Summary: You usually learn to never mess with a cat the wrong way.

The very few times SangHyuk had scratched him were mostly accidents, either because he scared the younger or because he crossed a limit he wasn’t even aware of just yet although there were also ones (which TaekWoon could count with one hand and have spare fingers) where the catboy actually wanted to hurt him, not in a defensive manner but in an aggressive one.

The first time occurred during the first fight they ever had, SangHyuk was still getting used to his new home, barely a couple of months from his adoption, and when he found out that he had the freedom to go out (because TaekWoon said so), he didn’t even give it a second thought. His mornings were spent just wandering around the streets, which soon turned to afternoons out, until it reached a moment where TaekWoon would come to the apartment to find it empty, not even a note to indicate him where his companion could’ve gone. SangHyuk would always walk through the door just as he was about to do something, anything to find the boy’s location (afraid of everything that could happen to him while being alone outside), and slowly look up at him, silently calming him down every time until it reached a breaking point.

TaekWoon could only accept so much, mornings and afternoons disappeared were ok however a whole night without an explanation was not. The composer didn’t get a single blink of sleep that night, sat on the baywindow, looking at the cars and people passing by, hoping for the next to be SangHyuk. He wasn’t even sure why he cared so much, if the kitten wanted to live in the streets, it was his business, the only thing he had to was say so and HakYeon would kill him, that was for sure but who was he to stop the other? He made up his mind to tell the younger that as soon as he put a foot inside the place.

That’s not exactly how it went, though.

SangHyuk opened the door the next morning, literally, at 4am, trying to be as quiet as he could. It didn’t work because the moment he looked up, he was face to face with his new master, dark bags under his eyes which seemed colder than usual.

“Where were you?” he flinched back at the harsh tone, one never directed at him.

“Outside…?”

“I know that, SangHyuk,” in a nervous manner, he caught his own tail and played with it, avoiding eye contact at all costs, “say something.”

“I don’t know, I just…lost track of time, I think,” TaekWoon took a deep breath, “I’m sorry.”

“You can’t go out without telling me again, understood?” the older crossed his arms, expecting a quick answer.

That, he wasn’t going to accept so easily. His ears perked up and his eyes narrowed, “I’m free to go and come whenever I feel like it,” letting go of his tail, his claws showed at the tips of his fingers.

“I said no, SangHyuk,” TaekWoon’s lips were in a tight line, expression harder than before, “go to the bedroom, now.”

“No.”

“SangHyuk, stop it,” his voice never went higher but he went closer to the younger (who was still a few inches shorter).

“I said no!” the only warning the boy ever gave was a loud hiss before his hand flew to the other’s face.

SangHyuk’s eyes widened, hands trembling as he saw the blood dripping down TaekWoon’s forearm, he had never been happier for his fast reflexes, and he backed up instantly. Apologizes jumbled with master’s and TaekWoon’s name over and over again as he ran to the bathroom to get cotton and alcohol or anything to clean the wounds (which were  much deeper that the older would ever admit, he didn’t want the catboy to feel even worse than he already did). Luckily, after two months or so and a conversation with HakYeon brought TaekWoon to a possible solution.

~

The second time, well, was much more recent. It was very  hard now for either of them to actually lose their tempers, much more for TaekWoon, years of living under the same roof with SangHyuk gave him enough experience on how to bring the boy back to his senses when things got out of hand. Except in that particular moment when SangHyuk asked if he could go out, to a party of one of many idol friends, with WonSik maybe because he was the one that just lost it.

“No, you can’t, SangHyuk,” he saw the boy opened his mouth to speak and cut him off, “that’s final.”

“Ok, I’m done with this,” he said as soon as TaekWoon turned in the kitchen’s direction, “what’s with you and WonSik?”

“What?” the musician didn’t even look at him from over his shoulder, “Nothing’s wrong, I just don’t fully trust those people.”

“You work with those people, hyung,” he lifted his shoulders, completely confused at the reason the other was being so unreasonable, he was old enough to go without his permission but he cared, he wanted his master to know. The burning memory of angry red marks on pale skin that still lingered if you stared long enough still in the back of his mind, “HakYeon will be there, HongBin too, you can go if you want but I know you have work to do and that you don’t like crowds.”

“They’re idols, SangHyuk, you can get caught in their affairs if you’re not careful,” he half turned, side glaring at his kitten whose ears and tail were down, in a submissive behavior yet.

“You wanted to be one, didn’t you?” he knew TaekWoon enough to know his answer before it came, “and don’t tell me it’s not the same because it is.”

“My answer is still no, SangHyuk.”

“I can do whatever I want, TaekWoon,” the older widened his eyes, the catboy had never crossed that line and he wasn’t going to get away with it.

SangHyuk was half way out the door when a hand caught his wrist, pulling him back and slamming the door closed. It was actually more of a reflex; the hissing, struggling and pulling that he didn’t even feel when his claws went down or how they aimed exactly for TaekWoon’s right cheek (just then he realized that his owner never did more than just keep him there, only trying to hold him until he calmed down). Once again, his hands shook as he watched the four bloody lines across the once smooth skin; his master sighed and slowly let go of him.

“You’re right, you can,” he nodded, eyes casted down as if he was the one to blame, “I’m not like them, I’m sorry…I was just being stupid.”

“No, hyung, I…”

“It’s fine, Hyuk,” SangHyuk froze at the nickname, he would usually prefer it since he felt that he was being punished if someone used his full name excluding when it came from TaekWoon, it was different then, he liked when he said it, “you can go and say hi to them for me, please.”

“I don’t…” he bit his quivering bottom lip, closing his hands into fists, “…I will stay.”

“Go have fun with WonSik and the others, ok?” he didn’t know a smile could hurt until that night. He wasn’t used to those kinds of feelings, the situation was so new to him, and he was still so mixed up to understand what was happening so he just did what his natural instincts told him to, run. Escape the danger; find a safe place, just like he did years ago when he was taken into the shelter.  

SangHyuk just ran away and TaekWoon stared at the door for a minute, one of his hands gripped his hair as he groaned at the top of his lungs but soon all the anger turned into something much darker, much deeper, and much more painful. He walked to the bathroom to check on his injuries, heaving a sigh when he realized they would be a hell of a struggle to hide, he deserved them anyways. Lots of curses and half an hour later he was done, a gauze on his cheek, as he headed to the bedroom which felt much bigger without his catboy occupying more than half of the bed.

That was one of the longest nights TaekWoon could ever recall. 

Note: Oh, I know you must feel like this was very...sad? frustrating? i'm sorry, I just felt like this needed some kind of twist in the fluff, you know? They will figure it out, I promise, don't worry. And awwws, who knows which chaper is the solution to the first fight (hint, hint: I posted it a while back)? And thanks so much for the comments, really, they make my day<3