Archive of Our Own ^beta

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.

Chapter Text

The little star didn’t know just what it meant to the moon, to be there even when the sky turned blue. The little star didn’t know how it had made all of the moon’s dreams come true. For the moon had been alone before but now it had someone to shine for. 

-☾-

When Yoongi comes to, it's to a weight on his chest and a dry mouth. He smacks his lips together, trying to wet them and get rid of the gross cotton mouth feeling. He looks down at his chest to see Yeonjun sleeping soundly. His neck aches and he’s almost positive his arm is asleep under his son but he doesn’t make any sort of attempt to move. Yeonjun deserves all the sleep he can get, even if it comes at the expense of Yoongi’s own comfort. Surprisingly, it wasn’t very hard to get him to stay asleep. 

He hears some shuffling coming from what he remembers as Soobin’s room. He glances down at his watch and sees that it’s a little past six thirty in the morning. The only time he’s up this early is when he’s still holed up in the studio, stuck on a beat that doesn’t sound quite right or in a flow that he wouldn’t dare disrupt. A few minutes later he hears Seokjin ushering a still sleepy toddler out of his room. 

“You’re awake?” Seokjin asks in a whisper, taking note of the very much asleep Yeonjun against his chest.

“Yeah, the couch is a little uncomfortable,” Yoongi whispers back. “But thank you for letting us stay here. I know we hardly know each other so it means a lot.”

“Nonsense, you’re welcome to stay whenever you need.” Seokjin waves him off and sits Soobin down on the table. The poor boy hardly keeps his eyes open, head dropping onto the table as soon as his father walks away from. Seokjin snorts as he looks at his son. 

“Are you always awake this early?” Yoongi asks as Seokjin walks around the living room, tidying it slightly. 

“Yeah, I own my own bakery so I’m there every morning at around 4. My brother went in early today for me though so I don’t have to go in until around 9 but I drop Soobin off at daycare around 8 in the morning,” Seokjin explains as he moves back to the kitchen. He places a small lunch box on the table. “Usually my brothers husband Jimin will come over in the mornings to watch Soobin until he has to drop him off but he can’t today.”

Yoongi nods and Yeonjun mumbles incoherently in his sleep. His son slowly blinks up at him, obviously woken up by all the noise. Yoongi smiles down at him. 

“Good morning,” He says gently and Yeonjun looks at him like he doesn’t quite believe he’s real. It breaks his heart.

“Hello,” He says softly. 

“Morning Junnie,” Seokjin says kindly. “Did you sleep well baby?”

Yeonjun nods. “I did. Thank you.”

Seokjin smiles. “That’s wonderful. Would you both like to join us for breakfast? I’m just gonna whip something up really quick. Do you like pancakes, Junnie?”

“I do,” Yeonjun says softly. 

“I’ll make you some okay? How about you and daddy go get washed up and then you can help me make cook again. Would you like that?”

Yeonjun nods enthusiastically. “Yes please! I’ll go brush my teeth right now.” 

Yeonjun jumps up and runs to the bathroom. Soobin, who is now awake, runs after him with a giggle. Seokjin watches them fondly and offers Yoongi a warm smile as he follows his son to help him brush his teeth. Yoongi returns the smile — and pointedly ignores the way his heart soars in his chest. 

Yoongi follows Yeonjun to the bathroom and helps him wash up. Once both their teeth are brushed and their faces washed, he picks Yeonjun up again. Soobin tugs his pajama pants and asks to be picked up too, which Yoongi wouldn’t dream of saying no to. He walks back into the kitchen with both children in his arms and Seokjin laughs when he sees them. He takes Yeonjun from his arms and the toddler follows him easily, obviously seeing him as someone safe.

Seokjin places him back on the counter and they get to work on the pancakes. Seokjin explains every ingredient again and goes through making them step by step while Yeonjun clings onto every word with stars in his eyes. Soobin winds up bullying Yoongi into letting him color his tattoos with washable markers and Seokjin takes a picture while giggling at the art. 

Breakfast is an easy affair and a lot more comfortable than last night. Yeonjun seems to be warming up to both Seokjin and Soobin a lot more and even engages in a non stop conversation with Soobin about their favorite dinosaurs. Yeonjun says the T. rex is obviously the best but Soobin will have none of it. 

When Seokjin picks Soobin up, telling Yoongi it’s time to go to daycare, it’s not an easy affair. Yoongi can see the panic in Yeonjun’s eyes — worried that his friend is leaving him just like everyone else does. 

“But you promised he wouldn’t leave,” Yeonjun cries into Yoongi’s legs. “I don’t want him to leave.”

“Junnie he’s not leaving forever,” Yoongi tries to placate his son but nothing seems to work. Yoongi catches Seokjin’s eyes and silently asks for help because he’s really come to hate seeing Yeonjun cry. 

Seokjin kneels down in front of Yeonjun and unhooks something from around his neck. It’s a small half crescent moon necklace he had been wearing before but that was hidden behind his shirt.

“This is my favorite necklace,” Seokjin says gently as he puts it on Yeonjun. “So that means I’ll have to see you again to get it back okay? That means that I’m not leaving you and neither is Soobin.”

Yeonjun clutches the necklace in his hand before looking up at Seokjin with wide eyes. “You’re giving me this?” 

“Of course. So you can keep it safe for me, okay?” Seokjin replies. “Will you take care of it until I see you again soon?”

Yeonjun tightens his grip on the necklace. “Of course! I pinky promise.” He holds his pinky out for Seokjin to wrap his own around. 

“Pinky promises can never be broken right?” Soobin asks with wide eyes. 

“That’s right Binnie,” Yoongi replies and he’s already so fond of the other boy, it’s a bit ridiculous. 

“Then I pinky promise we will be bestest friends forever Junnie!” Soobin says, hugging the other boy. Yeonjun hugs him back tightly and Seokjin shares a smile with Yoongi over them. 

Yoongi mouths the words ‘thank you’ and Seokjin once again waves him off. When they try and leave this time, Yeonjun and Soobin don’t cry. 

Yeonjun simply holds the crescent moon necklace Seokjin gave him and pinky promises to see them again soon. 

-☾-

“I’ve never been to a studio,” Yeonjun says as they walk towards Yoongi’s building. They have both showered and changed, Yeonjun borrowing more of Soobin’s clothes. His hand is firmly in Yoongi’s and he swings it every so often as they walk. “What do you do there?”

“I make songs,” Yoongi answers, stopping once they are in front of the building. He picks Yeonjun up so he won’t have to direct him and to save him from both Namjoon and Hoseok the moment they catch sight of him. 

“That’s cool! I like songs. Songs are nice. Mommy never sang me songs, even when I asked her too. She said it was annoying and I should just sleep! But I like being sung to sleep. Grandma would do it sometimes before she had to go to sleep for a really long time. She was always nice to me. I miss grandma,” Yeonjun rambles on, not knowing the anger he’s causing to settle on Yoongi’s heart. The more he finds out about his childhood, the angrier he becomes.

“Well I can’t sing but I can try for you,” Yoongi promises gently. “Any song you want okay?” 

Yeonjun glances at him. “Really? You will sing to me until I sleep?”

“Of course I will Junnie.” Yoongi doesn’t think he would be able to deny his son much of anything. 

“Even when I have bad dreams?” Yeonjun asks almost like a challenge. “Or when I’m sad?”

“Especially then,” Yoongi promises. Yeonjun nods, satisfied by that. He falls quiet soon after that, quietly taking in the surroundings of Yoongi’s building. Well, their building. He smiles at the receptionists who returns it warmly before her eyes widen just a fraction at the kid on his hip.

“Long story,” He waves off kindly. “Are they here yet to pick up the song?”

Irene shakes her head. “They actually called this morning and asked for it via Skype call. Apparently something came up. I already told both Hoseok and Namjoon and they are in the conference room! I’ll buzz them and tell them you are on your way up.”

“Thank you Irene but please don’t tell them about this little one,” Yoongi asks, wanting to keep Yeonjun a surprise. 

Irene nods with a confused smile. “Who exactly is this little one?” Yeonjun turns to look at her and he can see the exact moment her entire face softens. “Oh my he’s adorable. Would you like a lollipop?”

Yeonjun lifts his head from Yoongi’s shoulder. “I…”

“You can Junnie, just ask nicely okay?” Yoongi says, wanting his son to be confident enough to talk without his prompting. 

“Yes please,” Yeonjun says softly. “I like lollipops.”

Irene practically coos as she moves behind her desk in order to grab him a lollipop — well actually two. She passes them over to Yeonjun who takes them with a small, shy smile.

“Thank you,” He says quietly and hands the lollipop over to Yoongi so he can open it. Yoongi does so, watching fondly as Yeonjun sucks on it. 

Irene is watching as well, her eyes drifting slowly between Yoongi and Yeonjun. Yoongi thinks he can see the realization draw upon her as she takes them both in and it almost makes Yoongi laugh. They do look quite similar, it’s not hard to realize what they are to each other.

“Well go ahead and head up. You have no other meetings for today. Would you like me to screen your calls for today unless they are urgent?” Irene asks, perceptive as ever. 

“That would be wonderful, thank you Irene,” Yoongi says gratefully. “If it’s an emergency go ahead and push it through but I’m still trying to get him adjusted so I would rather handle anything else at a later time.”

“Understood. I’ll see you Yoongi. Bye Junnie!” Irene says with an enthusiastic wave goodbye. Yeonjun offers one back but it doesn’t quite match the energy she has. Irene doesn’t take it to heart though, returning to her desk with a warm smile. 

Yoongi takes Yeonjun to the elevators and presses the button to floor three where the conference rooms are held. He nods at various employees and artists as he makes his way to the larger conference room. He can see the confusion in all of their eyes but they don’t ask, which he’s thankful for. Probably the best perk of being one of the three CEO’s of cypher entertainment is people tend to not pry into his personal life. Generally he’s left alone unless he has prior commitments. People aren’t scared of him, he gives them no reason to be but they do respect him and his space. 

As he rounds the corner he’s met with Namjoon standing outside of the conference room, trying — and failing from what it looks like — to talk to Seonghwa. The singer seems completely enamored though, which isn’t surprising. The two of them have been dancing around each other since Seonghwa was signed to their label. Seonghwa sees him first and greets him with his signature, dazzling smile. Yoongi can see why he has Namjoon so head over hills.

“Hello Yoongi, nice to see you again,” Seonghwa says kindly. His eyes drift over to Yeonjun who is curled up against Yoongi’s neck, sucking on his lollipop. “And who are you cutie?”

Namjoon frowns at Seonghwa calling someone a cutie and it not being him before he turns to see Yoongi and Yeonjun. His eyes grow comically wide as he looks between the two of them.

“Oh my god, daddy?” Namjoon wheezes and Yoongi is barely able to contain his laughter. Seonghwa turns to Namjoon confused and Namjoon seems to catch up to the words that just left his mouth. 

“Jesus Joon, that was eloquent,” Yoongi snickers as Namjoon turns red. 

“That— that came out totally wrong.” Namjoon coughs. “Uh. What is going on here? Is this why you weren’t able to come in yesterday?”

Yoongi nods. “Namjoon, Seonghwa, meet your new nephew Yeonjun. Yeonjun say hi to Namjoon and Seonghwa.”

Yeonjun waves shyly and Seonghwa meIts. “You’re adorable. I didn’t know you had a son?”

Yoongi grimaces. “Yeah neither did I until yesterday.”

Seonghwa and Namjoon share a look before Seonghwa bows out. “I should get going. I have a vocal lesson today and some tour training with the others. It was nice to see Yoongi and nice to meet you Yeonjun.”

“It was nice to meet you too,” Yeonjun says shyly and Seonghwa coos. He ruffles Yeonjun’s hair gently and the toddler surprisingly lets him. At the very least, Yeonjun seems to be a good judge of character. 

Seonghwa gives Namjoon’s hand a quick squeeze and Yoongi resists the urge to roll his eyes at how oblivious both of them are. “See you later Joonie?” 

Namjoon nods dumbly. “Yeah of course Hwa.”

Seonghwa smiles satisfied, saying one last goodbye to all of them before meeting Hongjoong at the end of the hall to walk to training together. As soon as they are out of ear shot, Namjoon turns to Yoongi and Yoongi knows what’s about to come.

“Before I chew you out for having a son and not telling me, let’s go inside the conference room. Hoseok is waiting for us and I will not be yelling at you alone.” 

Yoongi rolls his eyes but follows Namjoon into the room regardless. Hoseok is smiling at his phone, obviously on FaceTime with his husband. 

“That’s my cutie baby,” Hoseok coos into the phone. “You do have fingers! Yes you do!”

Yoongi snorts. “God I hope you’re talking to Kai and not Jungkook.”

Hoseok turns to him. “I am talking to Kai but Jungkook has really cute fingers—“ He stops when he finally registers the kid on Yoongi’s hip. “Excuse me, did I miss something?”

“Hoseok, meet Yeonjun. Yeonjun, this is your uncle Hoseok.” The toddler waves but doesn’t respond and it takes about three seconds for the room to descend into chaos.

“Your what?” Hoseok says a bit too loudly. Yeonjun curls further into Yoongi, hiding his face. He doesn’t seem to like the loud noise which Hoseok picks up on immediately. “You have a son?” He says and it’s much softer this time.

“I didn’t know until yesterday,” Yoongi says, switching into Korean. “Mina dropped him off at my door without a fucking warning and told me to keep him.”

“Mina?” Namjoon asks, also switching to Korean. “Mina from college? The one that you never even really liked?”

Yoongi nods. “Yeah, I didn’t know Yeonjun existed until just yesterday. She kept it from me this entire time.”

“I would ask how you even knew he was yours but the resemblance is uncanny. He looks just like you,” Hoseok says looking between the both of them. “Also I guess the timeline matches up. She just… she didn’t want him?” 

“Nope,” Yoongi says and he knows he needs to get a control on the anger he currently feels but it’s hard to. “Just came by and practically told me she didn’t love him and didn’t want him anymore. Honestly, I’m glad that she at least found me instead of dropping him off somewhere else and abandoning him.”

“God she was such a bitch and still is,” Yoongi hears Jungkook say through the phone and he’s thankful he’s speaking Korean as well. “I can’t believe she would do something like that. Who does that to their own kid?”

“I don’t know but he’s mine now,” Yoongi says, squeezing Yeonjun just a bit tighter. Yeonjun allows him to, still sucking on his lollipop. Namjoon is making funny faces at him and he can feel Yeonjun laugh gently against his chest every so often. 

“You’re going to keep him?” Jungkook asks. 

“Of course I am. He’s my son,” Yoongi replies as if that’s all that matters. To him, it is all that matters. 

“That’s a big responsibility hyung,” Namjoon says, looking away from Yeonjun for a second. “But he’s adorable, I can see why you wouldn’t want to let him go.” 

“We can talk about this later,” Hoseok says. “We have a meeting but we should talk about this later.”  

“Alright sunshine I’ll see you when you get home?” Jungkook says, switching back to english. “I’ll start dinner for you. Don’t work late tonight.”

“I won’t bun,” Hoseok promises. “Let me say bye to Kai before I go please?”

“Course.” Jungkook puts his son into frame and Kai’s smiling face takes up the entire screen. Yoongi waves at the baby who giggles as he does so. Yeonjun pulls away from his shoulder to also peer at the screen. 

“That’s a baby,” Yeonjun says quietly as Hoseok coos at his son through the phone. “He’s little.”

Hoseok pulls away from the phone. “He is. He’s only 10 months. Do you want to say hi to your new baby cousin?”

Yeonjun’s eyes grow wide. “He’s my cousin?” He asks in amazement. “Really?”

Hoseok’s entire face brightens as he looks at the toddler. “He is. His name is HueningKai but we just call him Kai and the other man is my husband Jungkook. He’s your other uncle.”

Hoseok hands the phone to Yeonjun, who takes it tentatively. Jungkook waves at Yeonjun through the bad connection. “Hi Yeonjun, I’m uncle Jungkook.” 

“Hi,” Yeonjun says softly. “I’m Yeonjun. Can I see the baby?”

Jungkook laughs. “Of course you can. Say hi to your big cousin Kai.” He puts the baby back in frame and Kai is still smiling widely, his gums on full display. He’s one of the happiest babies Yoongi has ever met and he’s positive it has to do with his bright and wonderful parents. 

Yeonjun stares at the baby. “Hi Kai. I’m your big cousin Yeonjun! You can call me Jun because big words are hard and you’re just a baby. Wait, can you talk? I don’t know if babies talk. Do they talk?” He asks Hoseok who laughs. He ruffles Yeonjun’s hair. 

“He doesn’t talk but he does laugh and make lots of little noises,” Hoseok says softly. “He also likes holding hands.”

“I like holding hands too Kai!” Yeonjun says as he looks back at the phone. “If I stay I promise to always hold your hand okay?”

Yoongi frowns at the ‘if I stay’ and with how Hoseok looks at him, he knows he also caught it.

“Of course you’re going to stay,” Hoseok tells Yeonjun gently. “Do you want to meet Kai? We can have a little dinner date if you want? You can even help me read his bedtime story.”

“I dunno how to read but I’ll try!” Yeonjun promises. 

Hoseok smiles. “That’s wonderful Junnie, thank you. Now say goodbye to Kai, he’s got to take a nap.”

Yeonjun nods and turns back to the phone. “Goodnight Kai! Sleep lots okay? I’ll miss you! Bye uncle Kookie, you sleep lots too!”

Yoongi can hear Jungkook laugh on the other end. “I will Junnie. Thank you. I’ll see you soon okay?”

“Okay,” Yeonjun says before he hands the phone back to Hoseok. He takes the phone back and smiles at Yeonjun who returns a small one back. Yoongi walks Yeonjun over to the couch while Hoseok and Namjoon set up their skype meeting.

“We are going to have a meeting okay?” Yoongi says as he sits Yeonjun on the couch in the conference room. “It should go by super quick and then I can show you daddy’s studio. Does that sound okay?”

“Okay,” Yeonjun says quietly. “Can we get food after?” 

Yoongi smiles at his son. “Of course we can Junnie. Just be a good boy for me for an hour and then we can get all the food you want.”

Yeonjun nods. “I promise to be a good boy. Can I draw while I wait?”

“Of course you can,” Yoongi says and before he’s able to stand up, Namjoon is already walking over to them with a stack of papers and some highlighters and pens.

“We have to stock up on art supplies if we are gonna have little man visiting us more often,” Namjoon says as he hands Yeonjun the supplies. Yeonjun takes them with a smile. “Would you like that? We can get you all the art supplies you want.”

“Really?” Yeonjun asks. “Anything?” 

“Of course. As your uncle it’s my job to spoil you rotten so you can give daddy a hard time,” Namjoon says playfully and Yeonjun giggles. 

Yoongi shoves Joon playfully. “You’re the worst. Let’s get this meeting over with so we can get food.” 

Namjoon winks at Yeonjun but walks over to the computer to connect the call. Yoongi moves to follow but is stopped by a small hand on his arm. 

“What’s your favorite animal?” Yeonjun asks timidly. 

Yoongi smiles, a little thrown by the question. “A cat.”

Yeonjun nods and doesn’t say anything so Yoongi takes that as the end of the conversation. He ruffles Yeonjun’s hair before he walks to where Namjoon and Hoseok are standing. They set the meeting up and start their pitch. Yeonjun sits happily on the couch, drawing away on his papers.

The meeting goes by quickly and the company seems happy with the song. They offer quite a bit of money and they all celebrate with hugs at a successful sell. Yoongi walks back to Yeonjun, who was a perfect angel the entire time. He didn’t cry or act fussy once and Yoongi is grateful for it. He kneels down next to the couch and Yeonjun looks up at him, tearing his eyes away from the papers in his lap. 

“Ready to go see daddy’s office?” Yoongi asks, smiling at Yeonjun.

“Sure,” Yeonjun replies but he bites his lip. He’s obviously hesitating again with something clearly on his mind. 

“What’s up Junnie? You okay?” Yoongi asks, concerned by his son's nervousness. 

Yeonjun shuffles through the papers in his laps before pulling out a paper. There is a pink kitten drawn on it and Yoongi is actually taken back by how well it’s done, especially since it was done using only highlighters. Yeonjun hands it to Yoong tentatively and Yoongi takes it from him. 

“Yeonjun,” He breathes. “This is amazing Junnie. You did so well.”

Yeonjun ducks his head. “I… I made it for you.”

Yoongi stops. “You made it for me?”

“Yes,” Yeonjun says quietly. “Do you like it? Mommy didn’t like my drawings very much. She would throw them away but I thought maybe you would like them! It’s okay if you don’t—“

“I love it Junnie,” Yoongi cuts him off firmly because he can’t hear another word of what his son was just saying. “I love it so much bub, do you know how much I love it?”

“How much?” Yeonjun asks, his eyes shining again. 

Yoongi picks Yeonjun up and Hoseok and Namjoon follow him out the door. They take the elevator up another floor where their studios are — the entire way up both Namjoon and Hoseok praise Yeonjun’s art endlessly and even ask him to make them their own and Yeonjun looks so happy, Yoongi’s heart threatens to burst for the hundredth time since meeting him. As soon as they are in his office, he puts the drawing on his desk, displaying it proudly for everyone to see.

“It’s my favorite picture,” Yoongi says as he holds his son. “Now everytime I’m at my desk I’ll see it and smile because I’ll think of you.”

“It’s your favorite ever?” Yeonjun asks. “Really?”

“Of course it is Junnie. My son is such a talented artist, of course your art will be my favorite,” He promises gently. He catches Hoseok and Namjoon looking at him with hard to read expressions. Yoongi has never been mean by any means but he also isn’t one to openly show affection so freely. 

Yeonjun needs it though and Yoongi is happy to indulge his son. Yeonjun smiles at him widely and it’s worth it. Anytime he’s able to make Yeonjun smile like that, will be worth it. 

Yoongi begins to show him around his office and Yeonjun seems to adore everything about it. He points at whatever he sees and rattles off a hundred questions about each thing, to which Yoongi answers fondly. When they arrive back at the desk, Yeonjun climbs up onto the chair and immediately goes for his computer.

“Wait, Junnie don’t—“ Yoongi says, trying to stop his son from pressing the delete button but he doesn’t quite make it.

The file disappears on the computer and Yoongi thanks whatever god exists out there that he backed up everything before he left yesterday. He pulls Yeonjun away from the computer and places him back down on the floor. Namjoon stands next to him as they look at the computer.

“Did he delete it?” Namjoon asks, inspecting the computer. 

Yoongi swivels the mouse. “Yeah he did but I have it backed up so we should be fine.” 

“Thank god you backed it up because that beat was terrible to make, I would not want to go through that again—“

They are interrupted by crying. Yoongi pulls away from the computer, his eyes immediately zeroing in on Yeonjun who is curled up on the floor against the couch in the office. Yoongi is next to him in hardly seconds, concern coloring his expression. He can hear Hoseok and Namjoon follow him, both obviously concerned as well. 

“Junnie? Why are you crying?” Yoongi asks gently, not wanting to startle the boy. He kneels down so he can look at him better but Yeonjun refuses to meet his eye. He instead curls into himself even more as sobs shake his small body. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. I was a bad boy,” Yeonjun begins whispering to himself in rapid succession. Yoongi frowns, hating how terrified he sounds. 

“Junnie, it’s okay. I promise it’s okay. You’re fine—“ 

“Please don’t take me back,” Yeonjun cries desperately. He surged forward, grabbing onto Yoongi tightly, trying with everything he has to cling to him. “I’m sorry, please don’t take me back. I promise I’ll be a good boy! Please I want to stay—“

Yoongi freezes, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach when he realizes what’s going on. Yeonjun is scared that he’s going to give him away because he did something he wasn’t supposed to. Yoongi isn’t even angry — he maybe was for a brief second but not angry enough to even think of punishing his son for what was an honest mistake. 

He glances over at Namjoon and Hoseok who are watching the event with matching frowns. He gives them a look, one they are able to read easily — especially after the years of friendship between them, they are able to read him better than anyone. They begin to exit the room, mouthing the word ‘lunch’ to him and he nods his head yes. They nod and are gone the next second. 

Yeonjun is still clinging onto him, his words slowly becoming more frantic and jumbled together as he chants his sorry’s into Yoongi’s chest. It breaks his heart to know that Yeonjun has known such pain and fear in his short seven years of life. He pulls Yeonjun off, not even allowing the younger a moment to panic before he’s picking his son up and holding him in his arms. Yeonjun immediately clings to him, wrapping his arms around his neck firmly. 

“Hush silly boy,” Yoongi says gently, rubbing his hand up and down his sons back. “You aren’t going anywhere, didn't I promise you that you are staying with me forever?”

Yeonjun pulls away from him, large eyes shining with tears. Yoongi readjusts him so he can wipe away a stray tear and smiles warmly at Yeonjun. The younger doesn’t return it, instead all he does is sniffle. 

“I’m… you’re not mad?” Yeonjun asks timidly, looking back down at the computer sitting on Yoongi’s desk. “That I messed up your thingy?”

“My song?” Yoongi clarifies. Yeonjun nods. “No I’m not mad, it was an accident. Did you mean to delete the song?”

Yeonjun shakes his head frantically. “No! It was an accident I swear! I’m sorry,” He says and his words start to edge towards despair again and the last thing Yoongi wants is for his son to start panicking again. 

“Junnie,” Yoongi says gently, patting his son’s cheek affectionately until the younger boy calms down enough to look at him. When he finally does, Yoongi smiles at him again. “Then of course I’m not angry with you. You didn’t know but now you do right? So you won’t touch daddy’s computer without asking, right?”

Yeonjun nods. “I promise!” He looks at Yoongi for a second, nibbling his lower lip. 

“What’s up Junnie?”

“You… you’re gonna keep me right? You think I’m a good boy?” Yeonjun asks and even though Yoongi has made it clear multiple times that he does plan on keeping Yeonjun, he doesn’t mind reassuring him again. 

He walks Yeonjun over to his desk, sitting down on his rolling chair and situating his son on his lap so he’s facing him. He catches sight of Seokjin’s moon necklace around his son's necklace and quickly comes up with a new strategy. 

“Jun, have you ever heard the story about the lonely moon and the little star?”

Yeonjun frowns. “No?”

Yoongi hums. “Well, Junnie, did you know that centuries and centuries ago… there was a moon but that moon was very lonely.”

“What does lonely mean?” Yeonjun asks, looking up at him with intrigued eyes. They no longer shine with unshed tears so he takes it as a win. 

“It means he was all alone. He had no one else and all he was surrounded by was the dark. He thought he would be alone for the rest of his life while everyone around him seemed to have a friend,” Yoongi says gently and Yeonjun gasps. 

“Was he afraid of the dark?” Yeonjun asks, looking concerned for this fictional moon. “I’m afraid of the dark. It’s scary.”

Yoongi nods solemnly. “He was very afraid of the dark, even though he shined — he had nothing and no one to shine on. All he had was an empty sky and himself. He was sure that’s all he would ever have.”

“What happened to the moon? Is he still alone?” Yeonjun asks, tilting his head slightly. He seems so enamored with the story and Yoongi swears he didn’t know what love meant before his son came into his life.

“Well one day a little star found him,” Yoongi continues, making the story up as he goes. For kids, sometimes it’s easier to convey lessons through stories because they are able to latch onto them easier. “A little star that had lost its way. The little star was also alone, he never had a home. He didn’t know what a home was. He also thought that no one would ever want to have him around forever, so he would just drift alone trying to find somewhere to stay.”

Yeonjun’s lips turn into a small pout and Yoongi finds it unbelievably endearing how expressive his son is. “He didn’t have a home either? Like me?”

Yoongi shakes his head and he wishes more than anything he could take all of his son's pain away. “He didn’t. He was alone since he was born but then one day he found this moon and wondered if it could use a friend.”

“So the moon and little star became friends?” Yeonjun asks and he sounds hopeful.

“They became a family.” Yoongi pokes Yeonjun’s nose and Yeonjun smiles — albeit a very small one but it’s genuine all the same. “They became a family and promised to never leave each other’s side because the galaxy is so very lonely without each other.”

“Did they keep that promise?” Yeonjun asks and his voice is a lot more soft this time and Yoongi thinks he’s beginning to understand the meaning of the story.

“They did,” Yoongi reassures. “The little star and the lonely moon were never alone again, because they had each other.”

Yeonjun exhales a small sigh of relief. “Okay.” 

Yoongi knows that’s the best he’s going to get out of his son right now and that’s okay. There are going to be a lot of tricky days before there are better ones. Yeonjun has gone through far too much in such a small span of time — Yoongi knows that it won’t be easy to break him of all his bad thoughts. And it’s okay. Yoongi has all the time in the world and he doesn’t mind that Yeonjun will occupy most of it. 

“Would you like to see how you’re actually supposed to use the computer?” Yoongi asks and he laughs when Yeonjun’s eyes get wide and his lips part in surprise.

“Really?” He asks and his voice has gone up an octave. It’s the first time that Yoongi has seen Yeonjun genuinely excited and he wishes more than anything he could record this moment to keep forever. “I— I can touch the computer and the bad thing won’t happen again right?”

Yoongi nods, turning his son in his lap so he’s able to face the two large computer screens on the desk. “I’ll show you how to use it Jun but remember you can only touch it if daddy is with you okay?”

Yeonjun nods rapidly. “Yes sir!” Yeonjun still hasn’t called him dad and that’s okay. He’s sure they will get there.

“When you press this button,” He hovers the mouse over the play button on the editing software. “It will play whatever song I have up.”

“You really make songs?” Yeonjun asks, getting up slightly so he can lean on the desk and stare at the monitor up close.

“I do. Would you like to hear one?” Yoongi asks as he moves over to one of the folders on the computer that he has his newer tracks from his upcoming mixtape stored. “What if I told you they are songs no one has heard before and you will be the first person to hear them?”

Yeonjun turns back to him. “Really?” He asks in amazement. “Does that mean I’m special?”

“You are special,” Yoongi says and he surprises himself with how serious he sounds. “You’re very special Junnie.”

“You are too!” Yeonjun says happily before he’s turning back and situating himself in Yoongi’s lap again, facing the computer. “I wanna hear please!”

Yoongi obliges, playing one of the more mellow tracks. It’s a song about finding better days during a low point in his life and one that he holds especially dear to his heart. The song isn’t complete yet because he needs to find someone to sing vocals for him and he for the life of him can’t finish writing lyrics for the song — it’s the only one holding him back from completing the album. Yeonjun listens to the song intently. He at some point curls his fingers around Yoongi’s hand where he holds him in his lap. When the song is over, he turns back to Yoongi. 

“That wasn’t singing,” Yeonjun says. “Why were you talking so fast?”

