Chapter Text
The bell jingled as the door to the Pika Animal Hospital was pushed open, letting in a young bluenette in baby blue scrubs.
"Good morning, Marth," the woman at the front desk greeted kindly.
"Morning," the 22-year-old replied softly, making his way to the back of the vet office.
Turning into the treatment room, he greeted his veterinarian as well as the veterinary technicians that were in today before shuffling quietly into the kennel room.
Suddenly, Marth was encompassed by loud barking, dogs of all sizes very happy to see another bipedal being.
"Hi guys! How is everyone? Oh, yes I would love kisses thank you," retracting his hand from the cage of an overly friendly King Charles Spaniel, Marth turned and made his way over to the grooming area.
"Why why, look who it is!" an exclamation erupted from behind the wall of the grooming salon.
Walking around the grooming table, Marth peered down at the person occupying the floor space, blue eyes, along with blonde hair hiding under a sea of gold fur, blinked back up at him, along with a wide grin.
"Hey Link," Marth replied with a grin of his own.
After moving into town to attend Smash University four years back, the two met at the animal hospital when Marth applied for a veterinarian assistant position in order to help pay for his textbooks and gain early experience for veterinary school. The two clicked immediately and became the best of friends, always spending time outside of the vet office whenever they could.
"So how was your birthday this past weekend?" Link asked kindly as he continued cutting and fixing the fur of the Golden Retriever he was sharing the floor with.
Marth let the sweet canine lick his hand before replying, "It was good! I've never been to an amusement park before and it was amazing! Samus had me try almost every ride, while MK only went on the slow ones. Pretty sure roller coasters are my favorite thing in the world now, though," the bluenette answered with a chuckle.
Link shook his head, "Cannot believe it was your first time. So...did you guys take up my idea of going to that gay strip club I talked about?"
Face heating up immediately, Marth hissed, "Link!" Darting his eyes behind him, Marth made sure no one else was in the kennel and possibly eavesdropping.
Barking out a laugh, Link looked at his colleague knowingly. "So...did you?"
"NO!" Marth exclaimed back, the tomato color in his face never dwindling.
"Come on Marth, I told you that you could meet someone-" Link started.
"I am not getting into it with a stripper," the bluenette interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest.
The groomer planted his face into the dog's fur, stopping his task for a moment. "He doesn't get it Lucy," Link said to the golden retriever, who just turned and blinked at him, curious as to why the human stopped brushing her.
Looking back up at Marth, the blonde replied, "No. I mean meet someone in the crowd! Another dude who...ya know..." giving the veterinarian assistant a knowing smirk.
Marth rolled his eyes with a sigh, "No Link...just...no. I will find someone in my own time on my own rules." He bent down, patting their furry companion on the head. Lucy gave his hand another lick, and continued to happily pant.
Link sighed and gave Marth a look, "Marth...it's been two years, and you aren't getting any younger."
"Excuse me?" The younger exasperated.
Link chuckled. "All I'm saying is, you should get back out there! I know I say that a lot, and one day you will listen to me."
Marth sighed and looked at Lucy pleadingly, hoping the canine would help him out in this conversation.
"I know it took a literal year and a half for Roy to apologize for what he did to you, and yes it was rough getting through the wrong he did, and his sudden apology. But, that should be behind you now and what you shouldn't be dwelling on anymore...You know I'm right," Link spoke softly.
Marth kept staring at Lucy silently.
"But, why start everything over with someone new, when there is so much of a chance to be hurt again. What if the next guy is even worse?" The bluenette finally answered quietly.
His colleague looked up in thought for a minute, before continuing his grooming of their fellow golden canine. "Well, after what Roy has taught you, you won't let it get that far. You know the signs of abuse now."
There was a brief pause between the two.
Then,
"But, you will never know what could happen if you don't try."
Blue eyes locked with blue, before a sigh was heard.
"Okay." Marth replied softly.
Link gave him a pat before focusing his concentration on Lucy's coat. Said dog looked up at the bluenette still petting her and gave him a big, unexpected lick on the face.
"Oh!" Marth gasped, followed by a giggle as he was covered in kisses by the golden retriever.
"Ha! Even Lucy agrees with me," the groomer stated happily.
