on his nose.

He was either unsettled or nervous if Baekhyun took an educated guess. Both of the tells were so minute, he almost missed them before Kyungsoo forced himself to keep still and relaxed his shoulders.

“I’m fine. It’s a little early, but I find myself craving those cookies you always bake. I’m sure you’ve noticed how quickly they go,” Baekhyun chuckled and swept his rapidly growing fringe from his face.

“I thought it was just Chanyeol hoarding them again, because they’re his favorite. But it’s nice to hear that you enjoy them too. Would you like me to make more?” Instead of the forced relaxed state, Kyungsoo sat back in his chair with a smile and raised eyebrow, genuinely at ease.

Even if just for a moment, it felt nice to see Kyungsoo actually relax.

Baekhyun gave an enthusiastic nod and made grabby hand motions.

It shocked Kyungsoo into a giggled laughter and his cheeks went rosy as he shook his head.

“So, I’ve been thinking, the room at the end of the hall is the nursery right? I happened to pass it a few days ago and I was wondering, is there a reason there’s no crib?”

The smile slipped off Kyungsoo’s face and a sad expression replaced it. When he opened his mouth to speak, his voice was quieter than usual, “just never got around to it. The last time we, ah, never mind. Should we go look for one together?”

Baekhyun’s heart squeezed in his chest but he nodded quietly, “we can all go together. With Chanyeol.”

Kyungsoo muttered something Baekhyun didn’t catch and stood up, retreating from the kitchen and disappearing down the hallway, into his and Chanyeol’s bedroom.

He debated following after him, but thought better of it when he heard the sound of the toilet flushing in the distance.

He’d definitely struck a nerve with the crib comment and Kyungsoo probably needed his space.

Once again, Baekhyun found himself cursing how easily he could fuck things up with his mouth.

 

It was a while before Baekhyun saw Kyungsoo again and even if he’d tried to hide it or cover it, Baekhyun could still make out the redness that surrounded his eyes.

If it was possible to kick one’s own ass, Baekhyun would’ve gladly done it if it meant he could shove his words back into his mouth.

Instead, he froze in his seat on the couch and watched as Kyungsoo sat on the other end, looking up at the TV with a small smile, “anything worth watching on?”

“Not really. I’ve already seen this episode twice in the past week. I can’t wait until Sunday, for the new episode. They invited one of those young idol groups, so the games they play should be exciting.”

They both knew Kyungsoo probably didn’t care, but it felt nice to fill the silence with useless chatter. And if Baekhyun was good at anything, it was talking about things that really didn’t matter.

Sometime between Baekhyun explaining the rules of one of the current games to Kyungsoo and the starting of another show, Chanyeol came home and shuffled into the living room.

The perfectly ironed clothes he’d left with were wrinkled and his eyes were heavy with fatigue.

“How was work?” Kyungsoo asked, turning toward Chanyeol.

In what could only be described as dramatic, Chanyeol hunched over the back of the couch and let out a muffled shout into the nearest cushion.

“Working with these damn idol companies is like banging my head into a brick wall. They have so many demands and yet when I start giving earnest pricing for what they want, they change their mind again. If I didn’t know that they’d fork over the money before it's all said and done, I would’ve just walked out and told them not to contact me anymore.”

Kyungsoo gave an understanding nod and reached to scratch lightly at the back of Chanyeol’s neck, “so is the project a no-go?”

“No, I’m definitely doing the project, they’re just being difficult.” A knowing smile crept on Kyungsoo’s lips and he hummed in confirmation.

When Chanyeol leaned up and took a few moments to stare at Kyungsoo’s face before he cupped the man’s cheeks in his large hands, “did you cry?”

Baekhyun was barely a foot away from them, but he could hardly make out Chanyeol’s words. Not that it mattered.

The words weren’t for him, so he looked away and tried to get back into whatever was playing on TV. He didn’t see, so much as felt when Chanyeol walked in front of the couch and it dipped with his weight.

He really shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help it.

“It’s okay Chanyeol, he didn’t know. How would he? I’m going to let it go because it doesn’t matter anymore.” Out the corner of his eye, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol nod and he looked away again.

Once again he was a bystander to an intimate moment and he felt like he was looking into someone’s home through a mirror.

His stomach twisted and a lump formed in his throat, but he pushed it all down, trying to drown the emotions. He was there to do something for Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, then leave.

Nothing more.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

Baekhyun rubbed the small bump underneath his shirt and smiled, standing in front of the mirror sideways.

With the first trimester down, he was finally starting to show and it was thrilling.

Not only for him, but for Kyungsoo and Chanyeol as well.

“None of my pants fit now. That’s new,” Baekhyun sighed, pulling at the waistband of his sweats. He’d never been in a situation where the only pants that fit him were ones made with copious amounts of spandex and elastic. Most of his jeans didn’t even make it up his thighs and if a pair or two did, then he could forget about buttoning them.

He almost wanted to curse Chanyeol and his bad habit of eating snacks at night, but he was aware he could definitely turn the man down.

He just never did, because he enjoyed the company.

And the snacks, because Chanyeol had spectacular taste.

“We should get you some new clothes then. You probably don’t want to wear sweatpants all the time, right?” Chanyeol tilted his head in confusion, definitely not agreeing with Kyungsoo’s words.

“Who wouldn’t want to wear sweatpants all the time? They’re the pinnacle of comfort.”

The glare Kyungsoo shot at him made Baekhyun laugh so hard, he snorted and peed on himself a little.

When he felt the small bit of dampness, he immediately stopped laughing and shuffled to the bathroom, leaving Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to stare at him.

After he came back in a new pair of underwear—and sweatpants—Chanyeol’s face was twisted in a thinking expression. It only took a few seconds before an imaginary light bulb flashed above his head and his eyes bugged out.

“Did you...laugh so hard, you peed?” Baekhyun shook his head, denying it, but the blush that darkened his cheeks told the truth.

It was embarrassing and Yixing had warned him that something like this was possible, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

Kyungsoo jabbed Chanyeol in the side, pulling a wounded whine from the taller man.

Immediately, Chanyeol muttered an apology and rubbed at his hip.

“Anyway, let’s go get you some new clothes. It’s starting to get colder anyway and we need to make sure you’re warm,” with those words, Kyungsoo put a comforting hand on Baekhyun’s back and they started toward the door. Soon after, Chanyeol stopped whining and followed behind them with the keys in his hand.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

The further along Baekhyun progressed in his pregnancy, the more the mood in the house started to shift.

Kyungsoo, who’s disposition usually leaned toward neutral, was much more upbeat. Rather than just giving Baekhyun kind smiles or looks, he started to touch Baekhyun more. The first time it happened, Baekhyun’s heart stopped and he froze in place, unsure of the appropriate reaction until he threw caution to the wind and leaned into it.

Chanyeol didn’t really change much besides the times when he thought Baekhyun wasn’t looking and the man just stared at him with a goofy smile on his face. In any other circumstance, he would’ve found it creepy, but for this particular one, he found it endearing.

