Inside and Out

A/N - Read please: Just so you know, this is a slight interruption... this was supposed to be part 2 to the last chapter but I'm interrupting it with this beautiful one shot about Suho... there's still some LuKai in it so please read and I hope you like. I'm really happy with this and would have given it its own story page, but it belongs in this AU so I'm keeping it here as its own chapter.

Please enjoy!

Inside and Out
7700+ words
SuChen Side Pairing

Suho is not anyone's actual parent. He hasn't procreated with another being at all, but he feels as though he must have. How else does one explain the way he parents those around him? He has learned how to take care of himself from his own well-rounded parents. His dad loves his mom despite her own hybrid status. They both work hard and do their best to teach that having an open mind and being understanding of everyone’s personal struggle is what is important. It is in this that Suho carries hope that all will work out between the two species, even if the hybrid population is still skeptical as a whole due mostly to how different they can be physically.

He supposes that he’s rather lucky, in a way. He’s a hybrid, and yet, he can camouflage almost seamlessly in public with the rest of the humans. He isn’t like Kai who has to hide his cat ears under beanies and hope that his tail stays snuggly wrapped around his leg while wearing jeans. Baekhyun had also been lucky, but his hair is naturally fluffier almost like fur and he has a harder time controlling his eye color than Kai. This is mostly because they’re two different colors. It is weird enough to have bright yellow or orange eyes, but Baekhyun has one yellow and one blue and as awesome as it looks to Suho, it’s creepy to most people. Thankfully, most of Suho’s genetic differences actually lie within his genetics. Well, most.

Still, his nearly human appearance gives him the upper hand in standing up for his fellow hybrids without giving anyone the ammunition to make fun of him. He hasn’t spent his youth being bullied like Kai and Baekhyun. But, he feels an innate need to take them in and care for them as much as he can.

He is still incredibly happy that Kai has found someone; a human no less. It’s a reassuring thing to Suho who knows all about Kai’s past and what he has been through. Now, if he could only see Baekhyun progress. What Baekhyun needs is not a parent, necessarily, but someone who will watch him quietly and yet confidently pull him back from bad decisions.

Right now, Suho is the one to do this. Suho takes care of Baekhyun because Baekhyun needs it and maybe Suho needs someone to take care of. He isn’t too sure about that, but for now he feels it is a safe assumption.

Suho does his best not to rely on anyone to get them through. Before, it was the three of them who shared the apartment. It is sparse and not of the greatest quality, but they don’t live in anything that might present a health risk. Still, Suho takes to cleaning the place to the best of his ability when he has the time. And that’s exactly what he’s doing when he hears the door open.

“Suho??!” Baekhyun’s voice flows through the apartment, catching Suho’s attention immediately. Suho looks up and wonders just what the other is up to. Baekhyun only ever walks in with immediate volume when he wants or needs something.

“I’m in the kitchen, Baekkie,” Suho says softly to illustrate that the other really didn’t need to yell.

Baekhyun enters the room, but only slightly. He stays perched at the door frame. “So… you know how Kai is gone now and it kind of feels a little empty around here?”

Suho laughs to himself because it is not at all empty in their apartment. The problem lies in Baekhyun’s need for a constant playmate, which is something that Suho doesn’t always have the energy to do.

“What if… well, wouldn’t it be a good idea…? Couldn’t we maybe just…”

“Baekhyun, what?” Suho asks turning completely towards the other in complete seriousness.

“You see, there’s this hybrid who-”

“Baek, we’re not taking in a stray.” Suho barely let the sentence escape his lips when he hears a small whimper from the front room of the apartment. Suho lowers his tone to an accusing whisper, “Baekhyun, you didn’t.”

“He’s hurt, Suho. Really bad. Like, worse than I’ve seen before. I couldn’t leave him and he seems really sweet,” Baekhyun states with a plea.

“Baek. You and Kai were one thing. You were attached at the hip and we knew each other for a while. I haven’t exactly thought about bringing anyone else into our house.”

“He’s really afraid. Please? Can we at least let him stay for a day or two until we figure out something else?” Baekhyun dances in place as if the maneuver will motivate Suho to saying yes.

Suho won’t deal with the curiosity any further and rounds the corner to the other room. Sitting on the floor is definitely a hybrid. His black thin cat ears are nestled in a sea of black and orange hair. Yellow-green eyes peer at Suho in both fear and desperation. The poor thing is shaking. His tail is fluffy and mimics the black and orange coloring with small tips of fur highlighted in white. The clothes he is wearing are thin and worn out and just barely enough to cover him. Suho gasps at the calico who would normally be more than stunning if it weren’t for his injuries.

