Indebted to You [Original Prompt]

[yeolis]

Title: Indebted to You
Rating: NC-17
Length: 11k
Summary: Yifan finds an abandoned cat in the vicinity of his apartment. He’s surprised at what he finds out in the days that come.
Warning/s: mentions of violence, very brief mentions of sexual, physical and animal abuse
Notes: Sorry and thank you L for being my last minute beta! Something I’ve been meaning to write for some time now. Meow~



Pit. Pat. Pit. Pat.

That’s how Yifan remembers the drizzle sounding as it hit the roof overhead, but in a split second the heavy downpour welcomed him as he leaves the small convenience store. He patiently waits under the canopy as the heavens wreak havoc on his beloved earth; shivering from time to time when he hears the wind howl. When the rain calms down a little, he decides to make a run for it, only to stop a few houses away from his apartment complex because of the sudden torrent of rain.

Why did I not bring an umbrella? He curses under his breath. Because you were stupid enough to think that the rain won’t be hard and that it will stop when you have to get home. What are you, some god?

Against his inner turmoil and the heavy sound of the rain hitting the ground, he hears a quiet meowing that causes his ears to perk up.

In front of him, in the haze of the mist created by the rain, he sees a small box amongst the black garbage bags placed beside the lamp post. He doesn’t know what’s gotten into him but when the rain calms down again, he walks to the box and crouches down to see what’s inside, although he already has an idea that it’s something with paws and is furry.

What he sees inside, claws at his heart. A small black cat is curled in on itself, frail and shivering in its own fur due to the rain. Yifan himself is cold from the rain that it makes him wonder how it is for the small abandoned creature with nothing but his fur to keep him warm. Without second thoughts, Yifan grabs the cat and hugs him close to his body to at least pass some of his body heat to the black ball of fluff, not minding that it might be bringing some kind of disease with it. Plastic bag of chips in one hand and the cat in the other, he runs again into the heavy rain just to get to his apartment fast.

Yifan has never really been an animal type of person. He’s never had a pet in his life, not even a goldfish. So he sits on his couch wondering why he took an animal in, and it’s a cat no less. He can barely take care of himself, now he’s just blindly added a responsibility for himself but he also knows he can’t just leave the cat to die there in that small box. He eyes the cat that’s snuggled in mounds of towels that Yifan wrapped him in, after drying him up, to keep him warm. He’s already called his friend, Lu Han, whose boyfriend is fortunately a Veterinarian, so they can stop by later in the afternoon to check up on his adopted cat. The cat shudders in his sleep and Yifan decides to get more towels and blankets to add to his growing pile.
“Where is it?” Were Minseok’s first words after greeting Yifan. The tall blond ushered them into the living room where the cat has been sleeping on the couch the whole time and if Yifan didn’t watch him closely to see that he was still breathing, he would’ve thought that the cat is dead already.

Lu Han hands him a paper bag and when he sees what’s inside, he smiles at the elder in gratitude. The other points to his boyfriend with a smile and Yifan knows, should’ve known, that it was Minseok’s idea. Inside the paper bag were cans of cat food and vitamins that could hopefully last him the week before he knows what to actually do with the cat.

“Are you planning to keep him?” Lu Han asks as he watches Minseok crouch down beside the couch, slowly, carefully and silently so as not to startle the cat awake.

“I don’t really know. I might leave him at the pound if he’s too catty.” The elder sniggers but rolls his eyes at the attempt of a joke before walking closer to Minseok.

“How is he?” He asks his boyfriend quietly as Minseok pats his stethoscope against the thin layer of fur; listening on the cat’s heartbeat and breathing.

“He’s only weak. We just have to observe him. Hopefully he doesn’t grow too weak and contract other more dreadful illnesses.” Yifan doesn’t want to know what those are and just takes Minseok’s advice; to let the cat rest but make sure that there is food and water prepared for him when he does wake up and regain consciousness. Minseok also informs him that he discovered that the cat has a scar over his left side but he informed him that it’s an old one and shouldn’t be a problem now.

“You should give it a name.” Lu Han chirps up when they find themselves having coffee and some snacks in Yifan’s kitchen.

“It’s too early to be attached.” Yifan answers against a mouthful of Oreos.

“You’re not going to keep him?” Minseok asks with his eyebrows high up on his forehead and if Yifan didn’t know him well enough he would have thought the vet was judging him but he knows Minseok is purely curious.

“I don’t know, ge. I might leave him in the pound when he’s well enough. I can’t take care of something other than myself for now.” The couple nod in understanding and something passes between them when they look at each other and decide to drop the topic then.

x_x

When he wakes the next day, he finds the cat awake, albeit still looking very weak, drinking water from the bowl Yifan has put in front of him on the floor, where his temporary owner put him to lay down in one of the cushions. Yifan doesn’t know why but he smiles at the sight, knowing that the cat has gained some energy now, although he doesn’t touch his food yet in favor of more sleep.

Once he’s fully clothed and ready for the day, he squats down where the cat is lazily sleeping again. He scratches its head, between his ears and the low purring of the cat satisfies Yifan so much that he does it again.

“I’m leaving now. Just rest and I trust that you won’t make a mess of my house, okay?” The cat purrs again, as if in reply to his temporary owner’s question, before burying his head more on the old blanket that Yifan has wrapped around him the night before.

Yifan leaves with a last look to the weak-looking cat with a sad smile on his face.

Two days after, when Yifan returns from his nine to five job, he’s surprised to find not a cat but a boy with black hair, pale skin, eyes rimmed with a deep blue shade and the blanket that was wrapped around the cat was now around the boy’s figure.

“Welcome home.” The boy says with a small smile on his face.

Yifan, filled with pure shock and anger, stomps to where the boy is standing in the middle of his living room and the boy visibly tenses and slowly backs away with panic in his eyes.

“Who the hell are you and how did you get inside my house?” He has the boy backed up against the floor to ceiling window and he can see the fear swirling in the boy’s deep blue eyes as he trembles under Yifan’s gaze.

“I-I’m your c-cat.” He manages to breathe out and Yifan wants to laugh because of the absurdity of it all but when he looks around to find the black cat who had not moved so much from his cushion on the living room since its arrival, is nowhere to be found, he looks back to the boy in front of him.

“I’m not lying.” The boy bit his bottom lip in an attempt to stop himself from crying, but Yifan can see the tears already close to spilling. “I can prove it to you.”

