Archive of Our Own

1. Napping

Daeyoung was excited to come home. He had gotten out of work early, no classes or homework to complete, and, the best part, had two lovely boyfriends to get home to. Riku and Yushi were once just his conveniently paired cat-hybrid roommates for college, ones who all seemed compatible on paper, therefore pushed into student housing. Thankfully, those papers were right and they were very compatible. 

Their relationship was still fresh, still learning little things about each other day by day. It always sent a short thrill up Daeyoung’s spine when he learned of a new food one of them liked, when Riku would show Daeyoung new TV shows he found with glee, or how Yushi would quietly poke and prod at the suggestion of cooking a certain food he had yet to try. Each day was exciting and fresh, and Daeyoung loved it. 

He was bouncing down the street, each step he took feeling lighter the closer he got to his building. He was hoping to have some time to just lounge and relax with the two without worry, no deadlines or calls to take, no worry over what class they had to go to next, just relaxation. 

Daeyoung trekked up the two flights of stairs, his smile stretched permanently across his face. The smell of a vanilla-scented candle came into his senses, a dead giveaway that he was close to being home. He slid his key into the door frame, pushing the pins over and letting himself in. 

It was quiet aside from the whirr of the A/C. No music or TV playing, just silence. He looked around the entryway as he kicked his sneakers off, not seeing any sign of life from either hybrid in the living room. He entered the kitchen, his head tossing side to side like a confused puppy. 

“Riku? Yushi? I’m home.” He called, his voice teetering. He stepped down the hallway, entering their shared room at the very end. It was empty, no sign of their bed being disturbed; the bed was made and neat. He turned to what was Yushi’s old room, now transformed into a makeshift closet for all three of them. Nothing. 

The final room was his old bedroom. They had made it into a study, a line of desks against each wall, and a couch pushed into a corner for relaxing. A large window lay against the farthest wall, casting sunrays onto the floor and couch beneath it. 

Daeyoung’s eyes softened at the sight. Riku was sprawled on the floor, a pillow haphazardly shoved under his head as he slept in the sun, his ears twitching ever so often. His tail was coiled around his thigh, relaxing with each deep breath leaving his lips. Yushi was curled on the couch, his legs brought up to his chest and tail protectively circling where his legs lay. 

He placed his bag down on the ground slowly, careful not to disturb them. The room felt warm from the sun, a comfortable sensation flowing over Daeyoung’s frame. He understood how they could get drowsy in it. 

Daeyoung crouched next to Riku, reaching out a hand to stroke the space between his ears slowly. The hybrid let out a soft, happy noise through his sleep, subconsciously keening into the touch. His body was warm with sleep and sun, and Daeyoung himself had to resist curling up next to him. But, he wasn’t Riku, who didn’t mind sleeping on the bare floor; he would like to spare his back as much as possible. 

Riku trilled high in his throat, his head tilting up as his eyes slowly opened. Daeyoung watched as his nose turned up a little, trying to gauge who was petting his head from scent. “Daeyoungie…” He croaked quietly, turning onto his stomach. “You’re home?” His arms stretched out forward, hands opening wide while his body shook with the stretch. 

“Got let off early.” He whispered, “I didn’t mean to wake you; you can go back to sleep.” He dragged his nails around the base of Riku’s ears, watching as they twitched in response. Riku opened his eyes a bit wider, pushing himself onto his palms while he looked around. 

“I don’t even remember falling asleep. Yuu-chan was working on something for school, and I was sitting beside him…” 

“I think the sun made you sleepy.” Daeyoung laughed low, taming the mess of hair atop Riku’s head. “Both of you looked pretty relaxed in here.” Riku turned his attention to Yushi on the couch, his already angelic features looking even prettier with sun-rays cast over them. Riku still struck with sleep, curled back down onto the floor, except instead of lying his head on the pillow, he lay down on Daeyoung’s lap. His cheek squished into Daeyoung’s work pants, the smell of baked goods and tea soaking into the hybrid's senses. The younger laid his hand over Riku’s jaw, thumbing over the plumpness of his cheek. 

“‘s warm in here.” Riku slurred, the call of sleep pulling him back under. 

“Are you too hot?” The hybrid shook his head no. 

“Good warm.” 

“Let’s get you onto the couch, it’s comfier there.” Daeyoung tapped along Riku’s chin, making his head perk up instinctively. Daeyoung stood from the floor once Riku lifted his body off his lap, reaching down to help the elder off the floor and onto his feet. The black cat hybrid rested his body weight against Daeyoung without warning, making him waver in balance before steadying himself. He stifled a laugh, slipping his hands under Riku’s legs to hoist him up into his arms. Riku’s legs tightened around his waist, clinging to him tightly. 

