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“Oh, hyung! Should I get this one?”
“Hm? Sure, Gunwookie.”
It was late at night. They had just finished a busy day of filming content in the early morning and dance practice for the upcoming comeback all afternoon. Both Matthew and Gunwook are now currently in Matthew’s dorms winding down together in their usual night routine.
Despite the busy day, Matthew still chose to workout on the Stairmaster and has been on it for almost two hours while playing a game on his phone. He wanted to make sure his form was in great shape for the comeback. On the other hand, Gunwook is lying down on the sofa scrolling through his phone. He’s been busy shopping for new items online that he could buy for their new place since they were about to move soon and finally get to move in together.
“Ah hyung~ I didn’t even tell you what it is yet,” Gunwook sulked.
“I feel like whatever you get will be fine~” Matthew said, copying his tone and still not looking away from his phone.
Gunwook sat up from his laying position to raise his phone up so he could reach out and hand Matthew the phone from the machine. “Look at these two. This desk and shelf match up design wise and I think it would look so good in the room.”
Matthew grabbed the phone to look closely at the item listing.
“Oooh~ This looks nice but it says not assembled upon delivery. You’re going to have to assemble it yourself. You sure you could handle that? We’re probably going to be busy during the comeback when we finalize our move, y’know? We’re gonna be so tired,” Matthew said, handing the phone back to him.
“I think I can handle it. I can even assemble it all by myself. I’m Strong Man after all,” Gunwook defended himself by flexing his arm.
Matthew looked back at him, not convinced at the younger’s words. He loves to tease the younger so he simply laughed back at his reaction. “Okay, okay. I believe you~ I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
A meowing sound suddenly is heard. Gia jumped on the sofa where Gunwook was sitting and landed onto Gunwook's lap.
“Did you hear him, Gia? Did you hear your dad? He doesn’t believe in me~ You believe in me, right?” Gunwook said while scratching Gia’s ears. Gia meowed, pleased by the scratch. “See, Gia believes in me.”
“Mhm, sure sure,” Matthew jokingly answered back.
Gunwook changed his focus and cooed at the cat, “You’re so burnt now, little baby.” Gia meowed back at him. Gunwook went back to lie down on the sofa while still petting Gia. “You were so small too and now you’ve gotten so big but you’re still our cute baby in our eyes.”
“And he will continue to be a cute baby forever no matter how big he gets,” Matthew added, still on the Stairmaster.
“Remember when he was so scared for his surgery,” Gunwook asked.
“Oh god yes. He wouldn’t stop jumping around and biting us.”
Gunwook brought Gia closer to his face. “You really worried us so much~ That surgery made you a bit calmer, little baby.”
✧ ~ before gia got neutered ~ ✧
“Gia! No!” Matthew yelled out.
Gia was on the shelf where his Pokemon cards were displayed after he had jumped from the humidifier on the wall. Earlier he had jumped onto his desk and almost spilled his mug.
“Baby, hey c’mon get down from there,” Matthew tried to reach out for the kitten, worried that he would fall off the shelf. The kitten leaned back so Matthew would be slightly out of reach.
A knock was heard from the door.
“Metyu, I'm here,” Gunwook appeared from the door as it opened with his cherry-red hair in his usual black hoodie, shorts and lensless glasses.
“Thank god you're here. Gia’s being-”
Matthew stopped mid sentence as Gia jumped off from the shelf to the bed and to the floor and ran towards Gunwook to claw on his legs.
Gunwook scooped the kitten up and cradled him in one arm like a baby. The kitten was still small and his hands were big enough that he could easily cover the kitten if he could.
“Hey. Shhh. I got you.” Gunwook patted the kitten with his other hand, calming him down. Matthew also joined in patting the kitten in the younger’s arm. Gunwook noticed Matthew’s hand was redder than it should be.
“Hyung, are you hurt?” Gunwook asked him worriedly.
“Hm?” Matthew looked around his hand. “Oh this? Gia bit and scratched me a bit too hard earlier. I'm sure he didn't mean to. It doesn't hurt.”
Gunwook furrowed his eyebrows disapprovingly. “Hold on,” he rummaged through his hoodie’s pocket.
“Look, little baby, I got you a new toy,” Gunwook took out a cat toy shaped like a cucumber. “See, it makes crinkle sounds if you bite into it,” he said as he waved and played it around in front of Gia to get his attention.
Gunwook set the kitten down in his designated blanket spot on Matthew's bed so he could distract the kitten from moving around again.
“Here let me see your hands.”
Matthew put up his hands in front of him. “Gunwookie, it really is fine. I can manage a few scratches.”
“I’m sure you can but I want to help, hyungie,” Gunwook scanned his hands to find any wounds. “This part is kinda bad,” he pointed to the scratch on the back of Matthew’s hand that has a hint of red. “We should treat it before it gets worse.”
“It really doesn't hurt though?”
Gunwook sighed. “Still… Wait here, sit down,” he made Matthew sit on his desk chair. He walked over to the side table. He knew where Matthew had put the first aid kit since he visits the room often. He kneeled in front of him, gently treating the affected area and putting cream to make sure it healed properly.
“Oooh, there's still Pokemon band-aids. Can you use the Pikachu one?” Matthew said, while pointing at the box of band-aids of different varieties.
