Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Life wasn’t easy for Till growing up. His mother passed away from a heart disease when he was younger and his uncle who took guardianship over him was nothing short of the devil. His uncle was always drinking and smoking, passing the time by gambling and having sex workers come over. Whenever the sex workers would come Till was kicked out of the house until the next morning. Till was a very skinny kid, his uncle never fed him properly and always used his paycheck on alcohol, cigarettes, or paying the sex workers. Till never had clean clothes and always smelled like smoke. Whenever he attended school the other children avoided him like a plague. The teachers tried to help him, but because of the controversies with teachers being inappropriate with students nowadays, they were limited on what they could do. Social Services were called multiple times, however they never once showed. Till learned that the world wasn’t all cupcakes and rainbows and resented it for being so cruel. Till vowed to himself that if he would ever become a father that he would take care of his kid and be the father he wished he had. 

Life was always boring for Ivan. Growing up Ivan was raised to be picture perfect. His father was the CEO of a model agency, while his mother was a renowned singer. The two were considered a power couple and the media was always over them. Because of this Ivan was taught at a very young age to be perfect. He was always monitored when it came ot what he ate, he wasn’t allowed to lose or gain weight. His hair was always combed neatly, his clothes sharp, and his steps ever so graceful. He was forced to study hours at a time to become top of his class, he was trained to speak in only a respectful and polite way. He never had the time to life and relax. He was always monitored and trained to be the perfect son, brother, and husband. Even though he was rich and had everything anyone would want, but he never received any kind of love. His parents never showed their love and since his older sister was being treated the same way she didn’t know how to show love either. Ivan vowed to himself that if he ever had a son he would love them and give them the freedom he wished he had.

Till and Ivan met when they were only in the fifth grade, and even though they had very different lives, they found comfort in one another. Till showed Ivan what it meant to be free and to break the rules from time to time. What it meant to live life to the fullest and to enjoy the time spent with friends and family. Around Till, Ivan was never the perfect boy but rather a normal person. Ivan showed Till what it meant to be spoiled and cared for. Ivan always showered him with care by spoiling him with food and gifts. Till learned that there are people out there that do care, that do want to help the less fortunate. Till never felt ashamed or embarrassed around Ivan. All he felt was seen and heard. The two showed the other certain things that they longed for. And by their first year in high school they became romantically involved. 

At first the two were terrified of being in a romantic relationship. Ivan didn’t know how to show love nor receive it. Till wasn’t sure how to show care to Ivan and to be gentle around him. The two didn’t know how to be in a healthy relationship, but regardless they tried. Ivan loved Till more than himself. Till loved Ivan more than life itself. The two were complete opposites and had a lot of growth to do, but they did it together. Ivan learned how to show his love and what a genuine smile felt like. While Till learned how to set his guard down and let others in. The two shared their first kiss during New Year’s Eve and decided to take it to the next level. By their second year of high school they started to experiment together and learned how to take care of the other during their sensual times. Step by step, month by month, they learned how to take care of one another. How to hold the other, console them, and express their emotions.

By their final year in high school the two gave each other promise rings. They made a vow to one another that once they finished college they would get married and start their next chapter together in a shared forever home. Their friends supported them along the way and always encouraged them to learn new things about one another. They were a major reason that Ivan and Till worked so well together. Because they both had friends to lean on and vent to when they were nervous or scared. 

In college Ivan studied Business for his father and mother. Earning a Master’s in Business Management to one day take over his father’s company. Till studied for the arts and got his Bachelors in Fine Arts and Bachelors of Music. The two had a steady relationship throughout college and remained by each other’s side the entire time. When they both finished school they got married off the coast of Jeju Island, with their closest friends and family attending the small ceremony. For their honeymoon they traveled the world for a couple of months before coming back home to South Korea and settling in Seoul. In the middle of the big city, they bought themselves a spacious studio apartment. The two loved their home and made use of every room. Ivan used one room for his office, Till used one for his art and music studio, the two used the biggest room for their bedroom, and last had one empty bedroom reserved for guests. Their kitchen was a bit small but Ivan found it to be the perfect size to cook. Their living room was a decent size and had a giant flat screen TV which they used to watch Till’s favorite music videos of popular bands and idols. Their home was decorated to both their liking and after a few months of moving in they got a few animals. Till got a pet cat named Star, she was a Persian Cat that loved to play with Ivan. While Ivan got an Agouti Husky named Lunar, a fierce boy who was very protective of Star and Till. 

The two were perfectly happy with one another and loved the life they built. Their family was complete.

Or so they thought.

“Ivan, have you seen the media lately?” Till sat at the dinner table scrolling on his computer as he took a sip of his coffee. Ivan who was over in the kitchen cooking breakfast hummed slightly, “No dear. Did something happen?”

“There’s been a decrease in adoption for children.” Till scrolled even more. “I mean just look! This website shows all the orphanages in South Korea and each one is filled to the brim. And that’s not even including all the children in foster care. I mean these poor kids-” Till took a deep breath trying to calm himself down.
“Instead of people giving birth to children, what if they adopt instead? I mean every child deserves to be loved and cared for.” Till looked over at Ivan who was plating their breakfast.

