#resfeber

Not able to stay seated, you got up and paced around the room. You took deep breaths in hopes to calm down.

“You knew this was coming. You prepared everything for this to come. It’s going to be fine. Dr. Park said this would help me.”

Before the hybrid rights were evoked you had stayed with a human, who had told you everything you were supposed to do. You never had to think for yourself or worry about doing something wrong even if you only sat near his chair. You simply had to wait for his next command. Now though, you got a life of your own and you just couldn’t handle it. What were you supposed to do? How did someone live without being told what to do? 

Therefore Dr. Park had started to visit you for regular therapy sessions. He was the one who suggested a companion to ease your anxiety. Something you had discussed with him over a dozen sessions before you agreed to it.

You froze on the spot when you heard a car door slam in front of your home. You glanced at the clock, seeing only a minute had passed. Meaning you still had four more minutes before your visitor arrived. Yet the footsteps outside coming closer to your front door made it abundantly clear they were already here.

A nervous chirp left your lips once the doorbell rang. You had no more minutes to prepare yourself anymore.

“Y/N? It’s Dr. Park! I’m here with someone who’d like to meet you. Could you open up the door? Without sprinting away this time?”

You winced involuntarily at the memory from his last visit. You took one last deep breath and turned towards the door. “I’m a predator, I don’t sprint to run away. I’m totally calm and I got this and everything is fine and they are probably very nice and Dr. Park is right and…” 

You opened the door.

“So nice to meet you!” An excited young male greeted you, making you jump on the spot. Without noticing, he grabbed your hand and shook it vigorously. All while he grinned from ear to ear. “I’m Wonpil! I’m a dog hybrid, labrador to be precise. Did you make something to eat? It smells amazing.” He inhaled deeply as he closed his eyes in the process, still holding one of your hands.

You blinked several times before your eyes wandered over his hybrid features: the brown floppy ears between his dark hair, slightly elongated canines, a warmer temperature than the human average as well as the rapidly moving tail behind him.

Your gaze switched to Dr. Park, showing you weren’t so sure about this whole situation. To your dismay his expression was as unreadable as always. He simply gestured all of you to go inside, probably because he didn’t want to hunt you down after you sprinted away with inhumanely speed.

When you reached the living room and sat down on the couch, Wonpil immediately sat down next to you - not losing his excited manner in the least.

“We already discussed how this is supposed to work”, Dr. Park said calmly and sat down on a plush chair opposite of the couch. He observed all of your reactions towards Wonpil. “Did you prepare everything like I asked you to do?”

You nodded shortly. “I prepared the spare room and ordered more groceries online. I also made some space in the bathroom.” Even though you said it out loud, your brain couldn’t quite believe the fact you wouldn’t be living alone anymore. Or at least for the time being until you were able to control your anxiety attacks.

“That’s really considerate of you. Thank you.” Wonpil smiled brightly and nodded in appreciation. “This is quite the change for you. I’m happy you’re doing so much for this. It means a lot to me!”

You bit on your lower lip and quickly grabbed your tail, knowing the tip would just flick around like crazy from the sudden attention on you. 

Wonpil laughed softly, suppressing the urge to coo at your antics. “I’m also nervous”, he admitted and clutched his hands in his lap, “but I feel like we’re going to become really good friends.” Even though you were a predator, the nervousness you radiated felt palpable and Wonpil wanted nothing more than to hug you and calm you down. He knew he couldn’t do that right now as you two were still strangers to one another. Yet he offered you his hand, holding it with the palm facing the ceiling.

His heart nearly burst into dozens of tiny pieces when you delicately placed your hand in his, accepting his words and most importantly him into your life.

After a few more necessities were discussed, Dr. Park bid his goodbye and left you two alone in your now shared home. You still felt slightly uneasy about all of this but you knew it was for the best.

The first week together you tiptoed around Wonpil, whenever you exited your room - the only space you had solely for yourself. Of course you didn’t deliberately try to avoid him but you didn’t know how to act around him. Not that you knew how to act around anybody in the first place.

“Morning”, Wonpil greeted you quietly from behind, making you jump slightly and turn around to him. He smiled sheepishly and waved one hand hesitantly. 

You frowned in thought, noticing he wasn’t as chipper as before. “Are you unhappy?” You clutched your hands and started fidgeting with your fingers. Somehow you didn’t like the thought of him being unhappy.

Wonpil tilted his head to one side, looking at you with a puzzled expression. Once it dawned on him, he quickly shook his head. “No, no, no. I’m just trying to make you feel comfortable around me.”

Your eyes widened in surprise and you felt the dread bubbling up in your stomach. Cold sweat ran down your back and dark spots appeared at the edge of your vision. You were the reason Wonpil changed his behaviour. You were the reason he toned down his personality.

Wonpil immediately noticed the distant look in your eyes and how your stance shifted slightly. He knew if he wouldn’t get you back, you would bolt out of the room and any progress the two of you made over the first week would have been gone again.

“Y/N”, he spoke softly and stepped closer to you, moving into your line of sight, “it’s alright. You did nothing wrong. I want you to feel comfortable around me. Maybe you can tell me what might help you.” Ever so carefully he pried your hands open. “It’s going to be a long journey but I just know we can do it.”

It took you several minutes before you were able to focus on Wonpil again, blinking a few times as well. It took you even longer until your brain finally registered what Wonpil had said to you. Yet you couldn’t form a single word as an answer. You inhaled shakily, feeling the tears brim at the corners of your eyes.

Wonpil rubbed his thumbs over the back of your hands in a calming manner. “How about we sit down on the couch and take some time doing nothing at all together?” He waited for the faintest of nods from you before he guided you towards the living room. 

The second your body hit the cushions all the energy in your body evaporated. You basically melted onto the couch and just closed your eyes, feeling way too exhausted. 

Wonpil sat down next to you, still holding one of your hands and caressing the back of your hand. His tail wagged gently when you rested your head on his shoulder with a soft sigh. 

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologise for”, Wonpil reassured you, easing more into the couch as well. “We can’t change who we are from one day to the next. It’s a process, which will take quite some time. I don’t expect you to embrace me with open arms just after a week of living together.”

You rubbed your free hand over your face, wiping away a few stray tears. “It’s frustrating. You’re doing so much and I… I don’t do anything.” Without receiving an answer you continued ranting about the struggles your mind gave you each and every day. “I just want to be normal”, you cried in the end.

“You’re doing way more than you’re giving yourself credit for”, Wonpil told you and squeezed your hand comfortingly. “You just opened up to me, Y/N. That wouldn’t have happened a week ago.”

“I just dumped a truckload of frustrations on you.”

Wonpil chuckled softly and shook his head. “I might agree with you that the frustrations were the reason for you to open up but I don’t think you dumped anything on me. I’m here to help you, to listen to you, to share your worries and fears. And as you can hear-” he pointed at his rapidly wagging tail “- I’m extremely happy with this situation.”

This made you snicker as well, hiding your face into Wonpil’s shoulder. The tip of your tail flicked from side to side, indicating the racing thoughts within your mind. Yet Wonpil’s presence so close next to you, kept your worries at bay. 

“I’m scared”, you whispered after a while, curling more into Wonpil’s side as if you wanted to hide away. “But I’m also excited.” You sighed and glanced upwards to see Wonpil’s bright smile, making yourself smile as well. “I think your unshakable positivity makes me excited for what is to come.”

Wonpil nodded slowly. “I feel the same way. The trust you’re showing me makes me excited to see what the future holds.”

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