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Chapter Text

Their new house on Honsool Road smells like fresh paint. The scent of it fills Jeongguk’s nose and overwhelms his senses before he even steps in the door, a cardboard box full of his and Taehyung’s things secure against his body, cupped by both hands on its undersides.

Ahead of him, his husband and mate of five years props the wooden door open with a piece of the loose rock that lines the house. Taehyung brushes his hands off after, smiling at Jeongguk as he heads over to take the box from his hands. “Here, let me.”

“I can handle a single box, Tae,” Jeongguk protests, readjusting his grip on it as Taehyung reaches to take it from him. “I’m only three months along.”

His alpha sighs as he lets him pass, Jeongguk snickering as he watches him make his way toward their U-Haul. In some ways, Taehyung is very much a typical alpha, wanting to care for him at all times and make sure nothing bad happens to him—he once growled when Jeongguk got a paper cut.

Jeongguk on the other hand is anything but the typical omega. He isn’t subservient or submissive or docile—he gives as good as he gets.

And luckily, Taehyung loves him for it.

Breathing deeply, Jeongguk relishes his last breath of fresh air before he steps into his new home—their new home. His first trimester has mostly passed with ease, but sometimes, certain smells can set him off. The water only got turned on yesterday at their new place—he doesn’t want to find out whether or not the toilet works by throwing up.

It would be a funny memory in their new house, at least. They’d hated to leave the apartment they’d spent their entire romance in thus far, but once Jeongguk’s pregnancy test came back positive, they both agreed they needed a bigger place. Especially if they wanted to have more kids in the future—they needed a white picket fence, plenty of bedrooms and play areas, and a backyard they could put a playground in.

Well, maybe they didn’t need all of that, but they wanted it.

“Hey, can we open some windows?” Jeongguk asks, breathing slowly as he feels the first little tendrils of nausea take over.

Taehyung’s footsteps hurry in behind him, the alpha setting his box down on the credenza attached to the nearby wall before he takes the Jeongguk is carrying out of his hands. “Of course, love, hang on.”

Jeongguk smiles as his mate walks away, resting a hand on his still flat belly as he looks up at their new home. It’s nice, all pale walls and marble tile—carpets placed at the foot of every door for them to wipe their feet off at—but it doesn’t smell as much like home as their apartment did. That place was well and truly theirs, this…

Sure, the walls have been painted over and the floor is brand new, the furniture is all theirs, and the food in the fridge belongs to them, but this was someone else’s house once. A long time ago.

“Here,” Taehyung says, drawing Jeongguk’s eyes away from the crystal chandelier hanging over their heads and back toward his husband.

Taehyung’s sweater paws are cradling a cup of ice water, holding it out toward Jeongguk with patience in his eyes. The omega smiles, taking it from him before the condensation can soak into his sleeves any further. “Thanks.” He sips from it gently so as not to further upset his stomach. “I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.”

“The house will smell like ours in no time,” Taehyung assures him, the two walking into their living room so the alpha can open a window. “Just think, our baby will grow up here. They won’t know any different.”

Giggling softly, Jeongguk wraps his arms around his husband’s neck, pulling him close. “Yeah, but when we tell them we bought the murder house, they might feel a little different.”

“You can’t let a little murder get in the way of a good bargain,” Taehyung protests, placing a hand on Jeongguk’s belly. “The baby likes adventure, anyway.”

Snorting his amusement, Jeongguk shakes his head, pulling his husband in for a kiss. It’s brief, but it lingers, then he pulls away, placing a hand over Taehyung’s. “Every person in a horror movie said the same thing.”

“Horror movies aren’t real.” Taehyung kisses him one more time. “Come on, let’s get unpacked. The sooner we’re done, the sooner this feels like home.”

*

Later, Jeongguk is getting ready for bed, staring at his reflection as he spits toothpaste into the sink. As he wipes his mouth, he takes in the subtle differences that have already started to sink in—his jawline is a little softer, his skin dewy, and his waist is ever so slightly thicker. It doesn’t look much different yet beneath the satin pajama top, but he feels it nonetheless.

Smiling softly at himself, he rests a hand over the tiny bump, rubbing it gently as if to soothe the baby resting there. Or maybe he does it to soothe himself. Either is possible.

This is what he and Taehyung have wanted since they got married. The house, the family, it’s all coming together. There’s plenty of room for their future children to run around, scenery for him to photograph—their gallery three miles down the road is about to be full, he hopes.

Taehyung had carried in his painting supplies earlier after dinner, the last box to enter the house. Jeongguk can already see ideas brewing in his eyes, his husband’s joy at finally settling in eclipsed only by his own.

It’s a shame he’s so tired now, the pregnancy wearing him thin most days, or he’d ask Taehyung to help him take pictures around the house. The dying sunlight would make the perfect lighting, all the fading orange and pink tones… Alas, he craves sleep more than anything—and maybe also some ice cream and kimchi, his most disgusting craving.

Returning to the bedroom, Jeongguk lets out a big yawn, stretching his arms above his head. Taehyung looks up from pulling back the bedsheets, the alpha smiling at him as he comes around the bed, wrapping his arms around Jeongguk’s waist. “Hey.” Pressing a kiss to the tip of the omega’s nose, he pulls him a little closer. “What are you thinking about?”

“How tired I am,” Jeongguk admits, hands coming up to rest on Taehyung’s shoulders, fingers playing with the hair on the nape of his neck. “I want to go to bed.”

“Are you… too tired to christen the new place?”

Eyes rolling back in his head, Jeongguk leans forward, kissing his mate softly. Their lips part and come together, the kiss lazy and sweet, and Jeongguk finds himself being pressed back into his mattress as Taehyung crawls over him. His hands fall back next to his head, the alpha’s fingers curling between his as he presses him into the bedsheets.

Taehyung’s teeth tug at his lower lip, Jeongguk laughing against him as he winds a leg around his lover’s. “Mm, what’s gotten into you?”

The alpha shrugs. “We just got settled in, we’re alone, we’ve only got so much time before the baby comes… I don’t plan on wasting it.”

Jeongguk hums, then he leans forward, kissing his husband again. “Then I guess I’m not that tired.”

Laughter falls from Taehyung’s lips, his hands reaching for the buttons on Jeongguk’s shirt before undoing them all in a row. His fingers brush gently against the heat of the omega’s skin, hesitating slightly over his belly as he brushes the fabric aside. He stares at him for a moment, almost reverently, like he can’t believe Jeongguk is real.

It makes Jeongguk feel loved.

Rain begins to fall outside as Taehyung bends down to press a kiss to the column of Jeongguk’s throat, his fingers searching next for the waistband of his pants, tugging them down along with his kisses. The omega’s heart races in his chest as he watches his lover descend over his body, lips pressing over the gentle curve of his pectoral muscles, then going lower onto his belly.

Each kiss there lingers a little longer, Taehyung nuzzling into him a little as he continues tugging off his clothes. Eventually, Jeongguk just kicks off his pants, leaving himself exposed to his husband, Taehyung’s eager hands wandering over his thighs, but not touching him where he desperately needs to be touched.

Panting slightly, Jeongguk turns his head into the mattress as Taehyung’s fingers begin to gently stroke his cock. The wet sound of his kisses blends into the soft rainfall outside, his eyes closing as he listens to the chorus. “Jeongguk,” Taehyung whispers, drawing his attention, and the omega opens his eyes just in time to see his mate’s lips wrap around his cock.

The pleasure is immediate, air hissing through Jeongguk’s teeth as Taehyung tongues at his tip. “Fuck, Tae…” It feels good—incredible even, but it isn’t quite what Jeongguk needs. He needs Taehyung inside him, around him—not this teasing.

His cock disappears inside Taehyung’s mouth, all war and wet, and— “Mmm…” Taehyung hums around his cock, Jeongguk fighting the urge to buck his hips into his lover’s mouth just as the alpha releases him.

There’s a slow forming pool of slick beneath him, and no towel to collect it. Fuck, they’re gonna have to replace their bedsheets on night one. Damn Kim Taehyung and his stupid fucking mouth.

A filthy line of drool follows Taehyung’s lip to Jeongguk’s cock, the alpha licking at his slit one last time. It makes his eyes roll back in his head, but he manages to pull himself together enough to grab hold of the alpha’s hair, tugging him back to his mouth. “Stop teasing me,” he begs, reaching for the hem of Taehyung’s t-shirt with his free hand.

The bastard laughs at him, leaning back to pull his shirt over his head as the lights flicker around them. It’s only for a second, but Jeongguk turns away from Taehyung, staring at the floor lamp they’d left on. The flickering stops, Jeongguk’s brow furrowing as he feels his alpha settle over him.

“Gguk?” Taehyung whispers, drawing the omega’s attention.

“Hmm?”

“Are you all right?”

Jeongguk nods. “Fine, I just… the lamp flickered.”

Just then, thunder rolls overhead, Taehyung’s eyes drawn to the ceiling. “Must be the storm,” he assures him. “We’re safe in here.”

Smiling, Jeongguk pulls his husband in for another kiss. Taehyung’s tongue sweeps over the edge of his lips, seeking access the omega gladly gives. The hand in Taehyung’s hair grips a little tighter, then he releases it, allowing his palm to slip down to caress his mate’s jaw.

Another rumble of thunder, and the house creaks slightly as Taehyung slips a hand between his thighs, fingers brushing over the slick coating his entrance. The pitchy gasp Jeongguk gives against his mouth almost conceals the much closer, much quieter groan of the wood outside their bedroom—a sound much more like a footstep than anything.

Ignore it, he thinks to himself. There is no one else in the house, they’ve installed a ring system and everything to prevent anyone from getting in without their knowledge. It’s just noise from the storm.

Taehyung’s finger presses gently inside him, and he forgets any worries he may have had. Arms looping around the alpha’s neck, Jeongguk gasps as that finger begins to stroke his inner walls, slick leaking from his entrance as he whimpers against Tae’s lips.

But Taehyung is fucking smiling as he presses a second finger in him, pumping them both in and out at a casual pace, like he could do it all day while Jeongguk writhes on the bed beneath him. “Fuck,” Jeongguk breathes, burying his face in Taehyung’s neck as his cock becomes impossibly hard. “Tae…”

The alpha pulls his fingers out of him, looking down at his mate as he licks them clean of slick. Jeongguk shivers as he watches, more slick leaking out of him as Taehyung leans back on his knees, pulling off the cute pair of flannel pants that now definitely have a slick stain or two on them. All of his blood rushes south at the sight of Taehyung’s cock—already hard and glistening with a drop of pre-come.

At least now he knows Taehyung is just as affected by all of this as he is.

Once he’s kicked off his pants, Taehyung sits down on the bed next to him, pulling his mate into his lap as Jeongguk laughs gleefully. His legs wrap around Taehyung’s waist, their foreheads pressed together as he sighs with contentment. “I love you,” he whispers, nearly purring as Taehyung’s fingers stroke up and down his spine.

“Love you, too,” Taehyung replies, pulling his lover in for another kiss as he places a flat palm against Jeongguk’s belly. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Heat rises to Jeongguk’s cheeks as his husband’s thumb strokes his skin, tracing that tiny, subtle little curve. “We’re okay.”

Taehyung beams as he kisses him again, pulling Jeongguk’s hips closer over his own, the omega hissing slightly as he feels his mate’s cock press against his entrance. Fingers brush Jeongguk’s hair back from his forehead, tucking the strands behind his ear as he presses inside.

It’s a familiar dance, slow at first and then a hard tempo, one they’ve been doing perfectly for years. Jeongguk makes the first move, shifting gently down as he grinds against his husband, a hand wrapped around the curve of his neck. Taehyung follows him, bucking his hips up as if they aren’t close enough already, but they move together as one.

They’re better at this than they used to be. When they’d first gotten together, it had been a little awkward—though with communication and a lot of laughter, they’ve figured it out. Now they still laugh, and sometimes it’s still awkward, but it’s good, it’s comfortable, it’s fun.

One of Taehyung’s hands grips his ass, thrusting deeper as Jeongguk finds himself getting closer to the edge. As a soft moan parts his lips, Jeongguk rests his head on the alpha’s shoulder, eyes falling on the open door leading into their hallway. Light spills out over the frames hanging from their wall, pictures of their life together already lining the house.

It makes him smile, until a shadow passes over them. The shadow shouldn’t be there, but it’s unmistakable. It’s like someone just walked by in their hallway, but he could only see their shadow, not the person themselves.

