Chapter Text
There once was a moon, centuries and centuries ago. The moon didn’t realize just how lonely it was to exist in a galaxy all alone, until a little star found him and called him home.
-☾-
There are a lot of ways that Monday’s can go but usually they are rather uneventful for Yoongi. He doesn’t have a normal work schedule to begin with, working as a producer — a damn good one at that, it’s more of a make your own hours kind of job. Inspiration strikes at all hours of the day, something that isn’t on a set schedule. So, Monday’s are typically just another today.
That is, until this particular Monday.
He rubs his eyes again, in hopes that this is all just a very strange dream induced by lack of sleep and entirely too much caffeine. Namjoon told him to back off the black coffee and frankly, he should have listened but he’s nothing if not stubborn. Now, as he looks at the very tiny human sitting on the floor of his apartment, he thinks that maybe he’s finally cracked.
Because this sort of stuff just doesn’t happen.
Or it does, he guesses because how else would you explain you have a son that you didn’t even know existed a few hours ago. A son whose mother is — well for lack of eloquence, the absolute worst human being alive. Yoongi has to exhale deeply, just thinking of her is enough to have negative thoughts swirl around his mind.
What other way can you describe a woman dropping off her kid — well, their kid at eleven in the morning — in Los Angeles, meaning she travelled from her own home in New York with nothing more than a rushed apology. Mina was a mistake he thought he long buried in his past, meeting her when he was young, dumb and trying to pretend he was straight because his life would be easier that way. He was wrong apparently. She kept his kid from him for seven years before deciding that he should get to know Yeonjun, without even so much as a courtesy phone call. But she doesn’t want to have them just to get to know each other and figure out some sort of shared custody agreement, no — she wants him to keep Yeonjun because she can’t handle him.
She practically shoved Yeonjun into his arms, the poor kid staring at Yoongi with wide and confused eyes before spewing half assed excuses of Yoongi being better equipped to take care of him. Which, she wouldn’t even really know, seeing as they haven’t spoken in almost eight years. Yoongi could be a serial killer for all she knew — he’s not, but the point remains the same. When Yoongi tried to stop her from leaving and demand a damn explanation to what’s going on, she just looked at Yeonjun and exhaled.
I just don’t love him like I should. I don’t love him at all really and I’m not equipped to take care of him. She had said in Korean and Yeonjun blinked at her, obviously not knowing what she had said. She didn’t look back at him and ignored him when he reached a small hand out to her. Yoongi had recoiled at the words and the way she pretended not to notice her own son reaching out to her in hopes of getting away from the stranger holding him. Because that’s exactly what he is — a stranger. She dropped him off with a stranger not even caring if the person was a decent human being. She left without even so much as a goodbye to Yeonjun who watched her go, pulling his hand back from where he had been reaching out to her. Yoongi expected the boy to scream, or at the very least cry but he didn’t do anything of the sort. He just watched her retreating figure, not reacting as if he was used to this sort of thing happening.
That was almost two hours ago and now he has a kid, his kid, sitting on the floor and silently staring up at him. Yoongi had given him some cereal — it was all he really had in his house, he doesn’t usually eat at home and Yeonjun had eaten it quietly. Yoongi had tried and failed multiple times to get Yeonjun to ask him something — hell, even just ask him if he knew where he was but every attempt was met with a small nod or small shake of his head. He gripped the bottom of his shirt like a lifeline, as if it’s the only thing that brought him comfort.
Yoongi had looked in the bag Mina provided him before he left and there was hardly anything in it. A couple of shirts and a few pairs of pants and one other pair of shoes. It was far too little for Yeonjun to live comfortably off of and it had caused a fresh wave anger to settle over him.
He’s adorable, Yoongi admits to himself. He has large brown eyes and his lips seem to be set in a permanent pout, something he probably got from him. Yeonjun has hardly said a word since being dropped off and Yoongi is at a complete loss of what to do.
He thinks about calling Hoseok or even Jungkook because they are the only friends he has that also have a kid. They are wonderful with baby Kai but he also doesn’t really want to explain the situation to them just yet, especially not with it being all so fresh. He also just wants Yeonjun to say something — say anything.
Yoongi’s tried getting him to talk. He’s asked for his name which he gave with nothing more than a very quiet whisper. He’s asked how old he is and Yeonjun just put up seven tiny fingers but didn’t say anything further. He just keeps looking at Yoongi with his puppy dog eyes and Yoongi’s heart is straining in his chest. How Mina could just walk away from him is beyond him but he tries not to think about it.
“So do you like....” Yoongi starts, glances around the apartment, he’s getting desperate to elicit some sort of reaction from the younger boy. “Uh... coloring?” Kids like coloring right? He thinks he liked coloring when he was younger.
Yeonjun blinks at him. “Coloring books?” He asks quietly, it’s the second time he’s spoken since being dropped off and Yoongi was right, he speaks perfect English. “I like colors.”
Yoongi pauses because well, it was a nice ice breaker but he doesn’t have coloring books. Why would he even need coloring books? He doesn’t babysit Kai often — or at all really, his life consists mostly of takeout and long nights in the studio. Hell, he doesn’t even have paper that doesn’t have lyrics scribbled all over them.
“Oh, that’s... uh... nice,” He says lamely and he kind of wants to kick his own ass. Yeonjun frowns up at him and it’s so cute that Yoongi has to physically restrain himself from cooing at him. Or doing something equally as stupid like hugging him. Yeonjun hardly even knows him — he wonders if he even knows what it means to have a father.
