Chapter Text
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| Yoongi |
IT WAS POURING RAIN WHEN YOONGI arrived home. It had been another late night at the studio and he was exhausted, ready to hide from the world for the weekend here in his remote mountain home.
After parking his jeep, he gathered up the laptop and loose notebook pages which lay scattered across the passenger seat, pulling up the hood of his coat and stepping out into the rain. He ran quickly to the safety of the covered front porch, shuddering when a few cold drops splashed against his cheeks and his sleek black tail.
Like most feline hybrids, Yoongi hated water.
His home was built in the log cabin style -- and for that reason both Yoongi and his close friends had taken to calling it "the cabin," but the home was much more grand and spacious than the name would imply, evidence of Yoongi's successful career as a music producer.
In a world where predator-hybrid species such as bears, tigers, and lions ruled, success had come easy to Yoongi. He came from a family of panther hybrids and shifters. He had natural talent of course, but his status as a high tier predator had helped to open many doors in his career.
High tiers reigned at the top of the social and financial food chain, while the majority of the population was comprised of mid to low tier predator hybrids like foxes, pine martens, owls and coyotes.
And then there were the prey species -- deer, chipmunks, rabbits and the like, who were literally at the mercy of any stronger species. Not only were they at a physical disadvantage, but a legal one as well. The Lesser Species Proclamation of 1959 had effectively stripped prey hybrids of all legal rights. And all these years later, most prey lived as indentured factory workers, or were owned as slaves or pets. Those who managed to escape that life lived in hiding, some skulking in dark alleys, others finding their way to the small prey communities in the forests.
Several times, Yoongi's friends had suggested that he should buy a prey hybrid to keep him company here in the mountains.
A few years ago, Taehyung had bought a squirrel hybrid -- Hobi, was his name -- from one of those high-end establishments. Now the two were practically inseparable. Taehyung regularly brought his bright and cheerful companion to gatherings of their little friend circle, constantly gushing about what a treasure Hobi was and how anyone would be lucky to have a companion such as him.
And then, eight months ago, Namjoon had rescued a little mouse hybrid from one of those shady factories that used indentured prey labor. Jimin was a quiet, jumpy little thing, and tired very quickly -- Yoongi remembered Namjoon saying something about Jimin "inhaling too much factory dust" -- so the mouse hybrid was rarely ever seen by the friend group. Even so, Namjoon swore up and down that the little mouse had changed his life for the better, and he frequently pestered Yoongi, suggesting that perhaps the panther-shifter could find joy and purpose in adopting someone like Jimin.
But Yoongi always adamantly refused.
Felines, especially panthers, were notoriously solitary and independent. Yoongi's parents had never employed prey servants or bought prey companions, so the very idea of it -- of owning someone -- was so very strange to Yoongi. That, and he had absolutely zero interest in sharing his quiet forest sanctuary with anyone.
No.
He was perfectly happy alone.
"The cabin" was surrounded by 200 acres of thick pine forest, a shield from the outside world. It was the primary reason Yoongi had bought the place.
Yoongi was naturally territorial and required a place where he could retreat from the busy city life and re-center himself. He reveled in letting his panther form roam free here, hunting whatever unsuspecting deer he came across, content in the knowledge that he ruled these woods.
The only disturbances came from the trespassers who occasionally wandered onto his land. To the east of his property ran a forestry road, popular with teens and hikers. At least once or twice per year, groups of rowdy friends would wandered cluelessly into Yoongi's woods, assuming it to be a part of the national forest reserve rather than private property. And each time he shifted to his black panther form and chased the offenders back to the treeline.
This past summer, some idiot college kids had left a campfire burning in a clearing not too far from Yoongi's cabin. The forest had been dry as tinder that day and it was a miracle that the fire hadn't spread. The very next week he had both infrared and high resolution security cameras installed all along the treeline by the road, and downloaded an app that sent him periodic security updates.
Even now, as Yoongi unlocked his front door, his first thought was to check the security footage before settling in for the night.
