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theysaidhush · 10 months

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The cat from across the garden.

Alt. Title -> Under the Weeping Willow

-> CatHybrid!Jungwon x CatHybrid!Shy!Reader, slight Jake x Reader and Jay x Jungwon

-> Jungwon was pleased with his life, until he saw you, the cat from across the garden.

-> Fluffy fluff, PoorStudent!Jake is kinda a bad owner but I swear he treats you like a princess, Lovesick!Jungwon is a menace, Rich!Jay agenda, Smut (p in v, unprotected sex, Jungwon is mounting you and it's hot, fingering, Breeding Kink, cream pie, slight nipple play, Reader goes into sub-space, even tho it feels like it's not dub-con)

-> Shoutout to my ♡ anonie that I love so much, to p1h-delulu (I'm sure it's the wrong name but you know who you are) for liking every single post that I post (duh) and to @adaamazing who asked to be tagged ! Almost forgot my moots @unh0ly-dr3am3r silly me ugh ! Feedback is appreciated 💝

Jungwon loved being an indoor cat. In 2023, hybrids had the right to be as independent as any human. They went to university, worked, owned their own apartments. But not Jungwon. Like some hybrids, he was said to belong to his owner. With a contract, a signature and a commitment to take good care of the hybrid, and so on. Kind of like an adopted child who stayed at home even after coming of age. What need did he have to go out and interact with people ? Why would he go to work or study when he was fed, housed and showered with affection in his master's apartment ? Ah, seriously. He loved living a life of ease.

"Jungwon, gotta go, see you !"

"See you tonight !" he nodded and smiled at his owner, Jay, a young American with whom he'd been at the side for almost four years now, and who never failed to provide for his needs. Jay patted him on the head before leaving. He huffed and rolled his eyes at the sight of his disappearing friend. He kept asking himself why he always had to leave him alone like that. The young boy looked around, lost in thought, exploring all the possibilities open to him. He could go and steal from the fridge, tear up his master's white sheets just to annoy him, or watch TV. All these proposals sounded tempting, but Jungwon would be content to read the mangas that had thoughtfully been placed at his disposal. There was even the latest volume of Jujutsu Kaisen !

So that's what he did, stretching out in the comfortable bed he shared with his master, tail wagging lazily as his big almond eyes scanned the panels of the book. The surrounding heat should have been stifling; summer was around the corner, after all. Jungwon was unable to stop smiling, rolling left and right, perfectly content with the life he was leading, purring in the sheets. But as his eyelids grew heavy, the urge to sleep all too much, Jungwon rose from the bed, leaving everything in a mess, and headed for the balcony of their quite spacious apartment, fists clenched as he rubbed his eyes, crinkled by the heaviness of his eyelids, fatigue almost driving him into the door of the small exterior.

The balcony wasn't very big, but it wasn't small either. Jungwon, 1.74 m tall, could lie down on it. The safety barrier, a thick plate of glass that allowed him to see what was going on in the identical balcony some 150 meters from theirs, wasn't very high either. Standing up, it reached just above his waist. In fact, if he leaned over too far, he risked falling into the small shared garden downstairs. The layout of their apartment was quite practical. They lived in a one-storey building with only two apartments. The one downstairs had been vacant for some time. Opposite, on the other hand, the only thing he could see was the almost identical building just across the street, if it wasn't for the fact that this one was much smaller. Jay had once told him that the layout was almost the same, except that both apartments were smaller. Add to that the lovely shared garden in the middle of both houses. In the tenants' contract, it was stipulated that the garden was shared between the four apartments, but the cat had never seen anyone venture into it. On several occasions, though rarely, he had seen a boy going in. But in those moments he was between sleep and consciousness, so his memories were a little hazy. Not that he really cared.

Yawning, he slumped onto his back on the long gray cushion that lined the balcony floor and spread his arms and legs, letting the warmth of the sun warm him. But suddenly, his ears twitched by their own volition. A sound had reached them. Incessant, repetitive, but above all annoying, since all he wanted to do was sleep. Sitting cross-legged on his cushion, tail wagging rapidly from annoyance, Jungwon's gaze scanned the surroundings. It was usually silent. It had only taken him two weeks' vacation with Jay for these birds to have the good sense to come back and bother him ? This thought made him realize that his scent was no longer lingering on the balcony. He'd have to remedy that, but first he'd have to chase those birds away. His pupils narrowed to a fine slit, ready to show his pretty fangs to any bird that dared sabotage his nap.

He leaned over a little and swept his gaze across the garden, looking for the culprit, but finding none. Gradually, his eyes made their way up the opposite building, and at last, they settled on a silhouette. How strange, Jungwon couldn't remember having a neighbor. Frowning, he detailed the figure with a critical eye, then his eyes opened wide at the sight of the source of the noise. Jungwon had excellent eyesight, so this figure seemed to be sitting right in front of him. His eyes followed the movements of the brush the person was holding in her pretty, slender fingers, then settled on the subject of those ministrations. A magnificent bushy tail, pale gray but shiny, and seemingly unconditionally soft. Jungwon wanted to slip his fingers into it. He looked up to see who owned it, and was greeted by the sight of a young woman, no older than himself, her ears folded back on her skull, a persistent pout on her lovely features.

Jungwon tilted his head, curious. She didn't seem in a good mood. She didn't look pleasant. What if she was trying to assert her territorial rights ? Was he destined to have to fight her every time he came out on the balcony for a good time ? Ah, that was out of the question. Jungwon loved lying in the sun, napping to the chirping of the birds, watching the clouds pass overhead, grooming himself. He didn't want it to change, he liked his every habit, he liked his routine, he didn't like what was unexpected and unpredictable. So he was about to hiss, curling his lips and flattening his ears against his skull, when suddenly the girl across the garden lifted her head.

The first thing the cat noticed was the pout that adorned his face. Her lip was pouting and her cheeks were puffed up like a hamster's. Jungwon was surprised to find her…cute ? He couldn't stop his face from returning to normal and his eyes from widening, forming two black beads as his pupils dilated, showing his curiosity. His new neighbor's ears perked up in turn and her face changed, adopting a startled look. She didn't know she had a neighbor either, apparently. Jungwon's sharp gaze didn't miss the way her pretty tail twitched under his fingers, or the way she flinched, sitting back on her haunches in case she needed to leave in a hurry. She tilted her head, curious, before leaning forward a little and smiling softly, greeting Jungwon with a shy wave of her hand. As soon as she had done so, she moved away on her hands and knees, her gaze never leaving his, before speeding off once she was near the glass door of her balcony.

Jungwon suddenly felt as if he couldn't see properly. In the past, his colorful world could keep him lost in thought for hours on end. His vision had no limits; it didn't stop at the sky or the stars. Now, however, he felt as if someone had put a cardboard box around his head. That he could only see in front of him, see that famous balcony, that tail sticking out of the wall, wagging from time to time, its owner peeking out from time to time to see if her new neighbor had left.

Jungwon felt as if all he wanted, wished for, was her. He wanted to hug her, stroke her hair, see that pout again, groom her and bask in the sun with her. His favorite color now was the fur on her tail, pale gray. Everything he'd found interesting before no longer made sense. Knocking glasses off Jay's counter, hiding his shoes, it was all futile now. She was the only thing that made sense. He was lovesick.

"Jakey !" you rushed to the door, leaving your hiding place behind the wall, near the French windows, to greet your best friend and owner. Your situation was similar to Jungwon's, but your characters were very different. And unlike the cat across the garden, you didn't have the luxury of living in a big apartment, nor did you have the luxury of breaking things because you knew Jake couldn't afford to replace them. So you were docile and gentle, always clamoring for his attention when he came home from his long days at work.

"Baby ! How was your day ? Did you nap in the sun ? I left the balcony doors open." he asked as he dropped his bag to the floor, opening his arms wide for you to step inside.

You threw yourself into his arms, savoring his embrace as you rubbed your head affectionately against his. You couldn't respond as a heavy purr escaped you in a continuous rhythm, making Jake smile as he swayed from one foot to the other, making you twirl left and right.

"Baby, I'm sorry, I'm really tired. I'll go take a shower and I'll meet you in bed okay ?"

Your purring suddenly stopped and, gradually, you loosened your grip around Jake's neck. For a minute, you just stared at the ground, searching for the right words to say, but finally decided not to spoil his evening. Your owner was doing his best to make sure you had a roof over your head and enough food on the table, so you couldn't ask too much from him, right ? It was bad enough that he was a student, but he'd also decided to take you with him when he left Australia, not wanting to be separated from you. So he had two mouths to feed, courses to attend and revise, and a job where he had to do his best for fear of being replaced by someone else who needed the work just as much as he did.

But you ? You did little more tan make him draw on his reserves and make him buy you clothes and accessories every time he went out. Well, you didn't ask him to, he just went gaga on you and couldn't help but buying the clothes in the shop front because he thought that it would look good on you. You had nothing to complain about. You had no right to wish he'd sit beside you on the balcony on a sunny afternoon and brush your tail; you had no right to ask him to spend an entire evening cuddling you, rubbing behind your ears, when he woke up early the next morning. You had no right to demand that he take care of you; that was selfish of you. You could do as you did today, do it yourself and grumble. Just like you did last week when you moved into that new apartment. So you pushed that ugly feeling of envy to the back of your mind and looked up, a little smile on your lips, gentle and understanding, and you nodded.

"Thanks Baby." Jake kissed your forehead, kicked off his shoes, grabbed his bag and then made a bee-line toward your shared bedroom, missing the way your ears had drooped the instant he'd disappeared from your sight, tail dangling.

D-1

The next afternoon, the call of the heat was far too tempting. You were bored out of your mind in your little studio, there was no TV or console, and Jake had taken his computer with him. You were doomed to roll around in your shared bed, count the number of fake glow-in-the-dark stars you'd stuck to the ceiling for the hundred and twenty-third time since you'd moved in, or talk to your pet stuffed animal. But the sun's rays streaming through the slippery doors and across the floor looked comforting. You were sure that underneath you could fall asleep until Jake returned. But being the shy cat that you were, you didn't want to see that imposing cat across the garden again. When you moved in, you were sure you smelled another hybrid. That was him. The cat from the apartment directly in front of you.

Sighing, you slumped full-length onto your stomach, caressing with your fingertips the faded piece of carpet that Jake had wanted to put under the bed for some reason you didn't yet know. Your tail hanging off the bed suddenly caught your attention. Since you'd moved in, its color had faded and it was much less soft than before. It was your pride and joy, and you loved to stroke it or curl up around it in winter, it was so comfortable and silky. Jake was also very fond of your tail; he often said that he met a lot of hybrids at university, but none of them had a tail as pretty as yours. Huffing, you sat up on the bed, perfectly proud of the idea that had just crossed your mind: you were going to brush yourself and give some color back to your pile of fur. Maybe then Jake would cuddle you again instead of slouching off to sleep like a starfish.