His left ear looks nipped at the corner while his tail is bent at an odd angle about two-thirds of the way down. The skin on his face looks swollen in some areas and showing hints at bruising that either has nearly healed or about to show. He has one hand resting on a knee while his other hand looks like it should be doing the same, but it’s limp and close to falling to the hybrid’s side. Suho’s almost certain that the other must have more injuries, but the ones that are noticeable are already causing him to worry.

‘What’s your name?” Suho asks gently.

The hybrid looks fitfully from Suho to Baekhyun. Baekhyun kneels in front of the calico. “He’s a hybrid too. I promised you, right? Suho, show him your eyes.”

Suho looks to the calico and back to Baekhyun. He hasn’t shown his natural eye color in a while. It’s the easiest way to disclose his hybrid status and so he crouches down in front of the injured one and relaxes.

Suho can tell the moment the facade falls from his eyes when the calico can clearly see the aqua colored eyes that Suho keeps hidden almost constantly. “What’s your name?” he tries to ask when the hybrid seems to relax a little.

“Chen.”

“Chen. Okay, can you tell me what happened? Can I look at whatever injuries you have?” Suho doesn’t bother to cover up his eye color just yet. Chen seems to be fixated with staring into his eyes and Suho thinks he doesn’t mind so much as long as the calico is calm. “The kink in your tail, is that new or something you’ve had for a while?” Suho asks first.

“Few months…” Chen lets out.

“I’d qualify that as still somewhat new. What about the bruising or the ear? What about your hand?” Suho asks while nearly touching the other’s paw but settling on simply referring to it by gesture.

Chen pulls his arm away as if he can hide it. He merely shrugs but the wince is apparent.

“Will you tell me what happened to you?”

Chen’s bright eyes seem to glaze over slightly.

“I think he had an owner or master. He seemed like he was running away,” Baekhyun assumes.

“No! I didn’t run away! I was bad. I was kicked out,” Chen rushes to explain.

“Bad how? You seem really nice,” Baekhyun prods.

“I didn’t listen,” he answers as though it is enough to answer the question.

Suho looks at Baekhyun and then returns his gaze to Chen once more. He’s more than angry, because no one deserves to be injured - especially to this extent. “We will need to go to the clinic. You have injuries that I can’t completely mend here. However, once we get you taken care of, you’re welcome to come here for rest.”

The calico looks at the other two and simply nods once in understanding. It’s times like this that Suho wishes he had a car. The bus ride to the clinic isn’t too long or difficult, but it is the necessity of having to take Chen outside in his current state that worries him.

“Chen, I’m going ask that you let me get you some of my clothes to borrow. We have to take the bus and I think we need to cover you up a bit more.” Suho can see that Chen is resistant to the idea, but the calico nods for the second time.

It is twenty minutes later when the three emerge from the apartment to head to the bus stop.

Suho calls Luhan later in the evening to pick the three of them up from the clinic. He wouldn’t normally, but he has Chen with his tail bandaged and arm in a sling and there’s just no way to hide the hybrid status so that they’ll feel comfortable on the public transportation.

Baekhyun is trying his best with ridiculous smiles and lame jokes to make the injured calico at least smile after everything he has gone through. He’s a little high on pain relievers though, which is lucky for Baekhyun since the other thinks he is hilarious. Suho just tries to ignore the ruckus until Luhan arrives. He leaves Kai at home since four passengers fills his car comfortably, and Kai doesn’t mind when the errand helps Suho.

Suho is torn on whether or not to prep Chen for the fact that Luhan is human and not hybrid. He doesn’t want the calico to panic. Suho thinks that maybe all of the medication will keep Chen from caring at least until they can get him home. He looks to Baekhyun and tries to give him a look to convey that he should keep up what he is doing and keep Chen distracted. Baekhyun seems to get it and doesn’t let up with keeping Chen happy.

When Luhan pulls up to the clinic, Suho can see the pain in the other’s eyes as soon as he sees the calico. Suho wishes all humans were like Luhan. At least Luhan had the empathy to care.

“Suho…” Luhan breathes in shock.

“He’ll be just fine. He just needs rest now. He needs to be somewhere stable for a bit so he doesn’t go re-hurting anything,” Suho says to reassure him. He tries to talk quietly so that Chen’s attention isn’t brought to them over the topic.

“Hey! ChenChen, look! Our ride is here. Isn’t that a nice looking car? You can sit with me in the back!” Baekhyun squeaks. Chen looks up at the car and smiles in agreement. He moves to step forward and wobbles a bit. Suddenly, more than one pair of hands are on the hybrid to help him to the car.

“Baekhyun, get in first. You can help get Chen situated from inside,” Suho instructs.

The younger nods and scoots into the car and turns his radiant smile on the calico as Suho helps ease him down into the seat. Chen scoots in, mostly oblivious to anything other than the pristine interior of the car and Baekhyun’s constant stream of conversation.

