Taekook Smuts and Drabbles

Promises to Keep (and Miles to Go Before We Sleep)

THIS BELONGS TO @TrappingLightningBugs ON AO3

Thunking sounds emanate from the shed as Taehyung's parents search for their sled, the three of them bundled up against the winter chill, their child ignored for the moment, assuming the prospect of sledding will hold him there. And it would, if there wasn't another sound on the breeze, twice as interesting as his parents' noises.

No; underneath the bangs and colorful cries of pain from his parents, Taehyung hears a whining cry, hurt and cajoling like a hungry baby or a lonely toddler, carrying on the snowy, winter breeze.

He glances back toward his shed once and then strides toward the woods, the giant trees chalky with the season's weather, his personal favorite at the point in his life, his little legs straining with effort to carry him away from his parents before they would notice. Don't get him wrong; his parents are the best, but they're also cautious and never let him touch dead birds, so he compromises by checking them out himself when they're not around—like now, when he disappears into the tree line, determined to discover the source of the crying before they scoop him up and make him hold one of their hands for the rest of the day.

So, he stumbles through the woods, feet catching tree roots concealed by the pounds of snow, following his ears until suddenly he's tumbling, falling through the air, and he hits the ground with an undignified "oomph!"

Grumbling under his breath, he sits up and rubs his arm, feeling as if he definitely scraped it through all his layers, not noticing for a second that the whimpering has stopped.

Glancing around, Taehyung freezes when he spies a puppy, its pelt fluffed up against the chill, curled into a little ball, its sweet eyes wide as it stares at him.

"Puppy!" Taehyung squeals, forgetting his search as he stumbles to his feet.

Hunching in, the puppy growls at him, the sound weak, almost frightened, if Taehyung could read animal body language, and the child pouts at it. "Don't growl! Were you what was whining? I heard you!"

The growling doesn't stop, but the pup chances a lick to its front forepaw, and a light clicks on for Taehyung. "You're hurt, aren't you?" He glances behind them to the drop that he tumbled down. "I bet you fell, too."

He approaches the puppy slower now, curling in on himself as he offers the puppy a clothed hand. "It's okay, puppy. I'm gonna help you."

Eyeing him with suspicion, the puppy's nose pokes out and it sniffs him, the breath on his hand causing Taehyung to giggle, feeling it through his glove. After a moment, he chances touching the dog's snout, patting it with a kind touch. The puppy's eyes close and Taehyung coos, before shaking himself, drawing away so he can yell for his parents.

"Mom! Dad!" He calls, driving the air out of his lungs in a big burst, like he'd learned how to do when he'd lose them at the park. Taehyung really wandered away too much.

The puppy recoils, whimpering, and Taehyung is immediately repentant, reaching forward with a sad frown. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" By no means should this work, should the animal understand him, but it relaxes as Taehyung's hands find either side of its head and he scratches behind its dark ears. Its eyes slide closed, comfortable as Taehyung pets him, stroking from the dusky black top of his head to the softer, wet-mud color of his chest, and before long, the unmistakable sound of boots crunching through snow register to both of them.

"Taehyung?" His mother calls, voice cracking with worry.

"Down here!" He replies, murmuring another apology when the puppy jolts.