“hey,” jay greeted softly, his voice warm as always. “you’re back early. how was—”

he didn’t even get to finish before she walked right past him, jaw clenched and eyes glassy. her heels clicked against the tiles as she made a beeline for the kitchen. jay frowned, his easy smile fading as he turned toward her, concern etching across his face.

from the kitchen, he heard the fridge door open, then the sound of glass bottles clinking. a moment later, a loud gulp. when she reappeared, she was clutching a cold bottle of water, her other hand shaking slightly as she ran it through her hair, clearly overwhelmed.

“hey, honey,” jay tried again gently, standing now. “what happened?”

she blinked at him once and that was all it took for the tears to finally spill over. “jay, it was awful.”

he immediately closed the distance between them, his brows knitting together. “what do you mean?”

her voice cracked, anger laced through every word. “that baby—that sweet little boy — it was his first birthday, jay. his first. and his parents—” she stopped, pressing a trembling hand to her forehead as she tried to gather herself, “they didn’t even care.”

jay’s confusion deepened, but he stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.

“they threw this huge party,” she said, pacing now, unable to stand still. “music, drinks, people laughing — it was more like a college reunion than a kid’s birthday. and you know what the baby was doing?” she looked up at him, her eyes red, voice sharp with disbelief. “sitting in a corner. alone. while his parents were off drinking and talking to their friends.”

jay’s mouth parted, but she didn’t give him the chance to reply yet. she was on a roll now, her emotions spilling like an overfilled glass.

“they didn’t even get him a proper cake! just a single cupcake—a cupcake, jay! and no candle, no singing, nothing. just one of the friends saying, ‘oh we’ll do the big party next year.’” her voice broke on the last word, her anger collapsing under the weight of sadness.

she rubbed at her eyes with the heel of her hand, trying to stop the tears that refused to slow down. “he’s one. he doesn’t understand birthdays, but he understands love. and you could see it—how used to it he was. he smiled at everyone, tried to play, but nobody even looked at him. and when i sat down and played with him, he just—” her lip trembled, “—he just started giggling so much. like it was the best part of his day. and i couldn’t stop thinking, what if nobody ever plays with him? what if that’s all he gets?”

he stepped forward slowly until he was right in front of her. “yn,” he said quietly, his hand brushing her arm before pulling her gently toward him. “hey, look at me.”

she did, reluctantly, her tears still clinging to her lashes.

“you did what you could, okay?” he murmured, his thumb tracing comforting circles against her shoulder. “you gave that baby more love in those few hours than some people do in a week. you made his day special.”

“but, jay…” she whispered, shaking her head, voice trembling again. “how could they do that? he’s just a baby. babies deserve the world. they deserve to feel wanted.”

jay’s hand moved up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “i know. and i hate that some kids don’t get that. but you can’t save them all, baby. you’ve got such a big heart — it’s why i love you so much — but you can’t carry every hurt you see.”

yn sniffled, her eyes softening even as her anger lingered. “i just—i couldn’t stop thinking about aiden. about how he’s so happy and loved every single day. he’s safe. he’ll never feel like that baby did today.”

jay smiled faintly, cupping her cheek. “he won’t. you know why?”

she shook her head slightly.

“because he’s got you,” he said simply. “he’s got his mama — the kind of mama who cries for other people’s kids. who spends an entire party on the floor just to make a baby laugh. that’s the kind of love aiden’s growing up with. that’s his whole world, yn.”

her lips trembled again, but this time it wasn’t from anger. she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest as a soft sob escaped her. he held her tight, his chin resting on top of her head, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding her.

a tiny whimper, followed by the soft rustle of movement.

they both turned toward the mat in the living room, where aiden had stirred awake. he blinked sleepily, a confused pout forming on his lips as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

yn immediately wiped her tears and went to him, crouching beside the mat. “hey, my baby,” she whispered, her voice soft again. “mama’s here.”

aiden’s pout broke into a tired smile when he recognised her, and he lifted his arms, making his signature little grabby hands. yn scooped him up without hesitation, pressing a kiss to his warm forehead as he snuggled into her shoulder, half-asleep.

jay watched them from behind, his chest full — the ache of love and awe all tangled up inside him. he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around both of them, resting his chin on her other shoulder.

yn whispered, almost to herself, “he’ll always know he’s loved, jay. always.”

jay pressed a kiss to her temple and murmured, “he already does, my love.”

yn and jay sat in bed now, legs tangled under the sheets, both leaning against the headboard. jay had one arm draped lazily around her shoulders while she rested against his side, phone in hand.

“look,” she said suddenly, her voice quiet but carrying that familiar spark of excitement. “these are the pictures i took with the baby.”

jay leaned in immediately, chin brushing her shoulder, eyes soft as the first picture came up. it was a shot of yn crouched on the floor, smiling wide, holding a chubby-cheeked baby who was halfway through a giggle—eyes scrunched up, one tiny hand gripping her necklace.