There was also this quiet push for Kyungsoo to be home more often. The man spent less and less time in his office and more time at home, always offering to drive Baekhyun to his appointments or take them to some new restaurant he’d recently read about.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo started to feel less like employers and more like friends, sometimes even lovers and it was strange but welcomed.

Even then, as Baekhyun thought about it, Kyungsoo’s fingers were combing through his hair as he leaned on the other man with his legs folded into his chest.

The last bout of nausea had been particularly bad and after throwing up everything he’d eaten for breakfast, he appreciated the warm feeling of Kyungsoo’s hand against his clammy skin. It grounded him and made the room feel like it wasn’t spinning.

 

“We need to tell him, Chanyeol. This is getting serious,” Kyungsoo sighed, sitting up in bed.

He should’ve been well asleep at this time, but with Baekhyun weighing so heavily on his mind, he couldn’t even close his eyes.

When he looked over at Chanyeol who was staring back at him with a serious expression, he realized his husband felt the same.

“But how do we even phrase it without it looking like we’re paying him to not only be our human incubator but also a third in our relationship?”

That was the question that had been stomping Kyungsoo since he’d come upon the realization that both he and Chanyeol felt something for Baekhyun.

Even before he’d admitted his feelings to himself, he saw Chanyeol going through the motions.

The same ones he’d gone through when they’d started dating back in college.

First, it was the fact that he literally wouldn’t stop staring at Baekhyun. Even if he was caught, he’d continue to look, albeit less intensely. He’d done the same to him when they were in the same music theory class. During the most passionate of lectures, he could feel a gaze burning into the back of his skull. It’d taken Chanyeol the entire semester to approach him for a date and by that point, he’d gotten used to the tall, big eyed man staring at him.

The next thing was that he never stopped talking about Baekhyun.

Before they’d started dating, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol shared a common friend, Junmyeon. When they finally started dating, Junmyeon admitted that Chanyeol would always mention a short, intense looking guy in his class, how cute he was and how nice his new glasses looked and that it took him a few weeks to figure out that it was Kyungsoo.

Once he’d figured it out, he kept his mouth closed, but gave Chanyeol little hints about what Kyungsoo’s likes and dislikes were. By the time Chanyeol built up the courage to ask Kyungsoo out, he was ready to woo him.

Which he did, obviously.

Even if Baekhyun went to see one of his friends or run an errand, if Kyungsoo was home, then Chanyeol would talk about Baekhyun. If he wasn’t home, then Chanyeol sent texts to him, asking him questions about Baekhyun.

They were usually innocent and mostly focused on the pregnancy, but sometimes, the questions were more about what he thought Baekhyun’s favorite color was or if he rested well the previous night. It was unclear why Chanyeol thought he knew the answers to these questions, but he usually tried his best to answer.

Now, Chanyeol wasn’t asking Kyungsoo questions, only giving him an empty stare as he tried to think of a solution to their dilemma.

They sat in silence for almost twenty minutes before Chanyeol finally sighed and dramatically dropped his head back onto the pillow, “we’ll tell him in the morning. There’s no perfect approach to this situation, so it’s pointless to rack our brains. Let’s go to sleep.”

Kyungsoo rubbed at his eyes and nodded, following Chanyeol’s lead.

Maybe he was right and the only way to do it was to let it happen—kind of—organically.

 

Something felt off the next morning.

The air was heavy and Chanyeol kept looking up at him like he was afraid Baekhyun would explode or run away.

Which, arguably, would’ve been hard to do, considering it felt like he was growing bigger by the day.

When Baekhyun asked Chanyeol to pass the strawberry jam, he could feel how clammy the other’s hands were and finally decided to ask.

“Are you okay Chanyeol? You basically flinch every time I look at you. Did I do something wrong?” All the blood from Chanyeol’s face drained and he vigorously shook his head, knocking down the remnants of his orange juice.

The orange liquid splashed on the table and Chanyeol scrambled out of his seat for the dish towel hanging on the sink and cleaned up the mess.

When he finally turned and faced Baekhyun, there was a misty look in his eyes and Baekhyun felt his heart flutter. He wanted to say something, but Chanyeol started talking instead.

“I’m so sorry,” Chanyeol started, shaking his head as he prematurely wiped at his eyes. Again, Baekhyun tried to speak, but Chanyeol stopped him, holding up his hand, “ju-just let me get this out, please?”

Baekhyun settled into his seat and unconsciously, his hand hovered over his baby bump.

What was it that had Chanyeol acting like this?

“I-I, no, no, no, let me start again. We, and before you ask, this includes Kyungsoo too. We—” Chanyeol took a deep breath and stood up straighter, “we have feelings for you. Like the both of us are crazy about you and it’s been so long since either of us felt that way.”

Blood was rushing in Baekhyun’s ears, so he only heard bits and pieces, like ‘feelings for you’ and ‘crazy about you’ but he got the message and couldn’t stop from staring at Chanyeol like he was speaking a foreign language.

“It was me first and I felt like shit, both to you and Kyungsoo. You’re here, doing this,” Chanyeol gestured towards Baekhyun’s belly, “and here I go, catching romantic feelings when I’m already married. I felt so shitty about it until Kyungsoo brought it up and said that he knew already and that he felt it too. I’ve been going crazy this last month, honestly and now I can’t even drink juice right. God, I’m such a mess.”

When his word vomit was over, Chanyeol wiped at his eyes again and took another deep breath, then sat down to stare at his cold breakfast.

Baekhyun still wasn’t sure how to respond, so he continued to sit in his chair, looking at Chanyeol while he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

Finally, he settled on a whispered, “what if I felt the same?” while the heat from his body traveled up his neck and settled in his neck, ears and cheeks.

This time it was Baekhyun avoiding Chanyeol’s gaze and he stared down at his unbuttered toast that had long gone cold.

“Y-y-you feel the same?” Baekhyun nodded and continued to stare at the hardwood table in front of him.

“Yes, but I kept telling myself that I was getting too far ahead of myself. We did sign a contract and I didn’t want to make things awkward. Plus, I didn’t know where my feelings started and where the hormones ended, so I was scared.” Somehow, Baekhyun’s last few words came out even quieter and he cradled his stomach.

Something he noticed was becoming more and more common the larger it became.

A heavy silence fell between them until Chanyeol reached across the table and held out his hand.

Baekhyun must’ve stared at it for a full minute or so, before he realized that Chanyeol intended for him to grab it.

So, he did and Chanyeol’s larger hand closed around it, enveloping it in warmth.

 

Kyungsoo typed in the key code with shaky hands and let himself into the apartment. Immediately, he noticed how dim it was and reached to turn on a light.

His stomach had been in knots since his conversation with Chanyeol in the earlier hours of the morning and he hadn’t even been able to enjoy his lunch. For the rest of the day, his focus and concentration was shot.

