Archive of Our Own ^beta

If Jimin were to say he was having a bad day, it would be a massive understatement.

Jimin’s day was going beyond bad, think disastrous, catastrophic, wishing the ground would open up and swallow you whole. It was one of those days where everything that could go wrong, was going wrong. Jimin was not exaggerating.

It began the very minute he woke up, seven am sharp (a terrible idea to begin with as early mornings were not Jimin’s thing) and forcing himself out of bed, leaving a particularly cosy and warm looking Jeongguk behind. After sleepily washing and dressing himself in an outfit that had thankfully been laid out the night before by Jeongguk, and truly, if it weren't he would of ended up leaving the house in sweatpants paired with a dress shirt, his sedated self never paying any attention to what was thrown on his body, he headed to the kitchen.

He had already planned out in his head what he was going to do, murmuring a mental ingredients list to himself as he padded around the kitchen, leaving cupboard doors open as he moved— bad habit. Jimin was on a diet, much to the dismay of his boyfriend, who actively campaigned against the stupid idea, as it was put, and made sure to subtly monitor everything Jimin ate, or didn't eat. He would offer to cook a lot more than usual, never forgetting to stock up the meats and carbs up on Jimin’s plate. He would tell Jimin that he loved him more than usual (which was already a very common phrase used in their household) and that he loved his cute tummy and he didn't need to change for anyone. Jimin knew all that, and he trusts Jeongguk when he tells him that he's perfect the way he is. He just wanted to tone up a bit, his soft thighs and baby cheeks get a bit much when you're his age. Unfortunately, they can no longer pass as “baby fat that he’ll grow out of when he's older!”
With pre-cut up fruit and left over leafy greens spread out on the counter, he set to work on creating the ‘super food’ smoothie he saw on some recipe website. It didn't look great, if he was being honest, but he figured it was as healthy as any breakfast he made was gonna get.
Throwing the ingredients into the blender and cranking the setting up to high, he hit the power button.

It was like an action movie, the way the lid seemed to pop off and fly up in slow motion, the sickeningly green liquid following suit, blasting through the air in every each direction, not only coating the walls, ceilings and floor, but Jimin too.

He figured he may not have put the lid on quite tight enough.

It almost took him a second to figure out what happened, his body frozen and ridden in shock —though he quickly broke free. “Shit! Shit, shit, oh my god!”
He shook his head and felt the gooey droplets sliding off, hitting the floor with the rest of the green puddle. His eyes widened at the full extent of the mess as his fingers attempted to comb through his hair, tugging at the sticky locks. His gaze trailed down to his front, taking in his outfit which now rest completely soaked through and sticking to his body. “God, why does this shit always happen?”

It was either his yelling of profanity and screeching at the feeling of his sticky skin, or the splattering of his breakfast hitting the walls that had his boyfriend running into the kitchen, eyes puffy and red from sleep and nothing but underwear covering his panicked body. Jimin figured it was probably a bit of both.

“Jimin? Are you okay? I heard yelling, I thou-“ Jeongguk’s alarmed spiel was cut off upon rushing through the doorway, his words tangled in his throat at the sight. A guilty looking Jimin covered head to toe in a liquid that was quickly seeping through his shirt, stood silently across the room which had apparently also been in the green firing line, as his nice and clean tiles were now painted a putrid lime colour.

“Fuck,” Jeongguk let out, hands coming to rest on his hips. “Are you okay? What happened?”
Jimin figured it was pretty self explanatory and settled for shrugging his shoulders, his eyes not quite meeting Jeongguk’s, not wanting to have to see his expression.

What Jeongguk did next was the last thing Jimin could of expected, he was gearing himself up for raised voices and disappointed tones. Laughing was definitely not in Jimin’s list of expected reactions.

Jeongguk had his hand on his stomach, spread out against the skin and his head thrown back, laughter filling the room at his amusement. Jimin failed to see what was funny about the situation.
“Look at you! Jimin, you're soaked!” Jimin was well aware. His skin was starting to itch at this point and it was not pleasant. “Your hair is fucking green! God, I never thought you’d try that colour. Looks cute.”

Jimin let him have his fun, patiently waiting for his laughter to calm down and focus to come back down to the current situation.
“Oh, this is gonna be fun to clean up.”

“Jeongguk,” Jimin started. “I'm so sorry, so, so sorry. The blender exploded! I guess I didn't put the lid on tight enough, stupid I know, but I just wanted to make myself breakfast without having to wake you up because you’ve just been so tired lately and I wanted to do it on my own, like a normal fucking human being. But now I'm all sticky and green and the kitchen is ruined and its all my fault and—“

Jeongguk cut him off. “Jimin. Stop rambling, your lisp is coming out.” Before Jimin could catch up, Jeongguk was striding across the kitchen and softly grabbing Jimin’s face in his palms. “I’m not mad. Baby, why would I be mad? Sure, its a mess, but its nothing we can’t clean up, right? You're not hurt, and thats all I care about.”

God, Jimin really did not deserve him.

“Plus, green looks good on you.”

Jimin smacked his stomach.

“But it’s such a mess. Who forgets to tighten the lid on a blender before turning it on?” Jimin sighed, pulling his face from his boyfriends grip and scanning the room.
“Jimin. I said we can clean it up, it’s not the end of the world, okay?”
Jimin took a few moments to study Jeongguk, awaiting the truth to slip out and for him to express how annoying Jimin was, how much of a bother and a hassle.

But it never came. And Jimin knew it never would. Jeongguk loved him and all of his stupidity, blender explosions and all.

Jimin sighed out in defeat. “Okay.”

Jeongguk began to grab cleaning supplies silently, knowingly moving swiftly from cupboard to cupboard, pulling out the essentials. What the hell should you use to clean smoothie off of the ceiling? Jimin sure didn't know, but Jeongguk seemed to, if the hundreds of products stacked up in his arms were anything to go by.
He placed the products down on a clean counter, stopping a bottle of god knows what from rolling off the side, all in one swift action. “Are you going to stand there looking like a homeless puppy all day, or come and help me?”

Jimin almost stifled a smile as he made his way over to Jeongguk. Almost. His sticky skin became a lot more apparent as he moved. He really, really needed to get out of these clothes.

“Can I shower first? I feel and look disgusting, Gguk. I no doubt smell awful as well.”

Jeongguk’s eyes glistened with amusement, as if he was conjuring up another one of his jokes that were enough to make Seokjin hyung proud. Jimin was sure he was going to do just that, up until his face dropped and eyes grew, a gasp leaving his lips in a dramatic manner.
Jimin was ready to ask him what happened when his arms were grabbed onto tightly, holding his body upright securely and creating his own eyes to mimic Jeongguk’s.
“Jimin!” Jeongguk practically screamed, “Its today, right? Your exams? The super important ones? The ones you’ve been studying for for months now? Are they today?”

Fuck. How could that of slipped his mind? These exams have single handedly provided him with more stress in the few months he had been studying for them, than he's collectedly felt in his entire life. These exams were everything, and here he was, stood cold, soaked to the bone from a clinging liquid in his kitchen, hair matted and pressed to his forehead. He was supposed to be cramming! Or on his way to the library for last minute reading, or something, anything! Anything other than his current state. Fuck.

Jeongguk took the way that Jimin’s breath caught in his throat as confirmation. “Fuck, okay, alright, uh, baby, you need to go shower. Quickly. Shower and change, and uh, I’ll drive you to campus, okay?”

“B-but, you have work today! Isn't there a really important meeting or surgery you have to perform or something?” Jimin babbled on, tripping over his own words in a rush.

“I can be late. You're more important, Jimin, you know that.” Jimin would have swooned at the loving words if he were in any other situation.

“But,” Jeongguk started, voice hardening. “Baby, you’re going to be late if you don't get up those stairs and in that shower right now!”

Jimin found himself already backing towards the doorway, eyes still trained heavily on Jeongguk as he moved. “Wait! What about the mess? I made it, I have to at least help you with it!”

“I can handle it, Jimin. Now go, and hurry! I want us leaving in twenty minutes to avoid the traffic, okay?”

Jimin would of stayed to argue further, but he knew Jeongguk was right. He settled for nodding instead, letting Jeongguk know that he understood and practically sprinted up the stairs, tripping a few times on his way up.
In what felt like lightening speed, Jimin was in and out of the shower, washing his skin and hair to the best of his ability and praying to god that he no longer smelt like a mix of berries and spinach.

-

Jeongguk was waiting by the front door when Jimin stumbled down the stairs, his wet fringe falling into his eyes as he bounded down, his breath hurriedly trying to keep up with his quick movements.
Jeongguk stood with his arms stretched to the sides, holding Jimin’s bag in one hand, and with his coat draped over the other. Thank fuck. He definitely would have forgotten both of those.

“Jimin! Your hair is still dripping! You’re going to catch a cold. God, why do you have to constantly worry me?”

Jimin winced at the comment. He was stupidly hoping that it would go unnoticed. Jeongguk was always onto him about having wet hair when it was cold outside ever since last year when the winter flu hit him especially hard. He ended up taking two weeks off school, and falling beyond oh god so, so far back.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry! It was just such a rush and you know I cant get ready that fast and then I couldn't find a new outfit and— hey, did you get the kitchen clean?”

Jeongguk shot him an unimpressed look, but answered him nonetheless. “Yeah, the worst of it anyway. I’ll go back over it later.”

Jimin’s expression must of given him away as his words were stolen right from the tip of his tongue before he could even think about voicing them. “Don't apologise again, Jimin. I know it was only an accident. Thankfully, it washes off easily enough.”

Jeongguk was all of a sudden shooing him out the front door as he mumbled about the time and how “fuck, they were gonna hit traffic.”

-

They did in fact hit traffic. Half an hours worth of traffic, which meant half an hour of anxiously fretting Jimin and repeatedly apologetic Jeongguk.

By the time Jeongguk was pulling up to the campus, Jimin was more than ready to throw himself out of the moving vehicle if it meant he could get inside even a fraction of a second faster. Jeongguk telling him to 'just be patient, we’ll get you there in time, baby' and his seatbelt seeming to be his only restraint against the idea.

Jimin was still muttering to himself about how they weren't going to let him in, and oh god, the door is going to be shut already, as he rushed down what seemed to be miles of hallway. Had this hallway always been this long?
He had barely given Jeongguk enough time to kiss his forehead goodbye and wish him the best for his exams before he was slamming the car door and sprinting off. He would feel guiltier about the fact but his brain in its current situation was only allowing him to stress on one thing. His exams.

-

One exam down, four more to go. Jimin attempted to ponder on the positive side. But it just wasn't for him.
Fuck. Jimin would rather die than go through that again. If it wasn’t bad enough that he had to practically plead with the professor at the front door to let him despite being a whole ten minutes late, when he finally did get let in, every single head was raised from a desk and set straight ahead at him. That had be at least, two hundred pairs of eyes. On him. Jimin didn't do well being the centre of attention. He was always more of a corner of the party kind of boy. This applied to normal every day activities too. He would even find himself blushing when the young girl at the supermarket checkout looked up at him a bit too often for his liking.

But nothing could prepare him for tripping over his own feet in front a room full of college students. His books, pencils and even water bottle were sent skidding across the floor not long before his own body collided with the hard wood surface.
Jimin almost wished the ringing in his ears from his pure humiliation was louder, he wished it was deafening. If only it could of blocked out the roar of laughter that spread across the room. Apparently exam conditions were long gone and Jimin’s embarrassment was the new main point of focus.
He couldn't bear to look up. Couldn't bring himself to even begin to retrieve his belongings from alongside his limp body.

