After Chanyeol was composed and his tears were dried, Kyungsoo leads him out to the Cafe area so they could talk a bit more over lunch. He appreciated it since it meant he could learn more about the man he'd be going home with eventually. So far he liked what he'd seen. the small man was quiet, focused. didn't play around it seemed. but he didn't yell at Chanyeol for being a giant ball of dorky, so he didn't come off as stuck up, either. 

Chanyeol also learned that Kyungsoo was originally there for a quiet, polite dog that wouldn't wreck his house while he was gone. Chanyeol's heart had dropped when he heard that bit of information, considering he was loud, bordering on obnoxious and tripped over everything - his own feet included-  and if he wasn't tripping over things, he was bumping into them. Would Kyungsoo take him back to the center right after he brought him home? he chewed his lip thoughtfully and stared at the table as Kyungsoo watched him. 

"You're sure you want me?" He said, finally looking up and realizing that maybe Kyungsoo would be better off with a smaller, less hyper Hybrid.

"I'm sure, but if it's not what you want, let me know. I don't want you to feel forced into anything," He leaned back and took a sip of his coffee trying to figure out what Chanyeol was thinking. 

"I don't feel forced... really," He started poking the food on the plate in front of him. "I just hope I don't disappoint you."

Kyungsoo smiled. "I don't think you will... We just need to get to know each other."

Chanyeol smiled back and remained silent. He wasn't quite sure Kyungsoo would feel once they finally went home together. 

After all, you never really know someone until you live with them.

--------------

Two weeks later and Kyungsoo was beyond frustrated. Chanyeol had been cleared a few days before, yet he hadn't been able to bring him home for some reason and the staff at the center had been less than cooperative on this issue.  none of it made sense until Tao had found Kyungsoo wandering the hallways one day, crying out of frustration.  He'd been spending a lot of time with Chanyeol recently and after they refused to let Kyungsoo take him home, he'd tried to come visit him.  

Today was the first day he'd been denied the ability to visit him, and suddenly he began to think that maybe the hybrid hadn't really wanted to go home with him.

When Tao came down the hall in something other than work clothes, he'd been surprised, and when he looked behind him to find a hybrid that was slightly larger than Chanyeol, he was even more surprised, staying silent for a moment before sniffling and wiping at his eyes, asking Tao how he'd been and apologizing for not texting. 

Tao had brushed off the apology saying it was fine and introducing the hybrid -Yifan- to Kyungsoo,  causing the smaller man to sniffle a bit more.

Tao sighed. "To hell with it. Kyungsoo, let's go somewhere we can talk. Yifan, you know the staff, do you want to stay here, or come with?"

Yifan looked around for a minute. "I think I'll stay, Maybe I can Talk to Yeol." 

Tao nodded and gently grabbed Kyungsoo's wrist, leading him out the door and a block away, to a small coffee shop.

Kyungsoo remained silent until after they had their drinks, Tao guessed at something Kyungsoo would like, from what he'd ordered from the adoption center's cafe.

"You know why they won't let me bring him home, don't you?" Kyungsoo asked looking down at the coffee in front of him.

"I do... and it's not the easiest thing to deal with. You're probably going to have a lot more paperwork to go through, and you may have to even sign a waiver to take him home if they'll let you." Tao let out a small sigh.  "Kyungsoo. I'm not even supposed to be telling you this, honestly. but they do bloodwork on the hybrids, to make sure the right breed gets the right home...  I remember when Yifan's bloodwork came through, I didn't have to do much. He's an English mastiff, there haven't been any issues with that particular breed of hybrid. I could take him right home."

"So.. what's wrong with Chanyeol? why can't we go home?" Kyungsoo looked a lot like a lost and confused puppy himself, Tao thought. but he had the right to know and do research before he had to make a decision, so Tao took a deep breath.

"He's a Cane Corso. an Italian Mastiff, Kyungsoo. Hybrids like himself... they're almost illegal to have... because of their temperament. and honestly, I've only heard of one other living Cane hybrid besides Chanyeol... most of them are put down at Birth. "  he was giving Kyungsoo a serious look.

