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The low hum of fluorescent lights buzzed faintly in the empty reception area of Todoroki Veterinary Clinic, the usual quiet settling in as the last appointment of the day came to an end. Touya Todoroki kneeled on the cool, white-tiled floor, his blue eyes fixed on the beagle sprawled out in front of him. The dog whined softly as Touya deftly worked, his hands steady, wrapping the dog’s injured leg in a tight, clean bandage. His tattooed arms moved with practiced efficiency, the ink peeking out from beneath the rolled sleeves of his lab coat, giving away hints of intricate designs that snaked up his forearms.
The only sounds in the room were the dog’s soft breathing and the ticking of the old wall clock, marking the slow approach of closing time. Touya liked it this way—quiet, predictable. The clinic was his sanctuary, a place where he didn’t have to deal with the mess of the outside world. Just him and the animals, away from the chaos of people. He could control this space.
He let out a long breath, gently patting the beagle’s head. “Almost done, buddy. You’ll be back to chasing squirrels in no time,” he murmured, his voice low and steady.
And then—jingle.
The bell above the clinic door chimed, cutting through the silence like nails on a chalkboard. Touya’s shoulders immediately stiffened. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. Only one person ever entered his clinic this late, unannounced, and without fail, managed to disrupt his perfectly managed end-of-day routine.
Touya ground his teeth and muttered under his breath. “Of course.”
He straightened up slowly, pausing mid-bandage to cast a dark glance over his shoulder. There, standing in the doorway like some kind of reckless, golden-haired hurricane, was Keigo Takami—his personal headache, wrapped up in a perpetual ball of annoying nonchalance.
Keigo’s entrance was as casual as ever, swinging the door open with his elbow and strolling in with an easy confidence. His blond hair, as wild as his personality, stuck out in all directions as if the wind had styled it for him. Dressed in his usual worn red hoodie and dark jeans, he looked every bit the chaotic, free spirit that he was.
A leash hung loosely from one hand, attached to a scruffy, wiry-looking mutt that Touya had definitely never seen before. In his other hand? A steaming paper cup, because of course Keigo needed a coffee to fuel his endless energy.
“Hey, doc!” Keigo’s voice was as annoyingly cheerful as always, the kind of upbeat tone that made Touya wince on instinct. “Thought I’d stop by before you closed up.”
Touya didn’t bother hiding the irritation on his face. He glared at the coffee in Keigo’s hand and then at the dog. “You’re gonna need to give me a minute,” he muttered flatly, turning back to the beagle. He worked quickly now, securing the last part of the bandage and giving the dog a final pat on the head before standing. “There you go, buddy. Try not to hurt yourself again, yeah?”
The beagle wagged its tail, oblivious to the tension, and Touya sighed, finally turning his full attention to Keigo.
“I don’t know why I’m even surprised at this point.”
Keigo leaned against the doorframe, offering a lopsided grin that was so casual it bordered on cocky. His eyes—sharp but always teasing—gleamed with amusement, like he knew exactly how much he got under Touya’s skin and was completely unbothered by it. “Oh, come on, don’t act like you don’t love seeing me, doc.”
Touya crossed his arms, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. “Pretty sure I’ve made it clear how I feel about your surprise visits.”
Keigo feigned a wounded expression, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. “I’m just here to help the poor animals. Look at this guy,” he gestured to the pup at his feet, who was wagging its tail despite looking a bit worse for wear. “Found him around the park. Thought he could use your expert care.”
Touya let his gaze drop to the dog, and despite himself, felt his resolve waver. The dog looked up at him with those big, round eyes, sad and hopeful, like it knew exactly how to break through his gruff exterior. Its fur was patchy, and it had the kind of scrappy, street-tough look that reminded Touya of a stray that had been through one too many rough nights.
This was not an uncommon occurrence.
In fact, Keigo had been dropping by with random strays for months now.
Ever since they’d first met—when Keigo waltzed into his clinic with a bag of groceries in one hand and a box of abandoned kittens in the other—it had become almost routine.
