A Bonus in the Kitty - Anonymous (2024)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

It's Sunday night, and Minseok is smiling as he hands his obfuscated ID to the thick-necked bouncer outside his favorite club. Bonamana is an upscale drinks-and-live-entertainment place, popular with the wealthy and powerful, and known for discretion—the bouncer doesn't care about the sticker over Minseok's name and other details, he just wants to match his face to a legal date of birth. By openly and rigidly following this particular rule, the club keeps the authorities from sniffing around to find out what other rules might be stretched or broken during the 'private parties' drawing Minseok to the back rooms.

Not those kind of parties, though Minseok has no doubt they also take place here. Minseok's here for the poker game. It's just as illegal as the drugs or prostitutes Minseok's members-only lanyard could also grant him access to, but he's after a different thrill: that of taking money away from assholes that have too much of it.

Minseok himself probably qualifies as such an asshole, his job as a high-end corporate accountant granting him quite the paycheck. It had been a client that had originally brought him to the invitation-only poker game. Minseok had gone along out of the need to build business rapport. He'd planned to make polite 'acquaintance' of the pseudonymed CEOs and actors, chaebols and singers that apparently had money to burn. He'd thought it might net him a few new clients, to show up occasionally, play his hands conservatively, and bow out when things got too rich for his blood. But a dangerous thing had happened: Minseok had quickly realized that, as in most other areas aside from business, the rich men here were much better at showing off their wealth than they were at keeping it.

Minseok had managed to walk away from that first game with slightly more money than he'd started with. It had been a hell of a feeling, to outwit and outmaneuver these men (and occasional woman) that could buy and sell him with a blink. So he'd poured himself into learning poker strategy the same way he'd poured himself into learning financial acumen, and most times, he comes out on top. He has more patience than his opponents, for one thing, and can hold his liquor better than most. Add that to his observant nature and his honed ability to calculate odds and probabilities, and many sessions have ended with his opponents ribbing his sponsor for bringing Minseok—or 'Xiumin,' as he's known here—to play with them in the first place.

That sponsor—called 'Suho' when they're all pretending not to know each other—is here tonight, too. He's one of a small number, as by this point in the weekend, most have blown through their spare cash. That's what makes Sunday games so interesting, in Minseok's mind. People who find themselves short often add things to the pot to cover the difference. Minseok's watch, the gold chain around his neck, even his car were all once added to the kitty by people who'd thought he'd been bluffing. It amuses him to wear his winnings at the table, like a brightly colored frog advertising he's dangerous to those attempting to swallow him.

Tonight, the odds aren't initially in his favor. He loses half his stack to Suho's lucky draw, then another chunk to an aging idol whose airy persona turned out to hide a sharp mind. But he claws his way back, emptying a producer's pockets and reclaiming his loss from Suho (and then some). By the time the circulating drinks ladies announce last call, it's down to Minseok and ‘Siwon,’ a middle-aged third-gen chaebol-turned-assemblyman whose ability to casually count cards should make him far more dangerous an opponent than the laid back guy actually is. Minseok's once again sure he has the nuts himself, so he goes all in, smiling when Siwon immediately calls.

“Looks like you're a little short,” Minseok says.

“I always am, against you,” Siwon laughs. “You're not getting another watch off me today, though.”

“It's not that big a shortage,” Minseok says. “I can just take a brick back out before we show down.” He reaches for his stack.

“Wait,” Siwon says. “I'll wager my little kitten.”

Minseok co*cks his head. “A cat?”

Siwon shakes his head. “Not some crusty tom. A kitten, young and sweet. Suho's met him—he's cute, right?”

Suho nods. “Very pretty, and rather rare. He's quite well behaved. You'd like him, Xiu.”

“He's an angel,” Siwon agrees. “I got him for my kid, but he's taking sh*t care of him, and he's too valuable to let languish. You'd take good care of him, right?”

Minseok shrugs. His flat does feel rather empty sometimes. “Sure, why not?”

Siwon grins. He flips over his cards, revealing two pair.

Minseok shakes his head, revealing his handful of hearts. “You always forget flushes are a thing.”

“Damnit,” Siwon laughs. “That's what comes of being strictly a numbers guy.” He shoves his stack over to Minseok. “I'll send someone over with the kitten in the morning, okay? All his food and supplies, too. You know I'm good as my word.”

“I do,” Minseok says. He'd like to say he's more pleased by the pile of cash in front of him, but he'd be lying to say he wasn't oddly excited. He's always wanted a cat, but never had time to do all the research and pick one out. To have one dropped in his lap, so to speak, could be kind of fun.

The next morning, Minseok is buttoning up one of his sensible work shirts when the door buzzer sounds. For a moment, he just stares at himself in the bedroom mirror, one brow quirked. Who would be here at seven a.m.?

Oh, right. Siwon's cat.

Minseok pads over to open the door. Two burly men have a flatbed handcart piled high with stuff. A huge pet carrier, a big litter box, what looks like a collapsed cage or pen of some kind, big bags of cat food and kitty litter.

"What the?" Minseok ask as the men begin to pull things off the cart. "This isn't some kind of wild cat, is it?" Maybe he should've asked a few more questions before agreeing to the bet.

One of the men laughs. "Nah, rather the opposite." He carries the 20-kilo bag of litter on one shoulder, stepping past Minseok into the apartment. "Where d'you want him set up?"

"Uh, the living room, I guess?" Minseok gestures to the open space near the balcony door. Not that he wants a litter box right there in the open, but he can always move things later. He's going to end up late for work as it is, without fussing about where the guys should position everything.

His phone vibrates, and Minseok winces. His assistant, already at the office, calling to start the morning rundown while he rides the train in.

"Excuse me," he says to the delivery guys, who nod as they continue to unload cat supplies into his home.

Minseok ducks back into the bedroom, thumbing the phone into speaker mode while he grabs up his tie. His assistant launches right into the usual briefing: emails received, voice messages left, meetings scheduled, does he want to attend the charity luncheon on Wednesday, will the KoLabs report be ready by Thursday, all the admin stuff he pays her for.

"And I know you're still at home because you put me on speaker, so I went ahead and pushed your eight a.m. meeting back to eight-thirty," she says as Minseok returns to the living room. It's empty of delivery men, but now alarmingly full of cat stuff. Alarming because the oversized things now make both more and less sense.

The cage has been unfolded and set up with the litter box at one end. And at the other end, curled miserably against the steel bars, is a guy wearing cat ears, a tail, a collar, and nothing else.

"What the f*ck?"

"Excuse me?" His assistant's voice is suddenly icy.

"Not you, Sooyoung," he says. "Sorry. But you'll have to outright cancel that meeting. And possibly the rest of them. I. Don't know when I'll make it in today."

"What?" Now Sooyoung is irritated. "Why?"

"I'm sorry," Minseok says again. "Something's come up. I'll call you back when I can."

He hangs up, then flicks open the dial pad as he hastens to unlatch the cage. "Dude, are you okay?"

The man doesn't move or talk, just eyes him warily from the corner of the cage.

"You don't look comfortable in there, friend. You wanna come out, or?"

No response. It reinforces Minseok's first instinct, which is to call the police. The guy in the cage isn't in great shape, bruises and welts all over his body. Had Siwon done this to him? His hellion kid? What kind of a sick joke is this? It's clearly gone way too far.

But if he calls the cops, he'll have to explain how this naked, injured man ended up in his apartment, nevermind the cage and the pile of what now seem like instruments of abuse. "I didn't do this to him, officer! He was like this when I won him from a popular politician in an illegal gambling match!" Yeah, that'll go over really well.

There's a sheaf of papers clipped to the side of the cage. Pet Contract, it says at the top, and then I, the undersigned, agree to exhibit only feline traits and behaviors and furthermore submit to the following, after which is a long list of demeaning or painful things. Some of which are kinky sex things. So Minseok doesn't call the police, he calls his friend Baekhyun.

"I need you to come over," he says as soon as Baek picks up. "And maybe bring Sehun?" Minseok doesn't know Baekhyun’s lover very well, but he does know, due to the couple's shamelessness, that the guy likes to wear a fetish puppy outfit sometimes.

"What? Why? I mean, I'm thrilled if you're finally taking us up on the threesome thing, but Hunie's not exactly a morning person, and I'm already at—"

"I need help," Minseok says. "Well, not me, but this guy. That I accidentally won in a poker game last night."

There's silence for a second. "You won a guy in a poker game?"

"Siwon said he was a cat!" Minseok groans. "They brought him in a pet carrier and then put him in a cage and he's not coming out or talking but there's this contract?" Minseok scans the document. It's signed and stamped with a fingerprint at the bottom. "He might have agreed to this? But Baek, he clearly needs help. Like, a doctor, or the police, or someone."

"sh*t. Is his life in danger?"

"Not immediately? I mean, he's not actively bleeding or anything, but some of his wounds look fresh. Maybe some stitches? Should I just call an ambulance?"

"I have a doctor friend," Baekhyun says. There's the sound of brisk rustling. "I'll text him, and Sehun, too, to meet us there. I'll be over quick as I can."

"Drive safe," Minseok says before Baek clicks off.

Then he frowns at the man in the cage. The delivery guys had given him a bowl each of cat kibble and water, like somehow that made it okay to lock him in a cage with a box to sh*t in. He's pissed in it already, dark clumps visible in the litter.

What the actual f*ck? Does the guy like this? He sure doesn't look like he likes it. And either way, you can't just bet a human being in a poker game. Putting a guy in a cage doesn't mean you legally own him! Does it?

"You can come out of there if you want," Minseok says, wincing in sympathy at the guy's bare, battered ass against the bottom of the cage. "Seriously, you don't belong in a cage."

The guy doesn't move. Minseok sighs. The guy has to be exacerbating his wounds, sitting like that. He must be in pain. But he just sits completely still except for his dark, wary eyes, moving constantly, watching Minseok without ever looking directly at his face. Minseok watches him, too, moving around the cage a little, trying to see just how badly the guy is hurt without being crude about his nudity.

He's slightly less nude than he'd initially appeared—he's got a pair of socks over his hands that were probably white once. They're filthy now, probably because they're taped in place around his wrists. The skin there looks raw and irritated, as does the skin around the narrow vinyl collar that's fastened tight enough to dig into his neck. There are other bruises around his neck, and all over his body. He's covered in cuts and scrapes, too, in addition to the long welts across his back, ass, and thighs.

Minseok is at a complete loss for what to do or say. It's an enormous relief when the door buzzer sounds again. He jumps to answer it, babbling his gratitude to Baekhyun as he strides into the living room. His power suit makes him look every bit the formidable lawyer he is, which Minseok finds supremely reassuring. Baekhyun knows the law. He'll know what to do.

Baekhyun takes a narrow-eyed look at the guy before turning his attention to the papers Minseok hands him.

"You're right," he says after flipping through them. "He did agree to this, sort of. He even agreed to the 'transfer of ownership.' But no respectable master would let their pet end up like this. Even subs that are termed slaves are generally treated with more regard for their well-being. Have they really fed him only cat food for the last six months? That can't be healthy. And that cage can't be unlatched from the inside, not to mention he can't get his fingers free by himself. It's blantant disregard for his safety. What if there's an emergency while he's alone? I mean, damn. Some people really like being confined, but the usual appeal of a sub is that they allow themselves to be controlled, not that they literally can't get away if they change their mind."

Baekhyun crouches beside the cage, eyeing the guy through the wide open door. "Not that he seems to be in full possession of his human mind at the moment. If he's been punished as often as it looks, he's probably thoroughly conditioned not to react in any disobedient or human way to anything anymore. You'll have to either order him out of there, or haul him out yourself."

"Me?" Minseok gapes. "Why can't you do it? You're into all this… animal stuff, right?"

"You're his master. He agreed to be manhandled by 'Xiumin,' not some random guy."

"How could he agree to that, really?" Minseok scoffs. "If he's not in his human mind? Even if he was, he's never met me. He can't know if he wants me as a 'master' or whatever. That contract can't be legally binding."

"It's not," Baekhyun says. "But it's probably binding to him, even if it's been twisted and used against him. His trust has probably been shattered, and it's not gonna be rebuilt by his new master violating what few protections that contract has for him, like not being given to a new person without his consent."

Panic rises in Minseok's chest. "What if he does consent? Can't Sehun convince him you're nice, and then the two of you can take him?"

Baekhyun twists to look up at Minseok. "Do you actually want me to take him?"

Minseok looks at the nude, battered man, his wary eyes, matted hair, and open wounds, his too-tight collar and taped-off hands. His heart squeezes with something other than panic.

"I don't know how to be anybody's master," he says weakly.

"You can learn. You've already got the most important trait, for somebody that likes kitten play, at least." Baekhyun smiles. "A lot of kittens call their dom-types their 'protector.' And I know you already wanna take care of this guy."

Minseok opens and shuts his mouth around his lack of any defense. The door buzzer saves him from Baekhyun’s knowing grin.

"I'll get the door," Baek says. "You get him out of there and onto the table."

"What table? The one I eat off of?" Minseok can't stop the curl of his lip at the thought of this filthy naked man on his nice sanitary table.

"It's harder to examine him on the floor," Baekhyun calls.

Right. Health first. He can always scrub the table afterwards. Still, he runs to grab a towel, spreading it over the tabletop before crouching beside the cage again.

"Come on," he says, beckoning to the guy. "Come out. Let's get you taken care of."

The guy lifts his head a bit, looking at Minseok a bit more obviously but still not moving. From this angle, Minseok can see the round metal tag hanging from the collar. There's a name engraved on it, and Minseok tries his best to wear a comforting smile.

"Chen? Is that how I call you?"

This definitely gets the guy's attention. His eyes widen, daring to dart briefly to Minseok's face. Minseok smiles wider. "Come here, Chenny. Yes," he praises when the guy stretches out one sock-covered paw. "Come on. Let's get you out of there."

Slowly, Chen crawls towards him. His ears and tail look like cheap Halloween accessories, not expressive like a real cat's. But the rest of his body language screams wariness, enough that Minseok can imagine the ears folded back, the tail lashing sporadically behind him.

"You're okay," he murmurs, holding out an open palm to Chen. "You're safe here."

Chen sniffs at his hand briefly. Minseok beckons him out of the cage, and Chen peers around the opening. He freezes when Baekhyun returns with Sehun and another man Minseok doesn't recognize. He must be the doctor, though, because he's wearing a stethoscope around his neck and carrying a bulging satchel. He's also wearing a set of curling horns and floppy, velvety-looking ears. Makes sense, in a way. The guy is apparently no stranger to dressing up, and must want his current patient to know it.

Minseok wiggles his fingers at Chen. "You're okay," he says again. "Those are my friends. Come out, so we can take care of you."

Slowly, one limb at a time, Chen crawls out of the cage. Just as slowly, Minseok rests three fingers on a seemingly-uninjured patch of Chen's shoulder. Chen flinches a little anyway, so Minseok opts to pat one of his black plastic ears instead.

"Good kitty," he says. "Good job, Chenny." He frowns, glancing at the table with his lip trapped between his teeth. "Um. I'm gonna pick you up now, okay? And set you on the table, so the doctor can look at you. Don't freak out."

Chen doesn't move, just watches Minseok as he prepares to scoop him up. Chen seems about his size, generally, except significantly slimmer. His waist is so small, Minseok is having a hard time not staring. He concentrates on the job at hand, wincing as he realizes there's no good way to lift the guy without pressing against one wound or another.

"Um. Sorry if this hurts. I'll make it quick, okay?"

There's no response, but Minseok doesn't really expect one at this point. It's enough that the guy seems to understand what Minseok says. Indeed, he doesn't thrash or otherwise protest as Minseok lifts him as gently as he can, then strides over to softly deposit him onto the towel.

"Nicely done, both of you," Baekhyun says. "This is Yixing, or, when he's in sheep mode, Lay. He's a doctor, and he's gonna take a look at this little kitty."

"I am," Lay says. "It's nice to meet a fellow pet player." He peers at the collar tag. "Chen, is it? I'm going to have to touch you to examine you. Do I have your master's permission to handle what's his?" He looks from Chen to Minseok.

"Er, of course," Minseok says.

"Not 'of course,'" Baekhyun says. "Remember what I said about manhandling by strangers? 'Of course' isn't gonna make him feel protected."

"Oh. Right." Minseok pets Chen's kitty ear again. "Chenny, I'll let the nice doctor touch you, but just to get you checked out and patched up. It might hurt a little, so be brave for us, okay? I'll be right here the whole time to make sure you're safe."

Lay beams. "Such a good protector you have, Chen. Let's reassure him by checking for the life-threatening stuff first."

Lay feels around Chen's scalp through the thick mats of hair, then shines a penlight into his eyes.

"Has he been nauseated? Difficult to rouse? In an altered mental state?"

"I have no idea, he's been here for like an hour," Minseok says. "He hasn't seemed woozy or anything, but I don’t know what his 'normal' is." He frowns. "Is it not safe to leave him alone?"

Lay lifts his hands. "I've found no signs of head trauma or concussion. He has no apparent injury, old or new, on his head at all. But I have to ask these routine questions, just in case."

"Ah," Minseok says. "Right. Sorry. Thank you."

"Of course." Mindful of the many wounds that mar his body, Lay presses certain points of Chen’s belly. He runs the stethoscope over his chest, back, and abdomen. "Heart, lungs, and digestion sound perfectly fine." He gives Chen a little wince. "I'm sorry, because I know it'll make you anxious, but I've got to remove your paws and collar so I can see underneath. You can keep your ears and tail for now."

Chen doesn't so much as blink. In fact, he barely looks at the doctor. His eyes keep darting around, but they flick back to Minseok frequently.

"You're okay," Minseok reminds him as Lay mutters at the collar buckle. "If you need a collar, I'll get you a much more comfortable one." He winces as the vinyl strap comes away to reveal raw, welted flesh beneath. "Once you've healed enough, that is."

He winces further as the collar tag swings, and he can see that someone had scrawled the word TRASH on the opposite side. Lay must see it, too, because he presses his lips together as he sets the collar aside.

"I generally recommend collars be at least two and a half centimeters wide, with rounded edges that won't dig into the skin," Lay says as he wipes the wound with disinfectant. "If you like narrow collars, they need to be lighter, like a ribbon, or much looser. And for adornment only, not restraint."

He frowns at the bruising both above and below the collar line. "As a medical professional, I'm also obligated to tell both of you that there is no entirely risk-free way to choke someone. Any time the brain is deprived of oxygen by any method, there is a non-zero chance of brain damage or death, and then you go to jail for murder, contract or no contract. My strong advice is to avoid any type of breathplay."

"I'm not going to choke him," Minseok says. "I don't want to hurt him at all."

Lay shrugs. "Some people are into pain, and that's fine. There are lots of ways to play that don't risk permanent injury or death, and I'm happy to advise on those as needed."

Minseok swallows. If Chen likes pain, would he be able to deliberately inflict it? Sure, he'll slug his friends when they irk him, but that's not meant to be enjoyed. He shakes his head. "Right now, I just want to get him completely healed. Then… we'll see, I guess."

"A wise plan."

Lay continues to paint Chen's broken and irritated skin with disinfectant, offering comments about unwise or unskilled strike placement as he moves down Chen's shoulders and back. Minseok hadn't thought there could be technique involved when beating someone, but apparently if you want to hurt someone without truly harming them, some skills need to be developed. Whoever had hurt Chen before either didn't know or didn't care enough to do it 'properly' according to the doctor.

“If he's been eating only cat food, there's a high chance for him to have vitamin C deficiency, which would contribute to bruising and also delay wound healing, among other concerns,” Lay says. “Start him on a good multivitamin and keep these areas of broken skin clean and protected from further damage so they can heal.”

“Of course.”

There are far fewer wounds on Chen's front, much to Minseok's relief. But he's not prepared for the sock-paws to come off. The skin beneath the tape is grossly irritated, Chen's knuckles and palms are spotted with little wounds and scabs, and his nails are broken off, jagged and irregular. Lay shakes one of the socks out over the table, dislodging shards of what Minseok is appalled to realize are fingernails, rusty with old blood.

"The f*ck?" Minseok growls.

"Indeed," Lay says. "Like walking on splinters all the time. masoch*st or not, taping covers over extremities indefinitely is not okay, for obvious reasons. Not the least of which, in the case of hands, is that emergencies happen. If no one else is present, your sub must be able to free themself, or again, you are risking their life."

"I always want him to be safe," Minseok says.

"Then you're already a better master than the deplorable one who did this to him."

Chen seems much more agitated with the socks off. He lets Lay trim his ragged nails and coat his hands with disinfectant, but he also is obviously avoiding the sight of them, keeping his restless eyes pointed away. If he does happen to look down, he startles a little before averting his gaze once again.

"You're okay," Minseok tells him. "He can have socks on again, later, right? Nice, clean ones?"

"Better if he can go without, for several days at least. Then he can wear loose ones, if the elastic isn't covering his damaged skin. And for the love of cats, trim his nails regularly."

"Right, of course."

The rest of the exam reveals more neglect. Chen's knees are knobby with thickened skin, scarred and callused wherever there aren't straight up open sores from constantly bearing his weight, especially on the unforgiving cage floor. Lay flexes the joints carefully, verifying full range of motion, no clicking or instability that might point at orthopedic problems. Minseok lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he says there aren't any concerning signs.

"Should he have x-rays, anyway?" Minseok asks. "To make sure? And maybe for his head?"

Baekhyun and Lay exchange glances. "I think it would be really traumatizing to take him to a hospital right now, loud and bright and full of strangers with probing questions," Baekhyun says. "But I trust that Lay would've suggested it, if he had even the slightest suspicion."

"Which I only have right now in the way of all doctors, who never state anything as absolutes because even if we did take x-rays that look clear, that's not a guarantee." Lay looks at him, big eyes sincere. "However, I've found nothing on physical exam so far that I don't honestly think we can handle here just as well as in a clinic. And I swear that a patient's health comes before convenience, so if I do find something, I won't hesitate to call an ambulance for him myself." He grins. "It's not me that'll have to answer the awkward questions, so you can count on my impartiality."

Minseok presses his lips together. There are no guarantees for anything, he accepts that in a general sense. But he'll feel terrible if it turns out Chen has an issue he should've addressed more thoroughly.

He'll also feel terrible if he insists on a hospital, only for them to separate him from Minseok and do who knows what procedures that he, in his current mental state, may find overwhelmingly distressing. He'd promised to protect Chen. Can he let a bunch of strangers poke at him, especially when an actual doctor has already done so (gently) and said there's minimal risk?

"Okay," Minseok says. "I'll trust you."

Lay pats his arm. "Doctor's honor."

Chen's toenails are in much better shape than his fingernails, but Lay guesses that's because he's been chewing them off. His ass and the backs of his thighs have welts overtop of bruises, which Baekhyun seems to find appalling. The one small mercy is that the doctor finds no signs of 'forced entry' beneath Chen's unevenly-stuffed tail.

"I'll collect samples for STI screening anyway," Lay says. "I can also do you, while I'm here, if you haven't been tested recently."

Minseok, sadly, hasn't had a reason to be tested recently, but fair is fair. Not that he's planning to f*ck this poor guy, especially not if he's uncommunicative. A piece of paper with a fingerprint at the bottom is not enough consent for Minseok's comfort, not to mention that Minseok is turned on by a partner's active enthusiasm, which Chen doesn't seem to have for anything at the moment. But he submits to the swab and the needle along with Chen, figuring it's good for him to see that Minseok has nothing to hide in that department.

Lay also draws several vials of blood from Chen to evaluate his vitamin levels and other metabolic concerns, given his improper diet. He's hopeful that there's no permanent damage, but it's best to be sure.

"If he wants to eat like a cat, get some molds and cookie cutters so you can shape human food to look like it's for pets," he suggests.

"Already on it."

Minseok looks over to see that Sehun and Baekhyun have commandeered both Minseok's laptop and his wallet. Minseok winces a little, but Sehun gives him a soft little smile to contrast Baek's mischievous grin.

"Hyungnim said you have to approve of all the shopping cart contents before I push the order button," Sehun says. "But we figured you wouldn't know what to get or where to find it, and it's tedious to set up a bunch of new accounts."

"You figured right." Minseok touches Chen's cheap plastic ear again. "One of those carts has nicer stuff for him to wear than this, I hope."

Sehun shakes his head. "I'm here to help with safety and comfort. His aesthetics are up to him. Or his master—even if he prefers what he has now, his contract says you can re-style him as you like. I can text my kitten friends for their recommendations there if you want, and bookmark some makers for you to check out."

"Oh. Thanks. I'd appreciate it." He looks at Chen, whose downcast eyes are now darting around between reddened human ears. "I mean, if he wants a change. He's very cute with what he's got." He pets Chen's kitty ear again, regretting that he'd shamed the poor guy about one of the only things he's actually chosen—been permitted? To put on his body.

"He is very cute," Lay agrees, "but it's time to remove those ears and tail—don't panic," Lay says to Chen's widened eyes and clenched fists. "It's just for long enough for you and them to get nice and clean. I need to bandage your wounds, but it's not healthy to do so if the surrounding skin is dirty."

"He does need a bath," Minseok agrees.

"But let him keep his ears," Sehun says. "They'll be easy enough to wipe down with a washcloth in the tub. There are cat breeds without tails, right? So he can still feel like a kitty while his tail gets laundered, if he can keep his ears."

Minseok chews his lip. "I'll need you to take them off while I take care of your hair. Fur. But you can still hold them while I do, and put them back on right away once we're done."

"Good plan," Lay says. "While you get him clean, I'll take care of his tail and put together some resources for first-time masters regarding health and maintenance of a 24/7 pet."

Chen allows Minseok to slide the tail, held on by a thin elastic belt, down his body and off. But he's the picture of agitation, curling and uncurling his fingers, jiggling a leg, head twisting in the opposite direction of his rolling eyes.

"You're okay," Minseok says. "You'll get it back soon. Come on, let's go scrub you."

He picks Chen up again, and this time he clings a bit, forearms wrapping around Minseok's biceps. It makes Minseok's stomach flip a little and he has to laugh silently at himself. How lonely has he been, that his body is so happy to interpret panic as affection?

No, he's not that kind of excited. He's just happy that Chen has decided he's worthy of this reflexive expression of trust. He's not trying to get away, not simply tolerating Minseok's handling to avoid another beating. He's seeking comfort, from Minseok, a guy he just met. The fact that Minseok feels smug about that is, unfortunately, a sign that Baekhyun is right.

Unfortunate, because Minseok will now be teased relentlessly. Which will suck. But not enough to reject Chen's decision, fully cognizant or not, to see Minseok as his master. His protector.

"You're okay. Hyung will take care of you," he murmurs as he lowers Chen into the tub.

He's not actually sure if he's older than Chen, but if they're role-playing he's a cat, they can role-play this, too, right? While the idea of being someone's protector is appealing, that specific title is a bit awkward. Chen can add the -nim himself if he wants, like Sehun does with Baekhyun, or not—Minseok doesn't care. Mostly he just hopes Chen will call him something out loud at some point. Or make any verbal noise at all, really.

Lay may think it's completely unremarkable that someone would want to live as someone else's pet all the time, but that doesn't stop Minseok from thinking that a completely non-vocal person—or cat, for that matter—is potentially not at their best. It's one thing if somebody physically can't talk, or if they simply prefer not to. But if the tendency to make noise has been literally beaten out of Chen, as Minseok suspects, he feels it his duty to fix that. Along with a bunch of other things.

Starting with the poor guy's matted hair.

"Kitties may not often like to get wet, but they usually keep themselves nice and clean," Minseok says as the tub fills with a shallow layer of nice warm water. "I want you to be clean, too. We'll take it easy while you're recovering, because your bandages will need to stay dry, but regular baths or showers will be part of your future."

He slides the cat-ear headband back and down until it's resting across the nape of Chen's neck. "This is okay, right?" he asks. "I think most kitties would fold their ears back if they had to sit in a tub of water."

Chen's fists, held distastefully (or maybe painfully?) up out of the water, are still clenching and unclenching a bit. But the tension across his shoulders seems to ease a little.

"Yeah, you're okay," Minseok tells him. "It'll feel good to be clean again, right? And get all these mats out."

Minseok uses the hand sprayer to carefully wet Chen's hair, avoiding his face and human ears. It takes three rounds of shampoo lathering and rinsing before Minseok's satisfied he's clean down to the scalp. Then he works conditioner into the mats as best he can. Letting it sit to soak in further, he turns his attention to Chen's skin.

He squeezes some moisturizing bodywash onto a soft cloth. Anything exfoliating will have to wait until all Chen's wounds are healed. He gently tilts Chen's chin up and carefully washes his face, wondering if he'd tolerate more direct treatment for troubled skin. He's a handsome guy, gorgeous chiseled cheekbones and angled jaw softened by long, thick lashes and a rather cat-like mouth with lips that curl up on the ends, even when he seems far from smiling. But his skin has suffered from the lack of hygiene, and as somebody a bit obsessed with his own skincare, Minseok itches to fix it.

There are certainly more important concerns to address first. Minseok winces as he runs the soapy cloth over Chen’s back, avoiding putting direct pressure over any broken skin. Still, Chen flinches or twitches as Minseok's hands move over his many bruises.

"Maybe it's for the best I don't know how much of this you did or didn't actually enjoy," he says. "Punching Siwon the next time I see him would not go well for me."

When all the grime is gone from his back, shoulders, and arms, Minseok wipes down the plastic cat ears without fully removing them from Chen's neck. He rinses and re-soaps the cloth before offering it to Chen. "You wanna do your legs and front yourself?"

No response. Minseok sighs. He's been doing his best to see Chen as someone who needs help, not as an attractive naked man apparently willing for Minseok to put his hands anywhere he likes. Medical necessity, nothing sexy, he chants in his head as he washes Chen's pecs and slightly-visible abs. He doesn't seem dangerously thin, appearing to have reasonable muscle mass but very little body fat. That tiny waist, though. Minseok needs to ask Lay if Chen is underweight.

Washing Chen's lower legs isn't too hard, though he hisses and tsks his way through cleaning around the open wounds on Chen's knees. Chen doesn't seem to flinch any more here than he does when touched anywhere else, but they must hurt, must sting despite Minseok's best efforts not to get soap in them. Lay had scrubbed them with disinfectant already, Minseok just needs to clean the grime from the surrounding skin so they don't get re-contaminated. At one point he resorts to cotton swabs, but eventually, they're clean (if a bit redder and puffier than they had been).

Finally Minseok runs out of 'safe' territory. He starts in on Chen's thighs, but freezes when Chen spreads his legs. Is he being helpful, letting Minseok reach what he needs to scrub? Or is this a conditioned response to what he sees as a demand for sexual access?

"I'm just washing you," Minseok says, getting on with things as impersonally as possible. "You're okay. You're safe. Nobody is gonna demand or even expect anything sexual from you, okay? I know we both got tested just now, but that's mostly to know if any treatment is needed or if precautions should be taken to safely live together, sharing utensils and bathroom stuff and so on. It's not because I see you as a f*cktoy."

It's hard to tell if Chen's bowed head and red ears are due to Minseok's words or his actions, but either way, he feels obligated to keep talking as he scrubs. "I mean, not that you’re unattractive. I do find you very cute, with or without kitty ears. But dude, I never expected to end up with this kind of kitten. Baek’s right, I do like taking care of people, though, so I’m not saying I’m unhappy to have you. But this is all new to me. And I like to take things slow. We don’t know each other yet, or how our personalities will match or anything. Maybe we’ll end up as close friends, maybe something else. I’m not saying sex is never possible, but. It’s definitely not a requirement." Minseok withdraws the washcloth, relieved to have Chen’s body thoroughly clean. "I’ll take care of you, and be your protective hyung either way. Okay?"

He watches Chen closely, having learned not to expect more than the most subtle of responses. Ears still crimson, Chen shifts a little, closing his legs and resting his balled fists in his lap. His head bounces a bit as he does so—was that a nod? Either way, he’s clearly not offering anything sexual at the moment. Minseok will have to hope that means his words were understood.

"You’re okay," he says again, reaching for the comb. "Untangling your hair is probably gonna hurt a little, but I’ll do my best to be gentle."

It takes a while to work through the mats, long enough that Lay pokes his head in to see what they’re up to. But he only nods when he sees what Minseok’s doing, coming in to sit on the lid of the toilet and scroll through his phone as he goes over stuff with Minseok.

"Baek gave me your number, so I’ve texted links to all this stuff to you," he says as Minseok finally starts rinsing Chen’s tangle-free hair. "Which means you’ve got my number, now, too—don’t hesitate to use it if you have any questions. I’ll send the test results that way, too, if that works for you."

"It does. Thanks. For that, and for coming out here on short notice." Minseok bites a lip. "What do I owe you?"

"There are some lab fees for the various tests, but the exam and advice are free. The pet-play community is pretty small, so I’m really happy to help get the two of you set up safely." Lay smiles, showing off his dimples. "There are get-togethers several times a year, some just for masters, some just for pets, some for both, sometimes in combination with other types of kink. Some events permit and encourage sexual activities, some are strictly ‘safe for work.’ Having a master/pet style relationship doesn’t mean you have to come to any of these, of course, but consider yourself officially invited, if you’re interested."

Minseok shrugs, no room in his brain at the moment to decide if any of that might appeal to him, or to Chen. "It’s all rather overwhelming at the moment, but sure, text me about those, too."

"Will do." Lay salutes by putting his fingers to one of his horns. "I’ll go finish getting his bandages ready."

He slips out of the bathroom, and Minseok hauls Chen out of the tub to take his place on the toilet lid. He wraps him in a towel, rubbing a smaller one over his head to get most of the water out.

"We can blow dry it nice and fluffy in a little bit, if you want," he says as he slips the kitty ears back into place on top of Chen’s head. "But let’s not keep the nice doctor waiting any longer."

His living room has once again been transformed since the last time he’d seen it. The awful cage is nowhere to be seen, replaced by a blanket fort. It’s framed by three of Minseok’s dining chairs, with the sheets from the guest bed draped over them. The comforter from the guest bed is folded up beneath, forming a thick pad over the hard floor.

"I know you hate when your tidy furniture is disturbed," Baek says to Minseok’s lifted brow, "but you looked like you hated that cage even more."

"I did," Minseok says as he sets Chen back on the towel-covered table.

"If he’s used to a cage, he’ll be anxious if he’s completely exposed," Sehun says. "So until you get him something else, this will give him a safe-feeling bed."

"He’s supposed to sleep there?" Minseok frowns. "Why not just in the guest bedroom as it was?"

"He’ll want to stay where he can see you, but if you bring him into your bedroom, he’s going to expect something other than sleeping. This way, he can look down the hallway and see into your room, and also see the sofa and the table and the kitchen. You can get used to each other comfortably this way. Well, comfortably for Chen, at least." Sehun gestures toward the back of the blanket tent. "His litter box is around there, so he can have some privacy when he needs to use it. But a lot of kitties, both two- and four-legged, learn to use the human potty. There are videos on the internet for how to train that sort of thing."

"Oh, yes, let’s definitely train that sort of thing," Minseok says. He has the feeling that his internet search history is about to become quite a bit more… interesting, with all the stuff he’ll need to research.

Lay has all the bandage materials laid out neatly. There are a lot of them, making Minseok wince as he unwraps the towel from Chen. "A little more possibly-painful touching, Chenny," he murmurs. "Endure a little longer."

"Look at you, gone for him already," Baekhyun coos from beside him. "You’re gonna let Sehun spend your whole paycheck on kitten stuff."

"Probably," Minseok admits. He turns to where Sehun is still sprawled on his sofa with his laptop. "I still want you to show me whatever it is, though, and explain what I’m supposed to do with it when it gets here."

"Most of it is obvious," Sehun says. "But there are color or style choices you might have opinions about, for some things."

Minseok sighs a little, rubbing Chen’s plastic ear. "I wish I knew what colors and styles you’d like, Chenny-cat."

"You wouldn’t know if he were a traditional cat," Sehun points out. "And most of what you need immediately is pretty basic. The more personal stuff, you can save to order later."

"Bring it over and show him while Lay turns his pet into an adorable mummy," Baekhyun says.

Minseok winces at the thought, but it’s not far from the truth. Lay’s putting large sticking plasters over the ointment-coated wounds along Chen’s back at the moment. He’s got tiny ones for his hands and feet, and lengths of gauze and sterile padding for, presumably, his knees, wrists, and throat.

"My poor kitten," he murmurs. "You’re okay, though. You’re gonna be just fine."

"He will, especially once you’re set up properly." Sehun sets the laptop on the table where Minseok (and Chen) can see it, but out of the doctor’s way. "First, kneepads. Doctor's orders, if he's going to crawl."

"Oh, of course," Minseok agrees.

"These ones are extra cushy, with a hard layer near the outside that won't scratch your floors. They only come in white or black, but there are cuter ones you can pick from once he heals."

"Black for now," Minseok says. It’ll match the rest of Chen’s stuff.

"Similarly, hand and foot paw socks, with non-skid ‘beans’ on the underside. These come in a ton of styles and colors, but for now—"

"White," Minseok says. The socks Chen had over his hands had been white, once. Maybe he was going for a tuxedo-cat look, maybe that’s just what his captors—Minseok can’t think of them as owners—had tossed at him. Until he knows, he doesn’t want to change too much.

"Pink beans?"

"Sure."

Sehun clicks away. "Kitty bed—if they kept him in a cage, they weren’t letting him on the sofa, and I know you’re not letting him just sit on the hard floor. This one seems to match your color scheme in here, and has plenty of orthopedic foam."

Minseok squints at the screen. Suitable for giant breeds up to 80 kg, it says.

"Isn’t that for—"

"Typical pets?" Sehun says. "Yes. But if a kitten sleeps on it, it’s a kitten bed, end of story."

Minseok snorts. "Sure, the neutral-tone one. It’ll look nice in the blanket fort."

"Speaking of: kitty security tents. You could just get him a giant cardboard box, but these are cuter."

The page Sehun shows him says Children’s pop-up play tents at the top, but Minseok has learned not to question the intended use. Sehun scrolls down the page, displaying the various fanciful options. He smiles when Minseok, still with one hand on Chen’s ear, tells him to stop.

"It’s gray and neutral colors, to match the living room," Minseok says.

"Sure," Sehun says, smile spreading. "But also you want Chen’s stuff to be fit for a prince."

Minseok scowls as Sehun adds the castle-shaped play tent to the cart. "Baek, I think your boyfriend might be a brat."

"He very much is," Baekhyun says, smiling wide. "It’s why he gets his ass paddled on the regular."

Minseok lifts a brow. "Does that really help?"

"On the contrary. I’m quite sure he likes it."

"So… you’re rewarding him, then? You’re training him to be more of a brat?"

Baekhyun laughs. "I guess I am. But that’s what keeps things interesting. If I wanted something that obeyed my every command, I’d get a robot."

Brat or not, the rest of Sehun’s suggestions are just as practical and insightful. Minseok ends up ordering a nubbly silicone-bristled grooming brush that will feel nice over scalp or skin, and a pair of bath mitts with soft microfiber on one side, exfoliating loofa on the other, so Chen can have paws in the tub that will help him scrub himself. He also gets various seafood-themed molds and cutters, along with wide, shallow pet dishes so Chen can more easily and tidily eat without using utensils. Minseok is subjected to more teasing when he rejects the goofy, paw-print patterned style in favor of a more elegant, faceted ceramic set, glazed in a subtly iridescent warm gray with metallic gold trim.

"I like neutral colors for decor," Minseok justifies. "And these will be sitting out for him all the time. They should coordinate with the rest of my stuff."

"And you've already committed to the castle theme, so how can you put cartoonish dishes in front of it?" Baekhyun says, nose held mockingly high. "It'd be way too tacky for royalty."

Minseok rolls his eyes. Disrespectful punks, both of them. "What about a collar?" he asks as Lay winds on the final bandage, covering the layer of soothing cream over the welts around Chen’s neck.

"Not for a while, I’m afraid," Lay says. "Perhaps two or three weeks. Even after the bandage comes off, I don't want anything rubbing on the healing skin."

Sehun shakes his head. "No collar can make us indoor pet-types feel like strays, and especially if he already feels unsettled by the change in owner, that seems a bit cruel." He holds up the metal pet tag, and the D-ring it had once hung from, now separated from the awful collar. "Can you just loop the bandage through this? Or hang it from a pin or something, clipped to his shirt collar?"

"I scrubbed the back of it with your pot scourer," Baekhyun says, pointing out the now-slur-free surface. "It’s not the prettiest job, but I figured you’d get him a new tag soon, anyway, with your info on the back."

"Speaking of info," Minseok says, "Shouldn’t I know his? Like, his surname, age, that sort of thing?"

"His ID card is paperclipped to the back of that contract. His surname is the same as yours, and his birthday was last week—he’s two and a half years younger than you. His legal name isn’t Chen, but I’d highly advise against calling him by it, at least not while he’s in full kitty mode."

"Then I won’t even look to see what it is yet," Minseok decides. "I don’t want to upset him." It’s enough that he has the info, in case of emergency. I don’t know who this guy is, really, but he lives in my house and he cut himself after knocking a glass off the end of the table is likely not going to fly unquestioned if he has to take the guy for treatment somewhere.

"All patched up," Lay announces, stepping away from Chen.

He looks so adorably pitiable, sitting there nude on Minseok’s table but for black kitty ears and a whole pharmacy’s worth of bandages, holding his hands out of his own line of sight. It makes Minseok’s heart squeeze, with how difficult this all must be for him. In some ways, he must’ve been more comfortable with untreated wounds in that awful cage.

"Here." Baekhyun holds out a pile of folded yellow cloth. "Sehun and I took the liberty of raiding your closet while your pet was in the bath."

Minseok smiles as he takes the clothes. "Thanks, I guess? Though I shudder to think about the current state of my formerly-tidy shelves and drawers."

"You like organizing things, you’ll have fun fixing it," Baek dismisses.

Minseok unfolds a velour hoodie and a pair of matching high-cut track shorts, parts of a branded athleisure set. "Why no long pants? It’s getting cold these days."

"Because if your sweet pet is used to wearing nothing, he’s probably not going to be used to fabric binding around his legs, especially if he’s on his knees, which, for the moment, will also need to have their bandages inspected frequently. This just seemed easier, since I know you won’t let him sit around your nice sanitary home bare-assed."

"Correct," Minseok says. "Wild kitties may not wear clothes, but mine will at least wear enough to be hygienic."

"But wild kitties have fur, so it’s fair for your pet to wear artificial fur." Sehun pets the velour of the hoodie. "Just like he wears pointy ears because he wasn’t born with those, either."

Chen, who’d been subtly shrinking away from the clothes in Minseok’s hands, freezes completely still. He glances very briefly at Minseok, then locks his eyes on the soft, fuzzy fabric. Slowly, Minseok holds it out to him. "Would you like having some nice warm fur? At least in the winter?"

"The sleeves are really long for a guy your size," Sehun says. "Long enough to swallow up your paws, without putting any pressure on your wrists. Since the doctor says you can’t safely wear sock paws for now, I thought sweater paws might be an acceptable alternative."

"Well, now I feel like I should take back what I said about your boy being a brat," Minseok chuckles. "That’s awfully thoughtful of you, Sehun."

"He’s a thoughtful brat," Baekhyun says. "He’s complicated like that."

"It’s not complicated," Sehun laughs. "I’m a brat, not an asshole. I only dish it out to people who can take it. Everyone else, I try to look out for, especially from one pet to another. I know what it’s like to feel naked sometimes, and it has nothing to do with whether or not I’m wearing any clothes."

He tugs down the collar of his T-shirt to expose a heart-shaped tattoo just below the hollow of his throat, with the name "Vivi" across it in double-struck script. "The guys at the gym think it’s the name of an ex, and they can tease me about ill-advised ink all they like." He lets go of his shirt to reach into his pocket, pulling out a small bone-shaped plush that squeaks when he squeezes it. "I’ve found little ways to feel like myself, even when I look—and sound—like everybody else."

"You’re always my big bratty pup," Baekhyun coos, reaching to scratch behind one of Sehun’s ears.

Minseok rolls his eyes at their gooey expressions. "Come on, Chenny-cat. Let’s get your fur on, hmm?"

Chen’s expression is completely blank, but he lets Minseok manipulate his limbs, careful not to disturb the bandages, and slide the shorts and hoodie onto him. The sleeves do indeed come down far enough to cover his hands, which immediately seems to soften the set of Chen’s shoulders. And when Lay presents the freshly laundered tail, his spine even straightens a bit.

"So cute," Minseok says once his tail is back in place, the elastic belt low around his hips. Chen looks completely different from the apprehensive guy Minseok had found naked in a cage just a few hours ago. He still looks wary, and battered, and in need of ongoing care. But now he also looks soft and clean and a bit sleepy. He can’t help but smile as he scoops Chen up one last time, to set him on the folded comforter.

As soon as his ass hits the padded surface, Chen’s eyes go wide. He pats at the comforter with his sweaterpaws, then his spine seems to shrink. He scoots over, and over again, the most voluntary movement Minseok’s seen him make since he coaxed him to crawl from the cage. He keeps scooting until he’s about to end up on the hard floor again, and Minseok realizes that’s his goal.

"You’re okay," he says, resting a hand on Chen’s kitty ear. "You’re just fine. You’re allowed to be on this bed. It’s for you. For kitties. It doesn’t count as human furniture just because it’s soft."

He pats the comforter in the middle. "Lie down. I don't want you putting weight on those knees as much as possible."

Slowly, Chen sidles over, then slumps down, resting his weight on one hip. He lowers himself so his shoulder is on the comforter, too, but his head is up, eyes watchful.

"Good kitty," Minseok says, patting his ear one more time before standing up and turning to the trio that had come to his rescue. "Thanks so much for coming to help me. I owe all of you a meal, at the very least." He rubs the back of his neck. "I still don't know exactly what I'm gonna do with this guy, but. I feel better equipped to figure it out."

"You will." Lay smiles. "You've already passed the 'cares about hygiene, health, and safety' standard, so whether the two of you decide this is actually a dynamic you want with each other or not, I'm not worried about your prospects, either of you."

Minseok smiles, glad for the vote of confidence, as basic as it is. But after he's escorted his saviors out the door and on their way, all his doubts return.

What is he doing? This isn't his scene. If he's thought about having a partner at all, it's been in a vague, gee-it-would-be-nice sort of way. Companionship. Regular sex. Having someone to worry about, who'd worry about him in turn.

Well, he definitely has the 'someone to worry about' part.

He turns back to his new… flatmate, he guesses. For now, at least. What a thing, to be brought to a total stranger's home to be shut in a cage for them, with the expectation they'll f*ck you. The whole situation is beyond Minseok. Does Siwon see Minseok as someone who'd like having a human pet to beat and f*ck?

Maybe not. Maybe Minseok doesn't have to cringe at his 'high roller' persona. Siwon had said his kid wasn't taking care of his kitten properly. So that means Siwon at least knew that Chen's current living conditions weren't okay. He'd shipped him off to Minseok, because presumably, he would provide better. Maybe the whole thing—the short stack, the marker, the sh*t hand—were all an excuse to get Chen out of there.

Okay, but there were other ways to rescue Chen if that were Siwon's aim. It's still very unsettling, that anyone would bet another human being.

Minseok sighs. He may never truly understand. But his job now is to adjust.

Starting with figuring out how to mesh his busy life with someone who, at the moment at least, seems to depend on him completely.

Chen has pushed himself up more, apparently so he can watch Minseok move around the flat more easily. But he drops his shoulder to the pad when Minseok approaches. He presses himself into it, eyes wide and wary.

"You're okay," Minseok says as he crouches beside Chen. "I'm really not going to hurt you. Even if I wanted to, I don't know how to do it safely, so I won't do it at all." He pats Chen's kitty ear. "I have a lot of learning to do about all this, so I hope you'll forgive me if I screw something up. And for having to leave you alone—my assistant is going to need an oxygen mask as it is, I'm so late for work." He tilts his head, scanning Chen and his little setup for anything that might be missing. Bedding comfy, hair mostly dry, bandages in place, dressed. Water dish, full. Food dish, empty?

Right. Because he can't eat any more animal food, at least not as his main diet. But Minseok doesn't have any pet-like people food on hand, except some salty rice-puff snacks he keeps around since they go well with beer. He frowns at them—one reason he likes them is that they're mostly air, not too filling. They're not very nutritious, but at least they're made for humans, and they do look a lot like kibble.

He dumps a bunch of them in Chen's bowl and looks at his watch—half the day is gone already. But he won't let Sooyoung guilt him into overtime. He'll only be gone for a few hours.

"I've got to go," Minseok says, "but I'll be back by six, and I'll bring food home with me. Better food for kitties like you. Okay?"

Chen only blinks at him. Well. What did Minseok expect?

"Right," he says. "Be safe while I'm gone."

He's a grown man, he reminds himself as he shuts the apartment door behind himself. In kitty mode or not, Chen will be fine alone for a little while. Minseok took good care of him, made sure he had the necessities. He doesn't have to fret.

He frets a little, anyway.

His assistant goes beyond, covering for his lapses in concentration with reminders and info sheets. But she clicks her tongue when she catches him perusing a shopping site between his afternoon meetings.

"Nanny cams?" she asks. "Does whatever happened to you this morning mean I'll end up talking to the police?"

Minseok snorts. "I sure hope not." He adds three of the kitten-plush housed option to his cart, ticking the box for overnight delivery and declining the 'special offer' of night vision upgrade and extra storage media.

"Well, just in case, maybe order your stalking toys from home, so I can say, 'He was such a nice man. I had no idea he was such a creep.'"

Minseok laughs. "I'm not going to be recording anyone without their permission. But even if I were doing something illegal, I'd never involve you."

"That's what they all say," Sooyoung huffs, but she's smiling as she sets the big tablet down on his desk, next client's file already pulled up and laid out on the screen for his easy review. "Make sure to congratulate Mr. Ko on the birth of his third grandchild," she tells him. "Keep him smiling and he may forgive the sudden schedule changes."

"Will do."

Minseok does manage to distract the fresh grandfather, cooing over photos the man displays on his phone. The meeting concludes with a push-back of the KoLabs deadline to 'let grandpa put his family first' that has Sooyoung giving Minseok wide, blinking eyes and a proud smile.

"Well, that bought us some breathing room," she says after Mr. Ko has left. "Still, in the future, please keep your photography hobbies to outside of normal business hours."

Minseok smiles. "I do try to keep my private life private."

"Which I appreciate. My husband's boss makes him choose birthday and anniversary gifts for his wife and both his mistresses, plus placation gifts when they find out he hasn't stopped seeing the other two."

Minseok grimaces. "I'll pick out my own gifts for people I'm involved with," he assures her.

Her eyes go wide. "Oh man, is that what the cameras were about?" She immediately closes her eyes and holds up a hand. "Nope, nope, don't wanna know. See you tomorrow, bright and early!"

"I'll do my best," Minseok promises.

On the train ride home, he keeps buying gifts for the guy he's suddenly become involved with: more velour track suits from his favorite brand, in several colors. The guy is going to crawl around in them, so is it really necessary that they be designer or expensive? No. Except it is, because Minseok can't get the back of the poor guy's collar tag out of his head.

He orders another one of those, too, a pink heart with rhinestones in the shape of a paw print decorating one 'lobe.' He puts Chen's name in a cutesy font where the serifs are little ears, like cats are peeking up from the edges of the characters. His own information goes on the back, after Under the Protection of Kim Minseok. It's a bit early to claim any sort of affection between them, to assume or even hope there eventually will be. But protection is something everyone has a right to, and something Minseok is happy to promise anyone living under his roof.

Maybe Chen is into being called names and belittled. Maybe he gets satisfaction from being left naked in a cage. But until Minseok knows that, until Chen tells him, or otherwise directly communicates his preferences to Minseok, specifically, about how he'd like his new 'master' to treat him, Minseok can't offer him less than the best. What he'd wear or eat himself, if in a slightly different form.

He stops at the market near the train station before heading home. He's not much of a cook, but he can manage tuna kimbap. He grabs a soft gray sweatsuit and a pair of simple canvas sneakers from the upper floor before he gets what he needs for their dinners. After brief consideration, he adds a few snacks and a bottle of nice soju. He's definitely earned it, after the stress of the day. The hygiene aisle results in a jar of solid toothpaste cubes, which Minseok had always sneered at as inferior to proper brushing but which he's more likely to convince a ‘cat’ to use, at least for now. He's forgotten his eco bags, but there's one with soft blue kitty faces on it for sale near the checkout, so he adds it to his bill.

He also stops to pick up a simple smartphone, the kind marketed to senior citizens or young children, with a rubberized, drop-resistant case and the operating system set to display big icons that will dial pre-programmed numbers. He pulls a handful of cash from an ATM. Then he goes home, heart already tripping at what he may find when he gets there.

"Chenny?" Minseok closes the door with his hip, kicks his shoes off, then heads for the dining table to set down all his bags.

Chen is on his makeshift bed, exactly where Minseok had left him. Minseok might think he hadn't moved at all, except that he can smell the sickly-lilac scent of the cat litter, the snacks are gone, and the water dish is almost empty. Chen has his eyes slit open against the light Minseok had turned on, giving a very cat-like impression of disturbed sleep.

"Sorry," Minseok says. "Go back to sleep if you want. I'll have food for you in a bit."

He pets Chen's kitty ear briefly. His eyes look a bit red and puffy, which makes Minseok's heart squeeze. Has he been crying? Does he hate it here?

Well. Minseok will make sure he knows he doesn't have to stay.

He rinses and refills the water dish before attending to the litter box. He tries very hard not to think too much about what exactly he's doing, going so far as to practice his responses for the charity luncheon on Wednesday. Yes, of course everyone at Shin2 Financial completely supports the right of women to feel safe in their own homes. The higher-ups only send me to these luncheons because I look the cutest in press photos. He even practices his charming, cheek-bunching smile, glad there are not yet any cameras in his home to catch him grinning madly at sandy human waste.

Once his home is sanitary once again, Minseok washes his hands very, very thoroughly. Probably more thoroughly than strictly needed, but he has to do it for his peace of mind. Then he can unwrap the food and prepare it safely.

Minseok does his best with the kimbap. Once it's cut, he pinches a pair of 'fins' into opposite sides of eight slices, then cuts the remaining two slices into quarters so he can give each of the 'fish' a triangle tail. It comes out kinda cute, if a bit sloppy, so he snaps a photo before setting the plate in front of Jongdae.

"Fish dinner, for my Chenny-cat."

Chen doesn't so much as blink, though the angle of his long dark lashes shows he's looking at the plate.

"Sorry it's not in a proper kitty dish," Minseok says, "but the ones you have are too deep and narrow to eat this from. Your new stuff should be here soon, so please forgive me until then."

He holds out a quartet of the gummy vitamins he'd also grabbed at the market. Two are a general multivitamin supplement for adult men, and two are an immune-support supplement with lots of vitamin C. Hopefully they'll help his wounds heal well. “These first. Sorry they're not a kitty flavor, but they're doctor’s orders, so let's cooperate.”

