The Road Ahead of This (Not So) Puppy Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What do you mean you adopted a Puppy?" Woohyun asked, incredulous. "Weren't you going to get a Kitten?"

 

Sunggyu sighed. "That was the original plan..."

 

"I can hear a 'but' in your sentence. What happened?"

 

"It's a long story, Woohyun."

 

"And the night is young, I have all my time. Now spit!!"

 

 

***

 

Sunggyu pushed the door of the Hybrid-orphanage only to be welcomed with loud noises and screams of Pets playing around. Three or four of the orphans reached the door with eager energy before an employee came to greet him.

 

"What is it guys, do we have a visitor?... Oh, hey! Welcome, sir!" The lady welcomed him. She was in her mid-forties and everything around her sounded like kindness.

 

"Hi" Sunggyu greeted back, but not quite at ease since it was his first time in that kind of place.

 

"What can I help you with today, sir...?"

 

"I'm thinking about adopting a Kitten and I was wondering if you could help me with that" Sunggyu nervously scratched the back of his head.

 

"Well, follow me, sir...?"

 

"Sunggyu. My name is Sunggyu."

 

"Nice to meet you, Sunggyu-ssi. You can call me Rina. Come, let's meet the Kittens!"

 

The lady led him through the house. As they reached the last rooms of the corridor, the lady warned him.

 

"Before you meet them, Sunggyu-ssi, you have to know that Kittens are the ones that are adopted the quickest. Of course we have older Cats, but the Kitten selection is always the one that deceives most of our potential clients since there are only a few of them available."

 

Sunggyu was aware of that. The newest fashion was to carry a Kitten everywhere you go. People would carelessly adopt young Kittens, carry them almost all the time, dress them prettily, feed them priceless food. But then the pets would start growing up: their clothes would become even pricier, and they would need even more pricey food. People would grow tired of them and give them back to the orphanage.

 

Sunggyu thought it was heartbreaking. No one who was at least a little human should have the right to kick out such precious companions. Sunggyu would prefer being beaten instead of committing such a cruel act.

 

If he wanted a Kitten, it was not because of that new trend. It was because he felt lonely in his apartment since he moved out of his parent's. He was used to people's presence, to movement and noise. Since me moved to Seoul for work, he often felt the need of company. Of course he would sometimes hang out with Woohyun or Howon, but they weren't constantly in his house, waiting for him with a warm smile. Woohyun had adopted a Cat some time ago and was telling him how nice it was to have him around. Sunggyu kind of wished he would meet the perfect Kitten today, because honestly, he was too damn lonely to feel good these days.

 

Sunggyu was more of a Cat type of people than of a Dog type. It wasn't that he disliked Dogs: at the contrary, they were great Pets and they were perfect for active people. Though Sunggyu wasn't an active person. He sure was busy with work and normal things in life, but except for that he was a rather calm person. He wanted a young Pet so he would be able to educate it properly (some older Pets had weird and disturbing habits he would rather not have to deal with) and at the same occasion, seeing the Pet grow up would create a strong bond between them.

 

Sunggyu wanted strong bonds, not temporary relationships.

 

Snapping out of his deep thoughts, Sunggyu finally replied to the lady's warning: "Don't worry, Rina-ssi, I am aware of that."

 

The lady smiled and finally opened the door. The room was brightly lighted by the sun coming through the large windows. On a pile of thick pillows slept 4 Kittens.

 

Sunggyu hadn't noticed that one of the Orphans that had come over the door when he first entered the place had followed them until the Dog (judging by his tail and ears) bumped into him when he stopped in the room.

 

"Oh I'm sorry, mister!" the Dog bowed. Sunggyu could hear a lisp: it warmed his heart.

 

"No problem, boy."

 

"Oh Sungyeol-ah, you're here!" Rina exclaimed when see too noticed the presence of the Dog. "Would you be an angel and help the mister meet the Kittens? I hear another interested potential master coming in" She asked. Judging by the agitation at the main door, someone had effectively came in.

 

"Of course, Rina-ssi!" The Dog, Sungyeol, happily agreed. He reached the sleeping Kittens and tried to wake them up not too brutally, which was a little complicated seen how excited he was. Sunggyu could tell he was eager with the way his tail waved when he walked to the Kittens.

 

"Everybody wake up!!" Sungyeol shook the sleepy Pets. "We have a visitor!!" They groaned and protested until they were able to keep their eyes at least a little open. "Come meet them, Mister Sunggyu!" Sungyeol called him over with over-exaggerated hand waves.

 

Sunggyu smiled and did as he was asked. He slowly crouched, held out his hand and gave time to the Kittens to have a good sniff of his scent before he tried to pet them.

 

The cruel reality was: not every Hybrid were made to get along with anybody. Each Pet had a type of person they preferred. The current fashion was in Sunggyu's opinion one of the cruellest: people were adopting pets without taking care of that rather important detail. Just like in Harry Potter where the wand chooses its sorcerer, it was the Hybrid that chose their Masters and not the other way around like most idiots seemed to believe.

 

Sunggyu waited long enough in order to scratch the Pets' heads. He didn't want to scare them. But even with that precaution, he felt that the Kittens weren't really attracted to him. It could happen, and it was frequent. He accepted his fate and turned to Sungyeol who was still standing beside him, his tail flapping slowly but rhythmically, big and bright eyes shining directly at Sunggyu. It seemed that Sungyeol had noticed the Kitten's reaction.

 

"Would you like to meet older Cats, Minster Sunggyu?" Sungyeol proposed as an alternative.

 

"I guess I'm not losing anything by trying it." Sunggyu bitterly accepted the offer. He kind of knew this would happen, but still didn't really want an older Cat.

 

Sungyeol led him to another room. As soon as they opened the door, the atmosphere changed drastically.

 

"GET OUT OF HERE, NOISY DOG!"

 

"YOU STINK! GET OUT!"

 

"IF YOU COME TO MAKE TROUBLE AGAIN, I WON'T HESITATE TO BITE YOU THIS TIME!"

 

Those were only examples of the insults they received when Sungyeol stepped into the room. This was part of why Sunggyu didn't want an older Cat: they were generally y, sassy and easy to irritate. He wanted a young one he could teach to be polite and affectionate.

