Second Chances (Chapter 23)
Title: Second Chances
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: Main: YunJae; Secondary: JaeMin, HoMin
Rating: PG-13
Length: Chaptered
Summary: After Changmin's death, how are Jae and Yunho going to cope with their grief and their increasing attraction to each other?
The next morning, Jae awoke to the merry sound of birds chirping, the room illuminated by the bright sunlight filtering through the drapes. He was alone in bed, not surprising though since Yunho often woke before him on weekends.
They were the only days he didn’t have to get up early to make breakfast for Yunho and see him off to work. Stretching languidly, he kicked off the covers and made his way to the bathroom to prepare to meet the day ahead.
Fifteen minutes later, he made his way down the stairs, pondering what to whip up for breakfast. Maybe he should just wait until HyunJoon woke up and ask him what he wanted, he thought.
“Well, look who finally decided to join us,” Yunho drawled.
Jae paused on the threshold of the dining room/kitchen at the sound of his voice. His eyes widened as he took in the two smiling faces gazing back at him, seated at the table with a huge stack of pancakes, a small jug of mable syrup and diced fresh fruit.
“I didn’t expect him to be up this early,” Jae mumbled.
Yunho cocked his head to the side. “Just what time do you think it is?” He nodded at the clock on the wall above Jae’s head.
Stepping further into the room, Jae looked up and gasped as he read the clock. 10:30. He never slept this late.
“I was beginning to think you were never going to wake up,” Yunho teased. “I was hashing all sorts of ingenious…methods to wake sleeping beauty out of his slumber.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at the pause.
HyunJoon giggled at the playfulness in his uncle’s tone, innocently unaware of the hidden meaning behind in.
Jae rolled his eyes. The man was insatiable. “Pretty sure your methods are the reason why I woke up so late.”
“Well, just like you read to HyunJoon ‘til he fell asleep, I took it upon myself to put you to sleep. He should be more grateful, shouldn’t he Joonie?” Yunho said to his nephew.
Smiling widely, HyunJoon nodded.
Deciding it was safer to change the topic before HyunJoon started asking questions, Jae sat at the table across from them. “What have we here?”
“Pancakes, fruit and there’s a fresh pot of coffee. I’ll get you a cup,” Yunho replied. “And when you’re done, get changed quickly so we can head out.”
In the process of smothering his pancakes with an unhealthy amount of syrup, Jae paused.
“Head out? Where?”
Smiling, Yunho picked up a napkin and wiped HyunJoon’s sticky cheeks. “When I woke up, I had the brilliant idea that we should spend the day at the zoo. It’s beautiful out and the weather will start changing soon so we should make the best of it. Besides, we can’t keep this young man trapped in the house for three whole days, can we?” He ruffled HyunJoon’s hair affectionately.
Jae couldn’t hide his surprise. He’d never expected Yunho to plan an outing for them. Whenever they went out, he was usually the one behind the event. Yunho just went along with whatever he decided. With the exception of a few notable occasions, like their first dinner at the restaurant and their trip to the beach, he was the brains behind their social life. Having HyunJoon stay with them had been his idea so he’d naturally assumed that he’d do the majority of the caretaking but Yunho had stepped up to the plate as an equal partner, as if they were a real family.
Jae was surprised to feel his throat close up, his eyeballs tickling.
Clearing his throat, he nodded, pasting a bright smile on his face. “Okay.”
The zoo was an hour away and they spent the time on the road chatting excitedly about the fun they were going to have when they got there. HyunJoon was especially anxious to see the elephants and lions.
As they drove, Jae kept glancing nervously over his shoulder at HyunJoon in the backseat. He’d buckled, unbuckled and re-buckled him yet he still worried that he’d done it wrong or that it still wasn’t safe and the boy would be hurt if, by some misfortune, they got into an accident. Every time Yunho saw his head turn out of the corner of his eye, he groaned inwardly. It was driving him crazy. When he stopped at a gas station about twenty minutes from the zoo, he subtly suggested that Jae sit in the back with HyunJoon to keep him company for the remainder of the drive. Unsurprisingly, Jae was quick to agree.
The parking lot of the zoo was packed with cars but, luckily, they managed to grab one of the few remaining spots. Jae alighted from the car and reached in to unbuckle HyunJoon’s seatbelt. As soon as he was free, the boy sprang out to his waiting uncle, bouncing energetically on his feet.
“What should we do first?” Yunho asked, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately.
“Elephants!”
“Elephants it is,” he chuckled.
Jae smiled as he watched them, retrieving the picnic basket that had replaced him in the front seat. He rounded the car to the two and waited while Yunho locked up.
“Let’s go.”
