Loneliness.
That was what Seokjin, a wealthy businessman, wanted to push out of his life. After the fall of his lovelife and subsequent divorce, he now lived alone and lost the desire to hang out with friends. After all, his friends were also friends with his ex-wife. Despite the divorce, he had no ill feelings toward his ex-wife. They hadn't necessarily ended on bad terms. They had simply fallen out of love. The spark had vanished from their marriage. Seokjin worked too much; his ex-wife wanted to travel the world. It was best for them to separate and go their own ways.
Still, Seokjin was sad over it. Having expressed his loneliness during a conversation with his secretary, it was suggested that he get a pet. Of course, his secretary had said that a playful dog would be perfect, but Seokjin had another idea. How about a cat?
As he had browsed a couple local pet stores, there were a few cats that caught his eye, but something was still missing, so he didn't adopt one. What was missing? What else did he want from a pet?
That was when it hit him.
A hybrid. He should get a hybrid.
Sure, regular cats were great for petting and cuddling, but a hybrid could also provide conversation, company at the dinner table, fill a bigger space in the home and heart.
That thought process was how Seokjin found himself adopting Taehyung, a tall cat hybrid with golden orange ears and tail.
However, the first sign of trouble happened only a few minutes after getting home with the hybrid. Seokjin had reached up with the intent to give Taehyung's hair a little feel, receiving a harsh hiss. He'd been told that Taehyung was friendly, so why was the cat hissing at him?"I was just going to feel your hair," he told the hybrid, hoping to portray that he meant no harm.
"Ever heard of asking?" Taehyung really could be friendly, but he could also have sassy moments, perfectly fitting for his breed.
"Oh, right. May I feel your hair?"
"No." And just like that, the two seemed to start on the wrong foot.
Moving his hand awkwardly to the back of his neck to rub while shifting his gaze around, Seokjin didn't know what to do now. He had brought this man, this hybrid, into his home but hadn't really thought beyond this point. What were they supposed to do now? Maybe he should have gotten a regular cat. That wouldn't be so awkward."Okay, um...Make yourself at home, I suppose."
"Rules?" Taehyung asked."Every place has rules. What are yours?"
Seokjin hadn't thought of this either."I, uh, don't know. I haven't really made any rules. I don't usually have guests. I guess just try not to break anything and clean up after yourself."
The cat shrugged his shoulders."Okay. Sounds simple enough."
Again, it grew awkward as silence loomed over them for a minute or two. Seokjin was seriously rethinking his choices. Sure, he wanted company, but he was realizing that he hadn't properly prepared for this. What would the hybrid want to eat? Where would he sleep? He needed to buy necessities for him. He should have gotten everything ready before adopting Taehyung.
"I'm going to look around a bit," Taehyung stated before walking away. He could tell that his new owner was unprepared and possibly rattling his brain. Perhaps some space between them would be a good start. In all reality, Taehyung truly was a friendly feline. He was simply in an unfamiliar place with a new, unfamiliar owner. He'd never had an owner before. Previously, he'd been independent. Hybrids could live on their own as regular members of society, or they could enter the adoption program. Taehyung had entered the adoption program to ease his loneliness. Maybe being someone's pet would be a nice experience. Sure, he'd heard some horror stories about abusive owners, but the program was very consistent with check-ups and reports, making sure the hybrids were safe and happy in their new homes.
Being left alone in the entryway, Seokjin let out a sigh. He hoped he wasn't getting himself into a mess. Taking a look at his watch, he was a little relieved to see the time. It was midafternoon, time to start preparing dinner. Since Seokjin enjoyed cooking, making a delicious meal for the two of them would help to ease his mind. While thinking of what to make for dinner, Seokjin headed to the kitchen.
Seokjin really wanted to make this first evening together go as smoothly as possible. With it already seeming to start off wrong, he was hoping a good meal would put them on the right track.
