"Thank you for loving me"

☁️ THE MARAUDERS

☁️ DC COMICS

☁️ THE LAST KINGDOM

☁️ ONE PIECE

☁️ RESIDENT EVIL

☁️ BAND OF BROTHERS

☁️ SPIDER-MAN ITSV & ATSV

☁️ PETER PARKER

☁️ AVATAR & AVATAR TWOTW

Flashing lights. Music thumping in your ears. The screams of fans calling for you, their lightsticks swaying in a single wave that filled the stadium. Your heart was pounding, excitement, anxiety, joy, fear, and adrenaline coursing through your veins like a raging river. You looked out at the fans from behind the curtain, tapping your foot nervously as you gripped your microphone in sweaty palms. There were so many, so loud.

Your first date of the Stray Kids world tour. Someone called your name behind you, and you wouldn't have even noticed if it hadn't been for a hand that landed on your shoulder, making you jump slightly before turning around.

Changbin smiled in amusement, chuckling.

"You okay, dolly?" he asked, calling you by that affectionate nickname he always used to comfort you. "Nervous?"

You smiled, a tentative but radiant smile nonetheless. "Mh-hm," you nodded. "Just a little”

He nodded, his thumb rubbing the expensive fabric of the outfit you were wearing. "It's normal. We all are”

Of course. They were nervous too. You couldn't afford to be the only one tormenting yourself, the only victim.

The rapper seemed to sense your thoughts, and knowing you, before they could spiral into something that might ruin your mood, he quickly added.

“Hey. We've been practicing for this” he murmured, patting your shoulder, as if trying to keep the conversation between the two of you. “We're ready. And so are you”

You nodded again, looking at him with hopeful but still intimidated eyes. “Are you sure? What if something happens? What if I do something wrong?”

Changbin rolled his eyes playfully. Here were your worries again. Not that he'd ever complain about it in front of you, but really, you had no reason to worry.

“The only thing you're going to do, dolly, is rock the stage” he stated, raising his other hand so he could rub your arms now. “Nothing's gonna happen. It's like doing live shows in Korea, right? Except… Well, we're in a full stadium, and the number of fans watching us is like ten times bigger. But it's nothing we're not used to, right?”

You groaned, throwing your head back. Great, now you were more panicked than before. “Binn!” you whined.

Changbin chuckled, and then another voice. “Hyung, stop scaring the baby”

A slender arm wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you away from the rapper and onto the side of another member: Hyunjin.

Changbin looked back and forth between the taller one and you. “I was trying to comfort her, she’s anxious” he retorted. “She thinks she’ll ruin the concert or something”

Hyunjin snorted.

“Doesn't seem like you're doing a very good job at it” he objected, hugging you affectionately under his arm. “And you know Minho doesn’t like it when we make her nervous”

You chuckled quietly, not surprised by his words. It was well known that the infamous and feared Lee Minho had a soft spot for you, considering you the little sister he never had. From the moment you debuted with them, he had taken you under his wing, and despite his sternness, which on one hand you found almost comforting, he always worried about you and the boys (in his own way).

“Then tell her she has nothing to worry about because my encouragement obviously isn't enough” Changbin retorted, gesturing to you with a wave of his arm. “Seriously, Y/n, you'll do great. Don't you have any self-confidence, hm?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“But nothing” Hyunjin interrupted you, turning to look at you with a determined look, yet also full of affection and trust. “The only thing you have to do is sing and dance and have fun. And you always manage all of them without any problem”

You smiled again, nodding slowly at the words that were finally breaking through your insecurities. “But the fans…”

“And the fans” the dancer continued. “Will be thrilled to see and hear you. Really, darling. Just relax and everything will be fine, okay? We'll be together, like always, hm?”

You let out a nervous sigh before finally nodding slowly.

“Yeah… yeah, okay. Together”

Hyunin and Changbin smiled, and Hyunin rubbed his cheek affectionately against your temple, murmuring a “That's our girl” while Changbin lightly ruffled your hair, being careful of your hairstyle.

Honestly, you would have preferred to stay in that position for a little longer, enveloped in their brotherly warmth. You loved your job, but the presence of the boys, who had now become your second family, always made everything better.

“Five minutes and we’re up!”

Chan’s voice, authoritative in true leader style, echoed behind you, intent on making sure all the members were ready before going on stage. Jisung and Felix were giggling excitedly, with Jeongin listening in silence (already done with his hyungs). Seungmin was clearing his throat, making sure the notes were there on his tongue, while Minho, in the corner, was quickly reviewing a few steps from the first choreography.

Chan approached you, Changbin, and Hyunjin, patting the former on the shoulder. “Are you guys ready?” he asked with an encouraging smile, and all three of you nodded.

Chan then looked at you. “Ready, Y/n?”

You nodded again, this time more determined by your bandmates' words, ready to rock the stage. “I was born ready”

Chan and the other two smiled proudly. “Good girl” he praised. “Just have fun, okay? You got this”

And after five minutes, you and the boys ran onto the stage.

And yet, even though you'd tried every way to let yourself go like the boys had told you, even though you'd tried to have fun, interact with them, smile at the fans, take pictures, and hold their hands…

Anxiety continued to eat away at you from within, like ivy that grew ever stronger and was rooting you to the ground: the knowledge that you were on that stage for the first time in front of a stadium full of people watching you on big screens, fans who had come from all over the world just to see Stray Kids for the first time in their lives.

The knowledge that you couldn't afford to make mistakes, not there, in front of everyone, and especially... not when your bandmates, your brothers, were giving their best, ignoring the anxiety, fears, and insecurities you deemed useless.

Why did you always have to play the victim? Why did you have to ruin everything when they'd busted their asses to get you all on that stage?

Why couldn't you be like them?

“Fuck… fuck…” you thought to yourself as you looked around to admire—no, actually, dread—the crowd screaming and waving their lightsticks to the rhythm. The bass was boosting, the mic clutched in your hands as you danced the choreography along with the boys.

“Don't mess up… Please, don't mess up…” you kept repeating in your head, trying to keep pace with the choreography, your eyes following Jeongin's legs in front of you.

It was only the first day. The first fucking date of the tour and you already felt like everything was about to fall apart, even if you didn't know why. You couldn't afford to make any mistakes or you'd ruin everything.

Fortunately, it wasn't always necessary to perform the entire choreography; you'd agreed on that. The chorus was essential, sure, but during some verses, you could enjoy the concert without a precise schedule.

“Y/n!”

Over the blaring music, someone called your name then tapped you on the shoulder from behind. When you turned, you met Felix's freckled face, a radiant but uncertain smile on his lips.

"Are you okay?" he asked loudly.