Nodding, a big smile on your face, you stood up and walked over to the drawer Jake had emptied so you could put your beauty products in. You could count them on the five fingers of your hand, but the gesture and the intention had made you so happy that Jake didn't even have the heart to feel guilty about not being able to give you what you wanted or needed. But as your gaze wandered to the corner of the drawer where you usually put your brush, you found it empty. Devoid of your favorite beauty tool. Then you were struck by the realization that you'd left it on the balcony yesterday.

Dejected, you let yourself fall to the floor, glancing from time to time at the parquet floor by the glass doors, which was brilliantly lit by the sun's warm rays. Ah, you really wanted to take a nap on the balcony now. You took your courage in both hands and slowly, like a cat approaching its prey, moved towards the door without ever leaving your place on the floor, crawling on your hands and knees, your tail wagging nervously behind you. The sun's reflection prevented you from seeing properly outside, so, with a hesitant hand, you took hold of the handle and gently slid the door open, leaving it wide enough for you to pass through, but also to close it quickly if necessary.

Your palms rested on the concrete that made up your balcony and you sighed with contentment at the sensation of warmth beneath your fingers. It was so comforting. You looked up at the balcony on the opposite side and were only half-surprised to see that the long cushion used as a mattress was occupied. So you hesitated, your knee stopping mid-air, unsure whether to simply pick up your brush or bask in the sun, minding your own business. What a dilemma.

Jungwon, who had been sitting here for a good hour, hadn't taken his eyes off your balcony even once. He'd been waiting for you to come out so he could see you again. You had been haunting his thoughts since yesterday. He'd been distant all evening, staring into nothingness as he was thinking about you. He hadn't gone to ask Jay for his "Welcome home bitch" caress, hadn't replied when Jay pointed out with amusement that he'd behaved like a good kitten today, and hadn't once hissed at him. What had really alarmed the American, however, was when Jungwon came to bed, pupils dilated, still lost in thought, and started kneading his stomach while demanding scratching. But Jay wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Just because his cat, who was independent and usually fell asleep grumbling when he tried to pet him, was now accepting his caresses, didn't mean he should panic.

In short, Jungwon had been waiting for you since last night. So when the glass door gently slid open and let him catch a glimpse of you, he couldn't help the purr that resonated in the hollow of his throat. Like a deer caught in the headlights, you raised your head, freezing, waiting to see what his next move would be. And Jungwon knew exactly what to do at that moment. At least, his instincts knew, and what else could he do but listen to his instincts.

He tried to look as small as possible and laid down on his back, watching you as your silhouette appeared upside down to him, a loud purr escaping from his throat. You didn't look convinced, but Jungwon knew that you no longer perceived him as a threat, at least for the time being. He also knew that his smell and the sound of his purring had reached your ears, since the pheromones you unconsciously let escape from your body told him you were relaxed. However, even as you tiptoed towards your brush, you remained seated by the door, ready to leave at the slightest sign of aggression on his part. With a slow, repetitive gesture, you began to brush your fur, glancing from time to time at a completely relaxed and enamored Jungown, lying on his bed, watching you repeat the same gesture tirelessly. What a great day.

D-3

"Jay !" Jungwon smiled, rushing into his eldest's arms, hugging him affectionately while purring loudly.

Jay didn't know what to say, what to do. He recoiled and couldn't stop his face from twisting into a concerned grimace. In all the years he'd known and lived with Jungwon, the cat had never given him such a warm welcome. It was fascinating. And frightening.

Trying to act as if nothing had happened, Jay awkwardly returned Jungwon's embrace, not being usually the affectionate type. But he couldn't very well push him away when, for the first, or rather second time in almost five years, Jungwon was demonstrating affection for him. Admittedly, it was an unexpected change, but also a welcomed one. For three days, his cat hadn't broken anything, raided the fridge or torn up his sheets. Whatever had happened to him, it must surely have been something positive.

Jay finally managed to detach himself from the young man and set about removing his shoes, when he suddenly froze. No. There was nothing normal about this behavior. He shouldn't be happy about it. The heat of Jungwon had already passed, and the next heat was still a long way off. It was selfish of him to be content and satisfied with the actions of his otherwise distant cat. Something was going on with Jungwon if he suddenly acted all lovey-dovey with him.

The American sat down on the sofa and didn't even need to call out for his cat, since the latter had followed close behind and was now laying with its head in his lap, its tail wagging lazily on the edge of the sofa. Jay took a deep breath and began mindlessly stroking Jungwon's black ears, hesitating several times before finally asking, "Jungwon, are you feeling…good ? Not sick or anything ?"

Jungwon turned his head towards his owner so that his face faced his, tilting his head in disbelief. For a few brief seconds, Jay saw this glint of malice and something akin to disdain, an expression with which he was very familiar because of his cat. But he also saw that it had come and gone, while Jungwon, curious, shook his head to indicate that he didn't feel weird.

"Did something happen today ?"

Despite the way Jungwon had dismissed this question by shaking his head, Jay knew instantly that something had happened. Jungwon had smiled stupidly and his pupils had dilated in a way the boy had never seen before. His gaze had become distant, almost dreamy, and then the black cat had ended the discussion by lying on his side, towards the French windows leading to their little balcony, his purring doubling in strength. Ah, Jay now had two problems: he couldn't move since his cat had taken up residence on him, and on top of that he was acting strangely. Ah, what a perfect day.

D-4

"Jakey ? Jakey ! Jake !"

"What ?!" The Australian boy snapped, his head turning in your direction, a frown on his face. He'd dropped his pen and pushed his chair back from his little desk at breakneck speed, causing you to take three steps backwards, looking guilty, ears folded back against your skull. He exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair, restraining the urge to tear up his course sheets that he'd been staring at all evening. The whole three weeks, in fact. "What do you want ? What do you need ?"

"I-" You stammered, standing in front of him like a child being scolded. Your tail wagged nervously behind you and you began to play with the edges of your sweater. Under the pressure of his gaze, your cheeks flushed, embarrassed. "Nothing, just filling silly… 'M sorry…"

Jake huffed as he returned to his desk. He really wanted to give you all the love you deserved, but right now, if he wanted to be able to give you what you wanted and more, the last thing he needed was to repeat his year. He wasn't to be distracted by your adorable pout, let alone spend thirty minutes playing with you, even if you brought him your toys as you had done over the past few days. He couldn't afford it; he had to be the responsible one for the sake of your future. Even if it meant letting you down a little. You were a cat, you were also independent, right ?

You frowned not in anger but in frustration. For the past few days, you'd had this irrepressible urge to make yourself heard by Jake. You wanted him to listen to you, to see you, to cuddle you, to love you. But you tried so hard to push those feelings deep into your heart, knowing full well that you couldn't be a distraction for him. And yet, a little voice inside your head kept urging you to meow until he paid attention to you.

You stood behind Jake for a few minutes, part of you hoping that maybe he'd turn around and give you a hug, or let you rest your head in his lap while he worked, but none of that happened. Not even after ten minutes. Not even after thirty minutes. Or an hour. You were still standing behind him, your feet and body begging you to move, to sit, your limbs tingling, indicating that you were becoming numb. And that's what you were becoming. Numb.

"Oh my God yes finally !" Jake sighed with a mixture of joy and fatigue, big dark circles under his eyes and finished cups of coffee stacked next to his laptop. He'd spent hours on this project and was very pleased with it. He wouldn't have to work this weekend and could concentrate fully on his barista job. He might even be able to work overtime to buy you that new console game you'd been talking about after seeing the advert on TV. Yes, that's what he was going to do.

Happy and pleased with his idea, he turned to the faded sofa in the middle of the room to tell you of his genius, "Baby !" But you weren't there. You weren't lying on your stomach, snuggled under a soft comforter, reading your favorite book for the third time. Confused, he scanned his apartment, looking for your silhouette. You sometimes liked to lie on the floor when it was too hot. But you weren't there. But your favorite ball, the one you loved to play catch with Jake, was. Miserable, alone, in the middle of the dimly lit living room. The same one you'd brought him earlier in the evening.

Jake's eyes widened and he had what seemed like one last burst of caffeine, allowing it to remind him of how he'd rejected you hours before. "Oh shit shit shit." Slipping a hand nervously through his hair, he scrambled to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair with the force with which he'd stood up. "Baby com'here !" His calls fell on deaf ears and no sound reached him. He didn't have to look for you, since his apartment consisted of just three rooms. The bathroom, which also served as a toilet, the small living room where only a desk, a commode and a sofa could fit, and his bedroom, which consisted of a wall cupboard and a large double bed. He made his way into your room, silently hoping that you were sleeping peacefully, cuddling your tail. But the sight that greeted him was far different from the scene he'd imagined. You were awake, and you weren't in bed. You were sitting in front of the French window that led to the little balcony that Jake didn't like all that much. You, on the other hand, loved to groom yourself there in the afternoons, when the sun was at its zenith, rocking you in its comforting warmth.

He ignored this strange situation, which should have set him thinking, and only glanced outside through the closed window, oblivious to the faint night-light lit in the opposite building. He stroked your head and you gasped, raising your big dilated eyes to him. Ah, Jake felt so loved. Smiling, albeit tiredly, he lifted you into his arms, closing the window curtain with a quick tug, again oblivious to the way your ears had briefly folded.

"I'm sorry Baby, I'm just trying to do something nice for the both of us, didn't mean to snap at you like that." He set you down on the bed then slumped over you, blowing playfully on your face to see your face contort into the little grimace he loved so much.

You fidgeted, trying to push his face away from yours so he'd stop tickling you by rubbing his face against yours. You didn't hold a grudge and loved him so much that you couldn't bear to stay angry with him for more than a few minutes. Scratch that, you'd never been angry with him. "It's 'kay Jakey."

A few minutes passed as he stroked your hair affectionately, then he stood up and undressed, keeping only his boxers on, before snuggling up to you, whispering in the hollow of your ear, "I love you Baby, hope you know it."

And you smiled, rubbing your head against his cheek, wrapping your arms around his torso and your tail around his leg before whispering "I love you too Jakey..." between two purrs.

D-7

It was time for Jungwon to come and perch on the balcony, watching you brush or bask in the sun. It was a routine, an unspoken thing between the two of you. One would always wait for the other, lie down or sit on the balcony, ears perked up and eyes fixed on the opposite window, watching for the slightest movement. This time Jungwon had arrived much earlier, somewhere around eleven a.m., impatiently waiting for you to come and sit on the floor of your balcony. As usual, you opened the balcony when the sun was high in the sky and sat gracefully on the floor, which incidentally didn't look at all comfortable for something as precious and beautiful as you. Well, that was just Jungwon's opinion.

The black cat knew that you didn't live alone, and many clues told him that you were in the same situation as he was. There was a good chance that you were living at someone's expense, Jungwon was even sure of it, he had seen the same male silhouette several times when he sat in front of the balcony window late at night. With the night and the lack of light, he hadn't been able to clearly make out the person taking care of you, but from the way your bushy, radiant tail had dulled, he was sure this person was an idiot. Jay would have taken better care of you and never let you sit on the floor, even if it meant covering their whole apartment with carpet or rugs that were far too luxurious.

