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Joshua groaned. His head ached like it was hit by a semi-truck. ever drinking that much again. Hands moving, he patted his bed, feeling empty blankets. Cold blankets. Why? He vaguely remembered being carried up the stairs by Jeonghan, bridal style even. And that they laid down with him.  He let out a small moan of distress. God. He shouldn’t have. What else did he say?

Images flitted through his mind. Gasping, he sat up. . He didn’t?! A sharp ache lanced through his head. Damn. Joshua held his head in his hands and moaned. He did. . He told them he loved them. In that way. . . . Of all the dumb things to say, when he wasn’t even ready.

“No,” he moaned low. Joshua let out another groan of pain as his head decided to remind him of his damn headache. “I need to get up,” he mumbled. “.”

Putting his feet on the ground, he hoped that whatever the two of them were doing it was loud enough that they wouldn’t hear his movements. They were rather sharp eared when it came to him, like hound dogs almost. Joshua let out a sigh of relief as he made it to the bathroom without being ambushed. Now all he had to do was take a shower and brush his teeth without their knowledge, and hopefully he’d have an answer for his drunk words.

He sighed. And then sighed again. When was he going to stop sighing? Maybe when he fixed this mess he thought to himself. Easier said than done though. Joshua could feel his throat seize up just with the mere idea of explaining to them what he meant. What was he going to do?

Perhaps it was a good thing then that his phone rang. A special ring tone rang out. One that had Joshua scrambling to put on his clothes. As he dragged on his shirt one handed, he tapped to answer. “Hello?” Wet hair getting water droplets everywhere, Joshua stopped dead. “You’re where?! Here? Now?!” He shook his head. “No. No. It’s fine. I’ll be right down.” He threw his phone on the bed, yanking his bedroom door open, running down the stairs.

“Shua?” Jeonghan asked looking out the kitchen opening, a spoon in his hand.

Apparently the two of them were busy cooking. Thank lord. At least something was going mildly ok.

But Joshua ignored Jeonghan. Rushing past to get to the door, he saw the empty spot where his couch was supposed to be. One thing that wouldn’t look good at all. He winced.

“Shua?” Seungcheol called out, also poking his head out the doorway.

Joshua braced himself. Slowly he pulled the door in. “Hi mom,” he declared.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol echoed, “Mom?!” Apparently, they forgot Joshua had to come from somewhere. He didn’t spawn to life.

“Joshua,” she said, smile on her face. “Look at you. My baby.” She pulled him into a hug; Joshua wrapped his arms around her. “It’s been too long.”

Hugging her tightly, he nodded. “It has.”

She pulled away from him to take a good look. It had been over six months since she had come to visit. Even with Joshua making a lot of money, she hadn’t stopped working, citing being too bored if she did. “You look healthier.” She gave him a soft smile, “Happier,” her smile turned into a smirk, “are you dating someone? Someone who you might marry?”

Just when Joshua was about to answer the two people who were making his life exciting. And if he wanted to be truthful; they were the ones making him happy. But that can of worms he hadn’t had time to clean up yet. And now he probably wouldn’t.

“Shua?” They walked towards him, clad in their cute little aprons that he picked out. Joshua picked out lacy frilly ones to mess with them and the two of them gave him glares but wore them anyhow to Joshua’s delight.

“Hybrids?” His mom’s tone went cold. “Joshua Hong. What are hybrids doing in your house? Calling you Shua?”

“Mom,” Joshua said, holding up his hands in a defensive manner, “let me explain.”

There was a fire in her eyes that had Joshua stepping back; Jeonghan and Seungcheol at that moment came up from behind him, standing there as if they were backing him up.

For such a tiny woman, she certainly was menacing. It was probably the fact that she was his mother, but damn it if Joshua didn’t want to run a bit now. Her nostrils flared a bit, “When on Earth did you buy hybrids? How did you? Haven’t we talked about hybrids before?”

Feeling Jeonghan wrap an arm around his bicep, and Seungcheol wrap his tail protectively around his leg; he stood a bit taller. “They were about to die,” he said, almost snapping at her. He couldn’t have let them die. “The company that owned them were pitting them against each other in a fight and I couldn’t watch them die.” Joshua tried to keep the anguish from the thoughts of them dying there and what his life would be like without them here from his voice, but he was unsuccessful it seemed.

“Oh Joshua,” she whispered, eyes softening considerably. She ignored seungcheol and Jeonghan, moving in to bring Joshua close to her. “Shhh. It’s ok.”

He stood a bit stiff, unwilling to cry over a what if situation, devastating or not. His life would have been so different if he didn’t have them. But Joshua didn’t want to think about it.

“It’s ok Shua,” Jeonghan said softly. “I would’ve made it. I’m very strong. And used to it.”

Seungcheol snorted. “Me too. I wouldn’t have died under the damn jaguar’s hands. I’m made of sterner stuff.”

