Three

***

“Hyung, are you sleeping?” Ten whined when a small finger poked his eye rather forcefully. It was the first time for months that he had slept this well and he certainly didn’t want to interrupt it. The hybrid couldn’t remember why and where he was sleeping but it didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact that he felt like sleeping on clouds. Eventually, his slumber got ruined when he noticed how somebody lifted his eyelid.

“Hyung, your eyes are so cool!” Ten immediately sat up, looked around and panicked when he didn’t recognize his surroundings.

“Ten hyung? What’s up? Why are you shaking?” The hybrid snapped his neck so fast, that it hurt. He observed the little boy with wide eyes and felt how his body completely froze. Slowly, his memories about last night rained down on him and he allowed his muscles to relax.

“Hyung?” Mark’s voice quivered and his big innocent eyes filled themselves with tears. His hyung didn’t want to talk to him, let alone play with him!

Ten took some deep breaths and forced a smile on his features.

“Sorry Mark, I was just surprised.” Gently, he opened his arms and allowed the boy to burry himself in them. His green eyes searched for a clock and he suppressed a groan when he saw the time. 6:08 am in the morning. Wow. Mark yawned loudly and rubbed his tummy with an adorable pout on his lips.

“Hyung, I’m hungry. Can we make breakfast?” Without waiting for an answer, the boy climbed out of the bed, pulled his shirt down -magically his shirts never covered his chubby tummy- and held his hand out for Ten to take it. Sighing, the hybrid took his hand and made his way to the kitchen.

“Where’s your dad?” Ten asked when they entered the empty room.

“He’s sleeping. I always wake him up, he’s such a sleepy head.” Mark shrugged and climbed on a chair. After settling, he watched the hybrid with expecting eyes. “Can you make pancakes?” Ten hesitated since he didn’t know whether he was allowed to use the kitchen. He didn’t want Johnny to be angry with him for cooking without asking.

“But I have to ask your father first…” Ten shifted uneasily and tried to ignore the boy’s pleading eyes. “I don’t know whether I’m allowed to cook.”

“Of course you can cook! Taeyongie hyung always cooks for us. Daddy hates cooking in the morning.” Sulking, the boy crossed his arms and placed his chin on the table.

“O-Ok…I’ll try.” The hybrid was still scared but he also wanted to thank the family for their hospitality. And if Johnny really heated cooking, he could help him out…right?

Nodding to himself, Ten rolled his sleeves up and opened the fridge to check its content. He was confident about his cooking skills since he always had to cook for his old owner. Ten felt a sharp pain in his chest at the thought of his old owner. Shaking his head, he tried to get rid of them and concentrated on his task. Mark’s tummy waited to be filled and he had to hurry if he didn’t want the boy to whine.

He took the ingredients out and put them neatly on the counter. Lost, he opened every cabinet and searched for the things he needed. For a short moment, Ten thought about asking Mark but he discarded the idea in a second since he didn’t believe that Mark knew where the cooking utensils were.

Ten sighed relieved when he found everything he needed and tried to find a way to remember the receipt and talk to Mark simultaneously. The little boy was excited to have someone at home to talk to other than his dad. He happily talked about his hybrid friends, his dad’s friends, his favorite movies, songs, basically about everything he could think of. Ten listened with a smile on his face while he whisked the batter with skilled movements.

“Mark, can you wake your dad up? The pancakes will be ready in a few.”

“YES!” Mark hopped off the chair, pulled his pants up and ran out of the kitchen. He opened the door to his dad’s room and shouted immediately.

“DAD, WAKE UP!” With his short legs, he climbed on the bed and grinned mischievously before he jumped on his dad.

“Oof.” Johnny blinked confused and tried to understand what just happened.

“DAAAAAAAD.” The father groaned loudly while he stretched himself out. He could name thousand better ways to wake up but he embraced his son never the less.

“Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?” Johnny kissed Mark’s forehead and tried to tuck the boy in. They could sleep for some more minutes.

“I’m not a baby! I’m a big boy, dad! I’m bigger than Jeno and Nana!” Mark frowned and tried to free himself out of his dad’s arms. Jeno and Jaemin were babies but him? Never.

“You are, I’m sorry buddy.” Johnny smiled as he poked his sons puffed out cheeks. He wanted to add more compliments about him being a big boy but a sound coming from the kitchen caused him to pause. Johnny took Mark in his arms and hesitated for a moment until he remembered that Ten was their guest.

“Dad, Ten hyung made pancakes!” Mark cheered loudly and giggled when his dad made his way to the kitchen. To say that Johnny was surprised was an understatement but he didn’t want the hybrid to wait.

Ten was flipping the last pancake when the duo entered the kitchen.

“Wow, you made so many!” Johnny shook his head but smiled never the less. He let Mark down and the boy hurried to embrace Ten’s right leg and nuzzled his face into it.

