Chapter Text
“Everything is tagged. No blood to worry about.”
Felix nodded, relieved that he wouldn’t need to be navigating anything too gory. Most of his assignments were, it was the nature of the job, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed it. “What happened?”
The cop shrugged. It was early, he’d likely been at the scene since the middle of the night. “Drugs. Don’t worry about the details.”
Felix pulled on his gloves, his shoe covers, and then gestured his camera. “Shouldn’t be too long, I’ll let—”
”Eh, take your time. Scene’s secure. We’re getting breakfast.”
It wasn’t unusual. All things considered, this had been a quiet bust. No crying witnesses, no resistance. The neighborhood around them moved like normal. They weren’t supposed to leave Felix alone, but they made exceptions.
He didn’t mind. He worked better without people breathing down his neck.
The cop let him in, refastened the police tape line over the front door, and then left.
For a moment Felix just surveyed the scene. A small one bedroom apartment. A few numbered tags on the floor, the tables. Drug paraphernalia, mostly. Though they’d also tagged a pair of shoes by the front door. He didn’t know what made them relevant, but it wasn’t his job to ask questions. Instead he got started, careful not to touch anything, and started collecting his shots.
All things considered, he was a photographer. Just not like he’d dreamed he’d be. Ironic.
He moved from the entryway into the kitchen, all around the main living space, and then at last to the bedroom. He squatted down to take a shot of some white residue on the floor, then lined his ruler up beside a shard of glass near the closet. He was nearly done, and this was his only assignment for the day. He thought maybe—
Thump.
Felix straightened. “Hello?”
Nothing. If someone working the scene had come in, they should’ve identified themselves. He let his camera drop against his stomach and grabbed his ID badge instead. He wasn’t police, but he was cleared to be here. Contracted by the—
Thump.
This time he stood. The sound wasn’t coming from the doorway. It was too close. He would’ve speculated it was the neighbors, but this room was on the corner of the building, the top floor.
Slowly, dread pooling in his stomach the whole time, his gaze shifted over to the closet. The door was open, but it was a large closet, filled to the brim with boxes and heaps of clothing. A real mess. Maybe an animal had gotten inside? He should make note of it and tell the lead investigator. Nothing in the closet was tagged. He had no business looking closer.
But… He was curious. That was half the reason he’d ended up in this job.
He fixed his gloves and stepped closer. He made a kissy sound, hoping to coax out whatever was in there. A cat, maybe? Criminals could still have pets, after all. But how would it have gone missed by the others?
Lazy bastards, he thought. Just like them not to give the closet a thorough search.
“Kitty?” He called softly. He stepped inside, barely able to navigate around the piles of junk.
And then one of the piles let out a low, nearly imperceptible whine.
Felix smiled softly. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I got you.” He pulled off a layer of blankets from the pile, then nudged aside a cardboard box. There were still some things, but he could see a bit of wire caging.
He felt a little sick at the sight of it. Had someone locked their pet up and then piled a bunch of shit on top of the cage? Fucking insane.
He slung his camera around onto his back and used both hands to move things. Another box. A vacuum. And then, at last, the shape of a large cage came into view, obscured only by one ratty towel hung over the front of it. “There you are,” he said. He smiled. This would count as his good deed of the day. He’d free the poor animal and let the officers know someone would need to bring it to a shelter.
Felix tugged away the towel. He went rigid.
There, inside of a large dog crate, was a person. But — not a person. Judging by the fluffy gray ears protruding from his hair and the dog tail clutched in his hands, it was a hybrid.
Dog tail?
No. This was no run of the mill dog hybrid. The teeth gave it away. Barred fangs. Dog hybrids were bred specially to be non aggressive, to have average human-sized canines.
This was a wolf.
Felix flinched backwards and fell onto his ass, a surprised squeak forced out of him. The sudden movement sent the wolf cowering to the back of the cage, ears flat in his hair, eyes wide. Still, though, his teeth were out, though it seemed a pretty weak attempt at intimidation. After all, he was in a dog cage. And, even more, was muzzled. A wire frame covered the lower half of his face. Even if he escaped, biting would be impossible.
