Title: Three is (Never) a Crowd
Pairing: Suho/Lay, Suho/Lay/Chen, side Xiumin/Luhan/Baekhyun
Rating: PG
Word Count: 7k
Disclaimer: I don’t own the boys.
Summary: After agreeing to adopt a cat, Joonmyun shouldn’t be surprised when Yixing brings a catboy to their apartment.
Author’s Note: I’ve always wanted to write this ot3, and there is a sad lack of it (aka: it’s nonexistent). So, here we go! My first time of ever writing an ot3 . . . hopefully it goes well! Originally written in Nov. 2014.

“Please?”

Joonmyun sighs, rolling over on his soft mattress so he’s face to face with his pleading boyfriend. Before him Yixing is laying on his side, eyes surprisingly wide for how late it is, staring imploringly into Joonmyun’s own wavering gaze.

Earlier in the week, Yixing had asked Joonmyun if they could adopt a cat. Without putting too much thought into it, Joonmyun had said no. They had never talked about owning a cat before, and both were busy with work; Joonmyun as an accountant and Yixing as a small music store manager. Despite explaining this to Yixing, Joonmyun’s Chinese boyfriend became determined. Almost every day since they spent a good chunk of time debating back and forth about the pros and cons of having a cat.

No matter what Joonmyun said, Yixing wasn’t letting it go.

“You really want a cat this badly?” he questions.

Yixing nods, lips curling up in a smile. Joonmyun is sure that if he could see through Yixing’s pillow, his boyfriend’s dimple would be on full display.

“Alright then, I’ll think about it and we can talk about it this weekend,” Joonmyun relents. It's already Thursday night, which gives Joonmyun tomorrow to think more about it. Not that he needs the extra time, as persistent as Yixing has been about the topic, Joonmyun already knows he is going to give in.

“Thank you!” Yixing gushes, quickly scooting forward to mold himself against Joonmyun’s chest and press warm gentle kisses to Joonmyun’s mouth. His lips are soft and wet, leaving Joonmyun feeling content.

He hums back, snaking his arms around Yixing’s waist to keep him close. Then Joonmyun pecks Yixing’s nose, enjoying when the other wrinkles his face on reflex, and moves so he is laying on his back with Yixing still in his arms.

“It’s time to sleep now, I have work early tomorrow and you have a long day at the store.”

“Alright,” Yixing snuggles even closer, digging his nose into the crook of Joonmyun’s neck. “I love you.”

“Love you too. Good night, Yixing.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

They didn’t end up having a chance to talk about it over the weekend, Yixing having to cover a couple shifts for sick coworkers and Joonmyun pestered into doing chores. Instead, Monday morning before leaving for work, Joonmyun whispered to a still sleepy Yixing nestled up in bed.

“Yes,” is all he said. Joonmyun waited, watching as Yixing’s face went from tired confusion to less tired excitement.

“Really?” Yixing tried sitting up, struggling against the blankets trapping his arms. Once freed, he threw them over Joonmyun’s shoulders.

“Yes really,” Joonmyun smiled fondly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Joonmyun chuckled, feeling small pecks placed all around his mouth before a longer proper kiss was placed on his lips. He allowed it to go on for a while, one last moment of affection, before pulling back.

“We’ll talk more about it when I get home from work.”

Joonmyun smiles affectionately at the memory, probably looking like the love-sick fool he is often accused of when he thinks of that morning. He had left Yixing in bed, the other having the day off, and he can’t wait to get home and see him.

Despite the fact that Joonmyun’s work week is just starting, he hopes they will have a chance to talk more about adopting a cat now that he has agreed.

He should have known better though, that Yixing would already have something up his sleeve. Except he isn’t prepared for the sight that greets him when he walks through the front door of his apartment.

Sitting on their couch is Yixing, and next to him is another male with chocolate brown hair and matching cat ears atop his head.

Joonmyun freezes in his spot.

Cat ears.

A catboy.

The two are curled up next to each other, both looking up at Joonmyun with smiles on their faces (through Yixing’s seems to dim a bit when Joonmyun doesn’t immediately react). With the stranger facing him, Joonmyun can see dark brown eyes, well pronounced cheekbones, and lips that curled up at the ends. Even without the ears (and no doubt hidden tail), he very clearly looks feline, and it sends Joonmyun’s thoughts racing in every direction.

When he had agreed to Yixing’s request to adopt a cat, he thought they would be adopting just that, a cat. A normal, small sized house cat that could easily be taken care of by a busy couple like Joonmyun and Yixing.

Not a catboy, whose needs are something Joonmyun isn’t even sure of.