Yoongi opens his mouth to retort but he’s cut off by Namjoon instead. “He wasn’t talking, he was rapping.” Hoseok and Namjoon enter the room with various take out bags in their arms. Yoongi stands, keeping Yeonjun in his arms and walks over to them.

“What’s rapping?” Yeonjun asks once they are standing in front of Namjoon.

Namjoon smiles, dimples and all. “It’s like…” He pauses. “Well talking really fast.”

“So he was talking!” Yeonjun exclaims as if he’s a genius and Yoongi snorts at the dumbfounded expression on Namjoon’s face.

“Well, I guess you’re right,” Namjoon amends but his smile stays firmly in place. “Are you hungry?”

Yeonjun glances at Yoongi as if asking permission to answer. “Junnie, you can answer him honestly. Namjoon is…”

“Your uncle,” Namjoon finishes for him and he sounds a bit too happy about it.

Yeonjun turns back to Namjoon with wide eyes. “Really? You’re my uncle too? I have three uncles now!”

Namjoon nods enthusiastically. “I am! You can call me uncle Namjoon or—“

“Uncle Joonie!” Yeonjun finishes enthusiastically. “Can I call you uncle Joonie?”

Namjoon’s smile widens, if that’s even possible. “Of course you can. Uncle Joonie is a wonderful honor. How about I serve you some food and maybe I can even teach you how to rap?”

Yeonjun, surprisingly leans towards Namjoon’s open arms but he stops before reaching out. He turns back towards Yoongi. “You’re gonna stay right?”

“Junnie, remember the lonely moon and little star?” Yoongi asks gently. He can feel Hoseok’s and Namjoon’s confused expressions focusing on him but he ignores them for now. 

Yeonjun nods. “Okay.” He goes with Namjoon easily and Namjoon walks him over to the coffee table Yoongi has situated in his studio. Namjoon begins to serve Yeonjun entirely too much food but Yoongi doesn’t have the heart to stop him. It’s no wonder Yeonjun seems so comfortable with him, Namjoon has an energy about him that is easy to find comfort in. 

“I never thought you would take to this so instantly,” Hoseok says, neither of them making a move to go towards the table. Yoongi turns to his best friend, knowing this conversation was coming since he first met Yeonjun. Hoseok knows him better than his own mother had. 

“I didn’t either. I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t overwhelming because it is,” Yoongi says honestly. Yesterday he was a single, lonely producer that only had to worry about himself and now he has a tiny human that’s going to rely on him for everything. It’s a lot of responsibility to bear with hardly any warning.

“Having a child is extremely overwhelming,” Hoseok says, speaking from experience. “When Jungkook and I first brought home baby Kai, we had a lot of long nights and even longer days but we at least knew that he was coming.” 

“It was a surprise and completely unexpected but I’m… I’m also kind of glad it happened,” Yoongi admits, looking over at his son who is laughing with his cheeks full of Korean noodles. “I didn’t think it was possible to love someone so much even though I hardly know him.”

“The bond between a parent and child is something hard to explain, especially when said parent has always had a lot of love in his heart to give.” Hoseok touches his shoulder gently. “I was going to ask if you were sure this is what you wanted but just from seeing the way you look at him, I already know my answer.”

“I want to give him the home he deserves. He’s never had a home and I can give it to him,” Yoongi says, smiling at his best friend. “I don’t ever want him to wonder what it’s like to be loved ever again. Even if it’s going to be a hard journey, I don’t want to give him up.”

Hoseok nods. “Then I think everything will work out the way it’s meant to. And if you ever need anything, I promise both Jungkook and I are just a phone call away.”

Yoongi squeezes the hand on his shoulder gratefully. “Thank you Hoseokie, that means a lot.”

“Good now that we had this talk,” He turns towards the table and begins marching towards it. “Now I can take my rightful place as Junnie’s favorite uncle.”

Yoongi follows him to the table, laughing when Namjoon gasps loudly as if the very thought is absurd. Yeonjun is sitting in Namjoon’s lap, struggling to eat with the chopsticks while Namjoon and Hoseok begin arguing over who the favorite will be. Yoongi sits down next to Namjoon, grabbing his son's hands. 

“Like this,” Yoongi says, readjusting Yeonjun’s hands until he’s holding the chopsticks properly. “Now move it like this when you want to grab something.”

Yeonjun frowns in concentration when he turns back to the food. His tongue sticks out as he focuses on grabbing a piece of the fried chicken in his chopsticks. When he does, his eyes grow wide and he smiles up at Yoongi.

“I did it!” He shouts happily, holding the piece of chicken triumphantly in the air.

“You did!” Yoongi answers back with equal amounts of enthusiasm. 

“Here you go,” Yeonjun says, holding out the chicken for Yoongi to take. “I want to feed you.”

“But I’m not a baby!” Yoongi plays along but opens his mouth and accepts the chicken anyways.

“I know you’re not a baby,” Yeonjun says matter of factly. “You’re too big!”

Namjoon snorts. “Yoongi hyung is tiny. He isn’t big at all.”

Yoongi throws a napkin at Namjoon and it hits him square in the face. Yeonjun giggles at Namjoon’s offended expression. 

“I may be tiny but I at least know how to talk to Seonghwa without nearly breaking my keyboard.” Yoongi teases and he basks in the way Namjoon immediately turns a bright shade of red.

“That’s so unfair! How am I supposed to talk to someone so pretty?” Namjoon whines, leaning back against the couch. “He just smiles and suddenly I’m back in highschool and stuttering like I have a crush.”

“You do have a crush,” Hoseok points out after eating some noodles. “A very embarrassing one that can be seen from space. You’re worse than Jungkook was and he literally hid from me anytime he saw me. He one time jumped into a bush because I was approaching him. You both are pathetic.”

“You married him so he obviously was doing something right,” Yoongi reminds him. “And you were just as bad. You used to write songs about his teeth Hoseokie.”

Hoseok shrugs. “He is adorable, what was I supposed to do?”

“What’s a crush?” Yeonjun asks. He takes a sip of his juice that Namjoon brought him from the restaurant. His eyes lit up when he saw the bendy straw it came with. “Like when you—“ Yeonjun smashes his two hands together, resembling literally crushing something. “Do this?”

“That is technically crushing something,” Hoseok says kindly. “Good job Junnie, you’re so smart. But Namjoon doesn’t want to crush Seonghwa like that—“ Yoongi snorts loudly and Namjoon threatens to smother him with his bare hands. Hoseok rolls his eyes. “A crush is when you think someone is very pretty or handsome and they make your heart beat really fast.”

Yeonjun blinks. “Oh! Like when they are really nice and you wanna share your toys with them?” He asks and god Yoongi can feel his heart threaten to burst in his chest. 

“Well yeah, that could be a way you show you have a crush on someone,” Hoseok says with a smile. 

Yeonjun turns in Namjoon’s lap so he can look at him. “Do you wanna give him all your toys?” 

Namjoon lets out a small chuckle. “I do Jun.”

Yeonjun nods, satisfied. “Then you have a crush! Uncle Hoseokie said so. That’s cool. I’m still hungry, can I have more noodles please?”

Namjoon obliges and serves Yeonjun more food, which Yeonjun scarfs down quirky. They spend the better part of the day like that, just hanging out around his small coffee table and talking. Yeonjun takes to both Namjoon and Hoseok quickly, gravitating between the both of them and begins telling them animated stories about whatever comes to mind. Both of them listen to every word he says and Yeonjun seems to enjoy all the positive attention. 

They end up moving to Namjoon’s studio and they teach Yeonjun the basics of rapping. Everytime Yeonjun is able to say a verse back to them, his eyes grow wide in excitement and he runs over to where Yoongi sits on the couch to ask him if he heard him. Yoongi always answers with a soft smile and gentle ‘of course I did. You’re going to be the best rapper one day’. The way Yeonjun beams are him everytime he says it, has his heart constricting in his chest slightly. 

It’s towards six at night that Yeonjun becomes tired out. He crawls into Yoongi’s lap and wraps his tiny arms around him before he proceeds to fall asleep easily in his arms. 

“He is really a wonderful kid,” Hoseok whispers as Yeonjun sleeps on his chest. “How could anyone not love him?”

“Honestly,” Namjoon agrees. “I just met him today but if anything ever happened to him I would kill everyone and then myself.”

Yoongi snorts. “Okay Brooklyn 99 calm down.”

Namjoon shrugs. “Doesn’t make the statement any less true.”

“I understand what you mean,” Yoongi says, looking down at Yeonjun. “My only goal in life now is to protect him as much as I can.”

“You’re already a wonderful father,” Hoseok promises before he’s standing and cracking his bones. “Speaking of wonderful fathers, I should head out. Jungkook is making dinner and I miss my baby.”

“Which one?” Namjoon asks, standing as well.

“Both of them,” Hoseok says as if it’s obvious. He turns to Yoongi. “Call me if you need anything okay? Any time.”

“Course. Thanks Hoseokie,” Yoongi says with a smile. He really has the best friends. “I’m just gonna head home. Maybe pick up dinner on the way. Wanna join Namjoon?”

Namjoon shrugs on his jacket. “Nah, I’m gonna head out to the lookout. Maybe get some writing done.”

Yoongi nods, standing carefully, making sure he doesn’t disrupt Yeonjun. The toddler hardly stirs. Both Namjoon and Hoseok press a quick kiss to his hair before they are leaving the room with small waves. Yoongi returns the waves before looking back down at his son. 

“What should we get on the way Junnie?” He asks his sleeping son, tracing a finger down his face. “Pizza maybe? Who doesn’t like pizza? Kids like pizza right?”

He makes to leave the studio as well but stops as he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. 

Seokjinnie: yes maybe I did put my number in your phone, sue me. But would you and Junnie like to join me and Binnie for dinner tonight? Soobin keeps saying he misses Yeonjun. 

Chapter Text

The lonely moon wasn’t the only one to know what it meant to feel all alone — for the little star never actually had a home. Until one day it saw a moon, a moon that would show him that he would never truly be alone. 

-☾-

“I’m so glad you could meet us,” Seokjin says the moment they enter the small ramen shop and make their way over to where they are seated. 

Yeonjun pokes his head out from behind Yoongi’s legs, immediately lighting up the moment his eyes find Soobin. The younger boy smiles widely at Yeonjun and Yeonjun returns it shyly with a small wave. Yoongi urges his son gently forward until Yeonjun nods weakly at him and takes the open seat next to Soobin. 

“Thank you for having us,” Yoongi says sincerely once Yeonjun has taken his seat. “I was just going to pick up pizza on the way home.” 

Seokjin hums. “Pizza is always nice but I figured we could go shopping for Yeonjun’s room while we are out?”

Yoongi could honestly kiss Seokjin with just how grateful he is. Being a dad, especially when you never had any intention to be, is already a daunting task but he can’t even imagine having to face the task alone. Normally he would feel as if he could do this alone, not wanting to bother anyone and ask for the help but Seokjin doesn’t seem to mind at all. 

“That would be amazing actually,” Yoongi admits. “I still don’t have anything for Yeonjun and I would hate to impose in your home for another night.”

Seokjin waves him off with a warm smile. “You aren’t imposing at all. It’s also nice for Soobin to have a friend.”

Yoongi glances at Yeonjun who is no longer nervously biting his lip but instead fully engaged in a conversation with Soobin. Yeonjun nods along to whatever Soobin says, offering a few words every now and then. Anytime Yeonjun talks, Soobin smiles at him widely and reaches out to hold his hand. Yeonjun allows him to, even squeezing the younger hand back every once in a while. 

Dinner is an easy affair and by the time they are finished, it’s only 7 o’clock. Seokjin suggests going to IKEA since it’s close and probably easier on the wallet. Yoongi, who really has no idea where to shop for kids essentials agrees and promises price is no problem. He will happily blow his checks on Yeonjun because no one deserves it more than him. They decide to meet there, seeing as they will probably need both cars if they want to get Yeonjun as much stuff as they can for his bedroom. 

As soon as they enter IKEA, Yeonjun is looking around in amazement. Yoongi holds his hand while Seokjin places Soobin in a cart. 

“This is so cool!” Yeonjun exclaims and he sounds so genuinely excited it makes Yoongi smile. 

When he looks over at Seokjin, he finds that he’s smiling as well. “It is Junnie. If you see anything you like just tell us okay? It’s going to go in your new bedroom.” 

Yeonjun squeezes Yoongi’s hand in excitement. “I get my own room?” 

“You do bub,” Yoongi promises. “Now first things first, let’s get you a bed.” 

Yeonjun nods. “Okay! I like beds. Beds are soft. I had a really small one when I was with mommy but I didn’t have one at grandpas. He said I had to sleep on the couch, but that’s okay. Couches are okay too. Kinda hurt my butt though.” 

“Well no more sleeping on couches okay? I promise,” Yoongi says, trying to keep his anger from flaring. “We are going to get you the comfiest bed they have.” 

“Thank you,” Yeonjun says happily as he tugs Yoongi towards the beds. 

He decides on a twin sized bed that has a cool headboard that doubles as shelves. Yeonjun is even more excited when Yoongi promises to get him some art supplies to fill the shelves with. Once Yoongi says that, Yeonjun is absolutely sold on the bed. It’s after they have quite a bit of things written down and their to buy list that Yoongi realizes they might need a little bit of help gathering the stuff. 

“My friend Namjoon is going to meet us here to take the box spring and mattress to the house so we can fit everything else in our cars,” Yoongi says looking up from his phone as they make their way to the bedding section. 

Seokjin nods. “Perfect. So we can also grab Yeonjun a nightstand and lamp as well. We will probably have to get the rest at another time.” 

“True,” Yoongi says as Yeonjun pulls him towards where all the bedding is. “I think I’m going to allow Junnie to paint his own walls. Would you like that?” 

Yeonjun looks up at him with wide eyes, squeezing Yoongi’s hand. “Really? I can draw on the walls?” 

Yoongi laughs. “Yes but only if daddy says you can okay? And only at our house and nowhere else. Do you understand?” 

“Yes!” Yeonjun promises. “Yes I promise!” 

“Good boy,” Yoongi says fondly, ruffling his hair. “Now let’s pick out your sheets so we can go home.” 

Yeonjun nods. “Okay!”

They stop in front of all the comforters and Yeonjun is immediately drawn towards the section that has all the superheroes. He drops Yoongi’s hand and makes a beeline for the spiderman one and Soobin follows after him. 

Seokjin comes to stand next to him. “That was sweet of you.” 

Yoongi doesn’t look away from the boys. “What was?” 

“Letting Yeonjun paint his walls,” Seokjin says. Yoongi looks away from Yeonjun and Soobin and looks at Seokjin. Seokjin is smiling at him. “You’re doing everything to make him feel at home and that’s very sweet. He’s lucky to have you. I’m sure he is happy that he has you now. 

Yoongi can’t describe how much that means to him. If a dad as wonderful as Seokjin thinks he’s doing a good job, he must be. 

“All I want for him is to be happy and comfortable,” Yoongi says honestly. Yeonjun has known far too much sadness in his life and it’s been so short. 

“You’re doing a wonderful job so far,” Seokjin promises. 

Yeonjun runs up to him holding a spiderman blanket. “I want these please!” 

“You want the spiderman sheets?” Yoongi asks and Yeonjun nods enthusiastically. 

“You like spiderman?” Yoongi asks in surprise because he didn’t know that. 

Yeonjun nods again. “I do! I like all action heroes but spiderman is the best! He also doesn’t have a mommy but he’s still a super cool hero and he saves the day all the time! I wanna be like him.” 

Yoongi smiles at his son. “Well if you’re sure these are the sheets you want—“

“They are! Can I please get them?” Yeonjun asks with a small pout and Yoongi places the sheets and comforter in the basket. 

“Of course Junnie, do you want anything else?” He asks. 

Yeonjun glances around the kid section and his eyes immediately fall on all the stuffed animals. He doesn’t say anything though and simply shakes his head no. Yoongi glances at Seokjin who is looking at Yeonjun with a small frown. It’s obvious he wants some stuffed animals but he doesn’t think he’s allowed to ask for them. 

Yoongi kneels down so he’s eye level with his son. “Junnie if you want anything, you can tell me. If we can get it I’ll let you baby, you don’t have to be afraid to ask me for anything.”

Yeonjun looks up at him. “Really? But… mommy said good boys don’t ask for things. She said only bad boys are stingy. I don’t wanna be a bad boy. I wanna be a good boy so I can stay.”

Yoongi exhales and he feels Seokjin place a comforting hand on his shoulder. It’s exactly what he needs to calm himself down. 

“You’re a good boy even if you want things,” Yoongi says gently. “If I say no and you don’t throw a tantrum then you’re still a good boy. Now come on, let’s go pick out some friends?” 

Yeonjun tentatively grabs Yoongi's hand. “Thank you.” 

It’s said so sincerely that Yoongi is hit by just how much he adores Yeonjun. Yeonjun pulls him towards the stuffed animals and only grabs one small teddy bear and promises that he’s okay. Seokjin ends up convincing him to grab three more and Soobin grabs two himself, which Seokjin tries to deny him but Yoongi waves him off and says it’s okay. 

Yoongi even grabs the small kitten plushie that Yeonjun set down and promised he didn’t need. Yoongi scooped it up right after he set it down and Seokjin giggled when he caught his eye. Yoongi flushes and shrugs helplessly because he just wants to give Yeonjun the world. Even if he has to start by giving him a mountain of plushies first. 

They stand in line at the register and the cashier smiles at them kindly. She’s a young girl, probably in college with pink hair and a septum piercing. 

“Wanna go with hyungie,” Soobin says, reaching out to Yoongi with grabby hands. 

Seokjin laughs. “Yah! What about me?” 

“Daddy I loves you lots but I want Yoonie,” Soobin says with a whine and Yoongi laughs, sticking his tongue out at Seokjin as he grabs Soobin. The toddler immediately latches onto Yoongi and cuddles into his neck. 

“You will stay with me isn’t that right Junnie?” Seokjin asks, picking Yeonjun up and booping his nose. “Cause I teach you how to cook, you love me mostest right?”

Yeonjun bites his lip, thinking it over and Yoongi lets out a cry of faux indignation. “Junnie how could you pretend I’m not your favorite?” 

Yeonjun giggles as Seokjin pulls him out of Yoongi’s reach and presses kisses to his cheeks. “Junnie it’s okay I’m your favorite, daddy will just have to get used to it.” 

“Excuse me,” The cashier says. “Sorry but your total is $608.90.” 

Yoongi nods, pulling out his card and inserting it into the machine. “Sorry about that.” 

She shakes her head. “It’s okay. You have a really beautiful family.” 

Yoongi’s head shoots up and he realizes then what they must look like. He wonders what they really look like to everyone else — what, with Seokjin dressed in a soft pink sweater and Yoongi covered in tattoos with a septum piercing of his own. He glances down at Soobin who is in a cream colored sweater with a little cream colored hat and who’s holding onto Yoongi’s tattooed finger. 

“Ah we aren’t—“ 

They are interrupted by an excited shout from Yeonjun. “Uncle Joonie!” 

Yoongi quickly pays for their things and doesn’t get the chance to correct the cashier who is already moving onto the next customer. Seokjin lets Yeonjun down and he immediately bolts for Namjoon the minute he walks into the store. Namjoon scoops him up easily and presses a kiss to his cheek while Yeonjun babbles excitedly about his new bed and all his new stuffed animals. Namjoon listens intently, asking him questions about his new things as he makes his way back to where Seokjin and Yoongi are standing with Soobin. Yoongi hands Soobin off to Seokjin because Soobin starts squirming, feeding off fo Yeonjun’s energy. 

Namjoon stops when he reaches them and looks at Seokjin confused. Seokjin catches on quickly and offers Namjoon a warm smile.

“I’m Seokjin,” Seokjin introduces, juggling an excited Soobin. “And this is my son Soobin.” Soobin waves at Namjoon happily and Namjoon returns it with just as much enthusiasm. “I’m Yoongi’s neighbor.”

Yoongi can see the minute Namjoon puts two and two together. He prays that Namjoon doesn’t say anything stupid or utterly embarrassing. Yoongi may or may not have whined to both Namjoon and Hoseok on rare — absolutely not rarely and very much constantly — occasion about the really cute guy that lived next door to him with an adorable kid. 

“I’m Namjoon,” Namjoon greets Seokjin with a smile. Yeonjun hugs Namjoon’s neck as he talks and it’s kind of adorable how much Yeonjun has taken to him already, even if he’s only met him once, if Yoongi is being honest. “I’m Yoongi’s best friend and I also produce with him. We own the company along with our other friend Hoseok.” 

“Ah, that’s so cool,” Seokjin says with a smile. “I own a bakery in downtown LA. It’s called Moon.” 

Namjoon’s eyes widen. “Wait, the bakery that sells those pretty moon cakes?” 

Seokjin’s face brightens. “Yes! Have you been?” 

“I have. I stop by every morning to grab a blueberry muffin and coffee,” Namjoon says with a wide smile. “Your pastries are incredible. I love that place.” 

The smile on Seokjin’s face is absolutely breathtaking and Yoongi kind of wishes he could take a picture of it at this very moment. 

“Thank you! That means a lot,” Seokjin says, the smile apparent in his voice. “Next time you come in, it’s on the house.” 

“Oh you don’t need to do that,” Namjoon says.

“I know but I want to,” Seokjin insists. Namjoon eventually backs down and gives in — it’s hard to say no to Seokjin. 

As the two of them get acquainted, Yoongi finishes paying for everything. He even sneaks in the stuffed kitten that Yeonjun was eyeing as a surprise. Once everything is paid for, he tells Namjoon that they are all good to go. Namjoon nods.

“Well it was nice to finally meet you Seokjin, although I only ever knew you as ’pretty neighbor’,” Namjoon says with a dimpled smile and Yoongi can’t promise that murdering him isn’t in his future. 

The tips of Seokjin’s ears turn pink and Yoongi kind of wishes he could jump off a bridge. “That’s funny because I referred to Yoongi as kitten neighbor in my head.” 

It’s Yoongi’s turn to flush and Seokjin just giggles at the flush before he’s pulled away by Soobin who spotted another bin of toys by the checkout stands in Ikea. Yoongi glares at Namjoon who mouths ‘payback’. If he thinks that he’s not going to make his life a living hell anytime Seonghwa is around, he is sorely mistaken. Seokjin thankfully doesn’t seem to catch on to what’s going on, too busy trying to get Soobin to stop grabbing any stuffed animal within reach. 

“Well I should get going,” Namjoon says once Seokjin is back with them. Soobin is clutching a small stuffed hamster that he claims is his very best friend now besides Junnie. “I have dinner plans tonight.” 

Yoongi squints. “You finally asked Seonghwa out?” 

Namjoon’s entire face turns red and Yoongi’s mouth drops open. “Wait seriously? You scored a date with Seonghwa?” 

“It’s not a date,” Namjoon whines and Yeonjun giggles when he tries to hide his face in his nephews neck. “He just asked me to maybe grab some food after their rehearsals.” 

“Kinda sounds like a date,” Seokjin says, picking up Soobin. 

“It’s not!” Namjoon tries again but he freezes. “Oh god, is it a date? I haven’t even shaved!”

Yoongi snorts. “Shaved what? You don’t even grow facial hair.” 

Namjoon winks at Yoongi and he fake gags. “Give me my son you weirdo.” He says as he grabs Yeonjun who goes with him easily, but not before hugging Namjoon tightly. 

“Bye uncle Joonie,” He says softly and Namjoon practically melts. 

“Bye Junnie, I’ll miss you. Next time you come to the studio I promise to have lots of art supplies for you okay?” Namjoon says and Yeonjun nods happily. 

“I’ll go drop the box spring and mattress off and then head out okay?” Namjoon says, turning his attention to Yoongi. 

“Yeah that works, thank you Joon. It means a lot,” Yoongi says but Namjoon waves him off. 

“Anything for my nephew. Well I’m off, bye Junnie,” Namjoon says again, pressing a kiss to his hair. “Bye Soobin and Seokjin,” He says and when Seokjin hugs him, Namjoon winks obnoxiously at Yoongi. 

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “Tell Seonghwa I say hi.” 

Namjoon flips him off and Yoongi dramatically shields Yeonjun’s eyes. Once he’s gone, Seokjin turns to Yoongi. 

“Well who’s ready for target?” 

Yoongi groans while Yeonjun and Soobin let out matching excited yells. 

-☾-

Once they are in the apartment, with the boxes that hold Yeonjun’s new bed and night stand stacked neatly in what’s going to be his bedroom, Yoongi exhales a sigh of relief. Soobin places the newly bought stuffed animals on the hardwood floor next to the couch and Yeonjun stacks the larger pillows for his bed on top of it. Soobin immediately gravitates towards Yeonjun and gently grabs his hand again, to which his son allows. 

Seokjin is the last to enter the apartment with the last of the bags from target that have Yeonjun’s new bedding and a few books for him in them. He offers Yoongi a smile once he drops them on the floor next to the pillows and Yoongi returns it easily. He doesn’t know how he’s going to repay Seokjin for his kindness during this entire situation. If it wasn’t for him, Yoongi doesn’t quite know where they would be. 

Seokjin glances at the large black clock hanging in Yoongi’s living room. “We should get started on his bed if we want to finish it before one in the morning.” 

Yoongi groans, stretching on the couch that he’s now decided to call home. Who knew shopping would take so much out of him and the worst part is they aren’t even finished yet. They only grabbed what they deemed necessary and what would fit in both of their cars. Namjoon had dropped off the box spring and mattress but left as soon as he came, texting Yoongi a confirmation that it was at his apartment and something about dinner and Seonghwa so he couldn’t stay to help put everything together. 

“Junnie come lay on top of me so I don’t have to move,” Yoongi says, holding his arms open wide for his son. Yeonjun does as he asks and charges at him, hopping on top of him with an excited Soobin following closely behind. 

Yoongi accepts both of them in his arms easily and Soobin giggles when Yoongi tickles his stomach. 

“My turn!” Yeonjun asks and Yoongi can’t deny his son a thing. He tickles him as well and Yeonjun lets out a loud giggle that has Yoongi’s heart warming in his chest. 

Seokjin joins them on the couch, pinching Yoongi’s side. “I will not put the bed together myself.” 

Yoongi squints his eyes at Seokjin who rolls his eyes in return. Yoongi whispers something to both Soobin and Yeonjun who nod in understanding before they’re pouncing on Seokjin and tickling him. Seokjin lets out a mixture of loud laughter and screams as the both of them tickle him relentlessly. 

“Mercy!” Seokjin cries as they continue to tickle him and Yoongi decides to take pity on him even if he was the one who called for the initial attack. 

He stands and pulls Yeonjun off of him, flipping him upside down and holding him by his legs. Yeonjun screams but he’s laughing as well so Yoongi knows he isn’t scared. Seokjin also now has Soobin giggling as he peppers his face with kisses. Eventually, Yoongi places his son down on the ground and Soobin takes it as an invitation to jump on Yeonjun and try to tickle him himself. They end up rolling around on the floor together. 

Yoongi looks over to Seokjin and finds him already staring at him. “You ready to put the bed together now?”

Yoongi lets out a dramatic sigh. “I guess.” 

Seokjin rolls his eyes. “Come on and stop being such a baby. I already have to deal with two,” He says, gesturing to the two toddlers who are still rolling around as they try to tickle each other.

Yoongi ignores the way his heart practically leaps in his chest at Seokjin calling Yeonjun his boy, as if he doesn’t plan on ever going a day without him again. As if he’s his own as well. 

“Well how about we set up the kiddos in here and we go put the bed together? I don’t want one of them to accidentally get hurt with all the tools and screws.” 

Seokjin nods. “Works for me. We can put on one of the movies we bought for them.” 

“Okay, Junnie, Binnie,” Yoongi calls for the two boys and they stop rolling around in order to give Yoongi their full attention. “You two are going to stay here while we go put together the bed okay?”

When Yoongi suggests this, Yeonjun immediately starts crying and it startles all three of them. Soobin tries to console Yeonjun with a hug but the toddler rejects it, instead making a beeline for Yoongi. Seokjin doesn’t intervene, probably knowing that this is something that Yoongi needs to deal with — especially since it seems Yeonjun just wants him at the moment. 

Yeonjun runs into his legs, immediately gripping them tightly. It’s reminiscent of the first night that he had him when they were trying to get him to fall asleep with Soobin. He held onto Yoongi as if he would leave him and Yoongi immediately understands why his suggestion would scare him. 

“Oh Junnie,” Yoongi says gently and he untangles himself from Yeonjun’s death grip so he can kneel in front of him and catch his eyes. Yeonjun allows him to but blocks his eyes by covering them with his small hands as he continues to cry. 

“Junnie, baby can you look at me?” Yoongi asks, gently trying to pry his son's hands from his eyes. 

Yeonjun doesn’t remove his hands at first, still sniffling as Yoongi gently grabs his arm. He doesn’t force him to move his hands, instead he just waits. Eventually, Yeonjun does remove his hands from his eyes. Yoongi offers him a gentle smile and Yeonjun doesn’t return it but that’s okay. Yeonjun reaches out for Yoongi, grabbing his hand with one of his own. He holds onto it tightly, ensuring that Yoongi won’t disappear from in front of him. 

“Remember the little star?” Yoongi says gently after his son has calmed down and isn’t breathing so erratically. Yeonjun looks at him with wide eyes, which shine with unshed tears and Yoongi hopes they one day get to a point where his son doesn’t want to cry anytime Yoongi isn’t in his direct line of sight. 

Yeonjun nods minutely. “Yes.”

“Do you remember what I said about the moon and little star keeping their promise to each other?” Yoongi continues and Yeonjun isn’t holding his hand quite as tight as he once had been. “What did they promise each other?”

Yeonjun blinks at him, sniffling a bit before he’s able to answer his question. “That they never left each other. That they would be together forever and ever.”

“That’s right little star,” Yoongi says softly. “But did I ever tell you that sometimes the moon has to leave? Only for a little bit and the star can’t see him.”

“But then the little star is all alone,” Yeonjun says and it’s easy to tell he’s about to get himself worked up again. There is fear in his words and Yoongi, for the millionth time wishes he could take the fear away from him. 

“Just because he can’t see the moon, doesn’t mean he’s all alone. You know why?” Yoongi asks, looking at his son with all the warmth in his heart. 

“Why?” Yeonjun asks quietly. 

“Because the moon will always come back to his little star,” Yoongi promises. “The moon may have to leave from time to time in order to shine on others but he will always return to his little star. Do you know why?” 

Yeonjun shakes his head. Yoongi reaches forward and grabs his son’s other hand and Yeonjun allows him to. “Because the little star is home and there is no where he would rather be than with him.”

Yeonjun doesn’t say anything at first and Yoongi allows his son the time to process what he’s saying to him. Yoongi glances over to Seokjin, who is watching them with a warm expression — and something else that Yoongi can’t quite read. Soobin is next to him, watching as well as he lays tucked into his father's side on the couch. 