"But... why? are they aggressive? what makes people just kill them like that?" Kyungsoo looked horrified.

"It's... Hmm.. Well, I guess it's like a pit bull, really. it all depends on who helps shape their personality, whether they are abused or not. Take Kyung and Zico, for example. Two of the biggest dorks you could ever meet, sarcastic, otherwise harmless. but, we had a pit bull hybrid a few years back that was raised differently. abused. he was skittish with the workers. we almost got shut down because of the things he did at the center." 

"what does this have to do with Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo frowns.

"It's not Chanyeol, really. it's the owner. it's you. Cane's are strong willed, dominant hybrids. they don't know if you can handle that if it comes out. you'd have to be able to put your foot down, tell him no and let him know you mean it." Tao takes a small sip of his coffee. "You see what I mean? they aren't sure you're strong enough to make him back down if he got aggressive."

Kyungsoo glared at nothing in particular, Tao thought it was rather intimidating, honestly. "Those bastards! I can't believe this. no. it. I'm getting my hybrid, and I am getting him today." he stood up and headed for the door.

Tao almost choked on his coffee when he heard the curses fly from Kyungsoo's mouth. The small man was always polite when he'd seen him. He'd brought him here to talk him out of adopting Chanyeol, but maybe he'd made a mistake. Kyungsoo could definitely handle the hybrid if he'd been hiding this streak of his personality. he got up and chased after Kyungsoo after a moment or two.

"So what are you going to do?" Tao asked when he caught up.

"Follow me and find out." Kyungsoo stormed into the adoption center and went through the cafe area, scanning quickly and not seeing his hybrid, he headed to the back portion of the center, calling his name.

"Chanyeol?! CHANYEOL!?" he walked through the hallways and toward the room he remembered Chanyeol being in.  the large hybrid was in the room, along with Yifan and a few of the crew set up to handle the adoptions as well as an advisor. he barged right in.

"Chanyeol. Get your things, we're going home."

Chanyeol hesitated and looked at the people around him, opening his mouth to protest, because the people said he couldn't go home with Kyungsoo, he'd growled at them immediately, and that's when Yifan had come in.

"Now, Chanyeol. Pack your things" The tone of Kyungsoo's voice and the glare he was directing at the adoption team left no room for argument on anyone's part. Chanyeol jumped to do what he was told as Kyungsoo spoke to the advisor in the room, who had opened his mouth to say something. 

"Mr. Do, you need to realize we could be liable if Chanyeol becomes... aggressive. or if he doesn't listen, we're just unsure you can handle him.."

"No. I don't want to hear it. Get whatever extra paperwork I need ready, and don't assume I don't know what I'm getting into." He smirked slightly when the advisor closed his mouth and jumped to obey him almost quicker than Chanyeol had, heading off to get the proper forms 

No one was going to tell him what he could and couldn't handle. He wanted to take Chanyeol home and give him a decent life, and he was damn well going to do it.

Chanyeol finished packing and stood beside Kyungsoo, hoping he'd get to leave with him today.

When the man came back with his paperwork, he'd avoided looking Kyungsoo in the eyes, even as he signed the papers and they'd given him a packet of information on hybrid care. he held his glare until they left the room and then he smiled at Chanyeol, motioning for him to follow.

They met Yifan and Tao outside the room, Tao looking impressed and Yifan grinning slightly.

"You scared the out of my boss," Tao said with a grin.

"Well, he shouldn't have assumed things about me." Kyungsoo smiled at Tao as they walked by, saying thank you before he leads Chanyeol out the door and towards home, the hybrid following silently,  a small smile on his face as he walks along playing with the penguin tag hanging around his neck.
 

Ahhhh  writing is harrrrrrddd! Okay not really, but I had a headache so it was a pain in my arse, and there is sooo much snow here stg. it's up to my waist and still snowing! xp 

-Miki