Meanwhile, Taehyung was busy exploring the house. It was rather spacious, too much for just one person. Why did Seokjin live alone in such a big house? The place seemed kind of dull and lacking in personal touch. There were no pictures on the walls, though there were tiny holes where nails used to be, suggesting the previous existence of framed pictures. The only things that were left hanging within the house were thick blue curtains over the windows of a bedroom and a framed degree of computer science in a room that seemed to be a makeshift office.
So far, Taehyung found himself lingering in Seokjin's bedroom. It smelled nice in there. The pleasant smell seemed to be coming from the bed, recently-cleaned sheets. Taehyung recognized the scent of honeysuckle, his favorite. It must be the scent of Seokjin's laundry detergent or fabric softener; the sheets were most likely washed either today or yesterday.
Leaving the bedroom to keep exploring, Taehyung soon found his way to the living room. As he was making himself familiar with the rooms of the house, he was also looking at anything that could give him a little insight into what type of person Seokjin was. He wasn't finding much personality yet, which actually told him something about his owner."He used to be more open, but something recently happened that made him become reserved." The fact that pictures were taken down, Seokjin lived alone in a big house, he was nervous with a guest, and the movie selection Taehyung just discovered on a shelf near the television said a lot. No horror movies. Only a few action movies. There were mainly comedies and romantic dramas. Though Taehyung had no issue with a man enjoying such movies, he'd assume this was a woman's selection.
With questions forming in his mind, the cat hybrid followed his nose and ears to find Seokjin in the kitchen. Wafting through the air was a mix of smells, some he liked with another he didn't like. Taehyung saw Seokjin standing by the stove, cooking for dinner."Master."
Seokjin was startled by the sudden voice of his guest, as well as the being flustered by the way he was addressed, dropping the steel serving spoon he'd been holding. There was a small yelp from the hybrid, who had also been startled by the loud sound of the serving spoon hitting the tile floor. Seokjin had nearly forgotten all about the cat he'd adopted, absorbed in cooking. Picking up the steel spoon, he looked over at the cat and sighed softly."You startled me," he admitted.
"Sorry, Master."
With pink filling his cheeks, Seokjin quickly turned back to the stove."You don't need to call me that." Such a term made him feel weird, and he didn't like it."Seokjin or Jin will be fine."
"Okay, Seokjin." Taehyung almost forgot his questions. Lifting a hand up, he pinched his nose to block out the smell of the food."What are you making?"
"Citrus herb chicken." Seokjin had thought this would be a perfect meal for them to enjoy for their first dinner together."I'm roasting the chicken thighs and potatoes right now."
"Citrus..." Taehyung stepped over to the stove and looked at the counter nearby. There was the source of the smell he hated. Next to some canned green beans was a bowl of sliced lemons and oranges. Without saying a word, Taehyung grabbed the bowl and promptly dumped the contents into the waste bin.
To say Seokjin was flabberghasted would be correct. His guest, his pet, just threw away perfectly good lemon and orange slices."I was going to put those in with the chicken and potatoes. Why did you throw them away?"
That was when Taehyung realized his action. He shouldn't have done that without asking or explaining. Still pinching his nose, he hoped he didn't just get himself in trouble so soon."I really, really hate the smell of anything citrus."
"You do?" Seokjin loved citrus, taste and smell.
"All cats do." Taehyung figured that would be common knowledge but obviously not."That's why citrus is used in cat repellent."
Okay, that made sense. With that explanation, Seokjin wasn't upset about the slices now."Well, I'm glad I hadn't already put that into the chicken and potatoes then. Is the rest of this okay?"
Taking a look at the chicken, potatoes, and green beans, Taehyung gave a nod of approval."Looks good to me."
Seeing that Taehyung was pinching his nose, Seokjin smiled softly."Here." He held out the serving spoon to Taehyung."Keep an eye on the food real quick while I take out the trash."
Taehyung accepted the spoon and switched spots with Seokjin, now standing in front of the stove. The chicken and potatoes looked yummy. He could hardly wait to eat."You're a good cook, huh?" he said as his ears twitched at the sound of the trash bag being pulled out of the waste bin.
"Cooking is a personal passion of mine. Sooyeon said I should have been a chef, instead of a 'corporate body.'" Seokjin tied the trash bag and mentally scolded himself for bringing up her name. It had been said without thought.
