Work Text:
Chan was currently away at the company with the rest of 3Racha, pulling another ungodly night of work. The rest of the group had left the company at a reasonable 7pm time and had retreated to their own dorms. Jeongin knew that this meant ¾ of the dorms were flying solo tonight and the dorm of Felix and Seungmin was probably going to game all night. Which left him to his own devices. Sure he could see if Minho or Hyunjin were down to hang out but in all honesty, Jeongin really needed alone time. Nothing against the other guys, just sometimes it felt good to have a night of no one. Maybe later he’ll order some fried chicken and have a beer too.
He settled down in the living room, turning on the TV and selecting a series he has been working his way through. He was excited to make progress on it. He was well into the 4th episode when a knocking came at the front door.
Jeongin furrowed his eyebrows to figure out who would be here. Unless someone had ordered him dinner, not unheard of in their group, then he really was drawing a blank on just who might be here.
He paused his show and went to the door to peek out of the eye hole. Instead of a surprise dinner waiting for him, he could barely make out Seungmin in the hallway, and he looked nervous?
Jeongin swung open the door, “Hi?”
Seungmin stumbled back slightly at the opening of the door, his hands behind his back. “Is-is Chan home?”
“All of 3Racha are working today.”
“Oh,” Seungmin’s shoulders dropped at that information. He looked even more nervous now with that information. “I guess I’ll go.”
Just as he started to turn around to leave, Jeongin caught sight of the small bag he was holding behind his back. It was a blue drawstring bag with yellow stars.
Oh shit
That bag was Seungmin’s travelling little bag. The older one had a tendency to regress to a little when he was overwhelmed. It’s how he processed things or dealt with them. Usually it was Chan who took care of him when he regressed. Sometimes Minho or Changbin as well. Probably Felix as well since they lived together. Never was it Jeongin he went to. Not once since he started to regress.
“Why don’t you come in? It’s lonely all by myself.” Jeongin found himself offering without hesitation. Any of his plans for the night were completely wiped from his mind.
Seungmin turned back with surprise in his eyes. “What? No, I couldn't be a bother.”
“Please? Please Minnie? Aren’t I the baby? And what baby says goes?” Jeongin found himself begging. For once he had a chance to show Seungmin that he could care for him as well but he knew if out right said so Seungmin would balk and refuse. So instead he used the premise of him being the youngest to get what he wanted.
“I- Innie. I… I’m slipping.” Seungmin confessed, now holding the bag out as proof.
“And? We’ll be fine.”
“Innie, I can’t have you taking care of me. I’m the older one, I’m supposed to take care of you.”
“And to do that I need company okay? I’m lonely tonight and I want a buddy. Can’t that work?” Jeongin argued.
Seungmin seemed to assess the situation before caving, “Fine. I’ll try and stay lucid.”
“Yay!” Jeongin had no intention of keeping Seungmin lucid and adult. If he needed to slip today then he could. Jeongin would make sure of it. He held the door open for the older to walk in. "Let's watch a show! Do you have any suggestions?"
Seungmin took off his shoes by the door before answering, "We will just watch whatever you were already watching Innie. No need to change it."
Jeongin led the way to the couch and plopped down in his previously vacated spot, "I don't want to watch this anymore. It's not good." He picked up the remote to turn the show off. Granted he was lying through his teeth but the show he was watching was not something that would be appropriate for a slipping little. It was too violent and had too many innuendos.
A look of doubt crossed Seungmin's mind as he settled on the couch, placing his bag on the coffee table, "Then why were you watching it?"
"Some stays recommended it, so I figured I should try it." Jeongin shrugged.
"You were on the 4th episode. Clearly you were enjoying it." Seungmin pushed.
"I thought it would get better after the first or second episode," Jeongin started flipping through various channels and streaming services, trying to come up with something, "Then it got into that whole sunk cost loss fallacy thing. You showing up is a perfect reason for me to stop. What do you want to watch?"
"Baby gets to pick, not me. I'm here to keep you company." The older refused to give Jeongin even an inch to go off of.
"Fine," Jeongin aimlessly scrolled through more shows before he came up with an idea, "You wouldn't judge the baby would you?"
Seungmin just gave Jeongin a confused look before turning back to T.V. to see what he picked.
"I watched a really good video essay about this show and watched a couple of the episodes but it always seems like it would be better to watch with a friend," Jeongin said as he selected the show Bluey to watch, "But I've been so afraid that everyone would make fun of me if I asked them to watch it with me. You won't, right? You won't make fun of me. Please."
He wasn't fully lying, he had watched a video essay a few months back about someone who had dissected the show and it seemed like one that worked well for both kids and adults. Though he had never actually watched any episodes of it and he had no idea if it was better to watch with a friend. What he needed was a good enough reason for Seungmin to not question his show choice and not assume that he was picking it for Seungmin.
