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Cat & Dog
Some call them polar opposites.
Some call them domesticated house pets.
Most know them as Minho & Seungmin.
The argument between cat and dog lovers has existed for as long as the two breeds became live-in pets.
For Minho, growing up with cats was something that helped shape him into the above-average cat expert that he was now. For Seungmin, he just liked dogs.
When the two of them first met, it was by pure accident. Minho, on the street, bent down to feed a stray cat one of those lickable squeeze treats. Seungmin, also on the street, lost in the music bursting through his headphones, and completely distracted.
By the time the inevitable happens, the stray cat has scampered off and Seungmin finds himself with a sore ass on the ground. Minho mumbles out a few complaints, unheard by Seungmin as his headphones remain faithfully plugged in his ears. It’s only when he rips a bud out to apologize, despite not actually harming Minho when he tripped over him, that he truly gets a good look at his face.
They part unmemorable, headed two separate directions with no lasting thoughts on each other.
The next time they meet, it was at a friend gathering between their inner circles. Seungmin’s friend Felix was having a small get-together, complete with a few of their shared friends, and one of his other friend’s small group of people. Seungmin didn’t particularly care for the details, he knew Jeongin would be there and if he didn’t like any of the others he could always find a way to talk the younger’s ear off.
When Minho spots him at the gathering, he laughs quietly to himself because of course the cute stranger who tripped over him just the week before showed up again. His eyes are annoyingly soft and brown and so puppy-like that makes Minho think he should be irritated. And then he reminds himself he doesn’t technically know the guy, and at the least can spark a proper introduction.
His name is Minho, he’s two years older than Seungmin and the most important fact he felt like sharing before even disclosing his profession is his undying love for felines. Seungmin smiles at him, and tells him he likes cats fine enough, but is more of a dog person himself.
Minho doesn’t stick around to hear Seungmin’s own self-introduction.
He technically left him, but as two separate friend groups start to merge into one collective group, Minho finds himself unable to escape the puppy boy who stupidly admitted to being a dog person right in front of him. His own best friend Changbin is more than enamored with the puppy boy, talking Minho’s ear off about him even when they aren’t near the younger boy. Minho hates the way his stomach flips each time Changbin raves about him. He may not like his preference in animals, but Seungmin was only his to make fun of.
Seungmin thought Minho was hiding something. If not for the grins turned sour the moment their eyes meet, then for the way he so openly watches him from across the room. So loud and yet most of their conversations are filled with so many tug of war comments to one another, the premise of their relationship with one another did not match the way Seungmin thought of him in his own private thoughts. And for some reason, he had a feeling Minho could be hiding something just the same way.
Minho thinks about it one night. He doesn’t hate Seungmin. Changbin asked him earlier that day why he acted so pissy around him, and Minho felt a trickle of embarrassment as he tried to explain that he didn’t hate Seungmin, it’s just the way they ended up interacting with one another. Changbin tells him he has a crush, his anger when Changbin or Chan try poking fun at Seungmin the way Minho would is only a result of jealously.
“Minho, you’re so possessive.”
On Minho’s birthday, everyone is invited for a dinner and chill movie night in at his apartment. Seungmin had never been to Minho’s place before, almost all of the group’s hangouts being exclusively at Felix or Hyunjin’s places. The apartment itself isn’t too special, but Jisung has decorated the place with cheap steamers and balloons blown up with his own lungs because helium was too expensive.
The thing that stands out the most to Seungmin is the cats. He knew Minho had cats. Everyone knew about them. There was a time when Seungmin had mistakenly forgotten the third one, admitting in front of Minho himself that he thought there were only two. He had since fixed his memory, and now, nearly 9 months after integrating Minho into his somewhat inner circle, Seungmin was seeing them for the first time in his life.
Hyunjin had Minho posing for a few photos next to his cake from the grocery store, Felix and Jeongin were deeply immersed in a conversation about a new video game on the market, and Chan, Hyunjin and Jisung were back in the kitchen fixing up some food. Seungmin was alone, and found his gaze following the silhouette of the orange cat that cautiously walked around the living room.