 

"Come on guys, there's a visitor, be nice!" Sungyeol whined at their insults. Obviously, he was used to the harsh words.

 

Sunggyu walked a little around the room. It was a cozy living room with an abusive amount of pillows, cushions and sofas, since Cats were more at ease sleeping than doing anything else. Some of those Cats were very beautiful. But Sunggyu wasn't here for 'beautiful': he was here for 'friendship.'

 

Sungyeol walked a few steps behind him during all the time Sunggyu tried to interact with the Cats. The Dog communicated small pieces of information here and there over Sunggyu's shoulder (since he was obviously taller) whenever the latter seemed interested in one peculiar Cat. Sungyeol's action reminded Sunggyu of a tour guide.

 

Sunggyu came back to the orphanage's main gate without any 'love at first sight'. He was a little disappointed, but he knew it was possible: he would only have to come back later or visit a new orphanage.

 

Lady Rina was bidding farewell to a couple when they reached the door.

 

"So did you meet an interesting Hybrid, Sunggyu-ssi?" she asked.

 

"Unfortunately not, ma'am."

 

"Did Sungyeol-ah introduce you to the older Cats too?"

 

"He did, Ma'am. They weren't interested."

 

"Oh I'm so sorry, Sunggyu-ssi! You are welcome to come back anytime you want, okay?"

 

"Yes ma'am, thank you." Sunggyu bowed and turned to his improvised tour guide. "And thank you too, Sungyeol-ah, for showing me around. You seem like a Dog with a lot of experience! You did well today." Sunggyu bowed to him too.

 

"Actually... I'm still a Puppy." Sungyeol's ears rose a little on his head, eyes sparkling and tail waggling.

 

"What? How old are you!?" That was surprising, seen how tall and well behaved he was.

 

"I'm turning 8 months old tomorrow!"

 

"And you are already that tall!?" Sunggyu commented, shocked. Most of the Puppies didn't reach their final height before 14 months. Sungyeol grew up excessively fast. Or he was just a giant.

 

"Yes! It's nice, isn't it!? Like that I can help Rina-ssi reach the high objects in the pantries." Sungyeol announced, proud of himself.

 

"And you are so kind too! How come nobody adopted you already!?"

 

Sungyeol's ears fell and he looked down to the ground. Sunggyu felt bad: he said something wrong. "They brought me back because I had too much energy." Sungyeol half-whispered.

 

"Oh. I'm sorry, Sungyeol, I didn't know."

 

"It's okay, Mister Sunggyu. Someone else will come." Sungyeol offered a not-so-convincing sheepish smile

 

"Yes, of course someone else will come."

 

Sunggyu didn't know on which feet to dance after that. With that awkward feeling; he succeeded in taking his leave without hurting anyone else in the process.

 

Then he reached his apartment. He kicked the door open and a heavy wave of loneliness crashed on him when he realised not a single noise was audible in his flat. Not a single 'welcome home' nor any 'you're late, idiot' to accompany his entrance. No wiggling tail or any sparkling eyes.

 

Without thinking twice, he turned around and drove back to the orphanage.

 

 

***

 

 

"He was so happy I had to literally drag him by the hand so he wouldn't go around and sniff everything!" Sunggyu laughed.

 

"I can totally picture the scene!" Woohyun laughed along. Where is he right now? Is it worrying that I can't hear him in the background?"

 

"He's sleeping on my knees." Sunggyu answered in a strangely quiet tone. Woohyun knew the other was dreamingly looking at his new companion. "We went out to find suitable clothes for him this afternoon. He grew so much recently that the clothes he wore at the orphanage were already too short! I hope I won't have to do this every month! Those are pricey!" Sunggyu chuckled.

 

"Hahaha, you should have thought about it before adopting him, hyung! The first months are the worst. It calms down when they reach their adult size. Remember when you were laughing at me because you were seeing Myungsoo's ankles when he wore the first pants I bought him?"

 

"Oh, yeah, how could I forget the murderous glance he threw at me at the time!?" shivers rolled down Sunggyu's back at the memory

 

"Hahaha, you were like 'Woohyun, please hold him up, I think he'll claw me!'" Woohyun imitated Sunggyu's shaking scared voice.

 

"YAH! Don't make fun of your hyung!" Sunggyu tried to protect his pride, but yelled a little too loud, making Sungyeol stir in his sleep. He calmed him down with a scratch behind the ears.

 

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, when are you coming over to introduce us to your new friend?" Woohyun casually continued.

 

"Would next Friday be okay with you? We could call over Howon and his guys."

 

"It's a good idea. I'll come back to you with more details."

 

With that said and a little more chitchat, Sunggyu finally hung up.

 

For a long minute, he stared at the Hybrid sleeping on his thighs. Life was so unpredictable, yet these surprises were for Sunggyu the beginning of a brand new life.

 

 

***

 

 

"Sungyeol-ah!" Sunggyu called out, his face half in the fridge."What do you want for supper? There is.........absolutely nothing in the fridge!!!!"

 

On cue, Sungyeol entered the small kitchen with a takeout menu in one hand and Sunggyu's phone in the other.

 

"I told you yesterday that there was nothing left to eat, hyung." Sungyeol announced cheekily with that mocking smile displaying his slightly-longer-than-usual canines and healthy pink gums. "You turned me down because you didn't want to be disturbed during your 'beauty bath.' And there we are." Sungyeol concluded, hanging out the menu and phone.

 

The good points about living with someone, Sunggyu discovered, were that he didn't have to think about everything himself. He could sometimes ask Sungyeol to take care of the laundry or supper (with rewards at the end of the line, because Sunggyu wasn't a supporter of slavery) That and having the permanent company he was lacking since his arrival in Seoul, but this is another story.

 

"Takeout, uh? Okay. It's still better than having to go down, shop for grocery AND THEN have to cook on top of that." Sunggyu had always been on the lazy side when it came to house holding.

 

"You're incredible, hyung. Just order already so we can finally watch the last Star Wars!!" Sungyeol exclaimed, not believing Sunggyu would think that way. Because let's be honest, the same scenario would come back the following day and the day after if Sungyeol didn't do anything about it. "And give me a little money. I'll go get some groceries tomorrow while you're at work."