Even if it was late, he was just glad to be in the privacy of his own home.

As a sort of dry joke, Kyungsoo called out from the foyer, “anyone still awake to welcome me home or do I have to do it myself?” Usually, Chanyeol would answer from wherever he was in the house, but that particular time, Baekhyun answered.

“Ah, welcome home Kyungsoo.” His voice was soft and gentle and despite not being able to see Baekhyun’s face, Kyungsoo felt his entire body heat up.

The knots in the pit of his gut started to slowly unravel and when he stepped into the living room and saw Baekhyun cuddled into Chanyeol, he felt the stress melt away.

The taller of the two was sound asleep, but his arms were protectively draped around Baekhyun’s stomach.

Chanyeol wasn’t the heaviest or lightest sleeper in the world, so when Kyungsoo sat his briefcase behind the sofa, he startled awake.

“You’re home?” he squinted and looked at the clock above the TV, “it’s kinda early.” Kyungsoo gave a short nod and continued eyeing the scene in front him.

Baekhyun attempted to sit up, but Chanyeol’s arms were still very much wrapped around his midsection, preventing him from going far.

Something kept urging Kyungsoo to inquire about why Chanyeol and Baekhyun were so physically close, but another part of him insisted that he didn’t need an answer.

The entire feeling in the apartment felt different, like there’d been a shift and he was struggling to get his emotional footing in it all.

Baekhyun, however, made the choice for him and broke the silence with a tentative, “Chan—Chanyeol and I talked.” Baekhyun swallowed and his nearly-nonexistent adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, “do you also feel the same?” Baekhyun was nervous and as he glanced at Kyungsoo from Chanyeol’s arms, Kyungsoo felt nervous as well.

“I, um, yeah. I do.” Kyungsoo started and stopped several times, eventually trailing off when he realized there wasn’t much more to say.

He did have feelings for Baekhyun and now that it was out in the open, breathing felt so much better and he stood up a little straighter.

Like weight had been lifted off his chest and his shoulders.

The look of relief that crossed both Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s faces made him feel something else besides dread in the pit of his stomach.

“So, like, what happens next?” Chanyeol wondered aloud, tilting his head.

“Whatever we want. Right?” Baekhyun answered, his eyes darting between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol.

“Right,” Kyungsoo sighed, stepping from behind the couch and settling on the other side of Baekhyun.

But the question that hung between the three of them was exactly that.

What did they all want to happen next?

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

Like the size of his stomach, the feelings between the three of them started to expand.

It started off small with hand holding—Chanyeol’s preference—and sweet, thoughtful words—Kyungsoo’s—then spiraled into moments that made Baekhyun’s head spin.

There were times when he wanted to kiss one—or both of them—so much that he felt dizzy.

The thing was, he just wasn’t sure how to initiate a kiss with Kyungsoo and/or Chanyeol.

Could three people even functionally kiss each other at the same time?

Jongdae stopped sipping his misugaru latte and stared at Baekhyun, narrowing his eyes.

“Dude, I literally don’t know how to answer that.” It was only then that Baekhyun realized that he’d asked the kissing question out loud and he felt his neck and cheeks get hot.

He scrunched his neck in his turtleneck and Jongdae broke out into a quiet laughter, mentioning that Baekhyun looked like a furry pregnant turtle.

Baekhyun scoffed and rolled his eyes, taking a few gulps of his own caffeine free lemon tea. Sure, he’d questioned when Chanyeol brought him the sweater that made him look like he’d skinned a Furby, but once he’d tried it on, he realized it was the softest and warmest thing that had ever graced his skin.

Plus, he’d recently learned that he was a touch anemic thanks to the baby, so he would take all the warm clothes he could get, thank you very much.

The laughter at Baekhyun’s expense winded down and Jongdae sat up straighter in his chair, “so um, like, have you thought about how things are going to work when the baby’s born? Have they talked about it all?”

Baekhyun said nothing as he dropped his glance to the marble table and refused to look up, avoiding his friend’s gaze.

Leave it to Jongdae to ask the question he’d shoved to the back of his mind and forgotten about until that moment.

Eventually he settled on, “I don’t know and I’m kind of afraid to ask.”

Warm hands reached across the table and held his cold ones, Jongdae’s thumbs rubbing the top of his hands.

“I’m just asking because I care about you and don’t want to see you get hurt and in this—arguably very strange—situation, you have the most to lose.” Baekhyun finally looked up and he nodded, chewing on his bottom lip.

Jongdae was right. He did need to know, so he’d have to ask some time soon.

Before things went further and he fell deeper.

 

Baekhyun sat the to-go cups of coffees—a latte and double shot espresso, respectively—in front of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol.

The beginnings of a smirk played on Kyungsoo’s lips because Baekhyun was already so intune with what they liked. It was sweet and he almost wanted to reach across the table and kiss him.

Almost.

But he didn’t, because the expression on Baekhyun’s face said that whatever he needed to say was important.

Kyungsoo watched as Baekhyun picked at his cuticles. He flinched when the other man peeled a long strip of skin, leaving a thin, red line of blood, all without blinking.

Yeah, something was definitely up, but Kyungsoo didn’t want to push. Baekhyun had gathered them and he would start speaking when he was ready. In the meantime, Kyungsoo hurried over to the kitchen and retrieved a Rilakkuma bandaid, pushing it across the table to Baekhyun.

All the while, he tried not to look as anxious as he felt.

“Thanks,” Baekhyun muttered, tearing open the paper and sloppily wrapping it around his finger, When he looked up, Kyungsoo saw how glassy Baekhyun’s eyes were and his stomach twisted into further knots. “So, you’re probably wondering why I asked to have a meeting like this, right?”

After Baekhyun saw both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo nod, he picked at his fingernails and started to speak.

“I just,” Baekhyun swallowed and took a deep breath, “want to know where I stand in all of this. After the baby is born, I need to know what you expect out of me and out of our relationship. Also, what happens if we fight? What if this doesn’t work out. If we’re together, it kind of overrides my earlier decision to not be involved with the baby.”

Kyungsoo didn’t have to look over to know that Chanyeol was probably just as close to tears as Baekhyun was, he could just feel it, like a prinkling on the back of his neck.

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo spoke up and Baekhyun’s ramblings stumbled to a pause, “I—” Kyungsoo tried to find the words but couldn’t.

It was only when Chanyeol’s larger hand reached for his beneath the table and squeezed it, that the words came to him. He still couldn’t bring himself to look in Chanyeol’s direction, because he knew once he saw whatever emotions were on his face, he’d get caught up in them too and right now he needed to be the emotional rock.

For all four of them.

“We,” Kyungsoo started again, “we adore you. We haven’t pushed for more because we’d both be more comfortable with you setting your own boundaries. If you want to go all in with us, then we’ll welcome it. If you want to go slowly, that’s fine too. In terms of things not working out, I don’t really see us having too many problems, but if we do, we can always talk it out. Just like this.”

