Work Text:
"I"m off to work Chen," Junmyeon says before heading out the front door. "Goodbye!"
Chen"s ears twitched to the sound of his name being called. "Bye Junmyeon." He replies sleepily, rubbing his face with the back of his sleeve.
Chen is a Scottish Fold hybrid, quite rare in this part of South Korea. He would often get mistaken for a puppy due to his folded ears and small stature.
He was adopted by Junmyeon, an accountant working at a small business in Busan. Junmyeon was the perfect hybrid owner, sweet, kind, and attentive.
They lived in a small but cozy one story house in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Thought their home was simple, their backyard was another story.
Their yard was a beautifully constructed garden, filled to the brim with beautiful flowers that bloomed all year long, as long as they where taken care off properly.
Chen and Junmyeon constructed it shortly after Chen"s adoption. It was the perfect way for them to get to know each other and bond. Chen didn"t know a whole lot about plants before, but Junmyeon had some botanical knowledge and inspired Chen to take interest.
It has been three years now and their garden was flourishing beyond their expectations. Chen tends to it every day, pulling out the weeds, providing the right amount of water for each plant, moving plants in and out of shade when needed. You could say that Chen is the best hybrid gardener alive. Or at least he likes to think he is.
Its Wednesday morning and Chen was feeling a little groggy, he"s always like this in the morning but today he was extra groggy. Around three or four am there was a loud pick up truck with people hauling heavy stuff outside. Chen couldn"t see it, but his sensitive ears picked up all the noise, disturbing his sleep. Judging by Junmyeon"s chipper disposition, he must have slept through the noise. Oh how Chen wished he had human ears at that moment.
The cat hybrid yawned while placing the empty cereal bowl in the dishwasher. He looked out the kitchen window and saw that the truck was parked in front of the neighbor"s house.
That house had been empty since Chen was adopted. Junmyeon said that an old woman used to live there until her nephew moved her into a retire home. It seems like someone finally moved in.
Chen turned to the closet by the backdoor and pulled out his gardening "uniform", a pair of black rain boots, beige slacks, red flannel shirt, and a sun hat. Honestly, Chen was overdressed. Him and Junmyeon already pulled out all the weeds and shuffled the dirt around a few days ago. All Chen had to do was water a few potted plants today. He could have easily walked outside in his pajamas and slippers. But dressing up has become a habit.
The cat hybrid opens the backdoor and is greeted by the familiar sight of their wonderful garden, the lush flowers practically in the early morning sun. Chen sees this almost every day and it still never gets old.
He walks over to the small shed with the gardening tools and picks up a watering can with an elephant face painted on it. Chen suggested Junmyeon buy it as a joke, but he didn"t expect his owner to actually do it. Now he"s stuck with this babyish watering can forever.
Suddenly their is a rustling noise coming from the opposite side of the yard that has the hairs on the back of Chen"s neck standing up. He flicks his head back in the direction of the disturbance but his view is obscured by a thick rose bush.
Chen doesn"t get scared easily, he had a tough life on the streets before hybrid rescue picked him up. However, living with Junmyeon had made him a little soft, he believed that nothing could hurt him in his new home, in this safe neighborhood.
But bad things can happen even in the safest of places.
Chen grabbed the rake leaning against the wooden fence and slowly followed the path around the rose bush, eyes darting around the yard. Though he didn"t see anything out of the ordinary at first, his heart was still racing as he patrolled the area. He held the rake tightly, ready to start swinging at the first thing that jumps out at him.
When Chen arrives at the spot he assumes the noise originated, he discovers the cause and huffs in annoyance, lower his make shift weapon as well.
It was a bright red frisbee lodged in the begonias. Its color almost matched the flower.
Chen picks up the frisbee and inspected it. Clearly it must belong to the new neighbors. Perhaps their kid or kids were playing with a dog and threw it over by accident.
None the less, Chen hoped it wouldn"t become a habit.
