This is seriously getting out of hand. What i thought i would fit into one chapter now has to be cut into another chapter and the story line has changed slightly. This story is seriously consuming my brain. 

A/N: The rosettes i mention are what they call a leopards and jaguars spots. they're rosettes.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol finished all of the breakfast Joshua made. If he were still there he’d be surprised at how large the hybrid’s stomachs were. The two cleaned up the island and dropped the plates in the sink.

“I’m going to check out the house,” Jeonghan said. “You do whatever.”

“I’ll be looking around outside. We can switch when we’re done.” Seungcheol said.

It was an animal thing. Know your surroundings, mark your territory. In this case the territory included all of Joshua’s house and said person himself. Even if he vehemently denied that he belonged to them. They’d just have to show him that he did. And that they were his as well.

Jeonghan started prowling around the first floor as Seungcheol found the door to the backyard and let himself out.

He walked around the kitchen, noting doors that led to storage, the pantry, the garage door, and the backyard’s sliding doors. Walking from the kitchen to the dining room, he glanced around, noting it looked like it came out of those designer magazines for homes. Joshua didn’t add any personal touches here. It was in the living room where Jeonghan found pictures, personal effects, things that would give him more insight of his new master.

He went to the mantle place first, staring at the pictures that lined it. Pictures from college it looked like. One where he had orange colored hair, arms around friends he assumed. To another photo with pink hair, arms around a woman that looked like his mother. Joshua smiling, Joshua being surprised. It was a mini show of his life for the last few years. He stopped at a photo of Joshua in a white lab coat, mind going back to the moment where Joshua mentioned patients and not wearing cologne.

“Ah, a doctor,” Jeonghan thought aloud. “A very pretty doctor,” he said, touching the photo of him lightly. “Pity he got rid of the pink hair.”

Moving on he opened the doors in the hallway: a laundry room, a guest room, and his study. Studies were always great places to find information. Stepping in he noted the wall with diplomas. “Medical school. College. From America?” Jeonghan tried making out the words but his English skills were sad. Dismissing them he went to the bookshelves. It was filled to the brim with medical tomes, encyclopedias, dictionaries even. But at one end it was filled with manga, novels, and anime knick knacks.

Jeonghan smirked, “Master is a geek? How cute,” he grabbed one and opened it.  “More English. He must be an American returnee.”

He left the study and climbed the stairs. Ignoring the room that smelled like Seungcheol and himself, he began the same routine as downstairs, opening doors and looking. One door led to another guest room. Two of the doors though smelled very strongly of Joshua, vanilla and sandalwood scented. The first door led to a music room of sorts. Guitars in their stands and equipment for recording? He wasn’t quite sure, but it looked like Joshua liked to play.

The door that had the strongest scent was definitely his bedroom, Jeonghan found out. Pushing the door open he saw pieces of clothing strewn on the floor and an unmade bed. But the room was full of Joshua’s scent. Jeonghan could have just stayed there all day, curled up on Joshua’s bed basking in his clean smell.

He picked up the clothes on the floor, tsking at Joshua. Looking at them though, “The suit from last night?” Jeonghan smirked. “It is.”

Bringing them to his nose, he sniffed. He smelled the scent of sweat, laced with fear, mixed with anger, and just a touch of arousal. A grin spread on his face. Arousal? Did Joshua get aroused by him? He snapped his fingers. He could find the clothes from this morning and find out for sure. Jeonghan shifted his attention towards the closet, looking in he found no laundry basket there. But noted how the closet was full of dress shirts, jeans, shirts, black pants, and doctor’s clothing of scrubs.

He moved out going towards the bathroom, where he hit the jackpot. Right outside the door stood Joshua’s laundry basket. Grinning Jeonghan picked up the discarded clothes from the morning and took a whiff. “Ah, there’s that distinct smell.” He put them back, laying down the suit as well. “He’s as good as mine. appeal will lure him straight to me, then my winning personality can do all the work.”

