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btsvt-adventures · 4 years

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Shifter AU - Guarded Hearts

A/n: Long awaited (and procrastinated) part 3 lmao, this deadass took me months to write because life hit me hard in the face and yelled Fuck You

Pairing: Jihoon x Seungcheol (Jicheol), Jeonghan x Jisoo (Jihan)

Warning(s): Angst, death, swearing

Words: 3,767

Want more of this AU? Or want your own AU? Ask me here!

Shifter AU: (Cat)ch Me If You Can | Feline Feelings | Guarded Hearts

The Royal family had an ancestral secret. One that was fiercely protected, closely guarded, and well hidden.

All with royal blood were born with the ability to shapeshift into domesticated animals. All but one.

A hidden prince, born out of an illicit affair between the King and a maid. He alone had the mysterious ability to shift into predators.

Him, and his descendants were offered two options:

Guard the Royal family.

Or die.

All royal guards remember the day they were recruited. Some had happier stories, tales of excitement, joy, pride, even, at the thought of being selected for such an honour-filled task.

Others were… less. Seungcheol wishes he could erase the memory, but it’s permanently burned into his mind.

Seungcheol distinctly remembers the way he was so excited for his birthday – his eighteenth! –.

He’d woken up with a weird, tingling pit in his stomach, but he ignored it, figuring it was just nerves for hitting such a big, important, adult, milestone. He sat himself at the table, willfully ignoring the unsettling tension around him, brightening up when his sister brought out his favourite cake.

“Happy birthday Cheollie,” she beamed, setting it down in front of him. He leaned over to hug her, thanking her profusely for the red velvet birthday cake.

If only he’d paid more attention to the warning signs. He remembers the air, reeking of fear, their instinctive retreat when he tried to reach out for his family, the way they slumped in relief when the guards took him away.

He was panting, world dizzy and dread pooling in his belly. He could hear his parents screaming and his sister sobbing, apologizing over and over, but he was too disoriented to figure out whatever she had said.

(He later learns that she’d spiked the cake with a shifting serum, thinking it would be harmless because he was human.

He wasn’t.)

His vision was alarmingly sharp, and he could see the remnants of his birthday cake in a heap on the floor, the vibrant red crumbs scattered on the wood floor of their cozy apartment. The sweet scent of red velvet permeated the air, the sharp tang of cream cheese frosting tickling his nose, and.. something else. He couldn’t pinpoint it then, but the scent was unpleasant, bitter, even. He glanced up, staring at his family huddled in a corner of their house, away from the dangers, away from him.

“Eomma please I- I’m scared,” Seungcheol cries, reaching out for his mother, who just recoiled in fear.

Seungcheol bites back a whimper, lashes wet with tears as he watches his father pull his wife and daughter behind him.

“Appa –“

His pleas are suddenly cut off when three figures storm into the house. Seungcheol turns suddenly, a warning growl ripping from his throat. The guards are taken aback but didn’t move, and Seungcheol recoils when he realizes what he’s done.

“Choi Seungcheol, aged 18, Cheetah.”

“Ch-Cheetah?“ he gasps, scrambling back in a panic when they advance towards him. “N-No I’m sorry– Please –” One of the guards (who Seungcheol learns is named Yoongi) walks forward to where Seungcheol is, kneeling and meeting the teenager’s wide, terror-filled brown eyes.

“Hey, hey, kid, it’s okay,” he soothes. “I’m sorry, but you need to make a choice,” he murmurs, and Seungcheol hiccups, turning back to look at his family. Yoongi follows his gaze, waiting patiently till Seungcheol turns back to him, eyes red rimmed and filled with pain.

Yoongi hyung was one of the head recruiters. He was a cobra shifter, and had an uncanny ability to get people to calm down and listen to him (Seungcheol thinks it’s the way he’s completely unflustered, but Jimin thinks it’s because Yoongi has a terrifying aura and listening is better than certain death).

“What choice do I have?” he whispered hoarsely, tears spilling down his cheeks. Everyone knew what happened if you turned down the royal guards.

Seungcheol had never understood why they executed those who refused to join the guard, never knew why they didn’t just recruit normally like most armies did.

There were rumours of course, whispers in the night about the guard secretly being wizards, monsters, magical, evil creatures who had unnatural gifts, to turn into whatever they wanted, to conjure weapons at will, and only those who were chosen would be allowed to train in the mysterious art.

He never understood why they were so secretive.

Until now.

Yoongi looked at him gently, like he knew exactly how it felt. “You’re a predator shifter, descended from the exiled brother of the royal family,” he explained, voice lowered to make sure Seungcheol’s family wouldn’t ever hear a word about it. “All descendants from his line must serve the Royal family, or be executed immediately to protect the Royal Secret.”

Seungcheol had stared at him, dumbfounded. Some things certainly made sense now (mostly him turning into a fucking cheetah), but it still didn’t explain why he had to be punished for something some stupid Royal did.

“What Royal Secret?” Seungcheol asks dumbly, and Yoongi sighs quietly.