The cat hybrid was just about to toss the frisbee back over the fence when there was a noise above his head, the sound of sniffing.
Chen"s head snaps up from where he is kneeling, his eyes bulging in shock. There is a head peeking over the fence.
A dog hybrid with fluffy black hair, matching ears with white lining the insides. Big light caramel eyes gaze down at the cat hybrid, Chen felt like he could get lost in them.
The dog hybrid"s ears twitch when Chen looked at him and he licked his lips nervously. Chen had encountered enough dog hybrid to read their facial signals. This one in particular seemed to be very expressive.
"Hello," Chen says after staring at each other for a beat too long.
"Hi- Hello," the dog hybrid stutters in a surprisingly low voice for such a young face.
"Is this yours?" Chen asks, quirking an eyebrow and holding up the red frisbee. Chen was a little put off by the fact there was another hybrid living next to him. Though he got along with most hybrids, he couldn"t help but feel a little territorial, especially around a dog hybrid.
Chen watches the other hybrid"s ears perk up and his eyes twinkle as his gaze shifts back and forth from Chen to the frisbee.
"Yes!", the dog hybrid says, Chen could practically hear his tail wagging on the other side of the fence. So much excitement over something so simple. But it"s not like Chen had any room to talk. He too would be reduced to a playful kitten whenever Junmyeon brought out a ball of yarn.
"Here," Chen says before tossing the frisbee up over the fence, aiming just above the hybrid"s head. What he doesn"t expect is the dog hybrid shooting his arm up and effortlessly catch the frisbee with one hand.
Chen rose from his kneeling position and this allowed him to process just how big the dog hybrid must be in order to peek over the fence, he had to be at least over six feet tall.
"I"m Chanyeol," the dog hybrid beams, giving Chen a toothy grin. "My owner and I moved in last night."
"So I heard," Chen snorted, "That truck kept me up all night."
"Sorry." Chanyeol laughs, a low hearty sound that is pleasant to the ear. "We promise not to make too much noise."
"Alright then." Chen says while picking up the rake and heading back to the shed. "I"ll hold you to that."
"W-wait," Chanyeol calls out and Chen turns back to see the dog hybrid looking at him with puppy eyes, a classic tactic that humans fall for every time.
"What"s your name?" He asks shyly.
"Chen," The cat hybrid says reluctantly. Chen didn"t really want to make friends with the dog hybrid. He is aware of how needy his species can get, constantly asking for attention. If Chen isn"t careful he could be stuck with a dog hybrid begging him to play every time he comes outside. Chen really didn"t want to give up his alone time.
But...
"It"s nice to meet you." Chanyeol says and gives Chen a dazzling smile.
He"s kind of cute.
From then on, Chen"s routine continues as usual, just with one small addition.
Every morning while Chen tends to the garden, Chanyeol peeks his head over to greet the cat hybrid.
"Morning Chen! Nice weather we"re having isn"t it?"
Or some variation of this, sometimes including a random fact he learned recently or something interesting that happened the other day or how much he liked his new home.
Basically, they engaged in small talk as Chen went about his usual morning work. And in all honesty, Chen didn"t mind it. Chanyeol never demanded the cat hybrid to stay and talk or to come over and play. Just quick simple back and forth before Chen finished up his tasks and headed inside. In most cases it was actually Chanyeol who left the conversation before Chen completes his work, waving a quick goodbye and disappearing behind the fence.
Chen found their encounters pleasant. He started to think that having a dog hybrid for a neighbor wasn"t too bad.
"Did you grow everything by yourself, " Chanyeol asks one day. This is the first time he has ever brought up the garden as a topic for their morning small talk.
"No," Chen laughs while shifting a pot of petunias out of the shade. "My owner and I set this place up together. I just take care of it."
"It"s really beautiful," Chanyeol gushes and Chen can"t help but feel prideful of his work. "What"s your favorite flower?", Chanyeol asks, tilting his head to the side and one ear droops cutely.
