"Let's see here... We've got eggs, milk, cereal, tomatoes, tofu, tuna, apples, ramen... I think that's pretty much everything we need right now. Anything you want that wasn't on the list Luhan? Luhan?!" 

"I'm over here Xiumin! Can we buy some more Nutella? I think we're about to run out..."  

Xiumin sighed in relief and walked over towards his kitty, holding out the basket so that the other could put the huge jar of Nutella into it. Luhan smiled happily, looking forward to being able to eat the chocolaty yumminess when they got home. Xiumin couldn't help but to smile himself, amused that something so simple made Luhan smile so brightly. But then his face suddenly became stern and Luhan noticed the change as well, shrinking into himself as he wondered what he had done wrong. 

"If you want to stop and look at something Luhan you have to tell me okay? I know the supermarket isn't exactly as big as the mall, but it has to become a habit. I don't want to lose you again okay? So stay close to me at all times when we're in a public place, do you understand?" Xiumin didn't like being stern with Luhan, but he had to sometimes. A week had passed since the incident at the mall and Luhan and him had been attached to the hip ever since.  

Luhan had panicked a lot during the first couple of days, on the verge of bursting into tears every single morning when Xiumin had woken up before him and left to the bathroom or the kitchen. His anxiety had eventually worn off though when he realized that Xiumin was never too far away, making him able to stay in the apartment on his own while Xiumin was at work. Not always completely by himself of course since Chen usually called to ask permission to come over and play with his new best buddy. Both Xiumin and Suho were glad that the two hybrids got along so well, and it made them both feel less guilty about leaving the two on their own as they went to work.  

But Xiumin hadn't been able to get over the feeling of almost losing Luhan as easily as the kitten had himself. He still called home from work at every single chance he could get, just to check that Luhan was still there and not hurt or lost somewhere out on the street. In the beginning, he had had a couple of minor panic-attacks when Luhan hadn't answered, only for the other to call him back a couple of minutes later to inform him that the other had been taking a nap when he called. It was a hassle to call so often, but it reassured his heart which made it all worth it. 

"I'm sorry Xiumin... I'll try and remember next time I promise". Luhan looked down at hos own feet, playing with his hands as he avoided meeting Xiumin's eyes. Xiumin felt a little bad for making his kitty sad, so he swiftly grabbed another jar of Nutella from the shelf, making Luhan look up in surprise. 

"It's okay Luhan, I know you didn't mean it. And you know I'm only scolding you since I'm worried right? It's not my intentions to make you sad by doing so, okay?" He ruffled Luhan's hair, and the other offered him a small smile, grabbing his unoccupied hand to make sure that he stayed close to Xiumin. Xiumin squeezed his hand lightly and steered them over towards the register to pay for the groceries. 

He couldn't stop himself from smiling when he realized that Luhan was refusing to let go of his hand even when he had to pay. 

"I'll head to work now Luhan. Stay at home okay and call Chen if you get lonely. There is food for both of you to heat up if you guys get hungry and I should be back in.... about four hours. Be a nice kitty until then okay Luhannie?" Xiumin turned to smile at the hybrid who was sitting on the couch, completely absorbed in watching some sort of reality show. Xiumin chuckled and went over to put a light kiss on top of Luhan's head. This caught Luhan's attention and he turned towards him with wide eyes and a scarlet blush on his cheeks. Damn it Xiumin and his ever lasting affection... 

"I'll be going then Luhan. See you later". With that he was off, sprinting out of the apartment since he was already about to run late and he couldn't afford to get himself distracted by Luhan's cute blush.  

"Have a nice day at work..." Luhan mumbled in a daze, not even sure if Xiumin was still there or not. Shaking his head to clear it of unwanted thoughts, he tried to once again focus on the television. It didn't work. 

"Damn it Xiumin!" He buried his face in one of the big and fluff pillows he had brought with him to the couch, as if it would make his face less red. "Why does he have to do that huh? Playing with my poor heart. What should Lulu do...."  

Minutes passed and Luhan didn't move away from his pillow, tail swinging back and forth to the rhythm of the music coming form the television. A couple of minutes later his cat-instincts kicked in though, making him unable to stay still any longer. practically jumping up from the couch he went over to the hallway where the home-phone was located. Xiumin had bought him his own smartphone, but he had yet to actually try it out, preferring to just use a phone he could actually figure out how to use. He didn't need a fancy phone anyway. 

"Luhan? Is that you?" Chen's excited voice was loud and cheerful even through the phone and Luhan could imagine the other bouncing up and down with his phone in his hands. 