Seungcheol learned that day why he has to serve the Royal family. He hated that he had no say in it, that this- gift – no, curse – had ripped him from his family, but he felt an odd sense of pride, knowing that he, and a select few others had the ability to protect the Heads of the Kingdom.

He’d written a note for his terrified parents, apologizing for everything that had happened, and wished them the best. He writes to his older sister, telling her to look after their parents, and that he’s sorry he can’t protect her anymore, or be the little brother she adored so much. He puts the pen down and leaves the note on the table, tucked under his favourite cup, and Yoongi led him out of the house, away from home, his family, and life as he knew it.

He had chosen to stay silent the entire ride to the palace, not bothering to look at the other recruits. Seungcheol recognized a few familiar faces, but he didn’t want to think about having to interact and be social with anyone.

He just wanted to go home.

They arrived at the palace without much fanfare, and Seungcheol was assigned to a Korean American shifter named Aron. The alligator shifter regarded him coldly, ordering Seungcheol to follow him, explaining the rules and expectations of training while showing him to the dormitories.

There were three stages to fully qualify as a Royal Guard; a basic physical test, a written test, and a final, secret test. They trained 6 days a week, 16 hours a week. Aron was the harshest of all the trainers (according to his fellow trainees at least), frequently calling Seungcheol in for extra trainings on Sundays. Most of his peers looked at him with pity while they enjoyed their free time, but he was grateful for the extensive regimen; it took his mind off his family, and it meant that he would be guaranteed to fall into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

His off days were the worst. With nothing to do, and no one barking orders at him, Seungcheol would let his mind drift back to his family, and he’d feel a stab in his already fragile heart, the pain of being ripped from his beloved parents and sister still fresh after 6 months.

Aron, despite his harsh, cold demeanor, was actually a huge softie, often calling Seungcheol out for drinks and food, offering advice, or even just a listening ear, and for that Seungcheol was eternally grateful. The alligator shifter had pushed him hard, and he’d ended the only trainee that had passed the written test. (He’d celebrated so hard with Aron that they both woke up with raging hangovers, but it was so worth it).

Seungcheol knew there was a final, secret test before he was fully inducted as one of the Royal Guards, and he expected another physical test, or another written test even.

He didn’t expect this.

He stares at the list of names and address, and all his memories come rushing back. The screams, the fear, the heartache, and Seungcheol is frozen. After a year, he’s right back where he started.

He can’t do this.

He can’t.

He can’t rip another family apart.

Aron sees the horror on his protégés face, and tugs him away quietly.

“Breathe, Cheollie, breathe,” Aron instructs, gripping Seungcheol’s shoulders firmly, trying to ground his very freaked out trainee.

“H-hyung I can’t – this –” he forces out, hands trembling. “How could I do this to someone else?” he whispers, eyes panicked, teary and scared.

“You do it because you have to,” Aron answers honestly, and Seungcheol sucks in a shaky, deep breath. “I’ll be with you, all the trainers will. All you need to do is watch. We’re not asking you to take them yourself, the final test is to prove that you’re strong enough to conquer this fear,” he murmurs, and Seungcheol nods, quickly wiping away the tears that threaten to fall.

“Okay,” he hiccups, taking another breath to steady himself. “Okay, let’s go.”

Aron watches as his student puts himself back together, putting on a front as he heads out with the recruiting guards. He sighs, running a hand through his hair. The pleas and screams still haunt him, every single one since he first started three (not-so) long years ago. He sighs, resignedly following the newly-determined recruit, hoping this test won’t break his spirit.

Seungcheol’s horrified.

It had all been going so well. They’d picked up a snow leopard named Junhui, who was more than confused about the whole situation, but was more than happy to be recruited. He’d even glanced at Seungcheol and winked suggestively, snickering when Seungcheol’s ears turned bright red. He was happy, relieved, almost, that their recruitment had gone so well.

And then it didn’t.

He stares at the scene unfolding before him, the young lion shifter struggling against the Royal Guards, yelling for help, attempting to shift in a fruitless bid to get away. Seungcheol flinches, looking away when the shifter is forced to his knees, the injection mercilessly administered. The anger on the young teenager’s face gives way to shock, then fear, before his expression crumples, and he slumps forward, motionless. Aron moves forward silently, checking him for a pulse, nodding when he finds none. The look on the guards’ faces is grim as they carry the body back into the house, bowing politely before moving onto the next house. Seungcheol’s still standing behind the house, staring at the spot where the new shifter –

He can’t bring himself to say it. It makes him sick, and he fights the urge to throw up right there. Aron puts a gentle hand on his shoulder and he jumps, staring at his mentor, eyes filled with tears.

“He – they –” he stammers, still refusing to accept whatever had just happened. Aron nods, looking back into the house, where they can both hear the family’s desperate, broken cries over the son they just lost.

