Work Text:
The house was less chaotic than usual, everyone too tired that morning. Maybe trying to binge watch the Twilight movies while drunk the previous night was a terrible idea, but it's what Lee Jihye wanted for her 18th birthday.
Yoo Joonghyuk tried his best to cook a big breakfast for everyone, just so they'd seem stable enough and not have to explain to the kids why they looked like they've been through an apocalypse. Speaking of which, the man could barely focus as the kids voices filled the air. Lee Gilyoung was sat at the table, using Kim Dokja's phone to film a time lapse of his pet caterpillar eating an apple. He intently watched, encouraging the creature with every bite it took. Shin Yoosung was on the floor with their baby sister Biyoo, colouring in a picture book and talking loudly to the baby. She didn't like working at tables, so Yoo Joonghyuk had to make sure he didn't trip over the small girls each time he moved around the kitchen. Yoo Mia was pretending to cook like her brother, stirring some rocks and flower petals in a large bowl he initially needed, promising she'd clean it later.
The others began entering the large kitchen, Han Sooyoung immediately slumping onto the table. When Yoo Joonghyuk plated her food, she proposed to him.
"You're already taken," he grumbled.
"And if I wasn't?"
He ignored her, continuing to plate for everyone else. Yoo Sangah joined next, and thanked him like a normal person for cooking breakfast. Soon the table was filled and all the adults ate silently while the kids loudly and excitedly talked about their very important plans for the day. Yoo Joonghyuk stared at the empty chair across him.
"Where's Kim Dokja?' He muttered, wondering why no one else brought up the man's absence.
He saw everyone's knowing smirks. Dammit, they definitely noticed the reader was missing but waited for him to be the one to bring it up.
"Someone's worried~" Han Sooyoung teased.
He glared at her but she wasn't wrong. The man didn't get drunk the previous night like the rest. He wondered if something happened that made him upset? He couldn't remember much... except for Han Sooyoung and Kim Dokja arguing about the movie. He usually wasn't late for breakfast, the only time would when he was too upset to get out of bed, which did worry him, it worried everyone.
"I'll go check on him," Yoo Sangah kindly offered and got up. She returned a few moments later with a smile. "He's doing the laundry. How sweet of him."
"This early?" Lee Jihye questioned. "Well, he better hurry up. I need my sweater back, it's freezing today." She shivered.
"I want to help," Lee Gilyoung piped up, and tried to finish his toast quickly.
Shin Yoosung, like always, saw that as a challenge and also tried to finish her breakfast to get to Kim Dokja first. Yoo Sangah tried to get the two to slow down, reminding them to drink water, much like the previous night where she reminded her friends to drink water after getting so drunk. It was then the woman had an epiphany. Her adult friends were exactly like the children when they got rowdy.
"What're you smiling about?" Lee Jihye questioned, stealing Yoo Joonghyuk's coffee.
Embarrassed, she shook her head and stopped smiling.
Once everyone had finished eating and cleaned up the table, they went about their individual mornings. Han Sooyoung helped Yoo Sangah with some gardening, keeping an eye on Biyoo as they did, who played with the autumn leaves. The other kids played games together and Yoo Joonghyuk was getting ready to leave the house with Lee Jihye to practice sports with her. He took his time, as he couldn't find his coat.
"Sooyoung," he called out from the garden window, "Give me my coat back."
The woman scoffed. "I don't have it! I'm pranking Seolhwa this week, not you."
"You have a schedule?" Yoo Sangah questioned.
"Yes but don't worry you're not on the list."
Yoo Joonghyuk rolled his eyes and walked around the house, wondering if he dropped it somewhere.
"Gilyoung stop you're messing up all my stuff!" He heard Shin Yoosung's voice as he walked past the kid's bedroom.
"I'm looking for my cap!"
"Why would it be in my draws?! Stop it!" She pulled him away from her side of the room.
"Gilyoung did you see my hair ties?" Yoo Mia asked from the bed.
She had a frustrated look on her face as she held onto her long hair with her hands, hating when it wasn't tied up. She blew a strand that lingered in front of her eyes, getting increasingly annoyed. Yoo Joonghyuk walked in the room, tying the girl's hair up with a strand of ribbon.
"Thank you oppa!" She beamed.
"Why are you wearing short sleeves?" He frowned, knowing she was going to freeze later.
"I can't find any of my cardigans!"
"I think we got robbed," Shin Yoosung whispered.
"Why would they only steal our clothes? They'd steal something valuable, like my spider," Lee Gilyoung insisted.
"Who would steal a spider?" The girl gagged. "But they did steal my favourite pillow. Whoever did it, I'll beat them up."
"They probably got lost in the wash." Yoo Joonghyuk sighed, trying to calm the kids down.
"Why would my hair tie be in the wash?!"
"Why would my cap be in the wash?!"
