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“Another illegal hybrid research facility was raided by police last week. Authorities discovered a hidden laboratory in the basement that was used to conduct unauthorized experiments on young hybrids, many of whom were minors.”
The screen shows hallways, metal doors, and gloved hands carrying evidence in plastic bags.
“Most of the victims were orphans or hybrids who had been ‘adopted’ from the child support services. Officials state that these individuals were subjected to non-consensual testing under the guise of hybrid behavioural research.”
“Yibo.”
Yibo looks up from his phone and sees his supervisor, Yang Mi, standing just behind his chair, most likely watching the news video on his phone screen too. He pauses the video and turns his chair slightly to face her. “What’s wrong?”
“Come to my office. There’s another task I need you to do.” Yang Mi says as she cocks her head slightly.
Yibo slips his phone into his pocket and stands up before following Yang Mi down the hallway. The office is quiet at this hour as some of them are either in meetings or on the field. Yibo follows the woman until they reach a door at the end of the hallway, and then Yang Mi pushes it open.
Yang Mi’s office smells like a mix of floral air freshener and disinfectant. She walks behind her desk and sits down while Yibo stands in front of her with his hands loosely clasped behind his back. Yang Mi grabs her tablet and taps the screen a few times before the projector lights up.
Yibo turns to the wall and sees a map of a forest not too far from the outskirts of town. There are red circles on some spots, some clustered close together. His eyes flick to the column beside the map where coordinates and dates are listed.
“There have been reports of a hybrid attacking those who pass near the forest. Livestock in the surrounding areas have also been injured” Yang Mi says.
Yibo studies the map on the screen, eyes moving from one data point to the next. “Is there any information about the hybrid itself?”
“Not much, but based on the speed and damage patterns, it’s most likely a carnivore, possibly a feline.”
Yibo hums softly. “When did the first report come in?”
“Last week.” Yang Mi says.
“There’s an illegal facility that got raided and shut down a week ago.” Yibo rubs his chin thoughtfully.
“You think it’s related?” Yang Mi looks at him.
“Might be a coincidence, might not be.” Yibo shrugs.
“Well, that’s for you to find out.” Yang Mi grabs a paper form and clicks her pen before writing something. “I’m sending you there in three days’ time. Find that hybrid and bring them here, unharmed.”
“What devices am I allowed to take with me?”
“Suit yourself.” Yang Mi slides the signed form toward Yibo. “I’m giving you full access. Use whatever you think is necessary.”
Yibo takes the paper and scans it quickly, eyes flicking over the authorization stamps and signatures, and then nods. “Understood.”
Just as he turns around and walks toward the door, Yang Mi calls out. “Yibo.”
He pauses and looks back at her.
“You can bring a hybrid agent with you for safety.” Yang Mi says.
Yibo smirks over his shoulder. “You know I don’t need that.”
Yang Mi stares at him for a moment before nodding. “You’re right.”
“I’ll report to you once I get there.” Yibo says before stepping out of the room.
Humans and hybrids live together in this world.
Most herbivore hybrids live in the cities. They walk freely among humans with their ears upright and tails swaying behind them, because they’re classified as tame and harmless hybrids. They work in offices, universities, cafes, and other public places. Their animal traits are usually praised, but only in ways humans find pleasing.
Some carnivorous hybrids also live in the cities. There are no laws that ban them from entering the cities or forbid them to work, but they are watched more closely and treated more cautiously. Their presence makes humans uneasy in a way the herbivores never do. Their instincts and animal traits are often seen as dangerous, as if they’re nothing more than wild animals.
For that reason, some carnivores choose to live outside the big cities. They choose to live near forests, mountains, or hybrid-dominant areas where they can live more freely. There are humans who live in hybrid-dominant areas, but they never flinch at carnivore’s animal traits, unlike most humans in the big cities.
Relationships between humans and hybrids are not illegal, but there are slight prejudices. Some humans and hybrids, especially the old-fashioned ones, still whisper about it. They claim that it’s not discrimination, just preference and caution. They claim that it’s not being judgemental, just worried about the relationship’s dynamic.
Aside from their animal traits, there’s also something else that makes hybrids completely different from humans. They are also divided into fertile and breeder.
Both male and female hybrids can be breeders, the ones who are capable of impregnating female humans or fertile hybrids. Both male and female hybrids can also be fertile, the ones who are able to carry a child if impregnated by a male human or a breeder hybrid. It’s fascinating, but some humans still don’t know what to do with that fact.
Nowadays, there have been more mixed couples who date openly and even have children. The cases of hybrids carrying human babies and humans carrying hybrid babies are not that rare, but complications and risks during pregnancy are often heard of. Scientists and doctors are working on the research, but progress always takes time.
All in all, hybrids have equal rights with humans, and the hybrid-control bureau exists to make sure it remains that way.
Yibo is a field operative. He tracks targets and catches certain hybrids to take them to facilities that can provide safety, medical care, and even relocation. His job is to intervene before things escalate into casualties, before humans claim that hybrids are just wild animals.
He joined the bureau four years ago, right after he completed his studies and mandatory training program. He passed every physical and psychological test smoothly, almost too smooth. He is attentive, extremely smart, fast enough to chase an escaping hybrid, and strong enough to pin down an aggressive hybrid. His success rate is high and all the hybrids he caught are delivered to the bureau without serious injuries. His paperwork is clean and his reports are thorough.
He is what the bureau calls the perfect agent. He is what Yang Mi calls a precious asset.
Yibo likes working under Yang Mi, because she has the same principles as him. Yang Mi believes that the bureau exists to make the world a better place for hybrids to live. Even though she’s a human, she truly cares about every hybrid’s well-being. When he says that a hybrid isn’t dangerous, she believes him. When he suggests relocation instead of containment, she signs the authorization. When he tells her that a case needs time instead of force, she gives it to him.
He appreciates the trust Yang Mi has for him and he promises to himself not to take her trust for granted.
This time too.
The trees in the forest grow tall and the canopies are filtering the sunlight. Yibo looks around as he walks while holding a remote device in one hand. He listens carefully to the sound of rustling leaves, chirping birds, and humming insects. He inhales slowly, testing the air and trying to catch any lingering scent.
When he reaches a small clearing, he stops and crouches down to place his palm against the forest floor, feeling the soil beneath his fingers. He lifts his head and follows the sights of scuffed leaves and broken twigs ahead, a sign of something or someone passing through not long ago. He then looks up to the branches above, checking to make sure they’re strong enough for what he’s about to do.
He places his backpack on the ground and opens it to grab his tools. He pulls out weighted netting, steel clamps, line guides, and everything else. Once he sets everything on the ground, he starts working by grabbing the edge of the net and climbing one of the trees.
Half an hour later, Yibo climbs down from a tree. As soon as his boots touch the ground, he looks up to the net that’s now suspended high above the trees. The weighted net is covered by leaves and shadows, almost indistinguishable among the branches around it. It will be perfectly hidden by the time the night falls.
He pulls out the remote device and looks at the screen, making sure that it’s syncing with the heat camera attached to the equipment. The weighted net will be triggered by a weight sensor on the ground, which means it will drop if something or someone that’s heavy enough passes under it. The remote will allow him to keep watch from a safe distance.
He shoves the remote back into his pocket before kneeling next to his backpack on the ground. He pulls out a small glass bottle filled with dark red liquid. He walks toward the center of the trap, but careful not to accidentally trigger it. He cracks the bottle open and splashes the red liquid onto the soil beneath the suspended net.
The scent of blood hits his nose immediately. It’s an artificial blood, designed to resemble the scent of fresh blood. Wild hybrids often rely more on their animal instincts than their human ones, especially when stressed or threatened. Certain scents like fresh blood will be able to attract them more effectively.
After pouring all the fake blood, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, letting the scent settle and estimating how far it might carry. He opens his eyes again and steps away from the cleaning, moving deeper into the trees to hide himself.
When the night falls, Yibo is sitting high on one of the trees, resting against a thick branch that’s strong enough to support his weight. He holds the remote in one hand, eyes gazing at thermal imaging on the screen.
There are small shapes moving across the screen, most likely forest animals passing the trap. Some of them pause, some of them circle around the fake blood, and some of them move on. None of the animals are heavy enough to trigger the trap and none of the heat signature matches what he is looking for.
Honestly, he still doesn’t know what kind of hybrid he’s dealing with. Yang Mi said they’re most likely a carnivore, possibly a feline, maybe a minor, maybe an adult. Yibo sighs and looks away for a moment, but then quickly flicks his eyes back to the screen when he catches something.
There’s a new heat signature appearing from the edge of the screen.
Yibo straightens slightly and brings the remote a little closer to his face. The thermal outline is human-sized now, seemingly an adult. The figure moves slowly and carefully, pausing momentarily near the edge of the trap, and then moving forward.
As soon as the figure steps into the trap, the weighted net drops. Yibo watches as the figure jolts and stumbles under the net, tangled and trapped on the ground. Without wasting any time, Yibo slips the remote back into his pocket and swiftly climbs down the tree. He runs toward the trap, one hand moving to his holster where the tranquilizer gun is.
By the time he reaches the trap area, he holds up the tranquilizer gun with both hands and points it at the target, but then freezes completely.
There’s a pair of long ears under the net, trembling and flattened. There’s a pair of hands gripping the net, fingers tight and knuckles pale. The figure doesn’t struggle under the net, his body goes tense instead and it almost looks like he isn’t even breathing, like he’s just bracing for what’s to come.
It takes Yibo a second to realize that this is a male rabbit hybrid.
When the hybrid lifts his face, Yibo can see a pair of doe eyes staring back at him with shock and fear. His grip on the tranquilizer gun loosens as he slowly lowers his arms.
There’s no way this is their target. This bunny hybrid is not aggressive or feral, not even a carnivore.
Yibo steps closer, but the bunny hybrid flinches hard. He curls his shoulders and tries to shift away, but the movements only tighten the net around his body. Yibo can hear the bunny taking a sharp breath in response.
“Wait, don’t move. You’ll hurt yourself.” Yibo says immediately.
The bunny hybrid freezes and flicks his eyes to the tranquilizer gun that’s still in Yibo’s hand, eyes still filled with fear. Yibo curses under his breath at his own stupidity and quickly places the tranquilizer on the ground before nudging it away with his boot. He then lifts both palms in the air and shows his empty hands.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” He says reassuringly.
The bunny doesn’t say anything, but his body seems to relax just a little. Seeing that, Yibo carefully lowers himself to the ground and moves slowly towards the net, making sure not to make any sudden movement that can scare the poor hybrid.
“I’m sorry.” He murmurs. “The trap wasn’t meant for you.”
“Then who is it meant for?” The hybrid asks.
Yibo hesitates for a second before lying. “A wild boar or something big enough for food.”
The bunny hybrid doesn’t answer right away. He studies Yibo’s face, eyes narrowing so slightly, and then says calmly. “This is not an ordinary trap. You’re an agent from the bureau.”
Yibo pauses as he stares back at the bunny.
Somehow, he had assumed that this bunny hybrid was a wild hybrid, someone who was born and raised far from cities, someone who didn’t know anything about the systems and bureaucracy. But this bunny obviously knows enough to recognize the bureau’s method and intent.
This hybrid wasn’t raised in the forest.
“I am.” Yibo admits since there’s no point in denying it now. “But this really wasn’t meant for you. I was tracking a feral carnivorous hybrid. There have been reports of attacks around here.”
The bunny hybrid doesn’t reply, his eyes still staring at Yibo with caution.
“I’m not here to hurt you. I swear.” Yibo says again, trying to sound and look reassuring. “I’m going to remove the net, okay? Stay calm. Try not to move.”
The rabbit seems to hesitate for a second, but then stays still completely. Yibo takes it as a permission and moves closer. He reaches forward and starts tracing the weighted net, trying to undo the knots that have twisted around the hybrid’s body.
As Yibo works with the net, he can feel the hybrid’s eyes on him. His gaze isn’t filled with fear or caution anymore, but focus, like the bunny is trying to memorize his face or something.
After a few minutes of working with the knots, Yibo sighs heavily and pulls out a knife from his belt. The bunny hybrid stiffens instantly and Yibo notices it.
“I’m cutting the net. Not you.” He says quickly, trying to prevent panic and misunderstanding. “I told you, I’m not going to hurt you.”
The hybrid doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t move either. Yibo carefully presses the knife against the net and starts cutting it.
“I thought this net couldn’t be cut.” The bunny hybrid mutters quietly.
“I see you know a lot of stuff.” Yibo hums and lifts the knife to show him. “This is a special knife from the bureau.”
The bunny just blinks, his long ears twitching slightly.
The next few minutes pass in silence as Yibo cuts the net carefully, making sure not to hurt the bunny hybrid. After a while, he finally puts the knife away and lifts the weighted net off. The hybrid moves carefully before slowly straightening himself until he’s seated on the forest floor.
Just then, Yibo notices the scratches on the hybrid’s palms and elbows.
“You’re hurt.” Yibo says with a frown.
The bunny looks down at his own hands, as if only now realizing it. “It’s fine, just scratches.”
“You got hurt when you fell earlier.” Yibo presses his lips, feeling the guilt settling inside him.
The hybrid studies his face for a moment and then smiles softly. “It’s not your fault. It’s just an accident.”
Yibo is taken aback by the reaction. He didn’t expect the hybrid to still treat him kindly, not after the trap and not after he got hurt because of it.
Now that he’s really looking at the hybrid, he notices the things he somehow missed before. He notices the way the moonlight shines over the hybrid’s dark hair, the way his beautiful eyes seem to gleam like jewels, the way his long ears rest against either side of his head, and the way his facial features look sharp yet delicate at the same time.
Beautiful.
“What’s your name?” Yibo blurts out before he can stop himself.
The bunny blinks, surprised by the sudden question, and then answers. “Xiao Zhan.”
