Homosaurus

6

Jaebum walked through the lab's large metal door with a pep in his step, the night before still fresh in his mind. He beelined straight to Youngjae with excitement to see him, bypassing Jinyoung who was standing next to the cage.

"Hi Youngjae!" Jaebum waved, his voice making the hybrid perk up immediately.

Youngjae quickly approached the bars, waving back at Jaebum with a toothy grin. "Hi!"

"Jaebum."

Jaebum spun around, finally noticing Jinyoung standing behind him with arms folded over his chest. Jaebum smiled, waving at him as well despite the angered expression the other wore.

"Hello Jinyoung, why does someone so cute look so angry this morning?" He asked while reaching out to pinch Jinyoung's cheek.

"Shut up." Jinyoung scolded, pushing Jaebum's hand away.

Jaebum scoffed, dramatically placing his hand over his chest. "What? Why?"

Jinyoung's hands transferred to his hip, an unamused glare staring into Jaebum's soul. "Guess what happened this morning?"

"Um, you woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" The elder guessed.

"I'm not playing games, Jaebum!" Jinyoung snapped, wagging a finger at him. "This morning was a weekly examination. For Youngjae."

Jaebum nodded, briefly glancing at Youngjae. "Okay?"

"So tell me why, during this examination, we found blades of grass in his teeth and dirt under his nails?" Jinyoung waited for an answer, looking at Jaebum expectantly.

Jaebum's eyes darted away, fingers digging into his hair as he tried to find something to say. "Um, I dunno, does he eat grass? Was he washed recently?"

Jinyoung rolled his eyes, obviously not up for awful excuses. "Enough bullshit Jaebum. Why the hell did you go behind my back?"

"I'm sorry Jinyoung, he was just so pitiful looking and he longed to go outside and I couldn't say no-"

"Well that needs to become part of your vocabulary. No matter how much I stress to you that we can't take these risks, you refuse to listen." Jinyoung scolded, like a mother reprimanding her child. "Should I tell Yugyeom you're being disruptive and revoke your access to the lab?"

Jaebum's eyes widened, his head immediately shaking. "No! Why would you do that? Please Jinyoung, don't do that."

"Then listen to me when I tell you that Youngjae is off limits." Jinyoung stated firmly.

Jaebum nearly passed out from hearing those dreadful words. "What!? B-But me and him have gotten closer, I understand him and he likes me, no one even saw us in the field yesterday-"

"I don't care Jaebum. It's obvious that you don't know how to keep your hands off of things. I shouldn't have told you about him. No more contact with him from now on." Jinyoung turned away with those final words, focusing his attention on adjusting some random items  nearby the cage.

Jaebum followed him around, begging with every step. "Jinyoung no, please, anything but that. I promise I won't take him out again, I'll never even go near the cage again, just at least let me talk to him-"

"No means no Jaebum. Look it up in the dictionary." Jinyoung retorted.

"Jinyoung?" Youngjae called, the hybrid's use of his actual name making him freeze in his tracks. Jinyoung looked up at the face positioned in the space between the bars.  "Jaebum's my first friend. My only friend."

Jinyoung took a step back, glancing at Jaebum before looking back at Youngjae again. "You... regard him as a friend?"

Youngjae nodded. "I think so. He's the only person who seems to actually care about how I feel. He listens to me and understands me, or at least tries his hardest to. Please don't take away my friend."