"Hey, hyung," Kook waved his hand towards Namjoon to get his attention then pointed to the conglomeration of liquor bottles on the coffee table, "Whiskey."

Joon pushed a few bottles around then silently threw the younger what he wanted. Then he turned back to Jimin, who was talking about his and Jin's trip to Japan.

"They had this ceremony," Jimin branched off from his main story line, "There were fireworks and everyone was dressed in robes and they went to nearby shrines and had food stalls set up everywhere."

"Needless to say, I gorged myself," Jin raised his glass and laughed.

"No, you tried to commit suicide with all that red meat you had."

"Oh hush vegan," Jin scrunched up his nose, "Gay or not, a man should love meat. I don't understand you."

"Jiminie likes man meat hyung," Taehyung chimed in.

Jungkook choked on his drink and Hoseok slapped his back until he stopped.

By the time it had passed, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Tae jumped up before Kook could. The older liked answering other people's phones and doors, a strange addiction none of them could name.

Kook managed to recover just in time for his ex to come strolling into the living room with their daughter on her hip.

"Here, she's all yours," the woman handed the baby over and dropped a suitcase and duffle bag at Jung's feet, "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Kook stood up, holding Grace against his chest.

"Yeah, that's what I just said."

"Where are you going? I have work tomorrow-"

"You better get a babysitter then, 'cause I'm leaving the damn country," she giggled, her eyes darting around the room.

"Malani, the fuck are you talking about?"

"I mean, I got a modeling job in China and I'm taking it. It pays good and I get a free house and car. So...take care," she sighed and then turned to leave, but Jungkook caught her arm.

"You can't just fucking walk out like this. What about Grace, you're just dumping her?"

Malani exhaled then reached up to pinch Jungkook's cheek, "The way I see it, she was your fault in the first place."

"Okay," Ho Seok stood up and took Grace from Jungkook, which earned him Taehyung and Seokjin at his sides.

Jungkook and Malani moved to the entry hall, but they could all hear Jung's yelling clearly, while his ex's voice was muffled and calm.

"She never seemed to care about either of them anyway," Yoongi grumbled before taking a drink from his beer bottle.

Namjoon sighed and Jimin put a hand on his back.

Yoongi laid back on the couch, slouching down a lot so he could stare at the ceiling, "Chim, could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" The blonde asked.

"Lay on me for a little bit."

The blonde rolled his eyes then slowly moved to cuddle up against Yoongi's side.

Yoon grabbed Jimin's left wrist and pulled his arm over his stomach before he let out a sigh of contentment, "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it," Jimin laughed, watching Hoseok and Taehyung make funny faces at Grace, "You know, I feel bad that I still can't say her name as good as you guys."

"It's okay," Joon pat his thigh, "You're getting better at it, you just can't hear it yourself."

"Mm...why is that, hyung?" Jimin pouted.

"Just the way things are, Chim," Namjoon ran a hand through his hair.

"Phooey on you," Jimin grumbled and curled into Yoongi more.

He closed his eyes and thought about going to sleep, until the front door slammed and Jungkook yelled, "God damnit!"

Grace started crying and Jungkook was easily back in the room, picking her up and whisking her away.

Jimin selfishly wished that Jungkook never met Malani. He wouldn't have all these interruptions when they hung out and he wouldn't have to cancel last minute to bail Lani out of jail. Jungkook's life would've been so much simpler without that Korean Cruella.

On the other hand though, they wouldn't all be uncles to little Gracie, nor would they have been able to say they drank at a one year old's birthday party.

"Jin hyung!" Jungkook called.

"Yeah Kookie?" The oldest hopped up and started to move towards Jung's voice, but stopped short.

"Can you go through those bags and find me a pacifier, please?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"She's such a bitch for doing this," Jimin mumbled.

"Yeah. She's been a bitch since the condom broke," Joon grumbled, taking what he silently vowed to be his last shot of vodka for the night.

"She said Gracie was Kookie's fault. That's terrible to say. Grace is the best baby I've ever been around."

"You've been around a lot of babies?"

"Well, besides you guys, I basically raised all my little cousins and my little brother."

"Yeah and your brother turned out to be great," Yoongi laughed.

"Shut up, perv," Jimin sat up and the older mumbled something before taking another drink.

Everything fell quiet as Jin left with a binky, the other five just waiting for Grace to calm down.

They all loved Jungkook's little girl; Jin and Yoongi probably the most out of everyone, but still.