Suho closes the car door and turns to Luhan, “Let’s go.”

The car ride becomes silent as the movement seems to lull the calico into a drowsy state of half-sleep. Baekhyun stops talking, but doesn’t stop paying attention to the other in case he needs to be distracted again. If nothing, Baekhyun is great at distractions.

Luhan doesn’t ask Suho anything while they are in the car and Suho is grateful that Luhan seems to understand the situation without needing an explanation. Luhan is quick to drive them back to their apartment and offers to help get Chen inside, but Suho declines with a tight smile and after removing Chen from the car tells Luhan to say ‘hi’ to Kai for him. Luhan leaves the three of them a moment later, anxious to tell Kai everything he has seen in the short span of time.

“Come on, ChenChen, there’s an extra bed that is yours now. Lets get you comfy!” Chen leans heavily against Baekhyun’s side. It could have been that he would have leaned against Suho, but it is his bad hand that is in the sling closest to Suho and naturally he doesn’t want there to be any pressure placed on it. Suho helps by opening doors and making sure there are no hazards in the walking path through to the room that Baekhyun had shared with Kai. Only once inside the room does Suho take to helping Chen get situated on the small bed.

“This is your room now, okay? Baekkie sleeps over there, so he’s not far if you need anything. Are you hungry or thirsty? Do you need anything?”

The calico shakes his head while yawning.

“Rest then. You’ll feel much better soon.” Suho watches as Baekhyun takes a seat on his own bed and looks over to the almost sleeping hybrid.

“He can stay right? I don’t think he came from a good place, Suho,” Baekhyun asks in a whisper.

“He can stay.”

Baekhyun relaxes visibly and takes to watching the hybrid fall asleep. Suho stays near the doorframe and can’t find the will to move either. They know the cat will be fine, but there is more to be worried about than just his physical injuries.

Suho doesn’t dream. If he does, he never remembers. Sometimes he thinks he doesn’t dream because he has his life well figured out for the most part and hardly has the type of thoughts that would trouble his subconscious while he sleeps. He sleeps soundly and can sleep through the sometimes-busy sounds of the world outside of their home. He has trained himself to sleep at night, though it is usually pushed back a bit. Suho definitely doesn’t like early mornings unless necessary. He knows that Baekhyun wishes he would stay up and keep him company, and sometimes he does, but if Suho announces that he’s heading to bed - it’s a sign for Baekhyun to leave him alone, which he often does.

Suho is grumpy as he feels himself being pulled from slumber before he feels ready to wake up. There’s movement around him and as his senses wake up before he does, he can hear the whisper quiet sounds that someone is making in his room. That someone, he assumes, is Baekhyun. Suho inwardly growls as he waits for the inevitable sound of the younger’s voice to wake him up. He can still hear the other moving around thinning Suho’s patience. When he feels weight pressing down on the edge of his bed, his eyes snap open to glare at the intruder.

Suho’s eyes don’t focus in the dark as quickly as they should, but he does hear the quiet whimpering sound just before they do. He can see the room almost as clearly as day, thanks to the subtle variation of his vision to allow for nocturnal sight. That’s when he sees the other hybrid perched tentatively on the side of his bed looking like he’s about to run for the door.

“Chen?”

The cat’s eyes look gray in what little light reflects from them as he looks at Suho.

“Chen, what’s wrong?” Suho asks while moving to sit up. It’s then that Suho realizes the other is shaking slightly.

It’s been only a few days since they found Chen and took him in so that he could recover. He had slept most of that first night and seemed to be in better spirits on the second day. Him and Baekhyun stayed inside. They found out that Chen liked to read, but with his damaged hand, he had a little bit of difficulty holding the books and turning the pages. Baekhyun helped him, but after a while he had gotten bored and so he took to reading them aloud much to Chen’s mortification. But, once Suho had found himself laughing at the younger, so did Chen. His third day of recovery went somewhat similar as Suho forbade the calico from going anywhere until he was out of the arm sling.

“I can’t sleep,” Chen whispered.

“You don’t have to. You can be up if you’d like. Baekhyun is asleep too, huh?” Suho asked.

Chen nodded.

“You know, Baekhyun probably won’t care if you wake him up,” Suho offers. To this, the other looks away and starts to stand. His shoulders are hunched and despite the splint on his tail, he lowers it as if he would have dejectedly let it hang towards the floor as he moved to leave. The sight makes Suho regret making the suggestion. “Chen, wait. I’m still sleepy, but if it helps, you can lay down. I don’t toss and turn much, I don’t think.”

The other turns and looks with wide eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t offer it otherwise.”

Chen smiles, the corners of his lips lifting cutely. Suho could almost imagine what the other would have looked like if the other’s protruding cheekbones had been gifted with whiskers. He’d only seen two hybrids with such before. Many hybrids talked about how if they had ever been born with such things, they’d probably go out of their way to have them removed. Suho has never liked that idea.