You looked around again. You hadn't even realized you'd been the only one standing still for a few seconds in the middle of the stage, while the rest of the boys and fans were running along the stage. "Did he notice me?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah!" you nodded hastily, a fake smile forming on your lips, while waving to the row of STAYs in the stands closest to you to distract yourself.

Felix tilted his head slightly but said nothing else, ruffling your hair before running away with a scream as soon as he saw Hyunjin trying to splash water at him from his bottle.

Meanwhile, you noticed Seungmin waving a hand at you from a few meters behind, urging you to join him, and it was then that you remembered the part of the song you and he sang together was about to come on. You stiffly jogged over to him, clutching the microphone in your palm.

Your heart began to beat slightly faster in your chest. You were anxious. But why? You'd sung this song dozens of times, you'd rehearsed that part with and without Seungmin so many times you had even dreamed about it one night, you'd practiced with Chan in the recording studio endless times, wanting it to be perfect.

Why did you suddenly feel terrified of singing for the first time in front of all those people watching and filming you, expecting to witness the best concert of their lives, knowing it only happened once in years for them?

Why did you suddenly feel so incapable of doing the one thing that you should be able to do well, your work?

You raised the mic to your mouth and you and Seungmin began singing your final lines together. Your mouth and tongue moved automatically, as if robotic circuits were controlling you, not your mind.

"Don't mess it up... don't mess it up..."

Yet Seungmin next to you seemed so relaxed and at peace. He sang perfectly, as if it were just you and him on stage, he didn't care about anything else. And you…

It was right when your last part came that your voice, usually high and clear when you sang, broke into a cracked note that reverberated throughout the stadium. Everything you'd trained for, the perfection you'd strived for until now, had just gone up in smoke, ruining everything.

Around you, the stadium erupted in applause and cheers once the song was over, as if your voice crack had already been forgotten. But you knew better.

Your eyes widened in surprise when the song ended and when you turned to see Seungmin, he was already frowning at you, but with an almost amused grimace on his face. Shit, was he annoyed with you because you'd ruined his part?

You said nothing, too focused on the sound of your heart pounding wildly in your ribcage. Your face was burning with humiliation, your hair plastered to your sweaty temples.

You were ruining everything…

“Get a grip, Y/n… you have to get a grip…”

The rest of the band approached you at the center of the stage, while they waved at the fans. Jisung's cackle echoed behind you before he placed his palms on both your shoulders, shaking them back and forth gently. “Yo! What was that?” he commented amused.

He was referring to your off-key singing. Shit, everyone had seen and heard it. And if Jisung was laughing about it, it meant you had really made a fool of yourself.

“Sorry, i…” you faltered, head down, your voice barely audible in the commotion, before raised your head and looked at Seungmin uncertainly. “S-Sorry Min, i didn’t mean to…”

But Seungmin just furrowed his brows. “Sorry for what?” he just said.

He seemed confused, almost worried, but at that moment you couldn’t register his behavior. The moment you’d ruined the song was still replaying in your mind like a broken record, along with the robotic way you’d sung, the rigidity with which you’d tried to replicate the choreography you were supposed to know by heart by now. An endless loop of anxiety, insecurities, and shame that were overwhelming you on that first day of tour.

And the knowledge that if you’d done this just today, who knows what would have happened in the following dates.

You were all gathered in the center of the stage, in a single row. Chan was speaking in English, and STAYs cheered every now and then, making him laugh. Changbin and Jeongin were mumbling among themselves, while you could feel Seungmin's watchful gaze penetrating your head and you knew he was definitely trying to figure out what was wrong with your behavior.

Beside you was Hyunjin, nudging you with his arm to annoy you as usual, while Chan and Felix interacted with the audience, but right now you didn't have the strength to react to it.

Your mind was now lost in a fog and your eyes were fixed blankly on the first few rows of girls under the stage, who were now looking at you with concern, talking to themselves while pointing at you.

"Shit..." you gripped the microphone tighter and tighter in your sweaty hands. “They're looking at me… everyone… they heard me… fuck…”

It didn't take long for Chan to stop talking to the audience, finally marking the beginning of the break you'd have to change outfits, especially since it was time for your solos.

Shit, what if you messed up your own song too now? And then the rest of the concert?

Your body moved automatically as you and the boys retreated backstage, the fans' screams fading behind you, and you didn't notice Seungmin nudging Chan with his arm, silently nodding at you.

Once safely off the stage, staff members immediately surrounded you and the boys, some already holding the new  outfits, others immediately going to wipe away sweat and fix their makeup and hair. Your trusted makeup artist, a girl a bit older than Chan, gently began to ran a small wipe over your face, trying to wipe the sweat from your cheeks, temples, and neck.

But no matter how hard she tried, all you could feel was your face going completely on fire more than before. The sensation of being touched repeatedly, which you'd long been accustomed to, was starting to bother you now.

“W-Wait…” you tried to say, taking a small step back and she looked at you confused, tilting her head.

“I need a moment…” you wanted to say, but the words stuck in your throat. “It’s hot… J-Just a moment…”

The voices of the boys around you surrounded you, laughing and chatting, drowning out your ears. You didn’t immediately notice Jeongin approaching you, and when he was in front of you, you tried to focus on his sweet, childish, comforting smile.

“Hey, about what happened, you know you have nothing to worry about, right?” he said, bringing to mind the replay of your embarrassment from earlier. “Do you remember when that happened to me back in Kingdom? I was so disappointed, i thought i had ruined everything and…”

His words faded into void after just a few seconds. You couldn’t focus. He was too close. You knew he was just trying to reassure you and god, you appreciated him for that, you really did, but right now he was only making things worse and you couldn't get yourself to say it.

"D-Don't talk to me... don't remind me..."

Meanwhile, your makeup artist noticed how sweat seemed to be appearing more frequently on your face, like a flowing river, and so she tried to do her job, reaching out the towel to wipe it off again.

Jeongin kept talking to you, and meanwhile, another staff member approached you, clutching your custom outfit for your solo. She was talking too, probably rushing you to change because time was running out and you had a schedule to respect, but all you could see was her lips and Jeongin's moving too quickly.

"Too much..."

Your ears were ringing deafeningly, the voices of the staff and the boys in the background muffled as if you were underwater, your colleague's ever-gentle touch was burning your face, the towel scratching the skin like sandpaper. You tried to take a step back and a small gasp left your lips as you tried to breathe. It was too much.

Too many people. Too much noise. Too much anxiety. You were drowning.

Jeongin finally seemed to notice your state, and the words trailed off his tongue, giving way to a confused and slightly concerned expression. “Y/n…”

You backed away, or at least tried to, but your legs suddenly went stiff and the soles of your shoes felt like they were glued to the floor. You wanted to leave but the only thing you were realizing was how much air was missing from your lungs, the panic gripping your body and the main reason why all this was happening.

Jeongin called your name again, coming even closer, and you lowered your head, desperately trying to breathe and avoid his gaze and the one of the staff.

