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When Chay comes home from school, he sees Kim napping on the sofa, the tip of his silky black tail twitching in dreams. Kim's shirt has ridden up, exposing the soft skin of his abdomen, and his cute navel is peeking out. Chay's golden tail wags merrily as he takes in the adorable sight of his sleeping fiancé. Chay tiptoes up to Kim, rumbles happily, and reaches out, rubbing his hand on his fiancé's soft belly. Kim's eyes flutter open, and suddenly, Chay's arm is seized in Kim's sharp claws. Kim's legs draw up and his feet rabbit punch at Chay's ribs as Kim brings Chay's hand up to his mouth and bites, sinking his fangs into the meat of Chay's palm.
"Ow! P'Kim!"
Kim digs his claws into Chay's arm, and Chay howls in dismay. At the sound of Chay's desperate "awoo-woo-woo" Kim comes out of his fog and freezes.
"Can you let me go, P'Kim?"
Kim releases his jaw and wrenches away from Chay, running off into the bedroom. Chay examines his arm and sighs at the claw marks on his forearm, hissing at the bite on his hand. Chay goes into the kitchen to get the first aid kit, unwraps an alcohol swab, and starts cleaning his wounds. He disinfects the scratches, cleans out the bite, and wraps himself in gauze. When Chay is all bandaged up, Chay heads to the bedroom to hunt down Kim. The tip of Kim's tail lashes from under the bed, and Chay gets on his hands and knees to check on his fiancé.
"P'Kim? Can you come out?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"I hurt you!"
"That was my fault, P'Kim. I know the tummy is a trap."
"I didn't mean to!"
"I know. I woke you up."
"Doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters, P'Kim!"
"No. I hurt you. You should leave me."
"I'm not going to leave you, P'Kim."
"Kinn and Porsche are coming to get you. They'll take you to the infirmary."
"I'm fine, P'Kim. Really."
"I bit you!"
"It was an accident, P'Kim."
"If I hadn't tried connecting to my instincts, this never would have happened!"
"No, P'Kim. I knew better than to pet your belly. It was my fault."
There's a sharp knocking on the door, and Chay erupts into a flurry of furious barks. Chay charges the front door, barking and growling when he hears a familiar "woof" come from the other side of the door. It's his Hia. Chay unlocks the door and opens it, and there stands Porsche, Kinn right behind him.
"What happened nong?" Kinn asks.
"I pet P'Kim's belly while he was sleeping," Chay confesses.
Porsche grabs Chay's bandaged arm and examines it.
"Looks like he got you good," Porsche whistles.
"It's not that bad."
"Did he bite you?" Kinn asks.
"Yeah."
"Okay, nong. You need shots." Kinn says.
"It's not like P'Kim has rabies!"
"You know full well that hybrid bites are nasty. You are very likely to get an infection. You need to see a doctor," Porsche scolds.
"I don't want to leave P'Kim!"
"Where is Kim?"
"Hiding under the bed."
"Porsche? Take Chay back to the compound. I'll get Kim out from under the bed and bring him later." Kinn decides.
"Okay, nong. Let's go." Porsche urges.
Chay runs back into the bedroom and crouches down to peer under the bed.
"I'm going to medical, P'Kim. I love you very much. Meet me there."
Chay's tail droops when he hears a disconsolate wail come from under the bed, but Kinn ruffles his floppy ears and helps him to stand.
"I got him, Chay," Kinn assures Chay.
With an agitated whine, Chay backs out of the bedroom, and Porsche leads him away. When the front door shuts, Kinn settles on the floor next to the bed.
"He's gone. You can come out now."
Kim crawls out from under the bed, tail lashing, ears flat to his skull. His eyes are red-rimmed, his nose runny, and tears trickle down his face.
"Oh, nong. Come here." Kinn says, opening his arms wide.
Kim collapses in his brother's embrace and Kinn purrs, grooming his baby brother's ears with his rough tongue as Kim cries. Kinn's folded ears twitch as he soothes his weeping brother until finally Kim lies spent in his brother's arms.
"He'll be fine, Kim. I promise."
"I hurt him!"
"Were you playing?"
"No! I was asleep! I woke up with a hand on my stomach. Instinct took over."
"Chay knows better than to touch a cat's stomach."
"Apparently not."
"I know he does because he watched me shred his brother's arm when Porsche tried to pet my stomach. And I was awake."