Jae moved to put HyunJoon between them so that they could each hold one of his hands but as he did so, he felt the handles of the basket slip out of his grip. Glancing up in surprise, his eyes met Yunho’s smiling ones. A deep blush stole across his cheeks, forcing him to break eye-contact.
Unable to resist, Yunho bent forward until his mouth was at Jae’s ear and whispered, “You’re so pretty when you’re shy.” He gently nipped the outer shell of Jae’s ear as he finished.
Jae felt his cheeks flame even hotter. He elbowed Yunho in the ribs and moved to HyunJoon’s side, grabbing his hand none-to-gently, which only amused Yunho more as was evidenced by his low, throaty and entirely too sexy laugh. He was embarrassed but also touched. Yunho had come a long way from not wanting to display affection publicly. They were in a zoo for crying out loud, kids were positively everywhere! But that wasn’t the only thing that moved him. The entire outing was touching and the fact that Yunho also packed their meal just made the day even more special. Except for when he’d been sick, Yunho had never prepared anything for him. Granted, it was just leftovers and he hadn’t seen exactly how it had been put together but it was the thought that counted.
They slowly made their way to the elephant corral. It was a beautiful, languid day, not the kind of day where one rushed from place to place but one where stopping to smell the roses was the highlight. Even though HyunJoon had been excited to see the elephants, almost everything they passed intrigued him so they stopped for him to gawk as long as he wanted and garner bits and pieces of knowledge as they went along.
There were a lot of families, parents, grandparents and kids, so they didn’t stand out too much but Jae couldn’t help noticing the speculative glances they received occasionally. He supposed it was only natural: two men wouldn’t just blend in in this kind of scene, even with a child between them, or perhaps especially because of the child between them. There was only one logical conclusion when people looked at them, even if it was based on an assumption. And he didn’t think he’d pass for a girl that day so he was pretty sure they knew they were looking at two men.
Shrugging it off, he tuned back in to the squealing boy next to him. They were at the lion’s den (how long they’d been standing there, he wasn’t altogether sure) and HyunJoon had reached the first peak of excitement. Jae couldn’t help getting caught up in his innocent pleasure. He glanced over at Yunho and saw him smiling down at the little boy, his hand gently stroking the back of his head. Warmth bloomed in Jae’s chest and his eyes pricked for the second time that morning. If he’d been a girl, he’d wonder if he was on the rag, he thought as he reined in his emotions yet again.
By lunch time they’d walked an entire lap of the zoo and worked up a strong appetite. They made their way to the picnic area of the zoo, a small park with wooden tables and umbrellas and, like the parking lot, managed to get one of the last free tables.
Jae and HyunJoon left Yunho to setup while they went to the café/concession area to buy drinks. They were just about to leave when, as he turned, HyunJoon bumped into someone behind him and dropped his drink.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” a soft voice apologized quickly.
It was an older woman, pretty, petite and in her late forties by the look of her. She bent and picked up HyunJoon’s juice, which hadn’t burst open on impact thankfully, and handed it to him.
“I didn’t mean to get so close to you, dear boy,” she said in that soft voice.
Jae smiled in understanding. “It’s okay. Isn’t it HyunJoon?” he asked, laying a hand on the boy’s head.
Smiling sweetly, HyunJoon nodded at her.
“What a cute, little boy,” she cooed. Glancing up at Jae, she asked, “Is he your son?”
Jae froze, smile going stiff on his face. What was he supposed to say? He’s my lover’s sister’s son. Hell no! My boyfriend’s nephew? That wasn’t exactly true considering that Yunho wasn’t officially his boyfriend.
“He’s…”
“He’s our nephew.”
For the second time in as many minutes, Jae went absolutely still. Where had Yunho come from? And why did he slide his arm around Jae’s shoulders and pull him snugly to his side? In front of the old woman! Was he crazy?
The world seemed to come to a standstill for what seemed like minutes but was probably five seconds at best.
“Oh!” the woman gushed, surprising them both. “What a handsome couple you are.”
Jae’s eyes widened in surprise. He’d expected to see censure and derision in her eyes, even if she continued to be polite, but total acceptance and, dare he say, approval was the furthest from either of those.
“Thank you,” Yunho replied, smiling charistmatically. Jae could almost see hearts in the woman’s eyes as she gazed into Yunho’s. “Have a pleasant day. Come along, HyunJoon.” With that, he led Jae, who followed robotically, along the path back to the picnic area. He squeezed Jae gently and said, “Not everyone in South Korea is a homophobe.”
After lunch, they had a leisurely walk to the duck pond, where they were allowed to feed the quackers, but soon enough HyunJoon was demanding to see the elephants and lions once again so they took off on their second lap around the zoo. It was mid-afternoon by the time they finished and Jae was ready to pack it in for the day. It was simply too hot to be outside that long. They’d had a couple of breaks, lunch and then a half hour when HyunJoon went into the playground to play with other kids, and coincidentally met one of his friends from school, but there simply wasn’t enough breeze to cool them down, even with the shade of the umbrella’d benches scattered throughout the zoo.