“I agree, dear. Every child deserves a home. Unfortunately when it comes to adoption people only want toddlers or babies. No one wants pre-teens or teenagers.” Ivan walked over and placed a plate of food next to Till’s computer. Till slowly closed his laptop and felt his heart break into pieces. 

“Even teenagers deserve love. But once they turn 18 they are kicked out of the foster care program or the orphanage and must fend for themselves. It’s just so sad! Ivan-” Ivan had cut Till off my placing a kiss on his lips. Till reached out and caressed his husband’s cheek. Ivan held Till’s hand that rested on his cheek and pulled away slowly. 

“Dear, have you calmed down a bit?” Ivan took his seat next to Till. Till nodded as his thoughts started to calm down. “Yes, I am.” Ivan smiled as he watched Till eat little by little. He took a sip of his own sweetened coffee before holding Till’s hand into his own. 

“We’ve said that our family is complete. But if what you feel inside means that we should consider expanding our family, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Till nearly choked on his food at Ivan’s proposal. Ivan noticed and he left out a small laugh, looking away to avoid getting Till worked up. But of course Till noticed.

“Hey,” Till reached over and tugged gently on Ivan’s long sleeved shirt. “Do you mean it? Could we really expand our family?” 

The two sat in silence for what felt like hours, thinking over everything. If they did decide to expand their family, would they truly be able to handle raising a child of their own? The two didn’t have perfect home lives growing up, one was abused physically the other emotionally. Could two people who were considered emotionally unavailable for years, who always had their barriers built up, be able to raise a child? What if they decided to adopt more than one? Could they truly handle raising children? What if they aren’t meant to be parents? What if they end up screwing up their relationship? What if they turn out to be bad parents and hurt the children? Questions upon questions continued to fill their minds, anxieties started to spout and it wasn’t long before Till suffered the most from these thoughts. 

“Our past does not define us.” Ivan broke the silence. Till shook his head, clearing his thoughts, as he looked up to meet his husband’s gaze. “We know what it feels like to be abandons, vularable, dettached, and unloved. We know just what not to do to make our child, or children, feel the way we did growing up. We might not be the perfect set of parents, but we can certainly try to be the ones that are there for their children.” Ivan reached over and wrapped his arms around Till, holding him tightly. Till wrapped his arms around Ivan’s neck and let out a few tears. 

“Thank you Ivan. . . I truly want to adopt a child and grow our family, I want to become the father that I never had. I want to give another person the love they deserve, the love that I had from my mother.” Till sobbed softly into Ivan’s shoulder. Ivan rubbed Till’s back soothingly, kissing the top of his head. “Me too dear, I wish to become the parent that shows up. That shows that they are listening, paying attention, and always there for them when they need it. It might be a bumpy road at the start. But knowing the both of us, our relationship, I know everything will be just fine.” Till nodded. 

“After I get off work today we can look online at some orphanages and foster care programs. Okay my love?” Ivan whispered. Till only nodded, but a smile was plastered on his face. 

We get to become parents. I never thought someone like me would be so privileged to have a family with the love of my life,

“Woah you and Ivan are gonna adopt!” Mizi was practically overjoyed with the news she had just received from Till. Hyuna smiled as she nudged Till, “Look at you! My son is growing up so fast!” Hyuna wiped away a fake tear.

Till just rolled his eyes at the two girls being overdramatic. “You two are so weird. But yes, we decided we are going to raise a child. Well, we aren;t sure how many yet maybe one, but we are gonna talk about it more after Ivan gets off work.” Mizi took a sip of her blueberry smoothie, a smile placed brightly on her face. After eating breakfast with Ivan this morning, Till spent a few hours emailing clients and booking appointments for them when he decided to go out to get a sweet treat with Mizi and Hyuna. After talking about their social lives, Hyuna dropped the news that she and Luka were deciding to try and have a kid. Mizi said her and Sua weren’t ready yet, so the two girls asked Till. Which is how they ended up to their very moment. 

“Aw! Do you guys want one or two? Or maybe even more?” Mizi smiled at the idea of Ivana and Till having a large family. Till flushed red, “W-We don’t know yet! We barely discussed even having a child this morning.” 

Hyuna nudged Till, “I get that. But how many do you ideally want? Like growing up, did you ever have some sort of idea?” Till slowly nodded, thinking back to the past. When he was in high school he was like everyone else who was in a romantic relationship, day dreaming about what life would be like with their lover. For him personally, Till imagined adopting at least two boys and two girls. An older brother, a set of fraternal twins in the middle, and a younger little girl. Till let out a small cough before answering Hyuna’s question, “Well in total maybe like four kids?”

“Four?! Damn you must really like kids if you want that many!” Hyuna laughed loudly, meanwhile Mizi chuckled quietly. “I think it’s cute, Hyuna. I mean that Till is a family guy. You can hardly find those types of guys nowadays.” Till blushed at the comment and took a sip of his drink. 

Am I really a family guy?

While Till was seeing Mizi and Hyuna, on the other side of town Ivan sat at his desk annoyed alongside Sua and Luka. The work day started off pretty good until Sua came with bad news. The company that was supposed to work with them in the stock unit ended up committing fraud and now the company was without a stock market supervisor. Not only that, Luka also had some bad news. Luka had to tell Sua and Ivan that today’s lunch plans had to be canceled due to the lower managers spending the budget on new coffee machines rather than a nice company lunch. 

