Meek purred as Kota brushed his hair, trying to smooth it out from the cut. "...Meek...Will you let you hair grow back out?"

Meek looked at his lap and frowned. "I don't know.... it depends on how I feel when it gets longer again." He said.

"..I see" Kota finished and put his head on Meek's shoulder. " Meek...Never think it was your fault...It wasn't..."

"I still wish I had been here, and the reason I wasn't was because of my old ways so why keep doing it when there could be a repeat?" He said.

"Your hair ....it wasn't like that becuase of your old way it was like that because you were meant to have long hair" He purred.

Meek frowned sadly. "It helped me to look more like a girl.... Fine I'll grown it out for you.... but if something like this happens again and I'm not around, it's being cut again." He said, ear twitching. "Why are you purring over my hair?"

"It was pretty...and it made you more like my Meek. " Kota replied.

Meek smiled. "Your Meek? You were claiming me even before I cut my hair?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"You can say that" Kota purred nuzzling his cheek.

Meek turned his head and flicked his tongue out to his nose before he kissed him. "I have to assume that all my wet dreams i've been having recently weren't only that, were they?" He asked.

Kota blushed and smirked looking away. "...Maybe.."

Meek tackled him and pinned him down. "You rat, you touched me in my sleep? That's so unfair why do you get all the fun?" He frowned.

"You seemed like you were having fun while you moaned in your sleep..don't complain.." Kota replied his smirk never falling as he looked up at him.

"Yeah, I was but think about it... If I'm asleep... I'm dreaming about someone other than you. So why do it." He said nuzzling Kota's neck. He sat up and got back on the bed. "Eh, oh well... Hey hyung.... Could we um... I've been thinking since the other day... I wonder if Yuchun hyung would let one more person live here?" He said.

"..One more person? Who do you want to live here Meek? I mean I don't think he'd care to much...if it's temporary.."

Meek looked at his lap. "Well..... That guy. The half breed. He's one of those who sleeps where he can. I had thought that we were in his home but after my head cleared... it wasn't his scent in the room. I felt bad for him after we left so why not let him stay until he can get a home?" 

Kota felt his body tense but he just nodded. "Yeah...You can ask..Yuchun and them..."

"Don't worry, I don't intend to sleep with him. Just to show him some kindness. Since he helped us without even knowing our family." He said.

Kota glared at him. " I never said you were going to sleep with him!" He growled. " Have him over if you want" Kota stood going to leave.

"Hyung wait!" He grabbed Kota's wrist. "I only said that because I sensed your unease. Don't be angry. There's always the possibility that he'll make a move on me... I was assuring you, I'd refuse him." He said desperately, not wanting Kota angry at him.

Kota pulled his hand away. " We'll discuss it later Meek." He growled.

"Hyung!" He yelled but it came out more as a squeak. He ran out of the room ignoring Kota as he ran by and headed upstairs to Eeteuk's room. "Appa!" He called crying.

Eeteuk's ear twitched looking towards the door. "..Appa?" He whispered. 
Yuchun's eyes winded, the children always seemed to forget that their parents forgot who they were.
Meek opened the door and hugged whoever was closest. He didn't think, he was just upset. "Kota's going to leave me! He got angry with me." He said burying his face in the person's chest.

It was Yuchun who interupted Meek's hugging of Eeteuk. "...Why would Kota leave you? What made him angry Meek?"

Meek clung to Yuchun then. "He got angry because I wanted to ask if a half breed friend could stay here until he found a home. He got all tense and I tried to explain that nothing would happen." He said, ears flat and droopy in his saddened state. "He finally admitted he loves me and then I screwed it up."

Yuchun stared down at it him wide eyed. Much as surprised as Eeteuk was behind him. They had all been blind to the love affairs and feelings of the younger ones in the house. 

"...Maybe you shouldn't have anyone stay here..Meek.."

"But we owe him! He gave me the money to have Hyukkie burried when he heard about it! Besides, either way.... Kota hates me now." He said sadly.

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you..." Yuchun whispered rubbing his head. "...You should go talk to him..."

"I already tried.... he won't talk to me." He said looking over Yuchun's shoulder at Eeteuk, sniffling.

"Let him calm down first then and try again...he can't stay mad at you forever" Yuchun said petting him again.

Meek glared at Eeteuk then. "I hate you! You made me! It's your fault I turned out like this! You're the reason that I wasn't here when Hyukkie died! You kept me away from people and Nekos and so I went to them! I would have never met that half breed if you had left me here!" He growled, his anger fueling his words, even if it wasn't all true.

Eeteuk's worried face instantly fell then to one of saddness and shock. 

Yuchun covered Meek's mouth. "Silence! You have no right to speak in such a way to the elders of this house!"

Meek bit Yuchun's hand hard and didn't let go until he pulled it away. "I wish they would all feel how we feel when we have to pretend like we're not your children anymore!" He growled and ran from the room. ~Now I have no one... Kota's angry, Yuchun's angry, Appa's hurting, and Umma doesn't remember...~ He thought as he ran out of the house, not stopping or looking back.

