[Fic] It's The Little Things
Title: It's The Little Things
Pairing: Kris/Chen
Rating: PG
Length: 3.6k
Author's Note: I alternately titled this "Chanyeol's Vendetta Against Diapers". Originally written for knotoflove.
Summary: Raising a toddler isn't easy, but raising a toddler that spontaneously shifts into a wolf is another thing entirely.
There’s a grocery list stuck to the side of the refrigerator with a gaudy rainbow magnet that’s lost most of the glitter that used to cover the surface. The years haven’t been kind to it and Yifan scrapes his nail on the corner to see another few bright blue pieces flutter to the hardwood floor. There’s a pen in his hand and he taps it on the surface of the appliance with a sigh.
With a growing child to feed, their grocery list is longer than ever, but Yifan isn’t standing by the refrigerator to add to it. No, Yifan scowls as he puts his pen to the paper beside the grocery list. He scrawls a messy ’putty, paint’ on the ever growing list of supplies they need to fix the damage done to their house.
There was a time in Yifan’s life when it was his dream to start a family, to find the perfect mate and have at least three or four kids. Now he’s not so sure he’s cut out for this whole parent thing. The sleepless nights, dirty diapers and pulling out everything within arm’s reach are things he can handle. It’s the wolf side that comes out now that his son is in his second year that Yifan is having trouble containing. Humans have it easy compared to this.
The sound of claws skittering over the floor alerts Yifan that there’s a small wolf pup about to lose control and fall on his face. He turns in time to scoop little Chanyeol up before he skids into the cabinets. A small tongue darts out, licking frantically at his father’s face as his entire body wiggles in excitement. It looks like Chanyeol is finished with his nap.
Yifan strokes fingers around his son’s wolf ears, scraping softly through black fur as Chanyeol digs his claws into Yifan’s chest. He’s too young to have control of them and Yifan winces, staring down at the new holes in his shirt. He really likes this shirt even if his mate isn’t particularly fond of it. Jongdae’s never appreciated Yifan’s eye for fashion.
Yifan carries Chanyeol into the living room, sighing when he sees the aftermath of Chanyeol’s exploded diaper on the couch. He knew leaving his son on the couch after he’d fallen asleep was a bad idea, but Yifan had so desperately needed the quiet and he didn’t want to risk Chanyeol waking up when he moved him. Now Yifan gets to clean up after that decision.
There’s fur all over the cushions and Chanyeol squirms his way right out of Yifan’s hold, landing on the floor with a thud before he’s racing off. In his human body, Chanyeol can’t go very fast, but as a tiny wolf, Yifan has to scramble to keep up before Chanyeol decides to embed his claws in the walls and drag down through the sheetrock again. Or sink his teeth into the legs of Yifan’s desk and growl, gnawing on the wood because he’s a teething, drooling mess.
Yifan catches his son before he can do any damage, laying Chanyeol on the floor in the living room. He grins down at his son, fingers petting Chanyeol’s belly as his little tail smacks on the carpet. Yifan leans in low enough for Chanyeol to lick at his face and, really, Yifan has no regrets. He just hadn’t been prepared enough for it. He’s learning though.
Chanyeol soon shifts back to his toddler body, black hair sticking up wildly and his eyes bright. His limbs are chubby and he giggles when he tries to dart off naked. Yifan has to grab him, force a diaper onto his son before Chanyeol pees everywhere. He leaves a sloppy, wet kiss on Chanyeol’s cheek, prying Chanyeol’s fist from his hair, and sets him inside the baby gate. Chanyeol’s eyes instantly fill with shining tears and his chin trembles as he prepares to cry.
Yifan hands two teething biscuits to Chanyeol, one for each hand, and the waterworks dry up as Chanyeol pops one right in his mouth. The other one nearly gets shoved up his nose before he just flails his arm and it drops to the floor. Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind, sitting down to gnaw on the hard surface.
While he’s occupied, Yifan starts in on cleaning the couch, one small piece of shredded diaper at a time. Sometimes Yifan wonders why they even bother putting one on Chanyeol because it’s guaranteed that he’s going to shift and it’s going to leave behind a mess. He’s just finished up, going for the lint roller to get the fur off the cushions when he hears the unmistakable sound of Chanyeol ripping through another diaper.
A look confirms it. Chanyeol is laying on his belly, tail high in the air and wagging nonstop as he keeps gnawing on his biscuit. Yifan pauses to watch him, his chest ballooned with affection as his son growls and shimmies his butt when he pushes the biscuit around on the carpet, pouncing on it when he pushes it too far. These are the moments that warm Yifan’s heart and he sits on the couch, watching with a fond look on his face.