"Sooyeon?"
Instead of answering, Seokjin simply shook his head and stepped out with the trash. He didn't want to talk about his ex-wife during their first evening together. He wanted this to be a nice dinner, not sad.
Taehyung, on the other hand, wanted to know more about his owner. Who was Sooyeon? Was she the reason Seokjin took down pictures that had previously adorned the walls? Was she in those pictures? Thinking about that, Taehyung wondered if she and Seokjin had been in a relationship that went sour. That would explain some things. Maybe Sooyeon had been the one to typically welcome guests, which would be why Seokjin was awkward about it. They must have enjoyed watching comedies and dramas together. Though he was curious, Taehyung decided to keep his thoughts and questions to himself for now. He didn't want to make Seokjin more nervous.
Dinner did end up going smoothly. Seokjin was very pleased that Taehyung had helped him dish out their separate servings. They'd drank milk with their dinner, at Taehyung's request. While they ate, they engaged in calm conversation, getting to know each other a little. As Taehyung had told him about some things he liked and disliked, Seokjin had found himself smiling ever-so-softly. It certainly was nice to have company. It made him feel even better to see the hybrid smile as well.
After dinner, they'd watched a little TV to unwind. Seokjin had seated himself on the couch as Taehyung insisted on making himself comfortable on the floor. Instead of watching the television, Seokjin had caught his gaze lingering on Taehyung instead, fascinated by the cat hybrid. He desired to touch the feline's cute ears, though he knew it wouldn't be appropriate to touch his tail. That much was obvious. He noticed that, every time he shifted a little, Taehyung's ears would twitch, picking up the smallest of sounds. God, he wished he could stroke those little ears; they were so adorable.
"Taehyung." Seokjin figured he could take the chance.
"Hm?" The cat didn't even take his gaze away from the show they were watching.
Fidgeting with his fingers a little, Seokjin went for it."Can I touch your ears?"
"No." Now Taehyung glanced back at his owner."I'd rather not be touched right now."
"Okay." Seokjin accepted that. Though, it did make him wonder if he would ever be allowed to touch the cat's ears or hair. Didn't cats like to be petted?
When the time for bed came around, Seokjin frowned to himself when he realized there wasn't a spare bed for Taehyung. There was a spare room that could be turned into a bedroom for the feline, but it was full of junk at the moment. He really should have sorted this all out before adopting the hybrid.
Seeing Seokjin having a sort of inner conflict about this, Taehyung had a simple solution."I'll sleep on the couch," he told his owner."I don't mind. Until things are sorted out, the couch will be fine."
"Are you sure?" When Taehyung nodded, Seokjin was momentarily relieved. His hybrid guest was proving himself to be quite easy to handle."Alright. If you're still sleeping when I get up in the morning, I'll do my best to not disturb you."
Now it was Taehyung's turn to make a request."Can I have one of your sheets?"
"Of course. I have spare sheets in the closet. I'll grab one for you." As Seokjin rose from the couch, he saw Taehyung stand as well.
"Actually, I mean, I want one from your bed," the cat clarified."I'm not being weird, I promise. I was just in your room earlier when I was looking around, and your sheets smell like honeysuckle, and I really like that smell."
"Oh, right." Honeysuckle had been mentioned very briefly during dinner when Taehyung had been telling Seokjin what types of things he liked, so it made sense that he would want a sheet that smelled like that."Yeah, I don't mind giving you a sheet from my bed. Those sheets were just washed this morning." With a small wave of his hand, Seokjin wanted Taehyung to follow him."You can borrow some of my pajamas too until I can buy you some new clothes of your own. I can probably take you to the store tomorrow after work, and you can pick out anything you want."
"Sounds great." This was looking like it would go well for Taehyung. Despite Seokjin being unprepared and a little awkward, he seemed like a genuine, kind guy. Taehyung felt like he'd been adopted by the perfect owner.