Pushing those ideas out of his mind, hiding those scenes he'd imagined, the ones where he'd carry you off and lock you in his room, grooming and pampering you for hours on end, he did what he did best in your presence, looking into your eyes with such admiration and purity that his owner would have been almost disgusted. A few times, you'd lift your gaze from your tail and dare to meet his eyes, but immediately your cheeks would flush and you'd decide that the sky was far too beautiful to ignore today. But a few minutes later you looked at him again, a few seconds longer, before avoiding his gaze. But Jungwon was satisfied with just those few seconds. He was sure that, in time, you'd finally be able to look him in the eye just as he looked at you, and you'd see the way he'd blink slowly, or make himself smaller, rolling onto his back, presenting you his favorite stuffed toy.

But he was already satisfied with the progress he'd made that week. For the first two days, you confined yourself to sitting on the edge of the door, making it clear that you didn't trust him. Even when you stared at a fixed point behind him, pretending to look at him so as not to appear intimidated, your face forming a pout that was meant to be frightening, Jungwon couldn't help finding you beautiful and adorable. You sat there all afternoon, staring at this fixed point. On the third day, you decided to ignore him, but this time you brought back your brush, which by the way seemed to be damaged. You didn't give him a single glance, but Jungwon was satisfied to see you sitting far enough away from the door, closer to the glass barrier that prevented you from falling into the green grass below your feet. And since then, you'd always settled into your usual place, leaning against the wall, watching the birds fly overhead or stroking your tail again, tirelessly.

It was a habit that Jungwon had initially found beautiful and cute, but now he couldn't help but feel worried. A strange feeling bubbled up inside him, his instincts screaming at him to stop your tireless gesture. After all, despite the time you spent brushing your appendage, Jungwon had noticed that it wasn't looking any better. On the contrary, the color of your tail was fading a little more every day, and so was the amount of hair. What worried him most was your left ear, which seemed to be losing a little more hair every day. The cat had noticed your annoying habit of vigorously scratching your ear when you were lost in thought, or when your ears suddenly twitched. You scratched your ears nervously before hurriedly getting up and leaving the balcony. Jungwon wouldn't see you again until the following day.

Lying on his stomach, sighing with contentment, not once taking his eyes off you, Jungwon suddenly had an idea when he saw you fidgeting on the spot, readjusting your position. He suddenly stood up, catching your eye and your curious gaze, before rushing into the apartment.

The instant he disappeared, you sat bolt upright, startled. A million thoughts raced through your mind. Had you been too hostile ? Not welcoming enough ? Hadn't you shown him that his presence soothed you ? Were you not good company ? A strangled cry akin to a distressed mewl almost escaped your throat, but you held it back, almost choking. You crawled forward, approaching the barrier, putting a hand on it, about to stand up, when he suddenly reappeared, a laptop that would surely cost Jake three rents in hand. Oh, your neighbor across the street must have had a wealthy owner. You shrank a little at the information, suddenly feeling ashamed of your financial situation. But before you could even back away from your spot by the railing, the big, almond eyes of the cat across the street turned to you and lit up like a child's eyes at Christmas.

Faintly, almost indistinctly, you heard a low growl. You flinched, preparing to be spat on for breaking an unspoken rule. But slowly and surely, your brain associated the noise with something very familiar. The same sound that emanated from your throat when Jake gave you attention. The boy across the street had come up to the glass, almost glued his face to it, and was purring. He was happy, just to see you come within a few centimeters even when you were meters away made him happy. Although Jungwon noticed immediately, his heart doing pirouettes, the biggest of smiles on his face, it had taken you ten minutes or so to understand and hear that there wasn't just a rumble in the air. Unconsciously, in response to his joy and soothing signals, you too began to purr. You hadn't purred for two days now. It felt good.

D-9

"Baby ! Did you ordered something ?"

Jake's voice snapped you out of your staring duel with Jungwon, and you pouted and scratched your ear at the satisfied, almost mocking look on the boy's face. Shyly, you gave him a little wave and a little smile, letting your tail slide along the glass plate before rising lazily from the floor. Whereas a few days before you'd jumped up to greet the Australian, this time you'd hesitated. You turned around a few times, took two steps back and then one forward, then went inside for good, closing the door behind you.

Jungwon noticed this hesitation and couldn't help smiling smugly, knowing that you'd almost rather stay with him than go back to your guardian. He'd made enormous progress of which he was not just a little proud, and so had had almost no qualms about tracing your curves with his eyes when you'd stood up. His gaze lingered on the curve of your hips. Wide hips and chunky thighs. Able to bear children, survive through pregnancy and give her a litter of kittens.

What ? What !

Jungwon's face paled and he suddenly buried his head in his cushion, muffling his cry at the desperate thought which just crossed his mind unexpectedly. He couldn't understand why he'd suddenly thought of that, he wasn't in heat and he wasn't about to have it. He felt a sudden urge to cuddle, so he went inside to pester Jay to come home.

Jake had asked the question before he'd even entered the house. As he returned from a particularly quiet day, ready to be greeted by your warm arms and soothing purrs, the young man had found a package outside the front door downstairs. Last time he checked, you and he were the only tenants in this building, which was far too shabby to have any other inhabitants, so this package could only be for you. It was a rather large box, and after checking that it wasn't a joke by looking left and right and looking at the address, which surprisingly matched his floor, Jake realized that a note had been added in the delivery instructions.

"For the cat..? What the-"

The Australian had been creeped out at first. Was someone stalking you, his sweet baby ? He had to ask you first before jumping to conclusions. So he'd gone upstairs and called you. But when he turned the doorknob and entered the apartment, he thought for a moment that his lunch was about to go down his throat. You weren't there, behind the door, waiting for him. You weren't waiting for him.

"Jakey..?" You'd asked in a way he knew wasn't a question. You knew he was there, but you hadn't waited for him. Why ?

"Baby ? Everything's all right ? Feeling good ? Not too hot ?" he said dropping the heavy box on the floor to check your temperature.

You leaned in his hand affectionately, humming. He exhaled, relieved, and fail to miss that the usual purring sound wasn't emanating from your throat. And hadn't for a few days.

"There's a box, I think it's for you. Did you ordered something ?"

Horrified, you opened your mouth and eyes wide. You couldn't afford to order something without asking Jake's advice when he was working day and night to provide for you. "No, I swear I didn't Jakey !" You clasped your hands around his, big round eyes looking at his worriedly.

"It's fine baby I'm not scolding you. Well, I think it's for you though so open it and tell me what it is, yeah ? I'll go make some ramens."

You nodded, eyeing the box more than a little warily, taking small steps towards it, nudging it with the tip of your finger before crouching down beside it and looking at it from side to side. You sat cross-legged, your tail wagging lazily behind you, before finally deciding to open it, finding a chisel lying around in the commode to cut off the large piece of scotch tape. After struggling for some minutes, you finally managed to pull out the huge, heavy piece of plastic contained in the box. Just as you were about to rip it open, a sheet of paper fell, landing only a few centimetres from you.

You tilted your head, curious, then picked up the piece of paper, seeing that it was just a blank sheet. Shrugging, you were about to throw it away, only to notice black ink on the back. Turning the paper over, you saw that a message had been typed on the computer.

'A queen-sized fluffy cushion for a glamorous princess. -Jungwon'

You'd never heard or read that name before. But you knew who had sent you the package. Your instincts were screaming it, your heart was singing it and your head was repeating it. He'd probably given you something you couldn't afford, something you and Jake could never afford, but that didn't matter to you right now. What mattered to you was that you could finally put a name to the face you saw every day. You could finally call by a first name the person who reassured and comforted you every day.

"Jungwon. Jungwon… Jungwonnie…"

"Well ? What is it ?" Jake returned to you, two bowls of noodles in hand, and set them down on the small coffee table in the living room.

In your haste, you found yourself hiding the sweet note behind you, discreetly sliding it under the sofa. Immediately, a feeling of guilt grabbed you by the throat and made you nauseous, your stomach churning at the mere idea that you'd just hidden something from your owner, from Jake, your best friend. You smiled hesitantly, wishing his fatigue would make your smile believable, before opening the large laminated package in the middle of the living room. Immediately, an atrophied cousin stretched out to its full length, swelling with every passing minute under your two startled gazes. The cushion was as fluffy as you could wish for, but above all, it was huge. Very huge.

"Wow, that's impressive." Jake said, bewildered at the mere sight. He leaned over the pillow and rested his hand on it, then his eyes opened wide at the sensation of the soft, squishy material beneath his fingers. He felt as if the pillow were enveloping his hand, beckoning him to sleep on it, or to rest on it without moving for hours. "Even though it's nice and obviously super expensive, it's not ours, we should send it back." Jake concludes with a shrug, already preparing to repack the package as best he can.

But that's without counting on your quick reflexes and 'soften Jake' skills. You threw yourself into his arms, burrowed in and affectionately rubbed your head in his neck. Your big, bright eyes looked up at him, pleading. "No ! I like it ! Can we keep it ?"

"Baby, it's not ours, someone must be looking for it…"

"It says for the cat ! Must be for me, right ?" you whined cutely, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Jake's cheeks flushed and he felt his body and mind playing tricks on him. When did you get so cute ? When did you grow up so much ? Since when did you know how to use your charms ? "Baby, it means that some creep is looking at you." He cup your face, looking into your eyes, worried, "You'd tell me if someone was making you feel uncomfortable, right ?"

"Sure Jakey !" you purred, batting your eyelashes and smiling cutely. You innocently pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips before continuing "But I really, really like it ! Just this once ? Pretty please ?"

Jake hugged you tightly, hiding his blush in the crook of your neck, hoping you couldn't feel his heart beating faster, threatening to escape his chest. He mumbled, "Just this once…", and you squealed out of pure joy, purring loudly while throwing yourself into your new bed, rolling in it.

"I love you Baby."

"Oh this is so fun !"

Jake felt his insides twist and his eyebrows furrow. You always responded to his 'I love you's. Since you were just babies, you always responded, and sometimes you were even eager to be the first to say it. The Australian felt confused but most of all hurt, didn't you love him anymore ? Figuring you probably hadn't heard him, he repeated himself, raising his tone slightly, "Baby, I said I love you."

"Hmm ? Oh, I love you to Jake !"

Yeah, you just hadn't heard him.

D-12

"Peek-a-boo!"

Jungwon heard you giggled from across the garden and smiled, proud of himself for being able to make you laugh like that. He hid behind the glass door again, waited a moment, waiting for your breath to stop for a few seconds, as it did every time he disappeared, then emerged from behind the door with a leap, faking claws and growling playfully.

"Rawr !" you said back, imitating him, but not in a moronic or infantile way, but rather amused, perhaps even mocking. But the black cat would gladly be the target of your mockery if it meant hearing your laughter over and over again. He thought he could be satisfied with seeing you lying in that cushion he'd chosen for you, and he had been. For about five minutes. He'd seen you looking up at him with your big round eyes, then you'd blinked slowly, then stretched out full length in his present, presenting your belly to the sky and to him. Jungwon was no longer satisfied. At that moment he had decided to give you the world and more.

