Sorry it's taken so long lol, I've actually been working on an Ateez story that is currently at 50K words, and it's taken me around 3 months of nonstop work (And it's kind of like 1/4 finished lol). This story, I've been working on for about 3 years, and it's around 40K. So.. It's been a journey.
But I know that this story is important to you guys too, and so I wanted to be able to get out a new chapter for you all, so I hope you can enjoy it!
When you wake it's blissful, all the events of yesterday are un-remembered. It feels like a soft and comfortable morning, the birds outside chirping lovingly and loud, the sun shining somehow directly into your eyeballs despite them being closed. And the warm rhythmic breeze hitting your face... Could life be any more enjoyable?
Wait... That light rhythmic breathing was actually a bit heavy, and kind of weird smelling... Maybe a bit more unpleasant than you thought. A light snore rings out through the room, and you open your eyes, expecting Felix to be sleeping right next to you. It would be weird, because you're pretty sure you can feel his tail flicking on your arm, and Felix isn't that big in cat form, and would have to be practically a pretzel to have his face next to yours and his tail on your arm but hey, Felix is a weird sleeper what can you say.
You open your eyes, wanting to see whatever in the world Felix has done to get himself into this position.
Instead what greets you is Teeth and a lot of them, and they are in fact rather big and kind of scary. In fact, they are so scary that you can't help the yelp that comes out of you. Or the visceral fear of them being so close to your face, which makes your body want to get away from them. You scramble so fast and hard you lose your balance and tumble right over the edge of the bed.
You slowly right yourself after falling on your butt. You must not have woken up last night when the other two had come in. You sigh. How did you end up with another hybrid in your house?
You spend the day with Felix and his new friend. You don't really get the chance to ask any questions. So you don't. It's the last day you have off for two days and you had meant to go to the store, but honestly you didn't want to leave Felix alone with this guy. You didn't know why but it made you uncomfortable.
Which is why unfortunately, when Changbin still hadn't left your house for some reason, you were bringing both the hybrids to work with you the next morning. You had texted Chan half asleep and told him you were bringing them in, Changbin still not sitting right with you.
You sigh as you enter the building, turning the lights on as you go. You're here from opening till closing today and you already want to go home.
Chan was already here if the back room lights being on were any indication. You half consider leaving the other two at the front with nary another word, needing your friend now more than ever.
"Chan we're here!" You shout through the building. And no sooner had you started talking did Chan come rushing through the center.
Changbin starts growling at the others' presence but you don't care. Hugging Chan hard, you had missed him so much this weekend.
Chan is almost knocked down by the force of the hug, but gives it back hard nonetheless.
He breathes in your scent, subtly rubbing his chin against your head covering you in his own deep scent.
It's regretful when you part, and you instantly miss his warmth.
"I missed you." You blurt out, way too tired to have half as much of a filter as you should.
"It's been three days since you saw me, how much could you have possibly missed me?" He says, a smile and a laugh coming out of him at the same time.
"It feels like it's been much longer." You grit out.
Chan finally looks behind you, and you look to, rolling your eyes at Changbin's raised hackles.
Felix also gives Chan a hug, rushing into his arms as soon as he sees them open, Chan ruffles his hair as they say their hellos. You watch on, fondness growing in your chest at the display.
Changbin growls louder, obviously offended at Felix touching someone else that wasn't him.
"Changbin this is Chan, Chan this is Changbin." You say, gesturing at the other hybrid.
Changbin stops actively growling, but he still has his claws out and ears turned back, you notice.
Chan looks back at you, and whispers "So this is what you meant when you texted me about there being another one." conspiratorially into your ear.
You look at him in confusion. Taking your phone out of your pocket you look at the screen, seeing the text you had sent Chan half delirious it would seem.
'cmng in erly, thrs anothr 1"
You sigh, glad Chan was so used to your ridiculousness that he was able to read your texts anyways. It was the sobering punch you needed to feel fully awake.
"Nice to meet you Changbin." Chan says after his whisper, holding out his hand.
Changbin takes it but doesn't say a word back. Chan smiles in a way that says male posturing, you ignore it, moving to the front desk. You know Chan is going to say something insensitive soon and get himself into trouble, and you don't want to be near the hybrid when he does it. Felix tags along, but keeps his eyes on the other two.
"Panther?" Chan says.
Changbin grunts.
"You have a beautiful spot pattern."
Changbin says nothing back, but his tail is wagging back and forth in irritation.
They're still holding hands for some reason?
"Wolf." Is the only thing Changbin says after a long period of silence.
"Yes, wolf." Chan replies back.
Changbin lets go of the other's hand, sniffing Chan's leftover scent on his hand subtly. Chan continues studying the other while smiling, it's almost creepy.
Changbin looks around, taking in all the decorations and equipment. Chan takes notice, and chimes in again.