“My name is Wang Yibo.” Yibo says.
“Thank you for releasing me, Agent Wang.” Xiao Zhan nods.
“Just call me Yibo.” Yibo says quickly, almost too fast. “And you don’t need to thank me. I should be apologizing instead.”
Xiao Zhan looks at him with doe eyes, and Yibo is mesmerized for a moment until he clears his throat and looks away.
“Let me treat those scratches on your hands. My van’s nearby.” He says.
“There’s no need. They’re just small scratches.” Xiao Zhan replies softly.
“Please let me.” Yibo says and meets Xiao Zhan’s eyes. “Or else I’m going to keep feeling guilty about this.”
Xiao Zhan looks back at Yibo before eventually nodding his head.
Satisfied with the answer, Yibo stands up and helps Xiao Zhan up by holding the hybrid’s hand. Xiao Zhan’s hand feels surprisingly small in his hold. It’s not fragile, but it’s warm and delicate, and it feels really nice to hold.
As if snapping out of his trance, Yibo quickly releases Xiao Zhan’s hand once the bunny stands up on his feet.
“Wait here for a second.” Yibo says before turning around and gathering the weighted net over his shoulder. He picks up the tranquilizer gun as well and slips it back into his holster before returning to Xiao Zhan. “Alright. Follow me.”
Xiao Zhan nods and starts following.
The two of them then walk together to a small clearing near the edge of the woods where Yibo’s camper van is parked. Yibo puts the weighted net on the ground near his van before walking over to open the door for Xiao Zhan.
“After you.” He gestures at the inside of his van.
Xiao Zhan carefully steps into the van and then looks around the interior. There’s a rack on one side of the wall containing files, tracking devices, restraint tools, and other unfamiliar items from the bureau. There’s a small cabinet under the rack filled with bottled water, canned food, and other necessities.
He flicks his eyes to the back side of the van where there’s a small bed with a thin blanket and a small working desk next to it. The van is pretty small, but it doesn’t look too messy.
“Sit down.” Yibo gestures a hand at the bed, the most comfortable sitting spot in the van.
Xiao Zhan sits down at the edge of the bed, though his eyes keep flicking around the space like he’s studying it. Yibo grabs a first-aid kit from the cabinet and sits next to Xiao Zhan. He opens the box and starts treating Xiao Zhan’s wounds carefully.
Xiao Zhan watches him the whole time. His doe eyes are following Yibo’s every movement, but his ears are relaxed instead of tense.
Once Yibo secures the last bandage, he pulls back with a sigh of relief. “That should do it.”
“Thank you.” Xiao Zhan says.
“You really don’t need to thank me when it’s my fault in the first place.” Yibo shakes his head.
Xiao Zhan stares at him for a moment before asking carefully. “Who are you actually trying to catch in the forest with that trap?”
Yibo hesitates for a moment, knowing that he’s not supposed to share this information outside the bureau, but it’s hard to lie when Xiao Zhan is staring at him with those eyes.
“We received reports about people getting attacked near the forest and livestock injured in the surrounding area. The bureau thinks it’s a carnivorous hybrid, a feral one. The first report came in about a week ago” He decides to be honest.
Xiao Zhan furrows his brows thoughtfully as he listens.
“Have you seen anything like that? Or heard about it?” Yibo asks.
“No. Not really. I haven’t heard or seen anything.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head.
Yibo hums at the answer before speaking again. “Then why are you wandering around the forest at night? It’s dangerous for a fertile rabbit like you.”
Xiao Zhan’s eyes widen and his ears perk straight up. “How do you know I’m a fertile?”
Yibo pauses momentarily, like he just realizes what he said, and then huffs out a chuckle. “Just a feeling, but I guess I was right, seeing your reaction.”
Xiao Zhan drops his gaze almost shyly, his ears fold back against his hair. Yibo can’t help but smile at the sight.
“So, what were you doing out there? Rabbits usually stay in at night, don’t they?” Yibo asks, still smiling.
“I was heading back to my hut, then I smelled blood. I thought someone… or an animal was injured.” Xiao Zhan says softly.
“You hunt?” Yibo raises a brow. The common reason hybrids follow the scent of blood is because they’re hunting.
“No.” Xiao Zhan says quickly. “I just… wanted to help.”
Yibo stares at Xiao Zhan long enough until the bunny starts fidgeting under the attention.
“I have some medical knowledge. I help the hybrids around here sometimes.” Xiao Zhan admits softly.
Yibo stares at the bunny hybrid a little longer before speaking again. “You’re not from the forest, are you? You’re from the city.”
“Sort of.” Xiao Zhan lowers his gaze again.
“Which city?”
“Not far from here.”
“And what did you do in the city before you came here?” Yibo asks as he studies Xiao Zhan’s facial expression.
“I worked.” Xiao Zhan says, obviously trying to be as vague as possible.
“As what?”
“Different jobs.”
Yibo notices the way Xiao Zhan tries to hide his background, but it only makes him more curious.
“You know about the bureau, you know how we work, and you also have medical knowledge.” Yibo hums thoughtfully, almost like he’s speaking to himself, and then looks at Xiao Zhan again. “A doctor?”
Xiao Zhan stays silent.
“A nurse?” Yibo guesses.
Xiao Zhan remains quiet.
“A researcher?”
Xiao Zhan’s ears twitch slightly at that, and Yibo notices it.
“You’re a researcher.” Yibo’s gaze sharpens. “Where?”
“I need to go. It’s getting late.” Xiao Zhan stands up abruptly and wastes no time to get to the door.
“Wait.” Yibo reacts instantly and follows the bunny out of the van.
“Thank you for your help.” Xiao Zhan says, but he doesn’t turn around as he keeps walking.
“Let me walk you home.” Yibo says.
“There’s no need.” Xiao Zhan replies, not stopping.
“Please.”
Xiao Zhan stops walking and slowly turns around.
“I can’t let you walk alone in the forest at night, not when I know there’s a feral carnivore somewhere out there.” Yibo walks closer to the bunny, but keeping a respectful distance.
Xiao Zhan presses his lips and drops his gaze, his ears tilting back slightly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry or make you uncomfortable.” Yibo says softly.
Xiao Zhan looks up.
“I just… wanted to know what a beautiful bunny hybrid like you is doing in a place like this.” Yibo gestures his hand slightly as he speaks.
Xiao Zhan’s eyes widen as his ears flick up in surprise, his cheeks growing red. Yibo watches the bunny for a moment, mesmerized by his honest reaction, and then clears his throat again to snap himself out of it.
“Please let me walk you home. I need to make sure you’re safe.” He says softly.
Xiao Zhan hesitates for a second, his ears tilting back shyly, and finally nods. “Alright.”
They walk through the forest side by side, close enough that the back of their hands nearly brush as they walk. Xiao Zhan subtly glances at the little space between their hands, his fingers twitching slightly as if wanting to touch the bigger hand, but he doesn’t. His cheeks grow red again as he looks away from their hands.
Yibo doesn’t notice at all. He’s on full alert. His eyes glance at the trunks, the bushes, and the shadows around them. His ears listen to every movement, every breath, and anything out of place. He makes sure that there’s no lurking threat around them. He makes sure to protect the bunny.
They walk in silence for a while with only the sound of rustling leaves and crunching dry branches beneath their shoes between them.
“How old are you?” Xiao Zhan is the one who breaks the silence.
Yibo blinks and glances over, like he’s surprised by the question. “I’m turning twenty-six this year.”
Xiao Zhan’s eyes widen slightly and Yibo notices it.
“How old are you?” Yibo asks curiously.
“Thirty-two.”
This time, Yibo’s surprise is obvious. “I thought we were the same age.”
“I thought the same.” Xiao Zhan smiles sheepishly.
“So… should I call you Zhan-ge, then?” Yibo grins, almost teasing.
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick straight up before they lower again as he mutters. “You can… if you want to.”
“Alright.” Yibo chuckles lightly.
They continue to walk until they reach a bigger clearing at the center of the forest. From a distance, Yibo can see a small settlement at the center of the clearing. It’s filled with huts and makeshift houses built from woods and metal. Some stand close together like clusters while others stand farther apart, but still in the same shared area.
As they walk closer, Yibo sees the hybrids who wander between the huts and how most of them are herbivores. He sees a deer hybrid pauses mid-step to look at them, a squirrel hybrid who freezes when she sees a human in their settlement, and a rhino hybrid who’s squaring his shoulders as if getting ready to fight.
Yibo can feel their cautious stares even when he’s walking next to Xiao Zhan who’s obviously welcomed in the settlement. He decides to stay outside the settlement while Xiao Zhan continues to walk forward.
“Zhan Zhan!” A female sheep hybrid jogs over, her woolly ears bouncing slightly with each step. “It’s so late! You made us worried!”
“There was a little trouble on the way, but I’m back.” Xiao Zhan smiles softly.
The sheep hybrid sighs and then looks at Yibo who’s standing a few steps behind Xiao Zhan. Her posture stiffens immediately as she steps a little closer to Xiao Zhan.
“Zhan Zhan, why is there a human following you?” She whispers quietly, eyes never leaving Yibo.
Xiao Zhan turns over his shoulder to look at Yibo before turning back to his friend. “He helped me get back here.”
Yibo looks at the hybrids who are staring at him, some whisper to one another while keeping their gazes on him. There are no humans in sight and Yibo knows this isn’t a place for him. He knows he’s not welcomed.
“I’ll head back now.” Yibo steps back and turns around to leave.
“Wait.” Xiao Zhan calls out.
Yibo turns back around and looks at the bunny hybrid.
“Thank you for walking me home.” Xiao Zhan smiles softly.
“You’re welcome. Good night.” Yibo nods before walking away.
Xiao Zhan watches Yibo’s back until he disappears into the woods. Once the human is out of sight, only then do the other hybrids move closer to Xiao Zhan.
“Zhan Zhan, your hands.” The deer hybrid gasps when he sees the bandages. “Did that guy hurt you?”
“No, I fell earlier. He’s the one who helped me.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head.
An elderly cow hybrid steps closer with a walking stick, eyes lingering in the direction Yibo disappeared.
“You can smell it too, can’t you?” He says to Xiao Zhan. “That human doesn’t exactly smell like a human.”
Xiao Zhan’s face falters slightly as he glances at the woods.
“Besides his scent, there are other things about him that are… not very human-like.” Xiao Zhan mutters quietly.
“So you caught a poor rabbit instead?”
Yibo sighs as he stares at Yang Mi’s face on the laptop screen. The morning sunlight shines through the windshield of his parked van and lights his desk bright enough to work comfortably. It’s been a day since he arrived at the forest, so he has to report to Yang Mi through a video call.
“Yeah. Adult, male, fertile.” Yibo says as he fiddles with a remote gadget in his hand.
“You know he’s a fertile?” Yang Mi raises her brows.
“I can tell from his scent.”
Yang Mi hums thoughtfully, and then her lips curl into a knowing smile. “Is he cute?”
Yibo pauses and then looks up at the screen.
“I’m just asking.” Yang Mi shrugs.
“I’m only focusing on our target.” Yibo says firmly as if trying to convince his supervisor. “Still didn’t find any signs of them until this morning.”
“You still have enough tools out there?” Yang Mi asks.
“Yeah. I still got spare nets, tranquilizers and other stuff.”
“Alright. Be careful and stay alert.”
Yibo hums and pauses for a moment before speaking again. “Yang Mi.”
“Hm?”
“Can you help me look into someone?”
“Who?” Yang Mi’s brows twitch slightly.
“A rabbit hybrid named Xiao Zhan. He used to be a researcher.” Yibo says. “I want to know his background and where he used to work.”
Yang Mi’s lips curl into a knowing smile, though she doesn’t ask why. “Alright, I’ll send you once I find something.”
“Thanks. I’ll call you again if there’s anything new.” Yibo nods before ending the call.
Thirty minutes later, Yibo is standing outside his van checking the perimeter sensor that’s attached to a nearby tree trunk. He’s adjusting the angle carefully when his phone suddenly vibrates in his pocket.
When he checks it, he sees new notifications from Yang Mi with some attached documents. He opens one of the documents and starts reading the lines of text.
It’s Xiao Zhan’s profile with background from his education to his work experiences. Xiao Zhan studied biochemistry in a private university and graduated with honors. After graduating, Xiao Zhan spent nearly ten years working in some pharmaceutical companies and health institutions. He seems like a typical good citizen with clean records.
Yibo’s eyes stop at one section, the last place Xiao Zhan was working at two years ago.
Aurora BioTech Hybrid Research Center.
Yibo furrows his brows slightly, trying to figure out why the name sounds familiar.
Then he remembers it. It was an illegal facility that got shut down under government order six months ago. He quickly scrolls down to compare the dates and sees that Xiao Zhan had resigned from his job and left the facility one month before it was shut down.
Yibo stares at the screen for a moment longer before opening the second file that Yang Mi sent him.
It’s an internal report from the bureau about Aurora BioTech. They claimed to be another hybrid research facility at first, focusing on hormone medicines and supplements that can help young hybrids stabilize their animal instincts. There were legitimate reports and all, but they were nothing more than a disguise for what they were actually doing.
They were experimenting on hybrid’s breeding and fertility, something that had been explicitly banned decades ago. Yibo’s hand tightens around his phone as he keeps on scrolling.
They conducted the experiments on young hybrids, underaged ones. These hybrids were mostly orphans who were transferred through fake paperwork or the ones who were rescued from the wild. These were the kids who had no family or home.
Yibo’s breathing grows heavy as he reads the procedures of the experiments; the blood test, stress endurance test, pain level test, and all the other things no hybrid has to go through, especially not the young ones.
What happened to Xiao Zhan while he was there? What did he see? What did he do?
His attention is snapped when a new notification appears on the top of his screen.
