[Team Four] Little Sun Part 2

[amaxingbaek.livejournal.com]

Summary: Taeyong has always taught his son Donghyuck to not have favorites, but maybe, just maybe, Donghyuck and Jaehyun are his favorites.
Author’s Note: This is a continuation of this story, so it would be beneficial to read that one first, but not entirely necessary ^^



“Postpone it!” Taeyong shrieks into the phone. This can’t be happening right now, it just can’t be. Jaehyun is going to be here any minute, why is Yuta only telling him he can’t come over now of all times? It’s five minutes before Jaehyun is supposed to show up for their date, and twenty-five minutes later than Yuta usually arrives when he babysits Donghyuck. Taeyong had already been nervous enough getting ready for the date, he really didn’t need the added stress of wondering where Yuta has been for the last half hour.

“I can’t,” Yuta responds before there’s some shuffling in the background. “I’m really sorry TY. It was supposed to be tomorrow but something came up last minute.”

“Why not?” Taeyong whines. He doesn’t want to seem ungrateful – after everything that Yuta has always done for him, there’s no way he could be anything but grateful – but he was really excited for this night out. He also knows, though, that he’s not selfish enough to force Yuta to come over, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to pass up the opportunity to whine a bit first.

Taeyong suddenly hears another person on the end of the line, but before Taeyong can think about why it sounds so familiar, Yuta says, “Again, I’m really sorry, but my date is here now so I have to go.”

“Your what?” Taeyong screeches into the phone. “You told me you had a meeting!”

“Okay, gotta go, bye!” Yuta says quickly before he hangs up.

“He is so not going to be Donghyuck’s favorite uncle,” Taeyong mutters, unlocking his phone to call Doyoung.

Except Doyoung doesn’t answer his phone either, and Taeyong forgets all about Yuta in favor of panicking, calling Doyoung a second time. It rings and rings and rings, but no one picks up, and now Taeyong is positively anxious, worried about his friend and if he’s hurt.

His phone buzzes with an incoming message, the name Doyoungie popping up.

Sorry, I’m in a meeting right now @.@ the message says, and now although Taeyong is no longer worried about his friend’s well-being, he’s back to stressing about the fact that Jaehyun is going to be here any second and he now no longer has a babysitter for Donghyuck.

There’s a knock on the door before Taeyong can begin to think about anyone else he can call, and that’s the moment he instinctively knows that he’s going to have to cancel yet another date. It never gets easier, telling Jaehyun that he can’t make the date, either because Donghyuck is sick, or clingy, or a meeting came up with the higher-ups. There’s nothing more he wants than to go on this date with Jaehyun tonight, but Donghyuck is and always will be his number one priority, something he had made very clear early on. And Jaehyun, sweet, loving, patient Jaehyun, had only smiled and said that it was completely fine, that he sees parents struggling to drop their kids off at the beginning of every school year and would never ask Taeyong to put Jaehyun first.

Another knock has Taeyong rushing to the door, socks sliding against the hardwood floor in his haste.

Jaehyun looks as gorgeous as he always does, his paint-splattered shirt from earlier replaced with a crisp navy button-up and black slacks, the most beautiful smile on his face.

It’s a smile that softens the moment Taeyong opens the door – Taeyong is sure that there’s a sad, kicked puppy expression on his face right now, the guilt clear as day.

“Jaehyunnie,” Taeyong starts, fingers picking at the sleeves of his own dress shirt. It isn’t fair, and it’s killing Taeyong that he’s standing inside his apartment, having spent the better part of an hour getting ready, with Jaehyun looking absolutely flawless standing on the other side of the door only to have to say, “I’m really...really sorry, but something came up with Yuta and Doyoung is at a meeting, and I didn’t have time to call anyone else at such short notice. I know it’s really last minute, since you’re already here and everything, and I really hate to do this but-”

Jaehyun places a warm palm on Taeyong’s upper arm, his smile smaller but no less beautiful. “Hey, don’t worry about it, it’s completely fine.”

And before Taeyong can even blink, Jaehyun is walking through the door, unbuttoning the cuffs on his sleeves, looking entirely at ease and not like Taeyong just let him down for what is probably the fifth time in the past three months.

Taeyong closes the door and slumps, another apology on the tip of his tongue, but Jaehyun only laughs softly, taking Taeyong’s hand in his larger one. “It’s really okay. I work with children, I expect the unexpected everyday. Besides, now I get to spend more time with Donghyuck.”

Inwardly, Taeyong’s heart soars knowing that Jaehyun is still interested in spending more time with Donghyuck even though he already spends more time than necessary with him. Outwardly, though, Taeyong gives him the stink eye. “I feel like you like my son more than you like me.”