Seungcheol went outside. He breathed, taking in the rather fresh air. Standing still he relaxed, honing in on his senses to hear everything. Sounds rushed in: rustling of leaves, chirping of birds, small animals scurrying about in the under bush, car noises, but too far to be that close. Were they secluded? He opened his eyes, moving to the brick wall, he jumped up. Seating himself on the ledge, he looked. Their neighbors were some decent lengths away from them. They could have a party here and the neighbors likely wouldn’t be disturbed. He stood, looking out. Tsking, he jumped down. The house was too tall to see the street from here. He’d have to go to the front.

Walking back in he noticed a seam between the wooden deck. Seungcheol stooped down, pressing his ear against it. The sound of moving water made its way into his ears, twitching them the wolf ears stood at attention. “A covered pool? Joshua must really be rich.”

He had to consider the way he told them it was fine to take money and clothes if they were planning on running. And what Jeonghan heard before he knocked out. Money like that was hard to come by. Just what did this guy do?

Seungcheol could ask when Joshua got back home. For now, it was better for him to get his bearings of the surroundings.

Letting himself in he walked past the kitchen into the living room where Jeonghan sat on the couch, staring down at something.

“What’re you looking at?”

“Our new master,” Jeonghan said, holding up a picture frame.

“He doesn’t want us to call him that.”

“Oh. I won’t. Not to his face. But there’s something delicious about calling him master. Look at him,” Jeonghan said, excitement in his voice, “he looked so cute here. The hair.”

Seungcheol moved closer, taking a look at the picture that Jeonghan was so enamored with. “Pink hair,” he breathed. Joshua did look immensely cute there. His face all smiles and those big eyes scrunched up in happiness. If anything he looked more beautiful than cute. The leanness he had in the photo and the long line of his neck made him look absolutely gorgeous.

Joshua was very beautiful now. But he no longer carried that innocence that the picture seemed to capture. He was more of a mature, cool beauty now.

“It’s a pity I didn’t get to meet him then. I’d have fun with this Joshua,” Jeonghan said with a salacious smile on his face.

“Like you’d be able to be sold without me,” Seungcheol retorted. “It’s not like Joshua had money then either. Unless he’s the son of some big wig.”

“As much as I hate to admit you’re right. He only has money now because of his job.”

Seungcheol hated to ask Jeonghan for information on their new master, but it was the quickest way. Jeonghan had this habit, skill more like, of ferreting out information. Well he was extremely skilled at eavesdropping really. But it came in handy at times.

“Did he say what he did? You know as work,” he said, trying to sound inquisitive and absentminded so Jeonghan wouldn’t now he was fishing for information.

Looking up from the picture, Jeonghan smirked at him. “You don’t know?”

“Don’t talk as if you know everything,” Seungcheol growled. Talking to Jeonghan sometimes was like playing mind games and he ing hated it.

Jeonghan laughed. “Well I know more than you. So…”

“Are you going to tell me or not?” Talking with Jeonghan was a test of his admittedly low temper. Well he had gotten better at holding it but some days, he really wanted to ing punch the jaguar in the face.

“I’ll be nice and tell you. He’s a doctor. Before you say anything that’s all I know.” He leaned his head towards the backyard, “You done out there? So I can have my sniff around.”

“Yea,” Seungcheol said. “I’m going out the front now. You already had your look?”

“Yup. Quiet. Nice. Expensive looking neighborhood. Can barely see the neighbors. This place is several levels up from the facility.”

Seungcheol grunted. He walked outside, barefoot. Jeonghan was right. It was quiet. Same sounds from the backyard. Small animals and what seemed like nature in the middle of the city. There was no way Joshua lived on the outskirts of the city when he worked a job that made enough money for him to drop on hybrids like him and Jeonghan and not even bat an eye.

It was nice. He…he could make a home out this place. A home with Joshua if he was as soft as the pictures and the way he talked to them this morning were indicators. Standing outside he breathed in the air. He was free. Free from the facility at last. Free from fighting Jeonghan to put on a show. Free from constantly having to bleed and limp. Yea, he could get used to this.

He was startled when the gate opened and a car drove in. Jeonghan must’ve heard the noise as he too came out the door. Wounded or not they’d still be able to take anyone down.

The car drove up and parked. The doors opened revealing a fox hybrid, two humans and Minghao.

