"That's my apple! Give it back!"

"Mmmm... It's delicious."

"That was my apple! You had yours too..."

"That was for eating my part of the hay yesterday."

"Your part? That was my part. It was on my plate!"

"It was mine!"

"You always want to eat everything... That's why you're so fat!"

"I'm not fat. It's my fur. Just because it's better than yours you don't have to be so envious," comes the reply sticking his tongue out savoring the last traces of the fruit on his teeth.

"I'm going to take off that thing with a bite!"

"Why so bitter Yunyun... you should eat more fruit. Oh wait! You don't have any."

"I'm going to-"

"Hey babe, they're fighting again... I told you they really hate each other."

"Don't worry. They're going to make up when the female goes into heat..."

"That won't happen. They're both male."

"Are you sure? The man told me they're a male and a female..."

"Hehehe... they thought you were a girl."

"Me? Why me. It's obvious they thought you were the female."

"Nah... you're too fluffy, obviously you were the female."

"It's your envy because you're ugly."

"Hey human! He was the girl right? This awful apple eater..."

"They're doing it again. I was hoping they could get along better... maybe if we put them in different cages permanently... I don't know."

"Let's let them be for now. They're learning to live together after all it has passed only twenty days since the two animals arrived here and believe me, this is nothing compared to how they've been fighting."

"Okay." Yoochun says frowning. He's really worried for their chinchillas. He wasn't sure at first if they could take care of them but when the owner of the breeding centre suggested them to adopt a couple of these exotic pets, Junsu was really excited with the idea so he just complied. He brought them home and after went to a work-related trip. Now while seeing how hostile they're to each other, he's worried thinking about how good idea it was adopting the two animals.

Just at that precise moment Yun chooses to spray urine on its supposed to be friend.

"Oh gosh! Chun, look what he's doing..."

Yoochun looks at the little animal that is away from the other over one of the platforms inside the cage with an innocent air and it doesn't matter how crazy Junsu says this is, he's totally sure the little being is smirking.

Junsu takes Jae out of the cage. "Poor thing. You need a bath."

"Hey human. I want a bath too!"

"Yes please, human. He stinks."

"Of course I stink. I have to sleep with you and you smell like crap!"

"You are crap!"

"Jeez, guys. Seriously can't you stop screaming and barking for a while?"

Jae is outside the cage waiting for his bath to be prepared. Yun observes him from inside and decides to make a mess of their bed just to make him angry.

Junsu uses a slightly damp cloth to clean the spot of fur stained with pee from Jae's back before let him take his dust bath.

Both animals love taking baths. At first Junsu had left the box for the baths with volcanic dust inside the cage, after all being a large one of two square meters and one and a half of height, it seemed a good idea, but one of them or maybe both, ended using it as their litter. That's why they took the box out and let the chinchillas take their baths outside. They love bathing, especially Yun that’s why Jae chooses extra enjoy his bath showing how good it feels.

"Don't you think we should buy them hammocks?"

"What about a new wheel first? They really need to release more energy so they wouldn't have so much energy to fight."

"Let Yun go out. He needs to do some extra exercise but be sure he doesn't gnaw the sofa again."

"How exaggerated, human. I only tried it once..."

The two little chinchillas are wandering around the room by the time someone arrives to the men's house.

"Whoa! This one is really cute."

"Heard that? He thinks I'm the cutest."

"That's why they thought you were the female." Yun barks from his spot on the floor.

"But this one seems livelier," the arrived man puts Jae on the ground and rises Yun.

"You have to hold him tightly. He squirms a lot." Junsu warns their friend.

"That's not true. I squirm because he squishes me."

Jae whines from the floor.

"But he said I'm cutter, I want to be carried too..."

"Back off! He likes me more."

"Look, Junsu. Yun really likes Changmin." Yoochun says smiling seeing Yun curling on Changmin's arms.

"I just don't want Jae being petted..."

"I was thinking on adopting one myself too. Juan, from the breeding centre suggested me to adopt a pair, but I'd like to just adopt one first."