They were on their way to the car when Yunho suddenly said, “HyunJoon-ah, there’s an amusement park down the street from here. Do you want to go?”
Naturally, the little boy started bouncing up and down, utter joy beaming from his adorable face.
Jae could’ve kicked Yunho.
Just then, HyunJoon sneezed and Jae froze in his tracks. “What was that?”
“What was what?” Yunho asked, confused by his horrified expression.
“That noise!”
Yunho glanced at HyunJoon then back at Jae. “He sneezed.”
“Omg… He’s sick.”
Yunho rolled his eyes. “Geez, Jae, it was just a sneeze.”
“He must have picked something up from one of the other kids. I should’ve known. Kids are germ-infested pools of…well, germs.”
Yunho sighed dramatically. “It was just a sneeze. Everyone sneezes, even kids. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“But…”
“It could even be allergies,” Yunho reasoned.
“Allergies can turn into a cold, you know. Noona will have my ass if he gets sick.”
Yunho chuckled. “Well, I’ll just have to tell her your ass belongs to me so she can have mine instead.”
Even as he continued to grumble, a blush stole across Jae’s cheeks. “That’s what you say but if anything happens to him, it’s me she’s going to kill.”
“Why’s that?”
Jae scoffed. “Because you’re a…”
He paused, eyes widening. Had he really almost said that it was because Yunho was a man? Then what did that make him?
Eyes twinkling knowledgeably, Yunho cocked a brow and waited. “Because…?”
Angry color tainted Jae’s cheeks. “Because you’re you!” he retorted and stomped the rest of the way to the car, Yunho’s mocking laugh trailing behind him.
They piled into the car and set off for the amusement park. Jae was grateful that they arrived at their destination in a mere five minutes but he hated having to leave the glorious air-condition of the car and he still worried about whether HyunJoon had caught something. Climbing out of the car, he took a deep breath and slowly released it.
For HyunJoon, he chanted mentally.
Thirty minutes later, Jae was glad Yunho had made the suggestion. He hadn’t gone to an amusement park since high school and had forgotten how much he used to love the exhilaration of flying through the air.
“Someone looks happy,” Yunho teased smugly as they waited in line for a ride.
“Whatever,” Jae snapped.
“I’m actually surprised you wanted to go on this,” Yunho admitted. He looked up the 300ft length of the Drop Tower, or Scream as it was named, marveling as the topmost point of the ride was invisible against the blue background of the sky. “It’s pretty high up. Are you sure you can handle it? You won’t cry, will you?” he joked.
“I’m not a little girl, Yunho,” Jae grunted.
He forced himself not to look at it. One upon a time he’d loved the sinking feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he shot upward then just as quickly came crashing back down but he’d been young and stupid then and he wasn’t sure how much he’d enjoy the experience now.
Only one way to find out.
He turned to look back at HyunJoon, who stood with an attendant off to the side since he was too young and too short to go on the ride with them. HyunJoon waved enthustiastically at him and he smiled bravely in return.
As they were buckled in, Yunho said, “If you’re gonna puke, make sure to turn your head to the other side. I don’t want the smell of vomit following us on the drive home.” He grinned wickedly.
Jae glared at him. “That is such a Min thing to say.”
“I learned from the best!” Yunho quipped, winking at his lover.
For the second time, Jae had the urge to kick him. If he hadn’t been strapped in, he was positive he’d have given into it.
That was his last thought before he shot 100ft into the air.
The sun was going down when they finally headed home.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Yunho watched as Jae gently wiped HyunJoon’s cheeks and hands of the remnants of chocolate ice-cream, complete with sprinkles. The little boy was sleeping deeply on Jae’s lap, having knocked out almost as soon as Jae buckled him into his seat. Jae had pushed the chest/shoulder strap back so he could lie comfortably in his lap. The seat-belt didn’t cross his chest anyway, since he was so short, so Yunho didn’t think it mattered so long as he was strapped in at the waist.
Jae looked up and caught Yunho’s eyes in the mirror. He smiled slowly, feeling completely relaxed and content. When a yawn came upon him suddenly, he laughed sheepishly.
Yunho grinned back at him. They looked good together, he decided. HyunJoon was completely at ease with Jae. He had that effect on people, Yunho knew. They just gravitated towards him. Stifling a yawn of his own, he focused on the road and getting them home safely.
Thirty minutes later, they pulled up at the house. Jae carefully unbuckled HyunJoon, not wanting to wake him.
Yunho opened the door on the sleeping boy’s other side. “I’ll take him.”