“Guk?” Taehyung’s voice brings him back to the moment, his husband’s eyes full of concern. “What’s wrong?”

Jeongguk looks back at the hallway, but there’s nothing there now. Thunder rumbles overhead, lightning flashing over the hallway, and he thinks he must’ve just seen a trick of the light. Shaking his head, he kisses Taehyung, convinced he’s just nervous and this is their first night in a new house. “It’s nothing,” he whispers, kissing him again. “Come on, let’s finish christening the house.”

Chuckling quietly, Taehyung brushes his nose against Jeongguk’s. “Okay, bossy.”

“Who are you calling bos—“ He’s cut off by Taehyung capturing his lips with a kiss, his husband lowering him to the mattress.

As his head sinks into the pillows, Jeongguk loses himself to the rhythm of Taehyung thrusting inside of him, all thoughts of shadows and flashing lights forgotten. He comes soon after with a sharp cry, Taehyung coaxing him through it, both of them panting hard like they’ve just run a marathon.

But the house is thoroughly christened after that, and Jeongguk couldn’t be more excited for their future.

*

Jeongguk wakes feeling groggy the next morning, his body aching and sore. Groaning softly, he rolls over to wrap an arm around Taehyung’s waist, seeking his alpha’s touch as he always does when he feels unwell, but his hand touches only their bedsheets.

Eyes opening wide, Jeongguk props himself upon his elbow, blinking into the light as he realizes Taehyung isn’t there. He can still smell him, so he can’t have been gone long, but at some point recently, his husband has left their bedroom.

Footsteps sound outside in the hall, and Jeongguk pulls the sheets up to his chest as he looks out the door, which lies ajar. “Hello?”

A second later, Taehyung appears with a steaming mug in his hands. “Really?” One of his eyebrows lifts toward his hairline. “I’ve seen you naked before, my love.”

The tension leaves his body as Jeongguk releases the sheets, reaching out for his mate. “Sorry,” he replies. “I was feeling…”

Taehyung sets down the tea cup on the nearby nightstand. “Morning sickness?”

Reaching up to touch his forehead, Jeongguk frowns. “No, more like… I don’t know how to describe it. I just feel—“

One of Taehyung’s hands reaches for his arm, fingers wrapping around Jeongguk’s wrist as he brings it forth for inspection. “When did you do this?”

Brows furrowing, Jeongguk looks down at his wrist, confusion welling within him as he observes the deep purple bruises forming there. It looks like he took a hard punch, the marks even resembling a handprint somewhat. “What the fuck?”

“I knew you shouldn’t have been moving those boxes yesterday, I should’ve—“

Placing a palm on Taehyung’s cheek, Jeongguk shakes his head. “Hey, I don’t think this was the boxes. I must’ve done it in my sleep.” He giggles. “Or maybe we were a little too rough last night.”

Taehyung doesn’t seem to find it so funny. “If I did this…”

“I don’t think you did, Tae. It’s fine, I’m okay.” Reaching over his husband, he takes the tea in his hands, sipping at it gently. “I probably just banged my wrist at some point yesterday and didn’t notice. I’ll try to be more careful.”

“But you’re sick.”

Jeongguk shrugs. “Just a fun way to start our new life, I guess.” He takes another sip of the tea, the ache he’d woken with already diminishing by the second. “This is helping.”

One of Taehyung’s hands brushes back his hair, stroking it gently as Jeongguk continues to sip the tea. “Good,” he says, scooting a little closer to him before resting his head on the omega’s shoulder. “I worry about you.”

“Because of the baby?”

“Yeah.”

“Me too, but I think it’s less scary ‘cause I have you.”

Taehyung chuckles softly, a hand slipping down to rest on Jeongguk’s belly. “I mean, I am excited, thrilled actually, but you’re right.” He presses a tender kiss to his husband’s shoulder. “It is scary, but less scary with you.”

Jeongguk hums his assent, wrapping an arm around Taehyung’s waist. “It’ll be better here. We have a yard we can put a playground in, neighbors with kids of their own our baby can be friends with—all sorts of stuff.”

“Ooh, we should meet the neighbors.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, it’ll be good to make some friends, have people to keep us company now that we’re further away from our families.”

Jeongguk snorts. “We’re not that far.”

“Far enough.” Taehyung kisses his cheek. “Come on, let’s get dressed and explore a bit. The rain’s stopped, so I don't think we’ll get wet.”

Nodding eagerly, Jeongguk finishes his tea, setting the cup on the nightstand. “Maybe we should have a proper breakfast first.”

As if on cue, Taehyung’s stomach rumbles, both of them giggling as the alpha falls back against their bedsheets. “I think someone would agree with you.”

*

It’s still overcast when they come outside; a small mercy given Jeongguk is the type to sneeze when he comes into bright light. He and Taehyung make their way down the street, looping around the neighborhood as they take in the sights.

Their new home is rather ordinary, but it’s nice to look at and envision the future all the same.

There aren’t that many people out, though it is a week day, most of them are probably at work, Jeongguk thinks. They do find one neighbor out and about, though as they come back toward their own home, a young man about their age who is tending to some flowers surrounding his front door. A wide array of colors surround him, though some are fading with the onset of the fall season.

The man himself is rather beautiful, blonde hair falling just past his ears, some pulled back in a little sprout-like ponytail. His hands are covered in purple gardening gloves, stained with the brown of the dirt he’s packing around a pretty, soft yellow flower that matches the color of his sweater. His brows are furrowed in concentration, soft grunts leaving him as he finishes his work. Then, as if he can sense them watching, he looks up, a kind smile parting his full lips as he brushes the dirt from his hands, rising to his feet. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Jeongguk says, stepping a little closer onto the stranger’s driveway. “Nice garden.”

“Thanks.” The stranger takes off one of his gloves, offering his hand. A whiff of his scent hits Jeongguk’s senses, vanilla with some notes of plum—an omega. “I’m Jimin.”

“Jeongguk, and this is my husband, Taehyung.”

“You just moved in last night,” Jimin observes, shaking Taehyung’s hand. “You like—um, how are you liking it?”

“It smells like paint still, but it’ll do. We needed a change, so…” Taehyung gestures toward their new home, just two doors down from Jimin’s. “We came here.”

The omega’s eyes flicker briefly in the same direction, his scent spiking with a hint of something sour, but it goes away quickly. Jeongguk almost thinks he’s imagined it. “We got a good deal, given the uh…”

“The death?”

“Oh, I thought it was a murder,” Jeongguk replies, recalling the news articles he’d read on the home after their realtor had informed them of the house’s history. All five seemed to imply the home’s previous owner—a single beta woman of thirty-five—had been murdered, though her assailant had never been found. “But I won’t complain if it’s not.”

A slight frown tilts Jimin’s lips. “It was two years ago, I might be remembering it wrong.” He laughs, running a hand through his hair. “But it’s a great place to raise a family, you’ll love it.”

Resting a hand over his belly, Jeongguk laughs. “How’d you know?”

“Your scent gives you away.” Jimin smiles. “Can’t be far along, though, you’re not quite showing yet.”

Taehyung’s arm wraps around his waist. “Thirteen weeks. We just started telling our families this past Tuesday.”

Worry flickers in Jimin’s eyes, but he hasn’t stopped smiling. “Congratulations. My mate and I just had our first four months back, our kids will probably attend school together.”

Relief washes over Jeongguk. There’s one less thing they have to worry about, their baby already has a friend waiting for them on the other side. “Holy shit, that’s fantastic.”

“Gives us something to look forward to.” Jimin pulls a phone out of his pocket, lifting it to face level to unlock it. “Here, put your number in.”

Taking the phone from his hand, Jeongguk puts his information in the contact space, even taking a quick selfie. As he hands the phone to Taehyung, he notices Jimin staring at their house again, only this time, the worry present on his brow isn’t a flicker, it’s definitive. “Is something wrong?”

Jimin jolts as if snapping out of a trance. “Oh, no, not at all, I stare off into space a lot.” He laughs nervously. “ADHD.”

“Oh, me too,” Jeongguk says, patting his belly. “Everyone in my family has it. I’m sure this one will, too.”

“I wouldn’t want you any other way, sweetheart,” Taehyung assures him, returning Jimin’s phone to its owner. “Gives us something else to talk about, I suppose.”

Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Jimin rests a hand over Jeongguk’s. “She will, but you’ll love her anyway.”

She? Jeongguk’s mind begins spinning at the thought of knowing his child’s gender. He’s been eagerly anticipating the day they find out, but they’re not even close yet. Maybe Jimin is just guessing, or throwing out the first pronoun that comes to mind. “Yeah, I will.”

“I’ll text you later,” Jimin says. “I want to invite you both over for dinner. My mate, Hoseok is an excellent cook.”

Taehyung looks hesitant. “I don’t know, Jeongguk’s stomach is a little sensitive these days.”

“I’ll be fine, Tae.” Jeongguk shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “I could use something to eat, actually.”

Jimin smiles. “Perfect. He gets home from work in an hour. I’ll text you then.”

“Yeah, thank you so much,” Taehyung says, reaching out for Jeongguk’s hand. “I’m glad we met you.”

“Me too. Welcome to the neighborhood,” Jimin replies, then he pauses. “Just… sorry, this is gonna sound weird, watch out for the third step from the bottom.”

Jeongguk’s brow furrows. “Oh, you’ve been in the house?”

“… Yeah, once. I tripped on it. I think it might be evil.”

The couple share a laugh as they begin to walk home. “Good to know, we’ll see you later, Jimin,” Taehyung says.

Jimin has a strange look on his face again as he nods. “Yeah, see you.”

Odd. But Jeongguk brushes it aside, figuring maybe he’s just misunderstanding Jimin’s weird social cues due to his own neurodivergence. He’d said a couple of odd things during their conversation that only made sense in Jeongguk’s mind after that clarification, but nothing that was so bizarre it warranted further inquiry. Except one thing…

“He said ‘she,’” Jeongguk tells his husband, swinging their hands casually between them.

“Hmm?”

“When he was talking about the baby. He called them ‘she.’”

Taehyung glances back at their new neighbor, Jeongguk following suit to observe him once again hard at work over his flowers. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he?”

“And he said we’d love her anyway.”

“Of course we will.” Taehyung squeezes his hand. “I’d love our baby if it was born with four eyes and skin like a creature out of Avatar.”

Shaking his head, Jeongguk brings them to a stop at the edge of their driveway. “No, it was more than that, it was like he knew. Like it was an absolute fact.”

“Maybe he’s just an intuitive guy,” Taehyung suggests, then he gives Jeongguk’s hand another squeeze. “Let’s get home, we can ask him about it at dinner later.”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk says, pulling his eyes away from Jimin. “Later.”

Chapter Text

An hour or so later, Taehyung and Jeongguk walk up to the neighbor’s house hand in hand. They’re welcomed in by an alpha with the brightest smile Taehyung has ever seen, a voice like pure sunshine telling them, “Hi, Jimin told me all about you, I’m Hobi,” at the door.

Jeongguk shakes his hand first, then Taehyung, but then they’re both pulled into a short, not too intimate hug. It shocks the alpha initially, but there’s something relaxing about Hobi’s lavender and cedar wood scent, almost trustworthy.

As they pull back, Taehyung laughs. “Yeah, we interrupted his gardening.”

Hobi shakes his head. “No, you didn’t, I promise. He’s always working on it, he needed a break.”

“Talking about me?” Jimin asks, appearing over Hobi’s shoulder with a smile on his lips and a baby in his arms.

“Yes I was complaining about how wonderful you are, darling.”

A sarcastic hum leaves Jimin, then he pulls his mate aside. “Come on, let’s not leave them outside.”

“Shit, yeah, sorry, come in,” Hobi tells them, the couple thanking him as they step inside.

Jimin and Hoseok’s house looks a lot like theirs, but they don’t have a big chandelier hanging over their heads and the first room on the left is an office, not their living room. But the house isn’t what Taehyung notices. It’s the wide-eyed infant in Jimin’s arms looking up at him, a thumb in its mouth and drool on its chin, but they’re so fucking adorable, he finds himself cooing over them anyway. “Hello, sweetheart.”

“This is Wooyoung, the newest member of our family.” Jimin presses a kiss to the top of his son’s head. “He’s a handful, but he’ll mellow out in a month or two.”

“Aww, hello,” Taehyung says, allowing the back of his hand to gently brush over the infant’s cheek. “He’s precious.”

“He looks like you,” Jeongguk adds. “He’s got your eyes.”

