Work Text:
The baby news doesn't stop once Dan tells his son; there are still a lot of people who need to know about the baby. And considering he left work in an ambulance last time, Dan knows he has to tell the boys and his bosses about his new reality—after all, things will start to change from now on.
The boys are excited when Dan gathers them together and tells them the news. They all exclaim with joy and run to hug Dan. Soon, a bunch of muscular young men are around Dan, hugging him and expressing how happy they are with the news. All Dan can do is laugh, and amidst smiles, he thanks the boys. They're more excited about the news than I am, Dan thinks as he hugs the boys one by one. Not that he's complaining; he's very happy to know that the baby will be loved.
It is Jaekyung who comes to save him from the suffocating hugs. The athlete had kept his distance and let Dan handle everything, but when he saw the boys getting euphoric around Dan, he decided it was time to intervene. With his imposing presence, he puts his arm around Dan's shoulder and looks at the boys intimidatingly with his pronounced scowl.
“That's enough; back away,” he expresses, and he's not asking; it's an order.
The boys simply nod and then back away; however, they continue to talk about the news, talking about the baby.
“I hope the baby looks like Dan.”
“I hope the baby looks like Jaekyung.”
“Do you want the baby to look like Jaekyung with everything and personality?”
“…”
Those and more comments are heard all around; the boys have gathered in a circle and soon forgot about training and the parents-to-be.
“We must all celebrate the news,” says Potato, with his eyes shining from excitement in conjunction with a determined expression on his face, ready to prepare a celebration.
“Yes, with lots of meat and beers!” Daehyun supports him, and within seconds, everyone else follows.
And while Dan doesn't want to spoil the boys' hopes and knows how excited they are to go celebrate the news, he has to butt into the conversation and interrupt their cheerful conversation.
“It makes me very happy that you guys are as excited about the baby as we are. But this time I won't be able to join your celebration; it's better for me to stay away from alcohol for a while.” Dan can see that the boys are starting to get discouraged when they hear his words, so he quickly rushes to add something else. “But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go celebrate. Do it, celebrate for me.”
After saying that, the boys get excited again and resume their conversation, planning the little celebration. Dan looks at them with a smile; for him, they are all like his little brothers.
However, the moment soon ends when Jaekyung sends them off to work; they already had plenty of time to rest. Dan takes his hand and intertwines it with his own; he hopes that this will erase Jaekyung's ugly frown and calm down a bit.
After giving the news to the guys, Dan and Jaekyung go to Namwook's office to have a small meeting. Yosep is also there; it is important for them to talk about the changes that are going to happen now. Jaekyung is the first to speak up, expressing his demands; he wants Dan to stop working and stay at home, resting. Dan, on the other hand, wants to keep working, at least until his pregnancy prevents him from doing so. Jaekyung quickly objects, expressing why it is a bad idea for his pregnant boyfriend to work. Dan knows that Jaekyung just wants to protect him, but he thinks he is overreacting.
“Did you forget that you fainted due to stress and tiredness from working?” Jaekyung reminds him with a frown; he almost seems to be accusing him of that.
“I know, I don't forget, but that was a mistake on my part for not resting. I promise it won't happen again. This is not the first time I have done this; when I was pregnant with Kenji, I worked non-stop on my pregnancy, and everything went well.”
“That's not going to change my mind, Dan. It's best if you stay home, end of discussion,” Jaekyung sentences his words and then looks at Namwook.
The coach feels as if they are in a trial, and he is the judge with the final word. And it seems that he is, as Dan and Jaekyung look at him, waiting for him to choose a side. Namwook lets out a sigh and leans back in his seat. He looks at them both silently, thinking about what to say. He moves his lips for a few seconds and then begins to speak.
“I don't want to be the one to decide, but it seems that you two are not going to be able to agree. And it's not good for you to fight in pregnancy,” Namwook leans over and places his elbows on his desk, adjusting his glasses to get a better look at them. “On one hand, Dan is right; it's not dangerous for him to keep working, and considering that his job is not of high rigor, I support him continuing to work at least for these months.”
Dan smiles and is about to declare victory when Namwook speaks again.