Daeyoung stepped over to where Yushi lay, careful to avoid jostling him as he sat Riku down onto the cushions. He placed the hybrid on the opposite end, setting him down onto his bottom before setting his legs down on the center cushion. As he began to pull away, Riku suddenly yanked him down by his shoulders. 

His knees knocked into the couch as he fell, banging the furniture against the wall with the force. His body was caged flat against Riku’s body, being held down by the hybrid’s arms. “Stay,” Riku whispered, squeezing his arms tight around Daeyoung’s shoulders. 

Shuffling sounded from behind Daeyoung, and with a turn of his head, he could see the orange cat hybrid awake and a little startled, tail puffed up completely. “Daeyoungie,” Yushi whispered, relaxing the tension in his tail and ears as he realized what was going on. 

“Sorry, Ushi, I didn't mean to wake you,” Yushi responded with a hum, crawling over on his palms to lie over Daeyoung’s back, his cheek nuzzling into the space between his shoulder blades. His body fell limp again, as if nothing had happened in the first place. Even from the painful angle of Daeyoung’s neck, he could see the flicking of his tail back and forth. 

“Warm,” Yushi whispered, slipping his arms around Daeyoung’s waist to keep him close. Despite being trapped, Daeyoung enjoyed the feeling more than he would like to admit. Riku dozed off again with his hands combing through the human’s hair, his sleek black tail coming to curl around Daeyoung’s forearm. Yushi lay over him like a warm blanket, just to fall asleep just as quickly as he woke up. It was comforting.

“I smell like work…” Daeyoung giggled. 

“You smell like us,” Riku said with sleepy words, heavy and languid. “It’s nice.” Riku carded his fingers through the center of Daeyoung’s scalp, mimicking how the human usually pets between their ears. 

“You guys really are cats,”  He said softly, “Falling asleep in the sun like that, it’s cute.” He could feel Yushi squeeze his waist a little tighter, his bare legs curling up Daeyoung’s from where they haphazardly lay on the couch. He didn’t need to use words to get the feeling of shyness across. Daeyoung smiled into Riku’s chest, tilting his head to rest his ear against where his heart lay beneath skin. He listened intently to the steady thrum of a heartbeat, and in return, a pleased feeling coursed through his body. 

“It’s warm, cats like warm.” Yushi slurred, “You’re warm.” The simple phrase sent a smile onto Daeyoung’s face. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach at the subtle confession, making heat rise to his pinkening cheeks. Yeah, Daeyoung knew his boyfriends loved him; they had long confessed and said ‘I love you’ in a hundred different ways daily; it never failed to make him feel content and giddy like a high schooler getting their first confession. 

Riku’s hands slowly grew to a pause as sleep took over again, his hand lying limp against the back of his neck. His body relaxed into the couch, a soft expression lying over his face. His eyelashes rested like feathers against his cheeks. Light and soft-looking. His tail uncoiled from Daeyoung, lying weakly against his arm, still touching him. 

From where Daeyoung lay, Riku was stunning; he couldn’t believe he had the pleasure of being his boyfriend. 

Yushi began to grow heavy on Daeyoung’s back, the lull of sleep beginning to pull the orange cat hybrid back under. His fingers dug into the human’s stomach, anchoring himself to him. Even through his clothes, Daeyoung could feel the twitch of his soft ears against his back. It tickled, but he ignored the feeling to his best ability. 

He was completely content with them, at peace with no worries or stressors weighing him down. And God, he was warm. Placed between two mini-heaters and the gentle heat of the sun shining down on all of them, it was no wonder they fell asleep like this. They truly were two cat-hybrids, he thought. Sure, he had noticed their glaring cat-like behaviors before, like how both were slightly averse to oceans or pools, how both preferred seafood more than any other, or even down to how their ears would perk at the sounds of birds chirping outside or the bell of a store door opening and closing. But little things like preferred napping locations sent a warmth through him. He loved it, found it so terribly endearing; he never wanted the moment to end. 

With the pillow of Riku’s chest beneath him, Daeyoung too began to grow sleepy, his lips jutting out in a gentle pout, eyes struggling to stay open. He was at ease and completely and utterly in love with the two. 

    2. Scenting

Riku and Yushi could smell it as soon as Daeyoung arrived home from work. It was a strange, different smell from the sugar that he usually smelled like. Musky, maybe woody or oak-smelling, something distinctly non-human. It was another hybrid’s scent. 

