SEQUEL TO HOLD ME
"it's only human."
those are words that stick in the minds of eight boys who have found themselves closer than ever because of a year spent at the same college.
minsung, seungin, changhyunlix... and chan :')
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It turned out that Seungmin didn't know what he was getting himself into when he helped Jeongin create his little space.
Today was good. Jeongin did so well, telling Seungmin he was starting to feel small almost as soon as he realized it, with only a bit of coaxing from Seungmin, who'd seen him start chewing on his fingers as they sat side by side in Chan's living room. It was especially impressive considering that Jeongin definitely wouldn't have wanted to inconvenience Seungmin by causing him to leave the hangout early on his behalf.
Seungmin, however, was more than happy to ditch in order to make his little brother more comfortable. He led Jeongin out to the car and throughout the ride home, talked to him as one talks to keep another awake, hoping it would help. Hoping that Jeongin wouldn't burst into tears before Seungmin's hands were free to comfort him.
He almost made it. With nothing but a record-breaking two tears, and a few whimpers, Jeongin sunk into vulnerability, hidden within the shelter of Seungmin's arms once again, with his puppy fit mostly in between their chests.
"Hey, buddy," Seungmin uttered, when he recognized the wild, yet innocent look of Jeongin's eyes, once the floodwaters receded and no longer threatened to spill over.
"Hyungie," Jeongin whispered in return, with that certain tone of his; such a small, delicate sound.
"You did so good today." He ruffled the boy's hair, cheeks pushing into a grin that Jeongin began to mirror. "I'm proud of you."
Jeongin pulled his puppy over his face to hide it.
Reassuringly patting his back, Seungmin started, "Well, let's get you your reward." But he paused for a second or so in the middle, when he felt Jeongin stiffen and close fists around the fabric of his shirt as he tried to slide him off his lap. "Want me to carry you?" Seungmin guessed.
Jeongin kept himself shyly pressed to Seungmin's shoulder, which Seungmin assumed meant yes. But... well... he wasn't exactly the Hulk or anything. "Just let me stand up first, okay?"
Hesitantly, Jeongin released him.
Only a moment later he resumed his place in Seungmin's hold, with one arm around Seungmin's neck and the other clutching his puppy to his chest, and like that Seungmin walked them to the closet, where he told Jeongin to reach out and grab the gift bag sitting on the shelf inside. And then they went right back to sitting down (which was a good thing for Seungmin's weakening arms).
Smiling somewhat nervously, but mostly encouragingly, Seungmin nodded at Jeongin, who was peering around the tissue paper sticking out of the bag. Clumsily, he tugged at the paper until a blue baby bottle was revealed, which he slowly pulled from the bag and stared at in awe. It had little cartoon puppies printed on it. Seungmin hoped he'd like it; that it wouldn't weird him out.
