VHope Fluffshots

Little Big Problem

Hoseok was well-known at school for his nerdiness when it came to biology and anatomy, as well as for his unusual sprightliness and bright smile. And he loved this green jacket that seemed to swallow his petite frame. But more than anything, he loved his best friend, Kim Taehyung.

Taehyung was only a year younger than Hoseok and they spent as much time together as they could. There were absolutely no secrets between them; they shared everything with each other and trusted each other completely. Or so Taehyung thought. The older boy had been hiding a huge secret from him for a good while now; almost two years. Actually, he was keeping this secret from everyone, but he truly only wanted the younger boy to know.

Hoseok was a little.

Something about slipping back into a child's mindset really attracted Hoseok, especially when his depression set in and was the reason be became a little in the first place. It was nice to think simply and not worry about 'big' issues for a while. It was nice to curl up on the couch in the den upstairs and watch cartoons and cuddle the giant bear Taehyung got him at the carnival last October. It was just nice living like that; he didn't feel depressed or fake like he did at school or out of his house in general.

But he just couldn't tell Taehyung. Sure, the boy had this childish charm to him and was incredibly open-minded, but Hoseok was still scared. How would he react when the older boy would finally tell him about it? Would he think it was a kink or make it something it really wasn't? No, that wasn't Taehyung. He wouldn't do that - hell, he still hadn't kissed anyone yet. Still, Hoseok worked so hard on becoming the younger boy's best friend and he didn't want to scare him away. That was the last thing he wanted to happen.

Hoseok's world came crashing down in the hallway at his locker, along with the contents of his light-yellow bookbag onto the school floor for everyone to see. Out came a coloring book - the ones for adults because the kids' ones bored Hoseok - with an under-the-sea theme, a purple pencil case with monster eyes filled with all kinds of colored pencils and bright gel pens, the small white teddy bear Taehyung gave him on Valentine's Day (as a type of 'thanks for being my best friend' thing), and a light-green pacifier that ended up rolling away from the mess, stopping at someone's feet. And Hoseok could do nothing but stare in horror at his bully.

"So, you're a baby?" Yongguk said tauntingly, shoving Hoseok back against the lockers rather harshly. The usually sunny boy gasped and willed his tears away the best he could as he felt all eyes on him. This was too much. He was feeling littler and littler by the second. Yongguk laughed as he watched the smaller boy before him try to form a coherent explanation. "Awe, poor baby Hoseokie. You know, you wouldn't be in this predicament if you weren't such a goddamn freak," he spat and the tears Hoseok was so desperately trying to hold back finally showed, falling down his cheeks as he shook his head shamefully.

Right as he closed his eyes and prayed Yongguk would just kill him already, someone had pulled the bigger boy off of Hoseok and threw him to the ground. "Might I suggest picking on someone who actually deserves it," Taehyung growled, then turned his attention to his shaking best friend. He smiled gently as he wiped the tears from Hoseok's cute cheeks that he loved so much before he cleaned up the contents of the older boy's bookbag from the floor. He tucked everything away neatly and reached out for Hoseok's hand. "Let's get you out of here," he whispered gently as he pulled him through the crowd and out of the school.

At Taehyung's house, neither one of the boys said a single word for a while. Hoseok refused to look the younger boy - his savior and hero - in the eye out of pure embarrassment and fear. He sat as far away from him as he could while still staying on the full-sized bed, curled up in a ball. But after thirty minutes, Taehyung was having none of it. He crawled over and pulled his best friend into his arms, taking him with him as he moved back to sit against the wall. "Hyung, please tell me what's going on. You know you can't hide anymore," he said as gently as he could and Hoseok sighed.

"Do you know what a little is?" the older boy asked hesitantly. "Um, isn't it when an adult reverts back to being a kid or something?" Taehyung guessed as he allowed Hoseok to play with his fingers. "For the most part, yes. I use it as a way to get rid of my depression for a while and it really helps me. It's not a kink - " Taehyung chuckled, cutting his friend off. "I know you well enough to know it's not a sexual thing. You're my hyung either way." A smile graced his lips as he allowed Hoseok to turn around in his lap to face him.

Silence overwhelmed them as Taehyung wrapped his arms around his best friend's waist, slowly pulling him so that they only had a few centimeters of distance between them. "Really, Tae? You really think that?" Hoseok mumbled, red-faced and shy. The younger boy nodded as he showed off his big boxy smile. "You're my hyung no matter what." The older boy felt himself slowly slip back into a five-year-old's mindset; he wasn't upset, but he was comfortable enough around his best friend now to be in that mindset around him.

"And honestly, the fact that you carry my bear with you is so adorable and makes me really happy," Taehyung chuckled, which turned to full-on laughing as Hoseok buried his face in his neck. "Thank you, TaeTae. Thank you so much." It came out muffled, but the younger boy hear his best friend all the same.

They simply held each other for a minute, then Hoseok lifted his head. "There's something else I need to tell you," he mumbled and the younger boy nodded slowly, waiting for the older boy to muster up all his courage. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I love you. I've loved you for a while now, but I didn't know how you would accept me being a little. It's always viewed as a negative thing," he breathed out, opening his eyes to read his best friend's shocked expression.

Another minute of silence passed before Taehyung took a deep breath and gave the older boy the most genuine smile ever. "I love you too, hyung. Little or not, I love you." With that, he placed a kiss on Hoseok's nose, earning a cute little giggle. "And, if you'd like, I could be your caregiver or... or your boyfriend?" he added nervously.

Hoseok nodded enthusiastically as he hugged the younger boy's neck. "I'd love that. I'd love both of those things. My TaeTae," he said with finality, placing a kiss on Taehyung's chubby cheek. That got a deep chuckle and a kiss on the cheek as well. "My Hoseokie. My cute little baby."