"I don't know. We thought they were going to get along but they're fighting from the moment they wake up. It's curious because they always sleep snuggling together."

"You should try to separate them for a while..."

Both animals are put inside the cage again and the owners and the friend go out the room walking towards the kitchen.

"Oh look, carrot!" They haven't noticed in which moment the little treat was left there.

Jae is quicker jumping there and eating his, but when Yun tries to get his own, Jae quickly takes it too jumping to the highest platform where there’s room just for one of them, he's surprised of what he did, jumping is not one of his strong points, he's rather clumsy at that. He doesn't notice the angry look of his cage-mate.

“I’m going to rip your tail off, dammit beast!”

It happens so suddenly that Jae doesn’t react on time and he falls and screeches loudly feeling the pull at his tail and hits to the ground because he doesn’t want to let go of the piece of carrot.

“What happened with you two?” Yoochun appears next to them and takes Jae that was trembling in a corner, out of the cage, the little creature is whimpering and they go to the kitchen.

Yun waits in the cage, maybe he overdid it a little but that chinchilla is getting on his nerves. After all, not all the days they have the chance of being feed with apples or carrots let alone both in the same day. He’s worried and he maintains his ears alert in case the humans come back suddenly. He has been punished for chewing on Jae’s ears just two days ago and he hates the ‘other cage’ as they call it because it’s cold, it only has a platform to jump and play and the water bottle trembles every time he approaches it to drink of the plate.

At first, when they arrived from the breeding centre, Yun was marvelled for the spacious and comfortable cage. He didn't have the chance to jump and run to his heart content back in the centre so he was a little confused about what to do with so many ramps and platforms, then he entertained himself pushing Jae at every chance he had when the little animal was trying to slowly climb up. That behavior earned Yun, his first punishments. Gnawing at the humans' furniture was another reason. To tell the truth, both chinchillas were confused with the sudden change of language and environment but Jae was busy learning to climb and jump meanwhile Yun was trying to figure out the reason why he was locked there with a human looking at him totally moved every time he got on the wheel. At the breeding centre, Juan talked to them in Spanish and his wife Giordana in Italian so being with the Korean couple was indeed a huge change.

Both animals got used to the new place and the new humans, especially Junsu that was with them since they left the centre. The only thing they weren't happy with was having to live together in the cage. While Yun tries to have the ramps all by himself, Jae monopolizes the wheel and the food. It doesn't matter which one is the first one to take his bath, the other is going to bark and get mad.

The humans and Jae still don't return. Yun goes to their bed, because Jae and him share the bed -maybe the only thing they share without fighting- and tries to sleep, it seems he was already sleeping because he’s totally startled when Junsu’s hand takes him out of the cage and puts him inside the ‘other cage’. Yun screams in protest but he’s ignored so he curls on a corner under the only metallic pan there, he likes the platforms and ramps better of course and now he’s sad.

“Why did you put it in there? It’s not fair. Now he’s sad, he’ll end hating us.”

“Don’t dare to take him out. He hurt his friend. He needs to learn his lesson.”

“But-”

“No buts. Discipline, babe. You can’t be so soft just because they look cute.”

Lights goes off and usually, Yun would spend some hours running and jumping on the cage while Jae likes to run on the wheel, but this night Yun stays curled at the same corner and doesn’tr even react when Jae tries to mock him for being punished.

The next day just when Jae is falling asleep he's widely awake again due to the noises one of the humans is making.

"He's soaked... it must have been the stupid bottle... I think he's frozen..."

"Calm down, he's not soaked. Take the towel."

"Human, is it Yun? Yun is soaked?"

"What to do... I'm a terrible owner."

"Here it's the dryer."

"Wait! Is it safe?"

"I... don't know, Junsu."

"I'm leaving."

"Where?"

"The vet. Did you noticed he didn't eat anything since yesterday?"

"I'm sure he ate. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

"Yun is fine? Hey human!" Jae stays alone looking to the door their owners just left.

He waits for a while and after does what a chinchilla does best in this cases, he sleeps.

