Archive of Our Own

Lino sniffed around the dumpster, cautious as ever. He used his paw to move a wrapper aside, quickly gobbling up the bite of mush it was covering. It wasn’t the best tasting, but he didn’t have the luxury to be picky. This dumpster wasn’t open often but one of the humans seemed to have forgotten to close the lid giving him easy access to the inside.

The wind rustled his fur, so eager to eat he let his guard down to the alleyway around him. His entire body jumped as a sudden noise had him on alert. His head swiveled to find the source of the sudden noise but his sight was blocked by the walls of the trash bin. There were a few moments of silence, nothing moving in the thick night air, he hesitantly moved slightly to continue searching the dumpster but another sound told him he wasn’t alone. His heart spiked and his fur stood up on edge, being unable to see over the rim of the dumpster he felt exposed, not knowing what threat lies just on the other side of a thin metal wall.

Lino was no stranger to fights with other cats. A fight is what led him to this dumpster in the first place. He used to live further away with his three brothers. The four of them had been happy together, as happy as you can be on the streets. They curled up together to stay warm during cold nights and protected each other while trying to scavenge for food. They lived in an area that had many other stray cats fighting for the same resources.

He could still remember the day animal control came and took as many cats as they could, Lino’s brothers included. Suddenly being on his own not only broke his heart but left him vulnerable. Other cats tried to attack him more as he tried to fend for himself until he couldn’t deal with it anymore and left the area in search of somewhere better, less populated. Finally getting away from so many other cats made him, foolishly, let his guard down.

Which lead him to where he is now, a dumpster outside of a tall building where humans live, part of his left ear ripped off, fleas making a home in his black fur, and an unknown threat close by.

His tail puffed behind him as he crouched into a position ready for attack, a growl making its way into his throat, a warning. He was not to be messed with.

A flash of orange caught his eye before he heard the loud rattle of the opposite end's lid being walked on, Lino getting ready for an attack before finally getting a proper look at the orange cat in front of him. Yongbok meowed at him before jumping in to join him. Feeling his body relax, Lino huffed at the younger cat hoping that he noted his displeasure at being startled before going back to sniffing around the dumpster, tail swishing in annoyance.

It’s not that he disliked Yongbok. The young cat was actually the only one he let close to him anymore. It’s just that the boy was… well, he was too trusting.

The first time they met Lino had only been in the neighborhood for a few days. He had been sleeping next to a step to a side door, the artificial light giving him the slightest amount of warmth. He was startled awake by Yongbok trotting up to him. The orange kitten no older than two months old had been happy to meet him, disregarding Lino’s warning that he was not someone that Yongbok should trust. Despite his warning, Yongbok decided that Lino was going to be his friend. Lino begrudgingly let him hang around him, even going as far as defending him at times. It wasn’t long before Yongbok sought him out every chance he could until they were sleeping curled up with each other.

Keeping Yongbok from approaching other cats, and sometimes even people, had almost driven him mad, the kitten was just too friendly for his own good, but over the past two months he’s found himself taking care of the younger cat, even going as far as calling Yongbok his friend… in his own head at least.

Lino uncovered yet another chunk of food, taking only a few bites before moving aside to let Yongbok take some bites of his own. The boy purred as he chomped down on the food, ear only slightly flickering as Lino jumped onto the closed lid above, laying down with a clear view of the entrance of the alley.

The sounds of chewing only stopped a second before the empty spot next to him suddenly filled as Yongbok fused himself to Lino’s side, still purring. The older sniffed at the younger boy before giving him a tongue bath as he found the boy needing a good wash. He watched as Yongbok fell asleep to his ministrations, the small kitten too cute in Lino’s opinion. He wouldn’t admit it though. His head lowered until it was resting on his arms, eyes watching the street as cars and people passed. He wasn’t going to make them both vulnerable by falling asleep himself.

They stayed like that for an hour before a door behind them opened and slammed against the wall of the building. They both jumped, Lino scrambling off down the alley once he saw that it was a person. Once he was far enough away and in the shadows of the alley, he turned to find that Yongbok hadn’t followed him, but had taken cover underneath the dumpster.

The person in the doorway seemed as startled as the two cats were, eyes wide as his head swiveled around. Lino watched him as he shook his head and apologized before stepping out into the alley. Lino held incredibly still as he watched the human move towards the dumpster, a trash bag in his hand.

His heart was beating fast as he stood watching the man swing the bag into the dumpster. The dumpster Yongbok was crawling out from underneath. Lino could only watch as the orange cat gave the air a sniff and not cautious enough for being within three feet of a human.