 

Sunggyu was sceptical about this plan. Sungyeol wasn't wearing any necklace as the law prescribed it. Sunggyu believed it wasn't human to put restrictions on someone as human as Hybrids. And if anything, Sungyeol's adoption was still recent: what if he got lost and never found the way back home. Sunggyu thought he would never get over it.

 

"Don't worry, hyung. I still have my old necklace somewhere. We'll just have to put your name on it." Sungyeol reassured when he saw that Sunggyu wasn't exactly okay with him going out alone.

 

"What if you get lost? You're not used to the neighbourhood yet!"

 

"I'll be alright, hyung. Dogs always find their way back, right? And it's not the first time I'll go out of here. We went shopping a few times already! Come on, hyung! You won't have to do it tomorrow night when you're tired from work!" the Hybrid whined cutely, hoping it would be convincing enough to get him permission to go out alone.

 

Sunggyu took a minute to weigh the pros and cons. Sungyeol had good arguments. It was almost alarming how easily he hit right in Sunggyu's weak spots. Sunggyu sighed.

 

"Okay. But you promise to be careful, okay?"

 

"Yes, hyung!" Sungyeol promised excitedly, his smile almost as big as the rest of his face. Sunggyu ruffled his hair and took a minute to call the takeout Sungyeol chose.

 

Then they sat in front of the TV, watching the last episode of the Star Wars series. It turned out Sungyeol was an even more avid fan than Sunggyu who had loved the movies since he was 12. Their marathon started when they both were lazing around the house on a Sunday night. It was too late to go out since Sunggyu had to work on the following day. They decided to watch a movie. But Sungyeol, since the cinema nights were rare at the orphanage, hadn't seen any of Sunggyu's favourites. Sungyeol admitted he never saw the Star Wars movies and Sunggyu almost cried in despair. He made it his mission to teach Sungyeol everything there is to know about the Ways of the Strength.

 

That leaves us here, on a rainy Thursday night, with the boys sprawled on the couch, eating fast food and screaming desperate replies to the unresponsive HD TV.

 

Sunggyu hadn't done that in ages. And it brought him a nice feeling of warmth inside. At least his lazy nights weren't as lonely as they used to be. He wished they could do this forever.

 

 

***

 

Sunggyu came back home that night only to find his living room redecorated in a... very original way.

 

"What is this!?" Sunggyu exclaimed, because honestly that was the right question to ask.

 

"Sunggyu-hyung, you're back already!?" Sunggyu saw a head come out of the precarious construction. Obviously, Sungyeol was disappointed, his ears falling flat on his head in a pitiful way. "It was supposed to be a surprise! For when you'd come back home after a long week at work!"

 

"And what is this supposed to represent, if I may ask?" Sunggyu asked, sceptical but not really doubting. He still had the best of surprises when it came from Sungyeol.

 

"It's a blanket fort!" Sungyeol beamed. And it effectively couldn't be anything else. Sungyeol had taken the kitchen's chairs in order to build a solid 'frame' for his blanket 'tent.' Saying that Sunggyu was prepared for such an experience would be a lie. "Now go put on your pyjamas, hyung! We have a lot of things planned for the night!" The hybrid shushed him away and entered back his palace.

 

Sunggyu complied with his pet's request and put on his favourite old hoodie and a squared pyjamas bottom. He neared the fort and heard something shuffling. "Can I come in?"

 

"Ah, yes! It's all ready."

 

Sunggyu crawled under the blankets and noticed all the efforts Sungyeol had put in his surprise: There was a pile of board games in a corner, their beds' pillows in another. Much to Sunggyu's pleasure, there was also a little amount of snacks and a few cans of Coke since Sungyeol knew he was always hungry when he came back from work.

 

"Wow, you planned it well, didn't you? Who taught you this?" Sunggyu didn't remember mentioning blanket forts before.

 

"Yes! I have been thinking about it for more than a week now! Sungjong and Dongwoo told me about blanket forts. They said that they would sometimes do this and play imaginary world when Howon isn't home." Sungyeol explained and handed him a plastic wrapper full of Sunggyu's favourite 'after work' snacks.

 

"Thank you." Sungyyu noticed just then that Sungyeol was also in his pyjamas. "Why do we have to wear our pyjamas?"

 

"Because we're having a pyjama party celebration!" Sungyeol's tail waggled behind him. "Don't you remember what day it is today?"

 

"uh, no?"

 

"It's been exactly three months today since you adopted me, hyung! How could you forget!?"

 

"To be honest, it feels like it was yesterday. Or ten years ago. I don't remember how it was before you came and I'm not sure I want to remember either! So if you say it's our three months anniversary, then I trust you, like I would with anything else, really!! Let's celebrate properly! What do we start with? Monopoly?"

 

Sungyeol stared at his hyung in awe. He never would have guessed that Sunggyu felt that way towards him. He couldn't stop the pleased light brush from spreading on his face. Sunggyu found it adorable and ruffled his hair, scratching between his ears.

 

"Yes, Monopoly!"

 

So they spent the rest of the night furiously playing Monopoly while munching on the snacks. After Sunggyu lost his second game (and nagged about it more than necessary) they decided to just lay on the pillows and rest for a while.

 

It was late at night, or maybe early in the morning. They both were tired and it seemed that they would end up sleeping on the living room floor that night.

 

Since they were celebrating their 'third month since adopting', Sunggyu let his mind drift towards souvenirs of that first night when he met Sungyeol. Images flashed in front of his eyes and then he realised something.

 

"Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to come home with me the first time we met? The Hybrids are supposed to chose the Master, am I wrong?" Sunggyu asked, his voice harsh with sleep. He could now clearly remember how Sungyeol was standing in front of him, watching his posture in order to appear 'more interesting'. Sunggyu remembers the over-enthusiastic smiles and the hope shining in the Hybrid's eyes.

 

"You were searching for a kitten! How could I seriously compete against a Kitten!?" I thought you'd refuse me because I have lots of energy." Sungyeol rolled on his side so he could see the older.