Keigo, who worked as a professional dog walker (a fact Touya still found ridiculous given how completely reckless Keigo seemed to be with his own life and given how ridiculous the job itself sounded to him), somehow managed to stumble upon injured or lost animals on a weekly basis.
And every time, he brought them straight to Touya’s doorstep.
Touya rolled his eyes, trying to keep his irritation intact, though the edges were softening against his will. “I’m starting to think you’re doing this on purpose.”
Keigo’s grin only widened. “What? Dropping by with cute animals? Guilty. But hey, I figured you’d need something to fill your time since you’re so grumpy about people.”
Touya glared at him, but Keigo just shrugged, as if to say, ‘What can you do?’
The blond’s easygoing attitude only served to make Touya more frustrated—mostly because it was impossible to fully dislike him.
Without another word, Touya stepped forward and grabbed the leash from Keigo’s hand, crouching down to inspect the dog. “What happened this time?” he muttered, his tone sharper than necessary to mask the fact that he was already invested.
Keigo watched with that infuriatingly casual smile. “Found him limping near the park. Poor guy’s got a bit of a cut on his paw. Nothing too bad, but I figured you’d want to give him a once-over.”
Touya huffed, running his hands along the dog’s scruffy coat and inspecting the small injury. “You know I’m not running a shelter, right?”
Keigo laughed, a bright, careless sound that filled the clinic. “Oh, come on, you’re just saying that. We both know you’ve got a soft spot for these guys. Just like I’ve got a soft spot for grumpy vets.”
Touya shot him a glare, though it lacked any real heat. “You’re lucky the dogs are cute, because if it were up to me, I’d charge you extra for this little hobby of yours.”
Keigo grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “That’s a date then, doc. You can bill me over dinner.”
The look Touya gave him was the kind that could make most people turn and run, but Keigo only leaned in closer, tilting his head with that maddening smirk.
Touya swore he could feel a headache coming on.
“In your dreams, birdbrain.”
“Every night!” Keigo shot back with a wink, and Touya turned back to the dog with a muttered curse, feeling an unfamiliar warmth creeping up the back of his neck.
Keigo followed him without hesitation, his footsteps light and relaxed, like he was completely at home despite the fact that Touya had never invited him to feel that way.
His eyes darted around the room as if he hadn’t seen it all a hundred times already—the pristine white countertops, the shelves neatly lined with supplies, the slight antiseptic smell that lingered in the air. He gave it all a passing glance, but his attention always found its way back to Touya, as if there was nowhere else in the world more interesting.
Touya could feel Keigo’s gaze on him, a quiet pressure that he tried his best to ignore. He focused on the dog instead, gently guiding the stray up onto the examination table. The pup, ever the cooperative patient, hopped up with surprising agility, tail wagging lazily as Touya adjusted the height of the table.
He could practically hear Keigo’s grin without turning around.
That damn smugness radiated off him in waves, warm and persistent. It wasn’t the first time Keigo had dropped by unannounced, but something about the way he lingered tonight made Touya more conscious of the space between them, of the quiet tension that simmered beneath Keigo’s easygoing demeanor.
Touya cleared his throat, slipping on a pair of latex gloves with a snap, trying to shove the discomfort back down where it belonged.
“You’re hovering,” he muttered, not looking up as he began inspecting the dog’s injured paw.
Keigo, entirely unbothered, leaned against the wall just a few feet away, folding his arms over his chest in a way that was annoyingly casual. “Just admiring your handiwork,” he teased, his voice light, but there was an edge to it—a softness underneath the banter that Touya couldn’t place. “Gotta say, doc, you’re a miracle worker. Bet that little one’s never felt more pampered in his life.”
Touya’s jaw tightened, a low grumble escaping his throat.
He didn’t need the distraction, especially not when Keigo was practically lounging against the wall like this was some kind of casual hangout rather than a place of work. He focused on the dog, using the excuse to keep his eyes on the task in front of him. “If you’ve got some important reason to stay, then enlighten me. Otherwise, don’t you have a bunch of hyperactive dogs to walk?”