“The moon will always come back?” Yeonjun asks, pulling Yoongi’s attention back to him. “Even when he leaves for little bit?” 

Yoongi nods. “The moon will always come back because without his little star he’s sad.”

Yeonjun bites his bottom lip. “Okay.”

“Will you watch the movie for daddy? You can even watch it with all your stuffies?” Yoongi asks, squeezing his son’s hands gently. 

“And with Binnie?” Yeonjun asks, glancing back at the younger boy who perks up at the mention of his name. 

“And with Binnie,” Yoongi promises.  

Yeonjun finally nods and Yoongi smiles at his son brightly. Yeonjun returns it but his is much more muted, but Yoongi doesn’t take any offense to it. Yeonjun is trying his best and Yoongi is immensely proud of him for the small progress he’s made the past two days. Every day they will probably face another battle but Yoongi doesn’t mind, especially if the end result is Yeonjun finally being comfortable with him. 

They end up sitting in Yeonjun’s bedroom once the children are situated in the living room watching a toy story. Yeonjun had never seen it before, claiming his mother didn’t ever really let him watch what he wanted. They only had one television and usually they watched whatever she wanted to watch. Seokjin had told Yeonjun he could pick whatever he wanted to watch because Yoongi was too angry at the time to say much of anything. 

Yeonjun had quickly picked a toy story when he saw the cover of the movie in the store they were picking out the toys they bought for him. Yoongi didn’t have a DVD player but Seokjin brought his laptop over from his house because he wanted the boys to be content and distracted while they began setting up Yeonjun’s room. Seokjin took Tuesday off from work so Soobin didn’t have school the next day and Yoongi made his own hours so he was in no rush to sleep early either. 

Yoongi laughs loudly as Seokjin frowns down at the two pieces of the bed frame. They’ve been at it for an hour now and they’ve gotten only two pieces of the bed frame together, along with the nightstand. 

“How do people build things?” Seokjin asks exasperatedly as he fails, once again to put together the frame. “We should have hired someone to do this for us.”

Yoongi snorts, pulling away the pieces from Seokjin. “Patience is key when you’re building something.”

Seokjin grumbles under his breath when Yoongi is able to successfully put the two pieces he had been struggling with together. Yoongi winks at him before he stands to position the pieces with the other two parts of the bed frame. Seokjin helps him put the pieces together and they push it against the wall.

“Thank god the hardest part is done,” Seokjin says as they finally get the headboard attached to it. “Beds are the worst. Why do they make them so complicated?”

“They aren’t really that bad,” Yoongi says. Seokjin huffs as they walk over to grab the box frame of the bed. They lay it down and proceed to lay the mattress over it. 

Seokjin shoves his arm gently and Yoongi laughs good naturedly. Yoongi moves over to the night stand to grab the bags that have the sheets in them. He pulls them out and begins to put them on while Seokjin laughs at him as each end of the sheets snaps off as he works on another one. Yoongi huffs as he tries to get all four sides of the bed covered. Seokjin finally helps him when Yoongi almost begs him too.

“It isn’t really that bad,” Seokjin echos his words from just a few minutes ago.

Yoongi retaliates like any normal person would and the moment Seokjin gets on the bed to grab the end of the sheet, Yoongi kicks him gently. It has the intended outcome as Seokjin stumbles a bit — but instead of landing directly on the bed, he lands in Yoongi’s lap. It causes Yoongi to press down against the bed as Seokjin presses against him. 

Seokjin laughs loudly as Yoongi groans. “That was your fault and I don’t feel bad that I almost squashed you.”

Yoongi opens his eyes and blinks when he realizes just how close Seokjin is to him. The elders face is almost touching his own and if Yoongi were to move just so, their noses would brush against each other’s. Whatever Yoongi was going to retort dies on the tip of his tongue. Seokjin… is even more beautiful up close, which is saying something because Yoongi is positive he’s never met someone so beautiful. 

“Sorry,” Yoongi exhales, even though he doesn’t really think he is.

Seokjin stares at him and there is something in his eyes that Yoongi can’t quite read. Yoongi, for a brief moment, wonders what it would be like to kiss Seokjin. His lips look soft — well, if he’s being honest, every part of him looks soft. Seokjin blinks back at him and Yoongi can feel his breath against his cheek. 

“Can I ask you something?” Seokjin asks and he makes no move to extract himself from Yoongi, which he can’t say he minds much. 

“Course,” Yoongi replies and the word comes out almost like a whisper, since they are still so close to each other. Yoongi knows he’s staring but he doesn’t have it in him to pretend he isn’t. 

“The story you were telling Junnie earlier, did you make it up?” 

It’s not exactly the question he was expecting. “Uh… yeah. Yeonjun was having some trouble adjusting and is always so terrified that I will leave him. I’m hoping the story will help him realize that he will never be alone again. I don’t care what it takes, he will always have a home with me.”

“Will you tell me the story one day?” Seokjin is looking at him again with that same expression — the one that says so much but also so very little. It’s like he’s thinking a million different things at one time and Yoongi wishes he knew every single thought that’s crossing his mind. 

Yoongi nods, unsure of what else to say. He doesn’t want to talk right now, all he really wants to do is look at Seokjin. He could probably do it all day if he was allowed. The Seokjin in his lap right now is a lot different than the Seokjin he formed a crush on the moment they first met in the elevator. This Seokjin is softer than he expected, with a heart that’s large enough to take in a child he’s never met and hurt for him even if he has no need to. This Seokjin is a lot more real — not just some beautiful face, but a beautiful soul as well, as cheesy as that may sound. 

“Yoongi… you’re so… just not what I expected” Seokjin exhales and the words come out so soft. Yoongi can feel warmth creep up his neck. He wants to say the same to Seokjin. 

“Is that a good thing?” Yoongi asks. Seokjin has freckles on his nose and Yoongi wants to kiss every single one. 

“It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful,” Seokjin says. “Yoongi…”

There is a question in the way he speaks his name — and Yoongi wonders if he wants the same thing he does but doesn’t know how to say it. Wonders if he wants to kiss him the same way Yoongi wishes he would. Yoongi moves his hand, placing it gently on Seokjin’s hip and the elder doesn’t move away from him. Instead Seokjin moves his own hand, tentatively caressing Yoongi’s face. His hands are warm as they gently touch Yoongi’s cheek. Yoongi squeezes the man’s hip gently.

Before Yoongi can gather the courage to lean forward, the door to Yeonjun’s room is swinging open and whatever moment they were having is shattered as quickly as it came. They jolt apart, Yoongi’s tattooed hand falling from Seokjin’s hip. Yeonjun and Soobin come bounding into the room, both of them stopping when they see their fathers on the small bed together. 

“Are you okay daddy?” Soobin asks urgently, dropping Yeonjun’s hand to rush over to his father; who carefully climbs out of Yoongi’s lap. Neither of them look at each other as he does so.

“I am fluff,” Seokjin says and the tone he speaks in is completely even, a contrast of the soft whispers he was just giving Yoongi. “What’s wrong? Is the movie over?”

Soobin nods, holding his hands up so Seokjin will pick him up. “Yes. Wanna sleep.” 

Seokjin laughs, brushing his son’s hair from his face. “Okay fluff. We can go home. Do you want to say goodbye to Junnie?”

“Okay,” Soobin says and he wiggles out of Seokjin’s arms. “Bye Jun Jun.” 

Yeonjun accepts the hug easily and it’s huge progress from the first time the two children met. Yeonjun pulls away from Soobin and walks towards Seokjin and hugs his legs. Seokjin leans down to run his hand through Yeonjun’s hair affectionately. 

“Thank you for the hug Junnie, that was very sweet of you,” Seokjin says softly. 

Yeonjun pulls away from him with a small nod. Soobin tugs on Yoongi’s pants until he picks him up so Soobin can give him a proper hug. Yoongi laughs as Soobin presses a loud kiss to his cheek. 

“Night night!” He says happily and Yoongi is hit with so much fondness he doesn’t know what to do with himself. 

“Night Binnie,” Yoongi says back. He glances over to Yeonjun. “You ready to sleep in your own bed tonight?” 

Yeonjun freezes. “I’m sleeping here?” He asks and he doesn’t sound nearly as excited as Yoongi thought he would be. “Don’t wanna.” 

Yoongi frowns. “Why not Junnie? I thought you liked your new bed? Weren’t you excited when you picked it out?”

“I don’t wanna,” Yeonjun says and his voice is wobbly. He steps away from the bed and his shoulders are shaking slightly. He looks terrified. “Please don’t wanna. Please don’t make me.”

Yoongi glances at Seokjin who shrugs helplessly. Soobin squirms in his arms as he tries to get a better look at Yeonjun, who isn’t crying quite yet but looks like he might at any moment. 

“You don’t want to sleep in your bed?” Yoongi asks gently and it's apparently not the right the thing to say because Yeonjun takes one look at the bed and starts crying for the second time tonight — but this one is by far the worst he’s heard.

 Seokjin doesn’t hesitate to scoop Yeonjun into his arms because he’s closest to him and Yoongi currently has an armful of Soobin. He gently wipes the tears from his face, whispering softly to him that everything is going to be alright. Yeonjun allows him to and it’s a testament to how much his son already trusts Seokjin. It takes a while for Yeonjun to calm down enough for him to hear Seokjin’s words but eventually he starts breathing normally again. 

“Are you okay?” Seokjin asks Yeonjun gently. “What’s wrong Jun, do you not like the bed.” 

Yeonjun shakes his head. “I like it.” 

Yoongi frowns in confusion but Seokjin just nods. “Okay. You like the bed but don’t want to sleep in it?” 

“I don’t wanna,” Yeonjun says and he sounds so unbelievably small as he admits it. 

“Why don’t you want to?” Seokjin presses kindly. He wipes a few more tears from Yeonjun’s face. “If you like it, why don’t you want to sleep in it?” 

Yeonjun curls his fingers into the neckline of Seokjin’s sweater. “Scared,” He whispers. 

“Being scared is okay Junnie,” Seokjin says gently. “You know I’m scared of things too.” 

Yeonjun sniffles. “Really?”

Seokjin nods, adjusting Yeonjun in his arms so he can wipe away the few stray tears that fall from the toddler's eyes. “I am. You know even your daddy is scared of things.”

Yeonjun turns to him, blinking slowly. “Really?”

Yoongi stands, still cradling a sleeping Soobin in his arms. “Of course I am little star,” Yoongi says gently. “It’s okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes. But you don’t have to be scared alone okay?”

Yeonjun nods his head minutely. Yoongi smiles at his son — it’s soft and reassuring. Yeonjun reaches out to him and Seokjin switches the kids out. Yoongi takes Yeonjun into his arms and his heart breaks a bit when Yeonjun grabs him as if he’s still so terrified of him disappearing. Seokjin offers Yoongi a soft smile before he bows out and exits the room. Yoongi knows they should probably talk about what just happened but right now his son takes priority. Plus, Seokjin is probably heading home for the night and Yoongi doesn’t blame him. It’s been quite a long day for all four of them. 

“How about we put or jammies on and we can sleep in daddy’s bed? Would you rather do that?” Yoongi asks once they are alone again. 

Yeonjun nods against his shoulder and Yoongi takes that as an answer. 

“Which do you want to wear?” Yoongi asks, holding his son against his hip. “Do you want the t-rexes?” 

Yeonjun shakes his head. He points instead to a pair of black and white checkered pants, which Yeonjun had insisted on when they were at target. Yoongi grabs them with a nod. He takes Yeonjun over to his bed and places him on it, which Yeonjun thankfully doesn’t fight him on. He changes him quickly and picks him back up to take him to his bedroom instead.

He walks over to his bed and gently places Yeonjun down on the sheets once they are both in their pajamas and out of the clothes they had been wearing all day. Yeonjun doesn’t let go of him as he lays him down, wanting to keep a hand on him at all times and  Yoongi allows his son to seek all the comfort he needs from him without complaint. Yoongi hardly has any hope that Yeonjun will be sleeping in his own bed for a while but Yoongi doesn’t mind in the slightest. 

Once they are in bed, Yeonjun looks up at him. “Are you scared of things too?” He asks, playing with the bottom of Yoongi’s shirt. 

“I am,” Yoongi says easily. 

“Like what?” Yeonjun is still looking at him and Yoongi is struck by how much he truly fears when he looks at his son. Even if it’s only been a short period of time. 

He fears losing him — or Yeonjun eventually realizing he doesn’t want Yoongi but his mother instead. He fears not being enough or screwing being a father up because he has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. He fears… being his own father. It’s why he never wanted to have children in the first place. His father was a man Yoongi swore he would never be but there was always that fear that it was inevitable. 

But then he looks down at Yeonjun’s large brown eyes and knows that he would never do something to hurt him. Not if he could help it. 

“I’m scared of a lot of things,” Yoongi says softly. “Like spiders.” 

Yeonjun’s eyes grow wide. “Spiders are scary! I don’t like spiders!”

Yoongi mimics his son’s face. He raises his hand, making a claw with his hand. “They are! Because they have so many legs right? Like these?” He wiggles his fingers and Yeonjun nods rapidly. Yoongi lowers his hand until it’s almost touching Yeonjun. “And they crawl all over you like this.” He drops his hand on Yeonjun’s stomach and begins tickling him. 

Yeonjun screams in between his giggles and Yoongi can’t help but laugh with his son. He keeps tickling Yeonjun until the tears that are falling from his eyes aren’t from sadness but instead from happiness. Once they are settled again, Yoongi pokes his son’s cheek gently. 

“What were you scared of earlier Junnie?” Yoongi asks gently. “You don’t like your bed?” 

Yeonjun shakes his head against Yoongi’s side. “I like the bed. It has spiderman.”

“Spiderman is pretty cool,” Yoongi agrees. “But then why didn’t you want to sleep there?” 

“Was scared,” Yeonjun says quietly. 

“Scared of what baby?” Yoongi presses, knowing his son shouldn’t keep his feelings to himself. If Yoongi can help, he wants to. 

Yeonjun is quiet for a moment before he finally lets out a small exhale. “Scared you were going to leave. I don’t wanna be alone anymore.”

It doesn’t matter how many times he hears his son’s, it continues to break his heart. No seven year old should have fears like this at such a young age — they should fear a lot of mundane things; like not getting waffles for breakfast or not getting the new video game they wanted. They shouldn’t fear that one day their parent was going to walk out on them and never return. 

“You don’t ever have to be scared that I won’t be here when you wake up,” Yoongi promises. It’s a promise he’s made time and time again and hopefully one day he won’t have to make it for Yeonjun to understand this is his forever home. “I promise to always be the first person you see in the morning okay?” 

Yeonjun sniffles. “For a long, long time right?”

“Forever little star.” 

Yeonjun nods but Yoongi can tell there is still something weighing heavily on the toddler's mind. Yoongi settles into bed next to his son and Yeonjun curls into his side, wrapping his tiny hands into Yoongi’s shirt. Yoongi doesn’t say anything, allowing his son to formulate whatever he wants to say. 

Eventually his son exhales softly. 

“Did…” Yeonjun starts and his voice sounds far too thick for Yoongi’s liking. Yoongi runs his hand up his son’s arm in a soothing manner. “Did Mommy not…. love me? Soobin said his mommy loved him lots before she got the icky. He said she would always give him kisses and sing him to sleep!” Yeonjun frowns deeply, making him look far too old for his age. “Mommy— Mommy never did that for me.”

Yoongi freezes, his heart plummeting into the pit of his stomach. He’s never hated anyone before but he thinks Yeonjun’s mother might just make him change that mindset. 

“Oh little star, I wish I had the answers for you,” Yoongi says quietly. “Mommy had problems that she needs to work on by herself but I do think she loved you, even if it wasn’t the love you deserved,” Yoongi says because how does he tell his seven year old son that his mother didn’t. How could you tell anyone that the person who’s supposed to love him no matter what, just didn’t. She must have loved him somewhat though, at least enough to know that she needed to let him go. 

“She’s not coming back is she?” Yeonjun asks quietly. “She left lots of times but this time she isn’t coming back right?” 

It’s amazing how smart Yeonjun is, even despite his age. It’s also a bit heartbreaking that he’s able to understand that his mother left him for good this time. 

“She isn’t,” Yoongi says because it’s better to break the news now than have Yeonjun hold onto hope that will only eventually crumble. “I’m sorry Junnie.” 

Yeonjun sniffles but doesn’t say anything at first. Yoongi holds onto him because he doesn’t know what else to do that will offer him any semblance of comfort, besides just being present for him. 

“Do you think you could tell me the story about the little star and lonely moon again?” Yeonjun asks, pressing further into Yoongi’s side. 

“Of course Junnie.” Yoongi readjusts them so they are under the covers of his bed. Yoongi abandons the idea of allowing Yeonjun to sleep on his own — they can work up to that eventually but for now, Yeonjun doesn’t need to be alone. 

“The story is of a moon,” Yoongi says softly, brushing back his son’s hair. “The moon who thought he had the entire world but he was wrong. Being the moon was lonely,” He continues, holding Yeonjun close. “He didn’t know he was lonely until a small star came and lit up his world in ways he didn’t know were possible. The little star showed him that being alone wasn’t all he would ever know.” 

“Did the lonely moon love the little star?” Yeonjun asks quietly.

“The lonely moon loved the little star the moment he first saw him,” Yoongi says without a beat of hesitation. “The lonely moon loved the little star more than he thought possible.”

Yeonjun nods against his side. 

“The little star loves the moon too.”

Chapter Text

It started with one star. Then that one star went to two. Then those two stars turned to three and suddenly the moon knew just what it was like. Knew what it was like to have a family. 

-☾-

It becomes a learning curve, Yoongi realizes. 

He’s never had to completely care for someone other than himself before and Yeonjun has never had someone who was dedicated to putting him first. They both have a lot to learn but there is at least one thing they are sure of, it’s that they love each other. Yeonjun hasn’t said it out right, save for that one night the second day he had him but he does show it various other ways. Like holding Yoongi’s hand anytime he’s close enough. Or painting Yoongi pictures anytime he has his supplies out and giving them to Yoongi with a shy smile and rosy red cheeks. Or being able to sleep in his own room now because he knows that Yoongi will always be there in the morning to wake him up with peppered kisses all over his face. 

Another way Yeonjun shows his trust and love for Yoongi is the way he is constantly seeking him out.  Whether it be by asking Yoongi to join him and Seokjin as they cook dinner or asking to sit in Yoongi’s lap while they are holed up in the studio. As time has passed, he mostly does it when he’s tired and is ready to settle but it means a lot to Yoongi just the same. It means he feels safest around him, like if he falls asleep and Yoongi is near, he knows that no harm will come his way. Which he’s correct in but he’s also hoping that one day Yeonjun will realize that everyone around him has his safety in mind as well. Namjoon is always popping into his studio with another gift for Yeonjun, even though he’s already given him so many that Yoongi is positive he’s spoiling his son rotten. Namjoon even stays around to paint with him every so often. Sometimes Seonghwa joins, much to the delight of both Yeonjun and Yoongi and the dismay of Namjoon who can’t even keep his paint from ruining his clothes anytime the singer is around. Hoseok will join them as well, or come during lunch with some of Yeonjun’s favorite foods. 

In the span of the month that Yeonjun has spent with Yoongi, he’s learned a lot of things about his son. 

He’s learned that Yeonjun is an incredible artist, even at such a young age and that him drawing you a picture is his own way of saying he cares for you. So far Seokjin, Soobin, Namjoon, Hoseok, Jungkook and Seonghwa have all received drawings from the younger boy — all of them teared up, even Jungkook who didn’t receive it from Yeonjun personally, save for Soobin who just giggled and tackled Yeonjun to the ground. He also has learned that Yeonjun loves watching animated movies but spiderman is his absolute favorite movie to watch whenever they have the time and his favorite color is green. He’s learned that he wants to learn how to make music one day too and that his favorite thing to do is to hold hands when he’s scared. Yeonjun also isn’t an easy crier but when he does cry, all he wants is to be held close. 

He also learns that Yeonjun absolutely loves Korean food, even if he was never allowed such a thing before. Pizza comes in at a close second, much to Seokjin’s dismay and Yoongi’s delight. But the food he loves the most, is always the food Seokjin and he cook together almost every night. It’s a sight that’s become familiar to Yoongi over this past month. Yeonjun will always sit on the counter of either Yoongi or Seokjin's apartment and watch with rapt attention as Seokjin teaches him how to cook whatever dish they are making. Sometimes Yoongi and Soobin even join them, which in turn become some of Yoongi’s fondest memories. 

He’s also learned that Yeonjun adores Seokjin as much as Yoongi does. 

Everytime Yoongi thinks of Seokjin, he can’t help the smile that takes over his features or the warmth that seems to spread directly from his heart and through his veins. Yeonjun has taken quite fondly to him as well. He doesn’t know where either of them would be if it wasn’t for the elder and his wonderful son. 

They have become a permanent fixture in both of their lives over the past month and Yoongi is unbelievably grateful for it. Yeonjun still has bad days, which isn’t surprising for someone that’s been through so much in such a short span of time but every day he’s getting a little bit better. There are times where he can’t sleep in his own room out of fear that Yoongi won’t be there in the morning and times where he doesn’t want to be around anyone but Yoongi but there are also times where Yeonjun willingly plays in another room with Soobin and doesn’t worry that Yoongi is going to be gone when he returns. 

At the end of it all, he knows that it’s going to take more than just a month for Yeonjun to conquer all his fears. He knows that some days will be better than others. He knows that one day Yeonjun will be able to voice his thoughts freely and others he will curl into himself out of fear. But all of that is okay. Yoongi doesn’t mind being there through every bad day and every good one if it means that one day Yeonjun will realize that he has a family now. One that would never turn him away when things get hard. 

It’s a learning curve and one that Yoongi is okay with figuring out day by day. 

-☾-

Yoongi takes his time watching Yeonjun work on his letters. Seokjin has been working with Yeonjun almost every day to catch him up to Soobin, who has been in pre k for the past year. Yoongi has been looking into schools around their area to enroll Yeonjun in, so he makes sure to stay on top of his practice. He doesn’t want to make the transition any harder on his son than it’s already going to be. He's a bit behind due to Mina's neglect but he's proving to be a rather quick learner.

“That’s wonderful Junnie,” Yoongi praises his son. “That’s how you write an A. And what does A stand for?”

“Apple!” Yeonjun says excitedly. Yoongi gives him a wide smile and nods.

“And in Korean?” Yoongi presses. 

Yeonjun furrows his brow in concentration. “Uh…” Then his eyes light up. “Annyeong!”

“Yeonjun is the smartest boy ever!” A new voice says and Yoongi looks up to find Hoseok and Namjoon standing in the doorway of his studio. 

Both of them make a beeline for Yeonjun when his concentration is broken from his small writing lesson. Yoongi rolls his eyes as Yeonjun giggles. He soaks up all the affection he is showered in as per usual when his uncles come to visit him. Seonghwa trails in behind them, offering Yoongi a smile. As soon as Namjoon and Hoseok are pulling away, Seonghwa swoops in to greet Yeonjun. 

“Hey hyung can we talk to you for a moment?” Namjoon asks and he has his professional, it’s all business voice on. 

Yoongi nods. “Yeah of course.”

Yoongi steps away from Yeonjun, promising to help him with his letters more after he talks to his hyungs. Yeonjun smiles up at him and nods. Yoongi sits down at the chair at his desk, turning towards both Namjoon and Hoseok. 

“What’s up?” Yoongi asks, folding his hands on his lap. “Do we have a meeting or something today?”

Namjoon shakes his head no. “No but you do remember what tonight is right?” 

Yoongi raises an eyebrow. “Am I supposed to?”

“Hyung the AMA’s are today.”  Hoseok says, leaning back against the soundboard. 

“Wait, that's today?” Yoongi asks, leaning back in his seat. The award show completely slipped his mind with everything else that has been going on in their lives. “Do I have to go?”

“Well you’re up for two awards,” Namjoon reminds him and Yoongi sighs because that means he has to go. “I mean we can probably work something out but hyung…” Namjoon trails off and looks over to Hoseok.

“You haven’t left the house once in the past month. And if you have, it’s been with Yeonjun,” Hoseok continues, making sure to speak Korean instead of english. “It might be good for Junnie if you take a night off. Just so he knows what it’s like. This might be optional but there will be things in the future that aren’t.”

Yoongi sighs. “I guess you're right but I don’t know how he will react. He has gotten better of course but isn’t this a lot? I don’t want to set him back.”

“I think it’s good practice,” Hoseok says diplomatically. “If anything goes wrong you won’t be far from home and can leave at any time.”

Namjoon hums his assent. “You’re a wonderful father hyung. That isn’t even a question but there is going to come a time when Yeonjun can’t join us for something. That’s just the nature of our jobs.”

Yoongi glances over at his son, who is oblivious to the fact that they are talking about him as he sits on the couch in his studio. He’s coloring with Seonghwa who has also become a permanent fixture in his son's life — ever since Yoongi had finally had enough of Namjoon’s pining and finally told Seonghwa to just ask Namjoon out already. Namjoon had been angry with him at first but had quietly thanked him after Seonghwa took him out to a park so Namjoon could tell him whatever he knew about the nature around them. Namjoon said it was one of the best dates he’s ever had because he felt like he didn’t have to be RM, he just had to be Namjoon. 

Yoongi knows that his friends only push him to do something when it’s absolutely necessary or if they think it’s the right thing to do. As much as Yoongi doesn’t want to spend time away from his son, he knows he eventually has to. It’s what has him finally agreeing with his friends, with a promise to tell him today before he has to leave for the show.

Just the thought of breaking the news to Yeonjun is enough to make Yoongi nervous though so he waits until he’s back in the comfort of his own apartment with Seokjin to do so. Seokjin agreed with Hoseok and Namjoon that it would be good for both of them to try and spend the night apart. He also agreed to take care of Yeonjun as if it wasn’t even a question. 

“He trusts me,” Seokjin said. “Of course I’ll take care of him. I promise I don’t want him sad almost as much as you don’t.”

When Yoongi finally gathers the courage to tell his son, Yeonjun’s eyes grow large and Yoongi is heartbroken to see the way they immediately glaze over. Yoongi doesn’t panic like the first day, already a seasoned pro at this. He grabs his son’s hand’s in his own and waits until his son is ready to talk about whatever he is feeling. 

“You’re… leaving,” Yeonjun says and he sounds devastated by the mere thought. Yoongi wishes once again he could erase all the pain his son has endured. 

“Just for one night,” Yoongi says gently. “I promised you that I would never leave you and I meant that.”

Yeonjun sniffles and Yoongi wipes away whatever stray tears fall from his brown eyes. “You will come back right?”

“Remember our story Junnie?” Yoongi asks softly. “Remember how lonely the moon would be if he didn’t have his little star?”

Yeonjun nods slowly. “Yeah. The moon would never ever leave the star forever cuz he would miss him right?”

Yoongi wipes a few more tears from his son's eyes. “The moon would miss him so much. He would be nothing without his little star.”

“Okay,” Yeonjun finally agrees but he still doesn’t sound like he genuinely is okay with it. “I’ll be a good boy.”

“Junnie, you don’t mind staying with Seokjin right?” Yoongi asks gently, sweeping his son's hair to the side. Seokjin is sitting on the bed looking at both of them, holding Soobin in his lap. 

Yeonjun bites his lower lip and plays with Yoongi’s fingers. He doesn’t look sure about this entire situation. Yoongi doesn’t really blame him — it’s the first time he will actually leave Yeonjun alone for an extended period of time. Sure, they have made a lot of progress over the past month but that doesn’t make the situation any easier. Yoongi is ready to not go to the award show at all if that means Yeonjun will be comfortable. 

Seokjin shifts Soobin in his lap, reaching out to hold Yeonjun’s hand. “You remember when I gave you my necklace?”

Yeonjun nods slowly. “Yes. You… promised that you would come back cuz I had your favorite necklace.”

“And I did, didn’t I?” Seokjin asks gently. He rubs the back of Yeonjun’s hand with his thumb. “Your daddy wouldn’t lie to you bub. I promise, he will come back.” 

Yeonjun shifts slightly in Yoongi’s lap so that he’s able to look up at Yoongi. “Do you promise to come back?”

Yoongi presses a quick kiss to Yeonjun’s forehead. “Of course I do little star. You remember how lonely the moon would be without his little star?”

“He would be really lonely.” Yeonjun squeezes Yoongi’s hand. “But you will come back. Cause you never break promises.”

“Of course I wouldn’t Junnie,” Yoongi says softly. He picks his son up, turning him around so he’s facing him. Yeonjun looks at him with wide brown eyes. “How about I make you a deal?”

“What’s a deal?” Yeonjun asks, tilting his head slightly. 

Seokjin snickers behind them and Yoongi looks up at him. Seokjin holds Soobin in front of his face to hide himself from Yoongi and Yoongi rolls his eyes at his antics. He looks back down at Yeonjun, whose lips have formed a small pout. 

“A deal is like… if you do something for me then I’ll do something for you,” Yoongi explains in layman’s terms. “Like if you stay home with Seokjin and be a good boy, then I will let you paint a wall in my studio.”

Yeonjun’s eyes grow considerably wide. “A whole wall?” He asks in complete disbelief. “Really?”

Yoongi nods and he can’t help but smile at how adorable Yeonjun is when he’s offered something. “Of course bub. I would be honored if I could have your artwork all over my walls. That way anytime you aren’t there, I can be reminded of you.” 

Yeonjun nods. “Okay. But then can we make another deal?” 

Seokjin laughs. “A smart one you have there.”

“Daddy I wanna make a deal!” Soobin says, squirming in his father's hold. “What’s a deal! I want one!”

It’s Yoongi’s turn to laugh while Seokjin explains to his son what a deal is. He looks back at Yeonjun, who is looking expectantly at him. Yoongi brushes his son's hair back, giving a soft nod.

“What’s up?” Yoongi asks. “What deal would you like to make?”

“If you are gonna go to your music thingy, can you draw me a picture?” Yeonjun asks shyly. “Cuz then when you’re gone… I can think of you too.”

Yoongi is hit by such an intense wave of fondness for his son that he doesn’t quite know how to handle it. He scoops Yeonjun up, holding him in arms and promises that he will draw him a picture before he leaves. Yeonjun giggles as Yoongi peppers his face with kisses. Soobin lets out an excited yell and soon Yoongi is being tackled down to the bed with two small boys now peppering his face with kisses. Yoongi can hear Seokjin laughs and joins their small dog pile. 

“Mercy!” Yoongi cries as Soobin kisses the tip of his nose. “You won. You won!” 

Seokjin scoops Soobin up and allows Yoongi to breathe. “You hear that fluff? We win!”

Soobin claps excitedly. “Yay! Can I have cookie now?”