Gunwook laughed at how cute the older one was. He put the Pikachu band-aid on his hand. “There, done.”
Gunwook proudly looked at the band-aid as he caressed and interlocked Matthew’s hands with his own, internally noting how small his hands were with his own hands. A noticeable size difference. He stared at them long enough and brought the older's hands up to his own lips to give them a kiss.
“Oooh~ So sweet~ Are you proposing to me right now~?” Matthew teased.
Gunwook paused and stared directly into the other’s eyes, “Can I? I want to. One day. Maybe even live together.”
Matthew hummed, “So cute~”
“What even happened? He doesn't usually bite or scratch too hard.”
“Not sure. Maybe he knows he’s getting neutered soon so he’s nervous.”
When they first got Gia, both of them had researched everything on how to take care of a cat. Online articles. Self-help books. Advice from friends and family. Advice from a local vet nearby. Anything. They wanted to make sure they took care of cats properly. They found out cats need to be neutered or spayed for their long-term health and both agreed they definitely needed to do it for Gia too.
“It will be good for him plus your uncle will be there making sure he’s recovering properly afterwards since we’ll be busy because of the comeback.”
“I know that but he doesn't know that. My poor kitty.”
They glanced at the kitten and realized the kitten was staring right back at them stunned. Before they both could react, Gia suddenly went towards them and jumped onto Matthew's lap pawing on their still interlocked hands.
“Do you want to hold hands with us too, baby?”
“Maybe he wants to give kisses to your band-aid too.”
“Of course he's a sweet baby,” Matthew now cupping Gia’s face to give him kisses.
Gunwook finally stood back up and scooped Gia off of Matthew’s lap to get on Matthew's bed. Gia bit his hand in retaliation.
“Okay, okay I’ll put you down.” He puts Gia and the toy on the empty bed space next to him so Gia could continue to play with it and not jump around.
“When did you even buy that toy?” Matthew asked, looking at Gunwook and Gia on his bed.
“Like a few days ago. It was on sale and it just got delivered.”
“We’re going to need a new box to put all these toys in if you keep buying him toys without telling me.”
“I could search for a new toy box online? Maybe there’s one on sale too.” Gunwook opens his phone to check on the online store.
“Oh my god. Please stop. You can’t just keep buying things from Coupang every time there’s a sale."
“Why not? I want to. Plus it’s a great deal.”
“You literally bought a hat for Gia last week too. He doesn’t even wear hats.”
“Yes but he looked cute, right? The pictures I took of him in the hat turned out so good.”
“But he’s always cute!”
“Cute like you too, like a kitty, hyungie~” Gunwook flirted cutely and then hid his face with his hands, laughing at his own words.
Matthew stared at Gunwook, dumbfounded at what he had just heard from him but eventually laughed with him.
“Anyways, let’s just chill tonight. I found this new song that I’m sure you would like. I feel like you could even make a cover of it one day.” Matthew turned his chair around so he could play the song on speaker.
✧ ~ flashback end ~ ✧
“Ahh, we had good times in this place together and we have to move out soon,” Gunwook said, still petting Gia as he reminisced.
“You say that like you lived here all this time. I guess you technically were here a lot of times,” Matthew chuckled.
“That’s why Gia likes me the best out of everyone, heh.”
Gunwook kept patting Gia lying on his chest as he scrolled on his phone. The sounds of the Stairmaster quieted down as Matthew finished up his workout.
“Oh hyung, are you finally done? Will you finally join and snuggle with…” Gunwook finally looked away from his phone to stare at Matthew and completely forgot what he was about to say.
How could he not get distracted when Matthew looked very sexy with his shiny skin, glowing from the sweat from the workout. Gunwook’s eyes scanned up and down Matthew. The tight shorts that showed off his thighs and tattoo. The very tight tanktop on his torso that barely covered the chest with his back tattoo also peeking out. The biceps that look like it could easily crush him one day if he asked. Gunwook’s eyes landed just right on where the cleavage appeared where it sat quite nicely.
“Like what you see?” Matthew jokingly teased him as he noticed the younger was obviously checking him out.
Gunwook breathily answered, a bit too quickly, “Yes.”
Matthew laughed at him knowing how easily the younger gets riled up.
“I’m gonna wash up first and I'll join you two.”
“Can't you just join us like that?”
“Hm~ No way, I'm too sweaty and I want to cuddle with Gia when I feel fresh and clean~”
Gunwook looked at Gia who was just blankly staring at him back with his huge eyes without knowing what was happening.
“I’m off now~” Matthew said, heading off to wash up with one small butt shake.
You’d think Gunwook would get used to seeing Matthew post-workout every day. Somehow he still just can't get enough of it.
Once Matthew was out of his line of sight, Gunwook finally stopped staring and returned his attention back to Gia. Gunwook raised him up to give him kisses.
“Hmm, should I get you another toy and not tell your dad? Or maybe I should get a huge cat tree or a new cat bed in the new place. It would be our little secret~”
Gia meowed back at him as if answering him.
“Exactly. Great idea. I knew you'd get me, little baby.”
Gunwook returns to his phone, now on a new mission to search for new cat toys for Gia. Gia purrs and nuzzles into Gunwook’s chest getting himself comfy, waiting for his other dad, Matthew to join them and finally close their day together.