Without waiting for Yifan to answer, the boy closes his eyes and there weren’t any theatrics to it, no lights flashing as he transformed, just a gust of wind then the blanket pools just a few centimeters away from his feet. Undeniably, when he removed the blanket, there in front of him, the same black cat with blue eyes sat before him, his tail slowly swishing behind him. There were no traces of the boy that was just there mere seconds ago, standing in front of him in his trembling legs. Yifan sits down cross-legged in front of the cat with a dumbfounded look on his face. He’s never heard of anything like this before and he doesn’t know if he should confide this to Minseok but he fears that the vet will just laugh at him when he shares the information, especially if the cat doesn’t transform in front of the vet. The human reaches a hand to scratch the cat’s ears who hasn’t moved since Yifan sat before him. He can feel that the cat is still afraid of him, of what Yifan can do to him.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He whispers when the cat is still stuck frozen on his spot even when he’s been continuously scratching his ears; an act Yifan knows the cat loves. “I’m sorry. I just thought you were a burglar.”

A naked burglar? He thought as he recalls what he just said. Right, maybe the burglar had sexual intentions too.

The cat has stood up now and moved closer to Yifan, pacing back and forth as he slides his sides against his temporary owner’s legs.

“You can change back now. I promise I won’t get mad anymore.” Even if his tone has grown softer than before, the cat still stayed in his form as he comfortably found a place in front of Yifan, eyes cast towards the cityscape.

Yifan gives up and lets the cat take his time to warm up to him after his sudden outburst. He understands, anyone who suddenly gets a scolding by the same person who took care of them would probably take some time to get out of the shock as well. He stands up after a while and takes care of his own grumbling stomach. The cat looks up when he feels the large palm leave his body. He follows Yifan when the elder goes to his room to change.

The day before, he had allowed the cat in his room when he changed, not knowing that it can turn into a boy if he wanted to. Now that he does know that fact, he looks back at the cat that’s sitting on his hinds beside him as he picks out his house clothes.

“Stay here.” He tells the cat before marching to the bathroom where he changes. Fortunately the cat follows instructions well (probably because it’s half-human) and he does stay where Yifan left him until the human emerges from the bathroom.

He follows his owner again when the human goes to the kitchen to fix himself some dinner, not forgetting to get a can of cat food and pour it to the tiny bowl he’s put out for the cat. He watches the cat devour his food while he does it on his own too.

“That’s not how it is.” He’s startled when he finds the boy beside him again while he was watching a movie in the living room. He almost jumped out of his skin in surprise upon hearing the boy’s soft voice, since all he’s been hearing lately is the cat’s meowing and purring.

“What do you mean?” He masks his surprise well as he looks at the cat whose eyes are trained on the movie.

“Shapeshifting.” He answers matter-of-factly. “It’s different for everyone. Werewolves don’t change like that at all.” Yifan doesn’t want to know how they actually change but the boy keeps going, insensitive to his owner’s growing disgust.

“Their bones crack and their snouts form slowly and they always whimper in pain.” Yifan scrunches his nose in disgust as his brain unwelcomingly imagines it for him. “My werewolf friends always hate the change but they say the freedom they get while they run in the woods to hunt game is indescribable.”

“Y-you have werewolf friends?” Yifan stutters and the realization that there really are werewolves roaming the earth scares him more than the threat of being arrested in his own home with twelve cops pointing guns at him.

“Don’t worry. They’re all harmless.” The boy smiles at him and he notices that there’s a dimple on his right cheek that digs deep as he keeps the smile on and wider.

“Your name is Yifan, right?” The boy asks when the taller sat frozen, mesmerized by the smile on the boy’s lips. He nods at the sound of his name and how it sounds melodious when the boy says it.

“Yixing.” He puts his hand up for a shake, an action Yifan didn’t think he’d do, knowing he’s a cat. But he still takes the proffered hand and when he trails his eyes down, he realizes that the boy is completely naked; abandoning his blanket on the floor where the cushion is.

“You’re naked.” Yifan blurts out and takes his gaze away from the boy before his eyes can roam into inappropriate places. Yixing doesn’t seem affected by this fact and simply shrugs. “Put something on.” Yifan says against gritted teeth as he tries his hardest not to look at the boy again.

“But I don’t have clothes.” He protests and Yifan can just imagine a pout on his lips, those plump lips. He shakes the thought away as he eyes the blanket on the floor.

“Use your blanket.” He hears a huff beside him before he feels the left side of where he’s seated goes up with the absence of weight. He averts his gaze from where Yixing might walk because he doesn’t know what he’ll do if he sees the naked body before him.

“So you’re a werecat?” Yixing giggles at the word and Yifan finds it to be his new favorite sound.

Yixing has been mostly in his human form when Yifan is at home and changes to a cat when the house owner is out for the day. He’s given the boy an old shirt of his and bought him a set of boxer-briefs, not really knowing what the boy would like. The boy is grateful but it seems that he doesn’t really need the clothes as Yifan finds him completely naked most of the time, only after realizing that Yifan is there does the boy put some clothes on (which, most of the time, is just him putting a shirt on and nothing else.)

“A shapeshifter, yes. A werecat, probably.” Yixing giggles again. He’s never been called a werecat before even if he does change into just a cat, the word is so foreign and so wrong. He just preferred being called a shapeshifter. Werecat makes it sound like he has to change in specific times of the month and that he can’t control his animalistic instincts when he’s in human form but for him, as a shapeshifter, that’s not the case.

“Since when?” Yifan asks curiously.

“Since I can remember.”

“In the rain, the time I found you, why didn’t you change into a human so you can ask for help?” The question has been nagging him ever since he found out about the cat’s shapeshifting ability.

“I change into a cat when I’m weak. Being in human form takes so much of my energy and, well, I hadn’t been properly fed when you found me; that’s why you found me in my animal form.” Things make sense to Yifan now and he’s glad that he was able to take care of the cat, enough for him to regain strength.

After a moment of silence, Yifan looks up to where the boy is across from him on the dining table.

“Thank you.” He said quietly and there was a shine in his eyes that Yifan can’t miss as a tear rolls down the boy’s cheek.

“Shhh. Don’t cry.” Yixing rubs the heels of his palm to his eyes to stop the tears. Yifan’s heart breaks at the thought that he has to bring this boy to the pound the day after tomorrow.

x_x

Being a shapeshifter runs in the Zhang family. They used to be big cats; lions, tigers, leopards and the like. However, somewhere along the way, down the Zhang family tree, his great grandfather married a female human. This union caused their bloodline to dilute and weaken, their usual regal lineage of big cats slowly shifting to smaller wild cats until to such time that their blood is too diluted with human blood that the new generation of Zhangs can only shapeshift to domesticated cats.