---
Over the next week, things went rather smoothly. Though, they were both busy, Seokjin more than Taehyung. Aside from his job, Seokjin worked hard to get the spare room turned into a nice bedroom for his hybrid. Some boxes of junk were moved into the basement, others being thrown out after being deemed as useless garbage. Even though Seokjin insisted on doing it himself, Taehyung provided some assistance in setting up the furniture that had been purchased, bedframe and dresser. The newly-organised bedroom was perfect for the cat hybrid.
"I love it."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks, Seokjin." Being this man's pet, Taehyung knew Seokjin wasn't obligated to provide him with so much. A home, food, and hygiene necessities were all that was required, but Seokjin was going above and beyond to make him feel comfortable.
"I got you something else too. A surprise." Opening the top drawer of the dresser, Seokjin pulled out a small lidded bowl he had hidden in there earlier."My secretary said you would like this." Handing it over to Taehyung, he watched the cat's eyes widen.
Taehyung took the lid off the bowl and pulled out a tiny pouch that had been concealed within it. The pouch was a pretty teal color and felt squishy, the most wonderful smell coming from it."Your secretary just turned you into my drug dealer." The hybrid brought the pouch close to his nose and took a deep sniff."Oh my god, I can't believe you got silver vine for me. Thank you."
That made Seokjin chuckle heartily."Yeah, I was told it would give you the same high as catnip."
This gave Taehyung an idea."I have a request." He set the bowl atop the dressed and held the pouch securely in his hands."Will you, um..." He was trying to think of how to phrase this without being weird."Will you pet me while I sniff this?" He felt his cheeks heat up as he asked that."I just...I mean...It would be nice to be petted while I...get high."
Seokjin had definitely not been expecting such a request, but he was not opposed to it at all. On the contrary..."I would love to actually."
Then, it suddenly became awkward.
Both of them glanced at the bed then at each other. Well, where else were they supposed to sit in Taehyung's room? The floor? The bed would be best for comfort, but it was also awkward. Not wanting to be weird about this, Seokjin got onto the bed and rested his back against the headboard. Then, he smiled warmly at Taehyung, who crawled onto the bed as well.
Taehyung seemed to become a little shy as he made himself comfortable against Seokjin's side."This is like...scent heaven," he said as he moved the pouch of silver vine close to his nose. He had this to get him high while also enjoying the smell of honeysuckle from his freshly-washed sheets. It was perfect.
"Should I wait until the high starts taking effect?" Seokjin was excited because this was the first time Taehyung was allowing his ears or hair to be touched, finally feeling comfortable enough for affection.
"You can start now." Being comfortable against his owner's side, Taehyung began sniffing the pouch, taking in the alluring smell. The feel of Seokjin's fingers making their first contact with his head earned a small mewl from the cat.
As Seokjin began to gently pet Taehyung's hair and stroke his ears, he felt a smile play on his lips. This was nice and calming. He still felt lonely occasionally whenever something reminded him of his ex-wife, but this cute hybrid was filling that hole well. He didn't fully know what type of relationship he was seeking when he adopted the cat, but he certainly hadn't expected it to be like this. Taehyung was quickly becoming dear to him, not just as a pet but also as a friend.
Taehyung became more and more relaxed as he enjoyed the high he was getting from the silver vine and the affection being given to him by Seokjin. It was wonderful. He couldn't remember having such a pleasant time ever before. Sure, he'd been high on silver vine before. He'd even been petted before. But he'd never been high and petted at the same time. Without even realizing it, he rested his head against his owner's chest, pouch still held near his nose. God, he was getting so high.
"I've never been around someone like you before," Seokjing admitted in a soft tone, not wanting to disturb the cat's peace."My whole life, I've only ever been around people who are straightlaced and focused on grand goals. Yet, here you are, laidback and getting high." Chuckling to himself, Seokjin wondered if Taehyung was the type of person he needed in his life."I get a different type of high from my work, not a relaxing high like this but an excitement. Maybe I should try to relax more like this."
Closing his eyes as he was feeling completely mellow and calm, Taehyung lowered the pouch a little."Less talking. More petting." His tone held no demand at all. It was just what he wanted.
And that was what Seokjin gave him.