"Yeah, I won't make fun of you. I promise." Seungmin didn't bat an eye at the show choice. Really if he did, it would seem like he was making fun of Jeongin in one form or another. "I've watched the entire series with Channie before, is that okay?"
Channie.
Jeongin took that as a small win. Seungmin was maybe on the verge, he was at least lowering his defenses and wasn't as worried about staying fully lucid. That's good. He deserved the chance to decompress.
"Yeah, just don't spoil it please. Do you have a favourite episode though? I don't think I need to watch it in order."
"Asparagus. It's near the end of season 1."
Jeongin scrolled through the episode list until he found it and turned it on.
They managed to watch the entire episode and the one right after when Jeongin risked a look over at Seungmin. Seungmin was slowly rocking his head back and forth while playing with the ends of his sleeve.
"Hey Minnie. Can we cuddle?"
Seungmin blinked a few times before turning to look at Jeongin, "You never wanna cuddle though."
Jeongin held his arm up, inviting Seungmin closer, "But I want to now. Watching the show is making me sleepy. It'd be rude not to cuddle me when I'm sleepy. The others would happily do so." He purposely whined while pouting.
Seungmin gave a small smile and crawled across the couch to rest against Jeongin's side, "Whateve'a baby wants, baby gets." He let out a small giggle as Jeongin brought his arm across the older's shoulder and pulled him closer.
That's how they stayed for the next episode until Jeongin noticed Seungmin rubbing his thumb across the bottom of his lip.
"Minnie, baby did you eat before you came over." His voice was softer now, he knew that Seungmin had slipped enough that it wasn't as much of a risk of him trying to fight it.
"Nuh uh. Not hungy." Seungmin mumbled out, not taking his eyes off of the screen.
"Well, I am. I'm going to make myself some dinner sweetie. Is that okay? Can you keep watching the show and tell me what I miss?"
"Uh huh. I can."
Jeongin shifted out from the couch carefully, doing his best not to jostle Seungmin too much. He leaned over and pulled the bag off of the coffee table and rummaged through it until he found the blue pacifier he had seen Seungmin use a few times with Chan.
"Sweetie, do you want this while Innie gets himself some food?" He held the pacifier out to Seungmin, who was still mindlessly playing with his lip with his thumb.
Seungmin pulled his thumb away from his mouth and allowed Jeongin to pop the pacifier in.
"T'anks."
Jeongin gave him a soft pat on his head before heading to the kitchen. He pulled out the air fryer and let it warm up while he found the chicken nuggets that Chan kept in the freezer for when Seungmin was over and little. Once the air fryer was warmed up, he dumped in the rest of the bag and set the timer. While he waited, he stood against the wall at the threshold between the kitchen and the living room and watched Seungmin sit on the couch, quietly sucking on his pacifier while watching Bluey.
This was not the plan that Jeongin had in mind for the evening. His alone time switched to taking care of Seungmin. The show he had been so excited to watch all week now Bluey . The fried chicken and beer downgraded to chicken nuggets and milk. But he knew he wouldn't change any of it back if he were given the opportunity again to let Seungmin walk away from that front door earlier in the evening. Something in his heart just felt right taking care of his older friend.
The air fryer let out a loud beep once the chicken nuggets were done and Jeongin was pulled out his thoughts to finish preparing dinner. He found the plates that have a small lip on them, that would make it harder to spill the food. He split the nuggets, mostly in half. If he gave more to Seungmin, no one but him and the air fryer would know. He put a generous amount of ketchup on both plates and then filled up a sippy cup and a normal cup with milk.
He carried both plates out to the coffee table, "Don't touch them just yet." He told Seungmin before getting the milks and napkins and bringing them out.
Seungmin seemed to take in the fact there was 2 of everything, "But not hungry?"
"I know Minnie. But there was the awkward amount left that if I ate it all it would be too much but if I left what I couldn't eat then it wouldn't be enough for the next person, which would be rude. So I was hoping you could help me and eat the leftover bit?" Jeongin so easily lied, but whatever made Seungmin eat.
"Help?" Seungmin blinked up at Jeongin with big innocent eyes.
"Yeah, Innie needs some help eating all the food. Can Minnie be a big boy and help?" Jeongin hoped using the term 'big boy' wouldn't pull Seungmin out of his headspace.
"Minnie is big boy!" Seungmin sat up straighter and reached out for his plate, "Minnie can help Innie. Innie been so good to Minnie."
Jeongin could not stop the smile that overtook his face, "Innie is glad to hear that baby. He likes being good to you and helping you."
