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The Ateez members got along with each other pretty well. Even though they were known for their competitiveness, there were never serious arguments between them. But sometimes everyone gets angry. Just like now: San woke up groggy, and it somehow wandered around everywhere like a domino effect.
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Mingi woke up thinking it would be a good day. It was the first time in a while they got a free day. He had hoped he could spend this day with the other members, but when he got to the living room, he didn’t miss the tension in the air.
“Good morning,” Mingi said to the others with a big smile. Maybe that would cheer them up a little.
“Morning,” Wooyoung grumbled, sitting on the couch watching Tv. Next to him, San took the Remote and changed channels.
“Why’d you do that?,” a very annoyed Wooyoung asked.
San rolled his eyes. “You’ve been watching this shit for a long time now. It’s only fair, I get to choose now.”
“You could’ve asked!?”
San scoffed, “I bet you wouldn’t even listen,” he took one look at Wooyoung’s face, “Why are you so pissed off, anyway?”
“I can’t deal with this right now.” Wooyoung stood up and walked to his room, loudly slamming his door.
“Um-” Mingi began, but he got cut off by San.
“What? You’re gonna lecture me too? Go ahead. It’s not like Wooyoung did enough.”
Mingi stood there. He didn’t know what to do or say, so he chose silence and walked off into the kitchen, hearing San say something that sounded a lot like ‘coward’.
In the kitchen, he saw everyone else except for Yunho. And–oh, great. They were arguing, too. Mingi didn’t know about what they were having such a heated argument yet, but he could tell it was one by the pure anger on everyone’s faces and loud voices. Always ready to throw another hurtful fact at someone else. He didn’t even think of greeting them. He didn’t want to get involved, so he stood there. Just like before.
What was up with everyone? Couldn’t they get along for the sake of their free day today? As Mingi felt smaller and smaller, he decided to say something, “what’s wrong?”
Everyone turned their heads, acknowledging him. But it annoyed them that someone interrupted them. Yeosang quickly told Mingi off, “if it was anything to do with you, we’d tell you. But it’s not. So stay out of it."
"But I just-"
"Yeah, but could you leave now?"
With tears in his eyes, Mingi muttered a small 'sowy' and left the kitchen. At this point, he had fully regressed and he let his tears fall.
Mingi hadn't seen Yunho the entire morning. Maybe he wouldn't be so angry like the others, Mingi thought. He waddled towards Yunho's dorm and slowly opened the door.
There he saw Yunho lying in his bed still sleeping.
"Yunnie ʼyung?", Mingi called out but Yunho didn't budge.
Mingi then climbed onto Yunho's bed. "Yunnie ʼyung—" he shook Yunho's body, wheezing as tears still fell—"wake up. "
Yunho opened his eyes but got startled when he heard sobs. Especially from Mingi, who rarely cried. He immediately smothered Mingi with a hug.
Mingi couldn't stop the guilty feeling inside him. He disturbed Yunho while he was sleeping. He didn't need to take care of someone like him. A new round of tears fell. "I cwan't stop. I sowy."
Yunho blinked at Mingi's lisp. "That's new," he thought but it was beside the point right now.
"It's okay, It's okay. Just breathe. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I've got you."
Mingi didn't seem to follow him yet, his breathing still ragged and uneven, interrupted by uncontrollable sobbing.
"Just follow my breathing. In and out." Yunho took a deep breath for demonstration and exhaled. "In and out. You're doing good. Again. In and out."
Slowly Mingi's breathing became more even and the sobbing stopped.
Mingi had never told anyone about his age regression. It helped him cope especially at harder times during his career as an idol. He never found the courage to tell the other members though, scared they might find him weird.
"Yunnie ʼyung find me weird?"
"No, no, of course not. Why should I find you weird?"
Mingi nuzzled his head against Yunho's chest. "Because me little."
At that everything clicked. "As in little space?", Yunho asked but Mingi refused to answer. "Use your words, sweetie. I won't be mad."
Mingi raised his head. "Rwʼlly?"
Yunho smiled, "Yeah if you're feeling little, that's okay. I'll take care of you."
The little one was hesitant in what he was about to say. "Like Appa?"
Yunho chuckled, "if you want to call me Appa, that's fine. Okay?"
Mingi nodded.
"Say, baby. What happened before?"
Mingi's mood dropped and his lip started wobbling.
"Hey, hey, sweetie. You don't have to tell me."
Mingi shook his head, "No uh. Wan' tell Appa." Yunho hummed, waiting for Mingi to go on. "Ew'yone angwy and fighting."
Yunho's eyes widened, "fighting?"
"Hmm. Like, say mean words."
A relieved sigh escaped
Yunho's lips, "honey, that's called arguing."
Mingi hummed in agreement. "Yeah argwing and Sangie tol' me to leave."