Chen sniffs at the vitamins, but lets Minseok poke them into his mouth without protest. Minseok watches carefully to make sure he chews and swallows, smiling when they safely disappear.

He pets Chen's kitty ear again, then returns to the kitchen to make his own dinner. Second roll of kimbap sliced onto his own plate, Minseok grabs the soju and a glass before taking a seat at the table, angled toward Chen.

He hasn't eaten any of his 'fish' yet, but he withdraws his head from the plate as he notices Minseok's gaze. He's clearly interested in it. Sniffing it, maybe. Minseok hadn't seasoned Chen's tuna beyond a bit of salt, since one of the sheets he'd gotten from Lay had warned against giving someone with a 'strictly controlled diet' too much, too soon. Minseok definitely doesn't want to be cleaning up puke in addition to his other duties.

Toilet training is the first thing on his list.

His phone buzzes. A text from Baek.

hunie wants to know if your new pet is doing okay.

Minseok glances up. Chen hunkers back at his movement, but one of the fish 'tails' has disappeared. Minseok averts his gaze again, turning his chair a bit away from his timid kitten.

Honestly I have no clue, Minseok types. I think he cried while I was gone. But he's eating his dinner.

[Attached image]

Slowly, and secretly, like he thinks I'll jump on him if I see him take a bite. But he is eating it. So. Okay, I guess? Physically, at least.

The image gets a heart-eyes emoji reaction. Then more text comes through.

some people like to test their pets, offering them things that are usually off-limits, to see if the pet will obey their training or give in to temptation. you're changing the rules—in this case, it's a must, for his health. but it's still a lot to accept in a short period of time.

Yeah, Minseok types back. I just wish he'd react to me in some way, so I could better guess what he's thinking and feeling besides the obvious worried and overwhelmed. Like what if he cried all day because I took away his cage? What if he hates me for being too nice to him?

he doesn't nod? shake his head?

Nope. Maybe if I specifically ask him to?

There's no immediate reply. Minseok chews on his kimbap, wondering how damaging it would really be to insist on at least a few human behaviors. For sanitation and communication. Or would that just bring even more tears, that he'd been left with some guy that wouldn't even let him live out the contract he'd (presumably) willingly signed?

His phone buzzes again. There's a URL, followed by from sehun.

Minseok taps it. He's redirected to a video featuring an already-vocal cat supplementing his meowed demands by pressing at a set of buttons lined up on the floor. The buttons each seem to play a single word, presumably recorded by the owner.

"No treat yet," says the human in the video.

"Mad. Treat. Now," answers the cat via the buttons, punctuated by authoritative meows.

Minseok snorts. The guy must've trained this little routine, right? Sure, press a button that says treat and get a treat, that's Pavlov stuff. But how did the owner teach the cat what the word 'mad' means, really?

But Minseok's new kitty presumably knows what words mean already. And pressing buttons to talk is a thing that real cats do, apparently. The algorithm of the video site offers Minseok many more examples of kitty button pressing. It wouldn't be breaking the contract to do it, not like nodding or shaking a head.

I think I love your boyfriend, Minseok types.

we're still down for a threesome😉

Sorry, you'll have to ask my kitten. Once his new buttons are delivered.

This gets a string of laughing cat emojis.

After his kimbap is gone, but well before the soju is, Minseok grabs the rest of his purchases and sits in front of Chen. He smiles to see that all the fish 'tails' have disappeared, along with two of the fish bodies.

"Good job, Chenny," he praises, tapping at the plate. "Must be weird, after just kibble for so long. Thanks for being so brave."

Chen, as usual, regards him warily.

Minseok sighs.

"Okay, look. We're gonna work on some two-way communication in a few days, but I want you to understand this right away." He unpacks the kitty-face tote, laying everything out in front of Chen. The sweatsuit. The sneakers. Chen's legal ID, unclipped from the contract. The cash—more than enough for a taxi ride to anywhere in Seoul. The smartphone. He holds it up, tapping at the screen several times in a row to wake it up, making sure that Chen is watching.

"Just pat this with your paw to use it," he instructs, letting the screen go dark so he can demonstrate again.

Then he points to the first of the six oversized icons dominating the home screen. It has a photo of his smiling face on it. "Me. Tap this to call my phone, any time, whether I'm here or out of the house. I've set this to highest priority, so it'll get through even if I have other alerts turned off. You don't even have to say anything—if I get a call from you, I will drop everything and come as quick as I can. Do you understand?"

Chen only stares. Minseok decides to take it as a yes.

"These you'll have to talk to if you call," he says. He points at the second icon, with a cartoon yellow car on it. "Taxi. A reputable service that'll take you wherever you need to go." The next icon is green with a white plus sign. "Ambulance." Next icon is a fireplug, and the one after that is a police badge. "Firemen and police," Minseok says, in case it's not obvious.

The last button is a picture of Baekhyun and Sehun, the latter wearing leather puppy ears. "Baekhyun, my best friend, and Sehun, his pup. You met them earlier. They know way more about being or training a pet than I do, so if I f*ck something up and you're too nervous to tell me, you can tell them instead. I won't be mad. This button will call Sehun’s phone, but everything he does with it is relayed to his master, so I put them both on here. If you hold the button down instead of just tapping it, it'll ask if you want to send a text message, in case you don't wanna talk. Send words, send a string of emojis, anything. If they can't understand what you need, they'll probably also come here as soon as they can."

Minseok studies Chen's face for signs of comprehension. "This is all yours," Minseok says. "A gift, to the human part of you as well as the kitten. You can take it whenever you want, leave whenever you want, and while I'll probably call to make sure you're okay, if you ask me to leave you alone forever, I will."

He rests a hand on Chen’s kitty ear. "I need both of us to know that you are here, wearing this, eating this, being trained, protected, all of it, because you choose to be. You may have decided to give a master control over you, but you still have all the power. You can stand up, get dressed, grab this cash, and get gone whenever you want. You can call for help if you need it. Or just text a fellow pet, to say hi or ask questions or whatever. Okay?"

No response. But Chen's eyes seem redder than usual. Minseok pats at his ear again.

"This isn't because I want to get rid of you, though," he says. "I ordered a new collar tag for you, too. It has my name and info on it. You could just show it to a taxi driver, or a cop, or whoever, if you end up alone outside. Oh, and I wrote my door code on the back of the phone case." He flips the smartphone over to display the silver sharpie against the dark blue plastic. "I want you to be able to leave if you need to, for whatever reason. But I also want you to be able to come back to me. I like having you here, but only if I'm sure you're here because you want to be. Okay?"

Chen's face doesn't move, but he emits the tiniest little squeak.

Minseok smiles wide. "You're okay," he says. "It's gonna be a lot to get used to, for both of us, I'm sure. But we'll try it together, right?" Minseok nods himself in the face of Chen’s stillness. "Yeah. You're okay. It'll be just fine."

He packs everything away into the blue kitty tote, which also has the charger for the phone. He tucks the whole bag near one of the chair 'supports' that hold up the blanket cave. "Yours," he says again.

Then he pulls out a bag of the snacks he'd gotten. The seafood flavored crackers are called Whale Food, because they're shaped like various sea creatures, crabs and fish and starfish and lobsters. But those also work as kitty shapes, Minseok hopes.

He also pulls out his own phone, pressing play on the queued-up video before pointing the screen at Jongdae. "Do you want to try this?" he asks.

It's a video of a cat perched on the rim of a toilet, using it as a human would. It even paws down the flusher at the end.

"Mine has a few more buttons for your paws to figure out," Minseok says. "Which is good, since I doubt you're flexible enough to rim yourself. Not that I'd want you to have to. For that reason, anyway." Minseok smiles.

Chen blinks at the video. His gaze darts to Minseok, then back to the screen as the video loops.

"Think you can do it? I bet you can. You're a smart kitty. And it'll earn you plenty of treats." Minseok shakes the Whale Food bag.

Chen's eyes dart to it.

"Yep, yummy crunchy kitty treats." Minseok sets the phone aside so he can open the bag, presenting Chen with a lobster cracker.

Chen leans forward a little, eyes flicking up to Minseok's face as he sniffs at it.

"First one's free," Minseok says, holding the treat in his open palm. "You won't do tricks for me if you don't like the treats, so let's see if you do. Go on, take it."

Slowly, Chen leans in. His shoulders are twisted away, a painful-looking flinch. His lips are a bit rough against Minseok's skin as he takes the cracker. Minseok will have to get him some balm.

Chen chews slowly. His brows twitch a little—would they have risen, if he weren't such a master of that empty expression?

"You like it? Gotta be honest, 'cause it'll be much harder to train you if you're not excited about the reward."

Minseok offers another cracker. "If you like them, have this one, too. If not, I'll bring home something else tomorrow."

Chen leans in a little less slowly this time. The brush of his lips against Minseok's palm gives him a little chill.

Don't be like that, he lectures even as he smiles at Chen's compliance.

"Good kitty," Minseok says. "Come on. Let me carry you this time, since we're trying to give your poor knees a break. But you have permission to go to the bathroom whenever you need to, okay, Chenny?"

Chen, of course, says nothing, but he lets Minseok scoop him up without protest or resistance. He doesn't cling this time, but Minseok decides to view it as him being more relaxed than before. He's not nude, and he has all his accessories in place. He doesn't feel as vulnerable.

Minseok sets him down in front of the toilet, sliding the bathroom slippers on his bare feet. Then he follows a set of instructions he'd found on the internet for pet-play toilet training—luring Chen into pawing at the waistband of his shorts until he gets the idea to push them down, coaxing him into position over the toilet, then running the water in the sink to trigger him to pee.

Stop thinking about it as watching a guy piss on command for you, and think of how nice it will be to be done with that litter box, Minseok keeps reminding himself. Chen manages to produce a little urine, for which Minseok hand feeds him half a dozen treats, along with effusive praise. Then it's getting him to paw at the bidet buttons, then the flusher, then pulling his shorts back up.

Minseok frowns at the sink. Handwashing is important. But Chen didn't actually use his hands—sweaterpaws—at any point, except to manipulate his clothing. The fabric over his hands would also get soaked if Minseok tried to coax him to wash. So he skips that step for now, wrong as it feels.

So there's a lot of good kittys and hand-fed crackers before Minseok carries Chen back to his makeshift den.

"Now," he says, "before you think I'm a total marshmallow as a master, here's the deal: I have to go to work in the mornings. If I have time, I'll make you food shaped cutely for kitties, but if I don't have time, it'll just be food that's nutritionally complete but shaped like whatever it comes as. And the deciding factor as to whether I have time, will be if I have to empty that litter box or not. Understand? Use the human potty, get pretty kitty food. Use the litter box, get whatever I can throw together for you. You won't starve either way, but I think we'd both prefer if I had time to feed you nice, right?"

Chen only watches him with ever-moving eyes, as usual.

Minseok smiles, petting his kitty ear. They're getting used to each other still. Every day will be a little easier, a little more comfortable.

The next morning, Minseok is only a little late for work. Chen had done his part by leaving the litter box clean, but Minseok had forgotten to account for his own less-than-rapid skills in the kitchen, especially when trying to make things pretty. He leaves Chen a meal of rolled egg slices arranged around kimbap slices in paw-print patterns, apple slices shaped like rabbits, and tuna rice in vaguely fish-shaped mounds. Those molds better arrive soon.

"Be a good kitty while I'm at work," Minseok says after presenting his blank-faced charge with his food. And then he’s hustling for the train, Sooyoung in his earpiece.

He almost forgets about Chen during the busy day that follows. He even accepts a client invitation for drinks after work, though he keeps it short. He stops for seafood takeout on his way home, though, figuring Chen might appreciate it.

He's got his arms full by the time he gets to his apartment, between the takeout and the nanny cams that had been delivered. So it takes him a few moments to notice that Chen isn't in his little blanket cave. And that the apartment is not as he'd left it.

The dining chairs are knocked over, the ones holding up the blankets as well as the ones still near the table. All the cushions have been pulled off the sofa and flung about. And there's scraps of fabric and tufts of yellowed stuffing scattered here and there.

And no sign of Chen.

Minseok's heart sinks. Apparently, he'd taken Minseok up on the offer to bug out. But wait—the kitty-face tote is still there, one handle sticking out beneath the collapsed blanket cave. Pulling on it reveals that all the stuff is still inside it. None of Minseok’s shoes are missing, either, unless Chen had gone through Minseok’s closet.

Minseok hurries to his room. His neatly-made bed has been undone, bedding and pillows now on the floor. And, yes, his clothes have been dislodged from hangers and shelves, tumbled from drawers, flung around.

A small choked sound draws Minseok's attention to the depths of the closet. There's one rack of hanging clothes that hasn't been pulled down.

"Chenny?" Minseok's heart is racing, but he forces himself to take deep breaths. "Chenny-cat, are you okay?"

Another whine from the back of the closet. Well, at least the guy's still here. Right? He could've left, but didn't. Unless he's more scared of the outside world than he is unhappy with Minseok. He'll have to tread carefully.

"Hey," he says as he slowly approaches the hanging clothes. "I'm worried about you. I'm going to come over there so I can make sure you're not hurt. If you want me to go away after that, I will."

Cautiously, Minseok parts the clothes. Behind them, Chen is balled up against the wall, face buried against his drawn-up knees.

"Oh, Chenny. Are you injured? Bleeding? Freshly bruised?" He crouches beside him. "Can I see?"

Chen doesn't move or make a sound. But he isn't perfectly still—he's shaking, his breathing ragged. The bandage around his neck is gone, the raw pink skin beneath exposed and accusing.

Minseok winces, but tries to keep his voice calm. "You're okay," he murmurs. "I'm just gonna look to see if you need medical treatment, okay? I'm not trying to hurt you."

Chen doesn't object as Minseok carefully unwraps his limbs. The bandages over his knees are spotted with blood, but he doesn't seem to have fresh injuries aside from that. Still, those should be treated, and his neck could use more balm, even if Chen doesn't want it bandaged.

"Can I pick you up?" Minseok asks. "We need to take care of your poor knees."

He doesn't respect a response, so he's shocked when Chen turns away from him, facing the corner and curling into a tight ball. From this angle, Minseok can see that Chen's tail is missing. Is that what's shredded all over the living room?

Baekhyun’s childhood dog used to do stuff like that. Do human pet players act out separation anxiety, too? Or is there some other reason Chen's so upset?

"Chenny," Minseok murmurs. "Are you mad at hyung? Did I leave you alone too long?"

Chen presses closer to the wall.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stress you out. I should've told you when I'd be home. Tried to get here sooner." Minseok sits with his own back against the wall. "But I got some things that might help, okay? I do still have to go to work, but you'll be able to keep track of me better. I'll be able to tell you things, and see if you need anything."

He runs a finger down the back of Chen’s kitty ear. "Can I show you? And take care of your knees and neck? I brought home seafood stew and battered shrimp for you."

Chen doesn't respond. But he doesn’t shrink away when Minseok gathers him up.

"You're okay," Minseok says as he carries him to the dining table. Chen is still trembling, so Minseok leaves his arms loosely around him after he sets him down. "You're okay," he says again. "I'm not mad at you. You won't be punished for this. It's my fault, anyway, for leaving you so long. You're okay."

Without really thinking about it, he leans forward to press a kiss against Chen's hair. He flinches beneath Minseok's lips, so he pulls away with a wince.

"Sorry. I keep messing up. But I'm trying, Chenny. Just be a little bit more patient with me, okay?"

Minseok grabs the supplies Lay had left behind, applying a new layer of balm to the raw skin on Chen’s neck. He gently unwraps, treats, and re-bandages Chen's knees. Chen's eyes are red and puffy—Minseok must be a sh*t master, if his poor pet has cried each of the two days he's been his responsibility. With a sigh, Minseok gently puts a little balm there, too, and on Chen’s chapped, cracked lips.

When he's done, he pulls the comforter out of the collapsed blanket fort, re-folds it, and sets Chen down on it. Chen draws his knees up again, and it makes Minseok's heart squeeze. He looks so much smaller without his tail. Maybe he feels smaller, too.

Minseok returns to his disaster of a closet. It takes him a while to find what he's looking for, but he eventually returns to the living room with the fuzzy sky-blue tie to one of his bathrobes, and an old fabric belt.

"I know it's not your color," he says, "but would it be more comfortable if you wore this temporary tail, until we can get you another one?"

Chen only looks at him briefly, but that's still an improvement from staring at the wall. So Minseok ties the ‘tail’ to the belt, then gently wraps it around Chen's hips.

"If you don't like it, you can take it off," he says. "Now. Let's feed you."

The seafood stew already looks a bit like canned pet food, so Minseok just transfers it to a wide, shallow bowl. He adds several of the shrimp to a plate along with the gummy vitamins, and sets them both in front of Chen.

He serves himself a similar portion, then grabs the packages, his phone, and the TV remote before sitting down beside Chen.

"I didn't like leaving you alone, either," he says as he opens the shipping box. "I can't work from home, because I deal with sensitive financial information that can't leave the high-security work computers. And I can't bring you to work with me, yet anyway, because there's a strict dress code. So I got these."

He pulls out a trio of kitten plushies. "These have cameras in them," he says. He points one at Chen, pairs it with his phone, and turns the screen toward him. "See? The kitty can see you, and show me how you're doing, even when I'm at work. It'll pick up sound too, so I can listen in on you as well."

He turns on a second kitty cam, pointing it at himself and pairing it with the TV. "I was going to set all three of these up so I could look after you, but now I think I'll take one to work with me. I'll leave the TV on, and then you can see and hear me as I do boring stuff at my desk." He smiles. "Sometimes I have to go to meetings, and of course, it won't show anything while I'm traveling back and forth. But for most of the day, you'll be able to see me, and whenever I leave my desk, I'll tell you how long I'll be gone."

He smiles at the camera, waving to Chen through the TV. "Will this be more reassuring? You'll know I haven't forgotten about you, that I'm just taking care of my job and I'll be back to you when I can. Right?"

Chen isn't looking at Minseok, but that's pretty normal. He is looking at the TV, though, and Minseok blows him a little kiss through the camera. Chen startles and balls up again, stealing glances at the TV with red human ears.

"Such a cutie," Minseok says. "I'm really sorry to have made you worry so much."

Chen doesn't say anything, of course, but he does start eating, so Minseok considers it a win. He sets in on his own dinner, looking around at his post-meal cleaning project.

"You didn't even damage anything aside from your neck bandage and your tail, did you?" He pets Chen's kitty ear. "Scared kitty, not a bad kitty."

Chen shoots him a look over his bowl of stew that makes Minseok laugh out loud. This was your only warning, it might have meant. You don't want to see how bad a kitty I can be.

"Thank you for your mercy," Minseok says. "I'm learning as fast as I can."

He sings bouncy girl-group pop to himself as he tidies up, elated that blank, defensive mask had cracked a little, in a non-distressed direction. Well, it still might have been a bit distressed, but it wasn't passive. The whole incident is proof that Chen, as heavily conditioned and/or committed to feline behavior as he is, isn't inanimate. Whether he had before or not, he won't simply allow things to happen to him here. He will express his opinion, his feelings, if pushed hard enough. So Minseok can hope he'll express them more readily, if provided with kitty-approved methods.

Just as he finishes straightening the living and dining area, the door buzzer sounds. Chen freezes. Minseok lifts a brow. Maybe Chen was loud enough in his distress that the apartment manager has come to lecture Minseok or something.

The viewcam reveals a young man in a designer suit. So. Not the building manager, then. But there's something vaguely familiar about the kid, so Minseok opens the door.

His suspicions are confirmed when the guy skips any sort of greeting in favor of, "You have my cat. I want it back."

Minseok's first impulse is to flatly refuse and dismiss the kid before he says something that will carry damagingly back to Siwon. But Chen had just pitched a fit about having to live with a master who's gone all the time, hadn't he? Maybe he'd prefer his former home. Just because Minseok is low-key furious at how this kid had treated another living person, doesn't actually mean Chen himself is happy to be away from him.

Maybe his reserved attitude since his arrival has been heartbreak, not caution.

"Chenny, someone's here to see you," Minseok calls.

The kid looks at him like he's daft. But before he can say anything else, Chen's head appears at the end of the entryway.

Minseok tries to wear a supportive smile. "He wants to take you back with him."

Chen freezes to the point Minseok is sure he isn't even breathing. Then he bolts away toward Minseok's bedroom, scrambling awkwardly on his bandaged knees.

Siwon's kid tries to follow, but Minseok sticks an arm across his path.

"Seems to me he made his opinion on the matter pretty clear."

"He doesn't get an opinion. He's my property."

"I have a contract that says otherwise," Minseok says.

The kid snorts. "That's not legal. He agreed to be mine, my dad can't just give him away because he disapproves." He steps forward again.

Minseok again moves to intercept. The kid is taller than Minseok, but so are most men. It doesn't intimidate him unless a guy is built to go with that extra height, and this kid is soft and spoiled. Minseok crosses his arms to emphasize his own formidable physique.

"First, your dad signed him away to me because you weren't taking care of him—he has nutritional deficiencies that make injuries slow to heal, and you beat him in unsafe ways on top of that, which could've caused permanent or lethal harm. You confined him in such a way that he couldn't free himself in case of emergency, not to mention may have given him long-term skin and joint damage. Getting him away from you might have saved his life."

Minseok again moves to block the kid's advance. "Second, while I admit I have no legal right to keep him here—which is why he's free to leave at any time—you also have no legal right to take him. He doesn't want to go with you, and if you persist in trying to forcibly remove him from his chosen place of residence, I will call the police and you can explain to them how you think you own another human being."

The kid scowls down at Minseok. Minseok steps forward, forcing the kid to retreat.

"It's your dad you're mad at, anyway, so leave us out of it," he says, before firmly shutting the door.

The buzzer immediately sounds again, but Minseok's already on the way to the bedroom. Chen is back behind the curtain of hanging clothes. Minseok simply sits down next to him.

"I only let him in because I wasn't sure you'd actually wanted to be taken away from him,” Minseok says. “Since you made it clear you don't want to belong to him, that's the end of it, okay?”

Chen doesn't respond. Minseok pets his kitty ear anyway. He sits for another moment to be sure Chen's not too distressed, but his breathing is regular and even.

“Keep me company while I straighten up.” Minseok crawls out from behind the clothes and gets to work.

A few satisfying hours later, his room and closet are once again set to rights. A peek behind the low-hanging clothes reveals that Chen had fallen asleep, but he startles to wakefulness when Minseok goes to pick him up.

“You're okay,” Minseok murmurs. “I'd let you sleep there except Baek was quite stern about your assumptions in that regard, and that won't be happening for a while, if ever. So you'll sleep in your own soft kitty bed—your real stuff will arrive soon, so be a little more patient, okay?”

He finishes tidying the rest of the flat, then coaches Chen through the toilet routine again. He'd used the litter box thoroughly while Minseok had been gone, whether because his knees make that easier or he was deliberately making more work for Minseok, it's hard to say. Minseok will be glad when those buttons arrive.

He doles out the solid toothpaste while they're in the bathroom, frowning at the way it froths pink in Chen's mouth. The vitamin C will help fix that, though. It's only been two days. Much as Minseok wants Chen to be healthy immediately, he will also have to be a little more patient.

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

The following morning, Minseok takes great care in setting up the pair of cameras he leaves with Chen. One is pointed at his re-built blanket cave, and the other is pointed at the whole room, including the TV and down the hall. Minseok will be able to see if his own camera is relaying properly, and if Chen goes off towards the bathroom (and how well he's moving as he does).

“The screen will be fuzzy while I'm traveling, remember? But I should be in the office and set up within the hour.”

Chen, as usual, seems guardedly indifferent. Minseok pats his ear goodbye with a smile.

“As I told you I'm not filming anyone without their consent, I'm telling you now that I'll be setting up one of those nanny cams in my office,” he tells Sooyoung when he arrives. “I'll have it pointed at my face at a pretty tight angle, but if you go behind me, you'll be visible.”

Sooyoung lifts a brow. “Who—why—” She shakes her head. “Still don't wanna know. Thanks for telling me. I'll only ask if whoever is able to potentially see me will have clothes on.”

“Yes,” Minseok says. “It's a security thing, not a sex thing.”

Sooyoung nods. “Let me know if that changes.”

“Will do.”

Minseok frets a little until both the kitty cam and his phone indicate they're connected to their respective counterparts. Then he’s relieved to see himself on the TV screen in his living room, and Chen curled on his bed beside the empty breakfast plate.

“Chenny-cat,” Minseok says softly. “I'm here at work now. I can see you just fine. You can see me too, right?”

Chen lifts his head toward the TV. Then he yawns and drops it back to the comforter.

Minseok smiles. “Sleepy kitten. I'm right here if you need me.”

Chen dozes most of the day, as far as Minseok can tell. He wonders if the consistent kitty-like poses Chen lounges in are a deliberate affectation, if he'd started doing it to be more catlike and then it became habit, or if he'd been punished for looking too human. Had he done these same curled-up postures, ‘loafed’ his front paws under his chest, or stretched both arms out straight with his chin flat between them, when no one had been able to see him?

They're adorable, whatever the reason. Over the next few days, Minseok finds himself routinely cooing at his phone screen, forgetting that Chen can hear him, too. Sometimes Chen will lift his head to look at the TV when Minseok makes sounds, and Minseok will wave sheepishly at him.

Chen makes sounds, too. It's a bit startling, to hear him suddenly hum to himself. It's almost always the same three-tone run, often repeated. Minseok sometimes calls his name if it repeats several times, causing a rapid whip of Chen's head up toward the TV.

“There's my kitten,” Minseok will say, followed by how long it'll be until he gets back home. And Chen will settle again into one of his sweet kitty poses.

Minseok's home has started to look more kitten-friendly. The blanket fort has been replaced with the castle-shaped play tent, orthopedic pet bed tucked inside. Chen's pretty ceramic kitty dishes are placed neatly nearby. The litterbox is gone, thank goodness, since his new kneepads allow him to maneuver more comfortably, and one drawer in Minseok’s dresser now holds Chen's various velour ‘fur’ options and his jelly-pawed kitty socks that he's still only allowed to wear on his feet.

The food molds make preparing kitty-themed meals much easier (and cuter). Minseok gets really good at jeon, since he can vary the meat or vegetable ingredients each time, yet press the little cakes into the same seafood shapes before lightly frying them for his kitten. Similarly, Chen gets a lot of bunny, bird, and even seal-shaped rice balls, and 'starfish'-shaped kimbap slices thanks to a cleverly designed mat.

On Friday, the last few items arrive. So after dinner that evening, Minseok crouches by Chen's ‘kitty castle.’

“Okay, kitten. Got you some extra special stuff. First, this.”

He holds out one of his old necklaces, a black satin cord meant to hold some heart-shaped pewter charm an ex-girlfriend had given him. He'd replaced it with Chen's new tag, and he smiles to see Chen's eyebrow twitch. He obviously recognizes his own name engraved in pretty letters. Minseok twists it so the other side shows, with his info on it.

“It's on a loose collar for now, to let your poor neck heal. But we'll get you a proper collar as soon as I can get a better idea of what you like.” Moving slowly, Minseok carefully fastens the ‘collar’ around Chen's neck. He makes sure the tag has the Chen side facing forwards, smiling at how cute it looks. Then he sits back and reaches for the last box.

“I want to know your opinion about stuff in general. I know I’m supposed to make a lot of decisions for you, but I'd still like to know what your preferences are. What if I try to reward you with something you hate?”

He unpacks the button sets, smiling at Chen’s furrowed brows. “Apparently, domestic kitties on the internet use these.” He plays the video of the treat demanding cat on his phone for Chen, lets him see how many videos of feline button use there are. “Can we start with simply yes or no?”

He records the words onto two adjacent buttons, then sets them in front of Chen. “Now,” he says, holding up more of the seafood shaped crackers. “Will you be a good kitty, and talk with me a little?”

Chen hesitates. Then he stretches one paw out.

“Yes,” Minseok’s own voice says back to him.

Minseok can't help the big smile that stretches his lips. “Good boy! Good kitty.” He feeds Chen several of the treats, trying not to notice how much softer his lips are after several days of balm.

But then Minseok finds himself chewing on his own lip. “If the answer to this one is no, we'll find you somewhere else safe to live. So don't be afraid to be honest: are you glad to be living with me?”

The “Yes” comes more quickly this time.

Minseok smiles again. “Okay. Okay, great. But remember that you have that phone, and cash and everything, if you change your mind. Okay?”

Chen looks at the buttons, then at Minseok. Minseok records himself saying ‘okay’ into the next one, then laughs when Chen paws it.

“Okay,” Minseok says. "Next, health: do you still hurt anywhere? Your knees?"

It's cute the way Chen stretches out a sweater-paw to hover over the buttons. But he hesitates, then presses 'okay.'

Minseok huffs. "Right, not everything is a yes or no answer, huh?" He records the fourth button as "kind of," then laughs when Chen baps it right away.

"Less than they used to?"

This gets a quick bap of the 'yes' button.

"Good! Good." Minseok's smile is wide. "I'm so glad you're healing. I was really worried about you when you got here. But you're doing okay, now, right? Or getting there."

"Yes."

"Good," Minseok says again. "I'm sorry I have to leave you alone so much, but it's the weekend now! I'm all yours. We can do some more training, for fun things, now that the basics are being taken care of." He tilts his head. "Do you miss using the litter box?"

Chen hesitates again, his down-turned head meaning his kitty ears are horizontal to the floor in a very contemplative kitty sort of way. "Kind of," he presses eventually.

This makes Minseok's brows lift. "Really?"

Chen looks up, giving a tiny little mew. A very feline noise, one of the few sounds he's made.

"Oh! Because you felt more like a kitty?" Minseok guesses.

"Yes."

Minseok presses his lips tight briefly. "I'm sorry that I've changed so much for you. Hygiene is just super important, okay? Even if I had a four-legged kitty, I'd still train it to use the toilet if I could. But I'll be more mindful of your kitty-ness." He sighs internally before asking the next question. "Do you want the cage back? Or a different one, if I can't figure out how to make that one safe for emergencies?"

Chen doesn't hesitate. "No."

Minseok's sigh is external this time, and filled with relief. "Okay. Is your food kittyish enough? Now that I have all the molds?"

Again, Chen doesn't hesitate to press the 'yes' button, to Minseok's continuing relief.

"I'm so glad." Minseok's smile fades as he contemplates other ways to reinforce Chen's kitten role. “Let's order you a new collar, hmm? For when your neck is all healed. It looks so much better already. Does it feel better?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Good. I'm really glad.” Minseok grabs his laptop, shifting so Chen can see the screen. He pulls up one of the sites Sehun had been using, navigating to the collar selection. “Okay, so, we need one that's soft, and nice and wide, and… what color do you want? Black again? Is that your favorite?”

“No.”

Minseok glances at Chen. “Oh. Then, let's see what else they have…” Minseok scrolls through the options. “Do you like any of these?”

Chen sets a paw on Minseok’s knee. It's the first time he's voluntarily touched Minseok. Minseok stares at him. Chen pulls his paw back and presses yes, then okay. And when Minseok keeps staring at him, Chen does it all again—Minseok's knee, yes, okay. Then he stares right back at Minseok, brows lifted.

“Me, yes, okay?” Minseok repeats. “Oh. Do you maybe want me to pick one for you?” There'd been some mention of Minseok having the ‘right’ to style Chen as he wanted.

“Yes,” Chen's button says.

“But I don't know what you like,” Minseok says. “How will I pick out something that suits you?”

Chen furrows his brow. He repeats the series of gestures: Minseok's knee, yes, okay.

“Okay, okay,” Minseok says. “I'll pick what I think is cute on you, then.”

“Okay.”

The way Chen presses the button is casual, but there's something in his body language, lowered head, pink human ears, that makes Minseok smile. His kitten wants to be cute! Wants his master to find him appealing. As if he's not ridiculously alluring already.

Minseok scrolls through the options, ultimately coming back to a softly-sparkly mint green collar, with a breakaway safety buckle and a cute little jingle bell. When he adds it to the cart, the site suggests a velvety white ears-and-tail set.

“Oh, yeah, you do need a new tail. Should I pick out a whole new set for you, so they match nice?”

“Okay.”

“Hmm.” Minseok scrolls through the site's choices, but none of them seem quite right. He opens a new tab, clicking one of the makers Sehun had bookmarked for him. He gasps when the site loads—these handmade ears and tails look beautiful, like they'd be super soft to pet. They are, of course, much more expensive, but so what? Chen is more than worth it.

Minseok eyes him appraisingly, his warm skin tone, the way his untrimmed hair has a bit of a wave to it. He'd be cute with fluffy accessories, but not white. And not black, either, because that's what he'd had before, and Minseok is supposed to be picking something new. The site has a lot of fantasy colors, but those don't seem to suit.

He clicks to narrow the selection to natural options, scrolling past the grays as too cool-toned for Chen's complexion. Calico and tortoiseshell seem too flashy. Marmalade cats are supposed to be playful, right? Would Chenny be playful, once he settles in?

The bright orange options seem too garish, and the creamy yellow ones too dull. Minseok pauses over a rich honey-gold set, shaded dark and light as if to imply tabby stripes distorted by the long hair. He smiles, clicking for more details. Yes, his kitten would be adorable in these. And the quality is impeccable.

The headband is wide and well-padded while still being thin enough to hide beneath a hairstyle. The ears clip onto it, for ease of cleaning and also to customize the angle, to give different expressions. Beneath the surface, the ears are made of a flexible, resilient material that means the ears fold gracefully when enough pressure is applied, but spring back upright even after months of being smushed.

The tail comes with a hip harness, to hold it in place over the tailbone even when the wearer is sideways or upside down, as well as an ergonomic butt-plug attachment for ‘extended internal use.’ And while the site says the fibers are colorfast, will not shed, and are suitable for wearing wet or dry, it also comes with a special shampoo to gently remove any ‘organic material’ that might clump the fur or weigh it down.

“Wow, Chenny,” Minseok says. “Somebody put a lot of thought into this, huh?” He looks Chen up and down. “Anything else we need, while we're at it?”

The site suggests face paints, but Minseok declines. He likes his kitten's face as it is. And he doesn't want to risk clogging pores or otherwise irritating Chen's still-recovering skin.

Shopping done for the time being, Minseok puts away the laptop, encouraging Chen to finish his meal.

When they're both full and everything is all cleaned up, Minseok smiles at his kitten.

"Time for your bath."

Chen gives him a wide-eyed look.

"Kitties are nice and clean, right? It's been five days since you had one. And we have to change your bandages again anyway."

Chen glances down at his knees, heavily wrapped beneath the thick pads. Eyes still averted from Minseok, he tries to shuffle back towards his castle.

"No hiding," Minseok says. "Come on. If you're good for your bath, you can have a special snack when we're done."

Chen's head lifts. He starts shuffling towards the bathroom instead.

Minseok smiles. "Good kitty."

Bathing Chen is less awkward this time. Sure, it's still weird to undress a guy while trying super hard not to check him out, but once Chen's lap is safely covered in herbal-scented bubbles, Minseok can clinically appraise that he already looks much healthier. His skin isn't as dull, and the bruises have mostly faded to yellow-green. The cuts and abrasions are still shiny pink, but Minseok picked up some scar treatment, so with Chen's permission that'll hopefully change.

Chen blinks quite comically when Minseok slides the scrubby mitts onto his fisted hands. He squeezes some bodywash onto each one.

"There," he says. "I'm your master, so I'll take care of you. But kitties also groom themselves. You don't have proper fingers to hold a comb or brush, so I'll do your hair. Head fur. To keep it kitty-neat. But kitties are usually good at keeping the rest of themselves clean, especially their own underneathy bits, so everything else is yours to scrub. Got it?"

There are no buttons to press in here, so Minseok isn't surprised by the lack of response he gets. But Chen does stick one leg above the water, extended straight like a cat grooming itself, and begins to rub at it with the mitts.

Minseok chuckles. "Such a kitty," he says.

His kitty does tense up a little when Minseok slides his ears back. Minseok lathers shampoo very gently through his hair, trying not to take all the flinching personally. Did he choose to be a cat rather than a puppy, because he could remain more aloof? Or had he been cuddly once, before he'd been repeatedly beaten bloody?

Maybe he'd be more cuddly, if Minseok beat him how he liked. Or at least let him be as cattish as he'd been before. How can he be a good master, if all he's done so far is make Chen less of a pet? He eats human food now, wears human clothes, but he's thoroughly invested in his cat persona. Never once has he slipped into 'human mode' that Minseok has seen. He may hate Siwon's kid, he may have indicated he wants to stay here, but Chen must still be disappointed, to have ended up with a dud like Minseok.

"I'm sorry," he says as he carefully combs conditioner through Chen's hair. It's rather long, which makes sense if he hasn't had it cut in six months. "I am trying, to become a proper master for you. I don't think I have the temperament to hurt you or lock you up. But I'll think of some ways to help you feel more like a kitty, I hope."

Chen tilts his head at Minseok, still very kittenish despite the pushed-back ears. The way his hair is currently slicked back exposes the acne that had formed along his hairline and over his forehead from having unwashed hair touching it all the time. Minseok's endeared smile melts to a concerned frown.

"Let hyung see to your gorgeous face, kitten," he says, setting the comb down and taking up a soft cloth. He squeezes a bit of his own sensitive-skin scrub onto a damp corner.

Chen holds very still as Minseok gently scrubs his face, human ears, and neck. The way his face is tilted up, eyes closed, lips slightly parted, puts Minseok in mind of somebody waiting for a kiss. The thought makes him smile a little sadly. Who but Minseok would agree to live with a beautiful man who'd surely expected to be f*cked but can't seem to tolerate Minseok's touch without flinching? Only a cruel man would touch Chen more than necessary to keep him clean and his wounds treated. As appealing as it is to have his kitten's expectant-seeming face in his hands, Minseok doesn't linger over his task.

"There," he says once all the scrub has been carefully wiped away. "You can open your eyes now." Chen does, and Minseok releases his face before Chen can pull away. "Finish up, and we'll rinse you."

It's satisfying to have his kitten all clean, hair soft and fluffy, wounds freshly bandaged or at least balmed, in a soft pink version of the velour hoodie-and-shorts combo. He devours the snack Minseok had prepared, crunchy crab-flavored potato tubes that Minseok had broken into kibble-like segments.

Minseok finds a nature show about fancy-looking birds and their elaborate mating dances. Chen can see the TV from his castle, of course, so it warms his heart even further when Chen slowly slinks over to the rug in front of where Minseok is sitting on the sofa. Eyes on the feathery creatures bouncing on the screen, Chen's head moves in synch. He uses a sweater-paw to flick his blue bathrobe-sash tail back and forth as he watches, the very picture of an enraptured cat.

Okay. Minseok can do this. He may have curtailed some kittenish things, but he can give more back. He just has to think like a kitten a little, himself.

"I'm going to the pet store today," Minseok tells Chen after breakfast on Saturday morning. "You wanna come with me?"

Chen backs away, eyes wide, almost getting his feet tangled in his tail in his haste.

"You don't have to!" Minseok crouches, taking a hand from his coffee mug to wiggle his fingers at his kitten. "I just hate to leave you alone again. But I'll make it quick, if you’re staying here. I just wanted to get a few things for you without waiting for shipping. And I'll bring back more treats."

Chen perks up at that, tilting his head with interest despite just licking his food dish clean of thick fish stew. Minseok smiles at him.

"My kitten likes treats. I'll give him lots of chances to earn them."

Minseok makes good on his word. He returns ninety minutes later with his arms full, the bright colors and fluffy textures peeking from the eco-bags already screaming kitty fun. Chen brushes against his legs as he kicks his shoes into the rack and takes his acquisitions to the living room.

"Don't trip me, silly boy," Minseok laughs. "Yes, yes, it's all for you. Here."

He pulls out a crinkly fishie plush about the size of his extended hand, tossing it a few meters away. Chen pounces, and Minseok laughs with delight as his kitten flops to his side, the better to kick at his captured prey. The tiny, tiny growls muffled by the plush in Chen's mouth are ridiculously endearing, but Minseok tears his eyes away in favor of setting up the rest of his attempts to make his kitten feel more like a cat.

First, he heads to the bathroom, where, with the help of some empty water bottles, he replaces the contents of a set of cat grooming products with the human versions he's been using on Chen. His tearless shampoo, repairing conditioner, and moisturizing body wash are soon in bottles labeled 'anti-dander cat shampoo' 'best-in-show detangling conditioner' and 'groomer's helper feline coat refresher.' He puts the gentle trouble-skin cleanser in a bottle that originally held a product meant to keep the skin folds of squish-faced cats clean and healthy, and even puts the solid toothpaste cubes in a container for feline dental care treats. The pet store also had a 'finger brush' designed for humans to try to scrub an animal's teeth manually, so Minseok even empties a tube of pet toothpaste into a resealable vial and then painstakingly does 'mouth to mouth' with a tube of mild children's toothpaste to refill it. The internet had said the remnants of that particular pet toothpaste wouldn't hurt a human, but it doesn't contain the fluoride that benefits humans, making it worth the effort to mostly replace with the correct product.

The ejected pet toiletries he carefully labels in their new containers—he'd called a local cat shelter saying he needed the empty bottles for a project, and would they be able to use the contents? He didn't want to just show up with questionable bottles of goo. But their groomer had used the products in question before, enough to recognize them out of their original containers, so they said they'd be happy to have the donation, however oddly it's packaged.

The empty human bottles go in the recycling, and Minseok smiles at his new array of kitty grooming products, feline faces plastered all over the packaging. He smiles again when Chen's vitamins and treats have been transferred to airtight containers adorned with paw prints and fishbone silhouettes. And then he smiles down at Chen, who’d come into the kitchen to watch him reorganize. Chen sits on his haunches, tilts his head, and lifts one paw in silent appeal.

"Hmm." Minseok opens the container of seafood-shaped crackers, crouching down to offer one to his kitten's soft lips. "This is because you're so damn cute. But you'll have to earn the rest." He snaps the lid closed and sets it back in the tidy row on the counter. "For now, let's play."

Despite pouncing on the fish plush earlier, Chen takes a bit of coaxing to go after the feathers-on-a-bouncy-string toy Minseok had brought home.

"Come on," Minseok encourages, flicking the feathery end across the rug. "Do the little kitty butt wiggle and attack."

Chen shoots him a look. Minseok smiles wider, twitching the feather enticingly. He'd wanted to feel like a kitty. Maybe Minseok does have a bit of a mean streak, if he's enjoying Chen's bashful reluctance so much.

"Come on, kitten. Wiggle and pounce for hyung."

With a little huff, Chen hunkers down into a stalking-kitty posture. Human ears rosy, he shakes his hips, then springs at the feather. It's so comically adorable. Minseok laughs with delight.

"So cute," he coos as Chen slinks back to his tent. "My kitten is the absolute cutest."

Still chuckling, Minseok puts the toys—crinkly plushies, jingly balls, and the delightful feather toy—into the basket he'd gotten for the purpose. The wicker container is lined with kitty-themed fabric, a charming cat toy bin that Chen himself can access as desired.

Hopefully all the cat-themed packaging helps Chen feel more cared for. It's more fun for Minseok, at least, feeling less like he's pretending to have a cat and more like he really does. Even if that cat is also a ridiculously appealing man.

The following week is much more eventful. Chen is becoming less shy about indulging his playful side, much to Minseok's enjoyment. Chen is also no longer content to lounge in his tent all day. He disappears from the camera's view for long stretches while Minseok is at work. Fair enough—Minseok does, too. But he's in meetings. Chen, on the other hand, is doing who knows what. The apartment isn't torn up or anything when Minseok gets home each day. But on Tuesday evening, Minseok walks into the kitchen to start dinner, only to yelp when something cold and wet seeps through his socks.

It's not pee. It seems to just be water. But where did it come from? Minseok eyes Chen's water bowl, way out near his castle tent in the living room. Had he spilled it over here somehow? No—it's still pretty full. Maybe Minseok had dropped some ice cubes or something, and they'd melted? Baffled, Minseok wipes up the puddle.

It's back the next morning, even bigger than before. Alarmed, Minseok opens the cabinet below the kitchen sink—is it leaking? He can't see any drips, and it's not wet beneath the pipes, but there must be something wrong. He calls the building's maintenance line, getting a referral to their contracted plumber and assuring the person on the phone that it's a minor issue at this point, unlikely to affect other units.

There's a third puddle waiting when he gets home on Wednesday, and though it irks him to leave it, he doesn't mop it up until the plumber arrives. The guy looks at the puddle, then looks at the sink, examining faucet, basin, and the pipes beneath.

"Nothing wrong with the plumbing or the fixtures. Does this happen every day?" he asks.

"Three times, so far," Minseok says. "But sometimes it's a small amount, other times I need a mop to clean it up."

The plumber nods, jutting his chin at the cat treat containers. "What kind of cats do you have?"

"It's just the one," Minseok says. Chen had bolted for the bedroom when the door chime had gone off. "He's a rescue," he says honestly. "I don't know anything about his breeding."

"He a big fluffy guy?"

Minseok nods, hiding a smile.

The plumber nods back. "Bet he's got Maine coon or Turkish van in him. Those breeds like water, and can be clever enough to learn to use levers." He flicks the paddle-style faucet handles, designed to be used with an elbow in case of full or sticky hands. "My sister had a Maine coon that'd turn the faucets on whenever he wanted a drink. She'd find them running all the time until she switched them out for the twist-handle type."

"Good to know," Minseok says, adding his thanks for the guy's time and shooting a side-eye at Chen's empty tent as he shows the man out. It had certainly crossed his mind that Chen could be responsible—occam's razor and all that. But Chen doesn't seem to like water, or at least doesn't like baths. So a leak had seemed more logical than a committed feline culprit.

Repositioning one of the kitty-cams reveals the maintenance guy to be fully correct. A cat is, in fact, climbing up on Minseok’s kitchen counter, nudging the tap on with a paw, and then batting at the resulting stream of water.

Minseok glares at the mischief-maker through his phone. He could reprimand him right now, but he doesn't want to startle him into possibly falling off the counter. Chen has some of a cat's flexibility, but he still only has human reflexes. He won't simply twist mid-air to land safely.

So Minseok tries to think like a master. He needs to discipline his pet, but also address the underlying issue—Chen is obviously bored. It's a good sign, that he's healed enough not to need to rest so much, that his improved diet gives him lots of energy. But the new toys are clearly not enough to keep him entertained alone—without Minseok there to roll the balls or twitch the feathers, they don't hold his interest long.

So Minseok uses the time on the train to order even more cat toys, plus a set of blu-ray nature documentaries about birds, fish, and rodents. He can set his end of the kitty cam to display on a cheap tablet, freeing the high-def TV for more dazzling subjects than a hardworking accountant. Thanks to overnight shipping, Minseok only has to endure one more mopping session before the new stuff arrives.

Friday evening, Minseok sits Chen in front of his buttons. First, he records a few words on the second set: 'hyung,' 'Chenny,' 'play,' and 'treat,' so he can more readily ask for what he wants, or refer to either of them as needed.

"Now," Minseok says, "someone has been quite a naughty kitty this week. Who was that?"

Chen blinks innocent eyes at him, even as his back end angles toward the hall to the bedroom.

"Don't try to run. You don't need to run. Has hyung ever hurt you?"

Chen freezes. Then his paw snakes out. "Kind of."

"Oh," Minseok says, gut flooding with guilt. "Well. Sorry. That wasn't my intention." He presses his lips together, deciding he can't get too distracted. He can only do better, going forward. "I want you to enjoy having more freedom than you used to. And I love when you're playful. But you know your uptight master can't tolerate what's not safe."

Chen ducks his head. Great, now they both feel guilty. Minseok is simply great at this.

"Chenny," he murmurs. "Pet. We can't leave puddles on the floor, okay? It's dangerous. Someone could slip and fall, and if not, the wet seeps into cracks and stuff if it's not wiped up, and mold could grow. We have to take good care of our home, okay? So if you like to play with the water like that, you can do it when I'm home, so hyung can clean up right away. I'll pull one of the dining chairs over for you, though—asses on food surfaces are only tolerable in medical situations, okay, kitten?"

"Okay."

"Right. Good." Minseok slides forward the boxes that had arrived. "I'm sorry you're so bored while I'm gone. And I miss you, during the day. I have long meetings sometimes where I have to explain to spoiled chaebols that they need to reinvest profits into the company they inherited if they want to keep their fancy lifestyles long-term, instead of buying themselves ridiculously expensive cars they'll probably end up wrapping around a utility pole anyway. Or they want to yell at me, because my projections said they should be profitable, when in reality they took a loss. Somehow I'm supposed to predict things like earthquakes in the Japanese prefecture their manufacturing is in, or sudden political unrest in the country that's their primary export market. I'm good, but I'm not magic, Chenny. So after all that, I can't wait to get home and play with you."

He pulls out the first toy, another feather-on-a-string, attached to a twirling robotic arm specifically designed to be controlled over the internet. "With this, I can tease you a little, between all my meetings. Watch you wiggle and pounce over the kitty cam. It's not as good as being here, I know, but it's better than no playtime at all with hyung during the workday, right?"

"Yes." Chen's human ears are a little pink. "Hyung. Chenny. Play."

Minseok smiles, amused that he's so flustered at just the thought of cavorting for Minseok on camera. "That's right. Hyung likes to see his Chenny-cat play. But I won't be on the TV for you to see anymore—don't fret," he says to Chen's upturned eyebrows. He shows him the new tablet, which he sets in a vertical stand on the side table next to the kitty cam watching over the living room. "You can see me right here. The TV will still be on, but it'll have more nature shows for you to watch. Birds and squirrels and things. That'll be nice, right?"

"Yes."

"Good." Minseok nods. "I've also come up with a little work for you to do on your own when I'm gone. Kitty work." He displays the dozen fuzzy mouse toys he'd ordered, colored white, cream, gray, and black, about the size of his thumb aside from their long pinkish tails. "On days when I have time, I'll hide these guys for you, all around the house while I'm getting ready for work." It happens early enough in the day that Chen is still drowsy, only awake enough to slowly chew the breakfast Minseok prepares for him. "Your kitty job will be to hunt them. The maintenance guy said my big fluffy cat must be part Maine coon, and that means you should be a good mouser. No wily rodent should escape your claws."

He pulls out the cupcake tray he'd gotten from the local market, setting each mouse into one of the wells. "Kitties can't count very high, though, so here's your little rodent jail: every cell needs to be filled before hyung gets home, okay? Kitties that work hard and get all their work done get paid, with lots of crunchy treats. But if even one mousie escapes, it'll chew up all your treats for itself."

"No."

"Yes." Minseok smiles at Chen's distress. "Rodents are devious little beasts. They get everywhere, high, low, in tiny spaces it doesn't seem they'll fit. You'll need to be clever to hunt them. Can you do it?"

Chen sets his jaw. "Yes. Treat."

"That's right. Protect our treats from the vermin like a good working kitty." Minseok strokes Chen's kitty ear. "My fierce Chenny-cat."

He sits back, smile taking on a sharper edge. "Also, since I know you like playing in water, we're gonna do your baths three times a week from now on."

"No."

"Yes. Your wounds are all closed now. It's not healthy for your skin or fur to only bathe once a week. And kitties like to be clean. Doesn't it feel nice when your fur is fluffy instead of greasy? And that acne looks like it hurts, kitten, I hate to think of you suffering from something we could treat and prevent."

Chen drops his head. "Okay."

"Good kitten. Didn't I say hyung would look after you? Come on—let me groom my kitten nicely."

Chen blushes his way through his bath, even though it's the third time Minseok has bathed him. Maybe it's the 'new' cat-branded products, or the extra care Minseok takes with toner and treatment for Chen's poor face. Or maybe he's just self-consciously happy to be cleaned up so frequently. He hasn't fought Minseok over the finger-brushing of his teeth, which had been a new addition to their nightly routine this week. Sure, he makes faces at the tickle and at the flavor, but he also opens his mouth voluntarily when Minseok slides the brush over his finger. And he holds very still for his nail trim, letting Minseok make sure fingers and toes won't snag inside his paw socks. Chen does seem to want to be well maintained, so Minseok has no guilt at the thought of 'forcing' him into the tub more often.

He does feel a bit guilty about leaving Chen on Sunday night to go play poker. But he'd missed the last session. He doesn't want to just disappear—even aside from the fact that he really enjoys it, it does give him connections that could be good for his career.

"It's just for a few hours, kitten," he says as he loads his weekly laundry into the machine. It was a present to himself for his birthday seven months ago, a fancy new model that washes and dries his clothes within the same unit. It's extremely convenient to be able to set it up before he leaves the house, knowing his clothes won't sit wet in the laundry drum, but will nicely dry themselves, ready for folding whenever he returns.

Chen is not as easy to set-and-forget. Impossible to forget, of course, but Minseok has been neglecting himself lately, to ensure Chen is settled and taken care of. He's been a terrible master to himself, skipping his usual social activities and the gym. Still, those sad eyes squeeze his squishy heart as he steps out the door, leaving his kitten alone yet again. He'd put one of the nature shows on for him, at least, and the burbling of the ocean chases Minseok out into the hall along with his guilt.

The club hasn't changed in his absence, of course. It's Minseok who's changed, which is a bit ridiculous. He'd found himself with a pet, not a lover, so why is he now unwilling to enjoy the eye candy parading around with trays of drinks and bowls of snacks?

Siwon nods at him when he sits down. "Missed you last week."

Minseok smirks, pulling his head fully into the game. "So you're ready to toss me all your cash?"

This gets a belly laugh. "Haven't I given you enough?"

"As I see it, you haven't given me anything." Minseok takes a careful peek at the pair of cards he's dealt. Seven-two offsuit. When the action comes to him, he slides his cards into the muck.

"Fine, then, haven't you stolen enough?"

"It's not stealing if you get to choose what to risk. I haven't come into your home and helped myself to your trinkets. You brought them to me."

"Too true," Siwon sighs. Once the pot has gone to Suho, he speaks up again. "Speaking of trinkets, how's the kitten?"

Minseok looks up sharply from his suited ten-jack. Is this an attempt to distract? But there's no hint of teasing on Siwon's face.

"Seems to be settling in," Minseok answers casually.

"Yeah?" Siwon looks relieved. "I'm glad to hear it. Sorry he was so scruffy when I sent him over, I didn't have time to get him fancied up for ya."

Minseok shrugs. "He's surprisingly good for baths, so cleaning him up was easy enough." He meets Siwon's gaze, noting the wrinkle between his brows that shows up when he's unsure of the cards he's holding. "Got him a check-up," Minseok says, just to see what that wrinkle will do. "They had me put him on some supplements."

"Good, good!" Siwon's wrinkle smoothes out. "I knew you'd take better care of him." He smiles. "So. If you find yourself with a surplus of fine art…" He winks.

Minseok lifts one brow. "I'm not giving him back, if that's what you're asking. But your kid looks a lot like you."

Siwon grimaces as he nods. "A source of both pride and embarrassment, as no matter what he does, I can't deny he's mine. But I've dismissed the driver that gave him your address. There's no excuse for that breach of privacy."

"It was a bit of a surprise," Minseok says. "But no harm done." He lets his smile stretch. "Not that can't be fixed by me cleaning you out. Fancy kitten food isn't cheap."

