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fic advent 2013: day two
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halcyondusk ♥
kai/chanyeol
pg, 1.3k words
"CHANYEOL AND PUPPIES. look, i just really really really have a thing with fucking chanyeol and fucking jongin and fucking puppies. not like. actually. fucking. but you know. chanyeol and jongin and puppies."
halcyondusk ♥kai/chanyeol
pg, 1.3k words
"CHANYEOL AND PUPPIES. look, i just really really really have a thing with fucking chanyeol and fucking jongin and fucking puppies. not like. actually. fucking. but you know. chanyeol and jongin and puppies."
Jongin likes his job. He likes it a whole lot. Sure, he spends a good portion of his time cleaning up dog poop and one time he got a parakeet caught in his hair (and that had been kind of a harrowing experience), but in the end, it’s all pretty worth it. He gets to play with puppies. That’s his job. How cool is that? “Cool, right?” Jongin says softly, and the puppy in his hands licks his nose. He grins. “Yeah, I thought so too.”
He’s grooming one of a pair of poodles they just got in when Joonmyun sticks his head in the door. “Jongin-ah, I’m stuck on cash. Can you go look after the floor?”
Oh. People. Jongin frowns a little as he tucks the dog back into his pen, but he straightens easily enough. “Sure, hyung,” he says, and Joonmyun beams at him and then makes a quick exit. Well, Jongin thinks, better get his apron.
He’s not surprised when he comes out and finds that there’s only a few customers in the store and the person tying Joonmyun up on the cash is the same kid who’s come in every Friday for the last week. Each time, he ends up with his tall frame bent over the counter, chin propped up in one hand while he listens to Joonmyun answer whatever weird question he’s had this time about cats. Jongin isn’t really good with reading people but he thinks that the way that Zitao bats his eyelashes, bites his lip, and says ‘hyung’ so sweetly is probably a pretty good indication of what he’s really here for. He covers his grin with a hand as Zitao asks about suggestions for cat toys and Joonmyun smiles up at him, accommodating as always.
Jongin busies himself with cleaning the fish tanks. There doesn’t tend to be a lot of customer service to do, not during the day. In the afternoons and evenings, that’s when they get the students who want to hold puppies, or parents with their kids. There’s only one other customer in the store, a tall young man in a really obnoxious hoodie crouched down by the kittens. As Jongin wipes down the goldfish tank, he watches the guy poke a finger through the bars of the cage. He’s gotta be somewhere around Jongin’s age, but the way that his eyes light up when one of the kittens deigns to rub up against his fingertips makes him look a lot younger.
The kittens have just eaten and they’re sleepy, unwilling to to put up with being pestered by this customer, and while he wiggles his fingers in vain, they're not playing his game. They settle in for their mid-afternoon nap, far away from the side of the cage and the guy’s shoulders droop a little as he settles back on his heels, watching them sleep. Jongin doesn’t really make a habit of going out of his way to let a customer maul his animals, but this guy just looks so, well, forlorn. He hesitates, fumbling with the cleaning cloth before he shoves it into his pocket and approaches him. “Um, I can take one out for you,” he says, “I mean, if you want.”
The guy startles, sprawling backwards, and he blinks up at Jongin. “No, it’s fine,” he says after a second. Jongin wavers, wondering if he should offer to help him up and he almost sticks out a hand, but the guy sneezes explosively. “I’m allergic,” he explains.
The guy is still smiling, but he glances back at the kittens, and despite himself, Jongin feels sorry for him. “How about dogs?” he asks. “Like, are you gonna sneeze all over a puppy?”
“No,” the guy says, pushing himself to his feet. The false smile has faded, replaced by faint offense and a bit of confusion. “I’m only allergic to cats.”
Joonmyun is still busy at the counter when Jongin glances at him. Technically, they’re only supposed to bring out animals for customers who are actually looking to buy, but that’s a rule that Joonmyun bends all the time, especially for cute kids. Jongin figures he’s totally allowed to break it, just this once. “Don’t move. Just stay right there.”
“What?” the guy calls after him, but Jongin’s already disappeared into the backroom. He’s not sure why he’s compelled to do this, he doesn’t even know this guy, but he just looked so small when the kittens didn’t play that Jongin can’t help but want to cheer him up. And he knows just who can help.
Jjanggu is a sweet puppy, eight months old and friendly as anything. When Jongin emerges again from the backroom, the guy is still standing there, waiting. His eyes widen when he sees them come out, and he looks at Jongin like he doesn't know what to do with his gesture. Jongin helps him out by holding out the puppy. “Here,” Jongin says. Jjanggu wriggles in his hands but he quiets when the man takes him, nosing curiously at his hands. “Meet Jjanggu.”
“Hi, Jjanggu,” the guy says softly. After what Jongin had seen of this guy, the whole falling on his ass thing, Jongin wouldn’t have predicted he could be delicate. But he is with Jjanggu, stroking the top of his head with long fingers. “I’m Chanyeol. Nice to meet you.” Jjanggu responds by licking his chin and Jongin can’t help but grin at the way that Chanyeol’s smile stretches across his entire face. It's kinda weird, a bit too wide and a little bit crooked, but it’s a far cry better than the mopey look that had been there before.