“Honey, do you know why they’re arguing?”
“Nuh uh, Me not kno.”
A yawn escaped Mingi’s mouth.
“Is someone getting sleepy?”, Yunho asked and got a head nod in response. “All that crying must have taken a lot of energy from you.”
Yunho patted his chest. “Lay your head on Appa.”
“Appa sweep wif me?”, Mingi asked after he had laid his head on Yunho’s chest and hugged him.
“If that’s what you want, prince.”
“Not prince,” Mingi whined.
Yunho hummed, “not a prince? What are you then?”
“Princess!”
Hearing Yunho’s contagious laugh, Mingi couldn't help but join him.
As both of them talked about things that interested them. Mingi in particular spoke often about Pinky pie from my little pony and how he loved that their names were similar. Yunho made a mental note to buy him Pinky pie plushies in the future. Not long after, Mingi had fallen asleep.
Now that that was done Yunho still had to confront the others. He didn’t show it around Mingi but the very fact that he had known Mingi for far longer than the others made Yunho want to punch the other members in the face (AN: Same)
Slowly, Yunho removed Mingi’s head from his chest and uncurled the arms around him.
He took long strides into the living room, where he saw all of the members sitting on the couch watching TV. They have seemed to have made up already.
He crossed his arms and waited for the others to notice him
When they noticed him, Hongjoong called out, “Yunho, what are you doing just standing there. Come and join us.”
“No, I would rather not.” Everyone turned their heads toward Yunho. He never acted so cold with them before.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“You making Mingi cry. That’s wrong.” Yunho balled his hands into fists. How could they have forgotten about Mingi?
“He woke me up crying because you guys seem to have projected your anger onto him.”
The members' eyes widened in realization before looking down ashamed.
“We really fucked up this time, didn’t we?”, San whispered.
Yunho scoffed,” You sure did. Now, I have no idea what was happening between you but you better apologize to him.”
“We will,” they all shouted in unison.
“But before that, Mingi is little right now so act accordingly.”
Everyone except for Yunho furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. “What’s that?”
“Basically, age regressors are people who de-stresses by regressing to a younger headspace. The whole thing itself is called age regression or little space. In no way is this a kink, got it?”
“Got it.”
Yunho walked to the kitchen and prepared some warm milk. Checking it multiple times, so it wouldn't be too hot for his little. Afterward, he returned to his room.
He set the cup on his nightstand, next to his bed, and climbed back into his bed, (of course back under Mingi) waiting for the other to wake up. After some time he heard a groan above him. "Are you up already, princess?"
"Hmm, I sweep very well."
"Is that so? Look," the older male pointed to the cup on the nightstand, "I've got you some warm milk."
“Wif’ honey?”
“Yeah, here,” he gave the cup to Mingi, “be careful not to spill.”
Mingi assured Yuhno that he wouldn’t spill any of his milk and took a sip. “Fank you, Appa.”
“Aww you’re so cute,” he pinched Mingi’s cheek like a Grandma would, making Mingi giggle, “you don’t have to thank me, baby.”
After Mingi finished his cup, someone knocked at their door. Mingi shuffled Yunho, who gently rubbed his back, “don’t worry. I talked to them before. They’re here to apologize and if you want they’ll play with you. Okay?”
“Okay,” the little mumbled.
Yunho continued rubbing his Mingi’s back and called for their members to come in.
One by one they all came in, all looking down with guilt when they saw Mingi hiding behind Yunho’s back.
Yeosang began speaking before the others, “I’m sorry for snapping at you before, Mingi. You didn’t deserve that.”
“And I’m sorry for saying you’re a Coward. You’re not and I should have never projected my anger onto you in the first place.” One by one they all said their apologies. Mingi had already forgiven them throughout San’s apology but it didn’t hurt hearing a few more sorry’s.
After everyone finished Hongjoong said, “I know saying sorry doesn’t fix anything so you don’t have to forgive us.” Hongjoong turned to the door and added, “We’ll give you some privacy.”
Hongjoong, followed by the others, took a step forward to leave but suddenly Mingi shouted, “Wait! Dwon’ leave.”
Shocked, the other members turned around.
“You want us to stay even after everything we’ve done to you?”, Jongho asked.
Mingi nodded,” Yes, I fo’give you. But you do Ew'yting I want.”
Jongho smiled and slightly rolled his eyes when Yunho stuck his tongue out. That devil always has it out for me. “Well, Prince-”
“He’s not a prince but a princess,” Yunho commented, getting rigorous head nods from Mingi.
Jongho chuckled, “Sorry, my bad. Princess, what shall we do for you?” Everyone followed those words with a bow just like how you would to a princess.
Mingi clapped his hands a few times in excitement. “Pway! Pway wif’ me!”