When the person saw Yongbok, he went still before crouching down and slowly reaching a hand out. Yongbok stepped closer to the man before letting his head fall into his hand, already purring at the attention. Lino sat down, eyes never leaving the human as he pet Yongbok.

“Hi cutie! You’re not very old at all, are you?” Yongbok meowed in reply. “Right, you’re just a baby!” The human sat down on the trash covered ground, uncaring, and cooed when Yongbok put his front paws on his legs.

Lino was getting frustrated. Watching the orange kitten get comfortable with the human made him nervous. It was rare that a human was actually good. Most of them were mean and took brothers away. He didn’t trust this.

“You seem too friendly to be a stray. Do you have a home?” A meow. Lino slowly laid down, all his paws still firmly on the ground in case he needed to run. The person looked up at the movement, eyes finding Lino quickly. “Awe, a friend of yours?” the human turned back to Yongbok like he could reply before looking back at Lino. “And you’re missing part of your ear. Did you get in a fight?” When Lino didn’t react to the human, he simply went back to paying attention to Yongbok.

Time seemed to stop as he was forced to watch Yongbok continue to get more and more cozy with the human. A couple of times Yongbok looked over at Lino and meowed at him. This got the human's attention on him again, causing Lino to glare at Yongbok. He knew he was in the shadows but the alley wasn’t pitch black. The human tried to call him over once or twice to no avail. The alley was quiet besides Yongbok’s purrs and meows, far too loud in the quiet night. Lino couldn’t help but internally scoff as the human used a grating high pitched voice to talk to the kitten. Time seemed to lurch into movement once more when the quiet was broken by the door reopening, causing them all to jump once again as another man came into view.

“Jisung, what’s taking so long?”

“Channie-hyung! Look! It’s a little kitten.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

This ‘Channie-hyung’ closed the door as he joined Jisung in petting Yongbok. Much to Lino’s displeasure, as he observed the three, he could tell by the look in his eyes that Yongbok decided this new person was also going to be his friend. He couldn’t help but berate his past self for letting Yongbok get to his heart and stressing him out.

“He’s so small hyung, we should bring him some food.”

“We don’t have any cat food, Sungie.”

“We’ll get some. We can give them both some nice yummy food so they don’t have to dig through the trash.” His voice went back to its babying tone at the end of his sentence.

“Them both?”

Jisung pointed in the direction of Lino. Lino tensed before his eyes met Chan’s and they both assessed each other. Lino could tell just from that one look that they had similar roles when it came to the other boys in the alley. While he may not have known Yongbok for that long, he wasn’t about to lose him now.

“We’ll see, Sungie. We can’t get any tonight, but maybe we’ll bring down some ham or something in a bit.”

“Oh we could text Binnie-hyung and have him bring some down now! I don’t want them to leave before we can give them anything.” Oh Lino had full intentions of leaving as soon as he could safely leave with Yongbok. He didn’t want to leave the kitten here, who would protect him?

A sigh from Chan before he pulled something out of his pocket and fiddled with it. Lino’s seen many people passing with a device like that. He knows it does things he doesn’t understand, making him immediately on guard, even more than he’s been since this interaction began.

A couple minutes later the door opens again and a third man walks out. Lino is going to have a heart attack.

This man goes straight for the other two, Yongbok rubbing up against his leg when he gets close enough. And then he was setting down a small plastic container. Lino wasn’t interested in it until Yongbok zoomed in and started eating whatever was in the container. Food? They were giving him food? Lino had only ever known one person to ever actively feed cats and he had never even been able to get to the bowl before it was empty.

“Awe, the baby’s hungry.” The three of them watched Yongbok eat for a little bit before Jisung reached into the bowl and grabbed a piece of the meat and stood up. When Lino realized he was getting closer he bristled and backed up with a hiss. If he got any closer Lino was going to book it and just wait far enough away to make sure Yongbok got out okay.

Luckily, the boy stopped and lowered himself to the floor. He tried to reach a hand out holding the food but Lino was no fool. He wasn’t going to fall for this trick, whatever the trick may be. Lino sat down, tail flicking aggressively to let them no he wasn’t going to give in.

Yongbok came over to investigate, seeming to have finished his meal. After having sniffed at Jisung, the orange cat bounded over to Lino, undisturbed that Lino didn’t react to him rubbing up against him.

“Sungie, I don’t think he’s gonna eat it.”

Jisung sighed before throwing the slice towards the two. Yongbok looked to Lino and when the older didn’t make a move for it he gobbled that piece up as well. At least the kitten was being fed well, he was very skinny and could use some meat on his bones.

He stood up, dusting off his pants.

“Thanks for bringing the food down Changbin-hyung!”

“Yeah whatever. You’re lucky the cats are cute.”

