Luhan loved his master, there was no doubt about it in his mind. She was a kind soul, who let him be free – or as free as he could ever be – and never kept him tied to a chain like many of her kind did. Her kind, their kind. There was always a difference between his kind and them. They were the masters, given the authority to keep his kind as pets. His kind, different from normal humans with their animalistic features that set them apart. Luhan in particular was a cat, his small ears barely visible through the cotton-candy pink of his hair; which was proof of his freedom as it was a colour he chose himself. It reminded him of sweetness he said, something that he thought the world needed more of. When he walked beside his master, he walked with dignity, his tail gently swaying behind him. Unlike his fellow hybrids, who were forced to crawl along like they had no dignity, their fates sealed when their masters chose to follow status quo instead of their hearts.

Luhan loved his master. He loved the way she would smile at him, that warm smile that made him feel so safe. He loved the way she would call him to keep her company whenever she was lonely; although he admits that most of the time, it was him feeling lonely in the large manor. He loved the way she would pet his ears ever so gently, singing a soft lullaby as he drifted off to sleep by her feet. But did she not love him back? Luhan had always thought that she loved him too, the way she treated him so specially. But why was she telling him that he needed to go to someone else now? Did she finally get bored of his company?

“Luhan, I know this might seem sudden… But there’s someone who needs you more than me and I have a feeling that you need him more than you’ll ever need me,’ said his master, her voice as smooth as always. However, even Luhan could tell that there were tears threatening to spill from her crystal eyes that looked so sad. “He’ll be coming over to pick you up in a few hours…”

“I- I understand, master,” replied Luhan. Even if he didn’t want to go, she was still his master. He had to follow her wishes, no matter how it broke him on the inside.

Never before had he hated his life so much. He had always considered himself lucky when, at his very first auction, his master had chosen him, giving him this life that he loved so much. But if he knew that it was just going to be taken away again, Luhan wished with all his might that he had never made eye contact with her. Having tasted freedom for so long, he didn’t know how to feel about being betrayed – yes, he was being betrayed – and being sent off to some unknown stranger. The hatred for this new ‘master’ only intensified when his current master looked at him apologetically, the leash that had been hidden away since he first became hers now in her hands once more.

“This is not by his request,” she assured, “it’s just for the transfer of ownership…”

Luhan let her put it on without resistance; but he swears, the minute the leash is against his neck, he can feel the constriction, only getting worse when the click of the catch is heard. He wants to cry out in frustration but he knows he can’t. He won’t make it worse for his master, who he knows is struggling with herself too. Instead, he just watches with resignation as she puts on the other half of the leash – designed like a bracelet – onto her thin wrists, the black leather contrasting against her pale skin.

-

It wasn’t long before a sleek, black car drove onto the estate, Luhan and his master waiting by the garden to receive their guest. The crunching of the gravel beneath the tyres were so loud to Luhan’s ears, which were unaccustomed to noises other than those of nature, being so far into the countryside. Beside him, his master seemed calmer than before, a sense of acceptance in her posture and attitude. Luhan, too, tried to mimic her, but the swaying of his tail was a little more urgent compared to normal, his ears perking up at the slightest of sounds. At the sight of the driver going round to the passenger door and opening it, Luhan tensed.

“Calm, little one. Everything will be alright,” hushed his master, sensing the cat’s distress. When the stranger finally stepped out of the car, Luhan’s breath hitched, his body stilling as he absorbed the features of the man that was walking slowly towards them, raising his hand slightly in greeting.

The first thing that caught his attention was the man’s eyes. Those eyes were so dark, so black, and Luhan found himself drowning in them, shivering from the coldness radiating from them. They had no light, no spirit, as if the man had lost it all. But he was still so beautiful… When Luhan could bring himself out of those eyes, he traced the contours of the other’s face, following the defined edges of his nose, his chin, his cheekbones. Molded into perfection, but lacking the radiance of happiness to truly make him glow. And his skin, so pale… Luhan had thought that his master had the whitest of skin tones, but seeing this man, it was clear that he was untouched by the rays of sunlight. His sense of fashion was also impressive; the simple black shirt hanging on his broad shoulders showing just a peek of his collarbones, paired with an equally dark pair of jeans that hugged his legs complemented his light skin tone.

