Home Is Where the Heart Is

Chapter Four

The second time Taehyung woke up screaming a week later, it was the middle of the day.

Seokjin startled at the shout and dropped his bowl of batter onto the counter, rushing upstairs so quickly he collided with Jeongguk at the foot of it.

It was like running into a brick wall.

"Umph!" was all Seokjin could say as he bounced off the man's arm and fell onto the stair banister. "What the hell!"

Jeongguk was blinking sleep from his eyes because it was two in the afternoon, and that's when Jeongguk took naps, Seokjin supposed. Naps on his couch, because he'd finished work for the day and always came over after to spend time with Taehyung to, quote, 'make sure he was culturally enlightened as a hybrid'.

(It was a horrible excuse because all Seokjin even caught Jeongguk doing was playing with Taehyung. Blocks or pretend or story time — Jeongguk was such a prime doting father figure type it almost made Seokjin want to hurl.)

Neither one took the time to argue about it because Taehyung was still crying.

Jeongguk took off up the stairs (don't be mad, Seokjin, he's a wolf — you're never going to match his speed), and Seokjin followed behind, fast enough to catch Taehyung reaching out for Jeongguk from his bed.

"Wo-Wolf-Wolfie," Taehyung sobbed as Jeongguk cradled the boy close.

"I'm here," Jeongguk promised, rubbing the toddler's back. "Jin is here, too."

"No go," Taehyung pleaded, loud enough for Seokjin to hear it, even with the boy's face pressed into Jeongguk's neck. "No go."

"You're not going anywhere, cub," Jeongguk soothed. "We're right here."

And that was all it took. Taehyung accepted Jeongguk's answer and relaxed enough that his crying stopped by the time Seokjin managed to fix the bed. And that was it. That was it? The boy had cried for hours with him the first time, and it took Jeongguk a few minutes?

Seokjin worked his back jaw and took in a breath. No, this wasn't about him. Taehyung was calmed. That's what was important.

Seokjin felt a hand on his elbow. He turned around, meeting Jeongguk's eye.

"Hey, hyung," Jeongguk mumbled, a little more awake now. He shifted from foot to foot. "You should take him."

Taehyung whimpered and tightened his hold on Jeongguk's neck.

Seokjin waved his hand and forced a smile into his voice. "You've got him. Taehyung-ah," he called gently, "will you be okay with Jeonggukie?"

Taehyung nodded vigorously, not moving at all from his neck-scenting position. "Okay."

Seokjin nodded to himself. That's what mattered. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," Seokjin said, moving toward the door. "Anything at all. Just call me, okay?"

Jeongguk answered with a nod. Seokjin took that as confirmation and saw himself out of the room.

Taehyung was okay; that's what mattered. Taehyung was okay. That's what mattered.

Seokjin wandered back to his batter. He focused on it — was he at sixteen turns or seventeen? — and continued through his cupcake-making process. It was ingrained in his body by now and didn't require much focus, but Seokjin kept himself aware of each step, anyway.

He was pushing the sheet into the oven when Jeongguk came down, sans Taehyung. He stopped at the edge of the kitchen island and bit his lip.

"Is he back asleep?" Seokjin asked.