 

"More like: how can the Kittens compete against you!?"

 

"What? No!"

 

"Yes! Look, Sungyeol, you have to stop underestimating yourself. You're great, okay! Yes you do have energy, but it's because you are creative, outgoing, caring. Those Kittens can stay in their plush-y beds all they want; they'll never be as surprising as you are. I am one lucky Owner to have found you before anyone else, I truly believe it."

 

"Don't say that, hyung. It's embarrassing."

 

"It's not embarrassing if it makes you understand how positive your presence was, is and will be for me."

 

"Thank you, hyung."

 

"No, thank YOU, Sungyeol."

 

Sungyeol smiled, snuggled a little closer and fell asleep almost on the spot, his tail lazily wrapping Sunggyu's waist. They played well: he was definitely tired.

 

Sunggyu didn't sleep immediately. He was thinking about what he just admitted to Sungyeol. He was surprised by the honesty of his own speech, but more specifically with the ease with which he said it all. It's not like he was analyzing all the time the effects of Sungyeol had in his life. He just happened to know exactly what to say and it scared him a little, because now that he thought about it, it sounded exactly like a love declaration out from the latest cheesy movie in theatres. Maybe he was growing feelings for his tall hybrid. Maybe he should be careful.

 

Time would tell.

 

 

***

 

They were out for a run when Sunggyu realised he was already in too deep.

 

Of course living with those bad habits of taking roots on the couch at the first occasion for years left Sunggyu in a physical shape less developed that he would have wished.

 

Sungyeol noticed it when the elevator of the apartment complex broke. They had to take the stairs for at least four consecutive days and it couldn't have left Sunggyu in a better mood. Insert sarcasm here. The Master arrived on top of the fifteenth level with his breath short and almost a trail of sweat down his temples.

 

"Hyung." Sungyeol tried to aboard the subject with him without being fair and square rejected. "We should go out for exercise once in a while."

 

Sunggyu froze with his spoonful in front of his mouth, eyebrows frowned. "Why? Are you bored?"

 

Sungyeol chuckled. "No, hyung. It's just that I noticed you could... maybe... use it?" he finished talking with a small voice; one he hoped would be cute enough not to madden his hyung. Sungyeol knew Sunggyu couldn't resist his aegyo.

 

"You think I'm fat!?" Of course Sunggyu would understand only the negativity of the offer.

 

"No! No! Hyung, that's not what I meant!"

 

"Then what?"

 

"It's just that I noticed that you were out of breath after climbing up the stairs. I don't think it's good for your health, hyung! I don't want you to become sick!!"

 

Sunggyu was taken by surprise by how observant Sungyeol was. But again it was Sungyeol, Sunggyu should know that he wasn't dumb. And he was kind of right. The idea wasn't exactly the most appealing one though.

 

"We'll see." Sunggyu didn't refuse nor did he accept. Sungyeol caught the nuance and cheered about it. He could still convince him.

 

And convince he did! This is why they were both out in their shorts and sweatshirts, ready for a light jogging around the neighbourhood.

 

They started slowly, because it's their first run and they knew going too fast wouldn't be good on their bodies. But as time pass, Sunggyu noticed that Sungyeol was barely out of breath while he was sweating like a pig. The other was chatting happily, talking about nothing and everything. Sunggyu ended up allowing him to go faster. Because one: he didn't want him to lose his time waiting for him; and two because he was kind of self-conscious about his poor physical condition. He hoped his image wouldn't be tarnished in Sungyeol's eyes.

 

When they finally got home, the first thing Sunggyu did was to lay on his back in the middle of the living room.

 

"Never again!" he swore, because this was waaaay to tiring to be good for his health.

 

Sungyeol only laughed and hit him with his foot before stealing the shower.

 

But Sungyeol was a convincing Hybrid and Sunggyu couldn't refuse him anything. So he found himself running around the neighbourhood two days later. And then the day after too, and so on until Sunggyu was able to keep pace with his too-much-in-shape Pet: a still slow jogging, but a fair jogging at least.

 

On the third week, Sunggyu got the hang of it. He liked the dull ache in his thighs and the sensation of being light and fresh after a well deserved shower. That day had been particularly hectic at work and Sunggyu could notice the impact of it in his running: he was slower, as if he was digging in his last reserves of energy to accomplish the simple task of running. He warned Sungyeol of it, and the latter only ran a few steps in front of him; far enough to sweat a little, but close enough to say they were running together.

 

Tired as he was, Sunggyu's brain easily got distracted. His eyes fixated on Sungyeol's back, he ran in an automatic mode, letting his thoughts fly. He remembered when he met Sungyeol, how happy he was when he brought him to his small but cozy apartment. He remembered how silent and lonely it was before and wondered how he made it alone all this time. He could still see Myungsoo's reaction when he realised a newcomer (a Dog!!) had entered his (Woohyun's) apartment, his little pointy ears standing up his head, fangs uncovered, ready to scream and scratch. That was until Sungyeol started cooing at how pretty he was and tried to pet him. Obviously, Diva Cat-Myungsoo didn't mind a little admiration. Sunggyu recalled the countless cinema nights on the couch, the painful grocery runs (Sungyeol liked to eat, so he had to sample about everything that was possible before actually making a choice), the constant need for new clothes because the old ones became too short. Sunggyu wondered when Sungyeol would finally stop growing up once and for all - if he did, that is. Sunggyu was slowly losing hope to see that day happen, to be honest.

 

But most of all, Sunggyu saw Sungyeol. The blinding gummy smile with slightly-too-long canines, the eye-smiles. His lisp when he pronounced the 's'. The fluffy, especially expressive tail of his, wiggling non-stop on most days and wrapping around Sunggyu's waist or ankles whenever they would crash on the couch for a bit of TV. And then, right in front of him, the large - but still a little less large than Sunggyu's - shoulders that mirrored all his healthiness. His endless legs, refined waist and finally, finally his perfect little .

 

Sunggyu almost tripped over his own feet when he caught himself thinking that way. A slight panic invaded him and he didn't know what to do. Everything mixed up in his head and he was so troubled with what he just thought that he unconsciously accelerated his pace, catching up with Sungyeol in front of him. The faster they'd end their turn of the neighbourhood, the sooner Sunggyu could lock himself in the bathroom, alone, for a long and tormented bath.