“Yixing?” he calls hesitantly, earning him a confused stare from the catboy and a guilty one from his boyfriend.

“Joonmyun, this is Jongdae. He’s a part-time employee at the store,” Yixing speaks, standing up. He walks over to Joonmyun, dragging Jongdae with him who is watching their exchange curiously.

“Hello, Jongdae. I’m Joonmyun,” he greets.

Jongdae grins, “It’s nice to finally meet you, especially after hearing about you all the time.”

Yixing squaws. “I don’t talk about him that often!”

“Sure you do, Hyung! You talk about your handsome accountant boyfriend all the time, like he’s your sugar daddy.”

Yixing continues to splutter, clearly in denial, while Joonmyun chuckles.

“Don’t make me take back my offer of dinner!” Yixing tries playfully scolding, but it is overshadowed by the fact he is pouting.

“Is that why we have a surprise guest?” Joonmyun asks. Maybe Yixing hasn’t brought Jongdae over with the intention of convincing Joonmyun to adopt him. The thought has him relaxing slightly.

“Yes,” Yixing says, looking a little fidgety. It usually means there is something else he is hiding, and Joonmyun feels himself tense back up.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Jongdae interrupts. “Yixing told me you weren’t aware that he was inviting me over, but he said you’d be okay with it. I helped prepare dinner as well, and it should be ready soon.”

Jongdae looks hesitant, like he's sensing that his presence might not be so welcome by Joonmyun, and it makes Joonmyun feel guilty. As much as he might question Yixing’s motive for inviting him to dinner, it doesn't change the fact that Jongdae is already here and doesn’t deserve any hostility.

“Of course I don’t mind,” Joonmyun amends, smiling gently at Jongdae. “I’m just surprised is all. Usually Yixing tells me when he invites people over.”

“Well then, why don’t we bring this conversation to the table while we eat? I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving,” Jongdae grins, walking over to the kitchen, leaving Joonmyun and Yixing behind.

“I’m sorry,” Yixing whispers, pulling Joonmyun forward for a kiss, “I’ll explain later.”

Later turns into learning that Jongdae is still living at an adoption center for hybrids, and is working part time at Yixing’s music store to help offset some of his living costs. By the time Jongdae leaves, refusing Yixing’s offer to walk him back, Joonmyun already knows where his conversation with Yixing is going to go. As well as what he is going to say.

Sometimes he feels like such a pushover.

He waits until the door is shut behind Jongdae before grabbing dinner dishes from the table and walking them over to the sink. Yixing follows behind him, carrying the rest of the plates and silverware. Once the used pots are soaking in the sink, Joonmyun turns around in time to see Yixing fidgeting nervously, looking anxious.

“Does Jongdae know the real reason you brought him here?” Joonmyun asks, not even bothering to confirm the reason himself.

Yixing flushes, “No, I didn’t want to get his hopes up, just in case. . .”

“When you asked to adopt a cat, I wish you had told me you were thinking of a hybrid. Caring for a catboy is very different from looking after a cat, Yixing. They have different needs, and are more expensive to care for.”

“I know,” Yixing looks offended, upset Joonmyun would assume he hasn’t thought about that. “But being a hybrid also means that Jongdae can take care of himself as well. We don’t need to worry about a litter box, and he can feed himself because Jongdae knows how to cook. Besides, even after he’s adopted, I’m still planning on keeping him at the store if he wants to keep working, so he’ll still be earning a bit of money.”

“You’re really serious about this?” Joonmyun questions, double checking. Not that he is doubting Yixing, but this is a huge step for the both of them, and hearing Yixing verbally confirm it will be reassuring.

“Yes, Joonmyun, I am. And if Jongdae says no, then we can adopt a house cat, but I want to give him a chance first. He’s really hardworking, caring, and he deserves a place to call home that isn’t the shelter.”

Yixing is staring at Joonmyun so earnestly by this point, that Joonmyun can’t help but smile. He draws him in, tilting his head up to kiss Yixing’s check.

“Alright.”

“What?” Yixing blinks, looking confused.

“Alright,” Joonmyun repeats. “But you have to ask Jongdae first. If he says yes, then we’ll go down to the shelter and see about adopting him.”

It takes a second for it to sink in, Yixing staring at him blankly before his face lights up. Once it does sink in, it takes less than a second for Joonmyun to feel a tug on his arm as Yixing drags him out of the kitchen towards their bedroom.

“Dishes, Yixing!” Joonmyun chuckles. “Are we not washing them tonight?”

