The Longest Shortest Year | ym

Month 5

Jimin couldn't help but feel a bit odd as he entered Yoongi's workplace, rubbing his shoes on the mat just inside so they wouldn't squeak from the rainwater trapped in the soles. Sure, he'd been inside a few times before when he would surprise Yoongi with lunch during their first few months of being mated, but he hadn't been there since Hana had been born as Yoongi had been able to get time off for her checkups. However, due to a large number of staff requesting that week off as it was spring break for the public schools, Yoongi had been unable to get time off to go to Hana's four-month checkup as they didn't have enough teachers that day to cover his classroom and keep it in ratio.

He greeted Makayla behind the front desk, and the omega hit a button that unlocked the doors to the rest of the building before Jimin could even get to the keypad to punch in his parent code. He thanked her before hurrying into the building, rounding the corners until the got to the infant classroom. When he opened the door, he was met with the sight of his puppy finishing up a bottle in one of her teacher's laps while the older infants who were already eating solids were sitting around the infant table with their lunches. "Hi, my Mochi!" He greeted excitedly, Hana smiling brightly at the sight of her mother as her teacher set the bottle down and held her out for Jimin to take into his arms.

"Yoongi said she had a doctor's appointment today." Leslie stood up from the rocking chair as Jimin peppered kisses all over his giggling puppy's face. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just her checkup." Jimin answered. "Say bye-bye." He cooed, waving Hana's hand towards her class before heading towards the door, Leslie assuring him that she would check Hana out on the computer for him. "Do you wanna see Daddy before we go?" He asked as he walked back down the hall. Hana made a happy, gurgling noise in response, so Jimin paused by Yoongi's classroom, glancing through the window in the door to find Yoongi smiling as he watched his students play with a few balls in the classroom. Jimin held Hana close to the window and pointed towards his mate. "There he is. Do you see him?"

Suddenly, he heard a muffled voice yell out, "It's Yoonie's puppy!" Then all of the pups and Yoongi turned to look at the door, the pups waving excitedly at Hana while Yoongi's eyes lit up at the sight of his pup and his mate.

"Hi," Jimin mouthed at him and waved before picking up Hana's hand and putting it to her mouth, having her blow a kiss to the alpha. Yoongi blew a kiss back and Jimin waved one more time before stepping away from the door so he could take Hana out to the car.

***

Jimin couldn't help but grimace as the nurse came in with the needles that would very soon be stabbing his daughter's legs. "I know, this is always the hardest part, isn't it?" The nurse, Avery, sympathized with him as she laid out the vaccines. "Little Hana is schedule for five today, the same ones as last time." Jimin nodded and adjusted Hana in his lap, holding her close to him for comfort while also allowing Avery access to her leg for the shots.

Hana immediately started squirming and fussing at the cold wipe the nurse rubbed over her skin in preparation for the shot. "It's okay, Mochi." Jimin murmured comfortingly to her, taking the chance to lift up his shirt and guide Hana to his breast to comfort nurse her while Avery got the first shot ready.

"You ready?" Avery asked, waiting until Jimin nodded before moving. "Here we go..." Hana whimpered around Jimin's nipple as the first needle pierced her skin, but otherwise seemed to do fine. She made it through all five shots with only a few whimpers, suckling consistently at her mother's breast. "You can take your time in here, and when you're ready just head to checkout and schedule her next checkup. Bye Hana."

"Thank you." Jimin offered the nurse a small smile before looking back down at his daughter. He nursed Hana until she was dozing off, at which point he helped her unlatch and straightened out his shirt before leaving the exam room. Hana seemed content until they were halfway back to her school, at which point she started crying out as if she were in pain, leading Jimin to climb into the backseat with her once they were at the school for another half hour long nursing session until she finally fell asleep.

He was very careful as he carried her into the building and back to her class, thankful when her teachers let him be the one to lay her in the crib labeled as hers. "She's really fussy after her shots. If she seems too uncomfortable, please don't hesitate to tell Yoongi to call me. I'll be right here to get her." Hana's teachers assured him that they would and Jimin took another moment to make sure his daughter was sleeping soundly before finally taking his leave.

He bumped into Yoongi on his way out, the alpha just leaving for his lunch break. "How'd Hana do?" Yoongi asked, wrapping his arm around Jimin's waist as they left the building together.

"She did really well." Jimin smiled. "50th percentile in height and weight still, Dr. Larsen said she's one of the healthiest pups he's ever seen." Yoongi nodded at that, his pride over his pup evident in his gaze. "She even got through her shots pretty well but was really fussy by the time we got here. Check on her some this afternoon if you can."

"I'll try." Yoongi promised, smiling when Jimin gave him a small kiss out of thanks.

"Wanna get lunch together?" Jimin then asked.

Yoongi sighed. "I wish I could, but since we're so short-staffed, they asked me to take only 30 minutes today, so I only have time to go somewhere to get food and come back." Jimin pouted. "On the bright side, Mochi and I will be home early today." Jimin was still pouting, but he nodded and gave Yoongi one more kiss before bidding him goodbye.

***

Jimin nuzzled closer to Yoongi as he started to wake up, realizing only a moment later that he had woken up on his own and not because of Hana. "Yoongi?" He poked the alpha's stomach until he grumbled in response. "Did you get up with Hana?"

"No."

The omega furrowed his eyebrows and sat up, reaching over to his nightstand to grab his phone and check the time, seeing that it was an hour and a half after when Hana would normally wake up for a night feeding. At first, he was concerned and threw the blanket off of himself so he could pad over to her bassinet, then he relaxed at the sight of his pup still sleeping soundly, her thumb between her lips as she gently sucked at it. The image brought on conflicting emotions as he climbed back in bed--happy that his pup was able to self soothe, as he knew that meant more sleep at night for himself and Yoongi, but also sad as it was a sign that his puppy didn't need him as much anymore.

"She okay?" Yoongi asked, sitting up slightly in bed as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah, she's still sleeping." Jimin answered, snuggling up to his mate again. "She discovered her thumb."

Yoongi hummed, wrapping his arm tightly around the omega. "You know she'll always love you more than her thumb, right?" Yoongi asked, and Jimin was once again amazed by how well the alpha knew him.

"I know." Jimin murmured, even though he didn't fully believe it himself until an hour and a half later when Hana woke up an hour before her normal wake time, crying for him.