Yang Mi: [File attachment]
Yang Mi: It seems that your bunny has been running for a while
Yibo takes a breath and opens the attachment. It’s another document, but it’s not something from the bureau. It’s a report submitted to the police by Aurora BioTech in the weeks before their shutdown.
The report accuses Xiao Zhan of stealing data and classified research files. It claims that Xiao Zhan left the city before his resignation had been approved and took the valuable intellectual research data with him. It requests to arrest Xiao Zhan for theft and sabotage.
Yibo lets out a humorless breath when he connects the dots.
He remembers that the investigation on Aurora BioTech didn’t start randomly. There was someone who handed the authorities everything from camera footage, experimental logs, and reports of the illegal experiment. It was someone anonymous, they said, but this person had submitted more than enough evidence to shut the facility down and arrest the people behind it.
Xiao Zhan must be the whistleblower. He ran away because he knew what would happen to him if the facility caught him.
Another notification from Yang Mi appears on the top of his screen.
Yang Mi: Bring Xiao Zhan to the bureau if possible, we will keep him safe
Yang Mi: He’s a hero
He’s about to type a reply when his ears catch a rustling from his left. He whips his head and sees Xiao Zhan walking toward him from between the trees with a basket in his hand. The sunlight filters through the branches and shines over his head, outlining the curve of his long ears as they twitch lightly.
Xiao Zhan freezes momentarily when their eyes meet, but then smiles shyly and gives a small wave.
Yibo blinks, caught off guard by the sight. He slips his phone back into his pocket before stepping closer to meet Xiao Zhan in the middle.
“Hello.” Xiao Zhan says once he stops in front of Yibo, one hand holding a woven basket.
“Hey.” Yibo replies. He’s still a little dazed, unable to fully wrap his head around the fact that the bunny hybrid is here to see him.
Xiao Zhan glances past Yibo to look at the parked van. “I hope I’m not disturbing your work.”
“No.” Yibo says quickly. “I won’t start tracking until after sunset.”
Xiao Zhan smiles softly at the answer and then lifts the basket slightly. “I, uh, I brought some food if you want to eat.”
“Food?” Yibo blinks.
“I cooked more than usual today. You can eat it if you’re hungry, but if you already ate, you can probably eat this for dinner, or even tomorrow.” Xiao Zhan starts blabbering. “B-But if you don’t want to eat at all, it’s fine. I can bring this back—”
“I’m hungry.” Yibo cuts in, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “I want to eat it.”
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick upright as his face lights up with a smile, and Yibo feels like he’s looking at the sunshine itself.
They end up sitting by the side door of the van. Yibo eats the lunchbox Xiao Zhan brought for him while the bunny hybrid sits next to him. Yibo eats in big bites, chomping and munching like a carnivore while Xiao Zhan watches quietly, his ears twitching slightly every now and then.
“Do you like it?” Xiao Zhan asks with a small voice.
“It’s delicious.” Yibo nods before taking another big bite.
Xiao Zhan smiles, his small bunny tail twitches happily behind his back, though Yibo doesn’t get to see it.
Once he’s done eating, Yibo closes the lunchbox and puts it back inside the basket. “Thank you for the food.”
“I’m glad you like my cooking.” Xiao Zhan says.
“It’s really delicious.” Yibo says before dropping his gaze to Xiao Zhan’s hands, seeing the faint scratches that are still visible. “How are your wounds?”
“They’re almost healed.” Xiao Zhan looks down at his own hands.
Yibo hums, though his eyes linger on the scratches. Silence stretches between them, only filled by the sound of rustling leaves and cicadas buzzing in the distance.
“So…” Xiao Zhan starts the conversation. “Can I know about the wild hybrid that you’re looking for?”
Yibo stays quiet for a moment before answering. “There was an illegal facility that got shut down about a week ago and the timing lines up with the first report we received. It might be a coincidence, but there’s a chance the hybrid is connected to that facility, maybe a victim who escaped or something. I want to help them.”
Xiao Zhan listens quietly, his gaze distant yet thoughtful.
Yibo glances at Xiao Zhan before speaking carefully. “You understand, don’t you?”
Xiao Zhan’s ears twitch before he looks at Yibo with a faint smile. “As expected from an agent, you can find my information so quickly.”
“I do have your information, but I’m not going to push you if you don’t want to say anything.” Yibo says.
Xiao Zhan looks down at his hands again and for a long moment, neither of them speaks. Yibo just gazes at the branches and leaves above, watching the way sunlight filters through them.
Then, after a while, Xiao Zhan takes a deep breath before speaking. “Yibo, can I… ask you something?”
“Go ahead.” Yibo turns his head toward the bunny.
“Are you… not fully human?” Xiao Zhan asks carefully.
There’s a beat of silence before Yibo curls his lips so slightly. “When did you figure it out?”
“The first time we met.” Xiao Zhan admits. “You could see clearly in the dark and your scent… it’s different from humans.”
Yibo listens as he watches the bunny with amusement.
“You have sharp senses, much sharper than a human’s.” Xiao Zhan continues, gaining a little confidence from the way Yibo doesn’t interrupt or deny him. “Like earlier, you could hear my footsteps and sense my presence.”
“So you think I’m a hybrid who’s pretending to be human?” Yibo chuckles lightly.
“No.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head before continuing. “I think… you’re half hybrid.”
Yibo blinks, a little surprised, but then chuckles again. “You’re right. I’m half lion.”
Xiao Zhan’s eyes grow wide as he blinks rapidly.
“Are you scared?” Yibo asks, still amused.
“No. I already figured that you’re a carnivore, or at least half.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head again.
“My father is a lion hybrid and my mother is a human.” Yibo leans back slightly and looks up to the trees. “They fell in love, but they were opposed by both families, so they decided to break up.”
“Your father…” Xiao Zhan murmurs.
“I don’t think he even knows I exist.” Yibo hums. “My mother never told him about me when they broke up. She said it’s better that way.”
“Did she ever wish to see him again?” Xiao Zhan asks softly.
“Well, she passed away years ago. She can’t see him anymore even if she wishes too.” Yibo smiles sadly.
Xiao Zhan’s gaze drops immediately. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s been a while.”
There’s another silence before Xiao Zhan asks carefully. “Do you want to see your father?”
“I don’t know if it’d be a good thing.” Yibo sighs. “If his family couldn’t accept my mother, I doubt they’d be happy to see me. I think it’s better not to meet him at all.”
Xiao Zhan stares at Yibo, feeling something in his chest tightening. After hesitating for a second, he slowly reaches out to hold Yibo’s hand.
Yibo blinks in surprise and looks down at their hands. After a heartbeat, he curls his fingers to hold Xiao Zhan’s hand in return, squeezing it very gently.
“Is it hard to live as a half hybrid?” Xiao Zhan asks.
Yibo doesn’t answer right away. He stares ahead, thinking about the question and recalling his past.
“Yes, but also not really.” Yibo hums thoughtfully. “I look fully human, so most of the time people treat me like one, but when they find out I’m half-hybrid, some of them get a little uneasy. Not that any of them ever try to do anything though.”
Xiao Zhan presses his lips before asking another question. “Have you ever wished to be born fully human or fully hybrid?”
“No. Not really.” Yibo shakes his head. “Being half allows me to connect with both humans and hybrids. It helps with my work at the bureau.”
Xiao Zhan seems surprised by the answer. Then his shoulders and ears slowly drop in relief.
They sit like that for a while, hands still joined with the sound of forest surrounding them. Xiao Zhan doesn’t ask more questions and Yibo doesn’t push the bunny to tell his story.
After a long silence, Xiao Zhan finally starts. “I have always wanted to be a researcher.”
Yibo turns his head slightly to look at the hybrid.
“I want hybrids to live freely in this world, to be friends with anybody they want and to love anybody they want. I want to assure inter-species reproduction safety.” Xiao Zhan continues. “There are still so many risks with humans carrying hybrid babies and hybrids carrying human babies. There have been complications during pregnancy and even stillbirths. A lot of those cases could be prevented with the right care and medicine.”
Yibo listens without interrupting, seeing the determined look in Xiao Zhan’s eyes as he speaks.
“When Aurora BioTech approached me, I was… really happy.” Xiao Zhan’s voice turns quieter as he recalls the memories. “It was exactly the field I wanted. Hybrid health research, fertility studies and inter-species reproduction safety.”
Yibo can feel Xiao Zhan’s grip tightening around his hand, so he squeezes back gently.
“I accepted the offer and worked as a research assistant, mostly lab-based work. I never handled subjects directly and never saw the test rooms. The samples came with labels and my job was to compare data sets and write reports.” Xiao Zhan lets out a long sigh before continuing. “Then one day, I started to notice something weird about the samples.”
Yibo furrows his brows lightly, still listening attentively.
“I noticed that some sample timelines didn’t match the growth rates and some variables were missing. I also noticed that some juvenile growth indicators appeared in adult classified data.” Xiao Zhan swallows the knot in his throat. “I asked questions about where the samples actually came from and who the subjects were, but they brushed me off. They said it’s confidential and some even mocked me for overthinking things, but I knew something was wrong. I could sense it.”
Yibo knows that rabbits have very strong instincts, which is why rabbit hybrids often work as private detectives or criminal investigators.
“One night, I pretended to clock out like usual, and then I sneaked back into the building once everybody left.” Xiao Zhan takes a deep breath before continuing. “Some of the senior researchers were still inside the building. I followed them down the hallway I had never walked through before. I found out there was a secret elevator in the back, one that could only be accessed with their special keycards.”
Yibo’s jaw tightens as he listens. He knows where this is going.
“The elevator led them to the basement. We knew the basement was a storage level, but it turned out there was another lab that could only be accessed by them. It was hidden from the rest of the facility." Xiao Zhan’s long ears twitch anxiously as he recalls the sights he saw that night. “I saw… young hybrids, teenagers and children, put in glass cages. Some of them were strapped to chairs with IV lines in their arms. I could hear them crying and calling for their parents, begging those people to stop hurting them.”
Yibo can feel anger burning inside him just from hearing the story. If he was there, he wouldn’t be so cool-headed. He would have turned the whole lab upside down.
“I felt sick. I realized that all those samples that I worked on were taken from these kids. I was the reason why these kids were hurt. I was part of it.” Xiao Zhan bites onto his bottom lip.
“You didn’t know.” Yibo husks.
Xiao Zhan shakes his head and continues. “One of them almost caught me, but I managed to run. They didn’t see my face, so I thought I was safe. They gathered everyone the next day and interrogated us one by one. I managed to lie and get away, but I knew I couldn’t turn blind eye to this.”
Xiao Zhan explains how he began staying late in the lab under the excuse of unfinished reports. He copied the files little by little, never too much at once as to not cause suspicion. He copied them to multiple USB drives and hid them in different places. He knew they would destroy the entire USB if they found one, so he made sure he had more.
“I thought I was careful, but one day, they called me in.” Xiao Zhan murmurs. “It was the higher up, the ones I had only seen in articles and framed pictures. They took me to this tiny room with no windows.”
“Did they hurt you?” Yibo asks immediately.
“No. Not physically, at least.” Xiao Zhan swallows thickly. “They threatened me that if I said anything, they’d make sure I’d never work in any lab again and that my name would be blacklisted everywhere. They also said that if I kept being curious, they’d make me… a subject for the fertility experiments.”
Yibo grits his teeth in anger. A low growl rumbles from the back of his throat, but he forces it down, trying to stay calm.
“I was terrified, but I knew that if I didn’t do anything, those kids would never get out. So I gathered all the files I could, enough to make sure that the authorities won’t ignore it, and then I ran away.” Xiao Zhan drops his gaze, his long ears flattened against his head. “And I guess you know the rest. It was all over the news.”
“You saved those kids.” Yibo says.
Xiao Zhan shakes his head immediately and screws his eyes shut in anguish. “I was part of it. If I had noticed earlier, those kids wouldn’t have to suffer for so long.”
“Listen to me, ge.” Yibo leans closer and squeezes Xiao Zhan’s hand gently. “I was there when those kids arrived at the bureau. I talked to them. They smiled and asked me if the bad people were really gone. They said they’re happy because a hero had come to save them.”
Xiao Zhan slowly looks up to meet Yibo’s eyes.
“You’re their hero, Zhan-ge. You saved them.” Yibo says reassuringly.
Xiao Zhan’s composure finally cracks. He can feel tears brimming in his eyes before trickling down his cheeks. He turns his head away and drops his gaze, like he’s hiding his tears from Yibo, but he lets those tears fall freely.
Yibo doesn’t say anything. He stays there and holds Xiao Zhan’s hand, letting the bunny hybrid spill everything he’s been holding in.
When the tears finally stop, Xiao Zhan sniffles quietly and lifts a hand to wipe his cheeks. Once he’s sure he has wiped away all traces of tears, he turns to Yibo. “Those kids… are they okay now?”
“They are.” Yibo nods. “Some of them went back to regular school and some of them chose vocational school. They’re being looked after by the bureau.”
“That’s good.” Xiao Zhan smiles in relief.
Yibo watches Xiao Zhan for a moment, studying his expression, and then asks carefully. “Do you want to return to the city?”
Xiao Zhan’s face falters slightly. He drops his gaze to his hands before answering. “I don’t know.”
“The people responsible are already arrested. You’re safe. The bureau will protect you.” Yibo pauses for a beat, then his voice turns softer when he speaks again. “I will protect you.”
Xiao Zhan looks at him with wide eyes and ears perking up in surprise. Xiao Zhan stares at him like he isn’t sure he heard it right, and then drops his gaze again.
“I don’t know if I deserve to face those kids after what I did.” Xiao Zhan says quietly.
“The kids are very thankful to you. They actually want to see you.” Yibo smiles reassuringly. “Take your time to think about it.”
Xiao Zhan nods before smiling softly at Yibo. “Thank you, Yibo.”
They stare into each other’s eyes and for a moment, the world seems to go quiet. The forest sounds around them seem to fade into a distant hum. Yibo leans in slowly, giving Xiao Zhan the chance to pull away if he doesn’t want to.
