- 4 years earlier -

“I only want one person. I want someone to love.”

“A man or a woman?”

Ryeowook could hear Heechul shrug. They were sharing one of many tiny rooms in one of many huge shelters designed for hybrids. Both of them were cat hybrids, one of the most common species. By that point, it had been a little over a year that they had lived together in the crowded shelter, but somehow this conversation had never come up between them until this night.

“I don’t really care. As long as they’re nice to me. But not too nice, that would be boring! I want to have lots of freedom… But if they don’t treat me like I’m equal to them, I’ll be out of there in the blink of an eye.”

Ryeowook sighed. “Hyung, you know it’s not that easy. We don’t have those kinds of rights.”

Heechul huffed. “You have to think outside the system, Wookie! I’m quieter than they are, I can hear better, so if I want to escape a private place, I can. As long as they don’t have guards like these darn shelters.”

“At least we have a roof over our heads, hyung.”

“And you cook for me and you’re by my side. But Wookie, those are the only good things about living in this shelter.”

Ryeowook sighed, sharing the other’s opinion. Once again he wondered how long they would stay in contact. Heechul, like so many others, had promised him to stay in contact even if he were to find a home, but Ryeowook was certain that Heechul, just like everyone else, would break that promise the moment he was out of this shelter. That was the way things always went.

“Wookie?”

“Huh?”

“What are you looking for when you get adopted? What would be your ideal home?”

The young cat hybrid didn’t have to think twice before he answered, “I want a family. I want to feel that close to someone, I want to know what ‘family’ feels like. In the books, the family is always there for their child, no matter what happens.”

“Aish, you and your books!”

“Don’t come at me saying that I’m just romanticizing families! If I am, you are also clearly setting your own standards way too high!”

Heechul huffed and by that simple sound, Ryeowook knew Heechul was aware of the fact that the younger was right. “That’s not the point here.”

Ryeowook laughed softly because he knew that had been the point just a moment earlier. In the hallway, one of the guards passed by the door and they were quiet until they couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore.

“Wookie?”

“Hm?”

“I hope you’ll find a loving family that will take you in. I think your dream is actually more realistic than mine.”

“Thank you, hyung. I hope you will also find someone you can love.”

Suddenly, Heechul snickered. “Maybe I should make you that someone.”

“Not in a million years!” Ryeowook protested instantly and turned away with a huff. “ert."

Behind him, Ryeowook could hear movement and, just like he had expected, Heechul snug into his bed as well and under the covers, pulling on them despite the younger’s protest until both of them were fully covered by the blanket. “Hyung, get out! This is my bed.”

“Nope. I’ll just hold you for a couple of minutes, alright? You hardly ever let me hug you throughout the day.”

“I’ve told you multiple times that I don’t like skinship.”

“You’ll miss it when I’m gone, my baby.”

Ryeowook rolled his eyes, entirely convinced that Heechul was wrong about his prediction, yet he made some more space so the older wouldn’t fall off the small bed. Once both of them lay more or less comfortably, Heechul also wrapped his cat tail around the younger hybrid.

“Wookie?”

“Yes?”

“Let’s not be like everyone else. Let’s stick to our promises. And if anything ever happens to you, if I get adopted and you might not for whatever invalid reason and then you’ll vanish on your 20^th birthday like all those others, I’ll give you my address, alright? And I’ll make sure you can always come to my place.”

“Thank you, hyung,” Ryeowook replied and tried to put as much feeling into those words as he could. After fifteen years of living in shelters, his spark of faith in those kinds of words that had once been a fire had already gone out. Only the ashes of his never fulfilled hopes remained deep inside his heart, tinting every promise with the color of betrayal.

He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep even though Heechul was hugging him. He had never been able to sleep properly when someone was lying next to him.