“However, Jaekyung is also right. Stress is not good for pregnancy, and in your condition, it's normal to get tired more often. So we are going to have to set a couple of rules from now on: Dan, you can continue to work here, but you are ruled out of going to competitions. I know you know it's not good to travel a lot during pregnancy. And since we tend to do that a lot, you won't be able to come with us. I don't think it's convenient for you to be in an environment like that at the moment.”
Dan nods slightly; he can accept this as long as he can keep working at the gym and taking care of the boys, he'll be fine. He looks at Jaekyung, who doesn't seem happy with the situation, as he looks at Namwook as if he wants to hang him. But Namwook doesn't seem affected; instead, he looks at Jaekyung expressionlessly.
“You wanted me to make the decision, and I know that's the best one for Dan. And if you don't believe me, talk to my wife; that woman had three pregnancies, and in all of them she worked until her belly wouldn't let her feet show.”
Jaekyung was not happy with the idea. But seeing Dan smile, happy to be able to continue working, made Jaekyung calm down a bit and accept the idea. After all, it's better to have him around so he can take care of him and keep an eye on him.
“It's okay, Dan can stay,” he says, ending the small meeting, then gets up; he's wasting time and should go train. However, Dan grabs his arm before he leaves.
“Wait a minute,” he says sheepishly, and when everyone has their attention on him, he continues speaking. “I know I can't go to the competitions anymore, but I'd like to go to the next one.”
“Dan” Jaekyung is ready to protest again.
“Please,” Dan looks at him, and his brown eyes seem to plead, “It's your return; I want to be there with you.”
And Jaekyung knows that Dan is making those eyes because he knows that he won't be able to refuse that sweet look. Damn manipulator; you've learned well. Jaekyung thinks as he gets captivated by those puppy eyes. Jaekyung sighs; he knows he can't refuse when those eyes are looking at him like that.
“Okay, but it will be the last one.”
Dan smiles again, almost as if he were a little boy who just received the gift he asked for Christmas.
***
Preparations for Jaekyung's comeback are going on successfully. The publicity and promotion for his comeback were everywhere. The athlete's months of absence made the public (especially his fans) expectant and anxious for his return to competitions. Jaekyung was the only athlete being talked about in the news and on sports channels; it was almost as if he was the only thing that mattered. All the attention was on him, and although he didn't usually like it, this time he was enjoying it with great pleasure.
Since this would be the last time in a long time that he was going to be by Jaekyung's side in competitions, Dan decided to enjoy it to the fullest. Arriving at the hotel, they followed the established protocol; Dan stayed behind while Jaekyung was cornered by reporters. Dan tried to remain calm, but the heat of the moment was making him a little dizzy. It was too much hustle and bustle for a pregnant man. He let out a long sigh as he stepped through the hotel doors and was finally able to rest.
He was already tired, and the day was just beginning. But he tried to stay calm so as not to worry Jaekyung; his boyfriend just had to concentrate on the competition. He would have time to rest.
The itinerary went smoothly; the competition would be the next day, so after attending to the press, Jaekyung spent the rest of the day training. Dan was by his side, following up on his shoulder. His left shoulder looked perfectly fine; his pain had subsided, and he was able to move without discomfort. The rehabilitation and therapies had worked perfectly; however, Dan never failed to be persuasive and always treated Jaekyung's shoulder and body with great care.
After a training and therapy session, they could finally rest. They had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Dan, with his appetite now more whetted, ordered different dishes and ate them all without leaving a crumb. Jaekyung just looked at him and laughed quietly.
“Are you sure you can eat all that?” asks Jaekyung as he hands Dan a napkin.
“I'm probably going to end up throwing it all up, but it's worth it. This is delicious,” Dan says before shoving more food into his mouth, staining his cheeks.
After eating, everyone says goodbye and goes to sleep. It is important for Jaekyung to rest as much as he can. And while he is taking a bath, Dan is in the room, going through his suitcase and looking for some clothes. At that, he hears Jaekyung call out to him from the shower; he is shouting and looks worried. Dan quickly throws the clothes away and runs to the bathroom, desperate to get there.
“What is it? What's wrong? Is it your shoulder? Did you hurt yourself?” Dan comes to the bathroom and looks at Jaekyung with concern. The glass shower door is open, and Dan can see Jaekyung touching his shoulder.