Xiao Zhan doesn’t pull away. Instead, he closes the distance until their lips meet in a soft kiss.
Xiao Zhan feels his stomach fluttering the moment their lips meet. His heart is beating so fast and so loud in his ears, yet his body feels light as if he’s floating off the ground. When Yibo slowly pulls back, he opens his eyes to meet the human’s gaze.
They stare at each other for a second before Xiao Zhan feels heat rushing to his face. His long ears flick around as he turns his head away, flustered.
“What a cute bunny.” Yibo chuckles lightly.
Xiao Zhan feels his cheeks growing even hotter if it’s possible at this point. As if it’s not enough, Yibo looks down at their hands, still intertwined, and then lifts Xiao Zhan’s hand to press a kiss to the back of it.
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick in every direction, completely out of control, and Yibo laughs at the sight.
“D-Don’t tease me.” Xiao Zhan huffs and pulls his hand back, still blushing hard.
“Sorry.” Yibo smiles, obviously unapologetic.
“So, about the hybrid you’re looking for.” Xiao Zhan clears his throat loudly, forcing to switch the topic. “What information do you have so far?”
“Not much, just attack pattern and the injuries.” Yibo says, his expression turning thoughtful again. “Do you think that hybrid could be living in that settlement you’re staying in?”
“No. Everyone there knows each other. No one new has arrived since the last three months.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head.
Yibo hums and gazes at the trees ahead, trying to connect every clue and possibility.
Xiao Zhan watches him for a moment before asking quietly. “What kind of… experiments was that facility doing? The one that closed down recently.”
“They claimed they were developing health supplements, but they were actually extracting it directly from hybrids’ DNA.” Yibo sighs.
“That hybrid must be scared and confused.” Xiao Zhan murmurs as he drops his gaze to his hands.
“That explains their aggression and erratic attacks. That’s why the bureau wants to help this poor kid.”
Xiao Zhan nods quietly in agreement before turning to Yibo again. “Can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“Why did you choose to work for the bureau?” Xiao Zhan asks. “You’re half hybrid, but you look fully human. I just thought… you could’ve lived as one and taken other jobs.”
Yibo doesn’t answer right away as if he’s considering the question, and then his lips curl into a small smile.
“When I was a kid, I didn’t really get along with the other kids. They were scared of me because I had hybrid tendencies that were different from humans. When I was a teenager, my hybrid instincts sharpened, but my temper followed. I had violent outbursts I didn’t know how to control and I got into fights almost all the time.” Yibo chuckles lightly at the old memories. “If the bureau didn’t step in, I don’t know where I’d be now. They helped me, so I want to do the same for other hybrids who are still struggling.”
Xiao Zhan’s eyes soften as he listens to the story. He reaches over and places his hand over Yibo’s again. Yibo looks down at their hands and then up at Xiao Zhan’s face, seeing the bunny smiling at him.
“Let me help you find that hybrid.” Xiao Zhan says.
“It might be dangerous. The hybrid is probably a feral one.” Yibo furrows his brows in worry.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.” Xiao Zhan says reassuringly.
Yibo hesitates.
“Please. I want to help them too.” Xiao Zhan says with pleading eyes.
Yibo blows out a long sigh before speaking again. “Fine, but if it gets dangerous, even just a little, you have to stay away from the area. Promise me.”
Xiao Zhan nods immediately. “I promise.”
Yibo’s grip tightens around Xiao Zhan’s hand, just briefly, before relaxing again.
They start spending more time together since that day.
Xiao Zhan comes over before noon, carrying a woven basket filled with lunch boxes and snacks. Yibo is mostly outside the van at that hour, checking some equipment or just getting some air, and he always hears Xiao Zhan’s familiar footsteps before he sees the bunny.
Xiao Zhan's long ears perk up happily when their eyes meet and Yibo takes pride at the fact that the bunny is delighted to see him. They sit together at the side door of the van and eat the meals Xiao Zhan brought. The bunny brings different food every day. One day it’s ham sandwich, one day it’s rice with meat, one day it’s fried noodles – but they’re all delicious.
After eating lunch, they spend the rest of the day together.
Sometimes, Yibo tells Xiao Zhan about the tools and gadgets he brought with him from the bureau. He explains about the motion sensor that tracks heat signatures and what he usually uses it for. Xiao Zhan’s ears perk up in interest as Yibo explains the mechanism and shows him how it works, eyes filled with curiosity.
When he explains about tranquilizer darts or restraining collars, Xiao Zhan’s ears flatten instantly. Yibo can’t help but to smile at how honest Xiao Zhan’s reactions are. His ears are perked up when he’s happy or curious, flattened when he’s scared or worried, and flicking rapidly when he’s flustered.
Every time Xiao Zhan catches Yibo smiling, he lifts both hands and holds his long ears to keep them from moving so much.
Sometimes, Xiao Zhan takes Yibo to walk around the forest. Xiao Zhan shows him the hidden spots and how to reach them. The bunny shows him a stream hidden behind some rocks, a hollow on a tree that’s big enough to fit two adults, and a secret shortcut that leads to the city.
It only takes two days for Yibo to reach over and hold Xiao Zhan’s hand with his own.
Xiao Zhan’s ears snap upright in surprise before they flick shyly. He glances down at their joined hands and curls his fingers around Yibo’s hand. They continue walking through the forest like that, hand in hand.
After a long comfortable silence, Xiao Zhan starts the conversation. “So… Do you enjoy walking in the forest like this?”
“I do.” Yibo nods. “It’s peaceful and quiet, and it’s nice to be surrounded by so many trees instead of skyscrapers.”
“Do you hate the city?” Xiao Zhan glances at him.
“Can’t say I hate it since that’s where I live, but sometimes the city can be too loud.” Yibo hums and then looks at Xiao Zhan. “What about you? Do you enjoy the forest more than the city?”
“I do like the forest. It’s peaceful and quiet like you say.” Xiao Zhan says before gazing ahead. “But I can’t say that I don’t miss the city at all.”
Yibo watches the bunny hybrid for a moment, studying his expression. He opens his mouth to say something, but before he can utter a word, there’s a beeping sound from his pocket.
Xiao Zhan turns his head to see Yibo pulling a remote device from his pocket. Yibo frowns as soon as he sees the screen, looking surprised and confused at the same time.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Zhan asks, his ears flicking in alert.
“The trap has been activated.” Yibo says and then looks at the direction of the trap he set the night before. “I didn’t expect them to move during the daytime.”
“Let’s go.” Xiao Zhan says as he tugs at Yibo’s hand, urging him to check it.
They both rush toward the trap. When they arrive there, the weighted net has dropped, but there’s nothing underneath. They stare at it for a moment before Yibo slowly releases Xiao Zhan’s hand to check the area. While Yibo crouches down to check the net and the soil beneath, Xiao Zhan walks to the trees surrounding the area.
Yibo stares at the forest ground beneath the net and notices that it’s not exactly disturbed, which means that the hybrid might not be standing at the pressure sensor on the ground when the net dropped. The net was triggered by something else.
He carefully lifts the weighted net to put it aside and then digs his hands through the ground, checking the sensor wire that he buried. He holds the wire and lifts it up, only to find it broken in the middle. Upon closer inspection, he notices that the wire has been crushed by something, probably a rock, instead of being scratched or bitten.
This young hybrid isn’t moving recklessly. They observed the trap, they tested it, and they escaped. This young hybrid isn’t merely a feral, they’re smart.
“Yibo.”
He turns around at the call and sees Xiao Zhan standing in front of one of the trees. He stands up and walks over to the bunny. “What’s wrong?”
“These marks…” Xiao Zhan traces the claw marks on the bark of the tree. “I don’t think these are bear claw marks.”
Yibo stops and stares at the parallel claw marks. “No, they’re not. Bear claw marks are wider, deeper, and have messy patterns.”
“The hybrid you’re looking for… they can climb trees.” Xiao Zhan murmurs and looks up to the branches above.
“A feline indeed.” Yibo hums thoughtfully.
But what kind of feline? A lion? Or perhaps a panther? Whatever they are, this young hybrid knows they’re being chased, and it might make them more anxious and aggressive. It might even make them see him as a threat. There’s a chance that this young hybrid might attack him one of these days.
“Let me walk you home.” Yibo immediately turns to Xiao Zhan.
“I can stay a bit longer.” Xiao Zhan says.
“No.” Yibo shakes his head. “It’s too dangerous right now for you to stay with me. This young hybrid might come to attack me.”
“Then you’re in danger.” Xiao Zhan gasps, his ears flicking anxiously.
“I’m a lion.” Yibo says and then lifts a shoulder. “Half of it. At least.”
Xiao Zhan keeps staring at him.
“I’ll be fine.” Yibo says reassuringly and takes Xiao Zhan’s hand again. “Let me walk you home.”
Xiao Zhan bites onto his bottom lip before eventually nodding his head.
When they arrive at the settlement, Yibo releases Xiao Zhan’s hand and watches the bunny walking toward the clusters of huts. He waits until Xiao Zhan disappears between the houses before turning around and walking back to the forest.
He has to make a report to Yang Mi about their target who’s smart enough to tamper the trap.
The next morning, the air feels different.
It feels thick and humid, it smells like damp earth, and there's a shift of pressure in the air. When he listens carefully, he can hear the faint rumbles of thunder from a distance. He looks up to the sky, gazing at the white clouds above.
It looks like a sunny day at the moment, but the wind tells otherwise. It’s going to rain, not immediately, but in a few hours at most. It doesn’t seem to be a light rain either. It’s going to be a heavy rain, most likely accompanied by a light thunderstorm.
Yibo exhales through his nose and rubs the back of his neck. He won’t be able to set the traps properly under the rain. Heavy rainfall can blur heat signatures and wash away scent trails entirely.
He climbs up the side of the van and adjusts the radio antenna on the roof. Once the storm hits, he still needs stable communication with the bureau. He tightens the bolts and tests its strength against wind.
As he works on the antenna, he thinks about Xiao Zhan. Rabbits get restless and anxious on rainy days due to too much noise and too many mixed scents. Most rabbit hybrids that he knows prefer to burrow indoors during storms, locked in their house or huddled under their blankets. Xiao Zhan most likely won’t leave his hut today.
It’s better that way. He’d rather have Xiao Zhan stay warm and curl up on his bed while the rain falls. Besides, he’s getting more worried about meeting Xiao Zhan in the forest, knowing that the mysterious young hybrid might be targeting him now.
Just as Yibo removes the wrench, he hears light footsteps from the side. He turns his head sharply toward the trees and sees Xiao Zhan there, walking toward him with that woven basket hooked over one arm.
Yibo quickly gets down from the van roof and strides toward the bunny hybrid.
“Why are you here?” He asks, brows furrowing.
Xiao Zhan stops, his ears dropping immediately when he mistakes Yibo’s reaction as anger. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. I can go back if you’re busy.”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” Yibo says quickly. “It’s just… it’s going to rain in a few hours, a heavy one. I’m sure you don’t like being outside during rain.”
“I know, but I still want to bring you food.” Xiao Zhan lifts the basket shyly.
Yibo looks at Xiao Zhan for a long moment. Despite looking calm, he can see Xiao Zhan’s long ears twitching slightly when a low rumble of thunder rolls in the distance. Xiao Zhan isn’t comfortable with rain, but he still came all the way here just to see him and bring him food.
He slowly reaches out and takes the basket from Xiao Zhan’s hand. “Let’s eat together before it rains.”
They settle side by side at the open doorway of the van and eat quietly. The thunder rumbles again. It’s low, more like vibration than sound, but Yibo can feel it coming closer. At the same time, he sees Xiao Zhan’s ears twitch sharply at the sound. He knows Xiao Zhan has sharper hearing than his, so Xiao Zhan can definitely guess when the rain will exactly fall.
“I got an umbrella in the van. We might make it before the rain falls if I walk you back once we finish eating.” Yibo says.
Xiao Zhan shakes his head quickly. “I brought an umbrella too, but…”
“But…?” Yibo blinks.
Xiao Zhan lowers his gaze for a moment, then looks up at Yibo through his lashes. “Do you… want me to leave?”
“No.” Yibo answers instinctively, and then quickly adds. “But you’d surely be more comfortable at home.”
There’s a pause before Xiao Zhan shifts a little closer and looks at Yibo with his doe eyes. “Can I stay here with you?”
“Of course you can.” Yibo blurts out, unable to resist those beautiful eyes.
Xiao Zhan smiles, his ears perking up in delight.
Yibo glances over his shoulder to look at the inside of his van and then curses internally when he realizes how messy it is. It’s not anything chaotic or filthy, but it’s definitely too messy to welcome a guest.
“I… need to clean up a little.” He mutters
Xiao Zhan takes a peek at the inside of the van and then smiles softly. “It’s fine.”
Yibo scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. The dark clouds are starting to gather above them and the rumbles of thunder sound sharper now.
“I need to prepare for the rain. You should stay inside.” Yibo says before standing up to get to work.
Xiao Zhan nods and gathers the empty lunch boxes before stepping into the van. Once inside, he turns and watches Yibo moving around the van to gather the equipment and tools that are left outside. He wants to help Yibo gather the tools, but he’s worried of breaking anything since he has no idea how to handle those tools properly.
He turns his head back and looks around the interior of the van. His gaze sweeps over the small fold-out desk cluttered with maps and messy notes, a hanger rack filled with various ropes and wires, and a shelf packed with batteries, flashlight, metal cases, and other things he can’t identify.
His ears twitch in curiosity as he steps closer to the table, seeing a map laid out with red circles marking on some areas. He stares at it, studying the map, but knows better than to touch the things that don’t belong to him.
When the rain starts falling, Yibo climbs into the van and shuts the door behind him, dulling away the sound of pouring rain. Xiao Zhan stands there, dazed as he stares at the way Yibo’s damp shirt clings to his body.