What felt like hours but was probably only seconds went by before Jimin took notice of the laughter and snickering dying down, as initiated by an incredibly aggravated sounding professor. He felt his arm being grabbed onto, pulling his body back up to his feet by that same professor. He was hurriedly led to his seat with his belongings being picked up along the way.

Jimin didn't dare to lift his head during the whole two hour time limit.

-

Another two exams passed quickly. Jimin made sure to put all of his focus into the material. However he found himself struggling more often than not. His brain seemed to be wiped of all the relevant information he needed and instead decided to torture him by playing an audio loop of the whole hall of students laughing at him over and over again.
Jimin did manage to stay above ground level this time round, so he assumed that was a positive.

When his lunch break came around Jimin was busy weighing his options on whether he should spend the hour laying down in the nurses office, feigning a headache or hiding out in the bathroom.
He figured the nurses office would be a better bet. He could maybe even nap away some of his chagrin.
He set out on his way to the office, no need to think about the route since he had many years of experience in sitting out in the nurses office after a bad day or when someone had picked on him. He liked the nurse. She was always kind and welcoming and never let him leave without drinking that green jasmine tea he had come to love.
That tea sounded pretty good in the very moment, it may even help to settle the tenseness that had been sat heavily in his stomach since the early morning.
He was roughly thrown from his thoughts when a hand wrapped tightly around his wrist and tugged, pulling him backwards against a hard chest. The grip on his wrist was dropped at the exact same time he spun around on his heels, heart still beating in his throat from the sudden shock.

“Tae!”

Taehyung stood, an arm across his chest, cradling folders and textbooks safely and a bright as ever grin paste to his face.
“Did I scare you? Sorry! You were just walking so fast, I didn't want to have to yell to get your attention.”

“No, no. Its okay. I’ve been jumpy all day.” Jimin managed a chuckle. Taehyung had the sort of presence that made you want to smile even if you had been having the worst day imaginable. Taehyung was positivity in a human form. Jimin was anxiety in a human form. He supposes thats why they're such good friends. They balance each other out perfectly.

Taehyung’s smile dropped almost as fast as Jimin’s did.

“Oh, I heard what, uh, happened, you know… in the first exam? How are you? Are you okay?”

Jimin felt his heart sink. “You aren't even in my classes, Tae. How did you hear about that? Oh god, does everyone know? Are they talking about me?”

A sympathetic yet pitiful smile was sent his way. “I wouldn't say everyone, no. But a great deal of people know, yeah.”

Jimin appreciated that Taehyung didn't try to sugarcoat anything for him. Taehyung was nothing if not honest. But it didn't help the intense wave of panic washing over him in an instant, flooding him with further fears and worries.

“God, Jimin. They're idiots, you know that. They still act as if they're in high school, despite being grown fucking adults. I know me asking you to just ignore their idiocy, wont help, at all. But I think you may have to just face this head on. You are so, so much better than them, than they’ll ever be. Besides, they’ve probably found something new to pick fun of already! They’re like goldfish, Jimin. Their attention can never stay on one thing for long.”

Jimin’s mind only blurred at Taehyung’s words, but whatever he was saying, Jimin knew he couldn't do it. He couldn't move on and forget or whatever else Taehyung’s super positive and very not Jimin life motto was. He just couldn’t.

“Have you eaten?” Taehyung’s words broke him from his thoughts. “Lets go to the lunch hall together, yeah? I’ll stay with you, I promise.”

“N-no, Tae, I can’t. Everyone will be there and looking at me, and laughing at me.”

Jimin jumped when he found his own arm being linked through Taehyung’s and a gentle pull causing him to stumble down the hallway, Taehyung basically carrying his whole weight. “I’m doing this because I’m a good friend and because I love you, okay?”

Jimin did not like the sound of that. Although all the fight in his body seemed to vanish as he allowed Taehyung to practically drag him by his heels towards the lunch hall.

-

The hall itself wasn't particularly busy. Not as busy as Jimin had seen before anyway. Taehyung took the sight of empty tables and chairs as an opportunity to tug on Jimin’s sleeve and tell him that "he told him so", and that everyone was probably just busy last minute studying. Fuck, studying. Jimin should probably be studying, right? He has another two exams still to sit through and he was already panicking at the mere thought.

Jimin stopped still in his stride, causing Taehyung to momentarily lose his balance at the sudden loss of movement. “I should be studying, right? I mean, yeah, yeah. I need to cram, Tae! I cant remember anything! God, why cant I remember anything?”

“Oh! Good idea! I’ll help you. You’ve got flash cards, right? I can test you!” Taehyung volunteered, basically bouncing on the heels of his feet at the prospect. Jimin didn't even begin to question why he was so excited to help him study. He only nodded and allowed an overly excited Taehyung to pull him further into the fairly vacant room.

Upon reaching the entrance, Taehyung had wordlessly shoved an empty lunch tray into his grip and ushered him to the back of the line, making sure to follow closely behind.

A snappy looking lunch lady practically growled at him as she asked what he wanted, resulting in a jittery Jimin stumbling over his words before shakily requesting the pre-packed salad. He didn't get the chance to find out what was in it, only managing to see a few questionably wilting leaves before making his decision. She silently flung the bowl onto his bare tray and sent him on his way.
He mumbled out his thanks and waited timidly behind Taehyung who seemed overly occupied by pointing at multiple dishes and getting them messily slopped out onto his plates.
Jimin cocked an eyebrow at the suspicious looking shades of the meat Taehyung had piled up high, but said nothing.

“Wanna find a table?”

Jimin hummed his response, letting Taehyung know that yes, he very much wanted to sit down and tuck into his pathetic looking salad. He had only just started to notice the hunger that was niggling it’s way into his stomach and seeing as breakfast had failed to go as planned, he figured he should at least have lunch. Jeongguk would be beyond disappointed with him if he knew that he had failed to eat that multi-grain bar he had packed in his bag for him, in between exams, and that this was his first meal of the day. He could practically picture his boyfriend’s furrowed eyebrows and crossed arms, as he ranted on about the importance of not skipping meals. Jimin was exceedingly thankful at how much Jeongguk cared for him, he had just never had the greatest relationship with food. He couldn't even begin to count the amount of times he gone the entire day without even one meal, only to wake up in the early hours of the morning with his hunger clawing at the insides of his stomach.

Taehyung was a few steps ahead of him, already setting down his tray and sliding into a empty chair, encouraging Jimin to do the same, when he heard his name behind called out from behind.

“Park Jimin!”

Jimin’s head shot up as he rotated on the spot, spotting two figures promptly heading his way.
“You’re Park Jimin, right?” Two girls that Jimin had never seen before, nor recognised stood before him, all preppy and bright, neatly styled hair matching their admirably styled outfits.

“I, uh, yes?” Jimin struggled to answer, his gaze meeting everywhere but the eyes of the two strangers. He felt way too hot all of a sudden, wishing he was anywhere but this stuffy room, stuck under the heat of ageing, worn ceiling lights.

The girls smirked. “We heard what happened, you know, in the exam?” — Oh god. No, no, please. “Such a shame no one filmed it! We heard you stacked it, hard. I’d be surprised if you don't have a bruise tomorrow.”

God, Jimin really did not need this. He could of gone his entire life without having to relive that moment through other peoples version of events. His skin flamed as he forced out a reply. “D-do people know? Does everyone know?”

“Yeah,” They answered without hesitation. “Lets just say you’ll be a great stress reliever for after exams finish. So fucking funny, Park.”

Jimin wanted to cry. He truly wanted to break down, maybe dramatically drop down to the floor and curl into himself. It didn't even matter if he looked ridiculous doing so, he was already the entire schools running joke. What was the point?
“Oh, come on!” They were still going. Why were they still going? “You cant expect to fall over in front of the entire year and for people not to talk about it! Its really your own fault. For showing up late on exam day! Pathetic. Its like you want to fail.”

It didn't take long before Taehyung was rising from his seat and piping up. “Hey! What the fuck is it you? Don't act like you’ve never tripped up before! Honestly, in those heels its a miracle you haven't broken an ankle.”

Jimin moved to grab onto Taehyung’s arm, in a silent effort to get him to stop. He didn't want any arguments, or any one fighting over him. He just wanted it to stop. Needed it to stop.

But Taehyung’s words seemed to have no effect, as the girls only giggled louder, their stupidly perfect manicured hands covering their mouths as they laughed. “Whatever, get over it, Park. It was fucking funny!”
Jimin felt himself fade out. An almost physical block between him, the girls and the ringing of sounds of entertainment from his misfortune in his head. He blanked it all. It was his coping strategy. To act like his problems weren't actually happening. He could hide inside the emptiness he felt in his head if he just tried hard enough.
It was unhealthy, Jimin knew. But he just really was not a big fan of facing his problems head on.

He felt his grip drop when his gaze clung back onto the girls. They seemed like they were getting ready to leave, probably had enough of Jimin’s pathetic presence after having their fun and couldn't wait to get away from him. It’s not like he could blame them.

Zoning back in came easily, maybe too easily, as he was quickly all too aware of Taehyung’s verbal threats being thrown towards the girls, their smiles never dropping at a single word.
“It was so nice talking to you guys! But, we actually have to go, so enjoy your lunch, okay?” They had to be drama students. Who else would be able to effortlessly execute such a fake speech?

“Oh, Jimin?”

His name fell from their lips once more and Jimin was beginning to get sick of the sound.

“You’re having salad for lunch? How cute! It’s cute you're trying to work on yourself!” His stomach dropped and he was suddenly incredibly thankful for the lack of food in there.

“Unfortunately, nothing is gonna get rid of those thighs. Diets don't work miracles, Jimin.”

With a sunny smile and small wave sent his way, they left. A fuming Taehyung and mute Jimin were left standing alone, silence encompassing them.
Jimin didn't know how to feel. He hadn't been teased in such a way since high school, and back then every word seemed like a thousand. He was starting to feel the same way. That familiar numbness at the words started to set in, sedating him into a full state of distress. The girls were right. He knew they were. Their taunting plus the realisation of the entire fucking school knowing what an absolute graceless idiot he was, was wholly seeping in. And he felt little.

He felt little.

Jimin didn't know how he had masked it so well. It was obviously there, had been all along, all the signs of him slipping in. He just hadn't been able to put two and two together.
Jimin was exhausted, overly stressed and run out. The very first warning sign he experienced before slipping into little space. He also hadn't been able to be little for weeks now, his schedule of sleep, study, school, eat, sleep allowing no room in edgewise. And it was all building up.
His lack of concentration during the exams made sense. His mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
The laughter that arose as he had fallen down in front everyone brought him back to school, and the time he had tripped in the arts room, sending him flying into a stack of supplies. He was absolutely caked in paints and stickers. His poor mother had to wash his uniform a dozen times before the colours finally began to wash out. He remembers feeling humiliated, and how the kids would not stop teasing him for months on end. He guessed that stuck with him.

Jimin didn't want to feel like this anymore. He wanted to feel small, and to be taken care of.
It was dangerous, he should be stopping himself. He knows never to fall into little space in public, but it was just so tempting and Jimin found himself unable to stop.

