Chapter Text
Baku let out a loud groan as he stretched his arms above his head. It had been a long day at the station, a lot of running around despite there not being many calls. At least he had the next two days off to relax, maybe rewatch Slam Dunk for the thousandth time. All he had to do was wait for the other lieutenant to come in so he could leave.
“Hey man! You heading out soon?” Suho, also done with his shift, had already changed and was ready to go.
“Yup, just waiting for Baekjin. I’m ready to sleep for at least 10 hours.”
Suho let out a chuckle and clapped Baku on the shoulder, “Me too. Get some rest dude, you deserve it. Want me to wait with you?”
Baku gave an appreciative smile and shook his head. “Thanks, Suho, but I’ll be fine. You should get home, Sieun’s probably waiting for you already.” At the mention of his boyfriend, Suho’s eyes lit up, suddenly regaining all the energy he had lost throughout the day.
“Well then, I’m leaving. Get home safe Baku!”
“You too! Tell Sieun we should all get dinner again. I miss the ice princess!”
Suho shouted an affirmative, too distracted by the thought of Sieun at home to fully respond. Baku snorted and shook his head at the display.
What’s taking him so long?
Baku was busy typing out a text to Baekjin when he felt a weight crash into him. Before he could even register what was happening, he was on the floor. He blinked, trying to regain his senses, only to be met with reddish fur hovering over his face.
What?
Baku quickly sat up, the weight on his chest sliding down with the sudden movement. He looked down and on his lap was a dog, panting and looking oddly excited considering Baku had never seen this dog in his life. Baku and the dog continued to stare at each other, Baku trying to figure out what a dog was doing in the station, and the dog just content to copy what he was doing.
Baku carefully extended a hand towards the dog’s, checking for a collar, but didn’t find one. The dog cutely nuzzled into Baku’s hand and he couldn’t help cooing at it.
“Where’d you come from, huh? You have an owner or anything?” Baku knew it couldn’t understand him, but he spoke aloud anyway. The dog tilted its head and yipped before jumping off of Baku’s lap. Baku stood up as well, expecting the dog to maybe lead him somewhere, but it just spun in a circle and sat in front of him, staring up expectantly.
“What’s the matter? Are you hungry or something?”
Once again, the dog just barked and continued to stare at him. He sighed, unsure of what to do. He was deep in thought when he heard someone entering the station. He turned and saw Baekjin walking towards him, stopping short once he noticed the dog. He raised a questioning brow, “Is that yours?”
“No, he just jumped on me while I was waiting for you. I have no idea where he came from…”
Baekjin hummed, “It looks like he’s taken a liking to you.”
They both looked down at the dog to see that it was still staring at Baku, its tail wagging excitedly. Baku couldn’t help but smile. The dog was really cute.
“Maybe you should take it with you. Haven’t you always wanted a dog?”
Baku whipped his head up in surprise. “Take it?! I mean, yeah, I have, but I can’t just take it! What if he belongs to someone?”
Baekjin just shrugged. “Then don’t take it. It was just a suggestion, but I don’t think a good owner would let their dog roam around without a collar on.”
Baku glanced back towards the dog torn between what to do. On one hand, he didn’t want to steal some poor person’s dog, but on the other hand, Baekjin did have a point. Baku would certainly never let his pet out so late, especially if they didn’t have a collar. He sighed, having made his mind up, not that it was that hard of a decision.
“Fine. I’ll take it. But just for tonight! I don’t want anything bad to happen to it. I’ll take it to the vet tomorrow to see if it’s chipped or something. But that’s all!”
Baekjin gave him an unimpressed stare. “Keep telling yourself that. We’ve been friends since we were kids, I can tell you’re already attached.” He turned to walk away, ready to be over with the conversation. “You can head out now, everyone else will be getting here soon.”
“I’m not attached!” Baku shouted, but it was no use, Baekjin was already in the locker room. He huffed indignantly and turned back to the dog.
“Well, you’re stuck with me tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll figure out who you belong to and take you home, okay?” The dog let out a small whine at the mention of home, but otherwise had no reaction to Baku.
Baku waited for Baekjin to come back out, telling him to keep an eye on the dog while he changed and grabbed his stuff. Once he was done, he walked back out and called to the dog, easily getting its attention. The dog let out a bark and ran to Baku’s side, falling into step with him. Baekjin let out an amused snort at the sight before waving Baku off and telling him to go home.