“Too much… it's too much… I can't…”

Jeongin glanced at the rest of the boys behind you, locking eyes with Chan. “Hyung. Hyung!”

Immediately, everyone's attention was on you. Not only were the staff trying to get you fixed, cleaned up, and changed quickly, but now you also had your bandmates surrounding you and talking, all huddling around you like ants on a breadcrumb, trying to figure out what was happening to you.

And even though you would normally bask in their affection, in that moment you just felt like you were dying.

“Back off. Back off, she needs to breathe”

It was Minho who made his way through the group, moving past Chan to stand in front of you next to Jeongin and gently pushing him back with his arm.

“Innie, take a step back” he said, calmly but hastily, then looked at the staff. “Give her some space, please”

Everyone except him and Chan took a step back, their voices dying into small, worried murmurs. Your eyes filled with tears despite the space given, because by now you were feeling completely panicked and couldn't think of anything else.

Once he was sure you weren't completely surrounded, Minho turned back to you, his sharp eyes sweeping over your body, stopping on your sweaty hands that were shaking like leaves in the cold wind.

"Y/n" he called, his hands lifting slightly but not touching you yet, unsure of how you would react. "Baby, hey..."

You gasped, trying to inhale some air, but felt unable to do so under everyone's gaze. "I-I can't..." you tried, squeezing your eyes shut. "I d-don't..."

Minho nodded, remaining calm. "Okay. It's okay, honey"

He was worried sick, just like the others, but showing it wouldn't help.

He nodded behind him, even though you couldn't see him.

"How about we sit down for a moment, hm?" he asked instead, running his eyes over your stiff legs. "Let's sit down, come on. Want to hold my hand?"

With that, he held out his hands to you, palms facing up like a peace offering, and to his relief you immediately grabbed them, desperately tightening your sweaty fingers around his slender ones. He exchanged a glance with Chan, who gently placed his palm on your back, rubbing it lightly up and down.

The two of them calmly led you to one of the nearby leather couches, and the others let you through.

“Come on, love, sit down” the leader murmured, gently hushing you as he helped you sit. “There we go, slowly…”

You sank onto the couch cushion and Minho crouched in front of you, his hands never leaving yours for a second as you continued to pant, tears in your eyes. Your head throbbed, your ears ringing.

Chan remained standing, turning to the rest of the group and the staff.

“Hyung, she’s hyperventilating…” Jisung pondered, his large dark eyes fixed on you, full of concern and fear. He knew exactly what you were going through, more than anyone.

Jeongin turned to look at the leader remorsefully. “Is it my fault? Did i do something?”

Felix was chewing his middle fingernail, Changbin and Seungmin had their arms crossed, their expressions serious but equally worried. Hyunjin was behind them, mentally cursing at the situation.

Chan sighed tensely, the sound drowned out by your sobs behind him and Minho's whispered words, and he looked at the youngest.

"Of course it's not your fault, Jeongin. Don't worry" he answered with a small reassuring smile before looking at the rest of the group, stopping on Jisung lastly. "She'll be fine. Minho and i will take care of it”

Your makeup artist and the girl with your outfit exchanged a silent glance, but they managed to relax a little, knowing you were safe with the two oldest.

Another man, with headphones and a mic on his face, frowned at bit at Chan. “Lee Know has to go on stage soon and her too. How—”

“I'm not moving”

The man froze when he heard the dance leader's words echoing in the room, meeting his gaze, which was now on him, slightly irritated.

Chan looked at Minho, but neither he nor the others were honestly surprised by his behavior. Minho was the most protective of you, even more than him and the rest of the boys together.

“Min…” he tried to warn, though he wasn't really convinced on reprimand him either. As the leader it was his duty to enforce order, but the comfort and health of his members came first. Always.

Indeed, just as he expected, Minho didn't move a inch from his spot. 

“I said i'm not moving. And neither is she” he challenged (not Chan, but mostly the staff), his thumbs digging into your palms to try to ground you. “Send the others first, it's not that hard”

Chan nodded without saying anything else and then turned to Hyunjin. When Minho was stuck on something, there was no point in changing his mind.

“Hyun, do you mind if you go first?” he requested.

And Hyunjin shook his head without hesitation. “Of course not”

The staff man scowled at Chan. “Chan, we have a schedule. You can't—”

“I absolutely can and i will” Chan interrupted him abruptly, crossing his arms over his chest as he shot him a challenging look. “She's in no condition to go on stage right now and Lee Know and i will stay here as long as we're needed. End of discussion”

The man looked at him nervously under his stern, leader-like gaze, falling silent. Jisung was glancing back and forth between him, Chan, Minho, and you, still hyperventilating.

“We still have time” Changbin chimed in, taking a small step forward as he tried to reason with the staff. “Hyunjin will go first, and we'll follow. We'll give Y/n time to calm down for her turn. It's not a problem, really”

The staff members remained silent for a few seconds, considering Chan and Changbin's words. Until the man finally let out a small sigh of resignation and nodded.

“Okay… Okay, we’ll do this. But we have to hurry, please” he said, gesturing to the outfits some of them still had to change into (like Hyunjin himself).

Hyunjin and the others nodded, while Chan relaxed his posture. Minho kept staring intently at them before turning back to you.

“Good” Chan exhaled, dropping his authoritative tone. “Now please, could you leave us alone for a bit?”

Reluctantly, Hyunjin nodded and was quickly escorted by the staff to the dressing room to change. Felix followed him, giving you a last concerned but supportive look before he left (even if you didn’t notice).

The others hesitated for a few seconds, especially Jeongin and Jisung. Chan noticed and gave them an encouraging smile. “Really, guys, please just go. We’ll handle this, okay?”

Seungmin placed a hand on Jeongin’s shoulder, patting him a few times and telling him to back off. “Come on man, we’ll only make things worse if we stay” he murmured, so you wouldn’t hear, and Changbin nodded in agreement.

Jisung and Jeongin nodded silently and slowly the rest of the group and the rest of the staff filed away, finally leaving Chan and Minho alone with you. A couple of minutes later, a roar of cheers echoed from the stadium, followed by the start of "So Good".

Chan sighed again, finally turning his attention solely to you. Minho was trying his hardest to calm you down, and even though you always felt comfortable around him, your brain couldn’t register his voice right now.

“You’re gonna get sick, honey” the dancer muttered, tilting his head to try to catch your gaze. “Y/n, you have to try to breathe, okay?”

But you shook your head frantically, your eyes fixed on your sweaty hands clinging to his.

“I-I can't... I... I'm scared...”

Chan felt his heart break at the sight. You'd always been so energetic and cheerful, yes, a little shy perhaps, but only at the beginning when they first met you.