Jungkook came back into the room and sighed as he grabbed the whiskey again. He took a drink then shoved his hands in his pockets, "Sorry to have to wreck everything, but party's gonna have to be over. I don't want Grace to be around all this."

"Yeah," Hoseok stood up. "Come on designated driver," he pointed towards Jimin, "Take us all to our homes."

"Get in the van, horse face," Joon mumbled.

"Sorry, again."

"It's fine Kookie," Jimin stood up and pat their youngest's shoulder, "Life happens."

"Yeah. I wish life would throw a babysitter in my hands instead of lemons."

"Well...Kookie, I could watch Gracie while you're gone tomorrow," Jimin offered.

"Yeah?" The taller's eyes lit up.

"Mhm. Me and Jin hyung are both off work. Although, he drank a lot more than usual. He might not be up for it, but I can handle her myself."

"Yeah," Jung smiled, "Thanks, hyung. It means a lot. Can you....be here before eight in the morning?"

"Ah...um, how about I take everyone home and then come back with an overnight bag. I can stay on the couch and help with Grace tonight too, since you've been drinking."

The taller exhaled and smiled before he nodded, "That'd be...amazing."

"I'll be back in about an hour, then," Jimin nodded, picking up his keys from the coffee table.

"Cool," Jung ran a hand through his hair and backed out of the room.

Soon enough, Seokjin came back to get his jacket. Jimin didn't even bother to ask if he wanted to stay and watch Gracie tomorrow. He just really didn't want to.

"C'mon Jimin," Joon wrapped his arm around the smaller's shoulders, "I don't know why you do this to yourself."

"Me neither."

-------------

Jungkook came downstairs at five the next morning and peered into the living room to find Jimin on the couch with Gracie in her bassinet.

He paused for a second and smiled at how his friend had his hand in the cradle.

He knew his friends loved his daughter and they'd do anything for her. It really helped him through his breakup and Malani's pregnancy and all the arguments after it. He knew he had people on his side despite Lani going around spouting bullshit about how she got pregnant. (He had a condom on. She was lying about still being on her birth control.)

Yet he doesn't regret what happened. He loves Grace.

A small, nasally 'uh' made Jungkook move towards the two. He hovered over his daughter and watched her while she kicked at Jimin's hand.

He thought it was funny how his friend's pinky was as long as his daughter's whole hand.

They always teased Jimin over his fingers. It'd been something they started when they all met in college and it never died. It was everyone's favorite inside joke.

It got a lot worse once Jimin came out to them, though. Tae always linked Jimin's anything to some random guy's dick.

Sometimes Jungkook got uncomfortable when he thought too much about Jimin's sexuality, but he didn't say anything because he loved Jimin like a big brother. Plus, it wasn't like Jimin changed just because he had came out to his friends.

"Kookie?"

Jungkook looked to his right and smiled at Jimin, "Morning."

"Hey," the older exhaled and dropped his face back into the pillow. "She okay?"

"Yeah, just dreaming," Jung crouched beside the bassinet and ran his fingers over his daughter's forehead.

Jimin gave him a sleepy hum then rolled over.

A moment of silence washed over them then Jungkook took a deep breath before he spoke a quiet, "Hyung?"

It took Jimin a couple seconds to give him another hum.

"Can I tell you something?"

The older rolled back and squinted at the younger, "Yeah, go ahead."

Jung sat down, leaning against the couch. "I...I know that Malani hasn't been great to me. Now she's gone and she just left Gracie, but... Hyung is it stupid for me to still love her?"

Jimin closed his eyes and inhaled, thinking of how he wanted to answer. Immediately he wanted to say 'yes idiot' and smack the taller, but he couldn't be that insensitive.

"I don't think it's good for your heart. Mostly because she isn't good enough to have any part of yours. Not in my eyes, at least...not anymore."

"I still think about what we were before," the younger admitted, looking to the baby and smiling. "Before Sunshine, even though I love her to bits, everything was perfect with Lani. We were perfectly happy with how our lives were; perfectly happy with each other."

"Then she lied and there was an accident and now you have Sunshine."

"Yeah...but I'm not mad that she lied, because I have Gracie and I love her."

"I know. I'm not mad at Malani either, but I'm disappointed that she lied and a bit miffed that she treats you like scum. You're a good guy, Kookie, and all the stuff she's called you... Everything she said is not true and we know that."