As Baekhyun listened, thick tears rolled down his face and Chanyeol reached across the table, letting go of Kyungsoo’s hand, to wipe them. When he leaned into the gesture, Kyungsoo’s heart skipped a beat.

“No matter what, we won’t kick you out.” Chanyeol finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion. He pushed away from the table and stood up, walking to the other side to engulf Baekhyun in a bear hug.

If the emotions and feelings hadn’t been running so high at that moment, Kyungsoo would’ve laughed because seeing Baekhyun’s smaller frame completely covered by Chanyeol’s was equally hilarious and cute.

After a beat or two, Kyungsoo walked over and joined the embrace from the side.

There was still a lot to talk about, but for that moment, it was better for them to cater to what they’d learned was Baekhyun’s love language: touch.

He’d asked for verbal clarification, but as he melted into their embrace, it became apparent that he needed something more physical.

When they finally pulled apart, Baekhyun was still crying, but there was a huge smile on his face. It was also then that he leaned back and gave Chanyeol a soft kiss on the lips, wiping at his tears.

Kyungsoo barely had time to react before Baekhyun’s tear-salted lips landed on his own and Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

“I’ve been waiting so long to do that,” Baekhyun rasped when he pulled away, chuckling when Kyungsoo and Chanyeol offered surprised blinks in response to the pecks.

It took a few moments, but eventually Chanyeol unfroze and despite his own puffy eyes and red face, he was all smiles.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

The level of detachment Baekhyun had with the life growing inside of him that he’d taken out of necessity was beginning to break down as signs of life fluttered within him.

Physically, the emotional wall he erected when he signed Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s contract started crumbling earlier than he cared to admit. The moment he knew the insemination was successful was the moment he started taking extra care of not bumping into things and going out of his way to avoid any potential tripping hazards.

He wasn’t clumsy by any means, but from his first trimester, he started watching his steps, including when he climbed stairs. If someone passed in front of him quickly or something managed to upset his balance, instead of catching himself, his arms immediately went to shield his stomach.

This instinct only heightened as he progressed further along, both in his pregnancy and in his relationship with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

Now it wasn’t just ‘the baby.’

At some point, it became ‘their baby.’

With that came the dissolution of anything Baekhyun had been holding himself back from.

His typical tendency to overshare kicked into hyperdrive and if he couldn’t sleep because he had gas or if he hadn’t pooped in a day or two, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol knew about it.

They knew about how the cheap box dye he’d used to turn his hair the uneven chestnut brown it was when they first met was wearing down and how self-conscious Baekhyun was of the dark roots of his hair showing.

Whenever he settled down in Kyungsoo or Chanyeol’s embrace, his mouth seemed to run and his brain to mouth filter disappeared.

Baekhyun didn’t pay much attention to it, but after the two days he spent stressing about how ugly his hair was, Kyungsoo came home from work, waving a small Coupang box in the air “up for an experiment?”

When he opened the box, Baekhyun stopped chewing at the black licorice—a new craving—and stood up, staring at the box.

“Is that hair dye?” Kyungsoo nodded and Baekhyun shuffled toward him, a huge grin on his face.

“The fact that you listen to my word vomit. I’m in love,” Baekhyun sighed, pressing Kyungsoo’s cheeks together before peppering his face in kisses.

Instead of pushing him off, Kyungsoo let it happen and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s waist, laughing. The moment the kisses stopped, Kyungsoo picked up the box from the table and pulled Baekhyun into the bathroom.

 

Which was where Chanyeol found them when he came home from a meeting. Baekhyun’s head was slathered in an almost black substance and there was a towel around his shoulders while Kyungsoo held a thin applicator in his gloved hands with his shirt sleeves rolled up.

They were singing along to a ballad coming from Baekhyun’s phone and competing with the outside noises from the open window in the bathroom.

“The hair dye came?” Both men turned to look at Chanyeol and Baekhyun stood up from the chair Kyungsoo had dragged into the bathroom.

“Yes and I’m only ten minutes and wash-out away from a,” Baekhyun paused to pick up the box, squinting to read the english text on the box,”light chestnut.”

Kyungsoo had stopped singing and sat the applicator back in the glass bowl on the counter, peeled off the gloves, and leaned over to give Chanyeol a peck on the cheek.

“Now we won’t have to listen to him whine about him being ugly,” Kyungsoo mentioned, poking his tongue out when Baekhyun shot him a pout. The fact that it was becoming easier and easier to be completely himself wasn’t lost on any of them.

 

By dinnertime, Kyungsoo helped Baekhyun wash and blow dry his hair and he looked like a new man.

The color was a bit lighter than his previous color, so it made his skin brighter and enhanced the glow—oiliness, he claimed—he’d taken on in the past month or two.

The dye, because it was all natural, also left his hair with a new, healthy shine and fruity smell.

Chanyeol was obsessed.

While they watched something on TV, he kept running his hands through Baekhyun’s hair and burying his nose into his scalp, taking obvious whiffs.

It was definitely weird, but Baekhyun didn’t say anything because, well, he liked it.

He also kept running his hands through the locks, his eyes never leaving the TV as he did so.

Another reason why Baekhyun hadn’t said anything was because Chanyeol had stumbled into one of the things that set his nerves on fire.

Sex had been furthest thing from Baekhyun’s mind for such a long time that as he cuddled into Chanyeol’s body and let him basically pet him, the feeling hit him like a truck.

It started out small, making his entire body warm, but as Chanyeol continued, that warmth turned into heat and Baekhyun could feel himself getting more and more aroused.

“We should find shampoo that smells like this stuff. It’s so good,” Chanyeol mumbled, not realizing that Baekhyun had pulled a blanket over his lap to cover himself.

After another round of Chanyeol running his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair, he hit a small tangle and had to lightly pull his hand. As he did so, a throaty moan left Baekhyun’s mouth and he immediately clamped his hands over his lips, looking mortified.

It was too late though. The noise had already caught Chanyeol’s attention and he stopped what he was doing to look down at Baekhyun.

“Did you, uh, just moan?” Baekhyun shook his head furiously and refused to meet Chanyeol’s eyes. Partially out of playfulness and curiosity, Chanyeol softly gathered a handful of strands and pulled again.

The moan that came out that time was muffled because of Baekhyun’s hands and Chanyeol’s suspicions were confirmed.

Baekhyun’s face turned as red as the sweater he was wearing and he attempted to pull away, but Chanyeol stopped him with a light grip on his shoulders.

“If you liked it Baek, just tell me. It’s okay.” The soft tone to Chanyeol’s voice made Baekhyun look up and finally meet his gaze.

“I—I liked it. It’s one of my—” Baekhyun couldn’t bring himself to say it outloud because he was flustered, but Chanyeol filled in the blanks himself.

“You know, if you ever have needs, you know that you can ask Soo and I. We don’t mind helping you,” instead of the conversation putting damper on his arousal, it just further spiked it. Now, he wasn’t just getting hard.