You were like a ray of sunshine in a storm for them, sometimes so hyperactive that he and Minho struggled to contain you, especially when you had your silly moments with Jisung, Felix or Jeongin.

But in that moment, he saw only the Y/n he'd known before debuting. A young girl desperately needing support, a shoulder to cry on, and a leader to lean on, who could guide her through life and grow.

“Y/n, babygirl...” Chan murmured as he knelt next to Minho, who shuffled to the side to give him a little space in front of you. “Hey, hey...”

His hands rested delicately your knees, rubbing gently, while Minho continued to massage your palms and the lengths of your fingers, ignoring the sweat.

“Look at me. Can you look at me, please?” Chan requested, softly and unhurriedly.

Despite the sound of your heartbeat pounding in your eardrums, you managed to hear his voice along with his touch, calling you with that familiar petname he had adopted for you since the first day you met.

You struggled to open your eyes, your pupils frantically wandering from Minho's face to Chan's, and the latter flashed you a smile.

“There you go, good girl” he praised quietly. “Listen to me, i know this is scary, but i promise nothing will happen to you, hm? It'll pass. You just have to try to think about something else, okay?”

You shook your head again, hiccuping. “S-Something else… I c-can't…” you whimpered, sniffling like a little girl seeking for her mother in a crowd.  “T-The… the concert… it-it was too much…”

The two oldest exchanged a quick glance before looking back at you.

“The concert was too much?” Chan repeated calmly, wanting to understand. “Were you scared when you were on stage? Did something bother you?”

You nodded frantically.

“T-Too loud a-and… and the lights… ‘t was hot…” you choked out, your bottom lip trembling. “A-And the song… my… m-my voice… every... everyone h-heard—”

“Shh, shh. Okay, love, okay. I got it” Chan gently hushed you, lifting a hand from your knee to try to wipe the tears from your face, tucking the damp strands of hair stuck to your cheeks behind your ear. “We’ll talk about it in a bit, shh. Everything will be okay, i promise”

Minho began to breathe deeply and slowly, squeezing your hands to get your attention and you looked back at him through your teary eyes.

“Follow my breathing, Y/n. Try to follow me, okay?” he urged. “Just like when we dance”

You nodded weakly, trying to follow his rhythm. Your heart was still pounding, but the grip around your hands and Chan's encouraging voice managed to keep you anchored to what little sanity you had left.

“That's it. You're doing well, love, really well”

"See? Nothing's happening, don't worry. It's all just in your head. We're right here with you, there's no rush"

It took some good long minutes before your labored breathing finally began to pick up a more steady pace, your heartbeat slowing, and your ears stopping ringing.

“There we go” Chan breathed, as Minho brought your hands to his face to place a small, encouraging kiss on your knuckles.

You let out your last shaky breath, looking up at them with red eyes and tears still streaming down your face. The panic was gone, but the guilt and humiliation you felt for everything that had happened was still there.

“I'm sorry, i-i…” you whimpered softly, sniffling. “I d-didn't mean to… i swear…”

Chan immediately shook his head, confused and hurt.

“Oh Y/n, no” he cooed as he adjusted himself onto his knees. “No, why are you saying that? Do you really think it's your fault?”

You nodded, your hands unconsciously squeezing Minho's out of nervousness as you lowered your gaze, not having the courage to look the two people whose approval you sought more than anyone else directly in the eyes. 

“I-I wasn't focused while dancing… I t-thought i was ready for today, b-but i got anxious and… a-and then when i sang, everyone heard my v-voice crack and i ruined the performance…” you croaked out embarrassed. “I’m r-ruining the concert and it's only the first date of the tour… I-I don't want to sing my song, i don't want to… t-to fail again…”

Chan and Minho exchanged another pitying glance. They and the rest of the boys knew how much you loved your job, despite the difficulties.Singing, dancing, and being with them made you free and happy. Hearing you talk like that, disappointed in yourself and afraid of them, broke their heart.

Chan let out a sigh, not annoyed but more reflective as he thought about what to say for a few seconds. Then he raised both hands to cup your cheeks, gently tilting your face so you could look into his eyes again.

“Y/n” he called, softly but firmly. He wanted to make sure you were listening. “What happened is normal. It’s your first concert, in front of thousands of people watching you, filming you… It’s normal to be scared. We don’t blame you. And we never will. You know that, right?”

You sniffed, trying to focus on his reassuring words, which were slowly breaking through your wall of insecurities. “B-But… but i wasn't supposed t-to mess up like that…” you tried to argue.

Chan smiled lightly, nodding understandingly. “I know, honey. You’ve trained so hard, you always want to be perfect hm? But we know you. And you’re NOT perfect, just like none of us are. And that’s okay. We don’t have to be perfect, for no one. Not even for STAYs. Because if someone truly loves you and cares about you, they love your imperfections too”

Your eyes softened, as a small glimmer of hope lit up in your heart.

The leader continued. “You’re not ruining this concert. And you’re not going to ruin the tour just because of this” he promised, stroking your cheeks with his thumbs to wipe away the tears. “These things happen. No one’s mad at you, i can assure you”

You sniffed. “R-Really?”

Chan nodded.

“Of course, baby. Remember back in Kingdom, when Innie had a voice crack and was devastated because he felt guilty for making us lose?” he asked, and you nodded, remembering what Jeongin himself was trying to tell you as he tried to comfort you earlier. “Had we perhaps got mad at him?”

You shook your head.

“No… b-but that was different—”

“It wasn’t different” Chan interrupted you gently but firmly. “Jeongin made a mistake, but we all knew he had tried hard, and we didn't blame him. And we never will. The only thing that mattered was that he gave his all. Just like you did. That's what matters here hm?”

You nodded slowly, looking at him with a hint of uncertainty remaining. “But… but the schedule… and the staff d-didn't seem happy…”

Minho clicked his tongue, finally butting in on the conversation. “Screw staff” he declared, rolling his eyes, and you looked at him.

Chan shot him a knowing look, suppressing a chuckle. “Min…”

The other man waved a hand dismissively, not taking his eyes off yours.

“Yeah, we made a little change in the schedule, so what? It doesn't seem like STAYs care much, does it? I mean, listen to them” he added, nodding toward the stage.

You focused on the sounds coming from the stage. Jisung's voice and his guitar resonated throughout the stadium as he sang his solo and STAYs shouted the lyrics along him with joy.

“Y/n”

Minho caught your attention, and you saw his lips curl into a small smile. Not one of those mischievous smirks he wore whenever he was planning something evil. A small but kind and reassuring smile, full of support that he was always ready to give whenever you needed it, whenever you needed him, Chan, and the others.

“You are more important” he stated. “You are family, and we take care of family. Always. Yeah?”

You could feel your eyes filling with new tears and your heart starting to beat a little faster, but this time from emotion. After all, you should have expected it from the two eldest but the affection in their words and gestures would’ve never failed to make you realize how lucky you were to have them.