Jungkook moved a bit, so that he could see his hyung's face. He snickered when he saw that Jimin's eyes were closed, but he still mumbled his thanks.

"Are you hungry? I can make you something."

Jungkook stood up and exhaled, "Will you make me some cereal with banana in it? It tastes better when you make it for some reason."

"Yeah," Jimin smiled and slowly pushed himself up. Jungkook sat next to him and handed him his glasses from the end table.

The older yawned as he took them, slowly putting them on and standing up to stretch.

Jungkook knew Jimin hated sleeping with pants on, but he was pretty sure Jimin had looser fitting boxers than the ones he had on now.

"You want sugar in your cereal?"

"Uh...little bit," Jung nodded, "Thanks hyung."

"No worries," Jimin smiled and rubbed his eye as he moved through to the kitchen.

---------------

"Jimin, what're you doing?" Seokjin sighed in his ear.

Jimin pouted and readjusted Grace on his hip before he gripped his phone again, "Helping Kookie with Gracie."

"No," Jin scolded, "You're putting yourself in a painful situation. Why do you always do this? It can't feel good."

"I'm helping him and that's all I care about. It makes things easier on him and he's happier. All I want is for him and Gracie to be happy."

"Mhm," Jin hummed. "And what about Malani?"

"Honestly I wish she'd break her new model ankles, but...it wouldn't make Kookie happy for her to be hurt. So I just hope karma works it's magic on her."

"Jimin, we love you. We understand wanting to help Jungkook, but we do it because we love him. You love him too, but you also love him. Your heart's gonna burst one day, Chim. I just don't want you to be hurt."

Jimin started swaying as he stared at Gracie; at how she sucked on her fingers and laid her head against his chest, "I'll be okay. I've been quiet this long, I can handle another...another six years or so."

"Jimin-"

"Hyung, Gracie's hungry. I gotta go. Thanks for the concern."

"Be careful, Chim. Seriously."

--------------

"Hey baby," Jungkook cooed as he picked up Grace from Jimin's lap.

The older male smiled and stood up.

"Thanks again, hyung. How was she?"

"She was a doll all day long. Slept well and ate whatever I gave her without fussing."

"Really? Dang. You've always been her bestie, I think. She likes you more than anyone."

"Nah," Jimin reached down and grabbed his bag from the couch, "You're her daddy. Every little girl loves their daddy the most out of anyone. Or so I've been told."

Jungkook chuckled, kissing Grace's arm when she splayed out against his chest.

"So, I'm gonna go," Jimin sighed and reached up to pinch the baby's cheek. She giggled and tucked herself into Jungkook's neck, "Love you, Sunshine. Be good. Bye Kookie."

"Later hyung," Kook smiled and gave Jimin a small hug.

Jimin indulged himself and inhaled the younger's scent. The same cologne he's been wearing since they were juniors in college and he met Malani.

She was nice back then and Jimin didn't have his little crush or whatever it was.

"Jimin-hyung?" Jungkook tugged against his shirt.

Jimin quickly stepped back and pushed his hand through his hair, "Sorry. I was just thinking. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine. No harm done," Jungkook smiled and started bouncing Grace in his arms, "I owe you one. Don't let me forget."

"Okay," the older nodded, "Bye Sunshine." Jimin pinched the girl's thigh then stepped out of the room, putting on his shoes and leaving as fast as he could.

-----------------

"Hyung," Jungkook sighed as he handed Grace over to Seokjin, "Has Jimin-hyung told you anything lately? Maybe something that's bothering him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well...the day he took care of Sunshine for me he seemed a little off. Like he was thinking too much about something. It was almost like the week before he came out to us, you know?"

"Oh," Jin took a seat at the dining table and sat Grace on top before he put her socks on for her, "No, nothing lately."

The younger ran a hand through his hair then sat next to the older, "Maybe it's because I told him I still love Lani."

Jin exhaled. Yep, that'd do it. "I'm sure he supports you in your feelings, Kookie. We all want you to be happy."

"Hyung, what aren't you telling me?"

Jin furrowed his brow and turned to him, "What're you wanting to know?"

"What's wrong with Jimin?"

"Nothing," Jin shook his head.

"So you know something."

"Kookie-"

"I don't want a repeat of what happened back then, hyung. I couldn't help him until he told me and the same thing applies here. But I have a feeling he's not gonna tell me."

"Jungkook, I promised. We all promised and I won't play around with this. You're right. He'll probably never tell you, but he says he's fine with things how they are and he doesn't want his life to change."

