babyboy

11

It was 6:15 pm when the lock system of bts' dorm beeped. Jungkook got home first at 6 and sat on the couch scrolling aimlessly through his phone, trying to pass the time. He lifted his head hearing the door open and 6 tired mumbles as the others took their shoes off at the door.

Jungkook smiled as his heart lept in his chest. He was more than nervous but he was reminded how much he really loved his hyungs and how much they meant to him. How even after just a few days away from them made him miss them- their stupid arguments and all.

He fiddled with his fingers nervously as they walked through the door to the lounge, Taehyungs eyes widened spotting Jungkook on the couch and his previous frown was swept away to reveal a gleaming boxy grin. He dove at the couch where the younger sat with a nervous smile, groaning as Taehyungs wheight squashed him into the couch.
"Makne is back!!" Taehyung said squeezing Jungkook happily. Jungkook could see his caregiver smiling along with the rest of the guys causing Jungkook to blush.
"feeling better Jungkook? We were worried about you." Namjoon said walking over to ruffle Jungkook's hair.
Jungkook smiled slightly up at the older.

"right," Jimin said getting everyone's attention "hate to break up the moment," he said eyeing Taehyung who had wriggled off Jungkook to sit next to him, his arm slung around his shoulder "but we need to talk."

No one seemed surprised, they had after all been warned and panic attacks like Jungkook had had didn't happen very often so it was sort of a cause for concern. They all took their seats around the lounge and waited staring expectantly at Jimin and Jungkook.

Jimin sat next to Jungkook, Taehyung still on Jungkook's other side. Jimin placed his hand on Jungkook's knee, patting it to signal he should talk when he's ready. Jungkook took a deep breath and started.

"should I start from the beginning?" He asked Jimin softly.
"you can if it's easier bu- Jungkook." Jimin corrected himself from calling Jungkook 'bub'.
Jungkook nodded.
"ok, so," he now spoke out facing the rest of his hyungs "anxiety is not really anything new for me as you guys kinda know already. It all really started in highschool. It was a year before I met you guys, I must have been 15 I guess. School was loud and big and scary. I didn't really have friends and my parents were busy all the time. I just got more and more stressed every day. " Jungkook said sighing and looking down into his lap at the memory "I...needed a way to forget it all. A way to escape the harshness of my stress and anxiety."
He paused and glanced up at his hyungs who were hanging onto his every word before glancing down again "that's how I found my l-littlespace." he stuttered, scared of their reaction.

Jimin rubbed slow circles into his back. There was a hesitant silence, only the sound of their slight shuffling filled the room before Taehyung spoke "Jungkook, what's littlespace?"
Jungkook looked up again, holding tears back. He didn't know how to feel about the fact that none of them looked like they understood what it was. It might give him more of a chance to bring them around to the idea but it also might increase the likely hood of them being repulsed by his coping mechanism and a part of his life he hadn't yet shared.

He turned his head with pleading eyes towards Jimin who understood that Jungkook didn't want to explain. More than that-he didn't seem like he knew how to explain. "you did good, I'll take it from here." Jimin said with a small smile.

"Littlespace," Jimin started "is different for every individual. Generally It's when someone regresses into a head space much younger than their own often to the age of about 3 - 5 years old. People do it for a bunch of reasons but for Jungkook, it's when he gets overly stressed or over stimulated by something. It's a coping mechanism, but he doesn't only regress to escape negative situations. Some Littles like Kookie also regress when they're comfortable around someone they trust." he paused "You feel really happy in littlespace, yeah Kook?" he asked gently to which the younger nodded shyly. "-For happy memories. Another thing is that littles often need or look for a caregiver."

"So... It's kinda like a Dom-sub dynamic?" Yoongi asked, confused.

Jimin tilted his head and explained "For some, yes and others, no. The dom/sub dynamic is often sexual which is not what all Littles want."

Namjoon's eyes widened in realization "I know about this! I had a friend in Uni who was a little." he smiled. Jungkook looked up, surprised " so you d-don't think I'm wierd?"