“Thanks.” Humming softly, Jimin hands his son over to his mate, then claps his hands together. “I know you’re hungry, though, so we can gush over how cute Wooyoung is after we eat.”

Hoseok nods. “I’ve never had any complaints about my gimbap.”

*

Little Wooyoung goes to bed midway through the meal, exhausted from having been fawned over by Taehyung and Jeongguk for well over an hour. The latter of the two had spent most of that time holding him in his arms, Taehyung’s heart growing three sizes as he catches a tiny glimpse of his future. At least, he hopes it will be his future.

Part of him is still convinced that all of this will go horribly wrong, that he’ll wake up and it’ll all have been a dream. It’s probably just his anxiety talking, though.

Those thoughts get pushed to the background as Jimin takes Wooyoung back from Jeongguk’s arms to put him to bed, Taehyung and his mate waving goodbye to the infant as he leaves them. The dinner gets back into full swing after that, the conversation swinging into how each couple had met the other, and they discover that Hoseok has a delightful sense of humor. Apparently Jimin and Hobi had met in the complete opposite manner to Taehyung and Jeongguk, according to the story Jimin tells once he returns to the table.

“You were at a night club?” Jeongguk asks, big eyes wide as he leans forward over the table. “And you’d had how many shots?”

“Seven,” Jimin replies. “Seven shots was all it took for me to get railed in a bathroom stall by some alpha I’d just met because I liked his smile.”

Hobi’s lips part in an admittedly very charming smile, one that makes it easy for Taehyung to see how Jimin could be seduced. Especially after seven shots. “And I liked his ass.”

Smacking his mate on the arm, Jimin shakes his head. “I promise, we’re not usually so impulsive. Normally we’re perfectly reasonable adults.”

“Who doesn’t make mistakes from time to time?” Taehyung asks, shrugging his shoulders. “It looks like it worked out well for you, anyway.”

“Quite right. So… that’s how we got mated after a one night stand,” Hoseok says to a round of uproarious laughter. “And as a result we proceeded to convince his mother I’d gotten him pregnant.”

Patting his hand, Jimin leans forward over the table. “And I had to tell her that wouldn’t happen for many, many years. We hadn’t even had a first date yet.”

“I asked him out right away. Figured it was the least I could do after mating him.”

“Aw, you didn’t want to leave me high and dry?”

“Never,” Hoseok replies, leaning over to give his mate a quick kiss on the cheek. “So how did you two meet?”

Taehyung looks at Jeongguk affectionately, reaching for his hand under the table. He smiles when the omega laces their fingers together. “I uh, met him on a layover. We were on the same flight back from New York and had a layover in Seattle. He sat next to me on the first flight, then I worked up the courage to ask him out while we waited for the second.”

A fond smile forms on Jeongguk’s face. “By sheer luck we only lived on opposite sides of the city, so seeing each other again was easy. Now it’s been four years and the rest is history.”

Jimin takes a sip of his wine. “A layover… damn, Jeongguk you must’ve looked good that day.”

“Oh, he did,” Taehyung assures them. “And maybe I was a bit too close to rut to hold back from saying everything I was thinking, but it worked out.”

“Yeah, I’d say so,” Hobi replies, then he leans forward. “I have to admit, I’m dying to ask…”

Placing a hand on his mate’s arm, Jimin shakes his head. “My love, I’m sure they don’t want to answer that.”

Taehyung’s brow furrows. “Answer what?”

Jimin sighs. “He was going to ask why you chose to live in the ‘murder house.’” He glares at his husband. “An appropriate conversation for the dinner table, really.”

Beside him, Jeongguk stiffens, setting his fork down on the table. “Well, it was within our budget, and we were thinking we could give the house better memories. And like you said, the neighborhood is wonderful.”

Squeezing his hand, Taehyung nods. “It’s a nice house. Honestly, if it weren’t for its past, you wouldn’t think it was different from any other place.”

“Oh, of course, I was just asking ‘cause the place makes Jimin queasy.”

“How do you mean?” Taehyung asks.

Jimin puts a hand up, pausing a moment as if to think about his words. “It’s nothing. I just… I saw too much the night the police found the body. Makes it hard to forget.” He looks over to Taehyung. “There’s… more of a vibe I get from it.”

A small chuckle leaves the alpha. “Like it’s haunted?”

He doesn’t miss the way fear flickers in Jimin’s eyes. “That would be something, wouldn’t it?” Jimin laughs. “A real haunted house?”

“Ghosts aren’t real,” Jeongguk replies.

Jimin raises an eyebrow. “You’re not a believer?”

“Are you?”

The elder omega shrugs. “Well, I believe there are things I haven’t seen.” He sips again at his wine glass. “And that, in combination with the things I have seen, tells me it’s possible.”

“So you think my house could be haunted?”

This time, Jimin looks up, the room growing quiet as he contemplates his answer. “I think it could surprise you,” he says eventually, looking Jeongguk dead in the eye. “I think you should be careful.”

A feeling of dread creeping into his belly, Taehyung sips at his wine with a nervous laugh. “That would be ridiculous, a house being haunted just as we’re moving into it. What a shitty horror movie cliché.”

Jeongguk hums, a bemused smile parting his lips that makes Taehyung think perhaps they’re just joking, that all of this is in jest. “Yeah, it would. Then our baby would be afraid of an actual monster under the bed.”

The entire group laughs then, the conversation moving to Halloween festivities soon after, but Taehyung keeps the conversation in the background of his mind. Hauntings aren’t real, ghosts aren’t real, he knows this. Yet something about their new house is making their neighbors—and Jeongguk—uneasy in a way that doesn’t make him think it’s just about a bad feeling.

*

That night, Taehyung lies awake on his back, staring up at the ceiling as Jeongguk snores in his arms. The omega is curled up at his side, an arm slung across his waist as he drools on his shoulder.

It’s peaceful, quiet, serene. Nothing is wrong and nothing could be, but his thoughts and the conversation from earlier linger on his mind. All he can do is force himself to stop thinking irrationally. This is probably just his anxiety talking, telling him a wide host of things he doesn’t want to hear, and his husband certainly doesn’t need.

Jeongguk stirs in his arms, groaning softly as his brow furrows in his sleep. This happens sometimes when he has bad dreams, he gets restless, and according to his doctor, it’s usually best to let him sleep through it and support him when he wakes.

Still, Taehyung slides a hand over Jeongguk’s belly, rubbing it gently as if attempting to soothe him. The omega’s arm rests on top, the bruises he’d somehow received the previous evening on display even in the dim light. Somehow, they look even darker than they did earlier, though perhaps the full coloration of the bruises is still developing.

That just concerns him further.

Worry about it in the morning. You can’t help him like this.

A noise from outside the bedroom distracts him anyway. There’s a groan from that one step in the middle of the staircase Taehyung has noticed tends to creak when he steps on it too hard. At least, he thinks it is, he can’t be sure. They’ve got alarms set around the house and the doors were definitely locked before they went to bed so there shouldn’t be anyone in the house, and yet…

It’s probably just the house settling, but god does it unnerve him.

To calm his nerves, Taehyung turns his nose into Jeongguk’s hair, breathing in the sweet, milky scent of his mate. The undercurrent of lavender is the perfect balm for his mind, the softness of his hair a heaven he considers himself lucky to have.

Eventually, Taehyung manages to sleep, breathing in Jeongguk, dreaming of mostly happy things. He dreams of Jeongguk and a weird cloud they saw on their second date, some other things he’ll forget in the morning, and then toward the end, Jimin shows up, running at him full speed. “Hey, wake up!”

Taehyung’s eyes shoot open. Immediately, something feels off, and it doesn’t take him long to realize why when he turns his head and sees the space beside him empty.

Sitting up in the bed, the alpha looks around the room, searching for his missing husband. “Jeongguk?” he whispers, but all he’s met with is silence. With a sigh, he rolls off of the bed, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand so the room comes into focus.

“Jeongguk?”

Still nothing. He steps quietly toward the hall, unsure why he’s practically walking on his tiptoes, but he doesn’t have much time to think on it. There’s a loud crash from somewhere downstairs, and then Taehyung is running, moving as fast as he can down the stairs toward the unmistakeable sound of broken glass.

Shouting his mate’s name one more time, Taehyung rounds the corner at the bottom of the stairs, finding Jeongguk near their front door. The omega stands hunched over in front of a pile of broken glass, one of the picture frames they’d hung on the wall broken at his feet.

Not caring what he steps on, Taehyung rushes forward, grabbing hold of one of his husband’s hands, only to find it warm and wet. “Jeongguk?”

Jeongguk hums, lifting his head as he turns to look at Taehyung. “Tae?”

“What happened? What are you doing down here?”

The omega groans, blinking slowly as he looks down at his hands. Taehyung pales when he realizes they are covered in blood, which drips from a small, shallow cut on his mate’s palm. Shit. “I don’t know,” Jeongguk says, looking up at the stairs. “I was dreaming…”

Taehyung lifts his shirt over his head, pressing it gently against Jeongguk’s wound as he pulls his husband away from the broken glass, staring down at the picture of the two of them on their wedding day. Blood is smeared over the alpha’s face in the picture, a tear present in the space between them. The picture is certainly ruined, they’ll have to print a new one and have it framed, but right now, all he cares about is making sure his mate is okay. “Were you sleep walking?”

Jeongguk shakes his head. “I don’t know, I…” He winces as Taehyung wraps the t-shirt around his palm, blood already beginning to seep through the fabric. “Ow…”

“Come on, into the kitchen,” Taehyung says, guiding Jeongguk out of the foyer and toward their kitchen sink. “Are you okay? Are you dizzy? Faint?”

“No, I’m fine, my hand hurts, though.”

A chuckle manages to escape him. “I bet.” Taehyung flicks on a light switch, unwrapping the shirt from around Jeongguk’s wound, allowing the blood to flow briefly before he turns the water on to a slow stream.

A hiss leaves Jeongguk as the water begins to wash away the blood. It’s a deep, but small cut, and no amount of water seems to be getting it to go away. At the very least, there isn’t any glass emerging from it, which tells Taehyung the cut is the worst of his injuries, and they don’t need to try to pull anything out of him.

Still, this is far too much for the alpha to take care of alone.

“We need to get you to the hospital.” Taehyung rubs his mate’s arms gently, pulling him into an embrace. “The cut’s too deep for me to deal with on my own.”

“Okay,” Jeongguk says, sniffling as he buries his face in his husband’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Shhh, it’s okay.” A palm rubs over the expanse of Jeongguk’s back, pressing him closer as the omega wraps his good hand around his waist. “It’s okay.”

Jeongguk’s good hand grips at his shirt, the omega trembling in his arms as he pulls his mate close. They need to go. They need to head to the hospital and get this wound stitched up before he loses too much blood, but right now, Taehyung just wants to hold him.

The round edge of his husband’s nose burrows into Taehyung’s neck, pressed against his scent gland as he breathes him in. If they had time, Taehyung would scent him in turn, but he’s too anxious.

Stroking his mate’s hair with a gentle hand, Taehyung pulls back. “I need to grab another shirt, meet me in the car, I’ll drive.”

“Okay.” Jeongguk presses a kiss to his husband’s nose, then the two of them part ways, Taehyung staring at the red that stains his hands with a sinking, nauseous feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach.

*

Ten stitches later, Jeongguk is given a clean bill of health for both him and the baby, and he and Taehyung are getting ready to go home. It’s surprisingly quiet in the emergency room, though Taehyung supposes that three in the morning isn’t exactly a busy hour for anyone.

He watches as Jeongguk puts his shirt back on, the hospital gown folded nicely on the bed behind him. The omega looks tired, bags heavy under his eyes as he accepts his hoodie from Taehyung.

Jeongguk is quiet, too quiet. Normally, he’s chatting up anyone they run into, yapping away happily with nurses, doctors, and everyone in between. Now he’s silent, staring blankly ahead, and Taehyung has never been more worried. “Darling?” he asks.

“Hmm?”

“Why were you downstairs?”

“I don’t know,” Jeongguk admits, zipping up his hoodie before offering Taehyung his hand to help him from the bed. “Does it matter?”

Taehyung shrugs. “No, I just… I’m trying to understand how this happened.”

The omega shakes his head as they walk out of the exam room, making their way toward the hospital’s exit. “I really don’t know. I was dreaming, then I woke up to you shouting my name and my hand hurt.” He looks down at his bandaged palm, white gauze concealing his stitches. “I was dazed.”

“What were you dreaming about?”

Jeongguk frowns. “That’s the thing, I don’t remember. I know I was upset, but other than that? I have no idea.”