"Well...," Chen looks around the garden, eyes flicking around the multitude of blooming flowers. He hadn"t really taken the time to pick a favorite before. He felt like all of them were his favorites. Having taken care of them all since they were seeds, Chen had a strong connection to every one of them. But if he had to choose...
"Viburnums," Chen walks over to the center of the garden where a bush decorated with little bunches of white flowers resides. "This is the first thing Junmyeon and I ever planted together." The cat hybrid leans in and sniff the spicy sent, gazing fondly at the fresh little blooms. "We were so worried that we might have accidentally killed it since it didn"t bloom the first spring. But with extra care and enough attention, it was in full bloom the next spring."
Chen slowly glides his fingers along the soft petals, being careful not to damage the delicate blooms. This was most definitely his favorite flower.
"It"s pretty," Chanyeol"s voice takes Chen out of his thoughts. He turns to see the dog hybrid gazing at him with a tender smile, caramel eyes locking with his orange ones.
"So," Chen begins, trying to will the heat away from his cheeks. "Which flower do you like the most." He had no idea why he felt so flustered all of a sudden, hopefully shifting the conversation to Chanyeol will help cool his nerves.
The dog hybrid hums in thought, eyes roaming around the garden. At some point, Chanyeol starts moving along the fence to see around bushes and shrubs, his gaze leaving no corner unseen.
"Those," Chanyeol says when he finally finds the flowers he likes, "The little orange ones over there."
Chen looks over to the potted flowers Chanyeol is referring to and a small kitten curled smile crosses his lips.
"An excellent choice," he muses while walking over to them,"These are marigolds. They can come in orange or yellow depending on their type." Chen kneels down to inspect the potted plant. "These ones in particular are called Janie Deep Orange Marigolds."
Chen sniffs the fragrant ferny leaves, a quiet hum of delight radiates from his chest. These were more of a pain to grow than the viburnums. However he had to admit that the end result of his labor was well worth the struggle. The flowers looked even better than the ones he had seen in pictures.
"I mostly just like them because they"re orange", Chanyeol laughs shyly.
"Oh?," Chen says, his attention still on the potted flower, "You like orange?"
"Yup, it"s my favorite color." The dog hybrid beams, "though the shade is a little off."
"Really?," Chen says with slight amusement in his voice, "And what exactly is your favorite shade of orange?" Chen asks the question absent minded, more to just continue the pleasant conversation. The majority of his attention is still on the flower, inspecting the leaves and blooms carefully.
"I like a deeper orange. A burning orange, like the fading embers of a fire. Or maybe the last few minutes of a lovely sunset. That to me, is the most beautiful kind of orange," Chanyeol explains while Chen hums in distracted acknowledgment.
"Sort of...like your eyes."
There is a silence for a few seconds until Chanyeol"s words finally sink in, the cat hybrid"s breath catching in his throat. Chen whips his head around in the direction of the fence, eyes wide and red dusting his cheeks.
Chanyeol was no longer there.
"Well, see you later Chen," the dog hybrid"s voice comes from beyond the fence, accompanied by quick grassy footsteps and the sound of a door shutting.
Chen is completely stunned. It could have been nothing. They could have laughed it off, just casually acknowledge the coincidence before moving on to another topic.
But Chanyeol"s actions only proved Chen"s first deduction right.
Chen finds the following few days to be lonely.
Chanyeol no longer shows up for their morning small talk to Chen"s disappointment. His eyes reflexively flick to the tall fence, hoping to see the dog hybrids perky ears peaking from the top before his face comes into full view. Chen missed seeing Chanyeol"s sunny expression, bright eyes and a big dazzling smile to greet him.
Chen couldn"t stop thinking about their last encounter, his mind analyzed it from every angle, contemplated every moment to see if he was either reading into things too deeply or...
He just wanted to see Chanyeol again, he missed his presence. Chen started to dread going outside just to be greeted by no one. This loneliness was becoming unbearable.
At one point, Chen becomes curious enough to peek over the fence himself.
