Chapter Text
Every hybrid adoption center had its own slogan, but the gist of them were the same: change a life; adopt a hybrid. It wasn’t false advertising; taking a hybrid out of cramped shelters with limited public funding did change their life. Perhaps saviorism was why owning a hybrid was so popular nowadays. That, and the fact that some hybrids had useful skills.
Y/N tore her eyes away from the neon sign of the hybrid rescue to look at the cardboard boxes stacked on the concrete.
“And you’re sure we couldn’t have just used my car to move your things?” Ha-joon heaved, carrying another box over to her.
“I’m only a block away,” Y/N said, giving him a wry smile. “You’re a man, aren’t you? C’mon, work those guns!”
“Hah…I hit arms yesterday, so I’m sore,” he gasped, leaning on the stacked boxes outside of Y/N’s new apartment. “You talk…hah…real big for letting someone else do the moving for you,” he huffed.
“I’m sorry,” Y/N said, poorly concealing a smile as she counted the boxes.
“You’re not sorry at all,” he cried, face planting into a box labeled “Clothes.” Y/N silently prayed he didn’t wrinkle her ironed wardrobe.
“Small price to pay for letting you move in with your girlfriend,” Y/N mumbled, satisfied that every box had been recovered.
All that was left was taking them into her new two-bedroom and setting everything up. She’d have to make do with the air mattress until all of her furniture was delivered.
The cold nipped at her cheeks as she decided what to do next. Groceries could wait till tomorrow; Ha-joon––still face-first in her clothes box––had goosebumps rising on his arms, and she did not want to be scolded by Ji-won for getting her boyfriend sick.
“Let’s get these inside,” she sighed, tapping him to get up before taking the box in her arms. “It should only take a few trips.” Y/N slid the mementos box to the door to act as a stopper with her foot.
Ha-joon groaned, squatting to lift the kitchenware box. “Of course, you leave me with the heavier boxes,” he grunted.
Y/N looked at him in mock-offense as if to say “who me?”. She readjusted the box in her hands before pushing the gate open, letting the two of them in.
The building wasn’t much. It didn’t come with a doorman or an elevator, but it was well-kept and fairly well built.
“Remind me what floor your place is,” Ha-joon trailed, looking at the stairs in front of them.
Y/N snickered, pushing past him and up the stairs. And if any of the neighbors reported a horrified scream, well, that wasn’t any of her business.
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Only when the last of the boxes were through the door did Y/N let herself relax. Leaning against the wall, she sank to the ground, taking in the empty walls and barren window sills. This was it. After moving out of her parents’ house, she’d taken to dorming, and then renting with Ji-won for college. But lately Ji-won had been hinting at her boyfriend, Ha-joon, moving in, and Y/N decided to take that as her cue to leave.
“You could’ve stayed, you know,” Ha-joon said quietly, dusting his pants. “Neither of us would’ve minded, and I think Ji-won is going to miss having Girls’ Nights with you.”
Y/N focused on the man in front of her with a tired smile. “It’s okay,” she said, adding “seriously” at the look on Ha-joon’s face. “You two should get some alone time without a third-wheel.”
Ha-joon gave her a small smile back. “Well, I can’t say I’m not looking forward to living with her. She’s just so––”
Sensing an incoming barrage of adoration for her friend, Y/N cut him off. “I know, I know,” she smiled, watching Ha-joon snap his mouth shut. “You two should have fun,” she said, pausing before letting a sly grin slip onto her face, “but not too much fun––”
“Okay, I’m out,” Ha-joon exasperated, clapping his hands over his ears, and Y/N dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Anything else you need?” he asked as she catches her breath.
One more glance around this apartment, and Y/N shook her head. “I can take it from here,” she said, but not before adding, “Thanks for letting me borrow you.”
This time, Ha-joon shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Let us know if you need help with the furniture when it comes in, yeah?”
Y/N nodded, mentally cataloging everything she needed to buy. It was too cold out to buy groceries, and storm clouds were already beginning to form overhead. It would have to wait until tomorrow. She should just order something in to celebrate the move, and go to the store tomorrow.
“Thanks,” she repeated, still planning what to do next. “I really appreciate the help. You should get going before it rains.”
Ha-joon joined her at the window glancing at the darkening skies. “Yeah, I don’t think my tee is enough to protect me from that storm,” he said, craning his neck. “I’ll see you around, yeah?”