Worry furrows Taehyung’s brow as he pushes the door open, cool air brushing over them both as they return to the parking lot. “You don’t normally sleepwalk either. If it happens again, we’ll have to bring it up to our OB.”

Nodding, the omega takes hold of Taehyung’s hand. “I’m sorry, Tae. Really, I am.”

Though he’s worried sick, Taehyung pulls his husband in closer, chancing a kiss to his forehead as they approach the car. “Accidents happen, Guk,” he assures him. “The doctor gave you a clean bill of health. You’re okay, so let’s just go home and sleep until noon, hmm?”

Jeongguk hums as Taehyung unlocks the car. “Sounds like heaven.”

Squeezing his hand one last time, Taehyung holds open the passenger door. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Jeongguk replies, squeezing back before they part ways, Taehyung’s eyes remaining on his mate the entire time as he gets into the car.

Jeongguk looks fine. A little banged up, but otherwise healthy, and yet Taehyung can’t shake the feeling that something is horribly, horribly wrong, like whatever happened tonight is just the beginning.

There’s a realization brewing in his mind, but whatever it is has only just begun to take root. He can’t even begin to make sense of it yet. All he can do is wait for it to bloom, and perhaps keep an even more protective eye on Jeongguk despite his husband’s protests. The move and change in environment must be affecting him more than either of them could’ve predicted.

Yeah, that must be it. There is no other explanation that makes sense, no other reason he should be behaving so erratically. It must be some combination of pregnancy hormones and stress.

Or perhaps, in the darkest reaches of his mind, so impossible it feels like a joke, it is something beyond his imagination.

Chapter Text

Nightmares strike Jeongguk frequently. He finds himself awake at odd hours of the night, rolling over onto his back to stare up at the ceiling wondering why he can’t fucking sleep.

Taehyung sleeps soundly the whole time. It’s a marvel given how Jeongguk absolutely cannot sleep without some horror flashing behind his eyes. Lately, he dreams about a woman, someone young and short, full of life—but she always dies by the end of the dream.

The method of her death varies, but she always dies. Sometimes she falls down the stairs, other times she rams a knife into her chest, and once, she even starves herself to death. In each one she looks gaunt, tortured, and he watches like a shadow over her shoulder as she tries to escape the suffering she’s endured, but she can’t.

And neither can he. They are both trapped in her misery, lost in sorrow they can never quite shake.

A creaking sound echoes from the hall, Jeongguk sitting up bolt right in the bed as he peers out into the hall. He can’t see anything, but he doesn’t have his glasses or contacts in right now either. Grabbing them from his bedside table, he rises quietly from the bed, taking a few quiet steps toward the hallway before he opens the door all the way, and steps outside.

His glasses help, but he still has to blink away the last lingering blurriness from sleep. The hallway, however, reveals nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that explains the noise he’d heard.

There’s nothing there, but he can feel the hairs on the back of his neck start to rise. His body grows tense, arms instinctively curling around the little bump at his waist as he turns around, feeling as though the temperature of the room has just dropped twenty degrees. Then, as if to assure him he’s not going completely insane, his breath mists in front of him. “What the fuck?”

Maybe there’s something wrong with the thermostat.

Ignoring the creeping nausea welling in his gut, Jeongguk heads toward the thermostat at the top of the stairs. A yawn escapes him as he reaches for the cover, lifting it up to reveal that not only is their thermostat set to a normal temperature, but their heat is going full blast.

Odd.

He’s shivering now. The thermostat must be broken. That’s the only explanation for why he’s fucking shivering when the temperature in his home should be a nice seventy-two degrees. Oh well, a good cuddle with Taehyung ought to help.

Before he can head back into his bedroom, though, there’s a pressure at the base of his neck, like a cold, wet hand is grabbing tightly and slowly cinching his airway. One of his hands comes up to clutch at his throat, but there’s nothing there, almost like it’s all in his head, and yet every hair on his body is now standing up and alert like he's in danger.

Gasping softly, Jeongguk grabs the railing at the top of the stairs, attempting to pull himself away to safety, but now he can’t move. Sleep paralysis, he thinks. This must be another nightmare and he’s actually still safe in bed with his husband dreaming the worst while he lives through the best.

It feels like a lie, but it’s what he tells himself as another hand wraps around his body, invisible and unseen, and Jeongguk closes his eyes. A whimper escapes him as the hand presses against his belly, every single fiber of his being alert with fear as he tries to gain control of his body. Don't hurt them, he thinks, black taking over his vision as the dream changes, and he’s swept away into a new reality.

*

“Jeongguk…”

Cold. He’s so fucking cold. There’s heat all around him, but Jeongguk feels like he’s surrounded by ice. “Mmm…”

“Guk?” Taehyung asks, a warm hand shaking his shoulder, orange light flickering beyond his eyelids bright enough to signify it must be morning.

Blinking awake, Jeongguk wraps his arm around Taehyung’s waist, pulling his mate closer. “What is it?”

“You have bruises.”

Eyes opening wider, Jeongguk pulls back, finding Taehyung staring at him with a furrowed brow, the alpha’s fingers tracing over his neck. “How did you get this?”

He remembers the dream he had last night, the way invisible, shadowy hands had wrapped around his body and clutched him tight. That had been a dream, though, no one had actually put their hands on him in reality. Invisibility isn’t real. “I don’t know, I’ll ask the Doctor about it later,” he replies, burying his face in Taehyung’s neck. “Could be some weird pregnancy thing.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like this.”

“Tae, some people’s sweat turns blue when they’re pregnant. I'm sure random bruising happens all the time.” He doesn’t know if that’s actually true, but for his sake, he kind of hopes it is. The alternative is what happened last night wasn’t a dream, and he doesn’t have a logical explanation for whatever it was. “What time is it?”

Reaching for something behind himself, Taehyung sighs. “It’s a quarter past seven. We’ve got time.” Arms wrap tightly around Jeongguk’s waist as he pulls the omega against his body. “Do you feel okay?”

“Tired,” Jeongguk replies with a yawn. “I’m tired all the time.”

“Mmm.” Lips press into his hair. “I worry about you.”

“I’m fine, Tae, my body was built for this.” Shifting slightly, he rests his head on his husband’s bicep, the new angle allowing him to see Taehyung’s face. “It’s not forever, you know. Things will be normal again soon.”

Taehyung snorts, a hand drifting down to rest on Jeongguk’s belly. “Things aren’t ever going to be normal again, sweetheart.”

Soft giggles leave Jeongguk as he finds himself being kissed, one of his hands brushing back strands of Taehyung’s hair so they don’t get in his mouth. His alpha has a bit of morning breath, but Jeongguk doesn’t mind—they’ve been together long enough that he doesn’t care. “We haven’t talked about whether or not we want to find out their gender today.”

“According to Jimin, it’s a girl.”

“Pffft, he’s got a fifty fifty chance of being right. It’s not like he’s psychic.”

“Yeah right, that’d be something, wouldn’t it?”

“It sure would be.”

*

The doctor’s office is chilly when they get there, much to Jeongguk’s dismay. It’s like some divine entity in the universe is determined to make sure Jeongguk is always cold. Like it’s thriving on his personal misery.

As they sit in the waiting room, Taehyung wraps an arm around his shoulders, rubbing up and down in an effort to keep Jeongguk warm. It works a little, but Jeongguk is still shivering, and he can smell the worry radiating off of his husband in waves.

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” Taehyung asks, the wool of his sweater paw soft against Jeongguk’s forehead where he’s feeling his temperature. “You don’t have a fever, but could it be something else?”

Maybe. He hasn’t felt any symptoms, though, other than the inexplicable bruising and being cold. Overall, he’s still happy, and he likes to think--moreso hopes--he’s still healthy. “I don’t know. We’ll have to ask the doctor when we see her.”

Taehyung nods. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Reaching down, he places a hand over Jeongguk’s belly, rubbing gently even though his bump is still almost too small to see. “I just want you both to be okay.”

God, he loves Taehyung’s concern. Having a partner who’s this in tune with his wants and needs is all he can ask for in a man, but he sometimes wishes Tae would back off of being so overprotective. Odds are, he’s probably just iron deficient or something. “I know, babe.” He presses a kiss to Taehyung’s nose. “Thank you.”

Before Taehyung can say anything else, a nurse appears at the waiting room entrance with a clipboard in hand. “Jeon Jeongguk?”

Rising quickly to his feet--bouncing, even--Jeongguk raises a hand in the air. “That’s us. Well, me.” He laughs nervously. “That’s me.”

Both Taehyung and the nurse are laughing as she leads them into the hallway where the exam rooms are. “Right this way. Dr. Park is finishing up with another patient, but she’ll be right with you in about five minutes.” She opens the door to an exam room labeled with a giant “7,” and lets them inside.

Jeongguk thanks her, bowing low due to her short stature, and he walks into the exam room. Taehyung follows suit, then he shuts the door behind them, shedding his coat before resting it on a nearby chair. “God, I can’t believe you’re freezing, I’m boiling in here.”

Shrugging casually. Jeongguk sits on the exam table, swaying his feet over the edge. “Dunno. Doctor will probably tell us it’s a weird pregnancy thing.”

“The human body is so weird.”

“Tell me about it.” Jeongguk sighs, leaning back against the wall. “Can we go for frozen yogurt after this? I’m really craving some.”

Laughter rumbles in Taehyung’s chest, his warm, boxy smile lighting up the room. “Frozen yogurt? While you’re freezing your ass off?”

“Maybe it’ll be like snake venom. You know, where the thing that hurts you is also the thing that heals you.”

“... That’s not how that works.”

“No, probably not, but I just want strawberry froyo and those little shark gummies they always have for toppings.”

Snorting his amusement, Taehyung tugs at a stray thread on his sweater, the tiny green string falling to the ground shortly thereafter. “Sure, we can go for froyo.” He reaches over and squeezes Jeongguk’s hand. “Anything for you, my love.”

Lips parting into a grin, Jeongguk squeezes back, then the doctor walks in, and they fall silent. Time for business.

Dr. Park Jihyo is a shorter woman with kind, round eyes, and a smile that puts them instantly at ease. At least, it has in the two times Jeongguk has seen her so far in this pregnancy--including right now. “Good afternoon, Jeongguk,” she tells him, setting her clipboard down on the table next to him. “How are we feeling today?”

“Pretty good, a bit chilly, though.”

“It is starting to get colder outside,” Dr. Park replies, grabbing a set of latex gloves from the table.

Jeongguk shakes his head. “No, I mean colder in the sense of uh… uncontrollable cold. Like I’m shivering while Taehyung is totally fine.”

She frowns as she reaches for the ultrasound wand. “I can run some bloodwork to see if you’ve come down with anything. You’re due for it anyway.”

“And then there’s the random bruising.” Jeongguk tugs at the ends of his shirt, lifting it off to remove it completely. There’s no change in his temperature, much to his surprise, but he turns around to show Dr. Park the bruise that surrounds his neck, the bruising that goes up and down both arms--all of them looking remarkably like handprints. “It started the night we moved into our place a couple of weeks ago, and it keeps getting worse.”

“Plus the sleepwalking,” Taehyung adds.

Dr. Park nods. “Lean back on the table for me, please,” she says, and Jeongguk obeys before she squirts the jelly onto his abdomen, the wand moving over his skin soon after. “I saw the ER visit in your file. It is normal for pregnant people to experience weird sleep patterns, but this does sound like something we want to keep an eye on.”

“Any theories on what might be causing it?”

“The bruising? Iron deficiency is most likely,” she says, smiling as an image starts to come up on the monitor. “We’ll likely just recommend some iron tablets for that, and the bruising should clear up. But like I said, we’ll be doing some bloodwork today, so that’ll hopefully give us some more answers as to what’s going on.”

Jeongguk nods. “Thanks.”

The doctor gives him another kind smile. “Of course.” She clears her throat. “The good news is the baby seems to be healthy. They’re growing steadily, and at this point I don’t see any obvious defects.”

Relief floods Jeongguk’s veins as he looks up at his baby on the monitor. It’s starting to look sufficiently human now. He can see his child’s itty bitty legs and arms, the round shape of its head--it makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside. That chill around his body loosens ever so slightly, though it doesn’t fully go away as he sighs. “When will we know their gender?”

“Not yet, but soon,” Dr. Park assures them. “If you decide you want to find out before the birth, I can let you know when you come in for the twenty week scan.”

The hand holding Taehyung’s tugs excitedly as he looks at his husband. “Well? What do you think?”

