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Taehyung's been gone a week and it's starting to drive Jimin spare. Jungkook's there, of course. The cute over-muscled brat is sitting right where Jimin last left him twenty minutes ago doing some work or other. It's just… when you're used to being three, two just feels too empty.
It's the silences that he can't stand. Well, not silences exactly since he and Jungkook still live in and occupy the same spaces and the apartment next door has a new baby that always seems to be crying. What he means is that there's still sound. There's just not enough of it. He and Jungkook and the neighbor's baby make a clunky chord, one that would be vastly improved with the simple addition of their Kim Taehyung.
So Jimin is sulking, just a little. He's going through the motions, getting through his days as best as he can while counting down the minutes until his baby bear comes home from his summer migration trip.
It's Taehyung's first solo trip since they'd all gotten together, since they'd all agreed to give it a serious go and be three. It's actually the first trip longer than a weekend away that any of them have taken since then and the prolonged distance is really wearing on Jimin.
Jimin checks his phone for the nth time in just as many minutes and feels crazy.
"Taehyungie hyung'll be back in like three hours. Can you not like, be so dramatic." Jungkook doesn't even look up from his laptop screen as he says it.
Not bothering to answer him, Jimin moves over to the back of the couch and hooks his arms over Jungkook in a hug. He leans forward, tilts until his front rests against Jungkook's back and melts down even more, until the younger's chest is digging into his laptop screen.
Sighing, Jungkook puts his laptop on the coffee table. In one smooth motion, Jimin feels the younger turning around in his arms, feels strong hands gripping his waist. He lets himself get bodily dragged the rest of the way over the couch. He settles atop his boyfriend and snuggles closer. They lay together for a moment, chest to chest and still, the only movement from either being their soft exhales and inhales.
"You're making me look bad," Jungkook finally says.
"Doesn't matter if you look bad when you are bad," Jimin says back without any heat.
A beat of silence passes them by. "I miss him too, you know."
Jimin turns to bury his face in Jungkook's shoulder. His arms flex as they circle the younger in a tighter embrace. "I know you do, puppy." His fingers flex like he wants to scratch at the other boy's ears in comfort, a motion so familiar to the three of them, but he doesn't want to give up the warmth of his current position.
Jungkook whines, feeling the aborted movement. Jimin ignores him until the cries take a pitiful turn and he worries his pup was in actual distress. A hand comes up and smooths over Jungkook's unruly hair in a placating fashion. The puppy quietens almost immediately.
Above them, the rumble-buzz of the air conditioner sputters and dies out, plunging the room into complete silence save for their soft breaths. A moment later, the next-door baby starts crying.
Jimin lifts his head, eyes searching for Jungkook. A grin splits his face in two as a smile just as wide stretches across Jungkook's face. Soon, the two boys are laughing themselves silly, their giggles dying and reviving as they play-wrestle and poke at each other on the sofa.
As Jimin squirms and buries his face into Jungkook's shoulder, the younger speaks, breathless. "We're fucking pathetic, hyung."
"Yeah, it's pathetic how much we miss him."
"It's just so quiet these days–"
"Right? I never knew he was such a loudmouth until he wasn't here." A pitiful silence envelops the pair.
They squeeze at each other, looking for comfort. Jungkook's hands run up and down Jimin's back, his fingers tracing letters he can't decipher. Jimin imagines it spells out something cheesy like I love you or taetae-hyung.
The two lie together, all laughter aborted as a somber mood descends over them again.
"C'mon, I know what'll make us feel better."
Jimin makes a noise of confusion as he registers Jungkook trying to slide out from underneath him. He tries to hold him down, tries to make his boyfriend stay but the muscle pig just pushes Jimin off and deposits him onto the couch.
"Wait– Come back. I want cuddles." Jimin put on his best pout.
“This is better than cuddles.“
Jimin gives him his least impressed look. “Puppy,“ he whines.
“Promise, hyung.“ The cheeky pup shoots him a finger-gun and disappears from the room.
He listens as Jungkook rushes around the apartment. Jimin hears something dragging as the younger moves it from the hall closet to the bedroom. Dejectedly, Jimin buries his nose into the couch cushions, searching for Jungkook's soft clean scent. The pillows are a poor substitute for his jacked boyfriend but they make him miss his squishier love. The thoughts bring him the opposite of the comfort he was looking for.
Alone and idle, he scrolls through his Instagram feed. He makes it through a few swipes before curiosity wins out over Jimin's desire to become one with the sofa. His need for company pushes him off the couch. With a huff, he gets up to see what his pup is doing.
He gets to the bedroom and finds a mess.
It's not the kind of messy that is their normal, living-in-a-rush, kind of mess but rather it looks like someone had ransacked the place. Every drawer is pulled wide open, their contents unfolded and half spilling out. Hangers litter the floor, thrown carelessly into random piles while the garments that used to live on them are scattered over every available flat surface. Jimin thinks he sees the sweatshirt he wore yesterday strewn across a pile of clothes he's certain he hasn't worn in a while; their actual dirty laundry pile, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen.
"What are you doing?" he asks, dumbfounded. His eyes finally identify the lump in the center of the bed to be the entire contents of their linen closet.
