A/N: Update! Don't know when the next one will be though so just a warning

Standing against a rack of shirts, Joshua watched. Jeonghan seemed to be in his element. The hybrid flitted about the store, combing through the racks, picking out shirts, jeans, and jackets to try on. But Seungcheol, he looked a bit lost. The wolf hybrid stared at shirt, boring holes into it really. It was like he couldn’t decide if he liked it or if it offended him.

Joshua walked up to him, laying his hand flat on the shirt, pressing it into Seungcheol’s chest. “It looks nice.” He tilted his head, “Why are you giving it the evil eye?”

Seungcheol grimaced. “I feel unsure about,” he paused, “choosing.”

Joshua looked at him, waving his hand for him to keep going.

“I don’t have the same kind of attitude like Jeonghan when it comes to clothes,” he looked down, “it’s not like the facility gave us much else besides those uniforms of the same shirt and pants.”

Moving closer, Joshua gently pet one of his ears. “It’s ok. Just choose anything you find that might be interesting and try it on. If you like the way it looks you throw it in the buy pile. I’ll be here to watch you two.”

Seungcheol moved his head into Joshua’s petting hand. “All right.”

Twenty minutes later Joshua sat on the couch in front of the giant mirrors, waiting for Jeonghan and Seungcheol to come out. He hummed lightly, singing a song under his breath. He stopped as Seungcheol came out first.

The wolf hybrid came out in a tshirt and jeans. A nice casual look. Although, Joshua looked down at his legs, the pants were a little tight around the thighs. Seungcheol was certainly very muscled down there.

“You look great,” Joshua said, standing up to get a closer look. “The jeans though. Are they a bit tight?”

Seungcheol shook his head. “I like them like this. Less excess fabric,” he said, moving to check himself out in the mirror.

“Ok,” Joshua agreed. What was he to say? He liked his pants a bit baggy. “If you like the clothes put them in the buy pile and come out to show me something else.”

He nodded walking back into the fitting room.

A few seconds later Jeonghan came out. Decked out in a longline blazer, black jeans, a tshirt, a hat, and combat boots. He certainly had a flare for style. But when he came out to show Joshua, Jeonghan was blushing. It was a small pink of the cheeks but the jaguar hybrid was blushing.

Jeonghan turned to Joshua, asking, “Do I look ok?”

Joshua smiled at him. It seemed that Jeonghan was shy, afraid of what Joshua would think. “You look more than ok. You look amazing. Much more fashionable than my plain style.”

Beaming at Jeonghan took one last look at the mirror before going back into the fitting room.

From there the two of them paraded in front of Joshua the things they picked out, while Joshua pointed out things that didn’t go or things he thought weren’t that great on them.

At checkout Joshua almost wanted to wince as he saw the total. But he internally shook his head. Hybrids were expensive but he had money. It was just a different thing to use his money like this. But walking out with Jeonghan and Seungcheol in their new clothes, smiles on their faces was totally worth it.

“Who’s hungry?” He asked with a smile. “The café is nearby. You should meet the other workers. You might be working there one day.”

They dropped off the bags in car before Joshua took them to café that was joint business between their little group of friends. Soonyoung had one day just spouted it out while they were eating, announcing that he wanted to quit his job and just run a café or something. They laughed it off and hadn’t taken him seriously. Until a week later he came to them with a business plan and possible locations, fire in his eyes as he described the idea. Several months later they had bought a building and started renovations and then opened the place.

One cup at a Time was their little place. Soonyoung ran it most of the time with Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Joshua doing their regular jobs. They dropped by when they had the time, helping out or just getting free drinks and meals as part owner.

Joshua pushed the door open; the two hybrids following behind him. They sniffed a bit, acclimating to the smells of coffee, tea leaves, food, and unknown hybrids. Joshua waved to Soonyoung who was waiting tables. Sitting down at one of the corner tables, he smiled. It was relatively quiet in the café, which was nice since a few times that he had come in in the last few weeks it was so busy and loud. Good for business bad for his health.