"Why would my pillow be in the wash?!"
"Because you're all slimy kids who need to clean your things more." Han Sooyoung teased, leaning on the doorframe. "Did you find coat? I thought I might've accidentally stole it-"
"Accidentally?" He looked at her, unimpressed.
"-so I looked through my room and realised my scarf is gone. It was there this morning," she narrowed her eyes.
He glared. "I didn't take it."
"You're the most vengeful here, Yoo Joonghyuk." She pointed her finger at him accusingly.
"While we're talking about this..." Yoo Sangah's small voice said as she appeared behind her girlfriend, holding Biyoo in her arms, "I can't find my sun hat... I don't need it for the weather but it's my favourite..."
"I'm going to beat up whoever stole it," Han Sooyoung muttered.
"Baa." Biyoo piped up which meant, "I want my blanky back."
Lee Seolhwa yawned when she walked past the room. "While we're discussing this, I lost some old textbooks I don't use anymore."
"Textbooks...?"
Everyone thought the same thing. Sure clothes were odd to steal, but textbooks too? Who would...
Han Sooyoung gasped.
"A broke college student broke in!"
Lee Seolhwa had a small smile. "Close."
The writer looked at her confused. "What? You know where our stuff went? Wait- did you-"
She shook her head with a chuckle. "No, but I have an idea where they went. Have you noticed there's only one person who hasn't complained about missing any clothes? The same person who happened to have done the laundry?"
Realisation dawned on everyone. Han Sooyoung clenched her fist and muttered curses under her breath as she stormed down the halls. The kids followed in worry, yelling at her to not beat up Kim Dokja. Yoo Joonghyuk looked dazed as he stood in the now empty room.
Does that mean that Kim Dokja stole his coat...?
He shook his head and followed the others. Lee Jihye was also there, wondering what the commotion was about. Han Sooyoung banged on the bedroom door.
"Open up you bastard!"
"Darling maybe he's busy-"
She kicked down the door. Everyone peered into the dark room with wide eyes.
There was a pile on the bed, a lump of clothes. A few sweaters made up the base, Lee Jihye recognising her one immediately, but she didn't rush in to take it just yet. Lee Gilyoung spotted his cap resting on top of Shin Yoosung's pillow, where Yoo Mia's hair ties and cardigans also lay. Biyoo's baby blanket was folded up neatly on top of Lee Seolhwa's textbooks, and lying next to Yoo Sangah's sun hat, which had Han Sooyung's scarf on top of it.
In the centre of the pile was a sleeping Kim Dokja, using Yoo Joonghyuk's coat as a blanket.
The man went a crimson red at the sight.
He quickly closed the door, pushing everyone down the hallway before they could make any comments at all.
"Wait I want my scarf back-"
"Get a new one," he grumbled.
"I don't mind hyung keeping my clothes if it makes him happy."
"I don't either!" Shin Yoosung smiled.
"Why... is he doing this?" Lee Jihye murmured, confused at the behaviour.
"Why does that idiot do anything?" Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes.
Yoo Sangah coughed at her girlfriend's rudeness. "Maybe he was feeling cold?"
"And that made him steal a bunch of clothes instead of a blanket? He stole a goddamn textbook over a blanket?!"
Lee Seolhwa chuckled under her breath, and decided to spread her knowledge to her idiot friends. "I don't think it was because of warmth. I think he needed... to feel safe. And usually people feel safe surrounded by things that bring them comfort. I think he had a bad morning but instead of asking us for comfort, he took things he associates us with."
The group fell silent.
"Noooo ahjussi is sad!" Shin Yoosung whined, her only takeaway from the doctor's analysis.
She attempted to rush down the hall but was stopped when Yoo Sangah grabbed her. "We should let him rest for now. You can give him all the cuddles you want when he's awake."
The girl nodded sadly, still on the verge of tears.
"This man would commit felony over talking about his feelings," Han Sooyoung groaned, her face creased with worry.
"I wonder what made him sad? He seemed fine yesterday."
"Jihye, you were almost blackout drunk."
"He was talking a lot! He talks when he's happy!"
"And when he's sad."
"And when he's anxious."
"And when he's covering up his sadness."
"And when-"
"Ok ok I get it! He's hard to read."
As the group bickered in the hall, Kim Dokja shuffled awake. He smiled, enjoying the comforting sound of his closest friend's voices. He wished he had the energy to join the conversation but couldn't get himself to leave the bed, especially not after he made it so comfortable and warm. He curled up in a ball, snuggling against the pile of his favourite things from his favourite people.
He closed his eyes again, the voices drifting away.
When his eyes opened, he was so much warmer, and felt something heavy surrounding him. Did his pillow fort double in size? He looked around then smiled. All the kids were in a sleeping pile around him, Shin Yoosung tightly cuddling him and Lee Gilyoung leaning against him. His baby lay in front of him, softly biting his hand. He smiled, adjusting his position to cuddle his kids.
