Summary: You take Jeongin to a sanctuary so he can see a fennec fox in real life like his FoxI.Ny
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1.4k
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You’re on the couch with your head in Jeongin’s lap while he scrolls through his phone watching TikTok again. You keep hearing squeaking sounds followed by him laughing and you already know he’s watching fox videos again.
Its no secret that your boyfriend is very fox-like, even his skzoo is a cute little tan fennec fox. You know he’d absolutely melt if you gave him one, but a fox in a household with the Stray Kids? Not to mention Soonie, Doongie, and Dori, Minho’s cats that nearly lost it when the landscaper came last week.
Foxes are chaos, and you don’t want to bring one into already existing chaos,so you take the only route that feels right. You don’t buy him a fox, but you do decide to bring him to one at a sanctuary.
A licensed, ethical rescue that partners with conservation programs and doesn’t make you line up and pay an obscene amount of money for a tiny glimpse at an animal shoved in a cage. They do educational days with strict boundaries and supervised meet and greets where the animal can choose whether it wants to come close.
You already know he’s going to lose his mind when you take him, because Jeongin is earnest to the point of pain. He loves his SKZOO like it’s a little extension of his soul, and FoxI.Ny is basically his whole brand. Every time he sees a fox clip online, he does that thing where he tucks his chin, eyes wide, and says, “That’s literally me, babe, look.”
He’s going to see a real one and short-circuit.
So you plan it, quietly, with the same care you always put into anything that involves living things. You read about fennec fox behavior, you ask the sanctuary staff what’s allowed, you schedule a time when the foxes are calmest and you pick a day when Jeongin doesn’t have a crushing schedule.
That day, he’s in the kitchen looking like a boy who’s too soft for this world.He watches you sip your coffee and narrows his eyes.
“You’re being suspicious,” he says.
You blink innocently. “I’m literally drinking coffee.”
He points at you. “That’s the suspicious part. You don’t drink coffee like that unless you’re trying to be calm. Which means you’re hiding something.”
You set your mug down. “You’re overthinking.”
“I’m not,” he insists. “I’m observant.”
You smile. “Okay, observant. Put your shoes on.”
“Where are we going?” he asks, following you.
“Out.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s an answer,” you say, grabbing your keys.
Jeongin trails you to the door, then pauses and looks back at the apartment like he’s checking if he forgot something.
“Wait,” he says. “Am I dressed appropriately for whatever you’re planning?”
“You’re dressed appropriately for existing,” you say.
He gasps. “That’s not reassuring.”
You laugh and tug his hand. “Come on.”
In the car, he tries to guess.
“Are we going shopping?”
“Are we meeting the members at Gong Cha?”
“Are you taking me to see a baby animal because I said I wanted to see a baby animal last week and you remembered and now I’m going to cry?”
You glance at him. “You just answered your own question.”
Jeongin’s eyes widen. “Wait. Wait. Wait.”
You keep driving but he starts bouncing in his seat, hands gripping the seatbelt like he’s trying to contain himself.
“Is it a fox?” he whispers.
“Jeongin.”
“It’s a fox,” he says, convinced. “It’s FoxI.Ny. You’re taking me to see FoxI.Ny.”
“You’re going to scare it with your voice,” you warn.
He claps a hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m quiet. I’m quiet.”
When you pull into the sanctuary parking lot, he sees the sign and goes dead silent before he turns to you slowly.
“This is real,” he whispers.
You nod. “Yeah.”
Jeongin swallows hard. “I’m going to cry.”
“You cant cry on the fox, I’m pretty sure thats one of the rules.”
He nods anyway, totally lying. “I’m not. No crying.”
Inside, the staff greet you warmly and explain the rules. You’ve read the rules a few times already but this is Jeongin’s first time hearing them.
“No sudden movements,” they say. “No loud noises. Let the animal choose. You can offer your hand, but you don’t reach for them. If they back away, you respect their decision.”
Jeongin nods so hard you’re surprised his head stays attached. The staff lead you to a quiet enclosure area where the fennec foxes are kept, away from the busy foot traffic. You hear soft rustling and the faint tap of tiny feet.
