Taecyeon

"Taecyeon!" Gain shouted, running to him after Jun let him into the house.

Scooping the little girl into his arms, Taecyeon couldn't help but notice the sour look on Jun's face. Was that look for him because of what had happened last night or because Gain was hugging his neck and peppering his face with kisses. Taec chose to think it was the latter.

"Hope you like dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets and smiley fries, because that's what Princess Gain wanted to have for dinner."

"I'm not a prince-theth." there was no heat behind Gain's words.

"Of course you are!" Taecyeon set her back on her feet and knelt down in front of her "Thank you for inviting me over."

Gain's cheeks flushed light pink "I drawed a pitcher of us. Wanna th-ee it?"

"You bet!" Taec chanced a look up at Jun. He wasn't scowling anymore but looked world-weary. He'd guess being invited over here tonight was a concession Jun made to Gain just get through the night without a tantrum.

Gain ran to the fridge and pointed to the drawing.

From where he was kneeling on the floor, Taecyeon could clearly see Gain had drawn a picture of the three of them together. If he'd been on the outside looking in, he would have thought the stick figures were a happy family.

"Gain, why don't you wash your hands? Dinner is ready." Jun went to the cabinet and pulled out three plates. 

She opened , looking like she was about to protest, but snapped her lips closed and ran off down the hall.

"Who is that little girl and what has she done with our crabapple?" Taec flashed Jun a smile and stood up from the kitchen floor.

"She's been like this since I picked her up from Hwang Narsha's house. Usually she's crabbier than ever when she has to leave Narsha and Jay, but today she actually seemed happy to be going home with me.

Taec could see the raw pain on his ex's face "It's a step in the right direction."

"Yeah, because of you." Jun's lips curled up into a sneer on the last word.

"If Gain got a cut on the playground and you needed to take her to the ER for stitches, would you be upset that you couldn't stitch her up yourself?"

Jun shot Taecyeon a confused look "Of course not. What's your point?"

"Who cares if I'm the reason Gain's taking positive steps. She's moving forward and her relationship with you is getting better. That's what's important here."

Jun seemed to be considering Taecyeon's words. 

"Look." Taec took a few steps closer to Jun "I know you want to be all things to her and in the course of time you will be. For now though, let's just celebrate her small victories. What do you say?"

Jun sighed "I know you're right, here..." Jun tapped his index finger against the side of his head "...but my heart breaks a little more every time she runs to someone else."

"I get that, Jun. I really do." taking another step forward, Taec rested a hand on Jun's shoulder. He could feel that instant zing of attraction race through his body like wildfire, but now wasn't the time to focus on what touching his ex did to him "Let's just have a good night with Gain. We can talk more about this once she's in bed. Okay?"

Jun looked up at Taec with misty eyes "Okay."

Minjun

Minjun had felt like an outsider looking in during dinner. Taec told funny stories about Gain when she was little. Gain ate all of her dinner without having to be prodded repeatedly to eat. She laughed like a loon at Taecyeon's stories, while Jun sat like a bump on a log, forcing himself to eat.

Bedtime had gone equally well with Taec making sure Gain washed her face and brushed her teeth. She'd even run back out to the living room where Jun had been hiding out to give him a kiss goodnight. 

In the three months Gain had been living with him, that was the first time Gain had kissed him. Sour acid roiled in his gut when he realized the only reason Gain had done that was because Taecyeon The Magnificent had asked her to.

"Believe it or not, Gainoo is asleep." Taecyeon had changed out of the dress pants and shirt he'd been wearing when he'd come over and was now wearing a faded UMass tee and grey sweats that had also seen better days.

"Christ, Taec, are those the ratty house sweats you used wear when you lived here?" Jun cringed at his own words. God, he sounded like a total .

"Yup!" Taecyeon grinned and headed toward the kitchen.

Jun heard glass bottles clink together and wasn't surprised a moment later when Taec came back into the living room carrying two brown bottles of Gangseo.

"To progress!" Taec clinked the neck of his bottle against Jun's and took a seat on the sofa, opposite from Jun's recliner.

Jun sighed, shaking his head "I know I'm acting like a total douche."

"I can't argue with the obvious." Taec said, sounding solemn "Why?" 

"What if I'm the problem here and not Gain?" Jun had been unable to shake that suspicion for weeks now.

Taec took a sip from his bottle, seeming to be thinking about Jun's question "Why would you think that?"

Jun's left eyebrow shot up to meet his hairline, but for once, he didn't think Taecyeon was being sarcastic "Here I was, just living my life and in the span of a few months, I lost my big sister and became an instant parent. What if Gain is just picking up some vibe from me and that's why she's acting out?"

"You were both plucked out of your ordinary lives and dropped into this new life together. It's up to both of you to adjust to that and find some peace. You're the one who seems to think that you're responsible for Gain's struggles. It doesn't seem right that you believe you have to deal with your own struggles and solve all of her problems too."

"But I'm her father! It's my job to solve her problems." Jun yelled, louder than he'd intended.

"HA! Now we're getting somewhere!" Taec crowed triumphantly, pointing the neck of his bottle at Jun.

"You're not making any sense." Jun had a feeling he knew where Taec was heading with his line of thought, but wanted to hear it play out. 

"You just admitted you're her father." Taec sat forward on the edge of the sofa, his elbows balancing on his knees "That's a pretty big step, if you ask me."

Jun most certainly had not asked Taecyeon, but he had a point anyway.

"You need to engage here, Jun."

"Are you kidding me? I'm on the ing front lines."

Taec nodded "That's right, you are, but you need to lighten up."

It wasn't very grown up of him, but Jun scowled at Taec.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. Gain was in the best mood she's been in since Miryo passed and you spent the entire night being a sour puss because it wasn't you lighting up her life. Who cares who makes her smile or laugh, Jun! She's smiling and laughing. That's what's important here."

"Yeah, well, how would you feel if you were in my shoes?" Jun crossed his arms over his chest, settling back further into his navy blue recliner.

"I'd feel like ."

Jun barked out a rough laugh. 

"It's true. What's happened over the last few months is beyond tragic, but you need to get your head out of your and into the game. I'm not saying this to be a . I'm saying it because I care about you." Taecyeon looked up at Jun, who looked like he was barely breathing "And Gain." he amended.

Jun sighed and stood up, draining the bottle of  Gangseo "Only God knows why you do. I've been nothing but a jackass to you since that night two years ago."

"True." Taec agreed with a cheeky smile "We can't change the past. All we can do is keep on swimming."

"Get that from Finding Nemo, did you?" Jun couldn't help laughing.

"Yes, I did." Taec stood up and stalked toward Jun "Why don't you go take a hot shower? I'll make some popcorn and we can watch a movie or something."

Jun nodded, passing his empty bottle to Taecyeon "Thanks. I really mean it, Taec. Um, about last night?"

"We don't have to talk about that."

Sighing, Jun headed off toward the bathroom. Thanks to Taecyeon, he had a lot to think about, not the least of which was how to get his ex to open up about the amazing they'd had the night before.