Only a cat would give up a perfectly warm and cozy spot the moment he woke up, confused and petrified. Tao didn't remember falling asleep. It's not something he typically does, remembering things like that. He just sleeps because that's what his body tells him to do, whether he is at home safe and sound, or snug as a bug in a stranger's bed.

So Sehun wasn't a stranger, but Tao definitely didn't have any right to be sleeping over, which is why he instantly slunk out of the bed, crawling across Sehun's legs – the boy had fallen asleep sitting up with a pillow cushioning his head between the headboard and wall – and ran home as fast as he could, consequences be damned.

“Oh hey, look who's back!” Baekhyun chirped, too happy for six in the morning. “I guess your date went—” He didn't get to say anymore because Tao flew right past him, desperate to find his own bed and a Jongdae to confess too.

“Jongdaeee,” Tao whined the moment he snuck into their room. He checked vaguely to see if Kyungsoo was there, and upon seeing the sleeping black cat, instantly started whispering. “Jongdaee,” he whined quietly, rocking the sleeping cat awake with insistent hands. 

“Hmmm?” Jongdae moaned and rolled over, habitually making room for the kitten to climb in. Tao did just that. “What is it? Did you just get back?”

“Yess,” Tao cried. His senses were extremely sensitive, as were his emotions.

“What's the matter?” asked Jongdae, still not fully alert. “Wait, you just got back? Where did you sleep?”

“I slept with Sehun,” Tao confessed, brokenly.

Jongdae's eyes roared to life. “What? You did?!”

“Shhhhhh,” Tao warned. He knew he was acting pathetically but he really didn't want to wake up Kyungsoo yet and hear what the bristly cat had to say about this. “Kyungsoo's still asleep. I just got home. I don't remembered what happened. We went to a movie and then we went back to his house, and then I got sleepy and I fell asleep and when I woke up I was in his bed, and he was sitting up on the other end of the bed, also asleep, and then I panicked and came home.”

Jongdae listened to his whole story, and then subtly looked him over, sniffing at scents lightly. Tao burrowed into his chest and let an arm wrap around him. He expected a scolding, words of stern advice, perhaps even anger. He didn't expect Jongdae to laugh, but that's exactly what the older cat did. Tao felt the rumblings before they had even developed fully as Jongdae smirked and chuckled and firmly hugged Tao to his side.

“What is it? Why are you laughing?”

Jongdae just sighed, and then he said, “Tao, kitten, we really need to work on your vocabulary. I thought you meant you slept with him!”

“But I did. I feel asleep and... I'm sorry, don't be angry!” he whispered pitifully.

“But you didn't actually... you don't smell like... oh never mind. Guess we can save that conversation for another day. Glad you had a good night's rest.”

“You're not upset?” Tao asked him.

“No? What's wrong with sleeping in someone else's bed? You do it all the time anyways. How many nights do you actually sleep in your own bed? Mostly you're in mine, or Kyungsoo's, or Baekhyun's, or Luhan and Minseok's...”

Tao sniffed, still coming to terms with the fact that he wasn't actually in trouble. “But this wasn't even at our house.”

“Just another location,” Jongdae told him. Then he got another idea that seemed to occupy his thoughts more. “Hey, was Sehun awake when you left this morning?” 

“No? Why?”

“Oh.” Jongdae didn't elaborate for a few minutes. “Well maybe you should call him later and explain because... humans probably aren't as used to your sleeping habits as you'd think they should be, and uhm... Sehun is probably confused right now. Or will be when he wakes up.”

Tao held that thought and considered it for a few more minutes. He hadn't thought the whole running away thing through well enough. But it wasn't like Jongdae had implied. There was something about the the idea of having slept in Sehun's bed that was a tiny bit more thrilling than all of his other conquests so far (everyone in the house except for Kai, but then Kai shared a blanket with no one). He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the fact that Sehun had taken him on a date first, and seemed to kind of like him - and he meant, like him in a way that was different from how Tao's hybrid roommates liked him - that made Tao feel a whole lot fuzzier than he had any right to feel. Sehun liked him, and let him sleep on his bed, and apparently humans didn't do that as often as hybrids? Food for thought, but on that thought Tao's stomach grumbled. 