“Shua! You’re here,” he said coming over. He looked at Jeonghan and Seungcheol who sat on either side of him, “And you brought the hybrids that Jun mentioned.” Soonyoung stuck out his hand, “I’m Kwon Soonyoung. Nice to meet you.”

Jeonghan shook his hand lightly. Soonyoung beamed at him before moving onto Seungcheol who nodded warily while shaking his hand.

“Here are some menus,” he said grabbing some from one of the nearby stands with napkins and straws. “I’ll send someone over to take your orders, I have to get back to the other customers for a bit. I’ll drop by to talk if I have time.” Soonyoung waved as he walked away.

“Shua?” Seungcheol asked.

Joshua, who opened his menu, nodded. “It’s a shortened version of my name. Shua is just cutting off the first two letters.”

“Can we call you that?” Jeonghan asked, trying to go for nonchalant but his eagerness filled his voice.

“Of course. I might take to calling you guys cute versions of your names too.” He winked at the two of them, “Like Hannie or Cheollie.” Joshua laughed to himself. “Oh. That’s really cute. Hmm,” he tapped at his lips, “Seungcheollie. Jeonghannie. Yea. I like it.”

The two of them made a face.

“I’m not a cute domestic hybrid,” Jeonghan protested.

“Wolves don’t come with cute nicknames,” Seungcheol said, defending his pride.

Joshua laughed at the two of them. “But you two were so cute at the doctor’s office earlier. You sure you won’t let me call you by those.” He smiled at the two of them, eyes wide, blinking innocently.

They melted. Seungcheol gave in first. Joshua was really too cute and it was bad for his heart. “Fine,” he said trying to sound pouty still.

Jeonghan was made of sterner stuff but he too melted at the sight of Joshua turning to him and looking at him from underneath his lashes, intentional or not, it looked like Joshua was seducing him to give in. “It’s ok,” he said quietly, staring at the picture Joshua made.

Joshua smiled at the two of them, ruffling their hair. “Yay.”

The two of them smiled back at him. He made it incredibly hard not to smile back.

“Go look at the menu. Pick out something you want to eat. That has some veggies,” he said, eyeing Jeonghan.

He made a small face but looked at the dishes that included a side vegetable of some sort.

Seungcheol simply nodded.

A waiter came. A new hybrid that Joshua had yet to meet since he didn’t frequent the café was it was outside of the area he worked in. He smiled at the rabbit hybrid as he placed three water glasses down at the table.

“What can I get for you today?” He asked smiling at them. Well more at Joshua it seemed.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol sniffed the air. Looking up they saw how the rabbit hybrid seemed to inch closer to Joshua as if trying to win his attention. He was in his mating season. They could smell it. And now he was trying to seduce what was theirs. They would teach him a thing or two about trying to take on two wild animal hybrids.

Eyes turning green Jeonghan started to, change, into a more animalistic form, his canines grew. He moved forward in front of Joshua, blocking him from view to growl at the rabbit hybrid. The rabbit yelped and jumped back, right into Seungcheol’s area. He too shifted a tad: eyes turning into the wolf’s, letting his claws extend outward as he snapped at the rabbit.

The rabbit hybrid looked like he was going to piss himself as two predators were after him.

Joshua blinked at first when Jeonghan moved in front of him. When he heard the rabbit hybrid yelp and Jeonghan growl he pulled at his shirt, trying to restrain him. But then Seungcheol started in on the harassment of the hybrid as well, drawing his attention away from restraining Jeonghan.

“Jeonghan! Seungcheol!” He snapped.

The two of them ignored him, still growling at the uppity little rabbit hybrid.

Lucky for the rabbit, Jun walked by. Seeing the situation, he simply ran up and grabbed the rabbit. When he pulled, the hybrid close he smelled the scent of heat. “Sorry Joshua hyung. Got to take him away before Jeonghan and Seungcheol eat him for encroaching on their territory.”

As Jun left with the trembling rabbit in his hands, Joshua heard Jun tsk and scold him,  “What were you thinking trying to get with someone who had two hybrids already, and while you were in heat? Are you stupid?”