Jaehyun simply laughs. “Well, it’s hard to pick, but...between you and me?” He leans closer to whisper in Taeyong’s ear. “I think you’re my favorite.”

Even though Taeyong has no reason to doubt it, hearing Jaehyun express his affection so blatantly still stuns him. He does, however, still have enough wits about him to get out, “Too bad, Duckie is my favorite and he knows it.”

It’s hilarious, the way that Jaehyun’s eyes widen, Taeyong bursting into laughter at his surprised expression.

Jaehyun’s expression smoothes out to a soft smile, Taeyong blushing when he notices the way Jaehyun is looking at him.

“What?” he asks.

“Nothing,” Jaehyun sing-songs.

Before Taeyong can ask any more questions, there’s a sudden shout of “Mister Jaehyun!” and then a small blur races by before crashing into Jaehyun’s legs.

“Woah there!” Jaehyun says, chuckling as he bends down to ruffle Donghyuck’s hair. “How is my favorite boy doing?”

Taeyong’s heart almost beats out of his chest. He doesn’t know what he has done in life to have both Donghyuck and Jaehyun in it, but he’s thankful everyday nonetheless.

Donghyuck, however, is not having it and says, “You aren’t supposed to have favorites Mister Jaehyun, papa says so. He says it isn’t fair. You have to love everyone the same.”

Jaehyun’s jaw drops open. Taeyong barely contains his laughter at the irony of the situation, hiding behind his hand as he laughs lightly.

“I can’t win with either of you,” Jaehyun says, pouting, and this whole situation is so funny that Taeyong can’t hold it in anymore, bursting into peals of laughter. He has always thought his laugh was ugly, too jarring, too loud, too brittle, but both Donghyuck and Jaehyun have taught him that it’s anything but ugly.

Donghyuck giggles with him, probably not knowing what’s funny, but laughing if only because Taeyong is laughing. He bends down to Donghyuck’s height, pulling him into a hug and pressing kisses against his cheeks as he proudly says, “Papa is proud of you for remembering, Duckie. You’re so smart.”

Donghyuck smiles, one front tooth completely missing, reaching out and up with chubby fingers in a motion that Taeyong is inherently familiar with. He pulls Donghyuck to his chest so he can pick him up before standing, childishly sticking a tongue out at Jaehyun before turning towards the living room. There are still a multitude of coloring books laid out on the coffee table from when Donghyuck had been coloring earlier, incredibly excited to show Taeyong all of the colors he has learned about this week.

Donghyuck starts squirming around in Taeyong’s hold, making a beeline for the coffee table once Taeyong puts him down, and he’s left to fondly stare at his son pick up a green crayon.

A warm hand wrapping around his waist makes Taeyong jolt slightly, but he relaxes once there’s a kiss pressed to his temple.

And now that there isn’t really anything to distract him, the guilt returns full force, Taeyong staring up at Jaehyun sadly.

Before Taeyong can say anything, Jaehyun is shaking his head with a fond smile, pressing a quick kiss to Taeyong’s lips that has his toes curling. “It’s okay, I swear. There’s nowhere else I would rather be than here with the two of you.”

And despite the reassurance, Taeyong knows that there’s still a part of Jaehyun that’s disappointed, because Taeyong feels the same way.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Taeyong promises.

“Will you now?” Jaehyun murmurs.

Taeyong slaps his chest, making a sound not unlike a wounded animal. “Jaehyun!”

“What?” Jaehyun asks with a pout, rubbing a hand against the spot Taeyong had hit.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I didn’t even say anything!”

“Maybe not, but you sure implied something.”

“I really can’t win today,” Jaehyun sighs sadly. Taeyong pats him on the shoulder consolingly, laughter threatening to burst out once more. Jaehyun is so easy to mess with sometimes, it so, incredibly endearing.

“Papa?”

Taeyong’s immediate focus is on Donghyuck. “Yes love?”

“Can we have chicken for dinner? Please?”

Frowning, Taeyong says, “We just had chicken two days ago, Duckie.”

Donghyuck pouts, causing Taeyong to pout back at him, but this is a battle that Taeyong has never been able to win, so he looks away with a sigh. “Okay, fine.”

Donghyuck cheers, blowing a kiss loudly in Taeyong’s direction before going back to his coloring book.

Looking up at Jaehyun once more, he asks, “You don’t mind just chicken and a movie do you?”

Eyes sparkling and lips curling, Jaehyun shakes his head. “Not at all.”

It's your turn softboys :D