Baby steps

Third POV

Kookie is cranky.

Kookie is restless.

Kookie is crying.

Kookie is teething. Tae realised that after looking at the boy's gum. It's swelled and so red.

The night before was peaceful, he just had a hard time falling asleep but other than that nothing was out of ordinary. He slept with Jimin and Hobi this night as Jimin and Tae was in charge the following day and Jimin called dips of Jungguk sleeping with them before Tae even can think about it.

The next morning, Jungguk woke up whining making Jimin quickly goes to him eyes half opened as he didn't wake up yet. He picked the small boy shushing him and swaying him.

"What's up, bunny? Don't be sad; hyung is here now" Jimin whispered sweetly to him rubbing his back gently to encourage him to sleep but Jungguk was restless; he kept moving his cheek from Jimin's shoulder only to put it again and repeat the cycle. Jimin felt his discomfort so he layed them on the bed so Jungguk can find a comfortable position to sleep on. The baby finally settled on his back with head slightly rested on his left side.

Jimin started singing to him gently making Kookie relax more. Jungguk really loves when his hyungs sing to him. Their voices are soothing and relaxing so it didn't take much for him to sleep again.

When Jimin woke up again, he quickly went to take a shower and do his morning routine before Jungguk wake up. He looks forward to his off days with his favourite maknae.

He was quick to finish and come back again relieved to find that Kookie is still asleep but he noticed that his pacifier was about to fall but he was biting on it, Jimin kinda find it funny and cute as if he unconsciously trying to save it from falling.

He went and put it gently on jungguk's mouth before taking his phone, making sure his baby monitor is on, and went out.

He found that it was noon already and of course Tae is still asleep so he went to the model's room before jumping on him.

"TAE, WAKE UP!!!"

"noooo. G' way" Tae mumbled sleepily putting a pillow on his head obviously customer to his soulmate's antics.

"Come on. It's 1 pm already" Jimin was attempting to remove the pillow before moving noodle Tae to sit up.

"Wake up...wake up ....wake up" Jimin patted his cheeks rapidly but gently till Tae finally opened his eyes.

"You are annoying. Go away" he said kicking Jimin before moving out of the bed and kicked him again before going to the bathroom.

Jimin checked again on Jungguk before going to prepare breakfast for them. He was so lazy to do something fancy so he stuck with some corn flakes with fruits for him and Taehyung and a bottle with mashed fruits for Kookie.

Tae entered with tear_ stained Jungguk and Jimin ran to him when he saw him.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know I found him sitting like that on the bed"

Jungguk face was in grimace and he was hiccuping quietly while biting hard on his pacifier. Their heart shattered upon seeing him.

"What's wrong baby? Are you hurt?" Jimin tried but Kookie let out a sob resting his cheek on Tae's shoulder and trying to seek more comfort. They both looked at each other helpless before Tae slide into chair to try to look at the distressed baby in his arms.

Tae situated Kookie so he was looking at him trying to see any visible injuries maybe he pumped his head and they didn't know.

"Tae have you noticed how he kept biting on his pacifier?" Jimin asked and something clicked in Tae's head. He took out the pacifier which resulted in doubling jungguk's distress; he started sobbing harder reaching his one hand to it while the other went to his mouth.

"Hey baby, I know it hurts but can you open your mouth for me? I swear I'll be quick." Tae asked gently needing to confirm his thoughts while his heart aches for what he did.

Luckily Jungguk opened his mouth slowly after taking his hands still eyeing his pacifier and both adults noticed how swollen his gum on his upper side when they first saw him his lower teeth were already out.

"He is teething" Tae sighed heavily while giving him his paci making him slump against Tae with painful whine.

"Poor baby. It must be very hard for him" Jimin said with a pout plastered on his face smoothing his baby's soft hair.

"Yeah and he seems to start running a fever also...we need to call Jin hyung to get what is needed with him" upon mentioning his hyung name, Kookie quickly looked at Tae as if asking about Jin.

"You want to call Jin hyung, Kookie?" Kookie hiccuped nodding his head and Jimin fetched his calling his hyung hoping he is not busy while Tae reached for Kookie's fruit plate to try to feed him. Chewing sometimes soothes teething pain for some children and he hoped Kookie is one of them.

"Can you try for me baby? It will help" he asked putting banana slice near his mouth not wanting to distress him again by removing the pacifier.

Jungguk looked at his favourite snack wanting to eat it but scared but his hyung said it will help so he took his paci and opened his mouth and his hyung happily fed him praying it will be good.

Kookie started chewing slowly finding that it didn't hurt but soothed the pain a little so he opened his mouth again but Tae this time put a whole banana for him to bit to put more gentle pressure and sooth him more and Kookie less distressed ate it slowly.

" I guess he is having a patient now. He will call when he finished" Jimin said sighing after coming back. He was glad that Jungguk started eating and filled his sippy cup with semi cold water to help him more in numbing the pain.

"Here Taehyung, you eat too" Jimin good him putting his cereal plate Infront of him.

