ROCK-A-BYE

25~With me

"No, no, d-don't worry about me," Jimin sniffled and wiped the tear away. The feeling of wanting to cry got stronger, and tears shimmered in Minnie's eyes as her expression grew even more broken.

A soft weep sounded from her; tears flooded Jimin's eyes. "Wh-why are you crying?" Jimin sniffled. "You're crying," Minnie said and sniffled. "No, no, no, baby, please." Jimin's voice cracked as he sat down on the stairs and held her arms.

"Don't cry." In spite of the tears that ran down his cheeks, his face broke into a smile. He has never been this vulnerable in front of anyone.

"But you're crying." Minnie shook her head and sniffled. No words seemed to come out of his mouth, so Jimin just hugged her like he hugged no one before.

He stroked her head and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I'm happy, Minnie," Jimin said shakily. Yes, he is happy that this baby is in his life, even though she was the cause of most of his problems.

He was happy he had her, that she looked up to him as her protector and father because he was never going to let her down; that he was the one who found her in the park and naively decided to take her home, that he refused to throw her back out or give her out to the police like Jin wanted.

But he can't say all that; at least not now when she's only a child. She wouldn't understand-actually, no one does or ever will.

Jimin's smile turned soft as he listened to her shaky breathing and sniffles. "H-happy?" Minnie repeated slowly. "Yes, happy that you're with me, baby." That's all Jimin could say for now.

Minnie seemed to wrap her arms more tightly around him as she muttered, "Me, too." A euphoric feeling surged through Jimin's body, and a shiver went down his spine. She was happy that he was there-even if she wasn't happy though, he wouldn't have let go that easily.

Pulling away from her embrace was hard, but he looked into her misty doe eyes fondly. Jimin was almost drunk, but he never felt so aware before.

"It's really late. Are you sleepy?" Jimin asked as he wiped her wet cheeks. She nodded eagerly. "Are you going to sleep with me?" She asked in a small voice. Jimin smiled and nodded.

He stood up and took her hand, walking upstairs. Jimin entered his room, but found Yoongi sprawled on his bed. He looked down at Minnie questioningly. "We slept here," Minnie whispered.

Jimin shook his head, walked in, covered Yoongi with his blanket, grabbed some clothes to change, and walked back out to Minnie.

He went into Yoongi's room and put Minnie in bed. "Don't go," Minnie said and grabbed his sleeve. "I'll just change my clothes. I won't be long." Jimin smiled gently and removed her hand slowly.

Jimin went into the bathroom and took a shower. After putting on his clothes and brushing his teeth, he walked back into Yoongi's room, where he's spending the night.

He didn't find Minnie in bed, however; he looked around and found her at his window. She was seated on a small coffee table with her arms crossed on the windowsill and her head resting on them.

The rain continued tapping on the glass softly, though there was thunder crackling now.

Jimin proceeded towards her and took a look at her face. Some hair covered her face, her pink lips were parted, and her eyes closed, her long lashes resting on her cheekbones.

Jimin thought she looked perfectly angelic and innocent-how could anyone not fall in love with the baby just by looking at her sleeping soundly?

He delicately brushed the hair away from her face, stroking the long strands all the way down. Minnie's eyes fluttered open and looked around surprised, as if she'd fallen asleep without knowing.

She smiled once she laid eyes on Jimin. "Come on, baby. You're tired," Jimin said softly. He kneeled and picked her up. "The rain looks pretty," Minnie said as she glanced back at the window.

This instantly called back the memory when Minnie was petrified of the thunder and the pouring rain the day he found her. "Yeah, it is," Jimin said.

He put her down under Yoongi's fluffy duvet and got in with her. "I'm not sleepy," Minnie exhaled and got closer to Jimin. "You're not?" Jimin looked at her, surprised when he'd just waken her up.

"No." Minnie shook her head and pouted. Jimin could barely keep his eyes open as he rested his head against the headboard. "Can you sing me to sleep?" Minnie asked in a small voice.

Jimin was a little taken aback by the request. "Nanny used to sing to me when I couldn't sleep," Minnie continued. Jimin looked down at the baby. "Who's Nanny?" He asked.

"Nanny is the one who taught me how to read and write a little bit. She always came every day. But then she stopped coming and I never saw her again," Minnie said.

Jimin kept quiet for a while. "Why did she stop coming?" He said. "I don't know. But I liked her more than Mommy and Daddy. I was sad," Minnie said.

Minnie's voice didn't express emotions-not sadness, happiness, or anything in between; it was so hollow.

The babysitter that used to come was her old neighbor, a woman in her late thirties. Minnie reacted badly when she first saw her, but they've gotten along well, and they grew to like each other.

Her neighbor didn't like how Minnie was treated, but she had bigger issues to deal with. A few months and Minnie never saw her again. The woman had gotten married and moved out. That's when her other neighbor moved in.

Again though, it was a stranger that she liked, especially more than her own parents. "Sing." Minnie smiled up at him. "I...can't," Jimin said. "Please sing," Minnie pleaded.

"I'm sleepy, Minnie." Jimin tried excuses. "Please?" Minnie gave him the puppy eyes everyone goes weak for. Jimin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

He hadn't sung in a long time, though when he did, he did it beautifully. Jimin stroked Minnie's head and started to sing in a gentle, highly expressive croon. Minnie was fascinated by his lovely voice.

She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating in harmony with his voice; she drifted to sleep slowly.

Thus, when Jimin finished the song, he heard soft snoring.