Felix relaxed only slightly, his chest heaving. “Holy shit,” he whispered. He turned to the closet door, for once wishing the cops had stuck around. How had they missed this? Wolf hybrids were illegal, were considered contraband. Possessing one was a felony offense.
He pulled out his phone.
“Please don’t.” The voice was barely above a whisper. Cracked and weak.
Felix paused, looked again into the cage. The wolf was staring at him, ears pinned to his head, hands making fists around his tail. He’d put his fangs away, at least. The cage wasn’t tall enough for him to sit upright, so instead he was curled around his knees, head ducked.
“I’m calling the police back,” Felix said. He managed to keep his voice even. He wasn’t in danger. The wolf was secured. “They’ll know what to do with you.”
“They’ll put me down.” The wolf sniffed loudly, then pushed at the muzzle with one hand.
Felix winced. It was possible, yes. That or they’d lock him up with the other predators. He wasn’t sure which was worse.
The wolf slowly unfolded from his little ball and crawled back to the front of the cage. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts and a thick collar. His skin was ghostly pale. “Please.”
The more Felix saw the worse he felt. Everything about this screamed mistreatment. The wolf’s hair was greasy and tangled, the fur on his tail visibly matted. And the bruises. Swollen, purple splotches on one side of his face, on his ribs, his wrists. His lip was split and scabbed over, a bit of dried blood still on his chin.
Felix understood the system. He’d worked alongside it for long enough. He knew that this situation would be deemed messy and difficult. A wolf from conditions like this would likely be labeled as feral and past saving. Even if that wasn’t completely true, it would save a whole lot of time and money to just put him down.
Calling the police right now would be a death sentence. Felix would be the reason this hybrid died.
For a moment they stared at each other, Felix’s phone still clutched in his hand. The cynical part of him wanted to not care. A wolf hybrid was dangerous. It shouldn’t exist in the first place. But, simultaneously, his voice was so soft, so gentle. And he was begging for his life.
Felix slid his phone back into his pocket. He was being stupid and irrational. “If I open the door are you going to attack me?”
The wolf shook his head quickly. “I’m not dangerous, I promise. I obey.”
I obey.
Felix didn’t have time to unpack that one. He gave a careful nod. He glanced around the closet, found the nearest heap of clothing, and dug through it. He found a winter hat and a stained t-shirt. Good enough. He pushed them through the bars. “Put them on.”
The wolf nodded, immediately tugging the shirt on and then the hat. He looked nearly human now. Even reached behind and tucked his tail into the shorts.
“The muzzle stays,” Felix said. He swallowed thickly. He was going to lose his fucking job. He was going to go to prison. “I don’t live far. We’ll figure it out there, okay?”
The wolf nodded.
Felix reached forward for the latch. It wasn’t even locked. Why wasn’t it locked? “If you try anything, I mean anything—“
“I won’t.” And something in the wolf’s big, watery eyes felt sincere. Or maybe Felix was just a softie.
He undid the latch. But nothing happened.
The door swung open. No barrier between them, now. And yet the wolf just stared.
Felix gestured a bit stupidly. “Well?”
The wolf gave a pained whining sound. “I’m not supposed to— Unless—“ He reached up and pushed at the muzzle again. “You need to—“
”What?” Felix looked over his shoulder into the apartment. The others would be back soon. He didn’t have time for this.
The wolf stuck a hand out of the cage only to snatch it back inside. He shook his head, his expression pained. “I’m not supposed to. I can’t. You need to—“
”What do I need to do?”
“Say the words. Say I can.”
Felix’s eyebrows furrowed. How long had this hybrid been here? How long had he been in that cage? “You can,” he tried. But the wolf shook his head. His body was trembling slightly, like the effort of keeping himself caged was killing him. “Out? Free?”
Nothing. If anything, the wolf was becoming more distressed. He pawed at the muzzle, then the collar. His breaths were coming fast. Again, he tried to exit, only to pull back inside as if the closet floor had burned him.
“Tell me what to say.” Felix looked again into the bedroom. He thought he’d hear if the front door opened, but what if he missed it? “Calm down.”
