"Where are we going?" Jay asked the next night, trying to mask his disgust when Taecyeon spat him out after carrying him down the shelves.

"To meet the crew," came the simple reply and Jay almost rubbed his hands together in delight; he was going to get in with the cool toys.

An hour later he realised how sorely mistaken he was.

The first member of Taecyeon's "crew" to be introduced was tall, handsome and fashionably dressed. He was also undoubtedly, indescribably, unmistakably gay and Jayrassic Park definitely wasn't into that .

"This is Khun," Taecyeon introduced, and Jay stared at the toy, mouth agape, as he made a great show of sprucing himself up in front of a mirror made of a cheap reflective sticker. "He's the Thai version of a Ken doll," Taecyeon whispered. "Ken, Khun, get it? Only, never let him hear you saying that. He's such a pain in the when he's in a sulk and, trust me, you won't like everything you'll have to go through to get him to accept your apology."

"Who says I'll want him to forgive me?" Jay said loudly, completely disregarding Taecyeon's hushed tone, and Taec frowned and threw him a look that said 'play nice'.

"OkCat Taecyeon!" the Khun toy sang, tearing himself away from the mirror and looping his long arms around the feline's neck. "He likes to use full names too," Taec whispered, a pleased purr sounding in his throat when Khun ran his long fingers through the soft fur under his jaw.

"And who do we have here?" he asked, turning towards Jay, and Jay couldn't help the ominous sense of foreboding that washed over him.

"This is Jaebeom, a Jayrassic Park. He got in yesterday." Taec explained as Jay began to steadily back away while Khun advanced.

"Welcome, Jaebeom Parkrassic," Khun said and Jay wasn't quick enough to duck out of the lanky arms tightening around his neck. He slapped away the hand that tried to him under his chin but Khun still refused to let go.

"Park what?!" Jay exclaimed, affronted. "Get off m-" He swiftly cut himself off when Taecyeon shook his head and gave him a look of such terror that a shiver ran all the way down to the tip of his tail.

Taecyeon stepped forward and spoke in a gentler tone. "Khun, come on, let him go. Jay doesn't like skinship yet."

Yet? Jay thought with alarm, inwardly rejoicing when Khun was peeled away. What's that supposed to mean?!

"A toy? That doesn't like skinship?! Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Now this just won't do!" Khun tutted and crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression clouding his face and Jay felt like melting into a puddle; he knew that what was coming wouldn't be good.

"Well, it was nice meeting you and all but- look! The T.O.P.s!" Jay pointed over Khun's shoulder and made a mad waddle-dash in the opposite direction but the OkCat's tail flicked out and tripped him over. He whimpered and stared up at the feline with pleading eyes and for some reason, Taecyeon seemed to take pity on him.

"He's right, Khun, we should really get going. I need to introduce him to Junho before the Emperor gets into his daily evening speech. You know what he's like."

Jay wriggled around on the floor, grumbling his complaints as he tried to get to his feet. Taecyeon's tail looped around his neck and effortlessly righted him as Khun nodded.

"Of course, I shouldn't keep you. This gives me time to think up a cure for Jaebeom Parkrassic's illness."

Jay scoffed but it soon turned into a whimper as Khun's arms found his neck again. "It was lovely to meet you, Jaebeom Parkrassic. You're welcome back anytime!"

Taecyeon gave Jay a pointed look and Jay grunted a sarcastic "thanks" before finally wrenching himself away. He followed closely behind the OkCat as they moved on and when he chanced a look back he regretted it.

Khun was buried in his wardrobe, digging through masses of outfits, when a bizarre toy with a spring for its middle nudged him on the shoulder. He span round and seemed to shout for joy before throwing his arms around its neck and kissing it on the nose.

Jay shuddered and turned away, pushing the overly touchy toy from his mind and focusing on the next toy he was arranged to meet.

* * *

"If the T.O.P.s patrol and hand out punishments, why do toys still come out of their boxes?" Jay asked as they walked. Taecyeon had said that you get in deep if you get caught, but here everyone was waltzing around without a care in the world.

"'Cause the T.O.P.s are stupid. They always start at one end of the store and work their way down to the other every night. It's easy to get used to their timetable."

