possessive
pairing: tao/chen
rating: pg
a/n: merry krismas! hahaha. The writing is kind of bleh but I hope you like it anyway.

Tao doesn't really like to share. He especially doesn't like to share Kris, his owner. At the thought, his pointed black ears just stand up on end and his tail swishes in irritation. His gold-green eyes narrow and flash at the small cat hybrid Kris has in tow, and then at Kris for getting another hybrid. He has him, what does he need another cat for?

Kris ignores his displeasure with naught a word, instead ushering the newcomer into the apartment with a gentle hand. "Go ahead, Jongdae."

Tao's eyes are still narrowed in displeasure as he regards this Jongdae. Tousled golden brown hair blends seamlessly with sleek small ears, swiveling back and forth cautiously. A matching tail sways behind him, and as Kris pushes him forward lightly, the end curls briefly around the back of Kris’ knee before slipping free.

Tao bristles possessively. He doesn't like this one bit.




For the next two weeks, he resists all of Kris' attempts to ease the tension between them. He actively sabotages all of Jongdae' attempts at acclimating to his new home - quite obviously because he does not want this to become Jongdae's new home. He wants him out and away from Kris and makes it very clear Jongdae is not welcome.

Jongdae tries to approach him tentatively a few times and he ignores him or snipes at him with low growls and sharp green eyes. He gets too close at one point and Tao swipes at him with tense fingers, blunt nails held as though he wanted to claw at him.

After this, Jongdae actively begins to avoid him or at the very least, avoid touching him. This would be all fine and dandy, but then Kris decides to move Jongdae from the room that had been his to his own room, to keep Tao from antagonising him.

Naturally Tao is only convinced even more that Kris is taking too much of a shine to this other kitten.

Still, things remain relatively okay so long as Kris is at home. During TV hours, their owner (his owner, Tao thinks with a hiss) keeps them on opposite sides of the couch. Once or twice he growls low or outright snarls when Jongdae snuggles into Kris' side or nuzzles his hip as he reclines on his lap. Kris' fingers slide silently to the back of his neck to give him a light warning squeeze and that's the end of that, at least when he's around.

But the second he's gone, whether for work or other things, Tao ups the ante. He hisses openly and glares whenever Jongdae touches anything that isn't his (and considering he doesn't think Jongdae ought to be there at all, that would be everything).

Jongdae isn't stupid and backs away whenever Tao gets like that, tail tense and low between his legs. But still he comes back every time and never stays away for long. Tao doesn't know what to make of it and his way of dealing with it is simple - he doesn't think about it. He figures if he keeps this up long enough, he'll wear down Jongdae eventually.

And he's right.

"What did I ever do to you?!" Jongdae snaps one day. It's the sound of his voice that surprises Tao the most, because even though he hears the other kitten talk to Kris all the time, it feels different directed to him. He narrows his eyes, glaring at Jongdae.

"Kris is mine." He answers with a growl rumbling in the undertones of his voice. Jongdae looks exasperated, worn and desperate all at once when he cries back, "I'm not trying to steal him from you!"

"I don't care. You don't belong here. I don't like you." He replies, words bearing a steely edge. Almost immediately, Jongdae's ears wilt and he bites his lip. His shoulders shake like he's trying to hold up their weight - to no avail as they sag moments later.

"I'm tired of trying to be your friend."

That's all he says before he turns tail and leaves the living room. Tao hears a door open and slam shut. He scoffs and rolls his eyes, turning back to the television.

He watches reruns of dramas all day and even takes a nap. It's quiet when Jongdae isn't out of his and Kris' room, making him bristle at everything he does. He doesn't give it a second thought - Jongdae could sulk all he wanted, for all he cared.

He just yawns and extends an arm towards the remote to change the channel.



Kris comes home later than usual and he raises an eyebrow when he sees Tao lazing on the couch, seemingly in a good mood for once. It is an unusual sight, since the feline boy is always testy these days. He knows it's because of Jongdae but he had hoped that it would pass. Tao's mellow mood makes him want to think some progress has been made.

But a sweep of his eyes quickly informs him that Jongdae isn't present in the room. He steps into the living room and calls Tao's attention to him with a scratch behind the ears.

A low purr answers him - at least until he asks, "Where's Jongdae? I don't see him." A louder, decidedly displeased growl vibrates from his throat as he looks up at Kris with unhappy eyes.

"Behave." Kris says warningly. Tao huffs in reply, tail twitching behind him in irritation. Kris sighs - he's spoiled Tao too much, he thinks.

"In your room." he mutters. Kris ruffles his hair in thanks before he heads off that way.

Some minutes and several doors opened later, he comes back to the living room looking extremely worried.

"Tao, where is he?"

Black ears perk up and Tao sits up with a confused expression. "What do you mean?"