This draws a laugh. "In that case, let's play. Maybe I'll beat you for once, condemn your household to a diet of rice and laver."

Siwon does his best. He does actually take a few big pots with lucky draws, but Minseok ends the night with a bigger stack. No odd vouchers this time, but perhaps that's for the best. Minseok can only take so many surprises.

Unfortunately for Minseok's peace of mind, surprises are a part of life. He frowns at his laundry, the tidy piles somehow missing his warmup hoodie. It's a ratty old thing, but that's the point. He only wears it to the gym, runs around and sweats in it, and consequently washes it frequently. He wouldn't want to subject an actually nice shirt to that.

But even though it's not valuable, Minseok rather likes that hoodie. He double checks that it isn't still in his gym bag, didn't end up stuck to the drum of the washer somehow. He checks the hamper and the tidy collection of his nicer hoodies, just in case he put it in the wrong place. But it's gone. Maybe he left it at the gym. If so, it's surely gone now, as he hasn't been there in two weeks.

Sighing, he packs his second-oldest hoodie into his gym bag instead. There are worse things he could've lost.

Just in case, he asks his usual workout pals the next day if they've seen it, after they finish ribbing him for skipping out on them for so long.

"That blue one with the FC Seoul logo on it?" Minseok's usual spotting partner, a tall guy named Chanyeol, is now spotting for none other than Baekhyun’s boyfriend. Not that Minseok blames him or anything, good gym bros spot for whoever needs it. Surely one of them will look out for him when it's his turn to lift. He just hadn't realized Sehun used this gym. Maybe he only joined recently.

"Yeah. I asked at the front desk but it wasn't in the bin of clothes they've collected from the locker rooms."

"Dude, that thing had a hole in the armpit that did nothing to contain the stench of your sweat," Chanyeol laughs. "Maybe one of our fellow gym users stole it and burned it so you'd have to wear something else." He looks Minseok up and down. "But dude, that is not your color."

The replacement hoodie is one he'd gotten from a charity drive, and surely the charity had gotten them at a discount. The hoodie is a bit flimsy, an awkward yellow-brown probably meant to evoke the coffee provided by the sponsoring cafe. The logo ironed on the front is supposed to display a tall coffee cup and a donut framing the cafe's name followed by 'feeds the homeless.' But it's peeling off, and therefore the shirt boasts the oddly-phallic bottom half of the coffee cup, a donut that may have been run over, and the eerie slogan 'feed the m less.' At least the cafe's name was the first thing to go, so nobody can blame them. Minseok doesn't blame them, himself—if they went cheap on the commemorative hoodie, hopefully that meant they had more money to spend where it would matter.

"Baby-sh*t brown isn't anybody's color, Yeol." Minseok nods politely as Sehun offers him the bench press. "Why do you think I relegated this shirt to the gym bag?"

"Hey, I'm just saying," Chanyeol says, hands up. "You're never gonna pick up some cute little gym bunny in that."

"He doesn't need a bunny," Sehun says as Minseok lifts. "He has a kitten at home already."

"Really?" Chanyeol's eyes go comically wide. "A kitten, like, the same way Sehun is a pup?"

Minseok nods, glad his face is probably red already from the exertion. It's not like he can explain while he's shoving his own body weight up over his chest, so he's both flustered and grateful when Sehun speaks for him.

"He's really cute. But he'd been hurt before he ended up with Minseok-hyung, so that's gotta be why he wasn't around, right? 'I was busy' really means 'I was taking good care of my shy little sweetie.'"

Minseok nods again. He wouldn't call Chen shy, himself, but of course it'd looked like that when Sehun had seen him. Sure, he startles at odd noises, flinches at the slightest touch, and hides whenever the door chime rings, but that's because he's anxious. Because Siwon's brat made him that way. When Chen is relaxed, feeling playful, cadging treats, he's adorably bold.

Well, usually adorable. Minseok didn't find it very cute to wake at three a.m. to a persistent refrain of "Treat. Treat. Treat." in his own voice, no less. But when Minseok had stomped intp the living room to yell at his brat-cat, the way Chen had dived behind the sofa, blue fuzzy bathrobe tail sticking out only to be yanked in a second later, had made Minseok snort instead.

It's hard not to feel warm when it's clear that Chen feels safe enough with Minseok to torment him a little. He hides or uses innocent eyes to deny any mischief, but mischief still happens. Whatever he thinks Minseok might do to him in retaliation, he doesn't truly fear it. He doesn't know Minseok very well—it's only been two weeks, after all. But he trusts him to keep his temper, to not endanger his health or his life. And that's good. That's a start.

So he smiles when Sehun, after helping Minseok settle the barbell back in the cradle, asks him how Chen is.

"He seems well," Minseok says. "His wounds are healed over for the most part, he eats well, always wants treats—I never should have recorded that word onto one of those paw buttons."

Sehun laughs. "So, he's a cat, basically."

"He's very much a cat," Minseok agrees. "We ordered him a new set of accessories. They should get here by the end of next week."

"Send me pics," Sehun says.

"Don't send me any," Chanyeol grumbles as he drops down to take Minseok's place on the bench. "Nini is already begging to dress us up like his favorite clients. Sehun is a terrible influence."

Sehun smiles. "Don't knock it till you've tried it."

"Hey, I'm not the one that needs the most convincing. I'm fine with roleplay. And if Nini wanted to be the one wearing fluffy poodle ears, I think Soo would indulge him. But Nini wants to be the master. I'm putting the chances of him coaxing Soo to sit up and beg at slim to none."

Minseok smiles at the thought of Chanyeol's more stoic boyfriend playing the pup for their soft-hearted boyfriend. But he waits for Chanyeol to be finished with his set before picking up the conversation again.

"People roleplay as all kinds of animals, though, right, Sehun?" He smiles down at Chanyeol's panting form when Sehun nods. "I bet Nini wants to groom you more than he wants to train you." The guy is a fancy pet groomer, which means his own presence at the gym is irregular—he's often away at shows with one or another of the champions whose owners pay good money for him to work his magic. "So maybe Soo could be, I dunno, a horse? Those get groomed, for shows and stuff, too. Right?"

Chanyeol shakes his head. "I mean, yeah, it is about grooming, but he wants us to already be trained. So he can command us to hold still for him to shave our body hair with the dog clippers."

Sehun snorts. "Maybe if you cavemen would manscape on your own, poor Nini wouldn't have to go to such drastic measures to avoid getting hair stuck in his teeth."

"We trim!" Chanyeol protests. Then he grimaces. "Well, I trim. Kyungsoo is indeed a furry little ape. Nini could probably give him a proper poodle cut. I can totally understand his urge to try."

"Then my suggestion is to find out something that Soo-hyung really wants. Not necessarily sexual. Just something he wants to try with you both, that maybe you've been resisting or just uninterested in. A show he wants to binge that you're sure would bore you, a sport or musical performance he wants to see live that you don't care for, a visit to some fancy restaurant that serves a type of food the other two of you don't really like. You agree to enthusiastically participate in that, if Soo-hyung does the same for Nini's hairy-hyung grooming palace."

Chanyeol shakes his head, but the thoughtful look on his face makes Sehun smile.

"Communication and reciprocation," he says. "They make the world go round."

Communication sure makes Minseok's world turn more smoothly. He records more words for Chen's buttons, things that come up in their less one-sided conversations. But he's continuing to arm his pet against him. Now he comes home to enthusiastic face-to-shins trip attempts that break off in favor of Minseok’s own voice demanding "Hyung. Food. Now."

But Chen isn't only self-serving. Minseok gets hooked on a newly-subtitled anime Kyungsoo recommended, binging several episodes each night before bed. One night, after he mentions during dinner that he has an early meeting the next morning, Chen cuts him off after three episodes, repeating "TV. Later. Sleep. Now." until Minseok goes to bed.

He keeps his nocturnal pranks to weekends, too. He draws a grumpy Minseok from his room obscenely early on a Saturday morning, with a refrain of "Sleep. No. Play. Yes." The sound is clearly coming from inside his castle tent, but when Minseok flings the flap up, he's stunned to find it empty. Until a pink-beaned paw slips in through the tent's tiny window, to demand "Play. Now."

The best Minseok can offer at 5 a.m. on a weekend is to lay on the floor with his eyes closed, waiting for a moist plush fishie to be spat into his hand. Then he flings it in the general direction of the hallway for Chen to 'hunt,' listening to the soft thuds of his padded knees and the jingling of the bell on his brand new collar.

Chen loves his new collar. Minseok doesn't need a word button for that—he catches Chen up on the bathroom counter more than once, staring at himself in the mirror. The soft mint green material shimmers a little as Chen moves, which he does deliberately to make it catch the light. Or maybe it's to make the little bell jingle. Or to set swinging the heart-shaped tag that bears his name. He always pretends it's about his face, when he notices Minseok's watching him. He licks the back of a paw and runs it over his ear, along his hairline, where the skin is much less angry. And maybe he hasn't seen his own face, not in a healthy state, for a long time. But he'd never seemed to want to, until Minseok buckled on that collar.

But the day his new accessories arrive, they both end up staring into the mirror. Minseok waits until after Chen's bath, when his face is pink from the increased circulation Minseok's facial care encourages (or perhaps just from Chen's reaction to the prolonged personal attention) and his hair is soft and fluffy. He smiles at the brief panic in Chen's eyes as he slides the old ears off his neck completely instead of slipping them back into place when he's finished drying him off. Then he pulls his new ears out of the drawer he'd stashed them in, and grins goofily at Chen's naked awe and quiet delight.

With Chen perched on the bathroom counter, eyes fixed to the mirror, Minseok slides the new ears into place. The fluff on the backs of the ears trails down to blend with Chen's hair, creating an extra-soft place for Minseok to stroke as he smiles at his dear kitten.

Chen's eyes go red and he mews, tiny and unsure, turning to face Minseok with jumbled brows.

"You're okay," Minseok tells him. "They look cute, right? Your old ones did, too, so if you want them back—"

Chen lifts his paws to his head protectively.

"Okay, you're okay," Minseok chuckles. "Of course you can keep them. They're yours. Made just for you. For my kitten."

Chen's eyes overflow. He bats at them with his paws, then pulls his tail up to his face. Minseok strokes his kitty ear and murmurs reassurances, until Chen yanks the blue bathrobe sash away from his face with a very feline tongue-curl, the picture of disgust.

Minseok bursts out laughing. "Yeah, you've tolerated that for a long time, huh? Let me get your new one."

By the time Minseok returns, Chen is out in the hallway, no bathrobe sash in sight. He wiggles so much as Minseok fits the harness around his pelvis, then fastens the tail in place.

"There," Minseok says.

Chen takes off. The honey-colored tail unfurls behind him as he bounces up and down the hall, twisting to look behind himself before hopping around some more.

Minseok sits in the middle of his hallway and laughs, cheeks bunched hard with his delight. And relief, if he's honest with himself. Sure, Chen had been there when Minseok ordered it, but he hadn't given any feedback about the choice. And of course Minseok finds him adorable in his new things, but it's so nice to see that Chen apparently finds himself cute, too.

But after a few moments, he sidles up to Minseok, human ears red. His antics have made the slippy velour fabric of his shorts bunch up in the 'compartment' the tail's harness makes over his crotch. Minseok has to smother his laughter now, because he's sure his poor kitten is dreadfully uncomfortable. But it also looks absolutely ridiculous.

"Okay, okay, come here, hyung will fix it." He coaxes the fabric back into place. But Chen likes pouncing around, so it's only going to bunch up again. Unless Minseok gives him different shorts, with a texture the velveteen-lined straps would grip against. Khaki, maybe, or denim.

"You know," he says slowly. "This harness was made for long-term wear over bare skin. So if you want, we can put it on under your fur."

Chen makes a questioning little trill. Had he learned that from one of the nature shows? It makes Minseok smile.

"Yeah. We'll put it on underneath, and poke a little hole in the seam of the shorts so the tail can come out nicely."

Not many people would deliberately clip a hole in designer shorts. Not many would dress their kitten-boy in designer shorts in the first place. But they're Chen's shorts. Nobody else, nobody without a tail, is ever going to wear them.

Chen wiggles the whole time Minseok gets him re-situated. It almost isn't awkward, having seen Chen nude at least a dozen times already for baths. But usually it's Chen dealing with his own dangly bits. Minseok focuses very hard on the task at hand, making sure all the straps lie comfortably and smoothly against his kitten's skin. It's made a bit more difficult—rather, a bit more distracting—by the fact that having someone stroke his ass and inner thighs—just to ensure the straps are smooth and properly adjusted!—has a predictable effect, making those dangly bits rather less dangly.

"There," Minseok says, locking his eyes on the currently detached tail. "Feet up. Fur on."

Chen cooperates in being re-dressed, then practically vibrates with the effort of holding still as Minseok reaches down the back of his shorts with one hand, feeding the tail's connector through the hole with the other. He fastens it in place largely by feel, then gives it a little tug to ensure it's firmly attached.

"Come back if it pinches anywhere," he says.

Chen does the little trill again, looking at Minseok over his shoulder.

"Yep, you're all set."

Chen takes off again. With the harness hidden away and the headband buried beneath Chen's fluffy hair, it's easy to imagine he really is a kitten-boy, frolicking around Minseok's living room, extra adorable in a soft green outfit that matches the collar around his throat.

He's so precious. And he's Minseok's.

Chapter 3

Chapter Text

The following Tuesday, Minseok finds himself held up by a late client phone call. He hates overtime, especially with Chen to go home to, but it's a big client, so Minseok takes twenty minutes to alleviate their concerns. He's missed his usual train home by the time he leaves his office, but if he hurries, he can catch the next one.

Except that it's delayed. The 'thank you for your patience' announcements keep pushing back the estimated time of arrival by one or two minutes, making Minseok wish he'd just called a cab from the start. Just as he's turned back towards the stairs to do just that, the announcement updates, saying the train is pulling in. With a sigh, Minseok returns to the cluster of other impatient souls waiting to board.

He's just stepping onto the train when his phone buzzes. His eyes go wide when he sees the caller ID.

“Chenny?” he says once he's swiped to answer. “Kitten, sorry I'm so late. A client held me up, then the train was delayed, but it's here now. I'll be there soon. I'll pick up dinner, okay? That dumpling place sound good?”

Chen doesn't respond, but Minseok doesn't really expect him to. He looks at his watch, cringing at how long he's been away. He'd gone to the gym this morning, so Chen has been alone for over twelve hours.

“I'm really sorry, Chenny-cat. Next time I'll call you or something, if I get delayed. I hate making you worry.”

Minseok pauses, double checking that the call is still connected.

“Okay, then, kitten. Be there soon.”

The call drops. Minseok orders ahead, so the dumplings will be ready by the time he gets there. He's impatient to be home—if Chen had missed him enough to use the phone, Minseok's got a lot to make up for. He won't be surprised if he has another mess to clean up.

He collects the dumplings without issue, striding towards his building with a sense of urgency he feels a bit silly about. Chen is fine. How whipped is Minseok, if he—

There are flashing lights in front of his building.

Minseok breaks into a run. It's fire trucks, several of them, hoses aimed at the building.

Chen.

Minseok's yelling his name before he quite realizes. The crowd in front of the building turns to look at him, but Minseok doesn't care. He needs to find him. His heart is pounding—will they let him in the building, if he says someone may still be inside? They have to, right? Minseok can't see Chen among the crowd. People keep turning to look at him as he calls Chen's name, but none of them have Chen’s face.

He whips his phone out, redialing Chen's number. He's not really expecting Chen to pick up, so it takes him half a second to realize that's why the ringing had stopped.

“Chenny? Chen, where are you? Are you still in the building? Baby, you have to answer me, I need to know where you—"

Movement in a nearby alley catches Minseok's eye. It's a guy in mismatched sweats, hood pulled up over his head. Face in shadow, he could be anyone, except he's holding a familiar blue kitty face tote.

Minseok dashes toward him, takeout carelessly hooked over an elbow because he needs two hands to catch hold of his kitten, pulling him close and squeezing him tight.

“Chenny. Thank f*ck. I was so worried, I'm so glad you got out. I'm sorry you had to manage on your own, though. I'm supposed to be your protector, I'm so sorry I wasn't here.” Minseok makes himself let go and step back. “And I'm sorry for all the hugging. I know you don't really like to be touched.” He tilts his head at the hoodie Chen's wearing. "Is that my gym warmup? Where did you find—"

Chen steps close again, making a low, mournful sound as he huddles up to Minseok's chest. His long torso had always made Minseok suspect Chen might be slightly taller than him, but the way he's hunched against Minseok certainly doesn't make it seem that way. He doesn't have his hand socks on, and it's a bit strange to see his fingertips poking from the ends of his sleeves. It must feel even stranger to Chen, not to mention being on his feet, with shoes and everything. Minseok wraps his arms around him again, pulling him even closer.

“You were scared, huh? Me, too.” He runs his hands along Chen’s back. “You okay? Hurt anywhere? Did you breathe any smoke?”

He feels Chen shake his head slightly. Minseok cradles the back of that precious head, stroking the hoodie instead the soft hair beneath. Minseok can feel his kitty ears tucked down around the back of his neck. He probably has his tail on beneath the sweatpants, too. Minseok wonders if he'd pulled them on before or after leaving the building. Either way, he's doubly glad he'd thought to give them to Chen. It's cold out here.

“My brave kitten,” Minseok murmurs. “You did so well. I'm so glad you're safe.”

Chen makes another low noise, but it's much less distressed.

“You're okay,” Minseok says. “I've got you, now.”

Minseok pivots them so he can eye the building over Chen's shoulder. The fire seems to have been on the opposite side of the building from their apartment, and two floors down. But Minseok can deduce this because he can see some of the damage, a soot-edged window near the corner of the building. Their unit may not be directly affected, but the structural safety of the entire building might be compromised. It's not likely anyone will be allowed back into the building until the authorities have inspected everything, which can't happen until everything cools.

One hand still cradling the nape of Chen's neck, Minseok pulls his phone from his pocket. A moment later, Baek's voice comes over the line.

“Sorry to spring this on you randomly,” Minseok says, “but Chen and I need a place to crash for the night. Maybe a few nights, actually. Can we come to yours?”

“Of course,” Baekhyun says immediately. The background noise is suddenly more muffled. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Somebody burned their dinner, looks like,” Minseok says, scanning the arcs of water still being sprayed on the side of the building. “And part of the seventh floor. We're fine, but who knows when the firemen will let us back into the building.”

“Well, sh*t. Glad you're safe. I have a big case coming up, so I won't be home until super late, but Sehun’s there. He'd love company. I'll let him know you're on the way.”

“Thanks.”

The cabbies for one of the big companies must've passed the word to each other, because car after car are pulling up to the nearby curb. Minseok waits for all the waiting families with young kids to be tucked into vehicles, but steps up boldly once it's down to clusters of adults. Chen is quivering against him, whether from cold or nerves doesn't matter. Minseok needs to get him somewhere warm and safe.

He's silent in the cab, safely belted in but one hand still clutched in Minseok's. The last time he'd been in a vehicle, he'd been in a pet carrier, hadn't he? This must all be surreal for him.

“I'm not gonna leave you there,” Minseok says, just in case that's one of Chen’s concerns. “You're with me. I mean, you'll probably stay there while I'm at work tomorrow, but I'll be back to you as soon as I can. You're still mine, okay?”

He squeezes Chen's hand. He gets no response, which makes him frown a little. He'd been becoming more and more expressive, but the current stress seems to have sent him right back into wary passivity.

“You're okay,” Minseok says.

Chen seems unconvinced, but Minseok can hardly blame him. He sticks close to Minseok's side as they navigate Baekhyun’s building, pressing tight against him in the elevator, moving along the halls like Minseok's shadow. He ducks behind Minseok entirely when he pushes the door buzzer.

Sehun is pulling the door open before the chime dies away. “Hyungs! Come in, come in, get comfy. Hyungnim said something about a fire? That must've been scary!”

He's got his leather puppy ears on along with his collar, but he has no hand socks or tail in evidence. He hovers while they take off their shoes, then herds them into the living room.

“I pulled out a second pet bed for you guys,” he says, gesturing at the floor. Indeed, a second bolster cushion has joined the one that's always next to the sofa.

“Thanks.” Minseok hands off the now-cold dumplings, then simply collapses onto the ‘guest' pet bed, pulling Chen down beside him. The surprised look on Chen’s face is the most animated he's been for the last forty-five minutes, and it makes Minseok's heart squeeze a bit even as Sehun chortles.

“I didn't mean for you, hyung! Humans are welcome to the sofa.”

“This is actually really comfortable,” Minseok says, “but to be honest, I just don't want to let go of him. When I got home there were trucks and lights and hoses spraying water everywhere, and those few moments when I thought he might still be in the building were not good for my cardiac health.”

“Understandable.” Sehun smiles. “Baek likes to share my bed sometimes, too. The ortho foam in these is nice and cushy, so we watch movies like that a lot.” He tosses the remote to Minseok, who somehow manages to catch it one-handed. “I'll reheat this and see what else we've got in the fridge. We can have a little picnic.”

“Sounds nice.” Minseok turns back to Chen as Sehun moves to the kitchen. “You're really okay?” he asks, running his hands over Chen’s body. “Now that it's warm and safe, are there any injuries you need to show me?”

Chen shakes his head a tiny bit.

“Do you want to keep the sweats on or take them off?”

No response. He's still shivering a bit, though, so Minseok decides to leave the extra layer. He pushes back Chen’s hood, then carefully restores his ears to their proper place. He smiles when Chen shifts to make it easier for him to reach down the back of the sweatpants. A few moments later, his tail is free once again.

“There you are,” Minseok says. “My resilient, brilliant kitten. I'm so proud of you, for keeping yourself safe. It must've been hard, to get dressed and leave the apartment. Thank you for taking such good care of what's mine.”

Chen rumbles at him, the sound carrying a clear whine despite the low pitch.

Minseok laughs. “I agree. People should be more careful, huh? The fire alarm is super loud, you must've been so startled.”

Chen rumbles again.

“Yeah, a nasty surprise. And you were alone.” Minseok squeezes him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You’re so brave.”

Chen's grumble is overlaid by Sehun’s gasp.

“Oh my dog, what a lovely kitten set.” He sets the tray of now-steaming dumplings, joined by various side dishes, on the low table in the middle of the room. “I mean, he was super cute before, but that butterscotch color suits him so well!”

"It does, doesn't it?" Minseok pets one of Chen’s ears.

"Are you gonna have his hair done to match?" Sehun flicks his eyes over Chen’s torso, then co*cks his head, dangling leather ears making it a very puppyish expression. "Wait. I thought you lost that hoodie."

"So did I," Minseok says.

Chen curls into himself a bit, paws tucked against the shirt. He looks furtively at Minseok in a way he hasn't done since that first week. Minseok slowly tilts his head.

"Chenny-cat, did you take that shirt? On purpose?"

Chen freezes. How can someone look so guilty, so fearful, while unmoving, face completely blank? It pinches Minseok's heart, especially given the stress of the day. Chen had needed him. Minseok hadn't been there. So Chen had wrapped himself in a stolen piece of protection, scant replacement for the protector he should've had at his side.

But why had he taken it in the first place? His bed is comfy already. It's not out of malice or avarice, if he stole the oldest shirt Minseok owns. Is this like dogs stealing socks? Because it smells like master? Does he find it comforting, just to have something of Minseok’s with him, when Minseok himself isn't around?

Minseok is, unfortunately, not around a lot.

Minseok pets Chen's kitty ear, trying not to take the initial flinch personally. It's not that he thinks Minseok's outstretched hand means pain, right? It's just reflex, because he thinks his master is upset, and obviously that went poorly for him before.

The word scrawled on his old collar tag flashes into Minseok's head. His kitten deserves so much more than trash. To even think that's what he deserves. Minseok keeps his voice low and soothing.

"Kitten, if you want something of hyung's, you can have something nice, okay? That fleecy purple pullover would be soft to snuggle, right? I'll happily give it up to keep you cozy. I'll spritz it with my cologne if you want, so it smells all nice for you. You don't have to sneak off with the rattiest thing you can find."

Chen makes a tiny mew, hunching himself down into the stolen hoodie.

Minseok sighs and pats his ear again. "Or you can keep it, if that's really the one you want." He looks up at Sehun’s chuckle. "Yeah yeah, go ahead and judge. It's been over a month, and I still haven't managed to actually reprimand him for anything. He walks all over his marshmallow master."

"Does he keep breaking the rules?" Sehun asks.

Minseok frowns. "Actually… no." Chen, for all his pranks and demands, has indeed followed every rule he's been given. He uses the toilet. He tolerates the frequent baths, the blow drying, the teeth brushing. He only plays with the sink while Minseok's there, cooking or putting away groceries or whatever. He doesn't wake Minseok up on work nights. And he meticulously finds all twelve of his mice whenever Minseok has time to hide them. Not once has Minseok come home to anything less than a full cupcake tray.

And he'd called Minseok when he'd needed him.

"I mostly only have to show him something once or twice," Minseok says, "if I want him to do it. And if I don't want him to do something…" he shakes his head at himself. "I basically reward him with something else he can do instead."

"Reinforcing an incompatible behavior," Sehun says. "Completely valid training technique."

"Hmm. Or he's going easy on his dumb newbie master, sticking with me because of all the treats."

"I'm sure he does like the treats," Sehun laughs. "But I'm also sure he likes you more."

"I don't know about that. But I am doing my best for him. I think he can see that, that I'm trying at least. That I want to be good for him."

"You're good to him," Sehun says.

"That's my goal." Minseok leaves Chen's side only long enough to fix him a plate, pressing his lips tight against the pain of pinching the too-hot dumplings into vague fish shapes. "Sorry, kitten," he says as he sets it on rhe floor in front of him. "I'll do better tomorrow."

"What's there to apologize for?" Sehun asks around a mouthful. "These are great."

"They're not as pretty as usual," Minseok says. "Breakfast is sometimes a little rough, but dinner is when I can take time to make sure it's properly thematic."

Sehun eyes Chen, who's hunkered in front of the plate, staring at the steam rising from the dumplings. "And he won't eat it, if it isn't fancy enough, or?"

"Oh, he's just waiting for it to cool a bit," Minseok says. "He's never outright refused to eat anything I've put in front of him. But I've never fed him anything I hadn't at least made am effort with. That was our deal, if he used the human toilet."

Minseok blows on his own dumpling, giving it a testing bite. Still too warm. He picks up Chen's plate and blows on it as well, mindful of the rumble in his own stomach and knowing Chen's must be much worse.

Chen watches him, eyes flicking between the dumplings and Minseok's face. Minseok does another test of his own, then blows on Chen’s some more to be safe.

"Go slow, kitten," he warns as he puts the plate back down.

Chen cautiously nibbles the first dumpling, but it soon disappears, along with all the rest. He looks up at Minseok, paw reaching out for a button that isn't there.

Minseok hears it in his head anyway.

"Okay, Chenny. Of course you're starving." He refills Chen's plate, again pinching the dumplings into fishy shapes before placing it back in front of him. "Go slow still, kitten, if you eat too fast you might be sick."

Chen devours this plate much more slowly. Satisfied he isn't going to choke, Minseok turns to his own food.

"He listens to you very well," Sehun comments.

"He does, now that I'm thinking about it." Minseok runs a clean knuckle down the back of Chen’s kitty ear. "He's a good kitty."

"You're a good master."

Minseok elects to stick food into his face instead of pointing out the many flaws in that statement. A good master wouldn't have abandoned his kitten for so long. He wouldn't have left him alone to deal with terrifying emergencies on his own. But at least he hadn't left his boy in a f*cking cage. The thought of Chen clinging to hot metal bars, face wet with tears makes Minseok rest one hand on Chen’s shoulder, gritting his teeth against the image (and the twitch of Chen’s touch-averse body).

"Sorry," he mumbles, taking his hand back to himself.

Chen shifts, sidling around to press his shoulder against Minseok's hip as he continues to demolish his meal in measured bites. His own appetite gone, Minseok leans away from the table, setting his anxious hand on the floor on the other side of Chen’s torso. It helps ease some of the tightness in Minseok's throat, that he has Chen sheltered beneath his arm, even if it's not the tight grip his still-jumpy heart would prefer.

"You guys are cute," Sehun coos.

"Us guys are exhausted," Minseok corrects as Chen slumps to the floor beside his empty plate. "I'm afraid we won't be very stimulating company tonight."

"Completely understandable." Sehun’s smile is kind. "Guest room's ready, whenever you are."

"Sounds great. You've been so nice," Minseok says, even though that's not actually what he means. He's just grateful, and his brain is shutting down now that the adrenaline is leaving, now that his Chen is safe and fed and taken care of.

Thankfully, Sehun seems to understand. He waves them towards the guest room, a place Minseok has crashed many times before after various intoxicating adventures with Baek. It's familiar enough that he can stumble through his bedtime routine on autopilot as Sehun moves the pet bed into the room for Chen. Minseok is grateful for that, and for the toothbrush always kept in the nightstand for him.

The bed is comfortable enough, but Minseok can't get to sleep. Every time he drifts off, he startles awake again, heart racing, images of cages and flames invading his head. Finally, he gives up. With a sigh, he drags the blanket from the bed, then shuffles over to flop down on the pet bed beside Chen.

“I know, I know,” he says to the motionless form beside him. “I'm not being a very good master right now. But I just. I'm not gonna sleep at all unless I can remind myself you're fine and still with me, and that's a lot easier when you're right beside me.”

Chen shifts, scooting in to make more room for Minseok on the bed. Or so he chooses to see it, instead of deciding his pet is simply putting space between them. But it must be the former, because Chen curls against him once Minseok stops moving.

Chen hums softly, that little three-tone sequence Minseok had heard him repeating to himself the first few days he'd been alone while Minseok was at work. It's a quick little run of notes close together, lower-higher-middle, and Minseok's eyes heat as it finally clicks for him.

You're okay. He says it to Chen all the time, whenever he seems anxious or unsettled. Apparently, Chen finds it comforting enough that he repeats it to himself when Minseok's not there to do it, and now. Now he's echoing it back to Minseok. To comfort him.

“Ah, Chenny,” Minseok murmurs, throat a little tight. “You're an absolute treasure.”

A treasure Minseok really doesn't have to worry about losing, does he? Chen has demonstrated that he'll act against his own comfort for the sake of safety, even on his own. He used the phone, even. And there were plenty of cabs around, or buses, or he could've just walked off if he'd wanted to leave but needed a push to actually step outside the apartment. He hadn't done any of that.

He'd wanted Minseok to come home. He'd wanted to be near him. He'd wanted to complain to Minseok, in his way, about how unpleasant the whole thing was.

Chen likes Minseok. He wants to be with him, tries to comfort him, wants to stick close.

It's a reassuring enough thought that Minseok is able to drift off, his precious kitten a solid, safe weight curled into the curve of his body.

Minseok wakes to the sound of a phone camera's digital shutter. Several of them, in quick succession.

“Really, Baek?” he asks without opening his eyes.

“Of course, hyung,” Baekhyun coos from above him. “The two of you are adorable, I need to preserve it forever.”

“You mean you want to send the pics to Nini so he can both tease me and use them against his own boyfriends.”

“That, too. But don't worry—I won't send off any that show your kitty's face.”

“Except to me,” Minseok says, pushing away the blanket and convincing one eye to open. “I'm late for work already, aren't I?”

“Nope, but you will be if you don't hustle. You're welcome to whatever you need from my closet, but I think you're stuck with your own suit jacket, mister beefshoulders. I'd offer you one of Sehun’s but the sleeves would be hilarious.”

“I can make my jacket work. Thanks for being so generous.”

“This is what friends are for. You'd do the same for us, anyway.” He nudges Minseok's ass not so gently with his foot. “Go make us all some breakfast while I shower with Sehunie. Your kitten can join us if he wants.”

Whatever reaction Chen displays is enough to trigger Baekhyun’s laughter. Minseok reaches for Chen, curling an arm around his little waist.

“My kitty,” he says.

“He can be yours and still enjoy soapy fun time with two other guys,” Baekhyun laughs.

“He could,” Minseok agrees, hauling himself to his feet. “I'm not sad he doesn't seem to want to, though.”

Baekhyun tsks. “So vanilla.”

Minseok thinks of all the supplies and equipment that's entered his home, all the ways his life has changed since Chen arrived on his doorstep. And starts his day with a big dose of rolling laughter.

“So why did I find you on a pet bed, anyway?” Baekhyun asks when they're standing in the kitchen, sticking rolls of kimbap in their faces. Chen and Sehun—in ViVi mode, ears, tail, and all—are eating their own breakfasts at their feet.

“Because I'm soft,” Minseok laughs. “I just. After yesterday, I needed him close, to be calm enough to sleep.”

“I didn't mean that, of course you needed him close, that must have been scary as f*ck. I saw your building on the news, I'd have lost my sh*t if there was smoke pouring out the side of our building and I didn't know where my pup was.” Baekhyun shivers. “What I meant was, why did I find you both curled up there, instead of in the bed actually designed for two people to share comfortably?”

“Oh.” Minseok’s face goes a little warm, which is dumb because he's not in high school. “Well, because that was the first time we've shared a bed at all.”

Baekhyun gapes. “Really?”

Minseok nods.

“Why?”

Now Minseok is heating up for a different reason. “Because! I'm not that kind of jackass. You were very clear about the sort of signals it would send.”

“And you don't want to send those signals?”

“Not unless I'm sure Jongdae wants Chen to be receiving them. From me specifically.”

“Jongdae?”

Minseok nods. “Chen's… inner human, I guess.”

“His legal name.”

Minseok nods again. “I just. We've gotten close. I think I'm doing a decent job providing what Chenny needs, physically at least. He seems content, and glad to be mine even if I'm surely nothing like he expected. But… just like the food thing. I don't want to ignore what he needs as a human, and maybe damage his health. Like, sure, his thumbprint is on a piece of paper indicating he hated Siwon's brat enough to agree to letting some stranger take ownership of him, including the ‘right’ to f*ck him. But that doesn't mean he wants to sleep with me. That Kim Jongdae, if he met me under other circ*mstances, would be all, yeah. I wanna get naked with that guy right there.”

Baekhyun snorts. “Come on. Is there any adult you've ever been shirtless in front of that hasn't wanted to get naked with you, at least a little bit?”

Minseok shrugs. “Even if that's true, he hasn't even seen me shirtless.”

Baekhyun blinks. “Well, that's just sad. Everyone should get to enjoy such a tasty treat. But I think I get it,” he says when Minseok rolls his eyes. “You didn't negotiate that contract. You inherited it, without even planning to do so. So you don't feel like you, specifically, have the right to act on it.”

Minseok nods. “And to be honest… I don't think I could do a few of the things on there. Or want to. Like, there's no way I'm gonna piss on him. I don't care if he's into it, that's just unsanitary.”

Baekhyun laughs. “Right. Because sanitation is your strongest kink.”

Minseok's lips quirk. “That's kind of a good metaphor, though. You guys teased me about that so much, in college I went to a doctor and took a whole test to make sure I was just a guy who liked things clean, instead of a guy who might need meds or something.”

“sh*t, really?”

Minseok nods.

“Hyung, you know I'd never give you a hard time about something that actually was an issue for you.”

“And that's what the doctor said—that every mind is unique, and the medical definition of when a difference becomes a disorder is when it interferes with someone's ability to live a fulfilling life. It's fine if I really like to clean. It's less fine if my need for clean prevents me from doing other things I want or need to do.”

“Ahh. And, since you've never known your kitten outside of kitty mode, since you weren't there from the beginning, part of you is worried that this contract, or this lifestyle, is keeping him from living his best life?”

Minseok nods. “And I feel guilty for feeling like that, because, as he clearly demonstrated yesterday, he's a capable adult that will take care of himself if it's necessary and he has the means to do so. So shouldn't I trust that, whatever his reasons for signing that contract six months ago, he did so in full cognizance?” Minseok sighs. “It's not that I don't find him incredibly attractive. But it feels wrong, either way. If I sleep with him, I might be violating his consent, even if in the moment, as Chen, he's a good kitty that lets his master do as he likes, even if he seems to physically enjoy it. But if I refuse to look at him sexually, I feel like I'm saying I don't see him as an adult who understands and wants what he agreed to, like I don't respect this contract that's clearly very important to him.”

“Then as your lawyer, I'd suggest you need a new contract,” Baekhyun says. “Or at least a proper signing of the existing one. It's not really his consent that's missing here, it's yours. It’s understandable you'd be conflicted about upholding clauses you'd never negotiated or agreed to.”

“And since I have been well lectured by my lawyer, I definitely wouldn't have signed it as-is,” Minseok huffs, “because I'm not sure what all the terms even mean, to be completely honest. And after asking the internet what sounding is, I'm legit scared to search up anything else.”

Baekhyun cackles. “Sounding, like a lot of kink, is only alarming until you've witnessed someone do it well.”

“I'll respectfully disagree. That hole is not meant for sticking things into.”

“A lot of people would say that about the ass, but I know you disagree there.”

Minseok purses his lips. “Point conceded, but I'm not ready to withdraw my personal objection just yet.”

“Personal objections are absolutely allowed. I'm just saying, don't let the graphic image results at the top of your search be the primary informer of your kink preferences. You know the internet runs on shock and controversy, so what the search engine thinks is relevant to web traffic is likely not an accurate depiction of typical practice.”

At their feet, ViVi whines. Minseok looks down to see his dish is empty. Baekhyun likes to give his pet chocolatey cereal for breakfast (without the usual milk poured over it). The little balls look very like pet kibble, but the five grains and extra calcium make it reasonably nutritious. ViVi (and Chen) really seem to like it.

“Oh, do you need more?” Minseok asks.

“Nah, he's fine.” Baekhyun picks up the dish and puts it in the sink. “My pup just gets excited when his clever master uses the big lawyer words, don't you, boy?”

ViVi whines again, shifting the way he's sitting. Baekhyun snickers down at him.

“That's entirely your problem, pup. If you're a good boy and take good friendly care of our kitty guest while the masters are gone, maybe I'll read some inheritance clauses to you later.” Baekhyun winks at Minseok. “He really likes the word ‘executor.'’

Minseok shrugs, retrieving Chen's dish. “Whatever works for you guys.”

“Exactly. That's the appeal of kink—doing what works for you. So don't worry—we'll get you and your kitten on the same page soon.”

When Minseok gets back from work that evening, he has to fight back tears when Chen scampers to greet him. His inadvertent trip-attempts are just as fervent as always, despite the trauma of the day before. Minseok hands over the meat he'd picked up, having insisted that morning that feeding his hosts was the least he could do to thank them.

"Hanwoo? You're too good to us, hyung," Sehun says as he takes it to the kitchen.

"No such thing," Minseok says, crouching to pet Chen's kitty ears. "Was he okay today? I hated leaving him again, even if he wasn't alone."

"We were just fine. We watched an old Japanese kids' movie about a kitten and a pug that had adventures in the woods, and we did a little homework."

"Homework?"

"Yours is on the table there."

Minseok stands up. Atop the dining table is a clipboard and pen.

“What's this?” Minseok picks it up and flips through the pages. There are several of them, with terms he's awkwardly familiar with at best, along with some kind of rating system.

“Kink checklist,” Sehun says. “Hyungnim had me print it off for you. He says go through and consider each option, and that I'll be your dictionary for stuff you don't know or aren't sure of. Oh and he says to remember that, while of course you two can do whatever you want, however you want to together, that you should consider that the master is generally the one doing things to their pet. So I made sure this checklist had options specifically so you'd think about both. Like, maybe you hear what sounding's usually like, and still don't want it done to you. Does that also mean you're unwilling to do it to someone else who's into it?”

Minseok frowns. Maybe it's the ingrained concept of treating others how he'd want to be treated that's causing many of his misgivings. He needs to treat Chen how Chen wants to be treated. And Chen may really like some of this stuff.

“So, that's what the ‘giving ’ and ‘receiving’ columns are here,” Sehun emerges from the kitchen to point out. “Usually it's obvious what that means, like giving or receiving a paddling or a blowj*b. But again, if you’re not sure, Hyungnim has placed me at your disposal for explanation and potentially demonstration if required.”

“Generous of him,” Minseok says, because it seems more polite than ‘wow Baek's really ready to demonstrate all this stuff?’ Minseok isn't sure he wants to see that much detail of his best friend's sex life.

“Hyungnim also told me to point out the sexual versus non-sexual options,” Sehun continues. “I mean, stuff like blowj*bs are obviously sexual, but whether you knew it or not, you've been practicing a lot of non-sexual kink with your kitten already. Some of those things—like training skills or tricks, for example—could apply in the bedroom, too. And lots of things that the average person might associate with the bedroom, like blindfolds or handcuffs, could also be used in completely non-sexual situations.”

“And I suppose you're also happy to explain all the ways that each of these can be sexy or not.”

“Exactly.” Sehun beams. “And before you start thinking that this is all too awkward to endure and you can't wait until your building is safe to return to, remember that Chen also tackled this checklist today, with the added awkwardness of some guy he's met twice being the one to read him each item and collect his responses.”

“Oh man.” Minseok grimaces. But then he straightens up. “Wait, where's his? Can I see?”

“Sure. After you do yours. The idea is not to be influenced by each other—yet.” Sehun’s finger pokes at the answer columns. “This is why you have ‘soft no’ and ‘hard no.’ Hard is, ‘I never wanna do this ever, it disturbs or disgusts me or is otherwise thoroughly unappealing in any circ*mstances.’ Soft is, ‘I don't like this or it makes me uncomfortable, BUT if my partner really wanted to, I'd be open to discussing ways to make it, if not appealing, at least not objectionable to me.’”

“I don't remember the college entrance exams being this complicated,” Minseok grumbles, but he takes the clipboard and pen and retreats to the couch.

At least the first page is pretty easy. It's an exhaustive list of sex acts, some of which Minseok didn't realize had an actual name. He knows his own body and also what he tends to do for a partner in bed, so it’s simple enough to mark an A for ‘easy yes’ to most of them. Several get an additional + to denote extra enthusiasm, and a few get a - because while he enjoys them well enough, they're not something he craves.

“What's ‘guarded yes?’” he calls to where Sehun is bustling in the kitchen.

“It's like, ‘I find this appealing in some circ*mstances but not others.’ Use your pluses and minuses for your B answers especially, like, plus for ‘there are only a few specific reasons I wouldn't be excited, so as long as we avoid those, I'm in’ and minus for ‘there are only a few specific ways this would be exciting, but if we can make it happen like that, I'm so down.’ So, maybe you're only into rimming immediately after a thorough shower, or watersports are only fun right before or even during that thorough shower.”

“Baekhyun is right,” Minseok says as he adds a B to more boxes. “Hygiene really is my biggest kink.”

The next page requires more thought. Which is presumably the whole point. He's tempted to just throw the neutral C response into all the boxes so he can get to the exciting part of seeing what Chen actually likes, but Chen hasn't been at all subtle about watching Minseok as he fills it out. It's different from his usual furtive ‘must know where master is and what he's doing’ glances Minseok is used to. The gaze he's getting now is more direct. It feels anticipatory. Like Chen can't wait to know what makes Minseok tick, too.

So he takes his time, deliberately imagining each thing, not just in a sexy context, but in a non-sexual, kitty specific way. Restraints: ropes could obviously be those fancy knotwork harnesses, but it could also mean a kitty harness and leash. Maybe Chen would feel more secure when leaving the apartment if he had a harness beneath his clothes. What had he answered? It's so hard not to rush through to find out, but being thorough will benefit them both more.

He smiles as he puts an A++ in the Giving, Non-sexual column next to Pet play: kitten, but then chews a lip as he considers the other three columns. He quickly decides on a C for both Receiving columns. If Chen wants him to reverse roles sometime, he's not opposed, but he's not sure he'll get anything out of it, himself. The Giving, Sexual column is harder. He definitely would be happy to sleep with Chen, but is that because he's a kitten, or just because he's a dangerous combination of endearing and gorgeous, with or without his kitty accessories and mannerisms? Ultimately, he decides a B+ is an accurate representation of his current feelings. Having a naked catboy in his lap has strong appeal, but not the idea of ‘you're not human, so I can just use your body as a warm hole.’ Then again, maybe that’s the part Chen likes most. Minseok will have to finish the list to find out whether Chen's answers for the humiliation and dehumanization items match his own.

The listed kinks seem to get more extreme or obscure the more pages he flips. Several entries have him blinking at his phone's web browser in surprise that people actually like that. But he tries to keep an open mind, imagine less dramatic versions and non-sexual versions than what the internet immediately throws at him. And while he does put stars by some things to ask for more details, he's proud of how thorough and contemplative he's being.

Until he gets to the last page.

“What the f*ck,” he mutters, staring at an image of a guy dangling from metal hooks punched through the skin of his back.

Having brought the tray of food out just in time to see Minseok's eyes try to bug out of his head, Sehun laughs. “Ah, down to the edgeplay questions, I see.”

“Do people really f*ck like this?”

“It's a big world, so I'm fairly sure that the answer to any question that starts with ‘does anyone actually…’ is probably a yes in at least one instance. But suspension is often a personal empowerment thing, from what I hear. Like, okay, this business meeting is long and pointless and the boss is a self-important prick, but you're a badass who hung for hours from a trio of hooks lodged in your flesh! You can endure this hell, too.”

“Huh. I don't think I'm that much of a badass. And I'm comfortable with that.” He marks a hard-no E in all the suspension columns. He's not qualified to attempt to do that to someone else and has no interest in learning. But he puts a plus sign by the one in the Giving, Non-sexual column, then adds a note to the bottom of the page: E+ in the giving column means if my partner wants to receive this experience, and we can find someone skilled and trustworthy to provide it, then I'll support him in pursuing it.

Most of the rest of the edgeplay entries get identical marks, even though by the time he's looked up everything else on the list, the suspension seems rather tame. Ultimately it's Chen's body, and if he really wants it scarred or branded or pierced, well, it's his choice. People get dumb tattoos all the time, don't they? Adults get to make permanent choices if they want, even if Minseok privately thinks they're unwise.

He'd be sad to see Chen's beautiful body deliberately disfigured, though. Maybe being a master means protecting his charge from such permanent things.

“I think my answers to some of these might change, in the future,” Minseok says as he hands the completed list to Sehun.

“That's normal,” Sehun says. “This is a survey, not an agreement. Even once you make an agreement, things can still change. You just have to make new agreements in such cases. The core of kink is communication.”

Sehun produces a second sheaf of papers—Chen's survey. “Surveys like this often get eyerolls, but they can be a good tool for new couples, even those that are both familiar with kink in general. By comparing answers, we can find out what you two need to talk about—yes, talk.” Sehun smiles. “We're working on that, aren't we, Chen-hyung?”

“You don't have to, though,” Minseok says. “We have the buttons now, usually, twenty of them. It's way more than yes or no. I get all the important things.”

“Do you? If he pressed the ‘treat’ button and undid your fly, would you let him suck your co*ck?”

Minseok reflexively moves his hand over his fly. Sehun laughs.

“Hyungnim is a lawyer. He likes precise understanding, too, which for lawyers means fancy words and phrases that are strictly defined to only mean a very specific thing, so that everyone can be held to the same understanding. Then they put in shortcuts, so they don't always have to say all those precise phrases. ‘The parcel of land of these dimensions at this location, hereafter referred to as ‘the property,’ and so on. If you knew ahead of time that ‘treat’ plus offer of blowj*b meant “I'm really happy with you and it's highly satisfying for me to suck your dick to express that,” then you could sit back and enjoy. But you'll never get to that level of understanding with a handful of pre-programmed word buttons and nothing else.”

“Still,” Minseok says. “I've taken so much away from him already. I'd rather not force him to behave even more like a human, just because I'm not good at this sort of thing.”

Sehun grins. “Actually, it's very feline to make specific noises just for dumb humans. Adult cats don't really meow to each other. They use other noises, sure, but the classic kitty meow is generally reserved for kittens, and us. Some cat owners can even tell which meow means ‘feed me’ and which means ‘open this door.’ So it's completely natural for your kitty to vocalize in ways aimed at human understanding, at least occasionally, so you can both be far more comfortable with the ‘abbreviations’ you use together the rest of the time.”

Minseok sighs. “Are you sure you're not a lawyer, too? You've got a rejoinder for everything."

“Ooh, rejoinder.” Sehun shivers, then laughs at Minseok's grimace. “Words are powerful. So Chen's gonna work on finding some of his.”

“If that's what he wants.” Minseok shakes his head. “What kind of owner am I, that I chafe at making him do anything?”

“A good one for a kitten, since cats are notoriously difficult to boss around. It's definitely not a bad thing that you respect him so much.” He brandishes the surveys. “So let's see how much bossing—and other stuff—your kitten is hungry for. Then you can be more confident you're providing what he needs, even if you're currently denying what he seems to want.”

“I'd very much like to know." Minseok rounds Sehun’s shoulder so he can see the first page of Chen’s survey. "I know some things he doesn't want—wait." His eyes catch on Cuddling and Stroking/Petting, surprised to find an A+ in all the columns.

He looks down at Chen, sitting at his feet. "You like being touched? You always flinch."

"Does he?"

Minseok nods, crouching again. He slowly reaches out to lay a hand on Chen’s shoulder, watching him tense against the impending touch. He twitches as Minseok makes contact, but then curves into it, giving him big eyes and a tiny mew.

"Maybe his body has learned habits no longer relevant to his heart," Sehun suggests. "He was really quick to slap the 'A' card when I asked him, and then the plus sign repeatedly."

Minseok frowns a little. It feels wrong to force it, when Chen is so visibly uncomfortable. But this is the point, right? What Minseok wanted. He's been told what Chen wants. He has to trust that he was honest with his responses, just as Minseok was.

So he holds his arms out. "Come here, then, kitten."

Chen melts against him. He buries his face against Minseok's chest and lets out a low wail. His body shudders, and Minseok wraps him up tight.

“Okay, Chenny. You're okay,” he says. “I'm sorry. I've got you. We're gonna be okay.”

He squeezes Chen until he stops shaking, pressing a kiss to his hair periodically between reassuring murmurs.

"You feel so nice in my arms, kitten," Minseok says when Chen is calmer. "I've wanted to pet and cuddle you, but I really thought you didn't like it."

"This is why you need more than buttons," Sehun says. "If you think you have the answer already, you won't think to ask. And he can only volunteer information about the words you've selected for him. Even if he'd have tried to cuddle you voluntarily, you'd see that twitching and think he was forcing himself. Which he might be. But now you know for sure it's because his mind wants to, even if his body is still shy."

Shy. There's that word again. Minseok's gut says that's wrong, but his gut had also told him not to touch his kitten more than strictly necessary.

"Does he," Minseok starts, trying to be open minded, trying to trust that the man in his arms knows his own mind. "Does he want me to hurt him? Physically?"

"Nothing extreme. He's up for paddling, nipple clamps, hickies, that sort of temporary, superficial pain. Some lingering tenderness, a few bruises, maybe. No blood, no scars, no broken skin."

Minseok nods. "Okay. Okay, I can do that."

"You don't have to," Sehun says. "It's not 'the sub gets whatever he wants even if the Dom finds it unpleasant' anymore than it's 'the Dom does as he pleases regardless of the sub's opinions.' It's about what works for both of you."

"But I want him to have what he needs."

"Which is nice. But what about your needs? Doing more than you're comfortable with can have negative effects for tops as well. Is pleasing him in the short term worth potential long-term guilt, disillusionment, wondering if you're really a good person?"

Minseok frowns. His fingers thread through Chen's hair. It's so soft—Minseok had known it was soft, but now he can enjoy it. Because he knows that, despite his continuing twitches, Chen enjoys it, too.

Perhaps paddling would be the same. His kitten might cry out when he's spanked, but part of him would still be gratified. All his brattiness—is it a plea for his master to bend him over a knee? He doesn't break rules, his kitten, but he does push limits, stretch tolerance wherever a strict line hasn't been drawn. Does he crave being put in his place? Does he yearn to have a place to be put in?

"I think," Minseok says slowly, "that is what I need. To know I'm doing a good job for him. I already feel guilty, for not doing enough. I don't think spanking him would make me feel cruel or anything, if it was something I knew he wanted. I wouldn't be actually injuring him." He snorts at himself. "I mean, I love Baek, and I still punch him sometimes. I don't feel bad about that, because he knows it'll happen if he teases me too much, and he does it anyway."

"This would be a little different, though," Sehun says. "The part where he knows what's coming and acts out anyway might still be true, but a good Dom is mindful of control. It's bad form to lose your temper and actually beat a sub out of anger. The idea generally is, there are pre-arranged punishments, whether specific things like 'this infraction earns this many paddles' or more general, as in, 'this is the pool of punishments available, and the selection and severity will depend on the reason for the punishment.' But there's always a limit. It's not 'I'm going to hit you until I'm not angry anymore.' It's 'you've made me angry, so I'll deliver the punishment once I'm calm enough to do so in a controlled manner.'"

"Chenny doesn't make me angry, though," Minseok says.

"That has more to do with your temperament than his intentions, I think." Sehun smiles. "You don't hit Hyungnim nearly as often as Soo-hyung or Yeol-hyung do, for example."

Minseok snorts, but then he shakes his head. "I don't think it's that. I don't think Chen actually wants to make me truly angry. I think he just wants my attention. I know I don't give him enough. So I haven't had the heart to punish him for being obnoxious." He looks at Chen, who's been watching the conversation intently. "We can work something out, though. Some naughty thing you can do that will be code for 'I need a good spanking' or whatever."

Chen rolls his eyes. He rolls his whole head along with them, ending in a little huff.

Minseok frowns at him. "What, then? All of it? Every time you're a brat, you're looking for a punishment?"

Chen ducks his chin forcefully.

Minseok blinks. "Oh. Well. You'll have to be a little more patient, then, while I read over your answers and look things up."

Chen snuggles up against Minseok's side, slumping against him with a long exhale.

Minseok smiles, curving his arm around his exasperated pet. "My poor kitten suffers so much."

Now Sehun rolls his eyes. "Yes, it's a terrible burden to be so adored." He hands Chen's survey to Minseok. "Discuss amongst yourselves. I've got Hanwoo to grill."

Chen snuggles tight as Minseok compares the two surveys, obviously just as curious about Minseok's responses. Most of the sexual stuff lines up—Chen is a lot more willing to put his mouth places than Minseok is. Except he's marked a B- for Kissing: on the mouth, in both the giving and receiving columns.

So, there's one place he doesn't want to put his mouth, except under certain circ*mstances?

"No lip kissing, huh?"

Chen's human ears go red. He turns to bury his face against Minseok's shoulder. Minseok hasn't seen him so bashful, and he's helped the guy wash his junk.

Maybe that’s it. Maybe kissing is more intimate for Chen than anything to do with his groin. He certainly wouldn't be the first person to think this way.

"Okay, kitten." Minseok rubs Chen's back. "Hyung will only kiss you other places. If you ever change your mind, though, just lay one on me." He points to his own enthusiastic A+ response.