Yongbok laid down, belly up, and tried to get Lino to play with him. His effort went to waste since Lino wasn’t letting his guard down.
“Oh we should give them names!”

“Is that a good idea? If you give them names then you’ll get attached.”

“I’m already attached. Now, what should we call them?”

They spent a few minutes before deciding on Felix for Yongbok because it’s an English name, Chan’s native language, whatever that means. Yongbok looked happy to receive a name from the humans.

And then they decided to name him Minho. He couldn’t believe this. He got his name fair and square. He got the first half of his name because a store worker who took out the trash in the first alley he lived in called him Lee. He got the second half because so many humans had told him no through his two years of life that he took it on as part of his name. And that is how he got his name. He doesn’t want a name chosen because they thought an actor with the same name was hot. Lino huffed at the audacity.

The two of them left to go back inside but not before promising to see them the next day. As if Lino would let that happen again.

Lino couldn’t help but want to check the dumpster from the day before despite the annoying interference. He was hoping the humans left it open again so he could find some easy food. He was torn out of his thoughts as he turned down the alley, stopping dead in his tracks to find Jisung there petting Yongbok once again.

Once Yongbok saw him he chirped and bounded over. With Yongbok forcing his way under Lino’s chin, he was forced to look up, eyes seeing that the dumpster wasn’t even open today, meaning his trip into this alley was entirely pointless.

He would leave immediately if Yongbok wasn’t already making his way back to Jisung. Sticking to the wall, he moved only a few feet into the alley before planting himself there. He didn’t want somebody from the street to disturb him but he didn’t want to get any closer to the human. It had only been about a minute before the other two humans came out that same side door, each holding a container. Changbin set the one container next to Yongbok, the kitten immediately digging into the food in front of him, stupidly taking his eyes off of the obvious threats. Chan tried to bring the food over to Lino only for the cat to immediately dart back around the corner of the alley.

He let a minute or so pass before peeking his head back into the alley, to check on Yongbok of course. To his surprise, he found the container placed where he was sitting before. He hesitantly stepped back into the alley eyeing the food suspiciously, not moving towards it at all. He continued to watch the three humans, they only stuck around for a few more minutes before making their way back inside, Jisung waving at the two cats before the door shut.

It wasn’t until they were gone that Lino even thought about approaching the container. Inside the container was actual cat food. Something he’s only ever watched cats fight over. A tentative sniff let him know it smelled good. A bite told him this was going to be gone within the minute.

And he was right. He barely swallowed one piece before another made its way into his mouth. Once the whole container was empty, he went over to check on Yongbok. Once his evaluation, tongue bath included, was complete, he led the two of them back out of the alley to the spot that they usually claimed as their own for the night. While he didn’t trust the humans, he was decidedly grateful he didn’t have to scavenge very hard for food that evening, his earlier efforts leading to nothing.

Much to his charging, they found themselves in that alley with the humans more often than Lino would’ve liked. The encounters became routine. Sometimes it would be only one or two of them instead of all three. Even if Lino and Yongbok didn’t see the humans, they always left food out for them. And then they started leaving out water for them too.

Lino watched Felix thrive under their attention. He basked in their pets and the string they brought to play with. Or the red dot Lino will deny to ever chasing. Felix wasn’t shy with them and let them cuddle with him and sit in their laps. He even let Changbin pick him up once!

Watching his new baby brother get happier and acting like an actual kitten made his tiny heart squeeze. He didn’t know what it meant but he had a bad feeling.

Whenever they weren’t in that alley, Lino had to be extra diligent when Felix was with him. He was worried that since Felix was becoming reliant on the three humans for food and water at the end of every night that he would lose all survival instincts he needed to make it in this harsh world. Especially since Felix has never been through a winter yet. Lino has lived through two as food gets scarcer than normal, good shelter is nearly impossible to secure, and fights are rougher and harder to recover from.

Felix wasn’t tough enough to make it on his own. Lino didn’t know what the younger did in the hours they were separated but he never came back with injuries so he must be staying out of trouble. That’s good at least. He didn’t know what he’d do if he lost another brother.

Weeks passed and Lino started to trust the humans, just a little bit, he figured that if the humans were going to do something then they would’ve done it already. He started eating from the containers when the humans were still outside. They had been sufficiently distracted by Felix being, well, Felix, so he deemed it safe enough to eat while they were distracted. He stayed on alert the whole time, head snapping up every few bites to make sure they weren’t coming close to him.

Without noticing, eventually he stopped checking if they were watching. And he stopped bolting if one of them opened the door. He still hadn’t let any of them come near him. Lino would lay down while they played and pet Felix, not minding their company as long as they didn’t come close. The thought of the humans getting close to him brought him such panic that on the few occasions they had tried he refused to come back the next night, and sometimes multiple nights.

