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They never did end up talking about Jongin’s origins, how Jongin washed up on the beach or if there were other merpuppies in this world. Or maybe they did, and Chanyeol wasn’t there to listen in.
“It’s a trial,” Sehun says knowingly, his brows knitted into a serious look that isn’t much different from his usual frowny face. Chanyeol wants to poke a finger into Sehun’s forehead just to see how Sehun would react. “If they don’t like Jongin, they’ll just send him back.”
Chanyeol thinks that’s crueler than outright saying no in the beginning, to give everyone hope and then rip it all away. To give Chanyeol hope that Jongin would stay, like all the other friends who walked in and out over the years, and then leaving him alone again.
“I don’t think that’ll happen,” Chanyeol says, chewing his lip.
Jongin has his own bed now, right next to Chanyeol. One hot afternoon, Junmyeon dressed them all in old clothes and together they painted the headboard, Junmyeon writing Jongin’s name in neat cursive while Jongin doodled little fish and Chanyeol made a general mess.
None of the others had ever gotten personalised items, not even Kyungsoo who stayed the longest, until Chanyeol had been lulled into thinking he would stay forever.
“How do you think I ended up here?” Sehun says, his voice just above a whisper, tiny fists clenched tight at his side.
Chanyeol’s ears droop. Just like how Chanyeol hates having his friends leave him, Sehun thinks about how his previous owner left him at the doorstep of the shelter. Sehun still wakes up from nightmares about being abandoned long after being adopted by Minseok.
But Jongin- Jongin won’t end up like that. Chanyeol won’t let it happen. Ever.
He wraps a tail around Sehun’s ankle and whispers, “Do you need a hug?”
“No,” Sehun sniffs, but he shuffles into Chanyeol’s arms and lets Chanyeol shower kisses across his cheeks.
Jongin won’t ever be abandoned, but Chanyeol still worries all the time.
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
Lately, Jongin has been ignoring Chanyeol and Chanyeol doesn't know what to do.
When Junmyeon leaves in the morning, he brings Jongin with him and Chanyeol has to wait alone at home, anxiously trying not to chew the entire living room apart until Jongin comes home, smelling like fresh flowers and pollen.
"Where have you been?" Chanyeol whines, nosing into Jongin's ear and sneezing when the pollen tickles him.
"Just with Yixing," Jongin says nonchalantly and squirms away from Chanyeol.
He smells like Yixing too and of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol's heart flops flops flops unhappily at the nagging worry of Jongin liking the two better than him. Yixing and Kyungsoo live with Yunho, the nice smiling florist who owns a flower shop opposite the shelter.
Jongin promised he wouldn't leave right? He settles for trying to climb onto Jongin, wanting to be as close to him as possible. "I want to follow you to see Yunho."
“Stop, it’s hot.” Jongin pushes at Chanyeol, rolling him off.
Chanyeol yips in indignation, wrapping his tail around himself fast enough to cushion his fall. “But you love cuddles.”
Jongin sniffs and reaches out to stroke Chanyeol’s nose, instantly calming him down. “It’s just hot today. We can cuddle tomorrow, okay?”
It’s not a no, but it feels like rejection all the same.
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ )))>< ~ ~
"Junmyeon, does Jongin not want to play with me anymore?"
Chanyeol doesn't go to Junmyeon as much as before now that he has Jongin to play with, and Junmyeon appreciates the extra space and time to actually be productive instead of having Chanyeol sprawled across his lap and demanding tummy rubs.
"Just wait and see," Junmyeon says and digs his fingers into Chanyeol's messy hair, scratching a pleased whine out of Chanyeol. Chanyeol has always been a lap dog, loving the times when he can snuggle up to Junmyeon. His tail starts wagging and that's Junmyeon's cue to gently push him away before he sweeps all of Junmyeon's papers away.
“I miss Jongin,” Chanyeol whines, stretching his limbs out and kicking his feet all over the place. Chanyeol is being awfully cute but he really is getting into Junmyeon’s way.
Carefully lifting Chanyeol off the papers, Junmyeon nods his head towards the pups’ bedroom. “He’s sleeping right in your room.”