“I say why wait? The sooner the better.”

“I’ll put it in your notes.” Dr. Park removes the wand from Jeongguk’s belly, wiping it off before handing Jeongguk a small towel. “I’ll send the nurse in in a few for the blood work. You should get results back within the next couple of days.”

As she gets up to leave, she makes the promised note in her clipboard, and offers them one last smile. “It was lovely to see you both.”

“You too,” Jeongguk replies.

“Thanks, Doc,” Taehyung says at the same time, then they watch as the doctor disappears from the room, leaving Jeongguk to anticipate his dreaded bloodwork.

*

Frozen yogurt winds up taking longer than either of them anticipate. There’s a huge line inside the parlor despite the onset of the fall season, and Jeongguk’s feet are already swelling and starting to hurt, so he waits for Taehyung--saint that his husband is--from a table outside the shop.

People watching is more fun than it sounds, he supposes. Dozens of them drift by while Jeongguk waits, arms buried in the confines of the leather jacket Taehyung had lended him while he sits.

A couple walk by with a stroller, two women who look madly in love, eyes only on each other or maybe sometimes the small toddler babbling happily in front of them. The little one is wearing a cute little turtle neck with pumpkins all over it, waving a Barbie doll as her parents watch on. The scene fills Jeongguk with a hint of envy, even though he knows within the next few years he’ll be in that same spot.

Moving away from that first couple, Jeongguk watches a man walk by on his cellphone, chattering away excitedly about the new promotion he’d just gotten. He’s about to be senior management at his company, just a couple of steps down from CEO. Congrats, Jeongguk thinks, smiling as the man passes by.

It’s not all good news, though. Another man makes his way past Jeongguk’s eyes, and he looks impossibly sad. He’s tall, wearing a long coat that makes him appear even taller, and it’s dark, like the mood he seems to be carrying with him. Sourness clouds his alpha scent, which Jeongguk suspects is normally masculine and clean, but currently just smells a bit like spoilt milk.

“I know, mom, it’s been a year,” the man whispers into his phone, handsome features cinched with pain of an emotional nature as he runs a hand through his short hair. “I’m still trying to find out how it happened…”

How what happened? Jeongguk wonders, then he looks away from the man as he gets closer, not wanting to appear so obvious that he’s listening.

“I’ll come home as soon as this is over,” the man promises his mother, pausing in front of Jeongguk, then he smiles--slight, but just enough for Jeongguk to see his dimples. “I love you, too.” Then he hangs up, and continues walking, Jeongguk’s eyes following him into the distance.

How curious.

As the man disappears, Jeongguk’s eyes wander across the street, locking in on a new figure standing close to the curb. It’s a woman with long hair and sad eyes, a loose, black dress hiding her figure.

But there’s no hiding the fact that she’s looking directly at Jeongguk, the darkness in her eyes piercing right into his very soul. “What the…?”

He looks behind himself, wondering if she could be looking at someone behind him with how intense her gaze is, but there’s nothing but the bricks on the shop wall. Jeongguk holds his belly as he rises to his feet, peering more closely at the woman as her hair drifts in the breeze--though her gaze remains unfaltered.

As he watches, she steps out toward the street, and he’s confused for half a second before he realizes there is traffic actively moving between them. She takes another step, and she’s standing on the edge of the street, walking into the lanes of cars. At any moment, she could be hit, could be mowed down where she stands and she doesn’t seem to care--her eyes are still locked on Jeongguk’s.

“Wait!” he cries, looking both ways on the street before he steps out onto it. “Stop!”

This is crazy. He’s three and a half months--nearly four--pregnant. He should not be trying to rescue strangers from the road, but he can’t just sit there and do nothing.

Jeongguk rushes out as cars narrow in on the two of them from either side. He can hear a honk and a shout, but before he can reach the woman, a car passes between them, and she’s gone, leaving him alone in the middle of the street.

“What the fuck?” he asks, staring around him where cars are now honking, a driver yelling at him to move.

He steps back, and then he sees Taehyung running out of the shop, frozen yogurt in hand as he cries out. “Jeongguk!”

“Shit,” he breathes, running back from the street, panting slightly as he runs into his husband’s arms, and Taehyung pulls him into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Taehyung’s free hand runs through his hair, lips peppering kisses to the side of his head. “What the hell were you thinking? Why were you in the middle of the fucking street?”

“I don’t know… There was a woman there, I wanted to save her.”

“Woman?” Taehyung pulls back, looking out at the street as if he’d find her still waiting there. “What woman?”

“I-I don’t know, she must’ve left.” Jeongguk grabs a fistful of his own hair. “I thought… I guess she changed her mind.”

“Jeongguk, I didn’t see anyone there.”

Licking his lips nervously, Jeongguk shakes his head. “I… I’m not sure I did either.” Only he did, he knows he did, and in hindsight, he’d swear she bore a striking resemblance to the stranger he’d been watching just a moment before.

Chapter Text

Taehyung’s worry for Jeongguk only grows. Between the random injuries and the attempt he’d made at rescuing a stranger who wasn’t there, he’s becoming rather scared for his husband.

If it were possible, he’d watch him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, but he can’t. For now, he has to settle for spending as much time with him as possible, like now, when they have Jimin over in the house, receiving a treasure trove of newborn onesies as Jimin’s son looks on.

Holding Wooyoung is a bit of a balm on Taehyung’s soul, that and it’s good practice. He’s held a few babies as an eldest brother, but it’s been a hot minute since his siblings were this young. “He’s growing like a weed.”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me,” Jimin replies, offering another onesie with a bunch of Pixar characters on it to Jeongguk. “He gets bigger every day, and I swear by the time he’s grown, he’ll be towering over both me and Hoseok.”

“There’s no way to know that yet, though.”

“Oh, uh, it’s just a feeling.” Jimin chuckles nervously, running a hand through his blonde hair. “If there are any you don’t want, just let me know. I know you might be having a girl and these are all boy onesies, but I never personally cared which colors belonged to which gender, you know?”

Jeongguk lifts a pink onesie with a unicorn pattern on it. “We can tell.” He grins, then he puts that one in his “keep” pile. “But I love it. I think I’ll try and grab both if I can.”

“We might wait and find out for sure until they’re born,” Taehyung adds. “Just to see. But we haven’t decided yet. There’s still several weeks yet until our next appointment.”

Hoseok offers a kind smile. “That’s admirable. I’ve never understood the pressure to know right away, personally.”

“Gender is stupid,” Jimin mutters. “If Wooyoung decides he wants to wear dresses one day, I say… hell yeah.”

A boxy smile parts Taehyung’s lips, then he leans back, watching dust float in the sunlight through their living room. It’s a nice day, an autumn chill slipping into the air, but the five of them are nice and cozy inside. Baby prep can be fun, sometimes. Other times it’s hectic and crazy, and Taehyung dreads the crib building, but with Jimin and Hobi, it’s rather soothing.

“Thanks for doing this, guys,” he tells them. “We really appreciate it.”

Humming his assent, Jeongguk nods. “Super duper appreciate it.”

Jimin beams. “How’s the new house treating you?”

A hesitant look is shared between them, and Taehyung shrugs. “It’s… been an adjustment.”

“How so?”

“I think it’s just ‘cause the house is older,” Jeongguk says, though he looks as nervous as Taehyung feels as he says so. “There’s a lot of creepy creaking and groaning. I’ve had a lot of nightmares.”

Beside him, Jimin pales, and Taehyung gets the distinct feeling that the omega knows something, that he’s aware of exactly what’s going on in their home, though he won’t say. “Yeah? I had nightmares when I was pregnant, too.”

“That and the bruising. I started taking iron supplements to try and help, but now I’m constipated.”

A nervous laughter fills the room, Jimin patting Jeongguk’s knee sympathetically. “Well, that’s normal, too, but everything else? I think I remember the girl who lived here before you talking about having similar experiences.”

Taehyung’s brow furrows. “What was her name?”

“Kim Youngseo? Kim Yunah? It was Kim Y-something.” Jimin picks up another onesie out of the box, this one covered in cow print. “Here! Let’s try this one.”

It’s clear he won’t elaborate any further, but Taehyung’s curiosity is piqued. He needs to know more about the previous tenant of the house, needs to know why the house is two for two with strange things happening to its occupants. Odds are, it’s just a coincidence, but given that his first born is coming in just five months, he needs to ensure his family’s safety before anything else goes wrong.

*

The next day, Jeongguk is out shopping for more baby stuff with Jimin. Allegedly their neighbor enjoys this kind of stuff, and Jeongguk wanted time to bond with another omega, so Taehyung let the two of them have their fun, running off to the shops to spoil the future Kim-Jeon offspring.

This leaves Taehyung with plenty of time to start his private research project.

Now he sits alone in their living room, his laptop and a bunch of blank—but increasingly full— notepads spread before him. He looks up his address first, finding an article on the history of his property—well, an article covering the murder victim who lived here.

LOCAL WOMAN FOUND DEAD AT 32

Kim Yunah (32), found dead at her home following a brutal attack Tuesday night.

Neighbors report having heard screaming followed by a loud banging noise. According to police, the noise was likely caused by a strike to the rear of her head. The weapon is unknown at this time.

Ms. Kim also showed signs of strangulation and bruising, police indicating this to be a sign of a violent and prolonged attack. There are no suspects at this time—police have only ruled out suicide.

Ms. Kim is survived by her brother, Kim Namjoon (29) (PICTURED). Her service is this Thursday, October 22nd at 3pm at Bumnal Cemetery.

Taehyung makes a list.

Facts about Kim Yunah:

• Thirty-Two years old.
• No known assailant
• Brother Kim Namjoon.

It’s not much, but it’s a start, he figures. It gives him something to bounce off of, and he starts researching Kim Yunah by looking up her social media.

Yunah’s instagram shows a bright, bubbly young woman enjoying her thirties. She was an omega rights activist, despite being an alpha, believing firmly in equality. Half her posts show her at various protests, some even include videos of speeches she made advocating for better protections for omegas in the workplace.

Taehyung would’ve liked her. They would’ve been fast friends, especially in college when he was more active in the protest scene. He’s fallen off of it in recent years between his marriage and work, but he remembers it fondly.

Her last post is from a week before her death. There’s still a smile on her face in the photo, but she looks gaunt, pale, like she’s exhausted. Upon further inspection, Taehyung can see bruises peaking out beneath her turtleneck—ones eerily similar to Jeongguk’s. It sends a shiver down his spine.

What the fuck is happening in this house?

Clicking into the comments, Taehyung reads the grieving messages of her friends and loved ones. Most mention her activism, some mention good times they had in school or how much fun they had after work.

What sticks out to him most, though, is the comment from user @kim.namjoonie—her brother—which simply states, “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I’m sorry I didn’t listen. Maybe in the next life, I can be a better brother.”

Im sorry I didn’t believe you.

About what? What was the story her brother didn’t believe before her death? Why did he post it so publicly where everyone could see it?

Taehyung doesn’t know Kim Namjoon, but he wonders if maybe talking to him would help provide some answers as to what happened to Yunah—and as a result, what’s happening to Jeongguk. Hesitating slightly, he clicks on the man’s profile, relieved to see his DMs are open. “What do I say?” he mutters to himself.

Before he can start typing a message, there’s a cluttering sound from somewhere in the home. He pales—there’s no one there but himself.

Rising slowly to his feet, Taehyung makes his way to the front door where they keep their umbrellas. Grabbing one in his hands, he wields it in front of himself like a weapon, ready to attack whoever has entered his home—if there truly is an invader. “H-hello?”

No one answers. He walks around the bottom floor of the house, through the foyer, the kitchen, the office, and the living room. There’s nothing. Not a peep from anyone and not a sign of a human body hiding in any of the nooks and crannies.

He then begins to head upstairs, stumbling awkwardly over the third step from the bottom as he continues walking up. Curious, he remembers Jimin mentioning that as something to watch out for. Realization dawns in the back of his mind, but he can’t worry about that right now.

A search of the upper level of the house yields nothing, but one of the photographs of himself and Jeongguk standing together on their wedding day has fallen from its place on their nightstand. Taehyung quickly uprights it, relieved that the frame isn’t broken as some of their other pictures have been lately. Is this related to what’s going on? Did Yunah experience this, too?

So many random objects have moved in his home, so many lights have flickered, he almost starts to think he may be haunted. It’s impossible, sure, but the only other explanation is that some creep is stalking the house and wants to kill anyone in it.