Lowering himself to sit on the floor, Seungmin crossed his legs and tried to busy himself with his phone. It couldn’t of been more than thirty seconds later when the cold nose of the cat bumped into his knee. His head jerked up, eyes softening and hand extending to allow the cat to sniff him. After being accepted, he happily pet over the cat, scratching behind its ears and under its chin occasionally.
When the cat climbed up into his lap, curled up and started purring, Seungmin felt nothing but happiness. His smile wouldn’t leave his face, the cat was too cute. He made sure to capture a couple pictures before locking his phone and setting it aside.
A while later, as the movie played and illuminated the living room space, Seungmin would miss the wide eyes peering over to him. He wouldn’t know about the way Minho’s brain went into a panic, or the way his eyes burned the image of his cat happily napping on Seungmin. He couldn’t know it then, but something about that day sparked a long awaited change in his relationship with Minho.
The first time Minho and Seungmin hung out by themselves was quite unexpected. Minho had nothing to do that day, the weather was so nice and his mind had been infested with those permanently inked images of Seungmin and his cat snuggled up for far too long. When he messaged him to invite him out to a nearby cafe, he tossed his phone away the moment it sent.
The bang against the wall startled dori, who had been resting on the armchair nearby peacefully. He apologized to the cat, slapping himself for acting like a middle schooler with their first crush. When he gets a notification not even a minute later, he hesitates to check his phone from where it lays on the opposite side of his living room.
It’s only when he remembers that he was the one to put himself out in the open, and he has to carry over his faux confidence, that he stumbles across the room to check his phone. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect in response, but it surely hadn’t been as casual of an answer as it was.
Seungmin🐶: sure hyung😊
It was so stupid, his stupid smiley face emoticon and his stupidly fast response. Minho tells himself Seungmin must be obsessed with him if he replies that quickly to his invitation, ignoring the way his traitorous heart picks up the longer he let’s himself think about his upcoming outing with the puppy boy.
He’s been dressed and ready for the day for only half an hour when Minho of all people text him. Seungmin doesn’t hide his grin as he replies quickly, butterflies rampant in his stomach. Minho asked him to the cafe. What would they talk about? How long would they stay? Why did he ask Seungmin?
He was supposed to have an eye appointment that day, and then follow it up with some grocery shopping. It was easy to rearrange his appointment for another day, and he supposes he could live off ramen for the next few days until he gets more downtime to refill his pantry.
They both show up to the cafe at the same time, and unlike the typical half stiff atmosphere they share when they talk to one another, the air is much more relaxed today. It feels like they’ve been acting for the past few months by the way their regular snarky comments and remarks fade away within the first few minutes they’re together.
Minho tells Seungmin he was his absolute last option, and Seungmin tells him that he could’ve chosen to stay inside if he was truly that bothersome. His smile is so stupidly endearing that Minho can’t find himself to say anything in return, accepting the observation for what it was; the truth.
Minho tells Seungmin all about his work as they devour the select pastries and drinks they’ve ordered from the shop. It had been long enough at this point that Seungmin did know about Minho’s job as a dance instructor at a studio downtown. It was more Jisung than Minho himself who liked to rave about his dancing skills, often showing off shaky videos from his phone at his old college showcases.
Seungmin wasn’t the most knowledgeable about it all, but he found himself genuinely curious every now and then, prompting Minho to ramble off into a detailed explanation about the differences between dance styles.
His cats are brought up again at one, Seungmin smiling wide as he recalls out loud how sweet it had been when soonie napped in his lap. He pretends to ignore the way Minho’s eyes widen and his ears go red at his story, curious as to why, but content to not pry in this moment.
Minho asks Seungmin about his own work in return, which is admittedly less exciting than his own. Working in an office paid the bills but could never give him any true enjoyment. Rather, Seungmin tells Minho about his photography hobby. With the roles now reversed, Minho asks Seungmin all about the insignificant details of a camera, and what types of pictures he takes the best.
It’s so easy to get lost in their miniature q&a, both of them finally filling in the gaps to unanswered questions or unknown facts they had never had the chance to ask the other before.