The rest of the sheet lines up more or less with how Minseok would guess a guy who elected to live as a cat would answer. He wants to have aspects of his life dictated to him, diet and hairstyle, bathroom habits and furniture use, and everything else. He also apparently wants to be restrained. He'd even indicated being excited about long-term confinement.

"You said you didn't miss the cage, though," Minseok says. "Did you change your mind?"

Chen shakes his head slightly.

"Oh!" Sehun calls from the kitchen. "I played twenty questions with him already for you on that one, because he had a hard time choosing an answer for those parts. We settled on B, because he doesn't want to be actually tied or locked up, in a way a human can't escape, when you're not there with him. If you are there, then he's happy with anything. But if you're gone, he doesn't want to be left anywhere uncomfortable or unhealthy." Sehun pops his head into the dining area. "I guess all your fretting about safety hits harder after a guy has to escape a literal burning building."

Minseok squeezes Chen close. "So you want to be left somewhere comfortable and safe, that a human could escape, but a kitty can't?"

A tiny nod.

Minseok's brow relaxes. "And we're doing that already, right?"

Chen nods, his own face smoothing out as well.

"That's right. I keep my kitten locked safely in my apartment. I don't let him be loose outside where cars and rain and stuff can get him."

Sehun coos. Chen buries his face against Minseok's shoulder again. Minseok smiles at his fluster, stroking his hair. Sehun smiles too before disappearing into the kitchen again.

"Okay, so I groom you, train you, and keep you safe. So far, so good."

He lifts a brow as he flips to the next page. "Keep you safe from everyone but me, I guess."

Chen has put Cs in most of the 'bloody' kinds of pain, as Sehun had summarized. But that still leaves a long list of ways Chen would apparently enjoy being hurt. Paddling, spanking, flogging, restraints and restrictions of all types. Chen makes a small noise as Minseok reads. Minseok cradles his neck, pulling him close enough to press a kiss between his kitty ears.

"We'll work it out," Minseok murmurs. "You're not forcing me to do anything. I'm fine with spanking, and tickling you actually sounds pretty fun, see? I put an A there, too. I put C for most of the rest, because I'm not set against doing it. It's just never entered my mind before. So I'll read, and learn, and decide what'll work for both of us. Okay?"

He feels Chen's tiny nod against his neck.

Still cradling Chen's head, Minseok flips to the last pages. A smile stretches his lips as he looks over the roleplay section. "I have a friend who'll be very jealous that my kitty wants to be examined and groomed. We kind of do that already, but we can focus on it more if you like it. I've been meaning to ask if I can put scar treatment on you. Sit you on the counter after your baths, check over all your skin to make sure I'm not missing anything."

The way Chen shivers against him has Minseok grinning wide. He runs his fingers through his soft, soft hair. "Yeah. We'll do that. And if you wanna watch me change and stuff, you have my permission." He tilts his head at the marks section. "You wanna give me love bites? Sink your kitty teeth into me?"

Chen gives a little growl, making Minseok laugh. "My fierce little Chenny-cat. Lucky for you, that's high on the list of stuff I like." He sets the pages aside in favor of squeezing Chen in both arms. "It'll be good between us, right?"

The happy little huff Chen emits compels Minseok to bury his smile against his kitten's fluffy ears.

The Hanwoo is delicious. Hand-feeding pieces of it to his kitten is fun, especially when he starts coaxing Chen to do tricks for more pieces. His human ears turn bright red every time Sehun coos at his efforts, but the beef is good enough that he's willing to throw away some of his kitty dignity to get more of it. Minseok has his kitten 'sitting pretty' by the end of the meal, up on his haunches, both front paws in the air, head tilted appealingly, blinking those long lashes above just-licked lips. Baekhyun makes it home just in time to see Chen's efforts, which makes his ears go even redder.

"Good kitty," Minseok praises, pulling him close to kiss all four of his ears.

"Adorable!" Baekhyun drops into Sehun’s lap and helps himself to the remaining Hanwoo. "This is great. What's the occasion?"

"Having excellent friends." Minseok pours Baek a glass of the soju he'd also picked up. "Thanks again for letting us stay."

Baekhyun waves it away. "You're spoiling us with good food and expertly organized toiletries." He holds out his glass for a refill. "How much of this have you had, Sehunie?"

"None," Minseok says, shaking his head. "He said he wasn't allowed unless you said so. He's been making me drink alone."

Baekhyun tilts his head. "None for your Chenny?"

"He didn't want any." Minseok smiles at the memory of Chen’s curled lip and shaken paw. His kitty mannerisms are so natural. It makes Minseok wonder, not for the first time, if they're something Chen studied. Minseok feels closer to his kitten than ever, thanks to the surveys, but he still knows so little about the guy he lives with.

"More for us, then." Baekhyun downs his second glass. "Not that I can indulge too much. I've got an early morning again."

"Same." Minseok stands, taking their empty plates to the kitchen. "It's bed for me."

Baekhyun’s smile goes wicked. "Oh, I just bet you're in a hurry to get between the sheets. Did you enjoy your homework?"

"It was very enlightening," Minseok says, cheeks warm. "Thanks for thinking of it."

"Oh, you're very welcome." Baek lounges in his lover's lap like a prince on a throne. "Have fuuun."

Minseok huffs, shaking his head. He's not going to pounce on his kitten so soon. They just got to the hugging point today. Chen's not some bar hookup. He deserves time and consideration.

So he tucks him into the pet bed after washing up. He's got a lot to think about—Sehun had sent him links to websites where he could research various options and techniques, and as wary as Minseok is of this whole new world he'd never given a thought to before, he finds himself intrigued.

A year and a half ago, he'd devoured every tip and technique about poker he could find, internalizing some, rejecting others as impractical or not suited to his style of play. This will be the same. A buffet of options he can pick and choose and modify as fits him. As fits them.

Minseok is almost asleep when a soft noise pulls him back toward wakefulness. There's a shadow near the other side of the bed.

“Chenny?”

The soft noise repeats. The shadow moves, grows taller.

“You cold? Need a blanket?” Minseok had shared with him last night, but surely Baek has an extra one.

The next soft noise is decidedly negative, though. It's followed by the little trill that lifts at the end, like a question.

“You want in the bed?” Minseok guesses. “Wanna cuddle again?”

An affirmative sound. Minseok hesitates for just a moment. It might be against the usual rules, but they've both been stressed. And now that Minseok knows that Chen likes touch, it's really hard to deny him. Or himself.

“Okay, kitten,” Minseok says, lifting the edge of the blanket. “Come here, then.”

Chen wastes no time tucking himself into the curve of Minseok’s body. Minseok drapes an arm over him. He's not wearing his velour top, but maybe he'd been too warm last night with it on, sharing Minseok's body heat.

Minseok is about to drift off again when Chen moves. He shifts so his ass is pressed right against Minseok's groin, and suddenly part of him is wide awake.

“Kitten,” Minseok warns, sliding his hand to Chen's hip. Whereupon he discovers that a shirt isn't the only thing Chen isn't wearing. “Chenny. What are you doing?”

Chen huffs, wiggling his ass. Minseok's fingers tighten on Chen’s bare hip. Apparently his kitten has had enough of time and consideration.

“Kitten. As appealing as this blatant offer is, I'm not gonna take you dry. When we're back in our own place—”

Chen hooks Minseok's hand with his sock paw, pulling it in front of him to feel a slim bottle, slightly damp. Had it been in Chen’s mouth? Well, there's no doubt what it is, or where he'd gotten it. Apparently, everyone in this apartment wants the two of them to get busy.

Minseok takes the bottle, but he briefly sets his teeth against his conniving kitten's shoulder as he does. The biting is definitely going to go both ways in this relationship. “You really are quite the brat, hmm?"

He's also much more vocal, after a day spent with Sehun. Chen makes a high, questioning noise that might have been meant to assert his innocence. Except he also grinds his ass back against Minseok's groin, making Minseok chuckle.

"Is my kitten impatient? Hmm?" Minseok sticks the bottle of lube in the pocket of his pajama pants, then indulges in running his hands over his kitten's bare skin. Healed up and properly nourished, it's soft and smooth beneath his palms, the body beneath warm and solid. "Have you been waiting for hyung to grab this beautiful body and take full advantage of having such a pretty pet?"

Chen rumbles low. He shoves his ass back again but Minseok shifts his hips away with a tsk.

"I'm starting to see how it's gonna be between us," he says. "You're gonna test me a lot, aren't you? I'm in charge, we agreed, but you know I'm a fool for you. You're ready to push hard to get the reaction you want. Right?" Minseok runs a hand down Chen's side, twitching his fingers just to make him squirm.

Chen makes another 'innocent' little sound.

Minseok chuckles. "Yeah, I'm onto you now, though. Just because I'm not going to beat you bloody doesn't mean I'm afraid of setting consequences. Now that I know you're asking for it, I think I'll enjoy when you misbehave."

He retrieves the lube from his pocket, rolling onto his back a little so he can use it neatly.

“All right, kitten,” he says once his fingers are slick. “Lift your tail for hyung.”

Chen wiggles his whole body, hooking his tail with his paw and pulling it to wrap around his hip. When Minseok's fingers arrive between Chen's eager cheeks, he gets the full picture of his restless kitten's deviousness.

“You're already prepped. Naughty beast. Or should I say needy?” He grabs hold of one apple-like cheek, pulling it slightly away from its fellow. “My bashful kitten who blushes when I blow him a kiss? Who turned so red when hyung made him do cute tricks? That's who climbed into this bed with a specific plan to seduce his master?” Minseok releases Chen in favor of levering his co*ck from his pajama pants, slicking it with the lube on his fingers. “You really made it so all hyung has to do is just grab these wiggly hips and slide on in?”

Evidently eager for exactly that, Chen presses back against the pressure of Minseok’s tip at his entrance. Minseok moans softly as he does indeed slide easily into that welcoming heat. He barely has to do anything—Chen's own motion soon has him swallowed to the hilt.

“Chenny. Kitten. How are you so good?” Minseok wraps both his arms around Chen's bare chest, holding him close, mouthing at his shoulder, the nape of his neck. “Baby. You feel incredible. Such a good, naughty kitten, taking hyung so well.”

Chen keeps wiggling, evidently dissatisfied with Minseok's stillness. Minseok unwraps one arm from his torso in favor of gripping his hip, holding him in place and giving leverage for a slow, teasing thrust.

“So impatient. What if hyung wants to give it to you slow and deep?”

Chen whines, trying to hook Minseok's hand with his paw, pull it off his hip either to let him wiggle or to touch him somewhere else. But Minseok stays firm, gripping tightly.

“Uh-uh. I'm going to savor this. Hyung waited a long time to have you. I'll enjoy it as long as I like.”

It feels amazing, the hot slide of his bare flesh within Chen's depths. It's been a while since he'd slept with anyone, and ages since he'd done so without a condom. It's got his nerve endings singing, and he shivers with the pleasure of it as he pushes deep, slowly pulls back.

“Chenny,” he sighs, his lips against his collar. “My precious kitten. So good for hyung.”

Chen whines, flexing against Minseok's grip. But it's clear he's not trying to get away. He wants more, frustrated with the lack of direct stimulation. He's actively clenching around Minseok, trying to goad him into pounding instead of gliding.

“I'll give it to you, kitten,” Minseok assures him. “Won't leave you hanging. You'll get it. When I give it to you.”

Chen whines some more. Minseok chuckles. He keeps up the slow, steady pace because it feels really good. But he does angle his hips more, ensuring he slides past Chen's prostate on each languid stroke. Chen gasps and writhes, so Minseok tightens his grip.

“Like that, kitten?”

Chen growls. Minseok laughs.

“Can you come like this, I wonder? Maybe that will be our next kitty training. Will you work just as hard for another kind of meat?”

Another growl from Chen that might be a more convincing sign of displeasure if it didn't break into a moan as Minseok's co*ck prods his prostate again. Minseok torments his kitten for long, enjoyable minutes until his own pleasure becomes insistent.

“Ah, kitten,” he says as he pushes Chen onto his stomach and rolls on top of him, pinning him to the bed with harder thrusts. “Gonna pump you full.”

Chen moans. Every stroke jars him into the mattress, setting the bell on his collar jingling in rhythm with Minseok's thrusts. Minseok pounds him hard and fast until pleasure rushes through him, feeling like it sweeps from his scalp along his spine to come shooting out his dick. He groans as he shudders his way through it, conscious enough to keep his full weight off Chen's back so the poor guy can breathe.

“f*ck, that was good,” Minseok pants, pressing a kiss to the back of Chen’s neck. “Your turn, kitten.”

Slowly, Minseok pulls out, taking a certain primal satisfaction from the thought of the mess he'd poured into Chen's little hole. He rolls him over, ready to suck an org*sm from his kitten, only to discover he doesn't have to. Chen's already gasping through his own recovery, paws bracketing his head, ears askew.

“Beautiful,” Minseok says, straightening Chen's ears. “Well done, kitten.”

Chen makes a tiny little mew. Minseok smiles down at him.

“That what you wanted, my horny little pet?”

The next mew is more like a satisfied sigh. Chen's eyes drift closed as his body goes limp.

Minseok snorts, prodding at him a little. “At least scoot over.”

Chen squirms away from the damp patch Minseok nudges him toward, rumbling in objection.

“It's your own wet spot,” Minseok laughs. “You can sleep there, or go back to your kitty bed.”

Chen shoots him a look. Minseok only grins.

“We could've just cuddled,” he reminds him as he flops onto the nice clean side of the bed. “You brought this on yourself.”

Chen grumbles some more, but doesn't leave the bed. He curls around Minseok until his head is over Minseok's chest. Eyes fallen closed, Minseok idly cards fingers through his hair for a moment, smiling at the resulting breathy ‘purr.’

“Night, Chenny-cat,” he murmurs just before sleep takes him.

"So…" Baekhyun says the next morning, smiling wickedly over his coffee mug. "Did you have your kitten doing midnight jumping jacks? What was with all the jingling last night?"

Minseok snorts. "That's the part you heard?"

"We heard the moaning too, but the bell made us laugh."

Minseok's smile is wry. "I'm gonna end up like that guy's dog, right? Chenny will ring his little bell, I'll get hard for him."

Baekhyun chortles. "You're supposed to be training him, not the other way around."

Minseok sighs into his own mug. "His days are numbered, though. I'm going to regain the upper hand, and then your brat won't be the only one getting his ass paddled on the regular."

Baekhyun’s brows go up. "You're really gonna hit him?"

"Not violently," Minseok says. "But I'm happy to warm his buns before bouncing against them. I mean, look. He's definitely built for it."

Chen, who'd been happily munching his breakfast on the floor, down on his elbows with his tail in the air, lifts his face at this. When he sees Minseok's smile, he sits down instead, wrapping his tail around his rear.

Minseok laughs. "You can't fool me now, Chenny-cat. You sealed your own fate by filling out that survey."

Chen swallows, hunching small over his dish again. But Minseok doesn't miss the twitch of his lips before he hides his face. Nor does he miss the way Chen swishes his hips as he eats. He's excited. Minseok might be, too.

It's interesting to see how another couple handles the whole pet-play thing as they go about their daily routine. Chen in particular seems fascinated with Sehun’s varying levels of puppyishness.

Having gotten rather used to his puppy-boy state of helpfulness with human hands, it's a surprise to see the switch flip, so to say, on Friday night. Baekhyun’s extremely early start was evidently compensation for coming home in time for dinner. The way Sehun lights up at Baek's arrival, wiggles happily at his attention and praise, is endearingly different from the usual casual affection the couple shares. After dinner, Baekhyun looks over the cleared table and clean kitchen, then nods.

"Go get your tail," he says, and Sehun takes off for the bedroom like a shot.

He returns on hands and knees, leather paw booties over his fingers, kneepads, and rubber tail wagging with the motion of his hips. He bounces over to Baekhyun, who cradles his head and scritches the base of his ears.

"Friday night is ViVi time," he explains to a surely heart-eyed Minseok. "He's worked very hard while I've been away, so now I indulge him as fully as possible. Tonight, you and I are just two humans hanging out, their pets along for the ride."

"Sounds fun."

It is. Minseok and Baekhyun finally have a chance to catch up, chatting about mutual friends, work stresses, family situations, the repairs to Minseok's building, all without mentioning what had dominated their conversations over the last few days. They don't talk about their relationships, about their pets, about the agreements and efforts it takes to make things work. They just enjoy them.

ViVi is an incredibly charming pup. Minseok's only caught a glimpse of him this way during breakfasts in the morning, but now his full playfulness is unleashed. He keeps bringing toy after toy out from the padded wooden box in the corner, things to tug and fetch and chew and squeak.

"He's a little spoiled," Baekhyun laughs as Minseok goggles at all the colorful objects now strewn around the living room. "Like you, I feel bad for not being around more, so I overcompensate."

Chen has been watching the flurry of activity warily, pressed against Minseok's legs. The first time ViVi bounces over to him, he bolts, trying to hide behind the sofa Minseok's sitting on. But unlike at home, there's not as much space between the couch and the wall, meaning Chen gets stuck.

Before Minseok can react, Vivi takes advantage of the kitten's protruding rump, shoving his nose beneath Chen's tail for a deep sniff.

Chen yowls, managing to wedge himself the rest of the way behind the sofa, pushing it (and Minseok) out away from the wall.

Baekhyun barks ViVi's name like the snap of a whip. The pup slinks over to him, head low, face contrite.

Minseok waves at Baek as he stands up, doing his best to smother a burst of laughter. "He didn't hurt him," he manages to choke out. "He just sniffed him." He crouches by the back of the sofa, pushing it away from the wall a little more to be sure his poor startled kitten can breathe. "You okay back there, Chenny?"

Chen does a credible imitation of a feline hiss.

Minseok swallows more laughter. "Come on out, kitten." He hooks one of Chen’s legs, gently tugging him backwards. "ViVi's just excited to have another pet to play with. He didn't mean to upset you."

Chen lets himself be hauled out, but he squirms away from Minseok to sit right by the sofa's back edge, clearly ready to bolt again.

Baekhyun releases ViVi with a murmured command. The pup trots back over, toy in his mouth, sidling up to drop it in front of Chen. Chen rears back away from it, lip curled. He shakes a paw and then viciously swats the toy away.

ViVi darts after it with a happy yip. He scoops it up and bounces back, tail wagging, to return it to Chen. He sits up, tongue lolling, clearly thrilled the kitten is playing with him.

Chen looks over at Minseok, paw still lifted, his tiny mew a clear 'save me.'

Both humans laugh.

"Play nice, Chenny," Minseok encourages. "That's our good friend, who's helped us so much." He reaches over to snag the toy, tossing it towards the door. ViVi takes off after it, and Minseok smiles. "It's nice to feel like the generous, helpful one, after needing so much kindness."

"He's really enjoyed the company," Baekhyun says, taking over the toy-tossing. "I'm almost sad your building is repaired, because next week for me will be even worse. I should just send him home with you."

Minseok smiles. "He's welcome to visit."

Chen hisses. Minseok looks over to see the squeaky toy in front of Chen again, ViVi offering a deep 'play-bow' with his chest low and his tail wagging high.

In return, Chen offers him a swat to one dangling leather puppy ear.

"Chenny!"

Chen's head drops between his shoulders and he scuttles back behind the sofa, back arched. As before, the drama is broken by the fact he has to haul the rest of his tail in by hand.

ViVi whines. Minseok reaches to snag the toy, patting the ear his kitten had smacked. "You're a good boy," he reassures him. "I think my Chenny just isn't used to having pet friends. He even gets flustered still when I play with him."

Chen grumbles from behind the sofa. Smiling, Minseok tosses the toy for ViVi again. The pup returns the toy to each human in turn, happy to be the intermittent center of attention as Baek vents about the few details of his current case he's allowed to discuss.

The sofa is jostled a little as Chen emerges from behind it.

Minseok turns, dropping his arm over the edge of the sofa to wiggle his fingers at his kitten. "You're okay," he says. "Come play if you want."

Chen apparently does not want. But maybe he does, at least a little. He doesn't move far from his little cave the rest of the evening, but he does come out enough to keep a close watch on ViVi as he plays. Whenever the pup approaches him, he hides, but as soon as ViVi's attention is elsewhere, Chen's peeking at him around the front edge of the sofa.

Minseok doesn't push him. Doesn't he also tend to observe for a while himself before feeling comfortable joining in? They'll both get there, eventually. Together.

Chapter 4

Chapter Text

Returning home is a warm blanket of relief. Having good friends to stay with is great, but so is being in his own space. That it's exactly as he left it is reassuring. He takes a deep breath, letting out all the subtle tension of the last few days. A shower in his own bathroom, with his own toiletries sounds like just the thing.

He whistles his way through pulling off his jacket and hanging it up. He saunters into the bathroom with a little skip in his step. But when he tries to shut the bathroom door, Chen whine-meows in protest.

"What?" Minseok pulls the door open to furrow his brow at his kitten.

Chen takes advantage of the wider gap, shouldering into the bathroom as well. He crawls past Minseok to put his front paws on the edge of the tub, turning back to look at Minseok over his shoulder.

"You want a bath, too?" Minseok huffs. "Is this another thing I thought you hated, but it turns out you like it? Or do you just like being clean?"

He gets no answer except a swish of Chen’s hips, making his tail flip. Minseok snorts instead of sighing. He can have his shower later. His kitten comes first.

"Paws up," he coaches. "Let's get your fur off, then."

Chen complies, a very cute smug look on his face that'd be a purr if he could make one. He swishes his hips back and forth as Minseok undresses him, clearly pleased with himself. But he purses his lips when Minseok takes his tail off after his shorts.

"I know the maker says it's fully washable," Minseok says, "but I think it'll take a long time to dry. So if you want to sleep with it on, let's leave it off for right now. You can keep the ears though—I can blow dry them with the rest of your head."

Chen doesn't wiggle as much with his tail off, but he does rub his face and shoulder against Minseok's legs as he fills the tub and adds the herbal 'cat shampoo' to the water. The bubbles foam up nicely, and Chen bats at them with his bath-mittened paws.

"In you go," he prods Chen when the bath is ready.

But Chen is still rubbing at Minseok's legs. He paws at them with the bubble-dampened mitts.

"Hey!" Minseok tries to dodge. "It's your bath time, not mine!"

Chen meows at him, a protesting sound, and paws at his legs again.

Minseok sighs down at his soaked thighs. "I needed to change anyway, I guess. But this is not good kitty behavior!" he scolds. "You wanted a bath, get in there so I can do your head fur."

Chen droops. He slinks toward the door, pulling his pile of clothes off the counter with a still-damp mitt. Minseok tilts his head as Chen sheds the mitts and starts pulling them back on, awkwardly, with balled hands and grumbly teeth.

"What, you changed your mind?" Minseok shakes his head. He's not gonna waste the hot water. "Guess it's my bath now."

He strips off his wet clothes. This isn't how he planned to clean himself up, but it'll do. He looks over at Chen to see if he's managed to re-dress himself, or if Minseok should see to him before booting him from the bathroom. But Chen is paused midway through tugging his back sock on with his teeth, eyes locked on Minseok.

Minseok's huff this time is closer to amused than exasperated. "You just came in here to eye me up? Lewd beast."

Chen offers a tiny, hopeful mew, distorted by the sock cuff still caught between his teeth. He releases the sock and drops his leg, crawling back towards the tub.

"You want it now that I'm gonna use it?"

Chen rubs against his bare leg, meowing, then puts his front paws on the tub again, still looking back at Minseok. He gives a commanding mrow! before coming back to rub against—shove against Minseok's legs.

"You want me in the tub?" Minseok guesses.

Chen's pleading eyes are his answer. Minseok complies with a sigh that turns into a hiss—the water is quite hot. Then Minseok yelps as his kitten clambers in on top of him, still wearing his shorts and half a sock.

"Chen!" He manages to get a hand up in time to keep Chen's face from smacking into the tiled wall, at the cost of bruising his own elbow. "What are you—oh, did you want to bathe together?" Minseok grunts at the knee in his abdomen, grateful it's not his groin. "Settle. Get your legs—there. Give me that." Minseok hangs the soaked sock over the washcloth bar. "Are you keeping your bum fur on?"

Chen goes to push the shorts down, but suddenly looks from his balled fists to the bath mitts now on the floor.

"Don't you—uhnf!"

Minseok clutches his abused thigh, used as a launch pad. He's going to have to wipe the walls down as well as the floor, with as much water as his unruly kitten has flung around. At least he manages to cup his hands over his most vulnerable bits before Chen launches back into the tub.

"Okay, okay, I'll help you, just settle." Minseok finishes pulling the mitts over Chen’s paws. "There."

Swaying happily between his knees, Chen gives him a wide-eyed eyed gaze, slightly upturned lips caught halfway between sweet and smug.

"Don't give me those aegyo eyes," Minseok huffs. "You're an absolute menace. Look at my poor bathroom."

Chen only co*cks his head and gives Minseok a slow blink.

Minseok lets his head fall back against the rolled edge of the tub. "A menace," he repeats.

He feels Chen nuzzling at his forearm, and laughs without looking when his hand ends up on his kitten's head.

"You're dangerous once you get an idea." Minseok sits up enough to reach for Chen's shampoo. "You and your devious kitty schemes to get your master to give you what you want."

It's reassuring, in a way, this further evidence that Chen will take action as he sees fit. He's bolder now, more vocal, more insistent, ready to push his master into a more intense reaction. Minseok's not sure he can do intense today, though. He's just happy to be home, with his kitten, fully nude together for the first time.

"I really like grooming you," he says as he rubs shampoo over Chen’s scalp. "It's very satisfying, to get you clean and brushed all nice. It makes me proud, that I can take good physical care of you."

Chen likes it, too, based on his half-closed eyes and slack mouth (and the fact that he'd marked it with an A+ on his survey sheet). Minseok can't help but smile at his gorgeous kitten, drinking in the sight of how content he is. He can almost hear a purr.

"Close your eyes, kitten," Minseok murmurs, rinsing away the shampoo with the hand sprayer.

He hums softly as he combs conditioner through Chen's locks. "It's getting really long," he comments. "Should we have it trimmed up?"

Chen drops his gaze. Is he blushing a little? He'd said on his survey that Minseok could choose stuff like this for him, and he'd wanted Minseok to choose his collar and things before. Perhaps Minseok will just schedule something for him, have the stylists do as he says without asking Chen about it first. After all, four-legged pets don't choose their own grooming styles. Nor do they really care. They don't have fashion opinions. But they do like being fussed over, most of them. So it follows that Chen also doesn't care about the particulars, as long as his master finds him cute.

"You're adorable anyway, Chenny-cat," Minseok says. "But if we had it trimmed, it'd look tidier. Like someone was paying attention to that sort of thing. I want you to look well taken care of, so that'll happen very soon." Minseok rather likes Sehun’s idea, of dying it to match Chen's ears. He'll tell the hairdresser it's for a costume party or something.

He sets the comb down, then reaches for the 'body shampoo' and squirts some on Chen’s scrubby paws. Minseok then attends to his own hair. Eyes shut against stray shampoo, he jumps when something swipes against his chest. Then it happens again.

He slits one eye open to see Chen… licking him? Diligently, not suggestively, painting a swathe from his shoulder to his throat.

"Grooming me, too, kitten? Or are you just finding the best spot to mark me up?"

Chen growls softly, letting Minseok feel his teeth a little. They're no sharper than Minseok's own of course, but maybe that would make a fun adventure, wrestling down his bitey little cat.

For now, he lets Chen put his mouth where he pleases. He'd given him permission, after all, and it feels rather nice. Chen isn't being overly sensual about it, but Minseok's dick, having only recently been reminded that sex is quite fun, is very interested in the possibility of more.

Later, though. For now, Minseok rinses the shampoo away in favor of conditioner, letting that sit while he rinses Chen's hair and washes his face.

"Scrub yourself," he says, pushing Chen away enough that he can finish bathing himself.

Chen pouts, but cleans himself well. Especially well, in certain areas, which he makes sure to do while Minseok is watching. But when they're both clean, Chen simply cuddles close, mitts against his chest. He nibbles on his neck a little, but it's a chaste sort of nibble. Minseok has to tell his groin this very firmly. It's nice just to share skinship, after missing out on this sort of contact for so long.

For a while he just sits there, water going cool but Chen's body warm against his chest. He strokes his kitten, ignoring his little flinches, running one hand slowly, repeatedly, from the nape of his neck down his back. Chen kneads at Minseok's chest a little, with long pauses that make Minseok suspect he's dozing off a bit.

"This is nice," he says after a moment, smiling when Chen startles a little in his arms. "You didn't have to go to such lengths, though, kitten. Now that I know you like cuddles, I'm happy to give them to you. I'd pet you all day if I didn't have other obligations."

Chen makes a small noise, muffled against Minseok's skin. Minseok holds him closer, pressing a kiss in his hair.

"Are you satisfied, kitten? Finally saw hyung without clothes?"

The affirmative little rumble he gets, along with a firmer little bite, makes Minseok laugh aloud.

"Look as much as you like." Minseok flexes his chest for the man on top of him. "I like looking at you, too. It felt cheap, to look too much before. But since you very clearly want your hyung to lust over you, I've been enjoying the sight without guilt."

Chen shifts in his lap, bringing their groins into more direct contact. Minseok, despite the urging of his blood supply, shifts his hips away.

"Not yet," he says to Chen's grumble. "Hyung has to look after kitten skin first."

Chen goes still.

"Did you forget? I said I'd take care of your scars. My beautiful kitten deserves to be well cared for."

Chen shrinks a little, shifting so Minseok's hand slides away from the biggest scar on his back. Minseok catches him, pulls him close, cradles his face.

"Hey. Didn't I just say you're beautiful? That I like looking at you? I treat your skin well for the same reason I give you supplements and brush your teeth. Because you're mine. I'm responsible tor keeping you in the best condition possible. If you're not, it isn't because you are lacking. It's because I am."

He presses a kiss to Chen's forehead. "Come on. Let hyung take good care of his kitten. Hmm?"

Head still low, Chen cooperates as Minseok rinses them one more time and leads him from the tub. He wraps him in a fluffy towel, then lifts him for the first time in over a month. Chen clings, as he had the first time. But instead of the table, Minseok takes him to the bed. He lays him down, still wrapped in the towel.

"Stay."

Minseok pulls on a pair of flannel pants, then retrieves the scar treatment along with Chen's tail. Chen is in the exact position he left him in.

"Roll over for me, kitten."

Chen flops onto his stomach. He holds perfectly still as Minseok unwraps one leg. Minseok purses his lips. He's already done a little bit of research on the subject, and now that he knows there are people out there that like to whip people but practice on inanimate objects until they can do so with minimal chances of scarring or other permanent effects, he's mad all over again that somebody would mark up their sub like this. He doubts it was even a purposeful thing, a meaningful sign of ownership. He strongly suspects Siwon's brat simply didn't give a f*ck if he scarred Chen or not.

He'd also clearly never heard of aftercare, or even basic first aid. The utter disregard for someone else's welfare makes Minseok physically ill to think about. How f*cking dare he?

His jaw aches as he carefully paints lines of the scar serum over Chen’s twitching skin with a gentle fingertip. He snorts at his own clenched teeth. The sudden noise draws a larger flinch from Chen.

"You're okay," Minseok soothes, running his free hand down his towel-covered back. "I was just realizing. I think I'm treating your scars so I don't go to jail for assault. If they're less noticeable, then I don't have to think about the assclown that did this to you."

He unwraps the other leg. "I feel so bad for letting him treat you so unsafely, and I didn't even know you at the time." He doesn't have to paint as many marks on this side. "I still don't really know you. It's not important—" Minseok rests a hand on the small of Chen’s back. "Well. Okay, it is kind of important. Or at least might be, if there's stuff in your past that might be relevant to your present or future. For example, is there anyone who needs to know where you are, that you're okay? Family? Friends?"

Chen shakes his head, slightly but firmly.

Minseok frowns. He finds that a bit hard to believe—he doesn't talk to his own family that often, but his parents would definitely worry if he didn't answer or call or text for several weeks, much less several months. But not everyone has the luxury of parents that are fine with their paths in life, either inborn or chosen.

"Okay, then, kitten. I won't pry or anything, but if you ever decide you want me to know, I will listen. And I'll do my best not to judge."

He uncovers Chen's ass, and bites back a curse. "Okay, I lied," he sighs as he begins to coat the extensive scars over the newly exposed skin. "I will judge everyone who injured you when it could've been avoided. I get it more, now, why somebody would want this sort of thing. I read about the endorphins and subspace and all of that. I'm not judging you, for wanting it, or for letting someone beat you. It's just. Unless you asked for permanent marks, they should've taken better care of you. You deserve to be well looked after."

Chen's breathing is a little harsh, so Minseok strokes his back for a few minutes, leaving that skin covered. He covers Chen's legs, too, now that the serum has absorbed. He doesn't want his kitten getting chilled. When Chen seems calmer, Minseok continues the treatment, brushing the serum over scars on his back, shoulders, and arms.

He frowns at Chen's neck. That's one of the biggest scars, but he's reluctant to remove the collar his kitten so loves. But maybe he doesn't have to remove it from his body entirely.

"I'm going to unbuckle your collar," he murmurs. "You'll still be laying on it. I'm not taking it away."

Chen still whimpers a bit as Minseok unwraps the collar.

"Shh." Minseok kisses the back of Chen’s neck. "Just for a little bit, kitten." He applies the scar serum gently but meticulously, across the back and down the sides. He smiles when Chen shivers. "Good kitten," he praises. "Holding so still for hyung. My good little Chenny-cat."

He uses an edge of the towel to press against Chen's hair, drying it as best he can in this position. When the serum has absorbed enough, he squeezes Chen's shoulder.

"Roll over. Right where you are."

Chen does, whining a little as his neck loses contact with the undone collar.

"You're okay." Minseok rests one hand on Chen’s chest as he repositions the collar. "It's right here. I'll finish your throat first." Minseok picks up the serum again and makes good on his words. "I'll buckle it for you as soon as this absorbs."

He frowns at his kitten's poor knees. It's easy to forget how damaged they are, hidden away behind his kneepads. They'll need a lot of serum. He tends to them first, assiduously, tenderly.

"You don't have to crawl for me," he murmurs. "If it hurts. Even a little." He feels Chen tense up, hears his breath catch, and rests a firm hand on his thigh. "You're still my kitten, Chenny, that's not what I'm saying. That's the same whether you're on four legs or two. I need you to understand that."

He pats the thigh his hand is resting on before returning to his task. "But if you want to crawl, of course you can. I just need to know. So hyung can take good care of you." He looks Chen in the face, watching his expression closely. "Your kneepads. Are they padded enough? The sores on your skin have healed, I can see that, but the bones underneath? Your muscles, in your legs or back? Or your hands, your arms? You can live however you want to live, my kitten, but if it's hurting you, hyung needs to know, so I can figure out how to make it stop."

He lifts a brow at his kitten. "Does it hurt, even a little, when you crawl?"

Chen shakes his head, a more blatant movement than usual.

"Do you promise to tell hyung, to let me know somehow, if it ever starts to hurt? Or if you're ever hurt or sick in any other way, even a minor one?"

Chen nods.

"Good kitten."

A smile of relief curving his lips, Minseok sees to the rest of his kitten's skin. Aside from his knees, Chen isn't nearly as marked up on this side, but Minseok checks him over carefully anyway, remembering how he'd marked his enjoyment of being inspected. Minseok lifts each of his limbs, gently turning them this way and that. There are a few wrap-around marks, where the ends of poorly-aimed lashes have snapped around his legs and ribs to bite into the skin much more deeply than the rest of the stroke. Minseok grits his teeth at these additional signs of carelessness.That idiot really could've— Minseok closes his eyes. Chen's fine. He's with him. He's safe, and Minseok is going to keep him that way.

Chen has a few marks that stand out as probably not being caused by a moron with a whip. A deep gash across the pad of a finger. A hooked mark over a kneecap. An irregular slash on the bottom of a heel. They're already much more faded, but Minseok coats them in serum anyway. It won't work as well on older scars, and Minseok is fine with that. These marks don't make him mad. Everybody has a few mementos of bad luck or somebody's poor judgment. It's a wonder anyone survives to see age 30.

The marks do make him curious, though. What had youthful Chen stepped on, and what had he been doing at the time? How had he almost lost a fingertip? Was the knee wound from a fall? Sibling roughhousing, a drunken stumble, a sports injury? It's none of his business, of course, but he's only human. Of course he wonders, even if he doesn't really wish he could just ask.

Chen evidently was honest about his enjoyment of such close personal attention. He's half hard as Minseok nods, closing up the scar treatment and setting it on the nightstand. His co*ck twitches when Minseok picks up the tail harness. Minseok smiles down at him. He'd not let himself even imagine Chen sprawled over his bed. The sight is incredibly arresting, his boy watching him through half-lidded eyes, body responding further to Minseok's hungry gaze.

Minseok smiles, dropping his gaze to the harness and shaking his head. "Stop being quite so appealing, kitten," he chides. "Hyung still needs to dry your hair and do your teeth."

Chen's mew is an unmistakable whine.

"Don't worry, pet," Minseok says. "You'll be in hyung's bed every night from now on. I very much like having a pretty kitten give me pleasure. And you've been very good for your treatment. You deserve a reward."

Chen's human ears go pink at this. Minseok smiles as he gets to work buckling the tail harness in place. It's much quicker now that he has all the straps pre-adjusted to Chen's figure. Still, Chen is fully hard by the time he's done.

Minseok indulges in stroking his kitten's eager co*ck, a few slow motions that have Chen thrusting up through his fist. He's not a small man here, his kitten. Minseok doesn't often feel the urge to have someone else inside him, but that's mostly a control issue. With casual hookups, it's nicer for Minseok to be the one that can certainly ensure they both have a good time, instead of trusting a stranger to respect his body and his health.

But Minseok's kitten would be good for him. Minseok is fully certain. So he'll let the thought percolate, let it build up drop by drop like a pot of coffee. When it's full, he'll indulge them both that way.

But tonight, Minseok wants a lap kitten.

He releases Chen's co*ck, smiling at the resulting whine. He buckles Chen's collar back on, testing it's not too tight with the slip of two fingers. He slides the soft material around until the heart-shaped tag rests once again in the hollow of his throat. When he's finished, Chen's eyes are closed and he's wearing the closest thing to a real smile Minseok's ever seen on his gorgeous face. His naturally upturned lips often give him the illusion of a cat-like smugness, but now his lips are slightly parted, his cheeks slightly flexed to lift those lips away from his teeth.

It warms Minseok's heart to see it. At the same time he wonders what it would take, to draw a full smile over those pretty lips.

"Let's dry your head fur properly, kitten," Minseok murmurs to another whine. "Come on." He draws Chen into a sitting position by his shoulders. "Once you’re fully ready for bed, hyung will give you what you want."

Chen cooperates. But once they're in the bathroom, he pouts as Minseok leaves him perched on the counter in favor of drying the walls and floor.

"Next time, don't splash so much," Minseok chuckles. "Of course hyung wants to get to the fun part, but not enough to tolerate mildew."

Chen sighs. Minseok just smiles. He's sure his kitten will be very careful going forward. Training is about finding the proper motivation, after all.

Finally, their hair is dry, their teeth are brushed, and everything is hung to dry that needs to be. Minseok again carries his kitten to his bed. It should be more awkward, to carry a guy his own height around in his arms, but Chen's not heavy. His waist is still tiny after a month of good food, despite his face and limbs having filled out a little. Beautifully frustrating—Minseok's middle tends to be what thickens first. But it's very satisfying, to lounge against the headboard, his nearly-nude kitten in his lap, Chen's tiny waist between his palms. Aside from tail, collar, and ears, Chen's only wearing his paw socks on hands and feet. Minseok lets out a sigh of anticipation as Chen's plush little ass settles against his groin.

"Hyung's gonna prep you now," he says, taking the lube from the nightstand. "If my kitten wants to mark me up, now's an excellent time."

Chen doesn't have to be told twice. He sets his eager mouth against Minseok's throat even before Minseok's fingers probe beneath his tail. He's clearly experienced, knowing how to relax into it, almost sucking Minseok's fingers into him. Minseok shouldn't be surprised, after the expert way he'd seduced his master, but it still makes Minseok's co*ck twitch. To know he doesn't have to be overcareful. That his partner knows well how to take him.

The teeth at his neck have an invigorating effect, too. The little nips only add to the intense sensation of having a bruise sucked into his skin. His neck is extra sensitive, and again Minseok has a flash of insight. Maybe most people like a little pain with their pleasure, even if they don't consciously know it.

Again, Minseok pushes his waistband down just enough to free his co*ck. Again, he slides right into his kitten as if he's meant to be there. Chen sighs as he's filled, a breathy half-moan that only increases the blood pumping through Minseok’s groin.

"Ah, how'd I get so damn lucky?" Minseok murmurs, hands tightening around Chen's little waist. "Baby. Feel so f*cking good."

His grip on Chen's waist gives him leverage to grind up into him, little rolling thrusts with his co*ck buried deep. Chen's so hot and soft inside. Minseok's head drops back against the headboard, eyes closed to better enjoy the sensations down below.

And up above. Chen curves back down to nibble at him some more. Minseok's hands slip to Chen's hips, thumbs pressed against his hip bones, fingers spreading around the harness straps to curve into plush flesh.

"Bounce for hyung."

The muscles beneath Minseok's fingers flex as Chen obeys, f*cking himself on Minseok’s co*ck. Once again, the bell on his collar provides the soundtrack to his efforts. Minseok scrunches his face and moans, letting his kitten hear just how good he's making him feel.

"That's it, kitten. Oh, just like that."

It's not an exaggeration. It feels f*cking fantastic. Minseok uses his grip on Chen's hips to roll them a little more slowly, a little more smoothly. He wants this to last.

It's hard, when his kitten looks so good. He really is stunning, the way he moves his body like a waving flag on top of Minseok’s. He's beautiful and he feels amazing and he's Minseok's, Minseok's boy, his kitten, his—

Minseok pulls him in, sets his teeth against Chen's shoulder. He bites down, then sucks hard, smiling at Chen’s mangled yowl. He does it again on Chen’s neck, right below his collar, scraping his teeth a little deeper to ensure a visible mark. If his kitten likes to sneak glances at his collar, Minseok will give him something else to admire while he's at it.

Chen squirms as his neck is marked up. Minseok tightens his grip on Chen's hips, angling them to allow Minseok to deliver several thrusts to a sensitive spot. Chen squirms even more at the prostate stimulation, and pre-come dribbles from his co*ck onto Minseok's belly. Minseok's fingertips dig in, holding his boy firmly in place.

"Focus, kitten. Your job is to make hyung fill your hot little ass."

Chen's whine is amusingly frustrated. Minseok knows his smile is wicked as his grip encourages more energetic bouncing. "Come on. You can do it. You can finish as soon as hyung does."

With the set of his jaw, Chen's glare goes from indignant to determined. He flexes his thighs, rising and falling, rolling his hips, tightening his muscles to squeeze Minseok's co*ck intermittently. Minseok drops his head back against the headboard and groans, breath already shuddery. His kitten is good at this.

"Yes," Minseok pants. "A little faster. That's it." Pleasure swirls like sparks through his core. "Kitten. Baby. Here it comes."

His nails must be leaving dents in Chen's skin as Minseok's body takes over, pulling Chen hard against his hips as they pump up into him a sharp handful of times. He grunts as he fills him, too lost to shape the sounds into more than the vaguest outline of Chen’s name.

"Good kitten," he praises when he's finally done. He wraps a hand around Chen's co*ck. "f*ck hyung's fist and come."

Chen's hips shift the direction of their motion, sending almost-unpleasant tingles through Minseok’s spent co*ck until it slips free. His own mess drips over his balls as Chen eagerly flicks his pelvis forward a dozen times, and then there's a mess on Minseok’s belly as well.

With a well-satisfied sigh, Minseok pulls a soft cloth from the nightstand's upper drawer. He wipes up his stomach, then shifts his kitten forward to wipe the rest of the mess from both of them. No wet spots in his own bed if he can help it. He folds the cloth, then holds a clean edge up to his kitten's mouth.

"Take it to the hamper."

Chen glares. He opens his mouth slowly, human ears pink. Minseok pushes the edge of the cloth between his teeth, snickering when they snap shut over it. He gives Jongdae's ass a trio of gentle smacks to prod him off the bed.

"Go on. You can come curl up with hyung once the mess is gone."

Still glaring, Chen slips off the bed. He crawls toward the hamper like a stalking panther, then rises on his knees to spit the cloth disdainfully inside. His scamper back to the bed is clumsy, as if his back legs are trying to move more quickly than the controlled pace in the front.

Minseok is all smiles as he turns off the light and tucks them both under the blanket. He drapes his arm over his kitten, pulling him close despite the little grumble.

"Good kitten," he yawns. "Sleep well."

Their life returns more or or less to normal. Minseok works, goes to the gym, plays poker on Sunday nights. Chen hunts the hidden catnip mice, pounces the remote-activated feather toy, warms Minseok's heart and his bed. It's really enjoyable to be so freely affectionate with his kitten. Chen seems to enjoy it, too, becoming bolder about demanding cuddles (and sex).

Then one day Minseok returns home to quite the surprise. He comes in the door as usual, turning on the lights and calling for his kitten. There's the pitter-patter of socks and kneepads, then his knees pay the usual price, being headbutted as his kitten performs his daily murder attempt.

"Yes, yes, I missed you, too," Minseok chuckles, dodging over to the counter to set down the evening's meal.

Chen scampers over to his word buttons, and Minseok rolls his eyes like he always does. Hadn't he just come in with food? Why does his kitten always need to demand it, when it's already arrived?

He startles rather violently when a deep voice emerges from the living room.

"Hyung," the voice says. But it's not Minseok's voice, nor is the word news-anchor even. It's a new voice, but still so familiar. He's heard it all the time, hasn't he? But not formed into speech. It's a much lower pitch than Minseok would've expected based on most of the vocalizations Chen makes, but it's definitely his voice, the edge of his habitual whine evident in the curl of the ng. The vowel is distorted in a distinctly feline way, a cat's typical miao underpinning the word: hyaong.

Minseok's cheeks bunch hard enough to hurt.

"Chenny," he coos, abandoning the food to cross to where his kitten is hunched furtively by his buttons. "Did you record a new word?"

He's not surprised Chen knows how—he'd watched every single time Minseok had added to his button vocabulary. But he is surprised, and very touched, that Chen would re-record one of his most used buttons. That he'd put forth such effort, to address his master in his own voice.

Chen's ears are down, his chin tucked hard against his chest, as if that'll hide the scarlet of his human ears. But he presses the button again, treating Minseok to another deep, warm "Hyaong."

"My sweet kitten," Minseok begins, throat a little thick, but he's cut off when Chen abruptly lifts his head.

"Food," Minseok's own voice prompts in response to the slap of his kitten's paw. "Now."

Minseok huffs through still-smiling lips. "Of course, kitten," he says, reaching to ruffle Chen's hair and grinning at the expected dodge and lip-curl this earns. "Coming right up."

He returns with Chen's dinner, anticipating the fun he'd come up with on the way home, before he'd been distracted by his kitten's newest trick. Minseok aims to train his alluring kitten for all kinds of tricks.

So after Chen's bowl is empty, Minseok takes it away, setting a whole banana in front of Chen instead. He smiles when Chen, frowning, bats at the unexpected piece of fruit.

"Be nice to that," he chides. "You'll be using it to practice a new trick for hyung."

Chen tilts his head up at him. Minseok reaches down to cradle his face, running a thumb along his lower lip. "You have such a pretty mouth," he says. "And you like to put it all over me, don't you? Makes hyung wonder what it'd be like if you wrapped those lips around my co*ck."

Chen's brows lift. His lips part, and his tongue darts out to wet them.

"But kitties have sharp teeth," Minseok continues. "I need to train you first, so I'm sure it's safe. That you know how to do it well for hyung."

Chen glares.

Minseok smiles, shaking a jar of treats. "Let's do a good job." He picks up the banana, settling into one of the kitchen chairs. He sets the jar of treats on the table beside him, then brandishes the banana between his wide-spread legs. "Come show hyung how talented his kitten can be."

Chen's eyes snap and his human ears are scarlet, but he slowly, imperiously crawls over to sit between Minseok's feet. Minseok smiles at him the whole time. With Chen's survey responses in mind, he'd taken a closer look at some of the articles Lay had sent him links to at the beginning. He'd been so concerned about Chen's immediate well-being then, he hadn't done more than skim the 'why try pet play' blog posts. A closer look had given him a few ideas, and it's fun to see that at least one of the listed appeals of role-playing an animal is true for his Chenny-cat.

Chen isn't a dumb beast. They both know that. And given how skilled his boy has demonstrated himself to be in bed, he has no doubt Chen could blow his mind. But treating him like he must be unable or unskilled, because he's 'only a cat,' apparently gives his Chenny a pleasurable burn of self-consciousness. A tingling embarrassment. And luckily for Minseok, Chen broadcasts his fluster so beautifully.

It's there when he washes Chen's face for him, dresses and undresses him, makes decisions about his appearance just as he would for an animal unaware of aesthetics. It had been there when he'd trained him in front of Sehun, giving him treat after treat for learning so quickly (and being so cute). And it's here now, as Minseok smiles wickedly down at his pet, enjoying the prospect of making him 'learn' something else he already knows how to do.

"Open wide," Minseok coaches, wiggling the banana.

Chen glares up at him. His human ears are a sweet shade of betraying cherry as he opens his mouth around a hissy little snarl.

"Uh-uh." Minseok bops Chen's nose with one finger. "Tuck those teeth away." He demonstrates, wrapping his own lips over his teeth.

Ears now scarlet, Chen mimics the action.

"Good kitty." Minseok pokes a treat into Chen's half-open mouth, letting his fingers drag over the compliant lips on the way out. He waits for Chen to swallow the treat away, then wiggles the banana again. "Now show hyung how nicely you'll wrap that lovely warm mouth around his co*ck."

Still glaring, Chen leans forward to engulf the banana. His nose wrinkles, presumably at the bitter flavor of the skin. Minseok smiles.

"That's it. Your mouth is too full for treats while you learn, but I'll keep count. Let's see how big a pile you can earn." He curls his fingers around a soft kitten ear, running his fingers down the back and into Chen's hair. "In and out. In and out."

Chen bobs his head, eyes still shooting sparks up at Minseok. Minseok pets his hair encouragingly. "Good. That's good. Now take it deeper—"

He'd expected an additional centimeter or two to disappear behind Chen's stretched lips. But Chen presses in, swift and sure, until his lips are up against Minseok's banana-encircling hand. He holds the position along with the eye contact as Minseok blinks down at him. Just before he backs off, Chen gives a little choked-off nasal growl.

Minseok had been amused rather than aroused thus far. But now his co*ck twitches as he imagines how that growl would make Chen's throat flutter around a real co*ck. His co*ck.

"Oh, bravo. Very impressive. Such a quick learner, and naturally talented." With the hand still in Chen's hair, he eases him all the way off the banana. He makes a show of inspecting it, turning it this way and that. "Not a single tooth mark. A very good kitty indeed."

He sets the banana on the table and lets go of Chen entirely so he can pour a generous pile of treats into his palm. He holds his nearly-overflowing hand out to Chen, patting his head again with his free hand.

"Here, kitten. You did so well. My clever kitty."

Human ears still rather pink, Chen laps the treats out of his hand. His hips are swishing back and forth as he devours his reward. Belly pleasantly warm, Minseok smiles down at his satisfied—and sure to be satisfying—pet.

Chen re-records one or two of his words every day, clearly enjoying surprising Minseok with them at unexpected moments. Minseok, like the heart-eyed sucker he is for his clever Chenny-cat, gives him many pets and treats each time.

It inspires him to record a few words, himself—if his kitten likes being told he's okay, to the point where he hums the cadence to himself when alone, then maybe he should hear it as often as he likes. A visit to a popular toystore on his way home one evening lets him surprise his kitten with a cuddly gift.

Chen's eyes are already big when Minseok pulls the pink teddy plush from the eco-bag he'd carried it home in. He loves his fuzzy fish toy, and now Minseok's brought him another thing to pounce and cuddle. But Minseok lifts it away from Chen's curled paw.

"Look here. If you squeeze him a little…"

"You're okay," Minseok's recorded voice says.

Chen goes completely still.

"Sorry it's a bear instead of a kitty, but that's what the company I got it from is known for—"

This time, Chen's hooked paw is successful at darting out and snagging the plush. He grabs it by the arm with his teeth and darts into his kitty castle.

Minseok tilts his head at the 'empty' room. Hopefully, the sudden retreat means Chen's decided to hoard it, as he'd done with the pilfered jumper (that Minseok is still 'missing'). And not that Minseok will find its fabric guts strewn about the next time Chenny throws a kitty tantrum.

Shaking his head, Minseok sets up the other thing he'd brought home: more buttons, in case Chen wants to add more words, more things to 'talk' about.

It turns out he does. The following morning, he discovers that Chen has added bird and fish and meat to his pushable vocabulary, so he can more precisely demand to be fed. Bath gets added before Minseok gets home, just so that Chen can use the buttons to protest "No. Bath." before pretending to hate being coaxed into the tub with Minseok. But then he demands "Brush" afterwards, drowsing contentedly over Minseok's lap while he runs a nubbly silicone pet brush over his velour-covered body.

He likes having his hair brushed, too, which solidifies Minseok's intentions there into concrete action. Doesn't everyone deserve to feel well groomed? But Chen had hated the trip to and from Baekhyun’s. While Minseok probably could find a hairdresser that would make house calls, it's probably easier overall if they're on site, where all the supplies and equipment already are. Especially if they're having Chen's hair dyed. He doesn't want that mess in his house.

But he needs to make it more comfortable for his kitten. Make him feel safe, even outside their home. And he'd marked it on the survey, hadn't he? That he'd like to be restrained.

So the next time Minseok bathes his kitten, he sets him again on the towel-covered kitchen table. He examines him closely, even using a cloth measuring tape to note down the precise length of his long spine, the circumference of his tiny waist. He measures his torso and limbs in several dimensions, entering the numbers into his phone, as if he's planning to compare them later. And he will, because Chen really seemed to enjoy the extra bit of close attention before Minseok again applied scar treatment to his formerly mistreated skin.

But he also uses the measurements to order yet another custom thing for his kitten online. And two weeks later, his patience is rewarded.

"Today we're having you professionally groomed," Minseok tells Chen that Saturday over breakfast.

Chen goes completely still, mouthful of tteok half chewed. Minseok reaches down to curve a hand around his face.

"You don't need to be too stressed, do you, kitten? Hyung will be with you the whole time. And I've planned it to keep you safe and as comfortable as I can. You trust your master to do that for you, right?"

Slowly, Chen nods.

"Good kitty," Minseok says, stroking his ears. "We'll leave in an hour."

It takes them almost that long to be ready. The harness he'd ordered frames the chest with wide, sturdy straps that wrap over the shoulders and under the arms to connect in a secure-seeming star pattern over the sternum. This is linked to not just one but two additional straps circling the torso, one near the bottom of the ribcage and another low on the waist. There's yet another set of straps that dip to loop around each thigh.