"Yes it's me Chen! Want to come over? Xiumin is at work and I'm lonely..." Luhan pouted as he spoke, and Chen could sense it even from the other side of the neighbourhood, making him chuckle at the other hybrid. 

"Of course Lu, I'll be there in about half an hour. Want me to pop in by the store and rent a movie or something? Maybe buy some snacks as well?"  

"Sounds like a nice idea Chen! I'll be waiting for you here then!" Luhan ended the call and skipped back into the living room, then suddenly remembering that he'd better prepare yesterday's left-overs so that he could heat them up for him and Chen immediately when the other hybrid arrived.  

Opening the fridge and taking out the plastic-containers filled with food, he smiled to himslef. This was going to be a good day! 

"Here's your coffee miss. Make sure to study hard okay?" Suho gave the drink he had just made to the waiting girl, receiving a smile and a nod in return before the other headed out the door, clearly in a hurry. 

The three baristas on duty all sighed deeply and began to lightly stretch their sore arms and shoulders. The mid-day rush was finally over, and the rest of the day would probably just consist of the occasional coffee-addicts until evening came and people had to get to their night-shifts. A typical day at the coffee shop so to say. 

"Finally a break!" Xiumin exclaimed as he stretched his arms high above his head, rolling his shoulders back and forth to dull the slight ache which came with the job. "I thought the line would never end". 

"Me neither. Is it just me, or are we seeing more and more students here during lunch-time and midnight? Usually it's mostly office-workers who come here at that time and the students arrive after school-hours..." D.O voiced his thoughts as he cleaned all of the machines, preparing the workplace for the workers who'd arrive to take the night-shift later. 

"Ah, that's because the test-period is on again. Another week filled with tests and late-night cramming... I'm so glad I'm out of school already". Suho's remark made the other two baristas chuckle, and at that moment Xiumin felt a light vibration in the pocket on his apron. 

Fishing out his phone from the pocket, he smiled as he saw 'Home' being displayed brightly on the screen. Excusing himself to the staff-room, he then picked up the call. 

"Luhan! I was just about to call you since the line has finally thinned out and-" 

"Xiumin! You've got to come here! Luhan he's-" 

"Chen? What happened to Luhan? Chen?!" Xiumin's voice was already filled with panic, worried sick for Luhan's safety. Was Luhan hurt? Was he missing again? 

"W-We were watching a movie and suddenly Luhan just... panicked and ran out of the living room! He knocked down a vase on the way and I think he ran over the shreds and now he's under the bed and won't come out! Please Xiumin, he won't talk to me!" 

Xiumin became even more worried as he listened to Chen, who was clearly shocked and worried for his friend as well. Taking off his apron and packing his bag, he quickly prepared to return home. 

"Don't worry too much and don't panic Chen. I'm on my way." Not giving Chen a chance to reply, he grabbed his bag and exited the staff-room. D.O and Suho both gave him weird looks when he returned without his apron and with his bag, but the weird glances soon turned into worry. It was rare for Xiumin to just skip work like this. 

"Is everything alright Xiumin? Did something happen?" D.O tried to meet his eyes, but Xiumin just looked at the floor, worry eating away at his stomach. 

"Chen called. Apparently they were watching a movie at my place when Luhan suddenly reacted very strongly to something. He's hiding under our bed and refuses to talk to Chen about it. I'm sorry to ditch you guys like this, but I have to go back." 

"Don't apologize for something like that hyung. Look, I'll drive you, it'll be faster and I think it's a good idea if I take Chen with me back here to the café. It won't do any good to have him there panicking". Suho discarded his apron as well, and then turned to D.O with a gaze filled with guilt. 

"Will you be able to manage by yourself in the meantime D.O? I'll just fetch Chen and then we'll come back here."  

D.O just waved him off and told him it was alright. He had been working alone many times before, and they didn't have a line to take care of anyway. The two hybrid-owners quickly exited the café and minutes later, they were on their way towards Xiumin's apartment. Xiumin had texted Chen on the hybrid's own cell phone and had gotten enough information out of him to know that Luhan was still hiding under their bed. Silently praying that Luhan was alright, h stared out the window as he then tried to calm his hectic mind. 

"Come on Chen, let's go home. Xiumin will call later when he has everything under control, okay?" Suho had his little fox in a tight embrace, as the other sniffled and kept on shaking. Chen had taken quite a blow from all of this as well, feeling helpless and useless for not being able to help his best friend.  