So, what was supposed to be just one bed, had turned into a brand new brush made from the softest, most hybrid-friendly materials, then a new range of coat care products, which you diligently applied every night so that Jungwon would see that you cherished and cared for what he was offering you, to indicate to him that you accepted his advances. And this morning you'd received a ton of clothes, luxurious brands or not, cute, black, pink, tracksuits, sweaters, skirts. But Jake hadn't seen any of it, at least not yet. You knew it annoyed him that he didn't know where all these gifts had come from, since they were obviously for you, but he was far too busy with his studies and work to investigate seriously.

All these gifts were accompanied by cute notes written on the computer or appearing on the delivery instructions. You kept them carefully between a pile of your clothes, and tried to imagine Jungwon's voice, which you'd only heard a few times before. His voice was light and comforting, like a sea breeze in midsummer, and you wished you could hear it again and again, but unfortunately you both spent your time absorbing the sun's rays or playing in silence.

'Kitten must take care of herself to be the prettiest cat. -Jungwon' 'Your tail looks ravishing, just like you... -Jungwon' 'Saw this skirt and thought aout you, you'll be the prettiest kitten in it ! -Jungwon'

It was feeding your ego, making you feel better about yourself. And spending days just lying in the sun, knowing that Jungwon was right next door, was probably the most relaxing part of your daily routine. And yet, a hollow in your heart seemed to grow with each passing day. Your heart had room for many, of course, but that also meant that Jungwon was no substitute for Jake. And every day he neglected you was a day your mood worsened. He'd probably noticed that you'd stopped coming to say hello and just waited for him in the living room, that you smiled without any real zest when he stroked your ears. Although, on Jake's part, maybe he hadn't noticed any of that.

"Oh, hi ?"

A very familiar voice startled you and you turned at full speed towards the balcony doors, Jake's silhouette awkwardly holding onto them, trying not to step on your bed. He wasn't looking at you, he was looking at the cat in front of him, he was looking at Jungwon. And Jungwon was looking at him. Just when he thought he'd be angry and probably hiss at your owner, Jungwon surprised himself by saying nothing. He simply tilted his head left and right, examining the newcomer up and down.

"Thought I heard you laugh so I came here to check because I don't know what happened to our living room. But I think-" he looked at your big round and surprised eyes and then at the black cat in front of you, then his gaze fell on the same cushion you had, and he had a revelation. "I think I know who your secret admirer is, now…"

Jake nervously ran his fingers through his hair, not even sure why he was nervous, then sighed heavily. "Hum, excuse me, are you the one sending us all those stuffs..?"

Silence answered him and your gaze kept alternating between Jungwon and Jake, both silently looking into each other's eyes before Jake let out an embarrassed laugh. Jungwon didn't really know what to say: should he tell him the truth ? Lie ? He felt a little intimidated too, the man beside you was so handsome, with a pretty nose, high palmettes and a sharp jaw. But he didn't want you to get into trouble so he nodded silently, cautiously, tail wagging rapidly behind him, anticipating what was going to happen next.

"Okay~…" Jake nodded, dragging the 'o'. He recognized some of those quirks and habits the black cat had that you had yourself. And from the comfort in which he himself was ensconced, he was probably an indoor cat, like you. "You're kinda cute y'know ?" Jake said as a matter of fact, nodding to himself.

Well, Jungwon wasn't expecting that. He hid his blushing cheeks behind his much too large sleeves, annoyed at the male laughter that escaped from your owner. It was cute, Jungwon shouldn't find it cute.

"I'm Jake by the way. Bold of me to assume this but…can I talk to your- hum…caretaker? Don't wanna sound rude."

Jungwon contemplated his options. He could lie and play the card of the independent hybrid deeply revolted by his words just so he could blow him off. Or, he could get into your owner's good graces so he could woo you without fear of him interfering. Both options seemed equally tempting. Finally, he opened his mouth, speaking just loud enough for you to hear. "He's not here, he's working."

"Do you know when he'll come back?"

"In an hour or so."

"Okay, see ya then." Jake nodded, patting your head to gain back your attention. It was painful watching you gawk at the boy in front of both of you like this, with so much care and adoration. Now that he saw you looking at someone else in this way, Jake realized that it had been a few days since he'd seen that look in your eyes when he came home. Was the cat the reason ? An ugly and unfamiliar green feeling crept up his throat and choked him, leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth at the sudden realization that you no longer found interest in him since you'd found another playmate. "Come on Baby let's go home."

Jungwon's ears perked up even more at the nickname Jake had for you. Oh, he knew you were kind and sweet, but hearing Jake call you that only confirmed his certainty. Even though he'd abandoned you for days, you still tolerated him calling you by that affectionate nickname. You were adorable. Jay, for less, would already have had to redo his dressing room because of his anger.

But you ? You were so nice and pliant. So 'Baby' material. Jungwon was sure you would be too, behind closed doors. That you'd bend over for him, call him and meow his name like a cat in heat, waiting for him to take care of you and fill you with his kittens. He knew you'd take whatever he gave you without ever complaining, wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted, let it be in the shower or in the kitchen. He knew you'd let him fuck you in your new bed so both your smells would soak up and mingle, that you'd let him cover you and spread his cum all over your body so everyone would know you belonged to him. And that then you'd lick his dick clean with both your cum before pushing your hips towards his again, demanding more, always more, whining and whimpering to be filled with something, anything. Yeah you were a Baby, but above all you were his Kitten, his breedable Kitten. You would carry his kittens so well.

"Hi ?"

"Hi ! I'm sorry I know it's late but I really really need to talk to you. Can you get down ?" Jake asked awkwardly and hurriedly. A morbid silence answered him and he facepalmed, electing that he'd forgotten the most important piece of information. "I'm your not so new neighbor by the way."

"…I'm coming."

Jake waited a few moments outside the building similar to his own, enjoying the welcome coolness of a spring's night, when suddenly the front door opened, the sound of flip-flops reaching his ears, making him turn around.

"Oh bro you're handsome !" Jake gasped, one hand in front of his mouth, looking his neighbor up and down. He wasn't much more dressed up than that, just a gray T-shirt and black shorts, with Nike flip-flops. And yet, his fine features and discreet but prominent muscles were enough to make Jake think that his profession was modeling.

The latter arched an eyebrow, not in the least impressed, as if he received this compliment every day, and waited patiently for the young man in front of him to recover from his emotions.

"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm Jake." Jake said, extending his hand toward the boy in front of him, who gave it a firm, deft shake.

"You have a bit of an accent ?" Jay asked, recognizing an accent he couldn't put a name to. He wasn't used to running into people who spoke English this well in South Korea outside of the workplace.

"Oh I'm Australian, moved here and here in Korea, and then-" he pointed to the apartment parallel to his own, "here. Been a while actually, but I didn't know I had neighbors until, well, two hours ago."

"Yeah sorry. Should have introduced ourselves properly but no one told me new people would move in. Are you with your girlfriend ? Or boyfriend, not judging or something. Or single ?"

Jake tilted his head, confused by the sudden question, but still kept a friendly smile and replied, "No, she's my- wait it feels weird to say it like that but I can't find a better explanation at the moment. I'm with my cat hybrid."

"You have a cat hybrid ?" Jay's hitherto almost bored gaze seemed to light up a little, genuinely interested in this new information. "Me too." he smiled, thinking about what Jungwon could be doing at the moment.

"Well, I kinda know. Thought you knew that there was a cat in front of your house too…?" Jake said almost hesitantly, gauging his reaction before dropping the bomb. Clearly he didn't seem to know what was going on between their two cats. "That's why I'm here actually…"

"What ? Did something happened ? This brat spend half his day on the balcony and the other half in my arms, surprisingly. He can be a bit rude at times, did he offended her ?"

"Oh no he's a sweetheart ! It's just that- Hum, your cat is-" Jake stuttered, biting his lower lips in order to hide his embarrassment. What he was about to say was weird, he knew it. And he hated the fact that it was their first time meeting each other, it somehow made it worse. "Well, he's showering mine in gifts. Clothes, selfcare products, books..."

"He's what now ?"

"He's treating my girl. Thought it was some random fan who thought that she was pretty, but turned out your cat was the fan."

"Oh." Jay honestly didn't know what to say. He felt embarrassed, his face had paled even though he was still cool and composed. His cat was spending lavishly on the new neighbor's cat. The American had expected a lot, but certainly not this.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not a problem. I mean, for us, don't know about you. Or it wasn't. Because he shopped some pretty good clothes actually, for my girl, and she's overjoyed and all ! But our apartment is way too small and I can barely step in the living room without walking on a new book or a new package. I'm sorry, you'll have to tell him to stop sending those, otherwise we'll have to donate them."

"Oh gosh this is so embarrassing."

"Nah bro we good don't worry, my cat is pretty shy and all, she never talk to anyone, but I think she's really good friend with yours. It was pretty cute honestly."

"Is she ? That's sweet then. But I'm still sorry, I'll go and talk some sense into him."

"Okay. Well, have a good night, sorry that we have to met like that."

"Me too."

Jay stood in the same spot, pondering his life choices. You definitely had to have something to do with Jungwon's sudden change in behavior, and you had to be as sweet as Jake claimed if Jungwon had stopped breaking his glasses overnight. Now he was curious. Watching Jake's silhouette as he prepared to disappear into the shabby building that served as an apartment complex, Jay made up his mind and ran after him, holding the door behind the Australian.

"Sorry ! I'm Jay, came from America."

Jake turned and smiled brilliantly at the boy in front of him, greeting him with an awkward wave of the hand, clearly pleased with the initiative Jay had taken.

"Can we exchange phone numbers ?"

"Yeah, sure Jay."

"Who are you texting ? And why are you giving me the cold shoulder ?" Jungwon whined, wiggling on the couch to be closer to his owner.

Jay hummed and suddenly laughed, as if what he'd just seen was the funniest thing ever. Jungwon frowned, annoyed at being ignored. Two weeks earlier he wouldn't have cared, but now he felt an urge to knock the glass off the table to get the American's attention.

"Jay~!"

Jay sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, seemingly annoyed at his cat's antics. "I'm texting our neighbor."

The cat's ears perked up at the mention of the apartment opposite theirs, curious as to how and why Jay had decided to keep talking to your owner. It wasn't in his nature to want to make friends with people. He wasn't an introvert, but he didn't like being around a lot of people either. "The one from the apartment in front of ours ?"

"Well, he's the only neighbor we have." Jay answered, rolling his eyes. He knew he was being petty but he couldn't help it after the stunt Jungwon pulled. "Actually, let's talk about them." Jay frowned and put his phone down on the coffee table, resting his chin on his joined hands, looking at the younger man with a sharp gaze. The latter looked at him, round-eyed, confused and alarmed at his friend's sudden change of attitude, and fidgeted awkwardly in place, his tail wagging nervously at his side. "When were you planning to tell me about those…presents ? Or about the cat across the garden."