“Hungry already?” Jongdae asked. 

“Yes. Who's cooking today?” Tao didn't really want to get out of bed just yet. Jongdae was really cozy and comfortable, especially while Tao was in an excitable state. Who was cooking though was really an important question, because not for everybody would Tao leave the safety of his personal cat blanket. 

“Minseok, I think,” Jongdae answered.

“Oh.” Tao immediately sat up. “Okay, then, I'll go see what he's cooking.” 

He tried to sit up, but Jongdae wouldn't release him so easily. “Hey, wait, Tao.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me something. Do you... like Sehun?” It was an earnest question. “I just want to know because... with humans things can become kind of complicated. I don't want you to have to freak out later on, if something ever changes between you.”

“What could cha–” Tao hesitated. What could change between them that wasn't already changing? He thought for a moment about the few cat-human relationships that supposedly went beyond the level of owner and pet; he thought about that picture in Professor Kwon's office of the man and his apparently cat friend... special friend? He thought of Luhan and Minseok, who didn't even bother trying to pretend they weren't something much, much more than longtime friends and roommates. “I do. I mean, I think so. I just don't know what to do about that,” Tao answered honestly. “What... what do hybrids do when they like a person?” That wasn't a topic anybody had ever shared with him before. 

Jongdae smiled. “I think... I think maybe you should go and talk with Minseok today. Privately. Tell him what you told me.”

“Okay...?”

“Do it. It'll be good for you.”

“I will then. Wait, what do I do about Sehun now though? You said he'd probably be confused when he wakes up. Should I run back? Or call him? Wait, I don't have his number. Jongdae, what do I do?” Tao worried himself into a fuss. Even Kyungsoo was beginning to wake up now, and Tao's stomach was still rumbling.

“Worry about it later. Eat first,” Jongdae advised with a little laugh, and then positively shoved him out of his bed. “And let me sleep a few minutes longer, hm?”

Minseok was having a bit of a stressful day. For starters, he had to cook breakfast, and while that in itself wasn't bad, it was a bit harder with Luhan hanging on to him at every other movement. Nothing he couldn't get used to though. He'd had six years to get used to a clingy Luhan. From the moment the cat had entered the house he'd been this way, singling Minseok out as the object of his affections, and while Minseok had resisted for approximately one month, he'd slowly given in. He'd needed Luhan then about as badly as Luhan needed someone to belong to, he just didn't know it right away. 

“What can I do? Can I help? Let me do that. Here let me handle that. Can you stop while I hug you for a second? Wait, don't lift that pan. It's heavy. I'll do it for you.” Luhan's persistence knew no bounds. 

“Luhan, please. I'm just old. I'm not dying. I can still do a few things around here, okay?” Minseok begged him to quit. 

“B-but...”

“Sit. down.”

Luhan obeyed, pitifully perching on a kitchen stool to watch him work, hands tucked between his knees and his tail around his ankle. Minseok let him sit there for a few minutes before taking a break and waiting for his breakfast casserole to cook. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but Luhan was at his most adorable when he thought Minseok was angry at him. Flattened ears and concerned frown. Minseok probably played it up more than he needed to, but he was comforted in the fact that nobody loved him as much as Luhan did, or would ever. He'd lucked out, having received a second chance at life. 

The timer on the oven read another twenty minutes before he needed to pay it any attention. Just long enough for an early morning cuddle on the porch, and Minseok was about to suggest it, had his chin already digging into the ticklish part of Luhan's neck, the cat already starting to squeal playfully, when Tao strode through the kitchen. 

Tao drew up straight and halted when he realized he'd caught the eldest cats in a semi-intimate position. “U-h-hh... morning?” he said, overly bright.