Namjoon frowned "No, Jungkook. you are so special and so valid. I would never judge you for something like this. Never. Everybody is different and that's what makes us... Us."
Jin nodded and hummed in agreement along with Taehyung who smiled at the makne from beside him.

Jungkook had tears rolling down his cheeks. He was so overwhelmed at their understanding. Previously he'd braced himself for the worst outcome but this was exactly the opposite of what he expected.

Hoseok slowly nodded along with Yoongi, starting to understand. Hoseok looked at Jungkook who's eyes met his hopefully "Jungkook, all I want you to know is that as long as it doesn't harm you or anyone else, I support you with anything you do or strive for." he gave the makne a small smile "it's confusing and I'll have to wrap my head around it all but that's ok. I can do that." he reassured. The room was quiet as the 5 guys wrapped their heads around what was going on. What to think.

"Does this mean anything for our relationship... I mean, do you have a caregiver? When did Jimin find out?" Yoongi asked.

Jungkook sniffed, wiping his tears away before answering his hyung "N-Nothing has to change if you don't want it to, hyung. I really hope it doesn't affect our relationship or work-"

"we accept you Jungkook." Yoongi reassured softly.

"T-Thank you hyungs." Jungkook said, wiping yet another tear away. "Jimin only found out this weekend. I couldn't help but slip. I found out that he knew a lot more about littlespace than I thought. He..." Jungkook trailed off, looking at Jimin who nodded, reassuring him it was ok "H-he offered to be my c-caregiver." he mumbled shyly.

Yoongi and the others looked a bit surprised but smiled confusedly none the less. "Thank you for telling us Jungkook. Is there anything else we should know about it? I feel like I need to do some much needed research." Yoongi mumbled causing all of them to chuckle and the five to agree softly which made Jungkook's heart flutter. They actually do care.

Jungkook nodded "When I'm little I need supervision. That'll be up to Jimin though as my caregiver and I have rules Jimin and I set." he paused "my little likes to be called Kookie and sometimes I don't remember what I did as a little if I get too into the head space." he paused "I think that's all for now." Yoongi sat back and nodded.

"Stand up. All of you, stand up." Taehyung said super seriously. They all did as they were told a bit confused before Taehyung yanked them all into a group hug, Jungkook right in the middle.
"YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!" He said to Jungkook with the biggest smile on his face as he smushed them all together. Jimin laughed at Taehyungs childish way of solving things. They squeezed tight before letting go and chuckling.

Namjoon ruffled a now blushing Jungkook's hair "Welcome home Kookie. Thank you for trusting us enough to share something so important. " Jungkook sniffled as happy tears slid down his cheeks.

"I'm so tired," Yoongi muttered "need sleep. Goodnight." he said, smiling fondly at Jungkook before making his way into his room. The rest of them followed his lead before it was only Jungkook and Jimin left in their lounge.

Jimin almost tackled Jungkook he hugged him so hard before pulling away and taking Jungkook's face in his hands and kissing his forehead firmly. "I am so proud of you my little Kookie." he said, his eyes sparkling with pride and love.
"th-thanks hyungie." Jungkook said beginning to slip into his Littlespace. He hugged Jimin again, burying his head into Jimin's shoulder and breathing in the other's warm musky smell. Everything was gonna be fine. Jimin swayed them gently, still standing in a warm embrace.

"cuddles" Jungkook mumbled into Jimin's shoulder.
"can't hear you if you mumble bub." Jimin said stroking Jungkook's hair.
Kookie emerged shyly from Jimin's shoulder.
"want cuddles." he said, his big doe eyes meeting Jimin's.
Jimins heart fluttered "that we can do." he said softly with a smile.

That night Kookie fell asleep in his daddy's arms and he couldn't be happier about the way everything turned out.

xxx

Hi! This is a big chapter for Kookie! I hope you've been enjoying the book so far. <3
Update soon :)