Puppy Playmate : vhope

Part 11

They sat together on the couch after dinner, watching a movie. Hoseok was getting used to Taehyung being there all the time and it was nice, the closeness of the hybrid on the couch was comforting. He felt Taehyung's head fall onto his shoulder and glanced over, thinking he was asleep, but his eyes were wide and focused intently on the television.

His nose twitched and scrunched and Taehyung sat up. Hoseok watched him curiously.

"What's up Tae?" He asked.

"You don't smell like me," Taehyung said, frowning.

"What do you mean?" Hoseok said.

"You don't know a lot about hybrids..." Taehyung said, trailing off.

"That's right..." Hoseok replied. Was he missing something? What did Taehyung need that he wasn't getting?

"Well...we need our humans to smell like us. It's important."

"Oh," Hoseok said, blinking. "Um. So. How do you do that?"

"I need to scent you."

Hoseok's mind was totally blank, his brow furrowed in confusion. He had no earthly idea what scenting might entail - but it sounded like it might be a little too much for him.

"Uh..."

"It will only take a second, and you don't have to do anything. Except...maybe stand up. Otherwise I'll have to sit on you."

"What," Hoseok said, standing quickly. "Um. Okay I guess...if you need to do it, go ahead and get it over with." Taehyung hopped up happily and stepped toward him. "Wait!" Hoseok said, raising a hand. Taehyung paused, tilting his head to the side, his tail swishing slowly behind him. "W-will it hurt?" He asked. Taehyung giggled.

"No it doesn't hurt. I have these scent glands," he said, pointing to spots on either side of his jaw, "and I just need to basically transfer some of my smell to you. That way it's obvious I belong to you."

"I'm gonna smell like you?" Hoseok asked.

"That's the point," Taehyung said, sounding a little exasperated, but still waiting patiently. "You won't be able to tell though, really only hybrids can pick it up." Hoseok nodded slowly.

"Okay. Okay let's do it." He clenched his hands into fists and braced himself, but Taehyung just stepped closer to him, bracing a hand gently on his back and leaning in. Hoseok inhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut as the hybrid's face moved closer to his, but he let his eyes flutter back open when he felt Taehyung gently rubbing his face over his neck. He didn't know what he had expected, but somehow this was not it. The hybrid just carefully and dutifully rubbed his face and jaw along Hoseok's throat, spreading his scent around, getting both sides equally. He held Hoseok in place with that single large hand spread over his back, and it tickled a little, but mostly it was just soothing, and Hoseok let himself relax with it. It was nice.

"There," Taehyung said. His voice was deep and husky as he sniffed at Hoseok's throat, turning his head slightly toward him. Hoseok froze again. "Now you smell even better," the hybrid murmured softly, his breath blowing across the sensitive skin of Hoseok's neck.

"Tae-" he said, blinking in surprise. The hybrid pulled back and grinned - and something about it made him seem more canine than usual. If Hoseok hadn't been standing so close to the couch he would have stepped back in surprise when he looked at Taehyung's eyes - the irises blown wide, they were dark and intense, even more than normal. He could see his pointed incisors with that dog-like grin and when Taehyung slowly licked his lips, his eyes sliding over him, Hoseok stopped breathing.

Then just as suddenly as this dark creature had taken over his Taehyung, he was back to normal again, blinking and wagging his tail, stepping away from Hoseok happily.

"Thanks Hobi!" He said, flopping back on the couch. Hoseok finally caught his breath, blinking out of his shock.

"I - bathroom," he mumbled, stumbling out of the room.

What was that? Forget whatever it was that came over Taehyung that made him so...Hoseok put a hand over his chest, feeling his heart fluttering quickly. What was happening to him? He swallowed heavily. Was he...attracted to his hybrid? Was that even allowed? He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at himself in the mirror. Certainly he was attracted to him physically - anyone would be, Taehyung was devastating. But...it couldn't be more than that...could it?

"You can't do this Hobi," he mumbled softly to himself. "This is not the kind of life you promised him. You are supposed to be his friend and his home. That's it." He glared at his reflection and raised a finger, scolding himself. "That is it." He nodded, schooling his features and clearing his throat again before stepping out of the bathroom.

He went back into the living room to find Taehyung curled up on the couch, his eyelids drooping. He smiled at him fondly. He must be worn out from their day. He wanted to tuck him into the couch just like last time, but then he remembered what had happened after that, so he figured it would be better if he went up to bed.

"Tae, come on buddy," he said, tapping his shoulder. "Let's get you up to bed." Taehyung whined and pouted, and Hoseok chuckled at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him to his feet. "Come on. Bed." The hybrid grumbled but obediently shuffled for the stairs and Hoseok followed him up. They got ready for bed and Hoseok was just about to head into his room when he heard Taehyung calling out to him. He turned curiously and went into the hybrid's room to find him sitting cross legged in the middle of the bed, his head bowed, ears flopping into his face.

"Hobi - when I wake up - you won't be here. Right?" He asked, his big eyes looking up from the pillow in his lap, his fingers digging into it tightly. Hoseok softened.

"That's right buddy," he said, crossing the room to sit on the edge of the bed. "I have to get up pretty early. Would you like if I came in and said bye to you before I left?" He asked. Taehyung's eyes widened and he nodded quickly.

"Yes! Yes please."

"Okay, I definitely will. And I'll leave money for lunch and you can text me whenever you want."

"Can I call you?"

"Well...I have a lot to do tomorrow...how about I call you at lunch time and we can talk while we eat."

"Can we FaceTime?" Taehyung asked excitedly. Hoseok laughed.

"Yes we can FaceTime while we have lunch."

"Okay!" Taehyung smiled and then looked down at his lap, the happy face slowly fading. "I'm sorry I'm like this Hobi," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Hoseok asked, frowning.

"I'm sorry I'm not just - easy. I wish my brain wasn't so...I don't know," he said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Bud, don't worry about it. I like your brain," Hoseok told him, reaching out to poke his forehead lightly. Taehyung giggled and looked up at him. "And your anxiety isn't who you are, it's just something that happens to you. And it's totally okay. It isn't your fault. Like I said, it's my job to make sure you know I'll always come back. And maybe some day you won't worry if I will or not, but even if it never goes away - that's fine." Taehyung looked at him.

"Never? Always?"

"Yeah?" Hoseok replied, not sure what he meant.

"You - you're using very long term words," Taehyung said, looking down at his lap again and then peeking up at Hoseok through his lashes. "Do you...think I'll be here a long time? Forever?" Hoseok smiled softly.

"Unless you decide to leave. I said I was never taking you back, didn't I?"

"I keep waiting for you to change your mind," Taehyung whispered.

"You'll be waiting for a very long time," Hoseok told him, standing. "Night Tae." He leaned down and kissed him on the top of his head between his ears, giving them a quick scratch before leaving the room.

-

Taehyung watched him go, a blush creeping over his cheeks. He smiled as he scooted under the blankets, hugging the pillow to his chest. Forever, he thought with a smile. He liked that word.