The Zhang family, starting from Yixing’s grandfather, took advantage of this so-called weakness and began to sell off their children, just like how their friends would to their children who could, only shift to what they consider lesser kinds of animals. Some of Yixing’s aunts and uncles were pets to the rich and to anyone who can afford them, what is done to them after the contract is sealed is none of their business anymore.

Heartless, Yixing used to think whenever he would see one of his older brother or sister being dragged, thrashing against their captor, to the back seat of a sleek luxury car. But as he grew older and be the last one left in their litter, he wished to be bought as soon as possible, while he was still up for sale because he didn’t think he could live with his grandfather moaning about how his father should not have married a human for another day.

His parents didn’t really have a say and couldn’t really oppose selling their children. Yixing and his siblings already had weak blood, because of that they cannot be integrated to the society as other shapeshifters have. They are more sensitive and sometimes do not have strong control of their other self. Even with years of training themselves sometimes they still shift without prompt, triggered by as small as a yarn thrown at them to play with.

When the day of Yixing's purchase finally arrived, he was more relieved than he thought he would be. Compared to his brothers and sisters, he didn't put up a fight and walked to the car, following his owner without looking back.

But only two weeks after his arrival in his owner’s mansion, he sneaked out and left with the little money he had along with his owner’s gifts to him, hoping those would be enough to get him through a few weeks until he finds a new place and settle on his own. However, as predicted, he couldn’t hold on to the part-time job he had acquired, turning into a cat from time to time and disrupting him from his work. He couldn't come out to his boss that he was a shapeshifter as it was not really something all humans are aware of. He lost the roof above his head and started bouncing from one owner to another, some of them finding out about his true nature.

Until Yifan found him.

He had just left the house of his previous owner because he learned that the child living in the house beside his owner’s had a penchant for hurting animals, abusing them without killing them. It was sick and although Yixing was sure his owner, a child, wouldn't do that to him, he had to flee when he learned that the family he was living with planned to leave him to their neighbor for their vacation. He disappeared the same night he heard what they had decided on, walking aimlessly until he didn't have any more strength.

x_x

Yifan doesn’t know what to do. He needs help but he doesn’t know anyone who has enough knowledge about shapeshifters or catboys or werecats or whatever they really are. He argues on asking Lu Han, maybe Minseok knows something but he doesn’t want his friends to think weirdly of him but he has no other option since he knows if there’s anyone he can confide to it would be the couple.

“Do you really have to bring him to the pound?” Lu Han asks him as they take a quick break from hours of writing for their magazine.

“Yeah.” There’s no firmness in it and he can’t believe his own words either but he knows he has to. He can’t take care of Yixing by himself, he can barely take care of himself.

“But you’ve given him a name already.” Lu Han pouts at him and if he was Minseok, he would have melted but he’s not.

But that’s his real name.

Yifan thinks that maybe that’s the right time to tell his friend. He thinks of the best way to approach it before he clears his throat.

“Han,” he starts and the elder hums against his coffee mug, “what do you know about shapeshifters?” His friend is the perfect picture of a deer caught in headlights as his eyes look like they’ll pop out of their sockets anytime, and it appears that there are tears in his eyes as the hot beverage burns his tongue.

“What?” Was his weak response and Yifan doesn’t know if it’s safe to continue.

“Do you have any information about them?” Lu Han looks conflicted but he relaxes his features just a minute after, fingers fiddling with the mug in his hand.

“I don’t know anything about what you’re asking me. Maybe you should just search it on the internet.”

Why did I not think of that? Yifan feels stupid at the moment but he can’t discern why his friend suddenly looks all fidgety. Maybe because he thinks weird of me now and just wants to get away.

They finish their break and go back to their respective cubicles but Yifan felt that Lu Han wanted to say something. However, the elder didn’t mention anything even until they parted ways to go home in the afternoon.

x_x

The week is almost up and as much as Yifan wants to keep Yixing, he knows he won’t be able to take care of him in the long run, so he needs to bring him to the pound before he gets far too attached.

Yifan comes home to find Yixing still in his cat form, curled in a ball in his cushion. He doesn’t wake the creature and moves to his room to get changed. He needs to prepare Yixing for the pound. He knows he can’t just drag the cat there and expect him to be okay.

“Yifan?” Yixing stands in the threshold of his room, a shirt thrown over his body as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes. Yifan finds the sight adorable but then shakes his head because he can’t be swayed by it now.

“Come here.” He sits on the edge of the bed before beckoning the boy to come closer and sit beside him.

“I…” Yixing looks up expectantly, eyes still drooping low with sleep but Yifan can see he’s trying his best to listen, so he pushes the words out of his mouth, “I’m taking you to the pound tomorrow.” The boy’s eyes widen in realization of what Yifan just said and he’s suddenly red all over.

“You can’t bring me there!” He shouts at the elder, standing up in the process, hands fisted to his sides to stop himself from throwing punches at Yifan, who so kindly took him in and cared for him. “I’m human, Yifan. I just shapeshift. I’m not a cat!” He adds in through another shout and Yifan can see the veins on his neck popping out. He’s never considered this happening, he didn’t think Yixing would take so kindly of the idea but he didn’t expect this kind of reaction from him either.

“But…” He stammers and doesn’t know how to continue or argue with the boy.

“And y-you c-can’t leave me there. I-If they find out I’m a shapeshifter,” Yixing visibly shudders and fear was there once again in his eyes, “Please, Yifan. Please don’t leave me there.” He begs, suddenly kneeling in front of Yifan, clutching the fabric of his sweatpants.

“Why not?” Yifan finds himself asking under his breath, curious and shocked that there are people aware of the existence of shapeshifters.

“I’ve heard what they do to shapeshifters, Yifan.” The anger has dissipated in the younger’s voice in place of fear; the emotion practically bleeding through his tone as he does his best to not meet Yifan’s eyes.

“They’re monsters, Yifan. Please, Yifan.” He finally looks up and the stream of tears down his cheeks makes the elder grab at the bedsheets in anger. What could have been so bad about the pound that has Yixing crumbling and breaking down like this. “Please tell me you won’t leave me there.” The boy pleads again and Yifan can only imagine what it is that has Yixing clutching to him like a lifeline.

For now, all Yifan can do is bring him in his embrace with words of promise to keep him safe. He knows he can’t be completely responsible for Yixing but it looks like the boy has nowhere and no one he can turn to.

