Seven years of waiting [BxB]

2

Shun checked one last time that he hadn't forgotten anything before leaving his apartment and getting into his car. The zoo was only a fifteen-minute drive from his home, just enough to ease the stress that had accumulated despite himself.

Upon arrival, the young man quickly made his way to the area reserved for the staff of the complex, finally ready to discover his workplace. However, what he found there disoriented him to the point of leaving him rooted to the spot. Lucien, his former best friend, stood before him. He hadn't changed much except for having long enough hair to tie back, whereas it had barely been more than five centimeters long before. He still had that little beard that brought out the brown in his eyes, the same simple yet neat style of dressing, the same jovial smile, and the same dimples at the corners of his lips when he laughed. Shun found himself thinking that he found him really cute, and embarrassment tinted his cheeks slightly.

"Shun, is that really you?" the blond asked upon seeing him.

"Luci... Luc," the veterinarian corrected himself, remembering that his interlocutor disliked his full name. "I didn't expect to run into you here. What are you doing here?"

"I've been an entertainer here for four years now. After high school, I did a year of college before finding my calling: entertainer at a zoo or water park. I've always loved animals and working with kids, so it was the perfect job for me. And you, you must be our new veterinarian," the young man affirmed. "After all, it's been your dream since we were kids."

Shun couldn't believe it. Even after seven years of silence and absence, Luc still remembered his dream. He thought he would have forgotten, erasing it from his memory after the way Shun had treated him.

"That's right," the redhead confirmed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "And I must admit, it's a surprise to see you working here. In high school, you kept saying you'd be a salesman or any other job involving a big company and offices."

"I see you two already know each other," a new voice stated, cutting into their conversation. "That's perfect then. Luc, you'll give Shun a tour of the facilities."

"Sure thing, Alaric," the named one acquiesced. "Follow me," he added, gesturing for him to follow.

The young man began by showing him his office, where Shun deposited his belongings before continuing the tour. A door connected it to the examination room, providing quick access without having to go out into the hallway to reach it. A little further on, they found the nursery, currently occupied by leopard cubs. They then headed to the staff cafeteria, which was quite spacious and bright. Shun was even surprised to find a rest area and fully equipped locker rooms.

"The caretakers often need to clean up," Luc chuckled at the redhead's surprised expression. "So they've done everything to ensure maximum comfort."

He glanced at his watch.

"It's almost opening time. If you need anything, don't hesitate."

"No problem."

"Then maybe see you later."

"See you later," the redhead replied in a small voice.

Shun returned to his office. Even though he had studied the files that the caretakers had sent him about the zoo residents, he still needed to rearrange his workspace and check for any new information about the animals during his setup. It took him a good two hours to finally see the end of rearranging the shelves. He only had a few files left to organize when there was a knock on his door.

"Dr. Drek, we need you in the treatment room."

"What's the matter?" the young man asked, moving into the adjacent room.

"Let me introduce you to Ace, a magnificent male panther, six months old. He's a bit of a troublemaker, which means he gets injured regularly, although it's never very serious. We need to make sure everything is okay while we clean up his messes."

"Got it," he said, turning to his first patient. "Let me see, my handsome boy."

The young man remembered Ace's file – one of the largest despite the animal's young age. He had been here many times before, sometimes for a small scratch and other times leaving with stitches. The redhead took his time to examine him. He didn't want to miss anything and wanted to be sure that the panther would return to his mother as soon as possible. He also checked his previous injury. Apart from the fairly deep wound on the front paw, the animal was in perfect health. Shun hurried to clean and then sew the cut before bandaging it. When he finished, he put the panther back in the cage that had been used to bring him here and waited for him to wake up to check his reaction to the bandages. Based on his response, he would keep the animal in the infirmary or return him to his mother. When the sedative wore off, the veterinarian noticed that Ace didn't touch the bandage once, as if he was used to it and knew it was for his own good. Reassured, the young man contacted the caretakers to have them return him to his enclosure.

The rest of the day was calmer, allowing him to finish organizing the few documents that hadn't been done yet after completing his patient's file. He also checked the health status of the animals who had received major treatments before his arrival.