The cat hybrid pulled out a little step ladder from the shed and used to see into Chanyeol"s side of the fence. Due to his short stature, Chen had to stand on his tippy toes and tilt his head as far as he can in order to take a proper peak of the other side.
Chen was greeted by a relatively empty yard, the complete opposite of his own. There was a little brick patio in front of the backdoor with two lawn chairs set up. A soccer ball laid in the opposite corner of the yard, seemingly abandoned by its owner.
His eyes then fall in the center of the yard and he spots a familiar red frisbee. It was the one that fell into Chen"s garden the first day he met Chanyeol. It hand only been maybe a few months ago, but it felt like years.
Chen smiles somberly at the red frisbee before coming down from the step ladder and heading back inside the house.
It had been three weeks since Chanyeol"s last appearance and Chen had just about given up anticipating him to show up out of the blue, gracing the cat hybrid with his iconic warm smile.
Junmyeon seemed to pick up on Chen"s somber attitude and asked him if everything was ok, to which the cat hybrid gave an unconvincing "yes" before sulking off. His owner wasn"t the type to push when Chen looked bothered by something. Instead, Junmyeon would do special little things to cheer his cat hybrid up. He"d buy smoked salmon for dinner, or bring a new stamp for Chen"s collection, or he"d pet Chen"s head more often. All of these worked to temporally improve the cat hybrid"s mood, leaving him feeling good before bed.
But when mornings came, Chen was right back to his dreary attitude.
What Chen usually called peaceful meditation had now turned into a moping fest, sitting on a small bench in the yard and staring dejectedly at the lush garden.
Chen had already came to the conclusion that he liked Chanyeol.
Really liked Chanyeol.
He spent many nights tossing and turning in bed, mulling over the fact that he had feelings for a dog hybrid. Thinking "We aren"t even the same species, there is no way this is natural" and "He clearly isn"t interested in you romantically. Him liking your eyes isn"t his attempt to flirt."
The more Chen thought about it, the more his mind wandered to those pretty caramel eyes that captivated him on their first meeting. It was no use. The heart wants what the heart wants.
After days of denial he finally came to terms with it.
The only way for this crippling loneliness to disappear is for him to see the dog hybrid once again.
"Chen!," the cat hybrid hears his master"s jolly voice call out to him from inside. "Come inside, we have company."
Tilting his head in brief confusion, Chen got up from his seat to returned to the house. They didn"t get a lot of visitors, Junmyeon"s family live out of town and would usually call in advance when they were coming over.
Perhaps it was the nice old woman from down the street who liked to bake cookies for the neighborhood. She always rubbed behind his folded ears and called him a handsome tom cat. It made Chen blush and whine playfully at her, but a small part of him loved the compliments.
However when Chen walked through the back door, he is shocked by what he sees.
Junmyeon is standing in the living room with a man Chen hasn"t seen before and Chanyeol.
A very nervous looking Chanyeol judging by his body language.
"This is our new neighbor, Sehun," Junmyeon gestures to the stranger who regards Chen with nod and simple, "Hello."
Chen felt a slight air of intimidation around the new human, though he doesn"t detect unkindness in his stoic gaze. Sehun"s handsome features almost rivaled Junmyeon"s, but where as Junmyeon carried the looks of a mystical prince, Sehun carried the looks of a young but rugged biker man. Chen could see people fawning over him as much as they do Junmyeon.
"And this is his malamute hybrid, Chanyeol." When Junmyeon gestures at Chanyeol, the dog hybrid flinches and rubs his arms shyly, caramel eyes flicking between Junmyeon and Chen.
This was the first time Chen got a proper full body view of the dog hybrid.
Chanyeol was tall, as Chen predicted based on how the dog hybrid was able to peek of the fence. What he wasn"t expecting was the muscle. Chanyeol wasn"t thick, but he was fit and lean. His figures was only accentuated by the black t-shirt that clung to his body nicely. Chanyeol was definitely a fine malamute specimen.