“Y-Yeah…” you sniffed, nodding weakly as your lips curled into a trembling smile.

Chan and Minho relaxed and the former rose from his knees with another coo, removing his hands from your face but just so he could hug you warmly. "Oh c’mere, baby girl. Lemme hug you”

You didn't waste time in letting yourself fall into his warm embrace, burying your face in his abdomen. You ignored the sweat, the sticky feeling of heat, or anything else, focusing only on shedding the last of your tears on your dear leader, praying he'd never let you go.

"T-Thank you..." you whimpered softly, your voice muffled by his tank top as you clenched the fabric in your fists.

Chan chuckled tenderly, one arm affectionately wrapped around your shoulders while the other gently caressed the back of your head. “There’s nothing to thank me for, honey. It’s okay”

You heard someone else shuffle and a few seconds later, you felt Minho lean over you, placing a few affectionate kisses on your head while he patted your back with his palm.

Chan didn’t comment on the display of affection the dancer rarely showed, because they knew it was different for you. Minho would have jumped off a cliff if you'd just asked him to. So he simply continued to hug you while he waited for your tears to dry, stroking you gently.

“God, i swear you and Jeongin are growing up so fast” he said jokingly (or maybe not) in a fake nostalgic tone. “I can’t even hug you properly anymore, my babies”

Minho smiled silently and you chuckled wetly, pulling your face away from Chan’s body to look at them.

Chan smiled proudly. “There’s that smile. And no more tears, okay?” he said in a fake resolute tone, and you nodded while Minho reached out to wipe the last real tears from under your eyes with his knuckles. 

“Ready for your solo?” he asked you with a supportive smile.

At that question you gulped quietly, looking at them a little nervously, squeezing your hands together as you thought about the upcoming performance.

“What if… what if i mess up my song, too?”

You half expected the two of them to tell you to go to hell for that stupid question. But you were relieved to see that they both kept smiling.

“You won't, baby. But... Even if you do mess up, we'll still be right here waiting for you and telling you you did good anyway” Chan answered in one breath, without stammering or hesitating.

Minho nodded in agreement, rubbing your head. “And we always will. All of us”

And finally, with those words, you could feel all the remaining stiffness melt away from your body, along with the panic and insecurities. Because you knew that as long as they were there waiting for you and taking care of you, all eight of them, you could do anything. Being together was what truly mattered.

So you wiped your nose on your sleeve before standing up on your no longer shaky legs. “Okay”

Chan and Minho looked at you like proud parents (maybe cause they were, in a way), and the leader patted your head affectionately, as he always used to do.

“Ready to rock the stage, tiger?”

And this time you nodded with determination and no fear in your eyes. 

“Yeah”

Minho smirked, gently pushing you toward the dressing room with a hand on your lower back.

“That's our girl. Come on, the others are waiting”

The three siblings exchanged a mischievous look after refusing another call from their father, who, unlike them, was slowly losing his temper as he kept watching the pics your daughter had sent.

Leon knew it wasn't like him to let paranoia control him, but the mere thought of a stranger man being in his own home with his wife and his kids right now, flirting with you with his muscles and everything, was driving him crazy. And not because he didn't trust you—no, not at all. Both of you trusted each other blindly, in fact. But because as long as he wasn't home, he knew ANYTHING could happen. And when his kids didn't answer the call again, he knew he had to hurry up and contact you.

Meanwhile, form the laundry room, you didn't hear your kids giggling maniacally downstairs, too busy with the household chores you wanted to get done that day so you could have the weekend off. You were about to start ironing the clothes when your phone vibrated in your pocket, and after you took it out and read your husband's name, an automatic smile grew on your lips before answering.

"Hi, hone—"

"Is he still there?" Leon interrupted you.

You blinked a couple of times, unaccustomed to the fact that he hadn't even said hello as usual. "Who is still here?"

"That damn idiot of a plumber" he muttered, a bit agitated. "The kids told me you were laughing at his equally idiotic jokes. And that he even laughed at my height, apparently"

You remained silent for a few more seconds, increasingly confused by his words until you finally spoke. "Leon, bub, what are you even saying?"

"Baby" he exhaled through his nose, as if exasperated. "I love you, but this isn't the time to joke around. I'm not kidding. Is that fucker still there?"

Even though he sounded completely serious, you couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Well, i'm not kidding either" you said softly, leaning against the ironing board. "There's no plumber here, Leon. Just me and the kids. I really have no idea what you're talking about"

It was his turn to remain silent for a few seconds, contemplating your words. And you realized that your poor husband had fallen victim to one of your kids' pranks again.

"You didn't call a plumber for the sink?" he muttered.

You shook your head with another giggle, imagining his cold, stern blue eyes now as confused as a puppy's.

"No, love. But i take it that even if i had, it'd be a problem for you?" you prompted, amused. "What's wrong?"

Leon then sighed heavily.  "Nothing... sorry"

He ran a hand through his hair as he finally felt his heart beating at a moderate rate again. He almost felt like an idiot for letting jealousy and even a little panic take over him like that.

"The kids texted me saying you'd called a plumber, but... from what i saw, he seemed like a maniac, that's all. Half naked and everything"

You giggled again, your lips pursed in a small, pitying pout. "Oh Leon, they must have sent you an AI-generated image. That's what all people use now days"

"You don't say?" he commented with a small roll of his eyes.

Finally, even though you couldn't see it, his lips curved into an amused smile and he let out a low chuckle. "They really got me this time, huh?" he asked. "I'm getting old"

You waved a hand dismissively. "Oh don't start. You know, i can't tell reality from fake either these days. You're not old at all, honey, WE are just a little... behind the times, that's all"

Leon's features softened at the sound of your reassuring voice, and his heart skipped a beat unconsciously, as it had never stopped since you came into his life. God, he would never stop asking himself what he had done in his life to deserve someone like you.

"For a moment i was afraid a half-naked plumber was trying to win you over with his biceps and dad jokes" he murmured, leaning back against the wall behind him, looking up as he spoke to you. "That's not like me"

"Well, and YOU should know that it's not like me to be charmed by half-naked plumbers who tell dad jokes" you retorted, your face twisting into a knowing expression, as if you were there to gently reprimand him. "I love your biceps. And the only dad jokes i laugh at are yours, my love"

Leon nodded with a relieved smile. "Yeah, you're the only one who does that. M'sorry baby, you're right"

"It's okay Leon, i understand"

While you were on the other end of the phone, preparing the clothes for ironing, holding the phone between your shoulder and cheek as you moved, Leon glanced at his expensive wristwatch. Hell, that stupid prank had wasted his time at work.

But at least after your reassurances, he could now rest easy and wait until he had to come home to all of you.