The veterinarian assistant wiped his face of dog slobber, "And one day my mystery boyfriend and I will be as cute as you and Zelda," Marth commented with a smirk before getting up and going about his day with their furry friends.
Link gave a low chuckle at that.
The following afternoon, Marth came into the vet hospital after his morning Microbiology lecture and greeted Link warmly.
"Hey Link."
"Oh hey! The pups are ready to be taken out for their 1:00 PM walk whenever you are," the groomer exclaimed excitedly.
"Alright, awesome. Let me just put my things down," the bluenette answered, placing his school bag and water canteen onto the floor by the grooming salon wall.
Adorned in his signature light blue scrubs, Marth reached for the yellow dog chain provided by the hospital along with a doggy bag, placing the latter in one of his pockets.
"Oliver is here by the way."
Marth paused in his motions at that comment from the blonde. He looked up and saw the small smile from his friend.
"He is?" The veterinarian assistant asked with happiness.
Link nodded, "Yep. Cage 4."
Marth walked over hurriedly to greet one of his favorite canines. Oliver is one of their regulars who comes in for boarding every few weeks, a very old pug who found his way into the bluenette's heart.
"Hey buddy," he spoke softly, reaching through the cage and petting the aged dog gently, "I'll save you for last so we can have a fun walk together like we always do."
Standing back up, Marth went over to Cage 1 to retrieve a Rottweiler that was being boarded this week, as well. The large canine was very excited to be the first to go out, and was therefore obedient in letting the veterinarian assistant loop the makeshift collar over his head.
"Alright, be back in a few Link," Marth waved to the groomer, with Link waving back.
About forty-five minutes later, bringing Charlie back into Cage 7, with said Bichon Frise giving him a hard time, the blunette finally made his way over to Oliver.
"Okay buddy, let's go."
Because of his old age, oncoming blindness, and weak leg muscles and bones, Marth gently looped the yellow collar over his furry friend and then lifted him into his arms.
Link smiled as he watched the duo walk out the back door.
Making it to their walking area, a good patch of grass just outside the plaza the vet office was in, the bluenette placed Oliver down, letting the pug find his way around.
"It sure is nice out today Oliver. The cool breeze along with the sun is amazing," Marth smiled down at his companion, not expecting an answer. He loved to chat with the dogs, it was just easier for him, knowing animals love you no matter what. Dorky or cool, chubby or thin, they don't care. That's why Marth loved them, they were the kinds of friends who listen to you without complaint and give all of their compassion and love to you.
Just like his cat Hamilton at his apartment. Hamilton was everything to Marth, but he wouldn't want to call himself the male version of a cat lady just yet. But, he's had the black and grey Maine Coon for ten years, ever since he was a kitten, and he was lucky enough to bring him to SmashVille and move into an apartment that allowed cats.
Lost in thought, it took Marth a moment to notice movement in the corner of his eye. He looked over to realize he ended up staring into the glistening bare chest of a jogger passing by on the other side of the road. Mouth hanging slightly open at the sudden new character outside besides him and Oliver, the bluenette couldn't take his eyes away as they slowly tracked up the chest and to the face it belonged to.
For a moment, those cobalt eyes were only focused on the path ahead of him, until he felt a presence of another pair staring at his actions. Shifting his eyes for a simple glance, they happened to lock on to the veterinarian assistant's. Slowing his jog for a minute, the man with stunning blue hair, a bit darker than Marth's own, gave himself time to get a nice look at the blushing 22-year-old across the way. Giving a smirk and a wink to the stunned boy walking the pug, the man started to pick up his pace as he was about to pass them.
Marth gasped at the gesture, covering his mouth with his cheeks darkening even more.
The darker blue-haired athlete chuckled, finding the actions of the other bluenette to be quite cute. However, he couldn't stop to continue flirting for he had to finish his training before his class that evening. Hopefully he'll get to see that sweet tomato of a face again.
Marth's face was the shade of one hundred tomatoes as he watched the most beautiful human he has ever seen jog past him and make a turn toward Smash University a few blocks down.
'He can't go there...could he? I've never even seen him before.'
Brushing away that thought, the veterinarian assistant reached down to pick up Oliver, "I think it's time to go inside."