“They can wait,” Yixing demandes, pushing Joonmyun on top of their bed and climbing over him. “We have bigger priorities to address.” The second statement is accompanied by a smile big enough to exaggerate his dimple making Joonmyun’s stomach swoop.

“If this keeps up, you’ll start thinking I can’t say no to you,” Joonmyun jokes, slightly distracted by kisses being pressed into his neck.

“Please, Joonmyun. I’ve never thought you could say no to me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

That Friday afternoon, Joonmyun and Yixing adopt Jongdae. Joonmyun had spent most of the week leading up to Friday learning more about Jongdae through Yixing.

“He really likes to sing,” his boyfriend had commented on one occasion. “And he can be quite the prankster if you’re not careful, so we’ll want to keep him busy.”

Instead of feeling increasingly apprehensive about the change, Joonmyun finds himself growing excited. For the past three years it had only been Joonmyun and Yixing in their apartment, and while he isn’t bored of his boyfriend (far from it), there is still something thrilling about taking this next step.

After getting an enthusiastic response from Jongdae, in which Yixing told him there were numerous hugs and tears involved (somehow Joonmyun is skeptical of this), Yixing spends his day off Thursday transforming their guest room into a bedroom. It’s not hard, all Yixing really has to do is add some personal touches to make it feel more welcoming to Jongdae. When Joonmyun pokes his head in after work, he finds a CD player along with a stack of CDs, an alarm clock, a new dresser, and a bookcase mostly bare.

The excitement builds, and before they know it the two of them are sitting in a small office space inside the shelter. Jongdae is sitting next to him, a large backpack in his lap and a suitcase on the floor by his feet holding everything he owns. While a lot for someone coming out of a shelter, Joonmyun realizes that it’s still very little compared to what most people own at this point in their lives.

It is a rather quick process once the paperwork is completed, and before the trio know it they are back home. As soon as Jongdae steps foot past the entrance, he drops his belongings and immediately takes off to explore his new home.

Joonmyun and Yixing follow behind him, carrying what has been dropped on the floor, watching bemusedly. It appears as though Jongdae will have no trouble adapting to his new environment at all.

They order Chinese take out for dinner, as per Jongdae’s request.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Joonmyun's confused. He had been sleeping peacefully, and suddenly woke up without any idea as to why. When he looks out his window, it is still night time based on how dark the sky is, so that isn’t it. He doesn’t have to make a quick bathroom trip, nor is he hungry or thirsty. A look at the clock, bright green numbers reading 3:12am, don’t give him any ideas either as to why he might be awake despite feeling drained.

So he turns back over onto his side and curls up against Yixing, hoping that sleep will find him quickly and not let him go until much later. It is Saturday after all, and both he and Yixing have the day off from work to help Jongdae acquaint himself with his new living situation.

However, when cuddling back up to Yixing, Joonmyun is not expecting something thin and furry to curl tightly around one of his thighs.

In a moment of blind panic, Joonmyun jumps off the bed with a rather loud startled squawk. He lands on the floor on his , startling the bed’s remaining occupants.

“Joonmyun?” Yixing yawns, sitting up to look at Joonmyun. He does a double take when he notices Jongdae sitting up in their bed. “Jongdae?”

“Is everything alright?” Joonmyun asks, quietly crawling back on the bed. It's becoming more apparent that the feline hybrid had climbed into their bed at some point, and crawled in between the bed’s two occupants.

“Sorry,” Jongdae starts, ears deflating so they are pressed against his head. “I’m not used to sleeping alone at night. At the shelter, I always shared a bed with one or two of the other hybrids.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, silly,” Yixing chuckles, reaching over to gently scratch behind one of Jongdae’s ears. “You’re not in trouble. Though I wish you had told us earlier that you’re not used to sleeping alone.”

“That’s right,” Joonmyun steps in. “This is a new place for you, so it’ll take some time getting used to feeling comfortable here.”

Jongdae’s ears slowly perk up. “Then it’s okay if I sleep here? It’s really lonely in my room.”

“Of course,” Yixing and Joonmyun speak at the same time, causing Jongdae to laugh.

“This is your home now too, and we both want you to feel comfortable.”

It's something Joonmyun plans to hold himself to, because he knew that changes were going to have to be made when he and Yixing decided to bring Jongdae into their lives. Even if it means that Jongdae will be spending some time sharing their bed at night.

Joonmyun will have to draw the line eventually, because as adorable as Jongdae is, Yixing is still his boyfriend and they are going to want their alone time together.

But he'll worry about that when they cross that bridge. For now, he lays back down, wanting to get more sleep before the sun starts to rise.