“Thank you, hyung.” Johnny noticed how Ten avoided looking at his face and played with his sweater paws after petting his son’s head.

“I…Mark wanted pancakes…and I made some. I’m so sorry for not asking beforehand.” With every word his shoulders dropped and his voice sounded more pitiful. The father saw how his tail wrapped himself around his thigh and cooed internally when his ears dropped. He blinked a few times to stop himself from admiring the cute hybrid and hurried to answer.

“Ten, thank you very much for making them! And don’t worry you can do whatever you want.” The hybrid cocked his head in confusion as he didn’t understand why Johnny was so nice to him. Would he beat him when Mark wasn’t around?

His trail of horrible thoughts got interrupted when Mark pulled him towards the table.

“I want to eat!” The trio sat down and Johnny filled their plates with pancakes. Not a second later, the father son duo started to dig in.

“They are so yummy!!!” Mark exclaimed with his full mouth and stuffed even more in, causing him to resemble a hamster.

“Yes, the best pancakes I ever ate.” Ten blushed at their compliments and looked at his full plate.

“Hyung, why are you not eating?” Mark coughed as he tried to speak with his full mouth. Ten pushed the glass of orange juice in front of the boy and waited till he took a sip.

“I…I’m not allowed to eat with you. I have to eat later.” His gaze was fixed on a spot on the table and he wasn’t moving at all. The hybrid flinched a bit when Johnny put his fork down and turned to him.

“Ten, of course you can eat with us! You made them and you should enjoy them while they’re still warm. Please forget those stupid rules and eat with us.” Ten hesitated for a while but took the fork when he saw Mark’s worried eyes. With slightly shaking hands, he cut a piece and started to eat.

***

“Yuta, Taeyong, Jeno and Jaemin are coming over, Mark. Please go and change while I’m doing the dishes.” Johnny took the plates and put them in the sink when Ten stopped him.

“I’ll do them, you can rest.” Johnny tried his best to control the uneasiness he felt when he slowly understood how Ten was treated in the past.

“No, you already made breakfast, you must be tired.” The father felt how the hybrid watched him helplessly. “You can help Mark if you want.” he added since he had a feeling that Ten would be overwhelmed of the sudden changes. The hybrid nodded hurriedly and took the boy’s hand as he led him to his room.

Ten frowned when he noticed how quiet Mark was. Since yesterday the boy couldn’t stop talking about him wanting Ten to meet his friends but now he seemed to be sad about it. A big pout was adorning his face and his big shiny eyes sported a disappointed look. Ten felt the unfamiliar urge of protecting the boy from any harm of the world.

“Mark, why are you so sad?” He still was afraid of crossing lines but he also really wanted the boy to feel better. The little boy just shrugged, opened his big closet and searched for his favorite shirt.

“Do you want to tell me?” he poked the boy’s belly with his tail and smiled when he noticed how he tried to hold a giggle in.

“Come on.” Mark sighed deeply and plopped down on the floor.

“Jeno and Nana are hybrids and they’re so cute! You’ll like them more than me.” Ten opened his mouth to say something but he closed it again. Mark was sad about the thought of him liking somebody else more? A warm feeling settled in the pit of his stomach and a genuine smile blossomed on his face. Without a word, he opened his arms and hugged the sad boy tightly.

“Oh baby, I’ll never like anybody more than you. You are the cutest boy I’ve ever seen even when you’re not a hybrid.” Mark sniffled but his eyes glistened with hope.

“Really?”

“Really.” Ten ruffled his hair and pinched his cheek when a cute giggle left his mouth. Their intimate time got interrupted when Johnny cleared his throat. Immediately, Ten let go of the boy and stood up.

“Mark hurry up, your friends will be here in a few minutes.” The boy nodded and started to change into his favorite clothes.

***

Ten shifted nervously on the sofa and tried to listen to Mark as he animatedly talked about a movie. The thought of meeting the family’s friends caused the hybrid to shake slightly. A tiny voice in his head told him to relax and stop worrying since Johnny and Mark were so nice to him. But a louder voice tried to convince him that they called more humans to harm him.

The sound of a bell surprised Ten so much that he flinched extremely.

“Hyung, are you ok?” Mark watched him with his big eyes and Ten nodded hastily to reassure him. Seconds after the bell, he heard loud screeching and hurried steps.

“Boys be careful!” a man shouted but it was useless.

“Uncle Johnny, where is he?”

“We’re here!” Ten jumped a bit at the unexpected shout from Mark. He was sure that his heart wouldn’t endure so many shocks. Before he could brace himself for the guests, two tiny boys entered the living room. Ten cocked his head at the sight of the hybrids. They were even tinier than Mark and watched him with big eyes.

“Woah, he’s pretty!” the puppy exclaimed and stopped right in front of Ten. The kitten still stood at the door frame and blushed slightly.