Yixing shares later on that one of the shapeshifters who managed to escape the pound told him that he was sexually and physically abused. The revulsion and pity in his eyes mixing dangerously and Yifan was sure that if he had claws, he’d have damaged the upholstery of his couch. He can sympathize though; no one would want to willingly go to a place where they can be possibly hurt. It disgusts him how there are people who will use force and blackmail others just to satisfy their own needs.

x_x

It is the weekend and Yixing just finished his shower. Yifan is sprawled on his bed, back upright on the headboard and he finds himself unable to remove his eyes from Yixing’s body. The younger catches his eyes and he immediately looks away but he doesn’t miss the smirk that graced the shapeshifter’s lips.

The image of a long scar starting from Yixing’s left shoulder blade rounding and going down to stop just a few centimeters away from his right hip bone is the first and last thing that Yifan saw. He’s seen the younger naked before but he never really got a glimpse of the long line marking his back.

“Like what you see?” Yixing asks when he finds Yifan’s eyes on his body again.

“Not really.” The younger furrows his eyebrows at the unwanted response but then Yifan is explaining himself.

“I was looking at your scar. It’s not really pleasant to look at.” Yixing looks down and if he had his cat ears they’d probably be flat against his black hair by now.

“That’s the only flaw you have on your body.” Yixing nods and hurriedly fits himself in his shirt to cover the said flaw.

His body is really nice in Yifan’s opinion. There’s a hint of firm abdominal muscles on his stomach and his body isn’t as muscled as Yifan’s, rather he is lean and the elder thinks it’s just perfect for his build and it matches those soft facial features of his. But whenever he sees the scar, standing out of the boy’s pale skin, he can’t help but wonder who would want to mar such a beautiful body in a violent way.

Yifan pats the space beside him as an invitation for the younger to take a seat. Yixing follows and sits at the far edge of the bed as if Yifan has the plague. The elder pulls him closer before placing a long stroke from where he knows the scar starts to the boy’s hip. Yixing shudders and bites his lips from Yifan’s actions and the elder can’t help but want to free those lips with his own.

“Tell me,” Yifan’s voice is deep and rumbles against Yixing’s shoulder where his chest is making contact with the younger, “which monster did this to you?”

“My past owner.” This piques Yifan’s interest and he encourages the younger to continue while he massages circles on the younger’s hip.

“He didn’t know I was human. He was much like you; he found me while I was in my cat form. I decided to reveal myself to him when I thought he was trustworthy enough but…” Yixing stopped and placed his hand on the other end of the scar just above his hip bone. He trembles but he forces himself to be strong so he can let it out and talk about it.

“It’s okay if you can’t-” Yixing cuts Yifan off by continuing his story.

“He thought I was an intruder and when I explained to him that I was his cat he didn’t believe me and told me I was nuts. He grabbed a knife and stabbed me, I transformed and ran away as far as I can with my wound. A little boy found me but as soon as I was better I left.”

Yifan didn’t know what to say; to know that Yixing had to go through so much to the point that he lost his faith in humanity grips his heart. He wonders how the boy survived all this time and how he found it in himself to trust again.

“Why me?” Yixing looks up and he realizes just how close they are from each other; the younger’s wet eyelashes fanning against his own cheeks, his breathing warm against Yifan’s lips. Yifan pulls away a little bit and hopes the change in Yixing’s expression is not one of disappointment.

“Why trust me, then?”

“I just feel that you’re worth my trust.”

They don’t say anything afterwards as Yixing leans back to Yifan’s chest, finding the warmth comforting enough to help him forget of the past and just focus on the now.

x_x

“Yifan?” Lu Han calls in as he walks into his friend’s apartment only to find a boy with just a shirt on sitting on the couch. The boy stands up and recognizes the face that he saw in the haze of his weakness weeks ago. The man’s face is also a dominant one on the camera roll of Yifan’s phone, explaining he’s the elder’s best friend.

“Hello.” He greets Lu Han with a shy smile, hands pulling at the hem of his already long shirt (since it was Yifan’s old shirt, which seems to be his favorite judging by how he barely uses the other shirts in favor of this one.)

“W-who are you?” Lu Han asks carefully because Yifan’s never mentioned being in a relationship and if he was he would have informed him being his best friend and all.

“I’m Yixing. Nice to meet you.” The boy smiles again and stretches his arm to offer a hand to the visitor. The name registers in Lu Han’s brain just in time for Yifan to open the front door, coming back from grocery shopping.

“I’m back!” He greets and Yixing drops his hand, pads his way to welcome Yifan and help him with the groceries; leaving a stunned Lu Han in the middle of the living room.

“You have a visitor.” He informs Yifan once he reaches the taller man, hands pulling at the grocery bags so the older can greet his friend.

“Lu Han.” There is a bit of hesitation in his voice because the other obviously knows about Yixing’s presence but he’s not sure how much he actually knows about the boy. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.” He adds as he stands in front of his best friend.

“You said Yixing is the name of your cat.” He says it so straightforwardly that Yifan can’t gauge what kind of emotion came with it.

“I can explain.” Yixing stands at the entryway of the living room, afraid of how Yifan will explain it all to his friend.

“He,” the blond male hesitates, licking his lips before continuing, “he is my cat but he’s a shapeshifter.” Lu Han remembered the conversation he had with Yifan. He didn’t realize that it was because of the cat he adopted; he thought Yifan had caught on to what he was hiding himself.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I was afraid it might scare you or think I’m crazy.” Yifan is quite taken aback by the fact that Lu Han didn’t question the existence of shapeshifters and didn’t really seem to think that his friend has gone berserk.

“You know, don’t you?” Yifan asks when the silence becomes too deafening for his liking.

“Minseok.” Lu Han replies and is hoping his best friend would understand in just one word.

“He’s taken care of shape-shifters before?”

“He,” Lu Han closes his eyes before continuing, “he is one.” Yifan’s eyes are about to pop out of their sockets at the sudden revelation. He never would have thought of the possibility that he has a friend who is a shapeshifter himself, a person he’s been acquainted with for years. Minseok, like Yixing, looks more human than anything that even as he tries to think it through and reconcile with the fact, he just can’t bring himself to do so. Especially not when the couple, who he thought was his closest thing to family, hid such a vital information from him.

“Minseok is a shapeshifter and you didn’t care to tell me?” He is still unbelieving of Lu Han’s revelation, no other evidence to piece together to come up with the fact that Minseok is of another kind.

“I didn’t know how you’d react.” Lu Han sounds afraid, not wearing his usual bold personality.

“All this time, you’ve been lying to me?” The sentence leaves Yifan’s mouth still with a shade of doubt that his best friend managed to deceive him into thinking that the quiet boy he met and brought from his camping trip was the same as them.