"Hello...again." Chanyeol says with a sheepish smile and red dusting his cheeks, his fluffy tail swaying shyly. Chanyeol"s facial features were just as striking as the day they first met.
Chen couldn"t believe how much he missed the other"s voice, missed hearing the other greet him.
"Wha- you two have already met?" Junmyeon asks, looking back and forth between Chen and Chanyeol in confusion.
"Yes. They know each other quite well," Sehun says.
Chen hears a hint of amusement in the man"s voice. Chanyeol flinches and looks at his owner with mortification as Sehun looks back at him with knowing eyes.
"We see each other every morning," Chen chimes in and it"s his turn to feel a little shy now, "Or used to..." Chen mumbled the last part out under his breath, it was just low enough for Sehun and Junmyeon not to hear, but just loud enough for Chanyeol"s ears to pick it up. Chen catches how the dog hybrid"s ears twitch following his words, he definitely heard it. Chanyeol doesn"t give any acknowledgement though, his eyes shyly flicking around the living room instead.
The four of them move to sit across each other at the dining room table, Chen next to Junmyeon and Chanyeol next to Sehun. Junmyeon and Sehun fall into a pleasant conversation while Chen and Chanyeol stay quiet, only occasionally sharing glances at each other before pretending to pay attention to their owners.
Chen wanted to speak to Chanyeol, maybe clear things up between them or something. But his shy nature got the better of him. He merely played with his thumbs under the table and tried not to look too anxious.
"Chen, why don"t you take Chanyeol outside to the garden?" Chen turns his head to see Junmyeon giving him a tender smile. Chen flushes and tries to protest but nothing comes out. Turning to their guests, Chen sees Chanyeol looking at Sehun with hopeful eyes. Did Chanyeol want to go? With him? Alone?
"Go on," Sehun said with that same knowing smile before nudging Chanyeol with his elbow.
Chen and Chanyeol leave the table and slowly make their way to the back door. The cat hybrid takes one last glance at his waving owner before taking Chanyeol outside and shutting the door behind them.
As soon as Chanyeol sees the garden his eyes light up and he let"s out a gasp in wonder. Seeing the dog hybrid"s fascination helps to sooth some of Chen"s nerves.
"You"ve seen the garden before." Chen states playfully, the corners of his mouth up turning into a small smile.
"I have but," Chanyeol"s gaze flicks around the lush environment, "never from this angle."
"I guess looking at it and being in it are two different experiences," Chen muses, watching how Chanyeol"s fluffy tail wags behind him. "Would you like a tour?"
"Sure!" Chanyeol exclaims, turning to Chen and showing off his dazzling smile.
From there, Chen takes Chanyeol through the garden in sections, going over each flower and explaining some simple facts about them. Chanyeol was right beside him, keeping up and showing his interest by nodding to Chen and asking occasional questions. The awkward atmosphere from before was long gone, now replaced with the same friendly dynamic they shared when a fence separated them.
Chen pushed away the lingering urge to talk about their last encounter, how Chanyeol just stopped coming to see him afterwards. He wanted to ask why the dog hybrid disappeared from his mornings. He wanted to know if his assumptions where correct or if he was over thinking things.
But most importantly, Chen wanted to know if he had the guts to confess his feelings to Chanyeol.
As they strolled along the garden together, Chanyeol"s proximity stirred the cat hybrid"s instincts. Every time Chen"s shoulder accidentally bumps into Chanyeol"s arm, he has this urge to cuddle the dog hybrid, rub his head into Chanyeol"s chest and purr in delight. These where common tells to indicate when a cat hybrid likes someone deeply. Chen restrains himself however, not wanting to make Chanyeol uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, the awkward atmosphere returned when they came up on a familiar flower.
"That"s...marigold right?," Chanyeol says, his face was neutral but Chen see the stiffness in Chanyeol"s jaw, his chipper attitude from before wanes a little.