Suho waits until Chen has settled on one side of the bed before he lays back down in his spot.

“Thank you, Suho,” Chen murmurs.

“Remember, you still have to recover so try to relax and get some sleep.”

He can acutely hear movement of the other’s head against the pillow fabric as he nods in agreement.

Another week passes when Chen finally gets to remove the sling and simply has his arm wrapped tightly to deter from too much movement. He feels much better and hasn’t taken any pain medication for at least two days. He’s still sporting a bandage on his tail, but the doctor had said that the injury to the tail hadn’t caused any significant nerve damage and at months later, while nothing could be done, they had removed some of the fur to take a better look and had wrapped it for good measure to ensure that it didn’t bump or get damaged any further. The only reason for the bandage now was to cover the spot until Chen’s normal length of fur grew back. The swelling had diminished over the first 48 hours and the bruising (that unfortunately had been fresh) had now faded back down to subtle yellowish-brown smudges.

Suho had realized that while Chen had been pretty reserved during his recovery, the hybrid was becoming more restless each day. He easily got along with Baekhyun and fed from the other’s level of energy, but got frustrated sometimes at feeling limited with his hand. It wouldn’t be long until he was completely fine, which had led Suho’s thoughts in a new direction.

What would Chen choose to do next? Would he leave them? Would he go back to wherever he came from? Could he, even? Suho had started to think about it and was worried. If the hybrid did return, Suho wondered if it was a dangerous environment. He worried about Baekhyun too, who was thriving upon having someone around other than Suho since dealing with Kai’s absence. In the end, it was Chen’s choice.

Suho decides that the best way to deal with the issue is to talk to Chen privately. He sends Baekhyun on an errand, to pick up some items on a small grocery list for dinner, so that he can talk to Chen alone. If he knows what to expect, then he can talk to Baekhyun as well before anything happens. Suho invites Chen to follow him into the small kitchen after Baekhyun leaves.

“I’m glad you’re doing better. I hope you feel like you’ve been able to recover comfortably,” Suho begins.

“I doubt I would have recovered this fast otherwise. Thank you,” the calico says brightly.

“Good,” Suho nods. “I wanted to talk to you about after… after you’re completely recovered. Do you have someplace to go?”

Chen’s eyes glance around the kitchen while he thinks. “I can figure something out.”

“It’s not like that!” Suho rushes to say. “You can stay as long as you want to. I just wanted to know if you intend to leave. If there’s someplace you need to go to.”

Suho notices the droop to the other’s tail and the way his eyes move to look at the floor and possibly his feet. “Chen,” Suho states to get his attention.

The yellow-green eyes fix on him. Suho thinks he looks nervous. “You don’t have to talk about it, unless you want to. But this master that you had, would you go back to him if you could?”

“I was with him since I was a kitten, but I don’t want to go back. Please, can I stay here? I like it here. Baekhyun’s fun and you’re really really nice.”

Suho had already extended the offer, but he realized that it might take a few reassurances before they all get used to the new arrangement. “Welcome home,” Suho states with a warm smile.

Chen’s black ears are at attention. Despite the kink in his tail, the end starts to twitch a little awkwardly, which make Suho smile a little more. Chen’s eyes widen with happiness and Suho recognizes the sudden subtle movement of muscles in the other’s body as though he’s restless with happiness.

“Baekhyun will be happy too. He’s done little other than grumble since Kai left. I hope you stay for a while and-”

Suho is cut off when the lithe calico body is suddenly against his faster than even his own hybrid senses had been able to prepare for. Chen has his arms wrapped around his neck within closer proximity than Suho has been in with another for a while. Sure, hugs happened, but he was more than aware of his chest being in direct contact with Chen’s minus the barrier of two cotton shirts. Suho’s eyes widen and Chen looks almost more delighted when Suho’s aqua eyes start to shine through.

Suho heart starts to beat erratically and much too fast when the calico is suddenly kissing him. The kiss isn’t deep or necessarily romantic, but how can it be when Suho is so beyond stunned that he can’t think straight? He’s never been kissed before. And not for lack of interest, but because he can’t… he can’t be like that with someone. He won’t.

It’s exactly those scattered thoughts that prompt his hands to delve between them and push Chen off of him.

Suho is breathing hard, having backed up so that he’s against the counter to have something to hold onto for support. He doesn’t notice that Chen is looking at him with confusion and more than a little bit of sadness and rejection.

“I… Master, he… when I’m really happy... I…” Chen starts to sputter.

