Chapter Text
Seonghwa put the broom back in the closet and went back to their living room to find Wooyoung on the couch, absolutely vibrating with excitement.
Yeosang, Jongho and Mingi were in their respective rooms, San and Yunho were at the arcade and would stay there for most of the evening. The only member that was missing was Hongjoong, who was still at the studio.
“Hongjoong-ie promised he’d be back home soon, but perhaps you might want to turn on the TV, or do something while you’re waiting?” suggested Seonghwa with a kind smile.
The younger boy looked at him like he wanted to reply but just stayed silent, taking the fleece blanket that was neatly folded beside him and putting it in his lap.
The soft pink fabric was something that Seonghwa had purchased when these nursing sessions were still new, back when there might still be some lingering embarassment over doing this so out in the open. It was kind of hard to say who would be more embarassed those first few times, Hongjoong or the member that was currently suckling at his chest. Seonghwa had never felt like it was a problem, as his role was more of a supervisor slash mediator, but he could understand the need for privacy.
Mingi and Jongho especially were fond of the blanket and insisted on using it when it was their turn even though these sessions had become a usual occurence and no one batted an eye when they saw the couch was in use. Initially shy at requesting some private time with their hyungs, most of their members had had a try and by now they had a fully functional rotation schedule, which was a necessity to avoid fights over who had dibs on their leader that night. Seonghwa’s inner provider absolutely purred at the thought of Hongjoong finally getting some relaxation time and a full night of sleep afterwards, but even he had to admit that the young rapper would absolutely go crazy if he had to spend every night at home with someone attached to his chest, so rotation schedule it was.
Sometimes though, one of the members would be more in need of pampering than another and a schedule change would happen.
This time it was kind of an expected one, with Wooyoung under a lot of pressure because of Studio Choom’s AOTM performance. Yunho, the original owner of the night’s slot, had kindly offered to switch, since he and the other members who took part in Imitation had taken up a lot of Hongjoong’s time during the winter months.
The entrance door unlocked and if Wooyoung was vibrating in excitement before, he almost jumped to his feet to turn around and check if their leader was finally back.
“Stay, I’ll go get him for you,” said Seonghwa standing up and going towards their leader.
The eldest took a quick glance at the pale face in front of him, dark circles barely covered by fake glasses, and sighed. Hongjoong looked exhausted.
“I’m sorry I took so long, I had to revise a section for Kingdom and you know how that goes. Yunho’s not too angry with me I hope?”
Ah, right, the change had been a last-minute one and probably no one had thought to warn their tiny leader.
“You’re having Wooyoung-ah tonight, he’s feeling a bit anxious for his performance so Yunho-yah gave him his spot. I think they switched again next week so nobody is losing their time,” said Seonghwa, noticing in an instant how the blond haired boy seemed to lose even more colour at the news.
“Ah.”
Yunho was one of the easier members for Hongjoong to nurse. Their tallest dongsaeng was easy going, loved to please his hyungs and his sessions usually never lasted longer than 30 minutes, including the aftercare that Seonghwa imposed on Hongjoong after each feeding.
Wooyoung had been their very first and the beginning of everything (boy, did Seonghwa remember that first time when Wooyoung had play-bitten Hongjoong’s chest and then started to nurse from him as an apology), but as much as both hyungs had him in their hearts, he was the more challenging of their kids. He struggled with staying still, couldn’t keep his hands off Hongjoong and loved to bite. Hongjoong’s chest always came out of these sessions completely covered in hickies and with absolutely abused nipples.
These nursing sessions were a way for their kids to relax and bond with their hyungs, but they were supposed to be relaxing for them as well. And Hongjoong, looking like death warmed over, would never be able to survive the full force of a jittery Wooyoung.
He also knew that, if he told Wooyoung that their time was not going to happen, the young boy would accept it but he’d be absolutely devastated. Hongjoong knew it as well, if the resolute look that started to take form on his face was any indication.
“Take a shower and put on pajamas this time, use the light green ones,” said the eldest taking the leader’s coat and bag.