"Nesting, duh." Jungkook says it so casually, Jimin feels a little crazed for not immediately understanding.
"I didn't know dogs, uh, did that?" It comes out as a question. Jungkook is still busy pushing things onto the bed, making the mountain of blankets, towels, and clothes bigger. He keeps patting it, as if that'll stabilize the monstrous thing.
"We don't. Not really, but I read on the internet that otters do, so…" he trails off, gesturing to his creation.
And oh, Jimin's so full of big feelings for his big dumb dog-boy.
Jungkook starts again, perhaps a little nervous because his lisp comes out. "Naver said nesting was like, the ultimate form of comfort for otters but I haven't ever seen you do it." He pushes his fringe out of his eyes. "Thought you were shy or something. Just wanted to give you a little push."
The younger boy stands next to the "nest" with his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. He's the picture of misguided, well-meaning sweetness and Jimin loves him so much.
"Kook, to be honest, I haven't nested since I was a pup..."
There's confusion plain on his face. "No?"
"No, puppy."
Jungkook looks a little panicked, probably thinking of how to put everything back now that Jimin evidently doesn't need it. His eyes dart around as if he's just now noticing the state of the room. He groans.
Jimin steps over a pile of hangers to hold his boy. He gives him a big hug and makes sure to smile extra wide into their kiss so the younger knows how happy his idea made him. Jimin gives him a series of silly pecks down the side of his face and neck for good measure.
The younger boy clings to his hyung. His voice is soft when he speaks. "'m sorry I made all this mess for nothing."
Jimin playfully shoves the pup away from him, tutting. "You just want me to help you clean."
"But I did it for you, hyung," Jungkook whines. "Doesn't that count for anything?"
Jimin pretends to think about it, wants to be mean, but he can't find it in him to make his sweet boy sad after he's been so thoughtful. He means to tell him they can clean it up together before Taehyung comes home but what comes out instead is this:
"Maybe Naver is on to something…" When Jungkook gives him an incredulous look back, he continues, "All the stuff is already out anyway. And there's nothing better to do while we wait."
"… You wanna nest."
“Sure.“
“Bet.“ He walks over to the mountain and throws his arms wide. “Get in then! It’s all ready.“
“Yeah, no, this is not a nest, Kook.“ Jimin walks over and pulls out a hanger from the pile. It sways precariously. “This is a safety hazard. It’s not even the right shape, puppy.“
Jungkook grumbles under his breath. “Sorry my first nest isn’t up to your standards,“ he sasses.
Jimin pays him no mind. “C’mon. Help me fix it.“ He grabs as much of the pile on the bed as he can get his hands around and pushes it to the side. Then he starts with the linens. Even though he hasn’t done this in years, the steps come back to him easily. He makes a circle, as big as he can get on their king sized bed, and lines it with the soft fabric.
“What should I do?“
“Take all the hangers out. And everything dirty.“ Jimin stops to consider the pile. “Anything with a zipper is also out.“
Jungkook gives him a weird look.
“What?“
“Don’t nests always have like, dirty clothes in them? For the scent or whatever?“
“First of all, a sweater I wore for thirty minutes to go to the grocery store is completely different from your dirty gym socks, brat. It’s called gently used, not filthy and SECOND OF ALL I like the smell of you clean thank you very much. You may be hot when you’re sweaty but that doesn’t mean I wanna roll around in your sweat-soaked clothes, three days after the fact.“
“So this is a personal preference because I swear Naver said…“
“This is every sane person’s preference.“ Jimin rolls his eyes.
“If you say so, hyung.”
They sass each other as they work, the nest growing bigger and more recognizable as time passes. Jimin layers towels and linens on top of each other to make the edges and has Jungkook cover them with blankets. Next came soft sweaters and sweatshirts. To finish it all off, they throw their best comforter over everything to smooth out any lumps and fill up the inside of the nest with their favorite pillows.
The two step back to admire their work. Jimin fills with nostalgia at the sight. He wants to be in it so bad but it isn't perfect yet.
"Hyung, you get in first," Jungkook offers.
"Hyung wants to go second."
"Why? We made this for you."
"I want it to smell like you when I get in it." Like home, he doesn't add, still a little tender with love for his puppy.
Jungkook pinks just the slightest bit and makes his way closer to the nest but he hesitates at the edge of the bed. "I don't know how to, like, get in," he confesses.
"Just climb in," Jimin encourages him. "There's no right way to do it. Do what feels comfortable."
The younger clambers in, is careful to not put too much weight on the walls of the nest when he climbs over them so as to preserve their shape, and tries to settle. He chooses a spot near where his normal place on the bed is, on the right side, and turns in place once, twice, three times, according to Jimin's count before finally laying down.
Jimin can hardly hold in his happiness, a pleased sound escaping him just as Jungkook looks at him over the pillow he's chosen to snuggle with. His boy looks so sweet, so safe, inside the nest they made together. The otter's mind is running through mantras of family-love-closeness . He scrambles to join in.
