Baby Tiger
You and your boyfriend, Dae-ho, enjoy a brief moment of peace when your 2-year-old daughter proudly wants to wear tiger pajamas for bed, and Dae-ho insists on a cuddle session with the baby tiger. You capture the moment with a Polaroid instant photo.
A/N: My first Time writing our dear cutie pie tiger Boy x reader, so here are some free cookies, popcorn or a snack of your choice. He needs happyness before the games and in general. So a Baby Tiger for our big Tiger to cuddle with!
"….a big splash and….woooow!"
You pause for a moment and listen to the happy laughter and squeals of your 2-year-old daughter, who has just reached the end of her bath time, and your boyfriend insisted on taking on this difficult task. Because your daughter was like a turtle in the water, she loved splashing and playing with the rubber duck family, spreading lots of water around herself and everyone standing at the edge of the tub….a toddler who loves water?
It makes you smile, but not just your daughter's love for water, no, you can hear the pure joy and affection in your boyfriend's sentence and laughter…..it makes your heart sing to see your partner so carefree….the anxiety that not only Dae-ho but also you often keeps awake when falling asleep or everyday situations are difficult. You deserve a little lightheartedness. But Dae-Ho even more so.
He didn't have an easy childhood…from an early age, you took on more of a motherly role for your younger siblings than your own mother…and then, when the chaos became too loud and overwhelming, you were placed in foster care…your family was broken up, and to this day, you don't know what happened to your siblings…the little bit of stability you built with Dae-Ho and your little daughter was so important to you.
Your dating story was…very classic. You somehow dropped your wallet while taking out your phone in a coffee shop, didn't notice, and the gentleman with the loyal Labrador gaze gave it back to you…you got chatting over coffee and then met up for spontaneous dates. They were really fun dates…you quickly realized your chemistry was right.
So much so, that you moved into this small apartment together, you got pregnant, and you built a life together.
Not a perfect life…the familial bond on your side is…barely existent…the extended family Dae-Ho comes from is characterized by love and trust…you lost track of who was who when you first met his sisters…but the immediate acceptance into the family, which is important to Dae-ho, was so palpable.
But neither he nor you can completely escape the monsters under your bed or the demons in your nightmares.
Dae-Ho's demons are partly the military service that every Korean must undergo…it was brutal, the way he described it to you…how often your loving partner wakes up crying in panic, with a tense body, a pounding heart, and a lost sense of direction…you try to help him with quiet, soothing words and kisses on his hair and forehead…military service never left Dae-Ho unscathed…and the fear in his eyes never leaves you unscathed.
The laughter of father and daughter and the sound of water probably splashing over the edge of the bathtub made you chuckle…it was a happy laugh.
"When you water rats finally find Atlantis, will Mommy bring a cockle?" you call as you pass by, heading toward the bathroom door, and stroll into your daughter's bedroom.
It's almost bedtime, and almost with a touch of wistfulness, you look at the changing table, the rocking chair by the window, and the crib, which will soon be replaced by a toddler bed…Dae-Ho is such a fantastic father, and you see so quickly how your little girl is growing, learning new things, and exploring the world around her…always with Dae-Ho's watchful eye.
I wonder what it would be like to give your daughter a sibling?
"MOMMY! APPA SPLASH BIG SPLASH!" Your daughter's loud giggles and shouts pulled you out of your brief reverie, and you smiled when you realized that the toddler had obviously run away from the bathroom, was standing in front of you in diapers, and was making an expansive hand gesture.
"…Appa needs to start training again. When did she start sneaking away so fast?" Dae-Ho also came into the nursery, slightly out of breath.
"Doesn't the gym you work at let you train for free?"
"Yes, but…such a little whirlwind seems to have endless energy."
"Oh no, but you need your energy…I have a surprise for our - Night Night Time," - you whisper seductively into his right ear before turning your attention to your daughter.
"Okay, baby, which pajamas do you want to wear? You can choose," -you said generously. The day wasn't quite as chaotic, so the toddler waddles to the closet with a broad grin and quickly makes her choice.
"Tiger PJs! Mommy, help, please?"
You, of course, comply, and a few moments later, your little girl is in her fluffy, soft tiger pajamas, and Dae-Ho sits down with her in the rocking chair, reading a bedtime story.
"Naaaaw, look, Dae-Ho! Your favorite animal is cuddling with you," - you say lovingly, and of course, you don't miss how full of joy your boyfriend is looking at his baby tiger.
"Oh, how lucky I am…you rarely see a baby tiger like this," - Dae-Ho replied playfully.
"Grrrr…me brave baby tiger."
"Of course, you are! And Appa loves you sooo much."
As Dae-Ho starts reading the story, an idea comes to you. You quickly leave the room and grab an instant Polaroid camera, and a few moments later, you take a photo of the father-daughter duo. Your daughter's eyes are already sleepy, and she snuggles closer to Dae-Ho, who protectively wraps his arm around her and continues reading the story with concentration.
The instant photo is perfect… so perfect that you'll use two copies, one for your wallet and one for Dae-Ho's.
"The dangerous little tiger seems to have grown quite tired from the water adventure and the world's best bedtime storyteller… but keep reading, I also want to know how the story ends," - you murmur, standing behind the rocking chair, wrapping your arms around Dae-Ho's torso and listening to his voice.
While your little baby tiger's breathing became heavier and more regular. And finally, you watched as his eyes closed and your daughter drifted off into the realm of dreams.
THE END