“Yeah,” Aron answers quietly. “It’s the least painful way to go,” he shrugs. “They can’t be allowed to roam free, it’s too dangerous. You know what happened the last time someone let a predator go,” he murmurs, and Seungcheol flinches, recalling the carnage that was left behind. He sighs, forcing whatever he just saw into the deepest crevices of his mind. He shoots Aron a grateful smile, taking a steadying breath before nodding, forcing himself to move on.

Seungcheol wants to go home, soak himself in boiling water and scrub his skin raw. Maybe then, just maybe, it’ll wash the blood staining his hands. It’ll at least be a fitting punishment for everything he’s done just in this one day alone.

“Please, please I can’t go to the palace, I –” she falters, turning back to look at her brother tearfully.

Park Minhee, 18, Lynx.

Seungcheol stays silent, eyes flicking to the girl’s mother, her skin a chalky white, and her breathing laboured.

She doesn’t have much time left, Seungcheol thinks, feeling the guilt (and bile) quickly rising. He forces it down, stepping forward when Minhee growls warningly, desperate to be with her family.

“Then you know the consequences,” Yoongi says quietly, and she chokes on a sob, hesitating before she nods reluctantly.

“I’ll- I’ll go with you. G-give me a minute to-to say goodbye, please,” she croaks, and Yoongi nods brusquely, motioning for the other guards to prepare for their departure back to the palace.

Seungcheol wants to look away, knows he shouldn’t watch such a private moment, but he’s transfixed, the guilt swallowing him whole. Minhee leans down, hugging the young boy – no older than seven or eight – tightly, before resting her hands on his shoulders.

“Look after eomma, okay? Noona’s gotta go somewhere,” she whispers, and the young boy frowns in confusion.

“But- what about eomma? When’s noona coming back?” he asks, and the girl whimpers, pulling her brother into another tight hug.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, pulling away. “You have to be a big boy and look after eomma, okay? I love you so much,” she murmurs, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Minhee stands, kneeling by her mother’s bedside, pressing gentle, loving kisses to both her cheeks, whispering a broken “I love you,” before she pulls away, walking away without a second glance.

The guards file out behind her, and Seungcheol’s heart drops when he hears the little boy crying for his sister, gut-wrenching, broken sobs as he watches his only sibling leave him behind.

Seungcheol looks down at her motionless form, wondering why she thought she could do it. She’d lied to Yoongi, pretended to agree to join the Royal Guards, then had tried to attack him from behind. Seungcheol had acted instinctively, grabbing her from behind and subduing her, his strength and training easily overpowering her fully shifted form.

Yoongi had the syringe in hand. Seungcheol heard the pained whimper, and the effects were almost immediate. She shifted back, and turned to look at Seungcheol, eyes wide and fearful as the realization dawned on her.

“I’m sorry,” Seungcheol whispers, and Minhee struggles for a second before going limp. He drops her, her eyes staring up at him, glassy and unseeing. It makes his stomach lurch, and he reaches down, shutting her eyes quickly. She had begged and pleaded for them to let her go, that she wasn’t dangerous and she just wanted to look after her brother and sick mother.

“She was just desperate to be with her family,” Seungcheol whispers hoarsely, and Yoongi sighs, looking down at the girl.

“Take her with us. Her brother doesn’t need to know that she’s gone,” he murmurs, and Seungcheol looks up at him in surprise. “We’ll give her a proper burial.”

Yoongi pats Seungcheol’s shoulder, handing him a thick blanket, and Seungcheol stares after Yoongi, wondering how he manages to do this for so long, unmoved and unaffected by anything. He does as he’s told, wrapping her up and putting her in the back. He tells Aron that he wants to walk back, and that he just needs some air. His mentor nods understandingly, reminding him to report for their debrief that evening.

Seungcheol strolls the streets, picking up various snacks and bites as he tries to rid himself of the horrifying images from his mind. He’s so preoccupied he almost doesn’t register the yelling.

Almost.

He jerks back to reality, eyes scanning the crowd urgently, trying to find the source of the noise. He doesn’t know how, but the system must have missed one.

“You know what happened the last time we let one go.”

The words ring in his ears, and he tries to focus on the sound, frowning when he realizes that it doesn’t sound anything like a predator’s growl. Seungcheol searches anyway, pushing through the small crowd of kids and adults to finally spot the shifter, and he stops dead in his tracks.

A pomeranian? What the fuck?

It’s not possible. The only shifters outside the Royal family were predators, what – what was a domestic shifter doing here?

What the fuck????

To everyone else, all they hear is incessant barking from a small, cute little dog, but Seungcheol understands him perfectly. He scoops up the puppy, carrying him away quickly, thanking the kids for finding his puppy.

The dog barks indignantly, evidently unhappy from being picked up.

EXCUSE ME, I AM NOT YOUR DOG

“I can help you, just shut up at trust me,” he whispers, looking around to ensure none of the other guards are around. The Pomeranian stops barking, staring up at him in surprise

You can understand me??? He barks, and Seungcheol shushes him again.

“Yes I can, but so can all the other shifter guards. If they find out you exist they’ll kill you without hesitation,” he hisses, and the Pomeranian promptly shuts up.

