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At 3-years-old, bedtime should have been an easy time for Jeongguk. While there may be some complaints from the toddler, he knew once dinner was done, bathtime finished, and his pajamas were on, that it was time for bed. It was the same routine Seokjin and Namjoon followed every night since Jeongguk came into their life. The only thing that changed each night was whether Jeongguk was read a story or sung to sleep.
When it came time for Taehyung and Jimin to babysit the child for the evening, following Seokjin’s instructions should have been easy. Instead the two were faced with an upset Jungkook sobbing into his rabbit doll while hiding under his bed.
“Kookie,” Jimin sang, crouched flat on the ground and peeking underneath the bed. He tried to keep breathing despite Taehyung’s heavy weight (who decided he needed to lay on top of Jimin instead of beside him). “Buddy, it’s okay, we’ll---”
“I don’t wanna sleep!” Jeongguk yelled, his bunny’s body muffling the full explosion of his words so it sounded more like baby jibberish. “Want my daddy...mommy...”
Jimin huffed, face red and now sweaty, and he pushed Taehyung off. The boy barely grunted. “He’s been crying for like 30 minutes,” Taehyung groaned, rubbing his poor ears that he was certain would be ringing later. The low pay and free use of the refrigerator in return for babysitting Jeongguk occasionally were starting to lose their appeal. “Maybe we should call Seokjin and Namjoon…”
Jimin shook his head quickly. “It’s not that serious! We can do this--he’s just a little grumpy because he’s tired.” At that, Jeongguk let out a loud screech and Taehyung swore he heard a dish downstairs in the kitchen break.
“That’s it--” Taehyung bent under the bed and grabbed Jeongguk, pulling him out into the open. The boy whined, kicking his legs pathetically, and continued to cry into his animal. “Kookie, you need to calm down.”
“No!” Taehyung gagged at Jeongguk’s appearance and placed him back on the ground to avoid getting kicked in the face. With drool on his cheeks and snot hanging from his nose, Jeongguk looked less cute and more like a sad mess.
“Your parents will be home in a few hours, Kookie,” Jimin said, stroking wet bangs away from the baby’s eyes. “It’ll be okay, really. I know you’re tired. Hey--Tae, come here.”
Jimin climbed up onto Jeongguk’s bed and patted a spot next to him. The bed wasn’t made to fit two growing 10-year-olds with gangly limbs plus a toddler, but they made it work. Jeongguk was between them and Jimin wrapped the blanket--the same one Jeongguk came home from the hospital in--around him. Jimin grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and wiped Jeongguk’s drippy face before tossing it on the ground.
“Tae, remember that song you and me sang yesterday?” Jimin asked as Taehyung rubbed Jeongguk’s back.
“The one about cheese and cereal?”
“No, the other one.”
“What--oh yeah! I remember it. Why?”
“I think we should sing it for Kookie.” Jeongguk’s crying had reduced to loud sniffles, exhaustion winning over his need to be upset, but he was still fighting it. Jimin stroked his hair, kissing his temple as he and Taehyung began to sing.
It wasn’t an extravagant song. A simple melody Taehyung had overheard his mom sing to his baby brother, and that he and Jimin decided to turn into their own lullaby for fun. As they sang, Jeongguk’s sniffles began to soften, his tears coming out slowly and eyelids drooping shut. He rubbed his face into his bunny and then Jimin’s chest, his tiny hand reaching out to hold Taehyung’s hand that was stroking his side.
It took another few minutes before Jeongguk relaxed into sleep, his breathing still slightly shaky and cheeks rosy with fatigue.
Jimin waited another full minute before speaking. “We’re awesome babysitters. Maybe we should---” His next words were interrupted by a loud snore courtesy of Taehyung. Jimin pursed his lips, wanting to kick the sleeping boy but deciding he would be nice instead tonight.
“You’re hopeless,” he mumbled, blushing as he leaned over to kiss Taehyung’s and Jeongguk’s foreheads.
The two barely stirred, a small smile gracing Taehyung’s face, and Jeongguk snuggling into his blanket.