“You don’t have colors?” He asks, voice shaky. The frown is considerably less cute now. Yoongi really begins to panic when Yeonjun’s lower lip wobbles and his eyes grow glossy. He really doesn’t have colors. Oh god, he’s already failing at being a father and he hasn’t even had the kid a full hour.
“I— we can get some?” Yoongi tries and he doesn’t want Yeonjun to cry. He really doesn’t know what he’s going to do if his kid starts crying.
Yeonjun stands, waddling over to Yoongi and holds his hands up, opening and closing his hands as he stares at Yoongi with large eyes. Yoongi blinks, not moving at first because this is all new to him. His hesitation must upset Yeonjun because he starts crying and it’s like his body moves on autopilot. He swoops Yeonjun in his arms and Yeonjun wraps small arms around his neck, burying his face into Yoongi’s neck.
“Wan colors,” He sniffles and Yoongi decides Yeonjun crying should be against the law.
“We can get colors,” Yoongi promises, already trying to shove his shoes on. “We can get you all the colors you want.” And it’s a promise that he intends on keeping.. He’s actually afraid he will end up buying Yeonjun every coloring pack they have on hand if it means he won’t cry. Hell, even the markers too.
He makes the mistake of trying to set Yeonjun down for a second to pull on a better shirt — one that isn’t his sleep shirt but Yeonjun starts crying again so he quickly scratches that plan. He somehow manages to wrestle himself into a plain black shirt with only one arm and with minimal tears before he’s closing the door to his apartment behind him.
He tries to lock the door but Yeonjun makes it an extremely difficult feat. He holds onto Yoongi tightly — as if he’s scared he will disappear the same as his mother and it breaks his heart a bit. He just met the kid and he can’t even imagine wanting to part with him or be the reason for his sadness, he doesn’t understand how Mina could just walk away from him like he’s nothing more than luggage she doesn’t want to keep. He tries to maneuver him but he can’t get the key in the lock.
“Need a hand?” Yoongi freezes because he’s heard that voice before and it’s a voice he has come to quite like. He pauses, turning his head slightly to see his neighbor Seokjin — his really cute neighbor that he’s had a crush on for the better part of a year but has been too chicken shit to do anything about it. The farthest he’s gotten is knocking on the other man’s door and asking if he had any garlic because he really didn’t feel like going to the store — turns out he’s allergic and Yoongi kind of wanted the ground to swallow him whole then.
Yoongi stares at him blankly for a quick second before nodding. Yeonjun’s surprisingly strong for how tiny he is and he is holding onto Yoongi for dear life at this point. Locking the door would take him a lot longer than he’s proud to admit.
Cute neighbor — Seokjin, he reprimands himself. Even if they have only met a few times, usually on the elevator at odd hours, it doesn’t mean he should be weird. Seokjin’s own son peeks out from behind his father's legs. The smaller boy is a spitting image of his father and he’s always been polite to Yoongi whenever they’ve been in the same space, even one time asking him if all his tattoos were from the same markers he uses in class. It had made Seokjin laugh loudly as he juggled his groceries in his hands and Yoongi remembers the urge he felt to just… want to hear Seokjin laugh for as long as he could. He’s a bit pathetic and unashamed about it, at least in the safety of his own mind.
“Binnie, can you grab the keys from the nice man’s hand and lock the door?” He asks the small boy and Soobin steps out from behind his father before he nods.
He walks over and grabs the keys from Yoongi and locks the door as he stands on his tip toes. He doesn’t rush back to his dad like Yoongi would expect, instead he turns to him and points at Yeonjun.
“He’s sad,” Soobin says with a deep frown and lips twitching in concern. He pokes Yoongi’s leg. “Did you take his cookies away?”
That has Yoongi stumped for a moment. “No?” Yoongi says confused because of all things he thought he would be asked, that was not it.
Soobin frowns even harder and it reminds Yoongi of Yeonjun. “I only cry when daddy takes my cookies away,” He says with utter horror in his words, as if not having cookies should be a crime against humanity. Yoongi catches Seokjin rolling his eyes at his son's dramatics. “Does he want a cookie? Daddy only bought me one but we can share!”
Yeonjun moves his head from Yoongi’s neck and glances down at Soobin. “Cookies?”
“Yes,” Soobin says, nodding seriously as if he would never lie about something as important as cookies. “I have one but we can share because you have a nice nose and are sad.”
Yeonjun looks back at Yoongi with large eyes and Yoongi is just grateful he isn’t crying anymore. His eyes are still rimmed red but it’s definitely progress. “Can... can I have a cookie?”
Yoongi is a weak man it seems because he nods without hesitating even for a second. All Yeonjun has eaten today was cereal, which isn’t exactly healthy but he doesn’t want to risk the chance of Yeonjun crying again. “Can I put you down then?” He asks gently.
Yeonjun bites his lip, looking unsure if being set down is worth a cookie. “Will you hold my hand?” He asks quietly, as if he doesn’t know if that's something Yoongi will be willing to do. He is far too concerned for someone so young. The only thing a seven year old should be concerned about is whether or not there will be ice cream after dinner or not.
“Of course,” Yoongi promises and while he was scared earlier when Yeonjun was first dropped off, he now has absolutely no doubt in his mind — or his heart about what he’s going to do. His life was never made to have a child in it but he will be damned if Yeonjun loses anyone else. He doesn’t even know the extent of what went on in his sons first for years of life but he has a sinking feeling it’s nothing pleasant.
Yeonjun nods after a moment, obviously weighing the pros and cons of letting Yoongi go in order to eat a cookie. “Okay only if you hold my hand,” He finally decides.