“Minghao!” Jeonghan shouted. “You were bought last night?”

“Hyung!” Minghao left the side of the tall good looking giant running over to them. “Yea,” he replied with a blush. “Mingyu came to get like he said he would.”

Hearing his name Mingyu waved. He stayed near Wonwoo and Jun, still a bit frightened over seeing the two of them fight last night.

Wonwoo walked over, Jun with him, leaving Mingyu to scramble to catch up. “I’m Wonwoo.” He waved towards the fox hybrid, “This is Jun.”

The fox chirped out a, “Hi,” tacking on a sunny smile.

Jabbing a finger at Mingyu, who stood behind him, “This is Mingyu if you didn’t know already from Minghao.” He stared at the two of them. “You must be Jeonghan,” he declared, sticking out his hand for a handshake.

Jeonghan took it slowly, shaking it.

Then he moved to Seungcheol. “Wolf ears and tail. Seungcheol?”

Seungcheol nodded, taking the outstretched hand as well.

“Cool. I see you two are still a bit banged up. Let’s get inside. I'm hungry and knowing Joshua he’s got the best groceries delivered to his house again.”

Inside Wonwoo jabbed at the kitchen, “Mingyu go cook.”

Whining Mingyu asked, “Why only me? Why not Jun too? Or you?”

“He’s right you know,” Jun said, hand on his hip, looking at Wonwoo like he was the one who was in the wrong. “You don’t need to be here. You can help Mingyu in the kitchen while we,” moving his finger from Minghao to him, “talk to Jeonghan and Seungcheol.”

Wonwoo made a face internally. Here he was being booted out by his own boyfriend. “Ok, ok. I guess.”

Smiling at Wonwoo, Jun said, “Good.” He moved to peck Wonwoo on the cheek. “Be good to Mingyu now. We don’t want him to poison us.”

“I wouldn’t,” Mingyu protested, his eyes wide and shaking his hands denying such a heinous accusation.

Minghao laughed staring at Mingyu look like a giant lost puppy.

“Oh I know,” Jun said, “you wouldn’t poison us. You’d poison Wonwoo. But I’d miss him a lot you see. So I can’t have that either. No matter how tempting his money is.”

“Babe,” Wonwoo said, his tone lowering like he was going to punish Jun.

“A joke honey a joke,” Jun said, winking at him. “Shoo shoo now. Hybrids talk time only. No humans allowed until lunch is done.”

Wonwoo grunted and pushed Mingyu into Joshua’s very nice kitchen.

Jun turned back to Seungcheol and Jeonghan who watched this all from the couch. “Let’s talk now,” he grinned.

Jun plopped himself down on the arm chair across the couch, where the other three hybrids sat.

“You guys aren’t in any pain right?” Jun asked right off the bat to make sure.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol shook their heads.

“We heal fast,” Jeonghan said with a toothy grin. “That wild animal DNA.”

Jun nodded, knowing what he meant. Certain breeds of hybrids tended to heal quicker. But it was almost always the more dangerous types like Jeonghan and Seungcheol.

Jun stared at them. Trying to commit their features into memory. Better do it now than later if Joshua was sure of helping them find their feet in the real world.

Jeonghan had golden fur, open spots dotted along his ear, tail and his hairline. The contrast of the gold stood out against his black, neck length hair. Then there were the spots that appeared on his skin in patches, giving him that look of a hybrid. But the extra sharp teeth and the eyes. His eyes at this moment weren’t human like at all. They took on the green glow of a jungle cat. Was he agitated? Or did he fear the unknown and felt like he needed to be ready to fight that he activated them?

“Oh, you and Minghao look alike,” he noted.

Minghao had similar coloring and spots, even if he was thinner than the jaguar.

Minghao nodded. “But we’re different hyung,” pointing to Jeonghan, “jaguar,” pointing to himself, “leopard.”

“It’s the spots right?” Jun asked.

“Yea, the rosettes,” Jeonghan said. He held up his arm, showing Jun a patch of spots. “See the inside of,” tapping a finger on them, “my rosettes have spots on the inside unlike Minghao whose doesn’t.”