 

His eyes up to the ceiling, his chin down the steaming water filling the bathtub, Sunggyu sighed. It seemed to be the only sound he was able to produce since he came back from their daily jogging. What was that earlier? Was he becoming a ert?

 

Sunggyu was forced to admit that what he said in the blanket fort the previous month had more meaning than he thought. Of course it was all true, that Sungyeol brought something new in his life But he only realised now how deep the meaning of it really was.

 

Sunggyu always had mixed feelings when he heard about Masters falling in love with their Hybrids. Of course Sunggyu could understand that every taste was in the nature and that everyone had their own kinks, but he could never actually picture it happening to him. They were part animals for God's sake. But then he only has to think about Sungyeol, about how human the Hybrid is to understand that he's a lost cause. All he wanted in the first place was a little company, but then he got way more than that.

 

Because what he thought were owner's possessiveness and attachment were in fact the feelings he was unconsciously repressing. A disguised blooming of lust and love.

 

 

***

 

 

Sungyeol was playing tag with Dongwoo in Howon's living room when he accidentally hit a porcelain statue. Sungyeol could see it fall down in an overly-dramatic slow-motion before it crashed on the floor, exploding in thousands pieces.

 

Sungyeol froze, his ears flat on his head: he knew he did a bad thing.

 

"What happened?" Howon inquired as Sunggyu and he entered the living room.

 

"I broke it." Sungyeol whispered, his voice shaking with all the tears starting to invade his big shiny eyes.

 

"It's okay, Sungyeol. It was collecting dust anyways." Howon brushed the incident with a reassuring hand on the Hybrid' shoulder.

 

"But... "

 

"No buts, Sungyeol. I tell you, it's okay." Howon cut him off before he could argue more.

 

But Sungyeol's tears wouldn't stop dripping. Too many bad memories reappearing to be able to control himself right now. His tail hanging low and his fists restlessly swiping the tears, Sungyeol pitifully sat on one end of the sofa. He truly hoped he would be able to calm down, but the images were flashing in his mind in an endless spiral he only wished he could escape.

 

Dongwoo and Sungjong tried to comfort him. They brought him toys, blankets, even a double chocolate chip cookie, Sungyeol's favourite. They even tried his fingers and tears covered cheeks, in an attempt to show Sungyeol they were there for him. Nothing worked.

 

Seeing that nothing would calm Sungyeol, Sunggyu decided that it would be better if they'd go back home. Maybe being in a more familiar place would help.

 

So they walked the two blocks in tensed silence. Sungyeol kept his hoodie up to hide his puffy red eyes and the salty water still dripping down his eyes.

 

As soon as they entered, Sungyeol rushed to hide under his blankets. Sunggyu felt panic slowly creep its way into his chest. What if he couldn't help Sungyeol in any way? He decided that he should try to understand the problem before taking any decision.

 

Sunggyu slowly opened the door of Sungyeol's room and peeked inside. As he thought, the Hybrid was wrapped into his sheets, face buried in his pillow. Sunggyu laid beside him and slowly petted his hair and soft ears. He waited a moment before he judged Sungyeol wouldn't feel attacked by his questions.

 

"Hey, Yeollie? What happened back there?" Sunggyu asked in a tone he hoped wouldn't be too imploring.

 

Sungyeol didn't answer.

 

"You know Howon wasn't mad, uh? He said it was useless. You don't have to be sad because you made a mistake. It happens."

 

Sungyeol cried harder.

 

"Oh ." Sunggyu cursed under his breath when he realised his words were having the opposite effect of what he first intended. He changed his tactic. "Do you want me to bake you some cookies? You know, the soft ones from last time? I'll let you break the eggs and mix it if you want."

 

"Why are you so kind to me?" It was only a whisper and Sunggyu almost missed it, but the question was there and Sungyeol truly seemed to believe what he was saying.

 

"What? What is this, all of a sudden?" Sunggyu stopped brushing Sungyeol's hair in order to look at him from a better angle.

 

"I'm a burden, aren't I?"

 

Sunggyu didn't like where this conversation was going. "No. No, Sungyeol. You're far from a burden. What makes you think that?"

 

"That's why they brought me back."

 

Sunggyu tensed. He understood what Sungyeol meant. He did, but he also wanted to hear it from Sungyeol. Not that he wanted to be cruel to his beloved Pet, but Sungyeol never talked about it. He kept it all bottled up inside, being all cheerful and happy-hippo and Sunggyu firmly believed things couldn't stay like this. He wanted Sungyeol to spit all the venom out, to finally remove the weight on his heart, the only thing he couldn't really ever digest.

 

"I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean, Yeollie." Sunggyu used his pet name so show that he was still there with him. "I want to help you, but I can't if you don't give me any details."

 

"My former Masters..." Sungyeol spoke after what felt like an eternity. "My former Masters were wealthy. They got me from a renowned breeder in Jeju. They wanted the best of the best as a Hybrid Pet, so they chose based on the race they found the most attractive. I was the healthier of my litter and also the prettiest. Basically, they chose me because of my physique. I didn't want to go with them. Even if I was young, I felt like we weren't meant to be. You know how it's the Hybrid who chooses its Master. Well, there were a good handful of other Pets who wanted to go with them. But no, they had to choose me."

 

Sungyeol paused to gather his thoughts. Sunggyu resumed petting his hair.

 

"The first few weeks, things were okay. I was a young and energetic Puppy constantly asking for attention. They thought I was going to calm down with age, but eventually, they realised I wouldn't, because that was how I was. At first, they brought me everywhere they went. I met plenty of wealthy people and plenty of high class Pets. But I wasn't able to stay still. During the important events, I'd go around eating like a pig in the buffet, trying to get the Cats to play with me because I was seriously bored with all those penguins."

 

As Sungyeol spoke, his tears became rare, his sadness turning into some kind of cold anger or resentment.

