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There was one more thing the pack had learned about Felix : he loved being in his kitten form. He loved it even more when he was at home because in his hybrid form, Felix was already small compared to the others. He could squeeze into spaces that made the rest of the pack stare at him in disbelief, with Minho attempting and failing to squeeze himself in beside Felix. Being this small came with one very important advantage : He could climb inside Seungmin's shirts. While Seungmin was wearing them.
It had started completely by accident.
Seungmin had been sitting on the couch one afternoon, wearing a loose white shirt, when something fluffy brushed against his ankle prompting him to look down. Nothing. Then he heard it— “Meow."
Seungmin froze, "Lix?" Another tiny— "Meow." He looked around. Still nothing. "Felix?"
A fluffy little head suddenly popped out from underneath the couch. Seungmin stared. Felix stared back before he blinked, then, apparently deciding that Seungmin looked warm, he trotted over. He climbed onto Seungmin's foot, then up his leg before settling onto his lap. Seungmin watched in amusement as Felix carefully pawed at the hem of his shirt, "...What’re you doing?"
Felix looked up, tilted his head, and continued pawing at the hem of Seungmin’s shirt, “Meow."
"You want inside?"
The kitten's tail immediately started swaying back and forth. Seungmin laughed, "Okay." And he lifted the hem slightly, before Felix disappeared underneath. A moment later, Seungmin felt a tiny warm body settle against his stomach. He looked down to see a distinct little lump underneath his shirt, and then Felix began purring. Seungmin's heart melted, "Oh." He gently rested his hand over the little lump, "You like it here?" A loud purr answered him.
And that was the beginning of the problem— the problem being Felix having discovered that Seungmin was basically a portable heated bed. And once Felix discovered that, he became completely obsessed.
Seungmin just sat down? Felix climbed into his shirt. Seungmin was streaming Lotte Giants’ latest game? Felix was already underneath his shirt, curled against his stomach. Cooking? Absolutely not. Doesn't stop the little menace from trying though.
"Felix."
A tiny kitten face peeked out from Seungmin's shirt. Seungmin sighed, "I need both hands." Felix blinked, "Meow."
"You can't come with me into the kitchen."
Felix immediately disappeared again. Seungmin raised an eyebrow at his shirt, "... Are you seriously hiding?"
Silence.
"Yongbok."
“Mrrp.”
”Felix.”
Seungmin couldn't help smiling, "You're ridiculous."
The rest of the pack found it hilarious. At first, that is. Then they became jealous.
"Why does Seungmin get to have kitten Lixie?" Jisung complained one evening. Felix was currently curled up inside Seungmin's oversized shirt, only the very tip of his tail visible beneath the hem. The owner of said shirt was sitting comfortably on the couch. "Because he likes it here," Seungmin said.
"That's not fair." Jisung carefully poked the tiny lump. Felix's paw immediately emerged. Pat. Jisung gasped in betrayal, "He slapped me!"
Seungmin laughed, "Don't bother him."
"But I want kitten cuddles."
Felix's paw disappeared.
Jisung's ears drooped, "Lixie."
No response.
"Baby."
Nothing.
"Kitten."
A tiny purr.
Jisung looked betrayed, "Is this your way of saying you like Seungmin more?"
"He's just warm, Sung," Seungmin explained.
"I'm warm!"
"No, you're sweaty."
"I am not! You take that back!"
Changbin burst out laughing. Hyunjin leaned over the back of the couch, "He's adorable."
Minho, sitting nearby, narrowed his eyes at the little lump beneath Seungmin's shirt, "I want him."
Seungmin immediately hugged his shirt protectively, "No."
Minho stared at their Doberman hybrid, "Give me Yongbok."
"No."
"He's my kitten too."
"I know."
"Then give him to me."
"He doesn't want to leave."
As if to prove the point, Felix moved underneath the shirt. A tiny nose poked out through the collar before blue eyes met Minho's. Minho's expression immediately softened, "Come here." Felix blinked, then slowly retreated back into Seungmin's shirt. Minho looked offended, "Traitor." Seungmin laughed.
It eventually became a routine.