Before he knew it, tears were welling up in his eyes as his fists balled up tightly. A little longer. He had to hold on a little longer, and then he could be as little as he wanted. But it was just so hard.
He sniffled as he turned to face Taehyung, eyes glossed over and bottom lip worrying between his teeth.

“Oh, Jimin,” Taehyung cooed, his arms already snaking their way around Jimin’s waist, pulling him to his chest and into a soft embrace. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry! I shouldn't have forced you in here. Its my fault that you had to go through that! Those horrible, horrible things that they said! I-it’s all my fault.”

Jimin sometimes wished that Taehyung knew about his little side. If he did it would of been a hell of a lot easier to keep it inside at times like this. He was terrified of making even the smallest slip up.
It isn't that he wouldn't trust Taehyung with his secret. He knew Taehyung would never think badly of him, ever. But his little side was between him and Jeongguk. His Daddy was the only person who knew, the only person who could take care of him and—

Daddy.

Jimin needed his Daddy. He suddenly longed for his Daddy’s arms around him instead of Taehyung’s. And his Daddy’s words being softly spoken into his ear, instead of Taehyung’s. Jimin wanted Daddy.

He managed to wriggle his way out of Taehyung’s heavy grip and step back a few places, fixing a smile onto his face. “Tae,” He put on his big boy voice. “It’s okay! It’s n-not your fault, at all. I promise! I’ll be okay, I just, uh, need to be alone for a while, y-you know?”

Taehyung frowned, worry clear in his expression. “Jimin, theres barely half an hour of break left. Where are you going to go? You have two exams left, right?”

Jimin knew, he just chose to push the inevitable to the back of his head, maybe if he pretended it didn't exist, it would go away. It didn’t. And Jimin didn’t know how in the world he was supposed to get through them. The only thing he was sure of is that he needed to speak to Daddy. Soon.

“Y-yeah, yeah. I, uh, don’t know where I'm gonna go, but somewhere? Tae, I’ll text you later, okay? But I really have to go.”
Jimin left a confused Taehyung standing alone as he practically sprinted across the hall and out the nearest exit. He found himself outside, the cold air biting at his skin as he ran aimlessly.

He knew a place. He used to go there a lot to study in peace during his first year. An empty bench at the very back of campus which was pretty much always free, apart from the few times he spotted a smoker or two hanging out around the area. He was lucky enough to avoid them today though.

He shakily placed himself on the seat and pulled out his phone. He needed to talk to Daddy, to hear his voice, or to text him or — something.

He thumbed through his recent contact list until he hit Daddy’s name, swiftly pressing the call button and raising his phone to his ear. Please, please, pick up.
Jimin was met with a series of rings that he would of found even more irritating if he wasn't so desperate to talk to Daddy.
The finger nail that he was nervously biting on dropped from his lips upon reaching an automated voicemail message. No, no. He needed Daddy!

Daddy must of been in a meeting. He would never ignore Jimin on purpose.
With that in mind, another option ran through his head, his fingers already moving to find the information.

Daddy had a work phone. One that he had on him at all times. He had given Jimin the number for emergencies only, telling him to only ever text the number, not call, because Daddy was always either in meetings, or a consultation, never able to actually talk on the phone.

Jimin figured that this was an emergency.

He quickly typed in a message, having to backtrack multiple times due to his shaky thumbs pressing in the wrong characters.

It didn't take long for Daddy to reply.

Jimin

daddy

sent 3:06

Jeongguk

Jimin? What happened? Are you okay?

sent 3:07

Jimin

feel really little
and everyone is being mean
laughing at me daddy
i wanna be home with u

sent 3:09

Jeongguk

Oh, my baby boy.
Daddy wants to talk to you so bad,
but he's in a meeting, baby.
So i need you to be really brave,
and stay big for me, okay?

sent 3:10

Jimin

no no daddy
cant
dont wanna be big
wanna be little but everyone is mean
i have more tests daddy

sent 3:11

Jeongguk

Jimin.
For me?
Can you be brave for daddy?
Daddy will be home as soon as he can.

sent 3:13

Jeongguk

I need you to try your hardest on those exams,
baby, for me.
Need you to be my smart baby boy, okay?
You can do it, i know you can.

sent 3:14

Jimin

ok daddy
i can try

sent 3:16

Jeongguk

Im so proud of you, baby.
Stay big for me and daddy will see you at home.
I love you, Jimin.

sent 3:17

Jimin

love u too daddy

sent 3:17

Jimin did not want to be big. The mere idea of being big only made him want to be as little as possible. But he trusted Daddy. And Daddy wanted Jimin to be big, so he would do it. To make Daddy proud.

Jimin managed to fly under the radar for the remainder of the day. He made sure to arrive at the exam hall with at least ten minutes to spare. He definitely did not need a repeat of the mornings events.
The actual exams on the other hand, did not go so smoothly. Jimin struggled immensely with everything from the dotted line that he had to fill with his name and student id number, to the four case studies he had to evaluate and explain in under an hour.
He vaguely remembered studying for certain questions. His mind only jogged when a memory of Jeongguk beaming at him from behind a pile of text books after he answered a question correctly, occurred.

By the time the final exam came around, Jimin had finished fifteen minutes earlier than the rest of the room and was practically bouncing in his seat, mentally counting down every passing second.
If it were any other day, Jimin would have been working up to the last minute, checking and double checking his answers, worrying to himself that he must have answered something wrong, despite knowing that there was no other possible options.
But that was definitely not today. Today Jimin spent those last few minutes fiddling with his highlighter pens and silently wondering why the hell he had ever thought it was a good idea to take those classes in the first place.
He had always struggled with the work load. Always missing his deadlines and handing in half finished papers, only to be given a grade less than satisfactory and told to “work harder next time, Jimin.”

Jimin wished it were that easy.

The minute that the professor was raising his hand and signalling for the class to stop writing, Jimin was practically flying out of the room.
He shoved past people hurriedly, paying little to no attention to the grunts and swears hurled at his back, too busy making his way through packed corridors and occupied staircases to care.

The walk from the exam hall to the front of campus should have taken at least ten minutes. Jimin somehow made it in five.
His body hunched over as he finally reached the front gates, his chest painfully falling and rising, desperate to catch his breath. Jimin took the moment to notice how he was the only person around as he visually scanned the car park, all of a sudden coming to the realisation that fuck, he didn't have his bus card. The small blue card had a permanent home in the back pocket of Jimin’s favourite pair of jeans. The same pair of jeans that now sat at the top of the dirty washing pile, after being brutally splattered with his smoothie during the blender mishaps.
Jeongguk had given him a ride this morning and he forgot his fucking bus card. What else could go wrong? Jimin was quite honestly waiting for a flock of birds to fly past and simultaneously shit on him, thats what it had gotten to.

He could call Taehyung and ask for a lift back home, but Jimin knew that he had a mass of after school activities to attend and after tearfully running off from him at lunch, Jimin was truthfully just too embarrassed to ask.
He could call a taxi, but talking on the phone was really not Jimin’s strong point, and it would take at least fifteen minutes to show up anyway.

After weighing his options for a whopping thirty seconds, Jimin decided that, yes, he was going to have to walk home.
For any human being who had not just had a day as eventful as Jimin’s would perhaps enjoy the walk through the city, it was only twenty minutes after all. But Jimin would frankly rather chop off every one of his fingers than walk in his current state.

Despite his thoughts, he found his legs already dragging the rest of his body in the direction of home. His mind struggled to keep up.

-

Jimin was less than five minutes away from home when he began to seriously consider hitchhiking. His cheeks were red and blotchy from the heat that his body had produced and his skin was beginning to itch under the material of his jacket. He just wanted to sit down. And if it had to be in a strangers car, so be it.
The only thing that stopped him from raising his hand and signalling to the oncoming traffic, was the picture of his boyfriends furious expression after finding out that he had gotten into a car with a stranger. Jimin definitely did not want to worry Jeongguk like that.

A tiny flame of hope kindled in Jimin’s stomach as he recognised a single tree that stood tall at the end of a path he was currently walking along. The tree was surrounded by a halo of fallen leaves, and signified the last path he had to take before reaching the street his house was situated among.
It didn't take long before Jimin was fishing into his bag for his house keys that thankfully Jeongguk had remembered to pack for him, and fitting them to the keyhole.

Jimin was met with a soothing warmth as he let the door close behind him that could only be described as home.

He was home.

Jimin had never been more relieved to be shrugging his coat off of his back and attempting to find a space on their overcrowded coat rack to hang it on. He had never been more relieved to kick his shoes off into their rackety shoe case, only to have it collapse down, resulting in him having to stack the pairs back up. He had never been more relieved because it was home.

He was home and he was safe. He could finally safely be what he had craved for so long. It was finally permissible for Jimin to go in and he found himself giggling at the thought. Jeongguk allowed him to be little. Daddy allowed him to be little.

-

Jeongguk may have amassed a speeding ticket worth the price of a whole months salary on his rushed drive home, but it was beyond worth it.
He had been let out of work slightly later than usual and as a result had found himself staring at his pocket watch a lot more often than what would be deemed polite. His consultations just so happened to run overtime which he normally would not have minded, more than happy to give extra assistance as and where needed, but his mind could only seem to focus on his worrisome boyfriend.

After receiving Jimin’s series of texts during his afternoon meeting, Jeongguk found himself unable to concentrate on the simplest of tasks. He had accidentally prescribed the wrong medication to a patient, only to receive a threatening phone call from his boss not even hours after, demanding the mix up in medications be taken directly from his pay cheque. Jeongguk could only agree.
His paperwork had piled higher up on his desk than ever before. Jeongguk had always been skilled at staying on top of his files and letters, believing that it was always better to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. However his policy was long forgotten as he told himself he would just have to come in earlier the following monday morning to get it done.

When Jeongguk had finally made it home, he found himself further panicked at the state he could find Jimin in. Jeongguk didn't know exactly what had gone down at school to cause him to slip so far into little space, but he could only imagine it was a mixture of pure exhaustion from too many late nights spent hunched over his desk, nose buried deep in a textbook, and the major anxiety over his exams.
Jeongguk also knew of the times Jimin had been teased at school, them being mostly over his issues with anxiety. He was all too aware when he had Jimin sobbing into his shoulder, clutching at his sides as he choked out the cruel story. Jeongguk would rub his back and listen, muttering lowly under his breath of how he was going to “fucking kill them”.
Ultimately that was never what Jimin wanted. He would only grab onto Jeongguk’s wrist and tell him that 'he was okay, he would be over it by morning, he just needed to let it all out, you know?'
Jeongguk would reluctantly agree, but only to see the tiny smile that would pull at Jimin’s lips in response.

Despite Jeongguk fearing the worst, he had to pull himself together for Jimin. To be there for him, and to be strong. When Jimin needed his Daddy, Jeongguk would take on a whole different aura. His demeanour would sway from an angrily defensive boyfriend, to a strong and protective Daddy.

That was what Jeongguk reminded himself as he swiftly made his way up the porch steps, locking the car automatically behind him and reaching deep into his pocket for his keys.

Jeongguk instantly noticed the silence he was met with upon stepping into the hallway. Most days after returning from work he was met by the blaring of music from the tv that Jimin loved to have up way too loud, or on his littler days, by Jimin stumbling up to him, fists rubbing at his sleepy eyes and a “Daddy!” muffled behind a pacifier.

It was very unlike Jimin to not provide Jeongguk with some form of greeting as he placed his keys carelessly on the side table and took a few steps further down the narrow room.
Jeongguk promptly took a minute to check in Jimin’s usual spots, the living room, kitchen and bathroom, all appearing empty. He must have been upstairs.

