snow ⁿᵃᵐᵏᵒᵒᵏ

1

Edited

Snow crunched beneath his feet as the bite of the cold wind hit against his chapped cheeks and nose. His pups; that was the only thing on his mind. He had been out longer than normal shopping for food. His poor elderly neighbor babysitting for him so he could work. He couldn't risk getting them sick by bringing them with him.

His feet stagger and slip on the ice. His hands clutch down on the brown paper sack as he pulls it close to his chest the contents rustling gently inside. Soft snow was gently getting caught in his eyelashes and hair making him wet. With the extremely cold temperature mixed with his warm winter coat an uncomfortable sweat bloomed beneath his layers.

He finally makes it to his street after about 15 minutes. It was dark by now and the only thing keeping it illuminated was a single yellowed street lamp. The old porch steps creaking beneath his weight as he rushed up to the door. He unlocked his cheap rent house with its cheap doorknob with numb fingers. Fumbling inside tripping over tiny shoes. He barely managed to not drop everything as he tossed the contents of the bag onto the table and kicked on the heater before rushing over to his neighbor's house to get his pups.

He knocked gently bouncing on his heels to stay warm. The lady opened the door holding Baekhyun on her hip while little Seokjin peeked around her leg a wide smile spreading across his cheeks.

"Daddy!" Jin giggled and toddled over wanting to be picked up by Namjoon, who obliged sweeping him up and pressing many kisses to his cheeks. "I can't think you enough Mrs. Han," he says truthfully as he gathers the other pup from the elderly woman's arms and stuffing him into his own coat after giving him kisses.

"It makes me happy to watch the two of them. Keeps me busy. Let me know if you need me to watch them again," she said in her raspy voice smiling at the small family.

With both pups situated on his hips, he bowed deeply before standing up straight again "I will, thanks," he replied as he pulled the two closer around him and zipped his large coat up to the top protect them from the winter weather. They wiggle and squirm as he steps off the elderly woman's porch, little puffs of air visible from his mouth as he walked across the yard to his house.

He sighs as he steps into his own home kicking the door shut before opening up his coat. The two pups clamber down immediately jumping and running "Daddy!" Baek squeals and reaches his arms up to be held once again.

Namjoon bent down to his level and hugged him tightly before letting go "Daddy has to go take a shower go get your pajamas," he tells the pups who run off. The bathroom isn't the nicest room in the house, but at least it does its job. Thankfully the house had warmed up significantly as he undressed with the door open waiting for the two pups to come in.

"hewr," Jin said holding out his and Baek's matching pajama sets. Namjoon took them placing them on the toilet with his. The other pup comes wondering in sometime later after Namjoon had started the shower water successfully warming it up before putting the pups in.

He washed while the pups played at the other end of the tub; splashing and giggling when Joon moved and they got sprayed by the rusty shower head. He had tried when the pups were younger to wash alone, but that had been a mess and he had to pick it up half the house. This method of a single parent showering with them at the end of the tub was much easier, he let them use up their energy while washing them and himself.

"Come here," he said crouching down and rubbing baby shampoo through Jin's hair who smiled because he liked his hair to be scratched. He then rubbed the pup down with soap and rinsed him off before setting him on the rug beside the shower, dropping a towel on his head and doing the same to Beakhyun, who struggled more than the other.

"Nooo" he whined when Namjoon scrubbed his body down with his favorite baby wash.

"Do you want to be stinky?" He asked in a firm tone raising a brow.

"No" he pouted but let Namjoon finish cleaning him.

He finally stepped out and dried himself off and started the process of getting everyone changed and ready for bed. He captured the two pups once again on his hips and walked steadily to their bedroom. It was easier to monitor two little ones when they shared the same room, also because this house only had one bedroom... and only one mattress that sat on the floor.

He put the two pups in their queen bed before crawling in after locking up and turning the lights off. He had one on each side of him warming him up. He rather felt like a failed parent because he simply was not there for them enough and because he didn't think he was really cut out to be a dad, especially a single one at that. This wasn't the life he had imagined for himself. He never pictured himself with pups but now he couldn't imagine his life without them.

Joon cradled Seokjin in one arm and Beakhyun in the other, their little bodies able to fit easily in his arm span.