Sua rubbed her temples as she scrolled on her computer looking over data reports, “So you’re telling me that not only do we not have a stock market supervisor, but that we also don’t get the company lunch because those imbeciles spent the money on coffee machines?!” Luka nodded as he leaned back in his chair debating on quitting or not. 

“I was totally looking forward to all those cake slices. But no, because they decided coffee machines are more important than top tier cake slices.” Luka sat straight up and looked at Ivan. “I petition we fire those assholes.”

Ivan let out a small laugh as he typed away on his computer. “I really wish we could but then that would be unfair. I’m trying to write a email to our HR department to see if they can send over some more money so we can still have that company lunch today. I too was looking forward to trying out those cake slices. And I am also looking for a stock market supervisor because without one those workers will slack off all day. Causing the workload to fall behind and we won’t be getting the data in time.” Ivan sighed as he typed email after email. 

“Oh by the way Ivan, mother and father wanted me to ask if you and Till are ever gonna have kids.” Sua looked up to meet her brother’s gaze. Ivan stopped typing and a soft hue covered his cheeks. Luka noticed and smirked slyly, “Oh is the big boss finally gonna settle down and have kids?” 

“Well actually me and Till just talked about the matter this morning. We decided to look into adopting a child.” Sua’s eyes widened a bit, surprised that her brother was actually thinking about having a family. Luka found himself smiling at the thought of Ivan and Till having a kid. The two did not look like they would have kids, they are too scary at times. The more Luka thought about it, the more excited he got to have a kid with Hyuna. “Well if you do adopt congrats. I’m sure you and Till will be wonderful parents.”

“Luka I can hear the sarcasm behind your voice.” Luka mocked offense as he crossed his arms. “I meant it. I think you and Till will try your hardest to make sure the child receives all the love and care they deserve.” Ivan cocked an eyebrow, he had never heard Luka sound so supportive of his decision before. This was definitely a first. 

“Well, thank you Luka.” Ivan said slowly. Sua also congratulated Ivan, “Be sure to tell mother and father or else they won’t stop bothering me. You really need to start answering their calls and texts.” Ivan rolled his eyes, “I will once they stop nagging me about the company.”

The three continued to work in Ivan’s office, trying to forget about the fact that there would be no cake during lunch today. 

The day slowly passed by, both Ivan and Till’s thoughts racing as Ivan's work day came to an end. Would they really decide to adopt? Ivan made his way over to his car and couldn’t help but smile at the fact that we would finally get a chance to become a father. To become the father that he wished he had.

Till couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous at the fact that he might actually become a dad. He had made bad choices before, and what if this is another one? What if he can’t be a good father and ends up messing up the kid even more than they already are? What if he can’t fulfil the duties of being a father? 

The door clicked open and Till rushed to the front entrance. He stood at the end of the hall panting lightly as he looked at Ivan. Ivan was taking off his shoes and placed his coat on the coat holder, setting his briefcase on the side table. 

“Ivan.”

“Till.”

The two meet each other half way, embracing one another’s warmth. Till spoke softly, “I want to adopt a child. I really really do.” Ivan smiled into Till’s neck, “Me too love.” 

It was 6 p.m. and the couple sat on the couch cuddled up next to one another scrolling on their phones looking at foster care programs and orphanages. “So, are we only looking to adopt one child for right now?” Till looked up at Ivan. Ivan leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I think one child is good, once we get the hang of things we can discuss adopting or taking care of another. Does that sound alright love?” Till nodded as he looked back at his phone. 

One child is more than enough. I’m so happy we even get the chance to adopt one.

As the two continued to scroll Till’s finger hovered over a particular website. The website had an array of photos of children smiling, joy present on their face. But one child caught Till’s attention. This child had the exact same eyes as Ivan. Till tapped Ivan’s arm gently as he showed his husband the photo.

Ivan looked over and nodded, “They look like a nice kid.” Till gulped as he spoke, “I want to adopt him. Make an appointment right now. Please.” Till shoved his phone into Ivan’s face. Ivan couldn’t help but laugh as he looked on the webpage for the orphanage's phone number. He had never seen such a determined look on Till’s face. 

“Alright I’ll go ahead and make an appointment.” Ivan stood, ruffling Till’s hair as she stretched and walked over to his office where his notebooks and pens laid on his desk. He sat in his chair and pressed the call button.

Back on the couch Till sat patiently, waiting for his husband to return with an appointment date. Till always wanted a family, and to find a kid who had his lover’s Ivan meant so much to him. It meant that he would get to raise a kid who looked so much like the person who saved his life. 

I wonder if this kid has the same personality as Ivan. That would be interesting. Haha.

Till continued to wonder how the kid acted, if they truly were a mini version of Ivan. Or perhaps it would have Mizi’s personality instead. The kid’s hair color was the exact shade as Mizi’s. Honestly the kid looked like Mizi and Ivan combined. Till couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Mizi and Ivan ever having a kid. He remembered that back in high school the two fake dated to keep Sua and himself out of the school’s attention. That was an interesting experience. 

“And what got you all laughing over there?” Ivan walked out of his office, his hands in his pockets as he made his way over to the kitchen. He turned on the lights and started getting ingredients out to make dinner. Till walked over and sat on the counter opposite from where Ivan stood by the stove. “Oh just thinking about the time you and Mizi dated back in high school.” Ivan mentally cringed at the thought. 