Yoongi sets him down, keeping his promise. He slides his hand into Yeonjun’s very tiny one and Yeonjun squeezes it. He curls his small hand around Yoongi’s pointer finger and looks at Soobin shyly.
“Here Soobin,” Seokjin says as he hands the small boy a package containing a large pink cookie. Soobin takes the cookie from the package and breaks it. He gives the larger piece to Yeonjun.
“Strawberry cookies are my favorite! You can have the big piece because you’re sad and Daddy says that when people are sad you should be nice to them. So no more crying kay?” Soobin rambles on quickly and Yeonjun just looks at him, obviously not used to the energy radiating off the other boy. “Do you like strawberries? I hope you do! I think they are the best berries. Also they are red!”
Yeonjun tentatively takes the cookie. “I like strawberries too.”
Yoongi watches Yeonjun nibble at the cookie while Soobin watches him with a dimpled smile. Yeonjun doesn’t return the smile and instead turns to hide against Yoongi’s legs.
“I didn’t know you had a son,” Seokjin says conversationally as Soobin tries to get Yeonjun to talk to him by talking a mile a minute. Yeonjun nods whenever he thinks he needs to and gives one word responses to some of the things he says but otherwise he doesn’t engage nearly as much as a seven year old normally would.
“I didn’t either,” Yoongi says in Korean, knowing Yeonjun can't speak it. He also knows Seokjin can speak it because he’s heard him talking on the phone in perfect Korean before. “Until today.”
Seokjin’s eyes widen. “What?” He also responds in Korean, picking up on the direction the conversation is going. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a very long story,” Yoongi says. He doesn’t really want to talk about it, not because he doesn’t trust Seokjin but more so because just thinking about Yeonjun’s mother makes his blood boil. If he starts talking about it now he knows he won’t be able to mask his anger and Yeonjun doesn’t need that right now.
Seokjin bites his lower lip, probably wanting to press further and Yoongi tries to keep his mind from straying anywhere and but the here and now. “Well… I don’t want to intrude or anything but if you would like to have company I’m free and also I think Soobin has decided that your son is now his best friend.” He says instead of asking for the story and Yoongi is grateful for it.
Yoongi looks down and Yeonjun is still listening to Soobin ramble on — something about sharks being way cooler than rhinos, even if David in his class thinks sharks are lame. Yeonjun is still holding his hand tightly but he’s at least giving responses that are longer than a single word.
“Well… we were actually on our way to get colors and coloring books for Yeonjun because he wants some and doesn’t have any,” Yoongi says and he starts mentally going through the other things he could possibly need. He’s never had a kid before. Do they need special things? Yeonjun doesn’t need diapers obviously but he’s never bought kids shampoo or food before, he doesn’t even know where to begin. “Probably also a bed. I don’t have a spare bed. Or a toothbrush for him. Or a—“
“So you essentially have nothing in order to take care of a small human?” Seokjin interjects, stopping Yoongi from the slowly mounting panic he was beginning to feel as he thought of everything he could possibly need in order to keep Yeonjun alive.
Yoongi nods because well, it’s the truth. Last night he went to sleep a single, somewhat lonely workaholic and he woke up with a seven year old that has his eyes and his signature pout.
“Yeah,” Yoongi exhales. “I— I didn’t expect any of this. I was supposed to go to the studio—“ His eyes grow wide, he didn’t even let Namjoon know he wasn’t going to go into work today. “ Shit.”
“Shit!” Soobin parrots and Yoongi looks down at Seokjin’s kid mortified. Seokjin on the other hand looks like he’s about to start crying with how hard he’s laughing.
“I meant shoot!” Yoongi amends quickly. He looks at Seokjin with an apologetic smile but Seokjin just shrugs.
“He’s heard worse believe me and he’s like a little parakeet, he repeats everything he hears,” Seokjin says and his voice is just so unbelievably fond. The way a parent should sound when talking about their kid. “His uncle Taehyung and his husband Jimin are the worst at keeping their mouths shut around him.”
“I’ll mind my tongue around him then,” Yoongi promises like he’s going to be around Seokjin a lot now. He kind of hopes he is. He doesn’t know how to do this whole parenting thing and Seokjin seems to be a pro. He can use all the help he can get.
“That would be appreciated,” Seokjin says easily, smile still present on his face. “But would you like help setting up the apartment for Yeonjun? I was lucky enough to have help in the beginning.”
Yoongi really wants to ask where Soobin’s mother is but he also wasn’t born in a barn and knows it’s really none of his business. He holds his tongue and instead gives a grateful nod.
“I’m just going to call my friend real quick and let him know I’m not going to come in today,” Yoongi says, giving Seokjin a small smile.
“We are in no rush,” Seokjin promises. “Binnie how about we go drop off your backpack at the apartment so we don’t have to carry it with us while we go shopping.”
Soobin looks over to his father with wide eyes. “But I don’t want to leave,” He says with a pout. “What about my best friend?” He points to Yeonjun who is looking at Soobin with eyes equally as big.
“Binnie is leaving?” Yeonjun asks quietly and he sounds so resigned to the fact, as if it’s what he should expect that it makes Yoongi’s heart ache in his chest. How many people have left him before? Does he even truly want to know?
Seokjin opens his mouth to respond but Yoongi shakes his head, knowing he should be the one to handle it. He crouches down so he’s eye level with his son. Yeonjun doesn’t look at him at first, his eyes still focused on Soobin. The other child reaches out to hold Yeonjun’s other hand and Yeonjun lets him. It’s odd how kids can sense each other’s distress without any words being shared.