"Thank you Jiminie" an they sat quietly eating and hoping that their baby pain will fade soon.

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"Jin hyung is calling!" Jimin said answering and putting him on speaker. They were watching some cartoons to distract Kookie with he kept biting in Taehyung's shirt or his thumb. He perked when he heard his hyung's name again and reached for the phone.

"Jimin_ah, I'm sorry I was busy and just saw my phone. Is everything good? How is my bunny?" Jin voice came from the phone and Kookie sobbed reaching for it.

"Is that Jungguk? Why is he crying?"

"Hyung calm down. He is teething and really hard for him. He wants you talk to him for a bit?" Tae informed him giving the phone to Jungguk. 

"Hey baby, I'm sorry I'm not here but I'll come quickly, okay?" Kookie started to calm down to small sniffles

"Awww bug, hyung will come quickly. I know it hurts but TaeTae and Jiminie are there for you" Jin wished he can be with them right now but he can't let the other children in the clinic and go and he has a few patients anyway as it was a slow day. 

"I'll be back in 90 minutes max. I'll get him some numbing gels to help. Make sure to wipe his mouth often to avoid rashes"

"Okay, hyung will do" they both answered seeing that Jungguk is leaning into Jimin side eyes nearly closing so they told Jin and closed quickly to not disturb him and he was out in few minutes.

The next time he woke up he felt gentle hands rubbing at his cheeks, it was good feeling for him until he felt the pain again and he opened his eyes with pained whine. His Jin hyung finally came and Jungguk reached his hands for him starting to cry biting his paci is not helping anymore.

"Come here baby, I'm really sorry it hurts. I wish I can make it painless" Jin said concern lacing every word as he went to get him his teether from the freezer.

Jimin was showing Hobi his new choreography moves when they saw them coming. They jumped to try and sooth jungguk's distress buy he wasn't having it. He leaned away from them near Jin hiding his face and continued crying in pain.

They didn't think that being rejected by a baby could hurt like that but they understand that he is truly not in the mood now so they just settled at rubbing his hair and kissing his hand lightly.

Jin got him the teether and put it gently in his mouth and by instinct he closed his mouth around it feeling instant relieve making his cries reduce to sniffles.

" That feels good huh?" Kookie looked at him and held the teether from him with one hand while attempting to wipe his tear with it. Jin got a tissue and wiped his baby's face before kissing him repeatedly till he got a small giggles from him.

Jin prepared him his bottle and went to the living room. Jimin and Hobi were relieved to see that Kookie is finally feeling better and not crying any more.

"Where's Taehyung" Jin asked not seeing his dongsaeng around normally he would try to steal Jungguk from him.

"Work call" Jimin answered while doing stretches.

Hobi approached Kookie again and was relieved when Jungguk put one hand Infront of his eyes _the other is still holding the teether_ to play their many game peek a boo .  Hobi is ready to play it with for a million times of he wanted.

Tae came in the living room looking like he is going out.

"They needs me now apparently the sky colour is very matching with the new set of clothes I'm modeling for" he said rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Of course it has to be in your day off" Jun huffed also annoyed with the decision but what they can do work is a pain sometimes or most of the times.

Tae came kissing Jungguk apologising for leaving him before going out.

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It was dinner time Namjoon and Yoongi came and Tae also came after finishing quickly apparently they were really apologetic to the young model so tried to finish as soon as possible.

Jungguk was munching on a piece of carrot with Jim's monitoring so he won't chock on it. They tried to take him again from Jin's arms but he refused every time clinging to his hyung and still cranky so they just gave up as long as he is relaxed it's good for them.

"How long would it take for his teeth to cut through?" Yoongi asked in concern eyeing how Jungguk started to feel distressed again.

"From one day to a week. Hopefully it's one day for him" Jin answered sadly trying to sooth Jungguk again when he started whining.

Namjoon went and got him the gel that Jin got for him and another teether giving them to his hyung who thank him before starting rubbing the gel on jungguk's gum hoping for the best as sometimes they are not that much effective.

Jungguk settled again just slumping against Jin feeling drained while his hyungs looking at him Feeling useless.

Tae jumped getting all the blankets from the room arranging them on the floor of the living room and the others minus Jin got up to help him and clean the kitchen, they might not get enough sleep tonight so they are pulling all nighter and deciding to make it more fun and comfortable. They got all jungguk's favourite cartoons and movies before they relaxed in the living room distracting Jungguk from his misery.

Jin got him the gel and some paracetamol just incase his temperature spiked at night. They started with iron man and Jin made a burrito Kookie in his favourite blanked watching the movie.

It was in the middle of the second movie they noticed Jungguk's eyes started to close and he was losing his battle with sleep. They muted the movie and Jin layed him in his arms swaying him a little till he finally slept. They hoped that by tomorrow hsi teeth is out and the he sleeps a peaceful night.

They can't wait till he is all better again to start shower him in love and play with him again but now they will keep envying their Jin hyung cause he is the only one allowed to hold him.