“Hello there, Luna.” Luhan snapped out of his thoughts, noticing that the man had finally reached them. His deep but quiet voice was nothing like Luhan had ever heard before; it was always the silky smooth voice of his master that entered his ears. But he can’t say that he didn’t like the sound of this man’s voice, a deep undertone that sounded firm yet innocent.

“Welcome, Sehun,” replied his master with a small smile. Sehun. His new master would be called Sehun… It was a nice name, so close to his own; but his apprehension won’t disappear just because of a name. Luhan was still cautious of this ‘Sehun’ man who he would have to call master in a few minutes. “How have you been?”

“It’s- It’s been hard…” replied Sehun, looking down at the ground, his voice quivering slightly. His master just nodded, reaching out with an arm to comfort him. Her eyes flickered to Luhan for a moment, although he missed it, and there was a newfound determination in her heart.

“I know… That’s why I’m doing this for you, because I know how hard it is to be left alone…” she muttered, not letting go of his arm.

“I- Seriously, Luna, you don’t know how thankful I am to you…”

“You don’t need to be. Just take care of him will you?” requested Luna, leading Sehun over to the table in the centre of the garden, the smell of flowers surrounding them. Sehun merely nodded, his voice failing him as he thought of events that occurred, leading him to come to Luna.

Meanwhile, Luhan had watched the two conversing with each other, a pang in his chest as he saw the broken-hearted expression on Sehun’s face softening his own feelings.

“I guess we’ll just do the transfer and you can take him with you.” Luna said after a while, making eye-contact with her hybrid companion before turning back to face the man that would soon be his new master. Luhan felt tears pricking at his eyes at the statement, his earlier nervousness returning at an alarming rate, but he held it in, watching as the man nodded in agreement. Luna arranged the three of them with Luhan in the middle, the two humans on either side of him. With a shaky breath, Luna began to wrap the leash around Sehun’s right arm, starting from the crook of his elbow and working up to his wrist. Luhan could feel an itchiness begin to scratch at his neck, under the collar, but he kept still, afraid of what struggling would do to him. Sehun had also tensed, tingles surging along his back, making his knees weak. When Luna had tied the leash up to Sehun’s wrist, she unbuckled the bracelet, quickly putting it on the man and closing the catch. Instantly, both Sehun and Luhan could feel sparks of electricity shocking their bodies, their muscles locking in place as if they were being stabbed by multiple invisible needles. Luckily it was over in seconds, leaving them both panting, trying to control their erratic heartbeats. Luna, on the other hand, seemed to have drained of all energy, sitting down on a nearby lawn chair to rest.

Immediately, Sehun reached over to Luhan’s neck, swiftly removing the cumbersome collar. Luhan flinched slightly at the contact, still not used to the touch of the stranger. Luna sighed apologetically towards Sehun, her voice a quiet whisper.

“I’m sure he’ll warm up to you soon,” she assured, and Luhan couldn’t help but feel guilty towards his master- no, previous master, having disappointed her by not acting accordingly. He bowed his head, staring at the ground as Sehun- or Master, as he should be known, chuckled nervously, awkwardly rubbing the nape of his neck.

“I hope so…”

-

Goodbyes exchanged, short and brief, and Luhan found himself sitting beside Master Sehun in the sleek, black car, its interior matching the exterior in colour. He sat down carefully, trying to take up as little space as possible, shrinking into his side of the car. Sehun looked at him with slight amusement, thinking how adorable the other was acting. But of course, he didn’t let it show.

“Luhan, don’t be so tense,” he whispered, keeping his gaze on the outside of the window to make sure that he wasn’t pressuring the cat with his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Master,” apologized Luhan, continuing to stare at the black leather of the seats. However, he couldn’t bring himself to relax just yet.

“Don’t apologize,” sighed Sehun with a frown on his face, slightly frustrated that he couldn’t make Luhan feel comfortable in his presence. “And don’t force yourself to call me Master. Just Sehun is fine,” he added.