One day he was in the small park that he usually went to to get a drink from the small pond that was there, he ran into some trouble. Lino only got a few licks of the water before a gross feeling settled in his gut. He wasn’t alone any more.

Before he could even get into a fighting stance a dog came running up to him, basically slamming into him, a clawed paw holding him down. Lino let out a screech, wiggling, scratching and biting before managing to break away and run up a tree.

Looking down at the dog, which he could now see, he scoffed. That thing was basically an overgrown puppy. Lino tried to catch his breath, fur still raised and his tail still puffed up as much as he could get it. Growls and hisses left his mouth as the puppy barked up at him. Somehow this dog didn’t even seem mad. He looked like he just found a new playmate, something that will not happen in a million years.

“Minnie! Hey, get back here!”

Two humans appeared looking haggard, the slightly shorter one holding a leash that obviously was useless at this moment.

The golden retriever had his front paws on the base of the tree and kept jumping, his tail wagging ferociously. The leash was now attached to his collar, but the dog didn’t want to leave. This was when the taller of the two humans looked up and saw Lino.

“Seungmin, leave the poor cat alone. Come on, let’s go.”

And then the two humans apologized to Lino and left, Seungmin the puppy in tow.

He did not come down from the branch for a good amount of time. Maybe it was minutes, maybe hours, but it was enough time for the adrenaline to die down bringing his attention to the ache settling down in his body, especially tender where the dog slammed him in the ground. If he got in a fight now he would be at a severe disadvantage but he couldn’t stay in the tree all day. He debated his chances of going to some of his usual spaces to find food. While there aren't a lot of other stray cats in this neighborhood, there were still some that might pick a fight, not to mention the other animals. Lino shivered slightly, he didn’t like these odds.

But, he couldn’t help the thoughts of the alley creeping in. The alley with three humans would mean food he doesn’t have to fight for. It’s a little farther away from the park which would leave him vulnerable until he gets there, but he thinks it is his best bet on making it through the rest of today. He sighed and made up his mind, climbing carefully down the tree, extra cautious of rambunctious dogs, and began to make his way there.

He took his time, checking every corner, keeping his guard up the entire way there until the alley was finally in sight. He subconsciously let his shoulders drop slightly as he made his way into the alley. He wasn’t shocked to find the alley empty. It was earlier in the day, he usually doesn’t go to the alley until the sun was set. He was disappointed to see the dumpster was once again closed but he decided to wait further in, curling up pressed against the wall of the building where he had a view of everything around him.

He laid there alone, wary of any noise that sounded too close. A couple of hours passed like this: quiet but his body still tensed and sore. He saw Felix round the corner right as the sun began to go down, painting the world with a golden hue, before making his way to Lino and curling up in between Lino’s legs. It was only now that Lino noticed that Felix had gotten bigger in the past few weeks, the steady flow of food helping build him up. Lino couldn’t completely curl around the younger anymore, but he did still do his best, he would always be his baby. A purr built up in his chest, letting the noise fill the space around them.

It was only after the sun had gone below the horizon leaving the sky a deep blue that the door to the alley opened, Chan stepping out with a cup, filling up the two containers that were permanently out.

Once that was done he turned, seemingly surprised to find the two cats already there. He didn’t try to approach them which Lino appreciated greatly. He did take out his device though, which Lino has gathered from his many encounters with the humans recently that it’s called a phone. The phone was held up for a few seconds before it was placed back into his pocket. He stayed for a couple more minutes before heading back in.

The sound of the door closing roused Felix who finally looked up and made his way over to the containers. Lino slowly stood, his body yelling at him as he followed Felix at a slower pace. Once he got to his bowl he wasted no time devouring the pellets.

Making their way back to the alley they slept in was slower than usual, with Lino being extra careful with his sore body. It also didn’t help that Felix decided personal space wasn’t important and practically attached himself to the older, tail intertwining with his every few steps.

The two made themselves comfortable next to the step, falling into a position similar to how they were laying earlier. Lino let himself fully relax, something he didn’t do often. Being able to have Felix next to him fills him with happiness he only ever got when he was younger with his three brothers. He couldn’t imagine a life without Felix.

Sniffing the ground below him, Lino couldn’t get even a scent of Felix.

While it wasn’t uncommon for Lino to go without seeing the younger orange cat, this felt different. It’s been three nights and Lino has yet to find a trace of Felix.

The day before he had started searching everywhere he had ever run into or shown Felix. He went to the park, many alleys, behind stores, anywhere that a cat could go. He searched places he’s seen other cats go, even if Felix had never been there to his knowledge.

