“Come on, Lou, it’s time to pick a hybrid for the rest of the year.” Liam said, attempting to shake Louis awake. The hybrids were technically assigned for a year, but they could be kept afterward if desired. Few people bothered to do so, though.
“Just pick one out for me. Make sure it’s pretty,” Louis mumbled, rubbing a hand across his face.
“Whatever,” Liam hissed, grabbing his coat and leaving the room in a rush.
“Thank god,” Louis muttered, rolling over and falling back asleep.
His rest was short-lived. His phone buzzed with an alert from the college. He groaned and reached for it.
The message read: “Once we ensure you have your new hybrid, we will be moving you into a new dorm that you and your hybrid will be sharing.” It concluded with a curt “Thank you.”
Louis rolled his eyes. He’d been anticipating Liam handling the arrangement, but now that wasn’t possible. He knew which dorms they meant. It was a completely separate building, and the units were more like apartments – complete with a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, and so on.
The jiggle of the door knob made his head snap up.
Liam walked in, accompanied by two hybrids.
Louis stood up and examined them. One was a cat hybrid, taller than Louis, which he found infuriating. He hated when those under his authority outstripped him in height. The cat hybrid had small, brown ears that drooped slightly, with a couple of lighter stripes running through them. His tail was the same brown, striped, and unusually long – longer than most tails Louis had seen, with a small white tip.
The other hybrid was a dog, barely taller than Louis, but Louis was confident he’d grow to surpass him. The dog hybrid had ears reminiscent of a chocolate lab’s, but he lacked a tail entirely.
“Good. I like dogs,” Louis said, clapping his hands once.
“He is mine,” Liam said, pulling the dog hybrid closer. “This is Harry. He’s yours.” Liam gave the young hybrid a gentle nudge forward.
“Cat boy, do you eat sardines and milk for every meal, or actual cat food?” Louis teased, flicking the boy’s forehead.
The boy didn’t respond. His tail, tucked between his legs, twitched nervously.
“Can I speak, sir?” the shorter hybrid asked quietly.
“Of course. Always,” Louis replied.
The hybrid nodded before speaking. “Sorry, sir, but he doesn’t talk unless he’s comfortable with you and trusts you.”
Louis rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t even get me someone who can *speak*. Geez, you’re as useless as those things, and he’s taller than me.”
Liam rolled his eyes while both hybrids whimpered.
Liam patted Harry’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you have to deal with him, Harry. He shouldn’t hurt you, and if he does, tell me.”
Harry nodded in response.
“Whatever. Give me his papers so I can get my room,” Louis said, extending his hand.
Liam sighed and rummaged in his bag, pulling out the papers and handing them over. Louis grabbed them and sighed.
“Finally, my own room.”
“It’s his room too,” Liam glared.
“He’s sleeping on the floor.”
“There are two beds and a couch.”
“He still gets the floor.” Louis shrugged, grabbing Harry’s wrist with a tight grip and dragging him out of the room.