Shaking his head, Taehyung returns to his living room and begins typing out a message to Kim Namjoon. If there’s any chance he can help him figure out what’s going on with both his home and his husband, he’ll take it.

@KimTaeTae: Hi, this is going to sound insane, but I need to talk to you about your sister. Me and my husband bought the house she lived in and I think you’ll be able to understand why I’m concerned. If you don’t think I’m crazy, I’d like to meet with you.

It feels strange, sending an instagram message, but if it’ll do the job, Taehyung will take it. And what scares him the most is that this might not even work. The odds of Kim Namjoon actually taking him seriously and being able to help him are so low, it almost makes him laugh.

But then, just two minutes later, while he’s doing more research, he gets a message back with an address.

@kim.namjoonie: Tuesday, 3:30. I don’t know if I can help, but hopefully I can point the way.

*

The address Kim Namjoon sends him to is a park near the house. It’s a nice area, the leaves on the trees starting to turn red and yellow with the onset of fall. He finds himself a bench that’s relatively comfortable, and watches children play by the pond in the center of the park.

It’s a great view, not only for its beauty, but for the hope it gives him for his own future with Jeongguk.

Taehyung keeps an eye out for Namjoon, but he doesn’t see him until fifteen minutes past their scheduled meeting time, then the handsome man from Yunah’s instagram appears before him. He’s tall, not egregiously so, but enough that the alpha takes notice. Even from a distance, his leather and cinnamon scent fills the air, perfect on the autumn breeze.

Trench coat blowing in the wind, Namjoon takes a puff off of a cigarette, blowing the smoke out in the wind. He looks like a movie star, Taehyung thinks—tall, dark and handsome with raven hair that tickles his cheeks.

“Smoking kills, you know,” Taehyung says, unsure why he feels like he can tease Namjoon, but he tries anyway.

“I took it up after my sister died.” Namjoon sits beside Taehyung on the bench, putting out his cigarette against the back. “It’s the only thing that keeps me calm.”

“They make drugs for that.”

“They don’t work.”

Nodding slowly, Taehyung offers his hand. “I’m sure you know this, but I’m Taehyung.”

The alpha beside him shakes it. “Namjoon.”

“What do you know about my house?” Taehyung asks, swallowing nervously. “What happened to your sister?”

Namjoon stiffens, but eventually, he sighs. “She bought the house six months before she died,” he begins. “It was a good deal. The previous tenants also abandoned it really fast, saying it was too much of a project. But Yunah didn’t find anything wrong with it. She just thought it was a nice place that didn’t vibe with the people who bought it.”

“And that wasn’t it, was it?”

“No. Within days the lights started flickering. It started small at first. A power outage here, a trick of light there. There were shadows she couldn’t explain, sounds with no origin. Then it got worse. Things started breaking, she started having nightmares, and she woke up in places she didn’t remember going to. She was never a sleep walker, but suddenly she was sleep walking everywhere. She nearly died several times before the final incident.” Namjoon takes in a shaky breath, reaching into his pocket for another cigarette. “Then one day I got a call saying she thought something was inside of her. She’d started having impulsive thoughts and couldn’t control them. Thinking of hurting herself and all that.

“I told her I’d help her find a psychiatrist, but that didn’t help. She just got worse and worse, and I was watching her fade before my eyes. That’s when she became… different.”

A pit forms in Taehyung’s gut. “Different how?”

“She got angry, quiet, withdrawn, and she stopped sleeping. I mean she stopped sleeping entirely. She went weeks without it, which should’ve killed her, but whatever this thing is, it kept her alive. But her eyes…” Namjoon lights the cigarette, bringing it to his mouth before taking an awfully long drag. “They turned black.”

A shiver runs down Taehyung’s spine. “Jesus.”

“She called me a week before she died. Told me that the house was haunted, that she wanted to leave.” Namjoon’s voice becomes watery, tears brimming in his eyes. “I didn’t believe her when she said it was a poltergeist, that the very land the house was built on was cursed.”

The house is… cursed? There’s no way that could be possible. “Curses and poltergeists don’t exist,” Taehyung protests, the logical part of his brain fighting the emotional one, the part that desperately wants to believe Namjoon because everything he’s saying makes a little too much sense. “That’s impossible. She had to have just been sick.”

“That’s what I told her. Then the night she died I got a call from her telling me the poltergeist was going to kill her, that she was going to die if she didn’t leave, but she couldn’t.” Namjoon gestures vaguely. “It was like she was frozen in place and just couldn’t move.

“She died less than two hours later. I was her emergency contact, so I was the first person the police notified.” Namjoon takes another hit off his cigarette. “When I got there, I could see the blood even from the outside. They hadn’t blocked off the windows and the door yet. In fact, the door had been ripped off of its hinges. According to the coroner, that’s what killed her—she took the door to the back of the head.”

A rush of air leaves Taehyung’s lungs. “So is that what you think? That she was killed by a poltergeist and not a home invader?”

“I hoped I was wrong, but the more I looked into the house and the legends surrounding poltergeists, the more I realized she was right.” Namjoon blows smoke out into the air. “Taehyung, she’d been doing that research herself. I just picked up where she left off. I didn’t believe her… until I did…”

“So you believe in ghosts, huh?”

“Listen, I don’t expect you to believe me, or her, but I think you should do your own research, see for yourself the kind of shit you’re getting into.” Namjoon reaches into his inner coat pocket, pulling out a plain folder, full with papers and clippings. “This is all that Yunah and I could find. I hope it helps you save yourself and your husband.”

Taehyung shakes his head. “We bought this house because we’re having a baby. Jeongguk, my mate, he’s pregnant.”

Beside him, Namjoon pales. “Then let me make this clear to you—whether you believe me or not, you need to get out of that house. What happened to Yunah isn’t a one time thing. If you reached out to me, it’s already started happening to you.”

“W-what?”

“Get out,” Namjoon warns, taking hold of Taehyung’s hand. “While you still have time.”

Chapter Text

In the following weeks, Jeongguk notices Taehyung watching him like a hawk. Two weeks after he and Jimin go out shopping for baby clothes, and he still finds his husband constantly on guard, jumping every time something falls over mysteriously in their house, or if Jeongguk bumps into a corner.

Clumsiness has found him at this point in his second trimester, and he’s certain that as his belly grows, it will only get worse. He’s got a definitive little bump now, more pronounced even under looser clothing, but he doesn’t mind it. Taehyung, in the moments where he doesn’t seem to be watching him like a hawk, says he finds it cute.

He also spends a lot of time with his hands all over it. Jeongguk has to push him away anytime he wants to do something that doesn’t allow for Taehyung clinging to him like a lemur.

Like now, he’s cooking in the kitchen, making some pasta for a dinner they’re having later with Hoseok and Jimin. Already, he’s had to kick out his husband, pushing him all the way out of the kitchen as he tugs his shirt back over his bump, not wanting to risk getting any boiling water droplets on his skin. Their baby is too precious.

He’s humming to himself, stirring the noodles in the pot--carbonara tonight--as he sways his hips to the imaginary music in his head. It’s peaceful, content, and for the first time in ages, he feels at home in his new house.

Peaceful, until it isn’t.

A sudden sense of dread fills him, his entire body tense. The hairs on his arms raise as he suddenly finds himself paralyzed, just like he had been when he’d had his nightmare a few weeks ago. Only that had been a dream--he thought it had been a dream--and this is definitely reality, unless he’d fallen asleep while cooking.

He’s reasonably certain he’s not asleep, so when he feels those hands wrap around his body again, he’s terrified. Jeongguk gasps, ready to scream, but then something fills his mouth--something invisible, but dark like a shadow, though he’s unsure where it’s been cast from.

This is impossible.

The hands grip into his skin over his belly, and Jeongguk screams a silent scream. It’s intense and all consuming, and then it’s over, and he finds himself staring down at the pot, watching the water boil. Take the pot… A voice says in his head, raspy and mysterious, whispered into his ear. Pour it out…

Almost as if he’s watching himself through a television screen, Jeongguk takes the pot in both hands. He can feel the heat, the steam rising onto his face, but as he brings it toward himself, he finds that he can’t quite bring himself to stop. I’m not in control.

That’s right, the voice assures him. You’re not in control.

Jeongguk’s breathing quickens, and he realizes the thing inside his mind is bringing it up and up and up, above his head. “N-No,” he manages to squeak out, wanting desperately to call for Taehyung as he watches the pot tilt toward his face, his body--his baby.

His heart is pounding in his chest, and he knows he can do nothing but watch and feel the inevitable pain. Unfocusing his eyes since he can’t close them, he holds his breath and braces himself for a hurt that never comes.

“Stop!” Jimin’s voice cries, and suddenly hands are taking the pot away, placing it back on the stove, and hurriedly dragging Jeongguk out of the kitchen.

Relief floods Jeongguk as he’s taken away, the dark force inside of him rushing out in a blur of shadows, and he finds himself crying, sobbing into Jimin’s arms. He returns the embrace, clinging to the other omega like he’s a lifeline. “Oh god,” he breathes. “Oh my god.”

“Shh, I’ve got you, I’ve got you. It can’t hurt you.”

It? Jeongguk’s mind is spinning, reeling from what he’d almost just done, but then he hears the sound of Taehyung’s footsteps rushing down the stairs, and he’s released from Jimin’s embrace into the warm, comforting scent of his husband’s.

He breathes Taehyung in, arms wrapping around his waist as he buries his nose in his neck. “Tae, I couldn’t breathe. It-it wouldn’t let me.”

“Who wouldn’t let you? Who’s it?” Taehyung pulls back, cradling Jeongguk’s face in his hands, looking to his mate first then to Jimin. “What’s going on?”

Jimin swallows, stepping forward. “We need to talk, and we can’t do it here.” He heads for their front door, opening it wide. “Come on, we’ll talk at my place.”

*

“It started as far back as I can remember,” Jimin explains, pouring tea into a cup, then handing it to Jeongguk. “The visions, the sudden knowledge. It’s like I’ve always had extra intuition.”

Jeongguk releases his grip on Taehyung’s hand, leaning forward to accept the teacup. He blows on it before sipping, then he leans back into his husband, lacing the fingers of his free hand with his mate’s. “The visions?”

Nodding, Jimin folds his hands over each other. “I guess the typical term for me is a psychic,” he explains, then he laughs. “I understand if you’d think it was bull shit, but that’s how I knew what was happening to Jeongguk. I watched it happen before the entity in your house could do anything to him. Once the vision passed, I ran over as fast as I could.”

“I don’t think it’s bull shit,” Jeongguk whispers, then he squeezes Taehyung’s hand, breathing shakily. “You’ve warned me about a few things over the past month or so since we moved in that made me wonder about you.”

“Me too,” Taehyung replies, running a thumb over Jeongguk’s hand. “But I have to ask what you mean by ‘entity.’ Are you saying we have a ghost? Is it because of the murder?”

There’s a pause, Jimin looking to the ceiling as if thinking carefully on his answer. “It’s not a ghost. What’s possessing your husband is something else.”

“Possessing me?” Jeongguk looks down at himself, a hand curling protectively around his belly. “I…”

Reaching across the table, Jimin sets the teacup down on the surface for him, then he takes Jeongguk’s spare hand. “The entity occupying your home has started to do to you exactly what it did to Kim Yunah.” He looks into Jeongguk’s eyes, studying them as if verifying that the entity has truly left him alone. “I saw it then, and I see it now. I failed to warn Yunah, I can’t do the same to you.”

“How could you have failed her?” Jeongguk asks. “Did she not know?”

“I tried to tell her, but I think all of her money was wrapped up in the house, she couldn’t leave, but I should’ve done more, I should’ve let her stay with me, but I was newly pregnant and I couldn’t--I couldn’t focus enough to try and help, I was too wrapped up in my own life.”

Now Taehyung’s reaching over, laying his hand on top of Jimin and Jeongguk’s. “That’s not your fault. People make their own choices.”

“That may be true, but if you’d be willing to believe me, I can tell you what I’ve seen, and what I continue to see.” Jimin releases their hands, leaning back in his chair as he takes a sip of tea. “I saw the entity the day you moved in. There was a shadow in your window. It’s why I suggested my place for dinner that first night.

“I kept seeing it when you’d come over after that. It was always lingering on Jeongguk, latched onto him like a parasite. Then it started to haunt my dreams. I dreamt of you in danger, the night you sliced your hand open, the time you walked out into the street, but both of those happened either away from me or in the middle of the night, and there was nothing I could do to warn you--plus I wasn’t sure you’d believe me.