Hours later he is eating some of the pellets of his plate looking to Yun that is already outside or maybe he's still outside because Jae doesn't know if he was in the cage at all this day.

"Hey, Yun! How was the vet? He pinched you nose again?" Jae tries but Yun just ignores him the same as their owners remaining in the same spot of the floor stubbornly rejecting any approaching.

Jae is put on the floor with his supposedly to be friend by the time Changmin arrives again and is talking with Yoochun and Junsu about the visit to the veterinary.

"...and as I told him, thankfully it wasn't so serious but Su was panicking."

"Yun, I know you like it," Jae puts his favorite chewing toy near the other. "You know? I didn't-"

The humans enter the room and Yun goes to Changmin totally ignoring Jae.

"Su, I talked with Changmin earlier," Yoochun says hesitantly rubbing his neck, watching Yun happy being petted for their friend. "He bought a cage and everything today... you know we wanted to adopt a couple of chinchillas..."

"What do you want to say? Spill it!"

"I think it's better if Changmin takes Yun with him and we bring home the female chinchilla we wanted in the first place."

"You're crazy. It's a 'no' if you don't get it! I promised to take care of them, right guys?" Junsu raises Jae and takes Yun from Changmin, the little being struggles to get free.

"Su, he's unhappy. He didn't even move when he got wet. He doesn't like being here anymore... they don't get along..."

"What are they talking about? Why the human Su is so nervous?" Jae inquiries to his supposedly to be friend that just glares at him, well, at least he stopped ignoring him.

The humans talk a lot more and at certain moment Yoochun takes Yun and gives him to Changmin again.

Junsu puts Jae in the cage and takes one of the chewing toys. "It's his favorite. He loves jumping and running around and always waits for Jae to finish using the wheel... I guess he doesn't have to wait anymore."

The human is upset and Jae doesn't like at all the situation. Actually he hates the feeling of a big change approaching.

Changmin puts Yun inside the portable cage Chun is handling him together with the toy.

"What's happening? Why is he taking Yun?" Jae squeaks but the humans don't pay him attention. "Yun, where are you going? Come back. I won't eat your apple again!"

They disappear through the door and Jae waits expectantly during long moments.

His owners come back and they are arguing.

"Don't talk to me. You had it already planned!"

"It's not like that. Besides it was your fault. You got him at the other cage to punish him yesterday I told you that he was going to hate us. What did you want? Yun starving to death?"

"And that's how you deal with your problems." Junsu crosses his arms. "You're grounded too. I don't want to sleep with you. You're going to sleep on the couch!"

"But Su..."

"No buts. Unless you think that I make you unhappy too and want to go to live with Changmin too!"

Junsu leaves the room and Yoochun trails behind.

Jae still spends the next hours asking for an explanation and he keeps doing it when he awakes the next dawn till he realizes is a futile attempt. Humans won't understand and it doesn't matter how much he ask them to bring Yun back and promises to get along better with him, they won't return his friend and he misses him.

He spends his time awake sulking in a corner and can understand why Yun did the same his last day here. It's so frustrating not being able to be understood.

The fourth day without Yun at home, Junsu is rubbing the dusk on Jae because the chinchilla doesn't feel in the mood of taking the bath himself, it's not like he needs one either but usually none of them would reject a dust bath.

"What do you want me to do? I'm sad too."

"Then bring him back, human Su." The little animal whines, "I promise we won't fight again and I won't eat his treats again."

"Su..."

"I'm still mad at you. Now look what you did! Jae doesn't even want to take his bath..."

"How that could be my fault!"

"Let's go, Jae. I don't feel like staying in this room anymore." He tries to stand up.

"Junsu, we can go to pick up the new chinchilla tomorrow. Juan called and he said-"

"I don't want another chin... I want my Yun back!"

"Yeah, human Chun. Listen to him! Bring him back..."

"Junsu, we've already talked about this... they were just a few days and you punished him many times..."

"I'm a terrible owner. I know!"

"No! I mean-"

"You weren't here with us that's why it was so easy for you to get rid of him. Oh geez... he hated me, right? If someday we adopt a kid, they're going to hate me too..."