Chanyeol immediately stops wriggling. “Do you think he’ll want cuddles?”
“Sure!”
Chanyeol brightens and scampers off to find Jongin.
A few seconds later, Junmyeon hears a small yip, no doubt the result of Chanyeol jumping onto Jongin and startling him awake.
Junmyeon only feels a little bad. Only a little.
Back in the puppy bedroom, Chanyeol has Jongin pinned down under a bed of pillows, smothering Jongin until he hiccups in laughter.
“It’s tomorrow,” Chanyeol reminds him, tail whipping up a storm. “Can we cuddle now?”
Jongin squirms his way out from under the pillows and carefully, minutely, he nods, the press of his lips betraying how he’s hiding a smile.
Chanyeol shouts in excitement, bowling Jongin over.
Luckily, Jongin is a patient pup and allows Chanyeol to move them both into a more comfortable position.
Chanyeol pulls the blankets up until it covers their noses and touches their big toes together, feeling better now that they’re side to side.
“It is too hot,” Chanyeol says sheepishly after only a few seconds.
Jongin is also a kind pup who doesn’t say I told you so.
“It’s too hot to sleep,” Chanyeol continues, “but not too hot for a pillow fight!”
Diving out of bed, he grabs the closest pillow and pushes it into Jongin’s face, drawing a squeal from him. Jongin isn't one to lose and in a flash, he has his own weapon, whopping Chanyeol over the head with it.
“Boys!” comes Junmyeon’s voice, freezing them both mid-fight. “I better not see a mess in there!”
“Oh no,” Jongin whispers, dropping the pillow in his hand like hot coal.
The room is a mess, and there’s a stray bit of fluff on the top of Jongin’s right ear and he’s so cute, so cute when he’s scandalised and Chanyeol simply can’t help it. He dives for Jongin again, wrapping him up in his arms and squeezing him until Jongin stops whining in protest and hugs back.
Much later, when they’re both tired out and they’re lying with their arms spread out and tails entwined, Chanyeol finally dares to ask, “Jongin, do you not want to hang out anymore?”
Jongin’s tail goes stiff, but his eyes don’t open. “Hmm?”
“Is it because I’m different than you?” Chanyeol asks anxiously, “Yixing is a bunny and you play with him just fine.”
“I like you just the way you are, Chanyeol,” Jongin says for what must be the hundredth time. He rolls over onto his side and reaches out to hold Chanyeol’s hand. This routine is nothing new, Jongin whispering assurances to Chanyeol until Chanyeol falls asleep believing a little more, but today feels different, a little strained. “Are we okay?”
Jongin looks worried and Chanyeol hates being alone, but he hates seeing Jongin fret more.
With a determined grin, Chanyeol sits up and pulls the nearest pillow out of its pillowcase, tossing the pillow aside. He sticks his legs into the pillowcase and bunches it up at his waist, waving his makeshift tail around. "I'm a merpuppy just like you!"
And just like that, the tension breaks.
Jongin giggles, covering his mouth with both hands. "I don't think I've ever seen a merpuppy that couldn't swim."
Chanyeol thinks about it. Huh, that’s true. He’s never seen a merpuppy that couldn’t swim either, though that could be because Jongin is the only merpuppy Chanyeol has ever known. "Can you teach me how to swim?”
“Sure,” Jongin murmurs sleepily. “Some other day. It’s late now. Good night, Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol brushes a thumb across Jongin’s forehead in place of a kiss. “G’night Jongin.”
All is good again.
>゜)))><
It takes four days of badgering before Junmyeon is free enough to bring them to the kiddie pool of Minseok’s apartment since their own apartment doesn’t have a pool.
Jongin as usual is thrumming with excitement at the thought of being able to swim but he waits for Chanyeol to finish inspecting the pool, watching Chanyeol dip his toes into the water.
Jongin’s patience runs out soon enough and he slips into the water, legs magically turning into the shiny fins that never fail to entrance Chanyeol. “Come on, I can teach you how to swim!”