“Jimin?” Jeongguk called, his hands busy unbuttoning his coat and placing it to rest on the banister. “Daddy’s home.”

It didn't take long before Jeongguk could see Jimin come bounding down the stairs, instantly noticing how he was clad adorably in a fuzzy bear onesie. The onesie held a hood that draped drastically over his head, small soft ears stuck on top. Bear sweater paws pooled at Jimin’s wrists endearingly and Jeongguk’s heart may have grown two hundred sizes larger at the sight.

“Daddy!” Jeongguk received his usual greeting, only this time it was not spoken excitedly in a soft and sleepy voice, but more so whined out, hiccups noticeable after every syllable.
As Jimin wobbled closer, Jeongguk could detect his tear stained cheeks, sticky under the faded light of the hallway, and his pursed lips trembling as he sniffled. “Oh, baby. Come here.”

Jeongguk’s arms were wide open as Jimin threw himself into them, his head finding shelter against Jeongguk’s warm chest, and arms wrapping tightly around his waist, squeezing him close with all his might. Jeongguk’s own arms wrapped with one around his lower back, and one moving to delicately cradle his head, shushing Jimin lowly as he moved. “Daddy’s here now. Daddy’s home.”
His words only found Jimin sobbing louder, voice somewhat muffled by Jeongguk’s shirt, but louder nonetheless.

Jeongguk patiently let Jimin wail until he seemed fresh out of tears, left dry heaving as Jeongguk consoled him through it, holding him tightly in his grip the entire time.
Only once Jimin had calmed down enough to control his breathing once again, did Jeongguk attempt to pull his own body from Jimin’s slightly. Jimin grasped tightly onto his Daddy’s arms as he noticed the movements, quickly hushed by Jeongguk taking his face into his palms, thumbs running over the lines of fresh tears printed onto his cheeks. Jeongguk took one hand from Jimin’s cheek and placed it to his head, running his fingers through the soft material of his hood.

“Did you get dressed all by yourself, baby?” Jimin nodded. “My good boy. So brave for Daddy. How about we go and sit down on the sofa and you can tell Daddy what happened, hm?”

Jimin nodded once more, and with a shaky intake of breath he allowed Jeongguk to guide him gently into the living room.
Jeongguk held tightly on to Jimin’s sweater paw covered hand as he helped him to clamber up onto the sofa. Jimin instantly brought his knees up to his chest, circling his arms around his legs and letting his chin rest on top. His eyes widened as he noticed that Jeongguk was not moving to sit down next to him, panic instantly setting in. Jeongguk immediately spotted the signs of Jimin’s discomfort and quickly moved to crouch beside him, his hands resting on top of Jimin’s own in a soothing manner. “Is it alright if Daddy quickly goes to get some things for you? Hm? He’ll be right back, I promise you.”

Jimin didn't look thrilled at the idea of letting his Daddy out of his sight, but still slowly nodded his head, his bottom lip dragging back and forth between his teeth, leaving tiny teeth shaped indents noticeable when his lip fell from the restraint. “Promise you’ll be quick?”

Jeongguk smiled. “Daddy promises.”

“Now, will you choose a toy for Daddy to bring for you? Pick any one you want, baby. Daddy will go and get it, okay?”

Jimin’s body wriggled slightly at the words, excitedly wondering to himself about which of his favourite toys he should choose. He took a minute to ponder, his short fingers fiddling with the soft material of his onesie that bunched up at his waist, and his eyes tightly shut in concentration.

“Mr Puggles.” Jimin finally mumbled, barely audible but Jeongguk understood clearly.

“Mr Puggles it is then!”

Mr Puggles was a medium sized soft pug plushie that Jeongguk had bought him for christmas a few years back, and one of Jimin’s favourites. Mr Puggles had been with Jimin for the entirety of his winter flu illness, paste to his side as he slept and tucked under a sweaty arm as he watched cartoons. They had a bond.

“What about a drink, baby? Should Daddy get you a bottle?”

Jimin’s eyes lit up at the words, letting Jeongguk know that yes, he definitely wanted a drink.
“Water? Juice? Daddy bought you that special strawberry juice last week, didn't he? Does that sound good, baby?”

Jimin made a face at Jeongguk’s options, nose wrinkling in his distaste for both water and juice. He loved them both on most days, but today he just needed something more comforting and sweet, and warm.

Jeongguk seemed to catch on fairly quickly. “Ah, milk? Warm milk? Is that what you would like?”

Jimin made a little sound of approval, a long whine that dragged deep from his throat, his head also hurriedly nodding to support the noise.
Jeongguk chuckled at his response, lifting himself out of his crouching position to leave a swift kiss to Jimin’s forehead, before fully moving to stand up straight. “Daddy will be right back, Jimin.”

Once upstairs, Jeongguk headed straight in the direction he knew that Jimin’s favourite soft toy would be. Their bedroom. Mr Puggles sat discarded on the bedside table, obviously from where Jimin had last left him after playing.
With Mr Puggles in tow, Jeongguk went to switch the bedroom light back off before making his way from the room, but stopped in his stride upon noticing Jimin’s dark Kumamon blanket resting over the radiator. The blanket had been fresh out of the washer and laid over the radiator the night before in order to dry. Knowing how soft and warm it would be, Jeongguk grabbed it before leaving the room. He mostly just wanted to see how cute Jimin would look all wrapped up in the fuzzy blanket, tucked into Jeongguk’s side. But it was also nice and warm.

Next stop was the kitchen, where he expertly made his way over to the very top cupboard where all of Jimin’s little items were stored. Sippy cups, bottles, plastic bowls and plates decorated with pictures of all of Jimin’s favourite cartoon characters, and colourful sets of knives and forks, all neatly piled up in the cupboard. Jeongguk prided himself on how neat and tidy he managed to keep the cupboard, the reason mostly being the fact that Jimin was not tall enough to reach into it, therefore not able to knock anything over or mess with the carefully planned out item placement. The cupboard was also placed so high, for that reason alone. When little, Jimin had a habit of trying to make up his own bottles, or even pour a bowl of cereal, only for Jeongguk to later return home from work to find puddles of milk and single cereal shapes discarded all the way from the kitchen counters leading a trail to the sofa.

Jeongguk found a lavender coloured sippy cup towards the front of cupboard, two handles either side for easier grip and brought it over to the fridge. Jimin didn't really have preference of his little cutlery, bowls and bottles, as long as it was bright and colourful, occasionally with a cute cartoon character stuck to the side, he was happy.

Milk was soon being poured watchfully into the sippy cup, not too much as Jimin had a tendency of accidentally spilling the liquid if too much was in the bottle, resulting in it running from his chin and onto his shirt, wetting a spot on the front. And also not too little, as Jimin would end up finishing it all too quick, requesting that his Daddy make him some more before Jeongguk had even had the chance to sit down.
With a desirable amount of milk in the cup, Jeongguk knew to only place the bottle in the microwave for a minute or sometimes even less. There was a very slim line between the milk turning out scolding hot or uncomfortably lukewarm, and Jeongguk had mastered the line to perfection.

Happy with the temperature of the milk and Jeongguk was heading back to Jimin, sippy cup clasped in his right hand, fluffy Kumamon blanket resting over his shoulder, and most importantly, Mr Puggles stashed safely at his side.

Jimin instantly shot up upon seeing Jeongguk make his way back to the room, little head poking out cutely from behind the sofa. “Daddy was too long!”

“Daddy was barely two minutes, Jimin.”

Jimin humphed. “Still too long.”

Jeongguk was met with a lap full of Jimin as he less than gracefully placed himself down on the sofa. “Oh! Baby, be careful. Daddy’s holding your bottle and we dont want you getting burnt, do we?”
Jimin didn't answer. Jeongguk took the time to carefully place the cup of milk to the side table, and moved to grab onto Jimin’s thighs. He delicately manoeuvred him until his legs were placed over Jeongguk’s lap and his back was resting comfortably beside Jeongguk, pushed against the cushions. Jimin let out tiny puffs of air at the movements, but let himself be moved regardless.

“Baby,” Jeongguk spoke softly, gaining Jimin’s full attention as their eyes met. “Look who Daddy’s got.” A fluffy object was swiftly brought out from behind Jeongguk’s back where he had been hiding said object specifically for this very reason. Jimin released the most dramatic of gasps, his lips parting with a pop, eyes widening to bambi sized scales and small hands quickly making grabbing motions in Jeongguk’s direction.
Jimin looked at the toy with stars in his eyes, small mumbles of “Mr Puggles, Mr Puggles, Daddy, want Mr Puggles!” stuck on a loop as Jeongguk moved his hand to tilt the soft toys head, as if it was reacting to Jimin’s words. Jimin only chanted louder.

Jeongguk placed Mr Puggles lightly at Jimin’s feet, grasping the toy as he guided him up Jimin’s legs. His fingers were hooked under the toys tummy so Jeongguk could fix his front legs into walking motions as he moved him closer to Jimin. As Jeongguk reached Jimin’s stomach, he started to bounce the toy lightly until he finally reached the top of Jimin’s chest.
Jeongguk could tell that Jimin was seconds away from reaching to grab at Mr Puggles, his sulky whines giving him away, and quickly began to push the toys big squishy nose into Jimin’s cheeks, moving to do the same to his head. Honeyed giggles erupted from Jimin’s throat, his neck thrashing against the pillows in an effort to try and escape Jeongguk’s gentle assault.
As Jeongguk reluctantly began to slow his movements, he brought the toy down to Jimin’s face one last time, placing the nose to Jimin’s closed lips, a kiss sound accompanying the action.

As Jeongguk let his grip fall from the toy, Jimin was snatching him up almost instantaneously. Jeongguk watched on fondly as Jimin brought Mr Puggles into a tight hug, his arms squeezing around his favourite toy and legs wiggling happily.

As Jimin was occupied, Jeongguk began to open up the Kumamon blanket he had also brought downstairs, twisting and turning it to make sure it was the right side up, before gently laying it to rest over Jimin.

Jimin’s eyes opened at the feeling of the blanket hitting his body, but instantly closed into happy half moons as he submerged into the warmth wrapping around his body.
Not even a few seconds later, he wriggled a hand free from under the blanket and lifted it up slightly. “Daddy come under too?”

Jeongguk found himself being wordlessly ushered under the blanket, as ordered by Jimin, and brought the spare parts that weren't resting over Jimin’s body, to drape over himself.

“Nice and cosy now, baby?” Jeongguk asked. “Do you want Daddy to give you your bottle?” Truthfully, Jeongguk was just trying to make sure Jimin was as comfortable as possible, before they had to have the talk. They had to talk about what had happened at school that was enough to push Jimin so far over the edge that he fell into little space in public.

Jimin nodded, stray hairs falling over his eyes at the action. “Please, Daddy.”

In one quick movement, Jeongguk had grabbed the cast aside sippy cup, and was placing a hand to gently rest at the underside of Jimin’s chin. He gradually let Jimin’s lips latch onto the cup, his fingers tilting at his chin as he drank.
A few minutes had to pass before Jimin was pulling his head back from the bottle, indicating that he had had enough, leaving Jeongguk speedily moving it back up right to prevent any spillage. Only a few drops had found their way to Jimin’s lower lip, although they were quickly swept away by his tongue.