He was hard and tenting, even underneath the blank he’d bunched in his lap earlier.

“We’ve talked about it, you know. How much you love to kiss and never go further. It’s okay,” Chanyeol’s voice dropped an octave and a shiver ran down Baekhyun’s spine, “if you only want to kiss, that’s fine. But if you want more, that’s okay too. We’ll. Give. You. Anything. You. Want.” As he spoke, he punctuated each word of his last statement with kisses down Baekhyun’s neck.

If he could even manage a cohesive thought, Baekhyun might’ve shot back with something witty, but at the moment, he was fresh out of things to say.

He could only crane his neck and let Chanyeol continue to kiss him as small moans escaped from his throat.

“I need you to tell me if you want more,” Chanyeol mentioned, leaning up from the already-darkening bite marks he’d left on the shoulder Baekhyun’s sweater had slipped down from.

“Yes, please. Give me more, Chanyeol.”

 

In what had to be a first since his latter teens, he ended up coming in his pants and all over Chanyeol’s hand.

The entire time, Chanyeol’s free hand remained locked in his own and the light bites and kisses never stopped.

Even as he stood up on unsteady legs and headed to the bathroom to shower, his entire body burned with a heat that was a confusing mix of arousal and embarrassment. Before he left the living room, he asked Chanyeol if he wanted some tissues, but the other declined and instead helped Baekhyun stand up before he headed into the kitchen to wash his hands.

The light flush that darkened Chanyeol’s cheeks made Baekhyun’s heart stutter in his chest, but Chanyeol had encouraged him to not mind him and to go shower.

It had, however, been really hard to ignore the tent in Chanyeol’s track pants and Baekhyun had to force himself in the direction of the bathroom. His fingers twinged with the want to return the favor, but he could also feel his underwear sticking to his body.

When he was all showered and changed, he would definitely figure something out.

 

In the fogged up mirror, Baekhyun stood with his pajama pants on and no shirt, admiring just how nice the bite marks from Chanyeol looked on his skin. It’d been far too long since he’d been marked and it stirred something deep within him.

Something that continued to simmer as he stepped out in the hallway with an unbuttoned shirt and nearly collided with Kyungsoo.

The man rushed to apologize with a sheepish smile and he readjusted his glasses before his attention settled on the red marks decorating Baekhyun’s collar and neck.

Maybe Baekhyun’s own eyes were going bad, but he could’ve sworn he saw Kyungsoo swallow hard, making the Adam's apple in his throat bob, before he continued in the direction of his and Chanyeol’s bedroom.

His lack of verbal acknowledgement of the marks was interesting, but he figured he’d address it later. It was getting late and Baekhyun figured he was tired from the day.

 

What Baekhyun didn’t know was that as soon as Kyungsoo stepped into the bedroom, he took a deep breath and attempted to ground himself.

The image of the stark red marks standing out on Baekhyun’s skin burned in his mind and he could feel the foreign curl of possessiveness settling in his core. It wasn’t negative by any means, yet it twisted inside of him, making him feel different.

So different that when he finally looked up, he saw Chanyeol sitting against the headboard, scrolling through his phone. He must’ve heard Kyungsoo come in, because he looked up with a raised eyebrow.

Like a fire lit underneath him, he laid a heavy look on Chanyeol and pushed the door behind him.

Even though it was obvious that Chanyeol was confused, he sat up straighter and put the phone on the side table. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, yet nothing came out. Instead, he watched with a dry mouth as Kyungsoo walked further into the bedroom and shucked off his clothes until he was down to the underwear.

Chanyeol half expected him to just do as usual and head for a large shirt, but when he climbed into bed, it sent Chanyeol’s mind on a trip and made his heart race.

They hadn’t been intimate in a while, so this was all a surprise.

A welcomed surprise.

It’d been so long since Kyungsoo wanted him. Sought him out like this. It made the blood pumping through his veins feel like liquid fire.

Even if his body was running hot, Kyungsoo’s skin felt warmer when he slid in next to him.

“Do you...want to?” Kyungsoo was just as tongue-tied as him, which was also rare. He was always so sure of himself, his opinions, and his words in Chanyeol’s eyes.

Not trusting his mouth to move correctly, he only nodded in response and soon enough, plush thighs settled on either side of his legs as Kyungsoo’s straddled him. Shaky hands reached and pulled Chanyeol’s shirt over his head, throwing to the side of the bed. Soon after, Kyungsoo leaned in for a kiss.

Sans for the kisses they’d shared with Baekhyun not too long ago, they hadn’t kissed in so long, Chanyeol felt his lips tingle. Like it was their first kiss all over again.

There was so much behind the force of the kiss, when Kyungsoo pulled away, Chanyeol felt breathless.

The covers that had been draped over his lap were pushed down and soon there was more skin on skin contact. Blood was rushing in his ears and he leaned in for another kiss, surging forward to get another taste of the desperation and desire.

Kyungsoo’s hands on his chest, shoulders and body felt so good, so right, that it sent shivers down Chanyeol’s back and made his entire body thrum with arousal.

When Kyungsoo curled his hand in Chanyeol’s head and urged him to delve deeper into his mouth, a switch flipped and Chanyeol wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist and squeezed him closer.

The sigh Kyungsoo let out went straight to Chanyeol’s dick and his hands started roaming, refamiliarizing himself with the curves and lines of Kyungsoo’s body.

 

The next morning, whatever odd or awkward feeling Baekhyun had expected to come following what happened the previous night, was almost absent.

Kyungsoo greeted him with a warm smile and a smoothie, while Chanyeol moved around the kitchen with a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. When he caught sight of Baekhyun, his cheeks reddened and he also shot him a smile.

“You’re up early,” Kyungsoo commented when Baekhyun reached for the smoothie and sat down at the table.

“The baby’s been laying on my bladder for almost three hours. I figured I’d come and see you both off, since I’m up.”

Both men gave him looks of sympathy and Chaneyol also reached to rub a soothing hand down his back.

Or at least it should’ve been and was intended to be soothing. In contrast, Baekhyun felt a wave of arousal roll through him. He tried to repress the shiver that came soon after, but failed and was caught immediately.

Baekhyun ducked his head in embarrassment while both men glanced at him with knowing looks.

They had certainly talked about last night.

“You’ve been so sensitive lately, should I ask Yixing about it?” Kyungsoo was teasing him, but it just made his arousal burn hotter in the pit of his stomach.

“No, I’m fine.” The words came out as a stammer and immediately after that, he took a long sip from his cup.

When Chanyeol caught wind of the game they were playing, he grinned and leaned across the table.

“I heard massages are best for sensitivity in pregnancy. I can teach Soo and we can help out if you want. I heard it’s pretty relaxing.” While the back pat had been innocent, the way his voice dropped an octave or two showed that his current proposition wasn't.