The thunder cracks loudly and Xiao Zhan’s ears jump before he can stop them.
“Are you alright?” Yibo immediately steps over, brows furrowed in worry.
“Y-Yeah. Sorry.” Xiao Zhan nods quickly and forces his ears to relax.
Yibo studies Xiao Zhan’s face for a moment before reaching out to hold the hybrid’s hand. “You’re safe here. Don’t worry.”
When Xiao Zhan looks up, he realizes how close they’re standing, close enough that he can see faint flecks of gold hidden in Yibo’s dark eyes. When he looks into Yibo’s eyes like this, he can see that Yibo truly has lion blood in his veins.
The thunder cracks again, snapping both of them from their little world.
They both step back, suddenly too aware of how close they are. Xiao Zhan drops his gaze shyly while Yibo clears his throat.
“You can sit anywhere.” Yibo gestures a hand.
Xiao Zhan glances around and sees one place where he can sit comfortably – the bed.
“The bed…?” He asks carefully while pointing his finger.
“Yeah. Make yourself comfortable.” Yibo says lightly before gesturing his hand again. “I’m going to change my clothes.”
Xiao Zhan, who’s about to sit down, perks up at Yibo’s last words.
Yibo has already pulled his damp shirt over his head, the muscles on his back shifting at the movement. Xiao Zhan’s ears flick violently at the sight, his eyes trailing over Yibo’s broad back before he forces himself to look away. He quickly sits at the edge of the bed and folds his hands neatly on his lap.
While Yibo changes his clothes, he keeps his eyes on the dark gray bed sheet as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
“Do you want something warm to drink?”
Xiao Zhan flinches at the sudden question, his ears snapping upright as he whips his head. Yibo is standing a few steps away and checking the electric kettle in his hands, seemingly not aware of what he has caused to Xiao Zhan.
“I can make some warm tea. Is that alright with you?” Yibo turns to the bunny.
“Yes.” Xiao Zhan nods quickly.
Rain continues to fall outside, drumming against the roof of the van, but the air inside the van feels warm as they sit side by side on the bed with metal cups in their hands. Xiao Zhan lifts the cup and takes a sip of the tea. It’s not extremely hot, like Yibo has adjusted the temperature perfectly for his tongue that’s more sensitive than a human’s. Xiao Zhan blushes, his ears flicking delight at how thoughtful Yibo is.
“Is it too hot?” Yibo asks, a little worried.
“It’s perfect.” Xiao Zhan nods.
A comfortable silence settles between them with the sound of rain in the background. Yibo takes the last sip of his tea and puts the empty cup on the small desk next to the bed. Xiao Zhan perks up and blinks, his own cup is still half full in his hands. When Yibo turns his head back around, he sees Xiao Zhan blinking at his own cup.
“You can put it aside and drink it again later.” Yibo chuckles lightly and offers his hand.
Xiao Zhan hands the cup and Yibo places it right next to his empty cup. When he turns his head again, he sees Xiao Zhan staring at him.
For a moment, time seems to stop and the space between them feels smaller than before. Xiao Zhan’s ears flick and then slowly tilt forward. He swallows thickly and before he can overthink it, he leans in and places a quick kiss on the corner of Yibo’s lips.
He then pulls back immediately, like he startled himself, and then drops his gaze. “I-I’m sorry.”
Yibo pauses for a moment, just he’s registering what just happened, and then chuckles lightly. He lifts a hand and brushes it gently against the side of Xiao Zhan’s face.
“You don’t have to apologize for that.” He says, but then his voice dips lower and his gaze darkens slightly when he speaks again. “But you should know that it’s dangerous for a bunny to try to tempt a lion.”
The words send a small shiver down Xiao Zhan’s spine. He looks up with doe eyes and sees Yibo leaning closer.
When their lips meet in a kiss, Xiao Zhan’s eyes flutter shut as he melts into it, his body relaxing as he leans closer. Yibo kisses him harder, his hand comes up to the back of Xiao Zhan’s neck, keeping Xiao Zhan’s head in place as he deepens the kiss.
Xiao Zhan’s breath stutters, a soft mewl slips out of him as he tries to keep up with the kiss. Every swipe of Yibo’s tongue leaves him more breathless than before. His fingers curl into the fabric of Yibo’s shirt, clutching it tightly. His ears flick and twitch as he gasps into the kiss.
When Yibo pulls back, Xiao Zhan’s eyes flutter open, his chest rising and falling unevenly from the intense kiss. When he looks into Yibo’s eyes, he sees something different. The flash of gold beneath the dark seems brighter now, like a pair of lion’s eyes.
Xiao Zhan’s heart pounds harder in his chest, the sound almost deafening in his own ears. His small bunny tail twitches uncontrollably behind him, nervous yet excited. Yibo licks his lips slowly, like he’s savoring the taste of Xiao Zhan’s lips.
“If we continue, I won’t be able to stop myself.” Yibo murmurs lowly, almost like a warning.
Xiao Zhan swallows before nodding his head. Yibo growls before grabbing Xiao Zhan and pulling him closer.
Xiao Zhan gasps at the sudden pull. In a blink of an eye, he finds himself straddling Yibo’s lap with his knees pressing into the bed on either side and his hands bracing against Yibo’s broad shoulders. Yibo leans back against the wall with one arm wrapped securely around Xiao Zhan’s waist as he moves.
Xiao Zhan’s breath stutters, his cheeks flushed and his ears flicking restlessly as he looks down at Yibo.
“I—I’ve never done something like this.” Xiao Zhan blurts out.
Yibo blinks, eyes widening slightly in surprise.
“I was always the quiet bookwork in school, I just studied all the time. When I started working, I only focused on my job and didn’t interact much with others.” Xiao Zhan blabbers, his ears twitching as he speaks. “T-There were people and hybrids who tried to know me better, but… they all said I was boring, so—”
“You’re not boring.” Yibo smiles, a mix of fondness and amusement.
Xiao Zhan peeks at Yibo and then mutters under his breath. “You looked surprised... so I wanted to explain…”
“I am surprised because there are… certain stereotypes about rabbit hybrids.” Yibo admits honestly.
Xiao Zhan blushes harder. Of course he knows what Yibo is talking about. There are stereotypes about rabbit hybrids having high sexual drive and being aggressive in bed, both the fertile and the breeder.
“They’re not completely wrong though…” Xiao Zhan mutters shyly as his hands slowly come up to unbutton his shirt.
Yibo watches with darkened eyes as Xiao Zhan undoes every button and pushes the shirt off his shoulders. His gaze trails over Xiao Zhan’s collarbones, his supple skin, and the rise and fall of his chest. Xiao Zhan looks like a meal that’s especially presented for him.
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick nervously under the weight of that gaze.
Without hesitation, Yibo’s hands come up to Xiao Zhan’s full chest, squeezing and kneading the flesh. It feels so soft, so perfect in his hands. His fingers dig harder into the mounds, palms pressing firmly as he kneads rougher.
“This must be the reason fertile hybrids can breastfeed their babies. I can imagine these growing bigger with milk.” Yibo hums teasingly.
Xiao Zhan mewls at the way Yibo manhandles his chest so shamelessly, his breath hitching each time Yibo drags his fingers and squeezes with his hands. His ears flick and his tail twitches behind him, unable to hide his reactions.
Yibo’s thumbs then find both nipples, rubbing them until they’re perked in sensitivity. Xiao Zhan squirms on the man’s lap, soft mewls and whimpers spill from his lips as Yibo pinches the perked buds.
“You’re so sensitive.” Yibo says quietly.
Xiao Zhan lets out a small embarrassed whine, his fingers tightening on Yibo’s shoulders. “I—I don’t know…”
Yibo chuckles lightly before leaning in to latch his mouth on a nipple. He sucks slowly at first, his tongue flicking over the bud while his fingers play with the other one. Xiao Zhan tilts his head back with a gasping moan, his ears flicking rapidly as his grip tightens on Yibo’s shoulders, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation and how sensitive his body feels.
When Yibo pulls back, Xiao Zhan’s nipple is red and swollen prettily. He stares at it for a moment as if admiring the sight, and then leans in to take the other nipple in his mouth, giving it the same treatment. He sucks deep with his mouth and flicks his tongue in tight circles until Xiao Zhan mewls.
Yibo switches between both nipples, teasing them until Xiao Zhan moans helplessly, thighs trembling and hips twitching. His one hand curls around Yibo’s hair, yet he doesn’t do anything to pull Yibo’s head away. On the contrary, he finds himself pushing into Yibo’s mouth as if begging for more.
“Yibo—nghh…” Xiao Zhan bites onto his bottom lip, but can’t stop himself from moaning. His tail twitches whenever Yibo sucks and bites particularly hard on his nipple.
By the time Yibo finally pulls back, Xiao Zhan is shaking, his nipples throbbing with every heartbeat. Yibo licks his lips in satisfaction as he stares at Xiao Zhan, taking in his flushed face, his heaving chest, and his dazed eyes.
Still keeping his eyes on Xiao Zhan’s face, he trails his fingers down the hybrid’s back, following the line of his spine. Xiao Zhan trembles at the touch, his breath hitching slightly as he arches his back.
Yibo moves his hand lower until his fingers brush against the soft fur of Xiao Zhan’s tail, and then he grabs it with his hand.
Xiao Zhan yelps and jolts in Yibo’s lap, ears shooting up and tail twitching under the grip.
“Sensitive here too?” Yibo hums in amusement.
Xiao Zhan trembles helplessly, his hips twitching as Yibo kneads his tail. His body is dampening, he can feel the slick seeping through his underwear since earlier and soaking his pants. At this point, he might leave a damp spot on Yibo’s pants too.
With a soft chuckle, Yibo gives a last squeeze on the tail before letting go. Xiao Zhan’s tail continues to twitch faintly even after Yibo pulls his hand back.
“Not only are your ears honest, your entire body is so honest.” Yibo smiles.
Xiao Zhan turns his head away, ears flicking in embarrassment. “Don’t tease me…”
“I’m not teasing you.” Yibo hums before his hands move to unbuckle Xiao Zhan’s pants.
He does it slowly, giving Xiao Zhan the time to pull away and stop him if he wants to, but Xiao Zhan doesn’t. Instead, Xiao Zhan lifts himself slightly, helping Yibo to slide his pants off his long legs until he’s left naked on his lap.
Yibo sucks in a quick breath as the sight in front of him. His eyes trail over Xiao Zhan’s body, tracing over his visible lines of muscles and the gentle curves of his waist. It’s amazing how Xiao Zhan looks lean yet delicate at the same time, how his body feels strong yet his skin feels so soft.
Yibo’s eyes continue to trail lower until they stop at Xiao Zhan’s crotch. He can see Xiao Zhan’s feeble length hard and dripping in arousal, but what draws his attention more is the clear slick dripping down Xiao Zhan’s inner thighs.
He slowly brings his hand to the space between Xiao Zhan’s legs, fingers reaching to press against the dripping rim.
“Ah…” Xiao Zhan twitches at the touch, feeling Yibo’s fingers pressing but not pushing in yet.
“I’ve only played with your nipples, yet you’re already this wet.” Yibo murmurs.
Xiao Zhan mewls in embarrassment and drops his gaze, but then pauses when he sees the bulge under Yibo’s pants. It looks big, even hidden under the fabric, and Xiao Zhan can only wonder if his body can accept something so big. He swallows the knot in his throat, yet his body seems to tingle in anticipation.
Yibo senses it. He notices how Xiao Zhan’s sweet scent seems to grow thicker and how a glob of slick suddenly drips over his fingers.
“Naughty bunny. What are you thinking about?” Yibo husks, his voice teasing.
Xiao Zhan snaps his head up, cheeks flushed and eyes wide like a bunny in headlights. Before he can come up with an excuse, Yibo slides his fingers in.
“Oh…!” The sudden intrusion sends a jolt down Xiao Zhan’s spine as he instinctively clenches around Yibo’s fingers.
“So cute.” Yibo murmurs as he curls his fingers, drawing out another sweet moan from Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan’s head falls forward against Yibo’s shoulder as the fingers move inside him. Yibo twists and curls his fingers, rubbing and teasing all the sensitive spots inside. Soft moans spill out from Xiao Zhan’s lips and his hips tremble with each curl of fingers. His body is pliant and trembling in Yibo’s hold.
Yibo keeps working his fingers inside, plunging deeper and rubbing harder until he finds the sweet spot that makes Xiao Zhan jolt. He pushes three fingers in and presses on that spot, pressing and kneading until Xiao Zhan’s whole body shakes. The slick sounds of fingers moving in and out fill the small space of the van.
“N-No, not there…!” Xiao Zhan cries out feebly when he feels his hips twitching helplessly.
“Let go.” Yibo growls as he scrapes his teeth against the side of Xiao Zhan’s neck, crafting a possessive mark.
With a broken cry, Xiao Zhan reaches his peak. His cock spurts weakly and his body spasms as he squirts all over Yibo’s fingers. His ears and tail twitch uncontrollably as his thighs tremble.
Yibo slowly pulls his fingers out and stares at them, watching the clear slick coating each finger and dripping down his knuckles. Without hesitating, he brings his fingers to his mouth and licks the slick as if he’s tasting the sweetest honey.
“Don’t lick it…” Xiao Zhan whines in embarrassment.
“Why not?” Yibo smiles at the bunny. “I’d like to lick it from the source next time.”
Xiao Zhan blushes hard at the word next time, his ears flicking rapidly. Yibo chuckles at the sight and kisses the dark hickey that he left on Xiao Zhan’s neck. “Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine.” Xiao Zhan says softly.
“Good.” Yibo smiles and places his hands on Xiao Zhan’s waist to ease the bunny off his lap.