He kicked off his shoes, dropped his keys and work materials on the counter and padded into his cozy home office, tail swishing lazily behind him as he switched on the desk lamp and then his home computer. As soon as the computer was on, the security window popped open immediately, showing him that there were no alerts for the day. He scrolled quickly through the day's footage -- just to be sure -- before deleting it. There was nothing.
A soft growl of content left him, and he switched the computer back off, then the lamp, before heading upstairs and to bed.
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BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
Yoongi groggily woke to the sound of a security alert going off. He was vaguely aware that the alert had been sounding off for quite some time but, tired as he was, it had taken a while for the repetitive sound to pierce his subconscious.
His reached blindly for his phone on the night stand, hands fumbling until he finally found it, flicking the pad of his thumb across the screen to reveal the time.
2:13 AM
Notifications:
Alert • Motion Detected [27 minutes ago]
Alert • Motion Detected [11 minutes ago]
With a groan Yoongi tossed off his blanket and stumbled down to the office, stifling a yawn as the computer lazily booted back up. The security window popped open and immediately two red "ALERT" icons appeared on the sidebar. He clicked the first one and a video of infrared footage popped up.
He was prepared to see a herd of deer, or perhaps a bear. It was pretty common for the security cameras to be tripped by the local wildlife. But to his surprise he saw the shape of a vehicle that had been driven off the road, almost to the treeline which marked the start of Yoongi's property. A person exited the car on the driver's side, circling to the back and hauling out a much smaller figure. This second person appeared to have trouble walking as they were dragged into the woods, out of the camera's range.
Yoongi's eyebrows shot up as the video ended. He quickly clicked on the second alert. It showed the driver returning to the car alone, getting in, and driving away.
A heavy, uneasy feeling settled in Yoongi's gut. Someone had been left out there, alone in his woods.
Without hesitation he grabbed a coat and slipped it on over his pajamas. He shoved his feet into a pair of boots and dashed out into the night. It was still pouring rain but he didn't care. He had a horrible feeling that whoever was out there desperately needed help.
His panther vision allowed him to see clearly in the dark as he raced through the trees toward the east road. Even in human form his steps were light and soft, naturally silent like a cat on the hunt.
Rain soaked his coal colored hair and he gruffed in annoyance, black feline ears flicking reflexively.
He continued to search, methodically working toward the fence line in a zig-zag pattern, periodically sniffing the air for any unusual scent even though the rain would make it difficult.
A faint whimper carried through the dark.
Yoongi felt his pulse quicken as he realized that his instincts had been right. He slowed his pace, silently drawing nearer to the sounds of whimpers and weak cries, his entire body going cold the moment he caught a glimpse of the source.
There, at the base of a large tree, lay a skinny battered boy, hands bound, neck leashed to the tree by a chain that wrapped around the trunk and connected to a thick leather collar.
The boy lay on the soaked forest floor, curled in on himself and shivering with cold. He wore only a large dark t-shirt and a pair of filthy tattered jeans. Countless scrapes, scars and bruises were visible on his bare feet, arms and neck.
Holy fuck. Had he been left here to die?
Yoongi had to resist the urge to run forward, knowing that he would only scare the poor boy. Slowly he stepped out into the open, hands raise to show he was not a threat as he called, "Hey, you. Are you okay?"
Okay, dumb question.
He mentally kicked himself as the boy flinched, wide doe eyes turning toward Yoongi and squinting at the darkness. Finally Yoongi was close enough to catch the bitter scent of fear through the rain. There was something else about the scent that Yoongi was not accustomed too -- a sweet, almost floral scent. There was none of the usual muskiness which clung to most predator species--
Yoongi took another hesitant step forward, and the boy began hyperventilating almost immediately.
"Hey, it's--"
"D-don't! Pl--p--please don't come any closer," the boy sobbed, trying to shuffle away only to half-yelp, half-choke as he found himself caught by the chain to his collar.
When he was only two meters away, Yoongi cautiously knelt down, trying to make himself appear less of a threat. It was then that he spied floppy grey ears amidst the boy's mop of tangled hair. Oh. A bunny hybrid?
Now that Yoongi could see the boy's face he estimated his age to be late teens? Perhaps even early twenties? Not much younger than the panther hybrid himself. But the boy stared at Yoongi in raw fear, as if he were staring into the maw of a monster. It made Yoongi feel sick to his stomach.
