Chapter Text
There are two Doris, which doesn't make sense.
It was only the one kitten Minho put his life on the line for that fateful night in the alleyway.
Two turns into four, which turns into six. Six paws swipe at Minho's face and six mouths tug at his hair, as if to pick up and carry all of his weight to the kitchen, where the cat food is. Minho groans. The multiple Doris sway back and forth across his vision. Breakfast now is what they all demand, without a friendly hi, hello, or good morning.
He blinks the Doris away, leaving his very real, very impatient one.
"All r—ight," he says, or tries to.
His voice barely comes out and the words tickle the back of his throat like barbed wire. He clears it once, twice harder, and frowns when it doesn't soothe him. Dizziness and a sore throat. Minho huffs through his nose – his breath only slips out of one of his nostrils and the other is blocked completely. He huffs again, this time out of annoyance, as Dori still has his teeth in his hair.
"Yes! Breakfast! I got it!"
He takes Dori off of him with a single hand and closes his eyes again.
Dori scampers back up the bed and bites his hair again.
Minho moves him back down and rolls on his side.
Dori runs back.
Minho moves him.
Dori runs back, Minho moves, Dori runs, Minho moves, Dori—
"Ow!"
Minho pulls him off of him and sits up— Ow, his head.
"No. We do not b—ite," he scolds, pressing a finger to Dori's nose and pushing his head down.
The crack in his voice does not help him appear intimidating, and it gives him a horrifying flashback to his teenage years. A shiver slips underneath his shirt and down his spine remembering the glasses he had to wear and the chronic shyness. He shakes it off. Dori mewls at him, looking awfully smug about it.
Minho grumbles, "Just because you have a cool scar at one years old. Whatever. I'm cool now, aren't I?"
Dori does not agree, not with him being cool and not with the no biting rule.
It hardly matters. Even when Minho sounds like the top cat, Dori defies him. He mewls loudly, swivelling his whole head, the dramatic little thing. Where he gets his audacity, Minho has to wonder every day, because he is much more dignified than that. If Dori actually listened to him, he could learn a thing or two about class.
He gets out of bed, stumbling on his feet. The world is wonky. There's two of everything. He blinks it away and gets himself to the kitchen without bumping into anything. Dori follows his feet, headbutting his ankles impatiently. In the kitchen, Soonie and Doongie sit by their bowls like the good boys they are. Minho coos at them as he passes by to flick on the kettle. Soonie greets him with a polite meow and rubs his head against the ankle Dori isn't occupied with.
"Soonie yah." He squats down to the mostly orange cat's level and pets his head. "Your little brother is being very bossy today. Almost took my eye out. Have a word with him, will y—!"
He turns to cough into his elbow, too many words at once for his tickling throat.
Doongie meows.
Minho turns to him and scrunches his face up.
"Hyung is not sick."
Doongie meows again, tilting his head.
"I'm not. I don't get sick." He clears his throat so hard his eyes sting with tears. He blinks them away, tips his chin up, and insists, "This is nothing, Doong Doongie."
Doongie gets up from his seat next to his bowl and curls around Minho's leg. He moves like water between his feet and rubs his forehead into him. It's the same way he circles around his sneakers when he's getting ready to leave. Minho scoffs, finally getting it when he meows all cheeky.
If Minho is sick, he will stay at home, not go to school, not go to work, and not see his Mister! If Minho is sick, Doongie can have him all to himself.
"That's not nice, Doongie ah," he grins, looking into Doongie's yellow eyes and seeing a different pair, dark ones, wiser and older, with wrinkles that get more prominent when they smile. He winks clumsily, because he can't really wink but it's the expression of it that counts. "Hyung deserves a cat butler too."
Doongie hisses and prances away from his legs. Minho giggles evilly, and then he coughs up a fit.
Looking back at him, the orange-white cat meows, as if to say I told you so. Seriously, who had corrupted his babies? Doongie shouldn't be so sassy, not with how sweet and genuine of a person Minho is.
"Okay, back off, you," he croaks, pushing Dori away, who has been headbutting at his leg since he squatted down.
He takes their bowls up on the counter. Dori has to be removed from the countertop three times while his older brothers wait perfectly on the floor. It doesn't happen a fourth time because Soonie weighs Dori down with the licks of his tongue. Minho takes it back. His baby isn't corrupted. Sure, Kim Seungmin had reached Doongie and Dori, but Soonie remains his angel. He's a sweetheart, the goodest of them all.
Minho tries not to play favourites, but Soonie does make it difficult.