“Luckily, you had Taehyung with you to save you. He may not be psychic, but he sure is a hero.” He smiles at Taehyung, and Jeongguk can feel Taehyung’s cheeks as he smiles back. “This time, though, I saw it coming in broad daylight, and I moved. I don’t think I’ve ever run faster in my life. I set Wooyoung down in his crib--I know I shouldn’t leave him alone, but it was just for five minutes--and I rushed over here as quickly as I could.

“My lungs nearly gave out, but I made it. I could see it on you, it was wrapped around you like a cloak, almost covering you completely. But I think, somehow, I managed to scare it off the second I put a hand on you.” Jimin swallows another sip of his tea. “It’s gone now.”

Jeongguk’s mind is racing, he doesn’t even know where to begin, but apparently, his mouth does. “So… What is it?”

“A poltergeist,” Taehyung answers, then he pulls back from Jeongguk as the two omegas stare at him wide-eyed. “It’s my turn to confess something. Two weeks ago, I met with Kim Yunah’s brother, Namjoon.”

“What?”

“He told me the house was haunted, that his sister had done research and determined the entity occupying her house and causing her strange behavior and the weird happenings around the house was a poltergeist.” Taehyung shakes his head. “I didn’t believe it could be true, so when we parted ways, I swore I’d try to find proof he was right or wrong before I said anything. I didn’t want you to think I was losing it.”

Scoffing, Jeongguk tries not to laugh. “My love, why would I ever think you were losing it?”

“Because of the stress of the move, impending fatherhood, you name it. I just didn’t want you to lose me or not trust me because you thought I was failing you as a support system.” Sniffling, Taehyung brings Jeongguk’s hand to his lips, placing a kiss there. “I love you, and I promise I’ll do everything in my power to bring this thing down and keep you safe.”

“It is a poltergeist,” Jimin tells him, breathing deeply. “Which makes it that much harder to deal with. We’ll have to do more research before we can even try to get rid of it. If we can get rid of it.”

“You don’t know the solution?” Taehyung asks.

“My visions--the knowledge, it doesn’t come to me by choice. Sometimes if I look deeply, I can scratch the surface, tell you if an answer is yes or no, but it’s always random.” Jimin sighs. “I’ve never met anyone else like me, either. I only know I’m not insane because everything I see always comes true.”

Jeongguk chuckles. “Did you ever see test results in school?”

“No, that would’ve been convenient, wouldn’t it?” Jimin grins. “I wish. Like I said, it doesn’t work like that.” His smile grows fond. “But the day I met Hoseok, I knew I was going to meet my soulmate. It was instant, the second I saw him, I knew. Then later, when I found out I was expecting Wooyoung, it wasn’t the pregnancy test that told me.”

“It was a vision?”

“I dreamed of him every night for weeks. Then the nausea started up and I knew.”

Jeongguk pauses, staring down at his own baby bump. “Wait… when we first met, you called my baby ‘she.’”

A flush colors Jimin’s cheeks. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to spoil the surprise for you.” He looks down at the hand covering Jeongguk’s belly. “Sometimes I say things without meaning to. I think most people just assume I’m highly intuitive.”

Another hand comes to rest above Jeongguk’s, and he looks at his husband to find Taehyung staring at their baby--their daughter-- fondly. “A girl. We’re having a girl.”

“So much for waiting until the doctor’s appointment.” Jeongguk sighs, squeezing Taehyung’s hand. “We would’ve found out in another two days anyway.”

Taehyung frowns, pulling Jeongguk in a little closer. “Oh god, how are we gonna protect her?”

“You can stay here for a couple of nights,” Jimin assures them. “We have a spare bedroom. I’ll make up the sheets for you and you can rest with us while we try to figure out a way to get this thing out of your house.”

Looking to Taehyung, Jeongguk sits up a little straighter, sipping once again from his tea. “What do you think, honey?”

Breathing deeply, Taehyung presses a kiss to Jeongguk’s temple. “I think keeping you safe is my highest priority. If getting you out of the house will help get this thing off of you…”

“I can’t promise that.” Jimin puts a hand up. “Even now, there’s traces of it on you, like you’ve stepped in gum and now little traces of it are sticking to you.” His features soften. “But it should help to distance yourself.”

“Then let’s do it,” Jeongguk says. “I’ll do anything if it means keeping this baby safe. And Taehyung.”

Beside him, his mate frowns. “But the poltergeist hasn’t come after me yet.”

“That could change ay any minute. What if it used me to get to you?” Jeongguk asks, shaking his head. “So yes, you are one of my priorities, just as I am yours.”

Pressing their heads together, Taehyung exhales deeply, his thumb brushing over Jeongguk’s wedding ring as he holds him tight. “I love you.”

Jeongguk swallows a lump in his throat. “I love you, too.”

*

That night, Hoseok and Jimin insist on making the bed by themselves. Both Jeongguk and Taehyung offer to do the sheets, but neither is successful in being allowed to aid their gracious hosts.

“I couldn’t let a pregnant guy do chores in my house,” Hoseok says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “That would be barbaric.”

“I’m not immobile,” Jeongguk protests, then he laughs, glancing at Taehyung. “The day we moved in, Taehyung didn’t even want me lifting a few boxes to bring them inside. I almost didn’t get to decorate my own house.” He doesn’t want to think about how the poltergeist didn’t want them to decorate it either, how he still has a scar on his hand--and probably will for life--because of it.

Hoseok beams, his smile like sunshine, instantly mood lifting. “He just cares about you. I was the same with Jimin when we were expecting Wooyoung.”

“And believe me, I never heard the end of it,” Jimin agrees, tucking the edge of the duvet into the mattress frame. “Well, that’s done. If you’d like, we can let you get some rest and leave you alone.”

Taehyung pulls the omega into a hug, then he hugs Hoseok. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

“I know you’d do the same if it was us.”

“Jimin’s abilities would never allow for that, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Taehyung pulls back, then he reaches for Jeongguk’s hand. “Come on, babe, let’s get ready for bed.”

With one last round of good night wishes, their hosts depart, leaving Jeongguk and Taehyung to ready themselves for bed alone. They dress mostly in silence, but as the omega reaches for his pajama shirt, he pauses, sensing his husband’s eyes.

He follows Taehyung’s gaze down to his belly, to the tiny little swell created by their child. “What?” he asks, cheeks growing hot.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Taehyung says, buttoning up his shirt as he steps closer to Jeongguk. “The last few weeks I’ve been so worried about this stupid ghost shit and what’s going on with you, I’ve felt like I couldn’t enjoy it, but now that we have a moment…” He reaches out, laying a hand over the bump. “There’s our little girl.”

Tears welling in Jeongguk’s eyes, he wraps his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders, burying his face in his neck. “Oh god, Tae… I was so scared.”

“Shh, I know.” Taehyung’s hand rubs gently over his belly, little kisses pressed into his hair. “We’re going to be okay. I promise, we’ll be safe. We’ll get through this.”

Melting into him, Jeongguk finds himself feeling whole and content for the first time since he moved into his new home. There’s a sense of dread behind it all, and he knows it’s not over, but in this moment, he feels like he can finally breathe.

He’s so calm, in fact, he almost doesn’t notice the fluttering in his belly. “Oh my god,” he breathes.

“What? What is it?”

“Did you feel that?”

“Feel what?”

Releasing his embrace, Jeongguk presses Taehyung’s hand a little tighter against his belly, then he grins. “She’s moving.”

Taehyung squints, like he’s trying to focus. “I don’t feel anything, I’m sorry, Guk.”

“No, it’s okay, I think at this stage, all the movements are too small to be felt on the outside.” Jeongguk beams as he looks down at his baby. “Hi, baby. I’m your dad.”

Kneeling down, Taehyung presses his ear against Jeongguk’s stomach, the omega giggling delightedly as he runs a hand through his mate’s hair. “I still don’t feel anything. I just hear your stomach growling.”

“I’m not even hungry.”

“Probably just gas then.”

“Taehyung!”

The alpha grins, pressing a kiss to Jeongguk’s belly before he rises to his feet, handing him his sleep shirt. “Come on, love, let’s get some sleep. We can feed you and the little one in the morning.”

Jeongguk’s eyes roll, but he puts on the shirt, pulling Taehyung in for a quick kiss after. “Bed time?”

Taehyung nods, tugging on Jeongguk’s hand as he climbs onto the bed, pulling his husband on with him. “Bed time.”

Chapter Text

When Taehyung wakes, the other side of the bed is cold.

Immediately, he’s alarmed, his body alert as he opens his eyes, sitting upright in the sheets, searching the room for any sign of his husband. “Jeongguk?” he asks, though he’s not sure why he expects a response.

Taehyung may not be psychic like Jimin, but he can sense, deep down, that his mate is not anywhere nearby. Oh no.

Before he can even get out of bed, there are footsteps running down the hall, then the door bursts open, and Jimin, still in his pajamas, stands there looking frightened. The omega is white as a sheet, his body rigid, and all he has to do is utter one word, “Jeongguk,” and Taehyung is out of bed.

“What happened?” Taehyung asks, following Jimin as the omega grabs a flashlight off of a nearby shelf.

“I saw him in the house. He went back there. I don’t know why.” Jimin shakes his head. “I can’t see what’s going on inside his head, just the entity. It’s like it’s shrouding his thoughts, keeping them locked away.”

Behind them, more footsteps, then Taehyung looks back to see Hoseok following close behind. “Babe, what are you doing up?”

“Hobi, it’s Jeongguk, he went back to the house.” Jimin takes Hoseok’s hand in his as they near the top of the stairs. “I need you to stay here and watch Wooyoung, make sure he’s all right. If we can get Jeongguk back here, I don’t want this poltergeist anywhere near him.”

Hoseok grabs hold of Jimin’s wrist before he can go down. “Hold on, if you’re going after Jeongguk, that’ll put you in the path of this thing.” He shakes his head. “No way in hell am I letting that happen.”

Wrenching himself free of his husband’s--admittedly rather loose--grip, Jimin descends the stairs anyway, the two alphas close on his heels. “And I’m the only one who can see this thing or even sense it. If anyone’s going out there to try and get Jeongguk back to safety, it’s me.”

“He has a point,” Taehyung admits. “We need Jimin if we’re going to do anything.”

“I can’t put my mate in danger, Taehyung.” Hoseok’s eyes are wide, filled with worry, and yet they’re still kind, sympathetic, like he knows they don’t have a choice. “Give me a minute to grab Wooyoung’s sling. I’m coming with you.”

“Hoseok, no,” Jimin growls, but Hoseok is already running back up the stairs, and the omega sighs, running a hand through his hair. “God damn it.”

Taehyung rests a hand on Jimin’s shoulder, watching a breeze ruffle the omega’s clothing. Wait, a breeze? His eyes follow the direction of the wind to the Jung-Park’s front door, which is currently wide open, exposing them to the street beyond.

Seconds later, Jimin comes to the same realization, the two of them exchanging a quick look before running to the door, and glancing out in the direction of Taehyung and Jeongguk’s house. Though it’s hard to see in the dark, there’s just enough light between the moon and the stars to let him know that their front door is open as well.

“Looks like this ghost isn’t fond of closing the fucking doors,” Taehyung mutters, then Hoseok appears behind them, the baby strapped securely to his chest. Wooyoung is even sleeping again already, the infant drooling against his alpha father. “All set?”

Hoseok nods. “I’ll stay outside, but the second I hear Jimin in trouble, I’m coming in.”

“This is ridiculous,” Jimin whispers, but he doesn’t protest as he leads the four of them outside into the street, walking at a brisk pace before breaking out into a run.

Taehyung doesn’t hesitate to follow him, running ahead to the house, only stopping when he’s in the grand foyer, listening for signs of Jeongguk. God, the place is a fucking mess. All the wall decor has fallen to the ground, broken glass and shards of wood laying about. Anything that isn’t glass has fallen over, even the chairs and the coat rack.

Jimin makes it into the house just behind him, gasping at the sight. “Holy shit.”

“Where is he, Jimin?” Taehyung asks, grabbing the omega’s shoulders. “Where is my husband?”

Pausing a moment, Jimin closes his eyes, like his concentrating really hard, then when he opens them, he says nothing, just breaks into a run. Taehyung follows him up the stairs, tripping slightly on the third one from the bottom. Both of them are panting when they reach the top, but Jimin doesn’t stop--he leads Taehyung straight to their bedroom.