“Oh love, don't remind me. That was not a good look for me.” 

“Because you were pinned straight or because you had to kiss Mizi a few times?”

“Both. No hate to Mizi but I just didn’t enjoy kissing her in front of a crowd.”

“I don’t think she liked your kisses either.” Till laughed out. Ivan walked over and kissed Till’s cheek, a smile evident on his face. “I hope you do.”

Till blushed profusely as he pushed Ivan away, “You are such a flirt!” In all honesty, Till never really got accustomed to how straightforward Ivan was with his feelings towards him. To this day he still gets red and flustered. 

As the night continued to pass like every other night, the two held each other a little closer than usual as they laid in bed. Star and Lunar got into their shared pet bed that sat beside their balcony door. Lunar slept on the bottom, while Star got up onto his back and spun in small circles before laying down. The moon shined brightly, casting the shadow of Star and Lunar to look like a chunky snowman with a tail.

Meanwhile on the bed, Till and Ivan faced one another sharing small talks amongst their goodnight kisses. Before Ivan could give Till one last kiss, the older pulled Ivan into a close hug. “Thank you, for agreeing to become a father with me.” Ivan held his husband, rubbing circles with his thumb on Till’s waist. 

“I’m just happy that we get to do this together. To have a child.” The two shared one final kiss for the night before disappearing into their own slumbers.

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“So, you two must be Ivan and Till?” A lady of a taller build greeted them as they approached her desk. She had dark hair tied up in a bun that sat on the back of her head. Her eyes were a mesmerizing purple and her voice soft. On her desk she had a book, her personal laptop, and a steaming cup of coffee

Ivan nodded as he responded to her question. “Yes ma’am. I am Ivan and this is my husband Till.” Till bowed slightly bidding her a hello. The lady typed away on her desktop. “Alright. I am Isabella, a caretaker and front desk personnel here at Grace Field Orphanage. I see here on the appointment notes that you were interested in meeting a particular child correct?” 

“Yes, Mrs. Isabella. The child with pink hair and dark eyes.” Ivan said. When it came to talking at appointments, Ivan was always the one doing all the talking. Till just nodded along in the background. “Yes, the child that you would like to meet is Aiko. He is a bit shy but he is a well mannered kid. Tends to keep to himself at times.” Isabella stood up from the front desk and motioned the two to follow her. Ivan and Till walked behind her listening to every word that she said. If they wanted to earn Aiko’s trust, they must first learn his background. 

Isabella opened up a large wooden door that led to the outside playground. Children from ages 5-12, played in the area. Some talked, others ran around, while a few sat on tables and colored. Isabella walked over to a corner where Aiko sat drawing. “Akio, you have a few visitors. Would you like to come with me to the classroom to talk with them?” Isabella asked gently. Without looking up, Aiko collected his things and started walking back inside of the orphanage. Isabella motioned for the two adults to keep following her as Aiko led the way.

“He really is shy,” Till whispered over to Ivan. Ivan agreed as they continued to follow Isabella.

After a few minutes of walking inside the orphanage’s halls, Aiko opened a door to his left and entered the empty classroom. He sat in the middle seat in the front row. Isabella smiled as she spoke once more, “Aiko, meet Ivan and Till. They are looking for a child to adopt and wanted to meet with you.”

Aiko avoided eye contact as he slowly waved his hand, a small “Hello” escaping his lips. Till slowly walked over and bent down to where he was kneeling, now being eye level with Aiko. “Nice to meet you kid. I’m Till.”

“Aiko…”

“How old are you, Aiko?”

“I’m seven.”

Ivan also walked over and did the same thing to become eye level with Aiko. “Hello, I am Ivan.” Aiko slowly made eye contact with Ivan and noticed how their eyes were exactly the same. Till watched as the two just stared at one another. Ivan’s little tooth was sticking out, while Aiko’s was barely visible. 

“You and me have the same eyes.” Aiko had never known someone to have the same eyes as him. Everyone else had ‘normal’ eyes, such as brown or green. But him? He had dark black eyes that had a small spec of red in the middle of the darkness. Ivan smiled a small grin, “Woah that’s pretty cool huh? Now there’s two of us that have the best eye color.” Ivan raised his hand to offer Aiko a hi-five. Aiko noticed and reached his small hand out to gently clap against Ivan’s. Till chuckled at the reaction. 

“Look at that Ivan you found yourself and eye-twin.”

“Haha I guess so.” Ivan replied, his little tooth sticking out even more. Aiko’s eyes brightened as he pointed at his tooth, noticing that they had the same smile. “I have the same one!” Aiko gave a small smile, his tinier tooth sticking out even more. Ivan couldn’t believe it, this kid really was like him. Almost as if the kid has his DNA.

Till let out a small laugh, “I think he is actually your kid Ivan! Are you sure you didn’t cheat on me and get a woman pregnant?" Ivan quickly stood up and shook his head. 

“You know I would never do that to you Till! I love you too much to ever think about some other woman!” Ivan started pouting. Till rolled his eyes, “You big baby, I was just joking.” Aiko watched amazed on how childish the two could act. While Till tried to calm Ivan down, Mrs. Isabella kneeled next to Aiko. 