”Chan,” the wolf said at last. He sucked in a wheezing, strangled breath. “Chan come. Chan come.”
Felix blinked. This had to be some sort of weird dream. “Chan,” he said slowly. That had to be the wolf’s name, then. “Come.”
Immediately, Chan scrambled out of the crate. He moved to stand but his legs buckled beneath him. Instead he stretched out, warmed his joints back up, and then tried again. This time, he managed.
Felix moved back into the bedroom. It was one thing to look at Chan in the cage, but now? He was clearly strong. Weakened from captivity, likely underfed, but still strong. After all, there was a reason predators weren’t allowed to be personally owned.
If Chan decided he wanted Felix dead, there wouldn’t be a thing Felix could do to stop him. Even with the muzzle on.
But Chan did not attack. Instead he stood, a very small, tentative smile on his mouth. It looked strange behind the wire frame of the muzzle. “Thank you.” He ducked his head, shoulders curled forward. “I’ll do anything to repay you. Anything.”
Felix’s mouth dropped open. “Um. Okay.” What the fuck? “Let’s just leave. And don’t let anyone see the muzzle, got it? Head down. Or else.”
“Yes, sir.”
Felix frowned. “Don’t call me that. Ew.”
Chan’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I’m so stupid, I didn’t—“
”It’s fine. Just call me Felix, okay?”
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
It turned out getting Chan home was the easy part. He kept his head down as instructed, followed a close step behind Felix, hands clasped behind his back. No one paid them a second glance.
But now they were here. In Felix’s tiny studio apartment. There was a wolf hybrid in his apartment.
Oh, god.
Chan was just standing by the front door. He’d taken the hat off, so his ears could be free, and now wrung it in his hands. Seemingly waiting for instruction.
As if Felix knew what to do.
“Chan,” Felix said after a moment of staring. “How long were you in that cage?”
”I’m not sure,” Chan said quietly. “Master would let me out sometimes.”
”Sometimes?”
”When he wanted something.”
Felix didn’t ask him to elaborate. “When’s the last time you took a shower?” That was a nicer way to phrase it. What he really wanted to say was that Chan smelled awful.
But, instead of answering, Chan just cocked his head to one side. “Shower?” He repeated.
“You know. Like, a bath. To get clean.”
Still, his head remained tipped to one side, ears alert. “You mean the hose?”
”I guess. Why don’t you go clean up, and I’ll make some breakfast.”
Chan nodded eagerly, but did not move.
Felix gestured towards the bathroom door. “Go ahead. In there.”
Chan’s expression twisted a little in confusion, but he obeyed anyways. Took a few slow steps towards the bathroom door, eyes on Felix the whole time. When he touched the knob he waited for a nod before twisting it.
That taken care of, Felix headed over to his tiny kitchen to start some rice. He wasn’t sure what hybrids ate, but hoped that human food was good enough. Either way, he was famished. He’d headed out the door this morning without even coffee in his system. He rinsed the rice and set the maker off to the side, then opened the fridge to see what he had. He was in desperate need of a grocery run. Maybe—
Felix paused. It’d been a few minutes, and yet the water wasn’t running. What was Chan doing in there?
Felix looked back to the bathroom door, a fresh wave of fear washing over him. Was there anything in there that could be used as a weapon? Or that could pry off the muzzle? He didn’t think so, but maybe one of the towel racks, if snapped in half, would be sharp enough to cut through those leather straps.
It flashed through his brain. A sick vision of his own body laid out on the floor, bite marks on his neck and face, as some other crime scene photographer snapped his photo.
“Chan?” He crept closer. “You need anything?” Pathetically, he wielded one of his kitchen spoons in his hand. His grip was shaking. “I’m gonna come in, Chan.”
He nudged the door open with his foot. It swung open on creaking hinges.
Immediately, Felix relaxed.
Chan sat in the bathtub, completely naked, an expectant look on his face. Muzzle and collar still on.
Felix sighed and tossed aside the spoon. “What are you doing?”
”Waiting.” Chan gave a nervous smile. “Aren’t you getting the hose?”