“oh my god,” jay murmured, a grin spreading across his face. “he’s adorable.”

“right?!” yn lit up, swiping to the next one — this time, the baby was reaching for the phone, his mouth open in a little ‘o’ of curiosity while she tried to hold back her laugh. “he’s such a sweet little guy. he just… wanted attention, you know? just wanted someone to play with him.”

jay smiled faintly, eyes on her instead of the phone now. “you made his whole day, baby.”

she huffed softly, rolling her eyes but the smile didn’t leave her lips. “don’t say that, i didn’t do anything special. i just… sat with him.”

“that’s exactly it,” jay said, brushing his thumb across her arm. “you gave him what he needed. that’s special.”

she looked up at him for a moment, eyes soft, and then sighed as she swiped again. “okay, now look at this one.”

jay chuckled instantly—it was a blurry selfie of yn laughing while the baby had his hand in her hair, tugging gleefully. “he’s already got taste,” jay teased, smirking. “going for your hair like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.”

she playfully nudged him with her elbow, “shut up.” but her smile faltered when she got to the next clip—a short video she’d taken earlier that afternoon.

in it, she sat cross-legged on the floor while the baby crawled toward her, babbling happily. yn’s voice could be heard faintly in the background, saying something like ‘you’re the cutest little thing ever, huh?’ before she added under her breath, ‘your parents are assholes though.’

jay couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him, but it was short-lived when he noticed how quiet she’d gone beside him. her jaw tightened slightly, her thumb hovering over the pause button as her eyes stayed on the screen.

“baby,” jay murmured, his voice soft. “you okay?”

she nodded automatically, but her eyes were glassy again. “it just… it’s not fair, jay,” she said after a beat, her voice cracking a little. “he was such a happy baby—and they didn’t even notice. they were so wrapped up in themselves, they didn’t even see him look for them.”

jay’s chest ached at the tremor in her voice. he reached over and gently took her phone from her hand, setting it on the nightstand. “hey,” he whispered, turning back to her, “look at me.”

her eyes flicked up, angry and glossy all at once.

“you did what they didn’t, yn. you made him feel loved, even if it was just for a few hours.”

she shook her head, frustrated tears slipping out despite herself. “but what about tomorrow? and the day after that? what if he grows up thinking that’s normal? that nobody shows up for him?”

jay tightened his arm around her, pulling her into his chest. “i know, baby. i know. but you can’t fix the whole world. you did what you could — and that’s more than most people ever do.”

yn pressed her face against his shirt, her voice muffled and shaking slightly. “i want to text them, jay. i swear to god, i want to text them and tell them what shitty parents they are. like, do they even deserve him?”

jay exhaled softly, the ghost of a smile on his lips even as he stroked her back. “you’d scare the life out of them, baby.”

“good!” she shot back immediately, lifting her head to glare at him even as tears streaked down her cheeks. “maybe they need to be scared. maybe they need to know what they’re doing is wrong. that baby deserves better.”

he couldn’t help but chuckle, brushing his thumb under her eyes. “you’ve got fire in you tonight, huh?”

she sniffled, wiping at her nose. “don’t ‘fire’ me right now, i’m genuinely mad.”

“i know,” jay said softly, kissing her temple. “and i love that about you. i love that your heart works this way. but texting them won’t help. you’ll just get angrier.”

she huffed again, crossing her arms but leaning into him anyway. “still doesn’t feel right.”

jay hummed in agreement, his fingers tracing lazy circles along her arm. “then we’ll make it right in our way. tomorrow, we’ll take aiden somewhere nice. the park, or maybe that play café he loves. we’ll make sure he always knows what love looks like, okay?”

yn looked up at him again, her anger slowly dissolving into a soft ache. “he already does,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “because of you.”

jay smiled, shaking his head. “nah, baby. because of you. you’re the heart of this family. me and aiden? we just orbit around you.”

her lips parted, and a soft, emotional laugh escaped her. “you’re so dramatic.”

“only for you,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her forehead — then her cheek, and finally her lips, slow and tender.

by the time they pulled away, her anger had melted completely. the two of them sat there for a long while, wrapped in quiet and each other, as the rain pattered softly against the glass.

and when yn finally rested her head on his chest again, jay whispered against her hair, “that baby’s lucky you were there, yn. you made sure he didn’t go his first birthday without love.”

her voice was tired but sure. “and i’ll never let ours go a single day without it.”

jay smiled into her hair, his arms tightening around her. “you never could, baby.”

masterlist / prev / next

nessie 🗯️ i’m really sorry that the chapters recently have been just crying and getting hurt but .. it is what it is :D

still, no amount of composure could hide the soft tenderness in her eyes when she kept glancing back toward the bed—where jay sat with their son perched happily on his lap, chubby legs kicking, tiny fists tugging at his dada’s shirt.