"Meek!" Yuchun went to chase after him but stopped as he heard Eeteuk crying. Crying hard enough to throw him into a coughing fit.

He walked back over to Eeteuk and pulled him into an embrace. "Calm down Eeteuk. He'll be fine. He didn't mean it. Listen..." He started making Eeteuk look up at him. "I'm getting Donghae and going after him. He doesn't have a collar so he could be in danger.... just try to calm down. It's not good for the kits." He said.

Eeteuk looked sadly up at him and nuzzled him. "I'm sorry..." He said before he lay back down on the bed. Yuchun kissed him goodbye and ran to Donghae and Ryeowook's room. He opened the door and walked over to Donghae, shaking him awake.

"Yah! Get your up and get dressed. We have to go find Meek." He said. Donghae groaned and tried to swat him away before the words sank in and he sat up, Ryeowook's tail sliding from his chest as he did so.

"Meek's gone?!" He asked loudly, stirring Ryeowook. Yuchun nodded. "He and Kota fought. C'mon, he doesn't have a collar." He said as Donghae got up quickly to get dressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In another part of town, Meek had run until his feet hurt and he turned quickly into an alley to hide and rest. He didn't want to be found and he knew his family would come looking for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey get back here!"  The catchers yelled as Heechul ran from them, doing everything to avoid capture. Really, it didn't matter since he was half breed and his parents were dead. After they did bloodwork he'd have to be released since they only sold purebloods. It was just too much of a hassle for him.

He turned a corner and then another very quickly and sighed as the catchers ran past. He went rigid, however, when he caught a familiar scent.

He swayed his while tail warily as he walked closer to it and gasped when he was knocked to the ground. "Hyung!.... I'm glad it's you. My family is angry with me...." Meek started. He intended for Heechul to know everything that had happened. He needed someone to trust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Donghae by this time had gotten dressed and was out looking for Meek beside Yuchun.

Yuchun looked around as they ran. "Damn it! I have no idea where he'd go!" He shouted frustrated. "He didn't have his collar on either." He growled.

"We'll check the neko trade later...for now lets keep looking" Donghae replied as they ran. He looked around like crazy trying to find him. 

"...Yuchun...Did he say anything that could hint to where he would go?"

Yuchun paused to think. "He said... something about a half breed more than once but he said he didn't have a house." He said.

"A half breed? " He asked curious but soon cocked his head in thought but soon sighed. "..What can we do.." Donghae questioned this then with a sigh.

It was then the catchers came into view. "Hey excuse us! Have you seen a neko with hair about this length and no collar? We're looking for him." Yuchun called. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Heechul was sure the catchers were gone, he shifted to sit beside Meek. "I'm sorry that happened. And i'm grateful that you thought of me, but I really don't need any help." He said, pulling Meek to lay his head in his lap. Heechul smiled as he ran his hands through Meek's hair.

"You need a home though...you shouldn't have to sleep where ever is avaliable that's not right!" Meek pouted.

Heechul purred and bent over, close to Meek's face. "Thanks for your concern, but I prefer to live alone or with one person, not nine." He said laughing, his breath brushing over Meek's face.

"...Don't you get lonely?" Meek asked looking into his eyes. "...being by yourself?"

Heechul's face saddened. "I stay lonely.... often, but that's why I seek out a companion at least twice a week." He said. He nuzzled against Meek's cheek and then it. "Except.... None of them that I find an interest in are there when I wake up and none have come back." He said.

"...That...Thats just mean.." Meek whispered. "...Heechul...Can I stay with you...to keep you from being lonely?"

Heechul smiled, purring, and kissed him gently. "Of course you can... but I still have no home." He said. "I know.... but we can find somewhere that someone doesn't live and manage." Meek said.

"I suppose...Thank you..Meek" He whispered nuzzling him gently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is the last place we saw the guy we were chasing." The catchers said. Yuchun and Donghae nodded. They were only half a street down from where Heechul and Meek lay resting.

"We'll split up...you look on that side of the street. I'll take this one." Yuchun spoke. they split up and started looking getting ever closer to the others.

Heechul heard them but seeing as they weren't officials, he saw no threat. He shifted to lay beside Meek, curling up to him protectively, and nuzzled his neck. "Meek... Thank you." He said.

Meek caught the scent though. 

"...We can't stay here.." He growled trying to sit up quickly.

Heechul let him up and looked up at him confused. "What's wrong? It's just a couple of residents." He said standing too. "They're looking for me." Meek said. Heechul tensed. "If they try to take you I'll kill them." He warned.

"..Please don't.." Meek whined. "..Their family...regardless of what they say..." He looked around trying to find a way out without anyone seeing them but found nothing.

Heechul hugged him and burried his face into his neck, enjoying his scent. "Then distract me." He said, serious. "Communicate with them if you must but I will attack them if i'm not foccused on something else." He said.

