Title: 6 Geese a Laying Pairing: SuChen Rating: PG-13 for swearing Summary: Families come in all shapes and sizes, and Jongdae somehow manages to get dragged into one when he's not even looking. Notes: For seoulsfinest/gabby. This is the 6th installation of my 12 Days of Christmas fics, and although it's kinda rushed and all over the place, I still hope you guys like it. I'm kinda horrible at making fics with plot so /wheezes/ enjoy.
Junmyeon, Jongdae has come to realize, is one of the biggest sapsmost softhearted people in the world. This realization comes somewhere between watching Junmyeon cry over commercials, the kind that prey on the emotions of the “kinder” folk, and dragging him away from charity booths before he gives them literally all of his money, and Jongdae think it’s a charming quality that Junmyeon has, if not a troublesome one as well.
Jongdae has his first run in with the baby birds after a long day of work. Junmyeon had invited him over for dinner and drinks, and Jongdae, oblivious to the fact that Junmyeon has new “babies”, accepts the offer without any hassle.
He’s not expecting to be greeted by Junmyeon with an armful of what look to be fluffy balls of oddly colored pillow feathers, though, and he’s almost 100% positive it shows on his face because Junmyeon shoots him a sheepish grin.
“What are those?”
“Baby geese!” Junmyeon replies cheerfully and Jongdae inwardly cringes.
Jongdae has always admittedly been just slightly terrified of birds. They’re mean little creatures, thieves, and enjoy attacking him as he walks down the streets, so the thought of spending an evening with his love interest and six geese is not exactly appealing.
But then Junmyeon smiles that dumb dopey smile that always causes Jongdae’s heart to hammer painfully in his chest, and Jongdae finds himself stepping into the house after Junmyeon, careful not to get too close to the birds.
The geese begin to grow quickly, doubling in size within the span of two weeks, and their down feathers begin to molt, making way for their new adult ones. Junmyeon coddles each one of them, having named them all, and refers to himself as “Mommy,” when speaking in sickening baby voices at the goslings. Jongdae says nothing, though, even as Junmyeon continues to chew up bits of vegetables and bread to feed to the birds.
One of the geese, lovingly named “Tao” by Junmyeon, has somehow taken a liking to Jongdae, and follows him everywhere he goes, squawking softly as he hobbles around on his little webbed feet. It had bothered the younger male at first, considering he was unsure how to react and was still mostly afraid of birds, but after about the fifth time of sitting on the couch with Tao curled up in his lap, he began to begrudgingly accept it, even going as far as stroking his fingers through the soft feathers along the young goose’s body.
On a particularly lazy day, both Junmyeon and Jongdae find themselves curled up on the couch together, nestled close with the geese huddled on top of them, and they nap like this, Junmyeon’s cheek pressed against Jongdae’s shoulder and their breathing in sync.
Lu Han, one of the geese, is the one to wake them, gently nibbling at Junmyeon’s fingers when he gets hungry, and when Jongdae feels the other shift against him, he peers sleepily up at him, smile soft and warming.
“Look, Daddy,” Junmyeon coos, lifting the largest of the geese, Chanyeol, up to Jongdae’s face to show him the odd hexagon shaped white mark on the gosling’s chest. “He’s got a birthmark.”
Jongdae chokes on his spit when he realizes what Junmyeon called him and turns his attention to the two geese in his lap. “Daddy?”
“Well, yeah,” Junmyeon says, teeth almost blinding as he smiles. “We’re like a domestic, married couple with six kids, don’t you think?”
Jongdae hums out noncommittally as an answer, knowing that Junmyeon doesn’t mean it in the way Jongdae is taking it, then laughs as Tao begins to tug at the couch cushion, black beak twisting the fabric and almost tearing it which drags a cry out of Junmyeon.
“Don’t do that,” Jongdae chides, patting his finger on the tip of Tao’s nose, and the bird nuzzles into his hand, seeking out affection. Jongdae complies, brushing his thumb against the geese’s head, and Junmyeon’s soft noise of approval doesn’t go unheard by Jongdae.
“He really likes you, Daddy.”