“Yeonjun,” Yoongi says gently. He waits until his son turns to look at him and when Yeonjun finally does, he offers him a small but genuine smile. “You will never be left anywhere again. I’m not going anywhere, ever. I promise.”
He means the words. In his twenty six years of life he’s never been more sure of anything. Yeonjun is his now and he will never let him wake up another day with fear that he will be given away. He will never have his son spend another moment wondering when he’s going to leave him without so much as a goodbye.
Yeonjun looks at him for a moment, looking far too old for the seven year old body he inhabits. He seems contemplative, as if he’s assessing the truth behind Yoongi’s promises — assessing if there is any truth behind the words at all.
“Okay,” Yeonjun finally says but it doesn’t sound like he necessarily believes him. Yoongi can work on that though, especially since the promise is one he intends to keep.
“How about you make the call in our apartment?” Seokjin offers. “That way we can drop off our stuff and the boys won’t be separated.”
Yoongi nods. “That sounds perfect. Thank you.”
Seokjin waves him off. “You don’t need to thank me,” He says nicely. “Also no child should have to deal with what Yeonjun has, I’m more than happy to help accommodate him,” Seokjin continues switching to Korean so the boys can’t understand what he’s saying.
Yoongi follows Seokjin into the apartment and he’s unbelievably grateful for the kindness being extended to him. Today hasn’t gone in the way he thought it would at all and the reality of the situation is starting to catch up with him a bit. Yeonjun doesn’t let go of his hand as he is led into the apartment.
He also doesn’t let go of his hand as he excuses himself to the patio and Seokjin ushers Soobin off to his bedroom in order to give them some privacy. Yoongi doesn’t dare try to make Yeonjun wait inside the apartment while he calls Namjoon because he doesn’t know what kind of reaction that would incite. Instead he picks Yeonjun up, allowing the small boy to wrap his arms around his neck again. Yeonjun rests his head on Yoongi’s shoulder but doesn’t say anything.
The phone only rings twice before Namjoon is answering. “ Sup, who’s this? ” He asks as if he doesn’t have caller ID. To be fair he probably isn’t paying much attention to his phone, neither of them do when they are in the studio. It’s landed them in some pretty uncomfortable positions before.
“Joon-ah,” Yoongi says in Korean. “I won’t be coming in today, I forgot to tell you earlier.”
“ Why are you speaking in Korean?” Namjoon asks, which is fair. Neither of them speak their mother tongue often, unless it’s to shit talk when they are at American award shows or when they are too exhausted to try and translate in their own minds. “ Everything okay?”
“Yeah just some unexpected family stuff coming up,” Yoongi says in lieu of the truth. Yeonjun pulls back a bit, tugging lightly on the collar of Yoongi’s shirt. “I don’t know if I’ll be coming in tomorrow either.”
“ Hyung we have to turn in the final draft for that idol back in Korea tomorrow ,” Namjoon reminds him and Yoongi freezes.
“Fuck,” He says, switching back into English because those were some of the first words he learned in English and it comes naturally. He totally forgot about that. He’s one of the executive producers handling the song, of course he has to be there.
Yeonjun pulls away from him even more to look at his father. “What does fuck mean?” His son asks and Yoongi bites back another curse. Kids are so receptive and he’s going to have both Yeonjun and Soobin running around screaming curse words by the end of the weeks he’s sure. Seokjin is going to kill him.
“Nothing Junnie,” Yoongi says softly, the nickname rolling of his tongue easily. “It means nothing and we shouldn’t say that word.”
Yeonjun squints at him. “But you just said it,” He accuses and he is truly his son.
“Well Daddy is dumb and you shouldn’t listen to a thing he says.”
“Daddy?” Namjoon exclaims from the other end. Oh, Yoongi kind of forgot he was on the phone. “Are you calling me during sex hyung? What the fuck. Who even thinks about work during sex? Must be some shitty sex.”
Yoongi truly regrets so many of his life choices. “Shut up you’re gross and don’t project your lack of sex life with Seonghwa onto me” He says in Korean. Namjoon lets out an affronted noise when his glaringly obvious crush on one of their singers is pointed out. “I’ll be at the studio tomorrow okay? I have to go.”
“ Whatever daddy, I’ll see you tomorrow .” Namjoon says before hanging the phone up. Yoongi rolls his eyes knowing that he will be bombarded with a million questions by both Namjoon and Hoseok the moment he steps into the office tomorrow. That’s a problem for tomorrow and not today though.
Yeonjun doesn’t say anything, even as they stand in silence. He simply stares out, looking at the city of Los Angeles. Yoongi wishes he knew what he was thinking but he’s also glad he doesn’t. He doesn’t know if he would be able to bear it. He allows his son to stare out into the distance for now. When he glances down at his watch, he’s surprised to see it’s already been almost two hours since Seokjin invited them into his home.
“You ready to go?” Yoongi asks gently, careful not to startle Yeonjun too badly.
Yeonjun nods. Again he chooses not to talk and Yoongi doesn’t push him to. He can only imagine how rough the days have been on him and it isn’t even over yet. When they step back into the apartment, Seokjin is sitting on the floor while Soobin runs small toy cars all over his body. Seokjin hardly looks phased, lazily scrolling on his phone while Soobin babbles on incessantly. Yeonjun pulls his head out from Yoongi’s neck and tentatively looks down at Soobin. The moment the other child sees Yeonjun, his entire face lights up.
Soobin toddles over, grabbing the bottom of Yoongi’s black shirt. He tugs it, looking up at Yoongi with large eyes.
“Does Junnie wanna play?” Soobin asks, holding up one of the toy cars. “He can have some of my toys! I have lots and lots and daddy said it’s good to share.”