He greeted them normally, unaware of the smell lingering on his skin. He kissed them both as normal, petting between their ears curtly before whispering about needing a shower for the day. Beneath the strange hybrid scent lay the distinct layer of sweat and tea that clung to him. 

Riku and Yushi looked at one another once he left the room for the bathroom, tails puffing up with territorial feelings overwhelming them. “He stinks,” Riku spoke first.

“Was a hybrid trying to claim him?” Yushi’s body shook with possessiveness, his legs curling up on himself. His nails sank into the couch cushions, trying to calm his frantic mind. “He is so clearly claimed! He smells like us all the time! Who could do that to him?!” Scenting someone who was claimed was a big thing for hybrids, a clear disrespect for the hybrid who claimed that person. It hurt the hybrids down to their stomachs, weighing heavily with frustration. 

Riku huffed, “We gotta scent him a lot, it will send a message.” The sound of the shower shutting off filled their ears. He would definitely be back soon. 

From the second Daeyoung returned to the living room, their eyes were on him, narrowed with worry, and their ears flat against their heads. Daeyoung tilted his head like a confused puppy, his bottom lip jutting out with it. “What’s wrong?” His eyes were wide, concern filling them. He looked at the two hybrids, who were peaking over the back of the couch to watch with careful eyes. Riku’s tail was coiling tightly around his waist in a sense of protection. Their apartment, which was carefully curated to be Yushi and Riku’s scents, had changed; territorial instincts overtook him. 

“Did you meet a hybrid today?” Yushi carefully asked, “They smell.” 

“How did you…” Daeyoung smelled his freshly washed body, trying to identify the source, “I mean, yeah, I have a new coworker who is a hybrid, I didn’t smell anything on him though.” 

“It’s not something humans can smell; it’s just hybrids.” Yushi explained, “Usually you smell like us though…” 

“He scented you whether he knew it or not.” Riku reached out one hand, beckoning Daeyoung over. The youngest stepped into the living room, sitting between the two hybrids. They looked at him with those glassy eyes, as if they were trying to pick out every detail of him. 

“Scented?”

“We do it when we rub on you. It marks you.” Riku took Daeyoung’s hand, placing it on his own cheek to rub his face into it. “Some hybrids can scent just by being next to them.” Yushi pressed his face into Daeyoung’s shoulder, rubbing along it needily, desperate to get rid of the strange smell. 

“Oh, I didn’t know about that,” Daeyoung whispered, letting himself relax into the cushions. The hybrids seemed to know what they needed to do the most, rubbing their faces and hands over his frame to rid themselves of any smell. “I’m sorry.” He added, stifling a twitch when Yushi’s ears tickled along his jaw. 

“You’re human, you aren’t familiar with things like that. You don’t have to apologize.” Riku whispered, pressing his lips into the inner part of Daeyoung’s wrist. A subtle “He should’ve known better.” was huffed beneath his breath afterward. He cleared his throat, looking up at Daeyoung. “We get to mark you as ours, so hopefully it won’t happen again.” Yushi lurched further onto Daeyoung’s lap, bullying his head into the space between the human’s broad shoulders and neck. 

As their explanation began to set in, things began to make sense. All the times of nuzzling faces or kittenish pawing at his arms weren’t just to touch; it was also to scent. They had been marking him, claiming him as theirs without him even knowing. A wide smile reached up to the apples of his cheeks. 

He liked the feeling of being claimed, he decided. 

Suddenly, Yushi crooned into Daeyoung’s neck, shyly licking at his jaw. Daeyoung jumped with the sudden wet feeling, looking over at the cat hybrid with wide eyes. “It makes the strongest scent,” Yushi gave another lick to his neck just below his ear. “Is it okay?” 

It was that tone of sweetness, one that seemed nervous but hopeful. Daeyoung’s eyes smiled into crescents at the elder, leaning down to press a kiss right over his cheek scar. “I like it.” He whispered. Blood rushed to Yushi’s face, suddenly bashful and shy. 

Riku, seizing his opportunity, poked his tongue out and lapped at the back of his hand. His tail swished back and forth with glee. His body was nearly vibrating with happiness. Daeyoung, their person, was covered in his and Yushi’s scent, the scent of the other hybrid long gone and now replaced with their distinct, comforting smells. If they stopped then, Daeyoung would be thoroughly scented without any question; no hybrid would even risk getting close to him with how strongly he smelled. They continued out of want, not need anymore. 

Riku pushed himself onto his knees, rutting his hair into the crown of Daeyoung’s head. The younger’s hand came to circle around his waist, steadying him on the uneven surface. His tail wrapped around Daeyoung’s arm once more, locking him in place. 