Minseok stood up as well, all ready to give the kitten his undivided attention, since that's what it seemed Tao had come in for. That or breakfast, but knowing Tao's nervous energy and judging by the way he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, it was probably both. 

“Morning, Tao. Food will be ready in about twenty minutes, if you aren't starving.”

Tao's stomach rumbled right on time, but the kitten only rubbed his belly distractedly before approaching the elders. 

“Something you want?” Minseok asked.

“Y-yes...” Tao said indecisively. He took a moment to think about it, then repeated it more firmly. “Yes, actually. I just, don't know exactly what I'm supposed to ask you. Jongdae said I should... I should...” Tao looked between him and Luhan, and back at Minseok again, already wavering. “Uhm, after breakfast. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Minseok agreed. Luhan frowned and sighed.

“But I wanted naptime,” Luhan whispered, tugging on Minseok's arm. 

While Tao investigated the oven, Minseok took the opportunity to press a kiss to the side of Luhan's face and nip at his ear playfully. “Shhh, it can wait, I'm sure.” If Minseok trusted his instincts - and he did - it probably had something to do with Sehun. Tao was on a strange path with the human boy, one that could easily lead to disaster if handled wrongly. Minseok should know. Aside from Kai and Baekhyun, he was the one who knew most about humans, had spent more time interacting with them, and he knew how they could be. He also happened to be the only hybrid in the house who knew things about Sehun, things about Yixing. 

The promised talk didn't happen exactly on schedule, for which Kai could be blamed. Minseok and Luhan both had to pull a confused and scared kitten away from the glare of the white-haired hybrid. Kai hadn't taken well to the idea of Tao staying out all night with Sehun, although he wouldn't say why. Minseok decided it was in everyone's best interest to pull Tao out of the line of far before Kai could say something mean, and also before Kai broke down himself. He trusted Jongdae and Baekhyun to get Kai out the door and off to work safe and sound. 

It was going to be a long day indeed.

“Minseok, what do hybrids do when they like a person?” Tao decided to repeat the same question he'd asked Jongdae earlier, hoping this time to gain an answer. 

He hadn't quite managed to separate Luhan from Minseok, but the three of them at least had some privacy in the elders' bedroom and after the strange debacle with Kai a few hours ago, Tao was even more uncertain what to think. He was pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with jealousy, but then one never knew what went on inside Kai's head. No one talked about Kai. No one talked about Minseok either though, and Tao's curiosity was starting to get the better of him. He held it in, knowing better than to ask such an impertinent question. 

Minseok breathed lightly, his eyes closed, but he wasn't completely asleep anymore. Luhan had insisted he rest after breakfast, and no one fought him on the subject, least of all Tao. 

“Normally, in a regular situation,” the eldest whispered sleepily, “a hybrid wouldn't do anything.”

“What do you mean?” Tao asked him.

Minseok's eyes fluttered open lazily. “I mean, it's not typically a cat's place to make such decisions. Liking somebody and being owned by somebody are two very different things.” 

For a moment, Tao's heart kind of hurt. 

“But that's, as I say, in normal situations,” Minseok continued softly. “And you aren't normal. Neither is Sehun.”

Tao didn't need to ask him to elaborate about why he personally wasn't considered normal. Tao knew the basics already about agency cats, and he knew that life in the shelter was a completely different thing. They were independent. They could do what they wanted, within reason, or if it was fiscally possible, although that last reason cut back on a lot of their options anyways. None of the hybrids could forget for more than a moment that they weren't almost completely dependent on Yixing's hands-off generosity.

“What do you mean about Sehun?” Tao asked him instead.

Minseok closed his eyes again and stretched on his blanket, rounding his back a little further into the circle that was Luhan dozing behind him. Tao had slept on his stomach while the elders napped, completely ignorant of Luhan's barely concealed irritation that his and Minseok's privacy was being imposed upon. 