“You pushed me away when I had a question about it. You know how lost I was?” Yifan’s expression is a mixture of anger and confusion. His own best friend, his brother, robbed him of helpful advice when Yixing came into his life. “I turned to you but you…you thought of yourself first.” His voice booms, his anger exploding with it as he recounts the days he sought help from his friend, only to be dismissed with the excuse that he has no knowledge of it and therefore cannot answer Yifan’s queries when in fact he can.

Yixing stayed where he was, scared of what might happen if he interferes their conversation. He watches them on the side, the elder of the two close to tears as he silently apologizes for not trusting his best friend with such truth and for not being there when he needed him. Yifan’s never gotten mad at him, no matter how childish he can get sometimes. It is a totally different Yifan in front of him and he is positively afraid of this Yifan.

“Get out!” Yifan is mad red as he points to the door, not having it in himself to look at his best friend. Lu Han need not be told twice, he leaves immediately and as he makes his way to the door he sees Yixing with tears down his cheeks. He probably feels bad for Yifan, after all not being trusted is something he can sympathize with. Lu Han nods at the boy before heading out, mouthing a quick Sorry before disappearing.

Yifan promptly slumps down and his face is indiscernible. Yixing is afraid to come close to him because he’s never seen Yifan mad, annoyed maybe but never like this.

The boy slowly makes his way to where Yifan is sitting on the floor, body leaning against the couch. He slowly wraps his arms around the elder’s waist before caressing his sides. They stay like that for some time before Yixing tugs the elder to the couch to sit more comfortably.

“Lu Han’s calling.” Yixing holds the phone to his own face; the caller’s contact image lighting up the screen.

It’s been a week since their argument and half of it, said friend was absent for work. Yifan feels a little bit guilty, knowing how Lu Han must have been torn between telling his best friend about his boyfriend. However, he can’t change the fact that the person he trusted to be there for him when he needed helped turned his back in fear of being judged.

“Let him.” Yifan grumbles as he types away in his laptop.

“You know, at some point you should forgive him. He was just afraid, Yifan. I’m sure if you were in his position, you’d feel the same. Our kind being part of the society, it’s not an open subject.” The elder can’t deny that the words said were true. He’s just being hard and that is putting a strain on their friendship. Yixing moves to where Yifan is sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. The shapeshifter places his chin on the elder’s shoulder as he rubs circles on his back soothingly.

“You said he’s your best friend, right? Then you should know him, he was probably just waiting for a perfect time to tell you.” The boy laid his head on Yifan’s shoulder and before the elder can process what he’s doing, he’s already reached for Yixing’s hand and placed it on his hip. “This kind of thing, by now you should understand, is not that easy to share to somebody.”

“You’ll call him, yeah?” The elder nods at the question, accepting defeat under the calming hands of Yixing. The boy squeezes Yifan in a hug, obviously delighted that the friends are going to make up already.

x_x

After dinner, Yifan decides to clear something that has been bugging him for almost a week now.

“The other night I saw your ears and tail but I’m sure you were in your human form.” Yifan asks as he wipes down the dishes Yixing just finished washing. “Why’s that?” He doesn't notice the way the younger’s eyes widen and if he was still washing the dishes he would have broken one of the glasses already. Yixing keeps mum and pretends he didn't hear Yifan. The elder nudges his sides softly so as not to hurt him, just to get his attention, before repeating his question.

“Umm.” Yixing still can’t answer, afraid that it will scare off Yifan. The elder, on the other hand, grows expectant as the seconds pass.

The shapeshifter doesn’t really want to answer but he knows that he can’t get out of this one and he’s not too keen on making excuses. He sways on his heels and worries his bottom lip before finally giving out a response, his voice small yet clear in the silence of the kitchen.

“That only happens when I’m, umm,” Yifan waits patiently, nodding towards the younger to continue, “sexually aroused.”

Yixing has been living with Yifan for two months now, shorter than any of the other times he lived with humans, his owners. But in such a short amount of time, those kind of feelings have started bubbling up more frequently, making his skin tingle and his body easily excitable. He knows that his body is acting that way, getting too warm for comfort and too sensitive that even the brushing of his clothes against his skin pulls a moan deep from his chest because he is aroused. However, he is not clear why he is feeling that way.

“Oh.” Yifan colors at Yixing’s answer, the way the shapeshifter is biting his lips is not helping with the blush warming his cheeks.

“Is that why you’ve been hiding in the bathroom?” Yifan carefully asks which makes Yixing flush even harder but he nods either way. The elder can just imagine what Yixing occupies himself with while he’s inside, alone in the bathroom. The thought of Yixing relieving himself makes the elder rush to the bathroom with the excuse that he has to pee, also knowing full well that the younger would like to stop the conversation soon before it grows more awkward between them.

“Ge,” Yixing stands upright when Minseok returns to his office, bowing to the other shapeshifter who laughs a little at the courtesy the younger is giving him as he thinks it is too much.

“What can I help you with Yixing?” The younger is wary, if he had his tail out it would be swishing behind him, showing his anxiety.

With a soft voice he stutters, “I…I’ve b-been having problems…lately…” Minseok is confused at first but when he sees how flushed Yixing is he quickly understands what the problem is.

“I’m taking it that you know why that is?” The veterinarian is sure that the younger shapeshifter knows his body better than anybody else and he is aware of the reason behind his body changes.

“I’m just confused why this has been happening…I’ve never felt this before…” Yixing breathes out, “I don’t even go out of the house…” His eyes dart everywhere, eyebrows furrowing in distraught.

Minseok suppresses a smile but he wants Yixing to find out why himself, so he carefully asks the younger questions to lead him to the answer.

“When do you feel it?”

“Ge…” Yixing squirms in his seat, not liking how the elder is being interrogative.

“I can’t help you if I don’t know the details.” The veterinarian shrugs, acting like he doesn’t know the answer yet.

“At night mostly.” Yixing finally answers, giving in to the elder’s questioning gaze.

“When you’re alone?” Minseok follows up. To this, Yixing stops short for a moment then colors a shade deeper. When the elder repeats his question, he shakes his head instead of giving an audible answer.

“So only when Yifan is home?” Yixing’s eyes bulge out at the obvious implications of the veterinarian’s question. Deep inside he knew about Yifan being the reason behind his aroused state. He is just in denial and afraid of the possible consequences if he faces the truth.

“I think you have your answer now.” Yixing shakes his head at Minseok’s words, still in denial even when all the signs are leading to one answer.

Yifan.