Yushi was entirely in Daeyoung’s lap now, protectively holding him in place to scent him in unneeded areas. His inner arm was marked, the tops of his thighs, and even his stomach was soaked in their mixed scents. His hands danced around, rubbing the pheromones into each inch of skin he could reach. 

He was overwhelmingly scented, and the hybrids themselves began to feel dizzy with the strength of it. Riku faltered first, slowly lowering himself while using Daeyoung’s arm as a guide back down. He curled in on himself, slotting himself into the taller side. “Good, you smell so good.” He trilled, ears flicking. Yushi fell nearly right after, his eyes glazed over with a pleased expression plastered on his face. He lay on his side on the couch, resting his head against Daeyoung’s lap. 

To Daeyoung, the room hadn’t changed at all. But to the hybrids, it reeked of them in the best way possible. “Hyungs.” He smiled, thumbing over the bottom of Riku’s ribs and petting over Yushi’s ears. The two hummed, bodies limp against him. “What does it smell like?” 

“Strong.” Yushi looked up, tilting his head as Daeyoung’s hand traveled to pet under his chin and down the length of his neck. His eyes fluttered shut, the corners of his lips curling up. “It’s strong but nice.” He added, his teeth flashing with a grin. His cheeks dimpled like those of an actual cat. Daeyoung looked down with the intent of saving the sight in his mental library forever. Yushi’s proud and happy expression of successfully scenting his human was a sight he never wanted to let go of.

“I don’t think a hybrid will wanna go around you for at least a week.” Riku joked, “But they will for sure know that you are claimed.” Riku looked up from his spot against Daeyoung’s shoulder, his kittenish expression making the younger’s heart pound. 

“I like that,” Daeyoung whispered, bending down to gently close the distance. He pecked at the plumpness of his top lip, leaving one more kiss at the tip of his nose before pulling back. His body had sporadic spots of drying saliva, with his skin tingling over where they rubbed and rubbed and rubbed his body; they were desperate to imprint the scents deep below surface level. 

“What even was the hybrid?” Yushi pressed, his head perking up a little. 

“A wolf? I think. He had a long, fluffy tail that was gray and pointy ears, that’s just my guess though.” Yushi hummed affirmatively. 

“That makes sense, wolves smell strong a lot of the time.” Suddenly, Yushi pushed himself off Daeyoung’s lap, turning himself around to sit on his haunches, eyes meeting the human’s fervently. Worry and pure possessiveness flickered in his eyes. “Wait, was he lingering around you? Did he keep his distance?” Riku began to grow agitated, too, the implication making his claws dig into the couch cushions below. The idea of some hybrid trying to stake a claim on an already claimed human sent a sharp feeling up their spines. Daeyoung was theirs and no one else's. 

“No, no, it’s nothing like that. He wasn’t around me all day.” He assured them hurriedly, noticing their distress, “He actually was in the back of the house, not the front. I didn’t see him except when I was restocking. I promise you I don’t think he was scenting me on purpose.” The two softened at the words, looking at each other with easing nerves. 

“I don’t think he will even risk going near you now,” Yushi whispered, his ram-rod straight body relaxing. Riku’s nails unfurled from the couch, sliding over Daeyoung’s arm, trailing down the inner side to lace their fingers together. “I was worried he was being creepy, I don’t want you to deal with some nasty person like that.” 

“We want to protect our person, that's why we claim,” Riku whispered. Daeyoung smiled with a shy expression, his face turning red with the two sets of eyes on him. The words cracked their possessive demeanor, turning the energy into tandem kisses on his cheeks and little ones on his lips.

He was completely claimed by the hybrids, and he adored every moment of it. 

    3. Purring

Daeyoung was struggling with studying. The lectures on his screen weren’t comprehensible to him, the papers below him were starting to get crumpled from how many times Daeyoung had picked them up and dropped them, and the handwriting on them wasn’t much better.

He wanted to throw the whole computer out, call it there, and just forget about it. But that wasn’t how things worked; he had to study, he had to get through it. 

Daeyoung jumped with a hand on his shoulder, plucking his headphones out to see Riku hovering over with a glass of water in hand, with some painkillers in the other. “You are doing that thing you do when you have a headache, when you keep clenching your jaw to distract yourself.” He laid the items on the desk, his tail waving behind him impatiently. 

“How long have you been watching?” Daeyoung questioned, grabbing the medication off the table to down them with a gulp of water. 