“Do you like them?” 

“Yeah, I do. . . I want to join their home.” Isabella smiled, as she heard Aiko mutter those words. She was glad that Aiko finally found a pair he wanted to go home with. 

“Well, let’s see if these two gentlemen want to adopt you.” Mrs. Isabella stood up and let out a small cough catching the married couple’s attention. “So? What do you two think of our dear Aiko?”

Till’s eyes brightened as he walked over to Aiko. This time getting eye level with him. “Well kid, what do you say? Wanna try and come join our family? You even get your own personalized clone.” Aiko quickly nodded. 

“I wanna join your home. I wanna learn more about you.”

Till looked back at Ivan. Ivan looked over to Mrs. Isabella, “Alright guess it’s time for the long paperwork?”

“Unfortunately.”

After what felt like an eternity, Aiko was finally in the back of Ivan’s and Till’s car. Aiko sat on a newly bought booster seat, his bag of belonging sitting right beside him. Ivan got in the drivers side as Till got in the passengers. In his seat Till turned back and faced Aiko. 

“Alright kid, ready to go buy things to decorate your room?” 

Aiko’s eyes widened, “Wait really?”

Till nodded. “Every kid deserves to decorate their own room. So first we will go buy some sheets, curtains, pillows, and even paint if you wanna paint the walls. Your room has a cream color.” Aiko nodded excitedly. 

“I want to paint it dark blue!” 

“You got it kiddo!” Ivan spoke up as he started driving down the road. “Then after we will go clothes shopping, buy you a whole new closet.” 

“And lastly, some things that you might enjoy. Like toys and books.” Aiko couldn’t help but smile widely at the idea. 

“You can even choose what snacks you want to keep in the house.” Ivan piped in. Till nodded along. “Exactly. Then when we get home you get to meet my cat Star and Ivan’s dog Lunar.” 

Aiko’s eyes lit up even more. “You two have pets?!” The couple both hummed. “And once you get settled we can get you one.”

“I want a fish!” Aiko exclaimed. Till turned back in his seat to face forward, getting a bit dizzy. “A fish it is then! Are you ready to start a new chapter in your life?”

“I’m ready!” Aiko pumped his fist into the air. Ivan reached his hand over to Till’s thigh, opening his palm to hold Till’s hand. Till noticed and held his lover’s hand. 

“Me too.” Ivan said softly. Till squeezed his hand. 

“Me three.”

Chapter Text

“It’s our little family, us five.”

Till slowly opened his eyes as the morning sun blared through the curtain shades. He turned to his side to see his husband still snoring soundly. Till couldn’t help my smile softly as his beautiful husband. He leaned forward and gave him a small peck on the cheek before getting out of bed. Till stretched a bit, yawning as he made his way to the bathroom. On the sink the little digital clock read 7:48 a.m. Till sighed, Ivan definitely wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. As Till brushed his teeth and combed his hair to where it didn’t look like he was attacked by a lion, he wondered why his muscles were so sore. He had small bruises on his arms and legs, and felt as if he ran three 100-mile marathons. He had no idea why he felt so exhausted. 

Looking at himself in the mirror he shrugged and began to do his very simple skin-care routine. He only had adopted this routine recently. Mostly because his husband emphasized that with their age soon enough they won’t look as young anymore and that by doing skincare it slows down the process. As still washed his face and used his towel to dry away the water he heard small footsteps from outside their room. 

‘Perhaps it is Lunar? Star’s footsteps are too light to be heard.’

Till made his way out of the bathroom and opened up the door, stepping out into the cold hallway. “Lunar is that you boy?” Till continued walking down the hall until he spotted the guest room’s lights were on. Till’s heart sped up, his body becoming warm. 

‘That’s right. Ivan and I adopted a child. Our very own child.’

Memories from yesterday where they went all over town to buy stuff for Aiko flooded in. He and Ivan couldn’t stop smiling as they watched Aiko slowly open up to them. By the end of the night the three felt as if they had been a family for an eternity.

Till walked over and peeked his head inside of Aiko’s room. On the bed he saw Aiko sitting up under the covers reading a book while Star laid on his lap. Till couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Aiko’s hair was a mess, hairs sticking out all over the place. Pillows and stuffed animals discarded on the floor.  “Good morning Aiko.” 

Aiko looked up and smiled, his little fang sticking out. “Good morning Mister Till. Is Mister Ivan awake?” Till shook his head. 

“Ivan won’t be up for another hour or two. He hates the mornings. But I suppose you like them?”

Aiko nodded, a small yawn escaping his lips. “The sun is beautiful. And it’s quiet.”

“I like the mornings too. It helps me collect my thoughts before I have to deal with that big grumpy man.” Aiko couldn’t help but laugh. Till’s heart melted at the sound. 

“Are you hungry? I could make you some breakfast.” Till offered. Aiko quickly nodded and moved out of bed. Star looked betrayed as Aiko left the room without him. Till noticed and walked over to his poor little cat. “Aww did Aiko leave you? Don’t worry buddy, he will be back soon.” Star purred before making herself comfortable on Aiko’s bed. Till headed back out towards the kitchen where he saw Aiko sitting at the dining table. 