Hours go by, and only when Seungmin notices the sun has gone down does he realize it’s already past 6 in the evening, and the cafe would be closing soon. They gather their stuff, and Minho is offering to walk Seungmin home the moment they step out in the cool autumn air. His apartment is only a 10 minute walk away, and it’s a somewhat hard goodbye when they have to part.
Fearing he might never get the moment with Seungmin again, Minho pulls him into a half hug before tumbling away, ears bright red and heart on the edge of exploding. He doesn’t turn around to check his reaction, but he does know that’s the closest he’s ever been to Seungmin, and even though it was brief, the warmth between them then, and the comfort shared the entire day is something addictive to Minho.
It’s easier after that first time. They text more frequently, Seungmin occasionally asking how Minho’s younger classes were going, Minho occasionally asking if Seungmin had any new pictures to share with him.
Not only that, but they find themselves hanging out together much more frequently. The comments and playfulness they keep around their friends is still there, but with the understanding that it was just them. It was their way of interacting with one another. Felix expressed his feelings with touch, and Hyunjin was easier to read than a book with his open emotions, Minho and Seungmin were alike in the sense that joking helped them be a lot more honest with their feelings.
Seungmin finds himself over to Minho’s place more frequently. Soonie almost always beelining for his lap as the other two sniff around him for a few pets before receding to their lounging spots of choice. He’s still a dog person, proud about it as well, but it’s in those moments when he pets Minho’s cats so sweetly, allows Soonie to rest in his lap, and snaps pictures of them all, that Minho allows his dog preferences to pass temporarily.
Seungmin still manages to drag him out to a dog cafe though. His stupid smile never leaves his face, mushy words escaping his mouth at each dog that approaches them. Minho tells him it’s baby talk and Seungmin fights back with the very true fact that Minho is exactly the same to cats.
It’s dead winter when Seungmin calls Minho late at night. Minho, who was already in his pajamas ready to sleep, picked up right away, ready to tell him off, but the distressed tone from the other end shuts him up immediately.
Seungmin had found a cat outside, shivering and starving and he didn’t have anything to help them until he could bring it to a shelter. His voice was shaking and Minho was out of bed in a flash. Seungmin shares his location and Minho quickly grabs a few blankets and his keys before slipping on some shoes and running out of his place.
Weak meows prevented Seungmin from inching closer to the cat, afraid of chasing it off, but desperate to help it in any way he could. It felt like instinct when he dialed Minho, the older showing up just 8 minutes later, out of breath and clearly worried.
Seungmin tells him he was afraid of going closer in case he chased the cat off, and in the moment Minho tells him how it was a stupid thought for someone who was so great with cats. He makes himself busy with gently bundling the shivering feline afterward, unaware of the gymnastics event being held in Seungmin’s stomach from his comment.
They walk back to Minho’s place, Seungmin’s arms wrapped around his body as the light sweatshirt he had on for what was supposed to be a quick trip the convenience store seeped the cold air on his body. There’s a gasp that escapes him when Minho reaches out with his free arm, tugging Seungmin right into his side for warmth as he comments on his inadequate clothing choices.
The cat is warmed up and fed back at Minho’s place, and Seungmin takes to searching up local shelters that won’t euthanize unadopted animals after a certain time period. Minho sticks his head over his shoulder to observe his screen simultaneously, offering input every now and then.
The three cats already residing at Minho’s place stay tucked away in his room peacefully, leaving the stray cat to settle in any crevice they wish to. Seungmin promises to come over and take the cat to the shelter they agreed upon in the morning, and it’s then that Minho realizes it’s already gone past 1am.
He could send Seungmin home. He should send Seungmin home. But the puppy boy had no warm clothes, and his apartment was a good 15-minute walk away, and some secretive part of him was itching to invite him to stay the night.
So he did. Seungmin accepts, ready to settle on the couch, but then Minho is dragging him off to his room and digging through his dresser as he throws over a sweatshirt with a grumble of his shirt still making him cold. Seungmin doesn’t tell him he’s now warmed up, has been for a while, instead tugs on the sweatshirt right over his head. He pretends to not inhale the scent of Minho’s perfume from the shirt, and he totally acts normal when Minho all but forces him to take the other half of his bed because he would be a bad host if he made him sleep on the couch.