He waits for Jongdae to settle down, snuggling in between Yixing and himself, then drapes an arm around his back. The positioning is a little strange, particularly for Joonmyun who is still somewhat unfamiliar with Jongdae, but he is soon out. Sleep brought on by the duel sounds of Yixing’s soft snoring and Jongdae’s rumbling purrs.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After a week of Jongdae living with them, the catboy is still sleeping in Joonmyun and Yixing’s bedroom. Joonmyun is becoming increasingly grateful that they own a large enough bed to comfortably fit three bodies, otherwise someone (Yixing or himself) would have ended up on the floor.

Much like getting used to the idea of adopting a catboy, Joonmyun finds himself quickly adjusting to having an additional person in his bed. Jongdae’s purring makes it easy to fall asleep at night, and he wakes up feeling better rested than he has in a long time.

The only downside is that he starts to miss cuddling with Yixing, Jongdae always insisting that he sleep in the middle. It makes Joonmyun appreciate what little alone time he had with his boyfriend.

It's Sunday morning and Joonmyun and Yixing are enjoying a quiet moment to themselves before Yixing has to go to work. Jongdae is still fast asleep in their bedroom, and will most likely stay that way for another few hours.

“You’re not regretting this, are you?” Yixing questions, “Adopting Jongdae?”

Joonmyun shakes his head. “No, it’s kind of nice having him around actually.”

Yixing chuckles, brushing his foot against Joonmyun’s leg underneath the table where they are both sitting. “Even if it means we haven’t had any alone time?”

Joonmyun kicks out with his own foot, knocking Yixing’s out of the way from where it was getting ready to nudge at him again. “What are you talking about? We’re alone now,” he jokes before turning serious. “It’ll take some time before we get used to having him around, while still making time for us.”

Yixing wiggles his eyebrows, making Joonmyun’s face light up. “It’s not like we were going to be getting up to much with his bedroom right next to ours. You’re much too loud for that Joonmyun, you need to learn better control.”

Feeling slightly mortified by the comment, and immensely glad that Jongdae isn’t around to hear it, Joonmyun kicks out with more force, making Yixing wince.

“Hey now, I still have to work today. How am I going to walk around if you injure my shin?” Yixing sulks.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way. Speaking of work, you’re going to be late if you don’t get moving,” Joonmyun reminds him.

“Oh fine.” Yixing stands up, bringing his coffee cup to the kitchen before returning to the living room. He gives Joonmyun a kiss or two (or six), then pulls on his jacket to leave. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

After Yixing leaves, Joonmyun settles down on the couch to watch the news. There isn’t much being reported, but it is something to keep himself occupied with while he waits for Jongdae.

It isn’t even half an hour later before Jongdae surfaces, stumbling into the living room while rubbing his eyes.

“Morning,” he grumbles mid-yawn.

“Good morning. You’re up early today, Jongdae.”

“I could say the same for you,” Jongdae mumbles with downturned lips, walking over to the couch so he can plop down next to Joonmyun. He lists to the side so he's leaning against Joonmyun, using him as a makeshift pillow while he makes himself comfortable.

Joonmyun raises a brow, “Do I make a good pillow?”

“Warm,” is all Jongdae mutters, not budging an inch.

“Aren’t you hungry? Sitting here isn’t going to get you fed,” Joonmyun prods, reaching up to scratch behind one of the catboy’s ears. It hadn’t taken long for Yixing and Joonmyun to discover this particular weakness that Jongdae has, who practically melts into a puddle whenever his ears are touched.

“Not hungry yet, want to keep sleeping.” Joonmyun barely hears the mumbled response, and before he knows it Jongdae is sliding down into his lap fast asleep. He smiles and cards his fingers through Jongdae’s hair, marveling at the soft feeling while tuning back to the news.

Knowing Jongdae, the feline will probably sleep for another hour or two, and Joonmyun isn’t sure what to do. He had only wanted to see a bit of the news, then he had planned on doing some cleaning. It's so that when Yixing gets home around lunch time, they'll be free to do what they want.

However, Joonmyun doesn’t want to disturb Jongdae either. The other looks peaceful in his sleep, lips upturned and cat ears occasionally twitching, probably needing the sleep (maybe, Joonmyun isn’t sure about the sleeping needs of catboys). Joonmyun admires the way Jongdae’s long lashes fan across his cheeks, dark brown hair a shaggy mess atop his head from sleeping on the bed. It's something Yixing and Joonmyun discovered amusedly after the first night of Jongdae sharing their bed, both waking up to see Jongdae’s crazy, out-of-control bed hair.

Staring at Jongdae sleeping brings on an eerily familiar curl of something in Joonmyun stomach, instantly igniting panic.