”No, dummy.” Felix walked over and twisted the knob, starting up the shower. “You just turn it on. It’s a shower. See?”
Chan flinched under the water, which must’ve come out cold. “Oh.” He ducked his face away, letting the water hit the top of his head. “Thank you.”
Felix opened his cabinet and fished out a bottle of body wash and some shampoo, then stuck them on the edge of the tub. “Soap. Have at it.”
But Chan merely sat. He looked especially pathetic, now. Wet hair plastered to his face, his ears folded down. He didn’t make a move to wash himself. Just sat. Arms around his knees. Bruised ribs on display.
Felix tried to leave. He tried not to care. But it was just so pathetic. “Fine.” He knelt beside the tub and stuck his hand under the spray. Freezing cold. He reached over and twisted the knob until the water warmed, then picked up the shampoo. “Let’s—“
But Chan recoiled suddenly, fell back against the tub and shielded himself with an arm. “It’s hot, Felix, it’s hot, it’s—“
The water was still comfortably warm, but Felix adjusted it a little anyway. Maybe wolves were sensitive? “Is that better?”
Chan stayed curled up, hands covering his face. After a moment he peeked from behind them. “Better?” He repeated.
Felix nodded. “It’s supposed to feel good. Nice and warm.”
Chan’s face twisted in confusion. Carefully, he put a hand out under the spray and contemplated it. “It won’t get hot again?”
“Not unless you want it to.”
”Oh.” He maneuvered himself back to the center of the tub.
“You’ve never had a warm shower?”
Chan shook his head. “Master just used the hose on me. He said it only came out cold.”
Felix’s stomach rolled. “Well, that’s fucked up.” He squirted some shampoo into his hand and reached out. Chan flinched away from his hand. “Just gonna wash your hair,” Felix said. “Can I do that?”
Chan frowned, like the concept was foreign to him, but then gave a tiny nod.
Carefully, giving him plenty of time to pull away again, Felix settled his hand into Chan’s hair. He began massaging the shampoo in, though was immediately met by thick matts and tangles. Chans’ hair wasn’t very long, but it was choppy. Felix got the idea that whoever master was had been cutting matts out and leaving it at that.
Chan’s whole body was rigid and stiff, his eyes squeezed shut. It was like he expected this to hurt.
“Gonna do your ears,” Felix murmured. He shielded the inside from the suds and lathered the fur around them. He’d known a few hybrids in passing, but had never touched one. He’d never thought about what the ears might feel like. Despite Chan’s condition, his fur was still soft. His ears would probably look adorably fluffy once clean.
He guided Chan’s head back under the water to rinse, then grabbed a washcloth for the body wash. This part would be…harder.
Up close, under the fluorescent shine of his bathroom lights, Felix could see the full damage done. Chan wasn’t just bruised. He was scraped, cut, and welted. His back was patterned over with scars, some old and faded, some newer. One of them was still scabbed and oozing.
Felix ran a finger along one of the scars. “What happened?”
Chan’s head ducked down even further. “Was bad.”
Felix traced his finger over to a cluster of circular burns on his shoulder, then up to his neck. The collar was a thick leather, the buckle secured with a padlock. Felix lifted the leather a bit to peer under it. The skin there was chafed red and raw.
“Were you…” Felix swallowed. Despite the fact that he saw blood and injuries on a weekly basis, this was still a bit shocking. “Were you bad a lot?”
Chan nodded again. “I’ll behave for you,” he whispered. “I promise.”
Felix dropped the collar. He chose not to acknowledge that last bit. “Let me know if this stings.”
He washed Chan up best he could, doing his best to avert his eyes from anything below Chan’s naval, and took extra care lathering his tail. Then he tossed over a towel and told him to stay put while he found some clothes that might fit.
But the moment he stepped into his closet, which was the closest thing to privacy right now, he released a big, sobbing breath. He wasn’t going to cry, he never cried, but the pressure needed to go somewhere. He stood for a moment, heaving big breaths in and out, until his system felt somewhat regulated.
Then, unsure what else to do, he pulled out his phone.
Felix [08:23]
holy fuck Hyunjin
i messed up