“I don’t know, Jongin,” Chanyeol peers into the water. “It looks awfully deep." All the ripples and distortion reminds Chanyeol of the deep deep ocean and the time he almost lost Jongin. It’s not a memory he likes to think about.
Chanyeol’s not a water kind of pup, but for Jongin, he’ll try.
Under Jongin’s patient coaxing, Chanyeol slips on the floatie and dips into the water.
“This is fine,” Chanyeol says cautiously, feet treading water and finding the tiled pool floor. It’s not too deep, only up to Chanyeol’s shoulders but the floaties keep him buoyant.
Jongin beams back at him, twirling around freely. It makes Chanyeol dizzy just looking at him. “Don’t you just love the water?”
Not really, but for Jongin, he could learn to, especially when Jongin looks so graceful when he’s swimming, zipping through the water like a sleek dolphin. Jongin is showing off, doing little spins and Chanyeol feels laughter bubbling in him, but the constant fear of the water still nags at him.
He’s content just floating around watching Jongin swim, but Jongin is always extra excited when in water and quickly gets bored.
“Watch out!” Jongin playfully lifts his tail and splashes a stream of water straight in Chanyeol’s face. The splash catches Chanyeol by surprise and he yelps, little arms thrashing around and then he’s slip slip slipping through the floaties and when he opens his mouth to yell, he gets a mouthful of pool water instead.
Within seconds, a watchful Junmyeon has run over and scooped Chanyeol out of the pool, laying him down by the side of the pool. Thankfully, Chanyeol seems to have only gulped some pool water and doesn’t seem worse for wear but Jongin is almost hyperventilating in his distress, frantically pushing at Chanyeol as Chanyeol’s chest heaves.
“He’s okay,” Junmyeon soothes them both, planting constant kisses on Jongin and Chanyeol’s cheeks. “It’s all okay.”
“I’m so sorry.” Jongin moans. He looks so guilty, ears and tail drooping, side of his lips drooping too in a pout.
Chanyeol knows he has to calm down or Jongin wouldn’t either. “I’m okay,” he echoes, though his voice sounds shaky. To prove his point, he mimics Junmyeon and gives Jongin a kiss on the cheek. As expected, Jongin quiets down, hands flying up to cup his cheek.
"Maybe puppies aren't meant to swim," Chanyeol says solemnly. His heart is still racing from all the excitement, but some of it could be from Jongin.
Jongin giggles, pulling at Chanyeol’s damp ear and making him whine. "If you ever want to swim, I'll carry you."
“My savior,” Chanyeol coos, hands grabbing for Jongin’s ears in return. It must really be a good day because Jongin doesn’t even flinch, grinning goofily back at him and letting Chanyeol pet his ears.
₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎*･ﾟ｡
Jongin has developed a habit of falling asleep everywhere in the most unusual of places. Once he was curled up in Junmyeon’s sock drawer, chewing on a stray sock that still hasn’t found its other half. Sometimes Chanyeol finds him snoozing under the kitchen table, tail and legs peeking out from under the table cloth.
It becomes a game of hide and seek for Chanyeol, even if Jongin doesn’t always know they’re playing hide and seek.
Chanyeol yawns as he patters out of his bedroom, having woken up alone after falling asleep next to Jongin. It seems today is another game of hide and seek and Chanyeol perks up, tail wagging at the challenge.
Where is Jongin? He’s not in the laundry basket or in the closet, not under the couch or in the bathtub.
By the time he’s overturned the blanket on Junmyeon’s bed the third time, panic is ringing in his head. Chanyeol’s alone all again. Jongin is nowhere to be found. Not again, not again, not again.
Just then, he hears the door open and he runs as fast as his legs allow him to, crashing straight into Junmyeon’s legs as he walks in, Jongin craddled in his arms.
“Hey, pup,” Junmyeon greets but the last thing Chanyeol wants to do is greet back.
Because Jongin smells like pollen. He smells like bunny and like cat and he smells like strange candles and it means Jongin spent the day at Yunho’s again.