Nothing.

A pain made itself known in his stomach as he realized he hadn’t eaten the day before, worry too strong and the ache in his heart to find Felix filling his mind instead of scavenging.

He couldn’t help the deep pit forming in his stomach, not from hunger, but from his failure. Deep in the back of his mind, anxiety paralyzes his thoughts, he can’t lose another person he loves. He doesn’t know if he can handle another loss.

With his search unsuccessful, he mindlessly wandered until he found himself at the alley. Felix wasn’t here either. He’ll just wait. Maybe he needs to stay in one place and Felix will find him.

The sun inched its way across the sky until it gently settled behind the buildings and skyline. Lino kept his seat in the same spot, only occasionally moving if the side door opened and it wasn’t one of his three humans.

He was startled out of his thoughts when Changbin opened the door and filled his container. He watched the human curiously as he stood up and it wasn’t until that moment that Lino even realized that one of the containers was missing. As if they already knew Felix was lost.

Lino let out a heartbroken meow, how could these humans know and not do anything? How could they just accept that his Yongbok was missing?

Changbin stood up and looked over when Lino meowed at him. A smile graced his face and he said a greeting in a baby voice Lino had gotten used to at this point. He glared at the human, still miffed that he could be so uncaring and sat in his normal spot until Changbin got the message. The human didn't stick around for long, leaving Lino once again alone in the silent alley.

Lino didn’t touch the food. If Felix was going to show up, he would need the food. He stayed rooted to his spot.

He was still waiting, hoping for Felix to show up, an hour later when the door slammed open once again. Jisung appeared with a trash bag, a picture copy version of when Lino first met him.
Jisung caught Lino sitting there before he even stepped out of the building. Another smile. He then looked from Lino to the full food bowl and his smile shifted.

“You didn’t touch your food, baby. Are you not hungry?” He was starving. “If you don’t eat it, I’m sure someone else will come along and gobble it up instead.” That was the plan.

Another moment before Jisung lifted the lid of the dumpster to throw the bag inside. He wiped his hands on his pants before going over to the food bowl. Jisung picked it up, inspecting the pieces before bringing the container closer to Lino. Lino watched him approach and let him set the container down close to him.

Jisung tried for a couple minutes to get Lino’s attention towards the food, even throwing a few pieces over to him. Lino’s ear flicked in annoyance.

“That’s okay. You don’t have to eat it right now Minho. I’ll go back inside now, alright? Have a good night.”

A couple more hours passed before Lino called it a night. He slowly ate the food, leaving enough for Felix to have a few bites if he made his way around.

The spot he always slept in never felt so empty.

Two weeks later is when Lino gave up. No matter how long he waited in one place or thoroughly searched another there was no trace of Felix. As much as he hated to admit it, he had to come to the conclusion that the sweet orange cat he loved was gone. Either he was taken or he was dead. Anguish filled Lino’s body to the brim, spilling over to everything he did. His body hollow with loneliness, only spilling over at the intense sadness he felt for his poor Yongbok.

And Lino was completely alone once again.

…Well. Not completely alone.

He couldn’t stand the place he used to sleep in. The spot was too empty now. He instead found himself in the alley with his humans more and more often.

His heart ached, part of him wanting to leave a little food for Felix just in case he came back, but he made himself eat the whole bowl of food that night. He felt his heart break a little more, acceptance settling in his body, coating his bones in a heavy weight he didn’t think would ever ease.

Lino had watched the three men become more and more worried as he hadn’t finished a bowl since Felix disappeared. The first week he had refused to eat until he knew Felix wasn’t going to show up. The second week he ate when the boys set the food out but still not finishing it off. When he finished the bowl that night, he could practically feel the way Chan’s shoulders released their tension.

Once the bowl was empty Lino went back and retook his spot he tended to sit in nowadays. He flopped down on the ground, not caring about being graceful, more interested in just being down. He stared at the entrance of the alley. Even though he knew Felix was gone forever, he couldn’t help the small part of him that still hoped.

Usually, Chan would’ve gone in by now but Lino could feel the way Chan’s eyes bore into him.

He didn’t take his eyes off the street even as he heard Chan get closer and sit next to him. When fingers lightly glided against his fur, he didn’t have the energy to react. Chan could do whatever he wanted in this moment and Lino wouldn’t fight back.

“We’ve been worried about you Minho. Are you okay?” His voice was a whisper, Lino’s ear twitching the only indication that he heard him. “You miss him? Is that it?” The reminder sent the tightness in his chest to squeeze harder. “He’s safe, I promise. He’s okay.” Lino closed his eyes. He hoped Chan was right but he was realistic. Cats like them didn’t get to be safe and okay. He saw it with his first family and he saw it with his new one.