There, Jeongguk is waiting, sitting on the edge of their bed, the rest of the room in disarray, but the sheets are still made perfectly, just like they’d been yesterday morning. He looks up as they enter, but his eyes are blank, staring ahead like they aren’t there.

Worry furrows Taehyung’s brow as he rushes forward toward his husband. “Jeongguk?”

Hands reach out and stop him. Jimin’s hands. “That’s not Jeongguk.”

Jeongguk, or perhaps, the poltergeist, grins. “That’s not Jeongguk,” he repeats, and his voice sounds wrong, off in a way Taehyung can’t explain. There’s a slight gravel to it that wasn’t there before, some tiny difference in sound that sends a chill down his spine.

Jimin is right. That’s not Jeongguk.

“Gguk?” he whispers, kneeling down in front of his husband, reaching for his hand. He flinches at how cold it is, his eyes falling on the bump in Jeongguk’s middle--on their baby. Fuck, what is this going to do to their daughter? What are the long term effects of fucking ghost possession on a pregnancy?

The thing inside Jeongguk grins, his eyes growing dark, pupils dilating until all he can see is black, and yet Taehyung now knows this thing is looking directly at him. It’s the same feeling he’s had every single time he’s been in the house and felt like he’s being stared at. “Gguk?” the thing asks, voice dry.

“Taehyung, back away,” Jimin says, tugging on the fabric of Taehyung’s shirt. “Get away from him.”

Their poltergeist looks to Jimin now. “Taehyung, back away. Get away from him.”

“It’s copying us,” Taehyung observes, shivering as the black eyes of his husband fall back on himself. “Why is it doing that?”

“It’s copying us. Why is it doing that?”

Jimin shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“I don’t know.”

Taehyung’s heart feels like it’s in his throat, and he rises to his knees, taking Jeongguk’s face in his hands. “Jeongguk, baby… fight it.”

“Jeongguk, baby, fight it.” The damn thing’s voice sounds mocking now, its mouth turning up into a grin. “Jeongguk, baby, fight it.”

“Gguk, please, please, we need to go back to Jimin’s house now. It’s not safe for you, or the baby.”

“Gguk, please, please, we need to go back to Jimin’s house now. It’s not safe for you, or the baby.” The poltergeist rests a hand on Jeongguk’s belly, and a growl lets loose from Taehyung’s throat.

Not my daughter, you bastard. “Get out of him.” Taehyung looks between its black eyes, searching for understanding he knows he won’t find. “I’m begging you, he’s pregnant. Leave him.”

“Get out of him. I’m begging you, he’s pregnant. Leave him.”

“Leave him!” Taehyung cries, shaking Jeongguk’s shoulders as tears spring to his eyes. “Leave him alone!”

At this, the poltergeist rises to Jeongguk’s feet, and a hand wraps around Taehyung’s neck, all the air fleeing his lungs as he’s slammed into the nearest wall. There’s a shriek nearby, though he can’t tell if it’s from himself or Jimin. “Leave him,” the thing growls, voice deep and properly demonic. “Leave him alone!”

Jeongguk has always been relatively strong, regularly going to the gym and keeping nicely toned muscles. Even during pregnancy, he’s only altered his routine slightly to accommodate the baby, but he’s never been able to lift Taehyung like this, much less squeeze him tightly enough that he starves him of oxygen.

Taehyung’s hands claw at his husband’s arm, raw terror turning his veins into ice as he realizes he can’t breathe. Not one hint of air is able to pass his lips, and his eyes bug wide as the creature in front of him leans in close, sniffing at his neck.

“Put him down!” Jimin shouts, running up beside him as he attempts to pull at Jeongguk’s arm. “He can’t breathe!”

“Put him down,” the thing repeats calmly. “He can’t breathe.”

Tears fall onto Taehyung’s cheeks, and as fuzzy dots start filling his vision, he reaches up to stroke Jeongguk’s cheek once more. “I love you,” he mouths.

A pause, then the voice becomes more human again, “I love you.”

Suddenly, the thing drops him like a hot sack of potatoes, Taehyung’s hands clawing at his throat as he gasps for air. I can breathe, he thinks, but he doesn’t have long to just sit there before Jeongguk falls to his knees beside him, also gasping like he, too can’t breathe.

“Stay back,” Jimin orders, but Taehyung isn’t sure who he’s talking to as the omega stares up at the ceiling, looking defiant and angry. “Let us go.”

There’s no repetition this time, just silence. Jeongguk’s breaths come and go, and when he looks up and meets Taehyung’s gaze, his eyes are back to normal. “T-Taehyung?”

“Baby?” Taehyung asks, eyes still brimming with tears, and when Jeongguk nods, he hurriedly scoops his mate into his arms, pressing kisses into his hair as he sobs his relief. “Oh god, baby, I thought I’d lost you.”

“What are you talking about?” Jeongguk wonders, looking between him and Jimin, who’s knelt down next to the two of them, looking his fellow omega over as if to make sure he’s okay. “How did I get here?”

Jimin frowns as he presses a hand against Jeongguk’s forehead. “Shit, he’s ice cold. You really don’t remember anything, Jeongguk?”

“No, I was asleep, and I had this really weird dream that I walked here, then there was this presence, and I felt like my entire body was being invaded by something evil, and you guys were here, and…” He pauses. “That wasn’t a dream, was it?”

Taehyung shakes his head. “No, sweetheart, it wasn’t.” He rubs his hands up and down Jeongguk’s arms. “Come on, we need to get you back to Jimin and Hobi’s and get you warmed up.”

A hand reaches up, fingertips brushing against Taehyung’s throat. “I hurt you,” he whispers, staring at the bruising Taehyung can feel on his neck. “Oh, Tae…”

“It wasn’t you, my love,” Taehyung promises him, taking Jeongguk’s hand in his and kissing his fingertips. “It wasn’t you.”

“It was the poltergeist,” Jimin says, rising to his feet. “It’s gone for now, but we have to go. It’ll come back, and if Jeongguk’s still here when it does, we’re going to be right back to square-fucked.”

“The poltergeist…” Jeongguk’s eyes fill with tears, his arms wrapping around Taehyung’s neck. “Oh god, Tae, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Guk.”

Jeongguk just sobs as they rise to their feet, and he pulls Taehyung into another embrace. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Shhh, Guk, we’ve got to go. You can cry with me at Jimin’s house, okay?”

Jimin nods as they pull apart. “Plus, Hoseok’s outside waiting for us. We brought Wooyoung. You like Wooyoung, don’t you, Guk?”

Sniffling, Jeongguk manages to smile. “Yeah, I do. But I don’t know if I’d trust me to hold him right now.”

“You don’t have to hold him. Just come say hello, calm down with us, and then we can think about our next move, okay?” Jimin squeezes his hand. “We’re going to end this, I promise you.”

“Is that a vision or just wishful thinking?”

Jimin grins. “I don’t know yet.”

*

The next day, they’re all bent around laptops googling things that would make them sound insane to the average passerby. Taehyung is in contact with Namjoon again, telling the alpha to get his ass down here and help them. Maybe if they have him on their side, that little extra piece of knowledge, they’ll be able to figure out how to end this thing a little faster.

Plus, it’ll provide Namjoon some hopefully needed closure to know that the entity which killed his sister will never kill anyone else. Hopefully.

“Namjoon hyung will be here sometime this afternoon,” Taehyung says, sitting down across from Hoseok and Wooyoung at the Jung-Park’s dining room table, and taking Jeongguk’s hand in his. “He’s just shocked that we’ve found the truth.”

“Part of the truth,” Jimin clarifies. “We still need an expert to tell us how to fight this thing. All I can do is see it, and that’s not going to get us very far.”

“Have we found anyone who might believe us yet?” Jeongguk bites at his thumb, picking off a loose piece of skin. “I feel like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Jimin grins. “The good news is, there’s actually plenty of sources for this out there, but everyone just believes they’re full of shit, so they go largely ignored or unnoticed.” He turns the computer he’s been typing at around, showing Jeongguk and Taehyung his screen, which is open to some kind of ghost hunting website. “Professional exorcists.”

Taking the computer from his hands, Taehyung slides it across the table, looking down at the picture of the two handsome men on the front of the site. They’re standing back to back, arms crossed over their chests as they stare at the camera confidently. The tagline, “Got ghosts? Friends don’t believe you? We do,” followed by a phone number and email stare at him in bright red font on a black background.

“‘Min Yoongi and Kim Seokjin, professional ghost hunters since high school,’” Taehyung reads out loud. “‘We exorcised our first demon back in 2010 and haven’t looked back. We use safe methods to allow for minimal property and personal damage to free you and your home from whatever spook has you haunted. If none of your friends believe you, we do, and no, we’re not insane, we’re just here to help.’

“Sounds like something someone who is, in fact, insane, would say.” Taehyung hands back the laptop to Jimin.

The omega shrugs. “I don’t know, their reviews seem positive, assuming they’re legit. Plus, they’re the only ones who aren’t affiliated with some church or some shit. I don’t know if y’all are religious, but that’s one thing I don’t believe in.”

“We’re not,” Jeongguk promises, then he clears his throat. “So, in the interest of making some kind of attempt to get this thing out of my house--out of me, can we try contacting them and seeing what happens?”

“We can, but let’s suggest a neutral meeting place,” Hoseok says, rocking Wooyoung gently in his arms. “How about the park outside our neighborhood?”

Jeongguk nods. “Sounds perfect. Then we can show them the house once we’ve deemed them trustworthy.” He rests a hand on his belly, rubbing gently as worry furrows his brow. “I just can’t believe this is happening. Why did it choose me?”

“You’re the most vulnerable,” Jimin says plainly, like it’s obvious. “Like Yunah was. She was a woman alone, and you’re a pregnant omega. It chose you because it thinks you lack strength.”

“It couldn’t be more wrong.” Taehyung squeezes Jeongguk’s hand. “You’re the strongest person I know.”

“And we know that, I fully believe that Jeongguk is strong enough to help us defeat this thing, but we still need the help.” Jimin gestures to Jeongguk. “Go ahead and send them a message, hopefully they’ll reply quickly.”

Jeongguk sets to typing, his fingers flying over the keyboard, and Taehyung watches the letters as they appear on screen, wondering if they’re crazy for trying this. Hell, people probably think Seokjin and Yoongi are crazy for publicly being ghost hunters and demon killers.

As Jeongguk finishes putting together his email, he lets out a massive sigh before leaning back in his chair. Sensing his distress, Taehyung leans forward, and plants a kiss into his hair. “I love you,” he whispers. “We’re gonna be okay, love.”

“I know, I’m just scared.”

“I’d say it’s normal to be scared, but nothing about this shit is normal.”

“I don’t know,” Jimin says with a shrug. “When I was young, our house was haunted by a nice woman who died of cancer, she became my imaginary friend.” His lips part into a smile. “Sweet Soyeon. I really liked her. I hope she’s still doing okay.”

Hoseok shakes his head. “Sometimes I still can’t believe ghosts are real.”

“Neither can I, but I did just find out yesterday,” Taehyung replies, then a beep sounds from the computer, drawing their attention back to the screen.

“They replied back,” Jeongguk announces, then he leans in to read the message. “They asked if we can meet tomorrow at noon. They’re in Busan hunting a demon today.”

Jimin’s brows reach for his hairline. “They’re in fucking Busan? Damn it.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Okay, reply back that we’re okay with that.”

Scoffing, Taehyung leans forward over the table. “But Jeongguk may not have until tomorrow.”

“Listen, we will tie Jeongguk to a chair and watch him sleep if we have to, but we’ve got no other choice. I don’t know how to defeat a fucking poltergeist,” Jimin protests, throwing his hands up. “I wish I could be your end all be all and help you, but we need more than just me, and these guys are our best chance.”

Taehyung and Jeongguk look at each other for a moment, a silent conversation passing between them, then the omega nods. “Okay, you can take turns monitoring me overnight… but being pregnant is uncomfortable enough. I don’t care if a poltergeist is taking it’s sweet time possessing my body, I will not be tied to a chair when I have to pee every fifteen minutes.”

A small chuckle goes around the table, then Taehyung wraps an arm around Jeongguk’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe, Guk.” He presses a kiss into his hair. “I’ll take the first shift. We’ll do it in three hour increments once we’re headed to bed.”

“Sounds good,” Hoseok replies. “And whoever is awake can also check in with Wooyoung.”

“I like that plan.” Jimin leans back in his chair, reaching over to pinch his son’s cheek. “So… Since we still have a few hours of daylight, how do we want to pass the time?”