Yeonjun looks at the toy car and then to Yoongi, an obvious battle going on in the seven year olds mind. Yoongi offers him a small but genuine smile, to which Yeonjun doesn’t return and again, that’s okay. Baby steps are all he can really ask for and Yeonjun is doing miles better than he was when he was first dropped off.
“Do you want to play?” Yoongi asks, pointing down to the toy cars thrown all around the living room.
Yeonjun bites his lip. “You won’t get mad?” He finally asks and his voice sounds off. It’s the first time he’s ever heard him sound almost scared and it makes his skin crawl.
“Of course not Junnie,” He says gently, even if the storm brewing in his heart is anything but. “You can play with as many toys as you want. Why wouldn’t you be able to?”
Yeonjun shrugs. “Mommy used to get mad when Junnie made messes but I didn’t! I always cleaned up my messes.” He grips the collar of Yoongi’s shirt just a tad tighter. “I’m a good boy I promise! But Mommy said I wasn’t.”
Yoongi exhales, doing his best to maintain his composure. He still hardly knows anything about Yeonjun’s life prior to him but he has a pretty good feeling he won’t like much he hears about it. He can’t let himself crack in front of Yeonjun now though, he needs to be strong for him.
“You are a good boy,” Yoongi promises. “You will still be a good boy even if you play with toys okay? You just gotta make sure to clean up your mess after you play but as long as we do that then you will still be a good boy.”
Yeonjun glances back down at Soobin before he gives a minuscule nod. “If I play will you promise to stay?” Yeonjun asks before he’s lowered down to the floor.
“I will stay right next to you Junnie.” You will never be alone again is what he doesn’t say, at least for the time being. He lowers Yeonjun to the floor and he’s glad he allows him to easily.
It takes Yeonjun a few seconds before he’s finally nodding. He walks over to Soobin and sits next to him, his eyes following Yoongi like a hawk until he’s sitting down on the couch right in front of him. When Yeonjun finally accepts that Yoongi isn’t going to just run out the door and abandon him does he finally begin playing. Soobin gives him whatever car he wants and even gets Yeonjun to laugh a few times with his antics. The sound is like music to his ears.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go shopping today?” Seokjin suggests as he comes to the couch with two mugs in his hand. “Little baby seems exhausted and I’m almost positive you’re going to need a whole lot of things in order to set him up comfortably.”
Yoongi takes the mug with an appreciative hum. It’s coffee and he’s never been more grateful for it. He didn’t even get to have his morning cup with all the stress this morning had caused.
“I don’t have anything to take care of him,” Yoongi agrees but he also truly doesn’t feel like going to the store. It’s not that he doesn’t have the funds to do so, he has more than enough money and he’s never had anyone to spend it on — it’s just that he’s about as exhausted as his son probably is. “Never thought I would have a kid.”
“I can imagine,” Seokjin says kindly, words full of understanding. Yoongi’s is grateful he’s not being judged for not being prepared, even if he knows that it isn’t his fault. Who really expects to have their kid dropped off on their doorstep with no warning?
“Well he looks to be about Soobin’s size so he can borrow some pajamas and we have a spare toothbrush because Binnie has a tendency of throwing his in the garbage in order to protect himself from the monsters,” Seokjin says and there isn’t an ounce of annoyance in his tone.
“Monsters?” Yoongi asks incredulously. “How does the toothbrush protect him from the monsters?”
“Because!” Soobin suddenly exclaims, obviously listening to their conversation. “The monsters don’t like it when I have clean teeth!” He stands and holds his hands like little claws and twists his face into a little scowl. “They look like this and if I throw away my toothbrush so I don’t have to brush my teeth they will be nicer!”
Yoongi blinks at the small boy but Yeonjun is looking at Soobin with huge eyes. “Teeth monsters?” He asks in absolute horror.
Seokjin laughs, laying his back against the couch. “Oh god, I’m so sorry,” Seokjin says as Soobin begins walking like a monster around the living room while Yeonjun watches with parted lips. “Good luck getting Yeonjun to brush his teeth now.”
“Kids are so…” He looks between the two of them and he can’t help the warmth that spreads throughout him.
“Interesting,” Seokjin finishes for him. “Soobin always keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure.”
Yoongi looks back at Seokjin, studying him for a second. He looks young, probably as old as Yoongi but he looks like he’s fully embraced his role as a father. He has a million questions that he wants to ask but knows he probably shouldn’t, at least now.
“Did you always want to be a father?” He asks, deciding on a relatively safe question.
Seokjin hums, looking at his son who is now driving a car on Yeonjun’s arm while the taller boy allows him to. “No, I don’t think I did. But life happens and I can now say that I couldn’t imagine a life without him. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Yoongi again wants to ask a million questions but he keeps them to himself. “I just met him…” He says, looking over to Yeonjun who is tentatively running a car down Soobin’s arm, as if he isn't sure he’s allowed to.
“But he already means the entire world to you?” Seokjin finishes his thought for him.
“I would strike myself down if it meant keeping him happy,” Yoongi says, as his own agreement. “It’s odd. I never thought I would feel that way about a child. I never thought I would even have a child.” He glances over to Seokjin. “I never thought it would be something I would be good at.”
Seokjin doesn’t say anything at first, just studies him with impossibly beautiful brown eyes. “I think you’ll do great at it, at least from what I’ve seen. It’s going to be a learning process, for the both of you.”
The compliment means more to Yoongi than it probably should. Yeonjun walks over to him, placing a hand over his. Yoongi tears his eyes away from Seokjin in order to look down at his son. Yeonjun bites his lip, obviously thinking something but unsure of how to say it.