The hand kept stroking down his back for a while before Chan had to go back inside. “We’re still here for you. We know you’re not ready to trust us yet, but we’ll always be here for you when you’re ready.”

His eyes stayed closed as Chan closed the door behind him as he left the alley. He didn’t move again until the sun came up the next day.

Lino was feeling a little better, his heart still ached but he knew he needed to begin to move on or he wouldn’t make it through the winter. He officially claimed the human’s alley as his own, sleeping there each night. Once the boys realized he was staying there, they put out an old towel in the spot he tended to lay on. When it rained he would crawl underneath the dumpster and sleep there instead.

Ever since he let Chan pet him that first time, he’s slowly allowed the other two to pet him as well. Lino wouldn’t lie, it got overwhelming. He’d never been pet before and the sensation was entirely too new for him. He wouldn’t let them pet him every time, just occasionally.

The first time he started purring under Changbin’s ministrations it quickly cut off and he scurried off to hide under the dumpster. His heart beat needed some time to slow down before he could reemerge and pretend like it didn’t happen.

Sometimes when they were petting him he could swear he got a scent of Felix, but he always figured that was his heart just yearning for his younger brother. This always led him to falling into another slump where he would lay down and refuse to get up until an outside force demanded his attention.

Over the next month he got more comfortable with letting the humans close enough to touch him. Sometimes, when he wasn’t drowning in sadness, he would even find himself in a playful mood. The strings and laser pointers a target. Fingers sometimes would be attacked, although he never used his claws or teeth in a way that would actually hurt. He was careful, just like they were with him. He was nowhere near the level of comfortable Felix had been with them. Climbing into their laps or letting them pick him up was absolutely out of the question. This was all they were going to get.

He still made his way over to the small park for water and would find scraps during the day before returning for a full meal at the end of the night. The days were getting slightly colder letting Lino know that winter wasn’t too far away. This would be his first winter alone. He was not ready.

He wasn’t the only cat in the neighborhood to sense that it was getting cold again. Some of the more vicious strays and groups of strays have already claimed certain food sources. The cats that were on their own, like Lino, were forced to try and find food in new locations. It was in one of these new locations that Lino found out why stray cats tended to stay away.

The smell of food overpowered his nose. The backside of a restaurant with a beautiful trash can right outside the backdoor. This couldn’t be more perfect if he tried. If he had access to this during the winter, he wouldn’t have to worry.

That was when a pile of crates were knocked over and claws scraping against the pavement filled his ears. Just like in the park, he had no time to react before this dog attacked. This dog was not just trying to play. This dog was lankier, ribs exposed behind his short fur. The look in his eye told Lino that he would be lucky if he got out of this unharmed, let alone alive.

Growls and yowls filled the air. Fur was torn out. Deep scratches made blood drip onto the pavement. A bite to his leg, a scratch to his back. An opening, and Minho bolted. He ran for blocks, adrenaline carrying him as the barking dog stayed hot on his heels. The small cat could be fast when he needed to be, and his legs didn't let him down as he weaved through people’s legs as they walked down the sidewalk. The sounds from the dog got quieter and quieter until they were gone altogether.

Once he had a moment to pause, he took inventory of the shape he was in. It became obvious very quickly that this wasn’t good. Two deep scratches burned as they bled on his back, dangerously close to his neck. A bite stung from where it was placed where his back leg met his stomach.

A deep understanding settled over him. No stray cat he had ever known got injured this badly and survived.

He grimly realized he wasn’t even completely sure if he would survive the night. All he could do at this point was find somewhere safe that he could lay down and hopefully rest. Lino didn’t even have to think about where to go before he was limping at a slow pace towards his human’s alley.

It took him longer than he was expecting, the movement getting harder and harder the more steps he took. The adrenaline gone from his fight made the pain in his body practically unbearable, he almost gave up but he couldn’t help but think of his Felix, how devastated he would be seeing him like this, and he kept moving.

He moved a little faster when the alley came into sight. He rounded the corner, forcing his limbs to enter the alley and curl up next to the bowl waiting to be filled. Food he grimly realized he didn’t think he’d be able to try and eat if he tried, his body victim to bone deep exhaustion and sharp pain that was only getting worse. He couldn’t help but hope that maybe the boys would all come out and pet him one final time.

But when the door opened and Jisung got a glimpse of him, it was nothing like the gentle goodbye he was imagining.

The cup of food he held fell to the ground, pellets spilling across the pavement. Jisung ran back inside causing his heart to ache. Lino wondered if that was going to be his last memory of the human.