Before he can even think about it or rationalize where that emotion came from, Joonmyun finds himself on his feet having carefully removed Jongdae from his lap. He flees to the kitchen, where he takes a moment to calm himself (and berate himself for his reaction), then decides whatever he just felt needs to be carefully buried where he won’t think about it again.

The best way to do that is distract himself, giving Joonmyun the perfect opportunity to start the chores he wants to do. Hopefully it will keep him distracted enough to forget the whole idea.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It doesn’t.

As soon as Yixing gets home he can sense that something is bothering Joonmyun and has asked about it, but quickly drops the topic when Joonmyun brushs the question off.

It's now midday Monday, and Joonmyun is still thinking about Jongdae and the way his lips curl when he smiles or the teasing remarks he makes whenever he catches Joonmyun and Yixing being affectionate with each other. Joonmyun would be more concerned than he actually is if the thoughts weren’t accompanied by visions of Yixing’s smiling dimple or sulking face when he thinks he is being ignored.

Joonmyun is confused.

He's currently in the employee lunch room, absent-mindedly stirring his lunch while staring blankly ahead of him at the wall. After spending most of the morning struggling to focus on work, Joonmyun is allowing himself a chance to space out now in the hopes that it will keep him focused later.

It's wishful thinking, and he's beginning to become increasingly less hopeful.

“-myun. Hey, Joonmyun!”

Joonmyun startles at the sound of his name, head snapping to the left where the voice is coming from. It's Minseok, a friend and coworker who is stationed on the same floor as Joonmyun, and currently looking concerned.

“Are you all right? I’ve been sitting here for almost five minutes now, and you haven’t said a word.” Minseok’s brows are furrowed as he ignores his own food for the moment.

“Sorry, Hyung. I’m just thinking,” Joonmyun apologizes with a smile. It seems to reassure Minseok who starts eating, and stares pointedly at Joonmyun’s food and back at Joonmyun’s face.

Even without words, Joonmyun knows Minseok wants him to start eating, so he does.

“What are you thinking about that has you ignoring your food?” As soon as Minseok asks, his face lights up, looking like a light switch just went off in his head. “Oh, wait, you adopted that catboy, right? The one Yixing brought home?”

Joonmyun nods. “Yeah, about a week and a half ago. He seems to be settling in well, but doesn’t like being left alone for long.”

Minseok hums in agreement. “I think most hybrids are that way. Baekhyun certainly is,” he replies, referring to the catboy he had adopted with his boyfriend Lu Han.

“I forgot you had Baekhyun,” Joonmyun muses, “how long has it been since you adopted him, Hyung?”

“Almost a year. Han and I are trying to plan a secret for him to celebrate, but he’s nosy which makes planning difficult.”

That gives Joonmyun an idea.

“Why don’t we introduce Jongdae and Baekhyun? I know Jongdae doesn’t like being left alone at home, but he doesn’t leave the apartment unless he’s working or we go out together with Yixing. If they get along, then it’s one less excuse to stay inside. It might also give you and Lu Han-hyung a chance to plan your surprise.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Minseok agrees. “I just hope Jongdae can handle Baekhyun, he can be a bit of a terror.”

“He can’t be that bad.” Joonmyun grins, “Besides, Jongdae has quite the tongue, so I’m sure he’ll do fine.”

Minseok snorts, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Why did Joonmyun think this was a good idea?

After an enthusiastic response from Jongdae (with a matching response from Baekhyun according to Minseok), they arrange to meet at the park that weekend.

So here they are, on a beautiful sunny Saturday, and Joonmyun is questioning whether or not bringing Jongdae and Baekhyun together was a smart move on his part. It isn’t that the two don’t get along, far from it in fact. As soon as the two had seen each other, they were hugging and telling their respective owners that they came from the same shelter.

They then scampered off a distance, arms intertwined, and began chatting with the occasional glance over. Joonmyun hopes they are just catching up, but he has a sinking feeling they're plotting.

“You shouldn’t look so worried, Joonmyun, what’s the worst they can come up with?” Yixing chuckles, elbowing him in the side.

“I’m trying not to think about it,” Joonmyun half jokes, earning laughter from Minseok and Lu Han as well.

The four of them fall quiet, giving Joonmyun more time to study the two catboys. This is Joonmyun’s first time meeting Baekhyun (and Lu Han), and he has to admit that the catboy is cute. He has brown hair just a shade or two lighter than Jongdae, and large cat ears that seem to be in constant motion. His tail, which is swishing back and forth contently, has a pretty tabby pattern.

A sudden shrill from next to him has Joonmyun jumping, setting off a chain reaction from Minseok and Lu Han.