“What’s up Jun?” He asks gently, coaxing his son to talk to him. He just wants him to feel comfortable enough to be able to ask him things freely, without an ounce of hesitation.
“I’m hungry,” Yeonjun says quietly. He says it in a way that makes Yoongi think he used to get in trouble for voicing that out loud. Something in him threatens to snap. He can’t get angry now, his main focus needs to be making sure Yeonjun is comfortable. But if he keeps learning more about his past, he doesn’t know how he’s going to keep a tight lid on his feelings.
“That’s fine,” Yoongi promises. “We can go get some food if you want?”
“Or I can cook,” Seokjin offers with a warm smile. Yoongi opens his mouth to disagree because he’s already long overstayed his welcome. “Would you like to help me cook dinner Junnie?”
Yeonjun’s eyes grow wide, lightning up in a way Yoongi has never seen. “Really? I can help?” He asks in disbelief.
Yoongi can see an emotion identical to the one Yoongi feels in his chest anytime Yeonjun is surprised by kindness being thrown his way flash across Seokjin’s face. It’s clear that Yeonjun didn’t have a life that he deserved before.
“Of course you can, you and Soobin both can. Does that sound fun?” Seokjin asks softly but it’s more strained this time. He wonders if he feels the same anger Yoongi does.
“Only if he comes too,” Yeonjun says, holding Yoongi’s hand. Yoongi again wonders if Yeonjun knows who he is to him. He doesn’t question him now though, knowing he already has a lot to digest but he at the very least seems to trust him enough to want to keep him around.
“Of course I’m coming Jun,” Yoongi says, squeezing his son's hand. “So I can show you I’m the best cook in the entire world.”
“Nuh uh!” Soobin says, clambering his way into his dad’s lap. “Daddy is the bestest cook. He’s this good,” He says, spreading his arms wide. “The bestest in the whole wide world! He even has his own rest-” Soobin frowns, thinking. “Restrup!”
“Restaurant fluff but good try,” Seokjin says as he presses his face against Soobin’s. Soobin giggles.
“Yeah a restaurant! He’s the bestest cooker ever!” Soobin exclaims again, giggling even more when Seokjin showers him in kisses.
“It’s actually a bakery,” Seokjin says fondly. “But good try fluff.”
Yoongi laughs. “Well you’ve never tried my food! What if it’s better?”
Soobin frowns, stumped by the question. He turns to Seokjin. “Daddy, is he better than you?” He asks as if the mere thought is absurd.
Seokjin gasps. “Fluff how could you ask that?” He looks at Yoongi. “Now we have to compete but that will be an activity for another day. For now are you okay with Daddy’s Japchae?”
Soobin nods enthusiastically. “Please!”
Yeonjun tugs Yoongi’s hand. Yoongi glances down at his son with a smile. “What’s Ja-Jap,” Yeonjun frowns, having trouble with the world.
Yoongi picks him up, allowing Yeonjun to wrap his arms around his neck. “Japchae,” He repeats for his son who tries sounding it out again. He eventually gets it and smiles widely at Yoongi and god, Yoongi would do anything for him. It’s a bit ridiculous.
“Japchae!” Yeonjun exclaims excitedly for the third time but then he frowns. “What is Japchae?”
“Japchae is noodles,” Seokjin explains as they walk into the rather large kitchen. The apartments they live in are luxurious and large enough for about four people to live comfortably. “With lots of yummy vegetables and some beef and pork as well. It’s a special meal for a very special boy.” He pokes Yeonjun’s nose as he says it and Yeonjun smiles again.
“I get special noodles?” He asks, turning back to Yoongi. “But what are vegetables?”
Yoongi freezes at the same time Seokjin does. “Like carrots? Onions?” Yoongi asks slowly and Yeonjun just blinks. “Jun what did you normally eat for dinner?”
Yeonjun shrugs. “I dunno whatever Mommy wanted to get. Pizza usually! Oh and nuggies!” Yeonjun says. “But sometimes I was with Grandpa and he didn’t like cooking so cereals. Auntie usually made me sandwiches but I haven’t seen her in a long long time!”
Yoongi is horrified by the words but does his best to not let it show. He doesn’t know how good of a job he does before Seokjin is swooping one to once again save the day.
“I’ll show you what vegetables are Junnie,” He says softly and his voice sounds strained again. “Do you mind if I hold you?”
Yeonjun looks at him for a moment before he looks back at Yoongi, silently asking for permission. Yoongi nods with a smile. “You can go with him.”
“Will you stay here with us?” Yeonjun asks, once again making sure Yoongi won’t leave him.
“I will, I promise,” Yoongi says firmly but still gentle enough that it would scare Yeonjun. He will reassure him a million times if that’s what it takes.
“Okay,” Yeonjun says and he goes with Seokjin who hands off Soobin to Yoongi. Soobin doesn’t have any reservations about being held by Yoongi and even begins to point at each of his many tattoos and asks what they are. He indulges the young boy and even makes dramatic stories up about the tattoos in order to get him to laugh.
Yeonjun holds onto Seokjin’s neck as Seokjin explains all the different vegetables he now has laid across the counter. Yeonjun nods anytime he says anything and even nibbles happily on a carrot once he’s placed on the counter so Seokjin can be working on the food. Yoongi goes to stand next to him and watches fondly everytime Yeonjun gets excited at throwing something into the Wok.
“So once all the yummy veggies are done we can cook the beef,” Seokjin explains as he moves to grab the seasoned beef. “Do you like beef?”