“I think I hurt myself,” says Jaekyung making pain.
One of his hands holds his shoulder, and with the other, he raises his hand so that he can reach Dan. The physiotherapist does so; he takes Jaekyung's hand, so innocent, not knowing that Jaekyung had a prank planned.
As soon as Dan takes his hand, Jaekyung pulls him inside the shower. Soon he is laughing out loud, and quickly Dan understands that all this time he was playing with him. Dan scowls at him, avoiding the spray of water on his head, but it's too late; he's completely soaked through.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Dan asks in exasperation as water wets all his hair, causing it to stick to his forehead. Jaekyung keeps laughing until he almost feels like his stomach hurts.
“You should have seen your face,” the athlete mocks once again, looking at Dan, unable to stop laughing.
“Did you forget I'm pregnant?”
“No, that's why I was gentle while put you in the shower.” Jaekyung puts on a tender expression; however, in his eyes, Dan can see that he is still teasing him.
“Well, you're lucky I hadn't gotten in for a bath yet.” Dan starts to take off his clothes and then throws them out of the shower before closing the glass door, so the water doesn't run out and wet the entire bathroom floor. “So now you're going to bathe me,” he says, then turns around, stepping into the stream of water.
Jaekyung looks at Dan's bare back, and a mischievous smile escapes him. “You like playing with me, don't you?”
“You started it; I'm just continuing it,” he says, looking over his shoulder at Jaekyung. “Come on, hurry up; I don't have all day.”
Jaekyung giggles as he turns to grab the bath sponge, then walks towards Dan and hugs him around the waist. “You're so mean,” he murmurs against Dan's ear as he starts to leave kisses on Dan's shoulder while he moves the soap-filled sponge across Dan's naked body. “You're so mean, leaving me like this.” Jaekyung presses himself against Dan's ass, his erection pressing hard and making Dan let out a gasp.
Dan moans and, by inertia, moves, sticking his skin against the shower wall. He lets out a louder gasp this time and quickly moves away from the wall. Jaekyung continues to hug him around the waist and moves when Dan moves.
“Are you okay?” Jaekyung asks, halting his movements. Was I being too rude?
“Are you seriously worried now after forcing me into the shower?” Dan asks and then lets out a laugh. He turns a little to look at Jaekyung, and he smiles when he sees his sincere concern.
“Well, I apologized for that, didn't I?”
“No, you didn't.”
Jaekyung comes closer and gently kisses Dan's lips, presses him a little against his body, and their wet skins brush against each other, and at that, they both gasp. Soon, the place feels warm despite the cold water falling near them.
“Does that count as an apology?”
Dan laughs again, and this time he turns completely around so that he can face Jaekyung. He hugs him by the neck and pulls him closer to his face. Jaekyung has to bend down a little because of his height. In the process, he forgets about the bath sponge and drops it so that he can hug Dan.
“Yes,” he says in a low whisper before leaving a small kiss on Jaekyung's lips. “And I'm fine; the wall is just too cold, that's all.”
Jaekyung nods and kisses Dan again; he's been holding on too long and doesn't think he can take it anymore. Slowly and carefully, he presses Dan against the wall, making sure it's not uncomfortable for him. Bathing has been forgotten; both of them are more focused on touching and kissing each other until they are breathless.
Jaekyung's penis quivers between his legs. He want something more. Jaekyung moves to rub his penis against Dan's, who starts to get aroused little by little. They both gasped, almost feeling like they were reaching orgasm just from that simple action. They separated for a few seconds to breathe and get some air. Panting, they look at each other, desperate to recover and continue.
“Is it okay for us to do this? I mean, for the baby” Jaekyung asks, swallowing saliva as he caresses Dan's face.
Dan smiles slightly as he looks at Jaekyung lovingly. With his fingers, he caresses the soft skin of his face. “We can do it; we just need to be more careful now.”
Jaekyung feels a little calmer after that, and knowing that nothing bad will happen, he decides to continue. He takes Dan's lips again and holds him a little tighter, pressing his fingers into Dan's skin. However, he is gentle as he enters Dan, moving softly and slowly with all the gentleness he has. Dan is curled on top of him, his legs around his hips. The physiotherapist moans and gasps, lost in pleasure, as he bounces gently against Jaekyung's cock.