Until Chanyeol pees.
Yifan could cry.
It’s with borrowed patience that Yifan gets up to deal with the puddle before it soaks into the padding below the carpet. The baby gate is lifted from around Chanyeol and the little wolf takes off down the hallway with a yip. Yifan lets him, maneuvering the circle of plastic into the kitchen and out of the way. A lightbulb practically dings over Yifan’s head and he reaches for the newspaper left sitting on the counter. He places the pages down on the floor, covering all the hardwood until he can’t see any.
Yifan goes off in search of his son, finding the boy in his own room, chewing on his blocks. There are already teeth marks in most of them and Yifan grabs a handful of them, along with Chanyeol , and carries them into the kitchen. His son doesn’t seem to notice, or care, that Yifan puts him back in baby prison. It leaves Yifan with the peace of mind that even if Chanyeol pees, it will do minimal damage and Yifan will have the chance to clean.
He manages to get the carpet done and is running the lint roller over the last couch cushion when Jongdae gets home. Yifan grins up at him, then frowns at the lint roller sheet that’s covered in fur after only one pass. He hears Jongdae walking toward him, but the footsteps stop.
Yifan looks at his mate who is now staring at where Chanyeol is still in the kitchen, now spinning in circles because he’s trying to catch his tail. “Is that -” Jongdae pauses and tilts his head. “Is that newspaper?”
“Yes,” Yifan answers, a little ruffled that Jongdae hasn’t kissed him yet.
“He’s our son,” Jongdae says, voice going a little high. “Not a puppy.”
“He also peed on the carpet and I needed to clean it without him making another mess,” Yifan sighs.
Jongdae cocks his hip - something that has Yifan’s heart climbing into his throat because it’s so sexy - and crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s next? Litter training?”
Yifan stands up straight, eyes wide. “Do you think it would take?”
Jongdae grits his teeth before heaving out a sigh, throwing his hands in the air. “I give up.” Jongdae walks over to where Chanyeol is starting to lose energy. Or he was until he sees his dad and he bounds to the side of the baby gate, jumping for attention. Jongdae picks him up, holding Chanyeol to his chest as he bounces him lightly. “At least your daddy didn’t put you in any doggie outfits,” he tells his son.
Yifan bites his tongue.
When Yifan and Jongdae joined their pack, they did it knowing that they would be leaving their past behind and entering into a new world. They grew up on the outskirts of a small town, always being careful to not draw attention to themselves. They wanted more than that for their family and after they became official mates - something Yifan can still hardly believe sometimes - they found a better home.
This pack lives in the suburbs, surrounded by trees, yet close to the bustling city. Most of them have ordinary jobs and lives outside of the pack; they still gravitate back to the pack because that’s where their home and their strength is, but it’s not so confining. It’s taken some getting used to, but Yifan loves it.
The subdivision they live in is all pack, so Yifan can take Chanyeol out into the front yard and let him bound around as he pleases without consequence. Chanyeol likes the grass; he rubs his face in it, kicks up clumps of it that Yifan will fix later, and sometimes tries to dig up the flowers around the porch. There’s space to breathe here without fear and Yifan is happy that his son gets this chance.
It doesn’t stop him from being exhausted at the end of every day because Chanyeol has more energy than Yifan thinks he ever did. There’s a tree that sits on the property line between Yifan’s house and the one next door. Yifan has a small kiddie pool that he drags under the shade of the branches, filling it halfway with water before Chanyeol discovers it and flips himself right in. He shakes the water off his fur with a growl, but then lowers himself in it, soaking up the cool water that takes the edge off the summer sun.
Yifan sits cross-legged on the grass beside the pool, letting his fingers swirl in the water as Chanyeol starts nipping at them. He’s playing a game, so Yifan plays along, laughing when Chanyeol finally sinks tiny canines into the pads of his fingers, gently biting down and pulling until Yifan’s hand slips free. At least he’s stopped drawing blood.
Minseok, their jovial neighbor, wanders over, grinning down at Chanyeol as he splashes and jumps and yips at the water droplets in the air, trying to catch them in his mouth. “How’s the teething,” Minseok asks, crouching down by the pool. Chanyeol chooses that moment to shake off again, soaking Minseok’s shirt.
“Better,” Yifan answers. “I think. He drools less.”
“Jongdae told me he wakes up in the middle of the night and chews on your bed frame until you let him sleep with you.”
Yifan nods, sighing fondly at his son as his tail wags hard enough to send water splashing. He’s momentarily distracted by the leaf that’s fallen on the surface. “Every night. And then he won’t go back to sleep unless he gets one of our fingers in his mouth to chew on.”