“Se- I- Master, I don’t think I can,” stuttered Luhan, his ears turning as pink as his hair.

“Oh- Okay, don’t force yourself,” repeated Sehun, feeling slightly shy at the other’s reaction and embarrassed by his own request.

Silence enveloped the two once more, but Luhan was visibly less tense than before, taking an interest in the changing scenery that was speeding past. Having lived in the suburbs with Luna for so long, he had long forgotten what the city looked like. And even if he had remembered, he doubted that it would have stayed the same for long. Luhan craned his neck to peek at the tall skyscrapers piercing the sky, although it was a shame to see the skies looking more polluted with smoke and dust. The lack of greenery, replaced with grey cement also made him suddenly miss the countryside.

The car stopped outside one of the tall skyscrapers, and Luhan turned to face Sehun, waiting for his master’s instructions.

“We’re just going to go see the doctors, to make sure that you’re all caught up with your vaccines and such before I bring you back to my country house,” explained Sehun. Luhan felt the uneasiness rise from the pits of his stomach. He had never really liked doctors, always so touchy-feely, touching him in sensitive places that made him feel so uncomfortable. He had never told Luna anything though, too ashamed by his tainted self. Choked up with unease, he merely nodded to Sehun, stepping out of the car cautiously when the driver went round to his side of the car. He stayed close to Sehun, his master giving off a protective aura as he spoke to the secretary by the front desk.

Soon enough, they were greeted by a doctor in a white lab coat, his smile matching with its own set of pearly whites gleaming under the harsh white lights of the place.

“Hello there, I’ll be the doctor in charge of you today. My name is Dr. Lee,” he said with a smile, extending his right arm to grasp Master Sehun’s hand in a handshake before proceeding to shake hands with Luhan; although Luhan detected a sense of something fake underneath it all. “And what may I help you with today, Mr. Oh?” Luhan zoned out as Sehun began to discuss something with the doctor, only snapping back to reality when his name was called.

“Luhan, you have to go with Dr. Lee now.” At his master’s words, Luhan turned to him with a pleading look in his eyes, silently begging his master to go with him. Dr. Lee, sensing this, quickly spoke.

“I’m sorry, Luhan is it? I can’t allow anyone besides the patient into the examination room.” Sehun returned the look, silently apologizing to the cat, while reassuring him with a gentle smile.

“Go on, I’ll be waiting for you right outside,” promised Sehun. Luhan merely nodded, letting the doctor lead him to the examination, his hand on Luhan’s back.

When the door closed behind them, Luhan felt his nervousness increase substantially. At first, it started off as a normal check-up, much to Luhan’s surprise. However, as time went by, the doctor’s gaze changed and Luhan knew that he was no different from the rest. The next thing he knows, Luhan is pinned down on a gurney, strange hands roaming all over his body. He wants to scream, he wants to scream for help so bad, but the gag in his mouth prevented him from making any noise other than a few small whimpers, even those muffled. Tears flowed freely from his shut eyes, sobs choking him further. He thought of Luna, he thought of Sehun, and the shame in his heart doubled. The shame increased even more when he felt the disgusting feeling of intrusion, his body screaming in protest.

Suddenly, the door bursts open, a sense of relief flooding through Luhan’s veins when he saw Sehun; although the expression on his master’s face was one of pure anger, livid at the scene unfolding in front of him. But that was the last thing he saw before going under, blacking out instantly.

-

Luhan woke up in the car, his head resting on something soft. He looked up, blushing a light pink when he saw Sehun’s face just inches above his own. Also, he realized that Master was softly running his fingers through his hair, scratching his ears gently. The feeling was amazing, and maybe it was even better than when Luna did it – not that he would ever admit that out loud. It almost made him forget what happened earlier… Almost.

“M-Master… Wh-What happened?” asked Luhan, his voice croaky and hoarse. Sehun looked at him, making eye-contact for a few moments before responding.