Jongdae laughs quietly, the nickname doing nothing for his sanity, and glances up at Junmyeon, agreement on the tip of his tongue.
But Junmyeon is closer than Jongdae had anticipated and their lips brush against one another’s in a poor imitation of a kiss. Jongdae shoots back, eyes wide as apologies spill from his mouth, and he’s fucked, so fucked, because that was not supposed to happen.
Junmyeon seems to take it in stride though, blinking at him as if nothing happened, and when the older male’s hand finds Jongdae’s, it takes him a few moments to register it.
“You’re not exactly the brightest,” Junmyeon says, and the hand in his is warm and fits almost too well.
“What do you mean?” he asks, clearly confused, because nothing is making sense at the moment, and Junmyeon is just smiling at him, thumb pad brushing against the inside of his palm as he remains silent.
He gets no answer still, and is left to deal with his unanswered questions alone.
❄
Jongdae doesn’t put the pieces together for another week. He’s at Junmyeon’s, as he usually is, helping Junmyeon cook with Tao and Sehun by his side, when Junmyeon slips an arm around his waist and presses a kiss to his shoulder.
It’s not the first time something like this has happened between the two of them, skinship having always been a rather large part of their relationship because that’s just how Junmyeon is, but it hits Jongdae suddenly, all at once, and he freezes, going still so quickly that Junmyeon begins to worry.
“Jongdae?” he calls, and the younger male turns, wooden spoon still in hand, and there’s no finesse in the way Jongdae moves forward and crashes his lips against Junmyeon’s. This kiss isn’t an accident, not like the one before, and although it starts out quickly, it lingers and becomes soft, a confession, an admission, a declaration all in one.
When they part, lips still just close enough to brush, Junmyeon chuckles. “Took you long enough.”
Jongdae rolls his eyes and pushes Junmyeon away, turning to stir the food before it burns and sticks to the pan while grumbling out, “It’s not my fault your signals are so damn hard to read.”
Junmyeon snorts behind him and reaches into the pan to snatch a piece of carrot to feed to D.O., the only goose who had yet to join them in the kitchen, and wraps his arms around Jongdae’s waist again, burying his face in the crook where the younger’s neck and shoulder meet. “No, I’m pretty sure I gave you plenty of signals.”
Jongdae argues back, waving his spoon as he does, and by the end of their “heated discussion”, Junmyeon has taken to calling Jongdae “mommy,” instead and the goslings are all swarmed around them, honking loudly as they beg for food.
❄
The shelter calls Junmyeon early one morning when Jongdae is there to let them know they’re ready for the geese to come back. Jongdae had known it was coming, had even begun to dread the day it happened because the geese had become such a large part of their lives, so when the call is received, the mood automatically becomes somber.
Jongdae keeps Tao and Kai with him that day, spoiling them much more than normal, and when Junmyeon has them all pile into the car, Jongdae doesn’t even bother denying that he’s upset.
The drive to the shelter is silent and Jongdae makes sure to give each goose the same amount of attention, wanting to properly say goodbye to them before they arrive, and it’s almost a little heartbreaking, because the geese really are like their children.
They trudge into the shelter with heavy hearts, and Jongdae almost misses the woman’s words because he’s too focused on keeping himself and his emotions in check.
“These are the adoption papers, and since you took care of them for so long, we’re going to void the fee.”
Jongdae’s head snaps up and he stares at Junmyeon, surprised. “You’re adopting them?”
Junmyeon’s smile is cheeky and pleased when he nods, and Jongdae isn’t sure if he wants to strangle him for keeping it a secret or marry him for doing this.
“I’m going to get a pond installed into my backyard and let them stay with me until they feel the need to leave.”
Jongdae knows he must look as happy as he feels because Junmyeon reaches a hand out towards his and grabs it, squeezing it gently before moving to fill out the forms. “I couldn’t tear our little family apart, Jongdae,” he teases, and when the owner isn’t looking, Jongdae steals a kiss from him and leans down to press the tip of his finger to each geese’s nose.
And when they get home, the geese seem to understand what’s going on and flap around the house, making a ton of racket and creating a mess for Junmyeon and Jongdae to clean, but it doesn’t matter because Junmyeon’s right.
They are a family.