Xiao Zhan closes his eyes and braces himself for more, but Yibo only settles him on the bed and pulls back. Xiao Zhan blinks his eyes open and stares at Yibo with confusion.
“Is your tea still warm? Do you want me to make you a new one?” Yibo asks as he looks at Xiao Zhan’s cup on the table.
Xiao Zhan blinks again, taking a moment to register the sudden shift of atmosphere. When he realizes that Yibo doesn’t seem interested in continuing, his long ears droop sadly. Of course, Yibo isn’t interested in more because he has no experience.
Yibo notices the reaction immediately. He pauses and stares at Xiao Zhan, trying to figure out what causes the bunny to look so upset suddenly.
“Did I… do something to upset you?” Yibo asks cluelessly.
Xiao Zhan presses his lips, like he’s mustering up his courage, and then looks up to Yibo with a determined face. “I… I want to do it with you. I want to go all the way.”
Yibo’s lips part open in surprise, but he doesn’t say anything for a moment.
Seeing the lack of reaction, Xiao Zhan’s ears droop again. “Y-You don’t want to?”
“Of course I want to.” Yibo answers quickly and shifts closer to the bunny. “But are you sure about this? I mean… we’re in a cramped van and this bed is surely not the most comfortable one.”
“I want you.” Xiao Zhan stares at Yibo with his doe eyes and then whispers softly. “Eat me.”
There’s no way Yibo can refuse the bunny. With a barely restrained growl, he pounces on Xiao Zhan and pushes him down the bed.
Soon, Xiao Zhan finds himself drooling as he watches Yibo undress himself. His eyes trail over every line of muscle on Yibo’s body before they finally move lower when Yibo takes the last piece of clothing off his body.
Xiao Zhan learned a lot about anatomies in his studies, both humans and hybrids. He has learned about the slight difference of genitals between male humans and breeder hybrids. He has heard of the stereotypes about how breeder hybrids are often bigger down there compared to male humans. He has seen illustrations, photographs, videos, and even the real thing.
But Yibo is bigger than anything he has ever seen. It’s so big and so thick, ready to wreck him open and breed him full. He’s a fertile hybrid. It’s in his nature to be bred and impregnated, but he has never felt the desire this strongly before. It’s as if his body is begging to be filled with Yibo’s children right now.
When Yibo shifts closer, Xiao Zhan instinctively opens his legs as if it’s the most natural thing to do. Yibo presses the tip of his cock against Xiao Zhan’s hole and then looks up to meet his eyes.
“Ready?” He asks softly.
Xiao Zhan nods.
With an intake of breath, Yibo pushes himself in. Xiao Zhan arches his back with a shrill cry, his body tensing up and his ears flicking rapidly as Yibo pushes all the way in, reaching deep inside him. His hands clutch weakly at the sheets beneath him and his toes curl. The feeling is overwhelming, making his chest heave and his body tremble.
Yibo groans when he feels a gush of warm slick squirting all over his cock. He looks down to see the clear slick dripping out of Xiao Zhan, yet his feeble length is still hard and leaking at the tip.
“Feels so good that you squirted?” Yibo smirks.
“Uh… Nghh…” Xiao Zhan mewls as his hands reach up to hold onto Yibo. His mind is turning hazy from the pleasure and his body feels like it’s about to melt.
Yibo wraps Xiao Zhan’s arms around his own neck, letting the bunny cling to him, and then he starts moving his hips. Soft moans spill out of Xiao Zhan’s pretty lips, his long ears all relaxed now. Yibo senses the positive reaction, so he slowly picks up his pace and drives harder with each thrust.
It doesn’t take long for Yibo to set a relentless pace, driving into Xiao Zhan hard enough until the bed creaks beneath them, until the tiny van shakes along. Xiao Zhan moans at each thrust, his body jolting every time Yibo hits that sweet spot inside him. His body is losing strength and everything feels so hot. He has never felt anything this intense before. He has never felt this good before.
Yibo is thrusting so hard that the slapping sound of skin against skin drowns out the sound of rain drumming against the roof of the van. It’s still raining heavily outside, but it’s all drowned out by the frenzy of their love-making and Xiao Zhan’s moans of pleasure.
“What a cute bunny.” Yibo growls before lowering his head to Xiao Zhan’s chest, his mouth finds one of the swollen nipples before biting and sucking hard.
“N-Not there…!” Xiao Zhan cries out, his voice trembling as the pleasure builds. His body quivers uncontrollably, his legs shaking around Yibo’s hips. Every thrust makes his mind spin and every bite drives him closer to release.
“Come.” Yibo whispers, his voice coming out like a rumble. “Come for me. Let me see you.”
When Yibo rams into him again, Xiao Zhan lets out a pitched scream and arches his back, toes curling and body trembling as the orgasm hits him. His cock spurts weakly and his slick gushes out, dripping all over Yibo’s pounding length.
Yibo keeps moving, thrusting through Xiao Zhan’s orgasm without pause. Xiao Zhan cries out helplessly, his slick gushing out with each thrust. The overstimulation makes his mind go blank, unable to do anything other than letting the lion eat him.
When Yibo feels it, he thrusts one last time, pushing as deep as he can go and grinding his hips. Xiao Zhan whines when he feels Yibo’s seed spilling into him and filing him up to the brim.
Yibo growls when Xiao Zhan’s walls clamp down his length, forcing him to spill his seed inside. His hips stutter as he gives the last thrust, and then he groans as he shoots himself inside. Xiao Zhan’s walls are squeezing and milking him dry until the last drop of his orgasm. A distant voice whispers from the back of his mind, telling him that this is how good he should be bred.
“Oh, fuck.” Yibo groans in delight once he spills the last drop of his orgasm. His chest heaving and his arms tremble as he keeps himself from collapsing on top of Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan, still panting, brings his hands to cup Yibo’s face. Yibo opens his eyes to look at him and Xiao Zhan can see the man’s eyes gleaming with flecks of gold. He stares dazedly into those lion eyes and then smiles softly.
“You really look like a lion this way.” Xiao Zhan hums.
“Even if I don’t have ears and a tail?” Yibo smiles in amusement.
“And that part makes you human.” Xiao Zhan chuckles lightly.
Yibo stares at the bunny for a moment before leaning down to kiss his lips. Xiao Zhan closes his eyes and lets himself melt into the kiss, but before he can fully let himself go, Yibo pulls back from the kiss. Yibo then pulls himself out before sitting up and planting his feet on the floor of the van. As much as he wants to lie next to Xiao Zhan, the bed is obviously too small for two adults to lie comfortably.
Just as he’s about to stand up, Xiao Zhan grabs his wrist. He turns his head to see Xiao Zhan… glaring at him.
He may have only known Xiao Zhan for a short while, but he doesn’t think the bunny hybrid is capable of looking so angry. Though he isn’t sure if Xiao Zhan is actually mad or if he’s pouting with those angry eyes and puckered lips.
“Where are you going?” Xiao Zhan asks, brows furrowed deeply.
“I’m getting you a blanket. I don’t want you to feel cold.” Yibo blinks dumbly.
With a huff, Xiao Zhan sits up and grabs Yibo by the arm. “You can’t go anywhere.”
“…Why?” Yibo blinks again, not sure why Xiao Zhan is suddenly upset.
“I…” Xiao Zhan opens his mouth, but then his face falters. His ears droop shyly as he drops his gaze and mutters. “I want more… again…”
Yibo takes a few seconds to register the words, and then he laughs.
“D-Don’t laugh at me.” Xiao Zhan pouts and hits Yibo lightly on the shoulder.
“I’m not laughing at you, I’m just thinking that the stereotypes of rabbit hybrids also apply to you.” Yibo shakes his head with a laugh. This is surely a new side of Xiao Zhan, but he doesn’t dislike it at all.
Xiao Zhan, however, mistakes Yibo’s amused reaction as a polite refusal. “If you don’t want it…”
“Who says I don’t want it?” Yibo cuts in immediately and leans closer to Xiao Zhan. “But if you let me eat you to my heart’s content, then I really won’t stop until I’m satisfied.”
Xiao Zhan feels a shudder run down his spine at Yibo’s warning that sounds like a dirty promise. His tail twitches behind his back and he can even feel a glob of slick trickling out of his hole, a sign that his body is ready for more.
Yibo’s lips tug into a smirk before he leans in to whisper into Xiao Zhan’s ear. “It’s dangerous for a bunny to try to tempt a lion.”
In a blink of an eye, Xiao Zhan finds himself being pushed down the bed again.
Hours later, the rain finally stops as the sun sets beneath the horizon, but Xiao Zhan is still inside the van, still stuck on the tiny bed with Yibo.
Yibo stays true to his words, fucking Xiao Zhan again and again to his heart’s content. He flips Xiao Zhan around like a rag doll to fuck him in different positions. His hands roam over Xiao Zhan’s body, his lips tracing the bruises and bite marks he has left on the bunny.
The bed is a mess beneath them soaked with slick, sweat, and Yibo’s seed which trickles out of Xiao Zhan’s overfilled womb. He has lost count of how many times Yibo has bred him, yet the vigor in his thrusts never lessen.
Xiao Zhan’s limbs feel heavy and weak, barely able to move anymore with the strength drained from him. His thighs are shaking and his hips are twitching from the sheer force of Yibo’s thrusts. His abused hole is stretched and swollen, stuffed full with Yibo’s thick cock, yet his ears remain soft and relaxed, a clear sign of contentment and delight.
Despite the mess, Xiao Zhan feels warm, full, and blissfully satisfied. His body feels heavy with exhaustion, but his heart feels light with happiness.
A distant voice whispers from the back of his mind again, telling him that he has found his mate and a good father for his children.
When Xiao Zhan wakes up, it’s no longer raining.
The thin ray of sunlight filters through the blinds of the van window, stretching across the small bed where Xiao Zhan is curled under the blanket. It’s warm and the bed smells like Yibo, so Xiao Zhan snuggles against the pillow and pulls the blanket up to bury his nose into the fabric.
When he opens his eyes, however, the van is empty.
His ears tilt, trying to catch any distant sound that might tell him Yibo is nearby, but there’s nothing that sounds like anybody is lingering outside the van. There’s only the usual murmur of the forest in the morning.
He slowly pushes himself upright, only to wince when he feels the ache on his hips and the sore spots all over his body. The blanket slips from his shoulders and he looks down at his own body. His cheeks flush when he sees the bite marks and hickeys that are littered over his body from his collarbones, shoulders, chest, and even thighs.
The memories of last night’s intimacy hits him all at one, reminding him of the way Yibo held him, the heat of his touch, the low murmur of his voice, the way he moved his hips and pounded into him—
Xiao Zhan makes a small embarrassed sound, yet his tail twitches happily. He never knew it’s possible to feel so embarrassed yet happy at the same time.
After calming down from his flustered state, he glances around the van and finally sees a small piece of paper resting on the desk beside the bed. He reaches for it and reads Yibo’s messy handwriting on the note.
Sorry I had to go for a moment, need to check the traps after yesterday’s rain.
I made you a cup of tea, hope it’s still warm by the time you wake up.
Stay in the van and don’t go anywhere until I return. I won’t be long.
Xiao Zhan smiles and sets the paper down. He then reaches for the metal cup and takes a sip of the tea. It’s no longer hot, but there’s still enough warmth, which means Yibo hasn’t been gone for long.
After finishing the tea, he sets the empty cup back on the desk and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. When he stands up to his feet, he winces again at the ache on his hips, but still takes a step forward. His clothes are already folded neatly on a nearby seat, so he puts them on.
Once he’s dressed, he walks to one of the van windows and peeks through the blinds. Yibo did tell him to stay in the van, but it should be okay to be outside as long as he stays close to the van, right?
With that thought in mind, he walks to the door of the van and steps out. The morning sun is warm against his skin, yet the air feels cool after last night’s rain. Xiao Zhan lets out a relaxed sigh and takes a few steps forward, but then pauses as if noticing something.
He sniffs the air lightly, taking in the surrounding scents, and then drops his gaze to himself. He lifts the collar of his shirt up to his nose and inhales. Yibo’s scent still lingers, but there’s something else beneath it.
There's the smell of sweat. His sweat, specifically.
It’s not odd considering how much he was sweating last night, but the reason why he was sweating in the first place makes his cheeks flush again.
Xiao Zhan shakes the thoughts away and glances then toward the direction of the nearby river. Maybe he can take a quick wash before Yibo returns, just enough for him to at least not smell like sweat.
He turns back to the van and closes the door before walking towards the trees. His feet follow the familiar path and his ears follow the sound of water until he sees the flowing river ahead. He quickens his steps slightly, but as soon as he reaches the riverbank, he stops.
He inhales slowly, taking in the surrounding scents once again. He doesn’t usually catch any strong scents near flowing water since it tends to wash away any lingering scents, but he smells something right now.
It’s faint, but he catches the metallic scent of fresh blood lingering in the air.
His first thought is Yibo’s trap and the fake blood he used to lure his target, but Yibo wouldn’t place a trap this close to a water source. The risk of catching the wrong targets will be too big and Yibo isn’t that reckless.
This smells like real blood.
Curious and worried, he begins to follow the scent. He walks slowly and quietly, moving carefully along the edge of the riverbank. His ears stay alert, flicking toward every small sound around him.
Then he hears a rustle.
He pauses immediately and turns to look at a bush ahead. It’s rustling slightly, like something or someone is hiding behind it. The shadow behind it is half-obscured by branches and leaves. He can’t tell if it’s an animal, a person, or a hybrid.
He takes a careful step forward, trying to not startle whatever or whoever is hiding behind the bush.
Then, as if sensing his movement, the shadow suddenly moves. Xiao Zhan freezes as he watches the shadowy figure rise from behind the bush.
It’s a male hybrid, and young, most likely a teenager.
Xiao Zhan immediately notices something off about the young hybrid. His posture is rigid and his shoulders are tense, like a spring ready to snap. His breathing is fast and uneven, his pupils are blown wide, and his teeth are gritted.