“Not long, I was just doing laundry and noticed from across the hall.” How Riku did that, Daeyoung had no clue, probably some keen cat sense that he lacked. “You should take a break, it’s not gonna go well if you push yourself.” Riku squatted down to the ground, resting his chin against Daeyoung’s thigh. 

“It’s just this one last thing, I just can’t focus.” He huffed low, reaching up to stroke the black hair between Riku’s ears. He scratched at the base of his ears, smiling at the way Riku’s eyes fluttered shut at the feeling. 

“That’s exactly why you should take a break, jagiya.” Riku looked up through his lashes, placing his hands on Daeyoung’s thighs to push himself up. He turned Daeyoung’s chair towards him, planting himself onto the younger’s lap. His legs bracketed Daeyoung’s lap, caging him down while his arms slinked around his shoulders. Riku looked at Daeyoung with a plotting smile on his face. “Break time. Pet me.” He playfully demanded. 

Who was he to deny?

Daeyoung gave in quite easily, reaching up to gently drag his nails across his scalp, squeezing his other arm around his waist. The weight of Riku’s frame wasn’t burdensome; he welcomed the warmth. It was a comforting, familiar feeling he adored. 

His long black tresses fell smoothly between Daeyoung’s fingers, relaxing both of them completely. “I think you just wanted to get petted.” He grinned, the teasing tone making Riku pout a little. The silence that Riku returned with was telling. He flatted his hand over the back of his head, stroking at a steady pace as the hybrid began to slump down into Daeyoung’s body. His chin hooked over his shoulder, taking in Daeyoung’s natural scent. 

“Yushi said he will pick up dinner when he gets out of class.” Riku murmured, “So don’t worry about cooking or anything like that.” The human hummed, reaching his hand down to the hybrid’s neglected tail. His was a bit shorter than Yushi’s, smooth and short, and endlessly soft to the touch. He wrapped his hand around halfway up the limb, twirling it around his fingers. The light touch made a shiver run up Riku’s spine, the sensitive spot making his ears perk up a little higher. 

He continued like that, threading it between his fingers, watching how the light reflected off the shiny fur, and even massaging around the base of it. Riku was completely lax in his arms, a smile spread on his face from the nice feeling. 

Then, Daeyoung noticed something. A rumble, low enough that he barely heard it but still audible. Then Riku, he was vibrating. Daeyoung tilted his head into Riku’s own, his eyes widening with the realization. 

Riku was purring. 

It was light, a barely there sound that seemed to grow as Daeyoung continued to pet him. But it was there, and Daeyoung was losing his mind over it. There was no doubt about it, no reading between the lines or a hidden meaning in the sound; it was purring. 

“You can purr?!” He gasped, “Since when?!” 

Riku pulled his head back, his lips sealing into a bashful, tight-lipped smile as he struggled to contain the noise. “Some hybrids can.” He whispered, avoiding Daeyoung’s eyes. 

“It’s cute, I never knew.” Cute was an understatement; Daeyoung was enthralled with the sound. As he continued to stroke the tail, he reached up to pet Riku as he usually did. The reaction was immediate, the purring was louder, clear enough that Daeyoung could hear it even while pulled away from Riku. A wide, open-mouthed smile spread on his face. “How cute, hyung. Have you been holding it back?” He could feel the vibration through Riku’s body. The hybrid smiled down at him, finding his eager, puppy-like excitement cute. 

He thought that if Daeyoung were a hybrid, he would be a puppy for sure. His wide eyes, the eagerness to make others happy, the tilt in his voice and head when he asked questions, his genuine curiosity, everything about him practically screamed it. 

Even if he lacked a tail and ears, Riku found him to be the cutest puppy he had seen. 

“Some people find it weird, so I usually just hold it back.” He said with a rumble in his voice, talking through his purrs, “But, I trust you.” Daeyoung warmed, a flood of awe and endearment coating every bit of his being. He stilled his petting, looping his arms around Riku’s waist to pull him close. His ear pressed into Riku’s chest, the loud vibrating sound reverberating in his mind. 

“It’s not weird at all, it’s you and everything about you is lovely, hyung. Thank you for trusting me.” He whispered, soaking up every bit of the sound that he could before the moment ended. Riku toyed with the hair at the base of Daeyoung’s neck, smiling at the younger. 

Daeyoung stayed put there in that spot, listening to the roll of his voice intently. He wanted it recorded, saved forever in his phone for a rainy day. He wanted to have it in his back pocket, the sweet sound he swore could make any sad day into a happy one. 

It wasn’t just that Riku was purring; of course, it was absolutely precious and cute, and Daeyoung could listen to it for hours. But it was the fact that he trusted him enough to let it out, to break down the remnants of any walls and lay himself completely vulnerable. Especially with something that he obviously had heard negatives about in the past. Daeyoung squeezed a little tighter. 