It is rare for Yifan to go out with his friends, it is even more rare for him to go out drinking with his co-workers. So when he calls before dinner to inform Yixing that he will be coming home late and not to wait for him, the younger grows restless. He doesn’t have any say on Yifan’s life, seeing as he is the one living under the elder’s roof and not the other way around. Either way, he can’t help but feel like there is something wrong and odd about it, especially when he is eating dinner alone and the house is so quiet even with the television turned on.

The shapeshifter thinks back to his visit to Minseok’s clinic, confirming, with the elder’s help, his hidden feelings for the tall Chinese male. And as he lazily flips through the channels to find something to focus on instead of thinking of Yifan and a bunch of colleagues, guys and girls alike, getting smashed and maybe doing inappropriate things, he realizes just how deep his feelings already are for Yifan.

He doesn’t know if he should run away or face these feelings.

The shapeshifter eventually calls it a night, tired from cleaning the house the whole day after Minseok and Lu Han crashed the night before because of the heavy rain. His senses wake him though, hearing footsteps from outside the bedroom. He hears giggling and the couch creaking against the weight of people stumbling on it. The shapeshifter sits up and immediately leaves the room to check what is going on. What he sees shakes him. The light of the moon floods through the receiving area and he finds Yifan on his back laid flat on the couch while a woman straddles his thighs.

“Yixing~” Yifan calls out to him, startling the woman sitting on his crotch.

“Who’s this?” The woman asks, positively irked that her plans have been ruined.

“My cat.” The tall Chinese male answers, reaching a hand out to Yixing who stays just beyond the rug laid out on the living room.

“What?” Yifan’s colleague asks incredulously, looking from Yifan to Yixing and back.

It is Yixing’s voice that fills the air this time, threatening, “I suggest you leave now, woman.”

For a moment, she looked hesitant and not wanting to leave. But after Yixing stares down at her, she picks up her purse and leaves without turning back. He heaves a sigh of relief when he hears the front door click then he looks at Yifan still muttering the shapeshifter’s name.

The younger uses all of his energy afterwards to carry Yifan to the bed. He strips Yifan of all his clothes, leaving him only in his boxers, before slipping beside the elder.

Yifan is completely aware of what happened the night before but keeps mum about it. He doesn’t want Yixing to leave when the shapeshifter learns of his feelings for him.

x_x

After a little over two months of living with Yifan, Yixing has been improving with his cooking skills and he’s pretty much an expert of household chores by now. However, no matter how much he contributes in making sure everything is in place inside the house, and no matter how much praise he gets from Lu Han and Minseok at how orderly the place is compared to when only Yifan takes care of it, he still feels like it’s not enough. It isn’t enough to show his gratitude for Yifan.

He doesn’t know what’s gotten into him when he decides to come out of the bathroom straight from his shower. Yifan looks up from the document he is asked to go through before an important meeting the next day and his jaw drops when he sees the shapeshifter’s body, droplets of water making his skin glisten under the sunlight.

“Yixing?” Yifan carefully asks, wondering what the younger is up to.

“I don’t know how else to repay you,” the shapeshifter obviously chokes back a sob. “This is the only thing I’ve got.” Yixing removes the flimsy towel covering his nether regions and slowly crawls to the bed in between Yifan’s spread legs.

Yifan notices that Yixing’s ears and tail are out, the back of his hands and his feet a little hairier than the other parts of his body, he also notes the sharpness in the younger’s fingernails, those are definitely claws. He’s sexually aroused and Yifan wonders if it’s possible for shapeshifters to be in heat and that it may be the reason why he’s acting that way.

“You don’t have to do this, Yixing.” He murmurs when the younger is just a few centimeters away from his face.

“But I want to.” Yixing rubs his cheek on Yifan’s shoulder, “I’m offering my body to you, Yifan.” He whispers into the elder’s ear, low and purring, “My savior, my master.”

“But…Yixing…” Yifan breathes out when the catboy trails a hand up on his thigh.

“Please, master.” The way the word master rolls out of Yixing’s tongue makes Yifan shiver.

“I told you not to call me that.” The elder is completely frozen now, hands fisting the papers he was reading just moments ago, as Yixing swirls his tongue in the middle of his exposed collarbones. The catboy noses his way up to Yifan’s ear before whispering: “But you like it, master.” He then licks the outline of Yifan’s ear with the tip of his tongue.

“This is evidence enough.” Yixing trails his hand up higher and rests it over Yifan’s crotch. The hiss that the taller gives out etches a smile on the catboy’s lips and Yifan can feel it against his skin.

“You want me too, right?” Yixing voice lacks the confidence he usually has and when he doesn’t hear any reply from Yifan he pulls away, ears flat against his hair and his face a sad mixture of hurt and disappointment, not to the elder but to himself. “I’m sorry,” he scrambles to get out of the bed but before he can even leave Yifan pulls him and presses him flat against his chest.

“I don’t want you to think that I’m only doing this to get payment for your stay here.” Yifan strokes Yixing’s bare back, not minding the wetness sticking to his hand, “I told you before you can stay here for as long as you want and that I’ll take care of you.” The shapeshifter calms down, the tears threatening to spill a little earlier because of embarrassment are now trailing down his cheeks because of the care Yifan is displaying for him.

“But Yifan…I…” Yixing’s tails swishes, the tip curling around Yifan’s wrist when his hand reaches the shapeshifter’s lower back.

“Oh.” The elder knows what Yixing means, especially when the younger lowers Yifan’s hand so it will cover his buttocks. “You…still want…to?” Yixing shyly nods against the elder’s chest, his manhood slowly hardening against Yifan’s crotch. He lets out a moan when the elder flips them, laying Yixing flat on the mattress.

Yifan gets a good look of Yixing who shies away from his gaze but doesn’t retaliate against the elder’s hold. The shapeshifter is flushed from his face down to his chest, the color making him look more tempting to the elder. Yifan hasn’t even done anything yet the younger is already sweating and panting, purring when the elder’s hand travels down his arms.

“Yixing,” the elder calls out to him, when the shapeshifter doesn’t react to him he repeats the younger’s name, “look at me.” He patiently waits until Yixing turns his head to him, the younger’s eyes looking at him in question.

“Beautiful,” Yifan grazes his pointer finger down Yixing’s jawline, enjoying the visible shudder that racks the younger’s body just with one touch. He smiles before leaning down and kissing Yixing’s forehead, rubbing his nose down the younger’s, giving him eskimo kisses. When the catboy finally giggles he stops and stares at Yixing’s eyes, now that he is looking closely at him, he can see the gold rimming the younger’s blue eyes, his pupils blown wide.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” he informs Yixing who gulps then nods. Yifan leans closer and allowing his eyelids to flutter shut before his lips can even touch Yixing’s.