They had arrived to the apartment only minutes ago, and had found Chen sitting outside of the bedroom in the hallway, clearly not knowing if he should continue to try and get the othe rhybrid to talk to him, or if he should let the other be. Now, Xiumin was facing the same dilemma, not knowing how to help Luhan when he didn't even know what had triggered this "attack" or what ever you could call it. 

"Okay... But call right away okay Xiumin-hyung? I'm really worried..." 

Xiumin smiled softly at the hybrid in Suho's arms and stepped closer in order to lightly pet the others fluffy fox-ears. "Of course Chen. I'll call as soon as Luhan is alright okay?". 

It seemed to reassure the hybrid enough and soon, both owner and pet was out the door, heading back to the café to help D.O out. 

Xiumin opened the door to the bedroom slowly, slightly relieved to notice that the room wasn't dark but brightly lit. Luhan wasn't all too fond of the dark after all... 

Going over to the bed and kneeling down in front of it, he bent down even further to look in under it, and the sight that met him was far from pleasant. 

Luhan was curled up into a ball on the floor, lying on his side and hiding his face in his knees. Xiumin squinted in order to see through the shadows under the bed better, and was horrified to see Luhan's tiny feet bleeding. He suddenly remembered what Chen had said about Luhan knocking down a vase, and he stood up and exited the bedroom, just to take a look at the damage. Indeed, at the beginning of the hallway laid multiple big shards of what had once been a vase, surrounded by hundreds of smaller splinters. Xiumin sighed, stepping on those splinters must've hurt a lot. 

Returning to the bedroom, this time armed with Luhan's favourite blanket, plasters and a pair of tweezers, Xiumin once again kneeled down in front of the bed, this time sitting down completely. 

Hunching over to look under the bed, he was ad to see that Luhan hadn't moved an inch. This time he was able to pick up the sound of small sniffles and sobs as well, and it really pained his heart even further. 

"Luhannie? I'm home..." Xiumin checked his kitty for any kind of reaction, and he was glad and relieved when the ears on the hybrid's head twitched, and Luhan lifted his head slightly to take a peek.  

"Xiumin? Is that you?" Luhan's voice sounded so small and broken, like the first time they had met when Xiumin had found him outside of the club he had been working at. Xiumin had wished to never have to hear that tone of voice again, but here they were... 

"Yes Luhannie it's me. Chen called me and said that you were hurt and scared. Will you coem out here so that I can take a look at you?" 

The other didn't react, he only kept on staring at Xiumin with his big, sad eyes. Clearly, a check-up was not what he wanted right now, and Xiumin realized that. 

"At least come out here so that I can hug you. I don't like seeing you so sad like this... Do you want a hug Luhannie?" Xiumin's voice sounded more hopeful than he had intenede, but he gave it no mind. All he could focus on was his Luhan udner the bed, hoping to see some kind of reaction this time. 

His mind was flooded with relief when Luhan uncurled himself from his previous position and began to crawl towards him, low on his stomach so that he wouldn't bump his head against the bed. Only seconds later, Xiumin was sitting on the floor with an armful of terrified and crying cat, but oh boy did he feel relieved as he heard Luhan's cried against the shell of his ear and not from underneath the bed. 

"Shhh... It's alright Luhan, I'm here now. Nothings going to hurt you as long as I'm here, okay? Everything is alright Luhan". Xiumin spoke into Luhan'e ear ever so softly, grabbing the blanket from the floor and wrapping Luhan in it when he realized how much the other was shaking. He then brought Luhan into his arms, lifting him easily and moved them both to the living room, wanting to be in a more open area. The credits of the movie Luhan and Chen must've been watching was rolling on the screen, and he swiftly grabbed the remote and turned the television off completely. He then moved Luhan so that the other was sitting on his lap, blanket still wrapped tightly around himself.  

Xiumin  Luhan's hair slowly, and thumbed away the tears as they kept on tumbling down Luhan's rosy cheeks. The hybrid wasn't sobbing anymore, but small sniffles and cried could still be heard. 

"Luhannie, what happened?" Xiumin  the other's cheek and planted a small kiss on the now sweaty forehead, rocking them both slightly from side to side in, what he hoped was, a calming manner. 

"H-He's coming back". Luhan's voice was shaking so much that Xiumin could barely make out the words, but he managed. 

"What are you talking about angel? Who's coming back?" 

"T-The man from the club. He's coming, to take me back." 

A/N: Another chapter done! Did you guys enjoy it? 

Sorry that the updates have been quite slow, but I have many stories going on at the same time, and I have school-work to do as well so... please be patient with me. I'm trying my best to update as often as I can!       

*Hands out cookies as an apology* 

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See you guys soon!