"Oh."

"Oh, in fact. Jake told me that their apartment is full of presents, they can barely walk in there."

"I was just taking care of her ! She seemed really uncomfortable and annoyed in there."

"Jungwon, she has an owner ! Don't you understand ? It's not our job to take care of her needs !"

"Now you're being selfish." Jungwon scoffed, rolling his eyes and getting up from the couch, ready to ignore what Jay had to say.

"Oh no I'm not done wit you-" Jay stood up in turn and decided to follow him around the apartment. "I don't give a fuck about you spending my money or whatever. I care that you did not said a single thing to me or her owner !"

"Blah, blah, blah!" Jungwon shook his head, making it clear to Jay that he wasn't listening or caring about what Jay had to say.

Jay clenched his fists and took deep breaths to calm the anger boiling inside him. He didn't want to say something he'd regret later and risk betraying the trust his mischevious cat had in him. So he decided that leaving to think things over was the best thing to do. "Oh wanna act like a child ? I'll treat you like one then."

Jungwon turned abruptly, a plea on the tip of his lips as he watched the American leave, but his ego got the better of him. He exhaled heavily and went off to perch on his mezzanine, trying to get some sleep.

D-13

The next day, when you woke up groggy, an unbearable headache made it hard to breathe without feeling a burning in your nostrils. The lights seemed too bright even though Jake had taken care to keep the curtains closed, and your senses were in overdrive. Especially your sense of smell, which, between Jake's scent and yours around you, managed to discern another odor. Acrid and bitter, unpleasant and almost suffocating despite the little you inhaled. But above all, a familiar smell. One you'd learned to recognize with your eyes closed, that of Jungwon. Except now it was laced with notes of anger and pain, and it made you want to jump over the balcony to go find him and make him feel better. It didn't matter how.

You stood up and quickly washed your face, then quickly headed for the French window without even eating. You couldn't wait to see him sitting on the other side, so maybe you could comfort him ? But the sight that greeted you left you perplexed, but above all hurt, sad and alone. Opposite you, the cushion on which Jungwon used to rest and nap was missing. Only the cold concrete graced you from its sight, as well as that of the white electric shutter, closed completely. Maybe it was too early. Maybe he was just having a bad dream. But all the same, the sight of his missing pillow gave you a feeling of anxiety that almost made you nauseous.

You fetched your alarm clock and set it down in front of you, sat cross-legged and waited patiently for Jungwon to open the glass doors and greet you with a smile, tired perhaps, but a smile all the same. But it didn't happen. As you stood motionless, staring at the doors, hoping to see the person you were waiting for, the world around you continued to turn. Gradually, the refreshing breeze had turned to stifling heat as the sun continued to race across the sky. 9:30 a.m. soon became 11:30 a.m. , and then 1:30 p.m. , and then 3:30 p.m. . The sun was at its peak and your lips were beginning to chafe from lack of hydration. A dull ache in your head made your eyes heavy, but you managed to keep awake by clumsily scratching your right ear, ignoring the sensation of warm liquid running down them as you scratched for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. In the meantime, you'd spent the whole day tirelessly brushing your tail, ignoring the clumps of hair accumulating at your feet.

As your eyelids grew heavy, a piercing pain running up and down your head, a sudden movement opposite caught your attention. You winced at the sensation of your right ear twitching, but your eyes didn't move once from the repetitive movement opposite. In fact, it wasn't a movement, just a noise. Since this morning you'd been hearing faint sounds from the other side, too well muffled by the glass for you to make out, but this one was loud. Louder and louder, in fact. As if someone were banging on glass, over and over again. A high-pitched screeching noise made your eye twitch, but you leaned forward anyway, hopeful. You were sure it was Jungwon.

"Jung-…" you murmured softly, your voice cracking from lack of hydration and speech - you'd been mute for a whole day after all, hadn't uttered so much as a sound. Saying that syllable felt like a mouse had lodged itself in your throat and was trying to claw its way out. It was a dull, burning pain, heightened by the feeling of discomfort you'd been feeling for an hour now. And yet, you did your best to pronounce his name.

"Jung- Jung...won..."

It was the first time you'd ever called him. You wished it had been under different circumstances, but every time the opportunity arose and he stood in front of you, that word stuck in the hollow of your throat and your face flushed as if someone had whispered the worst obscenities to you. But this time it was different. Even though, as before, you felt the word was stuck in the back of your throat, you forced yourself to get it out. It was just a sound, two syllables, a pathetic whimper, but it was enough to make the drumming in front of you intensify.

"Jungwon..?"

"Jungwon ?"

"Jungwon !"

You'd spent the afternoon meowing his name, but never got an answer. You leaned over the balcony, almost fell over, but never stopped calling his name over and over again. At some point, you lost consciousness and your fragile figure sprawled out in your cushion, your eyelids half-open, murmuring the name of the boy across the garden.

It was 6 p.m. and Jay had barely parked his car in front of his apartment when a bad feeling already gripped his gut. In fact, he could only have had a bad feeling when he saw his belongings spread out on the dirty street floor, the window of his apartment wide open. Furious, he climbed the stairs four at a time, eager to give a piece of his mind to Jungwon.

Jay slowly opened the door to his apartment and a scene of war unfolded before his eyes. Slowly, he entered his apartment and his eye twitched at the sound of shattering glass beneath his feet. Lowering his gaze, he found the equivalent of his entire dinner service on his floor, shattered into thousands of pieces, scattered all over his apartment. Moving on, he found his sofa ripped open, his pillows torn to shreds, his curtains slashed and his chairs overturned. Whereas he'd been angry, now he felt more worried than anything else. Sure, Jungwon would break a glass or two when he was upset, but he'd never turned his apartment upside down like that, let alone thrown his stuff out of the window.

Walking briskly to his cat's room, he wasn't surprised to find him snuggled up in his fur comforter on top of the mezzanine, his back to the door. Hesitantly, he entered the room, but stopped short at the sound that greeted him as soon as he stepped inside. Jungwon was growling. His cat was growling at him. It was the first time this had ever happened and it was frightening. Not because he was afraid of what Jungwon might do to him, but rather because he was afraid their relationship was reaching a point of no return.

The American took small steps backwards, gently so as not to upset his friend, any thoughts of scolding him gone with the sigh he'd let escape once out of the room.

"Oh gosh…" he sighed, massaging his temples before grabbing his phone, making a call.

As he slumped into what was left of his couch, completely overwhelmed by the events, his attention was drawn to a strange and albeit slightly horrifying sight.

"Clinique Inter-species hello ! How can I help you ?"

Jay didn't even notice the other voice on the other end of the line and stood up cautiously, approaching the crime scene. Then, in a flash, everything connected in his head. The way Jungwon had acted today. it was all his fault, he'd reacted badly to the news yesterday and made an impulsive decision that put you all in a difficult situation.

"Hello ?"

"Yes ! Good evening, excuse me, I'd like to make an appointment as soon as possible for a cat hybrid please."

"Ah… I'm afraid you won't have an appointment for another week. Could I have your name and the name of the hybrid ?"

"Park Jongseong, the hybrid's name is Yang Jungwon."

"Oh Mister Park ! We have room tomorrow morning if you want it ?"

"Thank you. Have a nice day."

Jay didn't wait for the hostess's reply before hanging up, a grimace on his face at the way she'd completely changed her attitude at the mention of his first name. Money could work miracles. But he couldn't dwell on that insignificant detail. Not when the French window leading to the balcony had multiple cracks in it, one of his gold trophies laying next to it on the ground. Everything made sense now.

You felt yourself being shaken back and forth before a strange sensation made you feel as if you were floating. Your limbs and tail dangled lethargically, and you were now sure that someone was carrying you. Far too woozy to open your eyes, you still felt your eyelids twitch at the bright light that seemed to be right in front of you. You wished you could curl up in a ball in the sheets beneath you to hide and mope in silence, but even lifting a finger seemed too much effort.

Soon enough, your senses awoke to the sound of hurried footsteps left and right, then a cool sensation on your forehead made you sigh with contentment. Delicately, you felt a cold cloth drape over your face, bringing a welcome coolness, and you couldn't help but lean into the sensation, a frown still on your face.

"Come on, I know you're there, wake up !"

You blinked once, twice, weakly before finally opening your eyes once your vision adjusted to your surroundings. Above you, Jake's terrified face greeted you and you couldn't help but let out a confused squeak. Why did he look so worried ?

His arms engulfed you and you inhaled deeply, your nose curling up at the pungent scent Jake's distress was emitting. But you didn't have the heart to push him away after seeing his eyes glistening with tears. He may never have been around, but you loved him all the same. He was your Jake.

"What's happening Jake ?" you voice came out horse and you coughed, gulping your saliva in order to quench your thirst.

Delicately, the Australian put you in a sitting position and rushed into the kitchen to bring you a large bottle of water. He sat down beside you on your bed and, having opened the bottle, brought it to your lips with one hand, the other resting behind your neck, supporting your head.

"Drink."

You could have protested and sulked, but Jake's tone, one you'd never heard before - demanding and commanding, left you no choice but to tentatively open your lips, watching him out of the corner of your eye as he helped you drink. You'd needed to get sick and dehydrated to realize that your best friend was handsome. From the features of his face to the way he frowned, or his long, thin, veined fingers, he truly was a work of art despite being a broke and single student.

Your cheeks reddened at these thoughts and you couldn't help wanting to pull your head away from his grip, whimpering like a child for him to let you go. But Jake was having none of it, "Drink or I'll force you."

Pouting, you gulped the water that flowed into your mouth, an adorable pout on your face that made a smile escape Jake despite his concern, "There you go, that's my good girl."

You almost spat all the water in your mouth or choked with it, ears folded over your skull as you did whenever you felt particularly shy or embarrassed. This caught Jake's attention and he couldn't help but open his mouth wide, horrified at the sight of the red wound on your right ear, the bloody scratch marks, the bare, red, irritated skin. Yet you seemed oblivious to what had happened to you as you simply stared at him from behind your sleeves, eyes squinting and cheeks flushed.

"What..?"

"Nothing ! You should go to sleep, rest, we'll talk about this tomorrow."

"I don't want to talk about it…" you said like a grumpy cat, laying and showing your back to your friend.

He poked your ribs, making you stifle a laugh, before saying playfully, "Now you're just being bratty. Aren't you my good girl anymore ?"

There was a pregnant silence and Jake wondered if he'd gone too far in his teasing. Maybe you were really angry with him ? Maybe he'd done something to make you feel uncomfortable ? But that thought vanished the instant you turned, sheepishly, and nestled your face in his belly, whispering, "'M still your good girl…"

"I know baby, I love you."

"..."

"I said I love you."

"I know."