“You know,” Minseok begins as he tips toward Chanyeol to scratch behind his wet ear, “it doesn’t hurt to ask for help once in a while.” Minseok smiles as Chanyeol sneezes, sending himself flying back and onto his butt. “That’s what a pack is for.”
“Help?” Yifan asks, head tilted to watch as Chanyeol paws at his nose as if it’s offended him.
“Any of us would look after Chanyeol for a few hours, or a night, if you wanted to have some time for yourself.” Yifan blinks at Minseok. “Jongdae may have mentioned that you two haven’t had a chance to be together in a while.”
Yifan lets out a distressed bubble of laughter, quickly silencing himself after with a hiccuping noise. It's true that Chanyeol hasn't given them the time to decompress lately, but they both knew it was going to happen. They've stolen a few moments together with Jongdae tucked in Yifan's arms and the both of them just breathing each other in, but even those are dwindling when Chanyeol's behavior is so erratic.
Yifan has to admit that even just an hour alone with Jongdae without the fear of Chanyeol waking up hanging over their heads would be wonderful. It's not easy having his mate so close, but with this distance between them that keeps them from really being there.
"Don't look so concerned," Minseok laughs. He's got his arms full of wet Chanyeol as the pup goes right for Minseok's fingers with his teeth. "I'm offering because I want to help. I think a night off would do you two some good. And if you can't handle being away from your precious bundle of fluff for that long, I'm just next door."
Yifan watches the way Chanyeol gnaws his way up Minseok's hand and to his wrist, growling playfully before jumping back into the pool, soaking all of them. Minseok is good with him; he always has been. And Minseok's mate, Tao, gets this dreamy look on his face every time Chanyeol is around. Yifan wouldn't have a problem letting them watch Chanyeol and the idea sits with him, churning until he agrees.
Minseok seems pleased, and the two of them decide that it would be best to do it this weekend to maximize Yifan's alone time with Jongdae. Yifan can't wait.
It’s not entirely glamorous. In his mind, Yifan envisioned a day of relaxing, curled up with Jongdae and moving only when necessary. But with Chanyeol out of their way, the two of them finally get to fix all the things falling apart in their home. Yifan spends most of his morning searching out the claw and teeth marks embedded in the walls, filling them in with putty as Jongdae swoops in after him to paint over it. They’re hoping the paint will be dry before Chanyeol comes home.
They get the problem spots on the carpet shampooed, the cabinets sanded down along the sides where Chanyeol has tried to chew his way inside, cleaned the pudding fingerprints drawn on the living room wall and wedged a small piece of wood under the shorter leg on the coffee table. They’d never had a problem with the slight wobble before, but then Chanyeol learned to walk and he liked to push his weight on the table and knocked a cup of steaming tea onto Jongdae’s laptop.
They also rearrange the bookshelf to keep Chanyeol’s hands off their prized collection and fill the bottom shelves with books designed for children to bite and tear and throw in fits of amusement. Chanyeol’s room needs work and Yifan finally gets to toss out all the toys ruined beyond recognition to make room for the new ones that will eventually fill the empty spaces.
By the time they’re finished, it’s well into the afternoon and Yifan is both exhausted and sore. He also can’t shake the smell of wet paint even though the windows are all open to air it out. He sprawls on the couch, only lifting his legs enough to let Jongdae slide beneath them before resting them on Jongdae’s lap. Jongdae’s fingers push against his calves, soothing and working some of the tension out.
“Who knew a toddler could destroy so much?” Jongdae groans, leaning his head back.
Yifan's eyes linger on the curve of Jongdae's neck, on his adam's apple when he speaks and, even if he's tired, Jongdae is too captivating a sight to turn from. Jongdae's turns to look at Yifan, letting out a soft sigh. There are smile lines around his eyes that are more permanent than they were before and he graces Yifan with one of those smiles.
"You seem lost in thought," Jongdae muses.
"Just admiring you," Yifan admits, shameless. He's never been tight-lipped when it comes to professing his adoration for his mate - even before they were mates. It's with fond familiarity that Jongdae rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling. "Come here."
Yifan holds out his arms, and it's not entirely comfortable when Jongdae tries to move up while still trapped under Yifan's legs. Jongdae ends up half on top of Yifan, half wedged between Yifan and the back of the couch, but he's laughing and Yifan drags Jongdae onto his chest. It's odd, the quiet - unnerving when Yifan is always listening for their son.
Jongdae puts that feeling to rest with the first press of his lips. It's been awhile since they could simply take in the luxury of cuddling, kissing, touching. Yifan's missed this a lot. Jongdae is so small in his arms, but he has the strength to keep Yifan exactly where he wants him and Yifan lets him.