"I want to help you, okay?" he tried to assure the frightened prey.
"Nn-no, you c-can't. My owner ... w-will be back," the boy was panting, wheezing as he strained against his collar, trying to pull as far away from Yoongi as possible.
"Your owner left you like this?" Yoongi asked in barely contained anger.
"I w-was bad. I got s-scared and I-- I ran but I w-wasn't trying to r-run away. I di-didn't mean too," he cried weakly. "He brought me here, to t-teach me a-- a lesson..."
"When will your owner be back?"
The question must have sounded sinister because the bunny hybrid began struggling again, wriggling against his bonds as he sobbed "P-please no, d-don't h-hurt me. P-please..." again and again.
"Hey, hey, hey," Yoongi said gently, "No one's going to hurt you. I promise. Let's get your hands untied, yeah?"
"N-no!" the boy shouted as Yoongi got closer, "No y-you can't! He'll know-- please--"
The closer Yoongi got, the weaker the prey hybrid's cries became. The boy was obviously injured, starved, and freezing. This, combined with the overwhelming fear of imminent danger must have been too much for his body and mind to handle, because the instant Yoongi finally was close enough to rest a hand on the prey hybrid's shoulder, he could see bunny tumbling into shock.
"I promise, I just want to help," Yoongi tried again, but his words did no good.
Unfocused doe eyes stared pleadingly up at Yoongi, shiny with tears. The boy's breaths came out shallow and pitchy and rapid, until suddenly his gasping stopped and his body went limp.
"Shit!" Yoongi exclaimed, "You need to stay awake okay? You still with me, kid?"
The only reply the prey could manage was incoherent murmurs.
Time was of the essence, Yoongi realized. If the boy was left in shock for too long, it could have life-long effects, or even become fatal. And he had to get the boy free and back to the house quickly, before his owner returned.
Yoongi gently brushed the boy's wet hair away from his eyes, murmuring soft reassurances to distract from what his free hand was doing.
His right hand was partially shifted, the skin turning pitch black. Dark claws emerged from his fingertips, which he used to slice through the bonds at the boys wrists. With that done, he reached for the chain and tested it with a tug. It was too strong for his hands to break. He would have to run back to his house for bolt cutters.
The boy was completely unresponsive now and his skin was growing cold. Yoongi quickly shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around the younger, taking the boy's face in his hands and saying, "Don't you dare die on me! I'll be right back!" before taking off toward his house.
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| YOONGI |
WITHIN FIFTEEN MINUTES YOONGI had returned, bolt cutters in hand, pajamas completely soaked through. Ignoring the muddy ground he dropped to his knees next to the unconscious boy and felt for a pulse. It was there, weak but steady. Yoongi let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Less than a minute later the heavy chain fell to the ground, sliding free of the ring in the collar. Yoongi scooped the boy up in his arms, frowning at how light he was.
He ran into the house, up the stairs and into the master bathroom, too distracted to notice the trail of dirt he tracked into the house.
Carefully he lay the boy in the bathtub, clothes and all, and turned on the warm water. As the tub began filling he retrieve his phone from the nightstand. With shaking hands he dialed the number for his friend, Seokjin. The call went to voicemail and he cursed, dialing again and setting the phone on the floor by the tub.
The bathtub was about a third full now with warm water, so he turned it off.
The second and third calls also went to voicemail, and Yoongi cursed again, trying not to panic.
He could really use some medical advice right now and his friend, Seokjin, was a doctor. But it was the middle of the night. Seokjin was probably either working or dead asleep, with his phone on silent.
Hospitals didn't accept prey patients without a registered owner present. There were a few medical clinics that might, for the right price, but that still left a big problem. Most owned prey hybrid's were chipped. If this bunny had a chip, a clinic would scan it and contact his registered owner immediately.
That wasn't about to happen on Yoongi's watch. He would have to make due on his own.
As a last resort, he pulled out his phone and searched:
how to treat shock
The top results popped up:
Managing Shock:
Raise the patient's legs (unless they have fractures or a snake bite) above the level of the heart, with head flat on the floor. Treat any wound or burn and immobilize fractures. Loosen tight clothing around neck , chest and waist. Maintain the patient's body warmth with a blanket or similar.