Later that night, Jake felt too anxious to sleep. He was trying to figure out when events had taken such a turn, how and why you'd gotten to the point where you'd only said 'I know' when he'd told you he loved you. He'd even let a few tears escape as he disinfected your wound, aware that this first-aid kit was the only thing he could provide when it came to care. He'd let a few tears escape because he knew that your financial situation wouldn't allow him to take you to the doctor. He had replayed the events of the last few weeks in his head and suddenly everything seemed to make a lot more sense. He'd needed you to get sick for him to realize how much he'd neglected you. He was ashamed of himself and of what lack of money had made him. He'd rather eat bread all through college than have to leave you so alone again.

Resolving to quit one of his part-time jobs, he still went to a forum that had advised him many times in the past, hoping that this time again these people could help him.

'Hi everyone. I'm having some problems with my cat hybrid. We've been living together for years now and she's very sweet and affectionate. Recently I've had to work twice as hard to support us so I've not been around too much. I honestly thought that was why she had become so distant. In fact, for several days now, she's been meeting a hybrid cat on the balcony. I think they spend hours there doing and saying who knows what to each other. Recently, I learned that he was the source of many of the gifts we received at home. I wondered if her behavior had anything to do with this boy ?'

He didn't have to wait long for many people to reply, as it turned out that some answers were more useful than others. Some couldn't help but gush over how it was 'cute' while some extremists criticized Jake for being your owner, saying that hybrids had as many rights as humans. But when people actually came up with an answer to his question, it always turned out to be the same one. One that made the Australian's blood boil as it scrolled before his eyes again and again-

D-14

"He's in love."

"Pardon ?"

Jay had no experience or knowledge of hybrids. In fact, he only knew what he needed to know to take care of Jungwon. And even then, he knew what he needed to know to take care of Jungwon's specific needs. And yet, he couldn't help but doubt the doctor's verdict. The verdict from someone who'd studied for years, who'd devoted part of his life to studying hybrids of every size, of every species. Was her cat in love ?

"He's in love, it's as simple as that." the doctor said in a tone of finality, perfectly sure of himself, closing the file dedicated to Jungwon once he'd finished jotting down his diagnosis. Stirring the pot, he continued, smiling, "In fact, I don't think I even need to be a doctor to say that. It's pretty obvious from what you're telling me."

"No but- He-…"

"He can fall in love too, you know ?" The doctor said in a soft voice, a smile that was meant to be comforting on his face. "I know it must feel weird, you've grown up with him and- well, I won't make any assumptions or judgments about the nature of your relationship, but it must feel weird to realize that your little hybrid has grown up and detached himself from you to the point of falling in love with another person, right ?"

Jay remained silent. He didn't think the diagnosis would affect him so much. Nor that the idea of Jungwon in love with someone would give him that feeling, the feeling of being helpless, devoid of words or control over the situation. Then again, he kind of doubted it. No, he knew it. But he didn't want to admit that his little cat had grown so much.

"I suggest you organize a meet up between him and her. Honestly, I can't help feeling concerned about this cat's health. What happened yesterday must have taken a tole on her too. Each person reacts differently."

"So that's it ? The prescription is a meet up between them ?"

"I could tell you the things you want to hear, that it's only temporary, giving you happy pills and suggesting you to prevent him from seeing that girl so you can pretend everything's fine. But here we're acting in the interests of the hybrids and, rarely when the situation arises, their eventual owner. I know you both well enough to know that's not what you want, isn't it Mr.Park ?"

"Right. I'm sorry. Thank you doc."

Jay bowed to the doctor, thanking him again. A silent thank you for helping him think more clearly. He knew he was being selfish, and perhaps if it had been any other doctor who simply gave his client what they wanted, this situation would have ended badly for everyone. Sighing, he headed for the door, accompanied by Jungwon's attending physician, who opened the door for him and shook his hand firmly, wishing him not to see him again any time soon.

Jay looked up from the floor and was greeted by the piercing, grumpy gaze of his cat, causing him to roll his eyes. He was immune to that gaze, but that didn't stop Jungwon from continuing to look at him that way.

"Bye Jungwon ! Can't wait to hear more about her !"

Jungwon bowed in the direction of the man in the white coat, ignoring the burning sensation at the tip of his ears. He turned quickly and left the corridor with a mechanical, embarrassed gait, causing the doctor to laugh and call his next patient.

Jay didn't arrive at the car until a few minutes after Jungwon, sighing as he slumped into the driver's seat. The silence in the car was heavy, Jungwon looking out over the parking lot, brows furrowed and eyes squinting, as Jay recalled his discussion with the doctor. A meet up. He had to organize a meet up. And as fate would have it. As he reached for his phone to send Jake a message, his screen lit up on its own, displaying the Australian's contact alongside a short message.

'Hey hope I'm not disturbing you ?' -Jake 'No, I was about to send you a message' -Jay 'Oh lol' -Jake 'Was thinking' -Jake 'Maybe we could make them meet ?' -Jake

Jay held back his laughter, trying not to attract his cat's sullen mood. Fate really did have a way of doing things.

'Loool, came back from the doc and he said Jungwon needed to meet your girl, was about to text you.' -Jay 'Why were you at the doc ? Is he fine ? 😧' -Jake

'Yeah don't worry.' -Jay 'I was concerned about his behavior, he broke everything in my apartment and tried to break the balcony's window.' -Jay 'Damn 🫢' -Jake 'Ikr' -Jay 'Turns out he was mad because he couldn't see his little girl friend aka your hybrid.' -Jay 'He must really like her lol' -Jake 'Doc said he's in love.' -Jay 'Damn' -Jake 'It's cute 🥰' -Jake

'Hmm' -Jay 'You think you can be in the garden by the time we come back home ?' -Jay 'Wait' -Jake 'We're allowed in there ?!' -Jake 'Didn't you read the lease ?' -Jay 'I did' -Jake 'Not 🫥' -Jake 'Well, now you know.' -Jay 'You can enter through the little wooden gate, it's always open.' -Jay 'On it bro 🫡 ' -Jake 'Thanks bro' -Jay

"What are we waiting for?" Jungwon huffed, eyeing Jay up and down, frowning at the sight of his friend smiling at his phone.

Jay turned and put his phone down beside him, shaking his head before putting on his seatbelt and starting the car. He knew he was being petty by not answering Jungwon, but he couldn't help thinking back to the damage the cat had done to his apartment and having a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He wouldn't try to ease the tension, even if the journey to their apartment was long. In fact, it was a good thirty-minute drive from the city center, as the two neighboring buildings stuck out like a sore thumb in the countryside around Seoul. No neighbors around, just the two of them. Well, just the four of you now.

"Come on Baby, we'll go out and breath some fresh air." Jake said as he lay down next to you, huffing at the feel and comfort of his bed. If he could, he would have used his weekend to lounge around his apartment, carrying you like a baby koala wherever he went, playing with you and kissing your face. But your condition was worrying, and although he had no desire to, he knew that the only cure for your malaise might well be the cat across the garden. He was jealous, it's true. To the point of tucking your tiny figure under one of his oversized sweaters and repeating dozens of times that he loved you between two smoochies on the cheeks. But he always wanted what was best for you.

"Where are we going..?" you asked, yawning like the tired kitty that you were. You felt the urge to just lay on the balcony and sunbath while waiting for Jungwon to come out. It'd been two days since you'd seen him, and you felt as if with every passing minute a gaping hole in your stomach was getting bigger and bigger. You felt empty. So you didn't even know what state you'd be in if Jake wasn't by your side.

"The garden." Jake said, beaming as he took a cap, putting it on his head before turning right and left, looking for his keys.

"The one under the balcony ?" It had caught your eye. That famous garden that separated you from Jungwon had always caught your eye. The grass was just the right height for you to feel like rolling around and lying in it for hours, and pretty flowers lined the poor, dull, moth-eaten wooden fence that connected the two buildings. You didn't know you were allowed to go there.

"Yup." he nodded, patting the pockets of his jacket, still looking for his keys, growing more frustrated with each passing second. "Have you seen my keys ?"

You looked up from the shoes you were putting on and scanned the room, searching your memory to see where he'd lost his keyring. Again. "In the trophy."

He tilted his head, confused as to why he would have put them there but went anyway, trusting your memory. Again. A big smile stretched his lips as he found his keyring and came over to kiss your forehead, hugging you. He loved being extra clingy with you. "Thank you Baby. What would I do without you ?" And the thought crossed his mind. What would he do without you ? Where would he be ? He remembered that there had been times in his life, hard, testing and challenging, when your cute face and comforting cuddles had gotten him out of a lot of trouble. He was the caring, respectful person he is today, partly thanks to you. So what would he do if you decided to be independent and leave him for someone else ? For that cat ?

"Jake?"

He didn't want to overthink it, but the simple fact that you no longer cuddled him before bed, that you no longer wanted to play with him, that you no longer said I love you to him, and especially that you no longer called him by that nickname you'd first called him with when you were still just kids made him feel abandoned. But he knew he was only reaping what he had sown. He'd abandoned and neglected you, you had every right to do so too.

"Jake, should we head outside?"

And yet you never raised your voice at him, never cried your woes to anyone who would listen, and you were patient, oh so patient even though sometimes Jake lost patience with himself. You were sweet, adorable, innocent. So corruptible that he wanted to tuck you under his arms and protect you from the world. But you were a woman, not the baby he cradled in his arms anymore.

"Yeah, let's go."

You went down the stairs and out through the front door, since the only way into the garden was through the gate onto the main street. Well, rather than a street, it was the only road leading to your poor apartment complex. As you walked at your own pace, Jake kept the conversation going. Finally, it wasn't long before you arrived in front of the verdant garden. The door was already open, the latch rusted to the point of falling off when Jake pushed open the little door.

"Nice ! It's actually quite pretty." Jake said as he took the first step, smiling brightly as his gaze fell on every little thing that stood out in the garden, especially the pretty weeping willow that stood between the two buildings, at the other end of the entrance, close to the fence that overlooked a huge field and a forest not far away. It was charming. As he was about to go and explore the garden, he felt your small hand grip his, lacing your fingers. He turned around big rond and heart shaped eyes, and felt his heart filling up with joy and love at your cuteness overload. You were looking at him with your doe eyes, wiggling, one of your hand playing with the hem of the sweater that Jake gave you as your cheeks were reddening because of embarrassment.

"I wanna explore with you..." you pout, getting closer to him and hugging his arm.

That one sentence was enough to make all the negative thoughts lingering in his mind go away and make his heart leap out of his chest. Even after everything that had happened, he was reassured to know that he was still the person you turned to when you were looking for a feeling of security. He was happy and glad to be your safe place and hoped to remain so for as long as you wanted.

"Of course Baby let's go, I'll follow you wherever you wanna go."

So you began your little tour, gently pulling Jake by the hand so he'd follow close behind. You hadn't been out for three weeks because you didn't feel like it, but the sensation of the grass tickling your calves gave you a serotonin boost. Your heart filled with joy at the sight of life around you, insects flying and birds singing. You couldn't help but crouch down to look at the flowers every time you passed a pretty bush. There were flowers of every color and kind, and you were surprised to see that they were so pretty and, above all, in such good condition, since it had been days since it had rained and the sun had been beating down hard. Normally, they would have dried out. But they were strong and radiant.