“What’s your name?” he murmurs, and the Pomeranian barks once, before burrowing into the little nook in Seungcheol’s arms.

Jihoon.

Lee Jihoon, 18, Pomeranian

Seungcheol isn't entirely sure what had driven him to go help Jihoon, instead of just reporting him, but it isn’t his fault he was born. He has a faint idea of how the hell Jihoon is a domestic shifter, but he’s afraid of the consequences should his suspicions be proven wrong.

He heads back to the palace as quickly as he can, locking himself in his room and letting Jihoon out from his hiding spot. The pomeranian shakes out his fur, and stares expectantly at Seungcheol.

“Well? Shift back so we can talk,” he says, and Jihoon shoots him a deadpan look (or as deadpan as a Pomeranian can look), and Seungcheol realizes he doesn’t know how. He panics for a second, then scoops him up again and heads for the only person who might be able to help.

Crown Prince, Yoon Jeonghan.

Even before the final test, Seungcheol had been assigned to guard the Crown Prince, solely because they were the same age. The King wished for his son to have someone would be able to keep up with him, and so Seungcheol had been offered up on a silver platter.

Yoon Jeonghan was as challenging as everyone had cautioned, and to some extent, even more. He was wickedly smart, liked pissing Seungcheol off by sneaking off, and was overall a pain in the ass. But Seungcheol knew he had a good heart, and prayed that he would be able to explain what was happening, or at least show Jihoon how to shift back.

Jeonghan’s in his bedroom, reading a book about Greek Gods when the door slams open, and a disheveled Seungcheol bursts in.

“I could have you kicked out for intruding like this,” he laughs, setting his book down when he sees how serious Seungcheol looks. “What happened?” he asks, and Seungcheol shuts the door, locking it firmly.

“Ah ah, it’s a little early to try and seduce me, don’t you think?” he jokes, and Seungcheol makes a choked noise.

“Y-Your highness I’m sorry for barging in like this but I didn’t know who else to turn to,” Seungcheol murmurs, hesitantly lifting his cape and revealing Jihoon.

“He’s a – oh,” Jeonghan stares at the Pomeranian, the shock written clear on his face. “But… how?” he whispers, turning to stare at Seungcheol, not wanting to accept the truth staring the both of them in the face.

“He has no father, mother died in childbirth, raised by his grandmother,” Seungcheol offers quietly, and the prince sucks in a breath. “He also doesn’t know how to shift back.”

Jeonghan forces out a chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “It’s the first thing we’re taught,” he murmurs, shifting elegantly into his other half before showing Jihoon how to shift back. Seungcheol stands by the door, watching the two of them interact, and eventually Jihoon manages to shift, dark fluffy fur making way for milky white skin.

“You’re tiny,” Jeonghan coos, and Jihoon looks up, glaring unhappily at Jeonghan.

“I’m … naked,” he croaks, voice hoarse from underuse. “Wh-what happened? Why the fuck was I a dog?”

“You’re probably my half brother, or more crudely, the King’s bastard child,” Jeonghan explains bluntly, and Jihoon’s eyes almost widen into saucers. “The Royal family have the ability to shift into domestic animals. An exiled branch of the family shift into predators, which now make up the Royal Guard.”

Seungcheol stares at Jeonghan disapprovingly, and the crown prince raises an eyebrow at him. “What? Either he knows now and hides his identity, or he dies, we both know those are the only two options,” he shrugs, and Seungcheol can’t find it in him to refute that statement.

He runs a hand through his hair, thanking Jeonghan quietly when the prince hands Jihoon some clothes, which the younger accepts gratefully. They sit in relative silence, waiting patiently for the new shifter to digest the overload of information.

“S-so what do I do?” Jihoon eventually asks, glancing at Jeonghan and Seungcheol. Seungcheol shrugs, turning to Jeonghan expectantly, who explains that he either can go back into hiding, which would be incredibly risky, or join the Royal Guard.

“But I’m not a predator,” he frowns, and Jeonghan waves his concerns away.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be my personal guard. You’ll need to go through the basics of course, but I’ll spare you from the rest of the more intense training. If Father finds out one of his mistresses had a child, he’d slaughter your entire family just to keep it a secret,” he sighs, and Seungcheol suppresses a shudder, trying not to imagine the lengths the King would go to in order for his dirty secrets to stay silent.

“I need a day,” Jihoon says suddenly, and both Jeonghan and Seungcheol look surprised. “My- My grandmother. She’s raised me this entire time I need to tell her I’m – I’m joining the Royal Guard.”

Jeonghan grins cheekily, hopping off his bed. “Well then, it’s off to the city we go! This way, you can hide in the car and no one will be any wiser,” he chirps, and Seungcheol rolls his eyes.

“You just want to see that cafe owner don’t you,” he deadpans, and Jeonghan has the audacity to wink at him, flouncing off to change into something more “appropriate.”

Jihoon fiddles with the hem of his shirt, trying to shrink into the walls while waiting for his highness. Seungcheol pats the younger’s frail shoulders reassuringly, and he can see some of the tension melting away.

