Work Text:
Rain was pouring heavily.
It hadn’t come down like this since the day Hoseok came into Jimin’s life four months ago.
Jimin was on his way home from the convenience store once again, picking up some groceries much like he had been that time before. Except this time he’d forgotten to take an umbrella with him. Before he left, nearly an hour ago, he asked Hoseok to go with him, and normally his boyfriend would be more than willing. (Even if Jimin got frustrated with him when the hybrid let his addiction get the best of him and he’d try to sneak one bag too many of his favorite shrimp chips into the cart.) But this time, Hoseok shook his head rapidly, made a strange whiney sound and curled up on the sofa, clutching the blanket laid across it from the nest they made there earlier to his chest, his ears laid flat against his mess of black hair, tail flicking around nonstop.
Jimin thought there was something a little off about his behavior and this must have been why.
Hoseok hated thunderstorms.
The orange haired boy had gotten done with shopping in a shorter amount of time than he predicted, however he couldn’t predict the rain, for-going watching the weather that morning and that was a pretty dumb decision on his part. Hoseok probably sensed it and that’s why he didn’t want to go outside, even if he was attached to Jimin most of the time. This must have pained the hybrid. Fuck-- Jimin had to get home. He attempted to wait it out for ten minutes in the entrance of the store, watching to see if it would pass over. No such luck. It just kept coming down with no signs of stopping. Everyone else around him was smart, all of their umbrellas tucked under their arms while they shopped around.
But Hoseok needed him right now, so he couldn’t wait any longer.
Tying the handles of the couple plastic bags shut, he held onto them tightly and headed out into the rain. It was a big mistake. The wind picked up the moment he got out the door, water pelting him in the face and even getting in his eyes, making him squint hard. In a matter of seconds, his sweater had been soaked through to his t-shirt. He decides running might be his best option if he wanted to get home as quickly as possible. The puddles make his life a living hell, his shoes becoming completely drenched as well. The only good thing about this rain was that it was on the warmer side.
Jimin makes it back looking like a drowned puppy as he steps through the door the second a clash of thunder sounds in the sky, damn near shaking the apartment building in the process. Dropping the bags on the counter, he turns his gaze to the couch, but no Hoseok… He was probably hiding in the bedroom underneath all the blankets. That was his safe spot.
Kicking off his soaked shoes and socks, Jimin makes his way to the bedroom, stipping himself of his sweater as well and tossing it into the dirty laundry hamper. In the middle of taking off his t-shirt, and damn it for sticking so much to his skin-- he glances towards the bed and there’s no sign of any lump under the covers. Just the mess that they left that morning after rolling around in a heated make out session.
“Hoseokkie?...” he calls out, not even sure if the hybrid can hear him over the downpour. Especially when the thunder decides to boom loudly again.
Frowning, JImin pushes his soaked pants down his legs along with his underwear and grabs the pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt lying on the floor, dirty or not, he doesn’t care right now because he needs to find his kitten.
Wrapping his arms around himself, he goes back into the hall and checks the bathroom first. Hoseok might have figured this would be a safe spot to be in, but no… He’s not in the shower or anything. With a sigh, Jimin heads back out and checks the small closet at the end of the hall. No Hoseok there either… Now he was getting worried. Where could he be? The thought that his precious Hoseok could have run away and disappeared forever makes him tear up and damn it Jimin! This was no time for crying!
Sniffling, he goes back into their bedroom. He hadn’t checked under the bed yet and though it was a cramped space under there, Hoseok could have forced his way under if scared enough. Jimin gets on his hands and knees, peering into the dark but he doesn’t see anything even remotely shaped like his kitten boyfriend and moves to sit on his butt, giving a loud whimper. That was it… Hoseok ran away… but why? The hybrid was so happy with Jimin, or at least that what he thought. What would cause him to leave? It couldn’t be because Jimin went to the store without him.
Just then another loud clash of thunder shakes the apartment, the worst one yet and even over that, Jimin can hear a slight cry coming from the closet and wow, he was an absolute idiot! Why hadn’t he looked there yet? Shuffling fast, he slides the door open to reveal a very terrified, trembling Hoseok, all curled into a ball, ears still pressed flat against his head with his normally smooth tail puffed out in fright.
“Jiminnie!!”
The hybrid sobs and throws himself at Jimin, clinging as tightly as ever to him, not wanting to let go for a single second. The younger wraps his own arms around him, petting at the back of Hoseok’s hair to comfort him.
“Shh, I’m here… Hoseokkie… Nothing will hurt you, I’ll take care of you.”
Those words…
Hoseok chokes on a sob as he plays that day over in his head. Yelling. Loud yelling. Hoseok had to hold his hands over his ears to muffle it. But then he got scolded even more. It wasn’t his fault that the plate broke… it was an accident. Hoseok only wanted to help in the kitchen, to help clean up. The dish just slipped out of his grasp and shattered on the floor. And then he was hit. A hand right across his cheek. His master’s voice was so loud, screaming those awful words. But no matter how much he tried to apologize, it was no use. He was soon taken by the neck, much like an actual cat being grabbed by the scruff of it’s neck, and tossed out into the rain. It was only beginning to come down then, but as he wandered aimlessly through the streets, for what seemed like hours, the rain only got heavier, soaking him completely.
He was freezing, shaking and so, so scared. What was he supposed to do? Where would he go? He’d never been taught what to do on his own. There was no one to take care of him now…
After walking, and being chased by a mean dog, and running, and more walking, he collapsed against the side of a building, all his tears having run dry from crying so much. There was no hope… not anymore.
But then this beautiful boy, with warm brown eyes and pretty orange hair found him. This boy named Jimin, and oh… did Hoseok ever fall for him.
He promised to take care of him, and he held to that promise. He still did. Even now as the lightening and thunder caused havoc outside, reminding him of that awful yet blessed day, Jimin was here, holding him and petting him and kissing his head.
Hoseok was safe. He was home.