The young hybrid is snarling, but it isn’t exactly the sound of anger. It sounds like he’s panicked and confused.
Xiao Zhan doesn’t dare to move as he watches the long striped tail swinging sharply behind the boy, a clear sign of aggression. This young tiger hybrid must be the one Yibo is looking for.
Xiao Zhan doesn’t know what to do. He has never handled a hybrid in this state before, a hybrid who’s so far gone into his animal instinct, so he has no idea how to calm the boy down. He tries to take a careful step back, but the young hybrid reacts instantly.
The tiger growls lowly, his shoulders squared and his teeth bared as his stance shifts into attack.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Xiao Zhan says quickly and lifts both hands slowly, showing his palms to the boy in a placating manner.
The young tiger stops growling, but his eyes are still locked on Xiao Zhan and his breathing is still uneven.
Xiao Zhan swallows, forcing himself to stay calm. His eyes move carefully to take in the appearance of the boy. His hair is messy with some strands sticking to his dirt-streaked face, his hands are scraped and dirty, and his torn clothes are hanging loosely on his thin frame.
Then he sees blood staining the side of the boy’s shirt. It must be where the smell comes from.
“You’re hurt.” Xiao Zhan gasps and steps forward without thinking, wanting to help the boy.
It’s the wrong move.
The tiger hybrid snarls loudly and lunges at him.
Xiao Zhan reacts on instinct. He throws his arms up and ducks his head, bracing for the impact, but it never comes. Another figure suddenly appears between them, colliding with the young hybrid and tackling him to the ground.
When Xiao Zhan opens his eyes, he sees Yibo trying to hold the young hybrid down on the ground, but it’s not that easy, even with Yibo’s bigger frame. The tiger thrashes violently, his claws flashing as he struggles wildly under the restraint.
Yibo jerks slightly when the sharp claws scratch his arm, tearing through the fabric of his shirt and his skin along. Blood starts welling from the claw marks and trickling down his arm.
“Yibo!” Xiao Zhan gasps and quickly steps over.
“Stay there!” Yibo shouts at him.
Xiao Zhan stops mid-step and stays there. His hands curl tightly at his sides, nails pressing into his palms as he bites his lip in worry.
The young tiger thrashes again and swings his other hand, scratching Yibo’s forearm with his claws this time. Yibo grunts, but he doesn’t let go. He doesn’t even strike back at the boy.
“Hey, hey, calm down.” Yibo says to the young hybrid. “No one’s hurting you. Do you hear me? No one’s hurting you.”
The tiger hybrid is still struggling and thrashing, still moving with panic and aggression. Yibo knows he can end this quickly. He has a taser at his belt which he can easily reach. He can make the boy go still just with one press, but he knows better.
This boy is scared and panicked, and pain will only confirm the fear that has been flooding his mind. The taser might make him stop for now, but once the effect wears off, he will get more violent and aggressive.
“Calm down. I’m not trying to hurt you.” Yibo lowers his voice, almost soft now.
He shifts just enough to bring himself closer to the boy, just enough for him to catch his scent. He doesn’t know if his scent is going to work since he’s not a full hybrid, but it’s worth the try. If this young tiger can smell that he’s really not a treat, maybe he can finally calm down.
The tiger hybrid growls and keeps struggling, muscles tensing as if preparing to lash out again, but then he pauses suddenly. The hybrid stares back into Yibo’s eyes and his breath begins to stutter. His panic is slowly replaced by confusion, and then recognition.
Yibo sees the exact moment the young tiger finally collapses. The tension leaves the boy’s body like a snapped thread, and then his body begins to shake. His growls are replaced by broken sobs as tears begin to spill from his eyes.
“You’re safe now.” Yibo says softly. “We’re here to help you.”
He carefully loosens his hold and pulls back slowly, but not all the way, just enough to give the young tiger some space and to watch for any sign of renewed panic. The boy doesn’t lash out again. Instead, he curls in on himself and wraps his arms around his own body as he sobs uncontrollably.
The young hybrid isn’t fighting anymore. He’s breaking down.
Seeing that, Xiao Zhan finally steps closer, careful not to startle the boy again. When he reaches them, he lowers himself to his knees beside the boy. His heart aches with sympathy as he watches the young tiger. He can’t help but to recall those poor kids in the illegal facility that he used to work for.
Xiao Zhan gently reaches out and places a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You’re okay now.”
The tiger hybrid flinches slightly at the touch, but doesn’t lash out. Instead, he peeks up at Xiao Zhan through his teary eyes, his expression crumpled and lost and hurt.
“Sorry…” The boy sobs out. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“It’s okay.” Xiao Zhan murmurs gently as he rubs the boy’s shoulder soothingly.
He then turns to look at Yibo who’s watching them quietly. Yibo’s eyes are still sharp with leftover adrenaline from earlier, but they soften immediately as soon as they land on Xiao Zhan. He nods lightly at the bunny, as if telling him that everything’s okay now.
Xiao Zhan nods back at Yibo before turning his attention to the crying boy in front of him.
Later, they manage to bring the young hybrid to the van.
The young hybrid is called Wu Lei, fourteen years old, and an experiment subject from an illegal facility who ran away during the chaos a week ago. He tried to run away with a group of friends when the facility was raided, but got separated on the way and ended up running to the forest until now.
He didn’t return to the city yet because he didn’t know if it was safe. He was lost, confused, and panicked. He felt like whatever those people had done to him in that facility also followed him out here.
When they give him some food, Wu Lei eats everything like he’s been starving for days, and he probably has. Wu Lei may have attacked a few people and animals throughout the week, but he didn’t kill anybody, and that is enough to prove that Wu Lei didn’t attack out of malice.
Afterward, they help Wu Lei to clean up, treat his wounds, and give him some clean clothes. Wu Lei doesn’t speak much through any of it, his gaze is still distant and his mind is still not fully present in the moment. But at least he doesn’t flinch and doesn’t fight them, and that alone is a good sign.
By noon, Wu Lei finally falls asleep on the small bed inside the van, more peaceful than anything they’ve seen from him so far.
While the young tiger is sleeping, the two of them sit by the side door of the van. Xiao Zhan has a first aid kit box on his lap while Yibo sits next to him, letting the bunny treat his arm and forearm.
“No need to look so worried. It’s not a deep wound.” Yibo says lightly.
“Still, there’s blood.” Xiao Zhan presses his lips as he wraps the bandage neatly.
“Thank you.” Yibo smiles softly.
Xiao Zhan glances up at Yibo before dropping his gaze again, a faint flush spreading across his cheeks as his ears flick lightly. Once he’s done, he smooths the bandage gently before asking. “Is there pain anywhere else?”
“No. I’m good.” Yibo shakes his head, but then his eyes narrow slightly when he looks at Xiao Zhan. “But I remember specifically telling you to stay in the van.”
Xiao Zhan freezes, his ears flicking nervously.
“What were you doing near the river?” Yibo asks, almost interrogating.
“I… I was just thinking of washing up…” Xiao Zhan fidgets with his fingers.
“To wash my scent away from your body?” Yibo raises a brow.
Xiao Zhan immediately flusters. “N-No! I mean—yes—but… just the sweat…”
“I’m just teasing you.” Yibo chuckles lightly, but the next time he speaks, his face turns serious. “But you know how dangerous that was if I didn’t get there in time.”
“…I’m sorry.” Xiao Zhan drops his gaze, his ears flattening on either side of his head.
Yibo stares at the bunny hybrid for a moment and then reaches out to cup Xiao Zhan’s face gently.
“I’m glad you’re not hurt.” He says softly.
Xiao Zhan looks up with doe eyes, cheeks still slightly pink. They stare at each other for a moment before leaning in until their lips meet in a soft kiss. The forest breeze brushes against their skin as they kiss, carrying the scent of damp soil and leaves.
When they part, Xiao Zhan blinks his dazed eyes a few times before glancing at the inside of the van where Wu Lei is sleeping soundly.
“So… what’s next?” He asks, making sure to keep his voice soft.
“I’ll report to my supervisor about him, and then they’ll decide whether to send a team out here to pick him up or have me bring him back to the city myself.” Yibo explains quietly.
Xiao Zhan nods, but his ears droop a little as he mutters. “…So you’ll be going back to the city too.”
Yibo stares at Xiao Zhan for a moment, his face thoughtful as if he’s weighing something in his mind, and then he speaks.
“Will you come with me?”
Xiao Zhan blink, his ears lifting slightly as he looks up.
“I want to be with you.” Yibo says, keeping their eyes connected. “I have an apartment. It’s not big, but it’s comfortable, and definitely enough space for two.”
Xiao Zhan’s eyes widen and his ears flick slightly. “You… want me to live with you?”
Yibo immediately realizes how creepy it sounds. He winces internally and rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you. You don’t have to decide now. You can also refuse if you want—”
“I want to.” Xiao Zhan blurts out and then drops his gaze shyly. “I want to live with you… if you allow me to…”
“Of course.” Yibo smiles. “Come back to the city with me.”
Xiao Zhan’s ears stand upright as a bright smile blooms across his face, his round tail twitching happily behind his back. Yibo smiles back at the bunny before turning over his shoulder to glance at Wu Lei.
Xiao Zhan follows Yibo’s gaze before moving his eyes back to the man. “How are you going to convince him to go back to the city? He’s traumatized and still very cautious.”
“I have an idea, but I’ll need time.” Yibo says thoughtfully.
“How much time?” Xiao Zhan tilts his head.
Yibo doesn’t answer immediately. He glances toward the inside of the van for a second before pulling his phone out. He types something on the screen before turning the screen toward Xiao Zhan.
Can you keep him occupied later after he wakes up? I need to contact the bureau. If he hears it, he might misunderstand and panic again.
Xiao Zhan reads the note and then nods his head. Wu Lei is sleeping inside, but it doesn’t fully erase the chance of him overhearing their conversation.
Yibo slips the phone back into his pocket and then shifts the topic. “Where did you used to live in the city?”
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick upright at the question before he answers. “I used to stay in the west district, near the universities.”
As the two of them chat softly by the door, Wu Lei slowly cracks his eyes open and watches them quietly.
Later in the afternoon, when Wu Lei finally wakes up, Xiao Zhan coaxes him to get out of the van.
Outside, Yibo is setting up the firewood to make a small bonfire for the evening. He also sets up a couple of folding chairs near the van for Xiao Zhan and Wu Lei to sit. The young tiger seems more comfortable with Xiao Zhan than he does with Yibo, probably because Xiao Zhan is a herbivore.
“What’s your favorite food?” Xiao Zhan asks with a smile.
Wu Lei shifts a little and glances down at his hands before answering. “Meatbun.”
Yibo watches them from the open door of the van. Wu Lei’s shoulders are still slightly hunched, but his tail is no longer swinging wildly. The boy is not completely relaxed yet, but at least he’s not on edge or frantic anymore. This is good progress.
As if sensing the stare, Xiao Zhan glances over his shoulder and their eyes meet. Yibo mouths something silently and points toward the inside of his van. When Xiao Zhan gives a small nod, Yibo steps back into the van and pulls the door closed.
Wu Lei’s ears twitch immediately at the sound of the door. He turns his head to look toward the van, eyes narrowing in alert.
“What about your favorite color?” Xiao Zhan asks quickly, trying to turn Wu Lei’s attention back to him.
Wu Lei stares at the van door for a second longer before turning his head back around and muttering his answer. “Blue.”
Xiao Zhan studies Wu Lei quietly, noticing the way the boy’s brows knit together in an almost thoughtful way. Wu Lei doesn’t seem anxious or panicked now. He seems deep in thought.
“What are you thinking about?” Xiao Zhan asks gently.
Wu Lei doesn’t answer right away. He glances over his shoulder toward the van again before finally looking at Xiao Zhan.
“Is that guy your mate?” Wu Lei asks bluntly.
Xiao Zhan’s ears shoot upright and then flick rapidly, completely giving him away as his cheeks turn red.
“N-No.” He blurts out, only to stumble over his own words right after. “I mean… not no, but… we haven’t— we’re not—”
While Xiao Zhan is flustered, Wu Lei just stares at him with a flat expression, looking uninterested.
“He’s not a human, right?” Wu Lei asks.
The question calms Xiao Zhan a little. His ears settle, though they still twitch slightly.
“He’s half hybrid and half human.” Xiao Zhan says.
Wu Lei’s eyes widen slightly in realization before he mutters to himself. “That’s why I smelled carnivore from him…”
“Yibo is… a good person.” Xiao Zhan nods with a small smile curling on his lips. “He works with the bureau because he wants to help hybrids live safely and have a better life.”
Wu Lei drops his gaze instead and mutters again. “I hurt many people. I don’t know if I deserve a good life.”
“It’s not your fault, Wu Lei. You were scared and confused. You attacked because you thought they were going to hurt you like how those people hurt you.” Xiao Zhan says gently. “Those people in the facility… What they did to you was wrong and you didn’t deserve any of it.”
Wu Lei presses his lips as he listens to Xiao Zhan’s words, his ears slowly pulling back.
“…I hope my friends are okay.” Wu Lei mumbles.
Xiao Zhan hesitates for a moment, but then decides to tell the boy. “They were rescued from the facility last week. The bureau took them in. They’re safe and recovering now.”
Wu Lei goes still, but his ears perk up.
“Once they get better, they’ll be able to go to school. The bureau has rescued a lot of young hybrids and sent them to school before.” Xiao Zhan adds.
Wu Lei doesn’t say anything, his gaze still lowered, but his shoulders seem to relax slightly. Xiao Zhan watches the young hybrid for a moment and then nudges the conversation forward.
“What do you want to study if you can go to school? What do you want to be when you grow up?” He asks.
Wu Lei’s gaze drifting somewhere far away, like he’s trying to picture something he hasn’t thought about in a long time.