They finish a little faster this time. Jaekyung knows Dan is getting tired when he feels his legs start to slip off his hips. Slowly, he lowers him down and presses him against the wall, thrusts back inside Dan, and begins to ram. He moves back and forth, always slowly and carefully. With one of his hands, he jerks Dan off so he can release the orgasm he knows he's stuck on, but because he's so tired, he can't let it out. Between movements and panting, they both end up climaxing, releasing an orgasm almost at the same time.
Dan is panting against Jaekyung's chest; the athlete embraces him as he cleans him. He, too, feels exhausted, but for now, he wants to take care of his boyfriend. Dan hugs him around the waist, closes his eyes, and lets out a sigh. He is falling asleep, almost passing out from how tired he is. Jaekyung helps him out of the shower, wraps him in a bathrobe, and towels Dan's hair dry. He tries to make quick work of it while using the dryer. Dan staggers to his feet and tries to keep his eyes open, but he's falling asleep. Jaekyung finishes drying the brown hair, and Dan lets out a sigh.
“Now, take me to bed,” he demands, leaning his face on Jaekyung's bare chest.
The athlete laughs a little and then leaves a kiss on Dan's forehead. “As your majesty commands.”
Jaekyung carries him in his arms like a princess and carries him to the bed. He gently lays him down and smiles as Dan curls up under the covers, hugging a pillow, almost falling asleep.
“Hey, you should get dressed first,” Jaekyung says, running his fingers through Dan's silky hair.
But the physical therapist ignores him, instead turning around and turning his back on him. Jaekyung lets out a low chuckle and walks to his luggage; this is no time for Dan to catch a cold. Before returning to Dan, he puts on underwear and sweatpants, leaving his torso bare. Grabbing a pair of pants and a shirt for Dan, he returns to bed. With Dan refusing to cooperate, Jaekyung dresses him.
"You're lucky you're so cute," Jaekyung says as he puts Dan's pants on. Dan just laughs, ruining his act of pretending to be asleep.
Dan stirs on the bed, opens his eyes a little to look at Jaekyung, raises his hand, and reaches for him; he wants to feel him by his side.
“Come to bed,” he orders once again.
Jaekyung smiles and does exactly as Dan asks. Walk around the room to turn off the lights, and then climbs onto the bed, lying down next to Dan. He hugs Dan, pulling him to his body to lie on his bare chest. Dan moves, settling in next to Jaekyung; he also embraces him, with one arm encircling his broad body.
Jaekyung looks at him silently, stroking Dan's dry hair, combing it, and tucking it behind his ear. He sees Dan's profile and smiles slightly; his fingers brush Dan's tender skin, leaving caresses so small that Dan probably didn't even feel them.
“I love you,” he whispers amidst the darkness that covers the city, in the middle of the room lit only by a lamp beside the bed.
Dan, still staying awake, smiles slightly and snuggles more against Jaekyung's chest, letting out a sigh when he feels his boyfriend's skin against his cheek. “I know,” he says, simply, in a whisper, that if it weren't for the closeness, the athlete wouldn't have managed to hear.
“Aren't you going to reply that you love me too? How pretentious.”
Dan has his eyes closed, but he can imagine the expression Jaekyung is making. And he laughs, and to reward him, he leans towards Jaekyung's face, leaving a tender kiss on his lips. That's more than enough for Jaekyung.
They go back to snuggling against each other. Dan closes his eyes once again but still doesn't fall asleep, as he is more focused on the caresses Jaekyung leaves along his arm, altogether leaving little kisses on his forehead and hair. He spoils him with caresses and kisses, and Dan can't help but feel like he's in heaven, lying on a pillow so soft that he's lulled to sleep.
“Tomorrow, on my return, I will win for you. My victory will be for you and for our baby,” he whispers a little secret that he is ashamed to say aloud, but in the silence of the place, he allows himself to confess.
And Dan may already be falling asleep, but he can hear those words from Jaekyung and smile as his cheeks blush; the warmth in his chest is too much to bear, and he feels like a teenager in love with his first love, but this is much better; this love he feels; these feelings are not compared to a childish love. And then he remembers the being growing inside him, the fruit of their love. Dan lets out a sigh and lets himself sink into Jaekyung's arms, into this loving warmth that is now his life.