Y/N nodded, watching him walk towards the door. “And tell Ji-won we can still have Girls’ Night,” she yelled after him.
“Only a block away,” Ha-joon smiled, closing the door behind him.
Finally, she was alone.
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There wasn’t much to unpack considering Y/N had no furniture to her name at the moment. While waiting for the bibimbap she ordered to arrive, she busied herself with cleaning the floors, and hanging the majority of her clothes in the closet. The rest could wait until the dresser arrived.
She carefully laid the kitchenware box on the counter before organizing her bathroom. The door rang just as she finished hanging the shower curtain back on the rod. Slightly bowing to the delivery man, Y/N grabbed her food, and shut her door, resigning herself to sitting on her living room floor to eat.
The rain began halfway into her meal. Her once quiet apartment now echoed the dull patter of rain on her windows. Thunder joined the cacophony once she’d finished.
Discarding the plastic bowl, Y/N stood at the window. Yeesh, she pursed her lips, it’s raining buckets out there. Cars jammed the streets, filling the air with their obnoxiously loud horns, and the sounds of their angry drivers squabbling with each other.
Y/N turned away, sighing at the deflated air mattress she had set on the ground. This was going to take a while.
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Ten minutes and an almost burst lung later, Y/N had finished inflating the mattress.
“This would’ve been so much easier if I had those machine pumps,” she gasped, laying on the floor to catch her breath. She forced herself up, setting up bedsheets, blankets and a pillow on her makeshift bed for the week.
The storm continued to rage outside. Honestly, Y/N thought it had gotten worse considering her windows were now being sledged with rain. Sighing, she checked the Weather app to see when it would clear up.
Monday.
It was now Friday.
FLASH FLOOD blinked brightly on her screen, and it seemed like the rain would only get worse over the weekend. If she didn’t plan to starve the next few days, she would need to shop now.
Tugging on her puffer, Y/N reached for her umbrella before pausing. It would only be a hassle to carry it with bags in hand. And the nearest grocery store would close in half an hour, so if she wanted to get there, she needed to leave.
Y/N sprinted out her door, then the apartment gate, all the way to the stop sign. She cringed as she felt the water seep into her shoes, and then her socks.
But 25 minutes later, Y/N emerged from the store victorious, three bags in hand. Enough for half the week if I ration enough.
Slowly, she trudged home, careful to not slip on the massive puddles forming on the ground. The puffer did well to keep her dry up top, but her sweats and shoes were a different story. She shivered as she waited for the walk signal. But just as the pedestrian light turned green, a faint cry reached her ears.
Y/N paused. It seemed to have come from the narrow alleyway a few buildings down. What if someone was hurt? Or what if this was a new way people used to lure unsuspecting girls?
She sighed. It was getting dark. But another cry sent her walking back towards the alley. Just a peek.
There was, in fact, no strange individual waiting in the alley. Instead, a dampened box sat on the ground, partially submerged in water. Another cry.
Y/N stepped closer. FREE CAT, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT was scrambled on the side, but the Sharpied letters had already begun to bleed.
Another cry had pushed her to open the box. It was…empty.
Oh, good, Y/N sighed, someone must have taken the kitty home.
But just as she had moved to stand, a humanoid shadow loomed over her, and Y/N fell back on her hands. Her bags fell into the puddles wide open, inviting rain inside. Y/N was about to scream as she looked up at whoever had emerged in the alleyway, but stopped once her eyes met his hair. Or more specifically, what was on top of his hair.
On top of light blonde hair sat two ears the color of honeyed toast. Y/N’s eyes trail down to the man’s hanging tail, before trailing up to his face.
He was beautiful––absolutely beautiful––with warm brown eyes, button nose, and cupid-bow lips. Even with tears streaming down his face, the rain dampening his matted hair and the thin shirt he wore, he was still the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
“Please,” the hybrid sobbed, “don’t scream. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Y/N could do nothing, but stare. Rainwater sloshed into her jacket, soaking her sleeves, but all she could do was stare.
“My box,” he shivered, the side buildings doing little to shield him from the wind. “It was flooding, and I…”
He sneezed violently once, twice, then thrice before hugging himself.
“Who are you?” Y/N breathed. Water began to overflow the alley and carry the small box down the sidewalk.
“My name is Felix.”