Yixing looks guilty as he pulls out his phone, “Sorry, it’s work.” He steps away from them, quietly chatting on the device.

“Work calls on the weekend? That must ,” Lu Han groans, face scrunching up.

“He can’t help it, he’s the manager of a music store,” Joonmyun defends, even though he knows Lu Han doesn’t mean anything by it.

“I have to admit, it surprises me that you’re dating someone who manages a music store. I would have pegged you as the type to date an office worker, maybe another accountant.” Minseok jokes.

“Are you saying I’m boring?” Joonmyun plays along, pretending to pout.

“Ugh, don’t pout, Joonmyun. It’s not an attractive look for you.” Minseok shoves him in the shoulder.

They all chuckle, enjoying the moment while Joonmyun internally convinces himself that this is the perfect opportunity to bring up his dilemma.

“Actually,” Joonmyun interjects, fiddling with his fingers nervously, “I wanted to talk to you two about something, but not with Yixing around.” He flushes bright red, knowing that what he just said was ambiguous and probably confusing to the other two.

It does, however, get both of their attention, which is a start.

“What did you want to talk about that Yixing can’t be here for?” Minseok asks.

“It’s just,” Joonmyun struggles, “right after you adopted Baekhyun, did it make your relationship . . . weird?”

“Did he affect our relationship?” Lu Han asks back. “Well of course he did, we had to make a lot of compromises while getting him used to us and his new home. But in the end, I think it strengthened what Minseok and I have.”

Minseok nods through most of what Lu Han has to say, then adds, “It’s about learning to adapt to new situations, and if your relationship can do that then you’re golden.”

Joonmyun watches as Minseok and Lu Han smile lovingly at each other, fingers twined together. It's nice to see, but their responses haven’t exactly answered his concern.

“But doesn’t Baekhyun ever- I mean, doesn’t he-” Joonmyun stops there. Oh god, he can’t do it. He can’t even find a way to hint at the way his thoughts concerning Jongdae have shifted, starting to feel like the emotions he has towards Yixing.

So, instead, Joonmyun lets his gaze drift over towards the two catboys still chatting animatedly amongst themselves. He looks on as Jongdae suddenly smirkes, playfully tackling Baekhyun to the ground so that they can roll around like a pair of kittens. It makes Joonmyun smile, fondness taking him over.

“Ah,” Minseok startles him. Both he and Lu Han are sharing knowing looks. “I think I know what you mean.”

“Every relationship is different,” Lu Han interjects, “be it romantic, friendship, or between an owner and hybrid. It’s not uncommon for single owners to develop romantic feelings for their hybrids and vice versa, it happened to a close friend of mine.”

Lu Han pauses here, looking thoughtful, so Minseok picks up where he left off. “And just because it’s not as common to see relationships between couples and hybrids, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. When we adopted Baekhyun, we hadn’t planned on adding him to our relationship, it just kind of happened,” he admitts.

It's better than what Joonmyun had expected for advice. Truthfully, he had expected the duo to either not understand what he was asking, or skirt the subject. And while it doesn’t give him an answer for his problem, it is something to think about.

“Have you asked Yixing about this?” Lu Han asks looking curious.

Joonmyun shakes his head. “No, I didn’t know how to bring it up. How do I tell him that everytime I see Jongdae, I’m becoming more fond of him? Just last night, after I had washed up, I walked into the bedroom to see Jongdae and Yixing curled up with each other asleep. I expected to feel jealous, but instead I felt fond? Like I was happy that they were both there and get along as well as they do, which is weird because the only reason I know Jongdae is because of Yixing.”

“You just have to talk to him, Joonmyun. If you keep it bottled up, or if Yixing finds out through someone else, it won’t be any better. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that communication is the key to any relationship? It’s the same regardless of if there are two or three involved,” Minseok looks like he's both joking and serious.

“Just talk to him,” Lu Han repeats.

Even knowing it's the right thing to do, Joonmyun knows it still won’t be an easy task. When Yixing rejoins them a little while later, he feels a little uneasy, but smiles none the less. He can do it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Like Joonmyun thought, easier said than done. He waits until the next time he and Yixing are alone, Jongdae out visiting with Baekhyun and a couple other hybrids Baekhyun is friends with. It doesn’t take long until Joonmyun and Yixing are sitting down on the couch, snuggled right up to another, only half paying attention to the show playing on their television.

“How do you think Jongdae is fitting in here?” Joonmyun asks, breaking the silence between the two of them.