Yoongi wrestles Yeonjun into his side to prevent Yeonjun from giving him anymore kisses. Yeonjun is still giggling as he tries to fight his father off but he stops at the mention of cookies. Seokjin rolls his eyes and pokes Soobin’s nose.

“Okay, both of you can have one cookie,” Seokjin says and both boys clap happily. “But that means we have more veggies for dinner.”

Both boys smile happily at that, not caring about the vegetables in the slightest.

“Can I help make dinner hyung?” Yeonjun asks, the honorific something he’s taken to calling Seokjin. 

Seokjin smiles, leaning forward to ruffle Yeonjun’s hair. “Of course you can. How could I survive with my very special helper?”

Yeonjun flushes and Yoongi can feel the warmth that is always associated with Seokjin spread throughout him. There aren’t many people that Yoongi would trust with his son, but Seokjin is at the top of the list of people he would. Yeonjun seems to trust him wholeheartedly as well.

“Well I’m going to take Binnie a bath after his cookie, you two can work on your drawing before daddy has to go okay?” Seokjin says gently and he leans forward to kiss the top of Yeonjun’s head. “But you can pick the movie tonight, okay Junnie?”

Yeonjun nods. “Thank you hyung.”

Seokjin smiles and excuses himself from the room. As soon as they are gone, Yeonjun crawls out of his lap and pulls out some of the art supplies that he has accumulated since they found out he enjoyed art. Everyone in their group has bought him something for him to use. Seokjin bought him a full easel and Namjoon bought him enough canvases to last until he was in highschool. Hoseok bought him an entire collection of paints under the recommendation of Jungkook, who hasn’t met Yeonjun in person yet due to his own work and Kai falling ill for a week but makes sure to facetime them at least once every two days. Seonghwa even bought him a collection of markers, making sure to get every color that was available. Yoongi himself is no better. He took Yeonjun to their local art shop and bought anything his son so much looked at. The way Yeonjun lights up everytime he is in his designated art corner, is well worth it all. 

Yeonjun comes back with two sheets of paper, two books and a pack of markers. He crawls back onto the bed and settles next to Yoongi, handing him a piece of paper and book so he can draw on top of it. He takes the other paper and book and settles it in his own lap. 

“What are you going to draw?” Yoongi asks, uncapping the yellow marker from the pack. 

“I’m going to draw you a picture so you remember to come home,” Yeonjun says, not looking up from his picture. His brow is already furrowed in concentration and Yoongi has to resist the urge to kiss his son on the head for the millionth time.

“I would never forget to come home,” Yoongi promises gently, reaching out to ruffle his son's hair. 

Yeonjun doesn’t respond, far too absorbed in his work and Yoongi doesn’t push him to. Instead he gets to work on his own picture, hoping to convey his promise of coming home to Yeonjun always. They work next to each other in silence that they both enjoy, only interrupted by Seokjin who brings Yeonjun a chocolate chip cookie as promised. 

Hours later Yoongi is in his car, donning a pressed blacked suit. He had managed to leave with only a few tears shed but multiple promises to return home, even Soobin seemed upset about his departure. Yeonjun let him go after a few minutes of coaxing but he asked for a few kisses before Yoongi left, to which Yoongi would never deny. 

He sets the car into drive, feeling the weight of the piece of paper folded up in his breast pocket that feels like a promise.

-☾-

The award show passes by in typical fashion but Yoongi knows he’s not completely in it, like he usually is. Of course it’s always wonderful to be able to see his fans, especially since it’s been so long since he’s last attended a show but the circumstances are completely different now. Hoseok gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze after they finish another round of interviews and Namjoon offers him a smile anytime they catch each other’s eyes. 

Seokjin even takes to texting him constant updates of the boys. The latest being a picture of Yeonjun and Soobin in the bathtub together, both wearing matching soap mohawks. Yeonjun is laughing while Soobin is pouring water on his head from a small cup. Yoongi’s heart swells with affection and he just wishes he could go home. Award shows are significantly less fun when he has people at home that he just wants to return to. He would much rather be watching spiderman for the twelfth time. 

But Yoongi does his best to enjoy the award show regardless, because that’s what Seokjin would want for him and what his friends want for him as well. He smiles when the cameras are on him and accepts praises from the various people that listen to his work — some of which, he knows are big in the entertainment world but doesn’t know their names. He’s thankful that Namjoon, Hoseok and Seonghwa end up seated on the same table as him. If it wasn’t for that, he doesn’t think he would be able to sit through it any longer.

His mind is supposed to be in the present but no matter what he does, it’s still a million miles away. Well, maybe not a million. Just a few miles, back at his apartment where the three people that he wants to be with currently reside. He should be relieved to finally have a night to himself but it’s not relief he feels — it feels a bit too much like longing. He pulls out the drawing in his pocket for what feels like the millionth time. There are three little stars surrounding a big moon. 

“Hyung, you good?” Namjoon leans over to whisper and Yoongi plasters on a smile. None of them are really paying attention to the awards, now that they have won all of the ones they were up for. “What’s that?”

“Course. Why wouldn’t it be?” Yoongi asks, hoping to sound convincing. He turns the picture towards Namjoon. “It’s just a picture that Junnie drew for me before I left. Said it was to remind me to come home.”

The looks that he’s met with, have him assuming he is not convincing in the slightest. Namjoon and Hoseok have known him far too long to buy into his bullshit. Seonghwa doesn’t even look convinced that he’s good. 

“Oh god, that’s so cute.” Hoseok says, leaning over to see the drawing in his hands. “You’re so whipped for your little family already. Aren’t you? You look just like I feel when I miss Jungkook and Kai.”

Yoongi can feel his neck heat up. “Shut up. No I’m not. And they aren’t—“

“Seokjin brought you your favorite ramen takeout just yesterday and all four of you had dinner in your studio. Seokjin even fed you noodles,” Namjoon deadpans. “You’re totally a little family.”

That — well, Yoongi can’t argue that one. Although he maintains Seokjin only brought them dinner because Yeonjun had asked him too on the phone when Seokjin called to ask how the latest song was coming. Seokjin is as weak for Yeonjun as everyone in their friend group is. 

Yoongi opens his mouth to weakly dispute that statement but is cut off by his phone ringing. It’s the special one he set for Seokjin — it’s of him laughing. Which is totally a bro thing to do. He pointedly ignores the three collective knowing stares of Namjoon, Hoseok and Seonghwa. 

“Seokjin?” Yoongi says in lieu of a hello. They are well past formalities. 

“Yoongi, it’s Yeonjun,” Seokjin says and he sounds breathless as he talks into the phone. 

Yoongi’s entire body tenses and Hoseok gives him a questioning look. His grip grows tighter on his cell phone, he also has to physically restrain himself from shooting out of his seat. 

“What’s wrong? Is he okay? Are you okay?” Yoongi fires in rapid succession, hardly leaving any time between questions for Seokjin to actually answer. “Is he okay?” 

“He won’t stop crying,” Seokjin says and he sounds absolutely wrecked by it. Yoongi understands. He feels the same way anytime Yeonjun cries. It’s a helpless feeling, especially when Yeonjun for the most part is a quiet kid. “He keeps asking for you. He thinks you left him and he’s inconsolable. I think he just had a bad dream. He was fine until just right now.”

“I can come home now,” Yoongi says, already patting his pocket for his keys. He’s unbelievably glad he decided to drive to the event instead of being driven. 

Seokjin exhales softly. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to tear you away from your night. I just—“ Seokjin’s voice breaks a bit. “I hate seeing him so heartbroken. He keeps asking for you. I am trying to reassure him that you aren’t leaving—“ 

Yoongi’s heart breaks when he hears Yeonjun sniffles on the other line. Seokjin pulls away from the phone a bit, his voice sounding distant as he says something to Yeonjun. He can hear his son respond vaguely but doesn’t hear exactly what they are talking about. 

“Hyungie?” Yeonjun says tentatively. They still haven’t worked up to dad but Yoongi will take what he can for now. 

“Little star,” Yoongi says softly. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Yeonjun sniffles again. “Miss you. Are you coming home?” 

Yoongi ignores the way his heart soars at the word home. Yeonjun views his little apartment as home. That’s all he could ever ask for. 

“I’ll be home soon little star,” Yoongi promises. Namjoon raises a brow at him but doesn’t say anything. Seonghwa rests his head on Namjoon’s shoulder. “But I need you to breathe for me okay? Promise to breathe for me until I get back. Can you do that?” 

Yeonjun doesn’t answer at first but eventually he heaves a little sigh. “I promise.”

“And be nice to Seokjinnie yeah?” Yoongi asks and Yeonjun hears a slight rustle on the phone. Yeonjun sounds a bit farther away as he promises to be nice to Seokjin. 

“He’s letting me hold him,” Seokjin says, switching to Korean so Yeonjun doesn’t understand him. While they have been working on teaching him, he hasn’t quite mastered the language by any means. “That’s already a huge improvement. I think I can handle it from here. You should enjoy your night.” 

“Are you sure?” Yoongi asks, unsure. “I can come home—“

“This is your first night out in a long time,” Seokjin interjects and Yoongi can almost envision him waving him off. “Enjoy it. I can take it from here.”

“Okay.” Yoongi bites his lip. “If you’re sure.”

“Enjoy your night Yoongichi,” Seokjin says gently. “We will be here when you come home.”

They say their quick goodbyes and soon enough Yoongi is pocketing his phone.

“What was that about?” Namjoon asks.

Yoongi glances up from his phone. “Yeonjun was upset. He thought I was leaving him. Seokjin has him under control now.”

“That poor baby,” Seonghwa says softly. “He’s been through so much. You’re lucky to have a partner like Seokjin. He seems so understanding and kind.” 

Yoongi shifts in his seat. “Uh, we aren’t— he’s not my boyfriend. Or partner.” 

Seonghwa’s eyes widen significantly. “Really? But Yeonjun is so comfortable with him. There is really nothing there?”

Hoseok snorts. “Yoongi is just too chicken shit to go for it.” 

Yoongi glares at his best friend. “I’m not too chicken shit for anything. There is just nothing there—“

“Need I remind you of the bedroom incident,” Namjoon says and Yoongi stops dead in his tracks. He turns his glare towards his other best friend. 

“I told you that in confidence,” Yoongi practically spits. Namjoon doesn’t look the least bit deterred. 

“So was me having a crush on Seonghwa,” Namjoon reminds, scooting closer to his boyfriend. “But you snitched and it actually was a good thing. So, I’m here to return the favor. You like Seokjin. Go for it. What’s holding you back?” 

Yoongi opens his mouth to list the reasons him and Seokjin wouldn’t work out but finds that he doesn’t have… any. None that are valid anyways. He closes his mouth and Namjoon rolls his eyes. 

“Go home Yoongi,” Seonghwa says, intertwining his fingers with Namjoon’s. “If you think you might like him, don’t hold back. He obviously loves Yeonjun like his own and cares for him like he is. That’s not someone you want to let go.”

“We will cover for you,” Hoseok promises, offering a warm smile of his own. 

Namjoon nods. “Go to your son and to your man. We will see you tomorrow okay?”

“Maybe we can bring over breakfast?” Seonghwa adds on with a warm smile. “There is no use in you staying here if your mind is going to be somewhere else the entire time.”

Yoongi nods, giving all three of them a grateful smile before he’s slipping out of his seat and making his way towards the exit. Security doesn’t hassle him thankfully and soon enough he’s out of the venue and in his car. He doesn’t drive recklessly, even if he wants to. Yeonjun needs him around and he wouldn’t ever do anything to compromise that. 

The entire way his friends' words swirl through his mind. Nothing has happened between the two of them since the almost kiss but their encounters have been far from awkward. Seokjin fits seamlessly into their life and so does Soobin. Yoongi doesn’t even really remember a time where he didn’t come home to find Seokjin and Soobin waiting at their door to be let in or showing up at the studio with food in hand or to drag him and Yeonjun home. They both have become permanent fixtures in his life and if he’s being honest, the only thing that’s holding him back from confessing is the chance that he might lose them. Before having them and Yeonjun, he’s never really had something to lose. Something so meaningful to him and it’s a bit terrifying. 

Yoongi gets out of his car, forcing those thoughts down for now. He opens the front door of his apartment softly, not wanting to startle any of them. He doesn’t know if anyone is still awake but he doesn’t want to chance accidentally waking Yeonjun up if Seokjin got him to go back to sleep. He walks to Yeonjun’s room and is ready to open the door — when he hears it.

I will orbit around you

I will stay by your side

I will be your light

All for you

Yoongi stops short, hand on the knob of the door as Seokjin sings softly. He hears Yeonjun’s cries slowly fade until they stop all together. Yoongi doesn’t move, not wanting to ruin whatever moment the two seem to be having. His chest heaves, the running he had been doing finally catching up to him.

All he could think of was getting home to Yeonjun. That was the only thing his mind was focused on. His son was scared — alone — and Yoongi’s heart wasn’t able to bear such a thought. But now he chastises himself lightly because of course Seokjin would never allow Yeonjun to feel alone. Seokjin who accepted both of them as if it was the most natural thing for him to do. Seokjin who loves Yeonjun like his own, even if he technically isn’t. But really, maybe he is. Parents don’t have to be blood, which is something Yoongi never truly realized until Hoseok and Jungkook adopted Kai and loved him like it wasn’t even a question. Blood only goes so far but love — love reaches far beyond it. 

Yoongi can hear Seokjin continue to sing softly on the other end of the door, the melody astoundingly beautiful and one Yoongi has never heard before. The words strike a chord, resonating in Yoongi to his very core.

Even in the bright day,

and even in the dark night,

you who just shines on me

Rather than saying any words,

rather than saying thank you,

Yoongi pushes open the door to his son's room gently, not wanting to startle either of them. Thankfully, neither of them notice him coming in. Seokjin faces the wall that is opposite the door that Yeonjun has taken to hanging all his artwork on. Yeonjun had come up to Yoongi one night, biting his lip — a nervous habit he’s had since he first came into his life. He had asked if Yoongi would help him hang up all his drawings in his room because he was too short to do so. Seokjin had come over not too long after with Soobin in tow and all four of them spent the entire night hanging up every piece of art that Yeonjun had ever made. They showered the younger boy in praise the entire time, not even relenting when Yeonjun turned beat red and his eyes had misted over from the onslaught of love. 

Yoongi stops in the doorway, allowing himself to take in the scene in front of him. Soobin is asleep in Yeonjun’s bed, his small form curled up closest to the wall and clutching a small stuffed hamster tightly in his arms. He looks completely undisturbed by Seokjin’s singing or Yeonjun’s soft sniffles. Yoongi’s eyes drift to Seokjin. All he can see is Seokjin’s pajama clad black and Yeonjun’s arms wrapped around his neck with his face tucked into Seokjin’s neck. Seokjin sways gently while he holds Yeonjun, still singing the song gently. 

I will stay by your side

In the pitch-black night,

so that it becomes much brighter,

I will stay by your side

It hits Yoongi like a truck barreling down a freeway that’s lost control of itself. 

He is falling in love with Seokjin.

The statement itself isn’t that surprising. Really, he thinks it would be more impossible not to be in love with Seokjin. But now, it’s like his mind and heart have finally caught up with each other and Yoongi wonders how it took him so long to understand what that warm feeling in his chest meant every time he saw Seokjin smile. His friends were right. Why bother trying to deny himself this happiness?

Seokjin finishes the song in the same fashion, with every word Yoongi feels the warmth in his heart slowly spread further throughout him. Yoongi notices that Yeonjun has now stopped squirming in his hold and the sniffles are no more. Seokjin runs a hand through Yeonjun’s hair softly and makes his way to the younger’s bed. He places Yeonjun down on the bed gently, Soobin subconsciously curls around the elder and Yeonjun tilts his head so it’s laying atop Soobin’s. Yoongi hears Seokjin let out a breathy laugh as he pulls the covers up to Yeonjun’s chin. 

Seokjin drops a kiss to Soobin’s hair and then to Yeonjun’s. He pulls back a bit, keeping his hand in Yeonjun’s hair and runs his fingers through it carefully. 

“Sleep wall baby,” Seokjin whispers to the sleeping child, even though he thinks there is no one around to hear him. “You’re not alone anymore.” 

Yoongi’s heart threatens to burst from his chest. Seokjin is doing this when he thinks alone — the love he gives to Yeonjun is something far from an act. He loves Yeonjun genuinely and that’s enough for Yoongi.

“He isn’t,” Yoongi says softly, still standing in the doorway of the room. 

Seokjin startles visibly, head whipping around and his beautiful brown eyes are considerably wide. They soften the moment he realizes it’s just Yoongi. His shoulders relax and a warm smile blossoms across his face. 

“The show is already over?” Seokjin whispers. He stands up, turning the lamp off as he moves away from the bed. 

Yoongi steps back, allowing Seokjin to exit the room and he follows right behind him after he shuts the door to Yeonjun’s bedroom gently. 

“The show was over,” Yoongi glances down at his watch. “About two minutes ago.” 

Seokjin raises an eyebrow. “How long have you been home?”

“Twenty minutes.”

Seokjin turns to look at him fully. “You left early?” He asks, but he doesn’t sound like he’s too shocked about that. He is the one that called Yoongi after all. “I wanted you to enjoy your night.”

Yoongi nods, putting his hands in the pockets of his dress paints. He looks at Seokjin for a moment and wonders if this is what falling in love is supposed to feel like. If it is, then he’s positive he’s never fallen in love before. He wants to tell him that it’s hard to enjoy his night when he feels like he left three pieces of his heart at home. 

“That song you were singing,” Yoongi says, diverting the topic. “What was it called?” 

“You heard that?” Seokjin asks, the tips of his ears turning a pretty shade of pink. Yoongi kind of wants to kiss him. “That’s—“

“You sounded beautiful,” Yoongi interrupts, only because he knows that Seokjin was probably going to try and talk down on himself or write it off like it was nothing. “What was the song called?” 

“Moon,” Seokjin says softly.

Yoongi wonders if fate is real — if maybe people are meant to find each other even if they don’t understand why at first. Yoongi has known Seokjin for almost a year now but has only really had him in his life for a little over a month. 

“You know, Yeonjun once asked me if his mother ever really loved him because she never sang him to sleep,” Yoongi says softly, looking directly into Seokjin’s eyes. He sees something flash in those brown irises that he can’t quite place. “I don’t think she did. I don’t think she ever really knew what it was like to love him and it killed me that he wasn’t going to have someone else.”

“What do you mean?” Seokjin asks gently and he steps closer. 

They are in each other’s space now — if Yoongi were to reach out he would be able to touch the silky pink sleep shirt he has on currently. It’s part of a matching set, one they bought because the boys had begged them too. They both pouted, saying all four of them could match. Yoongi’s pair is in his drawer, they are black and a complete contrast but yet a complimentary pair to Seokjin’s baby pink. 

“She didn’t love him but you do,” Yoongi says and it’s not a question but a statement. “You love him like he’s your own and you did so without any prompting. You love him like I do — like how she was supposed to.” 

Seokjin doesn’t say anything at first. He just stares at Yoongi, a lot of emotions clear on his face but they are a bit hard to make out. Eventually Seokjin just nods slowly. 

“I do,” He admits and even though Yoongi already knew that, it doesn’t stop the relief that spreads within him. “I never told you how Soobin’s mother died, did I?” 

Yoongi pauses, a bit thrown by the sudden change in topic. “You didn’t.” 

“We were never in love with each other,” Seokjin says and that surprises Yoongi. He was under the impression that they were married. “We were married,” Seokjin continues as if he can read Yoongi’s mind. “But not for the right reasons. Neither of us loved each other like that but we did love Soobin more than anything else, even if she never got to see him grow up.”

Yoongi doesn’t say anything but he must step closer because suddenly Seokjin is right in front of him. Yoongi reaches out, without thinking about it much and intertwines their fingers. Seokjin gives his hand a gentle squeeze. 

“We were best friends though,” Seokjin says softly. “She was my very best friend and losing her broke me for various reasons — but most of all because when we lost her, Soobin was devastated. We watched her slowly slip away from us and Soobin was just… so young. He didn’t understand why she was leaving us if she was supposed to love him. It took months for him to acknowledge me after she passed, he would just pretend I wasn’t there and it took even longer for him to smile again.” Seokjin exhales. “And as he slowly healed over this last year and a half, I worried that he would never be able to accept any sort of love into his life that he wasn’t familiar with. It took him over two months to accept Jimin into our lives when Taehyung first brought him home to meet us.” 

“Soobin is naturally scared around new people, so you can imagine my shock when he let go of my hand to run towards you and Yeonjun. I’ve never seen him so comfortable around someone in an instant.” Seokjin looks down at their intertwined hands. “Do you ever wonder if some people, you are just meant to meet? Like some sort of fate?”

Yoongi thinks that his answer goes without saying. He squeezes Seokjin’s hand, tugging it gently so the elder will look at him. 

“I think that before meeting you and Soobin and having Yeonjun make his way to me, I thought that I was content being alone.” Yoongi uses his other hand to caress Seokjin’s face. “I thought that Namjoon, Hoseok and Jungkook were the only family I would ever need. I was wrong though.” 

“What I feel for you, it’s different than what I felt for her,” Seokjin admits and the words sound loud in the quiet of Yoongi’s living room. “I think that I could fall in love with you. And I thought that would scare me.”

“It doesn’t?” Yoongi asks, rubbing his thumb gently across Seokjin’s cheek.

“No.” Seokjin brings his free hand up to mimic Yoongi. He caresses his face. “It doesn’t. I think I’ve known it from the moment that we met, that we were meant to find each other. Soobin has been fond of you since the first time we spoke in the elevator all those months ago. We just needed a reason to finally seek each other out.”

“Can I kiss you?” Yoongi asks and it would be embarrassing how breathless he already sounds, even though they haven’t done anything yet if Seokjin wasn’t looking at him like he is the star himself. 

Seokjin closes the gap between them and when their lips meet, Yoongi realizes that the universe doesn’t stop existing like all those movies make it out to be. It’s just… perfect. It’s easy and soft and Yoongi allows himself to be lost in the sensation.  

When Seokjin pulls away, the tips of his ears are red and his eyes are soft. Yoongi smiles at him and Seokjin returns it like it’s second nature. 

Yoongi opens his mouth to say something, he doesn’t even really know what but they are interrupted by the door to Yeonjun’s door opening and a sleepy eyed Soobin stumbling out of the room. Soobin blearily opens his eyes, blinking a few times before he’s bolting towards them. He clings to Yoongi’s leg, something he always does when he wants to be picked up. Yoongi doesn’t hesitate to oblige. Soobin immediately snuggles closer to him, resting his face in the crook of Yoongi’s neck.

“Bad dream,” The small boy whimpers softly into his neck. “Monsters were trying to take you away from me and daddy.”

Yoongi doesn’t tense up like he would have before Yeonjun — before he knew what kind of fear kids can hold even at such a young age. Soobin is obviously no exception to this, a deep rooted fear instilled in him that the people he loves may one day have to leave even if they don’t want to. Yoongi knows that Soobin will grow out of it one day, but for now he offers any comfort he can. He rubs Soobin’s back gently, holding him close and promising that the monsters will never take Yoongi or Yeonjun from him. 

When Soobin’s breathing has evened and he’s no longer crying into Yoongi’s neck, Yoongi catches Seokjin’s eyes. He’s watching them with an expression that holds nothing but… love. Yoongi smiles at him, hoping that it’s enough to convey that he feels the same. When Seokjin returns the smile, he thinks the elder understood his message. 

“How about you sleep in my bed tonight?” Yoongi says gently, looking at Seokjin for approval. Seokjin beams at him. 

Soobin pulls back a bit, his arms still firmly around Yoongi’s neck. “Really?” He says and sleep is heavy in his voice. He rubs his eyes with his small fist. “Can sleep with both daddies tonight?”

That startles Yoongi. 

Yeonjun hasn’t even called him dad yet. Soobin doesn’t seem to understand the implications behind his statement because he just settles back into Yoongi’s neck and it isn’t long before he’s sleeping soundly in his arms. Seokjin laughs at his expression and moves forward to drop a kiss on both of their foreheads. 

“Go settle him in bed,” Seokjin whispers to not wake his son. “I’ll be right in.” 

Yoongi doesn’t get to say another word before Seokjin disappears down the hall and back into Yeonjun’s room. Yoongi takes Soobin to his bedroom and carefully lays him down before changing quickly — into the matching pajamas because he’s annoyingly sappy apparently — and lays down a bit away from him. Soobin turns away from him, gripping onto the sheets of the bed in his sleep. A few moments later Seokjin is joining him in the room, holding a still asleep Yeonjun. He places Yeonjun in the empty space next to Yoongi and slides in by Soobin. 

Yeonjun immediately gravitates towards him in his sleep, his hands balling into his sleep shirt. It’s something he does anytime he’s having a particularly rough night. Yoongi wraps an arm around his son, hoping that his presence will be enough to alleviate any fears he may have in his dreams. Yeonjun mumbles incoherently in his sleep and moves impossibly closer. 

When Yoongi glances away from his son, he finds Seokjin already asleep. He has Soobin wrapped up in his arms but he has a hand placed on Yeonjun’s back — his own way of offering a small amount of comfort. It hits Yoongi again just how wonderful Seokjin is. Yeonjun shifts slightly and Yoongi catches sight of a folded piece of paper in his small hand. Yeonjun is clutching the drawing Yoongi drew him before he left — which turned out to be similar to the one that Yeonjun drew him. 

Yoongi’s picture had been simple, just a moon surrounded by nothing but darkness and a little star next to him. Yeonjun on the other hand, seemed to realize something before Yoongi did. His drawing had three stars and not just one. 

Yoongi thought that he only needed one little star to have a family. 

Turns out that maybe a family to him, is three. 

Chapter Text

When the little star realized that the moon was there to stay, he had many things to say. I love you, was the first. I trust you, was the second. And the third? It was simply… thank you.

-☾-

When Yoongi wakes up it's to Yeonjun looking at him with large brown eyes. It’s a sight that Yoongi has grown accustomed to over the past few weeks. Yeonjun still yearns for closeness and Yoongi has no problem giving that to him.

“Good morning,” Yoongi whispers, not wanting to wake Seokjin or Soobin. “Did you sleep okay?”

Yeonjun nods. “I did,” He whispers back, although it hardly counts as a whisper. He still hasn’t quite gotten the hang of controlling his volume. 

“That’s good baby.” Yeonjun flushes at the term of endearment, as he usually does. It still hurts Yoongi that his son isn’t used to open affection being thrown his way. “Did you want to talk?” 

Yeonjun bites his bottom lip and his tiny fist twists in Yoongi’s black shirt. It takes his son a few moments to figure out what he wants but eventually he nods again and Yoongi takes that as all the answer he needs. He gets out of the bed carefully, making sure to not jostle the other two. Once he’s out of the bed, he picks Yeonjun up again and takes him to his bedroom. 

Yeonjun doesn’t say anything when he puts him on the ground and instead goes to sit in front of the wall that has all of his art covering it. Yoongi follows suit and sits on the ground next to him. He doesn’t say anything though, knowing that sometimes you need time in order to work up the courage to say what you need to. His son has a bit more trouble with this than most but he assumes that’s what happens when you grow up having a childhood like his. 

Eventually Yeonjun releases a small sigh. “I missed you,” He says quietly and if Yoongi wasn’t paying such close attention to him, he wouldn’t have been able to hear him. 

“I missed you too Junnie,” Yoongi replies immediately, not wanting there to even be a second where his son doubts how he feels about having him in his life. “You know I couldn’t wait to get home, I even left early.” 

Yeonjun turns to him, his lips parting slightly in shock. “Really?” He scoots just a bit closer to Yoongi. “You missed me that much?”

Yoongi nods. “Of course I did little star. I wanted to come home the moment I left but you know sometimes daddy has to leave right? And you can’t come with.” 

Yeonjun nods before pulling his knees to his chest. He wraps his arms around them and lays his head down on the top of his knees. Yoongi leans over to brush the brown hair back from his son's face. 

“Now what do you really want to say?” Yoongi asks gently, knowing his son probably has a lot on his mind.

Yeonjun blinks a few times. “Daddy is always gonna come home right?” 

Yoongi’s hand that had been brushing Yeonjun’s hair back freezes. His entire body freezes because… Yeonjun has never referred to him as his father before. He didn’t realize just how long he was waiting to hear it until he finally did. 

But he also knows better than to make it a big deal - even though to him it is. 

Instead he just leans forward and pulls Yeonjun until he’s sitting in his lap. Yeonjun allows himself to be pulled into him easily and it almost makes Yoongi emotional for a second time. He can’t help but remember how it felt when Yeonjun was first dropped off on his door and he was just so… terrified. Yeonjun now though? He trusts Yoongi. 

Trusts that Yoongi will never leave him the way his mother did, which he wouldn’t. He can’t imagine living in a world where he doesn’t know Yeonjun exists, even if his entire life has changed in order to accommodate him. He trusts that Yoongi will always be there when he wakes up, even if they can’t spend every moment together. He trusts that Yoongi loves him, even if his first introduction to love wasn’t a good one. 

“You’re right,” Yoongi says softly. He places a kiss to the crown of his son's forehead. “I am always going to come home.” 

Yeonjun nods against him and he pulls away from Yoongi slightly. Yoongi allows him to and he looks at his son with what he knows is nothing but love. Pure and unconditional love. 

“I know. Thank you daddy,” Yeonjun says and he sounds sincere when he speaks. It’s a bit jarring to see someone so young have such an understanding of what is considered a complex situation. “I trust you. Can we paint something together?”

Yoongi nods and Yeonjun gives an excited holler that Yoongi is sure will wake up both Seokjin and Soobin but he doesn’t have it in him to even pretend to be bothered by it. Because in this moment Yeonjun is radiating a happiness that Yoongi has never seen in him before and he wouldn’t dare do anything to jeopardize it. 

Yeonjun walks out of the room and returns struggling to carry two paint cans. He stands to help his son and notes that it’s the one can of black and one can of blue paint that he didn’t need to use when he had been re-doing the kitchen. He raises an eyebrow when his son places them down in front of him and waddles off to get some paint brushes from his desk that Namjoon recently bought him. 

“Where did you find these?” Yoongi asks, knowing they weren’t just laying around. 

Yeonjun is still sifting through his various art supplies and doesn’t even look up. He just shrugs. “I found them under the sink when I was looking for Binnie!”

Yoongi has a lot of questions about that but doesn’t comment because he really isn’t all that surprised by the story. His sons have taken to playing hide and seek lately and Yoongi found Soobin hiding behind his coats the other day. He almost had a heart attack and tripped over his boots -- both Soobin and Seokjin who had walked in from the commotion both found it hilarious as he laid on the floor in shock. 