"No, that won't happen. Listen, Junsu," he says crouching down and resting his palms over his lover's tights. "You're going to be a great father if we ever decide to adopt a child... and you're a good pet owner too. You looked for help for Yun when we didn't know what to do and you make sure Jae is well feed and clean and even help him to keep exercising..."

"I'm going to sleep..." Junsu stands up and puts Jae inside the cage where his plate remains almost untouched. "I don't want another chinchilla, maybe we should consider to return Jae, too... as you said, he's unhappy with me..."

"I didn't say that! Junsu..."

Of course Yoochun, that's following behind, knows that the chinchillas thing is just a part of what's bothering his lover and he wants nothing more than make him smile happily again.

But Jae being a chinchilla simply thinks that the solution of everything is having Yun back with them and behave well... what means eat and play he guesses.

The next day, Jae runs on the wheel while Junsu observes him as if he was hypnotized. The chinchilla wonders if the human will be better if he gives him the piece of carrot he was saving all this days in case Yun returns, he's sure Yun would understand that it was an emergency to help the human and carrots are great even if the treat is a little too dry and old now.

Junsu has been looking and talking to him for a couple of hours now and Jae is worried, what if there's no enough hay for the humans and him?

"Su..."

"What do you want, Yoochun? You came to take Jae away too?"

"Actually... look who is here."

Junsu doesn't have to turn around to find out because Jae begins to squeal and scream and jump for all the cage.

Changmin gives Junsu the chinchilla he's holding and the latter rubs his cheek on the fur as a welcome gesture before letting him in the cage.

"You're back, you're back, you're back!"

"I'm back, I'm back, I'm back!"

The chinchillas squeal and run following each other happily. Stopping for some moments to cuddle and nuzzling their ears something that Jae particularly enjoys.

"See, buddy? I told you I was going to take you home." Changmin says showing Yun his chewing toy and rolling his eyes when he notices his friends behaving like the chinchillas nuzzling their ears too. "Do you really have to do that in front of me and the chillas?"

"What's a 'chilla', Yun?"

"I think human Min has a problem to say chinchilla I don't know why..."

"Oh... human Su, too. He calls me 'chin' sometimes I don't know what's wrong with saying 'chinchilla', maybe he has a problem too."

The humans keep talking while the animals keep playing.

"He's happy now. You know? He didn't stop of eating and playing and gnawing but it was like he was forcing himself, he had lost his spirit, I guess he really likes his frenemy," Changmin smiles seeing the pair barking to each other for who knows what reason.

"Hey, babe. Look they're sleeping already." Yoochun is checking on their pets before they leave the next morning. "Is it normal they're doing it over one of their sides?"

"They do it sometimes when they're totally relaxed and happy." Junsu caresses the heads of both chinchillas smiling widely. "This is their place."

----------o----------

"Jaejoong..."

"What is it, Yunho?" Jaejoong says sleepily.

"Where are Junsu and Yoochun?"

"Their home? South America? I don't know... remember they left for that wine business that that Changmin friend of them offered them."

"I just had the weirdest dream ever..." Yunho looks at his lover from his sitting position taking his hand, "are they alright?"

"I don't know what you dreamed about but yea, they're fine. I talked with Junsu some days ago, they've adopted new pets-"

"Chinchillas?"

"How did you know?"

"I told you. The weirdest dream ever."

"Okay... now sleep, but don't dare to sleep before me."

"I was thinking, we could go visit them during your vacations."

"Didn't you say it was too expensive?" Jaejoong says annoyed sitting on the bed.

"Yes but, we had only to pay for our plain tickets and souvenirs. They're going to provide us food and lodging and-"

"Seriously?"

"Well yea, I know how much you wanted to go and-"

"I love you," Jaejoong kisses his lover's face and lips over and over again, "I love you, I love you..."

"I love you too, my lovely chilla..."

"Uhhh?"

"Forget it," Yunho says chuckling and kissing his lover. After all it's still early and sleeping can wait right now.

end.