The door burst opened once more, this time all three humans tripping out into the alley. Chan had a towel in his arms and he used that to gently pick Lino up and cradle him against his chest. The movement sent searing pain through his body, but he didn’t have the energy to protest. Chan was warm.

He didn’t pay attention as the three humans quickly ran off with him, taking him somewhere he couldn’t keep track of, his eyes were too heavy to really care. He just wanted to rest.

They took him into a building. Changbin had run ahead and opened the door for them. Jisung was the one who got to the front desk first, words spilling out of his mouth at the lady sitting there.

“Please help us! Our cat was injured. It looks like it was another animal and there’s a lot of blood. Please, you have to save him.”

Lino was moved from Chan’s arms into arms he wasn’t familiar with. His ears twitched as he panicked for a moment, but he only lifted his head for a moment before Chan shushed him. He laid his head back down, he didn’t have the energy to fight against the stranger. He was moved into a new room, voices filled the room saying many words he couldn’t keep track of. He was placed on a flat, cold surface and something was shoved over his mouth and nose. Before he knew it his eyes were shutting, too heavy to stay open anymore. He wonders if he will finally see Felix again.

Waking up was disorienting. His eyes were blurry and his body sore. When he was able to focus, he realized he was in a small metal container. Bars separated him from the bigger room. Panic set in. He was taken. Humans took him and now he was locked in a small box. He could hear other animals too.

He felt drowsy and stiff. There was a weird cone thing around his neck. If he thought letting the humans pet him those first few times was overwhelming, this was too much. Lino backed up until he was pressed against the back of the container and made himself as small as possible, causing pain to shoot through his body.

It wasn’t long before a woman’s face appeared on the other side of the bars. She smiled when she saw him.

“Hi Minho! I see you’re awake now. You gave us a scare there and we worried you wouldn’t make it but you’re a tough one.”

A growl built up in his chest as she unlatched the bars and they swung open. She messed with something he couldn’t see until a bowl of food was placed in the box along with a bowl of water.

“Eat that, okay? It’s got medicine in it and it’ll help you feel better. Promise.” She closed the bars, trapping him once again. “And once you’re doing better, you’ll be able to go back to your owners. I’m sure you miss them very much.”

She walked off leaving Lino to wonder what the hell she was talking about. He didn't have owners. She must be mistaken. He would never let humans close enough to him to even think about owning him.

…He did miss his three humans though. He wondered where they were. This would be a lot less scary if they were there too.

Lino was stuck in the tiny box for a very long time. He would occasionally be taken out as strangers poked and prodded at him. This was definitely not appreciated and he made sure to let them know. But they also seemed prepared for him to strike back which made his efforts practically worthless.

And then came the day he was put into an even smaller box. One that moved. Oh he did not like that even a bit. He once again made himself as small as possible in the back corner of the carrier.

He was taken into a room he vaguely remembered from when he first arrived at this building. The carrier was placed on a table and a face he was relieved to find out he knew filled his view. Changbin said a quiet hi to him and Lino could only meow back. And then he could see Jisung’s face and he hoped to show with his eyes how much he didn’t like any of this.

“It’s okay Minho, you get to come home now. No more scary vets!”

A few minutes later Changbin was taking hold of the carrier and they were on their way back to what Lino could only assume was their alley. He was still on edge but listening to the two humans talk helped keep him grounded even as everything that’s been happening in the past few days has been alien to him.

Seeing the entrance to the alley come into view was the best feeling in the world. Finally, something he was familiar with. Relief nestled into him for only a moment until they walked past the alley and went into the apartment through the front doors.

Lino tensed up and meowed, a question he wanted answered despite knowing they don’t know what he’s saying.

“It’s okay, baby. Chan is getting everything ready for you. You’ll feel right at home. Besides, you’ll get to see your baby again.” This went over his head as doors slid closed and the space around them rumbled before the doors opened again and they were somewhere completely different. So many things have happened that he could only force his brain to actively not think about what just occurred.

Another door opened and they were entering a space filled with many things. Comfortable looking furniture filled the space, Toys littered the floor. Sounds of metal clanging together came from somewhere he couldn’t see, Chan’s voice accompanying the new noise.

The carrier was placed down on the ground in the middle of the space. The door swung open but Lino didn’t move an inch. He refused to move even as the two humans, later joined by the third, tried to convince him out of the container. He didn’t budge.

The three gave up, deciding to ignore him which he appreciated. His heart slowed until it was back to a regular speed and he curled up. Maybe a nap would help him make sense of everything going on.

He was awoken to a familiar meow.

