Ba Reum loved being held by Hyuk. The strong arms of the tall caregiver made him feel safe, and it was with some regret that they reached the bottom of the stairs and the man put him down.
Hyuk did immediately take his hand though, so that made it okay. Ba Reum concentrated on following the man until they reached the kitchen.
"Here, why don't you go sit and perhaps you could play with blankie while I fix us some lunch?" Hyuk asked, pulling back the chair and letting Ba Reum sit on them.
"Blankie?" Ba Reum asked, suddenly eager when he remembered the pink blankie with all those fun fiddly stuff on there. Hyuk smiled at the enthusiastic face and quickly went to get the package.
"Let's open it up completely," Hyuk said, putting it on the table. He turned towards his drawers to take a pair of scissors and before he had found them he heard the tell-tale crinkle of a little who couldn't wait.
Sure enough, when he had turned around, he saw that Ba Reum had taken the package already and was looking at it with fascination, two fingers busy rubbing what seemed to be a butterfly wing and a small smile on his face.
"Here let me free the rest," Hyuk said, cutting through the tape that was holding the package close before unfolding it.
"Ooh, pretty," Ba Reum gasped, looking at the square blanket, each side 1 m wide. It was covered with flowers and bees and butterflies, and it was absolutely the best thing he had ever seen.
"It is. You think you can keep busy while da... I cook?" Hyuk said, wondering if he should start calling himself daddy, or wait until Ba Reum did it from himself. It would be nice to hear the little call him daddy, but he didn't want to force it either.
"Can!" Ba Reum exclaimed, looking at Hyuk with a grin. With his blankie, it would be no problem at all to keep busy, just like mommy...Hyuk asked.
"That's a good boy," Hyuk said, ruffling Ba Reum's hair before going to the stove, glad that he had a smaller table in the kitchen next to his big dining table if he would ever consider entertaining more than Tae Il and Hye In.
He started to cut up some veggies, keeping an eye on Ba Reum was indeed keeping busy with the pink blankie, discovering each sort of crinkle it had, each little bell that was hidden, each sort of fabric or ribbed plastic that was used to create different sensations.
It was adorable to see the look of concentration on that face while he meticulously went through everything on the blankie. Ba Reum looked up, and froze when he saw Hyuk looking at him, the smile dropping from his face and he looked hesitant at the big man, hoping that he wasn't doing anything wrong.
"What do you have there, sweetie," Hyuk said, making Ba Reum look at what his hand was holding.
"Bee," Ba Reum said shyly, "it's noisy bee."
"Noisy?" Hyuk asked, and Ba Reum nodded, crinkling its wings, and looking at Hyuk to make sure the man wasn't going to be angry at him for making noise.
"That's not very noisy," Hyuk assured Ba Reum, "you're playing very well."
Ba Reum looked a little surprised, but a smile came on his face, glad that the caregiver didn't mind him making noises. Hyuk turned back to the food and was glad to hear the little playing further. It was a little sad that Ba Reum took most attention as negative.
He tried to not look at Ba Reum too much, scared that the little would think he wasn't being good and in the middle of cooking he heard a thud come from the table, almost simultaneously with an outcry of pain from Ba Reum.
Ba Reum had been very immersed in his play. Seeing that Hyuk hadn't mind him making noises, he still tried not to be too noisy, but made sure that everything from his blankie got a little bit of his attention.
He shifted how he was sitting, going to sit on his knees and spread the blankie completely on the table, and just when he was reaching the farthest corner, he leaned over too far, and he felt the chair slide out from underneath him.
Pain blossomed from his ribs where he hid the edge of the table, and his knee thudded hard against the floor. He couldn't stop the surprised cry of pain when he fell, it being too sudden to stop.
Hyuk looked at the man in surprise. For a moment, Ba Reum lied on the floor, dazed, and then a loud wail started, which was cut off abruptly. By then, Hyuk had moved and was all over Ba Reum.
"Sweetie! Are you hurt? You poor thing," Hyuk said, gently lifting Ba Reum.
"It's okay," Ba Reum said, his face flushing, and Hyuk looked at him in surprise.
"You're big?" the man asked, and Ba Reum nodded, all too acutely aware of what he was wearing and how silly and stupid he must look.
"Yeah. I'm sorry about not keeping busy silently," Ba Reum said, looking down at the floor. Hyuk blinked at the apology, it being the last thing on his mind. The moment he had seen that Ba Reum had fallen; he had been terrified that the little had gotten hurt on his watch.
"That doesn't matter. Where did you hurt yourself?" Hyuk asked, holding Ba Reum's shoulders and looking him Reum over for any obvious signs of injury. The little shrugged.
"It's okay. It doesn't hurt very bad," Ba Reum said, "I'm sorry about disturbing you."
Hyuk blinked at him, making Ba Reum feel even worse. The big hands were still holding his shoulders, which was comforting, but it meant that he had distracted the man from what he was doing.
The silence stretched for a while, and he saw several emotions pass on Hyuk's face.
"Uhm, do you want me to stand in the corner?" Ba Reum suggested. So far, Hyuk had been very nice and gentle with him, and Ba Reum knew he was bad and he kind of got it that Hyuk wasn't into physical discipline. He hoped the man wouldn't make him stand there the whole afternoon, but he guessed that lunch was off the table for him.
"Corner?" Hyuk said, his frown deepening, and the hands on his shoulders tightening a little more, but not painfully.