At Baku’s apartment, the dog immediately made itself at home, ignoring Baku’s attempts at getting it to sleep in the makeshift bed on his bedroom floor, instead choosing to snuggle up right next to him. Unfortunately for Baku, the dog had a serious case of puppy dog eyes and he couldn’t help but give in. They fell asleep soon after, the dog resting its head on Baku’s chest and Baku softly laying his hand on the dog’s head.
🐾 ૮⍝• ᴥ •⍝ა 🐾
Baku wakes up to an unfamiliar weight on top of him and hot breath fanning over his face. He groggily opens his eyes and sees a pink tongue and red fur.
Ah, that’s right.
The dog realizes he’s awake and jumps off the bed, using Baku as a launch pad, causing him to grunt. Apparently, Baku was taking too long to wake up because the dog starts barking at him and spinning in a circle, similar to the way it did last night. He sleepily drags himself out of bed and heads to the kitchen, the dog hot on his heels.
“You must be hungry, hm?” Thankfully, Baku had the foresight to stop and get a small bag of dog food last night before going home. He pours some on a plate and refills the bowl of water he had put out last night. The dog gently noses Baku’s hand before eating his food. He smiles at the dog's antics and goes to make his own breakfast.
After they’re both done eating, Baku continues to get ready for the day, the dog happily following him around the house. Throughout the morning, Baku found himself taking moments to play with the dog, chasing him around the house and letting it tackle him.
Baekjin was right, he’d always wanted a dog, ever since he was little. He loved how energetic and playful they were, but he also just wanted the companionship that came with having a pet. Before meeting Baekjin, he’d been a pretty lonely kid. He didn’t have any siblings or cousins to play with and the only neighbors he had were ahjummas and ahjussis. His parents weren’t an option either. His mom had left when he was two and his dad wasn’t the best company, being drunk most of the time causing his moods to be unpredictable. So Baku had learned to entertain himself in other ways such as watching anime, reading mangas, or playing outside for hours on end.
Baekjin had been his only friend up until high school. By high school, Baku had learned to open up to people more, allowing him to make a few more friends. Although none of them were as close to him as Baekjin was, he still appreciated them. They definitely made high school a lot easier. After high school, Baku had immediately gone to pursue becoming a firefighter. It was there that he met Suho. They had gotten along right away, the both of them bonding over their lonely childhoods and love for sports. Through Suho, he met Sieun. Sieun and Suho were high school sweethearts and came as a package deal, so it didn’t surprise Baku when becoming Suho’s friend also meant becoming Sieun’s.
So, Baku didn’t have a lot of people in his life, but he was immensely grateful for the people he did have. But, sometimes, he could feel that familiar loneliness from his childhood seep in. Sure, being a firefighter kept him busy, but on his days off when he didn’t have plans with his friends, he longed for someone or something to keep him company. He just wasn’t made to be alone for too long.
When he was done getting ready, he walked to the door and slipped his shoes on. The dog stared at him curiously so Baku called him over to explain where they were going.
“We’re just going to the vet, okay? So I can find out where your home is and get you back.” He scratched the dog behind its ears before standing up and walking out the door. Baku wondered how the dog had learned to behave so well, it followed him without question and never strayed too far from his side. Even in the car on the way to the vet’s office, it calmly sat in the backseat and looked out the window.
They finally made it to the vet’s office. Baku quickly parked his car and turned to the backseat.
“You ready?” He flashed a grin at the dog and it barked happily in response. They got out of the car and made their way to the doors. Once inside, they walked up to the front desk where a receptionist sat. He was busy typing on a computer, finishing something up before turning to Baku.
“Hi! How can I help you?” The receptionist, Juntae, according to his name tag, asked.
Baku was suddenly nervous. Should he explain the situation? What was he here for? A check-up? To check the dog for a chip? Both?
Sensing Baku’s inner turmoil, Juntae gave a soft smile and stood up, rounding the desk. He leaned down so he was face to face with the dog and gave a few small scratches to its chin.
“New owner? Don’t worry, we get a lot of them!”
Baku nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Something like that. I’m gonna be honest, I’m not really sure what I’m here for, I just figured it was the right thing to do.”
Juntae tilted his head in confusion. “I’m a firefighter. Last night at the station, the dog showed up out of nowhere. I checked for a collar, but it didn’t have one, so I just took it home for the night so it wasn’t wandering the streets. I came here to see if it had an owner…”
“Ah, that makes sense. We can do a check-up and scan for a chip. If he is chipped, we’ll contact his owners so they can pick him up!” Juntae stood back up, giving a final pat to the dog, and made his way back behind the desk.
“And if he’s not?”
Juntae gave a knowing smile. “Then you can either become a new dog owner or we can contact an adoption center that will take him.”
