Title: A dog? Mate?

Author; Ohchenshire

Length: 1.482 words

Genre: Fluff, Hybrid & kid au

Rated: Pg-13

Summary: Sicheng buys a puppy to keep company to his cat Mark. Mark hates him. More like he thought so. (Mark is 9 years-old and Taeyong is 10.)

It’s a Saturday afternoon and Mark is lazing around as usual. At the moment, he’s on the couch watching Spongebob while eating a cranberry flavored ice cream—the second best flavor after vanilla he internally notes as he sways his tail contently. He is alone at home right since his owner went somewhere he didn't tell him the where exactly since it's supposed to be a ‘surprise’.

Mark’s cat ears perked up as an addictive yet unknown scent fills his nose all of sudden. He tries to calm down, but to no avail. The sweet walnut scent is coming closer and stronger. After a few seconds, he hears door keys unlocking the front door before a voice ring in his the house, “I’m home!" His owner Sicheng announced and he is not alone. He can entirely smell the addictive walnut scent everywhere now so the owner must be here too.

Mark takes a deep breath and gets up from the couch and walks toward the main door where he sees Sicheng crouching down in front of a little boy. A dog hybrid to be exact. Mark hisses slightly to get their attention.

"Ah, Mark, here you are!"

Sicheng goes to him and pick him up in his arms and his hair gently before settling him down face to face with the newcomer.

“Mark, here is your new friend Lee Taeyong! Taeyongie a year older than you, but take care of him alright?”

Mark is barely registering what Sicheng says that he doesn't answer. He’s too occupied glaring at the short but taller than him boy standing in front of him, who is nonchalantly staring right back at him. His hair is white like Mark’s favorite vanilla ice cream, his ears are a mix of black and white. The more Mark stares the more he can’t deny that the hybrid dog is undoubtedly the most beautiful hybrid he's ever seen in his nine years of existence. And that sweet scent that won't stop invading all of Mark’s senses is troubling him.

The white-haired boy's red irises are boring into the slightly dazed gray of Mark’s ones. The thing that irritates Mark the most after his resting expression is Taeyong’s addictive scent, he's never smelled anything that good and strong. Mark feels a lot of weird emotions boiling inside of him the more he breathes in the unavoidable scent and concludes that he hates it. He hated him already.

Seeing that almost one minute has passed with little Mark still staring at little Taeyong without uttering a word. Sicheng shakes his hand in front of his face,“ Mark? Say hello to Taeyongie.” Sicheng urges him.

Mark comes back from his dazed state and huffs his chubby cheeks before briefly abiding a, “Hello.”

The little cat-boy then makes his way back to the couch with his tail wiggling angrily. Or is it anxiety?

Sicheng sighs and bends down in front of quite Taeyong, “Mark is usually not like that. He’s a really sweet boy! But I guess that he's having a hard time accepting a new addition to our home, but don't worry, he doesn't hate you.”

Taeyong takes his gaze away from Mark’s back and simply says, “I know.” A knowing and mischievous glint in his eyes gone as fast as it came, he bounces in place and cutely declared, “Taeyongie is hungry~”

Sicheng cooed at his cuteness and smooched Puppy Taeyong’s chubby cheek and mused, “So cute!” straightens up on his feet and picks up little Taeyong in his arms. While caressing the kid’s fluffy hair, Sicheng states, “I’m going to cook a delicious meal for you and Mark now. Go watch tv with Mark or play with him okay?”

Taeyong nods his head with enthusiasm and Sicheng lets him down and shooed him away to the living room before heading to the kitchen. Taeyong looks at his gentle owner’s retreating back for a moment his mind wanders back to a grumpy cat— Taeyong knows exactly the reason behind Mark’s moodiness. He'll have to tell him someday. Mark seems obvious to the fact that they are fated mate — he may not even know what is a mate yet unlike Taeyong who was taught all of these already at the hybrid veterinary. But Mark is clearly as affected as Taeyong ― he’s sure of that despite it not showing on the surface. The puppy boy is already excited for their future.

