Living with a Hybrid

Chapter 4

Footsteps echoed as Holly was walking in the hallway towards their unit. She squinted when she noticed a familiar figure of a man infront their room. It was Max. She walked faster to catch up to him.

"You're home early?" she spoke behind him.

"Oh my God! You do not sneak up into people like that Holly! You almost gave me a heart attack." Holly chuckled watching Max startled. He was holding his chest and taking deep breaths.

They both went inside and Max took his beanie off while he shuffled his hair. Holly was just watching him but the hybrid noticed a pair of eyes staring at him.

"Uhh is there something wrong?" Holly shook her head while smiling.

"Nothing, it's just your ears are so cute and your hair, it's so fluffy" Holly found him looking away while blushing.

"Well, you can pat 'em" Max said still looking away.

"I can?"

"I mean, yeah sur--"

Max haven't even finished his words when he felt Holly's hand patting his head and stroking his hair. His ears perked up and felt his stomach swirling. The head pats felt good, he loves it and it made his tail wag and a wide smile plastered on his face.

"It is indeed fluffy, it's so soft!" Holly giggled while shuffling his hair.

"I love head pats!"

"Yes you do, you're a good boy"

"I AM!!"

They both laughed as they sat down and breathed from laughing too much.

"By the way, why are you home early? Don't you still have work after class?" Max tilted his head curious.

"Oh, our manager told us not to come today. The restaurant was reserved for some occasion. How about you?"

"We just had to take a half day shift since the owner has to go to an occasion.. Oh wait.. Oh! I've connected the dots! The occasion my boss went to was the occasion reserved at the restaurant you're working!"

"Guess we both gained our one day break from work."

"Definitely! Any plans?"

"Not really, I think I'm gonna head to the store and buy tissues and whatever we need."

"I'm sorry" Max ears dropped and head hung low. Holly chuckled.

"For what?" Holly teased while she tied her hair in a ponytail.

"I'm the culprit of why we ran out of tissues in the bathroom"

Max's head still hung low while he talks in pout. That made Holly laughed remembering that scene.

Holly went home late that night and unfortunately she desperately needs to go the bathroom. When she came in she noticed how the unit was a mess... again but it didn't surprise her anymore nor makes her mad. It happens everytime Max had to wait for her for too long causing for severe boredom to struck him and just chew anything he sees. Her eyes trailed off the tissues rolling around the floor towards their room. She followed it and found Max sleeping soundly and tissues all over him. Instead of getting mad she let out a giggle. Funny how everything he does is endearing for her like seriously. Holly could never get mad at him, she can't stand seeing him sad and looking at her with his puppy eyes.

"I told you Max, it's fine. We can just buy a new one you know?"

"You're really not mad?" and there he goes again looking at her with those puppy eyes of his.

"I wouldn't be here laughing with you and talking If I was mad, Max." Holly gave him a reassuring smile and that made him feel at ease. "If you want, you can come with me to the store" Max's eyes sparkled like the stars dancing in the night sky.

"Really? To the store? I will come with you!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Strolling around while Max holding the basket, Holly took the small sheet of paper where the stuffs they need to buy were written in it. It's a budgeting stuff she does everytime she goes to the store.

"How many of these we need to buy?" Max waved the tissues as he asked her.

"Just take 2"

"Got it!"

Aside from tissues, they also bought soap and shampoo and other stuffs that they needed. After a while they were finished and now heading to the counter. It's cute how both of them were wearing beanies, a white shirt and black pants. It was a coincidence that they matched but they found it hilarious. Holly even wore beanie to completely match Max's vibe and from what they don't know, people were seeing them as a cute couple doing couple stuffs.

"Should we just order food for dinner? It's getting late though" Max suggested. Tightening the grip of the bags that are full of the stuffs they bought as Holly unlocked their unit door and pushed it open.

"Yeah we should. We're both too tired to cook for sure."

It was late when they got home, tired, sleepy and hungry but they sure had fun. It was actually their first time going out together since they were both busy during weekdays and chose to stay at home and relax during weekends.