Yoongi made sure the bunny hybrid was lying flat in the tub, then he lifted the boy's legs and rested his feet on the far end, using his coat and several rolled towels as props to keep the legs elevated.
He would have to treat wounds once the boy was out of the tub, so his next step was to "loosen tight clothing."
Yoongi's gaze instantly went to the ugly leather collar cinched around the boy's neck. It did look tight. Not too tight to breath but enough to be restrictive. He felt around it until he reached a clasp in the back, secured by a small padlock. The bolt cutters did the trick and the collar slipped off to reveal a band of chafed and irritated skin.
The collar was disdainfully tossed to the side.
Then Yoongi turned to the boy's clothes. The t-shirt and old jeans were loose fitting enough, if only because the boy was so underweight. But they were filthy. Yoongi would need to get them off if he was going to treat the boy's scrapes and cuts.
In a drawer under the sink he found hair cutting scissors. He cut away at the shirt until he could pull it free.
Yoongi's ears flattened angrily as he took in the cuts and bruises and scars littering the bunny hybrid's upper body. Many of the scars looked months, even years old. He stared at the faded white marks, recognizing old knife wounds, cigarette burns, even fang marks, confirming Yoongi's worst fears.
The boy's owner was obviously the worst kind of predator hybrid. One who delighted in torturing young prey. Whoever the sick bastard was, he had treated this poor kid like his own personal chew toy.
The most recent injury seemed to be an ugly mass of bruises across the boy's arms and ribs. It looked like he had been kicked repeatedly. Yoongi would be surprised if the boy didn't have fractures.
Never in his life had he seen someone this broken. He had always known that some prey had it tough -- that some owners could be abusive -- but seeing it up close like this...
Yoongi's stomach rolled and he ran to the toilet, clutching the sides of the bowl in a white-knuckled grip as he threw up the remains of his dinner.
Pull yourself together Yoongi! This kid still needs you.
A minute later he took the scissors up again, and this time began cutting away at the tattered jeans. In the process his knuckles brushed against the bunny-hybrid's little tail. The fur -- which should have felt soft and silky -- was filthy and matted. But Yoongi respectfully kept his distance. Tail grooming was considered private amongst hybrids, as they were often very sensitive to the touch, much like ears. The boy had no underwear so Yoongi quickly draped a towel across the boy's waist before slipping the jeans off.
All of this bare skin would have made Yoongi blush if he wasn't so horrified. The boy's legs were just as bad as his arms, chest and stomach.
The water in the tub was murky now with dirt, bits of leaves and traces of blood. Yoongi took a cloth and washed the boy's skin and hair as gently as he could before letting the water drain completely.
He filled the tub again with clean hot water, adding soap this time. With a new cloth he began to remove the streaks of dirt and grime from the boy's face. The bunny hybrid was quite attractive, Yoongi realized. There was an open innocence about his face. His lips looked pillow-soft and oh so kissable.
Heat flooded Yoongi's cheeks and he shook his head angrily.
Now was not the time !
The boy's hair was a tangled mess, but that would be a problem for tomorrow, Yoongi decided. The rest of the young hybrid was now much cleaner, so he wrapped the boy up in a large fluffy towel and hoisted him out of the tub, carrying him over to the bed.
The bunny hybrid seemed to be breathing easier now, his skin much warmer to the touch. But just to be safe, Yoongi took two pillows and propped them under the boy's legs to keep them elevated.
He fetched a first aid kit from under the bathroom sink, taking out an antibiotic ointment which he applied liberally to every cut and bite mark he could find.
After poking around in his closet for a bit he found a pair of clean warm socks, a new pair of underwear, grey sweatpants, and a soft white t-shirt. They were all too big for the boy but they would have to do. He gently worked the clothes onto the sleeping boy, again being careful not to touch the bunny's tail, and then pulled the covers over him, making sure his patient was warm and snug.
He ventured downstairs to take off his boots and make sure every door and window was locked. Passing by the thermostat, he bumped the temperature up a few degrees. By the time he returned to his room it was past 4:00am and his head was pounding from stress.
