Golden Time

5. Making a home

Yoona had seen a lot of different reactions when it comes to hybrids recovering, each experience was completely different from the last. Some would ease quicker, allowing themselves to be healed, loving that they could now be free, that they didn't have to live the cursed life the law tried to make them believe they lived. Some would give into a nature foreign to Yoona and her limited human senses, they would completely turn over their instincts to their animal side, needed to find refuge in something that humans could not give and needing to be handled by other hybrids of the same species. And some would have a completely human reaction to their new situation, easily falling into the daily routine of work and life outside of a cage and part of society.

Jungkook seemed to have a mix of each of these reactions in his recovery.

On one hand, Jungkook was completely comfortable in his new surroundings, apparently he had scented everything within his room, and as much as he could in the house. Exploring every part of the home he now had, comfortably entering Yoona's space and allowing himself to happily be in her presence, only scenting with the permission of Yoona. Yoona noticed the shift in personalities one morning in Jungkook, about 2 weeks after he had arrived, seeing him happy and healthy was good movement.

Yoona was in the kitchen, her eyes barely open, hands tapping the kitchen counter in time with the ticking of the old clock, as the coffee seemed to be taking longer than usual. It was early, or late, honestly Yoona didn't really know what the time was because she had been up half the night  drowning herself in work. A few new cases of hybrids had come to her, Yoona never saying no to the possibility of helping hybrids get out of these horrible situations, and she had been working on strategies and the best support to get them out well into the night. At this moment in her life, a strong coffee and food was the most important thing to her, right before a few more hours of sleep.

Which is why it was a complete surprise to Yoona when tired arms wrapped around her waist as a warm heat fell against her back. Jumping a little, Yoona felt Jungkook's nose against her neck, his large ears falling against her exposed skin as he laid his head against her, holding onto her a little tighter as they stood there. Jungkook rubbed his chin against Yoona's shoulder, ultimately scenting the parts of her that he was able to reach from his position on her back, before falling asleep against her standing up.

Yoona smiled, glad that he was now comfortable enough with her that he openly touched her, his prey instincts letting him know that he was in no form of danger here. It was a small feat, and yet for someone like Jungkook it was the highest form of flattery, to be so comfortable that he would just wrap his arms around her, that he was feeling so secure he could just fall asleep on her shoulder in the middle of the kitchen. His rabbit nature needing to be around others, especially those he trusted, and Yoona was honored he chose to be around her, chose to be openly vulnerable.

But where there is light, there is also darkness. 

Although there were times when Jungkook was open to allow himself to be around Yoona, there were also times when he wanted nothing to do with her. He would actively seek places where she wasn't, avoiding any opportunity to be around her and even skipping meals if he was truly in a bad place. He would completely revert back into himself and his instincts, curling completely into his burrow where he would be safe from any predator scent around the property.

In those times, Yoona was thankful for the other hybrids on the property, especially how the predator hybrids could sense a prey in distressed and avoided the main house, where the prey hybrids would make a more calming atmosphere. Mr. Astor was able to sense Jungkook's distress one day, having seen Yoona pacing on the front porch when he knew she was supposed to be working on the new hybrid cases she had, and came to the house. Yoona hadn't seen Jungkook in 2 days and was about to call someone, anyone to help her even a little, when Mr. Astor had knocked on her door.