Chapter Text
One kitten was really nothing compared to your last job, in a bunny-hybrid village.
You had to quit when you started having nightmares about bunnies attacking you with carrots, which wasn’t actually very far from the reality you lived in.
What you understood about this job was that the situation was sensitive, and that the kitten might be a little emotional or difficult.
You steeled yourself and rang the doorbell of the massive mansion.
A bunny-hybrid answered the door. “Hello?”
You blinked a couple times, then cleared your throat. “My name is y/n…” Was the nightmare really continuing? Had you just imagined the agency you worked through telling you that it was some sort of cat hybrid you would be tutoring? Was it actually a bunny kit?
“Oh, the tutor for Jihun?” The bunny’s head tilted.
You nodded.
He nodded for you to come in. “I’m Jungkook. I’m…sort of an Uncle. We all came here after…”
You had heard there was some sort of accident or other, but you still weren’t sure of the details. “After?”
“After the car crash,” A cat hybrid said, watching you cooly. “The one that killed Jihun’s parents.”
You nodded slowly. “I thought it might be something like that, but I wasn’t certain.”
“Yoongi. I worked with them, but…we also grew up with his father, Jimin,” The cat, Yoongi, said, looking like he was on the verge of crying. He quickly looked away.
“Wait…the crash…it wasn’t that big one, over on—”
“Magnolia street. Yeah.” Jungkook almost whispered the reply, looking as broken as the cat.
A white tiger and a human—both models for V-RM Fashion, and the biggest models for Human protection—were killed in the car crash that the police had yet to rule accidental. Rumors flew on every street corner, magazine, and newspaper about it being a hit-job by the underground market that was hurt by their joint advocation for human rights. And she was famous for how beautiful she was. Even hybrids with mates—something not taken lightly, and which usually prevents any sort of straying—struggled not to stare at her face. Struggled not to be attracted to her. Even females were drawn to her good looks and sweet voice.
“If their kits had been with them…I don’t think any of us would have been able to cope. But we’ve had them to keep us moving forward.” Yoongi looked at his hands as if they had offended him.
“Jihun is the oldest?” You guessed.
“He’s seven. You’d be teaching Heiran too if she hadn’t gone mute since the accident. Hoseok’s been helping her learn, learning sign-language with her. The other two are too little for school. Jin mostly takes care of them. Me, Jungkook, Taehyung and Namjoon just help where we can, but we also have work. Hoseok and Jungkook are the only ones without jobs and that’s because Hoseok was working for them before they…”
“And I quit to help take care of them. I’m still learning…” Jungkook’s gaze stayed on the floor.
You nodded thoughtfully, feeling sorry for them. They were obviously struggling with the loss.
“Why not public schools?” You asked carefully.
Jungkook quickly shook his head. “White tiger cubs immune systems don’t fully develop until they’re ten years old. Not to mention he is a white tiger cub, and his mother…”
“She was bought at an auction house. Being an advocate against them…we’re not expecting the police to find evidence of an accident, but we’re also expecting them to claim it was.” Yoongi growled. “Which is why I should be out there!” He called that out into the next room.
“No means no!” Another man called out.
Right, so you had to not only learn the children’s names and find the teaching style that best fit Jihun, but you also had to please…six men.
All of whom, children and men alike, were still in mourning.
But you weren’t surrounded by little, gnawing, grumpy bunnies who thought your tail looked like something tasty.
Yoongi’s head tilted. “Uh, may I ask what happened to your tail?”
You looked at him, then at Jungkook. “You don’t have kits, do you?”
His eyes widened and he shook his head emphatically.
You nodded. “We’ll be fine then.”
“Bunnies did that?” Yoongi sounded surprised.
You subconsciously grabbed your tail. “There’s a reason bunnies teach bunnies.”
Jungkook looked horrified. “Hyung, did I ever?”
“No. Punch us? Kick us? Yes. Never bit us or gnawed on us.” Yoongi shook his head. “Well, I can’t promise that Joowon won’t bite you. He’s in a faze.”
“I can deal with one cub biting me. It’s when there are a dozen that things get a little out of hand. I think I should meet the others now that my scent has probably traveled through the house.” They would have time to recognize that there was a new person in the house and their natural curiosity would be peaked soon.
Yoongi nodded and led the way through to the living room. “On the couch over there is Taehyung with Joowon.”