His head whipped up as a muffled meow was heard again. The three men had a quick discussion before Lino watched Jisung walk over to a door and open it. A pitter patter was heard and then a very familiar cat rounded the corner of the couch.

Lino didn't have to think as he bolted out of the carrier as fast as he could so that he could get to his Felix again.

Felix! He was okay!

Purrs filled the room. Every event leading up to this moment faded as Lino’s baby brother was back in his life. He looked healthy, well fed. Grown up a little. Clean.

This didn’t stop Lino from lavishing the orange cat with a tongue bath. The cone that was still infuriating around his neck couldn’t stop him either. He wanted this off immediately, but it could wait if he could have Felix now.

Felix let him clean him, but he didn’t hold still. He rolled around, stretched out, rubbed against him, forced his way in between Lino’s paws. It wasn’t until Minho had been licking him over for a good while that he finally calmed down to remember where he was.

The humans had moved to a table where they were eating. Lino didn’t like being so vulnerable in this new environment so he crawled underneath the couch, Felix following him right afterwards. They laid together how they always did before, this time in a warm home and soft carpet under them. Lino had never been so comfortable in his life.

He stayed underneath the couch until the middle of the night when none of the humans were out, each of them disappearing behind different doors. Lino crawled out to finally sniff around the space, Felix bounding after him, happily showing off his space to the older.

Felix wanted to show him a spot he liked to nap in, but Lino corralled them back under the couch for the time being. Even though everything changed overnight, Lino didn’t have a bad feeling anymore.

As if this wasn’t going to be the worst thing ever.

It was good.

Watching snow from a window would never get old to Minho. Being able to watch something he used to associate with struggle and now seeing it as beautiful was one of the best things.

Another best thing was being able to curl up with Felix again. Any time he wanted, he could find Felix in some part of the apartment. Felix could easily find him too. Minho was never letting the younger orange cat go again. His baby brother was back in his grasp and nothing could change that now.

Food was always set out, too. Instead of the humans setting out a scoop of food at night, a big bowl of the stuff was sitting out all day. The two of them had easy access to food and water at any point.

And Minho had also found that the humans were even nicer when they were inside. They didn't have a time limit for how long they stayed out. Minho could curl up next to them on the couch and be pet for hours. The humans also got him whatever he could ever want. If he meowed because the bottom of the food bowl was visible, they put more food in it. When he was dissatisfied with his water, it got replaced. This was the height of luxury.

Something he found he liked a lot was laying on their beds. It all started about three weeks after he first went inside. Felix had disappeared somewhere in the apartment and he was going to figure out where he went. This led him to Chan’s room. Minho could hear the deep breathing of the human and the deep purrs of his brother.

After debating it for a few minutes, Minho jumped up on the bed, wary of the human. Felix stirred, chirping at him. Felix had made himself comfortable in between the arms of a sleeping Chan.

Minho slowly made his way up, sniffing at Felix to make sure he was okay. Once he found that Felix was content, he had made himself into a tiny ball on Chan’s pillow, the breath of the human lightly touching his fur.

Waking up to gentle pets that carefully maneuvered around the healing stitches he had felt much better than anything he had experienced yet. Over the course of that week he had investigated which of the human pillows were the most comfortable and who gave the best pets in the morning.

Jisung had a pillow made out of clouds and Changbin had fingers that dug in just right. But Chan had Felix almost every night so it was always a struggle to figure out where he wanted to be that night.

He even found out that his humans knew the three from the park. He finally had names for the two other humans, Hyunjin and Jeongin. And unfortunately, they did still have the puppy Seungmin if their conversations about him were anything to go on. They also remembered him, apparently the tear in his ear and all black fur an easy identifying marker.

And now, as he watched the snow from his windowsill, he couldn’t imagine ever having to be anywhere else.

Felix jumped up next to him, squeezing himself in to be settled next to Minho. All of the fur torn out by the bad dog had regrown and his stitches were completely healed. His fur was clean, letting him find out how soft he could be. Felix still had the softer kitten fur so he was even softer than Minho was, which really just fit Felix so much.

Minho loved watching the orange cat play with toys and make a fool of himself any chance he could. Minho also refused to admit he had his own foolish moments. What can he say, running around at three in the morning was just better.

A couple hours curled up on the windowsill was great, but Felix scrambled away when the front door opened, revealing that the humans were home. Minho stretched before sitting up, waiting for one of the humans to come over and give him his scritches.

That night Minho found himself laid down on the couch in between Chan and Changbin as Felix was in Jisung’s lap where they sat on the chair. A movie on the tv kept the humans' eyes as their hands gave pets and scratches, leaving both cats to purr in their contentness.

Minho was happy. Minho was home.