Jongdae's mouth is just as comforting and addicting as it’s always been and Yifan chases it, whining low in his throat when Jongdae pulls away. Jongdae wiggles into a better position - between Yifan's legs - before kissing him again. This time Yifan gets an arm looped around Jongdae's waist and combs his fingers through Jongdae's hair to hold. Jongdae nips at Yifan's lower lip, smiles into the kiss when Yifan makes another noise, and then kisses it better.
Yifan feels warm all over, his wolf wanting nothing more than to submit to his mate and let him take, take, take. His head is spinning, his body reacting naturally to the touch of his mate and Yifan falls into it willingly.
Jongdae kisses him slowly, mouths together and tongue sliding soft over Yifan's before retreating. He leaves kisses around Yifan's mouth, teasing and light, before kissing him properly again. Yifan grins, indulging in the attention while he can.
Jongdae leaves a trail of kisses down Yifan's jaw and to his neck, nuzzling his face there to inhale the scent of his mate. Yifan lets out a shuddered breath, eyes closing to enjoy Jongdae's lips on his skin.
They both fall asleep - Jongdae with his face against Yifan's neck and Yifan holding him to his chest so he doesn't fall off the couch. Yifan certainly hadn't planned on sleeping, but it's been such a long day.
Yifan wakes up to a weight on his chest that isn't Jongdae. He cracks open his eyes to see Chanyeol sitting on him, grinning and going right for Yifan's nose. Yifan is still half asleep, confused momentarily as Chanyeol then leans down and tries to bite the tip of Yifan's nose. He's quick to react, scooping his son off his chest and into his arms, held out at a safe distance.
From across the room, Jongdae and Minseok are laughing. Minseok is standing in the doorway and Chanyeol's diaper bag is slung over Jongdae's shoulder. Yifan sighs when he realizes they napped the rest of their time together away, but at least now he knows Minseok and Tao are willing to help.
Chanyeol steals all the attention when Yifan suddenly has his arms full of furry wolf pup and not a toddler. Chanyeol's tail wags and his paws push against Yifan's chest, demanding to be put down. So Yifan sets him on the floor to watch him skitter his way into the kitchen. A moment later, there's a thud from where he's, no doubt, smashed into the cabinets. Yifan gives Jongdae a look because he’s already covered in diaper shreds and Jongdae marches off to find out what Chanyeol’s gotten into.
“The pack is having a cookout next weekend,” Minseok comments. “Tao and I can take Chanyeol after and give you the night if you like.”
“Please,” Yifan sighs.
Minseok is laughing again as he leaves and Yifan stares down at the mess around him. He does feel moderately better now that they’ve done some damage control even if he knows Chanyeol is just going to destroy the walls again. It still feels like a step in the right direction.
The rest of their evening is spent with a mostly human Chanyeol who toddles around, slapping his hands on everything with a sippy cup gripped in his teeth. They manage a quiet dinner, followed by a chaotic bath time. Chanyeol is covered in spaghetti sauce; it’s even between his toes. It takes both of them to hold Chanyeol still enough to clean him up.
They wrap him in a towel, a bundle of fluffy Chanyeol now in Jongdae’s arms, and Yifan’s heart swells. Jongdae tucks Chanyeol in bed, and reads him a bedtime story as Yifan takes a quick shower. They finally crawl into bed when Chanyeol falls asleep.
Jongdae laces their fingers, dropping kisses on Yifan’s knuckles. “Today was nice,” Jongdae says softly.
Yifan nods, tugging Jongdae closer. “Minseok said they’d take him overnight next weekend.”
“That sounds promising,” Jongdae chuckles, his fingers trailing around Yifan’s waist to rest on his side.
Right now sounds promising to Yifan and he’s willing to test his luck, but it’s not to be. Chanyeol appears in their doorway, wiping at his eyes as the damp strands of his hair stick to the sides of his face. He wordlessly climbs onto their bed, settling down between the two of them when Jongdae lifts the blankets for him.
Chanyeol probably wasn’t even fully awake, but he lets out a hitched, satisfied sigh when Yifan offers his finger for Chanyeol to bite on. And he’s out like a light.
Jongdae scratches through Chanyeol’s hair and smiles fondly at their son. “We should have another,” Jongdae whispers.
Yifan isn’t opposed to the idea, but he kicks his mate under the blankets anyway and Jongdae sticks his tongue out at him. The idea of expanding their little family fills Yifan with happiness. He’s not going to let Jongdae know, though. Not until he can properly show him how much he enjoys the idea. Maybe next weekend.