"He's not in my room. He's not anywhere in the rooms."

Tao is silent, staring at him. The longer he stays that way, the more apparent the concern on Kris' s face grows.

"Tao, what did you do?"

Tao doesn't say anything but his silence says more than his words. Kris' face nearly crumples as he goes through the rooms again and the closets and just about everywhere Jongdae could possibly fit.

He finds nothing and comes back to the living room where Tao is still sitting.

"He's gone. Tao, what did you do?"

Tao bristles. "Why do you assume it was me?! What if he just left on his own?" He bites back defensively. He knows it's his fault but he isn't admitting.

Kris sighs heavily. "You two are the only ones at home and you've been antagonising Jongdae ever since he started living with us."

"I didn't want to share you with him." Tao mumbles, ears and tail drooping. "I don't like sharing."

Kris' worried expression softens but he knows he can't spoil Tao with affection again this time. "I know you don't like him but would you be happy, if you made him run away? What if he gets kidnapped? What if he dies?"

Tao shakes his head vigorously, his eyes wide with panic. "No! I only wanted him to-- I don't want anything like that to happen to him!"

He thinks of what it'd be like, stuck outside with no home to return to. He thinks of getting hit by a car and dying like in the movies. He didn't want that. It makes him feel horrible inside.

Kris runs a hand through his hair. "I don't even know where he would go.... I should call Junmyeon, ask him to keep an eye out." He's talking more to himself than Tao, voice low.

Tao bites his lip. He sinks his head down to the armrest, pressig his nose and face into it forlornly. He feels sorry about the whole thing now - he didn't think any of those terrible things would happen. He hopes they don't. He only thought Jongdae would be returned back to where Kris had gotten him.

Kris' voice on the phone quiets to a drone as he buries his face into the armrest. It takes him awhile as he continues nosing at the couch, finding comfort in the scent there. It's not Kris, he realises a moment later. It's Jongdae.

He sits up sharply. "I'll be back. I have an idea." He tells Kris as he near runs out the living room, slipping his feet into seldom worn sneakers.

"Tao, what are you doing?" Kris gets up, an alarmed expression on his face.

"I'm going to try and find Jongdae." Is all he says before he runs out the apartment.





He isn't a dog but he can smell well enough to catch Jongdae's scent. It's faint since he hasn't been in the area for long but Tao tries anyway.

He feels really sorry and stupid and hopes nothing bad has happened to Jongdae.

It actually isn't even far when he finds Jongdae - the cat must not have known where else to go and Junmyeon's house is pretty far still. He's curled up on a park bench, a small coat barely covering him. Tao approaches tentatively and is about to nudge Jongdae awake when the other's ears stir.

He must have caught onto Tao's scent because the next thing he does is sit up sharply and back up away from him. Tao feels his heart aching.

"Why are you here?" Jongdae asks. He looks tired and spent and sad. Tao feels more horrible than when he left but he's still happy he's found Jongdae at all.

"Kris is really worried about you," (I'm really worried), he thinks but doesn't say, "Come home please?"

Jongdae bites his lip, holding the coat tighter around him. His tail pokes out from underneath the coat, swayig slowly. "Did Kris make you look for me? You're just going to go right back to hating me."

"I don't hate you!" Tao cuts in, looking guilty. "I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't want to share Kris with anybody and then you came into the picture and I didn't like that he was being nice to you and- I'm just a little possessive. I'm sorry okay?"

"A little?!" Jongdae replies in disbelief. "You wanted to claw my eyes out!"


Tao winces. Maybe he had gone a bit too far. Way too far. He goes up to Jongdae, who shifts in place. "Come home please? I promise to be nice. I don't want you to live on the streets, what if you die?" He looks every bit as fearful as he sounds, gold-green eyes wide. Jongdae blinks at him - the same cat that wanted to bite his head off if he so much as breathed, was the same one that looked harmless as a baby kitten. It's a weird feeling.

"If I come back with you, do you promise not to be stupid?"

Tao makes a face. "I'm not stupid. But I'll be nice. I promise."


Jongdae really can't say no. "Okay, I'll come home."When Tao isn't a hissing, snarling angry thing, he's quite sweet. He snuggles a lot and makes sure Jongdae isn't uncomfortable - to the point where Jongdae snaps at him that he's a hybrid like him and can hold up just fine.

Tao is still a possessive cat. But it's different now, as he wraps arms around Jongdae's waist, sliding up to almost lie on his chest, nuzzling and pressing kisses to his neck.

He still doesn't like to share. As Kris scoots over on the couch to let Jongdae lean back into his side, Tao frowns, arms tightening around Jongdae's waist.

Jongdae smiles, a pleased curl to his lips as his tail swishes happily, moving to twine around Tao's black one.

Tao doesn't want to share Jongdae with Kris.