Suho places a palm against his chest and tries to focus on pulling himself together. He doesn’t want to give Chen the wrong impression. He needs to tell the other that he has no desire to be in a relationship or have skin ship like that with anyone. He needs to explain that it isn’t because of Chen. Chen is lovely. Chen has gorgeous coloring and a dazzling smile when he’s happy. He’s kind and considerate of those he is around. Yet, he has this young energy that Suho can appreciate even if he doesn’t demonstrate it himself. Chen’s eyes seem to sparkle when he smiles and he likes that everything makes him laugh or gives him some sort of joy. Suho needs to tell Chen that it’s his own choice to keep everyone at a little bit of a distance and that there is a good reason for it. Suho has to make Chen understand, but Suho can’t seem to get out the words.

“Master says that when I’m happy that I should do that. I… you… you made me really happy. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” Chen lets out. He wants to reach out for Suho and do something to help him, but he feels a little lost at the other’s reaction.

Suho feels like absolute . There’s so much he needs to say to Chen. Even in his state of panic, he can see the damage that this ‘Master’ has had on him. Even more than before, Suho needs to make sure he doesn’t convey mere rejection. But, Suho has traded uneven breathing for shaken nerves. He’s at a complete loss, despite everything his mind has already figured out. He can’t do this while facing Chen at the moment, and so he moves to grip the counter edge and quickly exits the kitchen. He makes a quick dash to his room and shuts the door behind him.

When Baekhyun comes home, he finds Chen sitting on the kitchen floor. His tears are already dry, but the stains remain. He looks up at Baekhyun and asks him if he’s ruined everything and if they’re going to kick him out too.

Suho can feel as well as hear Baekhyun’s steady knocks against his door. He’s sitting on the floor with his back against the door and has been for nearly an hour. He has recovered from the panic attack, but feels embarrassed and hasn’t quite worked up the courage he needs to leave the room. At Baekhyun’s persistence, he knows he’s going to have to open the door. Standing up, Suho tugs at his clothes and runs his fingers through his hair to restore some sort of order to the chaos that just unfolded.

Suho opens the door after the tenth knock and looks at Baekhyun pitifully.

“Can I come in?” Baekhyun asks. Suho thinks that’s better. It’s better if he talks to Baekkie first before he confronts the other hybrid. Suho nods and moves so that Baekhyun can come into his room.

“Suho…” the younger starts, but first Suho shuts the door and turns to face the other. “What happened? I mean, I know because Chen told me, but what happened with you?” he asks out of sheer confusion.

“I freaked out,” Suho shrugs.

“I got that much. Why? I mean, I get it if you don’t like Chen like that but he made it sound like he poisoned you with the way you reacted.”

“You know I don’t date, Baek. This isn’t new.”

“Couldn’t you just have said that? He thinks you’re going to throw him out.”

“I want to explain it. I know I need to. I just… I panicked. And it’s not because I don’t like Chen. Chen is amazing. I just can’t be like that,” Suho tries to explain while starting to pace in the small bedroom.

“Okay, I know you don’t date, but why?” Baekhyun asks while staring at Suho like he’s not going to take any vague answers.

“I don’t have the time-”

“Bull.”

“Baek…”

“No, don’t give me dumb excuses. You’ve got a guy out there who was crying because you freaked out on him just because he kissed you. You don’t freak out on someone because under normal pretenses: you don’t have enough time.”

“He was crying?”

“Dammit, Suho. Of course he was. It’s Chen. He’s still recovering. He’s a little bit fragile don’t you think? At least right now with everything you could have just let him down easily.”

Suho felt distraught. He knew he hadn’t done well in protecting the other’s feelings, but he didn’t want the calico to cry. I’m just ing it all up now.

“Suho, come on. We’ve known each other forever. If you can’t tell Chen, can you at least tell me the truth? I won’t tell him if you don’t want me to,” Baekhyun begged. There was always a little bit of Suho left to wonder about like how he didn’t do the overly playful thing as their instincts dictated otherwise. How he was so mature, even when younger. He was always more reserved. Baekhyun and Kai had taken chances to try to unravel him a bit, but the older never budged.

Suho knew that if anyone would understand, it would be another hybrid. He just didn’t want to risk telling someone and risk them being disturbed or disgusted. Taking a deep breath, he tries to explain himself a little bit better.

“You know how the only thing that shows that I’m hybrid is my eye color?” Suho asks.

“Yes.”

“It’s not the only physical sign. But, it’s not cute like pointy little ears or a fluffy tail…”

“Suho, we’re hybrids. Some of us can’t even walk around outside because of how heavy the feline side is physically. It’s just who we are.”

“I’m ugly, Baekhyun.”

To this, Baekhyun can’t hide the look of disbelief. “Excuse me, what?”

“I can’t be with anyone like that. I can’t show myself. I can’t.”

“I don’t get it. Suho, you’re like one of the most handsome people I know. Second to myself, and maybe tied with Kai,” Baekhyun says in jest.

