Feral - Hybrid!Taehyung x Reader

Chapter Ten - Runaway

Your life had changed even more once Joy came into it, you were now woken by two hybrids every morning, one holding you tight and the other snuggled into your side, her little tail curled around your leg. Your bed was barely big enough and most nights Taehyung had taken to sleeping directly on top of you. He wasn't going to lie, he was slightly jealous of all the attention that Joy got but he was distracted as soon as she ran over, plopping into his lap or nuzzling her nose against his.

He was growing attached to her as he knew you were too, but the amount of affection that he received was decreasing with each flick of her cute little ears and he was starting to think that maybe you didn't love him as much anymore. Or maybe, you didn't love him at all anymore. 

His ears drooped at the thought, not that you noticed. You were currently asleep with Joy, her head resting on your chest and your arms wrapped around her. He remembered how, when he was adopted by his old master, all of their other hybrids had pitied him. Told him that he should enjoy the attention, even if it was bad. Because once they replace you with a newer, younger hybrid, you're shoved into the shadows. 

Tears leaked out of his eyes at the realization that this was him being replaced. He had made plenty of mistakes when you had taken him in, dropping that plate, making you cry, the memories all flooded back to him and had his chest convulsing, taking in too much oxygen. He saw you stirring, didn't want to make yet another mistake by waking you, so he jumped up off the couch, racing up the stairs. He shut the door of your room behind him, running over to the closet. He took his favorite top, a light brown sweater that you had gifted him that still smelled of you, slipping it on instead of his white t-shirt. He left his jeans as they were, taking a sticky note from the bedside table as he'd seen you do so many times to remind yourself of things. He took a pen, hand still shaky as he wrote the few words he knew how to write that conveyed how grateful he was for you.

'Taehyung love Y/N. Taehyung go. Thank you for home.'

He slapped the brightly colored square of paper onto your pillow, tiptoeing downstairs so as not to wake you. He walked forwards, leaning down and kissing the tip of your nose before heading for the front. He unlocked the door, slipping outside and cringing at the cold air that greeted him. He wanted to turn back, wanted to slide into your arms, into your warmth and curl up beside you, but he knew from his friends' warnings that things could only get worse from here on out.

He ran through the streets, avoiding bumping into people like they were the plague. He remembered the one time that he bumped into his old master while passing, that had earned him his hands on the hot grill and no food for a week. His ears were stuffed under a hat that he had taken from you, a black beanie and he told himself that the moment he was able to steal one from the store to cover up his ears, he'd drop yours back on your doorstep. He'd already taken too much from you.

He found a vacant alleyway, dead ending at a chain link fence and curled up behind a large black dumpster, reeking of rotting food. His nose scrunched at the smell, wanting your home cooked food, but now that he was on his own, this was what he had to eat. He found an old newspaper, slightly stained with something that smelled like the coffee you always had in the morning. He wrapped it around himself, shielding himself from the cold weather, a few tears sliding down his cheeks.

You blinked your eyes open, smiling at the little girl still sound asleep on your chest. You noticed that Taehyung had moved from the couch and your smile fell, not knowing where he would have gone. You got up, putting Joy on the couch and covering her with a blanket. You ascended the stairs, turning the corner to your room, fully expecting Taehyung to be nestled in your sheets. But he wasn't and you panicked slightly, before seeing the post-it on your pillow. You grabbed it, tears staining the paper and ink running slightly as you took in the words. Your heart dropped as you realized that he was gone, that he had run away. 

Your hands shook slightly as you dropped to the floor, sobs wracking your body. You had felt guilty before, knowing that Joy, as a toddler, required lots of attention. Taehyung though, was special to you. You knew that he also needed affection and attention, but you had been too caught up in the whirlwind that was the past few days to provide for him. He must have thought that you didn't love him anymore, that you didn't care. 

You stood, still shaking with sobs as you pulled on a coat. You picked Joy up, loading her into a carseat that you had leftover from when your friend had you babysit a few months ago. You strapped her in, climbing into the front seat and pealing out of the driveway. You drove into the city, along roads on the worse side of town to see if you could find Taehyung. He wasn't anywhere visible and you dreaded to think that he might have been taken. You noticed a group of boys, appearing to be beating something up. You slammed on the brakes, waking Joy up in the process.

"Y/N? Where are we?"

"Joy, honey, I need you to get down on the floor of the car, stay against this door, okay? Don't let anybody in but me, okay?" You tapped the door closest to the alleyway, assuring that the young hybrid wouldn't be seen by the boys if they were to run towards your car. You made sure that she was in her position before hopping out of the car, locking it behind you and racing towards the boys.

"Hey! Get back, what are you doing?"

"He's just a mutt ma'am."

You shushed the boy nearest you, shoving them away from the quivering figure sat in the corner of the alleyway.

You sighed in relief at the sight of Taehyung, his injuries barely registering as you took in the fact that he was here. You crouched down, placing a hand on his arm.

"Taehyung?" You cooed, watching as his head shot up and his eyes widened.

His response was breathy, lunging into your arms and hugging you tight.

"Home."