Every afternoon, Felix would wander around the dorm in kitten form. Sometimes he'd nap in his favorite tiny spaces. Sometimes he'd curl up on Chan's lap. Sometimes he'd chase Jisung's tail. Sometimes he'd climb onto Hyunjin's shoulder and refuse to come down. But whenever he got tired? He went looking for Seungmin.
The puppy hybrid would be sitting somewhere, usually reading or watching something, and suddenly feel tiny paws climbing up his side. He didn't even need to look, "Come on, kitten." and Felix would climb beneath the hem of his shirt. Then settle and purr. And Seungmin would continue whatever he was doing with one hand resting gently against Felix's back, supporting his weight.
It became so normal that the others stopped reacting. Mostly.
One evening, Jeongin walked into the living room and found Seungmin asleep on the couch, with a little kitten curled beneath his shirt. The fox hybrid smiled before quietly grabbing a blanket and draping it over Seungmin. Felix's tiny face emerged from the collar, sleepily blinking at Jeongin who smiled at him, “Mrrp?”
"Shh. Go back to sleep, Hyung.” Felix yawned before tucking his face against the side of Seungmin’s neck. Jeongin smiled, ears perked with his tail swishing behind him, "Sweet dreams, kitten hyung."
Minho was the only one who still seemed personally offended by the arrangement. Not because he didn't like Seungmin. He did. But Minho firmly believed that Felix should be sleeping with him. Unfortunately, Felix disagreed.
One night, Minho found Felix in kitten form curled underneath Seungmin's shirt again. He stared. Seungmin looked up, "No."
"I haven't said anything."
"Your face did."
Felix shifted his position. A tiny paw emerged from Seungmin’s collar. Minho sighed, thinking his kitten would finally leave the mutt’s shirt. Instead, Felix tucked himself deeper underneath Seungmin's shirt. Minho glared, prompting Seungmin to laugh.
Eventually, the entire pack figured out why Felix loved it so much.
It wasn't just because Seungmin was warm. It was because it was safe. Felix could curl himself into the soft fabric and listen to Seungmin's heartbeat. He could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing. He could bury his tiny face against the warmth of his stomach and let himself completely relax.
Nobody could reach him there unless Seungmin allowed it. Nobody could accidentally step on him— not that any of Stray Kids would intentionally step on him. Nobody could lose him behind a cabinet. He was surrounded by warmth. And Seungmin never once complained. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it just as much. Sometimes, when Felix was particularly sleepy, Seungmin would gently rub his back through the shirt, “You comfortable?"
A tiny purr.
"Good."
Another purr.
"You can stay."
Felix would curl tighter.
And Seungmin would smile.
One afternoon, the pack was gathered around the living room when Felix suddenly transformed. One second, there was a tiny kitten curled against Seungmin. The next, there was Felix still wearing Seungmin's oversized shirt around his shoulders. He blinked sleepily. Everyone stared. Felix yawned, "What?"
Jisung pointed, "You’re inside Minnie’s shirt!"
Felix looked down, "Oh."
Silence.
"You’re just... gonna stay there?"
"Mhmm."
"For how long?"
Felix tilted his head, “Hmmm… Dunno.”
Jisung's mouth dropped open. Minho sighed dramatically. Changbin laughed while Hyunjin covered his face. Chan shook his head fondly, and Jeongin raised an eyebrow, amused.
Seungmin simply reached over and fixed Felix's messy hair, "He's comfortable." Felix smiled, "Very." Then he leaned against Seungmin who immediately wrapped his arm around him.
Minho watched them before sighing, "...Fine." Felix looked up, "Fine?"
"You can stay in Seungmin's shirt."
Felix's eyes sparkled, "Really?"
"Yes."
"But—" Minho pointed a finger at him, "You're still sleeping with me tonight."
Felix giggled, "Okay."
Minho's ears perked, "Promise?"
"Promise."
Satisfied, Minho leaned back.
Throughout nyangnyangracha’s conversation, Seungmin felt himself zone out before he felt something tiny brush against his stomach. He looked down. Felix had already transformed back into his kitten form. A tiny paw emerged from beneath his shirt prompting Seungmin to laugh, "Seriously?" The paw curled around the fabric, "Meow." The entire pack burst out laughing. Seungmin shook his head, gently resting his hand over the little kitten tucked safely against him, "Spoiled kitten." His voice softened, "Stay as long as you want." Felix purred.
And that was exactly what he did.