 

"After a month and a half, they stated telling me hurtful things. 'You're handsome, but you have no brains' she would say after a painfully embarrassing scene at a ball. 'You're a useless Dog! Look at how well all those Pets behave and look at you!' he would say when we'd go out for a walk and I'd sniff around. Not a single day would pass without them telling me those awful things. I tried cheering them up with games or jokes. But what else could I do? We weren't meant to be, so eventually, it happened. I was playing by myself in the living room when I accidentally hit a picture frame hanging on the wall. It fell and the glass exploded. It wasn't the first time I broke something in the house, but this was the last drop. She yelled at me and he hit me once or twice behind the head before locking be in my room. The next day they brought me to the orphanage."

 

Sunggyu was stunned. He never knew. And he wished he had. Not knowing what to answer, he wrapped the Hybrid in a tight hug.

 

"I'm sorry, Sungyeol. I'm so, so sorry you had to go through all this."

 

"It's not your fault, hyung."

 

"I promise I won't ever do this to you, Yeollie. I promise. And if I do, you are allowed to hit me and leave."

 

"Promise me you won't ever bring me back to the orphanage, hyung. I don't want to be rejected ever again."

 

"I promise."

 

Sungyeol sat up and handed out his pinkie. Sunggyu locked his with Sungyeol's and they smiled at each other.

Sungyeol's eyes shone 'Thank you'.

 

Sunggyu's 'I love you'.

 

The moment lasted a minute, maybe two or ten. Sungyeol broke it all when he asked:

 

"Can we bake those cookies?"

 

***

 

Sungyeol's first heath happened maybe two months later, at the weirdest moment. It took both of them by surprise, but there again; Sunggyu should have known it would come one day or another. Sungyeol was 15 months old now and it was, as Woohyun said, an advanced age to finally have the first heaths.

 

They went shopping on Wednesday night since Sungyeol had grown taller of yet another two inches (which should be the last ones, Sunggyu prayed). Sunggyu chose warm wool sweaters and cotton pants for Sungyeol since winter was near. Shopping with Sungyeol wasn't exactly easy. He was touching everything, sniffing everyone and bugging Sunggyu to play hide and seek in the rows of popular-branded clothes. It was tiring, but it was worth it. When they came back home, Sungyeol excitedly removed the tags of his new clothes and hugged Sunggyu until the latter almost choked as if it was the best gift he had ever received. Then he tried to wear them all at the same time. Needless to say that it failed miserably. At least they laughed at their hearts' content.

 

Sungyeol finally chose one cardigan to wear and planned in which order he would wear the rest during the following days. Sunggyu only watched him from the doorstep of his room, shaking his head, full of emotions. He made no case of this and left to prepare a snack before they head to bed.

 

The following day, Sungyeol wore a woollen sweater stripped in brown and green. He spent the day scratching his arms and belly, as if the rough material was scraping even under his skin. He grew tired of it and finally changed to a worn out t-shirt in Sunggyu's collection of old rock bands shirts. The scratching stopped, but the feeling remained, as if he had gotten used to it and now felt it permanently. Maybe he did react to the wool. When Sunggyu realised Sungyeol had changed, he couldn't really blame him. It's true that it was hot in the apartment. And well, Sungyeol did look kind of great in Sunggyu's comfy old clothes.

 

That night, Sungyeol felt restless. It was like he ran on pure energy radiating from his belly. He barely slept and when he succeeded in falling asleep, it as to awake less than an hour later with his heart beating fast and sweat on his forehead. At the break of dawn, he finally abandoned the idea of falling asleep and dragged himself on the couch to watch TV.

 

When Sunggyu woke up to go to work , he found Sungyeol munching on pieces of toast in front of the TV. He frowned. It was unusual for the other to be up this early.

 

"Good morning, Yeollie. Why are you up so early?" Sunggyu asked between two yawns.

 

"I couldn't sleep" He said he couldn't sleep, but he looked tired.

 

"Oh. I guess it happens sometimes. Do you want something special for breakfast?" Sunggyu changed the subject because there was nothing he could do about it.

 

He was about to leave for work and telling his last recommendations to Sungyeol. "Try catching a little sleep while I'm not here okay? It will be silent so you won't be disturbed." He finished with a peck on Sungyeo's forehead.

 

"Yes, hyung. I'll try." Sungyeol replied and locked the door behind his leaving Master.

 

Once alone, Sungyeol realised two things. 1: the sensation of Sunggyu's peck remained on his forehead, as if his lips had never left the skin. 2: the tickling under his skin was back and a little more intense than the previous day.

 

Sungyeol stood still in the middle of the apartment. He felt like something was different, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what. He felt hypersensitive without any reason. Now that Sunggyu was gone, he noticed that he smelled different things with alarming clarity even if those things were meters away. He also felt like the space around him was too wide, yet too stuffy. Sungyeol felt like running around for hours, but also like sleeping the whole day. The options were infinite, so he decided to shut the voices in his head (since they were driving him crazy) and just stop thinking.

 

He ended up in Suggyu's bed, the face buried in his pillow. The scent was calming. Sungyeol could almost feel Sunggyu's fingers in his hair and his voice relating him his day at work. With deep breaths, Sungyeol finally fell asleep.

 

He woke up when Sunggyu shut the front door closed at the end of his day. Sungyeol realised he was only in his underwear, his clothes messily discarded in the sheets. He frowned. He definitely was dressed when he went to bed. He hurried to put the clothes back on before reaching the kitchen to welcome Sunggyu. The latter was already in the kitchen, preparing the dinner while humming a song. Sungyeol suddenly had an urge to back hug him and hide his face in the crook of his neck. Sunggyu jumped in surprise, but soon realised who it was and continued his cooking.

 

"Were you able to sleep?" The latter casually asks.

 

"Yeah, I just woke up." Sungyeol mumbled.

 

"You sleepy-head napped all day!?"

 

"Yeah"

 

"This is better not become a habit. It's not good for your health."

 

"I know. I'll try to correct this, hyung."

 

They ate and spent the evening watching TV. Sungyeol couldn't help but lay on his side and rest his head on Sunggyu's lap. The fingers in his hair brought shivers down his spine.

 

When came time to sleep, of course Sungyeol wasn't able to do so. He had spent the day napping and now his body was fully recharged. As the previous night, he tossed and turned. This time, he lost no time in choosing to do something else. He silently crept under Sunggyu's sheets and back hugged him.