"I have to get back to work" he muttered, his tone clearly indicating he had no intention of doing so. "I'll see you later, hm?"

You nodded. "Of course, bub. And don't worry, you won't find any half-naked plumbers waiting for you"

He chuckled, tilting his head to the side as he imagined your sweet face he so longed to cover with pecks and gentle caresses.

"Hmm, wish i had someone else waiting for me tonight. And not just half-naked, perhaps" he teased gently with a smirk.

And just as expected, the reaction he got from you was another little embarassed giggle, as if he never made this kind of joke with you.

"Back to work, Mr. Kennedy"

"Yes, ma'am"

COMMENTS

user: the group chat name🥺

moonylunak: we love Mom🥰

user: man was STRESSED

user: the instant call when he saw the plumber talking with your mom

user: Leon "i'm not angry, just a call away from committing murder cause a half naked dude is hitting on my wife while i'm away" Kennedy

user: he don't play about Mama Kennedy😤

user: Aiden explaining the slangs💀

user: not him calling as soon as his height was mentioned

moonylunak: you know men when you touch their masculine pride🙄

The weekend had finally arrived.

Leon loved the weekend.

Why? Well, obviously because it meant it had come the time when he could spend the whole day with his family, laughing, having fun, and cuddling. No work, no worries, no nothing. Just him and his family. Especially his beloved sweet wife.

So that's how you and Leon found yourselves that rainy afternoon, cuddled on the living room couch, with you leaning against him and him with one arm wrapped around the back of the couch, while you absentmindedly stroked his leg with your thumb.

The TV was on in the background, your eyes glued to the screen, wearing comfortable clothes, while the kids were in their rooms minding their own business or doing their homework.

Leon's lips were slightly curved upward at the thought of that familiar coziness brought by the warmth of your body against his. It was all perfect.

Suddenly, however, the sound of familiar footsteps padding on the floor interrupted the relaxed atmosphere. You were the first to look up to see Luna, your 17-year-old middle daughter, coming down the stairs and walking right towards you both.

Leon looked at her too, but just as you were about to ask if she needed anything, she spoke. Or rather, not to you or Leon, but to her cell phone, as if she were on a video call with her friends.

"Could you guys watch my parents for a second?" she said hastily to her screen. "Thanks"

As she spoke, you and Leon looked at her in silence, believing she was actually on the phone with someone. And it wouldn't have surprised you if it weren't for the fact that a few seconds after those words your daughter had placed her phone on the coffee table, which was between the TV and the couch where you and your husband were sitting. The screen was facing you and you could see your own figure and Leon's, watching you in return, sitting next to each other, doing nothing.

Meanwhile Luna, after leaving her phone on in front of you, had turned on her heels to walk away, going up the stairs without saying anything.

Leon rotated his head to follow her, looking at her confused. "Sweetheart?" he tried to call her as she went, but there was no answer from her.

He then turned back at you with a questioning look and you shrugged. "Maybe she went to the bathroom...?" you murmured, unsure yourself.

Both you and your husband turned to look at her phone screen again, silently staring at yourselves being filmed on that little technological device.

"Uh..." Leon broke the silence, speaking slowly. "Should we do something or..."

"I have no idea" you replied, continuing to stare at yourself as you grabbed the remote with one hand to pause the movie on the tv while you waited.

Silence fell again.

And not one of those comfortable silences you and Leon basked in when you had some private quality time. It was a strange silence, full of confusion and questions. Where was your daughter? Why had she left her phone there? Who had she talked to? Why? When would she be back?

You turned your head slightly to see your husband's face with the corner of your eye and a small laugh escaped your lips at the serious, penetrating gaze with which he was staring at the screen.

"Leon" you called him amused, patting his thigh affectionately. "Stop glaring, honey"

Your husband turned back to you, his eyebrows furrowing over his clear blue eyes in confusion. "I'm not doing anything"

"Yes, you are. You're staring at that phone as if it's done something to you" you replied with another chuckle. "Keep it up and you'll end up staring a hole in the screen"

He shrugged, nodding toward the phone on the coffee table as his gaze relaxed just a bit.

"Luna told them to watch us so i'm doing the same"

"Them who?" you asked, tilting your head with a blink of your eyes.

Leon sighed, exhaling through his nose. "I wish i knew that..."

You giggled again, letting yourself lean back against his side as you continued to stroke his leg. Leon took the opportunity to cover your hand with his free one, his fingertips gently caressing the back of your hand.

"I swear if this is for another of those stupid TikTak videos—"

"TikTok, bub" you corrected him gently.

"Whatever" he scoffed. "We were busy and i'd like to finish the movie"

"We'll finish it in a bit"

Leon sighed again. He loved his kids with all his heart, but whenever one of them came out with weird ideas like that.. God, he just didn't get them.

His attention was then drawn to your warm hand under his, his gaze swiping over the wedding band on your ring finger before trailing over the back of your hand.

"Your skin's a little dry..." he murmured as he started a new conversation, now completely ignoring his daughter's phone, which was still recording. "Have you been using your lotion?"

You looked down at your hand too at his words, and your lips curled into a small pout. "Oh, i ran out of it and forgot to buy a new one"

He hummed thoughtfully, his fingers still rubbing the length of yours, feeling the contrast between his rough skin and your soft one, despite being a bit dry.

"I'll buy it for you tomorrow" he simply said.

You nodded gratefully, already knowing from the tone of his voice that it was pointless to protest and tell him you'd do it yourself. He was stuck on that now, and there was no way you could change his plans.

"Thank you, love" you leaned over to kiss him on his stubbled cheek and his lips curved upward by instinct while you kept talking. "Oh, and remember to get the tube with the red cap, not the white one please"

"Yes, ma'am"

He just nodded with a gentle smile, listening intently. He always did when it came to your needs.

"Ah! And do you remember my pregnant co-worker?" you added, leaning back on the couch to get a better look at him. "She gave birth a few days ago and she told me we can go visit her if we want. Is that okay?"

Leon nodded again without hesitation, his palm now moving from stroking your hand to your knee, alternating between slow caresses and small taps. "Of course baby, we'll go to the hospital whenever you want to"

"Oh wait, maybe we could go tomorrow with the kids and then on the way home we'll stop by the store to get my cream"

"We can do that too"

You and your husband continued chatting for a few more minutes, while your daughter's phone, now completely forgotten on the table by both of you, kept recording the conversation, which took place amid laughter and gentle caresses and that was perfectly capturing the way Leon was looking—no, admiring— you while you rambled, his eyes fixed on your bright ones and his lips curled into that fond lovesick smile he reserved only for you.

And then, after a while, your daughter's voice finally echoed from the stairs as she came down with a broad, almost excited, smile on her lips.

"I'm back, sorry i took so long" Luna said with a chuckle. "Have you guys been good?"