He turned back to Jeonghan and Seungcheol, taken aback at just how wild they looked in their human forms but with their more animalistic features showing. The glow in Jeonghan’s green eyes were mesmerizing but the way he snapped his jaws. And Seungcheol with the ice blue eyes and claws that would rip into flesh. No. Joshua definitely shouldn’t forget what they could do.

He pulled at their ears, the human ones, jarring them out of their little display of possession. “What were you two thinking?” Joshua growled at them, pulling hard until he heard them yelp.

Jeonghan cried out, eyes turning brown again as the sudden sharp pain. “He was trying to seduce you. The damn rabbit’s heat was making him .”

“He wanted to have with you. We weren’t going to let that happen,” Seungcheol cried out as Joshua yanked again. He retracted his claws, scrabbling at Joshua’s hand on his ear. “Shua!”

“You’re mine,” they shouted over their pained cries.

“Shua please!” Jeonghan yelped.

Seungcheol whimpered.

Joshua decided that they had had enough of their little punishment and let go. “That doesn’t give you the right to threaten the poor thing. You should’ve just told him to back off.” He paused. “Wait. What am I saying? I would’ve told him to back off myself. You two didn’t need to do that little display of power.” Joshua huffed, looking away from them.

They whined.

“I’m sorry,” Jeonghan said, pushing his head into Joshua’s shoulder trying to get his attention. He tried to take Joshua’s hand but Joshua moved it away.

Seungcheol grabbed Joshua’s other hand successfully and placed it on his head but Joshua finger flicked his wolf ear, moving it away. Seungcheol grabbed onto his arm, moving into it trying to get close.

The two of them continued to whine at Joshua who ignored them for five minutes until he thought the whining was sounding rather pathetic. Looking down at them he asked, “Are you two sorry?”

They nodded. They were lying of course but Joshua didn’t need to know that. They were only sorry that they had gotten caught.

Together they said, “Shua we’re sorry.”

Joshua nodded. “Ok.” But he was still a bit cold to them.

“Joshua?” Jeonghan said, voice sounding rather sad. “M’sorry.”

“Me too,” Seungcheol added.

Sighing Joshua closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he was going to do this. But they sounded so sad. Turning he kissed Seungcheol on the head, then he moved to the other side dropping a kiss on Jeonghan’s head as well. “I get it. Don’t do it again.”

They nodded, hiding smiles. Again, they lied though. They’d totally do it again.

After a thankfully quiet lunch, the three of them left the café, Jun waving goodbye with a knowing smirk on his face. The three of them walked down the row of stores, stopping into a few, browsing and picking a thing or two out.

As they continued their way to the parking garage, Joshua stopped as he saw Jeonghan and Seungcheol looking at a display of collars in a window. “Do you two want to go in?” he asked softy.

Startled Seungcheol said, “But I thought you didn’t like the idea of things like this. Since it’s just a show of ownership,” trailing off his tail no longer wagging.

“If you two want one then it’s fine. I mean you’re by no means obligated to wear one at all, but if it’ll make you two feel like you belong then I’m ok with it.”

They nodded enthusiastically. Smiling Joshua gestured into the store, “Go on then. Let’s have a look.”

Together the three of them went inside. They were greeted, “Welcome.”

Joshua let the two of them browse as he took a cursory look around. It was a hybrid specialty store, catering to hybrids and their various needs. A small clothing sections, books, toys, medicine. A little bit of everything. But the only thing that Seungcheol and Jeonghan were interested in were the collars. He smiled at their wonder, being startled by a voice.

“Welcome. Were you looking for something in particular?”

It was a hybrid. A tabby cat. From the looks of it, the owner of the store.

“Oh no. I’m just waiting for them to pick out something,” Joshua said waving at Jeonghan and Seungcheol. “They wanted to come in and see. I’ll be happy if they find something.”

“Oh. Let me help then. Why don’t you come join us?” with a toothy grin on her face.

Joshua walked over looking down at the display that the two of them were browsing.

“Did you find something you liked yet?” He asked Jeonghan.

Jeonghan gave him a shy look. A first since the first store they stopped in at. “That one,” he whispered pointing to a bejeweled thing.

