When Chanyeol was still young, slightly chubby and very much into Ferrets, he had once decided that his ultimate goal would be to become a zookeeper. For an animal-loving child like him, the thought alone of being surrounded by proud lions, big elephants and loud monkeys was equal to other people's dreams of an unearthly paradise. Back then, young Chanyeol was so dermined to fulfill his dream that he hadn't noticed how one day, when he told his mother about his future plans, she had only smiled at him with a knowing expression on her face, as if she already knew that her son would choose a path that wouldn't lead him anywhere near a zoo.

 

Maybe it was because Chanyeol was a bit more than good at playing the guitar his father had bought him on his birthday. Or maybe it was because puberty slowly started to turn her adorable little boy into a handsome young man. It could have also been her motherly instinct but Mrs. Park just knew from the start that her son's name would be well-known one day.

 

And she was right. Well, not entirely though, because even though Chanyeol hadn't become a zookeeper after all, he was still surrounded by a group consisting of nine very exotic human-beings who he called his fellow members. And Chanyeol loved each of them, even though they did give him a headache at times, even though they about his big ears and imitated his deep voice and clumsy dance steps. He really loved them. He loved his strong as a lion leader Suho, his camel-eyed, fellow beagle line member Jongdae, loved Jongin, who slept like a sloth at any chance given and Kyungsoo, who reminded him of an owl (an owl with big claws – hence the term „exotic”).

 

But most of all, he loved a certain puppy whom he was proud to be able to call his boyfriend.

 

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun as the latter was lying on the bed with a Harry Potter book in his elegant hands, a soft smile playing on his lips at the sight in front of him. His lover had always complained about not being able to finish the last part of the Harry Potter series due to their heavily packed schedule, thus Chanyeol felt content at the way Baekhyun just laid there with his hair unstyled and his face free of his usually enviable makeup. He was so engrossed in a world of Harry, Hermine and Ron that he hadn't even noticed Chanyeol staring at him the whole time.

 

The giant tried. He really did.

 

But the little expressions Baekhyun made while reading, the way he frowned and pouted cutely and blinked his puppy eyes made Chanyeol weak, to the point where he had to cancel his plan of letting his lover finish his book in peace, instead deciding to plop down right on top of him. Baekhyun, being completely startled, shrieked.

 

„Ow! Park Chanyeol!”

 

„Yes, Byun Baekhyun?”, Chanyeol replied playfully, getting comfortable between the older man's legs before circling his arms around his slim waist. He felt slight pain when he received a smack on his head from Baekhyun. (He had used the thick Harry Potter book)

 

„You scared me! Get off, you are heavy.”

 

„But it's so comfortable here.”, Chanyeol murmured into Baekhyun's stomach, where he had burried his face in.

 

„Chanyeol, I am reading. Leave me alone.”, the puppy boy grumbled, turning his attention back to the passage he had been reading before his boyfriend had decided to dump his giant 185cm body on him. However, it wasn't long before he felt a finger poking his thigh.

 

„Hey Baek.” No reaction.

 

„Baek.” Another poke. Still no reaction.

 

„Baekhyunee.”

 

„Oh God”, the older man groaned, finally giving up. He put his book back with a half-longing and half-annoyed expression on his face before his eyes travelled down to a mop of brown hair whose owner was still nuzzling into his stomach. „Know what? I changed my mind, I don't want to adopt kids anymore, since you are already being a handful.” Chanyeol chuckled, lifting his head to place it on Baekhyun's chest instead.

 

„I just felt like cuddling. Can you my hair?”

 

„Will you leave me alone if I do?”

 

„Maybe.”

 

Having no other choice, the older man sighed deeply before running his fingers through his lover's newly dyed brown locks. Baekhyun would never say it out loud but he thought that the colour made Chanyeol even more handsome, thus, it was is favourite. He started massaging the giant's scalp, drawing slow cirles with one hand while the other one was occupied with the younger male's nape. The latter groaned, making Baekhyun blush.

 

„Keep it down, will you? Minseok hyung is next door. He might think we are getting it on or something.”

 

Chanyeol laughed. „Baby, were you having dirty thoughts just now?”

 

„What? N-no!”

 

„I am just joking.”, the younger man said, leading one of Baekhyun's beautiful hands to his lips to place an apology kiss on it. „Baek?”

 

„Hm?”

 

„I am glad I didn't become a zookeeper.”

 

„What do you mean?”

 

„When I was a child, I really loved animals. So one day, I set a goal for myself. I wanted to become the best zookeeper in the world, one that would be loved by all animals.”

 

„Well, I think you would have attracted a lot of elephants with these.”, Baekhyun remarked teasingly, tugging on both of Chanyeol's ears, which he secretely found adorable. „So then, what kept you from becoming a zookeeper?”

 

„Exo.”, Chanyeol chuckled, „Exo kept me from it. But I am glad it did. Because if not, I wouldn't have been able to experience standing on stage and hearing thousands of people cheering me on, supporting me and showing so much love. It's a great feeling. It really is.” He heard Baekhyun hum in agreement.

 

„Also, it's thanks to Exo that I met you guys.”, he continued, „That I met you.”

 

Chanyeol felt Baekhyun's hands pause for a moment before they gently tugged on his hair, urging him to lift his head. When the giant obeyed, was suddenly face to face with his boyfriend, who gazed at him with a lovestruck look in his eyes and damn, it totally caught Chanyeol off-guard for a moment. He had expected his puppy call him „cheesy” and tell him to get off but none of these things happened. Instead, Baekhyun cupped the younger man's chin and pressed their mouths together for a gentle kiss.

 

„I am also glad I met you, my big baby”, Baekyhun whispered against his lips, „More than you can ever imagine.”

 

Chanyeol smiled, feeling warmth spreading all over his body. „I love you.”

 

„I love you, too.”

 

There was a brief pause before Baekhyun suddenly smirked and broke the silence.

 

„Yeol?”

 

„Yes?”

 

„Shall we put those dirty thoughts of mine into action, hm?”

 

And Chanyeol could only blush at the way Baekhyun wriggled his eyebrows.

 

Oh, where only had life led him to?