“We’ll take care of you, promise,” he murmurs, and Jihoon nods silently, still lost in his thoughts.

Seungcheol can’t help but feel a flutter in his chest, a sense of protectiveness washing over him for the younger, dark haired boy.

“Thank you hyung,” Jihoon whispers, cheeks flushed a dainty pink against his porcelain skin, and the fluttering suddenly becomes full on pterodactyls.

Fuck.

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If you’d like more of this AU, or your own lil thing, of if you just wanna yell at me, you can do so here~

#Seventeen #SVT #thekpopnetwork #shifter au #jicheol #jihoon #seungcheol #woozi #s.coups #smol and tol #angst #tw: death #tw: angst

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btsvt-adventures · 5 years

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Shifter AU - (Cat)ch Me If You Can

A/n: New series!!! Cos... idk I wanted to start something new? Despite the 4384731049 things in my drafts before this? Ahahah whoops. Anyway this is part of a bigger series/universe I’m creating, but this will also work as a Standalone :3

Pairing: Jeonghan x Jisoo (Jihan)

Warning(s): Mild mentions of animal abuse, some swearing, general stupid decisions

Words: 3,300 (ish)

Want more of this AU? Or want your own AU? Ask me here!

Shifter AU: (Cat)ch Me If You Can | Feline Feelings |

The Royal family had an ancestral secret. One that was fiercely protected, closely guarded, and well hidden.

All with royal blood were born with the ability to shapeshift into domesticated animals. All but one.

A hidden prince, born out of an illicit affair between the King and a maid. He alone had the mysterious ability to shift into predators.

Him, and his descendants were offered two options:

Guard the Royal family.

Or die.

Seungcheol jerks awake in a cold sweat, eyes darting around his room, trying to shake the memory of the palace guards storming his family home after he’d first shifted.

He runs a hand through his hair, heart still racing from his dream. He remembers the fear in his parents eyes when he’d first shifted, turning from 18-year-old boy into a growling, terrified cheetah.

Seconds later he’d shifted back, but the damage had been done, and Seungcheol was all but shoved out the door, towards the Royal guards who were already waiting.

He heads out to the garden, hoping that some fresh air would clear his mind and erase the unpleasant memories. He doesn’t expecting to see his charge, crown prince Yoon Jeonghan, delicately cleaning his paws in the veranda.

“Your highness, you’re up early,” he comments, reaching down to scratch the prince’s ears. Jeonghan purrs loudly, meowing unhappily when he stops, hopping off the bench and elegantly shifting back into his human self.

“I have exciting news, and I couldn’t sleep,” he answers lazily, and Seungcheol spots a twinkle in his eye that makes his stomach turn uneasily. “Come, I’ll announce it at breakfast.”

He should’ve known that Prince Jeonghan had something up his stupid royal sleeve.

“YOU WANT TO WHAT?” Seungcheol all but shrieks at the young crown prince, staring at him in horror and disbelief.

Jeonghan laughs delightedly at his guard’s horror and shock. “Exactly what I said Cheollie. I’m going to offer my hand in marriage to whoever can take the key from around my cat’s neck.”

“Your highness, that’s... unwise,” Jihoon offers quietly, frowning severely at Jeonghan, who just waves away his concern, eyes glittering with excitement.

“It’s perfect! If they can treat cat me well, they’ll treat human me well,” he shrugs, not missing the unsure looks his guards shoot one another.

“Hyung, our families didn’t give our lives and sworn secrecy for you to expose all of us on a marriage whim,” Mingyu argues through a mouthful of eggs, and everyone at the table nods vigorously.

Jeonghan pays him no mind, telling Chan to have an official announcement drawn up and released later today.

“He’s gonna get found out, all that bleach has killed his brain,” Jihoon mutters under his breath, and Jeonghan snorts, tutting playfully at his newest (and grumpiest) guard.

“I can hear you, one, and two, you have too little faith Jihoonie. I’ll be just fine,” he grins. “Besides, I have you and Cheol to be my big bad saviours.”

Seungcheol groans internally, already dreading the coming weeks. Jeonghan has an infamously stubborn streak, and does pretty much whatever he wishes, consequences (and parental disapproval) be damned.

The announcement goes out barely an hour later, and Jeonghan smirks, telling his guards that he’s heading into town to visit his favourite bookstore cafe.

“His favourite bookstore my ass, he just thinks the owner is cute,” Minghao snorts, and Jeonghan shoots his little brother a dirty look.

“At least I’m not lusting after my guard,” he whispers, watching as Minghao turns bright red. “Cheol, Hoon, hurry up before I decide to go in my shifted form,” he calls, already walking away from the dining room.

(Jeonghan goes in his shifted form anyway, much to both Seungcheol and Jihoon’s chagrin.)

Jisoo hears about the announcement about two seconds before said prince walks in, followed by two very disgruntled guards.

“Afternoon your highness, it’s nice to see you again,” Jisoo greets lightly, eyes filled with warmth as Jeonghan’s entire body relaxes.

