"Quick, Pina Colada or Cinnamon Toast Crunch?” Jin questions desperately, phone tucked between his ear and his shoulder. Taehyung’s sitting in the cart, quietly talking to what Jin hopes is his son’s imaginary friend, who kicked Jesus and killed her lesbian lover.

“Uhm, those are two very different things,” Hoseok’s confused response brings Jin back to the issue at hand.

In hindsight, Jin thinks maybe he should have clarified his intentions to Hoseok, but he’s in a supermarket with his five-year-old son who has touched every item on the shelf within his reach from his position in the cart, knocking several over and reprimanding Jin when he curses. “Bad words are bad, Appa.” There are days when Jin has to bite his tongue, so he doesn’t say what he’s thinking, days such as this, when he’d honestly like to say, “Well, if you’d stop knocking things off the shelf, you little er, Daddy wouldn’t have to curse.”

“Taehyung! Hand back in the cart, mister,” Jin yells into the phone, quickly leaning forward to grab his son’s tiny hand, saving a bottle of vinegar from certain death and Jin from certain embarrassment. “You are both correct and incorrect,” he explains to Hoseok. He can hear the man chuckling on the other end of the phone.

“I get the correct, but the being wrong, not so much. I mean, one is cereal, and the other is a fruity drink so deceptively sweet you forget it has alcohol and you drink more than you should, causing bad things to happen at your uptight parents' fifteenth-anniversary party.”

“Normally, I would ask for more details. However, I’m stuck in a supermarket with my son who keeps knocking things off the shelf, trying to figure out if Namjoon is more Pina Colada or Cinnamon Toast Crunch when it comes to fun adult drinks. So, help a friend out, would you, and just choose one,” Jin redirects the conversation.

“Why are you buying fun adult drinks, exactly?”

“I didn’t tell you?” Jin pushes the cart toward the liquor aisle, Taehyung’s humming and swinging his feet happily in front of him, and he finds the child’s action calming. “I’m taking Taehyung for a playdate-”

“Yay! Playdate,” Taehyung yells excitedly, cutting Jin off.

“Playdate, huh? AKA, your chance to get close to Namjoon.” Hoseok’s teasing him, of course, but they both are aware there is a great deal of truth in his statement.

“Look, this is not an analyze-Jin’s-motives moment, this is a help-your-best-friend-find-the-right-nightcap-for-the-evening, code red situation.”

“Code red?” Jin can almost see Hoseok’s raised eyebrows on the other end of the line. “That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?

“He asked me, Hobi. Namjoon took the time to find my number and call me. Then he said he wanted my opinion. My opinion. If not for the fact that Taehyung knocked a ten pack of canned tuna on my big toe, which hurt like hell, I wouldn’t believe any of this was true. I'd still think I’m dreaming.” Jin’s rambling like a lovesick fool, and he knows it, owns it even. But Kim Namjoon, the most angelic being he’s ever met, second only to his dearly departed wife, asked him to over, and Jin does not intend to waste the opportunity.

“I get it, hyung, I get it.” Hoseok’s tone is sincere. “I say the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Namjoon eats like a kid. Yoongi told me this, and if anyone knows Namjoon, it’s Min Yoongi.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Jin breathes the words out in a sigh of relief.

“Hyung, relax. Namjoon called you, reached out to you. Don’t worry. He wants to see you. You don’t need to impress him, just be yourself,” Hoseok encourages him.

“I know, I know, it’s just, just—I don’t want to screw it up, you know?” he confides in Hoseok. “This is the first time... the first time he’s ever reached out like this, and, and, and-” There’s nothing to add, and yet so much to say.

“Appa,” Taehyung’s voice pulls Jin from his thoughts. “I love you.” Taehyung reaches out for a hug and all of Jin’s fear melts.

It’s a parent-moment, a bookmark, a snapshot in time that will forever be a memorial in Jin’s heart.

“Appa loves you too, Tae,” he tells the little boy, kissing his son on the top of his head. He’s rewarded with bubble-like giggles that fill him with joy.

“I bet you feel a hundred times better,” Hoseok says in his ear, and Jin starts, having forgotten his friend was on the line.

“I do. I swear children are magical beings. Thanks, Hobs, for talking me through.”

“Anything, hyung. Have fun tonight. Tell Namjoon hi for me.”

“Will do,” Jin assures him as they disconnect the call.

“Appa, look cake. Jungkook likes cake,” Taehyung advises, and Jin can’t help his laugh. “I bet he does. How about fruits instead?” he counters.

“But froots aren’t special,” Taehyung informs Jin as a slight pout stretches across the little boy’s lips.

“And cake is special?”

“Mmm,” Taehyung hums with a determined nod.

Jin pushes the cart down the aisle, stopping at intervals to acquire ingredients for both his drink and the meal, as he and his five-year-old have a conversation about 'what makes cakes more specialer then froots'.

“We have cake at special occasumoms, like, like, like a birthday party, or when you get to move from grade zero to grade one like Bambam. His omma bought him a cake with a dinosaur and, and, and, and it had a castle on it!”

Jin chuckles as Taehyung continues talking about Bambam losing all track of his argument. He decides to buy a cake anyway, and, at Taehyung’s very adamant request, balloons as well, because, “balloons and cakes are bestests friends, Appa.”

With drink and food ingredients obtained, Jin leaves the grocery store with his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He’s been to Namjoon’s house many times since first encountering the blond in the emergency room. Something about this visit feels different, perhaps it’s because Namjoon made the first move or maybe it’s that Jin has expectations that he can’t shake. Whatever the reason, his heart feels like a mariachi band at a wedding, and he has no control over tempo or beat. After strapping Taehyung, who is still talking about cakes, balloons, and dinosaurs, into his booster seat, Jin climbs into the driver’s seat, takes a deep breath, and starts his engine.

