SHORT AU
Jeongguk decides to take a leave in autumn, one of his favourite seasons. He rents a vacation hut in the forest.
He loves taking strolls through the forest, admiring the bright colours of autumn. That's when he hears a faint whimper. Tryin...
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Jeongguk is unsure what changes in the fox's demeanour, but it approaches him less fearfully, which Jeongguk interprets as a sign and places the fox in the tub. When he feels its fur under his fingertips, he can hardly believe how soft it is. Jeongguk believes the fox has been gifted with this fur since it's so silky and cuddly.
Jeongguk sits on the side of the bathtub and does his utmost to wash the mud off the little one and not hurt him in the process. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any fox- or animal-fur-friendly shampoo to hand, so he must rely on water and hope it will do the trick. As he washes the mud off with circular hand movements along its paw, he hums to himself. The little one watches him on the sly, how carefully he handles this situation and begins to trust him.
At one point, Jeongguk cleans its back, and with slow, easy breathing, he places a finger under the smaller's chin and brings it up to him to meet his gaze. "You have unique and beautiful eyes, are you aware of this? Even your fur..." he says in a warm voice, shaking his head and looking him in the eyes again with an open demeanour, a warm smile braces his lips. "That earlier... so young and brave, the way you defended your father... I'm proud of you, but I'm also super grateful for how you're beginning to trust me. I promise you, I won't let you or your father down."
A weak howling coming from the living room forces Jeongguk's head to jerk up. The small fox's whimper that follows the howl makes his heart drop. Jeongguk struggles to keep its suddenly energetic body back, afraid the fox might hurt itself. Impatiently, the little one paws up and down in the tub. "Stay put. I'll go check on your father. Don't worry, it's better if he takes a bath too." Jeongguk chuckles heartily and disappears into the living room, where he meets the frantic adult fox's gaze.
"How are you, hm? Are you feeling better? Your cub is currently taking a bath because of all the mud on his paws." Jeongguk chuckles and takes a closer look at the beautiful fox before him. "How about a bath and then some food? Your cub is very eager to see you again."
The fox barks, not in a threatening way, but it's showing eagerness. There's even a flash of contentment in its eyes. At least that's what Jeongguk interprets into it. While taking the fox into his arms, he's careful not to touch the wound and carries him to the bathtub. Both foxes bark delightfully as they see each other again, bumping head to head once Jeongguk lets the adult fox into the bathtub. Seeing this makes something with Jeongguk, craving suddenly the proximity of his parents or someone he can love. "I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I have to take you in my arms to clean your fur."
Placing an arm around the fox's belly, Jeongguk lifts it so that its paws are just touching the bottom of the bathtub, watching closely to ensure the bandage doesn't get wet. He's glad to go to the gym, this position could be really strenuous otherwise. Letting his eyes wander secretly, his gaze lingers for mere seconds on the fox's eyes, mesmerised by the sun rays shining through the window and letting its eyes shimmer in caramel colour.