“are you sure you’ll be okay?” she asked for maybe the third time, fidgeting with her earrings as she peered at the two of them. “you have work too, jay.”

jay only chuckled, one hand rubbing small circles over their baby boy’s back while the other supported him easily against his chest. “we’ll be perfect, love. i told you—today, i’m all his. no work, no calls. just me and my baby boy.” he tipped his head down to nuzzle aiden’s cheek, making the little one giggle, drool shining at the corner of his mouth. “isn’t that right, my love?”

aiden squealed in reply, flailing his arms as if agreeing wholeheartedly.

yn’s lips curved, though she tried to suppress the smile, feigning exasperation as she slipped on her heels. “you two are going to get into trouble without me, i can feel it.”

jay’s grin turned boyish. “the good kind of trouble.” he looked at their son, holding his tiny hand up. “tell mama not to worry, baby. dada’s got this.”

the baby cooed, babbling nonsense, and jay nodded solemnly as if he’d just translated it perfectly. “see? he says, ‘mama, i’ll take care of dada, don’t worry.’”

that made yn laugh, shaking her head. “uh huh, i’m sure that’s exactly what he said.”

still, when she crossed the room to them, her composure melted completely. she leaned down, cupping their son’s soft cheeks in her hands, pressing kiss after kiss to his face. “mama’s baby,” she whispered against his skin, and he squealed again, his whole face lighting up at her voice. “i’ll miss you so much today.”

jay’s arms tightened protectively around their boy as he teased, “and what about me?”

her gaze flicked to him, and she bent lower, kissing jay quickly, softly. “i’ll miss you too.”

“mm, good answer,” he murmured, stealing one more kiss before she pulled away.

then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, jay held aiden closer to yn’s face. “c’mon, baby boy, give mama her good luck kiss.” he gently guided aiden forward and their son planted a slobbery kiss—more of a soft gummy bite rather—on yn’s cheek, followed by a happy squeal as if he’d accomplished something very grand.

yn’s laughter bubbled out, pure and warm. she pressed her forehead against her baby’s for a moment, eyes fluttering shut. “that’s it, that’s all i needed.”

“go knock them dead, mama,” he said softly, his voice steady but his eyes warm, shining with pride. “we’ll be right here waiting for you.”

she gave them both one last kiss each—lingering on aiden’s chubby cheek, then on jay’s lips—and finally, reluctantly, she turned to grab her bag. her heels clicked across the floor as she headed to the door, pausing once more to glance back at the sight of them.

her chest tightened, her eyes stung, but she smiled through it. “i love you, my boys.”

“love you, mama,” jay called back, pressing a kiss to their son’s temple before lifting his tiny hand in a wave. “say bye-bye, baby boy.”

aiden let out a shriek of delight—half a laugh, half a squeal—as if to say goodbye in his own way.

yn’s heart ached at leaving, but she walked out the door feeling held, cherished, and loved beyond words.

breakfast was a mix of chaos and sweetness—jay tried spoon-feeding mashed banana, most of which ended up smeared across aiden’s cheeks chin, and somehow in his hair. jay laughed until his stomach hurt, wiping him down with a warm cloth, muttering affectionately, “baby, you’re supposed to eat it, not wear it.”

after breakfast, jay got the grand idea of dressing his little one up as his “mini-me.” he pulled out one of aiden’s tiny button-up shirts, a soft yellow one yn had picked out and paired it with miniature khakis. but jay wasn’t done.

with a grin, he slipped one of his old leather watches around the baby’s chubby wrist, the strap wrapped all the way to fit. it was way too big, but aiden didn’t care—he stared at it like it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen, waving his arm up and down proudly.

“look at you,” jay cooed, holding him up against the mirror, his heart melting at the sight. “my little man. my love, you’re dada’s twin today.”

aiden babbled back, slapping the mirror with his tiny palm, as if agreeing. jay pulled out his phone and snapped a dozen pictures, already knowing yn would squeal the second she saw them.

by midday, after lunch together, jay decided the weather was too beautiful to waste indoors. he bundled aiden into his bright yellow jumper, brushed his soft hair until it curled neatly, and packed a small bag with baby essentials before heading to the park.

the grass was still damp from last night’s drizzle, so jay spread out a thick picnic mat. but knowing his adventurous little one, he didn’t stop there. he placed bags and rolled towels along the edges of the mat like a protective wall. “no escapes today, baby boy,” he muttered with mock sternness, though his grin gave him away.

aiden, of course, immediately tested his limits, crawling full force toward one corner only to bump into a soft barricade. he squealed in protest before dissolving into giggles, collapsing on his belly with his chubby legs kicking behind him. his little palms left faint prints of drool on the mat as he crawled in circles, exploring every inch like he’d discovered a new world.

jay sat cross-legged nearby, elbows on his knees, just watching. his chest warmed at the sight of his son in the soft afternoon light—yellow jumper bright against the green, cheeks flushed pink from the cool breeze, hair sticking up adorably where jay had tried to smooth it down.

every laugh, every dimpled grin, every restless twist of his body—it was all yn. jay felt it down to his bones. she always teased that aiden was his twin, pointing out his dark lashes, his nose, his expressions.

