╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

Hyun-woo had left a good three hours ago and Mrs. Park had insisted Taehyung stay—not knowing that that was his plan all along. Jimin was asleep, battling a nightmare as usual while Taehyung was wide awake, rubbing circles into the other's lower back. The shorter snuggled closer to Taehyung and the taller made more room for Jimin in his arms, this routine all too familiar.

Taehyung couldn't handle it anymore. He gently shook Jimin awake, causing the other to gasp loudly. "Shh, it's just me." Taehyung whispered. He knew it wasn't the best idea to wake up someone while they were experiencing a nightmare, but he couldn't help it. Questions needed to be answered.

Jimin rubbed his eyes and calmed down, moving away slightly from Taehyung's chest. The taller furrowed his eyebrows.

"Jimin, tell me what your nightmares are about." Taehyung demanded. Jimin gulped. The shorter didn't expect to be hit with such a question as soon as he woke up.

"Uh..." Jimin hesitated. He wasn't exactly fully awake and it was difficult to properly comprehend what Taehyung was asking of him. "Just some stuff that happened when I was younger—it really doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. You constantly get nightmares and I'm constantly losing sleep because of it." Taehyung grumbled. He wasn't truly mad since he didn't mind cuddling the other boy closer, but he wouldn't admit that.

"Fine." Jimin huffed. "I get nightmares about my mom." The shorter confessed.

Taehyung's face scrunched up in confusion. "Your mom? But why? She seems lovely."

Jimin sighed, lying on his back and looking up at the ceiling. "Can I tell you something? But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Namjoon and Jin hyung already know, but I don't want other people to. So promise?" Jimin stuck out his pinky finger.

Taehyung interlocked their pinkies and firmly nodded. "I promise."

The shorter stayed silent momentarily before finally speaking. "She's...not my birth mom."

Taehyung's lips parted. Wait what?

"My dad...he married again. Married her." Jimin smiled. "The best decision he's ever made, if you ask me. She's amazing and everything I could've ever wished for in a mom."

"...I'm guessing your birth mother is the one in your nightmares?" Taehyung asked slowly. Jimin nodded and bit the inside of his cheek.

"She was scary. Abusive, even. She had an affair with another man and gave birth to a boy. My dad tried to maintain their marriage for my sake, but...there was an accident..." Jimin whispered the last bit, unwanted memories floating into his mind. Taehyung noticed the shift in emotion and instinctively clutched Jimin's hand, rubbing the shorter's knuckles.

"What happened?"

"I...I was playing with my step-brother one time. I don't remember his name as I used to call him hyung, but he had gone down the creek to fetch for the ball we were using. I got scared, because it was getting dark and the creek wasn't exactly the nicest place to be at night. He was taking a while to get the ball...and I heard him scream." Jimin explained. He gripped Taehyung's hand tightly, the other's warmth comforting him.

"Take your time." Taehyung murmured, shuffling closer and lifting Jimin's head to snake his own arm under the shorter. Jimin felt himself get dragged closer and turned to his side, being welcomed into the taller's broad chest. Jimin gulped, tentatively raising his hand up and placing it against Taehyung's chest. The other boy smiled down at him.

Jimin began tracing shapes into Taehyung's chest with his finger. "At the time, I don't know why I did this, but to put it plainly, I was a coward. Instead of going to help him...I-I ran. I ran back home and hid under the covers, waiting for my dad to come back." Taehyung processed Jimin's words carefully.

"That must have been terrifying as a child." Taehyung sympathized.

"It was. What's more scary is the fact that he went missing for a week. I think he got kidnapped, but managed to escape. I felt like I had murdered him or something. The entire blame was on me. My mom was livid. She locked me in a room and refused to feed me food or let me go to the bathroom. I just listened to her screaming at my dad the entire time and breaking things." Jimin shuddered, moving closer to Taehyung who placed his head on top of the shorter's.

"That's awful, Jiminie." Taehyung mumbled.

Jimin chuckled. "Guess you're not the only one with mommy issues."

Taehyung laughed quietly, hugging the boy tighter.

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