---
Lys hated this place.
It was warm. The sheets smelled like detergent and soft citrus. The idiot human who lived here kept offering him snacks and smiling like they were best friends. And worst of all…
He was starting to relax.
He hated that most of all.
Kai was humming in the kitchen again — off-key, but strangely comforting. Lys sat at the edge of the window, tail flicking, eyes narrowed as he watched from a distance.
This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to lay low for a day or two, recover, and disappear again.
Not start getting used to routine.
Not let his ears twitch when Kai offered tea.
Not flinch when Kai leaned in with a stupid gentle grin and said, "You remind me of someone."
Lys stiffened.
"I'm not him," Lys said flatly.
Kai blinked. "Huh?"
"You said I remind you of someone."
"Oh! Yeah," Kai scratched his cheek sheepishly. "My friend Hyme. He's a spoiled little cat hybrid. Kinda acts like you — dramatic, bratty, but soft under all the claws."
"I'm not soft," Lys snapped, tail puffing up.
"Sure," Kai said, handing him a plate. "Eat your eggs, fluffball."
Lys glared.
But he ate them.
---
Later that day…
Kai was on the couch, half-watching a rerun of a cooking show. Lys wandered out of the bathroom, his hair still damp and sticking to his cheeks.
Kai glanced over. "You know, you can borrow more of my shirts. That one's about to fall off your shoulder again."
Lys scowled. "Why do all your shirts smell like strawberries?"
"It's the detergent. You like it?"
"I don't dislike it."
Kai grinned. "That's the closest to a compliment I've ever gotten from you."
Lys sat down at the farthest edge of the couch. Kai tried to ignore how stiff he looked — like a stray waiting to be kicked out.
"You don't have to act like you're gonna be thrown out," Kai said quietly. "You're safe here."
Lys stared at him.
It was so different from the world he'd grown up in — where every kindness had a price, and every offer of shelter came with a leash.
But this guy… was just being nice.
Maybe a little too nice.
Lys leaned forward suddenly. "Why are you helping me?"
Kai blinked. "Because you looked hurt and alone. And maybe… because I've seen someone close to me get hunted for no reason. If I can keep you safe — even for a while — then I want to."
Lys didn't know how to respond to that. So he didn't.
Instead, he slowly pulled the blanket over his legs and mumbled, "You're too trusting."
Kai shrugged. "You're too defensive."
"…I'll bite you."
Kai chuckled. "I'll bring catnip."
Lys flushed and threw a pillow at him.
---
Meanwhile…
San was watching news clips of the upcoming hybrid-human integration meeting. The topic of royal bloodlines was trending again.
Hyme was napping beside him, curled against his side, purring faintly in his sleep. San gently ran his fingers through his hair.
"Lys is out there somewhere," San whispered. "I don't know what he's planning… but something tells me he's not going to stay hidden for long."
Hyme stirred slightly, muttering in his sleep, "…don't… touch my tail…"
---