He looks back down at the paints in front of him and knows that Yeonjun has every intention of painting his walls. Normally Yoongi would have some sort of opposition to painting on the walls of his son’s room but… well, he can’t really find a reason to say no. Yeonjun has an artistic soul and why should that creativity be constricted to only paper? He should have the opportunity to expand his artistic vision. 

So that’s exactly what they are going to do. 

Neither of them have a full idea of what they are going to do but Yeonjun insists on painting the wall in various shades of blue and black. Yoongi finds the same rollers that he used to paint the walls of the kitchen and helps Yeonjun pour the paint out. He also sets out the same tarp he used from before in order to save their floors from getting paint all over them. Yeonjun changes into his painting clothes while Yoongi applies painter's paint to the baseboards of the wall. Right before they are able to begin, Seokjin walks in followed by a still sleep Soobin. 

Soobin takes one look at what they are doing and suddenly lights up. He rushes towards them and Yoongi scoops him up before he’s able to accidentally knock all the paint over. 

“Can I helps?” Soobin asks, looking at him with large pleading eyes. 

Yoongi looks over at Yeonjun, seeing as it’s his son’s room and really his project and Yeonjun nods quickly. 

“Here Binnie,” Yeonjun hands him one of the smaller paint brushes. “You want to help me?”

Soobin immediately squirms his way out of Yoongi’s lap and toddles over to Yeonjun. Yoongi’s heart swells with affection for his son and how perceptive he can be. He never excludes Soobin from anything, even if sometimes it would be easier too. Soobin is by no means a bad kid but he’s still just that -- a kid. Yeonjun may not be that much older than him physically but mentally Yeonjun is well beyond his years, even as heartbreaking as that may be. 

Arms wrap around him from behind and Yoongi is enveloped with that all too familiar scent that’s Seokjin. His boyfriend always smells like apple cinnamon and vanilla, a mixture of the candles he prefers and the lotion he loves to apply first thing in the morning. Yoongi looks up at him from his crossed legged position on the floor and Seokjin gives him a warm smile. He leans down to press a kiss to Yoongi’s forehead and Yoongi grabs his hands that hang loosely on his chest. 

“Good morning,” Seokjin says softly, not wanting to disrupt the boys. 

Yeonjun and Soobin are standing next to them, already beginning to paint the wall. Yeonjun is using the roller carefully and teaching Soobin how to use the paintbrush correctly and which paints to use. Soobin follows his instruction carefully, his eyebrow furrowed in as much concentration as a three year old can have. 

“Morning.” Yoongi smiles up at Seokjin and Seokjin presses another kiss to his forehead. 

“We are painting the walls now?” Seokjin asks as he looks at Yeonjun and Soobin slowly make progress on the wall. It isn’t really cohesive yet but Yoongi will go in and tidy it all up in order for it to have a smooth finish. 

“Yeonjun wanted to,” Yoongi replies with a helpless shrug. “Did you want to help?”

Seokjin scrunches his nose cutely. “Actually I want to go shower and maybe get started on breakfast?” 

Yoongi’s stomach grumbles at the prospect of food and Seokjin laughs lightly. “Well I’ll take that as a yes.” 

Yoongi flushes. “I could go for some food.” 

Seokjin nods and walks over to the boys. He ruffles both of their hair and both of them look up at him with large smiles. He returns it easily and tells him that he’s going to be making breakfast. He also promises Yeonjun that it’s okay that he doesn’t have his favorite little chef helping him and that he can help him next time. 

As Seokjin passes him, he kisses him gently and squeezes his shoulder before slipping out of the room. 

Yoongi watches him go until he can no longer see him. When he’s gone, he wanders back to the boys and helps them cover the wall in various blacks and blues. 

They paint for a while and surprisingly both of them keep strictly on the task. Soobin seems determined to do a good job and both Yoongi and Yeonjun are sure to praise him everytime he shows them something he’s done. Yoongi spends more time watching the boys than he does painting himself but he can’t really help himself. Their happiness has become his. 

After a while Seokjin calls for them and tells them to change into better clothes for breakfast. Yoongi manages to get them both bathed and dressed in sweats and oversized t-shirts since they have no plans but to stay home and relax today. The boys tell him that they are going to go watch cartoons until breakfast is ready and Yoongi allows them to do so. It’s an easy morning and no saturday morning is really complete without morning cartoons. 

He makes sure they are settled and he walks out of the room and towards the kitchen with the intentions to help Seokjin finish up breakfast and maybe even sneak in a few kisses every now and then. Just before he’s able to make it to the kitchen, he hears a knock on the door. His steps falter as he turns to face the door. He hadn’t invited anyone over and his neighbors tend to leave him alone for the most part, apart from Seokjin who is very much in the apartment already. 

He makes his way over to it and when he opens the door he is surprised to come face to face with Hoseok and Jungkook holding a very excited Huening Kai. 

Kai reaches out to him the moment Yoongi comes into view and Yoongi takes him without much hesitation. Hoseok always tells him how he is one of Kai’s favorite people in the entire world and Kai sure does prove it everytime they see each other. 

“What are you doing--” Yoongi starts but is cut off by Hoseok and Jungkook making their way into his apartment like they own the place. 

They may have a key to his apartment but that’s just a minor detail. Yoongi cradles Kai gently in his hands, not wanting to disturb the still very happy baby too much. He knows how fragile his temperament is and doesn’t want to have three wailing kids in his apartment in a matter of seconds. Soobin and Yeonjun are both sympathetic criers. When one starts crying the other follows suit not too long after. 

“We wanted to see you and your not boyfriend but totally should be your boyfriend,” Hoseok says without an ounce of shame. 

Jungkook shakes his head at his husband's antics and offers Yoongi a small bow in apology. Yoongi returns it, even if it’s pointless. Yoongi has been best friends with Hoseok for years now, he’s used to his less than subtle nature about things. 

“I’ll have you know--” Yoongi begins, ready to drop the bomb on his best friend when the doorbell rings again. 

He looks over at it in confusion and then back to Hoseok, who is trying far too hard to look innocent. After Yoongi doesn’t move to answer the door for more than a minute, he hears the all too familiar sound of the key jiggling in the lock. Which can only mean--

“Where is my favorite nephew?” Yoongi hears Namjoon say as he opens the door. 

Yeonjun, who had been cleaning up the mess of paint in his room comes barreling out of the room at the sound of Namjoon’s voice. Namjoon scoops him up into his arms the moment he sees him and Yeonjun lets out an excited yelp as Namjoon sways him from side to side. 

“Uncle Joonie!” Yeonjun squeals in excitement, which gets the attention of Soobin who comes barreling out of the room not even a second later. 

He has paint smeared across his face and his smile, as always is radiant when he catches sight of everyone in the apartment. He starts running towards Yoongi but stops when he sees Hoseok and Jungkook, two people that he hasn’t met before. He stands in front of Jungkook and looks at him curiously. 

“Hi,” Jungkook says softly, looking down at the wide eyed toddler. 

Soobin blinks at him. “You have pretty pictures on your arms too! Can I color them?”

Before Jungkook can even really give his consent to it, Soobin is grabbing his hand like they have known each other their entire lives and begins dragging him to Yeonjun’s room. Jungkook looks at Yoongi in confusion and Yoongi only shrugs, knowing it’s next to impossible to say no to Soobin when he wants something. 

“Sorry about that,” Seokjin says coming out of the kitchen. He walks over and stands next to Yoongi, wrapping an arm around his shoulders in a natural display of affection. “Soobin trusts easily, especially people with tattoos for some reason. He was obsessed with Yoongi the first time we saw him.” 

“I’m sure he wasn’t the only one obssessed--” Hoseok starts but is cut off by a swift elbow to the ribs by Yoongi. 

Hoseok turns to glare at him and Yoongi just shrugs. “Oops. My bad.” 

Hoseok rolls his eyes. “Are you making breakfast?” 

Seokjin nods. “I am! I didn’t know so many of you were joining so I’m going to have to make a bit more but I am glad to have the company.” 

“I can help!” Seonghwa offers and ignores Seokjin trying to wave him off. “I love cooking and we came unannounced. I would love to help.” 

“So will I!” Hoseok offers and they all move back to the kitchen. 

Hoseok gives Yoongi a look and Yoongi doesn’t trust him for a second but he also knows there is no use in fighting a losing battle. He knows that Hoseok would never give away too much or purposely embarrass him too bad so he doesn’t care much. He walks over to the living room and settles down on the couch next to Namjoon and Yeonjun. They are in the middle of a conversation about trees and Yeonjun pauses when he spots the baby in Yoongi’s arms.

He shifts forward, trying to get a better look at Kai. “This is my cousin?” 

Yoongi nods. “He is. Do you want to say hi?”

Yeonjun looks nervous but nods regardless. Yoongi tilts Kai up a bit more so Yeonjun comes into his line of sight. Kai stares at him for a moment and Yeonjun looks increasingly nervous. And then Kai lights up and starts wiggling excitedly in his arms. He opens and closes his hands and laughs. The action makes Yeonjun light up and he smiles back at the baby, who smiles even wider — showing off his gums. 

“He’s cute!” Yeonjun says reaching out to touch Kai. 

“Gently,” Yoongi reminds him softly and Yeonjun nods.

He pushes Kai’s hair back slightly and the baby giggles. When Yeonjun tries moving his hand away, Kai catches his thumb in his hands. His small hands cradle Yeonjun’s thumb tightly and he refuses to let go after that. 

Yeonjun ends up holding Kai in his arms, under the strict sight of Namjoon and Yoongi goes to the kitchen to see how breakfast is going. All three men move around the kitchen in what seems like practiced ease and chatter as they cook various dishes. Yoongi is content to watch but is interrupted by a knock at the door. Seokjin looks up at the sound and Yoongi raises an eyebrow.

“Oh I invited my brother and his husband! I know I should have asked but—“

Yoongi waves him off. “You don’t need to ask. I’m happy to finally be able to meet him.”

Seokjin gives him a grateful smile and cleans his hands with the towel over his shoulder. He presses a kiss to his hair as he walks past him to open the door. Yoongi pointedly ignores both Seonghwa and Hoseok’s look of surprise and joins Seokjin to open the door. 

He sees him standing at the door with two of the prettiest people he has ever seen. He can tell the taller one is Seokjin’s brother by the way they are hugging each other. The shorter one is laughing at them good naturedly. When the taller one pulls away, he turns and looks directly at Yoongi. 

Yoongi offers a smile and walks over after Taehyung -- Yoongi thinks that’s the name that has been mentioned to him more than once -- waves him over. 

Taehyung pulls him into a hug as soon as he’s close enough. “Nice to finally meet you!”

Yoongi returns the hug, not wanting to make a bad impression. He gives one to Taehyung’s husband as well, who he learns is named Jimin. Jimin smiles at him and they go through some very basic introductions. Seokjin excuses himself back to the kitchen and Jimin joins him, offering his help.

“Hyungie!” Yoongi hears Soobin before he sees him. 

Soobin comes running out of the room with a very colorful Jungkook trailing behind him. Yoongi can’t stop an amused smile from forming on his lips but Jungkook doesn’t look annoyed by the fact that every single one of his tattoos is now colored in with non toxic marker. Soobin launches himself at Taehyung, who catches him easily in his arms. 

They all talk idly while they wait for breakfast and Taehyung asks him as many questions he can think of about himself. He answers every single one easily and takes special amusement in Taehyung’s face when he finds out that he is actually Agust D and Namjoon is RM. He also gasps when he meets Seonghwa and very bluntly asks if he is interested in poly relationships. 

That’s answered by an amused snort by Jimin, along with a flushed Seonghwa and somewhat annoyed Namjoon. When Jimin finds out they are very much a couple, he extends the invitation to Namjoon as well, saying that he has adorable dimples. Namjoon ends up matching Seonghwa’s flushed state after that. 

They are saved when they are called for breakfast. Everyone eats and talks like this isn’t the first time they have met and Yeonjun especially looks happier than Yoongi has ever seen him. He takes an immediate shine to both Taehyung and Jimin, who return the sentiment ten fold. After they eat, Yeonjun even insists on showing them his bedroom, to which they both oblige. 

Yoongi ends up back on the couch, surrounded by his friends while they all talk about various things. Yeonjun ends up pulling out his paintings and begins showing them proudly to everyone. Everyone praises him and he flushes with every compliment. Yoongi can’t describe the feeling in his heart as he watches his son be loved the way he was always meant to be. He can’t believe that there was ever a time where Yeonjun believed that he wasn’t worthy of this kind of love. At the very least he can promise that it will never be like that again. Yeonjun will never wonder what it feels like to be loved, not as long as he’s alive. 

He looks around, wanting to share this moment with Seokjin but finds that he’s missing from the front room. He hears voices coming from the kitchen and gets up to join whoever is in the kitchen. When he enters he finds Seokjin, Taehyung and Jimin in the middle of a conversation. They all give him a smile to which he returns. Seokjin reaches out to him as he steps further into the kitchen and Yoongi grabs his hand. Seokjin intertwines their fingers like it’s second nature to him. 

Taehyung smiles gently at their hands and Yoongi flushes. 

“I can’t believe the great Agust D is now tied down by a bakery owner and two kids,” Taehyung teases. “Who would have thought?” 

Yoongi laughs. “I sure didn’t but I’m happy that it worked out the way it did.” 

“Honestly I am just glad I get to finally meet the guy that my brother wouldn’t shut up about,” Taehyung says, leaning back against the kitchen counter. 

Yoongi’s eyes widen slightly and Seokjin nearly chokes on his water. Jimin laughs at the expression on his brother in law's face and Taehyung looks pleased with himself.

“I hate you,” Seokjin says miserably. 

Yoongi squeezes his side gently. “It’s cute. I was pretty smitten with you too. Just ask Hoseok.” 

“Actually, I think I will.” Seokjin squirms out of his grip and Yoongi tries in vain to catch his hand before he can leave the room and actually take him up on his offer. 

Seokjin turns and blows a kiss at him before he exits the kitchen and very loudly calls for Hoseok. Yoongi shakes his head fondly, not annoyed in the slightest. 

“No but seriously,” Taehyung says when his brother is completely removed from the kitchen. “I’m glad that he finally has a chance at being happy in all aspects of his life. He loves Soobin and his work a lot but he’s never been able to experience a relationship where he can fully be himself.” 

“I should be thanking him,” Yoongi replies quietly. “He really helped me when he didn’t have to.” 

“No one really ever has to do anything,” Jimin says, leaning into his husband slightly. He cradles a mug of hot chocolate in his hands and Yoongi can’t help but think how comforting Jimin’s energy is. “But that just means when people do things, it’s that much more meaningful because they didn’t do it out of obligation but instead because they wanted to.” 

Those words really stick to Yoongi. He gives them both a smile and steps over, leaning around the counter in order to look at Seokjin. He finds him sitting next to Hoseok, both of them talking animatedly while he holds Yeonjun in his arms. His son has his arms wrapped around Seokjin and he looks like he’s fallen asleep in the crook of his neck. It makes warmth spread throughout him, knowing how much Yeonjun must trust him in order to accept his affection so easily. To be able to fall asleep in his arms without hesitation because he knows that Seokjin would never hurt him. 

It means more to Yoongi than any large gesture could. 

He turns back to Taehyung and Jimin who struck up a conversation with Soobin while he had looked away. It gives Yoongi an excuse to look back at Seokjin, but this time 

Seokjin catches his eye. Seokjin smiles at him and the warmth in it matches how Yoongi’s heart feels as it beats in his chest. He returns in and excuses himself from the kitchen. Both Jimin and Taehyung follow him out with Soobin trailing after him. 

Yoongi takes the empty seat next to Seokjin and Seokjin moves over slightly to accommodate him. Yoongi reaches down, interlacing their fingers where they sit on the couch. Seokjin turns to him with a smile but doesn’t comment. 

Yeonjun stirs in Seokjin’s arms, unable to sleep due to everyone now gathered in the living room. Everyone talks as if they have known each other their entire lives and Yoongi is almost surprised at how well they all fit together. But at the same time, he isn’t. They both surround themselves with wonderful people and it isn’t a surprise that they fit so well. 

They eventually decide on getting take out after talking for hours, seeing as it is now nearing dinner time. To Yoongi’s surprise, Yeonjun asks to go with Namjoon and Seonghwa to pick up the food. It’s the first time he’s ever asked to go somewhere without Yoongi by his side. 

Yoongi of course, says yes because it’s progress. It’s such beautiful progress. All he wants is for his son to realize that he can trust people that aren’t him and Seokjin and he wants Yeonjun to be able to grow up without attaching himself completely to him. 

“You sure you will be okay?” Yoongi asks as he walks Yeonjun to the door where Namjoon and Seonghwa are standing. . 

Yeonjun nods, squeezing Yoongi’s hand gently. “Yes daddy I promise!” 

Yoongi’s heart swells at that and he lets go of his son’s hand. He kneels down, pulling Yeonjun forward to place a kiss to his forehead and Yeonjun in return leans forward to press one against his nose. 

“I promise I’ll always come back too daddy!” Yeonjun says after he kisses his nose. “You know why?”

“Why's that?” Yoongi asks, a bit confused. 

“Because without his little star the moon will get lonely!” Yeonjun says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. He grabs Yoongi’s face and squeezes his cheeks softly in his hands. “The little star and the moon are supposed to be happy and not alone! So I will always come back!” 

Yoongi isn’t typically an emotional person and at the very least, he’s not typically a crier but he can’t say his eyes don’t tear up at his son’s words. Namjoon thankfully senses his emotion because he swoops in to save him. 

“You ready Junnie?” Namjoon asks.  “We will even get you a special treat for being such a brave boy.” 

At the prospect of a treat, Yeonjun is thoroughly distracted. “Really?” He asks and his eyes are practically sparkling with excitement. 

Namjoon nods. “Uncle Hwa promised to get us both treats!”

“Oh I did?” Seonghwa asks but he sounds far too fond to be taken seriously. 

Namjoon and Yeonjun both turn to look at him with identical pouts and Seonghwa folds instantly. “You both are lucky you are cute. Okay yes we can even stop and get you both a treat.” 

They both whoop excitedly and Yeonjun even moves to hug Seonghwa around the leg. “Thank you uncle Hwa Hwa! This is why Joonie hyungie said he likes you so so much!”

 Namjoon sputters loudly and Yoongi has to hold back laughter as his best friends entire face turns a violent shade of red. 

Seonghwa giggles. “Oh did he now? What else did he say about me Junnie?”

Namjoon immediately scoops Yeonjun into his arms and runs out of the door. Yeonjun laughs loudly as Namjoon exits the apartment and Seonghwa follows with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. Yoongi stands and waits until he can longer hear them in the hallway. He hears Seonghwa and Namjoon bickering lightheartedly, their words getting more muffled as they descend down the stairs. 

When they return, everyone eats and they put on the lion king at Yeonjun, Soobin and Namjoon’s insistence. 

After the movie ends, everyone starts slowly filtering out. Hoseok and Jungkook are the first to go, saying that Kai needs his sleep and they both have an early morning the next day. Seonghwa and Namjoon are next because they are both due back to the studio tomorrow to finish working on Seonghwa’s next track release. Namjoon technically is off tomorrow but he also is already halfway-- if not completely already --  in love with Seonghwa so it’s no surprise that he is willing to go in when he doesn’t need to. Jimin and Taehyung both wink at them as they leave and all four of them burst out laughing after Namjoon and Seonghwa rush from the home with matching blushes. 

Jimin and Taehyung are the last to go after about another hour or so of just talking and getting to know each other. Before they go though, they make Seokjin and Yoongi promise that a double date is in the future. Yoongi agrees easily because both Taehyung and Jimin are great company and he knows that it would make Seokjin happy. 

As soon as Yoongi shuts the door, he trudges over to the living room and drops back against the couch. Seokjin follows suit, landing a bit too close than what others would consider friendly. But… well, they aren’t really friends now are they?

Yoongi looks over at Seokjin to find the elder’s gaze already on him - a tenderness to it that has something warm spreading in his chest. A small smile graces Seokjin’s face when Yoongi’s eyes catch his. 

“Did you have fun?” Seokjin whispers, mostly not wanting to disturb their two boys who are whispering to each other on the floor as they compare their toys. 

“I did,” Yoongi answers honestly. Even if he isn’t typically one for large social gatherings, he doesn’t mind having his friends over. 

Especially because all of them adore Yeonjun - even Jimin and Taehyung who had only met the boy today, and Yoongi will never deny anyone showering his son in the love he deserves. Just being able to see Yeonjun’s smile the entire day would make even being forced into a gathering of over one hundred people worth it. 

“So did I,” Seokjin says and he interlaces their hands. Yoongi can’t help but smile softly as he glances down and imprints the image into his mind. It’s something he will look to when he’s having a particularly hard day. “It’s weird isn’t it? You and I?”” 

Oddly enough Seokjin’s words don’t fill Yoongi with fear or insecurity in the slightest. Which is something he never thought he would have either - a feeling of security in a relationship. Knowing that another person cares for his feelings in a way that they deserve to be treated. He has spent a lot of years boxing pieces of himself up in order to fit the preconceived expectations of those he has let into his life. He’s never had someone that wanted to get to know even the ugliest parts of him. He also has a feeling he knows exactly what Seokjin is talking about. 

“You mean how easily it comes?” Yoongi asks, even though he doesn’t really need the confirmation. 

He’s always been good at reading people and figuring out what they want to say even without using words. It’s a language that he, himself is also well versed in.

Seokjin nods. “Yeah. Like we have known each other for awhile now and while the friendship aspect of it was amazing… I didn’t think that being with you would come like second nature.” 

Yoongi has never believed in soulmates. To him it’s always been somewhat of a silly notion. How could there be someone out there who seemingly completes you? But now, Yoongi thinks that maybe he had the idea all wrong. Maybe soulmates aren’t there to complete you because you are never less of a person without them but maybe… they are there to help fill any cracks they may find in your heart that were at the hands of others. Maybe they are there to show you where your broken pieces are and help you mend them instead of trying to fix them for you. 

There are a million things that Yoongi wants to say at this very moment but like any parent knows, kids always know how to ruin a moment. 

Soobin climbs into Seokjin’s lap and grabs his father’s face, squishing his cheeks in his little hands. Seokjin’s eyes move away from Yoongi and focus on his son who looks all too pleased at having his father's attention solely on him. Yeonjun comes barreling into Yoongi’s lap next and Yoongi has no qualms about it as his son climbs up until they are eye level. 

“Daddy!” Yeonjun says happily and throws his arms around Yoongi. 

Yoongi wraps his arms around his son easily, not wanting him to fall back from his lap in the midst of his enthusiasm. “Hi little star.”

Yeonjun beams at him and his smile is infectious. Yoongi doesn’t think there will ever be a moment that he doesn’t smile because of his son. 

“Can we get some ice cream?” Yeonjun asks and he juts his lower lip out as he looks up at Yoongi through his lashes. “Please?” 

Yoongi wants to remind him that they ate a lot of food that wasn’t particularly good for them already but then Soobin jumps in upon hearing the word ice cream. He scrambles from Seokjin’s lap and Yeonjun shifts slightly so Soobin can climb on Yoongi’s lap with him. Yoongi makes sure to hold both of them as they sit in his lap, not wanting either of them to fall. 

“Creamy?” Soobin asks and his eyes are practically sparkling with excitement at the prospect of having sweets before bed. “Please? Please!”

Yeonjun joins Soobin in begging like they haven’t eaten in years and Yoongi feels helpless in defending himself from the onslaught of cuteness being thrown his way. He looks over when he hears Seokjin try and smother his laugh in his hands. Seokjin is looking at him, eyes crinkled in obvious amusement as Yoongi is attacked by both boys. Seokjin quirks an eyebrow at him, almost challenging him to deny the boys what they want. Yoongi turns back to them, ready to tell them no but then Soobin is pouting along with Yeonjun. 

“Pwease?” Soobin says and he moves forward so he can nuzzle his head against Yoongi’s chest. 

Yoongi is only human okay?

He’s just human and this should be considered cruel and unusual punishment. 

“Fine,” He concedes because he’s a weak, weak man. “Only a little bit okay? Then we have to shower and get ready for bed. Do we have a deal?”

“Yes sir!” Both boys exclaim in thinly veiled excitement as they both jump off his lap and race to the kitchen. 

He hears some commotion in the kitchen, followed by a pair of giggles and he can only assume they are trying to reach for their matching dinosaur bowls. It’s all they have wanted to eat from since Yoongi brought them home as a gift. He saw them when he was walking home from the park, a place he usually goes when he needs to think and couldn’t help but buy them. Yeonjun’s was yellow with purple spots and Soobin’s was purple with yellow spots. They both demanded some cereals as soon as they saw them, saying they needed to use them as soon as they could. Again both parents conceded without much fight. 

After both boys have eaten their ice cream - one scoop of strawberry for Soobin and one scoop of chocolate chip for Yeonjun - Seokjin volunteers to take them a bath even though it’s Yoongi’s turn. When Yoongi tries to argue, Seokjin just waves him off and promises that he doesn’t mind. 

Yoongi gives him a kiss on the forehead as a thank you and both Yeonjun and Soobin demand one from him as well before he leaves the bathroom. He once again can’t deny either of them anything - not like he really wants to. 

He ends up sitting on his back patio. 

It’s one of his favorite places about the apartment. It might be the way that it faces an open space, making the sky clearly visible from where he sits or it might just be because the night time is always one of the most peaceful times of the day. Sometimes he just needs a moment to himself, even when things aren’t bad. 

He stares at the moon as it hangs in the beautiful night sky. 

Yoongi can’t help but be in awe of its beauty. 

It’s something he never took the time to really notice before. Life sometimes gets away from you when you are trying to figure out how to be happy and you end up missing the small things that truly make life beautiful.

He doesn’t know how long he sits in one of the patio chairs and looks at the moon contrasting against the black of the sky but eventually he hears the patio door slide open and close behind him. He doesn’t turn, knowing exactly who it is. 

Seokjin comes to sit next to him but doesn’t say a word. It’s something he has taken to doing anytime Yoongi is feeling particularly overwhelmed or when he needs a moment to collect himself. Sometimes words are hard to come by when you don’t truly understand what you’re feeling. Yoongi didn’t notice it before, mostly because he was trying to not pay attention to any attention Seokjin gave him. That would have been detrimental to his health and wouldn’t have helped the crush he had on him. 

Now though, it’s different. He’s allowed to indulge in Seokjin’s attention, especially when it’s directed at him. 

“The kids asleep?” Yoongi asks but he doesn’t turn away from the moon in the sky. 

Seokjin scoots a bit closer in his chair and tentatively intertwines their hands. Yoongi gives his hand a small squeeze so he knows the action is welcome. Yoongi doesn’t think there is anything he wants to do more than hold Seokjin’s hand. Well, besides hanging out with Yeonjun and Soobin but holding hands with Seokjin is tied for first place. 

“Yeah they both knocked out on Yeonjun’s bed,” Seokjin says. He lays his head on Yoongi’s shoulder. “They fell asleep holding hands.”

Yoongi smiles and looks down at their intertwined hands. “Like fathers like sons.”

Seokjin hums. “I think their love is gonna be a lot different than ours but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful.”

Yoongi does his best not to react to the L word. He’s surprised by how the thought of fully falling in love doesn’t scare him the way he thought it would. Seokjin is just someone that is easy to fall in love with. It would probably be harder not falling in love with him. 

“But what are you thinking about?” Seokjin asks after another beat of comfortable silence. 

Yoongi keeps looking at the moon. “Yeonjun was calling my dad today,” He says and he can’t help the emotion behind the words. 

“I know, I heard him.” Seokjin doesn’t say anything else. His silence is a clear invitation to continue the conversation or end it. 

Yoongi finds that he wants to tell him everything. He has a whirlwind of emotions inside of him-- most of them being feelings he’s never experienced before or thought he would ever have. Before Yeonjun, he never really thought about actually having a kid. Sure, the thought had crossed his mind from time to time, but it had never been something that he dwelled on. Kids, while nice, were something foreign to him.

He was also scared to have them-- not wanting to end up like his own father. 

“Did you plan on being a father?” Yoongi asks, because it’s not something they have ever really discussed. 

Seokjin doesn’t answer at first and for a moment, Yoongi is afraid that he said the wrong thing. But then Seokjin exhales lightly and squeezes Yoongi’s hand, his own way of seeking comfort. Which is a rare thing for Seokjin to do. 

“No I didn’t,” He answers honestly. “When we found out she was pregnant, we weren’t as excited as people typically are. In fact we even discussed getting rid of it.” 

Yoongi turns away from the moon and looks at Seokjin. It’s hard to imagine a world without Soobin’s smile. It would probably be a world that doesn’t shine as bright. But at the same time, Yoongi understands. He can’t say he wouldn’t have had the same reaction had Mina come to him when she first found out she was pregnant. 

“She was already sick, or at least in the early stages of her cancer,” Seokjin continues on quietly and there is a new rawness to his words. Seokjin is carrying an emotion on his features that  Yoongi has never seen in him. It’s a kind of sadness that Yoongi is foreign to, a sadness that can only be felt when talking about the loss of the person you thought you were going to spend forever with. “They told us that if she went through with the pregnancy, it could kill her.”

It’s Seokjin’s turn to look at the moon. “I was mad when she told me she wanted to go through with the pregnancy because a part of me felt like she was choosing the baby over us but I realized how selfish it was for me to think like that. Her and I… we weren’t in love. It was more of a marriage of convenience that our parents set up but she was still my best friend. I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it and I was terrified that I was going to have to figure things out alone.” 

“She was determined though and at the end of the day, it was her choice. I chose to support her, instead of trying to fight her on it and nine months later Soobin was born. She didn’t pass while giving birth but it really messed her up and she only started declining from there.” Seokjin looks back at Yoongi. “But as soon as I met Soobin, I knew that even if I had to do it alone, I was willing to do anything if it meant that he stayed happy.” 

Yoongi scoots closer to Seokjin-- just wanting to be closer to him. Seokjin smiles at him, and it isn’t the one he usually wears when they are around others. It’s a softer one, the smile that he usually reserved solely for Soobin, and now him and Yeonjun. Everytime Yoongi sees it, he wants nothing more than to kiss him. 

But unlike the many times before, this time he is able to do just that. 

Seokjin accepts the kiss easily and there is nothing heated about it. It isn’t a kiss that’s leading up to anything. It’s just a way to show their affection without having to use words. A kiss that conveys a myriad of emotions but that mostly just tells Seokjin that he isn’t alone. 

“You’re a wonderful dad,” Yoongi says softly once they pull away from each other but their foreheads stay pressed against each other. 

“So are you,” Seokjin replies. “Yeonjun absolutely adores you. I don’t think you realize how much you have changed his life.”
 

Yoongi wants to laugh because it would have nothing on how much Yeonjun has changed his life. Yeonjun is just…. Well he’s everything that Yoongi never thought he deserved. 

