Title: A Broken Puppy
Pairing: Jongin/Baekhyun
Rating: G
Genre: Romance, Fluff, AU
Length: one shot
Warnings: A chunk of my bad writing.
Summary: On a cold winter morning, Baekhyun falls in love with the man with smouldering gaze, carrying a broken puppy on his arms. And Baekhyun thinks that the man is like the puppy itself –broken but beautiful; in pain, but fighting.
Disclaimer: All scenes are purely fictional and any similarities to reality are coincidental.
Any sort of personal opinion in this work serves to aid the storyline. Characters may not be accurately portrayed in this work of fiction.

It is sometime around a cold morning of late November when the crisp wind of autumn bites on every pore of Baekhyun’s being, that he curses the streak of stupidity in his every fibre.

“,” he aims to curse. Aim, because he wasn’t so successful. It only came as ‘shssss’ because his lips can’t not chatter, making it appear as if a vibrating machine is inside his mouth as his lips continue to titter.

This morning, he spent half a good hour debating whether he’ll bring his earth-coloured thick cashmere that looks too plain and shabby and not really appropriate for his rather flashy outfit that is a tight-fitting jeans paired by a V-neck grey hoodie; or settle with a thin black sweater that will complement his outfit altogether, making him look like he’s some celebrity who just finished his concert. Now he blames this thin sweater that does no good in his almost frozen body cursing fashion I’m going to get hypothermia why is this even called a sweater and mentally sends a sorry cashmere you are way more useful I shall never ignore you again at the back of his mind. He tugs on each side of his sweater, wrapping it around his small frame, and of course, getting the same result that is no heat for you because he can’t feel his fingers anymore and he has no idea if his lips are still attached to his face or what.

For the second time in the day, he curses, “,” more determined and with more feelings because white pixies of seasons had started landing on his fingers, his head and his shoulders, tentative at first but gradually getting bolder, snaking up his face and making it numb all over, if it’s still possible. The white drops of snow dissolve as it fall off the ground, landing gracefully without a sound. He sighs; well it isn’t fashion to blame but his jinx-magnet self, right?

Baekhyun checks the watch on his wrist –10:43. Bus, bus, bus, come to Baekhyun, bus, he chants on himself.

Just then, as if it just magically heard him, the bus halts to a stop and he almost glares at it for taking so long. He scowls when the door opens and stomps his foot as he enters the bus.

He sits with a huff, wagging his head and arms to get rid of the snow that he caught with the snow outside. He is just leaning on his seat to close his eyes when he hears a small whimper emit from inside the bus. He snaps his eye open and looks around, frantic head turning to every side.

He catches sight of a guy sitting across him, carrying a small puppy on his arms.

The puppy is cappuccino brown, with fluffy-looking fur like a stuffed toy, it has a black button nose and a very, very dark eyes. The puppy looks so fragile on what he assumes the owner’s arms, puffing small breaths and purring on his master’s arms, looking comfortable in his embrace. There is a small bandage on his left leg and Baekhyun frowns at the sight. But then the puppy wheezes and Baekhyun finds himself almost keeling over in adoration. He looks up at the man holding the puppy and as cliché as it sounds, his breath catches on his throat.

The boy’s golden skin glows as the rays of morning sunlight catches on his face. He has the most prominent cheekbones and defined jaw Baekhyun has ever seen. His hair is dark and all mussed up but somehow, manages to look so attractive. He has the darkest and deepest eyes Baekhyun has ever looked at and he finds himself drowning in those dark orbs. Just then, the boy looks up and Baekhyun never thought his breath could catch so hard as to take his breath away.

And then just like that, Baekhyun finds himself scrambling on his seat to get to the other side of the bus, sitting himself beside the boy and looking at him intently in the eyes.

The boy’s brows are pulled together, and there’s a tight look on his face. Baekhyun offers a smile that says he’s harmless, and the boy actually seems to loosen up. “What’s his name?” he asks.

“Jjangu.” The boy answers; he has a deep voice, just like what Baekhyun had expected him to, and he pronounces every syllable carefully, as if he’s not sure with the words coming from his mouth. Baekhyun finds this endearing.

“What happened to him?” he asks, gesturing on the bandage on the puppy’s left leg.

The boy looks at him sceptically, probably thinking if he should be talking to a stranger. He carefully assesses Baekhyun and after scrutinizing him, convinced that he’s pretty harmless, answers, “He saved my other dog from falling off the stairs.”

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow for more explanation and the boy looks about to grumble about why he needs to explain to a stranger but then he just continues, “They were running around playing in the house when they fell, Jjangu blocked his body so that Monggu won’t have to hit his head first on the floor, and he hurt his leg,”

“Monggu?”

“Yeah, that’s the name of my other dog,” the boy says, petting his dog in the head when it starts to stir. “That’s nice of him,” Baekhyun comments.

“What did you do for first aid?”

“I –” the boy starts, as if unsure, “Well, I just wrapped around any available bandage on my first aid kit.” He answers honestly.

“You didn’t happen to pick him from the floor the moment he fell, right?” Baekhyun asks in disbelief. The boy looks embarrassed. “Well, he’s crying and whimpering and I thought …”

Baekhyun smiles at this. “Well, the bandage will do for now, but he needs to get real treatment from a vet.”

“Are you a vet?” the boy suddenly blurts out, eyes wide, a frown still evident on his face.

Baekhyun shakes his head. “I just love dogs,” he states. “I’m Baekhyun,”

“Byun Baekhyun.”

The boy stares at him in surprise. He opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it again, seeming to think better of it. He absentmindedly his pet’s head and worries his lip between his teeth before saying, “Kim Jongin.”

“Okay, Jongin, we’ll bring Jjangu to my vet friend. He’s good and I’m sure Jjangu will be given the proper treatment he deserves!” Baekhyun, with excessive cheerfulness, announces. And he watches as a tint of pink starts blossoming on the boy’s face as he splutters, “What –I wha –”

Baekhyun’s grin broadens as he slowly the puppy’s chin with his index finger.

On a cold winter morning, Baekhyun falls in love with the man with smouldering gaze, carrying a broken puppy on his arms.

And Baekhyun thinks that the man is like the puppy itself –broken but beautiful; in p