“You know you don’t have to be this formal with me Shua, it’s not like everyone doesn’t know I have a penchant to visit your little cafe,” he laughs, and Jisoo can’t help the wide grin that grows on his face.

“You are still royalty Hannie, but I suppose a little familiarity would be okay,” he teases, turning away to prepare Jeonghan’s usual order, as well as Seungcheol’s caramel frappucino and Jihoon’s four-shot americano.

“Any interesting news lately?” Jeonghan asks, leaning on the counter to watch Jisoo, his inner cat purring happily. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the announcement,” he probes.

Jisoo suppresses a smile, handing the prince and his guards their coffee, wishing them good luck. Jeonghan watches the genuine laugh light up Jisoo’s pretty face, and considers for a moment to give up the game just so he can openly court Jisoo, but that would be far too obvious.

He likes that Jisoo doesn’t treat him special; heavens knew he was already treated like that everywhere else he went, but he wanted Jisoo’s attention, specifically his attention.

Maybe he doesn’t like you, he’s just being polite, a whisper of doubt drifts in his mind, and Jeonghan frowns, unsettled by the thought.

“Is something wrong?” Jisoo’s lilting voice breaks his reverie, and he shakes his head, shooting Jisoo a lazy smile, reassuring him that everything was fine, and that he had somewhere to go, so he can’t stay this time.

“Make sure your cat is still safe, I’ve heard whispers about plans to capture him, and I worry,” Jisoo tacks on just as Jeonghan turns to leave, and his heart warms at the thought, turning back to wink at his favourite barista.

Aw, he does care.

The second Jeonghan walks away, Jisoo’s head thunks the tabletop, and he lets out a pained groan at how stupidly embarrassing he had just been.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” he mutters to himself. “He’s just being polite, he’s royalty, why would he fancy you?”

Jisoo sighs, straightening and plastering on a smile when he hears the little bell at his door jingle. He half hopes it’s Jeonghan, back to distract him and look ethereally beautiful while he sat in a corner reading a book, but it’s just a group of girls, and Jisoo’s somehow disappointed still.

Don’t be stupid, he said he has something to do, he berates himself silently, greeting the girls as politely as he can.

“Hi, can I get a large vanilla chai latte, with three extra pumps of vanilla syrup please?” One of the girls orders, barely sparing him a glance, and Jisoo pushes down the tendril of irritation when he has to ask her for her name and payment over and over again.

“Oh my god, hurry up and get your coffee already, we gotta go try and capture the Prince’s stupid cat!” The girl’s friend pokes her, and she finally looks up, muttering her name and handing over her card.

“Your drink will be with you in a minute, Minhee,” Jisoo forces his grin and tone to stay polite, even though he would rather be anything but. He makes her drink halfheartedly, mind pre-occupied with what Minhee’s friend had said, worry making his stomach churn.

I hope his cat is okay.

The rest of the week goes by with Jisoo’s mood progressively getting worse. He overhears more “grab and run” plans than he can be bothered to count, and by the time he’s getting ready to close on Saturday night he’s this close to snapping at the two girls and boys at the cashier. They talk loudly, and obnoxiously, about their so-called “brilliant” plan to lure the royal cat into a cage and feed him treats laced with ground up sleeping pills.

“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal,” Jisoo says primly, handing over their drinks. “And I’m not sure his Highness would want a significant other who resorts to trickery to capture his beloved pet,” he adds on, shooting them a meaningful look before walking away to continue closing up his little cafe.

Jeonghan knows his bodyguards are pissed at him (or at the very least annoyed), with this entire plan of getting the key around his cat’s neck, but it is pretty amusing to see Seungcheol all but have a heart attack when shitty, half-assed traps are being laid out for him.

It’s a little insulting though, watching desperate boys, girls, men and women try and bribe Jeonghan/Cheonsa into eating some sort of treat laced with sleeping pills, mild paralytics, or worse, poison. He scoffs at the last pathetic attempt, gracefully jumping away. He meows plainly at his two frazzled bodyguards before slipping into the cafe from the back entrance.

He settles in an empty space in one of Jisoo’s many bookshelves, purring quietly when he hears Jisoo reprimand the group that is planning to poison him.

He pads back out, meowing to his bodyguards about the plot he’d just overheard. Seungcheol and Jihoon groan quietly, but round the cafe to interrogate the four people who were planning on harming a member of the royal family.

Jeonghan slips back into the cafe just in time to hear them leave the store huffily, and pokes his head out to see Jisoo grumbling to himself about animal abuse and being unfit to be a Prince’s significant other, and his heart melts at how upset he is over a silly plan.

He watches from his little corner as the group argue with Seungcheol about being apprehended, and spots Jisoo’s small little smug smile at the group’s plan failing.

Fuck, he’s just so cute like that.

When he sees his last customers of the day get arrested by Jeonghan’s bodyguards, Jisoo can’t help but let the grin spread across his face.

“Serves them right,” he mutters to himself, humming as he drying off the last few cups, wondering briefly where Jeonghan could be if both his guards are right outside his store.