“Nothing you have to worry about anymore.” There was silence as Luhan let that absorb, a little afraid of Sehun’s sudden seriousness. It was like the anger in him was about to burst.

“Maybe he’s mad because someone else touched a possession of his?” wondered Luhan, a shiver shaking him. Sensing this, Sehun sighed, continuing to brush his hand through the pink cotton candy atop Luhan’s head. “That man will not be able to bother you – or anyone else – ever again. So you won’t have to worry, I’m here to protect you,” he promised, his tone of finality sending a wave of trust through Luhan’s mind. He was thankful, although he wonders if that word could even accurately describe the feeling of gratitude that he was feeling.

For the rest of the ride, they were silent once more. Luhan was back in his corner, shrinking into himself again as Sehun watched on with guilt.

“I shouldn’t have left him alone… Damn it, it’s the first day and I already let him down…” He thought dejectedly. Sehun thinks back to the earlier events, his frustration growing by the second. He remembers hearing Luhan’s soft whimpers through the door, and something inside of him snapped. Call him overprotective, but the second he heard sounds that should not have been heard, he let his instincts take over. And he did not regret it one bit, he did not regret bursting through that door. The only thing he regretted was making Luhan go in there alone, he regretted going to this doctor in the first place, he regretted being almost too late. Well, the doctor- or ex-doctor once Sehun was done with him – messed with the wrong master. When Luhan had fainted, Sehun lost it, turning to the man who was hurriedly trying to make himself look decent with a deathly glare. He vowed to through the piece of scum into jail, to rot for all eternity, before picking up his cat in his arms. He felt guilt stab him straight in the heart when he held the fragile cat in his arms, barely making his muscles work. But Sehun was not a man of empty threats. He had promised Luhan. There was nothing to worry about, his lawyers already stockpiling an entire case against the man who had dared to harm him precious companion.

-

As they left behind the city, turning back to the countryside, Luhan felt his spirits rise with the appearance of more trees, more clouds, and clearer skies. And Sehun, who just watched him, also felt his mood improving, smiling at the other’s obvious delight to the rural atmosphere. And when Luhan let out a surprised gasp at the estate that would be his new home, Sehun had to supress a chuckle at his adorable reaction.

Unlike Luna’s place, which had the look of a traditional Victorian manor, Sehun’s home seemed to be more of a contemporary style with a tasteful blend of traditional elements and simpler modern aspects. The estate itself was hidden behind a cluster of large trees that looked like natural skyscrapers (much more beautiful compared to their cement counterparts, Luhan thought) and it was as if they were entering a secret wonderland. There was a small footpath leading to the center of the trees, something that could have easily been missed by wandering eyes. Luhan was alerted to his door opening, Sehun on the other side, extending his hand for the cat.

“Come on, I’ll show you around,” invited his master with an excited grin. Luhan gingerly accepted the offered hand.

“His hand is so large compared to mine… It feels nice…” he thought, his cheeks warming up. But all thoughts of embarrassment left his mind as they walked closer to the mansion.

At the end of the small foot path, there were a few steps that led to a raised wooden deck, their footsteps leaving dull thuds as they stepped on it. The two-storey house was to the back of the deck, although it took up about half of the space. The outside of the house matched the deck, the same light-coloured wood making up both structures, creating a finished-off and rounded look. Large arch-windows were placed at regular intervals around the house, and Luhan loved it. They were sure to make him feel free, as if he was actually outside, even when he was inside. Furthermore, they had arrived in the evening, the evening sky adding an orange glow on the whole estate, making it feel warm and comfortable, almost mystical.

Luhan was about to step into the house through the glass door by the side of the house, but Sehun’s grip on his hand kept him outside.

“There’s something else I want to show you,” he whispered mysteriously, grinning like an excited child. Leading the other by the hand, Sehun went around to the back of the house, letting go of Luhan’s hand to spread his arms dramatically. “My secret garden,” he announced, smiling at the forest of flowers in front of him. There were all sorts of flowers, the colours of the rainbow splayed out in front of them.

