CAUTIOUS [knj x bts]

1.8

Namjoon perks up immediately when he hears the front door open, even if he's too sleepy to do much more than struggle to sit up in Jimin's arms and make grabby hands at the closed door to the hallway, making urgent little noises and babbling 'dada' over and over again in a soft mumble.  Jimin sits up with him with a small grunt of effort when he notices what Namjoon wants, helping in holding himself upright by looping his arms around his midsection and rubbing a soothing hand over his tummy.  He coos some gibberish to try and soothe Namjoon and calm him down, pressing fluttering kisses to the back of his neck and shushing him softly.
"Dada's coming," he assures, whispering even if nobody's really paying attention to the movie anymore, all of them either looking at the door or looking at Namjoon with the same vaguely sad expression.  Namjoon doesn't even seem to understand the concept of holding a grudge, instead always eager to welcome people back even if they've hurt him.  It makes arguments easier to solve, at least, but it often gets him hurt in the long run, and certainly doesn't help with anybody's guilt when their apologies are only met with a sweet smile and the apparent belief that they hadn't really done anything wrong in the first place, as if Namjoon didn't really hold himself as someone that deserved not to be hurt.

The overhanging dread of another fight hangs in the air, too.  They've all seen and heard Seokjin and Yoongi fight before, vicious arguments and - on the rarer occasions - hands being thrown, usually with the topic of Namjoon at the centre.  They all do their best to shield him from it wherever possible, whether or not he's in little space while the argument is taking place, but the apartment is only so big and the sound of yelling carries almost the same as the sound of glass shattering, the sound of plates smashing and doors slamming.  Seokjin and Yoongi can both be vicious when they want to be, in shows of violence and grabs for dominance that only the two oldest would be capable of - the squabbles between the younger members are nothing in comparison, petty and inconsequential.  It is admittedly rare for things to get to that point between the two of them, but right now the presence or absence of Yoongi's remorse is the only variable standing in the way of another fight.  And they all know that none of them can handle another fight right now.

The gap between the sound of the front door clicking shut and the sound of soft footsteps finally stopping outside of the living room door feels as if it lasts for an age, filled with tense silence only broken by the dialogue of the movie that none of them are paying attention to and Jimin's soothing nonsense whispered against Namjoon's hair.  The footsteps don't move again, and neither does the door, and it's clear that Yoongi's hesitating to the point where Seokjin is almost tempted to throw the door open himself.  But then the door clicks, and the handle turns, and Yoongi takes a single, tentative step into the room.  He is met with the sight of all the members staring at him, most accusatory, few sympathetic, but he doesn't pay attention to any of them, instead searching until his eyes land on Namjoon, who has seemingly frozen at the sight of him.  He's dressed in his Ryan pyjamas, just like Yoongi knew he'd be, and he's got a blanket and Jimin's arms wrapped protectively around him.  Yoongi isn't entirely sure what he expects, perhaps an explosion of anger or tears by any of the people in the room, but there is only silence and bated breath, and he knows that he has to be the one to take the first step. 

He doesn't move.  Instead, he lets the door gently click closed behind him, then slowly lowers himself down until he's on his knees like he's coaxing a toddler.  He doesn't break eye contact with Namjoon, and for once Namjoon doesn't break eye contact with him, until Yoongi opens his arms to invite a hug even if he can't quite manage a smile.
"Joonie," he says, voice soft and kind and regretful and a million other things, but mostly just raw.  He expects rejection, and steels himself for it, but in a single moment Namjoon is struggling out of the blanket and Jimin's lap and throwing himself across the room into Yoongi's waiting arms, almost knocking him over with his weight but Yoongi doesn't care because he lights up immediately, smiles like he hasn't in weeks, like nothing in the world exists or even matters because he's got his baby in his arms and that's almost enough to make him able to convince himself that everything is okay.  Tears burn in his eyes but he refuses to let them fall, instead burying his face into Namjoon's soft hair and breathing deeply, hoping that nobody can tell how shaky it sounds.
"Dada," Namjoon mumbles, so soft and innocent that Yoongi feels his chest ache.
"Hey," he whispers, voice cracking, "Hey, baby.  I'm here.  I've got you, baby.  Dada's here."