"What's going on? Just tell me and I swear I'll keep my mouth shut."

"No, Jungkook. You know I'd tell you anything, but I can't tell you this. It's not for me to tell you. It's up to Jimin."

Jungkook laid his head down and watched the seriousness fade away from Jin the longer he stared at Gracie, "So, I'll never know?"

"Probably not."

---------------

You're so stupid, Park Jimin. Why would you hug him for that long? You know he hates skin ship. Well, at least with everyone except Gracie and friggin' Malani.

"Excuse me," a voice made him lift his head and look to the left of the cafe table he was sat at. "Can I sit here?" The guy pointed to the seat across from Jimin and the smaller male nodded.

"Thanks," he smiled and pulled the chair out. "Why are you sulking?" The guy asked as he plopped down.

"Oh, um...nothing. It's silly, actually," Jimin grabbed his coffee cup and traced the rim.

"Ah, with that look I'm finding that hard to believe."

"What look?" Jimin furrowed his brow.

"Sad eyes, frown. Almost look like you're gonna cry. Are you? Do you need a hug?"

Jimin blushed and sat up straighter, "No, I'm okay. Thanks. I just embarrassed myself is all."

"Aw," the guy leaned on the table and pushed his muffin towards Jimin, "Here."

"Oh, no. You paid for it, I couldn't-"

"I insist. Go ahead. My name's Joshua, by the way. What about you?"

"Jimin," the blonde squeaked, "Park Jimin."

"Cool," the guy smiled, "You could call me Jisoo, if it's easier for you. Normally people have to work at Joshua."

"Yeah," Jimin smiled, "Where're you from? Like...where were you raised?"

"LA. In America."

"Oh, I've been there," Jimin nodded, knowing the place he was talking about.

"Yeah? Did you like it?"

"Mhm. Me and my friends went to the beach and shopped...only one of us knows English, but we're all trying to learn."

Joshua smiled at that and leaned back in the chair.

"Hyung," a short guy, maybe about Jimin's height walked up to Jisoo and started pushing on his shoulder, "We gotta go. Class starts in twenty minutes."

"Go on without me, Jihun," Joshua waved him off.

"But hyung, you said you'd help me with notes this class."

"It's okay," Jimin quietly said, "I know how school gets. I graduated last year."

Joshua looked up at the other guy then sighed and turned back to Jimin, "Can I get your number, Park Jimin?"

"Wow," Jihun scoffed.

"Um..." Jimin blushed and slid his phone across the table, "Okay."

---------------

"Kookie, is it okay if I bring a friend over with me?"

"A friend? You mean like Tae-hyung or Hobi-hyung?"

"No...it's someone I met last month. He's really nice. I talk about Gracie a lot and he wants to meet her."

Jungkook chuckled and put his hand under Grace's butt so that she wouldn't fall. She'd learned how to pull herself up and stand in one place. But her trying to a step always ended in her flat on her face. "Yeah, hyung. That's fine. Have you heard from Yoongi-hyung? Is he coming?"

"Uh...I haven't. You should check with Joonie."

"Yeah, will do. See ya tonight."

"See ya."

----------------

"Oh my gosh," Taehyung grabbed Jimin and pulled him away from the stranger, "Who is this, Jiminie?"

"Taetae, this is Joshwa."

The new face laughed and Jimin pouted, "You still can't say it."

"I'm trying," Jimin crossed his arms.

"Just call me Jisoo," Joshua bowed to the room full of people, "Hong Jisoo."

"He's cute, huh?" Tae whispered to his shortest friend.

"Hush!" Jimin shouted in a whisper.

"Gracie's taking a nap upstairs, hyung," Jungkook pointed towards the ceiling.

"Okay," Jimin walked back over to Joshua and led him out of the room.

"Jiminie's gotta be hittin' that," Tae sighed.

"Tae!" Jin scolded, "Don't start. You know how he is. He wouldn't."

"But," Tae gestured to the doorway, "They're so cute together and he teases Jiminie just like we do. Jimin has to be in love already."

"Taehyung," Yoongi held a bottle of strawberry wine out towards him, "Shut up and drink."

---------------

"She's cuter than you described her," Joshua laughed quietly, watching as Jimin stroked Grace's cheek with his thumb.

"Yeah...my little niece."

"How long did it take for you to be able to say Grace?" Jisoo asked.

"A year," Jimin exhaled