"My kitten has such a tiny middle," Minseok murmurs as he buckles the harness in place over Chen’s velour 'fur.' "I need to be sure you can't accidentally wiggle out of this. It's dangerous for kitties to be loose on the street."

As he'd hoped, this demonstration of extra concern eases some of the tension along Chen’s spine. He's being carefully looked after, just as usual, despite the new adventure they're about to undergo. It takes some time to fit the harness properly, but eventually Minseok steps back, hands on his hips. He lifts two fingers horizontally over Chen’s head.

"Sit pretty for hyung, so I can double-check everything."

Human ears a little pink, Chen straightens up, lifting his front paws cutely. Minseok smiles at the sight—the sky blue straps really emphasize that little waist, the thigh straps frame both package and ass, and the rhinestones studding the brushed silver buckles add an enjoyable sparkle, even if nobody outside the apartment is likely to see them.

"Very cute," Minseok coos. "And very safe." He runs a finger over one of the thigh straps. "You'll feel it, right? Every step you take."

Chen drops down and crawls a few paces, head turned to watch as the thigh straps do indeed apply some palpable pressure with each movement. He looks up at Minseok, eyes big, lips pressed tight.

"See? You're okay. Hyung's got you. You won't get loose." He drops a kiss between Chen's kitty ears, then reaches for the matching leash, clipping it into place between Chen's shoulder blades.

"Now. It's cold out there, so you need some extra fur. You'll borrow some of hyung's. Nice ones, this time." He pulls a pair of navy sweatpants over Chen’s legs, tucking his tail down inside. Then he reaches up the right arm of the fleecy purple top he'd chosen, pulling the end of the leash back through so it dangles from the cuff. He helps Chen into it, hiding the rest of the harness as well as keeping him warm. The turtleneck covers the collar as well, and the sleeves are long enough to cover his paws, so Chen doesn't have to leave behind the beloved accessories for the sake of not raising odd questions in public.

As Chen himself had done the last time he'd had to leave the apartment, Minseok slides Chen's kitty ears back so the headband curves around the nape of his neck, tucking the velour hood over and around them.

"I'll have to take them off entirely when we get there, so the hairdresser can match them. But that means you'll get to try them on for us afterwards, so please endure a little bit, okay?"

Chen does not look enthusiastic about doing so. He doesn't look enthusiastic about anything, at the moment. But Minseok smiles anyway, kissing his cheek before reaching into a jar of treats.

"Come on, now, kitten. Time to stand on your hind legs for hyung."

Minseok gets such sour faces from his kitten. Laughing, he persists, luring Chen treat by treat into the foyer, coaxing him to hold reasonably still to have shoes put on, then enticing him to stand up. Half the jar is empty by the time they make it out the door.

Chen balks at the hallway outside the apartment, but Minseok takes the end of the leash hanging from Chen's right sleeve. He loops it over his wrist, then takes his kitten's hand.

"I've got you," he says, leading him off toward the elevator. "You're okay."

Chen echoes the phrase tonally, under his breath. He's squeezing Minseok's hand, the soft jellies on the paw socks feeling almost hard against Minseok's palm. Minseok smiles at his brave kitten.

"That's right. Hyung is right here. I won't leave you. You're doing very well."

Chen continues to do well, for the most part, on their short bus ride to the hairdresser. There's a big dog at the bus stop near the shop, somebody's service animal, and Chen hisses at it, only loud enough for Minseok (and maybe the dog) to hear. But he doesn’t panic, just keeps very close to Minseok as he'd done to and from Baek's apartment. He seems significantly less tense this time, though, whether because he'd already had to navigate the streets recently or because of his new harness, Minseok couldn't guess. He'd like to think the harness is part of it, though. He hopes the notion that he's Minseok's, securely held, no matter what they encounter, is at least somewhat comforting.

The hairdresser Minseok had chosen is a small shop that Nini had recommended as somewhere used to 'avant-garde' styling requests from the local art academy students. They're also very used to two guys holding hands, or otherwise demonstrating the sort of affectionate reassurance that might be needed to get Chen through their visit.

The stylist they're booked with has a teal ombre style himself, falling to the shoulder but shaved close to the scalp on one side. He doesn't even blink when Minseok hands him the set of fluffy ears he'd plucked from Chen's neck just before entering the shop.

"Oh, yeah, I can totally match that." The stylist runs a finger over the darker shading. "Do you want a solid color to go with the base tone, or do you want to go a little wild and try a tabby look? I can do some chunky lowlights to imply stripes."

Minseok grins. "That would be really cute, wouldn't it?"

The stylist looks at Chen, who manages something like an actual nod. The stylist narrows his eyes a little, then swings them to Minseok.

"He lose a bet or something? This is the forfeit?"

"Oh, no," Minseok says, grateful when Chen shakes his head at the same time. "My boyfriend just isn't a very talkative guy." He offers the stylist a conspiratorial smile. "You know what they say about the quiet ones, though."

The stylist sweeps his eyes appraisingly over Chen. "Mouse in the streets, tiger in the sheets?" He gestures to the styling chair. "Have a seat, cutie. I'll release your inner cat in no time."

It actually takes a few hours, to lighten Chen's hair to a rich honey-gold. Apparently any lighter and it would've required at least two visits to achieve, so Minseok pats himself on the back for choosing to give his kitten a medium shade. This way, it actually ends up being the darker tones of the headband that most of Chen’s hair matches, with wide areas of the lighter tone that don't go all the way to the root, sparing the scalp from too many harsh chemicals at once. He even lightens Chen's eyebrows to the darker tone, and Minseok has to suppress a coo at the 'tabby stripes' on his kitten's forehead.

He doesn't end up trimming much from the top, leaving a fluffy mop over the shorter back and sides. He looks like a caramel-shaded dandelion puff, and Minseok gasps aloud when the stylist triumphantly places the cat ears above his handiwork. He thanks the man earnestly as he settles the bill (and Chen stares at himself in the full-length mirrors).

"Hey, it was fun." The stylist smiles. "A nice change from kids requesting something neon that'll annoy their parents. And I hope I'm much less likely to see you back within a week, accompanied by someone demanding a return to a 'respectable' hair color."

Minseok winces in sympathy. "Oh, no. It'd be a real shame to cover up such artful work. Right, Chennie?"

Chen's nod is downright enthusiastic this time, pulling a bigger smile to the stylist's face. Or maybe that was the large gratuity Minseok added to the payment. It's worth every bit, to see his kitten so fascinated with his own appearance. It makes Minseok determined to make his kitten feel lovely and cute always, as he deserves.

Chen has apparently reached his own determination, too. Just after they've returned to the apartment, before Minseok even has his shoes all the way off, a deep voice rumbles from behind him.

"Thank you."

Minseok jumps, flailing a little not to stumble over the shoes he'd just toed off. He spins to look at his kitten, who's already dropped back onto his knees, head turned away. Minseok sinks into a crouch, reaching a hand to curve around Chen's face. His eyes are down and his human ears are scarlet. He's shaking a little, so Minseok pulls him tight against his chest.

"Of course, kitten," he says. "Of course. You don't need to thank me for taking good care of what's mine. It's my delight." He frowns. "Do we need to get more buttons? Not that I don't enjoy hearing your voice, but—"

"No," Chen says. "I don't hate. Talking." He clears his throat, and his next words come out soft but clear. "I was just. Afraid. Before."

Minseok frowns. "Afraid of what? Surely you know I wouldn't actually harm you. For anything you decide to do."

"I know. Not that. I just. You're so. Good to me. Your pet. You do so much—" Chen has to clear his throat again. "So much for me. To make it easier. So I can be a cat. Your cat."

"Of course I do," Minseok starts, but Chen's sudden stream of words, though stilted and unsteady, nonetheless isn't finished.

"So I just. Wanted you to know. From my own mouth. That I'm so. Grateful. So lucky. You didn't want me. But you still. Work so hard."

"Chenny." Minseok turns his head to press a kiss against freshly-dyed hair. "I wanted you from the minute I saw you. Haven't I been your fool from the start?"

"I'm so lucky," Chen repeats. "You didn't know anything. About kittens. You still tried. To understand."

"I'll always try to understand you," Minseok says. "Words or not."

"But it's expensive. And difficult. To take care of me. As your kitten."

"It's worth it," Minseok says firmly. "I like it. I like you."

"As." Chen swallows. "As your pet? Or. As. Your boyfriend?" The last word almost disappears into a whisper.

"As anything you want to be." Minseok strokes Chen's kitty ear, trailing fingers through his hair. "I just want you to be happy. To have what you need."

"I do," Chen says. "I have. Hyaong."

Minseok's own throat is suddenly tight. He squeezes Chen tighter. "You have me," he agrees. "Hyung is very much yours."

Chen makes a small, feline sound. Minseok holds him close, squatting awkwardly in the foyer until his legs and spine are screaming in protest. Minseok releases his grip to pull the kitten ear headband up from around Chen's neck, settling it into place over his matching hair. "Come cuddle in the living room, kitten," he murmurs.

Chen is wordless as Minseok strips off his human clothes and the harness, leaving him in his velour fur, tail and ears, thick black kneepads, and sweet little white sock paws on his hands and feet. His snowshoe tabby. Nevermind whether that's a real thing for domestic cats. Minseok and his kitten aren't hobbled by the bounds of reality.

Are they?

Chen doesn't say anything else all day. But Minseok can practically hear him thinking. He tolerates all of Minseok’s fluffy-hair petting almost absently. These days he no longer flinches at Minseok's every touch, which is heartwarming. But today he startles at the sound of Minseok’s voice, as if even though he's been cuddled close on his pet bed, having his master's hands hardly leave his body, he's still somewhere far away.

He's not completely disconnected from his body, though. As the sun goes down, Chen squirms away, using his buttons to demand food. It's almost a relief. It's true that Minseok wants Chen to live the life he chooses. But not knowing what those choices are, not knowing what thoughts are churning in his kitten's head, makes Minseok feel on the back foot, like he's called a bet with a handful of cards he's not sure he can win with. Having a concrete thing to do for his kitten is soothing. Reassuring. Chen still needs his master, for this much at least.

Cautious of Chen's unusual mood, Minseok doesn't initiate anything remotely sensual as he gets them both ready for bed that evening. But maybe that’s a mistake. Chen seems more and more unsettled, becoming downright restless beneath the sheets once Minseok turns off the light.

Frowning, Minseok loosens his habitual grip of his kitten's waist. "Do you not want to be held?"

But Chen doesn't move away. He goes completely still. Then that deep voice rumbles up from the darkness.

"Am I still. Your kitten? If sometimes. I. Talk?"

"Of course, baby, of course." He pets Chen's kitty ear, trailing his fingers down through his hair. "It's not about how much you act like a cat, though you're really good at it. You could talk, wear more clothes, use your hands, walk upright down the street, no ears or tail to be seen, and you'd still be completely kitten, completely mine."

"So. You want me to. Talk? Walk?"

Minseok kisses his hair. "I want you to be comfortable. I don't need you to do any of those things, not for me. But if you want to, for yourself, you should feel free to. I'll feel the same about you either way. You're my kitten, my boyfriend, unless you decide you don't want to be."

Chen presses close. "I want to be."

Minseok wraps his arm tight around his boy. "Then you are. And I'm glad."

Much to Minseok's relief, Chen seems more his usual self the following day. He doesn't say anything out loud, but he expresses himself freely, mewing and slapping at his buttons to command Minseok to play with him, feed him meat, put a coral reef documentary on the TV instead of Minseok’s latest anime obsession. He meows at the balcony door until Minseok opens it, surprised and a little relieved that Chen wants to be 'outside' again so soon after their haircut adventure. Still, Minseok's fretful mind means he harnesses Chen up again before letting him onto the balcony, keeping a tight hold on his leash and praying that the harness maker was truthful in stating it would actually hold a person's weight.

But Chen doesn't make any effort to climb the railing. He just presses his face between two bars, peeking out at the world beyond. Chen is kitty enough to have demanded access when the balcony was soaked in afternoon sun, but it's the end of autumn, so the air holds a chill. When Chen doesn't retreat despite his shivers, Minseok ties his leash to the railing and pops inside to grab them a pair of throw blankets. Chen startles a bit when Minseok drapes one over him, but then he snuggles into it with a contented little huff. Minseok sits beside him, wrapped in his own blanket, and tries to see what his kitten is so fascinated with.

One lure is obvious—the cement beneath them had absorbed enough sunlight during the day to radiate a noticeable warmth. And the view is nice enough for the area. The quartet of high rises that comprise this residential complex are clustered around a well-manicured courtyard featuring a tiny little park, providing an appealing splash of autumn leaves nine stories below. The buildings themselves are faced with a sandy-colored stone, offering a warm contrast to the green glass and blue steel of the office complexes nearby.

Directly across from them, about fifty meters away, is the mirroring face of the next residential building. And on one of the tenth-floor balconies, slightly above them, a pair of birdfeeders are hanging from hooks more commonly used for potted plants.

Ahhh. Minseok's lips curve into a fond smile. Chen does often sprawl in the sunlight filtering through the vertical blinds. Minseok has seen him on the camera, curled up with his pink bear, and assumed he was napping. But now he realizes that he'd have a perfect view through the slats, at that low angle, of the birds flitting back and forth from the neighbor's feeder. Traffic must be increasing these days as winter threatens, all the birds not flying south wanting to fatten up.

Minseok has his phone out before he realizes, shaking his head at himself as he browses hanging birdfeeders for their own balcony. But the 'customers also liked' section saves him—apparently, there are feeders made to fasten to railings. Chen would be able to see those much better from inside, Minseok thinks, than ones dangling over his head.

But as prone as Minseok is to indulging his kitten's every whim, it turns out there's something Chen's really been missing. The next day Minseok comes home to find his tidy living room once again in utter disarray. Chen's recorded voice floats up, disembodied, from the mess.

"Paddle."

Minseok, after a stressful Monday, wants nothing more than to sip a tumbler of whiskey while idly petting his kitten in front of the TV. But even as he scowls, he's not actually too surprised. He's been expecting something like this. Still, he shakes his head, sure his kitten is watching him from wherever he's hidden himself.

"No," he says, crossing to the coat closet to retrieve what he'd stashed there weeks ago. "First, time out."

He'd shamelessly used Chen's food obsession against him, bringing in this little project and storing it away while he'd been stuffing his face with thick, meaty jjigae. One of Chanyeol's boyfriends had bought the three of them a new convection oven. It had come in a nice big box. Minseok had begged him for it, then entertained his friends at the gym by covering it with contact paper in institutional white. He'd affixed one of the wire racks from the replaced oven over an opening he'd cut in one side, above which he'd neatly lettered Kitty Jail.

Now Minseok brings the collapsed box over to a clean patch of kitchen floor, setting it up by folding the bottom flaps of the box back into shape. Chen pokes his head up to see, and Minseok strides over to him, curving a firm hand around the nape of his neck.

"Come on, you naughty beast," he says, escorting him to the box. "In you go."

Chen, brows high, lets himself be deposited in the box. Minseok interfolds the top flaps once his kitten is inside, 'trapping' him. They both know all a human would have to do to escape is stand up, that the cardboard, even reinforced, is no match for an adult. But it's more than enough to keep a cat contained for a while.

Chen meows plaintively as Minseok walks away. He reaches the end of a paw through the wire 'bars' over the window. He tries to gnaw his way free, nose pressed against the grate, teeth trying to gain purchase against the edge of the cardboard.

It's adorable. So Minseok's glad the guy he's supposed to be mad at can't see him smile from that angle. He flicks Chen's nose lightly, grinning at the indignant little sneeze this elicits. It's too unfair, really, how damn cute his kitten is. How is he supposed to punish him for anything?

Because it's what Chen wants. And Minseok likes indulging him. It seems important to Chen, to successfully provoke a physical response from him. Again, Chen hasn't damaged anything. He's just disorganized it all. Quickly, too, because it had all been as it should be, when Minseok had left the office. He hadn't been late. Chen isn't distressed, despite the occasional, calculatedly piteous mew from the kitty jail as Minseok eats. He'd literally asked for this, after all. And Minseok is ready to deliver.

His physique isn't the only thing he's been working on at the gym. His long-suffering friends had been coaxed into being his practice subjects, offering feedback on what it felt like for them to be hit with a certain portion of Minseok’s strength. Sehun in particular had lots of useful feedback about where exactly he should strike. Minseok is confident, now, that he can deliver a paddling that will sting enough to feel punishing without actually hurting his precious kitten. And he knows that the worst part of this punishment, for Chen, will be the part where he's deliberately ignored.

He can't see Minseok well from his cardboard prison, a fact he complains about with repetitive mews whenever Minseok passes beyond the scope of the window during his cleaning-up efforts. He doesn't react when Minseok brings a tumbler of whiskey and a folded cloth to the low table in front of the sofa. But when Minseok gets out the wooden paddle and sets it on the table as well, Chen goes completely silent.

Minseok smiles. "Oh, now you're a well-behaved kitty?"

He stalks over to the cardboard jail. Chen shrinks away from him, pressing himself into the back corner of the box. He makes a tiny ball of himself as Minseok opens the top flaps. Minseok grabs him by the back of the neck, and Chen squeaks.

The smile on Minseok's face only grows as he hauls him over to the sofa. His kitten is breathing rapidly, a tiny whine in each exhale. But Minseok knows his kitten isn't scared. Not even a little bit.

Minseok has seen his kitten scared. He's seen him actually huddle, terrified, afraid of what may come next.

This tremble Minseok can feel beneath his kitten's skin? This panting, the way he's licking his lips?

His Chenny-cat is excited.

Minseok is getting excited, too.

He drops to the sofa, pulling Chen down with him to fall across his lap. Chen yelps as his chest hits Minseok's legs, drawing a chuckle from Minseok. He still has his hand on his kitten's neck, partly to control him, but also to feel the flutter of his pulse, the way he swallows, the prominence of his throat sliding against the collar encircling his neck.

The collar that Minseok put there. That Chen loves to wear.

"My kitten has been naughty," he says, tightening his grip. "I had to spend forty minutes cleaning up after your little tantrum." He releases Chen's neck in favor of caressing his ass. "How many paddles does that merit? Ten? Twenty? What's the going rate, I wonder?"

He gives the left cheek a squeeze through the velour. "Hmm. Quite tender. Let's start with… a dozen."

He slides the shorts down, slowly tugging Chen's tail free of the fabric. He flings the tail to drape up over Chen’s back, unclips the straps of the tail harness that could interfere, then gives a bare cheek a pat. "Nice and bouncy."

The paddle makes quite the smack when Minseok brings it down. Chen yelps. He's staying put right across Minseok's knees though, even though Minseok is no longer holding him there. He hadn't even commanded him to stay.

"One." Chen's quiet voice floats up, even though Minseok hadn't told him to count, either. It is usually the sub's job to keep track, though, so Minseok just smiles at his pet's verbal initiative.

Then he brings the paddle down again.

Chen's skin reddens more with each blow. Minseok alternates which cheek gets the brunt, aiming for an evenly rosy tone between the two with the artistic precision of a painter. He hits the right cheek a little harder, to catch it up to its fellow. There—a matching glow.

By the time Chen counts to eight, Minseok can clearly feel his erection against his thigh. It kicks with each subsequent strike, and Chen's yelps transform into moany little hiccups.

By the time the twelfth strike is delivered, Minseok is hard, too. He shoves Chen off his lap, only to hook a finger into his collar, drawing his head between his widened knees. Brusquely, he undoes his fly, freeing his co*ck.

"Apologize," he commands. "Do it well, so hyung will forgive you."

Chen lifts sharp eyes to Minseok's face. Lip curled, he opens his gorgeous mouth. Still glaring up at him, he leans forward and sucks Minseok deep.

Minseok moans, shifting his hips to offer more of his co*ck to his kitten's eager throat. "That's it. Good kitten. Take good care of hyung."

Chen does. His banana-swallowing efforts were apparently a pale shadow of his skill and enthusiasm when he actually has what he wants stretching his face. He plays Minseok's prick like an entire orchestra, agile lips and clever tongue coaxing a symphony of sounds from Minseok's chest. He sighs and moans and hiccups his pleasure for his kitten.

"Good," he groans as his balls tighten. "Oh, good kitten. My Chen."

He doesn't give Chen any more warning than a hand curving around the back of his head, pulling him firmly down to take what Minseok shoots down his throat. Chen doesn't sputter or cough, just swallows repeatedly, fluttering hot, moist flesh around the sensitive head of Minseok’s co*ck and drawing out his pleasure.

"Well done," Minseok says, finally releasing Chen so he can pull off and suck in deep, ragged breaths. "You're forgiven. Show hyung your belly."

Chen flops onto his back between Minseok's feet, tugging his shirt up to reveal his chest. Minseok licks a hand and reaches down, tugging firmly on his kitten's co*ck.

"Come for hyung," he commands, and Chen does. His whole body shudders and he lets out a low keen as hot jets stripe across his stomach. "That's it," Minseok murmurs, stroking until he’s done. "Good kitten. Good job."

He wipes off his hand on the cloth he'd laid beside the paddle. Then he wipes the stickiness from Chen's skin. He tucks his kitten's softening co*ck back into his shorts, then rolls him over to fix his harness, re-thread his tail through the hole in the shorts, and pull them back into place.

Then he picks up the glass of whiskey and leans back on the sofa. Eyes closed, he takes a refreshing sip. Swirling the glass, he reaches for the remote with his free hand, pulling up the detective drama he's been binging. He'd planned to be doing this an hour ago. But he can't say he's disappointed about the delay. He had been, a little, when he'd seen the mess. But at the moment, he's quite content with the world and his place in it.

He ignores the guy on the floor completely. Or at least he pretends to. He's actually keenly aware of his kitten panting between his feet. Eventually, Chen rolls onto his side. He collects himself into a more cat-shaped curl, nuzzling at the back of one sock paw before drawing it up and over his head, straightening his skewed ears. He fusses with his clothes, too, smoothing everything back into place properly.

Grooming complete, he straightens up, butting his head against Minseok's knee.

Minseok takes another sip of whiskey. But he sets the remote down in favor of stroking his kitten's hair. He smiles as he glances down, because Chen's sitting with his weight shifted onto one hip, both legs to one side, instead of centering his weight over his ass like usual.

Tender cheeks, indeed.

There's a surge of something in his chest. Pride? Satisfaction? A bit surprising, but not unwelcome. Isn't this the point? To give his precious pet what he needs. If he finds himself enjoying it this much, that's only a bonus.

Chapter 5

Chapter Text

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a kitten that occasionally speaks to him. The main disadvantage is that Minseok is rarely expecting it. Chen still either ignores most direct questions or answers with minute head movements or smacks of his array of buttons. Part of that, no doubt, is that Minseok has gotten good at phrasing his questions so a yes or no answer—or one offered by the buttons—is easy. And part of that is, perhaps, a cat-like tendency in Chen to be a bit contrary.

If he speaks, it's generally because he chooses to. Not because Minseok is seeking information, but because there's something Chen wants Minseok to know. Often he records something onto what Minseok thinks of as his variable buttons, if it's just one or two words he needs to add to Minseok's understanding. But sometimes, and this is where that kitty wickedness emerges, he likes to make his master startle comically for his entertainment.

Some cats reach out from boxes to paw at their passing humans. Minseok's waits for him to be completely absorbed in something, preferably in a physically awkward or off-balance position, and then unleashes that startlingly-deep voice.

"I need paper," Chen says one day as Minseok stretches to put some bowls back into the cupboard.

Minseok's sure his resulting spasm, and then the lunge to stabilize the almost-dropped bowls, were amusingly frenetic. But when he turns around, bowls clutched to his chest, he finds Chen primly on the floor near his feet, tail curved around his paws, head angled downward so that he's looking up at Minseok through his long, seductive lashes. There's no sign of amusem*nt on his face, but he must find it funny, or he'd wait to spring this sh*t when Minseok is safely sitting or lying down, no breakable things in his hands.

"Paper?" Minseok repeats dumbly.

"And pencils."

Minseok blinks. "You want to write things?"

A minute head shake. "Draw." He uses a paw to twitch the tip of his tail. "Birds."

"Ah." Minseok smiles. Ever since the birdfeeders had arrived, Chen had indeed been spending more time sprawled in front of the patio door, staring at all the feathered things happy to have the free buffet. "Of course, kitten. Let's order some together in a minute. I don't know anything about what's good for drawing."

Shopping with Chen—for things unrelated to his appearance or upkeep—turns out to be really fun. His kitten has opinions, and expresses them delightfully with screen-pawing or a curled lip. And, most cutely, he kneads his fists against Minseok the whole time, a recurring habit that's appeared lately. It's one of Minseok's favorites, a sort of physical version of purring, and it makes him smile whenever his kitten's paws start pressing against his arm or thigh or chest.

Minseok would buy a warehouse full of pencils, to be kneaded by his kitten.

Lucky for him, Chen only wants a dozen, from a specific, high-end brand. He also wants several sketchbooks in different sizes, with a certain texture and weight to the paper. Once they're all added to the cart, Minseok gestures at the shop suggestions.

"Any of this look good? Sharpeners? Squishy erasers? Whatever this spray stuff is?"

He ends up adding all of the above, plus a large zip-up 'portfolio' that can hold all the supplies neatly, mostly because it has a little doodle of a cat printed on one corner.

The doodle reminds him that cats, with paws, generally don't hold pencils very well.

"You'll need your fingers for this, huh?" Minseok clicks over to the paw-sock site. "So let's get you some of these."

He'd seen the flip-top paw socks when they'd ordered Chen's original sets, thinking them clever but ruling them out for a guy that seemed to hate the sight of his uncovered hands. Now he selects a white pair with pink jellies on the palms, clicking through the product photos to show Chen the disguised slit for the thumb to emerge, as well as the way the round end of the sock flips up against the back of the hand to expose the fingers while keeping the palm covered cutely.

He looks down at his kitten, brow raised in concern, when the kneading at his knee slows and stops.

"They'll get dirty," Chen almost whispers.

"Ahh," Minseok says, remembering the graphite stains on his own hands and shirt cuffs from his student days of totting up long columns of numbers by hand. "They will," he acknowledges, "but graphite washes out easily enough." He clicks the up arrow by the 'quantity' field repeatedly. "We'll just get enough that you can have a fresh pair whenever you need. Or you can change back to your regular ones when drawing time is over."

Minseok ends up with a very affectionate kitten in his lap, and a dozen new marks on his throat, shoulders, and chest. He probably should've ordered some concealer while he was at it.

He gets a flurry of confirmation and shipping texts over the next few days, so he almost misses the one from Lay.

Pet party coming up! This one's completely 'safe-for-work', a chance for pets to play together and owners to chat. Here's the invite link with more details, but feel free to ask me questions, too!

The link takes him to an anonymous blog page with no images to speak of, just a list of policies and prohibitions along with a date and time. The only location given is "the playroom" which is either too generic a term for the search engine to offer relevant results, or is, like Bonamana's back rooms, not something the operators wish to be easily discovered.

"Kitten," Minseok murmurs, running his free hand down Chen's back. "Would you like to go to a pet party?"

Chen had been lounging against his knee, engrossed in the arctic rodent documentary playing on the TV. He's been using one paw to twitch the end of his tail back and forth intermittently, but now the tail, along with the rest of Chen’s body, goes still.

"Hyaong wants to?"

Minseok shrugs even though Chen is still facing away from him. "I'm curious, I guess, but I don’t need to play with any other pets. I'll happily take you to play with other kittens, though. If that sounds fun to you."

Chen doesn't answer for several moments. Then he leans away from Minseok's hand to slap at one of his buttons.

"Okay."

Minseok frowns a little, but Chen settles back against his leg, tail once again in periodic motion. Minseok strokes his ears and hair, sending off a one-handed reply.

That website isn't big on event description. I understand the need for public discretion, but maybe you can paint a clearer picture? Chenny does seem interested in playing with other pets.

Lay is quick to respond. Then you should definitely come! It's not scary. Think of it as a dog park, but with sections for different types of pets. There will be snacks! I know ViVi's master has been there before, so he should be able to give you directions.

Minseok, having never owned a dog, has to ask the internet what a dog park is. For once, the images at the top of the search results are reassuring. Puppies playing inside a fenced area full of toys, smiling humans leaning on the fence to watch. Chen hadn't seemed to like ViVi's more rambunctious style of play, but with other kittens, he should be more comfortable. And it's probably good for him, to make some kitten friends.

Okay, he sends back, I think we're in. Thanks for the invite.

Lay sends back a string of heart and sheep emojis.

Smiling, Minseok taps his conversation with Baek. He sighs as he requests directions—he can already hear the teasing.

Sure enough, the first thing Baekhyun sends back is a long string of repeating one of us! But he does also send an address and a link to a theatrical costume shop's mask selection.

you'll have to present id for both of you, your real one, not the one you use for poker. it's just to prevent and punish abuse, the staff have all signed strict nondisclosure contracts, and you’ll both have to sign one too before they let you in. but some people, especially public figures, wear masks anyway, and cloth or paper ones are considered gauche. masters tend to prefer the phantom style, and if you want a mask for your kitten, there are some nice ceramic ones here too.

Does he need one? Minseok sends back. Do you wear one?

anyone that's publicly outed is entitled to a life-changing amount of money from the club, which they will recoup by determining the source and then bringing the nda down on their head. the risk to chen is low, but you might want a mask for the same reason i wear one. several of these people are my clients, so a little plausible deniability goes a long way.

Minseok snorts. This is indeed just like Bonamana. It makes him wonder just how many 'special' clubs there are within the city, where people pretend to be strangers so they can share an uncommon common interest. Probably more than a few. The irony is that the pet players seem to have more security measures than Bonamana, even though their hobby isn't illegal. The court of public opinion can be a harsher judge, he supposes. Then again, if the rumors about Bonamana's owners are true, anyone who offends them badly enough may simply disappear.

There is no dress code given for the play party aside from 'nipples, genitals, and gluteal cleft must be completely and opaquely covered for all genders.' A query to Baek reveals that most masters tend to wear business-casual at least, to emphasize the power dynamic. Pet attire often goes all-out, but Baek says there are plenty that will show up in minimalistic versions, either due to budget or simply that they enjoy the dynamic over the costuming. The main point for pets at this party is that 'cute' or 'pretty' tends to be emphasized over 'sexy.'

just wear your normal weekday stuff, both of you, is Baekhyun’s recommendation. This mask would look good on you😉

The mask in question has a riot of orange feathers and a long, questionably phallic nose. Minseok rolls his eyes. Ultimately, he decides on a simple white porcelain number that will cover most of his face, leaving his mouth and chin exposed. Lay had said there would be snacks.

"Chenny-cat." Minseok pulls his kitten's attention from the documentary with a wiggle of his fingers. "Do you want to wear a mask when you play with the other kittens?"

Chen shrugs, eyes still on the TV.

Minseok leans down to cradle his face, forcing eye contact. "This isn't about your aesthetic, baby, it's about privacy. So it's your choice."

Chen blinks up at him once before dropping his gaze. "Hyaong will wear one?"

"Yes, kitten, but only because of my job. I'll probably meet clients there, and it will be awkward unless we can pretend not to recognize each other. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. The club has rules to protect us, and I'm not ashamed if some neighbor sees that I like the same thing they do. We aren't doing anything wrong."

Chen leans into Minseok's palm, eyes still low. "No mask," he murmurs.

Minseok pats his cheek. "Okay then. No mask."

The drawing supplies arrive, but Chen doesn't touch them until his new sock paws show up a day later. He's shy about using them, but Minseok knows he does. The living room camera has been suspiciously nudged, so it no longer shows the sunny spot in front of the patio door very well, but Minseok can usually see Chen's leg or his tail trailing in from that edge of the screen. The portfolio is always neatly tidied away by the time Minseok gets home, and the mice Minseok still hides are always all in their tray, but it's not hard to guess how his kitten is spending his days.

On Thursday night, he comes home to both confirm his suspicions and discover his kitten is quite skilled. The drawing he finds conspicuously left on the floor in the foyer shows a dark-winged bird about to land, feet outstretched, tail and wings flared, full of frozen motion.

Minseok picks it up, smile blooming wide as he toes off his shoes. "Did my kitten leave hyung a bird he caught? A present on my doorstep?"

He turns to the living room just in time to see Chen's ears disappear over the arm of the sofa. Listening, then, but not wanting to be seen. Gauging Minseok's reaction.

Minseok gives him what he hopes is an incredibly positive one.

"Chenny, this is gorgeous. It looks about to fly right off the page." He sets the drawing on the dining table so he can take a clear photo with his phone. He knows Chen can hear the phone's shutter, and then the soft clicks of him texting. "My pet… can draw… better… than yours," he narrates, sending the image off to Baekhyun.

His phone chimes almost immediately. Grinning, Minseok presses the read-it-to-me button.

"f*ck yeah, he can," his phone's digital assistant reads out. "what the hell, min? you find yourself a fluff-tailed picasso?"

"Nah," Minseok replies. "Picasso's… stuff… is all… messy. My kitten's… more like… Van Gogh… or something. Except… with… four ears… instead… of one."

"lucky bastard," his phone recites, then renders the following string of emojis as "pouting-face-winking-face-cat-face-with-heart-eyes."

Chuckling, Minseok props the drawing up on what Baekhyun calls his 'trophy shelf,' where he likes to smugly display the extraneous watches, jewelery and napkin-scribbled IOUs he's brought home from his poker triumphs. Siwon hadn't actually given him a marker for the cat he'd promised him, a detail that now seems rather deliberate. But this is a much better prize, far more worthy of display.

"I'll need to get a frame or something," he says. "But I already have a special treat for my kitten as a reward."

He'd picked up the freshly-delivered package on his way upstairs. An affiliate link on the kitten paw website had caught his eye, so he'd placed another order after he'd f*cked his boy into an org*sm-induced coma. He'd been planning to make it into a punishment, but he'll happily get on his knees for his kitten if it encourages him to do the things he clearly enjoys, even if they require human fingers.

The promise of treats has his kitten appearing to rub around his legs, cute little mews an obvious but enjoyable ploy. "Yes, yes," Minseok laughs. "I already said I would, didn't I? Dinner first, though. Kitty nutrition is important."

He still gives Chen the multivitamin and vitamin C supplement, even though he's had a proper diet long enough that he probably doesn't need them. A few extra vitamins won't hurt, and the way Chen's human ears go faintly pink while Minseok closely watches to be sure they're swallowed tells him that his kitten enjoys being made to take them. Minseok likes it, too, because both the vitamins and the close scrutiny are ways he's sure he's taking good care of his kitten.

His phone chimes as he's pressing Chen's tuna-kimchi rice into fish-shaped molds. He leans over, displaying Baekhyun’s text with the swipe of a knuckle. It's a photo of an artfully-arranged plate of delicious-looking breaded cutlets and onion pancakes, perfectly fried, along with my pet can cook better than yours.

Very true, Minseok sends back. Feel free to send him over here with any leftovers.

you only wish😛😝😜, Baek sends back. it took way too much training to get him this good, his honed skills are available for dine-in only.

Minseok smiles at his phone, but has no actual resentment about making his own considerably less fancy meals. Especially at the beginning, it's one of the few things that made him feel like a master, and a good one at that. His kitten can only eat what Minseok gives him. So as he'd do for any pet he were responsible for, he makes sure Chen's food is good for him.

Even if most of their meals are takeout, Minseok makes sure the ingredients are high quality, that his kitten gets variety, but that it either already is or can be made to look like something a pet cat would eat. That it can be eaten with no utensils without smearing too messily over his kitten's face. And he's paid attention, noted what Chen seems to eat more eagerly, what he tends not to completely finish. It's something he's confident in, that he can set a nutritionally-appropriate meal in front of his pet twice a day.

He's also rather smug about his own Baekhyun-inspired cereal use: the 'red' version of a popular chocolate ring-shaped cereal looks much more like cat kibble, once the strawberry marshmallow bits are plucked out (to be tossed into a treat jar, of course). Despite the cereal's cookie inspiration, it actually has significantly more vitamins than the kind Baekhyun gives Sehun, which means it only makes Minseok feel a little guilty about leaving a third stylish pet dish out while he's at work, filled with the red-flecked rings for his pet to nibble on as needed. Still, as a daily apology for not giving him a proper lunch, Minseok ensures Chen's dinner is hot and flavorful, a kitty-themed echo of whatever Minseok himself is having.

It's actually been good for Minseok, too, this extra thought going into daily meals. No longer can he settle for a pot of instant noodles after an exhausting day. He's eating more protein on average than he had before, too, since kitties like meat and seafood. And he focuses more during the day, the option of simply staying later to finish tasks he's neglected no longer on the table.

It doesn't make Minseok feel submissive at all, to 'serve' his pet in this way, even though doing the same thing is clearly a big part of Sehun’s subservience for his master. When Minseok feeds his kitten, he feels like he's properly handling at least this aspect of the immense control Chen has given him over his life, his very health.

It makes him wonder if it might be a kitty vs puppy thing, if it's simply personal variance, or if he'd be judged by other owners as 'doing it wrong.' He's both curious and defensive about the idea of meeting other pet players at this party. He'd wanted so much at first to live up to what a real master would presumably be able to do for a pet. But more and more he's finding he doesn't care if he's doing a good job in anyone's eyes but Chen's.

He still has moments of uncertainty with other things, but he's sure, especially these days, that his meals are what Chen needs. Chen may eat around certain ingredients he doesn't like, but he's never refused to eat at all. He's never tried to raid the fridge or the cupboards. Despite his constant desire for treats, he's never gotten onto the counters to steal from the easily accessible jars.

Because Chen doesn't simply want the treats themselves, although Minseok is sure he enjoys them. What he enjoys more is for Minseok to give him the treats, whether begged or earned. It's the same with his meals. His body needs to eat, like anyone else's. But Chen, in particular, also needs to be fed.

It's really fortunate that Minseok finds it so fulfilling to provide. Perhaps in another life, he'd have made someone a good pup, but in this life, he's quite happy to own his kitten.

And tonight, he's going to be quite happy to make his kitten yowl.

He gives Chen some treats with dinner, and praises the drawing some more. He indulges in playtime with the feather stick, and also puts Chen through a training session for what the internet has told him are the most common kitten commands. His skin is thickening when it comes to being thought an improper owner, but he will fight anyone that so much as implies Chen isn't a proper kitten. Still, he'd rather give both of them the relaxed enjoyment of showing Chen off instead of needing to defend him, if possible. So they'll brush up on a few things that might be expected at the party, even if they'll never use them at home.

They'll get far more use out of their new toy, Minseok hopes. Once he's draped his kitten over the end of the bed, he produces it with a flourish, smiling at Chen’s wide-eyed surprise.

"He's cute, right?" Minseok uses the fishie-shaped silicone toy to nuzzle Chen's nose. It's a peppy orange, vaguely teardrop shaped, with only slight bumps for fins and a tail that flares wide. The happy cartoon face looks somewhat lewd in light of what it's meant to be used for. "He's smiling because he's excited about the little trip he's about to take. He's into cave-swimming. It's the latest hip hobby for cool fishies."

Chen rolls his eyes. Minseok only laughs. "I'm sure you'll grow to hate him, but tonight, we'll make it nice for you. Add a bit of extra buzz to your reward."

Chen seems unconvinced he's actually receiving a reward as Minseok preps him a little, nibbling at his sensitive inner thighs. He's unimpressed when Minseok slides the condom-clad fishie into him, probably disappointed he's not getting hyung's co*ck.

But then Minseok squeezes the tail fin over the plus sign. The fish starts to 'swim' gently, a slight vibration that's positioned right where Chen should feel it most.

Chen's eyes shoot wide. Minseok snickers.

"Did you think I said you'd hate it because it's not me? No. You'll end up hating it because this, dear kitten, is level one. Of twenty."

This pulls an apprehensive whine from Chen's lips. Minseok shushes him with a caress.

"Level one's fun, right? A little buzz. Don't try to pretend—I can see you clenching around it Your co*ck is already drooling."

Minseok smiles wickedly at his kitten. "Speaking of drooling."

He nibbles his way up Chen's thigh. Then he swerves to engulf his kitten's co*ckhead in his mouth.

Chen gurgles, body flexing against the steadying hand Minseok has braced against his belly. Showing no mercy, Minseok sucks him in, pressing against the fish toy with his free hand to keep the tingling pressure where he wants it. Chen makes a delightful array of noises, none of which are at all close to words or meows. Good. His boy isn't currently capable of forming enough thoughts to direct his vocalizations.

Minseok thoroughly enjoys taking his kitten apart. It doesn't take very long, but that's not surprising. He can't imagine he's had this much direct, pleasurable stimulation in a long while. Of course it's easily overwhelming. He smiles in satisfaction when Chen's strangled noises crest, and swallows the result of his efforts.

Now Chen's moans have become whines. Merciful master that he is, Minseok turns off the vibrations and slowly withdraws the cheeky fish toy.

"Was that a good reward, kitten?"

Chen offers a weak little nod.

"Mmm. I'm glad." Minseok stands up, letting his kitten get an eyeful of the strained front of his trousers. "I think I'll just… change clothes."

He steps into the closet, closing the door partway. Then he positions himself in a way that he can see his kitten through the gap before turning to the side. He undoes his fly, sighing with relief and anticipation, and then begins stroking himself. He only pretends to stifle his noises of enjoyment, keeping his hips turned a bit towards the gap in the door, even as he keeps his head bent down and slightly away.

Chen had indicated he'd enjoy watching Minseok handle himself. And sure enough, there's soft rustling as a 'sneaky' kitten shifts to better see the show.

When Minseok takes care of himself like this, it's usually in the shower, a fistful of soap helping everything slide, the hot water adding to the sensation. A mostly-dry wank in a closet wouldn't usually do it for him at all, but the weight of Chen’s eyes is electric. He's never been p*rn for someone before.

Heat sizzles along his spine as he gets into his role, just a guy rubbing one out in the privacy of his own home, definitely not being spied on. Definitely not moaning loud enough to be heard. Definitely not panting a certain name as his balls tighten.

He throws his head back, lip bitten, eyes closed, displaying his throat, the jut of his hipbone below the hem of his shirt, exposed by the pants falling half off him. There's a soft noise from the bedroom, a hungry little whine, and Minseok's stomach clenches. He reaches with his free hand to cup his balls, massage them a little as if that could relieve the growing sense of heaviness. Chen's next whine is lower, needier, and Minseok has to move his free hand quickly to catch the pleasure suddenly shooting forth. He groans with the thrill of it, of coming for his little voyeur, letting him see and hear how hot his heavy gaze makes him.

When he feels like he can walk steadily, he does so. He strolls right to the bed, softening co*ck still exposed, smiling as Chen scrambles to assume an innocent pose, curled around his renewed erection. Minseok unrolls him enough to wrap his release-filled hand around that erection, wordlessly stroking him off with the slick he'd just produced.

This time Minseok gets a breathy, broken "Hyaong" before Chen's adding to the mess in Minseok's fist.

It's a reward, so Minseok catches all he can, heading to the bathroom to wash it all away. Chen's curled into a slow-blinking ball among the sheets when Minseok returns, the very picture of a sleepy kitty.

Smile fond, Minseok curls around him, feeling very much like he's the one being rewarded.

The next morning, Minseok is surprised to find his kitten already sprawled by the patio door, surrounded by sketchbooks. The sun is hours away from touching that spot, but Chen is intent on his work anyway. Watching him for a moment, Minseok is struck by a sudden, intense fondness. It clogs his throat a little so he elects not to say anything. Wouldn't want to distract him.

He comes scampering when Minseok calls him to eat. He's good as usual about eating his vitamins first under Minseok's watchful eye, but he barely eats an entire 'fish' of his crab-stick kimbap before returning to his pencils.

Shaking his head, Minseok collects his own kimbap (still unsliced) and heads off to work. But he's smiling all day like an absolute dope, and the best explanation he can offer Sooyoung is 'my boyfriend drew me a bird.' She does at least agree that it is an artfully depicted bird when shown the photo on his phone. But she keeps looking at him like he's gone a bit loopy and she's afraid it might be contagious.

Chen doesn't spend the whole day drawing. Minseok sees him on the camera, eating his kimbap (thankfully) and lounging around on the living room rug with his pink bear, watching the animal documentaries on the TV. Every time Minseok looks at the feed, he wants to scoop Chen up and squeeze him, and it's Friday. He works diligently to finish all the reports needed for his Monday meetings, and ducks out of work an hour early. He swings by the market to grab an easy dinner and urges the train to go a little faster.

His kitten is drawing again when Minseok gets home. The sun is just about to set, washing Chen in gold. He's on his belly, knees bent so his sock-pawed feet drift in the air. His shirt has ridden up to expose that slender waist, and he's smiling down at whatever he's drawing.

Smiling. Chen is actually smiling, lips curled up enough that his cheeks bunch, that Minseok can tell he's smiling even with his head lowered.

"Kitten," Minseok says, voice suddenly hoarse.

Chen looks up at him. His smile widens. And something deep in Minseok's chest, his gut, his groin, squeezes at the sight.

His kitten is smiling at him. Minseok's eyes will never see a vision more beautiful than this, his precious boy, happy in the sun, happier still to see Minseok.

Minseok's breath is gone completely. Still, words fall from his lips.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Chen's human ears darken enough that Minseok can see it despite the golden light. He squirms, drops his gaze, sticks a shoulder between his face and Minseok's. But Minseok can still tell he's smiling. And his own face blooms to match.

"Nope, I lied," he says. "I'm definitely in love with you."

Chen freezes.

"You're okay," Minseok says immediately. "I didn't say it to stress you out or—"

Chen pushes himself up. He abandons his pencils and crawls to where Minseok is standing, leaning against the wall at the end of the foyer. He keeps crawling until his hands are on Minseok's feet, his legs, and Minseok reaches to steady him, to support his kitten as he rises to stand in front of him.

And then Chen is leaning in. He's pressing his lips to Minseok's.

Then he drops back to his knees. Or at least he would have, if Minseok's arms hadn't locked around his waist.

"Was that a one-time thing, kitten?" he asks softly. "Or can hyung kiss you again?"

In the cool light of the foyer, it's easy to see how red his kitten is. Chen lifts his chin, but not his eyes as he leans in again.

Minseok accepts the slow, tender kiss his kitten offers. He slides one hand from Chen's waist up to cradle his head, but he doesn't interfere with the angle or pressure his kitten has set. He follows Chen's lead, answering in kind, sucking only gently at Chen's bottom lip.

When Minseok pulls back, it's because he can taste salt. Chen's eyes are still closed, but they're leaking. Minseok brings up both of his hands to hold Chen's face, using his thumbs to swipe the moisture from his cheeks.

"Oh, Chenny. I didn't mean to upset you."

But Chen shakes his head a tiny bit. Minseok might have missed it, if he weren't holding his face.

"Hyaong," Chen says, voice shaky. "Hyaong."

He leans in again, pressing his face against Minseok's palms. Minseok draws him closer, meets him halfway. The kiss is still soft at first, testing, a brush of lips on lips. But then Chen quivers, chasing more. Minseok uses his grip of his face to give it to him, tilting Chen's head to compliment the new angle of his own. He slots their mouths together and initiates a deep, claiming kiss. Chen responds eagerly, but after just a few moments, Minseok pulls away, the taste of Chen’s lips still too saline.

"Why the tears, kitten?"

"Hyaong." Chen’s paws are against Minseok's chest, and he kneads at him a little. "You. Really?"

"Really, what?"

"L… lo…ve. M. Me?"

"Yeah." Minseok squeezes him. "Did you think I wouldn't? That I was somehow immune to how absolutely charming you are? Especially when you're relaxed and happy, doing something you like?"

The low rumble Chen emits rather implies that he did, in fact, think that.

"Baby," Minseok chides. "Hyung's not a robot. You've had me wrapped around your paw from the beginning, pet, you know this. And now you hit me with that smile! Kitten. I'm smitten."

The rhyme earns Minseok a disgusted look. Minseok laughs, pulling his love close again. He nuzzles their noses together, laughing more when Chen squirms.

"My kitten. So loveable. Of course I've fallen for you."

But Chen's tears return, more than Minseok can wipe away. He ends up wrapping both arms around him, holding him tight as he babbles against Minseok's shoulder, a mix of kitten noises and human speech. Careful listening lets Minseok pick up words like 'no one' and 'never' and a particularly heartbreaking 'I'm not even real.'

"Chenny," Minseok soothes. "My love. Of course you're real."

"I'm not. A real man."

"You are," Minseok insists. "You're my real man. You think I'd wanna make out with a regular cat?"

"But I'm not. Sehun. He helps. Takes care. A man. I'm just… a baby."

"You take care of me."

"Not really—"

"Yes, really. No, listen to hyung. Don't you yell at me, when I don't go to bed on time? Don't you use that beautiful body to make sure I sleep very well? I eat better, now, too, because of you. I get my work done more efficiently, I'm much less stressed, and if I do come home annoyed about work, you distract me so I don't stew about it all night. You are good for me, my Chenny-cat, and that's before you gave me a breathtaking drawing I've been showing off to everyone I can get to look at it."

Chen's human ears are red again, but his brow is no longer pinched with distress. "You like having a kitten."

Minseok kisses his forehead. "I like having you, specifically, as my kitten. My boyfriend. I adore you. Which is why I came home early, and brought you tasty mackerel."

Chen perks up. Minseok smiles.

After their bellies are filled, Chen tugs at Minseok until he follows him over to his 'studio' in front of the balcony.

"So many birds come," he says, opening the smaller sketchbook. He immediately shuts it again. "I'm still. Practicing."

"Of course, kitten," Minseok says. "I'd still like to see."

Ears pink, Chen flips through the pages. Sleek birds and fluffy ones all stare back at him from the pages, flying or eating or chasing each other around. Some are rendered with only a scattering of faint lines, some are more detailed, some are only detailed in certain areas, vague in others. There are closeup sketches of feathers, beaks, feet curled around the balcony railing, the perches on the feeders.

The larger sketchbook has larger birds, as well as other animals minseok recognizes from the various documentaries. A seal with laughing eyes, a fierce lynx, a fluffy arctic fox. A cat, splotched with dark and light patches over a fluffy white body. A swirl of tropical fish. A sea turtle. A dolphin. Another cat—no. The same one? It keeps recurring, yawning between a sketch of a crocodile and a wolf, licking a paw on a page all by itself.

"Is this guy in one of our documentaries?" Minseok hovers a finger over the page, almost convinced he could feel the plush fur.

"Not a guy," Chen says. "Female. Probably."

"You haven't decided?"

Chen gives him an awkward glance. "I haven't looked. But she's a calico. See?" He taps the shaded patches. "Almost always queens."

"She does look very regal."

"Yes. But that's just. What they’re called."

"What who are called? Cats?"

Chen nods. "Boys are toms. Girls are queens."

"I see."

"She lives over there." Chen points to the building opposite. "I see her sometimes. In the windows." He looks up at Minseok, eyes curved above a little smile. "I think. She likes our birdfeeders."

"Ah," Minseok says. "Then I'm glad to offer her entertainment. She's a pretty thing, huh?"

"Yeah. Persian. Very fluffy."

"My kitten is still cuter," Minseok says, ruffling Chen's hair. "He's fluffy, too. Soft fur…" He strokes the velour over Chen’s ass. "Soft skin…" He runs a knuckle along Chen’s jaw. "Soft lips…" His thumb traces the curve of Chen’s lower one.

Chen flushes. He says "Hyaong" in a soft, almost pleading voice. His eyes go dark, and Minseok dives to meet his lips.

"Wait," Chen says, "don't crinkle—"

Careful of the sketchpads, Minseok gathers him close and picks him up. He smiles at Chen's surprised little sound, adjusts his grip, and carries him to the bedroom.

"Chenny," he growls. "Hyung wants you so much."

"Good." Chen's already wiggling out of his shorts before Minseok has even laid him on the sheets.

"Good?" Minseok laughs as he crawls over his kitten. "You like that hyung gets hard for you with just a look?"

"Yes." Chen's not hard yet, but he's getting there. He spreads his legs, pulling Minseok down against him. "Want Hyaong, too."

"Yeah?" Minseok lowers his weight, pressing Chen to the bed. "Want hyung to f*ck you?"

"Yes."

Minseok smiles. This might be pushing it, but he's been so verbal today, not just nodding. He's already telling Minseok what he wants.

"I think you should say it, then, kitten." He smiles more at Chen's widened eyes. "Come on, kitten. Tell hyung what you want."

"Hyaong," Chen whines, but he hasn't gone still, hasn't clammed up. He wiggles around beneath Minseok. "Mean."

"How is that mean?" Minseok laughs. "I'm right here, ready to give it to you." He rocks his hips a little. "You just have to say it, kitten."

Chen whines, rolls his eyes, and writhes. Still chuckling, Minseok steadies him with a long, slow kiss. "Say it," he murmurs against Chen's lips.

Perhaps it's easier, knowing Minseok can't really see him, pressed this close. Minseok can feel Chen draw his lower lip between his teeth briefly. Then his lips move, accompanied by the faintest of whispers.

"f*ck me."

Now Minseok is mean. "Can't hear you, pet."

Chen's next whine ends in a tiny, breathy, "f*ck me."

"Oh, good kitten." Minseok rolls his hips firmly, slowly, knowing his erection is obvious even through his slacks. "Good Chenny-cat. My love."

Now Chen goes quiet, but Minseok isn't deterred. His kitten, his love—not his baby, if Chen doesn't consider that a positive term—still doesn't really believe Minseok. Or more likely, doesn't believe any of this is real. It's easier for him to believe he's imagining things, than that Minseok loves him, wants to say so.

But he does believe it, underneath, Minseok thinks. Because he kisses Minseok on the mouth, responds eagerly when Minseok kisses him there. He'd done it because Minseok had confessed. Almost immediately. Like he'd been waiting for the chance. Being loved is something he wants, even if it's not yet a thing he really believes he gets to have.

Minseok will drench him in love. And kisses.

"Undo hyung's pants," he says, lifting his hips to give his kitten room. He smiles against Chen's lips as he responds only sloppily, attention now split as he fumbles with Minseok's fly.

"Good kitten," Minseok sighs when his co*ck has more room to breathe. "Good job." With one final kiss, he rolls off of Chen. "Paws up," he commands, smiling when Chen immediately pulls his hands level with his shoulders. "So good," he praises, then folds the ends of his drawing socks down and tucks his thumbs into the slit. "No more fingers for you." He reaches for the bottle of lube. "The only fingers necessary right now are mine."

Minseok preps his pet slowly, teasingly, enjoying every impatient whine, enjoying turning each one into a gasp. He curves over Chen to press kisses against his chest, bite at collarbones, run his tongue over nipples, set his open mouth against warm skin.

He leans back so he can see better, admire his boy as he continues to pet his prostate with firm fingers.

"So hot," he rumbles. "My Chen. So hard for hyung, hmm? Can't wait to be f*cked." He chuckles at Chen's demanding growl, but slides his fingers free and lines himself up. "Okay, kitten. Here I am."

