1 year later

The mini-blinds are a mess again. Lu Han kicks open the door of his apartment, stack of grocery bags balancing precariously between his arms. There’s a small, chirruping meow at his feet, a comparatively tiny, orange creature that threatens to trip him before he’s even gotten his shoes off.

“Cat, what are you doing?” Lu Han berates. In a perfect world the cat ignores him for ninety percent of the day until it wants cuddles, on top of Lu Han’s head. But well, things have changed since…

“Minseok?!” he shouts, primarily for help.

The mini-blinds rustle, and Lu Han is temporarily blinded by a flash of sunlight which surges through the open window, curtains fluttering. He shuts his eyes, freezing in the moment until he’s certain he’ll be able to a) see again, and b) actually take a step without tripping on the cat beneath his feet.

Seconds later the weight in his arms is lifted, the cat below retreating as well as it resorts to its other favorite pastime: sulking. Lu Han admits he didn’t quite consider the implications, but bringing home a large predator—even of the catlike variety—brought about a whole new dynamic between him and his two little babies. Plainly put, they are jealous creatures, and Minseok is too, though on occasion Lu Han’s come home to catch all three of them snuggling on the couch. Jealous, petulant, and terrible, terrible liars. He loves them, Minseok most of all.

“How was your day?” calls the hybrid from the kitchen.

Lu Han follows the sound of his voice, entering the room to put down his remaining sack of groceries. He hums. “Good, good,” then squatting down to pet the other fluffy monstrosity, Tan, who is curled up on top of the counter. On a good day Lu Han would scold him, but Minseok likes this one best, and vice versa, and lets him get away with just about anything. Lu Han sighs. Discipline around here has gotten even worse since Minseok…

“Ahem.”

Lu Han jumps up. Minseok is standing before him, arms crossed, pouting.

“I’m sorry, did you want something?” ask Lu Han to be coy.

The hybrid rolls his eyes, then turns away. And yes, Lu Han smiles fondly at his back, because he is so so petulant. Before he can get away Lu Han crosses the distance and envelops Minseok from behind. His arms wrap around a solid waist, fingers lacing together in front of a marvelously muscled stomach. Minseok stops, and while he definitely doesn’t react, Lu Han knows this game.

“Baby, I brought you a present…”

Something in the hybrid’s vocal chords harrumphs indignantly, still tightly content to play the game. On the other hand, he’s not very good at it, and begins purring two seconds later.

“Oh? You did?” he replies airily.

Lu Han nods. Minseok worms his way out of his Lu Han’s arms and turns, an expectant expression brightening his face.

“What is it? Did you really get the assignment? Baekhyun agreed!? Are the tickets in?! Can I see them?!”

Lu Han laughs. “Hold on, hold on just a sec, okay! Let me actually finish with the groceries first.” Then, seeing Minseok’s trembling lips: “It’s in my work bag if you absolutely can’t wait.”

The hybrid makes a dash for the bag. Lu Han turns his back and begins the task of putting away the coldest food items first, ignoring Minseok for the time being.

It’s been a whole year since their time in the wild. For only half of that time Minseok has been living with him. Every couple of months Lu Han packs him up and onto the train, and sends him back for a hiatus, a necessary diversion which the hybrid desperately needs. It’s been hard adjusting to city life. While there’s nothing illegal about his status, and he could technically ‘turn’ whenever he wants to, it’s a little hard to main something of a civil lifestyle were the neighbors to catch a glimpse of a wildcat dashing down their sidewalks. Even the wolves, if they must, do it in secret or in private forest reserves. Prejudices are slow to die down among just about every hybrid breed.

Most of the time Minseok is fine walking around like a human. And on the days when he needs to transform, he does it in Lu Han’s apartment. Still, it’s not enough. Also, Lu Han still has a job and while he spends most of it now in office at the Wild Hybrid Preservation Center, it’s not the same thing as getting to be out there and doing something unique.

He turns at the sound of Minseok’s triumph. In the hybrid’s hands he holds a brand new passport with his name on it, and two airplane tickets, destination: Africa.

Lu Han smiles. It took a lot of persuading, mostly from Baekhyun, that they weren’t going to make him go out there and breed . But that any relationship between his species and the African hybrid wildcat would be a giant step towards protecting their kind in a world where their population is increasingly becoming extinct.

“So this is it. I’m now, what. An official ambassador?” The hybrid crooks head slyly in Lu Han’s direction.

Lu Han nods. “It’s official. Are you happy now?” They’ll get to go together this time. Minseok can spend however long he wants as a wildcat, associating with fellow beasts, and Lu Han doesn’t have to watch him go alone.

Even better is that Lu Han’s ex is recently returned and therefore won’t be there when they arrive. After all this time Lu Han gets his dream job, and he gets to go with his dream lover. Sometimes, the fates do align.

Minseok finishes savoring his new identification, and Lu Han watches him fondly as he deliberates where to put the tickets for safekeeping. They leave next month, which is plenty of time to get ready, pack, say their temporary goodbyes.

“Oh yes,” Lu Han suddenly remembers. “Jongdae said he’d be by tomorrow for dinner, and please not to feed him dog food.”

Minseok hisses in response. Then he shrugs, begins to laugh. “Your wolf friend is too sensitive.”

“Excuse me,” Lu Han retorts. “He is more than a wolf, just as you are more than a cat , and he’s my best friend. So there.”

“So what?” Minseok smirks.

Lu Han wants to argue, but then Minseok turns away grinning, and he find he just can’t bring himself to continue the argument. It’s an ongoing one, and Minseok positively loves to antagonize Jongdae whenever the two are together. Practically enemies and they won’t ever shut up, always one-upping the other with the insults. Lu Han knows from experience that it’s their own personal way of showing friendship. The first time he tried to separate them from each other, he got hissed and snarled at by not one but both of his two favorite people on earth.

It’s a good life they have now. Not always perfect, not always harmonious, and goodness knows, living with a wild creature cooped up in an apartment makes for its fair amount of stress.

And then there is that other thing.

“Have you heard from uhm, what’s his name again?” Lu Han asks, as they’re settling in for bed.

He’s half under the covers, with the hybrid plastered to one side, his two smaller cats sleeping in tandem at the foot of the bed. Lu Han is plenty cozy, practically overheating.

“Did I hear from who?” Minseok’s voice is weak, sleepy.

Lu Han doesn’t like saying his name. He knows their reunion was good. Short and sweet, and one hundred percent platonic .

“You know who I mean. That, that Yixing fellow.”

Lu Han still kind of blames him for breaking Minseok’s heart when he was just a little boy. For not being a better person, for not being there for Minseok when he needed a friend the most. The hybrid, however, has apparently long since forgiven him.

“Oh, him? We talk every now and then. It’s good.”

Lu Han humphs. Minseok rolls to face him, places a soft hand on Lu Han’s jaw.

“Are you doing that thing again where you pretend to be jealous?”

“Pretend? Who’s pretending?”

“You are,” Minseok hums. He leans towards him, and Lu Han closes his eyes. Their lips brush gently. Once again he’s at a loss for words, doesn’t want to break this spell.

“Let’s just sleep, hm? I’m so sleepy,” the hybrid whines.

“Now who’s pretending,” Lu Han whispers back, when Minseok maneuvers himself right over Lu Han’s body.

It’s another hour before they actually get to sleep. ;) 

End.