This time, it feels very different.

 *****

“Guess what, Sushi?” Jimin’s sitting on the floor by Hoseok’s feet, talking to the cat, who seems to have gotten over the off with their heads reign of terror. The white and gray ragamuffin is purring softly as Jimin pets her fur. “Uncle Yoongi is coming over. Don’t be too scared, okay, Sushi? Uncle Yoongi only looks mean. But he’s super duper nice, and, and, and he likes to play games, and Kookie says he’s the nicestest uncle in the whole wide world.” Jimin turns to Hoseok with wide eyes. “Why’s uncle Yoongi coming again, Appa? Sushi wants to know.”

Hoseok’s pretty confident that Sushi doesn’t care who comes over or why as long as they pet her fur and rub her tummy.

“Uncle Yoongi and Appa are going to be discussing business, bud,” he informs his curious child.

“Ahh, right. Appa and Uncle Yoongi are going to be disgusting busyniss," Jimin excitedly informs the now sleeping feline, and Hoseok erupts with laughter at the child’s words.

An hour and a half later when the doorbell dings, Hoseok expects it, but still, his heart picks up its pace, and there is a nervous excitement building in his gut.

“Uncle Yoongi, Uncle Yoongi is here!” Jimin comes barrelling around the corner, almost slipping when his socked feet skid across the wood floors.

Hoseok wonders when Yoongi’s presence became this important to his kid. Jimin, at five, is easily excited when it comes to going to the park, eating ice cream, or seeing puppies, but humans... Humans the little boy is somewhat skittish around, preferring to hide behind his father's back, checking out the situation and deciding if interaction is safe before participating. Jimin takes a while to warm up to strangers, but once he does, he’s yours for life. Namjoon and Jin are the exception, which makes sense given that Namjoon’s Jungkook’s dad and Seokjin’s Taehyung’s father. Yoongi’s acceptance is a mystery, one that Hoseok’s not sure he wants to solve.

A tug to his t-shirt has Hoseok looking down. Wide, curious brown eyes are looking back at him.

“Appa, the door,” Jimin instructs, pointing to the cedar door with the red-gold tint.

“Right, right, sorry buddy. Appa was thinking about something.” Hoseok takes a deep breath as he puts his hand on the handle and exhales just before he swings it open.  “Hey, hyung.”

Hoseok’s voice cracks.

Two things happen when Hoseok opens the door. Two things that he would never have expected, the first of which has him wondering if what he’s feeling for Yoongi is more than hero worship and the second of which leaves him utterly speechless.

Yoongi looks otherworldly, blindingly so if Hoseok’s honest. The visual shock has him questioning everything he’s ever thought about the older man. The butterflies in his stomach have quadrupled, and his brain is scrambled by what his eyes are beholding. Yoongi standing in front of him in ripped skinny jeans, a white t-shirt with a low plunging neckline, and a backward baseball cap is the first of two things that happens when Hoseok opens his door.

“Uncle Yoongi!” Jimin cheers before launching himself into the man’s arms and engulfing him in a tight hug, the kind of embrace that the youngster only bestows on the people he loves and adores the most.

Jimin’s unguarded adoration for Yoongi is the second thing that happens when Hoseok opens the door. The sight of his little boy’s head buried in the crook of Yoongi’s neck, nodding and chuckling as he answers Yoongi’s question about being a good boy, is the thing that leaves him utterly speechless.

“Hey,” Yoongi says, cheeks tinted slightly pink, possibly from Jimin’s weight in his arms. “I brought Chinese.” It’s then that Hoseok notices the bag dangling from Yoongi’s wrist.

“Oh my, I’m so sorry,” Hoseok apologizing as he tries to remove Jimin from Yoongi’s arm.

“No, he’s fine,” Yoongi assures him as he waves Hoseok off just before stepping into the foyer and kicking off his shoes. “He’s not heavy, are you Minnie Mouse?”

“Minnie’s not a mouse, Uncle Yoongi. I’m a big boy, now. Right, Appa?” Jimin questions with a giggle.

The moment is overwhelming. Hoseok’s not sure how to react or what to do. It’s like being on a first date with someone you’re attracted to, but you can’t enjoy your time because you’re too busy wondering where to put your hands when you dance. This dance between him, Yoongi, and Jimin has Hoseok equal parts confused and excited.

“That’s right, buddy,” Hoseok manages to get out a logical answer, and he’s proud of the accomplishment. “Yo-you look very relaxed, hyung?” It comes out like a question, and Hoseok swears he sees a smirk cross Yoongi’s lips.

“I own more than just suits, Hoseok,” Yoongi responds matter-of-factly. Hoseok can’t help but smile at the absurdity of the conversation.

Of course, Yoongi owns clothing outside of business wear, he’s human after all, but for reasons that Hoseok does not understand, the thought never crossed his mind. The idea of Yoongi, Min Yoongi, the grumpy cat-like manager to Namjoon and fake boyfriend to himself, standing in front of him in ripped skinny jeans, looking like a teen heartthrob, is illogical.

“Yes, I see that. I guess, since most of our meetups are during business hours it just never occurred to me, that, that, uhm, you’d ever dress like this.” Hoseok stumbles over his words.

“In casual wear?” Yoongi seems truly confused, as he walks past Hoseok with Jimin still in his arm, and lays the plastic bag on the counter.

“No, I m