***
In the morning, Jaekyung wakes up, ready for his fight. Even though it's his comeback, he feels it's just another day, as if he's never been gone for months. And that confidence allows him to start his day with a focused mindset—no nerves in the way. He eats a light breakfast and then prepares to make his itinerary.
Everyone is running here and there; everyone is prepared for the competition; everyone is working so that Jaekyung doesn't have to and is just focused on the fight. After a press conference, Jaekyung goes to the locker room to warm up. He has a short workout with Yosep and then a quick therapy session with Dan.
As he lies on the stretcher, Jaekyung can hear the bustle in the distance—people shouting his name, desperate to see him in action. So many people came from all over the world. This is going to be a huge comeback.
Dan finishes massaging Jaekyung's shoulder and then moves a little away so that the athlete can do a couple of stretches. At that moment, everyone gathers in a circle, and Namwook takes the opportunity to give a little talk and words of encouragement for the team and for Jaekyung, who, although he doesn't need them, accepts his coach's words.
The talk ends, and then everyone starts to leave, leaving Jaekyung at the end, as he is the one they are waiting for. Dan looks at him out of the corner of his eye as he gets ready; his boyfriend is so focused that he hasn't noticed that he's still here. Dan takes advantage of that to walk over and hug Jaekyung from behind; the athlete is surprised for a second, but then turns around without breaking Dan's embrace. Dan smiles at him before standing on his tiptoes and leaning in to kiss Jaekyung.
The athlete accepts the kiss and deepens it, grabbing Dan by the waist. Their tongues mingle and share saliva; the kiss goes on longer than it should, and what started out as innocent turned obscene. It's Dan who has to pull away, or else they'd never get out of here.
Jaekyung decides to take this moment to feel a little more of Dan's closeness; he sits on the bench and pulls Dan close, hugging him around the waist, then rests his forehead on Dan's abdomen and stands there silently. Dan looks at him sweetly and reciprocates the hug, drops his arms around Jaekyung's neck, and rests his chin on the athlete's head. Lately, he has been more cloying, and by lately, he means since he found out about the pregnancy. But Dan doesn't complain; instead, he smiles tenderly.
“What are you doing?” he asks, because seconds pass and Jaekyung doesn't seem to want to move from his position.
“Just recharging energy,” he says, and then lifts his gaze, resting his chin now on Dan's abdomen. It's still flat, but Jaekyung can't wait to see it grow with his baby.
Dan keeps his smile and now brings his hands up to his boyfriend's face. He leans down to leave him a kiss; it's soft and tender, but long enough to leave him gasping for air. “That will give you lots of energy and good luck.”
Jaekyung laughs softly and takes Dan's lips again, wanting more of his good-luck kisses. They only separate when the door opens again, and even though everyone in the team knows about their relationship, Dan wants to keep it professional at work. They both look toward the door and see Namwook peeking out. He gestures to Jaekyung; that action is a clear indicator that it's time to leave. Jaekyung nods towards Namwook and then turns his gaze towards Dan. The trainer has nothing more to say and leaves.
“Will you be okay outside? You can always stay here in the locker room and watch the game from here.”
“I'm going to be fine; nothing bad is going to happen to me.”
“You got hurt last time, so forgive me if I worry.”
Dan knows Jaekyung is talking about that time when he was pushed by Paparazzi, and while Dan understands that concern, he knows it's overkill for him to think that can happen twice.
“That won't happen again; besides, I won't be alone; Yoon gu and Daehyun will be with me.”
“That doesn't make me feel any better,” Jaekyung says, but then lets out a sigh because he doesn't have time for this. “But those two are better than nothing, so I guess I can accept it.”
Dan simply rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything else because he can't keep distracting Jaekyung. The athlete finishes getting ready, and once he is ready, he approaches Dan.
“Can you give me another good luck kiss?” he asks, innocently leaning his lips towards Dan.
The physiotherapist laughs softly and then kisses Jaekyung; he knows that the man is insatiable when it comes to his kisses. They break away from the kiss and then walk towards the exit.