He pushes in a little, then hooks Chen's leg over his arm so he can round that long spine, curl his boy beneath him, bringing their mouths together as he buries his co*ck deep. It's hard to imagine anything better than this, tasting his kitten's soft little moans as he rolls his hips. Chen responds so eagerly, like he also can't get enough of Minseok’s mouth. It's sending sizzles through Minseok, this new, addicting sensation, almost more than the wet slide of his co*ck within Chen's heat.

Chen seems to agree. Usually prone to wiggling and squeezing, trying to get his take-it-slow master to give him what he wants, this time Chen lays quite still, chasing Minseok's lips whenever he pulls away a little. The kissing is so good, so distracting, that Minseok is entirely surprised to find himself org*sming, mouth pulled away from his kitten enough for him to moan his name.

"Chenny. You're hyung's delight."

Now his kitten writhes, rolling his hips to rub himself against Minseok's abs.

"Oh?" Minseok glances down between their bodies. "Can you come like this, I wonder? If hyung keeps kissing you, tells you how gorgeous you look all red and sweaty and panting for hyung? If I say how smug it makes me feel, every time I pump your sweet little ass full?"

Keening, Chen pulls him down for more kisses. Minseok obliges, then reaches for the lube, pumping a little between their bellies. He flexes his abs, dropping his warm weight on his kitten's co*ck as he kisses him some more. Chen's whines are breathier now. Minseok shifts a little, to let his kitten's co*ck rub against more of his ridged stomach. He grins against Chen's lips when the whine cuts off as he pumps slick heat between them.

"Good kitten," Minseok praises. He kisses the tip of his nose. "So pretty when you come."

Chen whines, turning his face away, but Minseok holds him close even as he snickers at the beautiful mess his kitten has become.

"Don't fuss at me," he says to cut off Chen's indignant rumble. "This is what you need. To know that I love you, that you're beautiful, so damn precious to hyung. That's why I groom you well, take good care of you from hair to toenails, match your soft hair to your cute kitty bits. It's not because hyung needs you to be a certain amount of attractive. It's because you need to know how adored you are. So you can't ever think I'm exaggerating when I say I love you. I want you to feel it, in every kiss, in everything I do."

He gives Chen one more kiss. "You can feel it, right?"

Face red, Chen nods.

"Good." Minseok peels himself away from Chen's sticky body. "Now. Bathtime."

Chen whines. Minseok smiles.

He smiles because Chen is smiling. Because even as he pretends to hate it, he cooperates, his ears even pinker than usual when Minseok carefully attends to his skin. He really has been telling Chen he adores him with every meal, every smile, every touch. It only took his mouth catching up to what the rest of him already knew. And now that the words are out, he hopes they settle in his kitten's heart, to feed his soul as well as their balcony full of feeders nourishes all Chen's pretty little birds.

Minseok is surprised to find himself a little nervous as he gets dressed for the play party. He's been to high-stakes formal events before, where he'd needed to charm people into signing things, donating time or money or materials. He's been to make-or-break international meetings, he's sat at poker tables with literal gangsters, and this will just be a bunch of people in suits or animal accessories. Unlike those other events, if it turns out not to be fun, he and Chen can simply leave.

Still, he makes extra sure they both look the part. He elects to go with a white buttondown from a designer Suho favors, rolling up the sleeves to show his forearms, left unbuttoned just far enough to show a clavicle and a bit of chest. The black suit pants he pulls on aren't tight enough to be vulgar, but they do cling to his thighs. A gold chain around his neck and one of his fancy poker-won watches add a little shine. He may have to wear a mask, but he still wants people to look at him and think his kitten's master is hot.

And while Minseok will always think his kitten the most appealing in any room, he wants Chen to think himself adorable, too. So he puts him in a hoodie and shorts of soft yellow velour, a shade that looks nice with both his deep caramel hair and accessories, and his minty green collar. He blow dries his hair nice and fluffy, adding a little product to give it volume. He puts it in his own hair, too, combing it up off his forehead and giving it (and him) a little extra height.

Then he tilts his head at himself in the mirror. Full-face makeup isn't something he bothers with often, and especially with the mask, it seems entirely unnecessary. But he still smooths a little tinted BB cream over his skin, lines his eyes darkly so they show strongly through the mask, and puts a bit of berry-tinted gloss on his lips.

He looks down at Chen, who's been practically glued to his legs. "Handsome?" he asks.

Chen nods. He lifts a paw, reaching for the tube of BB cream on the counter. "Fix me."

Minseok frowns. "You don't need fixing."

"Skin," Chen insists. "Icky."

Minseok squats to lift his kitten to his feet, standing him in front of the mirror. "It's not icky," he says, angling Chen's face under the light. "It's all healed, see? Nice and healthy. No owies to bother my handsome boy."

Chen stares. Minseok smiles. "Did you not realize?"

"You keep. In the bath. My skin." Chen gestures like he's rubbing product over his face.

"That's partly to keep it healthy," Minseok says. "And partly because you like when hyung fusses over you like that." He tilts his head. "Is that why you want makeup? Want hyung to put it on you?"

Chen's ears go that telltale pink. He looks away from Minseok, but not away from the mirror.

Minseok huffs. "This isn't the right color cream for you, kitten, it'd look a little silly. But…" Minseok slides open his makeup drawer. "We can do a little powder. Not because your skin is icky. You're perfectly adorable without it. But it'll feel nice, and you'll look a little more velvety. My velvet kitten." He swirls the brush, tapping off the excess. "Close your eyes, pet."

Chen obeys, giving him that same upturned, parted-lips face of trust and pleasure that he always does when Minseok treats his skin. He sweeps a light dusting of powder slowly over Chen’s face, then gives in to the urge to drop a kiss on those always-appealing lips. They're prone to being chapped these days, since Chen has a habit of poking his tongue out as he draws. So after his kitten recovers from his adorable startle, Minseok gently coats them in a little balm.

"Your lashes are already so dark and thick, you look like you have eyeliner all the time," he comments. "But we can do a little bit, a little upflick at the outer corners, to look extra kitty."

Chen holds very still while Minseok applies a bit of liquid liner, and then a dab of shimmery palest gold eyeshadow on the inner corners.

"There." He points Chen's face to the mirror, fussing with the fall of his bangs a little. "Cat-eyed kitten."

Chen's flush deepens very prettily.

Minseok gives him a squeeze. "Come on. Let's get you harnessed up."

The light blue harness looks nice with the yellow velour, making Minseok smile as he buckles Chen into it. He loosens the thigh straps a little, so they don't outline his undercarriage so blatantly, but tightens the waist strap a bit more (while making sure his kitten can still inhale fully).

It's a shame to pull the loose sweatpants and jumper over such a cute outfit, but warmth is more important while they travel. Minseok pulls on his own suit jacket, then his nicest shoes, the ones with a subtle lift in the heel. Once Chen's shoes are on and tied, he tucks a baggie of Chen’s favorite treats into his pocket and then they're out the door.

As before, Chen sticks very close as Minseok leads him through the building. He's trembling a little as they enter the building's parking garage, and Minseok pauses, pulling his kitten close.

"Do you want to go home, kitten? We can go right back home."

Chen shakes his head slightly. He curves his sock-covered fingers into Minseok's biceps. Minseok flexes them, displaying his strength for his nervous boy.

"I've got you. You're okay. This will be fun, right? My kitten deserves to be shown off. I'm so proud of you."

Minseok keeps murmuring reassurances as he leads Chen to his car. He smiles when Chen takes in the sleek sportscar that chirps as it unlocks.

"Second best thing I've ever won in a poker game," he says, opening the passenger door to tuck Chen inside.

"The first best thing?"

Minseok buckles his kitten in, then pats his leg. "You, of course."

Chen's eyes go wide. His ears redden. Minseok smiles, pats his leg again, and shuts the car door.

Chen is quiet as they drive. Minseok reaches over to hold his paw at a red light, resting it on his thigh when he again needs two hands to ensure he can navigate the heavy traffic safely. He can feel Chen's hand pressing and relaxing against his thigh, a one-handed knead.

"That's right. You're okay. Hyung's got you."

The 'playroom' turns out to be a large, unmarked warehouse. It appears empty from the snow-dusted street, but once Minseok pulls around back, he's surprised at how many other cars are present, triple-parked in tight but tidy rows. His isn't the only luxury car present, so Minseok feels less nervous about handing his keys to the valet. He puts on his mask and helps Chen out of the car, holding his leash and his hand as the valet covers the sportscar's license plates before adding it to the rest. It's a bit ridiculous, because there can't be that many black Aventadors in the city. Several of the other cars have distinctive makes or paint jobs as well. Plausible deniability again, he supposes.

"We can still leave," he says to Chen as they head for the building. "Any time, we can go if you're not having fun."

"I'll have fun," Chen says. "But. I shouldn't talk to you. Inside."

"I will never be mad if you talk to me," Minseok says. "But I won't ever expect it in front of other people."

Chen nods. Minseok kisses his hair. And then he leads his kitten inside.

Inside the warehouse, a domino-masked concierge leads them to one of several small partitioned-off areas, where a bare-faced woman with a severe hairstyle asks for their IDs. Minseok removes his mask and hands them over, once again relieved to have Chen’s legal information. They sign the NDA and conduct agreements, and are given a key for a locker, where Minseok leaves his suit jacket, cell phone, and Chen's outer sweats. He slides the stretchy band of the key over his wrist along with the end of Chen’s leash, and then they're escorted into the playroom itself.

The concierge gestures broadly, but Minseok thanks him with a small bow and pulls Chen to the side instead of proceeding into the massive space. He needs a minute to orient himself. Thankfully, Lay’s comparison to a dog park turns out to be reassuringly accurate.

There's a puppy play yard, full of toys and balls and excited pups, rumps wiggling, tugging and fetching and rolling around. Kittens are lounging around in a giant cat tree, batting at feathers, and pouncing on wind-up mice. There's a paddock full of ponies galloping around, joined by the occasional other hoofed pet, and a handful of bunnies and what might be a hamster are enjoying a pile of veggies in one quiet corner.

It's all very sweet and surprisingly wholesome, considering how sensually-clad many of the pets (and more than a few of the masters) are.

It's still a lot to take in.

Chen is peeking over his shoulder, wordless but pressed close enough that Minseok can feel the rapid pace of his breath. He glances at his pet. His eyes are wide, lips parted, and his fingers are curving to press into Minseok's biceps through the paw socks.

"Okay, kitten?"

He doesn't get much in the way of a response. But Chen's not cowering, not pulling for the door, seems only slightly freaked out. Which is entirely understandable—Minseok is slightly freaked out, himself.

“You're here!”

Minseok looks up, then does a double take as he recognizes the person strolling over, despite the shimmery silver half-mask. Chen hisses softly, scrunching further behind Minseok's shoulder. Minseok reaches back to curve an arm around him.

“Hey… uh. Sorry,” Minseok says as Suho approaches. “I guess a lot of people have special names here? So I'm not sure what to call you.”

“Eh, Master Kim is fine. It's kind of the default name for masters, differentiated by the pet's name, like ‘Lay's Master Kim,’ in my case.”

Minseok only just keeps his jaw from dropping. “Lay the sheep?”

Suho nods. “He said you'd accepted his invite, so I told him I'd keep an eye out for you, show you around.”

“I see. Uh, thanks.”

Suho gestures toward the cat tree. “You can drop your pet off with his own kind for a while—” Suho blinks, then cranes his neck to see around Minseok's shoulder. “That's not the same kitten, is it?”

"What do you mean?" Minseok asks, before remembering Suho had claimed to have met Siwon's little cat before. "Of course he's the same. You think I'm collecting boys from poker games en masse now?"

Suho laughs. "No, of course not. But I bet he's damn glad you collected the one." He steps towards the kitten area. "Bring him over here."

Minseok moves to follow, but Chen's fingers dig in harder. “It'll be okay, Chenny,” Minseok murmurs. “Won't it be fun to meet other kittens?”

The noise Chen gives him is clearly unconvinced. Minseok smiles, because it's not a hiss or otherwise flat objection. But then he frowns, because there's a woman near the kitten area, wearing some sort of uniform, two burly guys in German shepherd ears crouched at her feet.

Minseok takes a pair of rapid steps, eyes on the fierce-looking trio. "Isn’t the dog area over there?" he hisses at Suho.

"What? Oh. Those are some of the play monitors." Suho gestures at similarly-dressed and accompanied men and women scattered throughout the room. "They're here to make sure everyone plays safely, and to handle any issues that may arise. They take their jobs very seriously.”

Ah. Like bouncers in a typical club, Minseok guesses. "Don't worry about them, Chenny," he murmurs, starting forward again. “Let's introduce you to the other kitties.”

The other kittens are very curious indeed, eyes locked on Chen as Minseok leads him over. There are half a dozen of them, four that appear to be female, one that seems male, and one that's presented in a decidedly gender-neutral way. Minseok smiles as they reach the base of the kitty tree, gently pulling Chen around into his arms. Why hadn't he thought to find other kittens for Chen to play with before? It looks like they're having a lot of fun.

“These friends seem nice, right?” Minseok stamps a kiss to Chen's temple. “Go on and play. Hyung won't go very far, so don't worry if you can't see me. I'll still be close by, checking on you often.”

He unclips Chen's leash and nudges him forward. Chen drops to his knees as soon as Minseok's hands aren't on him. The kittens who'd been playing on the floor crawl over, one with fluffy white accessories and big eyes sporting sky-blue contacts, and another with velvety gray accessories and green contacts, these with a vertical feline pupil. It makes them look very kitty-like, indeed. Minseok makes a note to ask Chen if he'd like to try something like that, next time.

“Be a good kitty, Chenny-cat,” Minseok says as the kittens slowly get closer.

He's half expecting Chen to bolt, but instead he drops his head and gives a low rumble. The other two kittens freeze, but the white one meows back. Then the gray one does a creditable imitation of a purr. Chen's next vocalization is much less defensive, and he lets the white kitten sniff at his cheek. The gray one sniffs him more briefly, then bats a crinkly ball across the floor. They're all still for a moment.

Chen hunkers low, and Minseok holds his breath. But he doesn’t turn tail—he pounces on the crinkle ball. Wearing big smiles, the other two kittens join him in batting the ball around.

Suho chuckles at Minseok's sigh of relief.

“Your kitten looks like a whole different guy, honestly, and I don't just mean the fancy getup and grooming. Our mutual friend would be so relieved. I'm sure he thought Junior would kill the cat, and the cat would just let him.”

"He almost did kill him, from what Lay said," Minseok growls. "Malnourished, untreated open wounds, and his poor knees." Minseok swallows hard. "I get that some people like to take things to higher levels than I'm comfortable with, but I still think 'make sure your sub doesn't get pressure sores or scurvy' is just basic human decency. Even if he were a real animal, that would be abuse."

Suho pats him on the shoulder. "Come get a drink."

There's a refreshment stand set up near the middle of the room, and Minseok follows Suho over. He'd been expecting alcohol, so he's a little surprised to see only an array of water, soda, juice, and the like.

Suho smiles at his lifted brow. They never play poker without a drink at their elbows, so it must be easy for him to read Minseok's reaction.

"Didn't you read what you signed earlier? All participants must be sober."

"I didn't think that meant dry," Minseok huffs, but he doesn't object when Suho hands him a coffee.

"Keeping it completely dry is easier than having to determine how much is too much for any given participant, and then keeping track of what they consume."

"Fair enough," Minseok says. At least it's good coffee.

“So, our scheme worked,” Suho says as they sip, “and you've not just rescued the guy, you've fallen for him, haven't you?”

“Oh yeah,” Minseok laughs. “I'm supposed to be the master, but I'm the one that's whipped.”

Suho snorts. “Pretty sure that's every decent person with a cat, though, right?”

Minseok shrugs. “Chen's my first pet of any kind.”

Suho twists to look back at the kitten area. “Well, he really seems to be thriving.”

Minseok follows his gaze. He smiles to see Chen playing more enthusiastically with the other kittens.

“I do my best for him,” he says, sipping the coffee. “But if you and our mutual friend were so set on saving the guy, why not just take him away from the brat yourselves? Why involve me?”

“We tried. Your Chen wouldn't go. He'd signed that contract, he was gonna keep it. If we didn't have a new owner for him—one without any other pets—he was set on sticking with the one he had, even if it was killing him.”

“Coulda warned me, though,” Minseok huffs. “Asked me properly to take a guy in.”

“Would you have agreed?”

Minseok huffs. “Hell, no.”

“So you understand why we made sure you saw him before you had a chance to object. We know you like edgy-hot guys a bit younger than you—”

“I what?”

“Oh, come on, you may have mastered the poker face when you check your cards, but not when you check out the wait staff.”

Minseok's cheeks heat. Suho laughs.

“And you're ruthless with us rich pricks but go easy on whatever ballsy-feeling young celeb shows up to the table. Except that one kid, what was his name? You cleaned his clock and didn't even blink when he cried about losing his second favorite watch.”

“Because that scumbag is a f*cking rapist," Minseok growls, remembering well the arrogant singer that had decided money and fame meant he could have whatever he wanted. "Everything I took from him was anonymously donated to the women he violated. It should've been a hundred times that amount. Must've used his first favorite watch to pay for a slippery lawyer.”

Suho snorts. “Undoubtedly. But that was when we were fairly sure you'd take good care of someone who'd been… poorly used, instead of simply using him yourself.”

Minseok's left brow jumps toward his hairline. “So, your criteria were, likes boys, probably isn't a rapist?”

“Well. We also did an off-the-books background check on you. Through which we discovered you grew up with a certain lawyer.”

Minseok stares at him. “That's super creepy.”

“Sure is.” Suho swigs his coffee. “But it was enough to cement you as top kitten-adoption candidate.”

Minseok scowls. Then he whips his head around to the puppy area, zeroing in on Baek and his gold mask immediately. He's laughing with (presumably) other puppy masters near the doggy pen, but even behind the ceramic eye-smile, Minseok can tell he's looking back at him. “Wait. That bastard knew you'd be dropping a man-cat in my lap?”

“No, no, no,” Suho laughs. “I didn't even tell our mutual friend why the background check made me sure you'd be perfect. He saw you were close with a lawyer and balked, thinking you'd go right to the cops, but I convinced him it'd be fine. Even the best lawyer would have a hard time explaining how the kid ended up with you without implicating you in either his abuse or in other illegal activities and associations. I was sure he'd talk you down if you got fired up about justice. Still, we didn't tell anyone until the cat was in your lap, as you say.”

“I think I'm really mad at you,” Minseok unclenches his jaw to say. He polishes off his coffee. “Prepare to lose all your watches.”

Suho laughs. “It'll be worth it,” he says, eyes on the playing kittens. “It already is. There's no price too high for someone's life." He nudges Minseok's shoulder. "Just because we didn't want cops doesn't mean we didn't want justice, too."

"Justice would be locking Junior in a f*cking cage for six months," Minseok growls, chucking his cup in the recycling bin.

"Heaven spare us the burden of fatherhood," Suho says.

"I'd drink to that." Minseok eyes the refreshment table. "You know. If I could."

Suho presses a bottle of cola against his chest, smiling when Minseok takes it. "Your lawyer is gonna light us on fire with his eyes if we don't go say hi."

"I'm not sure I want to say hi to him," Minseok grumbles. "I really did want to take Chen to the hospital for x-rays, and he was all, 'It would be too scary for him.'"

Suho frowns. "Did Lay say he needed x-rays?"

"No," Minseok admits, "and he was very thorough with his exam and treatment and took blood samples and gave me a pile of recommendations. It was a relief, to have him show up and immediately and gently take care of Chen. I'm grateful, and I have no complaints. But I'm responsible for Chen. It's only natural for me to worry I'm not doing enough."

"See?" Suho claps his shoulder. "Perfect kitten adopter."

Minseok snorts. He peeks at his kitten as he's lead toward Baekhyun. He's looking a bit more tense, but he's still playing, reaching out from behind the cat tree to bat at another kitten's deliberately twitching tail.

"You're so boring."

Minseok turns to huff at his grinning friend. "Because I didn't show up with an orange dick-nose?"

"You'd have made it hot." He looks Minseok up and down. "You're wearing the two most basic pieces of clothing a guy can own, and still looking like sex on a stick."

"It's all in the cut," Suho says, brushing imaginary lint from Minseok's shoulders. "This is the difference between couture and fast fashion."

"It's all in the body," Baekhyun argues, patting Minseok's abs. "He'd look hot in a rice sack." He winks. "Maybe I'll stuff him in one."

Minseok snorts, shrugging away from both their hands. "I'm already here and already taken, stop with the flattery." He cranes his neck, trying to find ViVi among the other pups. Most of them have masks of a sort, as well, leather or rubber snouts buckled to their heads to give them more doglike faces. But eventually he finds Baekhyun’s pup, playing tug with another pet that has fluffy accessories rather than the smooth ones most of them are wearing.

A beat later, he realizes the fluffy pup is Chanyeol.

"Well, damn." He smiles back at Baekhyun's knowing grin. "Did he get the other one to play, too?"

"Someone decided he'd rather be a cat, because, instead of being trained to do tricks, he'd rather 'show you my asshole and then f*ck off,' in his words." He jerks his chin at the kitten area. "Unfortunately for him, someone else said, 'that's fine, I like grooming cats, too!' So he's suffering at the top of the cat tree at the moment, it seems."

There is indeed a new face in the kitten area, looking nothing but sullen in a black sweatsuit and an ears-and-tail set quite similar to what Chen had showed up with. Someone (Nini would be Minseok's bet) has given him smokey eyes, black lipstick that connects to the bottom of his nose, and long whiskers drawn onto his cheeks.

Minseok presses his lips together, but it's not enough. He has to turn fully away, covering his mouth with his fist before he can get his face under control.

"Oh, man," he says, as soon as he's sure it won't come out as a laugh. "I wonder what his 'master' promised in return for going along with this?"

"I say we sit on him until he tells us."

Minseok rolls his eyes. "Sitting on people is your answer to everything." He frowns. "Where's Chenny?"

He strides over, heart pounding until he finds his kitten crouched in a flower tunnel. He bends to wiggle his fingers at him. "Why are you—oof." He tilts his head down at Chen, now with his shoulder pressed against Minseok's knee. Usually it's his face Chen tries to trip him with, but maybe he's being mindful of his makeup.

"Hey. You're okay," he murmurs, reaching to pet his kitten ear. "Are you hiding?"

"I'm afraid that's our fault," a woman says to his left. "Yeppie gets a little jealous sometimes, and when she saw how OTT his new party getup is, well, she called him an insta-kitten. Said she'd be the fanciest one again once you got bored." The woman winces. "I made her apologize, of course, but—"

"Get bored with what? Him? Not possible, and he knows that." He looks down. "Right?"

Chen, to his immense satisfaction, nods, very slightly but immediately.

"I don't know what an insta-kitten or OTT is, but his getup isn't new. He's had it for months." He frowns. "My friend said we could just wear our everyday things. I didn't realize he needed a new outfit, or I'd have gotten him one."

Chen squirms a little at his feet. Minseok forces the hand in his hair to relax. "Sorry, kitten," he murmurs. "You're okay. Hyung's fault."

When he looks back up, the woman is looking at him oddly.

"What?" he asks.

"Really? He's wearing his everyday things?" She eyes him up. "You both are?"

Minseok nods. "I mean, I took a little extra care with grooming for both of us, but basically, yeah." He looks around again at the other kittens. With the notable exception of Kyungsoo, all the kittens are way fancier in his eyes (but not nearly as cute). Some have whiskers sprouting from their faces, either piercings or maybe magnetic attachments? He's not sure it's polite to ask. All the other kittens have colored contacts, to turn their eyes to a more feline (or fantasy, in some cases) color, though not all of them have the cat pupils. Their outfits on average seem more elaborate, or more specifically designed as a kitten suit, some with tails that look built-in instead of emerging from a hole.

"It's our first time at a party," he tells the woman, "in case that's not obvious. I'll make sure he's got a fancier outfit next time."

The woman gapes at him. "What's fancier than high-end designer clothes, a custom luxury harness, an ear and tail set from the most coveted maker in the game, and hair dyed to match?"

Minseok blinks. "Wait. You're saying he's too fancy? My kitten is being bullied because I dress him too expensively?"

Ths woman cringes. "That's not—" she starts, but she's interrupted by a voice from Minseok's other side.

"I think he looks very cute." This new woman must be at least seventy years old. She reaches out to pat Minseok's arm. "It's nice for Baby to have another boy to play with."

Minseok looks from the elderly woman to the college-aged guy in a powder blue, extra fluffy kitten set. He suddenly has questions. But the answers are not his business, and he's got more pressing concerns, anyway.

"Ah, thanks," he tells her.

"You're welcome, dearie," she says. Then she pats his ass, which is his business, but again, he has other concerns.

"Look," he tells the first woman, "if I want to dress my kitten in luxury brands, I will. He literally only has what I choose to give him, so why wouldn't I give him the absolute best I can? He's more than worth it."

"I didn't mean to imply he wasn't," the woman says, hands lifted placatingly. "It's just that sometimes we get newcomers that are in it more for the 'likes' than the lifestyle, you know? They come in here ultra-trendy and conspicuously designer, and get mad when the monitors says they can't take photos in here. So while I can see why Yeppie might come to such a conclusion, it's wrong of her to say that, especially since we know Chen's not like that, which is why she's in time-out—"

"You know Chen?" Minseok asks. The possibility hadn't even occurred to him. He looks down at his kitten. "Pet, have you been here before?"

Chen gives another tiny nod.

Minseok furrows his brow. "But they prohibit nudity."

The woman gives him another strange look. "Nudity's fine at some parties. But usually he'd come dressed like that." She jerks her chin at Kyungsoo, who is currently blowing raspberries down at Nini, who, as a human, is apparently not supposed to climb on the cat tree. "He was so cute and playful, and then he got quiet and sad, and then he disappeared, and now he comes back looking like a magazine cover. But even though it's surprising, it's no excuse to be rude. So again, we're sorry for upsetting him." She gives him a little bow.

Minseok contemplates the kitten at his feet. "Are you upset, Chenny-cat?"

There's a pause, but then Chen gives one of his minute head shakes.

"Do you want to go home?"

This head shake is immediate. He crawls over and hops up on the lowest tier of the cat tree, arranges his tail to drape artfully behind him, then starts bringing his paw briefly to his mouth before using it to fluff up his hair. He shoots a positively scathing glance at the white kitten from earlier, now glaring from an empty kiddie pool in the corner. Then he very deliberately turns his back, continuing his grooming session.

Minseok snorts. "You, pet, are a brat." He interrupts his grooming by kissing his hair, laughing when Chen swats him away. "Play nice," he says. "And by that I mean, don't start sh*t, but there's no reason for anybody to push you around. You look adorable. You're mine and I love you."

Chen's human ears go that delightful pink. He twists again, this time to give Minseok his back, and goes about fluffing the hair that Minseok had 'ruined.'

Laughing, Minseok returns to his friends. They're laughing, too, at poor Nini's attempt to control his feisty pet.

"Soosoo, come."

"Mmm… no."

"Come on, Soosoo. Be a good kitty."

"Soosoo is being a great kitty."

"Soosoo, please. Come down. It's dangerous."

It's not actually any more dangerous than the average children's playground. The cat tree seems to be a permanent fixture, built around one of the warehouse's support columns. The column, the floor around the cat tree, and the various perches themselves, are all covered with thick foam. There are oversized 'pawholds' at intervals that are easy to grip without fingers. While it's of course possible to get hurt doing dumb things on even level ground, Minseok is satisfied it's unlikely to promote a lethal injury.

"I have nine lives though," 'Soosoo' calls back. "And the view from up here is really nice actually. Look at the ponies run!" He laughs.

Nini sighs.

"Hey, he's having fun, right?" Minseok offers, patting Nini on the back. "And his hair looks great. Did you get to fluff him up before you came?"

"He does look good," Baekhyun agrees, but he gives Nini a knowing look. "He yelled the whole time you washed him, didn't he?"

"And the whole time I dried him," Nini huffs. "Maybe it's a bit less fun when they act too much like an animal."

"Not for me," Minseok says. "Well, okay, basic hygiene standards have to be met. But as long as he sh*ts in the toilet, he can be as kitty as he wants. I'm happy if he's happy."

His comment is met with silence. He looks around to discover that all three of his friends, and even 'Soosoo,' are giving him very judging looks.

"What?" Minseok asks. "You lot roped me into this. Why am I the dork because I really like it?"

"Because you're not discussing kink preferences," Suho laughs. "You're gushing over your boyfriend."

Minseok feels his cheeks heat, but he keeps his chin lifted. "Wouldn't you?" He gestures at Chen, still perched at the bottom of the cat tree, now watching them with his tail curled around his feet and his head slightly tilted.

"Yeah, okay," Kyungsoo says from above them. "He is pretty damn cute." He leans in Chen's direction. "Why do you like being a kitten?"

Chen lifts a paw, gesturing to Minseok. Then he lifts the end of his long fluffy tail, twining it around his other paw.

"Because he's got me wrapped around his paw," Minseok interprets. "But, pet, you know that would be true regardless. So what's your favorite part of being a kitten, instead of just being my boyfriend?"

Chen drops his gaze. His ears go pink. But he raises a paw to nudge the heart dangling at his throat.

"You like the collar?"

A tiny headshake. He taps the heart tag very distinctly.

"You like feeling owned," Minseok says.

Chen nods, a big enough movement this time that the others can easily see it. Then he wraps his tail around his paw again.

"You like feeling owned, and that your owner indulges the hell out of you," Minseok sighs while the others laugh. "Which is why you're not a pup? A dog owner is more likely to be more rigid?"

Chen gives him a slow blink above a smug little smile. Minseok drops his head into his hands as the others laugh again.

"In conclusion, love, you're not enough of a sucker," Kyungsoo calls to Nini. "You have to give in, and let me do what I want."

Minseok picks his head up. "Not true," he says. "A dog owner can be direct. A cat owner needs to be clever." He leans toward Nini. "Soosoo has a jealous streak, right?"

Nini nods, leaning in as well. "But that's why we have rules. None of the three of us flirts with anyone else."

"You won't be flirting in a sexy way," Minseok laughs. "You'll just be enjoying yourself and making friends." He fishes the baggie of treats out of his pocket, immediately acquiring a kitten at his feet. He hands the baggie to Nini, smiling down at Chen. "It’s just Whale Foos," he says, keeping his voice low. "We like it because it looks like cat treats. If you sit on the ground and do a little one-for-you, one-for-me, making sure Soosoo can hear how much fun you're having…"

Nini grins. "I should've thought of this! It works for dogs that slip their leash, too. Lots of them think, if you chase them, it's a game, so they run. You have to run the other way, and then they'll often come to chase you."

"Push and pull, universal technique," Suho laughs as Nini settles on the floor with a very interested Chen by his side.

Minseok is sure he's grinning like a sap, not just because Chen is so adorable, pawing cutely at Nini's hand when he eats the treat himself, 'mmm!'-ing all the while, instead of giving it to Chen. He's smiling because as much as Chen likes his treats, he'd looked at Minseok, waiting for his nod before trying to coax them from Nini.

"Hey," Kyungsoo calls. "What are you doing down there?"

"Having a delicious snack with a new friend," Nini calls.

"I want a delicious snack."

"Then come down and have some."

"You think I'm falling for that?"

"Your kitten is really cute," Nini says to Minseok. "Can I pet him?"

Minseok considers. Chen doesn't look distressed at the prospect, so he decides he doesn't mind, either. As long as it's a friendly touch. "Just the back and shoulders," he decides. "Head and tail are sensitive."

"Noted." Nini runs his hand along the yellow velour. "He's really soft."

"Hey!" Soosoo calls. "You said I was really soft."

"You are. I'd totally pet you if you were down here—oh, you want another treat? Of course you do. Such a friendly guy. I bet you get lots of treats."

"I can hear you, traitor."

"Good." Nini throws a sweet smile up at Soosoo.

Soosoo growls. A moment later, he’s pushing his way onto Nini's lap.

"This is my oversized boyfriend," he says to Chen. "Get your own."

Chen, surely seeing the baggie of treats is empty anyway, smiles, flips his tail, and swishes back to Minseok.

Minseok crouches to kiss his hair. "Good kitty. I'll reward you properly when we get home." He stands, gesturing at the other kittens. "Now go play. We haven't cooed over Suho's sheep yet."

Chen looks around, then crawls toward Yeppie, newly released from kitty prison: plastic pool edition. To Minseok's proud surprise, he bats a crinkle ball gently in her direction. She's obviously surprised, too, but tentatively bats it back. Satisfied that his kitten is comfortable, Minseok turns to Suho, brows raised expectantly.

Suho smiles. "It'll be far less exciting than your dramatic pets, but sure. Come meet my sheep in his natural habitat."

He expects Suho to lead them to the pony area. Sheep gallop around, too, don't they? But instead, they end up by the bunnies. There is indeed a hamster happily chewing what looks like almonds, and, easily missed because he's flopped on the ground, a blissed-out looking sheep.

Lay has the curly horns and ears he'd worn before, plus a wooly lamb tail and forked hoof booties over his hands and feet. He's wearing a loose, rustic-looking outfit embroidered here and there with colorful flowers. Flowers have been woven into his curly hair as well. To complete the drawn-by-disney look, two of the bunnies have curled up on either side of him, their pastel ears and frilly outfits resembling more flowers.

"He looks like a fairy prince," Minseok says. "One of those Greek ones, or from that wardrobe movie? Having a nap between dancing around with pipes or something."

Suho laughs. "He is a good dancer. He'll be amused you compared him to a faun."

"He'd rather snuggle with the bunnies than run around with the ponies?"

Suho nods. "His job is already high-stress, and he works long hours. The last thing he wants when he comes home is another high-protocol experience. Sheep time is usually zen time: no thoughts, just eating or dozing."

"Or boning," Baekhyun says, brows wiggling.

Suho shrugs. "Not usually. He doesn't mind being f*cked while he's sheepish, if I'm slow and gentle about it, but he doesn't usually get aroused, himself. If he does, it's likely to be naughty-ram mode, and then I'm the one bent over a hay bale." He lifts a brow at the two of them, including Nini as he strolls over. "What, none of you switch? You're missing out."

Baekhyun snorts. "Am not. If you knew the heat my pup is packing, you'd understand why I'm always on the receiving end."

Minseok shrugs when they turn to him. "I'm happy to switch, but Chenny said he likes receiving more. Why wouldn't I give him what he likes best?"

He turns to look for his kitten, smiling when he sees him playing with Yeppie and Soo. Soo is on the top of the cat tree again, dangling a feather toy for the other two to swat at. Minseok turns back to his friends as Nini lifts his hands defensively.

"Hey, I'm in a throuple," he says. "We're all versatile, but most of the time, I… middle? Is that a thing?"

Baek tilts his head. "What if it's just two of you?"

Nini's head shakes rapidly. "That only happens if the third one is on the other end of the phone." He shrugs when they all look at him. "Soo really is the jealous sort. He doesn't like being left out, and he also doesn't like leaving either of us out, either. He says we're those musketeer guys: all for one, one for all."

"Whatever works for you guys," Baekhyun says. "Meanwhile, I—"

There's a collective shift through the crowd, a sort of hushed murmur. Everyone's turning toward the kitten area, and then Yeppie's owner breaks through the crowd in front of Minseok.

"It's Chen," she says, "he—"

Minseok is already sprinting. Or trying to—the previously drifting crowd now seems packed between him and where he needs to be.

"Hyaong!"

There's the sharp sound of skin against skin. "Bad kitty," someone says. "No talking. No squirming. Let's go."

"No!"

Minseok shoves through the crowd just in time to see someone in a green domino mask slap Chen across the face. Chen's struggling. There's blood on his lip. The guy is dragging him toward the door.

Minseok leaps, snags the strap of Chen’s harness, uses it to yank his kitten backwards, into his arms.

"What the f*ck did you just do to my boyfriend?"

To Minseok's petty gratification, the guy jumps. It's Siwon's brat—the mask doesn't hide enough of his face to prevent recognition. But he recovers, and sneers, and doesn’t let go of Chen's arm. "Your what?"

"What is going on over here?"

A tall, uniformed woman strides through the crowd, who make way for her and the guy following in her wake. He's shorter than she is, but built like a brick wall. He's wearing bunny ears, but he doesn't need the spiked collar aroind his neck to inform people that f*cking with him is a bad idea.

"This asshole hit my boyfriend," Minseok growled. "He's trying to abduct him."

"I'm reclaiming my property," Junior says, giving the woman a smile. "You know me. You know this cat is mine. Cats don't talk, so of course I disciplined him."

"No," Chen says.

Junior lifts his hand.

"You will not," Minseok bellows, loud enough to send the crowd, and Junior, shifting back a step. But he doesn’t let go of Chen, and Minseok is not capable of unlocking his arms in order to pry the guy's fingers away. "You will let go of my boyfriend, or you will have regrets."

Junior scowls, digging his fingers into Chen's arm. "He was mine first," he growls back. "You can't just steal him."

The burly rabbit steps forward. "Dom-bros, neither of you get to decide all by yourself that this kitty has any sort of relationship with you. That's called stalking and it's illegal, not to mention scummy as f*ck." He looks at Chen. "Kitty-bro, please believe me that I'll happily break either or both of these dickhe*ds for you." He cracks his knuckles, and Minseok can feel Chen's huff of amusem*nt. Good. He's not that freaked out, if humor is accessible.

The bunny squats a little to meet Chen's gaze, all affability gone from his face. "We will be happy to call a taxi service for you if necessary, at no charge to you, so even though you're entangled by dickhe*ds at the moment, you are not trapped. We will make sure you have somewhere safe to go, and a safe way to get there. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Chen says clearly.

"Alright then, question one:" The rabbit gestures to Junior. "Do you want to go with this dickhe*d?"

"No," Chen says.

The bunny gestures to Minseok. "Do you want to go with this dickhe*d?"

"Yes," Chen says. "He's. My dickhe*d."

The rabbit grins. "Okay then, mess sorted." He turns to Junior. "Your options now are, either let go of my kitty pal, or, I grab hold of your junk."

"You can't," Junior says. "I do not consent to be touched there."

The rabbit crosses his arms, leaning in slowly. "And did kitty-bro consent to having you bruise the f*ck out of his arm?"

"He did," Junior states. "He signed a contract."

The rabbit bursts out laughing. "He signed a contract! My dude, a contract can't force somebody to play with you. I don't care what fifty-shades-inspired website you printed it off of, it's only binding as long as both parties continue to agree it is. Kitty-bro has withdrawn his consent, which means you're currently assaulting him in front of hundreds of witnesses. Since I've signed an actual contract to protect any person found to be in distress on playhouse property—" The rabbit draws back a meaty fist.

"You can't," Junior says. "He's mine." He digs his fingers into Chen's arm.

Chen yelps.

The rabbit's fist shoots forward. Junior crumples to the ground, both hands on his crotch.

"Thank you very much," Minseok says to the rabbit. He turns to the tall uniformed woman, who's been watching the rabbit handle things with crossed arms and a small smile. "Do you have first aid supplies? My boyfriend is bleeding."

She nods. "Right this way." She turns, calling over her shoulder. "Buttons, take out the trash."

"Yes, ma'am." The rabbit hoists a still protesting Junior to one broad shoulder. Satisfied the assclown has been dealt with for the moment, Minseok shepherds Chen after the uniformed woman, following her into a small room with a white-on-green plus sign on the door.

"Sink and disinfectant wash are over there, antibacterial ointment is in the bandage cabinet, cold packs are in the freezer. For legal reasons I won't advise you on specifics—"

"But I will," says a familiar voice. "I'm a doctor."

The woman inclines her head. "Then I leave it in your capable hooves." She bows and takes her leave.

Lay appears at Minseok's shoulder, front hooves dangling from his wrists so as to expose gentle fingers. "May I?"

"Please," Minseok says. "I don't think I can let go of him any time soon."

Lay smiles as he turns on the tap, holding his own fingers beneath it. "Boss actually got me up to see to your antagonist," he says. "He couldn't see what was happening, but he heard someone tell you someone was f*cking with Chen, so he comes and shakes me and says, 'doctor mode, Lay, baby, there's gonna be blood.'

Minseok snorts. "And there would've been, if he'd just been standing there. But he was dragging him by the arm, and I just."

"Hyaong," Chen says, softly but stiffly. "Tight."

Minseok relaxes his grip, but only somewhat. "Sorry, pet. I'll try harder to to give you space in a minute."

"Don't need space. Just gotta breathe."

"Speaking of," Lay says, dampening some gauze in the now-warm water and bringing it up to Chen's face. "Are you having any trouble there, fluid-wise? Anything obstructing your nose or throat?"

Chen shakes his head. "Just my lip," he says, words muffled by whatever Lay is doing with the gauze. "Stings."

"Yeah, he rammed your lip into your teeth, so it's lacerated, but not badly enough to need sutures." Lay pats Minseok's arm. "You need to let him bend enough so he can rinse his mouth and spit."

Minseok manages to shift his grip from Chen's chest to his waist, letting him use his hands to sip an apparently nasty-tasting disinfectant, and then to bend enough to expel it into the sink. Nobody says anything for several minutes. There's just the soft sounds of water and spitting and Minseok's slightly ragged breaths.

Lay hums softly as he rolls up sterile gauze with gloved hands, tucking it between Chen's lip and gum.

"Now hold this cold pack there with this hand, and let me look at your forearm."

He rolls up Chen's sleeve, then peels his paw sock down to the wrist. He flexes Chen's elbow and wrist, watching his face closely. Minseok leans to watch, too—his kitten can be very subtle.

"Show him if it hurts, pet."

"It hurts," Chen says around the gauze. "Not. Breaky-hurt, though."

Lay smiles. "I'm not finding any instability in the bone or the joints, and there's no broken skin. But he'll have a hell of a bruise."

"Thank you," Minseok says. "Again. Sorry to disturb your zen."

Lay waves them off. He goes back to the fridge and retrieves a bottle of juice.

"He didn't lose that much blood," Minseok says.

"And he should avoid acidic drinks for a day or two, for comfort's sake." Lay holds out the bottle. "A little sugar boost would do you good, though," he says. "You're shaking. Adrenaline crash." He gestures at the low bench near the door. "Sit. Drink. And decide if you want to press charges."

Minseok curls one arm more firmly around Chen's waist, which lets him reach out and accept the bottle. "I don't care if he goes to jail or anything. I just need him to never touch Chen again."

"Did someone call for a lawyer?" Baekhyun breezes in, followed by Suho and Kyungsoo. "I'm quite ready to draw up paperwork."

"Eh, just call his dad," Suho says, patting Lay on the ass as he passes. "He'll appreciate not needing to expend the money and effort to keep his kid out of jail, and he can threaten him with stuff the kid's actually averse to."

Minseok nods. "But I don't need to call him. I'll see him at poker tomorrow."

Suho nods. "I'll be around, too. Happy to corroborate, if for some reason our friend doesn't believe you."

"He knows his kid's an ass. This isn't even the first time he's come after Chen." Minseok frowns. "It never occurred to me he might know about this place, but apparently Chen's been here before. Maybe they used to come together."

Chen shakes his head. "Not together," he says. "But. At the same time. Before." He twists to look at Minseok, patting the arm around his waist. "Let go. Drink your juice. You'll fall."

"You do look rather pale," Lay comments. "I know you want to protect him, but you'll be no use to him if you faint. You have friends to watch your back while you take care of yourself—not that I think they'll allow your assailant to remain on the premises."

Faced down by an increasing number of frowns, Minseok manages to release Chen's body in favor of holding his hand. He all but collapses onto the bench, and then almost bursts into tears when Chen sweetly snuggles up beside him.

"No freaking out," Chen says. "You're okay. Drink your juice."

Minseok drinks his juice, looking between his bossy kitten and the watchful doctor. "Some people might assume that those who sub are naturally meek."

Lay laughs. "I'm plenty meek. I'm just right, and you know it. You're not dumb enough to argue with a pro."

"Your kitten, though," Soo says, munching from a package of snacks he no doubt got Nini to give him. "He's a feisty one. I could see everything from up there. He was about to rake that guy's face off with his fingernails, but when you grabbed him, you forced his arms down. I just heard the bunny tell the scary lady that they shouldn't even issue you guys a conduct warning, because the sub was defending himself from physical harm, and then you swooped in and demonstrated restraint on behalf of yourself and your sub, and then you immediately made sure there was no body-fluid contamination of the play area. And she agreed, saying it was a nice surprise from a newcomer."

Minseok snorts. "That's me. Rookie master of the year." He shakes his head. "My only thought was to make sure he couldn't leave with Chen, and that Chen was hurt and needed to be taken care of."

"Speaking of, his bleeding should be over with." Lay steps over to retrieve the cold pack and roll of gauze, gently inspecting Chen's lip with a gloved finger. "I know it's hard, but try not to worry at it with your tongue," he instructs.

Chen, who had just started to do exactly that, withdraws his tongue in favor of an innocent look.

Minseok turns to press his smile into his kitten's hair. "My love," he murmurs. "How do you feel? Do you want to go home? Play some more?"

Chen tilts his head. "Watch me?"

"Yes, pet." Minseok squeezes his hand. "I'll be right there, the whole time."

"Then." Chen prods the half-full bottle in Minseok's hand. "Drink your juice. And let's play."

The rest of the party thankfully turns out to be quite fun and relaxing. Apparently, his accidental perfect etiquette has convinced all those who'd seen it that he's experienced and simply new to the area. Now his and Chen's designer outfits make Minseok seem like quite the catch, which means he learns that quite a few pet play partners are either platonic or happy to have multiple partners. But word also seems to spread quickly, because after Minseok politely declines the first few invitations to 'grab coffee afterwards,' he doesn't get further inquiries.

He still gets whispered about, but that's fine. He's new, he brought attention to himself and his kitten, if they want to gossip, they're welcome to. Minseok's happy enough to stand there, sipping more juice and watching Chen play with other kittens. He's so achingly cute as he scampers about and bats at everything, pounces on tails and feathers and crinkly toys. Yeppie always seems to be close by, but whatever rivalry she has going on seems entirely one-sided. Chen seems happy to play with her, but ignores any attempts at one-upping.

It's so interesting, to watch the way Chen moves compared to the others. He has the same stationary accessories, but he looks so much more feline, the way he rolls his shoulders, places his paws so precisely, shifts his weight so smoothly. At one point he gathers himself for a pounce and does the kitty butt-wiggle before leaping at the crinkle ball rolling past. His ears go pink when Minseok laughs, but he does it again a few minutes later. Absolutely precious.

Apparently the gray kitten has a birthday near the date of the party, because their master, a slim, quiet kid, presents all the kittens with a mousie-shaped cake to share. The other kittens crowd around and meow-sing the gray one happy birthday wishes, which is cute enough that Minseok is glad they stayed (not to mention Chen's enjoyment of his slice of kitty cake).

Several of the pups, including ViVi, take over the central aisle for an intense game of fetch, thundering after the colorful circles of rope being flung for them. They're not the only ones interested, as the kittens all move to watch. Chen stretches out a paw to try to snag one of the rope toys for himself, despite the fact it's flying too far away from them. The rest of the kittens follow suit, much to the alarm of the pup racing closest to the kitty area. They can't actually reach him, but the sight of half a dozen groping paws is admittedly an eerie one.

The pup's owner comes over to complain, but his relaxed stance and playful smile give away that he’s looking for some banter rather than a real argument. The elderly lady takes him on, eventually sending him back with his tail between his legs after a scathing comment about his family heritage that has all the onlookers (and the pup's owner) guffawing. Minseok can only shake his head. If he implied another man's grandmother engaged in 'pleasantries' with demonic monkeys, he'd be headed for a fistfight at best. Old ladies really can get away with anything.

In all, he's a bit disappointed when the party finally starts winding down. Still, once he has his boy strapped into the pre-warmed seat, he can't wait to get him home. The snow has resumed, just a gentle dusting that keeps Chen's attention just as the flung ropes had. Every time he lifts a paw to the window at red lights, trying to catch the flakes that hit the glass, Minseok is angry all over again.

His kitten is so playful. He's sociable, loves interaction, and that sh*tpunk had locked him away. Even if Chen likes feeling 'kept,' even if he's also happy to entertain himself, he must've hated being so isolated. He must've been so bored, and lonely, and in pain.

He's in pain again. He only taps at the window with the arm that hadn't been abused. That Minseok had let be abused, because he wasn't there.

He needs to do better. He needs to pay more attention, be more aware, so his kitten has no reason to fear. So he can enjoy life, instead of being made to simply endure it.

To that end, Minseok runs a bath as soon as they get home. Chen doesn't offer his usual token complaints, cooperating easily as Minseok strips him, even though he removes his tail.

"No whining today, kitten?"

"No. Hyaong needs a bath."

Minseok snorts. "I'm stinky?"

Chen shakes his head, but doesn't offer more. He just waits, hips swishing occasionally, until he can crawl into the bath on top of Minseok.

As usual, Minseok has to protect his groin and then arrange all of Chen’s limbs so they fit nicely into the tub together. It's actually reassuring, that he's still being a bit difficult. A completely compliant kitten would take him back to that poor terrified guy he'd had to coax out of a cage.

With a sigh, Minseok runs his thumb gently over Chen’s chin, not wanting to disturb his split lip. He takes his badly-bruised forearm between his hands, bringing it up to apply a gentle kiss.

"Sorry, kitten. He should never have had the opportunity to grab you."

Chen presses tighter to Minseok's chest. "Yours."

Minseok wraps both arms around him. "You are. You're my kitten. My boyfriend. More importantly, you decide who touches you. You said no, and he f*cking hit you—" Minseok closes his eyes, cradles Chen's head against his shoulder until his breath is less rapid. "Some 'protector' I am, huh?"

"Hyaong." It's a mournful sound.

"I'm sorry. I should have been there. I keep failing you, huh?"

"No," Chen says, nuzzling in. "Hyaong. You're not magic."

"Obviously."

"No one's magic. Can't be everywhere. But I knew. Like the fire. You'd come. Just had to call."

Minseok wraps his legs around his precious, trusting love. "I did come. I was coming before that, actually, Yeppie's master came to get me."

"See? So. That's why Hyaong needs a bath. And juice. Hyaong worries. I don't."

Minseok looks at him for a long moment. How could he not be worried? But he'd been calm, hadn't he, as soon as Minseok's arms were around him. He wasn't shaking, even when the guy still had hold of his arm. He'd seemed more upset when Minseok had found him hiding in the play tunnel.

He snorts. "Is that where we're at now? I'll jump at every shadow worrying that assclown is gonna show up again, but you're not worried because your hyung will always come for you?"

Chen pats his chest. "Don't be jumpy. I'll be safe. Stay with Hyaong."

Minseok squeezes his kitten tighter. "Because you want to, not because I'm holding you captive."

"You are. With your face."

Minseok laughs. "I'm holding you captive with my face?"

"Mmn. Handsome."

"I like your face too." Minseok cradles it, kissing Chen's lovely cheekbone. "My gorgeous kitten."

Chen, predictably, goes all red. He makes a very kitty noise as he buries his face in Minseok's neck. With a smile, Minseok sets about washing his kitten's hair. It's soothing for both of them, the familiar act of grooming, massaging, combing out. Chen tilts his face up automatically to be scrubbed, too, and more than usual, Minseok has the urge to kiss his slightly-parted lips.

He does so only gently, on the opposite side of his wounded lip. Chen tries to turn his head for a more solid kiss, but Minseok pulls away.

"I really hate that he hurt you," he murmurs, stroking his kitten's cheek with gentle fingers. "You'll be a good kitten and not move that lip too much while it heals. Don't pout. Hyung will kiss you other places."

"Then I'll make faces."

"Hmm, you do make lots of faces." Minseok's smile is soft. "I just wanna hold my kitten tonight, though. Pet him, kiss his forehead."

Chen whines.

"Doctor said it would heal quickly," Minseok reminds him. "You can endure for a day or two. Hyung will still give you lots of cuddles."

Chen still grumbles, but settles against Minseok more bonelessly the more Minseok keeps stroking his hair and skin.

"My precious kitten," he murmurs.

"My dickhe*d," Chen murmurs back.

A laugh bursts free. "That bunny had our number, for sure. So possessive over a guy who gets to decide for himself if he wants to tolerate anybody. Wonder if it's more unusual for the monitors to have to intervene, or for them not to have to?"

"Usually it's pictures," Chen says. "Or booze. They take phones and flasks a lot."

Minseok had forgotten that his pet has experienced parties before. "But we had to leave phones in the locker."

"People lie. Hide them."

"Ah." Minseok is a bit ashamed to realize the only photos he has of his kitten are the ones Baekhyun had taken of them curled up in the pet bed. There had been a section on the survey about photography and modeling. He'll have to check to be sure, but given how much he likes close attention, he'd probably enjoy posing for some cute photos at least. Minseok might snap some candid shots just for himself. His kitten does make a pretty picture.

For now, though, there's something else he's more interested in seeing more clearly.

"Will you tell hyung more?" he asks. "I'll respect your privacy, if you'd rather not get into details, but it didn't even occur to me to be on the lookout for Siwon's brat there. If I'd known he was a participant before, I'd never have left your side."

"I know." Chen pats him again. "I'll tell you. It's just. Embarrassing. I was dumb."

"No, pet." Minseok presses a firm kiss to his hair, right between his kitty ears. "If someone hurts you, it's always on them for doing it, not on you for supposedly letting them. Do we wear body armor all the time, so it won't be considered our own fault if someone stabs us on the street? No, because the obligation is on everybody not to harm each other, even if they could. Assuming someone would be decent doesn't make you stupid. It makes them an asshole."

"Mmm."

Chen says nothing else for several moments, during which Minseok pets him, slow, firm strokes of his hands over his kitten's skin. It's as much to ground himself as it is to soothe Chen. Minseok needs to grip tightly to his own words. Whatever happened to Chen isn't Minseok's fault, either. He couldn't have known, couldn't have intervened. He can only do his best to take sweet care of him, going forward.

"About a year ago. I had a boyfriend. We were happy."

This is not where Minseok had expected the story to start. But he just cuddles his love, making himself into a reassuring rock.

"He was older. A vet. For cats. I was just. A barista." He sighs. "Art degrees don't pay. But he always brought cats home. To recover. So I'd draw them. For fun."

Minseok has so many things he wants to say about Chen—Jongdae, he guesses—being 'just' anything, about the hints of deprecation he's hearing, but he holds his silence for now. His kitten is talking. His job is to listen.

"A friend ran a cat shelter. She asked if he would help. But he was busy. I wasn't. So I went. Whenever I could." He shakes his head a little. "I couldn't do much. Just clean. And feed. And draw."

In Minseok's admittedly limited understanding of animal rescue, he imagines that cleaning and feeding is a big part of the daily load. But again, he holds his tongue, stroking his kitten firmly, slowly, rhythmically.

"The friend liked the drawings. She put them on the website. Gave them as prizes. For people who donated."

"Good idea." Minseok kisses Chen's hair.

"One guy that donated. He had a gallery. He said he'd do a cat corner. If I did some bigger drawings. He'd frame them all nice. And if they sold, he'd donate the profit."

