(this has been sitting in my drafts for a while so i'm hoping that if i post this maybe i'll work on it maybe aka i just wanted some kaisoo fluff but plot)

Part I: All I Wanted

Dark clothing, dark hair, dark eyes...

Multiple flashes illuminated the room.

An ominous presence but a warm feeling...

"That's a wrap! Thank you everyone for your hard work; you're all dismissed."

A blank look-

Fingers snap in front of his face, making him yelp and backpeddle.

"Jongin, the shoot's over."  Jongdae gives him a judgemental look before walking back over to the corner he had been occupying to gather the both of their things.

He sighs and rubs a hand over his face.  This isn't the first time this week that his manager has had to snap him out of a daze.  It isn't even the first time that he's zoned out during this shoot.  Modelling has always been a job to Jongin, a usually enjoyable job, but a job nevertheless.  He strives to be professional and polite (at least to the people who aren't his manager or one of his close friends) and not paying attention during a photoshoot definitely defies one, if not both, of those principles.

But he can't help it.

It had all started a few days ago...

Jongin was excited.

His modelling contract dictated that he must attend certain social or publicized events at least a few times every year, but that wasn't the exciting part.  The exciting part was that he was the representative face of SM Ent. at an event that was dedicated to joining dependent hybrids that were living in pounds with independent hybrids or human companions.

The only other hybrids that Jongin had ever really known growing up were other predator-type hybrids, as their instincts and physiologies generally lead them to be independent.  School systems usually seperated dependent and independent hybrids in an effort to eliminate problems that could've existed between predatory independents and dependents who were part prey animal who are both going through puberty and growing into their animals.  As a jaguar hybrid himself, Jongin grew up in a household with three jaguar hybrid sisters and jaguar hybrid parents.

It was rarer these days than it used to be to be a purebred hybrid, as experiments with genetics and other things that he'd rather not think about led to a wide diversity of part-human, part other species hybrids.  His only "defect" was that he had melaninistic features, which meant that the jaguar ears on his head and the tail trailing from his back were an inky black instead of the usual spotted yellow.  He'd been teased about his darker-than-usual features for as long as he can remember but, by this point in his life he's very proud of all of his features.  They landed him a modelling gig, after all.  Even his yellow eyes and enlarged canines, while typical of big cats, were viewed positively by the public.

But back to why he was excited.

Jongin really, really liked dogs.  Well, he really likes dogs.  Present tense.

Though, because he grew up in a household that was otherwise feline, he was never allowed to have a dog as a pet or meet any dog hybrids.  His sisters said that dog hybrids stink but he's still curious.  (And curiousity killed the cat, yes he knows.)

Anyway, a pound was bound to have dog hybrids, right?

Pounds where he lived were basically places where hybrids that were dependent on others could stay if they had nowhere to go or if they had graduated from the adoption system.  Regular species like domesticated dogs and cats were taken to pounds too, in fact it was usually hybrids living there that took care of the strays that were brought in.  The pound he was going to was supposed to be a large, white building with fairly up-to-date facilities.

So there he was, standing with SM representatives and representatives from the pound, zoning out whilst thinking of the possible hybrids he could meet.

He startles as clapping erupts around him and hurries to copy the crowd, looking on as a short lion hybrid cuts a ribbon that's draped over the enterance to the building. The bow is a cute touch; he wonders whose idea that was.

After that the crowd starts to disperse, some leaving and some forming a haphazardous line in front of the doors.  He notices his manager talking to the lion hybrid and another man.. a human?  His manager waves him over and he realizes that he's been staring. Oops.

"Jongin, this is Junmyeon.  His family maintains this pound and a few others in the area.  Junmyeon, this is Jongin, one of our top hybrid models."

Jongin makes awkward eye contact with the shorter male and when he notices that the other is sticking his hand out he moves to shake it.  Junmyeon has a bright smile and he hesitantly returns it.

As Jongin steps back to stand beside Jongdae, the lion hybrid motions to the man beside him.

"This is my husband, Yixing.  He's the head of our clinic in town."

Yixing speaks up with a, "I noticed you staring and yes, I'm a human but I haven't had a patient complain about it yet."

