Phil watched as Soot dove under the nearest sofa, his nametag clanking as it collided with the wooden legs. He simply sighed, already knowing that they didn't stand a chance of getting him out for at least an hour and rose his eyebrows at Tommy's pout.
'What were you expecting Toms?' He asked, a fond tone in his voice as he ruffled his hair. The raccoon hybrid simply shrugged in response, gripping onto Phil's hand with silent gratitude.
The elytrian hybrid grinned knowingly, allowing the teenager to curl into his side, his wings folding around him softly. Tommy was known for seeking out comfort, always finding opportunities to nestle into other people's warmth whenever he could. It made for an interesting mix, with Phil's other son being more secluded, only opening up to people he's close with despite the fiercely protective nature of the piglin hybrid.
Phil was extremely apprehensive when Tommy told him about Soot; fully expecting to find a domesticated cat who simply liked the company of others. He couldn't help but feel shocked when the cat had no chip, his hesitation crumbling when he saw the extent of the friendship the teen had built with the cat. His answer was secured when he took one look at the carboard box that was Soot's home, allowing Tommy to carry the stray cat back to their house.
He knew that cats were mainly independent creatures that didn't require a vast amount of care, but Phil couldn't help but feel unprepared anyway. They didn't have any cat food in the house yet, it had been a spontaneous decision after all, and the elytrian hybrid was sincerely hoping that the creature liked tuna.
Techno seemed to be reading his mind, an unopened packet of tuna and a plate held in his hand with a questioning look. Phil nodded silently, not wanting to startle Soot even more, and prompted him to open the can for the cat to eat. Soot looked malnourished, and all three hybrids were eager to feed him to help get him healthier.
Phil leaned against the living room wall, folding his wings gently behind his back before it could damage the door. He watched as Techno handed the plate to Tommy, practically shoving him into the living room when the raccoon hybrid started complaining, his nose scrunched up in obvious distaste.
'Soottttt.' Tommy called out, turning around to look at Phil when the cat made no sound.
'Just place it by the sofa and see if he comes out for it.' He suggested quietly, silently accepting a golden necklace that Techno handed him with a thankful smile. The piglin hybrid often gifted Phil and Tommy various pieces of jewellery, and he knew that Soot would soon be given random golden things for him to play with. It was in Techno's nature after all, and the elytrian hybrid had a sneaking feeling that him and the cat would bond sooner than expected.
'Why isn't he coming out?' Phil's thoughts were interrupted by Tommy's whining, the plate of tuna abandoned on the floor.
'The cat probably hasn't been inside for a while now Tommy.' Techno pointed out from his place beside Phil, his bored expression trained on the teenager. 'He's probably just overwhelmed.'
'What if I shift?' Tommy asked, his eyes sparkling with the idea.
'What?'
'What? Tommy, that's not-' Phil tried to say, but stopped when a medium sized raccoon stood in front of him instead of a blond-haired human. He knew that he was just listening to his raccoon instincts, but he feared that his playful side would scar the cat even more.
Phil almost face-planted, mirroring Techno's fed-up expression, when Tommy slowly started moving towards the sofa.
--
Wilbur didn't even bother trying to overhear anything, too occupied with looking area the room. His head crouched awkwardly under the sofa; his whiskers practically nudged against the floor as he tried to gather his bearings. The sofa might not have been the best place to hide, Wilbur thought inattentively, but he wasn't about to risk moving.
He eyed the room cautiously, noticing several large oak bookshelves layered on the walls and a couple of paintings hung around randomly. Wilbur prioritised looking for hiding places, subconsciously memorising the directions of furniture that he could easily dive under and strategizing which would be more beneficial in certain situations. He liked the look of the TV stand, his cat eyes suited for seeing in dark places enabled him to see the snug gap that looked comfortable enough for him to fit under.
The sound of a plate clattering against the floor startled him, his tail whacking against the sofa in surprise. His eyes flung to the direction as the smell of tuna drifted through the air, shock layering its way through his mind. They were feeding him, and Wilbur wasn't sure why. The cat hybrid chose not to move, watching the plate hesitatingly despite hearing footsteps backing away. He didn't know their intentions yet, and Wilbur was used to warding off the hunger anyway.
He distantly heard Tommy's whining and Wilbur was barely resisting the urge to steal his attention. The teen clearly wanted him to come out from the sofa, but he couldn't help but listen to his cat instincts; hiding under the sofa where they would struggle to grab him. He had already been placed inside a random house, and Wilbur did not do well with adapting to new surroundings.