“I think so,” Yeonjun answers honestly. “I dunno. Is it just meat?”
“It is,” Seokjin answers kindly. “We will see if you like it once you eat this.” He puts the beef in the Wok and immediately gets to work. “You wanna cook the beef until all the juices are gone okay?”
Yeonjun nods, looking as if he’s holding onto every word that Seokjin says. “Once the beef is done do we add the veggies?”
“Yes Junnie! You’re so smart,” Seokjin exclaims bopping Yeonjun’s nose again. “You’re such a smart boy. Why aren’t you the one cooking dinner and not me?”
Yeonjun scrunches his nose. “Cause I’m too little!”
Seokjin hums, tossing the veggies into the Wok along with the noodles and sauce. “I dunno. You’re a big boy aren’t you?”
“Nuh uh. You are bigger!” Yeonjun says. He holds up ten fingers. “You’re this big.”
Soobin gasps. “Daddy you’re that many!” He exclaims. “That’s really big! I’m only this many,” He holds up four fingers.
“But I’m also almost this big!” He switches the four fingers to five.
Seokjin laughs, scooping Yeonjun up and into his arms. The small boy allows him to do so. “You’re right I am that many, so is your dad.”
Yeonjun blinks at him. “Really?” Well that at least solves the question of whether or not Yeonjun knows who he is.
Yoongi nods. “I am.”
“Woah,” Yeonjun says. “That’s really big. Can we eat now? I’m hungry.”
Seokjin snorts. “Of course we can. Wanna be a big boy and help me set the table?”
“Uh huh!” Yeonjun says and runs towards the table when he’s placed on the ground. Seokjin grabs some plates and silverware and moves to follow Yeonjun when Yoongi stops him.
“Thank you,” He says in Korean. “You didn’t have to do any of this but thank you. I don’t know how I would have handled today if it wasn’t for you.”
Seokjin smiles at him and Yoongi finds he’s most beautiful when he’s smiling. “You don’t need to thank me,” He relays back in Korean. “He doesn’t deserve what’s happened to him and I know exactly what it's like to suddenly have a kid and no one to help you.”
Yoongi wants to ask again but doesn’t. “Still, thank you.”
Seokjin waves him off good naturedly and follows Yeonjun to set the table. Yeonjun helps as much as he can but refuses to sit anywhere else except by Yoongi. Yoongi obliges and hands Soobin off to Seokjin. They eat and enjoy conversation mostly from Soobin who rattles off in a million different tangents — varying from his stuffed dinosaur named Rexington and how he likes oranges to the kids in his school who think his dimples are cool. Seokjin listens to every word his son says with rapt attention and smiles or engages in any way he can. It’s endearing to watch, the love Seokjin has for his son is obvious.
Yoongi looks back to his son who is scarfing the noodles down at an alarming rate. Yoongi frowns, placing a gentle hand on the top of his son’s head. Yeonjun freezes, turning to look at Yoongi with wide eyes. It makes him frown even harder.
“You don’t have to rush Yeonjun. Take your time,” He says softly.
Yeonjun swallows thickly. “But Mommy always said I needed to hurry so I could go to sleep.”
Yoongi has never hated someone before is the one mantra that he has to keep repeating to himself. “You don’t have to rush with me okay?” He promises again. “Take your time. Did you want more?”
Yeonjun looks at his almost clean dinosaur plate. “Can I?”
“Of course,” Yoongi says already standing to serve him more. Yeonjun places a hand on his arm so he won’t go, obviously not wanting him out of sight. “Do you want to come with me to serve more?”
Yeonjun nods and stands with him. They walk over to the stove and serve him some more. He also grabs another juice box from the refrigerator. Yeonjun begins eating again but this time it isn’t like a starving man. He doesn’t talk while he eats and Yoongi doesn’t push him to do so.
Once dinner is finished up, Seokjin offers to take Yeonjun a bath with Soobin and before Yeonjun can say anything Yoongi is already promising to be in there with them. Seokjin bathes them both quickly and ushers them off to Soobin’s room. He leaves Yoongi with the task of drying Yeonjun off while he works on Soobin and finds them a pair of fresh pajamas.
Yoongi runs the towel through Yeonjun’s damp hair. “You okay?” He asks when Yeonjun doesn’t say anything.
“I like it here,” Yeonjun says quietly, almost as if it’s a secret he isn’t supposed to say out loud. “Do you know when I have to leave?”
Yoongi can feel the exact moment his heart breaks in his chest. “You don’t have to leave,” He promises for the millionth time.
Yeonjun studies him but doesn’t reply to that. He wonders how many promises were made to him only to have them broken time and time again. Yoongi wants nothing more than to hug him but he doesn’t, not wanting to push his son anymore than he already has been. Seokjin returns with a red pair of pajamas, small dinosaurs running down the pant legs. The shirt says “I’m Dino-mite” and has a dinosaur dancing on it. He hands the clothes to Yoongi and walks out the room with a very happy Soobin trailing behind him mimicking a dinosaur.
He changes Yeonjun quickly and picks him up. Yeonjun yawns as he places his head in the crook of his neck. When he looks at his watch he realizes it’s only around seven but the day has felt like it’s been going on for days already. Seokjin puts on a movie for them to watch and both boys settle in between them. It’s a dinosaur movie which hardly comes as a surprise but Yeonjun seems completely absorbed in it, watching the screen with bright eyes as he holds Yoongi’s hand.