“It’s okay. It’s just a choice I’ve made. I’m not willing to show anyone and I don’t want anyone feeling misled.”

“Suho. If Chen likes you in that way, and I’m not saying he does because the kid has obviously been taught to behave certain ways, but if he really likes you he’s not going to care.”

“Baekhyun, please. I’ve lived this long without it making a difference.”

“It does make a difference! You can’t spend your entire life looking out for people and not getting any actual love back. You know that Kai and I love you, but it’s not the same. Suho, if you have a chance for someone to really love you then you need to take the opportunity. If it’s that hybrid out there or someone else, you deserve that chance,” Baekhyun states while pointing at the door.

“I appreciate that, I do. I just can’t.”

Baekhyun glares at Suho, annoyed at the other’s stubbornness. “Then at least go fix this. I don’t want him to leave.”

“I don’t want that either.”

“Then make it better.”

“I will, I promise.”

It takes Suho a little bit longer to try to work up what he wants to say. Even if he has, the moment he steps out of his room, his organized thoughts are gone. He looks at the dejected looking calico and wants to curl up and bury himself somewhere for hurting the other even just a little bit. Suho walks out to the main room slowly and gives Baekhyun a look.

“Hey, Chen? I’m going to go to the room, okay. I’ll be there to talk to later if you want. But, first, I’m going to let you talk to Suho. He’s not kicking you out, I promise.” Baekhyun stands and glares at Suho for a moment before throwing a reassuring smile at Chen and leaving for his room.

Suho moves to sit on his favorite chair. Chen is sitting on the old small couch that has been well used and faded from the constant playing that two young hybrids have done since they lived there. Suho thinks that it’s easiest to just come out and apologize. “Chen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I was surprised. I haven’t been kissed, well, ever. It was a shock for me.”

Chen pouts and looks at Suho with sympathy. “I won’t do it again,” he offers.

Suho doesn’t know exactly why this causes him to feel even more sad and guilty, but he brushes away the feeling for now. “I heard what you started to explain. I understand that it’s just the way you’ve learned to express your feelings. I’m just a private person, okay?”

“Does that mean I can’t sleep next to you anymore, either?”

Suho’s chest feels heavy and the need to shake his head is so completely great that he does just that. “No, you can come to me whenever you need to.”

Chen looks at Suho for a moment. “Who do you go to?”

“What?”

“Who do you go to when you are lonely or afraid?”

“I’m… I don’t. Wait, I thought you said it was because you just couldn’t sleep.”

“I dream about him sometimes. Well, I did. I don’t when I’m sleeping next to you,’ Chen explains calmly.

“Oh,” Suho replies lamely, looking down at his lap. His fingers run along one of the seams of his jeans while his mind blissfully goes blank for a moment.

“Do you really never feel lonely or afraid?” Chen asks.

Suho looks up and shakes his head. “Not afraid, no. I’ve always had Kai and Baekhyun so I’ve never been alone.”

“But, Kai has Luhan now and Baekhyun and you aren’t… like that, right?”

Suho laughs nervously. “No. We aren’t.”

“Then you’re still alone.”

“I’m fine.”

Chen moves from the couch and approaches the chair that Suho is sitting in. He lowers himself in front of Suho and looks up into the other’s eyes. “Baekhyun says you’re stubborn.”

“Baekhyun’s a punk.”

“Maybe,” Chen qualifies with a smile. “But you don’t have to be alone.”

Suho’s eyes move over the calico’s face. He catches sight of the nipped ear and a small smile forms on his face. He thinks that Chen’s imperfections make him even more adorable.

“So, why won’t you let anyone close?” Chen prods.

Not this again, Suho thinks. Suho doesn’t want to have this conversation. He only wanted to make sure that Chen knew he didn’t have to leave. He wanted to clear any fear that the hybrid might have had.

“I don’t want to mislead anyone. I don’t want someone to get interested and discover my faults and leave. It’s just better not to hurt someone that way.”

“Wouldn’t that hurt you more than the other person?”

Suho shakes his head. “I already know this about myself.”

“But, you’re perfect,” Chen states seriously.

Suho laughs nervously. “I’m really not.”

“You are. You’re mature and level headed. You have infinite patience and know how to make good decisions and protect the people around you. You’re amazing.”

Suho’s heart is racing again, but it feels light and like the rapid rush of hummingbird wings. “That’s really sweet of you, but…”

“Is this about your skin?” Chen asks with an eyebrow raised.

Suho’s panic increases. “My what?”

“When you sleep, sometimes your shirt rides up a little…”

Suho suddenly stands up from the chair and yanks down the hem of his shirt as if it was betraying him at that very moment. He feels like he’s having the same panic attack from before. He’s forced Chen to back up to give him room. Suho takes another step towards his room before he feels Chen pull firmly at his arm.