Keigo chuckled, a deep, rich sound that made the air between them feel warmer. “Nah. Thought I’d give you the honor of my company tonight. Besides, this guy’s a real priority.” He glanced at the dog on the table, but Touya could feel the way Keigo’s eyes flicked back toward him again, lingering like he was sizing him up—not in a snarky way. It was softer than that. Appreciative.
The dog whimpered softly, and Touya gently ran his hands over the injured paw, checking for any swelling. His movements were efficient, practiced, but there was an unmistakable care in the way he handled the animal—something Keigo had noticed from the first time they met.
Beneath all the grumbling and eye-rolling, Touya had a heart for these animals that couldn’t be hidden, no matter how hard he tried.
And, for whatever reason, that was one of the many things Keigo found himself drawn to.
Keigo let his gaze roam over Touya for a moment, taking in the sharp angles of his face, the way his brow furrowed in concentration. The tattoos that peeked out from the sleeves of his lab coat—dark, intricate patterns that swirled up his forearms, disappearing beneath the fabric. Keigo had never asked about them, but he wondered about the stories behind the ink, what they might mean to a guy who seemed to wear his attitude like an armor.
There was something magnetic about Touya.
Always had been. Even when he was snapping at Keigo or rolling his eyes at his endless teasing, there was an undercurrent of something else—something that Keigo couldn’t shake. Maybe it was the challenge, or maybe it was the fact that, despite his rough edges, Touya still let him in, in his own way.
Keigo liked pushing those buttons, liked seeing that crack in the armor when Touya let his guard slip just enough to show he cared, even if he wouldn’t admit it.
“You know,” Keigo began, his voice taking on a more playful tone, “I was thinking…”
Touya didn’t look up, though he could hear the smile in Keigo’s voice, and it grated on him in a way that was becoming alarmingly familiar. “You thinking? That’s a first.”
Keigo laughed again, a sound so full of warmth that it filled the otherwise quiet room.
He pushed off the wall, sauntering a little closer until he was just behind Touya, close enough that Touya could feel the shift in the air around him, could hear the soft scuff of Keigo’s boots on the tile.
“Anyway,” Keigo continued, undeterred, “I was thinking, you spend all this time in here, working late, saving poor souls like this guy”—he gestured to the mutt—“and I figured… maybe you’d want to grab a bite to eat tonight. You know, unwind. Bond over how good we are at rescuing the helpless.”
Touya’s hands stilled for a moment, his breath catching in his throat before he quickly resumed his work.
He’d been expecting this.
It wasn’t the first time Keigo had thrown out some casual invitation, wrapped in teasing like it wasn’t a big deal. Except, for some reason, this time it felt different. The words lingered in the air between them, heavier than before.
He scowled, hoping the expression would mask the sudden warmth crawling up his neck.
“What are you going on about now?” His voice came out harsher than he intended, though it was more out of self-preservation than anything.
The truth was, Touya didn’t know how to handle this. The easy way Keigo flirted with him, the casual touches, the constant smiles—it threw him off-balance, made him feel like the ground was shifting under his feet, and Touya hated not having his footing.
Keigo leaned in, just a little, enough that Touya could feel his presence at his back. “What?” he asked, his voice softer now, lower, like a secret. “You really gonna pretend you’re not into the idea? I see the way you look at me, doc.”
Touya tensed, his hands stilling again.
For a second, he didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to respond to the sudden closeness, the teasing lilt that was somehow more intimate than usual.
Did he? Did he look at Keigo the way Keigo was suggesting?
No. No, he couldn’t afford to think like that. Not when Keigo was all smooth words and reckless charm, blowing in like a storm that Touya wasn’t sure he could handle.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Touya muttered finally, resuming his work with a sharp focus that was obviously forced. “You’re just an annoying distraction.”
Keigo didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. He only smiled, a softer, almost knowing expression crossing his face. “Yeah,” he said, stepping back a little, giving Touya some space—though not too much. “But you like it.”
Touya didn’t respond.
He didn’t need to. The tension in the room spoke louder than anything he could say. Keigo knew exactly what he was doing, and that was part of the problem. He always had a way of getting under Touya’s skin, making him question things he wasn’t ready to question.