“He likes you,” Jongin says. “I can tell.” Jjanggu settles into Chanyeol’s arms and licks at the corner of his mouth, and Jongin has to suppress the urge to laugh at the way that Chanyeol’s face scrunches up. Jjanggu likes pretty much everyone, and that seems to be just what Chanyeol needed right now.
Jongin drags his toe across his linoleum while Chanyeol presses his face into Jjanggu’s brown fur. “He’s cute,” Chanyeol says, voice muffled. He straightens when he notices Jongin’s eyes on him and he clears his throat, ducking his head. “Sorry,” he says. “It was, ah, a tough morning. I thought maybe seeing some cute animals would help.” He does look a bit worn out. He's got dark circles under his eyes, his skin looks rough, and what little Jongin can see of Chanyeol's hair, poking out from under his hat, is all over the place. But he also looks a little more relaxed with Jjanggu in his arms, and that's good, that's great.
Jjanggu isn’t the only cute one here, Jongin thinks, and then he colours. That’s a dumb thing to be thinking. “Well,” he says, “I hope this guy did.” He gestures at Jjanggu, now snuggling his head into the hollow of Chanyeol’s throat and yawning. He always gets sleepy after grooming.
Chanyeol looks a little bit delighted by him, tipping his head to press his cheek against Jjanggu’s fur. “He did,” he agrees, and he glances up at Jongin. “Thanks.”
Jongin flushes more. “Didn’t do anything,” he protests, rubbing at the back of his neck.
“Alright,” Chanyeol says. Reluctantly, he lifts Jjanggu from his shoulder and hands him back. “I guess I’d better get back to work. Lunch break’s over.” He brushes a hand down the front of his ugly, garish hoodie, and then pushes his hands into his pockets. “Um. Nice meeting you, Jjanggu.” He pets the poodle one more time, his eyes darting up to meet Jongin's. Jongin's stomach swoops. “See you around.”
Jongin very pointedly does not watch him go. It’s silly, getting all flustered over some customer, especially one with bad taste, but it’s okay. Jjanggu forgives him. He huffs from his position in Jongin’s arms, flicking one ear. “Yeah,” Jongin says. “Me too.”
He returns Jjanggu to his pen, and goes back to cleaning the fish tanks, and Joonmyun remains blissfully unaware of what had even happened, too busy standing just a hair too close to Zitao as he talks about his own four cats and what toys they like. It’s best that way, anyway, Jongin thinks. No good comes of guys that can’t even dress themselves.
Joonmyun is cashing out in the back just before close and Jongin is doing his final rounds, tidying everything, when there’s a knock on the door. Jongin looks up to find Chanyeol standing in the doorway. He holds up a pair of coffees and smiles hopefully. Jongin ducks his head and presses the back of his hand to his lips, trying to hold back his grin. Well. Maybe there’s a little good there.
He’s grooming one of a pair of poodles they just got in when Joonmyun sticks his head in the door. “Jongin-ah, I’m stuck on cash. Can you go look after the floor?”
Oh. People. Jongin frowns a little as he tucks the dog back into his pen, but he straightens easily enough. “Sure, hyung,” he says, and Joonmyun beams at him and then makes a quick exit. Well, Jongin thinks, better get his apron.
He’s not surprised when he comes out and finds that there’s only a few customers in the store and the person tying Joonmyun up on the cash is the same kid who’s come in every Friday for the last week. Each time, he ends up with his tall frame bent over the counter, chin propped up in one hand while he listens to Joonmyun answer whatever weird question he’s had this time about cats. Jongin isn’t really good with reading people but he thinks that the way that Zitao bats his eyelashes, bites his lip, and says ‘hyung’ so sweetly is probably a pretty good indication of what he’s really here for. He covers his grin with a hand as Zitao asks about suggestions for cat toys and Joonmyun smiles up at him, accommodating as always.
Jongin busies himself with cleaning the fish tanks. There doesn’t tend to be a lot of customer service to do, not during the day. In the afternoons and evenings, that’s when they get the students who want to hold puppies, or parents with their kids. There’s only one other customer in the store, a tall young man in a really obnoxious hoodie crouched down by the kittens. As Jongin wipes down the goldfish tank, he watches the guy poke a finger through the bars of the cage. He’s gotta be somewhere around Jongin’s age, but the way that his eyes light up when one of the kittens deigns to rub up against his fingertips makes him look a lot younger.
The kittens have just eaten and they’re sleepy, unwilling to to put up with being pestered by this customer, and while he wiggles his fingers in vain, they're not playing his game. They settle in for their mid-afternoon nap, far away from the side of the cage and the guy’s shoulders droop a little as he settles back on his heels, watching them sleep. Jongin doesn’t really make a habit of going out of his way to let a customer maul his animals, but this guy just looks so, well, forlorn. He hesitates, fumbling with the cleaning cloth before he shoves it into his pocket and approaches him. “Um, I can take one out for you,” he says, “I mean, if you want.”