“Hello Nana, hello Jeno!” Mark said happily and sat on Ten’s lap to stop Jaemin from nearing him more. “This is Ten hyung!” Said hybrid felt how a smile crept on his face at the sight of the small hybrids. For the first time in his life he felt admired.

“I’m Nana! I’m three years old.” Ten nodded and looked at the shy kitten at the back, waiting for him to introduce himself.

“That’s Jeno. He’s also three.” Mark said and called the boy.

Ten’s whole body tensed when he saw two men behind Jeno. One of them had pink hair and smiley uneasily. Next to him was a blonde man who put his hands on Jeno’s shoulders and pushed the boy slightly. Ten felt adrenalin pumping through his veins and calculated his chances of dashing past the men. His breathing picked up and a low whine left his mouth as he tightened his hold on Mark.

“Hello Ten, I’m Taeyong and this is my boyfriend Yuta.” Ten’s gaze switched between the men as they made their way inside.

“Hello uncle Taeyong and Yuta!” Mark sang cheerily and waved his cute little hands.

“Hi sweetheart.” Yuta’s smile blinded Ten and he caught himself how he thought about it being cute. He watched how they sat down across from him and was surprised when Jeno sat on Taeyong’s lap and hid his face in his chest. Laughing, Taeyong hugged the hybrid and kissed his head.

“He’s a bit shy.” Yuta said softly and pecked Jaemin’s cheek when the boy also wanted to sit on his lap.

Ten felt how his muscles relaxed a bit when Johnny came in. He sat next to Ten but left enough space between them for the hybrid to feel safe.

“Do you guys want something to drink or eat?” At the voice of Johnny, Jeno came out of his hideout and smiled brightly. His small eyes crinkled adorably as he made his way into the man’s arms.

“My favorite kitten!” Johnny exclaimed as he stood up, caught the boy and tossed him in the air. Jeno giggled loudly and wound his arms around Johnny’s neck when the man held him in his arms.

“I missed you uncle Johnny.” Ten found himself smiling at the sight of the shy kitten opening up to the giant man.

“Not fair! I want cuddles, too!” Jaemin whined until Johnny let go of Jeno and embraced him instead. Without Ten’s notice, his body relaxed further and the thoughts of running away were pushed to the back of his mind. He observed the guests without paying attention to their conversation until Jaemin poked his arm.

“Hyung, can I touch your tail?” Ten blinked a few times and nodded slightly.

“You have to be careful!” Mark said and got off Ten’s lap. The hybrid poked the puppy’s awaiting hand and flinched when the he squealed loudly.

“It’s so soft! Will Jeno also get a tail when he’s older?” Ten looked into Jaemin’s brown eyes and finally understood why everybody was a goner for puppy eyes.

“Yes, he will.” He shifted his gaze to Jeno and smiled when the boy quickly looked away. “Do you want to touch it, too?” He couldn’t believe that he really offered a stranger to come close to him. Biting his lips, Jeno nodded and went to him, after Taeyong patted his twice. The kitten watched him carefully and touched the tail when Mark left an annoyed sigh out.

“It’s really soft.” Ten nodded and felt a warm feeling when Jeno sat next to him and continued to play with it.

“I want to play in your room!” Jaemin said and took his friends hands to pull them.

“Be careful.” Johnny said when the boys made their way to Mark’s room. Ten felt the urge to follow them since he didn’t want to be in a room with three men who could easily hurt him. But he stayed seated because he wasn’t allowed to leave without being told so.

“So, Ten…do you want to tell us something about you?” Yuta smiled reassuringly and Ten flinched when Taeyong hit his arm.

“Stop making him uncomfortable. He doesn’t know us!” Ten felt like he was constantly confused about those humans’ behavior.

“How about you asking us some things you’re curious of?” Taeyong suggested awkwardly and Ten decided that he tolerated him the most out of the three men.

“How…how did you get Jaemin and Jeno?” His voice shook slightly but the pair smiled at the question.

“Taeyong’s best friend is a nurse at a hospital for hybrids. They always find abandoned hybrids and take care of them.” Yuta’s smile vanished and a frown took its place.

“I go there sometimes to play with the patients or to take care of them. That’s how I got to know Jaemin and Jeno. I got attached to them easily and after they accepted me and Yuta, we decided to adopt them.” A fond smile adorned the pink haired’s face as he remembered the old times.

“They live with us for a year now and we couldn’t imagine a life without them.” Ten lowered his eyes when he felt tears pricking his eyes. He wished that somebody would feel the same about him but he knew that he wasn’t worth it.

“Oh, sweetie no!” Without thinking, Taeyong sat next to Ten and took him into his arms. He rubbed his back and scratched his ears causing the hybrid to purr slightly. Ten should’ve been afraid, he should’ve bolted away, he should’ve shoved the man but he didn’t. He didn’t know that he missed being cuddled that much. Taeyong radiated such a warm aura that Ten automatically felt safe.

And for the first time in his life he thought about trusting a human.

***

AN: next chapter more members will appear :)