VHope Fluffshots

[Un]Forgiven

Hoseok was in tears as he stared into the video camera. "Hobi, please listen to me," his sister said on the other side of the video chat. She looked like she had just gotten off of a rough shift, but no matter how tired she was, she was there for her little brother. Hoseok stopped pacing and sat down on the couch next to his daughter, who was peacefully cuddling her stuffed elephant as she slept. "This is not the end of the world. She's only a premature baby, not to mention that your body couldn't support her. Even the doctor told you she would be fine, right?" He nodded at his sister's words, but soon frantic knocking rang through the house.

"Someone's at the door. I have to go. Thank you, noona. You made me feel better," Hoseok said through his tears as he smiled lovingly at his sister. She sent him finger hearts and blew him a kiss. "Anything for my little bro. Love you, Hoseok," she said and Hoseok muttered his 'I love you' before he hung up.

The knocking became more persistent as Hoseok ran through the house, anger growing as soon as he heard a cry from the living room. He opened the door and glared at the man in the doorway for a second, but then became a deer in headlights. No. This was not fucking happening. Hoseok hadn't slept since his daughter was born, he was drowning in hospital debt and this was the last thing he wanted to see.

Kim Taehyung stood in the doorway; light-blue dress shirt and black dress pants, Gucci slippers and his silver-rimmed glasses on his face. Everything about him had changed from the last time Hoseok saw him, and he couldn't believe his eyes. "My baby's crying because of you," he growled as he moved to shut the door, but Taehyung shoved his foot in the doorframe. "Hoseok, please let me in," he said calmly and Hoseok felt his knees go weak as he gazed into those eyes once again.

Every time he looked into Taehyung's eyes, he was reminded of the timid sixteen-year-old farm boy who was scared of the rich kids of Seoul. And as Hoseok gazed into those same eyes now, all he saw was that little boy trapped inside of them. "Fine. But if you touch me or my baby, I will kill you," he sighed and allowed Taehyung inside.

Once the door was shut, he ran into the living room and picked his daughter up off the couch, cradling her against his chest. Her poor face was scrunched up and almost purple she was crying so hard; she hated loud noises. "Shh, baby girl. I'm here. Daddy's here," he whispered as her cries slowly started to die down. Taehyung stood a safe distance away and watched his past lover calm down his child; their child. Regret filled his heart as he remembered what he did to place himself into this position.

Nothing but small sniffles were heard in the otherwise quiet living room now. Hoseok smiled down at his daughter once he managed to get a small giggle from her. His eyes lifted to Taehyung, who looked at the two in pure defeat and regret. "Why are you here, Taehyung?" Hoseok snipped at him, but he stared down at his feet for a second before he sighed. "Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or do you want to hear the truth?" was what was answered.

The older sighed and sat back down on the couch, carefully patting the space next to him. Taehyung walked over and carefully sat down, putting a considerate amount of space between them. "I came to see you, Hoseok. To see... her." He nodded to the baby in Hoseok's arms and pulled the stuffed lion from behind his back. "I brought this for her. I hope you don't mind," he said sheepishly. The older man's harsh gaze went soft and shook his head lightly. "I-I don't mind," he whispered.

The lion stuffed animal was placed in between them, somewhat filling the gap. Silence settled upon the past lovers and the baby, who had fallen asleep against Hoseok's chest. Taehyung stared at her for a while; she was chubby like he was when he was a baby and had his skin tone, his thick lips and seemingly his eyes. Everything about her reflected him, other than her nose and her hands.

"Hoseok?" he muttered and the older man looked up at him. Taehyung licked his lips and repositioned himself a little. "May I hold her?" he asked hopefully, a gleam in his eye much like a child asking for something. Hoseok wanted to say no. He wanted to tell the younger man to leave and never return, but he couldn't do that to him. She was his baby, too. He nodded and handed the sleeping baby off to Taehyung, who supported her bottom and back as she laid on his chest, head over his heart.

The look on his face as he held her made Hoseok's heart hurt. He knew the younger man loved kids more than anything, so holding a child that he helped create was definitely going to impact him some way or another. "What's her name?" Taehyung whispered after a while. Hoseok smiled and scooted slightly closer, placing the stuffed lion in his lap. "Her name's Charlie."

Tears formed in Taehyung's eyes as he looked to Hoseok, who sent him a short-lived smile. "She's beautiful, hyung. She's so beautiful. I've always wanted to name a girl Charlie," he whimpered and Hoseok nodded. "That's why I named her that. For you." That one sentence got the younger to only cry harder. "I hurt you and you... Why?" he croaked and Hoseok wiped a few tears. "Because she looks like you. And I feel like she'll act like you when she's older."

That got a small smile from the younger man, who patted his daughter's back. "Why do you think that?" he chuckled and Hoseok shrugged as he stared at Charlie and how she held Taehyung's expensive shirt in her little fists. "Because I was watching Planet Earth the other day and she stared at the television when the lions came on; like you used to do when we first started dating and we went to the zoo," he explained. The younger man smiled lightly and ran a gentle finger on Charlie's chubby cheek. "I love lions," he mumbled.

Questions swam through Hoseok's brain as he watched his past lover trace patterns on their baby girl's cheek and he bit his lip. They made his head hurt, but he needed them to be answered as soon as possible. "Taehyung, why did you leave?" he asked finally.

Taehyung shook his head as he closed his eyes. "Nothing I can say will justify my cowardice. I was stupid for leaving and... I honestly don't expect you to forgive me." Well, then. That was not what he expected. All Hoseok was thankful for was that the younger man realized how dumb he was and that the older man was not going to forgive him any time soon.

"You left me when I needed you most. You got me pregnant and left without another word. I was so scared..." he whispered and swallowed his tears; he was tired of crying over this. "I know. I just... I honestly don't know why I ran other than I was scared too. But you had to deal with it and I have no right to claim that as a good reason. Hoseok, I just... All I can say is I'm sorry and I know you won't accept it." Taehyung reached a hand out for the older, who hesitantly held it.

Taehyung took another deep breath before he spoke again. "Please believe me when I say I want to be in your life again. I want to be the man you deserve and the father Charlie needs. I want to fix us, hyung. Please..." he pleaded and Hoseok sniffled slightly. He couldn't hold in his tears and let them flow. He knew the younger was being genuine; from the way tears filled his eyes and how they shone desperately, to the way he held Charlie so close so that no harm would come to her.

"I'm not going to run back into your arms again, Kim Taehyung. But for Charlie's sake, I'll allow you to stay. And for our sake, I'll be your friend again," Hoseok stated once he calmed down. Taehyung smiled that boxy smile the older missed so much and squeezed his hand. "I promise I will make it up to you, hyung. I will not screw up," he said and Hoseok squeezed his hand back.

After another few minutes of silence, Taehyung smiled down at Charlie. "She's so tiny," he mumbled and Hoseok nodded. "She... Something went wrong and she was born two and a half months early. She wouldn't cry and I thought she was stillborn. She would have been, had she been born on time." Taehyung's smile fell and he rubbed circles into the older man's hand. "Oh, Hoseok..." he sighed, but he was cut off. "She's alive and okay and here and that's all that matters now."

The younger man nodded and offered another smile. "And I'm here now. From here on out, I'll be here."

so..... New mini-series! Woo! And please check out Fine because that book needs some love thanks my doods. Tell me what you think of this one and I'll see how long it will be. Happy Days!

- Tae