"I'm sure Felix has told you, but this is my place. It's a center for hybrids run by a hybrid. I might be a wolf, but I take my work and my patients' needs very seriously. This place is my dream, and I hope you will find it to your liking, let me know if you need anything. Any friend of theirs," Chan says, throwing a thumb over his shoulder at you both. "Is a friend of mine." He finishes.
You almost groan out loud. Changbin was certainly not a friend of yours. You look down at Felix, but Felix seems happy, a big grin across his face. You sigh instead, petting at his head, he purrs at your touch, and you can't help the smile that tugs at your lips. You both stare at the two hybrids do their little dance, size each other up.
Changbin just stares at him, but Chan doesn't seem to mind. Alphas were just different breeds.
Changbin is the first one to fold.
He scratches something non-existent on his face while looking away.
You see Chan's eyes light up with something you've come to call blatant stupidity.
"Your claws are looking a little rough. Mind if I take a look?"
"There's nothing wrong with my claws" Changbin growls. There it is, good job Chan. Never fails to offend other hybrids with his stupid need to help every single one he's ever seen.
Chan hums. Clearly trying to think of some way to convince the other to agree with him.
"It's nice! He can help you feel better!" Felix chimes in from next to you. You look at him with your eyebrows raised.
Changbin just glares at Felix, but Felix still holds onto his smile.
Changbin's eyes flicker towards you, and for a second you feel caught up in the stare.
You feel like a bug pinned up and on display, your breathing stops as warm yellow eyes stare at yours. You can't help but shiver. Your all too human instincts get caught up in the eyes of a predator. Everything stops, and you can't help but be reminded that Changbin could be so very very deadly if he wanted to be.
Changbin's stare is gone almost as soon as it started. And you take in a sharp breath. Feeling a bit unsteady you grab at the desk. Felix notices and grabs at your arm.
"You ok?"
You just nod, not looking up from the desk.
Felix lets out a small whine. "Please be careful, make sure you drink your water ok?"
It helps break you out of your trance. The other two in the room ignored for now, you pet Felix's head, glad for his comfort. He purrs under your palm.
Changbin looks over at the two of you. A dark look in his eyes. But then he sighs, it's been a long time since he's been looked over. He should probably do it whether he likes it or not. It was being offered to him right? And he wouldn't be alone. Not this time.
Changbin's shoulders fold in on themselves without him wanting them to.
"Can Felix come?" He says looking at the floor.
Chan smiles at that. "Of course!"
While the other two go ahead you stay behind and prepare for opening. Chan would call you when he needed you. You turn all the lights on, turn on the game systems for the kiddos, and start working on filing and printing paperwork. It only takes you a few minutes, so used to it now the routine is rooted into you so intrinsically it's almost funny.
You wait until the little light goes off on your desk telling you Chan had requested your help.
You help Chan clean up Changbin. Check over his ears, hold his nervous knee still when he examined his blood pressure. And cleaned up and filed away at Changbin's nails. Which had almost resulted in a few scratches of your face that were close calls.
You liked your eyeballs very much thank you!
After your few minutes of help you start working on starting Changbin's file. Filling in the appropriate boxes and completely in your favorite mental place, the work zone. The awesome mental flow of a job well done and well taken care of. It was nice to be back here after the terrifying last few days you've had with the sketchy new hybrid in your house. It was nice to forget.
"Alright, should be finished up now." Chan says, throwing his used gloves into the trash can. "I'm just gonna get your blood test results from the machine."
Chan stands up, and Felix gets up as well.
"Can I come? I want to see." He says it with such wide eyes that Chan has no choice but to let him.
"Of course, maybe we can stop by the vending machine as well.-" Chan continues as they both walk out of the room.
"Nothing too sugary, ok?" You call out behind them. The last time Felix had a bunch of sugar and no where to put the energy had been a disaster.
You go back to your work, when you didn't hear a response down the hallway. You shake your head. Chan would get to deal with Felix today if the other was bouncing off the walls. You laugh quietly to yourself at the thought.
Changbin had sat pretty well through the exam, which boded well for both you and Chan. You had just in fact finished signing the paperwork when Changbin turned towards you.
"You ok?" You say, trying to figure out why he turned to you so suddenly.
He doesn't say anything, so you almost go back to doing your work when you hear a small whine. You look up again in shock at the hybrid. But he doesn't look any different, and you think to yourself you must have imagined it.
He whines again, louder this time, and you turn to look at him. He keeps the smirk off his face, but it's a challenge. You look at him in concern again.
"You aren't feeling sick or something are you?" Voice laced with concern, You get up to check on him. He wasn't feeling faint or woozy right. When he doesn't flinch away from you, you reach out to feel his forehead wanting to check for a fever. You hope he wasn't getting sick.
He bites you.
His teeth are sunk completely into your hand. You don't move your hand, don't scream, don't make a sound. Shock is the only thing running through your body. Mind blank as you stare into Changbin's face.
His lip curls up into a smirk, eyes clearly showing mischief.
Then all of your senses come back to you at once. Rage fills you as you yell at the hybrid.
"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM??!!!"