Holly was used to doing things alone but now she has Max to accompany her.

"Oh I forgot to give you something!" Holly hurriedly stood and ran to their bedroom. Max was a bit confuse but he still waited for her to be back.

"I bought this the other day, I forgot to give you but here it is." She handed Max the plushie she bought, her eyes fixed on the hybrids face watching his reaction. Max on the other hand stared at it for a second before grabbing it and stared at it more. Holly couldn't read his reaction. Does he like it? Hate it or what. He's just eyeing it like examining every inch of it while mouth slightly ajar.

Just when Holly was about to think he hates it, Max's eyes starts shining brightly and looked her straight in the eyes with the most gentle expression he has, smiling sweetly.

"You bought this for me? Thank you so much Holly, I love it and I appreciate the gesture. I'm sorry I didn't bought anything for you though but what is the occasion?" Max asked, brow furrowed. Holly chuckled and shook her head lightly.

"Nothing, I just thought you'd like having one, and you don't have to give something back. Trust me you're doing more than enough."

Max didn't know what that means but he has a feeling it's a good thing and for some reason it made his heart warm.

It didn't took long when the food they ordered arrived as they digged in while talking about some random stuffs about themselves.

"If you don't mind, may I ask about your family Holly?" the latter froze, but she didn't made it obvious.

"Well, umm my family sucks so there's nothing really to talk about. Not worth of our time you know? " She gave an awkward laugh.

"Why don't you tell me about your family, I'm guessing that they're the sweetest and the kindest." Holly added to shift the topic.

"Why would you think that?" Max stated laughing

"Because you are sweet and kind so I believe you get that to your family." the young man gave her a wide smile

"Oh yeah, my mother is really kind she loves me so much and my father is really understanding. My older brother and sister adores me too and you're right, they're the sweetest and the kindest."

Holly saw how much happiness his eyes are showing but somehow there's a glimpse of sadness and longing.

"Do you miss them?" and with that question Max's ears dropped and gave Holly a half smile.

"I do, I miss them very much."

"When did you last visit them?"

"8 months ago."

"That long? Well why won't you visit them again?"

"I wanted to but I can't just go whenever I like, just like I said we live really far away."

His smile has now completely faded and his eyes are sparkling but not with happiness but instead with sadness.

"We'll make sure you will get to visit them next month. I promise."

Holly patted his head, she knows now how much Max loves headpats and how it somehow make him at ease.

From how Max talks about his family and how they cared about him, it's no wonder why he grew up with a lot of love and affection to offer because his family showered him with that too. Holly was kind of envious, her family could never. They're pure evil and stoned heart.

"I'm getting dizzy, there's a lot of customers today, what's up with them and of all caffe's why do they have to dine here." Kyle rolled his eyes while making coffees for the customers.

"Are you kidding me? We should be grateful they chose us though." Max answered giving his best smile.

"Dude have you seen that line? It's so long. It means more orders, more work and more exhaustion."

"Oh my God Kyle, stop being grumpy and start working and please smile, you're scaring them." Kyle once again rolled his eyes before wearing his best smile delivering the orders.

The reason why there were lots of customers were actually because of the both of them. Girls were swooning and giggling watching the two young man giving their orders with a smile on their faces but none of them knows that.

After serving all of it they went to the storage room as they sat down and let out a sigh. It was break time and instead of chatting they chose to sit in silence, only their breathing can be heard.

"My ears hurts and my tail too." Max broke the silence.

"Same. I want to let it out so badly but we can't."

They went back to being silent again, silently enduring the pain they're feeling.

"Wanna go to my house?" Max gave Kyle a look waiting for him to agree.

"Wow, you're already claiming it yours?" Kyle teased and so he received a glare from the dog hybrid

"Shut up. Just say yes."

"I can't even have other choices. Fine."

Max always win, Kyle always lets him win. He has a soft spot for the dog hybrid, he treat Max as his brother and would do anything to make him happy like what Max always does for him.