Jake held back a laugh and quickly grabbed his phone, taking a picture of you encouraging flowers without context. He knew you loved flowers, and you were taking particularly good care of a drooping plant he'd given you a few months ago. It had grown surprisingly well, perhaps because you said good morning to it every morning and good night every evening, under his amused gaze.

Humming, you continued on your way, soon losing yourself under the mass of Weeping Willow vines, taking Jake with you. You felt as if you'd arrived in a new world. The tree was so imposing that the shade it provided beneath it had managed to keep a certain coolness in the hollows of its branches. The branches weren't very high, either. In fact, you could easily climb them with a minimum of effort. Which you wouldn't do, because you weren't keen on soiling your clothes in order to get a better perch. Your balcony was good enough.

"Oh, it's really cool here. I can picture two chairs just right here." Jake said excitedly, pointing at a random place near the trunk. "Sipping lemonade and enjoying the weather-" He then kissed your knuckles then your cheek, grinning, "-and your company."

You fought the blush that crept up your neck, deciding to ignore him and his feeble protest. But suddenly, a noise caught your attention. A creak you'd heard a few minutes before. Then the sound of footsteps muffled by the greenery. You immediately hid behind Jake, relying on his broad shoulders to protect you from whoever was coming in here even though you were literally in the middle of nowhere. Normally, you'd have been able to discern a scent, telling you at least the nature of the person in front of you, but the smell of the flowers was far too stifling.

Jake, on the other hand, didn't seem surprised at all. Even though you couldn't see him, you were sure that a huge smile was gracing his face as warmth and joy emanated from his body in waves, reassuring and comforting. If Jake wasn't worried, you wouldn't be either; you trusted him with your eyes closed.

"Hey bro !"

Still confused, you followed Jake out of the shadows, the world lighting up once more as the sunlight made you squint.

"Hey, sorry we're a bit late." an unfamiliar voice said, deep and almost professional. You now knew it was a man. Probably one of Jake's friends.

"It's fine ! She wanted to explore anyway. Come say hi Baby."

Eyes round as two marbles, you looked up from his back to his head and saw him smiling brilliantly at you, silently encouraging you to take a step forward by moving slightly to the side. You hesitated a little, but took your courage in both hands and stepped forward, remaining at your owner's side.

"Hi..."

You hadn't once looked up from the ground and weren't even sure he'd heard you, your voice was so small. But you didn't miss the way he cooed before trying to hide his chuckle between two coughs.

"Told you she's shy." Jake giggled, hugging you from behind ans resting his head on your shoulder before kissing your cheek and whispering softly "You did great Baby, I'm so proud of you."

You loved it when Jake praised you. Especially after those two grueling weeks when you'd barely been around each other. You felt the impact of his words on you was multiplied by a hundred. Your brain was mushy and fuzzy and butterflies were fluttering in your stomach. You couldn't help the sidelong glance you gave him, your eyes filled with love and respect.

But suddenly, a loud noise caught your attention. A sharp exhalation and a deep inhalation, a low rambling and a soft purring. As if in slow motion, you turned your gaze to the man who had entered the garden but, to your surprise, two people were standing in front of you. The one furthest forward stood out for his height, yet he might as well not have been there, for you didn't even spare him a glance. No, your gaze was fixed on the person behind him. Your gaze flew over the boy's raven locks and pointed ears, gliding down his face, stopping on his beautiful almond-shaped eyes, his pretty pointed nose and prominent cheekbones, before continuing its descent down his torso and stopping on his tail, just as black as his hair, watching the lazy movements it made, swaying left and right.

"Hmm, well... Surprise ?"

You gasp and challenge yourself from Jake's embrace so you can hide behind him, your eyes protruding over the Australian's shoulder, fixed on the slim silhouette of the cat in front of you. But you weren't afraid. Oh no. You felt a shiver of excitement run through you and you felt so joyful that you were convinced that the adrenalin coursing through your body would enable you to run a marathon. With flushed cheeks and blown pupils, you watched as he suddenly froze, surely trying not to make any sudden movements. The silence was heavy, no one daring to speak, not even Jake or Jay, who were busy looking at the cat in front of them. In fact, Jake was strongly restraining himself from pouncing on the smaller boy, engulfing him in his arms and stroking his tail. He was a cuddle bug, that's where you got your clinginess from.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Jungwon headed for the Weeping Willow, walking past you both while your gaze never wavered from him even for a second. He had completely ignored you, spreading the branches so that he could hide among the tree's foliage, far from your three inquisitive and curious gazes. And now mouths agape. Well, Jake and Jay were the only ones who were stunned. He didn't want to put pressure on you and give you time, even though he was eager to approach you. You could tell by the way his pupils were completely dilated as he walked past you, discreetly sniffing your scent, fingers twitching with irrepressible desire.

"This brat-"

"-It's fine don't worry ! She'll come to him whenever she's ready. Should we sit and talk ?" Jake prompted, a sweatdrop on his forehead. He could tell where Jungwon got his character from. At least the little he'd seen of it. Sighing, Jay nodded and followed you as your friend guided you to a remote corner from the tree, having to gently pull you by the hand to get you to move from your spot.

Jungwon had been patiently waiting for at least an hour. He was convinced he'd done the right thing. He didn't want to corner you and wanted you to feel at ease. Surprisingly, this situation left him with a feeling of déjà vu. Like that first time he'd seen you, sitting on the balcony, letting the world enjoy your beauty, gracing him with your sight, even from a distance. You'd gone off to hide like a frightened kitten and never stopped looking at him from behind the wall like a curious kitten. Just like today. Then he'd have to clench his fists and teeth to stop himself from pouncing on you and covering you with his scent, from squeezing you and purring in the hollow of your ears and telling you how cute and pretty you were, how he couldn't wait to be able to touch you. Everywhere.

A sudden movement caught his attention and he fought the urge to sit straight. He couldn't see you, but he knew it was you. That any moment now your adorable face would emerge from between the leaves. So he closed his eyes and waited patiently. He didn't see you, but he heard your breathing grow short, heard the sound of your hands and knees on the cool grass as you slowly approached him. You took one more step every two minutes, and soon enough Jungwon felt you beside him. So close. Your scent filled his senses and you were all he could think about. You, pretty you, darling and cutie you. The only distraction in his world.

"They left- Wanted to eat-"

The information registered briefly in his skull. He vaguely remembered hearing the sound of an engine. But the only thing he wanted to hear was your voice. Sweet voice. Soft voice, whispering and stuttering.

Honestly, if asked, Jungwon would say he didn't know what had come over him. Because from one minute to the next, he'd jerked upright, causing you to squeal and fall backwards. You turned and tried to run away, but a firm grip on your pretty tail prevented you from taking another step away from him. You turned, lips curled as you did your best to hiss at the other cat. But he was having none of it.

As soon as the sound left your mouth, he bent you over, him on top of you, and bit the back of your neck, sinking his little fangs into your flesh as he pushed his pelvis into yours. He didn't know what was happening to him, he just knew it was the right thing to do. He had to subdue you, show you that he was in charge and that this garden belonged to him, that you belonged to him. All of you. His ears were on the lookout for every sound and whimper that escaped your mouth. You were short of breath and jerking vehemently beneath him, clawing at the ground as his two hands held your wrists close to your head.

"Jung- Jungwon !"

"Ah~…" The boy couldn't help but groan at the sound of your name in his mouth. So cute, calling for help to the same exact person who was submitting you. He couldn't get enough of hearing your voice, especially if it sounded so pretty when he was bending you over in front of him. He couldn't help thrusting his hips against yours, rubbing against your bottom as he watched your legs bend under his will, watching that sweater bathed in your owner's scent ride up your thighs, briefly letting him catch a glimpse of your underwear. "Won't you be nice and listen Kitten ? Huh ? Would you do that for me ?"

You didn't answer and instead decided to fight harder, trying to turn the situation around. You felt so vulnerable, so small, and you loved every second of it. But was life without a bit of spices ? Jungwon disagreed. He didn't need spices in his life. He could add some himself, hell, he was the spices. And he'd make you understand, even if it meant leaving dozens of fang marks in the skin of your neck. It was his instinct, after all. So he leaned over and bit you once more, nipping at your skin between his lips. And it seemed he'd hit the right spot as you suddenly stopped moving, your hitherto small pupils dilated and your ears drooped, a low purring emanating from you. Unconsciously your body leaned towards his, your pelvis pressing against his, occasionally shifting against his now hard on.

"Good kitten ! You're such a good kitten !" Jungwon moaned softly in your ear again and again as he was idly rutting his cock on your ass, panting ever so slightly while praising you. He'd succeeded in submitting you to him. You belonged to him. His sweet and cute kitten. His mind was fuzzy, head empty, filled with thoughts of you. Thinking about what he should do next. And then he came to the realization that you were just here, under him, presenting so willingly, not saying a thing and purring as he was mounting you. He could bred you now. You wanted it.

And oh yes you wanted it. You so wanted it. At least, a part of you wanted it. The same part who accepted that he was stronger than you, kept on telling you that he would take care of you. The same part that made you notice how he bent over you, keeping you pinned to the ground while taking care not to crush you, the one that made you notice how he licked your wound carefully, lovingly, a small and pitiful whine escaping from his lips at the sight of your bruised ear. The one that made you notice the way he gently and slowly pushed his hips against yours. You were lost into sub-space, literally, and only wanted to please him. You knew he would take good care of you.

"Want me to breed you ? Please, lemme breed you I beg you. I'll make you feel so good, please, huh ?"

"Wanna be nice..."

"What was that ?"

" Wa-Wanna be nice for you, will you breed me ? Pretty please ? Gon' be the nicest kitten ever !"

Jungwon lost it. You were so cute he almost felt guilty ruining you like that. But who else could make you feel good ? Your owner ? No, even if he used every word of love he wanted to call you, you always went back to see him through the balcony window. He was your priority, your referent, the person you were turning to, pushing your hips against, begging for him to fill you up. He began to lick the juncture between your neck and your collarbone before leaving open-mouthed kisses against your shoulder, where the far too large sweater fell loosely.

"Wanna mark you up Kitten, can I ?"

"No! Jake- Don't wan' Jakey to see-"

But it fell on deef ears as the mere mention of the Australian had been enough to piss him off, to make him jealous. He bit your shoulder, leaving two little holes in your skin, making you whimper and complain before licking the two glistening red beads.

"I'm sorry, so sorry, tastes so good, your skin is so soft."

Convinced you wouldn't try to escape, he released your wrist and began to massage your thigh, taking in all the sensations you were procuring him, welcoming them with open arms. His hand moved gently up your thigh, stopping somewhere near your clothed core in order to push your legs apart with a surprisingly strong grip. You arch your back even more, pushing again your hips into his, your tail frantically waving form side to side because of the constant attention your body was receiving.