The first touch is still a bit hesitant, but when Yixing cranes his neck up and places his hands on Yifan’s nape, the elder throws caution away and pushes against the catboy’s lips. Yifan can feel the younger’s claws digging at his skin but he can’t be bothered to care when Yixing is sucking at his tongue, welcoming him into the younger’s mouth. They do nothing but kiss for a while until Yifan presses his lower half against Yixing, and the moans that ripped through their chests intersperses with the smacking of their lips. The elder pulls away for a second to look down and he notes the precum leaking and pooling on Yixing’s stomach. This seems to make the younger more embarrassed, as he takes on a deeper shade of crimson.

Yifan kisses him again though, enjoying the supple flesh against his own while his fingers travel down the younger’s chest, rubbing at the peaks his nipples have created over his chest. His other hand instinctively reaches for Yixing’s ear and starts rubbing the velvety fur, a habit he has picked up when the younger is in his cat form. Yixing purrs, his chest vibrating against Yifan’s as his nipples and his ears get stimulated by the elder, gaining the attention they were begging for. The elder pulls away again, wanting to hear the moans he is pulling from the catboy, enjoying them as he sucks bruises on Yixing’s unblemished skin. He looks up at the younger when he reaches his chest, removing his fingers where they were formerly on his nipple before taking the hardened nub into his mouth. A high-pitched moan leaves Yixing’s lips, his chest arching up to Yifan’s mouth as the elder sucks and lightly bites the rosy buds. Yifan moves to the other nipple and does the same, enjoying every time Yixing pulls at his hair and claws at his shoulder.

The elder licks down the fine line of Yixing’s abdominals, loving how the muscles quiver under his cool tongue, before dipping the tip of the wet appendage inside the younger’s navel. He sucks on it and when Yixing pushes his head further down, he releases it. The elder is suddenly face to face with Yixing’s erection, the length pleading to be touched. He covers it in kisses as one of his hands caresses Yixing’s thighs while the other plays with the catboy’s tail. Yifan’s touch to the extended part of his body, sends shockwaves of pleasure straight up Yixing’s spine. The moan he produces startles the elder, high-pitched and drawn out as Yifan strokes the exposed length of silky fur.

“Seems that you like it when I play with your tail.” Yifan comments before licking the tip of Yixing’s cock, the catboy purring when he swallows him whole, his hand doing the same motion up the younger’s tail.

“Nyaaa…ahhhh…ah…haa…ahhh…” Yifan belatedly realizes that Yixing has not uttered a single word ever since they started kissing, not even the elder’s name.

Is he that aroused? Yifan wonders as he bobs his head up and down the younger’s length.

The elder lets go of Yixing’s cock to comment on it but the catboy, quick in his limbs, topples Yifan over and flips their position, pushing the elder against the mattress with a devious smirk on his lips.

“I want to have a feel of Master’s cock,” Yixing, surprisingly strong, holds Yifan down and sucks his earlobe, “in my mouth,” the catboy’s voice, with a slight purr, is too much for the elder to say no to and soon his sweatpants are pulled down and off of his legs.

The younger purrs, rubbing his cheeks at the elder’s impressive length, “So big,” he moans against the skin of Yifan’s abs before licking the throbbing boner. Yixing does the same to him, sucking as much as he can, using his hand to stroke the few inches he can’t swallow. He pays attention to Yifan’s balls as well, fondling them while he hollows his cheeks around the elder’s length. Yifan relishes the warmth that is Yixing’s mouth, the way his sharp teeth graze against the elder’s skin from time to time and how his tongue follows the engorged vein on the underside of Yifan’s cock.

“Want thish,” Yixing says around a mouthful of Yifan’s cock, his words slurred, “inshide meh.”

Yifan rummages for the lubricant inside his nightstand drawer as Yixing places himself on his stomach, ass up in the air, his tail swishing seductively in anticipation. He purrs when he sees Yifan roll a condom over his cock, watching the elder coat his fingers with lubricant has Yixing drooling at the thought of those long and thick fingers brushing his prostate.

When Yifan positions himself behind Yixing, the younger pushes his ass out even more, rubbing his butt cheeks against the elder’s erection. Yifan leans forward, his chest warm against Yixing’s back when he whispers: “You want my dick that much, baby?”

Yixing moans in response, pushing further against Yifan in excitement. The elder has half the mind to warn himself that he can’t just thrust into the catboy without preparing him, he doesn’t want to hurt Yixing even if he is so eager to be taken. Reluctantly, he pulls away and marvels at the rotund globes presented to him. He licks, bites and sucks on the soft, pale skin, his hand smacking on the perky cheeks while he does so. The younger coils his tail around Yifan’s neck and pushes him closer to his ass and the elder takes it as a cue, parting the younger’s ass cheeks apart to lick at the catboy’s twitching hole. The pink puckered hole pulsates under his tongue, the constant purring of Yixing does nothing but push him further into sticking his tongue in to get a taste of the younger’s insides. Yixing’s tail releases Yifan’s neck and swishes frantically as the elder fucks him with his tongue, his moans bouncing off the walls and his claws ruining Yifan’s favorite bed sheet.

Slowly, Yifan inserts the first digit, stopping whenever Yixing says it hurts and only moving forward when the younger tells him it’s okay. He carefully starts thrusting his finger, waiting until the sounds of pain turn into sounds of pleasure, kissing up the younger’s back, licking his scar, in hopes of diverting his attention from the pain.

He inserts a second finger when Yixing asks him to do so, scissoring the younger open and whispering into his ears, spreading kisses on his back when he sees a spot that his lips haven’t touched before. The elder asks the catboy from time to time if it’s painful but the younger only answers by pushing his hips down Yifan’s fingers. It wasn’t too long until Yifan added a third, crooking his fingers every which way to find Yixing’s prostate.

“Ah!” Yixing’s body arches beautiful, pushing his stomach against the mattress as Yifan rubs his prostate. “M-more! More!” He demands and Yifan supplies.

The elder pulls his fingers out, the absence of the squelching sound making his throat dry in anticipation for what’s to come next.

Yixing turns his head towards Yifan, drool dripping on the side of his lips, his eyes half-lidded as he moans: “Master, please.”

Yifan inserts the tip of his cock and pulls Yixing up, slowly impaling the younger with his length. The sudden motion pulls a long moan out of Yixing, making the elder move a second faster than before, so his cock will be embraced by the warmth of Yixing’s insides fast.