“Stop, just stop!” Chen begs while pulling at him so that Suho has no choice but to turn towards the younger. Chen moves to grab Suho by his shoulders and stares at him intently. “You are perfect. I’m sorry if it offends you, but I’ve stared at you when you sleep because you’re absolutely gorgeous. You’re calico too, aren’t you?”

“It’s not the same,” Suho lets out pitifully.

“It is.”

“No! No it’s not! I’m covered from knee to shoulder in weird colored patches. My skin isn’t milky white or an even tan. I’m covered in splotches! I’m genetically a hybrid of a sphynx. A hairless cat. I’m not something cute and fluffy. Thank god my human genes allowed me to have hair, otherwise I’d have been bald my whole life. When I was a kid I was wrinkled. Can you imagine? Looking like I had the skin of an eighty year old when I was 5?”

“Suho, I’ve had a tail and ears my whole life. Baekhyun has dual eyes. You said Kai had ears and a tail too. None of us look humanly normal, nor do any of us fully look feline.”

“It’s not the same. It’s so ugly…”

“No, it’s not. You’re beautiful.”

Suho is tired of arguing. In a fit to prove his point, he pulls his shirt over his head to reveal a well-toned chest covered in colored splotches of tan, grey and very light cream. He is indeed a calico by coloring, but without any actual fur. He holds his shirt in a tight grasp and glares at Chen as though he is daring the other to say the same thing again now that he has seen it without obstruction.

Chen can’t stop himself. He reaches out and places his palm against a decently large portion of rusty tan coloring that stretches from Suho’s collarbone on his left side down to his ribcage. There is a patch of grey that flirts with the older’s right . Chen let his thumb move over the small nub in a reverent caress. “Immaculate… y … perfect,” he whispers while stepping forward to bring them closer together.

Suho is about to word another argument, but when he opens his mouth to speak, Chen kisses him and steals away every word he was going to say.

This time, the kiss is everything. It is meaningful, purposeful, and leaves Suho with very little ability to think. The younger has thinner, but practiced lips. The older has plump but smaller, more timid ones. He lets Chen lead, eager to accept everything he had said so that he could finally wash away the years of self-hate over his own genetic bad luck.

Suho melts when Chen’s arms wind around his frame, pulling him close while he kisses him soundly. He finds himself unable to resist winding his own arms around the other and pulling him closer. He can feel Chen smile against his lips. Against closed eyes, Suho can picture the perfect corners of his mouth upturned and the brilliant eyes glittering at him. He risks opening his eyes, pulling slightly back from the kiss.

He isn’t disappointed by the brilliant yellow-green eyes that dance before him. “Is this just your way of saying you’re happy?”

Chen shakes his head. “This is my way of saying I’m yours.”

“I’m not your master…” Suho cautions.

“No, I don’t want to be owned. I just want to belong. I want to belong to you, Suho.”

Suho feels heat blossom behind his eyes and closes them tight. “Oh god,” he breathes. It is overwhelming for the elder who has never allowed anyone to be this way with him before. Chen seems to want to, of his own accord! Suho crumbles mentally, holding tightly to the other who is still embracing him back.

“I want to belong to you too,” Suho groans as he fastens his lips to the other in an unpracticed but seeking kiss that encourages Chen to reciprocate and lead the other until their movements become a beautiful dance.

“Mrs. Kim! You have to be heaven sent! No one else can cook like you! I swear!” Baekhyun praises obnoxiously.

“Thank you, Baekhyun. But, you know I’m going to cook your favorite meal whenever you come over so you really don’t have to praise me like this…” Suho’s mom says while blushing.

“Nonsense! You deserve it! It’s heaven on a plate!”

“Baek! Shut up,” Suho groans. His mom does deserve it, but Baekhyun has been like this since his early teen years and he is pretty sure they are all sick of it.

“Mrs. Kim, this really is fantastic. Can I ask how you made it, or maybe a copy of a recipe card?” Luhan asks from farther down the table.

“Sure, sweetie. I can jot it down for you later.”

It’s been a couple months and Suho decided that not only did his parents deserve a visit from their son, but that he really needed to introduce them to Chen. He’s pretty sure that Chen is a fixture in his life, despite the short time frame and he wants them to understand and accept it. He isn’t nervous about it or anything. It’s just a formality, but he misses his parents from time to time anyway.

Of course, no visit to his family can ever be made without Baekhyun and Kai, which is why the two younger, as well as Luhan, have tagged along. It’s the first time that Kai has brought Luhan along and so it is almost the same formality for them. Suho’s parents played such a major role in Kai and Baekhyun’s late childhood that the Kim’s might as well have had three children.

Chen smiles at the conversation, but has been fairly quiet since the initial introductions and even the small talk made before dinner. In fact, it has been Baekhyun and Luhan who have talked the most and kept the conversations going. Suho is glad for that, but he wants Chen to feel comfortable too.