Pairing: Kris/Chen
Rating: PG
Length: 3.6k
Author's Note: I alternately titled this "Chanyeol's Vendetta Against Diapers". Originally written for knotoflove.
Summary: Raising a toddler isn't easy, but raising a toddler that spontaneously shifts into a wolf is another thing entirely.
There’s a grocery list stuck to the side of the refrigerator with a gaudy rainbow magnet that’s lost most of the glitter that used to cover the surface. The years haven’t been kind to it and Yifan scrapes his nail on the corner to see another few bright blue pieces flutter to the hardwood floor. There’s a pen in his hand and he taps it on the surface of the appliance with a sigh.
With a growing child to feed, their grocery list is longer than ever, but Yifan isn’t standing by the refrigerator to add to it. No, Yifan scowls as he puts his pen to the paper beside the grocery list. He scrawls a messy ’putty, paint’ on the ever growing list of supplies they need to fix the damage done to their house.
There was a time in Yifan’s life when it was his dream to start a family, to find the perfect mate and have at least three or four kids. Now he’s not so sure he’s cut out for this whole parent thing. The sleepless nights, dirty diapers and pulling out everything within arm’s reach are things he can handle. It’s the wolf side that comes out now that his son is in his second year that Yifan is having trouble containing. Humans have it easy compared to this.
The sound of claws skittering over the floor alerts Yifan that there’s a small wolf pup about to lose control and fall on his face. He turns in time to scoop little Chanyeol up before he skids into the cabinets. A small tongue darts out, licking frantically at his father’s face as his entire body wiggles in excitement. It looks like Chanyeol is finished with his nap.
Yifan strokes fingers around his son’s wolf ears, scraping softly through black fur as Chanyeol digs his claws into Yifan’s chest. He’s too young to have control of them and Yifan winces, staring down at the new holes in his shirt. He really likes this shirt even if his mate isn’t particularly fond of it. Jongdae’s never appreciated Yifan’s eye for fashion.
Yifan carries Chanyeol into the living room, sighing when he sees the aftermath of Chanyeol’s exploded diaper on the couch. He knew leaving his son on the couch after he’d fallen asleep was a bad idea, but Yifan had so desperately needed the quiet and he didn’t want to risk Chanyeol waking up when he moved him. Now Yifan gets to clean up after that decision.
There’s fur all over the cushions and Chanyeol squirms his way right out of Yifan’s hold, landing on the floor with a thud before he’s racing off. In his human body, Chanyeol can’t go very fast, but as a tiny wolf, Yifan has to scramble to keep up before Chanyeol decides to embed his claws in the walls and drag down through the sheetrock again. Or sink his teeth into the legs of Yifan’s desk and growl, gnawing on the wood because he’s a teething, drooling mess.
Yifan catches his son before he can do any damage, laying Chanyeol on the floor in the living room. He grins down at his son, fingers petting Chanyeol’s belly as his little tail smacks on the carpet. Yifan leans in low enough for Chanyeol to lick at his face and, really, Yifan has no regrets. He just hadn’t been prepared enough for it. He’s learning though.
Chanyeol soon shifts back to his toddler body, black hair sticking up wildly and his eyes bright. His limbs are chubby and he giggles when he tries to dart off naked. Yifan has to grab him, force a diaper onto his son before Chanyeol pees everywhere. He leaves a sloppy, wet kiss on Chanyeol’s cheek, prying Chanyeol’s fist from his hair, and sets him inside the baby gate. Chanyeol’s eyes instantly fill with shining tears and his chin trembles as he prepares to cry.
Yifan hands two teething biscuits to Chanyeol, one for each hand, and the waterworks dry up as Chanyeol pops one right in his mouth. The other one nearly gets shoved up his nose before he just flails his arm and it drops to the floor. Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind, sitting down to gnaw on the hard surface.
While he’s occupied, Yifan starts in on cleaning the couch, one small piece of shredded diaper at a time. Sometimes Yifan wonders why they even bother putting one on Chanyeol because it’s guaranteed that he’s going to shift and it’s going to leave behind a mess. He’s just finished up, going for the lint roller to get the fur off the cushions when he hears the unmistakable sound of Chanyeol ripping through another diaper.
A look confirms it. Chanyeol is laying on his belly, tail high in the air and wagging nonstop as he keeps gnawing on his biscuit. Yifan pauses to watch him, his chest ballooned with affection as his son growls and shimmies his butt when he pushes the biscuit around on the carpet, pouncing on it when he pushes it too far. These are the moments that warm Yifan’s heart and he sits on the couch, watching with a fond look on his face.