He makes himself green tea because that's the only kind he has and he blindly believes that green tea will fix any problem he has. He lets it cool and watches fondly as Soonie, Doongie and Dori each lick at their respective bowls of chicken breast in jelly. Dori eats like he's been starved, theatric as always, and gets pieces of chicken on the floor. Soonie eats with etiquette, paced and poised, learning from Minho, of course.
He needs to take a capture this moment.
He needs to capture it and show his Mister.
Putting his mug down, Minho grabs his phone from the bed and rushes back. He smiles, catching a glimpse of the notifications on his lockscreen, and snaps a video of their tails in the air, their tongues flicking out.
He reads the messages and giggles.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Good morning, Sweetheart!
😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄
💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞
[06:32]
Minho thinks he is unbelievably cute with the overuse of emojis, which he only uses when speaking to him. Texting someone twenty years younger than him calls for emojis, apparently, even though Minho doesn't use them much himself.
He takes his mug back to his bedroom, places it on his bedside table, and flops down on his belly to text him back, kicking his feet up behind him.
Minho
(video)
mister
hai hai
good morning
[07:08]
Every morning, Minho's body wakes itself up at seven o'clock. He gets up, feeds the cats, and then returns to the comfort of his covers to text Chan.
At this time, Chan is up too, in the middle of getting ready for his day at work. He tells him good morning, calls him pretty names, and if Minho is lucky, Chan will send a mirror picture of his shirt buttons undone, a three quarter of his jaw covered in shaving cream, or a close up of his face, smiling cutely like he isn't pushing forty.
Whatever it is, Minho is left giggling in his sheets, saving the picture and thinking about it for the rest of the day.
Minho
cats say it as well
in between their food
but not doongie
doongie still doesn't like you mister
[07:08]
Minho watches the read status appear, and he can't help the giddiness he feels when he spots the typing... bubble jump up promptly.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Good morning, Soonie!
Good morning, Doongie!
Good morning, Dori!
[07:08]
Chan tells his cats good morning. Individually. How can Minho not swoon over him?
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Hahahahaha
It's okay if Doongie doesn't like me yet
I won't stop until he does
[07:08]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Hm, but I wonder, where is my Baby this morning?
[07:09]
Minho grins. He rolls over on his back and opens the camera, holding his phone above him. His grin falls quickly when he blinks and sees his puffy face blinking back at him. It isn't ideal, he looks a bit unwell, but his eyes look extra big and glossy, which Chan adores, so he snaps a picture anyway.
Minho
(image)
im puffyyyyyy
ㅠㅠ
[07:10]
Chan's response is instant. Minho laughs, watching the emoji spam come in.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘
[07:10]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Baby! There you are!
You are so, so cute!
The cutest little thing!
How are you so cute?!
[07:10]
Minho grins. He is pretty cute, he supposes.
Minho
even though im puffy today?
youve got your love goggles on
[07:10]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Love goggles?
No
You are always cute
Besides, I like your puffy face! ☺️
[07:10]
Minho snorts, and then coughs. Ow. His Mister is so wholesome that it's funny.
Minho
mmm
wheres my picture
gimme gimme
[07:11]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Haha
Anything for you, Lovely
[07:11]
Anything for you. Whatever you want. At your service. Minho has heard them all so often he can hear Chan's voice through the message.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
(image)
[07:13]
Minho rolls, kicks, and giggles. Ow, ow, owww. That hurts.
His bed hair becomes more unruly and the covers get tangled between his legs. He pauses, takes another look, and gets excited all over again. He peeks out from his arm and gazes at the picture, brown eyes shamelessly heart shaped.
In the picture, Chan is lying down with an arm underneath his head. He's winking at the camera and smiling, and his straightened bangs fall over the right side of his face handsomely. He isn't dressed yet, his white dress shirt over his shoulders and unbuttoned, giving Minho a teasing glimpse of his exposed chest but nothing more. Despite that, his ears are still hot red. Minho can imagine him taking the picture and blushing at himself. How lewd. Annoying.
Chan is both hot and cute at the same time. It is unfair! It doesn't make any sense! How can a grown man be cute, first of all, and then also manage to be so freaking hot Minho's brain is flashing with the urge to listen, and be good, and please? Minho turns over and screams into his pillow, smacking his hand beside him and kicking his legs.
The commotion he makes attracts the attention of his cat brothers. They meow at the door. Minho shoots up out of bed.
He pauses when his vision flashes in and out of focus. Too fast, and ouch! What is with his head?
"Just look at him!"
