#i swear that natori /is/ competent in this universe!

[lunasohma]

it's raining cats and dogs

[ ao3 / ff.net ]

Natori Shuuichi makes a splash at his first exorcists’ meeting.

Sniffs and sounds and spilt strawberry ice cream cones that Natori has to bodily drag Sadie away from.

It’s a dog’s world and Natori’s just living in it.

Their first few days in the city have each been like this. Inspecting every inch of the local park one day. Making friends with the neighbor dog the next.

Natori is happy that she seems to be taking to city life well, but sometimes he wishes she wouldn’t be so enthusiastic.

He is out of breath when she pulls him up to the eye-patched stranger waiting outside the veterinarian’s office. She leans into the man lovingly, requesting pets.

“Oh Sadie, no!” He pulls her back with a groan. She’s shedding to beat the band. The man’s dark slacks aren’t so dark anymore.

“It’s all right. I’m used to it.” He rubs her head affectionately, then steps closer and lifts his pet carrier so Natori can see inside. His cat has a very fluffy, pale coat.

“I invest in many lint rollers.” Like it's a small secret.

“I should start,” Natori says sheepishly.

Somehow it is easy to talk to this man. He has to do something while Sadie makes a fool out of herself, rolling around on the man’s dress shoes. He says it’s fine.

A mournful meow sounds. “Now don’t be difficult, Miette. You’ve brought this upon yourself.” He tuts.

To Natori, dryly: “She’s in for her unhealthy obsession with grasshoppers and the stomachaches that come along with that.”

“I bet grasshoppers are very tasty.” He crouches down to address the cat seriously. “But maybe just one or two a day, hm?”

The man smiles down at him. The patch over his right eye is inscribed with… Is that—?

And out of the corner of his eye, the lizard makes an appearance, circling his wrist. It catches the man’s attention for a fraction of a second. They both startle.

Natori stands. Backs up a step. Sadie whines in protest.

“That’s enough out of you.” Natori feels his voice strain.

Presently, the man gets a text.

“Oh, that’ll be us.” He looks at Natori once more, something indiscernible in his eye. But still, he smiles.

“Be seeing you.”

—

“You are late!” Takuma-san exclaims, frazzled.

The full moon is high, framing a crimson kimono that streams across the sky on the breeze.

Natori has an excuse: Sadie’s puppy dog eyes.

Hiiragi had shoved him out the door.

Takuma-san rolls his eyes and leads them inside.

—

The leader of the House of Matoba holds court in the center of the room.

He is the owner of the cat, Miette. 

Well, shit.

—

“What has gotten into you, Shuuichi!”

Natori digs his heels in futilely. Takuma-san has him by the arm.

“I don’t think I’m ready to meet such an important person,” he mumbles, wondering who or what’s cursed him into this situation.

“Are you scared?” Takuma-san asks seriously.

“What? Should I be?”

He stops and turns to Natori.

“Well, the Matoba clan is contentious at best. You’d do well to deal with them carefully.”

He pauses.

“Shuuichi, you did read the material I sent you, right?”

Oh. No, he hadn’t.

“Sadie ate it,” he whispers.

“That dog!” Takuma-san pinches the bridge of his nose.

To be fair, it was a trade. His spell paper for some… other paper. And some of his latest script, if he now recalls.

If he can work with dog drool, there’s not much stopping him, now is there?

Takuma-san suddenly straightens up. Someone is approaching Natori from behind.

He turns to meet his fate.

—

Matoba Seiji’s robes are impeccable, not a speck of cat hair in sight, and he moves with an ethereal, liquid grace as he walks toward them.

Maybe luck will smile down on him and Matoba won’t recognize him.

“Natori-san, is it?”

Alas. Something is laughing in the face of whatever luck Natori has because he sticks his foot right in his mouth and says the first thing that comes to mind.

“Is Miette feeling better?” And yes, he does want to know—but now? Really? Natori Shuuichi, what the hell do you think you’re doing?

You could hear a pin drop. Takuma-san looks faint and Natori is getting there himself.

The distinguished head of the Matoba clan presses a hand to his mouth—slim fingers slope into a slender wrist—and something like mirth sparks in his visible eye.

“She is, thank goodness.” Now the smile steals across his lips. “And your Sadie? How is she settling in?”

“Oh yeah, she's doing a bit better. Still drags me for a marathon whenever we go out.”

A small cough. Or a laugh?

“I expect she’ll settle down soon.”

“Yes, I expect she will.” The flush has surely spread to every inch of his person. The lizard is probably throwing a fit.

And the thing is, Natori knows. Of course he does! The middle of an exorcists’ gathering is absolutely not the time or place for small talk about one’s pets. Abort, abort! goes his mind.

But for some reason, Matoba Seiji seems intent on this line of conversation. He feels a bit like a mouse between a cat’s paws.

There goes his reputation before he even had one.

He doesn’t remember whatever else he says but he does remember how Matoba’s gaze never strays once from his face.

“You’ll be wanting to make the rest of your introductions, Shuuichi-san.”

Natori wonders at the familiarity of the address.

“I’ll see you around.” And with that, he gives a nod to Takuma-san, then disappears into the crowd.

Matoba Seiji’s parting words feel like a promise.