but jay only saw her.

the way aiden’s laughter came suddenly, bubbling over without reason—that was yn’s joy. the boxy grin that appeared when he smiled—that was yn’s smile. the rosy cheeks, the impatience to sit still, the way he filled the air with life and noise just by existing—that was all her.

jay’s throat tightened as he whispered, almost to himself, “you’re so much like mama, my love. so much like her. and dada’s lucky, because i get two of you.”

aiden looked up mid-crawl, babbled something that sounded like “da-da” and drooled onto his sleeve. jay laughed, reaching over to scoop him into his arms, pressing a kiss to his temple.

the baby nestled into his chest for a moment, thumb going instinctively to his mouth. jay gently pulled it away, replacing it with a kiss on his little hand. “not today, baby boy,” he murmured softly. “let’s try without, hmm?”

aiden only blinked up at him with big, trusting eyes before wriggling to be put back down, eager to resume his adventure. jay let him, watching him crawl and babble against the backdrop of the park, a bittersweet pride swelling in his chest.

jay hadn’t meant to get so lost in the words. the book had been sitting on his nightstand for weeks, begging to be cracked open, and now, with his son happily babbling to himself on the mat, it felt like the perfect chance. he sat cross-legged, book in one hand, the other stretched loosely behind him, palm always brushing against aiden’s chubby leg or the edge of his jumper every few seconds just to reassure himself.

the minutes slipped by, the hum of the park and the smell of damp grass lulling him deeper into the story. he only looked up when his phone buzzed, yn’s name flashing across the screen. immediately, his face softened into that husband smile he reserved only for her and he picked up without a second thought.

“hi, baby,” he said, voice warm, already leaning back with a grin spreading across his lips.

he didn’t even get to say more before yn’s voice poured through, light and breathless and happy. “jay! it went so well—you have no idea! they loved the pitch, and—oh my god—they agreed to sign. another shareholder. can you believe it? another one!”

jay’s chest swelled with pride at the excitement in her tone. to anyone else, he might’ve played the part of boss—serious, collected, businesslike. but right now, he was just her husband, her biggest cheerleader. “of course they did,” he said softly, eyes crinkling at the corners. “i told you, didn’t i? i knew you’d kill it, baby. always do.”

her laugh was airy, and he could picture her smile—the way she probably had her hand pressed over her mouth, cheeks glowing. it was his favorite sound in the world. they slipped easily into chatter, teasing, talking about how she’d celebrated with her team, how nervous she’d been right before, how proud he was of her. jay’s world shrank to just her voice, the cadence of her words washing over him.

so when she asked casually, “where are you two, by the way? you texted you were heading out,” he didn’t even hesitate. he hummed distractedly, ready to answer with some sweet, random detail about how their son had been crawling in circles or babbling at a bird.

except—

his hand brushed an empty mat.

his gaze flicked down and there was no yellow jumper.

jay froze. his stomach bottomed out, the air in his chest suddenly gone. his eyes darted frantically over the mat, the barricades of towels and bags. nothing. the book fell forgotten to the grass as his head whipped left, then right, his pulse slamming in his ears.

“jay?” yn’s voice came through the phone, sharp now, the happy edge gone. “what is it?”

he swallowed hard, trying to keep the terror out of his tone. he couldn’t—wouldn’t—let her hear panic. not when she was still glowing from her big win, not when the baby boy she loved more than life might be—

“i’ll call you back,” he muttered quickly, his voice tight, cutting the line before she could ask anything else. her worried jay—? was the last thing he heard before the screen went black.

and then he saw him.

aiden, his little body low to the ground, crawling with shocking speed across the grass. the barricade had shifted when jay wasn’t looking and the baby had slipped through, drawn toward the bustling sound of wheels and chatter. he was mere feet from the paved bicycle lane, where a stream of cyclists glided past in quick, steady lines.

for one horrifying heartbeat, jay saw it—saw how close his baby boy was to crawling straight into danger, seconds away from a disaster he couldn’t even bear to imagine.

his whole body reacted before his mind caught up. he lunged forward, knees and palms hitting the grass hard as he scrambled across the ground. “AIDEN!” the shout tore from his throat, louder than he meant, his heart clawing its way into his mouth.

aiden startled, twisting his head back, big eyes wide as if he couldn’t understand why dada’s voice suddenly sounded so sharp. his little hands paused on the grass—but his knees were still inching forward, dangerously close to the lane.

jay’s vision tunneled. he reached out, arm outstretched with every ounce of strength and scooped his son into his chest just as the front wheel of a bicycle whizzed past where aiden’s tiny hand had been. the rush of air burned his skin, and the blood roared in his ears.

clutching aiden to him, jay stumbled back onto the mat, collapsing onto his knees, chest heaving like he’d run miles. his son let out a startled wail at the sudden movement, fists clutching jay’s shirt, but jay barely noticed. he pressed frantic kisses to the baby’s head, his cheek, his hair, muttering over and over, “jesus christ, aiden. okay… okay, dada’s got you. you’re safe, baby. you’re safe. i’ve got you, i’ve got you.”

