Jongdae hates bathtime. He hates it more than he hates vacuum cleaners. He hates it more than he hates Minseok's briefcase (which no matter how many times he hides it or stuffs it under the bed, Minseok always finds it in time for work). He hates it more than he hates that Luhan guy that Minseok brings home occasionally and always scratches between his ears way too hard.

He hates it more than he hates Chanyeol.

So when Chanyeol holds his cheek with a wounded expression, Jongdae isn't even remotely sorry for scratching him.

"But Jongdae," Chanyeol whines loudly, ears flopping against his hair pathetically. "Minseokkie told me I had to give you a bath before he got home!" Jongdae merely bares his teeth at him in response. Chanyeol sighs, frustrated, peeking at his cheek in the mirror. Turning back to Jongdae, he crosses his arms for a moment, lips pursed.

"Minseok said you had to have a bath because the plant you knocked over earlier got in your hair, and he doesn't want you to get itchy." Jongdae narrows his eyes, scoffing slightly and turning to leave the bathroom.

"I'm not itch--" he barely manages to get out, yelping suddenly when strong arms wrap around his waist and hoist him up.

"Sorry Jjongda!!" Chanyeol yells over the other's frantic hissing and thrashing, much larger and turning with little struggle, hurrying towards the bathtub, already filled with bubbly water. 

"I'll kill you!" Jongdae screeches, clawing at everything he can reach -- the walls, the shower curtain, Chanyeol's arms. "Put me down!!"

"Okay!" Chanyeol exclaims, droping Jongdae right in the water. Jongdae yowls, flipping and sputtering and trying to catch his balance, groping at the edge of the tub to yank himself out. He was still wearing his clothes for god's sake. "Oh no you don't!"

Quickly, Chanyeol pushes Jongdae back into the water and holds him firmly in place by the shoulders, growling a little. It takes a few minutes of loud wailing and whining and complaining, but Jongdae eventually quiets into a silent seething glare, ears flat against his head and wet tail thrashing irritably through the water. When Chanyeol's assured himself (and made Jongdae promise not to try to get out anymore. "Don't ing speak to me," Jongdae'd spat out venomously. That was basically a Jongdae Promise.) that he's staying put, he quickly helps Jongdae out of his clothes, then sheds his own, and climbs into the tub behind him.

"I don't wanna take a bath with you. You stink," Jongdae complains immediately, scooting away from Chanyeol.

"I do not," Chanyeol pouts, sniffing his arm, ears drooping sadly.

"You smell like wet dog." There's a huff before Jongdae turns his glare away from Chanyeol, trying his best to pretend he's ignoring his existence. If Chanyeol was offended, he quickly gets over it, ears perked once more and tail wagging happily, splashing water and bubbles around as he reaches for the pail on the edge of the tub.

"Close your eyes," he hums happily, covering Jongdae's eyes with a large hand just for safe measure before filling the pitcher and pouring it slowly over Jongdae's head, wetting his hair and ears thoroughly. Jongdae flinches and growls, but otherwise sits still. As if entirely unaffected, Chanyeol sets the pail aside and grabs for the shampoo, squirting it into his hands and rubbing them together before scratching happily at Jongdae's head, scrubbing away any speck of dirt possible.

Jongdae tries to pretend it doesn't feel good, but eventually his body betrays him, a purr pooling loudly in his throat, despite his continued glare at the dog. Chanyeol just beams, pleased with the noise, and continues to scratch right behind Jongdae's ears.

"That's enough," Jongdae whines, trying to pull away, and Chanyeol just laughs before rinsing off his hands and grabbing the pail. Chanyeol covers his eyes again, humming to himself as he rinses out Jongdae's hair thoroughly. Once the water runs clean, Chanyeol puts the pail aside again and reaches out to help wipe Jongdae's eyes clean of water.

"Are you done?" Jongdae huffs slightly, irritable, tail held high as if keeping the tip out of the water helps him feel a little less wet and drowned. He peeks through a curtain of hair at the other, and Chanyeol's big dumb smile is filled with so much affection that he feels a little bad for being mean.

"Yup," Chanyeol nods, turning his attention to the bubbles to enjoy, figuring Jongdae would just get out at this point. He's surprised when a hand cups his cheek, even moreso when Jongdae leans in to lap softly at the cut on his cheek.

"I'm sorry," Jongdae mutters quietly, leaving a kiss on the cut once he's cleaned it before sitting back in the water, wrinkling his nose. "You know I don't like baths." 

Chanyeol blinks, confused, before his grin grows wider and dumber. "It's okay, I wasn't mad!" Reaching out, he pulls Jongdae inbetween his legs, wrapping around him and snuggling up, tail splashing water every which way. The floor is going to be positively soaked when Minseok comes home.

Jongdae whines slightly, pretending to wriggle a bit before settling down with a sigh. He can at least pretend like he doesn't like it. Bathtime is awful. Water is awful. Chanyeol is awful.

But Jongdae likes awful things sometimes.