“So yesterday you said you liked eating cereal in the mornings. Do you want to try your cookie one or the little wheat squares?” Till picked up both boxes from the cabinet and showed Aiko. Aiko yawned slightly before pointing at the cereal with the little wheat squares. “That one please.” 

“And for a fruit do you want pineapple or apple?”

“Apple please!” 

Till nodded before getting two small bowls, one for the cereal and the other for the apple. From the kitchen island, Till grabbed an apple from the basket and placed it on a cutting board, cutting the apple up for Aiko. He then placed the pieces in one of the bowls. As Till continued preparing Aiko and his own breakfast his mind started to wander.

‘Has Aiko ever been to an aquarium? Or a zoo? I know yesterday he said that it was his first time ever entering a mall. I wonder if he would like to go to one, or both, someday. . . Well, maybe we could go this weekend.’ 

Till placed the bowls of food in front of Aiko, “Here you go buddy.” Aiko’s eyes light up with excitement as he thanked Till and started eating. Till also sat down and started eating his bowl of cereal. Whenever it is just him alone he likes to eat easy food, but with Ivan he always has to eat a home-cooked meal. Ivan always cooks and refuses to let Till eat anything packaged if he’s awake. And speak of the devil. 

“I hear footsteps. Looks like Ivan is awake.” Till said to Aiko. Aiko perked up and waited for Ivan to come into view. As if on cue, yawn walking into the kitchens and dining area yawning loudly. “Good morning guys. It’s too early to be awake. . .” Ivan yawned once more. 

“What time do you have to head into the office?” Till asked as he stood up and walked over to Ivan who was getting ingredients out from the fridge. “Ah, Luka said to come in at 10. We have a meeting with some new employees.” Ivan places his ingredients on the counter before turning to Till.

“You have a meet up with Mizi and Hyuna today don’t you? Where are you guys going?” Till quickly placed a kiss on Ivan’s cheek before his husband started moving all around the kitchen to make himself breakfast and lunch. “Yeah, I think we’re going to the park for a walk and get some boba. I think we’re going out around 2?” 

“Who’s Mizi? And Hyuna? And Luka?” Aiko tilted his head as he spoke with his mouth full of cereal. Ivan laughed at the sight, “Well first remember don’t talk with your mouth full buddy, it’s not proper table manners. And secondly they are our friends. Luka works with me at my job. While Mizi is a pro tennis player and Hyuna is a police instructor at an academy.” 

“Woah. That’s cool.” Aiko continued eating his food while humming to himself. Till immediately recognized the melody. “What’s that song you’re humming to him?" Till asked Aiko.

Aiko looked up and swallowed his food before speaking, “I heard it once when Ms. Isabella played it for us. The name is Scars. I don’t know who sang it though. . .” Aiko pouted. Till smiled proudly to himself. “Well kid that was me. I make music from time to time and sometimes it goes viral.” 

Ivan rolled his eyes at Till’s modesty. “What he means kid is that Till here is a famous producer and writer. Sometimes he likes to sing his own songs and post them online. Me, my sister, and some of our friends have sung for him too.” Aiko’s eyes were wide in surprise. 

“You guys are famous!?” Aiko was beyond surprised. Till nodded. “Somewhat. While I do make music Ivan here co-owns a company with his sister Sua.” 

Aiko couldn’t believe his ears. He felt so lucky to have such awesome people in his life. “Woah, that's so cool! You two are really cool!” Ivan and Till both felt their hearts warm from Aiko’s praise. They smiled fondly at the child. Till walked over and gave Aiko a small side-hug. “And one day you will be too. Whatever you wanna be, me and Ivan will be right there beside you. Supporting you the entire time.” 

“I wanna be an idol! Something just as cool!” Aiko beamed. Till ruffled his hair. “Well it looks like you have your very own manager and producer all ready. Now finish up your breakfast so we can get you ready for the day.”

“Okay!” Aiko nodded before continuing to eat his wheat square cereal and apples. Till walked back over to Ivan, noticing the face he gave him. “What?”

Ivan raised his hands up in defense. “Nothing love. I just haven’t seen you act that way in such a long time.” 

“Act like what?” Till scrunched his face in confusion. 

“Like you were holding your entire world in the palms of your hands. You usually make that face whenever you finish an art piece or an album that means a lot to you.” 

Till felt his face slowly heat up. “Oh whatever. Just get ready for work and get outta here.” Ivan let out a small laugh as he continued to cook his meals for the day.

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Currently Till and Aiko were sitting inside of a restaurant waiting for Mizi and Hyuna. Originally the idea was to go walk around the park but the weather service said it was going to rain soon and so the trio decided to change the plan up. The new plan was to have a late lunch at a steakhouse, using Ivan’s card of course. After waiting for a couple of minutes Till spotted the two girls. The girls immediately spotted Till and the child he and Ivan had recently adopted.

“Aiko, I want you to meet my friends. This is Mizi and this is Hyuna.” Till motioned to Aiko who was busy reading a book. He looked up and waved. 

“I’m Aiko. Nice to-”

“Wah he’s so cute! Oh my god Hyuna look how cute he is! Awww!” Mizi couldn’t help but let out a small squeal. She had always adored kids and never missed a chance to fond over them. To her, they were little angels. However, Aiko being more introverted than most children, flinched lightly and without realizing held Till’s sleeve tightly. Hyuna covered Mizi’s mouth, “Mizi I love you. But inside voices okay? We are literally in a restaurant and you barely met the kid.” Hyuna looked over at Aiko and waved. 