“The nipple cream is going to stain them, remember last time? I should just go shirtless,”
“It’s the only nightwear you have that opens up in the front, I won’t have you getting cold when you’re this tired. Now go, or we’ll be up all night with the baby,” smiled Seonghwa and Hongjoong let out a small laugh in return.
In public, they were their members, their friends, in private, they were their kids but at night, Hongjoong nursing them and Seonghwa watching over them, they were their babies. The eldest watched as their leader slowly went towards their room to pick up his nightwear and toiletries and opened up their wardrobe to put away his coat and bag. He’d have to have a chat with Wooyoung-ie about his session, for everyone’s sake.
When he went back to the living room, he could see the other boy with a visible slump in his shoulder. They didn’t raise their voices but in the silence of their flat, the conversation must have carried to Wooyoung as well. He started to speak but the other beat him to it.
“Hongjoong-ie hyung sounds exhausted, maybe it’s better if we just go to bed and call it a day,” said the younger boy putting the fleece blanket beside him and moving to stand up.
“Wooyoung-ie, please wait.”
Seonghwa sighed and sat beside the young dancer, taking the blanket and putting it back on the boy’s lap.
“Hongjoong is very tired, I won’t hide this from you, but trust me when I say that if he truly didn’t want to do this, he wouldn’t.”
“Hyung is a self-sacrifing ass, he would throw himself under the bus a thousand times over if it was for one of us,” Wooyoung scoffed.
Seonghwa couldn’t help but agree with Wooyoung’s sentiment.
“Don’t forget that he does enjoy nursing you boys, so it’s not all altruism.”
“Maybe he does the others, but he always tells me that I’m hard work and I just drain him dry. Maybe we should just stop doing this, it’d be better for the both of us.”
Wooyoung’s gaze was downturned and his shoulders were pressed together, as if he was trying to make himself smaller. Seonghwa was pretty sure that Hongjoong had probably said those words in jest, but their kid had taken them to heart and this uncertainty was something that the eldest had to nip in the bud.
“I’m sure that if you were to stop asking him for this, he would be devastated. You are our brightest child and you’re always so full of energy that sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with you but never doubt that we love you and what we do with you is always done out of genuine want and not duty.”
“Promise?”
Wooyoung was looking at him with such hopeful eyes that Seonghwa couldn’t help himself and drew him in a strong hug.
“Promise. Just go easy on him tonight, it’s a stressful time for everyone and I need all of you to stay as healthy as possible.”
“Yes, eomma.”
Seonghwa released Wooyoung and checked his face for signs of deceit but found none. His boy had a soft smile on his face, a light blush on his cheeks and his nervous fidgeting from before had totally disappeared.
Ah, such an obedient child, Seonghwa was definitely pleased at how their young dancer was becoming so mindful of others and he was sure their leader would be too.
And speaking of leaders, he could hear the closing sound of the bathroom door and soft steps coming closer to the living room, so he turned to the hallway to see Hongjoong appear. Their leader was wearing the green pajamas that Seonghwa had suggested but also added a light beige cardigan over them, left unbuttoned in the front. His hair was still a bit damp from the shower, but the buzzcut he got for their Rhythm Ta stage would make sure it would dry quickly. Seonghwa’s gaze couldn’t help but linger on Hongjoong’s pale neck and collarbones, made visible by the v-collar of his nightwear.
Any other time and he would have loved to leave a mark on that expanse of soft skin, but this night was a feeding night and the older dancer could wait until the session was over before claiming a couple of minutes from their precious leader.
He stood up from beside Wooyoung and moved to the armchair that directly faced the couch. It was his spot during feedings, close enough to supervise but far enough not to encroach.
Hongjoong smiled at Seonghwa with a nod of his head, then moved towards the couch where Wooyoung had gotten up as well to engulf him in a hug.
“Thank you hyung, I’ll be good, I promise,” murmured the younger boy in his ear and Hongjoong couldn’t help but cradle the boy’s head in his hand and whisper back with a soft kiss to his temple.
“I know you will, I love you, Wooyoung-ie.”