Six of a Kind

사십삼: Blood

Jimin picked at the velcro strap on his brace until he finally figured out how to undo it. It made a shushing sound, which he quite liked. He stuck it back down, so that he could pull at it again. He wasn't really a fan of his AFOs, simply because his brothers didn't wear them. Even if he could understand why he needed them, he didn't like the way they restricted his movement.

Jimin had been born with clubfoot, from being so squashed in the womb. It had been pretty mild, and mostly ignored when he was in the NICU, since pretty much none of his body was 'right', and it wasn't a main priority, anyway. The doctor had never given him braces as a toddler, since they had thought he would never walk, and it wasn't causing him pain. The braces kept his feet straight and flexed, which kept him steady as he walked. Since he had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy since, it was unlikely he'd ever walk without them. They were supposed to be until he stopped growing, but he was just too shaky. He started to pick at the other brace.

"What are you doing?" Taehyung asked, watching Jimin.

"Ack," Jimin responded, pointing to the strap. He looked up at Taehyung with a serious expression.

"No, you need to keep them on," Taehyung explained, doing the straps up again. "You have poorly feet." Taehyung tapped at his cast. "I have a poorly leg, too."

Jimin stared at Taehyung's cast, then started picking at the strap again, his tongue poking out cutely. His glasses were sliding down his nose, but he couldn't figure out how to twitch them up like Seokjin could.

"No, Jiminie," Taehyung repeated, brushing his hands away.

"Hey!" Jimin yelled, and swatted at Taehyung's hands. Taehyung swatted back defensively.

"Daaaad, Taehyung and Jimin are fighting!" Yoongi tattled.

Namjoon came out the kitchen, sighing. He pushed their hands apart, then put a hand on each of their legs. "Why are you hitting each other, boys?"

"Ack!" Jimin yelled agitatedly, smacking at Namjoon's hand until he moved. As soon as he had access, he started pulling the straps again.

"I said he wasn't allowed!" Taehyung whined. "I was trying to be good, daddy! He hit me first!"

Namjoon watched Jimin pick apart the velcro in wonder. He'd been trying for a few weeks now to undo them. He turned to Taehyung. "I remember when you were younger, Taehyung, and you were forever taking off your seatbelt and pulling off your shoes."

"Yeah, but you said Jimin needs those foot things. He's not allowed to take them off!"

"You did what you thought was best, Taehyungie," Namjoon soothed as Jimin pulled the strap on the other brace. There were another four - two across his ankles, and two across his feet, so he hadn't quite got there yet. "Sometimes we just need a break from the things we need, right? I'm sure you'd take your cast off for a few minutes if you could."

Taehyung huffed, but he wasn't really sulking. "Sorry for hitting, daddy."

"Thank you for apologising, Taehyungie. Jimin, can you say sorry, too?"

Jimin was too busy getting the damned braces off.

"You want a brace break?" Namjoon asked gently, and helped ease the rest of the straps off. Jimin's feet turned inwards a little, but he seemed satisfied. "Now can you say sorry?"

Jimin did know how to say sorry, but he didn't understand the meaning of it. Namjoon signed the word for sorry, and Jimin copied it, kicking his feet. Taehyung turned back to his Frustration game, making the dice pop in the dome. None of his brothers had been interested in playing with him, so he played by himself.