“I’m scared sometimes,” Yoongi says quietly. He doesn’t know if it’s because of the peacefulness of the night or just because it’s Seokjin he’s talking to but he finds that he wants nothing more than to just be honest. “I’m scared that I’m going to mess up. I never planned for Yeonjun and he’s already so… broken. I don’t think I would be able to forgive myself if I contributed to that hurt he already feels.” 

Seokjin leans forward to press a kiss to Yoongi’s nose. “That’s a completely understandable feeling but it means that you care and that’s already more than he’s ever known. You are only human Yoongi, messing up is just what happens but that doesn’t mean Yeonjun will hate you for it. As long as you are willing to learn, then I’m sure he’s willing to let you.” 

Yoongi pulls Seokjin closer to him and just holds him. “Thank you,” He whispers into the elders' neck. 

Seokjin smiles against his hair. “You don’t ever need to thank me for telling you the truth. But also know that I am not going anywhere okay? I promise that you won’t have to face any of these fears you have alone.” 

Yoongi pulls back. That means more to him than any other words that could be said at this moment. He doesn’t know how he got so lucky, but he does know that he will do everything to not mess this up. 

“You know I think about that moon story a lot,” Seokjin says after they descend back into a comfortable silence for a few minutes. 

“What about it?” 

“Have you ever thought of making it a song?” He asks and Yoongi nods because he’s actually already in the process of doing just that. 

“I am actually,” Yoongi says and Seokjin raises his eyebrows in surprise. “It’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Seokjin tilts his head to the side slightly in confusion and Yoongi has to resist the urge to kiss him again. “What about?”

“I was wondering if you would sing it for me,” He asks and Seokjin blinks in obvious shock, “I heard you singing to Yeonjun last night and was wondering if you would be willing to do it for a studio version of the song? I would credit you of course because the lyrics you were singing, were beautiful and I think they would go perfectly with what I already have.” 

Seokjin bites his lower lip. “I don’t think I am the person that should be-”

Yoongi shakes his head. “I think you need to give yourself more credit. You have a beautiful voice but I won’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do. It’s completely your decision but I would love to have you on the track. It would make it more meaningful.” 

Seokjin is obviously in an internal battle with himself but eventually he nods. “Okay. I’ll try but you can’t break up with me if I’m terrible.” 

Yoong knows it’s a joke but he doesn’t want to treat it like one. “I wouldn’t. You make me too happy.” 

Seokjin flushes. “You’re so…” He exhales and it turns into a breathless laugh. “You know I never thought I would ever find someone like you.” 

“Someone like me?” Yoongi asks. 

Seokjin nods. “You just make me feel a lot of things all at once. I never thought I would be able to be with someone who I felt something more for that went beyond friendship.” 

“Can I ask you something?” Seokjin gives him a nod. “Why did you marry her if you knew you didn’t feel anything for her?” 

Seokjin leans back in his chair. It’s his turn to look at the moon thoughtfully. “My parents were traditional. They immigrated from Korea before I was born and as I grew up I watched them give everything in order for me to have a good life. I knew from a young age that I was gay but…” He sighs. “I just felt like I owed them what they always wanted to see from me.” 

Yoongi squeezes Seokjin’s hand, a silent way for him to offer his support. He understands that to an extent but his parents at the very least learned to accept who he was and that he wasn’t going to change for anyone, even if his father hated him for it. His mother tries her best to be a mediator between the two but she’s had any luck mending the demolished bridge between them. 

“So we got married because it was easier that way but pretty early in we both knew that we wanted something else,” He continues on, still looking at the moon in front of them. “We were actually going to end it but then she fell ill and then she fell pregnant. My parents also died before they were able to meet Soobin or even find out she was pregnant. It kind of made it seem like none of it was worth the pain that it caused… and then I met Soobin for the first time and I didn’t regret a thing.” 

Yoongi digests the story for a moment and Seokjin doesn’t offer up any more to the story. Reliving the past isn’t always the easiest thing to do and Yoongi is grateful that Seokjin felt like he could trust Yoongi enough to share that part of his life with him. 

“My father…” Yoongi starts and god, he forgot how much it hurt to talk about him. The wounds were still so raw. “He’s never been able to accept who I am. It’s part of the reason that I moved from the country.” 

“Did he kick you out?” Seokjin asks curiously. 

Yoongi shakes his head. “No. He was never like abusive or anything but he was never quiet about his disdain for the choices I made in my life. When I was with Mina he was overjoyed but that ended about as quickly as it began. But that’s what makes this all so ironic.” 

“What do you mean?” Seokjin turns to look at him and Yoongi is hit again with how much he likes him. 

Seokjin isn’t even doing anything special but he’s so beautiful when the moonlight hits his face just right. 

“Because he doesn’t approve of my lifestyle because he considers it dangerous or like I am only going to party and do drugs but that’s the kind of life I was living when I was with Mina. I didn’t do drugs but I wasn’t living because I wanted to be alive, I was living because I felt like I had no other choice. I wouldn’t even really call it living if I’m being honest.” 

“But here I am in a gay relationship and I have a stable, very well paying job and two sons that I now adore more than the world and friends who I don’t need to get hammered with in order to have a good time. The exact lifestyle he’s always wanted from me, I have because I finally get to love who I want and not try and force myself into some sort of box for him or anyone else.”

Seokjin looks at him again but doesn’t say anything at first. Yoongi can hear cars drive below them but it’s muffled and distant. All he can really focus on right now is how the moon bounces off Seokjin’s cheekbones and how it makes his entire face look softer. 

“You called Soobin your son,” Seokjin almost whispers. He sounds like he can’t quite believe what he just heard. 

Yoongi ducks his head bashfully. “I mean I love him. He’s… I can’t imagine a life without him in my life.”

Seokjin bites his lower lip. “He calls you dada sometimes.”

“Really?” Yoongi asks, eyebrows raising in surprise. “He does?”

Seokjin nods.  “When we would go home to our apartment he would always ask to go back to ‘dada’s house’.”

“And how do you feel about that?” 

Seokjin looks down at their intertwined hands. “I really like you and it means a lot to me that you treat Soobin like he’s your own. I’ve always been afraid that I wouldn’t be able to give him all the love he deserves but with you and Yeonjun, I no longer fear that.”

Yoongi moves his chair slightly, turning to face Seokjin completely. “You already love him more than enough and he knows that. But I also don’t mind showing him extra love. I really like you too. You’re more than I ever thought I would be able to have and without you I don’t know how I would have handled this entire situation.”

“Don’t be silly. I can hardly take credit for the wonderful father that you are.” Seokjin leans forward and tucks a piece of hair behind Yoongi’s ear. “You loved him from the moment you first saw him, even if it was terrifying. You didn’t hesitate to do what you needed to do and that’s something that I admire you for. You saved him.”

Yoongi wants to laugh at that very notion. Because if anyone saved anyone -- Yeonjun saved him. He saved him from just existing his entire life, going through the motions and nothing more. He made Yoongi want to learn how to live again, how to love without fear and how to stop holding himself back from the happiness he never thought he deserved to have. 

“Thank you.” Is what he says instead. “For being here and for wanting to be with me even though I know that I am far from perfect.” 

Seokjin smiles. “Perfect is a relative term. I know what kind of heart you have and that’s why I want to be with you. People are flawed, I know I am as well but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn together.” 

Yoongi nods. “Together.” 

They don’t need to say anything after that. They both just turn back to the moon and sit in silence together. The silence, like all the time they spend together, brings Yoongi a sense of peace that he can’t quite explain. 

Yoongi looks up at the moon and notices a few stars surrounding it. 

He’s glad that neither him nor the moon are lonely anymore. 

Chapter Text

Even now the little star gets scared. Sometimes all he can do is stare. He has been left behind before and it’s never been fair. 

-☾-

Every day they make more progress. It’s been almost eight months since the day Yeonjun was first dropped onto his doorstep and he is hardly the same person he had been back then. Sure there are moments when something sets Yeonjun back but that’s to be expected when they are making a life changing transition. For the most part Yeonjun does exceptionally well, even earning praise from his therapist for being so well adjusted after all he has endured. Of course, that doesn’t mean every day - or night - is a walk in the park. 

Kind of like tonight. 

“I’m sorry.” Yeonjun sobs into his chest and Yoongi is almost getting desperate to figure out what is wrong. 

Yeonjun hasn’t stopped crying since being dropped off by Seonghwa and Namjoon and neither of them could even tell them why it began. Namjoon said he had tried to console him to the best of his abilities but Yeonjun had asked to come home, to which he immediately obliged knowing it would only bring more harm than good to keep him from Yoongi. 

Yoongi looks at Seokjin who looks just as lost as him. Yeonjun hasn’t had a melt down like this in months and it’s obviously catching them both off guard. Seokjin places a hand on Yeonjun’s back, making small circles with his fingertips in an effort to soothe him. Yeonjun needs physical touch in order to ground himself and that is never in short supply when either Seokjin, Soobin or him are around. 

Yoongi waits for Yeonjun to catch his breath, not wanting to overwhelm him anymore than he already is. Soobin is still sleeping peacefully on the couch where they had just put him to rest before Namjoon showed up with a sobbing Yeonjun in his arms. Thankfully Soobin is completely undisturbed by the commotion because anytime Yeonjun cries, so does Soobin and they really don’t need to console two heartbroken babies right now. 

Once Yeonjun’s breathing is finally steady, does Yoongi pull back slightly to be able to see his face. “What’s wrong little star? Why are you sorry?”

Yeonjun is now looking at him, wide eyes glossy with unshed tears and his cheeks red from crying. It breaks Yoongi’s heart to see his son look so broken but he knows that he can’t just comfort him and let him run away from whatever he is feeling. His therapist had told them that love and physical affection will of course help Yeonjun but repressing his feelings will not. He heavily encouraged them to try and have Yeonjun explain what he was feeling even if he didn’t quite understand why he was feeling a certain way, which is what they have been doing and what they will do now. 

“For…” Yeonjun exhales, obviously struggling to find the right words to say about how he feels. “For not staying with uncle Namjoon and uncle Seonghwa.”

Yoongi frowns, sharing a look with Seokjin who looks perplexed by that. “What do you mean little star? Why would you be sorry about coming home?”

Yeonjun’s lower lip trembles as a few more stray tears find their way out of his eyes. “Because I am not normal .”

Yeonjun says the word ‘normal’ with such disdain it throws Yoongi for a moment. He for the life of him has no idea where any of this is coming from. Honestly, it was a bit expected that Yeonjun wasn’t able to spend the night with Namjoon and Seonghwa. It is the first time he has ever asked to do so and Yoongi, while happy about Yeonjun trusting Namjoon and Seonghwa as much as he does - was also a bit nervous about it. Yeonjun had never been away from Yoongi more than a couple of hours and Yoongi didn’t know how he would fair trying to fall asleep without him or Seokjin tucking him in and Soobin sneaking into his bed at night to fall asleep. 

“Normal?” Yoongi repeats just to make sure he heard correctly. When Yeonjun gives a miniscule nod, Yoongi continues. “Why would you think you aren’t normal?”

Yeonjun doesn’t answer at first and Yoongi has no qualms about giving him the time he needs to figure out what he needs to say and what is on his mind. Seokjin is still sitting next to them as well but hasn’t said anything. He knows when Yeonjun has these kinds of breakdowns, he typically wants to find comfort in Yoongi before he seeks out him and he is perfectly content waiting for his turn. 

“The kids at my school say I’m not normal cuz I never wanna hang out with anyone but you and appa and binnie,” Yeonjun finally says after almost a full five minutes of silence. “But I am normal!”

Yoongi quickly digests the words, feeling an array of emotions, the prominent feelings being anger and sorrow. He pushes anger to the back of his mind for now, making a mental note to call Yeonjun’s teacher and figure out what kids are giving his son a hard time but that can wait. Right now the most important thing is making sure Yeonjun knows that he is wonderful just as he is. 

“Junnie,” Yoongi starts softly and Yeonjun sniffles. “Being normal - or what others perceive as normal isn’t what determines who you are.”

Yeonjun just looks at him, eyes rimmed red and puffy. “But I want to be normal.”

Yoongi smiles. “Being normal is boring. Do you think you’re boring?”

“I…” Yeonjun’s eyebrows pinch together, thinking about it for a moment. “Normal is boring?”

“Of course it is! Why be what everyone else wants you to be when you are perfect being you?” Yoongi wipes a tear from his son's cheek. “I am not normal but you still love me right?”

Yeonjun nods quickly. “I love daddy very much.” 

Yoongi’s heart soars at that, his smile growing in size at the words. “Ah, see? If someone doesn’t like you because you aren’t normal, it’s because they are boring!”

“Exactly,” Seokjin chimes in and he comes closer to the duo. “Who would ever want to be normal? I would much rather date a weirdo like your daddy.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, playfully shoving Seokjin who catches his hand and holds it. Yoongi flushes but pretends he doesn’t because he’s not some high schooler with a crush — he’s a grown man.

Yeonjun bites his lip and Seokjin reaches out to him, no longer afraid of the contact being something Yeonjun will reject. If anything, Yoongi is almost positive that Yeonjun seeks out comfort from Seokjin as much as he does Yoongi. There is something about Seokjin that is so calming that Yoongi isn’t all that surprised. 

“How about we do something fun?” Seokjin suggests. 

Yeonjun wipes his nose with the back of his sleeve. “Like what?” 

“Would you like to help me sing a song?” Seokjin asks. 

Yoongi looks at Seokjin, thankful to have him to back him up when it comes to things like this. Parenting isn’t so scary when he has someone like Seokjin to help him and be by his side, especially during the rougher moments. Not everything can be beautiful or easy but it doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. Yoongi would take a million bad days with Yeonjun just to have one good one for the rest of his life. 

Seokjin begins singing the song he had once sang to Yeonjun what feels like an eternity ago. ‘Moon’ is what they had ended up naming it after Yoongi had practically gotten on his knees and begged Seokjin to let him hear the entire version. It was good. Like really good — to the point that Yoongi had an entire instrumental piece for it that Seokjin didn’t know about. Yet. Yoongi is going to tell him after he convinces Seokjin to record it, which is a whole lot harder than he initially thought it would be but Yoongi isn’t a quitter. He had at least gotten him to agree to record it one day but getting him into the studio was an entirely different story.

Yeonjun seems to recognize the song as well because he joins in after a few moments of Seokjin singing alone. His cheeks are still a harsh red and his voice is a bit rough but Yoongi thinks they sound beautiful together. Yoongi doesn’t join in, not wanting to mess up the way their voices mesh and moon isn’t really a song that calls for a rap verse anyhow. 

Seokjin sings to Yeonjun until Yeonjun can no longer do so. There was a gradual decline in Yeonjun’s voice meshing with Seokjin’s but eventually Yeonjun is fast asleep cradled in Seokjin’s arms. Yoongi is sitting close by, running his fingers through Yeonjun’s black hair. 

Seokjin stops signing, the beautiful melody replaced by wet sniffles. Yoongi's hand freezes, unsure if he’s heard correctly. When he takes a look at his boyfriend he’s met with glossy eyes, which is something he is hardly prepared for. Seokjin isn’t much of a crier, at least not in front of Yoongi. 

“How could anyone not love him?” He asks, beating the question at the tip of Yoongi’s tongue. “How could anyone look at him and not see how wonderful he is?”

Yoongi has asked himself this almost too many times to count but he always comes to the same conclusion — he doesn’t know. It’s unfathomable that anyone could look at Yeonjun and feel anything other than pure love and adoration. He doesn’t understand it but he guesses it’s not something for him to understand. He isn’t the kind of person that would be able to understand because he loves Yeonjun with every breath he takes. Both Seokjin and Yoongi know deep down that they can’t change Yeonjun’s past or erase the memories of before them even if they desperately wished they could. 

“I don’t know.” Yoongi reaches over to grab Seokjin’s hand. “But he will never have to wonder what it feels like to be loved again.”

Seokjin’s hand grips him and he squeezes. “You’re right.” 

Yoongi smiles at his boyfriend and when Seokjin returns it he’s filled with a very familiar feeling of love. He doesn’t know what he did in a past life to be able to deserve someone like Seokjin loving him but he knows it’s not something he will ever take for granted. 

“Want to put the kids to bed and maybe play some Mario?” 

Yoongi isn’t very good at it but he doesn’t mind getting his ass handed to him when it’s Seokjin doing it. Seokjin’s entire expression lights up and he nods. It’s not that time alone together is rare but it also isn’t in abundance. It comes along with the territory of having two kids and being dedicated to their respective careers but any small moment they are able to spend together is something they cherish.

“I get to be Luigi,” Seokjin says once they are both seated in front of the television. “You can be Mario.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “Is that your way of saying I could use all the help I could get?” 

He tries to act annoyed but there is fondness laced in every syllable and Seokjin knows it. He leans over, pressing a quick but chaste kiss to his lips. 

“You know it baby.” 

Yoongi does end up getting his ass kicked but the plethora of kisses Seokjin gives him in return makes the loss well worth it. 

As more time passes and their days begin to blur into a routine of taking the kids to school, working in their prospective fields, squeezing in dates and squeezing in family time with everyone because they demand to be included. Yoongi is a bit grateful for the routine, never one to like the unexpected — which is exactly what happens when Yeonjun comes home from school one random Wednesday. 

Yeonjun’s birthday is not a topic they had given too much thought with how busy it had been getting him not only adjusted to their small family but also school now that it’s in full swing. Unfortunately Soobin and Yeonjun weren’t in the same grade even though they were so close in age so Yeonjun had to brave it alone.The first months were hard but eventually Yeonjun made friends, his closest being two boys - one named Wooyoung and the other San. Yeonjun had told both him and Seokjin that Wooyoung or ‘Woo’ as Yeonjun referred to him said Yeonjun wasn’t allowed to sit alone at lunch anymore and San or ‘Sannie’ agreed and promised they would be his best friends forever.

Yoongi could hardly describe the feeling of relief that washed over him when he realized that Yeonjun would have people taking care of him when he couldn’t, so much so that he personally thanked both of the kids' fathers. It even turned out that Wooyoung’s fathers Yunho and Mingi and San’s parents Jihyo and Chungha were good friends of Seonghwa. The two couples had laughed when Seonghwa introduced Yoongi and Seokjin to them with Hongjoong saying something along the lines of the gays always being able to find each other. 

Even so, being busy is hardly an excuse for not bringing up Yeonjun’s birthday when they knew it was coming up. Or at least had somewhat of an idea that it was coming up seeing as his mother didn’t really tell him much about him.

It’s brought up after they finished eating dinner and Yeonjun and Soobin are both awarded two freshly baked cookies before bed. Yoongi is sitting at the table with them, jotting down lyrics to a song he has been working on for the last week or so that suspiciously feels more like a ballet about Seokjin’s eyes than anything else and Seokjin is lounging on the couch reading a book in a rare early night home for him. He hired a new baker named Daehyun who he’s taken quite the liking to and that he actually trusts to run the shop from time to time. It allows him to have some much needed time off and Yoongi is grateful for it.

“Daddy.” Yeonjun says suddenly and when Yoongi looks up he finds his son looking at his milk particularly hard. What really gets both him and Seokjin’s attention is the way Yeonjun says the word.  “Can I ask you something?”

Yoongi tucks his pen behind his ear, giving Yeonjun his full attention. “What’s up little star? Everything okay?”

Yeonjun grabs his glass but he doesn’t pick it up. Yoongi can tell there is a small war going on behind his eyes but he waits for him to figure out the feelings he wants to express. Eventually Yeonjun heaves a small sigh and looks at him. 

“Can we maybe make cupcakes for my birthday? So I can bring them to my friends? Like Jihyo nuna did for Sannie?” 

Yeonjun looks nervous and it breaks Yoongi’s heart a bit. No kid should feel scared to ask his parents for something as small as cupcakes to celebrate his birthday with but Yeonjun unfortunately didn’t have the luxury of a normal childhood. If there was one thing Yoongi could turn back time and change, it would be knowing about Yeonjun the moment he was born. If he could, he would have done anything in his power to make sure Yeonjun would never feel like he was anything but loved. 

“Of course, little star,” Yoongi says softly. He gets up from his seat and moves to kneel next to Yeonjun. “Would you like to make strawberry or chocolate?”

Yeonjun looks shocked at Yoongi’s words, probably because it was such an easy yes to the question he had dreaded asking. “Can we make both?”

Yoongi smiles. “Anything for you my little star.”

Yeonjun returns his smile, albeit a bit shyly and opens his arms - his way of asking for a hug. Yoongi easily obliges, wrapping his arms around his son and just holding him for a second. He can’t make up for the hurt he has felt in the past but he can make damn sure that he won’t feel it again in the future. Seokjin joins them, kneeling on the other side of Yeonjun which causes Yeonjun to pull away from him. 

“Can I help you make the cupcakes?” Seokjin asks and Yeonjun nods vigorously.

“Of course!” Yeonjun leans a bit closer to Seokjin, trying and absolutely failing at whispering his next sentence. “You are a better baker than daddy anyways.”

Yoongi feigns hurt, clutching his chest dramatically. “Betrayed by my own son? How will I ever go on?” 

Yeonjun giggles as Yoongi falls to the floor, making a show out of his hurt. He acts as if he has been shot through the heart, happily playing the part if it makes his son laugh the way he is. What he doesn’t take into account is their other son who isn’t as privy to things like jokes so when Soobin rushes to his side and all but shoves a cookie in his mouth Yoongi can’t do anything else but accept his fate. Seokjin bursts out in laughter as Yoongi is forced to chew on the treat in his mouth but Soobin is looking at him with as much seriousness as a toddler can.

Soobin exhales when he sees Yoongi chewing. “Dada feels better right? Dad says cookies fix everything! So I fixed it right?”

Yoongi nods, pretending that Soobin has cured him of all the pain he had been feeling. “Dada is all better.”

After Yoongi is finished with his ‘unbelievable dramatics’ as Seokjin referred to it, they get the kids to bed and begin to do some research. It isn’t hard to do the necessary digging to find out that Yeonjun’s birthday is coming up in less than two weeks on the last day of November. The real kicker is he already  knew his son’s birthday because he saw the date when he met up with Mina to get his birth certificate and other records so he could enroll him in school. That day was filled with more anger than anything else though so he’s not surprised he forgot reading the date. When he returned back to the hotel Seokjin and the boys were staying at, he was thankful that Seokjin was the only one present since Taehyung and Jimin picked up the boys for a day of fun in NYC because he lost it the moment he entered the room. 

Yoongi had been so angry that he couldn’t contain himself before he grabbed a lamp and hurled it at a wall. He’s never been one quick to physical reactions to anger but seeing how Mina couldn’t care less about her son angered him to his core. He doesn’t understand how someone like her could produce someone as wonderful as Yeonjun. Seokjin had been the one to calm him down before he could do any damage and Yoongi broke down completely in his arms. It was the first time Yoongi allowed himself to feel everything about the situation they were in. 

So he cried.

He cried for his son and the life he had been forced to endure before they found each other.

He cried for himself for not knowing that he had Yeonjun out there and missing some of the most important milestones of his life.

He cries for the future and how Yeonjun will have to actively heal every day at such a young age.

Seokjin holds him and Yoongi cries until he has nothing left in him but Seokjin never lets go. 

It’s the first night they say ‘I love you’ to each other. 

And when the boys came back from their day of fun, Yoongi held Yeonjun closely and told him how much he loves him. Yeonjun only smiled at him, already used to his fathers declarations of love and told him he loved him as well. They went out for ice cream that night and the day was put behind them — which also included the date of his son's birthday. 

Yoongi is unbelievably grateful he didn’t miss it because he doesn’t think he would be able to forgive himself if he missed such an important day, especially because he can only assume Yeonjun probably hasn’t had any special birthdays thus far. Seokjin promises that they will make it the best birthday he has ever had, even if they both know the bar is basically on the floor. Yoongi believes him though and knows the best place to start is keeping their promise of cupcakes for his birthday. It falls on a week the kids are off this year but Yeonjun’s teacher promised it was fine to bring them the week before. 

Which is how they end up at Seokjin’s bakery the Thursday before the kids' school break. It’s well after four and the shop closes for the day around two so it’s empty and they are able to use the entirety of the kitchen without having to worry about messing up Seokjin’s inventory.

Seokjin puts his apron on and gives the smaller ones he ordered for Yeonjun and Soobin weeks ago to them. Both of them always insisted on helping when they were at the bakery and Seokjin has a horrible time of telling them no — not like Yoongi’s any better, he can’t even count the amount of files he has on his computer of Soobin and Yeonjun belting out songs in the studio. 

They get to work with Seokjin and Yeonjun in charge of the actual batter and baking process of the cupcakes while Yoongi and Soobin work on the frosting. Yoongi can cook but asking him to bake is a fire hazard waiting to happen and Soobin typically prefers to shadow Yoongi. 

It’s easy enough to get the cupcakes going, seeing as it’s something Seokjin does for a living and Yeonjun is a rather adept listener. He’s helped Seokjin quite a bit of times with baking and it’s obviously something he has a liking for. Seokjin never seems to mind including him either so Yeonjun is pretty comfortable when it comes to getting ingredients prepared and into the oven. 

While they wait for everything to finish, the kids go to the front of the shop and draw on the white board that usually has the specials on it. The doors are locked so Yoongi nor Seokjin mind leaving them to their own devices for a bit especially since they know Yeonjun wouldn’t let anything happen to Soobin if he could help it. 

Seokjin is sitting on the counter, swinging his legs back and forth as he watches the oven. Yoongi takes a moment to admire him — something he probably does a bit too much but he really can’t help himself. Seokjin is remarkable in more ways than he can count and every day he is reminded at how lucky he is to be the one he chooses every day. 

Yoongi places the bowl he had in his hands down and wipes the excess frosting on the towel tucked into the belt of his black jeans. Seokjin looks up at him as he approaches, smiling softly but saying nothing. They don’t need to talk for them to understand what the other is feeling, which is why Seokjin spreads his legs as soon as he is near so Yoongi can slot easily between them. Yoongi presses his face into the crook of his neck, immediately relaxing against his boyfriend. 

Seokjin chuckles as he wraps his arms around Yoongi. “Sleepy?”

Yoongi shakes his head no, because he’s really not. Sleep has come a lot easier these days and he doesn’t have any urgent deadlines coming up at the moment. Also with Yeonjun’s nightmares dwindling down to a rarity they haven’t been woken up by tears lately. 

“Just wanna be close to you.” There is no point in lying. “Love you.”

Yoongi isn’t sure but he’s almost positive Seokjin is smiling. His smile is beautiful, which is what gives Yoongi the motivation to pull away from the warmth of Seokjin’s body to look at him. Yoongi is right in his guess and Seokjin is in fact smiling at him.

“I love you too,” He sounds amused as he says it and Yoongi doesn’t understand why until he feels something cool on his cheek. 

Seokjin is full on laughing by the time Yoongi realizes that he now has frosting on his cheek. Yoongi’s mouth parts slightly as he processes what his boyfriend did but once he does he’s reaching for the bowl of pink frosting to retaliate. Seokjin is quick to hop off the table but not quick enough to make an escape from the kitchen before Yoongi is wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him back.

“Yah!” He yells as he struggles to get out of Yoongi’s grip. “Yoongi!”

His shouts fall on deaf ears and Yoongi does exactly what Seokjin did to him except he also gets some on his nose. Yoongi loosens his grip after he gets the revenge he wants and doubles over laughing when he gets a look at Seokjin’s expression. Seokjin doesn’t hesitate to grab the bag of flour off the counter. 

“Seokjin that’s too far—“ Yoongi doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence because his vision is assaulted by white powder.

Seokjin is the one laughing now and the kids are laughing with him after finding themselves back in the kitchen after hearing all the commotion. Yoongi wipes the flour from his face and immediately retaliates by grabbing sugar and dumping it on three of them. The boys squeal in delight and immediately join in on the food fight. 

The cupcakes end up getting burnt and frosting ends up on the ceiling but the boys are wearing matching smiles that rival the sun so it’s not really a loss for them. Seokjin ends up baking the cupcakes the next morning and delivering them to Yeonjun’s school with Yoongi and Soobin  in tow so they can join the class in singing Yeonjun happy birthday. Yoongi watches as Wooyoung and San hold Yeonjun close and tell him they are so happy he was born and feels indescribably at peace. Soobin is next to hug him and kiss his cheek while Yeonjun absolutely beams. 

When Yeonjun returns home that night he gives both Seokjin and Yoongi a hug as soon as he sees them. They both return it quickly and Yeonjun’s radiant smile is still in place.

“Thank you for being the best parents ever,” Yeonjun says softly and both Yoongi and Seokjin are taken back by it.

Sure Yeonjun and Soobin call them both a variation of dad but it’s still jarring to be referred to as his parents. They are a unit now — a family, to not just the outside world but also to their sons. 

“Of course Junnie.” Seokjin picks Yeonjun up. “Me and Daddy love you very much. You know that right?”

Yeonjun nods. “Yes. I love you too.”

Seokjin smiles. “Good. Now how about we get ready for dinner and we can maybe do some painting before bed?” 

Yeonjun beams. “Yes please! I’ll go get Binne so we can get ready to eat and play!”

Soobin does just as his brother asks and soon they are both ready for dinner with their homework done and their dirty clothes in the hamper. Seokjin serves them both a bowl of seaweed soup with a side of rice and they sit at the table as a family. Unfortunately Yoongi leaves right after to work on a song for Seonghwa and Hongjoong but Seokjin promises the kids will be fine while he is gone.

They part with a kiss on the lips and the kids get one each on their forehead. Yoongi stays at the studio for a few hours, coming back to a quiet house. Seokjin is still awake though, reading in their shared bed. He smiles when he hears the door to their room open.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Yoongi asks as he changes out of his dirty clothes and puts on a fresh shirt.

“Mm.” Seokjin agrees as he closes his book and puts it on the nightstand. “Just wanted to say goodnight.”

Yoongi climbs into bed, allowing himself to be pulled into Seokjin’s arms. “You could have texted me.”

Seokjin presses a kiss to his hair. “Maybe so but I wanted to wait for you. Missed you.” 

His words are slurring a bit — a sign that Seokjin is a lot more tired than he initially looked. Yoongi pulls back to press a kiss to his cheek and Seokjin smiles softly. Yoongi settles back against Seokjin and just exists with him for a moment.

“Gonna go see Taehyung and Jimin tomorrow,” Seokjin says after a moment, still sounding exhausted. “I’ll take Soobin with me but I know you need to go to the studio. Did you want to take Yeonjun with you?”

Yoongi nods. It’s been a while since Yeonjun has been to the studio and he knows he’s been wanting to. It’s also been a while since they have spent time together which Yoongi makes a mental note to change. He thinks it would benefit them both to spend a day or night together every so often, even if they love both Seokjin and Soobin dearly. It’s good for them to spend some one on one time together. 