“Not my story to tell.” Minseok yawned, and Tao frowned. Even Luhan shifted awake and peered through half-open lids at Minseok's sleepy facade, as if he too was curious what kind of story Minseok wasn't disposed to tell.

“But then what do I do?” Tao asked, bewildered.

Minseok didn't answer; neither did Luhan, although he was looking at Tao a little pitifully, and Tao couldn't handle it. He moved to get up, thinking Minseok was just going back to sleep, but then a hand casually him around the neck. Minseok was holding him in place. 

“Do what you want to do,” said the eldest. “It's Sehun. He's difficult, hard to handle, rude, and occasionally very stupid. And if he was any other human, I'd tell you to avoid him completely. I think I did tell you that too when you first met.” Tao didn't need to be reminded about that first time, when Sehun had made him cry. Minseok went on, eyes still closed, but his hand pawed gently, comfortingly on nape of Tao's neck, and when he spoke it was in a very slow speech, methodical, but thoughtful. “He seems to like you though. It's a nice side of him. Something I never expected to see, and I know for a fact that he won't be the kind of person to adopt a hybrid. Which means... he just plain likes you.”

“So... that's a good thing?” Tao asked.

“It is... but, it's also a hard thing. More than you know.” Minseok opened his eyes and used two hands draw him in for a closer hug. “I won't lie and say I'm not worried for you. Take it slow, get to know him more. And come talk to me if ever you need, okay? Humans are difficult creatures. They make life difficult for themselves, on purpose, because they can.” He laughed, half-rumble half-purr. “Humans should definitely sleep more. It makes life better.”

“You only say that because you're a cat and you have nothing better to do,” Luhan teased softly, indulgently. It brought a smile to Minseok's sleeping face, and Tao couldn't help but smile too. Couldn't help but remember part of the way Sehun had looked at him last night. 

Tao flopped on the bed and rolled until he was belly up, arms above his shoulders, cradling his head. 

“What are you smiling about?” Minseok asked him.

It made Tao grin wider, wanting to be cheesy. “Just last night. He really is nice away from home.”

Luhan actually scoffed at that. “Is he now?” Minseok shushed him.

“I accidentally scratched him, and he wasn't upset,” Tao continued, beaming happily. “And some people were staring at me, and he held my hand and made me feel better.” 

“Can I cough up a hairball now?” Luhan asked.

“You don't get hairballs. Shut up, and let him be in love,” Minseok ordered.

Luhan smirked. “Does he at least give good kisses?” 

Minseok gasped and swatted the other cat, causing the two to break out into a minor skirmish on the bed while Tao continued smiling as he was rocked to and fro, memories from a few days ago still playing on a loop his brain. 

“He does.”

Both of them gasped this time, halting their scuffle. Luhan's mouth opened wide, eww and disgust written on his face. “Sorry I asked, but please don't tell me any more details.” He rolled over with his back to the others and pouted grumpily until Minseok laughed. 

“Like I said, take it slow,” he repeated, and Tao nodded firmly. 

When Tao was gone, shortly thereafter, Luhan sighed happily, twisting back around to face the love of his life. He nudged playfully into Minseok's side, and Minseok groaned, pretending to be annoyed.

“Alone, finally,” said Luhan.

Minseok swatted at his wandering hands. “We're almost always alone. Why do you have to get so grumpy at the kitten. He's going through a casual life crisis right now.” He smiled, in spite of his words.

“It's not just him,” Luhan whined. “But someone is always bothering us. I never get you all to myself.” He wiggled pitifully, demanding attention. 

Minseok sighed. “You're exaggerating. As usual.”

“No, I'm not. You keep our door always unlocked. Someone is always crawling into our bed at all hours of the day. If I'd wanted kittens, I wouldn’t have chosen the shelter life. I'd be at some breeding factory right now. Actually, maybe that would have been better, because then I wouldn't have to even see any other kittens. I'd be minding myself all day...”

“Sleeping in a locked room, and you wouldn't have me,” Minseok reminded him.