Jeongin’s grip tightens on your hand before you see it.
A fennec fox, pale sandy fur, huge ears, eyes like little dark beads. It’s perched on a log, watching you both with cautious curiosity.
Jeongin stops breathing. His whole face changes. The usual playful energy drains into stunned awe, like he’s looking at something holy.
“That’s… that’s a real one,” he whispers, voice cracking.
You whisper back, “Yeah.”
Jeongin lifts his hand to his mouth, eyes already filling. “It’s literally FoxI.Ny.”
The fox flicks its ears, head tilting.
Jeongin makes a tiny sound. Not a squeal, more like a soft, broken exhale.
The staff smile gently. “He’s curious.”
Jeongin whispers, “Hi.”
The fox watches him, then slowly, steps forward.
Jeongin freezes. You can feel him shaking a little, trying to stay still.
The staff nod at him. “You can lower your hand, palm down, and let him sniff.”
Jeongin does exactly that, like he’s defusing a bomb made of cuteness.
The fox approaches, nose twitching. It sniffs his fingers, then pauses, ears rotating like radar dishes.
He whispers, “Oh my god.”
The fox sniffs again, then steps back, satisfied.
“I’m being sniffed,” he whispers.
“I can see that,” you whisper back.
He shakes his head like he can’t process it. “This is insane. This is actually insane. I’m going to pass away.”
“You’re alive,” you say. “Stay alive.”
Jeongin wipes his face quickly, embarrassed, but he’s smiling through it. He watches the fox move around the enclosure, listening to the staff explain its habits, its diet, its routine.
“Do they get stressed easily?”
“Do they bond with people?”
“Do they like toys?”
“Are they loud at night?”
“What do they do when they’re scared?”
The staff answer, and Jeongin nods, absorbing it all like he’s studying.
He glances at you and his voice drops. “You didn’t get one, right?”
You blink. “No.”
He exhales, relieved and a little disappointed at the same time. “Okay. Good.”
“Good?”
Jeongin looks at you, earnest. “Because I wanted one to take home, but I know that’s not… I know that’s not fair to the fox. Not unless you can give them everything.”
Your chest warms. “Exactly.”
He nods. “So this is better.”
You tilt your head. “Better?”
He looks back at the fox, eyes soft. “Yeah. I can love it without owning it. I can just… appreciate it.”
You smile. “You’re adorable.”
He glances at you, cheeks pink. “I’m serious.”
“I know you are,” you say softly.
The fox wanders closer again, sniffing the air, then sits a few feet away like it’s decided you’re acceptable.
Jeongin’s breath catches. He whispers, “It’s staying near us.”
The staff chuckle. “He likes calm energy.”
Jeongin turns his head slowly toward you. “That means I’m calm.”
You raise an eyebrow. “Sure.”
He pouts. “I am.”
You nudge him. “You’re shaking.”
He looks down, surprised. “Oh.”
Then he laughs quietly, wiping his cheeks again. “Okay, maybe I’m calm emotionally and not calm physically.”
You laugh.
After a while, the staff thank you and gently guide you out so the fox can rest. Jeongin keeps looking back like he doesn’t want to leave.
In the car, he’s quiet for the first time in hours, staring out the window like he’s replaying the moment over and over.
His voice wobbles. “I feel… I don’t know. I feel really loved.”
Your chest tightens.
Jeongin turns toward you, eyes glossy again, and pulls his FoxI.Ny plush from his bag like he’s been holding it the whole time.
He hugs it to his chest and says, completely serious, “FoxI.Ny met FoxI.Ny.”
You laugh. “They did.”
Jeongin nods, still emotional. “And FoxI.Ny sniffed me. So basically I’ve been accepted into fox society.”
You reach over and squeeze his hand. “Congratulations.”
He squeezes back, then leans his head against the seat and sighs, smiling softly.
“Today was perfect,” he murmurs.
You watch him for a moment, heart full because this is what you wanted. Jeongin being tender and careful and loved and getting to meet something he’s always adored in the safest, kindest way.
