ateez family au

130

As passing was time's law, it ran so fast that it was hard to grasp it. Celebrating Jongo's birthday in October seemed to be just the day before, in reality so much time had already passed; winter was just in front of the door. Life slowly set down and the streets cleared, a peaceful silence laid over the house as the cozy mood of winter laid over.

It was the cool air brushing his exposed arms that woke Hongjoong up early in the morning. A sleep-drunk groan slipped his lips as he turned on his other side, burying himself deeper into the large blanket. He saw the opportunity to slip between his husband's arms and took it, carefully rolling in the elder's warm embrace. Hongjoong was already wide awake, something he would have hated every other morning on a weekend. But this was acceptable. Just relaxing in his love's arms on a winter-morning was almost better than sleeping in. And as the moment passed, he came to realize, waking up early wasn't that bad at all. If his option was lazily laying there, engulfed by his husband.

Gently, Hongjoong lifted his hand and graced over Seonghwa's puffy and rosy cheek. He was aware that his husband was quite handsome, but in his eyes, there was also another kind of beauty that only he saw. There was so much to this face of his. The stories it told were beautiful, meaningful to him.

It brought him peace to see it, be it because Seonghwa had always been there to defend him, protect him, and save his back, be it because he had known this face for so long. It didn't matter, he loved it and the man that was wearing it. He loved the heart and soul behind it and came to accept that he would have never been complete without him.

It was the strength of his that made him beautiful, the devotion, that heart of his that could fit the whole world and more. Yet the world didn't deserve him, neither did he himself. In his eyes, Seonghwa was just an angel that got lost on his way to paradise, an angel sent to him.

"You stare like a creep," Seonghwa hummed in a croaky morning voice, smirked shamelessly when he felt the younger take back his hand so fast. "What? Embarrassed?"

"I didn't know you were awake," Hongjoong gave back, ignoring his question skillfully. He hid his face in the elder's chest and puffed his cheeks. "Since when have you been awake?"

"A while," his husband replied, "you rolling onto me wasn't as unnoticeable as you thought I was." Seonghwa reached down and pressed a light kiss on the younger's crown. "I love you, you know that?"

The little confession made Hongjoong giggle. "Mhm... I do, I know," he responded and lifted his head. "Woah, I need to tell you a secret, hm? But don't tell anyone!" Hongjoong whispered and grinned confidently. He scooted a little closer to the elder's face and cupped his cheeks. "... I love you too" he revealed and pecked the elder's puffed lips. When Seonghwa's cheeks got painted in that pretty blush, Hongjoong's chest filled up with giddiness. "I have another secret! ... I think you're beautiful~... but don't tell my husband!"

"Hongjoong-!" Seonghwa called out indignant, flushed bright red. The elder quickly turned to his right side, playing along with the rather childish play. If he could choose, this was a way he would like to get woken up to more often.

"Seongie~" the younger called and slung his arms around him from his behind. Hongjoong's head laid on his shoulder, his lips leaving feather-light kisses on the elder's exposed neck. The two stayed that way for a long, peaceful moment, then Hongjoong found his words. "You know what I miss?"

"What?"

"The way how the kids used to wake us up every weekend when they were little," Hongjoong said and pursed his lips. A light film of nostalgia laid over the couple. "I can't believe they are so big already... feels like yesterday when we went to get pampers for Yunho"

"and now he's preparing to audition..." Seonghwa added and sighed, his tone somewhere between sadness and content. "he's turning fifteen this spring... and Wooyoung will be in middle school next year..."

"I miss picking him up from kindergarten because he bit someone"

"Or because of severe diarrhea..." Seonghwa said and chuckled before turning back to face his husband. "Time flies, huh?"

"Really fast," Hongjoong replied and stole another kiss. "We should go wake them instead then!" he suggested and smirked, amazed by his own idea.

"Like little kids?"

"Exactly like little kids," the younger replied and sat up, "come on, this will be fun! And then we can make breakfast together and just... Woah, let's play monopoly. That game is dusting in the drawer since the last time we played it with Yonghwan and Chaewon." A sudden wave of enthusiasm washed over Hongjoong and he got out of bed, filled with fresh energy.

Seonghwa was not only amazed but also surprised by the change of behavior of his husband. But who was he to complain? Following suit, he got up too and went to wash up, joining his husband in the bathroom. They brushed their teeth, cleaned their faces then made a plan of how to wake their family best.

"Okay, I will wake Yunho and Mingi, you wake the twins," Seonghwa suggested and already turned to the direction of the room.

"Hey- why do I wake the twins-" Hongjoong asked, not awaiting an answer. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to the door next to him and opened it quietly. He tiptoed inside and went to the curtains, yanking them open. "Yah! Good mor-" even before he could finish his word, he was attacked by multiple pillows that all hit his face dead-on. At that moment he understood why he was waking the twins.

"Ugh- get out~, please~" San whined and buried his face in his mattress.

"Ah- light- too much light-"

"Dad please-"

"It's weekend- go away-"

-
Hey how are you today?

I tried to write something rather soft and wholesome... Well that's it, the best I could pull rn

I'm having a bad headache rn, so I will keep it short today :(

I hope everyone of of you is doing well, and I pray that I could cheer up those with a rough day today :)

Stay healthy and safe

-gulkurusubb