MAY

He looks angrier. Angrier than the time I'd accidentally went out on the road, angrier than I'd ever seen him.

And seeing him like this scares me.

"I th-thought you'd just like me better this way." I whisper, his gaze fiery on mine. I end up avoiding his eyes, breaths coming out of me in small gasps.

"More mature. And n-not Little. Like a needy baby."

He growls.

"Who told you that you're not good enough?" He hisses, hands tightening into fists. "Tell me. I'm going to kill them, I swear."

I sniffle.

"Taetae, I'm sorry."

The fear triggers up my Little, and his eyes go wide as I crumple in sobs. I cry into my sleeves as he lifts me up, pressing me against himself on his bed.

"No, it's okay. Don't cry, baby, please. It's my fault." He says, brushing a soothing hand down my hair. "I shouldn't have gotten angry at you. I just can't— you're perfect, May. I love your Little."

"I thought y-you hated me."

"No, baby, no."

He presses repeating kisses against my cheeks and lips, which finally calms me down enough. I scrunch the front material of his shirt in my hands.

"I just— I just overheard some people talking, Taetae. And they said that people usually didn't like little kids because t-they're annoying, and I w-worried you really didn't like me."

"You think you're annoying?"

I bite on my lip, peeking up at him quickly. He has an unreadable look on his face, and I look back down.

"Y-Yes?"

"Well, you're not." He whispers closely, and I can't help but giggle at the ticklish feeling of his lips against my ear. "I love you because you're like this. You're my Little, baby. Don't let anyone else make you think otherwise."

"Okay?"

"Okay." I laugh into my palm, taking the doll and showing him. "Oh, and Taetae?"

"Yes, love?"

"I actually love this doll. Thank you so much. Teddy's going to have a new friend now so he won't be lonely!"

He smiles, and I muffle a delightful squeak when he kisses me again.

"Good."

I take his hand now, getting sleepy as I spread apart his slender fingers out like a fan in my lap. My lids have already closed halfway when I look up.

"Tae? Do you like little me better than the big me?"

"I like both of them equally." He says, and I smile bashfully back down at his answer. "Now go to sleep, May. It's already dark."

I nod obediently, burying my face into the front of his shirt and taking a deep breath. His scent was so calming.

Before I know it, I'm asleep.

_________________________

TAEHYUNG

My eyes fly open to the sound of soft crying. I instantly sit up on the bed, looking over to where I'd tucked in May earlier in the night.

There's a small mess of tangled blankets there, a curled up figure shaking underneath the covers.

The corners of my lips soften.

"May?"

I get to her, slightly lifting the edge of the covers. Her little feet are poking out at the bottom, bandaged in white. Was she still in Little headspace?

Her teary doe eyes confirm that.

"What's wrong?" I ask soothingly, shifting the blanket off of her trembling figure and taking her into my lap. She's so small, curling up against my chest with a tiny sniffle.

"Taetae— I had a nightmare."

A smile tugs on my lips at her squeaky voice, but I push down the urge and rub circles on her back. She has her white nightgown on.

She looks unreal.

"Did you." I say quietly, and she nods with a fearful expression. A soft smile shows on my lips, and I breathe. "But I'm here now. Everything will be fine."

"Don't worry."

At my words, she giggles into her hand and offers me a wide smile. "If you say so, Taetae."

I'm about to tuck her into bed when she wraps her hand around my finger, holding me back. She blinks at me, before shaking her head.

"I want to sleep with you."

Then she hops off, and I watch in adoration as she climbs into mine. With just her head poking out from underneath the covers, she taps at the space next to her.

"Com'ere."

I listen to her, lying down next to her and resting my chin on the top of her head. My eyes close when I soon hear the soft breathing of her lips, the beating of her heart.

How could I ever let her go?

_________________________

My eyes shoot open, and a gasp leaves my lips as something crashes down onto my chest.

May's smiling face peeks at me in the side of my view, and I realize she'd jumped on me.

"Finally!" She chirps, pinching at my cheek. "You're awake, Taetae. I've been trying to wake you up for an hour!"

She climbs off of my chest, looking at me like a puppy as I sit up with wide eyes. She was still a Little? She'd always been her big self when she woke up in the morning.

"May— you're Little?"

"Is little a kid?" She tilts her head to the side, and I blink dazedly when she starts playing with one of her boxes. The sound of crayon against floor snaps me up, and I quickly scramble down.

I gently pull back her wrist.

"Not on the floor, May."

She tilts her head confusedly, then points at the white walls.

I shake my head.

"This is called paper." I say, spreading out two pieces of blank paper side by side in front of her. "You draw and write on this, okay?"

Was she still a Little because of all the piled stress from before? It was possible, that this was taking a bit too long because of that.

Thank God it was Saturday.

"Tae, I'm hungry."

I look up when she clumsily gets to her feet, dropping the crayon onto the paper. There's a few scribbled drawings, and I follow her as she waddles to the fridge.

"Chocolate?" She pipes up, and I shake my head with a laugh.

"No chocolate this early in the morning." I tell her, and she bites her lip in disappointment. I feel like a parent as she crosses her legs, sitting on the floor next to the fridge.

"Milk."

"Sure," I smile at her, and like she'd never pouted, she bursts into a happy smile. But when I open the fridge, I realize she'd drank it all last night.

"Where is it?" She asks, and I chew on my lip as I step back. I grab my jacket, and she scrambles quickly up to her feet.

"Taetae! Where are you going?"

"To the store." I say, brushing my fingertips below her chin. She giggles, pushing my hands away. "You can come with me if you promise to be good."

"I'll be good!" She chirps back, and my eyes flash to her lovingly as I get her oversized jacket as well.

She really looks like a child when I help her tuck her arms into it, the sleeves a slight too long for her.

"Ah— cold." She shivers when we come outside, and I stop to wrap her scarf more tighter around her neck. May keeps tugging at the zipper of her jacket the entire way there, or else staring off into the distance.

"How old are you, love?"

"Me?" She mutters, and I nod. At that, she looks up and gives me a wide smile. "I'm three! Didn't you know?"

"Three, huh?" I whisper knowingly, and she gasps once we walk inside the store. My hand wrapped tight around hers, I lead her to where the milk is.

Then I let go for a brief moment, to grab the carton into my hands.

"May?"

A moment.

She's gone.