"I bet they sold right away," Minseok says. "You're really good at capturing motion. Life."

Jongdae buries his face against Minseok's chest. "They sold. But also. The cats I drew. They got adopted."

"Bonus."

"I drew a lot of cats. I'd try to talk to them. Imitate their movements. Get them to do. Interesting things."

"Ahh." Minseok smiles. "I've been wondering if you'd studied how to be so kittyish. You make it look so natural."

Chen goes all squirmy. "Yeah. Well. I'd do it at home sometimes. With the recovering cats. He thought it was cute. Called me kit-cat. It became sort of… a joke, between us. That I was one more cat he'd brought home. But it wasn't… serious. Or sexy." Chen lets out a deep sigh. "Looking back… I can see. It was actually kinda mean."

Minseok bites the inside of his cheek. Ranting isn't what his kitten needs from him right now. So he just gives him a little squeeze, and waits for him to continue.

"I was dumb, then, too. No, I was," Chen continues, obviously sensing Minseok's desire to object. "Other people knew he looked down on me. But I looked down on me, too. It made sense to me. He was the adult. I was just a kid. And… I kind of liked it. That I was his pet."

Hmm. Maybe Minseok needs to come up with a unique endearment. The common ones he's been using seem to be unfortunately associated.

"He definitely liked it. That I depended on him. He paid for everything. I wasn't broke—I still made money. I could've helped. But he always said I didn't need to. I didn't realize. How much he didn't want me to."

Again, Minseok decides the best thing he can offer is a squeeze. His kitten isn't there anymore. And Chen knows—Jongdae knows—that Minseok isn't at all threatened by his agency. Whatever he wants to do, Minseok will support him.

"I… got greedy. The gallery owner. He said if I drew other things, he'd try to sell them. Pay me commission. It was way more money than a barista. I was excited. I drew all sorts of things. But animals and people sold the most."

"No surprise to me."

"Surprise for him. He got mad. Said what was the point. Of all his education. Long hours. Big salary. If I could just scratch some pencils. Make the same amount."

Oh, Minseok is gonna have a cramp in his jaw before this is over.

"It wasn't the same," Chen says, lifting his head as if he needs to convince Minseok of this. "It wasn't. I just wanted to do something nice. Since he did so much for me."

"I know, kitten," Minseok says, stroking him a little faster. "You have a generous heart. It's a good thing."

"Not to him. He found out. How much money the shelter got. For my drawings. And…" Chen sighs again.

"You broke up?" Minseok offers, hoping that cutting to the chase will spare his kitten from reliving the trauma.

"Not immediately. But eventually. Yeah."

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really, really not." He squeezes Chen and rocks him from side to side. "His loss, my kitten now."

Chen huffs. "Not yet! There's still. The other part."

"Ah." Minseok had been wondering how this story was related to the current day's trouble.

"I stayed with my friend. From the cat shelter. I didn't have anything—he'd payed for all of it. It wasn't mine anymore. So I worked. I drew. I helped with the cats. I helped with the bills. But it was so hard. My friend cared. She did her best. So I never whined to her. But. I whined to myself."

"Your whines are cute, though," Minseok says.

Chen huffs. "Not to normal people. So I tried to hide them. But at the gallery. The owner heard me."

"And he thought they were cute whines?"

"Nooo," Chen whines, wriggling a little and perfectly proving Minseok correct. "He said. If I like being a pet so much. He knew a place. Where people liked that."

"Ahh. The playroom?"

Chen nods. "It was kinda weird. That adults would crawl around like that. But. When I tried it. It was really fun. So… relaxing. Everyone was so nice to me. But I was still… alone. And then one day… this guy came up to me."

Again Minseok has to forcibly relax his jaw. It's over, Minseok has Chen, he's safe.

"He said if I liked being a cat, I could be one all the time with him. Wouldn't have to work. Wouldn't have to think. Just be his animal."

"I'm sure he promised all sorts of things," Minseok growls.

Chen shakes his head. "He said it would be hard. That he had strict rules. I could only act like a cat." He sighs again. "This is why I say I was dumb. He never lied."

"But you were new to the scene," Minseok says. "You had only been playing casually. How could you know what to expect?"

Chen shrugs. "I think… I'd have gone with him anyway. I was so lonely. And tired. I just thought. I failed at being someone's boyfriend. Because I wasn't enough of a pet. But I could do better. If I knew, going in. I was really good at acting like one. So why not be someone's cat?"

"You are good at acting like a cat," Minseok says. "The most cat-like kitten." Minseok squeezes him, again trying to summarize a little, to bring Chen out of unpleasant memories. "So you signed a contract, he incarcerated you, and six months later, his dad found you?"

Chen shakes his head. "He knew from the beginning. He lives with his dad. The gallery owner."

Minseok gasps. "That f*cker. No wonder he asked me about surplus fine art." He hadn't known Siwon had an art gallery among his various businesses. But it's now crystal clear why he wanted Chen out of there. His cash cow can't draw him up a fortune with socks taped over his hands. Not to mention the implications for his political career, if anyone got wind of what the kid was doing. Or if he ended up with a body to dispose of.

"He was mad when he saw me. But Geunwon said I'd signed. That I wanted it. And it wasn't terrible, at first. I liked that he wanted me. Enough to lock me up. He fed me enough. I knew it was a good brand. Lots of meat, not much filler. He didn't hit me that hard. Just enough to see the marks. But they faded too quickly, so he'd hit harder. Especially when I misbehaved. But I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to fail at that, too."

Minseok's vision is clouded with rage. He doesn't want to hear this. But he said he would listen. A rock, he's a reassuring rock.

Chen interrupts himself to huff. "I can hear you."

"Hear what?"

"Your teeth." He kneads at Minseok's chest a little. "You hate that he hurt me."

"Of course I do!" Minseok presses kisses to Chen's hair, his face, the uninjured corner of his mouth. "You are f*cking precious," he growls.

"I'm glad you think so. And that Geunwon's dad knew you. He came into his room one day. When Geunwon was out. He'd tried to send me away before. Even dressed me and kicked me out once. But I was too ashamed to go back to my friend's. How could I answer her questions? Where I'd been. What I'd been doing. So I just waited for Geunwon to come back. Put me back in the cage. Where I thought I belonged."

"Chenny," Minseok murmurs.

"I told you. I was dumb," he says. "But Geunwon's dad came one day, and said. He had power of attorney for his kid. He was transferring the contract. I'd still be someone's pet. He couldn't promise you'd be any better. But he thought you would be. And he was sure you wouldn't be worse."

Minseok drops his head back to clunk against the tile. "Oh. My. God. Chen!" He freezes. "Wait. Did you pick that name? Do you like it? What can I call you, that doesn't prick any wounds?"

"I picked it," he says, much to Minseok's relief. "It was the name of my favorite cat. At the shelter."

Minseok sags with relief. "So you like it?"

Chen nods. "But. You can call me Jongdae. Or anything. Whatever you call me sounds nice."

"Because I'm not a normal person?" Minseok asks. "Because I'm a great big softie, who adores the f*ck out of you?"

"Yep." Chen very carefully smiles with half his mouth.

"Hmm. What if Hyung wants to call you something nobody else has? Something just for us?"

"Hyaong already does."

"Oh?"

Chen's ears are pink. "Kitten. And. You know. Love."

Minseok's eyes go wide. "I figured kitten was common. But I have grown rather attached to it."

"Me, too."

Minseok gives him another squeeze, then prods him up. "Come on, then, kitten. Water's cold. Let's do your salve and go to bed."

When they're curled up together in the dark, Minseok remembers the things he wanted to ask.

"Kitten?"

"Mmm?"

"You said before you didn't have family or friends that should know where you are. Is that still true?"

"I did have a family. But they don't consider me theirs anymore. Since I refuse to marry a nice girl. Or. Any girl."

"Ah. Well, what about your friend from the shelter? Won't she be wondering what happened to you?"

Chen squirms. "I still don't want to tell her. Why I just disappeared."

"She may have filed a police report, though, if you lived with her and didn't come home. We should at least check, so that there's no interference if you use your ID somewhere more public than a kink club."

"Do we have to tell them? The police?"

"We can just say that you moved suddenly due to personal reasons, but you're fine and don't need to be on the missing persons roster." Minseok frowns into the dark. "Or we could file charges against that asshole—"

"No. I did agree."

"You know they won't care."

"But his daddy's rich. An assemblyman. He won't be punished. And I'll have to tell everyone, then. What I let him do."

Minseok bites back another rant. It's Chen's decision. And his reasoning isn't flawed. Wrong as it is, that's almost certainly how things would go.

"One more question, then. A different one: would you like a cat? From the shelter, maybe?"

Chen is quiet for a moment. Minseok would wonder if he fell asleep, but he can feel the tension in the body wrapped in his arms.

"No," Chen finally says. "I still like cats. But… I think I'd rather be a pet than own one. Even a traditional one. You'd take good care of it, too, and… it's silly, but I think I'd be jealous." He wiggles against Minseok. "Besides, you wouldn't like a real cat. It would shed, maybe claw your stuff, and you hated the litterbox."

"I don't think it's that unreasonable to not want a box of sh*t sitting in your house," Minseok huffs. "I understand it's better than the cat not having a designated bathroom place, but—" he stops when he feels Chen shaking. "Are you laughing at hyung?"

"Yes."

Minseok growls. "Such a brat."

"Your brat. You like it."

Minseok sighs. "More proof I'm not a normal person."

"You're my person." Chen pauses. "Right? You're mine, too?"

"Of course I'm yours, Chenny. Didn't I say so? Why wouldn't I be?"

He feels Chen shrug. "Some masters don't wanna belong to anyone."

"Then they're missing out." He kisses Chen's shoulder. "My strong, brave kitten. You're so good. I love you and I'm proud of you, proud to be yours."

Chen wiggle-whines. Minseok chuckles and holds him close even after he's fallen asleep.

Chapter 6

Chapter Text

Minseok keeps a close eye on his kitten the following week. He can admit to himself it's more about his own protective paranoia than because Chen seems to need it.

Every time he catches Minseok looking at him, he smiles. It's no less devastating with repetition. His mouth, with its naturally upturned ends, is perfectly made for smiling. It radiates. Whatever expression Minseok makes in return always makes Chen go a little pink and drop his head.

But Saturday night, Chen's smile suddenly fades. He's flipping through his sketchbooks, frowning at the pages.

"What's the matter, kitten?"

"Her fur." Chen chews his lip, holding up one of his drawings of the fluffy cat across the courtyard.

Minseok comes over to look. "What about it?"

"Matted." He gestures to the page.

"Oh." Minseok leans in. "Yeah, it does look clumpy."

"Because it is clumpy." Chen flips back through the sketchbook. "It's getting worse."

It's a rather sad flipbook, the cat's fur becoming more and more disheveled. "Huh."

"We need to help her."

Minseok looks at his kitten. "What do you mean?"

"Something's wrong. I wasn't sure, before. But it's been three weeks."

"You think she's hurt or sick? Can't groom herself?"

Chen shakes his head. "Persians. Have short faces. Hard to groom themselves already. They need brushing. No one's doing it."

Minseok frowns. "So something happened to her human?"

Chen shrugs. "She's not thin. Or upset. So I don't think… she's alone. But they're not taking care of her. If she's matted. She might have trouble with… you know. Going potty. It's not healthy." He blinks up at him. "Healthy and sanitary. Your favorite things. We need to help."

"Okay." Minseok strokes Chen's hair. "We'll try. Which window do you see her in?"

He follows Chen to the balcony door. The window he points to is the same floor as the birdfeeder balcony, two windows over. The building mirrors theirs, so the unit directly across from them would have the same number. So one floor up, one window over should be… "Unit 10-J," he says. "It's too late to visit a stranger right now, love, but I'll go check tomorrow for you, okay?"

"I wanna come."

Minseok looks at Chen. "Really?"

Chen nods. He ducks his head. "My harness. I'll be safe."

Smiling, Minseok strokes Chen's kitty ear, trailing fingers through his hair and down his neck. "Okay, kitten. We'll go together."

Minseok has never in his life rung a complete stranger's buzzer. It's super awkward to explain that he's not a mistaken delivery guy, he's a concerned neighbor. That he wants to speak to them, briefly, he's not selling anything or representing anywhere.

Eventually, the woman buzzes him up. And then it's even more awkward, when she eyes him through the gap of the chain-locked door.

"Sorry to disturb you," Minseok says, offering his most boyish smile. "I know this will sound a little strange, but we were just worried about your cat."

The woman's brow furrows. "The cat?"

"Yes. We can see her in your window sometimes, from our balcony. She's really pretty! But recently we noticed she hasn't been well groomed, so we were concerned that something might be wrong."

The woman grimaces. "Ah. Well. It's my brother's cat. This is his flat. He was in an accident, so I've been taking care of him. I'm afraid I haven't even thought about the cat, except to make sure her food and water are fresh and the litter box is clean."

"Understandable," Minseok says. "You have higher priorities right now. I hope your brother recovers soon." He bows, ready to leave this woman to her responsibilities, but Chen doesn't budge.

"We can help you," he blurts, then flushes. "I-I mean, with the cat. We know a pet groomer. You're busy, so we could take her in for you."

The woman bites a lip. "She's a show cat," she says. "My brother usually does her grooming himself, I think? I don't want to ruin whatever his plans are."

"They're already ruined," Chen persists. "Her coat will need to be clipped. To get the mats out. But it's important. If her, um, back end gets matted. It can make things difficult. And dangerous to her health. So we'd be happy to take her. So your brother doesn't have to worry about her. It wouldn't be expensive, would it, hyung?"

"Nini's my friend. There won't be a charge." Minseok offers his charity-function smile. "I know it's weird, but we do just want to help out. We've really enjoyed seeing her in the windows, she feels like a friend."

The woman looks pained. "That's very kind of you, I'm sure, but I'd have to ask my brother. She's his baby, and I don't know anything about cats, so I'm not comfortable making this type of decision. But I understand it's important, and I will bring it up with him. Thanks for letting me know she needs to be seen to."

"Of course." Minseok hands her his card. "The offer to take her to be groomed for you is on the table until your brother recovers. Please call if we can help."

"Nini grooms show cats all the time," Chen adds. "He'll take good care of her."

"His parlor is called The Pampered Pet," Minseok says. "They're on social media, if your brother wants to check them out." He bows again, squeezing Chen's hand.

To his relief, Chen mimics the action, then lets himself be pulled away.

"Feel better, love?" Minseok asks him in the elevator.

Chen shakes his head. "We didn't help her."

"We did," Minseok says. "They weren't neglecting her on purpose. Now that the sister knows, I'm sure they'll get her taken care of when they can."

Chen doesn't seem very sure. Minseok soothes him as best he can. What an awful situation for everyone. He'd hate being unable to care for Chen himself, but at least his kitten can fend for himself if necessary. He smiles at the certainty that Chen would take care of him. Even if he were unable to groom himself, he wouldn't get a single mat.

"I'm so lucky," he says as he leads Chen across the courtyard to their own building. "To love such a sweet guy."

Chen, as usual when Minseok brings out the L-word, flushes and grumbles adorably. Minseok steals a kiss in the elevator, then smiles when Chen pulls his kitty ears back into place as soon as they're inside the apartment. They get disrupted as Minseok pulls off his sweats, of course, but he shushes Chen's whine, settling them back into place neatly before patting his kitten's butt.

"You did good," he says. "I'll text Nini, so he'll know that I'll pay for it if they call."

Chen seems unsettled the rest of the day. Minseok isn't able to soothe him much, but the following morning, a text comes through while he's making breakfast.

Had a voicemail this morning from your neighbor. I didn't know Park Jisoo lived in your complex!

I don't know who that is, Minseok texts back. Someone you do shows with?

I've never groomed his cat before, but I've seen her at shows. And I know you've seen Park Jisoo on billboards and stuff. He's a supermodel.

Ah. So, you'll be able to help his cat, then? Chenny's really worried.

Oh yeah. I talked to Park Jisoo himself. He sounds awful. Whatever happened to him must've sucked. But he only sighed when I said I might have to shave her. Apparently they'll be off the show circuit for a while, so hygiene and comfort are the goals. When can you bring her in?

Minseok looks at his watch (yet another poker prize). My first meeting today isn't until 10, but then they're constant. I could drop her off, but wouldn't be able to pick her up again until late.

That's what most people do, anyway, Nini assures him. Nive's a show cat, so she'll be used to chilling with other cats for hours away from home.

Thus reassured, Minseok lets Sooyoung know he'll be in late. He smiles as he sets Chen's starfish kimbap down in front of him.

"You did help our kitty neighbor," he reports. "Her name is Nive, and I'll be dropping her off at Nini's before work."

"I want to come."

"To drop her off?"

Chen nods.

"Kitten, I have to leave her there all day. I wouldn't be able to bring you back home."

"I'll stay."

Minseok blinks. "By yourself?"

"Not by myself. Your friend is there. And he knows already. That I'm… weird."

"You're not weird." Minseok says. "Eat quickly, then, so we can go soon. But chew thoroughly!" he adds when Chen starts to gulp down his breakfast. "Don't choke."

Satisfied his kitten won't endanger himself, Minseok returns to the bedroom, pulling the rest of his clothes on while Sooyoung rattles things off in his earpiece.

"So why are you coming in late?" she asks while Minseok is buckling Chen into his harness. "Hungover? Or do I even want to know?"

"It's nothing sordid," Minseok laughs. "My neighbor was in an accident and can't take his cat to be groomed. I'm helping him out, since one of my friends is a groomer."

"That's really kind of you," Sooyoung coos. "I demand cute cat pictures, as compensation and to charm the lady from Dolsan Group, when you are inevitably late to the meeting."

"I'll do my best, on both accounts," Minseok says, ending the call as he leads Chen from the apartment.

They drop Chen's portfolio case in the car before heading to collect their passenger. Chen is almost skipping at his side as they cross the courtyard. Minseok smiles at him, always utterly charmed by his precious love.

"How do you want me to introduce you?" he asks. "We were holding hands before, so she might guess we're together, but are you okay if I say so?

"Yes. I'm not ashamed. To be yours."

Minseok squeezes his hand. "Do you want her to know you as Jongdae?"

Chen nods. "I'm only Chen for you. Or with other kittens."

"Okay. My brave boyfriend, Jongdae."

Park Jisoo's sister accepts this introduction without anything but repeated thanks as she answers the door. She beckons them through to wait in the foyer while she retrieves their charge. Nive is already in her carrier, seeming unperturbed as she waits on what seems to be their dining table. Beside her, head turned to watch her, is a heavily-bandaged man in a wheeled chair, the kind where one leg is braced straight out.

"Good morning, Mr. Park," Minseok says with a bow. "We'll take good care of your girl, and have her back to you this evening, clean and comfortable."

"Thank you," the man says, voice soft and rasping. "I feel so guilty, that I let her get so unkempt."

"Don't feel bad," Chen says as he accepts the cat carrier with both hands. "We all need help, sometimes."

"Much as we'd rather not," Mr. Park agrees. "I'm just embarrassed, that she got bad enough for strangers to notice."

"Oh, but she feels like a friend," Minseok says again. "We have feeders for the birds, because Jongdae likes to draw them. Nive likes to watch them, too, so we see her often."

The left side of Mr. Park's face is mostly obscured by plasters, but the right side pulls up in a smile that, yes, Minseok realizes he has seen before. "Then I'll just feel lucky, that Nive has such attentive friends."

Chen continues to be attentive, insisting they use the seatbelt to fasten the carrier securely in the back seat. He buckles himself in beside her, murmuring to her as Minseok pilots them through the city. Nini's shop is one of the few along that street with a tiny parking lot, to make it safer for his clients to bring their pets inside.

He greets them with a huge smile. "You made it!" He gestures to a glass-fronted door to one side of the cheerful reception area. "Kitty day spa is this way. Only two other cats today, both of whom are also chill, thank goodness. So she should be able to hang out with them comfortably while she waits her turn."

The cat room is basically the feline version of the kitten-play area at the club. There are some spacious cages along one wall—presumably some cats can't or don't like to play with others. But the main area is all cat trees, toys, cute water dishes, and a discreetly partitioned row of hooded litterboxes.

"So many, for three cats?" Minseok laughs.

"They don't always like to share," Chen says. "It’s safest to have options, even when two kitties live in the same home."

"That's right." Nini smiles. "Even though I love my boyfriends, I still don't want to use our bathroom right after them, especially when they're under stress."

"Fair enough," Minseok concedes.

Nive doesn't appear to be under stress. When they open her carrier, she hesitates at first, sniffing the air so cutely that Minseok snaps a photo for Sooyoung. Then she saunters out, and Minseok grimaces along with Nini.

"Poor girl," he coos, stroking her head before gently prodding her matted back. He tsks after lifting her tail, chuckling when she pulls it free to tuck around herself. "I'm sure you did your best. But a princess like you needs to be fussed over, yes. And your poor human can't do that for you right now, huh?"

He looks at Minseok. "Did you see him? Is it bad?"

Minseok nods. "I didn't ask, but from the looks of it, he's lucky to be alive. He felt really guilty, though, about not being able to groom her."

"Of course he did. Nive is famous on the show circuit. I don't have any Persian clients right now and I still know who she is, because she's often in contention for best in show." He shakes his head. "Sadly, I know a few owners that will be relieved that she'll be out of the picture for a while, giving their cats a chance to win."

"Sounds rather vicious."

"It can be. But Nive herself is a sweetie, aren't you? Yes. Be a good girl in here for a bit, hmm? I have a grumpy pomeranian to do first, so we can send him home instead of having to listen to him curse at us all day."

Nini opens the door, beckoning them out into the lobby. But Chen shrinks back, his portfolio clutched tight.

"Can I stay in here?" He gives Nini big eyes. "I won't be any trouble."

"I'm not worried you'll be trouble," Nini says. "Hang out wherever you want."

"Thanks for letting him stay," Minseok says as Nini escorts him to his car. "He's been worrying about her."

Nini waves him off. "Unlike some people, I know your boy will be a good kitty."

Minseok smiles, promises to be back as soon as he can, and heads off to work.

The fact that he's running an hour behind the usual commuter schedule keeps him from being late to his meeting. He strolls in just in time, and hardly leaves his feet or the meeting room for the next six and a half hours. Sooyoung, soft for the picture of hesitant Nive, goes above and beyond to get him out the door in time so he can go and pick her up.

He finds her lounging in the cat tree, still looking regal despite missing her long fur from shoulder blades to the gently-flicking tip of her tail.

Chen is on the floor nearby, sketching a tiny fluffy kitten while it pounces around at a springy feather toy. He's lying on his belly as usual, with a hairless cat curled up between his legs, purring like a motor.

"He just likes me because I'm warm," Chen explains, but Minseok coos anyway, snapping a few photos just for himself.

Then he crouches to pet his kitten, and then the tiny fluffball, and then the purring cat, who doesn't want to be left out. The hairless skin is warm and a little rubbery, slipping and stretching much more than human skin as Minseok strokes it.

"If he doesn't have any fur, why does he need to be groomed?"

"Same reason you do," Nini says from behind him. "Their skin produces oils, dead cells are shed, and especially in crevices like toes or ears, that mixture builds up. And in the smoother, exposed places, it tends to get dry. They actually need more grooming than your average short-haired cat."

"As much as a Persian?"

"In a way. They both need to be tended to daily or at minimum every other day, but each session with a Persian would take longer on average." He pets Nive, smiling when she arches her neck into his hand. "She's so pretty, aren't you? I see why she wins so many shows. I was glad not to have to shave her down to the skin. And I showed Jongdae how to brush her. If Mr. Park is unable, maybe he'll let him come over a few times a week, so she doesn't get matted again."

"We can ask," Minseok says. "I'm glad she was good for it."

"Show cats pretty much have to be," Nini says. "Just like dog shows, it's no fun for anyone if the pet isn't into it. So they get accustomed to grooming and crowds and so on when they're young. That's why little Tibbles is here. He didn't need a bath, we did it just for the gentle, treat-filled experience of coming to the groomer. Hopefully it becomes something he looks forward to."

He tickles Nive's ear. "Little miss here liked the treats, but did not enjoy her bath. Thankfully, she didn't try to make me bleed or even jump out of the tub. Yelled at me the whole time, didn't you, but let me get on with things. And then she purred the whole time Jongdae and I were brushing out what length could be saved. So I told Mr. Park over the phone that she's welcome back anytime."

He gestures at Jongdae. "This guy, too. He doesn't purr, but he does draw the coolest pictures. And usually I leave kittens in their own cabin their first few times they visit, just to be safe. But since Jongdae was here to supervise, Tibbles is getting to play with the big kid toys."

Nini picks up a carrier with backpack straps. "His people are here to get him, now, though, so you can steal his babysitter." He crouches and clicks his tongue at the tiny cat. "Come here, you rascal. Yes, good boy. Come to the magic treat dispenser guy. In you go."

Nive is similarly easy to coax into her carrier. Minseok smiles as they stroll out past a woman with a pair of children very happy to get their kitten back.

"Is that who I am to you?" he asks as he buckles Nive and Chen into the backseat. "Your magic treat dispensing guy?"

"Yes. What's for dinner?"

Minseok laughs. "I was thinking that new chicken place. It's still good when it's cold, so we could get an extra order or two and drop it off along with Nive. Let Mr. Park and his sister have an easy meal whenever they need it."

He can see Chen shake his head in the rear-view mirror.

"Hyaong can't see anyone with injuries and not take care of them," he says to Nive.

Minseok smiles back at him. "Lucky for you."

"Yes. Lucky for me."

Mr. Park is almost tearfully grateful to have Chen offer to brush Nive for him. The chicken is also gratefully received. So they start a routine, dropping by on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, to share a meal and watch Chen gently but thoroughly brush Nive's regrowing fur.

It turns out that he's a year younger than Chen, so after some initial awkwardness, they settle into more familiar forms of address. Jisoo calls them both hyung, and if he or his sister notice the nonstandard way Chen pronounces the word when addressing Minseok, they never comment on it.

They chat about the weather or the latest dramas, favorite music, favorite restaurants. Minseok usually carries the conversation, using all his charity gala charm to put everyone at ease. He asks about the cat shows one evening, which prompts an enthusiastic description of the events during which Jisoo's sister smiles at him fondly. But then she turns to Minseok, eyebrows pinched.

"You're already helping us out so much, I hate to ask for more, but could you come earlier next week, once? In the morning, or—"

"Noona," Jisoo says, "We talked about this. Just make your appointment and go. I'll be fine alone for a few hours, we can't ask our dear neighbors to miss work to babysit a grown man."

"I don't work," Chen says. He looks at Minseok. "I could come in the mornings."

Minseok tilts his head. "By yourself?"

Chen looks at him, then Jisoo, then Nive, sprawled in his lap as he brushes her tummy. "I can. Come by myself. For my friends."

Minseok doesn't ask him if he's sure. He doesn't reach to pet his kitty ear, because as usual they're tucked down into the hoodie. He tries not to purse his lips, because Chen—Jongdae—is a grown man as well. If he says he can, then it's Minseok's role as his boyfriend to support that as best he can.

"Okay," he says, barely managing not to tack an endearment onto it. "Pick a time with Ms. Park, then."

Chen squeezes his hand a little tighter as they cross the courtyard back to their own apartment. Minseok suspects it's for his benefit. He must be broadcasting his uneasiness, but he manages to hold his overly-concerned-boyfriend babbling until they're back in their apartment. And he manages to preface it with a question.

"Do you want hyung to fuss over you about this? Or should I keep it to myself and trust you to handle it?"

Chen gives him a cheeky smile. "Fuss, please."

Minseok frowns. "Am I fussing for your sake or mine?"

"Both. You'll feel better. Once you remind me of things you know I know. And. I'll feel better. Knowing you worry so much. About me."

"I do know you know," Minseok says, unbuckling the harness once Chen's sweats are removed. "I know you're capable. You went farther by yourself because of the fire." Minseok fixes his kitty ears. "I trust you."

"I know. But you like protecting me."

"You like being protected."

"I do." Chen leans into him, rubbing against him in a very feline way. "By you. You're good at it." He ducks his chin. "You'll still put my harness on. And dress me. Before you leave. Ask if I have my phone. Know the code."

"I will," Minseok says. "I will do all of those things." He nuzzles in until Chen turns his head to accept a kiss. "It's bath time. Hyung needs to make sure all of his kitten is very, very clean."

Eyes wide, Chen bolts for the bedroom, no doubt to hide in the back of the closet.

Gratitude and affection squeeze Minseok's heart. His kitten is so good to him. He doesn't fight the bath if Minseok is tired or if they don't have much time. But now, because Minseok's anxious over nothing, he's giving him something else to focus on: wrestling his brat into the tub.

Smiling, Minseok follows.

Minseok fusses over his kitten that morning as promised. He's tempted to buckle the harness on extra tight, but Chen will likely wear it all day. He gives him extra kisses, checks that he has the fully charged phone, door code on the back, tucked into the kangaroo pocket of the jumper. And he lets himself recite a litany of cautions, but only because he knows Chen is reading I-love-yous between the lines, not I-think-you're-dumbs.

"I love you," Minseok says out loud anyway, giving Chen one final kiss before setting off for work. "Be safe."

"You be safe," Chen says, wearing the same smug smile he's had on all morning.

Minseok does not wear a smile all morning. He recites internal lectures to himself, knowing he's overreacting, fretting over nothing, but he doesn't fully relax until he sees his kitten crawl into view on the living room camera. He kitties himself over until he’s smiling in front of the cam, hips swishing behind him.

"Hyaong," he says. "Stop worrying now."

Minseok tries to make an offended face, but he's sure it comes out as the same dopey smile his kitten always inspires. "I wasn't worried. Much."

"Liar."

"Really!" Minseok insists. "I knew you'd be fine. But I do feel better, seeing that you're fine."

"I am. It was nice. Bring home baby octopus skewers."

Minseok snorts. "Such a cat."

Chen smiles, then crawls over to retrieve his pink bear from his castle and then curl up by his sketching supplies. He doesn't get them out, just seems to be either dozing or gazing out the window. It must be a tiring thing, to exercise dormant social muscles. But he'd done it, and not for Minseok, not because anyone demanded it or the situation suddenly required it. He stretched, deliberately, because someone needed help.

Brave and giving, his kitten.

Minseok brings home the octopus skewers as ordered. He undresses and unharnesses his kitten. Then they eat together in the living room, where Minseok manages to wait until Chen's swallowed his last tiny prey before he asks all the questions he's been carrying around all day.

"I told you. It was nice," Chen says. "He was relieved. To have his noona gone for a while. She worries a lot." He smiles. "Even more than you."

"Well, it looks like her brother almost died," Minseok says. "I think it's a natural response."

"It is. He appreciates it. But it's still awkward. To have her there all the time."

"True. So you had some boys' time while she was out?"

"I brushed Nive. Then we watched TV. The kind of gun movie his noona hates."

"You rebels," Minseok laughs.

"It was nice. He seemed really happy. To have company when no one is… fussing."

"We don't fuss when we visit."

"His sister does. It embarrasses him. Even though he knows he needs it. And is glad to have it."

"I bet it is awkward." Minseok smiles. "Like when I didn't know you, and still gave you a bath. But worse because it's someone you used to take baths with, before you knew the difference between boys and girls."

Chen nods. "So we just. Watched things explode. Didn't talk about anything medical."

He squirms, and Minseok expects his next words, has been expecting them all day.

"So I told him. I'll come back. During the day. I can draw our birds from there. And Nive."

"You'll stay all day?"

Chen shrugs. "You'll be happier. You can drop me off. Pick me up. I'm just as safe there. You won't worry as much. If I stay where you bring me."

"And you'll be comfortable that way? Ears hidden the whole time?"

Chen's smile fades a little. "No. But Jisoo is more uncomfortable. I can be a little uncomfortable, sometimes. To help him feel like just a guy for a while. Instead of a patient."

"It's a big change," Minseok says. "But it's your call."

"I think. That's why it's okay. You love me. Take care of me. If I'm a kitten or not. No one's making me. No one's saying I should or shouldn't. Except me."

"Hmm. I'm saying you shouldn't spend all day there right away. You were there two hours today. Try four hours next time. I'll drop you off, you'll come home on your own. If that goes well, then six hours, then eight, then all day. You can say it's because we're letting his noona get used to leaving him. Or you can tell him your boyfriend is an overprotective weirdo, I don't care."

He does care. Not what Jisoo thinks of him, per se, but about not being able to glance at his phone and see his kitten whenever he likes. He'll be out there, with a friend that wasn't Minseok's first, that Minseok doesn't know well.

Which is great. It's healthy. Most relationships are like this, each person doing something independently during the day, with people the other doesn't know well.

Minseok doesn't have to be completely comfortable with it. It is, as Chen says, his choice. Minseok wants his kitten to thrive. There's no way he's going to stop him from forging his own path. He's just moderating the pace a little. Perhaps unnecessarily, but he's the master, for as long as Jongdae agrees. This means arbitrary limits are his to place.

And Chen likes them. He smiles so wide, the sun is unnecessary. "Yes, Hyaong."

The following night, Minseok makes his kitten suffer. He makes him beg. He edges him until he's almost crying, and then he holds down those wiggly hips and makes that bell ring like mad. He f*cks him deep and hard, hard enough that he'll feel it the next day.

If Minseok is gonna spend all morning thinking about Chen, he wants to make sure his boyfriend is occasionally thinking about him, too.

Chen is all smiles the next morning, happy to have his harness buckled securely under a fresh set of soft, stolen sweats. Tail and ears tucked down inside, he frolics all the way to Jisoo's, despite his admittedly achy prostate and the worrywart holding his hand.

"I love you," Minseok says at Jisoo's door before it opens. "You will be fine."

Chen laughs. "Usually people say that to be reassuring. Hyaong said it like a threat."

"It is a threat," Minseok says as the door opens. "You will be fine, or else, and not in the fun way."

"Yes, Hyaong." Jongdae pecks his cheek and steps inside, and Minseok bows his greetings and heads off to work.

He tries not to fret about it all morning, and mostly succeeds. Chen's done this same thing before, and he's not in any physical danger. The worst thing that could happen is his kitty ears somehow fall out of his hood, but even if Jisoo thinks that's weird, he can't slap Chen around. It would hurt Chen, to not be allowed to help anymore. So Minseok had tucked the ears very securely, and loosened his collar so it's hidden by the high neck of the hoodie. He'd even muffled the bell. It's fine, and even if it's not fine, it will be fine.

Still, he's happy to see his smiling boy crawl into view of the camera. He's extra glad he'd insisted on a shorter visit, because Chenny yawns and goes to curl up with his bear in his kitty castle. He's spending far more energy than usual, he needs to build up gradually.

"How should I make you feel me tomorrow, love?" he asks his kitten before the next visit. He's f*cking him against the wall in the hallway, Chen's legs around his waist. "Bruises? Someone indicated they like bruises."

"Hyaong could never." Chen smirks. "Hyaong is gentle."

"Which is why I'm currently holding you up with my arms and my dick?"

"Holding me gently."

As sassy as he's being, Minseok knows Chen loves this, loves that Minseok can lift and manhandle him. No one else has ever f*cked him like this, and Minseok loves that. For the rest of his life, whenever his back hits a wall he's going to think of Minseok holding him against one.

Unfortunately, it's not really the best angle to make a guy come untouched.

"Touch yourself," Minseok growls. "Come all over hyung."

"My—my paws." He's not wearing the ones that let him use his fingers.

Minseok is merciless. "Yes, use your paws. Rub those cute pink beans on this lovely co*ck."

"I—"

"Do it."

Chen complies, or tries to. He can't do it with one hand, and there's a slightly wobbly moment where Minseok shifts so he's supporting his kitten well enough that he can unwrap the arm around Minseok's shoulders. It might be the lewdest sight Minseok's eyes have seen in person, his kitten, panting and sweaty, human ears flushed scarlet, kitty ears askew, arms working in unison to rub the soft, sweet jellies of his paw socks against his bobbing co*ck.

"That's it," Minseok praises when his kitten moans. "Jack yourself for me. You look so good like this, kitten. My love, in my arms, squirming on my co*ck."

Chen squirms some more, whining low in his throat. Minseok grins. As fit as he is, he doesn't have limitless stamina, so he needs his kitten to climax soon. And while the surveys had been very informative, Minseok has since discovered a few more things his kitten really likes. It makes him feel very smug indeed, to have learned things about his pet that Chen isn't (or at least wasn't) even aware of, himself.

"Pretty boy," Minseok rumbles. "My tiny kitten."

"Bigger than you."

"Are you?" Minseok pumps his hips a little harder, jostling Chen and frustrating his efforts to stroke himself off. "Could you f*ck hyung against a wall like this, little kitten?"

"Didn't say stronger."

"You like that hyung is strong. You like being pinned tight like this. You're hyung's, can't escape. I won't let you get away. I'll keep you here, speared on my co*ck, where my pretty kitten belongs."

Minseok's words are coming out in huffs now, but that doesn't make them less effective. Chen moans, head falling back to slide against the wall, exposing more of the neck that will be Minseok's next target. No longer muffled by Chen's chin, the bell on his collar jingles, making him flush even more at the rhythmic sound.

"My boyfriend, on my co*ck, wearing my collar, because you're mine. And I love you. So give me everything that's mine. Come for hyung. Chenny. Dae."

Minseok had intended to hold back his own climax, but the way Chen squeezes him, clenching around him as he chases his own release, the way those sweet little paws are working over his leaking co*ck, the way he squirms and shudders and looks so good, so wrecked, because of Minseok, ends up being too much for him. He groans, slamming his hips up and pinning Chen's pelvis to the wall. Bliss rushes through him as he fills that plush ass. And then his pleasure is compounded as Chen keens and spurts between them, hot and wet against Minseok's abs.

Success, and just in time. Minseok uses the last of his waning strength to carry his kitten to the bed. Then he collapses on top of him.

"Good kitty," he pants. "Good job."

He cleans them both up. And while Chen is still all f*cked out and floppy, Minseok starts sucking bruises over his throat. Chen whines at the sting, but he's too pleasure-weak to squirm much. So Minseok fights off his own lassitude and paints marks over Chen’s skin, in places that will pull when he moves, reminding him his hyung likes to devour him.

Chen is half hard again by the time Minseok's done. Minseok just gives his kitten's dick a loving pat, then tucks him beneath his arm as usual.

Gentle, Chen says. On the one hand, that's how Minseok wants to be, how he wants Chen to think of him.

On the other hand, he doesn't possessively f*ck or mark Chen the night before his eight-hour visit.

He gets up early that morning and paddles his ass. Drops him off at Jisoo's unable to sit without thinking of him.

Chen lays on his stomach to draw, and Jisoo lets him sit on the sofa, anyway, since he has no idea he usually isn't allowed. So Minseok doesn't feel too guilty as he drops off his subtly wincing kitten.

His kitten had been annoyed about being paddled unfairly, though, since he hadn't acted up. Minseok didn't invent some transgression, either, made sure Chen understood he wasn't being punished for spending time with his friend. He'd plainly told him he was doing it so he'd be sore all day and think of hyung. He'd also offered him amnesty for the next stunt he pulls. A paddling in advance.

And the following morning, he has cause to regret it, when he wakes up with his kitten perched on his chest.

"I never lived with a happy, healthy cat," Chen smiles wickedly down as Minseok struggles to breathe. "Jisoo says Nive wakes him up like this. Every morning. And yells in his face until he feeds her. He says a lot of kitties do that."

"Charming," Minseok wheezes.

"Hyaong likes it? Then I'll do it every day."

"Please—"

Before Minseok can get out the 'don't,' Chen shifts his weight, letting a knee compress some important organ in Minseok's abdomen. His words are choked by a grunt, and Chen's grin widens.

"Since Hyaong asked so nice—"

Flexing his suffering abs, Minseok flips them. Chen hisses and writhes, but Minseok prevails, pinning his wiggly kitten to the bed.

"Brat," he accuses.

"Your brat." Chen beams up at him, angling his face for a kiss.

"No." Minseok pins his wrists to the bed. "I promised not to punish your next little rebellion, but I'm not about to reward you."

"Hyaong already is. This is fun." Chen smiles so wide his eyes almost completely disappear above his bunched cheeks.

Growling, Minseok pulls away and rolls off of him. "Only the first one is free," he grumbles as he pulls on underwear and socks. "Unlike Jisoo's cat, my happy, healthy kitten has thumbs, and I will come up with directions to channel unbridled energy."

Chen curls his paws in front of his face. "No thumbs," he reports. "Hyaong has to feed me."

"I'll feed ya something."

This threat only makes Chen smile more. Sudden heat pricks the back of Minseok’s throat. To see his kitten like this, his, sassy and smiley and entirely unafraid.

He's so beautiful. And he's Minseok's.

Minseok has to squish him back against the bed and kiss him. Jongdae laughs against his lips.

"Hyaong. I'm not food."

"Then why are you so tasty?" Minseok bites at Chen's neck. "My yum-yum kitten."

Just to feel him squirm deliciously beneath him, Minseok digs his fingers into Chen's ribs. Chen obliges by thrashing and giggling, and Minseok is very, very tempted to be late for work.

With a sigh, he pulls himself away from his addicting kitten. The weekend is soon, then he'll be able to have his kitten under him morning, noon, and night if he wants. He just has to get through today and then tomorrow, when Chen will be gone all day, but at least Minseok will be able to drop him off and pick him up himself.

Minseok brings jjajangmyeon to share on Friday night when he retrieves his kitten. He smiles to see Jisoo on his sofa. The wheelchair is still there, folded to the side, but it must be satisfying to use his furniture as he used to.

Chen is not using the furniture. He's crouched over his biggest sketchbook up against the wall, frequently standing up to look at Nive from a fully horizontal angle. The cat is sitting on the windowsill, tail flicking, intently staring through the glass and occasionally making odd clicky mews. She's more of a rainbow than usual, with the setting sun painting the white parts of her fur pink, the warm lighting inside adding golden highlights. Chen's ability to capture light with shades of gray is amazing, but maybe he'd like the option of color, when presented with such a striking scene.

"You need one of those stand thingies," Minseok says. "And maybe some paint? Colored pencils? They have fancy ones for artists, right? Not just for school kids?"

Jisoo laughs. "I see you know about as much about art as I do." He gestures to the rest of the sofa. "He's only just past the circle-blobby stage, so he's probably going to miss out on hot noodles for fear his model will move before he gets to the faint-shady stage."

"I didn't even know plain pencils came in more than one kind until two months ago," Minseok admits as he sits. "But it doesn't take a genius to see that he's damn good. And it makes him happy. I'll make sure he has a pile of stuff as tall as he is, if it helps him do what he loves."

"I don't need a pile," Chen says, eyes still locked on his sunset-washed subject. "But an easel would be nice. And maybe some watercolor pencils. Less messy than paint. I usually like emphasizing form and texture, but sometimes color is nice. To highlight things or set a mood."

"Anything, love."

"Get him two," Jisoo says. "He can leave one here. Paper, too, if it's easier than carrying it all back and forth."

Minseok tilts his head. "Really? We'd hate to inconvenience you in the slightest."

"It's no bother." Jisoo smiles. "I love watching him make lines come to life. I got Nive her own birdfeeder, so she'd pose nicely for him for long enough, when she isn't just sleeping."

"If you're sure," Minseok says.

"I'm close to insisting." Jisoo looks down at himself, one leg in a cast from toes to thigh, the other no longer bandaged but heavily braced. Both his arms are in casts as well, the smaller one on the left side still immobilizing his hand and wrist. Then he looks up at Minseok with an earnest face, classically handsome features now intersected with angry red scars, a white patch still taped over one eye.

"It's hard for me, sometimes, to see the beauty in a life that's become so difficult for me. Most days I'm grateful to still be alive—the driver of the car that hit the cab I was in wasn't so fortunate. But what will I do with such a life? The doctors say I'll be lucky to walk at all, much less walk a runway with this face. I spend too much time worrying about the future, but when I watch Dae-hyung draw, it's… soothing. I can think, 'ah, yes—there is still joy to be had, still things I'm grateful to have an eye left to see.'"

Minseok nods. "Gratitude is the right word for me, too. Whenever I see him smiling at his sketchpads, my chest squeezes with how damn lucky I am to have him around."

Chen tsks as he crouches to add more lines to the paper. "Hyaong. Don't be so sappy."

"I'm the sappy one?" Minseok laughs.

"Jisoo is allowed to be sappy. He's having a crisis. And he usually writes it as poems. He's not always saying it out loud."

Minseok laughs again. "Like me?"

Chen nods.

"But I'm not good at art or writing," Minseok protests. "I have to be sentimental out loud instead."

"Then go to the karaoke room like normal people," Chen huffs. "You don't need to be good at that."

"Ahh, is that why I've taken up poetry?" Jisoo laughs. "Karaoke deprivation?"

"Could be," Minseok says. "What if we rent a machine and bring it over next Friday? Fried chicken, non-alcoholic beer so Jisoo's noona won't worry we're slowing his healing, but it'll still feel like boys' night."

Jisoo's eyes light up. "Sounds fun! But you have to let me pay for it."

Minseok tries to defer, but Jisoo shakes his head.

"Money is one thing I don't have to worry about," he says. "I have a good lawyer, so the settlement from the insurance companies was significant. And since I always knew modeling was a relatively short-lived career choice, I had planned well already. Jongdae won't let me give him anything for taking care of Nive and spending so much of his time with me—"

"Because I like visiting."

"—but I can at least treat you both to a meal and some fun."

Minseok nods, giving Jisoo a smile. "Deal." It'll be fun to get to know the guy better.

Chen is certainly having fun spending three days a week at Jisoo's place. Minseok orders a pair of the adjustable easels Jongdae chooses from the art supply site, along with some magic-seeming colored pencils that let their color be spread around like paint when water is brushed over them. So then of course Chen needs pads of paper designed for such things, paintbrushes, and a fancy cup for water that won't spill catastrophically if tipped over.

Minseok also gets him another large sketchbook, plus a smaller satchel so he can just carry his pencils and things back and forth while leaving the bulky pads of paper distributed between each apartment. Minseok is able to pick up their order at the website's local shop, which means his kitten doesn't have to wait more than a day to have his equipment upgraded.

So it turns out that it's Jisoo and Minseok doing most of the singing the following Friday as Chen once again captures his favorite subject muttering kitty curses at the birds outside the window, this time in full sunset-bathed glory. It really is like magic, to see the way the colors come to life when brushed with water, flowing and blending. Just as Minseok thinks an area is going to be one solid color, he'll look over again to see Jongdae layering something else partially over it, then sweeping the brush to transform it yet again.

Jisoo turns out to be a capable singer, and Minseok is no slouch himself. But it's Chen who once again amazes them when they finally drag him in front of the microphone.

"Why aren't you a singer?" Jisoo asks, almost angrily.

Chen shrugs. "My parents said they wouldn't support me while I waited maybe forever to see if the company would actually debut me. They weren't happy about art school either, but at least everyone gets to graduate if they work hard."

Minseok has a lot of things to say about that. But all he lets leave his lips is, "You're really good, love."

"I'm better at drawing," Chen says, then sidles over to his easel again.

Minseok and Jisoo decide another round of beer is the best available response. It may have no alcohol in it, but Minseok's come to associate the taste with relaxing. Another form of conditioning, he supposes, much less embarrassing than the response he really has developed to the rhythmic jingling of Jongdae's bell.

It's a lovely evening overall. The setting sun seems to leave part of itself on Jongdae's paper, purples and golds and pinks tinting Nive's white fur, finally back to its proper glory. She sits at the window, intensely contemplating the feathery would-be snacks outside despite the karaoke shenanigans, which Minseok finds remarkable enough to comment on.

"She's a show cat," Jisoo says. "She's acclimated to chaos. And I like movies with explosions, and I don’t have much else to do these days, so she's subjected to my low-brow taste a lot lately."

"Your poems are really good, though," Jongdae says. "You could make a book."

Jisoo laughs. "Maybe I will. Call it 'Broken Kaleidoscope' or something suitably artistic, and make you draw the cover with your fancy new pencils."

"I would," Chen says, turning to look at his friend over his shoulder. "So you should do it."

Jisoo waves this away with another piece of chicken. Minseok lets him chew, picking up the microphone himself for another song.

Whenever he retrieves Chen from Jisoo's, Minseok sees drawings of Nive, usually on the easel. They're equally likely to be monochrome or color, depending on what overall impression Chen is going for. Sometimes he mixes them, like the big one of the Persian crouched to pounce in front of a mousie toy, all the tension of the impending leap conveyed in graphite strokes. She looks about to launch off the page, while above her floats a colorful thought-bubble containing a white tiger with calico spots instead of stripes, flowing through the air, wicked claws reaching out for a terrified water deer.

On days Chen stays at their apartment, Minseok comes home to paper spread around the floor by the balcony. Despite the chill of winter, Chen still finds plenty of birds to draw, along with Nive in her window and more animals from the documentaries Minseok still leaves playing on the TV. On weekends, Minseok sometimes finds himself the subject of Chen’s busy pencils. Chen draws him accurately, as in, all the curves and angles of the face he sees in the mirror are all there, in the usual places. But there's also something about the portraits that makes Minseok feel fondly squirmy. He knows himself to be handsome, but through Chen's eyes, the bold lines and graphite shading render him as beautiful. It's not an adjective he'd apply to himself, but he's happy that his boyfriend sees him this way, that even when Minseok's gazing idly at the TV or standing at the kitchen counter, Chen finds him compelling enough to capture on paper.

Minseok often flips through one or the other of the sketchbooks left outside of the portfolio, exclaiming over all the ways his love makes flat paper seem to breathe. Chen seems to like this, to the point where he'll often tidy away everything but the book with the newest thing he wants Minseok to discover.

The big sketchbooks that are supposed to stay at Jisoo's often come back to their apartment for weekends, so Jongdae can work on things he'd started during the week. Minseok usually carries them back himself, starting to flip through the pages as soon as he has the dining table to rest them on. Possibly because of Minseok’s (and Jisoo's) reaction to the first image of Nive's dream-self, Chen has done several more in a similar style. They usually start with a detailed drawing of Nive on the lower half of the page, doing some cute kitty thing, which he'll paint her mental projection of over the weekend. It's one of Minseok’s favorite games, to find these initial drawings, and guess what Chen has planned to paint as happening in Nive's grandiose dreams.

But one Friday, he doesn't find a drawing of a Persian sprawled in the sun, licking a paw, or being brushed. He finds what looks like a full-page nude drawing of Jisoo lounging like a king in an armchair, gaze intense, fluffy cat in his lap like a supervillain. As he always does with Minseok, Chen hadn't flinched away from depicting every detail, the fresh scars a stark contrast to skin that hasn't been touched by sun in months. But also like the drawings of himself, Minseok's first impression is of beauty, the scars only adding to the man's charisma.

Minseok feels his heart sink to his heels.

Oh. Oh. So. That's how it is.

Chen had gone to put his small satchel away, but Minseok hears his bell jingle gently as it approaches his shoulder.

"Are you mad?" he asks softly.

Still staring at the drawing, Minseok considers, jaw tight. He's certainly hurt. He knows how much time Chen spends on drawings this big, this detailed. Exactly how much time has he spent with the nude man? Is it even more than the hours it must've taken him to draw this? Was it Chen in his lap then?

But can Minseok really be angry? Had his boyfriend ever promised to be exclusive? Had Minseok ever asked him to be? Or had he just assumed his partner would default to monogamous?

He turns to look at the man he loves. Chen seems wary at the moment, but he doesn't seem ashamed. He knew Minseok would look through his sketchbook. He hadn't tried to carry it himself, hadn't detached the page and left it safely at Jisoo's. If he's made no effort to keep it hidden, could that mean there's nothing to hide?

"You tell me, kitten," Minseok says. "Do I have a reason to be mad?"

Chen shakes his head. "You trust me. You know I'm yours."

"I do trust you," Minseok says. "But as Baekhyun once pointed out, it's possible for you to be mine and still have naked fun time with other people."

"He wasn't naked. He hates being naked. But he has physical therapy now, on the days I visit. He has to only wear shorts for that, so the therapist can see his muscles move and give him massages and stuff. He always tells me not to look at his hideous mangled body. So I draw Nive or something until the therapist or his sister helps him dress again. But his body's not hideous."

"It's not," Minseok agrees.

Minseok's seen a lot of bodies at the gym, and while Jisoo has barely been moving, much less working out lately, his model's body still shows signs that it once was well-toned. His right arm and leg, freshly out of their casts, are noticeably smaller than their counterparts after being completely immobile for so long, but physical therapy will presumably change that. And his bearing in the drawing is that of a powerful man, which makes the current state of his body seem like a temporary setback rather than the usual condition.

As a gym bunny, Minseok knows he's rather biased in this area—he thinks he looks his best when he's fit, but that's not the standard everyone judges by. And being hideous isn't the same as not meeting one individual's personal idea of attractiveness anyway. Jisoo has a lot of prominent scars, jagged or gnarled in the way of wounds closed with the sole thought of keeping someone alive, not keeping their skin pretty. But those could be smoothed with cosmetic surgery or dermal treatments, like the serum Minseok still applies to Jongdae every other day. And even if not, they aren't repulsive. They draw the eye, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"He still looks far from being fully healthy," Minseok says when Chen seems to be waiting for more of a response. "But he also looks far from being weak. And while he doesn't look like the typical flower boy anymore, he's also far from ugly."

Chen nods. "Exactly. So I thought. Maybe if he could see. Not with eyes that mourn the beauty that used to be there. But with eyes that recognize the beauty there is now."

Minseok's lips start to twitch toward a smile. "So you snuck peeks at him when he was getting therapy. And secretly drew him instead of his cat."

Chen's shoulders ease away from his ears, and he offers a full smile of his own. "I did draw his cat, too!"

"You did. He looks about to take over the world in this drawing. Did he like it when you showed him?"

The smile fades and Chen drops his chin. "I haven't showed him yet."

"Why not?"

"I wanted Hyaong to see it first. You're not as close with him. I knew you wouldn't see it with eyes that want to spare his feelings. "

Minseok shakes his head. "If anything, I kind of want to growl at him. He can be flattered that I immediately wondered if my boyfriend was sleeping with him. With that expression, that posture? He actually looks quite hot. The scars everywhere make it clear that he's been through some serious sh*t. With that stare? They make him look too fierce to die."

Chen smiles. "I'll feed him his own interview quote. From before. 'Confidence is the sexiest thing anyone can wear.'"

Minseok snorts. "I saw that interview. It was about finding clothes and makeup and even music that suit your own strong points and build you up, rather than mindlessly following brands or trends." He gestures at the sketch. "This version of Jisoo is very bold, but it doesn't really exist, does it? You took the face from some time when he had clothes on, right? And felt proud and triumphant about something. His favorite team won a match?"

Chen shakes his head, eyes sharp. "He did have clothes on. But it's about him. How he should feel about himself. The PT gives him homework. Stuff to practice. Holding things, using certain muscles more. This was the first time he could grip well enough to brush Nive by himself."