Rather than deny, Baekhyun’s face heated up and he shrugged with a murmured, “if you’re offering, my back has been killing me lately.” No matter how flustered Baekhyun was, he wasn’t about to let Kyungsoo and Chanyeol get to him so early in the morning.

Chanyeol let out a snort and he wiped at his hands before standing up and announcing that both he and Kyungsoo were at the risk of running late if they continued to mess with Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo nodded in agreement and gave Baekhyun another soft smile, “as always, don’t hesitate to call either of us.”

In an action of complete domesticity that both took Baekhyun by surprise and yet was completely expected, both Kyungsoo and Chanyeol pressed soft kisses on his forehead then shared a brief peck before both of them left.

Baekhyun was then left with a fluttering in his chest that he knew wasn’t from the baby.

 

From that day on, Baekhyun could see subtle changes in Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s relationship.

They continued to dote on him, but they also started to dote on each other, like they were newlyweds with Baekhyun in the middle as their boyfriend.

There were times when he felt like an obstacle between the two of them, but each time the thought reared its ugly head, both of them unknowingly squashed the feeling with a gesture, expression or word.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo did everything to make sure that Baekhyun knew that he was with them.

In the midst of their evolving relationship, was the baby.

At his most recent appointment, where both Kyungsoo and Chanyeol insisted on missing work for, Yixing revealed the gender of their baby.

“Do you want to be surprised or should I just tell you?” It wasn’t clear whom he was asking, but all three of them answered at the same time.

“Tell us.” Yixing broke into a smile and he chuckled before he moved the probe just below his belly button.

“Do you see this,” Yixing pointed at the 3D render of the baby on the screen, “this would be the legs and feet of your little boy.”

Baekhyun wasn’t sure exactly how Kyungsoo and Chanyeol felt, but when he heard the baby was a boy, he felt his heart skip.

A boy.

He’d been imagining what the baby would look like and had even had a few dreams of children that looked like a hodgepodge of the baby pictures Kyungsoo and Chanyeol showed him.

Now, all he could think about was a little boy with Kyungsoo’s distinctive eyebrows and Chanyeol’s large ears and dimples.

Kyungsoo’s reaction to the news is what broke Baekhyun from his daze and he felt Kyungsoo squeeze his hand. He was shaking, yet his face and body betrayed nothing besides a simple smile.

When Chanyeol looked away from the screen and looked over at Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, he realized that Kyungsoo was only a few moments from tears. He’d only seen the man cry on a few occasions, but had studied the signs early in their relationship and had them committed to memory.

“Xing, would you mind giving us a second?” Yixing gave a thoughtful nod, wiped off the probe and connected it back to the cart the machine was on.

“I’ll go retrieve the ultrasound pictures from outside. Let me know if you need me any further.” With that, he slipped out the room.

Kyungsoo blinked once, then twice before thick, fat tears slid down his cheeks in complete silence. Baekhyun froze and he looked over at Chanyeol, who watched with the dumb smile still on his face.

“Those are happy tears,” Chanyeol whispered, rubbing a comforting hand down Baekhyun’s other arm. Baekhyun gave him a stiff nod, but didn’t dare take his eyes off of Kyungsoo.

“The baby’s so close. He’s almost here and I can’t believe it. This feels like a dream. I just doesn’t feel real.” Kyungsoo’s voice was pitchy and it made Baekhyun’s heart ache.

He pulled at Kyungsoo’s hand and held open his arms, silently beckoning him in for a hug.

The other man wiped at his tears and regarded Baekhyun for a few moments before he leaned into him. Barely a few seconds later, Baekhyun felt another weight on top of them and he noticed that Chanyeol had draped himself over Kyungsoo’s back.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

Jongdae rubbed his hand over the oversized t-shirt pulled tight over Baekhyun’s belly, his eyes crinkling when Baekhyun glared at him.

“If you comment how it’s like rubbing a watermelon one more time, I’ll kick you.” That made Jongdae let out a bark of laughter and he shook his head.

“I’d like to see you try. You’ll probably fall over like a turtle.”

Baekhyun tried hard not to crack a smile, but he had to admit the image of him stuck on his back and attempting to roll sideways was was pretty funny.

“So, have things been going well with Kyungsoo and Chanyeol?”

His face softened and he nodded, “yeah a lot better. You know, I think they’re also getting along better, as a couple, I mean.” When Jongdae gave him a curious look, he elaborated, “things are just different now. I can’t really put my finger on it, but they seem happier.”

“I almost want to ask for gorey details, but the last time I did that, you gave me an explicitly detailed explanation of what your ex did to you and I couldn’t look the man in the eye for two months, which as you know, is very hard when that man just so happens to be one of my supervisors.”

Baekhyun nodded and he remembered his brief fling with Changmin. It was nice while it lasted, but both of them went into it knowing that it wasn’t a long term thing.

What he had with Kyugnsoo and Chanyeol could definitely be long term, especially with the baby involved. After all, a child was a lifetime commitment.

“You got this stupid look on your face. Don’t tell me you’re imagining what you’ll all look like as old people together.” Jongdae’s face was scrunched in disgust and Baekhyun threw a french fry from his plate in the other man’s direction.

It hit him square in the middle of his forehead and he caught it in his mouth.

“Says you who does the same when you talk about buying a place with Minseok.” The humored expression on his face slipped into a more sheepish one and he nodded.

“So,” Jongdae’s eyes dropped to Baekhyun’s belly again, “when do you pop, again?”

After rolling his eyes, he leaned back in his seat and grinned, cradling his stomach with his arms, “two weeks. I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Hm, well, I’d like to meet Kyungsoo and Chanyeol before then, okay? I’d like to put a face to the men who’ve been stealing my best friend’s time and heart.”

“That was so fucking corny.” Jongdae only shrugged with a grin.

 

In the last three months or so, the nursery had turned from a room that gave Baekhyun chills to one that set his heart racing every morning when he passed it.

It felt like every time he peeked inside, there was a new addition in it, like clothes, shoes, toys or small decorations. Kyungsoo had taken it upon himself to do the nursery and due to the paint fumes that lingered for a week, Baekhyun had been banned from the room for almost a month.

Now, he had free reign and he definitely abused it.

Sometimes, when Chanyeol and Kyungsoo weren’t home, he’d walk in and sit in the massive white rocking chair situated in the corner. On several occasions, he’d fall asleep and have to be woken up by either of the other men to go lay in a bed.

He also just liked to walk around it, running his hands over the smooth, painted wood of the crib or squeezing the countless stuffed animals that were placed throughout the room.

Everything from the mobile of various sea animals, to the tiny clothes folded in neat stacks and the diaper bag already packed and sitting on top of the changing table, were all visual reminders that the baby was coming soon.

Even if he had to pee every time he breathed too deeply or found a comfortable way to drift off to sleep, he could feel the hype building inside of him. He could also see it building in Kyungsoo and Chanyeol as well.

Virtually everything was ready for the baby’s arrival, they just needed to decide on a name.