"You hurt Porsche?"
"I did. Sixteen stitches."
Kim yowls disconsolately and Kinn hugs his brother tight.
"Chay won't need stitches. I promise," Kinn soothes.
"Was it bad?" Kim asks tremulously.
"I didn't see it that well, but if Chay just wrapped his arm up, it can't have been too bad."
"I bit him! I bit Chay!"
"I've bitten Porsche many times."
"How do you live with yourself?"
"Porsche likes to try and pet my tummy and tries to snatch his hand back before I can get him. It's a game to him."
"Chay wasn't trying anything like that!"
"Chay knew better. He did it anyway."
"It's my fault. I slept on my back," Kim says morosely.
"It's not your fault, Kim. Chay fucked around and found out."
"No more instincts! No more playing, no more catnip, no more hunting. I can't risk hurting Chay!"
"Kim, the more you suppress your instincts, the more likely you are to lash out."
"I went years without instincts!"
"And you were miserable, Kim. You were closed off and lonely and fighting yourself all the time."
"It's worth it for Chay!"
"Kim, Chay woke you up with a hand on your belly. Of course you attacked. That would have happened even if you were still bottled up. In fact, it would have been worse."
"I can't hurt Chay," Kim whispers brokenly.
"Chay screwed up here. Not you. Now Chay knows better and he will never do it again."
"Chay should leave me."
"Did you leave Chay when he bit you for getting between him and a frisbee?"
"That's different. He didn't mean to."
"It's the same thing, Kim. It was just an accident."
"He probably hates me now," Kim sobs.
"He loves you very much, Kim. I swear."
Kim breaks down again and Kinn redoubles his purring, softly scratching his brother's ears. When Kim is all cried out, Kinn roughly licks Kim's hair out of his face, and Kim gives Kinn a watery smile.
"You think he still loves me?" Kim asks.
"I know he does. I'll prove it to you."
"How?"
"I'll take you to see him. Don't you want to protect him from the doctors?"
Kim hisses at the mention of doctors and his tail puffs up in outrage. Kim scrambles to his feet and tugs Kinn upward, hauling him towards the front door.
"Shoes, Kim."
Kim wiggles into an old pair of Converse and, hand gripping Kinn's wrist, tugs him into the elevator.
When Kim and Kinn get to the infirmary, Kim is growling under his breath. He storms into the clinic room where Chay sits on a bed, and Chay's tail wags furiously.
"P'Kim!"
"Are you okay, angel?"
"I'm fine. They cleaned everything again, I'm just waiting on my shots."
"Did you need stitches?"
"Oh, no, P'Kim."
Kim sighs in relief and takes Chay's hand, intertwining their fingers together. Chay's golden floppy ears perk up in happiness and Kim nuzzles in, carefully licking his fiancé's fur. Dr. Suttaporn walks in and freezes at the sight of Kim. Kim lets out a warning growl and hisses at the scared doctor.
"It's okay, P'Kim. He's helping me. Hold my hand while I get the shots." Chay soothes.
Chay rolls up his left sleeve and Dr. Suttaporn quickly puts a syringe in Chay's bicep. Kim yowls in upset, and Dr. Suttaporn flinches.
"One more," Dr. Suttaporn warns, injecting Chay again.
Chay squeaks in pain and Kim flexes his claws.
"All done!" the doctor says, hustling out of the room.
"You were so brave, baby," Kim murmurs.
"Chay's not afraid of the doctor. Unlike some hybrids," Porsche teases.
"I'm not afraid! I just don't like them!" Kim huffs.
Kinn grins when suddenly, Porsche rubs his hand on Kinn's belly. Kinn lashes out with his teeth and sinks his fangs into Porsche's retreating hand.
"Hia!" Chay scolds.
Porsche raps Kinn's nose with his other hand and Kinn releases, hissing at Porsche.
"Way to go, dumbass, now you need shots," Kim remonstrates.
Chay rolls his eyes at his older brother, sticks his head into the hallway, and calls the doctor.
"Dr. Suttaporn? We need you again!"
"Are you going to hide under a bed now?" Porsche asks Kinn.
"No. You deserved that." Kinn replies grouchily.
Chay bursts into bright laughter and Kim smiles, kissing his fiancé's hand tenderly.
"I love you, angel."
"I love you too, P'Kim."