Hoseok felt more than comfortable to be left at home with a one-month-old Mikae. The man was reclined back in a cozy chair with his feet up, watching some romance drama that he couldn't bare his wife finding about his guilty pleasure for. The little baby laid on his chest, tiny fists balled up and held close to her face as his sizable hand ran up and down her warm back.
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It was peaceful, his wife on a day drip with her mom and sisters.
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That was, until the door rang.
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Hoseok's mouth formed an 'o' as he looked down to his baby girl that had now began to wriggle her arms. "What was that, Miks? Who's here to see you, baby?"
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He held her careful against him while gently standing to his face, tugging down the back of his white t-shirt with a sigh before slumping to the doorway. The chair was way too comfortable.
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He opened the front door, eyes growing wider at the sight of him.
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The same over-sized sweatshirt, black cap. His hands shoved into his back pockets.
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Hoseok, however, had changed for Yoongi. His eyebrows raised while glancing the boy up and down. "Yoongi, you—"
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"I'm early," he spoke when the man in front of him was speechless. "I had time, is that okay?"
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Even though Yoongi called several weeks prior to ask Hoseok for a visit, he still showed up unannounced and left the younger in shock.
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Hoseok placed a protective hand on Mikae's back before looking him up and down again.
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When he didn't answer, Yoongi decided to point out the pink elephant in the room. "When did she happen?"
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Hoseok looked away, finding interesting in the pavement behind Yoongi as a focus point. "We found out not long after you um..." he cleared his throat while shaking his head. "Left. Yoongi-hyung, what's going on?" Even though he was now a fatherly figure, his expression was that of a young boy.
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Yoongi's guilt began to come back. He opened his mouth to speak, only to purse it back shut.
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Hoseok let out a shaky breath before turning slightly. "Let's go."
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-
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The older boy sat at the dining room table with a glass of ice water while Hoseok popped a binky into his daughter's mouth who was fussing. He was in awe at how the younger was so calm, quietly handling his daughter well.
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It was enough to make Yoongi smile, but nothing came. "Yah, Hoseok if it's a bad time..." his voice trailed off as his fingertip ran around the rim of the glass.
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The younger looked down at him, smiling softly. "Nonsense," however, the smile then disappeared before he pulled the chair out and rested his daughter against the front of his shoulder. "Yoongi, what's been going on? Why did you contact me?"
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The older fiddled with the ends of his sweatshirt while looking up to the ceiling in thought. "Ah... Some things have... changed."
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"What d'you mean?"
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Yoongi's tongue swiped between his lips. "Ah..."
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Hoseok firmly spoke. "Have you drank today?"
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The other looked back to him, trying his best not to squint his eyes as to what he just said. "No. Not in three weeks if we wanna be technical."
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Hoseok averted his gaze while bouncing the baby up and down a bit when she began to whine. "Not surprised."
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Yoongi laid a hand on the table. "Excuse me?"
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The younger's eyebrows were now together as he jerked his head back to look at him. "Well, instead of showing respect for your potential wife, you had the nerve to not even be there for her burial."
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Yoongi was taken back.
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"That whole year, it's a waste, wasn't it? You were yourself again, Yoongi-ah. You were smiling, happy."
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"'Cause I thought I would have my Kimmie back," the other replied, first now balled up.
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Hoseok narrowed his eyes, leaning his head forward a bit. "You should've been doing it more importantly for yourself. Which means you had no desire for your well-being."
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"Kimmie was my life," Yoongi explained, rather harshly as he was now to his feet. The other didn't stand.
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"Sometimes it's not all about the other—"
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Yoongi pointed a finger in his face. "You have nothing to say."
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Mikae shrieked as she began to wiggle in her fathers grasp. Hoseok's jaw clenched as he looked away from Yoongi's chilling stare. "Enough."
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"I didn't come here for nothing, Hoseok."
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He looked back to him, "Then what?"
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He took a deep breath before slouching back in the seat, rubbing a hand over his face. "Taehyung. He reminded me that you guys never forgot about me. That... I mattered more than I believe I did for you all."
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Hoseok didn't speak, except continued to watch and listen.
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"I..." the older ringed his hands. "I'm sorry,"
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The atmosphere fell still. An eerie silence loomed over them as Hoseok searched for the words to say. Whether to accept it, or not.
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He just nodded simply, throat feeling dry as the heavy emotion for the past two years began to settle. "Okay... okay."
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Yoongi bit his lip. "I couldn't bring myself to say it over the phone. I had to see you, I—"
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Hoseok reaches out and placed a hand over Yoongi's folded ones. "Thank you, but..." he searched the older's lost appearance. "I wanna see more confidence, Yoongi. You can do it."
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The older looked up through his blue fringe that was pushed down by his hat.
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"Have you looked for help? Therapy?"
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Brooke.
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Yoongi bit his lip, eyes wandering across the table. Brooke was his therapy.
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Brooke mattered to him more than she, and even Yoongi, ever have thought.
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"Yes," he answered simply, watching as Hoseok watched intently. "I've found help."
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-
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A/N

Thank you for being patient ❤️

Who remembered the phone call?