Once the catboy is fully seated on his lap, Yifan turns his face around, the younger expecting a kiss, opens his mouth but is dismayed when the elder whispers against his lips, “I told you not to call me Master.”

There is an edge to his voice and the younger immediately nods, uttering the elder’s name with such a needy tone Yifan thinks he will melt, “Yifan.”

“Tell me what you want, baby.” Yixing leans towards the elder to have Yifan’s lips on his, but the elder leans back whenever he does so.

“Want you to fuck me,” the catboy’s eyes gleam, the gold turning more prominent as lust takes over his body.

“I already have my cock inside you, darling.” Yifan slides out a bit but pushes back in in an instant. This draws a moan out of Yixing and the catboy has to claw at Yifan’s arms, ones that hold him to the elder’s body.

“H-Hard, Yifan,” the shapeshifter finally gets to answer, “please.”

Yifan smirks, “Anything for my baby,” then he’s kissing Yixing, pulling out of the younger’s opening then pistoning back in with as much force as he can, carrying out with the same power as the younger moans his name, asking for more.

Somewhere along the way, Yixing starts meeting Yifan’s thrusts, using his kneeling position to fuck himself on the elder’s manhood. Yifan helps him, leaning back and stretching himself out, the angle allowing him to see the workings of Yixing’s back muscles as he impaled himself on the elder’s length. This also means Yifan can push even further into Yixing. He points his cock to different spots, to find the same bundle of nerves that made Yixing lose his mind just minutes ago.

“Fuck!” The younger slumps down, his tail quivering along with his body when Yifan finally finds his sweet spot. Yifan pushes himself back in and fucks Yixing into the mattress, the younger once again turned into a moaning mess, unable to utter a word besides Yifan’s name.

“Yifan, Yifan, Fan, Fan,” the elder can’t deny that he enjoys hearing it from Yixing, coupled with his purring and the lewd sounds coming from where they are connected. As if that isn’t enough, the noises echo against the wall, doubling Yifan’s stimulation as Yixing clenches and unclenches deliciously around him. When he feels the frantic, uncoordinated clamping of the walls surrounding him, he reaches down for Yixing’s tail, wrapping the catboy’s extension around the younger’s stiff cock. He then slides his hands up to the younger’s chest, leaning down in the process, like their earlier position.

“Stroke yourself with your tail,” he instructs the younger, his finger pinching and rubbing the catboy’s nipples for added stimulation. Yixing follows the command, his strokes arrhythmic as he loses control over his tail’s actions, over his body’s movements. It doesn’t take long until Yifan is whispering against his ear, “I’m close, baby.”

The elder’s deep voice, his chest sliding smoothly against Yixing’s back and the way his cock abuses his prostate, are enough to make Yixing explode and paint the bed sheets with his cum. A strangled moan escaping his lips when his orgasm takes over his body, one of Yifan’s hands slides down to his cock to help milk him empty. While doing so, Yifan groans at the tightness of Yixing’s entrance around him, his own peak just a few thrusts away. Then he shoots his load inside the condom, Yixing’s warmth enveloping him and aiding him in drawing out his high as the shapeshifter’s name falls out of his lips in cascades.

The first thing that Yifan does is to check out if Yixing is hurt, to know whether he was too rough but he finds nothing other than the bruises his mouth has left behind. Minutes after they’ve come down from their high, Yixing snuggles to Yifan’s chest, his ears and tail long gone after their intercourse.

“I kinda liked the ears and tail,” Yifan comments in passing, as the younger falls asleep on his chest, “you look really cute and irresistible with them.” The shapeshifter snorts but tightens his embrace on Yifan, his hair brushing on the elder’s jaw as he moves up and nuzzles Yifan’s neck.

“I guess,” Yifan murmurs against the younger’s raven hair, “I’ll just have to make them come out more often.”

Yixing doesn’t reply, not trusting his words to be complete nor coherent as he imagines the elder seducing him to bed with nothing but his voice. Just thinking about is already making him hard, his ears and his lower back starting to itch, hinting at the start of his transformation.

x_x

“I think it’s time for me to find a job.” Yixing blurts out in the middle of dinner, which he thankfully didn’t burn this time.

“You know you don’t have to.” Yifan tells him after measuring how much he can say. He doesn’t mind it, being responsible for Yixing, since the younger always makes sure the house is neat and he pretty much does all the household chores now when Yifan is at work.

“I can’t be a burden to you forever.” The word makes Yifan tick because he has never, and will never see, the boy as that so he tells him so.

“Never think you’re a burden, Yixing.” He reaches a hand out to the younger and squeezes his hand in a reassuring manner, “What I earn is enough for the both of us. There’s no need for you to work.”

“But I get bored here.” Yixing whines, the other half of his intention to work coming to surface, “All I do is lay around and clean if I have to or do the laundry. Allow me, Yifan.” He places his other hand over Yifan’s, “Please. Please, baby.” The younger repeats his words, over and over, pleading to Yifan with all his might.

“Depends on what job you want to take,” Yifan eventually succumbs because Yixing is pulling those big puppy eyes on him.

I thought he’s a cat not a pup. This is unfair. Oh my god he looks so adorable. I’m too weak for this. Nooo!!! Abort mission!

His train of thought is interrupted when the boy promptly jumps up and launches himself at Yifan, peppering kisses all over his face.

“Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best!”

Minseok learns of Yixing’s plans to find a job and offers the younger shapeshifter a position as an assistant in his clinic. Timely, because one of Minseok’s part-time employees will be leaving to pursue college. The younger eagerly accepts the offer, proudly coming home to Yifan with the good news. The elder still doesn’t seem completely convinced that Yixing will be able to take the responsibility of a job but when he sees the younger smile and talk about how he will have fun interacting with the animals, he can’t help but smile fondly at his boyfriend. Maybe this is what Yixing needs and longs for, to be integrated to the society he has long been cast away from without even being given the chance.

The elder allows him to enjoy his job. Not complaining when the house is sometimes a complete mess since they are both away the whole day. Instead they use the time they clean up on the weekends as a bonding session, talking about things they have forgotten to share during dinner or pillow talks. But as much as Yifan likes that Yixing has a job that makes him happy, he still doesn’t take the money the younger tries to pitch in for their expenses. Yixing, on the other hand, has devised ways to get around Yifan not accepting his share, doing grocery shopping on his own or paying their bills without the elder knowing. And even though Yifan wants to get mad, he can’t, especially not when Yixing comes up to him, ears flat on his hair and tail swishing behind him, his face flush with want.

“Yifan.”