aiden’s cries were muffled against his father’s chest, more from being startled than hurt, his tiny fists gripping tighter like he was trying to melt into him. jay’s hands shook as he held him, rocking back and forth on the damp grass, his heart still racing with what almost happened.

yn didn’t even bother adjusting the mirrors like she usually did; her mind was already ten steps ahead, chasing after jay’s location pinned on her phone screen. they had shared locations with each other since before aiden was born—half for convenience, half for peace of mind—and right now, it was the only thing keeping her sane.

her thumb kept hitting jay’s name, her other hand clutching the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white. the phone sat in the holder, glowing with “mr. husband—mobile—calling…” and then straight to voicemail. again. and again. every time it rang out, her chest pulled tighter, like a rope being wound around her lungs.

“pick up, jay, please…” she whispered under her breath, voice cracking with the edge of panic. “please, baby, just pick up.”

she forced herself to inhale, deep and shaky, pressing her lips together. jay was the most careful man she knew, meticulous about aiden’s safety, almost paranoid sometimes. she clung to that thought like a lifeline. he wouldn’t let anything happen.

across town in the park, jay sat cross-legged on the picnic mat, his entire body trembling as he clutched aiden close to his chest. the little boy was fussing, sniffling hiccupy breaths into jay’s shirt, tiny fists grasping at the collar as though anchoring himself. jay rocked gently back and forth, one big hand cupping the back of aiden’s soft head, the other patting his back in slow, shaky rhythms.

“it’s okay, aiden. you’re okay… dada’s got you,” he murmured, though his own voice betrayed him, raw and cracked at the edges. he pressed his lips to the crown of his baby’s head, breathing him in like he was oxygen. the faint baby scent of lotion and drool mixed with grass grounded him for a fleeting moment.

his phone buzzed on the mat beside him again, screen flashing brightly with her name: “yn loml 💛”. he could still picture her face when she first set that contact photo—cake frosting smeared across her nose from their anniversary last year, smiling at him with mock annoyance while he snapped the picture. now, that same image taunted him as it lit up, her call unanswered for what felt like the hundredth time.

jay wanted to answer. god, he wanted to hear her voice, to reassure her, to reassure himself. but his hands shook too badly, and he couldn’t bring himself to let go of aiden even for a second. not after the scare. he could still feel the echo of his heart plummeting when aiden toppled just a little too fast on the slick mat earlier, his tiny body slipping out of reach before jay scooped him up. nothing had happened—just a startled cry, a harmless bump—but to jay, it was enough to split his chest open with guilt.

“dada’s sorry, baby. so sorry. mama’s gonna kill me, huh?” he whispered, kissing aiden’s temple again and again. the baby’s soft sniffles had already turned back into giggles, drool dampening jay’s shirt, as if to prove how resilient he was.

yn’s car hadn’t even fully stopped before she was throwing the door open, her legs carrying her across the grass at a pace that barely counted as walking. her chest was still tight, breaths coming shallow and her brows were furrowed so deeply it almost hurt. she spotted them instantly—the familiar broad shoulders of her husband hunched forward, tension radiating off him even from a distance, and in his lap their baby, rosy-cheeked and… giggling.

for a split second, relief washed over her, loosening the tight grip panic had on her ribs. aiden was okay. her baby was in one piece, safe in his dada’s arms. but then, as she drew closer, she noticed the little details—the puffiness around his tiny eyes, the way his cheeks were damp, red and blotchy from tears that had only recently dried. he had been crying.

her stomach dropped.

“jay,” she breathed out, the sound more like a plea than a word.

jay’s head shot up at her voice, eyes wide, glassy, guilty. he looked like someone who’d been holding his breath for hours, shoulders sagging as if her presence alone was the permission he needed to let it all out. his lips parted like he wanted to say something, but nothing came at first. he just stared at her, holding aiden a little tighter, like maybe he still didn’t trust himself to let go.

but yn was already there, kneeling down on the grass in front of them, hands outstretched. “give him to me,” she said softly, her voice shaking though she tried to make it steady. jay hesitated for only a second before carefully shifting the baby into her arms.

the moment aiden saw her, his little face lit up in a gummy grin, dimples carving into his cheeks as he reached for her. a wet gurgle bubbled from his throat, followed by a squeal of excitement as his tiny hand smacked her chin.

“oh, baby,” she whispered, hugging him close, her hand cradling the back of his head as if he might vanish if she didn’t. she pressed kiss after kiss onto his warm, damp cheeks, murmuring, “mama’s here, mama’s got you,” while her heart tried to untangle itself from the knot of fear and relief.

jay was silent for a beat, watching her. his hands were still trembling slightly, resting uselessly on his thighs now that he wasn’t holding aiden. he finally exhaled, the sound shaky and rubbed at his face with both palms before speaking.