Jae opened his mouth to say he had him but Yunho was already reaching in and pulling him out. Probably for the best, he thought. He grabbed the picnic basket and followed Yunho into the house.
“You can leave that on the table,” Yunho said over his shoulder as he started up the stairs. “I’ll take care of it.”
Jae watched him for a moment, his brows furrowed. Yunho really hadn’t let him do anything that entire day. He’d made all the decisions and preparations, had literally taken care of everything, ensuring that there wasn’t even the slightest oversight left for Jae to handle. It felt weird…being taken care of. He wasn’t used to it. But it was…nice, in a sense. Instead of feeling powerless, he felt coddled and…loved.
Not wanting to overthink things, he set the basket on the kitchen table and went upstairs to check on HyunJoon.
Yunho was in the process of removing his jeans when he walked in. “I’ll take over from here,” he said.
“I’ve got it,” Yunho replied.
“Yunnie… I can do this much. Besides,” he continued as he walked to the bed and sat beside the sleeping boy, “I bet you were just gonna take off his clothes and pull the covers over him, right?”
Yunho blinked rapidly. “Well…”
Chuckling, Jae gently slapped his hand away. “Thought so. Go clean up downstairs. Make sure you leave it the way you found it,” he warned.
Yunho groaned. “That may take a while.”
Jae chuckled again as he listened to him walk out. He quickly removed HyunJoon’s clothes until he was down to his underwear, then he went into the bathroom and ran a washcloth beneath hot water for a minute before returning to the boy. He quickly wiped him down, removing any sticky traces that the wet wipes had left behind, then dries with a towel. He was surprised that the boy didn’t move an inch the entire time he tended to him. When he was certain that he was completely dry, he dressed him in his Spiderman pajamas and tucked him in. He kissed his forehead and stroked his hair a few times before turning the lights down and leaving the room.
He walked slowly down the hall to his and Yunho’s room, his eyes closing little by little as he did so. By the time he turned into their room, he was finding his way solely by memory. He stripped in the bathroom and stepped into the shower, turning the spray on. As the hot water sluiced over him, he leaned against the wall and sighed contentedly.
He must have dozed because the next thing he knew, hands were moving on him, soaping his back and sliding around to soap his stomach. He pushed off the wall, turned blindly and found himself bushing up against a slippery Yunho. Not bothering to open his eyes, he leaned against the soapy chest and sighed again. Yunho would see to it that he got clean. He was in control, after all.
As Yunho worked on him, his nerve-endings tingled with pleasure, muscles quivering beneath his touch. Despite his utter exhaustion, he couldn’t help becoming aroused. He knew that Yunho was having the same reaction as he could feel his erection against his stomach. Unlike previous occasions, however, Yunho ignored his baser urges and focused on the business at hand.
Five minutes later, he’d been rinsed and toweled dry.
“Up!” Yunho ordered, holding out his pajama bottoms for him to step into.
Obediently, Jae did as he was told, lifting one leg at a time while Yunho pulled his pants up to settle on his hips. He was then guided to bed and tucked in, Yunho pulling him into his arms when he joined him.
Jae turned and snuggled deeper into Yunho’s warmth.
Yunho stroked his back with one hand while the other tilted Jae’s chin upward for his kiss. It was soft…slow…lovely.
When Yunho pulled back, Jae’s lips were still tingling.
“Too tired,” he murmured, even as he mentally checked himself for any energy reserves he could tap into if Yunho really was feeling amorous.
Yunho smiled. “Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss. I can hold you like this and be just as blissfully happy and content as I am making love with you.” The hand on Jae’s back pressed him forward into Yunho, making him aware, yet again, of Yunho’s desire. “I always want you but simply having you in my arms, being with you, is enough.”
Jae’s cheeks pinkened as he blushed prettily. Embarrassed, he pressed his hot cheek against Yunho’s bare chest.
For a time, neither one said anything, then Jae broken the silence, saying, “It’s only 8:30pm. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to bed this early.”
Yunho chuckled. “I think we’ve earned a long, restful sleep. For once, I’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I wake up for work.”
“Oh!” Jae gasped, pushing up and away. “I forgot to set the alarm.”
Yunho pulled him back down and held him tightly. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll wake myself in the morning.”
“What about breakfast?” Jae mumbled, words stifled against Yunho’s chest.
“I’ll manage…”
“And lunch?”
Yunho laughed. “That too. There are more than a few restaurants near the office. But…” He leaned back so he could look into Jae’s eyes. “Don’t worry. You can make it up to me at dinner…and dessert.” The mischief in his eyes made it very clear exactly what he meant.
Jae groaned softly, rolling his eyes.
Yunho laughed and as his hold tightened around him, Jae closed his eyes and let the sound lull him to sleep.