 

“What about Chanhyuk?” Kyungsoo asked, squinting at one of the several baby name books spread out across the kitchen table. Chanyeol gave a shrug and Kyungsoo added it to the ever growing list of possible names before he continued to search.

They’d been at it for almost two hours and had only come up with one or two names that everyone liked.

“Kyungmin?” Kyungsoo gave Baekhyun a terse nod and a deep furrow settled in his brows.

“That’s my cousin’s name and I can’t stand that jerk.” Fair enough, on to the next one.

Between the books, suggestions from both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s parents and several well-meaning websites, Baekhyun came across a name in one of the older books.

“Sihyun?” Chanyeol and Kyungsoo looked up from what they were doing and time seemed to freeze.

“Sihyun?” Kyungsoo repeated, letting the syllables of the name roll off his tongue. He said it again and again, more quietly and to himself, then nodded.

“Park Sihyun?” Chanyeol spoke, echoing their thoughts.

“It’s perfect.”

With the name of the baby decided, Baekhyun felt his heart squeeze. Every piece was in place.

 

The days leading up to the baby’s delivery were hectic and Baekhyun spent most of his time running around with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo trying to tie every single loose end they could think of.

The last thing on Baekhyun’s list that he had yet to cross off, was arranging a dinner with Jongdae and Minseok.

In truth, he’d subconsciously been avoiding it or putting it off and now just a mere two days before his appointment, they were in Chanyeol’s truck driving to a trendy restaurant in the clubbing district.

“You know, I’ve always been curious about Jongdae. You always smile when you talk about him and his boyfriend. I’m glad that we’re getting to meet them before the baby comes,” Chanyeol mentioned, looking up in the rearview mirror at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun, however, barely heard him because he was too busy letting the butterflies and nerves twist in his stomach. It was only when Chanyeol said his name a little louder, did he register that Chanyeol was talking to him.

“Sorry, baby brain.” Baekhyun mumbled.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo shared a look before Kyungsoo turned in his seat to really look at Baekhyun.

“Baek, are you nervous about us meeting your friends?” Kyungsoo’s deep voice was full of concern and Baekhyun chewed at his bottom lip, debating how he would answer.

If he said yes, that might make Chanyeol and Kyungsoo reluctant to go through with the dinner, if he said no, it would be obvious that he was lying.

Something had to give.

“A little bit,” Chanyeol reached to turn down the music and even though he kept his eyes on the road, Baekhyun could tell he was listening, “it’s just, all of this has kind of felt like a whirlwind type thing. I told them about it when we made our initial agreement, as well as when we started dating. I have no idea why I’m….freaking out like this.” Baekhyun finished talking and his mind felt a little lighter, but his body still felt heavy.

“I would say that we can just turn back if you’d rather wait until another time, but I think Jongdae and his boyfriend, Minseok, was it? I think they see us, so it might be a little rude…” Chanyeol trailed off, waving at the enthusiastic man, then driving a little down the street before he found parking.

Within a moment or two, Baekhyun was standing in front of Jongdae and Minseok with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo at either of his sides and looking every bit like they were his boyfriends.

To quell the nerves, Baekhyun made introductions quick and ushered them into the restaurant. When they got seated, more tension rolled off of him.

“So, Jongdae, what do you do?” Kyungsoo asked, a soft smile on his face as he poured Jongdae a shot of soju.

“Just an office worker. I do computer programming.” From there, Kyungsoo launched into small talk that drew everyone into easy conversation.

Slowly but sure, Baekhyun could feel his nerves relaxing and he eyed the large bowl of cream seafood pasta in the middle of the table.

With the nerves gone, his appetite hit him like a truck.

At some point, the conversation fell into a lull and by time Baekhyun had demolished half the bread basket and the plate of cream pasta, he realized all eyes were on him and he felt shy.

“What, do I have sauce on my face or anything?” There was more silence before everyone laughed, making some people at other tables stare at them.

“You’re so cute.” Chanyeol sighed, reaching over to dust bread crumbs from Baekhyun’s mouth with an expression so soft and whipped, it made Baekhyun feel embarrassed.

Especially, when Jongdae started to wiggle his eyebrows and Minseok had to smack him in the shoulder.

“So, the big day is Friday, right?” This time it was Minseok that restarted the conversation and Baekhyun was thankful for it. He wasn’t the biggest fan of being the center of attention.

“Yes, I can’t wait to see my feet again.” It was a joke, but he was also partially serious. Just the other day, he left the house for one last appointment with Yixing and Irene pointed out his red and blue socks.

He’d never been particularly fashion conscious, but it mortified him that he could barely manage getting functionally dressed.

Everyone at the table laughed again and Kyungsoo reached under the table, squeezing Baekhyun’s hand.

It went without saying that he was excited for the baby as well, so the mood stayed light until it was time to go home. Jongdae had to be at work early for a presentation, so he mentioned that it was time that they call it a night.

When he went to hug Baekhyun, he whispered into Baekhyun’s ear, “they’re good guys. I’m happy for you.”

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol expressed the same sentiments on the car ride home and the same butterflies that had been fluttering in his stomach earlier migrated to his chest.

“I’m glad you guys got along,” was all Baekhyun said, but there was so much behind that statement, yet he wasn’t in the headspace to elaborate.

The men in the front of the car didn’t seem to need him too, Chanyeol just turned up the volume to the Motown Classics playlist Kyungsoo was playing from his phone.

 

🍼🍼🍼🍼

 

In the blink of an eye, it was Friday and Baekhyun was dressed in a soft peach hospital gown, listening to Yixing confirm that everything was ready for him.

Just like they had stood on either of his sides when meeting his friends, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were beside him as the anesthesiologist came to prep him for surgery.

“We’ll be there in the room with you the whole time.” Kyungsoo assured Baekhyun, smoothing his hair out of his face.

It was an odd sensation being more worried about a dinner than about giving birth, yet there was Baekhyun grinning as the drugs started to kick in and everything went light and loopy, then dark.

Perhaps it was because he knew he was in the most capable of hands, but his mind was at ease when the last sights he saw were Chanyeol, Yixing, Kyungsoo and the bright lights of the operating room.

 

When he woke up the lights of his room were dimmed and there was a machine beeping softly in one of his ears. His mind felt like he was still floating in a warm bath and out of curiosity, he lifted the blanket, noting that his stomach was no longer beach ball-esque.

The next thing he noticed was Chanyeol and Kyungsoo curled up together, sleeping on the couch underneath the window and also, the dryness of his mouth.

Yixing warned about stiffness and discomfort when he woke up, so he moved slowly, pressing the button on the remote in his bed to raise his back up. He didn’t want to disrupt any of his stitches, so he kept as still as he could.

The other men looked so peaceful, he didn’t want to wake them up and pressed the nurse button. What he didn’t realize, was that it made a soft dinging noise and Kyungsoo’s eyes flew open. He was on his feet and made it across the room to the side of Baekhyun’s bed in a few seconds.