The guy startles, sprawling backwards, and he blinks up at Jongin. “No, it’s fine,” he says after a second. Jongin wavers, wondering if he should offer to help him up and he almost sticks out a hand, but the guy sneezes explosively. “I’m allergic,” he explains.
The guy is still smiling, but he glances back at the kittens, and despite himself, Jongin feels sorry for him. “How about dogs?” he asks. “Like, are you gonna sneeze all over a puppy?”
“No,” the guy says, pushing himself to his feet. The false smile has faded, replaced by faint offense and a bit of confusion. “I’m only allergic to cats.”
Joonmyun is still busy at the counter when Jongin glances at him. Technically, they’re only supposed to bring out animals for customers who are actually looking to buy, but that’s a rule that Joonmyun bends all the time, especially for cute kids. Jongin figures he’s totally allowed to break it, just this once. “Don’t move. Just stay right there.”
“What?” the guy calls after him, but Jongin’s already disappeared into the backroom. He’s not sure why he’s compelled to do this, he doesn’t even know this guy, but he just looked so small when the kittens didn’t play that Jongin can’t help but want to cheer him up. And he knows just who can help.
Jjanggu is a sweet puppy, eight months old and friendly as anything. When Jongin emerges again from the backroom, the guy is still standing there, waiting. His eyes widen when he sees them come out, and he looks at Jongin like he doesn't know what to do with his gesture. Jongin helps him out by holding out the puppy. “Here,” Jongin says. Jjanggu wriggles in his hands but he quiets when the man takes him, nosing curiously at his hands. “Meet Jjanggu.”
“Hi, Jjanggu,” the guy says softly. After what Jongin had seen of this guy, the whole falling on his ass thing, Jongin wouldn’t have predicted he could be delicate. But he is with Jjanggu, stroking the top of his head with long fingers. “I’m Chanyeol. Nice to meet you.” Jjanggu responds by licking his chin and Jongin can’t help but grin at the way that Chanyeol’s smile stretches across his entire face. It's kinda weird, a bit too wide and a little bit crooked, but it’s a far cry better than the mopey look that had been there before.
“He likes you,” Jongin says. “I can tell.” Jjanggu settles into Chanyeol’s arms and licks at the corner of his mouth, and Jongin has to suppress the urge to laugh at the way that Chanyeol’s face scrunches up. Jjanggu likes pretty much everyone, and that seems to be just what Chanyeol needed right now.
Jongin drags his toe across his linoleum while Chanyeol presses his face into Jjanggu’s brown fur. “He’s cute,” Chanyeol says, voice muffled. He straightens when he notices Jongin’s eyes on him and he clears his throat, ducking his head. “Sorry,” he says. “It was, ah, a tough morning. I thought maybe seeing some cute animals would help.” He does look a bit worn out. He's got dark circles under his eyes, his skin looks rough, and what little Jongin can see of Chanyeol's hair, poking out from under his hat, is all over the place. But he also looks a little more relaxed with Jjanggu in his arms, and that's good, that's great.
Jjanggu isn’t the only cute one here, Jongin thinks, and then he colours. That’s a dumb thing to be thinking. “Well,” he says, “I hope this guy did.” He gestures at Jjanggu, now snuggling his head into the hollow of Chanyeol’s throat and yawning. He always gets sleepy after grooming.
Chanyeol looks a little bit delighted by him, tipping his head to press his cheek against Jjanggu’s fur. “He did,” he agrees, and he glances up at Jongin. “Thanks.”
Jongin flushes more. “Didn’t do anything,” he protests, rubbing at the back of his neck.
“Alright,” Chanyeol says. Reluctantly, he lifts Jjanggu from his shoulder and hands him back. “I guess I’d better get back to work. Lunch break’s over.” He brushes a hand down the front of his ugly, garish hoodie, and then pushes his hands into his pockets. “Um. Nice meeting you, Jjanggu.” He pets the poodle one more time, his eyes darting up to meet Jongin's. Jongin's stomach swoops. “See you around.”
Jongin very pointedly does not watch him go. It’s silly, getting all flustered over some customer, especially one with bad taste, but it’s okay. Jjanggu forgives him. He huffs from his position in Jongin’s arms, flicking one ear. “Yeah,” Jongin says. “Me too.”
He returns Jjanggu to his pen, and goes back to cleaning the fish tanks, and Joonmyun remains blissfully unaware of what had even happened, too busy standing just a hair too close to Zitao as he talks about his own four cats and what toys they like. It’s best that way, anyway, Jongin thinks. No good comes of guys that can’t even dress themselves.
Joonmyun is cashing out in the back just before close and Jongin is doing his final rounds, tidying everything, when there’s a knock on the door. Jongin looks up to find Chanyeol standing in the doorway. He holds up a pair of coffees and smiles hopefully. Jongin ducks his head and presses the back of his hand to his lips, trying to hold back his grin. Well. Maybe there’s a little good there.
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