“Ahh, it makes sense now,” thought Luhan. When he had woken up on Master Sehun’s lap, he distinctly remembered how the smell of flowers clung to the other, but at the time, he had thought that it was from when they were at Luna’s place. But knowing that Sehun always smelled like flowers… it was a reassuring thought?

After a few minutes of the fresh air and scent of flowers, Sehun gingerly took Luhan’s hand in his own, leading the cat into the house. The inside was just as grand as the outside, but the warm colour scheme made it much more comfortable and Luhan found himself admiring the interior. A large dining table sat in the centre of the kitchen, and it made Luhan wonder.

“Didn’t Luna say that Sehun lived alone…?” However, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it as his master led him up a flight of stairs that led upstairs. The night sky had descended, and the whole house was only lit up by dim lights. Luhan could feel the exhaustion catching up to him, and he could barely supress a yawn.

“Here’s your bedroom,” said Sehun with a chuckle, opening one of the doors down the hallway. He went inside, pulling Luhan along with him. It wasn’t exactly a huge room, but it was more than enough for one person, a large bed in the centre. It was neatly arranged, the sheets a pristine white that looked brand new.

“I- I get my own room?” asked Luhan, unsure of how to react.

“Yes, unless you’d like to share with me?” mumbled Sehun with a chortle.

“I- Er- I wouldn’t want to disturb,” stuttered Luhan, hastily trying to dispel the blush that covered his cheeks at the thought.

“Alright then…I’ll be just next door,” added Sehun with a slight look of sadness which went unnoticed by the cat, motioning to a curtain that hung on one of the walls. Pulling it back, he revealed a small door, opening it to reveal a similarly decorated room. The only difference was that Master Sehun’s room looked ‘lived in’, picture frames faintly visible on the bedside table. “If you ever need anything, just knock and come in.” Luhan merely nodded, thinking how he would never have the courage to actually enter the other’s bedroom unannounced, his blush deepening.

“Well, I guess I’ll get going then,” said Sehun with a small wave, closing the door behind him. Luhan finally fully relaxed, the tension in his body dissipating as he was left alone. He changed quickly, jumping into the bed and lying there as he thought of the day’s events.

-

The night crawled slowly on by for Luhan, his eyes refusing to close in the darkness. Every time he tried, he saw the remnants of shadows lurking in the depths of the darkness, morphing into the faces of the so-called doctors that had haunted him for ages. And tonight, the addition of one more face prevented his sleep from coming, and he found himself constantly eyeing that door that would lead him to Master.

“Should I?” contemplated Luhan, biting his lips nervously. After a while, he finally decided to cast aside his pride, throwing off the covers and tiptoeing over to the door. Three light knocks and a soft whisper of ‘Master’ and the door opened, revealing a sleepy Sehun who was rubbing his eyes and trying not to yawn. His hair was already dishevelled, sticking up in all directions, his clothes ruffled up with slight creases.

“I- I’m sorry,” apologized Luhan instantly, feeling guilty at having woken up his master; although he made no move to turn around. He stayed rooted to the spot, unsure of how to breach the topic.

“Is anything wrong, Luhan?” asked Sehun, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep, deeper than usual. By now, the sleep had left Sehun though, and he was looking at the other with worry in his eyes. Luhan shook his head, the fear he was feeling making him completely honest.

“C- Can I- Can I sleep with you?” he requests shyly, the tips of his ears tinged rose. He kept his gaze to the ground, slightly embarrassed and a little nervous of how his master would respond. Luckily for Sehun, that meant he missed the look of shock that flashed across his face, which was immediately replaced by his own set of blushing cheeks.

“Of course,” he replied with a nod, taking Luhan’s hand like before and led him to his own bed. Luhan didn’t even flinch at the contact, having gotten used to it already considering how often Sehun held his hand in just one day. Sehun let go when he got into the bed, going to his normal side and watched as Luhan got in the other side of the bed, making sure that he was all the way on the other side with a large space between them. It was like the afternoon, in the car, but Sehun understood. Considering what had happened earlier, it made sense that he would want some personal space.

“Goodnight, Luhan.”

“Goodnight, Master.”