“How do you feel, Baek? Do you need something?” Sleep still clung to him and he blinked a few times, his lenses probably as dry as the inside of Baekhyun’s mouth.

“I’m okay, just need some water.” His voice came out raspy and Kyungsoo nodded before he left the room, not even waiting for the nurse to come inside.

It was only a few moments before he came back with a cup of ice cold water with a straw, Yixing and Irene. As gently as Kyungsoo had ever handled him, he helped Baekhyun sit up further so he could drink and even held the straw in place for him. When he was done drinking, Kyungsoo moved the cup away and sat it on a rolling tray next to his bed.

Immediately after that, Yixing and Irene went to work giving him a post-op check, as well as asking him about his pain level and things.

As soon as he could, Baekhyun finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind since he’d woken up.

“When can I see the baby?” Yixing perked up at the question and he gestured to the door where a nurse he hadn’t met, Karina, rolled in the bassinet.

Laying in the clear bassinet was a squirming, yet quiet baby. His small head was covered with a blue cap and his little feet were in matching socks. Swaddled in a white blanket, as Karina pushed him closer, he began to move more and make what sounded like questioning whines.

Softly, she picked up the baby and handed him to Baekhyun, tears in her eyes, “I’m so sorry. I always cry the first time the carrier gets to hold the baby. Even after three years on the job.” Baekhyun assured her it was okay and turned his attention to the baby in his arms.

Sihyun blinked a few times and Baekhyun just stared down at him, in disbelief that he was finally holding him. The baby’s earlier whines stopped the moment he was comfortably in Baekhyun’s arms and Kyungsoo watched on with the widest of grins.

Like Karina, there were tears in his eyes and he stepped off to the side to wipe at them.

All of the people in the room finally woke up Chanyeol and sat up with a disorientated expression on his face. He looked confused, but his eyes settled on Baekhyun holding the baby and he sprung to his feet, also grinning.

“If you need me or the nurse, don’t hesitate to press the button or have them call for me.” Yixing’s voice was quiet and Baekhyun nodded, briefly looking away from Sihyun to watch the nurses and doctor slip from the room.

Then, it was just the three of them.

Somehow the baby managed to unravel the swaddling wrap on his blanket and freed his chubby little hands. Baekhyun chuckled softly and toyed with them, cooing at the baby.

“If he’s already breaking out of swaddling clothes, he’s gonna be a handful,” Kyungsoo sighed. All three men had soft eyes set on the baby and it was quiet, except for the quiet words they said uttered to each other, all of them about Sihyun.

After some time of being in Baekhyun’s arms, Sihyun yawned and his entire face scrunched up while his toothless mouth opened.

It was the most adorable thing Baekhyun had ever seen and he started laughing, placing a kiss on the baby’s covered forehead.

“Did you both already hold him?” Baekhyun asked as he rocked the baby to sleep.

Chanyeol nodded and he recounted what happened after Sihyun took his first breath. The anesthesia they gave Baekhyun put him under a bit longer than expected, so he wasn’t awake to immediately hold him. After Yixing checked Baekhyun’s vitals, he mentioned that Baekhyun would simply wake up when he was ready.

He left out how both he and Kyungsoo pestered the nurses and Yixing about when Baekhyun would wake up, but Baekhyun would find that out later when both men had to go attend to work matters or start their paternity leave, in Kyungsoo’s case.

When Baekhyun and Sihyun were alone, now that Baekhyun okayed to get out of his bed and walk around his room, he sat in the large rocking chair in the corner. As he rocked the baby to sleep, he sang different songs to him.

Some were songs from his own childhood, others were things he heard Kyungsoo sing or play whenever they listened to music. Thankfully, the baby seemed to enjoy the sound and without fail, after bottle feeding him, he always drifted off to the sound of Baekhyun’s voice.

 

By his discharge date, Baekhyun was anxious to take Sihyun home and get him settled in his nursery.

The hospital staff had been nice and his room was as luxurious as a hotel room, yet he itched to get back home and escape the sterile environment.

As resisted the urge to bounce from one foot to another as he waited with Kyungsoo for Chanyeol to pull up to the entrance of the hospital. The man had already taken Baekhyun and Sihyun’s bags, so all they had to worry about was strapping the baby into his car seat comfortably and getting Baekhyun settled in the back as well.

Feeling the warm sun on his skin after five days in the hospital felt like heaven and he kept taking deep breaths, stretching as much as his still sore body allowed him.

Everything still felt unreal, even as he rode in the back of the car, alternating between periodically checking on the baby and looking out the window, listening to the soft jazz music flowing from the speakers.

Baekhyun wanted to do nothing more than help carry the baby in the house, but Yixing warned him against heavy things. The baby carrier-car seat was heavy with Sihyun inside, so he could only watch as Chanyeol effortlessly carried the carrier with one arm while his other arm held one bag and Kyungsoo held the other.

It left Baekhyun empty handed and he felt awkward, looking down at Sihyun, who stared back up at him, his wide eyes—reminiscent of Kyungsoo—set on him.

 

Just as Baekhyun expected, Sihyun settled into the new environment easily. He seldom cried, only whining when he needed to be changed or wanted a bottle.

All three men were at his beck and call and when he was sleeping, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo turned their attention on Baekhyun. At times, it felt a little overwhelming, particularly when he was cuddled into Chanyeol’s chest and had his legs thrown over Kyungsoo’s lap where the man lightly massaged his legs.

The feelings he’d had at the beginning of the relationship resurfaced and had he not been aware that it was probably due to the rapid change in his body, it would’ve threatened to overtake him.

Whenever it built up inside of him and reached the brim, both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo seemed able to sense it and appeared to give him some kind of reassurance.

Sometimes it was words.

“I love you.”

“You’re doing great.”

“You’re amazing.”

Other times it was actions.

When Baekhyun was standing over Sihyun’s crib, watching the baby sleep peacefully, hands would wind around his waist and depending on who it was, a head would rest on top of his head or his shoulder.

There were also actions. Actions that made him feel like his blood was threatening to boil in his veins.

At some point, it became normal for him to find himself in between the two men, whether it was on the couch, when they took Sihyun out for walks or even when it was time to go to sleep.

Whenever night fell, rather than walk to his room, it was becoming more and more common for him to settle between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, then drift off to sleep. At various hours of the night, one of his sides would be temporarily left cold as they went to attend to Sihyun.

Deciding who should do what for the baby was a lot more seamless than Baekhyun ever expected. He didn’t even have to ask Chanyeol or Kyungsoo to do anything, they would just do it with a smile on their face.

It was a frequent reminder of how Chanyeol and Kyungsoo waited so long for a child of their own and whenever Baekhyun felt like he fell short in terms of caring for Sihyun, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo effortlessly filled those spaces.

They were a team, incomplete without the three of them.

Or rather, the four of them. Together.