ateez family au.
it's never too late for father's day :)

The living room of a cold apartment was dark. The whole home was dark, only the TV screen illuminating the room.

Mingi tugged his sweater sleeves lower. His hands clenched around the thick fabric while tightening its hold. He currently sat in front of the screen, inattentive to some dumb reality show that aired post-midnight.

"Where are you?" he whispered. Mingi turned to his phone on his right. He was tempted to grab it again and send a message. But it would probably be the hundredth one today.

Mingi's boyfriend had yet to arrive home. He had been doing this for the last two weeks, first, because of late work. Then some excuse of work buddies inviting him for drinks. And up until two days ago, he would arrive late with no explanation to Mingi.

Mingi was done. He gave up on arguing and simply talked with the man by phone. He couldn't even face him in person.

A sudden buzz made him jump. His hands fled towards his cell, hoping it was his boyfriend.

Dad <3:

you didn't answer my text from this morning

are you coming to my special dinner?

you have to

it's an order

jk
[sent an image]

Mingi softly smiled. The image was a meme his father made one night after discovering some editing app. He began texting back.

Me:

sorry dad

i'll be there, dw

Content with his answer, Mingi turned off his phone. A small breath of disappointment left his mouth. His boyfriend had yet to answer.

From Dad <3:

kim-park mingi go to sleep

you need your beauty sleep, princess mingki

[sent an image]

Mingi broke into laughter. He didn't even know how hard he was laughing until tears ran down his cheeks. Moments later, the laughter faded away, but his tears didn't.

Mingi pulled his knees up to his chest. He hugged his arms around them, trying to control his shaky breathing. More tears threatened to fall, but he forced them in.

Then the knob shook. The man Mingi felt committed to loving walked in.

"Where were you?" Mingi croaked.

"Out." He removed his jacket and threw it on the couch. Once kicking off his shoes, he finally faced Mingi. "You were crying?"

"You didn't answer my texts... or my calls." Mingi dabbed his eyes dry. "Where were you?" he asked again.

"I told you already, Mingi." The man continued walking down the hall towards their bathroom. Mingi jumped off the sofa and ran to him. He roughly pulled his boyfriend's shoulder to turn him around.

"You drank..." he began. His eyes widened. "And smell like perfume."

"Mingi, I'm not-"

"Tell me where you were!"

"Ugh. Let me go to bed."

"No! Can't you see I'm worried about you?! About us? Who were you with?!" Mingi's chest felt so empty. He practically couldn't breathe.

The man's eyes said everything.

"I don't love you anymore, Mingi," he stated. "I want to break up."

Mingi let go; he stumbled back. So many emotions ran through his body.

"I can't sleep here tonight."

Mingi watched him walk to their room. The one they slept in yesterday. The one they've slept in for the last three years. This had to be a dream — no, a nightmare.

"...You're going to leave me for whatever cheap side piece you found? I suddenly mean nothing to you?"

Mingi watched him walk to the door. And just as he opened it, he shouted vulgar words and insults to empty his anger. It only made him feel worse because after the door shut, Mingi fell to his knees.

All of his emotions broke loose. Mingi hunched up against the hallway wall, clutching his chest in desperation. His heart was burning in flames... lungs feeling so blocked, making it hard to breathe.

Mingi wasn't sure what time that stopped because it only did when he passed out on the ground.

~

"Mama!"

"Yes, Wooyoung?"

"Where is Mingi?" the nine-year-old asked.

Seonghwa hummed. "At his house. He'll come for dinner, sweetheart."

"Wanna see brother," Jongho muttered. He set his chin on Wooyoung's shoulder, cheeks puffed out in a pout.

"Why?" Wooyoung asked. His father looked up from the stove.

"Huh?"

"Why does Mingi have a house? Why can't he live here?"

"Mingi lives with his boyfriend, honey," Hongjoong replied, walking into the kitchen. "They're adults. They need space."

"But Mingi needs brothers too," Jongho cut in. "And family. Right, daddy?"

Hongjoong laughed, ruffling the little boy's hair. "I know you miss him, bubba. We'll talk about going out with him later."

"Is his boyfriend coming?" Seonghwa asked Hongjoong.

"I think so."

"You think? Have you asked?"

"I've texted, but he's either answering late or not answering at all."

The parents looked at each other.

Hongjoong swallowed, playing with his fingers. "I worry about him sometimes."

Seonghwa nodded. "I know you do. More than all of us." He continued cooking quietly.

Hongjoong pressed up against his husband. "How can I not? He's our oldest."

"I know, Hongjoong. I know." Seonghwa brushed the younger's hair softly. "Jongho and Wooyoung need a bath. Can you...?"

"Yeah."

. . .

"Mingi!"

"Ahhh!"

Two tiny monsters ran to Mingi as he stood at the door. They hugged his legs and jumped at his feet. Mingi laughed before hugging them both.

"Hi, you two," he said to his brothers.

"Mingi's here! Mingi's here!" They danced. When Seonghwa pulled them off, they couldn't stop begging Mingi to play with them.