Jeongguk was about to the put the now half empty bottle to the side, but was stopped by Jimin, a small hand pulling at his wrist. “Can I hold it, Daddy? Really warm and my hands are cold.”

“Oh, you wanna warm up your hands?” Jimin hummed. “Alright, but hold it still okay? If you move it too much it might spill over the edge and burn your hands, baby.”

Jimin nodded his understanding, holding out his hands in his lap, openly waiting for the bottle to be placed in his grasp. Jeongguk hesitantly did just that, using his own hand to arrange Jimin’s fingers on the plastic, letting him spread his palms against the warmth.

Jimin held a small smile on his face, one that pulled lightly at the sides of his mouth and fixed his eyes into half moons. A smile that instantly dropped as he heard Jeongguk beginning to speak.

“Now,” Jeongguk started. “You know we have to talk about what happened today, hm? Why you felt so little?”

A panicked expression and Jimin was furiously shaking his head. So furiously so, that the fuzzy hood of his onesie found itself slipping from Jimin’s head to rest around his neck at the force. “Daddy, no—“

“Jimin, yes. Do you know how worried Daddy was when he got your texts? I didn't know what had happened to you, baby.”

Jimin’s gaze fell to his lap, focusing on the sippy cup that he had gripped ever so tightly in his small palm. “I'm sorry, Daddy.”

“No, no baby, not your fault. But do you see why you have to tell Daddy? So he can help you? Daddy cant help unless he knows what happened, can he?”

“Just scared, Daddy. Don’t wanna think about it again.”

“Baby, Daddy’s here,” Jeongguk placed his hand on Jimin’s thigh for confirmation, rubbing small circles as he spoke. “Just start slowly, alright? Did it start when I dropped you off? You jumped out the car pretty quick, baby, barely got to say goodbye. I could tell you were already feeling a little stressed.”

Through thick lashes, Jimin’s gaze latched onto his Daddy’s, finding an instant comfort in the kind eyes. Jeongguk sat silent as he let Jimin take his time. He watched on patiently as Jimin gnawed at his bottom lip, eyes darting around the room and Jeongguk could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he struggled for words.
Jimin was never much of a talker. Words never came easily to him. He would stumble and trip over his sentences more often than not, and would always allow Jeongguk to do the talking when ever possible. There were very few people that Jimin felt comfortable enough around to speak without difficulty, and when in little space, even less.
To Jimin, words were like playing blocks. He knew they were there, scattered around the play mat and stuffed at the bottom of his toy box, in the same way they were pushed to the back of his head, jumbled in with the rest of thoughts and worries. Yet no matter how hard Jimin looked for the lost blocks, they would never turn up. Not when he looked on his own. Not without Daddy’s help, crawling along the floor to get a clear look under the chairs and tables, searching high and low until the missing blocks were finally found. Words were the same. Jimin found his words when he was with Jeongguk.

With a soothing squeeze to his thigh, a deep breath in and out, and Jeongguk knew Jimin was ready to talk.

“Um, well, s-started at breakfast, I think? W-when Jiminie tried to make himself breakfast a-and it didn't work right.”

Jeongguk nodded, wordlessly encouraging a fidgety Jimin to continue.

“Felt so silly, Daddy. Jiminie is so silly to do something like that. M-made me feel all red and embarrassed, Daddy. So silly.” Jimin took a breath. “A-and it got everywhere! All over everywhere and all over me, and poor Daddy had to clean it all up! On his own! A-and thats Jiminie’s fault, Daddy. F-felt silly, and bad and it was sticky and made me feel all dirty and icky.”

“Baby,” Jeongguk caught Jimin’s attention. “Daddy told you he wasn't angry, didn't he? It was a mistake, love. Everyone makes mistakes, even Daddy.”

Jimin fell silent, words once again lost and Jeongguk took the reins. “Besides, little Jimin loves to be messy!”

“Big Jimin doesn’t! Big Jimin felt bad, a-and stupid!” Jeongguk lightly tapped Jimin’s thigh in response to his choice of words. “T-then Jiminie had to go and wash and change his clothes, b-but he already liked his outfit! It was my favourite, Daddy! A-and then Daddy had to be late t-to work because of Jiminie! And I was late to school and everything just got worse Daddy, it got w-worse.”

“Anything could of made Daddy late to work, Jimin, anything. A tree could of fallen over the path, or a family of ducks could have been crossing the road and Daddy had to wait for them to pass! Nothing was your fault, baby, I promise you.”

Jimin didn't look convinced. He only shrugged, a small pout resting heavily on his lips that Jeongguk wished he could just magic away, replacing it with a never dying smile, one with feelings as deep and honest as its appearance.
However, he settled for taking his cheeks into his palms, thumbs gently brushing against his bottom lip in a slow set of movements. “Everything got worse, baby? How? Can you tell Daddy about it?”

Jeongguk felt the weight of Jimin’s head in his hands as he let out a nod, his thumbs now moving themselves to stroke at his full cheekbones.

“Jiminie was late to his first exam, Daddy. A-and the mean man at the door wouldn't let me in and I nearly had to beg him, Daddy!” Jimin gasped out, each word as strained as the next. “But when he finally did, everyone was already there. S-so, so many people looked at me. All at me! I felt so small and oh, Daddy I was so clumsy!”

Jeongguk could see where this was going. The same thing had happened to Jimin in multiple different settings before. Despite the ability to dance as if he were the weight of a feather, Jimin had taken more stumbles and falls in his adult life than probably deemed safe.
If in the right mood or the right place, Jimin would laugh off the situation, dust himself off and move on with his day. However the wrong mood, or therefore wrong place and his world would come crashing down around him, leaving Jeongguk to help build it back up.

It derived from his anxiety, and his fear of feeling out of control in front of others. A situation Jimin could not control the outcome of was not one he walked into lightly.

Jeongguk needn't say anything more, as Jimin was soon shakily carrying on with his story. “Tripped, Daddy! Jiminie fell in front of everyone! I just felt my knees hit the floor, r-really, really hard, Daddy, and all I could hear was everyone laughing a-and making fun of stupid, silly Jimin.”

Jeongguk’s jaw tightened at his baby’s words, anger washing through him at the mere idea of how Jimin must have felt, little and scared, embarrassed and ashamed, though he fought to keep it covered.
The possessive boyfriend in him was dying to come out. His hand itching to ball up tight and find a new home pummelling into the jaw of anyone who had any role in making Jimin feel this way. But instead he kept his hand open and safe, gently cradling his baby’s pouty face.

Jeongguk must of been silent for longer than Jimin deemed acceptable, as he was quickly pulling his face from the warmth of Jeongguk’s grip and choking out a whimper.

“Oh, baby. Daddy’s so sorry. So sorry.” Jeongguk sighed, his newly free hands finding a place to rest on Jimin’s lap. “You were a big boy, weren't you? So brave for Daddy. You got through the rest of the day and stayed as big as possible. Daddy has never been more proud of you.”

Normally upon receiving praise from Jeongguk, Jimin’s eyes would light up, a pretty blush flushing his cheeks at the words he loved to hear. However today, his eyes remained lifeless and dark, his cheeks still a blotchy red from his excessive crying and Jeongguk hated it. He hated seeing Jimin in such a state.

Before Jimin could take any notice, Jeongguk was carefully removing Jimin’s fingers from their place around his bottle and replacing the space with Mr Puggles. Jimin only seemed to realise upon feeling the small tickles on his fingertips from the toys fluffy fur. He made no effort to protest, only tightened his grip, squeezing the toy beneath his fingers.

Jeongguk safely set the half empty cup to the side and focused his attention back on Jimin, who looked as little as ever with his dark lashes dotted with fresh tears and bottom lip wobbling in time with his breathing. “Have you had enough talking, love? Daddy wont make you carry on if you aren't feeling up to it.”

Jimin shook his head. “N-no, just wanna get it over with, Daddy. There’s still more.”

Still more. Jeongguk almost felt anxious to hear what else there could possibly be to come. His stomach tightened hesitantly as he softly motioned for Jimin to continue.

“S-so, it was after another few exams and I already felt bad, b-but I was in the lunch hall and there were these girls a-and, and…” Jimin cut himself off.

Jeongguk let him take his time, only hushing him through a few hiccuped whines which were threatening to break into full sobs. Jeongguk could see it coming and so tentatively began to speak in an effort to distract him.

“You said you were in the lunch hall? Did you go to lunch alone, baby?”

“N-no, was with TaeTae. He found me after exams and took me to lunch with him.”

Jeongguk hummed, making a mental note of the idea that maybe it was time Taehyung be clued in on Jimin’s little side. Jimin trusted him, so Jeongguk did too. And the thought of Jimin having a support system while at school was comforting. It felt safe to know that if Jimin were to ever feel little again while at school, Taehyung could be there to hold his hand and just help to make Jimin feel less, alone. Jeongguk would have to discuss it with Jimin when he was feeling big again.

“And these girls, Daddy, t-these girls came up to our table.” Jimin paused. “They asked if I was Jimin, a-and I said yes. B-but they were so mean, Daddy! They told me that e-everyone knew about me falling, a-and that everyone was making fun of me and laughing about it a-and I felt scared, Daddy. Felt scary knowing that everyone knows and thinks I'm stupid.”

Jeongguk’s lips parted in an attempt to speak, but he was surprisingly cut off by Jimin piping back up. “TaeTae yelled at them for me, I-I couldn't speak. I can’t tell you what he said, Daddy, because he said a bad word… a few bad words. B-but telling me that everyone was laughing at me wasn't even the meanest thing they s-said.”

Jeongguk sighed. “What else did they say, baby?”

Jimin mirrored Jeongguk’s sigh. “Well, I had a salad, a-and they saw. And they told me that my thighs would s-still be big. They would still be big even on a diet, Daddy. They meant that Jiminie’s fat, didn't they? I-I know that’s what they meant!”

Jeongguk was furious. A fury that he kept masked by a frown and furrowed eyebrows, yet sat raging inside him, burning his every thought and feeling.
His vision ran white, his fists automatically clenching, yet quickly loosening upon realising their place on Jimin’s lap.
“Jimin, dont you dare believe a word those girls told you, do you hear me?”

Jimin’s voice grew small. “Is it true, Daddy?”

Jeongguk wanted to scream. He wanted to run through town holding a poster that read ‘Park Jimin is beautiful no matter what his size!’ and to hang a sign from the tallest building in the city, if only Jimin would see it and finally, finally realise his worth.

But his voice stayed as steady as ever, laced with as much sincerity he could possibly manage. “Baby, no. It is most definitely not true. Jimin, you are beautiful, your body is beautiful, and nowhere being fat. Though if it was, Daddy would still love you all the same.”

A rosy blush began to bloom on Jimin’s cheeks. A blush that Jeongguk was used to seeing, one that was warm to the touch and would result in Jimin shyly ducking his head. Jimin did just that. His head burrowing its way into Jeongguk’s side and a squeaky voice muffled by Jeongguk’s shirt. “Really?”

“Really, really. I promise you, Jimin. There has never been a person as beautiful as you are, inside and out, to walk this planet.”