You and Leon turned to look at her, watching her pick up her phone from the table.

Whether she was talking about you and Leon or the supposed 'guys that were to watch you', you had no idea.

"Where were you?" you asked her.

"Good for whom?" Leon asked at the same time.

She giggled, finally pausing the video and looking up at you. "I just had to do something" she replied simply while waving a hand dismissively, flashing you that sweet, bright smile of hers, yet full of mischief and playfulness.

"Sorry, i didn't mean to ruin your movie-time. I'll leave you alone now"

And with that, she walked away again, as if nothing had happened.

You and Leon exchanged a confused look again, until he shook his head with an amused smile. When it came to Luna and her ideas, you both knew better than to ask questions.

"Shall we continue?" he asked.

You smiled and without thinking twice you snuggled back into his side, picking up the remote again as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders to pull you closer, tilting his head over yours.

COMMENTS

user: them being yapper and listener couple i love them so much

user: they're definitely orange cat and black cat too

user: the way he looks at her omfg he's so in love *sticker of Spongebob biting his pillow and crying*

user: i feel like i'm third-wheeling...

user: not Leon calling it TikTak💀

moonylunak: he's old he doesn't remember anything🫩

user: he's so done with our generation and we live for it

user: the fact that they ignored the phone and just fell into a comfortable conversation so casually like they were completely alone (they technically were but you know what i mean)

user: istg if my boyfriend is not someone like this man with his wife then i don't want him

user: Leon staring at the phone like it was my fault👁️👄👁️

user: they were so confused my babies😭🥺

user: they're older than you

user: my older babies who i'd die for😊

user: he'd go buy her lotion without a hint of hesitation *sticker of guy screaming on the floor*

user: please can i have him?

moonylunak: Yes but Mom comes with the package just so you know

user: even better *sticker of ugly Sonic rubbing his hands*

user: they're so cute (Annabelle get them)

If there was one thing your family LOVED to do, especially your children, it was playing pranks on your poor husband Leon and introducing him to the new trends that were taking over social media thanks to the younger generations.

Poor guy, most times you felt pity for him.

Leon was the kind of person who occasionally cracked a dad joke that no one but himself (and you 'cause you loved him) chuckled at. He never cared about news that weren't truly important; he didn't care if celebrity X had cheated on their partner or if fashion had changed from skinny jeans to baggy jeans.

He used his phone for the bare minimum; he didn't have stupid social media like TikTok that filled his kids' brains (and yours') with bullshit, and he didn't give a damn about the latest trends and challenges.

Leon was an old man.

So that's why his kids, his own flesh and blood, enjoyed making fun of him. And he just let them do it, most of the time, because he didn't care much, he was used to it. And although he seemed cold and stern, the truth was that the older he got, the more his heart softened for his family. He loved you and them with all his heart.

Leon was your old man.

"Ma, Ma"

It was a day like any other at the Kennedy house. You were in you and your husband's shared room, busy folding the seemingly endless mountain of laundry, when the voices of your son and daughter, Theo and Luna, echoed from the hallway just before they entered the room.

Theo, the oldest, let himself sit on the edge of the bed with a bounce, dangerously close to the freshly folded laundry, while his sister wisely decided to remain standing.

"Theo" you called him in that unmistakable tone that made him immediately stand up.

"Whops, sorry" he chuckled, but not entirely sorry. "Anyway, we want to ask you a favor. It's a new prank"

You stopped your work, giving him an unsurprised look. "If it involves fake blood and heart attacks, you can forget it" you said sternly.

You remember like it was yesterday when that foolish son of yours had the brilliant idea of pretending to have an accident in the bathroom, and you almost had a panic attack seeing that 'gory' scene. Theo thought he'd get a laugh out of it, but all he got were tears from you and a looong lecture from Leon.

Theo and Luna immediately shook their heads at your words, raising their palms. "No, no blood or anything this time, we swear"

You narrowed your eyes for a moment, scrutinizing him closely, and when you saw no trace of a lie, you decided to give him a chance.

"Hmm, let's hear it..." you conceded, as you began folding one of Leon's shirts again.

Theo sat on the edge of the bed again, this time making sure not to wrinkle the clothes under his butt, while Luna rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Okay, so we just watched a video on TikTok and Theo basically has to pretend to, like, snap back at you" she explained, adding even hand gestures to her words.

You furrowed your brows, giving them a confused look. "For the purpose of...?"

Theo smiled playfully, his eyes shining with mischief as he looked up at you. "Just to see how Dad reacts to it" he replied.

Your hands slowly stopped your work, your brows still furrowed as you considered his words. "What do you mean 'to see how Dad reacts?'" you asked them.

Luna positioned herself next to you, her phone already turned on in the palm of her hand and the TikTok app open, then she showed you the screen. "Look"

You shifted your gaze from Leon's shirt to the screen, watching the video. It showed a couple sitting on the couch, and the mother had asked her son for a favor, but he had responded with a snappy "Shut up, Mom!" shouted from the other room. The father had turned to look at his wife in shock, before standing up and marching toward his son, barking out a "Ayo, the hell did you just say??"

Luna turned to look at you enthusiastically. "There are so many more, and they're all hilarious! Every dad has a different reaction!" she said, scrolling each video with her thumb to show you.

You looked back at her, then at Theo, unconvinced. "And what would be, by all means, the point of this prank?"

"Oh come on, Ma" Theo rolled his eyes. "We all know Dad loves you and everything, but we really want to see how he'd react to something like this, okay? What would he do if his 'handsome and purely innocent' son talked back to his wife like that? Would he get angry? Would he not say anything? We want to know"

Luna nodded in agreement.

"Oh oh! And we'd be soo famous! We'll get tons of likes! Women LOVE protective men, i swear!"

You sighed, shaking your head in thought. "All you teenagers think about is likes and shares. I swear, you'll make your father and i go gray before we have to" you muttered, placing your hands on your hips. "Meh, i don't know..."

The two looked at you pleadingly.

"Come on, Mom!" -Luna

"It's completely innocent! And there won't even be fake blood this time!" -Theo

After a few seconds, you sighed again. These kids...

"Okay, i mean..." you conceded, waving a hand. "Do whatever you want, if you really want to. But only because it's harmless"

The two siblings bumped their fists, silently cheering, their minds already plotting how to put their plan into action. "Great"

Theo stood up. "Okay Ma, you don't have to do anything except give me a task i don't want to do, like... like cleaning or setting the table. Tonight, before dinner"

You stared at him with a lifted brow. "You don't do it even when i ask you to, Theo"

Luna nodded in agreement, and your son snickered sheepishly.

You continued. "But anyway, Dad's not stupid. It's not like you to act like this, and i think he'll catch onto this prank of yours. Are you sure it'll work?"