“Oh yeah, you're right. Then I wouldn't have you,” Luhan concluded. “I take it all back. I love it here. I love the house. I love the kittens - mostly - I love you.” He rolled completely over the eldest's cat's tiny body, knees and elbows cradling Minseok from above, but ever careful not to squash him with his full weight. Minseok pressed his hands lightly to the underside of Luhan's chest, fingers tracing the fabric of his shirt and smiled up at him. 

“Love you too,” he said, before Luhan leaned down and kissed him. 

It was entirely too short a duration for Minseok. Before he could even really reciprocate, Luhan pulled his head back and stared at him, concern lacing through his features as he crouched, still holding himself up on arms and knees. 

“Minseok, you don't think about anything from before, right? You're not reminded of the humans who owned you? It's completely gone from your life now, right?”

Minseok didn't remind him that by asking, Luhan was actually bringing up the memories from his past. It didn't matter though, because the only thing his body ever remembered anymore was Luhan. Faded dreams and nightmares were all that was left from before, and even those had disspitated over the years. It had been six years since his rebirth, and two years prior that he'd lived, broken and alone, returned to an agency before Yixing came for him.

“All gone,” he told Luhan now, face pressing up, lips searching for another pair to caress.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to see Luhan's sad expression, eyes that were so often more sad than Minseok's own.

“I hate the people who did those things to you,” Luhan whispered as he worshiped Minseok's face, eyes, nose, cheeks and chin. Slowly, he allowed his weight to sink further into Minseok's, and Minseok relished in the comforting cocoon of Luhan's warmth. His hands held Luhan up, however, just slightly.

“It doesn't matter anymore.”

Luhan peered down at him sadly. “I know you say that. But I'll never stop reminding you that to me it doesn't matter. I'll love you forever. It just... makes me so angry. And...” Luhan's breath caught. “I know I pretend that I don't care, but I worry for Tao too. I don't want the same things happening to him. Humans... they're...”

“They're not all like that, Lu. Sehun... he isn't like that. He won't be like that. He more anyone is capable of loving a cat the way they should be loved.”

“But... what you said about him...”

“Give him a chance. He just needs to come to terms with a few things first.”

“Like what? You keep saying things. And... and it's not exactly a secret he doesn't like us very much. Why now? What's different now?”

Minseok sighed, oddly amused that Luhan was choosing this moment to talk about the human boy, this moment when they finally had the privacy Luhan had been begging for all day. Their door was shut, chances were that nobody would interrupt them for the rest of the afternoon and... here Luhan was being worried about a kid they almost never talked about in any other circumstance.

“Tao. Tao's what's different.”

“But what's so different? If he likes cats, then why doesn't he like us?”

Minseok knew the answer, or at least he guessed it. Saying it out loud though would only upset Luhan. Saying it out loud would only remind Luhan of something the cat already thought about too much, and Minseok was too old to give over to what-if situations and Luhan turning gloomier than he typically could be. It wasn't their fight anyway.

“Just let them be, Lu. They'll figure out life on their own. In the meantime...” He arched his back a little, giving Luhan a hint of what he wanted. “Unless you want to continue napping...” He watched as Luhan's eyes glazed over, and different thoughts took shape. Thoughts of things they could do now that Tao was gone and they were alone.

“Ohhh, hmmm, how about no nap?” Luhan agreed before kissing him again.

3,821 words

*covers own eyes* AHHH!!! Xiuhan!!!! :D

This is unbeta'd because I'm in a rush to get out the door and drive 3 hours for a 2PM concert. Oh heck yeah, Kpop concerts (that aren't Exo. Sigh) But it'll be fun.

Anyways, this is Tao freaking out in a nicely casual way, and Jongdae being awesome, and Minseok being a combination of totally brotherly and totally cryptic and unhelpful (to all of y'all hehehe). Sehun Sehun Sehun... theories. Anyone?

Gotta go.

<3 Rosie