Jeongguk’s embarrassingly cheesy yet entirely truthful speech had little balled up fists lightly hitting at his stomach and a sheepish Jimin pushing his face impossibly further into Jeongguk’s side.
Jeongguk chuckled at Jimin’s response and took his unawareness as an opportunity to swiftly, yet cautiously pull Jimin from his confines and place him flat on the sofa. Before Jimin had even a second to catch on, Jeongguk was running his fingers down his body, tickling at his sides and stealing the most delightful of sounds from the smaller boy.
Jimin’s bright eyes were lost behind a happy arc as his body wiggled in an ungraceful manner. Giggles which turned into full blown laughter, escaping his lips every time Jeongguk would reach a particularly ticklish area. Jeongguk knew those areas all too well. He knew that the tops of Jimin’s thighs and the curve of his waist were the quickest route to a flushed, panting Jimin attempting to escape the tickles he pretended to dislike but both he and Jeongguk knew he adored.

“Daddy! S-stop! Tickles s-so much!” Tears were welling up in his eyes now. Happy tears, tears of laughter which Jeongguk took the time to admire just how much brighter they seemed to shine than his tears of grief. Jeongguk decided he much preferred these.

Jeongguk’s skilled fingers slowed their action, without coming to a complete stop. “I’ll make you a deal, baby. You tell me that you believe Daddy when he tells you that you’re beautiful, and that you also don’t believe those silly things said by those mean girls, and he’ll stop tickling you. Can you tell me that, Jimin?”

Jimin’s head rolled to the side, his eyes darting up to meet Jeongguk’s sincere gaze. “I dont believe them, Daddy.”

“And who’s beautiful?”

Jimin whined.

“Who’s beautiful, Jimin?” Jeongguk repeated himself, voice clear and stern.

“Jiminie is beautiful.” Jimin’s eyes clenched shut immediately after his words fell from his lips, his unease clear on his cheeks and the heat of his Daddy beaming down at him warm on his face.

True to his words, Jeongguk stopped his fingers tickling into Jimin’s sides and instead brought them up to run through his damp hair, the baby pink locks flowing through his parted fingers softly. “Good boy.”

Jeongguk watched the first unforced, unfeigned and genuine smile move its way onto Jimin’s face and he wished nothing more than to pause, record the moment and have it saved forever.
Whilst his mind was busy attempting to bribe his photographic memory into erasing all his past memories to make room for one new one, his hands were busy tucking themselves under Jimin’s arms, tugging him upright and onto his lap.

Jimin fixed himself into a comfortable position, his back resting against Jeongguk’s chest as his arms wrapped warmly around Jimin’s middle, and his head pressed back against Jeongguk’s shoulder, allowing him room to comfortably turn his neck to look up to his Daddy.
As he did, he was met with a brief kiss placed to his forehead.

“My brave prince.” Jeongguk mumbled, his lips brushing the shell of Jimin’s ear as he spoke. “How did the rest of your day go, baby? After you texted Daddy at work?”

Jimin answered hesitantly, but less so than before, a newly noticeable lightness carried in his voice. “Not really sure. I-I had more exams, but I couldn't focus, Daddy, I'm sorry. J-just, I felt so little, but I had to hide it for you and it was hard, Daddy.”

The confession broke Jeongguk on the inside, though on the outside he only sighed and tightened his arms around Jimin’s waist, tugging him even closer. He hated how Jimin had to hide such a big part of himself. But that was the way it had to be. Being little in public, especially in school, was increasingly dangerous. Especially now that Jeongguk had seen how cruelly his fellow students could act, thoughtlessly and harmfully. Jeongguk would do whatever he possibly could to protect Jimin from further hurt of the same nature.

“Hey,” He spoke softly, voice as gentle as the motions his thumbs were making over the material of Jimin’s onesie. “You never have to apologise for something like that, baby. Daddy understands. Daddy also knows how smart you are. A grade you receive from a few exams wont change that, baby.”

Jimin began to fidget on his lap and Jeongguk could tell that big Jimin’s logic was fighting to break through. Jeongguk stole the thoughts right from Jimin’s whirring head.

“And if you aren't completely happy with those grades, baby, you can re-take the exams next year. If thats what will make you happiest then we can figure it out, alright?”

Jimin visibly relaxed at his Daddy’s words, overly thankful for not having to voice them himself.

“So, for now I don’t want you fretting about those silly exams for any longer, understood?”

A giggle bubbled in Jimin’s chest at the attempted authority in his Daddy’s voice. Jimin thought he sounded as soft and kind as ever. “Yes, Daddy.”

-

The two sat in a comfortable silence for the best part of twenty minutes, which really, was unheard of when Jimin was little. He usually would want to be playing animatedly with his toys or boisterously running around the house with a worn Jeongguk chasing after him to scold him on the rule of ‘no running in the house’, which continuously seemed to be forgotten despite being repeated countless times.

The quiet didn't last for long. It never does, but both boys tend to like it that way, its familiar.

The silence was cut short by an aggressive grumble sounding deep from Jimin’s stomach. Jimin instantly slapped a hand down to his tummy and Jeongguk could practically see it bouncing due to the rumbles of his stomach. “Oh!”

Jeongguk scoffed. “Yeah, oh. Jimin, how hungry are you? Your tummy sounds pretty angry.”

Jimin’s stomach basically answered for him. “Um, well, I didn't get to have breakfast… obviously. A-and then—“ Jimin took a deep breath. “I didn't eat the cereal bar you put in my bag, Daddy, Im sorry! And I didn't have lunch, b-because of those mean girls, so, uh, very hungry, Daddy. Im sorry!”

Jimin had practically spat out the last part of his speech and held his breath as he gingerly awaited Jeongguk’s response. He didn't have to wait long. Jeongguk was soon grabbing him by the waist and setting him to sit alongside him on the cushions, placing him down beside his legs with a thump.

“Park Jimin! If you weren't so little right now, I would give you a spanking!” Jimin’s cheeks blared, his face quickly attempting to be hidden behind his own sweater paws. “How many times has Daddy told you about not skipping meals? Its so dangerous, baby! God, Daddy is going to die of old age before he’s even thirty at this rate.”

Jimin stifled a laugh. He tried to hold it back, he really did, but Jeongguk just looked so funny when he got like this. His eyebrows raised high and expressive, a deep crease set in his forehead from his straining, and a twitching jaw that Jimin just wanted to poke every time it jumped.

Jeongguk shot him a look, unimpressed at his snickering. “It’s not funny, Jimin.”

Yet the side of his lips slowly but surely being tugged upwards, said otherwise.

“It’s not funny! Jimin, dont make Daddy laugh when he's trying to be stern with you.”

Jimin finally let himself break into a fit of giggles, before clambering onto his Daddy’s lap with a well faked pout. “Daddy, don’t be angry at Jiminie.”

Jeongguk sighed as he wrapped his arms back around their favourite place, Jimin’s waist, and locked his wrists behind his back. “Daddy isn't angry, baby. Not really. He’s just worried and wants to force feed you a months worth of food in one sitting.”

“Now Daddy’s being silly.”

Jeongguk raised a brow. “You’re right, baby. He is being silly. But Jiminie was being silly by not eating anything all day too! I understand not eating at lunch, not after what those girls said to you, but that cereal bar was your favourite! Chocolate and strawberry, baby. Daddy packed it especially.”

Jimin began to fiddle with the neck of Jeongguk’s shirt, tugging and pulling at it before deciding how he should answer. “Was too nervous to eat anything, Daddy. Honest, I-I, just couldn't think about food with everything else going on. I'm really sorry, Daddy.”

Jeongguk was about to speak up when he was interrupted by an especially loud groan right from Jimin’s stomach. “Ah, well we better get something in there quickly, hm? Before your tummy gets any angrier. Daddy’s not feeling up to a fight right now.”

“Daddy!” Jimin playfully rolled his eyes and shoved at Jeongguk’s shoulder. “Stop trying to be funny like Seokjinie hyung. It’s not working.”

Jeongguk feigned upset at Jimin’s comment, a loud gasp ripped from his lips and a hand flat against his chest. “Daddy’s hurt, baby. But he’ll let it slide, just this once.”

Jimin smiled, his tooth pushing against his bottom lip and Jeongguk tried not to coo at the sight.

“I suppose takeout would be the fastest way to get some filling food in you, huh? Its not ideal, definitely lacking in the vital vitamin groups but at least it would fill you up and—“
Jimin cut Jeongguk off. A small finger pressed to his lips to stop his rambling. He only removed his finger once a smug looking Jeongguk placed a series of kisses to it.

“Uh, Daddy?” Jimin asked feebly, a hum received as an answer. “Could you, or we, if you dont mind, maybe cook? Instead of takeout, i-its just that your cooking always makes me happy, Daddy, a-and we haven't had it for a while, and its so tasty, and Jiminie is so hungry and loves Daddy so much, and please cook for me!”

Jeongguk was grinning like an idiot at the end of Jimin’s sing song-y speech. He was right, they hadn't had a proper home cooked meal in beyond a long time, ramyeon and his mother’s speciality kimchi, not counting. Jeongguk figured today of all days, would be a perfect time as any to finally cook. A practically untouched novelty apron given to him for his last birthday by Namjoon hyung sat calling his name from the kitchen cupboard and Jeongguk actually found himself excited at the prospect.

“Well then, are you gonna help me, or leave poor Daddy to do it all by himself?” Jimin’s eyes lit up as he was practically falling backwards off of Jeongguk’s lap and tugging him from the sofa, pushing at his sturdy back in the direction of the kitchen.

-

As it turns out, letting a little Jimin loose in the kitchen, was not one of Jeongguk’s brightest ideas.

It started out fine, good actually. They had a system. Jeongguk would prep the meat and vegetables, the sharp knives kept safely over on his side of the kitchen. Whilst Jimin would stir the mixtures, with a so Jeongguk thought, safe wooden spoon and plastic mixing bowl.
Everything was going well up until the bowl ended up face down on the kitchen floor, a puddle seeping out from under the rim.

They tried again. This time with Jeongguk busy over by the stove, flipping meat and stirring sauces, attempting to keep the dishes from turning out as charcoal. Jimin was in charge of rolling out dough, for their attempt at homemade bread. A job assigned to him by Jeongguk with the thought that there were no spill-able liquids involved.
What Jeongguk had not taken the time to think about, was the big bag of flour he had instructed Jimin to use sparingly, only to stop the dough from sticking.
However more seemed to end up in Jimin’s hair, pressed to his cheeks, some even dusting his eyelashes, than in the actual dough.

Jeongguk gave it one more chance, and let Jimin, per his request, be in charge of the rice. He had hiked Jimin’s sleeves up his forearms as far as they could go, and sternly told him not to even think about touching the flame under the pans.
The new job allowed Jeongguk to get on with the rest of the work, turning things in the oven, cleaning up after the many messes and ultimately kept Jimin occupied whilst he worked.
But apparently, his new job was slightly less exciting than the others and so Jimin lost interest, giving up on the pan. Jeongguk was not clued in on this fact until the scent of a burning liquid had him running to the other side of the kitchen, thanking his lucky stars that the singed rice had not actually caught on fire.

An exasperated Jeongguk was left to conjure up ideas on how to as kindly as possible get Jimin out of the kitchen. As much as Jeongguk appreciated his help, and he did, a lot, however cooking was maybe more of a big Jimin and Jeongguk activity, rather than a little Jimin and Jeongguk activity. He had managed to coax Jimin out of the kitchen with the promise of getting to use the all new colouring books and pencils Jeongguk had stashed away for a special occasion.