Mingi looked to see Hongjoong there too, a welcoming smile over his face.

"Hi, dad. Happy Father's Day."

Hongjoong laughed as his oldest child embraced him. "Every time we hug, you remind me how small I'm getting."

"Dad!" Mingi laughed. He went to greet his second father as well.

The family soon settled on eating dinner. But just as they were walking towards the dining table, Hongjoong threw a look at Seonghwa. They'd seen everything: Mingi came alone, his voice was hoarse, and eyes a little swollen. What was he going through?

Dinner was calm. No one seemed to touch on the subject of Mingi's boyfriend. Hongjoong and Seonghwa casually asked their son about work and his friends. Even if the last seat was empty, no one dared to speak on it. And that was fine.

Mingi cleaned his mouth with a napkin while rising from his seat. He moved his arms to reach for Seonghwa's plate, but his father stopped him.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Hongjoong's washing them," Seonghwa said.

A smile formed on Hongjoong's face. "Sure, Seonghwa. Thanks for asking." He leaned over and snuck a kiss on Seonghwa's mouth. "It's my dad, but..."

While Mingi's little brothers yelled at how disgusting kissing was, Mingi watched his parents' interaction with sadness. It must be sweet to have such soft interactions. His parents had known each other for longer than he's been alive, and by the looks of it, still kept their relationship strong.

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa called after him. Both disappeared into the kitchen for a moment.

Mingi tried to distract himself from the pulsing thoughts in his head by talking to his younger siblings.

"Look at how dirty you two got!" Seonghwa exclaimed with a smile. He played with Wooyoung and Jongho's hair. "Come on."

Then it was Mingi alone. Again. Until Hongjoong came from the kitchen.

"I was surprised you came alone."

"Oh? Yeah?" Mingi faked his phone typing even faster.

"Yeah. Where is-"

"I think I left my car unlocked-"

"Sit."

Mingi stared at his father. Hongjoong's mouth was in a thin line, eyes focused on him.

"You didn't bring a car."

"...no," Mingi agreed.

"What happened, Mingi?" Hongjoong pulled his chair closer and held his son's hand. "Tell me what's wrong."

Mingi couldn't help but look down at his lap. Just the thought of revealing everything made his eyes burn with tears.

"Don't cry, baby. Come here." Hongjoong pulled his now-sobbing son into his arms. The boy was taller with a build broader than him, but Hongjoong still rocked him like a baby.

"It hurts, dad," Mingi sobbed. "It hurts."

"Sh sh... Tell me what hurts."

"The breakup... everything. I feel so alone."

Hongjoong's hands clenched into fists as his oldest son clung to him. He wanted to hurt the man who made Mingi suffer.

"You're not alone, Mingi. I'm here, Seonghwa's here, and your brothers are here. Your family's here for you," he softly whispered. "You shouldn't cry for a sad excuse of a man. No matter how much he meant to you in the past."

Mingi cried in Hongjoong's arms for a few minutes. His father repeatedly whispered soothing things to his ear while rubbing his back. Mingi slowly relaxed.

"We'll help you with whatever you need, Mingi, because I'm your dad. And that became my job ever since I picked you up from the adoption center twenty-one years ago." Hongjoong kissed Mingi's temple. "Alright?"

"T-Thank you, dad."

Hongjoong smiled, eyes tearing up as well. "You're welcome, Mingi. Or should I say, 'your highness?'"

"Stop!" Mingi laughed. He didn't move his head from where it was tucked into Hongjoong's neck. He felt safe here — always would.

"What? You were obsessed with Princess Mingki when you were little. And I think as you grew into a teen too."

"No!" Mingi whined. "Stop-"

"And then one time you stole Seonghwa's makeup and put lipstick around your eye-"

Mingi groaned as Hongjoong couldn't stop laughing, reminiscing of Mingi's childhood.

"Dad!"

The two laughed so hard their sides started to ache.

"Can I stay here for tonight?" Mingi asked as they broke apart. Hongjoong ruffled his hair.

"You can stay here forever if you wanted to."

"I might sleep with Jongho and Wooyoung. They seemed happy to see me."

"That's all they can talk about. They keep asking me if they'll see you," Seonghwa replied while walking into the kitchen.

"I better go."

"Hold on." Seonghwa pulled the boy into a hug. He squeezed Mingi right and kissed his head. "I love you, Mingi."

Mingi chuckled. "I know, dad. I love you too."

"And where's my 'I love you?'" Hongjoong asked, acting shocked. Mingi hugged him as well.

"I love you."

"You should," Seonghwa began. "He changed your diapers too many times because-"

"Stop it!" Mingi pulled away, cheeks blushing because his second father was starting now.

"Goodnight, Mingi. I love you too," Hongjoong said. Seonghwa and Hongjoong's oldest son soon left the kitchen.

"You're the best dad ever," Seonghwa commented with a sigh. He embraced his husband.

"I know. But we did it together." Hongjoong planted a small kiss on Seonghwa's lips.

"Happy Father's Day," the taller said.

"Happy Father's Day."