"Probably in the palace or something,” he scoffs, jumping in surprise when he hears a meow coming from one of his bookshelves. He peeks round the corner, jerking back when he sees a pair of bright yellow eyes staring back at him.

That’s Jeonghan’s cat, he thinks, watching the cat curiously as he meanders his way up to him, jumping and landing gracefully on the countertop.

“Meow,” the cat meows in Jisoo’s face, and he can’t help but giggle, reaching out to gently stroke his head.

“You sound like Hannie, Cheonsa,” he murmurs, cooing softly when Cheonsa nuzzles his head into Jisoo’s palm, purring loudly and contentedly. “Affectionate one, aren’t you?” he hums, scratching the black cat’s chin.

He knows it’s Jeonghan’s cat, and he knows how easy it would be to just grab the key, but he doesn’t want the black cat to be threatened in any way. Jisoo figures that if he has to resort to trickery to gain Jeonghan’s hand in marriage then it wouldn’t be a marriage of love anyway. Besides, if Jeonghan wanted to court him he would’ve done it ages ago, rather than endanger his pretty black kitty.

Cheonsa bunts Jisoo’s hand, pulling him out of his daydream. He meows softly, staring Jisoo in the eyes before hopping off the counter, walking towards the front door and meowing until one of Jeonghan’s guards opens the door for him. Jisoo watches, laughing at how disgruntled his guards look, and how utterly unbothered the cat is.

Seungcheol stares down at Cheonsa unamusedly , eyebrow cocked. He just meows, tail flicking lazily as he jumps up onto Seungcheol, draping himself over his shoulders and settling in.

Take me home now, he meows, and Seungcheol sighs, giving the royal feline a reluctant scratch behind his ears before making their way back to the palace.

Jihoon follows the pair quietly, keeping an eye out for anything that could threaten the prince in his… other form. He watches Seungcheol and his Highness argue quietly and wonders how he ended up in this situation, wonders if anyone else is aware of who – what he is. He’s grateful that Seungcheol was the one who found him, but he also wonders what life would be like if he didn’t.

Maybe it’d be normal, or as normal as a shapeshifter’s life can ge–

“Hurry up Jihoonie, or you’ll get left behind,” Seungcheol calls out, laughing when Jihoon promptly trips over his feet, shocked out of his thoughts. He jogs to catch up with the cheetah shifter, complaining that the older walks too fast. Jeonghan shifts uncomfortably, meowing at Jihoon until the smaller guard picks him up, grimacing slightly when Jeonghan nuzzles Jihoon’s neck.

“Your Highness, please, it’s not proper,” Jihoon murmurs, and Jeonghan snorts, wrinkling his nose before cuddling into Jihoon.

I’m a cat! Who cares if I’m affectionate! Jeonghan meows indignantly, shifting unhappily and Jihoon flails for a second, fully not expecting Jeonghan’s sudden movement, or his yowling.

“Yes Your Highness, but we know, and the other guards know, and the royal family know,” Jihoon murmurs, looking around and making sure no one realizes how weird it is that he’s talking to a cat.

Stupid royal rules, Jeonghan – Cheonsa – complains, and Jihoon chuckles quietly, shaking his head at Cheonsa’s antics.

“We’re back you can stop flirting now,” Seungcheol grumbles, and Cheonsa hops off Jihoon’s shoulder, mewling delicately before shifting back, shaking out his blonde hair, smirking knowingly at his cheetah guard.

“If you’re jealous, Cheollie, just say so,” he purrs, winking at Jihoon before sauntering into the palace, leaving both his guards frozen, staring at one another awkwardly. Jihoon reacts first, breaking eye contact with Seungcheol and darting into the safety of the palace before Seungcheol can stop him.

Jihoon sneaks into the Guards’ Quarters, desperately trying to avoid Seungcheol and any potentially awkward conversations, flopping face first onto his bed, purposefully ignoring his roommate’s probing stare.

“I know you’re still awake Hoonie,” Junhui snorts, and Jihoon throws a pillow at him. Junhui catches it easily, snickering when Jihoon grumbles incoherently, resigning himself to flipping the snow leopard off. “If this is about Cheol hyung you know I can’t help you,” Junhui reminds him, lightly. “You know what I think about the situation.”

“Like you’re any better with Gyu and Hao,” Jihoon snarks, turning away grumpily. “...Goodnight Junnie,” he mutters, feeling a tendril of guilt creep in for being so sharp with Junhui.

“Goodnight Hoonie,” his roommate laughs, and Jihoon sighs, burrowing deeper into his pillow, shutting his eyes and praying for sleep.

The door being violently thrown open at fuck-o-clock in the morning (read: 9am), twenty full minutes before his alarm results in Jihoon nearly shooting Seungcheol in the face. When the shock wears off, he holds the gun there a little longer, narrowing his eyes before dropping back into bed, foot kicking out to tell Seungcheol to get the fuck out of his room.