A/N: Part two to come!
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: Main: YunJae; Secondary: JaeMin, HoMin
Rating: PG-13
Length: Chaptered
Summary: After Changmin's death, how are Jae and Yunho going to cope with their grief and their increasing attraction to each other?
The next morning, Jae awoke to the merry sound of birds chirping, the room illuminated by the bright sunlight filtering through the drapes. He was alone in bed, not surprising though since Yunho often woke before him on weekends.
They were the only days he didn’t have to get up early to make breakfast for Yunho and see him off to work. Stretching languidly, he kicked off the covers and made his way to the bathroom to prepare to meet the day ahead.
Fifteen minutes later, he made his way down the stairs, pondering what to whip up for breakfast. Maybe he should just wait until HyunJoon woke up and ask him what he wanted, he thought.
“Well, look who finally decided to join us,” Yunho drawled.
Jae paused on the threshold of the dining room/kitchen at the sound of his voice. His eyes widened as he took in the two smiling faces gazing back at him, seated at the table with a huge stack of pancakes, a small jug of mable syrup and diced fresh fruit.
“I didn’t expect him to be up this early,” Jae mumbled.
Yunho cocked his head to the side. “Just what time do you think it is?” He nodded at the clock on the wall above Jae’s head.
Stepping further into the room, Jae looked up and gasped as he read the clock. 10:30. He never slept this late.
“I was beginning to think you were never going to wake up,” Yunho teased. “I was hashing all sorts of ingenious…methods to wake sleeping beauty out of his slumber.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at the pause.
HyunJoon giggled at the playfulness in his uncle’s tone, innocently unaware of the hidden meaning behind in.
Jae rolled his eyes. The man was insatiable. “Pretty sure your methods are the reason why I woke up so late.”
“Well, just like you read to HyunJoon ‘til he fell asleep, I took it upon myself to put you to sleep. He should be more grateful, shouldn’t he Joonie?” Yunho said to his nephew.
Smiling widely, HyunJoon nodded.
Deciding it was safer to change the topic before HyunJoon started asking questions, Jae sat at the table across from them. “What have we here?”
“Pancakes, fruit and there’s a fresh pot of coffee. I’ll get you a cup,” Yunho replied. “And when you’re done, get changed quickly so we can head out.”
In the process of smothering his pancakes with an unhealthy amount of syrup, Jae paused.
“Head out? Where?”
Smiling, Yunho picked up a napkin and wiped HyunJoon’s sticky cheeks. “When I woke up, I had the brilliant idea that we should spend the day at the zoo. It’s beautiful out and the weather will start changing soon so we should make the best of it. Besides, we can’t keep this young man trapped in the house for three whole days, can we?” He ruffled HyunJoon’s hair affectionately.
Jae couldn’t hide his surprise. He’d never expected Yunho to plan an outing for them. Whenever they went out, he was usually the one behind the event. Yunho just went along with whatever he decided. With the exception of a few notable occasions, like their first dinner at the restaurant and their trip to the beach, he was the brains behind their social life. Having HyunJoon stay with them had been his idea so he’d naturally assumed that he’d do the majority of the caretaking but Yunho had stepped up to the plate as an equal partner, as if they were a real family.
Jae was surprised to feel his throat close up, his eyeballs tickling.
Clearing his throat, he nodded, pasting a bright smile on his face. “Okay.”
The zoo was an hour away and they spent the time on the road chatting excitedly about the fun they were going to have when they got there. HyunJoon was especially anxious to see the elephants and lions.
As they drove, Jae kept glancing nervously over his shoulder at HyunJoon in the backseat. He’d buckled, unbuckled and re-buckled him yet he still worried that he’d done it wrong or that it still wasn’t safe and the boy would be hurt if, by some misfortune, they got into an accident. Every time Yunho saw his head turn out of the corner of his eye, he groaned inwardly. It was driving him crazy. When he stopped at a gas station about twenty minutes from the zoo, he subtly suggested that Jae sit in the back with HyunJoon to keep him company for the remainder of the drive. Unsurprisingly, Jae was quick to agree.
The parking lot of the zoo was packed with cars but, luckily, they managed to grab one of the few remaining spots. Jae alighted from the car and reached in to unbuckle HyunJoon’s seatbelt. As soon as he was free, the boy sprang out to his waiting uncle, bouncing energetically on his feet.
“What should we do first?” Yunho asked, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately.
“Elephants!”
“Elephants it is,” he chuckled.
Jae smiled as he watched them, retrieving the picnic basket that had replaced him in the front seat. He rounded the car to the two and waited while Yunho locked up.
“Let’s go.”