Max made sure to lock the door before him and Kyle change back to their comfy clothes. Their shift was done and now heading home. Max knows Holly wasn't still home by now but still left her a message that he'll bring Kyle with him.

"Your house is empty. Where's your human?" Kyle asked scanning his eyes around the place.

"She's still working at this hour." Max took off his beanie and let out his tail. He groaned when he felt a sting, his ears keeps hurting these past few days maybe because of how much he keeps folding it.

"That sucks. Studying and working but why though? Doesn't she have family to support her?"

"We don't really talk about her family. She said they suck and I respect it if she doesn't wanna talk about them."

They both finally set their ears and tail free. For some reason Kyle felt a bit comfortable even if he knows Holly would arrive anytime. His cat instincts are telling him that maybe they can really trust Holly and let himself trust Max's judgements this time.

"I should cook first and after that we can do anything we want but not mess around the unit." Max remembers how Holly always cleans their mess and knowing how tired Holly must be right now he doesn't want to add up to it and make her clean.

"You're the messier dude, you kept scattering your useless sticks." Kyle slurs

"I'm offended cat. My sticks aren't useless and they're pretty."

And there they go again with their cat and dog bickering, they can't even go on a day without pissing each other off but still, at the end of the day they only have each other to rely on.

Meanwhile, Holly was on her way home and as usual she's already exhausted and since she knows Max was with Kyle right now, she was already expecting to be greeted with a mess but the moment she enters their unit, Holly was surprise that the unit was clean and the place smells delicious. She roamed her eyes around looking for the two hybrids, and there she saw them playing jenga with an intense atmosphere. They must've not noticed Holly's arrival as their gaze was still fixed on the game, Holly silently approached them.

"Aren't we in a serious mode?" It was Max's turn to stack his blocks when Holly spoke that made him startle and let the blocks fall.

"Nooo, I was supposed to win. Hollyy!" Max whined that made Holly laugh and Kyle punches the air for his win.

"What are the consequences?" Holly asked sitting across the two hybrids.

"Doing embarrassing stuffs." Kyle answered shrugging his shoulders.

"Like?" Holly tilted her head curious. Kyle grinned and raised one of Max's sticks. She saw how Max eyed the stick with anticipation while his tail started to wag.

"Like this." and by that, Kyle threw the stick. Max immediately ran after it and took it using his mouth. He then realized what happened as his face flushed pink, embarrassed.

"Dogs can't resist that." Kyle said proudly in between laughs.

"f**k you Kyle!" Max took something on his pocket and it was a laser pointer, he turned it on and pointed it on the floor. Kyle stopped laughing as his eyes widen and his gaze followed the light from Max's laser. He moved it around and Kyle was following trying to catch it as Max fell on the floor laughing and Kyle giving him a death glare.

Holly shooked her head and took a deep breath from laughing so much. Why are they so adorable? It felt like the tiredness she felt earlier has been swept away.

"Wanna sleep over?" Max asked watching Kyle wore his beanie preparing to go home. After having dinner and doing some more stuffs, the night has gotten deeper and Kyle has to go home.

"Naah, maybe next time. Still have a lot of stuffs to do."

"Come again next time, we'll play more games." Holly gave him a smile and to her surprise Kyle smiled back too.

"Sure, that would be fun. And uhh I know we got on the wrong foot and I would like to apologize for being an asshole. I was just being cautious from the people around us, you know you can't just trust anyone easily. You don't know who will betray you." Kyle stated falling his gaze to Max after saying the last words.

Holly saw how Max somehow stiffened for a moment, she doesn't know what that means but she felt like it has something to do with betrayal. Did someone betrayed Max?

"Anyway, I hope that trusting you is not a mistake. I can feel that you're a good person so please don't prove us wrong and thank you for taking care of Max."

Kyle already left and the unit became silent. Max didn't said a word after that and immediately went to take a rest.

"Hey, Max..." Holly called him gently

"Don't mind what Kyle said, he's just crazy." She heard him chuckled but he wasn't looking at her.

Holly guessed maybe he wasn't ready to tell the story yet and she doesn't want to intrude or force him so she let him be.