By the time they’re both tucked in, they turn opposing directions, two hearts thumping loud enough to create a song, and ears warm enough to light a fire.
Winter passes slowly, new years is spent with all 8 of them drunk and loud enough to invoke a noise complaint from Hyunjin’s neighbor.
January brings more frigid temperatures, and one big power outage at Seungmin’s apartment complex that has him crashing at Minho’s place for three days. He could’ve asked Jeongin or Felix, he knows that those two had the space and close distance to allow for it, but then he had mentioned it in a conversation with Minho and the offer presented itself so nicely.
Minho had gone over to help him bring a few things over, purposely sneaking a few sweatshirts back so Seungmin had no option but to borrow some of Minho’s own. A sneaky little plan that worked so well, Seungmin coming into Minho’s room absolutely bewildered as he explains how he did have warm clothes packed but they never made it over. Minho laughs and tells him it’s because he secretly just wanted to borrow his clothes, and Seungmin goes red for a moment before shaking his head and grabbing the extended sweatshirt.
Call him crazy, but something about seeing Seungmin live and interact with Minho’s belongings drove him insane. His cats who were all too fond of him, his sweatshirts which Seungmin fell asleep in more times than Minho could count, his absolutely offensive attempt of cooking in his kitchen.
Worst of all, the early mornings where Minho would wake to a firm weight pressed up against him. Seungmin’s face tucked into his side, one arm curled into his chest and another strewn on top of Minho. It drove him crazy in the most delicious way. He wanted more as each day passed, and when it came time for Seungmin to leave back to his own apartment, Minho made sure to sneak one of his hoodies in his bag so he could keep it.
It’s a few weeks later when Jisung blows up his phone. Minho is teaching a class when it happens, but reads the messages not long after.
Hannie 🐿️: care to explain why kim seungmin comes to hang out with felix hyunjin and i in a certain hoodie that ! ME ! gifted to you just two years ago 🤨🤨🤨
Hannie 🐿️: ohohoh his face is so red
Hannie 🐿️: WAIT
Hannie 🐿️: do not tell me you guys are like secretly dating behind our backs !
Hannie 🐿️: i cant believe u would do that to me 😭
Minho feels himself panic momentarily, knowing he can’t get around the honest answer, but also not quite ready to expose his feelings for Seungmin to someone else before he can even say anything to Seungmin himself.
Luckily he manages to force out a half explanation later on once he’s home and had time to think about it. He can’t help but wonder about what Seungmin had said, if he even realized it wasn’t his own hoodie or if he wore it on purpose to share a sneak peek of their closer relationship to their other friends.
He finds out not long after. Seungmin appears outside his door just after 7, his typical happy smile radiating off his face as Minho doesn’t hesitate to let him inside. He’s still wearing his hoodie, and Minho thinks it’s unfair the way his stomach does flips at the mere sight of the younger boy wearing his own clothes.
He’s made up a simple dinner, offers Seungmin some as he portions out his cat’s meal for their dinner as well. Seungmin makes himself comfortable on his couch and for once Minho doesn’t ask questions or hound him for an explanation as to why he is over. He is long past the point where he can pretend he doesn’t like Seungmin’s presence.
They watch a movie together, the next day is a Saturday meaning they both have work off and by the looks of everything Seungmin has no intention of going home that night. Minho doesn’t want him to anyways.
Three movies in and Seungmin has migrated all the way into Minho’s side, head resting on his shoulder and arm linked with his own as well. Minho acts as normal as he can, but then the on screen actors are starting to get to the point of the movie where they fall in love and the snippets of their dates come together in a montage.
It has Seungmin giddy, his heart beating almost uncomfortably fast and his stomach in knots as he thinks about how easy it would be to kiss Minho right now. How all it would take is the turn of their heads and how even if he was misreading all the signs, he could say he finally got to kiss him.
The actors share their first kiss on screen, and Seungmin feels his heart drop as the quietest voice among thousands in his head tell him to do the same. For some reason, he listens.
His head picks up, turning to face Minho who also turns to look at him as the weight was no longer on his shoulder. For a moment they both stop breathing, and just as Seungmin clears his throat to ask if he can kiss Minho, the older is leaning down and connecting them together himself.
