Work Text:
For once, the Kim residence is peaceful.
It’s nice, Junmyeon thinks, to spend a Sunday afternoon just relaxing like this. He finally has time to catch up on the book he’s been wanting to read, a thrilling autobiography by one of the most famous fallen angels in this world.
Usually Jongdae would be next to him whining nonstop for a trip to the park or for another cookie. Jongdae’s at the age where he’s quite mouthy and rebellious, always ready to argue his way out of anything.
Or there’s always Jongin following him around and trying to climb onto his lap, making quiet reading time impossible unless Junmyeon’s reading the Book of Dinosaurs out loud. Jongin’s fascinated by silly human world concepts like space and dinosaurs, and can amuse himself for hours once he’s given a few dinosaur figures and play dough that he molds into universes.
Plus, Jongin has been an extra handful lately since he’s teething and treats everything like a chew toy. More than once, Junmyeon has caught Jongin chewing on his own tail and it’s a habit they need to break before Jongin’s fur gets matted beyond repair.
Junmyeon makes himself comfortable on the day bed they set up in the backyard for lazy weekends like this. Pillows under his neck, check. Ice cold lemonade on the table next to the bed, check. Nothing could break the peace of today.
That is, until Minseok comes in and sighs. “We’re missing a couch pillow.”
Junmyeon closes his eyes and sets the book, page down, on his face. “Did someone say something?”
Minseok kicks the foot of the day bed. “Get up, I think the kids got into trouble again.”
“Ignorance is bliss,” Junmyeon says wisely, tightening his grip on the book.
“I’m going to pour your drink on your book.”
Minseok’s voice is calm, but Junmyeon knows better than to disobey his elder brother and scampers upright. “Let’s find them?”
When there’s trouble in the house, the little Kims get an interrogation. They line their two little brothers in front of them, Jongdae being dragged by the collar and Jongin meekly following behind.
Jongdae is already yelling his innocence, punching his fists into the air and trying to escape Junmyeon’s attempts to have him stand still. “I know nothing about it this time!”
“This time?” Minseok never raises his voice, still has a smile on his face now, but it's more intimidating than if he actually started shouting. “Is there another time we need to know about?”
Jongdae sneaks a quick look at Jongin and that’s when they notice how Jongin is quiet. He’s always quiet, didn’t even start speaking until he was almost a year and a half, and they were worried he had speech problems when it turned out he could speak even better than the baby monsters his age, just didn’t want to.
Jongin looks like he’s about to burst into tears any second now, lips pressed together tightly and little fists balled at his side. He looks the very picture of a guilty kitten, and Junmyeon has to fight back an urge to coo at him.
“Jongin, sweetie, open your mouth,” Minseok coaxes, crouching down so he’s at eye level with him.
Jongin manages to look even more stricken, eyes widening and starting to water. His ears flatten down on his head and he shakes his head quickly, tail anxiously swishing behind him.
"Come on." Minseok is using his gentlest voice now, not wanting Jongin to actually cry since it’ll be an effort to make him stop.
And Jongin just bolts, his little legs working fast, zipping past Minseok and hurtling towards his room to hide under the bed.
Too bad years of being a goalkeeper means that Junmyeon is faster and he shoots his tail out to trip jongin, leaping forward to catch Jongin right before he hits the ground. They fall onto the carpet with Jongin safely cradled in Junmyeon’s arms, and Junmyeon wants to start laughing but one look at how Jongin is trembling makes him control his expression.
Junmyeon hugs Jongin even closer and Jongin clutches onto the front of Junmyeon’s shirt, burying his face in the soft cotton. “We won’t scold you, Nini. We just want to know where the pillow went.”
Jongin finally peeks his head out and opens his mouth to reveal a feather on his tongue. "I want- I want cotton candy," he says with tears dripping off each word, wiping at his eyes with balled fists. "Jongdae hyung say pillow is yummy."
“Oh, baby,” Junmyeon sighs, at the same time that Minseok yells, "Jongdae!!!"
Jongdae is already long gone with a flick of his tail, disappearing out the door and probably into the house of their neighbour, the Parks, leaving the older brothers to calm a weepy Jongin down.
Life is always interesting in the Kim residence indeed.