Jeongguk had spent longer than he would admit at Jimin’s favourite toy store, picking out a dozen new books and pencils for the boy. By the end of his short trip to the shop, his arms were practically dropping off from the weight of the gifts. He had settled on a new pack of pastel coloured pens, knowing the gentle shades to be Jimin’s favourites and a multi pack of one hundred coloured pencils (Jeongguk wasn't even aware that many colours actually existed.) However his most successful find by far was the brand new set of glitter gel pens. The same set that Jimin had been begging him to get for him for months now after seeing them advertised on one of his early morning cartoon channels. He just had to have them.
As for the books, he had picked up a few of Jimin’s favourites, ones that he had filled out and completed multiple times but would never seem to get bored of. Jeongguk was lucky enough to have multiple copies of the same drawing sat safely in his desk drawers, after being handed to him by a proud Jimin letting him know that he drew it just for him.
Jeongguk had also managed to find a few new books that he just knew Jimin would love. A few full of flowers and plants, a set of cartoon character ones and a range of food based ones, the colourless ice creams and cupcakes looking too cute to not pick up for his baby.

He also picked up a jumbo pack of candy love hearts for good measure. But those were for another time.

-

With Jeongguk trailing behind him, hands full to the brim with the brand new gifts, Jimin was happily skipping towards the living room, any want to continue helping his Daddy in the kitchen long forgotten.

Jeongguk let a bouncy Jimin rip into the packets, mentally memorising where the wrappings landed in an attempt to make cleaning up slightly easier for future Jeongguk. Frenzied shrieks left the lips of the small onesie clad boy and the contrast was almost laughable. However the whole adorableness of the situation cleaned wiped out any humour.

He received a sloppy kiss to the lips in thanks and Jeongguk was more than happy. More than happy to see a twinkly eyed Jimin spread out on his playmat, excitedly flicking through the pages of his new books, mumbling to himself as he decided on a picture.

With Jimin sufficiently occupied going from colour to colour, tongue between his lips in concentration and scribbling away happily, Jeongguk took the time to get back to the unattended cooking.

-

By some stroke of luck, the simmering pots and pans were all still in one piece as he returned to the kitchen. In fact, they looked good. And smelt good. Jeongguk actually found himself smiling smugly as he reached to turn the gas to a lower setting. He knew binge watching an entire season of hell’s kitchen would pay off eventually.

Fifteen minutes later and Jeongguk was finally dishing up. Jajangmyeon, naengmyeon, bulgogi and dishes alike sat steaming in their assigned bowls. Jeongguk found himself actually struggling to find room for all the food on their dining room table, but he made it work.
With the last dish safely sat upon the table, he set down a china plate for himself, chopsticks along side, and a sunshine yellow plastic plate with a matching knife and fork for Jimin.

Jeongguk was ready to call Jimin over for dinner, but stopped his words on the tip of his tongue upon reaching the doorway. He leant against the wall with his arms crossed comfortably on his chest and an adoration sat happily in his stomach at the sight in front of him.
Jimin lay flat on his front with his back to Jeongguk, his legs kicking joyfully above him, softly humming a tune that Jeongguk was sure belonged to a cartoon and still scribbling away in his new books.

Jeongguk almost didn't want to stop him, the sight too pure and just cute to want to bring to an end. But the responsible Daddy in him swerved his thoughts as he remembered the worrying lack of food Jimin had eaten, or not eaten, that day. He found his feet moving him over towards the oblivious boy before he could even catch up.

As Jeongguk stepped closer, Jimin practically flew ten feet in the air, throwing himself over his books and covering the pages with his body. “No! Daddy cant see yet!”

Jimin rested his head against one the pages, his pink locks barely covering a half finished colouring of a character Jeongguk made out to be Winnie the Pooh; but Jeongguk wouldn't tell him that. “Oh yeah? Why cant Daddy see, baby?”

“Because its a surprise, silly,” Jimin whispered, his cheek smushed against the ink that Jeongguk was praying was already dry and wouldn't leave a mark to his skin. “It wouldn't be a surprise if you saw before its finished!”

“Oh, is it a surprise for Daddy?” Jimin nodded. “Tell you what, If you eat all your dinner up quickly, Daddy will let you come and finish colouring your picture. Sound good?”

Jeongguk knew he wanted to finish his colouring right there and then and not have to wait. But despite widening eyes and pouty lips, he would not let himself get swayed.

“Nuh-uh. Jimin, dont give Daddy that face.” Jeongguk warned, channeling his inner authority. The same authority that always seemed to falter when met with ‘the face’. “Come on. Let Daddy wash your hands for dinner, okay?”

Jimin huffed, little shoulders shrugging at the action, yet still pushed himself off the playmat with small ink stained hands.

As Jimin marched on ahead in a grump, Jeongguk was left following suit, muttering to himself of how Jimin was lucky he looked so cute or else he’d be getting a scolding.

Jeongguk managed to wash up Jimin’s hands with little to no fuss, though only by letting him use his special bubblegum scented soap which Jeongguk thought smelt way too sweet, but Jimin insisted he loved.

With newly clean hands that somewhat replicated the scent of a bowl of sugar, Jimin was happily hoisting himself up onto his chair. Jeongguk stood behind as assistance, hands open and ready to catch a stumbling Jimin if needs be.

Jeongguk made sure to dish up Jimin’s food before his own. He always did. The surface of Jimin’s plastic plate was soon disappearing under a mountain of white rice, meats, noodles and vegetables. Jeongguk slipped a few extra spoonfuls of rice onto Jimin’s plate whilst he was occupied ripping off little pieces of the napkin Jeongguk had laid down beside his cutlery. He also made sure to replace said napkin.

Twenty minutes into their meal and Jimin was still munching away happily, big spoonfuls of rice slipping through his lips every few seconds, much to the relief of his Daddy. Jimin had insisted on feeding himself, letting Jeongguk know that he was a 'big boy and big boys feed themselves!' Jeongguk had hesitantly allowed him, raising a suspicious brow and knowing from experience that he would still most likely end up by bringing out the airplane to coax Jimin into his last few mouthfuls.

Jimin was an animated eater. He loved to entertain himself and by default Jeongguk, by mumbling words to his spoonfuls before putting them to his mouth. Jeongguk’s favourite had been the apologies to the broccoli trees because they were just 'too green and pretty to eat, Daddy!'
Jeongguk let him mutter on contently, just happy to see the large pile of food on his baby’s plate making a gentle decline.

Jimin was also a messy eater. Although Jeongguk had seen him worse, much worse, today he was still messy nonetheless.
When Jimin’s cheeks began to look the same shade as the burgundy table throw due to the amount of sauce splattered on them, Jeongguk decided as endearing as the sight was, he really needed to be cleaned up.

“Ah, look at you.” Before Jimin could even try dodge Jeongguk’s incoming grip, hand ready and waiting with a fresh napkin, he was already busy dabbing along his skin.
Jimin squirmed in his seat as Jeongguk struggled to wipe off the remains of sticky sauces from his lips, chin and the worst of what was dotted messily on his cheeks.

“Baby, stay still. Daddy needs to finish cleaning you up.”

Jimin huffed but managed to still himself nonetheless. As Jeongguk finished up wiping at Jimin’s face, he couldn't resist placing a tap to Jimin’s button nose before going back to his own food. Jimin’s eyes and nose scrunched up at the sudden action. Cute.

Jeongguk could tell Jimin was close to giving up when his movements slowly became sluggish and his eyes almost heavy from the large amounts of food.
The struggling boy didn't even have to voice his troubles as Jeongguk was quickly reaching for his own pair of chopsticks, grabbing a piece of meat with them on his way and bringing them to Jimin’s lips.

“Say ah.”

Jimin’s parted his lips passively, his tongue held out ready and a small ‘ah’ sound hummed from deep in his throat.

Once his Daddy had fed him the first time, Jimin had well and truly given up on his idea of being a ‘big boy who fed himself’, and let the rest of his and some more of Jeongguk’s plate be fed to him soothingly.
Jeongguk didn't mind one bit. In fact, he loved being able to feed Jimin. He felt more needed and as if he was truly doing his job that way. The sight of Jimin’s eyes disappearing happily at his Daddy’s silly airplane spoon noises never failed to have his heart pushing at his chest, threatening to break through due to the giggly boy in front of him.

-

Jeongguk lay flat on the sofa, a hand resting on his bloated stomach and a giggly Jimin pressed beside him. Jimin poked and prodded at Jeongguk's clothed stomach, amusing himself at the skin dipping in beneath his finger tip. “You look like you have a baby in there, Daddy!”

Jeongguk had maybe overindulged with dinner. Definitely overindulged. He had tried to tell himself the only reason he ended up eating the amount he did was because Jimin felt comforted by seeing him eat at the same time as he did. Which in itself was true, Jimin loved to copy his Daddy’s actions. Jeongguk had tried to keep them all positive but ultimately lost track of the times he found himself swearing around a little Jimin only to have to quickly clamp a hand down on his mouth to stop him from repeating such a word.
Yet today, as long as Jimin had eaten a substantial amount of food, Jeongguk really didn't need to eat the amount he did, and now lying back against the suddenly too lumpy cushions of the sofa, he was really feeling the effects.

“Oh? I do, do I?” Jimin let out an airy giggle accompanied with a gentle nod of his head. “Hm, I thought you were Daddy’s only baby.”

Jimin had finished his drawing. In fact, the first thing he did upon stumbling back into the living room was jump onto his baby blue playmat and instantly carry on where he had left off, all his needed colours expertly spread out around him. Though he wouldn't let Jeongguk see his masterpiece yet, insisting that he was saving it for a special day as it was an "extra special drawing that he worked super-duper hard on".
Jeongguk on the other hand had collapsed on top of the sofa, dozily tugging Jimin’s Kumamon blanket over himself and almost dropping off. He was sure he wasn't far from the sweet release of sleep until gentle prods at his stomach were ripping him right from any chance he had of a blissful nap.

“I am! Jiminie is Daddy’s only baby, and his tiniest baby and his—“ Jimin stopped to bring his voice to a whisper. “—cutest baby.”

“Oh, my baby is the cutest, huh?” Jeongguk nudged Jimin’s knees from their position resting over his lap. “What did I feed you to get you so cute?”

Jimin shyly shrugged, his cherub cheeks dusted a light pink and eyes shining slightly from the reflection that descended from the tv playing softly in the room, providing a gentle background noise and warmed toned light.

A fond Jeongguk was swiftly tugging Jimin down to his chest, swaddling him in his blanket and wrapping his arms around his middle tightly. Which is where they stayed until Jimin was all of a sudden dramatically gasping and pulling himself up and out his Daddy’s grip so fast Jeongguk was sure he was going to get whiplash.

“Daddy! What’s the time?”

Startled, Jeongguk raised his wrist, the left, which was clad with a ridiculously expensive gold plated watch that Jimin had bought him for his last birthday, and checked the tiny roman numeral numbers. So fancy, really, but Jimin refused to let him return it, assuring him that he wanted him to have it.
“Coming up to eight, baby. Why?”

Jimin practically flew from the sofa to the carpet, grabbing the remote control and nearly knocking Jeongguk out on his way back up. “My show, Daddy! My favourite cartoon, you know?”

Jeongguk did know. The show had quickly become a favourite of his too, not that he really followed what was happening, he let Jimin fill him in on that. But he found the colourful characters pleasant enough to watch, especially when he had an overly excited Jimin on his lap for company.

“Theres a new episode on this week! Missed it earlier, was on during school, but the re-run is at eight! I can’t miss it again, Daddy!”