Jae moved to put HyunJoon between them so that they could each hold one of his hands but as he did so, he felt the handles of the basket slip out of his grip. Glancing up in surprise, his eyes met Yunho’s smiling ones. A deep blush stole across his cheeks, forcing him to break eye-contact.
Unable to resist, Yunho bent forward until his mouth was at Jae’s ear and whispered, “You’re so pretty when you’re shy.” He gently nipped the outer shell of Jae’s ear as he finished.
Jae felt his cheeks flame even hotter. He elbowed Yunho in the ribs and moved to HyunJoon’s side, grabbing his hand none-to-gently, which only amused Yunho more as was evidenced by his low, throaty and entirely too sexy laugh. He was embarrassed but also touched. Yunho had come a long way from not wanting to display affection publicly. They were in a zoo for crying out loud, kids were positively everywhere! But that wasn’t the only thing that moved him. The entire outing was touching and the fact that Yunho also packed their meal just made the day even more special. Except for when he’d been sick, Yunho had never prepared anything for him. Granted, it was just leftovers and he hadn’t seen exactly how it had been put together but it was the thought that counted.
They slowly made their way to the elephant corral. It was a beautiful, languid day, not the kind of day where one rushed from place to place but one where stopping to smell the roses was the highlight. Even though HyunJoon had been excited to see the elephants, almost everything they passed intrigued him so they stopped for him to gawk as long as he wanted and garner bits and pieces of knowledge as they went along.
There were a lot of families, parents, grandparents and kids, so they didn’t stand out too much but Jae couldn’t help noticing the speculative glances they received occasionally. He supposed it was only natural: two men wouldn’t just blend in in this kind of scene, even with a child between them, or perhaps especially because of the child between them. There was only one logical conclusion when people looked at them, even if it was based on an assumption. And he didn’t think he’d pass for a girl that day so he was pretty sure they knew they were looking at two men.
Shrugging it off, he tuned back in to the squealing boy next to him. They were at the lion’s den (how long they’d been standing there, he wasn’t altogether sure) and HyunJoon had reached the first peak of excitement. Jae couldn’t help getting caught up in his innocent pleasure. He glanced over at Yunho and saw him smiling down at the little boy, his hand gently stroking the back of his head. Warmth bloomed in Jae’s chest and his eyes pricked for the second time that morning. If he’d been a girl, he’d wonder if he was on the rag, he thought as he reined in his emotions yet again.
By lunch time they’d walked an entire lap of the zoo and worked up a strong appetite. They made their way to the picnic area of the zoo, a small park with wooden tables and umbrellas and, like the parking lot, managed to get one of the last free tables.
Jae and HyunJoon left Yunho to setup while they went to the café/concession area to buy drinks. They were just about to leave when, as he turned, HyunJoon bumped into someone behind him and dropped his drink.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” a soft voice apologized quickly.
It was an older woman, pretty, petite and in her late forties by the look of her. She bent and picked up HyunJoon’s juice, which hadn’t burst open on impact thankfully, and handed it to him.
“I didn’t mean to get so close to you, dear boy,” she said in that soft voice.
Jae smiled in understanding. “It’s okay. Isn’t it HyunJoon?” he asked, laying a hand on the boy’s head.
Smiling sweetly, HyunJoon nodded at her.
“What a cute, little boy,” she cooed. Glancing up at Jae, she asked, “Is he your son?”
Jae froze, smile going stiff on his face. What was he supposed to say? He’s my lover’s sister’s son. Hell no! My boyfriend’s nephew? That wasn’t exactly true considering that Yunho wasn’t officially his boyfriend.
“He’s…”
“He’s our nephew.”
For the second time in as many minutes, Jae went absolutely still. Where had Yunho come from? And why did he slide his arm around Jae’s shoulders and pull him snugly to his side? In front of the old woman! Was he crazy?
The world seemed to come to a standstill for what seemed like minutes but was probably five seconds at best.
“Oh!” the woman gushed, surprising them both. “What a handsome couple you are.”
Jae’s eyes widened in surprise. He’d expected to see censure and derision in her eyes, even if she continued to be polite, but total acceptance and, dare he say, approval was the furthest from either of those.
“Thank you,” Yunho replied, smiling charistmatically. Jae could almost see hearts in the woman’s eyes as she gazed into Yunho’s. “Have a pleasant day. Come along, HyunJoon.” With that, he led Jae, who followed robotically, along the path back to the picnic area. He squeezed Jae gently and said, “Not everyone in South Korea is a homophobe.”
After lunch, they had a leisurely walk to the duck pond, where they were allowed to feed the quackers, but soon enough HyunJoon was demanding to see the elephants and lions once again so they took off on their second lap around the zoo. It was mid-afternoon by the time they finished and Jae was ready to pack it in for the day. It was simply too hot to be outside that long. They’d had a couple of breaks, lunch and then a half hour when HyunJoon went into the playground to play with other kids, and coincidentally met one of his friends from school, but there simply wasn’t enough breeze to cool them down, even with the shade of the umbrella’d benches scattered throughout the zoo.
