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Beomgyu thinks his dada Yeonjun’s lap is the safest, comfiest place in the world. There’s nowhere he’d rather be right before bedtime, in Yeonjun’s bedroom on his big grown-up bed, curled into his sturdy chest and sitting on one of his thighs.
Yeonjun’s arms are around him, holding a kiddie book open so that Beomgyu can see the pictures. Everytime Yeonjun turns a page, he unburies his pouty, sleepy face from his warm body to look and point at the pictures, then turns back to cuddling him.
His deep, silky voice lulls Beomgyu further and further into headspace as well as closer and closer to sleep. He pouts, not wanting to let sleep take him. If he falls asleep, he’ll miss the story! And worse, he won’t be awake with dada! But staying awake only keeps getting harder.
Yeonjun definitely notices, much to Beomgyu’s dismay. But Beomgyu isn’t the best at hiding it. He’s stopped moving to look at the pictures, occasionally drifts off and snores a bit before jolting back awake, and (most tellingly) he keeps bringing his thumb to his mouth to suck on.
“Teddy,” he coos quietly, just loud enough to get his attention.
Beomgyu murmurs something unintelligible without looking up.
“Do you want your paci?”
Beomgyu nods sluggishly.
Luckily it’s not far, so he doesn’t have to make Beomgyu get off him. Still, when he reaches for their bedside table to get it, Beomgyu whines at the disturbance.
“I’m sorry,” he chuckles softly, petting his fluffy hair as an apology. He puts a finger under the little’s chin, guiding his head up to face him. He’s obviously tired, eyes drooping like a puppy’s and continuously fluttering shut only to be forced open again shortly after.
Yeonjun pushes the bear-shaped paci gently into his mouth, which he gladly accepts.
“Let’s finish the story and get you to bed.”
Beomgyu whines and huffs, shaking his head as he returns it to Yeonjun’s chest. He doesn’t want to leave dada yet! He wants to stay awake and keep being read to and snuggled!
Still, Yeonjun only picks the book back up and continues reading. With his reading voice flowing through Beomgyu’s little mind once again, he can’t keep his eyes open anymore.
It’s fine, Beomgyu thinks. I can stay awake even with my eyes closed!
For a few minutes his brain floats around half conscious. He can feel himself start to dream already, him and Yeonjun taking the place of the characters in the story.
In the story, a papa bear is tucking his cub into bed after a long day of adventures. In Beomgyu’s head, dada’s tucking him into bed after his story. His non-dream dada narrates for him, guiding him even in his dream.
Even after Yeonjun finishes reading and Beomgyu is fast asleep, he still hears him in his sleep. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so worried about having to leave him to sleep.
Outside of his dream, Yeonjun lays him down in bed and tucks him under the covers and coaxes a stuffed teddy bear into his arms. The teddy matches his paci, making Yeonjun’s heart flutter as he nestles beside him. He wraps his arms around him and pulls him close, holding him just like Beomgyu holds his stuffed teddy.