“he—” jay started, then stopped, dragging his hands down his face with a groan. his eyes squeezed shut, his jaw tight. “he was crawling toward the cycle lane, yn. i… i was too into my book and when i looked back—he was already there. he was so close.” his voice cracked on the last word, the weight of it too heavy for his throat to carry smoothly.

yn’s head snapped up at him, her arms instinctively pulling aiden tighter against her chest as if she could shield him from the memory of what nearly happened. “the cycle lane?” she repeated, her tone sharp, disbelief dripping from each word. she glanced at the path just beyond the barricade of bags and towels jay had set up—it wasn’t far at all. one wrong crawl, one passing bike, and—

her stomach twisted violently at the thought.

“i grabbed him just in time,” jay continued, his voice hoarse, eyes glassy with tears he refused to let fall. “another second and he could’ve been—” he stopped himself, swallowing hard. “i can’t stop thinking about it. yn, i can’t—”

yn’s expression softened at the sight of him unraveling. he wasn’t careless; she knew him too well for that. he was careful to the point of obsession when it came to their baby and yet even then, accidents could happen. she could see the guilt tearing him apart, eating at him from the inside out.

she shifted aiden in her arms so she could reach out with one hand, gently taking jay’s trembling fingers in hers. “hey,” she said firmly, grounding him with her voice. “you stopped it. you got to him. look—he’s fine, jay. he’s right here, smiling like nothing happened.”

as if to prove her point, aiden let out a loud squeal and tugged on a strand of her hair, his little face bright with mischief. yn managed a laugh, leaning forward so jay could see their son’s grin up close.

but jay didn’t smile back. his gaze stayed fixed on aiden’s rosy cheeks, the puffiness around his eyes. he lifted a hand and brushed his thumb ever so lightly across the baby’s skin, as if he needed to feel the warmth to believe it. “he cried so hard, yn. i’ve never heard him cry like that. it scared me.”

yn’s throat tightened. she remembered the way aiden’s cries could pierce right through her, the helplessness that came with not knowing how to soothe him sometimes. to imagine jay sitting here, alone, heart racing while their baby screamed—it hurt almost as much as the thought of what could’ve happened.

“you’re not a bad dad,” she whispered, squeezing his hand. “you’re the best dada. accidents happen, jay. we can’t wrap him in bubble wrap forever, no matter how much we want to. you saved him. that’s what matters.”

jay’s eyes finally flicked to hers, swimming with unshed tears. he looked broken and relieved all at once, as if her words had given him permission to breathe again. he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to aiden’s head and then yn’s cheek.

masterlist / prev / next

paring single dad!jay x elementary teacher! fem reader

genre ex childhood friends!au, frenemies! au, fluff, crack, short smau

warning mentioned in each chapter :p

status ongoing!

started on 28.02.26

taglist open!

tags

@jaysguitarstring @wenomakiluvr @amatariki @dyitpink @wonzzziezzzz @ezekiel-bublz @rairaiblog @1-itsneverthatserious-1 @yuyita-rosier @haechansbbg @jakeznii @xoenhalover @dolluvsyun @luhvletters @baekmiyaa @hollxe1 @unintentionalbee @ikeuheartz @luvchaew @heelovesmeknot @kirakun @shhh1233728 @weepingsweep @tinyteezer @firstclassjaylee @dazeymazey11 @lovenha7 @simjaeyunlvrclub @zoe1love @wonietree @wonuziex @seyoungiesleeps @ori2ari @fialtorelle @wonatlas @tojiworshipper @blvengene @won1yoiz @wobblymug

chapters

01. he threw up on my doc martens again 02. an IQ too low? 03. i wish i was high 04. i'm not a waitress but i'll take your tip

more to be added..

@jaysguitarstring @wenomakiluvr @dyitpink @wonzzziezzzz @ezekiel-bublz @rairaiblog @1-itsneverthatserious-1 @yuyita-rosier @haechansbbg @jakeznii @xoenhalover @dolluvsyun @luhvletters @baekmiyaa @hollxe1 @unintentionalbee @ikeuheartz @luvchaew @heelovesmeknot @kirakun @shhh1233728 @weepingsweep @tinyteezer @firstclassjaylee @dazeymazey11 @lovenha7 @simjaeyunlvrclub @zoe1love @wonietree @wonuziex @seyoungiesleeps @ori2ari @fialtorelle @wonatlas @tojiworshipper @blvengene @won1yoiz @wobblymug @jakiki94 @hoonki1009 @acute4ngel @miemiem9 @foreveronez

they always did something to him—made her look even more irresistible, half–intellectual goddess, half–mischievous tease. and now she was sitting in his lap, in his office of all places, her scent surrounding him, her soft weight pressed against him, her lips pursed in focus as she skimmed through documents he’d handed her. he groaned under his breath, eyes dragging down the slope of her neck, over the way her blouse shifted with every inhale.

he should’ve been working. he knew that. but instead, his hand began tracing idle circles against her thigh, sliding just slightly higher every few moments as if testing how much she’d let him get away with.