"Yes? Been bad," Ba Reum said, trying to keep his tears in. In how many ways was he going to fuck this up more today?
"You won't stand in the corner at all, you silly bean," Hyuk finally decided to say. He tried to not let the shock at the suggestion show to Ba Reum. It was clear that the little needed a lot of love and tender care and Hyuk was going to make sure that such silly notions as standing in the corner for falling off a chair would never enter Ba Reum's mind.
"How are you going to punish me?" Ba Reum asked, looking at Hyuk warily. The man sputtered at the words and suddenly Ba Reum felt himself being lifted and put on the table.
"I'm not," Hyuk said, before starting to open the sleeper, "but I'm going to check you out for any owies. So, if you would be so kind to tell me where it hurts."
"It isn't that bad," Ba Reum said, his face flushing when he was suddenly in an open sleeper, displaying the diaper to the room. Luckily, it was still dry, "besides, I'm big now. I won't cry."
"You can cry. I'd rather have you make clear that you have a wound, than that you pretend you don't have any," Hyuk said, and Ba Reum blinked at him, surprised.
"But crying is annoying," the little said, making Hyuk snort.
"Crying is a sign that something is wrong. Now, why don't you tell good old Hyuk where you have an owie?" the caregiver asked, his hands gently palpating Ba Reum's torso, and stopping right at the red skin where his ribcage had hit the edge of the table.
"I... uhm, it hurts here," Ba Reum said, pointing at it, and feeling his mind start to slip into his headspace again.
"That one might be a bruise," Hyuk said, "anywhere else?"
"My knee," Ba Reum said, trying to not feel too embarrassed when the complete sleeper was taken off, and he just sat there on the table with just his diaper while Hyuk studied the injuries.
"It's a scrape. I'll give you some ointment and a band-aid, okay sweetie?" Hyuk said, and Ba Reum nodded. The big man quickly moved to a nearby cupboard, taking out the necessary items.
A salve was applied to the forming bruise on his torso, and some disinfectant was sprayed on the knee, before a band-aid with a monkey was put on there. Ba Reum looked at it, surprised to see an animal on it.
"I'm sorry, Uk," Ba Reum said again, feeling tears prick in his eyes.
"It's okay, sweetheart. It happens," Hyuk said, hugging Ba Reum close and feeling the little hesitantly hug back, a few tears slipping from his eyes, but still not completely giving in to crying, "now let's get you back into your sleeper before you catch a cold."
"Okay," Ba Reum said, letting the big man guide him in the clothes. Ba Reum stood by his side once he was dressed, looking at the caregiver for further instructions about what he should do.
"Do you want to play with your blankie?" Hyuk asked, holding out the item to Ba Reum, who took it in his hands and shrugged.
"Ba Reum help?" the little asked, looking at Hyuk, who nodded.
"Yeah, you can," the tall man said, actually glad that he wouldn't have to leave Ba Reum sitting on the chair on his own. If he had fallen once, he might fall a second time. Perhaps he would need a highchair for the little, just to be on the safe side.
He let Ba Reum stir in a pot while he set the table. The little was looking at the pot in utmost concentration, holding his blankie tightly with his right hand while making perfect circles with his left.
"There, I think it's all ready," Hyuk said, and Ba Reum nodded, stepping back when Hyuk turned off the stove and put the pot on the side, before filling two plates. Ba Reum's eyebrows rose when he saw the amount Hyuk was putting on there and panicked for a second.
"Stop," Ba Reum said, putting his hand on the arm before another spoon could be added to the plate, and then he pulled it back as if he had been burned. Oh no, this was even worse. Now Hyuk would think he was being contrary.
"You think this will be enough?" Hyuk asked, looking at the portion he had dished out. Ba Reum nodded, feeling a little scared that the man was going to add more, but even now he was doubting if he could finish his plate. His parents never let him get away with not finishing his plate. Not that they were often big portions, but there had been times when he had been feeling ill, or it was something he disliked.
He remembered getting it upturned over his head a few times in his past when he hadn't been able to get it in before his stepdad had gotten really angry, and then he had to go stand in the corner or the closet and he really didn't want Hyuk to grow as angry with him for wasting food.
"Okay, thank you for telling me," Hyuk said, and Ba Reum felt relieved when the man didn't get angry at him, "if you're hungry after, don't be afraid to ask a second plate, okay?"
"Hungry? So much," Ba Reum said, surprised if anyone could be hungry after eating that, even though Hyuk's plate was twice as full as his was.
"I guess it must be much for you," Hyuk said, smiling even though he wanted to frown. The poor little. Too skinny for his own good.
He put the plates at the table, and quickly took one of the bibs he had bought for Ba Reum. The little looked surprised when it was tied around his neck, and even more surprised when Hyuk took out the sippy cup.
"What's that?" the little asked, and Hyuk smiled.
"It's a special cup, so you can drink without spilling. Do you want to try?" Hyuk asked, and Ba Reum nodded, looking at it curiously.
"How?" the little asked, his eyes wide.
"Just take it up by the handles, and tip it back," Hyuk said. Ba Reum carefully picked it up with his two hands and put the teat in his mouth and tipped it back, a frown appearing on his face.
"Not working," the little said.
"Have you tried sucking?" Hyuk asked, and Ba Reum's eyes widened, before trying it again, making a pleased sound when the juice came out.
Hyuk smiled, and took Ba Reum's spoon, holding out a bit towards the little, who easily opened his mouth.