“Good, he keeps bragging to the rest of my employees how lucky he is. He really likes it here,” Yixing answers, looking proud. “He’s started a bit of a ‘I’m-better-than-you’ war with my other hybrid worker, and he loves bringing up that he has two owners.”

“This other hybrid does have an owner right?” Joonmyun asks worriedly, “He’s not still living at a shelter?”

“Oh, Kyungsoo has an owner. Jongdae just likes messing with him, it drives Kyungsoo crazy. I have to make sure they don’t work together often.”

Chuckling lightly, Joonmyun snuggles further under the arm laying across his shoulders and picks up Yixing’s hand to start playing with his fingers.

“What about you? How do you feel now that Jongdae’s settled in?” Yixing asks.

Joonmyun tries shrugging, the motion hampered by Yixing’s arm. “Good, I like having him around. He certainly makes life interesting,” he smiles.

Yixing grins back and Joonmyun knows he’s about to say something embarrassing. “He makes nights interesting too, especially with you falling out of bed screaming.”

“Once! That only happened once, and it was because Jongdae wrapped his tail around my thigh when I didn’t even know he was in our bed!”

“So cute,” Yixing cooes, pinching Joonmyun’s cheek while still grinning. “It’s okay, I still love you.”

Not sure what to say after that, and still pretending to be offended, Joonmyun hums mindlessly, closing his eyes and sinking even further into Yixing’s side. Now is his chance, it's the perfect opportunity to bring up his changing feelings for Jongdae while the catboy is the subject of their conversation, all he has to is gather his courage.

Except, while he's busy trying to find a way to broach the subject, Yixing notices how he's distracted.

“Joonmyun? You okay?”

“What?” Joonmyun blurts out, not expecting Yixing to ask him that.

“You’ve been distracted lately,” Yixing comments with furrowed brows, “For about a week now, I think, it seems like you’re always thinking and never giving yourself a chance to rest. Is something bothering you?”

“Sort of?” Joonmyun hedges, then he's stuck again. At least when he was talking with Minseok and Lu Han, Jongdae was nearby so all he had to do was look at the catboy for the older two to get the hint. He isn’t so lucky this time.

Joonmyun must have been quiet for too long, because Yixing is speaking again. “Does this have anything with the way you’ve been staring at Jongdae lately?” The question is spoken lightly, and Joonmyun doesn’t detect jealousy or hurt in Yixing’s voice which makes him feel slightly at ease despite the initial panic he felt.

“Yes,” he speaks quietly. “I’ve grown really fond of him,” Joonmyun starts then pauses. “No, wait, that’s not right. It’s more than fond.”

Yixing is smiling at him encouragingly, motioning with his hand for Joonmyun to continue.

“I’ve been thinking about him a lot, like how his ears twitch when he’s sleeping, or how his face lights up when he eats something he likes. But it’s not just that,” Joonmyun defendes. “It’s how the two of you get along, teasing each other during the day, but then once it’s time for bed I usually find the two of you already curled up asleep.

“I just never expected to find someone who I like as much as I do you,” Joonmyun ends with a shrug.

“As much as me, but not more, right?” Yixing asks jokingly, but looks a little lost as to what to say after that.

“Of course not, I still love you.” Joonmyun plants a kiss on Yixing’s cheek, hoping it'll defuse any uncertainty his boyfriend might be feeling.

“Did you know that Minseok, Lu Han, and Baekhyun are dating each other?”

The abrupt question seems to throw Yixing for a loop, who shakes his head.

“They are. I asked when we were at the park last weekend, because I was worried what this thing between me and Jongdae would do to us. I don’t want anything to happen to us, because I really do still love you, it’s just now I kind of really like Jongdae too.”

“Are you asking to add Jongdae to our relationship?” Yixing looks surprised, like the idea hasn’t ever crossed his mind. Which, to be fair, probably hasn’t.

“Maybe? Only if it’s something both you and Jongdae are okay with. I have no idea how Jongdae would feel about this, but I thought we could at least talk about it.”

“Of course we should talk about it,” a voice from behind the couch startles them. Joonmyun might have ended up on the floor if it wasn’t for Yixing’s arm still around his shoulder.

Turning around reveal both Jongdae and Baekhyun to be standing in the doorway, both looking like they might have been standing there for a while (which Joonmyun secretly hopes is false).

It's Jongdae who speaks up, and is now making his way towards the couch with determination written all over his face. Baekhyun on the other hand is watching like the curious cat he is, and only leaves reluctantly when stared at by Joonmyun, Yixing, and Jongdae.

“Fine then, I guess I’ll leave. See you around Jongdae,” Baekhyun waves.

