Terrible Things

Chapter 22 - Then

December 2nd

5 years ago

"You're doing so well, Taehyungie," Jimin coos, holding his hands up in front of him. Taehyung wobbles on his feet, his mouth pursed as he concentrates, his little eyes on his dad. Jimin sits against the couch, legs crossed. "Come here, my boy."

I hold the camera up, ready to catch the moment he takes that first step towards Jimin. Taehyung lifts his foot, shifting it in front of him-

And promptly falls right on his face.

Jimin is at his side in an instant, lifting the boy into his arms and rocking him. Taehyung's lips tremble for a second, but he doesn't cry. "It's okay, Taehyungie," Jimin soothes him, pressing a kiss to his head.

I put the camera down, going to wrap my arms around the two of them. Jimin rests his head on my shoulder, Taehyung wrapping his arms around my neck and clinging to me. I wrap one arm around my mate and the other around my son, holding them close to me. Pressing a quick kiss to Taehyung's forehead, I give him a soft squeeze. "You walk when you're ready, Tae. There's no rush."

"Kookie," he mumbles, burying his face in my neck.

Jimin pulls back from our embrace, rubbing Taehyung's back. "Jungkook is walking, yes. But he's older than you, baby. You don't have to walk just because he does." Jimin leans in close, lowering his voice. "Wanna hear a secret?" Taehyung peeks at him, nodding his head. Jimin cups his hands around his lips, talking in a whisper. "When Jungkook started walking, he fell a lot of times. He even falls sometimes now."

Taehyung giggles and Jimin presses a kiss to his cheek. I set him down, letting him sink to his butt on the carpet and soon he's engrossed in his toys. "Great job," I whisper to Jimin. He flashes me a smile, my heart stuttering. People always warned me that children could stress your marriage out, that some just weren't the same afterwards.

But not ours.

If anything, the arrival our Taehyung made us even closer. I loved watching how Jimin effortlessly settled into parenthood, knowing just how to soothe Taehyung, the way he watched him with the biggest smile on his face.

Maybe it was because we almost lost everything on that day a year ago, but either way we weren't taking our family for granted.

"Thanks," Jimin chuckles. He yawns, rubbing a hand down his face.

"Tired?"

"I just feel worn out," he admits. "It's probably just all the planning we're doing for the party."

Taehyung's birthday was at the end of this month and Jimin has been going crazy the past few weeks trying to get everything in order - coming up with a theme, sending out invitations, trying to get the entertainment in order.

Our son was turning one and was going to have a better party than I did most of my life.

Except for that time Jimin threw me a party. Nothing could beat that.

I move behind him, rubbing his shoulders. He sink into my hands, a sigh leaving his lips. "Go take a nap, my love. Tae and I can have a good time together, can't we buddy?" Taehyung grunts, eliciting a small giggle form the man in my arms.

"It's the middle of the day," Jimin says. "I can't just go take a nap or it'll throw off my whole sleep schedule."

These days he didn't have much of a sleep schedule, but I'm not going to point that out.

"Then go relax," I suggest. "You haven't gotten to dance in a while and I know you've been missing it."

"I haven't had the time," he sighs. "After the accident I had to recover and then raising Taehyung is a full time job, one that I love, so I haven't been able to get over there."