Before Jay could ask anymore questions, the OkCat drew to a halt.

"Damn, we're too late," he whined when they rounded the corner of an aisle and Jay raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. What the hell was this?!

A plush lion was seated on a throne of gold shiny card with a Jessica on either side fanning him with green paper leaves. In front of him in uniform rows sat masses of miniature ducks, all with their heads bowed in respect. The lion climbed to his feet, tail swishing dramatically, and the assembly of waiting ducks all seemed to hold their breath in anticipation.

"Loyal subjects, Xiah Junsus," the lion began and Jay immediately slapped a hand to his forehead.

"What the hell kinda "crew" is this?!" he whined up at Taecyeon, but Taec shushed him.

"There's Junsu. I knew we'd find him here."

"Which one are you talking about?" Jay asked, baffled, eyeing the ducks who still hadn't moved a muscle.

"Not a Xiah Junsu. Panda Junsu," Taec replied, pointing to a panda peeking its head from around a heap of toy boxes. "Come on."

Jay's spirits immediately rose. The panda was wearing shades and a t-shirt saying "Jesus was a b-boy" and he knew, he just knew that he was finally getting somewhere.

"Hey Su," Taec started when they rounded the toy boxes and came up behind the panda. The panda turned towards them slowly, reaching up to pull off his sunglasses, and Jay was utterly perplexed when he saw that the toy's eyes were glistening with tears.

"He's never gonna notice me. Ever," the panda whimpered and Jay's jaw dropped open.

"Not if you always hide away like this he won't," Taecyeon said, gently. "You know what Junho's like. He needs things shoved under his nose to see them."

It didn't seem to be what Junsu wanted to hear. The panda leapt towards the OkCat. "Why am I cursed to share the same name as his damn followers?!" the panda sobbed, clutching at the fur on Taec's chest, and Jay was just about ready to join him in his tears. This was not how things were meant to be.

"This isn't how things are meant to be!" Junsu exclaimed, hammering a tiny paw against the OkCat's shoulder.

"Oh, quit your whining before I give you another black eye!" sometoy to their left exclaimed and Jay was temporarily stunned from his spiral of depression.

The toy that Jay had seen earlier with Khun was bouncing towards them, the spring connecting its front and back feet clicking as it expanded and contracted while it walked. On closer inspection, Jay realised he was some kind of fox.

"Be nice, Wooyoung. It's not as easy for some," scolded Taecyeon as he Junsu's head with a paw. A scream-like sob erupted from the panda only to be muffled by Taecyeon's fur when he pulled him closer. "Don't cry, Su, it'll be okay."

"What's going on?" a gruff voice asked behind them and Jay turned to find himself face to face with the lion.

"Hey Junho," said Taec. "I came to introduce you to someone. Meet Jay." Junsu had suddenly disappeared from Taec's chest and was cowering behind his legs. "Jay, this is Emperor Junho."

"Hi."

Junho stared at him intently and Jay realised he seemed to be waiting for something. One of Taecyeon's paws suddenly pushed his head down and he flailed his arms as he felt himself toppling forwards. Another paw rested on his tail, keeping him balanced as he was forced into some kind of stiff bow. Somehow satisfied, Junho smiled widely, showing sharp teeth and shrinking his eyes into half moons.

"Hey Junho. Khun sends his regards," said Wooyoung, while Jay threw Taecyeon a glare to which he received a look that said 'you'll thank me later'.

Junho smiled proudly and returned the greeting as Wooyoung strode forwards. "I actually wanted to talk to you about that speech just now. It was really inspiring, the way you paced back and forth and..." Their conversation faded out as they strolled away and Junsu finally scampered out from behind Taecyeon's legs.

"He's so beautiful," the panda whined, his eyes shining with fresh tears, and Jay wasn't surprised when he crept along behind Junho like an experienced stalker.

"I'm exhausted," mumbled Jay. "Are they always like this?"

Taecyeon nodded. "You get used to it though. That was Wooyoung by the way. He's a bit of a bastard most of the time, but you can't help but love him."

"I'll take your word for it," said Jay, turning away and striding back the way they'd come.

"Where are you going?" Taecyeon asked, confusion painting his voice as he padded after him.

"Back to my box. I need to get sold in the morning."