“Thank you for loving me.” Riku finally responded. His wide hands came to cup Daeyoung’s jaw, pulling him up to meet him halfway. The kiss was comforting, feeling safe and secure. The plushness of lips against lips made Daeyoung smile into it, not to mention the cute, muted purrs in the back of Riku’s throat. When they finally pulled away for a breath of air, their foreheads knocked against one another. 

“I love you,” Riku whispered against his lips, the breath fanning over his spit-slick skin. Daeyoung blinked up wide, completely in awe of the fact that he had been so lucky to be where he was. His cheeks became red, eyes keeping on Riku’s starry, sparkling wide ones. 

Breathlessly, he replied, “I love you too.” 

    4. Kneading

The movie was painfully boring; Yushi was dozing off just watching it, and Daeyoung seemed to be in a similar state. He doesn’t even remember how they got to the point of watching it on Riku’s tablet. They were home alone, with Riku at work, so deciding to lounge around watching an endless stream of movies didn’t seem like a half-bad idea while waiting for the eldest to return.

Yushi was lying on Daeyoung’s lower half, his head nuzzled deep into the latter's stomach. He could feel the gentle scratch of his dull nails going up and down his bare arm, relaxing him into the mattress below. His tail was coiled up around Daeyoung’s thigh underneath the blanket, not tightly wrapped, just enough to give him the pressure that it was there.  

“Do we wanna switch the movie?” Daeyoung eventually muttered, while the words were vague, the meaning meant more of a “this movie sucks, please let me turn it off” for him. Yushi nodded, stretching his arms out ahead of him. His palms landed back against Daeyoung’s stomach, balled into small fists as Daeyoung selected a different film. It was one they had watched on a different day, but it was endlessly more entertaining. Daeyoung settled the tablet back on its stand, resting it on the mattress where both could see. 

The room was cast in a cold glow; the dreary weather outside was causing the gray sky to echo its color into the room. It was dim, and even with the A/C off, there was little warmth to heat up Yushi. And for the cat hybrid, that was unacceptable. 

He pulled the comforter up to his chin, shivering against Daeyoung’s body. He shook with the cold, not going unnoticed by the younger. 

“Come here, Ushi.” He whispered, startling him from his focus on the screen. The cat hybrid lurched his way up onto Daeyoung’s lap, resting on his thighs with his head carefully placed under his jaw. The human pulled the comforter up to his shoulders, slipping his arms out to tuck him in tight. He wrapped his arms around the lump of a cat hybrid, securing him like a bow to a gift box. 

He could feel the shake still beneath the fabric, doing his best to warm his body up as quickly as possible. His hands danced from outside the blanket, trying to use the friction to heat his frigid skin. A short trill came from Yushi, his ears twitching wildly. “It’s too cold outside,” He said with a short huff, “‘s making the house cold.” 

“I’ll get the heated blanket from storage soon.” Daeyoung cooed, reaching up to cup one of Yushi’s chilly, ginger ears. 

“Riku is gonna be so cold out there.” Yushi whispered, “We should go get him when his class gets out.” Daeyoung nodded.

“We will, we can bring hot tea for him. An extra jacket too?” Yushi nodded affirmatively, lying back against Daeyoung’s frame. 

The cat hybrid slipped his arms up and under the human’s long-sleeved shirt, stealing the heat that radiated off his body. His hands balled and placed comfortably on his stomach. Yushi averted his attention back to the tablet screen, a little hum high in the back of his throat. 

While in the perfect position to do so, Yushi began to scent the area around his neck. Rubbing his head around the space that he could reach, a pleased smile on his face as the man began to smell strongly of him. It was relaxing, comforting, and absolutely perfect. Daeyoung thumbed around the base of his ear, smiling as it flicked and twitched beneath his touch. 

Subconsciously, Yushi’s fists began to rock against Daeyoung’s stomach, his knuckles bearing down into the soft flesh before rolling back to the heels of his palm. His fingers spread wide, nails gently tracing the skin before curling back up into a fist and repeating. 

He was so warm, so comfortable, so cozy against him; he was as relaxed as he could be. His incessant fists only continued, a light hum in the back of his throat that was laced with happiness. “Yushi…” Daeyoung quietly called, knocking Yushi out of his haze, “You’re kneading me.” 

Yushi looked down between them, looking down at the red mark against Daeyoung’s stomach. “Oo-oh, I’m sorry.” He pulled his hands back before Daeyoung slipped beneath the covers, placing them back down. 

