stay

door frames

"Mom!" Someone screamed down the hallway, wailing following. "Mama!" Sobs and sobs and sobs. His throat sounded so painful, tears happening in each syllable he screamed.

Misun shot up, almost falling out of bed as panic hit her like a brick. She knew Jungkook's screams anywhere. She ran down the hall, paying no attention to her shoulder that she accidentally slammed on her door frame.

She panted softly as she ran into Jungkook's room, him thrashing around weakly as he screamed and called for 'Mom.'

A night terror.

"Jungkook, Jungkook." Misun rubbed his stomach, waiting for him to stop spazzing around before she could pick him up. "Baby, Ba-hey, hey Jungkook." She smiled softly once he opened his eyes, still crying. "I've got you." Misun picked him up, holding him tightly as he continued to cry, clinging to her hair and shirt. "You're safe Jungkookie."

Jungkook has had night terrors ever since his biological parents left them. And Misun has hated them for that ever since.

Jin stared from the doorway, his eyes wide, hugging his dinosaur stuffed animal tightly. His whole body was stiff, frozen as he watched Misun calm Jungkook down from his terror. He didn't register when she stopped walking around, her eyes on him.

"Jin, my dear." Misun held her hand out for Jin. "It's okay Honey. Come join us."

Jungkook sniffed as Misun sat on the rocking chair, his head on her chin, exhausted from the panic and crying. Jin hurried over, making sure his footsteps were quiet so he didn't wake his brothers.

"I-I just wanted to make sure Jungkookie was okay." He whispered to Misun, nervously twisting his dinosaur's hand. "I can-I can leave if you want me to."

"You can stay Jin." Misun patted her lap, making sure her tone was gentle and reassuring to the oldest. "I'll hold you."

"But Misun," Jin glanced to the side before whispering to her. "I think I'm too big."

"Not big enough." Misun smiled, gesturing for him to join them. "You're still my baby."

Jin climbed onto her lap, desperately wanting to be held. He always felt, out of place when he wanted to snuggle with her. He was the oldest, he shouldn't need to be babied anymore. He should be mature and old and... no cuddles.

But here Misun was, tired, hurt, and she wanted him to sit on her lap. Even with a shaken up child in her arms, she still wanted Jin to join them.

And this really messed with Jin's previous thought process.

Jin snuggled into her, Misun's arm wrapped around him, keeping him stable as she rocked them. She blinked the pain of her shoulder away, trying to ignore the fact Jin's head was right where she hit it on the doorframe. He hugged his dinosaur, staring at Jungkook as Misun hummed gently, the youngest already asleep once more.

"Mi...Mimi?" Jin decided to use the little nickname they all had for her. He hasn't called her that in forever, but now seemed like a good time. "You... You make me feel im...impo..."

"Important?" Misun helped him, Jin nodding as he looked up at her. "Jin, you're very important to me."

"I-I just..." Jin stared at her, his lips freezing, nothing coming out of his mouth. "I don't know how to say it."

"Keep trying and I'll piece it together." She encouraged, still rocking the three of them. "Take your time Sweetie."

"I'm... I'm the oldest." Jin swallowed, Misun nodding. "And I have to be grown-up. But, but Mimi, you make me be a kid." Jin frowned a little. "I should help you. There's a lot of us. And I'm a grown-up." Jin nodded up to her, very confused at why she was letting him be babied.

"Jin, my love, you're not a grown-up." Misun brushed his hair back so she could kiss his forehead. "You're six. Some people argue whether or not I'm a grown-up." She smiled sadly, brushing his hair with her fingers. "And I'm 19. You are a kid still, oldest or not. You have so much time left to be a kid, okay? And I'm just encouraging you to be one." Misun rubbed his back once he buried his face against her, getting emotional. "I don't want you to be burdened."

"I-I don't want you to be stressed with us." Jin used all the words he knew as he explained himself. "I don't want you to leave like my Mom and Dad did."

"Jin," Misun mumbled, resting her chin on his head. "I will never leave you. And I promise you that."

Never leave? Isn't that a huge promise?

"D-Do you pinky promise?" Jin's voice cracked, looking up at her again. And Misun, of course, looked back.

"I pinky promise."

---

"Mimi!" Jimin ran over to the couch, huffing and puffing as he did. "Mimi, look!" He poked her face, Misun waking up from her nap on the couch. "Mimi! Hoseok colored me!" Jimin smiled widely, marker all over his face. It was a beautiful masterpiece of scribbles.

Misun sighed softly, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, nodding. "It looks very beautiful on you Jimin. But I've said many times that people are not meant to be drawn on. Only paper and-"

"MIMI!" Jimin shouted, falling back in horror. He screamed, Misun's eyes widening, not knowing what prompted this reaction from him. "Your your shoulder!" He pointed in horror, all of the boys running into the living room, in full panic.

Taehyung screamed as well, running out of the room. Yoongi's eyes widened and Jin stared in shock. Hoseok dropped the tub of markers he was carrying, covering his mouth. Namjoon looked over at Jin, wishing his brother knew what was happening.

Misun looked down at her shoulder, seeing an ugly purple bruise on her shoulder.

"It's okay it's okay." Misun soothed the boys, all of them staring at her, horrified. "I just got a little boo-boo."

"I've never seen a purple boo-boo!" Taehyung ran back into the room, his arms flopping around as he ran in circles. "Mimi you're an alien!"

Misun sighed, unable but to smile. "I'm not an alien. It's a bruise actually."

"Wh-what happened?" Jimin asked, still on the floor, sniffing.

"I ran into a door on accident." Misun explained, Jin's mind whirling. "But I'm okay. It doesn't hurt that much."

"Did I do that?" Jin spoke up, everyone turning to him. "Last night?"

"No, no Honey. I did this to myself on accident." Misun quickly shot his assumption down, smiling sadly. "We all have accidents."

"Is that going to go away?" Yoongi crossed his arms, frowning. "Because I don't want to see it anymore."

"I'll put on a jacket." Misun chuckled, getting up.

"NO!" Jimin shouted, scrambling to his feet as he pushed Misun the best he could. "Sit! You're hurt! You can't move."

"Jimin-"

"NO!" Jimin shoved his finger in her face, glaring at her in the most adorable way ever. "You don't let us do anything when we're hurt!"

"But-"

"NO!" Everyone shouted.