Lonely Kitten

21

He surely had all their attention when his cat ears popped out and his tail wrapped itself around his leg. Everything was dead silent before Felix scrambled up off the couch, hissing loudly. Minho turned to him, his eyes widening when a pair of fluffy cat ears appeared on the Aussie's head before he shifted all the way into his cat form, dashing the far wall of the studio and anxiously backing away all the way into the corner. Chan, Changbin and Hyunjin stared at the pile of clothes remaining where Felix had shifted, their eyes quickly shooting between Minho and Felix. The poor Aussie was shaking in the corner, having curled up, so small you could easily overlook him. Though surprised too, Minho wanted to comfort the younger hybrid and soon shifted all the way too after glancing at Jisung. "Woah, that Minho is your Minho?!", Chanbin gasped, staring at Jisung, who nodded sheepishly before picking the hybrids' clothes up. When he had folded both sets of clothes and placed them onto the couch, he turned to his hyungs and admitted: "The stray cat I had found was Hyunjin and Felix' classmate and a hybrid."

Minho slowly approached the shaking ball of fluffy fur in the corner, earning a timid whimper from Felix, who couldn't back away any further, although he really wanted to. Jisung feared a cat fight between the two hybrids would ensue but he trusted Minho, so he watched nervously. Minho gave a soft *meow* before gently nudging the Aussie's side, making the younger lift his head. Felix slowly relaxed when the other started to groom him. When he had calmed down, Minho softly secured his teeth on the loose skin at the back of Felix' neck, picking the other cat up and carrying him over to 3racha. Chan already bent down to take his cousin from Minho but the hybrid had another destination in mind. With some struggle, he hopped onto Changbin's lap, settling Felix there and returning to Jisung after nuzzling the Aussie's ear one last time. Chan could barely suppress a squeal as he recalled Felix asking him all kinds of things about the other rapper, not doing a good job at hiding his crush on the older. That had also been why Chan had sent both of them to get food the last time they had been at the studio, just so the pair would have some time alone.

Jisung took the hybrid to the company bathroom and hung his clothes on the doorknob, asking: "Will you find your way back when you're done here?" Minho gave a soft *meow* in confirmation, so the rapper returned to the studio and waited for his friend to shift. Changbin did the same with Felix, though the younger would've loved to stay in Changbin's lap all day. When both hybrids had shifted back into their human forms and dressed, they went back to the studio, well aware that they had a lot to explain now. Jisung had given his seat to Felix in favor of sitting next to Minho on the couch, so he could hold the other's hand should he need to.

"Felix, you need to be really careful with showing your true identity at school", Minho warned, recalling his last day of class, "A little birdy told me, our classmates aren't too fond of hybrids." The Aussie drew a sharp breath, ears twitching as he pressed: "Where's the birdy? I'll eat it!" - "Lix, that was only a saying", Chan chuckled, fondly rolling his eyes at his cousin's silliness. Turning sad, Felix pouted: "No birdy?" - "No birdy", Minho confirmed, a small smile spreading on his lips, "They just found out about me and didn't take it well. I was scared to go to class again after that incident, that's why I was gone so suddenly." Everyone grew silent at that information, Hyunjin being the first to find his voice again: "That's mean and entirely unreasonable. Both of you are really, really cute." - "Thanks, Jinnie", Minho whispered, afraid his voice would crack if he used it. The younger dancer just nodded thinking back to all the insults their classmates had used when referring to Minho.

"I have more questions though", Chan started, looking at Felix first. He couldn't believe his cousin, who he'd been really close with throughout their childhood, had been keeping such a big secret. The younger Aussie seemingly reading his mind, chuckled: "The genes came from my dad, otherwise you'd most likely be like me." When everyone looked at him confused, he added: "Our mothers are sisters. If my mom was a hybrid, his would probably be one too and therefore Chan would be a hybrid too but she's not." Chan nodded, still struggling to take everything in. Awkward silence ensued, so Minho spoke up again. His hands shook like crazy when he recalled what had happened after their classmates had found out and how he had ended up staying with Jisung. By the end of his short speech, Minho was in tears, the rapper still holding his hand, rubbing soft circles on the back of it with his thumb.

Eventually, Chan got up and made his way over to Minho, hugging him tight, which led to the hybrid breaking down entirely. He couldn't believe that these people accepted him so without question. "I know we barely know each other, Minho-yah, but should you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate talking to me, yeah?", the older hummed, his heart breaking at Minho's story, especially after Felix had told him a bit more about what kind of person the boy was. The hybrid nodded through sobs, choking out a quiet: "Thank you, hyung."

They didn't know how to proceed with their day, since they had way too much on their minds now to talk about business, so Chan decided to treat everyone to lunch. Felix stuck close to Changbin for the rest of the day, his clingy side coming out more. The rapper had ruffled his hair for a moment earlier and Felix couldn't help pout at him when he stopped, bringing his own hand up to his hair, patting his head. It didn't feel nearly as nice doing it to himself, so he proceeded to shoot Changbin really sad looks, pouting softly in hopes of getting him to pat his head again. The older was too oblivious to notice though. Over lunch they confirmed that Minho would work on the choreography with his dongsaengs and Hyunjin offered to buy ice cream for everyone as a dessert and to celebrate the two hybrids feeling comfortable enough with them to be themselves. "Sorry, I really appreciate the offer but I'm lactose-intolerant", Felix hummed with a disappointed frown, reminding Minho of his own predicament, so the older added: "Me too actually. Thank you though, Jinnie." - "Oh, that's okay, we can go for rice cakes instead", Hyunjin smiled, so the group had some rice cake before parting for the evening.

"How do you feel now, hyung?", Jisung asked when they returned home and shrugged out of their coats. Shaking his head, Minho allowed his ears to pop out and ran his hand through his hair a few times, so it'd fall nicely around his ears. Tackling the rapper in a hug, he beamed: "I'm so happy right now. Thank you for convincing me and being there." - "Of course, I promised you I would", Jisung replied, wrapping his arms around Minho's waist. Dragging the younger to the couch, Minho collapsed on top of him and hummed: "Felix is a hybrid. I would have expected anything. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had told us he was a little, with his cute and silly behavior, but a hybrid..." - "I think it's kinda cool", Jisung smiled, massaging the other's ears, "Now you have a friend who is like you because although I'll always listen to you, I probably won't be able to relate to everything." - "That's true", Minho sighed, nuzzling his face into the rapper's chest, "I'll still always prefer your cuddles though." - "And I'd be lonely without yours", Jisung agreed, one arm resting on the hybrid's back while the other traced his ears.