Which is proven true the next day. It has made Yoongi realize he missed just having his attention solely on his son — even if they have done nothing more than visit the studio briefly, eat food, watch a few cartoons and now sit in Yeonjun’s room to finish the painting on the walls. 

As they sit together on the floor of Yeonjun’s room Yoongi asks Yeonjun what he really wants as a present. Sure he has ideas, knowing his son well enough to know some of the things he would like or that would make him happy but he also knows that there is always more to learn. Feelings and interests change frequently and he would hate to get Yeonjun anything but what he really wants. 

“What would you like for your birthday?” Yoongi asks as he watches Yeonjun paint small stars. “If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?”

Yeonjun doesn’t answer at first and for a moment Yoongi wonders if his son didn’t hear him but then Yeonjun, as he always does, surprises him. “I don’t think I need any more wishes.”

“Why is that little star?” 

“Because I have a family.” The way Yeonjun says it makes it all sound so simple and it always catches Yoongi off guard how wise beyond his years his son is. “That’s all I have ever wished for.”

There have only been a few times that Yoongi has allowed himself to cry in front of Yeonjun because he fears if he does, he will only worry his son - which isn't fair to him. Yeonjun has already had to carry what seems like the weight of the world on his back more often than not and Yoongi doesn’t want to contribute to it in any way but he can’t help but cry at this moment. If this was any other kid, the answer they would have given wouldn’t be the same as Yeonjun because family isn’t viewed as a gift. To most, it’s considered a norm but unfortunately there are those who will never have that kind of experience. Some will hear the word ‘family’ and shrink away in either pain or fear or maybe even a mix of both. 

“Why are you crying?” Yeonjun asks and he stops what he is doing. “Are you okay daddy?”

Yoongi nods and wipes his face hoping that the tears will stop but they don’t. They continue to fall against his will and he doesn’t know why. He hates showing this kind of vulnerability to Yeonjun because he needs strong figures in his life - not people that are weak. Yeonjun puts his paintbrush down on the tarp and crawls into his lap not paying any mind to the fact that he is smearing paint on Yoongi’s clothes. Yoongi doesn’t pay any mind to that fact either, more than content to be able to hold his son close. 

“Sometimes the moon is sad,” Yeonjun says after a few moments of being held. “That’s why he has his little star.”

Yoongi sniffles, trying to find words to say but he can’t think of any. He hadn’t even realized how much he had been holding back until the dam broke. Seokjin had been telling him to feel what he needed to because bottling it up would only cause the break to be that much bigger and had simply rolled his eyes when Yoongi promised he was fine. 

Eventually Yoongi is able to find his grounding. “Junnie, want to know a secret?”

Yeonjun pulls back a tad but his arms stay around his dad’s neck. “I love secrets!”

Yoongi laughs. “Well aren’t you just like your appa then?”

“Appa says secrets are fun only if they are nice secrets and not mean,” Yeonjun says seriously. “We aren’t supposed to be mean.” 

Yoongi thinks every day he finds another thing about Seokjin to love. “That’s very true.”

“Is daddy's secret nice?” Yeonjun asks, still looking about as serious as a kid can. “Because daddy is very nice so he can’t be mean.”

Yoongi laughs. “Yes I promise it’s very nice.”

Yeonjun smiles, seemingly satisfied at knowing his daddy is nice. “Then can I know?”

“Daddy loves you the most in the entire world.” It’s hardly a secret but it’s also not something he has ever told Yeonjun. “And I used to wish for you as well.”

He did even if he didn’t realize he had been.

“Looks like we both got our birthday wishes then daddy.” 

Yeonjun hugs him again and Yoongi feels a sense of peace that he didn’t know existed. 

-☾-

When Yoongi tells everyone about Yeonjun’s birthday four days before it they all look at him stupid when he asks if they will be able to go. Yoongi isn’t surprised in the slightest but it still makes him feel warm when he realizes how much of a family he has. Even before Yeonjun he had a small family, one that he didn’t appreciate nearly as much as he should have. He will never take them for granted again, especially now that he realizes he doesn’t miss the life he once had. 

Which is how they end up with a packed house on Yeonjun’s birthday and almost too many presents to count. Yoongi gives all of his friends a very pointed look when he sees that the presents have taken over not only the dining room table but the surrounding floor as well. All of them smile innocently and immediately point out that at least none of the presents are from him alone. Which, while true, is not something he will feel ashamed of. In fact if Seokjin wasn’t there to physically restrain him from purchasing every art supply in the store they went to, Yeonjun would have ended up with a lot more bags. 

It’s all worth it though when Yeonjun comes home, not expecting to have everyone he loves most in the world in the living room and immediately bursts into tears at their exclamation of ‘Happy Birthday’. The surprise party was both Seokjin and his idea, wanting Yeonjun’s first birthday with them to be so memorable it completely wipes away every memory of the ones he had before them. The tears Yeonjun is crying are happy so he figures they did a good job at making that hope a reality. 

After his tears die down and he’s hugged every single person in the room at least twice, does Yeonjun finally allow Seokjin to get him ready in his very special birthday outfit that Taehyung had made for him. It's an outfit very similar to something Taehyung had worn when he and Jimin visited not too long ago that Yeonjun absolutely adored. It was a black denim jacket with an abstract face painted on the back of it made by Taehyung himself, paired with a small paint holder pin. Yeonjun had been amazed when he found out Taehyung made the jacket himself and shyly asked him if he would make him one too. Taehyung didn't hesitate in saying yes and did as promised. 

He actually finished a week or so ago but kept it to surprise Yeonjun for his birthday. He even bought him a red beret to match the look as well as some new loafers. When he comes out of the room he makes a beeline for Taehyung and Jimin who were talking with Namjoon at the counter. Taehyung cradles Yeonjun in his arms easily and takes the onslaught of love by the now eight year old happily. 

“Thank you,” Yeonjun says once he is done showering Taehyung in love. “I love it.” 

Taehyung’s face lights up. “Anything for my adorable nephew.” 

It’s something that’s said so easily — as if to Taehyung, Yeonjun is as much a part of his family as Soobin is and while Yoongi knew this, it still is heartwarming to hear. Yoongi can't express how unbelievably happy it makes him that Yeonjun doesn’t just have parents and a brother — but he also has uncles who would give him the entire world if he just asked. 

Namjoon steals Yeonjun away soon after and even though Yoongi would never tell anyone, he has an inkling he may be Yeonjun’s favorite uncle. It’s a bit adorable to see their bond because Namjoon has always said he didn’t think he would be a good father with the amount of hours he worked and the fact that he didn’t think he would end up with someone long enough to see it happen. Namjoon has proven that he would be an amazing father though because Yeonjun has had a lot of issues trusting people but he’s chosen Namjoon as someone he trusts as much as he does Yoongi and Seokjin. When it comes to the partner part — Yoongi watches as Seonghwa joins Namjoon on the couch and places a hand on the back of his neck in such an obviously natural motion before he presses a kiss to Namjoon’s temple, Yoongi knows that the future Namjoon has in store for him is one he never thought would become reality.

Hoseok and Jungkook leave the party soon after the initial surprise and come back with twenty take out containers making sure to get Yeonjun all his favorites even if they have to stop at three different places. Yoongi and Seokjin both try to pay them for the food but nearly get threatened with bodily harm for even insinuating they would let them, especially since it’s for their Junnie. Yeonjun thanks both of them with another round of hugs and even a hand hold in Jungkook’s case which is a new development.

After all their hunger is taken care of, they begin opening presents. Hoseok and Jungkook get him an entire wardrobe knowing that while Yoongi and Seokjin had gotten him clothes when he first came home he is growing fast and is always in need of more. Yeonjun ends up with a vast majority of all black outfits and outfits as bright as Hoseok’s personality. Namjoon and Seonghwa end up giving him a more thoughtful surprise, one that can only be seen with pictures on Namjoon’s phone. When Yeonjun sees that he has his very own bedroom at their place for whenever he wants to come over, he hugs them both and promises he will be brave enough to spend the night. Namjoon waves off any disappointment that Yeonjun may think they have in him and promises it will always be there for him when he’s ready and Seonghwa even promises that the blank walls will be his to paint. Jimin and Taehyung surprise Yeonjun with tickets to a museum of an artist he had taken an interest in lately due to Taehyung showing him pictures of his art as well as a plethora of stuffed animals and toys. 

Yoongi and Seokjin go last, giving him all the art supplies they got him first, to which he gasps in shock every single time. The second thing they got him is something a bit more sentimental but something that they talked about and figured would be something meaningful to him. When they hand him the small box, he looks a bit confused but he takes it nonetheless. Everyone waits for him to open it seeing as none of them have any idea what’s in the box either. When he opens it, Yeonjun pulls out the necklace and looks at it in awe. It’s custom made to have a moon as the focal point with three stars — one slightly bigger one and two of the same size surrounding it. It’s from the same moon necklace Seokjin let Yeonjun have the first day they had him so he wouldn’t be afraid of them not coming back to him.

“Woah,” Yeonjun says softly, eyes large as he looks at the necklace. “Is this us?”

Yoongi and Seokjin nod. “So you can always have us even when you are alone,” Seokjin says.

Yeonjun smiles and hugs them both with one arm looped around each of their necks. “Thank you.”

They also got one for Soobin but he will get it tomorrow as a little surprise.

After they finish presents they just lounge around — either playing video games on one of the various counsels in the living area or sitting on the couch and watching, save for Jungkook who has once again been asked by Soobin to color his tattoos to which Jungkook lets him. In the grand scheme of things the party is anything but extravagant but Yeonjun looks like he is having the time of his life and that’s the only thing that truly matters. As long as their son is happy, they can rest knowing that they did okay for his first birthday. 

“How about we do something special?” Seokjin proposes after Namjoon loses his third round of super Mario cart. He stands and grabs Yeonjun’s hand to urge him to stand as well. “Since it’s our Junnie’s very special day?”

Yoongi smiles, knowing that whatever Seokjin is about to say is going to make his heartbeat just a bit faster. It’s honestly a bit crazy to think about how much he really loves him. It’s so easy to fall into lust with someone — especially someone as gorgeous as Seokjin but it’s something else entirely to fall in love with them.

“How about we all say one of our favorite things about our beautiful Junnie? I’ll start.” Seokjin kneels in front of Yeonjun, getting eye level with him. “My favorite thing about you is that you are my son and I get to love you.” 

Yeonjun, like Yoongi, is a notoriously easy crier in the right situation. They don’t cry at things like sad movies or seeing a puppy but they do cry when they are feeling a million things at once and can’t express it any other way. Which is why Yoongi isn’t surprised to see the tears gathering in his son's eyes almost immediately. He practically throws himself into Seokjin’s arms, trusting that he will be caught — he’s right — and hugs him.

Soobin asks to go next to which they of course allow. He stands up and moves to where Seokjin just placed Yeonjun back down on the floor. He grabs Yeonjun’s hand and holds it. 

“My favorite thing about Junnie is that he is my brother.” Soobin says the words with as much sincerity as a five year old can. “And that he lets me play with his dinos!”

Yeonjun smiles. “I’m glad you’re my brother too.”

At the children’s declarations of love there is no dry eye left in the room. A child’s love is a lot more wholesome than an adults and to see the two of them love each other with no limit is completely beautiful. Yoongi is grateful that even if they have no other friend or person in the world, they will always have each other even after Yoongi and Seokjin are gone.

They spend the rest of the hour going around and saying their favorite things about Yeonjun and Yeonjun just smiles the entire time like this is the best present he’s ever received. Their favorite things about him vary from how creative he is to how kind he is and every word said is true. Yeonjun is everything they are describing and more. Then it’s finally Yoongi’s turn.

All eyes are on him but the only person he focuses on is Yeonjun who is looking at him with a mixture of both worry and hope. Yoongi wonders if he’s nervous about what he has to say — which would be silly. Yoongi doesn’t think he will ever find it in himself to say one negative thing about Yeonjun. Still, sometimes Yeonjun needs reassurance and that’s okay.

“I don’t just have one favorite thing about Yeonjun,” Yoongi says softly. “Everything about him is my favorite thing.”

To anyone else it would be a cop out answer but Yoongi’s words are true. He loves everything about his son — from the tears he cries over both trivial and important things to the smiles he gives him anytime he sees Yoongi. Yeonjun cries at the words and holds onto Yoongi. Yoongi comforts him, whispering some words of comfort until his son's breathing evens out. 

“Can I say my favorite thing about my life now?” Yeonjun asks once he was able to gain his composure just a bit and has pulled away from Yoongi. “Please?”

Yoongi smiles. “Of course, little star. The floor is yours.”

Yeonjun nods and wiggles a bit as he gets out of Yoongi’s lap. He walks to the middle of the room and stops to turn around and face them. Everyone’s eyes are glued on what has become the light of all of their lives. It’s obvious to tell that Yeonjun is nervous by the way he plays with his hands and bites his lower lip but Yoongi knows better than to intervene. It’s good for Yeonjun to step out of his comfort zone as long as he is the only one able to push himself and no one else. 

“I am thankful to have a family,” Yeonjun says softly, his eyes locked on Yoongi. He’s looking at him like he’s where his world begins and ends and it’s the same way Yoongi feels about his son. “I am thankful to have my dad.”

It’s not some grand poem - it’s much more than that. While the words are simple, they hold so much meaning. Yeonjun had nothing but pain before them and now that pain - while still present in moments, has for the most part subsided. He’s a brand new person who no longer feels scared to express how he feels or show who he really is. 

This time Yoongi is the one who can’t resist the urge to grab his son and hold him, to which Yeonjun happily accepts. Yeonjun wraps a small hand around Yoongi’s finger and doesn’t let it go even after Yoongi stops hugging him. Yoongi smiles down at his son, his own silent way of telling him that it’s okay for him to hold him. 

After everyone has wiped the tears they were pretending not to shed they get back to the party. They play a few more games and sing Yeonjun happy birthday around the dining room table. Then they just talk until the sun goes down and the moon takes its place which prompts everyone to begin packing up to leave. As happy as Yoongi was to see them, he’s also a bit happy to see them go. Well, maybe happy isn’t the right word to use to describe what he’s feeling — really, he’s just happy to have some time alone with just them four. It’s a bit odd because Yoongi spends every night with them but even then he can’t help but countdown the moments until they are alone again. 

Seokjin begins cleaning up the living room while Yoongi grabs Soobin and starts cleaning up his face. Their youngest has a bit too much fun with the pink icing of Yeonjun’s birthday cake — mostly at the encouragement of Jimin and Taehyung who found joy in the simplest of things the way Soobin did. Their joy came at the expense of Soobin’s outfit though but Yoongi couldn’t even pretend to be annoyed by it if he tried. 

“Ah Binnie,” Seokjin tuts as he passes them with a trash bag in his hand. Yeonjun follows closely behind him with a smaller bag of trash. “What are we going to do with you?”

Soobin smiles, looking all too pleased with himself. “Another cupcake?”

Yoongi laughs. “Maybe tomorrow Bin, how else are you going to fall asleep?”

Soobin’s smile dims a bit but he doesn’t argue with being told no. Soobin rarely gets upset when they deny him of anything because really, he hardly is denied much and he knows that if they say no to something it must be with reason. 

They manage to get the kids into bed quite easily — Yeonjun probably being completely emotionally exhausted and Soobin crashing from a sugar high but instead of going to sleep themselves they end up on their patio. It’s something they have taken to doing on nights the weather is nice and they just want to exist together in a beautiful space. The moon is high in the sky and the city below them seems to be sleeping along with their kids. 

Seokjin isn’t looking at him, his eyes focused on the moon above them. Yoongi doesn’t mind not having his attention because it gives him the time to admire him yet again. Seokjin is like a work of art, one that every artist would only dream of being able to create. Yoongi has a million thoughts running through his mind as they sit together — to the point it almost feels overwhelming but he doesn’t know why. He’s admired Seokjin a million times before but tonight as they sit together under the moon with their kids tucked safely into bed and completely content, it feels different.

And then Seokjin looks at him.

That’s when every thought in his mind comes to a screeching halt — except one. 

I want you for the rest of my life. 

It’s not the first time Yoongi has thought about asking Seokjin to spend the rest of his life with him but it’s the first time that he has felt like he’s ready to do so. It’s the first time he’s ever felt like he’s found the one person in the world he doesn’t ever want to part with. It’s surprising how… natural it feels. He once thought that committing to one person for the rest of his life would make him feel trapped but if that person is Seokjin… Well, he wouldn’t mind one bit. 

“What are you thinking about?” Seokjin asks, completely oblivious to Yoongi’s inner turmoil. “You’re frowning.” 

Marry me.

It’s what Yoongi wants to say.

“That I love you.” Is what he says instead. 

Seokjin flushes. “I love you too.”

Now isn’t the right moment and he will wait for it.

He has things he needs to get in order before he asks — like buying a ring suitable for someone as amazing as Seokjin and asking Yeonjun if he would be okay with it. He doesn’t doubt that he will but he would never make a decision like that without asking his son for his feelings on the matter. It’s no longer an I situation but an us situation and it’s one that Yeonjun should have a say in. 

So he waits until the moment comes again and he can finally say those words. 

Which happens not even two weeks later and Yoongi is hardly surprised. Yeonjun has already been talked to and he was more than okay with it because in his own words ‘Appa already is forever for me.’ 

Yoongi wonders if he is crazy.

He kind of feels like he is but at the same time, he can’t find it in himself to give a damn. He loves Seokjin. He doesn’t know if he can qualify it as love at first sight because that entire idea seems a bit too cheesy for him but if he is being honest with himself, there isn’t really another way to describe it. Meeting Seokjin was a twist of fate that he never expected, the same way that having Yeonjun enter his life was never something he could have predicted. 

While the love he feels for them is different of course, it has the same weight behind it. 

The moment that Yeonjun entered his life, he knew that he didn’t want to spend another day without him. He knew that he couldn’t go about his life in the same fashion he did before finding out he had a son. Before Yeonjun, it was like every single day of his life had little to no meaning and he was simply passing the time before making it to a new day. 

Maybe it is crazy. 

Maybe the entire thing will go wrong. 

Maybe Yoongi will wake up one day and regret every decision he has made that led him to this moment. 

Or maybe… everything he thought before doesn’t matter anymore. 

Because what matters to him in this moment is how he feels as he watches Seokjin hold Yeonjun’s hands, while Yeonjun’s feet are atop of his own as they dance around the living room that has become more of theirs rather than his. It’s second nature to them now - being together as them four and Yoongi can’t believe he ever spent a moment without them. 

He loves Yeonjun. 

He loves Soobin. 

He loves Seokjin. 

That’s really the only thing that matters. 

Yoongi stands, jostling Soobin who was playing with Seokjin’s phone in his lap. He doesn’t seem to mind much because he immediately gets up to follow Yoongi. It’s a bit funny how Soobin has become as much of his shadow as Yeonjun has become Seokjin’s, both boys forming a different kind of bond with their fathers respective partners and gaining another father because of it. Yoongi let’s Soobin wrap his hand around his pinky, using it as a weight to keep him from backing out of his sudden surge of bravery. 

The ring in his pocket almost feels like it weighs the same thing as a brick and he’s suddenly too aware of it. He wonders if Seokjin knows he’s been carrying it around for a week just trying to work up the courage to even look at it. He bought it on a whim, ignoring the very pointed look Hoseok had given him because if there is anyone who truly knows him - save for Seokjin, it’s Hoseok. His best friend thankfully didn’t ask him about it, only suggested getting the platinum band that was big enough to get a moon and star engraved on the inside of it. 

Seokjin looks up at him, his beautiful smile still etched into place. His eyes almost sparkle when their eyes connect, the light in them rivaling the moon itself. Yoongi can’t help but smile back at him as his heart practically hammers in his chest. With each step he takes, he knows it’s one step closer to the rest of his life and he finds that it’s not nearly as scary as he once thought it would be. Love at one point seemed like a foreign concept with only heartache waiting on the other side of it but with Seokjin… he is willing to take that risk.

And maybe Seokjin deserves a grand gesture. Maybe he deserves a bed of roses or the words written in the sky. Maybe he deserves their entire family and their friends being here to take part in the moment that will change their lives.

Or maybe it’s only meant for them.

For the little family they have formed together against all odds. 

For the moon and it’s three stars. 

Chapter Text

But the moon promised the little star would never be alone because to him, he was everything he could ask for and more. Vu With that the moon said all he had to say and the little star knew he was finally here to stay.

So he finished their story and he signed it sincerely, the moon. 

-☾-

Yoongi knows that it’s not always easy for Yeonjun. He knows that sometimes there are moments that Yeonjun believes this is nothing more than a dream that he will wake up from one day. He truly can’t imagine the things that he has been through. How it feels to know the world can be a harsh, cold place at such a young age. Sure, Yoongi’s childhood wasn’t the best either. His father had a hard time showing love and his mother, as much as she tried, was human herself and made mistakes that took a while to fully heal from. Yeonjun though? He was left alone and felt unwanted during what are the most important years of his life. 

Which is why Yoongi gives any sort of reassurance he can at any moment in time. He really doesn’t mind doing it, even if he is constantly saying the same things over and over again. If he gets to see the genuine smile on Yeonjun’s face anytime he reassures him then he knows that it’s worth it. 

Like right now. 

Yoongi is very fond of the sleep he gets because more often than not he gets very little of it - well used to anyways. Now that he has Yeonjun and his little family he has found himself on more of a regular schedule. He’s surprised that it hasn’t affected his writing much but Namjoon says it’s because he has plenty to be inspired by these days… which he couldn’t agree more with. Which is why when he feels the bed dip a bit, he cracks his eye open to see 3:45 am glowing at him from his bedside table, he doesn’t get annoyed. He knows immediately who it is, seeing as Seokjin was out of town visiting his brother and Soobin was with him. Yoongi had been invited but had a work commitment he couldn’t get out of and as much as Yeonjun loves both Seokjin and Soobin he refused to be separated from his father if he didn’t need to be. Seokjin had joked about how marriage hardly changed him and he couldn’t believe Yoongi would choose work over his marriage. Yoongi shoved him out the door when he said it and Seokjin threw him an obnoxiously loud kiss over his shoulder as the elevator doors closed. 

It’s still a bit amazing to him — how he’s married. The ceremony had been small and personal, which is what both of them wanted. Seokjin said the only people he needed there were the people he loved most in the world, so that had been that. Yoongi didn’t mind in the slightest, more than content to spend the most important night of his life with the only people that truly cared about his happiness. 

Yeonjun pulls the sheets, causing Yoongi to snap out of his thoughts and turn slightly. He blinks sleepily at Yeonjun as he watches him try to climb onto his bed as carefully as he can. His son hasn’t noticed he’s awake yet and Yoongi doesn’t react, not wanting to startle his son in what he assumes is a very vulnerable moment. Once Yeonjun is comfortably in the bed, he practically burrows into Yoongi’s side. 

“You okay lil star?” Yoongi asks gently once his son is no longer squirming. “Bad dream?” 

Yeonjun starts, seemingly a bit startled by his fathers voice. Eventually though he finds his composure. “Yes.”

Yoongi’s hand finds his son's head and he runs a hand through his hair. “Want to talk about it?” 

Yeonjun presses closer, a feat that Yoongi didn’t even think was possible. “Can you tell me the story about the moon and the little star?”

Yoongi smiles. “Of course I can.” 

It’s something Yeonjun doesn’t ask for as often anymore as he has become more comfortable with the idea that his father isn’t going to leave him the moment that things get too hard. There are still moments though where Yeonjun feels a bit insecure and just needs some reassurance that Yoongi’s world starts and ends with him. Yoongi has no qualms giving it to him. 

So he tells the story again. 

He tells the story of how Yeonjun came into his life and he was everything that he didn’t know he needed. He tells the story of how a little star lit up his life and showed him colors he had never seen. He tells him the story of how not only the star finds a family but so does the moon. 

He tells the story in hopes that one day Yeonjun won’t need him to anymore. 

In hopes that one day Yeonjun will realize that the moon would be nothing without his little star. 

-☆-

15 years later 

When Yeonjun was four he remembers wishing for a cat for his birthday. Now that he thinks about the reasoning behind that wish, he wishes he could go back in time and hug his younger self. He wished for a cat because then he would at least have a friend. 

When he was five he wished for his mother to be there. It had been the first birthday she completely ignored — it wouldn’t be the last either but at the time Yeonjun didn’t know that. 

When he was six he wished for a family. He wished to be like those kids he saw in the movies his grandma would put on for him to keep him busy and away from her. There was always a child and two parents who loved them and Yeonjun wished he knew what that felt like. 

When he was seven he didn’t make a wish because by then he learned that wishes just didn’t come true. No matter how hard he wished, his life didn’t change. At the time he had been too young to understand the agony he felt. He was too young to put his suffering into words because it was all he had ever known. He didn’t equate his family with love because they never showed it to him. 

When he turned eight it was like every wish he had ever had came true because it was no longer just him . It was him, his dad, his appa, his brother, his cousin and all of his uncles. He wasn’t alone and he didn’t have to wish for a family anymore because he had one.

He didn’t make many wishes after that because it never felt like he had to. What more did he have to wish for when his dad loved him? When he had a family who would do anything for him? It almost felt selfish to wish when it seemed like the only thing he has ever wanted has happened to him. 

Today as he turns twenty three he thinks that sentiment still rings true. His dad and appa are holding a camera in front of them as his family all sing him happy birthday rather obnoxiously. It’s a little bit of a tradition they have to all be together on someone’s birthday even if it’s just to sing happy birthday. It’s something that Yeonjun is unbelievably happy for because it’s nothing like he ever had when he was a kid.

Soobin runs up to him as soon as the song is over and shoves a cupcake on his nose. Yeonjun yelps and grabs one of his own once he’s able to gather himself and proceeds to chase him around their parents apartment like they are children again. Once Yeonjun has gotten his revenge on his brother and everyone has finished the various foods that uncle Hoseok and uncle Jungkook picked up — all his favorites, as they always do — Yeonjun begins opening his gifts. He had tried to tell everyone he didn’t need presents but the request fell upon death ears. 

The presents he gets are mostly for the new apartment he just secured anyways so he doesn’t complain, not that he would regardless of what he received. When he told his parents about his plans of moving out when he started his apprenticeship there were a lot of tears shed, on both sides. They weren’t all from sorrow though, some of them were also from pride. His dad had told him that he was devastated to see him go but so proud of how far he has come and his appa shared a similar sentiment. 

Even if Yeonjun was in a much better place now, it was still hard to let them go. His official move starts tomorrow and while excited, he’s also sad. Life won’t be the same without his appa waking him up in the morning with the promise of fresh pancakes or without his dad asking if he wants to watch a new anime he’s found because appa refuses to watch with him or without Soobin asking if he can sleep with him when he’s having a particularly bad day. Realistically he knows he can still have all that but it won’t be so readily accessible anymore and it’s scary.

When his phone buzzes in his pocket, he ignores it. 

Just as he has been doing for the past week

-☆-

It takes another month or so for the apartment to be completely ready to move in so Yeonjun spends his final days with his small family doing all of their favorite things. Appa jokes that he isn’t dying — but he still indulges in making Yeonjun chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast when asked. He notices his dad holds him a lot more than he usually does but doesn’t call him out on it. Truthfully he doesn’t mind it in the slightest. Soobin pretends he isn’t sad but the day before he’s officially going to start moving out he asks if it would be okay to share his bed. It’s not something they do very often since they have grown up but every once in a while they do. Yeonjun allows him to and neither of them say how much they are going to miss each other. 

Everyone shows up to help him move in even though he promised it would be fine. They all promise that this is exactly how they want to be spending their weekend because they are excited for him. Yeonjun rolls his eyes but the sentiment is really sweet. Uncle Namjoon and Uncle Seonghwa take over the living room, surprising him with a brown arm chair and various plants to hang in the windows. Uncle Hoseok and uncle Jungkook set up his bedroom and closet. Appa takes care of the kitchen for him and sneaks in appliances Yeonjun knows he didn’t buy. Appa of course pretends he has no idea what he is talking about. Dad and Soobin go out and get food for everyone while they work. It comes together rather quickly, so much so that a few hours later Yeonjun is left alone in his apartment.

The silence is weird. Living with his family meant that there was always some sort of noise going on so to not have that anymore is odd. It’s not bad though and Yeonjun knows that this will be good for him. Missing people sometimes help you realize how much you love them. It’s a new chapter for him and it’s one that he’s excited to start. 

About thirteen trips to ikea later and another few days of unpacking boxes he finally feels somewhat settled in. He winds up inviting his dad over — well actually he doesn’t invite him, it’s more like his dad demanding to see him because he has a surprise for him. As soon as his dad arrives he pulls him into a hug as if he hasn’t seen him in years, which is not true. He literally saw him three days ago. 

“Dad I didn’t go off to war,” Yeonjun teases but returns the hug nonetheless because he will never deny a hug from his dad. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Are you saying you didn’t miss me?” His appa jokes. “You would me so.”

Yeonjun rolls his eyes. “You and appa are practically the same when it comes to dramatics. You both should have been actors.”

His dad scrunches his nose. “Appa could have done that maybe but me? Absolutely not. I’m more of a behind the scenes guy.”

Yeonjun shrugs. “I think you could have been the face of fame as well. Maybe even in a band.”

This time it’s his dad’s turn to roll his eyes. “Next you’re going to say I could dance in said band as well.”

Yeonjun laughs. “Oh god. I don’t know if your arm wiggles will be good on stage.”

“Yah brat.” His dad hardly sounds upset though. It’s a very rare occurrence for them to get upset with each other. 

Yeonjun can maybe remember a handful of times where he and his dad actually disagreed to the point that an argument started. Most of them came from Yeonjun’s teenage angst that was multiplied by the undealt with childhood trauma he still had. He had just wanted to fight because he had been so angry. He closed off from everyone, almost becoming a shell of the person he was. It took a few misguided fights and a whole lot of tears and talking before he finally agreed to go back to therapy. It was the best decision he could have made though because it helped him become himself again. When he had tried to apologize to his dad for being so terrible his dad didn’t let him. 

He had held Yeonjun close and promised that he didn’t love him any less. He also told him that when he was younger he was also angry with no way to deal with it until he found music. Yeonjun had given up art for a while when he was really struggling but his dad's words pushed him to get lost in it again. It didn’t solve everything of course but it made him feel like he was at least being productive with his hurt.

“I have a surprise for you,” His dad says, effectively interrupting Yeonjun’s train of thought. “Stay right here.”

His dad doesn’t give him time to respond before he’s out the door again. He feels his phone buzz incessantly in his pocket but he ignores it. It’s gotten easier to ignore with each passing day and he refuses to put his phone on silent because it’s like letting her win again. His dad comes back into the apartment and has two cans of paint in his hand.