“Sorry about Mizi kid, she goes a bit overboard sometimes but I promise she means no harm.” Aiko nodded slowly. His heart rate calming down after the sudden surprise. 

Till let out a small sigh as he rubbed Aiko’s hair. “Sorry for not warning you Aiko. Mizi can be loud at times but she is super sweet I promise.” Aiko nodded once more, watching Mizi closely.

Mizi being almost on the verge of tears, apologized to Aiko for scaring him. “I am really sorry for scaring you Aiko. But to make it up to you I got you a present.” Mizi turned and ruffled her hand around her purse. 

Aiko tilted his head, curious. “A present. . ?” Mizi nodded as she pulled out a small stuffed animal. “I saw this and thought that you might like it. Till told me you like snowy animals and thought you might be a fan of penguins.” There in Mizi’s hands was a small crochet penguin. 

Aiko’s eyes brightened as he looked at the small stuffed animal. Mizi reached over and placed it on the table in front of him. Aiko slowly reached out and scooped up the penguin, a small smile plastered on his face. “Thank you, Ms. Mizi.” 

Mizi’s heart swelled at Aiko’s reaction. She too really wanted kids now. Hyuna, who was also watching the scene, couldn’t help but watch with a fond look in her eyes. Maybe children wouldn’t be so bad.

“Hello everyone, I’m Shinoa and I will be your server today. Could I get you guys anything to drink?” As Mizi and Hyuna gave out their drink orders Till looked over at Aiko.

“What would you like kid? They have apple juice, orange juice, or sweet tea?” 

“Apple juice please.” Aiko’s voice came out in a quiet manner. Till nodded before turning to the waitress and giving both Aiko’s and his own drink orders. Shinoa happily wrote away before leaving the table.

Aiko continued to read his book about animals, while Till talked to the girls. 

“So how has life been recently?” Hyuna asked. 

“Honestly it’s been quite peaceful. We are still getting adjusted and trying to put him in school. But the application process is much more difficult than we originally thought.”

“Well you do know how competitive it is around here. All parents want their children to get into top schools to solidify their futures.” Hyuna sighed. Mizi nodded along. 

“Hyuna’s right! But I’m sure everything will be just fine. Have you guys done any bonding activities?”

“Well we’ve done something at the house but not much outside. Ivan works most of the day so I think over the weekend I might plan something. Honestly I think I want to take him out to the zoo and the aquarium. I mean I loved those places when Ivan took me on a date once.” 

“I remember that! Don’t you Hyuna? You kept messaging us scared that you guys were gonna have your first kiss!” Mizi chuckled. 

“Ah yeah I remember. I kept telling you to go for it but you were such a wimpy teenager.” Hyuna smirked at the memory. Till scoffed, his eyes narrowing. 

“Well excuse me for being shy about kissing my very handsome boyfriend at the time. And you also have to remember that I have never dated anyone before. Ivan was my first boyfriend.” 

“Trust me, we could tell.”

“Oh shush it Hyuna!” Till scoffed. Mizi tilted her head, surprised at just how much Till had truly changed. Back in high school Till used to be a hot head, his attire was always emo coded and he cursed at every sentence. But now, he still gets hot headed from time to time but not as often. His attire has also changed in a way, instead of wearing skulls all the time he just sticks to more dark cool tones. His fierce manner is not as prominent and has stopped cursing every sentence. He truly has matured and now has a child. 

Hyuna would spare Aiko a few glances, mostly checking up on him, and noticed something. As Shinoa placed their drinks on the table and took their food orders, there was no denying what Hyuna saw.

“Hey Till. It’s kind of freaky how much alike Aiko looks to Ivan and Mizi. I mean the eyes are exactly like Ivan’s and the hair is the same shade as Mizi’s.” Mizi looked and inspected Aiko’s hair than her own. “You’re right!”

“Haha yeah. That was the first thing we noticed too. And honestly what made me feel so connected to him. His eyes. . . They are just like Ivan’s. I hoped that maybe I could help brighten those eyes the same way I did with Ivan.” Till smiled fondly as Aiko sat up a bit straighter to take a sip of his apple juice. 

“That’s corny.” 

“Shut up Hyuna.”

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“So are our parents going to meet Aiko soon or are you going to gatekeep him forever?” Sua, who was sitting at her desk typing away, asked her brother. 

“Hm, I thought about it. But it’s too early. I mean Aiko is still getting adjusted to his new life. I think it would be easier to take things slow.”

“And yet he gets to meet Hyuna and Mizi and not us?” Luka who was laying on the office floor. Sua’s expression turned into one of unamusedment. 

“Seriously?”

“Mizi and Hyuna are two of the most talkative people we know. Aiko could use some socializing to get accustomed. And to be honest you two were not going to converse, only sit there and make things awkward.” Ivan said plainly.

“You could just say you hate us Ivan, that's fine.” Luka rolled his eyes.

“Currently I just hate you because you’re on the floor and not doing your assigned work.”

“I’ll get to it eventually.”

“Eventually is Luka for never and instead will assign it last minute to an intern.”