 

Sunggyu woke up with his nose in Sungyeol's chest. Well, this was a first, but he made no case of it. Maybe the other only had a nightmare. Without waking the other up, he silently left the room to prepare for work.

 

It was the middle of the afternoon when he received the alarmed phone call from Sungyeol.

 

"Hyung. Something strange is happening and I don't know what you do." Sungyeol almost whined.

 

"What's wrong, Yeollie? Did you hurt yourself?" Sunggyu panicked.

 

"You have to come back and help me, please. I tried to wait until tonight but it's not possible, hyung. Please come back."

 

Sunggyu didn't need anything to convince him to go back home. He arrived 20 painfully long minutes later with Sungyeol nowhere to be seen.

 

"Yeollie, where are you?!"

 

"In the bathroom, hyung." Sungyeol's voice was muffled by the door, but Sunggyu still caught the desperate tone into it.

 

"Are you okay?" he asked, knocking on the door.

 

"Hyung, I'm hot. I feel like there are waves of an ant's army charging under my skin. I tried showering but I'm still hot. And my..." Sungyeol stopped mid-sentence, as if he just decided that it was finally not a good idea to say that.

 

"Your what, Sungyeol? You have to tell me if you want me to help you, okay?"

 

"My... peeing tool is swollen. And it hurts."

 

"Your peei....AH." It clicked. Sunggyu should have seen it coming. All the signs were there. Sungyeol not being able to sleep properly, feeling restless, him suddenly being even touchier, the scratching of skin. It was all there, right in front of Sunggyu's eyes. But because it was the first time, because both of them weren't used or ready for what was happening now, Sunggyu didn't connect the dots. Until now. He slapped his face at how dumb he had been and sighed.

 

"Okay Sungyeol, listen to me. This is an important matter. Are you listening?"

 

"Yes, hyung."

 

"This is... these are your heaths, Sungyeol." Silence welcomed his revelation. He lightly knocked on the door. "Sungyeol, are you okay?"

 

"ye-yes, hyung. I... what do I do?"

 

"I'm going to tell you what to do, Yeollie, But you have to do it, even if it's embarrassing, because it won't go away if you don't okay?"

 

"I... why?"

 

"I know that it hurts right now, but take your peeing tool in your hand, Sungyeol."

 

"What? Why?"

 

"Do as I say, Sungyeol. Hold it. And then move your hand up and down on it. Do it again and again and again." Sunggyu waited a moment for Sungyeol to execute the directive. "Can you feel it?"

 

"y-yeah. This is embarrassing, hyung. I don't want to do this anymore."

 

"But you have to. The heath won't go away unless you come." Sunggyu heard a groan from behind the door, and he couldn't tell if it was from rage or from pleasure. The sound was though, but Sunggyu promised himself that he wouldn't try doing anything about his unbearable feelings about his precious Sungyeol. He couldn't, it wouldn't be right. Not when Sungyeol was still so innocent and didn't fully understand the concept of 'couple'. And this was even less the moment to seize the opportunity.

 

"Everything's going to be alright, Sungyeol. Hyung is here." Sunggyu decided that since he couldn't directly help the Hybrid, he would least encourage him. "It also happens to hyung, sometimes. You didn't know, uh? It's the same thing, except my own heaths are not as intense as yours. It's because you're a Hybrid."

 

Sunggyu could hear deep breaths behind the door. "You're doing good, Sungyeol." Sunggyu continued his encouragements, but he mixed his sentences with... dirtier ones. He knew that Sungyeol would need a little... provocation if he wanted to finally reach his . He also knew that Sungyeol wouldn't understand the exact meaning of what he was saying: he didn't have the knowledge to seize all the details. Sunggyu felt awkward, but it was all for Sungyeol's well-being so he it up (no pun intended) and tried his best to help his Pet on the other side of the door. Not that he could prevent his blood to rush a little bit more quickly in his veins though.

 

"H-hyunung~" Singyeol whined after endless minutes. "It's becoming worse."

 

"It's normal, Sungyeol. It means you're doing a good job. You'll soon be very, very hot, okay. And then something will creep inside you and will want to get out. Don't fight it, okay? It's normal. Even if it hurts, let it go. Hyung is here, Sungyeol. Everything will be alright, I promise."

 

And as Sunggyu had predicted, it didn't take long before he heard a moan and a sharp breath catching in a throat. "H-hyung!... Hyung." Sungyeol didn't sound like he controlled the situation at all.

 

"It's alright, Sungyeol. Did it come out? You'll be alright now. It's okay. You did a good job. Take time to get over it, okay? Hyung will go to the living room to give you a little privacy, okay?"

 

Sungyeo didn't answer. Instead, Sunggyu heard the shower run. He guessed Sungyeol would come out when he would be ready.

 

It was only late evening when he did. With his head hung low, Sungyeol didn't dare to look at the other in the eyes, ashamed of what just happened. He made his way to his room without even sending a glance towards Sunggyu on the couch, the latter looking at him questioningly. Ashamed was not strong enough to describe how Sungyeol felt at the moment. He hid under his blankets.

 

Sunggyu didn't know what to do. On a hand he could go and have the talk with Sungyeol. On the other hand he could just let it go and pretend nothing ever happened. He decided that he couldn't let Sungyeol alone in such an important moment.

 

When he entered the room, Sungyeol had his back facing him, but Sunggyu knew he wasn't sleeping. He joined him on the bed, back hugging him with the sheet separating them. They kept silent, the kind of comfortable silence you have when together with someone precious.

 

Sleep took them by surprise, and before they knew it, the habit of sleeping together, wrapped in each other's warmth became a normal aspect of their shared life.

 

***

 

 

Sunggyu unconsciously made it his mission to make Sungyeol understand the meaning of 'couple'. He could have forced Sungyeol into the kissing/making love process. He could have, but he wasn't like that and the meaning of it wouldn't have been what Sunggyu was searching for. Sunggyu wanted Sungyeol to connect the dots by himself, to realise what was really going on between the two of them.