Then he heard shuffling. He looked up and Yoo Joonghyuk was sat next to his bed wearing... his jacket?
Kim Dokja went red.
"What... why're you wearing my-"
"Because you took mine."
His blush deepened. "I-if you want it back then-"
"No." He stopped him, placing the coat over him again. "You can have it until you're feeling better."
"But I'm fine."
He didn't look convinced. Kim Dokja chuckled nervously.
"I just had the urge for felony, that's all."
"And you didn't take anything valuable?"
"These are so valuable!" He argued, offended. Then went embarrassed again when he realised what he just said.
Groaning, he buried his face against the mattress. One by one, the kids shuffled awake.
"Did you make ahjussi sad? That's the opposite of what you were supposed to do!" Shin Yoosung complained, hitting his shoulder.
"I knew we should've chose noona instead," Lee Gilyoung glared at him.
"Chosen? For what?" Kim Dokja asked curiously.
"To cuddle you until you feel better!" Shin Yoosung said like it was obvious.
His eyes widened. "W-what?!"
Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed both the kids and kicked them out the room. They screamed and scratched against the door, until someone, supposedly Yoo Sangah, took them away. He sighed and walked back to the bed, where Biyoo was mindlessly chewing on Yoo Joonghyuk's coat. He sighed at the drool staining it.
"Hey, she's choosing you as her own," Kim Dokja said to cheer him up.
"I'm washing it."
"You'll hurt her feelings."
"I don't think she'll care."
He sat on the bed. The baby babbled and crawled over the taller, grabbing the sleeve of Kim Dokja's coat and biting it.
"No Biyoo!" He grabbed her quickly.
Yoo Joonghyuk gave him a disappointed look.
"I'm a hypocrite." He shrugged.
Unexpectedly, Yoo Joonghyuk let out a short laugh. Biyoo giggled with him, then coughed. Kim Dokja pat her back which was a mistake, and she puked on the bed.
"BIYOO!"
5 frantic minutes of cleaning and changing the sheets later, the baby was giggling and handed to Lee Seolhwa who agreed to give her a bath. Kim Dokja panicked as he tried to make sure she didn't ruin any of his friend's things, otherwise they'd murder him. He was relieved but also upset his fort had been dismantled from what happened.
Yoo Joonghyuk saw his frown and wordlessly picked up the possessions on the floor, attempting to make the fort again. Kim Dokja blushed at the gesture, but stopped him, taking away a pillow and giving him some clothes.
"The pile of clothes goes first, then I cover it with pillows... I mean we don't need the pillows but it's nicer when no one can see me..." He coughed.
"There's no one else here but us."
He went red again, then nodded at the logic. They continued making the pillow fort. Yoo Joonghyuk watched what items he grabbed, wondering if he ordered them by how close he was with everyone or by how warm each item would keep him. Once the fort was done, Kim Dokja stood next to the taller and looked at it with a smile. The only thing left was Yoo Joonghyuk's coat, but the taller stopped him.
"Why do you need that as a blanket? I'm right here."
"...O-oh..." he went silent, not expecting that.
Yoo Joonghyuk took off the white coat he was wearing, placing it on top of his coat on the pile. Then, he grabbed Kim Dokja and brought him down to the bed, cuddling him tightly. The shorter's heart was pounding. He shyly held onto Yoo Joonghyuk, burying his face in his chest. The taller ran his hands through his hair.
"Why weren't you there for breakfast?"
"Mmm I was sad."
"Why? Did I say something last night?"
Kim Dokja chuckled, shaking his head. "You blame yourself too much. I just wake up sad sometimes."
"...You know allowed to tell us you want someone with you."
"It's embarrassing..."
"Its not. You wouldn't hesitate to comfort anyone else."
"You would though." He teased.
"Not to you."
"..."
Kim Dokja shuffled.
"How long will we stay like this?"
"As long as you want," Yoo Joonghyuk responded without hesitation.
He held onto him tighter. The bed felt so much warmer now.
While everyone loved their dear reader, eventually they did need their things back. They could tell how upset he was returning them, even if he tried to pretend he wasn't. So, the group came up with a plan.
Kim Dokja returned home from work, exhausted. It was late, and everyone was asleep. He entered his room, preparing to collapse on his messy bed but instead was met with the sight of a comfortable fort, a pile of his friend's possessions on it, different from the last but still just as loved by each of them. He smiled, recognising how similar it looked to his forts.
Yoo Joonghyuk must've guided the others on how to make them...
After changing and getting ready for the night, he let a content sigh when he went into his bed, soaking in all the warmth surrounding him. It felt like he was being hugged by everyone. He was sure he'd wake up happy the next morning.