“No, it’s sweet. I looked it up, it’s a comfort thing, right?” Yushi looked up from his spot at the taller, a soft smile spreading on his face. “You can keep doing it.” 

“You looked it up?” The voice was that sweet airy tone, one so awestruck that someone would do that for him. 

“W-well, I figure I should know more about hybrids, right? So, I have been looking stuff up in my spare time so I can know more. Like kneading.” Yushi grinned widely, his hands immediately going back to work. “I read it’s a habit in infancy, but you do it afterward to mark them with your scent and for comfort. If I am correct.” 

Yushi nodded, a gleam of pride flowing through him at his attentive lover. His hands continued to rock against his soft tummy, pushing and pulling the skin with each roll of his hands. “You’re right.” He whispered. 

He looked down between them, watching as Yushi’s hands moved in tandem with one another, making the younger fawn over the action. It was so cute how he was perched on his lap with complete and utter focus on kneading his stomach. He could feel how Yushi’s tail tightened around his leg, keeping himself sat on his lap. 

It felt like a massage, careful movements that only relaxed him further. His skin was hot with Yushi’s hands on it, the heat of friction spreading across his body. “You know,” Yushi started, “When we scent things, it’s us claiming territory.” Daeyoung hummed. “When we scent you, it’s us claiming our person.” The younger smiled, a light laugh exiting through his nose. 

“I like getting claimed by you two.” He responded, “The other night when you two scented me was really nice, I liked knowing that I was claimed honestly.” Yushi sprawled his fists up Daeyoung’s shirt, resting against his chest, where he repeated his actions. Yushi smiles in the fabric of his top, his eyelashes batting against his cheeks. He fought through any bashfulness, taking a deep breath of the smells radiating off of Daeyoung.

“You are our person, Daengie. Our mate.” He said, hushed behind clothing. The words pulled a grin out of Daeyoung, a sense of glee pouring over him. Mate. A clear claim, something more than just boyfriends. Their mate, he was their person, their mate to protect and claim. 

Daeyoung wiggled his arms around Yushi, pulling him down flush against him. He tightened his hold, laughing at the soft squeak that came out of the hybrid. “My mates.” 

    +1.  Scenting (Again)

Daeyoung was nervous. 

He was two seconds from backing out, swallowing down the idea and forgetting about it. But he desperately wanted to try; he wanted to claim them too. He knew it wouldn’t be the same; he lacked those super special scent glands that let their scent spread to anything they pleased, but he could try. 

The hybrids had told him he had a distinct him smell, one that was particular and special to him. It was something human, clearly not a hybrid, but it was something. He stood in the doorway of their shared bedroom, watching them play a game on Yushi’s switch, distracted by the screen. Riku was on his knees, lasered in on the TV, while Yushi was lying flat on his stomach, his bottom lip tucked beneath his short fangs. 

Daeyoung stepped into the bedroom, his presence being immediately noticed by the keen hybrids. Riku lowered himself to his calves, his focused face being replaced by one of fondness. “Daengie.” He called, dropping the controller to settle on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t hear you come home.” Yushi matched the action, except he stood off the bed, walking around to loop himself around his side. 

“I just got back.” He said it with a laugh, but he was hesitant. Daeyoung placed himself on the bed, bringing Yushi down with him. His skin buzzed with nerves, so scared that they would find him silly for wanting to do this. But no- they wouldn’t. They are his mates. They love him; he is their person. 

He looked over at the two, both clearly noticing something was amiss. He felt the shyness crawl up his neck, heat rising to his face. Their warm, patient gazes only made the feeling worse. There was no going back now; they knew something was off. Before either of the hybrids could get out a word, Daeyoung took Yushi’s face into his hands. The hybrid jolted by the sudden touch, watching with wide eyes as his lover bent his face down. 

He pressed his cheek into Yushi’s own, rubbing gently against it. Their cheeks felt soft and plush against one another; it made sense how they got physical comfort out of this, he thought. He pressed his wrists along Yushi’s shoulders, trying his hardest to mimic what they did to him. 

Daeyoung pulled away suddenly, turning towards Riku to latch himself to his chest. Nuzzling his head into his sternum, his hair became frizzy with the action. The hybrids sat in a stunned silence, both a little confused but intrigued by the human’s actions. Daeyoung’s heart was pounding out of his chest, threatening to break free as he continued on. He hoped that they would realize without him speaking, but it seems like he needed to actually talk about it. He clutched onto Riku’s shoulders, taking a deep breath. 