With a sigh, he focused on the dog once more, who had finally relaxed and was now dozing off under his touch. “See? You’ve got a way with them. You’re practically a dog whisperer.”
Touya raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms again. “Pretty sure there’s no such thing.”
“Yeah, but it sounds cool.” Keigo grinned.
Touya was about to shoot back a sarcastic remark when the sudden sound of a loud crash from the back of the clinic jolted them both.
“Seriously?” Touya groaned, rushing toward the sound, instincts kicking in as he pushed open the door that led to the back.
He paused, noticing the stacks of supplies had toppled over, scattered across the floor. In the midst of the chaos stood a fluffy black cat, its wide eyes blinking innocently at them, as if it hadn’t just caused a small disaster.
“Dabi! What did I tell you about being up there?” he called, moving forward to assess the mess.
Keigo appeared at his side, grinning broadly. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full, doc.”
“Yeah, thanks for the observation,” Touya replied dryly, shaking his head but unable to suppress a small smile.
As he began to tidy up, Keigo leaned against the wall again, seemingly having the time of his life watching him clean the mess on the floor.
“Need a hand?” Keigo asked after a moment.
Touya paused, considering. “I can handle it. Just keep an eye on that cat.”
“Alright, but if I see it making a move for those big ass birds cages, I’m intervening,” Keigo said lightly, a teasing edge in his voice.
The banter flowed easily between them, an unspoken rhythm that had developed over countless shared moments in the clinic.
Touya brushed his hair back from his face, suddenly acutely aware of Keigo’s proximity as he got next to him to help him pick up the boxes from the floor and the way their hands nearly brushed as they reached for the same fallen box.
Touya opened his mouth, wanting to say something petulant to break the silence, but instead, he let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “This is why I didn’t want to keep him.”
Keigo chuckled, leaning down to scoop up Dabi, who was now batting at a stray piece of paper. “Come on, he’ adorable. Look at him! Besides, cats add character.”
“Yeah, character,” Touya replied, rolling his eyes. “More like chaos.”
As they wrapped up, the clinic felt a little more like home, with Keigo’s easy laughter punctuating the quiet.
____________________
Later that evening, after the clinic had finally quieted down and Touya had finished treating the dog Keigo had brought in, the two of them stepped out into the cool night air. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, leaving the street bathed in the warm, amber glow of the streetlights. It was one of those peaceful nights where the city felt a little softer, the usual buzz of traffic and chatter subdued under the gentle hum of late evening.
Touya locked the door to the clinic, letting out a slow breath as he shoved the keys into his pocket. He glanced sideways at Keigo, who was standing a little too close for comfort, but there was a lazy sort of grin on his face that Touya found himself almost used to by now. Almost.
Keigo stretched his arms over his head, the fabric of his hoodie ruffling as he did, looking every bit like someone who didn’t have a care in the world. “You know,” he started, that familiar teasing lilt in his voice, “for a guy who spends his day cooped up with injured animals, you’re not so bad to hang out with.”
Touya rolled his eyes, though the gesture lacked any real bite. “You’re not exactly ‘hanging out,’” he grumbled. “You’re loitering. There’s a difference.”
Keigo laughed, a sound that filled the empty street. He shoved his hands into his pockets and fell into step beside Touya as they started walking down the sidewalk, their footsteps echoing quietly.
“Loitering? Ouch. You wound me, doc. Here I thought we were making progress.”
Touya shot him a sidelong glance, catching the playful glint in Keigo’s eyes. “Progress? You think this is progress?”
Keigo shrugged, his smile growing. “Well, I haven’t been kicked out yet, so that’s gotta count for something, right?”
“Give it time,” Touya muttered, though there was no real edge to the words. In truth, the banter between them had become a kind of routine. Comfortable, even. No matter how much Touya told himself that Keigo was a nuisance, there was a part of him that found the blond’s relentless cheerfulness strangely… grounding.
Or maybe it was something else entirely, something Touya didn’t want to dig too deeply into just yet.
They continued walking in silence for a while, the kind that wasn’t quite awkward but still held a certain weight. Touya kept his gaze fixed ahead, trying to ignore the way Keigo’s arm occasionally brushed against his as they walked.
