Work Text:
“I’m sorry, Soo, but I don’t have enough room! This happened the last time, remember?” Jongin said. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he stared at Kyungsoo, who was looking quite sad next to the fish tank.
“I know, but… they’re just so, so sad. They need more space to roam! They need a new view! They’ve been here for way too long,” Kyungsoo argued.
Jongin sighed. He knew coming back was a bad idea. All they needed was more fish food for the fish back at home. But Kyungsoo insisted that he heard fish calling out for him, and Jongin certainly doesn’t need to add another ten to his small-ass tank.
---
* two weeks ago *
The bell chimed as Jongin and Kyungsoo stepped into GOT PETS. Quite a few people filled the store since it was Saturday afternoon, some in the food section and others were looking at animal beds for their furry friends. Might as well get Monggu a new squeaky toy. I wonder if they still have the fuzzy bear somewhere, Jongin thought as he and Kyungsoo wandered over to the toy section.
Kyungsoo had been on land for a couple of weeks now, and he insisted that Jongin should fill up his apartment with more pets.
“But we already have three dogs, Soo. And a cat. We can’t keep track of more,” Jongin said.
“Fish are excellent pets though! Not much work is needed for them, and they’re really good at listening to your problems.” Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin with his big eyes.
“Okay well, where am I supposed to put them? The only free space is in the studio, but even then, it’s crowded with Chanyeol’s music mixing equipment.”
“Put them in your tub.”
“Kyungsoo no.”
More frowning. “Well we can’t just leave them! Look how glum they look. They aren’t swimming with passion!”
Kyungsoo pouted, sticking out his bottom lip and looking up at Jongin with big, sad brown eyes while batting his eyelashes. Don’t you dare give in, Kim Jongin, don’t you fucking da-
“OKAY FINE!” Jongin throws his arms up in the air. “I’ll buy the damn fish. Just, stop staring at me okay? I hate it when you pout…”
“No, you don’t,” Kyungsoo says happily as he walks away from Jongin to find a worker who could help them get out the fish.
---
“Is he…talking to the fish?” a voice asked Jongin, currently watching Kyungsoo get really close to the fish tank.
“Yeah, he is,” Jongin says as he turns to look at who is talking to him. “Long story short, he’s a mermaid turned human and believes everyone should own a thousand fish and is begging me to get a dozen more.”
The staff worker—Jackson, according to his nametag—watched Kyungsoo pressing his face into the tank glass, hands cupped around the sides of his eyes. Jackson adjusted his black snapback, covering platinum blond hair, and sighed, shaking his head and making his dangly spike earrings dance. The fish gathered in front of Kyungsoo’s face and filled the tank with tons of bubbles and if Jackson didn’t know better, he’d think they were having a conversation.
“The fish said they’re sick of the food brand you give them. It’s bland and it doesn’t have the right texture for them to chew. They like hikari and tetra cichlid.” Kyungsoo stared blankly at Jackson with eyes so big they were more white than brown.
“Okay, well I don’t have those. Is there something else they recommend? Something that’s actually affordable?” Jackson asked.
He tried to not let irritation sneak into his tone, but it was pretty hard when this small pretty boy acted like he knew everything about fish. Jackson was the one who’d spent years studying fish. Kyungsoo looked over at Jongin, who just shrugged, and Kyungsoo turned back to the tank. More mumbling. More bubbles.
“They said no, unfortunately,” Kyungsoo said. “They’re pretty picky. I think we have some hikari at home, right, Jongin? We can take them and feed them there. They’ll be happier.”
And instantly, Kyungsoo started reaching into the tank to pick at the fish tails.
---
“Thank you, Jackson! We’ll take good care of the fishies!” Kyungsoo called over his shoulder as he carried a big bowl of discus fish, happily humming out of the door.
“Yeah, seriously man, thanks,” Jongin said. “I haven’t seen Kyungsoo this happy in a while.”
He shook Jackson’s hand. Jackson nodded and watched Jongin open the door with his back and disappear around the corner. He chuckled a little over the short and tall couple, and was about to go pet the puppies when the front door bell rang again. He turned to see Kyungsoo peek his head in and smile a little, showing off that little heart form it makes.
“Oh, by the way,” Kyungsoo said, “the turtles bite because they don’t like the carrots and lettuce you’re giving them. Also. Your squealing kind of scares them. You should keep it down a notch.” And then he disappeared.