“Is everything okay?” Suho whispers to Chen who’s seated to his right.

Chen nods, and smiles reassuringly. Suho can tell he’s nervous simply because he’s not his normal jovial self.

Suho reaches for Chen’s knee beneath the table and gives it a small squeeze. “I love you,” he whispers. Suho grins when Chen blushes. His smile grows even wider when he sees his mom smiling at him. It’s Suho’s turn to blush.

“Chen? How is the food?” Suho’s mom asks.

“Fantastic, Mrs. Kim. Really,” Chen replies.

“Okay, boys, all of you… stop calling me Mrs. Kim. It’s ‘mom’, got it?” she states in mock annoyance.

Kai laughs, genuinely. They’ve always thought of them that way, but it’s funny to hear the woman get impatient about it. “What’s for dessert, mom?” he asks.

“I’m glad you asked!” the woman gets up from the table and disappears into the kitchen. She comes back with two small-lidded trays and sets them in the middle of the table.

“Mom! No!” Suho yells, but the woman is already taking the lids off the trays, revealing two trays of cookies.

“Luhan, you’ll want to take from this one,” she directs to the one set closer to him. “Same with you, honey,” she directs at her husband. He nods with a small chuckle.

The rest of the room erupts into whimpering, growling, and impatient mewling.

Suho brings his palm to his forehead to keep himself from reacting to the overwhelming draw of the smell of catnip wafting from one tray of cookies. He really hopes his parents are ready to deal with the crazy that’s about to happen.

Of course, if they aren’t, it’s really their own fault.

Twenty minutes later finds Suho on his back on the floor of his parent’s spacious living room with Chen’s head on his stomach, lying out on the floor as well. He blinks away the haze and finds Baekhyun still moving restlessly amongst a pile of pillows and throw blankets in one corner of the room. Kai is nestled on Luhan’s lap, completely passed out.

Suho can’t really remember what happened. He remembers Baekhyun and Chen making a bolt from the table after consuming a few of the cookies each. Suho can’t resist for long and eats just one, but chases after the other two to make sure they don’t wreck the entire house. He has no idea what Kai ate, or where he went. In fact, Suho really can’t remember anything after he had made his way into the living room.

He groans and moves to look for his parents. Luhan smiles at him.

“Oh my god, what happened?” Suho asks groggily.

“I don’t know. But I really hope I get to see that again someday. You four were ing hilarious.”

“My mom basically gave us crack. Why?”

“I don’t know, but your parents disappeared a little while ago. I reassured them that’d I’d babysit you guys and make sure that Baekhyun doesn’t claw at the curtains. He was given some old throw blankets instead,” Luhan laughs.

“,” Suho mutters. He’s about to move when he feels Chen move against him, almost as if he thinks he’s just snuggling into a pillow. Suho smiles and rolls his eyes. He smiles at Chen and rolls his eyes as whatever spectacle they just performed in front of Luhan.

“Was it embarrassing?” Suho asks, though he’s not sure he really wants to know.

“You tackled Chen to get him to stop chasing Baekhyun. That kind of wound up turning into a heavy make-out session. However, Kai put an end to it by tackling you and after that it was just a mess of growling and playing for about ten minutes. I managed to pull Kai up here with me and he calmed down. The two of you grew a bit tired a few minutes later and well, Baekhyun…”

“...is Baekhyun,” Suho laughs.

“Yeah.”

“Does this happen every time you guys visit?”

“No. I sincerely believe this was my mom’s attempt to loosen up the atmosphere for both you and Chen,” Suho admits.

“It worked.”

“I’m going to make sure my dad stops her next time…”

“Don’t do that. It was seriously funny.”

“You might be slightly evil, Luhan.”

“You all deserve to let loose a bit,” he shrugs.

Suho agrees. He’s learned that lesson a lot lately, and is grateful that he finally has. He finds himself tracing the triangular ear atop Chen’s head without consciously thinking of it. The younger whines in his sleep and moves his body so that he’s pulling himself to lay alongside Suho, putting his head against the older’s shoulder.

“He’s perfect for you,” Luhan mentions.

“As you are for Kai.”

“So, what do we do for that one?” Luhan asks, nodding towards Baekhyun.

“Pray for the soul that dares to fall in love with him.”

To this, Luhan laughs loudly pulling Kai out of his slumber as well as startling Chen awake. The two older take their respectful boyfriends into their embrace and lull them back into the comfortable state of the evening while feeling no rush to leave any time soon.

A/N

If you got to here then you read it and for that, I thank you! I really ship SuChen a lot and wanted to give them a chance in this story. I had intended on it, even though it was only recent that their story became apparent to me... Thank you again for reading, despite this being a LuKai story.