Yeonjun’s eyes widen a bit in surprise. “This was not what I was expecting.” 

His dad smiles. “Well I wanted it to be something special, not just wallpaper. It’s your new apartment after all and I want to make sure it feels at home.”

Yeonjun takes the paint from his dad. “Am I even allowed to paint the walls of an apartment?”

His dad suddenly looks sheepish. “Well about that—“

“Dad what did you do?” Yeonjun cuts him off because he knows his dad and he only has the expression he is currently wearing when he’s done something he knows he shouldn’t have. “This is just an apartment right?”

“Yes but also maybe… no. Appa and I may have bought the unit for you.” 

Yeonjun can feel his mouth physically fall open at that. His dad puts the paint cans down on the floor just as he’s met with an armful of Yeonjun. A part of him wants to be upset that his parents did it without his knowledge but another part of him is grateful for it. His dad hugs him back tightly. 

“You didn’t have to,” Yeonjun says, still holding onto his dad. “Why did you?”

His dad pats his back and pulls slightly away from him so he can fully see his face. “Because you deserve the world and both your appa and I have the money for it. We are happy that you are spreading your wings but we still want to make it easier if we can.” 

“Thank you,” Yeonjun says sincerely. 

He knows it’s pointless to fight his parents on this because at the end of the day he knows it’s more for them than it is for him. They want to feel like they are still taking care of him every day even if they no longer physically do it. 

His dad stays to help him paint the walls of his bedroom. It’s nice to spend time with just the two of them — it’s not that he doesn’t enjoy his time spent with appa and Binnie but sometimes Yeonjun just needs his dad. They don’t speak much while they paint, both of them content in the silence but every so often they will say something to each other. 

Once the room is a pretty shade of light blue, his dad bids him goodnight with a promise to come visit again soon. Yeonjun hugs him as he goes and promises the same in return. Neither of them address their red eyes as they pull away from eachother. 

The entire thing is very bittersweet but Yeonjun knows that he is making the right choice. He needs to branch out and make a life of his own. His parents will always be there for him whether he lives at home or not, he doesn’t question that anymore. He knows that whether they are under the same roof or a million miles apart he will always be able to count on them when he needs to. 

Now he needs to learn how to start counting on himself.

It’s not an easy thing to do. After being so thoroughly loved and taken care of for so many years, it’s hard to suddenly not rely on them to make his day pass. It’s freeing though in a way because now he gets to be in charge of his own decisions. He winds up making a schedule to keep on the fridge in order to make sure his head stays on straight and it helps.

With every day it gets easier. 

But that of course doesn’t mean every day is easy. 

Sometimes when he’s tired or just feeling lonely, he hates being at the apartment completely alone. There are times he just wants to come to Soobin doing homework on the kitchen table or to his appa playing video games in the living room and being extremely animated whether he wins or loses. He mostly misses the hug his dad would give him every day when he returned from work. 

Today is one of those days Yeonjun thinks as he lands on his couch.

It’s been an excruciatingly long day and he all wants to do is curl up into a little ball on the couch. It’s been a while since he’s had such a bad day but he also knows that it’s a completely normal thing to experience. His therapist says there would be no happiness if sadness didn’t also exist. It may be a bit cheesy but the words also ring very true. He blames exhaustion mostly on the apprenticeship at the tattoo shop he just started for. The guy he is training with can be a real prick to work with, especially when he doesn’t bring his daughter Nayeon with him to work. She is at the very least pleasant to be around. 

He stretches his arms out before letting them fall to his side as his head lolls to his left when his eyes catch the sight of a brown fluff in the corner of the room. He stands, making his way over to the side table that houses the stuffed animal. He picks up the brown poodle plush and hugs it to his chest. It’s something he does anytime he misses being home. He still remembers when his appa bought it for him when he was seven and was going to his first ever official sleep over at his friend San’s house. Yeonjun remembers being confused by the random present and asking his appa why he bought him the plush puppy. 

His appa had told him it was for him to hug anytime he missed home. He also told him that when he hugged it, they would feel it and that they would send him a hug back. Yeonjun had pretended he didn’t need it because he was too big for stuffed animals. His appa had smiled then, asking him to take it for him instead because he was the one who was going to be missing Yeonjun so much. After that he showed Yeonjun his matching poodle plush and said they could match. 

Yeonjun smiles fondly at the memory and feels a bit lighter. He realizes he doesn’t have to miss his family because he can easily go visit them. Even if he is living on his own now they have made it clear there is always an invitation to visit.

Which is why he ends up in his parents' cozy apartment with a generous helping of kimchi fried rice in front of him. His appa is in the middle of telling a story about dad falling asleep while they were fishing last week and his dad is pretending to be offended by it. Key word is pretending because his dad has an absolutely horrible poker face when it comes to his husband. They fight of course — all couples do but they always try to understand each other. They also promise to never go to sleep angry at each other, even if that means they have to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to forgive each other. 

“What’s on your mind Junnie?” His appa asks once he is finished with his story. 

Yeonjun looks up, not realizing that both his appa and dad have been talking to him for some time. He smiles bashfully, feeling his cheeks warm up. Soobin laughs into his hand, reveling in Yeonjun’s embarrassment.

“Just work stuff,” He finally says because that’s at least not a complete lie. “I just feel a bit off.”

“Would you like to take a break from it for a day and spend the day with me?” His appa says with a small smile. “I haven’t had any Junnie time lately and I think I am going through withdrawals.”

Yeonjun returns the smile. “Of course I would but only if I get chocolate chip muffins.”

Appa rolls his eyes. “Yah you brat. You only love me for my food.”

Yeonjun wants to say that’s the furthest thing from the truth but he knows that he doesn’t have to when his appa winks at him. They eat their dinner and then dad suggests watching a movie together. It’s appa’s turn to pick and he picks ponyo. Before they watch they convince dad to go to the convenience store for snacks and he complains the entire time but he brings them all their favorites home. 

When Yeonjun heads home he feels much lighter

-☆-

He keeps true to his word and shows up the next day at his appas bakery ready to help out with whatever is needed. His appa thanks him again for his help to which Yeonjun waves off. He’s more than happy to help his appa with whatever he may need. Also he was right when he said they hadn’t been able to spend any time together lately. As they begin prepping together Yeonjun realizes just how much he missed doing it. Cooking and baking was his and appa’s love language with each other so it’s nice to be able to do it together again.

“How have you been, baby?” His appa asks as they knead dough. “Is the apartment treating you well?” 

Much like his dad, appa is able to read him like an open book. Yeonjun doesn’t look up from the dough as he shrugs. He’s happy of course but also a bit sad. Maybe melancholy is the correct word to describe it.

“I like it,” He finally says because it’s not technically a lie. 

His appa hums. “Do you know when I first moved out I cried for a solid week?”

Yeonjun looks at his appa. “Really?”

Appa nods. “Yeah it’s a huge adjustment — being away from home but my eomma told me something that really helped.”

“What was that?” 

“That distance means so little when the person you are missing means so much,” Appa says simply. “I always took it to mean that missing someone or feeling an ache in your heart when they are gone means that the love you have for them is genuine.”

Yeonjun swallows, not wanting to cry in front of his appa. “Thank you.”

Appa gives him a warm smile. “Anytime Junnie, now hurry with that bread or I am going to have to fire you.”

Yeonjun rolls his eyes at the obvious lie but gets to work anyway. Once they are finished with everything appa keeps his promise of chocolate chip muffins. They sit together and enjoy each other's company when Dahyun comes in to take over running the bakery so appa can have the rest of the day off. They are waiting for Soobin to stop by the bakery as soon as his only lecture of the day is over so they can all walk back to appa and dad’s apartment together. 

When Soobin arrives he gives Yeonjun and their appa an exaggerated kiss on the cheek, exclaiming that he missed them so much. Yeonjun laughs at that and shoves Soobin slightly. His younger brother sticks his tongue out at him and proceeds to inhale his chocolate chip muffin that their appa hands him in one bite.

“Yah Soobinnie!” Appa chastises but he sounds entirely too fond.

Soobin smiles with his cheeks full and Yeonjun snorts. “Appa, this one is disgusting isn’t he?”

Appa laughs at Soobin’s outraged huff and ruffles Yeonjun's hair. Uncle Jungkook winds up stopping by before they leave with Hueningkai. Appa welcomes them both with a warm smile and Kai asks for a cupcake to which appa happily gives him. They wind up getting back to the apartment much later than planned because of it but none of them mind. Dad is surprised to see him again when he gets home but he looks happy about it, that is until he is roped into playing video games with them. Yeonjun and Soobin wind up destroying their parents in a mario tournament to determine who would pay for dinner and they are treated to their favorite ramen shop for their victory. 

It’s the first day his phone doesn’t vibrate incessantly in his pocket. 

In hindsight Yeonjun should have known she wouldn’t give up that easily though. Mina is many things and stubborn is one of them.  When she is determined there is nothing that can deter her — which is why Yeonjun should have grown suspicious when her texts and calls stopped coming. 

That doesn’t stop his surprise when he looks up from his sketchbook a week later and sees her entering the tattoo shop. When he sees her, Yeonjun feels as if the entire world slips out from under his feet. She is much older and Yeonjun can tell the years between them have not been kind to her. Yeonjun feels a surge of — well he doesn’t really know. Anger? Fear? Despair? They all feel too similar in this moment 

She approaches him, almost looking timid. Yeonjun wants to turn on heel and run but he doesn’t. He doesn’t want to draw more attention to her than necessary, especially not in his place of work. Nayeon, perceptive as ever, seems to pick up on his discomfort and places a hand in his. It serves as a welcome distraction. 

“You okay oppa?” She asks as her hand squeezes his. 

He smiles down at her because even though he is absolutely not okay Nayeon already worries about far too much for her young age. She reminds him a lot of who he used to be and he doesn’t want to add on top of it. He squeezes her hand back before kneeling to get eye level with her. 

“I’m fine Yeonie,” He says gently. “How about you go sketch in my journal so I can tattoo the pretty designs later?” 

Her smile is near blinding at that and she immediately runs off to go get her colors from his locker. Her dad refused to buy her any so Yeonjun did instead. He pretends that they are his and that he just lets her borrow but that’s not the case. He bought them with her specifically in mind. 

“Is she yours?” Mina asks and it forces Yeonjun from his thoughts. 

Her voice still sounds the same. He hates that he remembered how she sounded. 

“No she isn't,” He responds curtly. 

He really doesn’t want this conversation to take place but a part of him knows it’s necessary. Thankfully the tattoo shop is empty seeing as it’s a Tuesday. Only him and Mino — Nayeon’s dad — are in and Mino is out getting food so there will be no onlookers to what Yeonjun assumes will be a rather unpleasant talk. 

“Yeonjun-ah,” The words are spoken softly — far more softly than any words that had been hurled at him when he was a child. 

Yeonjun recoils as if she slapped him. “Eomma.”

The word doesn’t feel right but he was raised to not hand out disrespect unless they truly deserve it. A small voice in the back of his mind argues that she deserves it but he can’t find it in him to retaliate. Holding onto anger has never done anyone any good and his appa taught him that it’s a lot harder to be kind to those who don’t deserve it than it is to be mean.

“You have grown up,” She says and Yeonjun laughs at that. 

He can’t help it. This entire thing feels so… well he doesn’t have the right word for it but it’s odd. He wants to scream at her — wants to make her hurt the way he did when he was a child. He still doesn’t understand how someone can look at their child and treat them as if they were nothing more than a stranger they were forced to feed. But another part of him aches to hug her and pretend for even a moment that she is here to love him the way that she was supposed to. 

“It’s been fifteen years.” His tone isn’t vicious but it isn’t kind either. “I thought I asked you not to bother me.”

His mother at least has the decency to look ashamed. “I know I just…” She looks down at her hands. “I just wanted to apologize.”

Yeonjun’s heart stutters at that. “Apologize for my sake or yours?”

It’s a fair question to ask because the woman in front of him has never shown love to someone without some sort of game in mind. Her goal was only to make it to the end of the board with no regard for those she had to burn in the process. He may have been young when he knew her but he remembers almost vividly the people she hurt — himself included. 

“Junnie—“ She starts and the name sounds like nails dragging against a chalkboard when it falls from her lips.

“Don’t call me that.” The words come out a lot more forceful than he intends. “You have no right to speak to me with such familiarity.”

She exhales and her lips curling inward, a tale-tale sign she is getting annoyed. “Has Yoongi taught you only to hate me?”

The moment his dad’s name leaves her lips, all restraint he has flies out the window. Anyone can call him any name in the book but he will never allow someone to speak of his dad with anything less than admiration. He stands, not caring if he is making a scene.

“You will not speak about my dad” He says fiercely. “Ever. He is a much better person than you will ever be and he has only taught me what love is. Even when you left me on his fucking door step without so much as a warning, he still never spoke ill of you to me.”

When he’s finished speaking he can feel his chest heave from how angry he is. It just — god it just isn’t fair. He has been in such a good place lately and it’s not like it was easy to do. The trauma his mother left embedded in him took years of therapy to deal with. In many ways Yeonjun feels as if he has hardly dealt with it and seeing her only makes that feeling worse. 

Mina blinks, her expression no longer one of annoyance but of surprise. “Jun— Yeonjun,” She corrects. “I’m sorry.”

The words feel hollow. 

His inner child begs him to forgive her. He begs him to launch himself at her and be kissed on the forehead. He begs for him to finally feel the love he now knows he deserved from her. But he can’t do that to himself because he knows her. He knows what she is capable of even when she knows that she has his heart in her hands. 

He can feel his fingers claw at his thigh. “Please don’t say things you don’t mean.” He knows he sounds desperate because he feels desperate. 

Mina’s face falls. “I do mean it. I… I can’t excuse who I was. I can't pretend that I didn’t do the things I did but I do mean it when I say that I’m sorry. The best thing I have ever done for you was give you to Yoongi.”

That Yeonjun at least agrees with. A part of him is immensely grateful for the decisions she made because without her being so fucked up, he would have never found the family that he actually deserved. He doesn’t want to imagine a life where his dad and appa weren’t the ones to raise him or having his little brother being his best friend. He doesn’t want to imagine a life without his uncle Joonie and uncle Seonghwa being almost like his second parents. He doesn’t want to imagine a life without his Uncle Jungkook and Uncle Hoseok or his cousin Kai. But he also wishes he could have had a life with his mother at least caring about him. 

“Is that all you came here to say?” His eyes burn but he refuses to cry. 

Mina nods. “Yes. I— I won’t force you to be uncomfortable. I just wanted to see you. I do mean it though. I regret a lot about my life but there is nothing I regret more than not being there for you. I know that doesn’t make up for what you went through but I just thought you should know. If you ever want to talk please feel free to message me.”

She leaves after that and the moment the bell above the door sounds Yeonjun crumbles into himself. He slumps against that tattoo chair as he tries to steady his breathing. The entire world feels like it’s spinning. For a moment he thinks he is about to spiral into a panic attack but then he feels a hand in his own. It grounds him in reality and he gives Nayeon a grateful smile. She returns a smile of her own.

“Sometimes I get sad,” She admits. “And all I want is a hand to hold.”

Yeonjun aches at that. Nayeon knows far too much pain for such a young child. “Do you want to make a promise then?”

“What promise?” She asks. 

“That anytime we are sad we can hold each other’s hands,” Yeonjun says as he gives her hand a small squeeze. “How does that sound?”

Nayeon nods. “Yes. Would you like to see my drawings?”

Yeonjun says yes, thankful for the distraction. Nayeon pulls him over to his station and pulls out Yeonjun’s sketchbook. Nayeon seems to have an affinity for art just like her dad and Yeonjun is in awe of all the moons she drew while his mom was here. There are some that are simplistic in nature but others that are more on the realistic side. 

“Why do you like the moon?” Yeonjun asks as he looks at the drawings. 

Nayeon shrugs. “Because the moon is still bright even when it’s dark.”

Yeonjun finds comfort in that, thinking that Nayeon reminds him a lot of the moon the same way his dad does. He doesn’t say that though, instead he just asks if she would like to sit with him while he draws up some different versions of the moons she has created and she does. They stay like that until Mino returns and Yeonjun tells him he needs to leave. He doesn’t even know where he intends to go but he just can’t stay here. Mino thankfully doesn’t give him any push back and he’s out the door. 

We walk around aimlessly for a while just thinking about everything that he feels. Well, he thinks it’s aimless until he is standing in front of his dad’s building. It’s not surprising though seeing as it’s almost second nature to seek his dad out when he’s upset. In this particular instance he wonders if it’s really a good idea to talk to him though because of his history with Mina. After a small debate with himself he winds up entering the building regardless of his doubts because he knows that his dad will push away his own feelings for the sake of Yeonjun’s in this situation. He also just really wants to talk to him. 

His dad takes one look at him when he opens the door to his studio and Yeonjun knows he knows. There is nothing that he can hide from him, even when he tries. His dad knows him better than anyone else, even when Yeonjun wishes he didn’t. He is also grateful for it though because it means he never has to pretend around him.

He steps aside, letting Yeonjun into his studio without a word. Yeonjun sits down on the black couch and his dad goes back to whatever he was doing before he showed up. It’s his dad's way of letting him figure out what he needs to say before saying it. It’s something he has done since he was a child. Yeonjun has always been grateful for the time to figure out his thoughts without feeling pressure.

Eventually Yeonjun is able to gather himself and he pulls up a chair next to him. His appa always makes sure dad has more than one chair in his studio so they can be close to him while he works. Dad has a visitor at least once a day and he always pretends that he doesn’t enjoy it when they all know he does. 

“Eom— Mina found me today,” Yeonjun says quietly once he is able to find the words.

His dad turns to look at him with his eyebrows nearly touching his hairline. It’s obvious he was not expecting that to be the reason that Yeonjun is so upset. They haven’t talked about her in years. Dad never brought her up and Yeonjun didn’t know how to — or if he even wanted to. 

His dad puts an arm around his shoulder. “Are you okay?” 

Yeonjun shakes his head no while tears well up in the corners of his eyes. He feels stupid for being so affected by her even as an adult. He hasn’t seen her in more than a decade and it still feels like she has so much power over him. He’s never felt so weak in his entire life. 

“I’m sorry Junnie,” His dad says softly. 

When his dad says it, the nickname is much more comforting. Yeonjun sniffles, unable to help the surge of emotions that wash over him. He feels a million things and yet he can’t put words to any of them. He feels almost broken as he thinks of his mother. 

“Why didn’t she want me?” Yeonjun finally breaks. He’s never allowed himself to ask that question.

His dad grabs him and pulls him close. Yeonjun can feel whatever he had been holding back come rushing to the forefront of his mind. He sobs into his dad's neck feeling so unbelievably small for the first time in years. It’s like he’s seven years old again being dropped off at a complete strangers house by the person who was supposed to love him the most in the entire world.

Yeonjun loved her so much. He loved her even while she hated him. There were so many moments when he was younger that he wanted to scream into his pillow because life was so completely unfair. To him his mother was the most beautiful person in the world even when she wouldn’t care to look at him. He did everything to try and earn her love but she never once showed him any. 

He was always good.

He cleaned up after himself. He made sure his homework was always finished without her having to ask. He always went to bed on time. He always brushed his teeth before bed and when he woke up. He never raised his voice. He never cried when she told him now. 

He did everything he was supposed to but it didn’t matter to her.

No matter how good he was, she would never love him.

“I don’t know little star,” His dad says as he holds him. “Sometimes people are just… hard to understand. It’s almost like asking why the sun rises in the morning or why we breathe air. That’s just how it is.”

“Why do I not hate her?” Yeonjun asks once he calms down even if he knows it’s an impossible question to answer. “I should hate her.”

“You probably should,” His dad agrees gently. “But that isn’t who you are, little star. You have so much love in your heart that hate just doesn’t fit.”

“Do you hate her?” His dad never really spoke ill of Mina in front of him but Yeonjun knows he must feel something towards her. 

His dad stays quiet for a moment before he shakes his head no. “She isn’t a good person, I’ll say that. She is selfish, mean and cold and if it was under any other circumstance I genuinely do think I would hate her.”

“Then how come you don’t?” Yeonjun asks.

His dad pulls back from him slightly in order to look at him fully. He wipes a stray tear from the corner of his eye. Yeonjun feels like a child again but he doesn’t care at the moment. Sometimes you just need your dad to hold you, no matter what your age is. 

“How could I when she gave me the most precious thing in my life?” His dad says simply. 

It’s then that it all clicks for him. 

He didn’t realize that a part of him was still holding onto his mom hoping that one day she would be the person she should have been. Confronting her and saying what he needed to finally close up the last wound she inflicted on him. But he doesn’t hate her. He doesn’t think he ever could because by her being the person she was, she led him to a life he couldn’t have even dreamed of. 

Yeonjun forgives her — not for herself but for himself. He forgives her for the child that never had a mother. He forgives her for the child that hated himself in order to be what he thought she wanted. He forgives her so that he can finally fully let her go. 

That part of his life is finally over and he can now look back at it without wondering what would happen if he saw her again. All he can do now is look forward instead of constantly looking back. 

When he gets home that night he pulls out his tattoo kit and begins drawing on his skin. It’s the first tattoo he gives himself. As he wipes away the excess skin he smiles to himself. 

To others the tattoo may seem silly but to him it means the world. 

The black crescent moon surrounded by three stars tells his story. 

The story his dad told him the first time Yeonjun broke down in front of him and just needed love. He remembers his dad looking so out of depth trying to deal with a child crying but he took it in stride. Yeonjun doesn’t know how he got so lucky to have Yoongi as his dad but he will always be grateful for it.

When his dad used to tell the story he would always make it seem like the moon was the lucky one to find the star but in reality Yeonjun thinks that they are both lucky.

Because without the moon the stars would be lonely.

And without the stars the moon would have no one to shine for. 

5 years later 

“Ah moon what did I say about eating sweets before dinner?” Yeonjun hardly sounds like he’s angry because to be fair he isn’t.

It’s damn near impossible to be mad at his daughter.  Yeonjun truly believes she is the cutest person to ever grace earth. He knows that at least ten other people would agree with him so he knows he’s right. 

She looks down at the cookie in her hands and sniffles. The sound is utterly heartbreaking. Yeonjun is in full dad mode before he can help it, immediately asking her what's wrong and reaching out to her. When he gets closer to her he realizes that Nayeon's eyes are red around the rim and her cheeks look a bit blotchy as if she’s been crying for quite some time. Yeonjun almost kicks himself for not noticing sooner. 

“Appa said that I can have a cookie when I’m sad,” She finally says, sounding almost miserable. 

Yeonjun moves forward to hug her and she readily accepts it. She wraps her arms around his neck as she sniffles again. Yeonjun kisses her forehead  and interlaces their fingers before he walks her to their spot by the window. Nayeon loves the spot by the window because of all the plants her uncle Joonie gave to her.  Once Yeonjun is settled in his brown armchair and Nayeon is sitting with her back against the wall under the windows, he waits for her to gather herself. Nayeon has trouble with her feelings much like he did after going through the trauma that was his childhood but it at least makes it easy for him to know what she needs. 

“Do you love me?” She finally asks.

She still isn’t looking at him, her eyes instead focused on her hands in her lap. “Of course I do moon. Why do you ask?”

“Because I’m adopted.”

She says the word with so much disgust it’s almost palatable. Yeonjun knew one day this would be a discussion they would have to have but he truly didn’t expect for it to be today. Nayeon is twelve now meaning she was old enough to understand that her biological dad is never coming back, especially because she had just turned ten when the adoption officially went through. At first she seemed almost numb to that fact but now, not so much. She even one time admitted that she liked Yeonjun more than her biological dad and felt guilty about it but Yeonjun had reassured her that emotions were complex things. She hasn't really brought him up much since then except the one time she asked why sometimes people don't love you the way they were supposed to.

Yeonjun didn't really know what to say to that at the time because he didn’t expect it coming from her but he ended up telling her his own story then. She held his hand the entire time and told him she loved him. Yeonjun ended up crying more than her that night. It was also that night that Yeonjun realized he made the right choice in adopting her. 

It’s not like Yeonjun had any doubts about Nayeon herself but more so about him being her appa. He’s healed plenty but he doesn’t think he could ever forgive himself if he messed up her life anymore than it already was. Both his dad and his appa promised him that it would be impossible seeing as he was so wonderful but Yeonjun didn’t feel all that wonderful. Adopting her was spur of the moment and at the time he had been scared that she would hate him for taking her away from her real dad but Yeonjun just couldn’t sit idly by. He had known Mino for almost three years from apprenticing at that tattoo shop and during that time not only would he would often talk about how much he despised having a daughter that killed his wife during childbirth but it was apparent in how he treated her as well. It wasn’t like he was outright abusing her, instead it was just like she simply didn’t exist to him. He was only going through the motions with her. Yeonjun had wanted to step in earlier but he knew that he couldn’t because it wasn’t his place but the look in that man’s eyes was too familiar and it left his stomach in knots anytime he talked about Nayeon. 

Yeonjun and Nayeon had formed a beautiful bond in those three years, one that even Mino himself was surprised at seeing as he thought she didn’t like people. Yeonjun had wanted to point out that maybe she was that way because of him always instructing her to stay quiet and make herself scarce so she didn’t disturb him and she was a good kid who did just that. She was quiet but at the same time she was still very sweet when she interacted with anyone who interacted with her first. Yeonjun remembers the first time she actually approached him was when she asked if she could sit in the empty chair next to him. The tattoo shop was particularly slow that day and Yeonjun was just practicing stenciling so he told her he would be happy for the company.

She sat with him for hours but hardly spoke, not that Yeonjun minded. He was a quiet soul for the most part, taking after his dad in that aspect and although she didn’t speak Yeonjun knew her attention was fully on him. She seemed almost mesmerized by him as he sketched but she never asked what exactly he was drawing, at least not until a few weeks later. Yeonjun had made it a routine to invite Nayeon over to his station whether he was working or just sketching and she always came happily. After a few weeks of this she slowly began asking the questions Yeonjun knew she had wanted to ask since day one and once she got a kind response from Yeonjun she didn’t stop. 

Yeonjun never minded — in fact the little girl had practically stolen his heart in the short time of knowing her. She was quiet and timid to those she didn’t feel comfortable around but once you broke through that barrier she was so much more than that. She was witty, curious and most importantly kind. She wanted to know so much and it was obvious she had been held back from asking the things her mind wandered for probably her entire life. With Yeonjun she didn’t hide herself. Which is why when Mino admitted to him he was going to give her up because he was offered a job in Seoul and he didn’t want to take her with him it felt almost second nature for Yeonjun to ask if he would be willing to do a private adoption. He couldn’t bear the thought of someone as beautiful as Nayeon to end up with other people that would overlook her or that wouldn’t love her like she deserved. He knew Mino had no other family and the mothers side wanted nothing to do with him or her. He knew that if Mino gave her up she would end up in the system and Yeonjun just couldn’t let that happen. 

The adoption process was a grueling one, especially in circumstances like these and there were a million hurdles that Yeonjun had to jump through before everything was finalized. He honestly doesn’t think he would have been able to even adopt her had it not been for the money his family came from. A lot of things are expedited when the requests are backed up by a couple thousand won. The only people who knew ahead of time about him adopting Nayeon and had been uncle Namjoon and uncle Seonghwa because Yeonjun needed at least two solid people to vouch for his character. They had been a bit concerned in the beginning but after they met Nayeon they had understood why Yeonjun was doing this. Normally Yeonjun would have gone to his parents for something like this but his dad had been traveling together and Yeonjun didn’t want to disturb them. It was rare that they actually made time for themselves outside of their family and their careers.

But that made it all the more special when he showed up to their home the literal day they returned with Nayeon in his arms and announced they had a granddaughter. His dad asked him a little later when they were alone and Nayeon was helping appa bake cookies in the kitchen if he was sure this is what he wanted and Yeonjun told him her story. His dad understood then and promised that both he and his appa would be here for whatever he needed and would be more than willing to babysit her when she was ready for it. 

It was hard after he adopted her. Harder than he thought it would be but he never gave up on her the same way his dad never gave up on him. The entire thing gave him a new appreciation for his dad — so much so that on a particularly rough day he sobbed into his dad's arms and thanked him for loving him even when it was hard to. His dad just hushed him and told him that there was never a moment where it was hard to love him. That had made Yeonjun cry even harder while his dad held him throughout it. 

It took time for Yeonjun to help Nayeon realize that she would never be alone again and a lot of therapy. All of it was worth it though because she is now a totally different child than she was when he first adopted her. She of course still has her moments as we all do. There are moments where she just needs to be reassured and Yeonjun has no issue doing just that. Because if there is one thing he is sure of when it comes to this whole appa thing, it’s that he loves Nayeon more than he even loves himself. 

“You are but that doesn’t make appa’s love for you any less,” Yeonjun says gently. “Why would you think it does?” 

“Because…” She brings her sweater covered hand up to her face and sniffles into it. “Because I’m not yours.”

“Oh Nayeon but you are.” Yeonjun gets out of his chair then and sits with her on the floor. He interlaces their fingers again because he knows that's the easiest way to bring her comfort. “You are my moon. Don’t you know how lonely I would be without you?”

She shakes her head. “You would be lonely?”

Yeonjun wipes a few stray tears from her face. “Can I tell you a story?” 

Nayeon nods but she looks a bit confused by the change of subject. Yeonjun smiles at her and turns to cradle her face with his hands. He sees a lot of himself in her and it kind of breaks his heart. She knows exactly how it feels to not be loved and Yeonjun wishes she didn’t. But much like his dad couldn’t change his past, Yeonjun knows that he can love her so much that she will never have to feel that way again. Much like his dad, he will never make her feel anything less than the most important person on the planet because it’s what she deserves. 

“Well there once was a moon, centuries and centuries ago…” 

-☾- 

Well 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.

The little star didn’t know just what it meant to the moon, to be there even when the sky turned blue. The little star didn’t know how it had made all of the moon’s dreams come true. For the moon had been alone before but now it had someone to shine for.

The lonely moon wasn’t the only one to know what it meant to feel all alone — for the little star never actually had a home. Until one day it saw a moon, a moon that would show him that he would never truly be alone.

It started with one star. Then that one star went to two. Then those two stars turned to three and suddenly the moon knew just what it was like. Knew what it was like to have a family. 

When the little star realized that the moon was there to stay, he had many things to say. I love you, was the first. I trust you, was the second. And the third? It was simply… thank you.

Even now the little star gets scared. Sometimes all he can do is stare. He has been left behind before and it’s never been fair. 

But the moon promised again the little star would never be alone because to him, he was everything he could ask for and more. Vu With that the moon said all he had to say and the little star knew he was finally here to stay.

So he finished their story and he signed it sincerely, the moon.