"What?! No, you can't!" Taec leapt in front of him.

"And why not?"

"Because you still have one more toy to meet! And... And..." he sighed and closed his mouth around Jay's neck before lifting him from the floor.

"Wha- Taec?! Put me down!" No matter how much Jay wriggled he wouldn't budge and he fell still as Taecyeon padded in the opposite direction. "And what?" he asked eventually.

"Hmm?"

"And what? Why else can't I go back to my box?"

"M mm hmm mm m m," Taecyeon hummed around him.

He snorted. "Screw this. If you don't wanna tell me, fine." He crossed his arms and waited for Taecyeon to reach their destination.

* * *

"Stop it!"

Jay snapped his head up and looked around for the source of the voice, watching as a banana and a small chicken came into view. Taecyeon dropped him to the floor behind the pair and he bounced on his side helplessly.

"Not again," Taecyeon sighed exasperatedly, striding forwards. The banana turned to face him as the chicken ran away, sobbing, and Jay gasped at the toy's grotesque features.

There were holes all over it's body and two eyes, a nose and a mouth were slotted into some of them at unnatural angles.

"Chan!" Taecyeon scolded, hitting the banana on the side of the head. "I told you to leave Onew alone!" An eye popped out of the banana's body and rolled to a stop in front of Jay's face and Jay knew that he would cringe at what happened next for the rest of his life: he screamed. He opened his mouth and screamed and before anyone could move a muscle, he promptly passed out.

This was not how things were meant to be.

* * *

"Shut up, Chansung!" Someone growled as someone else continued to snigger uncontrollably.

The sniggers stopped in time for the toy to say "But this is priceless."

"Come on, Taec. It is pretty funny," said a snide voice and Jay was vaguely aware of a clinking sound as the voice came closer.

"The poor thing. I thought the fact that he was scared of skinship was bad enough but this? He's even scared of just seeing another toy? This is a lot more serious than I'd thought. I'll have to get back to the drawing board."

"You should leave him to sort this out himself. He needs to learn to be courageous on his own," replied a deep voice next to Jay's ear and he finally opened his eyes.

"Jay!" exclaimed Taecyeon, leaning over him, as Khun said "Jaebeom Parkrassic!"

"Quit calling me that!" Jay groaned, trying to roll over.

"Morning Sunshine!" Wooyoung sang as the banana only laughed harder.

Taecyeon's tail pulled Jay to his feet and he nearly tottered over if it wasn't for Taecyeon pulling him to his body. "How are you feeling?"

"What happened?"

The banana sniggered again and Jay stared at him.

"This is Chansung or Mr. Banana Head. He gave you a bit of a scare."

Thankfully the banana's features were now in their normal positions, but Jay still shuddered at the memory of the eye, trying not to show his embarrassment. "Where's Junsu?" he asked, hoping to move the conversation away from himself, looking around and noticing they were all up on the shelf he and Taecyeon had been sleeping on earlier.

"The Xiah Junsus are fulfilling their duties right now," answered Junho obliviously, and a small sob sounded from the shelf below.

"You still don't look right, Jaebeom Parkrassic," said Khun, concerned, and Taecyeon nodded.

"He's right. We need to give you some rest. Come on everyone, show's over," Taecyeon said, ushering everyone towards the edge.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jaebeom Parkrassic," said Khun, waving, and Jay was thankful that he didn't feel the need to hug him again.

"Come on, Khun. Get on," said Wooyoung, nudging Khun with his nose and Jay watched as Wooyoung's front half fell from the shelf. The spring expanded before his feet followed and Junho helped Chansung climb down.

Receiving a nudge of Taec's nose, Jay let himself be engulfed by warm fur, burying his head under the OkCat's chin as he tried to fight away the burn of embarrassment that was still lingering.

After the gratitude Jay had felt the night before, he realised that some of it had turned into a bitter resentment of Taecyeon's so-called "crew" and tonight he couldn't help feeling that he wasn't so glad to have met the OkCat.

But then Taecyeon purred soothingly in his ear and Jay's body immediately relaxed under the comforting sound, cuddling into the warmth the OkCat radiated. Maybe, just maybe, he thought as he drifted off to sleep, it's not so bad after all.