Before he can realize what he's doing, Jimin is rolling around in their nest, busily scenting at the pillows. With a bubbling laugh, he drags Jungkook away from his corner, placing him here and there so that their scents, the younger's fresh cut grass and his own after-rain smell, mix and meld together. When new lawn and post drizzle are all he can find, he lets them settle in the center, heads buried in pillows with their arms wrapped around each other.
Jungkook breaks the silence that befalls them. "Otters are really onto something here." His words are slightly slurred and he sounds half asleep already.
With a laugh, Jimin says to him, "Nests are for settling pups having tantrums."
"Yeah, it definitely worked."
Jimin pinches his bicep. "Brat." Jungkook swats his hands off before pulling Jimin closer to him. "How long do you think is left?"
"Sleep, hyung. He'll be back before we know it."
Jimin's last thoughts as he drifts off are of Taehyung back home with them, in the nest with them. He dreams of being cuddled up with his big bear boyfriend and his sweet puppy love.
~~~ Love Love Love ~~~
"BABIES I'M BACK," Taehyung bursts into the quiet apartment like a trumpet breaks though the morning calm. When he isn't immediately swarmed with armfuls of soulmates like he'd expected, he drops his things at the front door and takes a look around.
There's no one in the living room nor the kitchen, which is strange for a Sunday at 3pm. He pouts thinking they'd gone out when they knew he'd be coming back. Taehyung yawns, tired from his travels, and pulls out his phone to call Jimin.
He hears it ring in the bedroom.
Hanging up, he calls out to his boyfriends, confused why they're home but not coming out to greet him.
"Jiminie? Jungkookie?"
The bedroom door is ajar so he walks right in. The scene he finds is… alarming to say the least. Drawers open and clothes askew. Hangers everywhere. He'd be concerned they'd been robbed if he didn't immediately see his two boyfriends snoozing in the center of what looked like a giant blanket donut on their bed.
This is… new, but not bad, he concludes. He walks up to where they're sleeping and tries to decide between jumping in to join them or waking them up first. Before he can make a decision, Jungkook twitches, sniffing the air, and pops a bleary eye open.
Taehyung coos, always soft at seeing one of his boyfriends wake up.
"Hyung?"
"Hi, puppy."
"You're back?"
"Mhm." He reaches out to run a hand through the younger's hair. His heart's so full of affection, seeing him in person for the first time in a week. "What's all this, puppy? What happened to the room," he asks softly.
Jungkook scrunches his nose like he doesn't understand. He blinks a few times and lifts his head up to scan the room, eyes widening when he sees the state it's in.
"Oh."
Taehyung laughs at him.
"We uh, made a nest. Otters– Jiminie-hyung missed you." His answer is a little muddled and doesn't make perfect sense but Taehyung can understand the gist of it.
"Just Jiminie missed me?" He teases, knowing his sweet boy is more truthful when he's half asleep.
"Nuh uh. Missed you too, I, missed you lots."
"I missed you too Jungkookie." He leans over and gives him a quick little peck. Jungkook squirms, trying to get closer to Taehyung but it's hard with him so tangled up in Jimin's sleeping form. Giving up, he reaches out a hand for Taehyungs. They're both seeking connection after a long week apart. Taehyung grasps Jungkook's hand with both his immediately, his big warm hands securely holding onto the other. Smiles big, they look at their still dozing partner.
"Did you guys stay up all night or something? It's only 3," Taehyung whispers.
"It's the nest, hyung. All the scents or something. You gotta get in. Best sleep you'll ever get."
"Let me say hi to Jiminie first." He leans over the nest wall and gives Jimin a series of obnoxious and loud kisses down the side of his face and neck. The boy stirs which encourages Taehyung to do it again and again until his eyes are open and staring at Taehyung in wonder.
"Taetae–"
Taehyung interrupts him with a real kiss, full of affection from a week's worth of loving with no outlet to go.
"Wanna kiss too," Jungkook whines closeby.
They break off with a laugh, both moving in to shower their puppy with love. Jimin lets Taehyung kiss Jungkook first before kissing him himself. They're happy, so so glad to be reunited.
"Taetae, come into the nest," Jimin says. He wants him closer, needs him to be close enough to scent and feel his heartbeat. He wants him in his space for family only, for love only.
"Coming, coming."
They wrestle him between them, cling to him from both sides, scenting and kissing him everywhere they can reach.
Jimin asks him how his flight was and Taehyung asks them about what else they got up to doing other than wrecking the room and nest-making. They talk and laugh as Taehyung's tree-bark scent mixes in with the other two, making the air headier and their heads heavier.
The air conditioner rumbles to life as Taehyung and Jungkook are talking about photography techniques. Finally, finally, the noise level is back to where he's used to. Well, not qui– Suddenly, the neighbor's baby cries out. Jimin tries to suppress his laugh and the other two turn to him.
"What's so funny, Chim?"
"Nothing," he laughs fully. "It's just good to have you back."
The other two sleepily squabble back and forth for a bit and Jimin is content to just listen for a while. All he can hear in between their words is love. All he can smell all around them is love . All he can feel wrapped up in his baby bear and his sweet, caring, puppy is love. He falls asleep for the second time that day, perfectly content and right where he wants to be.