That's where their paths separate; Jaekyung walks to where his team and all the press are, while Dan goes with Potato and Daehyun, who are designated to be Dan's companions. The three of them walk to the stands and sit in the front rows. Dan is in the middle of Potato and Daehyun, and in front of him is the octagon, where Jaekyung and his opponent enter to fight.
Jaekyung steps into the octagon, and Dan's heart starts to pound nonstop. He feels anxious and his mouth goes dry from nerves; it is an automatic feeling and one that he cannot control, but he tries to calm himself down, as with pregnancy he tends to get dizzy faster at any change in his body. Discreetly, he touches his flat belly, and in his mind, he asks the little life growing inside him to let him enjoy the fight.
The fight started, and the crowd raised the level of their shouting. The blows resounded, making contrast with all the shouting heard in the place, echoing everywhere. But Dan was only focused on Jaekyung, on his movements and his expressions. He swallowed saliva when he saw him dodge a blow so subtly that it felt like he was dodging the air itself. The excitement and adrenaline increased as the minutes ticked by. Jaekyung threw a strong punch, almost cornering his opponent. Dan stood up from his seat, captivated by it all, to see his boyfriend back in the ring as if he had never left. Just another day at the office, Dan thinks to himself as he watches Jaekyung take down his opponent. He makes it so easy, like it's an everyday thing. It's as easy as cutting a piece of cake.
Dan smiles and comes down from the stands to run to where Namwook and Yosep are. He knows he can't act so affectionate around Jaekyung, but that doesn't stop him from celebrating the victory of the champion, the emperor.
“The invincible emperor is back!” The referee exclaims as he raises Jaekyung's arm, proclaiming his victory.
The audience exclaims his name; they proclaim him the King of Mixed Arts. The spotlights are on him, and the cameras are shining on his face. But Jaekyung is only looking at Dan; he is only looking at the love of his life, who smiles at him as he claps and chants to the tune of the crowd, chanting his name. And Jaekyung wishes he could walk up to him, grab him by the waist, and kiss him in front of everyone, so they know that this beautiful man is his. But he knows he can't, so he just smiles at Dan and winks at him; they'll have time to celebrate in privacy.
Then he lets himself be flooded by the audience's shouts and chants, calling him King. All that consumes Jaekyung makes him feel satisfied and full of pleasure; it has certainly inflated his ego. But more than that, he is calm and relieved; finally, it's all over—the news and comments of his downfall—no more reporters claiming it was the end of him. Finally, he could shut everyone's mouth; he was still the emperor, the champion, an invincible and perfect being. Jaekyung closes his eyes and smiles, letting himself be carried away by the euphoria he feels at the moment. He feels too powerful and does not want to stop.
It is only when he is in the locker room and a towel and a bottle of water are offered to him that he can finally let out a long sigh. Despite loving all the attention, he already feels tired, and what he wants most now is to go to the hotel and sleep with his boyfriend. He sits on a bench and looks around. Where is Dan? He looks at him and smiles when he sees him coming toward him.
The physiotherapist brings some things with him, ready to treat any discomfort he might have. But for now, all Jaekyung wants is a kiss, so he grabs him by the waist and pulls him between his legs, then kisses him, not caring that the whole team is in the room. Dan's eyes widen at the unexpected action, but he doesn't pull away; he accepts the kiss and wraps his arms around Jaekyung's neck. He knows they are safe here, with no paparazzi to see their display of love.
When they finish kissing, they smile at each other while putting their foreheads together; they don't want to separate yet. Jaekyung embraces Dan completely and pulls him closer to his body. Maybe the scene goes a little raunchy, but he doesn't mind that. He brushes his nose against Dan's in a tender gesture and then leaves a small kiss on his lips.
“We'll continue this later,” Jaekyung mutters, stopping himself before his erection causes him to lose his sanity. Dan simply nods in tandem with a smile.
And they do, at night, in the privacy of their hotel room, celebrate as only the two of them know how; they celebrate between kisses, caresses, and moans. They celebrate until they are exhausted, and all they do is lazily brush their fingers on each other's skin. And Jaekyung loves it. Forget all the celebrations in a bar with drinks and food; being like this with Dan, it's the best way to celebrate their victories.