-

One episode had quickly turned into five, but in Jeongguk’s defence, he had a begging Jimin tugging on his arm and whining to watch 'just one more, Daddy!'
Five had soon turned to seven, and approaching the eighth Jeongguk was welcomed with the soft sound of gentle puffs of air, warm against his clothed thigh, the same place Jimin had been resting his head since the beginning of the third episode.
Jeongguk didn't know exactly how long Jimin had been asleep for, but knew he had to take his sleeping beauty to bed soon, or else he would be graced by a grumpy Jimin come morning time, disgruntled and refusing to leave bed and most likely throwing tantrums throughout the day.

With that picture in mind, Jeongguk was gently shifting himself so he could scoot out from under the warm body, and let Jimin curl up in the newly found space.
If Jeongguk was any less rational, he would have taken a picture, Jimin wrapped up in himself, fluffy hood resting lightly over his messy hair and eyes fluttered shut, too cute of a sight to pass up. Yet the Daddy in him told him he would have plenty more opportunities to see Jimin in such a way, and that he just needed to be put to bed.

Jeongguk brought an arm to move under Jimin’s legs, fitting right beneath his bent knees, and brought the other arm to rest under his shoulders. As he tugged Jimin up towards him, the position seemed to shift itself as an unaware Jimin was senselessly wrapping his legs around Jeongguk’s waist, hooking his ankles behind his back and draping his limp arms around his neck.
His head also fell against the muscle of Jeongguk’s shoulder, his face moving to find a place smushed against his neck.

Jeongguk let out a breathy laugh at Jimin’s unconscious choice of movements, and set his own arms with one pressed under his thighs, holding him upright, and one holding his back, his hand spread open against the surface. He also managed to grab Mr Puggles on his way out, the poor toy left dangling by its ear between Jeongguk’s fingers.

Jeongguk only became aware of the awkward position as he was juggling his attempt at keeping Jimin asleep and docile in his arms, whilst also trying not to trip backwards and end up falling down the stairs.
Jimin wasn't at all heavy, but Jeongguk wasn't exactly strong. Jeongguk wasn't new to carrying a little Jimin around, but his struggled steps up the stairs really reminded him he should maybe start using his discarded gym membership again at sometime.

With both boys safely up the stairs and in the comfort of their room, Jeongguk was laying Jimin down as gently as physically possible, amongst the mess of pillows and unmade bed sheets. Surprisingly, Jimin stayed silent during the whole exchange of movements, only a few sleepy whines leaving his lips once his body was softly taken from the warmth of Jeongguk’s chest and laid against the bed. His eyes screwed tightly shut a handful of times as Jeongguk was tucking him in and he was sure the smaller boy was going to wake, yet he only rolled over, leaving his stomach flat against the sheets and cheek pressed on the soft pillow, still as silent as ever.
Jeongguk was almost suspicious at the silence and lack of movement coming from Jimin, but only pressed a tender kiss to his warm forehead, brushing his hair back and from his eyes as he moved.

With one last look toward a listless Jimin buried under a mountain of sheets and Mr Puggles tucked securely at his side, Jeongguk was letting the bedroom door shut behind him, slowly, to prevent any noise.

-

Jeongguk would have loved to go to bed himself. His day also hadn't been the greatest and nothing sounded better than curling up with his favourite boy under the sheets and sleeping away the stress of the day. Yet, alas. He still had Daddy things to take care of. The kitchen was not going to clean itself as much as he wished it were like one of the Disney movies he watches with Jimin, where the princess only has to call out the window and all the cute forrest animals come running. No, it was just Jeongguk, no maid-like animals to help him.

With one quick glance to his watch and discovering it was just past ten, Jeongguk figured he had to get started soon or else he would end up talking himself out of it.

He gave himself a quick pat to the cheeks to fight off any impending drowsiness and busied himself with the clearing of plates, bowls and empty dishes from the table. With the pots and pans used for cooking now sat in a deep soak that he would worry about in the morning, he only had to wipe up a few dirty surfaces before deeming the kitchen acceptable.

Jeongguk figured the only thing he had left to do was something he hadn't even decided was a good idea or not yet. Yet some part of his brain must of decided for him as his feet were quickly moving him in the direction of his office and setting him down on his worn leather chair with a sigh.

Jeongguk had debated whether or not to send an email to Jimin’s college regarding the issues he’s had not only today, but multiple times with students and the work load alike.
Whilst Jimin was busy giggling at his favourite characters on his cartoon, Jeongguk was busy deciding whether he should wait until morning and call, but ultimately figuring that the issue was too complicated to voice over the phone. He had automatically crossed out the option of going to speak to the school in person, knowing just how embarrassed Jimin would be if anyone were to see his boyfriend in the middle of his school.

So here Jeongguk was, settled on emailing the college instead, new tab already opened and waiting.

He let hands take over, moving freely to let out what his mind was thinking. He tried to get down everything, from the cruel way he had and has been treated by students, and the difficulty he sometimes had keeping up with his work. He had left out certain situations of course, the principle definitely did not need to know about little Jimin.

By the end of his email, he felt a physical weight lifted off his chest. Probably more so metaphorical, but it felt lighter nonetheless. Jeongguk had requested for the issue to be kept from Jimin himself, he did not need Jimin suddenly surrounded and approached by a dozen members of staff the next time he was in school. He simply asked what could be done for the issues at present, suggesting the school counsellor make a slot in her schedule to speak with Jimin, and for more serious consequences to be given to students found to be bullying or threatening.

He felt like an actual parent by the time he had hit send, knowing the whole email to be something more likely done by a mother of a first year student in high school who had just come home crying because a group of kids made fun of her shoes. He knew that. He also knew that when he eventually told Jimin, definitely some time before he goes back to school, he will most likely be extremely angry with his boyfriend. Jeongguk could even see Jimin ignoring him for a few days, just to get his point across. But ultimately he could deal with all that. Even the small frown and hurt on Jimin’s face that would no doubt be visible every time he looked at Jeongguk for a short period of time, no matter how much it pained him.
He could deal with it because if it was going to help Jimin in the long run, make his school life easier and just make him the tiniest be happier, it would be worth it. Jeongguk can only do so much, and the email felt like a good start. As much as Jeongguk would like to take the matter into his own hands and beat up every single student that brought any hurt to Jimin, he's only one man, he only has two fists.

As Jeongguk was about to shut down his computer, he found himself getting distracted his own personal work emails, his inbox never seeming to be empty for long.
He had probably spent another good hour clicking through his newest emails, picking and choosing which to answer. He left the longer ones, the ones that required actual professional opinion and thinking opened, ready to be answered another time, and just replied to the short and sweet ones. Ones requesting a new order of a certain medication to be made, or double checking the time of an appointment or—

“Daddy?”

Jeongguk’s head shot up upon hearing the muffled voice, instantly being met with the sight of the door pushed slightly ajar and a head of disheveled pink hair poking through.

Jimin’s eyes widened as he found Jeongguk staring back at him and he let himself stumble into the room, uncoordinatedly, with little fists rubbing at tired eyes.
Jeongguk was out of his seat the second he saw Jimin wobbling closer, already leaning down, holding out his hands for Jimin to grab onto.

“Baby, what are you doing up?”

“W-woke up, and you weren't there, Daddy. I-I had to come and find you,” Jimin whined, his sweater paws covering Jeongguk’s waiting hands. “Missed you.”

“Oh no, Daddy’s sorry, baby.” Jeongguk ran his fingers through Jimin’s hair, letting him nuzzle into the feeling. “Does Jiminie want Daddy to come to back to bed with him now?”

Jimin just whined his answer, long and clingy in tone and so Jeongguk took it as a yes.

“Come on then, angel. Lets get you back to bed.” Jeongguk slotted his fingers through Jimin’s smaller ones with one hand, and leant slightly to the left to hit close on his computer tabs with the other, all in one swift movement.

“What were you doing, Daddy?”

Jeongguk hummed, a small smile playing on his lips upon finding Jimin looking up at him, wide eyed and expectant. “Nothing for you to worry about, baby.”

Jeongguk led Jimin from his office by hand, guiding the sleepy boy back in the direction of their bedroom. As they both stepped into the comfort of their room, Jimin was pulling himself away from Jeongguk and running over to the bed, jumping up and landing skilfully on his hands and knees.

Jeongguk raised an eyebrow, quickly working on tugging his shirt over his head and pulling his jeans from his legs. “Where did you just get that spark of energy from? Huh, little one?”

Jimin was giggling into his palm once Jeongguk joined him up on the bed, dressed in his boxers and a old t-shirt. As Jeongguk settled onto his side of the bed, propping two pillows up to support his back, Jimin was climbing over and parking himself right on his Daddy’s lap.

“Hm, not tired anymore, Daddy. Can we play?”

“Excuse me, mister. Do you know how late it is?” Jimin shook his head, “Late. Definitely too late for baby boys like you.”

Jimin huffed in defeat. “Still not sleepy.”

“Do you want Daddy to read to you? Will that help you feel tired again?”

Jimin was throwing himself off of Jeongguk’s lap and rolling to his side of the bed in a flash, tugging his own covers up to his chin and grabbing at a discarded Mr Puggles to join him at his side. “Please, Daddy.”

Jeongguk sighed contently and began to move his legs over the side of the bed, ready to go and grab a book from the small shelf to the corner of their room. “Let Daddy go and choose a story then—“

“No!” His arm was grabbed onto before he could make it out the covers, and caused him to fall back against the sheets. “Um, could Daddy tell me a story? Not from a book, but one of Daddy’s stories.”

“Oh, of course, baby. Daddy isn't a story teller though, angel. So you have to let me know if its too boring, and I can throw a dragon or two in there, yeah?”

Jimin was pawing at Jeongguk’s chest with a groan. “Jiminie loves Daddy’s stories. And he doesn't like dragons.”

“Oh no, Daddy’s mistake!” Jeongguk gasped, using Jimin’s own hand to cover his mouth and his pretend shock. “What should I use instead of dragons then, baby?”

“Fairies! Or, um, or unicorns!” Jimin spouted excitedly, “They’re much prettier than dragons.”

Jeongguk hummed his agreement, nodding to support the noise. “Okay, so, no dragons, and lots of pretty unicorns and fairies. Is that sounding good?”

“Yes! But um, they cant live in a castle. Every fairytale has castles, Daddy.”

“No castles, okay, uh… What about a pretty meadow instead?” Jeongguk offered, “Lots of flowers and trees and they can live in a nice, cosy cottage right in the middle. How about that, baby?”

Jeongguk knew he hit a good answer as Jimin was wiggling around under the sheets, eyes brimming with excitement.
Jeongguk opened his arms, widening them in an offer for Jimin to crawl into them. Which he did, quickly and settled himself on Jeongguk’s waiting chest, their legs meeting to tangle together under the warm sheets. “Well, my little prince, strap yourself in and prepare for the best story that theres—ever—been!”

They both fell asleep not even ten minutes into the story, barely half way through, when a group of unicorns had managed to escape the stables, getting lost in the meadows, leaving the fairies to set out on a mission to find them.
In Jimin’s dream, they found them, of course. Everyone got home safely, and lived together happily. Almost as safe and happy as he felt wrapped up in his Daddy’s arms with his cheek squished up against his rising and falling chest.
In Jeongguk’s dream, he had long forgotten about flowery meadows and dainty fairies, and instead lost himself in the feeling of Jimin pressed against him, secure and peaceful beside him and that was the happiest ending to any fairytale in Jeongguk’s view.