“jay…” she murmured without looking up, her tone warning but her lips curving faintly.

“what?” he asked innocently, his nose brushing against her jaw as he spoke, his lips ghosting along the sensitive skin there. “i’m working.”

“mmhm, sure,” she muttered, adjusting her glasses and leaning closer to the file in her hand. but her breath hitched when his mouth pressed fully against the curve of her neck, slow and deliberate. he smirked when her fingers faltered against the page.

“you feel better than these contracts are making me feel, baby,” he teased, his voice low, lips dragging down toward her collarbone.

yn bit down on her lip, pretending to focus on the file in her hand even though her pulse betrayed her, thumping loud enough that jay felt it against his mouth. “you’re impossible,” she whispered, cheeks heating.

“you’re irresistible.” he kissed lower, his hands now sliding over her waist as if he couldn’t help himself, tugging her closer against him. she shifted, almost gasping when she felt exactly what she was doing to him, and a flush spread across her chest.

she was just about to scold him—or maybe give in, she wasn’t sure which—when her phone buzzed sharply in her hand, jolting both of them. yn glanced down at the screen.

“ness’ calling.”

jay groaned, frustrated but leaning back as she accepted the video call. he kept his lips pressed against her neck anyway, stubborn, kissing softly while she angled the phone in front of them.

but the moment ness’ face appeared, everything stopped.

her eyes were wet, cheeks streaked with tears, and her voice shook. “yn, jay—”

and then, piercing through the phone speaker, came the sound that tore both of their worlds apart.

aiden’s cry. shrill, pained, unlike anything they’d ever heard from him before.

“w-what happened?” yn’s voice cracked, her glasses nearly sliding off as she straightened, panic flooding her expression. jay instantly stilled behind her, his arms tightening protectively around her waist as he leaned in, eyes dark with fear.

ness’ hands shook visibly on the screen as she tried to soothe aiden, who was screaming, his little face blotchy red, tears streaming down his cheeks. “he—he fell! he tried to pull himself up on the coffee table and he—he hit his head badly when he slipped!”

jay felt his blood run cold, his heart dropping to the floor. “how badly?” his voice was low, terrifyingly steady.

ness’ lips trembled, and she adjusted the phone just enough for them to see aiden’s tiny head pressed against her shoulder, his sobs hiccupping painfully. his cries were hoarse, desperate, nothing like the baby giggles they knew. “he—he won’t calm down, and there’s already a red swelling here,” she choked out, pointing with trembling fingers near his temple. “i—yn, i’m so sorry—”

“don’t apologise, just—” yn’s voice broke entirely. her hands shook as she reached toward the screen as if she could touch her son through it. her chest heaved, panic settling in like ice in her veins.

jay pressed his forehead to hers, grounding her, though his own fear was etched deeply across his face. “yn, we need to go. now.”

she nodded, gathering her things even as her hands shook terribly.

jay’s hand was already on her back, ushering her out of the office quickly. he had grabbed his blazer and her bag without a second thought, his jaw set, moving with sharp urgency even though his eyes never left her.

yn’s hands shook so hard she fumbled trying to grip her phone, the device slipping once before she caught it with a startled gasp.jay didn’t say anything—he just pressed his lips to her temple, steady and grounding, while leading her through the halls.

by the time they reached the parking lot, she was already crying. her breaths came out in shaky gasps, every nerve in her body screaming at her to move faster, get there, hold him. she wrenched the car keys from jay’s hand before he could even open the door and practically dove into the driver’s seat.

her hands trembled so much that she dropped the keys once, swore under her breath, picked them back up, and dropped them again. each time they hit the floor, her panic doubled, chest caving as she let out a sob of pure frustration.

“baby,” jay’s voice was low but firm, calm in the way that shook her even more because she couldn’t match it. “baby, stop. look at me.”

she couldn’t—not really. her vision was blurred, her cheeks wet, and her hands useless as she tried again and again to slot the key into the ignition. but jay reached across, gently covering her hands with his, forcing her frantic motions to still. his palm was warm, large enough to envelop her trembling fingers.

“baby, look at me.”

her head snapped toward him finally, eyes wide and frantic, tears spilling without pause. “jay, he—he fell, he’s—what if—” her voice cracked, the sentence breaking apart like glass shattering, because she couldn’t even voice the worst possibility. she couldn’t even breathe it.

jay leaned across the console, cupping her damp cheeks with both hands, steadying her face as if grounding her to reality. “our baby boy is gonna be okay,” he whispered, steady even though his own chest was heaving. his thumbs brushed her tears away, though they kept falling. “ness’ already on the way to the clinic. we’ll be right there, together. but you can’t drive like this, my love. not when your hands are shaking.”

“i have to—” she started, but her voice broke again, another sob strangling the words.