“As long as it gets done.”

“You’re insufferable Luka.’

Sua rolled her eyes as the two boys bantered with one another. “Anyways moving past that. Have you guys bonded at all?”

Ivan closed his laptop, turning his attention to a pile of files that laid on his desk. “I mean a little bit. We do some activities together at home, watch movies, and do those ‘get to know each other’ games. But there are not many activities out in the city during the weekday since I am at work. Though I did see Till planning something for the weekend.” 

“Ivan you are literally the boss. Just don’t come in.” Luka said groggily. 

“You better not fall asleep or you’re going to stay late. And I will not abuse my power like that. Just like everyone else if I want to take off I must request it using the system we have.”

“Till doesn’t mind abusing your card. Mizi said they were at a steakhouse.” Sua snickered.

“That’s why I work. To provide for my beautiful husband and child.” 

“Aw look at you. Taking the dad position. Let me guess: Till's the mom?” Luka couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of Till wearing mom jeans and a grandma blouse. 

“Luka whatever you are imagining please stop. Your imagination is freaky as hell.”

“Why are you on my ass today?” Luka sat up from the floor, groaning in annoyance.

“Maybe because you haven't even looked at your computer for the last three hours?” 

“I said I would get to it soon!” 

“Luka, just do your work.” Sua sighed, covering her face in her hands. If she had to deal with their bickering for any longer she might actually quit.
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“Till, Aiko, I’m home!” Ivan called out as he walked through the door. He heard little footsteps, Aiko rounding the corner. “Hello Mister Ivan!” Aiko smiled up at him. Ivan tilted his head a bit amused at the sight, just what did he and Till do that made the boy smile like that?

“I see you and Till had fun today, hm?” Ivan followed Aiko down the hall. 

“Yes! Mister Till bought me some new toys!” Aiko reached out and grabbed Ivan’s wrist, pulling him into his room. There Ivan saw dinosaur toys littered all over the boy’s rug and bed. 

“You seem to enjoy dinosaurs huh?” Ivan then noticed a sketch book wide open, colorful blobs of art all over the pages. “And drawing them?”

Aiko nodded, “Yes!” 

“Ivan is that you?” Till called out. Ivan looked at Aiko, ruffling his hair. “Let me go saw hi to Till and then I’ll be right back okay?” Aiko nodded as she sat on the floor and started his drawing once more. Attempting to draw a T-Rex family, using his newly bought toys as an example.

“Till love?” Ivan rounded the corner of Aiko’s room and nearly bumped into his husband. 

“I have made reservations this weekend for the best bonding time ever! SO! Don’t you dare say you have some plans for work, I could care less! We are having a bonding moment this Saturday!” Till pulled out his phone and showed Ivan a picture of the tickets he bought online.

“Well hello to you too love,” Ivan gently grabbed Till’s hand and lowered the phone. Leaning in he gave Till a quick peek on his forehead. “And work isn’t nearly as important as you and Aiko. So don’t worry love, I will be here. You finally decided to go out, huh?”

“Yeah, I thought it would be nice to go see some zoo animals and stuff. I noticed that Aiko really likes animals and stuff. And I want to go see it too.” 

“Then to the animals we go.” Ivan chuckled as he pecked Till’s lips. Till looked away blushing, he doesn’t know when he will ever get used to Ivan’s kisses.

“Mister Ivan and Mister Till are being gross. Kissing.” Ivan and Till separated, staring down at Aiko who stood in his doorway. He was walking to his new friend, the crochet penguin Mizi had gifted him. “Have you finally decided what to name your penguin?” Till asked, trying to stray away from Aiko seeing them kiss. It was kind of embarrassing really.

Aiko nodded as he held his penguin, “Io.” Till’s eyes widened slightly. “Io. . ?”

“It’s a perfect name for my perfect penguin.” Aiko hugged his penguin tightly as he walked back into his room. Ivan watched, a bit bewildered. “Isn’t that the name of your late mother? What a coincidence. . .”

“Yeah. . . Aiko really does remind me a lot of everyone I have ever held precious to me. It’s oddly strange.” Till mumbled under his breathe. Ivan watched Till closely, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Don’t think too hard about the past okay? Cause right here we are in the present. It’s our little family, us five. For now and forever.” Ivan kissed Till’s temple once more. Till hummed, “Right.”

He looked up at his husband and pinched his cheek, “We leave at 8 a.m. for the zoo and aquarium.”

“WHAT WHY?” Ivan whined. Till just laughed as he pulled away and headed for the kitchen to get started on dinner. 

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“Look at that, in the next universe we have our own little family.” A familiar ghost spoke softly as Till sat on his bed drawing away. 

“I like to think that if we aren’t together in this one, then the next we are. We would even have a family. Do you like the idea?” Till moved his picture closer to the ghost. The ghost nodded as he inspected the drawing a bit more.

“I like that idea Till.” Till looked up and his eyes locked with the ghost’s. 

“I told you that you would be alright. Because you can still see my eyes in your life everyday.” The ghost reached out and kissed Till’s forehead. “I better get going. I’ll see you again when you get lonely.”

“Until next time, Ivan.”

(The next chapter will be about them going to the zoo and aquarium. Let me know if you have any other scenarios you want to see this newly found family experience <3)