Before the day Chanyeol was given the go signal to pick up Baekhyun, when he received the call from the doctor telling him the good news, he screamed in silent joy – a permanent grin plastered on his face the rest of the remaining day – enough to amuse his friends and roommates of the oozing happy demeanor.

“You’re picking up the hybrid tomorrow?” Jongin, his roommate said.

“Yeah, they called me this morning.” Chanyeol answers with hinted delight as he unpacked groceries to prepare for Baekhyun’s coming.

“Hybrid?” Kyungsoo, Jongin’s cat hybrid, chimes in in wonder. “Another hybrid?”

“Yes, Soo. Remember the hybrid I told you about five days ago?” Chanyeol tells him to which Kyungsoo nods in response. “He’ll be living with us from now on so I expect you to treat him well. He’s gone through a lot and I don’t want any further harm on him.”

“Okay.” Kyungsoo answers, his cat tail swaying lazily behind.

“Are you sure he’ll be better off here than at the shelter?” Jongin asks, leaning onto the kitchen counter as he watched Chanyeol unpack while petting Kyungsoo beside.

“Yeah, doctor even said so. He’ll still be undergoing therapy but under my care. He doesn’t seem to want to listen to the people there and they’re having a hard time proceeding with it.”

“What about us then, will he be fine with me and Kyungsoo? – a cat breed no less.” Jongin watches as Kyungsoo moved in to help his roommate with unpacking the food – placing them in their rightful places even using his tail as a third hand.

“I don’t know, honestly.” Chanyeol sighs. “But a homey environment is far better than the hybrid shelter for him.”

“I see, don’t worry then. Kyungsoo and I will make sure he’ll be fine here.”

♠♠♠

Chanyeol was a jittery mess as he drove to the shelter – a long hour car ride of fidgeting hands and restlessness. He was excited to see Baekhyun, but he was also nervous because while he had a fair experience of taking care of hybrids who has a history of abuse and maltreatment in his past, this is the first time he is actually bringing one back home.

Now standing in front of the shelter’s entrance, Chanyeol could feel his heart pounding so much it felt like it’ll pop out of chest any second, so nervous for he doesn’t know what to expect once again.

“Chanyeol! You’re here, finally.” A staff nurse greets him and welcomes him in.

“Hi noona, how’s everything?” Chanyeol follows her as she guides him further inside.

“It’s been great – Baekhyun’s physical health is improving, his wounds are healing, he’s never been better. But we can also confirm that Baekhyun is really far better off under your care.” She looks at him in both amusement and concern. “He doesn’t listen to any of us, only following our orders when we mention your name and that you’ll be picking him up one of these days.”

Chanyeol laughs at the remark; the nervousness he feels slowly ebbing away and replaces by giddy excitement. “Where is he?”

“He’s at the garden.” She chuckles. “He refuses to go back to his room knowing you’re picking him up today.”

What greeted Chanyeol at the garden was a similar scene that greeted him on his first visit. Seated at a bench from the distance and facing away to the open garden area, the hybrid sat idle while his furry tail swayed lazily behind. There were more hybrids this time, all playing actively in different groups, but only Baekhyun was seated on his own and away from the rest.

“He refuses to play with anyone else, and still flinches and steps away from unknown people.” She tells him.

“What has he gone through to act this way...” Chanyeol said with a hint of anger more to himself.

In response, the nurse only sighs. “A lot I guess. We learned from observation that based on behavior and readings that Baekhyun was treated literally as an animal – not as the half-human he is.”

“So they treated him like a dog?”

“Yes. Trained and fed like a dog. He’s one of those hybrid cases were the owner doesn’t see them as the half-human they are but as the half-animal they are entirely. And that’s why he can barely speak.”

“He can’t speak?” Chanyeol’s heart pains at the newfound information. “They didn’t teach him how to speak?”

“He can now with little and short words, but he can’t converse yet. Every behavior he shows points to literally a dog.” She sighs in dismay but turns to Chanyeol now with a smile. “Want to call him out? He’s been waiting for you.”

Chanyeol is quiet for a moment, simply watching the hybrid from afar with concern and pain at the thought of what he might have gone through and how he was treated before they rescued him. What he sees next pains him even more, confirming what the nurse had just told him.

A child hybrid strays away from her group, following the ball she was playing with that rolled towards Baekhyun’s direction. It did not roll in front of him directly and there was still a fair amount of distance between him and the ball, but the girl’s sudden appearance all the more at her haste run towards him had him flinching in fear and looked ready to bolt away the moment she comes anywhere nearer – his tail curling in fear under the bench with hands gripping tightly the edge. Once the girl leaves to go back to her group, it takes Baekhyun another few minutes before he calms down again – the slow slump of his shoulders and limping of both ears and tail.

Not waiting any longer, Chanyeol calls out to the hybrid. “Baekhyun!”

At the loud call of his deep voice that even the other hybrids heard and had them pausing their activities for a few seconds; Baekhyun turns to him in an abrupt manner. And just like the first time, he stands in haste at the sight of the tall man. His tail begins to wag livelier and his ears twitch in excitement – a contrary to the surprised look on his face.

Moving a few steps closer, Chanyeol once again kneels in a conscious effort to lessen his intimidating height. Waving slightly to the hybrid, Chanyeol greets him with the same familiar smile.

“Hey Baekhyun, told you I’d be back.”

But if at the first time Baekhyun placed space between them both at the beginning, he runs immediately to his arms this time; stumbling Chanyeol to the ground in his excitement.

Laughing, Chanyeol equally embraces the hybrid. “Woah woah woah… calm down pup, calm down--”

“He really absolutely likes you.” The nurse said in utter amusement. The next scenes had her smiling widely next as well as the few staff within the area who are also witnesses to the joyous exchange.

Now seated at the ground and not at all minding the dirt that’ll probably stick to his pants, Chanyeol pulls away from the hybrid who knelt between his legs but not fully as the other refuses to let go.

“Hi.” He says again and with a grin to match.

As the nurse has said, Baekhyun is not able to speak, but his ears and tail as well as his expressions were enough to tell them how he feels. By that, he greets Chanyeol with a puppy smile – his eyes turning crescents while his tail swayed actively behind – white fur bouncing as it hits the ground a few times, and his ears twitching every so often.

But Chanyeol’s grin falters to a frown of concern when he feels Baekhyun’s hands, or fists rather, paw his chest. He takes one of them with his and proceeds to teach the hybrid the first lesson.

“Open your hands, Baekhyun. You’re half-human and these are hands not paws.” He slowly pries Baekhyun’s fist open who follows in absolute wonder – tail now a slow sway while he eyed their hands in awe like a child.

When his hand was finally open, palms pressed together with Chanyeol’s, Baekhyun looks at him and back to their hands in childlike amusement, his ears twitching the same time. He looks at his other hand then, eyeing it and the open palm back and forth, blinking at the new learned act. After some time, he paws Chanyeol’s other hand to do the same. And with both hands now pressed together, Baekhyun’s face brightens and his tail starts to sway lively once again.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol and the rest of the staff on site who were watching, smiles in equal happiness – proud and delighted that the hybrid is finally, slowly starting to learn – and without hesitance too.

“Well then, would you like to finalize the process of temporary adoption?” The nurse interrupts them with a delighted clap, smiling at Baekhyun who looked at her in return.

“Of course.” Chanyeol answers as he gently guided Baekhyun for both of them to stand.

“Great, but Baekhyun would have to check in to the doctor first before he leaves