"Mom, please" Luna threw you a knowing look. "Honestly, i think Dad will be too busy making out with you to even notice"

And you immediately blushed a little.

"Get out of this room and let me finish my laundry"

So that same evening, after Leon had come home from work, said hi to you and the kids and taken a shower, while you were finishing the final touches for dinner, everything was ready.

Luna was leaning next to you against the counter, pretending to scroll on her phone, though in reality she had her camera ready while waiting for you and Theo to start acting. Theo was sitting at the table, playing with his phone at one of those games boys his age were obsessed with, while trying to keep a neutral but focused expression.

Leon had just arrived in the kitchen, finished his short but relaxing shower. He walked past Theo, ruffling his hair with a smile, and headed toward you.

"It's almost ready" you said, flashing him a sweet smile over your shoulder.

That wasn't fake, you weren't acting yet. Every smile you made was genuine even just at the sight of your handsome husband.

Leon smiled back as he approached you and one of his hands rested delicately on your hip, a gesture that had become automatic for him.

"Need a hand?" he asked, like he did every day, with anything. Typical of him. He might have had the worst day of his life, but he would never NOT offer to help you with something.

You shook your head, smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry" you replied, nodding toward his designated spot at the table. "You've been working all day, that's all you had to do. Sit down, we have two kids for a reason"

He chuckled and nodded, letting your smile 'command' him as he went to sit at the table. With his back turned, you glanced at both of your children, letting them know this was the right time, as you'd agreed.

Luna smirked silently and tapped the screen to start the video, while Theo continued playing.

"Theo, honey" you called, turning off the stove. "Could you set the table, please?"

Your son kept his eyes glued to his phone. "Can't you ask Luna?" he muttered as his fingers continued to tap the screen.

"Well, i asked you this time, not her" you continued with your calm voice. "Could you put that phone down for a minute and set the tabl—"

Theo then snapped as he rudely interrupted you, making the most annoyed expression he'd ever had on his face.

"Ugh, Mom, can you just SHUT UP for a minute?? Can't you see i'm playing??"

Luna covered her mouth with her hand to keep from bursting into laughter at her brother's acting.

But her smile faded a couple of seconds later, when the chair Leon was sitting on scraped loudly across the floor as he immediately stood up and your eyes widened a bit too.

Theo looked up at the sound, just in time to see his father now towering over him, and his heart skipped a beat. Before he could say anything, Leon quickly reached out and snatched the phone from his hands, clicking the screen off and putting it not-too-gently facedown on the table, making him jump a little.

"Dad—" Theo tried to justify himself, but your husband cut him off

"Is that the way you talk to your mother?" he hissed, fixing his usually kind but now stern blue eyes on his son's. "Hm?"

Theo opened his mouth, while Luna shot her brother an equally surprised and slightly intimidated look. Because even though they knew it would all go away as soon as they explained it was all just fake, seeing their father so angry was having a certain effect on them. And not in a good way.

"Wait Dad, it's just—" Leon cut him off again.

"I know for a fact that i didn't teach you that goddamn tone in this house, buddy, so either you apologize to your mother and do what she asked, or—"

"Leon, honey, wait"

Leon stopped when he heard your sweet voice calling him back, followed by your palm on his arm, and he turned to look at you.

"It's just a prank, love" you reassured him, rubbing your palm gently over his bicep. "Just a prank"

Leon furrowed his brows, his shoulders unconsciously relaxing under your touch, and his features softened. "What?" he muttered gruffly, turning to look back at Theo, who nodded frantically.

Luna, pleased with the video's success but still worried about the 'danger' her older brother was about to face, quickly added her own.

"I-It's a prank, Dad, we swear!" she said from behind you. "For uhm... for TikTok..."

Leon seemed to realize after a few seconds and let out a heavy sigh.

"Jesus, kids..." he quietly cursed, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head. "What kind of prank is this?"

Theo and Luna lowered their heads a little embarrassed, while you gave him an exasperated smile of your own.

"I told them it didn't make sense" you said, glancing back and forth between brother and sister. "But hey, at least no one had a heart attack this time"

Leon shook his head again, but his lips still curved upward, and he crossed his mighty arms before looking at Theo. "Why did you want to stage this stupid thing, hm?"

Theo shrugged. "We just wanted to see your reaction to us talking back to Mom. It was just an innocent prank" he confessed.

Leon scoffed, almost amused by the reasoning. "Innocent, yes, but still stupid. Like all the other pranks you've played"

He then reached out, gently flicking your son on the forehead, which made him squint.

"You don't need to make a video to prove to those 'social media' of yours what you already know" he said as he looked at both kids, calmer this time, but still serious. "If there's one thing i won't tolerate in this house, it's disrespect for your mother, my wife. Especially if it comes from my own children. So, if you don't want to see me really angry, you'd better not do something like that again. Am i clear?"

The two nodded simultaneously, mumbling "Yes, Dad" under their breath.

Leon observed them for a few seconds, making sure his words had stuck before nodding. "Good. Now set the table. Both of you. I'd appreciate it if we could eat now"

The two siblings nodded again, moving to set the table. And as they did so, Luna gave Theo a silent smirk, satisfied that she'd recorded everything, especially Leon's protective lecture.

Oh, TikTok would go crazy.

You watched them move around the kitchen with an amused smile. You had to admit, even if you weren't a fan of your kids' pranks, seeing your husband react like that and defend your honor gave you butterflies. Like almost everything else he did.

You patted his arm a few times to guide him back to his seat at the table, but before that he wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you against his side for a moment.

"You gotta stop encouraging them with these things, hun" he commented, leaning his face down to speak against your temple, and you giggled, leaning against his lips.

"Well, as long as they don't hurt themselves or anyone else, i'm willing to let them do it"

Leon sighed again.

"All for those stupid 'likes.' They're gonna post that video anyway, aren't they?"

And immediately, your kids' voices echoed in the kitchen in chorus.

"Hell yeah!"

A few days later, Luna was ecstatic to see that the video of the prank on their father had achieved the success she'd hoped for.

And the best part was reading the comments.

COMMENTS:

user: i'm sorry but whose DAD is that???

user: *sticker of cat with tongue out*

user: no violence, no belt or screaming. Just a father making sure his son is treating his mother with respect. That's a dad!👏👏👏

user: can your mother fight??

user: i need him, respectfully🎀

user: the way he immediately stood up *sticker of girl biting her nail*

user: no because, can we talk about the little speech he made with them??

user: frr man said "She may be your mom but she's MY WIFE first of all and you brats need to respect that"

user: he was so gentle too🥺

user: he's not a green flag, he's a whole green forest!!

user: ugh, i love protective pretty husbands😩😩

user: bro is so done with gen z tho'

SO GUYS, I WANTED TO TRY A NEW MODERN LIKE-SERIE WITH OUR FAVORITE OLD MAN