[from 1-10, 1 being the lowest, how bad do you want taekook to move up to HiGhEr grounds ;) ]

[ CHAPTER 27]
you do remember

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

HIS world seems to come to a stuttering halt once he lifts his gaze from his clipboard, voice resonating across the large waiting room as a single heard perks at its name.

"uh-yeah." the man mumbles, rising to his feet as he slips a tender arm to hoist a chocolate poodle to his hip, the other tugging lightly at the lead of a shockingly familiar caramel-coated golden retriever, "one sec."

blinking, taehyung purses his lips as he expression masks into of professional indifference, politely nodding his head, "that's fine. we're just in here for today."

there's a brief silence as the duo enter his office, peppered by the soft pitter-pats of paws against the floor as the veterinarian closes the door softly behind them.

jeongguk, donned today in a pair of faded, ripped jeans and a loose fitting white dress shirt, topped off with a pair of timberlands, frowns as he watches the elder swivel in his chair and runs his fingers across the keyboard.

"uh.." taehyung hums, eyes flitting across the screen as he pipes up, "so holly's in for a full dental and since this'll be misun's first, i want to keep it simple so we won't scare her off."

"yeah. tae-"

"okay, i'll ask you a few questions and then i'll take holls in first."

"taehyung." jeongguk snaps, voice hard and voice steely.

eyes fluttering closed, taehyung unconsciously simpers at the dominant tone as he turns to face the other man, head bowed and eyes cast down.

"why are you ignoring me?" he asks, tone a great deal lighter once noting the elder's submissive frame, his eyebrow quirking as he adds, "do you...you don't remember that night do you?"

laughing humourlessly, he shakes his head, eyes resolutely set on the pair of confused canines, "pfft, me? no! what night?"

taehyung isn't entirely sure as to why he was so adamant on keeping the conversation about their moment at the club at bay, but the amber burning at his cheeks and twist of his stomach doesn't set him at ease. besides, he was at work, already on a thin line with a prior unsatisfied customer, dramatic sobbing or wore throat-bellied yells wouldn't help.

jeongguk however, appears to not buy his almost concerning laughter as he crosses his arms over his chest, lips quirked down in an irritant frown, "you sure? you're acting like you do."

"i don't!" he denies, jutting his chin profusely as he straightens his back and offers the younger a steely glare, "what happened then if you're so pushy!"

oh God, he cries out internally once spotting jeongguk's devilish smirk, why did i have to ask that?

"how 'bout i roleplay it for you then hm?" jeongguk murmurs, feet inching closer until his hips press at the rim of the bench between them, "it'll make more sense."

"no! nope, i'm good! back off buddy!"

obediently moving back from the bench, jeongguk eyes the flustered male, his smirk only widening as he quips, "so you do remember."

lips parting as he grapples for an answer than the obvious truth, he settles for a flustered frown as he leans forward to lift holly from the floor and up onto the bench, "shut up."

the man merely laughs, lips thinning into a tight smile as he watches the young veterinarian prod carefully at the poodle's head and neck, eyes afar with concentration.

"that's fine," taehyung murmurs, pressing a thumb at the canine's jaw and swiping it across the swell of its cheek.

shifting his weight, jeongguk eyes the elder, mildly bored as he settles for a question that he truly wasn't so intrigued about but a getaway for a start of a conversation, "uh, so what are you checking for now?"

eyes flickering briefly up at the man from shock at being asked about his job, a query that many of his patients aren't too bothered to ask about but nevertheless, he answers quietly, "just for any abscesses."

"ab-what?"

sighing lightly, he pastes a forced smile to his lips as he explains, "it's basically like a collection of pus around inflamed tissue, it's not the most comfortable feeling."

"i bet." jeongguk agrees, nodding as he slips the tips of his fingers into his jean pocket.

"she seems pretty clean," taehyung notes as he runs a gloved finger across the skin of the dog's teeth, the poodle reeling back and snapping lightly at his knuckles, "don't like that, huh buddy?"

"you good?" he says, raising an eyebrow as he tries to conceal any hint of concern in his tone.

"yeah," taehyung reassures, grinning toothily, "a lot of them hate it when i even get close to their gums. bogum'll have a better look when she's under."

eye twitching slightly at the find tone lathering the elder's voice at the mention of the colleague, jeongguk frowns, prodding,"bogum?"

"he's my colleague and friend, and one of the most talented veterinarians i've met, honestly."

"oh."

they're disrupted however by a disgruntled growl from the agitated poodle who's visibly had enough of his careful prodding, canines barred as she stands her ground warningly.

"i'll go drop her off with him now, otherwise she'll make lunch out of my arm." taehyung grins, winking daringly as he collects the poodle into his arms and makes his way to the door of the examination room.

the raven-haired man merely nods, the churning twist at his stomach yearning to uncoil as he steels his mind once the elder returns.

"that was quick," he notes once he spots taehyung's lanky form slip back into the room, a slight pant at his lips.