Seungmin is taken aback only for a moment before he melts into the blissful feeling he’s been dreaming of for months. The kiss is soft and warm, and everything Seungmin ever imagined. They don’t pull apart for much longer, only so Seungmin can readjust before diving right back in like a starved tiger. All his months of waiting, of analyzing and growing his relationship with Minho came to this point right here.
They’ll talk later on, curl up in Minho’s bed properly and share more sweet kisses between one another as they admit to their months long crushes that were not so well hidden. The next day will be their first official day as a couple, spent happily holed up inside the walls of Minho’s apartment where they indulge in too many giggly kisses and makeout sessions to count.
Dating Seungmin isn’t overly different from how they had been the months beforehand, except now there’s always an excuse to have him over at his place. He doesn’t bother to hide that he likes seeing Seungmin in his own clothes, or that his favorite sight in the entire world is when he snuggles up with his cats.
They break the news to their other friends just a few weeks after. They’re all happy for them, admitting about secret bets and conspiracies they had running between each other as to when they’d actually get together. As payback they act as obnoxious as possible around their friends just to bother them.
Free time and weekends turn into dates and lazy days around Minho’s place that has turned into Seungmin’s second home. His apartment was fine but the cats were only in one space and Seungmin knew better than to try and separate Minho from his cats.
Time passes quickly, but slow enough to where they can still enjoy each new moment without forgetting it so soon. Like when Minho surprised Seungmin at the end of his shift and swept him away for a nice dinner. Or when they couldn’t sleep and would go for late night walks, sharing earbuds to listen to music together. Times where Minho would make them a homemade meal, tasking away in the kitchen as Seungmin played with the cats and fulfilled his role of not stepping anywhere near the kitchen.
Nights where Seungmin wasn’t over at Minho’s Facetime up and running as he goes about his bedtime routine and rants on and on about his work day.
The time where Minho got sick and Seungmin spent over two hours making a soup off an online recipe for Minho to try.
Giggling together when they’d shower with each other randomly, sharing water and always ending up in a heated makeout session.
Their most serious fight was only over what drama they should watch or which takeout they should have delivered. The months moved by steadily, and by the time they hit 8 months together, Seungmin had already agreed to move in with Minho to a new place when both of their leases ended.
For some they moved too fast, but when you understood your partner and kept healthy communication with each other, time wasn’t a big deal in figuring out if the relationship would work.
A little after their one year anniversary, they officially move in to a new apartment together. Seungmin, Minho and the cats. It’s a perfect size for all their needs, and located fairly equally to both of their jobs. Their friends throw a welcoming party for them, in which Felix claims they would’ve never met if he hadn’t had everyone come together all that time ago. Minho rebukes this by breaking the news that they had in fact, ran into each other before that first party, meaning they had technically met prior.
Changbin tells him it doesn’t count if they didn’t talk but Minho stands firm in his choices.
They settle into their new place just fine, working and coming home to relaxing evenings on the weekdays and making the most of their weekends when they’re free. It’s everything Seungmin could’ve hoped for. At least he thought it was.
He’s at work, almost done, when Minho texts him.
Min🐱: Come home quick! The baby made a mess😡
Seungmin assumes he’s referring to dori, the youngest one of his cats who was the most playful and likely to knock stuff over. He finishes up his work day and bids his coworkers goodbye, heading back home in a quick 20 minutes. If he also stopped at a Starbucks along the way, well, he would just smile and hope Minho made no comment on it.
Unlocking the door, Seungmin is greeted by the meowing of doongie who hops off the cat tree to strut near the door. Minho is nowhere in sight, so he kicks off his shoes and bends down to pet doongie. Minho calls out for him from down the hallway, and Seungmin heads over, curious as to what his text from earlier was referring to.
It’s only when he opens the door the the bathroom that he sees it.
The smallest puppy he’s ever laid eyes on, golden fur and big brown eyes peering right up at him. There’s a puddle of pee on the floor that so obviously missed the puppy pad laid out right next to it. And sitting on the edge of the bathtub is his very own boyfriend, suppressing a smile as Seungmin swoops down to lift up the puppy into his arms, tears already forming out his eyes.
“You got me a puppy!?”