“…and they all lived happily ever after.”

Seungcheol sighed a bit. “You know it’s weird? It’s for children, but it still gives me a sense of peace inside.”

“I know, right? There’s a nice moral to the story.” Jihoon closed the book gently. “Ready to sleep now?”

“I guess.”

“I’m right in the next room, you know.”

“I know.” Seungcheol bit his lip before asking. “Jihoon?”

“Yes?”

“…can I still be your good boy?”

“Absolutely.” Jihoon smiled, dropping a sweet kiss on his hybrid’s forehead. “For as long as you like.”

“What if… I want to be yours, and good, and a man?”

Jihoon looked down at the hybrid. Seungcheol looked a little lost but hopeful, as he was daring to do something new, a little scared of the answer, as if he couldn’t see what lay beyond, in the future.

“Cheollie, you can be whatever you want to be. Mine, good, and a man.”

“…it’s been four months since… you know.”

“I know.”

“…were they okay?”

“The four months? They’ve been great.” Jihoon sat on the edge of the bed again. “What’s wrong, Cheollie? Why all this angst?”

“I don’t know. Scared. Don’t…”

“I’m not deserting you and I’m not taking you back,” Jihoon answered with a soft smile. “You’re my Cheollie now and as long as you still want to be my Cheollie I will do everything I can to keep you. Understand?”

“I understand. Jihoon? One more question?”

“Yes?”

“…I’ve been with Jun and Jeonghan and Minghao a lot.”

“I know. We’ve all become good friends, haven’t we?”

Seungcheol nodded a moment, plucking at his blanket. “They’re all having together.”

Jihoon was still getting used to Seungcheol being an adult, after that morning’s revelation: he knew the hybrid had been getting lessons from his hybrid peers on human live and relations, but he didn’t realize just how detailed the young ram and cat had been.

“…yes.”

“But besides that… they’re all men. With… man parts.”

“Yes.”

“…I’m a man too, then.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Are you a man?”

“Of course I’m a man.”

“You’re shorter than the rest of us.”

“Well you’re freakishly tall when you stand straight,” the short man defended hotly, before realizing what word he’d used. “Well, no, not freakishly. You’re not a freak. You’re all just really tall. I’m pretty regular, you know?”

“…so, do you have ?”

Jihoon snorted. “Not anymore. Not in a long time, now.”

“I don’t have either.”

“I know.” The cogs slowly began to work in Jihoon’s mind. “Do you want to start dating? Do you have somebody in mind?”

“…I don’t know.”

Jihoon grinned a bit. “Vernon is cute, but he’s a little young for y-”

“No! Not Vernon!” Seungcheol blushed a bit. “Never mind.”

“I think dating would be healthy. We should join some more clubs.”

“…really?”

“Yeah, sure. Or you can do it on your own, I’m sure you don’t need me around. Although…” Jihoon would never forget the haunting story Seokmin told him about raiders. “…maybe I’d like to be around. To protect you.”

Seungcheol smiled a little – a very genuine, sheepish smile. “I’d like that. Your protection.”

“Yeah?” Jihoon’s fingers wisped against Seungcheol’s cheek. “I like protecting you, so there’s that.”

“Good.”

“Good. Think you can sleep now?”

“M-hm.”

“…hey, Seungcheol?”

“Yeah?”

Jihoon stood in the doorway, hesitating. “…today. I told you. You know? W