"Channie don't like Minnie ea'ing on the couch?" Seungmin asked, with his mouth full of nuggets.
"Well Channie isn't here and it's Innie's home too. I think we will be okay for today." Jeongin used one of the napkins to dab at some of the ketchup on the corner of Seungmin's mouth.
The rest of their dinner went by smoothly, with Jeongin in charge of keeping Seungmin's face clean. Once they were done Jeongin collected up the dirty dishes, "Can Minnie go wash his hands for me please? We don't want sticky icky hands."
Seungmin nodded and followed Jeongin into the kitchen. Jeongin rinsed off the dishes and put them into the dishwasher before running the water so it was just the right temperature for Seungmin. He picked up the hand soap and put a dollop on each of Seungmin's open palms.
"Now get them lightly wet and then scrub really well. Can you do that?"
Seungmin nodded and scrubbed his hands quite violently before showing the sudsy hands to Jeongin, "Minnie did good?"
"So good. Now rinse them off." Jeongin pulled out a dry dish towel and once Seungmin was done rinsing his hands he held out the towel and wiped the water off the older's hands.
"Can we watch more Bluey?" Seungmin asked once they were done in the kitchen.
Jeongin pulled out his phone to check the time. It was nearing 11pm, "One more episode and then we have to get ready for bed."
Seungmin bounced on his heels and headed over to the couch again, "Yay!"
To no surprise to Jeongin, Seungmin made it through about half of the episode before he started dozing off on Jeongin shoulder. He let the episode finish before he was gently shaking the older.
"Minnie, baby. It's time for bed. Can you get up for a little bit?"
Seungmin whined out in protest at the prospect of getting up.
"Come on baby. Just a little bit and then you can go back to sleep." Jeongin shook him a little longer, until finally Seungmin got up. Jeongin grabbed Seungmin's bag and guided him into the bathroom.
"Okay, can you brush your teeth and get changed by yourself or do you need help?" Jeongin asked as he pulled out the travelling toiletry bag that Seungmin had packed, along with some pajamas.
Seungmin blinked a few times, like he was lost. "By self? But Innie no leave?"
"That's okay baby. Let's brush our teeth together and when you change I'll turn around." Jeongin handed the toothbrush with toothpaste on it to Seungmin.
The bedtime routine did not take long and soon enough both were dressed to sleep.
"Baby do you want to sleep in Channie's room? That's where you usually sleep."
"Sleep with Innie?" Seungmin said. His voice was clearly drowsy and he had his eyes shut like he was trying to sleep standing up. Which allowed him to miss the way his words melted Jeongin on the spot.
"Of course baby. Whatever you want. Let's go to bed."
Jeongin got Seungmin tucked into his bed with him when he finally pulled out his phone to send Chan a text. Something he had been avoiding all night because he knew that Chan would have dropped everything he was working on, no matter how important (3Racha had a couple important deadlines this week), to take care of Seungmin and Jeongin wasn't about to let the oldest stress about that.
Innie [23:34]
dont freak
Seungmin is in little space at ours right now
Ive taken care of him
he watched bluey with me
we had chicken nuggets for dinner
hes currently sleeping in my bed with me
Chan [23:39]
you took care of him?
you could have called me
Innie [23:40]
Im not completely helpless
you are busy with 3racha
dont stay too late
your baby will want to see you in the morning
Chan [23:41]
ill get them to call it quits soon
are you okay
was he too much
Innie [23:41]
he could never be too much
im sleepy
can you make breakfast in the morning
Chan [23:42]
of course
breakfast for both of my babies
When the following morning came, Chan was in the kitchen working on scrambled eggs on bacon when Jeongin and Seungmin made it out of the younger's room. Jeongin placed a gentle kiss on Seungmin's forehead before going to grab dishes for all of them as Chan began to plate the food.
"How did you two sleep?" Chan asked as he brought the plates full of food to the table.
Jeongin simply smiled in return. He slept better than he ever had.
Seungmin stabbed his eggs on the plate, "Fine."
"Oh?" Chan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "How was last night?"
"Innie was a pest," Seungmin mumbled around his food, "He pestered me to keep him company and then he wanted to watch a stupid show and then he got all clingy and cuddly and made me eat food and … and… and he knew exactly what I needed." Seungmin seemed to realise everything all at once.
"Is that so?" Chan asked, sending a knowing look to Jeongin who was still smiling like a fool.
"Yeah, stupid baby. Not letting me take care of him." Seungmin pouted.
Jeongin wouldn't complain about being called stupid, not when Seungmin shows up more times than not at his door on the verge of slipping, not asking for Chan but asking for Jeongin to take care of him in his headspace in the future.