"Fine.." He spoke. He tensed when Yuchun stepped into view.

Yuchun saw Heechul and his eyes widened. ~He must be the half breed.~ "Yah, Meek! Come home please. We just want you to be safe. Kota will calm down eventually and talk with you but you just need to give him time. You broke your Appa's heart, also, Meek." He said walking closer. Heechul never faced Yuchun, only nuzzled Meek and placed soft kisses where he could reach. He was staying calm as of now but something caught his attention. "Kota? That boy who took you away...... the one who said he loved you." He said, frowning.

"My half breed, half brother." Meek replied never taking his eyes off of Yuchun. "I don't want come home! Kota shouldn't have said he loved me and then never act on it!"

Yuchun's stare turned icy. "Acted on it?.... Meek loving one doesn't always require physical contact. Making a phone call to make sure someone's okay or wishing them well also shows love.... It's my impression that what i'm witnessing is the reason he's reserved about it." Yuchun said as Donghae walked up.

Meek hissed as Donghae came up, he smelt too much like Ryeowook for Meek to want him to be there. 

"...He shouldn't be reserved..if he wants me he can't be reserved!" He shouted at him.

Heechul let go of Meek and turned his attention towards Donghae and Yuchun. "You won't have to worry about it.... because I'll fight those who hurt my Meek." he said lowly advancing on Yuchun who was closest.
Meek grabbed Heechul's arm "Stop...please. Don't hurt them Heechul!"

Heechul hesitated and looked at him. "Meek... I don't want to be played....... make your decision now seeing as how I don't seem to be welcome in your home.... me, or them?"

Meek looked at him then to Yuchun and the others. He looked back and forth many times before looking down. "I can't choose! I can never choose that!" He shouted going to un past them both.

Heechul caught him, his nails digging into Meek's arms. They all looked up as they heard a screeching sound only to see another Neko had jumped from up higher and dug his claws into the brick to slow his fall. He landed in front of Heechul and Meek. "Get your hands off of my lover!" He shouted, knocking Heechul away. Meek looked up. "Kota?"

Kota glanced at him before glaring back at Heechul. 

"You...You sick bastard!" He shouted. "..You don't even know what love is...and yet you try and take MY lover..."

Heechul glared up at him. "There are no marks that show he's been mated so therefore he has no lover." Heechul growled. Meek backed up against the wall and looked from one to the other. Yuchun and Donghae could only watch in shock. ~This is what happened to Junsu.... I can't move, but I need to stop them.~

Kota knew Heechul was right, knew it from the depth of his heart. 

"..You don't even have the pride of being a half breed do why the hell should you mate with a pure breed? Your nothing more then a pathic stray cat! You slept with Meek out of loliness, out of pleasure seeking! I wait to make sure he loves not the pleasure but me before I even attempt the act of mating on him!" Kota hissed.

Heechul scoffed. "You've slept with him... I can still smell it. But you didn't mark him. 'Afraid to hurt your precious lover' Heh, I have proud Neko blood in my veins despite my half human blood. Aren't you half human too you fool? I sought him out initally out of lonliness but once I saw him for himself.... what he'd become... I felt more than lust." Heechul said glaring. He took a step towards Kota but kept warry.

"I am the proud son of Donghae and Ryeowook. I may be a half breed but I have the instinct and loyatly to my kind to not do what you have!" Kota growled, tenseing as Heechul stepped closer. "I love Meek! I love him more then a brother and I'd rather die then give him to you!"

"That's all I needed to hear." Heechul smirked, launching himself at Kota, knocking him to the ground. "No!!" Yuchun and Meek both shouted. Meek tried to break them apart but it only lead to him being knocked against the wall, a cut on his arm from Kota's claws. Heechul pushed Kota's head to the side, aiming to kill him the way Eeteuk had Junsu but Kota kicked him and used his arm to flip them, biting down on Heechul's arm.

Yuchun ran at them going to pull them apart but Donghae held him back. 
"Don't Yuchun!...They will kill you without a second thought...their minds are only on the death of each other.." 

Meek held onto his arm and watched on tears already forming in his eyes.

Heechul let out an almost feral growl and slashed at Kota's chest, the blood spilling on him and the pavement. Kota winced but dug his claws into Heechul's shoulders, flipping them again. His hands found Heechul's neck and started choking the life out of him. "Kota stop it! Please stop!" Meek sobbed from where he sat.

"Don't cry Meek!" He shouted his hands never leaving Heechul when Heechul's own hands found his neck, and his claws had started to break Kota's skin. 

"...Regardless of which one of us wins I want you to be happy alright! Smile....the smile that Hyukkie said only his big brother Meekie could smile!" 

He coughed up blood as he felt Heechul's claws break a vein in his neck but he refused to let it go by without his own move. He quickly slashed Heechul's face bad enough to leave a permanent scar across his face.