Baku felt disappointment wash over him. He still wasn’t sure if he should take the dog in. Obviously, he wanted to, but he was so busy with his job. He didn’t want the dog to feel neglected. But he also didn’t want to give the dog up without knowing it would end up in a good home. The dog must have felt Baku’s conflicting feelings because he felt a wet nose nudge his hand. He looked down to see it staring up at him and Baku felt his heart clench at the sight.
Damn you Baekjin.
“We’ll call you to the back once a doctor is available, you can sit down anywhere.” Baku nodded and gave an appreciative smile to Juntae. He quickly filled out some paperwork before taking a seat.
They didn’t have to wait long before someone called them. They stood up and followed the nurse to the back, where they were led to a small room. The nurse asked for some information, Baku responding as best as he could, before letting them know that a doctor would be right with them.
Baku looked down at the dog, surprised to see that it was as close to Baku as possible, its head hanging ever so slightly. It let out a small whine and nudged Baku’s leg with its nose prompting Baku to run his hands through its fur in an attempt to soothe him. He didn’t expect for the dog to get nervous, but it made sense. They were in an unfamiliar environment and it probably didn’t help that Baku was so lost in thought. He continued to pet the dog, only stopping when someone knocked on the door and opened it.
Baku looked up, ready to greet the vet, but felt his mouth go dry. Walking in was the most beautiful person Baku had ever seen. He was tall, only a little shorter than Baku, and fit. He had short black hair, a sharp jawline, and the prettiest plump lips. It was only because he was staring at the man’s lips that Baku realized he was being spoken to. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, trying to focus on what the gorgeous man was saying.
“Hi! I’m Go Hyuntak, I’ll be your vet today. Juntae told me you were here for a check-up and to see if the dog is chipped?”
Baku swallowed, trying to get rid of the dryness in his mouth. “Yup. Yes! That’s right.”
Hyuntak nodded and walked over to the dog, bending down to pet him. He scratched the dog behind its ear and under its chin, cooing softly at it. Baku could only make out a few snippets of what Hyuntak was saying like “good job”, “so sweet”, and “well-behaved”. He found himself desperately wishing for those words to be directed towards him instead of the dog. The dog quickly returned to its normal self under the attention, its tail wagging and his nose playfully bumping against Hyuntak’s face, as well as giving a few licks to his hands. Baku startled when Hyuntak turned to him, a slight pink tint to his cheeks. “Sorry, but Juntae didn’t tell me your name, and I don’t want to be rude…”
“Ah, I’m Park Humin, but you can just call me Baku!”
“Nice to meet you, Baku. You picked up a very handsome boy last night.” Hyuntak softly laughed and ruffled the dog’s fur one last time before standing up, the dog following him.
“I’ll take him to the back to run a few tests and to see if he’s chipped. I’ll be back as soon as we’re done so we can discuss the results.” He gave a reassuring smile to Baku, who could only nod in response, before walking out the door. The dog followed without sparing so much as a glance towards Baku.
Traitor.
Baku resigned himself to quietly waiting in the small room, his thoughts occupied with Hyuntak. There was something about him that drew Baku in. He’d never felt this way before, especially not after just meeting someone. He’d never been the one for relationships in all honesty. Sure, he’d gone on dates with people, but it never went past the second or third one. Suho had a bad habit of trying to set him up with everyone he knew, but thankfully, Sieun usually put a stop to it. Still, he had never felt that spark with any of the people he went on dates with. Sure, maybe it was a little naive of him to expect that, but can you blame him? The only relationships he had to base his views of love on were his parents and Suho and Sieun. His mom left before he could get to know her and his dad only ever had bad things to say about her. He definitely didn’t want to end up like that. And Suho and Sieun were soulmates. Anyone who met them was able to tell that they were each other’s person. Baku wasn’t sure if he would ever find love like that, but he wanted to. He didn’t want to settle for someone he couldn’t make it past three dates with, he wanted his other half. Someone who understood him, who made him feel loved, who wouldn’t grow tired of him.
He was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of the door opening. He looked up just in time to see the dog launch itself onto his lap, nuzzling into his face. A deep laugh sounded from the doorway, drawing Baku’s attention away from the dog.
“He’s very sweet, and really well-behaved.”
“Yeah, he is.” Hyuntak and Baku shared a soft look before Hyuntak seemed to remember what he was there for.
“Um, right, I have all the test results! He’s perfectly healthy. I’m honestly surprised considering you said he had shown up out of nowhere. And as for a chip, we didn’t detect one.”
