CAT! IN-HO✨ IS BACK AGAIN!! (and it’s Inhun😎)
A cat’s purr can benefit humans by releasing feel-good hormones like oxytocin, reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and promoting a sense of calm and well-being.
Now, imagine that with these two goobers 👀
Gihun and Inho’s relationship is still.. tense in the present, to say the least. But with this situation—Inho having been turned into a feline—they’re forced into close proximity. After all, who would take care of Inho otherwise? And Gihun is far too soft-hearted to throw him into the "trash". So this strange turn becomes a bonding experience for them ✨
Gihun still suffers from nightmares. He rarely gets any real sleep, tossing and turning, sweating, sometimes waking up with a scream stuck in his throat.
Inho, curled up not far away, notices every night. His sharp ears flick back at every ragged breath. His tail curls tight against his flank, restless. The pads of his paws buzz as though tiny sparks run through them—his body urging him forward, while guilt chains him in place. Each time, he lifts his round head to watch, but never moves closer. He keeps his distance, respecting boundaries, guilt gnawing at him because he believes these dreams are his fault.
One night, the nightmare grips Gihun more fiercely than ever. He thrashes but doesn’t wake, as if trapped in thorny roots that hold him prisoner.
Inho holds his breath, claws tingling with the urge to act. His hind paws flex, ready to run, to pounce—anything to free Gihun.
Finally, instinct wins. He creeps forward, soft-footed and silent. His body urges him to move faster, to nip, to nuzzle—anything to tear Gihun out of the dark knots binding him. But he ignores thes urges, forcing himself to stay calm. He leaps onto the end of the bed, pacing carefully forward until he’s in front of the tormented man.
Tentatively, he raises a paw to Gihun’s face, pressing lightly against his cheek. It stirs him, but not enough. In-ho unsheathes the smallest edge of his claws and begins to knead—press, release, press, release. His claws barely prick the skin, not enough to hurt, but just enough to tug at the edge of awareness.
It works. Gihun jolts awake, sitting bolt upright, breath heaving.
Inho shuffles back a little, giving him space, but doesn’t look away. His unblinking eyes stay fixed on Gihun as the man slowly calms.
At last, Gihun exhales, his tense shoulders loosening just slightly. He turns his head and sees, of course, Inho watching him.
With a sigh, Gihun drops his gaze to the blanket, lost in thought. Just as In-ho is about to retreat back to his corner, Gihun murmurs, “...Thank you.”
Inho freezes.
“...For waking me. And... yeah.”
Silence stretches between them. Not uncomfortable, just... quiet. Finally, Gi-hun lies back again, draping an arm across his eyes as if the room is suddenly too bright.
In-ho waits, unsure. Instinct curls in his head like smoke, whispering ideas.
“It’s okay, In-ho,” Gi-hun mumbles. “I’m okay. You don’t need to worry.”
But In-ho makes a choice.
Gi-hun feels a light weight press onto his chest, testing. He blinks, surprised as the pressure grows. It doesn’t hurt—actually, it grounds him. It feels... good.
Their eyes meet. One lies on his back, the other nestled on his chest, ears perked to the steady heartbeat.
Gihun: “...Isn’t this a little awkward for you?”
Inho answers with a soft sound.
Gihun: “...Of course not.”
A pause.
Gihun: “Okay... just for tonight. Then we’ll forget about it, alright?”
Inho answers with a slow blink.
Gihun sighs. “...Okay. Okay.”
He lets his eyes fall shut, exhaustion finally taking him. Inho stays alert at first, gaze never leaving Gihun’s face.
Gihun’s hand drifts, almost mindlessly, until it brushes Inho’s head and trails down his back. A long-dormant reflex sparks awake in Inho’s chest. A soft, steady vibration hums from his throat—purring. It isn’t uncomfortable; it soothes him, and with every rumble his own nervousness slips away.
He lowers his head onto the steady drum of Gihun’s heartbeat. And then he realizes—he isn’t the only one soothed by the sound.
The rest of the night is restful.
For both of them.
@kwupi @bebx gonna tag you both because we’re the CEO’s🐈⬛