It’s all fine and well until they try to put Yeonjun down to sleep. Seokjin offers to let him spend the night with Soobin, seeing as the two have hit it off and offers Yoongi the couch so he doesn’t have to leave. Yoongi thinks it’s a good idea at first because Yeonjun is holding Soobin’s hand the same way he had been holding his earlier but the moment they take him to Soobin’s room, Yeonjun loses it. He starts wailing, struggling against Soobin’s grip as he high tails it back to Yoongi.
He wraps his small arms around Yoongi’s leg, sniffling loudly as he grips his pants. “You’re leaving?” He asks and he sounds hurt. The words hold so much hurt, a hurt that someone so young shouldn’t have to feel. “You promised you wouldn’t leave.”
There is no hesitation this time as Yoongi scoops Yeonjun up into his arms and holds him against his chest. “I’m not leaving,” Yoongi whispers against his son's hair. “I promised you and I mean it, I’m not going to leave.”
Yeonjun clings onto his neck, not removing his face from Yoongi. Yoongi continues to whisper soft reassurances to his still shaking son and he offers an apologetic smile to Seokjin who waves him off. Seokjin ushers Soobin off to his own room, promising to sing him a song to sleep if he listens. Soobin pauses before he leaves to his room and runs over to Yoongi.
“Can I give Junnie a kiss?” Soobin asks, tugging on Yoongi’s pant leg. “Daddy gives me kisses when I’m sad and it helps.”
“Do you hear that Jun?” Yoongi says softly, hoping it will make his son stop crying, even if just for a moment. “Would you like to get a special feel better kiss from Soobin?”
Yeonjun shakes his head no and continues to cling to Yoongi, refusing to leave the comfort of his father for even a second. Yoongi looks down at Soobin and tries to think of something to say that will placate the young boy — he’s never been good with hurting people. Seokjin saves the day once again and Yoongi really needs to buy him a fruit basket or something.
“No kisses tonight fluff,” Seokjin says gently, picking up his son. “Sometimes people just need some time alone with their daddy in order to feel better. You can play with Yeonjun tomorrow, okay baby?”
Soobin looks at Yeonjun and frowns. “Okay daddy. Do you think if I give him RJ he will feel better?” The boy asks, looking over at his father. “RJ makes me feel better when I’m crying!”
Seokjin smiles fondly at his son. “That’s a wonderful idea fluff, how about you give me RJ and I’ll bring him to Yeonjun after you fall asleep?”
“Okay! Well let’s go then so Junnie stops being sad,” Soobin says loudly but it doesn’t jostle Yeonjun in the slightest. Seokjin takes his son to his room and Yoongi is left with a still sniffling Yeonjun.
“You sleepy Jun?” Yoongi asks, as he moves to sit down on the large couch. When he does, he pulls Yeonjun back slightly so he can look at him. His eyes are bloodshot and his cheeks blotchy from the crying fit. He looks exhausted and Yoongi doesn’t blame him in the slightest. It’s been a long day for both of them.
“No,” Yeonjun says quietly but the yawn that follows the words gives him away.
Yoongi laughs. “It’s okay to sleep,” He promises. “I’ll be here when you wake up. I’ll be here anytime you wake up. Forever, okay?”
Yeonjun doesn’t look convinced and that’s okay. He knows that it’s going to take time — a whole lot of it before Yeonjun will believe anything he says. He’s willing to wait, he has his whole life to convince him after all. Seokjin returns moments later with a small stuffed alpaca in his hands. He sits down next to Yoongi and hands the plush to Yeonjun who takes it tentatively.
“His name is RJ,” Seokjin says softly. “He helps Soobin when he’s sad or having bad dreams so maybe he will help you as well?”
“Is he magic?” Yeonjun asks, cradling the plush to his chest. “Is that how he makes you feel better?”
“Oh yes!” Seokjin plays along easily. He pets the plush on the head. “He also can grant you one wish you know? Anything your heart desires and he will do his best to grant it for you.”
Yeonjun’s eyes grow wide. “Really?” He says in awe, looking at the plush. “Anything in the whole wide world?”
Seokjin nods. “Anything. You just have to whisper your wish to him and hold him tight as you fall asleep and your wish will come true.”
Yoongi is going to have to buy Seokjin two fruit baskets at this rate. Yeonjun holds the plush to his chest and buries his face against the plushies ear.
“I wish I don’t have to move anymore,” Yeonjun whispers to the alpaca but it’s a whisper any kid would do, meaning it’s loud enough for both of them to hear.
Yoongi already knew before this what he was going to do but this just cements it more. Yeonjun has never had a real home, not with someone who loves him more than the moon and every star in the sky. Yoongi has just met him and he already can’t imagine a life without him. Refuses to even entertain the thought. He never believed in love at first sight but as he looks down at Yeonjun whose already fallen fast asleep against his chest while clutching the doll, he thinks he does.
“You’re never going anywhere ever again,” Yoongi promises even if Yeonjun isn’t awake to hear it. Seokjin does though and squeezes his arm gently.
“He doesn’t deserve what he’s been through,” Seokjin says in Korean on the rare chance that Yeonjun is still awake. “It breaks my heart.”
“It’s not normal for him to cling like this right?” Yoongi asks, stroking his sons back gently.
Seokjin shakes his head. “Not really. Soobin is still clingy with me but it’s not to a point where I can’t leave his sight without him panicking.” He brushes Yeonjun’s hair back. “I don’t think he’s ever had a real home.”
Yoongi looks down at Yeonjun’s sleeping face and all the anger he’s been trying to tamper down comes bubbling to the surface. Yeonjun is far too young to be dealing with this kind of grief. He wraps his arms tighter around him.
“He does now.”
Yeonjun has found his home.
Yoongi begins to think that maybe he has too.