You smiled and nodded to the man who was reading to a little cub.
He smiled back.
The cub tugged at the book, his rounded and striped (but mostly white) ears sticking up from a head of thick black hair, but then his nose went into the air and he looked at you with big eyes.
Taehyung brought him over, slowly, his deep voice telling the boy that you were a friend and telling him your name.
Joowon’s tail stripes weren’t completely defined yet, so you figured he was about two and a half. Still very young. But he smiled at you, and you fell in love with the little cub.
“Hello,” You said softly, smiling back.
He waved, then got shy and hid his face in Taehyung’s shoulder.
Taehyung smiled down lovingly at the boy. He was some sort of dog-hybrid, his tail wagging in delight as he gazed at the child. He was probably focusing on what pack members he still had, as dog-hybrids tended to when losing someone they care about. That meant you would have to be careful that nothing happened to the kids until he accepted you into the pack.
So when his attention turned to you to assess you and what sort of threat you might pose, you made sure your gaze wasn’t challenging, but gentle and sympathetic.
“This is Namjoon, and Heiran,” Yoongi said, calling your attention a tall man who held another cub, this time an adorable little girl.
“Hello,” You greeted them in the same soft voice, and smile.
Namjoon managed a smile back while the girl just sort of looked at you curiously and waved slightly. She definitely had a lot of her mother in her. The resemblance was clear. They would have to be careful with her in the future if hybrids were drawn to her like they were drawn to her mother.
“That’s Jin,” Yoongi directed your gaze to the man who poked his head in from what must have been the kitchen from the smells that wafted from it.
Jin nodded his greeting. “Jungkook, could you go check on Minsu, she sounds fussy.”
Jungkook nodded and hurried out.
A small hand tugged on yours, and you looked down into the curious face of Heiran.
She looked up at you, blinking slowly, then held her hands up.
You understood and picked her up, surprised when she automatically cuddled up in your arms but unable to stop the purr that escaped you.
She silently chuffed, nuzzling into your neck and then growing still as her breathing deepened.
Jihun came in with the man that must of been Hoseok, and his eyes widened when he saw his sister sleeping in your arms. He was the spitting image of his father. “Hello.”
“Hello, Jihun.”
His eyes widened slightly, nose twitching. “You’re my teacher?”
You nodded. “If that’s alright with you.”
He nodded, then looked up at Hoseok. “Uncle Hoseok, can I have a cookie?”
“Hmm, ask Jin.” Hoseok was wary, gaze flickering between you and the blissfully sleeping child in your arms. It was understandable that if he had been friends with their parents, even working here before they died, that he might be far more protective of the kids than the others.
Jihun nodded, coming over and sniffing his sister’s hand and rubbing it between his for a second before going into the kitchen.
Hoseok’s facade of strength crumbled, and he just looked defeated as he continued staring at Heiran. “I don’t…I’ve tried…she’s actually napping?”
“I’m the most like a mother,” You reasoned gently. Seeing men cry always upset you, and right now you had four men who looked like they all wanted to cry. “She was probably tired enough that just the familiar…anatomy was enough for her to pretend that it was her mother holding her and fall asleep. It doesn’t mean she loves any of you any less, but she misses both of her parents.”
He nodded, clearing his throat and pulling himself back together. “Right. You’re right.”
You took a deep breath. “Is there a specific room used for lessons?”
“This way,” Namjoon said, gesturing for you to follow. He wordlessly guided you to the classroom. “The nursery it two more doors down, and Heiran’s room is across the hall. Think she can be moved to her bed?”
You listened to her breathing for a moment, then nodded. “She’s out.”
The two of you got her into her own bed, then slipped out of her room.
Namjoon looked at you. “I know you’re not a nanny, and that you’re a teacher for Jihun, but I’m really glad you’re here. I think we’re all on the verge of madness if we didn’t start moving in some sort of direction.”
You nodded slowly. “I’m happy to help. Their parent’s work…it helped so many and is still helping others. The least I can do is help the six amazing men who took on taking care of their kids without any hesitance.”
“How do you know there wasn’t hesitation?”
You shrugged. “Call it instinct.”
He nodded slowly. “Your credentials were impressive.”
“Let’s hope my training was enough to help all of you.” Had to be easier than getting attacked by malicious little bunnies.