"That's a good moment to capture," Minseok agrees. "And I think this drawing is a good thing to show him. But don't present it as, 'this is how you really are.' He's gonna see right away that it has an element of fantasy, that it's a composite rather than a single frozen moment."

Minseok reaches to pull Chen close, trying to stave off his kitten's growing frown. "Fantasy is important, though. It can be healthy, to embody versions of ourselves as we wish. Right? You and I know this very well, don't we? You like our kitten play because you thrive on feeling precious and protected, on knowing you belong to somebody—somebody not willing to share you, by the way, without a lot of prior discussion first."

"I don't want to be shared," Chen says. "I like being only Hyaong's."

"Good. So it's healthy for us, if I get a little jealous over this drawing of a nude badass. If I use it as an excuse to paddle your ass again before your next visit, even though I think it's a really nice image you're trying to give your friend. My kitten needs to feel secure. To know your place in the world is right here with me, that I won't let you go without a fight, because I value you so f*cking much. All our games, all our fantasies reinforce that, so the feeling of it is reality all the time."

Minseok gestures at the drawing. "This isn't real, but it could be. The fantasy of Jisoo being confident and charismatic while nude is a good one to nurture. He's gonna look at it and see it as one of Nive's fanciful dreams. A lie. But as his friend, you can use your charming mouth to frame it as a potential future truth. And then you're going to help him figure out how he can feel it, feel the possibility of it, even when it's still a work in progress."

He bops Chen's nose with one finger. "Just keep your own clothes on. Draw him from life, fully nude, even aroused if that helps him see his own beauty, current or potential. But if he needs confidence f*cked into him, you call Baek and Sehun. I'm sure they'd be happy to make a Jisoo sandwich."

Chen gives him a very cat-like smirk. "Hyaong doesn't like sandwiches?"

"I prefer dumplings." He grabs hold of Chen's ass. "Stuffed full of meat."

He proceeds to demonstrate just how much he likes stuffing things full, making his kitten writhe and yowl with the cheeky fish slid into him along with Minseok's co*ck. With the vibrations zipping against both of them, Minseok barely has to move to bring them both off. He just grinds as deep as he can, biting off his own overwhelmed sounds so he can better hear his lover's. Forget karaoke. This is his most favorite way to make his kitten sing.

Chapter 7

Chapter Text

When Minseok picks Jongdae up from Jisoo's next time, he's greeted with a kitty punch.

"What was that for?" he laughs, capturing the offending fist.

"Because. Jisoo said exactly what you said he would."

Jisoo laughs with him this time.

"Dae-hyung looks at everyone he cares about with heart eyes," Jisoo says. "He does have a point about visualization, though."

"Not dumb, my Dae," Minseok agrees. "Also, very sweet."

"Which is good, because I need to ask for a favor." Jisoo looks up at Minseok through his lashes, a technique he's almost sure Jongdae coached him on. "I need a little more surgery, if I'm going to have a decent chance to walk comfortably. They have to release some scar tissue and stuff, it's not a big deal but." The lashes return again. "I'm sensitive to the anesthesia drugs, so I have to stay overnight. Maybe two nights. And noona will be glued to me, so—"

"You need someone to hang out with Nivey." Minseok smiles. "Jongdae would love to be a cat butler for a night or two, wouldn't you?"

Jongdae nods. "Kitty sleepover. We'll watch HD nature shows and groom each other's hair."

"See? No need to worry. Jongdae will be her butler, I'll be his and bring over kitty snacks."

Jisoo's eyes curve when he smiles. "I'll gratefully pay for the snacks."

"Deal."

So it comes to pass that, a week later, Minseok has the surreal experience of stepping out onto his balcony after work one evening, only to see his kitten on a balcony opposite. He's got Nive on a harness and very short leash, letting her peep at the birds without glass in the way. Jongdae has his ears and tail out, and when he sees Minseok across the way, he picks Nive up, lifting her paw to wave over at him.

Smiling, Minseok snaps a few pictures. He's getting better about that, lately. And, after Jongdae had teased him about it, not simply taking the same photo on different days, like his growing 'Chenny sprawled out drawing by the balcony door' collection.

Jisoo's surgery goes well, but the medication hits him hard, as predicted. Minseok has to spend three whole nights feeling too alone in his bed. It's deeply unsettling to wake up by himself, even if he knows Chen is fine and isn't even that far away from him. The day Jisoo's finally discharged, Minseok finishes his work early, anxious to get home and find his kitten where he belongs, in Minseok's apartment. But instead of opening the door to see his kitten sprawled out drawing, curled up sleeping, or swishing his tail in front of the TV, he finds him sitting on the kitchen table, bare-assed, right beside Minseok's favorite crystal whiskey tumbler.

As Minseok's mouth drops open, Chen reaches out a paw and sets it against the side of the tumbler. He nudges it, just a little, towards the edge of the table.

"Kim Chen, what do you think you're doing?"

Chen grins. He nudges the tumbler again, closer to destruction.

"Don't you dare," Minseok warns. His heart rate has skyrocketed. But Chen's never actually purposefully broken anything before. So, as mischievous as he looks, Minseok is sure he's not going to actually push the breakable glass off the table. This is a game. Like the loving boyfriend he is, he's very kindly giving Minseok an invitation. A way to firmly reconnect after being apart.

Minseok is going to be very firm, indeed.

Chen smiles, wide and wicked. "Or what?"

"Or, I'll sit on you and tickle you until you can't breathe."

"Hmm." Chen nudges the tumbler again. "I'll probably pee. Then. You'll have more mess to clean up."

Growling, Minseok strides to the table, barely pausing to kick off his shoes. Laughing, Chen tries to slide off and away, but his bare skin skids instead of slips. Minseok grabs him, pulling him close and setting his teeth against Chen's collared throat. Chen squirms and whines but Minseok bites, sucks hard, even though his kitten clearly hasn't had a bath in four days.

He could've showered at Jisoo's, just like he could have raided his friend's fridge. Jisoo had given him free run of the place. But Chen hadn't taken advantage. He'd used his thumbs to open cans of actual cat food and to scoop Nive's litter box, but he'd still demanded his master feed him. Minseok had delivered meals twice a day, had stolen kisses, but had always been shooed off if he tried for anything more.

He'll take what he wants now, though. After he cleans Chen up. Bathing his kitten is his job. His joy. Especially because the cheeky fish toy is, as its shape suggests, completely waterproof.

"Bath," Minseok growls. "Now."

Smile wicked, Chen frolics to the tub. He even pops his tail off himself, which Minseok discovers when he enters the room after sanitizing the table and fetching the fish. Chen's smile disappears when he sees what's in Minseok's hand.

"Turn around," Minseok commands. "Present."

Chen's face is blank. Not the dissociative blank he'd once worn, or the don't-piss-master-off wary impassivity. He's clearly fighting back a smirk. He swishes his hips as he shows Minseok his ass, the picture of kitty impertinence even as he follows master's orders.

Minseok breaks that sass with a cold washcloth, scrubbing down his kitten's crack. When that part of him is clean, he introduces a cool lubed finger, then the condom-clad fish. He clicks it into the lowest vibration mode, smiling when Chen whines.

Kitten thus tormented, Minseok runs them a nice hot bath. He makes Chen get into the tub first, slides his scrubby mits on, then joins him for their usual ritual. Well, usual except he ups the intensity of the vibrator after each step.

"Hold still, kitten," Minseok instructs, laugh coloring his words. "Hyung doesn't want to accidentally get soap in your eye."

Chen whines, but does a better job of keeping his top half still even as his ass dances against the bottom of the tub. The fuchsia tip of his erect co*ck protrudes from the water, and Minseok leans over to blow cool air down at it now and then, just to watch his kitten squirm.

His squirming increases as Minseok insists on drying his hair and ears thoroughly after the bath, then reattaching his tail. Finally he clicks the vibration up another notch before leading his constantly keening kitten into the bedroom.

"Paws high," he orders.

Chen lifts his hands to bracket his head.

Minseok pushes him back onto the mattress.

"Hyung is going to ride you," he informs him, just to see his eyes bulge. "Do your best to make it good, but don't come. You're being punished, for rubbing your filthy ass on the table where I eat."

He clicks the vibrator to the highest setting, smiling as Chen moans. He whimpers as Minseok briskly preps himself, then moans again when his leaking co*ck is engulfed.

It's a strange sensation after so long without. It takes Minseok a few moments to adjust to the unaccustomed stretch, but the vibrations transferred to him through his kitten's girthy co*ck help his body remember that this sort of thing can be quite fun. He shifts his hips, enjoying both the increased pressure against his prostate and Chen's choked little moan.

Minseok smiles down at his love. Chen's head is thrown back, eyes scrunched, paws clenched where they bracket his face.

"You will not make a mess in hyung's ass," Minseok informs him. "No messes at all, from you, or you'll get a paddling for breakfast tomorrow."

Chen's whine takes on a desperate note, but Minseok strokes his face and hair.

"Hold off as long as you can, kitten," he says. "If you finish right now, you'll get fifty swats. For every fifteen seconds you delay, hyung will take off one. If you can last twelve and a half minutes, hyung will take the fish out and let his kitten relax."

They both know Chen's going to fail. Minseok will make sure of it. It's a setup, of course it is, but that's what makes it fun. Minseok leans to grab a watch from the nightstand, waiting until the second hand reaches the twelve, for easy timekeeping.

"Starting… now."

Chen groans low as Minseok rolls his hips. His paws twitch as he fights the urge to move them from beside his head. Minseok snickers down at him, moving torturously slow for both of them. He wants to come, yes, wants to spurt all over the guy he hasn't seen naked for four days. But he doesn’t want to paddle his love fifty times.

He makes it relatively easy to hold off for the first few minutes, rolling and grinding his ass against Chen's hips, sucking bruises over his chest, murmuring praise and encouragement that he actually knows is pushing his kitten closer to the edge rather than helping him stave it off.

"Good kitten. You feel so good in me, love, I know you can give me more. That's it, squeeze that fishie hard, let hyung feel it through your tense body. So good. Good pet."

Once Chen is only at risk of forty swats or so, Minseok lets himself go harder, lets himself lean back so that buzzing co*ck can better rub where he's most sensitive. He's focused on his own pleasure, but still peripherally aware of Chen’s ragged whines, the rise and fall of his breath, the way he keeps clenching his belly, his ass, even though his instinctive efforts to brace himself only increase the intensity with which the fish can batter his prostate. He's suffering so beautifully, trying so hard, not really to save himself, but because hyung asked him to.

"Chenny," Minseok groans, bouncing harder. "Sweet Dae. Gorgeous kitten." He squeezes around the co*ck inside him, loving the hitch in Chen's next whine. "So good for hyung. Gonna come all over you."

He takes himself in hand. "Watch me, kitten. Watch hyung come on your co*ck."

Chen lifts his head, mouth open, panting as he whines. Minseok smirks, strokes himself, and clenches as he bounces. He bites his lip as the pleasure sizzles along his spine, but Chen convulses beneath him before he even shoots. His whine breaks over a sob as he presses up, co*ck kicking as he fills Minseok's ass.

Minseok glances at his watch, then growls as his own release shoots over Chen’s abdomen in hot, electric spurts.

"Kitten," he moans. "Chenny. Dae."

He slumps forward to kiss his love, smiling when Chen's lips aren't coordinated enough to properly kiss back. His whining has taken on a rather pained edge, so Minseok, merciful Dom that he is, slides forward to add Chen's own release to the mess on his stomach. Then he twists, reaching between his kitten's legs to turn off the vibration and slowly withdraw the cheeky fish.

"You did well, kitten," he says as he wipes them both up. "Not well enough to avoid your punishment, but you reduced it by more than half. Eighteen swats will still give me time to leave you with more than your kitty kibble rings."

He flops to the side, leaving the sullied rag on Chen’s belly. "Put that in the hamper," Minseok says, lifting his finger at his kitten's lip curl. "Then go get your sketchbooks."

Some people smoke after sex, but Minseok vastly prefers this, to lay in bed with his boyfriend warm against his side, flipping slowly through all the drawings he'd worked on while at Jisoo's. Lots of Nive, of course, including another completed kitty dream. This one shows her lying in front of the heat vent, imagining her own personal phoenix is gently flapping fiery wings to warm her up.

"Chenny. My Dae," Minseok murmurs, marveling at the way the phoenix flames lick along the paper. "What would you like to do with all these? Frame them?"

Chen shrugs. "Maybe… sell them?"

"Online?"

Chen shrugs again. "Or. In a gallery?"

Minseok turns his head, hiding his reactionary frown in his kitten's hair. "Not through Siwon. I guess I'm grateful, that he got you out of there eventually, but I don’t want him to profit off of you."

Chen nods, but Minseok can feel the way he's shifting. He lets go of the sketchbook on his knees to wrap both arms around his love.

"There are other galleries, though, kitten," he says. "I'm sure Suho knows a good one."

Suho does. He lifts his brows at the photographs Minseok shows him at the next poker game. And when he finds himself head to head against Minseok's larger stack, he tosses a business card face-down into the kitty.

"That friend runs a gallery that's known for championing new artists," he says to Minseok's lifted brow. "Of course, these new artists are always stunningly talented, making her buckets of money even though the gallery fees are 'beginner friendly.'" He sets his hand back over the card when Minseok reaches for it. "Ah, ah… only if you win it."

Smiling, Minseok goes all in.

Two months later, Minseok learns that planning for a gallery show is more than just handing Jongdae's sketchbooks over to the venue. Thankfully, since Fresh Perspectives specializes in showcasing new talent, they provide a checklist of steps to guide those that haven't done a show before.

It's intimidatingly long. Jongdae whines a little as Minseok scrolls through the pages of the file the gallery had sent. Minseok pulls him close, drawing his attention to the viewing program's sidebar with a flick of the mouse.

"Look: there's really only eight 'steps.' They've just broken each one down into a series of details that often get overlooked." He leans back and puffs his chest a little. "Guess who's really good at making sure nothing slips through cracks?"

"Hyaong."

"And who adores you and wants to help you succeed?"

"Hyaong."

"That's right. So let's not panic. We'll get through it, step by step. And we don't have to do it alone. They say if you don't have a strong cohesive vision already, they'll help choose what to include and how to display it."

The gallery owner, a tall, elegant woman called Victoria, is also the head of the installation team. Their initial pre-show consultation with her happens in Jisoo's flat, ostensibly because there's better natural light there in the morning, but also because it spares Minseok from having to reorganize their living room to not seem like a man-sized cat spends a lot of time there.

After the introductions are made and a few pleasantries are exchanged (and Victoria gets to pet a purring Nive), she flips through all the pieces Jongdae's deemed to be 'finished' but not too personal to share. They've put aside a selection they think a gallery would be most interested in, those that Jongdae is particularly proud of, in case she doesn't have the time or interest to go through everything.

"Well, obviously the series of kitty dreams," Victoria says. "And this pair of the cat at the window. They're an interesting contrast of your two main styles, and we can use them as a way to divide the show into subsections: color here, graphite there. If we intermix brighter works with more subdued ones, it can, depending on viewer taste, make the bright ones look gaudy or the subdued ones seem dull. Both styles will speak for themselves more easily if they're given room to breathe in their own spaces."

She selects a few more large-format pieces, but mainly focuses on the mid-sized ones, pulling a bunch to one side while explaining why she'd selected them over the others.

"It's not that they aren't good—a lot of the large format ones would showcase really well in a gallery setting," she says. "But as a debut artist, we want to weight the overall price point toward the more moderate end. Once this show has gotten glowing reviews from critics, we can do more of these larger pieces for your next one."

The other thing she talks a lot about is theming and flow. She sorts the 'not this time' images into a few 'might work well together another time' piles.

"Not to say we can't intermix them if you really want to include certain pieces now, we just have to arrange them carefully. It can be jarring for the viewer to go kitty, kitty, crocodile, so if the crocodile is important, we might go kitty, panther, crocodile, to ease the viewer into the subject change."

"I don't think it's important," Jongdae says.

"What do you think is important?"

"The ones you liked. Nive's sunsets. The dreams. And…" Jongdae chews a lip, glancing at Jisoo. "Some we were worried might not be… commercial."

"Like?"

Jongdae slides a pile over to her. They're mostly portraits of Minseok and Jisoo, ones none of the three of them are compelled to keep. Jongdae had simply thought the world may not be as interested in drawings of people they don't know.

"Hyung," Jisoo protests.

But Victoria is already flipping through them. She pauses at one of Minseok on the sofa, sipping from his favorite tumbler. Jongdae had been so amused at the way the refracted light through the cut crystal had thrown long lines against his face, radiating out from the shadow of the glass. He'd added cat ear silhouettes to the shadow Minseok's face is casting, further increasing the illusory comparison.

She smiles down at it. "Cute. And it fits the cat theme while showcasing that you're skilled with human subjects as well. Especially good to include if you're open to portrait commissions."

She sets it aside, flips through a few more, then stops.

"Hyung," Jisoo says again, face pinching.

"This is you?" Victoria looks up at him, then down at the drawing. It's a suit-clothed, high-contrast version of the first portrait Jongdae had ever done of Jisoo, recalling his facial scars at their most prominent, dark patch over his missing eye. His hands are scarred, too, beneath their ornate rings, and the way he's resting one on the cat in his lap makes him look rather like a Bond villain.

"It's old," he says. "I don't look like that anymore."

"That doesn't mean it isn't a compelling image. In fact, given the usual clientele at these shows, it would probably be very well received. It also has a kitty connection, so unless you have personal objections, I'd strongly recommend including it."

Jisoo sighs. "No, it's fine. It won't be the first time I've been displayed in a way that made me cringe a little. I can deal."

Victoria squints at him. "I know you, don't I? Seen you in art before?"

"Not art. I was a model, before my accident."

Her eyes widen. "You're that Park Jisoo?"

He nods, blush making his otherwise much-faded facial scars stand out more strongly.

"Then I all but insist we include it, assuming you'd like to resume that career in some form. A face doesn't have to be perfect to be interesting, and getting yours out there again might re-open a few doors." She rifles through the portraits, pulling out another of Jisoo nose to nose with Nive, the patch over his eye echoed in the black spot ringing the calico's. She also pulls another drawing of Jisoo smiling down at the sleeping cat cradled in his scarred arms, and another of Nive's fluffy paw held in Jisoo's bandaged hand.

"Art is about connection," she explains. "It's meant to convey an idea or a feeling. Generally for an introductory show you want to convey positive feelings, but having some more serious, evocative things shows depth. Everyone's situation is unique, but pain is universal. Someone is going to see these and the sentiment will echo. We all go through sh*t that hardens us, but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate softness anymore."

She smiles at the next portrait. "Speaking of soft!" It's Nini with Tibbles on his back in his lap, laughing as the playful kitten bats at the tiny slicker brush the groomer is attempting to brush his tummy with. It gets selected, along with one of Kyungsoo sitting in the lobby of the grooming parlor waiting for his boyfriend to be done for the day. His deadpan expression is echoed by the Himalayan cat visible through the window to the kitty room, perched in the cat tree so it looks as if she's glaring over Kyungsoo's shoulder.

Victoria reaches the last page in the stack and smiles again. "Oh, good. I was hoping you had at least one self-portrait, or I'd have suggested you do one. It's a nice touch to display with the 'about the artist' panel."

In fact, the portrait is the result of Minseok reading that suggestion already. Jongdae has drawn himself once before, as a new year's gift for Minseok. Minseok had immediately had the large-format watercolor pencil drawing custom framed with archival-quality materials, then hung it prominently in the bedroom, much to Jongdae's flustered delight.

But it's more accurate to say it's a portrait of Chen, sprawled on his stomach to draw, as he often appears in the photos Minseok frequently snaps of him. His devious kitten had swiped Minseok's phone while he slept over several non-consecutive nights to go through his camera roll and put together this image of his feline self. In the drawing, his kitty appendages have come to life, fluffy tail curved happily over his back, ears focused intently on his work. He's smiling adorably, gorgeous face displayed at a 3/4 angle, as if ready to be tipped upward for a kiss. The whole thing is done in shades of warm gold, except for the complimentary green of that damn collar and its response-provoking bell.

Minseok adores that portrait, partly because it's breathtaking, partly because it depicts the man he loves, but mostly because Jongdae had considered himself beautiful enough to be art-worthy, at least in Minseok's eyes. He'd decided an image of his own self was a gift his lover would be thrilled to receive. And it was. But even though the gallery had said artists often reserve some of the works, often including the self-portrait, as not for sale, Minseok hadn't wanted to share. Chen is his, not for the rest of the world. Even if the world would consider it a fanciful depiction instead of revealing their favorite kink, it's still an image Minseok is greedy enough to keep for himself.

So he'd suggested Jongdae do a new one, offering his camera roll again. But Jongdae had wanted to draw the most public version of himself. He'd pulled Jisoo's stand mirror out of the closet he'd shoved it into, then angled it so he could see himself sitting cross-legged on the floor. He'd drawn the frame around the mirror, too, and Nive, up on her hind legs, front paws against the glass, head tilted at her own reflected face. Jongdae had said she kept jumping up like that as he worked, trying to figure out what was so interesting to keep her friend staring into the glass. As a result, it suits the kitty theme as well, much to Victoria's satisfaction.

She's also full of smiles when Jongdae shyly mentions his idea to sell some of his smaller pieces—portraits he'd done of Nini's feline clients during Nive's monthly visits—as a charity project.

"I talked to the owners," Jongdae explains, "and a lot of them are wealthy. Their cats are purebred show cats, but that doesn't mean they don't have a heart for all kitties. So I suggested they match the donation of whatever these sell for, in their cat's name, each to a different shelter. They liked the idea of their cats helping other kitties."

"And the public likes a good cause, especially if cute things are involved. A charity corner is a good idea. We can price these higher than your other comparable works, with the explanation that the profits in this section will all be donated. The gallery will forgo our commission on these specific works as well."

She enters the works that they'd selected into the official showing list, smiling at some of the titles. Minseok had 'helped' Jongdae name some of his works by spouting silly wordplay, and some of them had stuck: the drawing of him with the crystal glass is called 'Whisk(ey/ers)' and the one of Jisoo with Nive sleeping in his arms is 'Cat's Cradle.' The one of Jongdae drawing himself in the mirror is, of course, 'Self Purrtrait.'

"Now, as for pricing," Victoria starts, and then lists off a series of numbers that start in the eye-widening range and only increase with the size and complexity of the images.

"You really think people will pay that much?" Minseok asks. "Or is this the list price that will be bargained down?"

Victoria pulls her head back, dangling gold earrings swinging with the movement. "This is fine art, we do not bargain," she says. "If anything, the prices will increase. I run an upscale gallery. For my clientele, being rich is about showing off, the satisfaction of having something rare or unique, feeling superior. Jongdae's art is new, which makes it exclusive, so everyone who wants to be thought on trend just has to own a piece."

She gestures at the graphite and watercolor pencil stacks. "Jongdae's art also goes well with both traditional and modern design aesthetics, and the subject matter is widely appealing. Nobody has to justify to their teasing friends why they bought a really cool drawing of a cat, no matter the price, unlike those that splash out on more avante-garde pieces."

"So the 'maybe next show' pile isn't just you letting him down easy?" Jisoo asks. "Another show is something that'll really happen?"

"I'm not a fortune-teller," Victoria laughs. "I can't guarantee anything. But yes—as much as I like to give back to the community, support new talent, give unknown artists a spotlight, I am a businesswoman. The 'underdogs' I tend to graciously promote are those those my experience-honed intuition suggests are going to earn me—and themselves—a nice big profit."

"Shrewd of you," Minseok agrees.

"Quite. And in this case, I'll also get to be in press photographs with a bunch of really cute cats, at the top of flattering articles that my mother can show all her friends. The shelters will get funding and publicity, my patrons get the inflated ego of doing a nice thing, and I get to stick my tongue out at my brothers at Chuseok. Everybody wins."

They talk about frame sizes and colors and wall paint and positioning, all things Jisoo in particular has ideas about but which Minseok is quite happy to let the rest of them handle. Jongdae is beaming by the end of it all, which is good enough for Minseok.

Jongdae isn't smiling much during the installation the day before the show. He's not even doing much himself, as Victoria's team of efficient professionals are the ones moving things around at her direction. Jongdae's attendance was optional, but he'd wanted to see the space in his usual 'travel' getup—ears, collar, and tail on but hidden—before he had to add the stress of not having the familiar reassurances to the stress of being in a new place full of strangers.

Minseok walks his kitten around by the hand, murmuring soft things to him. He can tell he's in Chen mode by the way he doesn't say anything in return, but he does manage a pretty smile and a 'thank you for letting me observe' for Victoria before they leave.

They don't get very far. Their path out of the gallery is blocked by a furious-looking woman. She's not tall, even in her heels, but the glare in her eyes could belong to a lion. Jongdae squeezes Minseok's hand, sharp and hard as he steps back.

"S-Seulie," he starts, but the woman is upon him,

She slaps at his chest. Ordinarily, Minseok would shut down any attempt to harm his precious kitten, but considering Jongdae knows her name, Minseok suspects she rather has a right.

"Don't 'Seulie' me, Kim Jongdae!" she snarls. "You let me think you were dead, you little sh*t! How could you do that?" She hits him again. "How could you let me cry over you, when you were perfectly fine and apparently—" her fiery glare sweeps over Minseok, still holding Jongdae's hand. "—making time with some hot, rich piece of ass instead of helping out the friend that took your ass in when you had nothing."

"I'm sorry." Jongdae's voice breaks over the word. His chin hits his chest, shaking tears free to fall from his lashes. He's crushing Minseok's fingers.

"You're okay," Minseok reminds him.

The woman purses her lips. "He's a mess, you mean." She sighs and wraps her arms around Jongdae, who's got his head hanging so low he's crying directly against her shoulder. "How can I yell at you when you're already like this?" He lets out a stifled sob and she tsks, pushing him back enough to wipe his tears away. "Don't cry, you dope, you'll get all puffy and we can't have that before your fancy shindig."

Jongdae nods, straightening up and wiping his eyes on his shirt cuff. Minseok hides a smile. His boy is too used to paws.

"So, are you gonna tell me what happened to you?" The woman eyes Minseok with a mix of attraction and suspicion. "Or at least introduce me to your emotional-support hottie?"

This draws a hint of a smile to Jongdae's lips. "Jo Haseul, this is my boyfriend, Kim Minseok. He is not the reason I dipped for so long, and he even tried to tell me to talk to you sooner, so don't give him a hard time."

"Fine." She turns her glare back to Jongdae. "Then what is the reason?"

Jongdae sighs. "If you don't want me to cry, then don't ask me now."

Haseul rolls her eyes. "Then come on, mister artist, I want a private tour." She takes Jongdae's other hand and marches them back into the gallery. "You can at least show me why I got a random invitation to this event as well as a promise of a significant donation, right? You're doing the portrait thing again?"

Jongdae nods, leading them towards the charity corner. "Hyaong's friend grooms show pets. I asked some of the kitty owners if they'd match donations, if I used their kitties as models. And a lot of them said yes."

But Haseul's eyes aren't on the small feline portraits surrounding the charity information plaque. They're locked on the just-hung large-format portrait of Jisoo.

"Is that your groomer friend?" she asks.

"No. I mean yes, Jisoo is my friend, but he's my neighbor, not the groomer. He's, um, the one matching the donation to your Little Lion Cubs. His cat's name is Nive."

"That drawing is amazing." Haseul drops Jongdae's hand and steps towards it. "The way you did the shadows!" She tilts her head. "Are his eyes really like that?"

"He has a prosthesis now. But he's still getting used to it. Sometimes he just wears the patch."

"He looks ready to crush the world and feed it to his fluffy queen."

"That is what I was going for, yeah."

"Mission: success."

"Thanks."

Haseul turns back to the charity corner. "So it's his cat, here?"

"Yeah. Uh, she's actually in a lot of my pictures. Since they live in the next building."

She blinks at him, then waves her hands at Minseok. "You drew your neighbor's cat, instead of this?"

Jongdae's ears go pink. "I draw Hyaong a lot!"

Haseul cackles, pointing at Jongdae's face. "Naked!" she crows. "You draw him naked! So you can't show polite people, you little perv."

"I don't always! There's a drawing of him in the show! With clothes on!"

Minseok can't help the smug smile he's sure he's wearing. Jongdae does draw him nude, but while they're not explicit, they are quite intimate, usually of Minseok drowsing in bed after his kitten has taken his load but not been allowed to climax in turn. He'd been so annoyed by this punishment the first time Minseok had implemented it, he'd drawn him naked as revenge, since he had to do something with the hands he wasn't allowed to finish himself off with. Minseok has quite the collection of 'spite nudes' now.

"I just like to keep most of them," Jongdae says. Then he gestures at Minseok himself. "And of course I'm a perv. I'm a man, and he's tasty."

"Can't argue that," Haseul laughs. Then her face sobers. "I still want to know how you met. And where you've been. And why you ghosted me when you weren't a ghost."

Jongdae sighs. "Fine. We'll get together after this, and I'll tell you."

"How are we supposed to do that when your phone is disconnected, hmm?"

"I have a new phone," Jongdae says. "New number, too. It's…" He frowns, turning to Minseok.

Minseok smiles at him, rattling off his number.

"Sounds fake, but okay." Haseul enters it into her phone.

"It's not fake!"

"People usually prove that by immediately replying to the text someone sends their new number."

Jongdae jumps, slipping a hand into his kangaroo pocket. He pulls out his phone, then just stares at the simplified home screen.

"Double-tap the button below the volume keys," Minseok coaches.

Jongdae does, then quickly pulls up the text messages. He replies to Haseul a little slowly, but soon enough her phone vibrates in answer.

The resulting smile is bright and very pretty. "Got you now," she says. "You really have to come visit soon! Chen misses you."

Jongdae's eyes go wide, then pinch at the edges. "He's still there? He's so good. I thought he'd be adopted right away."

Haseul shoves him a little. "Of course he's still there. You loved him so much, how could I give him away? He's all I had to remember you by, so now he's the permanent PR ambassador. He hangs out in the front lobby to welcome visitors."

"Then we definitely have to visit soon," Minseok says. "I want to be welcomed by the famous Chen."

"Famous?"

Minseok nods, smiling at Jongdae's pink ears. "Dae's mentioned him before. He's a black cat, right? With white paws?"

Haseul nods. "A proper tuxedo cat, very dapper. Since he's a working man now, he wears a little bow tie."

"Cute," Minseok says as Dae's face goes soft. "We'll come by soon. Next weekend, maybe?"

Jongdae nods. "I'll bring my sketchbooks."

"You'd better. I want a portrait with a cat, looking like a hot piece of badass."

This brings a wide smile to Jongdae's face. "You'll look like a goddess," he promises. "You and Chen."

"I'm holding you to that." Haseul stretches upwards, and Jongdae lowers his cheek to be kissed in a movement so natural it must be an old habit. "See you next weekend, oppa."

She strides off, a lioness after a successful hunt. Minseok smiles to see Jongdae gazing fondly after her.

"She seems nice," Minseok offers, holding out his hand.

Jongdae takes it, letting himself be led toward the doors once again. "She is nice. But she's going to yell at me a lot, when I tell her."

"Not because she'll think you're dumb," Minseok says. "Even if she says that, what she means is, "I was sad and worried for you, and I feel bad these things happened to someone I care about."

Jongdae sighs. "I know. Still feels bad."

"I bet you'll feel better when it's out. You can pet your kitty friend the whole time."

Jongdae nods. "I can't worry about it now, anyway. I have to freak out about tomorrow instead."

"Or," Minseok suggests as he buckles Jongdae into his car, "you can let hyung erase your thoughts for a while. You're okay. You don't have to worry about it. We did everything. It's gonna be fine."

Jongdae's silence on the way home is a clear sign he doesn't fully agree.

Luckily, Minseok knows well how to soothe them both. A documentary on the TV, Chen's nubbly silicone brush in his hand, his kitten across his lap. Long, firm strokes of the brush over Chen’s velour-covered body,

"I love you," Minseok murmurs to him. "My kitten. You're okay, my love. Hyung's so proud of you. It's all gonna be fine."

Minseok keeps stroking until his boyfriend's body goes from tense to relaxed, from relaxed to limp. Sometimes, the best way to turn his kitten to mush is make him org*sm until he can't move. Sometimes, though, a different approach works better. Either way, the key is touch. They need to be connected, physically entangled, both of them, in order to be most reassured.

As long as they're together, it's easier to believe the world won't fall apart.

"You're okay." Minseok says as he strokes his kitten's hair the next evening. "You'll be fine."

"I know," Jongdae says, but he still doesn't move.

Part of Minseok wants to take him straight back home, but that wouldn't be fair to his Dae. He's worked so hard, overcome so much already. He deserves the triumph of this, too.

"Dae," Minseok murmurs, and then, because he seems to need it, "Chen. My Chenny-cat. I love you. I'm so f*cking proud of you. Tell me what you're wearing. What hyung put on his kitten."

"My. My tag." Jongdae reaches for the necktie knotted at his throat. He's wearing a well-fitted suit from an artsy designer, a classy enough brand to be recognized and respected but with enough flair to mark him as an artist. The artist, in this case.

He looks amazing in it. But they both knew it would be hard for him, despite their careful practice. He hasn't taken his collar off except for hygiene or medical purposes ever since Minseok first buckled it around his neck five months ago. He's certainly never had it off for this long.

He still has it, tucked into his inner jacket pocket. But it would show above the suit. More importantly, it would cover up the faint scar around his neck. Jisoo is being brave enough to show his scars to the world, Jongdae feels he can't do any less himself. So Jongdae has his name tag, Chen's name tag, securely clipped to the inside of his shirt collar, behind the knot of his tie.

"That's right. You can feel your tag. What else can you feel?" Minseok prompts.

"My harness." Jongdae inhales, a slow, deep breath.

The straps are directly against his skin this time, looser around the groin but tightened around his torso enough that Chen definitely feels it every time he breathes. Especially if it's the nice big breaths he's supposed to be taking.

"That's right. Hyung strapped you into it securely. You're caught. Won't get away. Hyung will be right with you the whole time. What else can you feel?"

Jongdae's fingers twitch against his knee. "My paws."

He's gotten used to going without his hand socks, without his kneepads, hanging out at Jisoo's or going to shops. But he always wears socks with a paw print on the ball of the foot. Now that it's warmer he no longer wears a thicker set of socks over them at Jisoo's, but while their dear friend surely suspects they have an unorthodox relationship, he doesn't seem to know that Jongdae's daily cute paw-print socks are more than a whimsical fondness. Today, he's actually wearing a set with protruding jelly-like paw pads and toe beans, thick enough that he can feel them when he walks. They look like plain black socks to everyone else, but tonight of all nights, Jongdae needs to feel reassuringly Chen-ish, even if he can't wear ears, collar, or tail.

Minseok has done all he can. The bruises sucked over chest and thighs, the covert accessories, the necktie striped in shades of gold like Chen's fluffy tail. The collar in his inside jacket pocket, the fuzzy gray mousie in his pants pocket, where a nervous hand is likely to encounter it.

And Minseok, at his side, reminding him he's fine.

"Come on, kitten," Minseok says, unbuckling Jongdae's seatbelt. He exits the car, coming around to open Jongdae's door and assist him up and out of the low-slung vehicle.

There are a few press photographers snapping away. Minseok tucks his arm in Jongdae's and waves, a willing trophy date. He keeps his charity-gala smile firmly in place, subtly urging Jongdae into the building while looking like he's the one being led.

Even though they'd been there for the installation, Minseok finds himself in awe of the final result. They walk in to face the pair of 'A Queen at Sunset' paintings, set back to back. The graphite version is 'watching' a grouping of small pencil drawings of birds, hung at varying heights, leading a viewer around the corner to the rest of the monochrome works (including the large portrait of Jisoo with Nive on his lap, already clearly visible). The colorful queen is 'looking' out at a series of dreamy landscapes, each containing an exploring cat. These draw a viewer around the opposite corner, to the rest of the watercolor pencil works.

Minseok leads Jongdae around the various partitions to the center of the room, where he can see and be seen by all who've come to admire his creations. The gallery is already quite full of people, air buzzing with a dozen conversations. Minseok sees faces they know—Baekhyun and Sehun, offering a subtle wave from the row of mixed graphite and watercolor pencil 'draintings' as Baek decided to call them. Jongdae had completed eight different works in his "dreaming of grandeur" series, all of which have red 'sold' dots on their frames already.

On the graphite side of the gallery there's Nini, looking elegant as usual with the lovely addition of a perfectly-groomed Persian lounging in his arms like a spoiled starlet. Like Jongdae, she's wearing a rhinestone-studded harness, though hers is obscured by fluff instead of fancy clothes. The experienced show cat looks entirely unconcerned by the bustle around her.

Jisoo is standing (yes, standing!) next to Nini, a brass-handled cane in each hand. He's leaning heavily on them both, which doesn't affect the stylish lines of his designer suit too much. He looks charismatic and commanding, standing there with his personal pet attendant for the night, but Minseok is glad to see a sleek wheelchair tucked in the corner behind him. Being on one's feet in dress shoes for four hours can be tiring for anyone. His sister is conspicuously 'not hovering' nearby, pretending to be fascinated by various drawings but clearly keeping a close eye on her brother.

Haseul is there, too, ostensibly cooing over Nive, but she's not using it as an excuse to flirt with the guy holding the cat. Minseok can see the way her eyes keep flicking to Jisoo. She's addressing all her comments and questions to him, not Nini. Perhaps she doesn't just want a similar power portrait, she wants the man in it. Cute.

Nini's boyfriends are, no surprise, at the refreshment table at the rear of the space, a tasty divider between the different art styles. Chanyeol is loading a plate with cubes of what looks like various imported cheeses, and Kyungsoo is nibbling at an hors d'oeuvre in a contemplative way, no doubt trying to determine the ingredients.

The man Minseok usually calls Suho is holding court in the colorful side of the gallery as Kim Junmyeon, prominent home-grown businessman and supporter of the arts. His boyfriend is beside him, looking snazzy in a suit, in full handsome-charming-doctor mode, making every straight woman in the room wish he weren't gay.

"It's good to see your work available to the public again," a voice says from behind them.

It's Siwon, who offers them a bow as they turn around. Reflexively, they both return it, but all of Minseok’s attention is on his kitten. Jongdae doesn't seem too stressed to see him, though. He offers a polite smile.

"Thanks for coming."

"Wouldn't miss it," Siwon says. "Got here early, because I knew everything would sell quick. And I'm glad I did—snagged myself some stunning new art for my office."

Minseok is already sure which piece he'd chosen. Sure enough, he gestures toward the large-format portrait of Jisoo and Nive, just the sort of imperious indomitability an assemblyman would want to intimidate political rivals with. It's the most expensive piece in the show by far, and while Minseok had originally questioned why Victoria would think that particular piece could command such a high price, it all clicks into place now. Of course people will pay a premium to project power.

Jongdae blinks. "Oh. I see." He bows again. "Thank you for your support."

Siwon waves it away. "It's long overdue. You should've had a better agent in your corner from the start. Or at least one that intervened sooner, once he realized things had taken an ugly turn."

He offers Jongdae a low bow. "Glad you have such an agent now. It's good to see a man back on his feet."

Minseok holds back a huff. He probably means that literally. It'd probably blow his alpha-male mind, that crawling for Minseok makes Jongdae feel free. Then again, he had suggested the playroom to Jongdae in the first place, so who knows what the man gets up to on his own time.

Jongdae squeezes Minseok's hand as Siwon strolls off into the crowd. "You're okay," he murmurs.

Minseok's poker face cracks in the direction of a smile. "Did you think I was gonna punch him or something?"

"No. You wouldn’t cause a scene at my showing. But I know you don't like to see him around me."

A movement by a pillar catches Minseok's eye. Another figure is approaching them through the crowd, having evidently been waiting for his father to leave.

"Speaking of people I don't want near you," Minseok mutters. "How sure are you that I won't cause a scene?"

"Completely." Jongdae squeezes Minseok's hand again. "You wouldn’t endanger me. And you promised not to let go of me all night."

"I, however, made no such promise." Sehun appears on Jongdae's other side, a tall, broad, stony presence.

Baekhyun’s voice comes from Minseok's left. "You won't start anything," he says, leaning around him to address Sehun. "But as soon as anyone else does, feel free to finish it."

"Ooh, are we fighting?" Kyungsoo saunters over, still chewing. He cracks his knuckles as he swallows. "I love fighting."

"I don't." Chanyeol's even more intimidating frame fills Minseok's peripheral vision. "I'm great at looming, though."

Seeing his target suddenly flanked by scowling and/or beefy men does slow Geunwon's approach, but it doesn't stop him. He pulls up well out of arm's reach, though, and then… gives Jongdae a bow. Awkward and brief, but still.

"Jongdae. Good to see you. Er. Could we talk?" His face twists a little, but he spits another word out like sour wine. "Please?"

The grip on Minseok's hand tightens a little, but Jongdae doesn't otherwise react. "We're talking now," he says.

"Privately?"

"No." The word is amplified by the fact it comes from four mouths besides Jongdae's own. Probably would've been five, but Chanyeol is still poking cheese into his.

Geunwon looks pained. "Fine," he says. "This lot already knows what happened, anyway." He puffs his chest. "The club kicked me out after you turned on me like that. They won't let me in for free-play weekends or mixers or anything. It's not fair, but they said they'd only reconsider if you spoke for me, so I brought you their number." He holds out a gold-embossed business card.

Jongdae only looks at it. "Why would I do that?"

Geunwon blinks, extended arm faltering. "Uh, because you were the one that broke our contract? You owe me six months of scenes. Plus, as unhappy as you look to see me, you must want me to find someone else."

"Not particularly," Jongdae says. "I don't owe you sh*t."

Geunwon's face darkens. "Fine. How much do you want?"

Jongdae tilts his head. "How much?"

"Yeah. What amount of cash will it take for you to stop sulking and do the right thing?"

"I don't want your money," Jongdae dismisses.

"Everyone wants money."

"I have enough."

Geunwon's scowl deepens. "Then what do you want?"

Never to see you again, Minseok's mind supplies, but Jongdae looks thoughtful for a second.

"The club offers classes for Doms," he says. "Those posters in the locker room. You take all of them, I'll consider talking to them for you."

Geunwon's eyes bulge. "This is a joke."

"Your impact-play skills are the joke," Baekhyun says. "I saw the damage you did to Dae. You should be ashamed to even touch a whip, much less use one on living flesh."

"Why would I be ashamed?" Geunwon sneers. "Damage is the f*cking point."

"Not unless your sub explicitly agrees," Minseok says, unable to hold his tongue anymore. "If it were up to me, you'd be in jail for what you did to him. When I say you could have killed him, I'm not exaggerating. Your daddy's money will buy off any assault charges, I'm sure, but will it be enough to get you off for murdering your next pet?"

Baekhyun wraps a hand around Minseok's flexed forearm, probably because he's failing to keep his voice discreetly low. Then he flicks the other at Sehun. The guy's usually slouchy, affable posture has transformed, and he steps towards Geunwon, all muscle and menace.

"Take the f*cking classes," he growls, "and thank your ex for the opportunity, instead of the flat refusal the rest of us would've given you."

Geunwon doesn't back away, but as a result his head is craned back, like a small child being scolded. Or maybe not—Minseok suspects this kid hasn't been scolded nearly enough. He glares up at Sehun for a handful of seconds, then turns toward Jongdae.

"You're a resentful little prick," he says. "But fine. I'll take the damn classes. Then you'll have no excuse to act like such a diva."

"That didn't sound like a thank you," Chanyeol comments around his mouthful of cheese.

Sehun steps closer, lifting a brow. Geunwon scowls so hard, his plastic surgeon would be in tears. But he manages to sketch a mocking bow.

"Thank you," he says, voice all syrup. Then it hardens. "f*cking prick."

Then he zips back into the crowd like the coward he is.

"His daddy isn't that scary," Kyungsoo says, stealing some of Chanyeol's mountain of cheese. "You didn't have to be so nice to him."

"I wasn't nice to him," Jongdae says. "I didn't promise him anything. I don't want him anywhere near me, much less in a place I go to relax and have fun. But if he takes the classes, whoever he finds online or wherever might not end up in the hospital or the ground. And." Jongdae's smile has a lethal edge. "He's gonna f*cking hate it. Being told what to do. Getting corrected. Told he's wrong. Having a whole room of people who are supposed to be just like him, there to learn how to inflict pain, turn and look at him like he's a shocking flavor of scum, when he argues that he shouldn't actually have to take care of his sub in any way."

Kyungsoo snorts. "I take it back. You're not nice. You're low-key terrifying. Just calmly ship a man off to his personal hell, and even if he actually endures it, he's still left out in the cold."

"Cold, lonely hell is what that sh*tstain deserves," Minseok says. "Somebody bring me a glass of wine. Or whiskey. I need a f*cking drink after that, before I snap my own bones from being so tense."

Baekhyun flicks his eyes to Sehun, who nods and disappears. He returns with a glass of red wine, which Minseok gratefully accepts. He makes himself sip it slowly, though. Much as he'd love to get sloshed, he has to drive his kitten safely home. This one glass has to last him the night.

"What's this I'm hearing about my rising star being harassed?" Victoria strolls over, glass of wine cradled elegantly in her own hand.

"I'm fine, noonim." Jongdae smiles angelicly. "It's just always awkward, running into an ex somewhere you didn't expect."

She arches a brow. "Don't I know it." She looks Minseok up and down. "Having never met the rest, I can still say you upgraded."

Jongdae turns that deadly smile at him. "I definitely did."

She smiles fondly at them, then leans in, all humor erased. "But seriously, darling—anyone's so much as wearing cologne you don't like, just lift your arm and snap your fingers. Security will be happy to escort them off the premises, or into a police car if they object. We take artist welfare very seriously, and not just because it’s harder for us to make money if the talent is damaged."

"Thank you, noonim."

The gallery owner gives Jongdae's smile a narrow look, but she allows herself to be drawn away by an enthusiastic patron.

Evidently reassured by their hostess's concern-turned-nonchalance, other patrons make their way over. Minseok moves his hand to the small of Jongdae's back, allowing him to politely support his handshakes and accept offered business cards with both hands.

Most of them just want to gush over his art. Some want to know more about specific pieces they're considering purchasing. But a lot of the guests are student-looking types, in open awe of Jongdae and his ability.

They ask a lot of questions, and Jongdae is endearingly patient with them, seemingly happy to answer similar questions for each new pair or trio to approach him. What type of paper he uses. Which brands of pencils does he like. Does he really use all the different graphite hardness options, or does he stick with a few workhorses. Where he finds his inspiration, and does he prefer to work from life or photographs.

Minseok knows the answers to most of these. He's the one that buys his supplies, so he's learned well which varieties his kitten requires. And Minseok himself had once asked him why he doesn't just take pictures of Nive or pause the nature videos, to make it easier to capture a nice pose.

Jongdae had explained that everyone's process is different, and many people prefer a nice static photo to a moving target. But for him, working from photographs makes it harder to deviate from the exact pose the camera had caught. If he wants to alter it, make it more dramatic by increasing the depth of a crouch, the angle of an ear, the curve of a tail, the spread of a wing, he gets a more natural result if he can build a picture in his mind of how the subject moves, what their range of motion is, the mass and relative dimensions of each part of the body in relation to the whole, and how the apparent shape changes in motion. He could probably use photos for Nive, because he knows her so well, but it's still easier for him to simply move his head to see her ear from a different angle or whatever it is he needs.

It's not a short explanation, but Jongdae seems happy to go through it all every ten minutes or so. Minseok's kitten is usually pretty verbal these days, but he doesn't talk this much. Baekhyun sends Sehun to fetch glasses of water periodically, in an effort to soothe Jongdae's overworked throat.

A few students ask unique questions about techniques, especially regarding the watercolor pencils. Most of these resulting explanations feel like language salad to Minseok. Sure, he's heard most of the individual words before, but the order and context they're offered in don't make much sense to him.

He has to swallow back a laugh though, when a middle schooler, his mother hovering in the background, gapes hard enough that his eyes look in danger of falling out of his head. Jongdae had told him he could achieve ultra-fine, vivid lines by wetting a narrow brush and running it over the tip of the pencil before applying brush to page, as if it were a traditional cake of watercolor paint. Minseok certainly never would have thought of that on his own, so the kid's surprise is warranted, if comical. But Minseok also would never have thought to ask about the fine, vivid lines in the first place. Better for everyone if he sticks to numbers.

Enough numbers are certainly flying around to keep him busy. Work after work is sold, several for mind-boggling amounts. Minseok had thought the starting prices were already lofty, but there are a few instances where two or more patrons ask after the same piece together, then have a small but heated bidding war over who gets to take it home. No wonder Siwon had made a point to arrive early.

Victoria checks in with them once an hour or so, using her own intimidating presence as a ward to allow Jongdae space to swallow some crackers, cheese, and sparkling white grape juice. It's funny to equate her to the playroom monitors, but apparently adrenaline expenditure requires the same mitigation, regardless of cause. Can't have anyone fainting, after all.

Jisoo and Nive seem almost as popular as the artist himself. Victoria checks in with him, too, but it's Haseul who's bringing him drinks (and then holding them for him so he can use two hands on his canes). Minseok sees him (and occasionally Nini) exchange business cards with people. It's nice to think Victoria was right, that being a model for Jongdae could nudge him back towards the printwork he'd previously enjoyed, in one form or another.

There's no other word for the show but resounding success. Even though all the works have sold, they'll remain at the gallery for a while to be exhibited to critics and students or whoever else might want a look. Baekhyun is smug about snagging the 'Whisk (ey/ers)' drawing, Nini had bought the one of Soo and his grumpy feline counterpart, and Tibbles' owner snapped up the one of the kitten playing with the grooming brush. All the charity drawings had done their benevolent work, selling out and inspiring several direct donations as well.

They're all exhausted by the end of the show except Victoria, who's striding about in high heels as breezily as she had from the start. Jisoo, who had been coaxed into the wheelchair for only half an hour before he'd insisted on standing again, drops into it with a long sigh as soon as the last patrons are escorted out. Haseul, who's taken over kitty-holding duty, smiles as she sets Nive on her exhausted owner's lap.

"Six offers," he reports when his sister has pushed him over to them. "Dae-hyung. From fashion, liquor, even a car company, and one guy asked me if I'd ever considered acting. I told him I'd once trained to be a singer and he said his company could handle that, too. Hyung." Jisoo blinks rapidly.

Jongdae's laugh is fond. "Don't forget us when you're famous."

"He's already famous," Kyungsoo says. "You should ask to be specifically named in his Daesang acceptance speech."

Jisoo snorts. Nive meows up at him. He smiles down at her. "I'll name you, too, miss floof. Yes, I know you're hungry. I'm hungry, too. If we join forces and give noona the eyes, maybe she'll buy us chicken."

As if on cue, Nini and Chanyeol both turn puppy faces on Kyungsoo.

He rolls his eyes. "We have a fridge full of gourmet ingredients and three Michelin-starred restaurants that will deliver to our place, but you heathens want chicken every time."

"Chicken is delicious, though."

Kyungsoo sighs. "You're not wrong."

The trio make their goodbyes, followed closely by Jisoo and his sister. Haseul gives Jongdae a hug and a threat if he breaks their date next weekend, then she's gone, too. Suho and Lay only wave as they're escorted off with their clump of designer-clad friends, and then it's just Baek and Sehun beside them.

"You good to drive home, hyung?" Baekhyun asks.

Minseok nods. "Ask Sehun. He only brought me one glass of wine, three and a half hours ago."

"Good boy. Both of you." Baekhyun grins in response to Minseok's eye roll. "Then we'll be off. Congratulations, Dae."

Jongdae accepts this with a blush and a wave.

They hang around long enough for Victoria to give them an updated works list, now including final sales price, gallery fees, and Jongdae's (or the shelters') resulting profits.

"We'll have to open you a proper bank account, kitten," Minseok says.

"In my name only. I don't want Hyaong to have access to it."

Minseok tries to smooth away a frown. "Dae. You know I'd never—"

"I do. That's not why." He leans into him, smiling when Minseok curves an arm around his waist. "It's for Hyaong. So you know, really for sure. I'm Hyaong's pet, rely on Hyaong for everything, by free choice."

"Ahh." Minseok presses a kiss to Jongdae's hair. "You want me to know you could leave, any time, if you wanted to, and hyung couldn't make things harder for you if you did."

"Mmm."

With the arm around his waist, Minseok herds his kitten to the door. "So, what does my independently wealthy pet want hyung to feed him?"

Jongdae's eyes sparkle in a very Chen-like way. "Oh, I think Hyaong knows."

Minseok does know. He knows his kitten's favorite chicken order, and that he won't settle enough to eat it until his ears, tail, and especially his collar are back in place. He knows his boy is too exhausted to stay awake through a bath after their meal, and that he'll whine as Minseok uses a wipe to remove his makeup, whine more when Minseok makes him brush his teeth. That they're both too tired for vigorous sex, but that his kitten will make delicious noises in the dark as Minseok strokes them both off. That falling asleep with his contented boyfriend in his arms feels even better than the org*sms they share.

He knows all this because Jongdae is the center of his universe. His boyfriend, his kitten, his one and only love. It's scary to think of how many ways he might have lost the opportunity to be loved by such a man.

He could've refused Siwon's marker. He could've just called the cops when a nude, injured man had ended up in his living room. He could've insisted Baekhyun deal with Chen, or given him up when Siwon's kid came knocking. He could've refused to take that exhaustive survey, refused to f*ck Chen regardless of his apparent desire.

He could've kept his squishy feelings to himself, not told his boyfriend how he felt.

Minseok usually avoids high-risk situations, generally considered a good trait in an accountant. He doesn't jaywalk, drive drunk, lift heavy weights without a spotter, leave something on the stove while he runs to the store for a forgotten ingredient. It's possible, maybe even probable, that it would all be fine. It's never worth it, though, because the potential gain of saving a few minutes or a few bucks doesn't outweigh the catastrophe if it's not fine.

Sometimes, though, there are big prizes to be won, but only if a person is willing to potentially lose. To call a poker opponent's suspicious all-in raise, even though it might not be a bluff. To start a business, even though it might fail. To try something new, even though you might not like it. To confess to a crush, even though they might not accept those feelings. To avoid all risk is to deny any reward.

So a person might take in any homeless cat they come across, even though they're not sure of having the means to take care of them all. Someone might get into a car to pursue treatment to improve their health, even though a car accident had damaged their health in the first place. A man might let a vague acquaintance take him to live at a stranger's house, even though living with someone he barely knew had been disastrous last time. And Minseok might let himself get deeply attached to the endearing man staying in his apartment, even though he's not sure the guy will ever talk to him, much less return his affection.

Life is full of gambles, big and small, every day. Some are worth the risk, some aren't. Even when they are worth it, life holds no true guarantees except that it will end, sooner or later.

Before that happens, Minseok aims to enjoy his rewards. He figures he's already at the limit of any good luck he might've been born with. That he can live very happily with what he's already won. He already has a more fulfilling job, more entertaining hobbies, more loyal friends, a more precious lover than any man could expect.

Anything else is just a bonus.