 

Maybe Sunggyu was imagining things. Maybe he just wanted too much to believe that the cuddling in front of the TV, the back hugs while cooking, the grocery trips [dates] and the small talks over supper were sings of something different than a normal relationship between a Master and his Pet. Not to mention the spooning in bed and clothes exchanges. Maybe Sunggyu just wanted to see too much into the situation. (But truly, he wasn't seeing things)

 

He started watching cheesy romance dramas on Friday and Sunday night. The ones where the protagonists turn around the pot for 15 episodes before finally realising it's Love. He fell on one episode by hazard one night and just had to know how it would end. That's what he told himself. In fact, he just wanted to expose Sungyeol to 'couple-y' material to stimulate the realisation.

 

Always by his side, Sungyeol would watch without complaining, because he could honestly watch about anything as long as it didn't imply too rough material. Sunggyu's favourite aspect of Sungyeol was that he could always guess what the Hybrid was thinking by the way his animal anatomy moved in different contexts. Like how his ears would flatten on his head when he did something bad, and how he would wrap his tail around his body when he was cold or scared. Sungyeol's ears were showing signs of interests in front of these dramas.

 

It was a commercial break when Sungyeol spoke. His tone was casual, but it hid something else. Sunggyu understood with the question asked. It was a little bit of boredom.

 

"It's been a long time since we last watched Star Wars, hyung. Could we watch X-Men too?"

 

"Hm, yeah. After we finished that drama, okay?"

 

Sungyeol sighed. "Okay, Hyung. But..."

 

Sunggyu finally glanced towards Sungyeol. "But what?" he raised an eyebrow. It was rare that the latter replied like this.

 

"Why are we watching those romantic comedies recently? Are you feeling lonely?" Of course Sungyeol would notice the slightly different change in Sunggyu's usual sci-fi/super hero watch-lists. He wasn't stupid.

 

"Hummm, not exactly." Sunggyu pensively scratched his temple.

 

"Then why?"

 

"Don't you think we kind of act like those characters?"Sungyeol didn't know what to answer, so he just stared at Sunggyu, his head cocked to the side, thinking. Seeing that Sungyeol wasn't catching on what he was insinuating, he decided to drop the matter. "Forget it, Yeollie. Let's watch Iron Man okay?"

 

On Friday, Sunggyu had yet to disconnect from his chick-flick dramas. The season was almost over and the cheesiest scenes were abundant, if not over-aggressively so.

 

"Hey, we do that sometimes." Sungyeol noticed. And he noticed again and again and again. By the end of it, Sungyeol was helplessly lost. "Hyung. If we act like the characters of the drama, does it mean that we are like a couple?"

 

Finally!!!!!! Sunggyu felt like crying of happiness.

 

"Do you know what 'couple' implies, Sungyeol?" Sungyeol sheepishly shook his head. "Two persons become a couple because they feel good with each other's company, Sungyeol. When they want to spend the majority of their time together, hold hands, go on trips, lazily walk around the neighbourhood at night, play while washing the dishes, spoon while sleeping... kiss and later, way later because this kind of thing is not to be taken lightly, share their heats... People become a couple because they love each other, Sungyeol."

 

Sunggyu could almost see the gears turn in Sungyeol's head. Sunggyu gave him time to ponder his words. After what felt like an eternity, Sungyeol spoke again.

 

"Hyung, you know all those things you mentioned?" Sunggyu nodded. "Well I can't picture myself doing it with anyone else than you." Sunggyu's stomach made a flip. Sungyeol was feeling the same thing as him. Sunggyu delicately cupped Sungyeol's face and rubbed his cheekbone with his thumb.

 

"I can't picture myself with anyone else either." He whispered so low it was almost inaudible, as if he was afraid to say it out loud.

 

Sunggyu couldn't really register who took the first step. Their lips met somewhere along the way, between a scratch behind a fluffy ear and a blinding smile. For that, Sungyeol didn't need any explanation. It came naturally, with fluttering touches and whispered caring words.

 

Sunggyu knew their relationship would have to stay hidden because the society's opinion about human/Hybrid relationships was not the most positive one. He couldn't talk about it, even with his friends. He knew they would understand (somehow, Sunggyu had doubts about Woohyun's nocturnal activities with his own Hybrid, Myungsoo) but it was still too early to tell them. He knew Sungyeol was aware of it too, since he went through such a traumatic experience with his previous owners. The road ahead of them was paved with some challenges, but for the moment, Sunggyu couldn't care less. The only thing that really mattered was the feeling of Sungyeol's tail around his waist and the soft lips slowly dancing against his own.

 

 

***

 

Sunggyu yawned and quickly extended his hand to stop the annoying noise of his alarm. Then he breathed deeply, rubbed his half-open eyes with his close fist and sat trying to come back from the depth of his sleep.

 

Pressed in a ball into his side, Sungyeol stirred in his sleep at the sudden cold air from the blanket moving and agitation besides him. He peeked up at Sunggyu through his hair falling into his eyes.

 

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice harsh with sleep.

 

"Not time for you to wake up yet, Yeollie. Go back to sleep." Sunggyu whispered back and replaced the blanket around the Hybrid's body.

 

"Will you come back late tonight?" Sungyeol's eyes barely stayed open.

 

"No, not tonight. We have to celebrate so I might even be a little early" Synggyu announces with a smile in his voice.

 

"We celebrate?"

 

"Happy first year, Yeollie."

 

Sungyeol's eyes snapped open in a matter of milliseconds. "I almost forgot. Happy first year, Hyung!" He said and the tired smile he sent Sunggyu made the latter want to coo and swoon and pinch the Hybrid's cheeks. Instead, he leaned in and dropped a tender kiss on top of Sungyeol's nose.

 

---

A/N: Sungyeol doesn't know about heaths because 1- he was too young when the previous masters brought him back to the orphanage (so he didn't have the talk)and 2- whenever any other hybrid had his heats at the orphanage, they would quickly put him/her in another room so the others/younger wouldn't be troubled by it (and to prevent some would become pregnant too.. ^^) which means Sungyeol knows about the existence of heats, but it was never in his daily life so he just doesn't know how to deal with that (and how it would happen, for that instance)