Taeyong grins, “Seems like I finally found my home.”

He makes his way inside the living room while humming softly,

“Chengie, Markeu and Taeyongie~”

Once Taeyong nears the couch, he notices Mark’s sleeping form on the couch, taking a nap. He internally swoons at the cute sight of Mark curled up in a ball with his paws kept close to his chest and his cute ears twitching slightly from time to time. The catboy blows his black fringes out of his face with each breath he takes and he mumbles incomprehensible things in his slumber. Taeyong feels drowsy just watching him so he slowly climbs on the couch and plops down, face to face with a pretty sleeping Mark. Taeyong observes him in awe for a moment and clumsily tucks Mark’s fringes behind his ears as best as his small hands can.

He sleepily mutters, “How lucky am I to have such a pretty mate. Grumpy sure, but cute―” Taeyong giggles as he comes up with, “Taeyongie’s cute-grumpy cat”

Taeyong yawns cutely and extends his hand forward to Mark’s soft cheek before snuggling closer to his 'said fated mate'. Taeyong’s blinks his half-lidded eyes open to take in the beautiful creature right before his eyes for a few more seconds before they shut close. Dreamland.

✝✝✝✝

Mark wakes up as he feels a faint warm breeze touching his face. He stretches his hand and they land on something meaty and warm. Who? He blinks his eyes open and he is totally awakened as his orbs lands on Taeyong’s sleepy face really close to him. Mark instantly takes his hand away from where they were as if they were on fire like his cheeks. ‘How dare he sleep next to me?’

Mark is on the verge of screeching loudly, but he stops himself when he hears Taeyong’s quiet snores ― he doesn’t want to wake him up. Instead, Mark takes a glimpse at the sleeping puppy’s reconsiders it. Mark settles for using this chance as the other is unconscious to observe him closely. Now that Mark witnesses Taeyong’s pretty features from up close he laments on the thought that his first impression of him was totally accurate. The kid is prettier than all the girls and boys at his school. He may even be the prettiest of all.

He also notices that he can smell Taeyong’s scent, although it isn't a strong as earlier. It's so soothing now and as Mark feels serenity envelop him, he starts questioning himself. How can one’s scent do all of these to him? Strange.

Taeyong stirs up as he feels soft fingers delicately fondling his sensitive ears. He cracks his eyes slightly open and sees Mark’s brows furrowed in concentration all the while playing with his ears. Appreciating the feeling of Mark’s fingers on his ears and his sweet fragrance, Taeyong pretends to be still sleeping, however, he starts dozing off for real so he doesn’t notice the way Mark is squirming and Taeyong lets out a soft purr who inwardly alerts Mark who freezes.

“You’re awake, right? I can smell your scent a lot.” Mark accuses and Taeyong’s eyes flutter open.With a cute boyish smile.

“I wanted you to play with my ears longer Markeu.” he childishly says.

“You are bad, a really bad puppy. And don’t call me Markeu, it’s Mark.” Mark shakes his head disapprovingly and begins to rise up, but Taeyong prevents him from doing so and wraps his arms and tail around Mark’s smaller frame.

With no room for disapproval, Taeyong says, “Let’s sleep a bit more Markeu.”

They fall in a calm peacefulness with Mark strangely docile not trying to go away. He himself don’t understand it, but too tired Mark lets himself rest in Taeyong’s warm embrace and recalls how the latter called him.

“Don’t ever call me Markeu again or I’ll bite you.” He grumbles

“Alright,” he chuckles and adds “Markeu.” just to .

Taeyong regrets it right after because Mark harshly bites on his ear.

A satisfied warned-you-so smile spreads on the cat’s lips after he hears the puppy yelp in pain.

They then continuously tackle each other and end up engaging in playful ears biting session and Mark thinks that he could get used to it.

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I think I rushed the ending too much... I'll rewrite this later and maybe add a sequel where they are older. Have a nice day!

Ohchenshire