Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at

http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/11321106.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: SKAM (TV)
Relationship: Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen
Stats: Published: 2017-06-27 Words: 1136

Puppy Love
by BluebeardsWife

Summary

Isak comes home to find Even has adopted a puppy.

Notes

This is a drabble based on a prompt by tumblr user evenogisakk (aka imissedyourskin).

Isak’s mind was still dwelling on the exam when he entered the apartment. It had been the last
exam of the last course of his final year at Uni, and less than ten seconds after handing in his set of
wrinkled pages covered in hasty scribbles and formulas, he had suddenly realized that he had
fucked up the last question. Wouldn’t it be great if that cost him his diploma? Fuckup Valtersen,
reporting for duty! He shook his head, as though physically casting the thoughts out of his mind as
he took off his shoes. He was being dramatic. It was one question.

“Even?” he called out into the quiet apartment. He really didn’t feel like being alone right now.
The fact that there had been no reassuring or excited texts from his boyfriend waiting for him
when he checked his phone upon leaving the classroom did not exactly help his mood.

Isak threw his jacket vaguely in the direction of the coat rack, where it slid down the wall and
landed, crumpled, on the floor. With a halfhearted shrug, he walked down the hallway and into
their small but cozy living room. There, he was met with the sight of Even’s torso and legs
sticking out from beneath the sofa. His white T-shirt had rolled up a bit, revealing the small of his
back, and his long legs seemed to span the entire length of the living room.
“What the fuck?” Isak mumbled, more to himself than to Even, who slowly emerged from under
the sofa, tresses of honey-colored hair sticking out every which way, a dust bunny hanging off the
collar of his shirt, and a faded price sticker adorning his right cheek. His eyes were spectacularly
blue today, with a glint of childlike joy that matched the wide grin on his face.

The corner of Isak’s lips twitched as he narrowed his eyes, trying to convey confusion and
exasperation, but the smile he failed to contain clearly betrayed the wave of affection that had
surged through him at the sight of such a disheveled Even.

“Hello!” Even said in that familiar tone that stressed the final vowel sound of the word right as his
eyebrows shot up.

“Wh-” Isak started, but before he could form the question, his eyes landed on the small ball of
gray fluff that was wriggling between Even’s slender hands. His jaw dropped. “Is that a dog?!”

“No,” Even said, cradling the excited animal in one hand as he stood up, “it’s a puppy. And it’s
not just any puppy – it’s our puppy!”

The puppy was small enough to fit in Even’s hand. Its tiny paws gesticulated excitedly in the air
as Even brought it closer. The dog’s eyes were deep brown and alert as it pushed its pink nose
closer to get a good sniff of the newcomer.

“Isn’t she cute?” Even asked, as he raised the pup to Isak’s face, which was immediately covered
in wet dog kisses.

“Pfftbbt,” Isak took a step back. “Not cute enough to want to make out with her!”

Even’s eyes were positively glowing as he looked at the tiny animal in his arms. Isak reached up
and removed the small sticker from Even’s cheek.

“What were you doing under the couch?”

“Ah, we’ll have to find a way to keep her from squeezing under there. She’s so fucking tiny!”

Isak hesitated for a moment, and he could feel the realization sink like lead into his stomach.

“Even…” he said softly, “is this about… you know?”

“What?” Even looked up.

“You know, I just mean,” Isak stammered. He still found it difficult to bring it up in case he was
wrong. And he never wanted it to sound accusatory. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I feel great,” Even said with a laugh. “How are you?”

Isak chuckled softly. “Uhh… d’you mean great like… you might wanna do some weird things
that you wouldn’t normally do just because you feel so fucking stoked? Or great like, you know,
everything is chill?”

Even’s face fell slightly as he cocked his head to the side.

“Isak?” he said. “Darling? Man of my life?”

Isak rolled his eyes.

“I’m fine,” Even said simply. “Just happy.”

“Yeah?” Isak raised an eyebrow, smiling again in spite of himself. “You don’t think it’s a bit… I
don’t know, impulsive? To suddenly, uh, bring home a- a living being?”

“Hold her,” Even said, practically shoving the puppy into Isak’s unprepared hands. Her little tail
wiggled madly as she continued to sniff and lick Isak’s hands and arms.

“We can take her back if you want.” Even shrugged, looking serious.

“No!”

“That’s what I thought,” Even smiled again.

“It’s just… taking care of a puppy is a lot of responsibility. I mean, are we even allowed to have
her in the apartment?”

“You don’t think I thought this through? Who do you think I am!”

Isak’s eyes were starting to hurt from rolling so much.

“I spoke to the landlord last Friday,” Even took a step closer and scratched the puppy’s chin as
Isak held her. “I got her food, treats, toys, leash, all that shit. And she has a vet appointment next
week.” He looked up at Isak, who, after all the time they’d been together, still felt a little drunk
every time Even stood this close and gazed at him like that.

“But if you don’t think we’re ready…” Even’s voice and gaze dropped.

“Ready for what?” It suddenly dawned on Isak that, as unbearably adorable as she was, this
wasn’t entirely about a puppy.

Even pressed his lips together slowly before speaking. “You’re about to graduate and start looking
for jobs,” he said hoarsely. “Things are gonna change. They always do, you know?”

“Yeah…” Isak furrowed his brow. “So?”

“Don’t you… Aren’t you curious to see,” Even paused for a moment before continuing. “To see
how we’d work as uh.. as a family?”

“I thought we already were,” Isak heard himself say instantly. Of course they were a family. Even
was still the best part of his life. He always would be. He chuckled. “What, do you want a practice
round before we have kids?”

“So what you’re saying is you want to have my babies?” Even asked straight-faced.

“Fuck,” Isak pushed him back lightly. “I want you to have my babies.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Even’s grin lit up his face like a lantern, his eyes scrunched up into barely more than glittering
slits.

“Should we name her Practice Round then?” he laughed.

“Welcome home, Øvelse.” Isak said to their new pet before pressing his lips to Even’s softly.

As though realizing that she had just been adopted, Øvelse enthusiastically joined in on the kisses,
but quickly found that this was something her new humans preferred to do alone.

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