Until Chanyeol pees.
Yifan could cry.
It’s with borrowed patience that Yifan gets up to deal with the puddle before it soaks into the padding below the carpet. The baby gate is lifted from around Chanyeol and the little wolf takes off down the hallway with a yip. Yifan lets him, maneuvering the circle of plastic into the kitchen and out of the way. A lightbulb practically dings over Yifan’s head and he reaches for the newspaper left sitting on the counter. He places the pages down on the floor, covering all the hardwood until he can’t see any.
Yifan goes off in search of his son, finding the boy in his own room, chewing on his blocks. There are already teeth marks in most of them and Yifan grabs a handful of them, along with Chanyeol , and carries them into the kitchen. His son doesn’t seem to notice, or care, that Yifan puts him back in baby prison. It leaves Yifan with the peace of mind that even if Chanyeol pees, it will do minimal damage and Yifan will have the chance to clean.
He manages to get the carpet done and is running the lint roller over the last couch cushion when Jongdae gets home. Yifan grins up at him, then frowns at the lint roller sheet that’s covered in fur after only one pass. He hears Jongdae walking toward him, but the footsteps stop.
Yifan looks at his mate who is now staring at where Chanyeol is still in the kitchen, now spinning in circles because he’s trying to catch his tail. “Is that -” Jongdae pauses and tilts his head. “Is that newspaper?”
“Yes,” Yifan answers, a little ruffled that Jongdae hasn’t kissed him yet.
“He’s our son,” Jongdae says, voice going a little high. “Not a puppy.”
“He also peed on the carpet and I needed to clean it without him making another mess,” Yifan sighs.
Jongdae cocks his hip - something that has Yifan’s heart climbing into his throat because it’s so sexy - and crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s next? Litter training?”
Yifan stands up straight, eyes wide. “Do you think it would take?”
Jongdae grits his teeth before heaving out a sigh, throwing his hands in the air. “I give up.” Jongdae walks over to where Chanyeol is starting to lose energy. Or he was until he sees his dad and he bounds to the side of the baby gate, jumping for attention. Jongdae picks him up, holding Chanyeol to his chest as he bounces him lightly. “At least your daddy didn’t put you in any doggie outfits,” he tells his son.
Yifan bites his tongue.
When Yifan and Jongdae joined their pack, they did it knowing that they would be leaving their past behind and entering into a new world. They grew up on the outskirts of a small town, always being careful to not draw attention to themselves. They wanted more than that for their family and after they became official mates - something Yifan can still hardly believe sometimes - they found a better home.
This pack lives in the suburbs, surrounded by trees, yet close to the bustling city. Most of them have ordinary jobs and lives outside of the pack; they still gravitate back to the pack because that’s where their home and their strength is, but it’s not so confining. It’s taken some getting used to, but Yifan loves it.
The subdivision they live in is all pack, so Yifan can take Chanyeol out into the front yard and let him bound around as he pleases without consequence. Chanyeol likes the grass; he rubs his face in it, kicks up clumps of it that Yifan will fix later, and sometimes tries to dig up the flowers around the porch. There’s space to breathe here without fear and Yifan is happy that his son gets this chance.
It doesn’t stop him from being exhausted at the end of every day because Chanyeol has more energy than Yifan thinks he ever did. There’s a tree that sits on the property line between Yifan’s house and the one next door. Yifan has a small kiddie pool that he drags under the shade of the branches, filling it halfway with water before Chanyeol discovers it and flips himself right in. He shakes the water off his fur with a growl, but then lowers himself in it, soaking up the cool water that takes the edge off the summer sun.
Yifan sits cross-legged on the grass beside the pool, letting his fingers swirl in the water as Chanyeol starts nipping at them. He’s playing a game, so Yifan plays along, laughing when Chanyeol finally sinks tiny canines into the pads of his fingers, gently biting down and pulling until Yifan’s hand slips free. At least he’s stopped drawing blood.
Minseok, their jovial neighbor, wanders over, grinning down at Chanyeol as he splashes and jumps and yips at the water droplets in the air, trying to catch them in his mouth. “How’s the teething,” Minseok asks, crouching down by the pool. Chanyeol chooses that moment to shake off again, soaking Minseok’s shirt.
“Better,” Yifan answers. “I think. He drools less.”
“Jongdae told me he wakes up in the middle of the night and chews on your bed frame until you let him sleep with you.”
Yifan nods, sighing fondly at his son as his tail wags hard enough to send water splashing. He’s momentarily distracted by the leaf that’s fallen on the surface. “Every night. And then he won’t go back to sleep unless he gets one of our fingers in his mouth to chew on.”