Jongin flusters but calms down when he notices Yixing smiling serenely.  He doesn't need to wonder why the man's patients have nothing to complain about.  If something as simple as a smile can make him feel more at ease then he can only imagine what the other is like when he's actually on the job.

He returns his attention back to Junmyeon only to realize that the lion hybrid had been watching him and he can feel himself freeze under the stare.

"Jongdae tells me that you're interested in meeting our dog hybrids."  Junmyeon gives him a look, he's not sure what it entails but the man's eye is twitching and he's not sure if he should be concerned or not.

When the statement sinks in he feels heat rising to his cheeks and he slits his eyes at Jongdae. He feels mildly betrayed but, knowing Jongdae he really should have expected something like this.

"Don't worry," the lion hybrid states, "we have a few that I'm sure would be happy to meet you.  But first, I think it's important that we get this show on the road."  With that he turns to face the crowd.

"I've just been informed by my colleagues inside that everything is in order.  And so, I'm happy to announce that we are now open and ready to officiate adoptions!"

Yixing sighs as his husband rushes off to follow the crowd into the building.  The human turns to address the two hybrids, "I don't know about you two but, as part of my duties as both his husband and primary physician I'm in charge of making sure that he doesn't hurt himself.  If you two will follow me?"

Jongin looks around in wonder as he berrates his manager.

"I can't believe you would tell them something like that!  What did you even say?  That was so embarrassing.."

Jongdae rolls his eyes and steers Jongin by gripping his arm.  "We're supposed to be following Yixing, remember?  And I was just talking to them about how you love all dog hybrids, except for me, apparantly."

Jongin pouts and stops walking until Jongdae's grip forces him to keep moving.  "I don't love all dog hybrids," he says indignantly.  "I mean, I haven't met any dog hybrids.. Besides you.  But you're my manager, so you don't count."

They continue to huff at each other until they almost run into Yixing, who had stopped to chat with some hybrids.

"- and can you make sure that he doesn't jump up on anything?  Yes, thank you."  The human turns around to address Jongdae and Jongin, only to notice that they're bickering.  Loudly.  He sighs and taps one of the hybrids he had been speaking to previously on the shoulder.

"Xiumin, can you give me a high note?"

The two hybrids that were previously arguing freeze as a high-pitched whistle erupts in front of them, but when they turn they only see Yixing carding his fingers through a content-looking hybrid's hair.

"Thank you, Xiumin.  Will you and Luhan go check on the others for me?" He ruffles Luhan's hair before shoo-ing the two away.

"Now.  I'm sorry, boys but, I'm on a bit of a schedule.  Since my spouse is currently entertaining the front of the house I have to handle all of the behind-the-scenes work, so, if you would?"  Yixing gestures for Jongdae and Jongin to follow him and they meekly comply.

They're led from the large enterance room to a smaller room with an equally tall ceiling.

"This is where we allow for hybrids staying here and potential companions to mingle.  Nobody is allowed back here without staff supervision, unless you're part of the staff, of course."  Yixing waves a badge he pulls out of his pocket over a scanner and a lock clicks as the door to the smaller room opens.

"As you both noticed, I'm sure, there are some hybrids working out front to get families signed up and do other miscellaneous tasks that my husband asks to be done.  Those are currently hybrids that are either living here or are part of our extended family.  The hybrids back here are usually uncomfortable with people or may have health conditions that are more manageable with limited contact with others.  ..Although, it looks like everyone in this block is out front today."  Yixing 'hmm's and walks out the door that they entered through and ushers the other two out into the hallway.

The two hybrids share glances with each other as Yixing pulls a walkie-talkie off of his belt and converses with someone over it.

Just as Jongin notices Jongdae open his mouth, Yixing sighs and starts muttering rapid-fire in another language.  He hears a voice reply over the static and that's when Yixing turns to address them again.

"I love my husband very much but running a business with him is not always the most pleasant thing," he trails off and rubs his temples.  "It seems as if Junmyeon ordered that all hybrids that are "adoption-ready" to congregate out front and why does he do these things, I'm the one in charge of their mental healths-"

And that's when Yixing starts speaking in a language that is definitely not Korean and simultaneously starts power-walking down the hallway which they came from. (This time Jongin doesn't complain when Jongdae drags him after the doctor.)