No doubt pricy but the colors would look amazing on Jeonghan.

“Can we see that?” Joshua said pointing at it. Black calfskin leather studded with some of the bluest sapphires he’d seen. Which was likely true since he didn’t actually like jewelry himself and rarely ventured into stores that sold them.

The owner took it out of the display and placed it on a white background. “Isn’t it amazing? And with coloring like that it’d only compliment you further,” she said to Jeonghan. “Would you like to try it on?”

Joshua nodded encouragingly at Jeonghan who seemed apprehensive.

“Can you put it on Shua?”

“Of course,” he replied. Picking it up, he gently laid it against his neck as Jeonghan bent his head down for him. Joshua buckled it into place, admiring the black against Jeonghan’s pale skin dotted with rosettes. “It looks great. Do you want it?”

Jeonghan looked at Joshua who smiled at him with such gentleness and appreciation. Turning to the mirror the cat hybrid pushed towards him, he stared at his reflection, admiring how it looked and laid on his neck. “Can I?”

Joshua placed a hand on his arm. “If it’s what you want then yes, you can have it.”

“Any engravings or extras?” the owner asked, closing the display, knowing she just made a very expensive sale.

“No. I think the collar will be fine on its own.” Joshua noticed that Jeonghan’s eyes were caught on another display of jewelry, “Go on, have a look.”

Jeonghan scurried towards it admiring the shiny baubles.

“Shall I ring you up?”

“Not yet. I think Seungcheol is still looking and Jeonghan no doubt might want something else as well.” He laughed to himself, for a cat hybrid Jeonghan acted more like a magpie at times, eyes darting to shiny things.

“Such a generous owner,” she said, most likely seeing dollar signs as she looked at Joshua.

He moved over to Seungcheol. “Find anything?”

Seungcheol stared hard at a black collar with a chain interwoven into it. On closer inspection, the chain was studded with tiny diamonds around the center links.

Joshua pointed at it silently. The owner slid in her key and took it out placing it on the mat.

“Go on,” Joshua said. Seungcheol continued to stare.

Joshua picked it up, buckling it into place as Seungcheol bared his neck to him. Smiling, Joshua moved Seungcheol over to the mirror that the owner so nicely brought over. “You look very handsome,” he said, ruffling Seungcheol’s ear. “Is that the one?”

The wolf nodded silently, touching it in a gentle manner.

Honestly the two of them had the cutest reactions to having a collar. Jeonghan walked back over to them.

“I think there’s something that you should get for yourself Shua.” The look on Jeonghan’s face was quite ecstatic to say the least.

Joshua followed him curiously, Seungcheol doing the same. Jeonghan pointed at something, his finger not quite hitting the glass. “Considering our collars, it’s like a matching set,” he said with a grin, flashing his teeth.

Following his finger, Joshua saw a leather cord necklace, the pendant though was interesting. Half cat half wolf, made of sapphires and diamonds. How fitting.

“This piece,” the owner said, “came to us from an independent jeweler. He said he had been inspired by something he had recently seen. Perhaps something similar to the two of you,” she remarked with a knowing smile. “Shall I take it out?”

Joshua shook his head. “I can’t wear jewelry on the job. As nice as it is there’s no use for it. It’d be a waste. Just their collars today.”

Jeonghan’s face fell. “Aww. Why not?”

Joshua patted him on the back of his head. “I can’t have things smacking patients in the face or diamonds falling into their bodies when I’m doing surgery. Earrings I might’ve considered.” He chuckled as the hybrid’s lips puckered exaggeratedly in a pout. “Maybe next time I’ll get something for myself ok?”

Jeonghan reluctantly nodded. The two of them followed Joshua as he went to the register and swiped his credit card, not even blinking at the total.

The owner of the store handed him a bag with two jewelry boxes for the collars. “Have a nice day and please do come back. We have new inventory in every month. Perhaps next month you’ll see something that catches your fancy.”

Joshua smiled politely. “Of course. Thank you.” He turned to leave, Jeonghan grabbing the bag and Joshua’s open hand, Seungcheol grabbing the other. The three of them walked out of the store hand in hand.