“So,” Keigo broke the silence, his voice casual but with that underlying tone of curiosity. “Any chance you’re taking me up on that dinner offer, or should I just keep asking till you cave?”
Touya let out a short, exasperated sigh. He should have seen this coming.
It wasn’t the first time Keigo had thrown out the idea of dinner like it was no big deal, but the more he mentioned it, the harder it became to brush off. The truth was, Touya hadn’t been on a real “date” in… well, he couldn’t remember how long.
But this wasn’t a date. Not with him. It couldn’t be.
“I thought you were joking about that,” Touya said, keeping his tone even. Maybe too even.
Keigo turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. “Joking? Nah. I don’t joke about food.” Then, with a quick grin, he added, “Or you, for that matter.”
Touya scowled, feeling that familiar discomfort rising again.
He wasn’t sure how to handle Keigo when he got like this—open, direct, like he didn’t care about the walls Touya had built around himself. Keigo just… bulldozed right through them with that casual charm, acting like none of it was a big deal.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Touya asked, more defensively than he intended.
Keigo stopped walking for a moment, looking at him with a little more seriousness than usual.
“It means,” he said, voice still light but more honest, “that maybe I like hanging out with you, grumpy attitude and all. Maybe I think you’re not as tough as you pretend to be. And maybe, just maybe, I want to see if you’ll let me in for more than just patching up strays.”
For a moment, Touya didn’t know what to say.
His chest tightened, his usual sharp retorts fading as the weight of Keigo’s words settled between them. He felt exposed, like Keigo had just cracked open something inside him he wasn’t ready to deal with. Because the truth was, there was something there—something Touya had been ignoring for months, maybe longer.
But what the hell was he supposed to do about it?
He looked away, jaw clenched, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “You’re… you’re an idiot,” he muttered, but the words didn’t come out as harsh as he intended. If anything, they sounded almost weak, like even he didn’t believe them anymore.
Keigo’s grin returned, a little softer this time. “Yeah, I get that a lot. Doesn’t mean I’m wrong, though.”
Touya could feel Keigo’s gaze on him, warm and steady, like he was waiting for something—for Touya to make a move, to say something that would finally shift the dynamic between them.
But Touya didn’t know how. He wasn’t good at this.
The whole “feelings” thing wasn’t exactly his area of expertise. He was used to pushing people away, keeping them at arm’s length where it was safe. Where he didn’t have to deal with the possibility of getting hurt.
But Keigo? Keigo was persistent in a way that was both infuriating and impossible to ignore.
They continued walking, though the silence was heavier now, charged with the things neither of them were saying. It felt like they were standing on the edge of something, a line that hadn’t been crossed yet but was getting harder to avoid. Touya’s heart was racing, though he did his best to keep his expression neutral, to act like nothing was bothering him.
But Keigo knew. Of course, he knew.
As they neared the end of the street, Keigo glanced at Touya again, the smile on his lips softer, less teasing now.
“Look,” he said, voice quieter but still holding that familiar warmth, “I get it. You don’t do the whole ‘getting close to people’ thing. But you don’t have to keep me at arm’s length forever. You might even find out it’s not so bad, having someone around.”
Touya’s lips pressed into a thin line. He hated how easily Keigo seemed to read him, how effortlessly he broke down every barrier with just a few words. But deep down, Touya knew he was right. Keigo had already wormed his way into his life, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
After a long moment, Touya let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing just slightly.
He wasn’t good with this stuff, wasn’t good with people, but maybe—maybe—letting Keigo in wasn’t the worst idea. At least, not as bad as he’d convinced himself it would be.
“Fine,” Touya muttered, finally breaking the silence. “But if this turns into some sappy, feel-good nonsense, I’m out.”
Keigo’s grin returned full force, bright and infectious. “Wouldn’t dream of it, doc. We’ll keep it cool and mysterious. Just the way you like it.”
Touya rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
He wouldn’t admit it, but there was something reassuring about the way Keigo handled him—like he wasn’t trying to change him, just… push him a little.
And maybe that wasn’t so bad after all.