Standing next to his bed, Yoongi surveyed the mud tracks on his wood floors, tail dropping as his eyes took in the trail of water, dirty towels, and chopped up clothes leading out of his bathroom. He was too tired to deal with it now.
After changing into clean clothes, Yoongi pulled a comfortable recliner over from the corner, placing it near the bedside where he could keep an eye on his unexpected house guest.
With an exhausted growl he switched off the lamp and lay back, drifting to sleep.
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The next morning, Yoongi woke to the sound of his phone vibrating on the nightstand. It took a moment to recall exactly what had happened, and why he was in a recliner and not his bed.
A glimpse of the sleeping bunny hybrid was all it took to bring back his memories of last night. Yoongi shot to his feet, completely alert now, and snatched up his buzzing phone.
It was Seokjin.
Yoongi slipped out of the bedroom and gingerly closed the door before accepting the call.
"Hello?"
"Yoongi? Finally you answer! Do you know how freaked out I was? I have three missed calls from you, at 3:00am! What the hell is going on?"
"Yeah... about that..." Yoongi scratched his head. "I've got myself into a bit of a situation, hyung ...with a prey hybrid."
"Oh my god, don't tell me you finally caved and bought one--"
"No! God. Nothing like that. I found him injured in the woods, left there by his owner. He was going into shock when I called you, but I think he's stable now. He's asleep and his breathing seems okay."
"...How do you get yourself into these situations, Yoongi? I swear--"
"I know, I know, hyung. But it... it just happened, okay? He was left here on my land and probably would have died if I hadn't found him."
"He's injured? Can you describe his condition to me?" Jin's tone was clinical now. Professional. And it helped to calm Yoongi's nerves a bit.
"Nothing looks fatal. Lots of bruises and cuts which I've cleaned and put ointment on, and not too much blood. But he's beat up everywhere and way too skinny..."
"Is he collared? Chipped?"
"There was a collar. It's in the trash now," Yoongi ran a hand through his hair, "And I have no idea how to tell if he's chipped."
"Look for a thin scar or bump, on the back of his neck."
"Hold on just a sec' hyung."
Carefully the panther-hybrid slipped back into the bedroom. The unconscious boy lay flat on his back, so Yoongi had no choice but to slide a hand under the bunny-hybrid's head, feeling around at the base of his skull. The boy's silky ears twitched, probably just a reflex because he remained fast asleep. Sure enough Yoongi's fingers brushed over a small, square lump under the hybrid's skin, just below his hairline. He drew his hand away with an angry hiss.
"He's chipped hyung," Yoongi whispered into his phone after leaving the room again.
"What's your plan then?" Jin asked. "If you do nothing, his owner or the police will show up looking for him soon."
"Fuck," panic was welling up inside Yoongi. "Hyung, this kid... his owner is a fucking psychopath. He's covered in scars, burns, even bite marks. You're saying I'll have to give him back?"
"No, Yoongi," the doctor remained calm, "I'm just talking you through your options. You can return him. Or you can take him to a hybrid shelter and they'll patch him up and then return him. Or I can remove the chip. I'll be off work in six hours. Just say the word and I'll be there as soon as I can. But if we do this, you'll become responsible for the boy. You'll have to feed him and babysit him until you can find him a new home. Are you prepared for that? And there's still a possibility that we won't remove the chip in time, and the police still show up..."
Yoongi stared at the carpet, mind buzzing with this information.
He could imagine the media fallout if the police discovered he was housing a stolen prey hybrid -- the news headlines plastered on every newsboard and magazine in bold red font:
RECLUSIVE MILLIONAIRE AND PRODUCER, MIN YOONGI, CHARGED WITH THEFT IN SHOCKING NEW SCANDAL!!!
He could already hear his manager and lawyer screaming at him...
But the thought of handing this boy over to the police, and sending him right back to his abusive owner had Yoongi's guts twisting in knots.
"--ngi... Yoongi!"
He realized Jin had been repeating his name over the phone.
"Sorry, hyung, just..." he took a big breath, "Get here as soon as you can. I'm not giving this kid back."
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