Oblivious to Chanyeol’s inner turmoil, Junmyeon puts Jongin down next to Chanyeol. It only makes the smell of flowers even stronger and Chanyeol can barely keep the whine from slipping out. He can’t cry. Big pups don’t cry, especially when he promised to be strong. He can’t let Jongin see his tears, so he tries his bestest to hold in his tears, but nothing can stop the tremor in his voice. “Jongin. If you want to live with Yunho, you can.”
“Chanyeol?” Jongin looks at Chanyeol then at Junmyeon again, shaking his head quickly and willing Junmyeon to explain.
Junmyeon sighs, crouching down and enveloping Chanyeol in a hug. “Oh honey, we’ve talked through this. Jongin isn’t going anywhere.”
“Home is where you are,” Jongin agrees quietly, ducking down to peer at Chanyeol’s face.
Chanyeol only buries himself deeper into Junmyeon’s embrace, muffling his cries and not wanting to look at Jongin. Not again.
“Junmyeon.” Jongin tugs on his sleeve, voice rising in urgency. “Junmyeon, can you help take it out?”
“Are you sure?”
Jongin nods, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He strokes Chanyeol’s tail and Chanyeol pulls it away, making Jongin’s face crumple up in worry. “We don’t need to wait until Chanyeol’s birthday. Now is okay.”
Junmyeon gingerly sets Chanyeol down on the couch and immediately Jongin moves to sit next to him, covering his eyes with his hands. “Close your eyes, Yeol. No peeking!”
“What are you doing?” Chanyeol tries to wriggle away but Jongin is insistent, pressing his palms over Chanyeol’s eyes.
Chanyeol is surrounded by dark, dark darkness but the warmth of Jongin’s palm keeps him calm. He trusts Jongin so so much, and it hurts even more that Jongin would rather go live with Yunho and Kyungsoo and Yixing but if that’s what Jongin wants then it’s what Chanyeol wants and-
It’s bright again. Jongin removes his hands and Chanyeol’s vision rushes back to him. His eyes protest with the sudden attack of light and when he tries to rub at his eyes, it’s then that he notices that Jongin has placed something in his lap.
It’s solid and a little heavy and it’s baby blue and Chanyeol’s breath is caught in his throat because it can’t be.
"I bought you a ukelele," Jongin says softly. He takes Chanyeol’s hand and runs it down the slope of the ukelele, letting him feel the smooth wood and the taunt strings.
A guitar is too big but a ukelele is just right, just like how Junmyeon is too big for Chanyeol to hug fully, but Jongin fits perfectly in Chanyeol's embrace.
"Jongin's been working at the flower shop to earn money," Junmyeon explains with a proud smile. He settles on the couch and pulls the two pups in next to him, one on each side.
"But he's so little, what can he do?" Chanyeol asks before he can stop himself.
Jongin bristles at that and Chanyeol grabs his hand in silent apology. He's quickly forgiven and Jongin smiles back at him, squeezing his hand in return. "I help to carry things around and spray water on the flowers. Yunho carries me for the ones that I can't reach.”
Joonmyun pets Jongin’s head softly and Jongin’s tail thumps in response. “Sometimes Jongin naps on the counter and helps draw customers in.”
Jongin shakes his head. “I don't know how though."
Chanyeol knows perfectly how, because if he saw a merpuppy as cute as Jongin sleeping on the counter, he would enter the store too.
Suddenly Chanyeol is filled with guilt. He pushes the ukelele away and shakes his head so hard his entire body trembles. “I’m sorry! I don’t deserve this!”
Jongin presses the ukelele back into Chanyeol’s arms. “This is a promise. I’m here to stay.”
He looks up at Junmyeon for validation and Junmyeon pinches his cheek. “Afraid you two pups are stuck with me for life.”
Pacified, Chanyeol scrunches his face up and tries not to cry again, this time out of the overwhelming love that rushes over him. He’ll be brave. Now he’ll believe, forever.
“Crybaby,” Jongin says, soft fingers wiping away Chanyeol’s tears. It only makes Chanyeol wail louder but eventually Chanyeol’s sobs fade away and together, Junmyeon starts teaching the both of them how to play the ukelele.
Chanyeol loves his small family.