“I want to claim you, too.” He whispered, barely audible in the room. Yushi and Riku shared short glances, looking between them and the human below. The silence was overwhelming. Daeyoung wanted to run and forget this ever happened. Just as he began to pull away, the weight of Yushi slammed onto his back. Riku’s hands found purchase in his hair again, scratching in the same way he would pet them. 

“That’s so cute.” “Our Daengie wants to claim us.” “He smells so good, everyone will know we are claimed.” The sudden onslaught of praise made Daeyoung bashful, his legs curling in on himself. Despite being the tallest of the three, he made himself minuscule in the laps of Yushi and Riku combined. 

“You are doing good, keep going.” Yushi suddenly whispered against the shell of his ear, the praise giving Daeyoung a boost of confidence. He continued to do his best, rubbing his face against anywhere he could reach, taking Yushi’s hand that was once looped around his waist to press up to his opposite cheek. He could hear the cooing, the fawning, and GOD, he could hear the praise. 

He felt warm all over, knowing that he had his mates claimed, no one would even look in their direction. Even as a human, he claimed his boyfriends. He continued with his motions, getting dizzy switching between both cat hybrids. It wasn’t helping that the others were scenting him just as much. His hair was a mess, his face flushed and panting just a little at the flurry of movements. 

Daeyoung eventually ended up on his back, the hybrids crawling over to him to continue scenting him. Daeyoung did what he could from his spot on the bed, rolling around to try and get one wipe against their bodies. 

“Hyungs.” He eventually called, his eyes glazed over and wide. He looked up at the hybrids, feeling smaller than ever beneath him. The two paused, eyes honed in on his frame. “Am I doing it right?” 

Yushi cracked first, a Cheshire smile spreading across his lips as he bent down to capture Daeyoung in a kiss. He could taste his bubblegum-flavored lip balm, a taste that only made Yushi giggle into the feeling. Right as he pulled away, he combed through Daeyoung’s mess of hair. 

“I love you, Daengie.” The sudden confession made his bashful feeling only worse, and he avoided either of their eyes. Riku followed shortly after. 

“Our little puppy,” He called, eyes full of love, “you are doing well, we smell so much like you.” Riku bent down to capture him in another kiss, making him silly with all the sudden movements, words, praises, and confessions. Daeyoung was overwhelmed, but not in a bad way. He felt happier than ever. 

“He is a puppy, isn’t he?” Yushi said against said puppy’s skin, smiling at the way Daeyoung reacted by squirming.  He took his turn again, kissing Daeyoung, peppering them across his face.

“I love you two, so so much.” He whispered between rushed kisses, feeling their lips all over his skin. 

The two hybrids pulled away, cooing down at him. “I love you too.” Each said in tandem. They lowered themselves on either side of his body, watching with focused gazes on him. Daeyoung rolled onto his stomach, taking both of their hands and pulling them to his face. He laid each palm against his cheek, holding them their taut. 

“Do you really smell like me?” He whispered, voice wavering with the mess of their actions. Riku pressed a lasting kiss onto the space between his ear and jaw, burrowing his head into the younger’s own. He could hear the faint purr of Riku in his ear, making him falter in his movements. 

“Mhm, we do.” Yushi eased his worry, watching with fond eyes as Daeyoung continued to scent their hands. The orange cat hybrid pushed himself up, clambering over onto Daeyoung’s back to spread his scent along his spine, kneading his fists into him. Yushi curled over him, wet lips dragging across the back of his neck, spreading his sweet scent further over him. It was hard to tell where any of them started and ended, their bodies so intertwined they could be counted as one. 

Riku pressed his lips into the back of Daeyoung’s hand, licking at the juncture of his wrist and thumb. He looked up at him with a sly smile on his face, knowing how the small action made Daeyoung’s pupils blow out wide. 

Unbeknownst to Daeyoung, the room reeked of them. The scents reaching every corner and fiber of fabric; it would take months to get the smell out. Neither of the hybrids could care; it was perfect, they were perfect. 

When Yushi would eventually climb off, and Riku would pull away from his side, Daeyoung crawled up to the center of the bed. The two hybrids followed up to surround him. His breathing was a little ragged, his hair messily fanning around his head, and his body was soaked in scents. 

“I did good?” He asked one last time, needing confirmation. The hybrids shared one last knowing glance, sly smiles stretching across their faces. 

“Our puppy did so well.” Yushi praised, combing through his staticky hair. 

“You claimed your mates; everyone will be able to tell.” Riku followed up, flopping down on the bed next to him. Yushi followed suit, taking the opposite side. 

He was theirs, they were his, and there was nothing else Daeyoung could ask for.