Once Baekhyun is gone, Joonmyun and Yixing turn to Jongdae who is sitting on Joonmyun’s other side, staring right back at them. It's Yixing who brakes the silence.

“How long were you and Baekhyun standing there?” he asks. The ‘and listening in’ goes unsaid.

“Long enough.” Came Jongdae’s vague answer. “Is is true? Have you been think about . . .”

It seems like Joonmyun isn’t the only one hesitant about voicing out his not so secret desire. Yixing, on the other hand, doesn’t have that problem.

“Growing our relationship to include you? We were talking about it. But Jongdae, I want you to know what regardless of what we or you decide, you shouldn’t feel like you have to answer either way. If you don’t want to be a part of us, “ here Yixing points between Joonmyun and himself, “then all you have to do is say so.”

Joonmyun narrows his eyes thoughtfully. “You sound like you’ve thought about this before,” he accuses.

Yixing looks sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because I have? It’s kind of hard not to think about when Jongdae’s been sleeping between us for the past two and a half weeks. I’m also not immune to how cute the two of you look when you’re cuddling on the couch watching television.”

“Then why did you look so surprised when I tried bringing it up? Shouldn’t you have been glad?” Joonmyun accuses, feeling betrayed.

“Can I interject here?” Jongdae asks, “I’ve thought about it too. In fact, that’s what Baekhyun and I were talking about when we met at the park. Well, it was one of the things we talked about.”

That admission gives Joonmyun pause. “Wait, so we’ve all thought about this before? Why was I the one to bring it up first?”

Yixing and Jongdae share a look that Joonmyun doesn’t think he likes, before both give him fond looks.

“Joonmyun, out of the three of us, you would have freaked out the most. You did freak out the most, actually,” Yixing points out. “I thought it would be best to wait and let you warm up to Jongdae more before springing this on you.”

“Even I notice that you get uncomfortable when something unplanned or unexpected happens,” Jongdae smiles.

“I didn’t actually freak out, for the record.” Joonmyun can tell he's sulking, but doesn’t bother trying to hide it.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now because it’s out in the open and we all know that everyone here has thought of it at least once,” Jongdae says, trying to move the conversation forward. “What does matter is what’s going to happen now?”

Nothing is said for a moment, the three of them sharing looks with each other as if trying to gage what the other two might want to do.

“Seeing as you two seem to think I’m the most sensitive to change,” Joonmyun sniffs, “I guess I’ll speak first by saying that I’d like to try. We’ll never know if we don’t take this chance, right? I’d hate to look back and say that we didn’t try. And if it doesn’t work, we’re not going to kick you out Jongdae. You’d be free to stay unless you feel like you have to leave.”

Yixing nods, “I’d like to try too. What do you think Jongdae?”

“I say go for it, you two have been so welcoming since I’ve moved in that it be hard not to fall for you two. If Baekhyun can make it work with Minseok and Lu Han, I don’t see why we can’t. I’ve known Yixing-hyung for a long time through the music store, and I feel like I’ve known you for a while too Joonmyun-hyung through Yixing-hyung.” Jongdae giving them both a genuine smile, one that isn’t quite as wide as his normal grins and it warms Joonmyun to see it.

“Does this mean that we can start switching up who lays in the middle of the bed? Because I kind of miss cuddling with Joonmyun at night,” Yixing pouts, directing the question to Jongdae.

“But it’s so comfy in the middle! And I get cold easy, Hyung!” Jongdae whines back. “You don’t want me to get sick, do you?”

“I think you’ll be fine,” Joonmyun deadpans. “If you need extra warmth, then we’ll pile up extra blankets on the side of the bed you’re laying on.”

“Or I could just wait until you’re both asleep, then I’ll sneak in between you. I like that idea better, but not as much as the one where I’m already in the middle.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Yixing jokingly threatens.

“Or what? You’ll ‘punish’ me? If your punishments are anything like Baekhyun gets, I’d probably like them,” Jongdae returns, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“No! I don’t want to hear this!” Joonmyun gasps, covering his ears in disgust. “There are certain things I don’t want to know about my friends and coworkers.”

“Then I shouldn’t let you know that Baekhyun and I figured out what Minseok and Lu Han are planning for his adoption anniversary? Because Minseok will probably be coming into work the next morning beat,” Jongdae laughs, running away before Joonmyun can shove him off the couch.

Yixing chuckles from next to him, “Well, this seems like a good, and interesting, start to our relationship.”

Joonmyun only groans, feeling like he wants to cry after hearing what Jongdae had just said.

Interesting is one way of putting it.

-I hope you enjoyed reading this, comments are always greatly appreciated! ♥