“Ah,” Jun said nodding. “And the body type too right? I mean I wasn’t at Pledis long but I vaguely remember the two of you,” he said moving his head from Jeonghan to Seungcheol.

The wolf sat on the other end of the couch quietly, studying Jun much like Jun had done to Jeonghan did. Gray pointed ears flicked at his direction, most likely to catch everything. The bushy tail laid on his lap. His eyes were also activated, ice blue.

“I’m bigger and stronger than Minghao.” Jeonghan looked at Jun, eyes narrowing, “You were at Pledis?”

“For a bit,” Jun replied. “Like two weeks. Wonwoo snatched me up pretty soon though. After he heard that I’d been transferred he got into the auctions and bought me.”

“Hmm,” Seungcheol said. “That’s why I don’t recognize you.”

With a sunny smile on his face, he said, “But you will now. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me. Joshua doesn’t really know what to do with you guys I think and his knowledge of actually caring for hybrids is pretty much nil.” His tail moved, as he continued, “So I’ll be around a lot. Probably to show you the ropes depending on what you guys decide you want to do.”

“What we want to do?” Jeonghan asked. Clearly the jaguar was confused if the shift of green eyes back to a dark brown were anything to go by.  

“Yea. Like school, a degree, a certification for a job, or just a job,” Jun replied shrugging. “They don’t treat hybrids as pets. Mingyu already had some plans for you in mind Minghao. I don’t know if he talked about them with you. But Joshua is fully supportive of whatever you’d like to do. Whatever they may happen to be. He won’t make you guys rot at home while he works.”

“He’s different isn’t he?” Seungcheol asked. He rarely heard of any owner who was willing to pay for their hybrids to do more besides lounge at home like giant pets. Hybrids were expensive as it was but to be willing to pay for hobbies, an education. That was almost unheard of.

“Joshua really hates the way hybrids are treated normally. So yes he’s super different from what you hear when you’re in the facility.”

They could tell that much from this morning. He really was rather cute.

“I could tell,” Jeonghan said. “He actually told us to be careful if we planned to run away from him. He even said to take the money he left for take out.”

Jun opened his mouth.

“Really?” Wonwoo asked. “Joshua hyung is seriously too nice.”

Mingyu followed him. “No way. He threw down twenty million on you two and he would just let you go!?” He threw himself on another free armchair, “Shua hyung is too nice.”

Minghao got up from the couch and sat on the arm of the chair. “He told me to tell him if you were mean to me,” he said with a teasing smile.

“Hey,” Mingyu said, “you know I can’t be mean to you.”

“Nuh uh. You were mean and argued with me before I was bought by Pledis.”

“Well I mean. Not anymore,” Mingyu protested.

“Wait,” Seungcheol interrupted. “He spent how much on us?”

“20 million. He wouldn’t even tell me at first. But I made him,” Mingyu said with a pout.

“You used the puppy dog eyes on him didn’t you?” Wonwoo said, chuckling as he pet Jun’s ears.

Jun snuggled into his hand. “Joshua’s only hard hearted when he needs to be. Otherwise he’s soft and sort of squishy.”

“True.” Wonwoo turned to Jeonghan and Seungcheol, “Don’t expect him to give into everything though. He’s used to being in charge at the hospital in his department. If he doesn’t agree he won’t give in and he’ll make you listen to him.”

“He’s rather secretive too,” Mingyu chimed in. “So if he doesn’t open up easily don’t be scared off.”

“You’re talking like he’ll keep us for a long time,” Jeonghan said. He wanted to kept forever but hearing how Joshua hated hybrids and their treatment, and that he would fund their future plans it was unlikely that he’d keep them for long.

“He didn’t only buy you out of pity,” Mingyu said, “despite everything Joshua hyung doesn’t actually bother with things that don’t interest him. He might find hybrid treatment abhorrent but he’s not exactly campaigning like the overzealous people who want to get rid of hybrids all together. He’s content to keep to his own business.” He paused staring at the two of them, “Something about you two attracted him in some way. I don’t think—“

He stopped as the hybrids turned their heads towards the front of the house.

“Someone's coming up the drive way,” Seungcheol said.