Relief washed over Baku. He was glad the dog was in good condition, but even more so at the fact that he didn’t have an owner.
“Juntae also mentioned that you weren’t sure about keeping him, so if you wanted to discuss anything, I’m glad to answer any questions you may have.”
The dog seemed to sense the shift in mood, jumping off of Baku’s lap and laying down right in the middle of him and Hyuntak.
“That’d be really great, actually.” Hyuntak nodded with a sweet smile, gesturing for him to continue.
“I want to keep him, I really do. I’m just not sure if it’s the best option for him. I’m a firefighter, so I don’t work regular hours and I get really busy. I’m worried that he’ll just be alone all the time.”
Hyuntak took some time to think before turning back to Baku, a sheepish look on his face. “Um, I’m not really sure how fire stations or being a firefighter work, so feel free to tell me if this is a dumb idea. But, why not take him to work with you? He seems like a very good dog, and I’m sure he’d love to be in a busy environment.”
“Oh my God.”
The tips of Hyuntak’s ears were rapidly turning pink in embarrassment. Baku thought it was the cutest thing he’s ever seen. “Just forget I said anything! Seriously, I have no idea what I’m talking about-”
“No!” Baku’s sudden outburst startled Hyuntak, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to- I just meant-” Baku sighed, shaking his head in an attempt to focus. “It wasn’t a dumb idea at all. It’s genius! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner, it makes complete sense.”
Hyuntak’s blush started to travel down to his nose, then his cheeks, and Baku found himself wondering just how far down it went.
Focus!
“Seriously, Hyuntak. Thank you. I feel a lot better now. I’ll talk to my captain about it, but I’m positive he’ll say yes!” He flashed a grateful grin towards Hyuntak who responded with a smaller, but genuine smile.
“Glad I could help, Baku.”
The dog once again seemed to sense the good mood and walked to sit by Baku’s side. Hyuntak suddenly let out a small snort.
“What?”
Hyuntak shook his head, “Nothing, it’s just…you two kind of look alike.”
Baku tilted his head in confusion, not noticing the dog doing the same thing. Hyuntak let out a real laugh this time, unable to stop himself. “Cute.”
Baku felt his face heat up. Just what kind of hold did this guy have over him?
Hyuntak started to gather his stuff, standing up. “Unfortunately, I have another patient to get to.” Baku frowned, not ready to let him go. Was it against some kind of ethical code to ask his dog’s vet out?
Before he could say anything though, Hyuntak was already opening the door. He looked over his shoulder, a soft smile on his face. “It was really nice meeting you, Baku.”
Baku felt a dopey smile form on his face, “You too, Hyuntak.” He continued to stare at the door after Hyuntak had left, only snapping out of it when he heard a bark. He looked down to see the dog also staring at the door, a longing look on his face. Maybe Hyuntak was onto something about them looking alike.
They quickly left the small room, heading back to the lobby. Juntae noticed them and waved them over, handing Baku the records of the visit. Baku handled the rest of the paperwork and payment, suddenly eager to get home.
🐾 ૮⍝• ᴥ •⍝ა 🐾
When they finally got back home, Baku flopped onto his couch, the dog sidling up next to him. Baku turned to look at him and started to give him small soothing pets.
“I really need to give you a name.” The dog let out a small huff, too distracted by the pets to care about what Baku was saying. Baku took some time to think. The name needed to be perfect. He suddenly gasped, startling the dog.
“I got it!” The dog nuzzled closer in anticipation, feeding off of Baku’s excitement.
“I’ll name you Saku! Like Sakuragi from Slam Dunk! You have the same red hair as him and you jump a lot. Isn’t it perfect?” The dog barked excitedly, his tail wagging.
“Yeah, I think so too. You’re officially part of the Baku family!” He pulled the dog fully onto his lap, scratching behind his ears and smushing their noses together. Saku let him do what he wanted, perfectly happy with the attention he was receiving.
The scratches slowed down, Baku pulling back to look at Saku, his thoughts traveling back to Hyuntak. He wanted to see him again, preferably outside of the vet’s office. Like at a nice restaurant, bathed in dim lighting and flushed red from the attention Baku was bound to give him. Baku sighed dreamily, lost in his fantasies. Saku nudged his nose against Baku’s cheek, dragging him out of it.
“Sorry, Saku. But don’t act like you didn’t like him either! I haven’t forgotten about how you forgot all about me once he walked in!” Saku completely ignored Baku, choosing to lay back down.
“Rude.”
He sighed, leaning back against the cushions. “Hopefully we’ll see him again soon.”