“I… want to cook delicious food.” Wu Lei says softly.
“You want to be a chef?” Xiao Zhan’s face lights up with a smile.
Wu Lei glances at him just briefly before looking away again. “…Sort of.”
They continue talking after that, slowly and gently. Xiao Zhan does most of the asking, keeping the questions light and casual, the questions that are safe to answer without triggering the boy. Wu Lei replies shortly at first, but slowly, his replies change into a full sentence instead of just a word or two.
After nearly half an hour, the van door opens.
Xiao Zhan turns his head immediately, his face lighting up as Yibo steps out and walks over to them.
“Mind if I join?” Yibo asks.
Wu Lei looks up at him, his ears pulling back slightly in caution. He’s not showing aggression, but it’s clear that there’s wariness.
Yibo studies the young hybrid for a moment and then asks. “Are you cautious because I’m human or because I’m a fellow carnivore?”
Wu Lei blinks, caught off guard by the question. He opens his mouth, then closes it again, as if unsure how to answer. After a few seconds, he finally mutters. “I know you’re not fully human, but… you look like one.”
Yibo hums thoughtfully before asking another question. “Do you think all humans are evil?”
“No.” Wu Lei answers with no hesitation, which surprises both of them. “When I was in the orphanage… the humans there were kind.”
Yibo and Xiao Zhan exchange a glance as if sharing the same thought before looking back at Wu Lei.
“Do you want to tell us about it?” Xiao Zhan asks gently.
Wu Lei goes quiet. For a moment, it seems like he might not answer, but then he starts telling them about how he was raised in an orphanage in the city. He tells them about how he liked to sneak into the kitchen until the caretakers eventually let him help. He tells them about how he learned a little cooking and how the caretakers told him that he was good at it.
Both Yibo and Xiao Zhan listen attentively to Wu Lei’s story, sharing a glance and a quiet smile now and then.
When the night falls, the three of them sit around the small bonfire with the warm glow from the fire flickering over their faces.
Wu Lei sits slightly forward on his chair, his elbows resting on his knees as he stares into the flames. Xiao Zhan watches the young tiger for a moment and then turns his head toward Yibo, giving him a small questioning look. He knows Yibo made the call earlier in the afternoon when he was keeping Wu Lei occupied with talks, but he doesn’t know what came of it.
Yibo meets his eyes and as if reading his thoughts, he gives him a thumbs up. Xiao Zhan is still curious, but it’s enough of an answer for now.
Then, as if perfectly timed, Yibo’s phone suddenly vibrates in his pocket. Wu Lei twitches slightly at the sound and then turns his head to Yibo.
Yibo pulls his phone out, looks at the screen, and immediately stands up from his seat. Xiao Zhan watches Yibo walk away to stand behind his van and take the call. He makes sure that Yibo is out of sight before turning back to Wu Lei.
“Do you want to sleep in the van tonight?” He asks, wanting to pull Wu Lei’s attention to him.
“There’s only one bed.” Wu Lei shakes his head lightly.
“I live in a small settlement nearby. Other hybrids stay there too. You can sleep there tonight if you feel more comfortable.” He offers.
Wu Lei doesn’t get to answer before Yibo returns with the phone in his hand, still on a call.
“Wu Lei.” Yibo calls out and hands the phone to the boy. “They want to talk to you.”
Wu Lei is confused for a moment, but the moment his gaze lands on the phone screen, his eyes widen and his breath hitches immediately. He snatches the phone from Yibo’s hand and holds it tightly with both hands.
“Wu Lei! You’re alive! Are you alright??” A young female fox hybrid appears on the screen, her eyes bright and her tail wagging behind her.
“Wu Lei!!” A female squirrel hybrid, just as excited, leans into the frame.
“Xueying… Jinmai…” Wu Lei murmurs, his voice shaking as he stares at his two friends. “Are you guys alright?”
“Yes, we’re alright! The people from the bureau took care of us!” The fox hybrid, Xueying, nods quickly.
“They called us earlier today. They said they found you in the forest, so we wanted to see you!” The squirrel hybrid, Jinmai, bounces on her feet.
Wu Lei’s lips curl into a smile, small at first, and then it grows wider into a grin. Before he can say anything else, a male’s voice cuts in from off-screen.
“Is that Wu Lei? Hey, let me talk to him!”
A moment later, a young wolf hybrid squeezes into view.
“Lei Lei! Goddamnit, you scared me to death when we couldn’t find you!” The wolf hybrid scolds him, yet his face is a look of relief.
“You’re still as loud as ever, Chengcheng.” Wu Lei laughs for the first time after what feels like a very long time.
Xiao Zhan watches the interaction before whispering to Yibo. “Is this part of your plan that you told me about?”
“We might not be able to convince him, but his friends might.” Yibo nods, eyes still on Wu Lei who’s not chatting animatedly with his friends.
On the video call, more faces behind to crowd the screen. One after another, the young hybrids lean into view, all trying to see and talk to Wu Lei. They’re calling his name, asking if he’s okay, and telling him that they’ve been worried sick.
“We all came here as soon as they told us you'd been found!” Someone says from the back.
“Some of us didn’t believe it, so we asked for a video call!” Another hybrid says while squeezing himself into the frame.
Wu Lei laughs with tears trickling down his cheeks, but he doesn’t bother to wipe them. He’s just happy and relieved to see all his friends alive and well, and even missing him.
“Come with us, Lei Lei. We’ll be waiting for you.”
“I will.” Wu Lei nods with a smile.
The call goes on for a little longer, filled with more chatter and laughter, and then it finally ends. Wu Lei sniffles and wipes his tears away before handing the phone back to Yibo.
“Thank you.” He mutters.
“Your friends surely miss you.” Yibo hums and takes the phone in his hand. “Will it be okay if some people from the bureau come here tomorrow to pick you up?”
Wu Lei thinks about it for a moment before looking up. “Can one of my friends come with them? Just one of them is fine.”
Yibo smiles and then ruffles Wu Lei’s hair lightly. “I’ll make that happen.”
Xiao Zhan watches the interaction, feeling his chest growing warm at the sight.
Later, when the night gets late and the bonfire has burned down to glowing embers, the three of them stand just outside the van as they try to figure out where to sleep.
“The van only has one proper bed, but I can always sleep on the front seat.” Yibo shrugs lightly.
Xiao Zhan immediately shakes his head. “I can walk back to the settlement to sleep.”
“Then I’ll walk you back.” Yibo says.
“It’s already late.” Xiao Zhan shakes his head again. “I can walk on my own.”
“It’s dangerous. I can’t let you walk alone in the forest at this late hour.” Yibo frowns.
“It’s fine.” Xiao Zhan says.
“It’s not.” Yibo argues.
While the two of them quietly argue back and forth, Wu Lei’s gaze shifts between them as his long tail flicks in mild annoyance.
“I’ll sleep on a tree nearby. I like sleeping on trees anyway.” Wu Lei says, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
They stop and turn to look at him. Yibo blinks while Xiao Zhan looks a little surprised.
“I won’t run. I already promised my friends I’m coming with them.” Wu Lei shrugs.
Yibo studies the boy for a moment and then nods. “I guess that works.”
“Good night, Wu Lei.” Xiao Zhan says.
“Good night.” Wu Lei replies shortly before turning around and walking to one of the nearby trees. With a swift movement, he climbs up until he’s perched comfortably on a sturdy branch at the top.
Yibo and Xiao Zhan watch Wu Lei for a moment, making sure he’s steady, and then turn to look at each other. They share a quiet smile before finally entering the van and closing the door behind them.
Inside the van, they sit side by side on the edge of the bed.
“The bureau will send a team tomorrow to pick Wu Lei up. Two of his friends are coming with them.” Yibo says.
“That’s good.” Xiao Zhan nods.
Yibo stares at Xiao Zhan for a moment before continuing a little more carefully. “I also told them about the settlement.”
Xiao Zhan looks at him, his ears twitching slightly at that.
“Would it be okay if the bureau sends some hybrid agents to check on the place? Talk to the people there?” Yibo asks.
Xiao Zhan looks down at his hands, thinking it through, and then speaks. “I can try talking to them, but not everyone will want to leave that place. Some of them don’t have anywhere else to go, and some of them don’t want to go back to the city.”
“That settlement is unregistered. There are most likely undocumented hybrids staying there too.” Yibo says with a slight frown. “It will be safer if the bureau keeps an eye on them.”
“They come from different places and most of them don’t feel accepted anywhere else.” Xiao Zhan hums.
“I want to help them. The bureau does too.” Yibo says, his eyes shining with determination.
Xiao Zhan stares into those eyes and nods his head. “I’ll try talking to them tomorrow after Wu Lei is picked up.”
“Alright, let’s do it tomorrow.” Yibo nods in agreement.
There’s a pause before Xiao Zhan speaks again. “Will you come with me?”
“I can walk you there, but I don’t think they’ll want to listen to me.”
Xiao Zhan takes Yibo’s hand with his own and squeezes it gently. “You should try, because you’re the one who can connect both sides.”
Yibo stares back into Xiao Zhan’s gentle eyes before smiling softly. “Okay.”
Xiao Zhan smiles brightly at the answer. When Yibo leans in, he closes his eyes and lets their lips meet in a soft kiss.
The next morning, they take Wu Lei to the edge of the forest where there’s an asphalt road leading to the city.
Wu Lei stands still as he stares at the open road, his tail swaying nervously as he waits. Xiao Zhan watches the young tiger quietly, his own heart pounding with nerves. Somehow, he’s also nervous about this even though Wu Lei is the one who’s being picked up.
Yibo is standing at the side, looking at the road ahead and glancing at his phone as if waiting for a cue. After a few minutes, he glances at his phone again before announcing. “They’re almost here.”
Xiao Zhan’s ears perk up and tilt toward the distant sound. “Oh, I hear it.”
The sound of a vehicle approaching grows louder. Wu Lei stiffens, his entire body going alert as he turns toward the sound. The black van appears moments later before slowing to a stop not far from them.
There's a few seconds of stillness before the back door of the van slides open.
“Lei Lei!”
Two figures run out of the van, one with fox ears bouncing as she runs and one with a squirrel tail flicking happily behind her. Wu Lei’s face changes in an instant. The tension melts away completely at the sight of his two friends.
“Xueying! Jinmai!” He runs toward them.
They collide in a tight hug, laughter and cries mixing together. The fox hybrid cups Wu Lei’s face while the squirrel hybrid fusses over the scratches on his arms. Wu Lei laughs through it, his eyes already glistening with tears.
A moment later, two bureau agents step out of the van, both hybrids. They look at Yibo before raising a hand in greeting, which Yibo returns with a small nod.
“It’s handled. We can go now.” Yibo says to Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan takes a last look at Wu Lei who’s smiling happily before nodding his head and turning around. They step back towards the forest, their hands finding each other instinctively as if it’s the most natural thing to do.
Just after taking a few steps, Wu Lei calls out to them.
“Wait!”
They both turn to see the young tiger jogging towards them. Wu Lei stops in front of them, glancing briefly between the two before bowing his head. “Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome. We’re just glad you’re safe.” Xiao Zhan smiles gently.
Wu Lei lifts his head and then looks at Yibo. He presses his lips, hesitating for a moment, but then speaks. “Will I see you again? At the bureau?”
Yibo blinks, a little surprised by the question, but then smiles at the boy. “Yeah, I’ll be back in a few days after I finish things here. You’ll see me around.”
Wu Lei seems satisfied by the answer. He nods his head before turning around and jogging back toward the van where his friends are waiting. The bureau agent opens the door and the three kids enter the van one by one.
Yibo and Xiao Zhan watch for a moment longer before walking into the forest, their hands still intertwined. They can hear the van driving away, finally taking Wu Lei to safety with his other friends.
“Are you going to pack your things once we get to the settlement?” Yibo asks after walking for a while.
“I’ll talk to everyone first about the bureau coming to visit, and then I’ll say goodbye, pack my things, and go to the city with you.” Xiao Zhan nods. “I don’t have many things to pack anyway.”
“You don’t have to rush, you know. If you want to stay here a bit longer, you can. I’ll still be around.” Yibo says.
“It’s okay. I can always come back here anytime.” Xiao Zhan nods again before continuing. “And besides…”
When Xiao Zhan’s voice trails off, Yibo turns his head to look at him. “Besides…?”
Xiao Zhan’s ears pull back slightly as a faint flush spreads across his cheeks.
“I want to… um… get a check-up and maybe a pregnancy test… in the city.” Xiao Zhan mutters softly as he drops his gaze.
Yibo halts his steps.
Xiao Zhan also stops with him, his ears flattening against his head now. He squeezes Yibo’s hand in his hold, but he doesn’t dare to look at the man yet.
“I-I’ve been keeping track of the dates on the calendar and there's a low chance of pregnancy, but… I just want to be sure… since we did it so many times that night…” Xiao Zhan’s voice turns smaller at each word, completely flustered.
For a second, there’s only silence between them, and then Yibo squeezes the bunny’s hand gently.
“I’ll take you to the hospital as soon as we reach the city.” Yibo says reassuringly.
Xiao Zhan finally looks up at him, his cheeks still red and his ears still flattened shyly.
Yibo stares at Xiao Zhan for a moment before speaking again. “Though… is it okay if we head back to the city tomorrow instead of today?”
“Of course.” Xiao Zhan nods, though there’s curiosity in his eyes. “Do you still have something to do tonight?”
“Not really, I was just thinking of breeding you full again tonight.” Yibo says casually, yet his lips seem to curve into a teasing smirk.
Xiao Zhan’s ears flick wildly in every direction as his face heats up. The flush from his cheeks even spreads all the way down to his neck.
Yibo chuckles lightly, amused by the honest reaction. He tugs Xiao Zhan’s hand gently to pull him forward again. “Come on.”
And just like that, they continue walking side by side with Xiao Zhan’s ears still flicking wildly.