Doongie mewls unhappily as Minho shoves the phone in their faces, showing them the picture. Soonie approaches with big, curious eyes, sniffs at the screen, and then licks appreciatively, getting his chicken breath all over Chan's cheek. Minho nods in agreement but possessively pulls the phone away. First and foremost, Chan is his cat butler.
"See. Soonie gets it," Minho boasts.
Doongie meows all sarcastic and struts out of his room. Soonie follows after him, their tails intertwining past the doorframe.
Minho crawls back in bed and cradles his phone in his hands.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Ahhh
I'm getting nervous, Little One
[07:18]
Minho presses on the microphone icon to record a voice message. He makes an unintelligible noise, something between a yell and a scream, but nothing like a string of eloquent words to describe exactly how he feels. There is nothing more fitting.
Minho
(voice)
[07:18]
The yelling does send him into a bad coughing fit though.
Okay.
He might be just a little bit sick.
Doongie meows loudly from the other room.
"Whatever!" Minho yells back, rolling his eyes.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Hahahahaha
I guess, that means you like it
[07:18]
Minho
mister is so annoying
hot and cute and handsome and sexy at the same time
and you still arent sure about it
hmph!!!!!!!!
[07:18]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Haha
I don't know about all that
[07:18]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Sometimes, I just think that you might want someone younger again.
[07:19]
Minho
you really need to take your meds old man
the last time i hooked up with a guy my age he kept missing
[07:19]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
He kept missing?
[07:19]
Minho
he kept missing
my hole.
[07:19]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Oh dear!
[07:19]
Minho laughs, cheeks bunching. Chan doesn't even know how funny he is, likely blushing over his screen.
Minho
guys my age don't know how to treat me
not like you
plus youre so good for 40
[07:19]
Minho
i thought you were like ten years younger remember!!
you have nothing to worry about
[07:20]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Ahhhhh
Okay, okay!
I get it now!
Thanks, Baby 🥰
[07:20]
Minho
hmph
and what if you wanted someone your age?
am i too immature mister?
do you want one of the women at your office instead?
is that why you're saying this?
[07:20]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
What! Minho, no!
I like you very much!
I don't want anybody else but you!
[07:20]
Minho begins to type another provoking response, his lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
Brrrt!
He looks up mid message and snorts at the notification he receives. It's from his bank and it tells him that his Mister has put a hefty sum of money in his account.
He backspaces, giggling.
Minho
ㅋㅋㅋ
you didn't have to do that
[07:21]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
[07:21]
Chan is so cute. The sweetest. He's always going on and on about how cute Minho is, when he's the cute one, using the crying face emoji to convey genuine unhappiness.
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Ah, I can see you laughing from over here, Apple Cheeks.
I miss you heaps.
[07:21]
Minho melts like ice cream. He's missed Chan too!
Minho
mmm
not enough if you won't come and see me
[07:21]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
You're right
[07:21]
Minho
mmmhmm
that's what i like to hear mister
[07:21]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Silly
Your last class is at 4
Why don't we go to dinner tonight?
[07:22]
Minho rises up into a sitting position, his eyes bright. Dinner! Tonight! With Mister! He hasn't seen Chan since last week, the older man's schedule filled with work commitments he doesn't attend to the uninteresting details of. It's only been good morning and good evening texts, sleep calls, the exchange of pictures, and one saucy video call while Chan was still in his office and Minho just couldn't bear to be alone any longer.
Minho feels a tickle in his nose. He scrunches it away, sniffing.
He has been patient enough!
Minho
yes!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes yes!!!!!!!!!
[07:22]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
I'll have some clothes dropped off to you.
[07:22]
Minho
new clothes too!!!!!!!!
[07:22]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Just for you, Pretty Boy 💘
[07:22]
Minho gasps and sneezes into his elbow. It's so hard that it leaves his head reeling. He blinks dazedly, then looks back at his phone.
Sick?
No.
No, he is not sick. Not when he is finally going to see Chan! Not when Chan is sending him clothes he wants to see him wearing especially!
channie My Mister 👴❤️
I'm going to get ready now.
You have PT today too. Up!
[07:22]
Minho
uuuuuuughhhhhhhhhh
[07:22]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
Hahahahaha
I'll see you later, Baby
Have a good day!
[07:22]
channie My Mister 👴❤️
😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
[07:22]
Minho is fine.
He will get some cough drops and drink plenty of water, and by the afternoon, he'll be as good as new, in fancy clothes picked out for him, and with his Mister all putty in his hands!
He gets up to ready himself for the day, a skip in his step that has Doongie huffing in jealousy.