“You know,” Minseok begins as he tips toward Chanyeol to scratch behind his wet ear, “it doesn’t hurt to ask for help once in a while.” Minseok smiles as Chanyeol sneezes, sending himself flying back and onto his butt. “That’s what a pack is for.”
“Help?” Yifan asks, head tilted to watch as Chanyeol paws at his nose as if it’s offended him.
“Any of us would look after Chanyeol for a few hours, or a night, if you wanted to have some time for yourself.” Yifan blinks at Minseok. “Jongdae may have mentioned that you two haven’t had a chance to be together in a while.”
Yifan lets out a distressed bubble of laughter, quickly silencing himself after with a hiccuping noise. It's true that Chanyeol hasn't given them the time to decompress lately, but they both knew it was going to happen. They've stolen a few moments together with Jongdae tucked in Yifan's arms and the both of them just breathing each other in, but even those are dwindling when Chanyeol's behavior is so erratic.
Yifan has to admit that even just an hour alone with Jongdae without the fear of Chanyeol waking up hanging over their heads would be wonderful. It's not easy having his mate so close, but with this distance between them that keeps them from really being there.
"Don't look so concerned," Minseok laughs. He's got his arms full of wet Chanyeol as the pup goes right for Minseok's fingers with his teeth. "I'm offering because I want to help. I think a night off would do you two some good. And if you can't handle being away from your precious bundle of fluff for that long, I'm just next door."
Yifan watches the way Chanyeol gnaws his way up Minseok's hand and to his wrist, growling playfully before jumping back into the pool, soaking all of them. Minseok is good with him; he always has been. And Minseok's mate, Tao, gets this dreamy look on his face every time Chanyeol is around. Yifan wouldn't have a problem letting them watch Chanyeol and the idea sits with him, churning until he agrees.
Minseok seems pleased, and the two of them decide that it would be best to do it this weekend to maximize Yifan's alone time with Jongdae. Yifan can't wait.
It’s not entirely glamorous. In his mind, Yifan envisioned a day of relaxing, curled up with Jongdae and moving only when necessary. But with Chanyeol out of their way, the two of them finally get to fix all the things falling apart in their home. Yifan spends most of his morning searching out the claw and teeth marks embedded in the walls, filling them in with putty as Jongdae swoops in after him to paint over it. They’re hoping the paint will be dry before Chanyeol comes home.
They get the problem spots on the carpet shampooed, the cabinets sanded down along the sides where Chanyeol has tried to chew his way inside, cleaned the pudding fingerprints drawn on the living room wall and wedged a small piece of wood under the shorter leg on the coffee table. They’d never had a problem with the slight wobble before, but then Chanyeol learned to walk and he liked to push his weight on the table and knocked a cup of steaming tea onto Jongdae’s laptop.
They also rearrange the bookshelf to keep Chanyeol’s hands off their prized collection and fill the bottom shelves with books designed for children to bite and tear and throw in fits of amusement. Chanyeol’s room needs work and Yifan finally gets to toss out all the toys ruined beyond recognition to make room for the new ones that will eventually fill the empty spaces.
By the time they’re finished, it’s well into the afternoon and Yifan is both exhausted and sore. He also can’t shake the smell of wet paint even though the windows are all open to air it out. He sprawls on the couch, only lifting his legs enough to let Jongdae slide beneath them before resting them on Jongdae’s lap. Jongdae’s fingers push against his calves, soothing and working some of the tension out.
“Who knew a toddler could destroy so much?” Jongdae groans, leaning his head back.
Yifan's eyes linger on the curve of Jongdae's neck, on his adam's apple when he speaks and, even if he's tired, Jongdae is too captivating a sight to turn from. Jongdae's turns to look at Yifan, letting out a soft sigh. There are smile lines around his eyes that are more permanent than they were before and he graces Yifan with one of those smiles.
"You seem lost in thought," Jongdae muses.
"Just admiring you," Yifan admits, shameless. He's never been tight-lipped when it comes to professing his adoration for his mate - even before they were mates. It's with fond familiarity that Jongdae rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling. "Come here."
Yifan holds out his arms, and it's not entirely comfortable when Jongdae tries to move up while still trapped under Yifan's legs. Jongdae ends up half on top of Yifan, half wedged between Yifan and the back of the couch, but he's laughing and Yifan drags Jongdae onto his chest. It's odd, the quiet - unnerving when Yifan is always listening for their son.
Jongdae puts that feeling to rest with the first press of his lips. It's been awhile since they could simply take in the luxury of cuddling, kissing, touching. Yifan's missed this a lot. Jongdae is so small in his arms, but he has the strength to keep Yifan exactly where he wants him and Yifan lets him.