“no.” jay’s voice left no room for argument, but his tone was gentle, wrapping around her like a blanket. “i’ll drive. you need to breathe. you need to be with me so we can get to him in one piece, yeah?”

her grip slackened around the keys at last and jay eased them from her trembling hand, carefully unclipping her seatbelt. he moved quickly, not wasting a single second—sliding her out of the driver’s seat, guiding her around the car with an arm around her waist, his other hand squeezing hers tightly. she let him move her, pliant, because her body felt too weak to do anything else.

jay opened the passenger door, lowering her carefully into the seat as though she might break too, just like their son had. he leaned in, fastening her seatbelt himself with fingers that shook for only a split second before he stilled them.

“yn,” he murmured, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a breath longer than usual. “let me take care of this. let me get us to him. you just stay with me, yeah? breathe for me.”

yn nodded shakily, tears still streaming, her hands fisting in the fabric of his blazer like she couldn’t let him go either.

jay shut her door gently, rounded the car, and slid into the driver’s seat, slotting the keys in with precision. his hands gripped the wheel hard, knuckles pale, but his voice stayed low, soothing, as he glanced over at her. “we’re going, baby. we’ll be with him soon.”

the waiting room smelled faintly of antiseptic and the muted buzz of hospital activity seeped through the closed double doors. the walls were painted that bland, soft beige meant to calm people down, but for yn it was anything but calming.

her knees bounced where she sat, fingers entwined and white-knuckled as she stared at the floor tiles. beside her, jay’s arm was draped across her shoulders, his thumb rubbing a slow, steady circle against her upper arm. he was calm for her, holding himself together so she didn’t fall apart, even though his own chest ached with the same fear.

through the glass door, they finally saw ness coming into view, her hair disheveled, her own shirt marked faintly with dried tears where aiden had pressed his face into her earlier. in her arms was their baby boy—small, chubby, dressed in his soft onesie, his little hands gripping ness’ collar. his face was blotchy from crying, his eyes puffy, his thumb shoved firmly into his mouth.

he wasn’t wailing anymore, just making those soft, uneven hiccup-sounds babies make after a long bout of tears. he was calmer, his tiny body exhausted from crying, but the second his teary gaze landed across the waiting room—across the space where his mama and dada sat waiting—it was like something broke inside him again.

his bottom lip quivered, eyes widening as though he couldn’t believe they were really there. then came the small, broken cry, a whine that stretched into a sob. his tiny fist pulled out of his mouth, reaching into the empty air toward them.

yn was on her feet before she even realised it, tears springing to her eyes so fast her vision blurred. ness barely had a chance to say anything before yn was there, arms already out, heart shattering at the way her baby boy sobbed the moment she came close.

“come here, my baby,” she whispered, voice trembling as she took him into her arms. the moment his small body nestled against her chest, he clung like he was afraid she’d vanish, tiny fingers fisting in the collar of her blouse, his face burying into her neck. his sobs muffled there, wet against her skin, his cries high-pitched and broken.

“mama’s here, baby,” she soothed, rocking gently, pressing frantic kisses into his soft hair. “mama’s here, my love. oh, you’re okay now. you’re okay, mama’s got you.” her hands rubbed his back, up and down, trying to soothe the tremors of his little body as he clutched tighter, refusing to let go.

jay had stood too, heart pounding against his ribs at the sight. his throat burned, but he kept his voice low and warm, leaning close to brush his hand over his son’s back. “hey, baby boy,” he murmured, the endearment falling off his lips like second nature. “dada’s here too, my love. you did so good, you’re so brave.”

aiden pulled his head from yn’s neck just enough to look at jay, face wet and red, his sobs stuttering. his little arm stretched toward him with desperation, fingers opening and closing in a silent plea. jay’s chest cracked wide open at the sight.

yn adjusted carefully, letting jay slide his arms under their son. the moment aiden was against his chest, he whimpered again, tiny hand clutching at jay’s shirt, pressing his cheek against his dada’s collarbone. jay swayed him instinctively, his big hand rubbing circles against his baby’s back.

“there you go, my love. dada’s got you now. you’re safe, baby boy.” he pressed his lips to aiden’s soft hair, lingering there, his eyes squeezing shut as if just kissing him would keep him safe forever.

aiden’s cries softened into small hiccups again, thumb finding its way back to his mouth while his other hand clutched tightly at jay’s shirt. his body was warm and heavy against jay’s chest, as though melting into the security of being held by the people he loved most.

yn stood close, her hand stroking their son’s tiny back while her eyes stayed fixed on him. she whispered soft reassurances, voice trembling with leftover fear. “you scared mama, baby… oh, my sweet boy. mama loves you so much.”

jay glanced at her over aiden’s little head, their eyes locking for a moment that spoke all the things they couldn’t say aloud here in the waiting room—that they’d nearly fallen apart, that the fear had nearly broken them, that they were so damn grateful their baby boy was in their arms again.

yn leaned into jay’s side, wrapping her arm around him and resting her face against aiden’s little hand where it clutched at jay.

masterlist / prev / next