“Good morning Jihoonie! Gotta get up early today! The Crown Prince has made a decision!” Seungcheol yells, and Jihoon stays motionless for a second, processing the information.

The Prince…

Decision?

Jihoon jerks out of bed, suddenly wide awake. Seungcheol barely gives Jihoon time to brush his hair before he’s tugging his partner into the Great Hall for Jeonghan’s supposed decision. Jeonghan, surprisingly, is actually dressed and awake, elegantly sipping his iced coffee and nibbling on some hotteok the chefs had prepared.

“Good morning Jihoon, sorry for the sudden wake up,” Jeonghan offers him a friendly greeting, and Jihoon just bows, not trusting his voice this early in the morning. “Today,” he announces, waving his spoon at his two personal guards. “I’ve decided that I’m going to stop the contest to get the key around my neck.”

The collective sigh of relief has Jeonghan laughing lightly, feeling the slightest bit of guilt at stressing out the Royal Guards so much over the last week or so. “But I don’t want to release this information yet.”

Protests explode from all the guards, even from Chan, who’s nagging him like his own mother would. Jeonghan bites down on his laughter at their indignation. He raises his hand and everyone falls silent. It stops their verbal protests, but it certainly doesn’t stop them from shooting looks at the crown prince.

“I don’t want to release it,” he pauses, and Seungcheol looks about ready to throttle him, royalty be damned. “Because I already have someone in mind.”

Immediately Seungcheol and Jihoon know who Prince Jeonghan is referring to. There’s only one person who could possibly capture the prince’s heart (or attention for that matter). Seungcheol beams at Jeonghan, knowing that the two of them will make a great couple, and hopefully the little cafe owner can reel in their careless Crown Prince. Jeonghan stands, grinning mischievously at his two guards, who instantly know something is about to happen.

“Your Highness, don–”

“Great now I’ll go ahead, you can catch up!” Jeonghan interrupts Seungcheol, smirking at him before shifting and gracefully leaping out the window and into the gardens.

“Fucking hell,” Seungcheol curses, grabbing Jihoon to chase after the brat of a prince they both have to guard.

Jisoo’s so ready for this week to be over, but Sunday’s are his best days, with the Churchgoers and brunch crowd coming in the early afternoon. Mornings, however, are for him to have a moment to himself in his little cafe. He does still get the occasional customer, but it’s his least hectic morning every week and Jisoo’s so grateful for the time to breathe.

He looks up when the bell jingles, then looks down when he doesn’t see anything, beaming when he sees Cheonsa walking in.

“Good morning Cheonsa, where’s your usual entourage?” he laughs, pulling out the bag of special treats he keeps specially for the black cat, settling on one of his plush chairs in his cafe and shaking the bag enticingly.

Cheonsa meows loudly, jumping up into Jisoo’s lap and pawing at the bag, as if asking him to hurry up and hand the treats over already. Jisoo laughs, opening the bag and picking up a couple pieces before offering it to Cheonsa.

Meow (I choose you)

“Go ahead, it’s all for you.”

Mrow (I hope you don’t reject me)

“What’s wrong? What’s – oH. Oh my god.”

Jisoo looks down at his lap in shock, staring at the intricately carved silver key in his lap. Cheonsa looks up at him expectantly, and Jisoo picks up the key gingerly, one hand automatically stroking Cheonsa’s soft head. He can’t believe the cat just willingly gave it to him.

Does that mean Jeonghan returns his affections?

That his crush feels the same way about him?

Does it–

“Oh. My. God,” a shrill voice makes Jisoo flinch, and he looks up to see a girl glaring at the key in his hand. “That key is mine! Jeonghan would never want to date someone like you,” she snarls, lunging for Jisoo.

No fucking way you crazy bitch, Jeonghan thinks viciously, hissing at the crazy girl. Jisoo jumps away just before her talons (nails) can reach him, slipping the strap around before nipping at Jisoo’s ankles and darting into the back room, yowling loudly for Jisoo to follow .

“Come back here! Stupid cat, can’t it see he’s a guy? The prince would never pick a boy!” she yells, and Jisoo scoffs so hard he almost chokes on air.

“Well, I have the key, so I guess he chose me,” Jisoo shrugs, shutting the door in her face and locking it firmly. He turns to Cheonsa, frowning when he sees the cat sitting on the chair and he’s… starting… to change??!

Jisoo stares in shock as the black cat he’s been spoiling literally turns into the prince he’s been lusting secretly loving crushing on since the prince started frequenting the cafe. Jeonghan waits, calm smile on his face, even though he’s anything but, and let’s Jisoo process what he’s just seen.

“You-”

“Yep.”

“Cat-”

“Me.”

“Wh- H- What?” Jisoo sputters, and Jeonghan laughs lightly.

“Don’t look so surprised Shua, you know you were always my favourite” Jeonghan purrs, and Jisoo turns scarlet, shakily holding out the key to Jeonghan. Jeonghan grins wickedly at him, taking the key from Jisoo’s slender fingers.

“Besides, you sucked at hiding your little crush.”

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