The sound of shuffling grabbed his attention and his eyes snapped towards the edge of the sofa. He jumped in surprise when he noticed two raccoon eyes staring back at him, his paws sliding against the wooden surface before he could stop himself. Wilbur darted under the TV stand, half expecting to hear Tommy chasing after him. He'd only ever seen him in human form; the shock of seeing him as a raccoon clouding his already overwhelmed mind before he could really think.
'Well, at least we know for sure he isn't a hybrid. I don't think he would have reacted that way if he was.' He heard Techno deadpan; his voice thick with faux boredom. Wilbur's heart fluttered with relief, silently thanking the playful raccoon hybrid.
'Well, I did tell you that!' Tommy exclaimed; his voice energetic as usual despite having just shifted back. 'He still hasn't eaten the tuna...' His voice sounded sad, and the cat hybrid instinctually moved forward, fighting the desire to comfort him before he could step into their view.
'Maybe he doesn't like tuna?' Phil's voice threaded itself into his comprehension, his tone soft and gentle. 'We need to buy actual cat food anyway, but we can see if we have anything else for now.'
Wilbur didn't think much of it for a few seconds, the realisation hitting him all at once. They were allowing him to stay in the house, buying cat food for him like a pet and actually caring if he ate or not. His heart fluttered at the feeling of being wanted, barely riding off the instinct to purr at the happiness as butterflies started swimming inside him. It had been a while since he felt that sense of contentedness, and he couldn't help but let the warmth float around his brain.
The cat hybrid swore to do what he could to give them as much comfort as possible, curling up against them and helping to relieve their stress as often as he could. Well, as soon as he gained the guts to come out from the TV stand...
Besides, they wanted him as a cat, not as a human, and Wilbur was fine with that.
--
Techno shuffled down the stairs in the middle of the night, flicking on the living room light before he could trip over something. It had happened before, and Techno knew that Tommy had a habit of leaving random things around the house. He sighed as he flopped on the sofa, grabbing several blankets and curling into the warmth. His piglin instincts didn't often surface during the day, but Techno couldn't help but want to surround himself with as much heat as possible at night.
Despite having three blankets, Techno still felt the familiar itch of chill travelling up his spine. He groaned, unable to get comfortable enough to sleep no matter where he was. The piglin hybrid had come downstairs for a change of location, having gotten bored of staring at the same somber ceiling, but it didn't seem to do much. Techno was used to getting little sleep; the piglin part of his brain was always restless during the night, but that didn't make it any less exasperating.
He zoned out briefly, his nether instincts running wild in his mind and dominating the human part of his brain that screamed for rest. Techno snapped out of his thoughts when a small meow echoed through the quiet room, his eyes instantly focusing on the TV stand before glancing at the (still full) plate of tuna. Sighing again, he made a small calling noise, softly speaking the cat's name until he noticed a brown ear poking out from the stand.
The piglin hybrid watched as Soot hesitated, more and more of his head popping into view as the cat gained confidence. Eventually Soot squeezed out from beneath the stand, stretching in a C shape before trotting further into the room. Techno expected him to make a beeline for the food, he didn't even want to know when he last ate – his protective instincts already flaring without that knowledge, and he couldn't help the surprise that twisted onto his face when he didn't.
Soot mewed softly from the foot of the sofa, his paws reaching upwards and pulling at one of the several blankets that Techno had layered around him. He simply watched the cat, not wanting to spook him under yet another piece of furniture, as Soot sat beside him with curious eyes. Eventually Soot jumped onto the sofa, ambling towards the piglin hybrid with his tail curled into a question mark.
Techno didn't move an inch as the cat crossed onto his lap, unsure of what he was meant to do. Soot meowed expectantly, kneading his paws into the layers of blankets as he purred loudly. He carefully stroked the cat, closely listening to his contented sounds as he got less wary of his actions. The cat practically flopped on his lap when he stroked the area by his eyes, carefully copying Tommy's earlier actions and receiving a similar reaction.
He found himself smiling at the cat, shifting slightly so Soot had more room to settle. He was shockingly warm, radiating the heat that his piglin instincts so strongly craved with each purr that reverberated in the quiet room. Techno allowed himself to curl closer to the cat, the sound of his purring lulling him gently to sleep with surprising ease.
And if Phil came downstairs the following morning, noticing Techno's relaxed sleeping face and arm curled around Soot protectively then he didn't say anything. After all, he had been correct that the piglin hybrid would bond with the cat swiftly.