They were on their way to the car when Yunho suddenly said, “HyunJoon-ah, there’s an amusement park down the street from here. Do you want to go?”
Naturally, the little boy started bouncing up and down, utter joy beaming from his adorable face.
Jae could’ve kicked Yunho.
Just then, HyunJoon sneezed and Jae froze in his tracks. “What was that?”
“What was what?” Yunho asked, confused by his horrified expression.
“That noise!”
Yunho glanced at HyunJoon then back at Jae. “He sneezed.”
“Omg… He’s sick.”
Yunho rolled his eyes. “Geez, Jae, it was just a sneeze.”
“He must have picked something up from one of the other kids. I should’ve known. Kids are germ-infested pools of…well, germs.”
Yunho sighed dramatically. “It was just a sneeze. Everyone sneezes, even kids. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“But…”
“It could even be allergies,” Yunho reasoned.
“Allergies can turn into a cold, you know. Noona will have my ass if he gets sick.”
Yunho chuckled. “Well, I’ll just have to tell her your ass belongs to me so she can have mine instead.”
Even as he continued to grumble, a blush stole across Jae’s cheeks. “That’s what you say but if anything happens to him, it’s me she’s going to kill.”
“Why’s that?”
Jae scoffed. “Because you’re a…”
He paused, eyes widening. Had he really almost said that it was because Yunho was a man? Then what did that make him?
Eyes twinkling knowledgeably, Yunho cocked a brow and waited. “Because…?”
Angry color tainted Jae’s cheeks. “Because you’re you!” he retorted and stomped the rest of the way to the car, Yunho’s mocking laugh trailing behind him.
They piled into the car and set off for the amusement park. Jae was grateful that they arrived at their destination in a mere five minutes but he hated having to leave the glorious air-condition of the car and he still worried about whether HyunJoon had caught something. Climbing out of the car, he took a deep breath and slowly released it.
For HyunJoon, he chanted mentally.
Thirty minutes later, Jae was glad Yunho had made the suggestion. He hadn’t gone to an amusement park since high school and had forgotten how much he used to love the exhilaration of flying through the air.
“Someone looks happy,” Yunho teased smugly as they waited in line for a ride.
“Whatever,” Jae snapped.
“I’m actually surprised you wanted to go on this,” Yunho admitted. He looked up the 300ft length of the Drop Tower, or Scream as it was named, marveling as the topmost point of the ride was invisible against the blue background of the sky. “It’s pretty high up. Are you sure you can handle it? You won’t cry, will you?” he joked.
“I’m not a little girl, Yunho,” Jae grunted.
He forced himself not to look at it. One upon a time he’d loved the sinking feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he shot upward then just as quickly came crashing back down but he’d been young and stupid then and he wasn’t sure how much he’d enjoy the experience now.
Only one way to find out.
He turned to look back at HyunJoon, who stood with an attendant off to the side since he was too young and too short to go on the ride with them. HyunJoon waved enthustiastically at him and he smiled bravely in return.
As they were buckled in, Yunho said, “If you’re gonna puke, make sure to turn your head to the other side. I don’t want the smell of vomit following us on the drive home.” He grinned wickedly.
Jae glared at him. “That is such a Min thing to say.”
“I learned from the best!” Yunho quipped, winking at his lover.
For the second time, Jae had the urge to kick him. If he hadn’t been strapped in, he was positive he’d have given into it.
That was his last thought before he shot 100ft into the air.
The sun was going down when they finally headed home.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Yunho watched as Jae gently wiped HyunJoon’s cheeks and hands of the remnants of chocolate ice-cream, complete with sprinkles. The little boy was sleeping deeply on Jae’s lap, having knocked out almost as soon as Jae buckled him into his seat. Jae had pushed the chest/shoulder strap back so he could lie comfortably in his lap. The seat-belt didn’t cross his chest anyway, since he was so short, so Yunho didn’t think it mattered so long as he was strapped in at the waist.
Jae looked up and caught Yunho’s eyes in the mirror. He smiled slowly, feeling completely relaxed and content. When a yawn came upon him suddenly, he laughed sheepishly.
Yunho grinned back at him. They looked good together, he decided. HyunJoon was completely at ease with Jae. He had that effect on people, Yunho knew. They just gravitated towards him. Stifling a yawn of his own, he focused on the road and getting them home safely.
Thirty minutes later, they pulled up at the house. Jae carefully unbuckled HyunJoon, not wanting to wake him.
Yunho opened the door on the sleeping boy’s other side. “I’ll take him.”