"really?" taehyung grins, jerking his head to flip the obscuring bangs across his forehead, "thanks."

"you're welcome."

shooting the young businessman a teasing glance, taehyung heaves the golden retriever onto the bench, remarking loudly, "what's with the manners today? it kinda freaks me out."

"what, me being nice freaks you out?" jeongguk snorts, rolling his eyes.

"duh." he drawls, tone almost exasperated with the man's behaviour, "i'm used to some stuck up hotshot with a gold card up his ass."

"hotshot?" jeongguk smirks, "i mean i'm good at my job but i'm better at getting down and dir-"

"i don't really care jeon."

at the mention of his surname, he frowns and reigns a pout as he whines, "awe, last name basis again?"

taehyung scoffs, eyeing the younger man with a look of repulse, "it'll always be."

"yeah?" jeongguk grins, raising an eyebrow before he mockingly imitates a high-pitched squeal of fondness, "what happened to gukkie!, baby guks?"

"rotted in hell, where you belong."

"touché."

biting back a smile, taehyung shakes his head as he tucks a finger behind misun's chin and presses comforting circles to her cheek.

"she's so pretty." he whines, reaching both hands to now smoosh the retriever's face as he giggles, "oh my God, can we swap?"

"i don't know how your baby angel would feel about that." jeongguk snorts, grinning at the image of the small dog's ruffled eyebrows and enraged squeaks.

giggling, he nods as he begins to work his fingers across the retriever's muzzle, "tannie's so possessive, you won't believe it. once i went out to a dog cafe with chim and when i came home he took a sniff of my coat and high-tailed it out of there. if i tried to talk to him, he'd pretend i wasn't even there."

at the mention of the pomeranian's name, misun yips, golden tail swinging behind her as she darts her head to spot the tiny canine.

"aww," taehyung coos, slipping a gentle finger under her collar to coax the retriever close, "yeontan's not here baby, but you'll see him this sunday though."

"this sunday?" jeongguk says, raising an eyebrow.

he nods, shrugging, "they haven't seen each other in like a week so why not? are you free?"

mind blanking briefly with the piles of awaiting paper and tight smiles of his coworkers, he mentally sighs as he forces a grin to his lips and nods, "yeah."

a box-like grin curving at his lips, taehyung smiles, "great! à dimanche!"

─── ·𖥸· ───

"open up peasant!" taehyung hollers, feet perched at the marble footsteps of jeongguk's grand abode, a scowl at his lips as he eyes the robed statue flooded with water.

"tan-ah," he hisses, crouching to whisper, "see that water? you can go piss in it, it's all good. and when you're at it have a shot at number two."

the canine merely tilts his head in bemusement, padding forward to nip lightly at his fingers. taehyung sighs, hoisting his pet into his arms as he straightens up, pointing at the fountain as he gazes at the dog.

"that one." he says, watching as yeontan asses him with wide eyes, "the one with the freaky person in stone."

yeontan blinks up at him, cocking his head as his owner pouts, bopping his nose and turning his attention back to the door.

"God, how big is this place for him to take so long." taehyung sulks, thumbing at the doorbell relentlessly in hopes of irritating the younger man with the shrieking sound enough to have to door flung open.

"i'm here, God just stop ringing the damn bell!" a voice hollers from the other side of the door, followed by adamant stamping of fingers and a mechanical hum before the door clicks open and an unimpressed jeongguk comes into view.

"i'm not deaf, you know. ring once and i'll hear you." he scowls, moving back to permit the elder male to enter.

"seemed like it," taehyung shrugs, equally irritated as he sets a squirming yeontan to the floor, "you don't make your guest wait a good three minutes for you. i thought rich people were obsessed with their etiquette."

"oh we're stereotyping now are we?" jeongguk scoffs, raising an eyebrow.

"i'd say observant."

"from what? real housewives?"

"haha very funny." he deadpans, before his jaw sets and his eyes seem to blank over as he speaks, "i've gone through enough to have shit against someone to know who they are."

jeongguk chooses to not to reply, glancing at the hard-jawed boy briefly as he leads them into the living room where their two canines now yip playfully at.

despite the nerving tension that seems to prickle every time they step too close to one another, the giggling puppies seem sweetly oblivious, mind too caught in the other's cheeky jaws.

"they get along really well." jeongguk comments, side-eyeing the elder once again in hope of his stoic demeanour slipping.

but taehyung merely hums his mind far from what was set before him. he's more than aware that today, or at least in the near future, they would have to eventually speak about what had occurred a few nights prior, murky with vivid lights and panted kisses.

"we need to talk."

~

[a/n]

it's a double update today since i felt like the storyline has been pretty bland lately and i'm trying to spice it up now. sorry for the late updates though, school has been hell!

i hope you're all having a great day, and i want to remind you that your beautiful both inside and out and you should let no one tell you otherwise! ♡