"Right," Chen says, feeling shy once more as heat rises to his cheeks. "They enjoy dry temperatures..."
Chen"s heart races in his chest to the point he was sure Chanyeol could probably hear it.
"Let"s sit down for a bit," Chen laughs nervously, gesturing toward a bench just big enough for the both of them. Chanyeol nods, pink dusting his cheeks as well.
They both take a seat, their thighs brushing up against each other. Chanyeol twittles his thumbs in his lap, eyes fixed on the marigolds. Chen"s gaze flickers between Chanyeol and the marigolds, scrambling to come up with something to say. This was the perfect moment to open up and discuss what happened between them. But the words refused to leave Chen"s lips.
Chen sees the dog hybrid licking his lips nervously, his gaze still locked on the orange flowers. Chanyeol must see the cat hybrid staring at him from his periphery, still too shy to actually look back at him. It looked like at any moment Chanyeol was about to dash forward and hop back over the fence.
"Do you think...I can grow some marigolds in my yard?" Chanyeol pipes up. The sudden question catches Chen off guard at first, but his confusion is soon replaced with elation, warmth blooming in his chest.
"Sure," Chen says with his signature kitten curled smile. "They are a little difficult to maintain. But with enough determination, you can do it." Chen brings a hand over to pat Chanyeol"s leg as a gesture of encouragement. However, after a few taps Chen"s hand remains on the dog hybrids thigh, the lean muscle right below his finger tips.
Chen swallowed silently, a tad nervous that he might be over stepping a boundary. Chanyeol doesn"t seem to mind though, after a few beats the dog hybrid seems to almost nudge a little closer to Chen, their thighs now flush with each other.
"You know, maybe I can come over and help," Chen says, smiling at the marigolds, but ultimately thinking about Chanyeol. His heart still beat furiously in his chest. From terror, excitement, shock, or maybe joy. All Chen knew was that there was a really pleasant feeling growing in his chest the closer he got to the dog hybrid.
Chanyeol shifts next to him and Chen turns his head to be met with beautiful caramel eyes, wide with hope.
"Really? You"d do that for me?"
While Chen is lost in Chanyeol"s features, a large hand is placed over his, causing Chen"s heart to leap into his throat. For a second Chen wonders if some of the butterflies from the garden somehow found their way into his stomach.
"Of course." Chen replied gazing at the dog hybrid fondly before leaning his head against his shoulder. At the moment he didn"t much care for confessing his feelings, finding the actual act to be way too mushy feelsy for him.
What mattered was that Chanyeol didn"t shy away from his touch. And that"s all he really wanted.
Chen then feels a pressure above his head and hears an intake of breath. Chanyeol was sniffing his hair, a very common gesture performed between dog hybrids to show affection between close friends. Chen wasn"t caught of guard. That is until Chanyeol does something else that really sends him for a loop.
Chanyeol licks the edge of his folded ear.
Just when Chen thinks he couldn"t turn any pinker he is proven wrong. Licking an ear is universally known to convey affection going beyond just friends. Some humans mistake it as a lustful action, but its different among hybrids. It"s a very deep and intimate gesture, almost romantic in the right circumstances.
And it has Chen"s heart practically soaring.
When Chen stays still with no initial response, he feels Chanyeol pull away, almost as if the dog hybrid was regretting what he did.
But Chen shoved his face into Chanyeol"s shoulder as a way to let the dog hybrid know that his actions weren"t a mistake. Let him know that he felt the same way.
Chen nuzzled into the strong bicep and purred from his chest, wanting Chanyeol to here it. To feel it. Confirm his approval of Chanyeol"s actions with a wordless gesture of acceptance.
The cat hybrid is pleased when Chanyeol draws closer, responding by dipping his face back into Chen"s hair, breathing in his scent once more. Chen shudders when he feels Chanyeol"s hot breath against the ear he licked.
Chen wouldn"t mind if they stayed like this for the rest of their lives.
Hand in hand, surrounded by the prettiest flowers in the world.