Jongdae's mouth is just as comforting and addicting as it’s always been and Yifan chases it, whining low in his throat when Jongdae pulls away. Jongdae wiggles into a better position - between Yifan's legs - before kissing him again. This time Yifan gets an arm looped around Jongdae's waist and combs his fingers through Jongdae's hair to hold. Jongdae nips at Yifan's lower lip, smiles into the kiss when Yifan makes another noise, and then kisses it better.
Yifan feels warm all over, his wolf wanting nothing more than to submit to his mate and let him take, take, take. His head is spinning, his body reacting naturally to the touch of his mate and Yifan falls into it willingly.
Jongdae kisses him slowly, mouths together and tongue sliding soft over Yifan's before retreating. He leaves kisses around Yifan's mouth, teasing and light, before kissing him properly again. Yifan grins, indulging in the attention while he can.
Jongdae leaves a trail of kisses down Yifan's jaw and to his neck, nuzzling his face there to inhale the scent of his mate. Yifan lets out a shuddered breath, eyes closing to enjoy Jongdae's lips on his skin.
They both fall asleep - Jongdae with his face against Yifan's neck and Yifan holding him to his chest so he doesn't fall off the couch. Yifan certainly hadn't planned on sleeping, but it's been such a long day.
Yifan wakes up to a weight on his chest that isn't Jongdae. He cracks open his eyes to see Chanyeol sitting on him, grinning and going right for Yifan's nose. Yifan is still half asleep, confused momentarily as Chanyeol then leans down and tries to bite the tip of Yifan's nose. He's quick to react, scooping his son off his chest and into his arms, held out at a safe distance.
From across the room, Jongdae and Minseok are laughing. Minseok is standing in the doorway and Chanyeol's diaper bag is slung over Jongdae's shoulder. Yifan sighs when he realizes they napped the rest of their time together away, but at least now he knows Minseok and Tao are willing to help.
Chanyeol steals all the attention when Yifan suddenly has his arms full of furry wolf pup and not a toddler. Chanyeol's tail wags and his paws push against Yifan's chest, demanding to be put down. So Yifan sets him on the floor to watch him skitter his way into the kitchen. A moment later, there's a thud from where he's, no doubt, smashed into the cabinets. Yifan gives Jongdae a look because he’s already covered in diaper shreds and Jongdae marches off to find out what Chanyeol’s gotten into.
“The pack is having a cookout next weekend,” Minseok comments. “Tao and I can take Chanyeol after and give you the night if you like.”
“Please,” Yifan sighs.
Minseok is laughing again as he leaves and Yifan stares down at the mess around him. He does feel moderately better now that they’ve done some damage control even if he knows Chanyeol is just going to destroy the walls again. It still feels like a step in the right direction.
The rest of their evening is spent with a mostly human Chanyeol who toddles around, slapping his hands on everything with a sippy cup gripped in his teeth. They manage a quiet dinner, followed by a chaotic bath time. Chanyeol is covered in spaghetti sauce; it’s even between his toes. It takes both of them to hold Chanyeol still enough to clean him up.
They wrap him in a towel, a bundle of fluffy Chanyeol now in Jongdae’s arms, and Yifan’s heart swells. Jongdae tucks Chanyeol in bed, and reads him a bedtime story as Yifan takes a quick shower. They finally crawl into bed when Chanyeol falls asleep.
Jongdae laces their fingers, dropping kisses on Yifan’s knuckles. “Today was nice,” Jongdae says softly.
Yifan nods, tugging Jongdae closer. “Minseok said they’d take him overnight next weekend.”
“That sounds promising,” Jongdae chuckles, his fingers trailing around Yifan’s waist to rest on his side.
Right now sounds promising to Yifan and he’s willing to test his luck, but it’s not to be. Chanyeol appears in their doorway, wiping at his eyes as the damp strands of his hair stick to the sides of his face. He wordlessly climbs onto their bed, settling down between the two of them when Jongdae lifts the blankets for him.
Chanyeol probably wasn’t even fully awake, but he lets out a hitched, satisfied sigh when Yifan offers his finger for Chanyeol to bite on. And he’s out like a light.
Jongdae scratches through Chanyeol’s hair and smiles fondly at their son. “We should have another,” Jongdae whispers.
Yifan isn’t opposed to the idea, but he kicks his mate under the blankets anyway and Jongdae sticks his tongue out at him. The idea of expanding their little family fills Yifan with happiness. He’s not going to let Jongdae know, though. Not until he can properly show him how much he enjoys the idea. Maybe next weekend.