It all felt unreal, his dick poking your back, his tongue swiping across your skin and his warm hands massaging you, worshipping you as if you were a goddess made of the finest porcelain. You felt loved. Every bit of you, every single nerves were buzzing with apprehension, wondering what he would do next, where his hands would lay, what part of your body would be stroked by his warm and wet tongue. Neediness was overflowing from your body, drenching him in your scent. Aroused, horny.

And you didn't have to wait any longer for his hand to rest on the area where you were suffering the most, where you needed him the most.

"Yes yes yes ! Right here please please please." you moaned desperately, pushing your clothed cunt into his hand, feeling his finger dig into your panties.

"You're so wet… Can feel it through your panties-" he inhaled deeply, his hips pushing against yours on their own as he stifled a moan in the hollow of your neck. "-you're gon' take me so well Kitten…"

You nodded eagerly, fist clutching around a mop of grass, ass pressing against his bulge trying to put something inside of you, anything. Your eyes were misty, your senses alert, the only thing in your world, in your bubble, was Jungwon. Pretty boy from across the garden, nice and sweet indoor cat who grabbed your heart and hid it between his fingers, keeping it warm for rainy days. But now you wanted something else on his fingers.

And he was ready to give you what you wanted and more. So he lifted himself off you for just a few seconds and pulled your sweatshirt up to the middle of your back, his eyes far too lost on your face, drinking in the expressions he wore, this time choosing to ignore the delicious view below. The curve of your buttocks, so pretty in your underwear, pressed right up against his crotch. But that wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. No, your panties were in excess. So with a swift gesture he pulled them down, letting your body feel the coolness of the outside. The wind seemed far too cold against your folds, warm, dripping with juices.

Jungwon was trying as hard as he could to slow down or stop the rhythm of his hips against yours. After all, he had to keep his seed for you, be careful not to lose a single drop, everything had to be inside. With a hand trembling with excitement, he slid his fingers along your folds, gathering all your slick before pushing two inside your hole without even warning you, and not just at the entrance. He pushed them in as far as he could, until his palm was pressed against your pulsing clit. Until you wiggled beneath him, a babbling mess.

"Ngh- Too deep !"

"No, need my Kitten to be ready to take me, right ? You can take it."

You hesitated, briefly trying to stand up only to be pushed back by his torso against yours. He peppered your cheek with kisses, occasionally nibbling at your ear as he was pressing his length against you harder. A silent warning.

"You're gon' be good for me, right ? Want to please me ? I want to please you."

"Yes, want to make you feel good…" you let out in a broken whimper, tears welling up your eyes at how overwhelmed you felt. "Gon' be a good kitten for Jungwon."

And with that, he began to move his fingers in and out of your vagina, in rhythm with the movements of his pelvis. He could feel everything. The warmth of your pussy around his fingers, how warm, spongy and good it felt. His eyes almost rolled back into his skull at the sensation of your walls tightening around him. Your body was so ready for him that his fingers slid effortlessly in and out, your juices dripping on his other fingers, making a mess on his hands. No that he minded. He just wanted to lick it all off, taste the treasure emanating from your private parts and get drunk on it. But the control he had over his body was almost non-existent at that moment.

As your moans gained in intensity, just as a strange sensation seemed to have lodged itself in your belly, he hastily withdrew his fingers from your core. A cry left your mouth so he kissed your head, reassuring you, before pulling down his jogging pants and boxers, just enough for his dick to come out, standing in all its glory. Hard, red, ready and leaking. Those low quality porn and his right hand could never replace you, even if he was surely going to masturbate at the memory of what was going to happen.

You felt his hard and dripping cock on your bare ass and you failed to contain your moan. It was heavy and warm, you just knew it would feel so good inside of you. He grabbed his length and reached between your legs, starting to desperately rub his cock between your folds so that it was drowned in your juices. Slippy and wet so it wouldn't hurt you when going inside. But Jungwon doubted he needed to do that, he was confident he could go straight in without risking hurting you. It was just that little voice in his head telling him to touch you more, to make the moment and the pleasure last. And he'd almost have cum if he hadn't grabbed the base of his cock, squeezing it tightly to keep it from spilling his fluids onto your thighs, biting his lip so hard he'd almost bleed.

"Can I put it in ? Please please."

"Please !"

He exhaled and pressed the tip at your entrance, pushing experimentally, penetrating you only a few centimeters before retracting. His breath was heavy and his palms sweaty, and the cat side of his DNA kept telling him only one thing. Mount… Mount. Mount ! So he did. He mounted you, pushing his dick deep inside you while biting your neck once again, frowning as he was focusing on knocking you up, on filling you with his kittens.

"Thank you, thank you thank you so much!"

He was too a babbling mess. But unlike you, he was present and aware of what he was doing. You ? You were vaguely aware and okay with what was going on, too lost into the subspace to protest or talk anymore. Every word and phrase that tried to come out of your mouth was muffled by your cries of pleasure, your moans just stuck in your throat, begging to be said. And yet, one word wasn't affected by your mutism. You were moaning it again and again.

"Jungwon, Jung-Jungwon-"

"I'm right here. Just- Tryin' to hold myself back."

"Don't ! Going- Gonna take it all ! F'you !"

You were so unfair to him. While he was trying to respect you and your body, you gave yourself the right to be so hot underneath him, driving him to temptation, to ruin you. The kitten whose eyes he hadn't been able to take his eyes off these last few weeks. The one who always smiled shyly at him from his balcony on the other side of the garden. The one who had occupied his thoughts, driving him mad. But if you gave him the right, then he was going to give you back to your owner tainted black and dirtied with his semen.

He didn't even try to pretend to be nice or gentle. You said it yourself, he didn't need to hold back. So he began a merciless rhythm, pounding your flesh hard and fast, drowning in the pleasure he was feeling. He felt like his dick was suffocating in your pussy. Your walls gripped him deliciously hard and your heat made him burn from the inside out. A burning passion alongside his burning love for you, pushing him to go ever harder, ever faster, practically lying on top of you as his feet planted into the ground to get better control over his frantic pace. He felt like he was going crazy, pussydrunk even, even though he always laughed at some of his friends who spent their time talking about sex. He didn't understand its appeal, not even after masturbating. But having you there, underneath him, singing his praises as your body welcomed him in the best way possible, introduced him to a whole new world. He didn't care about sex. What he wouldn't shut up about now was sex with you. And yet, he was far too respectful to talk about this to anyone.

Growling into the back of your neck as he felt his high approaching, his hand covered in your slick, previously resting on your hip, caressed your stomach with his fingertips before finding your bra. He whined, pushing it upward and his warm and wet finger found your nipple, toying with it, rolling it between his finger and tugging at it before he grabbed your whole breast and started to grop it as if it were a stress ball. You gasp and the frenetic movements of your tail redoubled in intensity, the tip of it tickling Jungwon's bare hip. With the minimum of control he had over his tail, he managed to intertwine it with yours in a gesture of pure affection that made you weep softly as your heart overflowed with joy.

All these emotions were bothering you, and you didn't know what to do with yourself. Your mind wandered, dwelling first on the feel of his fingers on your chest, then on his mouth, which had not once stopped nibbling at your skin, before focusing on the sensation in your gut. Like a water balloon that kept swelling as more water was added, fueled by the sensation of his dick rearranging your insides, by the obscene noise your slick and his precum made every time his pelvis met your buttocks in a languorous, precise hip movement. And the position ? You might as well be eating grass, you didn't care if it meant he could have you and you could have him.

"Tiny pussy, dripping for me, so good so so good."

"All for you~!"

"Thank you thank you- Gonna fill you up with my kittens, want' be the prettiest mom ever ? The mother of my kittens ?"

"Yes, please..."

"Don't spill a single drop of it."

On that phrase you felt your insides being painted white, his dick shooting ropes and ropes of his cum into your hole. It was warm and made you feel good, full, dazed in a haze as he was firmly pressing his pelvis on your cunt, wanting everything to be inside. Even fully in he gave one last thrust who made you see the stars as you came undone around his dick, sucking his sperms in as your walls were convulsing and you were mewling, nails dug in the soil to keep you a minimum grounded. He moaned in your ear before affectionately chomping on it, a wide although timid smile on his face.

He waited for your labored breathing to calm before gently withdrawing from you, making you whimper at the overstimulation. "I know, I'm sorry." Carefully, he laid you on your back and straightened on his knees, looking you up and down, trying to burn that image into his retinas. Your face was flushed and your ears folded against your skull, your gaze distant and your eyes heart-shaped. Your sweater was pulled up to your navel, giving him a magnificent view of your ruined and glistening pussy, dripping with your mixed cum, lower lips red and puffy because of how he abused them while slamming his hips into yours. Your pantie was hanging somewhere near your knees and your chest was heaving up and down as you were trying to catch your breath. Soft skin glistening with your sweat, so tempting.

Gently, he pulled up your pantie, putting then back on you, and his hands slid under your cloth in order to put your bra back on too. Frowning, he focused, trying to see what was out of the ordinary. The bite marks he'd left on you were barely visible, he'd made sure his canines didn't inflict a hole bigger than a needle, so your neck was safe. Nothing was out of the ordinary except your totally lost and distant gaze and your flushed cheeks. Oh, wait, there was a little cum on your thigh. With his fingertips he cleaned your skin as best he could before bringing the mixture to his lips and devouring it whole, moaning at the taste of your cum on his taste buds. Voilà ! He could return you as good as new to this 'Jake', the only proof of your intercourse lodged deep in your womb and accumulated in your panties.

He pulled up his stockings in turn and, purring, lay down beside you, occasionally licking your damaged ear while nudging his head on yours. In turn, you snuggled up to him and sighed with contentment, falling asleep in the shade of the Willow, in a warmth that was bearable by his side.

A few minutes later, while you were both asleep against each other, your tails entwined affectionately, Jay and Jake returned from their little escapade with bags of food in their hands, chatting loudly. Jake was pleased to know that despite his cold and distant exterior Jay was in fact a really good person who always had something interesting to say. He hoped to become good friends with him, to discover that side of his personality that made him laugh loudly and swear accidentally in the middle of the street - and maybe also to cuddle Jungwon, he was adorable.

So when their eyes roamed the garden in search of you and they didn't see you, they both knew that their friendship could blossom like your love on that balcony. Sitting down, they lowered the volume of their voices and began their meal, getting to know each other.

D-36

"Come on mate, come down come down, need you right now…" Jake pressed his finger on the intercom button again and again while mumbling, hoping his message would reach his friend's ears faster.

He was in distress. He was praying for the ground to open up beneath his feet or for someone to tell him it was all a bad joke. A nightmare he'd wake up from any minute, be greeted by your pretty face against his chest, eyes blinking idly, mouth opening wide as you're yawning.

"Jake ?"

The Australian turned at full speed towards Jay, who had just emerged from the garage adjacent to his building, and rushed towards him, eyes lost and hands shaking, laughing nervously.

"You're good ? You're a bit pale, wanna go-"

"-My cat's pregnant. Jungwon is the father."

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