Joshua laughed, pushing his mom’s arms down gently. Turning to them, he grinned. “Sure. Whatever you two say.”

Watching from a far, Joshua’s mom frowned. He was close to them. How close though was the question. “You can tell me more on how they came to live with you Joshua.”

He startled a bit, forgetting that she was here. “Of course. Where are your bags? How long are you planning to stay? I didn’t know and so I didn’t take days off. I don’t know how many days I can take off either this late, but I’ll see,” he rambled.

She shook her head. Her precious son. Her innocent son. She’d have to see if these hybrids weren’t using him. “They’re out the door. The taxi driver took them out for me.”

Nodding Joshua moved. “I’m going to go get them.”

“No,” Jeonghan said, hand shooting out.

Seungcheol simply moved to the door.

“Let us get the luggage,” Jeonghan explained. “Go tell your mom our story.” He kissed the top of Joshua’s hand. “We’ll put it into one of the guest rooms. Food’s ready too.”

Lifting his hand, Joshua rubbed at Jeonghan’s ears. “Thanks, you two.” He smiled as Jeonghan purred low.

Seungcheol was out the door already, not seeing the affectionate head rub to complain about not getting one. He also missed Jeonghan kissing Joshua’s hand. Or else he’d growl and steal a kiss too.

Jeonghan grinned and left, joining Seungcheol in lugging the luggage into the house and up the stairs.

Smiling at his mom, Joshua grabbed her hand. “Let’s go into the kitchen. We can talk there.”

She looked that the spread on the kitchen table. Raising a brow, she asked, “It wasn’t you who cooked this now was it? You hardly used to cook before.” She looked around, “The kitchen was spotless before. Now look at it.” she added with a laugh.

Joshua laughed. “Jeonghan and Seungcheol were a bit too skinny. And I started cutting back on the countless hours at work, so I'm home to cook half of the days and they cook on the other half.” He smiled down at some of the dishes, seeing his favorite foods among them. “They work at the café during the hours I’m at work and they’re not at school.” He smiled at his mom, “They’ve become quite the chefs.”

There was that smile again. A soft besotted sort of smile she had never seen on his face before. Joshua’s smile was almost always warm and relaxing, whether it was aimed at strangers, patients, family, or animals. But this sort of besotted smile she had yet to see. Mrs. Hong wondered. This was something she’d have to find out; just how deeply in love Joshua was.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol came back into the kitchen, smiles wide on their face, bowing to her. Polite. A good thing, she thought.

“Tomorrow we’ll go to the marketplace you like mom,” Joshua said, walking her to her room.

She laughed. “And watch you eat everything in sight.”

He pouted. “I can’t help it. I like food.”

Reaching out to pat him gently on the cheek, she smiled. “I know. How you eat so much yet look so skinny I don’t know. Makes me worry.”

Joshua leaned into her hand. “It’s the work. But I’m doing better now. Less of a workaholic.” His eyes twinkled, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It is,” she replied. “You looked so tired the last time I was here. I’m happy you glow now.”

Joshua blushed, pulling back. “Jeonghan and Seungcheol keep me on my toes. They bring a sort of excitement to my life.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed. “Let’s go get some rest. The jet lag might kill me if I don’t rest now.”

“Night mom,” he said, hugging her once more.

“Good night.”

Joshua watched as she went into her room and closed the door before going off to his own room to get ready for the night. Going through his routine, he couldn’t help but think he was forgetting something. But it wasn’t coming to mind. He shrugged as he spat out the toothpaste foam. Gurgling some water, he rinsed out his mouth, wiping at it. Joshua stretched and walked out of the bathroom to climb into bed.

His let his eyes fall, yawning into his pillows. Rolling over he picked up a familiar scent. It was Jeonghan’s favorite smell. That light scent that reminded Joshua of ocean breezes. His eyes shot open. That’s what he forgot. Sitting in blankets that smelled a bit too much like Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s deep musk cologne, he groaned. He hadn’t dealt with his drunk confession. Damn.

Jeonghan rolled over, clutching at the pillow. He wanted to whine and throw a mini tantrum, but he was a creature of the night, a respectable predator of the jungle, and they didn’t whine. Joshua had been so busy the whole day with his mom that he hadn’t said a word to either of them about his love confession. Jeonghan had forgot as well, too busy trying to charm Joshua’s mother. He let out a low huff. And just when he thought they were finally getting somewhere. it all. When was he going to get a break and have Joshua in his arms and under him?

Seungcheol let out a low growl as he curled into himself. He had forgotten, hell even Jeonghan had forgotten to ask Joshua about the words he said last night in their busy day of getting to know Joshua’s mom. He remembered being so caught up trying to impress Joshua’s mom since Joshua always held her to such a high regard, and giving one of the most important people in Joshua’s life a good impression would go a long way.  He hadn’t even cornered Joshua to ask him about what he meant, he was so distracted. Damn it all. He needed to know.