Jae opened his mouth to say he had him but Yunho was already reaching in and pulling him out. Probably for the best, he thought. He grabbed the picnic basket and followed Yunho into the house.
“You can leave that on the table,” Yunho said over his shoulder as he started up the stairs. “I’ll take care of it.”
Jae watched him for a moment, his brows furrowed. Yunho really hadn’t let him do anything that entire day. He’d made all the decisions and preparations, had literally taken care of everything, ensuring that there wasn’t even the slightest oversight left for Jae to handle. It felt weird…being taken care of. He wasn’t used to it. But it was…nice, in a sense. Instead of feeling powerless, he felt coddled and…loved.
Not wanting to overthink things, he set the basket on the kitchen table and went upstairs to check on HyunJoon.
Yunho was in the process of removing his jeans when he walked in. “I’ll take over from here,” he said.
“I’ve got it,” Yunho replied.
“Yunnie… I can do this much. Besides,” he continued as he walked to the bed and sat beside the sleeping boy, “I bet you were just gonna take off his clothes and pull the covers over him, right?”
Yunho blinked rapidly. “Well…”
Chuckling, Jae gently slapped his hand away. “Thought so. Go clean up downstairs. Make sure you leave it the way you found it,” he warned.
Yunho groaned. “That may take a while.”
Jae chuckled again as he listened to him walk out. He quickly removed HyunJoon’s clothes until he was down to his underwear, then he went into the bathroom and ran a washcloth beneath hot water for a minute before returning to the boy. He quickly wiped him down, removing any sticky traces that the wet wipes had left behind, then dries with a towel. He was surprised that the boy didn’t move an inch the entire time he tended to him. When he was certain that he was completely dry, he dressed him in his Spiderman pajamas and tucked him in. He kissed his forehead and stroked his hair a few times before turning the lights down and leaving the room.
He walked slowly down the hall to his and Yunho’s room, his eyes closing little by little as he did so. By the time he turned into their room, he was finding his way solely by memory. He stripped in the bathroom and stepped into the shower, turning the spray on. As the hot water sluiced over him, he leaned against the wall and sighed contentedly.
He must have dozed because the next thing he knew, hands were moving on him, soaping his back and sliding around to soap his stomach. He pushed off the wall, turned blindly and found himself bushing up against a slippery Yunho. Not bothering to open his eyes, he leaned against the soapy chest and sighed again. Yunho would see to it that he got clean. He was in control, after all.
As Yunho worked on him, his nerve-endings tingled with pleasure, muscles quivering beneath his touch. Despite his utter exhaustion, he couldn’t help becoming aroused. He knew that Yunho was having the same reaction as he could feel his erection against his stomach. Unlike previous occasions, however, Yunho ignored his baser urges and focused on the business at hand.
Five minutes later, he’d been rinsed and toweled dry.
“Up!” Yunho ordered, holding out his pajama bottoms for him to step into.
Obediently, Jae did as he was told, lifting one leg at a time while Yunho pulled his pants up to settle on his hips. He was then guided to bed and tucked in, Yunho pulling him into his arms when he joined him.
Jae turned and snuggled deeper into Yunho’s warmth.
Yunho stroked his back with one hand while the other tilted Jae’s chin upward for his kiss. It was soft…slow…lovely.
When Yunho pulled back, Jae’s lips were still tingling.
“Too tired,” he murmured, even as he mentally checked himself for any energy reserves he could tap into if Yunho really was feeling amorous.
Yunho smiled. “Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss. I can hold you like this and be just as blissfully happy and content as I am making love with you.” The hand on Jae’s back pressed him forward into Yunho, making him aware, yet again, of Yunho’s desire. “I always want you but simply having you in my arms, being with you, is enough.”
Jae’s cheeks pinkened as he blushed prettily. Embarrassed, he pressed his hot cheek against Yunho’s bare chest.
For a time, neither one said anything, then Jae broken the silence, saying, “It’s only 8:30pm. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to bed this early.”
Yunho chuckled. “I think we’ve earned a long, restful sleep. For once, I’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I wake up for work.”
“Oh!” Jae gasped, pushing up and away. “I forgot to set the alarm.”
Yunho pulled him back down and held him tightly. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll wake myself in the morning.”
“What about breakfast?” Jae mumbled, words stifled against Yunho’s chest.
“I’ll manage…”
“And lunch?”
Yunho laughed. “That too. There are more than a few restaurants near the office. But…” He leaned back so he could look into Jae’s eyes. “Don’t worry. You can make it up to me at dinner…and dessert.” The mischief in his eyes made it very clear exactly what he meant.
Jae groaned softly, rolling his eyes.
Yunho laughed and as his hold tightened around him, Jae closed his eyes and let the sound lull him to sleep.
A/N: Part two to come!